《After leaving the team, the adventurer ladies regretted it deeply》


 Chapter 1: 1. Teammates for three years, turned out to be just beasts of burden

    Late at night.


    The towering World Tree stood in the center of White Dove City, emitting a magic glow like fireflies, mysterious and magnificent.


    The World Tree was also known as the Golden Tree, and its existence attracted countless adventurers like moths to a me.


    In a luxury vi on the second floor, the lights in the room were as bright as daylight.


    The floor was a mess, scattered with papers filled with strategies for battling Magical Creatures.


    Lin Da sat at the desk, rubbing his temples, feeling exhaustion coursing through his bones.


    "A month has passed, and the Ice Flower adventure team has reached the eleventh level, yet we are still stuck on the eighth. The gap is only widening!"


    A white palm pped down on the table.


    The displeased voice of a young girl made Lin Da''s head ache even more.


    The girl who burst into Lin Da''s room was quite beautiful, with a slender and curvy figure, fiery red hair like mes, and long slender legs encased in ck over-the-knee socks.


    Like a rose with thorns, she was always the center of attention wherever she went.


    She was Lia, the captain of the Snow Goose adventure team.


    When Lin Da had first arrived in this world, he felt fortunate to have met Lia.


    Lin Da possessed knowledge about this "game", and Lia was a naturally talented Swordsman; together, they could have decimated various Magical Creatures in the World Tree Secret Realm and made a name for themselves.


    But now, as he looked at the girl standing with her arms crossed and an arrogant posture, all he saw in his eyes was disappointment.


    "There''s no rush to reach the ninth level right now; we should secure our strategy first," Lin Da said, setting down his quill pen with a sigh of helplessness.


    "Strategy, strategy, you''ve been repeating that word for a month now. I''ve heard other teams don''t take nearly as long to devise their strategy, right?"


    Lia frowned, her expression fraught with skepticism as she looked at him.


    "The ninth level isn''t as simple as you think. The more thorough our strategy, the better."


    Lin Da sighed.


    The game "Mystic Continent" was known for its high difficulty.


    There were fifty levels in the Mystic Realm, and the Magical Creatures on each level were much stronger than those on the previous one, so entering unprepared was akin to suicide.


    Lin Da cautiously chose a more gentle approach, "Perhaps, our team''s strength isn''t quite up to par with that of the Ice Flower adventure team? Moreover, there''s a good chance that a Lava Giant guardian could appear on the ninth level, which doesn''t bode well for our team''spatibility."


    "Are you saying we''re inferior to the Ice Flower adventure team?"


    Lia''splexion changed, and she did not take in a word of what followed, fixating only on his previousment.


    "I think you''re just scared," she dered, mming her hands down on the table, the front of her silk nightgown unremarkable despite her leaning forward,cking any hint of curvature.


    "Everyone else in the team has reached level 20, only you, the Healer, are still at level 15. Is it because your healing capabilities aren''t up to the requirements of the ninth level, so you keep making excuses to dy us?"


    Upon hearing this, Lin Da raised his head, looking at Lia in surprise.


    It was true that he was only at level 15, and his healing output as a Healer wasn''t very high.


    But the reason for hisgging level was something that Lia, as the team captain, should have been well aware of.


    Devising strategies was no simple task; it required an enormous amount of time and energy.


    And preparing strategic materials, taking responsibility for the team''s meals��all of it was on him.


    While Lia and a few other youngdies were out shopping, enjoying leisure and pleasure, Lin Da was working overnight.


    There could be dozens of reasons, but faced with the fierce Lia, Lin Da found himself at a loss for words. With her temperament, it seemed that whatever he said would be snappily retorted.


    He attempted to speak, "My level is low because I don''t have time to train."


    As expected, Lia''s eyebrows rose, hands on her hips, she said arrogantly, "So, others have the time? If you tried harder, couldn''t you at least be level 16 or 17? In a few years, when we are all level 30 and be Star-ranked adventurers, do you still want to be stuck at level 15? Don''t you have any ambition?"


    It was always the same, either he wasn''t trying hard enough or he wasn''t serious enough.


    This youngdy always felt that the team''s shorings were his fault.


    Lin Da couldn''t help but want to ask Lia, isn''t it possible that the biggest problem lies with you?


    The rtionships among members of the Snow Goose Adventure Team were not harmonious, and their coordination in battle was very poor.


    Even though each member''s talent was outstanding and their levels were high, their performance in battle was aplete mess.


    Without a precise strategy to guide them, they werepletely disorganized.


    Under the sharp gaze of the young woman, Lin Da only felt a deep sense of weariness.


    He didn''t retort anymore, nor did he bother to pick up the scattered strategy papers on the floor. Instead, he picked up a cup of hot water from the table and sipped it lost in thought.


    "I''m talking to you," Lia''s hand mmed on the table again.


    "I''m tired, you go back first. We can talk about it tomorrow."


    Lia frowned and stared at him for a while, then slowly said, "Would it matter to you if you got reced?"


    "What?"


    Lin Da was a bit confused by Lia''s implication.


    After a brief silence, Lia pulled out a resume from her pocket and handed it to him.


    On it was a young man with dyed blond hair, barely handsome, with the prominent title of ''Healer'' written in his upation column.


    Lin Da''s heart sank.


    It was like working hard in a job, earning only 1800 a month, and still being criticized for not being diligent enough, ending up sacked.


    "This is Phyllis, a level 20 Healer, a top graduate from the Noble Academy in White Dove City. He came by this morning."


    Lia paused, then said, "I sent him away. You understand what I mean, right?"


    "Lin Da, there''s more than one person in the team who is dissatisfied with you. You are only level 15 ande from a poor background. It''s Miss here who has been protecting you, persuading them to keep you. Can''t you show some spirit?"


    Lia stomped her foot in frustration, "We''re heading to the ninth floor tomorrow. Show us what you''re worth then! Always being useless to the team, how can Miss keep you?"


    Useless?


    Lin Da stared nkly at the papers crushed under Lia''s foot, those that detailed various strategies for handling Magical Creatures.


    So in her eyes, they were as good as useless?


    Initially, it was Lia who had begged him to lead everyone, not a single one to be left behind, through the World Tree.


    Wishing for no fatalities yet demanding fast progress was typical of a troublesome client, raising ridiculous demands.


    Lin Da, filled with pent-up resentment, finally exploded today.


    "What if I still disagree about the team advancing to the ninth floor tomorrow?"


    Lia was momentarily taken aback, but soon spoke angrily, "Are you deliberately opposing me? Do you know how many better Healers than you want to join our team? I sent them all away! If you are still unwilling tomorrow..."


    "Unwilling then?" Lin Da''s smile grew increasingly sarcastic.

 Chapter 2: 2. I withdraw from the team.

    Lia felt offended.


    She gritted her teeth and said, "If you''re unwilling, then don''te, Young Lady will find another Healer!"


    After hearing Lia''s words, Lin Da felt aplete chill in his heart, yet he also felt relieved.


    Perhaps he had always been waiting for an opportunity like this, to give himself a reason to leave this suffocating ce with perfect justification.


    "What are you dazing off for? Remember to gather on time tomorrow, otherwise Young Lady will really find another Healer!"


    Lia said irritably, then yawned, ready to return to her bedroom to rest.


    "I''m leaving the team."


    Lin Da suddenly dered.


    "What?"


    Lia''s hand, reaching for the doorknob, froze.


    She seemed to havepletely not anticipated this turn of events.


    A look of astonishment flickered in the girl''s ruby-likerge eyes, as if she couldn''tprehend what Lin Da was saying.


    Lin Da stood up, towering over Lia, who was more than a head shorter, still with her mouth open and a somewhat vacant expression.


    "There''s no need to wait until tomorrow, you can now contact that Healer named Phyllis to join the Snow Goose Adventure Team."


    Having said that, he grabbed a brown jacket, put it on, and headed for the door.


    "Stop right there!"


    As Lin Da stepped toward leaving the room, a piercing voice came from behind.


    One could tell that Lia was shaken; otherwise, her voice wouldn''t have sounded as shrill as a chicken being stepped on the neck.


    Expecting to hear some words of retention, Lin Da paused his steps.


    But what followed was a barrage of the girl''sints and iprehension.


    "All I asked was for you to wake up a bit earlier tomorrow and go to the ninth floor together, and now you want to leave the team? Is it necessary?"


    Lia''s face turned red with anger, her chest heaving violently.


    She really wished she could rush over and give Lin Da a harsh kick, then grab his ear and ask loudly once more: Do you even know what you''re talking about?


    The Snow Goose Adventure Team was initially established by three people, one of them being Lin Da. Lia had considered the possibility of anyone leaving the team, but she had never thought that Lin Da would be the one.


    After all, even the name of the adventure team was something she came up with alongside Lin Da; how could anyone abandon their own team and choose to leave?


    Lia took a deep breath, clenched her fists tightly, and with a voice that was cold and slow yet extremely firm, she said, "Lin Da, if you dare leave, don''t evere back."


    "Mhm."


    Lin Da nodded.


    This casual ''mhm'' made Lia''s expression even uglier.


    She said, "Young Lady will definitely recruit that Phyllis into the team by tomorrow."


    "Whatever."


    "There will be no ce for you, you know?"


    "Mhm."


    Lin Da didn''t bother with Lia, who stood with a foolish expression like a pir in his own room.


    If it had been Lia from three years earlier showing this kind of expression, Lin Da would have offered a few words offort, but now, he found he had neither the sentiment nor the inclination to do so; it was as though he was looking at a stranger, feelingpletely indifferent.


    Lin Da thought with self-mockery, he should never have epted Lia''s invitation to create the Snow Goose Adventure Team from the start.


    Comrades for three years, and in the end, it amounted to nothing.


    Thud, thud.


    The sound of footsteps descending the stairs echoed around the spacious vi, seeming somewhat cold and lonely.


    Lin Da entered the living room.


    "It''ste at night, stop ying and go to bed."


    "Still reading at this hour? It''s bad for your skin."


    As he passed through the living room, he noticed the other two Young Ladies of the team hadn''t gone to sleep yet.


    The former was a mature and seductive-looking Mage Miss from the Holy Light Church, Aiko, lounging on the sofa in a white dress that hugged her breathtaking curves,zily flipping through a fashion magazine with thetest summer releases,


    Thetter was the undersized little tyke, Klrona, with pink twin tails, serving as a Heavy Armored Warrior, and ying Whack-a-Mole with a fiercelypetitive expression on her face.


    Lin Da had a rather good rtionship with these two Young Ladies, certainly much better than with Bilya.


    "Sote, where are you going?" Aikoid down her magazine and looked quizzically at Lin Da, tilting her head.


    Klrona, on the other hand, acted as if Lin Da didn''t exist, wishing he wouldn''te back for the night. A new board game had recentlye out in the shops, and she nned to y all night long; Lin Da being home would definitely have something to say about it.


    "Nothing much, just going out for a walk."


    Lin Da smiled softly, not nning on telling the two about his resignation from the team.


    He was really afraid they might show a sign of happiness, just Lia alone was enough to chill his heart.


    "Oh,e back early," Aiko said, sensing something was a bit off in his expression, but didn''t think much of it.


    Both of them, including Klrona who was thoroughly enjoying her game of Whack-a-Mole, were unaware that this was Lin Da''sst day with the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Lin Da walked out of the vi and blended into the dark night outside.


    This vi was located in a luxurymunity in White Dove City, with wide and clean roads, and the deep night of summer was very quiet, with only scarce chirping of insects to be heard.


    It was unlike the small shabby house they first rented in Sparrow District, where drunk adventurers often caused trouble nearby, creating a messy scene.


    After three years of hard work, Lin Da and the others had bought thisrge vi in the pricey Inner City District, upying nearly three hundred square meters ofnd.


    The Snow Goose Adventure Team was wealthy and had gained enough fame to be known as a prominent team in White Dove City.


    But Lin Da was bing increasingly suffocated, having to face Lia''s questioning every day.


    ''When will you be able toe up with the strategy?''


    ''I''m level 23 now, what about you?''


    ''There''s no level 15 Healer in the first-ss adventure teams in White Dove City, you know?''


    And so on...


    Before the team became famous, Lia was not like this.


    Lin Da sighed.


    Lia used to be down-to-earth and earnest, always full of energy and, because she was pretty, he was willing to create the Snow Goose Adventure Team with her.


    But now, all Lia thought about was how to conquer the next level of the Mystic Realm, overtaking those established adventure teams and pressing them underfoot.


    Lia, wielding a small whip, was crazily squeezing Lin Da like a donkey spinning a mill, never satisfied with his extensivete-night efforts, always thinking he was cking, not working hard enough.


    He was tired, and that was why he could only leave.


    Lin Da put his hands in his pockets and looked lonesomely toward the north,


    at that towering, verdant tree which still twinkled with magic light even in the darkness of night.


    The World Tree Secret Realm.


    Just like the game he had yed in his previous life.


    Inside the World Tree, there were fiftyyers of Mystic Realms, each with different Secret Realm Guardians. Defeat these bosses and you would receive the rewards of the World Tree Goddess.


    Various equipment, Skill Books, Gold Coins, Magic Potions... the rewards became richer the higher one went.


    Like when the Snow Goose Adventure Team had recently conquered the eighthyer; the bounty from that venture was worth tens of thousands of Gold Coins, enough for an ordinary person to work from the Ancient Times until today.

 Chapter 3: 3. Deitys Invitation

    After leaving the Snow Goose Adventure Team, what should he do next?


    Lin Da stared at the starry night sky, feeling a bit lost.


    It was like a prisoner who had been jailed for three years was finally set free, holding his freedom but unsure what to do with it.


    Walking out of this affluent neighborhood under the night breeze,


    Lin Da gradually made up his mind.


    No doubt, he had to continue being an adventurer.


    With a wealth of strategies and game-clearing experience in his mind, finding a few teammates who would follow orders could make it possible to clear up to the thirty or forty floors, even if not the topmost ones.


    If his future team surpassed the floors the Snow Goose Adventure Team reached��would Lia be so angry that she might bite him?


    Lin Da had never quibbled with her, nor had he seen her breaking down.


    The thought was quite intriguing.


    Ding Dong.


    He hallucinated a sound in his ears.


    An icon resembling a mailbox popped up at the bottom right of Lin Da''s vision.


    "Is this relic of a system going to start up now?"


    Lin Da''s eyes sparkled, and he felt a bit happier.


    For three years, the system had been gray, unresponsive to any clicks, and he had almost lost hope in it.


    With a thought, he opened the mailbox, and a golden envelope appeared.


    A line of text emerged before Lin Da:


    Item: "Invitation from a Deity"


    Quality: Fantasy Grade


    Content: The Divine Realm extends an invitation to you; do you ept?


    Yes/No


    Without hesitation, Lin Da chose ''Yes''.


    The invitation''s quality was Fantasy Grade; it would be a waste not to use it.


    After selecting ''Yes'', the invitation disappeared from the system interface, transforming into a golden glow that enveloped Lin Da.


    In the silent night, Lin Da vanished from his spot without a trace.


    The view in front of him changed.


    Supporting his slightly dizzy head, Lin Da looked around.


    Darkness surrounded him, no stars or moon above.


    It was as if he had entered a piece of ck paper.


    In this eerie space, a stone chair was positioned right in front.


    A man sat regally on it.


    An authoritative voiQce rang out:


    "Brave one, you have finally arrived. This deity has waited for you for eons!"


    A hero?


    Me?


    Lin Da blinked in confusion.


    So it meant, three years had passed, and his benefits as a transmigrator were finally kicking in?


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the vi of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, inside Lin Da''s room.


    Papers filled with various data were scattered all over the floor.


    On the table, the water in the cup had long since gone cold.


    Lia stood motionless, her fiery red hair looking a bit disheveled.


    She maintained her position with her back to the room''s door for almost half an hour, but Lin Da still hadn''t returned.


    A trace of panic surfaced in her heart.


    She couldn''t help but wonder, was Lin Da serious?


    Had he really decided to leave the team just because she had rebuked him a few times?


    When she heard Lin Da say he wanted to leave the team, Lia was stunned for a moment, feeling a tightness in her chest, almost unable to resist turning around to pull Lin Da back.


    ����Thankfully, she held back.


    Why did she have to yield to Lin Da? Clearly, it was Lin Da who couldn''t keep up with the level, so why did it seem like she was the one in the wrong?


    Besides, she hadn''t nned on kicking Lin Da out. She just took out Phyllis''s resume to scare Lin Da, so he would agree to enter the ninth level tomorrow.


    Was such a big reaction necessary?


    Lia looked at the papers scattered all over the floor, picked one up at random, and soon felt a headacheing on.


    What were these? Was Lin Da just fiddling with these things to appease her every day?


    They were filled with many things she couldn''t understand: HP, MP, STR, T, aggro, phase two... and a multitude of forms that dazzled her after a while.


    Lia mmed the door, annoyed, and went into the living room.


    "What''s going on? Who upset our revered leader?"


    Aiko was applying cucumber slices to her face and nced over, only to see Lia with a stern face, as if everyone owed her eight million Gold Coins.


    The atmosphere instantly filled with a heavy aura.


    Lia didn''t speak, sullenly sat on the couch, and started to read aic book from Klrona, her mind in turmoil. Her eyes weren''t even on the book; she just flipped the pages mechanically.


    Aiko, recalling Lin Da''s odd behavior earlier, sensed something was amiss.


    After a long silence, Lia spoke in a nonchnt tone, "Lin Da has left the team."


    "What?"


    Aiko was staggered, about to blurt out and inquire what had happened between them in the room. But one look at Lia''s darkened expression, she swallowed her words back.


    As one of the old members of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, Aiko knew Lia''s character well: spoiled, whimsical, and hot-tempered. She quickly got a rough idea of what had urred.


    Lia''s bad attitude toward Lin Da wasn''t new; it''s just that everyone thought Lin Da was tolerant and wouldn''t leave the team over such trifles.


    "Lin Da has left the team? That''s great!" Klrona, who was happily building a monster out of blocks on the side, cheered suddenly.


    She dashed back to her room, grabbed a big box of board games, her eyes gleaming, and looked at them, "Let''s y together? Let''s not bother with that useless Small Fry Uncle like Lin Da anymore. Better he''s gone!"


    Seeing someone supporting her eased Lia''s mood considerably.


    Outside of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, other front-line teams wouldn''t take in a Level 15 Healer like Lin Da.


    Once that guy faced rejection everywhere, he would definitelye back, tail between his legs.


    Right... no need to worry.


    Lia began tough, sitting across from Klrona, "What''s this game? It looks fun."


    "Brave Fight Against the Dragon. I''ll be the hero, you be the dragon," Klrona excitedly said while holding a hero figurine, pushing the dragon figurine towards Lia.


    "Is it really okay to just ignore Lin Da?" said Aiko in her pristine white long gown and a pompous blonde Mage expression, still slightly hesitant, "Lin Da did contribute to the team after all."


    This murmuredint was soft, but Lia''s ears were as sharp as a cat''s.


    Aiko highly doubted that Lia was genuinely ying the game with Klrona. She seemed to be all ears, using them like radar to check if anyone might me her for driving Lin Da away.


    "Hmph, as if Lin Da would leave the team. Just watch, it won''t be long before hees back begging me to take him back!"


    Lia purposefully raised her voice to sound utterly justified.


    Aiko bowed her head to hide the scorn on her face, mentally cursing Lia thoroughly.


    Still dreaming!


    With that good-natured guy''s personality, he wouldn''t leave unless pushed to the brink.


    Normally, Aiko would indirectly remind Lia to hold back her words, acknowledging that Lin Da was indeed trying hard and that they should be understanding.


    Otherwise, where would she find such a useful and fun "toy" if Lin Da was driven away?


    Her health wasn''t great, and Lin Da would wash her feet every night!


    Looking down at Lin Da''s head, the sight of that dog diligently massaging her feet was blissful for Aiko, both spiritually and physically.


    Lin Da could also cook, strategize, and had the smallestpensation among the main team members.


    Such a good person was hard to find.


    So, Aiko had a lot of grievances against Lia, the little Shar Pei.


    But now, Lia wasughing, feeling very justified in what she had said.


    That wimp Lin Da would probablye back before tomorrow night.


    Lia picked up her game piece and consecutively captured several of Klrona''s pawns.


    "Oh no, I lost!"


    Klrona pouted, unwilling to ept defeat, "Let''s have another round!"


    "Sure, sure, no matter how many times we y, I''ll win," Lia said confidently, flipping her fiery red hair.

 Chapter 4: 4. The Brave Responder

    On the other side.


    In a pitch-ck space without stars or moon.


    "Mortal, I am the supervisor of this world, the deity Kafni."


    The man with golden short hair satzily on a stone chair, resting his chin on one hand as he looked down at Lin Da:


    "Young man, be a hero and defeat the Demon King. Purify all the evil that shrouds the continent!"


    "What?"


    At first, Lin Da was quite excited, thinking that his golden finger had finally arrived.


    But at the mention of "Demon King," his expression copsed in an instant.


    As everyone knows.


    The Mystic Continent is a highly challenging fantasy adventure game where the main task for yers is to get through the World Tree Secret Realm, obtain the Sword of the Hero, and defeat the final Demon King.


    In the game, a level 100 Demon King is not so tough.


    Grind for a few months, level up, spend twenty thousand RMB, and defeating the Demon King wouldn''t be a big problem.


    A professional gamer like Lin Da could even pass the game without spending a penny on in-game purchases.


    But what about in reality?


    Level 100?


    In White Dove City where Lin Da lived, arge magic city with a poption of a million, not even a level 40 could be found.


    The Snow Goose Adventure Team led by Lia had an average level of only 20 and was already a renowned small team in White Dove City.


    Currently, the strongest human adventurer isn''t even level 70.


    So, defeating a level 100 Demon King ispletely impossible!


    Lin Da looked at the golden-haired man earnestly and said, "Defeating the Demon King and all that, it''s better left to someone more capable, right? I''m just an ordinary person who wants to live a stable life, get married, buy a house. Why not just give me a lump sum of gold coins, and let me leave?"


    The golden-haired deity named Kafni crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head haughtily, "That won''t do. ording to the rules of the Divine Realm, anyone who enters must be a hero, or else you must stay here forever."


    "Isn''t this forcing someone to be a hero? If I be a hero and don''t do any real work, that would be troublesome for you too, wouldn''t it?"


    Lin Da was astonished.


    "Do you think I want this? These are the rules set by the big shots above. Why else would I seek you out, a man? Wouldn''t it be nicer to have a beautiful girl as a hero?"


    Kafni stood up from his stone chair in a fury, his dignity and respectable aurapletely dissipated:


    "You little mortal ant, don''t you dare look down on a deity. Bing a hero is not up for negotiation! If I don''tplete the task of saving the world, I''ll be punished. Why else would I waste my breath on a mortal like you?"


    "So... do you understand? Unless you''re willing to subdue the Demon King, there''s no way I''ll let you go!"


    Lin Da''s head was spinning.


    He had just escaped from Lia, ready to enjoy a life of freedom, and now he was being forced to be a hero, subdue the Demon King, and save the world?


    No chance to spend money, no chance to cheat.


    It would have been nice to have a big-breasted goddess at his side; instead, he''s stuck with the kind of ugly-faced, male cannon fodder often found in novels.


    What a mess.


    Lin Da thought and then said helplessly, "So, if I be a hero, what''s in it for me?"


    "Cough cough, let me see here, ording to the ''Divine Realm Salvation Student Handbook'' 7th edition, there are three ways I can help you."


    Kafni took out a small book from his robes and read aloud, "First, the deity may grant the Chosen Hero profession, a powerful all-round enhancement temte that increases growth potential.


    Second, a high-quality Legendary-grade Skill Stone. But you''ll have to wait for this one; it takes at least a day for the express delivery from the Divine Realm.


    Third, the hero may wish for a custom skill, and I will do my best to help create it.


    That''s all the help I can give you."


    "You''ve already changed sses when you came in, so you should check it out for yourself."


    Kafni raised his eyebrows proudly, ready to receive Lin Da''s admiration.


    Lin Da opened his panel with a mixture of skepticism and disbelief. After changing his ss to hero, he didn''t feel an increase in strength��in fact, he felt a bit weaker...


    In this world, no one can have two professions at the same time. Lin Da''s original profession was a level 15 Healer. If he changed his ss to hero, his Healer level would be overridden.


    In other words, he dropped from level 15 to level 0.


    This was not good news. If Lia found out, she would probablyugh at him to death.


    But upon further thought, Lin Da felt something was amiss. After bing level 0, he seemed to only be slightly weaker than a level 15 Healer, and there wasn''t that much of a disparity.


    It''s true that a Healer''sbat capability is incredibly subpar, but could it be almost the same as a level 0 Warrior?


    Lin Da silentlymanded in his mind, "Panel, summon."


    A screen of light, strikingly simr to the interfaces from video games of a previous life, appeared.


    Most notably, there was a line of text shimmering like the sun after the profession column:


    Profession: [Chosen Recovery Warrior]


    "What''s this?"


    After seeing the attributes on the panel clearly, Lin Da was utterly astounded.


    He was still a Healer. At level 0, all his attribute points were no more than 10, with pitiable strengths and defenses at a mere 5, and his only initial skill was Healing Art.


    But now, the numbers on the panel all reached double digits.


    The initial skills were also numerous, too many to fit on one page.


    Lin Da''s gaze swept over, revealing the entire panel before his eyes.


    Name: Lin Da


    Profession: Chosen Recovery Warrior


    Level: 0


    Hit Points: 200


    Magic Power: 13


    Strength: 13


    Defense: 12


    Magic Defense: 17


    Agility: 11


    Resistance: None


    Experience: 0/10 (10 experience points needed to reach the next level)


    Inherent Skills��


    Bnce Conservation (Legendary): Your strength will always equal your magic power points.


    Venom in the Heart (Legendary): You will master Poison Healing Art.


    Eye of Truth (Legendary): You can see the damage numbers you and others cause.


    Hidden Skills��


    Devour Everything (Fantasy Grade): You will gain Mystical Points after killing Magical Creatures.


    Equivalent Exchange (Fantasy Grade): You can exchange Mystical Points for experience points, talent enhancement, skill proficiency, and so on.


    ...


    Recovery Warrior, turns out to be a hexagonal bucket profession?


    An initial Magic Defense of 17, even higher than a magic-resistant tank.


    Lin Da couldn''t help but feel excited.


    As a former professional yer, he was acutely aware of the importance of initial attributes.


    Initial attributes indicate growth potential; their level directly determines whether an ount is usable and can be considered a main yer.


    At level 0, if the total of five basic attributes on one''s panel reaches 50, it''s considered exceptionally excellent.


    In the reality of Mystic Continent, it equates to genius.


    The total of Lin Da''s previous Healer temte basic attributes was only 37.


    However, the Recovery Warrior''s total of five basic attributes was 66.


    Initial Hit Points, 200, twice as high as those of a Healer.


    Lin Da pinched the soft flesh between his thighs, afraid he was dreaming.


    The positioning of the Recovery Warrior profession was to have exceedingly high hit points and Magic Defense, while also being able to regenerate health��pretty much a tanky healer.


    No need for the front line to protect him; he was the front line!

 Chapter 5: I want a pretty girl

    The Healing Hero''s skills were also quite outrageous.


    Usually, a starter profession that possesses a single Legendary Skill could be called a Legendary temte.


    But this Hero panel came with three Legendary Skills, two Fantasy Grade Skills!


    Since the creation of the game Mystic Continent, Lin Da had never seen such an outrageous temte.


    With it, clearing the top floor of the World Tree and defeating the Demon King were no longer ''impossible.''


    The first Legendary Skill of the Healing Hero was Bnce Conservation: the strength value would always equal the Magic Points.


    This allowed Lin Da to easily cultivate both physical and magical skills, shedding the Healer''s disadvantage ofckingbat capability.


    Although there were traditional professions like the Pdin who could fight and defend, the Pdin''s so-called ''fighting'' wasn''t even half as good as the lousiest damage-dealing ss.


    They could fight, but not much.


    Then came the second Legendary Skill, Poison at Heart.


    An extra branch appeared in the profession''s Skill Tree, called "Poisonous Healing."


    A Legendary-grade Skill Tree was presumably not weak at all.


    Healing one monster to death with poison was entirely possible.


    The third skill was the ''Eye of Truth.''


    It disyed damage numbers when fighting monsters.


    This skill was rtively weaker and was mainly used to observe the reality of friend and foe.


    The remaining two Fantasy Grade Skills belonged to system capabilities.


    Killing monsters gave Mystical Points, which could then be used to enhance oneself.


    The experience bar also appeared, which perfectly matched the baseline setting of the game ''Mystic Continent'': killing monsters to grow stronger.


    If everything matched the game without error, this meant that Lin Da didn''t have a cultivation bottleneck; he would eventually reach the maximum level of 100.


    Lin Da felt relieved; the pressure to be a hero wasn''t so great anymore.


    Once he reached level 100, he, a former professional yer, would not fear any Demon King.


    "Hey, mortal, how do you like this boon from the deity? Aren''t you grateful and ready to kiss my boots?"


    Kafni''s haughty voice came through.


    Lin Da snapped back to his senses.


    The disdainful tone made his eyebrows twitch.


    If these abilities were a bountiful act of goodwill from Kafni, he would have to respectfully show some gratitude.


    But Kafni was giving them to make him fight the Demon King.


    The two of them should have a partnership.


    He was responsible for exerting force, and Kafni was to provide the equipment.


    This golden-haired Deity, however, always looked down on him, speaking like a haughty Female Lady, which made one''s teeth itch with irritation.


    Lin Da kept his annoyance hidden deep inside; firstly, he had to im all the rewards.


    "The third aid you provide me, am I allowed to wish for any skill I want?"


    "Of course, after all, I am a deity!"


    "Time is precious, make up your mind quickly. I am waiting to move on to the next world!"


    Kafni''s tone contained half pride and half disdain for a bumpkin like Lin Da.


    Lin Da remainedposed and started thinking.


    The skills he already had werepletely sufficient.


    Another Legendary Skill would merely change the difficulty from easy to very easy.


    What he needed was some unconventional support.


    Lin Da looked intently at Kafni, who was floating in the air, elegantly popping a crystal grape into his mouth:


    "I want you to transform into a pretty roasted chicken girl to serve as my Summoned Beast."


    "Summoned Beast, no problem! Let me see, there are Holy Dragon hatchlings, Amethyst Behemoth hatchlings... wait, what did you just say?"


    The grape in Kafni''s hand dropped to the ground.


    Instead of anger, a hint of panic appeared on Kafni''s face upon hearing Lin Da''s highly offensive request.


    Lin Da smiled, showing his bright white teeth:


    "I want you to turn into a big, white panda girl, tender skinned and fiercely beautiful, to serve as a summoned beast for this hero,"


    Lin Da said it, but he didn''t actually hold out much hope for sess.


    He was just joking to express his dissatisfaction, hoping that Kafni would tone down that superior deity attitude.


    After all, which deity would be foolish enough to truly turn into a girl and be his summoned beast?


    What if he were some pervert who wanted the deity to help satisfy his physical needs?


    However, Lin Da was not from the Divine Realm and was not very clear about some rules.


    Kafni was far from asposed as he had imagined.


    As a deity guiding the hero''s transformation, Kafni couldn''t reject the hero''s wish; ording to the rules of the Divine Realm, he must do his utmost to satisfy the hero, assist the hero, inspire the hero, to save another world.


    At that moment,


    Bear, girl, summoned beast... These three keywords were captured by the Divine Realm''s rules, and they heard Lin Da''s words of confirmation.


    An overwhelming power that Kafni couldn''t resist enveloped him.


    Suddenly, Kafni''s face changed.


    His expression went from confused to shocked, then to copsing and despair, all in just few breaths.


    "Hero, you scoundrel!"


    Kafni was about to cry.


    "Are you cursing at me?"


    Lin Da touched his head, puzzled.


    Seeing the other''s pale face, he realized what had happened, albeit btedly.


    Kafni, could it be that he couldn''t refuse his request?


    Lin Da was stunned.


    Then... what was he pretending all this time?


    If he had just honestly handled his hero employment business and had been a bit nicer, Lin Da wouldn''t have thought about joking around, right?


    It turns out he''s just a clerk processing hero business.


    How could there be such a lousy deity in this world?


    "Can I take back what I said earlier? It was just a joke; let''s choose another skill,"


    Lin Da coughed, saying awkwardly.


    But Kafniughed.


    It was the kind ofugh that had tears streaming down his face.


    Lin Da read the answer from his tragic expression.


    The matter was settled, he could only maximize the benefits now.


    Lin Da sighed and looked up at the sky.


    Looking at Kafni being enveloped in golden light and undergoing transformation, he spoke rapidly:


    "Please grant me a goddess with a big panda, long legs, a peach-shaped butt, a bit fuller, and a face like an older sister...! Oh, can it be pinchable? If so, I want it to be white..."


    Kafni''s body twisted in the golden light, being kneaded into various shapes by the giant hand of the rules.


    Sharp cries of agony continued to sound out.


    "Waaaaah! Stop it, stop right now, you damn hero!"


    "How can you manipte a deity''s body like this?! I''m going to kill you aaaaah!"


    Poof��


    The giant panda appeared.


    Snap��


    His pride and joy vanished without a trace.


    Kafni cried.


    Everything was just as Lin Da had expected.


    The woman in the golden light had a perfect, firm-bodied panda, a waist slender enough to be grasped with one hand, long smooth legs, and a perky, stic panda butt.


    And a head of soft, sunshine-bright golden hair.

 Chapter 6: Lia Hongwen

    "Stop, stop now! I really don''t want to be a girl and do something as filthy and tiring as vanquishing the Demon King, which could easily cost me my life!"


    The voice of despair in the golden light had turned into a soft feminine voice.


    "Hmm?"


    Hearing Kafni''s words, Linda''s head was filled with question marks.


    So, vanquishing the Demon King is a filthy, tiring job that risks one''s life?


    Wasn''t it guaranteed earlier that with divine help, vanquishing the Demon King would be very easy?


    It turns out it was all nonsense!


    The little sympathy Linda had felt for Kafni disappeared.


    A momentter, his attention shifted to Kafni''s body.


    Or rather, should this deity now be called ''Princess Kafni''?


    The Kafni part of the name meaning hibiscus.


    Princess Kafni''s appearance was entirely formed by Linda''s XP, featuring a teardrop mole at the corner of her eye and a beautiful, mature-looking face.


    But what attracted most attention was Princess Kafni''s hands crossed over her chest and the tearful, embarrassed look in her eyes.


    She looked like a precious princess who had fallen into a Goblin cave, both scared and unwilling to give up her dignity, shielding her front as she faced the magical creatures.


    The d��j�� vu was extremely strong.


    Linda walked over, smiled broadly, and appreciating the whiteness in front of him, nodded and said, "Pretty good."


    "You...!"


    Princess Kafni''s face turned blood red, and grinding her teeth, she reached for Linda''s neck.


    Just then, a majestic voice echoed through the dark space.


    "Hero''s induction time has ended; God''s Space is closing."


    "Chosen hero, with the power bestowed upon you by the deity, go and save another world!"


    Whoosh whoosh!


    Two beams of lightnded on Linda and Kafni.


    Before they could react, their figures reappeared at the entrance of the World Tree Secret Realm in White Dove City.


    ...


    Due to a different flow of time, it was already the next morning in the outside world.


    The Secret Realm Square in White Dove City was bustling with noise.


    Adventurers were jostling against each other, their armor and swords shing, producing a sobering metallic sound, as they began their new day''s journey of exploring the Secret Realm early in the morning.


    This was a gourd-shaped square covering thousands of square feet, and at the deepest part of the gourd was a sky-high tree shimmering with magical light��the World Tree Secret Realm.


    Many adventure teams were purchasing strategy materials and recruiting temporary members in the square.


    The square was packed with people.


    Yet, one team upied a clear space on their own.


    The surrounding adventurers preferred to squeeze elsewhere rather than venture into that group''s territory.


    "Look, it''s the Snow Goose Adventure Team; they''re preparing to conquer the ninthyer!"


    "Miss Lia''s red hair is still so stunning!"


    "Their team seems off by one member, aren''t they?"


    There were only a few well-known squads in White Dove City and the members were rtively fixed, so someone quickly recognized:


    "It''s the ''Eye of Wisdom'' Healer Linda who''s missing!"


    Everyone looked intently, and there stood Miss Lia with a greatsword on her back, her fiery red hair tied in a ponytail, looking strikingly heroic.


    The blond mage Miss Aiko.


    Chloe with pink twin ponytails, wearing heavy armor, and carrying a short-handled battle axe on her shoulder.


    And the dark green-haired Elf Archer Kenny and her boyfriend, Heavy Hammer Warrior Oru.


    Only Healer Linda was nowhere to be seen.


    "Tsk."


    Lia crossed her arms over her chest, fingers anxiously drumming on her arm, and she cast a sidelong nce at the towering clock tower in the square, which showed exactly nine o''clock.


    The usual practice for the Snow Goose Adventure Team was to gather at eight-thirty, yet now, half an hour had passed, and a certain someone still had not appeared.


    That Lin Da definitely knew that the Snow Goose Adventure Team was entering the Ninth Layer Secret Realm today.


    She had also told Lin Da that if he did not show up soon, she would really find another healer to rece his position!


    "Perhaps, another day for the Ninth Layer?" Aiko, observing Lia''s gloomy expression, lowered her voice.


    However, deep down, she was secretly sneering, hadn''t they agreed yesterday that no one was to sympathize with Lin Da?


    Lia had asked them toe early at eight-thirty, while she purposely arrived half an hourte, iming she had suddenly remembered that her weapons needed maintenance.


    In reality, she wanted them to wait here first to see if Lin Da would show up.


    If he did appear, Lia would arrive ''fashionablyte'' and nonchntly say, ''They waited here for you, letting you, this lost dog,e back, but I haven''t agreed yet; I''ll have to see your performance in the secret realm.''


    Aiko saw through Lia''s brain-shrinking leadership.


    It was now past nine, and Lin Da still had not appeared, Aiko caught a glimpse of Lia''s fingers tapping faster and faster, and she couldn''t help but feel schadenfreude.


    Continue waiting for Lin Da? she would like to see whatme excuse you coulde up with.


    "Miss Lia, why aren''t we going yet? We''ve been waiting for Lin Da for half an hour and he still hasn''te, let''s just go by ourselves."


    Chloe, who had finished her snacks, licked the oil from her fingertips, and spoke with dissatisfaction.


    Urged by others and fearful that her thoughts might be exposed, Lia immediately blushed.


    Giving someone a chance, and yet he doesn''t take it, huh?


    Fine.


    Just go in!


    Lia sneered and said, "Olu, go fetch that healer named Phyllis and tell him that I, Miss Lia, have agreed, and from now on, he will be the healer of the Snow Goose Adventure Team!"


    "Ah? We''re not waiting for Lin Da anymore?"


    Olu was a burly and tall fellow with a simple appearance, serving as the team''s Heavy Hammer Warrior.


    He had a good rtionship with Lin Da, and this morning, after hearing about Lin Da''s departure from the team, he had spoken highly of Lin Da in front of Lia.


    "Just go when I tell you to, no need for so much talk."


    Lia nced at the dark green bobbed-haired elf girl Klyne, pointed ears showing, and said, "Control your boyfriend, I''m the team captain, and he needs to listen to me."


    Klyne smiled embarrassingly and gave Olu a look.


    Olu silently found a carriage and headed to Phyllis''s residence.


    Another half an hour passed, and Lin Da still hadn''t arrived.


    "Let''s set out." Liamanded, expressionless, leading the team and their new healer into the World Tree Secret Realm.


    ��


    Time flew by, and soon it was noon.


    On the Secret Realm Square, the appearance of a man and a woman drew the attention of many adventurers.


    They appeared out of nowhere on the tform outside the World Tree, somewhat like adventurers returning using a Teleportation Stone after sessfully conquering the secret realm.


    The man was Lin Da, a somewhat famous healer known as ''Eye of Wisdom'' from White Dove City.


    With his handsome and rugged looks, tall stature, and membership in the renowned Snow Goose Adventure Team, Lin Da was quite popr.


    However, today, the woman by his side was even more dazzling.


    Kafni, in a pure white long dress, had golden hair that reached her waist, and her outstanding chest could thin a veil by ny-nine percent for women.


    Added to that was a shy yet charming face, causing many men''s gazes to heat up.


    Just moments ago, a debacle happened here, as an adventurer set his sights on Kafni and nned to use a certain ''little trick'' to knock her unconscious.


    Lin Da had promptly discovered this and used his reputation as the ''Eye of Wisdom'' to frighten the aggressor into hurriedly fleeing.


    "Um..."


    Kafni coughed, speaking somewhat coyly, "You did help me, it''s true, but the deity I am will not thank you."


    The intervention by Lin Da had eased the tense atmosphere somewhat.


    "It''s nothing, after all, we are ''partners'', aren''t we?"


    Lin Da remarked wistfully.


    After exiting from that God''s Space, theynded directly in the Secret Realm Square, and the time hade to noon.


    Otherwise, he might have seen Lia nearby, her face flushed with embarrassment.

 Chapter 7: 7. Ice Flower Adventure Team

    Yesterday, Lia said she would enter the World Tree Secret Realm this morning.


    Lin Da thought to himself, thankfully, he came out at noon, so he didn''t run into Lia.


    Otherwise, if they had met, he would probably have been ridiculed a lot.


    Not returning to the vi for the night, he actually went to find that blonde youngdy, how disgusting!


    If Lin Da''s level 0 status were exposed, that would be even worse, Lia would definitely step on his head with her little ck-stockinged foot.


    Gathering his thoughts, Lin Da looked at Kafni with a grave expression.


    "About bing a girl... I''ve already apologized, since we can''t change the fact, let''s think about how to defeat the Demon King? Afterpleting the mission, you should be able to go back to normal."


    The two of them walked and talked, nning to find a quiet ce to sort out their current situation.


    Kafni clenched her fists unwillingly, her voice trembling, "But, but, my level has dropped to the same as yours!"


    In the game setup of Mystic Continent, a Summoned Beast''s level cannot exceed that of their master.


    Lin Da smiled awkwardly, "But I didn''t know things would turn out like this. You''ve already scolded me several times, so we''re even, right? From now on, you just assist me well, and defeating the Demon King is what we''ll do."


    "Even? You''re dreaming!"


    Kafni suddenly became agitated, her eyes bulging, "I''ve never even touched a girl''s hand, and before I could use it, it''s gone? What are you going topensate me with?!"


    "Uh... when I was doing it, I called your name?"


    "?"


    A momentter, Kafni finally understood what Lin Da meant.


    She first exploded in rage, then felt an emptiness below, and was overwhelmed with grief. Unable to hold it back, she squatted on the side of the road, shedding delicate tears.


    She just broke down.


    "It''s okay to cry, but can you find a secluded ce to cry slowly?"


    Lin Daforted considerately.


    Kafni lifted her head, her eyes filled with a murderous look.


    "Cough cough, let''s not talk about this. Our main task is to defeat the Demon King, right? Since you''re a Deity, what skills do you have, and what is your profession?"


    Lin Da lowered his voice, attempting to change the subject.


    But he saw Kafni hang her head low, her red lips moving slightly, uttering a mosquito-like whisper.


    "What?"


    "Thief..."


    "Didn''t catch that."


    "Thief, I''m a thief! A thief, a burden, a profession with neither attack nor defense, what, do you have a problem with that?!"


    Kafni yelled, on the verge of a breakdown.


    "Why are you yelling so loudly?"


    Lin Da covered his ears, taking a good look at the holy and goddess-like Kafni.


    A thief ss? That really sucks in the beginning.


    Before Agility is high, the sess rate of the thief skill Stealing is very low.


    Once it''s high, though, you can sneak rare materials off guardians.


    "Let it be, a thief is a thief, we''ll take it slow." Lin Da said with a mild smile, stroking Kafni''s smooth blonde hair as if petting a small dog.


    "That said, we better get out of here, or the Law Enforcement Bureau might think you''re a roasted chicken and take you away for questioning."


    Lin Da, with hands in his pockets, didn''t bother with Kafni, and just strode forward on his own.


    By the time Kafni realized that Lin Da''s reference to a roasted chicken was about her, Lin Da had already walked far ahead.


    "Damn hero!"


    Kafni followed in anger.


    At this point, she could only ept reality.


    Transformed into a beautiful girl by a hero, her profession a thief, level zero, any adventurer she met on the road could easily dispatch her.


    Though she still had a bit of divine power left, this level-zero body was too frail; using it once might render it useless.


    She had to bear humiliation and burdens before she could regain her strength.


    "Please wait."


    Not far after leaving the Secret Realm Square, a crisp female voice rang out from behind them.


    Kafni thought she was the one being called and stopped to look back.


    So beautiful��


    It was a tall girl with silver hair.


    She wore exquisite light armor and had a one-handed sword hanging at her waist, her brows exuded a masculine heroism.


    The silver-haired girl first looked at Kafni in surprise, then said to Lin Da with admiration, "As expected of the ''Eye of Wisdom,'' you always attract pretty girls."


    "Isa, you misunderstand, she''s just amon friend."


    Lin Da was a little surprised, not expecting to bump into this ''old acquaintance''.


    The girl named Isa smiled and did not confirm or deny it. Then, with serious expression, she said, "I heard that you entered the World Tree this morning. Have you already conquered the ninth floor?"


    There was a hint of gunpowder in the girl''s tone.


    Lin Da knew the reason why.


    Isa was the captain of the Ice Flower Adventure Team, the greatest rival of the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Yesterday, the Ice Flower Adventure Team sessfully conquered the eleventh floor, which was widely reported by major newspapers, and it also provoked Lia to storm into his room and make a scene.


    Given that it was noon, Lia and the others should have entered the World Tree Secret Realm by now.


    ����''If you don''te over tomorrow, Miss truly will find another healer!''


    Lia''s voice seemed to echo in his ears.


    "The ninth floor? I hope they seed," Lin Da said calmly.


    Isa frowned in confusion, "Sorry, I don''t understand what you mean."


    Could it be that the rumor this morning was true?


    Lin Da, left the Snow Goose Adventure Team?


    Isa''s face was full of gossip.


    About this matter, Lin Da did not hide anything and answered honestly, "I''m no longer with the Snow Goose Adventure Team."


    It really was true.


    Although she had suspected it, Isa was still somewhat surprised. That Lia, she really kicked him out of the team.


    After digesting the news, a smile appeared on Isa''s face.


    If that was the case, she would not be polite.


    As the captain of the Ice Flower Adventure Team, Isa had lost several teammates while leading the team to the eleventh floor, which had always been a knot in her heart.


    For this reason, Lin Da, who was known as the ''Eye of Wisdom'' and had helped the Snow Goose Adventure Team reach the eighth floor unscathed, came into Isa''s focus.


    The first time she noticed Lin Da was at the fifth floor in the Public Grand Secret Realm, when they werepeting for the World BOSS with the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Although Lin Da as a healer was of lower level, his use of magic power was adept. Each time he healed, itnded on the person who needed it the most. As soon as a teammate got hit by a magical creature, their health dropping, a healing art would be cast right after.


    Such a method could only be achieved by someone who had an extensive understanding of magical creatures and could perform well amidst the constantly changing situations of realbat.


    Now that the Ice Flower Adventure Team was looking to expand its membership, they were in dire need of talent.


    With Lin Da having be a free agent, she had no reason not to try to recruit him.


    Without hesitation, Isa extended her right hand and said,


    "Although I don''t know what happened between you and Lia, I regret that you left the team. And then... Ice Flower Adventure Team, wee aboard."


    "Ah?"


    Lin Da was stunned for a moment, not expecting Isa to extend him an invitation.

 Chapter 8: 8. You serve dogs better than them

    "Should I join the Ice Flower Adventure Team?"


    Lin Da fell into deep thought.


    Objectively speaking, the captain of Ice Flower was enthusiastic and highly capable, having led the team through eleven levels.


    During the Attacker''s conference, Lin Da had seen the members of Ice Flower a few times, and he could sense that their adventure team had a great atmosphere.


    Inparison to the Snow Goose Adventure Team, it was like heaven and earth.


    But.


    Lin Da essed his personal panel.


    Beyond basic information, there was an option on the left called "Squad Module."


    Clicking it would prompt: To unlock this temte, you must form your own squad.


    In the game Mystic Continent, the Squad Module provided many attribute bonuses, andcking this module meant iplete system functionality.


    Moreover... Lin Da looked towards the towering lush tree in the distance.


    The person who reached the top of the World Tree would receive the strongest Brave''s Sword and a chance to make a wish to the World Tree Goddess.


    The person who obtained the Brave''s Sword was the team leader, and the person given the chance to make a wish was also the team leader.


    To vanquish the Demon King, the Brave''s Sword was indispensable.


    Lacking the "Anti-Demon" trait, the game''s difficulty would increase by tens of times.


    Thinking this, Lin Da shook his head and declined politely, "Sorry, I n to establish my own adventure team."


    Isa frowned, thinking Lin Da was making excuses, "You think the sry from the Ice Flower Adventure Team is too low? What does Lia give you? I guarantee to increase it by twenty percent based on that."


    Lia only gave junk, believing that a level 15 Healer didn''t deserve good equipment.


    Lin Da didn''t have the heart to say it out loud, it was too shabby, and he feared beingughed at.


    "It''s not about the pay." Lin Da smiled, "I have certain reasons that I must create my own team, and besides... I''ve turned back to level 0, joining the Ice Flower Adventure Team would only hold them back."


    "Ah, level 0?" Isa looked at Lin Da in surprise, "So that''s it, no wonder you were kicked out by that Lia..."


    Isapletely misunderstood.


    She thought that Lin Da encountered an ident inside the World Tree, which was why Lia kicked him out of the team.


    Lin Da didn''t exin further, humbly stating, "That''s how it is, thank you for your kindness."


    While the invitation from the Ice Flower Adventure Team was tempting, Lin Da still wanted to create a team of his own.


    After bidding goodbye to a regretful Isa, he hadn''t walked far when Kafni curiously approached him.


    "What''s going on with the Snow Goose Adventure Team? Who is Lia? Why does your expression change whenever she''s mentioned by Isa?"


    "None of your business." Lin Da said irritably.


    But Kafni didn''t give up on getting to the bottom of things; she smelled a juicy story on Lin Da and was determined to get it clear.


    "Aren''t we partners in fighting the Demon King? What can''t be shared?"


    "Spill it,e on!"


    "This Deity is asking you!"


    The more Lin Da refused to talk, the more Kafni persisted.


    Annoyed beyond tolerance, Lin Da finally briefly ryed the story about the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    A momentter.


    "Ha? You''re totally a lickspittle, right? Doing theirundry, cooking for them, even preparing strategies for free? Dogs aren''t even as fawning as you!"


    After hearing Lin Da''s story, Kafni was dumbfounded.


    She envisioned a troublesome trio and one man ying house.


    Team leader Lia often shed with other adventurers, rendering their lives unmanageable, all dependent on Lin Da''s mediation.


    The Mage Young Lady had leg issues that required daily massages.


    The heavy armored warrior was just an immature brat who also had a foul mouth, loving to call Lin Da a "useless Small Fry Uncle."


    If Lin Da didn''t cook her specified meals three times a day, she would refuse to eat, forcing Lin Da to always give in to the kid.


    I''ve seen good guys, but I''ve never seen anyone quite like Lin Da.


    Serving dogs would be easier than serving that bunch of youngdies!


    "Lickspittle, lickspittle hero, how did I choose someone like you to be a hero? Ah, I really want to switch to a hero that respects me, is strong, and isn''t a lickspittle."


    Kafni, with hands behind her back and chest out, nced sideways at Lin Da''s darkening face and taunted him with a hateful expression akin to that of a Female Lady.


    "Shut up already, will you!"


    Lin Da was somewhat annoyed, "You don''t have OO, so of course you don''t understand men''s thoughts! Besides, when we first formed the team, Lia was normal, it was only after the team got famous that she began to change."


    Kafni retorted unbowed:


    "Who do you me for me not having OO? By the way, I think the abnormal one is actually you, weren''t you the one who spoiled them like that?


    If someone cooked me meals every day for a year and then suddenly stopped one day, of course, I would curse them out.


    Why would they stop now after having done it before?


    They don''t take you seriously, purely because you are too subservient!"


    Lin Da frowned, "Yourck of OO is none of my business. You said earlier that a deity must fulfill the hero''s wish when it''s made, why would I make such a useless wish?


    Moreover, I am not subservient; I just do what I need to do. I can''t just let them starve, can I?"


    "That''s why I said you are a lickspittle!"


    Kafni burst intoughter.


    She thought bing ady was miserable enough, but Lin Da seemed to have it even worse.


    The group that Lin Da called teammates didn''t really consider him a teammate; they were just using him, knowing that if they pushed him, he would back down.


    After backing down so many times, Lin Da got used to it and felt that doing those things was his duty and responsibility.


    In other words, Lin Da got yed!


    A grand hero, and yet he couldn''t figure this out!


    Kafni conveniently addressed another of Lin Da''s remarks: "What do you mean by saying I''m useless? If I had told you earlier that I need to fulfill the hero''s wishes to the best of my ability, you, being a subservient type, would definitely wish for something even more absurd, like licking someone to gain favor or something, haha!"


    "What? Don''t underestimate others, you damn deity!"


    Lin Da waspletely infuriated, and the two of them started a big fight in the street.


    Passers-by looked on in surprise at this odd pair.


    A tall, dark-haired man angrily chasing after a gold-haired woman.


    With an aura that seemed to say he wouldn''t stop until he caught her and thrashed her thoroughly.


    Thetter was not afraid at all, standing at the edge of the fountain''s pool, arms crossed, taunting the former: "Lickspittle, lickspittle hero!"


    "Darn it!"


    Lin Da almost burst his lungs from running, yet he couldn''t catch up to the thief-profession Kafni.


    He wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve and panted heavily.


    Despite being tired, oddly enough, after all that frantic running, he felt somewhat refreshed as if he had vented all the frustration and gloom in his chest.


    This made Lin Da recall the early days when the Snow Goose Adventure Team was first established, with membersughing and yfully chasing each other just like this.


    Indeed, it was somewhat nostalgic.


    Lin Da sighed softly.


    Leaving the team he had helped to establish over three years, it definitely felt sad.


    At that moment, he looked ahead at Kafni standing on the edge of the fountain, arms akimbo and a smug look on her face as her soft panda toy fluttered in the wind.


    It felt like a return to the carefree days three years ago.

 Chapter 9: 9. Bursting Flames Lia

    Level zero hero plus level zero deity, one could say it was the lowest of the low, sufficient only for cutting down slimes.


    Lin Da, however, felt very rxed with no pressure at all.


    He pondered and gradually understood the real reason he had left the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Being pressured by Lia was just secondary.


    In fact, he had subconsciously realized that the current Snow Goose Adventure Team wasn''t the one he wanted to stay in, staying there would only continually contradict his true inner desires.


    To build a team of his own and slowly enjoy climbing up the World Tree while admiring its scenery.


    To not abandon any member and stand shoulder to shoulder to reach the highest point of the Mystic Continent.


    That was what Lin Da hoped for.


    Even though it sounded a bit like a fool''s dream, Lin Da knew the strategy to defeat every level of Magical Creatures and could ovee the Secret Realm Guardians with minimal conditions.


    Therefore, it was possible.


    Havinge to this game world not without difficulty, Lin Da met Lia and agreed with her concept, "taking everyone with us, leaving no one behind to clear the top floor of the World Tree."


    Having the same goals and principles, he then founded the Snow Goose Adventure Team with Lia.


    As the team''s original intention changed, he naturally had no reason to stay.


    Having left now, he nned to build a new team, and he had to pick the members carefully.


    Lin Da looked ahead.


    The first member should rightfully be Kafni, who was bound to the hero and would never betray him.


    Looking up at the vast azure sky, Lin Da put his hands in his pockets, a leisurely and rxed smile ying on his lips.


    Everything was pretty good. Except for the fact that his pockets held only a pitiable seven copper coins.


    Leaving with only the clothes on his back was far from easy.


    If "she" had still been around, the teamprising a healer, a damage dealer, and a frontline��could have been directly formed.


    Lin Da caressed an exquisite pocket watch, his heart filled with myriad emotions.


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the ninthyer of the World Tree Secret Realm, the Twisted Forest.


    The sky looked as if covered by ayer of gray waxed paper, the light dim.


    The dry, twisted trees, as if hands stretching out from hell, wed at the sky.


    "Yah! Ha!"


    The red-haired girl, her expression intense, gripped her greatsword tightly, like a redet, lunging at the Secret Realm Guardian seven meters tall, a level 23 ''Giant Carnivorous Flower.''


    The Giant Carnivorous Flower looked like a sunflower, with a big mouth split in the middle of its bloom, crowded with serrated teeth.


    Thick drool dripped from the mouth, falling to the ground.


    The Snow Goose Adventure Team had been battling on the ninth level for over an hour, each team member bearing various wounds.


    The newly joined level 20 Healer, the blond youth Phyllis, was frantically casting Healing Arts, drenched in sweat.


    That Lia, too reckless.


    She alone had used up nearly half of Phyllis''s magic power.


    If they continued fighting like this, the Magical Creatures wouldn''t be dead before his magic power was depleted.


    How did that previous level 15 Healer, who had even less magic power than himself, manage to lead the Snow Goose Adventure Team up here?


    Phyllis inwardly cursed.


    Today being his first day on the job, he had to perform well, which meant drinking Magic Potion while simultaneously attacking, a huge strain on his body.


    "Strength Blessing!"


    At that moment, Miss Aiko, the Mage from the Holy Light Church, raised her Magic Wand high.


    Her golden hair fluttered, illustrious and noble, like the sun goddess.


    The Strength Blessing cast on Lia boosted her Fire Fighting Qi and speed by several degrees.


    "We can do it, everyone needs to have faith!"


    Without Lin Da, Aiko, the oldest among them, took charge.


    Aiko drank a Mana Potion, thinking to herself: They were very lucky this time to have randomly reached the ninthyer, the Twisted Forest, which was most suited for the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    If randomly assigned to the "Lava Cave," a Mystic Realm thatpletely countered Lia''s Fire Fighting Qi, Aiko would not hesitate to use the "Town Portal Scroll" hidden in her pocket and abandon Lia.


    Just kidding, she was just a worker, not blindly devoted to the team like someone else!


    Moreover, since that person had run away, Miss Aiko''s already scant loyalty had decreased even further.


    In the peril-filled Mystic Realm, the six members of the team each had different thoughts.


    Klrona treated fighting Magical Creatures as a game,


    Phyllis hesitated whether to drink another Mana Potion, feeling pain from the swollen magic circuits inside her body.


    The honest couple, Klyne and Oru, prioritized staying alive since they hadn''t finished paying off the mortgage on their house in White Dove City.


    The only one willing to fight desperately to clear the realm was alone,


    "Healer, cast Healing Art on me!"


    Lia wiped the sweat from her forehead and shouted loudly.


    A white light fell upon her,


    Lia felt her strength surge and even the slight internal injuries healed.


    She definitely was better than Lin Da, who came from Noble Academy!


    Lia was sure in her heart. Taking a deep breath, she gripped the greatsword "me Devourer" in her hands and stared intently at the Giant Carnivorous Flower.


    The team functioned like a well-oiled magic engine, everyone ying their part seamlessly,


    But she always felt something was off, like something was not quite right.


    Even with an amazing new Healer, she still felt restricted, unable to unleash her full strength.


    No one told her in which direction to attack, when to attack, or which part of the Magical Creature to hit,


    Dealing with the Magical Creatures'' attacks was tiring enough, let alone thinking about these things, causing Lia''s head to ache.


    Her thoughts were not clear, and a stifled anger was pent up inside her chest, unable to escape.


    Lia remembered how she had waited like a fool at the entrance to the World Tree Mystic Realm earlier that day.


    She had emphasized repeatedlyst night that she would enter the World Tree at dawn today,


    Lin Da had a good memory; there was no reason for him to forget.


    "I definitely need to clear this level impressively, to show him that, without his Snow Goose Adventure Team, we are even more formidable!"


    Lia bit her silver teeth in anger.


    Right at that moment,


    "Captain, danger!"


    Aiko''s anxious voice snapped her out of it.


    Lia jolted awake,


    The Giant Carnivorous Flower, as if gone mad, pulled up thousands of roots from the ground, turning them into sharp whips tounch an attack,


    Covering the sky, the roots attacked like a of death.


    Lia was somewhat at a loss,


    Should she retreat?


    As the thought arose, she seemed to hear someone''s scoffing in her ear,


    No, no need to retreat, just chop this thing down!


    With determination in her heart, Lia clenched her teeth and charged forward with her sword.


    She was like a red fish darting through the sea, skillfully dodging the torrent of roots with impable agility.


    Any Swordsman of the same level as Lia would be astounded,pletely in awe of her extraordinary skills,


    This was "Bursting mes" Lia, the top adventurer of the younger generation in White Dove City.


    "Crazy!"


    But Aiko stomped her feet in frustration,


    Lia''s style of fighting was too dangerous; one mistake and it would be over,


    And she was charging too fast, her teammates simply couldn''t keep up,


    If Lin Da were here, he would probably say: It''s like a Rock Man shing up top to crash into someone, asking Yaso in mid why he didn''t follow up.

 Chapter 10: 10. Lia couldnt understand

    Aiko''s face was extremely pale.


    Suppressing the urge to vomit, she cast the Light Arrow Technique much faster than an average Mage, severing the Giant Carnivorous Flower''s roots and allowing Lia to initiate the skill "Energy Charging".


    "Well done, Aiko!"


    Lia charged toward the Giant Carnivorous Flower, her greatsword ''me Devourer'' glowing red-hot as she shouted:


    "me sh!"


    A streak of red sword light descended from above, splitting the Giant Carnivorous Flower in half much like Moses parted the Red Sea.


    The Magical Creature let out a pitiful scream, staggered, and then fell to the ground with a thump.


    "We won..."


    Lia stared nkly at the corpse of the creature, her face a mixture of disbelief.


    Although they hadn''t escaped unscathed from the battle��her arm and right leg were grazed by the Giant Carnivorous Flower''s roots��they had won.


    Without Lin Da, she still led the team to conquer the ninth floor.


    Indeed, the Young Lady herself was formidable!


    Lia''s spirits soared to an unprecedented high, as if she could see the team reaching the pinnacle of the World Tree.


    A smile of pride involuntarily formed on her lips, curving into a satisfied arc.


    However, the overly excited Lia overlooked one problem.


    Being severely countered by her fire attribute, the Giant Carnivorous Flower, a nt series boss, wasn''t actually up to the standard difficulty of the ninth floor.


    Another potential boss of the ninth-floor Mystic Realm, the Lava Giant, who possessed high resistance to fire, was a nightmare for her��hellishly difficult.


    The oue of the Snow Goose Adventure Team encountering the Lava Giant had never crossed Lia''s mind.


    The several veteran members of the team, upon seeing her proud expression, seemed like they wanted to say something but held back.


    Aiko sighed, keeping her preaching thoughts to herself.


    Only when Lia suffered a setback would she perhaps understand.


    Meanwhile, specks of light began to fall from the sky.


    Defeating the Giant Carnivorous Flower triggered a reward from the World Tree Goddess, simr to looting equipment in a game.


    Gold Coins rained down, while the lights varied in color.


    Themon ones were white, slightly better ones were green for fine quality, and blue for rare quality.


    Luck was on Lia''s side; she found a beautifully purple light.


    She checked them one by one.


    "Level 23 main weapon, the Tengman Whip��not useful, sell it."


    "Level 20 armor, Sunflower''s Heart... the defense bonus is decent, might as well keep it."


    "Level 15 purple rare essory, Angel''s Bracelet��isn''t this healer equipment?"


    Lia''s eyes lit up, she turned around and instinctively reached out her hand, ready to give someone a high-five.


    Clearing the ninth floor of the World Tree was a milestone, and exploding with purple rare gear had her over the moon, acting unconsciously like she did in the past.


    After defeating a boss, she used to high-five that person, then everyone would stack their hands together, shouting and cheering with joy.


    Tossing the equipment and Gold Coins from the boss into the air, enjoying the full sense of aplishment.


    But after Lia reached out her dry hand towards Aiko and the others, she remembered that person seemed to have left the team.


    The atmosphere suddenly grew quiet.


    Aiko and the others didn''te forward to ease Lia''s embarrassment because nobody knew what was really going through Lia''s head. If someone casually went over to take that person''s ce, it could upset her, which wouldn''t be good.


    So, nobody moved, leaving Lia''s right hand awkwardly raised in the air.


    "Hmph."


    Lia withdrew her hand, stuffing it into the pocket of her skirt armor, her fingers anxiously fumbling with the fabric inside.


    The smile on her face slowly faded into an icy, poker face.


    "Haha, who would have thought it''d be so easy to take down the Giant Carnivorous Flower? Captain, it''s all thanks to you."


    The newly-promoted healer with blonde hair, Phyllis, walked up to Lia with a triumphant smile that was as warm as a spring breeze.


    "Where are we going for tonight''s celebration dinner? How about the Michelin Three-Star Restaurant on Elf Street? The food there is not bad. I''ll treat everyone to a good meal tonight!"


    Phyllis tried hard to hide the covetous glint in his eyes, putting on a suave and generous expression as he invited the beautiful redhead girl.


    With his impressive results as the tenth-ranked student in his healer ss, Phyllis had graduated from the White Dove City Noble Academy and was fully capable of joining an adventure team like the Ice Flower Adventure Team, which was above the tenth level.


    But he had chosen the Snow Goose Adventure Team, which was below the tenth level.


    He had only one target in mind.


    The beautiful and noble-born team leader, Lia.


    Behind this youngdy was a father known as the ''Bloody Baron,'' who was said to be a promising candidate for reaching level 40 and bing a Moon rank adventurer.


    Whoever married Lia could essentially soar to great heights in the second half of his life.


    Phyllis grinned, fully expecting Lia to agree to his invitation.


    However, to his surprise, Lia frowned irritably and said, "You guys go ahead, I''m not going."


    "Ah? How can that be, you are the team leader." Phyllis felt his mentality explode.


    "If this youngdy says she doesn''t want to go, then she doesn''t go. If you want to go, then go by yourselves, I''m tired."


    Lia snorted coldly, ignoring Phyllis who was left dumbstruck, and said to Aiko, "You are responsible for cleaning up the battle loot and distributing the rewards."


    Aiko rolled her eyes.


    Distributing rewards was a thankless job; it was impossible to always divide everything perfectly evenly, leaving some unavoidably dissatisfied in the shadows.


    Previously, the task was done by Lin Da, and everyone was satisfied, because whenever there was a dispute involving interests, Lin Da would take less of his share.


    "It''s such a headache. If only that dog was still here."


    Aiko muttered, resigned.


    She noticed a ''Healer''s Angel Bracelet'' among the pile of treasures that had burst out and, after thinking for a bit, asked Lia, "This piece of equipment..."


    "Sell it. No need to keep it," Lia immediately knew which item Aiko was referring to and said in an indifferent tone.


    After conquering the ninth level, the Light Gate to the tenth level appeared beside the corpses of the magical creatures.


    The tenth level belonged to the Public Grand Secret Realm, where there were teleportation points that allowed for free passage without the need to clear the level.


    Lia stepped into the Light Gate and took out a cylindrical blue crystal from her skirt pocket, infusing the Teleportation Stone with Battle Qi.


    A bright light shed, apanied by a magic circle beneath her feet, and Lia disappeared from the spot.


    ...


    In the Inner City District, the luxurious mansion of the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    With a loud ''bang.''


    "What the hell, told him to leave, and he really left!"


    A pink cat plushie was thrown by Lia into the trash bin with a grim expression on her face.


    Lia was alone in the mansion and finally could not hold back and burst out.


    When she returned, Lia did not see the scene she had imagined: Lin Da waiting at the door to apologize and humbly acknowledging his mistake.


    They had adventured together, conquered so many mystic realms, sweated profusely, drank beer in big gulps... She had so many shared memories with him, yet he had abandoned the team they''d been part of for three years, just like that.


    It was too heartless.


    And there she had been, thinking about giving that level 15 ''Healer''s Angel Bracelet'' to Lin Da.


    Lia, fuming, stomped around in cotton slippers with a giant carrot pattern, went to the fridge, opened the toppartment, and took out a can of beer.


    The beer can depicted a fire-breathing dragon, with text that read ''Spicy vor,'' ''Extra high malt concentration!''


    She took the beer and gloomily entered the bathroom.


    Taking off her clothes, she threw her sweat-soaked ck stockings and her close-fitting shorts to the side, stood in front of a life-sized mirror, and zoned out looking at her body.


    Aside from being a bit t-chested, the rest of her was not bad. Especially her stic, powerful long legs which often attracted unconscious nces from Lin Da.


    Being so beautiful and excellent, why did Lin Da leave the team?


    Lia just couldn''t understand it.

 Chapter 11: What? I, the young lady, like that Lin Da?

    A whileter, therge bathtub was filled with hot water, and steam was rising.


    Lia leaned on the wall, extended a delicate foot, and dipped her toes to check the temperature before slowly lowering herself into the bathtub.


    She used a floating wooden board as a table to rest her beer, curled up, hugged her knees, and her head was half submerged, blowing bubbles.


    Having cleared the Ninth Layer Secret Realm, she felt somewhat surreal and didn''t want to attend the celebration feast.


    Lia couldn''t figure out what was wrong with herself, feeling only irritation and confusion.


    "Time for a bath~"


    Shortly after, Klrona''s noisy voice came from the hall.


    The bathroom door burst open, and a nude little girl cheerfully jumped into the bathtub, sshing water everywhere, nearly knocking over the beer on the small table.


    "��so really, can you be a bit more serious? You''re not a child anymore!" Lia steadied her beer, already in a bad mood, and felt like cursing.


    "There are no men in the vi now, I''m just happy," Klrona, a bit afraid of Lia, the hot-tempered team leader, shrugged her shoulders and muttered quietly without Da Lin to protect her.


    Lia frowned, put one hand on her hip, ready to scold Klrona.


    At that moment, another person entered.


    The adventure team''s mage, Aiko.


    Aiko sat in a wheelchair, wearing a loose yellow dress, smiling gently with a mature aura, akin to a married woman.


    Regrettably, the mage''s abundant, long legsy soft and powerless on the wheelchair''s footrest.


    One couldn''t help but sigh in frustration, wondering why the Deity was so cruel to this woman, granting her a broad and ample bosom yet robbing her of the ability to walk freely.


    Unlike her healthy appearance in the Secret Realm, Aiko''s legs were afflicted by a strange disease in reality, devoid of any sensation. Only in the Secret Realm could she stand on her own by using the realm-specific skill "Healthy Body."


    The well-endowed mage, resting her cheek in her hand, grinned and cooed like soothing a child, "Lia, it''s better not to be angry, or your chest might shrink."


    "Huh? It would be better if they did shrink, cumbersome things only hinder my sword-swinging speed!"


    "But who was the one secretly measuring in front of the mirror, clearly caring so much?"


    "Miss me didn''t care at all, okay!"


    Lia''s face turned red as if a cat whose tail had been stepped on.


    "Take this!" The mage suddenly reached out with a groping hand.


    "Ah, no pinching, Aiko, you''ve annoyed me no end!"


    "I want to join in too!"


    Klrona grabbed Aiko from behind.


    "Ahhhh?!"


    After a while of frolicking in the bathtub, the girls'' rtionship seemed much rxed.


    Aiko leaned on the edge of the bathtub, holding the petite Klrona, who had her soft pink hair full of bubbles and gently scrubbed it with a brush.


    Klrona''s face was filled with bliss.


    "That��"


    Feeling that the atmosphere was right, maybe it was time to bring something up, Aiko nced at Lia and hesitated, "Is it okay not to call Da Lin back?"


    The air suddenly fell silent.


    The seemingly taped-up harmonious facade was torn apart.


    Aiko had a different opinion about driving Da Lin away.


    "Why should I call him back? I didn''t do anything wrong," Lia''s voice suddenly rose by an octave and with a cold re at Aiko, said, "Da Lin left on his own, didn''t he? How is it my fault?"


    "What does it have to do with you, are you kidding?"


    Wasn''t it you who drove him away?


    Aiko questioned silently.


    When she returned, she had heard rumors that Isa, the silver-haired beauty, had invited Da Lin to join her.


    Next to Da Lin, there was also a golden-haired beauty whose bust was no smaller than hers.


    If not for Lia''s silliness, Da Lin would already be massaging her feet and preparing her post-battle desserts!


    Dread filled Aiko; she tilted her head and feigned confusion:


    "But don''t you like him?"


    No matter how Lia responded, Aiko had won.


    If Lia denied it, she would be ruthless.


    You didn''t want him yourself, so there''s definitely no problem if I take Da Lin, right?


    As for admitting...


    that would make me a total Joker!


    At these words, Chloe, held in Aiko''s arms, shrank into a small pill bug.


    The bathroom seemed to be filled with a thick smell of gunpowder.


    "Huh?"


    "Huh?"


    "Huh?!"


    First, three exmations of shock, annoyance, and disbelief, each uttered in a very high-pitched tone.


    Lia immediately turned red.


    "Aiko, what are you talking about? Me liking that utterly ordinary fool? Stop joking!"


    "It''s him who likes me, I''ve never liked him!"


    Lia suddenly stood up from the bathtub.


    The fierce Fire Series Battle Qi made Lia''s long hair shimmer with a fiery glow, lightly dancing in the air.


    At that moment, Lia looked like a pissed-off, bristling cat.


    Now she was really getting agitated!


    Aiko wasughing so hard inside.


    Since Lia said so, she wouldn''t hold back in the future.


    Just wait until Da bes her little puppy, Lia better not regret it.


    And as if to prove her point, Lia, with a stern face, cited an example:


    "At first, Da gave all the rewards to me, even blood brothers don''t do that, do they? Every month when he received his sry, he first bought me new clothes and snacks, and he never talked back when I scolded him. Isn''t that liking me?"


    Aiko raised an eyebrow:


    "Is it possible that Da is like this with all the girls?"


    "It''s just his promise to ''that girl,'' right? A promise not to make other girls in the team sad again. It''s just to keep his word to ''that girl,'' so he''s nice to everyone."


    Aiko directly mocked Lia.


    Only nice to you? Purely delusional!


    Lia probably doesn''t even know about Da massaging her feet every night.


    It''s the same for everyone, just that Lia gets a bit more attention.


    These few sentences were like a bucket of cold water poured over Lia''s head, she clenched her teeth, her mouth opening several times to say something, then stopping herself.


    Lia looked down on Da, but held utmost respect for that girl.


    She forcefully suppressed her anger and sat back down in the bathtub.


    Picking up a beer, she guzzled down half of it, seemingly talking to herself but actually warning Aiko:


    "From now on, I don''t want to hear any news about Da, otherwise, don''t me me for not being nice!"


    Aiko wisely didn''t continue to provoke Lia.


    ncing at her iron-blue face, it seemed she had hit a nerve, infuriated and drinking sullenly.


    Aiko was relieved.


    All about saving face, right?


    She deserves it!


    Then, she absentmindedly brushed Chloe''s hair, her thoughts wandering.


    Really, Lia was bing more and more annoying.


    Even her patience was wearing thin.


    A desire to leave crossed her mind.


    Unlike Da and the others, Aiko hadn''t joined the Snow Goose Adventure Team for some elusive dream of conquering the World Tree.


    Thepensation Lia provided was high enough, and moreover, the team had many girls and none of the men she despised the most.


    That''s why she joined the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    She wondered where Da, driven out by Lia, had gone and what he was up to.


    Whether he had been bewitched by Isa, that Bitch.


    Aiko squinted her eyes.


    "Da, oh Da, I haven''t settled the grudge from three years ago yet, how could I easily let you go."

 Chapter 12: Do not move, this hero will go make some money.

    Dusk.


    White Dove City, the Sparrow District, wheremoners and impoverished adventurers abound.


    "Just let this deity pee first, then you''ll understand whether I am a real man or not."


    Kafni felt the need to prove something, otherwise there might be danger tonight: she noticed Lin Da stealing nces at her with a sleazy look.


    If she were a true woman, she would have felt disgusted, but Kafni only felt a chill down below, at risk of being attacked.


    She was still a virgin, and she absolutely couldn''t be screwed over by some lousy hero!


    Lin Da fiddled with the seven copper coins in his hand, worrying about where to stay for the night.


    "What do you mean?"


    Hearing that, he looked at Kafni, puzzled.


    Kafni smiled and said, "Think about it, a real girl wouldn''t just pee behind the holly bushes on the street, right? But this deity doesn''t care, I don''t have any psychological burden about it, so I''m a man, a real man."


    "Hey, don''t boast about peeing on the roadside like that! Think about the sanitation workers!"


    Lin Da helplessly put his hand to his forehead.


    Is this guy really a deity?


    Being a deity doesn''t mean you don''t have to take tests, right?


    All I saw was Kafni crossing over the holly, finding a tree for double insurance, and hiding behind it.


    "Hm hm hm hm~"


    Humming a strange tune, Kafni let out a grunt, shamelessly starting to take care of business.


    As a deity, her adaptability was strong.


    What''s the old saying, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."


    Swish swish��


    The sweet sound of water rang out, and Kafni had no psychological burden whatsoever.


    "Whoa!"


    Suddenly, Kafni got so frightened she almost peed her pants.


    She red at Lin Da angrily, "What are you looking at? Scram, get lost, what the hell are you staring at?"


    Quite a sweet mouth.


    "I''m just curious," Lin Da said.


    He was puzzled, pointing at Kafni, who was squatting on the ground, having rolled up the hem of her dress and holding it in her arms: "Aren''t men supposed to take care of this standing up?"


    "You have no freaking idea, standing up it''s easy to get it on yourself."


    Kafni shifted her angle, circling around therge tree to avoid Lin Da''s gaze.


    She suffered from pee-shyness, getting stage fright if someone stared, unable to let it out.


    Lin Da, with his hand on his chin, pondered, "Even though you''re a man, you actually got used to a girl''s body very quickly. Maybe, you actually want to be a girl? Have the heart of a girl?"


    "What?!"


    Kafni pulled down her dress, ready to have a big fight with Lin Da.


    But both of them noticed that outside the holly, without knowing when, a crowd of onlookers had gathered, along with a cleaningdy, angrily hurrying over with a broom.


    "How shameless, peeing right on the street, I''ll beat you to death, you sly wench!"


    s, the deity was mistaken for a fried chicken again!


    Kafni, ashamed and angry, grabbed the hero''s wrist and whispered, "Let''s go, or we''ll be arrested by the Law Enforcement Bureau!"


    "They''re catching you, what''s it got to do with me..."


    Lin Dained, being dragged by Kafni, running a good distance away.


    Kafni barely stopped to catch her breath when she saw Lin Da p his hands, his face brightening with delight, "I''ve just thought of a way to make money!"


    "Oh? So we don''t have to sleep on the streets tonight?" Kafni''s eyes lit up.


    Lin Da nodded, grinning as he pointed at Kafni, "When we were running just now, I noticed that your dress is made of fine Ice Silk, it could sell for at least one gold coin."


    "..."


    Kafni stood frozen, her head trembling as she looked down at her thin dress.


    Inside, other than a set of light blue underwear, there was nothing left.


    The family in the Divine Realm, who would understand?


    On the verge of mental copse, Kafni had finally summoned a hero, but instead of fighting the Demon King, he was eyeing her clothes to sell.


    Otherwise, she''d have to sleep on the streets.


    Was saving the world really this hard?


    All those predecessors who had saved dozens of worlds, how did they manage it?


    "You damned hero, don''t you dare strip off a deity''s clothes!!!"


    Kafni''s cry of despair echoed through the streets.


    ...


    "Don''t move from there, I''m going to sell your clothes."


    Lin Da held a warm white dress with a faint fragrance in his right hand, nodding with satisfaction.


    Behind the holly on both sides of the street, there was a girl wearing only light blue undergarments.


    Kafni, her face filled with both shame and anger, hugged her head to hide herself and turned her back to Lin Da; only the straps of her underwear were visible.


    This deity''s skin, it looked so white, so soft.


    Lin Da''s mind was filled with wild thoughts.


    Even Kafni... was probably warm too.


    This was no different from a normal girl.


    Hiding behind the holly, Kafni, her face full of shame, said, "You damned hero, why must you sell my things? Don''t you have things you could sell?"


    She was referring to the magic potions in the form of transparent test tubes hanging from Lin Da''s belt.


    Small-sized Mana Recovery Potion, nicknamed Little Blue.


    Small-sized Life Recovery Potion, nicknamed Little Red.


    Aside from a few Magic Pharmacists who could concoct them, most of these potions came as rewards from the World Tree Secret Realm, a scarce necessity in high demand and short supply.


    On Lin Da''s belt, each magic potion was ced in an individual long, brown pouch specially made for carrying them.


    Kafni counted them, ten each of Little Red and Little Blue.


    With the market value in White Dove City, they were worth approximately 2000 gold coins.


    "Sell my magic potions? Absolutely not!"


    Lin Da''s eyes widened in refusal, his hands protectively clutching his magic potions like a stingy miser.


    With his understanding of the World Tree, having sufficient potions meant that he could slowly whittle down monsters without taking on challenges beyond his level, securing an unbeatable position.


    Ten bottles each of Little Red and Little Blue was the minimum number he had precisely calcted. Losing even one would make him anxious.


    In other words, these potions were Lin Da''s nest egg, not to be used lightly except in the most dire circumstances.


    Lin Da caressed the potions on his belt fondly, mumbling to himself:


    "Jack, you''re my first Life Recovery Potion. I remember it clearly��you dropped from a Lava Monster on the firstyer of the World Tree. For you, I spent six hours grinding...


    And there''s Lucy, you''re from the thirdyer of the World Tree. I casually killed a minor creature and it dropped the most precious reward it could offer��Lucy, the Small-sized Life Recovery Potion. The day I got you was undoubtedly a miracle!


    Then there''s Ond... you''re from the fifthyer of the World Tree.


    Carby, I bought you with a hefty sum from ck Uncle. The cork was sorge, it must have hurt a lot. Thankfully, I prepared a cork of the right size for you."


    Lin Da knew the names and origins of each of the twenty bottles of Little Red and Little Blue like treasured possessions.


    He described his stories with them to Kafni, his expression rapt with enthusiasm and his eyes sparkling with excitement.


    Magic potions? No, they were Lin Da''s family!


    "Ugh, disgusting," Kafni said, looking at Lin Da as if seeing him for the first time, her face filled with revulsion, "How could there be someone who is romantically attached to potions, disgusting, perverted, just go die already."

 Chapter 13: 13. Three Types of Mystic Realms

    "In summary,"


    Lin Da coughed, looking serious, "I will not betray any of them, so don''t even think about getting your hands on my potions!"


    "Fine, not selling them, okay?" Kafni pouted, then pointed to a pocket on Lin Da''s chest, "What about that one? Selling it shouldn''t be a problem, right?"


