Chapter Eighty-Four: An Interesting Matter

So a duel can kill an enemy and still bring so many benefits?

After recalling all the summoned beings, Wang Ling was instantly overjoyed at the notification. He was terribly strapped for cash, with only a little over five thousand currency points. The equipment he owned was all precious and could not be sold. He still had four attribute points unallocated, and not a single skill point. On top of that, he possessed three dream skill points, but lacked the currency points needed to upgrade even his troublemaker talent.

Elliot was so formidable, and even ranked second among the half-beastmen team. He ought to have quite a few good things on him, shouldn’t he?

Yet the next prompt immediately made Wang Ling, who had been hoping to strike it rich, twitch at the corner of his mouth. The voice of the Dream Badge said, “You have obtained 1126 currency points, 0 attribute points, and 3 skill points.”

“Damn it, what a scam! For a hundred percent chance, that’s all there is? So this guy was a poor wretch too!”

After receiving the first reward, the Dream Badge continued: “You have obtained one piece of equipment from the other party: Alloy Tower Shield.”

“Alloy Tower Shield: Type: shield; Rating: E; Attribute: blue equipment; Defense: 95; Effect: Stamina +6; Enhancement Level: LV6.”

“Equipment Requirements: Strength 24, Stamina 36.”

“Description: A shield forged from an alloy of iron and copper. Its large size can effectively protect your body.”

This harvest improved Wang Ling’s mood somewhat. After all, shields were uncommon defensive gear, and on the free market their prices were higher than weapons of the same grade. Such a shield, further enhanced to LV6, would undoubtedly be extremely useful in battle.

After a fight to the death in the arena, three rewards were granted. Wang Ling put the alloy shield into his storage bag, then turned to the final and greatest reward: Elliot’s key. It was a black iron gleam key that could summon a black iron gleam treasure chest, from which one could draw ten times. However, because there might be open slots in the storage bag, even with ten chances it was not guaranteed that an item would be drawn every time.

As the key was used, a black iron gleam treasure chest stained with blood was summoned. From it, Wang Ling drew a total of five items, while five attempts came up empty.

Unluckily, three of those items were recovery potions that could be bought from the main brain’s branch terminal: a small life potion that restored fifty points of health, a small mental potion that restored fifty points of spirit, and a medium life potion that restored two hundred points of health. Fortunately, among the other two items, the summoning stone Bai Feng had given Elliot was drawn out:

“E-grade Summoning Stone: This item is a precious and rare treasure. After use, it can randomly summon a familiar whose strength is rated E. The familiar may come from any world belonging to FC, GBA, or Android.”

“Description: A familiar slot is limited to three. Use with caution. If the original familiar slots are already full, this item cannot grant you a familiar.”

Holding the beautiful summoning stone, with its mesmerizing glow, Wang Ling looked at the other item. It was an ordinary E-grade skill scroll, Cleave, a common fighter’s technique for sword and blade use. Its damage was not low, and it should be somewhat better than Shoulder Bash. On the free market, it might fetch more than three thousand currency points.

Because the useless items in Wang Ling’s storage bag had previously been placed in his exclusive space, there was enough room for all these things. After packing everything away, he prepared to deal with one person outside the arena: Bai Feng, that proud woman.

A flash of white light swept past, and he was transported outside the arena, appearing directly beside Bai Feng.

In truth, Bai Feng had already intended to flee when she considered what was about to happen, but the power of the contract they had just signed and had been notarized by the main brain had firmly restrained her body.

Her face brimming with utter fury, Bai Feng’s gaze was like a blade as she said in an icy voice, “Release the contract’s effect, and I’ll let you go this time!”

Wang Ling, who had not originally planned anything too outrageous, instead developed the impulse to tease her after hearing that. He smiled and said, “You’ll let me go this time, then what about next time? Word games like that aren’t very nice. Hmm, from this moment on, no talking, no moving. Whatever I do, you are not allowed to resist!”

The terms of the contract stated, “If Wang Ling wins, Bai Feng, for one hour, will be entirely at his disposal and cannot resist on a mental level.”

This “mental level” meant that she had to obey every command he issued. To give a vivid analogy, it was as though she had been hypnotized by some spell: whatever was asked, she would act accordingly. That was a restraint upon the mind.

So Wang Ling issued his order, then lightly lifted Bai Feng’s chin with one finger and flashed a frivolous smile at the furious woman who could not resist. Turning toward the dreamers who were watching the spectacle, he called out, “According to the contract, how would everyone like me to handle this?”

Earlier, when they were on the street in the entertainment district, there had been too few people, and under Bai Feng’s intimidating presence, no one had dared to speak up. But now there were more than six hundred dreamers here, along with some lower-ranked ones who not only did not know Bai Feng, but had never even heard the rumors about her.

