On the wall beside the great bell hung a plant known as Mistgrass.
The plaza was vast, and the bell, along with the stone wall supporting it, stood as the sole structure—like an obstruction planted there. Given the destructive power of magical creatures, it would be easy for them to destroy both the bell and the wall.
Thus, it was perfectly normal for the townsfolk to place a Mistgrass here for protection.
Gu Jiu also noticed the plant and remarked, “I heard from Little Ella that this bell has been here since the town was founded. It shares the same history as the town.”
It had borne witness to the town’s development.
For the townspeople, this bell in the plaza held profound significance. They would rather use a piece of Mistgrass to protect it from being destroyed by magical creatures.
The two of them circled the bell and the stone wall.
The wall stood five meters high, with the bell embedded at a height of four meters. It was a mechanical clock tower, and upon getting closer, one could hear the sound of its gears turning.
The design of the clock hinted at the technological level of this world.
“Magic, technology, and demons… The development of this world is quite fascinating,” Gu Jiu said with a smile. “In the future, it might evolve into a world where magic and technology are seamlessly integrated.”
After examining the bell, Gu Jiu removed the nearly wilted Mistgrass hanging above it and replaced it with a freshly harvested one from today.
Just then, two townsfolk arrived, each holding a stalk of Mistgrass. Upon seeing this, their thin faces broke into grateful smiles. Gu Jiu’s actions had evidently earned their favor effortlessly.
The two introduced themselves—the older man was the mayor of Ella Town, and the younger man was his eldest son. It was their responsibility to replace the Mistgrass on the bell each time.
“Thank you, travelers,” the mayor said politely. “May the Witch bless you.”
Jumping down from the stone wall, Gu Jiu smiled and replied, “We harvested quite a lot of Mistgrass today, so sharing one is no big deal.” Then she shifted the topic, “Why do you say ‘May the Witch bless us’? Is this town under the protection of a witch?”
“Yes,” the mayor nodded. “When Ella Town was first established, a passing witch bestowed a protective spell upon it.”
“Her magic still protects us to this day.”
Their faces lit up with admiration and reverence as they spoke, their words filled with heartfelt praise for the benevolent witch.
Gu Jiu’s interest was piqued. “Who is this witch? Does she not live in the town?”
“The witch was only passing through. After blessing the town with her magic, she left quickly. Her name was Ella. Because of her protection, the town was named Ella in her honor.”
This was information unknown to most adventurers—even Little Ella hadn’t mentioned it.
Gu Jiu realized that this must be insider knowledge known only to the mayor. After all, magic users were highly revered in this world, and their existence was not casually discussed.
If Gu Jiu hadn’t personally replaced the Mistgrass on the bell and earned the mayor’s goodwill, he likely wouldn’t have revealed this secret.
“I heard many of the town’s girls are named Ella. Is this also because of the witch?” Gu Jiu asked.
The mayor smiled. “Yes, Ella is a beautiful name. It symbolizes the most sincere blessing for our children.”
Though many townsfolk were unaware that Ella was the witch’s name, the town itself carried her name, preserving the memory of that kind-hearted witch in its own unique way.
“Mayor, we’re currently staying at the Witch’s Tavern. Is there any connection between it and Witch Ella?” Gu Jiu inquired.
“None whatsoever,” the mayor replied dismissively. “The inn is just an old man’s business. He randomly picked that name.”
Surprised, Gu Jiu remarked, “Really? I thought the tavern might also be under the witch’s protection, which is why magical creatures don’t attack it…”
“It’s impossible. The magical creatures don’t attack because of the Mistgrass.”
Seeing the mayor’s resolute expression, Gu Jiu said nothing more and handed him the remaining Mistgrass.
“This is what we harvested today. We have more than we need, so take it. Distribute it to those who require it,” she said gently, her elegant and radiant face glowing with kindness.
To the mayor and his son, this foreign adventurer appeared like a benevolent witch herself.
They thanked her profusely, too embarrassed to mention anything about compensation.
The town’s food supplies were almost depleted, and every household was struggling. If they had only been given one or two stalks, they might have been able to offer some food in return. But with three to four dozen stalks…
“No need for compensation,” Gu Jiu said softly. “If I have any questions about the town, I hope the mayor will help us with answers.”
The mayor didn’t think there were any secrets in the town that the adventurers couldn’t know, so he quickly agreed. He hurriedly left with the Mistgrass to distribute it to the households that didn’t have any.
With fewer and fewer residents in the town, the mayor hoped the Mistgrass would help more people survive.
—
When it was almost time, Gu Jiu and her group returned to the Witch’s Tavern.
Thick fog began to descend over the town again. Soon, the entire town was shrouded in mist, with no sunlight to be seen.
Before the fog rolled in, all the players had returned to the Witch’s Tavern. Even the intoxicated adventurers had come downstairs from their rooms.
“The fog has returned,” one adventurer said sadly. “We’ll never escape this cursed place.”
“I should never have come here.”
“I thought I could uncover the secrets of the fog, but it’s more terrifying than I imagined.”
…
The adventurers grew more and more dejected, sitting together with red eyes, sipping the last of their precious alcohol.
“The town now has about ten thousand surviving residents,” Jiang Ze said. “Among them, nearly five hundred girls of various ages are named Ella.”
