Chapter 97: Impending Crisis
Chen Rui said very seriously, “Tomorrow early morning, you ride the wyvern and go to the green leaves forest to stay for a while.”
The green leaves forest was a forest at the border of the Xilang mountain range. Even if the wyvern “sailed” straight, it would still take a few hours to reach. It was considered as a relatively safe area.
Athena frowned, “What happened?”
Lennon’s strength was too terrifying. Even if Chen Rui and Athena cooperated, they’d had no chance of winning. So, he wanted to transfer Athena to a safe place, he could try to deal with Lennon and Culia without any worries.
Before leaving, Paglio gave him a small bottle of venom, which was the deadly poison that killed Sandro. It was still inconvenient to use at the current situation. If there was no other way, he had to use this desperate means.
However, if he revealed the true reason, Athena would definitely be unwilling to leave. Chen Rui thought about it, “You know that I have the inheritance of the grand master. My irregular sleeping pattern is due to that. From tomorrow onward, the grand master’s inheritance will enter a critical period, and it cannot be disturbed by anyone. Thus, I hope that you can accompany me to the green leaves forest. This matter is related to my life, so it is necessary to keep it a secret. We’ll tell the others that I need to leave for a while. The mining office should be fine with Gade and others.
Surely, when Athena heard that it was related to his life and death, she nodded without thinking, “Okay! I will accompany you.”
Chen Rui made up an excuse spontaneously, “No! You should go there and prepare for me in advance. I have to go to several places according to the requirements of the grand master. Then, I’ll meet you up as soon as possible. If I didn’t come, you mustn’t leave the green leaves forest.”
Although Athena felt that the reason for “early preparation” was a little too much, it was related to Chen Rui’s life, so she immediately agreed without hesitation.
“However, if we leave, what about the miners’ food?” Athena suddenly thought of a problem.
Chen Rui secretly shook his head: Based on the bandits’ words, it’s necessary to keep the miners alive to restrain and paralyze the Dark Moon City. Thus, they are not in too much danger for the time being. Instead, I, as the mining officer, will attract the bandits’ attention and I might put the miners in danger.
At present, due to the “spirit dragon”, the attention of the bandits hadn’t shifted to the mining office yet. Once the incident at the main pit was solved or faded, the Red Devils would definitely do something to him as the mining officer. If he deliberately disappears or fakes his death, not only could the miners recover their temporary “safety”, but he might also win by a surprise move.
Athena saw Chen Rui kept quiet, and she thought that he was somewhat dissatisfied. She quickly said, “Why not, I’ll hunt prey for them tomorrow morning. Then, I’ll go to the green leaves forest to make the preparation for you, okay?”
Athena’s bright eyes glowed in the dark. Chen Rui couldn’t bear to refuse and nodded.
“Athena…”
“En……”
Chen Rui finally found out that Athena was uncomfortable. To be honest, as a man, going into a woman’s tent in the middle of the night, although the situation was urgent, it was indeed doubtful. Now that he said what he wanted to say, how could he still stay here shamelessly… saying what he shouldn’t?
Actually, even if he wanted to be shameless… it wasn’t impossible. However, the time was already tight. The War Contract with Arux was already imminent. Then, a more horrifying “Sloth” Royal Family, Lennon appeared. A slight mistake would end his life. For other things, he would just wait after a month.
If it was his, it would always be his. It wouldn’t run away.
Chen Rui exchanged a set of 4 black Eternal potions and gave it to Athena.
“Remember to drink these 4 potions. No matter what happens, you can’t tell anyone.”
Those were good potions, but his wordings seemed kind of weird: No matter what happens? Cannot tell anyone?
Yet, Athena still nodded cooperatively.
If it was little loli, she’d surely suspect that it was some “weird” potions. Perhaps this was… why Alice was Alice and Athena was Athena.
Chen Rui didn’t dare to stay any longer and hurried back to the tent at the summit.
Seeing Chen Rui hurriedly ran away, Athena finally determined to “slap” him out with her sword. Now, the nervousness and anxiety had changed into a strange slight dissatisfaction, Hmph, timid man!
Women were indeed the most contradictory being.
The contradictory woman gently touched her blushing cheeks and picked up a bottle of potion on the ground. She removed the cork and drank it. Early the next morning, Athena rushed to the tent at the summit and woke Chen Rui up in his sleeping bag.
“What potions did you give me last night?”
Looking at Athena’s surprised and excited appearance, Chen Rui smiled slightly. Happiness indeed multiplied as when two people were happy, it was better than being happy alone. Unfortunately, he couldn’t let any more people to know about this secret.
Chen Rui pointed to his head:, “My grand master here is a grand master in both mechanic and potion. What do you think the treasure that he inherited is?”
Despite mentally prepared, after Athena received Chen Rui’s affirmation, it was still difficult to suppress the shock in her heart, “Could it actually be the Eternal…”
“You have only absorbed a part of the potion effect. In the future, as your strength grows, the potion effect will gradually show. After complete absorption, it’ll produce a type of resonance that further increases your strength.” Chen Rui was clearly talking based on his experience. Yet, he then solemnly warned, “This matter is really important. Not only it’s related to my life and death, but it also relates to the survival of the Dark Moon. You mustn’t reveal this to anyone, including Princess Alice and Princess Shea.
