Gu Jiu wasn’t afraid of him; instead, she gave him an exceptionally sweet and obedient smile.
It was a gentle, soft smile—the kind that elders tend to favor.
Unfortunately, Old Joseph was a cold and ruthless man. He wasn’t swayed by her charm, and his expression remained stern as he asked coldly, “What exactly do you want to say?”
Gu Jiu replied softly, “It’s nothing much. Recently, little Ella’s grandmother has been very ill. I delivered some medicine to Mrs. Ella yesterday, and today she’s much better—she can even get out of bed.”
Old Joseph didn’t say anything, but his hands, which were fiddling with various items, subconsciously moved with much more care.
Gu Jiu caught this subtle reaction and smiled faintly.
Though his face remained stoic and his expression unpleasant, Old Joseph didn’t respond with his usual sharp-tongued dismissal. Instead, he carefully put away the items he was handling, turned around, and left the counter, disappearing behind a door next to it.
Behind that door lay the passage to the backyard on the ground floor, where Old Joseph lived. There was also a yard and a kitchen back there.
Watching Old Joseph leave, Gu Jiu didn’t press further and found a spot near the tavern’s entrance to sit down.
The other players in the room exchanged glances, looking from where Old Joseph had disappeared to Gu Jiu, unable to hide a bit of admiration.
It was the first time the tavern owner had chosen to retreat rather than confront a player. Usually, he would chase them off without hesitation.
Chai Yingying pulled Jiang Ze over and sat down next to Gu Jiu, curiosity in her voice as she asked, “Big Miss, what did you mean by what you said earlier?”
Gu Jiu didn’t hold back and briefly recounted the information she had gathered from the mayor earlier that day.
The two wore expressions of sudden understanding, while nearby players, who had been eavesdropping, also felt enlightened. A few couldn’t help but look a bit envious.
Everyone else had been using Mistgrass and food to trade for information with the townsfolk. Who would have thought Gu Jiu would be so lucky to encounter a key figure connected to the tavern owner on just her second day? Her fortune was simply unmatched.
“This old man seems really stubborn. Will he really make an exception for Ella and her grandmother?” Chai Yingying questioned skeptically.
“That’s hard to say. Let’s wait and see.”
After sitting for a while, Gu Jiu decided to return to her room to rest.
Ella Town’s nights came early. Once the thick fog descended in the afternoon, players wisely chose to stay indoors. The remaining time was spent lounging in the tavern. Though it was a bit dull, it was far better than being eaten by monsters outside.
Especially those players who had gone out early in the morning and been chased around like dogs by a pack of beasts—they were already exhausted. None of them had the energy to venture out again in the afternoon.
Back in her room, Gu Jiu chatted with her boyfriend for a bit before falling asleep in his arms.
Lu Ji held her close, distressed by how she always placed herself in the most dangerous situations during battles. Although she appeared composed and confident, it undoubtedly drained her energy. He carefully massaged her muscles and bones, ensuring she would wake up feeling refreshed the next day—this was the secret to her radiant appearance every morning.
As he was massaging her, Lu Ji suddenly turned to look toward the window.
The window was slightly ajar, and it seemed as though a pair of eyes were peering in through the gap. The feeling of being watched was pervasive and unsettling.
Lu Ji glanced at the sleeping figure in his arms, intending to ignore it. But before he could, Gu Jiu suddenly opened her eyes and sat up straight, her gaze fixed on the window.
“Ah Jiu?” he called softly.
Gu Jiu got out of bed, slipping on her shoes with a soft tap tap tap as she walked over and pushed the window open.
The moment she did, the eerie feeling of being watched vanished instantly.
The window in their room faced the street outside, where thick fog rolled in waves. Occasionally, silhouettes of magical creatures could be seen drifting through the mist. These creatures, however, ignored the tavern entirely, walking past without the slightest interest.
Lu Ji walked over and said, “Ah Jiu, it’s probably not a magical creature.”
Gu Jiu nodded. She observed the outside for a while longer before closing the window again.
Not long after shutting it, the eerie sensation of being watched returned. But whenever she opened the window to look, the feeling disappeared instantly.
After repeating this a few times, Gu Jiu realized that the gaze seemed to be observing them rather than intending harm. Still, the persistent feeling of being monitored was undeniably unsettling.
As night fell, the other players retreated to their rooms for rest.
At midnight, Chai Yingying and Jiang Ze were startled awake by a knock at their door. Getting up to answer, they found Gu Jiu and Lu Ji standing outside.
Their sleepiness vanished instantly. Chai Yingying lowered her voice and asked, “Big Miss, Lu Ji, what’s the matter?”
Gu Jiu asked, “Have you felt like you’re being watched?”
The two shook their heads honestly, surprise evident in their expressions. “Someone’s watching you? Could it be a ghost?” But they quickly dismissed the idea. Ella Town’s lore didn’t include ghosts—only magical creatures.
They were more inclined to suspect some form of magic.
“Could it be connected to the tavern?” Chai Yingying gestured downstairs.
Earlier that day, Gu Jiu had subtly tested the tavern owner by mentioning Ella’s grandmother and granddaughter. Based on Old Joseph’s reaction, he didn’t seem entirely indifferent to the pair; he even appeared to care about them quite a bit.
“Do you think your probing caused this? Like what happened to those two Western players yesterday?” Chai Yingying asked cautiously.
“Not likely,” Gu Jiu replied. “Other than the feeling of being watched, nothing unusual has happened.”
Her visit to Chai Yingying and Jiang Ze was to confirm if they had experienced the same.
