Experts Are Meant to Be Trampled

Yue Yang caught that powdery fist in one hand and laughed. "Brother, I know you missed me, but your way of showing it is a little too special. If you could change it to a warm embrace, I'd be even happier! The girls inside have already stripped naked, washed clean, and are waiting for us to dote on them. What are we still standing here for? Let's go!"

Bright-Eyed Thief nearly went mad with rage. He struggled hard and broke free from Yue Yang's hand around his shoulders.

Just as he was about to kick this hateful, shameless man flying—

Yue Yang grabbed his little hand and dragged him along at a rapid pace, pulling him helplessly straight toward the resplendent entrance of Happy Forest.

"Please wait, gentlemen. Happy Forest has rules: improperly dressed guests will not be received." A guard, a Level Two Brave, politely stopped Yue Yang and Bright-Eyed Thief.

"As a young, wealthy, dashing future VIP, I must criticize you. Which eye of yours saw the two of us improperly dressed? As the saying goes, 'White Stone youths ride east through the golden market, silver saddles and white steeds crossing the spring breeze. Where do they roam after trampling all the fallen flowers? Laughing, they enter this Happy Tower.' Our coming here is an honor for you. I heard Happy Forest was the finest forest under heaven, but it seems its reputation exceeds reality. You actually let an illiterate fool guard the entrance, instead of having beautiful ladies whose fragrance arrives before their forms, whose lips part lightly and whose words enchant, welcome guests at the door. What a mood killer! Do you even know what role-playing is? A genius star as famous throughout the land and beloved by beauties as this young master cannot reveal his true face so easily! Wouldn't the beauties inside shriek madly with excitement? Wouldn't they faint on the spot from agitation? This young master finally tried to keep a low profile for once, only to have his mood ruined by a vulgar dog-eyed servant who looks down on people. Forget it, forget it. Worthy brother, there's plenty of fish in the sea—Happy Forest isn't the only grove around. Let's go!" Yue Yang berated him grandly, making another show of pulling Bright-Eyed Thief away.

Perhaps since Happy Forest had opened, he was the first guest in history to stand at its entrance and angrily berate its guards.

Had it been anyone else, the guards would probably have thrown the fellow into a stinking ditch long ago.

However, Yue Yang's extraordinary tirade immediately alarmed the captain of the guards, who had been accompanying distinguished guests. He hurriedly abandoned them and leaped down from the lofty platform. First, he gave his subordinate a heavy slap, then respectfully bowed to Yue Yang. "Esteemed young masters, your arrival honors us. My subordinate failed to recognize refinement and offended you greatly. Please do not lower yourselves to the level of such a crude vulgarian. Esteemed young masters, please enter!"

The guard who had blocked their way was frightened out of his wits and quickly knelt to beg forgiveness.

It was uncommon in White Stone City, but in the imperial capital, Upper Capital, some youths from great families did indeed enjoy disguising themselves as powerless poor students or even beggars and wandering the streets, using it to mock those vulgar people who judged others by their clothes.

Many experts, even officials, also liked disguising themselves as weak mercenaries or thieves to flirt with beauties in Happy Forest for amusement.

The more famous and powerful a person was, the more they liked this sort of game.

Even the emperor went out incognito from time to time!

As a Level Three Hero, the captain had seen quite a few young masters in such disguises in Upper Capital. Hearing Yue Yang's extraordinary words and fluent eloquence, he became even more convinced that Yue Yang was a highly learned heir of noble birth.

"I don't know who you are, but this brat is the assassin who attacked us half a month ago!"

Another man leaped down from the lofty platform, staring coldly at Bright-Eyed Thief.

The man was tall and thin, dressed in luxurious brocade robes embroidered with a golden-eyed black hawk across the chest. The hands protruding from his sleeves resembled ghost claws. His nose was hooked like an eagle's beak, and when his narrow, gleaming eyes narrowed, they were as sharp as needles.

Bright-Eyed Thief gave a soft snort and secretly pushed against Yue Yang's back. "Leave. I have something to deal with today."

