On the second night in Ella Town, many players still didn’t get a good rest.
Beyond the noise caused by people, the monsters outside also contributed to the cacophony. In such an environment, unless someone had an exceptionally bold heart, they wouldn’t dare to sleep too deeply.
Gu Jiu was one of those bold-hearted individuals.
When she stepped out of her room, radiant and refreshed, and in stark contrast to Lu Ji, who still looked sickly pale, Chai Yingying almost couldn’t help but suspect whether the young lady was using some mysterious technique to absorb vitality. Lu Ji seemed like her hapless target.
Her suspicion wasn’t baseless. Lu Ji’s feeble appearance was all too convincing.
“Young lady, did you sleep well last night?”
“Quite well,” Gu Jiu replied with a smile, her eyes behind her glasses sparkling with energy.
Huo Ting and Chen Zhiru walked over. Huo Ting glanced at Gu Jiu and Lu Ji, giving them a slight nod in greeting.
His expression was calm, so calm that those aware of his supposed feelings for Gu Jiu began to doubt their validity. Except for his initial moment of surprise upon discovering she was a player, he had been composed and dependable the entire time.
Yang Bing and the others mused inwardly: Brother Ting really lives up to his reputation; his emotional control is impressive.
The group made their way to the tavern’s first-floor hall.
Suddenly, Gu Jiu’s gaze paused.
Jiang Ze and Chai Yingying followed her line of sight and also showed surprise.
The counter that had been smashed to pieces by two Western players yesterday was now fully restored, standing in its original position. Its worn and heavy appearance was the same as before. It didn’t look like it had been replaced but rather as if the broken counter had been magically restored.
Chai Yingying ran over to inspect it closely and reported back, “It’s the original one, not a replacement.”
Jiang Ze bent down to check underneath the counter, which was stocked with various items. “Everything inside is still here.”
The objects within the counter were evidently the tavern owner’s treasured belongings. He was often seen taking them out to fondle or carefully polish. To the players, however, these items were peculiar: black lumps, insect corpses, plant roots, and other oddities.
Everyone stared at the restored counter, all thinking the same thing: Could the Witch’s Tavern have some magical ability to reset damaged objects?
Considering the game world’s lore, they reasonably speculated that the counter’s restoration must be linked to the tavern’s mysterious properties.
When the Western players also came downstairs and saw the intact counter, their reactions were no less astonished.
The Witch’s Tavern clearly harbored its own secrets.
But what exactly were those secrets? For now, the players didn’t know. The only one who might have answers was the tavern owner, but the old man’s eccentric temperament made it exceedingly difficult to get anything out of him.
Suddenly, Odinson asked, “Where are Grut and Tok? They haven’t come down yet?”
Grut and Tok were the two Western players who had smashed the counter and threatened the tavern owner the day before. After returning to their rooms, they hadn’t been seen since. Odinson couldn’t help but feel a vague sense of unease when he saw the restored counter.
“We’ll go look for them,” Mina volunteered.
Mina and Alva, a player specializing in strength, headed upstairs to search for the two.
Only a few minutes later, they returned, their expressions grave. “There’s no sign of them. Their rooms are tidy, as if they left early.”
The group turned their eyes toward the dense fog outside the door. It was only 8 a.m., and the sky over Aira Town had just begun to brighten. Occasionally, the roars of monsters could be heard echoing through the fog.
If those two Western players had gone out early, it must have been before dawn. Surely no one would be foolish enough to venture out at that hour under such conditions.
But since they were neither in their rooms nor the tavern, the only plausible explanation seemed to be that they left early. Otherwise, their disappearance was unexplainable—people don’t just vanish into thin air.
Allens suddenly proposed, “What if they weren’t in their rooms last night?”
“They’re not stupid. There’s no way they’d go out in the middle of the night,” Mina retorted.
“I know they’re not stupid, but what if the Witch’s Tavern threw them out and refused to let them back in?”
“…”
A hush fell over the room.