Chai Yingying sighed. “That’s way too many Ellas. Why does everyone use the same name? They say it’s the most beautiful blessing, but I don’t see what’s so great about it.”
“Of course it’s a beautiful blessing,” Gu Jiu said. “I heard that Ella was a kind-hearted witch.”
Chai Yingying and Jiang Ze turned to her with surprise. After listening to the story Gu Jiu had learned from the mayor, they both fell into thoughtful silence.
Leaning against Lu Ji, Gu Jiu sipped milk through a straw and remarked, “There are conflicting opinions about the Witch’s Tavern. The mayor and the adventurers have different stories.”
“The mayor thinks the inn has no connection to Witch Ella, while the adventurers believe it’s under her protection, which is why magical creatures ignore it.”
“Maybe the mayor is right,” Chai Yingying said. “Given his position in Ella Town, he probably knows more.”
Jiang Ze countered, “That doesn’t add up. We already uncovered the inn’s peculiarities yesterday, didn’t we?”
“That’s exactly what’s strange about the Witch’s Tavern,” Chai Yingying said confidently. “Our top priority now is to uncover its true nature.”
Jiang Ze asked eagerly, “How do we do that?”
“Talk to the innkeeper,” Chai Yingying said, getting up and heading to the counter.
Curious, Jiang Ze followed her.
After the two left, someone sat down across from Gu Jiu.
It was Huo Ting.
Gu Jiu glanced up at him briefly before her gaze shifted to Chen Zhiru, who stood some distance away. Though Chen Zhiru didn’t come over, her eyes were locked on them like a hawk guarding against thieves. It wasn’t clear whom she was guarding against.
Gu Jiu found the situation amusing and flashed a taunting smile at Chen Zhiru. The latter’s expression shifted instantly—she was so furious it looked like her hair might stand on end.
This time, Gu Jiu couldn’t hold back her laughter.
It was truly mean-spirited.
Chen Zhiru was seething with rage, while the onlookers were at a loss for words.
Anyone could see that Gu Jiu was deliberately teasing Chen Zhiru. However, Chen Zhiru’s reaction was just too weak. Gu Jiu’s antics weren’t anything sophisticated, yet Chen Zhiru fell for them every time, leaving herself fuming.
Huo Ting didn’t intervene in the squabble between the two. It wasn’t his place to get involved.
From what he knew of Gu Jiu, she preferred to deal with people she disliked personally and wouldn’t appreciate someone meddling under the guise of helping her. Thus, he had never paid Chen Zhiru any mind, even knowing she was a player. To him, she was just someone with potential—a person who could be useful in the real world.
In Huo Ting’s view, Chen Zhiru was an enigma. She clearly knew Gu Jiu disliked her, yet she kept approaching Gu Jiu, seemingly inviting herself to be bullied. It was hard to fathom what she was thinking.
His gaze shifted to Gu Jiu and Lu Ji, who sat across from him. His lips pressed into a firm line as he suppressed his thoughts, finally saying calmly, “Gu Jiu, how about we exchange some information?”
“Sure,” Gu Jiu agreed readily.
It was the second day since the players had entered this game world. They had already traded Mistgrass with the townsfolk in exchange for useful information. Now was the perfect time to compare notes.
Huo Ting’s group had also conducted their own investigation around the name “Ella.” The results were similar to Chai Yingying’s findings—there were far too many girls named Ella in the town, but they were all ordinary people with no connection to the witch.
In addition, Huo Ting’s group had inspected the outskirts of the town.
“Although the midday fog cleared briefly, the edges of the town remain surrounded by a dense fog barrier. It isolates the town from the outside world, making it impossible to see what lies beyond. Attempts to break through the barrier have been ineffective.”
Gu Jiu nodded slightly, unsurprised by the results.
If the barrier at the town’s edge were so easy to breach, the adventurers trapped here wouldn’t still be stuck.
“Gu Jiu, do you think the fog could be related to the witch’s magic?” Huo Ting asked.
Gu Jiu pondered for a moment. “Then what about the magical creatures within the fog?”
“They’re likely some kind of aberrant beings native to this world, summoned from elsewhere. Like creatures from a demonic realm in Western fantasy worlds,” Huo Ting speculated coolly. “The fog seems to function as a large-scale summoning array, and the townsfolk are akin to sacrificial offerings for these demons.”
Ella Town once thrived with a population of nearly fifty thousand, not including the transient merchants who did business here. After the calamity struck, the population had plummeted to around ten thousand.
Gu Jiu’s expression turned serious. “Your theory makes sense.”
Huo Ting smiled faintly. “But it’s clear that the townsfolk know very little about the witch. They don’t even understand the origins of the name ‘Ella.’ It’s unlikely we’ll uncover more detailed information from them.”
“The mayor might know,” Gu Jiu said, recounting her encounter with the mayor earlier in the day.
Huo Ting stared at her, then said with a touch of admiration, “You have incredible luck.”
While others were still sifting through miscellaneous information from the townsfolk, Gu Jiu had not only encountered the mayor but also earned his favor.
Luck is also a form of strength.
This shows that her ability to become a B-level player in just six months is due to her exceptional qualities.