After a brief silence, Della signaled to the few female waitresses hiding behind the bar to take down the kettle.
Then, amidst the piercing whistle of the kettle, she strode fiercely towards the child at the door.
With both hands lifting her skirt, she gave a mighty kick, sending the head outside, then suddenly turned back towards the bar.
"Come in if you want, close the door!"
The kettle was finally removed, and the tense atmosphere in the tavern slightly eased as the flames burning the corpses on the ground disappeared.
Everyone helped to set up the tables and chairs, half-complaining and half-serious in demanding compensation from the tavern owner for the damage just caused, while resuming their chatter.
"Ugh~" Andy pinched his throat.
"Andy bro, what's wrong?" Tali asked with curious concern.
Andy, with his left hand choking his neck and his right holding a cup, stared despairingly at the water in the cup: "It's bad enough stepping in horse dung, but a human head... a man's head at that." ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩•𝗳𝗂𝗋𝖾•𝕟𝕖𝕥
"A man's head untouched by a bath for half a month." Another warrior from the Shadow Team picked up the kettle, poured himself a glass of water, and gulped it down.
"Yeet—you bastard, you're really making me want to puke!" Andy's dramatic act made Tali giggle uncontrollably.
The girl's laughter spurred Andy on, as he continued to describe the greasy hair of a man unwashed for half a month, marveling at how wonderfully such greasy hair wrapped in snow, causing Tali to complain repeatedly about being unable to drink the water.
The group of children walked into the tavern, leveraging their numbers to drive away people sitting near the fireplace, occupying one of the tavern's warmest spots.
The old man poured water for Li Changzhou, while subtly glancing at the child.
Li Changzhou nodded silently.
The old man, the child, and the woman all gathered in this eerie tavern on this snowy night, using the guest's kettle. Even veteran players would be wary, let alone ordinary people.
Just as the atmosphere was warming up again.
The door was slowly pushed open!
A shoulder squeezed through the crack in the door.
The biting cold wind lashed at the recently warmed bodies, causing everyone to instinctively hunch their shoulders.
"Damn it!" One after another, even Della couldn't help but curse.
This time, only one person came, dressed in attire impervious to swords and cold, holding a kerosene lamp in hand.
Amidst the grand "welcoming noise" (curses), the newcomer shut the door with a shoulder, choosing a table closest to the fireplace without clashing with those already there.
By coincidence, if Li Changzhou and his group occupied the cannon position of the black side of a chessboard, the newcomer sat in the cannon position of the red side, forming a perfect symmetry.
Della approached the newcomer.
The newcomer nodded again.
"Twelve blocks of ice."
The newcomer, sluggish from the cold, slowly took a handful of ice from the Beast Bag, counted with his eyes, and used a finger to push out twelve blocks.
"Meili! Bring this table a pot of horse bone soup first, don't let my guests freeze to death!" Della shouted, deftly pocketing the twelve blocks of ice and tossing down a door plate.
Everyone, warriors, children, the old man, including Li Changzhou, looked at the newcomer.
Alone, thin, oblivious to the market, with lots of money...
The crowd—A fat sheep?
Li Changzhou—Yang Qinglan?
The atmosphere grew eerie.
"Captain," the old man frowned and whispered, "something's not right, it's better not to stay overnight today, borrow some fire and continue on."
"Don't joke, old man!" Andy was chewing on a piece of horse meat, "Are you asking us to risk our lives, go out, and freeze to death?"
"Idiot! Staying here is risking our lives!" The old man cursed.
"I know these people aren't right, but we have the captain, who's the most dangerous here... heh." Andy sneered twice.
The wrinkles on the old man's forehead doubled, the rest of the four were silent but their expressions revealed they didn't want to go out, it was really too cold outside.
"Captain?" The old man looked at Li Changzhou, now it was only an order that could make everyone act.
In this instance, danger cannot be avoided.
Last time, Li Changzhou cultivated for six years in the Journey to the West world, provided he survived in the hands of the Queen Mother—two Queen Mothers. This was their guess, but according to the game rule that the risk and opportunity are equal in value, it's probably true.
Staying may be risky; choosing to avoid, going out might not be any less safe.
Moreover, it was truly cold outside, and the old man was elderly; if anyone among the seven were to freeze to death, it would be him first.
"Tonight, we'll all sleep in one room, take turns on guard two by two, the old man and Tali rest." Li Changzhou spoke.
"No problem, boss!" Andy responded with a cheeky smile, raising an eyebrow at the old man.
The old man ignored the boy, frowning, he said, "You can stay, but I'll guard too."
"Old man, this team needs me, just as much as it needs you. There are plenty of things you need to handle that require your energy, don't fuss over one night." Li Changzhou tore off a piece of horse meat, dipped it in some unknown dry seasoning, and ate it slowly, his eyes observing the lone individual opposite.
"Long live the boss!" Andy held his cup in the middle.
"Long live the boss!" Yeet and the others toasted with boiling snow water.
Even after entering the tavern, the lone figure remained tightly wrapped, though eyes were exposed, head was lowered.
Ate only a small amount of meat, and when eating, lips were completely covered.
Beside, the steam from the kettle of horse bone soup continuously hovered around her face.
Her height was similar to Yang Qinglan's, but due to the clothing, the body shape couldn't be confirmed.
"Cough! Cough!" Li Changzhou coughed twice.
"Husband, choked?" Della came over hearing the cough, twisted her waist, and sat down brushing her ample buttocks against Li Changzhou.