Chapter 39: Clockwork Donkey
Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Clockwork Donkey
’Tidal Blade?’
Wang Xi held the cool, smooth Universal Card and examined it. The back still had that irregular, crystalline pattern, glowing with an emerald-like luster. The front depicted a spiraling, curved column of water, resembling a long, blue blade.
’Another Water Element Magic Card, and it’s a higher tier than "Water Blade" and "Water Arrow."’
Wang Xi was naturally happy to have a new ace up his sleeve.
But at the same time, he couldn’t help but feel that his Magic Card Set was becoming increasingly specialized.
He could almost see a future where rumors of a "Water-Spraying Warlock" spread throughout the Fairy Tale World...
The title sounded incredibly lewd on its own.
It definitely didn’t sound like a good thing.
Ugh! No, please no!
Wang Xi facepalmed.
The rumors about him eating brains were already perverted enough. If he started spraying water while eating them, wouldn’t that make him a pervert among perverts?
He actually had another worry. He didn’t possess any Magic Power himself. Using Sugar Coating, Water Arrow, and Water Blade occasionally was probably fine; his current Physique could handle it.
But if he were to use a powerful Magic spell like "Tidal Blade," which was clearly an ultimate move, he’d probably be tuckered out in no time.
Afterward, he’d be as helpless as a fast-asleep husband.
’If only I could actually master Magic Power...’
Wang Xi couldn’t help but yearn for it.
If he had Magic Power, he wouldn’t have to play the part of a fake Wizard with a Laser Pistol anymore. Besides, with the help of a mana bar, a noble Casting Unit could use Magic Skill Cards much more frequently, greatly increasing his stamina.
He would instantly graduate from Kakashi Level to Ghost Shark Level.
Spamming ultimate moves like basic attacks—just thinking about it was exciting!
’Hmm... Since Magic Power and Wizards exist in the Fairy Tale World, I’m bound to get a chance to encounter and learn it sooner or later.’
Wang Xi wasn’t discouraged.
Putting the Card away, he felt that his body had gotten a teensy bit stronger. It was most likely the effect of "photosynthesis" continuously absorbing natural light Energy after he had pretended to be a goblin all day.
It wasn’t much of a boost, no more than a mosquito’s leg.
But Wang Xi was still satisfied.
He was just about to practice with his cards and train his body, using the principle of the "airplane sleep method" to tire himself out for a quick slumber.
But just then, he caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of his eye.
"Hm?" Wang Xi turned his head to look.
In a fenced-off corner of the tribe’s settlement, the donkey kept by the goblins was staring at him. It kept shaking its head and then nodding at him, as if trying to get his attention.
The donkey’s gaze was quite strange, filled with anxiety and hope. It seemed highly intelligent.
Wang Xi took a closer look.
An entry floated above the donkey’s head:
[Strange Clockwork Donkey (Yellow)]
Although it had no Star Level, what stunned Wang Xi was that the donkey’s entry was framed by a brilliant, eye-catching silver pattern.
Just like Chu Nai, it was a Hero unit?!
What the hell!
SWOOSH—
Wang Xi stood up, bewildered and suspicious.
Then he cautiously approached it.
As he drew near, the donkey seemed very happy.
Gaw—rum!
Gaw—uh!
The donkey made a duck-like sound, but it deliberately kept the volume low, as if worried about waking the other goblins.
After confirming it posed no threat, Wang Xi gently stroked the donkey’s head, smoothing its messy fur to calm it down a little.
As he petted it, the donkey’s excitement gradually subsided. It stuck out its tongue to lick his hand, then stared at him with its innocent eyes.
"What’s wrong?"
Wang Xi asked in a low voice.
"Do you need my help?"
Gaw—uh!
The donkey let out a quiet call and nodded.
It had clearly understood Wang Xi’s words.
Just as Wang Xi was feeling surprised, he saw the donkey jerk its head toward its own rear, then turn around on the spot, presenting its backside to Wang Xi.
Then it started shaking and wiggling like a corgi.
He had no idea what it was trying to indicate.
"..."
Wang Xi fell silent.
’This guy... it doesn’t want me to...’
GASP!
Wang Xi sucked in a sharp breath.
’Although I sometimes act like a horndog, I haven’t fallen so low as to join the ranks of the truly depraved!’
He quickly banished the sinful association from his mind.
But then he noticed a heart-shaped, silver wind-up key just above the donkey’s tailbone. If he listened closely, he could faintly hear a subtle CLICK-CLACK sound.
’A clockwork donkey...’
’I see.’
Wang Xi had a realization.
Wind-up toys usually store energy through a gear and spring mechanism... So he reasonably deduced that the donkey was probably running out of energy and was asking him to turn the key.
Thinking this, Wang Xi tried reaching out, pinching the key, and turning it forcefully.
CLICK-CLACK, CLICK-CLACK...
Round and round it went.
After nearly a hundred turns, Wang Xi finally felt the key reach its limit, stuck and unable to turn any further.
CLICK!
A crisp sound rang out.
Gaw—uh!
The donkey let out a joyful cry.
It was at this moment that Wang Xi watched in astonishment as the donkey’s gray-black hide began to melt and drip like wax, releasing a sweet, cloying aroma of chocolate.
’This is...’
’Candy Magic?!’
At a speed visible to the naked eye, the donkey transformed into a human figure.
A boy of about fifteen or sixteen was curled up on the ground. He had black, ear-length curly hair, and his facial features were as delicate and soft as a girl’s. His eyes were closed.
