"Whew, that was close." Lu Yang broke out in a cold sweat as well. Judging by the damage from that collapsing house, he would have died for certain.
The goblin beside him was shaken too. However, he quickly straightened his appearance, then gave Lu Yang an elegant bow. "Sir, the goblin Bisel thanks you for saving my life. Please accept this reward of one gold coin."
Lu Yang's eyes suddenly lit up. Bisel? He knew that name far too well. After the game entered its third year in his previous life, the goblins founded their own nation, and its first king was named Bisel.
Lu Yang could not help studying the young goblin. Though his face was blackened by smoke, it was clear that he was indeed the future King Bisel.
He had not expected his luck to be this good. He had saved the future king of the goblin race.
"I don't want your gold. Saving you was just a small effort," Lu Yang said. Compared to the friendship of a future king, what was one gold coin worth?
Surprise filled the goblin's large eyes. "Did I offer too little? That was my mistake. I am willing to pay five gold coins."
Though the goblin did not have a single gold coin on him, as long as Lu Yang agreed, a letter from the Venture Capital Firm would arrive in his mailbox within five minutes. Opening it would reveal five gold coins.
Lu Yang still shook his head. "No. I already said it, saving you was just a small effort."
Bisel's expression turned unpleasant, and he said with some irritation, "Greedy human, ten gold coins. Ten is the most I will give you. If you still refuse, then I won't give you even one copper coin."
What did ten gold coins mean? Even a month later, ten gold coins would easily buy a full level-ten silver set.
If it were an ordinary player, seeing Bisel's angry expression, they would surely believe he meant it. Lu Yang, however, did not believe him.
"Goblin, you are insulting my character. I told you already, saving you was just a small effort. I do not want your gold," Lu Yang said firmly.
Bisel froze. In his memories, weren't humans all greedy and fond of taking petty advantages? Wasn't money enough to make them work themselves to the bone for you? Why was this person different?
Lu Yang's anger continued. "I came here to kill Troll Shaman Vol'jin. Look carefully. Vol'jin's corpse is right there. Meeting you was only a coincidence, yet you tried to buy me off with money. You disgust me."
Bisel looked in the direction Lu Yang pointed. Troll Shaman Vol'jin lay on the ground, his mouth hanging wide open, his face filled with unwillingness.
"Vol'jin is dead!" After cautiously approaching Vol'jin's corpse and confirming it again and again, Bisel cried out excitedly.
Lu Yang ignored Bisel. Maintaining an angry expression, he turned and walked toward the exit of the Troll Camp.
In truth, Lu Yang really was somewhat angry. In the highly advanced artificial intelligence era of 2040, although Bisel was a virtual character in a game, he possessed a personality much like that of a real person.
Lu Yang's temperament was like blazing fire: upright and unyielding. He liked making friends with loyal people and hated those who believed money could buy everything.
He already had the Demon God's Heart, so Bisel was not that important to him. If Bisel truly was such a petty person, then even as a virtual character, Lu Yang would not want to be his friend.
Bisel was still rejoicing when he saw Lu Yang leaving and hurriedly chased after him. "Sir, please wait a moment."
"What is it?" Lu Yang asked.
This time, Bisel gave Lu Yang a serious ninety-degree bow and held the posture.
"Sir, please forgive Bisel's rudeness just now. If you are unwilling to accept my gold, then I ask that you accept my friendship. If you do not mind, the goblin Bisel wishes to become your friend," Bisel said earnestly.
Lu Yang took a long breath. That's more like it. He didn't believe someone with poor character who thought money could buy everything could become the goblin race's king.
A king—what kind of bearing and character would one need to be chosen for such a position?
"Lu Yang, a human, is willing to accept your friendship. I believe we will become very good friends," Lu Yang said, extending both hands to help Bisel up.
Excitement appeared in Bisel's large eyes, and he said happily, "Aha, this is wonderful! I, Bisel, finally have a human friend!"
Lu Yang asked curiously, "Have you never met humans before?"
"I have, I have." Bisel said helplessly, "But you humans are no less greedy than us goblins. Among all the humans I have met, you are the first who did not become greedy at the sight of money."
Lu Yang had not been someone who became greedy at the sight of money in his previous life either. Otherwise, how could a poor boy like him have gathered a guild of five thousand people and established a fortress in the wilderness?
Smiling, he asked, "How did you end up here?"
"Don't mention it." Bisel became angry at the thought of it. Pointing at Vol'jin's corpse, he said, "My caravan was ambushed by that damned fellow while passing through the Orc Hills. Everyone else in the caravan died. I was the only survivor. I thought Vol'jin wanted me to buy my life with money, but he actually wanted to burn me alive as a sacrifice."
This was a custom of the troll race. Anyone they considered worthy of being sacrificed to their god would be burned to death.
"Perhaps Vol'jin thought you were a particularly handsome goblin and wanted to send you to serve their god," Lu Yang joked.
Bisel smiled shyly, like a child. Suddenly, a group of trolls passed through the valley entrance, frightening Bisel into hurriedly hiding behind Lu Yang.
"Let's head back first. This is no place to linger. We should be careful in case more trolls come," Lu Yang said.
Bisel nodded, looked around, and found his clothes and backpack not far from the collapsed house.
After getting dressed, Bisel ran over to Lu Yang and took a round metal rod from his backpack. Lu Yang recognized it. It was called a Safety Teleporter and could transport up to five players back to a designated location at once.
"This is a great invention of our race. Get ready, I'll take you out of here." Bisel pressed the button on the round rod. After a burst of electric light, Lu Yang and Bisel vanished from the spot.
At the other end, a flash of electric light appeared at the teleportation point in the Venture Capital Firm camp in the western trade district of St. Gall City, and Lu Yang and Bisel appeared.
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