    What Kafni was referring to was a pocket watch, whose chain looked like it was made of tinum, so it must be worth some money.


    But to her surprise, Lin Da refused even more quickly: "This can''t be sold either."


    "Huh?! Why can we only sell my stuff? Show a little sincerity yourself!" Kafni said annoyed.


    Lin Da awkwardly touched his head, "Didn''t I contribute seven copper coins?"


    Seeing Kafni''s face growing increasingly unhappy, he finally stopped joking around: "Sorry, an ordinary pocket watch is one thing, but this one really can''t be sold."


    With that, Lin Da took the pocket watch out of his pocket.


    It was round, the size of a baby''s palm, with a golden matte finish on the outside, and soft music sounded as soon as it was opened.


    Kafni leaned in to see that a photo was embedded inside the watch case, featuring two people, Lin Da and a ck-haired young girl.


    Her skin was pale, and her body extremely frail, but her eyes, ck as onyx and full of life, sparkled with activity. She was smiling mischievously, hugging Lin Da''s arm and making a ''yeah'' sign with scissors fingers next to her eye.


    "Who is this person?" Kafni noticed that Lin Da''s eyes became very tender when he looked at the pocket watch, as if spring breezes were brushing across a radiantke.


    So even the reckless hero had such a side?


    Lin Da was silent for a moment, then said, "My sister."


    "Sister?"


    "Yeah. She went missing at the World Tree two years ago, and we still haven''t found her."


    Lin Da looked at the towering tree in the center of White Dove City, falling silent, as if reluctant to talk about it.


    Many memories surfaced in his mind.


    Three years ago, Lin Da came to the game world of the Mystic Continent, not alone, though.


    He had been pushing his sister, Lin Xi, in a wheelchair when a dump truck had struck them.


    The siblings, along with Lia, formed the Snow Goose Adventure Team together.


    Things went smoothly at first.


    However, on the fourth level of the World Tree, Lin Xi disappeared, as if she had evaporated from the world, leaving no trace behind.


    When Lin Da returned to the adventure team''s base, heartbroken, he strangely found Lin Xi''s ever-present pocket watch on his desk.


    Lin Da still couldn''t make sense of what had happened that day. Did Lin Xi return to White Dove City before him, leaving her pocket watch there?


    Or had Lin Xi already died, and someone else had ced the watch on his desk?


    Either scenario had many unexinable aspects.


    One of the big reasons Lin Da entered the World Tree was to look for Lin Xi.


    "Don''t worry, we will definitely find her, and I will help you once my power is restored," Kafni reassured him, seeing Lin Da looking a bit downcast.


    "But there''s something I find strange, why are you so sure she''s missing, rather than having been eaten by Magical Creatures or something?" Kafni changed the subject, "The space inside Mystic Realms isn''t that big, right? If you search diligently, you should always find some clues."


    Lin Da shook his head: "It''s like that forbat-type Mystic Realms, where the space isn''trge and theyout is simple; you mainly encounter Magical Creatures. But story-type Mystic Realms are different."


    In the game "Mystic Continent," some instances have yers going straight to battle. Others set several tasks across a vast map, letting yers explore and fight monsters until they encounter the final boss.


    Story-type Mystic Realms belong to thetter.


    Kafni, confused, said, "Combat-type, story-type, what do these mean?"


    "That''s what we locals call them."


    Lin Da exined: "Around here, there are generally three types of Mystic Realms. The first type is the one you just mentioned, the mostmonbat-type."


    "Combat-type Mystic Realms are simr to ying an instance in a game, killing minor creeps, finding the Secret Realm Guardian, taking them down, and then you''ve cleared it. These kinds of Mystic Realms are generally not big; you could walk through them in a few hours."


    "Oh, what about the second type?"


    "The second type is story-type."


    "Created by the World Tree Goddess, each world has a different background: science, wastnd, magic, etc... The space of these Mystic Realms is thousands to millions of timesrger than the former, so looking for one person is like finding a needle in a haystack."


    Lin Da put the pocket watch back in his inner pocket, took a deep breath, and gradually adjusted his mindset.


    Now, he had long emerged from the despondency of Lin Xi''s disappearance and was determined to reach the top of the World Tree one step at a time.


    He indulged in his sentimentality for a moment and then recovered.


    Making Kafni, the new team member, aware of the types of Mystic Realms was now the most important thing.


    Kafni thought for a moment and said, "Story-type Mystic Realms sound a bit like Illusionary Training? What''s the third type then?"


    "Thest one is Public Grand Mystic Realms."


    This time, Lin Da''s tone was a bit lighter.


    "Public Grand Mystic Realms are what adventurers like the most. There are no mandatory missions, essentially a free-exploration open world. All adventurers who reach this level appear on the same map and can meet each other.


    In the Great Mystery Continent, there are numerous elite monsters and wild bosses. Killing them can earn a wealth of rewards as well as abundant mineral resources, truly making it a beneficial Mystic Realm.


    A Great Mystery Continent appears every five levels, and adventurers can enter once a month, but not at any other times."


    Lin Da thought that this setup was different from the one in the game, where it could be refreshed once a week and unlimited times with money.


    In the real version of the Mystic Continent, for the same tier of Great Mystery Continent, whether noble ormoner, everyone can only enter once a month.


    Due to the strict limitations on the number of entries, adventurers aimed to climb higher to obtain more resources.


    Lin Da held up a finger and said:


    "Each Great Mystery Continent appears every five levels and also determines the naming convention for adventure teams:


    Below 5th level, not even ssed.


    5th level, novice adventure team.


    10th level, rock level adventure team.


    15th level, Steel Level Adventure Group.


    20th level, dawn adventure team.


    25th level, radiant adventure team.


    30th level, honor adventure team.


    35th level, Legendary Adventure Group.


    40th level, mythical adventure team.


    No one has conquered levels beyond that."


    After speaking so much, Lin Da felt much better.

 Chapter 14: 14. Live Attacker of the Ice Flower Adventure Team

    "So what you''re saying is, the adventure team you were with before, which is just amon rock-level adventure team? Isn''t that just bottom-tier riffraff?"


    Kafni said disdainfully, her lips curling into a sneer after hearing Lin Da''s story.


    Lin Da snapped back to reality and said helplessly, "In White Dove City, rock-level adventure teams are already strong, totaling maybe just over a dozen."


    "Hmph, aside from mythical-level adventure teams, I look down on all the others."


    "With your attitude, mythical-level adventure teams wouldn''t want you as a Star Fury, not even if you begged. There''s only one mythical-level adventure team in the entire Southern Fire Empire, you know!"


    "Star Fury? What do you think I am?"


    Enraged, Kafni stood up, only to realize she was down to her underwear and quickly squatted back into the bushes with embarrassment.


    Lin Da coughed and waved the Ice Silk Dress in his hand, "Now that we''ve got a lowdown on the types of secret realms, uh... you stay hidden. I''ll be right back."


    "Hurry back!"


    Kafni looked around frantically, terrified of being seen by passersby.


    ...


    "Sigh, only got 9 silver coins after all. It really must be because you stink so bad, even the pawnshop owner was reluctant to take it," Lin Dained as they headed to the cheapest rental in Sparrow District.


    Kafni, now wearing a different set of clothes��the cheapest brown linen dress bought with 50 copper coins��walked beside him.


    It was full of loose threads and rough in texture. Kafni felt like her skin was about to be rubbed raw.


    "You sell my stuff for 9 silver coins but only spend 50 copper coins on clothes for me?" Kafni frowned and said with dissatisfaction, "Keep this up and I might just find myself another hero!"


    "Suit yourself," Lin Da snorted. If he could, he would have traded her long ago.


    Kafni was speechless, teeth itching with hatred, yet she had no way to get back at Lin Da.


    She couldn''t beat him, andining might just make things worse.


    She would just have to endure the humiliation.


    "If the clothes are not up to par, then the ce we live should at least be luxurious, right?"


    Smiling, Kafni extended a delicate, snow-white finger, "A standalone luxury vi shouldn''t be a problem, should it?"


    "What are you thinking, we only have 9 silver coins!" Lin Da massaged his temples in distress.


    As a silver-level magical city, White Dove City was expensive. Renting a ce typically required a deposit for three months plus the first month''s rent upfront.


    Even in a poor ce like Sparrow District, the monthly rent was at least 3 silver coins, with a three-month deposit.


    That''s a total of 12 silver coins.


    The currency system of the Southern Fire Empire: 1 Gold Coin = 10 Silver Coins = 1000 Copper Coins.


    The purchasing power of 1 Gold Coin was roughly equivalent to 1000 yuan in Hua country.


    In that sense, a monthly rent of 3 silver coins didn''t seem too expensive.


    But the problem was, Lin Da, who had ved away for three years at the Snow Goose Adventure Team, had only 9 silver coins to his name, all obtained from selling Kafni''s possessions.


    They were far from meeting the deposit and upfront payment!


    "Or you could go to Paradise Foam to work as ady�� er, forget I said that."


    Seeing Kafni''s murder-ready expression, Lin Da quickly stopped himself.


    "But Paradise Foam��"


    "Are you asking to be murdered by me while you sleep?"


    "Cough, cough, well, I was just saying. The truth is, I have another n," Lin Da muttered, "We''ll have to go ''to that ce''. They''re all familiar faces; it should be fine to pay a little less for the deposit."


    ...


    The two walked on the streets of Sparrow District.


    The roads here were narrow and dirty, nked by low makeshift shacks withundry lines strung with cheap hemp clothes.


    At night on these streets, one could often see drunken adventurers, leading to countless brawls, making for quite poor public safety.


    Thankfully, the darkness obscured vision, preventing those drunks from noticing that Kafni was a beautiful bear girl.


    Passing by an Adventurer''s Guild, the entrance was filled with people, bustling and noisy.


    Just like watching a ser match in my previous life, the Adventurer''s Guild always gathered a group of vibrant, adventure-enthusiastic youths.


    Lin Da nced in that direction.


    In the crystal screen embedded in the exterior wall of the Adventurer''s Guild, the Ice Flower Adventure Team appeared.


    "Live strategy broadcast?"


    Lin Da stopped in his tracks, slightly surprised.


    The so-called live strategy broadcast involves using magical creatures called sensordybugs to transmit the live situation of conquering the Secret Realm to pre-set crystal screens, achieving an effect simr to live streaming.


    Lin Da frowned, recalling how Lia from the Snow Goose Adventure Team had also thought of initiating a live strategy broadcast, but he had adamantly refused.


    The advantages and disadvantages of this approach were quite clear.


    The advantage was that the live strategy broadcast could bring a lot of poprity to the cooperating Adventurer''s Guild, the empire''s officials would also give subsidies to the team, and besides, it could showcase the team''s strengths and increase fame.


    However, it also exposed the team''s tactics and weaknesses.


    On this continent,petition among adventure teams was fierce, often erupting in conflicts in the Public Grand Secret Realm.


    Fighting over equipment, world BOSSes, and various magical resources.


    Once the weaknesses were mastered by rivals, it was equivalent to fighting naked.


    Generally speaking, unless a team was seriously short of money, it wouldn''t choose to initiate a live strategy broadcast, as it was ast resort.


    Captain Isa was too impulsive.


    She seemed mature on the surface, but was she, like Lia, a hot-headed person?


    Lin Da withdrew his thoughts and looked at the image on the crystal screen.


    The Ice Flower Adventure Team was strategizing the twelfth floor and had randomly entered the "Silent Cavern," arge, gloomy underground cave.


    The World Tree Secret Realm contained several maps on each floor, and adventurers were randomly ced into one.


    Because each map''s boss had different weaknesses and resistances, it put a significant test on a team''sprehensive ability.


    Teams that were single-minded often couldn''tst long.


    "Level 25, Armored Turtle Snake, earth system, skilled in defense, with a health pool among the highest in its level."


    "The Ice Flower Adventure Team doesn''t have any greatsword users, which is going to be a thorny issue."


    Lin Da nced and guessed the answer immediately.


    Even if Ice Flower managed to pass, the cost would be incredibly high.


    But the scene on the screen was even worse than Lin Da had anticipated.


    The six members of Ice Flower were exhausted from the prolonged battle, and the front-line Heavy Armored Warriors were severely injured. Isa, as the main attacker, was also sweating profusely, her hand holding the Ice Crystal One-Handed Sword trembling non-stop, obviouslycking strength, barely able to hold onto her sword.


    The watching adventurers couldn''t help but feel nervous for the Ice Flower Adventure Team.


    Captain Isa, being an extremely beautiful silver-haired Swordsman, was very popr among the adventurers, and no one wanted to see such a young girl perish in the World Tree.


    "Come on, Ice Flower Adventure Team, don''t give up! You can do it!"


    "That Armored Turtle Snake is so hard to beat; the Fierce Tiger Adventure Team from the city next door were wiped out on this level justst month!"


    "The Ice Flower Adventure Team''s reckless move to the twelfth floor was a bit rash."


    The adventurers stepped up to the crystal screen, one by one, cing the energy crystals, the Demon Cores that burst out of the Magical Creatures, into a recess on a stone tform.


    Then, with a sh of light, the Demon Cores vanished as if sacrificed, and the words they spoke appeared as floating text on the crystal screen.


    Each time Lin Da saw this scene, he felt a bit tongue-tied. Yes, it''s ''live streaming,'' and through donating Demon Cores, they could send ''suggestions'' known as barrages to the Ice Flower Adventure Team!


    The vanishing Demon Cores were sacrificed to the World Tree Goddess, or the "World Will" of this world.


    The goddess required a minimum of a level 5 Demon Core for the sacrifice. Upon receiving the Demon Core, she would trante the adventurer''s words into text and convey it to the sensordybug''s belly, which was square like a small screen.


    As long as the members of Ice Flower looked at it, they could find those suggestions on it.


    However, the Ice Flower Adventure Team was currently in a crisis, clearly having no time to look at the sensordybug.


    In the image on the crystal screen, the huge Armored Turtle Snake rampaged wildly, rocks tumbled in the cavern, and two Heavy Armored Warriors were sent flying while coughing up blood.

 Chapter 15: 15. Vibrating Ladybug

    "We''ve failed..."


    Ice Flower''s captain, Isa, had silver hair covered in dust, her forehead cut by debris, blood profusely flowing from the wound, a hint of regret showing on her face.


    She shouldn''t have pushed for the twelfth floor in one go after Lia cleared the ninth, aiming to widen the gap.


    Now, the heavy armored warrior was seriously injured, the healer''s magic power was exhausted, and the mage had already fallen into aa.


    They had to give up.


    The Ice Flower Adventure Team could not allow any more members to die.


    After much thought, Isa finally made up her mind, biting her lip as she issued the order to her team members, "Everyone, retreat, use the ''Town Portal Scroll''!"


    The Town Portal Scroll allowed adventurers to forcefully return from the Mystic Realm, but such scrolls were extremely expensive,parable to a full set of magical equipment.


    The biggest drawback of the Ice Flower Adventure Team was the poor quality of their equipment, the reason being Isa demanded that every team member must have a ''Town Portal Scroll.''


    Since Isa couldn''t obtain a healer like Linda who could assist the team without injury, she took a different approach, ensuring everyone had a Town Portal Scroll.


    Just as she was about to channel her Battle Qi into the scroll and leave the twelfth floor, suddenly, the sensordybug number 3 tied to the pouch on her thigh buzzed its wings, stinging her skin.


    Thedybug emitted a glow like gold.


    "Golden Advice? Could it be Lia mocking me?"


    Isa''s face darkened, her grip tightening unconsciously on thedybug, nearly crushing it.


    As for advice, it was divided into regr and golden. Regr advice wouldn''t cause the sensordybug to react; if team members didn''t watch it in time, it would pass like flowing water.


    Golden Advice, however, required the sacrifice of a high-level demon core. This advice would cause the sensordybug to vibrate and release a golden light, alerting adventurers that someone had given a Golden Advice.


    Isa turned thedybug over, looking at its belly:


    [Mediocre Adventurer: In the center of the Armored Turtle Snake''s carapace, there is a darker te, attack it with your ''Ultimate Skill'']


    Mediocre Adventurer, who was this person?


    Attacking the carapace of the Armored Turtle Snake, was this person trying to trap her, sending her to her death?


    Isa''s eyebrows furrowed in anger.


    The carapace was the part of the creature with the highest defensive power; even hitting its head was difficult, let alone its carapace.


    This person specifically asked her to use her magic-draining ''Ultimate Skill'' to attack, making it hard not to suspect the person''s intentions were malicious.


    Sparrow District, outside the Adventurer''s Guild.


    "Mr. Linda, are you serious? Just for this phrase, you use a level 20 demon core?"


    Jeban, a short blonde member of the Ice Flower Adventure Team''s logistical staff, said iprehensibly.


    Linda nodded, "Give me another level 20 demon core."


    Jeban hesitated, but recalling Isa''s opinion of Linda, he gritted his teeth and took one out from his bag.


    If this former healer of the Snow Goose Adventure Team could help Ice Flower conquer the twelfth floor, Jeban thought it was worth it, even if it took twenty level 20 demon cores, not just one.


    The quail egg-sized, fiery red gem-like demon core was ced by Linda in a groove on the stone tform.


    Then, a light flickered, sessfully sacrificed to the World Tree Goddess.


    Linda''s ''Golden Advice'' was just one sentence.


    "Captain Isa, it''s me, Linda."


    If Isa had truly admired him when they first met at the Secret Realm Square, she should have trusted him.


    As for why he helped out, Lin Da didn''t have a specific reason; he was happy to lend a hand if it could save a young girl''s life.


    In the crystal screen, he only saw the sensordybug in Isa''s hand emit a golden glow again. Isa nced at the text on the belly of thedybug, holding her chin, her face contemtive.


    A momentter, Isa made a decision.


    She bit off the cork of a purple potion with her mouth and gulped it down, instantly boosting her depleted battle qi.


    "Gluttony Potion? Is she really going all out?"


    Lin Da raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised. The Gluttony Potion was an expensive potion that could instantly restore the user''s battle qi and magic power but had significant side effects. It caused excruciating pain after a while and was usually kept as ast resort.


    That a girl who was barely an acquaintance, let alone a close friend, was so willing to take his advice was beyond Lin Da''s expectations.


    Inside the crystal screen, Isa bent forward like a sprinting snow leopard, her silver hair and the ice crystal longsword in her hand creating a beautiful arc of light.


    The girl dodged the rocky fragments thrown by the Armored Turtle Snake like a de dancer, her agile legs powerfully pushing off the ground, leaping straight onto the back of the Armored Turtle Snake.


    Her actions flowed smoothly, leaving the crowd of watching adventurers dumbstruck.


    Lin Da thought to himself, not bad at allpared to Lia, the talented Ice Swordsman. It was indeed not easy for Isa to lead the Ice Flower up to the twelfthyer.


    Once Isanded on the shell of the Armored Turtle Snake, she leaped into the air again, performing a graceful 360-degree somersault, resembling an ice ring hanging in the sky.


    The silver-haired Swordswoman took a deep breath, channeled her icy battle qi into her one-handed sword, and white frost spread across the cave, creating a thick fog.


    "Ice de Waltz!"


    Isa shouted forcefully, unleashing the Level 20 ultimate skill of the Ice Swordsman.


    Tatatata!


    Icicle after icicle, shaped like diamonds, fell like a torrential downpour, fiercely targeting a dark-colored, bucket-sized carapace in the middle of the Armored Turtle Snake''s shell.


    The members of Ice Flower, as well as the people outside the Adventurer''s Guild, couldn''t help but sweat.


    If the attack proved ineffective, Isa could be hit by the huge tail of the Armored Turtle Snake.


    Such an impact could cause serious injuries to Isa, or even death!


    Unlike the anxious onlookers with their hearts in their throats, Lin Da was not the least bit panicked.


    The weak spot of the Armored Turtle Snake had long been no secret among gamers in his past life.


    In the current reality of Mystic Continent, very few adventure teams tried a direct attack on the carapace, and even if someone knew about this weakness, they kept it tightly under wraps or sold the information for a high price.


    At least among the adventure teams in White Dove City, no one knew the secret of the Armored Turtle Snake.


    As the icicles continuously struck that carapace, the crystal screen showed the Armored Turtle Snake suddenly screaming in agony, thrashing its heavy limbs.


    The cave filled with dust and the ground shook.


    The piece of shell right at the center of the monster''s carapace was surprisingly fragile, and when the first piece was destroyed, the entire shell crumbled like a castle of sand.


    Even Isa did not expect such good results, her mouth agape in shock.


    The members of Ice Flower finally snapped to their senses, their spirits lifting from despair to fierce determination, as if invigorated.


    "Kill this Magical Creature!"


    "Captain Isa, we''re here to help you!"


    "Healer, quick, cast a Healing Art on the captain!"

 Chapter 16: 16. Isas Gratitude

    The Armored Turtle Snake, without its heavy carapace, was already a tiger that had its teeth pulled out.


    The Ice Flower Adventure Team pursued their victory, and in just a few minutes, they had dealt with this massive magical creature.


    On the side of the Adventurer''s Guild, the spectating crowd also let out a cheer.


    Gazes of admiration or surprise fell upon Lin Da.


    Although they did not know how Lin Da had learned of the Armored Turtle Snake''s weakness, his willingness to share this secret publicly was a great boon to all adventurers.


    Without Lin Da''s Golden Advice, the members of the Ice Flower Adventure Team would have used their Town Portal Scrolls by now, retreating from the twelfth floor in disgrace.


    Jeban, a logistics member of Ice Flower, had his face turn red, almost kneeling down in excitement.


    Had Lin Da not helped today, not only would everyone have lost a Town Portal Scroll, but it would have been a severe blow to the morale of the Ice Flower Adventure Team.


    "Mr. Lin Da, please do visit the Ice Flower Adventure Team, oh no, another day our captain will surely visit you!"


    "No need to be polite, let''s help each other out in the future," Lin Da said with a light smile.


    Next to him, Kafni was constantly pulling at his sleeve, hinting with ''we strongly need money'' eyes.


    Lin Da pretended not to see.


    In the crystal screen, Isa bowed deeply, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and smiled, "Lin Da, you''re still there, right? I''ve changed my mind now, I will definitely make you a member of Ice Flower."


    Upon hearing this, a wave of jeers spread through the crowd, and the way people looked at Lin Da started to change.


    Many did not know that Lin Da had left the Snow Goose Adventure Team, and now with Ice Flower''s captain extending a cordial invitation, in their eyes, it was nothing short of poaching from the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Given the poor rtionship between Snow Goose and the Ice Flower Captain, it wouldn''t be surprising if that red-haired girl showed up on their doorstep any moment.


    The crowd also grew curious on how Lin Da managed to catch the attention of two adventure team captains who couldn''t stand each other.


    The Golden Advice earlier, if it had been anyone else, Isa probably wouldn''t have trusted them.


    Because it was Lin Da, Isa trusted enough to consume the Gluttony Potion, using the massively draining ''Ice de Waltz''.


    Realizing this, many adventurers felt as if they had a lemon in their mouths, incredibly sour.


    Only Lin Da felt it very troublesome.


    He wouldn''t join any team, even if Isa''s invitation was very sincere.


    "Right... those two level 20 Demon Cores," he said to Jeban.


    "No need to return them, of course not!" Jeban said with augh, "I''d dly give you two more level 20 Demon Cores."


    But,pared to Lin Da''s favor, level 20 Demon Cores were hardly enough!


    How to properly thank Lin Da, would have to be decided after Isa returned.


    "Oh.


    Lin Da waited for a while, but didn''t see Jeban reach into his bag.


    Not quite the sharpest tool in the shed, this guy.


    After leaving under Jeban''s respectful escort, Kafni could not hold back anymore: "Ask for money, are you stupid, why didn''t you ask that guy for gold coins?"


    Lin Da shook his head, "If they don''t proffer it and you have to ask, you use up at least half the goodwill. Besides, Isa has a good reputation; she won''t forget today''s events. We all are in White Dove City, seeing each other often; who knows when we might need Isa''s help again. Keeping this goodwill is far better than asking for some gold coins."


    Besides, they still had nine silver coins. They weren''t at the end of their resources yet.


    After hearing this, Kafni pondered, "You really know a lot."


    It was, after all, Lin Da''s thorn-in-the-neck technique.


    Lin Da thought.


    ...


    An hourter, in the Inner City District at "Tequ''s Home" tavern.


    In the luxurious private room on the third floor, the Ice Flower Adventure Team was having a celebration banquet.


    Isa, dressed casually with her silver hair tied back with an orange headband into a ponytail, sat at the head of the round table and spoke to Jeban, who had just rushed over:


    "Did you find out why Lin Da left the Snow Goose Adventure Team?"


    At the mention of Lin Da, the members of the Ice Flower team all got a bit excited, talking over one another:


    "Captain, we must recruit him, I''ve been wanting to test my Healing Art against that ''Eye of Wisdom'' for a while now."


    "Yes, even though he dropped to level 0, which is quite tragic, catching upter, he can quickly be a major asset to the team, worth cultivating."


    "Just because he was once part of the Snow Goose Adventure Team and is willing to help us, he deserves exceptional inclusion."


    The members of the Ice Flower, both men and women, unanimously praised Lin Da.


    Logistics officer Jeban, panting, said, "Captain, I got it from Chloe with just some snacks, I bought her off!"


    "Chloe said that Lin Da was kicked out by Lia for being too weak, and Lia also dered that if Lin Da everes back, no one is allowed to sympathize with him."


    "Looks like, Lin Da definitely won''t be returning to the Snow Goose Adventure Team."


    Jeban couldn''t help but smile, "This is a great opportunity."


    Isa nodded.


    She was thinking, no matter what, she had to find a way to get Lin Da to join Ice Flower, a talented Healer is worth training from scratch.


    But, how would she repay today''s favor? Someone like Lin Da probably doesn''tck Gold Coins; he must have saved quite a lot in the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Besides, offering Gold Coins would seem vulgar and might lower her impression in Lin Da''s eyes.


    Concerned about how to return the favor, Isa who always disliked owing anyone anything, fell into a dilemma.


    The team''s close confidante, and fellow Healer, Fannis suddenly leaned in, a sly twinkle in her eye, "Lord Captain, at your age, shouldn''t you consider finding a boyfriend? Dating that Lin Da would surely make him happy! After all, Lord Captain is so beautiful!"


    "A date?"


    Isa''s face flushed as she mmed herrge wooden mug full of Wheat Beer onto the table, annoyed, "I''m still young, not yet at the age to need a boyfriend!"


    "Hahahahaha."


    Laughter and cheerful voices filled the room.


    ...


    "At the next meeting, we should congratte Isa on breaking through the 12th floor and entering the list of top teams in White Dove City."


    Under the night sky, Lin Da, with Kafni in tow, hurried towards the rental housing area.


    In his mind, he reyed the scene on the crystal screen of the Ice Flower Adventure Team working in perfect harmony, jointly attacking the Armored Turtle Snake, and he felt a pang of envy.


    Every member of Ice Flower genuinely trusted Isa, and Isa reciprocated that trust with her team members.


    When Isa charged at the Armored Turtle Snake, all the members followed her forward, entering the attack range of the Armored Turtle Snake.


    Even though the team members internally questioned the correctness of Isa''s actions.


    Lin Da thought back to his time with the Snow Goose Adventure Team and immediately got a headache.


    In terms of individual skills, the members of Snow Goose were much more powerful than those of Ice Flower, but they acted like a disconnected group whenbined.


    He too wished to form a team like Ice Flower.


    But creating a team required registration at the Adventurer''s Guild.


    Only the jobless ''frencers'' have the qualifications to form a team.


    Lin Da frowned as he scratched his head.


    Currently, he was, in a strict sense, still part of the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    To be a ''frencer'', he would need the captain''s signature on a resignation form and a stamp from the Adventurer''s Guild.


    Then he needed to pray in front of the World Tree Goddess'' statue to fully revoke his Snow Goose member status.

 Chapter 17: 17. The rental house three years ago

    ```


    Getting the team withdrawal certificate shouldn''t be difficult.


    Lin Da thought for a moment and then let go, that Lia wouldn''t let him stay.


    Deliberately holding him up was also unlikely.


    ording to the Empire''s Adventurer''s Law Article Thirty-Five: if Lia stalled him, he could apply to the Adventurer''s Guild for a forced withdrawal.


    Although it might drag on for a few days, just to be annoying, but based on Lin Da''s understanding of Lia, she disdained such petty tricks.


    Just like her Fire Series Battle Qi, she was as fiery and impetuous as mes.


    He figured as soon as he went over, without needing to speak, she would throw the withdrawal certificate in his face.


    "That''s good, saves the hassle of arguing."


    Lin Da, with hands in pockets, and Kafni headed towards their rental destination.


    ...


    "Where''s my grand vi, my big swimming pool? You''re making me live in a ce like this?"


    In the middle of a decrepit old neighborhood, Kafni wailed.


    What met the eyes was a row of tube buildings with yellowing walls, as old and shaky as an eighty-year-old man on hisst legs in the wind.


    Kafni learned from Lin Da and that oldndy''s conversation that the apartment was only 50 square meters, without a private bathroom,munal, shared by the whole floor.


    Bathing with others, no thanks!


    Kafni still wanted to hide her big embarrassing bear.


    She had never lived in such a rubbish ce in her life.


    Lin Da, however, didn''t care at all and haggled with thendy: "2 silver coins a month, I n to stay long-term!"


    "Oh dear, if it weren''t for ''Eye of Wisdom'' sir, I definitely wouldn''t agree."


    The gossipy rent-collectingndy looked at Lin Da: "What happened to those girls? Back in the day, you were the only one who could make four girls willingly live in a ce like this."


    Three years ago, Lin Da was seen every day with four beautiful girls, and it was rumored they partied every day in the house.


    Living in a rundown house but still managing to bewitch four girls left a deep impression on thendy.


    "Cough, cough, I came alone." Noticing that thendy was peeking at Kafni and giving him a knowing smile, Lin Da quickly cleared his throat: "So is 8 silver coins enough? Let''s get on with the check-in."


    "For ''Eye of Wisdom''s'' sake, auntie will take one off, 6 coins."


    "Really? Thank you so much!"


    Lin Da quickly signed the rental contract and, with a dejected Kafni, went to the third floor, hearing her mutter ''don''t want to live here'', ''too shabby'', ''how can a worthless hero treat a deity like this'' and otherints.


    "That''s enough, not sleeping on the streets is already pretty good; having a house in Sparrow District means you don''t have to worry about safety. Look on the bright side, you won''t be targeted by ck Uncle."


    Lin Da tried to cheer Kafni up optimistically.


    "Heh, someone else should have been the hero," Kafni retorted sarcastically.


    Ignoring the sullen deity with golden hair, Lin Da took a key from his pocket. It had a worn sticker with unclear handwriting, barely making out ''305''.


    Huh?


    Lin Da blinked in surprise.


    Wasn''t this the room he and the others lived in three years ago?


    The Snow Goose Adventure Team was extremely poor in the early days, and although the girls like Lia came from distinguished backgrounds, each seemed to have their own difficulties. Together, they managed to scrape up a single gold coin.


    Now, three yearster,ing to rent again, it was the same room.


    Coincidence, or was it thendy''s deliberate arrangement...?


    Fighting alongside someone new at the ce where he once battled might seem quite thrilling to thatndy.


    ```


    ```


    But the reality was not like that at all. In the early days of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, they spent all day fighting monsters, training, thening back to eat before crashing into bed. Their minds were solely on the World Tree Secret Realm; there was no time for other activities.


    Lin Da couldn''t help but frown. Living in this kind of house would only remind him of the old Snow Goose Adventure Team, inevitably making him feel ufortable.


    "What are you dazing out for? Hurry up and go in!"


    Kafni, both tired and hungry, was already displeased, and with Lin Da stupidly daydreaming, she grabbed the key from him in frustration.


    With a click, the door opened, and Kafni pushed her way in.


    Apparently, the ce had not been aired out for too long; a damp and musty smell assaulted their senses as they entered.


    Kafni immediately pinched her nose, her face turning bitter.


    As for Lin Da, the sight of the familiar old furniture in the small rental room was like overturning a jar of mixed emotions. Many scenes that had been sealed in the corners of his memory seemed to be unlocked by this rusty key,ing at him thick and fast.


    "What''s wrong with you?"


    "It''s nothing."


    "Oh."


    Kafni didn''t bother with him anymore and started to look around the room.


    One bedroom, one living room, with a separate bathroom.


    When the light was turned on, its dim yellow glow made the narrow space feel even more constricting, almost suffocating.


    Kafni continued toin.


    Lin Da, as if he hadn''t heard, wandered through the dust-covered living room.


    He looked at the mahogany round table, which had lost much of its paint and was pocked with dents, and felt a tinge of emotion.


    Those dents were made by Klrona, who used an irondle to serve food.


    With no toys to y with while waiting for dinner, she would bang the spoon on the table. Each time Klrona did that, she''d puff out her little chest with an excuse, "It''s because our team is so poor we can''t even afford toys, so I have to y with this!"


    Across from the door, where the round table faced, was Lia''s seat. Lin Da sat opposite, with Lin Xi right next to him, and Aiko and Klrona to each side.


    Seeing the objects brought back a flood of memories, vividlying to life in Lin Da''s mind.


    He sat down in his own seat.


    That moment, it was as if something hade alive. In a daze, he seemed to return to the scene from three years ago, stored in his memory.


    "What are you looking at? Aren''t we toasting?"


    The voice that sounded like an illusion echoed in his ears. Lin Da looked up incredulously.


    Across the round table, a girl with fiery red hair and a fresh, youthful face was holding arge oak cup, tilting her head and looking at him oddly.


    "Eh? Lin Da, are you tired already? You''re such small fry!"


    Klrona held the cup with both hands, her snow-white feet stretched out under the table, swinging back and forth like a swing,ughing mischievously.


    "Shall I cook next time?" Aiko''s tone was a bit worried, as if she felt bad that Lin Da always had to cook.


    "Brother?" Lin Xi, a delicate girl with soft ck hair, was also looking at him with concern.


    Lin Da''s gaze lingered on her for a long time.


    But the protagonist today was not Lin Xi.


    Lin Da thought for a moment about what had happened at that time...


    If he remembered correctly, today was the day they failed on the secondyer of the World Tree. Luck was terrible; they were randomly sent to a Mystic Realm that was highly ipatible with the Snow Goose Adventure Team. Someone didn''t follow orders and broke away from the group, rushing into the midst of the magical creatures.


    If not for a Town Portal Scroll, the Snow Goose Adventure Team would have been wiped out.


    It was from this painful lesson of the secondyer that Lin Da started the habit of collecting Magic Potions.


    Under his adamant request, from then on the team had to exceed the level rmended by the Adventurer''s Guild for the correspondingyer, be skilled in the boss strategies of every random map, capable of a hundred percent sess rate before agreeing to attempt a strategy.


    ```

 Chapter 18: Request of Lia

    Watching the expressions of the young girls in his memory, some worried, someughing, Lin Da felt a warm current flow through his heart.


    This was the Snow Goose Adventure Team he was willing to stay with.


    The gentle and considerate Aiko, the quirky Klrona who also called him brother.


    Biting her lip as if she was preparing to apologize for rashly entering the hearnd of the Magical Creatures, it was Lia.


    His own sister, Lin Xi, was still there as well.


    The members of the adventure team really felt like family.


    Back then, Lin Da deeply believed that establishing the Snow Goose Adventure Team was the right choice.


    If only the team hadn''t be famous, it would have been fine for it to remain ordinary.


    This thought shed through Lin Da''s mind.


    Suddenly, ''Lia'' across the round table stood up.


    With pursed lips, head slightly bowed, and fists clenched tight, it seemed she was ready to say something.


    Everyone looked over in surprise.


    Lin Da''s expression hardened; it was here that Lia entrusted herself to him.


    "Today''s failure was my fault. I shouldn''t have risked going into the Giant Water Serpent''s hearnd. Because everyone tried to save me, it nearly led to our team''s annihtion!"


    Aiko hugged the trembling Lia and whispered softly, "Captain, don''t me yourself, we are teammates, and we still need you to lead us to ovee higher levels."


    "But, but!"


    "Sister Lia, neither brother nor I will me you, okay?"


    "No, I know you''re all just trying tofort me!"


    Lia wiped her swollen eyes and looked at the silent Lin Da sitting across the round table. She bit her lip and said, "If we had just listened to Lin Da and retreated, it wouldn''t have..."


    "Take this as a lesson. From now on, be more cautious. Only venture into the World Tree when certain of victory."


    Hearing Lin Da say this, the self-reproach on Lia''s face visibly lessened.


    But she didn''t sit down and suddenly bowed deeply.


    Her voice was loud as she earnestly requested, "Lin Da, please help the Snow Goose Adventure Team take everyone, without a single person left behind, through the World Tree Secret Realm!"


    Lin Da remembered clearly, from that day onward, the level of detail in his strategy nning had multiplied many times, and so had the time spent.


    He envisioned all sorts of scenarios in defeating Magical Creatures, and as long as the adventurers met the level requirements and adhered strictly to the strategy, they could pass without injury.


    "This kettle is broken, but it still works��really bails us out."


    An incongruous voice suddenly emerged within the memory illusion.


    The scenes around him shattered like ss, and Lin Da dumbly returned to the musty, cold rental space.


    The round table was much shabbier than in his memories, and the straightforward, red-haired girl who had sat across from him had disappeared.


    Lin Da looked at the person who had pulled him out of his memories, Kafni, who used an old kettle to boil water and ced it with a tter on the table, "Want some?"


    "Hmm."


    Lin Da opened the cup he carried along with the Magic Potion and filled it with hot water.


    He saw that Kafni was using a pink mug with a Fire Dragon pattern.


    "This cup is still here, surprisingly not thrown out by thendy."


    Lin Da was a bit surprised; this was the cup Lia used to use when they lived here.


    He walked over to the small washroom to check, in front of a mirror held together with tape was a wooden basket for washing items, and several differently colored cups were covered with a thickyer of dust.


    Lin Da then turned towards the wall to the right of the mirror, where the crooked lettering was indeed still there.


    Time had passed too long, the letters were yellowed, some too blurry to make out, looking like random scribbles.


    ''Be the number one adventure team in White Dove City.''


    ''Cure the legs and open a lingerie store in Imperial Capital.''


    "Buy all the toys, order rabbit armor!"


    "Stay with brother forever!"


    And at the bottom, squeezed into the corner with gigantic fonts, was a line written in minuscule letters like a mosquito''s buzz: "Hope to safely reach the top of the World Tree."


    Seeing these words, Lin Da rubbed his brow and sighed.


    Of the original five members who established the Snow Goose Adventure Team, two had already left, which inevitably brought a sense of change and loss.


    Lia''s dream hadn''t changed at all, but she herself had changed too much.


    Entering the living room, Lin Da sat on a couch with cotton showing through, staring nkly at the dark ceiling.


    "What about dinner?" Kafni asked, clutching her belly and looking distressed.


    "Let''s just go to bed early and eat tomorrow," Lin Da said.


    "Huh?" Kafni''s face was full of astonishment.


    Lin Da, however, had no appetite. Kafni had taken a silver coin from him and when she asked if he was going to eat while leaving, he declined.


    His mind was in disarray; after recalling those memories, he felt a strange sense of anticipation about meeting Lia tomorrow.


    How could the ''Bursting mes'' Lia from the game have turned into what she is now?


    When Lin Da agreed to form the team, it wasn''t solely because of amon purpose.


    It was also because, at first nce at that red-haired girl, he recognized her.


    She was a popr NPC from the Mystic Continent game, ''Bursting mes'' Lia!


    In the version 1.1 Blood Moon event, Lia was level 40 and the leader of the Sunrise Level Adventure Group.


    Mature and steady, with a strong sense of responsibility, her greatsword wrapped in mes had captured the hearts of many yers.


    But the Lia Lin Da met waspletely different in character from the ''Bursting mes'' Lia of the game, despite their identical looks.


    Thetter was mature and steady, beloved by people.


    The other was willful and petnt, only good at shifting the me.


    "Is it that reality differs from the game, or has my arrival caused a ''butterfly effect,'' altering the story?"


    Upon careful consideration, Lin Da realized that ever since he joined the Snow Goose Adventure Team, he had been assigned to cook, strategize for the Mystic Realm, prepare supplies, calcte the value of the spoils, distribute rewards��everything was done by him...


    These tasks, which should have been mostly the responsibility of the team leader Lia, were taken on by Lin Da to let Lia focus on her training and leveling up, after epting her request.


    "Could it be...that I caused the mature and steady Lia from the game to disappear?"


    Lin Da was stunned at his own thoughts.


    Kafni had mentioned before that he was spoiling the members of the Snow Goose Adventure Team too much, and he hadn''t taken it seriously. But now, he thought there might be some truth to it.


    Lin Da could not help but sigh.


    To think of remedying the situation now was pointless.


    He had already be a hero, apanied by a useless Goddess, and was destined to establish his own team.


    So even if Lia truly reverted to her original personality, he couldn''t possibly rejoin the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    With the moonlight shining through the window, Lin Da took out paper and ink and began drafting his resignation from the team at the table.


    The room echoed with the sound of the quill scratching against the paper.


    After a moment.


    Lin Da set down his pen, tucking thepleted document into his chest.


    When he finished writing the resignation, the ufortable feeling that had faintly troubled him vanished, leaving himpletely calm.


    He took onest look back and truly had no regrets.


    Although he hadn''t yet registered his official departure with the Adventurer''s Guild, Lin Da felt in his heart that he was already a ''free man,'' unaffiliated with any team.

 Chapter 19: 19. Useless Team Captain

    At a little past eight in the evening, the Sparrow District on the city''s edge had already fallen into silence, while the affluent White Dove District was still brightly lit.


    The bustling shopping streets glowed with various magtern signs, and there were many stylishly dressed men and women. asionally, one could also see the unusual sight of beastmen and elf couples walking hand in hand.


    Since a divine decree from the World Tree Goddess three hundred years earlier, the wars across the continent had ended, ushering in an era of peaceful coexistence among multiple races.


    As indicated by the divine decree, the ''Demon King Satan,'' sealed by the previous generation of heroes, was about to return from the Bottom of the Demon Realm. To select a new hero, the World Tree Goddess had ced the strongest weapon, "Hero''s Sword", at the top level of the World Tree Secret Realm.


    This further elevated the status of adventurers, and all intelligent beings living on the Mystic Continent aimed to reach the top of the World Tree and pull out the Hero''s Sword.


    At that moment, in a luxurious mansion in the Inner City District.


    In avishly decorated living room, a young girl wearing a loose, orange long dress had fallen asleep on the couch.


    Her red hair, as smooth as satin, spread out like a waterfall touching the floor.


    Lia, having juste out of the bath, was rxed and had nned to rest on the couch for a while but had unexpectedly drifted into deep sleep.


    "��Without a doubt, the continent flourished because of the World Tree!"


    Lia dreamt of ten years ago, hiding outside the windows of the Noble Academy, eavesdropping on a teacher''s lecture.


    "But what I need to rify is, the World Tree we see is not its main trunk."


    Is it not? Lia thought to herself.


    She leaned in closer.


    "The World Tree''s roots spread across the continent. Those roots that break through the ground be smaller World Trees, which are what we see. Each World Tree has a different maximum number of levels, some only 5, some 20, but only the sacred World Tree in the center of the continent, in the Sanctuary, reaches the top level!"


    "With each World Tree as a nucleus, the original adventurers gathered, multiplied, established viges, and as the poption grew, these ces gradually turned into towns and cities."


    "That is the origin of our Red Heart City!"


    "Do not dishonor the legacy of your city''s founders. Strive to be adventurers, aiming to reach the top level of the World Tree!"


    "Oh oh oh oh oh!"


    The exhrating shouts of children burst through the window.


    The descendants of the founders are so great?


    Beneath the window, Lia, dressed in grubbymoner''s clothes, clutched her straight wooden stick tightly, her eyes filled with resentment for her own circumstances.


    She thought, one day she would be a top-level adventurer, a person respected by all, not someone hiding under someone else''s ssroom to learn.


    Time seemed to elerate by tens of thousands of times, and after a dizzying spin, Lia realized she had left Red Heart City and arrived in a dirty, rundown rental in White Dove City.


    A pitted redwood round table, and a persistent musty smell that never dissipated.


    A bunch of people squeezed together, the air so thin it seemed one had to struggle with each breath.


    Those poor memories prickled at Lia''s nerves every time she recalled them.


    "Please take everyone with you, without exception, and conquer the top level of the World Tree!"


    The sudden sound of a familiar voice made Lia''s eyelids twitch; she saw, not far in front of her, among five people gathered around the round table, a red-haired girl, noticeably younger than herself, suddenly stood up and bent over to plead with the Healer in their team.


    Lia''s face darkened instantly; why did it have to be that day?


    She woke up from the nightmare.


    Groggily sitting up from the couch, she touched her forehead, which was covered in sweat.


    ''Take everyone with you, without exception, and conquer the top level of the World Tree?''


    How naive she had been back then, and Lin Da had actually agreed with a serious face.


    Lia found it a bit funny, anyone in the adventure team knew that it was impossible not to have personnel changes when summiting the World Tree.


    With a total of fiftyyers in the Mystic Realm, eachyer had several random maps, popted by various types of Guardians.


    Relying on just a few fixed team members wasn''t feasible to handle all the Guardians.


    Personnel changes were too normal, the main members of the Snow Goose Adventure Team had not changed for three years, which in the eyes of other adventurers was "abnormal".


    As the leader of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, Lia should have kicked out Lin Da, a 15th-level member, a long time ago, but out of old loyalty, she had kept him, paying him the sry of a main team member.


    After returning from the World Tree, Lia thought about it all afternoon but still couldn''t understand the reason Lin Da had quit the team.


    She sulkily took out a bottle of juice from the refrigerator and began to sip from it with both hands held around it.


    Lia recalled that before she had asked Lin Da to lead everyone to the top of the World Tree while in the rental house, Lin Da had been amazing, capable of guiding the team through higher levels with lower ranks.


    But since she had asked him, although the team''s level had already surpassed the rmended strategy level of the Adventurer''s Guild, he still refused to progress, insisting that everyone master the level to handle all bosses without getting injured.


    If Lin Da had used his previous capabilities, they could have easily moved on, right?


    The more Lia thought about it, the angrier she got.


    "Is dinner not ready yet?"


    Having finished her juice, she banged the table in frustration.


    When no response came after waiting for a long while, it was the first time this had ever happened.


    Lia was stunned for a moment, then looked around and realized that the living room was empty, just her alone.


    Aiko and Klrona were probably in their rooms, Klyne and Oru, the couple, had bought a house in installments and didn''t live here.


    "Where''s the food, the food!"


    Lia bit her lip in frustration.


    Normally at this time, Lin Da would have already prepared dinner, and all they had to do was eat, but Lin Da had suddenly left the team, and she hadn''t had the time to hire a new cook.


    With her stomach growling non-stop, Lia, full of resentment, went to the fridge to look for something to eat.


    From the storage level equipped with a freezing array below, she dug out a few bags of dumplings.


    "We''ll just eat this tonight."


    Lia saw the hand-writtenbel on the packaging, which was pork and chive filling, and felt a bit calmed.


    This strange delicacy, wrapped in dough, she often used as a midnight snack.


    It''s just that before, she only had to yell and someone would boil the dumplings; now, she had to cook them herself.


    Lia found it quite fresh and entered the kitchen, full of zest, with the dumplings in hand.


    It was her first time doing this, giving her the thrill of an adventurer entering a new Mystic Realm.


    After some fiddling, she finally managed to light the stove; a pale blue me rose up, next was to pour water into the pot... Although she had never seen Lin Da do it, she could guess how it was done.


    After pouring in the water, Lia poured a big bag of dumplings into it with a ssh.


    This much was enough for three people to eat.


    Lia tied on an apron, crossed her arms over her chest, and smugly imagined the scene where Aiko and Klrona would be in disbelief, praising her.


    Gurgle, gurgle, not long after, the cold water heated up to boiling and started to bubble.


    Lia stared with wide eyes in confusion. What happened? The dumplings had all burst open, and the filling was spilling everywhere!


    "Aiko, Aiko,e here, there''s a problem!"

 Chapter 20: 20. Aiko is jealous

    Lia shouted as she clumsily tried to salvage the dumplings in the pot.


    A whileter, Aiko, with her face covered in cucumber slices, came downstairs from the second-floor bedroom in a huff.


    Her wheelchair, a custom model from the Alchemist Guild powered by a Demon Core, had no trouble with stairs.


    "What''s wrong?" Aiko arrived at the kitchen.


    "The dumplings'' skins have all burst." Lia said in frustration, "Why must they give me such a hard time too!"


    Aiko nced at them and immediately understood the problem, somewhat speechless, "Did you boil them in cold water?"


    Aside from fighting, the captain was truly useless at everything.


    Aiko thought indignantly, even unable to cook properly, she really didn''t know where Lia found the confidence to agree to Lin Da''s departure from the team.


    Fortunately, the girl wasn''t stupid enough to throw the resignation letter directly at Lin Da. Until she formally cancels the contract at the Adventurer''s Guild, Lin Da was still technically a member of the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    This was an opportunity to seize, and Aiko needed to take the chance to properly persuade Lin Da to stay.


    Aiko pushed back her thoughts, looked up at Lia, and said with a pretended smile, "Of course they would burst, you have to use boiling water, don''t you know even this?"


    "I''ve never made dumplings before, how was I supposed to know that? What right do you have to criticize me?" Lia threw her spoon onto the stove and retorted forcefully.


    Aiko grew even more frustrated to the point that she felt her patience was wearing thin.


    It was always like this; nothing was ever Lia''s fault. If a mistake was made, she always shifted the me onto the team members.


    Taking a deep breath and suppressing the veins jumping on her forehead, Aiko said through clenched teeth, "Go rest, throw these out, I''ll make a new batch."


    "That won''t do, wasting food is not a good habit." Lia refused.


    Aiko wanted to swear.


    That was typical stingy adventurer logic, able to be swindled out of a hundred Gold Coins for gear but so frugal over small expenses like clothing and food, unwilling to lose even a single copper coin.


    She forcibly contained her anger, ushered Lia into the living room, and dished out the dumplings to bring them to the table.


    "Pig feed?" Klrona, who had been starving waiting at the table since she came down from the second floor, scratched her head in confusion at the sight of the ragged dumplings in the te.


    "I made them," Lia narrowed her eyes.


    Klrona didn''t dare to say another word.


    With a pained expression, she swallowed a half-cooked dumpling and couldn''t help but ask, "Miss Aiko, when is Lin Daing back?"


    In Klrona''s eyes, the concept of Lin Da leaving the team wasn''t quite clear.


    It probably meant he would return by evening.


    "Uh, well..." Aiko nced at Lia.


    Lia said nothing, furiously stuffing dumplings into her mouth as if trying to prove to the two of them that they were in fact edible.


    "He''ll be back tomorrow, right?" Klrona looked at Aiko hopefully.


    "It''ll take a few days, Lin Da went out to clear his head," Aiko said as she patted Klrona''s head. While she spoke to Klrona, she cast a sidelong nce at Lia, clearly noticing that the moment Lin Da was mentioned, Lia''s dumpling-packing hand stiffened unnaturally.


    Aiko sneered inwardly.


    She really didn''t want to clean up after Lia.


    But the Snow Goose Adventure Team indeed needed Lin Da, even if his level was a bit low. Having him at home developing strategies or cooking would be beneficial.


    She needed to persuade Lin Da properly and convince him toe back as her own... oh no, that''s not right, as a teammate.


    A faint blush crept over Aiko''s cheeks as she seemed to think about something.


    All three of them were preupied, and silence ensued at the table, leaving only the sound of eating.


    This quietness seemed to make Lia quite ufortable; her right foot kept tapping the ground beneath her, an irritating sound.


    Aiko always had the feeling that it wouldn''t be surprising if this powder keg exploded at any moment.


    Why didn''t she use her own skills to beg Lin Da to return?


    She was only good at giving team members dirty looks, wasn''t she?


    Aiko couldn''t take it anymore and coughed lightly, confronting the issue head-on, "I will find a chance to talk to Lin Da."


    Lia, sipping her juice with her head lowered, did not respond, but the tip of her foot that had been tapping stopped.


    Noticing this detail, Aiko''s disdain for Lia was almost overflowing like a sea. She tried her best not to let this expression show on her face and said calmly, "I''ll go ask him if he''s realized his ''mistake''."


    Before she had finished speaking, she heard Lia snort coldly.


    "Anyway, I won''t let him rejoin the team."


    Aiko smiled, wanting to smack the bowl down on Lia''s head.


    ''It''s Aiko and the others who want you back. I didn''t agree! If you really want toe back, then work hard and don''t ck off!'' Aiko couldpletely imagine the scene when Lin Da returned.


    Thump thump thump!


    Just then, there was a knock at the door.


    All three turned to look.


    Aiko thought to herself, "I''ll go take a look."


    What if it was Lin Da outside?


    She couldn''t let that little bitch Lia have alone time with Lin Da, notte at night with just the two of them, too dangerous.


    Aiko opened the door, holding a sliver of hope as she stepped outside.


    But it wasn''t Lin Da.


    A group of young men were gathered at the vi''s entrance.


    The leader was a neatly dressed, lean young man, with a band around his head that read ''Ice Flower Adventure Team Support Group Leader''.


    Aiko''s face twitched, these people, they''re what you call ''homebodies'', right? Ones who don''t dare venture into the Mystic Realm, but idolize adventures so much that they make someone else''s adventure team their spiritual pir.


    What disgusted her even more was that this group was the Support Group for the Ice Flower Adventure Team.


    Ever since she heard that Isa had invited Lin Da to join the team, she hadn''t felt good about Isa at all.


    "This is the Snow Goose Adventure Team. Haven''t you arrived at the wrong ce?"


    Aiko smiled warmly, like a mature big sister, perfectly concealing her true inner thoughts.


    "So elegant! You truly deserve the title of ''Holy Mage'' Aiko!"


    "So gentle, we won''t get scolded even for disturbing her in the middle of the night."


    "From today on, Miss Aiko will be my second spiritual pir."


    The crowd cheered and hollered excitedly.


    Aiko caressed her cheek, casually revealing a strand of snowy white at her shoulder, smiling radiantly, "So, why have you alle to the Snow Goose Adventure Team? Is there something you need, or are you lost?"


    The group was so mesmerized they found their mouths going dry, but thankfully the leader Dawen was resolute, pinching his thigh hard as he said, "Actually, we''re here to see Mr. Lin Da."


    Lin Da?


    Aiko''s expression changed.


    The matter of Lin Da leaving the team was currently only being whispered among a few adventurers; ordinary people like Dawen were still unaware.


    She didn''t mention the fact that Lin Da had left the team and asked indifferently, "What do you want with Lin Da?"


    "It''s like this..."


    Dawen retold the events of the afternoon, when Lin Da had helped the Ice Flower Adventure Team out of a crisis, clearing the twelfth floor.


    "We wanted to find Lin Da to thank him, to express our gratitude for his help with the Ice Flower Adventure Team!"


    "Also, to warn Lin Da not toy a hand on our Captain Isa!"


    "Captain Isa belongs to our Support Group!"


    Facing this group of nerds, seriously uttering revolting words, Aiko could barely keep the smile on her face from faltering.


    Lin Da... he helped Isa clear the twelfth floor?


    How could he do that, what right did he have?


    Aiko felt a faint jealousy.


    And it was lucky that it was her who came to the door; if it had been Lia, she probably would have had a stroke on the spot.


    The Snow Goose Adventure Team struggled and fumbled through nine floors, yet once outside, a few sentences from Lin Da helped Ice Flower clear the twelfth.

 Chapter 21: 21. Getting Started with Classic Skills

    Aiko was relieved when she heard that Lin Da had refused Isa''s invitation and had not joined the Ice Flower Adventure Team.


    But the arrival of Dawen and others made her heart leap into her throat again.


    To that Isa, a well-reputed level 15 Healer and a Healer who couldmand the Ice Flower Adventure Team through the twelfth floor hadpletely different meanings.


    Commanding was generally taken up by the captain, but since Isa belonged to a front-line ss, dividing her attention was extremely taxing on her energy. As such, when the captain is from a front-line ss, this task is usually left to the support in the back row, just as the Snow Goose Adventure Team did.


    Now, Lin Da''s departure was equivalent to giving Isa an opportunity she was thrilled about.


    Once she bent down to ask, there was a chance that Lin Da might actually join.


    The main problem is that Lia was too cheap, andpared to her, Lin Da could very likely be taken advantage of by Isa in her moment of vulnerability.


    They''re all t-chested... The distaste in Aiko''s heart almost showed on her face.


    "Sorry, Lin Da isn''t home, you made this trip for nothing."


    After Aiko sent Dawen and the rest away, the smile gradually disappeared from her face, and she coldly watched another mansion in the same district, unable to stop herself from violently punching the wall.


    As a Mage, her delicate fist cracked and bled.


    But she herself seemed unaware, her face solemn as she bit her lip.


    She won''t lick me anymore, but now she''s licking the Ice Flower''s people?


    What gives her the right?


    Aiko was so angry she felt like she was about to explode.


    The dog she had painstakingly raised for three years had not yet yielded any fruit, so why should Isa be allowed to snatch it away halfway?


    It''s fine for Lin Da to linger outside like a stray dog, but if someone wants to take this stray dog home, Aiko would never agree.


    "My things... no one is allowed to take them away..."


    Aiko''s dark gaze fixed on her thumb as she bit it, her teeth grinding against her nail in a chilling, grinding sound reminiscent of a wild beast chewing its prey.


    By chance, a stray cat passed near her, and on seeing this monster with tworge lumps on its chest, it couldn''t help but let out a frightened meow before running away.


    "What''s going on, Aiko? It''s so noisy outside."


    Lia walked out with a scowl on her face.


    "Nothing, just a bunch of flies. I chased them away."


    Aiko instantly resumed her smile, hiding her injured right hand behind her, her voice pleasant and amiable.


    The speed of her switch was as if she had put on a mask.


    "Is that so?" Lia asked absentmindedly, not suspicious, and went back inside the vi.


    Aiko deliberately didn''t tell Lia about Lin Da helping Isa.


    What if Lia suddenly came to her senses and went to get Lin Da back?


    Although it was highly unlikely, what if it happened? If something urred between them, her n would be ruined.


    Aiko could see right through Lia''s thoughts, but as for Lin Da... three years ago there might have been some feelings, but now, Aiko could not be sure.


    "Lia as well as Isa, if you insist onpeting with me, don''t me me for not being nice."


    The light flowed out from the open door of the vi, casting a shadow on Aiko''s face under the eaves.


    In the ce behind Lia that she couldn''t see, Aiko squinted her eyes, her cheeks flushed, her lips curling into a twisted smile.


    She was like a giant predatory beast lurking in the darkness, her gaping maw filled with serrated teeth dripping with viscous saliva.


    Aiko used her magic power to drive her wheelchair, following Lia into the vi. Throughout, Lia never noticed anything off about Aiko.


    ...


    Elsewhere, at the same time.


    In the Sparrow District, an old residential building, apartment 303.


    Creak~


    The wooden door opened, and Kafni returned with food.


    "Here you go, your order." Kafni ced a fragrant, steaming te of pork chop rice in front of Lin Da.


    Lin Da looked up in surprise, "Thanks?"


    "Ha, even a heartless deity like myself wouldn''t let a hero go hungry," after all, I still need to rely on the hero to defeat the Demon King."


    Kafni opened her own luxurious eel rice, stood up straight with her head held high, and spoke with an air of superiority.


    Seeing the eel rice in her hand, Lin Da''s eyelids twitched, sensing an ominous premonition. The pork chop rice cost 20 copper coins while the luxurious eel rice was at least 50... By that reckoning, he and Kafni had less than 1 silver coin left.


    This was simply... a deity squandering wealth!


    Lin Da helplessly rubbed his forehead.


    Though he didn''t want to do it, he would have to borrow some gold coins from an old friend tomorrow.


    With Kafni''s spending habits, they would starve the day after tomorrow.


    "But why isn''t it two portions of luxurious eel rice?"


    He suddenly found it strange��if Kafni had no concept of money, why didn''t she get the same for him? She opted for a cheaper pork chop rice for him but her own was pricey.


    "Wouldn''t two portions cost a silver coin?" Kafni replied matter-of-factly, "Aren''t heroes supposed to serve deities? It''s already very generous of me not to have just brought you in rice."


    "There seems to be some logic in that." Lin Da forced a smile and flexed his arms. "I think we better rify who exactly is the ''master'' here."


    Kafni''splexion changed slightly, clearly aware that she was no match for Lin Da.


    Lin Da''s hero upation came with very high initial attributes.


    Even at level 0, his attributes were close to that of a level 3 warrior, and he was not someone a level 0 thief like her couldpete with.


    "Wait...! I was just joking. I splurged on the eel rice because I came upon some good fortune!" Kafni said hurriedly and with a head full of sweat, trying to exin, "The ''Legendary Skill Stone'' I ordered has arrived by courier. I bought it with all my Contribution Points, so a meal of eel rice isn''t too much, right?"


    She quickly took out a golden round stone from her bosom.


    Under the light emitted by the stone, the dim rental room was suddenly illuminated, and a rich magic power could be felt all around.


    "Legendary Skill Stone?"


    The grudge regarding the eel rice dissipated from Lin Da as he took the stone with curiosity.


    The stone was not big, about the size of a quail egg, and felt somewhat warm in his hand.


    Upon touching his palm, the Skill Stone buzzed and vibrated, and a surge of golden light flowed into his body.


    The personal panel popped up before his eyes.


    System prompt: You have acquired the Legendary skill [Purifying Witch]!


    Clicking the skill in the skill section, you can see its specific effects.


    Purifying Witch: Through contact with any part of the body, purify the contractual erosion within the Witch''s body. Uponplete purification, the Witch Series Skills will be unlocked.


    Note: The higher the Witch''s trust, the more thorough the purification.


    What the heck?


    Lin Da frowned, feeling like he hit the jackpot in a ten-pull gacha but the prize was off. This Legendary skill seemed great, with the ability to unlock a Witch Series Skill Tree, and such skill trees usually weren''t bad given their special conditions for unlocking.


    But the issuey in the prerequisite: topletely purify a Witch.


    That''s when things get tricky.


    In the game, the Witch upation was manageable; you paid 1688 as a ''price'' to sign a contract and be a [Witch].


    As long as you recharged 648 every month thereafter, you could keep using the Witch upation. But if the recharging stopped, the Witch would suffer from contract bacsh and sumb to the Shadow.


    This setup wasn''t much of an issue in the game; it merely meant a swift end to the nner.


    However, when this setup became reality on the Mystic Continent, it meant...


    In any city, merely mentioning the word ''Witch'' could lead to arrest by the Law Enforcement Bureau.


    There''s a rumor that if you talk about Witches, they might actually appear beside you, bringing cmity.

 Chapter 22: Lin Das Three Major Skill Trees

    When Lin Da first arrived in White Dove City, he often spent time at the library and had a general understanding of witches. The contracts from the game, when applied to reality, became ''A young girl with a strong, specific wish, seduced by the whispers of the Demon King, signs a soul-binding contract''.


    In other words, witches are minions of the Demon King, cursed beings.


    Wherever they went, cities were destroyed, and corpses littered the streets.


    Witches at the end of their lives would even transform into ''Fallen Beasts'', causing disasters of unprecedented horror.


    For Lin Da, who was at Level 0, purifying such monsters was truly no easy task.


    "What skill did you get?" Kafni asked with trepidation, seeing the look on his face.


    Lin Da reported honestly.


    "What, Witch Purification? What''s the use of that? It''s not even as good as the mostmon Legendary skills like Mana Blessing."


    Kafni was stupefied. She had spent all her Divine Contribution Points and only drew such a lousy skill.


    She heard from her seniors that some heroes were so lucky they could instantly obtain ''Tenfold Attack'', ''Mana Consumption Halved'', or other heaven-defying Legendary skills.


    How could it be that her own hero was so unlucky...


    Kafni fell into pessimism once again regarding how to save the Mystic Continent.


    "Actually, this skill isn''t that bad."


    After contemting for a while, Lin Da opened the steaming te of pork chop rice and said, "Maybe we can use this skill to try and turn the witches."


    "Turn them?" Kafni listlessly prodded her eel rice, feeling as though the luxurious taste in her mouth was like chewing wax.


    "Right," Lin Da said. "Think about it, witches serve as the Demon King''s servants because they are coerced, right? Unlike those who voluntarily swear allegiance and are brainwashed from birth in the Demon Lord''s Army, witches submit to the Demon King out ofpulsion. So it is certain that they are not as loyal to the Demon King as the magical creatures are."


    "That''s true," Kafni agreed with a nod.


    Lin Da snapped his fingers, "This is where the Legendary skill, Witch Purificationes into y. If we could forcibly break the contract between the witches and the Demon King, wouldn''t that be the same as saving their lives? By then, they would naturally have no reason to serve the Demon King anymore. Maybe they would even join the hero''s camp as a result."


    "Eh, that does make sense." Kafni''s eyes lit up, and she stopped eating. "With this give and take, even if the Demon King breaks the seal and awakens, he''ll be a weakling! In that case, we should not dy and go look for witches to purify right away!"


    Luckily, she had a trace of Divine Power within her. She could sense witches, who had the Demon Lord''s Power within them, from a certain distance, effectively a human radar.


    She would be in charge of searching, and Lin Da in charge of purification. After umting ten cartloads of witches, they could go directly to challenge the Demon King!


    Kafni, fantasizing about the glorious future, couldn''t help butugh heartily as she ced her hands on her hips.


    Lin Da, however, sat steadily on the sofa without moving. He nced at the enthusiastic Kafni and said,


    "What are you thinking? Witches are wanted by the empire, hiding who knows where. How could we just find them? And even if we did, it''s not certain they would trust me to open up and let me purify them."


    The prerequisite for Witch Purification was a high level of trust, followed by physical contact. The higher the trust level, and the deeper the contact, the more thorough the purification.


    But these days, merely touching a girl''s hand could get you sued by the Law Enforcement Bureau, let alone touching a witch��surely the risk must be even greater?


    Witches, able to hear the Demon King''s whispers and be enchanted by them, are often psychologically unstable. It would be a light oue if they sued you at the Law Enforcement Bureau, but one could fear for their very life.


    Before raising his level, Lin Da definitely did not want to meet the witches of this world.


    After hearing all of that, Kafni''s enthusiasm deted: "After all this, isn''t it just a useless skill?"


    "There will always be a way. If all else fails, we could just subdue them, tie them up, and purify them."


    Lin Da shrugged his shoulders.


    He bowed his head to enjoy his pork chop rice, while concurrently opening the Skill Tree page on his personal panel.


    At the moment, this Skill Tree had three main branches: the Recovery Series, the Poison Technique Series, and the dark, somewhat blurry Witch Series.


    The effects of the Witch Series Skills were still unknown, but the Poison Technique Series Skills were known for their high sustained damage.


    The first level of the Poison Technique Series Skill Tree already attained the Purple Rare quality, and further up there was a string of orange, red, and several golden Legendary Skills.


    In contrast to themon profession of a Healer, whose Skill Tree''s first-level skills are all of ordinary white quality.


    The Level 20 Ultimate Skill "Healing Rain" was barely a Purple Rare Level skill.


    Although Lin Da had started over from Level 0, by the time he returned to Level 15, hisbat power would flip over a dozen times.


    "After getting the team withdrawal certificate, I should go out and farm some Slimes. My level is too low now, and I don''t have a single Skill Point," Lin Da thought to himself.


    Earning Skills required Skill Points, and at the moment, at Level 0, he had zero Skill Points.


    The only Active Skill he possessed was the attack-less "Witch Purification," which relied on his initial high strength attribute of 15 for hand-to-handbat.


    Swallowing thest bite of his pork chop rice, Lin Da said contentedly, "Dinner''s finished, time to start cleaning the house."


    He grabbed Kafni, who was trying to go to sleep, with a warm smile on his face.


    By the time he finished his chores, it was alreadyte at night.


    The house, once covered with dust, looked brand new.


    When it was time to rest, since the rental house had only one bedroom and one bed, Lin Da and Kafni had an argument about who should sleep on the bed.


    "Damn Hero, you''re such a damned nuisance, sooner orter, one day, I will... sooner orter..."


    Kafni, with several bumps on her head, curled up on the sofa in pain, her body draped in a nket, tears of frustration leaking from her eyes.


    Lin Da''s fists were too big, too hard, and it only took a couple of hits to leave her critically injured.


    Humbled and humiliated, Kafni had no choice but to reluctantly give up the bed.


    In the bedroom.


    Lin Day with the back of his head resting on his arm, staring nkly at the ceiling above, feeling a bit unreal.


    He had actually fulfilled his wish to ''sleep on the bed in the rental house'' once. Back when he lived there, as the only male in the team, he was naturally relegated to the sofa.


    At that time, he often wondered howfortable it must be to lie in the bed in the bedroom.


    Now that this unfinished dream was realized, it wasn''t as exciting as he initially thought.


    Indeed, time and circumstances greatly affect a person''s mindset. After his sister disappeared, Lin Da''s personal desires became quite faint, apart from his research on the World Tree, he had little interest in anything else.


    He remembered Lin Xi liked to sleep in the innermost spot. He involuntarily moved closer to that side, sniffing as if he could catch a trace of his sister''s scent.


    In the darkness, Lin Da fumbled and pulled out a pocket watch, opened it, and the white jade-like dial emitted a faint glow, illuminating thebined photo of the two inside the case.


    How could Lin Xi have disappeared inside the World Tree, and who had secretly ced her pocket watch on his desk? This was something Lin Da often thought about when he couldn''t sleep at night, but even after three years, he had no clue.

 Chapter 23: 23. Truly delicious

    Lin Xi disappeared on the fourth level of the World Tree.


    ording to the rules of the World Tree Secret Realm, except for the Great Mystery Continent that appears every five levels, other realms can only be entered once.


    Aftering out from the fourth level, Lin Da could not re-enter it; to farm monsters, he could only go to the Great Mystery Continent and other ordinary secret realms outside the World Tree.


    However, there was one method that could allow him to return to the fourth level.


    That was to change his profession.


    After changing professions, both his level and his strategy records for the World Tree were reset to zero.


    When Lin Da re-entered the World Tree, he would start from the first level, and he could rey the fourth level mystery again.


    "Lin Xi now should be level 30, bing a Star-ranked adventurer, right?"


    Before disappearing, Lin Xi was already level 15, half higher than the other members of the team.


    Such a speed of leveling up was like cheating.


    "Sleep."


    The time shown on his pocket watch had reached two in the morning, and Lin Da felt a wave of tiredness strike him. There had been too much happening today... He had left the team, then became a hero, and resolved to create his own team.


    It was a single day that brought him as much fatigue as a usual month.


    Lin Da closed his pocket watch and drifted off into sleep.


    The next morning.


    In a simple breakfast restaurant.


    Lin Da and Kafni sat at the table, struggling to gnaw on the rock-hard bread in their hands.


    When Kafni walked into this shop, she immediately drew fiery stares from everyone else, making Lin Da a bit ufortable.


    Great Panda is indeed impressive.


    It''s a universal truth, regardless of the world!


    At the small wooden table, Lin Da sipped on the milk in his bowl. He nced sideways, only to see the early morning sun streaming through the window, casting a gentle light on the face of a blonde deity.


    Kafni''s eyshes were long, and her blue eyes resembled pure gems, reflecting the sunlight, giving them a saintly beauty at first nce.


    A thought crossed Lin Da''s mind.


    Dressing such a Kafni in humble hemp skirts seemed rather wasteful.


    Lia would likely mock and scoff at her if she saw.


    And since he had left the team, visiting the Snow Goose Adventure Team today as a guest, he was supposed to dress formally.


    He also wanted to see how pretty a dressed-up Kafni could be, wondering if she could overshadow those youngdies.


    So, he made a request to Kafni.


    Thud.


    The bread in Kafni''s hand dropped to the floor, her face full of disbelief.


    "You want me, a deity, to wear revealing clothes and y your female teammate?"


    "Impossible, absolutely impossible!"


    Kafni''s neck flushed red with anger.


    She already detested Lin Da, so how could she possibly pretend to be good teammates with him?


    Moreover, calling it dressing up was merely making her into a roasted chicken!


    Those skirts barely reaching the thighs, and off-shoulder dresses��how could she, the manly Kafni, ever wear them?!


    A momentter.


    In front of a second-hand clothing store.


    "It''s settled then, I get the bed for the next month."


    Kafni had already transformed herself from a destitute street woman of Sparrow District into a vibrant and pretty woman of the Inner City District.


    "This..."


    Lin Da was somewhat astonished.


    At this moment, Kafni wore a tight ck sleeveless top, covered with a small white jacket, but her massive shoulders almost seemed to slip free from its grasp, invoking the obsessivepulsion in anyone to pull them up properly for her.


    She was wearing hot pants on her lower body, her legs white and plump like jade pirs, stepping in sneakers from the Otherworld, decorated with little wing patterns.


    Kafni was tall and slim, standing with one hand on her hip like a model, her earlobes adorned with sparkling crystal earrings.


    She cocked her head slightly, looking at Lin Da with confusion, "What''s wrong?"


    "You look good," Lin Da said.


    "Wha-what?"


    Kafni''s face turned red, unexpectedly feeling a subtle joy after Lin Da''spliment.


    This discovery made her panic. Why would she be happy about a man saying she looks good? That wasn''t normal!


    "Don''t think that just becausepliments are free, I would forgive your reprehensible actions!"


    Kafni tightened her white jacket, suddenly feeling too exposed and ufortable all over.


    "No, I mean, you really do look good."


    Lin Da had always had high regard for women as ambitious as pandas.


    "Stop talking," Kafni muttered, her voice softer than a mosquito''s.


    Just then, the carriage arrived, and Lin Da called the squirmy Kafni to get inside.


    "To the Inner City District."


    Lin Da handed over thest of his copper coins to the coachman.


    The road from the Sparrow District to the Inner City District was uneven, full of bumps that made the carriage vibrate.


    On the red velvet sofa, Kafni, sitting next to Lin Da with her legs pressed together, almost fell on him several times as the carriage tilted.


    Lin Da didn''t mind, back when Snow Goose Adventure Team was poor, five people would squeeze into a carriage, piling up inyers.


    Rubbing shoulders and legs with Kafni was nothing unusual for him.


    But he didn''t know what was wrong with Kafni today. Since leaving the clothing store, she''d been acting weird, none of her usual arrogance.


    Lin Da saw her hands as if having nowhere to rest, one moment on her knees, the next under her butt, her head hanging low, her gaze drifting.


    The carriage passed over arge pothole and jolted sharply, Kafni''s arm identally brushed against Lin Da, and she quickly withdrew it as if electrocuted.


    What the heck is wrong with her?


    Lin Da was utterly baffled.


    "We''ve reached the Inner City District."


    A momentter, the carriage stopped, and Lin Da saw Kafni was still daydreaming.


    "Oh... oh! Thank you," Kafni snapped out of it, hurriedly opened the door of the carriage, and stepped out almost as if escaping.


    First, she moved out a dazzlingly white long leg, then Kafni slowly straightened her waist, lifted her messy golden hair with her hand, and gradually opened her cold, aloof eyes to adjust to the bright sunlight outside.


    Her posture made Lin Da sense a subtle femininity.


    The two of them walked one after the other on the broad, tidy street, heading toward the vi of Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Lin Da noticed something odd, it seemed he was turning quite a few heads, attracting many passersby to pause and look.


    Although being a former healer of Snow Goose Adventure Team made him somewhat famous, it couldn''t be to this extent, could it?


    Perplexed, he looked around and suddenly realized that within Kafni''s tight ck top, there were a pair of bouncing big guys, like a Slime casting the skill "Taunt."


    No wonder!


    These were so big; any adventurer would want to tackle them, right?


    "What''s wrong?" Kafni frowned and asked.


    "It''s nothing," Lin Da replied, turning his head away.


    Seeing his somewhat awkward expression, Kafni btedly realized something.


    Kafni stared straight at her own chest, her cheeks quickly heating up.


    She swiftly turned her head to the side.


    On the street, Lin Da looked embarrassedly to the left, Kafni bit her lip and looked to the right�� even she didn''t know why she did that, but her heart felt like it was pounding out of her throat!

 Chapter 32: 32. Blessing of the World Tree Goddess

    As the two were about to leave the neighborhood, they encountered a tall and burly man.


    "Oru?"


    "Lin Da?"


    Oru was seen carrying various exquisiterge and small packages; it seemed Klyne and the others had dragged him out shopping and made him act as a human suitcase.


    "Lin Da, have you decided toe back?" Oru, unaware of what had happened, said happily, "Don''t take the captain''s words to heart; she has that kind of temperament, but she''s definitely worried about you in her heart."


    Worried? Her?


    Lin Daughed.


    Even if what Oru said was true, he didn''t need that kind of person to worry about him.


    "I''m here today for this."


    He showed the document bag in his hand, which contained proof of his departure from the team.


    Seeing this, Oru was momentarily stunned; one of the packages he was holding identally dropped to the ground.


    Lin Da went over to pick it up.


    "Thanks." Oru, with a look of regret, sighed and knew that at this point, Lin Da was unlikely to return to the team: "Lin Da, even if you leave the team, we are still friends. If you''re ever in any trouble, look for me anytime."


    Trouble, he had that right now.


    Lin Da hesitated a moment before saying, "I''m a bit short on..."


    He was too embarrassed to borrow money.


    "Hey, big guy, got any cash? Hand some over for us to use."


    Kafni was utterly unabashed and said straightforwardly.


    Oru was somewhat confused, "Ah? Money?"


    Adventurers above level 15 typically nevercked money for daily living.


    If they said they were short on money, did that mean arge sum? For buying new magical equipment or something of the sort?


    Oru chuckled awkwardly: "That, Lin Da, I''m sorry, but the savings card is with Klyne. Just a moment, I''ll go and ask her for it."


    "Uh, that won''t be necessary."


    "Whatever you have on you is fine; we can''t even afford a meal!"


    Kafni, righteous and unashamed,pletely drowned out Lin Da''s voice.


    Can''t afford a meal?


    Oru looked at Lin Da in surprise.


    Without asking much, he searched through his belongings and took out fifteen gold coins.


    Lin Da gratefully epted them.


    "These few gold coins, they won''t buy many pieces of equipment, will they?" Kafni frowned: "There''s a World Tree Bank nearby, if not enough just go withdraw some money."


    "Ah? That..." Oru''s face turned bitter.


    "Don''t listen to her, her brain''s not functioning properly." Lin Da glowered viciously at Kafni.


    He knew that Oru and Klyne had taken out a loan to buy a house in the Inner City District, under great pressure, and their earnings from adventuring were all spent with trepidation on repaying the loan; they didn''t have arge amount of gold coins to lend them.


    After bidding farewell to Oru, the two took a carriage straight to the Adventurer''s Guild.


    The blonde receptionist at the counter took the departure proof and verified Lia''s signature in a magic device.


    A green light shone, indicating a sessful verification.


    "Are you sure you want to leave the team? I see that the Snow Goose Adventure Team is a rock level team." The blonde receptionist, named Alice, asked once more.


    "Positive." Lin Da nodded.


    Alice stamped the departure proof, then directed him to pray in front of a statue of the World Tree Goddess in the center of the hall, to convey his will to depart to the World Tree Goddess.


    The statue of the World Tree Goddess stood at the center of the hall, a beautiful woman in light veils, with a generous chest, and long hair flowing to the ground.


    A gand crowned her head, and herpassionate eyes seemed to hold boundless love for all creatures,manding the respect of all adventurers who saw her.


    Kafni, however, sneered disdainfully: "Such a useless woman, in the end, it''s still this deity who has to save the day."


    "Watch your words, if someone hears, we''re done for." Lin Da wished he could give Kafni a couple of punches.


    The World Tree Sanctum, which worships the World Tree Goddess as its deity, is thergest power in this world, ranking above the royal family of the empire.


    There is only one oue for those who offend the World Tree Sanctum: they are ruthlessly in by the warriors of the Court of Judgment.


    Lin Da stood in front of the statue, with his hands together in prayer, silently apologizing for Kafni''s irreverence, and then conveyed his desire to leave the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    At that moment, a voice as tender as spring water, that of a female, appeared in his mind:


    "Brave one chosen by the deities of the Upper World, you need not express any apologies. Please make haste to ascend to the top of the World Tree and draw forth the sword of the brave..."


    In the darkness with his eyes closed, Lin Da ''saw'' a giant woman, standing five meters tall.


    Her emerald-green hair cascaded loosely down her back, her face radiated with maternal glory, and she extended her snow-white arms, embracing him into a soft ocean.


    The towering female deity kissed Lin Da''s forehead, like an enlightening revtion. A cool sensation traveled throughout his body, and the system panel popped up a notice:


    You have obtained the Legendary passive skill "Blessing of the World Tree Goddess"!


    "Blessing of the World Tree Goddess": Luck increases threefold, and you will be more likely to obtain rare magical equipment and resources in the Mystic Realm.


    This skill was genuinely useful.


    Lin Da hurriedly thanked the World Tree Goddess in his mind.


    A motherly chuckle arose by his ear.


    When Lin Da opened his eyes, the vision had already vanished.


    He had be a ''free man,'' his contract with the Snow Goose Adventure Team terminated.


    The two werepletely severed from one another.


    "How does it feel to leave the team?" Kafni asked.


    "Comfortable."


    Lin Daughed heartily.


    Leaving the team wasplete, and he had also received the blessing of the World Tree Goddess.


    The kidney deficiency he had suffered during several dozen nights with the Snow Goose was swept away, leaving him much more vibrant and full of energy.


    ...


    The two returned to the counter.


    "I''d like to form a team."


    Alice looked at them puzzled, "Just the two of you as members?"


    "Yes."


    "That won''t do."


    "Why not?"


    "Don''t you know the rules for someone who was a member of a rock level adventurer party like you?"


    Alice, speechless, pped the notice board behind her: "You need at least three people to form a team, and there must be one Healer, one Damage Dealer, and one Defender. If you don''t meet these criteria, you cannot create an adventure team."


    "The fee for team registration is one hundred Gold Coins, but for an adventurer like you, one hundred shouldn''t be a problem, right?"


    Alice assumed.


    Lin Da felt embarrassed.


    When it came to the rules of team creation, he really wasn''t aware; originally, it was Lia who dealt with that. The guild saw that their conditions met the requirements, so naturally, they wouldn''t remind them further.


    Now Lin Da knew that a team must beposed of three people.


    And the fee for forming a team wasn''t cheap at all��one hundred Gold Coins.


    "Are you still going to form a team?" Alice inquired.


    "Let''s leave it for now..."


    Lin Da stepped out of the Adventurer''s Guild.


    Currently, they only had two members in the party; he was a Healer, and Kafni''s thief barely counted as a Damage Dealer.


    They were stillcking a front-line warrior to absorb damage.


    He pondered in his mind where to find a front-line warrior with excellent talent and an eptable level to join his team.

