Chapter 47: The Appointed Time

Luo Yong gently opened the treasure chest, finding inside a scroll that looked rather ordinary. He picked it up and examined the chest more closely, but aside from a few magic crystals hidden in a secret compartment, there was nothing of particular interest. Soon, footsteps echoed once more—Hera returned and went straight into the stone chamber from which she had come. After a subtle ripple of magic, the teleportation array dimmed.

Out of caution, Luo Yong lingered a while longer. When no one came, he finally relaxed and began rummaging through the heap of odds and ends, but as expected, found nothing worthwhile.

He quickly searched the other stone chambers in depth, yet still discovered nothing useful.

“Four stone chambers and only one treasure chest? That’s highly improbable!” Luo Yong muttered to himself, keeping his voice low. Who knew what strange things might lurk in this place—perhaps some guardian wraith, as in the stories.

With that thought, his eyes drifted toward the place Hera had just visited. After casting her spell, she hadn’t left directly but went elsewhere—where had she gone? What had she done? Or whom had she met?

Finding an exit, Luo Yong slipped through and followed the passage for some distance until it suddenly opened up before him.

There lay a sheer cliff.

Atop the cliff stood a solitary figure, silent and unmoving, like a statue bound to its eternal vigil.

“That must be a man with a story,” Luo Yong thought. After observing for a while and seeing nothing unusual, he quietly retreated.

Back in the secret chamber where he had entered, Luo Yong looked at the teleportation array, which required magic crystals to activate. He hesitated, then drew out his teleportation scroll.

After another moment’s thought, he ducked into a neighboring stone chamber, hiding behind a pile of junk before activating the spell array on the scroll and opening a glowing portal.

When Luo Yong returned to the camp, he glanced around and spotted a fleeting silhouette vanishing into the shadows in the distance.

It seemed to be Hera.

He quickly turned away, feeling a bit guilty, and hurried back to his room.

He collapsed onto his bed and soon drifted into sleep.

When he woke again, he heard the now-familiar sound of knocking at his door. Who was this person with so little consideration for others, pounding away at all hours, never giving him peace?

Along with the knocking, there seemed to be a string of muttered curses.

Moments later, with a loud crash, Luo Yong jolted awake from his dreams and sprang up from bed out of reflex.

He saw an elven youth with reddened eyes, holding a pair of small battle axes.

“You unreliable scoundrel! At a time like this, you’re still lazing in bed?!”

“When we were young, Teacher Cang always told us: If you can’t make money lying down—no, if you can’t defeat monsters and level up while lying down—then don’t just lounge in bed!”

“Ha!” Luo Yong’s jaw dropped open—the last line had actually come from the little Destroyer herself.

It seemed her true age might be a bit older than she appeared.

“Luo Yong, time’s up. The thorns I summoned outside the camp have vanished…” Mila entered the room with a sigh, her face a picture of disappointment and resignation.

Understandably so—serving a band of rebellious youths as a nominal leader was no easy task.

“All our earlier efforts were wasted!” the elven berserker roared. Had someone not held him back, he would have started a fight then and there.

“You’re overreacting.”

Luo Yong calmly opened a teleportation scroll, summoning the portal. Before stepping through, he pointed at his broken door and said, “You’ll have to pay for this.”

“Bah! It’s just a broken door—you think I can’t afford it? I could burn this whole inn to the ground and—”

At that, the elven berserker shrank back, sensing a hint of menace.

He glanced suspiciously over his shoulder.

The innkeeper was watching him with a broad smile, gripping a wolf-tooth club as thick as a man’s thigh.

“Back in my day, I was a fierce warrior on the front lines—a single swing of my club smashed more enemy skulls than I can count… Hard to believe, after all these years of retirement, someone dares to kick down my door…”

“Uh… Never mind, I’ll pay! I’ll pay in full!” the elven berserker declared, trying to sound dignified.

“Good.” The innkeeper glanced at Luo Yong, who was about to step through the portal, and said coolly, “Don’t open portals in my establishment.”

“It won’t happen again,” Luo Yong laughed, vanishing into the light.

“He ran? That bastard—I’ll show him the full extent of my artistry!” The little Destroyer charged forward, intent on pursuit.

