"Oh, okay." Chen Ce opened the door and immediately saw the innkeeper staring blankly.
At second glance... he saw an exceedingly beautiful Vastaya woman.
As someone who had crossed over into this world, he recognized her instantly. Those fluffy, pointed ears and nine fluffy tails were simply too distinctive.
Ahri the Nine-Tailed Fox.
A Vastaya who had spent her life searching for the secrets of her origins.
"This young lady admires you greatly and hopes to get to know you..." the innkeeper continued, his eyes still vacant and his voice still weak, like an echo from a dried-up well. "She's also a member of our village. She went traveling some time ago and only just returned today..."
Hearing this, Chen Ce calmly nodded.
Honestly, he suddenly felt like laughing.
Perhaps nobody else would notice, but as someone familiar with Ahri the Nine-Tailed Fox, he could tell at a glance: the innkeeper's mind was under her control, just like Xirun, the black-market trader who had once tried to cut off Ahri's tail, only to end up under her control instead.
Ahri could beguile people.
If the innkeeper hadn't said that last part, the lie might have had a tiny chance of fooling him. But that last bit...
Ahri was from this village? Give him a break.
She didn't even know who her parents were.
"Charmed." Chen Ce smiled and held out his right hand to Ahri. Well, actually, he was holding back laughter.
"It's wonderful to meet you, my hero~" The Vastaya girl gave a graceful curtsy, her elegant bearing and manners only accentuating her captivating beauty. "My name is Ahri~"
As she shook his hand, she quietly released a wisp of magic.
The innkeeper immediately set down the tray he was holding, then walked stiffly toward the stairs. "Lord Chen Ce, I'll be going now..."
"Sure." Chen Ce still pretended not to notice. He wanted to see what this little fox was up to.
He kept his attention on the innkeeper and, sure enough, it wasn't long before he heard faint muttering from downstairs:
"Huh? Why am I here? What happened to the lord's food...? Hm, did I already take it up...?"
Clearly, Ahri had "eaten" the innkeeper's memories.
That was her second ability: taking other people's memories.
Holding back a laugh, Chen Ce asked, "All right, now that you've met me, could you leave?"
"Eh...?" Ahri was clearly taken aback by the question.
But she quickly struck a bewitching pose. "I want to chat with you~ My dear hero~"
As she spoke, she edged closer and closer, until the faint fragrance of her body drifted across his face.
Add the tantalizing glimpse of pale skin at her chest and her incredibly seductive, breathy sighs... it was temptation at its finest.
In an instant, Chen Ce guessed what she was after: she wanted to eat him.
Yes, "eat" in the literal sense.
She wanted to devour his life essence, the food the Nine-Tailed Fox cherished most and relied on most.
Ordinary food could fill her stomach, but it couldn't suppress the feeling of her "power draining away."
If she didn't take in life essence, she would starve to death in another way.
But... what did that have to do with him?
It wasn't as if he were the one who'd starve to death.
"Sorry, I've got something to take care of, so now's not a good time to chat." Chen Ce refused her outright and gestured toward the door. "Don't let the door hit you on the way out."
"...?" Ahri was taken aback again.
She had never been rejected like this before, by a man or a woman.
Even though she hadn't used her magic yet, still... shouldn't he have been affected?
Didn't all humans like the way I looked...?
"Um... I..."
"All right, all right. See you next time." Before Ahri could finish, Chen Ce pushed her toward the door, showing her out.
But the moment one of Ahri's feet crossed the threshold, the system's notification suddenly rang out:
[Random Quest: Pet Ahri's Big Tails!] [This little fox is just too cheeky! Let's pet her tails!] [Objective: Grab [Ahri]'s tails and give them a good squeeze (all nine).] [Reward: 1 random [Common-grade item (Level 1 equipment, such as a Long Sword, Broken Blade, Doran's Shield, etc.)]]
Bang. Chen Ce suddenly stopped the door from closing with his foot.
"Miss Ahri, I've suddenly got some free time after all. How about we discuss the meaning of life?"
Chapter 24: Ahri Gets Played
Chen Ce hadn't expected to run into Ahri here.
It wasn't exactly bad news, but it wasn't good news either. After all, she wanted to "eat" him.
Honestly, at first he'd planned to send her away and get back to his own business, but... things were different now.
Since a random quest had come up, he might as well complete it.
It wouldn't take much time, anyway.
If he was only going to pet her tails... it should be quick, right?
Should be...?
Chen Ce stared at those nine fluffy tails for a good while. In Ionia, where Vastaya walked the streets everywhere, Ahri made no effort to hide hers.
