As soon as Susie entered the bedroom, her attention was immediately drawn to the luxurious gaming pod that radiated a strong sense of futuristic technology.
“Luca, when did you buy a gaming pod?!” she exclaimed, her mouth wide open in surprise.
She knew that even the cheapest gaming pod cost hundreds of thousands, and while Luca’s family was doing okay, they were still just an ordinary family. How could they afford something so extravagant?
Her mind was filled with questions, but she didn’t receive a response from Luca.
Susie looked over at the bed and saw that Luca was still sound asleep, his head buried under the covers. She felt a surge of frustration and gave the blanket a sharp tug. “Stop pretending! Tell me, when did you buy the gaming pod?”
Luca rolled over, mumbling, “Sold some gear… stop bothering me, let me sleep a bit longer…”
“Sold gear…” Susie’s eyes widened in shock. She knew there were plenty of wealthy players in Eternal Game, and that some items had skyrocketed in price, but she hadn’t expected Luca to get so lucky as to snag a valuable item.
Though still surprised, Susie didn’t dwell on it further. She kept pushing, “Hurry up and get up! Didn’t you say you were coming to Southwind City these past few days? Get over here, I’m bored farming monsters alone.”
Luca didn’t respond, and soon the sound of snoring filled the room again.
“You fell asleep again?!” Susie’s chest heaved in frustration, and she reached out to yank the blanket off Luca.
The blanket was easily pulled away, revealing Luca’s bare body to the open air.
“You pervert! Why aren’t you wearing clothes?!” Susie’s face instantly turned bright red, and she hurriedly covered her eyes with her hands, feeling both embarrassed and furious.
Her heart was racing with a mix of shame and… curiosity.
She peeked through her fingers, blinking.
To her surprise, his physique was actually… pretty decent…
“I’m in my own house. Is it a crime to sleep without clothes?” Luca grumbled, pulling the blanket back over himself, unwilling to let her take advantage of the situation.
Susie was momentarily speechless, feeling both embarrassed and indignant. Realizing she wasn’t going to win this argument, she quickly changed the subject, “Get up already! Southwind City’s been bustling these past few days. If you’re late, you’ll miss out!”
Her words worked like a charm, piquing Luca’s curiosity. He asked, “What’s going on in Southwind City?”
Susie replied, “Red Maple Academy is recruiting new students this week. Lots of geniuses and players from all over the Southern Territory have come, so the city’s been really lively.”
Luca, upon hearing this, lay back down again.
He thought it might’ve been something interesting, but it turned out to just be the academy’s admissions process.
With Ryan’s recommendation letter, he didn’t need to participate in any entrance exams, so he wasn’t the least bit interested.
Seeing this, Susie was about to explode again.
“Susie, if you keep this up, don’t blame me for what happens next!” Luca, growing increasingly annoyed, threatened to get out of bed.
“You wouldn’t dare!” Susie’s face turned pale with fear, and she quickly covered her eyes, ready to flee the room.
In her haste, she accidentally bumped straight into the door, almost bursting into tears from the pain.
Luca couldn’t hold back his laughter, thoroughly amused by how clumsy she was.
“It hurts so much! And you’re still laughing! You jerk, I’m going to tell Aunt Sini!” Susie clutched her forehead, fuming with rage as she stormed back home, ready to tell Sini all about Luca’s misbehavior.
Hearing her footsteps gradually fading away, Luca shook his head, not taking it to heart, and burrowed back under the covers, continuing to sleep.
…
The sun gradually set, casting a warm golden hue across the sky.
By the time Luca re-entered the game, it was already late afternoon.
Just as he was about to head towards the City Lord’s Mansion, an excited voice rang out not far away.
“I’ve found Luca! Hurry, go notify Guild Master Celephais!” a player shouted with excitement.
The surrounding players all lit up with anticipation and immediately ran off to spread the news to Celephais.
The World Guild had put a bounty of 100,000 on Luca’s head in the game, a huge sum for most players. No one could resist such a temptation!
Luca glanced at them, and instead of showing any panic, he seemed rather intrigued.
If it weren’t for these guys reminding him, he would’ve forgotten that Celephais had already revived…
The news that Luca had been spotted quickly reached Celephais.
It didn’t take long before Celephais, along with a group of World Guild members, aggressively stormed over.
Seeing Luca, both Celephais and Dien’s eyes burned with fury.
Dien gritted his teeth and said, “Kid, hand back the gear, kneel down, and beg for mercy. Maybe then we’ll spare your life. Otherwise, we’ll kill you back to level zero!”
Luca ignored them and waved towards a few city guards who had been drawn over by the commotion.
Seeing his gesture, the NPC guards immediately approached with respectful expressions. “Viscount Luca, how may we serve you?” one of the guards asked respectfully.
Luca replied calmly, “These people are causing trouble in Riverfall City. According to Riverfall City’s regulations, I should have the authority to expel them from the city, right?”
The guards didn’t even hesitate and nodded. “That’s correct, sir! You have that authority.”
