Free Web NovelIn front of the Liao Zhai Tavern
Lu Yibei stared at Ying Ningning in silence for a few seconds, then nodded and said, "Then I shall trouble Miss Ying."
"Alright! Please come in." Ying Ningning gave Lu Yibei a sweet smile and made a welcoming gesture, then stepped forward, pushing open the ancient, intricately carved wooden door, leading the way and welcoming her into the tavern.
Following behind Ying Ningning, as soon as Lu Yibei stepped into the Liao Zhai Tavern, she was slightly taken aback by the scene inside.
She had thought that in exchange for "never playing love and magical girls again," which earned her a ticket to the Liao Zhai Tavern, she would see a scene similar to the War God Squad's base in the game upon entering.
However, what she saw at this moment was a layout similar to Lus Sichuan Cuisine Restaurant.
Directly facing the entrance was an L-shaped counter, three feet high and four or five feet long, with large and small pottery jars filled with wine displayed on the shelves and counter behind it.
The red paper labels on the pottery jars listed the wine names, including common ones found in ordinary restaurants like Bamboo City Daqu and Baisha Shaojiu, as well as names Lu Yibei had never heard of, such as Thousand Mile Peach Blossom, Spring Breeze Drunken, and Er Su Old Bureau.
Behind the counter was a bamboo reclining chair. According to the layout of Lus Sichuan Cuisine Restaurant, that reclining chair should be the owner's throne. When there were no customers before, Lu Ming would lie on a similar reclining chair to rest.
On the reclining chair, a man could be vaguely seen taking a nap. His face was not visible, but Lu Yibei guessed that he was likely the legendary Boss Hu.
In the other part of the tavern, there were more than a dozen dark wooden tables scattered about. This was the tavern's busiest time, and almost every table was occupied by guests. The remaining two or three empty tables also had wooden signs with the word "Reserved" placed on them.
These guests were of all sorts, each different.
Some looked ordinary, as if they were middle-aged office workers who had just finished work and found a small tavern to wash away the day's fatigue and worries with good wine.
However, Lu Yibei did not underestimate them just because they looked ordinary.
In a ghostly place like the Liao Zhai Tavern, the more ordinary a person looked, the more terrifying they might be.
Some had brightly colored hair and wore strange clothes, gathered together in groups of three or five, with occasional shouts of finger-guessing games coming from them, looking like an offline gathering of the Funeral Love family.
Some sat alone, pouring and drinking for themselves, with "I'm not to be trifled with" written all over their faces, exuding an aura that warned others to stay away.
Perhaps it was just a feeling, but Lu Yibei vaguely felt that the young man drinking alone seemed to be looking at her intentionally or unintentionally.
Some were strangely shaped and had terrifying faces, clearly being some kind of urban legend.
Several beautiful young women bustled through the hall, serving tempting dishes and fragrant wines to the guests. /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ They should be like Ying Ningning, waitresses of this Liao Zhai Tavern.
What is this? Because I want to eat the dishes my Old Dad made, this scene appeared to enhance the sense of immersion? But, I can't immerse myself at all, okay?
Lus Sichuan Cuisine Restaurant never had waitresses before, and even if it did, it's impossible for them all to be ancient lolis and beautiful girls, okay?
I wonder if this Boss Hu counts as employing child labor? If I have a chance to come again next time, I must come in a human state, wear the Mourning Crow badge on my chest, and properly question that Boss Hu.
Lu Yibei thought, following Ying Ningning's guidance, she walked towards the depths of the tavern and sat down at a table by the window.
"Guest, Ningning will go get you the menu now. Please wait a moment!" freēwēbnovel.com
Ying Ningning said to Lu Yibei, then removed the wooden sign that said "Reserved" from the table, and jogged towards the counter. Then, standing on her tiptoes, her tail gently wagging, she took the menu from the counter, which was about the same height as her, and hurried back.
"Hehe! Guest, take a look? Just tell Ningning what you want to eat."
Handing the menu to Lu Yibei, Ying Ningning said with a smiling face, and took out a pen and a small notebook from the small cloth pocket of her pure white apron, ready to write down the dishes she wanted to order.
She was always smiling, seemingly naturally innocent and cheerful.
Lu Yibei took the menu and slightly furrowed her brows. frёeωebɳovel.com
The menu was a square piece, slightly yellow in color and cool to the touch, like it was made of silk. When she rubbed it with her fingertips, she could also feel a bit of a leather texture.
On the menu, besides the words "Menu" written at the top, it was completely blank, not a single word.
How is anyone supposed to order?
As this thought flashed through Lu Yibei's mind, she saw small, elegantly written characters quietly appear on the menu.
It was as if an invisible hand was holding a brush and writing the words.
Lu Yibei focused her gaze and was suddenly stunned, her pupils slightly contracting.
stir-fried galangal fish, Mapo Tofu, Double Pepper Spicy Chicken... Every dish name that appeared on the menu was one of her own Old Dad's signature dishes.
Staring at the menu for a moment, Lu Yibei turned to look at Ying Ningning and asked, "Excuse me, do I have to order now? Can I wait a little while? I need to think about it more carefully."
