Tavern of the Spear: Desire for Pleasure

The sulfurous stench of hell gradually faded, replaced by the damp, chilly air of the dungeon. Evans took a deep breath, feeling as if he had returned to the human world. Cheng Yu remained nonchalant, only his steps were lighter than in hell. He Ze remained silent, his eyes vacant, seemingly indifferent to everything around him.

In the dimly lit passage, only the sound of their three footsteps echoed. Evand glanced back at He every now and then, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He had risked his life to rescue He from the hellish auction house, only to be met with indifference, leaving him utterly dejected.

After walking for a long time, they finally saw a faint light at the dungeon exit. Bread's figure appeared in the light, pacing anxiously back and forth. Upon seeing Evand and his group, he immediately rushed over.

"Evande! Cheng Yu! You're finally back!" Bread exclaimed excitedly. "And this is..." He looked at He with curiosity in his eyes.

“This is He, my… friend,” Evand introduced simply, a hint of bitterness in his voice.

Bread seemed to sense Evand's low spirits, and wisely refrained from asking further questions. He simply said cheerfully, "It's good to be back, it's good to be back! Luo has been waiting for you at the riverside cottage!"

After leaving Hell, Bread left the dungeon early because he was worried about Evand. He then searched around the dungeon for someone who could help him. In the end, he found Luo, but Luo refused to leave the hut and kept assuring him that Evand would be alright. So Bread waited with him.

The group left the gloomy dungeon and walked along the winding path towards the riverside cabin. The setting sun cast its golden rays upon the shimmering river, creating a tranquil and peaceful scene. However, Evand felt no peace whatsoever; He's indifference weighed heavily on him, making it hard to breathe.

Finally, the riverside cottage came into view. Luo's figure appeared at the door, anxiously looking around. Upon seeing Evand and his group, he excitedly rushed over and hugged He tightly.

"Young Master! You're finally back! I've been waiting for you for so long!" Luo's voice choked with emotion, her eyes filled with tears.

He remained expressionless. He gently pushed Luo away, his tone icy, "I'm back."

Luo's enthusiasm was extinguished by He's indifference. He stood there blankly, the smile gradually fading from his face. Aivende watched this scene, his heart aching even more. He didn't know what He had gone through to become like this.

Cheng Yu patted Evand on the shoulder and comforted him, "Don't overthink it. Maybe he just needs some time to adjust."

Evans nodded. He knew Cheng Yu was right, but the worry in his heart wouldn't go away. He watched He's retreating figure, silently praying that he would recover soon.

As night fell, a warm light shone from the riverside cottage. Luo had prepared a sumptuous dinner for everyone, but He didn't touch a single bite of the food he had made. He simply sat quietly to the side, staring blankly out the window.

Evans tried several times to comfort He, but ultimately remained silent. He didn't know what to say to break the ice in He's heart.

After dinner, Luo cleared away the dishes, then walked over to He and said softly, "Young Master, would you like to rest for a while?"

He nodded, then got up and walked towards his room. Luo watched He's retreating figure, her eyes filled with heartache.

Evan and Cheng Yu sat silently by the fireplace. The crackling of the burning firewood broke the silence in the room.

"Tell me, what exactly happened to He?" Evans finally couldn't help but ask.

Cheng Yu shook his head. "I don't know. Perhaps only he knows." He paused, then added, "However, I believe he will get better."

Aivende looked at Cheng Yu, a strange unease rising in his heart. "Are you leaving again?" he asked, his tone tinged with reluctance.

Cheng Yu smiled helplessly. "Yes, I have to go back." He paused, seemingly finding it difficult to say, "Master... He's not happy."

"Master?" Evans asked in confusion, "Who is your master?"

Cheng Yu scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed, and said, "Uh... well, you'll find out later. Anyway, I always sneak out, and my master is very worried about me, especially since I went to a place like Hell..." He sighed, "I have to go back and coax him properly, or I'll be in big trouble."

Evans then realized that Cheng Yu also had his own difficulties. He was filled with curiosity about Cheng Yu's master; what kind of person could teach such a talented disciple as Cheng Yu? He couldn't help but ask, "Is your master very capable?"

Cheng Yu smiled mysteriously, "Of course it's amazing! He is..." He paused, not continuing, "Anyway, you'll find out later. If one day you have nowhere to go, He will definitely appear."

Evans became even more curious. What kind of being was Cheng Yu's master? Why did he feel such awe for him? Could he be a legendary "god"? He was filled with questions, but dared not ask too many. He knew that everyone had their own secrets.

“Okay, then take care,” Evan said, a hint of disappointment in his voice.

Cheng Yu patted Evand on the shoulder, "Don't worry, I'll take good care of myself. You too, be careful about the Clash of Clans."

After bidding farewell to Cheng Yu, Evand left the riverside hut with the bread. Night deepened, and everything around him was shrouded in tranquility. However, Evand's heart was far from at peace; the image of Cheng Yu and his mysterious master kept flashing through his mind.

The shadow of tribal conflict still loomed over him, and Evand knew the burden on his shoulders was heavy. He had to find a solution as soon as possible to protect the people of his two friends from different races.

Back at the Spear Tavern, Snow was sitting at the bar wiping glasses. Seeing Evand return, he smiled with relief. "You're back? How did things go?"

Evand briefly recounted his experiences in Hell to Snow, as well as Cheng Yu's help. After listening, Snow pondered for a moment and said, "That Cheng Yu is truly remarkable. His master is probably no ordinary person either. Alright, let's put this matter aside for now. You go and rest. Let's talk about serious matters tomorrow."

Evand nodded; he agreed. He decided to put Cheng Yu's matter aside for the time being and focus on resolving the tribal conflict.

