Jiang Xiao walked in through the gap vacated by the middle-aged man. The appearance inside this tavern was even more unexpected than Jiang Xiao. There are only five tables inside, all of which are small tables that can only seat four people opposite each other, and the background of the log is revealed under the varnish. The table was knee-high, and instead of a single chair, it was lined with four futons. There was not a single guest at the moment, and all five tables were empty.

On the walls on all sides, not only is there no decoration, but even the painting is crudely done, and there is no trace of white powder, and the red of the bricks can be seen in many places. The cement on the ground has not been re-poured for a long time, leaving potholes of different depths. There was not a single electric light in the house, but a few oil lamps hung on the walls, and the flames flickered endlessly, adding only a little dim light to the room.

Jiang Xiao originally thought that this strange tavern, although the door face was simple and simple, but even if it was not magnificent, it should at least be elegant and chic. But at the moment, it seems that elegance is naturally not enough, but chic always reveals some strange taste. To say simple, this house is really too simple to mention, not much different from the other food stalls and small noodle restaurants in the LC area, but the tables and futons, as well as the oil lamps on the wall, have a different taste from the ordinary.

The middle-aged man waited until Jiang Xiao entered the door, and he didn't take a seat, nor did he ask Jiang Xiao what he wanted, so he closed the door directly, and then pushed open a small door behind him and walked in, leaving Jiang Xiao alone outside.

Jiang Xiao saw the boss as big as the pie for the first time, but he didn't know what kind of existence this store was, and what kind of relationship the middle-aged boss had with Ziyan, so he didn't care, so he just picked a table casually, knelt down on the futon, and waited quietly. Only then did Jiang Xiao find that although it was dilapidated, there was no mess in the house. He reached out and wiped it lightly on the tabletop, and then twisted his fingers, but the fingertips were still dry and slippery, and there was not a trace of dust and oil sticking to them.

After a short while, the small door at the back creaked again, and the pale and emaciated middle-aged man walked out with a red lacquered wooden tray, glanced at Jiang Xiao, but did not come over, but walked to another table, put the tray down, and said lightly: "You sit here." ”

Jiang Xiao raised his head and glanced at the middle-aged man, but he didn't get up. The middle-aged man put down the tray, glanced at him, and said, "Ziyan only sits at this table." ”

After saying that, he ignored Jiang Xiao anymore and turned back to the small door.

Jiang Xiao smiled bitterly, helpless, so he could only stand up and sit down at the table where the middle-aged man had just put down the tray.

Purple Smoke ...... It seems that not only do I come here often, but I am also very familiar with this eccentric middle-aged boss.

Jiang Xiao lowered his head and looked at the tray brought by the middle-aged man. In the tray of red lacquered wood, there are two wine jugs and two wine glasses, both of which are made of white porcelain, the appearance of ancient Chinese system, crystal clear, like white jade, but there is no pattern and inscription on it. In addition, even the two pairs of chopsticks on the table are also white. Jiang Xiao tried to reach out and touch it, but found that it was not white jade, nor ivory, but the same white porcelain firing.

In addition to the barware, there are three small plates in the tray. A plate of peanuts, a plate of dried tofu, and a plate of edamame, there is not a single bit of oil and meat in sight. Although Jiang Xiao is not a meatless animal, when he sees such a plain dish, he can't help but pouting secretly in his heart.

Jiang Xiao turned his head and looked behind him, seeing that the small door had not been opened since the middle-aged man entered. Looking at his indifferent look towards himself, even if he called him himself, he might not be able to take care of it.

The middle-aged man...... didn't ask him what he wanted to eat, so he brought these two pots of wine and three dishes without authorization, and the position of this table was the same, and it was according to Ziyan's preference.

At this moment, the master has not yet arrived, so he naturally can't move the chopsticks first, so he just sits quietly and waits for the arrival of Ziyan.

After a while, Jiang Xiao raised his wrist again and looked at his watch, it was already 8:55. He was thinking that when Ziyan was almost there, there was a squeak behind him, and the small door in the back kitchen opened again, and the pale and emaciated middle-aged man walked out of it again, but his eyes did not project any on Jiang Xiao, and went straight to the front door.

And just as he walked to the door, two knocks rang out.

Jiang Xiao looked at the whole process, and remembered for a moment that he was standing in front of the door, and when he was about to knock on the door, he hesitated, but the door was opened by the middle-aged man.

It looked as if he was sitting in front of a monitor, undistracted by the camera at the door.

But - that is obviously impossible. Just looking at the tavern, there is not even a single electric light, where can there be any camera probes and monitors or anything like that?

Two black-lacquered doors were opened, and what stood outside the door was indeed purple smoke.

Her appearance was still glamorous, but what she was wearing today was not the professional suit she wore three days ago, but a wide gray trench coat that covered her entire figure.

Seeing Ziyan's face, the middle-aged man nodded, got out of the way, and said lightly: "Someone is already waiting for you." ”

"I asked him to come. Ziyan smiled at the middle-aged man, walked into the store, and looked at the tray in front of Jiang Xiao: "It's still the same?"

