Chapter 15: Worth Something

"That's all." Luo Yong shrugged, indicating that if there were anything else, he would have left already.

"Speaking of which, it's really strange that in the hunting grounds of those level 8 bosses, there are so many monsters way above their level!"

"So—" The barbarian priestess pondered for a long time, then edged closer to the cave entrance, peering toward the source of the distant sounds. At last, she made up her mind.

Actually, Luo Yong had considered lending her his cloak; it would provide some degree of disguise, and for a short time, she wouldn't be detected. But then, there would be no way to explain why he wasn't being attacked himself, even though he no longer had the cloak.

"Fine, but if I end up trapped in this damned place, you'll be sorry!" the barbarian priestess said, feigning ferocity.

"Let's go." Luo Yong stepped forward, intending to put his arm around her, but she slipped away. So, Luo Yong lifted his cloak.

The barbarian priestess hesitated, then, frowning and resigned to her fate, moved closer.

Luo Yong spread the cloak open and put his arm around her shoulders.

"Don't you dare talk about this, don't tell anyone, or you're dead!"

"Yeah, yeah, it's not a big deal." Luo Yong thought to himself that in his hometown...

Ahem.

Alright. Truth be told, he had never even held a girl's hand. Of course, shaking hands didn't count—it was just self-indulgence. After graduation, he'd confessed to a girl he'd liked for a long time and been rejected.

It felt as if his life had hit rock bottom. Before he even received his college admission letter, he was transported to this world.

Did I actually make it into college or not?

This question had been bothering Luo Yong for a while, though by now, the answer hardly mattered. Yet he still wanted to know.

The two walked closely together, not very coordinated, often bumping into monsters and drawing angry roars. Fortunately, the "ghillie suit" effect of his cloak was powerful enough.

As Luo Yong bumped his nose in the narrow passageway, he wondered if the girl would still be attacked if she wore his cloak alone. Did the Cloak of Disguise still work once it left him?

No time to worry about that now.

Passing a group of level 15 monsters, the barbarian priestess instinctively covered her mouth. She was not a front-line fighter, and though she fought at range, being this close to high-level monsters still frightened her.

Then she saw the great beast in the secret chamber.

In that moment, she froze...

"Move!" Luo Yong pulled her tightly, dragging her to the broken wooden chest.

"Ah!" The monstrous creature was so close that the barbarian priestess's heart nearly stopped. She clung to Luo Yong, practically hanging off him.

Supporting her with one arm, Luo Yong opened the battered chest.

Inside lay a magic scroll.

"What good is this thing now?" Luo Yong grumbled as he unrolled the scroll.

Whoosh!

A portal of light appeared.

Through the thin veil of energy, Luo Yong saw the scene beyond—a human encampment, and a fat man who looked familiar, peering in from the other side.

"It's him!" Luo Yong recognized the man as Gehr.

"Go!" Luo Yong pulled the barbarian priestess through the portal.

Thud!

They both tumbled onto soft earth. Though a blood-red moon still hung in the sky, it was better than being trapped in the underground palace, surrounded by monsters.

As these thoughts crossed Luo Yong's mind, a large face loomed beside him.

Gehr stared at Luo Yong, eyes wide, mouth agape in disbelief.

Never seen the world, Luo Yong thought. He lay there, holding the barbarian priestess in his arms, generously offering his shoulder as a pillow. Since a beauty was in need, he would not refuse!

A true gentleman, at last.

After a while, when a crowd had gathered, pointing and whispering at the pair lying on the ground, the barbarian priestess finally came to her senses.

Suddenly she realized she was tangled up with Luo Yong in a very intimate position. There was no need for him to tell anyone—everyone had already seen!

Hmph! She was supposed to be the pure and noble barbarian priestess! How could she be caught embracing this guy?

Irritated, she pushed Luo Yong away and leaped to her feet, straightened her clothes, and walked off without a backward glance.

Women! So... heartless.

After all, he had saved her in a moment of peril!

"Ahem, uh... Brother Luo Yong, it is you, right? I wasn't mistaken?" Gehr shuffled over.

