Kru Town 03: I Can Do It

Red Beard had never told her how to break down Black Ghost Stone.

Jun Ruofeng spotted the marks on the Black Ghost Stone at once. Surprise flashed through his eyes. "Black Ghost Stone is usually found in water. Brute force alone won't break it." Even a High-Rank Martial Master like Red Beard couldn't do it; at most, he could leave marks like those on the stone.

Ye Chuqi caught on. "Fire?" If it came from water, she could counter it with fire. Why hadn't she thought of that?

"Go find Chris. He should be happy to help."

Chris was the Elite Group's fire mage. Now a High-Rank Mage, he was just a step away from becoming a Grand Mage. But he rarely spoke and tended to fade into the background. Ye Chuqi hadn't exchanged a word with him yet.

Chris's eyes lit up at the sight of such a large piece of Black Ghost Stone. When he learned Ye Chuqi had brought it, the look he gave her was hard to describe.

A High-Rank Mage could condense fire elements into physical shapes, such as blades. A burning sword of fire sliced the Black Ghost Stone into even pieces as easily as cutting tofu. The stone that had been so stubborn in Ye Chuqi's hands offered no resistance to the fire sword. The difference was almost insulting.

From the pile of Black Ghost Stone, Jun Ruofeng kept three pieces, Red Beard picked up one, and Chris rather sheepishly accepted one for his trouble. Ye Chuqi put away the rest.

This time, she had revealed more than her Spatial Bluestone. She had also shown them her Black Ghost Stone and the fact that she owned Spatial Equipment.

Right in front of them, she put the Black Ghost Stone into the Storage Bag at her waist. In truth, she had already moved it into her Portable Space, leaving only a few pieces in the bag to keep up appearances.

Jun Ruofeng had never seen Spatial Equipment like it. Such equipment had always been crafted from metal. Silk might be added, but it would never form the main body. Ye Chuqi's Storage Bag was made entirely of fabric, with intricate embroidery that dazzled the eye. It looked like an aristocratic young lady's accessory. Who would have guessed it was precious Spatial Equipment?

"If you have this, why do you want more Spatial Equipment?" She had asked for a badge to be crafted and accepted a Spatial Ring too. As Red Beard spoke, he transferred the things she had left with him into her new ring.

"The more, the better!" Ye Chuqi declared.

San San let out a mournful sigh. "I'll never exhaust myself and fall asleep again..." It had left Ye Chuqi to face everything in this unfamiliar world alone, unable even to speak the language.

Ye Chuqi only smiled. How could she blame San San? It had done all that to protect her! And she knew that if the same thing happened again, San San would still throw itself into danger for her sake.

Pah, pah, pah! Don't tempt fate. I'll never be that unlucky again!

For Ye Chuqi, the whole thing was a minor episode. Her Storage Bag was now out in the open, and she had gained a Spatial Ring besides. In high spirits, she had San San line the little pool where Big Black Fish lived with Black Ghost Stone. It now looked rather impressive, a world apart from the rough hole they had dug in the dirt.

Big Black Fish was delighted too. It had only lost a little Spatial Bluestone. If that brought it closer to San San and Ye Chuqi, it had come out ahead!

That evening, Red Beard made an announcement. He intended to get involved in the disappearances of young women around Kru Town and take the job in the Red Wind Mercenary Group's name. Kru Town was locked down anyway, and no one could leave. Every extra day they spent there was wasted time, so they might as well find something to do.

Ye Chuqi quietly raised her hand. "Do you need me as bait?"

Chapter 13: Kru Town 03—I Can Do It

Use Ye Chuqi as bait?

The members of the Red Wind Mercenary Group picked at their ears after hearing Ye Chuqi volunteer, as though they thought they'd misheard. And the little one had suggested it herself. Was something wrong with her head?

Ed snorted. "Stay out of it. Whatever's going on, it's not your turn to step in." What did she take them for, dead men?

"I want to help," Ye Chuqi said earnestly. "I'm strong!" If she put in a little effort, she could beat Ed.

Red Beard seemed to read the look in her eyes. He smiled at Ed. "Ed, why don't you spar with Yezi?"

"Fine, let's spar!" Ed had wanted another match with Ye Chuqi for some time. Last time, he'd ambushed her, yet he hadn't gained the upper hand. She had even sent him flying with a swing of her staff. He'd only held back until now because Xiya had told him the little one was injured.

So they sparred. Blades could cause accidents, so they left their weapons aside and fought barehanded in the courtyard. The others formed a circle around them, watching with interest and offering the occasional comment.

The group often practiced a few moves together when they had time. It was training, but it also helped them learn one another's techniques so they could work together more smoothly. They knew exactly how capable Ed was. The young man was exceptionally talented and proud. Even in ordinary sparring matches, he never admitted defeat. Since childhood, he had always picked himself up wherever he fell. He had passed the assessment and entered the Elite Group at a young age, earning his place among its core members through sheer ability.

They knew how strong Ed was. Ye Chuqi, though, was still something of an unknown.

Today, they finally saw what she could do.

Mages were rare, so most members were Martial Fighters, apart from Alchemists like Xiya and Jun Ruofeng. Unlike Jun Ruofeng, who could barely defend himself, Xiya trained with the others and could usually protect herself.

They had assumed Ye Chuqi was, at most, a little stronger than Xiya. With Ed's ability, he ought to have subdued her in no time, as easily as scolding a child.

How wrong they were! After a brief exchange, they saw that Ed couldn't gain the slightest advantage over Ye Chuqi. Their teasing stopped at once. Watching her movements closely, they discovered that what they had taken for simple punches and kicks followed a strange, intricate rhythm.

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