She had no choice but to compliment, "Your ale is really good. Have you been working here for a long time?"
Ellie put her hands on her hips and laughed, "For a while now, I've been enjoying the lively atmosphere of this tavern. Chatting and joking with different people every day is so much fun. What about you?"
Yu Xiangnan shrugged. "Me? I prefer to travel around. I just arrived in Cangyao City today and will leave in a few days."
[Testing in progress...]
[Hint]: Ellie's favorability +5
(The NPC affinity list is now unlocked. Players can click the heart icon in the upper right corner to view it.)
Looking at the pop-up notification box, Yu Xiangnan looked puzzled.
That's strange. The rules didn't mention that you could gain NPC favorability in this points race. What's the use of this favorability? Is it related to strongholds?
She couldn't figure it out for a moment.
After a brief conversation with Ellie, Ellie went to attend to the other guests.
Yu Xiangnan didn't delay. Taking advantage of the fact that this ordinary stronghold was still invincible, he quickly left "Nightingale Tavern" and searched for the next ordinary stronghold that was closest to him.
As soon as I stepped out of the tavern, I saw a figure running towards me.
"President, I'm here!" Shi Gu rushed over, panting heavily, his chest heaving. Although he looked a bit disheveled, his eyes were piercing.
Shi Gu, level 43, profession is [Pharmacist], member of Ji Xiaoyin's team.
Yu Xiangnan nodded, opened the guild's internal chat channel, sent the coordinates of the ordinary stronghold he was about to go to again, and then said to Shi Gu, "Okay, let's go, we're going to another ordinary coordinate now."
She had just lifted her foot and hadn't even taken a step when she was blocked by the burly, bearded man who had lost the arm-wrestling match earlier.
"Stop!" The burly man with a beard reeked of alcohol and strode up in front of her in a few quick steps. His massive body blocked her path like a thick wall.
"How dare you embarrass me and then think you can just swagger away like that?!"
As he spoke, a flush of anger rose on his face, veins bulged on his neck, and he clenched his fist into a tight fist, which he then swung violently toward Yu Xiangnan.
Yu Xiangnan remained calm, slightly shifting his body to easily dodge this unsportsmanlike attack.
Immediately afterwards, she took a step forward and jumped onto the bearded man!
Amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd, she skillfully used the momentum to execute a beautiful over-the-shoulder throw, slamming the bearded man's massive body to the ground.
With a muffled thud, a cloud of dust rose, and everyone gasped in surprise.
[Testing in progress...]
[Hint]: Big Beard's favorability +25
[Hint]: Ellie's favorability +10
Wait... this NPC has masochistic tendencies? He gets hit and still gains favorability.
Yu Xiangnan expressed his confusion.
"Well, you big bearded man, you actually dared to ambush our guild leader!" After a brief moment of shock, Shi Gu reacted instantly, and in the blink of an eye, two vials of pale green potion emitting a faint fluorescent glow appeared in his hand.
Without the slightest hesitation, he swiftly threw the medicine in his hand at the bearded man who was trying to get up.
The drug traced two precise arcs in the air, striking the target precisely.
With a sharp crack, the glass shattered, and pale green liquid splattered all over the bearded man's body like a fine net.
In an instant, the bearded man's eyes became unfocused and dazed, his previously angry face contorted, and he slowly raised his hand, putting his fingers in his mouth and biting them, muttering indistinctly, "Mom, Mom..."
Yu Xiangnan: "?"
Immediately afterwards, the bearded man burst into tears like a helpless child.
Everyone: "???"
Yu Xiangnan: "???"
Yu Xiangnan looked at the culprit, Shi Gu.
Shi Gu revealed a simple and honest smile and chuckled, "President, this is my specially made poisonous mushroom potion. Once hit by this potion, the enemy will fall into a state of unconsciousness, which will last for about half a minute."
"Impressive..." Upon hearing this, a sudden thought flashed through Yu Xiangnan's mind. "However, since this potion is so effective, wouldn't you [Pharmacists] be able to produce it indefinitely and then sell it on the market, easily regulating the market?"
Shi Gu felt a little embarrassed by Yu Xiangnan's praise.
With a hint of shyness in his eyes, he scratched his head and explained, "Hehe, you flatter me, Chairman. Actually, this potion has its limitations. If it is not used within an hour of being produced, it will automatically disappear. There are still many limitations, so it is impossible to keep producing it and selling it on the market."
As they spoke, the two quickly left the Nightingale Tavern and headed to a regular outpost at coordinates (1169, 466, 40).
Shi Gu's tone held a hint of doubt as he asked softly, "Guild Master, were those people we saw in the tavern earlier all NPCs?"
"I've been taking note, and so far, it seems I've only encountered one member from [Hundred Eyes City]. Apart from that, they've all been NPCs."
Yu Xiangnan nodded slightly and replied, "Yes, that's right. Just now in the Nightingale Tavern, there were indeed no other players besides the two of us. Moreover, I speculate that the number of NPCs in this map is probably far greater than the number of participating players."
......
[Cangyao City]: Dark Alley (1169, 466, 40)
In the secluded dark alley, the narrow passage is sandwiched between two mottled high walls, allowing only two or three people to walk side by side.
The ground was covered in stains and puddles, emitting a nauseating stench, and garbage and waste were piled up in the corners.
Three thugs formed a triangle, trapping the frail child in the middle. The child wore tattered and ill-fitting clothes, patched upon patched, and his body was so thin that a gust of wind could blow him over. His face was also filthy.
One of the thugs had an unlit cigarette dangling from his lips, the cigarette butt waving up and down as he spoke: "You little brat, be smart and hand over all your valuables!"
"I...I have no money..."
Before the child could finish speaking, another thug reached out and shoved him hard.
The child's thin body immediately staggered back several steps.
His eyes were filled with terror and helplessness, and his voice trembled with sobs as he said, "I really don't have anything valuable, please let me go."
"Hmph, you don't have any? Then don't blame us for being impolite!" The bald thug took a step closer, swinging the rusty stick in his hand at the child!
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