Walking out of the gloomy entrance of the dungeon, the afterglow of the setting sun shone upon Ying Ping and the others.
The male adventurer carried his companion's cold corpse, his steps heavy as he walked onto the stone path above ground.
The female adventurer clutched her companion's sleeve tightly, her eyes red-rimmed.
"Finally... we're out..."
Seeing the sunset outside, the female adventurer, who had narrowly escaped death, choked up and her legs gave out, causing her to kneel on the ground.
Ying Ping reached out and supported her, comforting her, "It's alright now. Let's find a place to calm down first."
"Th-thank you..."
The male adventurer's voice was hoarse as he gently placed his companion's body on a roadside bench. "If you hadn't appeared in time, Martha and I would have..."
Under the setting sun, the deceased's pale face appeared particularly stark.
Kokkoro lowered her head, her elf ears drooping listlessly. "I'm sorry... If we had discovered it sooner and arrived earlier..."
"Please don't say that!"
The female adventurer suddenly grabbed Kokkoro's hand. "This has nothing to do with you. We are very grateful that you stepped in and saved us!"
Her tears finally broke free. "Sharan... he... he died protecting us..."
The male adventurer silently took out two bulging satchels and handed them to Ying Ping with both hands. "This is all the Valis we have and the magic stones we collected along the way... Although it's not much... please accept it."
Ying Ping shook his head, declining, "No need. We didn't save you for a reward."
"Please, take it."
The male adventurer stubbornly insisted. "Martha and I have already decided... we're leaving Orario today."
He looked back at his companion's body on the bench. "And we're taking Sharan back to our village... because the three of us grew up together, from the same village..."
The female adventurer wiped away her tears and added, "We... actually don't have the talent to be adventurers at all... We're still LV1 after five years..."
She forced a bitter smile. "If we hadn't been greedy and tried our luck on the sixth floor today, Sharan wouldn't have died..."
"Of course, if you are strong adventurers like yourselves, you will surely go much further than us. We wish you good luck."
Ying Ping was silent for a moment, then finally accepted the money bags, only able to say, "Thank you. I also wish you both all the best in the future."
Watching the two figures carrying their companion's body fade into the distance, Kokkoro couldn't help but sob softly.
Ying Ping gently put his arm around her shoulder and comforted her, "This is the cruelty of the dungeon... and what happens every single moment."
"We don't become adventurers for fun. Many people find it incredibly difficult to level up, and they fight with their lives on the line."
"Master..."
Kokkoro's voice trembled. "Do you think, one day, we might also..."
"No, we won't."
Ying Ping said resolutely, lifting her chin to make her look him in the eyes. "Listen, we are different from them."
"I am currently the fastest-leveling adventurer, now LV5, which makes me a strong individual even in Orario, and you also have great potential."
Ying Ping's voice was filled with determination. "We will grow stronger and stronger, strong enough to protect everyone we want to protect."
"Even this dungeon behind us, there will come a day when we completely conquer it!"
Kokkoro stared blankly at Ying Ping's resolute face, the tears in her eyes gradually stopping.
She took a deep breath and nodded heavily, "Mhm!"
"Sorry, I said some disheartening things just now. Please forgive me, Master..."
"It's alright. I wouldn't blame Kokkoro for something like that."
Ying Ping ruffled Kokkoro's hair, his tone becoming lighter. "Alright, Hestia is still waiting for us for dinner at the Hostess of Fertility. Let's go together."
Kokkoro finally broke into a smile, proactively taking Ying Ping's hand. "Okay! Let's hurry back so Goddess doesn't have to wait too long."
Their figures gradually receded into the sunset, their shadows intertwined... When Ying Ping and Kokkoro pushed open the Guild's doors, the hall was still bustling with people.
Adventurers gathered in twos and threes.
Some were settling their rewards, some were discussing their day's gains, and a few drunken dwarves were already boasting about their heroic deeds, clutching their wine bottles.
Eina was sitting behind the counter, organizing documents. She looked up, saw the two, and her eyes lit up.
She immediately waved and called out, "Ying Ping-kun! Kokkoro-chan! How was your harvest today?"
Ying Ping smiled slightly, walked directly to the counter, and placed his heavy backpack on it.
"Whoosh—"
Magic stones and materials poured out, instantly forming a small mountain.
