At the same time, Ben and Leo chose a small tavern near the city gate and decided to stay there. The reason they picked this place was a well-thought-out decision after careful observation.
This small tavern was situated right next to the main road, the surroundings were relatively open, with no dead ends, which made it easy to escape. Additionally, staying on the second floor offered them a better view of the situation outside. It was also close to the city gate. If anything went wrong or if the city became too dangerous, the two could quickly leave.
When they checked into the tavern, the sky was getting darker.
Leo stood by the window of the room on the second floor, looking out at the street below. As night fell, the people on the street quickened their pace to go home. The shops on both sides of the road were closing, and even the guards at the city gate had disappeared. Everyone looked hasty!
However, the city gate was still open. It wasn't closed at all. Leo frowned as she wondered whether the soldiers were too anxious to escape and forgot, or if it was intentional...
She couldn't shake off the feeling of unease.
"Leo, you were right. This damn place really doesn't feel right!" Ben's voice came from behind her.
"Don't misunderstand!" he added. They were both dressed, of course. The reason they were sharing a room wasn't to save money, but to have someone to look after each other. After all, they didn't plan to sleep tonight anyway.
"It's getting dark soon," Leo said. "No matter what, we'll find out later."
Noticing the concern on Leo's face, Ben immediately reassured her. "Don't worry, team up with me, and you'll be flying high in no time!"
Leo glanced at Ben thoughtfully and said, "It seems that the Kryptonian bloodline isn't the worthless talent everyone said it was?"
Ben grinned, impressed with her sharp thinking. "Exactly! I've discovered how the Kryptonian bloodline works, and I'm much stronger now."
After he spoke, he watched Leo closely, hoping to gauge her reaction. She nodded and said, "I can tell. Even Chen Kai couldn't defeat the strongman Peter, but you won easily. That means you're stronger than both of them."
Leo paused, a curious look in her eyes. "I don't see you training at school. Did you go outside to train in secret to keep the Kryptonian bloodline a secret?"
Ben hesitated but answered, "Yeah, I guess so! I've been doing... uh, sunbathing. That's a form of training, right?"
Leo didn't ask further. She was sharp enough to know why Ben might want to keep his Kryptonian bloodline a secret. If she were in his shoes, she would probably do the same to maintain its uniqueness.
"You're so strong now. Does that mean the Kryptonian bloodline strengthens your physical attributes?" Leo asked.
Ben smiled. "No! It's an all-around enhancement. No weaknesses!"
He wasn't exaggerating. Superman's physique, whether it was speed, strength, or defense, had reached an invincible level, which was why people called him the "God on Earth." If there was any real weakness, it might be his low resistance to magic...
But Leo seemed unconvinced and gave a skeptical sigh. "Even so, you lost a lot by trading the Flare-Flare Fruit for it."
Ben quickly corrected himself, "Not a loss, not a loss at all. The Flare-Flare Fruit is something that even dogs could use. For me, the Kryptonian bloodline is a much better fit."
Leo wouldn't take his words seriously. After all, the Natural Devil Fruit was an outstanding talent, recognized across the world. Many of the world's top powerhouses were Natural Devil Fruit users. No matter how good the Kryptonian bloodline was, it couldn't surpass the Flare-Flare Fruit in her eyes.
She looked at Ben seriously, then suddenly said, "Thank you, Ben!"
Ben immediately realized that everything he had said had been in vain. "Forget it. You'll understand later..." he muttered.
Just then, there was a knock at the door. Ben opened it to find the landlady of the tavern standing there, holding a tray with wine and food.
The landlady, with fair skin and striking headlights, was a typical middle-aged woman, a bit on the heavier side. She immediately noticed the open window and warned, "Guests, please don't open the window after it gets dark."
She brought the wine and food into the room. "This is the tavern's signature rum and freshly baked grilled meat bread. You two should eat while it's hot. I'll bring hot water later."
As the landlady turned to leave, Ben asked, "What happens here after dark?"
The landlady's expression shifted, and without a word, she quickly left the room, refusing to answer.
Once the door was closed, both Ben and Leo exchanged a concerned look. This wasn't the first time they had encountered this. Whenever they asked passers-by, they all reacted the same way, avoiding the subject.
"Anyway, it won't be long until night falls. Let's wait and see," Ben said.
Leo nodded.
Suddenly, they both turned their attention to the grilled meat on the table. The meat, though a bit charred, smelled unusually fragrant. The aroma was so enticing that it made them both hungry. The rum also had a tempting fragrance that made it hard to resist tasting it.
"This meat seems odd," Ben said, frowning. "And the wine..."
With his heightened mental attribute, Ben was sensitive to subtle cues. He immediately suspected that both the wine and the meat had hallucinogenic properties.
"Yes, I can sense it too," Leo agreed. "Some kind of psychoactive substance has been mixed in."
Leo's mental attribute was also high, and as a top student, she easily recognized the problem. "This town is very small, and there's no livestock here. So the source of this meat is highly suspicious!"
"Looks like we're in trouble," Ben said, a grim smile crossing his face. "It does smell good, though!"
Even if the food and drink were normal, they still wouldn't eat them. This was a dangerous spirit realm, and no one would be foolish enough to eat and drink carelessly here. The mission time was only twelve hours, so going without food or sleep wasn't a problem.
Leo suddenly stood up, broke off part of the grilled meat bread, and threw it under the bed. She also poured out two half-cups of wine, one on each side, making the table look messy with food and drink.
Ben understood what she was doing and smiled appreciatively at her cleverness. He cooperated immediately, sitting down at the table and pretending to enjoy the meal.
After a short while, footsteps echoed outside the door. Ben closed his eyes, tilted his head, and pretended to fall asleep in the chair. Leo lay down on the table, looking as though she couldn't handle the alcohol.
Both of them pretended to be dizzy, waiting for what was about to happen.