Chapter 34 Harvest
Jima ran to the corner, stopped, covered her face with her hood, and leaned against the wall to peek.
What a scene of a robbery in progress.
Just over ten meters away, in a narrow and dark alley, a man dressed as a merchant lay on the ground.
Standing next to the merchant was the culprit. He had thick eyebrows and large eyes, dark skin, and a beer belly, with a fierce expression on his face. He carried a large, bulging backpack that was taller than a person. It was George, who had just come back from getting money, and beside him stood a trembling female donkey with long ears.
George was putting the heavy backpack onto the donkey’s back.
Jima slightly parted her lips, just about to yell out a warning.
Suddenly, George asked, “Little donkey, are you following me?”
The donkey let out a bray.
“Thanks for answering.”
George dropped the backpack and punched the donkey on the head. The poor little donkey’s eyes rolled, it toppled over onto the ground, its legs twitching.
Is this how it works?
Jima quickly shut her mouth and watched as George, with his towering backpack, walked over, each step making a delightful clink of gold coins.
“There are quite a few followers on this road.”
“You have sharp senses; you even noticed it was a follower.” Jima couldn’t help but touch the backpack full of coins, feeling quite happy.
“Too many questions, I accidentally asked one too many.”
George hopped onto the carriage, and Jima followed.
“You can even distinguish the lies of animals?”
While pulling out an old sweater that disguised his beer belly, George replied, “Of course, I am a paladin.”
“I see, you must question anyone you find suspicious to see if they are a follower.”
What a smart approach, and although he was an enemy, Jima couldn’t help but have a bit of admiration.
“Huh? Not at all, I don’t find anyone suspicious; they hide too well.” George said, “So I just ask everyone. Whoever lies, I knock them out.”
Jima paused for a moment and asked, “How many people have you knocked out then?”
“Twenty-three.” George said, “As an apology, I gave each one a silver coin.”
Breathtaking operation.
Jima suddenly felt that George had chosen the wrong profession; such talent wasted on not becoming a demon king—he really should be given the throne.
“Hold on, then…”
George sighed as he took off his eyebrows: “Jima, I know you are shocked and even feel disappointed. But compared to others, this is the best and kindest approach.”
“Um, that’s not what I meant.” Jima said, “I meant, the silver coins you gave wouldn’t be the bartering coins from the temple, right? That could expose us.”
“I exchanged them for local silver coins a long time ago.”
Well, not becoming a big bad guy is truly a loss for the demon world.
The celestial war horses pulled the carriage out of the alley and onto the bustling street.
After removing his disguise, George, with Jima’s help, put on the silver armor from which the paint had been washed off, transforming back into the righteous paladin.
During this, Jima’s eyes occasionally darted to the large backpack.
It was stuffed full of gold coins and quite heavy. The strap had already torn halfway. The backpack lay in the carriage, and with a jolt, it fell to the floor, spilling a cascade of golden coins onto the ground.
Jima’s eyes widened, the pale golden irises reflecting the glittering gold, momentarily stopping her work.
George took the iron glove from Jima, putting it on as he said, “Focus.”
Jima averted her greedy gaze. Then she thought that this bag of gold might have nothing to do with her. She suddenly felt a wave of disappointment and anxiety, saying, “Ahaha, coins fell! I’ll put them back.”
As she spoke, she bent down to grab a handful of gold coins, slowly stuffing them back into the bag, as if trying to hold onto each coin with her fingers.
George shook his head helplessly: “You little imp who can’t walk when you see gold.”
It’s still my money.
Jima puffed out her small chest and said, “What’s wrong with liking money? Well, George, I don’t have achievements, but I have worked hard; could you share a little with me?”
She still needed a thousand gold coins to buy materials.
George said, “We’ll share after we’re safe. Also, Jima, you…”
Jima hugged the backpack lying on the ground, raising her small face and said, “I just like gold coins.” With that, she reached her small hand into the backpack, rummaging through the pile of coins, her small face showing an expression of enjoyment.
“Are you a dragon? Don’t hit your head.”
“Lovely gold coins won’t hit my head.” Just as she finished speaking, another jolt caused Jima to bump her head. “Ouch, that hurts, you bad horse.”
“Alright, get up quickly; go to the driver’s position. An unattended carriage is very conspicuous.”
“Yes, sir.”
Jima got up, and as she passed in front of George, he reached out and flicked her pocket, making a pleasant sound of metal clinking.
“Jima, put the coins back; can we divide them later?”
Jima’s small face was filled with reluctance as she said, “Okay.”
In front of George, she stuffed a handful of gold coins back into the backpack, grabbing the wooden pole and walking to the driver’s seat.
Behind her, the sound of coins clinking could be heard as George poured the coins he had into the prepared backpack, disguising it.
Jima imagined that these coins fell into George’s pocket only to be wasted by him on good deeds like sheltering maidservants.
Each sound of coins falling into the bag pierced Jima’s heart like a needle, and soon her little heart was bleeding, dripping continuously.
