Chapter 711: Shell Coins and Deceptions (Part 2)

In the wealth goddess's slightly contemptuous gaze, Leon's mirror-like cufflinks flickered faintly, and a tiny dog paw emerged just as she had anticipated.

But instead of attempting to seize the bloodstained bandage with the power of the Mirror World, as she expected, the tiny dog paw pushed forward a small metal sphere whose shell was cracking apart.

Is this… some kind of extremely powerful bomb?

Sensing its power, the wealth goddess's brow instantly knitted; she suspected Leon intended to kill himself to protect his "secret," so she hastily changed targets and purchased the whale-oil explosive just as it began to fracture.

At the same time, Leon's shell currency flickered faintly and appeared mysteriously in Tang Mu's hands; instantly, most of the lazy youth's wounds vanished, transferring entirely and without exception onto Leon's body.

Didn't expect that, did you? This was my real plan!

Watching the wealth goddess suddenly startle and step back half a pace, even as agonizing pain tore through his organs like a thousand knives, Leon's lips still involuntarily curled upward.

The wealth goddess, who had seized the Infected Blood Bandage the moment she stepped out of the Dream Realm, could hardly not anticipate that he'd try to get it back?

Once he realized this, he never expected to reclaim the 【Infected Blood Bandage】—the restless pup and the whale-oil bomb were merely distractions to divert her attention.

His true plan was to use the 【Proxy】 badge to forcibly activate the effect of the sacred anomaly, strike a direct deal with Tang Mu, and buy all his injuries, giving him a chance to fight the wealth goddess again!

Push on, Tang Mu! The rest is up to you!

After glancing at the lazy youth, who had suddenly opened his eyes and stood firm like an unshakable mountain, Leon—who had successfully deceived the wealth goddess with his trick—fell backward into the sky, his chest exploding into a mist of blood, full of hope.

Do it again! Just like before—drive back the Jianglin god once more. You can do it!

…

"Thud!"

"I… I already told you, I'm terrible at direct combat…"

In Leon's incredulous gaze, the lazy youth—whose bones seemed to have been entirely removed—collapsed again immediately after opening his eyes, and sighed helplessly in his own defense:

"My ability requires preparation time. She's too close now—I can't even throw out the ritual materials. How am I supposed to win?"

"…"

So they're both fools!

Looking at the two cleaners lying side by side on the ground, bleeding profusely, and recalling her own earlier alarm, the wealth goddess's lips twitched slightly; she felt her dignity had been dragged down by these two idiots.

"Are you finally convinced?"

After pinching her brow, the wealth goddess, having endured this farce, walked forward slowly, picked up the bottle containing the serpent spirit, then tore off Leon's toad pendant, and said coldly:

"I've lost patience. Tell me—how did you make that toad collapse on its own?"

"…"

"Still refusing to speak?"

Glancing at the gathering hall trembling from her forced descent, the wealth goddess flexed her fingers slightly, squinting as she threatened Leon:

"I don't enjoy doing this, but if you insist on resisting… don't blame me for being brutal!"

"…"

"Aaaah!!!"

As the wealth goddess curled her finger, the lazy youth—whose bones had been mostly bought away and lay limp beside Leon—suddenly bulged his eyes and screamed hysterically.

"N-not… why… why me?"

When the hellish pain subsided slightly, the lazy youth, drenched in sweat and with veins bulging on his temples, trembled his lips in confusion: "Aren't you asking him questions? Why are you torturing me?"

Of course, because he can't move.

Glancing sidelong at the complaining lazy youth, the wealth goddess raised her right hand again.

All things have a price, all things can be exchanged, all things flow—these three powers, deliberately copied from her own and entrusted to the Three Sacred Spirits for cultivation, are the foundation of her advancement toward becoming Lord of All Things.

In mastery of these three powers, her Sacred Spirits may not be weaker than she is—but after encountering this mysterious Level-3 Cleaner, that foolish toad's faith in 【All Things Have a Price】 shattered, likely because it encountered something whose value cannot be measured.

To avoid the same fate, for safety's sake, until I understand the true nature of that thing, I must avoid using my Wealth Power directly on his body; if I touch it and my power collapses, it will be troublesome.

…

"Each time you refuse me, I'll double his pain."

After considering how far to push Leon, the wealth goddess spoke slowly, word by word, to him in the lazy youth's incredulous gaze:

"Tell me—what secret do you carry?"

"…"

"Aaaah!!!"

"Stop… stop!"

Watching Tang Mu—whose bones were half gone, bleeding everywhere, yet writhing and shrieking in agony—Leon spat blood and forced himself to speak:

"I… I'll tell you, but you must… you must guarantee… guarantee we… cough! Cough cough!"

Having absorbed most of Tang Mu's wounds, Leon's throat and lungs were severely damaged; after speaking just two sentences, he began coughing up blood in great gouts.

Watching Leon, who couldn't catch his breath after coughing for so long, the wealth goddess frowned and instinctively pinched two shell coins, intending to buy his injuries.

But remembering the shattered soul of that toad, she withdrew her hand in caution and instead kicked the 【Infected Blood Bandage】 toward him, ordering coldly:

"Heal yourself. Once you're done, then…"

"Puff puff puff puff!"

As the wealth goddess completed half the motion of kicking, and the lazy youth writhed in agony, the blood splattered everywhere suddenly detached from the ground, transforming into countless fine, sticky crimson threads that surged toward her in dense, clinging nets.

Immediately after, a deep green pearl rolled out from Leon's sleeve; a vast, sky-reaching emerald forest erupted violently, engulfing both man and goddess, transporting them into a shattered emerald valley.

As the wealth goddess, wrapped in the blood net, fell straight into the valley, Emma—who had been waiting inside—immediately activated the 【Execution Platform】 and opened the 【Collective Punishment Codex】; thirty thousand bloodstained guillotines sprouted like mushrooms after rain, stretching from the valley floor all the way to its peak.

Under Leon and Tang Mu's hopeful gazes, thirty thousand versions of the wealth goddess, bound in blood nets and crowned with thorned wreaths, were simultaneously pinned beneath the blades; thirty thousand gleaming guillotines, amid thirty thousand pairs of terrified eyes, crashed down upon thirty thousand necks.

"Crack!"

(End of Chapter)