Tavern of the Spear: Desire for Pleasure

After his fierce battle with the ghost, Evand gained a deeper understanding of the world. With Snow's help, he finally returned to his room. However, when Snow opened the door, both of them froze – Witt was fast asleep, naked, in bed.

Snow coughed awkwardly and patted Evand on the shoulder. "Young man, remember to be moderate," he whispered, then quickly left to go back to the basement to sleep.

Evans' face flushed instantly, unsure how to respond. He cautiously entered the room, gently closing the door, afraid of waking the sleeping Victor.

This was the first time Evand had observed Werther so closely. Moonlight streamed through the window, illuminating Werther and outlining his graceful physique. Evand couldn't help but recall the story Werther had once told—the story of the older brother who had to care for many younger siblings. Now, it seemed that Werther truly possessed a unique quality, a blend of masculine strength and a touch of maternal tenderness.

Evans shook his head, trying to clear his mind of the jumbled thoughts. He tiptoed into bed, making a conscious effort not to touch Victor. Once lying down, Evans closed his eyes, ready to get a good night's sleep. He secretly resolved to tell Victor the good news that the ghost had been dealt with the next day.

However, just as Evand was about to fall asleep, he suddenly felt a hand on his chest. Evand opened his eyes and found that Witt had woken up at some point and was staring at him with those deep eyes.

“You’re back,” Witt said softly, his voice tinged with sleepiness and concern. “Is everything alright?”

Evans swallowed hard, suddenly feeling a surge of tension. "Um...it's alright. I...I've dealt with the ghost," he stammered.

Witt's eyes lit up. "Really? That's wonderful!" he exclaimed excitedly, his voice filled with admiration. "I knew you could do it."

A wave of warmth washed over Evand. Witt's trust and praise filled him with an unprecedented sense of pride. However, when he realized that Witt's hand was still on his chest, that warmth quickly turned into a strange flutter.

“I…I’m glad I could help,” Evan said softly, trying to keep his voice from trembling.

Witt smiled, his fingers gently tracing the surface of Evand's chest. "You're much stronger than you think, Evand," he said softly. "But now, you need to rest."

With that, Witt withdrew his hand and turned his back to Evand. "Goodnight, my little hero," he said softly, a smile playing on his lips.

Evand lay there, his heart pounding. Witt's words and touch echoed in his mind, filling him with both excitement and confusion. He didn't know what it meant, nor how he should respond. Finally, exhaustion overcame his chaotic thoughts, and Evand slowly drifted into sleep.

However, his dream was far from peaceful. In it, Evand saw himself standing in a dark forest. In the distance, a ghostly green light flickered, as if calling to him. Evand wanted to escape, but his feet seemed rooted to the spot.

Just then, a warm hand grasped his. Evand turned around and saw Witt standing beside him with an encouraging smile on his face.

“Don’t be afraid,” said Victor in the dream, “we’ll face it together.”

As Witt spoke, the emerald light suddenly burst forth, transforming into countless starlight points that scattered throughout the dark forest. Evand was astonished to find that each starlight point became a beautiful flower, adorning the entire forest in a dreamlike state.

Evand turned to Witt, wanting to express his gratitude. However, Witt's figure had begun to blur. Just as Evand reached out to grab him, the dream suddenly ended.

Evand opened his eyes abruptly, finding himself still lying in bed. Sunlight streamed into the room through the window, and Victor's spot was empty. Evand sat up, rubbed his eyes, and tried to distinguish between dream and reality.

Just then, the door opened, and Victor walked in carrying a plate of breakfast. "Good morning, Sleeping Beauty," he said with a smile. "I bet you're hungry."

Evand looked at Witt and suddenly felt an indescribable emotion welling up inside him. Last night's battle, Witt's touch, and that strange dream—all of it left him feeling both confused and excited.

“Thank you, Witt,” Evand said, a hint of tenderness in his voice that he himself was unaware of.

Victor placed the breakfast on the bedside table and then sat down on the edge of the bed. “You’re welcome,” he said gently. “Now, tell me everything that happened last night. I want to know how my little hero defeated that terrible ghost.”

