Chapter 022: Ways To Coin❤

I finish washing myself in the cold river, refreshing myself thoroughly.

Only a few little fishes swam near me, I could thankfully not see any giant crocodiles or piranhas.

I put my clothes back on with Suzy’s help, wearing on my shirt, underwear, socks, pants and boots.

“Suzy, give me the gold coins you’ve kept. It’s time to use them.”

“Un.” She takes them out from a cloth stuffed in her bag, preventing them from clinking and making noise. “Here, Edward.”

“Thanks.”

Their weight alone ought to earn myself some starting capital.

These coins had been with us since the tutorial missions.

(Right, I have something that might be worth some money.)

I remember that I’ve kept the pixie’s crystal from the last trial.

I take it out. “This might also be worth something here. Hopefully it’s not a transgression to kill pixies…”

“Hehe, hopefully not… Although you might rejoice if it is?” Suzy says sharply.

“Eh… Suzy?” Her cold look gives me chills. “Even if I enjoy it with others, I enjoy it with you the most!”

“Pff! Your flattery doesn’t hold water!” She crosses her arms and walks ahead, back to the village.

On the way there I get many looks from Amazonesses.

I choose one randomly to ask something.

“Sorry, could you tell me where I can sell things for money?”

“Yes…! You can enter my hut, I’ll take a good look!”

Suzy follows me inside.

The Amazoness looks at her. “So, what did you want to sell?”

I take out the pixie crystal.

“This.”

She takes a look at it and immediately recognizes it.

“That’s a raw *[pixie]*’s core! Just to be safe, you don’t have anymore, right?”

“No…”

(Was it a problem to have multiple ones?)

“Good. I have no use for it, but Gigila of the Moon uses these. Is there anything else you want to sell?”

“I also have gold.”

“Now gold I can take! Show me!”

I show her a coin.

She examines it and weighs it in her hand.

“It’s worth a pretty sum. How much do you want for it?”

“That depends on what money you use.”

After discussing with her and letting the woman weigh my coins, I found out that this village uses a currency common to all Amazoness tribes, the D-coin. It’s a coin the shape of two kiwis and a banana…

(Who am I kidding, it’s a goddamn prick! It’s a Dick-Coin!!!)

They make it out of gold in three sizes, small, medium and large D-coins.

As this lady puts it…

“The small coins represent goblins, the medium coins, humans and the large ones, orcs! Oh, but of course an amazing medium one is much better than a boring large one! I saw your struggle with the chieftain after all…”

“Right. I’ll exchange my gold for the same weight as those Amazoness coins.”

“I’d make a loss if I get the exact same weight! Looking at your coins, their weight is slightly more than a medium coin, so I’ll accept your six gold coins in exchange for six of our medium coins.”

“Hum… Can you give me a small coin on top?”

“… You drive a hard bargain, strongman Edward…”

“Alright, alright, deal. Six for six.”

We exchange the coins and I see my point counter go up.

18 points were added. I just got 3 points per medium gold coin.

(I want more… A lot more!)

As a last favor, the lady guides me to the house of Gigila of the Moon, who should buy the pixie crystal.

On the way there, I take out my apostle slate and quickly buy Wood God Language Proficiency 2 for 5 points.

Gigila’s door is wide open, but I knock on it for good measure.

The high ceiling makes me feel small.

I hear footsteps ring through the house closer and closer.

A seven feet tall Amazoness with rare pale skin enters my sight. She has absolutely huge milkers.

She wears a loose white and blue robe that barely envelops her shoulders and leaves none of her cleavage for imagination.

“Oh, you must be the strongman Edward? I am called Gigila of the Moon. Is there anything I can do for you?” She switches languages to Common mid-sentence. “Right, were you more comfortable talking in Common? I’m fluent in both languages…”

I reply in Wood God language. “Thank you for your consideration. I’ve already learned this language quite well, so any of the two is fine for me.”

I hear a groan from Suzy.

Sorry, next time I’ll let you in the conversation.

“I see, as expected of a strongman… So, is there a reason you’ve knocked on my door? It doesn’t look like it is to knock me.”

“!… No, it is to sell a pixie crystal core.”

“Oh, good. Let me see it!”

I show it to Gigila and she grabs it to look at it from a few angles.

“It’s unrefined… In good condition… I’ll take it. Two medium coins.”

The way she expedites the prices shows the banality of this trade for her so I just nod and accept the price.

