Chapter Fifty-Four: Nudity Is My Favorite

Yan Luo and Wang Dongwei went to search the corpses—while Zhu Xiaoyong sat down to rest on a stone. This fellow’s talent was rather peculiar: by simply sitting still, he could heal his wounds—a power comparable to the Combat Gene: Regeneration.

Of course, he was still no match for Yan Luo, whose combination of Basic Life and Regeneration yielded a much more powerful healing ability.

To be honest, as far as fate-based talents go, this one was rather feeble. One had to wonder what sort of wish this chubby recluse made to end up with such a talent.

Still, talents could be upgraded. If he later unlocked more of the Regeneration gene, progressing from simple healing to regeneration and then to flesh derivation, perhaps he could create a formidable synergy.

The spoils from clearing out the Macedonian phalanx were considerable! There was a set of bronze chain mail dropped by the heavy cavalryman—though unfortunately, the iron helmet was not among the loot. A Greek-style leather cuirass, composed of a vest and short skirt made of sheepskin studded with bronze, reminiscent of the armor seen in the movie “Troy.” Two large shields, a bow, three hand axes, and five Macedonian long spears completed the haul.

All these could be taken back to the Inner World!

Regrettably, the Persian scimitar inlaid with gold, wielded by their leader, could not be taken—though it was the most valuable weapon.

But the truly astonishing find was the horses.

There were five in total. Yan Luo had dispatched one with his Dragon Staff; another was struck down amidst the chaos after donning the Persona Mask and transforming into a ghost soldier. Three horses remained, and among them, one could indeed be taken out of this world—the finest steed, originally ridden by the leader.

It was a European heavy horse.

Its color was not like the famed steeds of ancient times—no red Hare or black Wu—just a common brown with white hooves, a white blaze on its head, and white mane and tail. About 1.7 meters tall, it would have been considered a most impressive warhorse in this era of ancient Greece.

In many historical and war-torn worlds, horses were an invaluable resource; to obtain a warhorse that could be brought out was a stroke of luck!

“But how exactly does one take it out?” Yan Luo stood before the brown warhorse, lost in thought. The horse seemed to have been subdued by his earlier transformation into a minotaur, and was unusually docile, standing with its head bowed, unmoving.

Yan Luo pondered for a moment, then placed his hand on the horse’s side.

“It can’t be stored in the inventory.”

“Of course not. How could living things be stored?” Wang Dongwei commented from the side, then spoke with some excitement, “This is a fortune! Fatty and I saw in the Dreamspace that even a dwarf horse costs over ten thousand points. This is a heavy horse—it might fetch twenty thousand bio-energy!”

Yan Luo stroked the horse’s back. “This horse, the bronze chain mail, and the five Macedonian spears are mine. The rest, you and Zhu Xiaoyong can divide between you.”

“Huh? That won’t do!” Wang Dongwei quickly protested. “You single-handedly wiped out the Macedonian phalanx, and Fatty and I owe you our lives. How can we take any of the loot?”

“It’s just some low-level equipment,” Yan Luo replied coolly. “I have no use for it.”

The shields were wood covered with bronze, the hand axes and bow were crude—after all, ancient craftsmanship from 2,500 years ago left much to be desired. Such items would hardly sell for even a hundred points each in the Dreamspace, and together they weren’t worth as much as the eight-sided Han sword.

The only piece with any real value was the Greek leather armor—perhaps worth a thousand points at most.

Had it not been for Wang Dongwei’s suggestion to outmaneuver Athens through civilization, they would surely have failed the main quest this time. That debate against the city’s elders yielded tremendous benefits: the Heroic Soul Mask, the Legendary Title, and the Power of Speech.

Yan Luo had no emotions, but he remembered the contributions others made.

The horse would serve him well; he still lacked proper armor, and the five-meter Macedonian spears would prove useful in mounted combat. He kept what he needed and let his teammates take the rest.

After half an hour’s rest, Zhu Xiaoyong’s arrow wounds were fully healed.

“Good heavens, Fatty has finally survived!” he exclaimed with delight.

You sense an intense emotion: Joy +1

With corpses littering the area, there was no way to rest here through the night. When they left, besides Yan Luo leading the brown warhorse that could be taken back to the Inner World, Wang Dongwei and Zhu Xiaoyong each led a horse as well. They also gathered a trove of silver coins and the golden Persian scimitar from the bodies.

