NOVEL NEXT Ch. 3
Chapter 3. Two People with Their Own Schemes
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The hero's behavior was very abnormal—this was a rumor that had suddenly started spreading through the city, though no one knew where it had come from.
At first, the people of the city simply did not believe it.
But as day after day passed and the hero still had not appeared to complete his trial, this rumor was finally accepted as fact by the majority.
If avoiding the formal parade of the main entrance could still be explained away as the hero's aversion to pompous displays and his supposed humility,
then going seven consecutive days without leaving the house—without even preparing to fulfill his duty—was something that could not be justified by any number of excuses.
This was an absolute anomaly.
Worse still, someone had seen Jiang Cheng bring Lyle back to her home.
With that, a new rumor started spreading through the city: supposedly, the hero had already been killed by the Saintess.
The details were even vivid—there were accounts describing exactly how Jiang Cheng smiled as she raised her knife,
and for anyone paying attention, it was clear how intimately the rumor knew her, enough for Jiang Cheng to realize it was some of the local nobles fanning the flames behind the scenes,
most likely as revenge for the way Jiang Cheng had indirectly killed those minor nobles in the gladiatorial arena that day.
But Jiang Cheng had no intention of doing anything about it. Not only had she long ceased to care about her own bad reputation,
but it was also because she found it genuinely amusing that those nobles only dared to quietly spread rumors rather than act against her directly.
Still, being able to kill those minor nobles that day... she owed it all to "it"...
Jiang Cheng turned to look at Lyle, who was studying a glass tank.
Inside it, a small corrupted monster was baring its fangs and claws, howling at Lyle outside the tank.
This was the very same corrupted monster from the arena; once three meters tall, repeated bombardments from the minor nobles' exoskeleton armor had reduced it to less than half a meter in height.
Thankfully, the result was beyond satisfactory—those minor nobles had all been killed by it.
"So,"
Lyle turned away, frowning at Jiang Cheng,
"It's already been a week. Just what is this method you claim will help us complete the trial more perfectly? Hurry up and say it."
If Jiang Cheng hadn't displayed such powerful high-level divine magic that day, he honestly wouldn't have still trusted Jiang Cheng at this point.
"You're in a hurry already?"
Jiang Cheng gave a light laugh.
"It's not that,"
Lyle shook his head.
"But I still need to find someone. If the person leaves and I lose the clue, what then?"
Lyle spoke earnestly, "So I don't have the time to keep waiting here with you."
"Alright then, let's head to the dungeon's corrupted zone and slay monsters today."
"Okay."
Lyle nodded. After this period of research, he had become very familiar with corrupted monsters.
Having learned their habits, he could indeed deal with them easily now.
That was one of the reasons Lyle was only now beginning to grow impatient.
The research Jiang Cheng had assigned wasn't entirely useless. At the very least, it allowed him to better understand the enemies he'd face in his trial.
After all, the goal of the Adventure City's trial was precisely these foul-looking corrupted monsters.
Every city had its own customs and scenery, and their trials naturally matched those themes.
As for Adventure City, with its distinctive corrupted monsters, the first trial's contents were simple: enter the deepest part of the dungeon's corrupted zone, slay the King of Corrupted monsters, and bring back its crown.
"Are we setting out now?"
Lyle looked at Jiang Cheng and asked tentatively.
"Shhh—"
Jiang Cheng lifted a pale finger to her lips, silencing him.
A flash of divine sign flickered in her eyes, and a trace of blood welled from her eye corner.
"Someone's already here~,"
Jiang Cheng said cheerfully, smiling with narrowed eyes.
The next moment, the door was knocked upon.
At the entrance, a man with a look of utter doom and resignation on his face was knocking on Jiang Cheng's door.
Forced to come and relay a message by the nobles, he was filled with terror as he faced the room of the "most evil"
Saintess of legend.
Lyle raised his hand. With a flash of light, the door opened.
"Um... my lords," the messenger said, bowing respectfully,
"May I ask, when will the Hero be leaving to complete his task?"
"Ha, so the nobles sent you, did they?"
Jiang Cheng gave a light laugh.
"Since when do they get to interfere in matters jointly decided by the gods?" she asked coolly, her brows slightly furrowed, an air of danger about her.
"Um..."
The man clearly did not dare say any more, and could only stammer out,
"It's just... since His Excellency the Hero has not appeared, the whole city is very afraid, and, some rumors have been spreading..."
Jiang Cheng, not caring to expose the source of the rumors, simply smiled.
"Oh, so they just need an explanation, do they~?"
"Let me think... Hey, how about this—you go and tell those nobles... that your Hero has fallen in love with me and is pursuing me?"
She laughed, narrowing her lovely eyes in mockery.
"Jiang Cheng!"
Lyle frowned at her irreverent reply, but then turned to the messenger and said,
"I will go to the dungeon's corrupted zone today to slay the corrupted monsters. Tell the people not to worry."
With that said, he stood and began gathering his things.
With that answer, the messenger obviously dared not linger a moment longer. He turned, gently closed the door, and hurried away.
"Ha, such a noble hero, aren't you~"
A trace of sarcasm curled Jiang Cheng's lips.
"I wonder if they'll ever thank you for your sacrifice, O Hero."
"I don't need thanks,"
Lyle shook his head.
"Nor am I that noble."
"Even my desire to properly complete the trial... I have my own selfish reasons for that."
As he spoke, Lyle looked at Jiang Cheng.
"Besides, you aren't planning to trouble these ordinary people, are you?"
"Hah?"
Jiang Cheng's eyes narrowed as she laughed. "I wish everyone in the world would drop dead."
"Lies,"
Lyle replied flatly.
"Whatever, you can think whatever you want," he said. "At the very least, I'll be keeping an eye on you. I won't let you get the chance to do anything evil."
"Hah, keeping an eye on me the whole time? Isn't that a little too intimate?"
"Uh..."
Lyle realized how strange his words sounded and grew slightly embarrassed.
With a light laugh, Jiang Cheng turned away, saying nothing more, and Lyle could no longer see her expression.
Always watching me, huh... tch, what a hassle...
Thinking this, Jiang Cheng involuntarily furrowed her elegant brows.
This meant she'd have no good opportunities to secretly activate the contingency plans she had left from her previous identities.
Back then, in order to complete such a difficult main quest, she had left quite a few secret fallbacks for each identity.
As for Adventure City, she had left several behind under the guise of 'Mentor'.
It was a pity that now, with Lyle saying he would always be watching her, slipping out single-handedly to reactivate those contingency plans would be much more troublesome.
I knew it, someone who has deep feelings for me is always the most troublesome.
Shaking off these thoughts, Jiang Cheng composed herself and turned back around.
"Alright, let's head out now, hero?"
"Okay, let's go,"
Lyle nodded in agreement. On the surface, both seemed perfectly harmonious.
But beneath it all, both harbored their own secret motives.
I must find the opportunity to activate those contingency plans from my other identities! That was Jiang Cheng's resolve.
As for Lyle?
This dangerous woman—I must keep an eye on her. At the same time, I should thoroughly search for signs and clues about them.
He thought thus.
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
This is fun...
It's like Rachel leaving Bam, but Rachel is not a bitch... or isn't she?
【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】