I get two more medium coins and 6 points, for a new total of 21.

“Thank you, Gigila of the Moon. I’ll come again if I get any more.”

“Sure, see you around, Edward of the Skies.”

…

With my newfound confidence from my Wood God Language proficiency, I walk around the village and ask around about the prices of various items.

Clearly, the best way to make money for me is to hunt monsters and sell the skin, flesh and possibly horns, tusks, claws and crystal cores.

I meet up with Danielo, Lin Hao, Raquel and Claire and we share what we’ve learned.

As a test, I tried giving a coin to Claire and having her give it back, but neither of us gained any points. The system was foul-proof.

There would be no way to cheat and gain points without any effort.

Since the others had no money for now, I used a medium D-coin to rent a home for us six for three days.

I settle for the day and rest in the house with Suzy and Claire, talking into the evening.

Lin Hao, Raquel and Danielo are still gathering information and speaking to the Amazonesses.

I take a look at my status.

It’s quite cluttered now that I’ve accumulated so many passive skills…

I look at the repetition within my skills.

(I’d like this a bit more simplified.)

Suddenly the status changes.

Enhanced Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, Endurance and Charisma become Enhanced Attributes 1 instead.

The mana skills regrouped into Mana Passives 1.

I could focus on these new grouped skills to separate them temporarily.

I then focused on regrouping the skills in different categories. My interface accommodated me immediately.

My status seemed quite good, decently balanced.

I believed it needed raw power but also more peculiar resistances to resist things I couldn’t yet imagine.

I search for cheap resistance passive skills and find two that interest me.

Soul Blessing, which grants heightened resistance to corruption and Elemental Resistance 1, which decreases damage from heat, cold, electricity and corrosion.

Both skills cost ten points so I purchase them.

I am unsure about this ‘corruption’ but “Soul Blessing” sounded too good not to take.

On the other hand the elemental resistances were sure to come in handy someday.

I try to go to sleep.

A hand slithers its way onto my abs.

I open an eye.

“Suzy…?” She looks like she wants it. “Alright, you’re getting it.”

I grab her hand and push it towards her ear as I lift myself over her.

My left hand takes a hold of her tit and feels it around, moving it up and down, squeezing it and pinching the tip.

My lips fall on hers and our tongues intertwine.

Suzy greedily sucks on as much of my tongue as she can, drinking my saliva.

Her feelings of jealousy had transformed into aphrodisiac.

“Un ❤! More ❤! Hug me ❤!”

I lift us up with an arm and make Suzy sit on my lap.

I wrap both my arms around her, one fondling her butt and the other wrapping around her torso until it reaches for her breast.

Our underwear is the only barrier between us.

Our heat starts building up and I quicken my hands.

With both of us naked, I part Suzabeth’s legs and rub my penis on her slit by moving my hips.

Suzy groans and slams her hips upward.

My member is lightly squished between her pussy lips and my stomach.

Her hips fall back down for a second before shooting back up.

“Wow… I’ve never seen you quite like this.” I whisper to her.

“Hnnnn… Come on, come inside me ❤!” She replies with impatience.

A wide grin comes across my face as I guide myself inside Suzabeth, teasing her one last time before plugging her.

“Aaaaahn ❤ ❤!”

Tensions melt away from various muscles for just a moment before coming back to harden my thighs and waist.

My mental power detection activates itself for just a second.

(… There’s someone outside the door.)

It had to be either Lin Hao, Raquel, Danielo or Claire.

I start moving my hips back and forth anyway.

“Ooh ❤, it feels good ❤! Kiss me ❤!”

I kiss Suzy and taste her tongue left and right. Her moans are muffled and my ears perk up at a sound from the door.

Un ❤… Edward 🎔…

It’s a girly voice calling my name softly. A normal human wouldn’t hear it.

(Is it Raquel… Or Claire?)

I doubted Raquel would peep, but then again maybe she is perverted and obsessed with Suzabeth. She has a history of doing it in the woods too.

Maybe she noticed I peeped last time and came for revenge by peeping on me?

“Edward, go faster… Stop teasing me…” Suzy bounces her hips toward mine but the position makes it difficult.

Suzy makes me focus back on her and I suck on a nipple and start using my strength to move at full speed.

“Aaaaahn ❤❤❤!…”

She comes quickly from my full-powered thrusts.

I cum with her and suck on her neck.