 Chapter 34: 34. The loser joins the team.

    When Isa saw that Lin Da was still reluctant to ept, she said in a forceful tone:


    "Take it. This is the unanimous decision of our Ice Flower team members after discussion. The Town Portal Scroll is the most suitable for you right now."


    "Besides, I have a little additional request."


    Isa blinked and, in a rare disy of coquetry, said, "Mr. Linda, you won''t refuse, will you?"


    "That''s cheating," Lin Da moved his gaze away from her slight smile, cleared his throat, and said.


    Isa smiled and said, "Of course, I won''t ask you to do it for free, there will be a corresponding reward."


    "What is the request you''re talking about?" Lin Da was curious.


    From what Isa was saying, it sounded like she wanted to hire him.


    "I hope that when the Ice Flower adventure team challenges the thirteenth floor, you can take on the role of remotemander just once through the sensordybug," Isa said earnestly.


    Commander?


    Lin Da frowned and thought for a moment before shaking his head: "I''m an outsider, that wouldn''t be appropriate."


    "It''s fine. I guarantee that everyone in Ice Flower will follow yourmands to the letter," Isa said with a smirk. "My team members are not like a certain red-headed fool; if I tell them to trust you, they will."


    "If the thirteenth floor is sessfully cleared, the Demon Core of the Secret Realm Guardian is yours."


    Isa extended her hand, "This condition should be quite generous."


    Remotemand with no risk involved, and clearing the floor would mean earning a Boss Demon Core for free.


    No matter how Lin Da thought about it, it was all to his benefit and none to his detriment.


    This cooperation would also deepen the friendship with the Ice Flower adventure team, which would be greatly beneficial for the future development of his own team.


    "Deal."


    Lin Da nodded and shook Isa''s hand.


    The lunch ended in a cheerful atmosphere.


    The only downside was that the portions at the upscale restaurant were too small, and both he and Kafni had not had their fill.


    As they parted ways, Isa said, "The Ice Flower team''s assault on the thirteenth floor is scheduled for next month, I will notify you in advance."


    "No problem." Just as Lin Da was about to leave, he suddenly remembered something.


    "Right, could you help me scout for a front-line professional? Preferably one with high potential."


    Lin Da mentioned that his team was one member short.


    Isa pondered and said, "Front-line professions are easy to find, but ones with talent..." She shrugged her shoulders, making a helpless gesture.


    If Lin Da were the leader of a known team, it would be a different story, but right now he was level 0 and starting from scratch.


    Truly talented warriors wouldn''t opt for such a small team.


    "I can only do my best to help, but I can''t guarantee we''ll recruit anyone," Isa said.


    "That''s enough," Lin Da nodded in gratitude.


    The group took the elevator down together.


    On Lin Da''s left was Kafni and on his right, Isa dressed in an evening gown.


    She seemed to have sprayed some perfume, a scent like peach blossoms that was somewhat addictive.


    Lin Da nced out of the corner of his eye at the mature and stable silver-haired girl and sighed inwardly, wishing he had met someone like Isa when he first came to this world.


    In the Ice Flower adventure team, he might have reached much higher levels.


    Just then, Isa suddenly looked up, somewhat unwillingly and said, "Are you sure you won''t consider it? My team is really good, you know?"


    Lin Da was about to refuse, but then a thought struck him, and he said, "How about we make a promise?"


    "What promise?"


    "Within three years, if my team surpasses the Ice Flower adventure team in the number of levels ascended in the World Tree..." Lin Da looked straight into Isa''s eyes, speaking slowly, "you will join my team."


    Isa was stunned.


    Immediately, sheughed so hard that her body shook, clutching her stomach, wanting to stop but again amused by Lin Da''s fantastical bet.


    It took a while for Isa to calm down. She wiped the tears ofughter from the corners of her eyes and said, "Fine. But likewise, if you can''t catch up in three years, you''ll have to join Ice Flower."


    "It''s a deal."


    Lin Da extended his pinky finger.


    Isa, understanding the gesture, hooked her pinky finger with his.


    While Isa''s fingers seemed delicate and slender, Lin Da felt many callouses from sword training when he touched them, hard, yet strong and powerful.


    A sense of reliability rushed over him.


    After they released hands, Lin Da looked at Isa, brimming with confidence as if she''d already won, and he couldn''t help but want tough inside.


    With an experience bar, three years would be more than enough time to catch up to the Ice Flower Adventure Team.


    It was like reserving a swordsman in advance.


    Isa''s talent was no less than Lia''s, and unlike Bilya who needed convincing, Isa was also a silver-haired beauty that Lin Da quite fancied.


    Just as Isa wanted to poach him, he also wanted to pull Isa into his own team.


    ...


    Leaving the restaurant, Lin Da and Isa waved goodbye.


    He rubbed his stomach, nning to continue looking for a ce to eat.


    After changing sses to a Healing Hero, both his physique and appetite had greatly increased; the food he''d just eaten was barely enough to fill the gaps between his teeth.


    He remembered there was a barbecue stall he used to frequent in Sparrow District, generous in serving and good in taste.


    "Let''s go have a good meal."


    Lin Da patted the gold coins in his pocket, the jingling sound a satisfying feeling truly like no other.


    Kafni rolled her eyes and said, "Should we sell off the town portal scroll?"


    "Once sold, it''s not easy to buy back. Let''s keep it, just in case we flip over in the gutter and need a quick escape," Lin Da shook his head.


    With his magic potions and two town portal scrolls, he could face unexpected events withposure.


    Catching a carriage, he and Kafni headed back to Sparrow District.


    ...


    Time moved on to dusk.


    Inner City District.


    Aiko couldn''t stand the atmosphere in the vi and escaped.


    After Lin Da left, Lia had turned into a personified icebox.


    Wherever she went, she had a sour expression, exuding an ice-cold pressure that made breathing feel difficult.


    Thanks to Toria''s influence, the Snow Goose Adventure Team became unstable.


    The strategy nning was temporarily handed over to the new Healer, Phyllis.


    But was he trustworthy? One wrong strategy could lead the team to the abyss, and Aiko found it hard to ce her trust in a neer.


    Wheeling herself out of the neighborhood, many adventurers who knew her greeted her kindly, and adoration shone subtly in their eyes.


    Aiko responded with aposed smile, nodding and waving, asionally asking what they had for lunch.


    Seeing their delighted expressions from merely conversing with her filled her with contempt, and an involuntary pride swelled in her chest.


    No adventurer could resist her beauty.


    With just a little tease, they would all blush, pathetically trying to stand tall, as if they were creatures even more lowly than insects.


    But, there was one person... who trampled on her pride without even realizing it.


    Aiko bit her lip in irritation, a sh of resentment passing through her eyes.


    It was because of that incident that she set her sights on Lin Da, intending to turn him into a mindless, obedient dog, desperate for her attention.

 Chapter 37: 37、Healing Mage

    ����Joining Lin Da''s team, of course I can.


    Aiko had practically no sense of belonging to the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    That''s what she thought, but she put on a face of great difficulty, intentionally making Lin Da feel guilty for his hasty invitation.


    Every team member was bound by contract, and quitting without permission required paying a hefty penalty.


    To Aiko, that wasn''t a problem at all.


    Her financial reserve was quite substantial.


    She could agree to Lin Da''s request and join the team,


    but she couldn''t just join casually.


    The way a boy treasures a room he could enter with a single Gold Coin versus one he fought hard and spent countless Gold Coins to get into, surely would be different, right?


    Aiko intended to make Lin Da go and ask Lia, to be rejected when she refused to sign the contract for a team transfer, making him lose face, and only after he thought it impossible to get her, would she pay a high price and quietly join his side.


    Then Lin Da would realize just how outstanding she was.


    She bowed her head, seemingly in great distress, "Sorry, I need to think it over before joining your team."


    "No rush, after all, setting up a team isn''t something that can be done hastily."


    Lin Da said helplessly, "We haven''t even recruited a front-line warrior yet."


    Aiko was puzzled, "With the reputation you''ve built in the Snow Goose Adventure Team, recruiting a warrior shouldn''t be difficult, should it?"


    "In theory, yes." Lin Da took a big gulp of Wheat Beer, shook his head, and said, "I''ve changed professions, so currently our team''s strategy progress is at the zerothyer."


    The hidden implication of changing professions was that his level had also been reset to zero. This was not something he needed to conceal; if Aiko were earnest, she could make inquiries at the Adventurer''s Guild and find out.


    "Changing professions after level 10 is a big risk, why were you so reckless, without even discussing it with me!" Aiko said, her eyes starting to redden, "You really, didn''t think of me as a friend."


    "Don''t cry." Lin Da awkwardly offered her a tissue, never realizing before how fragile Aiko''s temperament was.


    He had been covertly watching for any signs of irregrity since she arrived.


    But he couldn''t find any.


    Aiko''s genuine emotion, even if partially driven by an agenda, was probably not all an act.


    Although he sometimes sensed Aiko''s subtle air of superiority and a hint of her Young Lady attitude, he believed that within Snow Goose''s group of five, his rtionship with Aiko could be ranked at least fourth, quite a bit higher than Bilya''s...


    Aiko took the tissue and dabbed at the corner of her eyes: "What profession did you change to? You''re not nning to keep even this from me, are you?"


    Lin Da pondered for a moment and said, "A Healing Mage."


    "Healing Mage? I''ve never heard of it. Is it any good?"


    Aiko blinked her eyes in confusion.


    In her heart, however, she was jubnt.


    A profession nobody has even heard of must be terrible.


    Lin Da thought for a moment and said, "It''s probably a bit stronger than a Healer. The advantage of a Healing Mage lies in having Poisonous Healing, giving them a fighting chance against Magical Creatures."


    "Oh, it''s sort of like a Poison Doctor then," Aiko confirmed in her mind.


    A Poison Doctor is stronger than a Healer, but only marginally so.


    It sounded like this Healing Mage was abination healer and attacker, supposedly good at both.


    But jack of all trades, master of none.


    That was Aiko''s first impression of a Healing Mage.


    "Must be tough recruiting for your team, need me to help you scout around?"


    "Yeah, that would be great."


    Aiko saw the sincere expression on Lin Da''s face. On the outside, she smiled and agreed readily, but inside, she scoffed in disdain and even spat in contempt.


    Helping you recruit people? You can''t be serious!


    I wish you''d never find anyone, ande begging me to join, that would be the best!


    Aiko''s questions were circuitous and seemingly worried about Lin Da, yet every bit of Lin Da''s plight she learned of secretly delighted her.


    The worse Lin Da fared, the happier she became.


    After chatting for a while longer, Aiko prepared to take her leave, not wanting to give Lin Da the cheap satisfaction of her being at his beck and call.


    On her way out, she took out ten gold coins from her bag and gave them to Lin Da.


    Creating a team required a hundred gold, and even if Lin Da had the dumb luck to recruit new team members, he still wouldn''t have the money to create the team.


    He could onlye and beg her.


    The little abacus in Aiko''s mind cked away merrily.


    "Lin Da, remember toe find me if you encounter any troubles, okay? Although we''re not teammates anymore, we''re still friends."


    Outside the Tyrannosaurus Barbecue Restaurant, Aiko sat in her wheelchair, waving goodbye reluctantly.


    Lin Da stepped out to see her off, holding the little bag full of personable gold coins and couldn''t help but sigh: Aiko was indeed much strongerpared to Lia.


    Behind him, envious and jealous stares were cast his way, with some drunken adventurers wailing bitterly out of sheer envy.


    "I want a beautiful girl to visit me too, and give me gold coins!"


    "Ten gold coins! I risked my life in the Mystic Realm today, and I only earned three!"


    "This guy seems to have changed his profession to level 0, right? Should we beat him up?"


    Thest remark was made by a lean adventurer with a Mohican haircut, grinning mischievously.


    To his surprise, as soon as Mohican finished speaking, a light arrow whizzed in from outside, grazing his scalp and leaving a small pit in the wall.


    Mohican touched the patch of missing hair on his head, his face turning deathly pale.


    A little lower, and his head would have had an extra bloody hole!


    This incident had everyone quiet as mice, promptly zipping their lips.


    At the entrance of the barbecue restaurant, Aiko waved her delicate white magic wand with a smile, saying, "Whoever bullies Lin Da, don''t me me for bullying them back, okay? Also, my level isn''t the 23rd level that''s rumored outside��in fact, I just reached level 24 yesterday."


    Level 24, absolutely a top figure in White Dove City.


    The adventure team members felt a chill run up the backs of their necks and forcedughter, saying:


    "Who would be so short-sighted as to provoke Lin Da, eh? We''re lucky he doesn''t bully us, hahaha..."


    "Exactly, exactly."


    "A level 24 beautying to Sparrow District to visit teammates? I''m damn near turning into a ''lemon spirit'' magical creature!"


    Lin Da watched the group''s feigned performance and couldn''t help but chuckle, "Aiko, you should stop bullying adventurers of level five or six; it''ll be a joke if word gets out."


    "Well, they were the ones who said they wanted to beat up my old teammate," Aiko puffed her cheeks, and her attempt at looking cute froze all the adventurers secretly watching inside, turning them into a collective group of ''lemon spirits,'' with jealousy flowing everywhere.


    "I''m off then," Aiko waved her hand.


    "Take care on your way back, although I think others might need to be more careful around you..." Lin Da joked.


    A High-Level Light Mage from Holy Light Church at level 24, respected and awe-inspiring anywhere in White Dove City.


    Lin Da turned and re-entered the Tyrannosaurus Barbecue Restaurant.


    Little did he know that no sooner had Aiko left than the drunk Mohican, driven by his drunkenness and feeling mortified, began to clench his fists with an annoyed expression as he tried to stand up: "You little... You made me lose face..."


    "Sit down."


    Lin Da''s hand was on Mohican''s shoulder.


    Thetter obediently sat back down.


    He didn''t get up again even as Lin Da brushed past him.

 Chapter 38: 38, but he is very fast.

    The adventurers sitting at the same table, caught up in the excitement, curiously asked, "What''s wrong, weren''t you going to teach that ''Eye of Wisdom'' a lesson?"


    "He''s so strong," Mohican''s voice trembled.


    "What''s strong?"


    Hispanions grew even more puzzled.


    "His strength... it''s so damn strong!"


    Mohican''s eyes bulged, his voice cracking like a drake''s: "I''m a Level 4 warrior, yeah, I might have lost some strength from the booze, that''s true, but I shouldn''t be overpowered and forced back to my seat by a Level 0 recovery ss, should I?"


    When they heard the reason, they all froze, staring in astonishment at Lin Da sitting at the innermost table. A Level 0 healer stronger than a Level 4 warrior, what kind of top-tier ss was that?


    Mohican shook his head and approached Lin Da''s table, holding arge mug and snickering with a sycophantic smile.


    "I overheard your conversation with thatdy earlier. You''re forming a team, and it seems you''re recruiting, right? How about me?"


    His attitude had improved significantly, and he spoke with considerable respect.


    Lin Da nced at him and shook his head.


    "No way, you''re too weak."


    The simple and direct reason left Mohican dispirited and downcast.


    Lin Da indeed needed people, but he wasn''t going to take just any Tom, Dick, or Harry.


    He intended to recruit those with potential,panions to reach the summit of the World Tree with him.


    On the surface, Lin Da was polite, but his pride was greater than anyone else''s.


    After shooing Mohican away, he and Kafni devoured the barbecue on the table like a whirlwind.


    At 10 p.m., the two left the restaurant.


    On the way, they stopped at an equipment shop and spent 3 Gold Coins to buy a Level 0 longsword and a short sword each.


    As for why a ''Healing Mage'' like him used a longsword instead of a magic wand, the reason was simple.


    In the early stages of a healer ss, there are no attack skills; the damage from a Normal Attack with a magic wand is much lower than that from a longsword.


    "Slimes, goblins, littleva creatures, all await to be turned into my experience points!"


    Lin Da patted his round belly, and he and Kafni wobbled their way back to their rental.


    After a night of resting and building up energy, tomorrow he would go out into the wild to farm slimes and level up.


    This feeling, akin to pioneering a new ount in a game, excited Lin Da.


    In his three years on the Mystic Continent, his Otherworld journey was finally about to begin in earnest.


    ...


    Late at night, at the Snow Goose Adventure Team''s vi.


    Aiko had just returned from the Sparrow District.


    As soon as she pushed open the door, she saw the living room bright as daylight, with a red-haired girl sitting there sipping coffee with a stern face.


    She held a thick book, scratching her head, stomping her foot, her eyes bulging like brass bells.


    This one, she couldn''t possibly struggle to recognize each character, could she?


    A faint look of disdain shed through Aiko''s eyes.


    "Where did you go?" Lia threw her book aside, lifted her head, saw the food box in Aiko''s arms, furrowed her brows, and asked in a bad tone.


    Aiko had considered brushing it off.


    But seeing the other''s nauseating demeanor, she snorted coldly inside, her face smiling while she calmly said, "I went to see how Lin Da was doing."


    The coffee Lia was bringing to her mouth sprayed out.


    "You... never mind, it''s none of my business, go if you want to."


    Lia looked indifferent, picked up the book again, and continued to flip through it.


    "Don''t you want to know what happened?"


    Aiko raised an eyebrow: "Don''t want to know how Lin Da''s been since he left the team?"


    "I don''t..."


    "Speak."


    Lia was about to deny interest, but suddenly changed her mind and coldly said, "Don''t misunderstand, ''know the enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles without disaster,'' now that Lin Da is an enemy of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, as the captain, it''s necessary to know the enemy''s information."


    As if your brain could even take inspiration from a famous quote.


    When Lin Da was part of the team, he often spoke about knowing the enemy and oneself. But now, in Lia''s words, Lin Da had somehow be that ''Magical Creature.''


    It was rather amusing.


    Aiko hummed sarcastically to herself.


    She didn''t rush to answer Lia, just leaving her hanging on purpose.


    Aiko went to the opposite side of the table, put down the food box, opened it, and scooped a bit of mushroom soup into her mouth.


    So salty, too much salt added.


    Aiko''s face showed bitterness.


    "Hey, why are you not talking anymore? Does Lin Da feel regretful?"


    Unable to hold back, Lia asked anxiously.


    She looked ridiculous, like a clown. Aiko covered her mouth and snickered.


    Bowing her head until she had her fill ofughter, Aiko then coughed and recounted what happened at the Tyrannosaurus Barbecue Restaurant.


    After hearing the story, a hint of disdain appeared on Lia''s face.


    "Street stall barbecue for the poor? That''s what they eat?"


    On the table, there were lunch boxes delivered from a high-end restaurant.


    Any single dish inside cost ten times what Lin Da spent on a meal at the barbecue shop.


    A spoonful of caviar alone cost a Gold Coin.


    The wealth disparity was crystal clear.


    She also heard from Aiko that Lin Da had be level 0, switching to a ss she had never heard of before.


    "No wonder I felt his presence weakened. Daring to leave the team at level 0, he''s truly arrogant."


    "Mixing it up with women from the tavern, hiding in Sparrow District eating lower-ss people''s barbecue, heh, Lin Da has really fallen."


    Lia seemed to regain her confidence.


    She was the genius Swordsman of the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Even without a Healer, she could still lead the team to be the strongest adventure squad in White Dove City.


    That meant she would trample Lin Da''s team underfoot.


    "I''ve decided," Lia said to Aiko, "we''re going to reach the 15th floor in three months and be an ''Iron Level'' adventure team."


    Once you reach the 15th floor, you can be called an Iron adventure team and get more privileges from the Adventurer''s Guild.


    Priority purchase of Magical Equipment, resources, exploration of newly discovered wild Mystic Realms, and various discounts...


    But Aiko voiced her concern, "Reaching the 15th floor in three months? Isn''t that too rushed?"


    The rmended strategy level for the 15th floor is 30.


    In contrast, the levels of the Snow Goose Adventure Team members:


    23rd level zing Swordsman, Lia.


    24th level High-Level Light Mage, Aiko.


    21st level Heavy Armored Warrior, Klrona.


    20th level Wind Archer, Klyne.


    20th level Hammer Warrior, Oru.


    20th level new Healer, Phyllis.


    The average level was around 22.


    With these people, pass the 15th floor rmended at strategy level 30?


    Has their brain malfunctioned?


    Aiko said sternly, "I think the current strength of the Snow Goose Adventure Team is not enough to clear the 15th floor."


    "I know, but we can level up as we clear the floors," Lia confidently replied.


    "I feel like I''m about to grasp a new ''Ultimate Skill.'' As long as everyone follows my lead, with your ''Rain of Light,'' and my ''Energy Charging'' and ''me sh,'' no Guardian can withstand our team''s damage. We''ll definitely clear the 15th floor."


    Aiko was left silently worried.


    The idea seemed beautiful.


    But Magical Creatures won''t just stand still and let you hit them, right?


    Charging ahead? More like heading to their doom?


    The way Phyllis casts her Healing Art, slow as msses, she couldn''t be relied upon in a crisis.


    Aiko had clearly noticed during their time in the Twisted Forest at level 9, that the skillful new Healer chanted her Healing Art as slow as a snail, not even half as fast as Lin Da.


    It''s nice to have a high healing capacity, but if the healing is too slow, the frequency is also slow.


    Phyllis would move once, and Lin Da would have already moved many times.


    So, the total amount of healing is simr, right?


    Under this premise, the faster the frequency, the better.


    However, Lia couldn''t seem to grasp this.


    But Aiko thought, even if that person figured it out, they''d probably be too stubborn to admit it.

 Chapter 39: 39, Announcement from the World Tree Sanctum

    Aiko sighed.


    Let''s not talk about the gap between healers for now.


    Lia, being a swordsman, rushing headlong into things is one thing.


    But as a frail mage, not even standing in the back is safe, so how could she possibly join the charge?


    Seeing Lia''s spirited expression, Aiko knew talking her out of it was futile.


    Anyway, she has no ns to stay long in Snow Goose, so whatever happenster is none of her business.


    She thus adopted the stance of a bystander, waiting to see how Lia would trip up.


    "But speaking of which, why must it be three months to reach the 15th level?"


    Aiko wondered aloud.


    Four months, five months, wouldn''t they do?


    Could that day hold some special significance for Lia?


    "You haven''t seen this yet, here, someone from the Adventurer''s Guild just brought this over."


    Lia, excited, handed a flyer to Aiko.


    She didn''t know what was on it that could have revived Lia from her dejection.


    Curious, Aiko took the flyer and saw a lush, towering World Tree in the background, with a small World Tree totem in the upper right corner.


    Her face changed instantly, and she couldn''t help but exim, "An announcement from the World Tree Sanctum?"


    The World Tree Sanctum, the most mysterious and significant power across the Mystic Continent!


    All its members were personally appointed by the Goddess, their most loyal followers, usually unseen and elusive.


    Thest time they appeared to the public eye was a thousand years ago.


    Upon their emergence, they issued the Divine Decree of the World Tree Goddess: ''The seal of the Demon Realm is about to break; to encourage adventurers to march forth, we will increase the rewards within the World Tree Secret Realm.''


    One could say, when the World Tree Sanctum makes a move, they bring news that shakes the entire continent.


    Seeing Aiko''s increasingly serious expression, Lia confidently puffed out her chest, "This time, the World Tree Sanctum brings another Divine Decree from the Goddess! In three months, one hundred thousand stones of the brave will descend into the World Tree Secret Realm, the higher theyer, the higher the chance of obtaining the stones of the brave!"


    "Those who obtain these stones will be heroes, led by the Chosen Heroes of the Divine Realm, together to save the world and defeat the Demon King!"


    "This is true adventure, fighting for themon people, earning powerful equipment, the respect of everyone, even nobles will have to give way to us!"


    Lia, thrilled, stood up, grabbed the Heavy Sword me Devourer that was leaning against the sofa, and swung it around the hall.


    Red Fire Series Battle Qi, like a zing stream of light, circled around the girl, giving her an especially dashing look.


    Simply put, she was so excited that she swung her weapon wildly.


    Lia ced the greatsword back in front of the sofa and, wiping the sweat from her forehead, her face broke into a smile:


    "One hundred thousand stones of the brave, though these brave ones seem slightly inferior to the Chosen Heroes, there are more of them, increasing our chances to be heroes. Me, you, Klyne, and everyone, we all have to be part of the Hero Team!"


    "I think it''s not that simple,"


    Contrasting with Lia''s overflowing confidence, Aiko felt a tinge of unease.


    She put down the flyer and said heavily, "Are the stones of the brave so easy to obtain? If they exist in the Public Grand Secret Realm and happen to be discovered by two teams simultaneously..."


    Usually, given that they are from the same city''s adventure teams, they would try to resolve it peacefully.


    But with the stones of the brave at stake, could everyone still uphold their morals?


    Lia thought the stones of the brave were opportunities given by the World Tree Goddess.


    Aiko didn''t see it that way.


    This was purely a cruel game of Venomous Insects, only the strongest adventurers who survived could obtain the stone of the brave and qualify to challenge the Demon King!


    ording to this flyer, three monthster, one hundred thousand Hero Stones will descend, with every fifth level in the Great Mystery Continent being a cut-off point, the higher you go, the higher the chances.


    No wonder Lia wants to reach the fifteenth level within three months, as she wants to increase her chances of obtaining a Hero Stone.


    "The person who bes a hero will gain many privileges."


    Lia had taken the flyer back and, looking at the small print at the bottom, said eagerly,


    "Even the most ordinary hero can be granted the title of Honorary Baron and even be a VIP of the World Tree Sanctum! The requests of a hero will be fulfilled once by the World Tree Sanctum, depending on the hero''s level! That''s what it says, impressive, right?"


    "What did you say? They will fulfill a hero''s request as much as possible?"


    Aiko''s attention was suddenly caught.


    She didn''t have any special thoughts about bing a hero and subduing the Demon King.


    But to be a hero and then be able to make a request to the World Tree Sanctum?


    That was very tempting.


    Given the scale and power of the World Tree Sanctum, they could fulfill most of an adventurer''s wishes.


    It felt like there was a cat wing at Aiko''s heart; she couldn''t help but wonder if she could request the World Tree Sanctum to make a certain adventurer her personal pet.


    very had been abolished a thousand years ago, but the pet system still existed; no one had ruled that pets couldn''t be human.


    Heroes must y with their pets every day to have the strength to subdue Magical Creatures.


    Aiko, who initially had no particr thoughts about bing a hero, suddenly had sparkling eyes and unconsciously squeezed her legs together.


    In her mind, she imagined Da kneeling on the ground, wearing brown dog ears, eagerly barking and pleading, and touching her toes with his tongue, begging for rewards.


    "Teehee, teeheeheeheeheehee..."


    A slightly spine-chillingughter uncontrobly erupted from Aiko''s throat.


    Lia was startled and looked at her unexpectedly, "You want to be a hero that badly?"


    "Not really,"


    Aiko quickly changed the subject, "What about you? If you be a hero, what would you ask from the World Tree Sanctum?"


    "Me?"


    When it came to this topic, Lia''s expression suddenly turned cold, and she snorted, saying, "Need you ask."


    "Da owes this youngdy an apology."


    Lia had already nned how she would use the hero''s privileges once she became one.


    First, to have Da publicly apologize to her.


    Rumors had spread that she was an unqualified team leader, prompting Da, who was a Healer, to leave.


    Because of this, several merchants who coborated with the Snow Goose Adventure Team stopped seeking their endorsements.


    The second is the blonde woman; she must return the p she received.


    Lia looked at the flyer in her hand, her lips involuntarily curling.


    Once she became a hero, Da would definitely regret leaving the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    No matter what kind of teammates Da had, she would be infinitely stronger than any of them.


    "You were given the chance to be a future mythical-level adventure group member, and you didn''t cherish it. Don''t me this youngdy for being merciless."


    Lia thought to herself darkly.


    She envisioned herself decadester, bathed in glory, having in the Demon King, and cheered on by thousands.


    And in the crowd, hiding an unsessful adventurer.


    That adventurer would be none other than the regretful Da!

 Chapter 40: 40. Mid-version, a major autumn event is coming!

    Last night, Lia, who was excited about the prospect of bing a Hero, practiced her swordsmanship until the early morning, not resting until she was utterly exhausted.


    What she didn''t know was that Aiko, in the room next door, was also practicing through meditation.


    And she stayed up eventer than Lia.


    They weren''t the only ones.


    Following the announcement from the World Tree Sanctum, the entire continent and all its races were in an uproar.


    To be a Hero, to gain the favor of the World Tree Sanctum.


    This opportunity could even affect entire races.


    Humans had always been the strongest race on the Mystic Continent, with the Beastmen and Elves ranking below them.


    The one hundred thousand Hero Stones gave the Beastmen and Elves a glimmer of hope.


    They had to obtain more Hero Stones, surpass the humans!


    Adventurers from all races were eager to try their luck.


    The number of visits to the World Tree had doubled since that day.


    Everything was in preparation to climb higher up the World Tree before the Hero Stones descended, increasing the chances of receiving one.


    ...


    Meanwhile.


    On a dirt road in the Sparrow District.


    The dpidated houses under the cover of night were like unsightly bulges.


    The road was littered with trash of daily life, and asionally, there were piles of excrement, releasing an unpleasant stench in the heat of the summer.


    But the adventurers here were ustomed to it.


    The Sparrow District might be a bit rundown, but at least it was within White Dove City, just a three or four-hour walk from the Secret Realm Square.


    In contrast, outside the high walls of White Dove Cityy a barren wilderness.


    Even if there were towns to stay in, they weren''t safe; one had to always be wary of Magical Creatures attacking from the wilderness, and even more so of their own kind.


    Within White Dove City, the safety, along with the proximity to the World Tree, made the Sparrow District seem not so bad after all.


    In the darkness of the night, a drunk man and woman approached.


    Lin Da was supporting the unsteady Kafni, and couldn''t help but cover his nose with a look of disgust on his face.


    This Deity was too weak.


    After just three big cups of Wheat Beer, she was stumbling and even vomited on his clothes.


    Luckily they had set out together; had Kafni gone out alone, she most likely would have passed out at the entrance of the barbecue joint, bing easy prey for opportunistic adventurers.


    Therge white panda bear would have been thoroughly plundered.


    "Slow, slow down a bit."


    "I''m going to throw up again."


    Weakints from Kafni could be heard emanating from her throat.


    Lin Da helplessly stopped, waiting for Kafni to catch her breath before moving on.


    When they passed the Adventurer''s Guild in the Sparrow District, he went inside. A bit of cool air in the lobby and some free hot water should make Kafni feel better.


    The Adventurer''s Guild was not very crowdedte at night; the lobby was lined with rows of chairs like a bank from Lin Da''s previous life, and at the far end were several windows for attending to various adventurer affairs.


    Lin Da made Kafnifortable in a chair and went to get a paper cup of water.


    At the water dispenser, there was arge wooden board next to it, and in the center was a notice containing a trace of Magic Power.


    As background, there was the verdant World Tree, emanating a firefly-like glow. Around the edges of the notice were gilt lines for decoration, clearly setting it apart from the other ordinary notices.


    "An announcement from the World Tree Sanctum?"


    Lin Da nced over the content and had an epiphany.


    Unbeknownst to him, therge autumn event, "Hero''s Descent," had already begun in the mid-phase of the "Mystic Continent" game version 1.0.


    Put simply, this was an event concocted by game nners to boost performance by draining the wallets of yers.


    Ten thousand Hero Stones were to be ced into the World Tree, with higher floors offering an increased chance of a Hero Stone drop when opening treasure chests.


    In order to tackle higher floors, yers could only open their wallets and let themselves be harvested like plump cash cows by the nners.


    Within the game, the obtained Hero Stones could be traded, and their use was to obtain the ''Chosen Hero'' title, boosting all attributes by a percentage.


    Such percentage-increasing items have always been the favorites of big spenders.


    Lin Da had once ground away a whole month to gain two Hero Stones.


    However, reality and the game were dissimr; in the Mystic Continent of reality, Hero Stones that were dropped enabled career advancement for the user, earning them the suffix ''World Tree Brave,'' and they were bound to individuals, making them non-tradable.


    Already chosen by Kafni as the Chosen Hero, what would happen if he gained another Hero Stone?


    It couldn''t just go to waste, could it?


    To figure out the effect of the Hero Stone on him, Lin Da went to the World Tree Goddess statue in the hall.


    He wished to see that grand and beautiful female.


    Besides inquiring about the use of the Hero Stone, he had another significant matter and hoped to get answers directly from the World Tree Goddess.


    As for the water he was supposed to retrieve for Kafni, Lin Da had forgotten it aside.


    Drinking itter wouldn''t be a problem, right?


    Little did he know, at that very moment, Kafni was parched, dizzy, and drowsily waiting while leaning on a chair.


    Upon closer inspection, she saw not only had Lin Da failed to fetch the water, but he had also gone to the World Tree Goddess statue and was praying with hands sped and a solemn expression.


    "Huh?"


    Kafni''s eyes bulged in surprise.


    As a Deity herself, she felt a strong sense of betrayal toward Lin Da''s immoral act.


    You are the hero chosen by me, so why are you getting so close to another god?


    Lin Da had confided in her about the legendary skill "World Tree Goddess''s Blessing."


    It seemed the other party took quite a fancy to the hero she had chosen!


    "Damn Goddess, don''t steal someone else''s hero!" Kafni shouted in her heart, unable to ept this.


    Meanwhile, back to Lin Da.


    He closed his eyes and prayed sincerely to the statue.


    In the call of thete night, would the World Tree Goddess respond?


    Lin Da prayed silently with a sliver of hope.


    But it only took three seconds.


    In a dark vision, the World Tree Goddess with luscious emerald hair, appeared, motherly and affectionate!


    This time, perhaps to amodate Lin Da''s race, the World Tree Goddess had reduced her towering height from over five meters to around one meter seventy.


    The World Tree Goddess had a slender figure with curvy assets. Her long emerald dress, made of leaves, snugly wrapped her exaggerated physique, and her bare, tender feet floated slightly in the air, untouched by any filth.


    Her soft face shone with a motherly glow, her ample bosom swaying gently with each breath, like the heavilyden fruits of maturity.


    Facing this goddess, an incarnation of the world''s will, Lin Da dared not cast an improper nce.


    He sensed this ce to be akin to a spiritual realm and controlled his conscience to bow his head, his right hand on his chest, slightly bending forward to perform amon adventurer''s greeting.


    Lin Da respectfully said, "Great World Tree Goddess, please forgive myte-night intrusion. I havee with questions and hope to receive your answers."


    "Not at all, please speak your mind, and I will answer your questions as best as I can," said the World Tree Goddess with a smile. Her fingers, as delicate as young shoots, gently lifted, and a soothing breeze helped Lin Da straighten himself.


    "Also, dear hero, you may call me Tricia, that is my name."

 Chapter 41: 41. Lin Das Problem

    ```


    Chosen Hero?


    Lin Da felt a very strange sensation deep inside when the World Tree Goddess referred to him in such a manner. To be addressed as a superior by the Mother of All Things, the will of the world, seemed incredibly thrilling.


    He boldly lifted his head, gazing directly at the mature woman with lush green hair before him.


    The World Tree Goddess, named Tricia, was barefoot with her pure and pretty feet, her hands elegantly intertwined in front of her like a noble and dignifieddy.


    Her bosom, seemingly capable of nurturing all living beings, was adorned with a faint smile, exuding a sacred and invible noble aura.


    A thousand words coalesced into three in Lin Da''s heart.


    So big!


    They were like two ripe grapefruits hanging from a delicate fruit tree.


    If this were reality, one nce would scream fake, absolutely filled with silicone.


    But this is another world, where it''s quite normal for things to be oversized.


    Lin Da diverted his gaze, worried his body might act indecently.


    He coughed once and got to the point.


    "Lady Tricia, I have a question I hope you can answer."


    "As a Chosen Hero selected by the beings of the Divine Realm, what would happen if I obtained another Hero''s Stone within the World Tree Secret Realm?"


    "Please don''t worry," Tricia did not be angry due to his disrespectful gaze, but said with a light smile, "The Hero''s Stone cannot override your ss, but it will transform into magic power and enter your body. Please try to obtain as many Hero''s Stones as possible to strengthen yourself."


    "I see."


    Lin Da nodded his head and then somewhat sheepishly said, "Is it possible for you to lend me more assistance? As a Chosen Hero, my current power feels quite inadequate to confront the Demon King."


    "Chosen Hero... are you, asking me for help?"


    Tricia''s surprise was evident as her mouth opened slightly; she hadn''t expected this Hero to be so greedy.


    Having received a skill of exceptional caliber like ''Blessing of the World Tree Goddess'' and still not satisfied, he was asking for more from her.


    "I am sorry, Chosen Hero, but I cannot grant you any more power."


    "ording to the rules between nes, the predetermined ten thousand Hero''s Stones are already the greatest assistance I can offer to this world. All I can do is watch silently and bless you as you seek to reach the deepest part of the World Tree."


    "Is that so."


    Lin Da felt a tinge of regret and after thinking for a moment, said, "How about this? I happen to have a Goddess on my side, could I trade her with you?"


    "I believe that your assistance in the battle against the Demon King would be greater than hers."


    "Eh...?"


    Tricia blinked, remaining speechless for a while, emitting an embarrassed sound from her throat.


    "Chosen Hero, that won''t do."


    For the first time in millennia, Tricia, as the will of the world, felt a disturbance in her calm emotions.


    "I can''t trade?" Lin Da said with disappointment, "Then, I have another question I hope to have answered."


    Lin Da''s expression grew serious.


    "Could you tell me the whereabouts of my sister, Lin Xi?"


    This was his true objective.


    With his sister Lin Xi missing inside the World Tree, it seemed only logical that Tricia, as the World Tree Goddess, would know something.


    However, the other party fell silent for a moment.


    "Although I cannot answer your question, what I can tell you is that on the fourthyer of the World Tree, you will find the answer you seek."


    "Please show your abilities and conquer the World Tree Secret Realm as soon as possible."


    The figure and voice of Tricia became more and more faint, eventually disappearing with a breeze.


    Lin Da''s consciousness also returned to his body located in the halls of the Adventurer''s Guild.


    The voice of the World Tree Goddess echoed in his mind, his heart pounding wildly.


    Just as he suspected, the fourthyer of the Secret Realm indeed held clues about his sister''s disappearance.


    The long-sought answer, seemingly within reach after three years of painstaking search, stirred excitement in Lin Da.


    Having learned both his sister''s possible location and the purpose of the Hero''s Stone from this conversation, Lin Da''s goal had been achieved.


    ```


    His spirits lifted considerably, he was full of anticipation to form a team and return to the day when they would revisit the World Tree.


    Just as he was about to leave the statue, Tricia''s voice rang out in his ear again:


    [Chosen Hero, there is one thing I forgot to remind you. Remember, do not let anyone know the identity of the Chosen Hero, otherwise, it will be detrimental to you.]


    "I understand,"


    Lin Da replied in his mind.


    Among those Magical Creatures from the Demon Realm, there were many skilled in hypnosis and interrogating souls with evil methods.


    Even if the secret of the Chosen Hero were told only to those he trusted the most, there was still a risk of exposure.


    Therefore, concealing his identity was the safest option for him.


    After waiting for a moment, Tricia''s voice did not sound again��she must have left.


    Lin Da returned to Kafni''s side with the hot water.


    The other gazed at him with a deep look: "Where did you go?"


    "Fetching hot water," Lin Da panicked for no reason, feeling a chill at the back of his neck.


    "You''re hiding something from me; you met with that guy, didn''t you?" Kafni pointed at the World Tree Goddess''s statue and said indignantly, "Have you made clear your stance, why does the hero I chose go to pray to another? You should be praying to this Goddess!"


    Thankfully, it waste at night with few people around, and even if someone heard, they took Kafni''s words for drunken ramblings.


    Lin Da hurriedly poured the hot water down her throat, to stop Kafni''s mouth.


    Spilled liquid trickled down Kafni''s pure white neck and into her cleavage. Drunk as she was, she remainedpletely oblivious to her disheveled appearance and partly exposed snowy white shoulder.


    "Pray, pray at home. What if spies from the Demon Realm spot us here?"


    Lin Da, sweating profusely, hoisted the tipsy Kafni onto his back.


    ...


    By the time they returned to the rental house, it was 1 AM.


    Lin Da dumped Kafni, who was limp as mud, onto the couch.


    This girl, she should recover after a night''s sleep, he thought.


    He hoped she wouldn''t drag him down during tomorrow''s fight against Magical Creatures.


    Lin Da sighed softly.


    When he got to bed, he found his mind active and alert, unable to sleep.


    Perhaps it was too much anticipation for the morrow,


    he simply sat up and began his meditation.


    He''d im his ''guaranteed Experience Points'' for the day first.


    Come to think of it, this was his first time cultivating since leaving the group��


    Having experienced leveling up the Healer to level 15, Lin Da found this time easier.


    Knowledge about cultivation shed through his mind:


    Absorb the Magic Energy Group from the air into the body, refine it, and then channel it into the core within the spiritual world, bit by bit strengthening its power.


    This was the foundation of all adventurers, whether Battle Qi or Magic Power, both were carried by the core.


    Lin Da closed his eyes, focussing inward.


    Gradually, he arrived in a pitch-ck spiritual world.


    Looking up, he saw a lonely, diamond-shaped verdant core hanging in the sky.


    Using the core as an ''eye,'' a monstrous ouroboros, colossal as mountains and beasts, was coiled in phantom.


    As Lin Da''s body operated the Meditation Method, a dim star lit up around the core��the ''eye'' of the ouroboros.


    This was Lin Da''s ss Totem.


    A behemoth symbolizing strength and wisdom, Ouroboros.


    In the Mystic Continent, every profession has its own symbolic totem and a corresponding Star Map within the spiritual world.


    When an adventurer gains a level, an additional star lights up around the core.

 Chapter 43: 43. Slay a family of three Magical Creatures

    Ordinary slimes appear blue, a water series, and it is only when they are struck by lightning on a rainy day that they might transform into Thunder Slimes, a rare sight in the wilderness.


    ''May the World Tree Goddess''s blessings protect me in reality as well,'' Lin Da thought to himself.


    He took the Thunder Slime''s task scroll off the notice board.


    It is worth mentioning that this task was of a "public" type. Even if Lin Da epted it, other adventurers could still ept it too. Whoeverpleted it first would receive the reward from the employer.


    It depended on both luck and speed, making it one of the less favorable types of missions.


    The advantage, however, was the high reward, which could go up to 100 Gold Coins.


    Lin Da took the scroll to register the task.


    During the process, he saw a stack of leaflets next to the counter, picked them up for a look, and curiously asked the staff, "Can anyone register for this?"


    "Mhm, but only single adventurers."


    "Then please register me for it."


    ...


    Kafni had been waiting outside for quite a while before she saw Lin Dae out.


    "How can registering for a task take longer than taking a shit?" Kafniined.


    Lin Da smiled without exining.


    He had epted a total of two tasks, and the other, if luck was on his side, could him an easy 300 Gold Coins.


    But he didn''t hold out much hope; it was just something he did on the side. His main objective for the day was still to hunt slimes.


    Lin Da hailed a carriage on the street, paid one silver coin as the fare, and set off with Kafni to the wilderness of White Dove City.


    Half an hourter, the majestic city walls gradually came into view.


    Like an endless earth dragon, they encircled White Dove City, which was centered around the World Tree, forming a circle.


    The walls stood fifty meters high, and the brown, mottled walls were filled with the weight of the years. Huge Magic Circles operated day and night, the terrifying aura they emitted enough to deter most Magical Creatures.


    Looking at those giant walls that stood tall like giants, Lin Da couldn''t help but think of the background setting for the Mystic Continent.


    Starting a thousand years ago, the seal on the Demon Realm began to loosen, and an increasing number of Magical Creatures came to the Mystic Continent through the cracks.


    They adapted to the environment here at an unbelievable speed and reproduced wildly.


    Before the adventurers could react, the creatures had already taken over half of the continent.


    Even after numerousrge-scale expeditions, the Magical Creatures always found ways to hide like flies and mosquitoes.


    Just when the adventurers had a chance to breathe and looked back, they were horrified to find that, like crops that could not be fully harvested, a new batch of creatures had sprung up!


    The terrifying rate of reproduction and ever-growing strength added increasing pressure on the adventurers.


    Luckily, as a starting point for new yers in the game, White Dove City was considered a rtively safe area.


    Lin Da spread out a prepared map in the carriage.


    Their destination was the Barren ins to the south of the Scorching Gorge.


    The area was primarily inhabited by slimes and blood-sucking mosquitoes, all low-level Magical Beasts ranging from levels 0 to 3, perfect for practice.


    Near the city gate, many adventurers lined up, exiting the city one after another.


    A burly coachman greeted Lin Da, "Young man, care for a ride? First ride of the day, I''ll give you a 20% discount!"


    The carriage Lin Da was currently in only provided service within the city, and coachmen with the ability to drive in the wilderness were all high-level adventurers.


    "To the Barren ins, what''s the price?"


    "t rate, two Gold Coins!" the coachman said cheerfully.


    Two Gold Coins was enough for an ordinary person''s everyday expenses for two months.


    Although it pained Lin Da, he said nothing.


    Such is the life of an adventurer; money flows like water.


    As soon as you venture into the wilderness or Mystic Realms, everything costs more than ten times as much.


    ...


    An hourter, the carriage arrived at its destination.


    The wind blew across the wilderness, causing the bushes to sway gently.


    Before their eyes was a world of earthy yellow, indescribably deste.


    "Good luck to you!"


    The coachman set Lin Da and hispanion down from the carriage, and then drove away.


    "Is this the Barren ins? Why don''t I see any Magical Creatures?"


    Kafni looked around, only to see the uneven ground everywhere, with an asional bush or a drought-resistant tree that was still stubbornly growing.


    "Observe carefully. Slimes are a very timid type of Magical Creatures. When adventurers enter their territory, they''ll hide immediately."


    Lin Da gripped his one-handed sword, his gaze fixed behind a drought-resistant tree.


    He moved stealthily, holding his breath, and approached step by step.


    When he got within one meter, he clearly saw it, the blue gtinous mass hiding behind the drought-resistant tree.


    Lin Da dashed forward, raising his one-handed sword fiercely towards a round, basin-sized blue sphere!


    sh!


    A strength of 23 points fell upon the fragile body of the Slime.


    "Ying ying!"


    A cry of anguish emanated from the body of the Slime, and before it could feel more pain, its body was already torn apart by Lin Da''s sword.


    A prompt appeared in the system''s message bar:


    [You''ve in a Level 0 water series Slime, obtaining 1 Mystical Point!]


    With the help of system abilities, Lin Da could obtain Mystical Points after killing creatures.


    And Mystical Points could be exchanged for Experience Points at an equal ratio, or used to improve personal cultivation talents, skills proficiency, and more.


    Lin Da did not hesitate to convert it to Experience Points.


    [You''ve used 1 Mystical Point, obtaining 1 Experience Point!]


    The original 1/10 of the experience bar quickly became 2/10.


    At the same time, in the Star Map of his spiritual world, there seemed to be an increase in the luminescence of the Stars surrounding the core.


    A slight smile appeared on Lin Da''s lips, the experience point system was indeed powerful, he had practiced to the point of saturationst night and just added 1 point of experience, and now a casual swing of his swordted him 1 experience point.


    The speed of leveling, sky and earth apart.


    Ying ying, ying ying ying!


    At his feet, two palm-sized blue Slimes scattered and fled, therger Slime he just killed seemed to be their parent.


    "Magical Creatures, die, mighty warrior!"


    Lin Da showed no mercy.


    This tiny Slime, disrupting crops and gnawing at the mud under houses, would even jump onto ordinary people''s heads, smothering them to death �C it was a pest like locusts and a despicable Magical Creature.


    A sh of silver, the rusted one-handed sword, the sword moved like a dragon!


    [You''ve in 2 juvenile Slimes, obtaining 1 Mystical Point!]


    After dealing with them, Lin Da''s gaze, sharp as a hawk''s, caught more shapes of Slimes among the bushes.


    Where these creatures passed, they were bound to leave behind faint damp traces.


    He shared this key clue with Kafni, asking her to help him look for them.


    Once found, she was to immediately notify him.


    It was his responsibility to y them, to gain Experience Points!


    In other words, Kafni''s greatest use was to help him find Slimes. As a Summoned Beast, this Deity''s level was linked to his, no need for training. As long as he levelled up, Kafni would level up too.

 Chapter 50: 50. Witch, join my team! (Please follow)

    This shout of "captain" dumbfounded Lin Da.


    It seemed that the lucky NPC he soul-traveled into was really his game''s main character!


    But he never showed his face in the game, he was a masked man. All that was revealed were a pair of eyes, and just with that, they recognized him?


    And to be mistaken for a lust demon who loved the outdoors...


    Lin Da felt the situation was very bad.


    "Huh? You know each other?"


    Kafni, seeing the Beastmen girl withhold her hand and look at Lin Da with a gaze filled with the resentment of being abandoned, couldn''t help but touch her head in confusion.


    "No, I don''t know her," Lin Da hastily denied.


    Given his actions as a yer in the game, even being attacked with a firewood knife a hundred times wouldn''t be too much if it were in reality.


    Not just Lulu, but at least a dozen early characters whom he had maxed out in favor and enhanced stats, and then kicked out of the team, stripping their equipment to sell, when they were no longer needed!


    In their hearts, Lin Da was probably seen as not much different from Lia, or perhaps even worse.


    "Don''t know each other? Hehehe... but it''s enough that I know you,"


    Lulu''s Beastman w extended one finger, directly pointing at Lin Da''s nose tip: "You disappeared for three years, why are you hiding here? And... you''ve gotten weaker? Using your own words, you''re now like a useless small fry, only good for stepping on traps."


    The girl''s words were filled with cold irony.


    Lin Da really wanted to exin that those words were just character lines set in the game, and they didn''t have much to do with him. But Lulu seemed convinced that he was that ''captain''.


    "You''ve got the wrong person, I''m just a passing adventurer." Lin Da pretended not to understand, grabbed Kafni beside him, and said, "The clothes out to dry haven''t been collected, and it''s gettingte. We really need to hurry back."


    Lulu should have noticed that Kafni had an ace up her sleeve, and probably wouldn''t keep pestering? Lin Da tentatively turned his back and, with a face full of confusion, not understanding what was going on, took steps toward the direction of White Dove City with Kafni.


    "Wait!"


    A stern voice came from behind.


    The Beastmen girl behind them leaped into the air, her body spinning in a circle, her fluffy white wolf tail elegantly dancing, and shended firmly, blocking their way.


    Lulu frowned and said, "What do you mean, you''re not the captain?"


    "I think you have the wrong person," Lin Da said awkwardly.


    If he hadn''t been recognized, there was still hope that he could rely on Kafni, his secret weapon, to safely extract himself.


    If he was recognized, it was a different story.


    In the game, he stripped Lulu of her equipment and directly threw it into the great furnace to disintegrate into diamonds for strengthening other characters.


    When that action was tranted into reality, Lin Da was unsure of what exactly it would be, but surely Lulu would not be happy to recognize him as her captain.


    Therefore, he must hide the fact that he was Lulu''s captain!


    "Aren''t you Captain Dai Lian?"


    Lulu coldly walked up to him and peered closely at his face with raised foot.


    "Dai Lian, who is that?" Lin Da asked, puzzled.


    "Dai Lian * Zhao Wo..."


    "..."


    Lin Da suddenly realized.


    No wonder he couldn''t find the ''Rookie Adventurer Team'' aftering to this world. Just like the ID ''Power leveling * Look for me,'' it had all been automatically tranted by this world into names that aligned with this world''s viewpoint and could be understood by normal people!


    Power leveling was tranted into Dai Lian. And the two characters for rookie had also been tranted into something else, more in line with this world''s viewpoint.


    "I am not your Captain Dai Lian, you must have the wrong person," said Lin Da.


    "You''re not the captain of the Primitive Adventure Team?"


    "Primitive Adventure Team? What''s that, I''ve never heard of it!"


    Lin Da''s mouth was muddled, but his heart understood everything. The words "rookie" had been tranted into "Primordial," so he couldn''t find the existence of the Rookie Adventurer Team at all!


    "That''s your alias, I know your real name is Lin Da." Lulu stared into his eyes, "You''re not Lin Da?"


    "Uh, actually my name is ''Li Cha''..."


    Lin Da chuckled dryly.


    He was a little frazzled, how could his name be known by a game character?


    At that moment, he saw Lulu show a thoughtful expression and mutter to herself in a low voice, "That night, you clearly wanted me to call you ''Lin Da,'' did I really recognize the wrong person...?"


    This statement pried open the locked doors of Lin Da''s dusty memories,


    He remembered why Lulu knew his name; it was due to a special scenario triggered after maxing out the affection level in the game.


    On a small hillside filled with birdsong and the scent of flowers, there was a proposal to use a special nickname to privately address the yer who was the team leader.


    This would bring up an input box where yers could type any text.


    What Lin Da had entered was his real name!


    "Aren''t you called..." Kafni looked confused, about to blurt out Lin Da''s name unconsciously.


    "Shh!"


    Lin Da gave her a meaningful look in time, and Kafni, after a moment''s pause, said, "Right, Li, Li Cha? We still have to go home to collect theundry."


    The two of them took the opportunity to attempt an escape while Lulu seemed to be lost in thought.


    But they had barely taken a step before being blocked again.


    "I can''t possibly let you leave." Lulu''s hands turned back into beast ws as she said coldly, "Since you''re not the team leader, just go to your death."


    "What if I am?"


    "Then go die as well."


    "Isn''t that the same thing? Then why did you even ask if I was or not?" Lin Da said, frustrated.


    "Of course it''s different." Lulu shook her head, "If you''re the team leader, you''ll die even more horribly."


    Well, thank you very much.


    Lin Da sighed.


    Seeing Lulu approaching menacingly, with murderous intent, Lin Da''s mind raced,


    If possible, it would be best to preserve Kafni''s Divine Power and settle this matter peacefully.


    Suddenly, he had an idea and asked, "Are you targeting us because you''re worried we''ll reveal your secret?"


    Lin Da did not know what had happened in Scorching Gorge, but judging from the stench of blood that had wafted over, a gruesome battle must have urred, and Lulu did not want word to get out, which is why she had set out to kill them.


    Lulu didn''t answer his question, which was as good as an affirmation.


    Knowing the demands of this Beastmen girl, Lin Da now had a solution.


    Lin Da extended his right hand, looking intently at the Beastmen girl:


    "I won''t reveal your whereabouts. If you don''t trust me, you can join my squad; this way, you can monitor us at all times. Or, do you want to start a fight with the possibility of both sides suffering? That would benefit neither of us!"


    Kafni cooperated by revealing a trace of Divine Power.


    It wasn''t much in quantity, but the sheer terror of its ''quality'' instinctively made Lulu retreat a few steps back.


    She crouched down on all fours like a wild beast, her wolf tail tucked under her body, her expression wary as she watched Kafni.


    Lin Da said, "We don''t want to fight with you either. Joining my squad is the best choice, right?"


    If a regr person invited this Beastmen Witch to join their team, it would be a sure road to death; one might end up with their neck bitten off one night.


    But Lin Da was different; he possessed a key skill, Witch Purification!


    Once a preliminary trust was established and Lulu experienced the sweetness of Purification, bing addicted to it, she might truly be a member of the squad.

 Chapter 54: 54. Relax, the brave hero is about to start operating!

    In the eyes of Lulu, Kafni and I must be eliminated to silence witnesses and destroy evidence. How could she simply leave us and flee?


    Lin Da''s mind raced through various possibilities, such as Lulu being chased by enemies or having a stomachache that required her to... get to a toilet. Or perhaps Aunt Flo had arrived.


    "Look over there!"


    Kafni made a discovery and pointed in surprise at a sticky ck substance on the ground.


    Originally buried in the sand, Kafni could feel a strong evil aura emanating from it.


    Just like a dog that had caught the scent of poop, she quickly pinpointed it.


    Lin Da approached and prodded the ck substance with a stick.


    The stick hissed and smoked, a piece eaten away by the corrosive substance!


    "Yikes, what is this?" Lin Da''s eyes narrowed.


    Kafni said, "There is a strong evil aura inside, belonging to the demons. I guess... it''s the blood of a witch."


    "What?"


    Lin Da frowned.


    Seeing this bloodstain, he immediately understood why Lulu had told them to go ahead.


    Using her powers was not without cost for a witch.


    Combining this with the bloody scent that wafted from Scorching Gorge earlier, some things were not hard to deduce.


    Lulu was in a bad state, worried that in her weakness, she might be attacked by Kafni.


    Lin Da''s mind worked rapidly,


    he had Kafni use divine power to sense Lulu''s location, while he carefully reached out his hand to touch the ck pool of blood on the ground.


    If he wasn''t mistaken, his skill "Witch Purification" should have an effect on this ck blood.


    If this attempt seeded, Lin Da would be much more confident about handling what came next.


    "What are you doing, are you crazy?"


    Seeing him reach towards the ominous ck blood, Kafni was startled and rushed over to stop him.


    By then, "Witch Purification" had already been activated.


    Lin Da''s palm turned a life-giving shade of emerald green.


    The soft glow fell upon the surface of the ck blood, and a miracle urred��the filthy ck bloodstain was washed away as if by clean water, revealing its true form as regr red blood just like that of any other person!


    Witch Purification was indeed miraculous!


    Lin Da''s confidence surged, and he looked at Kafni seriously, "Find the witch''s location quickly, I... need to purify her!"


    Kafni realized Lin Da''s intentions and a hint of joy shed across her face.


    The two set to work.


    Lin Da couldn''t sense the witch''s aura and could only rely on his eyes, while Kafni sniffed around like a hunting dog, sniffing left and right.


    About a minuteter, Kafni lived up to expectations and made a discovery: "Over here!"


    Hearing the shout, Lin Da quickly ran over.


    "Right here." Kafni pointed to a small mound.


    But isn''t this ce empty?


    Lin Da wondered, puzzled.


    As he observed carefully, he spotted an anomaly.


    Right in the center of the mound, there was evidence of digging by ws of a beast and then covering it back up; the soil there was noticeably looser.


    Quite cautious.


    No different from a beast, even when licking its wounds, it seeks a secluded spot.


    But, sorry, Lin Da would dig her out.


    Lin Da approached the mound, and with a fierce swipe of his hands, he pushed all the loose earth to one side.


    And then, he saw it��a fluffy wolf tail.


    But at this moment, the wolf tail wasn''t as bushy and rxed as usual, looking soft to the touch; instead, it was shrunk and tucked between the legs.


    Lulu herself was curled up like a pill bug, her whole body trembling violently.


    Lin Da bent down and peered into the depths of the crude cave.


    With the faint lighting in from the entrance, he could see that Lulu''s face was devoid of color.


    The beast-man girl was biting her lip tightly, with ck traces of blood seeping from her mouth and nose. She recognized Lin Da''s arrival, but couldn''t react; the intense pain left her only capable of lying in the cave, shivering.


    -100, -104, -109...


    Dark purple numbers indicating damage continuously popped up above Lulu''s head.


    Lin Da''s expression grew much graver.


    At this rate, Lulu might very well bleed out to death!


    He reached out with his palm and cast a Healing Art towards her.


    A green +280 appeared above Lulu''s head.


    Admittedly, this amount of healing was high for a Level 7 Recovery Series adventurer,


    but the problem was, with Lulu losing 100 Hit Points every second, Lin Da''s healing of 280 Hit Points was as good as scratching an itch that couldn''t be reached.


    [System Notification: Witch Lulu''s trust in you +5]


    This message steadied Lin Da''s heart.


    "Rx, let me look at your body, I''m here to help you," he said.


    To avoid any misunderstanding, Lin Da gave a verbal warning before touching Lulu.


    [System Notification: Witch Lulu''s trust in you -6]


    How could it decrease more than it increased?


    In the urgent situation, Lin Da didn''t realize his phrasing was a mistake but instead grasped Lulu''s waist toy her t on her back, making it easier for the subsequent procedures.


    "Huff, huff."


    Heavy breathing sounds became especially noticeable in the cramped cave. Lulu symbolically kicked at Lin Da''s touch and then ran out of strength.


    Lin Da didn''t mind it at all and examined the girl''s body carefully.


    He noticed that her hands were firmly clutching the position of her heart, and it dawned on him: The witch''s setup was exactly the same as in the game!


    In the game, yers had to pay the gamingpany 648 Yuan monthly to continue using the ss of the witch, and if they stopped paying, the witch would sumb to shadows, leaving behind only a corrupted pet beast egg.


    This setting, once turned into reality, would be ''automatically tranted'' to fit the world''s current view.


    Lin Da had read in a misceneous book that witches were described thus: The source of corruption came from the Fallen Insect that the Demon King Satan nted in the girls'' hearts at the time of contract formation.


    The Fallen Insect would grow with the witch, the higher the witch''s level, the faster the Fallen Insect would grow.


    To hasten the day it would hatch, the insect would desperately grant power to the witch.


    When the Fallen Insect matured, it would devour the witch, turning into a Fallen Beast capable of destroying an entire human city.


    Utterly vicious and cruel!


    The Demon King lured the unknowing witches with soothing murmurs, turning them into human bombs ready to explode at any moment!


    In the game, one might simplyment the loss of a character, but in reality, Lin Da truly disapproved of the Demon King''s actions �C heartless and deserving of relentless retribution.


    "Lulu, rx your body, open your heart, I''ming!" Lin Da took a deep breath and loudly warned her near her ear.


    Despite suffering from the torment of the Fallen Insect, this earth-shattering statement still startled her back to a brief moment of lucid consciousness, herplexion changed drastically, and she kicked her foot at Lin Da''s head.


    "Get away, you sneaky human who takes advantage of others'' perils!"


    Lulu''s voice was extremely weak, and her kicking leg didn''t have much strength,


    Lin Da directly hugged the nimble and well-shaped right leg in his arms, pressed it to the ground, and used his knee to pin it down, preventing any movement during the purification that might wound him unintentionally.

 Chapter 55: 55, grab my handlebars!

    "You...!" Lulu propped herself up with difficulty, taking deep breaths, her face full of rage as she red at Lin Da.


    She resembled a girl with a 40-degree fever, putting up a feeble resistance.


    Lin Da didn''t pay her any mind and said to Kafni behind him, "Keep watch; don''t let the other adventurerse this way. I''m about to start."


    "Oh." Kafni nced at Lin Da with a worried look. "If that beastman girl bites you to death, remember to scream for help in advance."


    Having said this, Kafni sat on a small mound to keep guard,


    while Lin Da thrust forward abruptly, diving into the cave like a swordfish.


    Thend of the Barren ins was dry and blistering hot,


    and Lin Da felt as if he were next to a piece of human-shaped charcoal.


    The worsening pollution had caused Lulu''s body temperature to rise.


    At this rate, it was very likely to burn up her blood vessels, and even her Magic Circuit!


    The beastman girl didn''t know what Lin Da climbing up was intended to do and stabbed her beast ws toward Lin Da''s throat in panic.


    But at that moment, she was too weak, and Lin Da easily caught one of her hands and pinned it to the ground.


    "Don''t move; I''m trying to help you!"


    Lin Da uttered sternly, his gaze fixed seriously on Lulu as he searched for the entry point for Purification.


    Lulu''s body, however, trembled with embarrassment and anger. Her struggle was futile, and the pollution within her intensified,


    The Fallen Insect in her heart, sensing its host''s impending demise, began to throb with excitement, preparing to break free from its shell.


    Everything was going terribly wrong!


    But, that was also good.


    Lulu thought bitterly, let this insidious human intending to defile her be devoured by the Fallen Beast, serving as her funeral apaniment!


    At this moment, Lin Da finally found the most suitable entry point.


    He said, "Only by having something on you will you not trust me and sincerely join my team, right?"


    What was this guy talking about?


    Lulu couldn''t understand at all and was confused. Didn''t he realize she wasn''t an ordinary beastman but a witch beastman with Witch Power, known as ''Catastrophe Girl''?


    Sincerely join his team? What a joke!


    Lulu only wanted to slit his and Kafni''s throats when they weren''t paying attention!


    "So, I will expose my own vulnerability," Lin Da said calmly.


    What on earth was he talking about?


    Lulu was even more confused.


    She saw Lin Da extend his right hand towards her slowly.


    This human''s voice was deep and resonant, carrying a strange Magic Power that made her involuntarily think of another person��his gaze was just like the merciless team leader who had used her up and kicked her out of the team with a cold boot.


    Before Lulu could ponder any further, a growl came from above her.


    "Witch, grab onto my vulnerability!"


    "This power will lead you to a bright future!"


    Lin Da, without hesitation, pried open Lulu''s mouth and stuffed his fingers in!


    "Ugh!!!"


    Lulu was shocked, furious, and flustered, the intensity of her emotions stronger than the pain brought on by the pollution re-up!


    What was this human doing?


    This was his ''vulnerability''?


    To grab a bright future by holding his finger in her mouth?


    Lulu thought to herself that if she survived today, she would never let this treacherous human go unpunished!


    And of course, Lin Da wasn''t making an indecorous advance.


    Putting his finger in was a well-considered decision.


    The degree of Witch Purification equaled trust plus contact.


    Lulu''s trust in him was negative; the Purification effect was too weak.


    So the only option was to increase the contact.


    The Fallen Insect was located in the witch''s heart.


    The closer to the heart, the better the Purification effect.


    All things considered, aside from the unusable eleventh finger, Lin Da''s approach was the best choice.


    "It just looks easily misunderstood, that''s all."


    The sensation from his fingers was incredibly peculiar.


    Lin Da felt as if he had entered a warm, wet and slippery waterpark, where a cute little beast was resisting him.


    But with his formidable strength, he easily subdued it.


    Suddenly, a sharp pain struck.


    Tears of humiliation welled up in Lulu''s deep blue eyes as she red at him with a look that could kill,


    her mouth biting down sharply on her own palm.


    Her teeth pierced the skin, and blood, rich in color, began to flow, trickling into Lulu''s mouth.


    Lin Da felt an agonizing pain.


    But he couldn''t afford to exin himself to Lulu, who probably wouldn''t listen to his exnation anyway.


    Only personal action could prove that he hadn''t meant any disrespect to her.


    Lin Da''s mind focused on the core of his spirit world.


    All seven stars that hung like sentinels in the night sky lit up at once.


    Channeling all his magic power into his body.


    "Purification, activate!"


    Lin Da silently called out.


    The magic circuit glowed, and as it operated at full capacity, his entire right arm turned into a lively green color.


    It was the purest essence of life, like the rain of spring or the dew of summer.


    The moment this light appeared, Lulu, beneath him, twitched, and


    a sudden lightness in her body brought an incredulous expression to her face.


    Despite being slight, Lulu distinctly felt some of the tainted blood in her body��ckened by Fallen Insect pollution��being purified!


    The Fallen Insect in her heart seemed to sense danger, frantically still like an insect facing a bird, cautiously hiding away.


    The pain was lessening, and her strength was gradually returning...


    What kind of magical power was this?


    The damned insects within the witch were familiars of Demon King Satan! To purify Satan''s familiars, wasn''t that proof that this human''s purification power was even greater than the Demon King''s?


    Lulu looked at Lin Da in shock,


    seeing the man drenched in sweat, his entire focus apparently on casting the spell.


    The hand pushed inside her mouth was a vibrant green; warmth kept flowing into her body, like a weary traveler sitting in front of a hearth during a great snow, with a cup of piping hot coffee in hand,fort seeping into the very bones.


    Undoubtedly, the improvement in her condition came from his help!


    But why did this human have such miraculous power, and why help her?


    Not long ago, Lulu had meant to kill him.


    Thank you for reading on m v le_mpyr


    It was Kafni''s presence that made her abandon the thought.


    Yet, deep down, she was still nning to seize an opportunity to dispose of the two of them, to avoid future troubles.


    Lulu couldn''t understand the reason behind his help.


    She hesitated for a moment, then released the bite on Lin Da''s palm.


    The blood from the wound, with a hint of sweetness amidst the metallic taste, fell into her mouth.


    As a werewolf, Lulu couldn''t help but swallow, consuming the blood that had flowed.


    A twinge of guilt flickered within her.


    Her teeth were rather sharp, after all.


    Time ticked by, second by second.


    The emerald glow from the Witch Purification illuminated the cave.


    This hastily dug-out cave was both small and crude; two people crammed inside left hardly any room to spare.


    Inevitably, they clung together like two damp cloths.


    Mostly, it was the ufortable heat of sweat.


    For Lulu, this adventurer, after fighting Magical Creatures all day, reeked of sweat, an unbearable stench.


    With her slight obsession with cleanliness, she could do nothing but endure.


    Lulu could almost sense the breathing from above, Lin Da''s fingers still in her mouth, her pair of deep blue eyes unsure where to look, simply closed them.

 Chapter 57: 57. Purple Equipment: Walnut Wood Magic Sword

    The other party knew she had been to Scorching Gorge,


    wait a few more days, and when the news of the Pdin''s death reached White Dove City, it would be easy to connect it to her.


    Once this got out...!


    Lulu''s eyes shed coldly, she bared her fangs, and looked towards the white wall opposite the bathroom. That was the living room, where she could make a sudden move while the other two were off guard. She was fifty percent confident.


    Only... Lulu hesitated at this thought. After all, ''Li Cha'' had saved her, and she wasn''t heartless or ungrateful; she knew how to repay favors.


    But she really couldn''t understand why the other party had saved her.


    To notify the Holy Light Church in secret, to capture her alive and im the bounty?


    The reward for her capture wasn''t small at all...


    "Roar~!"


    The girl''s throat let out a wolf-like growl of annoyance that she couldn''t suppress, and she gently pounded her fist against the fog-covered wall.


    The ample fruits shook with the movement.


    She couldn''t see through that detestable human''s thoughts!


    It felt like she had walked into a trap, yet she couldn''t find any evidence, a frustration that made her feel defeated!


    Was ''Li Cha'' hiding something, was he really the ''Lin Da'' she was looking for?


    When Lulu was pinned down in the cave by that person, she had originally intended to bite off his fingers with all her might, but it was a look he inadvertently gave that frightened her.


    It was the same look as the captain of the Primordial Adventure Team, the cold and cruel look of ''Lin Da'' who treated his members like a machine, liking to weed out the useless members batch by batch!


    This fear was etched deep into Lulu''s bones, and all members of the Primordial Adventure Team feared their captain.


    On one hand, Lulu admired the other''s rational decisiveness, able to issue variousmands in the face of an imminent attack from Magical Creatures.


    But on the other hand, this ''Lin Da,'' the captain''s attitude towards team members, was almost like a master towards ves!


    Anyone falling behind even slightly would be kicked into the logistics team!


    If their second performance still wasn''t up to the mark, they''d be directly driven away with their equipment confiscated.


    Some were simply transferred to other teams!


    Lulu had been scared by that look so reminiscent of ''Lin Da,'' so when her phobia kicked in and she felt the contamination in her body being purified, she gave up resisting,


    and let thatrge hand, like a dentist, move around in her mouth unchecked.


    Now that she reflected on it, Lulu harbored some doubt about whether ''Li Cha'' was ''Lin Da.''


    She nned to first pay a visit to the Snow Goose Adventure Team in the Inner City District to see if the Snow Goose''s Lin Da was the ''Lin Da'' she was searching for.


    If he was, it would mean ''Li Cha'' hadn''t lied to her.


    If not, she would have to thoroughly investigate ''Li Cha.''


    Five minutester, Lulu had finished her bath.


    Born into a poor Beastmen family, she had the good virtue of thriftiness and had cleaned herself efficiently in just five minutes.


    Picking up the bands of bandages from the floor, she rewrapped the useless excess fat around her, and as Lulu put on her clothes, she thought to herself that she would stay in that person''s squad to hide until she had finished her business in White Dove City.


    ...


    While Lulu was washing up in the bathroom, Lin Da and Kafni had already sat down to rest.


    The two of them were eating grapes bought along the way, drinking hot water, and lying in a soft,rge sofa, suddenly feeling much less exhausted from hunting Magical Creatures.


    Lin Da was checking the rewards he had received for raising Lulu''s trust level, while Kafni was holding several shiny Demon Cores, her mouth not stopping for a moment, the grapes bought along the way quickly consumed by the handfuls.


    If not for some Divine Power in that Deity, it really would have turned into a Scrap God.


    Lin Da sighed.


    His attention was focused on the personal interface of the system.


    At the bottom, there was a section called ''Warehouse,'' where he could store the rewards given by the system.


    In the warehouse, there were two items.


    He clicked to inspect the first item.


    [Name: Walnut Wood Magic Sword]


    [Type: Weapon - Sword/Magic Wand]


    [Quality: Purple Rare]


    [Level: 10]


    [Attribute Points: Strength +160, Magic Power +160, 10% increase in Chanting Speed, Agility +10]


    [Equipment Score: 207, An excellent magic and melee dual-purpose weapon that wouldn''t break even if used to bash a Heavy Armored Warrior''s head]


    Seeing the terrifying attributes of the Walnut Wood Magic Sword, Lin Da jolted upright on the couch.


    A dual attack boost of 160 was outrageous!


    His current ''Rusty One-Handed Sword'' only added 10 points to strength!


    His personal Basic Attributes currently were dual attack 103.


    Wearing this Walnut Wood Magic Sword would more than double hisbat prowess.


    "High-quality equipment is truly formidable. When I worked as a Healer, I always used blue rare gear; I''ve never used purple."


    Lin Da sighed internally.


    The Snow Goose Adventure Team''smon funds gave priority to Lia, Aiko, and Klrona, with their main weapons all being of purple rare quality, depleting themon funds and causing Lin Da to use only blue equipment.


    "What''s gotten into you?" Kafni, seeing his sudden surprise, said annoyedly.


    "Just thought of something exciting."


    Lin Da nned to wait until he was away from the witch in the bathroom, and then tell Kafni about the Walnut Wood Magic Sword, pretending it was his innate skill.


    Even Kafni was not to know about the system''s existence.


    This secret, like being a transmigrator, Lin Da didn''t n to tell anyone.


    "The Walnut Wood Magic Sword is level 10; I have to be at level 10 to wear it, and I''m only level 8. I''ll just store it in the warehouse for now."


    Lin Da thought privately as he inspected the second loyalty reward.


    [Name: Large Explosion Stone]


    [Type: Item - Attack ss - Magic]


    [Quality: Purple Rare]


    [Item Level: 20 (Items differ from equipment; adventurers of any level can use them)]


    [Description: Causes arge explosion with a twenty-meter radius, based on the adventurer''s Magic Power, inflicting ''greatly increased'' damage with a maximum equivalent to a level 20 ''Ultimate Skill'']


    Two keywords in the item''s description stood out to Lin Da: ''greatly increased'' and ''Ultimate Skill''.


    In his mind, Lin Da recalled the basic function introduction from the "Mystic Continent" game, where damage was described in various terms:


    Minor Damage, based on the adventurer''s strength or Magic Power, causing 0-100% damage.


    Moderate Damage, 1-2 times the adventurer''s strength or Magic Power.


    Fairly High, 2-4 times.


    High, 4-6 times.


    The damage from the Large Explosion Stone was ssified as ''greatly increased,'' which was 6-10 times Lin Da''s Magic Power value.


    The Large Explosion Stone had an upper damage limit, equivalent to a level 20 adventurer''s ''Ultimate Skill''.


    All of an adventurer''s Skills are divided into two categories: ''Common Skills'' and ''Ultimate Skills''. The former can be used multiple times, like Lin Da''s Venom Magic Sphere, which has a low consumption and can be used ten times in full force.


    But Ultimate Skills often consume a lot, causing the Magic Circuit to overheat after being activated. An Ultimate Skill can usually be used only once in a battle, and very rarely twice.


    When the description of the Skills is the same, the ''high damage'' from an Ultimate Skill greatly surpasses that of a ''high damage'' Common Skill.


    Therefore, the power of Lin Da''s Large Explosion Stone was roughly equivalent to Ice Flower Adventure Team''s Isa using her level 20 Ultimate Skill ''Ice de Waltz'' to kill the Armored Turtle Snake during a live Strategy session.

 Chapter 58: 58. Lulu: What is your purpose?

    Lin Da nodded silently; this item was indeed what he needed.


    A high-powered, burst-damage, area-of-effect trump card!


    Although he had Kafni, the behemoth of destruction, at his side, Kafni''s Divine Power could only be used once, and who knows how long it would take to recharge.


    During the recharging period, Kafni would be a useless invalid.


    The cost was a bit high.


    The Large Explosion Stone could serve as Lin Da''s regr trump card, without any negative effects.


    He quietly clicked on the system inventory and materialized the Large Explosion Stone into the palm of his hand.


    It was a dice-sized, red cube-shaped crystal.


    Touching it, he could feel the terrifying temperature contained within; all Lin Da had to do was channel Magic Power into it and throw it to cause a powerful explosion.


    "Good stuff."


    Lin Da carefully ced it into a special pouch on his belt, secured the button, and prevented idental activation.


    Then, he opened the Skill Tree page.


    He had reached level 8 and had 6 unused Skill Points.


    He left 2 Skill Points just in case.


    It was like ying League of Legends where you don''t add a point at level 2, waiting to see which skill would be needed before adding it.


    There were 4 Skill Points avable for use.


    Lin Da''s gaze turned to the Poison Technique Series Skill Tree.


    The secondyer of skills had been unlocked at level 5: [Spiky Thorn Armor] and [Poison Resistance].


    Lin Da clicked to view them.


    [Spiky Thorn Armor: Covers the body with spike-like Magic Power, increasing physical defense by 30% and reflecting 10% of damage.]


    [Poison Resistance: Reduces damage received from Poison Series by 30%.]


    Both were very practical skills.


    The former reminded Lin Da of Thorn Armor in League of Legends, where tanky characters could wear Thorn Armor, stand still, and reflect the enemy carry''s damage back to them.


    A Healing Hero was a tank-type character, suitable for this ''Thorn Armor'' skill.


    The second skill, [Poison Resistance], was also extremely useful. A 30% damage reduction was significant, and he estimated it could reach 50% when fully upgraded.


    Lin Da spent two Skill Points to learn the skills.


    [System Notification: You have acquired new skills ''Spiky Thorn Armor'' and ''Poison Resistance''!]


    With the remaining two avable Skill Points, Lin Da invested them in the Recovery Series Skill Tree.


    The firstyer''s two skills were: [Intermediate Healing Spell] and [Self-Healing].


    Lin Da learned [Self-Healing].


    The skill description was: [Envelop oneself with Magic Power, recovering a ''small'' amount of Hit Points every three seconds for thirty seconds.]


    Regenerating health paired with Thorn Armor was a perfect match.


    He looked upward, reaching the secondyer of the Recovery Series Skill Tree.


    There was only one skill: [Mass Minor Healing Spell].


    The Recovery Series Skill Tree seemed geared towards theter stages,cking any strong skills in the early game, Lin Da thought.


    He didn''t need the Mass Minor Healing Spell for now and could add it when necessary. He invested the one remaining avable Skill Point into the offensive skill [Venom Magic Sphere].


    After adding points, the icon for the Venom Magic Sphere deepened in color.


    The description also changed ordingly.


    [Skill: Venom Magic Sphere]


    [Current Proficiency: lv2 Proficiency]


    [Effect: Fires a Venom Magic Sphere straight ahead, with medium travel speed, causing high damage to the target, inflicting damage once per second,sting ''6'' seconds, and can be stacked up to ''1''yer]


    The duration increased from 5 seconds to 6 seconds, and the stackableyers went from 0 to 1.


    Lin Da nodded with satisfaction. The Venom Magic Sphere had reached a 2nd level proficiency, a qualitative improvement.


    He had just thrown out two Venom Magic Spheres and was able to hang back and wait for the Magical Creatures to bleed out and die.


    Leaving two skill points in reserve, Lin Da closed the system interface.


    He saw Kafni looking delighted.


    "What good thing happened?"


    Kafni proudly puffed out her ample chest, "Me, a level 8 thief, has mastered a powerful attack skill."


    "What?"


    "Poison Explosion Dagger, attacks poisoned enemies and deals double damage. There''s also Dagger Scatter, throwing out three daggers to inflict area damage!"


    Kafniughed, "This deity has the ability to take down Magical Creatures on her own now."


    "Atst, I don''t have to carry dead weight anymore," Lin Da sighed.


    "Dead weight? All the Demon Cores were dug out by me, you know!" Kafni, irritated, rolled up her sleeves ready to scuffle with Lin Da.


    At that moment, the bathroom door swung open,


    Sparing Kafni, who was overestimating her strength.


    The two of them put away their teasing demeanor and watched the Beastmen girl warily.


    No one could be certain about what she was thinking at the moment.


    After seeing the ability of Witch Purification, was she nning to be friends with them or continue to be an enemy?


    Lin Da looked over and saw Lulu, with beads of water on her short hair after bathing, and steam rising from her supple skin.


    He caught a whiff of a faint scent that drifted over


    The girl chewed on a Slime chewing gum, hands in her pockets, tail drooping at a spot slightly higher than her ankles, calmly walking to the other side of the table and pulling up a chair to sit down.


    "Why did you save me?"


    Lulu scrutinized them with questioning eyes and asked straightforwardly.


    Kafni stood by as if facing a formidable enemy, fine threads of golden light emerging in her eyes, ready to use Divine Power at any moment.


    Lin Da put his hand on Kafni''s shoulder and shook his head.


    "But..."


    Kafni wasn''t reassured.


    However, unable to withstand Lin Da''s firm attitude, she reluctantly retracted her Divine Power.


    "If things go south, I''m not responsible," Kafni stepped back to a safer distance, ready to step in if something happened.


    But Lin Da''s move was not reckless.


    In the game, Lulu''s personal profile described her as a Beastmen girl who valued loyalty and friendship; she wouldn''t have stood up against nobility to protect her friend and ended up as a ve otherwise.


    He had saved her life, and with Kafni, the powerhouse, by his side, both sentimentally and logically, Lulu wouldn''ty a hand on him.


    Of course, understanding this and achieving it were two different things.


    Lin Da''sposure caused Lulu some surprise and also earned Lin Da a system prompt:


    [Witch Lulu''s trust level +3, current trust level: 33, Courtesy Greeting]


    Lin Da casually replied, "No particr reason, just felt like it, so I happened to save you."


    Lulu shook her head, gazing into his eyes, "I don''t believe you."


    If it were himself, he wouldn''t believe it either.


    Lin Da thought to himself, revealing the power of Witch Purification just to save a ''stranger'' Witch... If he were Lulu, he would suspect the other party was either lusting after his body or had an ulterior motive.


    Anyway, there had to be a reason; it wasn''t likely for someone to be so benevolent as to ''just happen to save you''.


    But Lin Da couldn''t possibly tell Lulu that it was to make up for what had happened to her in his past life''s game,


    And that saving her would grant him a trust level bonus from the system...


    So, he chose not to answer and instead took the initiative to ask, "So, what have you decided to do? Thank me or, to keep your tracks hidden, take the two of us out?"


    Lulu had long lost the idea of fighting and killing. The hands hidden in her pockets never turned into beast ws.


