Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 169: The mysterious old man

'Hey you!' one of the managers came screaming out from the kitchen

'Get lost old man. We do not serve people like you.'

He stopped laughing and looked terribly hurt by the screaming.

'Fine, if you want me to leave I will leave.' He turned his heel to go but the manager screamed again

'Leave the chicken, idiot.'

He grinned foolishly and from his knapsack he handed the chicken, a wing missing. Probably in his belly already

The manager looked at the chicken and he is furious beyond reason. The chicken is so dirty with mud and other stuff stick at it.

How can the manager sell it? His face is red with anger and even his employees look scared. The manager is so furious and launched a blow with his fist and this is where it gets bizarre.

The old man ducked but not in any normal way. Liao Bao I could feel that he used an internal energy to dodge that.

The feeling is there.

Which mean this man in front of him is a martial artist that might even be more powerful than him

If he can hide the presence of his internal energy, then surely he is an expert caliber martial artist

This is an opportunity. He thought to himself. Liao Bao has always been quick to smell an opportunity

Liao Bao jump in front of the manager as the manager prepared to beat the old man again.

'There is no need for violence, good sir. Please put this old man chicken on my account' The old man looks pleased.

'Are you hungry?' Liao Bao asked 

He nodded

'Then please follow me.' Liao Bao gestured the old man to follow him.  The old man followed him inside the restaurant and stay there looking at him fixedly.

'Please Elder, order some food' Liao Bao said

'Elder?' He asked amused.

'I rarely heard people call me Elder.'

'Senior are older than me. I need to show some respect.' Liao Bao said, feigning respect

'Ah respect. To think I could meet such man in my journey.'

'Who is this man?' Zhao Lu said as the old man sit in the table beside us.

'Please forgive me, princess but I will drink with this Elder.'

'Hero Zhang is also a charitable person it seems' she said. Liao Bao shake his head.

"No, I'm not' he said jokingly

It is not so much charity but opportunity.

He is an expert and it is better to befriend people especially in the martial arts world where enemies can be made in a seconds and friends too.

Liao Bao moved his chair to sit with the old man.

'You have left a young and handsome and a beautiful girl to sit with a dirty and unkempt old man. People would call you weird, young man' he said.

'No, no,' Liao Bao said smiling as h poured a wine into old man cup

'I have always wondered about the people that lived around in Taiguo region. My mother said my father came from Taiguo and your Taiguo accent delighted me.'

'Is that so?' He laughed.

'Inn boy' Liao Bao yelled and the inn boy came.

He looked at the old man dirtiness and brutish manner and the look on his face changed. The old man feels insulted and Liao Bao could feel again the internal energy that seeps around out of his body.

Like he suspected. In front of him right now is a man of great internal energy.

'Hmph!' the old man spits to the first floor.

'You take me for a beggar and unworthy to eat here. Even if you should serve me your finest dish, who knows if it'll be to my taste?'

'Is that so?' the inn boy stared at the old man, feeling the old man is trying to make trouble in the restaurant

'Can you pay?' he asked. And the old man gets flustered

'I will pay for him' Liao Bao said and the old man perked up.

'Young and generous' he said, nodding his head

'Please order Elder 'Liao Bao asked maintaining perfect gentleman behavior. In Liao Bao mind the old man probably would only order a few meat and wine but then he saw a glint in the old man eyes.

And he felt something is wrong. Then he knew why as soon the old man started ordering

'First we will have dry fruits, four fresh fruits and fruits preserved in honey and do you have longan here?' the old man asked

The inn boy is shocked. Liao Bao was shocked. Alright this is not what he expects from an old man. But again, appearance is deceiving.

'For the fruits bring cherries, perfumed' he said and his saliva is already salivating, 'and plum and ginger, tangerines perfumed with rose, preserved grapes, peaches, frosted or do you not have ice here?'

'we d-' and before the inn boy even have the chance to speak he continued

'and pear slices sprinkled with a bit of sweetened cherries.'

The inn boy is surprised by the old man culinary expertise and mastery and Liao Bao is the most shocked.

The inn boy looked confused while the Princess on the opposite table also tries to hear the old man, now interested, seeing that the old man that Liao Bao have invited have such dignified plate of taste resembling that of a noble.

The old man then approached the boy and told him in detail what he wants for him while Liao Bao looked at his one coin of gold.

From what he orders Liao Bao doubt one gold coin would be enough. Liao Bao quickly whisper to the Princess

'Can you help me if I could not pay my lady?'

She giggled and looked at the old man arguing with the young boy.

'Why not? He looks interesting'

'Your kindness will not be forgotten'

'Don't say that hero Zhang. I owe you my life' she said.

'Is that all?' the young boy said now looking impressed with the old man.

Half an hour later the dish is finally prepared. Zhao Lu and Zhengping have already finish their dish and is waiting for him and the old man for their dish.

In that half an hour, the old man told him many stories, famous stories about Taijian and the news and events around the Continents.

The old man tells him of how the Dragon banner of the Vermont family have defeated the Shield forces in Aetherland, the civil war that happen between brothers finally has ended and the path to reconciliation has begun.

He also tells Liao Bao of the missing case of the King of Vangua, the emergence of House Orleans as the major player in Vangua, and the mystery of the King disappearance and the unrest that followed.

The Pretender War in Dostov is also relayed to him, and the brutal punishment that King Terris did to his opposition, Seren infighting among their Radiant Rulers, the development of Renasia armies that has begun to move attacking Cora and moving their armies to Tuca.

Surely war will happen if nothing is done in the far east.

In Zettel, the old man informed him about the marriage of Lady Marilyn of House Roth to King Adrian of Aetherland which has secured Aetherland position as a Kingdom and the support of the Zettel nobility and kingdom

Then there is the Church business.

The Church in Cori and in Vern, both Liberate and Orthodox has release an edict hunting Knight Lord Orval the Knight Master of the Knight Academy in Aetherland and his Left and Right Commander.

No one knew why they are hunted but the Church seems pretty intent on killing them, so much so, that the two sect of the religion even put down their conflict temporarily and unanimously release the edict.

So right now Knights of Alan academy has been ravaged by the Inquisitors. Monster of the Church, Eastian called them. Brutal and cruel.

It is clear to Liao Bao that not only this old man is strong he is also quite knowledgeable if he knew all that news from other Kingdoms.

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By now everyone could guess who this person is right? Anyway, enjoy teh story, and dont forget to leave some comment and vote for the story