Chapter 00131: The Timing Was Off
# The Timing Was Off
Chapter 131
Novel: AFK Game: Portal to Another World
Chapter 131: The Timing Was Off
After escorting Yang Yiyi not far from the riverbank, Father Eagle and the Horse Demon turned back.
For the demons in the valley, Yang Yiyi's arrival had brought a rare bit of fun to their tranquil lives, and they hadn't expected the fun to end so quickly.
The more Father Eagle looked at Yang Yiyi, the more he liked her.
He sounded much like an elder giving advice to a junior about to set off on a long journey.
Yang Yiyi, too, was a bit reluctant to leave.
The demons of Peach Blossom Valley were simple and pure.
Being with them, she didn't have to watch the expressions of her Master and Martial Uncle like she did in her sect, and it brought back the happiness of her childhood.
But there is no feast that does not end, and Yang Yiyi still had things to do.
She watched as the Horse Demon and Father Eagle grew more distant, then gently wiped the corner of her eye and whispered to the Jade Tablet in her arms:
"Brother Li, I know this area. A little further ahead is a small town called Mao Mountain Town. We can take a boat from there."
Li Chengxi was still pondering what Mao Mountain Town had to do with Mao Mountain.
Could there be Mao Mountain Daoist Priests in the game too?
As it turned out, after Yang Yiyi had walked a short distance toward the small town, Li Chengxi saw that the hillside next to the town was covered in white cogongrass...
So it really was Mao Mountain in the literal sense.
The small town looked quaint and antique.
Even though Li Chengxi was seeing it in a pixel style, it reminded him of a documentary about ancient towns he had once watched.
A river channel flowed through the middle of the town, and along its banks were homes built against the mountain and by the water.
The white walls and black tiles, along with the exquisitely crafted flying eaves and bracket sets, made it look like a wealthy and prosperous place.
"Let's disguise you a bit before we go in, so you won't be recognized."
Yang Yiyi had been a fugitive before, and there was no guarantee there weren't spies in the nearby town.
It was necessary to change her appearance.
Li Chengxi had intended to give Yang Yiyi some of the liquid foundation he sold in his shop to put on, but just as he said that, he saw Yang Yiyi grab a handful of dirt and smear it on her face.
Fine, the effect was more or less the same.
Next, Yang Yiyi undid her twist braid and tied her hair into a high ponytail, letting more of her bangs hang down.
It made her look a bit disheveled and messy, and at a glance, you couldn't even see her face.
Combined with the gear gifted to her by the demons, she looked like the daughter of a hunter from the mountains who had come down, a stark contrast to her original style.
Once she was ready, Yang Yiyi tucked the Jade Tablet deeper into her robes and walked into the small town.
The town was bustling with people and carriages, looking very lively.
"So many people, Brother Li. Should we walk around the town?"
"Haven't you been here before?"
"When Master brought me here, I was in no mood to look around. I had to follow him carefully so I wouldn't get lost."
"Let's not. There might be people watching nearby. You should find a place to stay first and leave as soon as the boat arrives tomorrow."
They had just been to the town's dock, and the people there said the passenger ship wouldn't arrive until the next day.
If Yang Yiyi was in a hurry, she could rent a black-canopied boat, but the rental fee was not cheap, and Yang Yiyi didn't have that much spare money.
"Oh, Brother Li, look, there's an inn over there."
Li Chengxi, watching the screen from his computer, put his head in his hands.
This girl really had the memory of a goldfish, forgetting things in an instant.
It had been less than a month since she was forced to jump off a cliff, yet she had already forgotten that this was their territory and wanted to wander around.
Really...
Upon entering the inn, Yang Yiyi first booked a guest room with the innkeeper.
Then, instead of going to her room, she walked straight into the main hall and sat down on a stool with the broad, unreserved manner of a boorish man.
A waiter quickly approached.
"Guest, what would you like to eat?"
"Half a jin of cooked beef, and two steamed buns."
"Right away, please wait a moment."
Seeing that there weren't many people eating nearby, Li Chengxi spoke quietly through the Jade Tablet:
"Why are you eating in the main hall? Go back to your room to eat."
"Huh? Don't all great heroes eat in the main hall?"
