The door of the Spear Tavern was pushed open, and a whistle sounded behind Alexander.
Lager, dressed in a linen robe with a spaceship symbol painted on his greyish-white ugly face, squeezed that ugly face and walked towards Alexander.
"Brother, Alexander! My good buddy."
"Why are you coming to the tavern to drink in the middle of the day? I had such a hard time finding you!"
Lager shouted loudly, full of vigor, like a nouveau riche who had just struck it rich.
The customers drinking in the bar all turned their eyes to him.
One-Eye calmly took out an automatic pistol from under the counter and skillfully loaded it.
Lager noticed this scene and immediately froze in place, raising his hands awkwardly:
"It's me, One-Eye buddy, it's old Lager! We've been good brothers for so many years, don't you recognize me just because I changed my clothes?"
Alexander gently shook his head at One-Eye.
"No one could forget that ugly face of yours that makes people vomit for seven days and seven nights!"
One-Eye tapped the counter with his automatic pistol and scoffed:
"Don't think that just because you've changed masters, you can cause trouble in my tavern."
Hearing this, Lager shrank his neck, then quickly nodded and said with a grin: "Understood, understood, we're all buddies."
With that, Lager plopped down next to Alexander.
"Lager, brother, I still prefer you in your old skin," Alexander said, sizing up Lager with interest.
He was a member of a local gang last night, and by noon today, he had already changed into the Ark Gang's clothes.
Could it be this old fellow who led the Ark Gang last night?
Lager chuckled and waved to One-Eye, signaling him to pour him a glass of pungent crimson liquor.
One-Eye pushed the drink to Lager, glanced at him, and asked: "You little rascal, are you the traitor who led the Ark Gang?"
"It's me," Lager said, patting his clothes proudly.
"I'm quite valued by the Cult Leader now," Lager said, taking a gulp from his glass: "I'm getting closer and closer to old Lager's dream."
"You actually have a dream?"
"You have a dream?"
One-Eye and Alexander looked at Lager in surprise at the same time.
"Of course, Lager, I want to become a gang superstar! Live a good life drinking amasake every day," Lager said, raising his glass and downing it.
Alexander frowned, he gestured to One-Eye and said: "Then give my Brother Lager another one, it's on me."
"To the future gang superstar."
One-Eye nodded and calmly turned to the cabinet behind him.
"Good brother." Lager's mouth immediately split into an extremely ugly grin when he heard Alexander was treating him to a drink.
"So, who sent you to find me?" Alexander asked, tapping the counter with his glass.
"The Cult Leader!" Lager said, raising his voice a bit: "Brother, this time Lager has found you another big job."
"Oh?" Alexander raised his eyebrows.
"The drink is here."
Before Lager could continue speaking, One-Eye came to the counter with an opened bottle of crimson liquor.
"It's newly brewed, you old rascal get the first glass."
One-Eye poured a glass of wine and handed it to Lager.
Lager happily took the wine from One-Eye's hand and gulped down a mouthful.
"Alexander, the Cult Leader wants to talk to you about a big business deal."
"She's seen those Agrippina Type III auto-rifles you brought back."
As Lager spoke, his greyish face was already flushed.
"Who told her those guns came from me?" Alexander frowned.
He already knew the answer in his heart, but he resisted the urge to punch Lager, that old bastard, in the face.
"I did!"
Lager puffed out his chest and said proudly:
"Isn't this me introducing you to new business, brother?"
Alexander couldn't help but roll his eyes.
"Alexander, it's not that the Cult Leader isn't really good, and she's much more generous than the previous gang bosses."
"Our district hasn't been very peaceful lately. While you were away, a petty thief even snuck into our district."
"That thief used a thermal cutter to break open doors and steal in the middle of the night, even stealing from the gangs. The original gang tried for a long time but couldn't catch him."
Lager seemed a little drunk, rambling on about trivial things:
"During unstable times, we two brothers need to help each other even more and earn more money."
Alexander didn't respond to him, just calmly watched Lager babble on by himself.
Lager talked and talked, then stopped himself.
He held his head, frowned deeply, and said dazedly:
"Why does my head hurt a little?"
"One-Eye buddy, what did you ferment this batch of wine with? It's so strong?"
One-Eye glanced at him: "Mutant shit."
"That's really damn strong," Lager said with a grin, speaking groggily.
He rubbed his temples hard, trying to stay awake.
"You're drunk," Alexander said calmly, looking at him.
One-Eye nodded cooperatively: "You old rascal, go sleep in my back room for a bit."
"No way!"
Lager swayed as he stood up from the chair, his mind already a bit unclear.
"Drunk is drunk," One-Eye walked out from behind the counter, hoisted Lager onto his shoulder, and pushed him towards the back room.
"I'm not drunk, I'm not drunk… no need…" Lager shook his head violently.
"No, you are drunk," Alexander also stood up and patted Lager's back: "Too weak."
"Then I have to…"
Lager clutched his head, which felt like it was splitting open, and said with a grimace:
"Then I have to sleep for a bit, Alexander, please don't leave…"
"Later, you have to come with me to see the Cult Leader…"
"Alright, alright," Alexander readily agreed.
He and One-Eye carried Lager to the room behind the tavern and threw him onto the bed.
The tranquilizer One-Eye added to the wine took effect.
Lager quickly fell into a deep sleep, like Leman Russ after taking a Lion uppercut.
"Your tranquilizer is really potent," Alexander said, looking at the unconscious Lager.
"I have unique channels for goods from the Bottom Nest," One-Eye said, rubbing his hands at Alexander: "The tranquilizer and that bottle of wine will both be on your tab."
"Of course," Alexander nodded slightly to One-Eye.
One-Eye then looked at Lager on the bed: "What about this old rascal? He betrayed you, should I kill him?"
"He's not too bad in this rotten place called the Lower Nest; he's uniquely and cheaply stupid," Alexander said, glancing at Lager on the bed.
Lager lay on the bed, his ugly face crumpled, muttering things like "amasake, strong stuff," and "I'm rich, Alexander."
Alexander couldn't help but smile and say: "Such a rare talent, let's leave him to the Ark Gang."
"He's like some sunburned One-Eyed Ogryn; such astonishing wisdom should be left to the enemy."
"What sunburned One-Eyed Ogryn? You're talking about things I don't understand again."
One-Eye shook his head, looking at Alexander with his one remaining eye:
"What do you plan to do?"
"I have a small plan. I intend to meet that Cult Leader."