    ...


    (ps: Whimper whimper whimper, asking for rmendation votes and for followers)

 Chapter 59: 59. Lin Da treats Witch

    "I will leave White Dove City after some time."


    Lulu said, "If you truly have no ill intent and have not leaked my whereabouts, the day I leave White Dove City, we''ll be even. I won''t trouble you after that, as if we had never met."


    "Even?"


    Lin Da frowned, "I saved you once, how does that make us even?"


    Even if it meant using his favor to secure her loyalty, Lin Da had to keep Lulu with him.


    Witches generally don''t live long, and during the purification, he could feel the mess inside Lulu,


    his right hand felt like it was plunged into a sludge, devoid of any clean soil.


    A witch on the brink of falling, Lin Da, as a hero, and as Lulu''s former team leader, had a duty to purify her.


    "Then what do you want?" Lulu''s voice was cold as she stopped chewing her gum.


    Lin Da said, "Stay in the team, be one of my team members."


    "Impossible." Lulu looked at him indifferently, "I won''t join you in entering the World Tree. I joined the team to monitor you from leaking my secrets."


    Lin Da pondered, "Forget about the Minor Secret Realm of the World Tree, the levels are too low, you wouldn''t even be able to enter. But for the Great Mystery Continent, you must participate as a team member under mymand."


    In the World Tree Secret Realm, apart from every fifth level in the Public Grand Secret Realm, adventurers could only enter other Minor Secret Realms once. Unless one were like Lin Da, changing professions, starting from zero, to re-enter.


    However, changing professions after level 10 carried great risks, and one careless move could lead to an inability to cultivate.


    Lulu faced his demand with a stern face, "I won''t take orders from anyone. Once my business is done, I will leave White Dove City!"


    Lin Da sighed, "Fine, so you''re an ungrateful Beastman."


    Lulu red at him furiously.


    Beastmen, never ungrateful!


    Lin Da changed his tone, noticing Lulu''s still somewhat pale face, "The pollution inside you, it''s getting worse, isn''t it?"


    "What are you trying to say?" Lulu clenched her fists.


    Beastmen, don''t respond to threats!


    Lin Da raised his eyebrow, "With your current condition, you''ll fall within a year."


    This was a fact, and Lulu did not refute.


    "But I can save you." Lin Da smiled, cing his right hand on the table, "This hand has the power to purify the pollution inside a witch. If the purification is thorough, killing the Fallen Insect within you and breaking the contract with the Demon King is also within reach."


    This time, Lulu remained silent.


    A pair of azure eyes sparkling with a troubled light.


    No one wants to die young and turn into an ugly Fallen Beast.


    She looked at Lin Da indecisively, her pink lips parted, hesitating to speak.


    "What, don''t you want to be saved?" Lin Da asked.


    "...I do."


    "Then show some humility."


    Lin Da kept a straight face, determined to break down this cold Beastman girl,


    Only by smoothing out her edges could hemand smoothly in the Secret Realm.


    "First, sit up straight and put away your ws."


    Thismand, akin to taming a beast, made Lulu''s nose wrinkle like a wolf, her eyes shining with icy light.


    Lin Da ignored her ''bared teeth and grimace''.


    Beastmen were really like wild beasts sometimes; once you show fear, they''ll take advantage of you.


    If you want to dominate a Beastman, you cannot back down at all.


    "Being purified by me is a privilege for you," Lin Da sneered, "There are many witches stronger than you, queuing up for my purification! Yet, I kindly use this power on you."


    "Just because you resemble a Beastman friend of mine, and out ofpassion, I saved your life."


    "And yet you suspect me of ulterior motives? What do you have that''s worth my scheming?"


    Lin Da stood up, looking down disdainfully at the pale-faced Beastman girl, "No looks, no figure, when I saved you before, my hand was almost bitten off. Is this how the Beastman race treats its lifesaver?"


    His scathing words made Lulu bite her teeth in shame, her head drooping, and her tail limp.


    When you think about it, it''s really so.


    With his ability, he should be on good terms with many witches.


    Those witches, there were definitely some that were more formidable than her.


    Could it really have been just a casual act to save her?


    Lulu''s head was in a whirl, aplete mess.


    In the cave, while she was suffering from contamination and feeling weak, the other could have easily taken her life.


    But he did not do so.


    For a moment, confusion and shame surged in Lulu''s heart.


    "Thank you��"


    Words slightly awkward, Lulu uttered.


    She struggled for a long time, seemingly exerting a lot of effort just to say that sentence.


    Lin Da nodded, epting the thanks.


    Lulu took the chewing gum out of her mouth, threw it into the trash can, and sat properly on the chair, taking on an earnest demeanour for the conversation.


    "Will you really help me?"


    She took a deep breath, trying to speak in a calm voice.


    "It depends on how you behave," Lin Da replied, while looking down from above and stretching out his finger: "Hold this."


    Lulu''s face changed.


    This gesture was so demeaning,


    as if it was not a finger but something else!


    He waspletely looking down on her!


    Gratitude was thrown to the back of her mind; a low growl rose from her throat, and her sharp canine teeth were bared, just like an enraged wild wolf!


    But Lin Da''s expression was nk, just calmly looking at her.


    Just like an ordinary priest ready to treat the girls.


    Did the patient feel ashamed, but as a ''priest,'' Lin Da, who had already treated many witches, was no longer interested in the mouths of witches?


    Lulu could not tell if this man was provoking her or simply treating her.


    "Does it have to be the finger?"


    Her breathing unsteady, she asked through clenched teeth.


    "This is the most effective way," Lin Da said, his gaze clear, free of any distractions.


    Hesitating for a moment, Lulu looked at Lin Da''s stretched out index and middle finger and said softly, "It seems I misunderstood you."


    If his actions harbored no intent to insult her, she was willing to apologize.


    It may not look graceful during the process, but for treatment, it was a necessary measure.


    Lulu pressed her lips together, trembling slightly as she reached out her hand, closed her eyes, her thick pale blue eyshes trembled slightly, and she struggled to slightly part her lips to ept Lin Da''s treatment.


    Hiss.


    Lin Da''s eyes widened, and the sudden sense offort made him draw in a breath of cool air.


    It reminded him of the feeling of a kitten licking his palm,


    but ten times more pleasurable.


    The girl, with her eyes closed, sat in the chair holding his right hand.


    The remarkable sensation at his fingertips felt like several soft brushes massaging his heart.


    In front of him, at the distance of an arm, the delightful scent of the girl just after a bath wafted towards him, light yet elegant, seemingly mixed with a whiff of arctic breeze.


    What Lin Da''s fingers felt, however, was warmth and slickness.


    Looking down at Lulu holding his right hand, seeking treatment, a strange impulse surged in Lin Da''s heart.


    He couldn''t help but ce his other hand on Lulu''s head!


    The pale blue short hair was very smooth, and the fluffy ears were hidden underneath.


    Extremelyfortable.


    A strong sense of aplishment filled Lin Da''s chest, as if a hunter had conquered a wild and untamed arctic wolf.


    If he could grab a pair of wolf ears and gallop across the tundra, how splendid that would be.

 Chapter 60: 60. Snow Goose Adventure Team Defeated

    Lin Da''s right hand lit up with the emerald glow of magic power, while Lulu, immersed in the rxation of purification, focused all her attention on observing the contamination within her body, and thus she didn''t notice Lin Da cing his hand on her head.


    At that moment, Lulu could clearly feel the pollution ck blood, caused by the Fallen Insect, diminishing within her body.


    Her body also became lighter and more rxed.


    She had originally estimated she could hold on for at most one more year, but after receiving treatment from this man, she had gained at least an additional month of life.


    It had been a long time since she had experienced such afortable feeling.


    Azy hum, full of youthful femininity, involuntarily escaped from Lulu''s throat.


    Could you not make a sound that could be so easily misunderstood?


    Lin Da, with sweat on his brow, quickly withdrew his left hand while Lulu was unaware.


    Momentster, a wave of fatigue washed over him. Witch Purification had consumed quite a bit of Lin Da''s magic power, and he stopped the spell.


    Lulu also opened her eyes.


    "How do you feel?" Lin Da asked.


    "Much better," Lulu nodded, speaking candidly.


    "But... it wasn''t as effective as thest time."


    "That''s normal, I''m tired and need to rest and recover," Lin Da said.


    Lulu did not doubt his words.


    Through this purification, Lin Da gained 10 more trust points.


    [System Prompt: Witch Lulu''s trust increased by +10, current trust level 43, surface friends!]


    [Trust Reward Earned: 1000 Mystical Points!]


    With the bonus of 1000 points, Lin Da''s total Mystical Points reached 1317.


    As for experience points, he now had 300/1500 at level 8.


    He could level up again.


    Lin Da nned to avoid Lulu and wait until he was alone to upgrade.


    On the other hand, a trust value of 43 would allow him to purify deeper within Lulu next time.


    ording to the Witch section, to fully purify a witch required a trust value of 100.


    Lin Da''s "little hand" at a trust value of 30 could only clean 30 centimeters of the filthy pipes.


    Beyond that distance, his hand wasn''t long enough, and no amount of extra purification would help.


    That''s why Lulu felt that it wasn''t as effective as the first purification.


    Lin Da needed to make his "purifying hand" reach 100 centimeters, to stretch all the way inside and grasp the heart of the witch where the Fallen Insect, the source of the pollution, resided, and crush it in one fell swoop.


    The Fallen Insect, a bond between the witch and the Demon King.


    By killing the Fallen Insect, the contract could be annulled!


    The witch would then absorb the remains of the Fallen Insectpletely,


    and thereafter, when she used this power, she would not have to pay a price anymore.


    At that moment, Lulu, with a keen gaze, said to him, "I''ve felt your ability, and I will keep it a secret. I hope... you can help me."


    Lin Da nodded, "But in return, before you leave White Dove City, you''ll have to be a member of my team and follow mymands."


    He didn''t demand that Lulu stay with him for the long term right away. Take one step forward first, and then there will be a second step, a third.


    After thinking for a while, Lulu said, "Normal team leader orders are fine. But if I think you''re being abnormal, or giving some perverted order, I won''t hesitate to act. That Kafni won''t be able to stay by your side all the time."


    "Deal," Lin Da extended his left hand, "From now on, you are a member of my team."


    He had reached out to Lulu twice in the Barren ins and been ignored both times.


    This time, Lulu looked at the hand in silence for a moment.


    She stood up and took hold of his palm.


    Even though it was merely a verbal contract, Lulu would be a member of his team during her time in White Dove City.


    Lin Da smiled inwardly.


    Once the trust value reached 100, he figured she wouldn''t be easy to chase away.


    In his previous life, he had kicked Lulu out of the team. So in this life, he would take her to the top of the World Tree.


    Looking out the window, it was not yet dark.


    Lin Da suggested, "The Adventurer''s Guild is very close by. Let''s go register our team now."


    "No objections," Lulu withdrew her hand, putting it back in her pocket, and pulled out a new piece of Slime chewing gum to chew on.


    Kafni secretly gave Lin Da a thumbs up.


    Not only did he put his hand into that beastman''s mouth, but he also managed to tame the creature and add it to the team.


    This hero was more capable than she had imagined!


    Lin Da responded with a smile.


    Lulu was just the beginning, from now on, more and more witches would be purified and join the ranks of the heroes!


    After the three reached a consensus, they left the inn.


    Lin Da took a detour into a cksmith shop, selling all the demon cores he had collected that day.


    In total, they brought in 25 gold coins.


    With the 20 he already had, that made for a total of 45 coins.


    That was enough for ordinary food and drink for several years, but he was still 55 coins short of the starting capital needed to register a team.


    Lin Da looked towards Lulu.


    Thetter took out a level 20 demon core and said, "Consider it repayment for earlier."


    With this demon core, Lin Da had a lot more breathing room financially.


    This water series core,ing from a t-beaked duck beast, belonged to the moremon magical creatures.


    When the owner of the cksmith shop saw the level 20 demon core, his attitude became much more respectful.


    In White Dove City, the only ones who had the ability to sell demon cores of this caliber were those few rock-level adventure teams!


    The level 20 demon core was sold for 500 gold coins, bringing Lin Da''s total assets to 545 gold.


    With that amount, registering a team was more than manageable.


    He couldn''t help but sneak a peek at the pouch hanging from Lulu''s belt.


    Looking quite bulky, it seemed to contain at least 40 coins or so.


    In the future, when short on money, he could think of ways to "squeeze" this ''rich'' teammate.


    "What are you looking at?" Lulu frowned, feeling that there was something off about Lin Da''s gaze.


    Lin Da coughed, "Let''s go, to the Adventurer''s Guild."


    ...


    Not long before, in the Sparrow District''s Adventurer''s Guild.


    In the hall, a screen made of crystal stone was surrounded by numerous adventurers, with no space left unupied.


    All around, there was silence, a sea of eyes glued to the screen, captivated by the intense battle, not daring to even breathe too loudly.


    The scene disyed on the screen was none other than the Snow Goose Adventure Team''s live coverage of their eleventh-floor strategy!


    Last night, the leader of Snow Goose, Lia, announced that to showcase the strength of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, they would coborate with the entire Adventurer''s Guild of White Dove City to provide a public, free broadcast of their battle!


    This move was intended to both increase their fame and recruit excellent teammates.


    They hoped that a splendid strategic battle would catch the attention of those genius adventurers.


    Thirdly, it was also a warning to everyone that should any adventurer be foolish enough to join forces with Lin Da, they would be making an enemy of the powerful Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    However, reality was somewhat cruel.


    The big screen disyed a spacious underground cave.


    The red-haired girl was covered in blood, gripping her greatsword with a lost and despondent look.


    Her teammates were also suffering from various degrees of injury.


    Heavy Hammer Warrior Oru had the worst of it, with one arm broken outward at a ny-degree angle, the stark white bone exposed.


    A healer, looking dirty and disheveled, was casting a healing spell.


    The archer, Klyne, was in tears, ming Oru for charging too far ahead.


    Klrona, clutching a short-handled battle axe, was panting and resting against a rock wall.


    Aiko''s pristine white dress was tattered, and at her feety a pile of empty magic potion bottles.


    The underground cave battle had ended with the victory of the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    But the price they paid was steep, causing any adventurer who watched this battle to wince in sympathy.


    Putting aside the injuries of the team members, the precious magic potions and scrolls were thrown out as if they cost nothing, just to forcefully make it through the eleventh floor.


    Even a rock-level adventure team like Snow Goose couldn''t sustain such extravagant spending.

 Chapter 61: 61, Not as good as Lin Da

    "Didn''t that Lia charge too far ahead? The Healer had to enter the range of the Magical Creatures'' attacks just to heal her."


    "Is the Noble Academy''s Phyllis the onemanding? The vanguard under hismand just can''t hold the aggro of the Magical Creatures, they keep chasing after the Mage."


    "Tsk tsk, as expected of the ''Holy Mage,'' Aiko from the Holy Light Church! Dodging the Magical Creatures'' attacks while casting magic, two of the three lizard monsters were killed by Aiko!"


    The adventurers had mixed feelings regarding this live strategy session.


    The praise was for the individual strength of the Snow Goose Adventure Team; Mage Aiko had an exceptionally fast chanting speed and her high-powered Light Arrow Technique, leaving everyone in awe.


    Klrona, as a Heavy Armored Warrior in the vanguard, also performed exceptionally well. No matter how fierce the Magical Creatures attacked, they couldn''t harm Klrona at all.


    Team leader Lia was a bit reckless, but her ability to single-handedly y a lizard was not to be underestimated. Among Swordsmen of the same level, no one dared to im they could beat her with certainty.


    As for the criticisms, they were quite obvious.


    Themand of the Snow Goose Adventure Team and the cooperation among its members were terrible.


    Once the formation was disrupted by the Magical Creatures, it turned into everyone for themselves, with no one able to look after each other.


    Which side needed support, which lizard creature to focus fire on was all up to individuals'' judgments.


    Healer Phyllis, who was inmand, could only shout out a fewmands at the beginning, butter on, he was run ragged just healing Lia.


    Heavy Hammer Warrior Olu was also severely injured.


    An adventurer sighed, "It''s pretty good that no one died."


    "By the way, when that ''Eye of Wisdom'' Lin Da was with Snow Goose, I heard Snow Goose made it to the eighth floor without injuries, right? Why did Snow Goose rece the originalmander with Phyllis?"


    Indeed.


    Many adventurers were puzzled. Command is the most crucial position in a team; without significant issues, a change would not ur.


    Especially amander who had been with the team from the first floor, the members were already ustomed to them.


    Suddenly changingmanders would require an adaptation period.


    A refined male Elf adventurer said, "You probably don''t know, but Lin Da was kicked out because he was caught having a secret affair with the Mage in the team by the team leader."


    "Eh, howe what I heard is different? Lin Da arranged a date in the inn on Elf Street with Ice Flower''s leader Isa, and that''s why he was kicked out of the team..."


    "Isn''t it because Lin Da was throwing a party without inviting the leader?"


    Under the reporting of some unscrupulous tabloid journalists, the story about Lin Da got more and more far-fetched.


    Just then, in the screen, the sensordybug hanging from Lia''s waist suddenly vibrated, releasing a golden light.


    This was someone offering a Demon Core sacrifice to the World Tree Goddess, sending a ''Golden Advice'' to the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Lia pressed her lips together and looked at the belly of the sensordybug, and in the hall of the Adventurer''s Guild, everyone else followed her gaze.


    The Golden Advice read: Seeing Snow Goose''s poor performance, I''m even more resolute about my decision to take Lin Da into Ice Flower Adventure Team ugh).


    "Isa��you''re shameless!"


    The redhead girl on the screen shouted angrily, threw thedybug on the ground, and the paineddybug pped its wings wildly.


    It was clear to everyone that this Golden Advice was sent by Isa, the leader of the Ice Flower Adventure Team.


    That silver-haired Swordsman was taunting her old rival, Lia!


    And Isa''s recognition of Lin Da in her Golden Advice made everyone feel even more sorry for Lia. If the ''Eye of Wisdom'' had not been kicked out of the team by her, Snow Goose, who had reached the eleventh floor, might have seen a different oue?


    Lia''s face turned red with anger, she threw down thedybug, didn''t even bother to collect the spoils of victory, and teleported out of the World Tree using the Teleportation Stone.


    The adventurers all sighed.


    ...


    The sun set, and the magic streetmps of the aging Sparrow District flickered with their dim and intermittent light.


    When Lin Da and his group rushed over, they just happened to encounter the adventurers leaving the scene.


    They could hear their conversation even before getting close.


    Snow Goose Adventure Team?


    Lin Da and Lulu both paused at the same time.


    Lulu was thinking that the ''Lin Da'' she was looking for was with the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    When Lin Da heard about Olu''s injury, his heart skipped a beat.


    Olu was the teammate he got along with the best.


    ''What''s the matter with Lia? I warned herst time not to rashly advance to the next level.''


    Lin Da felt a surge of anger toward Lia. It was one thing if Lia didn''t care about her own life, but as a team leader, she had a responsibility for the lives of her team members.


    Leading everyone, without a single loss, to the summit of the World Tree.


    Her dream, the original intention of forming the team, must have been long forgotten.


    As an outsider, Lin Da could only sigh at the Snow Goose Adventure Team''s defeat.


    He hoped this lesson would make Lia understand.


    The overall strength of the Snow Goose was really not strong!


    What they needed to do was to let go of their pride and learn to work as a team!


    Up ahead, adventurers were approaching, and to avoid having his name called out and Lulu realizing he had lied to her,


    he covered his face and tucked himself into a corner, pretending to be an unscrupulous adventurer taking a leak.


    ''Hmph.''


    Lulu''s face shed with disgust, turned her back to Lin Da.


    It was only after that group of adventurers had moved far away did Lin Da return to the road.


    He could hear the diminishing sound of the adventurers'' discussions.


    Oru''s injuries seemed to be quite serious; as an old teammate, he''d have to find an opportunity to visit him.


    Lin Da thought silently.


    And Aiko, how was she considering joining his own team?


    His move might suggest poaching, but Lia''s reckless advance into the 11th level had dispelled hisst hesitation.


    If Lia nned to lead her team to their doom, wasn''t it a good deed to poach them instead?


    While thinking, Lin Da arrived at the Adventurer''s Guild.


    A line of people filed in.


    It was around six in the evening, a quiet time.


    A long, snaking line sprawled in front of the service counters.


    Lin Da and his group joined the queue.


    But after a long wait, the line barely moved forward, instead, a quarreling noise came from ahead.


    ''Cutting in line! This is discrimination against Beastmen, everyone look, someone is discriminating against Beastmen! If that''s the case, once the humans get the most Hero Stones, won''t they drive us Beastmen out of the city!''


    The voice of a human girl: ''Huh? Weren''t you the one cutting in line who I caught and dragged out, how did it be me cutting in line?''


    ''I don''t care, you discriminated against Beastmen, you must apologize!''


    A dark-skinned Minotaur with several rings around his lips, wearing a ck jacket spiked with iron on the outside.


    He was furiously berating a brown-haired girl adventurer with freckles on her face.


    The crowd was noisy.


    Some were defending the girl, while others, upon hearing the four words ''discrimination against Beastmen,'' reluctantly maintained neutrality.


    Since the various races decided to join forces against amon enemy a thousand years ago, discrimination between humans and Elves against Beastmen was strictly forbidden, reaching a level of almost political correctness.


    And the Beastmen in the Adventurer''s Guild, they all stood with the Minotaur.


    ''You are discriminating, believe it or not, I''ll make sure you''re fined until you''re broke!''


    ''Hurry up and apologize to us Beastmen!''


    ''Beastmen must not be humiliated, pay up!''


    Hearing themotion ahead, Lin Da frowned.


    No wonder the queue wasn''t moving; once ''discrimination'' became involved, even the staff of the Adventurer''s Guild would hesitate to intervene.


    Lin Da thought: Since the announcement of the Hero Stones, conflicts between Beastmen and humans seemed to be increasing.


    Was it really out of fear that humans gaining the most Hero Stones would increase the gap with the Beastmen?


    Just that day, on the road, Lin Da had witnessed several conflicts between Beastmen and humans.


    He nced at Lulu, curious what the girl from the Werewolf n thought of it all.

 Chapter 62: 62, Registered Squad

    Lulu stepped out of the line, walking expressionlessly toward that direction.


    Lin Da wanted to call out to her, but after thinking it over, he withdrew his hand.


    Was the real Lulu the same as the righteous and kind Lulu in the game?


    Three years had passed, and she had be a witch, had anything changed?


    Lin Da chose to stand aside and watch.


    As Lulu walked over, she exuded an iceberg-like aura.


    A trace of her high-level strength seeped out, drawing the attention of everyone around.


    Many who sympathized with the young female adventurer who had been cut in line felt a hint of retreat at Lulu''s arrival.


    The Minotaur named Maliughed cheerfully, with a ttering smile, "Miss Werewolf, that human discriminated against us beastmen, you must help me!"


    Mali, who thought he had obtained a strong ally, was all smiles.


    But in the next moment,


    a p struck Mali''s face with the speed of lightning.


    It resounded with a smack in the hall!


    The p sent Mali spinning in the air, but hended firmly back in ce, his right cheek swelling up considerably.


    "Get out," Lulu said indifferently.


    "Huh?" Mali, holding his face, hadn''t caught on yet.


    Being both beastmen, why wouldn''t this werewolf help him?


    "Don''t disturb me in line, get out."


    Lulu repeated coldly, her gaze icy.


    The Minotaur Mali, under Lulu''s re, felt as if he were back in the days when his ancestors were hunted by wolf packs.


    The fear in his bloodline made Mali tremble, and he scurried out of the Adventurer''s Guild without looking back.


    A group of onlooking beastmen felt enraged.


    "Hey, aren''t you a beastman? Why are you helping the humans!"


    The speaker was a ck Bear Beastman, whose bloodline rank was high among the beastmen.


    However, after being nced at by Lulu, the ck Bear Beastman was so frightened that he immediately shut his mouth, sweating profusely down his back.


    This werewolf... was definitely not an ordinary wild wolf!


    With her level also being high, none of the beastmen present likely surpassed her in might.


    The ck Bear and the other beastmen reluctantly lowered their heads.


    Lin Da looked at Lulu, who had walked back to the line as if nothing had happened, and gave her a thumbs up, "Well done."


    "I just can''t stand bullying," Lulu replied calmly.


    In contrast to the group of beastmen who walked away muttering under their breath, there was a chorus of cheers from the humans.


    "A beastman miss with upright values, love it."


    "High-born werewolves are different, indeed. What about Minotaur, Boarhead��they are just not fully evolved!"


    "If only all the beastmen on the continent were like this werewolf."


    Lulu felt ufortable with being the subject of discussion, her eyebrows knitting together as she coldly scanned the crowd, "Can you shut up?"


    Her slightly angry tone silenced the group of adventurers.


    This werewolf was beautiful, but she seemed difficult to get along with.


    An adventurer noticed Lin Da standing next to Lulu.


    After several newspapers'' promotions, Lin Da, known as "Ultimate Pervert," had be widely known.


    Why were they walking together?


    A man with a beard smiled familiarly in greeting, "Yo, Lin..."


    "Ahem, ahem, quite nice weather we''re having today, huh?"


    Lin Da smiled amicably, his eyes filled with a threatening glint.


    "Uh, it is nice," replied the bearded man, swallowing his saliva and looking at Lulu beside him, curious, "Are you here to...?"


    "Form a team," Lin Da responded.


    A stir went through the crowd.


    Many were specting whether Lin Da would join the Ice Flower Adventure Team after leaving his team.


    Isa had expressed her admiration for Lin Da on multiple asions.


    She had dered she would eventually bring him into Ice Flower.


    But he was nning to form his own team?


    The whiskered man looked towards Lin Da and the two beautiful girls by his side, one tall and one short, one big and one small, and said admiringly, "Impressive!"


    Impressive my ass, one has no deity, the other is a killing machine as a beastman.


    Lin Da muttered in his heart.


    The surrounding adventurers looked at him with strange gazes, probably misunderstanding, thinking that Kafni and Lulu were his new "harem".


    Lulu''s expression visibly turned sour.


    Some adventurers whispered filthy topics, grinning lewdly, letting their imagination run wild about her unspeakable rtionship with Lin Da.


    "Awoo!"


    A wolf howl echoed through the hall, making everyone shudder.


    When Lulu released the aura of magic power inside her, the area around her quieted down a lot, and those discussing vulgar topics dared not speak anymore.


    A pair of eyes, filled with a bit of shock.


    This beastman girl must be at least level 20!


    A level 20 adventurer, wherever they go in White Dove City, would be met with awe from everyone.


    Those adventurers discussing vulgar topics were terrified and quietly withdrew from the group, nning toe back tomorrow to re-queue.


    The crowd also tacitly moved apart, giving Lin Da and hispany about half a meter of space.


    It would be terrible if one identally touched that beastman girl who was as cold as ice.


    Seeing the others, it seemed she only allowed Lin Da to approach.


    Other adventurers, especially the men, had barely approached when they received a silent re of warning from the girl.


    Everyone couldn''t help but exim internally: Worthy of the one known as the Ultimate Pervert, Lin Da!


    ...


    Half an hour passed, and Lin Da and his group reached the counter.


    As per procedure, the staff handed each of three of them a form.


    They needed to fill in their names, levels, and professions.


    Lin Da wrote "Healing Mage" for the profession and filled in a "Lin" for the name.


    The staff didn''t say much about this, as the Adventurer''s Guild''s main criteria for determining a person''s identity relied on the signature and palm print.


    He wanted to sneak a peek at Lulu''s form, but she covered it tightly. After noticing him trying to look, she frowned and red at him.


    Lin Da shook his head helplessly.


    After filling in the forms, the staff member brought out a white Treasure Bead to test their levels, instructing the three of them to touch it in turn.


    The first was Lin Da; upon his touch, the bead turned emerald green.


    This indicated that his profession was of the Recovery Series.


    Mist swirled within the bead, gradually forming an ancient magic rune.


    Its meaning was the number "8".


    The staff member checked the form.


    Profession, Healing Mage, Recovery Series, Level, 8, no mistakes.


    So, they stamped it.


    Next was Kafni.


    Thief, Damage Dealer, level, also at 8.


    Stamped and approved!


    Some onlooking adventurers heard Lin Da had changed professions and managed to go from level 0 to level 8 so quickly, they were somewhat surprised.


    To those people''s doubts, Lin Da smiled modestly and didn''t exin.


    The adventurers, however, seemed to realize that Lin Da must have had some extraordinary encounter in the wilderness, and they looked at him with envy.


    Upon hearing this, Lulu unexpectedly turned to look at Lin Da.


    This human, he changed profession? He was a level 15 Healer before?


    It''s well-known that the higher the level, the greater the risk of changing professions. Above level 20, the failure rate is over 99%.


    Lulu felt some respect for Lin Da''s courage; not everyone dare make the decision to change professions at level 15.


    "Next," the t, urging voice of the staff member sounded.


    Lulu hesitated for a moment, then ced her hand on the Treasure Bead.


    The white bead quickly turned to the ''red'' of the warrior-series, the color much deeper than when Lin Da and Kafni took the test.


    The mist swirled, shaping into two magic runes.


    The number, 25!


    Lulu''s level reached the exceedingly lofty 25, far surpassing the average level of the Rock Squad!


    Just 5 levels short of being called a Star-ranked adventurer, and bing a true member of the upper echelons.

 Chapter 63: 63. Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team and small team section

    Even though Lin Da had anticipated it, he couldn''t help but give a sidelong nce.


    Lulu''s face remained calm, and she quickly withdrew her hand after the test, seemingly not wanting too many people to see her level.


    Lin Da thought to himself: he had kicked Lulu out of the team three years ago, and Lulu had changed her profession to Witch, starting from scratch, and had reached level 25 in just three years. This speed was bewildering!


    His rapid leveling was due to cheats, but Lulu as a pure local, reaching level 25 in three years was almost like forcing the growth of a Fallen Insect.


    The repeated outbreaks of pollution had also caused the young girl considerable pain.


    Lin Da silently thought he mustpletely purify Lulu and rescue her from the abyss.


    Meanwhile, as everyone saw the number 25 on the Treasure Bead, their eyes widened in disbelief.


    Snow Goose''s captain, Lia, level 23,


    Ice Flower''s captain, Isa, level 25.


    This unfamiliar Werewolf girl had actually reached the same level as the captains of Rock-level Squads!


    The Beastmen who had previously med Lulu sweated profusely from their foreheads, touching their chests, still feeling the aftermath.


    The adventurer with the full beard who had been talking with Lin Da eximed, "She could have joined a Rock-level Squad, but instead, she chose his team, what kind of Magic Potion has she been fed!"


    "No wonder he''s called the Ultimate Pervert, charm that kills across all races."


    "If I had half his charm, I wouldn''t still be a single dog!"


    A series of jealous voices arose in Lin Da''s ears.


    But actually, he and those people were the same, single dogs,


    it''s just that the teammates around him happened to all be beautiful girls.


    Gradually, the team-forming process came to its final step.


    Naming the squad.


    Lin Da looked to the two women beside him and asked, "Do you have any ideas?"


    "I don''t mind," Kafni said indifferently.


    Lulu nodded, agreeing with Kafni''s statement.


    This left the naming entirely up to Lin Da.


    He held the feather pen and thought seriously for a while.


    The tip of the pen traced over the paper, writing down a line of neatly scriptedmonnguage of the continent.


    Kafni leaned over to look, puzzled by the name.


    Lulu nced sideways, slightly surprised, a hint of warmth melting into her usually cold expression.


    Written on the paper was ''Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team'' in sixrge characters.


    "Why is it called Phoenix Tail Flower?" Kafni asked, puzzled.


    The one who answered was Lulu, her expression somewhatplex, "Phoenix Tail Flower is amon purple flower in thends of the Beastmen, symbolizing friendship andpanions."


    Lin Da had thought it through before naming it the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.


    Phoenix Tail Flower itself, served as a ''gift'' in the game, and was the most cost-effective. It was cheap, and many game characters liked it. Thenguage of the flower also symbolizedpanionship and friendship, fitting Lin Da''s intention of ''leading all team members, without leaving anyone behind, to reach the top of the World Tree.''


    Thus, naming it Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team could not be more appropriate.


    [System Notification: Witch Lulu''s trust level towards you +3, current trust level, 44 points.]


    Lin Da received an unexpected benefit.


    He handed the registration form to the staff member, who stamped it a momentter, took the form, and then presented three ''Apprentice Level'' adventure team badges.


    The badges were the size of a baby''s fist, circr, made of bronze, and depicted a massive World Tree.


    Under the World Tree was a Treasure Chest, and crossed Sword and Shield.


    And a string of faintly glowing magical numbers: 15439539563.


    Lin Da reverently received the badge from the staff member, took them out of the ck box, and handed them to Kafni and Lulu.


    The three of them each wore their badges on their chests.


    An odd bond seemed to connect them abruptly, and even though Lulu hadn''t sincerely joined the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Group, wearing their badge made her feel something unusual.


    On her chest, she had only ever worn two. One was from the Primitive Adventure Team, and the other, now, was from the Phoenix Tail Flower.


    The group left the counter, and Lin Da stroked the badge on his chest, overwhelmed with emotion.


    Three years had passed,


    and he had finally established his own team.


    No longer the former Healer of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, ''Eye of Wisdom'' Lin Da.


    But the captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Group, Lin Da!


    Just three bronze badges, yet they granted Lin Da the feeling of a traveler returning home, finding his ce.


    No longer alone, he now had a goal to strive for.


    Lin Da grabbed Kafni''s hand on his right, then took Lulu''s cold little hand on his left.


    Ignoring the gloomy expression on the face of the Beastmen girl, Lin Da inteced their hands and ced his own on top.


    "The Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Group, established!"


    "Established!" Kafni chimed in, causing a stir.


    Perhaps feeling that they were one step closer to defeating the Demon King.


    Lulu, not quite used to the ''happy friends'' atmosphere, snorted and withdrew her hand to stuff it into her pocket.


    [System Prompt: Trust level of Witch Lulu +3, current trust, 47 points]


    Lin Da nced at the girl''s petnt profile, slightly amused.


    This was just like in the game, always indifferent to the yer until the trust level reached 80.


    At that moment, he received another system prompt:


    [Missing one member to activate the squad module]


    In the game Mystic Continent, three make a team, ten make a group.


    Lin Da wondered; his squad already had three people, but the system indicated one wascking.


    Was it because Lulu wasn''t considered an official member, or because Kafni, a Summoned Beast, wasn''t ssified as a ''person''?


    Lin Da closed the system and stepped out of the hall with Kafni and Lulu, pondering whether the squad module functioned the same as in the game?


    In the game, the primary use of the squad module was to pat the teammates'' heads, colloquially known as ''head pats,'' which upon touching, could increase team members'' attribute points.


    It also allowed spending a currency known as ''Diamonds'' to buy various trial events for team members.


    To enhance attributes, potential, or even to realize skills.


    But the most powerful was the passive skill ''Captain''s Aura.''


    Within the aura''s range, all team members would receive a boost!


    Lin Da pondered that once the squad module was activated and their strength enhanced, he could go to the fourth level of the World Tree to find clues about his sister.


    The current priority was to find another member and activate the squad module.


    His level also needed to be raised to 10, and he needed to equip a Purple Rare quality Walnut Wood Magic Sword.


    Coming out of the Adventurer''s Guild and onto the street,


    Lin Da said to the two girls, "To celebrate the formation of our team, how about a big meal?"


    "This is a good suggestion." Kafni promptly nodded.


    Lulu said, "I''m not going."


    Lin Da shook his head, "Everyone must go, this is a captain''s order."


    Gurgle~


    Lulu''s stomach rumbled inopportunely.


    Her expression hardly changed, yet she nodded slightly, "Alright then."


    Half an hourter, the sky hadpletely darkened.

 Chapter 64: 64. Lulu Goes to the Snow Goose Adventure Team

    The three of them moved into a Beastmen restaurant in the Inner City District.


    The cuisine here was meat-centric, and it was said that the chef had once served as a logistician in a Steel Level Adventure Group, with culinary skills famous throughout White Dove City.


    For today''s meal, Lin Da had spent ten Gold Coins.


    Charcoal-grilled bear paws, pork knuckles, the tail of a giant lizard... all topped with ayer of red chili peppers and cooked with oil rendered from farm-raised Slimes.


    Additionally, with various spices from the World Tree Secret Realm, the dishes were a feast for the eyes, nose, and pte, stirring everyone''s appetite.


    After a day of hunger, Lin Da and hispanions instantly switched into a mode of wolfing down their food.


    Lulu, as a Beastman, showed her wild side during the meal, using her sharp tiger teeth to effortlessly bite through the pork knuckle, breaking both meat and bone.


    Every bite from her small mouth devoured a substantial amount of food, like a wind sweeping through leaves.


    To Lin Da and Kafni''s surprise, they together didn''t eat as much as Lulu, the smallest of them all.


    "Cheers."


    Lin Da took a napkin and wiped the oil from his hands, then raised a gigantic oak beer mug filled with Wheat Beer.


    Wheat Beer was a favorite among nearly all adventurers, and Lulu was no exception. Each person raised their mug, clinking them together.


    A short whileter, all were satisfied with food and drink.


    The three of them sat with bulging bellies, drinking water and resting.


    Lulu suddenly brought up, "Is your team made up of just these people?"


    A Minor Secret Realm with too low levels wouldn''t allow Lulu to enter, and if the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team went into the World Tree Secret Realm, there would be only two of them.


    It was manageable at the lower levels where the danger was minimal. But at the third or fourth level, missing a front-line ss was less than ideal.


    Lin Da said helplessly, "I''m still considering recruiting, but it''s hard to find good members."


    "I know someone," Lulu said, her head bowed as she trimmed her w-like nails with a small dagger, sharpening them even further while speaking, "If you need someone, I could rmend her to you."


    "Oh? What kind of person is she?" asked Lin Da.


    "She... doesn''t like strangers much. But if it''s you, she might consider joining your team," Lulu replied.


    "What about her talent and profession?" Lin Da was particrly interested in this point.


    If the person was just an ordinary adventurer being forced to level up, the stress would be too great for them, and they would be a burden to the team as well. Read exclusive content at m v l em pyr


    Lin Da believed in quality over quantity.


    Lulu''s voice brimmed with confidence, "Don''t worry, that kid''s talent has attracted invitations from several Steel Level Adventure Groups."


    "Steel Level Adventure Groups? She didn''t join any?" Lin Da asked.


    "Hmm. The kid is a bit shy, but I think she''d be okay with you," Lulu nodded and then gave him a meaningful nce, "She''s a Mage, around level 15. If you can bring her in, it''s your team that should feel honored."


    After hearing this, Lin Da became inwardly rmed. Could Lulu really be so benevolent to think of the team''s welfare having just joined herself?


    "Where can I find this person you''re talking about?" he asked, keeping hisposure.


    "Red Heart City," Lulu answered.


    Lin Da raised an eyebrow.


    Red Heart City?


    That was Lia''s hometown.


    In Lin Da''s mind surfaced the image of an elegant red-haireddy.


    Lia''s mother, Lady Bellini.


    Two years ago,


    Lin Da had a private meeting with Lady Bellini, who hade from far away Red Heart City.


    Thisdy spoke in a soft and delicate tone, requesting him to take care of her disobedient daughter, Lia.


    Back then, Lia was still quite normal, and Lin Da readily agreed.


    Now, having parted ways with Snow Goose Adventure Team, meeting thatdy again would inevitably be awkward.


    But...


    With Red Heart City being sorge, it wouldn''t be too likely to encounter her by chance, right?


    Lin Da thought it over and silently noted the address Lulu had mentioned.


    After finishing their meal, the group left the restaurant.


    Lin Da and Lulu exchanged their residential addresses to facilitate future contact before returning to their respective rented houses.


    Under the crooked, dim yellow streetmps,


    Lulu''s gaze flickered as she stared at Lin Da''s retreating figure.


    If he could summon the child from Red Heart City, he must undoubtedly be the captain.


    Aside from the captain, that child wouldn''t ept anyone else''s invitation.


    Lulu had her own matters to attend to.


    She easily found a passerby and inquired about the whereabouts of the well-known Snow Goose Adventure Team''s residential area.


    Located in the Inner City District''s first ring, it was a famous, affluent area and quite easy to find.


    Lulu prepared to meet the ''Lin Da'' from the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    One ''Lin Da'', one ''Li Cha''.


    Surely one of them must be the person she was looking for.


    Ever since Lulu became a witch, the search for the mysteriously vanished captain had nearly reached three years.


    Before receiving an apology, Lulu wouldn''t give up her search.


    In these three years,


    Why had he disappeared, what had he been doing, and during those three years, did he feel a slight sense of guilt towards his team members?


    Lulu was grateful to that captain for rescuing her from the vers, yet she resented him for treating her as just a tool.


    Taking her to the high floors of the World Tree only to then kick her out of the team with one swift motion.


    She had fought tooth and nail for the team, yet not a single trace of her ever remained.


    Lulu wasn''t willing to settle for that!


    Bing a witch was just so she could make him apologize, for he shouldn''t have kicked her out of the team.


    Perhaps one apology wasn''t that significant.


    However, it had be the pir of strength that allowed Lulu to endure when the Witch''s Corruption red up.


    With that apology, she would have no regrets.


    Thete summer breeze carried a hint of coolness, stirring the pale blue strands of hair on the young girl''s forehead.


    Lulu''s hands, tucked in her pockets, stealthily transformed into beastly ws as she hailed a carriage, heading towards the Snow Goose Adventure Team''s residential area.


    ...


    Night.


    The Snow Goose Adventure Team''s vi.


    In the second-floor conference room, morale was low, and the atmosphere was oppressive.


    Members of the team sat around a long table, each one with fatigue etched on their faces.


    Aiko sat restlessly in a wheelchair, only able to hear the breathing of others and the severe scolding from a certain red-haired girl.


    "Why did we suffer such heavy losses? The front line should have held back the Magical Creatures'' attacks properly, but I was constrained, and couldn''t even sessfully activate my ''umte power'' skill!"


    "And the Healer as well, the Healing Arts are cast so slowly every time they''re not timely!"


    "The Mage too! Be careful not to attract the hatred of the Magical Creatures!"


    Lia, her face the color of iron, pointed at everyone in turn, stomping her foot in anger.


    Aiko, one of those named, hung her head, biting her lip and rubbing her temples, struggling to restrain the impulse to flip the table.


    Aiko admitted that she had issues with this strategy.


    Always miscalcting the Magical Creatures'' hatred value, using skills to inflict damage, only to end up being targeted by the creatures.


    She acknowledged this fault.


    But Lia''s problem seemed to be even bigger, right?


    Charging into a group of Magical Creatures recklessly, the team had to waste so much magic power and magic scrolls to save Lia.


    Objectively, Lia''s total damage to the creatures was the highest among the team members, but that premise was based on dragging everyone along to support her!


    Yet, Lia thought all that damage was solely her own doing?


    Aiko had even killed a Swift Rock Lizard and was used by Lia of kill-stealing.

 Chapter 65 : 65. Distressed Aiko

    This time Snow Goose went to the 11th floor, encountering 3 Swift Rock Lizards, 4 meters in length,parable to Earth Dragons.


    Aiko and Lia''s output was too high, causing the front line to fail at holding the Magical Creatures'' aggro, frequently chasing after the squishies.


    But why were the front lines able to hold aggro before?


    In battle, Aiko held her breath for a long time, finally rid herself of the Swift Rock Lizard''s aggro, only to have the lizard chase her the moment she fired off a Light Arrow Technique.


    It doesn''t make sense!


    Klrona fought for ages, shouldn''t the lizard chase Klrona first?


    To clear the 11th floor, Oru''s arm was broken, and even with the assistance of Regeneration Art, it would take half a month to heal.


    The adventure team''s inventory of magic scrolls was also depleted. Each scroll was a pile of Gold Coins.


    Snow Goose couldn''t figure out the right strategy against the Swift Rock Lizards, so they had to forcefully use magic items,


    Lia downed 16 Life Potions, Aiko''s head hurt from overconsuming mana.


    Everyone came back with soot on their faces, too little joy in clearing the level.


    There was no victory banquet, but a criticism meeting instead.


    More than an hour and it still wasn''t over.


    Aiko looked displeasedly at the downcast Healer Phyllis across from her.


    This blond noble was full of arrogance when he first joined the team, but sinceing out from the 11th floor of the Mystic Realm, he had been hanging his head like a deted ball.


    In this attempt to clear the level, Phyllis, who took on themand, had major issues.


    There must be some kind of mechanism on the Swift Rock Lizards that Phyllis failed to recognize.


    Aiko couldn''t help but miss the days when Lin Da was still part of the team.


    Celebratory feasts were filled with joy, there were Lin Da''ste-night ''hometown cuisine'', followed by a foot massage, then sleepingfortably.


    Those days of adventure, almost like indulgence!


    When Lin Damanded, there wasn''t a single instance of such serious mistakes as Phyllis''s.


    The front line could always keep a tight hold on the Monsters'' aggro, while the back line safely dealt damage, those creatures seemed blind, not seeing them at all.


    Thinking back carefully, it seems like there was a certain knack to hitting Magical Creatures, a number of times...?


    But back then, Aiko never imagined Lin Da would leave the team. Lin Da was supposed to stay in the team forever, as a trembling servant, then one day realize she, the Mage, was the most excellent one in the team, fall deeply in love with her, hopelessly, bing a loyal dog...


    But the reality was before her, Lin Da not only left the team but also formed his own!


    The more Aiko thought about it, the more irritable she became. Damn Lin Da, why hasn''t hee to beg her to join?


    Aside from her, were there any other excellent adventurers who would join his group?


    Could it be he was spending every day and night cuddling with that big Bear woman?


    The mere thought made Aiko''s eyes turn red; she hadn''t even slept with Lin Da yet, how could she let an outsider get ahead of her!


    In the background, Lia''s voice scolded Phyllis.


    This short redheaded girl, not much bigger than a panda, only had a fierce temper.


    Lia, dressed in a white top and a ck skirt, had numerous bandages wrapped around her thighs and arms, and an oversized pain-relieving patch stuck to her head. She was fuming with annoyance, her eyebrows arched as she pointed a finger unabashedly at the new Healer, Phyllis''s nose:


    "What the hell is wrong with you? Your strategy ispletely unqualified!"


    "The front line is stupid, too, unable to attract the ire of the Magical Creatures. I''m constantly being targeted!"


    "Or it''s Aiko who draws the Magical Creatures'' attention, leaving everyone weary from holding them off, fighting in a way that makes no sense! Who''s supposed to do what, when, and use which skills? Spell it out! Why is your guide only one page, when that traitor Lin Da''s guide is as thick as a book?"


    Lia''s voice was crisp and sharp, like a sword shing through the meeting room, piercing everyone''s eardrums.


    Phyllis slowly lifted his head, even as a new Healer who had joined Snow Goose to cling to Lia''s coattails, he couldn''t help feeling a bit angry now.


    He had seen the strategy guide Lin Da had left in the room.


    It was full of dense, iprehensible data, many terms Phyllis had never heard of��clearly, the other party wasn''t from a conventional Academic Faction background. Initially, Phyllis looked down on it, but as he read on, he discovered that Lin Da had actually marked out all the attack ranges and aggro values of the Magical Creatures on that level,


    and analyzed their vocal sounds to determine their condition, pinpointing which part to strike for maximum damage and aggro,


    That wasn''t just a strategy guide��it was an encyclopedia dissecting and thoroughly researching the Magical Creatures!


    Not just Phyllis, Phyllis thought even his teacher, a level 25 seasoned adventurer from the Noble Academy of White Dove City, couldn''t produce a better strategy than Lin Da.


    Lia demanded that he, a mere outstanding graduate, do better than Lin Da��she was tantly making things difficult for him!


    Moreover, he had tried hard... To cast Healing Arts on his teammates, he had consumed seven or eight Magic Potions, his magical circuits swollen and throbbing with pain, to the point it felt impossible even to urinate.


    All these efforts, why couldn''t Lia see them?


    Plus, after being sternly rebuked by Lia, Phyllis finally felt a twinge of impatience and said in annoyance, "Well... Why don''t you go find Lin Da?"


    His words abruptly caught Lia off guard, her face turning crimson.


    Aiko and the other members looked at Phyllis with eyes full of admiration.


    They thought he was just a new bootlicker, but it turned out he had some backbone.


    "Huh?! Why bring up that traitor? Are you sick or what?" Lia questioned, staring skeptically at Phyllis: "And aren''t you a top graduate? Can''t you even outperform a nobody like Lin Da who came up through the ranks? What use do I have for you then?"


    But hell, I just can''t match up to Lin Da, Phyllis thought furiously.


    Right then, Phyllis really wanted to overturn the table and tell Lia that kicking Lin Da out was purely blind; such a person could be immediately appointed as an honorary professor if he showed up at the Academy!


    Being part of a rock-level adventure team like hers was simply Lia and the others'' dumb luck.


    Phyllis worshipped Lin Da, who could produce such a detailed strategy, as if it were a flowing river.


    But the problem was, he also wanted to cozy up to Lia''s family, to expand his own family''s business into Red Heart City...


    Phyllis sulkily bowed his head: "I understand, I will seriously consider the strategy for the next level."


    "Hmph," Lia, seeming victorious, sat down.


    At this moment, Aiko suggested, "Maybe we shouldn''t go to the 12th floor for now."


    "The Ice Flower Adventure Team will be entering the 13th floor next month," Lia said with a grim look, "If we dy any further, the gap will only widen."


    Aiko sighed. Was it possible that the Ice Flower Adventure Team was simply better than Snow Goose?


    Their team members coordinated seamlessly, led by a veteran adventurer with vast experience, and then there was Isa, whose style of conductmanded respect, earning her the unconditional trust of all her teammates.


    Unlike the Snowke Adventure Team, where Lia would get caught up in her own attacks mid-fight,pletely forgetting her teammates couldn''t keep up.

 Chapter 66 : 66. Lia and Lulu

    Even Aiko thought that in a one-on-one duel, Lia was still inferior to Isa. The reason was simple: Lia wasn''t exactly the brightest.


    Normally, it was Lin Da''s job to persuade her in these situations, a thankless task that Aiko was d to avoid. Aiko sighed again, put on a congenial expression, and said to the visibly irritated Lia:


    "Captain, why don''t we head to a Minor Secret Realm or hunt some Magical Creatures first? Our resources were depleted during thest strategy for the 11th floor, we need to restock. Potions, Magic Scrolls, the front line''s Armor, all damaged��and the spoils from the 11th floor don''t even cover a fifth of our losses."


    Her methodical analysis left Lia in silence.


    Suddenly, it dawned on her. The Snow Goose Adventure Team was out of money!


    Supplies needed replenishing, front-line gear needed recing.


    Oru was also injured.


    Even with the help of Regeneration Art, it would take half a month to recover.


    The pressure of strategizing from the 10th floor onward was mounting.


    Lia was also aware of it, and she considered equipping her team with Town Portal Scrolls.


    But the scrolls for levels 10-20 were much more expensive than those for levels 0-10.


    Buying Town Portal Scrolls required Gold Coins, and so did other magic items.


    Lia felt somewhat embarrassed.


    The main members'' weapons were Purple Rare, and her own gear, all Purple Rare, had nearly depleted their adventure funds!


    It seemed Aiko was right; proceeding to the 12th floor in this state wasn''t wise, was it?


    "Uh, Captain, I have something to say."


    Oru''s one hand, wrapped like a mummy, hung in white cloth in front of him, while he raised his healthy left hand hesitantly and said.


    "What is it?" Lia asked.


    "Should we hire Lin Da to strategize for the 12th floor?"


    "Absolutely not!"


    Lia''s face changed instantly, and she mmed the table in refusal!


    "But..."


    "There''s no ''but.'' Hiring him for strategy would mean admitting that our Snow Goose Adventure Team is ipetent," Lia interrupted Oru.


    Everyone fell silent.


    After the strategy session for the eleventh floor, most had graduallye to a harsh conclusion; Snow Goose''s strength did note from the genius Swordsman Lia.


    It was Lin Da.


    Yet no one could convince this fiery-eyed redhead.


    Phyllis sneaked a nce at Oru, thinking that perhaps the team members all approved of Lin Da''s strategy.


    Thetter, noticing Phyllis''s look, said gruffly, "It would be great if Brother Lin Da were here; with him, I''d get off lightly."


    Phyllis detected a faint Taunt in Oru''s words.


    He smiled and said nothing.


    He secretly thought that after Lin Da left the team, breaching his contract, he must be broke, unable to even afford decent equipment.


    Since that is the case, why not use Gold Coins to hire Lin Da for strategy? Although Lia disagreed, he could just keep it from Lia and secretly approach Lin Da.


    Phyllis''s admiration for Lin Da''s strategic abilities surpassed even his own mentor; he had long wanted to meet him!


    Lia and Lin Da might not get along, but that didn''t mean the team members had to be on bad terms with Lin Da, right?


    "Um,"


    Lia suddenly fidgeted, sitting at the end of the conference table, twirling her fiery red hair nonchntly, and asked, "Does anyone know what that traitor is doing now?"


    "Lin Da?" Klyne asked.


    "Mm."


    Lia felt ufortable the moment she heard the name, and picked up the Cooling Magic Array controller in the conference room, setting it to blow forcefully.


    Klrona, who had been intensely focused on solving a puzzle cube, looked up, raising her little hand: "I know, I know! When I went to buy a new Magic Puppet toy on the street, I heard that Big Uncle Lin Da has formed a team!"


    "Formed a team?" Liaughed and shook her head: "He found teammates to form a team with him? He must have just picked someone randomly."


    "Not at all."


    The voice was Aiko''s.


    Although she sat in a wheelchair, she actually was the Snow Goose Adventure Team''s information conduit and often liked to stroll around, enjoying the gazes of admiration from a group of adventurers.


    Aiko said with a hint of jealousy, "I heard it''s a beastmen girl, an adventurer who took the level test and has level 25."


    Level 25?


    Lia fell silent.


    The highest in the Snow Goose Adventure Team was only level 24,


    and that was Aiko.


    As the team leader, she was only level 23.


    "Why would that kind of person join Lin Da''s team?"


    "Don''t know," Aiko replied.


    "Definitely tricked and conned into it."


    Lia felt a blockage in her chest, unable to swallow it down.


    Why did Lin Da, who had left the Snow Goose Adventure Team, seem to be doing so well?


    There was a busty blonde who liked him, and now a high-level beastmen girl had shown up.


    Hearing about other girls by Lin Da''s side, as well as the "Aiko hugs Lin Da" incident mentioned in the White Dove Morning News the day before yesterday, made Lia feel inexplicably uneasy.


    Aiko, to actually like that traitor...


    Luckily they had had an open and honest talk; Aiko stated that it was all the newspaper''s nonsense and that like Lia, she was furious with Lin Da and vowed to punish that traitor.


    Lia gathered her thoughts and asked again, "What''s Lin Da''s team called?"


    Aiko said, "It seems to be the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team."


    "Such a weak name," Lia snorted coldly.


    "Phoenix Tail Flower is amon flower in the beastmen territories, you know? It represents friendship,panionship," Aiko said, tilting her head yfully, "Isn''t Lin Da possibly taunting us?"


    Lia fell silent again.


    Once upon a time, I too considered him apanion!


    It was his ownck of effort��who else could be med!


    "If you see someone from the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, beat them up for me," Lia said coldly.


    The team members looked at each other in confusion.


    Was it really only the captain herself who wanted to fight Lin Da?


    Phyllis was the first to snap to attention, raising her fist furiously: "Lord Captain, I will never let that guy off. When I see him, I''m going to give him a good ''teaching''... no, a beating!"


    "Hmm," Lia nodded, "We must beat him into a pulp."


    ����Ding-dong.


    Right after the meeting ended, as Lia and her team were heading downstairs, they heard the doorbell ringing at the front door.


    Outside, a girl dressed in a white coat, her light blue short hair and beast ears covered by a hood, waszily blowing arge bubble with her bubble gum.


    Pop.


    As the front door swung open, the bubble burst as well.


    At the vi entrance, a blue-haired and a red-haired girl met.


    Although it was their first meeting, Lia inside felt an inexplicable, strong threat.


    The other girl''s eyes were calm, yet they gave Lia the eerie sensation of being stalked by a wolf, that beastman had a strong aura of aggression!


    Behind Lia, a bunch of team members craned their necks to look over.


    "Who is it?"


    "A beastman, seems to be high-level, haven''t seen them before, not a local adventurer from White Dove City?"


    "A werewolf, light blue hair, seems familiar somehow?"


    Aiko pondered thoughtfully.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 67: 67. Lin Da? Shes long been kicked out by this young lady.

    "What are you doing here?" Lia, with her fiery temper, squared up to the Beastkin girl of simr height, her arms crossed, and asked sharply.


    Lulu simply ignored the walking powder keg and nced over her shoulder,


    upon seeing the bulky Oru, with his square face and short blond hair exuding a simple and honest aura, she couldn''t hide her disappointment: "Are you Lin Da?"


    "Huh? Looking for Lin Da?"


    Lia was getting angry before Oru could even respond.


    Lin Da had long been kicked out of the team, a fact known throughout the city. Was this Beastkin here to provoke her on purpose by asking for him?


    At that moment, nobody knew Lulu was a member of the Phoenix Tail Flower. Aiko had only heard that Lin Da had taken a girl as a team member, but wasn''t sure of her appearance.


    "I''m looking for Lin Da, what''s it to you?" Lulu nced at Lia, frowning slightly.


    "Lin Da is..."


    Lia opened her mouth but seemed to hesitate.


    As of now, Lin Da really had no connection to her.


    She had no reason to be angry if a stranger was looking for Lin Da.


    Finally, Oru saw an opportunity to butt in: "I''m not Lin Da."


    Lulu, confused: "Not...? Then where is Lin Da? Please, call him out."


    "You''ve got the wrong ce," Lia interrupted irritably. "Lin Da was kicked out of the team by yours truly ages ago!"


    "Then where is he now?" Lulu asked.


    "How would I know!" Lia said annoyedly. "You knock on someone''s door in the middle of the night, ask a bunch of nonsense �C aren''t you annoying?"


    "..."


    "Sorry."


    Lulu bowed to apologize, feeling that what Lia said made sense.


    "But why are you looking for Lin Da?" Aiko asked, puzzled. "Are you his friend?"


    "Friend... not exactly," Lulu replied. "I just have something to ask him."


    "Let me give you a heads up," Lia warned with a menacing look. "Lin Da is my enemy."


    The implication was clear.


    If Lulu dared to be friends with Lin Da, she would be the enemy of Lia, the captain of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, known as Bursting mes Lia.


    Upon hearing Lia''s words, Aiko became so agitated that steam could practically be seening out of her head.


    What nonsense was she spouting?


    Confronting an obviously capable ''guest'' with such brazen derations of war �C her emotional intelligence was off the charts.


    Aiko tried to smooth things over with a smile: "Our captain isn''t the sharpest tool in the shed, so don''t take her words to heart."


    Lulu, unfazed, said: "If that Lin Da is the one I''m looking for, then he''s my enemy too."


    Lia extended her hand, "Then we are friends."


    "I don''t need friends."


    Lulu kept her hands in her pockets, utterly indifferent.


    Lia''s face immediately darkened.


    Lulu, having not found Lin Da nor obtained his whereabouts, left the Snow Goose Adventure Team disappointed.


    The door closed.


    A burst of discussion erupted among the Snow Goose members.


    Oru said, "That Beastman, she seemed to know Lin Da? Do you guys know what''s going on?"


    "I haven''t heard Small Fry Uncle mention anything about knowing such a pretty Beastkindy," Klrona remarked, holding a bag of chips, licking her fingers as she spoke.


    Lia''s face was as ck as coal as she continued staring at her own right hand. She had extended it, only to be ignored by that Beastkin; her pride felt as if it were being roasted over a fire, and it was excruciating.


    "That werewolf girl''s looks, aren''t they just as rumored?"


    Aiko slowly figured it out, "A werewolf, with light blue hair, high level... Could it be, she''s the new teammate Lin Da recently recruited?"


    Lia''s eyes widened.


    The beastman, who gave her a sense of great strength and whom she was unsure of defeating, was Lin Da''s new teammate?


    What could Lin Da possibly have that would attract a beastman of that caliber to join him?


    "Dumb luck, it must be just dumb luck!"


    Lia gnawed on her lip in frustration, feeling that she wouldn''t be able to sleep tonight.


    ...


    In the neighborhood where the Snow Goose Adventure Team resided, there was arge magic fountain in the center, twinkling with colorful lights in the night, especially dazzling.


    Many adventurers rested on the tforms around the fountain, and there were couples, whispering sweet nothings to each other.


    On a bench, there sat a silver-haired girl dressed in casual sportswear, revealing her pale long legs.


    She bowed her head, carefully checking the thick stack of information in her hands.


    "All the information about the team members, handing it to Lin Da, should be fine, right?"


    "My judgement of people can''t be wrong. It''s only by doing this that I can show him the sincerity of Ice Flower."


    "Lin Da, I will definitely make you join my team."


    A charming smile appeared on the silver-haired girl''s face as she packed the information into a ck shoulder bag and slung it over her shoulder.


    Her full hips lifted from the bench, her silver hair falling over it, and her long legs created a striking scene in front of the fountain, attracting the gazes of many adventurers.


    This girl was none other than Isa, captain of the Ice Flower Adventure Team and a genius swordsman, just like Lia.


    She had organized the members'' information in detail, including skills, equipment, and personality traits, with the intention of handing it all over to Lin Da so he could start working on the strategy for the 13th floor.


    And Lin Da''s address had been given to her during theirst lunchtime meeting.


    Isa was about to take Ice Flower''s private carriage when, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a girl from the Werewolf n walking from the direction of Snow Goose Vi.


    Those who are strong can sense each other''s presence.


    Isa''s expression turned stern, her face taking on a serious look.


    The other''s aura made her feel like she was facing a gigantic pr wolf, every inch of her body radiating a cold and dangerous air!


    What would such a person be doinging from Snow Goose''s side?


    Isa''s mind raced as she approach Lulu with a polite smile.


    She extended her hand, greeting, "Are you an adventurer from another ce? Hello, I''m Isa, captain of the Ice Flower Adventure Team."


    Lulu nced at Isa''s extended right hand and said indifferently, "I''m not particrly interested in humans."


    Unruffled, Isa retained herposure, withdrew her hand, and said, "I saw youing from the Snow Goose Adventure Team, are you applying? Snow Goose has been recruiting recently."


    "No." Lulu was in a bad mood for not finding Lin Da and didn''t feel like dealing with Isa. She murmured under her breath, "That Lin Da, where could he be..."


    Isa heard Lulu''s muttering and raised an eyebrow, "Are you looking for Lin Da? Is there something you need from him?"


    Lulu countered, "Do you know him?"


    "Yes. I also know where he is," Isa responded with a smile. "Would you mind telling me why you are looking for him?"


    "He might be... an acquaintance," Lulu replied hesitantly and vaguely.


    An acquaintance?


    Isa quietly sized up Lulu.


    Why did this little orc seem a bit resentful? Could Lin Da have done something to her?


    "I happen to be on my way to see him. Shall we go together?" Isa gestured toward the carriage.


    Lulu paused for a second and then said softly, "Thank you."


    "No problem, we''re all adventurers from White Dove City, bound to help each other out sooner orter," Isa said, taking Lulu''s hand and leading her into the carriage.


    Lulu felt the warmth in Isa''s palm and her tense body slowly rxed. This woman was not quite like the treacherous and filthy humans she had encountered before.

 Chapter 68: 68. Lulu discovers the truth.

    The carriage left the affluent neighborhood.


    The curtains were drawn, and Lulu, sitting inside the carriage, didn''t see Lin Da and Kafni passing by with several boxes of constion gifts.


    After reconsidering, Lin Da had bought some milk and magical beast meat to visit the injured Oru.


    Meanwhile, Isa took Lulu,


    to the Sparrow District, to the small cottage that Lin Da had rented.


    When they arrived here, Lulu''s expression became very strange.


    "Sparrow District, Harvest Road, Adventurer''s Shortcut District Building 3, Room 305?"


    Lulu silently recited the address ''Li Cha'' had given her.


    This was Harvest Road.


    This was the Adventurer''s Shortcut District.


    Then, Isa brought her to the third floor, to Room 305.


    Lulu was stunned.


    So, that ''Li Cha'' and Snow Goose from the Snow Goose Adventure Team were the same person?!


    Lulu was confused��why would ''Li Cha'' purposely deceive her?


    "Seems like there''s no one home," Isa knocked on the door, but there was no response inside.


    Lulu silently walked up to the front.


    With a swipe of a beast w.


    The chain broke, and with a click, the simple wooden door opened.


    Isa looked at her in surprise: "Miss Lulu, what are you doing?"


    Lulu did not answer, her azure eyes filled with a coldness.


    She remembered the look in the cave, that fleeting gaze reminiscent of the captain''s.


    Li Cha was likely the person she was looking for.


    Lulu couldn''t help butugh bitterly to herself.


    Three years had passed, and the leader who was known as a genius adventurer had be so weak, not even having the courage to face her?


    His personality change was also significant, from a lifeless magic machinery operator into a living person.


    What had happened over these three years?


    Lulu had a belly full of doubts.


    But she also realized amid her full-blown doubts and anger, there was a me-like fragile joy. She might have understood why Lin Da would expose something like the Witch Purification ability just to save her.


    The ''Beastman friend'' Lin Da knew must be her.


    Did he feel guilty about kicking her out of the team, so he decided to extend a helping hand?


    Avoiding, hiding, not daring to face...


    ''Lord Captain, this really isn''t like you!''


    Lulu stepped into the rental house, surveying every corner. It was dpidated and stifling hot inside, apparently not even having a Cooling Magic Array.


    Disappeared for three years, just to hide in such a broken ce...


    But, she had finally found it.


    Lulu lifted the corners of her mouth.


    Even if she had to press Lin Da''s head down, she would make him properly apologize!


    "May I ask, what exactly is the rtionship between you and Lin Da?"


    Isa, who had followed behind her into the room, asked tentatively.


    Lulu thought for a moment and said, "Former teammate."


    That was a relief.


    Isa breathed a sigh of relief.


    But then she heard Lulu add, "Now... also a teammate."


    Isa: "???"


    Indeed, there must be some unspeakable connection between Lin Da and this beastman girl!


    Why would an adventurer of nearly the same level as her be willing to join Lin Da''s team?


    Isa''s hand clenched the strap of her shoulder bag involuntarily,


    and her heart skipped a beat with a wildly improbable thought��could it be that Lin Da really had a chance of catching up to the Ice Flower Adventure Team in the strategyyers?


    ording to their agreement, once Lin Da surpassed her, she would have to join Lin Da''s team.


    That sort of thing,


    Please, no!


    Isa''s heart raced with anxiety, feeling a bit regretful for agreeing to Lin Da''s terms.


    Meanwhile, Lulu wandered into the rented house''s washroom and noticed several lines of twisted and crooked handwriting on the wall next to the mirror.


    Front and foremost was ''Be the number one adventure team in White Dove City.''


    She continued reading down the wall.


    The line at the bottom, neat like it had been printed by a magic device, was all too familiar to Lulu.


    It was the captain''s handwriting.


    ''I hope to safely reach the summit of the World Tree.''


    Was this the captain''s goal?


    Were the ones above written by his former team members, the members of the Snow Goose?


    Just from reading the words, Lulu could sense the joyful atmosphere that surrounded that team.


    In contrast to the Primordial Adventure Team Lulu had been a part of, where the ''Lin Da'' she received was always a cold, pressure machine; with the captain around, the members had to be cautious even with their breathing.


    She didn''t want to be criticized, didn''t want to be kicked out of the team, stripped of her equipment...


    But the Lin Da that the Snow Geese got was a kind-hearted captain who quietly wrote an inconspicuous line in the corner, wishing for his members'' safe ascent to the summit?


    Lost in thought, Lulu touched the top-most, worn yet brazenly confident line ''Be the number one adventure team in White Dove City,'' feeling a sharp bitterness well up in her chest.


    If only that captain had shown her one-tenth of the affection he had for this writer, she wouldn''t have ended up bing a witch.


    It was from lessons learnt from the ''former former teammates'' like her that were cast aside, which allowed theter Snow Goose Adventure Teams to benefit.


    Clenching her teeth, Lulu''s beastly ws left several vicious marks on the wall writings!


    Although she didn''t have much conflict with the Snow Goose Adventure Team, for the first time, Lulu felt a strong repulsion towards an unknown adventure team!


    Just then, Isa''s voice came from the living room, "There''s a note left by Lin Da; it seems he won''t be back for a few days."


    "What?"


    Lulu quickly stepped out, frowning as she took the note to read it.


    It read: I''m going to visit an old teammate and then make a trip to Red Heart City, returning in about three days.


    "Tch."


    Lulu gnashed her teeth with frustration, feeling like she had lifted a rock only to drop it on her own foot.


    She had sent Lin Da to Red Heart City to recruit that kid,


    purely to test if Lin Da was the captain or not.


    Only the captain of the Primitive Adventure Team could persuade the other party to join the team.


    "Three days... Alright, I''ll wait for you toe back," Lulu scanned the rental house, nning to stay there.


    If Lin Da actually brings that kid back, it will be irond proof of his captaincy, and she would not believe anything else he says, no matter how many lies he tells.


    "You...aren''t leaving?"


    Isa looked surprised at Lulu, who sat cross-legged on the living room table, rather impolitely.


    Lulu shook her head, "I''m waiting for Lin Da toe back."


    "I see," a hint of disappointment shed in Isa''s eyes.


    Isa wanted to try talking to Lin Da as well, to see if they werepatible. She had a good impression of this intelligent, handsome adventurer known as ''Eye of Wisdom.''


    But there were just too manypetitors.


    Isa could think of at least three or four off the top of her head.


    ...


    "Achoo."


    Lin Da, carrying a box full of milk and magical beast meat gift boxes, sneezed without reason.


    "What''s wrong?" Kafni, with a candy in her mouth and a bag of skewers in her arms, walked and ate at the same time.


    Kafni, who imed digging up Demon Cores was a great contribution, naturally took half of the 25 gold coins.


    That rounds up to 13 gold coins.


    The Inner City District had many snack stalls at night, and Kafni bought whatever she saw, boasting wildly.


    Lin Da, on the other hand, had spent ten gold coins on milk and the meat of a level 3 Magical Creature, the Great White Dove.


    Combined, they would promote healing of injuries.

 Chapter 69: 69. Lin Da encounters Lia at night

    ```


    "I bet someone''s cursing me behind my back."


    Lin Da wiped his nose, slightly confused.


    Looking ahead at severalrge buildings,


    aside from the detached luxury vis, there were also regr apartment buildings, which were much cheaper than the former.


    Klyne and Oru had taken out a loan to buy an apartment here.


    Entering the neighborhood, not far ahead, there was a huge magic fountain, its colorful glow particrly captivating.


    Beside it, there were many benches where adventurers gathered in groups of twos and threes, mostly couples.


    Adventurers jogging past Lin Da, and on the square, a group of elderly adventurers were dancing to exercise routines, while a bunch of kids yed noisily with wooden swords.


    This scene from another world was quite simr to reality.


    Lin Da walked straight on.


    "Hey," Kafni seemed to have noticed something and nudged Lin Da with her elbow, pointing forward with her chin.


    Following the direction Kafni indicated, Lin Da paused for a moment.


    On a bench beside the magic fountain sat a girl with fiery red hair.


    It was the captain of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, Lia.


    She was alone, without her teammates by her side��perhaps she hade out to clear her mind?


    The light and shadows of the fountain fell on Lia''s face, fluctuating between light and dark, her small face staring nkly up at the night sky, looking somewhat deste.


    As Lin Da and Kafni, an attractive pair, passed by Lia, she indeed noticed them.


    Lin Da pretended not to see her and walked on as usual.


    But he could feel a sharp gaze sticking to him like someone had aimed a sword at him.


    Lia, seeing thefort gifts in Lin Da''s hand, initially rxed her expression, thinking about how to refuse them.


    But unexpectedly,


    Lin Da treated her like air and just breezed past her!


    Thefort gifts, after all that trouble, were not for her!


    Lia was already frustrated from her defeat on the 11th floor; Lin Da''s disregard was about to make her explode with anger.


    Meanwhile, Lin Da had almost walked away when he heard someone calmly say behind him:


    "I didn''t lose, Missy."


    "?"


    He hadn''t said anything, had he?


    Having been addressed, Lin Da had no choice but to stop. Walking away now would seem too deliberate.


    He turned to Lia.


    Lia''s face was lifted, stubborn, like a disheveled but still proud peacock.


    Thick bandages were wrapped around the girl''s arms, arge pain-relief patch on her forehead, her left handy casually by her side, her right hand on her hip, slightly tilted in a carefree manner.


    "If it hurts, you don''t have to tough it out," Lin Da quickly saw through Lia''s facade of strength.


    It was exactly people like her who would suffer for the sake of pride and never admit that even a decapitation hurt.


    Lia''s face twitched; she moved her hands, "It''s just a minor injury, it''ll heal in a few days."


    That gesture seemed like she was trying to prove something.


    Only her eyebrows furrowed noticeably.


    Lin Da pointed to the pain-relief patch on her forehead: "The blood''s seeping through."


    Lia''s expression copsed.


    No wonder her head felt fuzzy.


    She casually said, "Such a minor wound, it doesn''t matter."


    "Oh," Lin Da nodded, nced around to see that Kafni had sidled off��who knows when��perhaps afraid Lia mightsh out at her?


    This deity was sometimes pretty smart.


    Lin Da left Lia behind and stepped forward.


    ```


    "I heard you''ve set up a small team called the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team?"


    For some reason, Lia was especially chatty that day,


    Lin Da was a bit annoyed and hummed an acknowledgment.


    The double nonmittal hums caused the bleeding on Lia''s head to surge.


    She red at Lin Da and said word by word, "Your adventure team will never, ever be able to match up to my Snow Goose."


    "I wasn''t trying topete with you," Lin Da said, puzzled, "What exactly are you trying so hard to prove?"


    "But... if we were topete, the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team wouldn''t lose to any team," he said.


    "What, you''re way too arrogant!"


    Lia, driven toughter by her fury, pointed at Lin Da, "You''ve changed, you''re not the Lin Da you used to be!"


    The Lin Da of the past would have shown her warm concern.


    He would have stayed by her side when she was unhappy and assisted the team perfectly to clear the next level.


    Lin Da said, "You''ve changed too."


    Lia''s eyes were firm, "I haven''t."


    Lin Da shook his head, unwilling to continue the argument with the young girl, and walked away with the gift.


    In the square, many adventurers were sneaking peeks at them.


    Lia shot a warning re at the crowd, then stormed back to the vi, fists clenched in frustration.


    She hade out to clear her mind, but after meeting Lin Da, her mood had only worsened.


    When she got back to the vi, she saw Aiko sitting on the couch with slices of cucumber covering her face, her head tilted back, emanating a faint white Magic Power glow, immersed in meditation.


    Lia poured herself a cup of coffee, cupped it with both hands, and held it to her chest, her thoughts in turmoil, "Aiko, do you think I''ve changed?"


    "Huh?"


    Aiko opened her eyes, surprised, and leaned to look at Lia, wondering what had upset the hot-tempered girl this time.


    She nced around and said, "Nope, Lia is always Lia, she never changes."


    On hearing this, Lia breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Aiko, you really understand me."


    Lia felt much better.


    With a grimace, she finished her unsweetened coffee, went upstairs to her bedroom to change the pain relief patch on her forehead, and then grabbed the Greatsword Sun Eater, practicing with grunts and effort.


    The wound throbbed with searing pain, but Lia gritted her teeth, letting her Fire Series Battle Qi circte throughout her body.


    The defeat on the eleventh level was only temporary,


    On the twelfth level of the World Tree, she was determined to lead the Snow Goose Adventure Team to a Perfect Clear!


    ...


    Behind the vi areay a cluster of residential buildings.


    In a four-story building, Lin Da was warmly received by his old teammates.


    "I was just saying we should get Klyne to buy some pigeon meat, and here you are, bringing over gifts," said Oru,ughing as he opened the door and saw Lin Da and Kafni standing outside with the gifts.


    "Wee." The Elf Girl Klyne smiled politely, took the gifts from Lin Da''s hands, and invited them into the living room.


    The two old teammates didn''t seem to be in great shape.


    Lin Da noticed a trace of exhaustion deep in Klyne''s eyes and that Oru''s right arm was bandaged up like a mummy, with the heavy scent of ''Golden Sunflower'' emanating from it��a Magical Herb known to promote bone healing.


    The four sat down at the living room table, exchanged courtesies, and talked about their recent experiences.


    When the conversation turned to Snow Goose Adventure Team''s conquest of the eleventh level, Klyne, who had been silent until then, suddenly clenched her fist and said in a low voice:


    "Lia went too far. She didn''t mention a word about Oru''s injury, just kept ming him."


    Oru was straightforward and honest; he felt that being scolded by Lia was no big deal,


    But his girlfriend Klyne could not stand it. Even when Oru''s shield arm was broken, he didn''t back down. The reason for the team''s heavy losses was all due to Lia and Aiko always drawing away the Magical Creatures'' aggro,


    In the end, it was Oru who was med for not being able to keep the creatures at bay.


    Klyne, a regr Elf Girl without a particrly forgiving heart,ined incessantly.

 Chapter 70: 70, Lin Da and Big Lolita

    Lin Da listened to Snow Goose''s strategy and couldn''t help but feel speechless, "So, why can''t you just take on the three Swift Rock Lizards separately?"


    "Have Oru and Klrona each lure one away and then have Lia and Aiko team up to take down another?"


    "Is that even possible?" Oru asked, scratching his head in confusion.


    "Actually, there''s a simpler method. Just coat the damage dealers with Dragon Dung��the Swift Rock Lizards are afraid of that smell."


    Lin Da sighed:


    "However, the best approach would still be for you and Klrona to concentrate on attacking the Swift Rock Lizards'' tails as that is their weak point, which generates the most aggro.


    Debilitate them all, and then finish them off with Aiko''s area of effect Magic, ''Rain of Light,'' to take down all three Swift Rock Lizards at once,


    which will trigger the eleventh level''s hidden condition, and the quality of the Treasure Chest dropped by the Magical Creatures will be one tier higher."


    When Oru and Klyne heard his detailed analysis, they were a bit stunned, exchanging nces, wondering why the eleventh level seemed so simple?


    If they strictly followed Lin Da''s method, would it be another no-damage fight?


    Confused, Klyne asked, "Lin Da, can I ask, how do you know so much? You haven''t been to the eleventh level, have you?"


    "I haven''t been, but I''ve watched others'' strategy live broadcasts."


    Lin Da had already thought about how to address these kinds of questions and said:


    "Apart from spending Gold Coins to watch the famous adventure teams'' live strategy broadcasts, there are also adventurers'' diaries and records, which contain a lot of important information.


    Like the fact that Swift Rock Lizards are afraid of Dragon Dung, I found that in a book called ''Matos''s Elderly Pig Farming Life'',


    One day, Matos was hit on the head by Dragon Dung from the sky, and on his way home, he didn''t encounter any Swift Lizards.


    After testing it, I found it was useful, so there''s a high probability that Dragon Dung also works on Swift Rock Lizards of the same species."


    Listening to this, Oru was dumbfounded: "Out of a hundred books of that sort, aren''t ny-nine of them useless? You immerse yourself in the library just to read these things?"


    Lin Da shook his head, "They may seem useless, but if you dig deep, you can find some valuable information."


    In the first year aftering to Another World, Lin Da moved back and forth between the library and his rental house.


    The number of misceneous books in the library was immense, enough to form mountains. Finding valuable things from them was like panning gold from dirt.


    Moreover, most of them consisted of adventurers boasting about themselves, making it difficult to distinguish the real information, much less apply it to strategies for the World Tree...


    Thinking about this, Oru could only admitplete admiration.


    Previously, like Lia and the others, he hadfortably enjoyed the benefits brought by Lin Da''s strategies, knowing Lin Da was good at devising strategies, but he had never imagined he would be this impressive,


    "Brother Lin Da, look, can we join your team?" Oru, caught up in the excitement, blurted out.


    Seeing the troubled look on Lin Da''s face, Klyne sternly scolded Oru, "Stop talking nonsense, our contract with Snow Goose is still valid for two more years, can you afford the penalty fee?"


    Clearly, they didn''t have that kind of money. If they wanted to switch teams, it would have to be paid by Lin Da, the captain of Phoenix Tail Flower.


    But clearly, Lin Da, just starting out, did not have ample funds.


    A whileter.


    "No need to see us out, take care and heal your injuries as soon as possible."


    At the entrance, Lin Da and Kafni said goodbye.


    As Oru and Klyne watched them leave, staring at Lin Da''s silhouette, Oru couldn''t help butment:


    "Ah, it would be nice if Brother Lin Da could return to the team. Klyne, do you want to try persuading the captain again?"


    "Her? I get annoyed just seeing her now." Klyne''s face turned sallow, "That kind of captain doesn''t treat team members as human beings."


    "Moreover, Lin Da won''te back." Klyne sighed, "He has his own team now, how could he possiblye back?"


    "Right." Oru scratched his head awkwardly, "Then let''s just get through these two years, wait out our contract, and then join Brother Lin Da."


    "But I''m really scared." Klyne shivered and nestled in Oru''s arms, a worried look in her eyes, "The higher floors of the World Tree are bing increasingly dangerous. Lia still needs to reach the 15th floor in three months. Is our team really okay? I''m afraid that one day I will lose you."


    Death ismonce for adventurers in the World Tree.


    The poption of White Dove City was around a million decades ago, and it has only decreased over time, making it hard to find anyone over fifty years old in the city.


    Adventurers gain everything in the World Tree and lose everything in the World Tree.


    "Don''t worry, I, Oru, will definitely protect you!"


    Oru promised emphatically, thumping his chest with his left hand.


    "Mhm." Klyne''s cheeks flushed red, and then Oru picked her up, closed the doors and windows, and slowly, strange noises began to emanate from the room.


    ...


    After leaving the wealthy neighborhood, Lin Da and Kafni boarded a carriage bound for Red Heart City.


    Both were eager to find the next team member and officially start their adventure in the World Tree.


    Though Lulu is strong, the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team''s current level is zero. Lulu can only enter the Public Grand Secret Realm, and such minor secret realms, having been visited once, are of no help to them.


    On a modest small bed inside the carriage, Lin Daid down, resting his arm as a pillow, looking up at the dark canvas above, thinking to himself:


    The moment he had kicked Lulu out of the team was in the early versions when the World Tree reached the 15th floor. That means, only after reaching the 15th floor, could Lulu officially join the minor secret realm''s adventure.


    Before then, they still needed to find another team member.


    Thinking back to the information Lulu had provided about the 15th-level Mage, who resided in Red Heart City and was somewhat shy, he realized he needed to be more cordial when inviting him.


