Reopening the tavern after being closed for over a week was like a web novel author coming back after a long hiatus.
Even if the tavern had a good reputation before, it couldn't instantly return to its former glory.
So today the tavern was a bit quiet. Only two tables with seven people in total, and even Rui Meng Meng, usually so busy, had time to play cards with Tom and Zhang Da Ye.
In this round, Rui Meng Meng was the landlord, and her hand seemed very strong. After playing three sets with triplets and singles, no one could beat her. Then she played: "10 J Q K A."
Zhang Da Ye shook his head. "Pass."
Tom looked at his cup of water and shook his head too, another round where he might just drink water.
"One 10."
"2."
Tom thought for a moment and shook his head again.
"Big Joker." Rui Meng Meng signaled with her remaining card. "Just one left."
At that moment, someone shouted, "Boss, check out!"
"Coming!" Rui Meng Meng slapped her cards on the table and ran to collect the money.
She was a good employee, but a terrible card partner.
Zhang Da Ye and Tom exchanged a knowing smile, especially Tom, who raised an eyebrow mischievously.
When Rui Meng Meng returned, Zhang Da Ye casually put the money away as if nothing had happened.
"Did you guys have the Big Joker when I played it?"
"I had it, a bomb, four 8s." Zhang Da Ye pulled out four cards and tossed them down, feeling a twinge of guilt for bullying an honest kid, but he was also happy.
"Ah, a bomb!" Rui Meng Meng realized trouble.
"34567, two J, two K, one 9, that's it!" Zhang Da Ye pushed a cup of water to Rui Meng Meng. "Drink up."
Tom did the same and started skillfully shuffling the cards again.
"Oh." Rui Meng Meng sipped her water, shocked that she still lost. She should have considered the possibility of a bomb.
"Meng Meng, they're cheating," the righteous Artoria exposed the two cheaters.
Rui Meng Meng had already drunk half a cup and looked at them in disbelief. How could anyone swap cards like that?
Zhang Da Ye nervously glanced at the ceiling while Tom's shuffle scattered cards all over the floor.
"Boss, Tom, you're cheating!" Rui Meng Meng refilled her cup. "There should be a penalty, right?"
"Artoria, seeing without saying..." Zhang Da Ye gulped down two cups of water. Tom drank too, grimacing and belching.
Artoria criticized, "Cheating at cards is shameful."
"I suspect you're retaliating because we didn't include you," Zhang Da Ye said.
Artoria didn't reply. Zhang Da Ye thought he saw a little hair antenna on her head twitch approvingly, but quickly dismissed it as an illusion.
Seeing Zhang Da Ye and Tom accept the penalty, Rui Meng Meng decided to forgive them. Their friendship could survive a little longer.
Meanwhile, Shark Chili, practicing Fishman Karate in the courtyard, walked in. He scanned the tavern for wanted criminals, found none, and sat beside Artoria to rest.
Robots also needed rest. Shark Chili accepted a teacup from Artoria with thanks and asked, "Why aren't you playing with them?"
"Da Ye is being stingy, says I'm too lucky and it's unfair," Artoria said, showing rare discontent.
"Luck is unpredictable. I'll play with you. Let's do Ludo!" Shark Chili pulled out a board and dice from the cabinet behind the bar.
He was gentle and attentive, immediately wanting to take care of a friend being excluded.
The cabinet also had chess, checkers, and other games Zhang Da Ye kept for downtime since there were no phones to play with.
"Great!" Artoria threw the dice, rolling a six.
"Nice roll." Shark Chili threw, a one.
Shark Chili was actually unlucky by nature. During the Peace Star contest, he lost several matches he could have won due to bad luck.
The next five minutes were brutal. Just as he got his first piece out, Artoria had already finished.
Shark Chili protested, "Again!"
Five minutes later: "Again!"
Another five minutes passed. Frustrated, he checked the wall clock. "We've rested long enough. Time to train."
At this moment, Zhang Da Ye and the others realized Shark Chili was still a man of action, like the wind.
By noon, only a dozen customers had come, a poor showing compared to before.
"Boss, what now? If we rely on tavern meals alone, we'll starve."
"Business is slow because many people don't know we're back. Let's spread the word. This afternoon, we'll do a heavy-run, covering all streets and alleys of 59GR."
Exercise, advertise, and give Shark Chili a chance to search for wanted criminals—three benefits in one.
So the Running Da Ye was back in action, and 59GR residents again saw the familiar team of handsome guys, beautiful women, cute pets, and robots.
Some even witnessed the tavern's new business: bounty hunting.
Emphasis on bounty. They saw a robot identify a man and announce his bounty, then the little boss smacked him with a golden folding stool.
Reportedly, the criminal's eyes were still shining as he fell.
The little boss cursed, "Pah! Only a million! That bounty isn't even worth a leg of my stool!"
"One million isn't worth a stool leg? So it really is gold?"
"Running Da Ye made a stool out of gold?"
"Don't you know he's also called Folding Stool Da Ye?"
"I'll check out the tavern tonight, it's been too long since a proper drink."
Elsewhere, Zhang Da Ye dragged a knocked-out wanted man by his foot, feeling proud. "See my advertising? Fresh and trending all at once. This'll hit my hot search for sure."
"'Young man uses golden stool to beat people in the street, no one intervenes.' Perfect trending topic. No headline concert can beat this."
"Is this really okay?" Shark Chili, unfamiliar with trending topics, worried about the consequences.
"Could attract petty thieves. Before bed, have Tom set a few mouse traps nearby. Either they hop in and out or stay put." Zhang Da Ye didn't see much risk. Stools were usually boxed in the inventory; stealing them would be impossible.
"What if someone tries to steal it?" Rui Meng Meng asked, worried she sounded foolish.
"Even better," Zhang Da Ye said. "If they dare to take it, all the better. Might even speed up the bounty hunting. Otherwise, let the Yonko try stealing my stool!"
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