C98 — The Bartender

Mu Sichen still had more questions he wanted to ask, but when he noticed the bartender wasn’t too eager to talk to him, he realized it was likely because he hadn’t ordered a drink and kept prying about the mixologist. It was understandable the bartender was annoyed.

The drinks here were expensive, but fortunately Lin Wei had promised to cover all expenses related to the investigation tonight, giving Mu Sichen solid backing and easing his worries.

So he said to the bartender, “Then make me a ‘Liang Zhu’.”

The bartender seemed normal enough, and Mu Sichen didn’t believe he had any direct connection with Zhuo Huaichu. But since this bar was linked to Butterflies, it made sense to order a drink that referenced them.

The bartender moved skillfully, quickly mixing the drink.

He added something into the mixture that made it look extraordinary: in the orange-yellow liquid, two streams of red and blue danced and intertwined like butterflies, slowly swirling together, fluttering in a mesmerizing pattern.

“It’s beautiful,” Mu Sichen remarked.

“Right? I’m pretty good at this,” the bartender said proudly. “I even got certified, but since I haven’t been working here long, the boss won’t hire me as a full bartender. I only get a server’s pay. That drink hits hard though—better take it slow.”

Now that he had ordered something, it was easier to chat.

Mu Sichen didn’t drink the cocktail right away. Instead, he struck up a conversation: “Your business is booming. There are a lot of bars nearby—why is this one so popular? Do you have any special attractions?”

“Nothing fancy,” the bartender replied. Then, glancing at Chi Lian sitting nearby, he gave a knowingly male grin and leaned in to whisper to Mu Sichen, “They say after drinking here, your performance back home gets a lot better. Guys and girls alike get way more passionate.”

Mu Sichen raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Do you put something special in the drinks?”

“Of course not!” the bartender quickly said. He pulled out a sealed bottle of mineral water and shoved it into Mu Sichen’s hand. “Here—drink half of this. You’ll feel like a tiger. Take the rest to a lab—there’s nothing in it. Lots of people have looked into this. The general consensus? It’s the magnetic field here.”

Mu Sichen: “Magnetic field? That can really improve your condition?”

The bartender shrugged. “Not permanently. I’ve heard that if you stop coming for a few days, the effects wear off.”

What the bartender described was oddly similar to what had happened to He Fei, who had been mildly contaminated by the octopus plushie.

Qin Zu had also mentioned that if the contamination source was removed, this kind of low-level pollution would fade over time.

That meant this bar was indeed linked to Origin Town’s contamination, but the effect was mild—like He Fei’s sudden burst of discipline—quick to come and quick to go, without causing serious harm.

But the big question remained: Where was the contamination coming from? Was it the mixologist?

Mu Sichen glanced down at the “Liang Zhu” in front of him. Since he’d waited too long, the butterfly-like liquids had sunk to the bottom, blending into a murky mix of colors.

He activated his Eye of Truth, and upon confirming there was no obvious contamination, he took a sip.

The flavor was sweet and sour with a lingering aftertaste. As the taste deepened, a hint of bitterness emerged—it reminded him of love.

Just then, someone stepped out behind the bar.

This man was clearly not a regular server—his clothes were more refined, his hair was slicked back neatly, and he exuded the charm of a perfect gentleman straight out of a movie.

The moment he appeared, a crowd of young customers rushed up to the bar, clamoring for him to mix their drinks.

—The mixologist had finally arrived.

The bartender’s arrival caused a clear ripple—the server looked at him with open jealousy.

So this was the bartender.

Mu Sichen quietly observed the man. Two locks of hair had fallen from his otherwise perfectly slicked-back style, softening his stiff image with a touch of carefree elegance. Each movement as he shook the cocktail shaker exuded a raw, charismatic energy.

As Chi Lian moved forward, wanting to ask for a “Origin of All Things,” Mu Sichen quickly stopped her and secretly activated his “Eye of Truth.”

The moment he looked, a sharp pain shot through his left eye.

Unlike what others could see, Mu Sichen saw the bartender’s body covered in root-like tendrils, which were emitting an invisible substance that subtly influenced the people around him.

Chi Lian, who initially wanted the special cocktail, suddenly turned away in revulsion upon looking closely at the bartender. She felt nauseated, her entire being resisting the sight of him.

Mu Sichen knew what this meant—her self was instinctively rejecting contamination, just like what had happened with the octopus plushie.

Too many people surrounded the bartender, and Mu Sichen couldn’t get close. He considered calling Lin Wei to help initiate a formal conversation, but just then the bartender spoke:

“That’s ten drinks for now. I’m taking a break. I’ll do deliveries at ten. Everyone, go have fun for a bit.”

Disappointed, the crowd scattered back to the dance floor. The bartender loosened his tie, his eyes scanning the bar, stopping briefly on Chi Lian—who was now doubled over, dry heaving.

“Miss, are you feeling unwell?” the bartender asked.

Chi Lian replied, “Just a bit dizzy.”

“If it’s nothing serious—no need for a hospital—why don’t I offer you a glass of ‘Origin of All Things’? It’ll make you feel much better,” he suggested with a smile.

Hearing the drink’s name, Chi Lian’s body tensed, but she managed to smile and respond:

“A drink that cures sickness? That’s quite something.”

“Not quite curing,” the bartender chuckled. “But the alcohol numbs your nerves. You won’t feel so uncomfortable afterward.”

