Chapter 20: Offering Herself in Devotion

Seeing the expression on the elf’s face, Luo Yong waved his sword again, holding it upside down with the tip pointed toward the ground, using it completely as a magic staff.

Crack, crack...

When the second skeleton soldier appeared, the elf’s face clearly betrayed a hint of disappointment.

“Is that all?”

This generation’s necromancer seemed rather weak...

For reasons unknown, at that moment, Luo Yong felt as if he could hear the elf’s inner thoughts, as though some mysterious intuition connected him to her.

Ahem.

Of course, it might just be an illusion.

Under the elf’s overwhelming presence, even Luo Yong’s senses seemed off-kilter.

“Ahem, actually, my class is a magic swordsman; I haven’t started learning sword techniques yet, and for now, I’m using necromancy.” Luo Yong explained, feeling for the first time a lack of confidence in his own words—an inexplicable sense of guilt.

It felt as if he were being interrogated by his very soul.

Or perhaps, it was akin to standing before his first love.

But the thought that there could never be anything more between humans and elves made his heart ache faintly.

“I see—” The elf seemed to recall something suddenly and said, “No wonder, when Veil told me last time, I found it odd...”

After speaking, her gaze toward Luo Yong remained unchanged, but with a hint of expectation, she asked, “Will you continue studying necromancy? Or do you plan to switch to something else?”

“Not for now.” Luo Yong shook his head, indicating that his current level was too low for a change of class, and besides, he hadn’t encountered any other forms of magic.

The main issue was that monsters hadn’t dropped any scrolls of other schools, and the prices at the magic shop were outrageously high—so expensive, even the luckiest players couldn’t afford them.

Let alone those less fortunate souls.

In fact, once someone chooses a class and starts practicing magic, it’s rare for them to switch; most stick with their beginner spells until the end.

Unless something extraordinary happens, or some special circumstance forces a change.

“That’s good.” The elf lady finally relaxed a little, pacing back and forth in front of Luo Yong, lost in thought.

After a pause, she said, “There’s a resurrection spell in necromancy—how long do you think it’ll take you to learn it?”

“Huh?”

Luo Yong was momentarily stunned, then realized that this was likely the real topic at hand.

The resurrection spell...

Ah, what a forbidden art.

Just hearing the name evoked a sense of dark sorcery.

Why would the elves wish to dabble in such things?

Could it be that the elf before him was actually one of those rare fallen elves, or perhaps a dark elf?

Turning these thoughts over in his mind, Luo Yong produced the necromancy scroll, opened it, found the resurrection spell, and...

“This one, it seems you need to reach at least level twenty to learn it.”

“What level are you now?” The elf leaned in, studying the intricate patterns on the scroll, her eyes gleaming, and her breathing grew faintly hurried.

Yet her tone remained calm.

“Well...” Luo Yong hesitated. On the surface, he was level eight, but with the rune gem boost, he was level thirteen. In truth, however, he was only level five.

He had fought many monsters, but his level hadn’t increased.

“Is it inconvenient to say?” The elf frowned, pulling her gaze from the scroll and looking at Luo Yong. “Oh, I know a bit. When Veil met you, you were level eight, and she gave you a rune gem that boosted your level by five—that makes thirteen...”

“Even though you hide it well, reaching level twenty will still take some time...”

“How about this: for now, you follow me. I’ll take you to some special places, and when you reach level twenty, you can learn that spell, then—”

“Wouldn’t it be faster to just use the rune gem to boost my level straight to twenty?” Luo Yong interrupted, trying to be clever.

“Hm?” The elf lady’s brows knitted again, as if recalling something, and she shook her head—a cascade of her lustrous hair swept before Luo Yong, shimmering with enchanting brilliance.

“Impossible...” Luo Yong clutched his chest and muttered, then averted his gaze, no longer staring at her face.

“Don’t say those words in front of me.” The elf lady raised her fist, indicating that one punch from her could be fatal.

