The landlady was a plump woman with a very kind smile. She said that her husband had unfortunately died in an accident many years ago. Her son's family lived in the city, but she didn't want to leave her hometown, so she stayed and stayed in her old home.
I also rent out the house to some traveling merchants to earn some extra money for household expenses.
She was initially a little worried when she saw Hu Jiu, a grown man, coming to rent a room. If Hu Jiu hadn't been so good-looking, she definitely wouldn't have agreed.
When they saw An Ge and the others, their hearts were finally at ease. Having women in the group made them feel much safer.
An Ge looked around the small courtyard and nodded in satisfaction.
The courtyard wasn't large, but it was very clean. Their resting area occupied half of the courtyard; inside was a large communal sleeping area. It seemed the landlord had rented the house to merchants quite a few times.
“Since you’ve rented for a longer period, I’ll give you a discount on the rent. I live on the east side, so if anything happens, just let me know,” Ms. Geer said cautiously, looking at Ange.
This group of people is really pleasing to the eye. Judging from her perspective, they are definitely not businessmen. They might be noble ladies who have come out to gain experience. She wonders if they will be difficult to please.
“Okay, Aunt Ger, you’ve cleaned this place so well. I think we’ll have a pleasant time. We’re new to Palin and not familiar with the area yet. If there’s any big news outside, just let me know.”
Geer breathed a sigh of relief. This young lady, who was clearly the leader, seemed very approachable, unlike those haughty noble ladies.
"Don't worry, I, Ge'er, am the go-to person for information around here. You're here for the artifact too, right?"
An Ge gave a mysterious smile, neither denying nor agreeing.
To Geer, that smile was an admission.
"I told you you weren't businessmen. I never expected to find a divine artifact, especially not one being auctioned in our small town of Pal." Gel said with pride.
After giving some more instructions to An Ge and the others, Ge Er happily left with small steps.
"Phew, although the conditions here may not be as good as in the tent, at least here, there's no feeling of sleeping in the open."
Lu Yan collapsed onto the bed, his head throbbing from the hard surface. "This is all psychological. If you ask me, you'd be better off staying in the tent. Next time, the manager should put a few more beds in the space, so at least people can get some proper rest."
An Ge rolled her eyes at Lu Yan. "You're not here on vacation. You guys get some rest today. We're going next door. Hu Jiu, keep a close eye on Lu Yan. That guy is such a handful."
Hu Jiu smiled and nodded, "Don't worry, you should get some rest too. We can discuss it tomorrow."
An Ge led Meng Xia, Liu Tingxue, and Chang Jin to the next room, where the four girls chatted excitedly about gossip, finding some relaxation in this strange world.
Compared to An Ge and the others' excitement, Hu Jiu and the others remained somewhat silent.
Lu Yan shifted uncomfortably. "Old Hu, Old Rong, we don't know much about Fang Yuanyuan's fighting strength yet. Do you think we can succeed this time?"
Lu Yan's lack of confidence stemmed from the fact that the power of the Chosen Ones was too mysterious. Even though he was several levels higher than An Ge, he wasn't certain he could defeat her.
Uncertainty is what truly makes people uneasy.
He didn't dare show it in front of An Ge. But now, facing Hu Jiu and Rong Zhuo, he voiced his unease.
Hu Jiu was silent for a moment before saying, "We must trust the shop manager. Let her deal with Fang Yuanyuan. Our target is the few protectors around Fang Yuanyuan."
Lu Yan was somewhat surprised. "Old Hu, this isn't like you. You're usually so worried when the manager goes to beat some weaker opponents, why are you so calm this time?"
"Of course I'm worried, but I trust her more than anything," Hu Jiu said firmly.
How could he not be worried? The thought of the possible accident that might happen to An Ge made him wish he could rush to the palace right now and eliminate Fang Yuanyuan.
But reason told him that he had to trust An Ge. An Ge had a teleportation array and could return to the inn at any time.
He originally wanted to place his inner core on An Ge, but she sternly refused. Realizing that his combat power would be greatly diminished without the inner core, and that he might even become a hindrance at crucial moments, he abandoned the idea.
Now, he only prays that An Ge will not stubbornly endure the danger, but will decisively return to the inn.
Seeing Lu Yan's worried expression, Rong Zhuo laughed and said, "The battle hasn't even started yet, why are you trying to demoralize us? Don't worry, the shopkeeper isn't as weak as we think."
Lu Yan grumbled unhappily, "Who am I worried about so much for? Humph, it's all for the store manager's sake. Fine, none of you are worried, so I've been worrying for nothing."
As the auction for the artifact drew near, more and more people flocked to the town of Palin. Most of them didn't intend to obtain the artifact, but just being able to feast their eyes on it was enough to make the trip worthwhile.
But this lively atmosphere was soon broken.
Early in the morning, Ms. Geer rushed over, saying, "You all need to be careful when you go out on the streets lately, the National Protection Army is here."
The National Protection Army is the general name Fang Yuanyuan used for her own army.
An Ge was startled; Fang Yuanyuan had arrived far too quickly.
“Auntie Ger, please have a seat. Doesn’t WikiCity have the National Guard? Maybe it’s their army that’s here to maintain order.”
Gel shook his head. "I don't think so. The appearance and equipment of these troops don't look like the garrison of Wiki City at all. I heard that he might be coming too."
"Alas, I should have realized it sooner. How could something as important as a divine artifact not attract that person's attention? It seems this time the artifact will definitely fall into that person's hands. How hateful!"
When Fang Yuanyuan was mentioned, Ge Er's face showed anger.
Thinking of something, Ger became somewhat awkward. "I wasn't saying anything bad about that person, it's just... it's just..."
"Don't worry, Ger, we don't have a good impression of her either. To be honest, we wouldn't be here if it weren't for her."
Ger suddenly realized, "So that's why the rumors about students being forced to go to the battlefield are true. It's outrageous! You are the future of the empire, how can we send you to your deaths?"
The elves are such a peace-loving race, why do you think she started a war? I heard that the royal family has been controlled, and the Holy Lord is in cahoots with Fang Yuanyuan. I used to respect him.
And the resistance fighters too. I originally thought they were righteous people, but it turns out they're just like Fang Yuanyuan.
The rebels killed many innocent civilians and had a poor reputation among the people.
It seemed that Ge Er had found a like-minded person, and he couldn't help but complain about Fang Yuanyuan and the Holy Cult Leader.
"You guys better stay home for a while and wait until things calm down. Don't even look at the artifacts; being too curious isn't good," Ger said earnestly.
"I'll listen to you, but Aunt Ger should tell me more about any news from outside."
Geer thumped her chest loudly, instantly feeling the weight on her shoulders. Gathering information was one of her specialties. "No problem, leave it to me."
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