Chapter 512: The Brooch Transaction

The halfling Lily helped a great deal, so she naturally deserves a share.

Luo De is generous with girls; at first, he intended to split it fifty-fifty with her.

But later, Lily took into account the situation in Shiying Town, and since she herself never cared much about money, she said that if Luo De had invited Kali Site instead, the job could have been done just as well—what mattered most was that Luo De held the key location of the vault.

So she proposed a three-seven split, plus some magical items and scrolls she personally found interesting.

Luo De couldn't refuse her, so he agreed.

Just after the loot was divided last night, Lily was still exhilarated and wanted to keep chatting with Luo De.

But then she heard him talking to the Banshee Krist about the sleep tax, so she left grumpily.

"Master."

Tally jumped down from the roof of the forest guard hut, her face grim.

"I may not have earned any credit, but I've earned my sweat—can't you reward me with one meal today?"

"No. You can ask for treasure, but not this."

"Don't be so mean, Master~~~"

Last night, after learning that Krist would be spending the night with Luo De, she hid on the roof, certain the Banshee would break down—and when Luo De was left unsatisfied, he'd surely call her in.

But that thing actually held out for one hundred thousand Jin Along, even fainting from loss of consciousness several times.

She ended up losing both the chicken and the rice.

Tally got nothing to eat, spent the whole night listening from the roof, her stomach aching with longing.

Luo De didn't care about her at all.

He pried loose her clinging hand and headed out for forest patrol and training.

He turned his head and saw the elf Kali Site walking toward him, her usual follower, the rat-girl No. 3, swinging a twig behind her.

"Good morning, Kali Site."

Kali Site 's expression didn't change; she chose not to respond.

Elves.

They're just that arrogant.

Only a few polite ones will verbally reply; most, like Kali Site, just glare at you coldly and consider that enough to acknowledge you're human.

Luo De was used to it.

He never bothered much with such trivial etiquette, and instead smiled at the tall rat-girl.

"Good morning, No. 3."

No. 3 still couldn't speak.

Her hollow, lifeless eyes fixed on Luo De as she moved closer, swayed her hips outward, and wrapped her steel tail around his thigh.

Look at that.

She hasn't even cultivated a soul yet, yet she understands how to respond better than you—yet you've lived two or three hundred years, old elf.

Kali Site was about to speak.

She glanced at the weeping succubus behind her, paused, then frowned slightly.

Her gaze toward Luo De softened considerably, and even her scowling expression eased.

Luo De: "?"

The elf lady said: "The succubus race has become lethargic to the bone because food comes too easily. Controlling their diet isn't a bad idea—it might lead to improvement."

"You can tell that? Do elves also see vital energy like succubi?"

"Succubi convert vital energy into spirituality; conversely, from the fluctuations and frequencies of spirituality, one can discern humans. I taught you this knowledge of spiritual transformation—surely you haven't forgotten?"

Kali Site said coldly.

Luo De looked up at the sky, saying nothing.

"By the way, have you finished digesting the Lilith bloodline you extracted from Wen Na yet?"

Speaking of improvement, he remembered the Lilith bloodline they obtained during the Axe Beach expedition.

Half a month has passed, and Tally hasn't changed at all.

Tally stiffened at the mention, guiltily whistling silently, copying Luo De's posture to stare at the sky.

"."

Seeing Luo De glaring at her impatiently,

the succubus finally stammered: "I-I haven't started digesting yet."

"Then reduce your rations by one meal this week."

"No! Don't take another away! I'll starve to death if you do! Master~~~"

Kali Site cleared her throat twice and said coldly: "I don't recommend further reduction. If your spiritual energy drops too low, it won't be suitable for digesting high-grade bloodlines."

"Exactly! She's right! Finally, this elf said something sensible! Master, you should listen to a professional!"

Tally nodded eagerly.

"But this balance is already ideal—it won't cause excessive vital energy that forces you to reduce activity to improve conversion rates. It can be sustained long-term."

"Huh?!!"

The succubus wailed, "Don't listen to her! She's spreading nonsense! One meal a day leaves me starving! Where's the balance?!"

Luo De pondered: "I see. This creature is lazy because she eats too much."

"You can think of it that way… So, who exactly fed her so much before?"

The elf gave Luo De a cold glance.

Luo De laughed it off, avoiding the awkward question.

He pulled No. 3's steel tail down slightly—she was wriggling affectionately against him, getting dangerously close to forbidden territory.

"Why are you here so early? Has something happened?"

He changed the subject.

Kali Site clearly noticed.

Her face chilled, and she tapped No. 3 on the forehead, pulling her back.

"There is something."

"Go ahead. With our relationship, no need for such formality."

"We have no relationship."

The elf lady stuck to her usual stubbornness, her face cold as she hesitated.

She handed over a small wooden box; inside, on a cotton pad, lay a delicate brooch set with an unknown gemstone.