“Hnnnn ❤!” The release brings great happiness and relief as we hug each other.

The peeping woman leaves.

Perhaps she came with us as well.

…

…

I wake up in the early morning and practice my two telekinetic abilities, making them face together by hitting a tiny force field with sand particles, one by one.

This training helps with finesse.

I get up and start dressing.

I’ll go hunting to make some money.

Once I get 100 points I’ll buy the Holy Bag to help transport my stuff.

I grab my staff, my sword, my bow, a knife and a talkie-walkie just in case.

Suzy wakes up and I come kiss her.

“I’m going to hunt in the jungle for a bit, see you later.”

“Is that not too dangerous…?”

“I’ll be alright, I’m the one who detects the monsters, right?”

“Yes, then I suppose I’ll wish you good luck.” She kisses my cheek before I depart.

Coming out of the house and seeing this peculiar village again confuses my mind, blurring it with thoughts of vacation for a moment and then thoughts about the dangers I’ve encountered.

I start walking away from the rising sun, hoping this gives me some advantage during the hunt.

On the way out of the village, Amazonesses give me looks of respect and longing.

I find a gate and a few Amazonesses guarding it.

“Ah, the strongman, Edward of the Skies…” One mutters.

The tallest Amazoness among the guards comes up to me. “Good morning, are you heading out, Edward of the Skies?”

“Yes, I’m going hunting for a while.”

This Amazoness wears a black fur bra, skirt, some leather wristbands and wields a spear.

She has long soft black hair that forms little points by her ribs.

“I see… A man, hunting… May the Wood God bless your hunt.”

“Thank you!” I say as I start walking to the forest.

“Wait…” She says.

I stop, wondering why she stops me.

“What is it?” I ask, tensing up a little.

“There has been fruit taken from trees. Probably stickbugs feasting on them. The village is rewarding two small coins for each head. More depending on the type.” She explains.

“Alright, I understand. I’ll kill all of those along the way.” I reply.

“Although I doubt you can spot them so easily, I hope your hunt is fruitful!” She says before paying less attention to my face.

I head out under the gazes of the Amazonesses staring at my crotch.

The jungle is right beyond the village’s walls and a bridge across the river.

The forest is really dark at this hour, but I can still see well enough to mind my steps.

Better yet, my detection skills don’t rely on sight.

I walk on, keeping my pace slow in order to not miss anything.

Since I’m by myself, I can’t afford any big mistake.

There are many stealthy monsters in this jungle unlike in the tutorial’s.

A breeze blows through my hair.

The jungle in these parts had a heavier breeze due to the increased humidity from the river’s proximity, seeping water through the ground.

(The water content means the monster types should change accordingly.)

Another few minutes later, I smell something good. Then pressing my steps, bright shades of red and purple lighten up a glade.

“Oh, wow…”

Big, beautiful and bright flowers covered the space of a few trees.

A sweet fruity scent made me feel happy.

I truly felt alive.

This is the fulfillment one gets from nature that cannot be found in any city.

I am walking where no man has walked ever before, finding beautiful things through my own efforts.

I’m truly living, in this moment.

SWISH

The wind is slashed and I immediately parry with my staff with sheer reflexes.

THONK

“What! This is!…”

A colorful stickbug that could blend in with the flowers had tried to get me while I was distracted…

(No! This one can hide its signature even better than the other ones! It’s basically a level 2 stickbug!)

My copper staff had blocked its slash and took a little dent. It’s stronger than it seems.

I wield my sword in my left hand and the bug takes a few steps back preemptively.

“Alright, that’s fine too!”

I point my staff and unleash a big magic missile. It flashes and hits the stickbug.

KRUIIII

(It’s not dead yet!)

The creature retreats and hides behind the flower-covered tree it came from.

I run to circle around the tree and launch a magic bullet.

That’s when I notice at the last second that a second stickbug was waiting for me.

SWISH THUNK

SPURT

It slices my arm.

“ARGH!”

I couldn’t get my telekinetic shield in place fast enough. The shield appears and covers my front side.

DONK DONK

Now that it’s protecting me, the stickbug’s attacks are ricocheting against the shield.

My arm bleeds profusely. Thankfully it couldn’t go through my bone, otherwise I might have lost an arm there.

“Heal!”

The first stickbug returns and starts hitting my telekinetic shield along with the second one while I heal my arm back to normal.

