Time: White Day.
Location: Goat Tavern.
The Goat Tavern was largely unchanged from the last time Bai Tang had come. It remained packed with figures, gathering countless idle bizarre creatures from Undead Street who had nothing better to do during White Day. Ordering a glass of cheap wheat beer before and after meals had long become a habit carved into their daily lives.
In a corner booth against the wall.
“So… is everything you said true?”
Bai Tang set down the green apple juice in her hand. Her expression turned serious as she stared at the demon hunter lady sitting across from her, as if trying to read the truth directly from her eyes.
“Of course! I have no reason to deceive you. Your fellow human compatriot who is still alive is right here under the same roof as you.”
Theresa’s side of the table was completely empty. Her gaze kept drifting to Bai Tang’s apple juice.
“So… can you buy me a glass of juice now?”
“Don’t you have money to buy it yourself?” The pink-haired girl’s round eyes widened. She scolded angrily, “Aren’t you a demon hunter?”
“Precisely because I am a demon hunter, I have no money.”
Hearing this, Theresa put on a dramatic show of wiping away tears and began counting on her fingers just how hard life was for a demon hunter.
“We demon hunters roam the hell world chasing bounty targets. Food, drink, and a place to sleep every night — every single expense is heavy!”
“So before we manage to kill a bounty target, almost every demon hunter is dirt poor, living while tightening our belts…”
Theresa blinked her starry eyes and looked at Bai Tang expectantly.
Bai Tang remained unmoved.
“Sigh… If I hadn’t given the weapon to someone, all the money I had left went into forging a new one…”
“Alright, alright, I get it already!”
Bai Tang was speechless. To stop the demon hunter lady from continuing her lament, she could only wave her hand and treat her to a glass of the same green apple juice.
It was true that Theresa had helped her, and Bai Tang was not that petty. Still, even mooching a single glass of juice that cost only fifty Ghost Coins really damaged the image of a demon hunter.
Watching Theresa hold the juice with both hands, eyes sparkling as she savored it, Bai Tang sighed helplessly.
She had no choice but to think over the information Theresa had given her.
According to the demon hunter lady, the group of human boys and girls who had been pulled into this world that night by the reverse teleportation array — aside from those eaten by the bizarre during Long Night that very day, and the human boy Bai Tang had personally buried not long ago — now only one person remained alive.
The last surviving human girl was named Jiang Yetong.
And that girl had been bought by the owner of the Goat Tavern beneath Bai Tang’s feet — the Barrel Butcher.
“You must really want to meet your compatriot, right? Or perhaps there are things back in your hometown you still want to do, people you miss.” Theresa’s expression was all smiles, her tone sincere yet clearly guiding. “When the reverse summoning array’s time ends and your compatriot returns home, she can pass your message along for you.”
Theresa’s words struck straight at Bai Tang’s heart.
It had already been nearly two months since Bai Tang had accidentally transmigrated to this hell world. Back on Earth she had parents who loved her and friends she got along well with…
To claim she did not miss them at all would be a lie.
But Bai Tang did not dare to think about it. She did not dare to imagine what her loving parents had become after her sudden disappearance.
She could only bury that longing deep in her heart.
Now she was being told that the compatriot she had met here could convey that longing for her once she returned to Earth — even if it was only to let her worried parents know she was safe.
How could Bai Tang not feel moved?
Yet the price of rescuing that girl was facing the Barrel Butcher, whose strength sat at the Blood Robe Level. The danger was immense. One moment of carelessness and they could truly lose their lives.
“It just so happens he is my current bounty target. I want to earn money, and you want to save your compatriot. Shall we cooperate?”
Theresa set down her empty cup and smiled as she extended her hand toward Bai Tang.
Bai Tang hesitated for a moment, then reached out and firmly grasped the offered hand.
There really was not much to consider. Even if it were not for herself, as fellow compatriots Bai Tang would still choose to act. After all, if her predecessor had not made that decision back then, she would never have survived until now.
“Alright. I’ll cooperate with you!”
The moment the two girls reached their agreement, Bai Tang clearly felt a cold gaze land on her. Following the line of sight, she saw the Barrel Butcher standing behind the tavern counter, staring at them with an icy, eerie look.
As if he would swallow her whole the very next second.
“By the way, picking the Goat Tavern itself as the meeting place — are we making a move right now?”
Discussing how to cooperate in taking down the Barrel Butcher inside his own tavern felt like a blatant face-slap. Bai Tang found the whole situation rather strange.
Weren’t they being a little too arrogant?
“Not at all~”
Theresa shook her head and spoke frankly while blinking her eyes. “Actually, I was already exposed during my investigation. I just happened to be thirsty, so I thought I’d drop by early to scout the place.”
Seeing Bai Tang’s worry, Theresa patted her chest and guaranteed, “Don’t worry. That guy still follows his own rules. During White Day he won’t actively attack us. So we’ll make preparations later. The real action starts after Long Night falls.”
So they were playing with their cards completely face up?
Relying on the enemy being in the [Lawful] alignment during White Day to boldly jump in his face — wasn’t that a bit too arrogant?!
Bai Tang was madly complaining internally.
After speaking, Theresa grabbed Bai Tang’s hand and stood up, striding straight toward the tavern counter.
“Let’s go. That big guy last time was already eyeing the werewolf and had no intention of letting you off either. We’re going to settle the score!”
The two girls crossed the entire tavern. The commotion they caused was not small and naturally drew the attention of every bizarre creature inside.
In an instant, countless gazes locked onto them.
Bai Tang stopped in front of the counter, feeling the Barrel Butcher’s icy, killing-intent-filled stare. Suddenly, a sentence she had once heard back on Earth flashed through her mind.
I just like the look of you hating me but being unable to do anything about it.
Since Theresa had already been exposed and was playing openly, if Bai Tang did not act a little arrogant now, it would really be letting down all the anger she had swallowed back then!
With that thought, under the gaze of countless eyes, Bai Tang heavily slapped the Demon Hunter Revolver from her embrace onto the counter with a sharp pa and provoked, “Ever since we ordered those two glasses of juice just now, your eyes have been glancing over here nonstop. Do you have a problem with your guests?”
Bound by the tavern rules he himself had set, the Barrel Butcher could only endure no matter how much he wanted to devour Bai Tang. Through gritted teeth, he forced out two words with great difficulty:
“No——ne!”
“If you have no problem, then what the hell are you staring at?!”