On the eve of the Olympic Games, the three arrived at Olympia.

In truth, in ancient times, athletes were required to undergo a qualification review before the Games, arriving early to study the rules, train, and swear an oath. Thankfully, things weren’t as complicated in this era.

By the time Yan Luo and his companions arrived, the city was already bustling as if preparing for a grand festival.

After all, the Olympics were the greatest event in Greece at this time!

Athletes from dozens of city-states, together with spectators flocking in from all corners, filled the city with a prosperous energy different from Athens, which exuded a confident, democratic vibrancy. Here, the chaos was lively and exuberant. Leading their horses through the crowded streets, Yan Luo, Wang Dongwei, and Zhu Xiaoyong drew attention wherever they went.

A nobleman sat atop a building, smiling down at the throngs below. Beside him, a black-skinned slave brought from beyond Egypt respectfully held a pottery bowl brimming with fruit, while slave girls fanned their master. In front of a house, something was being roasted, sending up white smoke and the aroma of meat, with laughter and chatter resounding from those seated nearby.

The three, with their Eastern features, naturally attracted a great deal of notice. Yet Yan Luo, standing 1.8 meters tall, was a giant in this era; Wang Dongwei was equally tall, and Zhu Xiaoyong, weighing over three hundred jin, made their group appear formidable at a glance.

Most crucially, all three wore the badge of Honorary Citizens of Athens upon their chests!

Athens, at its zenith, had only Sparta as a rival, and with the Peloponnesian War yet to begin, it remained preeminent. As honorary citizens, the trio encountered no trouble from the locals.

They used silver coins to rent a courtyard, tied up their horses securely, and then planned their next steps.

“Tonight, we have to register for our events. The ancient Olympics feature footraces, wrestling, the pentathlon, boxing, pankration, and chariot races. Zhu Xiaoyong, even though you have basic strength, you can’t match the Greek strongmen—in wrestling especially, you lack training and agility, so it’s out of the question.”

“To be precise, neither of us could pass for athletes… The Olympics won’t allow people like us to pad the numbers.”

“So, if we want to compete, we can only register for the chariot race. It’s dangerous—usually nobles and slave owners have their slaves ride in their place as a show, and chariots often end up smashed. We have the horses now, but we still lack a chariot.”

“Yan Luo, with your physical abilities, you could enter any event… But that’s not what I want to discuss.” Wang Dongwei’s expression grew solemn, more serious than ever. “What I want to say is, our greatest challenge has arrived!”

“In this era of the Olympics, athletes compete naked!”

Yan Luo’s expression did not change.

“What?” Zhu Xiaoyong cried. “No clothes at all? Competing with bare buttocks? That can’t be!”

Wang Dongwei gave a wry smile. “But it’s true… Ancient Greeks revered the beauty of the human body. In the earliest Games, athletes wore a loincloth out of modesty, but in the fifteenth Olympiad, a runner’s cloth slipped off, and the Greeks actually found the idea appealing… From then on, athletes competed without a stitch.”

“In Athens, Yan Luo, your argument about modesty might have worked—Athens is open-minded. Here, it’s impossible. Which means…”

Zhu Xiaoyong’s lips twitched. “We’ll have to bare ourselves too?”

“For us, entering the chariot race is better—we’ll be sitting in the chariot. Yan Luo, do you want to enter the footrace, wrestling, boxing, pankration, or the pentathlon? Competing naked—surely you can’t accept that.” Wang Dongwei turned to Yan Luo, and Zhu Xiaoyong did the same.

Yan Luo’s face remained impassive.

The Olympic Games would surely provide ample opportunity to absorb intense emotions. He was in the process of unlocking his puppet’s positive emotions; after all, these would benefit his body’s recovery from days of fatigue far more than negative feelings.

This very emotion was the single point of joy he had just absorbed from Zhu Xiaoyong.

So, at this moment, he was in an excellent mood.

He blurted out, “Nudity? I love it the most.”

Wang Dongwei’s eyes widened in horror.

Zhu Xiaoyong gasped, his mouth gaping. He hurriedly shoved his right hand into his mouth as if to keep himself from screaming.

You sense an intense emotion: Shock +5 Shock +5

Having purged himself of emotions, Yan Luo gazed wordlessly at the other two, as though regarding them like perverts. He realized his image had suffered a severe blow and that he must do something to salvage it.

After a moment of silence, he said, “Actually, if I said I was joking, would you believe me?”