nycdaug Chapter 91 Return to Base
Chapter 91 Return to Base
Inside the inn called "Hunter's House" on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.
Li Fulan's room was at the far end of the second floor, where it was somewhat quieter. The window faced west, and the last rays of the setting sun were streaming through the dusty windowpane, turning the dust particles floating in the air golden. The dust particles tumbled and danced in the beams of light, like a swarm of lazy fireflies.
Hu Liena sat on the edge of the bed, her back to the window, her silhouette backlit with a faint golden edge. She had changed out of her tight leather clothes, which were soaked with sweat and blood, and was now wearing a loose white long gown, looking much more refreshed.
Her hair was still wet, as she had just taken a shower, and water was still dripping from the ends. The water droplets slid down her neck and disappeared deep into her collar, leaving dark water streaks.
Two short blades rested on her knees.
It was those "Blood-Drinking Blades".
The blade was wiped clean, no longer bearing the sinister bloodstains of battle, but the dark red patterns were still clearly visible, like two sleeping venomous snakes.
"Take it."
Hu Liena handed over the two short blades that had been with her for so long. Her movements were without the slightest hesitation, not even a blink of an eye. Her fox-like eyes, which usually held a hint of scrutiny, were now filled with trust.
It was a very strange kind of trust.
They had known each other for less than three days, and most of that time had been spent traveling and fighting. Logically speaking, this level of acquaintance was hardly enough to make a young lady from the Spirit Hall hand over her personal weapon to a man of unknown origin.
But that's what she did.
Li Fulan raised an eyebrow and took the short blade.
It felt slightly heavy in the hand, and the deep-sea silver felt icy cold to the touch. The chill crept up from the fingertips, making one shiver involuntarily. The hilt still held the warmth of Hu Liena's palm, creating a stark contrast with the coldness of the blade.
He examined the two blades over and over, sensing the restless, bloodthirsty aura within them. Those things were indeed restless, like a caged beast, always ready to break free and tear everything in its path.
"Aren't you afraid I'll run away with these two top-grade soul tools?" He raised his head, looking at Hu Liena with a half-smile. "These things can be exchanged for half a city's worth of gold soul coins on the black market, enough for an ordinary person to live on for several lifetimes."
Hu Liena did not answer immediately.
She tilted her head and looked at Li Fulan for a moment, her fox-like eyes slightly narrowed, as if she were appraising an interesting item. Then, the corners of her mouth slowly curved into a captivating smile.
That was her unique confidence and charm, perfectly blended.
"You won't."
Her voice was languid yet confident.
"My intuition is spot on; it's never been wrong since I was a child." She stretched, her movements as languid as a fox sunbathing. "You wouldn't look down on this little bit of money. Someone who wouldn't even blink an eye killing a prince, why would she care about a mere two knives?"
She paused, then her smile became even more playful.
"And..." She leaned forward, getting closer, her eyes almost touching, "I'm right here. If you want me, wouldn't I be worth more than those two broken knives?"
These words were extremely ambiguous, and given her appearance, anyone with less self-control would have blushed and felt their heart race.
"cough……"
Li Fulan coughed lightly, trying to hide her slightly accelerated heartbeat. This woman really knew how to flirt; her innate foxy charm was impossible to hide.
"This is quite a scheme; I could hear it all over Earth." He casually stored the twin blades in his storage space, then made an extremely gentlemanly "rest assured" gesture, the movement exaggerated to the point of being comical. "Alchemy requires specific environments and materials. Give me some time. Next time we meet, I'll return a pair of brand-new 'Excalibur' swords... probably."
"Excalibur?" Huliena repeated the strange name, her brow furrowing slightly. "It does sound quite imposing."
"Of course, it's more like a king's style," Li Fulan said fabricatedly. "It's definitely more comfortable to use than these two bloodthirsty pieces of junk."
Hu Liena stood up and patted off non-existent dust from the hem of her dress.
She gave Li Fulan a deep look, her gaze so complex it was hard to decipher, a mixture of expectation and some indescribable emotion.
"I don't understand what nonsense you're spouting," she said casually as she turned and walked toward the door, "but I'll wait for you."
The door creaked open and then slammed shut.
she left.
The room fell silent.
Li Fulan stared at the mottled wooden door for a while, then collapsed onto the hard bed with a "thump".
"hiss--"
He hit the back of his head on the bed, wincing in pain.
This damn bed is fucking hard.
He rubbed his head, turned over, and lay on his side looking out the window.
The sun had completely sunk below the horizon, its last rays swallowed by elongated shadows. A dark red sunset glow spread across the horizon, like burning flames or congealed blood.
The sounds of drinking games from the next room gradually subsided; the mercenaries were probably drunk. They were replaced by a series of even, deafening snores that could be heard even through the walls.
From the next room, a crisp "crackling" sound came.
That's Xiao Wu eating a carrot.
This girl somehow got hold of a huge bag of carrots and kept eating them. Li Fulan even suspected that she might have planted a garden in her room.
The chirping of insects outside the window gradually rose, the "chirping" sounds rising and falling like a lively concert. Occasionally, the howling of wolves could be heard from afar, mournful and long, the sound of soul beasts moving about on the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest.
Li Fulan took out the Dream Mushroom, swallowed it in one gulp, and his eyelids grew heavier and heavier.
Today's exertion was immense. Absorbing the millennium soul ring, continuous battles, activating the Maxim mode in his mech... each one was a huge burden. Now, lying down, the exhaustion washed over him like a tidal wave, almost overwhelming him.
Consciousness began to fade.
He closed his eyes, and his breathing gradually became steady.
All the sounds around him—the chirping of insects outside the window, the snoring of the rude mercenary next door, the crunching of Xiao Wu chewing carrots in the next room—vanished in an instant.
My consciousness seemed to have fallen into the deep sea, and everything around me turned pitch black.
The feeling was strange, like falling from one dream into another, or like passing through a long tunnel. He felt his body sinking, deeper and deeper, darker and darker, until he could see nothing at all.
Then, a blinding white light suddenly shone.
"drop--"
A mechanical beeping sounded in my ear.
"Identity confirmed. Forerunner, welcome back to the Seventh Base."