Chapter 62: A Small Dispute in the Chinese Restaurant

Over four hours later, as the sun set behind the western hills and dusk descended, Li Xin arrived at his destination: Santiago.

This was one of the largest cities in the southern region of the Jialin continent, within the sphere of influence of the Black Lion Legion. But, a crucial detail: that only meant military jurisdiction; the army itself had no real control here.

As always, phase one: armies fight only armies. The people remain free and safe.

Of course, countless undercover operatives like Li Xin were scattered throughout the city, carrying out all manner of tasks. Some were players, others NPCs.

There was one thing Li Xin couldn’t help but gripe about. Since this is a game, why not have an easy mode for long journeys? Take “Seeking the Way” as an example: when players switch maps, they use a teleportation array of sorts—quick and efficient. But in “Odyssey,” there’s no parallel world; it’s a single continent, strictly modeled after reality.

Those hours spent flying were truly tedious.

The more he thought about it, the more horrifying it became. If someone had to fly from the west to the east of the continent, wouldn’t that mean dozens of hours on a plane…

His destination was Mount Demon Camel, 250 kilometers away. Li Xin needed to first locate the Black Lion Legion’s base in Santiago, then catch a ride there.

He could hail a taxi, but the drivers likely wouldn’t go that far. Buying a car was unnecessary, especially since he’d have to switch locations again soon.

“Before that, I need to complete Natasha’s quest.” Li Xin smiled as he hailed a cab, heading straight for 1310 Field Street. The map showed it was an elementary school; Natasha’s friend was a teacher there.

As he journeyed across town, his stomach suddenly rumbled.

“Seriously? This game even simulates hunger…” Li Xin muttered in embarrassment.

“What?” The driver glanced at him, puzzled.

Li Xin quickly made up an excuse, then got out near his destination. A hundred meters ahead, he spotted a Chinese restaurant.

He was helpless as his worldview was shattered, swept away like autumn leaves in the wind. This game truly blended worlds together, inserting elements at random with no rhyme or reason. The east was called Field Street, the north and south Peach Garden Road…

It seemed all the NPCs spoke a single language.

Li Xin couldn’t help feeling proud; to him, at least, they all spoke Chinese. Was this a sign of global unity?

The restaurant was decorated in a classic style, its storefront small but bustling with customers. A vertical white sign fluttered in the breeze, bearing five elegant calligraphic characters: “De San Clay Pot Rice”—the brushwork flowing and unbroken, likely crafted by a renowned hand.

“Hello, may I take your order?” The waitress greeted him with a gentle smile, her demeanor warm and kind.

Li Xin glanced up at the menu on the wall and smiled back, “One beef bone soup clay pot rice, please.”

The waitress’s expression suddenly turned hesitant, her tone faltering.

“Is there a problem?” Li Xin asked.

“Sir, the beef bone soup clay pot rice is temporarily unavailable. Please choose something else.”

“Unavailable? Why?” Li Xin, ever shrewd, immediately sensed a quest.

The waitress lowered her head in thought for a moment, then replied with resignation, “Sir, there’s been a problem with the beef bone supplier—the supply has been cut off.”

“Could you tell me more?”

“His farm was attacked by a pack of hungry wolves and suffered heavy losses. It’s not just him; farms near Santiago have faced the same difficulties. The whole city is now experiencing a severe beef shortage.”

“Why not have the police handle it?” Li Xin asked.

The waitress sighed deeply, a hint of bitterness in her voice.

“Sir, the police have organized several hunts, but the wolves are cunning and impossible to eradicate completely. In the past, it was handled by our continent’s Guardian Legion, but these days are special—soldiers won’t deal with minor issues like this.”

Li Xin feigned understanding and regret. As the waitress was about to suggest he select another dish, Li Xin flashed a mysterious smile. “Need my help? I might be able to solve it.”

“Really?” The waitress’s eyes brightened with hope.

But then, her enthusiasm faded. If the police couldn’t manage it, how could this bold man succeed alone?

Just then, mocking laughter and derisive voices sounded from the adjacent table.

“Ha, some outsider pretending to be a hero here.”

“Hmph, even the police and our Adventurer’s Guild couldn’t handle it, yet someone dares to boast—how ridiculous.”

“The arrogant seldom meet a good end!”

Their words were biting and contemptuous. Li Xin looked over to find a dozen men in matching uniforms. The style resembled police attire, but the color was black. Each collar bore an embroidered bauhinia flower, while their left sleeves sported a special logo.

The emblem depicted a man wielding a massive axe.

Adventurer’s Guild—first time he’d heard of it. Neither the official game guide nor the forums mentioned anything about it. Li Xin’s heart raced with excitement.

He pondered: the game had been live for ten days. Not all soldiers remained near the barracks; some players had already ventured into cities or larger areas, surely discovering the Adventurer’s Guild. Yet, no game announcements or forum posts had appeared, indicating that no one had completed the quest to unlock the Adventurer’s Guild instance.

Perhaps the quest was ongoing—or everyone had failed. Either way, it was an opportunity.

“Ha, Adventurer’s Guild. Can’t even deal with a pack of hungry wolves, yet call yourselves adventurers? What a joke.” Li Xin retorted with biting sarcasm.

“What did you say?” The adventurers all sprang to their feet, glaring at him with murderous intent.

“Kid, you dare insult our Adventurer’s Guild?”

“Hmph! Such arrogance. Looks like you need a lesson to know your place!”

They closed in, ready to drag Li Xin outside.

“Sir, you should leave now—you can’t afford to provoke them,” the waitress whispered, gripping his arm. She felt guilty; if she hadn’t said so much, this guest wouldn’t have offended the Adventurer’s Guild.

Li Xin turned to the kind girl with a gentle smile, reassuring her, “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”

“Why are you so stubborn? Is your pride really worth more than your safety?” The waitress pleaded.

“I’m really okay.”

“You—” She tried to persuade him further, but the adventurers had surrounded Li Xin, intent on taking him outside.

In the Adventurer’s Guild, any dispute was settled by a duel.

Note: As long as it doesn’t disrupt public order or damage property, duels are permitted.

NPCs scrambled out of the way, pointing and murmuring in the corners. Judging by their expressions, none expected Li Xin to prevail. After all, this was the Adventurer’s Guild—their combat prowess was renowned, and they had numbers on their side.

“Kid, dare to duel us outside?”

Li Xin smiled calmly, unafraid. Just as he was about to speak, the waitress rushed forward, placing herself between him and the adventurers, clutching both his hands.

Ding!

System message: Do you accept the quest—Eradicate the Evil Wolves?