“Uh...” Luo Yong instantly understood: she intended to attempt something difficult, and he’d just undermined her—clearly asking for trouble!

“Levels increased by rune gems may grant the same spellcasting effects, but there’s always some unease!” The elf lady mused aloud, looking at Luo Yong and continuing, “There’s no rush; better to wait until your true level reaches twenty. We can experiment elsewhere first, and if it succeeds, then—”

“Actually, my true level is only five. All eight levels are from equipment, and now I seem to be stuck...” Luo Yong confessed before she finished, and was met with a face torn by frustration.

Still beautiful, but he felt he was about to be pummeled.

So, Luo Yong wore an awkward yet polite smile...

“Stuck...level...cap...” The elf lady uttered each word with deliberate emphasis, her expression shifting rapidly, as if she wanted to kill Luo Yong, revive him, and kill him again.

“Sigh, I knew things wouldn’t go as smoothly as imagined, but I didn’t expect them to go so poorly...”

She sighed softly, seemed to accept it, and gently patted Luo Yong’s shoulder—words rose to her lips, but she hesitated.

Not saying them, yet wanting to.

She herself was at a loss.

It seemed that before meeting Luo Yong, she’d never encountered such a situation.

“In the end, did I place my trust wrongly...”

With that thought, a deep sense of unwillingness welled up in her heart.

“No, I have no other choice.”

Suddenly, the elf lady’s eyes shone with renewed, unwavering resolve.

“Since fate brought me to you, and you have learned necromancy...”

Such intoxicating fatalism...

The elf lady pressed Luo Yong’s shoulder firmly, speaking in a relaxed, teasing tone, “If you can really help me with that task, perhaps I’ll agree to your proposal!”

Luo Yong: “...”

Ah, women are truly unpredictable.

A man’s best strategy is steadfastness amidst change.

“What do you need me to do?”

“Just work hard to level up—hurry and complete your quest!” she replied.

“My quest?” Luo Yong was puzzled.

“Yes, aren’t you heading to the Elven Secret Realm?” As she said this, the elf lady winked at Luo Yong, her demeanor charming and playful.

Luo Yong’s restless heart, battered by the sting of lost love, thumped fiercely!

And the words “impossible” nearly escaped his lips again.

Dangerous—saying that to her would surely earn a beating...

No, it would definitely earn a beating.

But, is it really impossible for humans and elves?

A fleeting thought crossed Luo Yong’s mind as he began moving deeper into the dungeon.

The elf lady beside him also masked her aura, so none of the dungeon’s monsters would sense them.

As they walked most of the way, perhaps bored, the elf lady asked, “Luo Yong, what are your plans for the future? Will you just hang around with your friends?”

Look at that! Such a lofty tone.

Those were all level eight experts, but to her, it was mere hanging around.

How could that be called hanging around?

Such lovely girls, all human—anything could happen...

“In short, I’ll keep fighting monsters and leveling up, striving to grow stronger. Haven’t thought much about anything else.” Luo Yong considered and replied.

After all, the old saying goes: go with the flow, avoid getting beaten!

And the world outside the camp was dangerous—until today, he hadn’t realized it.

Until he met this elf.

He didn’t know her true strength, but one thing was clear: he couldn’t withstand a single move from her.

Instant defeat.

Nor could those experts he knew.

It was a completely different realm of power.

“So, is there any combat technique you wish to learn?” the elf lady asked.

“Combat technique?” Luo Yong glanced at the elf beside him, who seemed ever more beautiful, his heart pounding.

A face that could make one want to lose themselves with a single glance...

He struggled to avert his gaze, took a deep breath, and said, “Like the way you cleared monsters just now? Can I learn that?”

“Of course...well, not all techniques are open to everyone. Some are secret arts, inaccessible to most. Like our elven secret combat techniques—those can’t be taught outside our clan... Besides, even if they were, you might not be able to master them!”

