"G-G...igolo?"
On the platform, Wang Lu proudly proclaimed his identity, which immediately plunged the scene into a long silence.
Even the Dragon City Master Bedivere expressed an incredulous expression and was tongue-tied.
"... What did you say?"
Wang Lu said with a smile, "I said I am the gigolo of the descendant of Galahad. I can help her ease the physical and psychological pressure, and will not be as close as family members that could burden her. I’m just like a Ruyi Staff1, or a dildo. It’s just that I’m able to speak, so I have a more complete function, but with no side effect! In short, taking me along will bring no harm to anyone, what do you guys think?"
Bedivere was still in a state of shock. "You, you…"
Wang Lu reached out to hug Aya. "If she can’t bring family member then so be it, but couldn’t she bring even a personal thing? Do you have a problem if I, as the personal belonging of a Bretton Dragon Clan bloodline, go to Dragon Clan with my master?"
"This…"
"If even personal belongings are not allowed to take, then are we applying to be Dragon City Guards or going to prison? In particular, you have recruited so many women, if they don’t bring personal supplies, do they have to enter Dragon City naked? Aren’t you guys too wretched?"
"This…"
Wang Lu righteously spoked, "Therefore, it is natural and logical for me to enter Dragon City!
"Humph! What a glib tongue!" Bedivere was not well known for his eloquence. Being continuously pressed by Wang Lu, he was simply unable to refute.
Normally, if he ran into someone with a flowery mouth as Wang Lu, he would not be polite—even releasing a tiny bit of his imposing manner as the Dragon City Master was enough to make other people scared sh*tless. However, now, he just turned his gaze and asked Aya instead, "What do you say? Do you want to take this guy?"
At this time, Aya was also somewhat stupefied as she was still immersed in the shock of being called out in public as having a gigolo. Upon hearing Bedivere’s question, she fiercely glared at Wang Lu. And just as she was about to open his mouth, Wang Lu’s voice came through primordial spirit.
"My sword. You promised to be my sword! Follow my instructions! Have you forgotten that?" After a pause, he continued, "This is not a joke. Just agree and watch Bedivere’s reaction."
"You…" Aya took a deep sight, and then with her mouth said, "He… said it right, I want to take him with me to Dragon City."
Wang Lu immediately added, "By the way, we have a dog." Then he picked up the mutt Quan Zouhua.
Bedivere gazed at Aya’s deep green eyes, and then, after a long time, closed his eyes, turned around and walked away. "Suit yourself!"
—
After the selection ceremony of Dragon City Guard, the number of qualified recruits reached an unprecedented thirty-five people. In accordance with the past practice, they should pack their belongings that night and leave Golden Flash Town for Dragon City. However, this time, the Mayor of Golden Flash took this opportunity to exhaust whatever means to keep Bedivere and the others for the night.
"Please stay here for the night! Since the selection ceremony began, this is the first time more than thirty people are qualified. This is a great event, and should be earnestly celebrated!"
With that, the Mayor shoved a few mysterious gifts to the three priests.
At the same time, because the selection has lasted more than expected, and the sun has sunk over the horizon, the three Holy Light priests negotiated among themselves for a moment, and then agreed to the Mayor’s gracious invitation.
That evening, Golden Flash Town held a revelry and gave the four people from Dragon City the most enthusiastic hospitality. The more than thirty qualified recruits, among the countless well-wishers' voice, also caroused until very late at night. Later, at Bedivere’s request, they packed their belongings and rested at the biggest inn for the night, ready to depart the next morning.
Although the revelry has exhausted most of their energy, the more than thirty people were not in the mood to sleep, and they were still in high spirit. Because they stayed in one place, they invariably gathered and began to chat among themselves.
Many of these people were locals of Golden Flash Town, but many more came from other areas. They continued to chat to their heart’s content. Even when the night was almost dawn, they still wanted to chat.
"Alas, I don’t know what will happen once we arrive at Dragon City. I heard that Dragon City Guard looks glamorous, but their training is very bitter, and would often have actual combat duty. Moreover, the elimination rate is also high."
The young man from the countryside expressed his expectations and worries about the future, and couldn’t help but sigh.
