10-Coin Combo Meal

"As a mage, how can you be infatuated with a succubus?!" The gaunt man seemed rather irritated upon hearing Ye Chuan's words, his goatee even trembling with anger.

"Won't lend me money, and now you're lecturing me? What a rigid old man," Ye Chuan scoffed. "What's wrong with succubi? Are you prejudiced?"

"Of course not!" The man grabbed his wand from the table, clearly unwilling to argue further, and turned to leave the Adventurer's Guild.

Ye Chuan could still hear the man grumbling outside.

Shrugging, Ye Chuan lazily leaned back in his chair, waiting for the guild's receptionist to arrive. It didn’t take long—as sunlight spilled through the door, a familiar half-elf girl walked in.

"Miss Eisien, right?" Ye Chuan greeted her.

"Hey."

"Eh?!" Eisien blushed the moment she saw Ye Chuan, seemingly recalling last night’s events. "Mr. Xi Xi, didn’t you accept a quest? Why are you still here?"

"Because I finished it."

"That’s not a funny joke," Eisien adjusted her glasses, about to say something else when Ye Chuan flicked his fingers. A massive spider leg suddenly appeared on the counter.

Its metallic sheen and traces of poison left Eisien stunned. "T-this… the Luminous Venomspider King?!"

"Yep."

"But you only took the quest last night! You hunted it down in just one night?" Eisien could hardly believe it—this efficiency was unreal.

"Is there only one leg?"

"No, most of it’s intact except for the head, which I smashed." Ye Chuan had kept enough for identification purposes.

Otherwise, how would anyone recognize it as the Venomspider King?

"Wait, come with me first." Knowing the creature’s size, Eisien led Ye Chuan to another room—spacious, filled with tools, likely a place for dismantling monster remains.

"Please place it here."

"Sure."

Ye Chuan casually summoned the Luminous Venomspider King’s corpse. The moment the enormous body appeared before the receptionist, she gasped. "This really is the Venomspider King? I remember it being much smaller."

"Can I complete the quest now?" Ye Chuan asked. "According to the rules, I get half the reward and a promotion to Silver-rank adventurer?"

"Of course!"

Eisien quickly processed the paperwork. Soon after, she handed him a new silver-white identification card. "Mr. Xi Xi, congratulations on becoming a Silver-rank adventurer."

"And this—3,500 silver coins." She passed him a pouch. "Please count them."

"No need." Ye Chuan tossed it into his storage bag, where the amount instantly displayed. He doubted an organization like the Adventurer’s Guild would shortchange him.

After all, this was a life-or-death business. If rewards were skimped, adventurers would probably tear the place apart.

Time to investigate succubi properly!

As Ye Chuan strode out of the guild without a backward glance, Eisien watched him with fascination. "He really is incredible… and he even said I was pretty…"

"Eek!" She covered her flushed face. "But I’m just an ugly half-elf…"

"Still…"

BAM! A loud crash interrupted her thoughts. "Hey! Who brought in that Luminous Venomspider King?!"

Eisien jumped, her glasses slipping off her nose. She flailed midair before clumsily readjusting them. "W-what’s wrong, Mr. Qiaoba?"

The towering figure behind her was a minotaur—a beastman responsible for dismantling monsters at the guild.

Was there something off about that Venomspider King?

Considering Ye Chuan’s absurdly fast completion time, a thought struck her. "Could it be… fake?"

"Fake? That’s a mutated Luminous Venomspider King! Even a Gold-rank party would struggle against it!" Qiaoba growled.

"I thought the guild posted it as a Silver-rank reward?"

"Wha—? A Gold-rank mutated Venomspider King?!" Eisien blinked, then hurriedly explained, "He’s already left."

"Tch. Fine. If that adventurer shows up again, explain it to him."

"Understood."

Qiaoba snorted through his massive nostrils and stomped away.

"A mutated Luminous Venomspider King…"

---

Meanwhile, Ye Chuan had already returned to the streets.

He soon found the alleyway housing the succubus den—dimly lit, oddly fragrant, with people occasionally slipping in and out.

Now with money in hand, Ye Chuan strode inside.

It didn’t take long to locate the succubus parlor. Unlike illustrations, the sight of half-naked succubi in the flesh piqued his curiosity.

So this is what succubi are like.

Scantily clad, tiny wings, faintly glowing demonic markings on their stomachs.

He recalled Lan Xiaoke once had a succubus cosplay outfit. Wonder how she’d look in it.

"Ah, welcome, guest~" A petite succubus trotted over, but upon recognizing Ye Chuan’s face, she hesitated. "Sir, we don’t offer credit."

In her eyes, he was just another impulsive visitor.

"I’ve got money," Ye Chuan said.

"Oh? Right this way~" The succubus immediately brightened, looping her arm around his with a giggle. "Come with me, guest~"

Her closeness brought a strange, intoxicating fragrance—pleasant, with an almost hypnotic effect.

Inside the parlor, more succubi lounged about, barely covered. They cooed in unison as he entered, "Good morning, honored guest~"

"Sir, which service would you like?" The little succubus presented a menu. "Our current special is the ten-silver package."

"What does ten silver get me?"

"Full-body massage, customized dreams, and a meal service~" she chimed.

"Customized dreams?"

"Mm! We succubi can alter dreams. Just sleep here, and we’ll craft any dream you desire~" Noticing his inexperience, she leaned in, whispering by his ear,

"Any dream~ you can imagine~"

"Interesting." Ye Chuan tossed ten silver coins onto the counter. "Let’s try it."

"Thank you, guest~ This way~"

She guided him toward a private room—but just then, a door down the hallway swung open.

A gaunt man in nothing but shorts stepped out.

"Hm?" Ye Chuan glanced over. This guy… looked familiar?

Wait. Isn’t that the mage from the guild?