As dawn broke, most players in the tavern chose to get up.
They hadn’t slept well the night before, mainly because the tavern’s soundproofing was terrible. Several enthusiastic Western players were going at it in their rooms, and the squeaking sound of bed frames shaking persisted for most of the night. It made everyone wish they could block their ears.
Besides the players’ late-night enthusiasm, there were also the roars of monsters outside. In the stillness of the night, those sounds were particularly disturbing.
Sleeping well in such an environment was nearly impossible.
Though players could go a few days without sleep without serious consequences, their mental state definitely wasn’t as sharp as it would be with proper rest.
Chai Yingying stared with tired, lifeless eyes at the radiant Eldest Miss. “Eldest Miss, did you hear any strange noises last night?”
Gu Jiu tilted her head. “What noises?”
Chai Yingying glanced at her, then at Lu Ji, and sighed. “Never mind. A single dog like me shouldn’t even ask such questions.”
The tavern was so noisy last night that she couldn’t even figure out which room the sounds were coming from. Honestly, it felt like noises were coming from everywhere.
The not-so-innocent Lu Ji instantly understood what she was implying. He lowered his gaze and leaned closer to Gu Jiu.
In reality, after returning to their room last night, Gu Jiu had fallen asleep right after some light pillow talk. Lu Ji had spent the entire night covering her ears to shield her from the noise, ensuring she had a peaceful rest.
Chai Yingying’s imagined romantic escapades never happened.
The group of four made their way to the tavern’s main hall.
The owner was nowhere near the counter, and the tavern’s front door was wide open, as if it hadn’t been closed all night.
Early in the morning, the hall wasn’t crowded. Most of the players present were Eastern players, with only two Western players standing near the door, peering outside.
“Gu Jiu.” Spotting her, Huo Ting stood up and walked over, his eyes fixed on her. “I want to talk to you.”
Lu Ji instinctively tightened his grip on Gu Jiu’s hand.
He didn’t feel much hostility toward Huo Ting. After all, Gu Jiu’s stance was clear—this guy wasn’t even worthy of being considered a rival. But Lu Ji’s innate male possessiveness made him dislike anyone who coveted his girlfriend.
Especially since Huo Ting had known Gu Jiu longer and had been part of her past.
That was something Lu Ji couldn’t compete with.
Gu Jiu smiled at Huo Ting and said, “Let’s talk later. Once we leave the game world, there will be plenty of time.”
Huo Ting knew she was right, but he still felt stifled. “I’d prefer now.”
“Are you sure you want to do it here?” Gu Jiu asked.
Huo Ting hesitated, glancing around the small tavern. With players’ sharp hearing, there was no way to have a private conversation. He didn’t like the idea of discussing certain things with Gu Jiu in front of everyone.
In the end, Huo Ting could only mutter, “Forget it.”
Chen Zhiru, who had been keeping a close eye on them, subtly breathed a sigh of relief and quickly followed Huo Ting, shooting a glare at Gu Jiu.
Gu Jiu noticed and smiled sweetly. “Why are you glaring at me? Keep it up, and I might just dig out your eyes.”
The soft and gentle tone she used to deliver such a vicious threat didn’t come off as malicious at all. On the contrary, it sounded playful. Everyone present treated it as a joke, not a threat.
Only Chen Zhiru knew that Gu Jiu was dead serious. If someone truly fell into this Eldest Miss’s hands, she wouldn’t show mercy. Instead, she’d torment them to the point of wishing for death. Even before she became a player, she had ways to make people’s lives miserable. Now that she was a player, armed with the tools and means that came with it, who knew what she was capable of?
Chen Zhiru’s expression stiffened as she turned to Huo Ting and said, “Brother Ting, look at her!”
She wanted Huo Ting to see Gu Jiu’s true, venomous nature.
“If you don’t provoke her, she wouldn’t say such things,” Huo Ting replied matter-of-factly. “Besides, don’t take it to heart. Players can’t attack each other; she wouldn’t really gouge out your eyes.”
Chen Zhiru: “….” Damn this blind idiot of a man! He totally deserved to stay single!
Gu Jiu and her group proceeded to eat breakfast.
After breakfast, it was only 8 a.m.
Other players gradually appeared in the tavern’s first-floor lobby, observing the thick fog outside. Some brave or skilled ones decided to go out and investigate the situation in the fog.
