LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 73: Triggering a Side Quest
"Don't be afraid, Father is here." Ivan's tears streamed down his face as he slowly raised the scissors in his hand and spoke softly, "Dora, it might hurt a little, but don't be scared. Father will be by your side."
Even if it meant death, he couldn't let Dora fall into the hands of that beast Sibar.
He had long heard the rumors about those unfortunate children.
"Hahaha, I'm coming in!" Suddenly, a Husky's dog head poked through the broken hole, its sapphire eyes shining in the candlelight.
The Husky orc enjoyed witnessing the despair of his enemies, but when he saw the scissors in Ivan's hand, he suddenly lost his composure.
"What do you think you're doing, you dead tailor!" He yelled while gnawing at the wooden planks surrounding the hole.
With sharp teeth and powerful biting force, he resembled a fully powered chainsaw. The hole that could originally fit only a dog's head was now wide enough for a person to crawl through in an instant.
The Husky orc was about to crawl through the hole.
"Sibar and all you lapdogs will have a miserable end!" Ivan cursed in despair, and he thrust the scissors to Tovard his daughter in his embrace.
Splurt!
It was the sound of flesh being pierced.
Ivan's hand instinctively stopped, the scissors almost touching Dora's vest.
But the sword pierced through the Husky orc's chest.
A black sword dyed unusually vibrant with blood.
Stuck in the doorway, the Husky orc lowered his head with wide eyes filled with disbelief, gazing at the irregular tip of the sword protruding from his chest. He struggled to turn around, but the sword was abruptly pulled out. In that instant, his vitality seemed to be drained as he slumped against the door.
"You tried to ambush me?!" Outside the door, the Corgi looked at the sudden appearance of the cloaked figure in astonishment. After a moment of confusion, he immediately raised the iron rod in his hand and swung it down Tovards Charlotte's head.
Charlotte pulled out the sword lodged in the back of the Husky orc's heart and smoothly executed a spinning slash in response.
The slender sword collided with the thick iron rod.
There was no intense clash of metal, only the smooth and satisfying feeling of a hot knife slicing through butter.
The iron rod was severed by the sword, and along with it, the Corgi's short and stout neck.
The decapitated dog head rose high in the air, filled with an expression of incredulity.
Charlotte took three steps back, avoiding the splattering of blood that reached several meters high.
Two dogs, two swords. The battle ended more smoothly and quickly than he had expected.
If that Husky orc hadn't insisted on showcasing his talent for demolishing houses, he wouldn't have provided Charlotte with such a big opportunity.
In the countless life-and-death struggles in the mysterious space and countless battles with the Adjudicators, apart from improving his mastery of martial arts, he also learned how to exploit his opponent's vulnerabilities.
In life-and-death battles, victory or defeat often hung on a single moment.
Looking at the headless body of the Corgi falling to the ground, Charlotte approached the door. He forcefully pulled the Husky that was hanging on the doorway and threw it aside. He looked at Ivan, who was still in a state of shock inside the house, and spoke in a deep voice, "If you don't want to die, leave this place immediately."
Ivan regained his senses as he looked at the cloaked figure outside the door. He quickly stood up and expressed his gratitude, "Thank you for saving our lives!"
The little girl in his arms glanced timidly at Charlotte and then immediately buried her head back in her father's embrace.
Charlotte raised his hand, and several silver coins fell into the house. He turned around and left.
The commotion from the neighboring streets and alleys was already audible. The Dark Wardens would likely arrive soon, and he had to leave as quickly as possible.
As for Ivan and his daughter, they would have to rely on their luck.
However, living in the Abyss for many years, no one was naive. Perhaps they could also escape unharmed.
"Dora, pick up the silver coins on the ground. We're about to leave this place," Ivan said to his daughter and quickly ran into the house. He soon emerged with a package in hand.
"Father, where are we going? Are we leaving our home?" Dora picked up six silver coins and looked at Ivan, confused.
Ivan's nose tingled, and he glanced at the tailor shop that had been open for over twenty years. His eyes turned red uncontrollably.
But Sibar had already set his sights on them. Today, they were fortunate enough to be saved by the mysterious cloaked figure, but they might not be so lucky next time.
"We will come back, but for now, we have to leave," Ivan said. He draped a tattered linen garment over Dora's shoulders and smudged some soot on her face. He took her hand and quickly walked toward the door.
The father and daughter soon disappeared into the mist.
Ivan, with his thin and hunched figure and shabby clothes, looked no different from the drug-addicted vagabonds on the street. He would shrink into corners when encountering people and walk briskly when alone. He quickly left Eighth Lane.
When Charlotte left, he glanced at the Sibar Tavern on the street. Six burly dog-headed orcs stood in front of the brightly lit tavern.
Countless people reveled in the lights and wine, but how many would end up like Ivan, full of regret for a single careless moment?
The drugs caused great harm. As a doctor, if given the opportunity, Charlotte would make sure the Jadeson family would never recover.
[Ding! Hidden side quest triggered: Annihilate the Jadeson Family! Destroying one clan can save thousands of lives, why not do it? Quest completion reward: 10,000 copper coins; one rare item!]
A rare item!
That was a good thing.
The Judgment Sword and the black robe he wore were both rare items. Although he didn't know what it would be, if it came from the system, it wouldn't be too bad.
He accepted the quest!
Carol wanted to kill him, but he couldn't let himself be killed.
Just a street away, Charlotte quickly returned to the clinic.
Utilizing the concealment ability of the black robe's hidden aura, he narrowly avoided several waves of Black Wardens' pursuit.
Now, the Black Wardens were everywhere on Tova Street, indicating the Jadeson family's emphasis on seizing the drugs.
Avoiding the patrolling Fox Guards, Charlotte climbed over the wall and returned to his bedroom.
He placed tonight's spoils on the table—a dozen bottles of Blue Flame Potion and a bag of coins.
He disregarded the drugs for now and opened the coin bag, starting to sort them patiently.
A pile of silver coins, and a pile of copper coins, all neatly placed in the money box.
This process brought a pleasant feeling.
Aside from the six silver coins given to Ivan and his daughter, he had 14,400 copper coins. Together with this morning's earnings and his previous balance, he now had 23,520 copper coins in his possession.
It seemed quite substantial.
But when he thought about the fact that a Tier 3 magic protective shield cost over a hundred thousand, he immediately felt like a poor fellow.
He took off the black robe and neatly folded it back into the wardrobe. It truly was a nocturnal artifact—spacious but not cumbersome, with the ability to conceal one's aura, even fooling dog-headed orcs.
Changing into casual clothes, Charlotte took a bottle of Blue Flame Potion and a lantern before entering the adjacent laboratory.
The potion was stored in a regular glass vial, emitting a deep blue color. Its state appeared unstable, resembling a burning blue flame, hence its name, Blue Flame Potion.
The little white mice huddled in the corners of their cages at the sound of movement.
Charlotte approached the cage and uncorked the vial.
A special fragrance quickly spread, reminiscent of flowers and women's perfume, dreamlike and alluring. Just the scent alone made one feel light-headed.
With his eyes half-closed, Charlotte suddenly opened them and saw the potion that had somehow made its way to his mouth. Cold sweat trickled down his back.