After seeing Xia Yan and Klein return, Kirito walked up to them and asked, "How was it? Any progress?"
"No, the monster is very cunning. Even with Klein's stealth skills, we couldn't get close to it."
Xia Yan shrugged and answered truthfully.
"It must be something that needs to be triggered."
Kirito nodded, then said, "By the way, the information broker I told you about is also trapped in SAO."
"But she seems to be doing a special task right now and doesn't have time to come. She should have time tomorrow."
"You contacted her?"
Xia Yan was slightly surprised.
"She seems to have kept her ID name the same as it was in the closed beta, so she could continue with her information business in SAO. I searched for her and found her."
Kirito explained.
Kirito and Argo had met during the closed beta and had a close connection. Because Kirito wanted to get information from Argo during the open beta, he learned some information about her and used it now.
"Alright, let's talk about it tomorrow then."
Xia Yan nodded.
It took Xia Yan and Kirito almost an hour and a half to collect all the quest items for the "Tempered Blade" quest.
Although Klein and the others completed the quest by taking shortcuts and getting help from others, their efficiency wasn't much faster than Xia Yan and Kirito.
When everyone completed the quest, it was almost midnight.
After the last person turned in the quest and obtained the Tempered Blade, everyone went back to the inn to rest.
"Why are you in the same room with me again?"
Asuna looked at Xia Yan, who was not planning on opening a separate room, but instead entering the room with a calm expression, and said speechlessly.
"To save money."
Xia Yan answered calmly.
"Save money?"
Asuna didn't understand.
"Yes, I might have a large expense coming up. It's better to save where I can, otherwise, I might not even have enough money to buy healing potions."
"If you don't have money to buy healing potions, I can buy them for you."
Asuna smiled slightly, generously offering.
"What? Girl, what are you thinking? I won't have any money, and you expect yourself to have money in your pocket?"
Xia Yan looked at Asuna in surprise.
"What does it have to do with me if you have no money?"
Asuna was even more confused.
"Have you forgotten your identity so quickly? You little pet, are you trying to turn over a new leaf!"
Xia Yan snorted.
"I'm a chef, not a pet!"
Asuna immediately retorted in shame.
"Same thing."
Xia Yan said indifferently, waving his hand: "Yours is mine, your wallet is my wallet."
"Robber!"
Asuna muttered, but she didn't refute Xia Yan. If Xia Yan really needed money, she would definitely hand over her money without hesitation.
"You have to call me Master."
Xia Yan lightly tapped Asuna's head.
"In your dreams!"
Asuna covered her head and snorted softly, then asked, "What do you need to do that costs a lot of money?"
"I need to buy information about the Moon Shadow Swift Weasel from a crook."
Xia Yan said directly, "According to that crook's pricing, I estimate my wallet will be emptied."
There's no need to guess, the information about a monster that might be a pet, the price of information about it is definitely not low.
Of course, it is under the premise that Argo really has information about the Moon Shadow Swift Weasel.
"I wonder if I can freeload. It would be great if I could."
Xia Yan sighed.
"You're the crook, you want to freeload on such important information?"
Asuna complained.
"This is a huge expense!"
Xia Yan glanced at Asuna: "You don't know the value of money until you're in charge. You rich girl really don't understand!"
"Aren't you a rich boy too? You're not qualified to say that about me!"
Asuna immediately retorted dissatisfied.
"You dare talk back? You have no sense of being a pet!"
Xia Yan pretended to want to punish her.
"I'm tired, I want to sleep."
Asuna immediately cowered, and just like yesterday, she took off her equipment, lay down on the bed, and closed her eyes to pretend to sleep.
Xia Yan smiled, didn't pursue it, and just like yesterday, they each took one side of the bed.
The next day.
Everyone left the town of Horuka early in the morning. The monsters around this town are already at a lower level and can no longer meet everyone's leveling needs, so they came to a new town.
Asuna and the others went to the blacksmith's shop to replace their equipment and enhance their newly acquired 'Tempered Blade'.
As for Kirito and Xia Yan, they separated from Asuna and the others and went into a relatively secluded alleyway.
Under Kirito's guidance, the two of them went through the alleyway, turning a corner and arriving in front of a door that looked like a hidden location. They pushed the door open and went inside.
Behind the door was a small bar that looked quite dilapidated.
"It's really like a spy meeting."
Xia Yan couldn't help but complain: "If you hadn't led the way, I might not have found it."
"That guy's nickname is Rat, you can tell from the name that he's a timid and cautious guy."
Kirito didn't mind and said: "If she didn't meet in a place like this, I would doubt whether this ID is the Rat I know."
"Hmph!"
After the two of them entered the bar, the NPC who was the bar owner was standing at the counter. He looked at the two who walked in but didn't greet them. Instead, he snorted coldly and turned away.
Because this NPC owner is set to have a terrible personality, the location of the bar is very remote and dilapidated. Few players come here.
Except for those who are very solitary or have special circumstances, almost no one would find this place.
"It should be her."
Kirito pointed at the player sitting at a table in the corner.
Right now, except for Kirito and Xia Yan, there was only one other player in the bar.
The other person was completely covered by a gray-black cloak, making it impossible to see what they looked like.
Just from the clothes, you could tell that they were probably a mysterious character.
......
Please give flowers, please collect, please give evaluation tickets