Evans took a deep breath and began to recount to Witt the fierce battle with the ghost the previous night. He described how he used the Holy Fist technique, how he drank the magic potion in the critical moment, and how he finally destroyed the ghost. Witt listened attentively the entire time, nodding occasionally, frowning sometimes, his eyes flashing with amazement and concern.

“You’re so brave, Evand,” Witt exclaimed, suddenly giving Evand a warm hug. This unexpected gesture of intimacy made Evand’s heart race and his cheeks flush slightly.

After the hug, Victor stood up, ready to get back to his work. But before leaving, he leaned down and whispered in Evand's ear, "From now on, when you need me to come to your home, you don't need to tip."

Evan didn't immediately grasp the meaning of those words, and simply nodded his thanks instinctively. After Witt left, he pondered the possible meaning of those words alone, a strange feeling rising within him.

After breakfast, Evand walked down the stairs and ran into Hakan and Chengyu coming out of the basement. He immediately noticed the dejection in Hakan's eyes and couldn't help but feel puzzled. It wasn't until Chengyu announced his impending departure that Evand realized – the reason for Hakan's sadness was that his partner was leaving temporarily.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone in the tavern, Cheng Yu embarked on his journey. His first stop was the Lizardman tribe, not the Minotaur tribe. This choice stemmed from his complex feelings towards the temple—it was too close to the Minotaur tribe, and he worried that he would be tempted to return to find his master. Although his mission was not yet complete, deep down, he longed to return to his homeland.

Although Cheng Yu didn't participate in the mission to collect the materials for the Fear Potion, he hoped that Evand and the others could understand. On this trip to the Lizardman tribe, Cheng Yu harbored a small expectation – he wanted to see Nexus's expression as he embroidered Evand's portrait. He secretly plotted how to tease Nexus, asking him why he didn't just confess his feelings to Evand directly.

However, Chen Yu's purpose in going there was not only for these reasons, but also to help Evand's future plans proceed smoothly.

Meanwhile, Evan stood at the tavern entrance, watching Cheng Yu's departing figure. A complex emotion suddenly welled up in his heart—although their time together was very short, the bond between him and Cheng Yu was already deeply rooted, not to mention that the other had helped him so much, while he had never helped the other in return. Perhaps he could see if Hakan could help him in any way?

Just as Evand was lost in thought, Snow's voice pulled him back to reality: "Evand, come help! We need to prepare for today's business."

Evand nodded and went back into the tavern. He began to help Snow wipe the tables and chairs and tidy up the barware.

This world was like an unfolding magic book, each page containing infinite possibilities. Evand knew his adventure had only just begun. He clenched his fist, secretly vowing to become stronger to face any challenges that might come his way.

In a few days...

After several days of preparation, Evand and his men had completed their plan regarding the Fear Potion with great success. As a result, the two tribes had temporarily ceased hostilities, but the flames of war would inevitably reignite sooner or later. At least they could have a few days of peace and quiet under the mist-shrouded forest, at least they could have some peace and quiet.

As night fell, the tavern bustled with activity. Evand moved busily between tables and chairs, serving drinks and food to the patrons. He noticed that business seemed to have improved since the ghost incident was resolved. Someone had leaked the information, and people were talking about the mysterious ghost and the brave young werewolf. Hearing his name repeatedly mentioned, Evand felt both proud and a little embarrassed.

Just then, the tavern door was pushed open, and a tall figure walked in. All eyes were drawn to this stranger. He wore a dark cloak, the hood obscuring most of his face. Evand sensed a strange aura emanating from this man, both mysterious and dangerous.

Snow stepped forward and politely asked, "Welcome, sir. What can I do for you?"

The stranger slowly raised his head, and Evand finally saw his face clearly – it was a werewolf face with sharp features, but unlike ordinary werewolves, his eyes were golden, gleaming with intelligence.

“I’m looking for a werewolf with yellow fur. If you don’t know him, you can also look at this poem.” The stranger’s voice was deep and strong. “There are some things I need his help with…”

Then, the wolf-orc took out a withered yellow leather piece from the pocket of his chest. The writing on it was very clear and neat, clearly calligraphy, the kind of writing only a master could produce.

