MM Racing Page 147
Page 147
"How is that possible?!" Gan Gan exclaimed in surprise, hurriedly saying, "But I saw those guys from the Adventurers' Guild say they were going to use 'Great Memory Restoration' on the wanted criminals they caught!"
You remain silent, gazing at the sky in anguish, wondering why you always seem to encounter idiots. Is it because you're too smart?
No, there are different levels of stupidity. Someone like Serfael is a pure idiot who's too lazy to use her brain because her strength is so great that she doesn't need to think. On the other hand, someone like Gan Gan possesses a kind of primal beauty, like a mahjong doll, and a purity untouched by knowledge. The fact that she's survived this long is truly a testament to her incredible luck...
[After thinking about it, you explained to her that there is no magic in this world that can accurately recall the past, but within the magic network, there are many illusion spells and dreamscape magic that can evoke fantasies about a certain place.]
After a sigh of sorrow, Gan Gan quickly accepted the reality. She immediately opened her notebook and wrote: "A man named Latis shattered Gan Gan's daydream. Perhaps we can consider erecting a monument for him in the future..."
"No need!" you shouted, suddenly hearing your hawk-horse snort. Feeling your empty bladder, you jumped off, walked to Jennifer's side, and looked towards the end of the road at the town nestled among numerous exposed silver mines, its weathered walls built between the rocks.
["Thud!" The horse's hoof landed on the silver ore fragments on the road surface, making a dull thud. You picked up the impurity-rich fragment, examined it briefly, and then put it back where it was.]
Now you finally know why this place is called Silver Path Town.
Suddenly, the sound of flapping wings rang out behind you. You turned around in confusion and saw hundreds of long-beaked demon birds charging towards you like crazed zombies.
[You're horrified! Is this what they call a seasonal tornado? This is practically a crow taking off!]
You grabbed Jennifer's hand, swung your long legs, and shouted, your face deathly pale, "Run! Gan, run!"
Chapter 154 I am willing to become your most trustworthy knight
"Is there some story between the dwarves and Powaloden...?"
Latis stroked his chin and rolled over in bed.
"But why is he at the bottom of the floating island? I should be at the bottom of the island, not inside it? Did someone mess with that old dwarf?"
He thought for a moment and shook his head.
"The existing clues are insufficient for speculation... I wonder if this simulation can activate the Titan bloodline. If it can, I hope the person in the simulation will remember to ask..."
Latis took a bite of the Eperberry the half-elf had placed on his bedside table, and continued looking at the simulated text.
After a chaotic escape, the three of you and your two horses tumbled together into the walls of Silverway Town.
You glanced at your tattered pants with lingering fear, a sudden feeling of helplessness washing over you, like you'd been chased all the way by a bullying goose.
[With the guardian activated, a protective shield made of scattered ore fragments appeared in the air. You straightened your clothes and curiously observed the shield's operating mechanism.]
The long-beaked demon birds flung out their feather blades, attempting to break through the sharp defense. However, the blades began to wear down after colliding with the ore fragments, and after several attempts, the demon birds reluctantly gave up.
Just when you thought they would retreat, the demonic birds suddenly cried out, and a small portion of them charged straight at the protective barrier, attempting to pass through it and enter the town!
Your heart suddenly tightened. If these demonic birds managed to sneak in through the gaps in the protective shield, you weren't sure if you could protect the girls around you. You took a deep breath, preparing for a desperate fight. After all, it was just a simulation; next time, you could just have the robin concoct a few hundred hand grenades beforehand.
[However, the next second, your eyes widened in shock. Those seemingly fragile ore fragments, driven by the magic of the protective shield, instantly transformed into a rapidly spinning meat grinder. As the magical birds trapped within the shield struggled, they were drawn to it and mercilessly crushed!]
After witnessing the annihilation of their vanguard, the main force of the Demon Birds hesitated for a moment before dispersing. You grabbed Jennifer's outstretched hand and stood up, shaking your head regretfully at the mangled bird meat scattered on the ground. Your craving for pork made you momentarily want to make a slow-cooked soup, but ultimately, it would be too filthy.
After checking your identities, the guards looked pleased and led you to an empty house near the city gate.
