Golden Golem

Back in his room, he shut the door and, unable to contain his eagerness, summoned a Skeleton Warrior, draping the ordinary Mail Armor over its frame.

The Skeleton Warrior stood about as tall as an average person, so it could wear the armor, but since it was just bones, the Mail Armor hung loose like on a coat rack, looking terribly awkward. He commanded it to take a few steps, and the rings and buckles on the armor clinked and clattered, tripping it up and hindering its movement. What to do? Li Shaolin sank into thought.

Maybe he could stuff it with something like linen cloth? No sooner said than done—he cut the bedsheet into strips with his Infantry Sword and wrapped them around the Skeleton Warrior. Before long, the once-decent skeleton had been bound up like a mummy. When he put the Mail Armor back on, it fit much better.

He slapped his forehead, suddenly remembering a problem: Could these Skeleton Warriors be easily recalled once they were armored up?

He took out the Book of the Dead and tried to recall the skeleton. Black mist surged out, enveloping the Skeleton Warrior, and with a clatter, all the Mail Armor and bedsheet strips fell to the ground, leaving only the skeleton's body and the Bone Blade in its hand to be absorbed into the book.

"Ah, looks like that won't work!" Li Shaolin felt a bit deflated. If he kept the Skeleton Warrior fully armored all day without recalling it into the Book of the Dead, that was doable, but then the skeleton couldn't recover. If he insisted on the armor, once he had more skeletons, it'd be a huge hassle. This set of armor included a helmet, belt, bracers, gloves, boots, pants, and chest piece—the skeletons couldn't put it on themselves, and equipping each one individually would be a chore. After thinking it over with no solution in sight, he folded the armor and set it by the bed. Forget it, he'd check out the mine first.

He stepped out and followed the path he'd taken before. Just as he climbed over the fenced barrier, he saw that vast open space already filled with scaffolds and tents being set up. Some green-skinned orcs, slightly shorter than humans but with burly muscles, were swinging hammers and picks to clear the area. Humans and orcs carrying lumber or pushing carts passed by now and then. It seemed the Darkmoon Faire really did have members from all races, just as Milika had said.

From what Li Shaolin remembered, the Faire's wares were beyond his budget, so he'd head to the mine first and come back to watch the fun later. As he was about to take a detour, an orc child ran past him, then stopped right in front of him, eyeing him curiously. In the common tongue, the kid said, "Sir, you're a professional, right? Want to buy a Frog?" At the same time, a "ribbit" sounded beside him—a bowl-sized green Frog stared back at him with wide eyes.

"A Frog? Isn't that a little pet? What's it for? How much?" Li Shaolin asked curiously, addressing the orc child in a red vest.

"Keep the Frog with you, and it'll drive away those pesky mosquitoes. And when you don't need it, you can seal it up. It fits right into a professional's special space without taking up much room."

"Uh, heh, my space is a bit small. I'd better not buy one." Li Shaolin declined sheepishly.

"Please, just buy one! I'm begging you!" the child said pitifully, his eyes full of pleading.

"Alright, how much for one Frog?" It was useless, but Li Shaolin had a soft spot for kids and old folks. It wouldn't cost much, so he'd treat it as a good deed.

The child jumped for joy at his agreement, holding up one finger and wiggling it. "One gold coin."

"That expensive? One gold coin?" Li Shaolin was taken aback. Was this little guy trying to rip him off because he looked easy?

"The Sealing Box itself costs that much. You promised to buy it—no backing out!" The child's eyes sparkled with cunning.

Reluctantly, he handed over one gold coin and took the thing called a Tree Frog Box. He couldn't help but sigh—this kid made a killing selling Frogs. One sale was enough to support a person for a year. The Darkmoon Faire was no simple affair.

He skirted the area like it was a plague, afraid someone else would pop out and push more stuff on him. If that happened, the ten-odd gold coins in his pocket wouldn't last.

After weaving through the woods for a while, the Fargodeep Mine came into view ahead. Word must have spread that the Kobolds in the mine had been wiped out, because the adventurers who usually hunted them for candles and gold dust were scarce. After all, the Stonefield Family had taken over the mine, so there was no more easy pickings for them.