“Wait!” Mila grabbed her, doing her best to keep her tone steady. “That’s the fixed-point teleportation scroll—the one we agreed to use earlier…”

“Then let’s hurry inside!” The Titan Archer ducked his head, trying to squeeze through the doorway.

“I’ll say it once more—no portals in my inn!” The innkeeper flexed his shoulders, showing off his muscles.

His two and a half meter frame, broad and powerful as any barbarian, combined with a wolf-tooth club that had surely shattered countless skulls, instantly intimidated the rebellious band.

Even the Titan Archer dared not provoke him.

“So what now? Are we just going to let him get away?” the little Destroyer asked anxiously.

Despite their earlier bravado, the group was clearly worried now. Otherwise, the elven berserker wouldn’t have kicked in the door in a fit of rage.

The portal flickered and vanished within a few breaths. Mila clenched her teeth, thoughts racing, before making a decision.

“We’ll go out first. Luo Yong has his gear, so even without the Wall of Thorns, he won’t be attacked. If he’s clearing the monsters now, he should be able to open a portal for us soon!”

“Really?”

“That bastard isn’t just out to snatch the treasure for himself, is he?!”

“Who knows… I saw him disguised as a mercenary earlier…”

“No wonder we couldn’t catch him all this time—he changed his appearance!”

As the party discussed, they prepared to leave.

“Hold it!” The innkeeper blocked the elven berserker with his club. “Pay up!”

“I…” The berserker frowned deeply. Since leaving his clan, he’d wandered aimlessly, and aside from his stubborn rebelliousness, he had little else left.

He wasn’t alone—all his like-minded companions were similarly destitute.

“We elves… The Lannisters always repay their debts! We never owe anyone anything!”

“Enough chatter. Leave your money or leave yourself behind!” The innkeeper’s voice was emotionless as he barred the way. “My business is modest. No credit!”

No one spoke. The elven berserker grew increasingly anxious, looking to his friends for help.

Just then, the dwarven elementalist floated toward the door, shouting, “Portal! There’s a portal open at the camp!”

“That doesn’t mean it’s that lying Luo Yong…” the little Destroyer began, but before she finished, half a fire ant was tossed out from the portal.

In an instant, the group rushed over, urgency in every step. Mila, feeling at last a weight lifted from her heart, quickened her pace.

This time, she had not misplaced her trust.

She thought so as she broke into a run.

“Hey, hey, hey!” The elven berserker reached out, trying to grab something.

A large hand seized him.

“You’re not leaving without paying!”

Shocking! A retired barbarian warrior running an inn, only to have his door kicked in. That might just make the headlines.

…

The dwarf, arriving first at the portal, examined the half fire ant and announced, “No doubt about it—there’s still wind magic lingering on the cut. The Wind Whisperer did this!”

“He may not be punctual, but he gets things done!” The little Destroyer, hefting her two-meter cannon, strode into the portal.

“Let’s go. The Lannisters always repay their debts—that’s not our concern,” Mila sighed, stepping through as well.

The rest exchanged glances and lined up to follow.

In the mineshaft, Luo Yong waited for their arrival, occasionally swinging his longsword to dispatch fire ants or scorpions that crossed his path.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The little Destroyer wasted no time—once inside, she unleashed her firepower, blasting apart swathes of monsters.

“Thorns Dense!” Mila, upon entering, oriented herself and quickly cast her spell, summoning a wall of brambles to block the oncoming fire ants and scorpions.

“This is the final stretch. The boss is just ahead—everyone, stay alert!” Mila called, waving the group forward.

Moments later, Luo Yong saw the giant level twelve scorpion.

“Thorns Dense!” Mila acted first, conjuring a mass of brambles that immediately ensnared the scorpion.

Compared to the two level twelve spider monsters in the crypt beneath the Highridge camp, this scorpion was even larger. Yet it moved more slowly, though with greater force—every strike seemed capable of killing, especially its massive tail. The giant barbed stinger glinted coldly even in the gloom of the mine.

“Titan Divine Arrow!”

Rarely one for words, the Titan now drew his bowstring until it groaned with strain. Arrows as thick as spears whistled through the air, striking the monster with tremendous force, piercing its armor and inflicting heavy damage.

“Ice Spike!”

“Rockfall!”

“Wind Blade!”

“Freeze! Hold it right there!”

“Art is explosion!”