Chapter 0047: Recruitment of the Enchanting Sorceress

Having gathered the crystal coins, Di Ping opened the system interface once more. A virtual screen appeared before him, and every time he accessed the system, he was struck by a sense of unreality, as though caught in a dream, much like Zhuangzi's butterfly dream—he couldn't quite discern who was dreaming whom.

But this wasn't the moment for such musings. Suppressing the distractions in his mind, he clicked directly on the tavern recruitment interface, entering the hero recruitment page. The screen blurred momentarily, and three heroes gradually revealed themselves. As expected, luck wasn't always on his side; all three were D-level potential heroes.

Di Ping only had five crystal coins, far from enough to refresh the list. Fortunately, his goal this time was to recruit a D-level hero, precisely to test his theory.

The first hero was an archer, but Di Ping quickly dismissed this option. Why? Because heroes recruited through the system appeared without any gear, and an archer without a bow was useless.

The second hero was a barbarian, but Di Ping had already recruited a barbarian named Bugi, so this would have been a repetition.

The third option was a sorceress, and notably, a female sorceress. This choice aligned with Di Ping's thinking. As a warrior, having a ranged attack hero like a sorceress would complement his abilities well. So, he decided on her.

Di Ping selected the sorceress and confirmed the recruitment. He recalled Tavern Manager Wu An's words—recruitment could be completed directly through the system, without the need to visit the tavern's third floor. Once confirmed, the recruitment process would automatically begin at the tavern's recruitment tower. Di Ping completed the recruitment while still in the bath.

A red glow enveloped the female sorceress, and in an instant, she vanished from the system interface.

Meanwhile, the recruitment tower on the third floor of the tavern suddenly lit up. A myriad of mysterious symbols began to glow on the pillar, and waves of energy flowed through the symbols. The pillar shone brightly, illuminating the entire third floor. The three prismatic columns began to open, their openings expanding, and energy began to swirl within. The mist inside the columns grew denser and more concentrated, as lightning flickered through the fog like a swarm of serpents.

The mist continued to thicken and spread outward, eventually forming a large fog that enveloped the three columns. After a minute, a faint thunderous sound emerged from the mist, which suddenly expanded rapidly and then contracted with force, condensing back into the space between the three columns, forming a humanoid light figure.

As the mist dissipated, the light dimmed, revealing a tall figure clad in a black cloak. The figure was completely covered, even the face obscured, but after pausing for a few seconds, the figure stepped forward, and Tavern Manager Wu An was already waiting in the third-floor hall.

At this moment, Di Ping remained unaware of the scene unfolding. He saw the image of the female sorceress disappear from the recruitment interface, and a new hero appeared below Bugi's listing—a female sorceress named Gina, Level 1, with empty weapon slots. He confirmed the recruitment, which seemed successful, and summoned Barton to bring Gina to him.

Though the castle had an ancient architectural style, it was equipped with a sophisticated AI system, akin to something out of a science fiction film. Di Ping, who was relaxing in the bath, had simply spoken to the air, asking Barton to go to the tavern and escort Gina. Barton received the notification through the castle's intelligent system. Di Ping had initially found the system a bit disorienting, but after Barton's repeated explanations, he grew to appreciate its convenience. With such a large castle, finding someone without the system would have been a real hassle.

When Di Ping finished his bath and came downstairs, Barton was already waiting in the living room, accompanied by the female sorceress.

Gina had removed the hood of her cloak, letting her golden hair fall in natural curls over her shoulders. Her skin was pale and smooth, and her eyes were deep blue, like the starry sky, radiating an almost hypnotic pull, as though they could draw one's soul in. Her long, curled eyelashes added a flirtatious touch to her gaze, and her brows, thin and straight, arched like delicate willows. Her high nose was sculpted with precision, and her lips were full, subtly curved upward, with a faint, enigmatic smile that never left her face. Her slender, angular face, with a pointed chin and prominent cheekbones, enhanced her striking beauty, lending her an otherworldly charm. Though her body was concealed beneath the large cloak, her silhouette suggested an enchanting figure, exuding strength rather than the frail, cold image of the typical mage.

"Master! Gina responds to your summons!"

Gina met Di Ping's gaze for a brief moment, her eyes quickly shifting to one of reverence. Her face flushed, and she suddenly knelt before him, raising her right hand to her chest in a respectful gesture.

"Haha! Please, rise!" Di Ping said warmly, smiling as he helped Gina up from her kneeling position. "Welcome to this place, Gina!"

Though taken aback by Gina's beauty, Di Ping quickly regained his composure and managed to maintain his dignity. It would be shameful to lose control over his subordinate's appearance. Despite the respect shown by his heroes, Di Ping preferred to maintain his composure and decorum.

However, as he helped Gina to her feet, his hand brushed against her arm. Though covered by fabric, he could still feel the softness and warmth of her skin, and a faint fragrance lingered in the air, sending a sudden rush of heat through his body. Di Ping was no stranger to romance—he had experienced the innocence of college love with Su Xiao, but this was something entirely different. Su Xiao's beauty was youthful and fresh, but Gina's allure was more mature, with a magnetic charm that, combined with her subtle fragrance, made Di Ping's heart race.