Tavern of the Spear: Desire for Pleasure

(This chapter has undergone significant revisions and includes many original plot elements, but it's definitely not just random writing. I hope you enjoy it. I'm not trying to pad the word count; I'm just afraid my writing might be subpar and make you dislike this novel adapted from a game's storyline.)

Night fell, and Nexus's hut was enveloped in tranquility. Evand lay on his makeshift bed, listening to the croaking of frogs from the swamp outside the window, his mind racing. Tomorrow he would set off for the Minotaur tribe, wondering what awaited him. He tossed and turned, unable to sleep, until finally managing to close his eyes late into the night.

The morning sunlight streamed through the window, and Evan rubbed his sleepy eyes. Nexus was already up and busy in the kitchen. Soon, an enticing aroma wafted in.

"Get up, little wolf cub." Nexus entered carrying two bowls of steaming soup. "Drink it while it's hot; you need to be well-rested for your journey."

Evans sat up and took the bowl of soup. The warm liquid slid down his throat, instantly making him feel warm all over. He looked up at Nexus, who was intently drinking his soup, his serpentine eyes gleaming softly in the morning light.

“Thank you, Nexus,” Evand said softly.

Nexus looked up, a slight smile playing on his lips. "You're welcome. Be careful on your journey, and remember what I told you yesterday."

Evand nodded and finished the last sip of soup. After packing, he slung his bag over his shoulder, stood at the door, and glanced back at Nexus: "I'm leaving."

“Go,” Nexus said calmly. “May the god of the swamp protect you.”

Evand turned and walked onto the path leading to the Minotaur village. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground. He took a deep breath, savoring the fresh air, and strode forward.

Two and a half hours later, Evand finally arrived at the gates of the Minotaur tribe. The midday sun scorched the earth, making it feel sweltering. Several burly Minotaur guards stood ready, warily scrutinizing this uninvited guest.

"Halt! Who are you? What brings you here?" a guard shouted sternly.

Evand raised his hands to indicate that he meant no harm: "I am Evand, and I have important matters to discuss with Tarn."

The guards exchanged glances, clearly familiar with the name. One of them whispered, "It's that little werewolf who runs around."

The other guard nodded, and then the two bull-men looked at Evan with wary eyes.

"Tell me quickly, what are you doing here?"

“I know the situation is special,” Evand said earnestly, “but I bring important news concerning peace between our two races. Please allow me to see Tarn.”

The guards hesitated. They knew Evand's identity and were aware of Chief Axel's dislike for him. But Evand's mention of "peace" made them hesitant to refuse.

“You wait here,” the head guard finally said. “I’ll go report to the chief.”

Evand nodded in agreement and waited quietly outside the door. He looked up at the towering city walls, silently praying that things would go smoothly. He had to do everything in his power to stop this impending war. For the future of both races, for the sake of those innocent children, he had to succeed.

As time ticked by, Evand's anxiety grew. He knew the upcoming negotiations would be a tough battle. But he was determined to find the truth, no matter the cost, and restore peace to both races.

But just then, Evand smelled a familiar scent, and then he began to look around.

The scent was Tarn's, and Tarn was hiding behind a tree. Evand was overjoyed to learn that Tarn was there.

However, Evand was in a dilemma at this point. He felt that he should wait for Axel here, otherwise his impression of Axel would only get worse. But he knew he couldn't negotiate with Axel.

He might even be kicked out by Axel, but Tarn didn't. He was in a hurry to get Evand to come to him, as if he deliberately wanted Evand to see him.

Evan thought to himself that the other party probably already had a plan in mind.

Soon, the guard who had just left brought Chief Axel over.

Axel strode in, his tall, imposing figure casting a shadow over Evand. The bull-chief's sharp eyes were filled with rage as he stared intently at the uninvited guest.

"You two-faced wolf cub!" Axel roared, his voice filled with disgust. "How dare you set foot on our territory! Get out!"

Evand tried to explain: "Chief Axel, please listen to me, I came here to..."

“Shut up!” Axel rudely interrupted him. “I don’t want to hear your hypocritical lies. Your disgusting lizard stench makes me want to vomit! Get out! Get out of my sight right now!”

"You disgusting 'bitch,' don't think you can seduce me with your body. I'm not some stupid lizard. Get the hell out of here!"

Evand felt a sharp pain; he knew who Axel was referring to. He glanced furtively at the bushes not far away, where Tarn was hiding. Evand bit his lip, deciding to back down for the time being.

“I understand, Chief Axel.” Evand lowered his head, his voice tinged with disappointment. “I will leave now.”

He turned and walked back the way he came, filled with frustration. Behind him came Axel's mocking voice: "Look at you, this is the true nature of you werewolves! Cowardly! Incompetent! Get lost, and don't let me see you again!"