In the dead of night, Evand lay in bed, unable to fall asleep. Images kept flashing through his mind: scenes of hell, Cheng Yu's enigmatic smile, and his mysterious master…

He knew he was about to face an even greater challenge. He had to be prepared to weather the coming storm.

The morning sunlight streamed through the window and fell on Evand's face. He struggled to wake up, his body aching all over as if he had been run over. The events of the previous night had left him physically and mentally exhausted; the gloom of hell and He's indifference still lingered in his mind. Reluctantly, he got up, quickly washed up, and dragged his weary body downstairs.

The tavern was unusually quiet, the atmosphere heavy. Snow, Witt, Hakan, Chet, and Parif sat around a table, each with a worried expression on their face. Seeing Evand come downstairs, Snow beckoned to him, "Evand, you're finally awake. Come here, we have something to tell you."

Evans' heart sank; he sensed something bad had happened. He walked to the table and sat down, and Snow began to recount the events of the past two days.

Two days ago, Witt went into the forest to gather mushrooms as usual, preparing dishes for the tavern. However, just as he was engrossed in his search, a lizardman suddenly leaped out of the woods and attacked him. Caught off guard, Witt frantically tried to dodge, but the lizardman was incredibly fast, and he had no chance of escape.

The lizardman swung its sharp claws, attacking Witt repeatedly. Witt fought and retreated, barely managing to fend off the attacks. During one dodge, he stumbled backward and crashed into a large tree. Seeing this, the lizardman immediately pounced.

At the critical moment, Witt unleashed astonishing power. He swung a punch, striking the lizardman squarely in the nose. The lizardman screamed and was sent flying backward, crashing into another tree. Witt seized the opportunity to turn and run, sprinting back to the tavern and narrowly escaping death.

“That lizardman was very strong and fast,” Witt said with lingering fear. “If I hadn’t been lucky, I probably wouldn’t have made it back.”

Hakan also recounted his experience. That day, he went out as usual to clear out the slime monsters around the tavern and collect materials. Just as he finished clearing out the last wave of slimes, the lizardman who attacked Witt reappeared.

“That bastard dared to show his face again!” Hakan said angrily. “I rushed up to him and started fighting.”

Hakan was far stronger than the lizardman, easily suppressing him and raining punches down on him. The lizardman was forced back, eventually being kicked away by Hakan and crashing into a boulder.

However, the lizardman acted as if nothing had happened, quickly got up, turned, and fled into the woods. Hakan tried to give chase, but the creature was too fast, and he ultimately failed to catch it.

“I tore off a piece of his clothing,” Hakan said, pulling a blood-stained cloth from his pocket. “This cloth should have his scent; maybe it can help us track him to his lair. Wolf cub, you have the best nose here. Oh, and the boss too, but we still need to stay in the tavern, so the rest is up to you. Can you do it?”

After listening to their stories, Evand's expression turned serious. He picked up the piece of fabric and examined it carefully, his mind racing with thoughts.

“It should be fine. The smell on this fabric is definitely that of a lizardman. Perhaps I can ask Nexus,” Evand said in a deep voice. “We can’t let that lizardman continue like this.”

Evand carefully put away the piece of cloth, preparing to head to the Lizardman tribe. The tribal conflict was urgent, and he needed to find a solution as soon as possible; otherwise, even with him there, the tavern's stance would likely lean towards the Minotaur tribe. However, just as he was about to leave, Hakan called him back.

“Evand, wait a minute.” Hakan looked a little hesitant, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

Evan stopped and looked at Hakan with a puzzled expression. "What's wrong?"

Hakan hesitated for a moment before finally asking, "Um... Cheng Yu... when is he coming back?"

Evand paused for a moment, then understood Hakan's meaning. Since Cheng Yu arrived at the Spear Tavern, their relationship had grown increasingly close. Although they hadn't explicitly expressed it, their feelings for each other were already unspoken. Hakan's longing for Cheng Yu was palpable.

Evand sighed inwardly. He knew Hakan's desires were intense. According to Witt, Hakan used to seek out orcs he found attractive to vent his frustrations, or simply "do it for free" with Witt. But since being with Cheng Yu, Hakan had begun to restrain his desires, because he didn't want to upset Cheng Yu. He thought Cheng Yu cared about such things, but he didn't know that Cheng Yu was actually even more promiscuous than him.

Evan was somewhat speechless. Should he tell Hakan the truth? On one hand, he wanted to maintain a peaceful relationship between them; after all, it would be terrifying if they both sought out others to vent their frustrations when they weren't together. On the other hand, he worried that if Hakan knew the truth, he might do something impulsive.

After much deliberation, Evand decided to tell a little lie. "Cheng Yu went north to deal with some matters concerning the Northern Wolf Clan, and he'll be back in a while."

Upon hearing this, Hakan's expression softened slightly. "I see, that's good."

Seeing Hakan's relieved expression, Evan felt a pang of guilt. He didn't know what Cheng Yu was doing, only that he was still with his master. He hoped Cheng Yu would return soon, otherwise Hakan's desires would inevitably erupt.

“I’ll be going now,” Evand said to Hakan.

"Be careful on the road," Hakan cautioned.

Evand nodded and turned to leave the tavern. He walked along the winding path towards the lizardman tribe. A gentle breeze brushed his face, bringing a touch of fresh air, but it couldn't dispel the gloom in his heart. Tribal conflict, Cheng Yu's departure... these things weighed on his heart like huge rocks, making it hard for him to breathe.

He quickened his pace, hoping to find a solution to the problem as soon as possible.

(PS: I hate passive-aggressive behavior. I really appreciate readers' feedback on the author, whether good or bad. I can accept it. I have a day off tomorrow, so I might update a bit more. Either it will be three chapters of 3000+ words or two chapters of 4000+ words. I don't have the habit of stockpiling chapters, so I'll just post whatever I can.)