Betrayal

[Casting illusions is often much simpler than seeing through them. The former means you know it's false, the latter means you have to guess if it's false. Obviously—you guessed right.]

[You have obtained "True Sight Eye Potion":

A potion that helps you reveal illusions, lasting for 8 hours.

Notes:

It's best not to use it when you're already enchanted by an illusion. Otherwise, you could have wallowed in false bliss instead of facing a ghoul drooling at you.]

"[Alertness], [True Sight Eye Potion]... I actually got two rewards this time?"

The moment he finished reading the journal's content, Tang Qi suddenly felt a bulge in his pocket.

He reached in and found a small glass bottle, no longer than a finger.

The liquid inside was crystal clear; if it weren't a potion, it looked more like a small bottle of water.

"It's better to carry things like this with me."

He tucked the potion back into his pocket, then flipped to the title page. He saw that his fame and followers were still "Unknown" and a lonely "1," confirming these weren't benefits from "Fame."

"So, the rewards I received came from my actions within the story.

Does the value of the rewards also relate to the story's excitement and complexity?"

For example, the last time, [Tavern Performance] was just a single event.

This time, [Retrieve Star Plum] was a composite event involving "Explore Cave" and "See Through Lies."

As a result, he received two ratings and double rewards.

Tang Qi felt like he was starting to figure out the journal's reward system:

"I've tried writing fake stories, or stories about others, but the writing would gradually fade, and I wouldn't get any rewards.

This shows it's encouraging me to actively participate in more complex events. As long as I can survive to get it, don't just play it safe..."

Danger brings opportunity; this was clearly a double-edged sword.

"Kuru."

Tang Qi called out to the kobold in the corner, who was holding its staff and studying intently.

He suspected it wouldn't even put down that precious stick in its sleep or dreams.

After dinner, he had asked a few more questions about the "Dragon Egg," which had displeased the kobold, leading to them not speaking another word after returning to the room.

But after all, Tang Qi was its "savior." Even if "gratitude" wasn't in the kobold's creed, it didn't harbor much ill will towards Tang Qi.

So, its ears twitched. After a moment of hesitation, it finally looked up:

"Rua?"

"Later, when I'm not paying attention, try to hit me on the back of the head with your staff—remember not to use magic."

"Hit, me?"

"You must do it when I'm not paying attention, like when my back is turned..."

As Tang Qi spoke, he turned around, pretending to be engrossed in writing at his desk.

But the moment his back was turned.

That sense of impending danger, which he had deeply experienced in the cave, pierced every pore of his body like needles.

His scalp tingled, and his hair stood on end almost as a reflex.

When he realized the danger was behind him, Tang Qi instinctively rolled to his right—

"Bang!"

Kuru's staff smashed hard onto the desk!

"It can actually judge the direction of danger? It's almost like predicting the source of the attack, just like—"

Spider Sense?

Before he could finish his thought, the sense of crisis struck again. Without hesitation, he rolled to the side once more.

This time, the staff hit the floor right beside him.

"Enough—"

Another swing.

"I said, enough!"

As he dodged the staff again, Tang Qi grabbed the front end of the staff, forcefully snatching it from Kuru's grasp and smacking it hard on Kuru's rear:

"You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

Kuru didn't understand. It was clearly following Tang Qi's orders, so why was it being hit? It looked at Tang Qi with a wronged expression.

Only then did Tang Qi realize that the kobold's grasp of the common tongue was still rudimentary. He resorted to gestures:

"Enough—stop. Understand?"

"Enough, stop."

Kuru finally reacted, rubbing its backside.

Tang Qi pondered if he had been too heavy-handed.

He bent down to check if the kobold's backside would show any bruising—

The room door was pushed open with a "bang":

"Mr. Tang Qi, are you alright?"

Catherine, having heard the commotion upstairs, pushed the door open.

But what greeted her was Tang Qi's face, attempting to get close to the kobold and lift its robe to expose its tail and backside—

With a "bang," the door was shut.

"Sorry to disturb you."

Some of her perceptions seemed to have been shaken, as after a moment of apology, the sound of rapidly retreating footsteps could be heard.

"..."

The man and the kobold in the room exchanged glances.

The next morning.

As the first hint of dawn broke over the mountains, Tang Qi attempted to explain to Catherine, who was loading goods:

"Last night, you misunderstood..."

"I understand, Mr. Tang Qi, you don't need to feel awkward. I was just startled yesterday. Of course, that doesn't mean I don't respect a friend's orientation.

On the contrary, I'm willing to support you—even if it's a bit peculiar."

It was rumored that bards' preferences were always strange.

So it wasn't just a legend.

"I still need to explain to you, I like women."

"Kuru is female?"

"I said women! Humans with distinct female human physiological characteristics—uh, humanoid creatures!"

Catherine blinked, trying to comprehend the complex sentence:

"I understand... you're bisexual, right?"

Tang Qi imagined it in his mind.

Humans, Elves, beast-eared girls, succubi...

He finally nodded.

Catherine also thought for a moment.

Distinct female characteristics?

Humans, female goblins, cows, scarecrows dressed as women...

She understood: "It's okay, Star Plum Town is an inclusive little town."

Did she really understand?

Tang Qi had his doubts.

Catherine, afraid he would be embarrassed, quickly said:

"Don't worry, I also have a friend with a different orientation, I won't discriminate against you because of it."

"I give up trying to convince you."

Tang Qi followed Catherine closely, moving the last crate of star plums onto the wagon.

The girl wiped the sweat from her forehead and said:

"Three hundred kilograms of star plums, all here. Before anyone wakes up, let's transport them to the manor."

"How much did all of this cost?"

"If you had bought them yourself, Holtz would have sold them to you at the same price as the caravan, around 13 gold coins.

But he thought I wanted to buy an extra batch, so he gave me a discount of 3 gold coins.

"Thanks to you, otherwise I would have been heartbroken."

Now he only had 10 gold coins left, not even enough to buy a decent longsword at the blacksmith's.

He wondered what the cost of a ride would be.

Tang Qi subconsciously thought it wouldn't be cheap.

"Oh, right, if you want to attract their attention, as a poet, you might find this useful."

Catherine hurried back into the tavern and, a moment later, produced a ukulele—

It looked similar to Tang Qi's broken lute, but this one was smaller, more exquisite, easier to carry, and had only four strings.

Carved into the brown wood was an oak tree, much like the one in the tavern courtyard.

"This is the zither my mother often used in her life. I would always lie on her lap and listen to her sing folk songs.

It can't play many tunes, but at least it can make your singing less dry."

"Consider it a loan."

Tang Qi indeed needed an instrument, and he gladly accepted it.

"Then there's only one last question."

"What?"

"I don't know how to drive."

Tang Qi pointed at the old "Moo-Moo" ox, Catherine's family's own laborer.

Seeing this, Catherine had no choice but to step onto the front of the cart and extend her slender yet rough palm to Tang Qi:

"Then I'll have to ask you to accompany our laborer."

Tang Qi took her hand and used the leverage to sit on the front of the cart with her.

The way this farm girl drove was as composed as a knight leading an army.

With a soft cry from her, the old ox in front of the cart began to move its slow steps.

A wisp of dawn light pierced through the mountains, blanketing the country dirt road.

Reflecting on the muddy tracks, it guided them toward an unknown future.

"Rua!"

Amidst the melodious zither music and the kobolds' shouts, they arrived at the lord's manor.

But Tang Qi soon couldn't laugh anymore--

He found a massive merchant caravan standing right in front of the gate, awaiting their arrival.

This meant that the plan had been exposed before it even began.

"Damn it, I've been sold out."