He was dressed in a noble’s attire with a red pattern on a black base: a cinched tunic, a white ruff collar, pleated and tasseled sleeves, and flared pant legs.
He looked like a gorgeous doll.
The wind-up key hadn’t disappeared; instead, it was attached to his lower back, turning at an extremely slow speed.
The clockwork boy opened his eyes.
His black, jewel-like eyes stared at Wang Xi, and he immediately broke into an innocent smile.
"Thank you for saving me, sir."
The boy stood up and quickly walked over.
CLANG!
But his movement was abruptly halted, and his body staggered.
Only then did Wang Xi and the boy notice that the chain that had been tethering the donkey was now fastened around the boy’s neck.
The leather collar had a copper lock.
At the same time, Wang Xi noticed that the entry above the boy’s head had quietly changed. It was no longer "Strange Clockwork Donkey," but had become—
[Mechanical Masterpiece: Pinocchio (Green/Four-Star)]
The brilliant silver pattern was still there, and the previous no-star evaluation had instantly become Four-Star.
Wang Xi’s pupils contracted.
Pinocchio?!
This was a household name from the Fairy Tales of his past life, originating from a 19th-century Western novel called *The Adventures of Pinocchio*.
But just like "Cinderella" and the "Ice and Snow Queen," the Pinocchio before him seemed a far cry from the wooden puppet he remembered.
Pinocchio looked down at his collar, looking a little sad.
Wang Xi thought for a moment, then took a step forward.
He pulled two thin iron wires from his pocket and, under Pinocchio’s astonished gaze, inserted them into the keyhole. With a couple of simple twists and a CLICK, the copper lock sprang open.
—[Lock Picking Mastery]—
The Universal Card he had gotten from the Finger Association ambusher came in handy at this very moment.
The collar was removed, falling to the ground along with the chain.
"Thank you." The boy was overjoyed. "If it weren’t for your help, sir, I would have fallen into a deep sleep in the form of a donkey, and who knows when I would have recovered."
"Why did you turn into a donkey?"
Wang Xi asked curiously.
The boy was taken aback for a moment, then a bitter expression crossed his face.
"I heard there were many evil Demons in the Magic Forest, so I came here to defeat them and become a Hero, to make my father proud of me."
"But not long after I arrived, I ran into one of the Demon leaders, the ’Sugar Witch’... After a great battle of several hundred rounds, just as I was about to win, the cunning Witch pretended to surrender and trapped me when I let my guard down."
Wang Xi listened intently, nodding.
But then his gaze suddenly sharpened.
The boy, completely engrossed in his story, continued:
"That Witch is so, so mean! She has no manners. She cursed at me with a whole bunch of nasty, dirty words, and even ordered a group of ugly Sugar Mushroom Girls to spit on me."
"Finally, she beat me up and mocked me, then turned me into a donkey and gave me to her goblin underlings as a reward, forcing me to work for them. How despicable..."
"Wait!" Wang Xi quickly stopped him.
"What is it, sir?"
The boy stopped his tale and asked, confused.
Wang Xi frowned and said cautiously,
"Are you okay? It looks like your pants are about to burst..."
"Huh?"
The boy looked down and noticed that his exquisite court tights were bulging.
"Ah, my apologies."
He scratched his head and explained,
"When I get excited, things grow on my body."
"Huh?" Wang Xi’s jaw dropped in astonishment. "What kind of things grow there? Mushrooms?"
"No." The boy quickly waved his hands. "I’m not a goblin. I don’t grow mushrooms."
"Don’t worry, sir, I’m fine."
As he spoke, Wang Xi saw Pinocchio grab the bulging part of his pants and snap it off with force.
There was a crisp CRACK.
It sounded like something broke.
The sound made Wang Xi’s scalp tingle and a chill run down his groin.
’What a ruthless clockwork man...’
’Snaps it right off, just like that!’
The boy turned away shyly, fiddled with something, then turned back, holding a light purple crystalline cluster in his hand.
"This is the kind of thing that grows."
"An... Ethereal Crystal?!"
Wang Xi was stunned, his eyes glued to it.
—[Ethereal Crystal]—
The long mineral in the boy’s hand was, without a doubt, an Ethereal Crystal, exactly the same as the one he had bought from the Spinning Wheel Commerce!
"Yes, it is." Pinocchio sighed. "This is a defect I was born with. It’s always been a source of trouble for me."
"By the way, sir, I don’t have much to repay you with, so please take this crystal."
"..."
Wang Xi looked at the crystal the boy offered, feeling extremely conflicted, not knowing whether to accept it or not.
Pinocchio mistook his hesitation for bashfulness and cheerfully shoved it into Wang Xi’s hand, saying,
"My father always says that one should show gratitude or repay the kindness and help of others, and especially to be good to one’s friends... Sir, I would like to be friends with you. May I?"
"Well..."
Wang Xi held the crystal, feeling like it was burning his hand.
He saw the expectant look on the boy’s face turn to dejection because of his hesitation.
"Of course." Wang Xi put the crystal away and said quickly. ’This is at least a pound, worth 50 Energy.’ "I would be happy to be your friend."
"My name is Pinocchio. I’m from the Clockwork Kingdom across the sea. It’s a pleasure to meet you."
The boy extended his hand joyfully.
Wang Xi shook it and said,
"Gai Farrell of Randall."
"Hee hee, Mr. Gai."
Pinocchio released his hand and gave him a brilliant smile.
"You’re actually human, right?"