Chapter 298: The Ultimate Thorn in the Side
Chen Junnan couldn’t argue with the stubborn Yun Yao, so he eventually agreed to bring her along to the Snake of the Earth’s game arena.
The two of them followed the map for about an hour and a half before finally reaching their destination.
It was a large building, seemingly a sprawling single-story museum.
At the entrance of the museum stood a hunched figure. He had a dry, yellow snake head, and his skin appeared parched, covered in wrinkles like an old man’s. His oversized suit hung loosely on his body, as if draped over a rack.
He spotted Yun Yao from a distance, and his dark yellow pupils immediately contracted into thin slits.
“Heh heh…!” He let out a laugh. “Good! Very good!”
The raspy voice was accompanied by a unique snake-like “hiss,” which was nauseating.
Yun Yao paid no attention to the Snake of the Earth’s gaze and stood directly before him.
“Entry fee?” Yun Yao asked.
“Four pieces per person… heh heh…” The Snake of the Earth swallowed his saliva and said, “A face like yours… you can also pay with clothes. One piece of clothing equals one ‘Dao.’”
“Unnecessary.” Yun Yao took four Dao out of her bag and tossed them to the Snake of the Earth, then asked, “How many people are needed?”
The Snake of the Earth took the Dao with some disappointment and said, “Twelve people.”
“Alright, I’ll wait.” Yun Yao nodded, walked to the side, and leaned against the wall. Meanwhile, the Snake of the Earth’s eyes kept sizing her up.
Chen Junnan slowly stepped between Yun Yao and the Snake of the Earth, blocking that disgusting gaze.
But he felt a slight dilemma.
Four Dao for the entry fee?
Yesterday, he had wandered around outside and only earned two Dao in total. Now was he supposed to borrow two from Yun Yao?
After thinking for a moment, he stepped forward and handed his two Dao to the Snake of the Earth.
After the Snake of the Earth took them, he looked at Chen Junnan in confusion. “What about the rest?”
“Hang on a sec…”
Chen Junnan bent down and fiddled around for a while, then picked up two dirty socks.
“Uh… old man…” Chen Junnan said with a bit of embarrassment, “Back in my alley, I’m considered a pretty decent-looking kid. For now, let me pawn these socks. Once I strike it rich, I’ll definitely redeem them. Don’t be so picky.”
“Wha—what?” The Snake of the Earth hid his outstretched hands behind his back. “I don’t want them!”
“Hey! Don’t be so polite! I came empty-handed, so I’ve got nothing to offer you. Take them back home and wear them first. If they don’t fit, we can swap later!”
The Snake of the Earth looked at the two filthy socks and couldn’t help but step back. “Are you out of your mind?! Who wants your stinking socks?!”
“You discriminating against me, huh?” Chen Junnan pointed back at Yun Yao. “I’m just a little less good-looking than that girl. Her clothes can be accepted, but my socks can’t?”
“Kid! Are you looking for trouble?!”
“Looking for trouble?!” Chen Junnan said with a pitiful expression. “Old man, I’m just following your rules for paying the entry fee! If you don’t want the socks, I could reluctantly offer my underwear instead. But you’ll have to wait a bit—I need to find a place to take it off.”
“Under… underwear?”
“Your humble narrator hasn’t bathed today, so my underwear should be just the right flavor. If you don’t mind, keep it as a souvenir. Don’t worry, I definitely won’t tell anyone.”
Seeing the Snake of the Earth stumble backward in anger, Yun Yao couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
“Ha…” She wiped the corner of her eye. “You’re quite amusing. I’ll lend you two.”
“Oh? Really?” Chen Junnan grinned sheepishly. “Give me a little more time, and I might have convinced him.”
Yun Yao shook her head with a smile. “Are you planning to convince an ‘Earth-level’ with two dirty socks in your hands?”
“The odds aren’t great, but I’m just not one to give up,” Chen Junnan said.
Yun Yao took two Dao out of her bag and casually tossed them to the Snake of the Earth. Then she said to Chen Junnan, “Remember to pay me back if you win.”
“Ah? You’re too generous!” Chen Junnan bent down to put his socks back on, then immediately reached out to shake Yun Yao’s hand.
Yun Yao also stumbled back in fright. “No need for a handshake… I appreciate the thought.”
“Hey, don’t be so distant.” Chen Junnan wiped his hands on his pants. “Just watch me today—I’ll definitely return those Dao to you.”
The Snake of the Earth scowled at Chen Junnan, feeling a bit uneasy.
Back when he was still a “Human-level,” he vaguely recalled seeing this figure before. But it had been so long ago that the events had faded from memory.
He had a faint impression that this guy was a thorn in the side, someone who never played by the rules. The upcoming game might be a bit troublesome.
“Big star, have you been here before?” Chen Junnan asked.
“No, but other teammates have scouted this place, so I know what the Snake of the Earth is like.”
“Alright, since you’re so cool, I’ll protect you,” Chen Junnan said. “Once the rules are explained later, just slack off and let me handle things.”
Yun Yao looked at Chen Junnan with curiosity. She had never met anyone like him. On the surface, he seemed like a decent person, yet his words and actions were unusually frivolous. But despite that, he had done nothing out of line so far, and inexplicably, he gave off a sense of security.
As the two waited, they suddenly saw a woman in white approaching from a distance.
When they saw her, both of them were momentarily stunned.
She seemed a bit familiar—like they had seen her only yesterday…
But as she walked closer, they realized this figure in white was quite different from the one in their memory.
She was an ordinary-looking girl. Her eyes looked determined, and only her clothes and hairstyle bore any resemblance.
“Hello.” She nodded at Chen Junnan and Yun Yao, then turned and walked to the Snake of the Earth. “May I ask what the entry fee is?”
The Snake of the Earth sized up the parts of the girl’s body exposed beneath her white dress, his gaze lecherous. “Four Dao. If you don’t have enough, you can exchange clothes—two pieces of clothing for one Dao.”
“Hey! You’re quite the businessman, aren’t you?” Chen Junnan snickered from the side. “Plain-looking girls, two pieces of clothing for one Dao. Pretty ones, one piece of clothing for one Dao. For someone as extremely handsome as me, even socks and underwear won’t cut it.”
“Shut your mouth!” the Snake of the Earth barked.
The girl in white smiled and said, “I don’t need to exchange clothes. I have Dao.”
She took out four Dao and handed them to the Snake of the Earth, then nodded toward Chen Junnan and Yun Yao before silently moving to stand off to the side.
“Is it just me, or…?” Chen Junnan said. “That girl’s figure… looks familiar.”
“Her body shape resembles Qi Xia’s wife,” Yun Yao nodded. “But her face is completely different.”
“Hey, interesting.” Chen Junnan smiled and nodded. “If this girl survives, I’ll take her back to Old Qi no matter what.”
“What for?” Yun Yao asked in confusion.
“To play matchmaker,” Chen Junnan said, picking his nose. “Old Qi likes that type.”