Chapter 925
Chapter 925 - 911 Old Fellows
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8 min read
"Rejected? Why?"
Not every city had a Plane Gate to the brother worlds, but with a local City Lord’s and Knight Commander’s introduction letter, Lu Ping’an easily became a "local person eager to advance."
"Is this really okay?"
When Lu Ping’an got the introduction letter, he himself was dumbfounded. Aren’t your grassroots organizations too unreliable?
"Wait, when I said ’I have lived here for sixteen years and want to go out and see more,’ did you really believe it?!"
What was even more absurd was that the introduction letter was written by Lu Ping’an himself, and even the stamp was pressed by the City Lord who handed it to him.
"...Even the City Lord can’t recognize a few characters."
It just so happened that the clerical staff had taken a leave that day, and the City Lord immediately let Lu Ping’an write the introduction letter himself....Aren’t you afraid there might be problems with this?
This world was still a "feudal society." The household registration system couldn’t be said to be nonexistent, but considering the shocking illiteracy rates, it probably made no difference to a mere formality.
At this time, if one wanted to transfer their household registration or something, introduction letters from the local "Local Gentlemen" and "Name Scholars" were standard.....This actually was popular during certain eras in the Eastern Country too, as a substitute before the "household registration" system matured.
But obviously, this system had a pile of problems. Impersonation was just too easy, and forgery even more so...er, considering the literacy rates, it seemed that those capable of forging didn’t need to forge; they could easily blunder out a new introduction letter.
In a situation where most people were tied to the land, leaving "home" itself was proof of a desire and ambition, as well as the matching abilities. It wasn’t difficult to ask a Name Scholar for an introduction letter, which only served to prove one’s place of origin and clean identity. In the end, whether you could succeed was still up to your own abilities.
As a low-class poet, Lu Ping’an had quite a reputation locally, and getting an introduction letter was too easy, making him wonder if there was something wrong with the system...But on second thought, perhaps this "multi-universe civilization that had crossed dimensions" simply didn’t need to care about such "grassroots" matters.
On a nest capital planet with a population of hundreds of billions, the bottom layer of a slum in a certain region was chaos, which seemed to have no impact on the entire empire.....free-rearing was also a way of rearing; as long as resources were plentiful, it actually wasn’t the worst option.
However, when Lu Ping’an excitedly took his introduction letter to another Big City with a teleportation gate, what he got was a direct refusal.
This was not because there was something wrong with the introduction letter, nor was it because Lu Ping’an’s disguise had shown a flaw, but it was the most unacceptable thing for him.....
"Ah, because I’m a man? So, I can’t pass through?" Just saying this much was politically incorrect, wasn’t it?
For the first time, feeling the cold of gender discrimination, Lu Ping’an wondered if this world could ever be good...ahem, in any case, it felt quite delicate.
"Sir, if you want to become a warrior, it’s a bit inappropriate. Combat is more suited for females. The voyagers here are over 90% female, and the few males look like pure warriors. And you..."
This answer bewildered Lu Ping’an. What kind of ridiculous reason was this?
But the other staff members had an expression of "it should be this way," making Lu Ping’an start to doubt whether he was the abnormal one.
"Indeed it’s you who are wrong...In nature on Earth, in most cases, male birds are more beautiful than females, and females are larger than males."
Big Cat’s remark left Lu Ping’an speechless.
He now understood why he had been having "fortuitous romantic encounters" recently; the customs here really did call for "female birds" to take the initiative.
In nature, most bird species are polygynous, with males often more beautiful, more brightly colored, and slightly smaller. They truly were responsible for looking beautiful as flowers...
"I am a poet, this is my collection of poems. I wish to go out and gather more inspiration and material....."
Alright, he was instantly approved, and the other party even showed an "If you’d said so earlier, what’s there to be shy about?" expression.
Looking back, indeed, the clerical staff working in the City Lord’s Mansion were mostly smaller male members of the Feather Tribe.
When Lu Ping’an received the approval, his expression was too ambiguous...if only he could ignore those bastards who would burst out laughing in the courtyard after the message got back.
"Tell them, whoever laughs again, I’ll make him come out in my place..."
"It’s quiet now."
Aside from the laughter that Big Cat himself held back, Lu Ping’an really planned to take it seriously.
He had obtained the pass he wanted and could start his "voyage" anytime, but in this Big City with a population of hundreds of thousands, he still had some things to do.
This city is a gateway to another world and naturally, the epicenter of the "Spy Gate" disaster.
After about a day and a half, Lu Ping’an followed the markings left behind and found his "kin."
However, this kin was a bit... peculiar.
"Uh, very pretty."
"...You’re not bad yourself."
"That’s a bit much, I’m a decent person, I’m a poet."
"I’m a decent person too... at least I was on Earth."
The Giant man in front of him sported an abstract... perhaps a multicolored black?
He probably was a Black Feather, but now he was only wearing shorts and a black leather vest.... decorated with all kinds of chaotic stripes and long feathers, along with a banner of his own trademark design.
This person was too abstract, so abstract that it took Lu Ping’an a long time to muster the courage to come over and say hello.
"I’m the resident Dancing Man at the Big Bird Bar...."
𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂
With that one sentence, the level of awkwardness skyrocketed, and Lu Ping’an gritted his teeth not to rudely burst out laughing in his face.
Clearly, people lead different lives, this colleague’s luck was a bit poor.... or perhaps, too good.
His "landing spot" was near a Big City, so it was natural for him to enter this City to make a living.... But unlike Lu Ping’an who smoothly integrated into rural Society, the Big City was more realistic.
In short, after a series of misfortunes (which he didn’t want to go into), he ended up as the resident dancing man of a certain bar for a living.
"It should just be dancing, right? Not what I’m thinking..."
Lu Ping’an spoke bluntly halfway through, then could not continue, for the unfortunate soul opposite him covered his face and remained silently expressive.
Lu Ping’an took a sharp intake of breath, having obtained the valuable Disguise Ring, even if you’re not Decree-level, you must be close, how did you end up like this.....
"It’s a long story..."
"Then make it short and sweet."
"...I’m pure Battle-profession."
Alright, Lu Ping’an understood.
A country bumpkin with a poor grasp of the language, no education, no common sense, enters a flourishing Big City, then falls prey to exploitation... This kind of thing happens too often in any world.
The only difference, probably, was the gender of the fallen... uh, maybe it was because they weren’t used to the practical situation of "gender reversal" here, so they were more easily duped.
"Can you leave..."
"I need sixty Kadunds to buy my freedom, I signed a special agreement, and I can’t shake it off."
Lu Ping’an was shocked, sixty Kadunds? That was the largest denomination of local Gold Coins, enough for three years of living in his own small town.
"For the sake of our fellow townsman, lend me some, I’ll pay you back with Eastern Country’s coins and credit-coins when I return..."
Lu Ping’an covered his face, he could hardly bear to look.
"You’ve got it rough, huh."
"...Actually, I have two colleagues, also fellow townspeople, one of whom was recently auctioned off cheaply, lend me some money so we can redeem him, otherwise he might just...."
Okay, you’re really not the most miserable one.
— End of Chapter 925 —