Chapter 89 Finishing The Collection Of Herbs

When Zachary was alone, he quickly entered the system. Once in, he headed straight to the Living-dead Tomb.

"Master Anne!! Help me!" Zachary started yelling at the top of his lungs from the moment he stepped into the Living-dead Tomb.

The gate swung open almost immediately and he stepped through the threshold. Anne was there, standing in the hall before a stone table, which was filled with sacrificial offerings. It looked as though she was paying respects to the ancestors.

"What are you shouting for?" Anne asked coldly, giving Zachary a glare.

"Master Anne, can you lend me twenty herbs? I need them for something really important," Zachary replied desperately.

"You can ask, but you do understand that there's nothing in this world that you can get without great effort," Anne said to him in a stern tone as she gazed sternly at him.

"I know, and I ask you to LEND me twenty herbs. I'll do whatever you assign me to later on in repayment."

"I'll have you do double the quests for me, then," Anne said coldly.

"Deal," Zachary quickly said through gritted teeth. He wanted the first place, and there simply was no other option. And he was willing to do double the quests if that was what it took to get there.

"Very well, then. What kind of herbs are you looking for?" Anne asked.

Zachary immediately recited the names of twenty varieties of herbs to Anne.

"Wait right here." Anne turned around and walked towards a smaller chamber within the tomb itself. She stepped into it and rummaged around for a few moments.

Before long, she came back out holding a bulging bag, and carefully handed it to Zachary.

"Thank you very much, Master Anne. You're a lifesaver," Zachary breathed, holding the precious bag with both hands. He grinned at her and was just about to leave when Anne stopped him in his tracks.

"Aren't you forgetting something? Kowtow three times to the ancestors before you leave," Anne said in a cold voice.

"Oh right." Zachary immediately scrambled back. He faced the altar and kowtowed three times. Once completed, he rose and fled.

With great haste, he stepped out of the system and called up the power of the Dog Soul Ring to heighten his senses once again. With his keener abilities, he sought out Elva's trail and found her breath. He immediately began tailing it.

It wasn't long before Zachary came upon two teams engaged in fierce combat. It was a skirmish of speed, with both parties fighting to snatch herbs from one another with desperation.

Instead of circling around them, though, Zachary opted to ensconce himself in a shadowy nook. He settled in for a good view of the battle.

One of the more common tactics in combat between teams was that one member would hold the bag of herbs in safekeeping while the others take on most of the combat as a group. And often, the team member with the strongest power would be the one holding the bag for safekeeping.

However, after watching the combat proceed, Zachary realized that one of the teams was rapidly tiring in defending th

or who had been silent this whole time. "Hello, beauty. Are you okay?"

"I... I think I'm okay. Thank you...um..." She stared at him, completely befuddled by the change of events that had taken place. She didn't think Zachary was all that strong, and yet he had managed to defeat an opponent at the premium stage of Earth Level, and in such a devastating way.

"Oh, you don't have to thank me for that," Zachary grinned. He then extended his hand. "Give me the herbs."

The female warrior was aghast at the unexpected turn from Zachary.

"Hey, hurry up! If you don't, I'll have to take you by force and..." He made a swift, neck-cutting gesture. Zachary's smile was a mischievous one.

Trembling, the female warrior swallowed hard. She had just witnessed what Zachary could do, how he'd swiftly defeated a warrior far stronger than herself, and knew she had no other recourse but to give in. She immediately held out the bag to Zachary.

"Thank you!" Zachary peeled the bag open and peered into it. Five herbs were inside. It wasn't much, but he had no shame taking them.

"Good choice. I'll be taking these now." Zachary put the bag away. "By the way, I'm only at the first grade of Earth Level, not a master or anything. So don't swoon over my abilities, okay?"

The girl only gaped at him, dumbfounded. He was even weaker than she was! And yet before she could make another move, Zachary vanished.

With his herb errand completed, Zachary resumed his search for Elva. It wasn't long before he was back on track, and had caught up to her.

"There you are, Elva! I'm back!" Zachary floated cheerily in front of her.

"Zachary! Where in the world have you been?! I've been looking for you everywhere, you idiot!" Elva cried, just barely stopping herself from swatting at him.

"Whoa, easy there! I've got something nice for you! I've collected twenty herbs. Time to head for the third floor," Zachary smiled. And without giving her a chance to respond, he grabbed Elva's hand and rushed to the third floor with her.