3: Chapter 3 We don't sell alcohol, we sell "Kiss of the Abyss".

A deeper sense of confusion flashed within Evelyn's red eyes.

Product... selling point... analysis report?

These words came out of Levi's mouth with an unquestionable magic, as if they were naturally meant to be a part of this world.

She couldn't fully understand, but she realized one thing—her task was no longer to please men, but to... analyze a liquid?

This cognitive dissonance made her feel absurd, yet a strange sense of anticipation faintly stirred within her.

The next hour was an unprecedented ordeal for everyone in the hall.

The first failed batch was ruthlessly poured away, and Hammer Green, stimulated by the three silver coins, burst forth with the passion and rigor befitting a Dwarven craftsman.

He found wet mud and hemp rope to seal every crack of that crude distillation apparatus tightly, even making fine adjustments to the coiling angle of the copper pipes based on the principles of heat conduction.

Meanwhile, Morg the Halfling, under the steady gaze of Levi, also exerted his utmost effort.

He no longer threw firewood into the fireplace haphazardly as before; instead, he learned to observe the color of the flames, carefully controlling the temperature within a relatively stable range by adding or removing wood.

On the second attempt, the liquid dripping from the end of the copper pipe was clearer, but it still carried a strong burnt smell.

Failure.

The third time, they adjusted the heat and extended the duration of low-temperature heating.

The liquid finally became transparent, but the yield was pitifully low, and the smell remained peculiar.

The fourth time...

Time flowed slowly amidst the suffocating silence and the occasional sound of equipment clashing.

Klaus stood like a lifeless stone statue, watching it all with cold indifference.

The mockery on his face had long since vanished, replaced by a deep, incomprehensible bewilderment.

This useless young master seemed to have transformed into a precise and cold machine.

He wasn't discouraged by the successive failures, nor did he lose his temper at his clumsy subordinates.

He simply observed quietly, using a finger to dab a bit of the failed product to smell it at the tip of his nose, and then he could point out the problem with sharp precision.

"Morg, the temperature is still too high; the sugars in the fruit juice are precipitating tar."

"Iron Hammer, the cooling water isn't cold enough. Get a new basin and add some crushed ice from the ice cellar."

Each of his commands was brief, clear, and devoid of emotion, yet it made those two unruly fellows, Iron Hammer and Morg, execute them without complaint, like tamed beasts.

What kind of power was this exactly?

Klaus had lived for over fifty years and had never seen it in any noble.

Finally, on the fifth attempt, as the eastern horizon began to turn the color of a fish's belly, a thin but steady stream of liquid, clear as water, dripped from the end of the cooled copper pipe into a clean wooden cup below.

An indescribable scent instantly permeated the hall.

It was no longer the pungent sourness and burnt smell from before, but a highly penetrating aroma—a mixture of the mellow fragrance of fermented fruit and a crisp, mineral-like scent.

Just smelling this scent made everyone present feel invigorated.

"It's a success?" Morg stared with wide eyes in disbelief, the exhaustion of the night seemingly dispelled by this fragrance.

Hammer Green snatched the wooden cup that was only shallowly filled, pressed his large nostrils to it for a deep sniff, and a strange expression of mingled intoxication and confusion appeared on his face.

He licked his parched lips, his Adam's apple bobbed, and finally, unable to resist, he tilted his head back and poured the liquid into his mouth.

In the next second, his face instantly turned a deep, purplish-red.

"Cough! Cough-cough-cough! Cough—!"

The violent coughing sounded as if he were about to hack up his lungs.

Iron Hammer's body arched like a cooked shrimp, and tears and snot flowed uncontrollably.

Clutching his throat with one hand and pointing at Levi with the other, his bell-like eyes were filled with shock and anger.

"Water... this is fucking... fire! It's a red-hot iron bar!" He finally managed to catch his breath and roared, "This thing... this thing isn't wine at all! No one would drink this crap! It's a hundred times worse than the lowest quality Orcish War Wine! It won't sell! It absolutely won't sell!"

Levi remained indifferent to Iron Hammer's violent reaction.

His gaze fell calmly on Evelyn, as if to say: It's your turn.

Evelyn's heart sank abruptly.

He wanted her to drink that stuff that made even a Dwarf cough up tears?