    Lin Da had also learned that this person, like him, had changed professions. Three years ago, he was a 20th-level warrior who took massive risks to switch to the Mage profession.


    Attaining level 15 again in three years, Lin Da respected his talent.


    The carriage left White Dove City and entered the wilderness.


    Red Heart City wasn''t far away; they could get there overnight.


    For this journey, Lin Da had spent a hundred gold coins on carriage fare.


    The roads in the wilderness were rough, and the carriage jolted vigorously. Next to Lin Da, Kafni''s sleeping posture was poor, as a long leg or arm would frequently invade his space.


    Though Kafni was a Scrap God, she indeed had plump, soft arms and legs. As an Old Mage who had never been indulgent, Lin Da''s self-control was severely tested.


    He reminded himself sternly not to lose control, for if he identally wet his pants due to a dream, and Kafni found out, that would truly be embarrassing.


    On another note, should he also consider getting a girlfriend? Lin Da remembered the visit to Oru''s ce, where Klyne clung to Oru like a little bird, and he felt a bit envious.


    If the person with him today was not Kafni but a girlfriend, then they could really spice things up in the carriage.


    That night, Lin Da slept restlessly, his dreams intermittent.


    He dreamt a girl crawled into his nkets, her face unclear. At first, he thought it was Aiko, who ced his hand atop something soft,


    just as he was about to make a move, the figure turned into Lulu, her icy eyes staring at him, which scared him so much that he immediately lost all inappropriate thoughts.


    But upon closer inspection, the girl''s appearance in his arms changed again, this time to a brown-haired Big Lolita, wrapping around him like an octopus in distress, timidly whispering:


    "Lord Captain, please don''t abandon me..."

 Chapter 71: 71. Red Heart City and The Mandalas

    "Ugh!"


    Lin Da woke with a start from a nightmare, his forehead drenched in cold sweat.


    The air inside the carriage was a bit stuffy, making it hard for him to breathe.


    As his consciousness gradually cleared, he realized the real culprity elsewhere,


    Lin Da focused his eyes and to his surprise, there really was a ''beautiful girl'' in his arms.


    But it wasn''t the familiar brown-haired Big Lolita from his dreams, instead, it was Kafni, sound asleep and drooling from the corner of her mouth!


    A pair of annoying big ones were suffocating him and that was why he had been having nightmares time after time!


    "Scrap God, roll over to the side for me!"


    Lin Da kicked Kafni away in annoyance.


    "Ah, what''s going on, are there Magical Creatures attacking?" Kafni blinked her eyes open, still drowsy, and fumbled around for her weapon.


    "Sigh." Lin Da sighed and wiped off the deity''s drool from his face.


    Outside the carriage window, the night was still deep; hey back down,


    plugged his ears, ignoring Kafni''sints.


    In his head, the image of that shy, brown-haired Big Lolita still lingered.


    Her petite frame, her big, soft pandapanion, who also liked to sneak peeks at naughtyic books behind the team leader''s back...


    In the "Mystic Continent" poprity rankings for four-star SR cards, that social-anxious Big Lolita always ranked high up.


    Only, she became too weakter on; as a warrior, her passive skill was ''ss Cannon'', with reduced defense and increased damage. Against the fierce bosses in the higher levels, she wouldn''tst many rounds before she''d turn into a greyscale avatar.


    Therefore, that Big Lolita was kicked out of Lin Da''s main team early on and, as a mascot, she was relegated to dusting in the storage room, where tapping on her once a day would him a thousand Gold Coins.


    It was only today that he suddenly remembered he had such a team member, a panda no smaller than Kafni or Aiko.


    "The person that Lulu asked me to find in Red Heart City is a Mage, not a warrior, so I must have been overthinking it."


    Lin Daughed at himself.


    The Mystic Continent was so vast; how could he possibly run into a former team member by such a coincidence?


    It was just his exuberant energy, with nowhere to channel it, creating those mixed-up dreams, that''s all.


    Once he got a girlfriend, those dreams of grapes he could not eat and longed for would never ur again.


    The carriage sped through the wilderness, beneath the stars and the moon.


    For thetter half of the night, Lin Da managed to sleep, after a fashion.


    The next day.


    Lin Da and hispanion got off the carriage on the outskirts of Red Heart City and immediately found some Magical Creatures to subdue. If there were monsters, they cut them down; if there weren''t, they hastened along the road, killing seven or eight level 7 Bald Eagles and a couple dozen trash Slimes, totaling 100 Mystical Points earned.


    By noon, they officially entered the city.


    As foreigners, each person paid a Gold Coin to enter the city.


    Upon entry, the World Tree towering over the center of Red Heart City was immediately in sight.


    The branches of this World Tree were twisted, forming a heart shape much like a red peach, which gave Red Heart City its renown.


    "Peach-filled pancakes, hot off the grill��get them here~ Speciality of Red Heart City, adventurers passing by, don''t miss out!"


    "Plenty Water Inn, grand opening celebration��special discount for foreign adventurers, stay for a 30% discount! Check out the new Elves missy!"


    "Iron Cage Armor, trustworthy��Red Heart''s products are always top-notch!"


    The lively voices came flooding in, with all kinds of shops and stalls on the street enthusiastically calling out to the adventurers entering the city.


    Eating, drinking, ying, and enjoying life��these were the four favorite pastimes of adventurers outside the World Tree.


    When that pimping Minotaur shouted the words "Elven maiden," arge group of drooling adventurers immediately flocked to patronize the establishment.


    When Lin Da approached to ask for directions, the Minotaur red at him:


    "Humans, don''t bother our miss. We only serve Beastmen!"


    Upon closer observation, Lin Da noticed that among the clients surrounding the Minotaur, there were those with dog heads, pig heads, and crocodile heads, as well as many Subspecies Orcs like Lulu with only animal ears and tails��but not a single human was seen.


    "Racial discrimination?" Lin Da wondered aloud in confusion.


    "Discrimination my ass, only humans discriminate against Beastmen, no Beastmen discriminate against humans, get it? If you disturb my business again, that''s discrimination against Beastmen!"


    The Minotaur, with a nose ring, pushed Lin Da aside and walked towards Kafni with a smile, "Adventurer, would you like toe to our ce and be a roast chicken... ahem ahem, I mean, a princess? You''ll earn at least ten Gold Coins a day, far easier than the toil of adventuring."


    Upon hearing this, Kafni flew into a rage, "What?! You looking down on me, huh? I''m not finished with you today!"


    "Then Old Bull shall truly have a lesson!"


    The Minotaur snorted and reached out for Kafni, ncing around to ensure no one from the Law Enforcement Bureau was around, his mouth curved into a sly grin, harboring a dark thought.


    But at that moment, a hand as strong as iron pincers grabbed the Minotaur''s wrist and lightly twisted it outwards, causing a crack��the Minotaur''s wrist broke right there and then!


    How could this human''s strength be greater than Old Bull''s?


    The Minotaur, ignoring the pain, stared at Lin Da in astonishment. He was a level 7 ''Bull Warrior'' focused on strength, yet with his wrist in the human''s grip, he was unable to make the slightest movement!


    "You''re done for, my boss is from The Mands, you''re in for it now!" The Minotaur desperately clutched his wrist, "Have the guts to wait here for me!"


    With that, he took off running like a shot.


    Are all Beastmen such bullies when they have the upper hand but cowards otherwise?


    Lin Da shrugged helplessly and looked at the displeased Kafni, "Are you alright?"


    "Once I regain my power, I''ll wipe out the Minotaur from this world first," Kafni said vehemently.


    The two did not wait foolishly for their adversary to return for revenge. Following the address given by Lulu, they hailed a carriage and made their way to the Inner City District of Red Heart City.


    On the way, Lin Da thought of what the Minotaur had said about The Mands, and he couldn''t help but chuckle bitterly��that family was Lia''s!


    The Mands were one of the biggest families in Red Heart City, mainly dealing with mining and some grey-area businesses on the edge of imperialw, involved in gambling and more, making them the true local heavyweights of Red Heart City.


    However, due to his connection with Lia, Lin Da was somewhat friendly with Lady Bellini of The Mands.


    Sometimes, when preparing strategy materials in Red Heart City, he would visit thedy, leveraging The Mands'' connections for his material collection.


    But for some reason, Lia never returned to Red Heart City, seemingly having severe conflicts with her family. Lady Bellini would look heartbroken every time she mentioned Lia, asking Lin Da to take good care of her.


    Now that he and Lia had gone their separate ways, Lin Da naturally felt awkward visiting Lady Bellini. He intended to enter the city quietly, invite this ''kid'' that Lulu talked about into the team, and then quietly leave.


    From the pouch on his belt, he took out a pre-written note with the address he remembered, which read: Inner City District of Red Heart City, Seventh Ring, 75 Red Rock Avenue.


    As for the other person''s name, Lulu had not told him, only that she was an 18-year-old girl who was shy.


    Gentle, remember to be gentle... Lin Da rubbed his face, practicing a sunny smile.


    Kafni watched from the side and sneered, "Disgusting."


    About half an hourter, the two arrived at 75 Red Rock Avenue.

 Chapter 72: 72, Waste Girl

    This was a western-style house with a white dome roof, upying about a hundred square meters, and had a small garden outside.


    However, the area was overrun with weeds that enveloped the house, leaving just a barely passable path leading to the front door.


    After getting off the carriage, Kafni saw the deste scene and her face fell, "The address the Beastman gave isn''t wrong, is it? It doesn''t look like anyone lives here at all?"


    "That''s not possible, if there was no one, even this path would be overgrown with weeds." Lin Da walked up to the door, knocked, and said loudly, "Hello, is anyone there? I''m an adventurer rmended by Lulu!"


    Thump, thump, thump thump thump!


    He knocked a dozen times in a row without any response.


    Not at home?


    Lin Da frowned and looked around, noticing all the windows of the house had their curtains tightly drawn.


    On such a hot day, he pressed his ear to the wall but couldn''t hear any sounds of the Cooling Magic Array running inside.


    It seemed no one was home.


    They had no choice but to temporarily rent a room at an inn and decide toe back in the afternoon to check again.


    About ten minutes after they left, a rustling of footsteps sounded inside the house.


    The person, timid as a frightened hamster, moved closer to the front door, peered out through the peephole with utmost caution, and after confirming that the two strange adventurers calling her had left, she clutched her chest and let out a long sigh of relief, murmuring in a timid voice,


    "No, didn''t turn on the Cooling Magic Array, that''s really good..."


    The young girl inside the house wore only a loose-fitting white shirt with an orange cat pattern drawn on it. Sticky sweat covered her pale skin, and despite the stifling heat inside the room, she was still clinging to arge, fuzzy caterpir doll.


    It seemed she didn''t have a single point in hand, not even daring to approach the door to look.


    Soon after, the girl went to the living room to check the food in the fridge, which was filled with boxes of chopped cabbage. With her and the cat''s modest appetite, it was enough tost half a month.


    She took out a box of chocte ice cream from the bottom freezer and held it in her palm with a relieved smile.


    "Hee hee, hee hee hee... Being useless, is really great."


    After eating one-fifth of the ice cream, she licked her lips and reluctantly put it back in the freezer. She returned to the bedroom,y back on the bed, holding a red and blue Magic Puppet console in her hand, propped against a tall panda doll,


    That way, her arms weren''t strained at all, the distance was good, so she didn''t have to worry about her eyesight getting worse.


    Using her waist to control the Magic Puppet inside, about the size of a fingernail, she made it jump, attack, beating one Slime after another.


    The sun quickly set, and dusk arrived in the blink of an eye.


    Thump thump thump!


    Thump thump thump thump!


    Another round of urgent knocking sounded.


    "Excuse me, is anyone home? I''m an adventurer rmended by Lulu, I''d like to invite you to join our team!"


    The clear male voice outside scared the girl inside so much that her face turned pale with fright, she buried her head in the nket, and her bare feet stuck out trembling.


    Who on earth was outside! Don''te in; she no longer wanted to be an adventurer ever again!


    She begged the person outside to spare her, a useless wretch like herself!


    ...


    "Still not at home?"


    Lin Da withdrew his hand in disappointment and walked over to the window, looking for a crack to peer inside through.


    If it turned out to be a house that hadn''t been inhabited for a long time, he would have to consider the trip a waste and return to White Dove City.


    The problem was, the curtains were drawn so tightly that not a single gap was left.


    From the path outside that had no weeds, it was most likely that someone lived there.


    Today was a coincidence, and the owner of the house was out on an adventure and hadn''te back yet?


    "I''lle back tomorrow to check again."


    Lin Da helplessly departed with Kafni.


    The next day arrived.


    It was still the same.


    The house''s Cooling Magic Array wasn''t active, and there were no signs the door had been opened.


    Lin Da had intentionally stuffed a de of grass in the door; when he checked back, it hadn''t fallen.


    He and Kafni had no choice but to go to the wilderness to hunt Magical Creatures, spending the day that way.


    Red Heart City''s surrounding areas didn''t have any great leveling spots: either the Magical Creatures were too high-level or too low. After a whole day, Lin Da only managed to collect 24 level 5 Demon Cores.


    Selling them, he earned 50 Gold Coins, and his Mystical Points increased by 240.


    The third day.


    This was supposed to be the day he returned to White Dove City with the ''new team member''.


    But after three days, he hadn''t even seen the person.


    He couldn''t help but worry whether they had encountered something on their adventure and couldn''t make it back...


    He arrived at 75 Red Rock Avenue as usual, but this time the scene before him was different from the previous two days, lifting Lin Da''s despondent spirits.


    A short middle-aged man, carrying arge bundle of dolls, was walking from the house towards here.


    There was a dpidated cart on the road, its carriage filled with bags stuffed with dolls. From the corners that peeked out, one could see they were mostly chibi plush Magical Creature dolls.


    But that wasn''t the focus. The ''child'' Lulu mentioned was a man who looked to be at least forty years old?


    Lin Da''s mouth hung open in shock.


    "Who are you, and what brings you here?" asked the uncle warily, scrutinizing them both.


    "Actually, we''re adventurers rmended by Lulu..."


    "Lulu? Who''s that, I don''t know her. Anyway, I got your point. You also want to take on the doll-sewing work, huh?"


    Hearing Lin Da say so, a hint of scorn surfaced on the uncle''s face as he looked him up and down��such a big adventurer, yet making a living sewing dolls like a little girl.


    "Dolls, what are you talking about?" Lin Da was totally confused.


    "Sewing handmade dolls, right?"


    The uncle threw the big bag of dolls he was carrying onto the cart and made a few checks at random, muttering in admiration:


    "Worthy of being sewn by a former elite adventurer, not a single loose thread, this joint, as seamless as it gets, tsk tsk! Paying that kid a copper coin per doll seems a bit little."


    As he spoke, the uncle opened a box in the cart, which was filled with lots of cotton and shriveled plush doll skins, and said to Lin Da, who seemed to have understood something:


    "Here, it''s for sewing these dolls, one copper coin each. It might be slow at first, but once you get the hang of it, sixty a day is no problem."


    "One copper coin each?" Lin Da''s expression changed.


    Sewing such a doll would take at least twenty minutes.


    The pay was only one copper coin... Not even enough to buy a loaf of hard, sawdust-filled ck bread.


    "What, not enough for you? She''s been doing it for two and a half years, very skillful, and I''m still paying her one copper coin each. You, a neer, aim for the sky too?"


    The uncle pointed to the overgrown house and said with irritation.


    "First of all, one copper coin is indeed too low, you''re truly ck-hearted." Lin Da''s gaze became stern as he looked at the man: "Secondly, I''ll give you a Gold Coin, and I want to ask, is there someone in that house?"


    Lin Da pulled out a shiny round Gold Coin from his chest, engraved with the emblem of the World Tree.


    The uncle''s eyes immediately brightened: "You aren''t nning to sew dolls?"


    "Of course not!" Lin Da shook his head, "I came to find the owner of this house, having tried for three days without luck in meeting her."

 Chapter 73: 73. Lin Da seduces an ignorant young girl

    After taking the Gold Coin, the other party''s attitude warmed up considerably, eyes squinting into slits with a smile as they carefully put the coin into their pocket.


    This person imed his name was Mingde and that he was a retired adventurer who now worked as a doll merchant.


    Mainly ''pit,'' well, mainly peddling to out-of-town adventurers.


    In response to Lin Da''s question, Uncle Mingdeughed, "It''s right that you can''t see her! I''ve known that kid for two and a half years and have never seen her once!"


    "Then how did you get those dolls?" Lin Da pointed to the big bags inside the carriage, looking bewildered.


    "We conduct transactions based on trust."


    Uncle Mingde said, "The kid would leave the dolls outside in advance, I''d take them, and then leave the corresponding copper coins at the door. She woulde out and collect them on her own."


    "You''ve never seen her?" Lin Da was astonished.


    "Hmm, I''ve only heard her voice, very soft and delicate, it''s definitely a girl. One time I got curious about how the kid looked, so after cing the reward properly, I hid outside, waiting for her toe out. But, after waiting half an hour, some ruffian adventurers passing by took the copper coins, and she didn''te out!"


    "There was nothing I could do. I just had to get the copper coins back and put them at the door again. As soon as I left, I came back a few minutester to check, and the copper coins were gone. There was a note left behind, though, thanking Uncle me for helping her recover the copper coins."


    Uncle Mingde beamed, "She''s still a polite and good kid, geez, she''s just a bit shy and unwilling to show her face."


    This is ''a bit''? It''s practically extreme social anxiety!


    Lin Da secretly scoffed in his heart.


    He looked towards the white western-style house withplex feelings. He had been here for three days, thinking the other party was not at home, but all this time, were they deliberately hiding from him?


    Not using the Cooling Magic Array, aren''t they bothered by the heat?


    Or is it to save money?


    Lin Da was slightly annoyed and determined to see what kind of "turtle" was hiding inside, treating him and Kafni like salted meat hung out to dry.


    "Thank you for the information, Uncle," Lin Da thanked with a cup of his hands.


    However, Uncle Mingde warned him and Kafni, "You two, you''re not nning to do something to that kid, are you? If you dare to forcefully intrude into a private residence, I can notify the Law Enforcement Bureau."


    "Uh, don''t worry about that, we won''t. We are bona fide adventurers," Lin Da quickly exined. "I was referred by the kid''s friend Lulu."


    "I hope so," Mingde huffed as he drove the carriage away, still not forgetting to admonish, "Don''t get any crooked ideas!"


    "I really won''t," Lin Da said helplessly.


    Watching the carriage slowly drive away, Lin Da murmured to himself, sorry, but today, even if it meant breaking into a private residence, he needed to see the other party.


    Lin Da and Kafni strode up to the door and knocked loudly.


    "Hello there, I''m really not a bad person, could you please open the door so we can meet?"


    "Why won''t youe out? I know you''re home."


    "If you don''t open the door, I''m going to keep knocking," Lin Da insisted.


    ...


    Inside the house, a girl with brown long hair curled up tensely under the nkets, covering her head.


    Someone''s voice prated through the nket into her ears.


    Right now, the girl felt very scared, afraid that the person would break in and drag her out to punish her, stinking and filthy as she was.


    Her mother got punished by robbers just for opening the door without permission,


    Since then, except for the ''most caring'' Lord Captain, she would never open the door to anyone else!


    The person outside this time was clever, pretending to be Lulu''s friend.


    But someone like Lulu could never have friends.


    That meant, the man outside was deceiving her!


    She absolutely couldn''t open the door.


    The girl kept her eyes tightly closed, covering her ears, praying that the person outside would leave quickly.


    After shouting for a while, the person outside went slightly quiet.


    Just when she was about to feel relieved, the voice started up again, this time with a different approach.


    "Little sister, the uncle likes your doll and is willing to pay a high price for it. Could youe out and discuss a business deal?"


    "Sell it to me for 5 silver coins each?"


    A few seconds passed.


    "10 silver coins, no, 2 Gold Coins each! I really like your handmade dolls!"


    The girl slightly opened the quilt, her heart pounding fiercely.


    2... 2 Gold Coins each?


    With that much money, she wouldn''t have to worry about food for the next year!


    And there would still be lots left over to buy new magic puppet games!


    The girl was very tempted, but the rationale that remained warned her that this was definitely a trick to lure her out, and once she opened the door, terrible things would happen to her.


    "You who skulk in your room like a musty, moldy mess, you don''t deserve to live in this world!"


    "To be an adventurer and yet be too afraid to adventure in the World Tree, you''re truly a waste!"


    "Let this lord punish you harshly with a stick!"


    Recalling certain scenes fromic books, the girl shuddered violently, her buttocks aching as if an invisible hand was dragging her into a pit of depravity...


    "No, I don''t want to be punished. Captain, why haven''t youe to save Monica yet?"


    The girl named Monica was yelping and sobbing under the quilt.


    More than three years ago,


    the captain called ''Lin Da'' assigned her to dust the warehouse, and it turned out to be a long task.


    In that warehouse, Monica felt an unprecedented sense of security.


    All the dust was swept by her own hands, and apart from the captaining to check for cleanliness, no one else woulde, creating a haven that belonged solely to her.


    But then one day, the captain disappeared, Monica''s little warehouse was sold by other team members,


    and Monica, with nowhere else to go, bought this house with the help of kind-hearted Lulu.


    She dared not meet people or adventure in the World Tree, her only option was to make handmade dolls to supplement the household ie.


    As a result,st year, because she got obsessed with drawing limited magic puppets, she signed her name on a loan flyer from The Mands, and the next day someone delivered 10 Gold Coins,


    but when Monica finally managed to gather the Gold Coins and was ready to pay back, she found the 10 Gold Coins had turned into 50. No matter how she paid, the debt was never-ending!


    Knowing how ruthless The Mands were, they would surely catch her for failing to repay the money and throw her into a tavern to be yed with by the Beastmen at will!


    Just thinking about it was enough to make Monica nearly faint with fear.


    The person outside now might just be tricking her into opening the door and then binding her to serve in the tavern.


    So, no matter what, she would cling tightly in her quilt and never open the door for them!


    ...


    "Should we break down the door?"


    Kafni, from the overgrown garden, found arge, sharp stone and rolled up her sleeves, approaching the door like a soldier ready with a battering ram.


    Lin Da was actually in favor of the idea.


    But as aw-abiding adventurer, he chose to decline. If he broke the door and scared the girl inside, what if she didn''t join his adventure team?


    They hade for ''Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage,'' not to abduct someone like bandits.


    Lin Da decided to win her over with sincerity.


    Momentster, the two of them pulled up the grass in the garden, built a Fire on the ground, and began cooking delicious magical beast barbecue.


    Fat and juicy volcanic beef steak, outside crispy and inside tender giant rabbit, sizzling fattymb leg...


    Kafni, with a fan in hand, was responsible for blowing the aroma into the small house.


    Lin Da had a snow-white towel slung over his neck and a trace ofposed smile at the corner of his mouth as he flipped the magical beast meat in front of the grill.

 Chapter 74: 74. Beastmen thug comes to collect a debt

    From the avable information, it was known that the owner of the small Western-style house was a severe social phobic and a poor person who scraped by making handcrafted dolls. The food they could afford to eat was probably nothing more than rotten cabbage.


    And this meat feast, which even adventurers envied, could she reject it?


    Eating meat fulfilled the need for sustenance in real life, while selling her dolls at a high price was her blueprint for the future.


    While grilling the meat, Lin Da loudly extolled the benefits of joining his adventure team:


    "Join Phoenix Tail Flower, and you''ll be escorted to the tenth floor of the World Tree. In three years, you''ll be stable at thirty floors, with high sry and benefits. The base pay is one hundred Gold Coins, with extra for entering the Mystic Realm;


    "Equipment, amodation, and meals are all inclusive, plus you''ll get a Town Portal Scroll. You''re only required to follow the team leader''s orders;


    "Join the team now and you get ten days of luxurious feasts, sleep on a luxury bed, and ride in a luxury coach!"


    Wave after wave of tempting voices, like whispers of a demon, mixed with the mouthwatering aroma of grilled meat, wafted through the cracks of the window to Monica''s nose and ears.


    Having not eaten a proper meal for over a month, she was drawn to the scent like an Elf Lady hypnotized by Beastmen, drooling foolishly as she walked over to the window.


    "Eat, Monica wants to eat grilled meat."


    A pair of excessively pale and small hands pressed against the windowtch.


    Just as Monica was about to be lured out,


    an untimely harsh shout resounded: "You little brat, when are you going to pay back the debt you owe to Mand Gold Firm?!"


    "Eh, big brother, what a coincidence, the one who hit my ox is that guy! You''ve got to let him taste some good juice!"


    "He bullied my little brother? Fuck, today I, Luke, will let him know what it means to mess with the wrong person!"


    Outside the small Western-style house.


    Three Beastmen dressed in ck leather jackets, carrying wooden sticks on their shoulders and with ruffian-like faces arrived.


    The leader was Luke, a Wild Boar Person withrge tusks, his small eyes filled with brutality, as he crudely weighed his wooden stick in his hand, staring at Lin Da in front of the grill with a vicious gaze.


    Then, seeing Kafni, the Wild Boar Person Luke, was stunned.


    Kafni, squatting in front of the window fanning herself with a palm-leaf fan, herrge buttocks perched up, her long legs under her shorts white and wless, her luscious thighs softly resting on her knees, nearly brought the three Beastmen brothers to tears!


    On the spot, Wild Boar Person Luke entered abat state!


    "Old Ox, Old Donkey, surround them, don''t let them escape!"


    Luke sneered as he approached Lin Da, who looked utterly calm, and mockingly said, "You humans are quite bold. Seeing me, the ''Debt King'' Luke, and you don''t kneel and beg for mercy?"


    Lin Da finally nced at Luke.


    Just now, Kafni told him that this Wild Boar Person had a Level Aura of about 8, only one level higher than him.


    But as a Healing Hero, Lin Da''s Basic Attributes were twice that of the average Beastman''s, and it wasn''t certain that a carriage-load of Wild Boars would be a match for him, let alone a single Wild Boar Luke.


    "Before I beat you up, let''s ask what you want with the owner of this house," Lin Da said politely, not forgetting to keep flipping the meat of Magical Creatures.


    Luke''s forehead bulged with veins as heughed in anger: "Fine, today I''ll make sure you die understanding. The owner of this house owes our Mand Gold Firm 10 Gold Coins. With interestpounded, by the end of the year, she still owes us 97 Gold Coins. If she doesn''t pay up today, the house will belong to our Mand Gold Firm."


    "The Empire''s statutory rate is a maximum of 24%, right? Anything above that is considered usury and needn''t be paid back," Lin Da said.


    "Then you''re mistaken," Luke sneered. "We loaned her that ''leaflet,'' the leaflet''s initial value was 10 Gold Coins, and now it has increased in value. It''s a total of 127 Gold Coins now, and not a copper less will suffice!"


    "Oh, I see. The Mands are quite the scumbags, always skirting around thews of the Empire," Lin Da said.


    Lin Da ced the grilled meat of magical beasts onto a te, stretching his aching shoulders as he produced cracking sounds from his bones. With a smile, he looked at Wild Boar Person Luke: "I''m ready. Let''s start."


    "Arrogant! ''Skills, Boar Charge!''"


    Luke''s expression changed drastically. In Red Heart City, which adventurer would dare to disrespect him, ''Debt King'' Luke?


    A pair of Wild Boar tusks aimed straight at Lin Da as the Wild Boar Person charged in a beeline!


    Lin Da, with arms crossed over his chest, stood still while his body emitted a purplish magic glow.


    This glow formed a set of half-real, half-illusory Spiky Thorn Armor around him, like a sea urchin.


    Poison Technique Series Skills, Spiky Thorn Armor, increases defensive power by 30%, and reflects 10% damage back onto the attacker!


    Among the major attributes, defensive power and Magic Defense are the rarest. If the defensive attribute exceeds the opponent''s attack, then apart from being hit in a fatal weak spot, at most you would lose 1 Hit Point.


    Lin Da''s basic defense is 24, his Leather Armor under his clothes adds another 1, and after the boost from Spiky Thorn Armor, his defensive power is 32.


    As for the level 8 Wild Boar Luke, his basic attack was at most 50, and his equipped gear seemed rather shabby, probably a big thug from The Mands, let''s estimate an attack of 60.


    When Luke rammed into him, his feet were rooted like a great tree, unmovable, feeling as if a swiftly running cat had nudged against his belly.


    To say it didn''t hurt was an overstatement, but to say it did seemed a tad too delicate.


    Above Lin Da''s head, a faint red -40 floated up, while his total Hit Points were 1880.


    It was as if a long red health bar had lost a sliver as thin as a strand of noodles.


    "Aiya!"


    Luke, dizzy from the blow, was also hit by the rebounded damage, clutching his head in a daze.


    In front of him, Lin Da wore a slight, disdainful smile and crooked his finger in a beckoning gesture.


    This left Luke''s henchmen, Old Cow and Old Donkey,pletely dumbfounded.


    How could that human withstand their boss Luke''s Wild Boar Rush and remain unscathed?


    Their boss Luke was a level 8 adventurer; taken head-on by a Wild Boar Rush, even someone of level 9 would be sent flying several meters and seriously injured!


    But what was with this guy?


    No injuries whatsoever, and he even sent their boss flying back?


    The two Beastmen exchanged a stealthy nce, each seeing a hint of bad omen in the other''s eyes.


    "Aaaaah!"


    Luke, not giving up, his face red with exertion, charged again with another Wild Boar Rush.


    Bang bang!


    Bang bang bang!


    After three or four times, the result was the same each time; the human before him was like an iron tower, impossible to budge, whereas it was Luke''s head that was nearly dazed from the collisions.


    He didn''t even see the man wearing any impressive Magical Equipment, how could his skin be so thick?


    Luke was sweating profusely, panting and bending over, hands on his knees; the man he was attacking wasn''t losing any blood, and Luke was the one tiring himself out.


    "No, can''t do it, brothers. I need a breather, you two go."


    "Eh... boss Luke, I just remembered I forgot to take a dump, so I''ll be off."


    "Same here."


    Luke was overjoyed: "My gosh, I feel the same actually!"


    This good juice, afraid it can''t be given to that human now.


    The debt collection would have to be postponed too, for Luke knew well that today he had kicked an iron te!


    The other party had taken his four Wild Boar Rushes without a hitch; he must be at least level 13 or 14.


    The three of them tiptoed back to the main road, as if making even a slightly louder noise would draw Lin Da''s attention.


    But it was just deluding themselves.


    "You''re leaving, did you ask my permission?"


    Lin Da''s expression darkened as he raised his hand and threw a dusky purple Venom Magic Sphere.


    Luke felt that the Magic Sphere didn''t seem to be very imposing, and if hit by it, he figured it probably wouldn''t be too serious.

 Chapter 75: 75

    Luke''s eyes saw it, but his body couldn''t react in time.


    The purple Magic Sphere hit Luke''s stomach with unerring uracy.


    This thing didn''t look as formidable as the grand and sun-like Fireball Technique,


    but the moment it struck Luke, it poisoned his guts until they turned green.


    "Aaahhh!"


    A squeal like that of a pig being ughtered came from Luke''s throat.


    This Wild Boar Person, known for his tough skin and flesh, was brought to his knees by the unassuming purple Magic Sphere, doubled over in pain and curling up like a cooked shrimp!


    Luke only felt an unbearable heat where the Magic Sphere had hit him, as if his flesh was rotting away, his Life Force slowly draining from his body, his consciousness fading.


    The Wild Boar People were naturally durable, and Luke, at level 8, had about 1000 Hit Points, a fact he took great pride in,


    but after being hit by that ominous purple Magic Sphere, Luke felt that in no more than five seconds, his Life Force would be gone, and he''d die from the poison.


    He was not someone Luke could afford to offend!


    With this realization, Luke''s face went pale, and, forgetting all dignity in the face of life-threatening danger, he scrambled to Lin Da''s legs, clutching them and crying bitterly:


    "Grandpa, please spare me, I was blind not to recognize a legend, I have the old at the top and the young at the bottom to look after, please, let me go as easily as you would a fart!"


    Lin Da was surprised, not expecting this Beastman tock backbone.


    After a brief consideration, pointing to the little white house, he said, "Cancel that girl''s debt, and I''ll consider it."


    At the same time, Monica, who was eavesdropping by the window, covered her small mouth in disbelief, her big eyes brimming with tears.


    Thest person to treat her this kindly was the team leader!


    Luke nodded frantically like a pecking chicken, "Cancel it, definitely cancel it! The remaining Gold Coins, I, Luke, will repay!"


    "Alright," Lin Da didn''t want to kill someone in Red Heart City and attract the attention of the Law Enforcement Bureau.


    Watching Luke''s lips turn blue from the poison along with his nk stare, he was on the verge of death.


    Too few Hit Points, can''t even handle the dosage of a Venom Magic Sphere?


    Lin Da shook his head, truly feeling the dilemma of ''throwing a punch at someone and then begging them not to die.'' Killing in the city brought too manyplications, so he waved his hand and sent over a Primary Healing Spell.


    A green +300 popped up over Luke''s head.


    "This Recovery Amount?"


    Luke''s lips immediately regained color, and his head cleared up a lot.


    With the help of the Primary Healing Spell, Luke''s excruciatingly painful body felt a warm flow pour into it, sofortable he nearly wet himself.


    "Continuous Healing."


    A green circle of light fell upon Luke.


    +75, +70, +73...


    Thanks to the dual assistance of the Primary Healing Spell and Continuous Healing, the blood loss from the Venom Magic Sphere was barely stemmed.


    Lin Da felt relieved he didn''t throw a second Magic Sphere at Luke, or he truly wouldn''t have been able to save him.


    But even with his Hit Points fully restored, the external wounds couldn''t be healed with Healing Art, as Hit Points were only one indicator of health.


    On Luke''s stomach, there was a hole the size of a baby''s fist, surrounded by flesh that was corroded and emitting a foul smell.


    Luke, holding his stomach, looked at Lin Da with a trembling fear and didn''t dare show the slightest resentment, saying with a forced smile, "Can I go now?"


    "Get lost."


    With Lin Da''s consent, Luke was tremblingly helped away by two of his subordinates.


    "Owner of the little white house, now you should understand, I meant no harm, right?"


    Lin Da shouted toward the people inside:


    "I''ve managed to offend the Mands, and, though it doesn''t sound nice to say, they''ve taken a grudge against you too now. Sooner orter, they''ll seek their revenge.


    Leaving Red Heart City and joining my adventure team to make a fresh start in White Dove City is the best choice!


    Your friend, Lulu, is also there as a member of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team."


    "Really...?"


    A feeble voice, fainter than the pping of a mosquito''s wings, seeped through a crack in the door.


    Upon hearing the homeowner''s voice, Lin Da''s face lit up with joy. His three days of effort had not been wasted!


    Only, something struck him as slightly odd��the voice sounded eerily familiar, as though he had heard it somewhere before.


    He just couldn''t pinpoint where.


    "Can you open the door so we can have a proper talk? Rest assured, I, Lin Da, captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, am not a bad person." Lin Da spoke with the gentle tone one might use to coax a child.


    "Lin... Did you say your name is, Lin Da?"


    A timid voice, soft as a kitten''s, squeezed itself through the gap in the door.


    "Yes, I am Lin Da."


    "Good child, open the door and let uncle have a look."


    Lin Da wondered if the girl on the other side of the door, whose mental and physical age seemed mismatched at 18, could really be so shy��surely even a five-year-old child wouldn''t be this timid?


    Squeak~


    Under his eager gaze, the white door that had remained tightly shut, feigning an empty house, slowly opened a crack.


    He lifted his foot, ready to walk in, but... as soon as the door opened a crack as wide as a little finger, it was forcefully held in ce by someone from the inside.


    "How am I supposed toe in if you don''t open it a bit more, uncle can''t get through here?"


    Lin Da waspletely confused.


    "Come closer..."


    "What?"


    "Your face,e closer so I can see... if you''re really Lin Da."


    The voice on the other side grew softer and softer, almost inaudible if Lin Da hadn''t been an adventurer.


    He couldn''t help but exchange a nce with Kafni.


    Both of them began to have second thoughts. Was it really a good idea to recruit someone like this into their team?


    Even if the other party was level 15 and had excellent talent, such a personality didn''t seem fit for cooperation with the rest of the team.


    Yet, havinge all this way, Lin Da couldn''t bear to walk away without meeting the person, felt reluctant to leave just yet.


    He put on a gentle, sunny smile and leaned in close to the gap in the door: "See, doesn''t uncle look like a nice guy?"


    Peering through the gap, he saw nothing but darkness.


    There was no magic light on in the room, and the curtains were drawn, leaving it pitch-ck and impossible to make out the person''s features.


    All he knew was that a delicate figure with an oddly shaped head kept staring into his eyes.


    Being one of the rare individuals in Another World with ck hair and eyes, Lin Da often attracted attention.


    Had the girl inside been drawn to him?


    He spected wildly.


    A moment passed, two moments, three moments...


    "It''s��it''s Lord Captain!"


    A cryden with inarticte sobs and excitement burst from behind the door, and the door in front of Lin Da flew open. A brown figure suddenly flung itself into his arms.


    "What''s going on, what''s happening?"

 Chapter 76: 76, new team member on board!

    Kafni was also stunned.


    The girl who had suddenly run out of the house and thrown herself into Lin Da''s arms was dressed so strangely!


    A square cardboard box adorned her head, with a caricatured portrait of a turnip painted on it, a chibi version of the turnip character smiling and holding up a knife and fork, with the words beside it: "The more you eat, the bigger and healthier you get!"


    Was the turnip taking charge like this? That''s "healthy" to an excessive degree, isn''t it?


    Kafni watched the girl clinging tightly to Lin Da''s waist with a trembling heart, feeling an inexplicable sourness inside.


    "Uh... do you agree to join the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team?"


    Lin Da awkwardly raised his hands, not knowing why the other party was hugging him so tightly, but it seemed inappropriate to hug back at random, right? What if she was a simpleton, and he ended up bullying her? The Law Enforcement Bureau would hand him a pair of silver bracelets on the spot.


    The girl''s sobs came from the box, whimpering without a response, only the words "Lord Captain" repeated over and over.


    Under the cardboard headgear was a loose white top with its hem covering the upper thighs, the girl''s bare feet were on the ground, her skin pale and delicate, the unhealthy white of someone not exposed to sunlight for a long time.


    Lin Da felt as if he was handling a fragile, delicate toy that would break with just a couple of touches.


    The girl was barely one meter sixty tall; even with the box on her head, she only reached his chin; arge panda with a small body... seemed slightly familiar?


    "What''s your name? Can you take off the headgear so uncle can see your face?" Lin Da asked in a gentle, hushed tone.


    The girl nced at Kafni beside her, then quickly drew back into Lin Da''s embrace, as if afraid that the brief look would draw Kafni''s attention, she said in a timid voice, "Only, only for Lord Captain to see."


    Kafni was irritated, "Huh? I''m not going to eat you, what are you so afraid of?"


    As she spoke, she reached out to pull off the girl''s headgear.


    "Wu wu wu!" A cry like that of a young beast erupted from the box, the girl moved behind Lin Da, her small hands anxiously clutching the corner of Lin Da''s clothes.


    Lin Da sighed, stopping Kafni, "I''ll talk to her first; you wait outside for a while."


    "That won''t do, she''s been here for three days, always hiding and refusing to meet. This kind of ingratitude needs to be hung up and whipped for all to see!" Kafni said firmly.


    When the cardboard-boxed girl heard "whipped for all to see," she trembled with fear, her legs shaking like a sieve, and a trickling sound followed,


    At first, Lin Da thought the water pipes in the house weren''t closed tightly, but when he turned around, both he and Kafni were dumbfounded.


    Right in front of them, the cardboard-boxed girl, whose name they didn''t even know, had been scared into wetting herself!


    "Ah?"


    Kafni was thunderstruck, watching the girl''s trembling body, slowly feeling a twist of guilt in her heart. She thought the girl was faking it, but it turned out she was genuinely timid, even more so than a mouse!


    "Don''t worry; you won''t be whipped, she was just kidding," Lin Da said softly, caressing the cardboard and holding the girl''s feeble hand, leading her into the house.


    This time, Kafni didn''t say more, waiting outside speechlessly.


    Both tactfully pretended not to hear the sound of water, so as not to hurt the girl''s pride.


    Upon reaching the entryway, Lin Da smelled a stench.


    The hallway on both sides was filled with round, white trash bags, containing many disposable chopsticks, food containers, heaps of toilet paper, and filthy, smelly clothes...


    Jackets, skirts, underwear, aplete mess of dirty items that seemed to have been tossed aside after bing filthy, toozy to be washed.


    They say the scene of a room can reveal the character of its owner. Lin Da''s small rental, though a bit worn, was impably clean otherwise; not even the slightest trace of dust could be found on the dining table after wiping it for a long time,


    And the room before his eyes...


    Lin Da nced at the cardboard box girl, who sat sping her legs and trembling, her head hung low, and quicklybeled her in his mind, social anxiety,zybones, and a poor soul who can''t even afford clothes!


    He had thought the girl''s loose top was an attempt at emting the ''trendy outfits'' of the Elf race, but now he was sure��the person in the cardboard box dressed that way because she couldn''t afford trousers!


    Sewing dolls all day wasn''t enough to earn even one silver coin, and she had a substantial debt with the Mands in Gold Coins,


    Simply not being dragged out of her house and sold into a chicken coop to serve the Beastmen was pure luck.


    If he hadn''t happened toe by today, Luke would definitely have smashed the door in and stormed inside... the consequences would have been unthinkable.


    Lin Da sighed and, taking the girl with him, sat down in the living room.


    The living room was just as messy, the table was coated in dust, and the floor was littered with meticulously cleaned ice cream boxes and many haphazard bottles of ''Great Water'', a necessity for down-and-out adventurers at one copper coin a bottle.


    A huge question loomed before Lin Da, "You''re a Level 15 adventurer, right? Why is everything, well, how do I put it, so Spartan? Your living conditions are excessively Spartan?"


    A Level 15 adventurer could easily take on a quest to subdue Magical Creatures and bring in at least 10 Gold Coins.


    "Poor..." the cardboard-box-wearing girl mumbled hesitantly.


    "I know you''re poor, but I''m asking, why are you so poor?"


    The girl shook her head, "All adventurers, except for the Lord captain, they... they would harm me, definitely use Monica as bait to attract Magical Creatures..."


    Monica?


    Lin Da was momentarily taken aback; the name sounded somewhat familiar to him.


    His gaze intensively focused on the girl, "No one''s here now. Can uncle take off your head cover?"


    Once he saw her face, he would definitely remember.


    "Mm-hmm." The girl who imed to be Monica nodded her little head gently and shyly clutched the hem of her oversized top, covering her tightly clenched thighs.


    This tense posture quickened Lin Da''s heartbeat slightly,


    It was merely removing her head cover, so why did he feel so nervous?


    "So, uncle is going to start now, okay?"


    Enjoy exclusive chapters from m-v l''e-NovelBin


    Lin Da shook his head, dispelling any improper thoughts. As an adventurer who knew and understood thew, he must not take undue actions just because someone seemed easy to bully.


    With a serious expression, he held down the cardboard box on Monica''s head and grasped the edges, slowly lifting it up...


    Rustle��


    In an instant, the girl''s silky brown hair cascaded out of the box like a waterfall.


    Disheveled in appearance, yet possessing beautiful, smooth long hair!


    Gradually, her delicate chin came into view, followed by her pursed pink lips, her refined nose, and her shy, batting eyes looking timidly at her toes.


    Lin Da continued lifting the cardboard box upward, revealing her significantlyrge and adorable forehead, bright and shining, with long hair on the right side braided into a it, passing across her high forehead and being nervously fiddled with in her palm.


    Now fully exposed to the air, the girl instinctively curled up as she cautiously lifted her head to look at Lin Da and said timidly,


    "Lord captain, you haven''t... you haven''t abandoned Monica, have you?"

 Chapter 77: 77. Monicas Favorability Plot

    "Team... Team Leader, you haven''t, like, abandoned Monica or anything?"


    "What do you mean, she''s left?!"


    "Without the Team Leader, they, like, all pick on Monica."


    As she spoke, Monica''s eyes grew redder and little pearls of tears started falling one by one.


    When Lin Da saw the girl''s face, that familiar broad forehead, the brown long hair, and the thin, delicate braid, the socially anxious and frustratingly helpless facade of hers, it all came back to him.


    ''ss Cannon'' Monica, Four-star SR, the constion prize in some Five-star SSR powerful character pool.


    Deal damage as high as the sky, as flimsy as paper, the early-phase war god of the World Tree Secret Realm, and sundered inter stages!


    Lin Da once rmended in the strategy guide created for the yermunity to use Monica for the first fifteen floors, and then you could stash her in the warehouse to gather dust.


    Over time, he almost forgot about this Four-star character.


    The girl''s face, wet with tears like a pear blossom in the rain, and her continuous, grievous whimpers, couldn''t help but make Lin Da feel a sense of guilt.


    In the game, Monica''s affinity had three events:


    1. A Glimmer of Light in the Darkness.


    2. I want to be an excellent adventurer.


    3. For the Team Leader, Monica can do anything.


    In the first event, Monica was sunny and cheerful, with a harmonious family. However, due to her mother''s misguided sympathy for a beggar Beastman, an incident of extreme malice transpired.


    It was then the yer, taking the role of an adventurer, appeared, ying the Beastman and taking in Monica, who had be an orphan.


    In the second event, the yer trained Monica''s body and forged her spirit, helping her step out of the shadows to be a proficient warrior.


    Then came the third event, when the affinity gauge was full.


    Under the starry night, the yer stroked Monica''s head, and with her face turning red, she shyly smiled, saying, ''For the Team Leader, Monica can do anything.''


    Monica hopes to use a special nickname for you in private; please input ____


    Lin Da.


    That was the text Lin Da entered.


    So Monica had previously asked if he was ''Lin Da'', not the game ID ''Dai Lian''.


    With a heavy sigh, Lin Da nced over the filthy house and Monica, trembling and uneasy like a young animal, feeling a surge of paternal protectiveness well up inside him.


    It was he, as the yer, who had rescued Monica, but then ''mysteriously'' disappeared three years ago. With the personalities of the other team members, they were definitely not going to treat Monica kindly.


    Which led to three years passing, and her reverting to the reclusive girl she had been at the start.


    "From now on, as your Team Leader, I will once again fill you with sunlight and shatter the darkness in your soul!"


    Ovee with emotion, Lin Da embraced the sobbing Monica, hisrge hands warmly holding the young girl.


    Suddenly, he was struck by a thought,


    How fragile this body was, like a trembling tower of Jenga blocks that could copse with the slightest carelessness!


    Living in a dimly-lit little house, making a living from sewing handmade dolls, with meals that were hit or miss and nutrition supplemented only by turnips... and so thin, with nothing left but dark circles under the eyes.


    Determined, Lin Da whispered in Monica''s ear: "Join the Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team. As your Team Leader, I will never let you go hungry again."


    "Team, Team Leader Lord..."


    Monica stammered as she looked into his eyes.


    Originally, Monica had already given up on being an adventurer, but when Lin Da''s voice rang out, a scene emerged in her mind,


    A ck-d swordsman wearing a mask, revealing only a pair of cold eyes, entered the room, ying beastmen thugs and rescuing the girl from despair.


    All adventurers might harm him, but Monica believed, only Team Leader Lin Da would not!


    "Yeah." Monica nodded her head vigorously, wiping away the tiny pearls at the corner of her eyes, "If it''s Team Leader Lord, then it''s okay."


    The girl''s soft voice was like honey to Lin Da''s ears. He knew this affection was nothing more than the pure bond betweenrades, but as he held Monica''s frail, willowy waist, he, the "Old Mage", was almost losing control.


    Aisant "okay" led Lin Da''s thoughts straying into dangerous territory.


    He gazed at Monica''s delicate, petite face, and the scent of her sweat exuded a strange fragrance, standing out in the filthy, dingy house��only the girl''s skin shone dazzlingly white.


    Even a ripe peach could not seem to be one percent as tempting as the sight before him...


    "Why isn''t it done yet!"


    Suddenly, Kafni''s disgruntledint sounded from outside.


    Lin Da snapped awake.


    He opened his eyes wide, with a sense of horror, he almost couldn''t resist doing something inappropriate to his own teammate!


    "Team Leader Lord?" Monica looked at him puzzledly, not at all aware she had just skirted "The Gate of Hell", blinking her big eyes in confusion.


    "Cough, cough, we need to pack up and leave this ce,"


    Lin Da turned around subtly, pulling up his trousers, and said with a serious expression, "I''ve scared away those debt-collecting beastmen, but they mighte back."


    Talking about beastmen, Monica''s little face turned pale, and with a whimper, she threw herself into Lin Da''s arms.


    I don''t remember Monica having a Bear Charge skill?


    "We''re all adults here, no hugging or clinging to the Team Leader!" Lin Da said sternly, "What my team needs are adventurers with independent characters, and you, as you are now, clearly don''t qualify. You still need more training!"


    Reluctantly, Monica let go of her hold, her voice weak, "Monica will work hard not to be left behind by Team Leader Lord."


    Talking about this, Lin Da felt guilty once again.


    He sighed and asked, "How have you spent these three years? I remember you were a warrior profession, so why did Lulu tell me you''ve be a mage?"


    "It''s like this..." Monica remembered those awful days, her gaze turning dim and lifeless.


    Through the girl''s recounting, Lin Da learned what had happened to the Primordial Adventure Team after his mysterious disappearance, and the reason for Monica''s current condition.


    Firstly, the Primordial Adventure Team had once been the Southern Fire Empire''s premier young team, famed for being the most promising to reach the top.


    Unfortunately, three years ago, the team leader known as "Dark Shadow", Dai Lian * Zhaowo vanished as if evaporated from the world, without a trace to be found.


    The self-proimed proud members, leaderless, couldn''t agree on a new leader.


    So, they vented their frustrations by smashing the team leader''s bedroom to pieces and divided all the adventure team''s assets among themselves, each going their own way.


    These were all five-star SSR level members of the Primordial Adventure Team, whom Lin Da had spent a fortune to recruit through 648 draws. As for those four-star SR characters he had kicked out, Monica wasn''t too clear on that.


    Monica, who had been oblivious to the outside world while staying in the warehouse, content with food and drink, was thrown out when the team disbanded.


    Penniless and desperate, having lost the shelter of her team leader and feeling like any adventurer could harm her, she decided to use "change profession" to end it all.

 Chapter 78: 78, The Disappearing Five-star Characters

    The chance for Monica, a level 20 warrior ss, to fail at changing her ss was over 99%.


    But she was lucky and sessfully became a mage, it seemed Heaven thought her time had not yete.


    After that, Monica met Lulu, who helped her acquire this house located in Red Heart City.


    "Smashing my bedroom... splitting the team''s wealth?"


    "Is there no one who feels sad about the captain''s disappearance?"


    Lin Da was stunned.


    No matter what, he had led them to the higher levels of the World Tree.


    He could understand the four-star characters he kicked out of the team holding grudges against him.


    But what about the core team members who stayed? Why were they all ungrateful?


    "There is someone," Monica thought for a moment, raised a snow-white index finger, and said, "Sister Tina took all the cucumbers from the captain''s room and cried a lotst night."


    Cucumbers? The ones from the blue furniture ''Strong Vegetable Cab'' that were there only to be seen and not touched?


    What did Tina want those for?


    Before Lin Da''s eyes, he pictured a nun with pink hair and a sickly smile, the five-star SSR ''Hell''s Judgment'' Tina, a melee mage, whose character''s third act event was "Wishing to Turn the Captain into a Pretty Specimen".


    "Aside from Tina, isn''t there anyone else who is sad about the captain''s disappearance?"


    Lin Da shivered.


    His intuition told him that he must hide the fact that he was the former leader of the Primitive Adventure Team.


    In the game, Tina could at most threaten the yer through the screen, but in reality, Lin Da feared he''d be drained dry and end up hanging on the wall of Tina''s bedroom!


    "Maybe there is, but Monica doesn''t know," Monica said, puffing out her proud chest, hitting it with her little fist, which wobbled like jelly, "Monica has been waiting for the captain toe back all this time!"


    "Monica really is a good child," Lin Da said, touching Monica''s little head with emotion. Five-star characters were all ingrates, to advance in the World Tree Secret Realm, you had to rely on the loyal four-star characters.


    The young girl squinted her eyes like a cat, a look of enjoyment on her face.


    Lin Da thought to himself that Monica, even as a four-star, was actually quite weak. Now that she had changed to a mage, a back-row ss, she had maximally reduced the side effects of the "ss Cannon" passive skill.


    Staying with him, a Healing Hero, he would protect Monica from the nasty magical creatures preying on her.


    ...


    Half an hourter, after packing their luggage, the two walked out of the house.


    Monica wore a bright yellow miniskirt that Lin Da had Kafni buy, her long legs wrapped in pure white stockings, her feet in round-toed leather shoes, she was no longer a poor girl without clothes to wear.


    But the moment she stepped outside, Monica still cautiously put on her cardboard box and carried a bundle as disproportionatelyrge as a dung beetle''s ball of dung.


    The bundle was wrapped in a very old-fashioned pattern of loud, vibrant colors, usually only worn by older generations of adventurers.


    "This ordinary pattern won''t attract attention!" Monica imed, carrying the huge bundle on her back, in response to Lin Da''s puzzled question.


    "No... what I mean is, doesn''t this actually make you stand out more?"


    Lin Da said awkwardly.


    Looking towards the main road, all the pedestrians were staring at Monica, who wore a cardboard box on her head, white stockings, and carried an oversized, old-fashioned bundle.


    It was like when an adventurer from the south hesitantly entered a public bath in the north, striding in without any undergarments withplete confidence, no one would nce at you, not even if it was embarrassingly small. But if you wore underwear to cover up, no matter how big, it would attract the attention of everyone in the room.


    Right now, Monica''s approach was thetter.


    Just the cardboard box on her head was eye-catching enough, but couple that with a bundle as big as a great water tank, and she resembled a dung beetle pushing a ball of dung, except she was a beautiful girl.


    All the passersby stopped in their tracks, their faces a picture of surprise as they looked at her!


    "T-team leader, Monica is so scared," whined Monica like a timid mouse, hiding behind Lin Da and trembling slightly as she clutched at the hem of his clothes.


    For someone who had hidden away at home for three years, stepping out of the door and into the sunlight undoubtedly required a lot of courage.


    "Take off the cardboard box, Monica. You are so pretty, and everyone would be happy to see you," Lin Da advised.


    But Monica''s little head shook like a rattle-drum, and through the peepholes of the cardboard box, her big eyes revealed a determined look as she stubbornly said, "Without the cardboard box, Monica can''t survive!"


    It seemed there was still a long way to go before she could ovee her social anxiety.


    Lin Da sighed heavily from within.


    He nced at therge bundle Monica was carrying, wondering where this Big Lolita had acquired so much luggage.


    Inside were various figurines resembling magic puppets,ic books, storybooks, and they must have weighed quite a bit.


    He offered to help Monica with her luggage, but she solemnly declined�� "Monica cannot trouble the team leader, definitely not adding to his burdens!"


    Was it because he had locked her in the storage room and hadn''t visited? Lin Da felt that Monica seemed uneasy, as if afraid that he would abandon her again.


    ''This time, whether it''s Monica or Lulu, I will take them both to the top of the World Tree, to see that breathtakingly beautiful view.''


    Lin Da thought to himself silently.


    The trio reached the main road and hailed a carriage.


    Lin Da nned to take Monica toplete her team registration first, lest this Big Lolita get cold feet halfway and no longer want to be an adventurer, which would be a real hassle.


    Better to get her into the team and sign a hundred-year contract...


    The penalty for breaching the contract should be one million Gold Coins to prevent Monica from backing out.


    It wasn''t that Lin Da was heartless; in Monica''s personal storyline, there had been instances where she was too scared to venture into the Mystic Realm.


    In theparatively spacious carriage, the back seat was covered with a cool bamboo cushion. Monica sat in the corner on the left, her little hand tightly clutching Lin Da''s clothes, resolutely preventing the stranger Kafni from sitting beside her.


    Kafni swept a nce toward Monica and said quietly, "Did that child wash...?"


    Lin Da immediately understood. Monica had recently been frightened to the point of wetting herself by a whipping sound, but as far as Lin Da knew, she seemed to have only wiped with some paper, and her water bill hadn''t been paid for two months.


    Even though Monica lived in a rather sloppy manner, her arms and legs that were exposed outside seemed quite clean.


    "Team leader, Monica isn''t dirty," she said faintly through the cardboard box and suddenly lifted the hem of her clothes to reveal her t belly, spotless and without an ounce of excess fat. Monica said timidly,


    "Team leader can check Monica."


    A question mark appeared above Lin Da''s head.


    Could it be that three years of istion had stupefied Monica, leaving her without any hint of caution around an ''Old Mage''?


    Even so, Lin Da''s eyes uncontrobly drifted upwards, noticing Monica''s round and cute belly button on her belly. Moving past her belly, further up, there was only a glimpse of something protruding,

 Chapter 79: 79, Profession: Earth Mage

    The glimpse of the tip of the iceberg that was revealed had a terrifying initial diameter, such that it could not be seen anywhere except in Another World, where girls with such explosively attractive figures existed.


    Lin Da found it fascinating, but he had to straighten out Monica''s thinking:


    "unting your belly in a public ce, aren''t you afraid of being targeted by passing Beastmen? Falling into the hands of Beastmen can lead to all sorts of incidents!"


    He knocked on the cardboard box.


    "Monica understands," the girl, clutching the head in the box, said softly, "It''s not a public ce when I''m with the captain, so, it should be okay, right?"


    Lin Da frowned and pondered for a long while.


    "Well, there shouldn''t be any issues."


    ��


    Half an hourter, Adventurer''s Guild in the Inner City District of Red Heart City.


    The ce was bustling, with people brushing shoulders constantly.


    As a cityrger than White Dove City, Red Heart City had many more adventurers.


    Even in the sweltering heat of noon, the area around the notice board at the entrance was still crowded with people, the noise akin to a bustling discounted market.


    A group of inked Arm Beastmen, clearly up to no good, were squatting by the roadside, whistling at the attractive female adventurers, and even approaching those who were alone to chat them up.


    "Hey, pretty girl, ol'' Donkey Grandpa here is really something. Wanna grab lunch together?"


    Monica saw an elf girl with pointed ears surrounded by five or six Beastmen looking distressed and immediately imagined her own situation, causing her legs to tremble, unable to walk.


    She tugged at the hem of Lin Da''s clothes and said weakly:


    "Lo��Lord Captain, Monica doesn''t want to be an adventurer anymore, perhaps I should just go to your room and dust?"


    The ambitions she had a minute ago had vanishedpletely.


    Lin Da, who had anticipated this, put on a stern face: "Captain I do not appreciate team members who give up halfway; keep this up, and I might just leave you behind."


    "Wuwuwu, Lord Captain, don''t leave Monica behind. Monica, Monica wants to be an adventurer again," the girl in the box said in a panic.


    "That''s my excellent team member," Lin Da said with a smile.


    The group entered the hall of the Adventurer''s Guild.


    As they queued, many people looked curiously at the peculiar girl wearing a cardboard box on her head.


    A Beastman with a hound''s head mocked, "Where''s this fool from? Probably too ugly to show her face, eh?"


    Laughter erupted amongst the crowd.


    Monica''s attire was indeed bizarre, carrying an old-fashionedrge bundle and wearing a cardboard box. The Hound Man, with his keen sense of smell, could even detect a faint urine odor on her.


    "Still wetting your pants at this age, hahaha!" the Hound Manughed aloud.


    Already insecure, Monica couldn''t raise her head upon hearing these words.


    Lin Da narrowed his eyes and gripped Monica''s trembling hand tightly, his gaze coolly fixed on the Beastman: "Either shut your mouth or never venture outdoors again."


    The corners of the Hound Man''s mouth twitched, originally intent on provoking further, but upon seeing Lin Da''s cold gaze that seemed to stare at a dead man, an inexplicable chill ran through him, and goosebumps rose on his arms.


    "Mos, don''t cause unnecessary trouble," said a half-Beastman with thick eyebrows and rhinoceros horns, frowning.


    "Tsk,"


    The Hound Man named Mos red at Lin Da, crossed his arms, and queued without furtherments.


    Lin Da also withdrew his gaze. His experiences after leaving Snow Goose had taught him many lessons, the main one being: Retreating sometimespletely useless, especially when facing Beastmen who prey on the weak but fear the strong.


    "Lord Captain, thank you," Monica said as she stretched her hand into the box and wiped the corner of her eye.


    "Don''t worry about what others think of you, as long as the captain thinks you''re a good teammate, that''s enough." Lin Da patted her shoulder.


    Monica broke into a smile and nodded vigorously, "Yes!"


    After queueing for about half an hour, it was finally the turn for Lin Da and the others.


    While Monica was filling out the form, Lin Da watched silently.


    The neat and tidy small print on the form was clear at a nce.


    Name: Monica * Laidi


    Level: 15


    upation: Earth Mage


    Earth Mage, one of the popr upations on Mystic Continent, possessed arge number of area attack type skills.


    Combined with Monica''s inherent skill "ss Cannon", she was exceptional at clearing minor monsters.


    Lin Da pondered, his Venom Magic Sphere was a strong single-target output, suitable for fighting bosses, and with Monica clearing the minor monsters on the path... With this, the outline of an adventure squad had formed!


    A ding-dong sound echoed in his mind and a system prompt appeared:


    [Squad module loading, current progress 1%, estimated remaining time 12 hours until activation]


    In 12 hours, it would be deep into the night.


    Lin Da estimated that by then, he would have returned to White Dove City.


    "You, the Beastman, don''t you watch where you''re walking?"


    "I''m, I''m sorry, sir!"


    As Lin Da and his group were heading outside, there was a disturbance at the door.


    A Hound Man named Mos had bumped into a tall middle-aged elf with golden hair.


    The elf''s face was covered with frost, and he disdainfully wiped his clothes while his eyes openly showed contempt for the Beastman.


    "Hey, this Beastman is in big trouble now. Not a good idea to mess with Elf Kao. I heard his team just passed the 11th floor of the World Tree yesterday, their levels reached 22!"


    "Kao has firmly established himself in the rock level squad now."


    "When can I be a level 20 adventurer..."


    The surrounding buzzed with chatter.


    Lin Da looked at the elf named Kao; in every city, there were some well-known adventurers. Like ''Eye of Wisdom'', ''Bursting mes'', and ''Frost Swordsman'' in White Dove City... anyone who reached level 20 could make a certain name for themselves among adventurers.


    Against the timid Monica, Mos was arrogantly invincible, but facing Kao, a level 22, he was as meek as a cowed dog, with his tail trembling between his legs.


    Lin Da looked at Mos''s humble demeanor, his mind filled with thoughts. He had never found level 20 adventurers intimidating because the circles he had been in were basically of this level, and he was also on good terms with Aiko.


    Thus, after his downfall, no one had bothered him.


    It wouldn''t work in Red Heart City, though, as no one there knew him.


    In his three days in Red Heart City, Lin Da had already faced three challenges: the Minotaur, Luke, and just now, Mos... If he were just an ordinary level 8 adventurer, he couldn''t have possibly smoothly stood here with Monica and the others.


    The worst oue would have been Kafni being kidnapped by the Minotaur upon entering the city and Monica ending up in a tavern through Luke.


    ''I must reach level 20 quickly and advance in upation.''


    The scene of the survival of the fittest unfolding before him made Lin Da realize the importance of levels. His teammates were beautiful girls; only with a strong enough captain could he protect them!


    As he was deep in thought, the surrounding chatter suddenly ceased.


    The level 22 elf Kao, upon seeing someone walking towards the Adventurer''s Guild, changed his face drastically, immediately forgave the Beastman Mos, and panic-strickenly retreated to one side.

 Chapter 80: Lias Mothers Invitation

    In no time, the crowded hall had cleared to make a straight, wide path.


    Tap, tap, tap!


    This was the sound of heavy iron-ted boots striking the ground.


    The approaching footsteps were steady and forceful, creating a sense of oppression in the air that felt almost tangible, bearing down upon those present.


    This behavior was undoubtedly extremely arrogant, recklessly releasing an aura that seemed to say to the adventurers: I am here, make way!


    But it has to be said, the neer had the confidence to act this way.


    Lin Da and his group were among the crowd when Kafni, shocked, eximed, "Impressive, must be Level 30."


    Level 30, Star-ranked adventurer!


    In White Dove City, perhaps only members of the White Dove Adventure Group possessed this rank.


    Lin Da looked toward the entrance of the hall with a solemn expression.


    The entrant was a young man with fiery red hair tied in a ponytail, his eyes as sharp as daggers, and a thin sword hanging at his waist.


    The thin sword''s hilt was like golden craftsmanship, embedded in the center with a blood-red Demon Core, its strong magical fluctuations palpable to Lin Da even from ten meters away.


    A short adventurer beside them muttered, "The Second Young Master of The Mands, Dawen, what''s he doing here? The Scarlet Adventure Group should have someone designated to liaise, right? The guild members are ready at his house at all times."


    The Scarlet Adventure Group?


    Lin Da raised his eyebrows in surprise.


    Lia''s father, known as the Bloody Baron, led that very team, the Scarlet Adventure Group.


    Thest he had heard of this adventure group was two years ago.


    Back then, the Scarlet Adventure Group had already reached the 17th floor and was rated as Steel Level. Now, after two years, they might be very close to reaching the 20th floor Sunrise Level Adventure Group.


    As the Second Young Master of The Mands and a member of the Scarlet Adventure Group, Dawen''s strength and status were unmatched in Red Heart City.


    The red-haired Star-ranked adventurer entered the hall, ncing around with furrowed brows, suddenly as if he had spotted something. He strode with purpose toward Lin Da''s side.


    Lin Da could feel that as soon as their eyes met, the other had an ''I found it'' expression!


    What did the Second Young Master of The Mands want with him?


    Could it be��because of Lia?


    Lin Da''s expression shifted slightly.


    He remembered that Lia''s rtionship with her family was not good, often speaking of her half-brother with a hostile attitude.


    The surrounding crowd instantly dispersed.


    "You, you''re Lin Da, right?"


    Dawen''s expression was indifferent, his tone carrying an innate arrogance as he got straight to the point,


    "The Third Lady of The Mands invites you to visit."


    "The Third Lady?" Lin Da puzzled.


    "You should know her, Lady Bellini, Lia''s mother."


    A flicker of impatience shed across Dawen''s face as he grudgingly exined, "The Third Lady heard you were in Red Heart City; at her request, I am to bring you to The Mands for a visit. If you understand, follow me."


    An invitation to visit with such an attitude?


    Lin Da remained expressionless. "Did Lady Bellini ask you to forcibly take guests away?"


    Dawen pondered before replying, "She did not say that. The Third Lady merely mentioned that if you have time, pleasee over, she wants to see you."


    "Well, sorry, I don''t have time right now," Lin Da shrugged, "as you can see, I need to return to White Dove City with the new team members."


    The phrase ''new team members'' conveyed a vast amount of information.


    He clearly saw Dawen''s expression change.


    It seemed that The Mands did not yet know that he and Lia had parted ways.


    Dawen snorted, muttering to himself, "That little sister of mine, truly useless, can''t even keep people."


    Then, looking at Lin Da, he continued,


    "Whatever your rtion with Lia, it''s none of my business. Such a useless family waste might as well die in White Dove City. But the Third Lady wishes for you to visit. So, even if you don''t have ''leisure time'', you must find some!"


    The carriage is outside; it won''t dy you for long. Since your title is "Eye of Wisdom," you should know what to do, right?"


    "Lead the way."


    Lin Da followed him.


    Opposing The Mands in Red Heart City was clearly not wise.


    "Team Leader, are you alright... That man, he seemed fierce," Monica said, her petite frame trembling slightly.


    Lin Da thought for a moment and said, "It''s nothing serious."


    Their invite came from Lady Bellini, who was knowledgeable and sensible, much stronger than the capricious Young Lady Bilya.


    The three followed Dawen and got into the carriage.


    About ten minutester, they arrived at a sprawling estate.


    In front of them was a huge wrought-iron gate with delicate carvings, nked by two warriors in gleaming armor, holding spears.


    Dawen nodded at them, and the two warriors pushed the gates open.


    A clean white stone path led directly to the mansion ahead.


    "When you meet the Third Ladyter, don''t mention your and Lia''s matter for now."


    Walking in front, Dawen suddenly spoke up.


    "Why?" Lin Da didn''t agree immediately, his brows furrowing as he countered.


    Dawen shook his head. "The Third Lady was disced in her early years and unfortunately encountered a witch who harmed her, weakening her body progressively. She doesn''t have many days left. The Lord''s intention is to fulfill her requests as much as possible."


    With an implied look at Lin Da, he added, "That''s why you were invited. Lia... never mind; youing here is a small favor The Mands owe you, and the matter with Luke is settled."


    A small favor... clearly calcted.


    Lin Da mused internally.


    Thinking back,


    No wonder he always felt thisdy was weak and frail during their previous encounters.


    So there was this hidden story.


    Lin Da considered his Purifying Power and sighed inwardly.


    His own hands could only purify a witch; for those harmed by a witch, it probably wouldn''t work.


    Of course, this was just a guess.


    After all, he couldn''t exactly shove his hand into Lady Bellini to see if it could touch the contamination.


    Willing, but powerless.


    "I''ll stay here; you go in," Dawen led them into the mansion and to a room on the second floor.


    "Excuse me," Lin Da knocked on the door.


    "Come in."


    A gentle and mature female voice came from inside the room.


    Just by hearing the voice, you could tell she was a very voluptuous and lovelydy.


    Before entering, Lin Da took the oversized backpack off Monica''s back, or else entering wouldn''t have been easy.


    Pushing open the door, the three entered single file.


    The enticing aroma of food wafted over as Kafni and Monica''s eyes lit up; turning a corner, they saw a long tableden with delicious dishes.


    At the head of the table, on a wicker chair, sat ady with golden curly hair.


    Thisdy wore a gracious and elegant smile, herrge eyes seemed to contain pools of spring water, her plump lips were coated with lipstick, and her cheeks sported a touch of pink blush.


    It appeared she had dressed up meticulously to wee Lin Da, their guest.


    Such formality...


    The displeasure Lin Da felt at being coerced toe dissipated somewhat.


    Ady married to the leader of a Steel Level Adventure Group, who dressed up borately for him, a poor Adventure Team Leader from White Dove City, indeed touched the mark with her gesture.

 Chapter 81: 81, Madam, I do not accept your apology

    Lady Bellini wore a low-cut white dress and had a pearl ne around her fair neck, standing tall and proud in front of her.


    A delicate pale blue coat rested on her shoulders, as white as jade.


    Every time Lin Da saw thisdy, he would think to himself: Lia wasn''t malnourished as a child, causing iplete brain development, was she? Never mind a pair; just one would be enough to feed a baby.


    "I''ve been waiting for you,e sit down. You must keep your auntpany and have a good drink today, okay?"


    Lin Da chuckled, "Lady, you are frail, you should rest well. How could you drink?"


    "I''m only drinking because you came, Lin Da"


    Lady Bellini pulled out a wicker chair next to her, "Come sit, let aunt take a look at you, have you lost weight? And introduce your two friends here as well?"


    Seeing Kafni next to Lin Da, looking beautiful with a bust several sizesrger than Bilya''s, thedy''s eyebrows slightly furrowed.


    "They are my friends." Lin Da said politely, "It''s been a while, you seem even more beautiful."


    He sat down on the wicker chair to his right, with Kafni and Monica beside him, one on the left and one on the right.


    Kafni unabashedly picked up a chicken leg and started eating. All the barbecue earlier went into Kafni''s stomach, but she seemed insatiable.


    Monica wanted to eat but didn''t dare, blinking her big eyes toward Lin Da.


    "Go ahead."


    Lin Da wrapped the bottom of a chicken leg with a napkin on the table and handed it to Monica.


    "Thank you, captain." Monica crisply thanked him as she tucked into the chicken leg in the paper box.


    As Lady Bellini saw them enjoying themselves, her face filled with concern.


    What is Lia doing, allowing Lin Da to be with other girls?


    "Lady... your face, what happened?"


    Lin Da suddenly noticed that thedy''s right cheek was slightly swollen, and her eyes a bit red.


    Lady Bellini paused for a moment, her fingers gently touching her cheek, she sighed:


    "Don''tugh at me, but I was hit by the lord. Sigh, I''ve been in the Mand family for ten years, other than giving birth to Lia, the lord has never visited my room, not once. A useless woman like me probably can''t produce a great adventurer."


    Lin Da stayed silent.


    Such family matters should be shared with other nobledies, and even discussing which lord is superior is fairly normal. He wasn''t a suitable confidante for theseints.


    Lady Bellini mentioning these seemed like an implicit pressure on him��look, I''m so pitiful, you have to be considerate toward me, right?


    Objectively speaking, Lin Da knew what he should say: "No, your daughter Lia, is indeed an excellent adventurer."


    But he wouldn''t say that, not even as a kind lie.


    Lady Bellini looked sorrowful, waiting for him to continue the conversation.


    Lin Da pretended not to notice, he cut a juicy piece of steak, ced it on a fork and handed it to Monica.


    Seeing this, Lady Bellini sighed deeply and took out an item from a jewelry box.


    "Ah~ For a useless woman like me, there''s no hope. But, you and Lia, surely you can. However... well, she is too young, 18 is the best age for an adventurer, you should be careful. Here, take this."


    "What is this?"


    Lin Da looked puzzled at the item in his hands.


    It was a small square box with a cartoonish blue Slime on it, being squished under arge object turning into a steep mountain peak.


    The Slime was crying and the bubble next to it read: "Adventurer''s Wolf Fang Club, it''s too big!"


    Sigh.


    This is... a gel sleeve necessary for the inn!


    Lady Bellini, seeing his stunned expression, her lips curled up slightly: "It''s been three years, please don''t tell your aunt that you two haven''t gone that far yet? It''s thergest size, it should fit, right?"


    Although it could be used, still,


    for a mother, to prepare these things for herself rather than for her daughter, is that really appropriate?


    Lin Da was dumbstruck.


    Facing Lady Bellini''s smiling gaze, he, as an "Old Mage," felt a bit embarrassed but, more than that, annoyed!


    Her eyes sparkled with mockery and disregard; in her view, he must have seemed like a harmless child,


    and Lady Bellini felt a sense of superiority, as if she had experiences hecked!


    Lin Da did not receive the respect a man deserves; the smile on Lady Bellini''s face was an insult to him.


    Smack!


    "Mydy, I think you misunderstand,"


    Lin Da coldly ced the slime gel sleeve on the table: "I am no longer Lia''s teammate, and I have no rtion with her! You should use these yourself!"


    Lady Bellini''s smile froze on her face.


    Then a trace of terror appeared.


    "How, how could this be? What did that child do wrong?"


    "Nothing, I just got tired of it,"


    Lin Da, recalling Lia''sints time and again, shook his head and said calmly.


    "That child...sigh!" Lady Bellini suddenly understood. As a mother, she well knew Lia''s fiery temper; once faced with insurmountable difficulty, she would be terribly anxious and cause trouble for those around her as well.


    "Lin Da, auntie understands your difficulties. You are in charge of the team''smand and also have to look after Lia, you must have suffered a lot,"


    Continue reading at m|v-l''e -NovelBin


    Lady Bellini grasped Lin Da''s hand, her mature figure suddenly drawing close, bringing a fragrance with her.


    Thisdy, with pitifully knitted brows, whispered softly: "Could you forgive Lia this once, give her another chance, please?"


    Chances, too many had been given already.


    Lin Da remained unmoved and withdrew his hand.


    He said, "Even if there are apologies, Lia shoulde in person. What good is it to have a mother apologize? Is this apology your idea, or Lia''s?"


    "It''s my own doing," Lady Bellini sighed, "Maybe Lia just expresses herself the wrong way. That child, she does not have bad intentions, I am her mother, I understand her��"


    "It''s exactly because you are her mother that you don''t understand her at all."


    Lin Da slowly shook his head: "In Lia''s eyes, there''s only the World Tree, she doesn''t care about her teammates at all."


    "No, it''s not like that!"


    Lady Bellini''s tone grew a bit higher, and due to her agitation, her face became unnaturally flushed, followed by several coughs.


    She wiped with a handkerchief, noticing a few ck spots on it, her eyes momentarily flickered.


    Lady Bellini discreetly returned the handkerchief to her pocket, then continued with a sorrowful expression that evoked sympathy:


    "Whenever that child writes home, she always mentions you. Before she met you, she never talked about anyone else."


    "That''s probably because the earlier me was simply more ''useful,''" Lin Da said dispassionately.


    The night he left the team, Lia had even threatened him using Phyllis''s resume.


    The moment he left, she immediately had Phyllis join the team, the cut was made incredibly quickly.


    Lia truly thought he was ipetent,


    And he didn''t have any fond feelings for Lia either.


    Now, it''s quite alright this way.

 Chapter 82: 82. Poor Lia, going home to borrow money

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


    "It''s not about conditions."


    Lin Da felt irritated.


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


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


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


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


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


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


    "What''s happening?"


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


    The feel was indeed pleasant, but strangely,


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


    Her limbs alsocked strength,pletely relying on his support.


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


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


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


    Lin Da frowned.


    It seemed to be no act.


    Heid Bellini on the couch.


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


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


    But a few secondster, she entered a semiatose state.


    -7, -10, -18...


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


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


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


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


    At this rate, she would die within a minute.


    It was troublesome!


    Lin Da''s heart sank.


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


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


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


    Or...


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


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


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


    Suddenly, there was a sizzling sound.


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


    She wouldn''tst much longer.


    Lin Da gritted his teeth.


    He silently apologized to the Bloody Baron in his mind.


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


    So... here Ie!


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


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


    He ced his own there.


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


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


    There was no more time to wait.


    "Purification!"


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


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


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


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


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


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


    Purify, purify fiercely!


    Lin Da shouted joyfully in his heart.


    ...


    At the same time.


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


    Click.


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


    All these required Gold Coins.


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


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


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


    "Third... Third Lady?"


    The guardian warrior was almost unrecognizable when he saw Lia.


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


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


    ...


    "Hmm~"


    A seductive moan escaped from the throat of Lady Bellini.


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


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


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

 Chapter 83: 83. A Small Punishment

    It wasn''t just that, Lady Bellini also felt stupefied in front of her, as if grasped by a pair of pliers.


    She timidly raised her head a little.


    The sight that met her eyes almost made her faint again.


    Someone was sitting on her waist!


    "Lin Da... you, what are you doing, get off, I really misjudged you!"


    Lady Bellini''s eyebrows were turned upside down with anger and annoyance,


    She tried to get up but was weak all over, unable to muster any strength, and tears started to well up in her desperate eyes.


    She had always had a good impression of Lin Da, a gentleman of refined taste.


    That''s why she invited Lin Da into her room without arranging for any guard.


    But she had never expected Lin Da tomit such an outrage!


    She copsedly raised her hand to hit Lin Da, wanting to severely punish this scoundrel.


    But her hand was caught by Lin Da in response.


    A frail nobledy was no different from a chick in front of a robust adventurer like Lin Da.


    Stay connected with m-v l|e''-NovelBin


    "Ugh! Let go!"


    Tears formed in Lady Bellini''s eyes.


    They stubbornly guarded the rims of her eyes, refusing to fall,


    preserving Lady Bellini''sst shred of dignity as a nobledy.


    "Chief, Chief, you''re bullying auntie..."


    Monica crouched in a corner, her small hands covering the holes in a cardboard box, her fingers apart in a wide gap, peeping at Lin Da.


    "Don''t talk nonsense, the chief is not bullying her!"


    Lin Da replied helplessly and amusedly, then seriously looked at Lady Bellini on the couch, "How about now, do you feel a bit better?"


    "Feel better... you mean, under these circumstances, I, I should feelfortable...!"


    Lady Bellini''s chest was heaving violently, her skin blushing with shame and anger.


    "Er, I didn''t meanfort for your mind, but for your body, it should feel a lot better now, right?"


    "Body... you, Lin Da, you are too insulting! To think you want both my body and mind to feelforted, how arrogant and presumptuous!"


    Lady Bellini''s cheeks turned beet red,


    Not only had he taken liberties with her, he also wanted to force her to admit she felt pleasure�� How dreadful was this young man''s character?!


    "Let me go, you little rogue!"


    "The lord will not forgive you!"


    "Please, don''t do this..."


    No matter how Lady Bellini cursed or begged for mercy, Lin Da was like a cold statue, silent.


    He seemed to face some difficulty, focusing intently on his right hand.


    Pouring all his magic power into it, making the green light grow brighter and brighter.


    Gradually, Lady Bellini noticed something.


    Her chest felt very warm.


    Like a shivering traveler in the cold winter wrapped in a thick quilt.


    A sense of relief spread throughout her body.


    ��What''s going on?


    Lady Bellini''s curses halted, her hands stopped struggling, and she frowned in confusion.


    She calmed down and tuned into the sensation.


    The stabbing pain in her heart, was it lessening?


    The witch''s corruption that troubled her every day, preventing her sleep,


    was it disappearing under Lin Da''s right hand that emitted a green glow?


    After feeling it for a while, confident it wasn''t an illusion,


    Lady Bellini''s attractive lips slowly parted, her eyes widened in shock.


    Only four words remained in her mind: How is this possible?


    Even a level 30 Healer couldn''t cure her illness.


    The respected old Bishop from the local Holy Light Church had examined her and said there was no cure, that she had at most a few years left.


    This year would be thest.


    And at this moment, the verdant glow on the youth''s palm enveloped her in front of him.


    It wasn''t the malicious kneading she had imagined.


    It was simply resting on top, releasing a gentle magic power.


    Does it feel better now?


    Now?


    Better...


    Lin Da''s words seemed to echo in Lady Bellini''s ears, resonating over and over again.


    Finally, Lady Bellini understood what Lin Da was doing.


    So this was his intention.


    She had wronged Lin Da!


    This youth was using magic power to heal her!


    Looking at Lin Da''s handsome face, Lady Bellini''s amber-like beautiful eyes became moist.


    It does feel better, indeed, it does.


    Auntie... it feels really good!


    She could almost see the day when the winter jasmine that her servants had nted in the yard would bloom!


    "Madam, perhaps you find my method of healing strange, but it is necessary. The closer to the source of contamination, the more effective it is. That''s why I held on to... please forgive me," Lin Da said, feeling embarrassed under the heated gaze of the beautiful woman and involuntarily looking up at the sky.


    The two of them were too close.


    He was sitting above her, able to smell the perfume the Noble Lady was wearing, an intense and mature fragrance that was initially overpowering.


    At first, it was almost too much, a strong scent that singed the nostrils,


    but once ustomed to it, one couldn''t help but be intoxicated, lost within its depths.


    ncing down stealthily, the mole below Lady Bellini''s corbone was very enticing; her skin, as delicate as milk, was in no way inferior to that of a young girl.


    The choice of purple was also very fitting; the material extraordinarily soft.