My flesh reconnects and the bruising disappears within a second, using a fifth of my total divine power.

I move away from the tree.

The stickbugs remain in place, looking at me intently.

In case they start to flee, I prepare to use telekinetic grab in advance. I take out my medieval longbow and draw an arrow.

Perhaps the stickbugs thought I had already lost them from sight, but that wasn’t the case, I could somewhat make out their outline.

I shoot an arrow at the first stickbug I encountered.

Swoosh Thonk

It pierces through it and nails it to the tree.

With a few movements that slow over time, it bleeds and dies.

The other stickbug tries to flee higher up the tree but I restrain it with telekinesis.

I shoot arrow after arrow. On the third arrow, the giant insect stops struggling and accepts its fate.

The fourth shot ends its life.

Being more cautious this time around, I slowly make my way over and try to feel for any mana signature at all.

Eventually I dislodge the arrows from the tree and let the dead phasmatodea fall.

There was a reward for each head.

(Did they mean that literally?)

Some things ought to be clarified immediately…

I take my sword and decapitate each bug. I swipe the blade against some leaves and try to wipe the insect heads as well to limit the amount of hemolymph they’d drip.

I walk back in the village’s direction.

On the way back I detect a few monsters, including a normal stickbug, whose head I take.

…

Back in view of the river and the village gate, I cross the bridge and meet with the gate’s leader, the tallest black-haired spear user Amazoness.

One woman cries out “The strongman’s injured!” and points at my sleeve where some dried blood had dried out.

I come closer and reassure them.

“I’m fine, I healed up, I haven’t had the time to wash it. Here are the stickbug heads, miss.”

“Oh… Two phantom stickbugs, and one ordinary stickbug! I didn’t think I’d see these! We reward phantom stickbug heads with twice the amount! So that makes you two, four and four small coins!” The Amazoness takes out ten small coins and hands them to me. As I take the small coins I get an additional point.

These coins are worth little, apparently a mere tenth of a medium coin.

All of this for a single point. I’d need to make a more efficient use of my time.

“Alright, thanks. I’ll get going then.” I try to walk away when the Amazoness stops me again.

“Wait… I’m Juna of the Armadillo…”

Unsure what she’s getting at, I still remain polite and greet her back.

“Juna of the Armadillo, I’m Edward of the Skies.”

“Edward of the Skies… Could you come to make my night special? I can pay a few medium coins…”

(Make her night… Special? Is she asking what I think she is?)

I take a good look at Juna.

(Yeah. She’s hot.)

A few medium coins probably meant 2 to 6 coins, meaning 6 to 18 points.

The pay was clearly worth it compared to the measly hunt I just did.

She’s offering one or multiple months of rent for one person for a night with me.

It would be flattering if it wasn’t also degrading.

But in case the hunting didn’t work out, I’d have to take on her offer.

“I understand… Let me think about it. I’ll consider your offer.”

“Un…” She groans in frustration.

Knowing she couldn’t take me the usual Amazoness way and had to pay instead must have already been a lot for her, but hearing my reply must be pushing her to her limits.

“I’ll go back hunting!” I walk away under the lusty Amazoness gazes.

I plunge into the jungle once more.

Sunlight sometimes peek through the foliage. I come across weirdly-shaped dung a few times without encountering any monsters.

After a few more minutes of walk, I detect a single monster ahead.

I walk further and see a sizable fruiting tree with arm-sized bright green bubbly fruits.

Many green leaves were scattered on the ground and it seemed the fruits that were left were unripe.

This must be what Juna was talking about when she said fruits were missing.

(But stickbugs wouldn’t tear away any leaves.)

The monster I’m detecting is still in that fruiting tree but it isn’t moving and it doesn’t quite correspond to a stickbug…

I walk around the tree and finally see the camouflaged monster, a giant green and brown-spotted snake, wrapped around the tree.

Its body is as wide as my forearm. It’s huge.

The moment it noticed that saw it, it lunged.

I step back with a kick to the ground, sliding on fallen leaves for a few meters before stopping.

The snake is clumsy in my eyes.

I unsheathe my elven longsword, wielding it in my left hand.

The snake’s upper body stands up and hisses. It’s not scaring me at all.

I take a stance with my sword above my head, pointing behind me. I have my copper staff guarding me, in my right hand.

(I’ll do this in one cut.)

My right foot is slightly forward. I get closer to the ground and lunge toward the snake, which moves back its head quickly.