The middle-aged man nodded: "It's still the same." It's only the same as before. ”

"When it comes to you, there is nothing else to pick from except the old one. Ziyan smiled, walked to Jiang Xiao and knelt down, took off the wide windbreaker, and threw it on another futon beside him. Under the wind, he was dressed in close-fitting black clothes, like a rhythmic uniform for gymnastics, outlining the curves of the whole body even more provocatively and sultry.

However, Jiang Xiao naturally didn't have much thought at the moment, and the initial surprise in his eyes was just a flash, and he disappeared in a flash. The middle-aged man on the side saw the change in Jiang Xiao's eyes, nodded imperceptibly, and said to Ziyan: "I'm going to the back, if it's okay, don't call me." ”

"Okay, I'm sorry for you. Ziyan nodded, smiled at the middle-aged man, watched him walk back to the small door at the back of the store, and then turned to Jiang Xiao: "Have you been waiting for a long time?"

Jiang Xiao shook his head: "No, it's not long since I arrived." ”

He paused, glanced around again, and asked, "Here...... What kind of place is it? It's in this kind of LC area that is waiting to be demolished, and it won't move out at this time?"

Ziyan smiled: "For me, it's just a ...... A place where you can drink the best sake. After speaking, he stretched out his hand and lifted a wine jug, put the two porcelain cups in front of the two of them, and poured them half full: "Let's taste it first." ”

The wine had just been poured out, and before it was even eaten, it was already a strange aroma, straight along the nasal cavity, and towards the brain.

Jiang Xiao had never smelled such a terrifying aroma of wine, nodded, picked up the wine glass and took a shallow peck. When the liquor flowed into the mouth, it was like a bomb exploding in the mouth, and in an instant it spread throughout the mouth, wrapping every taste bud around it, and without even swallowing it with its throat, it automatically burrowed into the esophagus.

After flowing into the throat, the wine was even more different from before, turning into a hot stream, all the way to the stomach, but there was no slightest feeling of burning the throat of the spirits, only feeling that the whole body was warm, soaked in warm water.

"This wine ......" Jiang Xiao's whole body was shocked, and his eyes widened and he looked at the wine glass in front of him: "What kind of wine is this?"

If this wine is good, it is fine, but with Jiang Xiao's experience, he can't even distinguish the category of this wine at all. In the mouth, it is as soft as cotton, and it feels like RB sake, about ten degrees. But below the throat, it suddenly becomes as strong as a liquor of at least 50 degrees or more.

Different sake naturally has its own unique and different tastes. To put it simply, the lees in baijiu, the peat and wheat smoke in whiskey, the grape in brandy, or the juniper berries in gin. Although there are more subtle subdivisions among the major categories, such as what kind of strong flavor sauce flavor, or single malt whisky and grain whisky, etc., at least the most basic, the type of wine, as long as you have a little experience in tasting, you should be able to get it in one bite.

But no matter how Jiang Xiao tasted it, he couldn't find even a slightly similar type in his memory.

"The first time I drank it, I thought it was incredible, didn't it?" Ziyan looked at Jiang Xiao's shocked expression and smiled: "Of course." Lao Hua never accepts any outsiders here, let alone sells the wine he brews outside. It is impossible for the world to know that there is still such wine in the world. As for its name......"

Ziyan shook her head and said slowly, "There is no name." How could a boring person like Lao Hua have such idleness to name him? But we—we only call it Lao Hua's wine. ”

Jiang Xiao took another sip, closed his eyes and swallowed, then let out a long breath and muttered, "It is indeed the best wine I have ever seen in my life." But even if it doesn't have a name, it should have a category, right? Or at least, what is it made of?"

Ziyan shook his head slightly: "How can we know about this kind of thing?" Even if we ask Lao Hua, he won't say much." Moreover, those who can drink his wine are not troubled people. ”

Jiang Xiao nodded and pointed towards the back door: "He...... You just said that he never accepts outsiders here, so he is also the person you mentioned, the ...... in the 'academy'?"

Ziyan chuckled and shook his head: "Lao Hua, how could he agree to join the academy? However, he has this good ability to make wine, but he is the only one of our kind, so no one dares to offend him." ”

Jiang Xiao nodded and hummed softly, but his mind was spinning rapidly.

After meeting Ziyan last time, he wrote down every word Ziyan said, and kept repeating every word in his heart.

The "academy" that Ziyan mentioned should be an organization to which the "kind" she spoke of, if nothing else. And those "same kinds" should refer to those who are the same as Ziyan and Jiang Xiao, those with extraordinary abilities.

And judging from the fact that once Ziyan determined that Jiang Xiao had an ability, she came to contact him, and the "Academy" should have been committed to bringing all the people with abilities into this organization. As long as the academy discovers the supernatural, it will definitely come forward to make contact.

But now, Ziyan told him that Lao Hua, the pale and emaciated middle-aged man, was not a member of the "academy". But her words also revealed that Lao Hua is also their "kind".

That is...... "kindred" does not necessarily mean subordinate to the "academy"?

Moreover, they have the "right to refuse"?