Chapter Ninety-Six: Alteration

“What? Stay in Saint Veil?” Zhao Tianhe looked at Deputy Minister Carter with a puzzled expression.

“Yes, Miss Artoria is very popular, so…” Carter explained.

“No way,” Zhao Tianhe shook his head. ‘There’s no B-rank dungeon near here with water elements. That means I won’t get to see Artoria in her swimsuit form at all.’

“Don’t worry. As for compensation, we can offer you double—no, triple the usual expedition pay. How about that?” Carter said confidently. From his previous interactions with Artoria, Carter had roughly discerned Zhao Tianhe’s weakness: money!

Although this preference was quite unique among lawful good heroic spirits, it was not unheard of.

“No,” Zhao Tianhe refused without hesitation.

“Huh?!” Carter was stunned and quickly asked, “Why?! Aren’t you very concerned about money?”

“Sigh, with a recent move, I have to buy kitchenware and all sorts of things, so I definitely need money,” Zhao Tianhe said expressionlessly. “But a thousand gold is already enough. The daily pay from ordinary B-rank dungeons will suffice. There’s no need for more.”

“No need?” Carter asked in confusion. “How can you ever say there’s such a thing as too much money?”

“Why not?” Zhao Tianhe replied naturally. “Wastefulness is bad, and once I have money, I just can’t control myself! So, enough is enough. I’m not planning to go into business.”

“Uh…” Carter was dumbfounded. Suddenly, he understood why Zhao Tianhe was considered lawful good. He had an implicit code—a special rule based on social education and moral foundation that must never be broken.

The temptation of money for Zhao Tianhe had a limit. Once he had a thousand gold, he was satisfied. Now, all he wanted was to return to Saint Ross Port and run dungeons with swimsuit Artoria.

“Alright, I get it. I hope we can cooperate again in the future,” Carter smiled as he stood, realizing he couldn’t convince this man.

“Forget it. What kind of big event would it take to transfer me from Saint Ross Port?” Zhao Tianhe laughed. “Better not to cooperate again.”

“That’s true,” Carter smiled and turned to leave.

Zhao Tianhe stood up, looked at the crystal card in his hand, and kissed it gently.

This crystal card held a thousand gold, usable in banks across all countries.

“Alright! Now I can proudly buy jewelry for Ellie and Artoria!” Zhao Tianhe laughed heartily, hailed a flying boat, and headed to the Sixth Walking Street.

“Pick whatever you want?!” Ellie was stunned upon hearing Zhao Tianhe’s words outside the Elven Jewelry Shop.

“Don’t talk nonsense, Ahe,” Artoria sighed. “Ellie, the bonus is only a thousand gold. Five hundred is enough.”

“Yeah, five hundred each is just right,” Ellie nodded.

‘Should I have accepted Carter’s invitation…’ Zhao Tianhe thought reluctantly.

The two girls didn’t completely take advantage of Zhao Tianhe, choosing jewelry totaling only six hundred gold.

Later, while leaving the shop and strolling toward the food street, they ran into a familiar face, Li Mei.

At that moment, Li Mei was walking with a man—also familiar—the deputy minister of the Royal Capital’s Treasury, Wil.

“Miss Artoria!” Li Mei spotted Artoria first and eagerly rushed over to hug her.

“Ugh!” Artoria felt extremely uncomfortable with this woman’s chest and enthusiasm.

“Miss Artoria, you’re amazing! I didn’t expect you to conquer that artificial dungeon! Oh, and Mr. Zhao Tianhe must be here too, right?” Li Mei then noticed Zhao Tianhe and Ellie nearby.

“Oh? You know each other? Right, you’re all from Saint Ross Port!” Wil approached with a smile. “I never thought Miss Artoria was the hero who stopped this terrorist attack, but what does that have to do with Mr. Zhao Tianhe?”

“Well…” Li Mei was at a loss for words. Zhao Tianhe’s secret couldn’t be casually revealed.