In this strange land, "beast girls" weren't unusual.
"Let's chat, then. Discuss the meaning of life and all that."
"Eh... Eh?" Ahri, who had thought her plan was ruined, somehow found herself back in the room.
She couldn't quite figure Chen Ce out, but she was still happy.
For one thing, she still had a chance to taste that tempting life essence. And for another...
Heh heh, as expected, nobody could resist her charm.
"The meaning of life? Sure~" She beamed, two adorable little fangs appearing between her sexy red lips. "I like you a lot, so we can talk about anything you want~"
"Wonderful." Chen Ce nodded, satisfied, and pretended he had no idea what was going on. "Then let's start with the basics, shall we?"
"Sure~ But what are the basics?"
"Your body."
"My body?"
"Yeah." Chen Ce pointed to his own torso, then to her curvaceous figure. "I've always wondered what the difference is between humans and Vastaya."
"Well... it's obvious~" Ahri smiled and swished her nine tails. "Our bodies are a little different, but our minds are the same~"
She smiled sweetly, but inwardly she sneered.
What kind of discussion was this? He just wanted to see her body. What a disgusting, flimsy excuse.
Hmph. There was no way she'd let him see it.
"See? I have fluffy tails and long ears, and you don't. That's the difference between us~"
"Oh." Chen Ce nodded thoughtfully, then asked, "Can I touch them? I mean... I want to confirm the differences between us. It's important to me. Um, I'm a biologist on the side. It's for research."
"Ehhh~" Ahri drew out the strange sound, as if to say, I know what you're thinking, you lecher.
Honestly, she didn't want him touching her.
But... she couldn't refuse.
On one hand, she wanted to absorb his life essence. If she refused now, she might lose her chance altogether.
On the other hand...
She was a little afraid of Chen Ce.
She'd witnessed Chen Ce single-handedly take down dozens of people. She'd also seen him threaten Samira—and the latter scene was especially unforgettable.
That terrifying, almost twisted expression; that indifferent tone, as though human lives meant nothing to him; that frightening look as he gripped someone's chin and threatened them...
Even though she hated the Noxians for being invaders, that didn't change how frightening Chen Ce was or how afraid of him she felt.
She... really was afraid...
If he found out what she was planning, he might grab her by the throat and pin her to the ground while threatening her...
That'd be so scary...
"Y-You can touch my tails~" Ahri forced herself to stay calm, her seductive smile still in place. "If you're only going to touch them, that's completely fine~"
As she spoke, she turned slightly and brought her nine fluffy tails closer.
At the same time, she quietly released an almost invisible wisp of magic.
It was true she wouldn't refuse him, but that didn't mean she'd let him do whatever he wanted to her.
Her tails... were a sensitive spot...
"Thanks for understanding, Miss Ahri." Chen Ce slowly reached out, appearing completely oblivious. "Then I'll touch them?"
"Mhm, you can touch me all you like~" To sell the act, Ahri even used a coy form of address.
She'd "heard" it in the memories of a Noxian soldier.
She didn't quite understand what it meant, but apparently quite a few attractive women called themselves that, and it was especially good at stirring up men's desires.
"Much obliged." Chen Ce's hand was already very close.
But just before he touched the snowy-white fur, he caught a peculiar scent. It made his head spin, his mind reel, and his will melt away.
Still... he'd expected as much.
Since he knew she wanted to eat him, he could guess that she'd try something at some point.
The moment the scent reached his mind, he held his breath.
At the same time, he emptied his thoughts. A mysterious sensation replaced the one threatening to pull him under.
Meditation.
How could the guidance of the mighty Spirit of Ionia not suppress the charms of a mere little fox?
Did Ahri think this was The Rift?
Buzz... In his meditative state, Chen Ce successfully drew in energy from the Spirit Realm. That sense of "emptiness of the four great elements" instantly suppressed the wicked thoughts in his heart—the ones Ahri the Nine-Tailed Fox had bewitched him with.
His hand then dropped without conscious thought, landing right on Ahri's tail.
First one—pet!
Second one—pet again!
Third one—give it a good squeeze!
Ninth one—pet, pet, pet!
He'd petted all nine fox tails!
[Random Quest Complete!] [Reward: 1 Common-grade item: [Corrupting Potion]] [Corrupting Potion: Restores the user's mana and health over 12 seconds. During this time, the user's attacks deal additional magic burn damage.] [Note: The Corrupting Potion refills automatically at midnight every day and can be used infinitely.]
The instant the notification ended, Chen Ce found an oddly shaped dark-green bottle in his hand. Inside was a strangely pink liquid.
Before you continue