Lin Da stood up and took Monica''s small hand with a calm tone, "Madam, I should leave now, mypanions in White Dove City are still waiting for me to return."


    Lady Bellini became a bit flustered as she got up to stop him, "Auntie apologizes on behalf of Lia, can you, give Lia another chance? To go back to her team..."


    "You are a precious member of The Mands, the Third Lady, and I, a mere mud-legged adventurer, cannot afford your apology."


    "Auntie... is willing topensate you for that child."


    With a bite of her teeth, as if making a difficult decision, Bellini said with a determined look, "Please go back to Lia, that child''s dream cannot be achieved without you!"


    "I''ve said, I''ve already left the Snow Goose Adventure Team."


    "I can agree to any conditions you have, Auntie!"


    "It''s not about conditions."


    Lin Da felt irritated.


    He had his own team now, had formed new bonds.


    Lulu, Monica, and there was also Isa in the ns, and it seemed Aiko wanted toe too... They were all much better than Lia.


    So—no matter how Bellini pleaded, he would not return to the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Lin Da moved towards the door, when suddenly he heard a crash behind him.


    Turning his head, he saw Lady Bellini clutching her forehead, a pained expression on her face as she toppled forward!


    Lin Da, with quick reflexes, instinctively stepped forward and caught Bellini.


    "What''s happening?"


    He eximed in surprise, worried she was faking a faint.


    The feel was indeed pleasant, but strangely,


    thedy was feeble and boneless, light as a piece of paper, definitely not the weight an adult should have.


    Her limbs alsocked strength,pletely relying on his support.


    Looking down, he saw Bellini pursing her lips in pain, with a trace of ck blood seeping from the corner of her mouth.


    Kafni''s nose twitched, "The smell of contamination?"


    Considering what Dawen mentioned earlier, Bellini had suffered a witch attack in her early years, and her health was not optimistic...


    Lin Da frowned.


    It seemed to be no act.


    Heid Bellini on the couch.


    Touching her forehead, it was very hot, as if she had a fever of forty degrees.


    Initially still conscious, she murmured Lia''s name in a low voice.


    But a few secondster, she entered a semiatose state.


    -7, -10, -18...


    ck numbers jumped out one after another above Bellini''s head.


    Lin Da cast a Primary Healing Spell on her, but the result was a green +0.


    Bellini, contaminated, had entered an ''untreatable'' stage!


    With Bellini''s low level, her health points were probably only around three to four hundred.


    At this rate, she would die within a minute.


    It was troublesome!


    Lin Da''s heart sank.


    If anything happened to her, even if unrted to him, he wouldn''t be able to leave The Mands ''residence'' anytime soon until the investigation was clear.


    And Lulu was still in White Dove City; their trust hadn''t reached a stable level. His prolonged absence could easily be construed as betrayal, abandoning her to run away.


    Call over Dawen, the second young master of The Mands, to exin the situation?


    Or...


    He picked up a tissue and wiped the corner of Bellini''s mouth.


    On the tissue, starkly, were traces of ck contaminated blood.


    Harboring a sliver of hope, Lin Da made contact with a fingertip and silently invoked Purification in his heart.


    Suddenly, there was a sizzling sound.


    As if encountering corrosion, the contaminated blood swiftly dissipated under the Purifying Power, turning into normal red bloodstains.


    [System Notification: Absorbed Masterless Witch''s Contamination, Mystical Points +100!]


    Lin Da raised an eyebrow; his Purification ability could work!


    With a serious tone, Kafni said, "Shall we proceed? The source of contamination is at the position of the heart."


    The heart, located in the middle of the chest, slightly to the left.


    Lin Da looked at the majestic object that he shouldn''t be touching and hesitated.


    He cast a nce at the door; surely Dawen wouldn''t suddenlye in, right?


    -7, -9, -11... The blood loss continued, and Lady Bellini''splexion paled like paper, her hands clutching her chest tightly, her body slightly convulsing.


    She wouldn''tst much longer.


    Lin Da gritted his teeth.


    He silently apologized to the Bloody Baron in his mind.


    If anyone was to me, it was him for not having the Purifying Power.


    So... here Ie!


    "Child, don''t look," Lin Da had Monica turn around first.


    Then he took a deep breath and moved Lady Bellini''s hands from her chest.


    He ced his own there.


    It was like pressing into cotton, leaving behind the imprint of his palm.


    The half-conscience Lady Bellini felt nothing, her face worsened, her breathing grew rapid, and there was a risk of suffocation.


    There was no more time to wait.


    "Purification!"


    Lin Da concentrated all his focus on his right hand, his Magic Circuit working desperately, pushing the Purifying Power to its maximum!


    [System notification: Absorbed Masterless Witch''s Corruption, Mystical Points +30!]


    [System notification: Absorbed Masterless Witch''s Corruption, Mystical Points +50!]


    [System notification: Absorbed Masterless Witch''s Corruption, Mystical Points +60!]


    Lin Da''s spirit grew more and more excited, the corruption turned into strength and entered his body.


    At that moment, Lady Bellini in his eyes had be a delicious cake, which could provide him with endless Experience Points.


    Purify, purify fiercely!


    Lin Da shouted joyfully in his heart.


    ...


    At the same time.


    A carriage drawn by a Twin-Winged ckblood Horse came to a dusty halt in front of The Mands'' estate.


    Click.


    A brown boot stepped on the ground, making a crisp sound.


    The girl''s fiery red hair fluttered in the wind as her eyes looked towards the mansion deep in the estate, a trace of apprehension shing through them.


    Returning home this way made the girl''s face flush with heat.


    ''Thirty years east of the tree, thirty years west, never scorn a poor maiden!''


    With this thought in mind, Lia left Red Heart City.


    But she never thought there woulde a day when she was so poor she had to return home for help.


    The Snow Goose Adventure Team, after tackling the eleventhyer, was out of money.


    Lia had to replenish the team''s Magic Potions, and she also had to consider equipping her team members with the exceedingly expensive Town Portal Scrolls.


    She had recently leveled up as well, sessfully tackling the eleventhyer, and the reward from the World Tree Goddess elevated her from level 23 to 24. On her Heavy Sword me Devourer, she could add another Enhancement Gem.


    All these required Gold Coins.


    Unfortunately, due to that detestable Lin Da leaving the team, some merchants felt that the Snow Goose Adventure Team was poorly managed and announced the termination of their product endorsements with the team, causing Lia to lose arge sum of Gold Coins for nothing.


    The financial shortfall of the Snow Goose Adventure Team had reached over two hundred thousand.


    Lia couldn''te up with such arge sum of money on short notice, so she thought of her mother and hurried back to Red Heart City in disgrace.


    "Third... Third Lady?"


    The guardian warrior was almost unrecognizable when he saw Lia.


    "Step aside, don''t block the way!"


    Lia pushed open the iron fence gate and hurriedly rushed toward the mansion.


    ...


    "Hmm~"


    A seductive moan escaped from the throat of Lady Bellini.


    Thedy feltpletely powerless, like an adventurer who had fought a gigantic battle with Magical Creatures and was too weak to even stand.


    She opened her eyes groggily, and the first thing she saw was the handsome face of a young boy.


    Shey beneath him, while that face, filled with concern, was right above her.