The bard fantasized again.

Chapter 166 The Weasel and the Fox (10,000 words)

"Oh?"

Hope suddenly chuckled sarcastically.

She simply stood up, walked closer to Tang Qi, bent down, and forcibly turned Tang Qi's cheek, forcing him to look directly at her.

But he didn't; instead, he stared uncontrollably at the fiery red beneath her neck.

She didn't go any further; instead, she plopped down next to Tang Qi and clinked glasses with him.

"Is it really because of the medicine?"

"Yes."

“But you don’t only stare at me like that when you’re being seduced.”

"It's just some male physiological instincts."

Catherine once said that those almost bestial and greedy eyes were actually very difficult to hide.

Therefore, his choice was not to conceal it:

"But I must admit, after meeting you, what I was thinking about was which brothel in Tifflin to visit after returning to the surface."

"A brothel?" Hope frowned.

"People always want to try new and exciting experiences."

"If all you're thinking about is a brothel, then why did you save me?"

Tang Qi blinked, trying to suppress his reverie with the cold liquor: "I didn't save you to avoid going to a brothel."

"I don't think I have anything left to covet."

"I thought you lacked confidence, but I didn't expect you to be too confident—how much is that scabbard worth? You actually think your own value is higher than the scabbard?"

Hope's eye twitched.

It might have been a competitive spirit, or perhaps she had always harbored this idea.

This prompted her to grab Tang Qi's shoulders and straddle his lap.

She almost pressed herself against Tang Qi:

"Isn't it worth it?"

You'll only know once you try.

Tang Qi ultimately couldn't bring himself to say it:

"Hey, you don't think I'm interested in lace, do you?"

"Lace?"

"Weren't you with that eagle-woman lady a while ago?"

Hope was surprised that Tang Qi remembered it so clearly:
"Do you know how much trouble a woman can avoid by saying she likes women in the adventurer's circle? At the very least, it will deter most of the people who have designs on you."

"What about the other half?"

Tang Qi then understood her original intention—

It was also to dispel any thoughts of coveting it.

But it seems to have failed so far.

Hope put her arm around Tang Qi's neck and moved her round thighs forward a few inches.

To be honest, she felt that it was hard for a human body surface temperature to be hotter than Tifflin's.

This made her feel only coldness every time she shook hands with Tang Qi.

But now, she may have to deny this stereotype.

She blinked:
"Your other half will be happy to say, 'Only three trees will grow faster.'"

"That's something I would say."

"So, would you like to give it a try? If your boss doesn't mind."

Actually, I've already tried it.

That was an incredibly long period that even extraordinary stamina couldn't withstand:
"So I have to take something from you to make you feel less despicable, is that it?"

You could say that.

Tang Qi shook his head:

"I don't want our 'partnership' to deteriorate. Please let me be a simple and kind poet."

"Do you know why people say 'foxes' are cunning?" Hope looked at Don Qi with amusement.

"why?"

Hope knew he was lying.

Because saying it like that would make him appear passive.

This can make that inexplicable sense of guilt less intense.

So, cunningly, he brought his lips close to Tang Qi's ear and gently exhaled a breath of warm air:
"Because they always say one thing and do another."

"I--"

Tang Qi still tried to argue his case.

But my breath was already blocked by a scorching heat.

This made him suddenly remember everything that happened in the deep water.

This also made him wonder how he should write that "Guide to Different Races" someday in the future?

Perhaps he would write this sentence on the title page—

[It turns out that Tiffilin's passion extends beyond just her lips.]

He will definitely go to the volcano to write.

That kind of active volcano, brimming with vitality and billowing thick smoke.

He personally climbed to the top and touched the basalt with its flickering, blazing light, even as the flames of purgatory burned his fingertips.

The crimson lava might burn his trouser legs.

But he will not be afraid of the scorching heat and will leap into the air.

Because he will ride the fiery steed of hell and fall into the depths of the nine hells.

Whip those devils who only dare to turn their backs on you, seize their horns, and force them to greet your arrival:
"A great king, a great father."

