Hellbents
Chapter 29: No Alcohol

Ava was in disguise, her blond wiggling false hair every time her head nodded to the rhythm of the fast tempo music in the crowded restaurant. It was at this inn that the royal soldiers rented a room, currently they were celebrating the successful subjugation of the gate last night. The smell of beer, sweat, and cheap perfume mixed to make him dizzy.

Enlivened by the laughter that once appeared in the middle of the song, the chairs and tables that were supposed to be symmetrically arranged were now pushed back against the wall, touching the wall, leaving a large space in the middle of the restaurant that the soldiers used to dance with local women who attracted their attention. Ava was also no stranger to the gaze fixed on her back, yet she was still attached to her seat in front of the bar table. Trying to find useful pieces of information that are immersed in the hubbub.

"The contribution reward this time is quite good as well, since the level requirement is increased to 40, we at least get a unique class weapon."

"Eh, but the mission given is quite difficult, after hunting 100 level 20 shark monsters, we also have to kill the boss of the monster who is level 45!"

"Well! Good thing our squad captain who is right level 40 has his flagship skill! Otherwise, we could still be trapped until now, just so we're preventing an outbreak until we starve to death!"

One of the rules that Ava knows through the book also mentions that as long as there are still individuals who try to conquer the gate, the gate will not reset or the outbreak progress continues, as long as he's alive. That is, outbreak prevention can actually be done if this kingdom applies a tumbal system like kingdoms on other continents, but not. But on the other hand, if a member of the previous conquest gate squad has not come out for several years, as long as they are still alive the gate will survive and cannot be entered because of the closed portal.

"Really! Too bad yesterday our inventory was locked, so we're just relying on the fruit and plants in the gate."

The higher the level of the gate, the tighter the limits given, although not always constant. Ava once read, a legendary gate whose limit is up to level 100 that appeared several hundred years ago, applying a status reset, meaning status points of strength, speed, speed, and the form again slumped to 1 each.

"Oh, don't you eat shark monsters?" one of the local women asked enthusiastically to hear their complaints.

"Uh, from its half-human shape .. makes me nauseous when told to eat the meat."

Hm. Ava flavor making monsters whose bottom resembles their own race as a dish would be considered as half cannibal.

"But look!" a soldier raised a proud artifact in his hand, a knife with a purple handle that from the looks of it had been labeled expensive and valuable.

"Gee!" the woman exclaimed in admiration, "It was the first time I saw a unique weapon.

"Cool, right? This is the good thing about joining a strong army."

"Rightly cool!"

"Then, how about ...."

Ava averted her eyes as they started kissing in public. The moon was already high emitting its greenish glow in the night sky, so it seemed like almost everyone here had already been intoxicated with alcohol.

Ava gulped down her apple juice, tidying up the simple dress she still kept since the festival in the city of Tezia. The girl passed by the table that she had noticed earlier, quietly snatching the knife that was still being laid just like that, the people at the table were half unconscious, he said, or more busy bragging about the fight they just faced on their partner's woman, for marriage, infidelity, or just one night's love.

But having just loaded his stolen weapon into the inventory, his hand was blocked.

Was he found out?

The man's narrowed eyes sharpened, staring intensely at Ava's two black beads deeply. "We've met before?" The sharp smell of beer poked Ava's nose as the man opened his mouth.

So this is just a cheap flirtation when drunk?

"I don't think so," Ava automatically put on a sweet smile. His palm pushed the man's tight grip on his wrist silently. He also missed.

"No! We've met, I'm sure!" The Asian-faced man was suddenly aggressive. A few pairs of eyes began to notice them.

First of all, Ava must find a quiet place.

"really? Then let's just talk outside, it's too crowded here." This time Ava, who took the initiative to hook their arms, led the drunken man to the exit.

Fresh air flicked his fake hair as the two of them managed to escape from the party crowd, low boisterous still heard behind the closed door. Ava immediately broke away.

He hoped the night wind would resuscitate this little man he faced. "So, where is it?"

The man leaned against the wall, pausing long before he replied, "Where is what?"

Ava actually does not want to continue this conversation, especially if the interlocutor can not communicate consciously. So he retreated slowly, chiming in just as a closure, "If you don't remember either, I don't think it matters much."

With one last glance, Ava took another look at the man. Uh!

Ava's memory goes back a few days, the day of her first gate conquest. He was the last one to come out and look angry, the other maniac hunter, the real genius. Gu Hao's.

His head was foggy, Hao drank too much beer even though this was the first time he was allowed to drink alcohol. He must have remembered, everything was at the tip of the tongue, only from earlier there was no sound that broke their residence. Dizziness also distracted him thinking further, so he just gave up. Hao inhaled a deep breath, after a few minutes of exposure to fresh air his focus slowly returned to how it was.

But the woman was no longer in front of him.

The gate!

He practically screamed in his head. But it's too late.

Hao recalled the pretty face of a woman when he came out of the gate a few days ago. Female hunters are still a minority, let alone charming people like that. Even his anger at not getting the first position in the contribution board instantly subsided even though it was only as intense as it seemed before he disappeared, just like this time.

Strong and beautiful woman. He wanted. But maybe this is what her brother usually warns, alcohol talking. A deed that he would not normally do, he would dare to do right now.

Maybe Hao will regret tonight too. Either for losing track of the woman of his dreams, or for daring to take his eyes off his lifelong goal, becoming the highest level person in the world.