Chapter 517: Centaurs Don't Like to Wear Clothes

Something glinted golden in the dirt.

Leech bent down and picked up the Jinri coin.

‘This is my good luck?’

After successfully pushing the Tangkx Scholar’s buttons yet again while in his “blondie” disguise, Leech had arrived outside Pumpkin Village. His purpose for coming here hadn’t been to run into the scholar, but for the cave near the village.

The cave was undoubtedly real; a minuscule red dot had appeared in his vision.

Thinking it had been a while since he’d had a Lucky Potion, he drank one, hoping for good fortune on the search ahead. And then… he found a single Jinri.

Finding money was definitely a good thing, but the problem was he’d found 1 Jinri while the Lucky Potion had cost him 10 Jinri!

He’d lost his shirt on that deal.

His subsequent cave exploration was just as unlucky. It was a complete waste of a trip; he spent eight days traveling and came back with absolutely nothing.

‘It’s as they say: what’s fated to be will be, and what’s not, you can’t force.’

‘Forget it. I’ll just head back to East Gorge.’

He was mentally exhausted.

He’d wasted so much time running around in circles. It was time to get ready to go home for the New Year.

He had been through too much this year, from Iron Valley to the desert. He would take a month off for himself to get some proper rest.

Just the thought of the vacation he was giving himself cheered Leech up considerably.

‘Morgan Black Rod once said that anyone who doesn’t like vacations must have something wrong with their head.’

‘He never said that? Nah, he’s the one who said every quote whose author I don’t know. Famous literary figures just have to bear that burden.’

‘Yep! Morgan Black Rod said that one, too.’

…

“Submit, or die!”

When Leech’s consciousness shifted back underground in the Rift Cave, Kaqi’s progress had far exceeded his expectations.

He didn’t know if it was the mysterious persona of “That Lord” that was so good at attracting followers, or if it was simply because Kaqi’s fists were too ferocious.

In addition to over thirty Ogres, he now commanded ten brainless Giants. With this lineup of thick-skinned, pure tanks, they had successfully defeated and surrounded a Centaur Tribe.

They were very similar to the centaurs Leech remembered from stories: human from the waist up, horse from the waist down. Their stamina was exceptional, and they were very fast runners.

They used crude bows and arrows, but their greatbows were ones that no ordinary person could ever hope to draw.

But no matter how agile they were, the Centaurs were no match for the thick-skinned Ogres, whose fleshy bodies their arrows couldn’t pierce. This was especially true with the Palace Level Corpse Ghost Kaqi at the Ogres’ side, who could flatten his opponents with a single punch.

Leech’s consciousness entered the body of a Corpse Ghost, and he fully immersed himself in controlling it.

The Black Dragon Du Ao seemed to sense him. It suddenly spread its wings, let out a low growl, and flew to the Corpse Ghost’s left shoulder. Its long, supple body allowed it to rest its hind legs on the left shoulder and its front legs on the right, its tail dangling and swaying as it affectionately nuzzled its head against the Corpse Ghost’s cheek.

The defeated Centaur Leader stared at the scene in astonishment.

That was a Black Dragon, no doubt about it. It was very young, and it had a streak of gold around its neck—perhaps its father was a Golden Dragon and its mother a Black Dragon—but regardless, it was definitely a dragon.

Since the war with the Ogre Tribe began, the Centaurs had occasionally spotted the Black Dragon Du Ao, but they had never paid it much mind. Du Ao had not yet matured, and who knew how long that would take? The Centaur Tribe might have long since left this mysterious and damned underground by then.

They were adept at seeking fortune and avoiding calamity; when powerful creatures like dragons appeared nearby, they would migrate as quickly as possible.

But today was different. The Black Dragon had suddenly landed on someone’s shoulder, and that person’s entire aura seemed to have undergone a monumental, earth-shattering change in an instant.

Could it be the projection of a legendary Divine Spirit?

