"How is it?" Yang Kai asked with a smile, looking at the woman.
"Oh my..." The woman reached up to scratch her head, her gaze drifting sideways. She let out a dry chuckle. "This battle ship's crafting is... indeed... not bad, ha ha ha..."
Nanmen Dajun smiled from the side. "Little Hou, remember what you said earlier?"
The woman glared fiercely at him, then adopted a brazen, thick-skinned stance as she looked at Yang Kai. "Fine! Even though I have a few little personality flaws..."
"Little flaws?" Nanmen Dajun's forehead vein twitched.
"...I also have my strong points! My greatest strength is that I accept my losses gracefully!" The woman declared to Yang Kai with an air of nonchalance. "So, when are we getting married?"
"There's no need for marriage," Yang Kai raised his hand to refuse. "Master Hou, you are a master artificer of your generation. I came here primarily to invite you to Lingxiao Palace to take up the position of Chief Artificer. For any offense I may have caused earlier, I ask that Master Hou does not hold it against me."
"Hee hee hee hee..." The woman covered her mouth with a delicate laugh, her shoulders shaking. "Little brother sure knows how to talk." Her expression suddenly turned serious. "Let's make this clear: it was you yourself who said you didn't need me to fulfill the bargain, not that I'm trying to weasel out of it. My reputation cannot be tarnished."
"Dajun can bear witness," Yang Kai smiled faintly, adding, "Provided Master Hou is willing to return with me to Lingxiao Palace."
Hearing this, the woman's expression sobered. She glanced sideways at Nanmen Dajun, considered carefully for a moment, and then spoke. "If it weren't for Dajun, I wouldn't consider it even if your Lingxiao Palace offered mountains of benefits. But since Dajun has already joined... I'll go along for the excitement."
"I assure you, Master Hou will not be disappointed!" Yang Kai nodded with a smile.
"Hold on!" The woman raised a hand. "Before that, I have one more condition."
Yang Kai frowned slightly and nodded. "Go on."
The woman spun around and darted behind the boulder. She lifted one leg, tucking her floral-patterned skirt up at her waist. One foot rested on the rock, revealing half her thigh, though she seemed entirely unconcerned. A dice cup appeared in her hand, and she shook it in a dizzying blur. A clattering sound came from within, and after a moment, she slammed it down onto the boulder. With a shout: "Bet with me! The stake is this battle ship!"
"Your condition is this?" Yang Kai asked, astonished.
"That's right!" the woman nodded.
Yang Kai was speechless. He had heard Nanmen Dajun say this Master Hou was a gambling addict, but hadn't had the chance to experience it firsthand. He didn't expect this to happen right before they left.
The Virtual Grade battle ship crafted by Yang Yan would be immensely attractive to her. That was why she wanted him to use it as the stake.
"Fine!" Yang Kai had no issue with it; it was just a bet. "If I win, what then? What's your stake?"
"I'll naturally have something to pay you!" the woman snorted, then demanded in a deep voice, "Big or small?"
Yang Kai glanced at Nanmen Dajun, who spoke up. "Palace Master, bet whichever you like. You don't need to worry about her cheating. This fellow takes gambling extremely seriously and would never try to cheat."
"Then I'll go with big," Yang Kai said casually. Whether he won or lost didn't really matter. Losing would only mean losing a Virtual Grade battle ship.
Nanmen Dajun quietly produced a spatial ring and tossed it onto the rock. "I'm also betting big."
The woman sneered at Nanmen Dajun. "Careful you don't lose everything."
"Don't worry, I can beat you with my eyes closed."
"Come, come, place your bets! No more bets!"
...
A moment later, the woman clutched her right wrist with her left hand, shaking it violently. Her eyes held the look of someone facing a mortal enemy, and she cried out in anguish. "Chop off my hand! How could it be big?"
Nanmen Dajun calmly retrieved the spatial ring. "Let's see, Little Hou, you now owe me a total of fifty million Source Crystals."
"Put it on my tab!" the woman glared at him irritably, then looked over at Yang Kai. She sighed. "Since I lost, I'll give you something."
As she spoke, she reached into her clothes, grabbed something at random, and tossed it to Yang Kai.
Yang Kai caught it without thinking. He looked closely and almost spat out a stream of blood from his nose.
The woman giggled. "It's my undergarment. Still warm..."
Yang Kai said with a dark expression, "What am I supposed to do with this?"
The woman replied meaningfully, "Who knows..."
Yang Kai sighed, about to hand the delicate undergarment back, when he suddenly frowned. He shook the garment open, laid it in his palm, and examined it carefully.
The woman had intended to see Yang Kai make a fool of himself, but seeing his demeanor, she felt a sudden jolt of apprehension. She secretly sent a voice transmission to Nanmen Dajun: "Dajun, our Palace Master... isn't he a virgin, is he? If I keep teasing him like this, won't I get eaten alive?"
"You? As if!" Nanmen Dajun scoffed with disdain.
"What's wrong with me?" the woman retorted immediately, displeased.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai had noticed something. He looked up at the woman in surprise, astonished. "You are Master Hou?"