These are all my hard-earned money! I fought for every single coin, collecting protection fees—killing and robbing isn’t easy, you know!
Jima couldn’t help but cover her flat chest as if suffering from a heart ailment.
Fifteen minutes later.
The carriage stopped in front of the inn, and Jima and George got off, each carrying large leather bags.
The inn’s attendant smiled and approached.
“Take good care of the war horse; I’ll return the carriage.” Jima pointed to the carriage behind her.
The attendant came over to take the reins, glanced at the backpacks behind the two, and asked with a smile, “Sir, are you preparing for an adventure?”
George remained silent and did not answer.
The attendant didn’t find it strange since everyone in the inn knew that George could only say one hundred forty words a day.
Jima said, “Pretty much. My master and I need to prepare a large supply to venture into the deep mountains, exterminate the evil dragon, and then bring back all the dragon’s gold to distribute to the poor and redeem all the slaves.”
The attendant laughed and said, “You are really generous, sir. I wish you great success in your endeavors.”
George nodded and returned to the room with Jima.
After closing the door and drawing the curtains, the two opened the backpacks and laid all the spoils on the soft carpet. Coins scattered across the floor, lighting up the entire room significantly.
There was a large pile of coins on the ground and a wooden box. Aside from that, there was nothing else.
Though time had passed, Jima couldn’t remember exactly what she had stored. But she remembered that aside from a pile of coins, there was also a large assortment of miscellaneous magical equipment.
“In fact, there are many magical equipment and potions, but I didn’t take them.” George said, “The backpack space wasn’t enough; I packed all the coins. If I took magical equipment too, people would remember my appearance. I can only take one trip. I suspect that after inputting the password, they might have other ways to open the demon king Jima’s treasure vault.”
Jima immediately understood George’s intention. These coins were minted by dwarfs, different from the local style, and all were brand new coins.
The distinguishing characteristics were too obvious.
If some were left in the vault, the benefactor would find out. They just needed to pay attention to where large amounts of brand new dwarf coins appeared in the market, and they would locate them.
“Did you find the key to the demon king Jima’s vault?”
“Should be this one.” George took out a small wooden box from the pile of coins. The inscription on the lid, in common language, looked like a tangle of worms, saying: “I am the key box.”
Upon opening it, there was an equally messy note on the back, reading:
“This is the vault key. On the night of the full moon, atop the treeless hill in the eastern outskirts, facing the moon, shout in the common tongue: I am Ultraman, transform! Moon Warrior! A door will appear, and once inside, turn the key left three times, right three times, and it will open.”
Inside the box lay a silver key.
George commented, “That ugly handwriting must have been written by the demon king himself.”
Jima looked at the key and felt a sigh of relief.
“Jima, let me keep the key for now.”
“Alright, you can take it; you are the master.”
George poked Jima’s head with his finger and said, “Stop saying weird things.”
When did I become so close to you?
Jima pouted, her eyes fixed on the golden coins on the ground, which were sprinkled with some silver coins.
“Isn’t Jima greedy for the vault key? After all, it contains the lifetime savings of the demon king.” George asked.
Lifetime savings? I still have another vault.
Jima said, “I only like the gold coins in front of me.”
“Alright, I was worried you might cry.” George said, putting the key into his pocket.
“I’m not a crybaby.”
“The sheets are already wet.”
“Well, even though I seem calm on the outside, in fact, the punishment earlier has left an indelible shadow on my little heart.” Jima said. “I need the brilliance of gold coins to drive away the shadow on my heart.”
“Lies.”
“At least give me a little comfort.” Jima said cautiously, “Would it be possible to give me two thousand gold coins?”
She felt anxious inside.
After all, George was much stronger than her now and bore the main risks; she estimated she would only receive a few coins.
“Of course, it’s a fifty-fifty split.” George said.
“Fifty-fifty split?” Jima felt her heart skip a beat.
“Yes.” George looked at Jima curiously, “You look like you think I’m going to take all the coins. You choose first.”
Fool! If I were you, I would at most grab a handful of coins to reward the other person.
“Great!”
Jima nearly pounced on the coins, her small hands reaching out to the pile of coins. She selected the gold and silver coins one by one.
“Jima, hurry up; they’re all the latest coins.”
“No, only the lovely gold coins can fall into my pouch.”
Jima continued to select, and after fifteen minutes, she finally finished. She collected all the silver coins, stacking them into one pile.
“All done, it’s my turn. I really should have brought another bag from the interdimensional space.”
George squatted down, collecting the coins.
Jima counted; this time George brought about ten thousand gold coins, weighing one hundred kilograms. She received five thousand gold coins, several silver coins, and…
The real vault key.
She watched George busy picking up the coins, and a sly smile flashed across her gold eyes.
So foolish; the key in the key box is just a fake one I prepared. The real key is mixed in the pile of coins.
Jima couldn’t help but tighten her grip on a silver coin, which had two heads.
Her greedy display earlier was just to deceive George.