Looking at the guards armed with numerous long swords and short daggers, you couldn't help but ask, "Is the defense here very heavy? Was that the so-called seasonal tornado?"
The guard scratched his head and said, "This is nothing! Autumn won't arrive for another two weeks. These are just small groups of wandering monsters; they're not very aggressive."
[You were silent for a moment, and you think this isn't aggressive enough? They almost pecked Brother Bull off!]
But the guard shook his head and said, "Don't worry, long-beaked demon birds usually swallow people whole. If you're unlucky enough to be captured, there's still hope. A colleague of mine once held a demon bird by the throat with his arm for a whole day and night before being rescued. The more aggressive types haven't shown up yet!"
Although you weren't sure if your bull brother could choke the long-beaked demon bird, you breathed a sigh of relief and followed the guard, asking him for details about the mission.
[Through the guard's explanation, you finally understand the situation in this area. It turns out the main need isn't actually to kill monsters, but to mine large quantities of "neutral-attribute mixed silver" to fill the gaps in the protective shield. You then realize that the shield's many holes really are due to a lack of material; you had thought it was some kind of avant-garde openwork design...]
In short, for Silver Path Town, this time of year is crucial for replenishing its inventory of "neutral attribute mixed silver," as the wear and tear on the protective shield becomes alarmingly rapid when seasonal tornadoes arrive.
"The mining site isn't far, it's in the mines near the town, Master." The guard scrutinized your warrior-like appearance and hesitated before saying, "Because 'Non-Attribute Mixed Silver' is very easily corrupted by the power of light, the mining area is usually a mine shaft about ten meters below the surface. Its shelf life is only about half a month, and it's difficult for us to collect enough ore within that timeframe..."
[A two-week storage period means that the ore you mine today and tomorrow will be ready to use at the beginning of autumn. You decide to do some research and planning before starting your task.]
You and Jennifer returned the hawk and horse to the carriage shop in Silverpath Town, and then went back to the house. On the way, you looked at Gan Gan, who was still following behind you, and asked curiously, "Weren't you going to leave after we reached the human town?"
"That's true, but knowing there's no magic to restore memories, I suddenly don't know where to go, and I haven't even repaid you yet! What will you two do tonight..." Seeing you shake your head in shock, Gan Gan scratched her head, paused in confusion, and changed the subject:
“I overheard you talking to the guard about your identity and mission. Lundia sounds like a very good place. Could you take me there later? In return, I can help you prospect for minerals; our race has a natural affinity for mineral veins!”
[After thinking it over, although you didn't know what the conditions were like inside the mine, bringing a prospector seemed like a good idea. If she proved useless, you could just send her back to town. With that in mind, you agreed to cooperate with her.]
Fortunately, the house provided by Silverpath Town was quite large, and the dwarves very conscientiously took over a kitchen before going to rest. You thought for a moment, then took Jennifer out of the house, intending to first explore the town.
The cities in the Mountain Wasteland Territory are completely different from those in the Forest Sea Territory. Here, towering rock formations are everywhere, and even though this town is not large, it is divided into several areas at different elevations by the rugged terrain.
Looking at the strong, healthy people passing by, you realize that most of the inhabitants here are miners, unlike in Londia where people chat and laugh with their ample bosoms, and where no uncultured person is present...
"Huh?!" You suddenly paused, looking at the man with a face covered in mud who was hawking his wares at the central market, and frowned.
The filthy red robe torn to shreds, the wheelbarrow with its tires twisted and deformed, the dried sweet potatoes covered in mud and dust… all remind you of someone from the past.
Who was it again? You couldn't quite remember, so you told Jennifer and walked towards the man in the red robe.
"Hey, how much is this?" you ask, picking up a Magic Tower from his cart.
"Ah, that..." The red-robed man didn't look up, but touched the Magic Gathering Tower with trembling hands, and sighed, "This is a Magic Gathering Tower made by Lundia. When placed upright, it can attract magic energy and release the magic energy stored within. When placed upside down, it can dispel magic energy. It's a very useful item for novice mages..."
He shook his head and continued, "I bought it for 100 gold whites back then, and I don't need it anymore. But it's still pretty new, so I'll sell it to you for 20% off."
You examined the Demon Gathering Tower for a moment, then paused, taking another closer look at the red-robed man. "Hey, isn't that Old Ma?"
