Chapter 414: Ill-Gotten Gains (1/2)

A brief bout of darkness shrouded Zac’s vision until he was thrown into the next world. However, the System seemed intent of making the entrances rough ones going forward, and he barely had time to see a moonlit sky and a couple of candles before he fell into a pool of steaming water with his head first.

Zac sputtered as he tried to orient himself in the water, and he soon realized that he had luckily only fallen into a heated pool or hot spring that was a meter or so deep. He had first been afraid that he had been dropped into a pot of soup of some giant or something, but even if he was safe from that fate he still immediately got to his feet and looked around for any looming threats.

“You! Who are you!” a shriek echoed with enough force to make Zac’s eardrums vibrate. “AND WHAT ARE YOU HOLDING?!”

Similar shrieks echoed from the vicinity, meaning that the others had likely encountered similar fates. As for the source of the voice, it was an extremely alluring woman with a pair of pointed ears. She wasn't a Tal-Eladar though but more closely resembling the traditional elves in the stories on earth.

Apart from the more generous curves, that is.

The elf stood in the water as well just a few meters away, completely exposed except for a thin layer of lather. It seemed that Zac had been dropped into her courtyard mid-bath, effectively creating an instant grudge with. She was a cultivator as well since Cosmic Energy was already churning around her, though his instincts told him there was no way she was the guardian of the level due to the lacking density of her aura.

Zac froze in shock for a second as he took in the amazing scenery until he realized that he should probably try to explain himself. But he didn’t even have time to open his mouth before shouts from soldiers could be heard approaching and massive drums started beating in the distance. It was no doubt a response to the shrieks that had echoed to the high heavens just now.

[Escape with your ill-gotten gains. Note: Hiding your loot will count as forfeiting the quest.]

‘What fucking gains?’ Zac inwardly groaned as he looked down at his hands.

His already scrambled head got even more confused when he realized that the massive array flags he was carrying had been replaced by a piece of white frilly fabric. Wasn’t that…?

Zac’s eyes widened slightly and he looked up at the infuriated elf who had somehow covered herself with what looked like thunderclouds. Their eyes met and the air started crackle from lightning as the woman’s eyes started to light up with some unknown power.

The common-sense thing would have been to give back the underwear, but Zac obviously couldn’t do that. The system had for some insane reason sent him on a panty-raid, and if he threw away the ‘treasure’ he would probably fail the trial.

So he could only stifle his complaints as he took out [Verun’s Bite] again, but instead of targeting the elf he cut a massive hole in the wall. Luckily the outdoor bathhouse didn’t seem fortified from the inside, making it easy to escape.

Better yet the girl seemed to prioritize getting dressed over killing him, and she interrupted whatever attack she had been charging up to instead flash toward a dress hanging across a rack right next to the pool. It allowed Zac to slip away with the help of [Loamwalker], but he only used the skill a couple of times before he stopped and took stock of what was going on.

Zac realized he was halfway up a mountain, and he guessed he either was inside a sect or some sort of town. Bamboo stalks and trees ran along the mountainside, while small lamps emitting a warm light was studded along the path created with large slabs of stones. There were stronger lights among the trees when Zac gazed both up and down the mountain, and he guessed it was courtyards nestled into nature.

It was truthfully one of the most beautiful sceneries he had seen, and he wanted to take in everything as quickly as possible. It would be perfect if he could turn the mountains on his islands into a tranquil paradise like this after the invaders were dealt with. The money he could make from renting out properties like this would be amazing.

But Zac only got a few seconds to drink in the beauty before the sound of rapid steps took him out of his reverie.

“Halt!” a voice could be heard from behind, but Zac ignored it as he gazed into the sky for any flares.

“Now this is more like it!” another voice hollered, and Zac looked over to see that at least one of his companions was fine.

It was Ogras who ran toward him as his shadows knocked out a couple of guards that were hot in pursuit. He was also soaked wet, but it looked like his mission was a bit different from his own as his arms were gripping a veritable mountain of clothes.

“You were given that many to steal?” Zac exclaimed with surprise.

“Well, no. I only got the one pair. But since we’ve already stolen the eggs we might as well steal the hen, you know?” the demon laughed, his eyes glistening with excitement. “They will make nice gifts if we can keep them, these are high-quality items.”

“Well that’s just great,” Zac said as he knocked out a guard who tried to intercept their escape. “Have you seen any flare?”

“Nope,” Ogras said, but he nodded toward a courtyard beneath them. “I heard screams in that direction as well though.”

Zac nodded and started running, and after some thought, he took the pair of panties and tried to tie it around his wrist like a bandana. But the flimsy material turned out to be surprisingly slippery, and after failing multiple times he could only resort to a second option with some defeat.

He put them on his head like a cap.

“Not bad,” The demon nodded in appreciation. “Heavy taste. Just like when we met the first time.”

“Just freeing up my hands,” Zac sighed. ”Hiding them in a bag will probably fail the quest.”

”Whatever you say,” the demon snorted.

This whole floor felt like a sick joke. Was the System messing with him? Or was there perhaps some bored Stargazer in charge of operations who decided to play around a bit and create weird scenarios?

A wail from just ahead told them that they had found their target, flare or no flare. A quick [Chop] broke through a wall, and they found themselves in a similar spa as the one Zac started in. It seemed like the mountain had dozens of private hot springs along the mountain-side, each with its own accompanying mansion. Perhaps it was a hotel rather than a sect?

They immediately found Galau curled into a ball while four scantily clad women were brutally beating him with sticks and fists as he desperately clung to a few pieces of fabric. But it was clear that the assailants weren’t that strong, and the wounds weren’t lethal.

“Lucky guy,” Ogras whistled. “I just got the one.”

Zac snorted before he unleashed his accumulated killing intent as he rushed over with his axe waving in the air. The elven ladies immediately retreated with fear when they sensed his strength, but Zac obviously wasn’t there to kill them.