Chai Yingying thought for a moment and then boldly suggested, “Hey, why don’t we go down to the first floor and look for the tavern owner? Maybe even search the tavern while we’re at it?”
Jiang Ze hesitated. “Wouldn’t that be dangerous? If we get thrown out of the tavern in the middle of the night, it might be hard to get back in…”
There was a difference between leaving the tavern willingly and being forcibly ejected, with the latter undoubtedly more perilous.
Although it was just a theory, the sudden disappearance of those two Western players made the idea seem plausible.
“That’s a fair concern,” Chai Yingying admitted, tapping her chin thoughtfully. She turned to Gu Jiu. “Big Miss, what do you think?”
Gu Jiu nodded. “It’s a good suggestion, but someone’s already beaten us to it.”
“Huh?”
Chai Yingying quickly understood what Gu Jiu meant.
When they crept downstairs to the first floor in the dark, they saw Odinson and three Western players emerging from the door behind the counter.
Seeing the four of them appear so suddenly, the Western players were initially startled but quickly regained their composure.
Although they were competitors, their rivalry was limited to earning points, so there was no need to keep secrets.
Chai Yingying curiously asked, “Old Joseph isn’t here? You went in there just like that and didn’t run into him?”
“No, he’s not here. We didn’t see him anywhere,” one of the Western players replied, glancing at Odinson.
Odinson took the lead, inviting them all, “Let’s sit over there and talk. We might as well share some information.”
Chai Yingying and Jiang Ze glanced at Gu Jiu.
“Sure,” Gu Jiu said with a graceful smile.
The group gathered around a few oil lamps that were lit to provide enough light—not bright, but sufficient to see each other clearly.
Just as they settled, footsteps echoed from the staircase.
Everyone turned to see Huo Ting descending with another male player. Huo Ting’s expression was calm, but the male player beside him looked a bit surprised at the gathering below.
Huo Ting approached them, a friendly smile on his handsome face. “Mind if I join?”
His smile was warm and inviting, a subtle charm that made refusal feel unnatural. This was part of Huo Ting’s natural charisma—when he needed to, he could effortlessly project an aura of friendliness that disarmed those around him.
A true heir born and raised in Beijing’s elite circles, Huo Ting was never a simple character.
Gu Jiu smiled faintly at him, casually squeezing her boyfriend’s hand.
Odinson studied Huo Ting briefly before returning a polite smile. “Of course. You’re welcome.”
The seating arrangement naturally formed a triangular configuration, with Odinson, Gu Jiu, and Huo Ting each taking a key position, while the other players stood behind them. The setup resembled a three-party negotiation.
Odinson began the discussion. “The Witch’s Tavern has a hidden basement. It’s protected by a magical barrier, making it inaccessible to ordinary people.”
“You went inside just now, didn’t you?” Gu Jiu asked, her tone calm yet assertive.
Odinson nodded. A small magical doll climbed out from behind him as he explained, “Alice can break magical barriers. It’s capable of identifying magical artifacts.”
The Eastern players present turned their attention to the magical doll, their curiosity piqued.
So magical dolls had this kind of functionality?
In an instant, the group realized the implication of Odinson’s statement: as long as there were magical items within the Witch’s Tavern—or even the entire Ella Town—they wouldn’t escape Alice’s detection.
Behind Odinson, the three Western players wore proud expressions. Although their magical creatures weren’t as versatile as paranormal beings that could consume anything, in this Western-themed game field, they were exceptionally useful.
Odinson continued, “There are many magical items in the basement, and they’re quite similar to the objects displayed on the tavern’s counter.”
These magical items were the strange things the tavern owner often fiddled with, which players had always found puzzling.
Gu Jiu mused, “These must be items he’s collected over the years.”
The mayor had mentioned before that the Witch’s Tavern charged exorbitant prices for its drinks and rooms. Old Joseph likely used those earnings to purchase these peculiar magical artifacts.
Odinson nodded slightly and added, “Over the past two days, we’ve searched the entire Ella Town. Alice has identified that the town is constructed over a massive magical array, with its core located in the Witch’s Tavern.”
The group exchanged knowing glances.
So the players’ earlier speculations were correct—Ella Town was essentially a giant magical formation.
The Witch’s Tavern was the array’s most critical element, which explained its unique significance.
“Is it a summoning array?” Chai Yingying interjected.
Odinson shook his head. “Not sure.” He patted Alice’s head. “Although Alice can detect magical items, its capabilities are limited. It can’t determine the exact type of array.”
In the end, Alice’s level was still relatively low, restricting its intelligence and abilities.
When Odinson finished speaking, Huo Ting chimed in, his voice steady. “The magical creatures were indeed summoned here. I can track their summoning points and spatial pathways.”
Everyone turned to look at Huo Ting.
This time, the male player standing behind him looked particularly proud.
Their “Brother Ting” was just that amazing.
Under everyone’s gaze, Huo Ting spoke with deliberate calmness. “It’s a special talent I awakened.”
Hearing this, the players refrained from probing further, but curiosity still lingered about the spatial points where the magical creatures were summoned.
Huo Ting continued, “Tomorrow, I’ll map out the town and mark the spatial summoning points for you all.”
“Thanks,” Odinson replied with a smile, feeling even more confident that cooperating with the Eastern players was the right decision.
The main system wouldn’t randomly place players from the Eastern and Western factions together without a purpose. It was up to the players to figure out the intention. Odinson, not being one to let arrogance cloud his judgment, had been observing the Eastern players’ capabilities since entering this game world, wondering how their unique abilities might contribute.