The devil would sing his own praises like this.

So that he could immerse himself in the embrace of flames and lava.

Until even the last breath was burned to ashes.

……

Creating a poem titled "Purgatory" is a long and massive undertaking.

It took Tang Qi a long time to come back to his senses from his endless creative urges.

There was no one beside him. Tang Qi quickly dressed, lifted the tent flap, and saw Chen Xi, who had changed into a brand-new set of plate armor, holding a sword and gazing at the calm lake, seemingly lost in thought.

Iu had already devoured most of the treasure and, having eaten and drunk his fill, lay down to sleep on the scattered leather clothes beside the campfire.

No one else was seen:

"she left?"

Tang Qi asked.

Chenxi turned around and briefly described everything she had seen:
"During your slumber, she packed her belongings, inscribed a magic circle, and soon after, firelight enveloped her body, causing her to disappear."

"A magic array?"

Tang Qi noticed a familiar symbol carved on the ground near the campfire—

The tip of the inverted triangle connects to a regular small rhombus, with curved edges on both sides, resembling a peculiar scale.

"I must remind you that I sensed a demonic aura emanating from her."

"You mean, her leader isn't an [Old One], but a [Demon] from the Nine Hells?"

Surprisingly, Tang Qi wasn't particularly surprised.

"Tiflin, the Demon Lord... Hmm, this is indeed more reasonable than my previous guess."

Upon closer reflection, Hope seems to have never explicitly stated what kind of being her sect leader was.

"It's hard to say what ulterior motives someone might have for being associated with evil."

"It's alright. At least during the time we've been working together, she hasn't done anything out of line. As for what she's actually trying to do—that's not our concern."

Without the mind-reading potion, Tang Qi would never be able to discern the truthfulness of every word she uttered or to uncover her true purpose.

"So far, the outcome is a win-win situation, isn't it? She got the scabbard, and we got the treasure—you also really liked this plate armor, didn't you? You put it on so quickly."

"I... I just wanted to try out this plate armor to see if it fits."

"It suits you perfectly. And from now on, no one will mistake you for a man."

Tang Qi pointed to Chen Xi's outfit—

The overall color scheme follows the family crest of the Silver Shield family, consisting of black, white, and gray.

Beneath the bright silver outer armor were a white shirt and two layers of black dresses, with the outer linen dress inlaid with chainmail plates to ensure both aesthetics and practicality.

There was originally a matching cloak, but because it was engraved with the [Silver Shield] emblem, it was not chosen to be worn.

"A solemn female knight, without a doubt—if it weren't for the fact that she was missing an arm."

The dawn gave Tang Qi a knightly salute:

"Fighting for you."

"But before Iu swallows the Nord steel longsword from the treasure, are you really not going to consider getting a different weapon?"

Tang Qi pointed to the rusty, broken sword at her waist.
"Although it's long enough to be used as a short sword, it's not very sharp, is it?"

“This is my companion for a thousand years, and I have no intention of abandoning it.” “Alright.”

Tang Qi didn't press the matter further. Instead, he walked towards the remaining treasures, took out a triangular shield with an oval shape, and simply outlined a smiley face in the center of the shield.

[Emoji Shield (Normal): While holding this shield, you can change the expression of the face on the shield.]

"But it has lost the length of a two-handed sword, so surely it can be paired with a shield?"

It seems that in the previous battle against the Shattered Stones, they were unable to gain much advantage due to the opponent's tower shield.

After a brief hesitation, Chenxi nodded:
"Although I'm not used to fighting like this, I will try it."

Having a shield to absorb the force should reduce some of the physical strain on her.

Tang Qi also changed into the [Illusory Studded Leather Armor]. After considering it for a long time, he finally transformed it into a short black leather jacket, with a Henley collar linen shirt underneath, paired with brown trousers and long boots, making him look more capable overall.

Although its defensive capabilities are enhanced, it is even lighter than the previous leather armor, allowing for greater freedom of movement.

Finally, he carried his nearly ruined lute, its sutures all broken.

