Chapter 62: Yacht? That Sounds Promising

The heart-shaped boots that Celine had taken off were now meant for Number 11. Their style was perfect for a girl—at last, there was no need to worry about being mocked for her shoes. Five pieces of equipment had cost a total of 200 points of source energy; only 10 points remained, so upgrading was out of the question for now.

At this moment, Lin Xiao found himself hoping that the werewolf chief Lucien or his “brother” Damonte would hurry up and come looking for trouble. It would be the perfect opportunity to test the new equipment’s performance and harvest a fresh batch of source energy.

Unexpectedly, neither party made a move. Both seemed to hide in the shadows, waiting for the perfect chance to strike and finish him with one blow. This was exactly why he’d been anxious to forge new gear. An open attack could be avoided, but a hidden one was difficult to guard against. Without the ability to predict the future, and lacking keen instincts for danger, he was vulnerable. If the enemy lay concealed, sniper rifle in hand, his life would still be at risk.

Now, with full equipment and greatly enhanced physical defense, even a sniper shot wouldn’t be fatal—unless it was a headshot. Combined with his purification skill, surviving was no longer so difficult. Of course, the biggest problem for a cleric was always the severe lack of defense. Even after advancing to exorcist or paladin, both capable of attack and healing, their personal defenses were not strong enough. Unless he could forge even higher-grade equipment and raise his base attributes, he would never become truly formidable.

In short, he had to keep absorbing source energy. Without it, his strength could only stagnate. If he weren’t so unfamiliar with the Reverse World, he’d be eager to go there and hunt monsters for more source energy.

After checking his own status, he saw that Number 11 and Joey had returned and were talking downstairs. Lin Xiao called Number 11 upstairs, brought her into his room, and gave her Celine’s heart-shaped boots, saying only that they were a gift from his teacher, Dumbledore, to increase her movement speed and improve her defense.

Number 11’s abilities had been growing steadily; her overall strength was fast approaching level 9, and she was about to reach the threshold of level 10. Lin Xiao believed that, with her potential, she would be no less than a newly advanced magician once she broke through—her only shortcoming was a lack of skills and systematic training.

There wasn’t much Lin Xiao could do about that. The Magic Academy and Dumbledore only existed in the world of Harry Potter—not in reality—so she couldn’t really use spells from the books, could she?

“What adorable shoes! I love them, Jonathan!”

Number 11 put on the boots, spun around a few times, and tried jogging in place, darting nimbly around the room. The effect was even better than when he’d worn them himself.

“These are from my teacher, called Celine’s Heart-shaped Boots. They’ll make you faster. Practice using the speed boost these next few days—if you ever meet danger, and you can’t win, just run.” Lin Xiao instructed her earnestly. Number 11 was stubborn, and her mind hadn’t matured—she was like a seven- or eight-year-old child. Such an immature mindset severely limited her performance; otherwise, she could be much stronger.

After another round of instruction, Lin Xiao, now fully equipped, went downstairs. Joey and Chief Hopper were both surprised—his clothes looked unusual. They seemed ordinary, yet drew the eye, as if infused with a strange magic.

“Jonathan, what’s going on with your clothes?” Joey asked, feeling that her eldest son had been mysterious lately and not sure what he was up to.

“Oh, I bought these at the clothing market today and added a bit of magic, so they look extraordinary.”

So that was it—no wonder. Joey already knew her eldest son had taken a magic teacher and had been studying magic in private. As unbelievable as it sounded, after the Mind Flayer incident and the encounter with the undead witch, her worldview had been forcibly reshaped. Nothing surprised her anymore.

The family sat around the table for dinner. During the meal, Lin Xiao took out a briefcase stuffed with five thousand dollars in cash and handed it across to Joey.

Puzzled, she opened the case, saw five thick stacks of bills inside, and asked in astonishment, “Jonathan, what’s this all about?”

Lin Xiao had already prepared his excuse and coordinated his story with Will. He explained, “I used my magic to help a wealthy young lady with a private matter, and this was her payment. You know how girls at this age get odd things on their faces—it really affects their social lives, going to parties, finding boyfriends, that kind of thing.”

He winked at Will, who quickly chimed in, “Yeah, it was Jessie from the Kardashian family in our villa district. She paid Jonathan to help her out.”

Joey was half-convinced. Will never lied, and the Kardashian family did have a daughter named Jessie. She’d seen her parents give speeches at school events and donate large sums of money and supplies.

“All that, just for a little trouble? Five thousand dollars? Jonathan, isn’t that too much? And aren’t you worried about exposing your abilities?”

Joey’s voice was full of concern. Earning money was good, but she feared her son might be in danger. No amount of money was worth risking his safety.

“It’s fine. I just said I learned an old family remedy from somewhere, good for treating small troubles. You know how girls trust those kinds of things,” Lin Xiao said with a laugh, putting Joey at ease. She put away the black briefcase, her voice choked with emotion.

“I’m sorry, Jonathan. I should be the one taking care of you, but I’m useless. I can only rely on my meager salary. Seeing you earn so much makes me truly happy.”

With that, she covered her mouth, sobbing. Lin Xiao and Will hurried to comfort her, and Number 11 joined in, hugging her tightly.

“It’s all right, Joey. Jonathan’s grown up and making good money. You should be proud,” Chief Hopper added, looking at Lin Xiao with envy. Every time this kid did something, he made thousands—he was more efficient than a money counter. Clearly, making money was child’s play for these gifted individuals.

Thinking this, Hopper felt a twinge of inferiority. He’d hoped to pursue Joey, help her, and take care of her family. But now, it seemed they didn’t need him at all.

Unbeknownst to Lin Xiao, his actions had shaken Hopper’s resolve, making him reconsider his intentions. If he’d known, he never would have brought so much money.

“Mom, take the money and buy a big-screen TV tomorrow, and a DVD player, too. Without those, staying home on vacation is too boring. Don’t worry about money. With my abilities, earning is easy. Once I’ve saved enough, we’ll buy a yacht and take trips around the Great Lakes whenever we want.”

Hearing this, Hopper abandoned his pursuit of Joey for good. If they could afford a yacht, what could a small-town police chief possibly offer?

Joey’s face lit up with excitement. A yacht? That was something she’d never even dreamed of. Every time she passed the lake and saw yachts moored there, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy. Or perhaps, women were simply powerless to resist the allure of yachts. In all of Hawkins, you could count the families who could afford one on one hand. The thought of sailing their own private yacht across the Great Lakes, drifting along the Mississippi—such a life...

Jonathan, hurry and help those girls with their little troubles.

PS: The book’s progress hasn’t been great, and I’m feeling terribly anxious. I want to write more chapters, but every time I open the keyboard I can’t help but check the stats—it’s torture. This six-chapter burst is a matter of life and death, affecting recommendations and the book’s future. If you like it, please add it to your library. Thank you! Thank you!