Now that there was a grand spectacle to witness, these troublemakers who loved nothing more than chaos immediately began shouting over one another. Their cries came in many different languages, but all of them were tied to certain unspeakable implications. Some even egged him on, suggesting that Wang Ling should do it right there in the arena so everyone could enjoy a free live broadcast of a rather unusual match.

Hearing those words, a blood-red flush began spreading across Bai Feng’s refined, otherworldly face. A suffocating anger lodged in her chest, and she wanted nothing more than to draw her sword and hack all these people to death. Unfortunately, bound by the contract and restricted by Wang Ling’s orders, she could not even escape.

Wang Ling was startled half to death by the shameless suggestions of these bold fools. After all, he was a pure and innocent homebody; how could he possibly do what they were saying? Raising both hands in a pressing-down gesture, he signaled for quiet, and the dreamers, who had been shouting and chattering all at once, very graciously fell silent.

“Many thanks for everyone’s suggestions, but I would still like to take this prey back and train her slowly. Time is limited; I only have one hour, so I must make good use of it. I shan’t keep you any longer. Thank you all for coming, and goodbye!”

Making a traditional Eastern fist-and-palm salute, Wang Ling hoisted Bai Feng onto his shoulder and teleported straight out of the arena. There were so many people crowded here that if he were surrounded, it would be a disaster.

To teleport to the exclusive room, one had to pass through the entrance plaza. Thus, within the Dream Space, a very troublesome situation could arise: being trapped in a certain area. For example, when Wang Ling had been in the entertainment district earlier and Bai Feng had seized his hand, he had been unable to leave.

Of course, in order to prevent malicious confinement in a certain place, the Dream Space would allow anyone trapped in one location to teleport directly to the entrance plaza after three hours. But the contract lasted only one hour. By the time that much time had passed, the daylily would already be cold.

After carrying Bai Feng out of the arena, Wang Ling rushed toward the entrance plaza at full speed. Outside, some dreamers who knew Bai Feng but had no idea what was happening in the arena saw a masked man carrying the famously powerful prodigy of the beginner district racing down the road, and their eyes bulged while their jaws dropped to the ground.

He ran all the way to the entrance plaza, and then with a flash of light, he was transferred to the exclusive room. Wang Ling threw Bai Feng, still slung over his shoulder, onto the big bed, then snapped his fingers with ill intent.

“If you don’t speak or move at all, you’ll be as dull as an inflatable doll. All right, beauty, you may speak and move now.”

Bai Feng sprang up from the bed, clenched her fists, and struggled to suppress the slight trembling born of fear and rage. “What exactly do you want? I can use currency points or equipment to exchange for my freedom.”

“Why trade? Since you currently cannot resist me on a mental level, why not first transfer all the equipment from your storage bag over here? Let’s see what good things such a strong woman has!”

However, Wang Ling’s clever plan was mercilessly shattered in the next instant. The Dream Badge announced, “During the period in which the contract’s effect exists, in order to prevent either party from coercing the other into a transaction, neither side may use or transfer any currency points, attribute points, skill points, dream skill points, or any equipment or items.”

“No way!” Wang Ling cried out.

Bai Feng also heard the shared notification from the Dream Badge. The crimson on her face had already been suppressed back to normal, but after hearing this, it turned deathly white. This meant Wang Ling could not rob her, yes, but it also meant her idea of buying back her freedom with her possessions had collapsed as well.

An unprecedented panic flooded the heart of this beautiful young woman. In a voice faintly trembling, she said, “I can promise that I will never try to kill you again, and once these one hour are over, I will immediately compensate you!”

“Without the contract binding you, who would believe promises spoken so casually?”

“I can sign a contract with you and guarantee—”

Bai Feng’s words stopped abruptly, because the Dream Badge had once again informed her, “During the period in which the contract’s effect exists, in order to prevent either party from coercing the other into a new contract, no further contracts may be signed.”

These two prompts in succession made the girl feel as though she had been driven to the brink of despair, standing on the edge of a cliff.

Wang Ling, meanwhile, was twitching with frustration. The main brain was practically forcing something bad to happen! A little crazed, he said, “Damn it… do you have any friends? Get someone to trade with me so they can ransom you out?”

“I have no friends, and no dreamer is qualified to be my friend!”

“What a straightforward answer…” Wang Ling took a deep breath and steadied himself.

The possibility of gaining any benefit from her had been completely crushed. Since he had gone to such trouble to carry her here, doing nothing would be too much. After checking the contract through the Dream Badge, a very sunny smile appeared on his face.

“Then we still have fifty-one minutes left. That’s plenty of time for us to do something interesting. What would you like it to be?”