197: Food and Casino

"How can it be like this... so dilapidated, and the public security is just too terrible."

In the noisy and filthy environment of the black market, such a mutter of undisguised disgust was like a stone thrown into a quagmire, instantly attracting many ill-intentioned gazes.

Greedy, calculating, and cold gazes converged from all directions, like vultures discovering fresh carrion.

However, before these gazes could fully focus, a chill as sharp as an ice blade silently swept past.

Machi's fingers merely rested lightly on the tsuba of the long sword at his waist, not even drawing it half an inch, yet that battle-hardened, near-solid Evil Qi caused the air to freeze.

The restless crowd around them immediately felt their scalps tingle; they shifted their gazes and backed away inconspicuously, the originally crowded passage invisibly opening up a wider gap for this group.

"The moment you opened your mouth, you branded yourself as a fat sheep waiting to be slaughtered," Kobayashi Rindō said, curling her lip and teasing the person who had just spoken.

She had already changed into a set of well-fitting clothes found by Machi's subordinates, and her blood-red long hair was tied into a neat ponytail. Despite the harsh environment, that wild vitality in her expression had recovered quite a bit.

"Haha, with Big Brother Machi here, nothing will happen," said the lackey standing close to Machi.

Standing in stark contrast to the surrounding dilapidated, vigilant, and gloomy atmosphere was Lin Luo's group.

Arriving in the Kingdom of Gitar, it was naturally impossible for Lin Luo to be alone. Erina was currently standing prettily by his side, her brow slightly furrowed as her violet eyes cautiously scanned the surroundings.

As far as the eye could see, there were only dilapidated houses, sewage flowing across the ground, and trash and unknown filth emitting foul odors. On the mottled walls, bullet holes and marks from knives and axes were like ugly scars; dark red bloodstains, weathered by wind and sun, had turned into deep brown stains stubbornly clinging to the surface, silently testifying to the frequent violence of this place.

Erina instinctively shrank her body and leaned closer to Lin Luo. Everything here was worlds apart from the exquisite, orderly, and aesthetically pleasing environment she was used to, making her feel instinctively uncomfortable and a bit chilled.

Slap!

A palm slapped her back with moderate force, causing Erina to let out a soft cry of surprise.

"Erina, you're still so obsessed with cleanliness," Kobayashi Rindō said, withdrawing her hand and grinning, her sharp canines glinting in the dim light.

"Rindō-senpai!" Erina rubbed her back in pain, feeling somewhat helpless. "This is a completely different matter from being obsessed with cleanliness..."

She recalled the disheveled and rather pathetic state Kobayashi Rindō was in when they first met not long ago. At that time, her heart had almost stopped, thinking this flighty but kind senpai had suffered some terrible treatment in this lawless land.

As it turned out... her clothes had actually been accidentally torn by 'one of her own'!

However, truth be told, Rindō-senpai was as 'reckless' and kind as ever.

Erina sighed inwardly.

In this chaotic kingdom where she was a stranger and danger lurked everywhere, she actually dared to risk her life for a group of orphans she wasn't even related to, even going so far as to steal from the local bosses and the 'Gourmet Gang'... This almost naive courage and stubborn kindness made one unsure whether to admire her or have a headache.

"They're actually... selling poisoned Puffer Whales here?" Stopping in front of a dimly lit stall, Erina's violet eyes were filled with surprise and disapproval.

On the stall, several Puffer Whales that should have been crystal clear now displayed an ominous purplish-black color. They were clearly in a highly toxic 'poisoned' state and completely inedible, yet they were being openly displayed and hawked.

"They're very delicious," the stall owner, a bald man, said. "It's just that you'll die if you eat them." He was being 'honest,' making no effort to hide their lethality.

Erina's brow furrowed, and she was about to pull Lin Luo away when she was stopped by an old woman at a neighboring stall.

The old woman was hunched over, holding something shaped like a star that emitted a faint purple glow, resting on a filthy cloth. Her voice was hoarse but full of temptation:

"Beautiful young lady, would you like to buy one and take a look? It's very rare; Grandma will give you a cheap price."

The purple 'star' pulsed with light, possessing a strange beauty that caused Erina's gaze to be involuntarily drawn to it for a moment.

"Hey, Erina, let's go," Lin Luo's voice came, carrying a reminder.

Erina snapped out of it, hurriedly took a step back, and waved her hand at the old woman: "No, no thank you, maybe next time." She quickly caught up with Lin Luo.

Walking alongside them, Machi explained in a low voice: "That thing is commonly known as the 'Poison Star,' a starfish variant strictly designated as a drug. It's said that if you eat it, you will 100% be poisoned, and it's extremely difficult to treat. In the past, there was a city with a population of a million that was completely destroyed because the spread of Poison Stars got out of control." He paused, his gaze scanning the surrounding stalls. "There are many similar things here."

His gaze fell on a pile of snails slowly crawling on the ground. The shells of those snails displayed natural, deep purple spiral patterns that seemed to contain potent toxins, emitting an eerie luster in the dim light that actually looked somewhat fantastically beautiful.

"Those are 'Poison Snails,'" Machi's voice grew even deeper. "In the vast majority of countries, they are listed as 'completely quarantined organisms.' Forget about eating or touching them; even possessing just their shells within the borders will lead to immediate arrest and be treated as a serious crime."

Next, he pointed to a pile of bananas that looked ordinary, even somewhat wilted: "'Electric Bananas.' They look normal, but with just one bite, strong electrical currents will run wild inside the consumer's body, causing serious injury or even death. These are classified as Level 2 drug ingredients."

