Chapter 33: Snake and Him

Luge instantly pricked up his ears, the notched ear twitching beneath his hood.

Spell knowledge? Catch a giant snake?

He was interested in both, on one hand he didn't want the giant snake to return to the Kobold territory to cause trouble, on the other he had long craved interaction with Wizard Apprentices and the acquisition of spell knowledge, provided there was no danger; if the other party were two First-Rank Wizard Apprentices, he would have already walked over boldly, plopped himself down, called them brothers within three sentences, and might even have fabricated a tearful tale of how he, a handsome man, endured humiliation to be transformed into a Kobold.

Pity these were two Fifth-Rank Wizard Apprentices appearing here with clear purposes, but if they were willing to interact, the disparity in status would turn interaction into seeking instruction, which was also a fine option.

"One question opportunity, one Zero-Circle Spell, but on the premise that you serve as bait and don't mess it up."

Ba'angte's voice sounded from behind.

Luge pondered briefly, then realized some of the Flame Man's words were actually meant for him; this man had anticipated things and given him what he needed to know to make a decision, such as Ba'angte having hunted that snake more than once, Ba'angte's power being enough to kill the giant snake, which suggested it was precisely because he didn't want to kill it that it had escaped successfully several times; this clever snake clearly saw this, and each time it fled with a desperate posture.

At this point, a bait was needed.

Luge turned around: "Being able to help the two of you is my honor; a bit of danger doesn't matter."

Since the big guy is very strong, he should be able to protect me, right? he thought.

One spell, one question opportunity; he naturally had many things he wanted to ask, and after hesitating in his heart, he still planned to first resolve the unresolved Companion Magic Pet. If corresponding spells were needed, he might as well solve everything at once and get the spells too.

"It seems that before you were sold to the Black Calamity Tower, you were still an educated Noble." The Flame Man stoked the bonfire, saying without raising his head.

Luge very much wanted to say that in his hometown everyone could receive education, but after thinking it over, he feared causing trouble and didn't say it; after all, if pressed about where he came from, he would surely make mistakes and be unable to answer at all.

He looked at the roasted beast legs, of which a little more than half remained after the three had finished their meal.

"Sir, may I boldly ask, can I take it away?"

He suddenly thought of Aijin; if his wish was to become a powerful Wizard, or something more complicated, then Aijin's wish was much simpler: to eat delicious food, to be full at every meal—that was her greatest wish. Now some changes might be quietly occurring, but this wish absolutely still occupied an important position.

This roast meat, cooked just right and carved with various spices never seen before, given the Kobold maiden's love for new things and fine food, she would surely be very happy to eat it.

"Of course, this is praise for me."

The man waved his hand, the roasted beast leg flew over, and Luge smiled as he took it and directly put it into his Storage Bag.

"Follow me."

Ba'angte put away the crystal-clear round ball.

Luge nodded, just as he lifted his leg, he heard a boom, and Ba'angte had already pushed off with his feet, shooting out like a cannonball.

He looked at his own short legs, added Bull Strength, gritted his teeth, and chased desperately.

Soon, the bonfire's light was gone behind him; he could barely see Ba'angte's back, but gradually it became that he could only hear the monster-like sound of footsteps on the ground, and finally he found even that sound was almost inaudible.

For a moment he felt the new spell and Companion Magic Pet were waving goodbye to him.

Ba'angte's way, though not the handsome way of travel he wanted, he had to admit, this astonishingly simple and unadorned act indeed achieved leaving people in the dust, and even the dust was almost unreachable, and was absolutely simpler and more reliable than those handsome ways.

Boom—

"You're too slow."

Ba'angte turned in midair and landed beside him without stopping, grabbed his shoulder, and left.

His weight naturally had no effect on Ba'angte, and he thus experienced a bit of the feeling of wind and lightning, further firming his resolve to obtain a powerful travel spell or method. But soon his experience plummeted; he found Ba'angte's leaping and running travel method extremely unfriendly to his stomach, stuffed with roast meat.

Rapid movement all the way.

The two leapt out from an inconspicuous exit of the Small Hole Area.

Continuing to run wildly, they came to a place of strange terrain full of pits; at a glance, there were at least twenty or more cave entrances on the ground, as if super-large rats were collectively nesting here, and this was still limited by the field of vision; judging by the momentum, there were absolutely many more ground holes beyond the field of vision.

Ba'angte finally put him down, took out the round ball, and examined it repeatedly.

"It actually found a method to deal with tracking."

Ba'angte suddenly put away the round ball, his eyes blazing as he looked at him.

"You hold this; remember what I say now," Ba'angte stuffed something into Luge's hand, "hold it in your hand, don't mind other matters; these holes should be connected; just go into any hole and wander around; I give you one day; I will—"

A tremendous boom! interrupted Ba'angte's words.

A huge snake body drilled out from a cave entrance, directly collapsing a section of the entrance; for a time dust flew and rubble splattered.

Ba'angte no longer cared about him, directly waving his fist and charging up, chasing the giant snake's fleeing figure into the distance.

Luge looked at the thing in his hand, then at the figures running farther and farther away.

What to do?

And, what is this?

In his hand lay something wrapped in cloth obviously torn off casually, wound round and round into a small ball; he suspected this piece of cloth might previously have been the sleeve of some garment.

Recalling Ba'angte's words, he turned and walked into the nearest cave entrance.

I won't join such a fierce battle; anyway, my short legs can't catch up, he thought.

I am also completing the task you entrusted, he thought thus, his steps growing firmer.

This was the only thing he could do now; besides this, only left was to return along the original route according to memory, then quietly run back home.

He clutched the thing in his left hand, guessing its function, while also somewhat worried, fearing it might be some peculiar bait to lure Underground Beasts. Of course, he had absolutely no thought of opening it to look. Ask less, look less—was his consistent principle when facing Strong Ones.

Taking out the Crystal Stone Lamp to look, he had already decided: if Ba'angte hadn't returned after one day, once he finished what he should do, he would leave here and return along the route in his memory.

A pair of snake pupils quietly emerged in the darkness.

"You'd better put it away."

The giant snake's voice twisted into a thin line, fine as a mosquito's hum, drilling into his ear.

He suddenly turned around, looking around; in the darkness, a flash passing by was a gray-white long snake that had already shrunk by at least ten times.

"Stay away from him—" the small Gray Long Neck Saint Lord's words, fine as a mosquito's hum, had just entered his ear again when they suddenly broke off.

"Hahaha! See where you run!"

Ba'angte suddenly leapt out, a cannonball booming into a patch of shadow in the distance.

Luge put the Crystal Stone Lamp and the thing in his hand into his Storage Bag, then hurriedly took large strides to follow and catch up.

His reward hadn't been cashed in yet!

(Chapter End)