Yang Yiyi said, perplexed:
"In the stories I've heard, great heroes always enter an inn, plant themselves in the main hall, and order half a jin of cooked beef and a jug of old wine."
"Can you drink wine?"
"No, but I can eat cooked beef."
"..."
Li Chengxi felt that Yang Yiyi was like a chuunibyou girl, except her style was Wuxia-themed.
Forget it.
Since she had already sat down, changing places now would only draw more attention.
It was better to eat quickly and leave.
The cooked beef and steamed buns were ready-made, and the waiter brought them over in no time.
As soon as Yang Yiyi saw the sinewy, steaming hot cooked beef, her eyes seemed to be glued to it.
She picked up her chopsticks and stuffed it into her mouth like a hungry wolf.
In truth, Yang Yiyi was probably craving meat.
The sausages Li Chengxi gave her didn't taste like real meat and didn't satisfy her craving.
For days, she had eaten nothing but bread and fruit.
Her mouth was about to lose all taste.
Ordering the cooked beef wasn't entirely to act like a great hero.
After devouring several mouthfuls, Yang Yiyi broke open a steamed bun, stuffed beef inside to make a Roujiamo, and ate with such relish that her eyebrows danced.
She didn't forget to pour herself a cup of tea from the teapot on the table.
Otherwise, with the way she was eating like a reincarnated hungry ghost, it would be strange if she didn't choke.
Martial artists all ate a lot.
After all, how could they keep up with their body's energy consumption if they ate too little? In a short while, the two steamed buns and half a jin of cooked beef vanished completely.
Yang Yiyi poured another cup of tea to wash it all down.
"Speaking of which, do you have enough money for your journey?"
"Um... I should, right? I have some silver pieces."
Back in the sect, Yang Yiyi received a monthly allowance.
Although it wasn't much and she was reluctant to spend it, she saved most of it to give to her parents when she went home for the new year.
A small portion had accumulated, which she carried with her.
It was definitely enough for a meal, but the journey back involved more than just eating; she also had to pay for boat and carriage fares and stay at inns.
Only after the cooked beef was in her stomach did Yang Yiyi remember that her travel funds might not be enough.
"It should be fine. If not, I'll just rob the rich to help the poor. I heard the great heroes in the stories all do that."
Li Chengxi was almost speechless.
"To rob the rich to help the poor, you first need to know which family is rich, and you also need to know if they are wicked. Just stealing from a wealthy household isn't robbing the rich to help the poor, it's just being a thief."
Besides, with Yang Yiyi's movement technique, if she were to engage in rooftop thievery, she would probably turn into a demolition crew on the spot, a fitting job for this dump truck of a girl.
Yang Yiyi scratched her head.
"I shouldn't have eaten the cooked beef if I'd known..."
"You've already eaten it. Just don't spend recklessly from now on."
Just as they were speaking, a commotion came from a short distance behind them.
"Little lady, you're quite a beauty. Come drink with your big brother."
"Let go!"
"Ooh, quite a fiery temper. I like your type."
Hearing this, Yang Yiyi immediately whispered to Li Chengxi:
"Look, Brother Li, an opportunity has come. A scoundrel is harassing a young lady. I'll go beat him away in three moves, and the young lady will surely treat me with courtesy. Maybe she'll even give me some travel money. That's how it always goes in the stories."
Hold on, sister, is your life's code of conduct based entirely on storytellers' tales?
On his screen, Li Chengxi did indeed see a red-faced, drunk chibi character at the table next to Yang Yiyi, harassing a girl in white.
He even had a medicinal plaster on his head, a truly classic look.
Without another word, Yang Yiyi immediately stood up, stepped onto the stool with a grand flourish, turned around, and shouted:
"Let go of that girl!"
Just as her voice fell, before she had any chance to play the hero saving the damsel, she saw the scoundrel fly sideways past her, landing with a thud outside the inn, face-planting on the ground.
Oh no, she misjudged the timing of her entrance.
Now, everyone in the inn was either looking at the woman in white who had just thrown the scoundrel out, or at Yang Yiyi, who had roared for justice but found the affair concluded before she could even make a move.
The scene became extremely awkward for a moment.