Before the notification appeared, Lee was awake and was trying to move his muscles. He raised his head and saw Wenk sitting on the chair and snoring as he slept. He was leaning backward and his large frame vibrated at each breath. Lee sighed as he thought whether his 'guard' was still valid!
Lee can sit up and walk without any trouble. The strength was not at his peak, but can easily fight someone of Freya's calibre. He looked around and saw the peculiarities of the room. A hand-drawn chart of human body parts as well as body parts of 7 other races was hanging on the wall. A big bottle of disinfectant and a big ball of cotton was in a tray. Some unknown herbs and potions were kept in an orderly fashion. Apart from where he laid down, there were two more wooden desks for patients to rest. The cobwebs here and there made him deduce that the building is either old or this guy doesn't really clean.
If he disappeared without a word, this healer would become a damage-dealer on him. So, he patted Wenk's shoulders. It didn't do anything. Lee felt amused and slapped on the table. Now that woke him up. Wenk jolted up with sleepy eyes and his tiny spectacles hanging on his face in a funny manner. Upon seeing Lee in front of him, he was surprised. Looking out to see the sunlight gone, he was more surprised.
"Boy, how did you get up?! You will have to rest till tomorrow."
Lee could only smile on his words.
"I'll be fine. Thank you for guarding me when I was asleep."
Lee didn't give him a chance to reply as he walked out of the infirmary. Wenk saw him exiting through the door and sighed. He adjusted his seating posture and Lee came in, scratching his head.
"Can you tell me where An Fenfang and Freya went?!?!"
The question made Wenk burst into laughter. He sat there laughing like a toddler, while Lee stood before him like an idiot.
Wenk sensed Lee's uncomfort expression and suppressed his laugh. He quickly stood and walked to close the windows. After putting out the candle that lightened the storage room, he came and said-
"Youngman, let's go for a walk!"
Lee nodded in reply and they came out of the building. Wenk closed the door and locked it. Then they started to slowly walk as Wenk started to describe the surroundings-
"Lorin City is a wonderful place. It's big and wide and houses about…..I don't know, too many people. Various sects and families are in this city. That building is the Merchant's Guild. Anyone interested in commerce can join there. The Valor Inn is famous for their delicious hot drinks made from the milk of Horned-Mow. It's over there....."
Wenk spoke and pointed his finger here and there. He kept talking like an official city guide. Lee can only look where he pointed and see the details. As he was looking around, a pungent smell attacked him. He immediately closed his nose. Wenk saw this and was surprised. He sniffed and caught a faint unfriendly scent in the air.
"You've got keen sense, boy! That smell will direct us towards the Alchemy Guild. Those old farts are probably experimenting on something."
He pointed at a building with a signboard with shapes of bubbling beakers and potion bottles. Lee can confirm the Alchemy Guild from the signboard.
"Right next to it is the Blacksmith Guild. If these fogies tear apart your nose, those guys are ready to tear apart your ears."
Lee can hear a regular *ting* noise from the next building. It's signboard had the figure of an anvil and hammer. Lee understood what the sign spoke.
"Now as to where those ladies went, I don't know. But according to Freya's routine, she'll be strolling through the market lane. Maybe your friend will be with her."
Wenk patted Lee's shoulder. Lee felt a large hammer coming down on his shoulder twice. It wasn't painful, but wasn't a good sensation either.
Lee followed Wenk's lead. The streets were lit with mostly candles and torches. Those capable of buying a Mana Lantern or Qi Lantern had one with them. Those things can be recharged with its respective energies at regular intervals and can give an output that outshone ordinary torches.
Men and women in vast varieties of outfits and hairstyles were walking up and down the streets. Lee can detect faces with eastern and western features. No discrimination on gender, colour or race existed as he witnessed a dark complexion Barbarian getting drunk with a green Goblin and a beautiful Elf.
=====
10 P.M.
450 Essence harvested.
=====
Lee was so absorbed in his surroundings that the notification jolted him up. He noticed that the time was 10 at night.
'D, Essence points?'
[5225]
'Elemental beast map?!'
[Still working on it. There is a probability that most of them are dead.]
'Then abandon the project!'
[What else are you trying to do?!]
'Does 'Shop' have anything to acquire elemental affinity or immunity?!'
[There are pills in 'Consumables' that can grant elemental traits for an hour.]
'Remind me later. Now locate Fenfang in the Map.'