    She truly was a Noble Lady.


    Beauty, temperament, figure��all were impable.


    "Lin Da, thank you," she said.


    "Although you were saving me, Auntie said so many excessive things to you..." Lady Bellini''s lips quivered as she closed her eyes.


    "I will repay you, but please, keep this matter a secret," she said with trembling lips, looking fragile and pitiable.


    "Of course, I don''t want to be hunted down by the Bloody Baron either," Lin Da nodded.


    "Our little secret, the two of us..." Lady Bellini''s face turned red, ncing at Lin Da with implication. A pair of warm palms gently pressed on Lin Da''srge hands.


    With this, Lin Da''s healing efforts intensified.


    It was as if Mei Yangyang were actively helping Xi Yangyang by pushing.


    But on Lin Da''s forehead, a trace of cold sweat broke out!


    At first nce, it was alluring, but in fact, it was a threat.


    Lady Bellini had indirectly grasped the secret that he could eliminate the Witch''s Corruption and reminded him not to disclose it carelessly.


    Standing from Lady Bellini''s perspective, there was no issue. But Lin Da, as someone actively providing aid, naturally felt ufortable with this kind of suggestive threat from Lady Bellini.


    "It turns out, you and your daughter are both unpleasant women!" Lin Da scoffed and forcefully began the Purification!


    "Wuu~"


    Lady Bellini, with only a level 4 magic power, couldn''t withstand Lin Da''s overwhelming strength of 100 and immediately winced in pain, tears welling up in her eyes.


    Yet her hands did not stop Lin Da; instead, they continued to caress the back of his hand, bearing the pain, like a flower being ravaged in a torrential downpour.


    "If it eases your anger, please punish me as you see fit; I am willing to make amends to you on behalf of Lia," Lady Bellini said faintly.


    Lin Da found this amusing, "Madam, what happens between you and Lia is a different matter! No matter what you do, I have no intention of returning to the Snow Goose Adventure Team. It''s better to make that clear in advance."


    "Why is that?" Lady Bellini''s face fell.


    "Never mind Lia for now; you should focus on yourself first."


    Lin Da sensed the contamination within Lady Bellini.

 Chapter 84: 84, stop it right now.

    Because thedy had been injured for too long without effective treatment, the Witch''s Corruption had already spread to her heart.


    With this ordinary method of purification, at most it could extend Lady Bellini''s life by half a year.


    [System Notification: Absorbed Masterless Witch''s Corruption, gained 100 Mystical Points]


    Another system notification appeared.


    Adding the points he had umted before, Lin Da had harvested a total of 340 Mystical Points.


    If he absorbed all of Bellini''s corruption, he could probably rise one level.


    Lin Da was currently at level 8, with 1657 Mystical Points, and adding the 340 points obtained from Bellini, that made a total of 1997 points.


    He could break through to level 9 at any time.


    If hepletely absorbed Bellini''s corruption, reaching the rank of level 10 would result in a substantial increase in Attribute Points.


    As he was pondering this, Lady Bellini, lying beneath Lin Da, easilyughed at his words of concern,


    Her face bore a breezy sadness:


    "To die or such, auntie has long been prepared for that, dragging on to today is already beyond what The Mands owe to mother and daughter.


    If treating me is too strenuous, you may stop; I am already very grateful to you. Your affairs, auntie will keep within her belly, taking them to the grave, only hoping that thereafter, you could take care of my daughter.


    Lia, she is my only treasure."


    Thedy stretched out her trembling hand and touched Lin Da''s extraordinary handsome cheek.


    Those ck eyes were like the mysterious night sky, stirring one''s soul.


    She couldn''t help but pass a hint of fascination in her eyes, murmuring, "Even better than the master. Lia, letting such a boy leave, mother feels sorry for you."


    "Lady, please do not speak such misleading words!"


    Lin Da took a deep breath and said, "There is a method that exists to thoroughly eradicate the corruption within your body."


    "But the local bishop of Red Heart City''s Holy Light Church also said it could only be dyed, notpletely cured."


    Lady Bellini hadn''t realized that Lin Da''s Purifying Power was a force of an entirely different level.


    "It can be eradicated, but, it requires your cooperation," Lin Da firmly stated.


    "Really...?"


    Seeing his confident demeanor, hope slowly stirred in Bellini''s heart.


    Even if there was only a sliver of hope to eradicate the Witch''s Corruption, Bellini was willing to try.


    This terrible toxin had tormented her for so long that she felt life was worse than death.


    Now knowing that there was a way to eradicate the Witch''s Corruption and live normally, Bellini''s heart began to beat vehemently, as if injected with fresh blood, and she felt revitalized!


    "Mr. Lin Da, please, save me!"


    For the first time, Bellini had used honorifguage.


    She was earnest in her expression and no longer treated Lin Da like a child of a younger generation.


    "The method of treatment, I''m afraid you won''t be able to ept it," Lin Da said.


    His system could only bind Witches, increasing purification strength by enhancing trust.


    But since Bellini was not a Witch, there was no trust to speak of.


    Therefore, the only method left to increase purification strength was another way.


    He nced at the door, speaking gravely, "Can you guarantee that you will not make any sound? That door, it will never be opened by anyone? Once an outsider discovers us, both of us will be enemies of the Bloody Baron!"


    "Dawen? Don''t worry, that child, he never enters a room without permission," Lady Bellini said puzzledly, "What kind of treatment is it that must not make a sound or be seen by others?"


    Lin Da answered Bellini with his actions.


    He grabbed the oversized Slime gel sleeve thaty on the table.


    "What, no! Absolutely not!"


    Lady Bellini''splexion changed drastically, and she waved her hands back and forth in front of her, "Such a thing can''t be done, the master would tear me to pieces!"


    "It''s not what you think," Lin Da said with a smile, leaning in close to Lady Bellini''s ear to whisper his n for purification.


    Lady Bellini breathed a sigh of relief.


    But her heart soon tightened again.


    "That, that still wouldn''t be right, it would be disrespectful to Lia and the master."


    Lady Bellini was torn.


    Lin Da showed understanding, "If you refuse, I won''t force you, let''s pretend I never mentioned it."


    "No!"


    Watching Lin Da about to retract his offer, thedy pursed her lips, her big eyes glistening like two tempting fruits.


    "Mr. Lin Da, after all, please give it a try. Whether it works or not, you are my benefactor!"


    The resolve on Lady Bellini''s face moved Lin Da.


    "Okay, I understand. I will do my best to help you."


    He nodded solemnly.


    ncing at Kafni with her face flushed red and Monica hiding in the corner, covering the holes in the cardboard box with her small hands:


    "I''m going to take Lady to the bedroom for treatment. Could you two please keep watch? If anything unusual happens, alert us immediately."


    "Oh... Oh! Three minutes should be enough, right!" Kafni felt a fiery heat all over her body, with wild thoughts racing through her mind.


    "Three minutes... I''m not sure, it''s my first time!" Lin Da pondered.


    He came up from the couch, and with a grunt, he lifted the fragile frame of Lady Bellini into his arms.


    The sensation was peculiarly wonderful��although she was the wife of the Crimson Baron, she was now in his arms...


    Lin Da looked down to see Lady Bellini blushing, as if too embarrassed to face anyone, burying her head in front of him.


    "It''s just a treatment, no need to be so nervous," Lin Da said with a smile, trying to lighten the mood.


    "Mm," Lady Bellini replied in an almost inaudible whisper.


    Holding this delicate body, Lin Da inwardly sighed: He had to be careful not to indulge in absorbing the corruption and inadvertently harm Lady Bellini.


    As the two of them entered the bedroom, Kafni''s and Monica''s imaginations ran wild��


    All sorts of terrible images appeared before their eyes!


    The lonely Lady Bellini, who had been alone for ten years, and the green young man Lin Da, together in a room...


    Kafni, as an old Deity who had been single for some time, found her right hand trembling uncontrobly


    She widened her eyes, shook her head vigorously, and muttered to herself like a chant, "You are a man of your word, Kafni. You mustn''t do anything shameful!"


    Having witnessed Lin Da''s heroic posture while battling Magical Creatures during thest few days, Kafni often found Lin Da in her dreamste at night.


    Waking up to find herself drooling over the nket, craving Lin Da''s body...


    This horrified her so much that she lost all desire to sleep!


    "Don''t think nonsense��treatment, it''s just normal treatment! As a Deity, even if it means losing my virginity, I must get ahead of those trashy heroes!"


    Kafni anxiously clutched her head.


    Monica meanwhile thought of many scenes fromic books.


    Scenes like Beastmen punishing the Elf Lady, a naughty girl being tutored by an older man, a young boy identally entering a room with three older sisters...


    Monica bit her index finger, stealing nces at the bedroom door, a hint of jealousy flickering in her eyes.


    If this was an inevitable event in her dark life, it would indeed have to be with the captain!


    While Monica and Kafni were blushing with their own musings, suddenly, a noise came from the entrance hall.


    Click~ ck~


    The core of the lock on the door turned, opened by someone.

 Chapter 85: 85, actually, the bedroom is full.

    Click��ck��


    The core of the room''s lock turned, opened by someone.


    All the messy images in Kafni''s mind disappeared.


    Her right hand ceased its restlessness as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her head, dispelling the heat entirely.


    Her heart raced with the sound of the lock turning, rising to her throat.


    "Mom, I''m back."


    A crisp voice of a young girl rang out.


    Boots tread upon the entrance hall''s passageway.


    Tap tap tap.


    The footsteps drew closer and closer.


    ��This is bad.


    Kafni felt a chill creeping up her ankles and rapidly ascending.


    In no time, her entire back was ice-cold.


    Someone pushed open the door and entered the room that was absolutely ''off-limits''.


    Moreover, Kafni recognized who the owner of that voice was.


    A red-haired girl.


    The captain of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, Lia!


    If Lia entered the room and found the team member she loathed the most was also there, and in the bedroom, ''treating'' her mother...


    Hisss.


    Kafni drew a sharp breath.


    The scenario was too horrifying even to contemte.


    Without a second word, she snatched Monica from under the table and dashed for the balcony.


    Deity''s rule number one: when facing danger, prioritize strategic retreat!


    Just before jumping down, Kafni''s mind suddenly shed with Lin Da''s tall figure in battle��"I won''t leave any teammate behind!"


    She seemed to hear someone''s resounding voice beside her ear.


    Ah ah ah!


    Kafni inwardly cursed in frustration.


    Why did she have to think of Lin Da''s cool side at a time like this!


    It made it impossible for her to abandon Lin Da and escape by herself!


    Footsteps from the entrance hall were getting nearer.


    She could already see just the tip of a brown boot.


    In no more than a second, Lia would spot her.


    Quick, she had to act fast.


    Kafni was so anxious she was sweating.


    She held Monica tucked under her arm, the socially anxious girl''s pale legs iling about.


    With the Agility attribute of a thief maximized, Kafni swiftly arrived in front of the bedroom door.


    She didn''t care what the two inside were doing anymore, she just pushed the door open:


    "You two, stop right there, Lia, Lia is here!"


    At this moment,


    Lin Da was just about to start the treatment.


    "Lady, I''m going to start now, okay?"


    From Kafni''s angle, she could only see Lin standing with his back to her atop the bed, and on the other side, Lady Bellini, sitting in a duck-like position, looking up at Lin.


    Lin had his left hand on her head to maintain bnce.


    Since Bellini waspletely blocked by Lin, whatever they were doing was not at all clear to see.


    But, they definitely were not helping Lin stitch his trousers.


    Kafni and Monica, who had never eaten pork but had read plenty ofic books and seen countless pigs run, both misunderstood, blushing furiously!


    "Stop it, you jerk, now''s not the time for this!"


    "Uh-uh, Lord Captain, it''s a pervert!"


    One was panicking, and the other blurted out, ashamed.


    "Huh?"


    Lin shook his body in shock, turning around in confusion.


    On his hand was a Slime gel sleeve.


    And Lady Bellini shyly opened her red lips, like a patient waiting for the dentist''s treatment.


    "What are you thinking!"


    Lin was half crying, halfughing.


    How could he bear to use such a method on Lady Bellini?


    Wasn''t that just tantly asking for trouble and standing against The Mands?


    He hade to the bedroom with Bellini and closed the door precisely to avoid misunderstanding.


    Little did he expect Kafni would peek.


    "Wait, what did you just say in thest sentence?"


    Lin Da discovered a blind spot.


    Just as Kafni heaved a sigh of relief, her nerves tensed up again, "Quick, hide! Lia ising!"


    "Lia?!"


    The two people on the bed eximed in unison.


    Lin Da was surprised.


    Lady Bellini was a mix of shock and fear.


    If her daughter found out she and Lin Da were in the bedroom together, and they had taken apart the Slime gel sleeve...


    Oh my God! Lady Bellini''s vision went dark, and she almost fainted on the bed!


    "Where is Lia now?" Lin Da asked calmly.


    "Uh..."


    Lin Da didn''t need Kafni to answer, as he got his answer.


    The sound of footsteps approached the bedroom.


    The situation wasn''t looking good, was it?


    ...


    With a click, the bedroom door was pushed open.


    "Mom, it''s almost afternoon, are you still not awake? Your letter sounded nice, but your health has deteriorated again!"


    Lia frowned in reproach as she turned on the magicmp by the door.


    As the light came on, the darkness in the bedroompletely disappeared.


    The sight before her made a hint of suspicion appear on Lia''s face.


    Why did her mother seem different todaypared to usual?


    Lady Bellini''s face was flushed, as if she had been sweating after vigorous exercise.


    She couldn''t even look at her daughter, as if she had done something wrong.


    Lady Belliniy ntingly on the bed, leaning against the wall, covered with arge nket.


    In her arms, she held a very long hammerhead shark stuffed animal,


    to her left and right were stuffed animals of a cat and a hush puppy.


    All were long, the kind of best-selling sleeppanions you find in stores, and Lia had one herself.


    But did Lady Bellini need to hold three to fall asleep?


    The bed was stuffed so full it bulged.


    Didn''t that feel ufortable?


    The more Lia thought about it, the stranger it seemed.


    Lady Bellini smiled gently and said, "Mom has been obsessed with pillows these past few days, without them I just can''t calm down..."


    "Are you feeling very poorly? Why is your voice trembling when you talk?"


    Lia walked worriedly to the side of the bed. Discover exclusive tales on m,v l''e-NovelBin


    "No, not at all, ah, um~ just a bit of a fever, that''s all."


    Lady Bellini stuttered, herplexion changed, she bit her lip as if holding back something.


    "Are you okay, mom? You look like you have a bad fever!" Lia pouted, rummaging through the cab for fever-reducing pills.


    Taking advantage of her daughter''s back being turned, Lady Bellini solemnly touched the head of the hammerhead shark pillow and whispered aint:


    "Please, don''t move around, Lia will find out!"


    Hammerhead Shark: "Got it."


    Yes.


    Inside this one-and-a-half-meter-long, oversized hammerhead shark, a man was hiding.


    In the nick of time before Lia entered the room, Lin Da and the others took the cotton out of the pillows and jumped inside.


    Even though Lin Da didn''t mind making a grand entrance,


    he couldn''t stand Lady Bellini''s earnest pleading.


    Lin Da, soft-hearted, agreed.


    At this moment, the hammerhead shark lying on top of Lady Bellini was him.


    The innermost cat pillow was Monica.


    The outer hush puppy was Kafni.


    That is to say, this small bed was, in fact, crammed with four people...


    Lia had no idea about the truth, thinking that only she and her mother were in the room. Murmuring "idiot, can''t even take care of your own health," she brewed a fever-reducing potion for Lady Bellini.


    "Lord Captain, Monica, Monica''s hot, I''m going to suffocate."


    The cat stuffed animal nudged the hammerhead shark, and a faint voice came out from inside.


    The face-down Kafni also muttered, "I''m exploding, the bear is going to crush me..."


    "Can you keep it down? If we''re found out, it''ll cause trouble for Lady Bellini," Lin Da said exasperatedly.


    Lady Bellini heard the others talking under the covers and was so anxious she nearly cried. Couldn''t they consider someone else''s feelings for once?


    "Stop talking, all of you!"


    Thedy twisted the ear of the hammerhead shark, puckered her lips, and reproachfully said.


    The three pillows finally stopped talking.

 Chapter 86: My daughter turned out to be a little fairy!

    Lia brewed the fever-reducing potion, handed it to Bellini with a stern face, and said, "Drink this! You really are a foolish mother, if you''re unwell, then don''t activate such a powerful cooling magic array!"


    "But it was really hot, mom," Bellini exined awkwardly with a wry smile.


    "I saw a huge table filled with food outside." Lia pulled over a stool and sat in front of the bed, changing the topic curiously, "Did you know I wasing home today?"


    "Er, not really, your return home gave mom a fright, cough, I mean, a surprise!"


    "As for those dishes, they weren''t meant to be shared with strangers. I was supposed to have lunch with your father, but then I was beaten."


    Bellini covered her face, her expression somber as she spoke about the recent argument.


    Lia, angered, clenched her small fist and mmed it down hard on the table beside her!


    "That''s why, why would you like that smelly old man! I will surpass the Crimson Adventure Team and teach him a lesson for you!"


    "You also need to diligently take your medicine and wait for that day!"


    "The higher levels of the World Tree must have a way to heal your body!"


    Bracing with pride, Lia resembled a fiery red rooster.


    Bellini, with a gentle look, touched her head and said, "Thank you, dear, for caring so much about mom."


    "Not at all��I''m just going to the top of the World Tree to fetch some herbs for you," Lia retorted with her face flushing as she pushed Bellini''s hand away, fixing a steady re on Bellini''s swollen face, "That bastard old man, I will never forgive him!"


    "Don''t hold a grudge against the old master. Without him, we would have starved on the streets long ago." Bellini sighed and said, "Lia, there must be something you need this time you''vee home, right?"


    Three years ago,


    Lia and her husband had a fallout, and in a fit of anger, she left Red Heart City, vowing she wouldn''t return unless her adventure team surpassed the Scarlet Adventure Group.


    Her sudden return definitely meant there was something important.


    Nestled in bed, Linda perked up her ears with keen interest.


    "Give me money."


    Lia, stretching out her small hand, said in distress, "The Snow Goose Adventure Team is out of money, I can''t pay Aiko and the others their wages!"


    Failing to pay could lead to sanctions under the ''Adventurer''s Law'' by the Empire, with lighter consequences being the sale of equipment or fines, and severe penalties including imprisonment.


    So Lia hurried home to borrow money.


    "Howe? You wrote a letter to mom a few days ago saying everything was going well," said Bellini, surprised.


    "The 11th level of the Mystic Realm was tougher than I thought, and themanding healer wasn''t up to par; the strategy was poorly executed too!"


    Lia argued, her face red.


    "Is it really the healer''s fault? Is there some issue within your team?" Bellini asked patiently.


    Bellini still hadn''t thoroughly understood why the former healer Linda had left the team. Linda said it was because Lia had be increasingly annoying, but she wanted to hear her daughter''s side of the story.


    From a personal perspective, Bellini naturally sided with her daughter.


    She hoped to help her daughter, to persuade Linda together, to have Linda return to Snow Goose.


    "Actually, Linda left the team,"


    Lia said sulkily, pursing her lips.


    Bellini already knew about it not long ago��


    Bellini feigned a surprised expression: "Ah, how could you kick him out of the team? Linda is such a fined��handsome, capable, good at caring for others. With such a great member, how could you not keep him?"


    Linday against Bellini, silently listening to the mother and daughter converse.


    Both Mrs. Bellini and Lia were wrong about one thing.


    The essence of his departure was that the initial intent of the Snow Goose Adventure Team had changed; Lia''s annoying behavior was just a contributing factor.


    "It wasn''t me who kicked him out!"


    Lia''s defensive voice rang out, "He left the team on his own, it had nothing to do with me!"


    "?"


    Under the covers, question marks simultaneously appeared above the heads of Healer Linda and Kafni.


    Back in White Dove City, no matter who asked Lia, she would say that he was ipetent, that he was too slow in strategizing, and didn''t deserve to be a part of Snow Goose Adventure Team, so she kicked him out.


    But here, in front of her mother, she changed her story to say it wasn''t her doing, that his leaving the team had nothing to do with her?


    Linda had thought that after their failures on the ninth and eleventh levels, Lia would have at least reflected a little, realized the downside of her arrogance, and started to think of her teammates.


    It seemed she hadn''t realized her mistakes at all.


    Lady Bellini was also uncertain whether Lia was telling the truth, her face filled with worry as she said, "Think carefully, does Linda''s departure really have nothing to do with you?"


    "No!" Lia responded immediately.


    Seeing her daughter''s neck flush red with urgency, Lady Bellini shook her head internally, convinced there must be a connection.


    "It really wasn''t my fault."


    Lia started counting on her fingers, listing grievances:


    "After the fifth level, Linda took more than half a month each time to strategize, always off battling Monster Grandma in the wild, never participating in team building,


    either staying in his bedroom or going to the library, other adventure teamsughed, calling Snow Goose''s healer a reclusive fool!


    Such a person, he was too embarrassing for me!"


    The simtion training before strategizing was exhausting, and hismands needed to be followed within half a second, making him seem like the leader!


    His attitude also turned poor; he''d snap back whenever criticized, only responding with hesitant nods, what kind of team member does that?"


    The more Lia spoke, the more frustrated she became, she clenched her hands together, fiddling with her nails and mumbling to herself, "He wasn''t like this before..."


    Lady Bellini sighed.


    It seemed her daughter just didn''t understand.


    Was it possible that what Linda did was all for the team?


    Whether it was strategizing or training, it was all to help the team advance to higher levels.


    Lia was the leader of Snow Goose Adventure Team; no matter what Linda did, she was the one who benefited the most.


    It was because Linda did so well,


    that Lady Bellini felt confident giving him the Slime gel sleeve, trusting Linda to be highly beneficial to her daughter!


    "Think about it, was what Linda did really for the team?"


    Lia opened her mouth to retort, but Lady Bellini gently tapped her on the head, "Listen to Mom first."


    "...Oh."


    "Mom is asking you, when you say Linda stays in the bedroom and library and doesn''te out, isn''t it to help the team better strategize the next level? Your father''s Crimson Adventure Group also takes a long time to create their strategies, right?"


    "Crimson Adventure Group has reached the 19th level; of course, their strategy creation takes a long time! And Snow Goose only just reached the 8th level a few days ago!"


    Lia assertively said, "It''s just Linda beingzy; with his previous pace, he could have created the strategy much faster!"


    A vein throbbed on Lady Bellini''s forehead, even her good nature was tested to the point ofughter by Lia.


    From the letters Lia sent back, it was known that Snow Goose Adventure Team''s strategies for the first eight levels were wless.


    She shared this with the leader of Crimson Adventure Group, her husband known as ''Bloody Baron''.

 Chapter 87: 87. Sorry, I cant bear it anymore.

    ''A talent not easily found,'' that was the Bloody Baron''s assessment of Lin Da.


    Many skilledmanders could easily pass through the initial eight levels of the Strategy.


    But to pass through easily and to emerge unscathed are two entirely different concepts.


    If not for Lin Da''s lower level, the Crimson Baron would have nned on recruiting him.


    Yet Lia felt that Lin Da was skiving off?


    Even if Lady Bellini was her mother, on this matter, she stood with Lin Da.


    What had her daughter experienced during the three years away from home that turned the once naive and warm-hearted Lia into someone with such an arrogant and haughty character?


    Lady Bellini couldn''t help but feel puzzled.


    Suddenly,


    she noticed that the clothes Lia was wearing seemed a bit toorge. The sleeves were rolled up twice, and the ck stocking didn''t fit well �� slightly too loose, slipping from the upper thighs to the middle.


    Noticing Lady Bellini''s unusual gaze, Lia exined, "I bought the wrong size, but it doesn''t matter; I''ll grow into them soon." She frowned, as if unsatisfied with her height and certain other areas.


    "But how can someone get the size wrong for their entire outfit?" Lady Bellini realized something, her face changing as she was filled with helplessness.


    Back when Lia was at home, it was always her who helped choose the clothes. Lia had enjoyed swordsmanship since she was young, showing a talent that was no less than her second brother, Dawen, but her ability to look after herself was even worse than a child''s.


    Lia frowned and said matter-of-factly, "Buying clothes is just a minor thing; it''s the logistics member of the team who goes to make the purchases. All I need to do is to practice my swordsmanship."


    "Uh... So how do you guys handle your meals?"


    "There''s a logistics member; there''s no need to do it myself."


    "May I ask who this logistics member is...?"


    "It''s Lin Da, of course."


    Lia pursed her lips. "He knows he can''t keep up with us because his level is low. When we''re out conquering the Mystic Realm, we contribute the effort, so naturally, he should take care of these misceneous tasks."


    Lady Bellini held her forehead, feeling a sense of doom inside.


    Her original intent was, by gentle persuasion, to let Lin Da, hidden under the covers, hear that her daughter realized her errors and had repented.


    However, her n backfired, and she ended up ''lifting a rock only to drop it on her own feet!''


    Why couldn''t her daughter see the efforts of others?


    Which adventurer would willingly take on the task of purchasing clothes for teammates and cook three meals a day!


    Lady Bellini''s husband, the Bloody Baron, wouldn''t even consider cooking �� if Lady Bellini herself prepared arge table of dishes, dressed up with care, ready to give it away for free, she would be met with a p from the Bloody Baron!


    An excellent adventurer has the right to be proud, this is themon understanding of the world. With Lin Da''s standard in Strategy, even the Bloody Baron considered recruiting him, yet he still worked timidly, for the Snow Goose adventure team...


    Lady Bellini had thought that Lia had used personal charm or something of that nature, perhaps even flirtation, to keep Lin Da around.


    But it turned out that... her daughter gave him nothing, yet demanded he work like an ox, putting his life in his work.


    Your bear may be small, but it''s still usable!


    Lady Bellini felt frustrated with her daughter''s stubborn refusal to see reason, staring at her as she stood there with her neck out and a defiant look, and couldn''t help wanting to p her twice. Didn''t she see the two beautiful girls beside Lin Da? If you don''t make a move, your teammate might just be someone else''s!


    Lady Bellini felt so angry that she was dizzy, and the Witch''s Corruption that she had struggled to keep down nearly erupted again.


    Schooled into dizziness by her own daughter!


    And just then, Lia changed the topic.


    Which made Lady Bellini see a glimmer of hope.


    Lia said, "After Lin Da left the team, I actually found a Healer who graduated from White Dove City''s Noble Academy tomand the team. But after reaching the 11th level, it seemed... he wasn''t as good as Lin Da."


    Remembering Phyllis''s terriblemand ability andparing it with Lin Da, Lia spoke with hesitation in her tone, "Could it be that Lin Da, that country bumpkin, is better than a graduate of Noble Academy?"


    Lady Bellini started smiling.


    That''s right, heap praises on Lin Da, that''s the only way he might have a change of heart!


    Whatever you said, Lin Da was in mom''s bed, listening!


    Lady Bellini thought of theic books she had read, where things like affection points exist. Perhaps right now above Lin Da''s head, affection points +1 were popping up.


    "Daughter, since you understand, why don''t you go and apologize to Lin Da, and ask him toe back?"


    Lady Bellini smiled as she stroked the hammerhead shark''s head.


    This teammate, mom has got to secure for you.


    But to her surprise, as soon as she said this, Lia stood up anxiously, like a cat with its tail on fire, and fury appeared in her eyes:


    "It''s Lin Da who quit the Snow Goose Adventure Team on his own, isn''t that right? As the captain, why should I apologize to him!"


    It was over.


    Affection points -100!


    Lady Bellini was so angry she rubbed her temples and red at Lia, her face bearing a trace of a mother''s authority:


    "Have you thought about what the Snow Goose Adventure Team will do next? The losses on the 11th floor were great, weren''t they? Why don''t you go home? The lord won''t me you."


    "Impossible!" Lia said firmly, "The mistake on the 11th floor is temporary, Phyllis guarantees toe up with a better strategy."


    Talking about the defeat on the 11th floor, Lia found an outlet for her emotions, pouring out all the grievances and inconveniences she had encountered these days.


    Most of them were directed at the issue of Lin Da leaving the team:


    "He''s like an old mother in the team, meddling in everything!"


    "We are all trying hard, but he''s the one cking off. He says he''s working on the strategy, but he''s probably worried about rushing through the levels too quickly, being left behind!"


    "The team is full of girls, and he''s the only guy. The clothes that I''ve lost are probably stolen by him!"


    With every mean word from her daughter, Lady Bellini''s expression turned uglier.


    She came to realize that Lia''s dissatisfaction stemmed from Lin Da being too good; he was once a perfect 100, and now that he''d dropped to 90, Lia began to feel like Lin Da''s attitude had worsened...


    When in fact, most people who could score 70 were already consideredpetent team members.


    But Lia was holding Lin Da to the standard of a perfect score!


    At the root of it, it was because Lin Da had been too good to her daughter, making her ustomed to it; everything he did was taken for granted.


    Not only did she take Lin Da''s efforts for granted, she even went so far as to chastise him when he didn''t perform well...


    Her daughter was really terrible!


    Lady Bellini didn''t want to admit at all that this arrogant girl was her daughter!


    Just then, the hammerhead shark in her arms moved.


    Someone inside the pillow couldn''t listen to the girl''s unreasonableints any longer.


    One or two smear attempts he endured, pretending not to hear, for the sake of Lady Bellini''s face, letting Lia rant.


    But this litany ofints, long and stinky like a Magic Academy opening ceremony speech, Lin Da couldn''t bear it!


    If he didn''t stop Lia, he feared she could go on for half an hour.


    His teammates Monica was nearly suffocated from the heat, Kafni the bear faced downward, afraid to turn over, breathing more and more difficult.


    Even for the sake of his own teammates, he had to stop this farce.


    "No!" Lady Bellini noticed the hammerhead shark trying to wriggle out from under the nket, her expression dramatically changed, she pleaded desperately, "Please, don''te out, just endure a little longer..." Read new adventures at m_v-l''e|-NovelBin


    "Sorry, I can''t bear it."


    The hammerhead shark''s voice was icy cold.

 Chapter 88: 88, Red-skinned Duck Lia

    Mighty thighs, bursting through the belly of a fish.


    Both hands too ripped through the pillow, emerging from within.


    The Hammerhead Shark Monster.


    Makes a grand entrance!


    Lia''s incessant talking came to an abrupt stop.


    Dumbfounded, she watched the hammerhead shark crawl out of her mother''s bed.


    What is this thing?


    Are pillows this advanced nowadays?


    With hands and feet, and it moves?


    Under Lia''s stunned expression, the hammerhead shark took off its headgear.


    A tall man, standing about six feet tall, stepped out from the pillow.


    The sweltering heat caused sweat to roll down Lin Da''s chin, dripping onto the bed, soaking the sheets drop by drop.


    Sitting in the chair, the red-haired girl opened her mouth in shock, her slim fingers trembling as she pointed at him.


    Due to Lia''s intense emotions, she held her breath in her chest, like a magic machine jamming, unable to utter a word.


    Lin Da looked down calmly at her:


    "It''s only you trying? Lia, don''t joke, when I workte into the night, what are you doing? Shopping, ying games with Klrona? Or sneaking out to buy snacks?"


    Lia didn''t take in any of the content of Lin Da''s words.


    In her head, buzzing sounds rang out, her eyes reflecting Lin Da''s towering figure standing on the bed, and behind him, Bellini was covering her face, too ashamed to show herself...


    A bolt from the blue exploded in Lia''s heart, How could this be happening!


    Why was Lin Da in Red Heart City, staying at her home, living with her mother!


    Lia felt as if her brain was about to melt, she clenched her teeth tightly, turning her head to look at Bellini.


    "Lia, listen to Mommy''s exnation, it''s definitely not what you think!"


    Bellini''s face was pale.


    At that moment, the pillows on either side also ''climbed'' up.


    They took off their headgear, revealing Kafni''s smirking face, and another girl, wearing a cardboard box, cowering in fear.


    One, two, three... four!


    On this small bed, other than her mother, there were actually three more people hiding!


    Lia''s vision darkened, her voice hoarse, "You all, were hiding from me... doing that sort of thing?"


    "The food outside wasn''t prepared for father. It was you guys, you all ate it, then in the bedroom...!"


    "No wonder when I came back, mother looked odd, because I caught you! Before I came in, you were all here!!!"


    Lia''s face turned livid.


    She furiously red at Lin Da, "You can''t fight me, so you go after my mother, you''re despicable, shameless!"


    Lin Da shrugged his shoulders, offering no exnation.


    He got off the bed and passed by Lia, heading to a small cab to pour himself a ss of cold water.


    "Say something!" Lia went to grab his shoulder.


    "Stop!" A stern shout came from the side, Lia nced sideways, it was her mother with a frosty face.


    In her entire life, she had never seen Bellini so furious, and she was startled momentarily.


    Then, Lia grew even more irritable, "You''re going to cover for him? Despite doing something so disgraceful, you still dare to protect Lin Da!"


    "You guys... when did you be lovers! Why didn''t I know anything about this!"


    "We''re not lovers!"


    Bellini couldn''t help butugh, If someone from the family heard this, she would definitely be beaten to death as a wanton woman.


    "Then what exactly is your rtionship, exin!" Lia looked at Lin Da, then back at her mother, her emotions in turmoil, desperately wanting to destroy something!


    Meanwhile, Lin Da coughed softly, gently shaking his head at Bellini.


    The Purifying Witch''s ability to cleanse the Witch''s Corruption, he didn''t want more people to know about it.


    It was a secret between him and Bellini, unrted to Lia.


    But Bellini was having a hard time.


    How was she supposed to exin to the furious Lia why Lin Da was in her bed?


    "Lia, you might not believe this, but it''s really true��"


    "Even though Lin Da was hiding in the pillow and was on the same bed as Mom, really, nothing happened between us."


    "Hah?! Are you saying those men who go to disreputable hotels are just having tea? Don''t treat me like a kid!"


    Liaughed sarcastically, feeling her intelligence insulted.


    "Don''t get worked up, calm down, Mom will prove it to you! Look, everyone is properly dressed. Mom is your father''s woman, and wouldn''t do what you''re thinking, Lia, please, let''s not make a big fuss, trust Mom..."


    Bellini, tears streaming down her face, unsessfully grabbed Lia''s hand.


    If Dawen outside noticed and reported this to the Lord, she''d be doomed!


    "I don''t want this either... but you guys...!"


    Lia, pale, bit her lip continuously and took deep breaths to suppress her anger.


    Once her daughter had calmed down a bit, Bellini started to exin.


    She also concocted a perfect lie in her mind.


    Besides the part where Lin Da used his ability to heal, Bellini told Lia everything.


    "So, it was Mom''s illness acting up, she fainted, Lin Da and others just happened to arrive, and they carried you into the bedroom, looking after you."


    "And to avoid suspicion, so as not to upset me, you came up with them crawling into a doll?"


    Lia was bbergasted.


    Lin Da, with his arms crossed, nodded and said, "Exactly, that''s the truth."


    "Really?" Lia looked suspiciously at her mother.


    Bellini nodded repeatedly, "Lin Da is indeed a savior. If it hadn''t been for him, Mom lying on the cold living room floor would have been dangerous."


    Lia''s mind was in chaos.


    She lifted the bedcovers and found them very neat��any strange happenings would have left a trace.


    This was knowledge she had learned from Aiko.


    Her gaze carefully scoured the ce, the bedsheet clean and tidy.


    Bellini and Lin Da''s clothes were also properly worn.


    So, was Lin Da... really her mother''s savior?


    Had she misunderstood them all?


    Lia awkwardly touched her cheek.


    Though she was still somewhat disbelieving, the evidence was right before her eyes.


    "Th-Thank you."


    Even her thanks were barely louder than a mosquito buzzing.


    "I saved your mother, it had nothing to do with you."


    Lin Da seemed indifferent, "Let''s get back to the earlier topic. You seemed to imply you''re the only one trying? Then I''d like to ask, what exactly are you, the team captain, doing in the dead of night?"


    "Uh, I, Miss, am also trying hard!"


    Lia hesitated for a moment, then realized. Late at night, she''d usually be asleep already. If awake, she''d mostly hang out with Chloe or go to the Magic Shadow Theater, munching on popcorn and watching adventure-themed Magic Shadows.


    Lately, she had been practicing more diligently, as in just over two months, the Stone of the Brave would descend.


    But during the times Lin Da was around, her nighttime schedule was either sleeping or having fun. Lin Da''s question had caught her throat, and she couldn''t answer.


    Trying hard at what?


    Embarrassed, she couldn''t answer.

 Chapter 89: 89. He no longer belongs to Snow Goose (Asking for initial subscription)

    Lin Da shook his head and continued, "So the second question, as a team leader, you should be very familiar with the knowledge of various Magical Creatures, right? Any qualified team leader''s room had an entire bookshelf of materials!"


    "That, that''s of course. I know all about Magical Creatures!" Lia shifted her gaze away somewhat guiltily.


    "Let me ask you, what is the weakness of the Gale Wolf? It''s a seventh-floor Magical Creature; don''t tell me you don''t know," Lin Da asked emotionlessly.


    The other three people in the room all knew the answer.


    Even Monica, who tended to keep to herself, had studied the Magical Creatures thoroughly.


    Lady Bellini, being unwell and confined at home, liked to read misceneous books in her spare time and knew the weakness of the Gale Wolf as well.


    ��This really wasn''t a difficult question.


    However, Lia''s face turned red as she racked her brain, seemingly vaguely remembering some information about the Gale Wolf, as if seeing flowers through the fog.


    She remembered, but notpletely.


    Regardless of the Magical Creature, her swordsmanship skills always brought her to victory.


    There had always been a way, never an exception.


    Even with the most fearsome Magical Creature, with her talent, there was always a way to handle it!


    Suddenly, a spark of inspiration shed in Lia''s mind, and she remembered the phrase "iron head, tofu waist."


    Her eyes lit up, and she confidently patted her chest, "Isn''t it just the Gale Wolf? It can''t stump me; its weakness is its waist, the ''iron head, tofu waist,'' which refers to the Gale Wolf!"


    Having made this deration, Lia held her head high, hands on her hips, her face full of pride. Not only did she answer the weakness of the Gale Wolf, but she also sounded well-read.


    However.


    Lady Bellini and the others all shook their heads.


    Ah?


    "The wolf''s weakness is its waist, right?" Lia said in a panic.


    Lady Bellini gently patted her head, sighed gently, her expression soft yet filled with helplessness:


    "You are right, but the Gale Wolf is a very special Magical Creature."


    "Its weakness lies in the tail that controls its bnce."


    "A Gale Wolf with an injured tail will see a significant reduction in speed, and its attacks will be weaker than other wolf Magical Creatures. Any adventurer will know this, right?"


    "Everyone knows?"


    Lia blinked nkly, but she didn''t know?


    Lin Da was not surprised by this scene.


    Yes, this was Lia.


    A swordsman with top-notchbat talent, but a terrible memory, forgetting what she learned just a couple of dayster.


    "If you had studied seriously, even if you hadn''t learned it well, I would have thought highly of you," Lin Da said.


    "I am the team leader, after all; that sort of thing can be handled by someone else! I just need to fulfill my duties as a leader!"


    Lia''s face burned hot with embarrassment, thinking that there must be other team leaders who were worse than her.


    Lin Da: "The responsibilities of a team leader��? Okay, the final question is about the ''responsibilities of a team leader.'' You can surely answer it, right?"


    "Bring it on!" Lia stepped up, trying to look down at Lin Da.


    "The final question is about the Snow Goose Adventure Team''s total output per second," Lin Da nced at Lia, who looked like a dwarf, saying, "You should know this, right?"


    "..."


    Lia was speechless, unable to utter a word.


    Knowing the total output required remembering each team member''s skill damage.


    In the specific training grounds of the Adventurer''s Guild, using the level 1 warrior''s skill ''Shield Strike'' as a benchmark, the damage figures for each team member were obtained to calcte the maximum burst and lowest damage, and then an average to arrive at the total output per second.


    The most hair-raising part was that any change in the team members'' equipment or level upgrade would change the output total.


    One must always remember!


    Lia was already exhausted just from practicing swordsmanship, how could she possibly remember thoseplex numbers?


    "So, do you know? The total output or something, it''s fine just to know roughly, right? No one would bother to remember such things!"


    Lia''s voice was initially soft, but as she talked, she felt quite justified and subsequently raised her head and chest, her voice growing louder.


    "Okay, then let me tell you."


    "If Snow Goose''s equipment and level had stayed the same as the moment I left the team, expressed in ''Adventurer''s Basic Studies'' damage unit ''white value'', then..."


    Lin Da envisioned a string of numbers in his mind and said slowly:


    "Aiko''s maximum output white value, level 20 Ultimate Skill Rain of Light, 10720.


    The lowest output Light Ray Technique, 1005, considering that the Ultimate Skill could only be released once, and taking into ount the chant speed of various Spells and the consumption of Magic Points...


    Averaged over one minute of total output, damage per second is 1560.


    Klyne''s maximum output, level 20 Ultimate Skill Storm Arrow, maximum output 6540, lowest output Sniping Arrow, 690... average damage per second 958.


    Oru...damage per second 372.


    Klrona...580.


    You, with thebination of Energy Charging and me sh, although the damage is high, the cost is also high, your damage per second is still less than Aiko, only 1404."


    The data flowed methodically from Lin Da''s mouth. From the team members'' Common Skills to the Ultimate Skills, everything was firmly etched in his mind.


    Only with precise damage calction can one urately determine the boss''s phase changes; it is one of the fundamental skills of amander.


    Lia''splexion changed, "That''s nonsense, how could one possibly remember all those numbers..."


    "Whether you believe it or not is up to you," Lin Da spread his hands.


    "Hmm..."


    A strange sound came from Lia''s throat.


    In fact, she had already believed.


    She didn''t remember others'' damage per second, but she knew her own.


    After leveling up to 24, she had tested it at the Adventurer''s Guild, and Lin Da''s data for her at level 23 was almost exact.


    "But, but as good as theory is, it''s useless if no one implements those theories. The team still needs to rely on me, Miss!"


    "You''re right."


    Lin Da''s expression was calm, "So I left the team to find other people."


    Other people...?


    Instantly, the image of a Beastman with short pale blue hair floated before Lia''s eyes.


    Was Lin Da, who had worked for Snow Goose, now revolving around someone else?


    Was he cooking for a bunch of strangers, creating strategies?


    Lia clenched her fists, feeling inexplicably distressed.


    She had never considered this before. It seemed as if everyone revolved around her, and Lin Da was like a Magic Puppet who only moved when by her side, standing like a stone statue when away.


    Someday when Snow Goose became powerful, they woulde back to admit their mistake, turning from a motionless Magic Puppet back to a living person.


    In fact, she was mistaken. Even if Lin Da left Snow Goose, he was still a living person, now striving alongside new teammates.


    Lia''splexion turned pale.


    So, Lin Da no longer belonged to Snow Goose Adventure Team?


    She btedly realized.


    Looking back, all she saw was a tall figure,ughing and talking as he walked away with his new teammates.


    Lia only felt as if there was a hole in the wall of her stomach, bitterly ufortable.

 Chapter 90: 90. Equipment: Blazing Bracelet (requesting first subscription)

    She vigorously rubbed her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket and, with a stiff neck, said, "So what, I''m better than you, and that''s enough!"


    Lin Da shook his head, "In terms of strength, you''re not better than me either."


    "What? You''re too arrogant!"


    Lia angrily said, "If you disagree, let''s fight it out!"


    Lin Da said, "If it''s arm wrestling without using magic power, I''ll win."


    "Really, then bring it on! If you lose, you owe me an apology!"


    "And if I win?"


    "There''s no way Miss here could lose!"


    "If you lose, I want one of your magical equipment."


    Lin Da nced at Lia''s wrist, where there was a fiery red bracelet.


    Magical Equipment "zing Bracelet," a level 20 essory.


    It was the most precious item Lia owned, other than the Heavy Sword me Devourer, worth over twenty thousand gold coins in the market.


    Unfortunately, she didn''t bring that greatsword, which would sell for at least thirty thousand.


    "All right," Lia agreed readily.


    A few of them went to the living room and found an empty table.


    Kafni worriedly said, "Can you handle it? Lia, that girl, has very high strength attributes, right?"


    "Without using magic or battle qi, just physical strength, I won''t lose," Lin Da intentionally provoked Lia.


    In fact, even without using those, an adventurer''s basic attributes still enhance their physique.


    Normally speaking, Lin Da couldn''t possibly win.


    Otherwise, Lia wouldn''t have agreed to this wager so easily.


    Both Kafni and Bellini felt uneasy for Lin Da. Lia was already like a powder keg about to explode; if Lin Da lost to her, she would definitely taunt him mercilessly,


    and might even go so far as to push Lin Da''s head down and force him to apologize publicly in front of everyone in White Dove City...


    When Lin Da was a solo adventurer, it didn''t matter, but now, Lin Da was the captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team and at a crucial early stage of development.


    If he had to publicly apologize to Lia, he wouldpletely lose face, and the reputation of Phoenix Tail Flower would plummet.


    Kafni frowned and looked around; Lin Da''s face showed no hint of panic, stable as an eighty-year-old magical beast old dog.


    ''The damned hero''s this side of him isn''t unlikable...'' Kafni thought, feeling a subtle sense of pride within herself.


    Compared to her distrust of Lin Da, Monica''s faith was as solid as Bedrock.


    She believed that there was nothing Lin Da couldn''t handle once he got involved.


    At that moment.


    Lin Da and Lia''s wrists crossed as they grasped each other''s hands.


    "My zing Swordsman profession leans towards strength attributes, how could I possibly not win against the ''Healing Mage'' Lin Da?"


    Lia looked down on Lin Da, seemingly certain of her victory.


    She heard from Aiko that Lin Da had changed to Healing Mage, a profession thatbined healing and poison techniques��a half-baked profession.


    How could such a lousy professionpare to her high-level advanced profession, zing Swordsman?


    Lady Bellini acted as the referee, "Start!"


    "Watch Miss here win in one go!"


    Lia''s wrist was about to exert force,


    At that moment, Lin Da suddenly threw something.


    She nced at it instinctively.


    A small blue box.


    The pattern on it was a slime being squished into a steep mountain peak, and the bubble text read: "Adventurer''s Wolf Fang Club, too big!"


    Was this a gel sleeve?


    And... thergest size?


    Lia instinctively looked down towards Lin Da.


    She heard from Klyne that even Oru, such a big guy, used the smallest size.


    Given that Lin Da was about as tall as Oru, how could he possibly use thergest size...?


    This box of gel sleeves was also opened.


    Had Lin Da used it before? It couldn''t have been for her mother, right?


    A flood of information surged in.


    Just as Lia was distracted, Lin Da exerted force on his arm.


    While she was off guard,


    with a snap.


    Lia''s hand was pressed down on the table.


    The sound was crisp and powerful, reddening the back of Lia''s hand.


    Lia hadn''t even realized what happened.


    Only when she felt the pain did she cry out in surprise,


    Focusing her gaze, she saw her right hand touching the table and Lin Da''sposed expression.


    "Not even slightly guarded, and you call yourself the captain of an adventure team?" Lin Da said lightly.


    "��You!"


    Finally snapping back to her senses, Lia stood up in anger and embarrassment, "Cheating, this is cheating! It doesn''t count!"


    "Is there a rule that says no cheating? Would you ask your enemy to follow rules?"


    Lin Da sneered, "It was your own carelessness that led to your loss."


    Lia''s face turned red and white.


    She wanted to refute Lin Da with her knowledge.


    But even racking her brain, she couldn''t find a way to argue.


    It seemed like Lin Da made a lot of sense!


    The others present had various thoughts.


    Kafni was all smiles, thinking about where to sell Lia''s magical equipment to improve the team''s living conditions.


    Monica muttered softly, "Monica knew it, our captain will definitely win, our captain is the best."


    Lady Bellini was mixed with joy and concern.


    She wanted to teach her daughter a lesson, but she didn''t want her daughter to get hurt.


    Seeing Lia''s face, it was uncertain how many punches she would throw at her doll to vent when no one was around.


    Lady Bellini stroked Lia''s head and said, "You need to be an adventurer who keeps promises, otherwise everyone will look down on you."


    "But I''ve used this equipment for a long time," Lia reluctantly guarded the red bracelet on her wrist.


    "That''s still not eptable," Lady Bellini said seriously.


    "Can''t we swap it for something else?" Lia red at Lin Da.


    "If you ask me, I might consider it," Lin Da said.


    "Who would ask you!" Lia''s eyes widened, she bit her lip and said, "Give you equivalent gold coins, that should be enough, right?"


    "That would do, bring them," he replied.


    "Eh..."


    Lia suddenly remembered, she had no money.


    She couldn''t even pay her teammates'' sries.


    Lin Da hummed, "The captain of the Snow Goose, can''t afford to lose?"


    Thisment made Lia reboot in anger, she furiously took off the bracelet from her wrist and threw it at him:


    "Here, it''s just a purple equipment, what''s there to not afford to lose, with the strength of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, we can get a new one soon."


    "Perhaps you should settle the Snow Goose''s financial crisis first,"


    Lin Da remarked ndly.


    Ignoring Lia''s angry gaze, he caught the bracelet and began to toy with it.


    This bracelet was entirely red, like finely cut crystal with dense fire elements flowing inside, as if it was encapsting magma.


    Lin Da''s gaze shifted, and a transparent information box popped up before him:


    [Name: zing Bracelet]


    [Type: Equipment - essory]


    [Quality: Purple Rare]


    [Level: 20]


    [Attribute Points: Fire fighting spirit damage +10%, Strength +300]


    [Equipment Score: 570]


    Lin Da''s eyelids twitched.


    The attributes of this zing Bracelet were almost twice as high as those of his level 10 Walnut Wood Magic Sword.


    The attributes didn''t surprise Lin Da, as magical equipment naturally grants more attributes with higher levels.


    What really surprised him was that the attributes of the zing Bracelet were all added in the right direction.

 Chapter 92: 92. Item: Metal Destroyer

    The two walked down the hallway leading to the treasury, idly chatting:


    "Lady, you''re bringing me in here, but won''t the Bloody Baron get angry if he finds out?"


    "It''s alright. Actually, this is just the outer treasury, which stores equipment and magic items below level 30. Only the master holds the key to the core treasury..."


    Lin Da nodded, "I can understand that. Equipment above level 30 is too precious."


    When he had his own core treasury in the future, he would also keep the key to himself. He didn''t quite trust people like Kafni and Monica, let alone the sickly Third Lady Bellini.


    "Can I take anything I want from the outer treasury?"


    "Yes, anything at all, but only one item, that''s the most I can do."


    Lady Bellini said gloomily, "Among the three wives of the master, I am the least favored. It''s been ten years, and the master has only been intimate with me once..."


    Lin Da stumbled, his face turning somewhat embarrassed.


    Does thisdyckmon sense, or is she just a big dork...


    Why does she always talk to him��a young man in the prime of life��about her affairs with the Bloody Baron!


    Lin Da changed the topic: "Since the Baron has only touched you once in ten years, why is Lia eighteen years old?"


    "Well... Lia is the master''s illegitimate daughter. She was brought home when she was eight years old," Bellini responded.


    Lady Bellini''s countenance darkened as she remembered the days of poverty, "The master provided us, mother and daughter, withfortable conditions, but Lia doesn''t show him any respect. She believes it was because he left us outside all the time that I ended up hurt by a witch, resulting in my weak constitution..."


    "No wonder Lia sometimes seems rather unsophisticated," Lin Da muttered internally.


    Compared to the genuine youngdy Aiko, Lia, besides her temper, was a total mess in every other aspect; she knew nothing of noble etiquette.


    Arriving at the treasury hall, Lin Da focused his mind and began to seriously select.


    Since he could choose only one item, he had to be cautious.


    At first nce, the rack directly in front was full of weapons.


    From the Mage''s long and short wands, to the Swordsman''s greatswords and one-handed swords, the Warrior''s shields, axes, armor,


    as well as the Rogue''s daggers and some odd weapons for other upations, it was a vast and splendid array.


    Each item radiated a pale blue glow, with some even shining a purple light.


    Lin Da couldn''t help but gasp.


    The total value of everything in the treasury was probably close to a hundred million Gold Coins!


    Magical equipment lined an entire wall, with magic items on both the left and right sides, including some rare Skill Stones.


    Lin Da walked and looked around, using the system to assess the value of each item.


    [Equipment: Shining Staff]


    [Level: 15]


    [Quality: Purple Rare]


    ...


    [Equipment: Lightweight Chainmail of Rage]


    [Level: 19]


    [Quality: Purple Rare]


    ...


    [Equipment: Gloomy Serrated Dagger]


    [Level: 27]


    [Quality: Purple Rare]


    ...


    Lin Da looked at many items and was gued by indecision.


    There were just too many excellent Purple Equipment items, and it was hard to say which one was definitively better than the others.


    "Take your time, no rush," Lady Bellini said as she saw his furrowed brow and smiled gently.


    And just then, something on the right rack shed.


    Lin Da nced subconsciously.


    In onepartment, there was a silver, transparent test tube shaped potion.


    "Eh, what is this...?"


    His expression changed slightly as he hurried over.


    Upon getting closer, he focused his spiritual power on the silver potion.


    A system message popped up:


    [Item: Metal Destroyer]


    [Effect: Greatly increases hit rate against Metal Series magical creatures for a duration of 10 minutes]


    Increasing hit rate...


    At first nce, there was nothing special about this potion. Your next read awaits at m v|l-e''-NovelBin


    While hit rate is important, most Metal Series magical creatures are cumbersome and cannot dodge the attacks of adventurers.


    But Lin Da knew of a Metal magical creature with smooth skin that could nearly dodge all attacks.


    Unless you were dozens of levels above it, crushing it, adventurers of the same level could only watch helplessly as the creatures ran away!


    The reason they ''let them run away'' instead of fleeing themselves was because these creatures had no attack power, were naturally timid, and their only purpose was to be killed by adventurers, dropping massive rewards.


    This was a creature that did not exist in reality, only encountered within the World Tree Secret Realm.


    It was a gift from the World Tree Goddess to those lucky adventurers.


    Its name was: Metal Slime!


    A special mutation, suspected to be a rare Slime plucked straight from a certain Dragon Battle game.


    Lin Da had grinded for Metal Slimes many times in the game, but most of the time, the Metal Slimes escaped.


    Only with incredibly good luck could he possibly kill one.


    Back then, Lin Da''s adventure team had reached an average level of 50, while the Metal Slimes they encountered were only level 20.


    At level 50 battling a level 20, it was still not certain they could kill a Metal Slime; after several missed attacks in a row, the creature would simply run away.


    That''s why Lin Da didn''t unlock the secret level and search for Metal Slimes when he led Snow Goose through the firstyer.


    However, using this potion named [Metal Destroyer], the hit rate could be greatly increased.


    Metal Slimes didn''t have much health, but the tricky part was their annoyingly high evasion rate.


    Once sessfully killed, the adventurers'' party members would gain a massive amount of experience points, and rare magical equipment!


    The Metal Destroyer potion was extremely rare but, due to its niche use, few merchants went out of their way to collect it. Even if adventurers produced a bottle, they would use it carelessly, never realizing the value of the Metal Destroyer.


    Finding this potion in the treasury of the Scarlet Adventure Group was an unexpected delight for Lin Da.


    He concealed the excitement in his heart and said, "Mydy, the item I want is this one."


    "Huh, are you sure? This thing seems pretty ordinary, doesn''t it?" Lady Bellini looked surprised.


    Even she knew that a potion with such a limited use, only targeting Metal Series magical creatures, was not very valuable. Nearly any piece of Purple Equipment would be stronger than it.


    Lin Da politely refused, "I''m quite interested in this item, that''s the one for me. Please help me get it out, mydy."


    Looking over the treasures in the vault, the most precious thing was without question the Metal Destroyer potion.


    It signified a chance for a first kill on a hidden boss, and its value was far beyond that of Purple Equipment.


    "Are you sure, you want just this one?" Bellini asked again and again. It was apparent she truly had his interests at heart, fearing he wouldn''t take full advantage of her husband''s generosity.


    "Mydy, I''m sure, it''s this one!" Lin Da nodded seriously.


    "Alright..." Lady Bellini sighed softly, unlocked the ss seal of thepartment with a key, took out the test tube shaped Metal Destroyer potion, and handed it to him.


    Lin Da''s gaze swept over:


    [Item Name: Metal Destroyer]


    [Category: Magic items]


    [Effect: Greatly increases hit rate against Metal Series magical creatures, duration ten minutes]

 Chapter 93: 93, Basement Treatment (Subscribe Please)

    The silver potion felt slightly cool to the touch, its interior sparkling with star-like lights��utterly captivating.


    Lin Da ced the Metal Destroyer in his pouch, sandwiched between the small Life Potion and the Magic Potion.


    The more potions he had, the safer Lin Da felt.


    With the Large Explosion Stone as his ace card, he had no fear to challenge the World Tree Secret Realm.


    "If I delve deeper, the higher the level the better. I need to absorb Bellini''s contamination and gain more Mystical Points!"


    Lin Da carefully stored the potion and looked down at Bellini, who was considerably shorter than him.


    He smiled, hinting at something. "Ma''am, it seems quite safe here, with no outsiders to disturb us."


    As if a switch had been triggered, Bellini''s fingers trembled slightly.


    "Now, it indeed is a good opportunity..."


    ...


    ...


    ��Purification.


    A verdant glow of life blossomed from Lin Da''s right hand.


    The source of contamination troubling Bellini was continuously purified, and her previously paleplexion gradually turned rosy.


    It was as if time had reversed, transforming her from a woman in her thirties back into a young girl.


    Bellini opened her eyes wide in surprise.


    She felt much lighter, and her head no longer felt heavy.


    Her sense of smell and hearing became acuter.


    Simrly, Lin Da also reaped substantial gains. Explore more at m,v l''e-NovelBin


    System notifications popped up one after another:


    [Absorbing Masterless Witch''s contamination; Mystical Points +100]


    [Absorbing Masterless Witch''s contamination; Mystical Points +230]


    [Absorbing Masterless Witch''s contamination; Mystical Points +370]


    [...]


    Five minutester, Lin Da felt tired.


    His Magic Power was nearly depleted, and the contamination absorbed was also dwindling.


    This meant that most of the contamination at this depth had been eliminated by him.


    He checked his gains: a total of 2300 Mystical Points, counting the previous ones, making for a total of 4267 points.


    If the Experience Points worked just like in a game, Lin Da, at level 8 with 300/1500 Experience Points, would only need 4200 Mystical Points to reach level 10.


    From level 8 to 9 required 1500 Experience.


    From 9 to 10, it doubled to 3000 Experience.


    Reaching level 10 was a milestone for adventurers, significantly increasing Attribute Points, mastering new skills, and meaning a departure from the lower tiers into a rtively decent life.


    If he desired, Lin Da could use the 4267 Mystical Points to boost himself to level 10 at any time.


    But now clearly wasn''t the right time, as the golden glow of leveling up would blossom from him and attract Bellini''s attention.


    At this moment, Bellini hesitantly said, "Although I feel much better now... it seems it didn''t cure mepletely, did it?"


    "About that, I must apologize to you," Lin Da bowed solemnly. "I underestimated the Witch''s Corruption. The witch who hurt you is stronger than I expected!"


    If Lulu were the standard, the contamination in Bellini''s body would typically be eliminated with just one purification.


    What Lin Da hadn''t anticipated was how stubborn the source of contamination was!


    After a moment''s hesitation, he decided to reveal the ultimate treatment method to Bellini.


    "What, what?!"


    "I''m not ready for this!"


    Bellini backed away from Lin Da in a flurry, her hands guarding her front like a frightened deer.


    Lin Da chuckled, "Ma''am, you needn''t be like this. I won''t force you! Whether to treat it or not is entirely up to you. Besides, I''ve run out of Magic Power today, so I couldn''t treat you even if I wanted to."


    ...


    (P.S. Dear reviewer, please approve!


    Missed a thousand words; sorry, will add another chapter tonight, yikes!


    Also, continuing to ask for subscriptions, thanks for the support!)

 Chapter 94: 94. Small Event: Murderous Crab Frenzy

    However, it seemed that Lady Bellini did not refuse?


    She said she wasn''t yet mentally prepared.


    Once ready, could the treatment begin?


    A flicker of surprise passed over Lin Da''s face,


    he had thought that Bellini would sternly refuse, preserving her dignity as ady.


    It can only be said that Bellini really had her daughter''s best interests at heart.


    Otherwise, her downfall was sure to strike Lia hard.


    "Um, if we proceed with the treatment, wouldn''t it trouble you?" Lady Bellini frowned, and said, "Your two girlfriends, would they get angry?"


    "Are you referring to Kafni and Monica?" Lin Da waved his hand: "They aren''t in a romantic rtionship with me."


    "And you, personally, it doesn''t matter to you?" Bellini, holding back her shame, summoned the courage to look at this tall young man.


    Lin Da said seriously, "Of course it doesn''t. As a single, old Healing Mage, if I could receive your guidance on my first attempt, it would be an honor."


    "Ah, it''s your first time?"


    Bellini was stunned.


    "Yes, but I believe even for my first time, I''m still stronger than most," Lin Da said confidently.


    "I... understand. Please allow me to think it over, after all, this isn''t a decision I can make immediately."


    Bellini was still scared of the Bloody Baron.


    "Understood." Lin Da nodded, took a pen and paper from his pouch, scribbled down an address, and handed it to Bellini.


    "Once you''ve decided, you can contact me here."


    "Okay," Bellini said timidly as she took it.


    As if this piece of paper were an invitation from a demon, leading to a fall into the abyss.


    Lin Da joked, "Remember to keep it from the Bloody Baron."


    "Of course," Bellini rolled her eyes, inadvertently oozing the charm of a mature woman.


    "If you can sessfully cure me��" Bellini thought carefully for a while, then said earnestly, "I''ll secretly take you to the master''s core treasury!"


    "It''s a deal," Lin Da smiled and nodded.


    ...


    The door to the outer treasury was finally opened.


    Kafni had been waiting impatiently andined, "What were you doing inside, picking equipment is so troublesome."


    Upon seeing Lin Da, Monica immediately clung to him like a tail, timidly grabbing the hem of his clothes.


    Ruffling Monica''s paper box, Lin Da, with a piercing gaze, said, "We should take our leave, back to White Dove City."


    This trip to Red Heart City had been very rewarding for him.


    A new member of the team, a bottle of Metal Destroyer Potion, and Lia''s level 20 Magical Equipment, the zing Bracelet.


    Both manpower and resources were ample.


    It was time to conquer the World Tree Secret Realm.


    Having been away from White Dove City for three days, he wondered how Lulu was doing.


    Had she gone looking for him?


    If she found him gone, would she think he had fled with her secret?


    Thinking of that beast-eared girl, Lin Da felt exceptionally troubled.


    Being high level was all well and good, but not as obedient as Monica!


    ...


    As they emerged from underground, Lin Da heard the sound of fierce fighting.


    The group looked ahead in surprise to see two figures in the courtyard, one red and one golden.


    They intermingled, their Battle Qi fiercely colliding, each strike like thunder, causing painful ringing in the ears!


    "Dawen and Lia, why are they fighting?"


    Lin Da wondered.


    The red figure, like an enraged leopardess, aggressively attacked. Although Lia was of a lower rank than thetter, she was on the offensive.


    Between each punch and kick, she produced trails of afterimages, her movements fluid without a hint of stiffness, her fiery red hair swirling behind her like a cape, forcing Dawen to retreat.


    But this was only on the surface.


    Lin Da''s expression gradually turned serious.


    At a nce, it seemed Lia had the upper hand, but Dawen, using Thunder Fighting Spirit, remained cold and unflustered, obviously testing Lia''s strength.


    "Don''t underestimate me, my Snow Goose will someday surpass the Crimson Adventure Group!" Lia roared, her right fist enveloped in exploding fiery Battle Qi, smashing towards Dawen''s head.


    This punch was extremely fast and Lia had secretly added the Skill "Energy Charging."


    Dawen''s expression changed, his previously effortless state finally breaking. Even he, a Star-ranked adventurer, hadn''t seen when Lia had charged up. Those punches and kicks were merely a smokescreen.


    The fist grazed Dawen''s cheek, like a swift de, slicing a small cut in the Battle Qi shield on his body, spraying blood everywhere.


    -1000!


    In Lin Da''s vision, a red number popped above Dawen''s head.


    However, since the opponent was high-level, his health points were frighteningly high.


    Even after losing 1000 hit points, it was still just a minor injury.


    But this strike enraged Dawen, Thunder Fighting Spirit circted through his body, his muscles swelling explosively as he counter-grabbed Lia''s attacking right arm, and threw her over his shoulder!


    With a loud thud, the white gstones in the yard shattered, a small crater formed by the impact.


    "Lia!" As a mother, Bellini rushed forward anxiously to intervene.


    "Don''t go over there, be careful not to get caught in it."


    Lin Da grabbed Bellini and squinted towards the center of the battle engulfed in dust, where he could vaguely see the number -500 popping up above Lia''s head.


    If that over-the-shoulder throw hadnded properly, she would have lost about 2000 Hit Points.


    "She''s fine," Lin Da said calmly.


    As the saying goes, where there''s smoke, there''s no injury.


    Lia, who was thrown over the shoulder,nded steadily on her feet and suddenly released mes from her hands, forcing Dawen to step back.


    Dawen wiped the wound on his cheek with his thumb, and seeing the streak of crimson, he smiled, "Three years no see, and you''ve upgraded from trash to deadwood level, not bad."


    Lia''s gaze fixed dead on Dawen, her body''s Fire Battle Qi burning like fierce mes, "Energy Charging!"


    "Stop fighting, you two!"


    "As siblings, you should get along!"


    Bellini stood angrily between them, "If you keep this up, I''ll have to tell the old man!"


    At the mention of ''old man,'' Dawen frowned, dispersed his Battle Qi, and looked toward Lia not far away, snorting coldly, "You''re lucky this time. If I run into you next time youe back, I''ll continue to teach you a lesson."


    "Who''s afraid of whom, I''ll trample you underfoot sooner orter!" Lia scoffed.


    "Enough!" Bellini grabbed her daughter''s hand and bowed apologetically to Lin Da, "I''m really sorry, I need to discipline my daughter a bit more, so I won''t see you off."


    "Madam, you''re weakened, please go back and rest," Lin Da said understandingly, nodding.


    "So you haven''t left yet," Lia red at him fiercely, and then was pushed by Bellini into the mansion.


    In the manor, only Lin Da, his group, and Dawen were left.


    Dawen spoke first.


    Compared to the cold demeanor when they first met, Dawen''s attitude was inexplicably friendlier. The second young master of the Mand Family seemed to be in a much better mood after Lia drew blood with a punch:


    "That fool is not fit for exploring the Mystic Realm; I hope you can wake her up and make her roll back here."


    Lin Da was curious, "But I''m just a level 8 adventurer; how could I possibly do that?"


    "You can''t, but I think your team can," Dawen said, appreciation showing in his eyes. "Lia left home at level 7, and you''ve helped her adventure team reach the eighthyer in three years. Such ability is top-notch even in Red Heart City."


    Lin Da shook his head, "But I''m not interested in meddling in your family affairs; managing my own team is already enough work."


    "No need for modesty, if I say you can do it, then you can," Dawen said proudly. "You''ve looked after Lia for three years in Snow Goose; consider it a favor the Mand Family owes you. If you face difficulties in Red Heart City, feel free to use my name."


    "Thanks for that."


    Lin Da was naturally happy to ept the benefits.


    He performed a courteous adventurer''s bow,monly used, and prepared to leave.


    "Oh, right."


    Dawen pped his head as if remembering something and cautioned, "Be careful around the Breeze River Beach area when you head back to White Dove City. Our adventure team''s scouts have found that the magical creatures there are not normal; there might be mutated high-level Magical Beasts appearing."


    "Those creatures are not something your team can handle. Maybe you''ll see our Crimson Adventure Group in action... heh, speaking of which, it''s been a long time since we''ve shed with your city''s White Dove Adventure Group."


    White Dove Adventure Group?


    Lin Da paused in his steps.


    He had almost gotten calluses on his ears from hearing these five words so often.


    Everyone in White Dove City was familiar with this adventure group.


    The strongest Iron Level Adventure Group in the city, a benchmark for all.


    "Right, you just mentioned Breeze River Beach?" he asked seriously.


    Dawen hummed an affirmation, "Recently, Murderous Crabs have migrated there; it''s estimated a mutated leader exists. When you go back to White Dove City, remember to avoid it."


    "Thanks for the heads up." This time, Lin Da genuinely performed an adventurer''s salute.


    The mention of Murderous Crabs and Breeze River Beach triggered a memory:


    It was a small event, ''Murderous Crab Tide'' about to start.


    By his calctions, it would start in about ten days.


    This was a major summer event, ''Hero''s Stone Descendance,'' a warm-up event.


    Intended to help adventurers quickly level up and increase the chance of obtaining Hero''s Stones.


    Breeze River Beach would be the epicenter of the Murderous Crab Tide.


    yers eliminating Murderous Crabs during the event period would receive an Experience Points boost.


    In real life, such reward schemes would definitely vary, which Lin Da needed to watch out for.


    ...


    The trio bid farewell to Dawen, went to the Adventurer''s Guild, and hired a carriage specifically for long off-road journeys, heading back to White Dove City.


    In the carriage, Kafni excitedly held a red-and-blue handheld console she had pilfered from someone''s bag, controlling the magic puppet inside to farm monsters, asionally eximing how exhrating it was, looking like someone who had never seen the world.


    Meanwhile, Monica slept on Lin Da''sp, her breathing calm and steady.


    Lin Da quietly picked up the girl''s paper box to ventte it, his fingers stroking her rosy cheeks, somewhat lost in thought.


    If handled well, the Murderous Crab Tide event could fatten up his team in one go.


    These creatures were weak to Weak Earth Series Magic and Striking Series damage.


    Once the tide erupted, two types of equipment were sure to rise in price:


    Earth Series Magic Wands, Magic Scrolls.


    Striking Series hammers, axes.


    Prices would rise by at least 20%.


    Lin Da massaged his chin, pondering: Stock up on goods now, and he could make a killing.


    He needed to secure more Gold Coins before everyone realized the Murderous Crab Tide was about to start.


    With his foresight, the more he hoarded, the more he would earn.

 Chapter 95: 95, Squad Module Activation

    ''It''s just a pity that I have so few gold coins, even selling Lia''s zing Bracelet would only make about 30,000 gold coins.''


    In the carriage, Lin Da pondered for a moment and decided to use the World Tree Secret Realm as a breakthrough point.


    The hidden bosses on the first and third levels had not yet been discovered by anyone.


    Not sure about other provinces, but in Cangqing Province, where White Dove City is located, no adventure team had killed a hidden boss yet.


    ording to the settings in the game, the team that first kills in each area will get a "guaranteed magical equipment drop" BUFF.


    For those who kill the hidden boss afterwards, the drop rate will be smaller and smaller.


    Until it bes ''need to rely on lottery-level luck to drop a piece of magical equipment.''


    There''s only one reason for the low drop rate.


    The equipment dropped by the hidden boss is of high rarity, at least of purple quality!


    If Lin Da could be the first to kill two hidden bosses, the problem of low gold coins would be effortlessly resolved.


    Then by hoarding during the Murderous Crab onught... he might save up hundreds of thousands of gold coins.


    Lin Da took out paper and pen from the hanger bag and began to craft a strategy for the hidden bosses during his journey back to White Dove City.


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, the outside was already dotted with stars.


    A beam of bright moonlight, passing through the carriage window,nded on Lin Da''s feather pen.


    He paused for a moment, feeling how quickly time had flown.


    Stretchingzily and rubbing his sore eyes, he folded the strategy paper and ced it back in the hanger bag.


    Kafni was already asleep, sprawled in the middle of the carriage, drooling and mumbling ''so big, I can''t eat anymore...''.


    Not knowing what terrible dream she was having, her right hand kept rubbing her chest back and forth.


    This is really not suitable for children!


    Lin Da''s mouth twitched.


    ncing to the side, the Magic Conductor Handheld Console was emitting a faint light; Monica, focused and intent, was controlling a mage Magic Puppet with a little red cap, fighting against a Shadow Wolf.


    An idea struck him, and he murmured, "Klrona seems to y this too, right?"


    Upon hearing his voice, Monica put down the handheld console, her eyes lighting up excited, "This Magic Puppet game is really fun, Captain, would you like to try it?"


    "Eh, I''ll pass," Lin Da declined, "By the way, these game-specific magic puppets must be expensive, right? With your former ie... um, how could you afford it?"


    In Lin Da''s memory, those exquisite little dollies inside the magic handheld console were at least 10 gold coins each, like in Klrona''s room, which had several walls'' worth, some limited editions even reached up to a thousand gold coins.


    "That''s why those Beastmen came to collect debts," Monica said disheartenedly, clutching the console, "Monica only has one Magic Puppet."


    Looking at Monica, who appeared like a poor child, Lin Da couldn''t help but sigh. Although both were lolis, Klrona was clearly much richer than Monica, boasting piles of toys and not just magic puppets!


    "When we get to White Dove City, I''ll buy a new one for you," Lin Da promised, caressing Monica''s little head with a grave expression.


    "No need, this one Magic Puppet is enough for Monica," Monica said confidently, "In this Magic Puppet game, Monica is invincible; I can beat a level 17 Shadow Evil Wolf without taking any damage!"


    ying with Monica for a while, Lin Da realized this girl indeed had extraordinary potential in the Magic Puppet game; even after learning how to control the Magic Puppet, he was still repeatedly defeated by the Shadow Evil Wolf.


    In Monica''s hands, the Little Red Cap Magic Puppet slithered like a slippery mudfish, the Shadow Evil Wolf couldn''t even touch it once.


    "If Klrona yed with her, they would probably have a lot of fun together."


    Lin Da imagined the scene of a big and a small loli, both wearing white stocking, sitting side by side on a small sofa, ying the Magic Puppet game, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.


    Klrona, one of the veterans of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, profession: Heavy Armored Warrior, innate skill ''Guardian''s Heart''.


    Sacrificing agility, significantly increases physical defense.


    After the second awakening,parable to a Five-Star SSR Character!


    Unfortunately, Klrona did not like him, considering him a useless ''Small Fry''.


    "Unless I can beat her with my own hands, I can''t shake off this title," Lin Da thought helplessly.


    Late into the night.


    The carriage traveled over the rugged wilderness.


    It took Lin Da a long time to fall into a troubled sleep.


    [System Notification: Squad module loading, 98%...99%...100%]


    [Squad module has been activated]


    After roughly three to four hours of sleep, the mechanical voice by his ear woke Lin Da up.


    He opened his bleary eyes and pulled back the curtain, looking outside.


    The night was still deep, stars speckled abundantly, around midnight.


    In the bottom right of his field of view, a little envelope was shing.


    Upon opening it, he found out that the squad module had been activated.


    Lin Da''s spirits lifted slightly, and his drowsiness diminished a lot.


    He simply sat up to study the functions of the squad module.


    The background of the squad interface was a shade of bronze, with five big characters at the top: Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.


    Below was a list disying the avatars and basic information of the squad members.


    Scanning the list, there were only three names:


    Captain: Lin Da, Healing Hero, level 8.


    Member: Monica, Earth Mage, level 15.


    Teammate: Lulu, Frost Wolf Warrior*Witch, Level 25.


    Seeing this list, Lin Da understood why his previous invitation for Lulu to join the team didn''t meet the team-building conditions.


    Kafni, that guy, isn''t human at all!


    She is a summoned beast, one with me!


    It was only with Monica that the team was sessfully formed.


    Lin Da nced at a deity who was drooling in their sleep and shook his head speechlessly, refocusing on the team module.


    In the upper right corner of the interface, there was a passive skill called Captain''s Aura, which could be clicked to view the specific attributes:


    [Captain''s Aura: Within a 10-meter radius, all member of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team gain a 10% increase in damage, and this skill elevates based on thebined levels of team members]


    10%, not too bad.


    ording to the game''s setup, as the levels of team members increase in the future, this skill can eventually boost damage up to 30%, which is like having an extra powerful piece of equipmentpared to others.


    Then came the second feature: [Back House]


    In the Back House, the chibi versions of team members would cultivate and produce a currency called diamonds.


    From the system''s FAQ sprite, Lin Da learned that diamonds could be collected once a day and could be used to refurbish the Back House, enhancing daily diamond production.


    They could also be used to purchase various coaching vouchers to improve the team members'' attributes, potential values, and skills.


    After reading the introduction, Lin Da understood.


    This was akin to ''in-game purchasing'' in the game!


    As long as enough diamonds were invested, a four-star character could perform at the level of a five-star character!


    He clicked on an icon of a small cabin and entered the Back House.


    The inside was quite shabby.


    Broken windows, a leaking ceiling, and mice scurrying on the floor, which scared a chibi version of Monica that looked very like a big-headed doll sitting on the ground crying, with a line of text above her head:


    Mood -30%, diamond production efficiency decreased.


    There was another, lying on the ground sound asleep, letting mice crawl over him without waking, a chibi version of Kafni as a pet beast appeared in the Back House. Above its head, it read: Mood good +20%, production efficiency increased.


    And in the corner of the room, there was a cool-looking short-haired Beastman chibi blowing bubble gum, hands in pockets, with the text above his head: Mood average, production efficiency unchanged.


    These three... indeed were Lin Da''s team members and summoned beast!


    From the information interface, it could be seen that the current base speed of diamond production was 100, Monica''s mood -30%, Kafni +20%, one subtracted, one added, equating to only 90 diamonds harvested today!


    "How can we eliminate those mice and stop Monica from crying? The ceiling and windows also need to be fixed!"


    Feeling the heavy weight of the tasks, Lin Da scratched his head in annoyance, then clicked on the mouse, and a system prompt popped up:


    [Would you like to spend 100 diamonds to kill 1 mouse? Current remaining mice: 15]


    Clicking on the ceiling, the prompt read:


    [Would you like to spend 1000 diamonds to repair the leaking ceiling?]


    [Would you like to spend 2000 diamonds to repair the broken window?]


    Clicking on the house:


    [Would you like to spend 20000 diamonds to switch from a log cabin to a small western-style house?]


    How exactly are diamonds obtained? I didn''t see an entry for recharge.


    Lin Da wondered.


    After checking the system''s FAQ sprite, he found out that there were mainly two ways to obtain diamonds.


    The first was through exchanging Mystical Points, and the second was by sending these chibi team members into the [Hell Rift], where they would earn rewards for each tier they passed through.


    "Diving into the Hell Rift for diamonds? They turned the web mini-game of Mystic Continent into a system feature."


    Lin Da realized.


    He clicked on a red and ck deep pit, and the screen switched to a top-down view of an automaticbat scene, where his three characters: Lulu, Monica, and the pet beast Kafni, jumped in.


    Theynded in a dimly lit area, surrounded by torches, resembling an arena.


    Three ck magical wolves walked out from an opened gate.


    ''Earthquake Crack!''


    A line of exmation-filled skill text popped up over chibi Monica''s head as she raised her magic wand high, and a brownish light lit up from above.


    The ground around her trembled violently, and the soil turned into sharp spears, piercing the three ck magical wolves.


    [Victory]


    The golden, huge text popped up.


    In the settlement interface, Monica smiled shyly, looking both proud and embarrassed. Explore more at m,v l''e-NovelBin


    Meanwhile, Kafniy on the ground asleep, and Lulu kicked stones, looking gloomy.


    After passing the first tier of the Hell Rift, Lin Da earned 500 diamonds.


    [System Prompt: Would you like to explore automatically?]


    Lin Da clicked: Yes!


    During the exploration, he returned to the Back House interface��here, the chibi versions were still present, unaffected by the exploration of the Hell Rift, working diligently like paper people, producing diamonds for the yer.


    Lin Da noticed that Monica''s chibi mood had worsened from -30% to -35% in just a short while, and she was scared into a crouch by the scampering mice.


    Damn mice, daring to bully my team member!


    Lin Da clicked on the mice angrily, spending 500 diamonds to kill five.


    As Monica noticed the reduction in mice, she cautiously stood up, touched her chest, and sighed with relief, her mood also improving by 5%.


    With 10 mice remaining, eliminating them all should normalize Monica''s mood.

 Chapter 96: 96. Guided Dream, with Lin Da starring as the main character

    Lin Da once again entered the Hell Rift interface.


    The three chibi characters advanced rapidly through the map. In a short time, they reached the 13th level, facing a level 13 de Mantis.


    With Lulu and Monica as the main pirs, the low-level Magical Creatures were easily chopped up as if slicing through vegetables.


    A pile of system messages had umted. Lin Da clicked on [Collect], and the rewards amassed, leaping to his sight all at once.


    [System Prompt: Your team has passed the 2nd level, the 3rd level... up to the 13th level, earning a total of 13,500 Diamonds!]


    With so many Diamonds, Lin Da instantly became wealthy!


    He entered the Back House, killed the rats, and fixed all the windows and the leaking ceiling.


    Wiping the nonexistent sweat from his forehead, Lin Da rested his hands on his hips, let out a sigh of relief, and felt the illusion of having been busy for a while.


    The wooden cabin looked new again, Monica hopped around in joy, her mood boosted by a green +20%.


    Kafni, who was lying on the floor asleep, stood up in surprise, as if she couldn''t believe this was the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team''s house.


    Kafni picked a different spot to sleep in deep slumber, her mood increasing from +30% to +40%.


    Lulu stood by the fixed window, looking out at the scenery, blowing bubbles that were somewhat bigger than before, her mood a green +10%.


    Lin Da nodded in satisfaction, the mood of all three team members improved, the daily Diamond earnings increased from 90 to 170, the effect was noticeable.


    [System Prompt: You have repaired the wooden cabin, furniture mall unlocked]


    In the mall interface, a dazzling array of furniture was on disy.


    Lin Da bought three iron beds and a firece, cing them in the Back House.


    The daily Diamond earnings immediately soared to 340!


    With the remaining Diamonds, Lin Da went to the props section of the mall''s interface. The items here were just like in the game, they could be used to "Add Points" to the team members, boosting their attributes.


    [Small Strength Guidance Ticket: 1,000 Diamonds]


    [Small Magic Guidance Ticket: 1,000 Diamonds]


    [Small Defense Guidance Ticket: 1,000 Diamonds]


    [...]


    [Small Potential Guidance Coupon: 10,000 Diamonds]


    At Hell Rift, the chibi adventure team, led by Lulu, delved into the 27th level, once again bringing Lin Da another 22,000 Diamonds.


    He made a grand gesture and bought two Potential Guidance Coupons.


    In the game, the first guidance of a character would result in a substantial effect increase, so choosing the costly Potential Guidance Coupon was most suitable.


    [Detection: Team member Lulu has fallen asleep, choose: Dream Guidance/Automatic Training]


    Lin Da questioned in his mind: What''s the difference between the two?