This was even more terrifying than Klaus's cup of poisoned wine.

"Young master..." Her voice carried a hint of pleading.

"This is your job," Levi's tone was unquestionable.

He took the empty cup from Iron Hammer, filled it with a small half-cup of the freshly made "spirits," and handed it to Evelyn.

In the faint light of dawn, the clear liquid reflected a dangerous yet mesmerizing luster.

Evelyn's fingertips were ice-cold.

She looked at her own reflection in the cup, her alluring face written with resistance.

But when she met Levi's deep, bottomless black eyes, all her resistance vanished into thin air.

She knew she had no choice.

She closed her eyes and, as if facing death, drained the liquid in the cup in one gulp.

A searing line of fire slid down her throat into her stomach and then exploded violently.

The indescribable spiciness felt like thousands of red-hot steel needles piercing her internal organs.

Immediately after, a strong sense of dizziness rushed to her head, making her legs go weak and nearly causing her to collapse.

But unlike Iron Hammer's purely physical pain, a more marvelous change was occurring within her body.

As a Mixed-blood Succubus, her body's perception of emotions and desires was far more acute than that of a human.

This spirit was like a key, instantly unlocking a certain primitive shackle within her.

The world... was different.

The dancing flames in the fireplace became incredibly vivid and scorching in her eyes, as if she could feel the vitality of every flicker.

The dust floating in the air danced in mesmerizing trajectories under the light.

The strong smell of sweat and alcohol on Iron Hammer, the lingering scent of oily smoke on Morg, and even the cold, tomb-moss-like aura on Klaus all became unprecedentedly clear, three-dimensional, and even... enticing?

The blood in her body was racing, and her heart was beating like a war drum.

A sense of hunger originating from the depths of her bloodline was amplified tenfold, a hundredfold.

She craved food, craved to bite into roasted meat dripping with hot oil, craved to swallow mouthfuls of sweet jam.

The desire of Gluttony.

At the same time, she looked at the men around her.

Iron Hammer's thick, explosive arms; Morg's short but sturdy frame; Klaus's silhouette, still firm from years of labor beneath his robes; and Levi, with his pale, sickly beautiful neck and the powerful soul beneath his calm exterior that drew her in like a vortex...

Every single one of them emitted a masculine scent that made her mouth go dry.

The impulse of Lust.

Her breathing became rapid, an abnormal flush appeared on her cheeks, and in the center of her dark red pupils, two tiny flames seemed to be burning.

She subconsciously flicked her tongue out, licking her equally burning lips.

"It feels..." Her voice became raspy and syrupy, carrying a charm that could make one's bones go soft, "It... it's like a fire snake, burrowing into my body... It's burning my reason, but... I like this feeling."

She raised her glazed eyes, staring straight at Levi, instinctively reporting her "user experience": "It makes me... very hungry, I want to eat everything. It also makes me... very thirsty, wanting to... wanting to swallow something to fill the void..."

Her description was intermittent and full of primitive suggestions, making the other three men present feel a degree of discomfort.

Only Levi's eyes brightened instantly, like an explorer who had found a peerless treasure.

It was a success!

What he wanted was never some "good wine" that people could drink merrily.

In this world where entertainment was extremely scarce, those over-energetic nobles, mercenaries who lived with death every day, and those suppressed at the bottom of society didn't truly need thirst-quenching drinks—they needed stimulation!

They needed a catalyst that could make them briefly forget reality and release their primitive desires!

Evelyn's feedback precisely validated his commercial vision.

"Very good." Levi nodded with satisfaction, interrupting Evelyn's murmurs that were about to spiral out of control. "Your report is very valuable."

He turned to Iron Hammer and Morg, who were still in shock, and announced in a tone like a divine oracle, "From now on, remember this. What we are making is not wine."

He picked up the small bottle containing the transparent liquid and held it high; as the morning light pierced through the bottle, the liquid seemed to catch fire.

"What we sell is an experience—an extreme sensory experience that allows you to briefly touch the edge of the abyss and release the beast deep within your heart. It is not a drink for mortals, but a gift from gods and demons."

Levi's gaze swept over everyone, his voice filled with seductive power: "Its name is 'abyss kiss'."

abyss kiss.

