Chapter 73: 81 Not Me, It

Dylan currently feels immense pressure.

In the physical sense.

The noble knight merely swung his sword down in a standard fashion, yet Dylan barely managed to hold on, forced down onto one knee by the weight.

Spotting the gap as the knight raised his sword again, he rolled away like a donkey.

"With just this much skill, you dare play the hero?"

After that brief exchange, the noble knight had already gauged the strength of the adventurer before him.

Weak!

Aside from being slightly fast, there was nothing worth noting.

"Ready to die?"

[Phantom Clone]

[Ice Spike]

Dylan clearly realized the gap as well; while the noble knight was busy talking, he decisively used both pieces of equipment.

Three Dylans surrounded the noble knight in a fan formation, each manifesting three ice spikes in front of them.

"Skill equipment? So many tricks!"

The sudden counterattack did not fluster the noble knight; he plunged his knightly sword into the dirt and kicked up a massive cloud of soil toward the front.

The soil particles flew past; while they didn't make the phantoms disappear, they passed right through them.

The noble knight’s eyes instantly locked onto the three real ice spikes flying in from the left.

[Block lv6]

The sound of ice shattering against the knightly sword rang out twice in succession; time was too tight, and he still couldn't block them all.

The final ice spike struck his chest, and the noble knight retreated three steps before standing firm.

The ice spike lost its momentum and fell to the ground, shattering into several pieces, while an ugly dent remained on the knight’s previously pristine chest armor.

The noble knight’s expression turned grim, his fingers gripping the sword hilt tighter, veins bulging on his neck; he was visibly enraged.

So angry that he didn't even spout trash talk.

[Charge lv5]

[Spinning Slash lv6]

He linked these two skills perfectly; in his haste, Dylan only had time to use [Block].

He was then sent rolling backward twice, along with his sword.

When he climbed back up, he was already a green, mycelium-covered mushroom person.

"A freak?" This actually made the noble knight pause for a moment.

"No, a Demon spy."

Regardless of what Dylan was, cutting off this head and telling his superiors he had slain a Demon spy would suffice—a free merit.

Facing the encroaching knight, Dylan showed no fear.

In the local network.

"Boss?"

"Boss, save me!"

The knight charged over with long strides and swung his sword down.

"Die!"

A backpack strap darted out from behind Dylan, grazing the knight’s right hand and leaving a thin line of blood in the air.

The knightly sword slammed into the ground, and the big guy looked down to see the tendons in his right hand had been severed.

If not for his armor, he might have lost the entire hand.

But he hadn't even seen what had attacked him.

The adventurer was still that same adventurer, looking utterly vulnerable.

But somehow, his... backpack was standing on the ground.

Huh?

The backpack strap attacked again, and the knight hurriedly blocked.

However, two fists are no match for four hands, let alone when he only had one hand left; wounds continued to accumulate on his body.

Can't go on like this, I'll be worn down to death!

He stopped his retreat and kicked off in the opposite direction.

[Charge lv5]

The scout, having prepared early, bent down.

[Mushroom Cannon lv8]

The knight was sent flying backward, his entire chest armor shattered, his chest a bloody mess.

He fell to the ground, barely drawing breath.

"Boss, why didn't you act sooner?"

The scout came behind Dylan, did a small hop back onto his back, and the mycelium tentacle-mimicked backpack strap automatically tied itself on.

"You were so brave, I thought you could handle it."

Dylan gave an embarrassed, awkward laugh.

"Right, that girl!" He looked back, but there was no sign of the young girl anywhere.

???

"Don't bother looking. She was much smarter than you; as soon as you started fighting, she slipped away quietly. She's probably already at the village.

The problem now is..."

Dylan looked at the knight who had one breath left, and the knight looked back at him.

That look, was he begging for mercy?

Mycelium tentacles darted out, and in the knight’s terrified gaze, they sliced his throat open in one motion.

Lin Jun continued, "The problem now is how to dispose of this corpse."

Looking at this "corpse" that was still struggling, Dylan was also in a bind.

If it were him, Dylan, who died—a common adventurer—it was highly likely no one would care.

But the person on the ground was a noble’s knight; not disposing of the body would likely lead to quite a bit of trouble.

"Boss, can't you just make some mushrooms grow on him so he disappears?"

"What are you thinking? This isn't a dungeon.

Growing mushrooms is possible, but natural decomposition takes at least ten days.

Wouldn't being discovered beforehand just leave behind clues?"

Dylan thought it over and decided the only option was to dump the body in the woods, at least not in such an obvious place by the road.

He laboriously dragged the knight into the forest and tossed him into a dense thicket; that counted as taken care of.

However, before leaving...

Dylan leaned down and skillfully searched the knight, who was no longer moving.

Soon, a coin purse, a small package, and a pendant were unearthed by Dylan.

The pendant hadn't even broken when hit by the mushroom cannon; it was just stuck in the flesh of his chest—it must be something good.

The coin purse contained 18 gold coins and some loose change, all of which Dylan happily accepted.

As for the package...

Dylan pulled out a beautifully decorated letter with a wax seal.

"Take a look?" the Boss suggested immediately.

Dylan nodded and reached out to tear the envelope.

"So hot!"

Just as a corner of the envelope was torn, flames ignited from within; before Dylan could react, only charred fragments remained floating in mid-air.

"Oh ho, that means you killed a messenger with a secret letter. Dylan, you're done for!"

"Huh? Wasn't it you who killed him, Boss? You even delivered the finishing blow!"

"Then go tell that to someone else! Tell them the backpack killed him, it has nothing to do with you! I'm sure the 'just' nobles will believe your nonsense."

"Damn it..."

It wasn't over yet; the boss was still dealing the finishing blow:

"Once the messenger is gone, they will definitely search with everything they have, eventually finding this village.

Then the little girl you saved will sell you out for a single gold coin.

Then your wanted poster will be plastered all over the streets, and when you return from the archipelago, you'll be surrounded the moment you step off the boat.

Finally, on the executioner's block, the righteous Dylan and his magical backpack will be beheaded together.

Congratulations on achieving the 'Good Person' ending!"

Gulp—

Dylan really wanted to refute this, but the more he thought about it, the more possible it seemed...

"Actually, there is one way."

The Boss’s tone was sinister, but this undoubtedly ignited hope in Dylan.

"What is it?"

"You return to the village now, and the two of us will finish off everyone who has seen you. Then no one will be left to report you!"

Dylan looked back at the backpack in horror: "Boss, are you serious?"

"Of course I'm joking.

That’s too much trouble; it would be better to just hide back in the dungeon now.

Trust me, Dylan, I have a way to make even your daughter unable to recognize you!"

"..."

Dylan didn't think this was a good way at all.

He looked up at the sky.

How did it come to this?

He had clearly only saved a girl...