"What do you want?" Luo Yong replied, deadpan.

"Uh, well... I just wanted to ask..." Gehr scratched his head, glancing to the side.

Matthew, hefting a greatsword, stared after the departing priestess as if he'd been struck dumb.

That woman... so beautiful.

But why was she embracing Luo Yong just now? Was it his imagination?

As he wondered, he heard Fenton beside him, drooling, "That's the barbarian priestess from the Beauty Squad, a level 8 powerhouse, a blessing specialist. But why was she in Luo Yong's arms?"

Indeed! Why would a level 8 boss be hanging around with Luo Yong, who was only level 5?!

The thought flashed through his mind. Matthew turned to look at Luo Yong—

"Heavens, Luo Yong is level 8!" Rita exclaimed, unable to accept it.

What?!

Matthew was shocked—he couldn't believe it.

Luo Yong was level 8!

"How did you manage that?" Gehr helped Luo Yong up, concern on his face.

"Oh, I was monster hunting with a group of level 8 bosses and got separated," Luo Yong sighed. "If I hadn't found a scroll and opened a portal, I might not have made it back."

"Wow!"

Gehr barely heard anything after "hunting with a group of level 8 bosses." That was all that stuck.

Heavens! So it really was him!

"Sigh, I wonder if they made it back, or how their mission went." As Luo Yong spoke, he sensed that his little miser-spider had also returned. But the skeleton soldier hadn't. There's no way to dismiss it unless you're a higher level, he supposed.

Out of the crowd's sight, Luo Yong slipped into a magic equipment shop. He emptied his magic money pouches and traded them for a few gold coins.

Frankly, buying those was a waste. If only he could have known beforehand.

Ahem.

No use regretting now.

Sensing that his miser-spider had followed him in, Luo Yong suddenly wondered if it might sneak into someone else's treasury...

Ha! If that were possible, he'd never lack for anything.

But all the vaults in this world were protected by magic seals—no chance of that.

When the spider wasn't looking, Luo Yong grabbed it and shook out its contents—coins and gems clattering onto the counter.

It looked like a lot, but actually wasn't much. He hadn't really fought many monsters this time, nor explored the dungeon. So many monsters left untouched, so many gems unclaimed...

Pity.

If only the barbarian priestess hadn't rushed at him back then...

Never mind. The past was the past.

This mission unfinished, he'd just go again next time. Anyway, those level 8 bosses had waited so long—what's a little longer?

Ding!

Suddenly, a battered iron trinket fell out with a crisp sound.

"Huh?"

Luo Yong picked up the scrap and saw that it was the little bear badge he'd left in the dungeon. The miser-spider had collected even that.

A true penny-pincher, not letting even a scrap pass by.

"Ah! Honored customer!"

The shopkeeper, whose race was hard to determine, had previously treated Luo Yong with aloof indifference. Though Luo Yong was better off than most heroes, the shop's prices were outrageous. Even the richest patrons left in tears.

But now, seeing the battered iron scrap in Luo Yong's hand, the shopkeeper's face lit up with a warm, almost familial smile.

"What can I get for you? We have everything—weapons, equipment, potions, magic scrolls..."

"Is this thing valuable?" Luo Yong asked, quite unprofessionally, holding up the iron scrap.

"It's not about money—its value can't be measured in gold!" the shopkeeper exclaimed.

"What can it be used for?"

"Exchanging for money."

"..."

"For loads and loads of money!"

"..."

Luo Yong left the magic shop with a new magic summoning scroll—a scroll for a pair of gloves. After considering the price, he chose only this one.

As for the one he borrowed from the barbarian priestess, he sold it off cheaply. It wasn't even worth a single gold coin—just a few silver.

Back at the inn, Luo Yong used the scroll and successfully summoned the corresponding set—the Gloves of Disguise!

Amusingly, after disguising, one glove turned into a Magic Glove, the other into an Undead Glove, also known as the Grasp of Death.

And Luo Yong's longsword, held normally, was a magic sword; but held reversed, it became a necromancer's staff.