“A secret among heroes? Then never mind!” Wil laughed. “By the way, I was about to dine at the Elven Touring Treehouse Restaurant with Miss Li Mei. Would the three of you like to join?”

“Of course!” Li Mei held Artoria’s arm warmly. “Tell me about your dungeon adventure!”

“Hmm, maybe not. We shouldn’t disturb others,” Artoria said, growing more and more irritated as she felt the huge arm gripping hers.

“Yeah, we have places to go too. Let’s talk after returning to Saint Ross Port,” Zhao Tianhe quickly pulled Artoria away, sensing her displeasure—no, sheer annoyance!

Half an hour later.

“Please, please! If this keeps up, I won’t even have money to pay the stall fee!” A plump middle-aged man in a chef’s uniform knelt on the ground.

Artoria set her bowl down with satisfaction.

The shop sign read: “Fire Cloud Noodles, ten gold per serving. Challenge: fifty bowls of extra-large thick noodles. Winner’s prize: one hundred gold.”

Though it said fifty bowls, after Artoria devoured twenty bowls in one go, the vessel used for serving noodles was more like a ‘bucket’.

And the size of the ‘bowl’ she just finished could, on Earth, be used in military kitchens for cooking large quantities.

“Forget it, forget it. We don’t want the money. Just don’t run such gimmicks anymore,” Zhao Tianhe said with a bitter smile, handing the owner ten gold coins.

“Yes, yes, I’ll run an honest business from now on! Absolutely!” The owner nodded but secretly resolved to make future challenges time-limited to five minutes.

“Honestly, you’re so stingy,” Ellie said, staring at Artoria’s chest. “Getting angry over this, sigh…”

“Hmph, maybe I’ll introduce you to someone someday,” Artoria snorted disdainfully and headed to a beverage shop.

Zhao Tianhe noticed something: Artoria had lost her signature ahoge—her hair color hadn’t changed, but she was clearly undergoing a dark transformation.

‘So adorable,’ Zhao Tianhe followed with Ellie.

Back at the hotel, a waiter handed Zhao Tianhe an envelope. After entering his room, Zhao Tianhe opened a letter from Jellos.

First, the location of the B-rank dungeon was confirmed—an island dungeon off the coast of Saint Ross Port. Jellos had already moved there and joined the local team, getting along quite well.

Jellos also sincerely praised Zhao Tianhe, saying, “You’re damn genius!”

“Huh? Huh?! Huh?!!!” Zhao Tianhe read on, clutching his chest, tears of happiness streaming from his eyes.

While Zhao Tianhe was rescuing children in that unknown dungeon, the Royal Robert’s annual event—the crucial ‘Magical Artifact Technology Expo’—was underway.

The most eye-catching technology showcased was a machine said to turn waste into treasure: the ‘Enhancement Device’.

Its function was simple: extract essence from dungeon items to strengthen other items.

Similar to enhancing equipment in online games, the enhancement materials were twofold: other dungeon gear or trash dropped by dungeon elites.

Basically, the junk nobody picked up before.

“Whoa…” Zhao Tianhe thought of his half-filled room of junk and rolled excitedly on the bed.

To enhance gear, using other equipment required multiple decomposition essences, but using junk could directly enhance—with effects often better than essences.

One must know that junk left in dungeons would be absorbed and disappear with the dungeon's self-renewal, never piling up indefinitely. Zhao Tianhe’s habit of scavenging was rare worldwide.

The enhancement device greatly improved the reuse of dungeon gear, allowing many low-level but good-attribute items to be used across levels—like Zhao Tianhe’s boss gear, the Heart of Aggregation and the Evil Prison.

However, the enhancement device was still in development and not yet officially usable. Mass production and distribution worldwide would take a long time. It was released early to encourage heroes to save equipment and junk, not to waste it.

Next, since Artoria had several award ceremonies and events to attend, Zhao Tianhe had no choice but to remain in Saint Veil for five whole days. Other heroes and Saint Ross Port staff had already returned.