I slash at the snake and slice through a few inches into its jaw, my blade unimpeded.

The snake hisses and stiffens.

I take a second step and move to the base of its neck, slashing 13 inches below the base of its head.

My sword slices through the snake and this decapitates the animal.

“Two cuts, not bad.”

The snake’s lower body slowly unwinds from the tree, falling to the ground.

(The entire snake must weigh a ton…)

However snake meat must taste quite nice, I had always wanted to try it.

I plant my staff in the ground, approach the head and lift it with a hand. Was the head of any worth?

I sheathe back my sword and start dragging the snake.

As I do so I get a good look at the snake.

(Those brown spots, they’re wounds!)

The snake was covered in these brown spots that were actually dried blood. Shallow wounds had bled and formed a crust.

What could have done this?

I kind of felt bad for killing a wounded animal now and the snake skin’s worth was significantly decreased.

Nevertheless, I grab my staff, the snake and drag it back toward the village.

Blood pours out the snake, leaving a blood trail.

After a few minutes I detect a single monster closing in. It repeatedly quickly approaches and stops, as if it’s jumping.

(Kind of like a frog. Or some frog-leaping demon…)

I let go of the snake and unsheathe my longsword, facing the incoming creature.

Shuffle

A few dozen meters away, leaves shuffle around.

I take a stance, this time sticking my staff in the ground and wielding my longsword with both hands. I have my left hand above my right hand, my left foot standing two feet forward and my arms above my head, with my sword pointing toward the threat.

This stance is both offensive and defensive, ideal for many situations, especially against the unknown.

I hear the swish of the wind and a big brown shadow flies in my direction.

The sheer size is intimidating, likely weighing as much as a small car.

I step to the side and slash at the beast.

My sword slices through bone and a smooth pink-spotted dark green-skinned creature falls to the ground.

It’s some sort of giant frog.

CROAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Too bad the fight is already over. Its cry of pain and the tremors it is having show how effective my sword’s enchantment is.

Without dilly-dallying I dash to pierce my sword through the giant frog’s skull.

The pink spots coloring its skin looked toxic.

With some effort, I could try to bring it to the village, but my arms were full with the snake already.

I grab the snake’s carcass and make my way back to the village.

No other monsters attack me.

I come out of bushes and back into the sunlight, across the river in front of the West gate.

The looks I get from the Amazonesses are slightly disappointing.

They pointed at me and smiled, but were not shocked or otherwise from seeing my prey.

“Taking down a thrusting snake on his own… He truly is our village’s strongman.”

“Look, he’s uninjured!”

“He could have used the arts of the Sun, that doesn’t mean anything.”

“No, look carefully, his weird clothes cover most of his body and they’re in the same state as earlier.”

“So he took down a thrusting snake easily…? I should ask him out like Juna did…”

I walk on the bridge and go through the gate, hauling my big snake, dragging it across the ground due to its length.

Juna gives me a wanting look to which I respond with a polite little smile.

I visit a tanner’s workshop and start negotiating for the sale of the thrusting snake.

Two Amazonesses own the place, one pregnant with an obviously big belly, and another carrying a baby Amazoness in her arms, suckling on her exposed tit.

I present my snake to the two.

The pregnant woman uses a measuring cord and approximates the beast’s surface.

“The skin is indeed in bad condition…” The other woman comments.

A little bluff may work wonders at making me lose less time getting money for the snake.

“Your butcher friend will also buy it for a high price. Perhaps I ought to sell to her first and then come sell you the skin…?”

“… Alright, I’ll buy it for a four medium coins! No more!”

“Deal!” I take the offer.

Clearly, hunting big game and bringing back the prey was a much more efficient use of my time.

I receive the money and gain 12 points for the snake’s body.

I’m left with the terrifying head in which the tanner had no interest.

There was no magical core inside.

I exit the Amazoness artisan’s workshop with the snake head in hand, held with one of its long fangs.

The village is livelier than when I first went to hunt.

People walk around the village, gossiping or working.

One such person, a girl who’s only 4 feet tall, a child by Amazoness standards, comes up to me. “Good morning, strongman Edward of the Skies! I’m Nekola of the Rivers!”

“Hello Nekola!” The girl had a pink loincloth, a little fanny pack on top and leather sandals. Her hair was fashioned to make two arcs above her head that somewhat imitated animal ears.

