Demon King: Hero, don't run away!

HP-1.

The red numbers indicating damage dealt floated up once more, as the slime's friendly status disappeared.

The slime once again lifted its body high, swayed from left to right announcing its attack, and employed Slime Charge.

The speed of the attack was much like before, and Yang Yu easily dodged while tossing out another clover.

Instantly attracted by the clover, the slime bounced over to eat it and returned to a friendly state with Yang Yu.

"Attacking a friendly-state slime makes it lose that state and resets its attack mode. As long as I keep resetting the slime's attack mode, it'll never be able to hit me."

With the strategy now clear in his mind, there was no need to continue the fight.

Breaking off combat, Yang Yu got up and headed back to Newbie Village.

At present, his attack power was too weak, managing only to reduce the slime's HP by 1 with each hit. It would take at least 192 ordinary attacks to defeat a slime, and he had no intention of actually using 192 ordinary attacks on it.

Moreover, he hadn't prepared many of the essential clovers.

Drawing a sword was foolhardy, an outright gift to the enemy.

The slime was the first enemy, and the method of gaining Experience Value from it to level up was not feasible. Perhaps he could improve himself through training, but that approach was too costly in terms of time and a bad strategy.

As the sunset cast an orange glow over the peaceful Newbie Village, Yang Yu took the shortest route home, pondering about how to grow stronger.

That's when a man approached him head-on.

The man, in his mid-twenties, was slightly brawny and nonchalant, With a shiny bald head that gleamed, he oozed a crafty aura from head to toe.

Neither man dodged the other, and the bald man even leaned deliberately towards Yang Yu's side, causing their shoulders to collide before they both simultaneously stopped walking.

"How come you don't watch where you're going, kid?"

"I'm sorry."

Preferring not to make a fuss, Yang Yu bowed in apology, but Wu Ke, whose real name was Su Liang, wasn't about to let things go so smoothly.

Su Liang was a well-known village bully. He had a brother working in the city, and many people would ask favors of him to take backdoor routes through his brother, which became his capital for deceiving others.

Su Liang would often wander the village, and upon seeing a well-grown chicken, he'd compliment, "What a nice, pretty chicken!" Then, affectionately comment, "Hmm? Looks like this chicken is limping. Let me help treat it." After that... there was no after—tears of sorrow would run from the corners of his mouth as he "helped" someone else's chicken pass on.

Other people's vegetable garden fences were as good as non-existent to him; he often justified his scavenging with the excuse, "These are things the villagers don't want; we can take them home. I'll just take a tiny bit this time, and come back when I'm hungry next time." The villagers dare not speak out in anger.

At mealtime, Su Liang would, as usual, come out to find some excitement and happened to run into Yang Yu head-on.

Isn't this kid the son of the herbalist? I'm short on funds lately, and since he will make big money in the future, I might as well borrow a small sum from him.

With that in mind, Su Liang orchestrated the whole scene.

"There's no need for apologies. I was thinking about something very important, and your carelessness disturbed my train of thought. Don't you think you should compensate me a bit?"

"Cut the crap, let's just start fighting!"

???

Su Liang's face was full of question marks.

Why isn't this kid following the script? Shouldn't he be meekly apologizing right now and then asking me what compensation I want? How did we jump straight to a fight?

Yang Yu's heart bloomed with joy; a smile of sudden enlightenment on his face as he looked at Su Liang, his eyes sparkling with hunger, almost drooling.

```

[Su Liang Level: LV2 HP: 42/42 MP: 11/11 Stamina: 20

Attributes: Strength 15, Defense 8, Intelligence 5, Special Defense 8, Agility 8, Endurance 5

Resistance: None

]

So that's how it is, that's how it is. This place truly lives up to the real Newbie Village, where the initial enemies are not outside the village, but inside.

The Slime is bait; the real Experience Bag is right before my eyes!

Yang Yu licked his lips, "Anyway, it's all going to come down to money. I might as well lay it out straight—if you want to get money from me, we have to have a little showdown. As long as you win, I'll give you all the money I have."

"You little rascal,"

Where did you learn to speak such blunt truths. No, what scheme are you concocting?

Sensing something off, Su Liang narrowed his eyes, noticing the sword at Yang Yu's waist, and suddenly understood, revealing a cunning smile.

"You're carrying a sword, no wonder you're so arrogant. Do you dare to put down your sword and fight me mano a mano?"

An Experience Bag should act like one, stop dilly-dallying. Just like the goons who show up for the protagonist to practice on in novels, less talk, more action.

Or am I being too arrogant, making him wary? No, what part of what I just said was arrogant? Well, even if I was a bit arrogant...

In order not to scare away the Experience Bag, Yang Yu feigned difficulty, nodding and bowing, "This... that... but... I've only just learned how to use a sword..."

Watching the trembling Yang Yu, Su Liang confirmed his suspicion, his head shone brightly as he chuckled to himself.

"Hehe, chickening out, huh? I've been short on cash lately, lend me a few bucks, don't worry, I'll pay you back."

Sure you will pay back, but who knows when, right?

Yang Yu shook his head like a rattle-drum, with tearful eyes and hands trembling as he gripped the hilt of the sword, deliberately showing weakness, "No, even unarmed, I'm going to rely on my own strength to protect my possessions."

"Some spine there, just don't regret it."

"I'll never regret it! Bring it on!"

With a "snap," Yang Yu decisively threw the sword to the ground, his voice resounding with confidence, so much so that it made Su Liang's heart quiver.

I haven't been duped, have I? No, he's just trying to appear calm, puffing himself up. A kid like him who hardly ever exercises can't be my match; he's merely bluffing.

In this village, the only thing Su Liang feared in a fight was his uncle's big watchdog; he didn't believe he couldn't beat this puny kid.

Five minutes later...

"I'm sorry, I was wrong."

Su Liang, with a bruised nose and a swollen face, knelt on the ground and gave Yang Yu a heavy kowtow; his confidence had completely collapsed when Yang Yu's fists smeared his face.

Yang Yu's strength wasn't all that great, but he moved like lightning, as if he had received professional training, making it seem effortless. Su Liang couldn't even land a punch on him, only to have his face repeatedly pummeled by Yang Yu's fists.

If this continued, his handsome face would be marred by ugly scars. Therefore, Su Liang decisively admitted defeat and apologized.

With the Experience gained, Yang Yu didn't even bother with Su Liang and just walked away, not giving him the slightest bit of face.

Even then, Su Liang couldn't fathom how such a weakling could have beaten him like this and acted like it was the most natural thing.

"Could he have always been hiding his true strength?"

Su Liang was filled with shock and doubt.

```