018: If You Desire a Woman, I Can Provide—No Charge (Please Keep Reading!)

On the third floor of the Old Shock Tavern, there was a room that belonged to Wendy.

To be honest, she was very grateful to her foster parents.

At the slave market, Wendy had witnessed too much coldness and ugliness; it was they who gave her a home and warmth.

Her foster mother once said that in this era, girls like them were treated very harshly. Without a good family background, everything except their souls could be traded.

Wendy had become a member of the Old Shock Tavern.

A year later, she learned to dance and, together with her foster mother, attracted customers to the tavern.

Her foster mother said that any profession deserved respect, and if she didn’t want to do something, she could refuse.

Then one day, Wendy felt very unwell and declined a customer's request.

But that customer insisted on dragging Wendy into a room.

Her foster mother appeared and chased that man two blocks away with a shovel.

From that moment on, Wendy silently vowed to succeed in the future, to repay her foster parents’ kindness and care for them in their old age.

However… recently…

Wendy felt something strange about her foster mother.

No, it was more like she herself was acting oddly.

Hmm, that didn’t seem quite right either.

In any case, ever since Li Cha appeared at the Old Shock Tavern, Wendy had an uneasy feeling.

Her foster mother seemed to have developed feelings for Li Cha.

Women have needs and seek men to satisfy them.

Men can do it; women can too.

But her foster mother had taught Wendy early on that no man was a good thing and warned her never to be deceived by their sweet words, or she would suffer tenfold in life.

Wendy kept this in mind. Even if she met a decent person, it would only be a relationship between a tavern servant and a customer.

Yet recently, her foster mother’s eyes seemed glued to Li Cha.

When Li Cha was not around, her foster mother appeared distracted.

It was as if she forgot she was a married woman.

Although Old Shock wasn’t the perfect husband.

Wendy was certain that only when her foster mother and Old Shock were together could they find lasting happiness.

Only then would their family be complete.

In bed, Wendy bit her lip tightly: “I can’t let my foster mother go on like this.”

Wendy decided to take the initiative, even at the cost of herself.

…

On the second floor.

Mary, lying in bed, was not as calm as she appeared.

Before, knocking on the door or anything else was all about work or punishing some damned people.

Li Cha was different.

He was Mary’s colleague and knew that she and Shock were merely nominal spouses.

In front of Li Cha, Mary had two whole nights of complete vulnerability.

Mary didn’t know what had happened during those two nights.

But she saw Li Cha subdue Freya and then tie her up in a humiliating way.

Also, she was very satisfied with the “sleep” she had during those two nights.

…

It was inexplicable.

Li Cha was clearly a trickster.

Yet Mary felt no ill will toward him!

“I even voluntarily asked him to stay just now… What am I thinking…” Mary chided herself in her heart.

What if the man under the bed pounced on her when she wasn’t paying attention?

Mary was confident in her own strength.

But Li Cha’s abilities were peculiarly strange. Perhaps she had already fallen into his trap.

This time, he definitely wouldn’t hold back against Mary.

Mary wanted to leave.

And keep her distance from this guy from now on.

However, “If I leave now, would he think I’m afraid of him?”

Mary’s mind raced with wild thoughts.

She even planned to take the initiative and knock Li Cha out first.

Just then,

a scorching heat surged toward her.

Mary’s closed eyes suddenly snapped wide open.

She sensed the presence of one of her kind.

…

The next day,

Li Cha went downstairs and greeted Wendy, who was cleaning the hall, before preparing to leave.

The landlady issued a challenge to him.

Li Cha had already won twice; this time, it was her turn to defeat him.

After paying the room fee, Li Cha headed out.

Wendy, however, called out to him as he put the coins into his pocket.

“Hey, Li Cha.”

Li Cha turned his head. “Is there something else, Miss Wendy?”

Wendy cast a maiden’s gaze. “Could you come here less often from now on?”

Li Cha: ɿ(｡･ɜ･)ɾⓌⓗⓐⓣ?

Wendy said, “My foster mother has a family. If you want a woman, I can accompany you for free.”

Li Cha understood clearly. For the sake of family harmony, Wendy intended to replace her foster mother and be his bedmate without charge.

“This mother and daughter are really something.

Mary warned me not to mess with Wendy.

And now Wendy wants to sacrifice herself for Mary.”

Li Cha blinked. “Looks like I’ve become the villain.”

According to some story tropes, Li Cha could seize the advantage of information asymmetry, win over both mother and daughter, and then extend his influence across Saint Ann City.

Thinking of this, he laughed and waved his hand: “You’re too small-tempered; I prefer those who are more fierce.”

Before the young lady could say more, Li Cha pushed the door open and left.

…

One kilometer away in a straight line, at Charlie’s Psychological Clinic.

It was a two-story building. The first floor already bore a sign—it was where Dr. Li Cha worked.

The second floor, with one bedroom and a living room, was Li Cha’s new residence.

On his way back, he bought breakfast and ate it upstairs.

Since it was still early, Li Cha took a shower and lay down to rest for a while.

Pulling up the interface, Li Cha looked at a system notification from a few hours earlier—

“Ding dong”~

Notification: [Mary’s Time] has ended. Congratulations, you have gained [Riding Mastery LV0].

[Riding Mastery LV0]: While mounted, your attack power +2%, strength +1%.

…

Purchasing someone’s “time” was essentially like obtaining their trial card.

This was the experimental result Li Cha had achieved last night.

Whether Mary or Freya, their abilities were far superior to Li Cha’s.

So they were expensive.

But just this trial card alone was enough to pay off the cost.

Now, the system informed Li Cha that after experiencing the trial, there was a certain chance to acquire others’ skills?

Dr. Li Cha clasped his hands: “Brother System, I offended you before, I was young and foolish. Please don’t hold it against me.”

Since Li Cha wasn’t native to the Loren Continent, he had no innate talents.

But looking at Mary’s profile, talents were indeed powerful.

The all-profession system of this other world was still a bit beyond Li Cha.

However, Li Cha was sure that to become a [Flame Knight], the talent [Flame Affinity] was absolutely essential.

Mary’s time…

Freya’s time…

He wondered if another hour of experience would allow him to snatch [Flame Affinity].

And then, there was Freya, a high-ranking elite major in military intelligence.

Li Cha considered buying one of Freya’s trial cards…

[Freya’s Time]: 20 silver coins per hour, purchasable for up to 11 hours.

…

Selling price: 1.5 silver coins; buying price: 20 silver coins.

Very good.

Li Cha closed the system to calm his excited heart: “I’d better save it for self-preservation.”

Just then,

a voice called from downstairs.

“Doctor Li Cha, is Doctor Li Cha here?”

Charlie’s Psychological Clinic was getting busy!

At the clinic’s entrance,

a middle-aged dwarf with his beard braided into twists said, “Hello, Doctor Li Cha, I am Shock. Everyone calls me Old Shock.”