Chapter 508: Infiltration

Two days later.

"Um. Can I not go?"

Banshee Kris said with a long face.

The moon was at its zenith, the clouds thick and heavy.

She had been led out of the forest by Rod and the halfling Lily, secretly walking along a path in the Twilight Hills.

When she first heard it was going to be a heist, she was delighted.

On one hand, her master had finally seen the light; on the other, it was a rare chance to openly go stealing — during her time in the forest she had truly been going stir-crazy.

"We're going to sweep the treasury clean, Kris. Isn't that your favorite thing?"

Rod said with a smile.

The burn scars from the strong acid all over his body were already gone; at most the redness of his skin had yet to fully fade.

"But that's a dragon's treasury! I do love money, but I love staying alive even more, Master!"

The banshee wailed, "Even you got beaten up like that by that black dragon, so one breath from it would kill me dead!"

"You've got it wrong, Kris."

Halfling Lily wagged her finger, her smile cute, "Not just the black dragon — we're sweeping the red dragon's hoard too."

She was wearing her usual leather armor as always.

But she'd changed into a set with a darker hue, easier for stealth.

It carried a magical aura — clearly a Magical Item of quite decent quality.

"Huh!? Th-then you don't really need me, right? Tally's here too, isn't her shadow magic even more useful!"

Kris pointed frantically at the succubus behind them.

Today the succubus had transformed into a petite, flat dark elf — a bandeau top, hot pants, plus a long scarf, a bizarre assassin look.

She obediently followed behind, her gaze constantly circling her master's rear.

Grinning foolishly all the while.

Because there was a battle ahead, she'd eaten two dinners in one go tonight, so she was no longer the wilted mess she'd been the past two days.

Her skin was instantly rosy and glowing, and even her mindset had turned optimistic.

She began to think today was a good chance to win her master's forgiveness!

"Dragons guard their treasuries very tightly. Shadow magic will inevitably leave traces of spiritual presence."

Lily shook her head.

"But you're different, Kris. An undead's incorporeal form is naturally suited for scouting — don't blame Rod, it was my suggestion."

"Sc-scouting?"

Kris stared, dumbstruck.

Where there's one, there's two. Once that stinky master found something useful, he'd never let go — so wouldn't she be stuck as a scout from now on?

She immediately wailed: "You stinky little shorty from the Xia-Meng! Back when you told me to follow this guy back to Shi Ying Town, you said he had a gentle nature and wouldn't treat me badly. But in less than half a year, the bastard got me into bed — not only did he have his way with me, he had to take the back door! And every now and then he has to throw some ridiculous wild party with a whole bunch of women! Boohoo, and now he wants me to be a scout… boohoo~~"

"I need to clarify something here — you're the one who said the back door was more comfortable and fun."

"I-I… I was drunk talking nonsense!"

Lily listened, a little awkward.

She glanced at Rod, who didn't seem to mind at all.

"Scouting doesn't necessarily mean death, Rod, you really… Didn't I tell you back then not to make a move on her?"

"Sometimes when feelings run deep, there's nothing to be done about it."

"Feelings run deep, my ass — I swear to—" Kris was so furious she nearly cursed.

But seeing Rod's eerie gaze turn toward her, she shrunk her shoulders: "It's not like this maid's feelings for Master run that deep, it was half-pushing, half-going along…"

Rod was actually a little worried too.

So he asked: "Lily, are you sure you can handle the traps and defenses inside the dragon's treasury?"

Lily proudly lifted her chin.

"You know about the dragon-slaying I did in Deepwater City a while back. Although the green dragon that got killed was a scapegoat, the dragon treasury we found at the end was the real deal. Dragons live long lives, stretching back ages, but most of their stuff is old antiques that can't keep up with the times — always the same old thirty-six magical traps, eighteen dragon puppet guardians, boring as hell."

Rod was delighted: "You cracked it?"

"Of course! From small to big, I've never met a stronghold I couldn't see through! But it wasn't exactly simple — this part needs Kris's help. If I hadn't had the experience, I wouldn't have just followed you here the moment I heard 'treasury'!"

Kris, listening on the side about her having experience, was no longer afraid, and asked:

"How much money did you loot from the green dragon's hoard?"

"That old green dragon was already prepared — he'd only put two hundred Jin Along in there as a decoy. Thinking back on it, the Xia-Meng people and I were too excited back then to notice something was off. A dragon — if it doesn't collect a few hundred thousand… no, a few tens of millions — it doesn't even count as a dragon's treasury."