"He stumbled and fell repeatedly, was burned by fireballs, and was later soaked in deep water..."

Thinking that these were Catherine's mother's belongings, Tang Qi couldn't help but sigh.

"Should I get this violin repaired before I go back to Golden Oak?"

Regardless, having finally prepared himself, Tang Qi immediately began to ponder how to leave the cave:

"Go back the way we came? No, that won't do. The Red Scarf Gang might still be lying in wait. Chenxi's body hasn't recovered yet, and now that Hope is gone, going back rashly would be suicide."

Should we dive deeper into the water and look for another way out?
It has already been confirmed that the Earth Sea is a freshwater lake, while the inner sea of ​​Dragon Gold City is a saltwater lake. And the milky-white glow emanating from the stalagmites is caused by salt crystals…

Is it possible that the Earth Sea and the Inner Sea are connected, and that, as long as I confirm the correct direction, I could even swim directly out of the underground city?

With no better option, Tang Qi had no choice but to try this.

With the intention of 'turning back if he couldn't find a way out,' he ultimately jumped into the water and dived into deeper water.

【Tang Qi's Guide to Longjin City】

The underground city's sea is boundless and deep. The crystals on the stone walls, and even the harmless fish and aquatic plants, sometimes shimmer with light, making you feel like a fish swimming in the starry sky.

But I suggest you don't really see yourself as a fish, because if you swim with the school of fish, you'll soon lose your way in the process.

Fortunately, choosing underwater is equivalent to choosing a harmless route.

This is indeed part of the dungeon, but the only thing that can be described as 'harmful' is actually me, the adventurer who often has to cut down water plants and thorns.

The friendliest are the mushrooms in the dungeon—a few spores have taken up residence in the bodies of fish slaughtered by adventurers, drifting downstream and eventually falling into the Earth Sea.

If you have the ability to connect their neural networks, then I advise you to ask them for advice on the road ahead.

Spores are orderly and friendly creatures; they won't mind spending some time helping you if you show them kindness.

This helped me clarify the fact that the 'earth sea' is connected to the 'inland sea'.

Then everything else becomes easier—

Upward, upward!
You can't guarantee that every road ahead will be clear, but you can at least find one that is clear.

Then it becomes a cycle of searching for land to rest and diving.

The first thing to answer me, 'Tang Qi, you did it,' was my nose.

The sea salt flavor is getting stronger.

Next, there was a mineral with a sharp edge, scattered at the bottom of the deep water.

Perhaps the 'giant snail' hates this taste even more than I do—

Salt crystals.

The heavy water pressure began to weigh on my lungs, but I must admit that perhaps the water element also favored my perseverance, making it less heavy than I had imagined, allowing me to float up from the deep sea.

When I broke through that glass-like membrane and saw two full moons faintly appearing on the horizon, and breathed in the fresh air of the earth, I realized I had accomplished a great feat—

'There is more than one path to the Deep Well than the Adventurers' Guild.'

And when I write this line in the guide, or even in my journal.

Twenty days have passed since I entered the dungeon.

Damn it, I also swam up here step by step by feeling my way. If I could swim up again, I can guarantee that I would be back on the sixth floor within three days!
This is much faster than walking!

In the bedroom of the Golden Oak.

Tang Qi put down the [Slave Pen], let out a long sigh, and said:
"Next, I just need to copy this content into the log."

I wonder if Senior Sister Goya misses me after more than twenty days without updating...

But she might not know all of this?
After all, I'm slapping the Poet Academy in the face, so Instructor Ulasang will definitely do his best to cover up the stone tablet, right?

Otherwise, there should have been some news from the Terran Empire within three months.

Because of the great distance, Tang Qi was also unable to confirm anything about the other side of the mainland.

He could only ponder this as he opened the diary he always carried with him, a diary he hadn't written anything in for a long time.

But they heard a knock on the door first:

"Tang Qi, some of your friends have come downstairs and say they want to see you."

It's Catherine's voice.

Tang Qi rushed out of the inner sea late at night. When he returned, he only briefly greeted Catherine before falling asleep exhausted in the evening.