Such infuriating words, such superiority.

Who did she look down on?

Luo Yong grumbled inwardly, about to speak, but the elf continued, “Secret arts to enhance physique, potions to boost magical affinity, powerful combat techniques to increase battle prowess...”

“Many things can make one stronger—not just leveling up, but being able to defeat opponents easily at the same level.”

At this, the elf lady flipped her hair and gave Luo Yong a knowing look, leaving him to ponder.

“These things...can they all be bought?” Luo Yong pondered, asking abruptly.

He was ready to pursue the path of pay-to-win to the end.

“Buy?” The elf lady seemed unfamiliar with the concept, looking at Luo Yong in confusion.

“I mean, spend money—those things you mentioned, at the magic shop or elsewhere, are they for sale?” Luo Yong asked humbly.

“Heh...”

In response, he received a disdainful laugh.

Yes, this time he heard it clearly: it was mockery.

The elf lady chuckled, gave him an odd look, and said, “How much money do you have? Do you think everything in this world can be bought?”

Shallow man!

For some reason, Luo Yong felt as if he’d heard her thoughts again.

And the ache in his heart eased somewhat...

“I’m not wealthy, that’s not what I meant...” Luo Yong explained, “I... didn’t bring any money, and...”

“Right! I heard monsters drop gems for you—I thought it was just a rumor! Do they really drop gems?” Before Luo Yong could finish, the elf lady leaned in curiously, her eyes shining with inquiry.

Her appearance was irresistible!

“Ahem!”

Luo Yong was suddenly seized by a cough, choking a little, then listened carefully.

His summoned skeleton soldiers were still far behind, fighting monsters; the money-hoarding spider was also busy elsewhere, none were nearby.

Their traversal speed was too fast—the skeletons, though higher level than surrounding monsters, couldn’t keep up.

So the elf lady hadn’t witnessed the gem-dropping scene.

“They do... At least, I think so... maybe...” Under her innocent gaze, Luo Yong grew less certain and increasingly uneasy.

Damn! Was her earlier promise to accept his proposal real or not?!

With that thought, Luo Yong’s face flushed red.

He glanced around—surrounded by monsters mostly at level seven or eight.

He kept moving forward, swinging his sword as he went.

Crack!

Crash!

Ding...

Hearing that soft chime, Luo Yong finally relaxed.

Thank goodness, he hadn’t embarrassed himself in front of her.

He continued swinging his sword, slaying monsters, calculating the odds—on average, every five kills yielded three gems at most, one at least.

And occasionally, some coins.

Though largely useless.

All the coins combined weren’t worth a single gem, but better than nothing.

As for the elf lady, she was so stunned she couldn’t speak.

Her gorgeous face was filled with disbelief, her forehead practically covered in question marks.

This...this...why bother teaming up? Solo farming was clearly the best!

Yet after the initial shock, she regained composure—no matter how high his drop rate, it couldn’t match the prices at the magic shop. To buy practical combat techniques and level-up secrets would cost a fortune!

Besides, with the elves’ heritage, they could casually produce rare items—

As she pondered this, Luo Yong suddenly let out a cry of surprise.

“Huh?”

He reached down and picked up a magic scroll from the ground—marked as wind magic.

“This...”

Such luck!

The elf lady was once again unsettled, feeling that Luo Yong didn’t really need her help and would do just fine on his own.

As she reflected, Luo Yong, having just stowed the scroll, reached into a pile of bones and pulled out another scroll.

Upon seeing this scroll, the elf lady held her breath!

It was a scroll scarcely bigger than a palm, much smaller than ordinary scrolls, and its intricate patterns suggested high quality.

But what truly unsettled her was its rarity—it was a class-change scroll.

If Luo Yong wished, and happened to possess scrolls of another school, he could immediately switch classes!

He’d no longer be a necromancer!

“No! Don’t use that scroll!”