The Centaur Leader stared in horror at the figure who could keep a Black Dragon as a casual pet.

Within the Centaur Tribe, not even the Centaur Leader himself was an Extraordinary. However, thanks to his natural physical advantages, an ordinary Transcendent would not necessarily be able to defeat him.

Another Half-Step Extraordinary at the peak of Great Perfection. But his opponent commanded a Palace Level expert who made the Centaur Leader feel powerless.

And that expert’s reaction proved his suspicions.

“My Lord.” Kaqi lowered his head. The other Corpse Ghosts, and even the undead vultures, did the same.

Leech nodded, quite satisfied with the Corpse Ghosts’ performance. He raised a hand and scratched Du Ao’s chin as if teasing a kitten, but this simple act made the Centaur Leader’s heart pound with fear.

‘That’s a dragon! Even if it’s a whelp and not particularly deadly, how could a dragon’s pride possibly allow someone to scratch its chin?’

The Centaur Leader couldn’t help but raise his head to look at the approaching figure.

Perched on the shoulder, the Black Dragon Du Ao immediately opened its mouth and roared. A row of sharp, pointed teeth was revealed, along with a tough, slender tongue, the bare muscles of its jaw vibrating with the force of its cry.

At the same time, it used its innate draconic Magic: Intimidation!

THUD. The Centaur Leader’s hooves gave way, and he collapsed to his knees on the ground.

His heart began to pound wildly. He felt as if he weren’t facing a Black Dragon the size of a hound, but an invincible monster.

The Centaur Leader kept his head bowed low, his forehead slick with sweat. He fixed his gaze on a small stone on the ground as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world.

“Submit, or die,” Leech said.

It was difficult for the Corpse Ghost’s body to form words. Not every corpse could speak well, and Corpse Ghosts not enhanced for flesh and blood couldn’t even open their mouths.

“I am willing to pledge my loyalty to you! I choose to submit!” the Centaur Leader shouted immediately.

Leech said no more. He began to observe the Centaur, especially the part where its two bodies connected. A strong sense of curiosity even made him want to dissect a Centaur’s corpse to see how their anatomy was actually joined together.

‘How many hearts does a Centaur have? Are its internal organs in the horse’s belly or the human’s? When they get pregnant, do they carry the foal in the human part or the horse part? Or maybe half in the human torso and half in the horse body, then magically fuse them at birth? And when nursing, do the young drink mare’s milk or human milk?’

The stronger his curiosity grew, the more apprehensive the Centaur Leader became.

Being silently scrutinized by a mysterious, formless, and incorporeal expert who could project his consciousness… how could he not be terrified?

Leech was completely unaware of the Centaur Leader’s inner turmoil. His gaze had now shifted to a female Centaur. She had a pretty face and a fantastic figure; not only was her fair-skinned upper body buxom, but her lower half was that of a white horse.

Compared to the other strong, muscular Centaurs, her build was petite. Judging by her face alone, she looked to be only sixteen or seventeen.

Seeing the weapon hanging from the female Centaur’s chest, Leech was at a loss for words, able only to marvel at how impressive her… assets were.

‘Not wearing clothes is their racial custom, so it’s best not to get too judgy.’

‘Looks like forming an all-female Centaur Knight squad is a must.’

‘Centaurs are practically born Knights. No matter how skilled a human Knight is, their horsemanship can’t compare. Their stamina even surpasses that of ordinary horses. As “That Lord,” how could I not have my own Knight escort? It has nothing to do with them being easy on the eyes, of course.’

He turned, and to the Centaur Leader’s great apprehension, said in a hoarse voice, “Very good.”

“Phew.” The Centaur Leader breathed a sigh of relief.

But “That Lord’s” voice came again. “Are you familiar with the situation in this underground world?”

“Yes, My Lord,” the Centaur Leader replied, nodding hastily but not daring to stand.

Leech gently stroked Du Ao’s head. “We have plenty of time. Let’s talk… slowly.”