The players couldn’t help but think this was a real possibility. After all, Grut and Tok’s behavior yesterday, while exploratory, could also be seen as provocative toward the Witch’s Tavern and its owner. Considering how the counter had mysteriously restored itself overnight, the tavern’s peculiarities were undeniable. It didn’t seem far-fetched that the tavern might eject troublemakers.
“Let’s wait and see,” Odinson said. “Maybe they just went out early.”
Without concrete evidence that something had happened to them, speculation wouldn’t help. The group quickly dispersed to focus on their own activities.
The Eastern players gathered for breakfast, chatting as they ate and speculating about the missing Western players.
“I think Allens is right,” Chai Yingying mumbled through a mouthful of dumplings. “Those two must be in big trouble. They did what they did yesterday, and now they’re gone. It has to have something to do with the Witch’s Tavern.”
“We need to uncover the secrets of the Witch’s Tavern first,” Jiang Ze added.
“How do we do that? That old man is so stubborn, and we can’t exactly force anything out of him,” Chen Zhiru complained. “And if trying something lands us in the same situation as those Western players, then forget it.”
Despite her words, she couldn’t help feeling frustrated.
Chen Zhiru stole a glance at Gu Jiu across the table.
She was deeply curious about Gu Jiu’s methods. How had she cleared the game so efficiently? How had she become a B-rank player in just six months? So far, Gu Jiu had only demonstrated her formidable combat skills against monsters, while keeping the rest of her abilities under wraps.
Gu Jiu sat there like a pampered young lady. She didn’t need to lift a finger—someone would serve her breakfast as soon as she glanced their way. All she had to do was open her mouth to eat.
Then there was Lu Ji, who didn’t look like her “girlfriend” at all but rather a servant, tending to her every need and making her as comfortable as possible.
Chen Zhiru couldn’t stand Gu Jiu’s behavior but felt a small sense of satisfaction. She thought, Dating someone like Gu Jiu is bound to feel more like servitude. With Huo Ting’s status as a proud and talented individual, there’s no way he’d lower himself to such a role.
No wonder Gu Jiu ended up dating a girl. Just look at the poor “girlfriend” she’s already worn down to this state.
Thank goodness Gu Jiu hadn’t set her sights on Huo Ting. Chen Zhiru couldn’t imagine someone like Huo Ting being reduced to a mere follower under Gu Jiu’s thumb.
Lost in her musings, Chen Zhiru suddenly realized Huo Ting had finished his breakfast and was about to leave.
“Brother Ting,” Chen Zhiru called, wiping her mouth as she hurried after him. “Aren’t you teaming up with Gu Jiu and the others today?”
Huo Ting stepped out of the tavern and said, “No need. Gu Jiu is strong enough to protect herself.” Before Chen Zhiru could feel secretly pleased, he continued, “You should also work harder. Gu Jiu caught up to your level in just six months; you should reflect on yourself.”
Chen Zhiru’s expression turned as sour as if she had swallowed something bitter.
Yang Bing and another male player, part of the same team, gave her a sympathetic glance and patted her shoulder, trying to encourage her.
“That’s just how Brother Ting is,” Yang Bing said quietly. “Don’t expect any soft words from him. If you want his respect, you have to prove yourself through action.”
—
After breakfast, Gu Jiu and her group also left the tavern.
Their goal for the day remained the same: collecting Mistgrass in the eastern forest.
Right now, the two things most needed by the townspeople were Mistgrass and food—essentials for survival. Players could trade these items for valuable information from the townsfolk.
Not all players were capable of fending off monster attacks unscathed. Most chose to stay inside the tavern, waiting for the fog to clear before venturing out to barter with food for clues.
A monstrous roar pierced through the dense fog, and three dark silhouettes suddenly charged toward them.
Chai Yingying and Jiang Ze froze in fear. Three monsters at once? How were they supposed to handle that?
Before they could fully panic, Gu Jiu’s voice rang out, “Chai Beauty, catch!”