She said.

Lily glanced at the banshee, deliberately exaggerating the figure by nearly a hundredfold.

Sure enough.

Kris's eyes gleamed.

She turned to her master: "If we succeed, how much can I get?"

"Depends on your performance. If there really are tens of millions, giving you a few tens of thousands wouldn't be a problem."

Rod said with a smile.

"I want a hundred thousand! Then I'm buying a house! Opening a divination shop on New Lank Street! And hiring ten or eight maids!"

Compared to Kris's excitement.

Tally was far calmer.

She tugged at Rod's sleeve, pitifully saying: "Master, Tally doesn't want anything, okay? As long as Master likes Tally again, that's enough. Really."

"Hehe."

"Just liking it a little bit again is enough."

"You should finish your task first. By the way, since we ate two meals at once tonight, there will be nothing to eat tomorrow."

"Ah?"

Tally stood there with her mouth agape.

All sounds ceased; the night was deep.

Soon.

The group crossed the Twilight Hills and secretly arrived at the Black Scar Mountain in the northeast.

The Twilight Hills were complex enough in terrain; after all, located at the junction of a mountain range and a plain, they featured towering rock peaks, deep canyons, and hidden caves.

Were it not for this place being situated in the far west, where the climate was relatively extreme, it would truly have been an ideal habitat for various giant dragons.

Black Scar Mountain was the highest peak of the Twilight Hills.

It was said to have been a small volcano in the past, but that was likely a thousand years ago; now it appeared lush and green, showing no such traces at all.

And the Red Dragon Nas.

Precisely because of his habits and innate arrogance and desire for dominion, even though this place was at a certain distance from Coral Bay, he still chose this spot as his treasury.

Tally cast 【Dark Veil Cloak】, greatly reducing everyone's presence.

They arrived at a massive crack on the side of Black Scar Mountain and crossed a narrow natural stone bridge.

Finally, only through Rod's 【Insight Demon Eye】 did they successfully enter the cave concealed by illusion magic.

Inside the nest was a vast cavern composed of scorched black rocks and obsidian.

They had not taken a few steps.

The halfling girl discovered the so-called 'Thirty-Six Liu Dao Mo Fa traps and eighteen Dragon Puppet guardians'.

She had thought they were something formidable.

But Lily and Chris spent twenty minutes leading them past safely and soundly.

Rod's evaluation was trash.

But mainly, Lily was skilled enough.

According to her own account, the operation just performed was unique on the entire continent; even if the highest-level experts from Bahadur Magic Academy were summoned, none could have done it as cleanly as she did.

True enough.

After all, she was the one who could even break the 【Hero Amplification】 of the half-deer people.

Rod immediately showered her with extravagant praise, coaxing Lily until she walked with her head held high.

And after bypassing these defenses.

Everyone finally saw the giant dragon's treasury:

Laid out before their eyes were millions of Jin Along covering the ground, forming a golden ocean.

Rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and diamonds were piled into small hills, emitting a charming glow.

In one corner of the vault were piled magic weapons, armor, and scrolls; some items still retained the glow of ancient runes on their surfaces.

Huge statues, exquisite tapestries, and ancient pottery were haphazardly piled together; some even looked like relics from a lost civilization of the last century.

"Ahahaha—ahahahahaha—"

Chris turned solid and laughed like a madwoman.

Her bare jade feet stepped into the ocean of gold coins, producing a crisp metallic clinking sound.

Tally looked around and spotted several red emerald spheres; she picked them up with interest to examine them closely.

"I didn't expect it to go this smoothly."

Rod looked at the treasure before him, which even reflected the cavern walls in gold, feeling somewhat unreal.

Tally beside him elbowed his waist.

"Don't say such unlucky things; do you still want it to be unsuccessful?"

"Just saying."

"A giant dragon's treasury has only three key points: first, identify its hidden location; second, seize the moment when the owner is away; third, bypass the magic traps inside, with you and I each solving one. The second point requires only a little observation; how could it not go smoothly?"

"That is true."

As they spoke.

Just as they were about to start packing the treasure into a magical satchel.

【Spider Sense】 trembled for no reason.

A gust of wind surged.

Carrying the sound of massive beating wings.

Sensing its direction, it was coming from the cave entrance.

Rod and Lily both froze.

They exchanged a glance, both revealing expressions of helplessness and bitterness.

(End of this chapter)