Villain Ch 200. The Guild Halls
Following that tender and intimate moment, Allen and the rest of the group decided to embark on a hunting session. They opted for a more relaxed approach, venturing into familiar territories they had previously explored. The fields they chose were devoid of other players, mainly because the plant monsters that roamed those areas boasted intimidatingly high levels.
As they made their way through the virtual landscape, the other girls seized the opportunity to ask their concerns about Allen to Jane. They had caught her worried expression before the intimate encounter with Allen, and they couldn't help but be curious about it. With cautious curiosity, they approached Jane, hoping to gain some insight into his state of mind.
With a sigh, Jane mustered a small smile and proceeded to shed some light on the matter. She recounted the tender moment shared with Allen, assuring her friends that he was okay now. While the other girls had already suspected as much, Jane's reassurance brought a sense of relief, allowing them to understand the dynamics at play.
The girls listened attentively, their eyes reflecting both curiosity and empathy. They realized that prying into the details might only agitate Allen further, as he needed time to process his emotions. They understood the importance of giving him space to calm himself, realizing that prodding him with questions or treating his experiences like idle gossip would be counterproductive. Especially since a lot of things happened today.
Jane's revelation about Allen's complexity left the rest of the group in surprise. It hadn't occurred to them just how intricate his emotions could be, but upon reflection, they realized that he had been holding back during their previous encounter. This newfound understanding piqued their curiosity, prompting them to pay closer attention to his inner world. Allen seemed to possess a depth that surpassed their initial expectations, and they couldn't help but be intrigued by the enigmatic layers that composed his being.
His ability to manage his emotions amidst the chaos of the game was truly commendable. It was as if he navigated through his own personal labyrinth, never fully revealing the depths of his thoughts and feelings. And that complexity only added to his allure. They were drawn to his mysterious nature, eager to unravel the intricate threads that composed his character.
Hours passed. Allen had reached level 71 when they decided to end their hunt. It granted him more than enough access to the next tier and to evolve stronger. However, the lateness of the hour compelled Allen and the rest of the group to call it a night. They agreed to postpone the trial until the following day, aware that they couldn't predict its duration.
Just like that, another day had passed.
A new day dawned, bringing with it the gentle glow of the morning sun filtering through Allen's apartment's curtains. The digital clock on his bedside table blinked 07:30 AM, signaling the start of a new day. However, Allen remained nestled in the embrace of his bed, lost in the realm of dreams.
Sleep had proven elusive for him the previous night, plagued by a whirlwind of thoughts that swirled through his mind. Thoughts of Sophia, Elio, and his former teammates danced in his consciousness, rendering him restless and contemplative. It had taken a full hour of tossing and turning, aided by a steaming cup of chamomile tea, to finally coax him into the realm of slumber.
But there was something different about this morning. Instead of the usual blaring alarm, it was the shrill ringtone of an incoming call that pierced through the hazy veil of sleep, jolting Allen awake.
He groaned, a mixture of annoyance and grogginess emanating from him. "Oh, please, not now," he muttered under his breath, exhaling a long sigh. His mind was still shrouded in a fog.
He clicked his tongue in annoyance, he knew there was only one person who would dare to call him at such an ungodly hour—Gerry.
A pang of apprehension shot through him, his body tensing involuntarily. Gerry was known for his relentless dedication to the gym, but today's early morning call seemed out of character for their usual training schedule.
Lazily, with eyes still half-closed, Allen fumbled for his phone on the bedside table. Without bothering to check the caller ID, he unlocked the screen and pressed it to his ear. "What is it, Gerry?" he murmured, his voice tinged with sleepiness.
But instead of Gerry's familiar voice, a female voice greeted him on the other end. His drowsiness instantly evaporated as he strained to comprehend the urgency in her tone. "Allen, you need to check the gaming forum right now!" she exclaimed, her urgency reverberating through the phone.
Startled, Allen jolted upright, his senses abruptly sharpening. The mention of the gaming forum, the virtual hub where players gathered to share information, strategies, and the latest updates, piqued his interest.
"Why? Who is this? What's going on?" he asked, his voice now fully alert and laced with curiosity. His mind raced with possibilities, contemplating what urgent revelation might await him in the vast online community.
He lifted his phone to examine the caller's name on the screen, verifying who was the caller, and found out it was Bella. A sense of curiosity mingled with his clouded mind, prompting him to press the phone against his ear once again. "Bella, whom are you referring to?" he asked, his voice still laden with drowsiness. "I mean, which specific forum are you talking about?" he corrected quickly.
Bella let out a patient sigh, understanding the haze that clouded Allen's thoughts. "I'm talking about the Hell's Gate gaming forum, the Guild Halls section," she clarified, her voice infused with a mix of urgency and excitement. There was an undeniable eagerness in her tone that piqued Allen's interest, pulling him out of his sleepy stupor.
Her words had an electric effect on Allen, instantly dispelling the remnants of sleepiness that clung to him. Curiosity surged within him, fueled by the knowledge that Bella's call must be connected to the events of the previous day. He pondered the possibilities, his mind racing with random guesses as to what could have transpired.
"Is something big happening? Did any of the players figure out who we are?" Allen threw out his questions, his voice filled with a mix of excitement and apprehension. As he peeled himself away from the comfort of his bed, he shuffled towards his laptop, intermittently yawning as his body fought to shake off the last vestiges of drowsiness.