As he spoke, he began pulling out dozens of drink components to mix Origin of All Things.

The nearby server grimaced in disgust, leaning in to murmur to Mu Sichen:

“Classic. That’s how he picks up girls. Not the first time—he made Origin of All Things for this really pretty girl not long ago. After she drank it, they disappeared into the backstage changing room for over an hour. Who knows what they were doing in there?”

Mu Sichen showed him a photo of Yang Yunyun and asked:

“Was the pretty girl this one?”

The server hesitated:

“…Lighting’s awful in here, and they all wear heavy makeup. How should I know who’s who?”

Mu Sichen followed up:

“Do you remember when it happened?”

“A month or so ago? Can’t say for sure.”

Even though the server couldn’t confirm the identity, Mu Sichen had a strong feeling that the girl who had that cocktail was Yang Yunyun.

So, after Yang Yunyun’s transformation, the first man she became involved with wasn’t Lu Renyi—but this bartender.

Since they hadn’t booked a hotel room but instead snuck into the changing room, they evaded Lin Wei’s team’s earlier investigation. If the server hadn’t been so resentful of the bartender, this clue might’ve never come to light.

But now Mu Sichen was beginning to question that resentment. Was it really professional rivalry?

Looking again at the drink in front of him—“Liang Zhu”—Mu Sichen couldn’t help but think:

The truth might not be that simple.

At present, it appeared the bartender only selected young women to receive the “Origin of All Things”, though the specific criteria remained unknown. Why Chi Lian was chosen remained a mystery.

Despite the hatred boiling in her heart and the discomfort in her body, Chi Lian forced herself to chat casually with the bartender.

“Why are you offering me this drink?” she asked.

“You look emotionally down,” the bartender replied. “I don’t allow anyone with a bad mood to exist in this kind of environment, in front of me. That would be a blasphemy against divine grace.”

“Divine grace? Are you religious?” Chi Lian asked. “What god are you talking about?”

“You may not be able to feel Him,” the bartender said solemnly, “but He truly exists—within my body and heart. One day, He will descend from the dark void to this world and save all lost souls. Miss, your drink is ready.”

The drink had a heavy, oppressive presence —deep crimson, nearly black, with countless shimmering specks scattered throughout. As they floated to the surface and met the air, they transformed into misty shapes: some like flowers, some like trees, some like grass or small animals.

It looked as if seeds were sprouting from soil, giving birth to all manner of plant and animal life.

Through Mu Sichen’s “Eye of Truth”, he confirmed the bartender was at least of “Dependent” level. The drink Origin of All Things was a powerful method of planting pollution deep inside a person’s body.

Yang Yunyun’s stomach and reproductive organs had become “alive,” and these two body parts likely corresponded to her having consumed Origin of All Things and having had s-exual contact with the bartender.

He couldn’t let Chi Lian drink this.

Mu Sichen downed his own “Liang Zhu” cocktail in one gulp, then, using the alcohol as an excuse, staggered over to Chi Lian, slammed his hand on the bar, and snatched up the glass of Origin of All Things, shouting aggressively:

“So when I asked about ‘Origin of All Things,’ it was a ‘non-sellable item,’ but you’re giving it to her? What, am I not good enough for you?”

“Sir, please return the drink to the lady. It’s meant for women—it’s not suitable for you. I can mix you another one, on the house, if that’s okay?” the bartender replied with a faint flash of anger in his eyes.

“Now drinks are gendered? I want this one,” Mu Sichen shot back, looking to Chi Lian. “You don’t mind, do you?”

Naturally, Chi Lian would never refuse him. She nodded.

“She agrees. What’s your problem now? I’ll pay if it’s about the money.”

With that, Mu Sichen downed the entire glass of Origin of All Things in one go.

The bartender’s always-gentle expression twisted—anger and confusion flickered across his face.

At that moment, Lin Wei and his team returned. They had just finished interrogating everyone they could find in the bar and confirmed that each person had only brief, shallow encounters with Yang Yunyun, not long-term involvement. Each had been marked with a “Self” sticker and released.

They’d used up all ten stickers, but there were still two people left untagged. When they came to Mu Sichen to get more, they arrived just in time to see him finishing that ominous drink.

All four felt an immediate unease.

Lin Wei and Dan Qi, who were less sensitive to pollution, simply felt the drink might’ve been drugged. Cheng Xubo and He Fei, however, felt a visceral disgust, unable to fathom how Mu Sichen had the courage to drink something so vile.

The truth was, Mu Sichen had already locked in the bartender as a key suspect. He could’ve easily asked Lin Wei to arrest him for interrogation —there was no need to take such a risk.

But he also knew: Zhuo Huaichu was watching him. Sooner or later, he would face that god-level entity.

And if by then he still knew nothing about it—not even daring to drink a cocktail made by one of its followers— how could he possibly hope to defeat Zhuo Huaichu?

He had to use this drink as a gateway into understanding that god’s power.

The moment the drink entered his body, Mu Sichen felt his stomach begin to pulse—like it had developed its own heartbeat.

And as he looked at the bartender, he suddenly felt the man was stunningly handsome, even the root-like tendrils emerging from his body now seemed delicious and enticing.

 

---

TN:

Ooohh, will the bartender make a move on MSC. Will QZ step in? I’m really excited for the next chapters ✧⁠◝⁠(⁠⁰⁠▿⁠⁰⁠)⁠◜⁠✧