Tavern, auction house, bank. Three important buildings, each situated in a different direction from the square.

Ryan Carter stepped forward and pushed open the tavern door.

Inside, the lighting wasn’t as dim as Ryan Carter had imagined, but rather a soft and natural warm tone. The tavern was crowded with players, all in high spirits; those who came to drown their sorrows after a setback weren’t around at this hour. The wooden shelves behind the bar were stacked with a dazzling array of bottles, and the NPCs serving guests paid no mind to anyone’s attitude, greeting each person with a gentle smile.

Ryan Carter looked around, but he wasn’t as sharp-eyed as Blaze. From a table in the corner, Blaze called out, “Drunk Bro, Drunk Bro, over here!”

“Hey, Blaze!” Ryan Carter waved at him. Suddenly, with a whoosh, a blazing Blaze appeared right in front of him. The surrounding players were startled for a moment, but once they realized what was happening, they all burst out laughing.

Ryan Carter waited helplessly for the Blaze to disappear before heading to the table. Blaze looked frustrated, cursing the friend who had given him this name. As Ryan Carter listened to his grumbling, he continued to scan the room.

“Huh, isn’t that…” Ryan Carter suddenly spotted someone.

Blaze glanced back and grinned, “Blade, right? He just came in not long ago.”

“That guy took a roundabout way and still got back before me!” Ryan Carter said.

“What do you mean?” Blaze didn’t get it.

“He was leveling up at that spot just now—I saw him,” Ryan Carter said.

“Oh… his level is about the same as yours,” Blaze said, pouring Ryan Carter a drink. “Come on, Drunk Bro, try this. With a name like yours, you must love drinking, right?”

Ryan Carter gave a wry smile. “Did you forget? My name, just like yours, was given by someone else.”

“Oh… I forgot!” Blaze slapped his forehead. “If I’d known, I wouldn’t have bought you a drink. Cost me a silver coin!” Blaze lamented. A silver coin was worth 100 copper coins; in the early stages of the game, that could buy a basic weapon at the blacksmith’s. Grinding monsters to save up that much took quite a while.

“It’s fine, I’ll cover it!” Ryan Carter smiled. The monsters he fought were higher level than those Blaze fought, so his earnings were much better.

At that moment, Blade also noticed Ryan Carter sitting over here. Their eyes met, and Blade nodded at Ryan Carter—a silent greeting.

The tavern remained lively and bustling.

Suddenly, the door creaked open, and the entire tavern instantly fell into near silence. The only remaining sounds came from those with their backs to the door, like Ryan Carter.

Feeling everyone’s burning gaze, Ryan Carter turned around and saw a young woman.

Her long purple robe looked familiar, but Ryan Carter wasn’t sure if she was the one he’d seen on the hillside. On the way back to town, he’d seen plenty of similar outfits—clearly the starter gear for a certain class.

In the game, equipment automatically adjusted to fit perfectly, so everyone’s figure was flattered just right. The woman before him had a slender, well-proportioned body, with flawless curves in all the right places and not a trace of excess fat. No wonder everyone in the bar was stunned—her figure was absolutely perfect.

By comparison, her looks weren’t as breathtaking as her figure. Still, she had a striking face, with eyes as deep as water and a gentle smile at the corners of her lips that made her seem especially approachable. Smiling, she nodded slightly to everyone in the tavern.

Only then did the crowd return to normal, the scene best described as a hasty dispersal. Moments ago, everyone had been blatantly staring at the girl; now, they all tried to put on a dignified front, sneaking glances if they wanted to look.

The tavern was actually quite crowded, with no empty tables left—just a few seats open at some tables. The male players at those tables all looked excited, but no one dared to speak up. The first to act would be the target; whoever called out now would become public enemy number one. Even if you got a chance to admire her up close, you might get ambushed and dumped in the moat as soon as you stepped outside. To maintain a harmonious society, everyone stayed quiet, waiting for the pretty girl to make her own choice.

The girl walked gracefully through the tavern, and Blaze was visibly excited. He and Ryan Carter were at a four-person table with only two seats taken—a promising situation. But the girl’s gaze merely swept over each empty seat, and in a flash, she had passed right by Ryan Carter and Blaze.

Blaze craned his neck in anticipation, only to be disappointed. He sniffed the air and said, “Wow, she smells so good.”

“It’s just a game… how could there be perfume?” Ryan Carter scoffed.

“It’s her natural scent! The game simulates body fragrance,” Blaze insisted.

Ryan Carter just smiled, not bothering to argue. By now, the girl had crossed most of the tavern. Seeing no empty seats, she seemed about to leave through another door. Suddenly, she stopped—right beside Blade.

Blade was at a two-person table, sitting alone, with one seat open.

Everyone held their breath, most of them puzzled: This girl has such unique taste! In terms of looks, the guy she picked was probably the ugliest in the whole tavern, right?