"Mhm mhm!" Ying Ningning nodded. "Of course you can! Then, Guest, you can take your time to look. Ningning will go be busy first. When you've thought about what you want to eat, just call me anytime."
After saying that, she wagged her fluffy tail and skipped towards the kitchen.
After watching Ying Ningning leave, Lu Yibei looked thoughtfully at the menu, pondered for a moment, and instead of calling Ying Ningning over, she silently put down the menu in her hand, stood up, and walked towards the table next to her.
Before entering the Liao Zhai Tavern, although she had done over two hundred pulls and hit a hard pity without getting the character she wanted, it also meant that she could still happily play love and magical girls before ordering. After ordering, it was uncertain, so she would delay as long as she could.
It was like homework during summer or winter vacation, never starting until the last minute.
There were absolutely no restrictions on guests moving freely in this tavern. Lu Yibei had already seen several unfamiliar people wandering back and forth between a few tables.
What's more...
She was also a little curious about what other guests in this Liao Zhai Tavern were eating. If she could observe them up close, she might find some clues for cooking "Human Fireworks."
To be fair, is it too much for me to see what other guests have ordered before I order, as a reference?
Maybe I can even get a free taste of someone else's wine and dishes!
Lu Yibei thought, glanced towards the counter, then looked at the beautiful waitresses. After waiting for a moment and seeing that no one stopped her, she continued walking forward.
On the other side, behind the counter.
The handsome man raised an eyebrow the moment Lu Yibei stood up and walked towards the table next to her. He looked at her diagonally across the counter, then pursed his lips, as if indifferent to Lu Yibei's actions, and closed his eyes again.
He truly was indifferent.
Although fighting is prohibited in the Liao Zhai Tavern, guests harassing other guests is not.
Similarly, if one guest wants to kill another guest, as long as they don't do it inside the tavern, even if they do it at the tavern entrance and blood splatters on the spot, it's completely fine.
Therefore, Boss Hu couldn't be bothered with Lu Yibei. Even if Lu Yibei was backstabbed or beaten to death after leaving the tavern later, he wouldn't care.
"Hey, Elder brother, alone?"
Seeing Lu Yibei suddenly sit down, the urban legend, who was holding a blue and white porcelain soup bowl and wearing a red beret, and looked like a giant lizard, was stunned for a moment. His scarlet tongue flicked out from the corner of his mouth, sweeping across his dark green scaled lips, and a hint of confusion appeared in his eyes.
"Are you... do we know each other?"
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"I don't know him," Lu Yibei said, waving her hand. "But it doesn't matter! I didn't know him before, but after today, won't I?"
"Roar!" The urban legend let out a fierce low growl.
Communication was impossible, so Lu Yibei didn't press further. She immediately got up and quickly moved to the next table.
"Elder brother, what dish are you eating? How does it taste? If it's convenient, could I try a little? It's my first time here,
and I'd like to get some ideas."
"Speaking of which, you're a urban legend, right? Does this tavern have any special menus for urban legend? For example, Alchemy materials and
a big stew of the core of a mutated urban legend body or something."
"I am a mutated Strange Ta-"
"Uh, sorry."
"Hello! Please-"
"Get lost!"
"Alright!"
Lu Yibei's plan to observe other guests' food and drinks didn't go smoothly. Considering the mixed crowd of guests in this Liao Zhai Tavern,
as long as someone showed displeasure, she would immediately leave, not daring to pester them too much.
So, she circled the Liao Zhai Tavern hall for a while, going to four or five tables, but didn't encounter a single guest willing to talk to her much.
Until, she mustered her courage and walked towards the young man with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, whose aura kept others away, and sat down in the seat opposite him.
Seeing Lu Yibei sit down, the young man was startled. A flicker of surprise, almost imperceptible, flashed in his eyes. He seemed surprised by Lu Yibei's action of coming over to talk to him.
"Hello, excuse me-"
"You want to ask what I'm eating?" Before Lu Yibei could finish, the young man spoke up, finishing her question for her,
and giving his answer.
"I'm eating ordinary braised beef. What I'm drinking is a bit special, named Gui Chang. Would you like to try some?"
"Gui Chang?" Lu Yibei tilted her head. "The wine said to be used for sacrificing to gods and ancestors in legends?"
"Oh?" The young man shook the wine pot in his hand, looked at Lu Yibei, and said, "You know this wine?"
Lu Yibei nodded. "'Li Er Gui Zan, Gui Chang Yi Zhi, Gao Yu Wen Ren, Xi Shan Tu Tian. Yu Zhou Shou Ming, Zi Zhao Zu Ming, Hu Bai
Ji Shou, Tian Zi Wan Nian.' It's from 'The Book of Songs, Daya, Jiang Han'."
Although she was only a Chinese language and literature student who had started halfway, ancient books like
'The Book of Songs' were still something she had read.
"Since you know it, you should definitely try it!" The young man smiled slightly. "This isn't a modern replica, but one brewed strictly according to the legendary method."
As he spoke, he picked up an empty cup from the table, poured half a cup of wine, pushed it towards Lu Yibei, and made a gesture of invitation.
