Tavern

When Qin Ran stepped off the train, he immediately spotted the Harvest Tavern across from the station sign.

White mortar filled the joints between its red bricks. Through a square window's slightly cloudy glass, he could make out the silhouettes of the customers inside. A thumb-thick iron rod, half a meter long, extended from the upper right corner of the arched door, with the Harvest Tavern's sign hanging from it.

The oval wooden sign bore the tavern's name in golden paint on one side and a drawing of a large mug brimming with beer on the other.

The lettering was in a decorative script Qin Ran didn't recognize.

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Even Qin Ran, who knew nothing about art, could appreciate the drawing. With just a few strokes, the artist had made the beer and foam look ready to spill over the rim.

It looked remarkably lifelike!

After giving the beer mug another glance, Qin Ran knocked on the door.

Knock, knock!

[The owner has permitted you to enter!]

[Continue concealing your appearance? Yes/No]

Qin Ran paused.

He had assumed the Harvest Tavern would be like Broker's Secret Market. He hadn't expected it to be a player's room.

That didn't stop him from choosing yes.

"Yes!"

This was probably the in-game room of one of Lawless's friends, but the tavern sign suggested that Lawless and his friend wouldn't be the only people inside.

Qin Ran instinctively kept his guard up around strangers.

The same went for unfamiliar places.

With his right hand on the grip of his [MI-02], Qin Ran raised his left and pushed.

Creak!

The door swung open with the distinctive scrape of wooden hinges against the frame.

A rich aroma of alcohol and a burst of hearty