Chapter 9 : Chapter 9
Chapter 9: Playing Like This?
Hongxu lowered her head, her fingers tugging at a corroded hole along the edge of her breastplate.
The front of the once finely forged steel armor was now riddled with pits and holes eaten through by purple-black slime. Wisps of white smoke curled from the edges with faint sizzling sounds.
At her feet lay the heavy armor set she had worn for less than half a day.
The pauldrons were warped. The skirt armor had melted and fused together. The giant metal gauntlet made specifically for her had been corroded until only half a finger sleeve remained stuck to the axe handle.
The giant axe leaned against the stone wall. Its blade was dull, pitted, and completely reduced to scrap metal.
Several meters away, Chenxi crouched and sharpened two wooden sticks with his dagger.
A campfire crackled in front of him, driving away the damp chill of the cavern.
Two cleaned Petrified Lizard hind legs were roasting over the flames. Fat dripped down with a sizzling sound, releasing a rich aroma.
Petrified Lizards were excellent food—tender, elastic meat that filled the stomach quickly.
“…The equipment… is gone.”
Hongxu’s voice was muffled, carrying a trace of unease. The wild arrogance she had shown earlier was completely gone.
She stared at the pile of scrap metal on the ground, her fingers unconsciously picking at the curled edges of the armor holes.
She knew the value of metal.
More importantly, she knew what a well-fitted suit of armor meant in a dungeon.
Back in her tribe, capturing a usable breastplate was something worth celebrating.
And now…
She had destroyed a set of armor that looked better than what the lord’s guards wore, and she had done it in half a day.
And wearing the full set even increased her strength…
She had never even heard of something like that.
Her thoughts were a mess.
What kind of punishment would she face?
She would probably get beaten.
Whatever.
She was not afraid.
“Mm.”
Chenxi replied without looking up.
He poked the roasting lizard meat with the tip of his dagger to check if it was ready.
The dancing firelight reflected on his expressionless face.
Inside his mind: This meat is really good… it even replenishes vitality.
No one would refuse being stronger.
Unease wrapped around Hongxu.
She stood up irritably.
“Hey! Human!”
If he wanted to kill her or punish her, he should just say it.
What did staying silent mean?
She hated this feeling of uncertainty.
“Do whatever you want with me! This loss was caused by me!
I have no complaints!”
Chenxi finally looked up at her.
“Why would I kill you?”
His voice was calm.
“What is broken is simply broken.”
This idiot was rather amusing.
“But… that must be worth a lot of money, right?”
Hongxu’s voice softened. There was annoyance in it that she herself did not notice.
Whenever she fought, she lost all sense of restraint.
“It is worth quite a bit.”
Chenxi admitted it.
He sliced off a piece of golden roasted meat and extended it toward her.
“Take it.”
If sold, that equipment could fetch dozens of gold coins.
As far as he knew, only master craftsmen could create equipment with ability bonuses.
That useless system still had some value.
Hongxu did not move.
She kept frowning at him.
“You spent gold to buy me. You spent gold to give me equipment… and now it is all gone.”
The more she spoke, the more foolish she felt.
“My brain is not very good. I am strong, but I cannot control it… punish me.
Whip me. Or do not give me food.
Or… or…”
She gritted her teeth.
“Sell me to someone else. I will obey my new master and make up for your losses…”
Chenxi sighed.
Now he understood why he could never get angry at her when she acted aggressively.
“You do not need to worry about that. You will not have a new master. Just listen to me properly.”
He sprinkled cumin, chili powder, and a pinch of salt evenly across the roasted meat before handing it to her.
“Eat. Equipment is just a tool.
If a tool breaks and cannot be repaired, you replace it.”
Chenxi did not explain further.
Instead, he casually rummaged through the pouch at his waist.
The pouch did not look large, yet he searched through it for a moment.
Then—
Clang.
Another complete set of heavy knight plate armor was placed neatly on the dry stone ground beside Hongxu.