As a viscount personally appointed by Count Ryan, Luca had the right to assume the role of Riverfall City’s lord if he wished. Expelling a few unruly adventurers was nothing out of the ordinary.
“Alright, then throw them all out. From now on, they’re banned from setting foot in Riverfall City ever again.” Luca pointed at the dumbstruck Celephais and the World Guild members, issuing his order.
“Yes, Your Lordship.” The captain of the city guards responded with utmost respect, and without a hint of hesitation, he led his men toward the group of players.
Celephais and his guildmates were completely stunned.
Get the NPCs to kick them out? What kind of move is this? That’s not playing by the rules at all!
Celephais’s face turned ashen with rage, and he roared furiously, “You can’t abuse your authority like this! It goes against the game’s settings and infringes on my personal rights! I’m going to file a complaint against you!”
The captain of the city guards sneered. “A complaint? If you’re dissatisfied, go talk to Lord Ryan!”
What a joke! Luca’s authority came directly from Lord Ryan. These fools thought they could file a complaint?
Celephais and the other World Guild members were utterly exasperated, raising their weapons in defiance.
However, after dozens of their members were effortlessly killed, the group immediately lost their nerve and didn’t dare to make any reckless moves.
Under the astonished gazes of the onlooking players…
Celephais and several hundred members of The World Guild were directly escorted out of Riverfall City by the city guards.
“Holy crap, players can expel other players? This game actually allows something like this?!” Ben exclaimed, eyes wide with disbelief. It was like nothing he’d ever seen before.
He had played games for many years, but this was the first time he had witnessed something like this.
Ada was equally stunned. It seemed that Luca’s understanding of the game was far deeper than theirs.
Luca didn’t pay much attention to this little episode. After dealing with Celephais and his men, he made his way to the City Lord’s Mansion.
When he arrived, he saw the majestic four-winged creature standing outside the mansion gates.
The Red Maple Academy delegation, led by Kruse, had already arrived.
Luca stepped forward to greet them.
Seeing him approach, the burly man named Fred laughed, “You’re just in time. We were about to send someone to notify you.”
Before long, Ryan, Lucia, Cassman, and the others also came over to see him off.
With a reluctant expression, Lucia said, “Remember to write to your teacher when you arrive in Southwind City. If you run into any trouble, you can seek help from Marquis Bronte or Dean Orf. And if you happen to catch the eye of any young ladies at the academy, make sure you… take necessary precautions…”
Luca had originally planned to say a few comforting words, but after hearing her last comment, he almost choked. He thought long and hard but couldn’t figure out how to respond.
The others were equally caught off guard, a mix of amusement and exasperation on their faces. Lucia was as unrestrained as ever.
At this moment, Franklin took out a Storage Ring and handed it to Luca.
He spoke seriously, “This ring contains all the Witch Doctor knowledge from low to high levels, along with my personal notes and a few special items. If anyone dares to bully you in Southwind City, these items will ensure your safety.”
Luca used his mental power to scan the contents of the Storage Ring and found a substantial number of herbs and poisons, as well as quite a few gold coins and skill scrolls. It was obvious that this was a meticulously prepared gift.
Warmth filled Luca’s heart, and he bowed deeply to express his gratitude, “Thank you, teachers.”
Although both of his teachers had their quirks, they had truly treated him with the utmost care.
If it hadn’t been for the help of his two teachers, there was no way Luca’s strength would have improved so quickly.
Franklin patted Luca on the shoulder, his usually stern expression softened. “No matter how talented you are, you need to stay alive to make the most of it. Always prioritize your safety. I’m looking forward to the day your name resounds across the Eternal Continent.”
He wasn’t planning to accompany Luca to Southwind City. From the very beginning, Franklin knew he was only a guide, and that the road ahead would have to be walked by Luca himself.
Ryan shook his head helplessly and said, “Southwind City is only a few days’ journey from here. Whether it’s sending a letter or visiting, it’s not difficult. Don’t make it seem like a farewell for life and death.”
Everyone chuckled at his words.
“Count Ryan is right. If you need anything, just come to Southwind City and look for me!” Luca wasn’t one for sentimental farewells either. He smiled, waved at the crowd, then leapt gracefully onto the back of the four majestic wings.
Once everyone was settled on its back, Fred patted the creature’s wings.
The four majestic wings understood immediately. It tilted its head back and let out a thunderous roar, a golden light radiating from its body, enveloping everyone in a protective glow.
Then, with a powerful beat of its four wings, dust swirled around, and the massive creature soared into the sky.
The players on the ground looked up, faces full of envy.
They knew that starting today, Luca would head to another main city and experience sights they could only dream of!
On the other side of Riverfall City, Catherine gazed at the gradually receding figure of the four majestic wings in the sky, her expression complicated.
After a long silence, she suddenly spoke up, “Kaman, I want to join the army at the Border Town.”
Kaman froze for a moment, taken aback by her words. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something.
But when he saw the resolute look in Catherine’s eyes, he hesitated, and in the end, didn’t utter a single word…