"They're all... terrifying ingredients that can't even be touched," Erina clicked her tongue inwardly; the danger of the 'merchandise' circulating here far exceeded her imagination.

Beside her, Kobayashi Rindō went "Oh," as if remembering something, and interjected: "I think I... ate that banana once? At the time, I felt a tingling sensation, and my tongue went numb. I thought I was having some strange hallucination, but it turns out there really was electricity!"

Her tone actually carried a bit of 'so that's how it is' realization, leaving Erina and Lin Luo speechless. Even Machi couldn't help but glance at her sideways—just what kind of mess had this girl tried while in Gitar?

The group passed through the dilapidated, sewage-strewn narrow streets, as if crossing an invisible boundary. Just as their feet stepped over that dividing line drawn by trash, stains, and certain unspoken rules, the scene before them changed abruptly.

Blinding neon lights, like an overflowing tide of color, instantly flooded their senses. Boisterous music, excited shouts, and the crisp clatter of chips clashing mixed into a massive wave of sound, forming a jarring contrast with the dead and gloomy slums behind them. The stench in the air was crudely replaced by the heavy scents of expensive perfume, cigar smoke, and the aroma of roasted meat fat.

After walking for a while along a wide street dyed in surreal neon hues, a majestic and highly modern giant building stood tall in the center of their vision.

The place was teeming with people; well-dressed men and women jostled each other, their faces filled with expressions of greed, fanaticism, or numbness.

The main entrance of the building was an exaggeratedly large arched structure, its flamboyant outline traced by flowing colored lights. Above it, four shimmering characters, 'Gourmet Casino,' flashed, arrogantly proclaiming the core of this place.

"This is... the Gourmet Casino?" Erina looked up at this magnificent building that was so out of place with its surroundings, her violet eyes unable to hide her amazement. "It looks... very beautiful. I didn't expect this country to have a place like this."

This was indeed the 'Gourmet Casino,' known as the world's largest, where 'Phantom Advanced Ingredients' and even various illegal prohibited items served as the ultimate prizes.

The total area of the 'Entertainment District' where it was located was staggering, and the amount of money flowing through 20% of its gambling venues daily reached astronomical figures. It was a true nation of high-stakes gambling and an abyss of desire.

Kobayashi Rindō crossed her arms, looking at this glittering demon's den that was like a different world from the slums just a few steps away. She then glanced at the undisguised appreciation for 'beautiful things' on Erina's face, curled her lip, and muttered:

"You too, Erina... you only like these bright and shiny things, Young Miss."

Hearing this, Erina was first stunned, then her cheeks puffed up slightly in anger as her violet eyes glared at Kobayashi Rindō: "Rindō-senpai! I am simply stating an objective fact!"

It wasn't that she didn't understand the decay and cruelty behind this magnificence, but Rindō-senpai's way of speaking, which always carried a sting, still made her a bit annoyed.

Lin Luo stepped in to mediate at the right time, smiling as he stood between the two: "Alright, alright, both of you calm down. Since we're already here, why not go in and take a look? This place can be considered a 'specialty' of Gitar."

Hearing this, Kobayashi Rindō's eyes lit up, and her mouth split into a grin, revealing her signature sharp canines. She patted the bulging sack she always carried: "Hehe, exactly what I was thinking! Then I won't be polite. I'll aim to double the contents of this sack before coming out!"

In addition to some cash, the sack mostly contained precious ingredients brought for the gambling tables. A major feature of the Gourmet Casino was that it allowed guests to have rare ingredients directly appraised and exchanged for an equivalent value of chips for gambling.

As she spoke, she was already impatient, taking the lead and heading toward the shimmering arched entrance.

Erina watched her back, her anger not yet fully dissipated. She pointed at her and said to Lin Luo: "Look at her! What right does she have to say I 'only like bright and shiny things'? She herself gets this excited the moment she hears about going in to play!"

Lin Luo placed his hands lightly on her shoulders, offering a soothing smile: "Alright, alright, our Young Miss Erina is the most magnanimous. She isn't targeting you; she's just... a bit frustrated by this world that is unfair everywhere. Let's go, we'll go in and have a look too, just to broaden our horizons."

Erina huffed but didn't argue further, accepting the explanation.

Seeing this, Machi gave a slight nod to several of his trusted subordinates behind him.

The Gourmet Casino was an extremely special existence in the Kingdom of Gitar. The kingdom's main fiscal revenue relied on it, and the powers behind it were intricately intertwined. Even the 'Gourmet Gang' needed to restrain their claws here and was currently unable to fully penetrate it with their influence.

The main purpose of their trip was to accompany and ensure the basic safety of Lin Luo's group, not to cause trouble.

The group followed the flow of people and stepped inside the Gourmet Casino.

Instantly, an even hotter and more boisterous wave of sound hit them.

The internal space was exceptionally spacious and high-ceilinged, with brilliant crystal chandeliers lighting every corner as bright as day.

Various gambling tables, slot machines, and roulette wheels were already crowded with all sorts of gamblers. People's expressions were feverish, and the sounds of shouting, sighing, and chips being stacked were constant. The air was thick with the scent of money, desire, and a intoxicating yet unsettling mix of aromas from top-tier ingredients.

Lin Luo's gaze swept across the magnificent hall, finally landing on the clearly marked chip exchange area. He smiled at Erina and Kobayashi Rindō:

"Let's go, we'll go exchange some chips. Winning or losing doesn't matter; the key is for you two to have fun."