Players are coming, fortunately I have a time travel simulator

Zhou Ning took the stack of banknotes and verified their authenticity while counting them. 8000 Victa was exactly the same number as in the task description. What a coincidence.

"The extra 1000 Vectas is compensation for hiring a Legendary warrior. Although you didn't impress me at first, your strength has proven beyond doubt over the time you've spent." Ignatius Woods said seriously as he expertly handled the corpse, destroying all traces of it.

"As for the payment for this escort, I can provide the materials free of charge to tailor-make an extraordinary item for you. The quality will definitely not disappoint you."

"Extraordinary items? The attraction is quite strong."

Zhou Ning thought about it. Bantuan was just west of Nathaniel. Hiring a carriage would only take less than three hours. This quest wasn't difficult, and the reward for an extraordinary item was undoubtedly worth it. However, there were some things he had to clarify first.

"I'd like to first hear the identity of your enemies and why they are hunting you."

Ignatius Woods hesitated, seeming a little reluctant to answer, but still answered honestly, "They, like me, belong to the Church of Alchemy and Craftsmen. For some reason, I left the church, which led to their pursuit. As for the deeper reason, it involves an angel, and there's no benefit in forcing it."

"But don't worry, the angel is currently in the Kingdom of Luins and has no time to escape. Otherwise, I would have just waited for death."

Zhou Ning nodded, accepting his statement without surprise. His powerful observation Haki naturally distinguished truth from falsehood. An organization like the Church of Alchemy and Craftsmanship, which had existed for thousands of years, could certainly have angels, and possibly more than one!

As for the deeper reasons, he wasn't about to press them. Everyone has their own secrets. Moreover, in the realm of the supernatural, curiosity is often the leading cause of death. Even within the game's plot, there were countless adventurers and archaeologists who had their curiosity brought them to their deaths.

Zhou Ning pondered for a long time, watching Ignatius Woods's expression constantly changing from expectation to anxiety. Then he shook the suitcase in his hand and said with a smile:

"I can accept this offer, but first we have to find a place to stay and put down our luggage."

Although he accepted the task, he also made preparations for both scenarios. He had no intention of over-intervening in this incident. Once any uncontrollable factors occurred, he would immediately pack up and run away.

"That's no problem, I can wait!" Ignatius Woods responded happily and quickly agreed.

Richie Burke couldn't believe his ears and was speechless: "Damn it, an angel?!"

He is just an ordinary pirate, and he is about to face an angel?

Zhou Ning ignored his hesitation. About 20 minutes later, he found a hotel in a nearby block that was in decent condition. It was called "Tianya Hotel". He walked over slowly with his cane and suitcase.

A legal notice reading "Pickpocketing prohibited" was posted at the entrance of the hotel, and there were several wanted posters on the bulletin board, giving off a legal vibe everywhere.

He casually bought a newspaper and a map from a nearby newsstand which seemed to be doing a little business. Then his eyes stopped. In the newsstand, he saw Yu-Gi-Oh cards and something he had never expected.

A book called Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone!

The cover depicts a little boy flying in the air on a broom, which is quite childlike.

The book was signed by Wayne Stewell, and the publisher was Dockland First Publishing House, which he had previously decided on. It seemed to be correct!

I originally thought that the publishing matters would be shelved after the Docklands tragedy, but I didn't expect them to be so efficient.

The other two also noticed the book and the signature on it, and looked at Zhou Ning with a slightly strange look.

Zhou Ning didn't have the ability to read minds, but he understood their thoughts: "A legend? A children's book?"

At this moment, Zhou Ning felt a little ashamed and regretted his decision to publish the book under his real name. He couldn't imagine what the players would think if they saw this book.

He took a breath without leaving any trace, picked up the book in his hand and shook it, and asked, "How much is this book?"

"3 Luo Shen. If you are buying them for your children at home, do you need me to recommend a few more books?" The owner of the newsstand was a mixed-race man with Byron ancestry. He was very enthusiastic when he saw the business coming.

What? Buying for a kid?

Zhou Ning noticed from the corner of his eye that Richie Burke was having a hard time holding back his laughter.

He turned his head slowly and glanced at Richie Burke.

The other party was immediately startled, closed his mouth, and frowned, as if nothing had happened.

By the time Zhou Ning had paid, Richie Burke had already taken his luggage in and paid for three days' room in advance.

After watching Richie Burke busily carry his luggage to their respective rooms, Zhou Ning waited until he was done and took out the thick stack of cash again. He took out the top wad and tossed it to Richie Burke, saying calmly, "You don't have to come with me for the rest of the escort. For the next two days, you can rent a storefront based on the specifications of the one in Docklands. The extra cash will be your compensation."

"By the way, there's one more thing. You said you have connections with the Northern Pirate Alliance in Nathaniel?" Zhou Ning asked casually.

"Yes, yes..." Richie Burke suddenly became alert. What did he want to do?

"Help me find a person named Josie West in Nathaniel, and I will give you a generous reward."

This was something Zhou Ning had already planned. After the defeat at Darkland, Karl Robbins, now in his Josie West guise, would inevitably become even more cautious. With the help of the Little Broken Book, it would be difficult for him to find her on his own. Besides posting the same quest to the Northern Pirate Alliance, he would also be issuing it to other players.

"No problem, I'll find someone I trust to help." Rich Burke agreed readily.

Aside from being a bit too expensive for the pirates, Wayne Stewell was a truly wonderful man, both generous and fair... Posting requests for people within the Pirate Alliance wasn't uncommon, and Richie Burke accepted the money with delight. He'd recently spent nearly half his savings trying to sell the mithril and magic satin cloth quickly, and now he felt like his dwindling wallet had finally been replenished.

Then he glanced at the restless Ignatius Woods, put on his hat again, picked up his umbrella, and said with a smile:

"Let's go!"

Zhou Ning came to the street holding an umbrella. In the drizzle that reflected the dim light of the street lamps, he stopped a carriage and prepared to go to Bantuan overnight to avoid any further complications.

Compared with Daklan, Nathaniel's fare was undoubtedly high. After paying the fare of one person, Wei Keta, Zhou Ning got on the carriage, put aside the cane disguised as the king, opened the game interface first, and switched to the task page. Sure enough, at some point, the task of Literary Life (IV) had been quietly completed - this was also the longest and most difficult serial task he had ever done.