"Hehe, you don’t have to worry about that." A young man local to Golden Flash Town smiled and comforted him, "I actually know a lot of things about Dragon City Guard."
Golden Flash Town was a well-informed place, so the local people’s understanding of Dragon City Guard was also more compared to other people.
"Dragon City Guards do often have actual combat duty, but every fight is basically a non-suspenseful steamrolling action. Throughout Brettonia, no other force could match Dragon City Guards. After all, behind Dragon City is the number one religious organization on the continent, Holy Light Religion! As long as we, recruits, are careful not to be brave, generally, there would not be any danger. As for the elimination? Being eliminated is being eliminated, it’s not a big deal. Even if you’ve been eliminated as Dragon City Guard, you would still be sought after in many places. After all, you have taken training in Dragon City, which is the real deal."
The countryside teenager curiously asked, "The power would not be taken back even after being eliminated?"
"Tsk, where did you hear that rumor? How would they take back the power? Should everyone be crippled before they are kicked out of the Guard? As long as you take the soul contract not to divulge the method of Dragon City, then the skill that you have to learn is your own, it has nothing to do with them anymore." The well-informed youth said with a smile, "Therefore, joining Dragon City Guard, in addition to eating the bitter hardship, the benefits are enormous! The Dragon City collection of all kinds of secret methods are something that you cannot find anywhere else."
"Really?" The countryside teenager became even more curious. "Dragon City method is really powerful? How much powerful?"
"As long as you practice it step by step, there’s hope for you to reach high order profession, how powerful do you think is that?" The youth from Golden Flash Town glittered. "Someone with a profession is very different than an ordinary person. When you reach the level of high order profession, you will receive courteous reception in any place on the continent! No matter whether to serve a great lord, or setting up your own team of adventurers, your status would be extraordinary! Take this Golden Flash Town for example. In Brettonia, there are a handful of such towns, but it’s Mayor’s status is nearly equal to that of ordinary high order profession. In your small places, ten towns combined could nearly equal to a high order profession."
"Ten towns add up?"
"But it’s difficult to reach high order profession. I don’t know how many high order can appear in any given profession. In addition to high level of bloodline requirement, the training method must also be good. And this last part is the difficult one. There are countless bloodlines on the mainland, each of it has its own unique mystery, which must be nurtured with the corresponding method to stimulate a stronger valiant magical ability. Otherwise, Dragon City’s collection of most of the method in Brettonia would’ve been in vain, instead of making them fierce as of now. Virtually, any bloodline can find the corresponding method and tap the limit of their own potential. And since we have passed the Dragon City Guard selection, at least there are no problems in terms of our potential, and as long as we diligently train, the future is hopeful for us!"
"Just hopeful?"
"Nonsense, what do you think high order profession is? The entire Dragon City Guards have around thousands of people, yet they only have around sixty to seventy high order professions! But the road is at least unimpeded for us! If it were in other places, no matter how diligent you train, you would not be able to reach high order profession. Being a Dragon City Guard, at least we have hope!"
The countryside youth thought for a moment, and then suddenly asked, "Then what about those Bretton Dragon Clan?"
Upon hearing this, the face of the local Golden Flash youth was filled with envy. "They are the genuine ‘heaven’s favored’. It is said that, each of the selected qualified Bretton Dragon Clan bloodline at least has fifty percent chance to become a high order profession. The several purple blue and purple today have one hundred percent chance to become high order profession. Moreover, among high order professions, they would be one of the strongest. The Dragon Clan Blood is too strong, no one could compare to them."
After a pause, the youth from Golden Flash Town looked puzzled. "But, I heard that the Dragon Clan bloodlines that are selected as Dragon City Guard seem to be individually managed, isolated from the others. Previously, there were several other Dragon Clan bloodlines from this town that joined the Dragon City Guard, but they’ve never been seen again…"
The countryside youth was a bit afraid. "Nothing happened to them… right?"
"Tsk, what are you talking about? The Dragon City Master is a mighty Dragon Clan bloodline, what could’ve possibly happened to them? They ought to have joined a secret team, to perform some covert action. Humph, in any case, there are not just one of them being selected along with us, yet don’t their lodging separate from us?"
