"Really?" Lilith was taken aback for a moment, then unable to conceal her delight.
So she could take those beautiful clothes... ahem, she meant the research-worthy artifacts for study.
"Don't flash your wealth," Long Yixiang warned. "If outsiders learn about this, you can imagine what would happen..."
"Then why tell me at all?" Lilith looked at him in confusion. "You could have come alone. Why share this with me?"
Because you're my wife, Long Yixiang grumbled inwardly, though he couldn't voice that thought aloud.
"But I still have to report this to the Church..." Lilith murmured after a moment's hesitation. "Something this significant... it would violate regulations not to."
"Those guys? I'd advise against it." Long Yixiang's tone carried clear distaste at the mention of the Truth Church.
"Why?"
"If you report it, do you think you'll still be able to take anything from here freely?" He spread his hands. "Right now, it's just the two of us. You can take whatever you want. But if your Church finds out, with so many people, even a golden mountain would be stripped bare. You'd be lucky to get scraps."
"But how did you know about this place?" Lilith finally voiced the question that had been troubling her. "You're just an ordinary adventurer. How do you know things even I don't?"
Long Yixiang lowered his head in thought.
"Sorry... forget I asked." She shook her head, regaining her composure and realizing her bluntness.
"Here's the deal: don't tell anyone, and I'll explain everything to you in time," Long Yixiang said. "I won't harm you—please believe that. I know it sounds strange coming from a virtual stranger, but this matter isn't easy to understand, and you might not accept it immediately. Let's wait until we're out of here before—"
"This..."
Lilith wrestled with her thoughts, bowing her head. As a clergy member, she took Church regulations seriously; she ought to report this truthfully. Yet she couldn't deny the temptation of keeping the treasure from being divided among others. Another factor weighed on her: this secret clearly mattered greatly to the boy before her. Revealing it would undoubtedly bring him endless trouble.
She wasn't one to cause trouble for others. By nature kind, she often bore burdens alone.
"Alright then... I'll keep it quiet for now. After we return—"
She broke off, a flicker of terror flashing in her eyes as she looked at Long Yixiang, whose gaze mirrored her fear.
Focusing her will, she channeled mana through her magic circuits into the ring on her right index finger. The stored detection spell activated, a psychic wave sweeping through a one-kilometer radius, flooding her mind with all the information within that range.
"It's a Herbivorous Evil Dragon!" Her voice trembled. "It must have been drawn by the Slime tide! It's heading this way!"
"What's a Herbivorous Evil Dragon?" Long Yixiang asked urgently. He'd known something was wrong from the alarm echoing from above, but his underdeveloped magic circuits couldn't sustain such a wide-range detection spell. Still, the base's security network had been blaring warnings incessantly.
"It's incredibly powerful. Normally it only eats plants and is quite docile, but it considers Slimes a delicacy. You see, when a herbivore suddenly consumes large amounts of other animals, the stimulation far exceeds that for a carnivore. That kind of shock can drive them mad, making them extremely bloodthirsty!"
"I see! Even though Slimes are animals, their body composition is similar to grass, so herbivores can eat them!"
Long Yixiang wasn't foolish; the reminder made everything click.
"How strong is this Herbivorous Evil Dragon?" he asked.
"Strong! The two of us combined wouldn't be enough to fill the gaps between its teeth!" Panic crept into Lilith's voice. "What do we do?"
"What else can we do? Run!"
Grabbing Lilith's hand, Long Yixiang broke into a sprint. He hadn't expected the butterfly effect from the Slime tide to be this severe. If he died here now, all his previous efforts would be wasted. He mentally kicked himself; had he known, he might never have provoked the Slimes in the first place!
"Let's head to the control room and activate the automated defense system to stop it! Carry me and use wind-attribute magic to move faster!"
"What?" Lilith stared blankly.
"My mana is too weak. You're my only hope. Hurry, or we're both doomed!" Long Yixiang shouted.
Gritting her teeth, Lilith scooped him into her arms. Mana surged around them, a gust of wind whipping at their clothes, making her already scant outfit seem even flimsier. But Long Yixiang had no mind to appreciate the view—the demonic aura was closing in fast. Even he could feel an immense pressure approaching. A dragon-type monster was never an easy foe.
"My dress is still in the changing room—"
Before she could finish, a deafening roar erupted behind them, followed by the shriek of tearing metal. The steel ceiling was ripped apart like bread, debris raining downLilith quickly summoned a wind barrier to shield their eyes from the dust.
"Your dress is gone now, but it's fine. What you're wearing suits you well," Long Yixiang said.
Lilith pushed her magic circuits to the limit, their speed skyrocketing as they shot forward like a cannonball.
"I see the control room! Let me down!"
Without waiting for a full stop, Long Yixiang leaped from Lilith's arms and dashed to the control panel, operating it with frantic focus. Having done this in his first playthrough, it was familiar territory.
Meanwhile, Lilith began chanting a high-speed spell. Though she knew her power paled in comparison to the enraged dragon, she had no intention of going down without a fight.
In the darkness, two red lights glowed like lanterns—the dragon's eyes. It threw its head back and unleashed a roar loud enough to shatter eardrums.