Chapter 158: Chapter 158
Although Beiyou’s words were straightforward, lacking in grand rhetoric, they felt all the more sincere when paired with his carefree appearance and slightly odd demeanor.
Even with the Blood Minister—this arch-nemesis with hatred as deep as the sea—present, if Beiyou and Boreuo were truly sincere, perhaps collaborating to explore the legacy wouldn’t be out of the question…
From the moment they entered, Yan Qing had faintly sensed that the three were putting on an act.
The Blood Minister’s cold retorts, Boreuo’s unreserved sharing, Beiyou’s carefree oddities—an ordinary person might really be fooled by their seemingly cordial demeanor.
Yes, he believed even the Blood Minister was pretending.
How could the formidable Demon Path villain—once one of the Three Guardians, known for razing cities and armies alike, drenching the land in blood and grief—display such shallow hostility? It was like a puppy barking on purpose—more childish than frightening, almost endearingly naïve.
As for Beiyou and Boreuo, they were different from the Blood Minister. Unlike their direct conflict with Medicine Master Wen and the Bunny Heroine, they had merely shown arrogance and malice as Guardians at the mountain gate in the past. Thus, their methods were more refined and subtle: first defending the Bunny Heroine from the Blood Minister’s insults, then each showcasing their own unique personalities. They hadn’t directly expressed goodwill, but rather treated Medicine Master Wen and the Bunny Heroine as equals and friends.
Perfectly timed respect, delicate anticipation, and seemingly unintentional flattery—it was all so masterfully executed that one would instinctively overlook their danger, truly believing themselves to be on equal footing with them. Had Yan Qing himself been present, he might have thought the Blood Minister was merely cruel and foolish, Boreuo kind and peaceful, Beiyou merely eccentric.
All three of them had names dyed red to black in the game.
Among all of Shu Mountain, theirs were the most notorious. Yan Qing only had to nudge his joystick, and the Bunny Heroine would automatically lock onto them as hostile targets, ready to draw her sword and slay demons.
Even the dumbest MMO player would never trust the sweet talk of three top-tier red-named villains in the wild.
「Sorry, we’re not interested in Si Wuxie’s Foundation legacy.」
Medicine Master Wen reached out to pat the Bunny Heroine’s head, her tone indifferent:「No one’s been able to conquer it for a hundred years—how could we possibly think ourselves capable of seizing such a chance? My little sister just wanted to glimpse Shu Mountain’s Third-Stage Secret Realm: Wolf Den. When she gets bored, we’ll leave.」
As she spoke, her hand never stopped caressing the back of the Bunny Heroine’s head, afraid she’d blurt something foolish and blow their cover. However, the Bunny Heroine’s response exceeded her expectations:
「Actually, this Heroine isn’t that interested in Third-Stage Secret Realms either. I only came ‘cause I heard there were plenty of bad guys to slash. I couldn’t care less about some Demon Path Foundation legacy—not like it suits me anyway.」
With that, she stretched out her arms and proudly showed off her Legendary Gauntlets, their soft orange glow dazzling under the meeting room lights, drawing all eyes.
Well played. Medicine Master Wen hadn’t expected the Bunny Heroine to cooperate so seamlessly. Whether Beiyou and the others were genuine or not, declining with reserve was always the smartest move—and the best refusal was ‘I’m not interested.’ Newest update provıded by novel⸺fire.net
「Legendary Gauntlets?!」 Boreuo feigned shock and sighed:「Clearly, you two are profoundly established. Given time, you’ll surely reach the Fourth Job Change. Makes sense—with your talent and backgrounds, your clans must have prepared inheritance paths long ago. You certainly don’t need something like Si Wuxie’s Demon Path Foundation legacy.」
After praising them thoroughly, he shifted his tone:「But Foundation legacies are incredibly rare. If you help us conquer the Forest of Corpses and split the inheritance, you could exchange your share for whatever resources you actually need. To walk away from a treasure mountain—isn’t that such a waste?」
Beiyou suddenly added:「If you ask me, Lady Star-Rain, aren’t you close to your Third Job Change as well? Everyone knows the higher the level of a Secret Realm, the more breakthroughs one can make through combat. And what part of Shu Mountain can hone you better than the Forest of Corpses? Join us to unlock the legacy—you’ll gain Foundation-level resources ahead of time, speed toward your Third Job Change, and have more fun than raiding some random Wolf Den. Besides, inheriting a legacy that’s been dormant for a century—we’ll all be famous across the world!」
「In the end, just another long-haired, short-sighted woman,」 the Blood Minister sneered.「I told you two this was pointless. A Fourth-Stage Secret Realm isn’t something you just ‘try out.’ People from noble backgrounds like them don’t crave fortune like us. They’ve got backup plans—get married, settle down, live easy lives. You think people like them will fight tooth and nail for a mere chance? Waste of effort.」
Three people, three attitudes. Most would’ve hesitated after Boreuo and Beiyou’s persuasion, and the Blood Minister’s disdain would’ve pushed them into an impulsive agreement to explore the Secret Realm together.
「Blood Minister’s right,」 the Bunny Heroine nodded solemnly.「I’ll just stay here a few more days then take Big Sister home to get married. I’m hungry—let’s eat!」
She turned to leave the meeting room, and Medicine Master Wen followed without hesitation.
Honestly, their act got a bit exaggerated here. The Bunny Heroine treating the Blood Minister nicely? Medicine Master Wen—the armored war-beast—agreeing to go home and cook? Clearly, everyone was acting. It was just a matter of who would lose patience first.
「Please wait,」 Boreuo indeed called out:「Since you don’t wish to explore the Forest of Corpses together, could we hire you two to help us break through its front hall? But since it’s a hired job, if there’s any Foundation legacy or treasure chest in the front hall—it won’t concern you.」
Finally, the truth came out.
All that talk about splitting the legacy? Just smoke and mirrors to gag Medicine Master Wen and the Bunny Heroine. If they agreed to it, their help would become free labor—their only ‘reward’ being the legacy at the end, meaning everything before was essentially an investment.
And whether that final split would actually happen—who could say? Yan Qing certainly didn’t believe these top-tier red names would share loot honestly.
They weren’t even sure there would be rewards for breaching the front hall, which was why they tried so hard to get them to “buy in” rather than be “hired.”
Because hiring meant payment—and they couldn’t even guarantee they’d get the Foundation legacy. A legacy no one had inherited in over a hundred years—who could be certain?
If they failed to unlock the Forest of Corpses and found nothing along the way, all investments would be wasted—a risk-laden strategy.
But the Bunny Heroine and Medicine Master Wen refused to take the bait, even threatening to leave with the Blood Minister’s words. With no better option, Boreuo had no choice but to play his last card.