Down at the mine, it was bustling with noise. The dilapidated wooden shack had been repaired and spruced up, with rows of wooden houses lined up in front of the mine entrance—the miners' quarters. People were hauling lumber and picks, some fixing mine carts, others repairing tracks, all working frantically. A middle-aged man, bare-chested, was directing the chaos.

The moment Li Shaolin descended, the man spotted him. After a closer look, he hurried over with a beaming smile. "You're Lord Li Shaolin, right? I'm Homor of the Stonefield Family. Welcome!"

"Strange, how did you know it was me?" Li Shaolin was puzzled. He'd never seen this guy before.

The big man scratched his head. "Chief Bonis gave me your portrait. She said you might come to the mine in a few days and told me to keep an eye out."

"Bonis is the chief?" Li Shaolin was stunned. How was that possible? What was going on?

Homor nodded. "Old Homor's a straightforward guy—no beating around the bush. The chief said if you need anything, just say the word, and I'll get it done. And if I mess up, you can call me out on it."

In his past life, Li Shaolin had never been a class monitor or held any minor official post, so he had no clue about managing people. Seeing that Homor was handling things well, he didn't want to bother—after all, strength was what really mattered. He said to Homor, "How's it inside? Can I take a look?"

"Of course, go right ahead. We've been busy with prep work these days—haven't started mining yet." Homor gave a simple grin.

He entered through the mine entrance he'd used before, noticing miners reinforcing the tunnel walls on both sides. After being occupied by Kobolds for so long, who knew if it was still safe? The miners saw him come in but didn't stop him, just kept at their work. Li Shaolin nodded inwardly—these people were good, no slacking or hiding things. He didn't realize that in this world, the gap between commoners and landowners was vast. In a place full of dangers, without a family's protection, just surviving was a struggle, let alone having enough to eat and wear. At least, working hard meant no empty stomachs.

He followed the tunnel deeper and soon reached the fork from last time. He couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion—back then, it was crawling with Kobolds, and he'd had to creep in cautiously. Now, there wasn't a trace of life. If not for that small cave, he'd never have had the chance to kill Goldtooth or gain ownership of this mine.

Just as he was lost in thought, he heard a faint rustling from that small cave, as if something was there. Could there be Kobolds left? Li Shaolin immediately summoned his Skeleton Warrior and Clay Golem, while casting a Bone Shield on himself. In this mine tunnel full of dirt and rock, he'd send the Golem in first to scout.

At his command, the Golem slowly trudged inside. Li Shaolin held two Bone Teeth in his hand, with two Skeleton Warriors guarding the entrance and one by his side, ready to strike at the first sign of trouble.

But after the Golem went in, it was like a stone sinking into the sea—no response. At the same time, a strange connection reached him. It felt like a lost child calling out to him, drawing him irresistibly toward the cave.

"Damn it, ghosts? What kind of charm spell is this?" Li Shaolin gritted his teeth to stay clear-headed and ordered a second-tier Skeleton Warrior inside. Skeletons only had soul fire, so this soul-based effect shouldn't work well on them.

But this time, he was wrong. The Skeleton Warrior went in and vanished without a trace, just like the Golem.

"What the hell is this?" Li Shaolin's heart started racing. The Golem and Skeleton Warrior were his biggest assets in this other world. If they couldn't handle it, should he think about running?

As he hesitated, the soft cave wall suddenly split open. A pair of huge green hands tore the gap wider, and a massive figure stepped out.

"Master!" A mental link transmitted to him.

He looked closely and saw a nearly three-meter-tall Golem with green skin standing there, the link coming from it.

"Is this... a Golem?" Li Shaolin was baffled. Then, dirt churned, and another Golem and Skeleton Warrior emerged—the two he'd sent in. So what was this one? He was suspicious, but its shape and appearance were exactly like what he'd summoned, except for the color and size. He cast a Detection spell, and golden letters lit up above its head: Clay Golem, Level 17!

How was that possible? This Golem was a full eight levels above him, and its name was golden. What was going on? A mutation? He tried using the Book of the Dead, black mist rising, but he couldn't recall it no matter what.

Then, that deep male voice he hadn't heard in a while rang out in his mind: You have created a Golden Golem with the blood and souls of all things. For this, you are granted the right to advance to Level 10 and unlock a personal space. Do you confirm?