Before stepping into the tavern, Gu Jiu noticed its name:
The Witch’s Tavern.
Could it be the tavern of Witch Ella?
Although she was curious, the monster chasing closely behind left her no time to think. Tilting her body slightly, she followed the other players into the tavern with an almost instinctive movement.
The moment they entered, the overwhelming sense of danger that had been pressing on them finally dissipated.
The players instinctively turned toward the door and saw the monster that had been pursuing them. It charged toward the tavern—a three-meter-tall creature, its entire body pitch-black. Its jointed limbs exuded terrifying strength and explosiveness, and its tail was as lethal as its limbs. The creature looked like something straight out of hell.
When it reached the tavern’s entrance, it didn’t enter immediately. Instead, it paused a short distance away, craning its head forward while its tail swayed cautiously in the air, as if searching for the players’ scent.
The monster’s face had human-like features. Its head turned slightly, and when its gaze aligned with the tavern door, the players felt their hearts nearly stop, their breath held in tension.
Fortunately, the creature seemed unable to detect the tavern and eventually left.
The players let out a collective sigh of relief, their taut nerves finally relaxing.
“Welcome, adventurers from afar, to the Witch’s Tavern.”
A raspy, unpleasant voice echoed through the space, startling the players, who were still focused on the monster outside. They turned sharply to find the source of the voice.
The tavern’s interior was dimly lit, perhaps due to it being daytime, and the lights weren’t on. The place wasn’t large, roughly 100 square meters. Heavy, roughly hewn wooden tables and chairs were scattered around, making the space feel particularly cramped.
At the far end, against the wall, stood a counter. The voice had come from that direction.
There were a few other people in the tavern, sitting in corners, drinking and chatting softly. They glanced at the newcomers briefly but showed little interest.
“Adventurers? Are you talking about us?” Mina asked.
The person behind the counter didn’t respond.
The players cautiously observed the tavern but found no signs of danger, so they headed toward the counter.
By the time they reached the counter, their eyes had adjusted to the dim light, and they could see the person behind it clearly—a hunched old man with a face full of wrinkles. The deep lines on his face betrayed his advanced age. His drooping eyelids gave him a cold, indifferent appearance.
Gu Jiu smiled warmly and asked, “Grandpa, are you the owner of the Witch’s Tavern?”
The old man lifted his eyelids to glance at her and replied with a cold grunt.
Allen doubted aloud, “Isn’t this place called the Witch’s Tavern? Shouldn’t the owner be a woman?”
Hearing the words “Witch’s Tavern,” the players immediately thought of their mission target, Witch Ella. The term “witch” was unmistakably linked to her.
But the elderly man before them was clearly male.
“I am the owner,” the old man replied stiffly.
The players exchanged glances and decided not to dwell on the matter for now. After all, there was no rule saying the owner of the Witch’s Tavern had to be a woman.
“Boss, what’s the deal with the monster outside?”
The tavern owner continued wiping down the counter with a cloth, replying coldly, “Aren’t you the adventurers who came here after hearing about the affairs of Ella Town?”
Gu Jiu mused silently, realizing that the players’ identities in the game world were likely set as adventurers arriving from outside Ella Town.
She smiled and said, “We indeed came after hearing some things about Ella Town, but we don’t know much about the situation. We didn’t expect to encounter such terrifying monsters as soon as we arrived. That’s why we wanted to ask for more details.”
The owner didn’t give Gu Jiu much face and said indifferently, “If you want answers, ask those people. They’re adventurers from outside as well and should be happy to tell you.”
He gestured toward the people seated in the tavern.
The six players couldn’t figure out the tavern owner’s role in Ella Town. Seeing that he wasn’t interested in engaging with them, they decided not to press him further.
Mina glanced at the customers in the tavern, then turned to Alva and asked, “Are your injuries okay?”
Earlier, Alva had been hit by the monster’s tail, leaving a long gash across his abdomen. Although he had quickly treated the wound and stopped the bleeding, the injury couldn’t heal in such a short time. After running around with the others, his wound had reopened, staining his clothes with blood. His pallor was so ashen that even the dim light of the tavern couldn’t conceal it.
Yet Alva remained calm, saying, “I’m fine. I just need to rest for a bit.”
Clearly familiar with one another, the group was visibly concerned about Alva’s condition. Joey and Allen helped him to a seat and let him rest.
Mina and Joey then took the initiative to approach the other patrons to gather information.
Both of them were outgoing and approachable, making them ideal for gathering intelligence.
Gu Jiu, however, stayed behind. She sat across from Alva, stowed away her crossbow, and pulled a carton of milk from her inventory. She slowly sipped it through a straw.
While she was drinking, more people entered the tavern.
Five players stepped in, scanning the dimly lit space cautiously. Once their eyes adjusted to the light, they quickly took in the layout and the people inside.
“Ah, Eldest Miss! You’re here too!”