[...done. She is with freya, about 150 meters ahead of you. 4 people are tailing them.]
D could hear Lee's blood boil. Wenk was stunned to see Lee dashing forward, with anger in his eyes. He could only follow Lee and find out what it was about.
5 seconds later, he appeared in front of Fenfang. The crowd hindered his speed, but couldn't stop him. The ladies had an annoyed expression on their face. Upon seeing Lee appear with Wenk, Freya and Fenfang came near them.
Fenfang held his hands and checked him. His anger vanished into thin air. Wenk was surprised to see how Lee pinpointed them from a distance. Lee saw her eyes faintly welling up, and he can deduce the reason.
"No matter how perfect a world is, women will always be haunted. Only the strong can resist and protect themselves. As a human of manners, one must protect other regardless of their gender, colour and race"
Wenk spoke as Freya came near him. She was putting up a strong front, but her trembling hands caught his attention. His words incited the killing machine in him.
Lee looked to see 4 hooligans standing at a distance, looking at them. Their eyes were scanning the ladies, and Lee had the utmost desire to gorge them out. He asked whether she's alright, to which she nodded.
"Hey kid, leave that woman and run away. We'll excuse you this time!"
A spiky haired weirdo spoke as he took a step forward. Lee briefly watched the gang and sneered as they were like bugs.
A Dwarf that reeked the smell of alcohol came forward saying-
"Get out, will ya? Or you wanna get beaten?!."
"Can you?!"
The figure of Lee flashed and appeared before the dwarf. Before he could do anything, he was raised in the air. His gang members were astonished as that alcoholic weighed over 100 kilograms.
The dwarf gasped for breath as Lee gripped his strength further. The scene made all the passersby aghast.
The being that looked similar to an undergrown orc ran at him. Lee kicked with his full force and it got planted to the nearby building, unconscious. This was enough for the other two to flee for their lives.
Lee bought that stinky dwarf near his face.
"Listen well you overgrown ape, next time I see you tailing a female, you'll lose your lower half!"
Lee loosened his grip and his burning eyes made his victim shudder in fear. He quickly got up and ran, stumbling along the way.
Lee turned and walked to Fenfang.
"I'm happy that you're ok."
Seeing her looking at him with a faint smile, he was happy.
"You should have killed them. I would have done it!"
Wenk came near him with Freya. After knowing that those bastards beat some warriors to pulp, he regretted his decision on letting them go.
They didn't spend any time outside and returned to where Freya and Fenfang had rented a room. It was in a relatively less crowded area of the city. The lack of hooligans and troubles were evident in the air. A poor man sang his worries and troubles out loud as they passed by them. Another man sat across the street and danced to his song.
The place was called July's Inn. It's inside was a diner. The place was deserted. Tables were orderly placed throughout the room. The old woman at the desk saw Freya and asked aloud-
"Freya, since when did you start to have a boyfriend?! Did the one who stole your heart return it?!"
Wenk was momentarily stunned on hearing this. He knows the level of secrecy she puts on her matters. If she's to share this information, then this woman must be a close friend of hers. Lee glanced at Wenk and Freya through the corners of his eyes and saw a similar expression on their faces.
"Ahh….I forgot to introduce myself. I'm July, an ex-wizard. Retired due to old age. Freya helped me to settle down with this inn."
As soon as they sat, the woman introduced herself. Her wrinkly face, but energetic attitude made one hard to decide her age. The air was silent as the group ate. Lee did not know what to talk, Fenfang don't know where to start, Freya was blushing as she ate and Wenk had trouble eating comfortably.
After the food, the ladies went to their room and Lee went to the room he rented to rest. Wenk bid them goodbye as he must sleep in the infirmary, if any emergencies arose.
Lee closed the door and sat on his bed and a screen popped up.
=====
11 P.M.
450 Essence harvested.
=====
'About time! D, about what I asked!'
[There are pills and potions that can grant temporary elemental ability for users. The cost varies accordingly. Once eaten, the effect will last for an hour. It cannot be switched on and off. Some have side-effects.]
'Utilising the 'stackable' feature of the system, can I intake multiple pills and acquire the respective immunities?!'
[It is possible. But make sure that the elemental pills you take are not opposing. For example: Fire and water pills will counteract and nullify, in the worst case, explode.]
'Total Essence?'
[5670]
'Wake me up at 4 in the morning. We need to plan the day.'
[Affirmative. Good night!]