Chapter 10, Crystals

The tall middle-aged man with a prominent nose and light blue eyes directly interrupted the bartender's greeting

"So you are the fool, and I am not," Feimierla said mockingly. "Your eyes are located beneath your nose, Koran. As you just mentioned, with such a commotion outside, how could an outsider possibly enter so nonchalantly as you did just now?"

At that moment, the wind chime connected to the main door suddenly rang out with a clanging sound, which was particularly jarring amidst the howls. A female attendant was so frightened that her hands trembled, causing her to shatter a glass cup on the floor

Fortunately, it is not yet the most difficult time

Without bending down or lowering the head, but rather skillfully stepping and hooking, he caught the crystal in his hand while in mid-air, without pausing, and with renewed strength, he sprinted towards the other end of the street where there was no fog of battle.

Thinking of this, he moved his body again

However, such after-the-fact actions are utterly meaningless; just like earlier, Xiao Fen had completely vanished into the dense mist before these ropes struck him again

The waitress, who was the same age as her bosom, shot a glance at the bartender, turned to the middle-aged man named Palen, and said with a smile: "Sir, please follow me this way; the private room is upstairs. Just take a nap, and you will surely feel better."

In the center of the crystal, there is a metallic object and a book. At this moment, looking through the surface of the crystal, the entire crystal resembles an evil eye, casting a temptation towards Xiao Fan.

A middle-aged man, dressed in a dark overcoat and wearing a hard-shell hat, walked in from outside. He shook his clothes slightly, as if the mist still clung to him. In his right hand, he held a small leather bag, impeccably tailored and appearing quite expensive

The bartender immediately fell silent, turning to signal the female attendant beside him, saying: "Fermila, please take this esteemed gentleman to the private room upstairs. Also, inform the kitchen to expedite the dishes; this gentleman is quite fatigued and needs to be revitalized as soon as possible"

Upon thinking of "drops," Xiao Fan could not help but take a deep breath. From the perspective of online games, the items dropped by monsters are generally better than the basic items available in stores

Most importantly, deep within this fog, those strange sounds are particularly loud tonight, with various howls rising and falling in succession. Even the tavern keeper, who has grown accustomed to these sounds, feels a twinge of fear at this moment

After taking a sip of water, Fermila continued, "Moreover, just before I escorted this esteemed gentleman into the room, I distinctly smelled a very peculiar stench emanating from him. Indeed, it is the same odor that lingers in the areas where the homeless individuals from the neighborhood have gone missing."

He and the book, Xiao Fen, are not clear about the deep-seated enmity between the two monsters, which leads them to fight as soon as they meet. However, this is not the time to consider such matters

However, as rumors and terrifying sounds emerged in this neighborhood, a large number of affluent residents began to leave, and the business of this tavern plummeted.

These new shoes fit Xiao Fen's feet as if they were custom-made, providing an excellent fit. The soft calfskin also offers Xiao Fen a sense of comfort. On such a cold, foggy night, wearing these leather shoes is undoubtedly a comfortable experience

The bartender looked at the five one-pound notes on the bar and asked, "What do you think, Fermilra? Should we inform Scotland Yard? Tonight feels very off; this generous gentleman's arrival is just too coincidental. I can't shake the feeling that something is amiss. I was thinking, if only those detectives from Scotland Yard could come by, perhaps I would feel a bit more at ease."

The First Blacksmith Tavern once enjoyed a period of prosperity, before the rumors and terrifying sounds of the night spread throughout the nearby streets. During that time, the tavern's owner profited significantly from the middle-class employees and made several renovations to the establishment

Palin mumbled something that seemed to be "I hope so," though the sound was not clear

The glass mirror, the crescent-shaped elegant room, and the window etched with the image of a goddess pouring fine wine reflect the dim light from the window glass and the glow of books. The neatly arranged beer barrels create a temptation akin to paradise for those struggling to walk through the cold mist outside

The running shoes he wore when he first arrived in this world have now been replaced with calfskin leather shoes

The fog arrived early today, and it is much denser than usual

In other words, this exceptionally peculiar crystal has fallen from the bodies of these deceased monsters

Now is indeed the right time for Xiao Fen to safely leave the scene while the monsters on both sides are fighting each other, and to find a more secure location

It seems that stepping into such a tavern can alleviate all worries and troubles

Unlike other taverns, the First Blacksmith Tavern operates late into the night, a fact that has received tacit approval from the Scottish police. The detectives, unable to resolve the peculiar occurrences here, can only accept some compromises.

In the South London area, close to the southern bank of the River Thames, approximately 2 kilometers in a straight line from the ferry terminal, the "First Blacksmith" tavern begins its business at 7 PM, operating as both a tavern and an inn.

He followed Fermira upstairs. After a while, the waitress came down with shining eyes and whispered, "Goodness, he gave me 5 shillings. It's the first time I've seen such a generous person; even the gentlemen from Westminster wouldn't give me this much in tips all at once"

Although those rumors make people hesitant to linger alone on the streets once they enter the foggy night, they also force some latecomers to remain outside the range of those sounds, waiting for the midnight bell to toll, at which point all sounds vanish, and everyone returns home.

His voice was somewhat hoarse, sounding as if he had a cold, and he also appeared to be somewhat fatigued.

The bartender shrugged, picked up the £5 from the bar, turned to look elsewhere, and shouted: "Sylvia, what are you daydreaming about over there? You’ve broken another glass here, and that will be deducted from your salary. Hurry up and clean it up; those customers will be arriving shortly."

Observing the somewhat dumbfounded expression of the bartender, the waitress quietly delivered her "closing statement": "You know, if it were me, I would never think of seeking help from some detective from Scotland Yard. The gentleman upstairs is here because of those noises, and I can assure you, he might even be a secret agent from Scotland Yard. If you want to live a good life, take my advice and pretend you haven't seen anything."

During this period, those who had to stay outside could only go to nearby bars to satisfy their hunger, and some would even rest for a night in the small rooms of the taverns, among which the First Blacksmith Tavern was their best choice

Xiao Fen can guarantee that there were absolutely no crystals on this street just now. In fact, if there were such crystals here during the day, it would definitely not be Xiao Fen who could see them.

The light beside the enormous monster carcasses appeared to be a crystal, shimmering under the illumination of the flames, looking clear and translucent

Although he did not know what this crystal could ultimately bring, Xiao Fen was determined not to miss this opportunity. The space in his bag was still quite ample, allowing him to take the crystal away and study it slowly.

This feeling had not yet come to an end when Xiao Fen's body suddenly shot out like a projectile from a slingshot, and in almost 3 seconds, he had already rushed to the side of that crystal

At that moment, a glimmer in the flames caught his attention

Glancing around the tavern's setup, the guest who called himself Parlin continued to speak to himself: "Listen, this is 5 pounds. If you can resolve these matters within a minute, the remaining money will all be yours. For each additional question, 5 shillings will be deducted."

My name is Palyn. I have just arrived in London and would like a quiet room for two days. Additionally, I need dinner: a portion of roast beef, a large salad, and a serving of boiled mussels. I am quite tired after a long day and have a hearty appetite. I could eat a whole cow, but no wine, just regular water will suffice.

Behind him, the battle between the ropes and the giant monster abruptly paused for a moment due to his appearance. The instant Xiao Fan began to run, dozens of ropes struck the very spot where he had just been standing.