At that, Yue Yang rubbed his fists together like a battle-crazed fanatic. "A fight? I'll help you!"

Seeing Yue Yang so eager for battle, Bright-Eyed Thief broke out in a cold sweat. Still, when facing an enemy, this kid had not abandoned him and run away. That truly surprised Bright-Eyed Thief. He had originally thought Yue Yang would say, "I'll go get a late-night snack first. Take your time fighting; we can pick up girls together next time." He had not expected this shameless fellow to be rather loyal.

The passing mercenaries saw there was excitement to watch and gathered around.

Before long, the area was packed. Even the guests inside Happy Forest, upon hearing the news, crowded to the windows and balconies to watch.

"Ahem, Mr. Wu Yi, perhaps there is a slight misunderstanding. Could you set aside your grudge for now and clarify the truth? Those who have come to Happy Forest today are all honored guests. I truly cannot bear to see both sides fight..." The captain quietly tried to persuade the tall, thin man not to start fighting so hastily and to first determine the identities of the two men.

"This brat killed my master's beloved concubine. My master has ordered that we must see him alive or see his corpse dead. Happy Forest should not interfere in this matter! Besides, they have not entered Happy Forest yet, so they cannot be considered Happy Forest's honored guests. I'll deal with the two of them at the entrance, then later offer wine and apologies to the master of Golden Saber Tower!" The tall, thin man flatly rejected any possibility of reconciliation and gave the captain a secret hand signal.

The captain's expression changed drastically when he saw it, and he immediately retreated to the side.

This was not something a mere captain of guards like him could handle. All he could do now was turn a blind eye.

"Leave now!" Bright-Eyed Thief shot Wu Yi a hateful glare, shoved Yue Yang, and urged him to go.

"He looks like he doesn't have an ounce of meat on him. A gust of wind could blow him apart. Why should I be afraid of an enemy like that? You don't need to make a move. I alone can beat him until he's crawling around looking for his teeth! Stand to the side and applaud for me!" Yue Yang decided to show off a little.

If a real man had ability but did not show it off before a beauty, would that not be as wasteful as walking through the night in embroidered clothes?

This was the perfect chance to earn some points.

Besides, that eagle-nosed, ghost-clawed fellow across from him looked exceptionally punchable. Yue Yang felt that if he did not give the man a thorough beating, he would be letting himself down!

Bright-Eyed Thief was somewhat helpless. "You idiot, do you know who he is? He's Wu Yi, a high-ranking Level Three Hero known as Ghost Claw. He is not someone a little thief like you can fight... You, get lost immediately. Or stand to the side and applaud for me! No, you'd better stand behind me. Don't go more than three meters away!"

"You mean this guy is an expert?" Yue Yang felt his luck was improving, because it seemed a scene of a beauty saving a hero was about to unfold.

"Although I don't want to admit it, he really is a very powerful expert," Bright-Eyed Thief nodded.

"It's fine. Experts are meant to be trampled!" Yue Yang reassured him.

"Weak little ant, why don't you try trampling me..." Wu Yi sneered. He took a black crystal from his robes and muttered an incantation. As black light spread, a six-meter-tall stone golem was summoned.

The moment this enormous stone golem appeared, the mercenaries around them all gasped sharply.

Level Four stone golems appeared most often not in ordinary mercenary hunting grounds, but on battlefields! Even on the battlefield, these war constructs, made entirely of stone, weighing tens of thousands of jin, and impervious to blades and spears, were invincible forces. Other than a handful of colossal war beasts such as mammoths, earthquake dragons, and war kodo beasts, every other war beast could only be crushed into meat paste before a stone golem.

Stone golems were war constructs forbidden for private sale by the state. Apart from those equipped by the military or mercenary groups specially approved by the state, no private individual was permitted to own one.

Facing a six-meter-tall stone golem impervious to blades and spears, how were Yue Yang and Bright-Eyed Thief supposed to fight this battle?