Athena clearly knew how much commotion the black potions’ appearance would bring in the Demon Realm. She also knew how valuable black potions were. In a certain sense, they were even more valuable than devil fruit. Yet, this human didn’t hesitate to take everything out and give it to her to drink, and it was even 4 bottles!
Athena’s red eyes looked at Chen Rui emotionally. She pulled out her greatsword and said, “I, Athena. Wales swears in the name of my family that I’ll never tell anyone about these potions!”
Actually, there was still a part after that vow, but she kept it in her heart.
Although it was very difficult for a woman to keep a secret, Athena should be credible on this. It could be seen from the “poisoned” incident.
“I’ll go hunting first.” Although there were many questions that Athena wanted to ask, she kept in mind the 1-month promise. She didn’t say much, rode the wyvern and flew away.
Chen Rui asked for Gade and told him that his training of “poison skill” had some problems. So, he might need Athena to escort him back to the Dark Moon City or find a place to rest. The mining office would be entrusted to him.
Gade was dissatisfied with Chen Rui since the beginning. The new human mining officer only said something on the first day and added a meal of meat soup. After that, he kept hiding in the tent to train his “poison skills”. It was Ms. Athena that was busy working. Although she said that she was ordered by the mining officer, those who had a clear mind could tell that Ms. Athena was covering for the irresponsible mining officer.
Now that Chen Rui proposed to leave with Athena for a while, it was exactly what Gade wanted, so he obviously agreed with it.
Chen Rui waited for Athena’s return in the tent while converting the waste ores he got last night. The amount of aura obtained varied according to the quality of the crystals on these waste ores. The top layer provided the most aura. The ones obtained last night were obviously inferior. It seemed to be related to the year. The “fresher” it was, the more aura it produced. Perhaps as it went lower, the aura produced would be lower too.
Then, where did these crystals come from? 400 years ago, the existence of waste ores appeared along with the underground demonic beasts. Could it be related to some special demonic beast?
The 4 bottles of black potions last night spent 400,000 auras. However, it wasn’t wasteful to spend on Athena. Not to mention he still had 320,000 auras with the addition of the entire storage of waste ores.
Suddenly, there were loud noises from the mountain foot. Chen Rui immediately withdrew from the Super System. As long as he didn’t enter the training ground, he could still maintain a certain sensation of the outside world.
A miner reported in a fluster, “Bad news, sir. The Red Devils are here!”
Chen Rui was shocked. Did Lennon not keep the promise and aided the Red Devils to deduce the incident to the mining office? Yet, this is too fast right!?
Now that Athena hadn’t returned, it was impossible for him to escape alone. He had to see how it goes.
Chen didn’t hesitate and activated <Analytical Eyes>. He ordered Mengda to be ready for his signal for help. Also, he made Dodo, who returned in the early morning to hide in the tent before he went down the mountain.
Before the mining office, a lot of bandits blocked the entrance. The bandits were dressed in leather armor and armed with weapons. Based on the formation, they were not ordinary people. The miners were trembling in fear and concentrated in a group. The only thing they could hold on to was the crossbow in their hands. The mining officer’s guards also looked anxious.
A tall and strong Great Demon came out and looked at the miners with disdain, “I am Culia from the Red Devils. Who is the new mining officer? Show yourself!”
The miners didn’t dare to speak at once, then Culia sneered, “I will give him a minute. If he doesn’t come out, I will first kill 10 people, then I’ll kill 20 more until all these wastes are killed! You should know how many people I’ve killed, so don’t challenge my patience.”
This threat made the miners agitated. Everyone looked at Chen Rui, who was beside Gade.
Chen Rui whispered to Gade, “Tell miss to wait for me at the promised location…” He took a deep breath and slowly walked out.
“I am.”
“Are you a human?” Culia examined Chen Rui, who looked nervous, and he laughed aloud. “It seems that the Dark Moon Estate truly has no more talents. They actually sent such an incompetent waste as a mining officer!”
This made many miners lowered their heads in guilty; there were a few demons who were angry, but they didn’t dare to say anything. This mining officer was powerless, but he never mandated any tasks. He also got them food to fill their stomachs. He could be considered as a rather good boss already.
Chen Rui’s eyes were sharp. He saw that the front row of bandits had taken out their bows and aimed at him. It seemed that they were still afraid of his “poison skills” after all. As long as Culia ordered, they would definitely release their arrows to kill him on the stop.
Chen Rui wasn’t afraid of these bows and arrows. <Analytical Eyes> showed that Culia’s comprehensive strength was C, so his strength should at least be at the middle stage of Higher Demon. However, the one that Chen Rui was most afraid of wasn’t Culia but the mysterious Lennon. The most terrible thing was that after the “Dark Will” used <Transportation> once, it required 24 hours to recharge!
“We, the Red Devils want to invite mining officer to be our guest at the station. I don’t know if sir will do us the favor?” Although he was addressing Chen Rui as sir, his tone contained undisguised despise. He was just waiting for Chen Rui to say “No”, then he’d immediately order his subordinates to release the arrows to kill.
He saw the human mining officer hesitated for a while, but he actually nodded, “I’ll go with you, but you can’t hurt my subordinates.”
When that sentence was spoken, the miners were ashamed. Even Gade looked shocked.
“Oh!” Culia felt surprised. He was thinking that capturing Chen Rui alive should be a bigger deed. Anyway, as long as the man was in his hands, wouldn’t he control his life and death easily?
As Culia was about to order his subordinates to take Chen Rui away, he heard a lazy voice sounded, “Wait!”