"Please!"
Lu Yibei looked at the amber-colored wine in the cup before her, which emitted a rich aroma. She also secretly observed the man's expression.
After a slight hesitation, she carefully picked up the cup, brought it to her lips, took a small sip, and held it in her mouth without swallowing.
The other guests present were indifferent to her, even showing some annoyance, but this young man not only didn't chase her away;
he also enthusiastically invited her to drink. She was somewhat wary.
Of course, it was also possible that the man just looked unapproachable but was actually warm and hospitable, but she still had to be cautious.
But even though Lu Yibei held the wine in her mouth without swallowing, she could still slightly feel the mystical properties of this Gui Chang.
It was smooth and mild upon entering the mouth, the fragrance of black millet and various herbs mingled and lingered between her lips and teeth. The wine emitted several different weak Spiritual Energy
fluctuations, constantly colliding, causing her lips and teeth to tingle slightly.
That feeling was as if a fierce war was breaking out in her mouth.
Just as Lu Yibei was experiencing the unique taste of the Gui Chang, the man suddenly asked her after finishing a cup of wine, "You're from Hua City, aren't you?"
"I've been to that place before. There's an old acquaintance there now, his name is Bai Kai. Do you know him?"
Hearing the man mention Shui Ge's name, Lu Yibei was startled. Subconsciously, she swallowed the wine in her mouth, opened her thin lips, and said,
"Of course... I've heard of him. He's a member of the Hua City Night Watch!"
She didn't know why the man suddenly mentioned Shui Ge, nor did she know the relationship between the man and Shui Ge. For a moment, she didn't reveal her relationship with Shui Ge.
What if he's an enemy of Shui Ge, and I say Shui Ge is my Old Dad? Wouldn't that be a death wish?
Lu Yibei thought, and added, "He's also the King of the Night in Hua City. Most people who hang around that area in Hua City have heard of his
name."
As soon as she finished speaking, she felt the stimulating sensation as the Gui Chang wine slid down her esophagus into her abdomen.
Several weak Spiritual Energy fluctuations fought their way down, finally "exploding" violently in her abdomen, turning into a strong warmth that spread throughout her entire
body.
Just this small sip made Lu Yibei feel a hint of intoxication, and a blush stained her pale cheeks.
At this moment, she was very glad she had only taken a small sip. If she had drunk the whole cup, she would probably have gotten completely drunk.
Damn it, this guy isn't trying to get me drunk, is he?
Trying to get a minor, or at least a urban legend who looks like a minor girl, drunk... what kind of person is that? It goes without saying, right? Lu Yibei thought.
"Is that so? I didn't expect him to be so famous now." Hearing Lu Yibei's words, the man gave a wry smile. "King of the Night? I thought that
I thought that the night in Hua City belonged to the Disaster!"
Hearing the word "Disaster," Lu Yibei's heart tightened slightly. Seeing that the man didn't seem to recognize that she was the Disaster, she calmed down and said expressionlessly,
said expressionlessly, "Disaster? That guy is completely useless! From the rumors I know, I think Bai Kai is a bit more capable."
"Is that so?" The man suddenly raised his head, looked directly into Lu Yibei's eyes, and smiled meaningfully. "Not long ago, I lost something in
I lost something in Hua City. I originally wanted to ask the Disaster to help me find it."
"What did you lose?" Lu Yibei pressed. "If there's a chance, maybe I can help you find it."
"Thank you, but no need to trouble yourself. It's just a trivial little item," the man replied indifferently as he poured himself some wine.
Lu Yibei looked at the man, was silent for two seconds, and then asked, "By the way, from your words, it seems you have a good relationship with Bai Kai?
have a good relationship? Are you also a member of the Night Watch?"
"Hmm, you could say that," the man answered frankly. "As for Bai Kai, I wouldn't say we have a good relationship. It's just that over ten years ago, his
his Spirit Mark had a big problem, and I just helped him out a little."
"Oh, oh." Lu Yibei nodded and didn't press further.
Seeing this, the man gestured to her and said, "Don't just drink. This wine is strong. Eat some food, or you'll get drunk easily."
The entrance to the Liao Zhai Tavern that appeared near the Jingyi Apartment Complex wasn't summoned by Ju Meng. She wasn't very familiar with the terrain in the area where that alley was located.
She wasn't very familiar with the terrain in the area where that alley was located. In the end, she transformed into her Magpie form, circled for a while following the direction of the Spiritual Energy fluctuations, and then landed in front of the Liao Zhai Tavern.
As soon as she entered, before she could even signal the beautiful girl waitresses to take her order, her gaze swept across the hall, and she was stunned when she saw Lu Yibei.
Hmm? Lu Yibei? How did she end up here? Could it be that this entrance was summoned by her?
As Ju Meng was thinking, she suddenly noticed the young man sitting opposite Lu Yibei. Her muscles immediately tensed up, as if facing a formidable enemy.
Holy crap! Isn't that guy...
The Disaster and Lord Bing sitting at the same table, drinking
and eating.
What kind of bizarre scene is this, straight out of a fairy tale?