—
At the same time, the selected Dragon Clan bloodline who were separated from the rest were also having a high spirited chat. Compared to the other qualified Dragon City Guard, their happiness was undoubtedly stronger. Because as a Dragon Clan Bloodline, their status in the fabled Dragon City Guard would be far higher than the other.
The sturdy blacksmith’s son said, "Nicole, you really can hide yourself. Usually, you ‘don’t show the mountain and don’t reveal the water’, but you’re actually a Dragon Clan bloodline. Moreover, you’re a high-level Dragon Clan bloodline, that’s so awesome!"
Almost all the Dragon Clan bloodline that was recruited by Holy Light Religion this time were from Golden Flash Town, so they basically knew about each other, and the merrier their talk became.
Nicole herself didn’t have that much interest. "What’s so great about it, I don’t want to be that Dragon Clan Guard. I am more satisfied with running my family's inn. I really don’t know why I stumbled to that selection ceremony, my family will be worried about me… I hate that everything I said to protest to those dead fanatics is just useless, they said that once I stepped on the stage, I have to accept all the arrangement of Dragon City, otherwise, it would mean scorn to the majesty of their city… How could the majesty of their city be so easily scorned!"
Upon hearing Nicole’s words, the others were somewhat at a loss. Being selected as Dragon City Guard was supposed to be a joyful occasion, and should be celebrated and congratulated, but how could they congratulate her if she couldn’t wait to run away fast enough?
Seeing that Nicole was feeling down, the several other people finally gave her some consoling words and then tried to change the topic. "Oh, yeah, Nicole, who're those outsiders that previously stayed in your inn?"
The tailor’s daughter curiously pointed at Aya and Wang Lu in one corner of the room.
Nicole shrugged her shoulders. "I don’t know. What I only know is that they carried a badge of our family’s ancestors. According to the teaching of my ancestors, the owner of the badge must be treated with the most honorable courtesy. Presumably, she is the descendant of a man who migrated from Golden Flash Town a long time ago. As for the few people that she came in with, they seem like your average eastern continent scholars, but I didn’t think they actually have the epic blood—oh, except that guy."
Upon mentioning Wang Lu, the atmosphere in the room immediately changed. That appalling ‘gigolo’ theory continued to shock them even now.
And as the objects of their discussion, Aya and Wang Lu were also talking in soft voice.
"Hey, stop putting that long face in front of me will you. Our plan has been smoothly carried out, at least be happy a bit about it okay?"
Aya coldly said, "Don’t talk to me, pervert."
"The hell! How could you treat your team leader Senior Brother condescendingly like this!
"I’m angry at the gigolo, thank you very much!"
"So you’re just treating me like a sexual object?"
"…"
"Hey, in that kind of situation, what do you want me to do? If I can’t seize this opportunity to join Dragon City Guard along with you, do you want me to sneak into Dragon City alone? I’m a defense expert, not a stealth master!"
Aya said, "But your excuse is just too absurd, you don’t seem to know the lower limit at all!"
Wang Lu humphed. "If not so, would Bedivere just drop it?"
"That’s actually strange, why would Bedivere actually let you in?" Aya was somewhat in disbelief. "He was never a man who would succumb to absurd remarks, and he was not good at talking, but that goes without saying. But this time, he actually let you come…"
Wang Lu said, "The reason for that is very simple. He was very impressed with my sincerity. Aren’t your ‘chivalry’ thing is very particular about loyalty? I, this gigolo, am very loyal to Her Majesty, which moved his heart so much that he made an exception and let me join the others."
"…"
"If not," Wang Lu lightly said, "Bedivere has other plans. I think, in his view, bringing in new variables is more favorable to him."
Aya was stunned for a moment. "More favorable?"
"Of course. But there’s also this last possibility."
"What?"
"He has a crush on me."
"…"
…Ruyi Jingu Bang, or simply Ruyi Bang or Jingu Bang, is the poetic name of a magical staff wielded by the immortal monkey Sun Wukong in the 16th-century classic Chinese novel Journey to the West