Her slender, pale fingers trembled slightly.

"What is this?"

"I found it by accident among some useless trinkets. It's useless to keep. Sell it to you—consider it a neighborly discount."

Luo De wasn't slow to catch on.

He sensed the tremor in the elf's throat.

This was clearly not just "useless trinkets," as she claimed.

And the fact she was forced to "sell" it meant her savings were exhausted.

She constantly performed free rituals—large or small—for everyone in the forest.

In the past half-year, the forest has consecutively activated several troublesome, energy-draining rituals, especially the grand forest-wide Ascension Ritual, which lasted two months and consumed pile upon pile of materials.

Luo De wanted to pay for these expenses.

But Kali Site is strong-willed and proud; she covered everything herself and forbade him from asking—any inquiry, she claimed, insulted the elf's pride.

It left Luo De helpless.

"Fine. I'll buy it."

Since she finally opened her mouth, Luo De wouldn't let the chance slip.

"Two hundred thousand Jin Along should suffice. This is an extremely rare black moonstone—on today's continent, it's priceless. Even if dismantled and smelted into weapons, its value is immense."

Luo De shook his head.

He recounted last night's raid on the Red Dragon Nasi's vault.

He emphasized the critical role her 【Phantom Dragon】 had played.

But her face turned icy: "Facing a dragon deep in a trap with no escape—you know what happens if it breathes its dragonfire? Lily is an irresponsible fool for joining you in such a reckless stunt!"

"That's not important!"

Luo De waved his hand. "What matters is we succeeded—and we gained massive treasure!"

"."

"As payment for this matter, plus buying your brooch, I'll give you this price."

Saying this,

Luo De didn't wait for her refusal—he handed her a spell satchel and took the brooch from her hand.

Kali Site let out a cold snort, opened it, and froze.

"."

Exactly two million Jin Along.

One hundred times what she had suggested.

She knew full well Luo De had deliberately overpaid—but her elfish pride wouldn't let her say thanks.

Otherwise, she'd have simply asked Luo De for money directly, rather than selling something she cherished.

Of the 4. million Jin Along in cash.

Luo De and Lily split it 7: , so he gets 3. 1 million; even after giving most of it to Kali Site, he still has enough for now.

Besides.

If he needed money urgently, Kali Site 's personality would never refuse him.

Just storing the money somewhere else.

Luo De smiled as he examined the brooch in his hand: "This thing is beautiful—I'll keep it safe and give it to some girl someday as an engagement gift when she agrees to marry me."

Kali Site was equally direct, tucking away her spell satchel.

She felt grateful inside, but said nothing.

She let out a cold snort from her smooth, unblemished throat.

"Hmph. Don't you already have enough women?"

Tally quickly raised her hand, urgently declaring: "Me! Tally wants to marry Master! I want to be with you through all lifetimes!"

"You're just a plaything."

"Huh? Waaah!"

Luo De ignored her and continued speaking to Kali Site: "A wife, of course, should be a girl who can manage everything, capable and competent—preferably a mage, and ideally one who knows everything. An elf would be even better—her beauty lasts longer, and you'll never grow tired of looking at her."

Kali Site 's eyes flickered with unease.

She snorted coldly and turned away.

She must have been flustered—she was walking with mismatched steps.

Luo De smiled and patted the crying succubus on the head.

He was about to say he'd been too harsh, that she wasn't just a plaything.

Tally's expression shifted instantly—from sorrow to flattery and triumph.

"How was that, Master? Did I act well? I get it! Treating a woman with a unique attitude boosts her affection!"

"Hmm. Not bad. You don't mind me calling you a plaything?"

"Master is so gentle—he'd never mean it! I can feel your affection in your aura—even though it's dropped by half recently—but Tally will behave excellently and earn it all back!"

She beamed with a bright, sunlit smile that seemed almost too warm for a succubus.

Luo De paused slightly, finding the girl oddly endearing.

"So… can we have extra food today?"

"No."

Magic Control League.

【Long-Distance Teleportation】 Zone.

The land naga Eve slowly swayed her serpent tail to this spot, ignoring the glances—intentional or not—from the men around her.

She opened the glowing stone subunit of the recently popular dwarf invention, 【Lock Heart】.

Jin Along required to teleport to the Twilight Hills, Shi Ying Town—【For three or fewer people: 2, 11 Jin Along】.

She sucked in a sharp breath.

"What's going on? So expensive?!"

Eve grimaced, wondering if she should just walk there instead.

At that moment, a figure passed by, caught sight of her glowing stone, and let out the same exclamation.

"Damn! 2, 00?!"

Eve turned her head.

She saw a dog-tribe girl with golden fur, her figure fiery and naturally full.

Especially with her slightly fitted high-waisted pants and cropped jacket—her legs looked endless, and her slender waist and peach-like buttocks were perfectly accentuated.

(End of Chapter)