“Where are you going, mister?”

“I’m going home to place this down.” I show her the snake head. “Then I’m going back hunting.”

“Why?” She asks cutely with a curious gaze.

“To protect precious little girls like you from the bad monsters! And incidentally make more money.”

“Really?… I’m p-p-precious!?”

“Yeah, of course.”

She smiles brightly and proposes something familiar.

“… You want to make some money, right?… Then I’ll pay you one large coin! Please, kiss me ❤!!” Nekola gets a big gold D-coin out of a little fanny pack on her hip and holds it out in front of her with a strong blush.

It’s much heftier than a medium Amazoness coin… Which is quite insulting when I remember what the coins represent!

“You want me to kiss you? Is that even okay?” I ask, unsure how to take her proposition.

“Yes… I want my first kiss to be from a strongman… Mommy would approve!”

She’s offering a lot for a mere kiss.

(I hate to say it, but I’d be a fool if I didn’t take her offer!)

A few Amazonesses walking by stop to watch where this is going.

A large Amazoness coin is a big sum of money, worth months of living.

It’s quite fortunate this society is only comprised of a singular ethnicity of few numbers, otherwise holding such a coin in public wouldn’t even be possible without Nekola making a target for herself.

“Un… Alright. I’ll kiss you, Nekola.”

“Yay ❤!” She jumps in joy and runs to hug my chest.

She tip-toes and puckers her lips with her eyes half-closed.

“Hmmm~…” She hums happily.

I bend down and kiss her lips gently.

This contact makes Nekola lose her footing and her feet returns in full contact with the ground. Naturally our lips part as her height returns back to normal.

“Muuu…” Nekola pouts and looks at me with a frustrated expression.

It wouldn’t be fair to take so much money for a botched kiss.

I bend down further and meet her lips myself.

Nekola’s eye go wide in surprise.

I start kissing Nekola a bit more assertively.

My lips move around hers, which immediately elicit little moans from the girl.

“Un ❤! Un…”

(A French kiss might be too much for her right now.)

After a few more seconds, I stand back up.

Nekola breathes heavily and has bright red cheeks despite her tan.

Her eyes are glazed over and she cannot look at my face anymore.

“Um… Here!!” She holds out the large coin.

I take it, immediately increasing my points by 20, for a total of 34.

“Un, alright… If you want to kiss again-” Earning 20 points like this could be considered a godsend, but as I propose doing this again Nekola interrupts me.

“Sorry, but I can’t spend more for just kissing. As I said, my first kiss was special… I’ll be going home now, bye bye!”

“Oh, I understand, goodbye!”

Nekola left with light steps and a happy mood.

I turn around to go home and notice a crowd of Amazonesses gazing at me. Three of the bolder ones come over, showing one or two medium coins in their palms.

“Please, I want to kiss too! I only have a medium coin, can I?”

“No, choose me! Two medium coins!”

“A-hem… I only have one coin, but I can cook for you tonight?”

“I’ll worship your body and bath you!”

The women were getting quite excited. Some were acting creepy, enough to make my hair stand up.

I speak up and calm down the crowd.

“Wow, wow, alright! Ladies! Calm down!”

The ladies start pushing each other. The stronger Amazonesses get closer to me, forcing their way through the crowd.

“Ouch! My hair!”

“Who ripped my loincloth!?”

The chaos was brewing negativity in the village.

This behavior had no place in this paradise.

“I only kiss gentle Amazonesses!” These words make the women freeze on the spot like cats caught doing something wrong.

Even the ones that were pushing and grabbing around suddenly pretend they did no wrong, but I can clearly remember their faces.

I consider kissing them one after the other, but it would debase me, and moreover…

(It would feel unfair to Nekola since she payed more for same service.)

“I’m not kissing anyone else today.” I leave under the disappointed stares of the Amazonesses.

I wash my sleeve in the river before heading to the home I’m renting. Suzy sees me.

“Edward! Your arm!”

“It’s fine, but can you do something for the sleeve?”

“Muu, of course. What happened? Did this giant snake do it?”

“So-called phantom stickbugs…”

I explain what happened and how tricky these new monsters were.

I ask Suzabeth to try and make dinner with the snake head since it wasn’t worth much besides being an ingredient in a big pot of soup.

Evening wouldn’t be coming anytime soon and I wasn’t yet tired.

I head back through the West gate and back into the jungle.

…