Chapter 71: Forming a Team, Temporary Allies!

Wang Chen didn’t really intend to poison the spider eggs; he simply needed an excuse to fool Lin Lehan, a pretext that would let him quietly store the eggs in his Life Ring.
“I have another idea,” Wang Chen said. “I have a skill called Giant Rock Hand. I can crush the spider eggs in my palm. You won’t mind if the spider silk around them gets a little flattened, right?”
Lin Lehan pondered, “That should work. The silk that protects the eggs is tough, but its hardness and structural strength aren’t high. It’s quite elastic. If you’re strong enough, you can crush the eggs through the silk.”
As she spoke, she asked, “Can I test the strength of this skill?”
…
Absolutely incredible. With all her calculations, how could she call herself Shadow Heroine? The tournament on Mount Hua would be over before she finished crunching the numbers.
Wang Chen replied gravely, “Miss Lin, combat isn’t like cooking. You don’t wait for every ingredient to be ready before starting. It’s better to adapt as you go.”
He pointed to the rocky mound beside him. “I guarantee the Rock Hand can crush that boulder.”
“In that case, it should be fine. Let’s do it.”
When Lin Lehan finished speaking, she finally reverted to her carefree, cheerful self, beaming. “Hero, you really have a way with things! You came up with a solution so quickly!”
“If you hadn’t bombarded me with questions, I could’ve been even quicker,” Wang Chen retorted, somewhat irritated.
“A battle plan needs to be thorough! What if you drop the ball at a critical moment? It’s best to think things through first,” Lin Lehan protested innocently.
…
This woman dreams of being a hero yet is excessively cautious?!
No, maybe she’s simply an argumentative sort. There are plenty of those these days, Wang Chen comforted himself, reminding himself not to stoop to her level.
Then it dawned on him. “Wait, I haven’t agreed yet! How did it become me offering a plan for your approval?”
“Hehe, then agree with me! With your plan, we’ll finish this task with ease,” Lin Lehan cajoled, flashing a goofy smile and showing off her pearly teeth.
Wang Chen considered for a moment and decided to team up with Lin Lehan.
First, it would be good to have someone to watch his back; second, their interests aligned—she also needed to deal with a Golden Beast.

When the time came, Wang Chen would play it by ear, see if he could slay the Celestial Silk Spider and complete a quest objective along the way.
Perhaps there was a third reason: Wang Chen was simply not cold-blooded. Seeing this girl, so naive and stricken with a bad case of adolescent heroism, about to walk into danger, he couldn’t help but feel pity.
He always felt as if he saw a glimpse of his own younger self, bullied and helpless, and regretted not having extended a hand then.
“I’ll say it up front—we can team up and I’ll help you complete the quest,” Wang Chen said. “But you need to fight monsters with me first so I can level up.”
After that battle with the Crownfire Python, Wang Chen realized he couldn’t just rely on magic scrolls to blast his way through; a Golden Beast would be tough. He needed to boost his stats a bit more.
“No problem. I’ll do my best to support you, hero, giving everything I have, even unto death,” Lin Lehan said, face suddenly serious.
“Don’t be in such a hurry to agree. I have another condition,” Wang Chen continued. “Since we’re teammates, we’ll share the spoils. But the division is up to me.”
“So I actually qualify for loot?” Lin Lehan asked, confused.
“If we’re teammates, even temporarily, we need to share both hardship and gains. Otherwise, how can we fight side by side with trust?” Wang Chen explained.
Lin Lehan nodded repeatedly, grinning foolishly.
“Whatever you say. Even if I get nothing in the end, that’s fine.”
Wang Chen sighed. This girl wouldn’t even realize if someone sold her out.
“Lastly, in the upcoming battles, all tactics and strategies are mine to decide. Is that acceptable?” Wang Chen asked.
Lin Lehan furrowed her brows. “Can I raise objections?”
“Depends. If there’s time to explain and discuss, I’ll consult you. But in urgent situations, it’s all up to me,” Wang Chen replied after a moment’s thought.
“No objections then.” Lin Lehan extended her hand. “Hero, let’s work well together!”
“Likewise, Shadow Heroine,” Wang Chen said with a smile, shaking her hand.
“By the way, here’s your book back. I’ve outgrown comics, and since you keep it close, it must mean a lot to you.” He handed the comic back to Lin Lehan.
Lin Lehan took the comic with delight but hesitated, “But won’t your buddies call you soft-hearted when they hear about this?”
“Then I’ll just ask for a different reward,” Wang Chen said offhandedly. “Treat me to a meal someday.”

Lin Lehan blinked. “That’s all?”
“Or you could transfer five million to my account,” Wang Chen shrugged.
“No way! I don’t have five million. A meal it is,” Lin Lehan quickly agreed, hooking her pinky finger. “Let’s pinky swear!”
Wang Chen gave her a speechless look and linked his pinky with hers. Then the two began hunting monsters, helping Wang Chen level up first.
As they walked, Lin Lehan stroked the worn cover of her comic and mused, “I really love this comic. It’s a first edition from over fifty years ago, found in a secondhand market. It’s out of print now.”
“It’s just a comic. So what if it’s out of print? Anyone can make copies and sell them,” Wang Chen said dismissively.
“Oh, Wang Xiaotu, you don’t know! Out-of-print comics are precious. Someone online offered one hundred fifty thousand for it,” Lin Lehan said, baring her teeth and making a funny face.
Wang Chen froze—not because of the nickname Wang Xiaotu. “This book is worth one hundred fifty thousand? In Tianlong currency?”
“Yes!”
“Forget the meal, just give me the comic,” Wang Chen said, reaching for it.
Lin Lehan darted away, and his hand closed on empty air. Her speed, at last, justified the title Shadow Heroine.
She stood at a distance, clutching the comic to her chest. “Hero, you can’t break your word! You promised a meal, we pinky swore!”
“Great men don’t fuss over trifles!” Wang Chen gritted his teeth, lunging after her. “Besides, you never told me it was so valuable!”
Thus, a shareholder of a famous red-light district establishment, a VIP client of United Traders, and a transmigrator with endless ways to make money, found himself chasing a petite young woman over a comic book worth one hundred fifty thousand.
Such incidents would occur countless times throughout Wang Chen’s life.
Even when wealth no longer meant anything to him—no matter how much money he amassed, there were always those eager to offer up their fortunes—he remained unchanged.
As if, regardless of his circumstances, he was always that stingy, lonely boy.