Chai Yingying’s delighted voice rang out as she made her way to Gu Jiu and plopped down beside her.
Jiang Ze followed at a slower pace, nodding politely to Gu Jiu before finding a seat. He quietly observed the tavern, his expression unreadable.
The three players who had entered with them hesitated at the door before heading toward the bar. They weren’t acquainted with Chai Yingying or Jiang Ze but had joined them after noticing that the tavern seemed to be the only open building in town.
Gu Jiu noticed that Lu Ji wasn’t among the newcomers and couldn’t help feeling a bit disappointed. “You didn’t run into Ah Ji?”
Jiang Ze shook his head apologetically.
Chai Yingying chimed in, “I thought Big Boss Lu was with you! Jiang Ze and I were close by when we entered Ella Town, so we met up about ten minutes after arriving. Don’t worry, though. With Lu Ji’s skills, she’ll be fine, even if she shows up later.”
Gu Jiu continued sipping her milk in silence.
“Eldest Miss, what’s up with this tavern?” Chai Yingying lowered her voice. “It’s called the Witch’s Tavern. Could it have something to do with Witch Ella?”
Players often pieced together clues from the names of locations and missions in the game world. Upon seeing the tavern’s name, Chai Yingying had immediately made the connection. She’d noticed the sign upon entering, and although the words were written in a foreign script, they were clearly comprehensible to players.
“Players can understand any language in the game world after entering it,”
Gu Jiu thought to herself, noticing the game mechanic that allowed seamless communication with NPCs in the game world.
She replied to Chai Yingying, “I don’t know either. I just got here.”
Chai Yingying chuckled and praised her, “Eldest Miss, your luck is as great as always. Looks like you’re one of the first players to enter the Witch’s Tavern.”
There was a special connection between players, allowing her to sense immediately that some of the people in the tavern were not players but rather indigenous NPCs of the game world.
Gu Jiu introduced Alva, Allen, Chai Yingying, and Jiang Ze to one another, then pointed toward Mina and Joey, who were still gathering information in the corner. “That’s Mina and Joey. I met them not long after entering.”
Once introductions were made, the group became more relaxed and casual in their conversation.
Chai Yingying and Jiang Ze noticed the faint smell of blood coming from Alva. When they learned what had happened, they couldn’t help but retract their earlier comments about Gu Jiu’s “luck.”
“How unlucky must you be to encounter such a powerful monster the moment you enter the game world?” Chai Yingying frowned.
“We didn’t run into any of those monsters,” she continued. “We managed to avoid them as soon as we sensed their presence. But if the town is filled with creatures like that, I’m afraid we don’t have enough exorcism charms to survive.”
That was the real problem.
Before entering the game, no one knew the specifics of the game world’s challenges. Even though this time there was no limit on buying tools, no one would willingly spend a fortune on too many exorcism charms. As a result, most players had only a limited number of charms on hand.
While they were speaking, Mina and Joey returned.
Their expressions were grave. After Gu Jiu introduced the newcomers, Chai Yingying and Jiang Ze, Mina shared the information they had gathered.
Ella Town, she explained, was once a beautiful and serene place with a vibrant economy. Located along a bustling trade route, it was often visited by merchant caravans from far and wide.
But one day, a thick fog descended on the town.
Within the fog, horrifying monsters from hell began hunting the townsfolk. Every caravan that entered the town was attacked, and no survivors escaped.
As the death toll mounted, rumors spread that Ella Town had been taken over by devils. Adventurers, curious about the cause of the strange fog, started entering the town to investigate.
None of them returned.
The adventurers, like the residents of Ella Town, became trapped in the town. The fog encircled the entire area, forming an invisible barrier that separated the town from the outside world. No matter how they tried to escape, they always found themselves stopped at the edge of the fog.
It was as though an unseen forcefield enclosed the town.
“Apparently, from noon to 3 PM each day, the fog lifts over the town, and the monsters don’t appear during that time,” Mina said. “The townsfolk use this window to move around, but outside the town, the fog remains, and no one can leave.”
“We came in at the worst possible time,” Mina added, spreading her hands helplessly. “Right at 3 PM, when the fog starts rolling in again.”
“I’m sure the system planned this deliberately,” Chai Yingying muttered. “Entering at 3 PM gives players a taste of the town’s danger.”
Everyone glanced at the bloodied Alva and silently agreed.
Gu Jiu, now finished with her milk, put the empty carton away and asked, “Did they mention Witch Ella at all?”
“No,” Joey replied with a puzzled expression. “These adventurers don’t seem to know anything about Witch Ella. When we asked about her, they just laughed and said there are many women named Ella in this town. Apparently, it’s a very common name here.”
Because the town was named Ella Town, many parents named their daughters Ella. Before the town’s troubles began, if someone called out “Ella” on the street, three or four girls might turn their heads in response.