This name, full of evil and temptation, made Evelyn shudder, clearing her mind slightly from that glazed state.

She looked at the small bottle in Levi's hand, her gaze becoming incredibly complex.

"Iron Hammer." Levi's gaze turned to the Grey Dwarf.

"Wha... what?" Iron Hammer was still immersed in the shock from earlier.

"I want bottles—bottles worthy of 'abyss kiss'." Levi spoke rapidly, his thoughts already jumping to the level of branding and packaging. "Use the obsidian, the only thing our territory isn't lacking. Don't polish them smooth; I want rough, twisted bottle bodies full of primitive power, each one unique, like a demon's heart dug straight out of a volcano. Seal the mouth with red copper and wrap it with black, thorned vines. Remember, our customers aren't buying wine; they're buying identity, taste, and a unique sense of prestige!"

"Morg!" He then turned to the Halfling cook.

"Yes, young master!"

"Design a drinking ritual. 'abyss kiss' must never be drunk casually like water. Specific obsidian goblets must be used, and before drinking, the walls of the cup must be smoked with a special aromatic herb. After pouring the liquid, it must sit for a moment to let it fully 'awaken' with the air. When drinking, it shouldn't be downed in one gulp; instead, one must first smell its fragrance, then take a small sip to feel the fire exploding on the tip of the tongue. Make this process as complex, mysterious, and noble as possible! We want the customers to feel that they aren't drinking wine, but performing a sacred ritual!"

Iron Hammer and Morg were completely dumbfounded.

They stared blankly at Levi as if they were looking at a monster.

It was clearly the same thing, but after being packaged by his mouth, how did it go from "crap no one would drink" to a "gift from gods and demons"?

Finally, Levi's gaze returned to Evelyn.

"As for you, Evelyn. From today on, you will undergo sales training."

He walked up to Evelyn and looked down at her, his eyes as sharp as if they were dissecting her soul.

"I forbid you from using any low-level charm spells during the sales process. Those are tactics used by street girls and will only lower the class of our product."

Evelyn's body stiffened slightly.

"Your talent should be used in more sophisticated ways." Levi's voice was very low. "You must learn to observe. Observe the guests' eyes, the tone of their voices, the rings on their fingers, and the wear on their swords. From these details, you must judge who is truly empty and craving stimulation. Those are our target customers."

"After finding them, you must not actively promote the product." A cold arc curled at the corner of Levi's mouth. "What you must do is make them come to you. You will tell them that the production of 'abyss kiss' is extremely scarce, that it's a drop of essence distilled over eighty-one days and nights using the Earth-vein Fire from the deepest parts of Blackstone Territory. It is not for cowards or mortals; only the strong who dare to face the beast within themselves are qualified to taste it."

Hunger marketing, identity binding, conceptual hype...

The business tactics from his past life, which he had mastered to perfection, now transformed into the sharpest mental imprints, deeply branding themselves into the hearts of this nascent team.

Just then, the butler Klaus, who had been silent, finally stepped forward with stiff strides.

He bowed deeply to Levi, his posture humbler than ever before.

"Young master." His voice was dry and complex. "I have just received a report from the scouts. A noble convoy flying the Golden Lion Flag of the Royal Capital is expected to pass through our territory this evening, seeking supplies and a place to camp."

His intention was to remind Levi that the nobles from the Royal Capital were not to be trifled with, and it would be best for their impoverished backwater to stay far away and not go looking for trouble.

However, upon hearing this news, Levi's eyes showed no worry; instead, a terrifying glint burst from them.

A pillow delivered just as he was getting sleepy.

How was this trouble? This was clearly the first batch of angel investors delivering themselves to his doorstep!

He turned around, picked up an obsidian bottle—crude yet filled with an eerie beauty—that Iron Hammer had rushed to make, carefully poured the newly distilled "abyss kiss" into it, and sealed it with a cork.

He solemnly placed this first bottle of finished product into Evelyn's hands.

The bottle was cold and rough, and holding it felt heavy, as if she were holding a heart.

"Evelyn." Levi looked at her, a smile that could be described as gentle appearing on his face. "Your first 'roadshow' opportunity has arrived. Take it and go to the only path leading out of the castle to create a precise and beautiful accidental encounter for our 'abyss kiss'."