Chapter 17: The Presence of a Powerhouse-Close-Combat Pay-to-Win Mage(The Dao gives rise to the meow.)

He had heard the story of the little horse crossing the river since he was a child, and he had a certain stubbornness in his character. What others said was good might not actually be good for him. What others said was bad might not be so bad after all. In everything, he needed to try it himself.

Now, with the scroll in his hands and such a golden opportunity before him, why shouldn't he give it a try?

"Why should I trust you?" Luo Yong asked.

The elven maiden stared at him in a daze, and suddenly tears welled up in her eyes.

Sigh!

Luo Yong couldn't bear to see girls cry, especially pretty girls.

Ahem.

"Show me the rune gem. I want to check it first," Luo Yong said, holding up the wish scroll.

"Eh?" The elven girl was momentarily stunned. She hadn’t expected that her tears would work so well—if only she’d known, she wouldn’t have wasted so many words.

"Here!" She rummaged in her pocket and handed over a rune gem about the size of a fingernail, tossing it straight to Luo Yong.

"This is a +5 level gem?!" Luo Yong was still a bit skeptical at first.

Well, he hadn’t seen much of the world.

However, after examining it, he realized it truly was a +5 level rune gem.

"Good, that’s sincere enough!” Luo Yong didn’t say much more, tossing the scroll to her and, while she was distracted, embedding the rune gem into his longsword.

The Disguised Blade could change shape; fitting a rune gem required no effort—no need to carve a slot.

"Alright, the transaction is complete. Goodbye!"

The elven girl was efficient—no dragging things out. She took the scroll, immediately activated a teleportation scroll, and left through a portal made of energy.

"Tsk, tsk," Luo Yong clicked his tongue, and, following suit, prepared to activate his own teleportation scroll.

But then, a thought struck him.

What level was he now?

He was originally level 5.

He wore a necklace that added +3 levels.

Now he had equipped a +5 level rune gem.

That made him level 13 in total!

He could sweep through the dungeon!

Ahem.

At least, sweep through this upper level.

Even so, that was still incredibly powerful!

Swish, swish!

Luo Yong swung his staff twice.

Clack, clack!

Two level 13 skeleton warriors crawled up from the ground.

With this necromancy summoning spell, every 5 levels allowed him to summon one more skeleton warrior.

Luo Yong pondered. If he pushed himself for a while and gained two more levels, reaching level 15, wouldn’t he be able to summon three level 15 skeleton warriors?!

Yes.

Indeed, leveling up was the real business at hand.

Helping others open treasure chests and such was putting the cart before the horse.

The two skeleton warriors wandered around Luo Yong. They wouldn’t go elsewhere unless he moved, just circling him.

So, Luo Yong stepped forward and entered the chamber where two spider monsters lurked.

Tremble, weak creatures!

He didn’t even bother to enter fully, just guarded the doorway as the skeleton warriors, wielding bone knives, charged in.

Clack, clack...

"Tsk, tsk."

The scene grew rather bloody.

The two spider monsters were startled awake in their sleep, struggled for a moment, and then fell still.

Even being only one level higher, the difference was striking!

How satisfying.

This time, he had finally cleared out all the monsters on this dungeon floor.

Luo Yong felt refreshed, his mind clear and bright.

Though, strangely, after slaying so many monsters, he was still only level 5.

Perhaps the experience bar was just too long!

But that didn’t stop him from fighting.

Once the excitement faded, Luo Yong felt tired.

Clearing a dungeon this big alone, no matter how fast he was, it would still take three to five days at least.

After dealing with the big monsters, he was truly exhausted. He opened a teleportation scroll and returned straight to camp.

He didn’t even have time to check the equipment dropped by the bosses.

But with the hoarder spider around, he didn’t need to worry about missing anything.

That creature wouldn’t even leave behind a rusty scrap of iron!

"Luo Yong, my friend!"

No sooner had he returned than someone called out to him from afar.

Pretending not to hear, Luo Yong went straight to the inn where he stayed, locked the door, and collapsed onto the bed, falling instantly asleep.

"Fatty, stop yelling!"

Elsewhere in the camp, Matthew said irritably, "He’s a level 8 powerhouse—why would he bother with a level 4 loser like you?!"

"Uh... but..."

Fatty wanted to say more, but Luo Yong was already out of sight.

He turned away, confusion flickering in his mind.

Just now, hadn’t Luo Yong seemed to be level 13?!

Goodness!

How was that possible?

Had he misread it?

But when had he ever misread anything?

He, the renowned Donald Gale, a seasoned gourmet and treasure appraiser—when had he ever made a mistake??

