Chapter 102: Chapter 99: Return and Harvest
Harvesting the Princess Jingmi went very smoothly.
These ethereal blue plants grew quietly beneath withered roots, like slumbering elves.
Allen controlled the Craftsman’s Hand, carefully removing them along with the soil around their roots and sealing them in a special preservation box.
Mission complete. Allen looked over at Lina, who had her eyes closed as if sensing sothing, and asked, "What about your materials? Do you need my help?"
Lina opened her eyes, a look of imnse satisfaction on her face. She shook her head. "I’ve already collected them."
"You’ve collected them?"
Allen was stunned for a mont. He hadn’t seen Lina make a single move to gather anything.
"Mhm." Lina held out her palm and made a grasping motion in the air, as if holding a handful of invisible Star Sand.
"The ’anger’ from that big lizard, and the ’fear’ and ’resentnt’ from that big spider right before it died—they’re all wonderful materials. Oh, and the thing you gave off during the fight... that emotionless, pure ’calmness and thought,’ like an ice cube in sumr. It’s very special."
Allen: "..."
He couldn’t comprehend this collection thod. ’I’ll just have to silently add the term "emotional energy" to the DSeek database,’ he thought, ’and mark it as a "high-dinsional information stream requiring further research."’
The key combat data had been obtained, and the core objective of the trip was achieved.
"Let’s go. Ti to head back," Allen said succinctly, stowing the last Princess Jingmi.
The two of them started heading back toward the outer edge of the swamp.
Perhaps because that unlucky Rotting Swamp Lizard had cleared out the top of the food chain in this area, the journey back was exceptionally smooth. They only ran into a few clueless Low-Level Magical Beasts, all of which Allen picked off from a distance, conveniently acquiring another batch of new materials in the process.
Just as they were about to leave the swamp, fluctuations of Magic Power and the sounds of battle ca from up ahead.
Allen stopped imdiately, pulling Lina behind a massive, withered tree root to observe.
In a clearing not far ahead, three Advanced Apprentices were besieging a giant Stone Armor Scorpion covered in a hard shell.
The leader was a muscular brute. He was bare-chested, his skin covered in strange, dark-red patterns. Every one of his attacks was devastatingly powerful—he was clearly from the Bloodline School.
The other two, a man and a woman, continuously unleashed Acid Arrows and Secondary Fla Bombs from the rear—a standard Witchcraft School setup.
"No one from the Mind School?" Allen asked in a low voice.
The Sinking Dream Swamp was the Mind School’s backyard; logically, they should be the most common apprentices here.
"None."
Lina’s gaze swept over the three of them, her brow furrowed slightly.
"Their ’colors’ are a ss, full of irritable red and greedy yellow. They’re not ’quiet’ at all. Let’s go around them. I have a feeling they’ll be trouble."
"Okay." Allen had no intention of causing unnecessary complications either.
On the way back, they ran into several more groups of apprentices.
This ti, without exception, they were all from the Mind School. Each one wore a focused expression, as if savoring so unparalleled gourt feast.
"This place is like a sacred training ground for your Mind School, isn’t it?" Allen couldn’t help but ask.
"Mhm... sothing like that."
Lina thought for a mont, choosing her words. "The emotions that have settled here are nurous and varied. It’s like a gigantic, all-you-can-eat buffet of emotions, with every flavor imaginable. For us, it’s the best place to learn and train."
Allen let out a rare sigh. "Every zone in the First Ring Belt is suited for a particular school’s training, except for the Alchemy School."
Lina let out a snort of laughter. She held up her fingers, mid a hamring and tinkering motion in the air, and then made a little explosion sound.
"You guys in the Alchemy School do your ’training’ in a workshop. You just have to bury your heads in your work and grind it out!"
Allen: "..."
’Fine,’ he thought. ’Today’s the isn’t hunting. It’s being left speechless.’
The rest of the journey back was uneventful.
「Two hours later, the airship landed in the academy plaza.」
The two of them first went to the Mission Hall to turn in their quest.
"Quest: Harvest five ’Princess Jingmi.’ Complete." Allen placed the preservation box containing the ethereal blue plants on the counter.
The clerk on duty inspected the items. After confirming everything was in order, they disbursed the reward as requested.
A mont later, both Allen’s and Lina’s ID cards registered a transfer of 150 each.
"Let’s go. Ti to deal with the rest of this," Allen said, putting away his terminal and leading Lina out of the noisy hall.
They returned to the small shop with the wooden sign reading, "All Things Reclaid."
The old elven shopkeeper, despite looking greedy, actually offered fair prices.
Lina had no interest in the flesh and blood materials from the Magical Beasts, so they bundled up all their miscellaneous spoils and sold them off: the Rotting Swamp Lizard’s hide, a Mimic Sludge Monster’s poison sac, the Swamp Shadow Cat’s fangs and claws, the two extra Princess Jingmi plants...
The hodgepodge of loot ultimately fetched them 1,060 Low-Level Magic Stones.
Afterward, the two found a quiet corner to split the money.
Allen opened his personal terminal. Its light-screen flared to life, casting a cold glow on his face.
"We’ll split the money from the materials evenly. That’s five hundred and thirty each."
"Plus the two hundred I promised you for your fee."
Allen’s fingers flew across the light-screen, completing the transfer in one smooth motion.
BEEP.
Lina’s terminal emitted a soft chi, and she glanced down.
’Seven hundred and thirty Low-Level Magic Stones. Counting the quest reward, I’ve earned a total of eight hundred and eighty Low-Level Magic Stones this trip.’
"Wow!"
The girl’s eyes lit up with joy. Waving her terminal, she bead at Allen. "Now I can buy so many new Witchcraft spells! Thank you, Allen! You’re such a generous employer!"
’To her, Allen was the perfect dining companion—soone who could safely escort her in and out of the "buffet" and even pay for the takeout.’
Allen smiled and nodded, putting away his personal terminal. He had only earned 480 Low-Level Magic Stones from this trip, and while he wasn’t entirely satisfied with the amount, it wasn’t his primary haul.
His gaze fell to his Space Ring. Inside it, a grayish-black gland lay quietly. That was the real prize.
’The final piece for the Spider Slayer is now in place.’
’This material has to be expensive. The current material cost for my competition-grade Spider Slayer is 590 Low-Level Magic Stones.’
’So, the question is... how do I prove the Shadow Demon Spider’s gland is only worth 400 Magic Stones?’
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