Chapter 82 Kindness Fee

Thankfully, thankfully this succubus was impatient. Its instinctive reaction was too quick; it started sucking before the situation was even clear. If it had waited just a few more seconds until Old Wang's teleportation was complete and he lost contact with the soul space, even several Old Wangs would have been wiped out in minutes.

Damn, thank goodness I don't have a heart condition; otherwise, I might have died from either being sucked dry or from sheer fright.

Old Wang was quite satisfied with his mental fortitude, but his mood soured nonetheless.

Not because of the succubus; it was already dead, and Old Wang wouldn’t waste time thinking about it. What bothered him was the exit that seemed to lead to Earth in the previous teleportation space.

It had been so close, yet he fell short. He could only blame himself for not preparing enough energy. It seemed that α4-grade soul crystals were insufficient; at least α5-grade ones were needed. But that meant more money and more expenses.

The same teleportation array, just because of the different grade of soul crystals, cost him fifty thousand lios previously. Now, to upgrade to α5-grade, it would cost at least two million lios, even with the help of the Sea Clan Auction House reducing the price...

This lousy luck! Why didn't the random teleportation send me to a treasure vault instead?

Old Wang frowned, revealing a deep gaze, and then he saw those blank eyes staring back at him.

Chopin’s eyes were filled with emptiness.

The scattered light from the succubus explosion had not yet dissipated, casting a mysterious man who emerged from nowhere into an even more imposing figure, making him shine brilliantly!

Chopin’s mind was blank, unable to think clearly.

He knew better than anyone how powerful that succubus was!

With the strength of a near-dragon level, the elite team of thirty members, composed of the top fighters from the Dragon Moon Empire’s Golden Holy Sanctuary, was utterly helpless against it. Even the two great experts secretly assigned by his father to protect him could only delay the pre-evolution succubus for a few minutes!

Yet, the man who emerged from the holy light, seemingly younger than Chopin, took only one second to obliterate the succubus with what appeared to be a mere glare.

What kind of existence was this?

The man stood calmly within the light, his deep gaze stunning Chopin as he watched the dissipating energy fragments around him.

Before Chopin could speak, the man glanced over coldly, "What are you looking at?"

The cold tone was full of human flavor, jolting Chopin out of his shock.

Old Wang wasn’t happy. Clearly, he had saved someone, but shouldn’t it have been a beautiful woman? Someone who would repay him with her life or lend him some money?

But what was this handsome guy doing here?

The lifeless look in the other person’s eyes made Old Wang feel a bit uninterested. Looking at the carnage around him, he could guess what had happened.

Forget it, no need to bother.

Old Wang wasn’t a saint; he didn’t have overflowing compassion, especially since there was little he could do.

He checked the world token in his hand; the energy was sufficient, but the cooldown period hadn’t ended yet. It would take a few more minutes. This place was heavily infused with dark energy, so once the cooldown was over, he’d leave quickly.

Chopin, who had regained his ability to move, now had empty eyes. Every person lying here was someone he knew, and they were all close to him—future pillars of the Dragon Moon Empire. They trusted him completely, yet their lives were lost due to his momentary arrogance and carelessness.

He did not deserve to be a hero.

Despair had shattered his beliefs; what was the point of living?

Chopin staggered to his feet, slowly picking up the sword that the succubus had knocked away, and placed it against his neck.

Old Wang was still waiting for the cooldown period,

quietly observing. He could tell the man wanted to die, but he had no intention of stopping him. Seeing the corpses and the emptiness in his eyes, he knew you couldn’t save someone who truly wanted to die.

Sigh, if he wants to die, let him. Life is hard for everyone...

Wait!

Old Wang noticed his neck. It was long and slender, adorned with a golden circular pendant covered in intricate runes. That was...

The Golden Barrier!

Damn, a standard item for pay-to-win players. So this guy must be rich.

Old Wang’s eyes lit up. He finally understood why he saw that dazzling gold when he first emerged from the teleportation array.

Looking at the man’s attire, face, and even that sword...

Cough... Old Wang felt he was a kind person!

A man with strong morals, educated under the nine-year compulsory education system, possessing noble character!

God must have sent him here for a reason, to be a savior. How could he watch a vibrant life end like this? It would be cruel!

"What's your name?"

Wang Feng suddenly spoke.

Chopin was stunned but, recognizing his savior as a great predecessor, possibly an old hero, he paused his suicide attempt and replied instinctively, "I am Chopin, from the Dragon Moon Chopin family."

Damn, not only good-looking and well-born, but even his name was so pretentious. My alias is Mozart too!

