Chapter 27: The Final Preparations

"I've made a note of it, thank you," Lu Kuan replied politely to Kreigan, listening patiently despite already knowing all these things. There would be plenty of chances to deal with this old goblin in the future; leaving a good impression was always wise.

The difficulty in controlling pets lay mainly in two aspects. First, players had to spend considerable time cultivating intimacy and mutual understanding with their pets, allowing them to carry out commands more thoroughly. Second, fighting alongside a pet was akin to multitasking; players had to constantly place themselves in their pet's position and environment, using their pet's perspective for every movement—up, down, left, right, forward, or backward—instead of their own. This required long practice. To master it was as challenging as honing archery skills, something Lu Kuan knew all too well.

After bidding farewell to the old goblin, Lu Kuan made his way to the entrance of the profession hall. He glanced down at the Fire Mongoose sprawled at his feet. With the contract now binding them, the pet's attributes were laid out in detail before him.

"Fire Mongoose (Beast)

Level: 10

Age: 4

Type: Warrior

Strength: 7

Agility: 10

Constitution: 11

Intelligence: 4

Instinct: 6

Charisma: 1

Innate Skills: Exceptional Constitution (Shadow Resistance +35, Poison Resistance +40), Brawler (Effects from intimidation, fear aura, and similar skills reduced by 50%; will not retreat, loyalty unaffected)"

The attributes were excellent, and perfectly suited Lu Kuan's needs. That single gold coin had been well spent.

The little creature was pawing at its head with its front claws, as if sensing something, and looked up to meet Lu Kuan's gaze. Its round, black eyes darted about, irresistibly cute—gone was any trace of its earlier ferocity.

Lu Kuan couldn't help but smile; having a pet for company truly brought peace of mind.

Night was falling, yet the central plaza of Lava Fortress shone brightly, ablaze with firelight. Players were holding a bonfire party, laughter and cheerful voices echoing everywhere, shadows flickering in time with the flames.

After a busy day, the players chose to relax together. By the time Lu Kuan arrived, drawn by the sounds, hundreds had joined the festivities. Men and women alike had donned decorative attire—clothes unsuitable for monster hunting—creating a dazzling riot of color.

On the bonfire, a golden-brown wild pig roasted, filling the air with tantalizing aromas that made mouths water. Standing at the edge of the plaza, Lu Kuan watched with a smile, moved by the scene before him.

"Hey handsome, care to dance?" Perhaps drawn by Lu Kuan's demeanor or intrigued by his impressive gear, a cheerful girl passing by invited him to join.

Lu Kuan turned his head. With the firelight reflecting in his deep, bright eyes, the girl's heart skipped a beat. Her cheeks flushed ever so slightly.

"Thank you, but I still have some things to take care of," Lu Kuan replied with a smile.

"Oh..." she said, a hint of disappointment in her eyes as she bid him farewell and walked away. Even as she chatted with her companions in the distance, she kept sneaking glances back at him.

"There are more important things to do," Lu Kuan muttered, smacking his lips regretfully. He took one last look at the lively crowd before heading to the other side of the plaza and retrieving a pile of items from the bank.

Scrolls of Holy Word, Sacred Oil, basic Listening Potion, a heap of alchemical glass vials, and a folded portable sleeping bag for camping outdoors.

The Holy Word scrolls were skills crafted only by priests, especially effective against demons and dark magic. The Sacred Oil and basic Listening Potion were of Lu Kuan's own making. Altogether, the cost had already exceeded a hundred gold coins.

Lu Kuan brought only two healing potions, as the cooldown for potion use in the game was so long that only one could be used per battle—carrying more was pointless.

Still, it wasn't enough. Lu Kuan headed to the auction house and bought two green short swords, both level ten, to replace the standard daggers gifted by the system. Though rangers were weak in close combat, in critical moments they could still hold their own.

"This is make or break!" Lu Kuan organized his gear, then set off for the city gates.

As the sky darkened, Lu Kuan pressed forward across the wilds, relying on faint traces of light. It was his first time venturing out at night since his rebirth. The dark, perilous wilderness was filled with the occasional low growl of unknown beasts, sending his adrenaline surging.

Just as Lu Kuan was carefully advancing, he heard the chime of a message. He glanced at it—it was from Qian Duoduo.

"Master, are you free?"

"Speak," Lu Kuan replied curtly.

Soon, another message arrived—this time, Qian Duoduo sent a voice recording.

"Hehe, promise you won't get mad. One of my childhood friends, who's pretty tight with the people from Glory, insisted I pass this along. The Glory Guild says they're willing to buy back the ring, and, quote, 'all past grievances will be wiped clean.' That's their exact wording."

Lu Kuan listened and sneered, "Wiped clean?"

These people were scheming—first, sweet-talking him to get the ring back, then flipping the tables and settling old scores. Lu Kuan had seen through such tricks a decade ago.

"Alright then, I'm a reasonable man," Lu Kuan replied with a grin. "Tell them this: one thousand gold coins, and I'll return the ring with both hands."

In the inn room on the other end, Qian Duoduo's childhood friend, an orc warrior, nearly coughed up blood at the price.

"Damn, is your friend insane? A thousand gold coins—what, did he pick up a purple item?"

Qian Duoduo wasn't surprised. Even brief contact had given him a sense of Lu Kuan's character. He chuckled, "The deal was proposed by Glory. Whether they accept the offer is their business—why get worked up?"

The orc warrior, sensing Qian Duoduo's tone, grew curious. "Sounds like you're siding with Old Deer. You know how strong Glory Guild is, and your family is getting into the virtual game business. You'll definitely cross paths with them..."

"What does that have to do with me?" Qian Duoduo shrugged, legs crossed, utterly relaxed. "They do their business, I make my friends—no overlap."

The orc could only drop the subject. Though his friend was childish and headstrong, he'd always been sharp—if he said so, he must have his reasons.

At the same time, on the desolate northern plains of Lava Fortress—

Lu Kuan was sprinting across the vast green hills. After dispatching several clueless wild boars, he reached the northwest corner of the map—an oft-overlooked area—an hour later.

Here, the ground was strewn with rocky hills. Some were the size of boulders, others soared a hundred meters high. In the dim moonlight, countless dark cave openings dotted the hills, resembling enormous hives anchored to the earth.

Lu Kuan orientated himself, then drew a torch from his pack and lit it. Summoning the Fire Mongoose, he carefully entered a nondescript cave at the foot of one of the hills.