"Hey, Old Ma, remember me?" You chuckled, stuffing the Demon Gathering Tower into your pocket, patting his shoulder and asking, "It's only been a few days, how come you've changed so much?"
Musk looked up in surprise at your face, a look of utter disbelief suddenly appearing in his eyes. How could he run into you everywhere! He desperately wanted to escape, but his cart tire was cracked. He could only lower his head, letting the tears in his eyes add an extra layer of salt to the sweet potato chips on his stall, hoping the next customer wouldn't smash his stall because the chips were too salty. Damn it…
He looked up, glanced at the third-year badge on your robe, a hesitant expression on his face, his lips moving but no sound escaping. His attitude finally became respectful, and he clearly called out, "Master!"
You frowned, feeling a sense of déjà vu about this scene… Never mind, stop dwelling on these unimportant things. Old Ma isn't a woman, so don't waste your brain cells.
"What's going on with you?" You pulled a stool from the dimensional rift and sat down in front of him, amidst his envious gaze.
"Sigh..." Old Ma hesitated for a moment, but considering you were already his senior from the same university, he decided to have a brief chat with you anyway.
[It turned out that after his annual mission failed, the magic network assigned him a new one. Due to a lack of supplies, not having formed a team, and insufficient knowledge, the mission progressed very slowly.]
Fortunately, as a second-year student, he wasn't assigned any combat missions. The reason he looked so disheveled was because he had been lost in the mine for several days, nearly starving and dying of thirst. He was only discovered by the local miners when he desperately tried to obtain water from his calf to survive.
"...Anyway, the mission target is some kind of soft ore. They don't have time for me right now. I've been digging in the mine all day and I can't find it..." Old Ma's eyes suddenly lit up with hope, and he hurriedly asked, "Senior, are you alone too? How about we... you know? Meeting is fate..."
"Stop, stop." You felt a chill, shook off Old Ma's hand, wiped your hands on your clothes with a look of disgust, and pointed to Jennifer not far away, saying, "Sorry, I've already booked a couple's space with someone else. You're late."
"Oh, haha..." Musk chuckled awkwardly, then sighed softly, "Okay, senior, when you're partnered with someone else, don't forget to call my name... I'll go ask Jeston again, I heard he's coming soon too..."
You shook your head, waved goodbye to him, returned to Jennifer's side, and quietly explained the situation to her under her curious gaze before continuing your stroll.
"It's such a rare opportunity," Jennifer said, looking at the darkening sky. "Being with you, even on a mission seems enjoyable."
"Hey, little knight, there's a long road ahead!" you laugh. "If you're this happy at the beginning, won't you be happier later? Or will you be less happy later?"
Jennifer stroked the hilt of her sword and thought for a moment, then said, "Happiness at each stage is different, and there shouldn't be a hierarchy among them, right?"
"It's like reading romance novels. I enjoy the romance between high school students—it's like wild, unripe raspberries; I enjoy the romance between college students—it's like unripe, sweet mangoes that need to be savored little by little; the romance between office workers is a different story altogether, like an apiary you casually bite into for a nutritional boost that turns out to be surprisingly delicious—a truly memorable surprise; and the romance after marriage is like a soft, juicy melon, much more refreshing than a life without romance, and full of water and seeds..."
You listened to Jennifer, the queen of doujinshi, in disbelief, and couldn't help but ask, "How long has it been? How did you suddenly become so knowledgeable?!"
Jennifer smiled sheepishly and said softly, "I only read a few dozen books on the way here..."
As evening approached, after enjoying a local specialty dish called "bonfire giant rock snake," you reluctantly headed towards the houses.
"I feel like my teeth are about to break... I should really pack some for Gan Gan to try..." you muttered, touching your bag. "But I still picked up two stones from the roadside, so I can just lie to her and say they're a local specialty... Hmm?"
You stared blankly at the Demon Gathering Tower in your bag. When did it end up in your pocket? You hadn't even paid for it yet. Did Old Ma secretly slip it to you?
"Old Ma is actually a pretty good guy..." you sighed, put away the Demon Gathering Tower, and planned to give him a hand if you happened to be passing by later.