A whistling sound cut through the air. On reflex, Chai Yingying reached out and caught a rusty axe. She immediately recognized it. “The Rusted Blood Axe? You actually bought this thing?”
“Yeah,” Gu Jiu replied calmly. “It’s effective against aberrant creatures. Give it a try.”
As she spoke, Gu Jiu summoned the Mermaid Doll and Lisa, her two ghostly companions. The eerie dolls clung to her shoulders, their glassy eyes fixed on the monsters emerging from the fog.
“Can you eat them?” Gu Jiu asked her dolls.
The two dolls shook their heads frantically, indicating that they weren’t strong enough to devour such powerful creatures yet.
With a gentle smile, Gu Jiu said, “Oh, you can eat them? Don’t worry, once we chop off their insectoid limbs, I’ll feed you.”
Up ahead, Chai Yingying, fending off a monster, couldn’t help but feel exasperated. No wonder Gu Jiu’s ghostly companions leveled up so quickly—she was always finding ways to nurture them.
Despite its unimpressive appearance, the Rusted Blood Axe turned out to be incredibly effective.
With a single swing, Chai Yingying severed one of the monster’s arms. Delighted, she exclaimed, “Gu Jiu, this axe really does work against aberrant creatures! If I’d known, I would’ve bought one myself.” She couldn’t help feeling regretful.
Chai Yingying had always been the type to hoard points. After clearing each game, she focused on purchasing rare defensive items. While she owned some offensive tools, she preferred ones that were merely adequate—nothing extravagant like Gu Jiu, who spent all her points without hesitation.
The Rusted Blood Axe was specifically designed to kill aberrant creatures and vengeful spirits. Though useful, it clashed with Chai Yingying’s desire to maintain her elegant image. The thought of wielding an axe in battle seemed unbecoming for a beauty like her.
But in life-threatening situations like this, such concerns were irrelevant. Right now, she wished she had another axe.
Meanwhile, Jiang Ze wielded a Spirit Energy Gun.
The weapon emitted a dark red glow and, with every shot, released a burst of crimson spiritual light. When the light struck a monster, it immobilized them for a few seconds.
Coupled with Lu Ji’s Infernal Blood Whip, which lashed out to hinder their movement, the three of them barely managed to hold off the three monsters.
Gu Jiu seized the opportunity to punch one of the monsters, shattering its body into pieces. With that, all three monsters were incapacitated.
Once the monsters lay on the ground, Gu Jiu turned to her two ghostly dolls and said, “Now there’s food for you. Don’t tell me you still can’t eat this.”
Lisa, ever the obedient one, savagely devoured a severed monster arm that had fallen to the ground.
The Mermaid Doll hesitated, inching forward reluctantly, and ate just as sluggishly.
Meanwhile, Chai Yingying summoned her Glutton Ball, letting it join in on the feast.
The four of them took a break, watching as the three ghostly creatures devoured the scattered monster limbs that Chai Yingying had chopped off with her axe.
At that moment, Odinson and a group of players passed by.
When they saw the three fallen monsters and the ghostly creatures feasting so gruesomely, the Western players looked at them as if they were staring at demons.
Odinson asked, “Are these your Eastern ghostly creatures?”
Gu Jiu nodded.
Chai Yingying smiled and said, “I’ve heard you Westerners have magical creatures too. Your magical creatures can also eat these to level up, right? Surely you have some of those?”
The Western players all turned to Odinson.
At his command, a magical creature materialized on his shoulder.
It looked like a Barbie doll, dressed in a black puffed skirt. Its skin was ghostly pale, with exaggerated dark circles around its eyes and a gaping black mouth. When it grinned, razor-sharp teeth gleamed inside.
Compared to Lisa, who looked like a cute little angel, the magical doll was downright eerie.
The magical doll curiously eyed the three ghostly creatures. At its master’s signal, it tentatively bit into a monster limb. A moment later, it spat it out with a loud “ptooey” and scrambled back onto its master’s shoulder, turning its head away in disgust.
Seeing this, everyone understood—the magical doll was far too picky and clearly refused to eat monsters.