Among them was a Western player named Odinson.
Odinson seemed to be quite renowned among the Western players. When he introduced himself yesterday, Mina and the others had responded warmly to him.
“Gu, are you heading out?” Mina, who had just come downstairs, noticed Gu Jiu and Lu Ji preparing to leave. She quickly called out to them, “It’s dangerous to go out now. Why not wait until after eleven? By then, even if you encounter monsters, you just need to hold out until noon when the fog dissipates, and those monsters will disappear too. It’s much safer that way.”
“That’s a good plan,” Gu Jiu replied with a smile. “But we’re just going to check out the nearby area for now. If we run into monsters, we’ll retreat to the tavern immediately.”
Mina didn’t say anything further and waved goodbye to Gu Jiu.
Gu Jiu’s group of four left the tavern.
Huo Ting, Chen Zhiru, and a few others also headed out.
Huo Ting’s intention was to stick with Gu Jiu’s group. After all, the monsters in the fog were formidable, and safety lay in numbers. More importantly, he was worried about Gu Jiu’s safety.
In his mind, Gu Jiu was still the delicate girl she used to be—the kind who’d get out of breath just lifting a brick. Even though she was now a player, he couldn’t imagine her being strong enough to face monsters head-on.
Before he knew she was a player, it hadn’t mattered. But now that he did, his protective instincts surged, and he couldn’t help wanting to shield her.
Chen Zhiru was acutely aware of Huo Ting’s protective feelings toward Gu Jiu. It wasn’t just him—many men seemed to develop this infuriating protectiveness around Gu Jiu.
She wanted to tell these blind fools that Gu Jiu was no delicate flower. She wasn’t some fragile beauty; she was a man-eating ironflower.
Chen Zhiru felt a pang of bitterness. Her looks were more on the seductive side, and no matter how hard she tried to dress innocently, she couldn’t pull off the natural, endearing charm that Gu Jiu exuded. It made her exceptionally popular with men.
And there were far too many blind men who loved this kind of delicate beauty.
“Brother Ting, Gu Jiu managed to reach B-rank in just six months. That proves her abilities are outstanding,” Chen Zhiru said begrudgingly. “She doesn’t need anyone to protect her.”
Saying this only made her more bitter.
When they were both ordinary people, Gu Jiu had already been able to trample her.
Now that they were both players, Gu Jiu seemed to still easily have the upper hand.
It had taken Chen Zhiru more than a year to finally reach B-rank. Her progress was already impressive, yet…
Ella Town marked Chen Zhiru’s fifth game at the B-level arena—a feat she had achieved in her relentless effort to catch up with Huo Ting.
In contrast, Gu Jiu had reached the same level in just six months. Chen Zhiru couldn’t fathom how she had managed to rise so quickly. If no one had been assisting her, then it was undeniable proof of her incredible ability. As much as Chen Zhiru disliked Gu Jiu, she couldn’t deny that Gu Jiu seemed born with an intelligence and confidence far beyond the ordinary. Her ability to learn was remarkable, and she made everything look effortless.
Huo Ting simply said, “Let’s observe for now.”
Even the most rational of men could lose their reason when it came to someone they cared about—what was commonly called “concern clouding judgment.” He wasn’t sure of Gu Jiu’s abilities yet, so he decided to observe first. If he was certain she didn’t need his protection, he wouldn’t meddle unnecessarily.
Upon leaving the tavern, the ominous aura surrounding the town became even more palpable.
The players moved cautiously through the thick fog.
As they walked, they observed the houses along the way.
Yesterday, they had been too preoccupied with fleeing, and the fog had obscured much of their vision. Now, as they took a closer look, they realized that many of the buildings in the town were uninhabitable—some had partially collapsed, others had broken windows and doors, and some were on the verge of total ruin.
Only the houses with a vibrant green herb hanging under the eaves remained intact.
“Those must be Mistgrass,” Chai Yingying said, pointing to one of the houses.
The leaves of the Mistgrass were flawless, like pure emeralds. From a distance, they looked like exquisite jade carvings, so beautiful they hardly seemed real. Their striking appearance made them impossible to overlook.
The players finally understood why, after the fog appeared, the town’s residents had so quickly figured out how to use the Mistgrass effectively.
Glancing at the herb, Gu Jiu said, “Let’s check the east side.”