You returned to the house, stretched in the bedroom, sat on the bed, and were about to rest when you stared blankly at Jennifer, who was removing her armor.
"Wait, wait!" you exclaimed hastily. "Are you going to sleep in this room? I'll change rooms then, I'll go out first!"
"Huh?" Jennifer, who still had the upper body armor plates, tilted her head, grabbed your hand, and asked, "Lazi, can't we come together?"
You glanced down at her fair yet resilient little hands, hesitated for a moment, and said, "If we go together, we'll go from teammates to adversaries, you know?"
Jennifer's palms were slightly damp. She took a deep breath and nodded vigorously, saying, "Yes! I know!"
She took a step back, her two shapely, healthy legs rubbing together shyly, then she raised her head with a determined look.
"Although we've taken similar photos together at a cosplay photo studio before, but..." Jennifer suddenly smiled slightly, then raised her longsword, resolutely knelt on one knee before you, and loudly declared as if making a vow:
“I, Jennifer Hines, am willing to be your sharpest sword and your strongest shield, Your Excellency Latis, I am willing to be your most trustworthy knight!”
Looking into her eyes, filled with conviction, you couldn't help but smile. After she kissed the back of your hand, you stood up and, without hesitation, completed the vow ceremony for her.
Seeing her cheeks flushed with joy, your heart instantly filled with sunshine. You reached back and grabbed her right hand, which was pressed against your fingertips, pulling her up from the ground, and then hugged her tightly.
"Although I always feel the time isn't right, that we should experience more adventures together, I really can't tell when the time will be right." Jennifer took a few deep breaths to calm her racing heart, then nervously lowered her head and said:
“I’ve never been good at thinking too much. If possible, I would certainly hope that the beginning of all this would be perfect, but even if it’s not perfect, it shouldn’t be a reason for me to hesitate… I think if you’re willing to be with me, then I should have plenty of time and opportunities to make the days we spend together wonderful!”
You squeezed her still-damp palm, then suddenly raised an eyebrow like her, wrapped your arm around her waist and pulled her close, slipping your wicked hand inside her breastplate, grinning:
"Waiting for the right time... is just another way of saying 'waiting for your heart'! Of course Jennifer wants to be with me. Maybe you don't know, but I've already made up my mind. Without being with the King of Slacking Off, I'll end up living a failed life!"
Chapter 155 Jennifer, please turn off the lights when you go to sleep.
Jennifer is the light, the resilient new leaf; in that firm touch, you can even feel her passionate heartbeat.
She was somewhat surprised and bewildered, but the warmth against her chest quickly brought her back to her senses. After instinctively flinching, she defiantly pushed you down onto the bed.
"Do you...like it?" Jennifer bit her lip and asked, placing her hands on either side of you, after noticing your hands still lingering there and rubbing.
You watched with considerable enjoyment as she displayed her shy and restrained expression. Strands of her long brown hair slipped down her neck, falling beside your ears and obscuring the light from the magic crystal chandelier on the ceiling. Yet, Jennifer's image remained vividly clear, her pupils reflecting yours. After gradually adjusting to the warmth of your palm, she exhaled, smiled nervously, and asked:
"Would you like me to touch the other side?"
You burst into laughter, finding the little knight utterly adorable. You raised your free hand, stroked her firm belly, and then slipped it under her breastplate once more.
The evening breeze carried the crackling sound of the rocks expanding and contracting with the heat. You used magic to turn off the magic crystal lamp, gently tugging at her firm, perky breasts. Amidst her playful groan, you felt her soft body resting on you and sighed contentedly.
["Click." The sound of stone being struck again reached your ears. You had just pinned Jennifer down, about to kiss her, when suddenly your brow furrowed. A murderous aura emanated from her crotch. Something was wrong!]
Two minutes later, you looked at the dwarf Gangan, who was prostrating himself in apology, and sighed speechlessly.
"No way, are you serious?" You couldn't help but complain, looking at Gan Gan's matter-of-fact expression. "Even if you're going to push my butt, you should wait until I'm in position before you do it, right? Besides, I'm not even mentally prepared yet!"
You glanced at Jennifer's mischievous expression beside you, coughed awkwardly, and changed your tune, saying, "The timing... the timing isn't right yet..."