Eina's glasses almost slid to the tip of her nose. "Th-this much?!"
Kokkoro smiled proudly. "Master really showed off today!"
Eina quickly got to work, skillfully counting the magic stones and materials. "Hmm... War Shadow Finger Blade? This is a rare drop from the sixth floor!"
She looked at Ying Ping in surprise, her expression serious. "You went to the sixth floor?"
Ying Ping nodded. "Yes, it was quite thrilling, but we were lucky and defeated quite a few War Shadows."
Eina calculated and praised, "Then you truly are amazing, to reach the sixth floor just a few days after becoming adventurers."
"Just these dropped materials, and these two large magic stones, can be exchanged for about 300,000 Valis at our guild!"
Kokkoro's eyes sparkled. "That much?!"
Although she wasn't from this world, she had fully realized the purchasing power of Valis over the past two days.
A person's share of the best meal at a high-end restaurant would only be a few thousand.
1,000,000 Valis was already a very large sum for commoners and low-level adventurers.
But for high-level adventurers, it was nothing.
"Hmm... I'll have to consider it."
Ying Ping guessed that the old appraiser had definitely undercut the price, but this price was already enough to tempt him.
However, Eina suddenly pushed up her glasses, a sharp light reflecting off the lenses. "Mr. Sukh, you say this item is only worth 1,000,000? The price is a bit too low."
The old appraiser frowned. "What? Eina, what do you mean by that?"
Eina crossed her arms, not backing down. "A rare item like this, used for saving lives, can even be useful to a Level 1 adventurer, so any auction house could sell it for over 10,000,000 Valis!"
She narrowed her eyes. "You wouldn't be trying to swindle them, would you?"
Cold sweat broke out on the old appraiser's forehead. "Eina! You're with the Guild, how can you..."
Eina sneered, "Precisely because of that, I cannot let the adventurers I'm responsible for be swindled."
She tapped the counter. "If this item were sold to a Level 1 adventurer, how much do you think they'd be willing to pay for a life?"
"You know I'm very familiar with the Loki Familia, so I naturally know the value of this item."
The old appraiser was speechless, finally giving up and saying, "Then at most 9,000,000! The price can't go any higher! Otherwise, you can go find another place!"
He was both an appraiser and the person in charge of acquiring such items, well aware of the profit margins.
If Ying Ping were to haggle further, he would simply refuse to buy it out of anger.
After all, for someone of his status, this one deal made no difference.
"Deal. For trading such high-value goods, I only trust the Guild."
Ying Ping knew when to stop, looking at Eina with a smile in his eyes. "Miss Eina, thank you very much."
"If it weren't for you, I might have agreed to 1,000,000 just now."
Eina waved her hand, a gentle smile appearing on her face. "Oh, it's nothing. I couldn't possibly hide such information."
She reached out and ruffled Kokkoro's head. "It's because I'm friends with Goddess Hestia, and I'm very fond of Kokkoro-chan, you see?"
Kokkoro's cheeks flushed slightly, and she happily rubbed against her hand. "Big Sister Eina is the best!"
Ying Ping suddenly leaned closer, a teasing smile on his lips. "What about me? What do you think of me, Miss Eina?"
Eina paused, then pushed up the glasses on her nose, smiling meaningfully. "Well, if it's Ying Ping-kun, you still need to work a little harder!"
She deliberately drew out her words, "Let's set a small goal first, and strive to become a Level 2 adventurer (LV2) ~"
Ying Ping: "..."
Sister, if I told you, you'd be scared to death. I'm actually already a LV5 adventurer.
Kokkoro giggled beside him.
In the end, Ying Ping sold the Shadow Core for 9 million falis.
Adding the previous 300,000, today's total earnings amounted to a massive 9.3 million falis!
The entire transaction took place in the VIP room, so the adventurers outside were unaware that someone had struck it rich.
Of course, even if trouble came his way, Ying Ping wasn't afraid, as he was now an LV5 adventurer!
Looking across Orario, he was among the strongest of them all!
Any small fry daring to jump out and try to rob him would end up in jail!
As they walked out of the Guild's main entrance, Kokkoro excitedly bounced around: "Master! We're rich!"
Ying Ping smiled and ruffled her hair: "Yes, tonight we can treat Hestia to a good meal."
"Also, we can buy some better equipment or renovate our Familia's base."