Chai Yingying and Jiang Ze had no objections. After deciding to team up with Gu Jiu, they had tacitly agreed to follow her lead, trusting her judgment.
The four of them walked ahead, with Huo Ting’s group trailing behind.
Gu Jiu and her companions didn’t pay any mind to the four who followed them. The town wasn’t large, and the roads were open to anyone. Besides, Gu Jiu and Huo Ting were acquaintances, and a bit of cooperation wasn’t out of the question.
“Zhiru, should we cooperate with them?” asked Yang Bing, another female player in the group.
Chen Zhiru’s expression remained cold. “It depends on Brother Ting.”
Yang Bing nodded but then hesitated. “What’s your relationship with that Gu Jiu? Are you sisters? You don’t look alike.”
The word “don’t” made Chen Zhiru’s lips tighten.
Irritation bubbled within her. Of course, they didn’t look alike. They were half-sisters, sharing the same father but with different mothers. Each had inherited their looks from their mothers, with little resemblance to their father. As a result, Gu Jiu had inherited the unique beauty typical of the Gu family, while Chen Zhiru had her mother’s strikingly seductive appearance.
To outsiders, the idea that they might be sisters wouldn’t even cross their minds.
Seeing Chen Zhiru’s icy demeanor, Yang Bing dropped the topic. She silently noted that the relationship between the two sisters was far from good. Observing Huo Ting’s attitude toward Gu Jiu, she understood why Chen Zhiru had worn the look of a bitter woman since yesterday.
Yang Bing sighed inwardly. If she were Huo Ting, she, too, would likely prefer someone as elegant, confident, and beautiful as Gu Jiu.
That said, Chen Zhiru was her teammate and a skilled player. Yang Bing decided to support her, offering a few words of comfort.
As they walked on, a black shadow appeared in the dense fog ahead.
At first, the shadow was distorted, shifting in the mist before gradually solidifying into the form of a three-meter-tall humanoid monster.
The monster let out a deafening roar and charged toward them, carrying with it a wave of nauseating stench. Its insect-like, segmented limbs slashed through the air, while a spiny tail hidden behind it lashed out unexpectedly to attack.
The Infernal Blood Whip wrapped tightly around the monster’s sneaky tail, stopping it mid-attack.
Chai Yingying and Jiang Ze held their swords up to block the monster’s strikes, but the sheer force behind the blows left their hands trembling, nearly making them lose their grip on their weapons.
“Damn it, this thing’s strength is ridiculous—like it’s on par with our school dean!” Chai Yingying shouted. Just the thought of facing more monsters like this made her want to curse the heavens.
Gu Jiu remained calm. “You guys hold it off as much as you can. Let me give it a shot.”
Lu Ji and Chai Yingying moved instinctively to coordinate and keep the monster distracted. Although it was Jiang Ze’s first time working with them, he was quick on the uptake. Having heard from Chai Yingying about Gu Jiu’s abilities, he didn’t hesitate to trust her instructions.
While the four of them engaged the monster, the group behind hesitated.
“Brother Ting, should we go help them?” Yang Bing asked.
Huo Ting, gripping his double axes, kept his eyes locked on the scene ahead. He replied in a low voice, “No need. Let’s wait and see.”
His sharp eyes discerned that Gu Jiu’s team still had some room to maneuver, so he refrained from rushing in recklessly. He was also curious to see just how capable Gu Jiu really was.
Though he cared deeply for her, he wasn’t the type to blindly jump in and assume she needed protection.
With Lu Ji, Chai Yingying, and Jiang Ze successfully keeping the monster at bay, Gu Jiu found her moment to strike.
She leaped forward and, with precise timing, landed a punch directly on the monster’s chest.
A loud crack resounded—something had shattered.
Everyone’s eyes widened. They noticed a crack forming on the monster’s chest. It had a hard, protective shell that covered its torso, but now that black shell had split open, revealing the crimson, fleshy interior beneath.
The players behind them collectively gasped.
One of the male players in the back exclaimed, “Oh my god, this Eldest Miss is insanely fierce!”
Having fought these monsters before, they all knew how incredibly strong and tough their bodies were. Ordinary tools barely left a mark on them, which was why players had been so thoroughly outmatched and chased around.
But this Eldest Miss had cracked its shell with a single punch.
Could it be that she had awakened some kind of strength-related special ability?
Even Chen Zhiru couldn’t help but swallow nervously, her heart brimming with jealousy.