[Like a gentle breeze and nourishing rain, it nurtures our hearts; with boundless horizons and lofty aspirations, it unfolds its grand vision.]

The tavern fell silent, all eyes fixed on Evand. Evand felt a surge of nervousness, but still mustered his courage and stepped forward.

The moment Hakan saw the strange werewolf, a strange sense of unease rose within him. This unease intensified when his gaze fell upon the poem on the withered yellow paper. He narrowed his eyes, his sharp gaze fixed on the werewolf, his voice tinged with wariness: "What are you doing here?"

Hakan deliberately avoided mentioning Cheng Yu's name, clearly worried about Cheng Yu's safety. The werewolf simply shrugged helplessly, his voice low and calm: "I've already made myself clear, I need his help. As for anything else, I have no comment."

As the conversation progressed, the oppressive atmosphere between the two beasts intensified. Invisible sparks seemed to crackle in the air. Even an outsider could see that this strange werewolf possessed extraordinary strength. Hakan, the red dragon, could only barely hold his own against his opponent by relying on his dragon's might.

The atmosphere in the tavern became unusually heavy; the other patrons felt a growing difficulty breathing, as if an invisible force was pressing down on their chests. Seeing this, Snow frowned, a surge of anger rising within him. He strode between the two beasts and reached out to separate them.

“Enough!” Snow’s voice held an undeniable authority. “We can talk this out; there’s no need to get so worked up.” He turned to the strange werewolf and gestured for him to sit down. “Friend, please sit down and let’s talk.”

Seeing Snow's actions, Hakan's anger flared. He said sharply, "Snow, what do you mean by this? You don't even know who he is, and you're just letting him in so easily? Aren't you afraid he'll pull some tricks?"

Snow understood that Hakan wasn't targeting him, but he still couldn't help feeling helpless. Just as he was about to explain, the werewolf suddenly laughed.

"Heh, interesting." The werewolf's voice carried a hint of sarcasm. "Looks like the hospitality here is quite unique. But that's understandable; after all, a place that can afford to have a dragon as its watchdog can't be a respectable tavern."

These words were undoubtedly adding fuel to the fire. Hakan's eyes instantly turned blood red, and flames seemed to rise faintly around him. The werewolf was not to be outdone; his golden pupils flashed with a dangerous light, and he exuded a sharp aura.

The atmosphere in the tavern instantly became tense, with a palpable sense of impending conflict. The other guests quickly retreated, fearing they might be drawn into the impending clash.

At this critical moment, Snow could no longer contain his anger. He suddenly unleashed a powerful aura, instantly suppressing the momentum of Hakan and the werewolves.

"Enough!" Snow's roar was like rolling thunder, shaking the entire tavern slightly. "This is my territory, not your arena! If you want to fight, go elsewhere. Don't interfere with my business here!"

Under Snow's overwhelming pressure, both Hakan and the werewolf involuntarily took a step back. A hint of surprise flashed across Hakan's face, clearly not expecting Snow to possess such strength. The werewolf, on the other hand, thoughtfully observed Snow, a hint of admiration in his eyes.

Finally, Hakan took a deep breath, suppressing his anger. He snorted coldly and stepped aside, but still kept a wary eye on the werewolf.

Seeing this, Snow relaxed slightly. He turned to the werewolf, his tone returning to calm: "Friend, I apologize for my rudeness earlier. But I'd like to ask, the person you mentioned isn't here right now. Do you have urgent business with him?"

The werewolf paused for a moment, seemingly weighing whether to reveal more information. Finally, he slowly spoke: "I come from the werewolf clan of the Northern Continent. I've come here on the orders of our chieftain to find a young man named Cheng Yu. We've received information that he might know some clues about an ancient prophecy."

Snow raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by the answer. He thought for a moment, then said, "Cheng Yu did come here, but he left a few days ago. As for where he went, I'm afraid we don't know."

Upon hearing this, a flicker of disappointment crossed the werewolf's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. He bowed slightly to Snow and said, "Thank you for informing me. In that case, I won't disturb you any longer. If he returns, please convey to him that the Northern Wolf Clan welcomes him at any time."

After speaking, the werewolf turned to leave. Just then, Evand, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up: "Wait!"