    [Dream Guidance will improve the member''s training results. During guidance, you will be the dominator, possessing the power to change the dream, to guide the team memberprehensively.]


    Lin Da nodded in understanding, which is to say, be a god in the dream, all-powerful.


    "I understand, choose Dream Guidance!"


    He murmured in his heart.


    Suddenly, drowsiness overcame him.


    Lin Da closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.


    ...


    Half an hour earlier.


    Moonlight as white as snow fell on a small rental house in White Dove City.


    At 11 p.m., Lulu still hadn''t gone to sleep.


    Holding a cup of cooled water, she stood on the third-floor balcony, resting her hands on the railing, staring nkly to the north.


    Including today, it''s been four days since Lin Da went to Red Heart City and hadn''te back.


    And the note he left said he would return in no more than three days.


    Did something unexpected happen, or did he know he was exposed and, afraid of facing her, ran away?


    Either way, Lulu felt disappointed.


    Even if Lin Da''s abilities weakened, she hoped he would be as cold and arrogant as before. To beat such a captain into the ground was her greatest desire.


    But the reality was,


    The Primordial Adventure Team''s captain, Lin Da, known as "Dark Shadow," making adventure teams from the Royal Capital tremble with fear, became someone who feared meeting her, tail tucked, fleeing like a scaredy-cat?


    Was the promise on the note to return in three days just a ruse to buy time and keep her in White Dove City to facilitate his escape?


    Lulu''s eyes grew cold.


    Such a cowardly captain wasn''t worthy of her respect!


    Pulling out the note she had looked at countless times from her pocket, her hand involuntary clenched, crumpling it into a ball of paper.


    Time and time again, he deceived her.


    If she could catch Lin Da next time, she would not be polite!


    Returning to her room, Lulu went to her only bed andy down to sleep.


    The Witch''s Corruption often acted up at night.


    Thankfully, someone helped her Purify some of it, so it wasn''t as excruciating as before.


    Lulu''s toes curled tightly, her brows creased in distress as she clutched her chest, her body tense as if it was cramping. After about half an hour of agony and exhaustion, she finally fell into a troubled sleep.


    "Wake up."


    "It''s not time to rest yet."


    "Let''s see... the first Dream Guidance task, 1,000 push-ups?"


    Lulu''s beast ears, sensitive beyondpare, twitched and she heard someone speaking nearby.


    Was an intruder inside the house?


    She immediately woke up and leaped to her feet.


    Baring her teeth and extending her ws, she looked toward the other person, murder in her eyes.


    But the shadowy figure before her, dressed in ck and carrying a long sword with a white mask hiding his face, caused Lulu''s gaze to be frozen, a chill rising from the bottom of her heart!


    Why was ''he'' here?


    Lulu''s eyes widened in fear, unable to distinguish whether this ce was reality or a dream.


    The person before her, dressed in a dark coat, long sword at his back, wore a white, faceless mask. His presence was unfathomable, seemingly idly tapping in the air with his fingers, his stance ck, but to Lulu, he felt like a Sword Mountain, filled with violent and sharp Battle Qi everywhere.


    Daring to approach him would mean being torn to shreds!

 Chapter 97: 96. Dream Entry Guidance, with Lin Da Appearing as the Main Character_2

    This man was none other than the terrifying captain of the Primitive Adventure Team, Dark Shadow, Lin Da, whom Lulu remembered!


    "Uh, what exactly is going on? I was clearly on the bed in my rental house, so why did I end up here when I opened my eyes, and even met the captain?"


    Lulu''s brain was inplete chaos.


    She looked around incredulously, even the sky had changed, shifting from deep night to daylight.


    The ce she was in was the peak of a mountain, with the top leveled to create a tform as smooth as a mirror''s surface, forming a circle with a diameter of about 100 meters.


    Ten steps in front of her stood the man known by the title Dark Shadow.


    "Why did you bring me here? Are you really... Lin..."


    Lulu intended to irreverently call out the other person''s name, but the deep-seated fear in her heart for that person had long since entered her veins,


    The moment Dark Shadow nced at her indifferently, she felt a chill in her heart and her limbs shake, swallowing the words ''Lin Da'' and bitterly switching to a title of respect:


    "Are you really... Lord Captain?"


    Dark Shadow pondered for a moment before finally answering, "Yes and no."


    "You can consider me a shadow of your subconscious, appearing to abide by your desire to grow stronger and guiding you to be more powerful in your dreams."


    Lulu eximed in shock, "So, it wasn''t you who brought me here, everything here is my dream, a figment of my subconscious?"


    "That''s one way to understand it."


    Dark Shadow said, "Let''s begin, the first training exercise, 1,000 push-ups!"


    "Push-ups? Can this kind of training really make me stronger... uh!"


    Lulu had not yet finished her retort when she felt an immense force press upon her, as if an invisible giant hand controlled her to lie down in the starting position for a perfect push-up.


    "In the dream, I am omnipotent. I advise you to abandon those rebellious thoughts and obediently follow mymands."


    Dark Shadow conjured afortable red sofa out of thin air, sitting in front of Lulu with his legs crossed and a steaming cup of coffee in hand, "Begin."


    Although Lulu was unwilling in her heart, it seemed that she couldn''t stand up without following hismands.


    While doing push-ups, she was surprised to find that it felt as if she was bearing the weight of a thousand catties, with every bend of her arms being unbearably sore.


    If it were ordinary push-ups, with her physique, she could easily do 1,000 of them.


    But what about with a weight of a thousand catties?


    Lulu''s expression changed.


    Time slowly passed, and atop the dream mountain peak, only thebored breathing of the girl and the sound of Dark Shadow finishing his coffee and then munching on sunflower seeds could be heard.


    Sweat had already drenched the ground beneath Lulu, outlining a girl''s silhouette.


    Under the burden of a thousand catties, Lulu showed signs of fatigue.


    As she reached the 500th push-up, she couldn''t help but stick out her tongue like a canine, panting heavily.


    At that moment, Lulu still had the strength to manage her expression; she stuck out her tongue but not too much, and deliberately kept her breathing subdued, not letting the man lounging on the sofa look down on her.


    But by the 900th, her strength was depleted, leaving her gasping for air, unable to care about how she looked.


    Lulu breathed heavily, her body shaking like a sieve, letting her tongue hang out, her eyes rolling back slightly.


    She hadn''t experienced such intense exercise in three years, and she was so exhausted she almost fainted!


    "I can''t... I can''t keep going, let me stop," Lulu said, her voice trembling.


    "Continue," came Dark Shadow''s terse reply.


    At the 950th push-up, exhausted Lulu even employed her wolf tail for assistance, stretching it out from behind her to prop herself against the ground for support.


    "I can''t go on..."


    "Continue."


    The 970th.


    "I really can''t go on..."


    "Continue."


    No matter how much she begged, she received nothing but cold replies like those from a magic-powered machine.


    This Dark Shadow of her dreams was exactly like the captain she remembered!


    Cruel, merciless, eliminating any team members who couldn''t make it.


    ''I must not be looked down upon!'' Lulu thought, fuelled by aplex emotion of defiance mixed with resentment, and finallypleted the 1,000 push-ups.


    The moment she finished, the girl copsed on the ground with a thud.


    Every ounce of strength in her body had been drained!


    "Not bad," Dark Shadow stood up and, as if rewarding a puppy, patted Lulu''s fluffy ears.


    "What are you doing!" Lulu''s eyes widened, defensively extending her ws as if facing a great threat. Experience new stories on m v|l e''-NovelBin


    "Just reminding you, the next training is about to begin."


    Dark Shadow said with a smile, his finger hooking, "Come, defeat me."


    A question mark emerged above Lulu''s head.


    If defeating him was possible, members of the Primitive Adventure Team would have done it long ago.


    It was precisely because Dark Shadow was an invincible entity that nobody dared to defy his autocratic actions.


    After weakening, Lin Da, she was able to easily defeat him.


    But the Dark Shadow at his peak?


    Lulu, feeling troubled, retracted her ws and said with her head down, "How could I possibly win against you, forget it, I should go back, how can I wake myself from this dream?"


    She pinched the soft flesh on the inside of her thigh hard, but other than the pain that made her frown, it was of no use.


    The Dark Shadow shrugged, "You''ve got to stay here until I say you can go."


    ...


    Half an hourter.


    Bang!


    A pale blue figure, like a beaten sack, was sent flying.


    Lulu took a punch to the abdomen, and without the other party exerting much effort, but when she touched it with her hand, she found a huge ck hole had appeared on her belly!


    She was back.


    Being harshly taught by the captain in the Illusion Technique space, the days she was trampled underfoot.


    She was back!


    Lulu''s body trembled, as her fear rpsed.


    Originally thinking that bing a Witch would wash away her shame, but facing this shadow in her heart, even in her dreams, she was still humiliated by the other party!


    Luluy on the ground, dazed, her gaze fixed on the sky, vacant, her consciousness also gradually drifting away.


    "Resurrection Technique."


    The Dark Shadow used a game-exclusive skill, a golden Magic Circle of holiness, falling onto Lulu''s ''corpse''.


    In just a moment, Lulu opened her eyes in confusion, clenched her fists, feeling the Battle Qi replenished, and her life energy extremely vigorous.


    "Continue."


    She hadn''t even reacted yet when a dark figure suddenly appeared by her side.


    Not even using the ''Destruction Magic Sword'' on his back, he just punched her in the head.


    -99999.


    Lulu was dead again.


    Actually, Lin Da didn''t want to treat her so cruelly.


    But to fully utilize the Potential Guidance Coupon, he had to instruct with all his might. A single moment of leniency would result in 10,000 Diamonds wasted.


    So, every move was for Lulu''s benefit...


    Another half hour passed.


    Lulu died 56 times.


    Almost twice a minute.


    Once dead, the Resurrection Technique would be applied, waking her up at full health to continue being hit.


    Even with a will as firm as Bedrock, Lulu was baffled by the beatings from the Dark Shadow.


    On the 57th time, she angrily wiped away the tear that almost fell from her eye, took a deep breath, and intensely focused on the movements of the Dark Shadow.


    The punch came, Lulu dodged by swerving to the side, and delivered a fierce spinning kick at the Dark Shadow.


    However, the opponent scoffed disdainfully, grabbed her ankle, and mmed her on the ground as if swinging a sack!


    Lulu''s field of vision plunged into darkness.


    Before her consciousness faded, she heard the voice of the Dark Shadow by her ear:


    "Holding on for two moves counts as progress, that''s enough guidance for today."


    Guidance for today?


    Could there be more after this!


    Lulu screamed inwardly, distraught. Through today''s training, she had a deep realization of her arrogance, that even as a Witch, she could never be an opponent for the Dark Shadow!


    The girl let out a terrified ''ah'' as she opened her eyes on the small bed in the rental room.


    "Eh? Gone, gone?"


    Looking around, this was Lin Da''s small rental room.


    She sat up, sweating profusely, touched the bedsheets, which felt as though soaked by the Great Water.


    The events in the dream were too real...


    Back again?


    Lulu touched her neck in confusion; it wasn''t broken, and then she looked at her abdomen, which also didn''t have the terrifying hole.


    The old Magic Hanging Clock on the wall showed it was 1 a.m., while she had gone to bed at about 0:50 a.m.


    The flow of time in the dream was slower than in reality!


    "Could those trainings in the dream really help me get stronger?"


    Lulu murmured to herself. After she spoke, she froze suddenly, clenched her fist, feeling the surge in her Battle Qi, and was dumbstruck.


    It seemed... she really had gotten stronger.

 Chapter 98: Level up to 97, acquire new skills.

    ```


    Lulu stared nkly at her hands.


    She could clearly feel that the strength of her body had increased.


    This kind of improvement in talent usually only happened when opening an extremely rare treasure chest in the World Tree Secret Realm or by using epic-level items.


    Yet, she had only had a dream, been taught a lesson by that detestable captain dozens of times, and her talent had increased?


    Did she actually possess such a miraculous gift?


    With her mouth agape in surprise, Lulu felt for the first time in her life that she was a genius.


    Shey back on the bed, hoping to dream again and encounter the Dark Shadow.


    As long as she could be stronger, being tormented was no big deal.


    But no matter what, she couldn''t dream about the other party anymore.


    "Will it happen tomorrow?"


    Lulu tossed and turned on the bed, too excited to sleep.


    She secretly thought that the next time she battled the Dark Shadow, she would try to block the third move before going down!


    ...


    [System Prompt: Dream guidance sessful, team member Lulu''s basic attributes have increased: Strength +100, Defense +20, Agility +10!]


    Inside the carriage, Lin Da slowly opened his eyes.


    "Strength increased by 100? This guidance session was very sessful."


    He opened the main interface of the squad module and clicked on Lulu''s avatar, bringing up a simplified attribute bar.


    In this attribute bar, he could see the basic attribute values of the team members without their equipment.


    Member: Lulu


    Profession: Frost Wolf Warrior*Mage


    Level: 25


    Hit Points: 3000


    Magic Power: 90


    Strength: 750


    Defense: 100


    Magic Defense: 95


    Agility: 99


    Lin Da memorized the data and thought to himself that perhaps after Lulu became a mage, her strength attribute growth had significantly increased. Together with the 100 strength from his dream guidance, she had reached a terrifying 750.


    A typical warrior profession at this level would only have around 400 strength.


    And calcting his own Healing Hero panel, after crossing the two major thresholds at levels 10 and 20 and reaching level 25, the magic power was estimated to be around 650.


    Healing professions naturally had lower magic attributes; for a Healing Hero to reach this value was already considered very high.


    The greatest strengths of this profession were still the dual defense and health points.


    Lin Da, currently at level 8, had a basic health point total of 1800. Lulu at level 25 had only 3000.


    In contrast, Lulu''s burst output was very high.


    "After going berserk, Lulu can be cultivated as the core of the offense."


    "In the future, spend more Diamonds on purchasing Strength Guidance Tickets to use on Lulu."


    Lin Da nned to develop this Beastman girl into an existence that surpassed that of a five-star level character.


    He then opened up another team member, Monica''s, attributes to take a look.


    Member: Monica


    Profession: Earth Mage


    Level: 15


    Hit Points: 1300


    Magic Power: 370


    Strength: 5


    Defense: 15


    Magic Defense: 15


    Agility: 10


    After looking, Lin Da massaged his temples, feeling a headacheing on. Your adventure continues at m v|l-e''-NovelBin


    The magic power value for Monica was as high as 370, high enough to be considered an extraordinary talent at a nce.


    But her hit points and all other attributes... were too low.


    Scratched by a Magical Creature of the same level, she would immediately be a ck and white icon.


    "Since hit points growth is so low, instead of increasing health, it''s better to y to strengths and continue increasing magic power, turning her into a human-shaped Magic Cannon."


    "As a backline position, Monica has the protection of me as a Healing Hero, which can ensure her safety to the greatest extent."


    Lin Da made future training ns for these two team members.


    As for Kafni, let''s leave it to fate.


    This guy, not being included in the list of team members, is more like a mascot...


    Half an hourter.


    "Phew, Monica''s dream guidance has also ended."


    Lin Da let out a sigh.


    This time, the dream guidance primarily enhanced Monica''s magic attributes and changed her introverted nature.


    He set the dreamscape to a lively festival, holding the shy Monica''s hand and wandering through the crowd, training until she could walk under the daylight without a cardboard box, even without the Dark Shadow character scaring her to tears several times.


    But overall, the guidance was sessful. When it was time to go to White Dove City, Monica probably wouldn''t need the cardboard box anymore.


    A system prompt appeared: [Dream guidance sessful, team member Monica''s basic attributes have increased: Magic Power +100, Hit Points +100]


    "Not bad."


    Lin Da smiled as he stroked Monica in her sleep.


    The girl restlessly clutched her nket, mumbling ''where has the captain gone'' in her sleep.


    With the outbreak of the Murderous Crab frenzy, Monica, the Earth Mage, would demonstrate great advantages.


    Murderous Crabs were weak against earth system magic, exactly what Monica could counter.


    Although team member kills did not give Lin Da any experience points, the Demon Cores from the Murderous Crabs could be exchanged for gold coins, boosting the overall strength of the team.


    [System Prompt: Today''s sign-in has been refreshed]


    The system time in the upper right corner showed 0:20.


    Lin Da entered the Back House.


    Inside, three chibi team members snored away.


    In the middle of the little cabin, a golden Cornucopia was filled with sparkling and translucent diamonds.


    ```


    Lin Da clicked to collect.


    [System Prompt: You''ve obtained 340 diamonds!]


    [Current Bnce: 2840 diamonds!]


    Lin Da used 2000 diamonds to buy a teddy bear furniture, for the chibi version of Monica to hold.


    The mood value above Monica''s head changed from a green +20% to a +30%.


    The daily sign-in could now yield a diamond amount that, with the mood boost from the teddy bear and Monica, increased by 380.


    Then, Lin Da clicked on Hell Rift, entering a dark arena page.


    [System Prompt: Your adventure team has passed level 28, obtaining 4000 diamonds!]


    A mail icon on the bottom right corner was shing, and Lin Da collected 4000 diamonds from within.


    The chibi version of the adventure team, which was originally stuck at level 28, defeated the three-headed fire-breathing dogs and advanced to level 29, with Lulu and Monica each boosting their attributes.


    The round arena turned into a withered yellow grasnd, and a centaur whose eyes were blood-red and d in armor stepped out from the magic circle.


    Lulu was beaten so hard that she fell off her horse.


    After the team got wiped out, it would automatically restart, like in an idle game that kept ying itself.


    Lin Da watched for a while and realized that the main reasons for failure were insufficient levels and too few team members,cking a front-row member with a taunting skill to attract the enmity of the magical creatures.


    Monica, at level 15, faced the level 29 centaur and was instantly reduced to zero health points by itsrge sword, bing a soul floating on the battlefield.


    Lulu managed to kill one centaur in a one-on-one fight, but there were still three left.


    She was overwhelmed, fought until exhaust, and perished.


    The red ''Failed'' sign appeared on the interface, and after waiting three seconds, the mini-game automatically restarted.


    Every attempt ended the same way; even Lulu as a witch had a hard time defeating four level 29 centaurs.


    "We''re stuck," Lin Da concluded.


    It had nothing to do with the team members'' skills; they were simply crushed by the numbers.


    He shook his head and exited the system interface.


    Too bad he couldn''t join the team and enter the battlefield himself.


    All he could do was allocate skill points to his team members and then set theirbat modes to things like [Offense Oriented], [Defense Oriented], [Adaptability], etc.


    After pondering for a while, Lin Da decided to level up.


    He was now preparing to challenge the hidden boss, and the Murderous Crab frenzy was also going to erupt in ten days; leveling up was urgent.


    Adventurers reach a minor turning point at level 10, which was something he needed right now.


    "Mystical Points, level me up!"


    Lin Da silently uttered, transforming 4200 Mystical Points into Experience Points.


    Two streaks of golden light consecutively fell upon him.


    A sense of abundant power emerged within him, and in the night sky of his spiritual world, two stars were illuminated, perfectly encircling the core.


    [System Prompt: You have reached level 9, strength +13, magic power +13, defense +2, magic defense +3, agility +2, hit points +200]


    [System Prompt: Congrattions, you have reached level 10!]


    [Strength +50, magic power +50, defense +20, magic defense +30, agility +20, hit points +600!]


    [You have acquired two skill points]


    [Poison Technique Series and Recovery Series have unlocked new skills: Toxin Mastery, Verdant Shield]


    Upon reaching level 10, Lin Da''s attribute points more than doubled, with his dual attack increasing from 103 to 166, and his hit points added by 600, amounting to 2400 in total.


    This base hit point count was almost higher than all frontline professions of the same level.


    Lin Da thought of Monica''s pitiful 1300 hit points and wished he could lend her some of his own...


    He clicked on the personal page and went to the skill tree.


    Adventurers unlock stronger profession skills at level 10.


    At level 20, they unlock ultimate skills with explosive outputs.


    It was because of these features that levels 10 and 20 became thresholds dividing adventurers.


    Lin Da had two skill trees and unlocked two skills by reaching level 10.


    The Poison Technique Series called Toxin Mastery.


    The effect was simple and overbearing, directly enhancing the damage of Poison Technique Series skills.


    Lin Da had 4 skill points at hand and invested 2 into it.


    [Toxin Mastery lv2: Increases poison damage by 20%]


    The base damage of the Venom Magic Sphere was now roughly around 320, ticking once every second for a total of 6 ticks, and with the boost from Toxin Mastery, the single-damage reached 384.


    The total damage of one Venom Magic Sphere was equivalent to four Fireball Techniques at the same level!


    Monica, being such a fragile caster, would be gone with just one hit from a Venom Magic Sphere...


    The second skill was Verdant Shield from the Recovery Series.


    As Lin Da read the skill description, his heart gradually grew hot.


    He immediately clicked to add points!


    [System Prompt: You have learned the skill: Verdant Shield!]


    [Skill: Verdant Shield]


    [Quality: Purple Rare]


    [Type: Common Skill]


    [Consumption: Low]


    [Proficiency: lv1 Basic]


    [Effect: Grants a magic shield equal to 30% of the user''s maximum hit points to a target]


    The power of Verdant Shield was to apply a shield to someone else.


    However, the thickness of this shield was determined by Lin Da''s maximum hit points.


    And the greatest strength of a Healing Hero was having arge amount of hit points!


    Without wearing any magical equipment, Lin Da already had 2400 hit points.


    One Verdant Shield could provide 720 points of shield.


    For a fragile mage like Monica with only 1300 total hit points, this was substantial.


    Once Lin Da equipped a full set of level 10 gear, his hit points would further increase, as would the shield''s thickness!


    This was the true strength of a Healing Hero, with exaggerated survivability and being very tanky himself.


    With Lin Da present, the survival rate of fragile backline members greatly increased.


    He continued to study for a while.


    Verdant Shield had two caveats: the shieldsted for 10 minutes, and it couldn''t be stacked.


    Lin Da saved the remaining skill point andy down satisfied to sleep.

 Chapter 99: 98. Secret Realm Square, sweep for equipment

    The team''s defense had the Verdant Shield, and on the offense, there was Monica and her Venom Magic Sphere.


    He was confident that with the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, they could clear all hidden bosses of the first threeyers in one go!


    During his time with Snow Goose, his main focus was on safely assisting the team through the challenges. Discover exclusive tales on m,v l''e-NovelBin


    But now with the new profession Healing Hero, and the system for cultivating team members in the Back House, their potential had already surpassed that of the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Lin Da nned to lead the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team to wipe out all hidden bosses within the World Tree Secret Realm!


    ...


    The next day at noon.


    The carriage came to a halt before a river beach.


    Breeze River Beach.


    In sight was a dragon-like blue river, surrounded by many aquatic nts, with some wild Magical Creatures standing at the edge of the riverbank, cautiously collecting water.


    "Sir, we''ve arrived at your designated location," the coachman Jeban pulled back the curtain and called to the person inside.


    "Hmm, thank you. Wait here for a moment, I''ll be right back."


    Lin Da stepped out of the carriage, stretched his limbs, and breathed in the fresh air.


    There were ten days left until the outbreak of the Murderous Crab frenzy.


    Lin Da hade early to observe the situation.


    Reality was not like a game; Murderous Crabs wouldn''t just spawn out of thin air.


    He wanted to see how the event from the game would manifest itself in reality.


    Not too far ahead, Lin Da found an adventure team.


    Composed of three men and a woman, they had just killed a level 9 Wind de Giant Deer and were excitedly extracting its Demon Core.


    One of them noticed his arrival and immediately changed expression, whispering into the ear of a freckled, golden-haired young man.


    "How goes the loot? Are there many Magical Creatures around Breeze River Beach recently?" Lin Da asked while showing his adventure team badge.


    Each city''s badges were unique, and adventurers from the same city would generally treat each other courteously in the wilderness.


    The freckled young man rxed a bit when he saw Lin Da''s badge from White Dove City and, as Lin Da approached, eximed in surprise, "Ultimate Pervert... cough, Mr. Eye of Wisdom?"


    "That''s me," Lin Da nodded.


    A well-known figure''s face in the city was like an effective pass.


    If he had encountered a team from Red Heart City and approached them rashly, they might have thought he had bad intentions, potentially leading to a fight.


    However, with the title ''Eye of Wisdom'', he easily avoided such confrontations.


    "I still prefer the title Phoenix Tail Flower Team Captain," Lin Da said with a smile, pointing to the badge on his chest.


    "Sorry, I didn''t know you had formed a team," the freckled young man said sheepishly, scratching his head, then he added, "There seem to be more Magical Creatures around Breeze River Beach recently; our adventure team oftenes by, and these past few days, we''ve made a good haul."


    "Have you encountered any Murderous Crabs?" Lin Da inquired.


    "About that..." The freckled young man''s eyes shifted.


    The ponytailed female adventurer next to him whispered urgently, "Bob, don''t tell this guy! There are too few Murderous Crabs, we can''t let himpete with us for business..."


    Bob nodded discreetly, thinking to himself that an 8th-level Murderous Crab could be sold for at least 10 Gold Coins, whereas other level 8 Magical Creatures generally fetched around 5 Gold Coins.


    The carapace of the Murderous Crab could be used as material for making Armor or ground into powder to enhance male performance, making their body parts far more valuable than those of ordinary Magical Creatures.


    Bob''s team members were only at level 9 on average. It was most cost-effective and safest for the four of them to hunt an 8th-level Murderous Crab together. They had already made over 100 Gold Coins through hunting in the past few days, which was twice the ie of a team at the same level.


    If this Eye of Wisdom got involved, their adventure team certainly couldn''tpete with him, leading to a drastic drop in ie.


    "We haven''t encountered any Murderous Crabs," Bob said with a forced chuckle, scratching his head.


    Seeing the other''s evasive expression, Lin Da understood.


    He nodded and cautioned, "Murderous Crabs range from level 7 to 17, so be careful if youe across one."


    "Uh, thanks?" Bob looked up awkwardly.


    Lin Da fully understood the actions of this team.


    He also indirectly acquired the information he wanted.


    The number of Murderous Crabs was very limited; they wouldn''t have deliberately concealed it from him if there had been arge influx.


    His foresight still held an advantage.


    With ten days left until the Murderous Crab frenzy, he nned to gather as many Gold Coins as possible in that time.


    Lin Da returned to the carriage, deep in thought.


    In the morning, the three of them returned to White Dove City.


    The first thing he did was raid the equipment at Secret Realm Square.


    To conquer the hidden bosses of the World Tree Secret Realm, equipment was essential.


    The current Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team was too poorly equipped.


    As the captain, Lin Da only had a Rusty One-Handed Sword and worn Leather Armor.


    Monica was even poorer; when he first met her, the Big Lolita couldn''t even afford pants.


    Her skirt and white shoes were bought with Lin Da''s money.


    The other team member, Kafni, wasn''t much better off.


    She only had a small dagger, nothing else.


    Lin Da needed to buy two sets of level 10 equipment and one set of level 15 equipment for Monica.


    The three of them first sold Lia''s zing Bracelet at the nearby trading post. After some haggling, they got 32,000 Gold Coins for it.


    This startup capital greatly alleviated the financial pressure of Phoenix Tail Flower.


    Lin Da stored the Gold Coins into a Savings Card, which was epted across the continent, and then went to Secret Realm Square to buy some fresh equipment.


    Returning to Secret Realm Square, the bustling atmosphere was immediate.


    Adventurers wereing and going in droves to enter the World Tree. There were also stalls everywhere, hawking the equipment they had obtained from the Secret Realm.

 Chapter 100: 98. Secret Realm Square, sweep for equipment_2

    Lin Da held Monica''s hand, his voice gentle, "You''ve gotten used to not wearing the box, right? With the captain here, no one will hurt you."


    "Yes, yes!" Monica''s sleek and cute forehead shone slightly under the sun as she nervously responded.


    The girl, like a sheep entering a wolf pack, leaned close to Lin Da, looking down, her big eyes daring only to nce at her toes, twisting inside her round-toed leather shoes.


    Monica, mustering her courage, looked up, only to find herself surrounded by a bunch of curious adventurers, which frightened her into hugging Lin Da''s back and burying her small face into it.


    Lin Da, looking at Monica, who was buried in him like an ostrich, sighed helplessly in his heart.


    Helping Monica ovee her social anxiety would still be a long journey.


    As they reached the center of the Secret Realm Square, he transferred ten thousand gold coins from his Savings Card to Kafni; they split up to scour the Secret Realm Square for equipment.


    Not just for the three of them, everything was within their shopping scope, including earth system Magic Staves, Magic Scrolls, and Striking Series weapons.


    The earlier they were from the Murderous Crab surge, the more stable the prices of such equipment. Once the big merchants noticed and began buying crazily, market prices would also fluctuate.


    "A Level 10 Mage cloak, this is a rare quality item, just exploded out yesterday, thetest model, both stylish and practical, 500 gold coins, can''t go any lower!"


    At a small stall, Lin Da haggled with a golden-haired elf adventurer.


    What he was interested in was a cloak that could enhance Magic Attributes; it was lighter than cumbersome armor, could increase agility, and could slightly improve casting speed.


    "Captain, that..."


    Suddenly, Monica tugged his sleeve, and he looked over in confusion, only to see Monica timidly pointing at a belt hanging from the elf stallholder''s waist, under which dangled a bottle of silver-glittering Magic Potion.


    Beforeing to the Secret Realm Square to shop, Lin Da had instructed the two teammates that besides buying equipment, if they found any Metal Destroyer Potion, they must secure it!


    Once he killed the hidden BOSS, many adventure teams would realize the benefits of this potion and the price would skyrocket.


    Making use of the current unawareness of the true uses of Metal Destroyer Potion, Lin Da would scoop up any he saw!


    He casually asked, "That Magic Potion, are you selling it?"


    "Ah, Life Potion? That''s not for sale, I still need it," the elf stallholder shook his head.


    "No, I mean that silver one."


    "Metal Destroyer? You want this thing?"


    The elf stallholder, surprised, took the potion out of his pouch and muttered, "What''s the use of this thing? It''s not like it needs to improve uracy when fighting metal monsters."


    The way the stallholder casually fiddled with it, it seemed he wouldn''t mind if it broke.


    In fact, his team had exploded this potionst month on the fifth floor of the Great Mystery Continent, during a battle against Magical Creatures; it hadn''t sold for days, and even at one gold coin, people thought it was too expensive.


    Yet, this potion had exploded after a fierce battle with Rare Magical Beasts!


    "How many gold coins will you give?" asked the stallholder, named y, squinting at Lin Da.


    If this human showed any obsession with the potion, he was ready to jack up the price without hesitation.


    Lin Da stroked his chin and observed for a while, grinding y''s patience almost thin, before finally making an offer:


    "Give it to me."


    y: "?"


    You lil'' rascal, not even willing to part with a single gold coin, huh?


    Lin Da pointed to a pile of equipment in front of him, "I n to buy all these, throwing in one potion isn''t too much, right?"


    "All of it?" y was shocked.


    With many small vendors in the square, y, fearing Lin Da would turn to another stall, quickly passed over the silver potion: "Fine, I can''t use it anyway, it''s yours!"


    "What''s the total price for these equipments?" Lin Da casually took the potion and put it into his pouch.


    "A total of seven items, 3000 gold. I''ll give you a discount, let''s make it 2700 gold coins!"


    Lin Da shook his head, "Let''s stick to 3000 gold, I feel like, as adventurers, we all have it tough."


    He worried that in a few days, the stallholder would be heartbroken enough to jump off a building.


    Once the true value of Metal Destroyer Potion was revealed, it could easily sell for a hundred thousand gold coins...


    Lin Da did not haggle and directly paid the full price of 3000 gold using his savings card as y had stated.


    y, moved, grasped his hand, "You are quite the nice person!"


    "Not to deceive you, but for these equipments, our adventure team has suffered great losses. With everyone having lost limbs, they are all waiting for me to bring back the gold!"


    Lin Da: "..."


    After thinking it over, he swiped another thousand gold and said solemnly, "When entering the Mystic Realm, safety muste first!"


    y was so touched that he nearly cried��apparently, there were still kind-hearted adventurers around!


    ... Discover hidden tales at m,v l''e-NovelBin


    Carying the equipment he had purchased in arge bag, Lin Da could faintly smell the lingering stench of blood on it.


    The crowded square was full of disabled adventurers setting up their stalls.


    He couldn''t help but sigh, "Low-level adventurers have it so tough."


    The higher-level adventurers were rtively wealthy, with powerful equipment and town portal scrolls, hence they faced a lower rate of casualties. Even if they couldn''t defeat the higher-level magical creatures, they still had many ways to retreat.


    But it was different for low-level adventurers.


    Town Portal Scrolls, those for floors 1-10, cost over 10,000 gold coins��unaffordable for them!


    Each piece of equipment was obtained through sweat and blood, and even life.


    During the purchasing process, Lin Da met one low-level adventurer after another.


    Their lives were generally very tough. The materials and Demon Cores from low-level magical creatures were too cheap, barely making any money.


    Magical creatures of the same level were no weaker than adventurers, and often required several adventurers working together to kill one.


    A slight carelessness could lead to casualties.


    When Lin Da arrived at the Mystic Continent three years ago, despite being a Healer with average talents, having a wealth of strategies, and an excellent magic chanting speed, coupled with Lia and others�� he hadn''t experienced the harshness of adventuring.


    In fact, casualties among low-level adventurers were all toomon.


    One afternoon, Lin Da saw many adventurers walking out of the World Tree looking distraught.


    They carried white body bags, their shoulders stained with fresh blood. Inside were teammates who had been joking together just hours before.


    The heavy atmosphere plunged the Secret Realm Square into silence.


    Every adventurer sighed and mourned silently. No one knew who might be the next to be carried out or left behind in the World Tree forever.


    All the more experienced adventurers had been through the heart-wrenching experience of carrying out the bodies of theirrades.


    Lin Da, holding Monica''s hand, both paid silent respects.


    Looking at that adventure team with vacant stares, as if drained of all their blood and sweat, a bold idea suddenly sprang to his mind��could he do something for these low-level adventurers?


    The first ten floors were where the mortality rate of adventurers was highest.


    These ten floors were not more dangerous than those beyond, yet they were a huge challenge for rookie adventurers.


    Theycked the experience to handle the magical creatures in the Mystic Realm, and their mindset could easily falter. Performing well outside, they would be excited and nervous once inside the Mystic Realm, failing to perform even seventy percent of their ability.


    But ording to Lin Da''s unorthodox tactics, for the first ten floors of the Mystic Realm, if the adventurer''s level was sufficient, they could pass through easily, even without injury.


    The adventurers shouldn''t die in the World Tree Secret Realm. The future war against the Demon Lord''s Army needed everyone to contribute their strength.


    The more adventurers that reached the higher levels, the easier Lin Da''s journey to conquer the Demon King became.


    With this, he made a decision.


    The strategy for the first ten floors at Phoenix Tail Flower will be shared with adventurers from all cities!


    He would teach them hand by hand how to defeat the magical creatures in the Mystic Realm.


    Every adventurer who survives because of his strategy might be a key force in the future battle against the Demon Lord''s Army.


    The Demon King would be dealt with by the heroes, but the Demon Generals, numerous foot soldiers, magical creatures... these were up to the adventurers to handle.

 Chapter 101: 99. Damage test, accidentally met Klrona

    ...


    As night fell, Lin Da finally spent all 30,000 gold coins, exchanging them for magical equipment.


    The three of them met at the entrance of the Secret Realm Square.


    After a discussion, excluding the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team''s own gear, they purchased 15 earth staffs, 7 hammers, 8 axes, and 10 one-handed swords with earth attribute attacks.


    These pieces of equipment were all around levels 8 to 12, making them the most popr range.


    The 40 items cost a total of 20,000 gold coins.


    Lin Da then spent another 5,000 gold to buy sets of blue-quality equipment for himself and Kafni.


    A set of level 15 earth mage equipment for Monica, blue in color, cost 5,000 gold.


    At that moment, Lin Da strapped a purple weapon, a walnut wood magic sword, to his waist.


    This main weapon alone added 100 points to his dual attack.


    Cloaked in a mage''s cloak, wearing two magic amplifying rings on his hands, and donned in a pair of ckbat pants.


    After being enhanced by magical equipment, Lin Da''s attributes reached a new height.


    He silently invoked his quest bar.


    A light screen appeared out of thin air.


    Name: Lin Da


    Level: 10


    Hit Points: 3000 (2400+600/the first number is the basic attribute, the second is the equipment-added attribute)


    Magic Power: 346 (166+180)


    Strength: 346 (166+180)


    Defense: 66 (46+20)


    Magic Defense: 88 (68+20)


    Agility: 54 (44+10)


    Resistance: Poison Resistance 30%


    Experience Points: 0/6000


    Skill Points remaining: 1


    Mystical Points: 67


    ...


    After equipment amplification, Lin Da''s magic power reached 346.


    His attributes were almost on par with Monica at level 15, who had the ss Cannon skill.


    However, once Monica donned her equipment, she was out of his league.


    The role of Healing Hero wasn''t known for high Magic Points, but its advantagesy in health points and magic defense.


    With a total of 3000 health points, Lin Da''s Verdant Shield could provide Monica with a protectiveyer of 900 points.


    Meanwhile, a healer of his same level could only restore about 200 health with a single healing spell.


    With both a shield and healing, plus a belt full of potions... even if Lin Da didn''t want to set any gs, he felt confident about the uing strategy.


    Clearing the level shouldn''t be a problem.


    The main challenge woulde from the hidden boss.


    Aim for a perfect kill to increase the chances of obtaining high-quality equipment drops.


    Upon leaving the Secret Realm Square, Lin Da spent 20 gold coins on a horse-drawn cart for hauling.


    He ced the equipment in the wagon and, along with Monica and Kafni, headed towards the Adventurers'' Guild.


    The time tounch the Attacker live stream in the World Tree Secret Realm was set for three dayster.


    In these three days, Lin Da would postmissions in various cities seeking Metal Destroyer Potions.


    Then he would train Kafni and Monica.


    Getting them familiar with the hidden boss''s moves.


    Afterpleting his registration at the Adventurers'' Guild, Lin Da received a one-time reward of 10 gold coins.


    Any adventure team that offered to live stream their attack withoutpensation would receive subsidies from the local Adventurers'' Guild and the official empire.


    However, since there were so many live streams of the first three levels, the reward was only 10 gold.


    Immediately, Lin Da took his two teammates to the third floor of the Adventurers'' Guild to test the output of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.


    This data was the most important aspect of the strategy.


    Without a clear understanding of one''s and teammates'' damage, there''s no point in discussing strategies.


    ...


    On the third floor.


    In a neat and smooth hall, practice dummies stood upright.


    Made from an extremely resilient gel material, when adventurers struck the dummies, the damage ''white value'' would appear on the adjacent square magic stone.


    The so-called ''white value'' is the theoretical maximum damage output without ounting for any defenses of the target.


    This discipline, after thousands of years of research by adventurers, had be very rigorous. The ''white value'' can directly determine the output level of an adventure team.


    In the evening hall, adventurers were scattered here and there.


    "Yah!"


    A crisp scream of a young girl echoed.


    Pink twin-tails swayed back and forth.


    White socks in short boots stamped firmly on the ground, making a cheerful sound.


    Chloe, dressed in heavy armor, revealed only a pair of bright eyes and the twin-tails sticking out from her helmet.


    With her little axe in hand, she fiercely chopped at the gel dummy''s head, shouting, "Skull Smashing Strike!"


    The number on the square magic stone rapidly changed.


    2005!


    For a Heavy Armored Warrior, this was a very high number.


    Another warrior in the hall had been practicing for a long time and peaked at only slightly over 1000.


    However, Chloe was still not satisfied.


    The magic stone''s number changed again, calcting her average output per minute:


    560.


    That was down by 20pared to before entering the 11th level.


    Chloe frowned, feeling that the little axe in her hand was very ufortable to use.


    When attacking the 11th level, her original weapon had been bitten off by a Swift Rock Lizard...


    Lia said she would equip her with a new one.


    But the team leader had disappeared for a day and hadn''t returned.


    Aiko was in the vi practicing, and Oru and Klyne had gone off to celebrate.


    Today was an adventurers'' holiday, White Thanksgiving.


    For the first time, Chloe was spending Thanksgiving alone.


    Dispirited, she put away her little axe.


    Somehow, she felt that being in the Snow Goose Adventure Team wasn''t fun anymore.


    There were six of them in the Snow Goose, but why did it feel so different with just one person missing?


    Chloe couldn''t specify what exactly it was, but she sensed something had changed.


    At first, she was thrilled.


    The moment Lin Da left, no one was there to tell her what to do anymore.


    No matter if she ate snacks in the middle of the night or yed with magic puppets until dawn, no one would care.


    She no longer had to listen for footsteps outside, hurriedly turn off the light, and wait to turn it back on once Lin Da was gone.


    Chloe yed wildly for two whole days.


    ...

 Chapter 102: 99, Damage Testing, Encountered Klrona_2

    Then, she felt something was off.


    The Magic Puppet game wasn''t as appealing anymore, and theic books weren''t that interesting either.


    It seemed more fun to avoid Lin Da and secretly watch, secretly y.


    Aiko and Lia, even if she was engrossed in ying all day without eating, couldn''t bother with her.


    "Hungry? There is prepared food from the restaurant in the fridge, heat it up yourself."


    "Ah, not eating?"


    "If you don''t eat, then go hungry."


    "Lia, don''t talk like that to her��Klrona, if you''re hungry, go to a restaurant outside? I need to beautify myself, so I won''t apany you."


    Lia directly ignored her.


    Aiko only scolded her with words, never took action.


    Klrona found it quite hard. If it had been Lin Da, as soon as she was hungry, he would get up even in the middle of the night to cook.


    She had been practicing in the hall for half a day.


    Her body was sweaty, and her throat was parched. If she hade with Lin Da, he would have probably prepared water already...


    She took off her armor, and a petite girl crawled out from inside.


    Klrona was dressed in a little ck skirt paired with white stockings up to her waist, and her top was a white blouse withce detailing.


    She looked like the adored young daughter of a noble family.


    She sat gloomily on the bench to rest, taking out a Magic Conductor Handheld Console from a backpack with a giant rabbit pattern on it.


    The Magic Puppet inside was a limited-edition Swordsman she had bought for 5000 gold, but ying it wasn''t satisfying at all.


    Klrona absentmindedly fiddled with the joystick, her mind still reying the scenes from the strategy of the 11th floor.


    There was a problem she had been unable to figure out for days.


    Why couldn''t she hold onto the Magical Creatures anymore?


    When Lin Da was in charge ofmanding, those Magical Creatures kept attacking her, and her innate skill ''Guardian''s Heart'', could create a defense as solid as a wall of iron and copper, protecting her teammates from any damage!


    Every time theypleted a strategy, Lin Da and Aiko would praise her for being capable.


    Klrona particrly enjoyed this feeling of being needed.


    But under Phyllis''smand on the 11th floor strategy, no matter how hard she attacked the Magical Creatures, she couldn''t draw their aggro.


    It created a ratherical scene: the Magical Creatures chasing after Aiko and Klyne in the back, but Klrona, weighed down by her heavy armor, was trailing behind with a small ax, unable to catch up.


    The result was that Klrona couldn''t deal output damage or withstand damage, she could only watch the Magical Creatures helplessly.


    Lia''s criticism still echoed in her ears.


    Klrona feared this team leader, who she had lost to in a one-on-one duel, which is why she had joined the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    "Criticism or whatever, I don''t want it..." Klrona hugged her little head, her delicate body trembling slightly.


    ��As a Heavy Armored Warrior, not protecting teammates and even causing them to die!


    The angry shouts of former teammates seemed to resound in her head, and Klrona instantly turned pale, the Magic Conductor Handheld Console falling to the ground with a snap.


    "Be careful, isn''t that thing quite expensive?"


    A calm and steady voice came.


    Klrona nkly looked up, and what met her eyes was a face that was all too familiar.


    "Lin Da." she said dazedly.


    It had been a week since theyst met, and Lin Da appeared quite different to her.


    He no longer always furrowed his brow, looking burdened with heavy thoughts.


    He seemed much more cheerful.


    He was happy after leaving the Snow Goose Adventure Team, just like that Small Fry Uncle?


    As she took the handheld console, she noticed a strange girl behind Lin Da that she didn''t recognize. The girl had long brown hair and timidly hid behind Lin Da, peeking at her Magic Conductor Handheld Console.


    When their eyes met, the girl immediately hid behind Lin Da in fright.


    "Monica, it''s okay, this is my former teammate, she won''t hurt you." Lin Da said affectionately, ruffling the girl''s small head, gently pushing her forward, "Go and make a friend."


    "I... I am Monica." the girl said weakly.


    "Your new teammate?"


    Klrona looked resentfully at Monica.


    "Yes." Lin Da chatted, "How have you been recently, have you been eating well?"


    Klrona shook her head, "Since this morning, I haven''t eaten yet!"


    Lin Da was stunned for a moment and said, "Remember to eat when you go back."


    "Oh..."


    Just like that?


    Klrona clenched her small fists ufortably. It seemed like Lin Da no longer cared about her!


    She nced at the shy Monica and couldn''t help but feel infuriated. Every team had its favorite member, she was the favorite in the Snow Goose Adventure Team, and in Lin Da''s team, it was this girl named Monica, this girl who sneaked looks at her Magic Conductor Handheld Console, and had ''ovepping roles'' with her!


    What a coward, not even daring to meet her eyes, and her magic power also wasn''t as good as hers!


    How could such a person get the attention of Small Fry Uncle!


    Klrona''s eyes zed as if on fire, feeling that Monica had stolen Lin Da from Snow Goose.


    Her angry demeanor made Monica, who mustered the courage to step forward and make friends, shrink back behind Lin Da.


    Lin Da helplessly said, "It''s not often you find someone who ys the same games as you, don''t you want to make a friend? The captain and Kafni will go first to test the damage, and we''ll call you when it''s your turn."


    Monica, buried in Lin Da''s embrace, shook her head rapidly.


    Scared!


    That girl, who was a bit shorter than her, seemed like she would eat her alive!


    "Your new teammate doesn''t seem all that great."


    Klrona proudly stood on the chair, hands on hips, corners of her mouth lifted, taunting, "She can''t even look someone in the face; what a big-time small fry! That blond behemoth of a girl must be even weaker, right? Small Fry Captain and his small fry teammates, hrious!"


    Continue reading on m|v-l''e -NovelBin


    "Stepping on the bench with shoes will get you chased out by the staff of the Adventurers'' Guild." Lin Da pointed at her shoes.


    "Huh. I''m a member of the Rock-level Squad, from Snow Goose; they won''t care even if they see it!" Klrona dered smugly.


    The cleaning staff nearby passed by, indeed turning a blind eye to Klrona''s low-quality behavior.


    Rock-level Squad indeed had its privileges.


    Lin Da sighed. If he were still with Snow Goose, he would have definitely reasoned with Klrona to make here down, but now, it no longer had anything to do with him; he hadn''t even gotten his own Big Lolita over her social fears, let alone concern himself with someone else''s.


    "We''re going over there." He nodded politely to Klrona and led Monica by the hand towards the Gel Mannequin.


    As for Kafni, she had already started ying over there.


    A white dagger made of condensed magic power furiously struck into the Gel Mannequin, only to mark a damage of 500.


    Normal Attack was even lower at just 250.


    Lin Da knew thieves were subpar, but was this too subpar?


    Just as he was thinking this, a series of footsteps caught up from behind.


    "What is this?"


    "Let''s see how much output your small fry teammates have." Klrona snorted, puffing out her underdeveloped chest, "Even though I am a Heavy Armored Warrior, a role with no damage, my instant damage is 700!"


    She deliberately exaggerated a bit.


    In reality, Lin Da was quite aware of her damage, but he didn''t bother to point it out.


    Even if Klrona exaggerated, it wouldn''t affect his strategy in the slightest.


    As long as Monica and Kafni''s damage was urate, it was fine.


    "Start, Monica."


    Lin Da, pretending Klrona didn''t exist, gently pushed Monica forward and pointed at the Gel Mannequin: "Go all out and attack it for one minute."


    The floor and walls of the training hall were made of special materials, costly but able to withstand magic below level 20.


    So, it was fine even if Monica went all out.


    The brown-haired girl cautiously held the magic wand in front, her body slightly trembling.


    Many adventurers around, including Klrona, were watching her.


    Monica was naturally beautiful and had a pitiful baby face that made people couldn''t resist bullying her a bit.


    Her healthy figure also drew much attention...


    Especially when she was next to Lin Da, infamously known as ''Ultimate Pervert''.


    "Don''t be afraid, give it your best, let the captain see your strength!"


    Lin Da supported her from the side.


    "She can''t be worse than me, can she?" Klrona pursed her lips, not thinking much of this Big Lolita.


    Are you mocking me again?


    Tears swirled in Monica''s eyes.


    She was actually used to being despised. Back in the Primordial Adventure Team, even rats would stomp on her,


    What really made her uneasy was that she was embarrassing Lin Da! What if Lin Da suddenly left her behind like he did three years ago?

 Chapter 103: 100, Little Devil Defense Break, Bullying Big Lolita (Please Subscribe, Chapter 100)

    "Monica is a useful team member!"


    Monica muttered the spell in a low voice, her brown magic wand, adorned with a fist-sized treasure bead, aimed at the gel mannequin in front of her.


    With a grunt, the girl stumbled backward, unable to withstand the recoil of the magic and fell into Lin Da''s arms.


    "Earth Bombardment!"


    As she gave a weak shout, a beam of light shot out from Monica''s magic wand.


    The thick aura of magic power immediately caused theplexions of the adventurers watching to change.


    Klrona was also taken aback for a moment.


    As a level 21 Heavy Armored Warrior, she could probably sense that Monica''s aura was only at level 15.


    A mage of that level would have a normal maximum damage white value of 2000; when Aiko was at level 15, she could hit 3800 damage on a gel mannequin, which was considered very impressive.


    Yet, Klrona felt a surge of magical oscition from Monica''s spell that was even stronger than Aiko''s at that time?


    The moment the earth-colored beam appeared, no adventurer on the scene dared to underestimate Monica, who looked so easy to bully.


    How much damage white value could this girl produce?


    4000, 4100?


    Everyone secretly spected in their hearts.


    All they heard was a bang.


    The beam hit the chest of the gel mannequin, and it shook violently, its chest turning ck and sunken, emitting thick smoke.


    Mannequins of this specification were generally only damaged by level 20 adventurers.


    Monica, at merely level 15, had made a dent in the chest of the mannequin.


    On the square magic stone, numbers started rapidly rolling from 0, swiftly breaking through 3800, the record left by Aiko at level 15.


    Then, it broke through 4000, and under the disbelieving gazes of the crowd, it easily surpassed 4500...


    Finally, it settled above 5800!


    Outrageous!


    All adventurers were shocked and widened their eyes, the same thought emerging in everyone''s hearts!


    A level 15 mage dealing 5800 damage, had she taken some powerful magic potion?


    Otherwise, it must be some kind of self-damaging spell.


    Klrona''s face was full of surprise; this good-for-nothing looking big bear girl, she was better than Aiko?


    In Klrona''s heart, the person she feared the most was Lia, and the person she respected the most was Aiko.


    As a mage, Aiko''s performance in the Mystic Realm was impable, with high output and fast incantation. With Aiko and a certain Healer behind her, Klrona felt like she was an invincible presence.


    But...


    That good-for-nothing girl, she was better than Aiko?


    Klrona''s mind couldn''t quite grasp it.


    No, there had to be something wrong!


    Klrona unwillingly gritted her teeth, her eyes intently fixed on Monica, looking for something amiss on her.


    In fact, Monica was indeed not as powerful as Klrona thought.


    But she hadn''t resorted to low-level techniques like doping either.


    "Has the magic circuit cooled down? You need to cast one quickly, or the damage per second will be lower and lower," Lin Da rubbed Monica''s head, chuckling.


    Monica pursed her lips, brewing for a while before raising her magic wand to cast another "Earth Bombardment."


    Now everyone understood.


    The output was very high, but she could not use it continuously.


    Klrona felt much more bnced in her heart.


    But... she was still a bit sour.


    No matter how that 5800 output was achieved, at least it was achieved. Let other level 15 mages try, even with a potion they couldn''t do it.


    Besides Earth Bombardment, Monica could also cast other minor spells, like Earth Spike, Earth Shard, Earth Spear Spell, using them over and over.


    What they had inmon was their extremely high single-hit power, but slow incantation andrge recoil.


    After releasing a spell, Monica had to rest with her face flushed and panting for a good while.


    One minute passed, and the resulting damage per second was 640.


    This number was much more regr.


    Lin Da recalled in his mind that the average damage per second of a level 15 mage was around 400.


    This profession couldn''t achieve seamless spell casting in the early stages and required rest, hence their damage per second was significantly lower than physical professions like the Swordsman.


    But Monica''s real advantage was her explosive output; facing Magical Creatures that entered a ''second phase'', an enraged state, she could quickly ''extinguish'' the enemy, holding significant strategic value.


    At the same time, Kafni on the other side also received her damage per second data.


    This blonde Deity had an embarrassed expression, squatting in front of the number-disying magic stone scratching an itch, waiting for the numbers above to disappear before whistling leisurely over.


    Klrona pointed at her with pride: "No use hiding, I saw it, 250 damage per second Small Fry!"


    "Uh�� You little rascal, who are you calling Small Fry? Believe it or not, I''ll steal all your clothes clean!" Kafni threatened menacingly, making Stealing gestures.


    "Gross!" Klrona retreated a step, squealing, "Whatever, turns out they''re all Small Fry."


    At that moment, Lin Da''s damage per second had also been calcted.


    Many didn''t see when he tested it.


    Everyone''s attention had just been on Monica, whose presence was overwhelming.


    Actually, Lin Da didn''t test sneakily; he had been diligently dealing damage.


    The Venom Magic Sphere bounced six times for damage, and the poison damage could stack oneyer.


    After two Magic Spheres were cast, it added up to twelve instances of damage.


    In other words, Lin Da only needed to cast two Venom Magic Spheres every 12 seconds.


    The numbers on the magic stone moved steadily.


    +700


    +695


    +711


    ...


    The final average damage was 701!


    When Klrona noticed the number on that magic stone, she was dumbfounded.


    When did Lin Da deal that damage?


    Without a sound and now 701?


    She herself only has a little over 500!


    Even though she is a Heavy Armored Warrior and supposed to be a meat shield, howe her damage is lower than Lin Da''s?


    Isn''t Lin Da just a Healer?


    A Healer''s damage higher than hers, a level 21 Heavy Armored Warrior?


    Klrona''s expression changed.


    Suddenly, she felt like she was the Small Fry?!


    "Captain Lord, when did you deal out damage?" Monica was also very curious.


    "When I was helping you, so you wouldn''t fall to the ground," Lin Da chuckled.


    "What''s Captain Lord''s maximum damage like? Monica has 5800, and yet her per-second damage is only this little..."


    Monica''s eyes were filled with admiring stars.


    Per-second damage of 700, maximum damage must be around 7000, right?


    Klrona and the others pricked up their ears to eavesdrop.


    Lin Da said, "About 700, I guess."


    A neat row of question marks popped up above the heads of the adventurers.


    They were asking about your maximum damage output.


    And there you are, with the title ''Eye of Wisdom,'' mixing up maximum damage output and average per-second damage?


    "Oh, oh." What was even more infuriating was that Monica believed it, without delving any deeper, whatever Lin Da said, she believed.


    This made everyone''s curiosity itch like cat ws, unbearably ufortable!


    "They''re asking you about your maximum damage output!" Klrona, as an old team member, asked on behalf of everyone.


    Lin Da looked puzzled: "That''s right, I answered that question."


    "But your per-second damage is 700."


    "Right."


    "And your maximum damage output is the same?"


    "Uh-huh."


    Klrona furrowed her brows, "You''re lying!"


    How could there be an adventurer whose average per-second damage and maximum output are the same?


    Even a Small Fry just out of the water will still thrash a bit before slowly running out of energy.


    Lin Da definitely had some secret he was deliberately hiding from her!


    This was treating her like an outsider!


    This strong sense of alienation was what made Klrona the most upset.


    "I''m not lying to you; that''s the truth."


    Regarding his own damage, Lin Da felt pretty helpless.


    It''s just the upational feature of a Healing Hero.


    Total damage higher than Monica''s, who is at level 15.


    But as for burst damage...


    What''s that? Never heard of it!


    There was no need for Lin Da to continue testing his damage. Kafni and Monica, on the other hand, needed to test their minimum damage.


    Klrona just saw Lin Da directing members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team and no longer paying attention to her.


    It seemed there wasn''t much difference between her and those bystanders over there.


    Therefore, Klrona secretly wondered the same thing as Lia: How had Lin Da changed?


    During Phoenix Tail Flower Team''s damage testing, Klrona took out a jumbo bag of chips and a bottle of soda from her shoulder bag and loudly said, "I''m going to start eating junk food now!"


    Crunch crunch crunch, munch munch munch!


    A wild disy.


    But Lin Da, there, was teaching Monica the positioning and angles for casting spells, not looking at her at all?


    Hey, I''m eating junk food over here!


    Klrona''s mouth was covered with chip crumbs and grease; her unnamed ck beverage was fizzing withva-like bubbles.


    She used to indulge in these things at most once a week and always found them delicious. But after eating them every day, they started to grow tiresome.


    Once Lin Da got back, she''d have to y the Magic Conductor Handheld Console every night, scoffing at Lin Da''s Small Fry appearance as he failed to keep her under control...


    Those fun scenes, wouldn''t they happen again?


    Klrona put down the chips.


    When her cherished little axe was ruined by the Swift Rock Lizard on the 11th floor, she didn''t feel this bad; her heart felt empty, as if something was missing.


    "Um, that��is it okay, to be friends with you?" A soft and mushy voice arose.


    Klrona came to her senses and looked forward angrily.


    Experience more tales on m v|l e''-NovelBin


    It was Monica, holding the Magic Conductor Handheld Console, her eyes darting everywhere.


    Behind Monica, Lin Da was watching from afar, with a smile of paternal affection on his lips.


    But that concern and affection, was it for this big forehead?


    Inside Klrona''s stomach, it felt as if something was about to surge up. She bit down hard on her teeth and sniffed; she didn''t want the Small Fry Uncle to see her shedding precious tears.


    For Monica, making friends was her first step out of social anxiety.


    This Big Lolita had never battled with Magic Puppets before, and seeing Klrona y sparked the idea of approaching her.


    If she could sessfully make a friend, the Captain Lord would surely praise her!


    "Can we... y together?" Monica asked timidly.


    "Sure, I guess." Klrona wiped her eyes with her sleeve and said, "Just don''t me me for bullying you!"


    "Mhm, mm-hmm!" Monica sat down happily beside her.


    Both girls were seriously lowering their heads, turning on their Magic Conductor Handheld Consoles.


    What was different was that Monica genuinely wanted to make friends.


    While Klrona had mischief on her mind.


    Lin Da was nice to Monica; she would bully Monica!


    Connecting through the Array on their handheld consoles, they controlled the Magic Puppets that appeared on the screen.


    ...


    (ps: Wailing... Ever since the book became paid, I''ve been losing subscribers. If you can, please support the official version! Thank you!)

 Chapter 104: 101, Lin Da made Klrona cry, White Thanksgiving

    Three minutester.


    "Watch my Four-winged Unicorn Impact!"


    Klrona confidently controlled her pay-to-win character, attacking Monica. Her Swordsman avatar had been knocked into the air by Monica and had note down for a long time, finally giving her the chance to counterattack,


    Only to see that Monica''s character had to hit Klrona''s several times just to deal half damage, whereas Klrona''s Swordsman avatar merely touched Monica''s character, and her Little Red Hood avatar instantly dropped dead.


    This was the ''Four-winged Unicorn Impact''.


    The meaning was roughly equivalent to ''Lamborghini Collision'' or ''Rolls-Royce m''.


    Klrona''s Magic Puppet was valued at five thousand Gold Coins, and in terms of both health points and attack, it was far more powerful than the Little Red Hood Monica had scrimped and saved up to buy.


    After Klrona defeated Monica''s Little Red Hood, she did not stop but continued to control the Magic Puppet, stepping on thetter''s head with one foot.


    With a crackling sound,


    Monica''s cheap Magic Puppet broke down directly!


    "Ah!"


    Monica cried out in horror.


    Little Red Hood''s head was crushed t, the Array inside the Magic Puppet was damaged, equivalent to being scrapped.


    No matter how she moved the joystick, Little Red Hoody lifeless on the ground, silent.


    Monica''s big eyes were brimming with moistness, biting her lower lip hard, feeling like she would burst into tears the next second.


    Although Little Red Hood was a very cheap doll, it had been herpanion for a long time.


    Lin Da had offered to buy her a more powerful Magic Puppet, but she had refused.


    "Small fry, really bad at this, defeated foe!" Klrona arrogantly curled her lips upwards.


    "I''m not, not bad!"


    Monica''s face turned red as she argued.


    If her Little Red Hood and Klrona''s Swordsman avatar had the same attack power, she would have won several times by now.


    She had been hitting Klrona''s character for a long time without any effect.


    identally touched once, Little Red Hood was done for!


    Klrona snorted, "Crying after losing, how shameful!"


    "Big bear is also vulgar! Like antern, must be for seducing people, vulgar small fry, disgusting!"


    She looked at Monica''s overly healthy figure, thought of her own, and shook with jealousy.


    "Monica... is not vulgar at all!"


    Defeated by Klrona''s pay-to-win character, Monica already felt it was unfair, and now being unjustly attacked about her figure, she curled up, burying her small head in the pristine white stockings, her tears falling like pearls,


    Klrona stood up with pleasure, "Both bad and dirty, someone like you should just stay in the dark room and note out!"


    This sentence directly dealt a blow to Monica''s heart, her shoulders shaking more intensely.


    "Might as well let the Beastmen..."


    Before she could finish her sentence, the triumphant Klrona suddenly screamed.


    At one meter fifty in height, she was picked up like a chicken by someone.


    Then came a strong hand, fiercelynding on Klrona''s small buttocks clothed in white stockings!


    p, p!


    Two crisp sounds echoed through the hall.


    Klrona''s face blushed blood red. Caught off guard before she could use her Battle Qi to protect herself, her buttocks were burning, as if they had swelled from the spanks.


    Who is daring enough to strike her "Pink Battle Axe" Klrona!


    She angrily turned her head to look.


    What she saw was Lin Da''s sullen face.


    Klrona was taken aback for a moment.


    She had never seen Lin Da like this before.


    In Snow Goose''s time, Lin Da was toyed with by her, and even if caught, he wouldn''t hit her. Because of that Monica, Lin Da actually spanked her?


    As Klrona was lost in thought, there came another two ps!


    Caught off guard, she couldn''t use her Battle Qi to defend in time, and with two ps, tears sprang to her eyes!


    Lin Da had not had enough with those two ps just now, he had to p her two more times!


    At that moment, Lin Da was indeed angry.


    His intentions had been good.


    Klrona and Monica shared simr interests, and if they could be friends, it would have been great for Monica toe out of her shell.


    But Klrona was bullying Monica?


    Even taunting Monica, telling her to stay in her little house.


    Monica, who had finally stepped out, was already sensitive at heart, a time when she needed encouragement.


    The seemingly ordinary mockery from Klrona inflicted huge damage on a girl with social withdrawal!


    Lin Da had never hit Klrona before because this little rascal was just mischievous without actually harming anyone.


    This time was different; she bullied someone, right onto his team member.


    As the team leader, it was one of his responsibilities to protect his team members.


    Therefore, Lin Da would spare no mercy in disciplining Klrona!


    He pped her several times in quick session.


    The people in the hall nodded silently in agreement, fully endorsing his actions.


    After all, Klrona had provoked others first.


    "Snow Goose''s Pink Battle Axe has such low standards, to make someone''s teammate cry!"


    "What''s the use of having high strength if youck manners? You might even get your resources stolen in the Mystic Realm."


    "I''ve long heard that Snow Goose''s Pink Battle Axe is awless little girl; it seems to be true. Her parents didn''t discipline her enough."


    One after another, the voices of usation entered Klrona''s ears.


    The heart of the young girl shivered with fear.


    And Lin Da''s cold and ruthless handnded on her bottom again.


    It was like being attacked from both inside and out.


    Before long, Klrona was cried.


    Even though she was at level 21, her essence was still that of an undeveloped little girl.


    The disregard from Lin Da, the pressure from the surrounding crowd, the moral self-recrimination... made Klrona, who realized her mistake, feel aggrieved and remorseful.


    Tears poured out in an instant.


    And Monica, seeing Klrona cry even harder, stopped her own tears in shock.


    This kind-hearted Big Lolita tugged at Lin Da''s clothes, hoping he would stop.


    Lin Da put Klrona back on the ground, suppressing his anger, "If you dare to bully anyone again, I''ll continue to discipline you!"


    "Whimper, whimper," Klrona only cared about wiping her tears. The big bag of chips beside her had spilled everywhere, and the drink had been knocked over, spreading all over the ground, making the cleaning staff shake their heads.


    Lin Da''s expression remained unchanged. If he showed the slightest bit of weakness, Klrona would never learn her lesson.


    He had thought about pulling the heavy-armored loli into his team, but with Klrona''s current personality, he would rather not.


    "Still dare to bully others?" he asked with a stern face.


    Klrona pouted, her eyes swollen red.


    A crowd had gathered around, all watching the spectacle.


    "No, I don''t dare anymore," Klrona said in humiliation, lowering her head while wiping her tears and speaking.


    Only then did Lin Da''s expression soften.


    Heunched a Healing Art,nding it on Klrona''s bottom.


    +300.


    However, external injuries couldn''t be healed immediately; she would probably be red for a few days.


    Consider it a lesson.


    Surrounded by onlookers, Lin Da lost interest in staying any longer.


    The damage test wasplete, and he could move on to the final step of making the strategy.


    He left with Monica and Kafni, the three of them walking downstairs.


    Without themotion to watch, the crowd quickly dispersed.


    The Guild''s cleaning staff carefully approached Klrona to clean up the chips and beverage spilled all over the ground.


    Klrona picked up the half-empty bag of chips with a pitiful look and hugged it to her chest.


    Lin Da and his group departed.


    None of the adventurers in the hall dared to approach for a conversation.


    They were all too afraid of angering the petite pink-haired girl.


    Klrona looked toward the stairs, unable to find a trace of Lin Da and the others.


    He not only didn''t care about her but also hit her in public.


    That timid and cowardly Monica, clearly not as good as her in anything.


    Monica was only around level 15, while she was level 21, younger and with greater potential.


    Monica was also poor, using a cheap magic puppet worth 10 gold coins, while hers was a limited edition worth 5,000 gold coins.


    She was a heavy-armored warrior and could protect Lin Da at the back. That Monica, on the other hand, needed to be protected by Lin Da instead.


    She was stronger than Monica in everything and had much more than her.


    But... Monica had Lin Da! Your next chapter is on m v|l-e''-NovelBin


    Just with this point alone, Klrona felt she had lost.


    What were so-called teammates, an adventure team, all about?


    She felt that what Lin Da and the others had seemed to be an adventure team, while Snow Goosecked that essence.


    Klrona, with her tears dried, began to think seriously for once.


    The difficulty of this problem clearly surpassed Klrona''s expectations.


    With her young mind, she couldn''te up with an answer.


    The only thing she could articte was that the old Snow Goose felt more like an adventure team. It felt like home, where teammates cared for each other; even though they were not rted by blood, they were closer than family.


    Aiko would take her out to y, Lin Da would manage her daily routine, Lia would spar and instruct her on how to be an outstanding heavy-armored warrior...


    The existence of teammates gave Klrona the motivation to be an adventurer.


    But now,


    What was her goal as an adventurer?


    Klrona was lost.


    It seemed, she couldn''t find the reason to continue climbing the World Tree.


    ...


    Outside the Adventurer''s Guild, on the spacious street.


    Lin Da consoled Monica: "Don''t worry, Monica is not small fry, and her figure is natural, not at all vulgar."


    "Hmm."


    Monica was listless.


    Lin Da sighed and nced sidelong at the Magic Conductor Handheld Console the girl was hugging closely, an idea forming in his mind.


    He went to a nearby shop, spent a thousand gold coins, and bought a mage-type magic puppet.


    It was the size of a fingertip''s belly, and once inserted into the Magic Conductor Handheld Console and connected to magic power, it could be used.


    "The captain is giving this to you, take it," Lin Da said, stuffing the small magic puppet into Monica''s arms.


    "But it''s so expensive," Monica said, wiping the tear stains from the corner of her eyes, with a face that wanted it yet felt too embarrassed to ept.


    When Lin Da protected her and went to punish Klrona,


    Monica felt that was enough.


    "Take it, this is a festival gift from the captain," Lin Da said with a smile.


    Today was a special day.


    White Thanksgiving.


    Adventurers give gifts to theirrades who have fought by their side as a token of gratitude.


    Lin Da had been busy all day and hadn''t had time to prepare gifts for the new team members.


    "Thank you, Captain," Monica said, her face turning red as she epted the gift.


    She rummaged through her pocket and pulled out a palm-sized orange cat plushie, hesitatingly handing it to Lin Da: "This is, for Captain."


    A few days earlier, Monica had been making a living by sewing handmade plushies.


    Lin Da chuckled, epting the orange cat plushie, "Thanks, Monica."


    "Hehe," Monica giggled shyly with her head down.


    Kafni, with a face full of anticipation, pointed to her own face: "What about mine?"


    Lin Da was startled for a moment.


    "I didn''t prepare one."


    Kafni: "?"


    The three casually purchased some gifts in a storehouse and exchanged with one another.


    They were all small trinkets of little value,


    But having them in their pockets warmed their hearts.


    Gifts exchanged during Thanksgiving are said to receive the Goddess''s blessing, protecting adventurers on their safe return.


    The orange cat plushie Lin Da received, along with the brown pouch Kafni gave him, would be his protective charms.

 Chapter 105: 102, Aikos Kirin Arm, Lulus contamination occurs again.

    Walking on the main street, Magic Lantern Signs twinkled with multifarious glows, enchanting and splendid.


    Members of various adventure teams walked arm in arm, chatting andughing.


    The taverns were packed to the brim today.


    So were the inns.


    All of a sudden, Lin Da remembered Lulu.


    He had left White Dove City for four days, and wondered how Lulu was doing?


    Taking advantage of the fact it wasn''t toote, Lin Da hurried to the inn where Lulu stayed to say hello.


    His expression was extremely serious.


    One thing was for certain. His identity had been exposed.


    Apart from the ''Lin Da'' from the Snow Goose Adventure Team, probably no one else could have dragged Monica out of the little western house in Red Heart City.


    Lulu had been suspecting him all along.


    His real name was ''Lin Da'', not ''Li Cha''.


    This point, he feared, had also been discovered.


    On top of that, bringing Monica back with him...


    Lin Da worriedly massaged the bridge of his nose.


    Lulu, as the biggest leg of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, was also the biggest trouble!


    "Monica, your rtionship with Lulu is good, right?"


    "Yes. Sister Lulu is a good person." Monica, the newly improved Magic Puppet, was ying with the Magic Conductor Handheld Console even as they walked.


    Lin Da, who had intended to criticize her, considered that Monica had been bullied today and decided to let it go this once.


    He cautioned her, "When we see Luluter, if she does anything to the captain, you must protect the captain."


    Monica tilted her little head.


    "Got it."


    The girl crisply promised, "Monica will definitely protect Lord Captain!"


    "Monica is such a good girl." Lin Da couldn''t help but pick up the Big Lolita and nt a kiss on her cheek.


    Neither of them thought anything of it, as it was only an interaction between family members of the team,


    However, Kafni and the passersby around them werepletely dumbfounded.


    Public disys of affection in broad daylight?


    Although Monica was over eighteen, her baby face could easily lead to misunderstandings.


    ...


    White Thanksgiving was a busy day for most people.


    In the upscale neighborhood where the Snow Goose Adventure Team''s vi was located, the square was brightly lit, and couples were paired up, cooing and cuddling.


    Some couldn''t control themselves and started to share their affection in the bushes.


    Aiko was very fond of lively scenes.


    She would make time to join in whenever there was a festival.


    But White Thanksgiving was different.


    To put it nicely, it was a holiday for the team members.


    Put bluntly, it was the damned couples'' battle day!


    The vi was particrly deserted that evening.


    Aiko meditated for a while and found it boring.


    The noise from the couples outside the window annoyed her, so she simply closed and bolted it shut.


    The vast vi was empty but for her alone.


    It shouldn''t have been like this.


    Nostalgia flickered in Aiko''s eyes.


    Past White Thanksgivings had been so lively.


    During the day, everyone would go out eating and drinking, winning prizes by ying monsters in the amusement park''s Illusion House, riding roller coasters, and getting massages at hot springs at night...


    When they came back, the three of them plus Klyne would sit around the table and talk about girls'' topics.


    Oru and Lin Da would be in the kitchen, makingte-night snacks together.


    Now, the vi was dimly lit, silent and still, with her alone.


    Aiko forlornly fiddled around.


    In a bedroom themed in pure white and gold, the blonde Magedy had a pair of blue boxers over her head, sniffing vigorously.


    Not having seen Lin Da for a few days, Aiko''s Kirin Arm acted up again.


    As for where the boxers came from��? Of course, Aiko had stolen them, Lin Da would never suspect her.


    After all, she was the only bona fide noble Young Lady in the team.


    Her father''s title was even higher than Bilya''s own father.


    Such an elegant Young Lady wouldn''t possibly steal Lin Da''s clothes to put on her head to smell the vani scent, right?


    Aiko did this once every three days.


    But ever since Lin Da left, it had be twice a day.


    That day, Chloe wasn''t around, as she had gone out on her own.


    Lia was off somewhere trying to make money.


    Sniffing the scent of the boxers, Aiko blissfully closed her eyes.


    In her mind, she picturized Lin Da wearing a brown dog suit, humbly submitting under her pomegranate skirt.


    ��Yes, just like that.


    As a doggy, it was not right not to serve properly!


    Aikoy face down on the bed, her soft feet waving in the air like a fish tail swimming on the bed.


    With no one else in the vi, she kicked her wheelchair aside.


    Tired of pretending to be a frail Young Lady every day, Aiko had had enough.


    If Lin Da hadn''t insisted on massaging her ''insensate'' feet, she wouldn''t have bothered with the act!


    Imagination peaking towards the climax,


    Almost there,


    Any moment now!


    Aiko awaited that moment.


    But suddenly, the scent in the boxers cut off abruptly.


    The illusion in her mind disappeared as well.


    No smell anymore?


    Aiko retracted her had in confusion.


    Forcing it would be bad for the body,


    Like being stuck halfway through a bowel movement, agonizing.


    Aiko got up and washed her face.


    The cold water jolted her awake and she quickly realized something. Was Lia really out looking for money?


    On this White Thanksgiving preferred by lovers, that Powder Keg wouldn''t have... gone to find Lin Da, right?


    And it wasn''t just Lia.


    Isa that little bitch too, nearly thirty and still aiming for younger men.


    Kafni as well.


    The light blue-haired Beastman too.


    Aiko broke out in a cold sweat. Now was not the time for a delicate operation; she had to hurry and check, lest the... cough, the prey was snatched away by someone else!


    Hurriedly dressed and made up, Aiko piloted her Magic Wheelchair out the door.


    Summer was gradually passing, and the nights were growing cool.

 Chapter 106: 102、Aikos Kirin Arm, Lulus Pollution Recurrence_2

    Aiko slipped on a small white jacket with a very wide neckline, but it was modest enough to reveal no gaps. A fine crystal ne adorned her neck, shining against her fair skin, and a noble youngdy''s temperament emerged naturally.


    Beneath that, she wore a skirt paired with translucent ck tights and stepped in bluece-up high heels. The tights were sheer, and the high heels were spotless.


    She looked absolutely delectable.


    Adventurers passing by on the street couldn''t help but swallow their saliva. Some were dragged away by their girlfriends, yet they couldn''t take their eyes off her, continuously staring.


    In terms of beauty, Aiko and Lulu were not too different, but she was the one most skilled in dressing up.


    Aiko carried a ck shoulder bag with a thin strap, which contained the Slime gel sleeve she had prepared for Lin Da.


    She had indeed prepared to spend a fortune tonight!


    With Big Bear out, Little Male Chef Cricket was in for an easy grab!


    It took her an hour, but Aiko finally arrived at the cottage Lin Da was renting.


    Although Lia didn''t know Lin Da lived here, she certainly did.


    With no one around, the robust Mage Miss carried her Magic Wheelchair upstairs with a tter, which made things easier.


    Arriving at the door of room 303, Aiko then feigned the demeanor of a fragile youngdy and resettled herself properly.


    Lin Da probably hadn''t received a single Thanksgiving gift today.


    Giggle, giggle, giggle.


    "The youngdy is here to deliver!"


    Aiko knocked on the door with a sly smile.


    The door swung open as she touched it.


    Unlocked?


    "Lin Da, are you there?"


    She called tentatively, but there was no response.


    Aiko blinked in confusion. Given Lin Da''s stable character, it was unlikely that he went out without locking the door.


    "I''ming in."


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    She greeted quietly and politely as she pushed open the door.


    The inside was pitch-dark, the lights off.


    There was an unfinished pizza on the table.


    She touched it, and it was warm.


    "Hmm..."


    Just then, a pained moan echoed from the bedroom.


    The sudden call startled Aiko, almost making her jump out of the wheelchair.


    Then the realization hit her.


    Were they... slicing watermelon?


    Aiko''s face drained of color!


    Someone had beaten her to it.


    Were Lin Da and the others sharing intimate feelings?


    Should she peek?


    Withplex emotions, Aiko approached the bedroom and nudged the door open a crack.


    There was only one person inside.


    And she recognized her.


    The Beastman from a few days ago who had gone to the Snow Goose Adventure Team''s vi to find Lin Da.


    Was her name Lulu?


    So it wasn''t a 1v1, but rather the same type of craftsmanship as hers?


    Likely, Lin Da''s bed was reeking.


    Aiko rushed in anxiously, ready to stop the shameless Lulu!


    The moment she stepped in, Aiko felt her eyelids twitch, and goosebumps broke out all over her back!


    An evil Magic Power filled the air!


    She turned in horror to the Lulu on the bed.


    This Beastman wasn''t engaging in craftsmanship, but instead was unconscious, groaning in pain, her body twitching, and ck blood seeping from her mouth and nose...


    The blood hit the sheets, acting like a strongly corrosive liquid, eating holes through the sheets, quilt, and even the bed frame!


    Aiko''s brows furrowed deeply as she carefully took a white Magic wand from her bag.


    As a Mage from the Holy Light Church, she immediately recognized Lulu''s identity.


    This character, only rumored about, was now before her...


    The Catastrophe Girl��the Witch��bound by a contract with the Demon King!


    Aiko had studied many ways to deal with Witches.


    From thea-like state of this Beastman, it was a severe contract bacsh, and the time before she degenerated into a Catastrophe Beast was probably not far off.


    Aiko''s eyes sharpened, her left hand over her chest, the right hand holding the Magic wand aimed at Lulu, chanting a Spell.


    "Holy Light, please transform into the de of judgement, Purify the filth before me!"


    "Holy Light Judgement..."


    "Ah!"


    Aiko was halfway through when someone suddenly appeared behind her and covered her mouth, forcibly interrupting her casting!


    "Don''t attack her," a familiar voice whispered in her ear.


    "Lin Da?" Aiko''s face, previously marked with shock, quickly rxed into delight as she turned her head.


    "I missed you so much... No, that''s not right, now''s not the time for this!"


    "Why is there a witch in your room? Do you know how serious a crime harboring a witch is?"


    Aiko shook her head vigorously, a rare stern look on her face, and said:


    "Hand her over to the Holy Light Church immediately. My family has some connections that can ensure you won''t be implicated. Look at her, she''s almost fallen. If we wait any longer, who knows, she might... next second..."


    "Get out first."


    Lin Da''s gaze was fixed directly on the unconscious Lulu.


    Behind him were Kafni and Monica, who also felt uneasy.


    The three had drawn a nk at Lulu''s inn and had headed back home.


    Only to see that the door to their home was open.


    Upon entering, they discovered Aiko ready to unleash a spell, attacking Lulu.


    "You''re going to protect her?" Aiko asked, disbelief written all over her face.


    Lin Da nodded, "Yes."


    "No! The Holy Light Church will find out sooner orter, and you will be punished!"


    Aiko was so angry she ground her teeth, "Wake up, don''t be fooled by that Beastman."


    Punished?


    Lin Da scoffed inwardly, the mere Holy Light Church, what right did they have to sanction a hero?


    Purifying the witch was to save thisnd!


    "If everyone present keeps their mouths shut, no one will know Lulu is a witch." Lin Da gazed at Aiko: "Can you keep a secret for me?"


    "Ah, this..." Aiko hesitated.


    She wanted to say, yes, but only if you be my dog.


    Lin Da looked at her earnestly, sincerely saying, "I know this puts you in a difficult position, but I don''t want to be your enemy."


    Aiko''s heart skipped a beat, enemy?


    To protect that Lulu, Lin Da would even consider her an enemy?


    "Nope, I wasn''t thinking about using this to threaten you or anything? After all, I am Lin Da''s friend forever."


    Aiko forced a smile.


    "As a friend, I am on your side, it''s just, I''m worried about your safety. What if that witch turns into a Catastrophe Beast..."


    Aiko wasn''t lying about worrying about Lin Da.


    In White Dove City, with a poption of a million, Aiko only worried about herself and her dog, the lives or deaths of others didn''t concern her.


    Lin Da felt Aiko''s sincerity too.


    "It''s okay, not all witches are bad, Lulu is a teammate I approve of."


    "Moreover, I have the ''Special Medicine'' to save witches."


    Lin Da smiled mysteriously, pushed Aiko out the door, and said apologetically: "My treatment process cannot be seen by others, please step outside for a moment."


    Even me?


    This push made Aiko feel a bit hurt.


    "Um, then I''ll leave, I won''t disturb you." Aiko didn''t know how she managed to smile.


    With Snow Goose, Lin Da had cared most about Lia.


    After creating the Phoenix Tail Flower, his focus shifted to that Beastman, Lulu.


    Aiko felt stifled inside; she was never the one Lin Da cared about most from the start!


    ...


    Lin Da closed the bedroom door, his expression grave as he approached the bedside.


    "Can you hear my voice?"


    He grabbed Lulu''s shoulders and shook them slightly.


    The situation of the Beastman girl was dire.


    Contamination bacsh had urred.


    Her forehead was burning hot, and her entire body seemed to be emitting smoke.


    The veins beneath her skin looked like ugly bugs, rampantly climbing, twisting, and trying to bore out of Lulu''s body.


    "Damn Fallen Beast... I''ll purify you sooner orter!"


    Lin Da took a deep breath, his hands cradling Lulu''s small face.


    His palm got sticky from the sweat on Lulu''s face.


    "Hmmm..." Feeling the touch, Lulu instinctively growled low in her throat.