At the final banquet, Zhao Tianhe and Ellie ate by the dessert table near the dance floor, while Artoria calmly handled reporters with a group of dignitaries—though she occasionally shot fiery, resentful glances at the two eating.

“Dance?” Zhao Tianhe put down his plate, thinking things might get awkward if this went on.

“Sure, but I don’t know how to dance,” Ellie scratched her chin awkwardly.

“No problem,” Zhao Tianhe smiled. “Neither do I.”

Though neither knew how, mimicking others was easy. Zhao Tianhe observed others’ moves, danced decently, and even guided Ellie.

“Miss Artoria, why did your hair color suddenly change?” A reporter asked from the other side.

“Because I’m tired of it,” the blackened white-haired Artoria said, her skin paler than before.

She stood, magic flowing around her. Her dignified blue gown transformed into a black lace-trimmed camisole dress, chest partly exposed, and her boots turned into high heels.

The dark Artoria—nicknamed Alter—advanced, and the reporters instinctively stepped aside, snapping photos furiously.

Ellie and Zhao Tianhe watched curiously, abandoning dancing to observe.

Alter went to the table without hesitation, eating heartily, then grabbed Ellie’s hand and pulled her onto the dance floor.

Alter’s dancing was fierce, more like tango than ballroom—though likely just impromptu excitement.

Finally, Alter suddenly kissed Ellie!

“Waaah~~~” Ellie struggled weakly beneath her.

The reporters snapped even more furiously!

“Unlocked: Artoria Alter.”

“Artoria and Artoria Alter represent two sides of the same coin. When the former grows impatient and stressed, there is a chance for Alter to manifest. Excessive occurrences increase the number of spiritual bases. Henceforth, Artoria herself will no longer alter; all negative pressure will spill into Alter.”

“Artoria Alter can summon battle soldiers independently. Her power matches Artoria’s Holy Sword wielder form. Summon duration is counted separately—one hour—but when Artoria feels pressure or mental barriers, her summon time transfers to Alter, shortening her own and extending Alter’s. Only the Holy Sword wielder summon time can transfer. Alter cannot switch to the Archer King form.”

“Next up is Ahe,” Alter said coldly, dragging the flushed, dizzy Ellie to the floor, looking at Zhao Tianhe.

Zhao Tianhe smiled and stepped forward, taking Alter’s hand, beginning an intense dance.

The dance floor was soon surrounded by onlookers. Reporters, watching the seemingly ordinary Zhao Tianhe, wondered who this man really was.

“Sis, Artoria sis, you stinky man, ah ha hu ya~~~” A female reporter blushed, yelling strangely, her thoughts unclear.

Although Zhao Tianhe could keep up, his low strength and constitution soon left him drenched in sweat and gasping, but he gritted his teeth and persevered! Because—

He was getting to kiss!

As the moment approached, tears and sweat mixed on Zhao Tianhe’s face in excitement.

“That guy’s so useless, he’s exhausted like this,” a reporter sneered. “He’s not worthy of the queen!”

“Shut up. It’s the king’s choice; we have no say,” another reporter said devoutly.

Unconsciously, Artoria’s fans had formed a group.

Yet, just as the kiss was about to happen, Alter froze.

“You bastard…” Alter looked displeased, as if speaking to someone, then slowly lifted Zhao Tianhe. They ended up standing, embraced.

Alter’s ahoge suddenly popped out with a ‘biu’ sound, her skin flushed with vibrant color, and her hair returned to golden blonde.

“What am I doing…” Artoria blushed deeply, staring at the unconscious Zhao Tianhe in her arms.

Though Zhao Tianhe was physically weak, for him—a hero-system user—to be exhausted like this showed just how extreme Alter’s state was.

“You woman…” Ellie looked at Artoria, twitching at the corner of her mouth, wanting to be angry but uncertain, since this was not the same Artoria as before.