Chapter 664: The Temptress of Willow Garden
’Tiger Creek Immortal Mountain.’
Marcus had to admit that even he felt a little jealous.
Fortunately, the Knight beside him was already pressing the Assassin for more information. "Bro, what happened after that?"
The Assassin clearly enjoyed having several curious players hanging on his every word, so he continued, "Apparently, Frostwing obtained that teleportation scroll to Tiger Creek Immortal Mountain twenty days ago through a Hidden Quest. The quest requires him to go there and retrieve a specific item, but the scroll can only be used after reaching Level 50. It has ten uses in total, and each time, he can bring three other players with him."
"But the scroll only lasts for three months, so the moment Frostwing reached Level 50, he hurried over there to start the quest. Unfortunately, he couldn’t even deal with the monsters around Tiger Creek Immortal Mountain, much less reach the quest destination. In the end, he had no choice but to ask for help, looking for three Level 50-plus experts to accompany him. He announced that he only wanted the quest item and that the other players could divide up everything else they found."
"Did they go?"
"How did it turn out?"
"Did they get anything good?"
The surrounding players immediately became even more interested.
"Mm. They’ve already gone twice."
The envy in the Assassin’s voice was impossible to hide, but he soon sighed. "Unfortunately, the monsters around Tiger Creek are simply too strong. Frostwing and everyone who went with him died both times and were sent back. Frostwing’s experience is probably buried deep in the negative by now."
The system had already adjusted the death penalty for players who reached Level 50. Once a player reached that level, death would no longer cause them to fall below Level 50, but they would still suffer a considerable experience penalty based on their current level. Frostwing had most likely died at least twice, which meant the experience he needed to recover before he could level again had to be enormous.
"Died twice?"
The players couldn’t help glancing toward Frostwing.
As players climbed higher in level, they naturally became more protective of their lives. A single death could cost an enormous amount of experience and leave someone struggling to catch up with everyone else.
"Exactly!" The Assassin nodded. "So Frostwing has decided to wait another two months or so, raise his level further, find a few stronger experts, and then return to finish the quest."
"Oh."
The players finally understood.
Their gazes shifted back toward the towering Berserker, who stood over six feet tall, and then to the crowd gathered around him. Someone couldn’t help asking, "Then what are all those players doing around him?"
"All sorts of things!"
The Assassin’s voice turned sour, revealing a mixture of envy and jealousy. "Frostwing was recognized in the plaza earlier, and once word spread, players started swarming around him. Some are asking how they can obtain a teleportation scroll like his, while others are trying to establish connections with him in the hope that he’ll help them out someday."
He then pointed toward several well-equipped players standing near Frostwing. "And those guys are either powerful independent players or people from major guilds and mercenary groups. They’re all trying to win Frostwing over, hoping he’ll choose them when he goes back to Tiger Creek Immortal Mountain."
So that was the situation.
Marcus thought it over, particularly the question of whether he should contact Frostwing about the expedition to Tiger Creek. The opportunity was certainly tempting, and the more he thought about it, the more curious he became.
’I’ll go if I have the time.’
He quickly made up his mind. The attraction was simply too strong to ignore.
There was no need to hurry, though. He could contact Frostwing later. According to the Assassin, Frostwing had no intention of attempting the quest again anytime soon. By the time he was ready to return, most players would probably have reached Level 50 as well, so Frostwing would have no reason to suspect Marcus’s identity.
"Alright."
"I’ll contact you later."
With that decided, Marcus cast Insight on Frostwing and recorded his information.
—
Frostwing: Level 50. Class: Berserker.
—
He then hurried toward Willow Garden Gourmet House, where SoulSync and his brother, SoulfireBlade, were already waiting at the entrance.
"SoulSync, it’s me!"
Marcus sent him a private message as he approached the two leaders of the Soulfire Guild. Only then did the two men dare to confirm his identity.
"Stone! I thought that silhouette looked familiar. It’s been a long time. Come on, let’s have a few drinks upstairs."
They immediately led him toward a private room on the third floor.
Willow Garden Gourmet House truly lived up to its reputation. It was said to rival Magnolia and stood among the leading establishments in the northern circuit, and once Marcus stepped inside, it wasn’t difficult to understand why. The interior was elegant without being ostentatious, with a comfortable atmosphere that made it an ideal place for players to eat, drink, and relax after a long day.
Players were constantly coming and going, and from the steady stream of customers alone, it was obvious that business was thriving.
"So this is the expert SoulSync invited..."
The moment Marcus stepped into the private room, a sultry, honey-smooth voice drifted into his ears.
He looked up.
A woman of extraordinary beauty and allure was standing inside the room, her appearance so striking that she immediately drew the eye.
Her face had the delicate, radiant beauty of peach blossoms, with a natural flush that gave her an almost luminous warmth. Her figure was slender and graceful, her waist narrow and supple, while the simple red halter-style magic dress she wore followed the contours of her body without hiding the elegance of her curves. Her skin was smooth and pale, contrasting beautifully with the vivid red of her dress.
The dress was cut high enough to reveal her long, shapely legs, which only added to the impression of effortless allure. Nothing about her appearance seemed excessive or forced. Instead, every detail seemed carefully suited to her, from the way the dress framed her figure to the confident ease with which she carried herself.
Her features were almost flawless, possessing a delicate, otherworldly quality, yet there was nothing distant or cold about her beauty. Her eyes carried a lingering, springlike charm, while her glossy red lips were slightly parted as though she always had another teasing remark waiting behind them.
She was the kind of woman whose beauty naturally drew attention wherever she went, and there was an unmistakable confidence in the way she used that charm.
Marcus found himself silently comparing her with the women he knew.
Only his alluring, mature Willow Moran and Talia seemed capable of standing on equal ground with her.
Even Talia, despite enjoying dressing up, had never worn anything quite so daring or carried herself with this particular kind of confidence. There was something especially natural about this woman’s allure. It wasn’t simply the clothes or her striking appearance. The charm seemed to be an inherent part of her presence, as though she had been born knowing exactly how to captivate a room without ever needing to force it.
The woman smiled as she looked Marcus over, her gaze lingering for a moment before she slowly swayed her slender waist and spoke in that same honeyed voice.
"No wonder SoulSync and Blaze came to greet you personally. You really do have a rather unique aura about you. One glance is enough to tell that you’re not an ordinary player."
She gestured toward the seats with an inviting smile.
"Please, sit..."