As Luo Yong examined it, the elf lady rushed over—

No, she darted over in a flash, snatching the scroll from his hands.

While he stood bewildered, she stowed the scroll away, essentially rendering it obsolete, never to see the light of day.

“What’s wrong?” Luo Yong asked, puzzled.

What just happened? Was he robbed again?

Wait—

Why “again”?

“Ah, um...nothing...” The elf lady regained her composure, her face flushed, embarrassed by her overreaction.

Yet, being no stranger to the world, she quickly returned to normal, as if nothing had happened.

She walked over, grabbed Luo Yong’s hand, squeezed it tightly, her eyes sparkling like stars.

“Luo Yong, promise me—until you finish the task I asked of you, don’t change your class!”

“Uh...”

“Promise me!”

“Well...”

“I might accept your proposal!”

“???”

Luo Yong’s mouth formed an O, utterly astonished, at a loss for words.

But—

Isn’t it impossible for humans and elves?

He took a moment to recover from his shock, his mind finally clearing.

Even then, the elf lady’s face was flushed, and Luo Yong was still holding her hand...

Immediately, he realized the gravity of the situation!

What could possibly make such a beautiful elf willing to promise herself?

“So...the person you want to resurrect...who is it?” Luo Yong asked after a long silence.

“I can’t tell you yet.” The elf lady shook her head, glanced at her hand still held by Luo Yong, and, suppressing her shyness, said worriedly, “There’s not much time left—I’m truly afraid we won’t make it...”

“Then all I can do is grow stronger as quickly as possible.”

With that, Luo Yong released her hand and swung his sword at the surrounding monsters with renewed vigor.

After collecting a good number of gems, he paused, glanced at her, and said, “That proposal doesn’t count... Though I’m still weak, one day I’ll stand before you with dignity and formally propose. I hope you won’t refuse then.”

“You...” The elf lady stared in surprise at the young man ahead, thoughts flashing through her mind, then she smiled gently. “Alright, I’ll wait... I hope that day comes soon.”

“Hehe!”

Luo Yong laughed foolishly. He had previously felt lost and directionless, unsure why he was in this world or what he was meant to do.

He’d just mechanically hunted monsters and collected gems, without any clear goal.

But now, he felt he’d found purpose—a direction for his efforts.

As for the elves’ views on marriage—whether it was monogamous or not...

Ahem.

Those things didn’t matter anymore.

At this moment, Luo Yong’s mind was exceptionally clear, thinking about his current actions and the steps ahead.

The urgent matter was the secret realm key—so all those beautiful, powerful women could level up in the secret realm.

As for himself, he needed to solve the level cap problem.

“I’ll ask around for you, see if there’s any way we can help.” The elf lady said, pulling a golden ribbon from her hair and tying it around Luo Yong’s wrist.

Then she opened a teleport scroll, and before leaving, whispered, “My name in the human world is... Bao’er, Yan Bao’er...”

With that, she departed through the portal, blushing—the light lasted a few seconds before vanishing.

“Eh...what’s your real name?” Luo Yong blurted out in his hometown dialect, but she was already gone.

“Sigh...”

He sighed softly, gazing at the pale golden ribbon on his wrist, still carrying her delicate fragrance...

He calmed himself, still feeling as if he were dreaming—suddenly, he was no longer single.

Ahem, the customs of this other world...

Shaking his head, Luo Yong abandoned the shortcut, deciding to clear every monster in the dungeon and collect more gems—poverty was truly untenable.

Wendy and the others were in dire straits, even going hungry.

Luckily, they had him.

This time, after defeating two major monsters, Luo Yong estimated that five or six days had passed, and he still felt exhausted.

That was the downside of leveling up via equipment—his physical attributes hadn’t improved, so the higher level only increased his burden.

Back at camp, he’d need deep sleep and long rest to recover.

In the treasure chest behind the monsters, Luo Yong found another wish scroll, then used a teleport scroll to return to camp.