Evans resisted the urge to turn back and quickened his pace, leaving the gates of the Minotaur tribe. He knew this was all an act, a performance he had to put on in order to secretly meet with Tarn.

After walking a distance, Evand slowed his pace. He cautiously looked around to make sure no one was following him, then quietly circled around to a dense forest behind the tribe. There, Tarn had been waiting for some time.

“You’ve come.” Tarn emerged from behind the tree, apologetic. “I’m sorry you had to go through all this.”

Evans shook his head. "It's alright, I know it's necessary." He took a deep breath and got straight to the point. "Tann, the situation is terrible. We must find out the truth as soon as possible, or war will break out."

Tarn's expression turned serious: "I know. I've been secretly investigating for some time and have discovered some clues."

“Come and see this. This is something I found near where the children went missing. Perhaps you can take a look.”

As he spoke, Tarn took out a faintly glowing scale from his pocket and handed it to Evand. Evand took the scale and examined it carefully. The scale had a peculiar blue-green color and shimmered with a mysterious luster in the sunlight.

“This is…” Evand frowned, a sudden unease rising in his heart. “Do you also think it was the lizardmen who did it?” His voice unconsciously rose a few decibels, a hint of anxiety flashing in his eyes.

Seeing Evand's excited reaction, Tarn quickly waved his hands and explained, "No, it's not what you think. I know very well that this is definitely not a lizardman's scale." His voice was calm and firm. "I have never doubted the lizardmen. In fact, I would like you to smell this scale carefully."

Evand paused for a moment, then realized he had overreacted. He lowered his head somewhat embarrassedly and said softly, "I'm sorry, Tarn. I shouldn't have acted so impulsively."

Tarn smiled and shook his head. "It's alright, I understand how you feel." He pointed to the scales and continued, "I hope you remember this scent. Perhaps sometime in the future, you'll smell a similar aroma. This could be an important clue in our investigation."

Evand nodded and brought the scale to his nose to sniff carefully. A faint fishy smell mixed with some indescribable, exotic fragrance entered his nostrils. This scent was unfamiliar to Evand.

“I’ve got it,” Evand said, handing the scale back to Tarn. “It’s certainly a very distinctive scent. Where did you find it?”

Tarn retracted the scales, glanced around to make sure no one was eavesdropping, and then lowered his voice, saying, "It's near where the children disappeared. This makes me even more certain that something we don't understand is manipulating all of this. Hmm, based on my judgment, it should be just one person."

Evand nodded thoughtfully. "It seems the situation is more complicated than we thought. This guy single-handedly wreaked havoc on two tribes; he must be incredibly powerful. Tarn, we must find a way to delay the outbreak of war and give ourselves more time to investigate the truth."

Tarn agreed, saying, "That's right, that's exactly our most pressing task right now." He paused for a moment, then suggested, "I have an idea. But this method needs your help. Are you willing to trust me?"

After hearing Tarn's words, Evand couldn't help but laugh. He patted Tarn on the shoulder, his eyes shining with genuine affection: "Tarn, what nonsense are you talking about? Aren't we friends? Do friends need to ask such questions?"

Upon hearing this, Tarn's face flushed slightly. He lowered his head, a smile unconsciously playing on his lips: "Thank you, Evand. Your trust means a great deal to me."

Evand chuckled and shook his head. "Don't say that, Tarn. We've always been partners in arms, haven't we? Now, tell me your plan."

Tarn took a deep breath to calm himself, then said seriously, "Here's my plan. I need you to go back to the tavern and find Chet."

"Oh? Going back to the tavern again? I just came out of the tavern, it hasn't been two days. But since it's your suggestion, I'll go back."

"I'm sorry to have made you go back again, but now only Chet can help us. Although I rarely go to the tavern, Chet's potion-making skills are definitely the best in this forest. I hope you can ask him to make us a potion of fear."

"Okay, I will! I believe Chet will come to help us too!"

"Thank you... Evand, you've been helping me so much, I don't know how to repay you..."

Tarn lowered his head with some guilt, perhaps already expecting a reward in his heart. Evand's method was just that it might be a little... abnormal.

"Haha~ Don't be like that, we're friends. Friends help each other without expecting anything in return. Okay, I'll head back now. See you at our usual spot!"

As Tarn watched Evand's departing figure, a complex mix of emotions welled up within him. He whispered, "Evand, I like you." These words, like a feather, drifted gently into the silent forest, but failed to reach Evand's ears as he left. Tarn shook his head with a wry smile, knowing this was not the time to indulge in personal feelings.

After Evand's figure completely disappeared from sight, Tarn took a deep breath and turned to walk towards the tribe. His steps were firm and heavy, each one feeling as if he were walking on the edge of a cliff. Tarn knew clearly that what he was about to do might completely sever his relationship with his father, and might even endanger his life. But for the peace of the tribe, and to prove something to his father, he had to do it.