It looked exactly the same as the one she had destroyed.
Hongxu’s eyes widened instantly.
Her mouth opened slightly, revealing the tips of her fangs.
She looked at the brand-new armor and giant axe on the ground.
Then at Chenxi.
Then back at the pile of scrap metal.
Her brain completely stopped working.
Chenxi swallowed his mouthful of meat.
“As I said, you will not have a new master. I am satisfied with you.”
“?”
“You do not need to make that face. Once I gain your trust, even without the slave contract, I can safely leave my back to you.”
Hongxu took a step backward.
“H-human… do not say such ridiculous things! I could never trust you!
I… I only said that earlier to compensate for your losses!”
Chenxi could not help but shake his head and laugh.
“You were bought as a slave, yet you are still worried about my losses.”
“H-hey! What are you laughing at?! You brain-damaged human!”
Chenxi looked up.
The moment Hongxu met his eyes, she instinctively took another step back.
“Has anyone ever told you something?”
“Told me what?”
“When you insult people… it sounds like you are acting spoiled.”
“…!”
“Human, that is complete nonsense!”
“Hurry up and eat. After we finish, we are heading to the next floor.”
“Oh…”
Hongxu lowered her head and stared at the meat in her hand.
The rich smell of oil filled her nose.
She opened her mouth and took a huge bite.
The scalding meat, sprinkled with salt and roasted spices, filled her mouth.
It was delicious.
Silence fell around them.
Only the sound of the two of them eating remained.
After a long while, Hongxu spoke again in a low voice.
“…Hey… human.”
“Mm?”
Chenxi was shaving another stick with his knife.
“…Next time… I will be more careful when using the equipment.”
She stared at the meat in her hand, avoiding his gaze.
“I will try… not to break them.”
“You do not need to be careful.”
Several more white-grade equipment sets had already appeared.
Green-grade equipment?
He had not seen any.
Hongxu secretly glanced at him once before quickly lowering her head again and taking another fierce bite of the meat.
Affection UP.
Affection UP.
Affection UP.
…
They had not come to the dungeon for sightseeing.
After quickly finishing their meal, Chenxi led Hongxu deeper toward the next floor.
Cyclopes were powerful, but as long as they were careful, completing the system’s required number would not be difficult.
Hongxu had changed into the new equipment and walked in front.
After about ten minutes, Chenxi suddenly stopped.
Hongxu also stopped and looked at him with confusion.
“Human, why did you stop again?”
Chenxi frowned.
“Something is wrong.”
“What do you mean something is wrong?”
Hongxu rested the axe on her shoulder, completely unconcerned.
“Do you not feel it? It is too quiet.”
After entering the sixth floor, there had not been a single sound.
“I do not know. Why are you so timid? If one comes, kill one! If two come, kill both!”
Chenxi sighed.
Talking to her was pointless.
“Be careful. Something feels off.”
His hand rested on his dagger.
When something unusual happened, it meant danger.
After the fifth floor, the dungeon difficulty spiked dramatically.
Now something strange had appeared on the sixth floor.
His brows tightened slightly.
“Stop moving.”
“What now?”
Hongxu had taken two steps before turning back.
“We are leaving. We are going back.”
“Huh?”
Chenxi looked at her with unprecedented seriousness.
“How many materials we take back does not matter.
What matters is that we return alive.”
“You are way too cowardly!”
“An adventurer should never take unnecessary risks.”
Hongxu followed behind him angrily as they walked toward the entrance of the fifth floor.
Her cheeks puffed out in frustration.
“Hmph. Cowardly human!”
Chenxi’s expression suddenly changed.
He turned around sharply.
【Mission Change: Race Against Death】
Escape from a man-made tide of Parasitic Spiders.
Reward: Purple Equipment ×2 (choose slot)
Panicked footsteps and rustling noises echoed through the tunnels.
Chenxi’s face darkened.
This was the first time he had brought a teammate, and the system decided to pull something like this?
Damn it… you are really messing with me now.