Old Wang casually acted cool, "Dying is the easiest way out, but what about your comrades? Only by living can one find redemption."

Old Wang was skilled at understanding people’s minds. No one truly wants to die; they just need a reason to live. For this man, it was clear he was used to smooth sailing, and this shock was significant, but getting him to live was easy.

Chopin was stunned again, feeling a glimmer of hope in the darkness, like a lifeline for a drowning man.

A flame ignited in his heart. Yes, redemption—he had to atone and couldn’t just die like this!

Death was the weakest choice. Any true hero must face challenges bravely, not cowardly commit suicide.

His hollow eyes gradually regained their color.

Clang!

The golden greatsword was thrown to the ground as Chopin knelt, tears streaming down his face. He bowed reverently toward Wang Feng, his head striking the hard ground forcefully.

"Master! You must be a legendary hero. Please impart your strength to me; I am willing to offer everything!"

Wang Feng did not respond but merely looked at Chopin on the ground with a faint expression. As a master, he had to maintain his dignity. Accepting a disciple immediately would be too undignified.

Chopin raised his head. "Master, your disciple is dull-witted. My life is yours, and I will never give up again. By the heavens, I swear to respect you and bring no shame to you."

Old Wang smiled in satisfaction. Saving a life was akin to building a seven-story pagoda; taking a small fee was only fair.

Of course, there were still some formalities to follow. It couldn't be too direct. He said calmly, "First, bury them all."

The sound of Chopin digging echoed through the valley. Old Wang had no intention of helping; digging graves was beneath a master's dignity. Looking around, he realized he was likely deep in the mountains, though he wasn't sure of the exact location. But it was definitely within the territory of the League of Blades. Overall, he considered himself lucky this time.

Meanwhile, Chopin had dug a large deep pit and began searching for his comrades' bodies. Some were beyond recovery, and each time he moved a body, it was a torment to his soul. Just minutes ago, he lacked the courage even to face this task.

But now, he felt grateful, not because he was alive, but because he needed to live to atone. His arrogance and overconfidence had caused all this; how could he simply die and escape responsibility?

Chopin's hands were bloody and torn, yet he felt no pain, almost a sense of relief.

The teleportation cooldown for the boundary marker had finished, but based on the energy indicator, Wang Feng estimated they had about an hour left. There was no point wandering aimlessly in this place. Since there was a quasi-dragon-level succubus here, the area should be relatively safe due to the territorial nature of beasts. They couldn't wander around recklessly.

Seeing Chopin, Wang Feng felt a twinge of sympathy. Damn it, even though he didn't feel much connection, he still felt a bit guilty. Shaking his head, he reminded himself that he wasn't from this world and shouldn't dwell on such matters.

...Alright, as a professional persuader, if he wanted something, he should at least give something in return. That was his survival rule.

Chopin's soul seed was quite good, a divine soul, which was rather special. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough time for in-depth study. It was a pity; facing a quasi-dragon-level succubus was far beyond his capabilities. With proper cultivation, he could become a formidable expert.

What to do? Wang Feng had limited resources, and finding something suitable for Chopin would take time.

Seeing Chopin's tormented state, Old Wang looked around, picked up a short sword, and found a piece of wood to start carving. As a man who had received nine years of compulsory education and possessed noble character, he despised empty-handed schemes.

As a noble savior, he was a comforter of souls and a rescuer of spirits, engaging in a sacred and mutually beneficial exchange, never taking advantage without giving something in return.

That was his professional ethics!

Sunlight flooded into the quiet valley, dispelling the chill and the fear left by the succubus.

Chopin used his sword to carve a gravestone. The once precious golden greatsword was now worthless. He bowed three times before the grave solemnly and then stood quietly beside it.

He was one of the young elites of the Holy Sanctuary and had now calmed down from the terror of the succubus and the grief of death.

What should he do next?

Old Wang focused on carving the small object in his hand. Damn, his knife skills were impressive; even if he couldn't go back, he wouldn't starve.

Wang Feng admired his work when he suddenly sensed someone staring at him intently. He narrowed his eyes.

"Master!"

Chopin was about to bow, but was stopped.

"Hey, hold on," Old Wang wasn't trying to be pretentious. What you can't have is always the best. In terms of strategy, he was unmatched: "Ahem... you're too weak, and your talent is rather mediocre..."

A hint of regret flashed across Chopin's face. Once upon a time, he had been ambitious, believing becoming a hero was just a matter of time. He aimed to lead his generation and ultimately destroy the Nine Gods Empire.

How laughable, how tragic.

Seeing Chopin's dim expression, Old Wang couldn't help but frown. This kid had poor mental fortitude. If he kept going, the boy might break again.