Upon returning to the village, Tarn went straight to the tent in the tribe where ammunition was usually stored.

Meanwhile, Evand was running towards the tavern. Despite trying to focus on the task at hand, the lingering unease in his heart grew stronger. It felt like an invisible hand gripping his heart.

Evans shook his head, trying to shake off these distracting thoughts. He told himself that the most important thing now was to find Chet as soon as possible and obtain the crucial potion of fear. However, a seed of unease had already taken root in his heart, like a dark cloud hanging over him.

When Evand finally reached the tavern door, he stopped and took a deep breath. Pushing open the creaking wooden door, a rich aroma of alcohol wafted out.

The first figure that caught his eye left him stunned for a long time.

The familiar figure noticed someone staring at him from behind and turned to look at Evans.

"Haha, look who's back! It's our little wolf cub. How's your business going? Hakan said you went to the Minotaur tribe and the Lizardman tribe. How's it going? How far have things progressed?"

Cheng Yu looked at Evand with a smile. Evand felt that everything in front of him was so unreal. He thought he would never see Cheng Yu again, but he could only say that he was exaggerating.

"Hey! You little brat, don't look at my wolf like that, or I'll hang you outside the tavern and make you the tavern's new signboard!"

Hakan felt annoyed when he saw Evan looking at Cheng Yu with that kind of gaze. He was even more upset when he thought about how Evan had lost the only photo Cheng Yu had left.

"Really? Perhaps our tavern needs another bartender who can provide special services. What do you think, Chengyu?"

Snow stared intently at Hakan with a threatening look in his eyes.

When Hakan saw his boss's expression, he gave an awkward laugh and quickly waved his hand, explaining, "Oh, I was just joking, don't take it seriously." He scratched his head sheepishly, his eyes darting around nervously.

Cheng Yu shook his head slightly and sighed helplessly, "Alright, stop fooling around. Let's talk business." He turned to Evand, a gentle smile on his face, "Evand, why are you back so soon? Did you run into some trouble?"

Aivende snapped out of his daze, lunging at Cheng Yu and embracing him tightly. Tears welled in his eyes, and his voice trembled with guilt, "Cheng Yu, I'm sorry... I... I lost the photo you gave me."

Cheng Yu gently patted Evand's back, comforting him, "It's okay, little one. It's just a picture. The important thing is that you're safe and sound." He gently pushed Evand away, looking intently into his eyes, "Tell me, what happened?"

Evans took a deep breath, calmed himself, and began to recount recent events. When he mentioned the fear potion, Chet's ears perked up at the grocery store. He then rushed over from his store, his face beaming with surprise.

This means that Evand might owe him another favor, which means that Evand can help him find all sorts of rare monster materials he needs in the future.

"Fear potion? Little wolf cub, why are you thinking about this stuff again?" Chet asked, frowning. Although he could make it, it required a lot of materials. Moreover, the materials needed for fear potions varied depending on the creature being made.

He stroked his chin and said slowly, "Evand, this isn't your ordinary fear potion. It's a specialized potion for the cowboys and lizardmen; that's a huge undertaking."

Evans asked eagerly, "What materials do you need? I'll definitely find a way to get them!"

Chet sighed and explained, "To make this potion, we need two key ingredients: the hair of a Minotaur warrior and the scales of a Lizardman warrior. But the problem is, these aren't ordinary hair and scales. They have to be the most valuable parts of their bodies."

Upon hearing this, Evand's expression turned serious. He understood that obtaining these materials meant he would have to challenge powerful warriors from two tribes. This was no easy task.

Chet noticed Evand's worry and continued, "Evand, I know you're brave. But are you sure you can handle it? The leaders of the Minotaur and the Lizardmen are both battle-hardened warriors, incredibly powerful."

Evans took a deep breath and said firmly, "I must try. I'm willing to take this risk to stop the war."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Yu suddenly interjected, "Wait, Evand. You don't have to go on this adventure alone. I can go with you."

Evans looked at Cheng Yu in surprise, a flicker of emotion crossing his eyes. But he quickly shook his head: "Cheng Yu, I can't let you take this risk. This is my mission, I should complete it myself."

Cheng Yu patted Evand on the shoulder and said gently, "Don't be silly. We're friends, and friends help each other in times of trouble. Besides, knowing you as I do, you definitely can't collect these things; after all, you can't even beat a slime."

Hearing this, Hakan couldn't help but laugh, but seeing the looks Cheng Yu and Snow were giving him, he quickly suppressed his laughter and stepped forward: "In that case, I'll go too. More people means more help, and who knows, we might be able to lend a hand."

So the three of them made that decision, but because of time constraints, they decided to set off again tomorrow to collect the materials.