Never.

Even so, he kept these thoughts to himself, simply scratching his head and saying with a silly grin, “I must have been seeing things, haha...”

“He’s getting more and more unreliable!” said Phaeton.

“His brain must be addled!” Rita chimed in bluntly.

"Fatty, it’s only because we can't find anyone else that we even keep you in the team. If we can get just one more member, I wouldn’t take you on missions," Matthew said coldly.

“I know, boss Matthew. Next time, I won’t make things up... Uh, this time I’ll do my best!” Fatty promised, forcing a smile even as bitterness welled up inside him.

Being a level 4 Mana Guardian was just too tough!

Whoosh, whoosh!

In his room, Luo Yong slept like the dead—nothing short of the sky falling would wake him.

Bang, bang, bang!

Yet just then, someone started knocking on his door.

Bang, bang, bang!

The knocking went on and on, disturbing the neighbors, but Luo Yong slept on, oblivious.

"Is he not here? Could he have left the camp?" asked Alya, the curse witch in green.

"You’d like that, wouldn’t you?" replied Wendy, the Fireblade Dame in red, her figure graceful. She looked coolly at her companion. "That way, the deal would be done and those gloves would be yours."

"Uh..." Alya, caught out, blushed fiercely, clutching her gloved hand and pouting, "The deal is done, anyway, so I don’t care. The gloves are mine now! Anyone who tries to take them will have to deal with me! Hmph!"

With that, Wendy was left at a loss for words.

Sigh!

She exhaled deeply and left the inn.

"Wendy, where are you going?"

"To look around. Luo Yong must be off fighting monsters somewhere."

"Is that so?" Alya thought a moment. "He’s wearing that necklace, so he’s level 8 now. He probably wouldn’t be fighting monsters near the camp."

"Ah!" Wendy paused, turned to meet Alya’s gaze, and sighed again.

"What’s wrong, did I say something I shouldn’t?" Alya asked.

"No, it’s just... it’s difficult. Without the key to the Elven Sanctuary, we can’t continue the next part of the quest..."

"I heard there’s another key on the black market, one that leads straight to the Elven Sanctuary. The Frost Archer and her team are all trying for it."

"Sigh, if only that key were ours!"

Both women spoke at once, then caught each other’s eye and gave wry smiles.

"Let’s leave a message for Luo Yong," Wendy said. "As soon as he’s back, he can come find us."

"What if he doesn’t? And where should we wait for him?" Alya asked.

"We..." Wendy considered, glanced at Luo Yong’s inn, and said, "Let’s check out of our current room and book one right next to his. That way, we’ll know as soon as he returns!"

"Great idea!" Alya’s eyes lit up, rubbing her hands together as she grinned. "Let’s keep an eye on him. As long as he lets a little of that money pouch slip out, our lives will be much easier!"

Wendy could only sigh again.

Still.

She had to admit, Alya had a point.

Luo Yong’s luck was simply extraordinary!

The barbarian priest, after just brushing against him, had fished a gold-quality barbarian bone staff out of a chest!

Their combat power had shot up.

"But, after hearing what Aman said, I’m a little scared. What if, while fighting monsters, we end up dropping to the lower level of the dungeon and get wiped out?" Alya said.

"Next time, before we go out, let’s have Luo Yong prepare a few teleportation scrolls for us," Wendy replied.

Whoosh, whoosh!

Luo Yong slept on, sweating under his blanket. In his dreams, something seemed to be happening.

Bang, bang, bang!

"Who’s there?! Waking me up so early?!"

Luo Yong sat up in anger, recognized the familiar rhythm of the knocking, and flopped back to sleep.

Bang, bang, bang!

"Luo Yong, it’s me, Gale... uh, the fatty."

"What do you want?" Luo Yong opened the door, blanket wrapped around himself, and said gruffly, "Another mission?"

"Ah? Uh, yes, it’s that..."

"I haven’t rested enough, and I like fighting monsters alone."

Bang!

With that, Luo Yong slammed the door and locked it again from the inside.

"Luo Yong, your level..." Gale lingered outside the door for a moment, glanced around, and then whispered through the crack.

Swish!

Luo Yong jumped up from the bed and checked his status.

"What the—?!"

When he returned from the dungeon, he’d been so exhausted he forgot to disguise himself, accidentally revealing his true level 13 status!

Ahem.

Now he couldn’t pretend to be a newbie anymore!

Thinking of this, Luo Yong quickly disguised himself again, dropping back down to level 8.

Then.

He leisurely opened his door.