It was a time for important guests to arrive, but Tang Qi couldn't imagine which of Catherine's friends in Dragon Gold City would come to visit at this time.

He could only hurriedly close the logbook and push open the door.

Last night, the sky was dark, and he hadn't noticed Catherine's complexion. Now, under the bright yellow light of the corridor, as he looked at the young woman again, he said with some surprise:
"Have you been too busy lately? You look so tired..."

A blush rose to Catherine's cheeks, concealing her dark circles.

"Isn't it just that one of the shareholders only puts in money but doesn't put in any effort?"
"Hey, hurry downstairs, your friends are waiting."

She wouldn't explain that it was because Tang Qi hadn't returned for a long time, so she kept the tavern open very late every day before going to sleep.

Tang Qi asked as she shoved his shoulder:

"A friend you've never met?"

"No, you met me in the dungeon, right?"

Tang Qi raised an eyebrow, and after walking down the stairs and seeing the little mustache and ram's horns, he suddenly realized:
"Is it you?"

"Ha, my friend, we've finally met you before leaving Dragon Gold City!"

The man with the mustache laughed loudly, then hugged Tang Qi tightly and patted him hard on the back.
"I thought I'd never see you again."

"Hey, if you can't speak properly, then shut up! This will make our benefactor think you're cursing him!"

A tender and charming voice echoed in his ears. Tang Qi looked in the direction of the voice and realized that it was the little fairy girl who had been unconscious and had never been able to say a word.

It's the same girlish voice, but Xiao Taoqi's voice is lively and gentle, carrying a hint of joy and confidence—

It's a kind of confidence that comes from growing up in a sugar jar and never experiencing any setbacks in one's life.

Using the delicate dragonfly wings behind her, she flew to Tang Qi, grasped his hand tightly, and swayed it back and forth:

"I'm Little Rascal, and I'm so glad to finally meet you, my benefactor!"

Tang Qi felt something strange in his palm. When she let go and he opened his hand, he found a crumpled piece of paper stuffed inside.

Just as he was about to unfold it, the paper ball burst open in his palm with a "bang," and colorful ribbons and fireworks burst out like drifting catkins, scattering onto Tang Qi's shoulders.

When the thick smoke cleared, he found a bunch of bright sunflowers in his palm.

The little rascal bowed repeatedly:
"Without you, I would have died in the dungeon!"

"Don't say that. If it weren't for you, I might not have made it out alive."

There's some exaggeration involved, but it's just flattery, nothing more.

At this point, the little rascal suddenly patted his head and handed Tang Qi a short knife tied with a red scarf:

"By the way, this is the dagger I stole from that Tifferin—has the Red Scarf Gang given you any trouble?"

Tang Qi took it and examined it carefully, then suddenly burst out laughing.

He then recalled Hope's argument in the underground city—

"Who would reveal their real name? Otherwise, if people find out you're a gang member, wouldn't it be easy for them to find you? Besides, I'm a Tieflin!"

“This ‘Nolan’ is a pseudonym, just like my knife.”

But now, the words "Hope Valentina" are clearly engraved on the dagger.

He took out the "Fair Contract" and easily tore it to shreds.

This means that the contract was completely invalid.

This is a pseudonym.

"Can she possibly tell the truth?"

Thinking of this, Tang Qi couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle.
"A cunning weasel."

……

"A cunning fox."

In the brightly lit room, Hope weighed the scabbard in her hand and wiped away the illusions clinging to it.

The ornate scabbard lost its luster, revealing its simple, unadorned original appearance.

That was an illusion she created after casting the Ring Ascension spell—

[Distorting Value: Enhancing its perceived value with illusions, or halving its perceived value with illusory scratches, dents, and other unsightly features.]

"If I went to such great lengths to steal a seemingly unassuming [Saint's Sword Sheath], it would surely arouse your suspicion."

She blinked, gazing at the bright white lamp hanging upside down from the ceiling, and felt it resembled the salt crystals on the grotto.
Will we ever meet again...?

Will we meet again?

(End of this chapter)