    "It''s me." Lin Da, unable to bear it, picked up a towel, wiped the sweat from Lulu''s face, and said: "Hang in there, I''m going to save you!"


    "Team... captain?" Lulu miraculously regained a trace of consciousness. She struggled to open her eyes, saw Lin Da''s face full of concern, and smiled ambiguously.


    "Completely different from in my dreams... Everyone ran away, why... did youe back?"


    Lulu''s expression was pained, her voice extremely weak.


    "Don''t talk now." Lin Da cradled the Beastman girl''s small face, drawing closer.


    "As the team captain, I''m giving you your first task."


    "Open your mouth, ept the captain''s purification."


    The voice stopped there.

 Chapter 107: 103. Lulu: Are you all protecting him?

    "Purification."


    Lin Da mumbled indistinctly.


    A warm emerald light blossomed between the two.


    No matter the sweat or the foul-smelling ck blood, anything else... Lin Da devoured it all.


    Like rain after a long drought, under the irrigation of the emerald green life magic power, Snow Goose''s physical condition rapidly improved.


    In contrast, Lin Da''s magic power was consumed at a terrifying rate!


    In no time at all, his head began to ache, and his body felt as though it had been wrung dry.


    It was only now that Lin Da felt a chilling fear. Pollution was not something that followed a regr pattern of urrence. A few days prior, Snow Goose was stable, but at this moment, had he returned even a littleter, Snow Goose would have transformed into the Catastrophe Beast.


    "Let go, you stink... you, didn''t brush your teeth!" Snow Goose had regained quite a bit of consciousness and tried to push Lin Da away.


    But she was too weak, her strength no more than that of a child.


    Lin Da responded hazily, "You''re not any better. The pollution is foul!"


    "Then why... are you trying so hard?" Snow Goose gasped for breath.


    "No choice."


    Lin Da pressed against the young girl''s cheek, looking into those restless, frail eyes.


    He absorbed the pollution, along with the heat and sweetness, swallowing it in one gulp as he said, "It''s all for my teammates."


    ...


    The bedroom door cracked open, and three heads peeked through in a vertical row.


    When Lin Da covered Snow Goose''s mouth, their eyes widened in shock.


    "Leader Lord, a pervert."


    "How dare he...! He''ll be torn apart by that witch!"


    "Why, when I was here first?"


    Aiko, at the bottom, clenched her teeth in frustration, her pupils shaking.


    Even though she knew Lin Da was administering a ''special medicine'' to Snow Goose, she still felt intense jealousy!


    She, too, wanted to do such things with Lin Da!


    Watching from behind the door as Lin Da embraced another girl, the heart-wrenching pain twisted Aiko''s expression.


    She had read many simr plots in tititing stories but never imagined that one day she would be the main character outside the door!


    The dim light in the rental room fell on Aiko''s face, making her look even more ferocious.


    Like a demon choosing its prey, any adventurer who saw her would be scared witless.


    Only that the other two were also spying, not paying attention to Aiko


    "If they''re really doing something proper, it''ll be bad if we keep watching." Kafni coughed and closed the door.


    Doing something proper?


    When Aiko heard this, she bit her fingertip sourly.


    A wild little orc, a blonde bear whose physique wasn''t inferior to hers, Kafni with a body just as imposing, and that big lolita with a timid face who dared not lift her head...


    Aiko had a terrible feeling: Could it be, everyone was ying without her?


    Don''t they want to include her?


    She was the one who had known Lin Da for the longest time!


    Originally, Aiko''s only rival was Lia, whose brain and body were both underdeveloped��she felt no sense of crisis. Proudly relying on her bear, she waited for Lin Da toe to her.


    If Lin Da showed her favor, she might even bestow some benefits on him... but now, Lin Da had too many beautiful girls around him, he clearly didn''tck for benefits.


    Unless she took the initiative to throw herself at him for free, otherwise, there would be no opportunity?


    At this thought, Aiko''s face turned pale.


    For her, the youngdy, to court favor with Lin Da, a dog...? Wouldn''t that mean Lin Da was the master?


    ''If I don''t take drastic action, Lin Da will really be bewitched by those cheap women!''


    Aiko''s inner rm bells rang as she brooded with a dark expression, evil thoughts arising in her head.


    ...


    Ten minutes after the purification.


    In the bedroom, Snow Goose''s pollution had been temporarily suppressed.


    Her cheeks were covered in sweat, and her light blue hair stuck to them strand by strand, while exhaustion was evident in her eyes. Supporting herself with the bed frame, she struggled to sit up.


    Lin Da was also gasping for breath, his magic powerpletely depleted.


    During the purification process, Snow Goose''s trust went up and down like a roller coaster.


    It plummeted at first, then climbed.


    From 47 points, it rose to the level of a "friend" at 60 points.


    Two system notifications silently lingered in the message bar:


    [Snow Goose''s trust level has risen to 50 points, you have earned a Town Portal Scroll (Tier 10) *1!]


    [Snow Goose''s trust level has risen to 60 points, you have earned 3000 Mystical Points!]


    Lin Da had no interest in checking the rewards.


    The atmosphere in the bedroom was tense, and even though Snow Goose''s trust level reached that of a friend, her gaze towards him was like that of an enemy, barely containing her hatred, as if she couldsh out at any second.


    "Did you bring Monica back?" Snow Goose didn''t care about her own physical condition or ask why Lin Da was there but instead asked a seemingly unrted question.


    "Yeah, she''s right outside." Lin Da didn''t hide it.


    "Not pretending anymore?" Snow Goose scoffed.


    Lin Da shrugged his shoulders, "No point in pretending anymore when it''s all out in the open."


    Lulu was taken aback; she hadn''t expected Lin Da to admit it so readily.


    Her expression wasplex as she looked at the man before her.


    No matter what, she couldn''t associate Lin Da with the team leader from three years ago.


    The change was just too great. What had Lin Da gone through during the time he vanished?


    Not only had he removed his mask, but he also changed his profession, starting from scratch, ying house in the top ten floors with Snow Goose and those people...


    Such an act, within the Primitive Adventure Team, seemed as fanciful and absurd as a tall tale.


    Perhaps it was all done with an arrogant attitude, looking down upon those lowly insects? With self-deprecatingughter, Lulu said,


    "Seeing a member who was kicked out fall into depravity and be a witch, you must be scoffing at me, huh?"


    Lin Da didn''t deny it, and with a deep look in his eyes, he said,


    "Yes, it''s the useless ones who hear the whispers of the Demon King, who get tempted."


    "That''s why you''re not like Wolf and the others, are you? Being kicked out of the team was only natural."


    This merciless taunt caused Lulu''s eyebrows to furiously twitch, her eyes brimming with unabashed hatred!


    The werewolf girl named ''Wolf'' had taken her ce as the superior recement.


    With Wolf''s arrival, Lulu was thoroughly outssed and suffered all kinds of humiliation. And Lin Da, as the Primal Team Leader, not only did nothing to prevent it but instead confiscated all of Lulu''s resources and used them on Wolf.


    Mentioning Wolf''s name now was undoubtedly a humiliation��after bing a witch, she was still inferior to Wolf!


    Lin Da was still that ''Lin Da,'' with immense arrogance in his heart, looking down on her without a single regret even after three years!


    Lulu red at Lin Da furiously. The more indifferent his expression, the angrier she became, her chest heaving violently, nearly breaking the carefully wrapped breastte.


    She remembered the injustices she suffered in the Primitive Adventure Team, risking her life for the team, yet the resources she received didn''t even amount to a tenth of Wolf''s, and her equipment was confiscated and sold to the merchants to create a ring for Wolf...


    The night she left the Primitive Adventure Team, Wolf showed off the jade ring on her finger, stepping on Lulu and taunting her,


    "You orc trash don''t deserve to stay by the Lord''s side!"


    All of her efforts could not even garner a trace of attention from the team leader... Inside Lulu''s heart, respect gradually turned to resentment.


    Now, she looked at Lin Da before her, apparently weak but with a calm demeanor, and couldn''t help but growl low, thrusting out her sharp beastly ws!


    You''re no longer the leader of the Primordial team; you''re just a level 10 adventurer!


    A twisted sense of pleasure arose within Lulu''s heart, hoping to see Lin Da frightened and begging, apologizing to her!


    But faced with the iing beastly ws, Lin Da''s eyes were as calm as an ancient well, like a statue standing erect.


    If it were the Five-star Character Wolf, he would have run away by now. But Lulu''s personal background revealed that she would dare to offend a noble to save arade,


    The second act was called [For the team leader and everyone, willing to endure pain],


    A Beastwoman who excels at considering her teammates, valuing loyalty and righteousness.


    And a bit tsundere.


    Lin Da knew all too well that if he backed down here, Lulu would never be able to be his teammate again.


    In front of Monica, he was a kind and gentle team leader. But facing Lulu, he couldn''t show the slightest weakness.


    As Lulu showed signs of aggression, the three listeners outside couldn''t stay put any longer.


    Although they had different intentions, Aiko and the others were all worried about Lin Da''s safety.


    The bedroom door was abruptly pushed open; Monica rushed towards Lin Da with panic, eyes closed as she yelled, "Sister Lulu, don''t hurt Lord Leader!"


    Kafni anxiously used a trace of divine power within her, her eyes releasing a faint golden light, her aura bing holy and formidable.


    This greatly shocked Aiko, who almost thought the Goddess of Holy Light had descended.


    While Aiko was unclear about the situation, she too pointed her magic wand at Lulu.


    In an instant, the three of them guarded Lin Da behind them.


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    "You all n to protect him? This demon leader?"


    Lulu was incredulous.


    What sorcery had he used to bewitch these three into protecting him?


    "Monica, you''re blocking me too? You should know his true nature best," Lulu said, suppressing her anger.


    "Lord Leader... has always been very gentle and kind. Monica, must protect the leader!"


    Monica shook her head resolutely, her hands trembling as she spread her arms open like the wings of a fledgling bird, shielding Lin Da in front of her.


    Lulu emotionlessly said, "Move aside."


    "No!" Monica''s voice trembled, but she didn''t back down a step.


    Monica, intimidated by Lulu, was shaking severely, obviously putting on a brave front.


    "That''s enough. You''ve done well already,"


    Lin Da said gently as he pulled Big Lolita behind him.


    This socially anxious Lolita had bravely stepped forward to protect him, warming his heart as if an elderly father witnessed his daughter grow up.


    "The rest is up to the leader."


    Lin Da looked at Lulu calmly.


    ncing at her nails, sharp as des, he said, "So you''re willing to attack the one who saved your life?"


    "Once on the Barren ins, and just now... And even further back, on that ve-trading ship, there was another time."


    To counter this reason-driven Beastwoman, Lin Da resorted to moral coercion.


    Thest statement stirred Lulu''s memories.


    ves, merchant ship...


    A long-lost memory.


    A masked figure in ck, just as she was about to be defiled by a gross, ugly noble, chopped off the noble''s head with a sword, calmly extending his hand, inviting her to join the Primordial Adventure Team.


    This was their first encounter.

 Chapter 108: 104. Primordial Women

    Dark Shadow had provided her with food and shelter and taught her how to fight.


    Sister Lulu did not disappoint this trust, she trained rigorously and soon became a key member of the adventure team. She executed Dark Shadow''smands in the Mystic Realm battles meticulously, even if it meant entering the center of Magical Creatures or stepping into traps.


    Even though Dark Shadow''s methods were ruthless and cruel, they indeed saved her from the nobles.


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    Sister Lulu''s emotions gradually calmed down.


    She said, "I can forgive you, but you need to apologize to those who were kicked out of the team. They... all tried hard!"


    Lin Da purposely showed a perplexed expression.


    Once Sister Lulu got what she wanted, she no longer had any attachment to the Phoenix Tail Flower.


    How could Lin Da let her leave when he was still nning to take her to the top of the World Tree?


    "I refuse."


    "You were kicked out of the team because you were useless, right?"


    "The goal of the Primitive Adventure Team is to clear the top floor. Keeping an average talent like you as a burden, why not kick you out?"


    The tone was t, the voice without any fluctuations, like the calm surface of ake, merely stating the facts.


    Yet, it revealed a kind of disdainful arrogance, like an emperor high above, casually reviewing a kneeling subject.


    Sister Lulu''s eyes gradually widened, her breathing grew more rapid.


    The Beastman girl unwillingly gritted her teeth and red angrily at Lin Da!


    Watching the two argue with such intensity, Aiko felt something was off.


    The more she listened to their conversation, the more confused she became.


    Had Lin Da known this Little Orc long ago, and was she his teammate?


    Lin Da had created a team called the Primitive Adventure Team?


    But why hadn''t he ever mentioned it to everyone at Snow Goose...


    Aiko was really confused, as if she started watching a "Magic Shadow" movie in the middle, two hours in.


    What happened earlier, shepletely couldn''t figure out.


    After all, the way Lin Da and Sister Lulu were acting, they didn''t seem like enemies, more like... uh, a couple arguing?


    The primary thought of the Little Orc was: You don''t want me anymore? Apologize right now!


    Lin Da, on the other hand, thought: Have had enough of you, what''s the use of keeping you? Definitely time for a change.


    What''s going on here?


    Lin Da''s personal history was so rich?


    Wasn''t he just a little chef?


    The Primitive Adventure Team, Aiko also found it familiar.


    Seemed like she had seen it in a newspaper a long time ago.


    But too much time had passed, and she couldn''t clearly recall.


    The only thing Aiko could be sure of was, the Little Orc looked ferocious, but probably, even if Lin Da leaned in close, she wouldn''t touch him at all.


    This type of deadly tsundere, Snow Goose Adventure Team had one too, but much more severe than the Little Orc.


    Coming here tonight seemed a big win, discovering a past of Lin Da unknown to others.


    Aiko''s eyes shifted, continuing to listen inconspicuously.


    The two were still arguing like a couple... oh, wrong, like mortal enemies in a fierce battle!


    Lin Da sighed and said, "But now it''s different. Having been kicked out of the team myself, I can understand your feelings. My goal has now changed to leading the team members, without any exceptions, to clear the top floor."


    "Even if we try our hardest and still fail, all our efforts being denied, being kicked out of the team, that must feel terrible."


    Lin Da''s expression softened, and he slowly reached out his right hand toward Sister Lulu.


    A standard action to raise a team member''s affection in games, the head pat.


    Once he patted, there was no character whose affection wouldn''t rise.


    While Sister Lulu pursed her lips, her hands clenched tightly into fists, she nced from the corner of her eye at thatrge hand reaching down from above; the beast ears under her short hair couldn''t help but tremble repeatedly.


    Despite her desire to resist this touch, there seemed to be a voice in the depths of Sister Lulu''s heart shouting: Dark Shadow, finally, treated her like he did Wolf!


    The members of the Primitive Adventure Team had an unwritten rule.


    Whoever received the most head pats from Dark Shadow was the strongest in the team.


    Only when approved by Dark Shadow would he pat your head!


    Sister Lulu knew once she epted this touch, any subsequent anger would be seen as a bashful member''s coquetry, and she could no longer pose any threat to Lin Da.


    But... she couldn''t resist the touch.


    Moreover, Lin Da had acknowledged his mistake and recognized her feelings of being kicked out of the team!


    Therge hand gradually approached, as if transmitting its warmth.


    Sister Lulu''s heart raced nervously, and she subconsciously closed her eyes, like a child who had been grievously wronged, finally waiting for an adult''sfort.


    The onlookers from Aiko''s group were all dumbfounded.


    Don''t lose your nerve so quickly!


    Weren''t you here to kill Lin Da?


    Lin Da''s hand seemed to possess some sort of magic as he pressed down on Sister Lulu''s fluffy little head, rubbing back and forth.


    Sister Lulu obediently remained still, biting her lip, herrge tail swinging back and forth behind her like a swing.


    It was obvious she was enjoying it tremendously!


    After a moment, Lin Da removed his hand from Sister Lulu''s head.


    Sister Lulu still appeared somewhat reluctant, but she kept a stern face, showing a defiant demeanor.


    The only regret was, her attention was focused on maintaining her expression, forgetting the activerge tail behind her.


    Aiko and her group had grasped the essence of this Beastman girl.


    Monica whispered, "Sister Lulu, if you like the captain, you should just say it..."


    Hearing this, Sister Lulu''s expression nearly broke.


    No, she hade for revenge!


    In her dreams too, that Dark Shadow had defeated her dozens of times.

 Chapter 109: 104. Primordial Women_2

    "This hatred can only be washed away with fresh blood!"


    Lulu nced at Lin Da, bitterly withdrew her power, and walked past everyone toward the door.


    "Where are you going?" Lin Da furrowed his brows.


    "I''ve found my own answer, there''s no need to stay and continue ying house with you guys. As for the Witch''s matter, say what you want to say, I don''t care." Lulu said as she found her coat in the living room, draped it on, and with hands in her pockets, spoke coldly.


    Revenge could wait for another day.


    Lin Da followed her outside, stopping a meter away from the Beastwoman girl, with a serious expression, "Join my team. This time, I will take you to the top of the World Tree."


    Lulu mocked with a twist of her lip, "You say that to everyone."


    That''s the game''s scripted line, unchangeable... Lin Dained inwardly.


    He straightened his expression, "I''ve changed from before, you can consider me apletely new leader."


    "I am both ''Lin Da'' of the Former Original Adventure Team and the Lin Da of the Phoenix Tail Flower."


    "I invite you again to be my teammate, to climb to the top of the World Tree together!"


    Bright moonlight streamed through the window,nding on Lin Da''s outstretched right hand.


    Every powerful word was like a battering ram, causing Lulu''s heart''s doors to violently shake.


    In her dim life, there had only been two bright moments, and both were from the same person.


    If she had not harbored any hopes initially, she wouldn''t have ended up where she was today.


    The hands in Lulu''s pockets clenched bit by bit, her thoughts of retreat intensifying.


    "Big talk. What if you can''t do it?"


    Her head hung low, her voice as light as paper.


    "I can,"


    Lin Da dered, "based on my past experience as the leader of the Former Original Adventure Team."


    "Not just you, those who were kicked out, I will invite them back into the team too."


    "I will take them to see the view from the top of the World Tree that they haven''t seen yet!"


    Lulu''s eyes wavered.


    The view from the top of the World Tree...


    Probably no adventurer could refuse it.


    However, Lulu''s real wish wasn''t just to reach the top.


    As long as she received that person''s acknowledgment and could help the team, she would be satisfied.


    Monica, standing beside her, whispered encouragement, "Sister Lulu,e back, we''re all going on an adventure to the World Tree with the captain! Everyone will be back!"


    Everyone...?


    Monica''s words seemed to infuse fresh blood into Lulu''s heart, silent for three years.


    A beautiful and harmonious image slowly unfolded before her:


    The abandoned original members of the Primordial Adventure Team, surrounded by a tall man in ck, like a group of students following a trustworthy teacher, joyfully approaching the majestic World Tree.


    Their shadows stretched long at sunset, each one closely linked to the tallest Dark Shadow.


    It seemed that as long as the Dark Shadow was there, it was a haven where everyone could anchor their souls.


    In the first Primordial Adventure Team, there were no so-called ''Five-star Characters''; everyone in the team equally enjoyed the captain''s attention.


    Lin Da grabbed Lulu''s trembling small hand from her pocket.


    The Beastwoman girl''s shoulders shook slightly.


    Lin Da remembered those four-star characters that gathered dust in the warehouse until they were eventually scrapped, sighing inwardly.


    As a captain, this time, I will make good use of you!


    Lin Da held Lulu''s chilly, trembling hand.


    Then, the hands of Monica and Kafni also joined.


    The three spoke in unison, "Wee to the team."


    "Mm..." Lulu nodded, her wolf tail bashfully tucked between her legs.


    In that beautiful image, one person seemed out of ce.


    That one.


    Am I superfluous?


    Aiko also wanted to join in.


    But Kafni red at her and shoved her aside.


    Directly causing 100 points of psychological damage!


    Everyone else was a member of the Phoenix Tail Flower, and her being from Snow Goose here, seemed indeed superfluous?


    But even if she went back, there would be no one at the vi...


    Aiko felt a bitter ache in her heart and really wanted to blurt out, "I want to join Phoenix Tail Flower too!"


    But that would seem too desperate.


    After all, she was a "Holy Mage", and her strength ranked among the top Mages in White Dove City.


    Things given away for free are always worthless, cherished by no one.


    Aiko understood this principle very well.


    She was just waiting for Lin Da toe and beg her to join the team.


    But...


    It seemed like through the conversations between Lin Da and the others, she had uncovered an earth-shattering secret.


    Inparison, the fact that Lulu was a Witch seemed trivial.


    After pondering for a long time, Aiko finally remembered where she had heard the words "Primitive Adventure Team".


    More than three years ago,


    it was on the front page of a daily from the Southern Fire Empire, the "Fire God Summit Competition".


    A million young adventure teams from the empirepeted against each other to select the ten strongest teams for the summit held in the Royal Capital.


    The winners would receive significant support from the empire, cultivated as the seed team to reach the summit of the World Tree.


    The winners of thatpetition were the Primitive Adventure Team!


    Team leader, Dark Shadow, Dai Lian!


    A name so distant that Aiko thought it had nothing to do with her, that she would never cross paths with in her life.


    She nced at the newspaper twice, then tossed it aside.


    Caring about this was less important than checking out thetest fashion, or deciding what to have for dinner.


    And now they were telling her... that legendary person from three years ago was actually Snow Goose''smon servant, the good-natured Lin Da?


    The legendary character suddenly appearing close by, and moreover, as a former teammate, having lived together for three years... Aiko felt more shocked than if she had heard that her own mother was still a virgin, her heart was unable to calm down for a long time.


    Although she was very reluctant to believe it was true, if Lin Da was that Dark Shadow, then many mysteries could be exined.


    Why did Lin Da know Magical Creatures like the back of his hand, always able to devise strategies for a wless victory?


    Could this be achieved just by studying in the library?


    There were many diligent people, some even more so than Lin Da.


    But not everyone could create a wless strategy.


    Such abilities can be exined as a unique talent. What truly amazed Aiko was that Lin Da seemed never to worry about failing to devise the next level''s strategy; as long as he cleared a level, he would begin working on the next. Once that was cleared, he would devise the strategy for the subsequent level.


    Aiko didn''t know how much he had in his head, seeming inexhaustible.


    Continue reading on mvl


    Not just anyone could be chosen by Aiko as the canine of her dreams.


    Her standards were exceedingly high.


    Did she casually pick a giant in hiding, the former leader of the Original Adventure Team?


    How much more was Lin Da hiding from her, his old teammate?


    Aiko''s pout became more pronounced as she felt wronged.


    Under the moonlight, those four people whose palms were joined seemed out of reach.


    They all knew Lin Da''s true identity.


    Only the people from Snow Goose were unaware.


    "Lin Da..."


    The Magedy, like a wounded kitten, quietly called out with her hands folded in front of her, pressing the beautiful contours more distinctly.


    "Uh... sorry, I forgot you were still here," Lin Da embarrassedly chuckled.


    "Can I ask you something?"


    Aiko, fearing he might refuse, hurriedly said, "Primitive Adventure Team... more than three years ago, the adventure team that won the Fire God Summit Competition, and the leader, Dark Shadow, was that you?"


    "Wow, you were that cool back then?" Kafni caught on. It seemed like Monica and Lulu both referred to Lin Da as the leader of the Primitive Adventure Team.


    Monica proudly puffed out her chest.


    Lulu didn''t speak, but there was a touch of pride in her expression. If she didn''t admire that team, she wouldn''t resent the leader who had kicked her out.


    Lin Da nodded and said, "Sorry, I''ve been keeping it from you."


    "Why... couldn''t you tell me? Even just me would have been fine!" Aiko, her heart in disarray, wiped the corners of her eyes, seemingly about to cry, "Obviously, I was the only one who thought of you as a friend... I prepared a gift only for you for this Thanksgiving."


    Saying this, Aiko pulled out a heart-shaped chocte tied with a red ribbon from her bag and hugged it absentmindedly.


    "It''s not what you think," Lin Da helplessly exined, "I only recently remembered my own identity and origins. Why I appeared in White Dove City, why I changed my profession to Healer... Ipletely can''t remember. Joining Snow Goose, and bing teammates with you and Lia, were all from my genuine feelings; there was absolutely no intention of hiding anything from you."

 Chapter 110: 105, Guest, Oath Ring

    Aiko frowned, "Amnesia?"


    "When I woke up, I was already in White Dove City," Da said, "I want to know what happened in between!"


    Lulu''s eyes flickered, "Lorna and the others might know something."


    Even though Lulu was kicked out of the team, she still kept an eye on every move of the Primitive Adventure Team.


    The night Da disappeared, he entered the 30th floor of the World Tree with Lorna and other team members.


    There, perhaps,y all the answers.


    "Lorna, huh..." Da pondered in his heart.


    A crazy woman who must not be seen.


    "Let''s not talk about them, today is the White Thanksgiving."


    Da looked at the others, "Since we''re all together, let''s have a party. You all must be hungry, right?"


    There was no need to mention Lulu, who, contaminated and faint, hadin down for most of the day, not to mention being quite hungry.


    Da and the others, after returning to White Dove City and busying themselves with this and that, hadn''t had much to eat.


    "I haven''t eaten either." Aiko''s eyes lit up, "Can I join your party?"


    In the vi of Snow Goose, there was definitely no one, and Aiko didn''t want to go back.


    "Of course you can," Da said with a smile, "I''ve bought a lot of ingredients, having one more person ispletely fine. "


    "Then I won''t stand on ceremony." Aiko agreed gleefully.


    The group went downstairs together and moved the food ingredients and a big pile of equipment from the carriage into the house.


    Da busied himself in front of a simple stove, Monica came over dutifully to help, washing vegetables, passing seasonings, and looking forward eagerly with her little hands behind her back, blinking her eyes. When Da rubbed her little head, she couldn''t help but giggle foolishly.


    At the old small round table, Aiko, with her superb social skills, quickly hit it off with Kafni and Lulu.


    At least on the surface.


    Lulu was taciturn, usually Aiko asking and Lulu answering.


    Discover more stories at mvl


    "How many years have you known Da?"


    "Are you in a romantic rtionship?"


    "Your figure is so good, and your hair is so pretty, it must make boys unable to resist, right?"


    Aiko insinuated to probe the rtionship between Lulu and Da, whether they were lovers, whether they had done it or not.


    Lulu''s expression remained unchanged, although her cheeks felt a bit hot.


    Thinking back to Da''s treatment process just now.


    She subconsciously touched her lips.


    Seemingly still lingering on, the captain''s taste?


    Seeing this, Aiko understood everything.


    Phew, good thing, she didn''t use the other one.


    A stroke of luck amid misfortune.


    Aiko even scoffed at Lulu in her mind, living together and still not scoring, if it were her, she''d already have a bunch of kids.


    At that moment, Aikopletely forgot, the three years Da had been with Snow Goose, he had only hugged her a few times, and that too as a teammate.


    In terms of progress, not even close to ''mouth-to-mouth'' Lulu.


    With Aiko, the social butterfly, leading them, the three of them were actually having a good time chatting.


    Aiko introduced Kafni to the specialty dishes of White Dove City, teaching Lulu how to pick out pretty clothes.


    asionally ncing at Da, who was cooking in the distance.


    The scent of the food drifted over.


    It was a familiar scene.


    They too had left behindughter in this cheap rental house.


    Suddenly, an idea popped into Aiko''s head: when the Snow Goose Adventure Team was just formed, did she also treat Da as a servant?


    Perhaps there was also an instant when she thought of Da, Lia, and Chloe as family.


    But where were they now?


    A trace of sadness flickered in Aiko''s eyes.


    Looking towards the bright moon outside the window.


    At this time, Lia and the others were probably also looking at the same moon.


    On Thanksgiving Day, it was the first time the members of Snow Goose spent it separately.


    In Red Heart City, Lia was wearing a ck crop top and sweating heavily doing sit-ups in her room.


    "I won''t lose, Snow Goose, definitely not....!"


    She muttered something, gritting her teeth, each rise as if she was battling a magical creature.


    Under the moonlight, Lia hadpletely forgotten about Thanksgiving, immersing herself fully in her training.


    In White Dove City, in argemercial arcade.


    Lorna was all alone with a helmet equipped with an Illusion Magic Circle, immersed in the fake subjugation of magical creatures.


    The illusion simted a night-time prairie.


    After defeating thest Goblin, Lorna lifted her head, her gaze lonely, looking towards the cold round moon overhead.


    Thinking, let''s go home and find Aiko.


    It''s dull being alone.


    ...


    In the small rental house in Sparrow District, bursts ofughter and joy could be heard.


    Aiko, somewhat tipsy, raised her cup of wheat beer, her voice a bit coarser than usual, "The next person who loses at rock-paper-scissors has to say who they like!"


    "I, the mighty one... oops, I don''t have anyone I like! But if I have to say, any woman would do!" Kafni, intoxicated, had a flushed face.


    Monica sipped her drink in small gulps, sticking close to Da.


    Lulu also drank quite a bit, whispering to Da.


    "Thanks for earlier."


    Referring to his purification of her contamination.


    Da: "I''m the captain of Phoenix Tail Flower, isn''t helping a teammate what I should do?"


    "..."


    "Hmph, you''re just putting on an act." Lulu dazedly held her cup of wheat beer and muttered softly, "Maybe when we go to the higher levels, you won''t need us anymore."


    "That won''t happen; haven''t I assured you once already?" Da grasped Lulu''s small hand and pulled it under the table.


    The touch was very smooth, but cold without any warmth.


    "What are you doing, let go!" Lulu red at him with a faint anger.


    "This is also for ''Purification''." Da smiled and released a faint green glow from his palm.


    [System Prompt: Witch Lulu''s trust level has reached 70 points, the bond deepens, reward obtained: Magic Equipment Oath Ring!]

 Chapter 111: 105, Guest, Oath Ring_2

    Oath Ring?


    Lin Da curiously opened his personal storage and found a small silver ring.


    [Name: Lulu''s Oath Ring]


    [Type: Equipment - Jewelry (Female Only)]


    [Quality: Oath]


    [Level: 0]


    [Attribute: Strength +30%]


    [Description: A ring that witnesses the formation of an oath, can only be given to female team members. The member who wears this ring will permanently receive a +100% mood boost in the Back House system.]


    Hiss.


    Lin Da gasped.


    This Oath Ring really had something special.


    The attribute points were the most cost-effective, usable till old age ''Strength +30%'' and also increased the mood of the team members by 100%.


    Lin Da nced at Lulu''s profile with conflict. Perhaps it was the effect of the wheat beer, the beastwoman''s cheeks were slightly flushed. Sensing his gaze, Lulu pulled her hand back, holding the mug of beer, her fingers tapping irregrly on the ss, her mood seeming rather agitated.


    The favorability still wasn''t enough.


    Giving out the Oath Ring rashly at this time might lead to misunderstandings.


    If Lulu thought he invited her into the team because he desired her body, that would be terrible.


    Lin Da ced the Oath Ring back in the storage, nning to wait for a more formal day to give it away.


    The rental house was filled with a warm atmosphere.


    The temperature inside the house was just right as summer turned cool, and the dim magic light made everything look especially peaceful, soothing one''s heart.


    The whole scene was like a vividly historic photograph, everyone unknowingly bing a part of it.


    Enjoying the present, while also basking in the memories of the past.


    Lin Da and Lulu spoke softly.


    Monica leaned against him, her arms wrapping around his arm, seeming a bit sleepy.


    Kafni''s tolerance for alcohol improved, yfully bickering with Aiko.


    The beer in their cups was the kind with the lowest alcohol content, almost simr to soda.


    "I like big, secure men!" Kafni, having lost at rock-paper-scissors, slurred with a numbed tongue, unclear in her speech.


    "Oru type? Shall I introduce you?" Aiko asked with a mischievous smile.


    "That big guy...? That that that that kind won''t do, must be..." Kafni struggled to find the right words, pondering.


    "Which kind?"


    "Um... maybe, like Lin Da?" Kafni blurted out. Lin Da could be quite an asshole at times, but sometimes, he was rather handsome.


    Lin Da: "?"


    If he had no other choice before, he might have settled for Kafni.


    But now, with more and more beautiful female team members around him, Kafni simply couldn''tpete.


    There''s a saying, ''firste, first served'' near the water tower. If Lin Da were willing to be a scumbag, he probably could easily have any member''s body. However, doing so would inevitably lead to the destruction of team dynamics, and his current goal was still to reach the top of the World Tree.


    Looking at the old wall clock, it showed two o''clock deep in the night.


    Had it gotten thiste?


    Lin Da frowned at the oblivious Kafni and the enthusiastic Aiko.


    He coughed and said, "If we keep drinking, it''ll be daylight. We need to send the guest back."


    "Guest, what guest?" A drunk Aiko leaned forward, almost standing up from her wheelchair, joining Lin Da in searching for the guest.


    All four of them looked at her.


    Oh.


    The guest turned out to be me?


    Aiko half sobered up.


    She pouted, not really wanting to leave.


    Even if she couldn''t win over Lin Da, she wanted him to at least ask when she would go to Phoenix Tail Flower.


    If Lin Da never asked, Aiko would be very upset.


    Luckily, Lin Da didn''t disappoint her, he remembered.


    "Aiko, will you... join our team?"


    "Oh, actually Lia disagrees, the contract pressure is too high, the penalty is one million Gold Coins."


    "I see, sorry to make you ufortable, let''s pretend I never brought it up, don''t be anxious about this." Lin Da said guiltily.


    A huge question mark appeared over Aiko''s head.


    Is that it, you''re giving up?


    That shouldn''t be, I''m a 25-level ''Holy Mage'' genius!


    I''m rich, I have money!


    Aiko was so anxious she almost wanted to jump up!


    For a penalty of one million, I can earn it with you, I''ll put up 999999 Gold Coins, you just put in 1 Gold Coin, isn''t that enough?


    Right now, Aiko greatly regretted having asked that one extra question!


    Now, if she wants to join, she''d have to initiate the conversation herself.


    That''s the same as shaking your butt at a dog,


    begging...ugh, begging to join the team!


    As cheap as toilet paper from a trash can!


    Lin Da and his group escorted her to the door.


    They didn''t even use that broken carriage and brought her back to Snow Goose''s vi!


    Aiko miserably watched Lin Da and the others return to the rental house.


    The pretty girl by Lin Da''s side wasn''t bad-looking at all.


    To give herself away for free would be such a waste.


    She had to make Lin Da notice that she was a special existence.


    Aiko maneuvered her wheelchair back, all the while pondering over this matter.


    As she passed by a bookstore, she bought a culinary teaching book.


    As the old saying goes, to capture a man''s heart, first capture his stomach.


    Aiko''s culinary skills werecking, but that didn''t mean, after seriously studying, it would still be as bad.


    Her ability to study was a hundred times better than Bilya''s.


    Before being driven out by the Holy Light Church, Aiko was an excellent model student, a role model for a group of Pdins to learn from.


    "Just a little chef boy, sooner orter, I''ll make you my skirt-licking dog."


    Humming a tune that predicted victory, Aiko went home to practice her cooking skills.


    ...


    The next day, on one side of the Adventurer''s Guild''s notice wall, a notification about the real-life strategies of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team was posted.


    This wall gathered the real-life strategies of all teams that were unfolding recently.


    The notice was pyramid-shaped, divided into threeyers.


    At the very top were Iron Level adventure teams.


    Thisyer was disyed as nk.


    The secondyer was the Rock Level adventure teams.


    There were sparsely three or four teams.


    The Rock Level corresponds toyers 10-15, usually hyping up a month in advance.


    This kind of real-life strategy was not free.


    Usually, they would charge adventurers for admission or coborate with a branch of the Adventurer''s Guild to collect a one-time buyout fee.


    In the real-life strategies of the Rock Level teams, one could find the names of the Ice Flower Adventure Team and the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Both were scheduled for next month, Ice Flower the 13th floor, Snow Goose the 12th.


    Both adventure teams were highly anticipated, and tickets were sold out within a day of release.


    Then, there was the third tier of the Apprentice Level teams.


    There were more of them.


    Brave Adventure Team, Sunny and Cheerful Adventure Team, Let''s Get Rich Adventure Team... the names were diverse.


    The strategies were concentrated in the first threeyers.


    There were too many real-life strategies on this level.


    It was hardly interesting, and nobody would watch even if it was free.


    Setting up such real-life strategies was purely for the empire''s subsidy.


    "Isn''t there a higher-level strategy? I don''t mind if the ticket is a bit more expensive."


    A handsome elf in a white suit scanned the team list discontentedly.


    His gaze moved to the bottom of the pyramid, and he noticed a name he had seen in the newspaper.


    [Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team]


    [Level: Apprentice]


    [Strategy Target: Floors 1-3]


    [Start Date: X month X day, two dayster]


    "Hey, look at this!" the elf said unexpectedly, "The leader of the Phoenix Tail Flower, isn''t that the Ultimate Pervert?"


    "Lin Da? His team is starting a real-life strategy?"


    "Tsk, the first three floors, really not interesting."


    The adventurers were indifferent.


    Teams strategizing the first three floors were too many, all too simr, unable to produce any new tricks.


    "Unexpected that Phoenix Tail Flower is so poor, real-life strategies subsidies for the first three floors are just around ten gold coins, right?" the elf who first noticed sighed, "The beautiful Miss Aiko actually likes such a poor man, I am truly disappointed."


    "Who I like is none of your business," a soft, gentle voice with a smile sounded.


    "Miss Aiko?!" The elf turned, and there, was a magedy sitting in a wheelchair, with blonde hair and dressed in white.


    The elf''s voice trembled with excitement: "Actually, I am your fan!"


    Miss Aiko today also looked very beautiful, the elf sighed internally.


    Who wouldn''t like a sickly, noble-born youngdy with golden locks?


    She also smelled wonderfully, definitely the legendary ''body scent.''

 Chapter 112: Lia, the new idol, Phoenix Tail Flower is ready to launch

    "Oh. Then please support the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, and remember to attend their strategy livestream," Aiko said with a smile.


    "Absolutely!" The elf nodded hastily.


    Aiko''s appearance immediately became the focus of the hall.


    Rock-level Squad member, titled Holy Mage, a young prodigy adventurer.


    With various des under her belt, Aiko garnered a group of loyal fans.


    She came to the Adventurer''s Guild to promote the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team''s strategy livestream.


    Aiko worried that there wouldn''t be a single viewer on the day of the livestream.


    After all, the first three floors were too easy, nothing worth watching.


    It was from a drunk Kafni that Aiko learned about the Phoenix Tail Flower''s livestream event yesterday.


    Although Aiko didn''t think much of it... if Lin Da wanted to do it, then just do it. She''d help him wholeheartedly so that Lin Da could see her enthusiasm.


    Thanks to her personal promotion, the news of the Phoenix Tail Flower''s livestream starting in two days was quickly known by everyone.


    "Miss Aiko, we will definitely watch it!"


    A group of adoring fans shouted excitedly, with hearts in their eyes.


    "Thank you all~"


    Aiko waved her little hand and left the Adventurer''s Guild contentedly.


    When she returned to the vi, she happened to run into Lia.


    "Where have you been, taking so long toe back?"


    "Got the money, and the equipment too."


    Lia tossed a snake-skin bag onto the ground.


    The contents nked inside.


    Two sets of front-row armor, new magic scrolls, jewelry, weapons...


    These items had cost Lia 200,000 Gold Coins.


    Under her persistent cajoling, Bellini agreed to lend the money,


    but it was all the Bloody Baron''s money, and Bellini required Lia to repay it within two months.


    Therefore, the next floor''s strategy was critical.


    Lia clenched her fist with a determined look in her eyes.


    If the Snow Goose Adventure Team sessfully cleared the 12th floor, they would be able to repay the borrowed money from the family, boost Snow Goose''s fame again, and she would also prove her capability as a team leader.


    "No matter what, we have to clear the 12th floor."


    Lia murmured to herself.


    Aiko suddenly spoke up, "The day after tomorrow, the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team will start their strategy livestream. Are you going?"


    "No," Lia paused for a second, then shook her head and said, "I have to train hard to reach level 25 as soon as possible."


    "Oh, I see."


    Aiko saw Lia''s furrowed brow and swallowed back the words she wanted to say.


    Actually... the other members of Snow Goose had all agreed to go and support them.


    Even Chloe had agreed, and quite readily at that.


    Aiko wanted to organize everyone to go together, to boost rapport,


    being the lead organizer would give her the greatest credit.


    But it''s fine if Lia doesn''t go...


    That woman shouldn''t be there anyway.


    "What about Chloe?" Lia looked around and didn''t see her.


    "Holed up in her room, no idea what she''s doing. Why don''t you go check?" Aiko suggested.


    "Not necessary, if you needforting for everything, how can you be a mature Heavy Armored Warrior? The defeat on the 11th floor is temporary, we''ll soon wash away this disgrace."


    Lia flipped her fiery red hair confidently and strode towards her room. As she opened the door, she abruptly said, "Aiko, have you heard of the Fire God Summitpetition?"


    "How could I not? It''s the biggest adventuring event in the Southern Fire Empire."


    Aiko added silently to herself, the Lin Da you drove away had participated in thatpetition.


    Lia dered, "Our ultimate goal is to go to that grand stage and win!"


    Aiko chuckled internally.


    It''s good for young people to have dreams.


    But don''t take it too seriously.


    Lia was full of enthusiasm.


    She went to her room and attached the Fire God Summit''s promotional poster to her wall, motivating herself at all times.


    During her two days in Red Heart City, Bellini had told her an inspiring story. There was once an ordinary adventure team called ''Primordial'' with no special backing. Through hard work and sweat, they emerged from the crowd, became famous step by step, attracted countless talents to join, and even won the Fire God Summitpetition.


    The rise of the Primordial Adventure Team was a motivational legend.


    Lia took out an old newspaper from her luggage and looked at the news from over three years ago, feeling greatly inspired.


    [At the Fire God Summit, it''s a decisive victory: Primordial Adventure Team wins the championship with an overwhelming advantage, with a God-level adventurer, a promising future!]


    On the front page of the old newspaper, there was a group photo of the adventure team members.


    In the center was a man shrouded in a dark cloak, wearing a white mask, his demeanor cold and aloof.


    Behind the man was a group of diverse female adventurers.


    These young women were beautiful, powerful, from various races, and their eyes were full of vigor.


    "I also want to be an inspirational figure like him!"


    Lia found a new idol.


    That vanished legend, the captain of the Primordial Adventure Team, Dai Lian!


    ...


    "Achoo!"


    Lin Da almost sneezed out his snot.


    He rubbed his nose, puzzled, thinking whether someone was talking about him.


    It was noon outside.


    At this moment, they were busy preparing for their strategy livestream.


    They had rented a training room, Lin Da at the front, focused on controlling an Illusion Puppet.


    He had spent 1000 Gold Coins to have an Illusionist customize it. Controlling the puppet with a joystick, he simted the attack patterns of the hidden boss.


    "Attack."


    "Stop, once you see the Magical Creature lift its hand, immediately run to the left."


    "It''s the second phase now, be careful to dodge; don''t attack at all."


    Command aftermand left no room for hesitation.


    Kafni and Monica were nearly exhausted to the point of copsing.


    Once training began, Lin Da was like a different person, strictly correcting every little error they made.


    Up until the night before the strategy kicked off, Lin Da spent it with them in the training room.


    That night, at 10 o''clock, they were finally deemed qualified.


    "Hard work,"


    Lin Da passed them water.


    "Damn tiring," Kafni grumbled, clutching the water bottle and guzzling it down.


    Monica politely said thank you and then began to sip.


    When the group left the training room, they ran into Lulu who had hurried over.


    Lulu''s boots were covered in dust, and she looked weary.


    "I''ve got what you wanted; it was hard to find. I searched all over the stores in Red Heart City and South Rock City, and only found these,"


    she said, handing over three silver potions.


    Metal Destroyer.


    Lin Da had entrusted Lulu to find them in other cities for him.


    Meanwhile, he had also posted purchase notices in White Dove City but only managed to acquire one bottle.


    Because the potions were rare and adventurers didn''t cherish them, often using them carelessly, even though Lin Da offered a high price of 1000 gold coins, they were still hard to purchase.


    "Thanks. How about a drink at the tavern?"


    "No thanks, I still have things to do," Lulu said as she walked away with her hands in her pockets. Her voice floated back, "Be safe tomorrow."


    "Why doesn''t Sister Lulu stay with us?" Monica asked, puzzled.


    "She has her own business to attend to. When she''s done, she''lle over to stay with us,"


    Lin Da said on the surface, but deep down, he also wondered - what was Lulu''s purpose foring to White Dove City?


    When he first met Lulu, she seemed particrly concerned about whether Phoenix Tail Flower was a local adventure team in White Dove City.


    It seemed there could only be one reason for this requirement.


    After spending half a year with a local adventurer''s team, one could apply for an identity card from White Dove City.


    What did she want with that?


    Even when Lin Da asked Lulu, the beastwoman girl refused to answer.


    In the end, she hadn''tpletely trusted him.


    Lin Da pondered that afterpleting the first three levels, he would buy a big house in the Inner City District and invite Lulu to live with them.


    Living together for a long time would inevitably increase the chances to gain trust.


    Once the trust level reached 100, Lulu probably wouldn''t keep things from him.


    ...


    After having dinner with the team members, Lin Da and his group returned to their rented house to rest.


    Tomorrow, it was Phoenix Tail Flower''s first live strategy broadcast.


    It would also be their debut performance.


    Lin Da, as the team captain, was deeply concerned.


    The more sessful this strategy, the higher Phoenix Tail Flower''s prestige would be.


    The level of prestige directly determined whether the empire would notify you when a wild Mystic Realm was discovered.


    Adventure teams with high strength and high prestige had priority.


    Making a name would also better promote his strategies, helping those lower-level adventurers.


    Therefore, this ''debut'' needed to be wless for Lin Da.


    Standing at the bedroom door, he watched Monica fall asleep.


    "Let''s sleep, too,"


    Lin Da looked toward Kafni lying on the couch, who was still engrossed inic books.


    "It''s finally starting," Kafni said, putting down theic books with deep emotion.


    She said, "The first step on the road back to being a deity feels like it''s about to start."


    "Actually, I''ve had a question for a while," Lin Da turned off the lights, made a bed on the floor, and lying with his head on his arm, looked up at the ceiling and spoke lightly, "You were a woman originally, weren''t you?"


    Kafni was a bit annoyed, "You insulting me?"


    "No. The other night, Aiko asked you who your favorite person was, and your answer was... a muscr man, right?" Lin Da nced curiously at a deity whoseplexion had turned pale, and said, "Do deities have genders like that? Once the power reaches a certain level, you wouldn''t need to procreate, right?"


    "Sleep, sleep! We have to attack the World Tree tomorrow!"


    Kafni, ashamed, covered her face, having no recollection of being drunk the previous night.


    Could it be that deep down, she was into muscr men, hoping for a wild bout?


    No way!


    Kafni stealthily nced at Lin Da''s face in the darkness, feeling her heart inexplicably quicken. She had to admit, the pesky hero had good looks!


    If Snow Goose''s Oru could rate a ten, Lin Da easily topped a hundred!


    "I''m starting to have improper thoughts again,"


    Kafni shivered, shook her head to clear it forcefully, and forced herself to go to sleep.


    On the other side, Lin Da quietly opened the system''s Back House function to sign in.


    [Signed in sessfully, you have won 400 diamonds]


    In the wooden hut, the chibi version of Monica,ughing silly with a toy bear, mood +60%.


    Lulu sat obediently on the bed, her mood rising from +10% to +30%. It seemed that people in reality do influence their chibi counterparts in the Back House?


    Kafni was fast asleep, with her mood value showing virtually no change.


    After three consecutive days of signing in, plus the remaining diamonds, Lin Da''s bnce had reached 7040.


    He spent 4000 diamonds to purchase two Magic Guidance Tickets and two Strength Guidance Tickets to train Monica and Lulu automatically.


    The two chibi characters in the Back House started doing push-ups on the floor.


    [System Notice: Lulu''s strength +5, Monica''s magic power +4!]


    "Without the extra bonuses of the first training, the attribute points gained indeed seemed fewer,"


    Lin Da mused in his heart. This, too, was identical to the games.


    To raise Lulu and Monica to Five-star Character standards, it would still require arge number of diamonds.


    He spent another 2000 diamonds to buy a Gray Wolf plushie for Lulu to cuddle, raising the daily diamond ie from 400 to 440.


    Then he closed the system and reviewed the details of the strategy in his mind, scrutinizing and simting.


    Only after ensuring that there were no ws in the n three times did Lin Da feel relieved enough to fall asleep.


    The first exploration of the Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team was about to begin.


    Even for someone with Lin Da''s temperament, it was hard not to feel excited.

 Chapter 113: 107, Snow Goose, Ice Flower, and Star-ranked adventurer

    At the dawn of the next day, in the Adventurer''s Guild of the White Dove District,


    the spacious hall was bustling and overcrowded.


    "It''s eight o''clock, hasn''t it started yet?"


    "It seems that the strategy broadcast won''t start until nine."


    "What''s so interesting about that Ultimate Pervert? I came here for Miss Aiko, where is she?"


    The broadcast station for the Attacker''s live broadcast was surrounded by three huge magic screens, with adventurers densely packed around it.


    They craned their necks in anticipation, searching for members of the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Some of the crowd were fans of Aiko.


    Others were simply there for the excitement��to see the Snow Goose Adventure Team sh with the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.


    Lin Da, who broke away from Snow Goose, founded the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team... This undeniably put Lia, the leader of Snow Goose, in an awkward position.


    Those familiar with Snow Goose knew that Lin Da was one of the founding members.


    The significance behind a founder leaving to start anew was thought-provoking.


    Due to this incident, Lia''s character was questioned, and the reputation of the Snow Goose Adventure Team declined.


    If the Phoenix Tail Flower performed poorly today, that would be one thing.


    The narrative that ''Lia kicked Lin Da out because he was weak'' would be epted by the public.


    It wasn''t her fault that Lin Da left the team; it was indeed Lin Da who wasn''t up to par��she had no choice but to let him go.


    The reputation of the Snow Goose Adventure Team would see some improvement.


    But conversely, if Phoenix Tail Flower was unstoppable and Lin Da shone as themander...


    Lia''s lies would unravel on their own.


    It wouldn''t be ''Lin Da was subpar and got kicked out by her.''


    People would instinctively think, ''It was internal issues within Snow Goose that drove Lin Da to leave.''


    When considering Lia''s widely known fiery temper, the reason for Lin Da''s departure seemed self-evident.


    The reporters present excitedly gripped their pens tighter.


    Those in their line of work loved a goodmotion.


    They feared nothing more than a dull story.


    They all waited for Lia to show up, ready to interview her.


    However, it seems Lia had learned to be savvy.


    She knew her presence wouldplicate matters.


    When the Snow Goose Adventure Team walked in from a distance, the reporters did not spot Lia among them.


    The crowd quickly parted to either side, respectfully clearing the way.


    Leading the Snow Goose Adventure Team was Aiko, followed by Klrona, Klyne, Oru... Each of them wore a gleaming Rock-level badge on their chests and the confidence of seasoned adventurers on their faces as they approached the front of the live broadcast station with imposing auras.


    "As expected of a Rock-level Squad, that imposing presence... it''s making my scalp tingle!"


    "Holy Mage Aiko, Pink Battle Axe Klrona, Wind Archer Klyne, ck Heavy Hammer Oru... all are seasoned level 20 adventurers!"


    "Hearing you say that, why do I feel like Snow Goose did the right thing by kicking out Lin Da? Wasn''t he only level 15 before?"


    "Heh, on the surface it''s Aiko promoting the strategy broadcast, but could it be that Snow Goose''s people want to embarrass the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team in front of arger audience?"


    Various discussions arose in the hall.


    Some said Aiko had an ulterior motive, hoping to see Lin Da make a fool of himself.


    Others believed that Aiko had good intentions.


    Reporters surged forward with their ''big guns and small cannons,'' asking questions, and the dark microphones aimed at Aiko resembled a celebrity interview scene.


    Aiko had a smile on her face, and her pleasant-sounding voice, apanied by a voice amplification array within the microphone, spread throughout the hall.


    She said, "Please don''t misunderstand, even though Lin Da has left Snow Goose, we''re still his best friends. We havee here today with a heart full of blessings, hoping that the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team will pass sessfully and obtain many high-quality Magical Equipment."


    "May I ask, why isn''t team leader Lia here?"


    A square-faced reporter from a newspaper asked with ill-intent.


    "The thing is, today is a critical day for Lia to break through to level 25, so regrettably, she couldn''t make it here to support Lin Da. In fact, she''s also silently wishing the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team the best, hoping they''ll reach even greater heights."


    Aiko''s smile was impable.


    Yet the reporters inwardly sighed.


    Interviewing such a clever woman was too uninteresting; if Lia were here, their notebooks would fill with pages of material.


    That''s why Lia was so popr among the press.


    Wherever Lia was, they always reaped a bountiful harvest.


    Just as Snow Goose''s arrival had seemingly brought the atmosphere to a peak, to the surprise of many adventurers, there was anothermotion near the entrance.


    The crowd parted, and an adventure team with an aura that was in no way inferior to Snow Goose''s��in fact, even stronger��walked through.


    A venerable Rock-level Adventure Team with profound strength, Ice Flower!


    Isa, d in a white coat and carrying a thin sword at her waist with her silver hair cascading behind her,


    released a potent Ice Douqi around her, dropping the temperature wherever she went. Adventurers nearby couldn''t help but shiver.


    They felt as if the silver-haired maiden was like a de thrust into a cliff of ice and snow, emitting a chilling radiance that made it impossible to look directly at her.


    Behind Isa, there were six members whose auras were equally strong.


    A girl with light green bobbed hair, wearing sses, said with a smile, "I want to see just how capable the person our captain trusts is atmanding."


    The Ice Flower Adventure Team headed to the foremost position, standing on a slightly raised white tform.


    Even though many spots within the inner circle of the live broadcast array were empty, no adventurer dared to set foot there without permission.


    That was the privilege of the Rock-level Squad, given by the Guild.


    Including, but not limited to: priority invitations to auctions, information on Mystic Realms and rare Magical Creatures, advance notices, low-interest high-amount loans...


    In the Adventurer''s Guild, the squad''s level is everything.


    With the arrival of Ice Flower, a wave of lively discussion ensued:


    "The rumors seem to be true, Isa really is fooling around with Lin Da! Otherwise, why would shee to such a low-level strategy live broadcast?"


    "Heh heh, it''s obviously to support Lin Da."


    "Boo hoo hoo, I''m so jealous. Lin Da, hurry up and get married, and distribute the remaining beauties among us!"


    "I think even if he was to choose, it wouldn''t be your turn."


    "?"


    On the tform in the inner circle, Isa nodded to Aiko not far away, greeting her, "Long time no see."


    "You too. You seem to have be even more beautiful, such smooth silver hair."


    In Aiko''s heart, she detested this silver-haired sow who was seducing Lin Da, itching with hatred.


    But the upbringing of an outstanding youngdy allowed her to maintain a smile at all times, to speak pleasantly, and to establish good rtionships with everyone around her.


    Meanwhile, at the railing on the second floor of the Adventurer''s Guild.


    There was a young man with fiery red hair tied in a ponytail, and a dark-skinned female Beastman with explosive curves, wearing only hotpants and a ck tube top.


    They looked down below and chatted casually.


    While most adventurers were attracted to Snow Goose and Ice Flower, only a very few noticed their presence.


    And then, they were shocked and their eyes widened.


    The redhead was the Thunder Swordmaster, Dawen from Red Heart City!


    The other, the deputy head of the White Dove Adventure Group, "Mad Panther" Jite!


    What they had inmon was that both were famous Star-ranked adventurers who had reached level 30 and above.


    The prestige of such adventurers was capable of breaking through the confines of their respective cities and spreading to nearby areas.


    Even though Dawen was from Red Heart City, there were still many who recognized him.


    The appearance of Dawen and Jite led some people to new thoughts about this Attacker live broadcast: Did that Lin Da really have something special about him?


    Or did he have connections that were so influential he could garner the support of Ice Flower, Snow Goose, and even two Star-ranked adventurers?


    Actually, it was all a misunderstanding.


    The arrival of Dawen was purely by chance.


    The fiery-haired, cool Swordsman rested his hands on the railing and spoke in a calm tone, "It''s confirmed, there''s a mutation of high-level Magical Beasts at Breeze River Beach. Will the White Dove Adventure Group take action?"


    "Of course. With severalrge mines nearby, we, as the local adventure team, will not stand by if the mines are in trouble."


    The Beastman Jite, drinking from a bottle of Wheat Beer, with thick arms and well-defined abs, nced at Dawen and asked, "But is the information urate? We''ve investigated too, and only found a few immature Murderous Crabs."


    "Believe it or not," Dawen replied. "I''m actually quite looking forward to sharing the battlefield with the White Dove Adventure Group."


    "Hmph."


    Jite raised an eyebrow and pointed towards the strategy broadcast below, "You didn''t go straight back to Red Heart City, did youe here because of that Lin Da?"


    "Half and half. The other half is to see how Lia is doing." Dawen squinted his eyes and said, "If things go well, that kid might have the potential to be a future Steel Level Adventure Group leader."


    "Haha." Jiteughed, finished her Wheat Beer in one gulp, crumpled the bottle into the size of a thumb, and threw it into the trash bin.


    She crossed her arms, looking down disdainfully and said, "Combined, Red Heart City and White Dove City have a million adventurers, and there are only six Steel Level teams. How does a team with unremarkable achievements like Phoenix Tail Flower get such high praise from you? Dawen, I remember you being quite prideful. You''re not getting old and losing your judgment, are you?"


    Dawen snorted withughter and responded, "Based on his ability to lead Lia, that fool, to the eighth level unscathed, he deserves my opinion."


    "Eighth level... heh, anything below the tenth level is all low levels, what''s the use? You know how terrifying the Magical Creatures are in the higher levels."


    Jite was dismissive, "There are plenty of genius adventurers below the tenth level. Once they get to the tenth level and beyond, they all turn into mediocrities!"


    As they spoke, the previously ck screen of the strategy broadcast lit up.


    The image of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team appeared on the screen.


    Dawen watched the disy and remarked, "Personally, I have high hopes for him."


    "For these garbage low levels, the first three?" Jite pouted.


    "Yes." Dawen nodded.


    Although he had only had brief contact with Lin Da, he could tell that thetter was a person with a steady character. In such simplistic levels as the first three, one would not open a strategy live broadcast without full confidence.


    With the empire''s subsidy being a mere ten Gold Coins, an adventurer like Lin Da would not be short of such a small amount of money.


    All these reasons were why Dawen had confidence in Lin Da.


    "It''s starting, it''s starting!"


    The hall buzzed with excitement.


    Pairs of curious eyes now turned to the magic screen.

 Chapter 114: 108. Arid Corridor, Lin Da foresees the future?

    Dawen, Jite, Isa, and others'' appearance brought a sliver of hope to the numerous adventurers regarding the strategies for conquering the Phoenix Tail Flower.


    Could it be that even such low levels as the first three have something new to offer?


    "I hope Lin Da passes safely."


    Oru silently gazed at therge screen, one hand bandaged, the other holding Klyne''s delicate palm.


    The couple was praying for Lin Da.


    Klrona looked up at the familiar yet unfamiliar tall figure on the screen, her expression somewhat dazed.


    She had been in a daze these past three days.


    Realizing one thing: even if she suffocated in her room, no one would care.


    Seeing Lin Da on the screen, holding Monica''s hand, Klrona''s eyes were slightly red.


    All he cares about is that Monica, not her!


    Aiko, perhaps sensing her emotional turmoil, sighed and said in a low voice, "Shall we bring some gifts and visit him after Lin Da''s team has finished strategizing?"


    "Okay," Klrona nodded silently.


    Meanwhile.


    At the entrance to the World Tree Secret Realm in Secret Realm Square, White Dove City.


    Lin Da looked seriously at his two teammates, "You remember everything I taught you, right?"


    "We remember."


    "No problem."


    Monica and Kafni each nodded.


    As for the fourth member of the team, Lulu, she couldn''te due to the lower initial levels and was currently at the Adventurer''s Guild in Sparrow District, watching them.


    "Then, let''s move out."


    Lin Da took the lead, walking ahead with the two others towards the lush World Tree reaching up to the sky.


    At the base of the tree, there was a tree hole, inside which were stairs leading upward.


    Made of wood as well, these old, creaking steps seemed to carry the weight of history.


    The stairs led to a teleportation array, and Lin Da and hispanions entered together. In the next instant, the light shed, and when they opened their eyes, they found themselves in a deste brown canyon.


    Like an endless corridor stretching into the distance, sharp, biting winds blew straight at them,


    and before themy and of cracked, withered yellow soil, where pairs and groups of ck Magic Dogs wandered like soldiers guarding a treasure in the canyon.


    Once adventurers entered their territory, these ck Magic Dogs would fiercelyunch an attack without fear of death.


    "Scared?" Lin Da bent over, steadying himself on his knees, and chuckled as he encouraged Monica.


    "With the captain here, Monica isn''t scared!" the girl said firmly.


    Lin Da nodded and then looked up at adybug flying high in the sky.


    Magical Creature, sensordybug.


    The view from thisdybug''s eyes would be transmitted back to the Adventurer''s Guild in White Dove City.


    He also didn''t know how many people would watch this livestream of them tackling these very low levels.


    One could guess that there weren''t many.


    Lin Da, adopting an air of dealing with thin air, gave a perfunctory smile and greeted everyone: "Hello, adventurers, good afternoon."


    "Next, I will suppress my own level to demonstrate to everyone how to tackle the first floor of the World Tree Secret Realm, the Arid Corridor, with a minimum level of 5."


    Just as he was about to set off, a sensordybug strapped to his thigh began to buzz.


    It was receiving a ''Golden Advice''.


    Adventurers are this wealthy now, to casually offer the World Tree Goddess demon cores, sending expensive ''Golden Advice''?


    This act was akin to sending rockets to a streamer.


    But the streamer got no cut; it all went to the World Tree.


    Lin Da plucked thedybug from the bag on his thigh, looked beneath it, the square belly like a little screen:


    [Lin Da, keep it up! Brother me, Klyne, and Aiko and the girls, we are all watching you!]


    [Lin Da, you haven''t forgotten your promise with Ice Flower, have you? I left the teammates'' information in your room.]


    [Hmph, traitor of Snow Goose, you dare to start a livestream?]


    [...]


    [Ultimate Pervert, I freaking dislike you!]


    All at once, he received over ten Golden Advices.


    Were there so many people watching the Phoenix Tail Flower''s strategizing livestream? Had nearly all from Snow Goose shown up?


    Lin Da was momentarily stunned, then suddenly remembered that night Kafni, drunk, had told Aiko about their ns to tackle the World Tree using Phoenix Tail Flower.


    It seemed he found the reason for such arge turnout.


    His appreciation for Aiko grew a bit.


    If there was a chance, he would return the favor.


    Then, Lin Da read through the Golden Advice messages one by one.


    The first two were clearly sent by Oru and Isa.


    As for the third one... it was rather abrasive.


    It made Lin Da involuntarily think of Lia.


    At any rate, the number of viewers for this livestream was much higher than he had expected.


    Monica also held a sensordybug, looking at the screen filled with ordinary suggestions, frightened into silence.


    "Captain, so many adventurers are watching us!"


    Stay updated with mvl


    "Don''t be scared, face it with a normal mindset."


    Lin Da bowed to the sensordybug in the sky: "Although I don''t know what''s going on, thanks everyone for showing up!"


    He first suppressed his power to fit a level 5 standard, making it easier for ordinary adventurers to ''copy the homework''.


    His gaze swept forward.


    A row of ck Magic Dogs bared their teeth, drooling profusely.


    "ck Magic Dogs, level 5 magical creatures, high attack power, extremely agile. I bet many adventurers initially entering the World Tree found these creatures troublesome, getting hurt, and even having teammates killed."


    Lin Da, holding a small white round shield in his left hand and a sword in his right, simted himself as an ordinary warrior.


    This was the mostmon profession in Mystic Continent, also jokingly referred to as the poor man''s profession.


    Broke adventurers would go upfront to take damage and face the hits.


    The lowest level warriors have the highest casualty rate among all professions.

 Chapter 115: 108, Arid Corridor, Lin Da Predicts the Future?_2

    "Next, I will demonstrate to everyone how to safely and harmlessly take down this kind of magical beast,"


    The sensordybug lowered its altitude to reach Lin Da''s shoulder, providing a first-person view of the ck Magic Dog''s posture.


    When this notorious creature, nicknamed the ''neer killer'', appeared on the magic disy, many adventurers'' unpleasant memories were awakened.


    Whether they are low-rank adventurers or not, everyone has experienced tackling the firstyer.


    The Arid Corridor, as one of the trials in the Mystic Realm with the highest urrence and difficulty, has caused countless new adventurers to fail miserably.


    What the audience didn''t know was that Lin Da had prepared up to nine strategies, covering the first threeyers'' nine random maps.


    The ones he didn''t encounter wouldter be released in text and picture form.


    In the hall, Isa, watching the fearsome appearance of the ck Magic Dog on the screen, murmured, "Ice Flower went to the firstyer, and two of our members were bitten."


    The ck Magic Dog is only a level 5 magical creature, but its agility reaches near that of a level 7.


    Its steel-like teeth carry poison, and if adventurers are identally injured, theirbat effectiveness will rapidly decline, slowly dying in this long monster corridor.


    At the railing on the second floor, Dawen sighed, "Our adventure team has been taking on the firstyer... must be about twenty years now. I recall the imperial announcement showing that the casualty rate for adventurers on thisyer reached 30 percent."


    Jite hummed in agreement, "For new adventurers, the ck Magic Dog is indeed quite a challenge."


    Meanwhile, in the strategy live broadcast, Lin Da imed he would keep his level at 5.


    This left the audience somewhat puzzled, "Isn''t Lin Da here to ''clear'' the trial, but rather do a strategy teaching?"


    The intention is good.


    But, there are too many strategies for the first threeyers, including some from well-known adventure teams.


    Iron Level, Sunrise Level, they all exist.


    Lin Da''s Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team is merely Apprentice Level.


    Could the strategies they produce actually be stronger than those from a Sunrise Level adventure team?


    in white suggestions scrolled rapidly on the underbelly of the sensordybug, mostly cold mockery and ridicule.


    But Lin Da''s attention had already focused on the ck Magic Dog.


    He chose to demonstrate with actual action.


    From the disy, it could be seen that Lin Da stepped into the territory of the ck Magic Dog.


    The ck Magic Dog, which had been aimlessly wandering about like a ghost, suddenly noticed him and approached with a low growl.


    The ck Magic Dog was one meter long and half a meter tall, with long and strong limbs and a fierce face, resembling a bully.


    "Awoo!"


    With a vicious roar, the ck Magic Dog leaped up high, aiming a bite at Lin Da''s neck!


    The attacks of this creature are incredibly fast; if you''re not careful, you could be bitten!


    In the hall, many low-level adventurers watching the disy felt a strong sense of immersion.


    They were either adventurers who had just finished the firstyer or those about to face it, studying the ck Magic Dog day and night.


    At this moment, when the ck Magic Dogunched a sudden attack, they felt as if they were there, subconsciously tensing up.


    Those adventurers who had not yet entered the World Tree, were sweating profusely, feeling even with thorough preparation, there was no absolute certainty of evading the ck Magic Dog''s attack!


    And without entering the World Tree, it''s difficult to advance in levels.


    Without levels, life bes even harder...


    This unsolvable cycle drove many new adventurers to destitution, struggling on the brink of subsistence.


    The Elf who had taunted Lin Da two days ago was among these low-level individuals, a mere level 7 Archer.


    The Elf, named Finy, was a twenty-year-old.


    Watching the ck Magic Dog on the disy lunging at Lin Da with its gaping jaws, Finy couldn''t help but recall the terrifying sight of hispanion''s shoulder being crushed by the ck Magic Dog.


    Hispanion was also level 7, a warrior, and had thoroughly researched the ck Magic Dog before entering the firstyer.


    Yet, he was still bitten, and all the rewards for clearing the firstyer went to medical expenses. To this day, he is unable to venture out and even has developed a psychological shadow from the magical creatures, losing the courage to wield a sword for battle.


    If that Lin Da really suppressed his level to 5 and based it on the physical abilities of an "average adventurer"...


    He absolutely wouldn''t have dodged the ck Magic Dog''s attack.


    Everyone silently reached this consensus in their hearts.


    If Lin Da were attacked by the ck Magic Dog at such close quarters, he would certainly be injured!


    Theoretically, that is the case.


    However, Lin Da''s theory was above that.


    ```


    The sensordybug gave him a close-up as he faced the ck Magic Dog.


    His fine short hair fluttering slightly in the wind and eyes as resolute as iron, Lin Da''s expression showed not the slightest hint of panic. His body, in concert with his footsteps, shifted to the left as if he was drunk. Before the ck Magic Dog could attack, he ''identally'' stumbled to the side. Discover exclusive tales on mvl


    This abnormal movement was something the low-level Magical Beast, the ck Magic Dog, could not have anticipated.


    After a series of coincidences, the result was the ck Magic Dog flying past Lin Da''s shoulder, failing to touch even a hair on Lin Da!


    The ck Magic Dog did not think, only knew tond quickly andunch the next attack.


    When its four limbs hit the dry, cracked earth, preparing for its next move, a Rusty One-Handed Sword chopped at its neck.


    "Awooo~!"


    A sharp howl burst from the throat of the ck Magic Dog.


    The Rusty One-Handed Sword was stained with fresh blood.


    Lin Da handed the corpse off to his teammates to deal with and walked towards the next ck Magic Dog without pause.


    "For those who didn''t see clearly, don''t worry, I''ll demonstrate a few more times."


    With that said, Lin Da continued to encroach upon the territory of the ck Magic Dogs.


    Still with the same appearance of a drunkard''s idental fall.


    But always narrowly avoiding the attacks of the ck Magic Dogs.


    The adventurers in the hall were a bit bbergasted.


    Some suspected Lin Da to be a child of luck.


    Why did he always have such explosive luck and narrowly avoid the ck Magic Dog''s attacks?


    Is this so-called strategy just to show everyone how lucky you are?


    If one is unlucky, should they simply not adventure?


    "What in the world is going on!"


    Elf Finy voiced the question that was on everyone''s mind.


    Why couldn''t the ck Magic Dog touch Lin Da?


    Simplistic adventurers thought it was Lin Da''s good fortune, but there were also some clever people closely watching Lin Da''s actions, lost in thought.


    Though Lin Da''s movements seemed like those of a ''drunkard'', strangely enough.


    A careful observation might reveal some patterns.


    "Why can''t the ck Magic Dog touch Lin Da?" Klrona stopped sucking on her lollipop, with a look of amazement on her little face.


    Oru and Klyne also found the scene bizarre. They vaguely understood something but found it difficult to exin in words.


    Aiko, being the most powerful among them, noticed some clues.


    "It''s ''prediction''."


    "Prediction?" Klrona asked nkly.


    As Aiko was about to answer Klrona, the nearby crowd of ordinary adventurers also perked up their ears out of curiosity.


    The insights of a level 25 Mage definitely surpassed their own.


    Aiko, not entirely sure herself, said cautiously, "It''s not that Lin Da relies on luck to narrowly avoid the ck Magic Dog''s attacks, but rather, he predicts every move of the ck Magic Dog."


    "Before the ck Magic Dog attacks, at that moment, he''s already dodging."


    "Taking the standard physical ability of a level 5 adventurer as a benchmark, it''s not possible to dodge an attack once seen with the naked eye."


    "But Lin Da sees right through the ck Magic Dog, which is why he avoids all the attacks."


    The crowd was taken aback, feeling it sounded mystical.


    Could one really predict all the movements of the ck Magic Dog?


    Aiko smiled modestly, "I am just specting. What the real answer is, one would have to ask Lin Da directly to find out."


    Even members of the Rock-level Squad couldn''t see through Lin Da''s secret, which puzzled the onlookers even more.


    Just then, a robust and forceful male voice came from the second floor, "It''s not prediction, it''s anticipation."


    A slightly coarse female voice added, "A hundred percent urate anticipation, so it looks like prediction. But the two arepletely different. Only the World Tree Goddess can predict every action of a magical beast."


    "However... anticipation of such high uracy is indeed very interesting."


    The speaker was a tall and sturdy Beastman with wheat-colored skin.


    She had grey long hair, a pair of furry beast ears, and a leopard''s tail wrapped around her waist, showing interest as she propped her chin with her hand, looking toward the Strategy broadcast station.


    ```

 Chapter 116: 109. On the stage is the Joker adventure team

    "It''s Wild Panther Gite and Thunder Swordmaster Dawen!"


    "Two Star-ranked adventurers? Such big shots are also here to check out the strategy for the first three floors?"


    "Lord Gite, I am your fan!"


    When the adventurers saw the two distinctively dressed individuals standing in front of the second-floor railing, the atmosphere instantly boiled over, turning into a fan meet-and-greet.


    The muscr, attractively shaped female named Wild Panther Gite had once torn apart a ''Wilderness Guardian,'' a level-32 Vine Giant, within the fifteenth floor of the Great Mystery Continent.


    When she dropped the Orange Magic Equipment "Angry Death w," she had made the front page of White Dove Morning News, and her strength was acknowledged by adventurers far and wide.


    The man with the fiery red ponytail and aloof expression, Thunder Swordmaster Dawen, held even greater prestige than Gite.


    He was the second son of the Mand family from Red Heart City and had been a Star-ranked adventurer five years ago, matching hands with the leader of the White Dove Adventure Group within the Great Mystery Continent.


    He was renowned as the potential future leader of the Scarlet Adventure Group, tasked with taking his family to greater heights.


    Their arrival immediately caused a sensation.


    "Why has Dawene here?" Aiko''s expression changed.


    She knew well that Lia and Dawen didn''t get along.


    Besides Linda, the person Lia most wanted to defeat was Dawen. Once they met, a fight was inevitable.


    Suppressing a certain unease in her heart, Aiko nodded in greeting to Dawen on the second floor.


    Isa, leading the Ice Flower team members, also saluted the two Star-ranked adventurers.


    Dawen casually nodded back and, facing the curious gaze of the crowd below, exined Gite''s earlier words.


    "Gite was right, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team leader precisely predicted the attack of the Magical Creatures, not some ''future-seeing'' precognition."


    "I guess he must have watched enough attacker''s live streams to summarize a set of behaviors specific to ck Magic Dogs."


    "But I don''t know how he managed to be 100% urate��each adventurer can only enter the first floor once with no room for errors. Even if they change their ss, they can only do it twice. The third time they change their ss is almost a suicidal act."


    "If he had cleared the first floor hundreds, even thousands of times, knowing ck Magic Dogs inside out, I would believe he could achieve this precise ''precognition.'' But no one could clear the first floor thousands of times; it''s a floor the top adventurers dismiss, and more energy should be spent on higher floors."


    "Ten thousand adventurers passing the first floor isn''t as significant as one adventurer who has cleared thirty floors in the uing war against the Demon Lord''s Army."


    Dawen''s expression gradually became severe, his voice also carrying a trace of faint respect:


    "I don''t know how he summarized the behavior logic of ck Magic Dogs, but it must have taken a great deal of time and effort. In other words, this attackers'' live stream was prepared for neers who have not yet entered the first floor, though it does not help the Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team''s upper-level strategies, they still did it."


    "Such a person is not smart, but he deserves my high regard."


    As Dawen carefully analyzed, the adventurers in the hall fell into silence from their initial excitement.


    They spent so much time and effort just to help beginners who hadn''t entered the first floor?


    Had they invested the same effort in higher floors and set the live stream as a paid entry, the Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team would be making a fortune.


    Yet they did not do so.


    A free,pletely beginner-focused, nanny-level strategy live stream.


    In an environment where everyone is vying to reach the summit andpeting against each other, the approach of the Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team was like a breath of fresh air.


    As Dawen said:


    This strategy might not be clever, but it deserves respect.


    Many adventurers couldn''t help but hold them in high esteem, their expressions solemn as they looked towards the young man on the screen.


    ...


    Read exclusive chapters at mvl


    "Lord Captain, thedybug seems like it''s going to die, there are so many suggestions!"


    Monica nervously gripped thedybug, shouting from behind.


    The white standard suggestions covered thedybug''s belly, and anotherdybug was dizzy from the golden suggestions.


    At a nce, it was a dense sea of text.


    "Eye of Wisdom, please ept my apology, I actually thought you were after the empire''s subsidy of 10 gold coins, damn it!"


    "From now on, even if everyone calls you the Ultimate Pervert, you are still the best adventurer in my heart! Tomorrow, I''m heading to the first floor of the World Tree, this strategy live stream, I, Jack, am fixed on it!"


    "Big shot, please exin, exactly how did you predict it? Could I kill the ck Magic Dog without getting injured just like you?"


    "Pfft, it''s no big deal, anyone can beat a Magical Creature like a ck Magic Dog with just fighting instinct, right?"


    Among the many friendly suggestions, there were also a few discordant ones.


    Kafni, seeing that sour suggestion, puzzled in her heart, the tone of that speech, didn''t it sound a bit like a certain red-haired youngdy?


    "Everyone, don''t rush, I will start breaking down the movements immediately. If you learn attentively, everyone can kill the ck Magic Dog without getting injured."


    Linda had cleared the surrounding ck Magic Dogs, finally giving him time to look at the sensordybug.


    There were so many suggestions it was dizzying.


    Thirty percent were various praises, the rest were mostly requests for him to start teaching.


    As Dawen had said, Linda didn''t predict the future.


    He judged based on the ck Magic Dog''s specific pre-attack movements, changes in barking, and the distance and positioning between the adventurer and the ck Magic Dog, predicting which skill the Magical Creature would use.


    The ck Magic Dog had just four moves: Normal Attack, Bite, Fierce Headbutt, and Frenzied Pursuit.


    All these skills had precursory movements, giving adventurers time to react.


    This was the game developers'' mercy to adventurers.


    Of course, if the level was high, there was no need for a strategy to pass.


    Linda''s strategy was mainly for those with lesser ability and those with good talent, who, due to their first time entering the World Tree, were too nervous to perform.


    He found a lone ck Magic Dog, exining as hemenced the battle.


    "We can judge its next move by the sound of the ck Magic Dog''s howl and the movement and distance of its limbs."


    "Now I am in front of it. Watch closely�� if it lowers its body, it''s about to pounce from above with a bite. Just dodge to the left."


    "If the ck Magic Dog backs away, it''s initiating a Frenzied Pursuit, focus on defending the front then."


    "When the ck Magic Dog moves its forelimbs, it willunch a Fierce Headbutt."


    "Conversely, if it doesn''t move, you can try taking a small step forward to enter the next cycle, observing its sound and movements."


    This includes many details.


    It''s hard to remember all at once.


    But Linda hadpiled thick sheets of strategy paper, ced in front of the sensordybugs, for all adventurers to copy.


    The attack patterns of the ck Magic Dog were just a few sets.


    Once familiar, even if one couldn''t perform as fluidly as he did, passing the first level with minor injuries was still very feasible.


    The hall of the Adventurer''s Guild was silent.


    Only the rustling sound of paper and pen could be heard.


    Elf Finy was thoroughly convinced.


    Even though he had already crossed the first level, he was still astounded by the strategy.


    If he had entered the first levelter, his teammate wouldn''t have suffered a crushed shoulder from the ck Magic Dog.


    The adventurers who had not entered the World Tree were ultimately in the minority.


    Finy couldn''t help but think: it would be great if there were detailed strategies for the second and third levels.


    At that moment, as if reading his mind, Linda said, "There will also be detailed strategies for the second and third levelster. After everyone reads them, you should gain something."


    As soon as he said this, the silent hall erupted into an uproar once again.


    Finy doubted his ears; were there such ridiculously detailed strategies for the second and third levels as well?


    The magical creatures on the first level are at level 5, while the second and third levels range from 6-9.


    This level range matched thergest batch of adventurers.


    Nearly eighty percent of the people in the hall were between levels 6-9.


    That meant Linda''s strategies would benefit thergest group of adventurers among them.


    They were poor, living precariously, constantly facing the risk of teammates being injured or killed.


    Talented and well-off adventurers might not need such lower-level strategies.


    But for the poor and less capable adventurers, this strategy guide was nothing short of a lifesaver, greatly improving their chances of survival.


    The benefits were substantial and real.


    The most important point... it was all free.


    This incredibly detailed strategy guide was avable to any adventurer without charge.


    With his voice quivering with excitement, Finy shouted: "Linda is awesome!"


    "Eye of Wisdom is awesome!"


    "Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team will achieve great things!"


    "I think Linda should be called the ''Eye of True Knowledge''. ''Eye of Wisdom'' was his nickname during the Snow Goose Era."


    "Eye of True Knowledge, Linda!"


    For a moment, the hall was a thunderous maelstrom of shouts.


    This spectacle made Snow Goose''s members a bit panicked.


    Aiko waspletely stunned.


    Shouldn''t I be the only one who knew how formidable Linda was?


    Now that you all know, isn''t my advantage of being prescient gone?


    Oru was exhrated as he suggested, "How about we all propose to let the captain bring Linda back? That Phyllis, just doesn''t cut it."


    "Impossible, he already has his own team," Aiko sighed.


    As the only one who had witnessed the harmonious atmosphere of the Phoenix Tail Flower, she dared to say, even a million gold coins wouldn''t bring him back.


    With Linda''s reputation as the ''Eye of True Knowledge'' established, regardless of why the Snow Goose Adventure Team had driven Linda away,


    at that moment, their noses might as well have turned into bright red balls.


    Standing before the strategy broadcast station, Aiko and her group becameplete clowns amidst the tumultuous shouting.


    Even though the main reason for Linda leaving the team was rted to Lia, none of them had truly tried to keep him.


    If there were any attempts, they were mere words and no real actions were taken.


    Perhaps subconsciously, they all sided with Lia: a level 15 Healer Linda just wasn''t good enough.


    Recing him with a level 20, graduate from a prestigious college like Phyllis, would supposedly improve the team.


    Deep down, all team members harbored such thoughts.


    If they truly considered Linda indispensable, they would have sought him out together the day before Linda was to sign his departure agreement with Lia.


    In reality, none of them took action.


    Even Aiko, who outwardly cared the most about Linda, only felt a twinge of unease after Linda had signed his departure agreement.

 Chapter 117: 110, Hidden Magical Creatures Appear, Metal Destroyer Achieves Merit

    Until today, they had seen Lin Da''spletely unreserved live attacker status.


    Only whenparing it to Phyllis''s poormand on the 11th floor did they suddenly realize.


    Who is the real pir of support for the Snow Goose Adventure Team!


    At this moment, the few of them still couldn''t exin to everyone that Lin Da''s departure had nothing to do with them.


    It would turn into "You''re saying you want to exin and redeem yourselves only after seeing Lin Da''s excellence? What were you doing earlier?"


    The more they exined, the more they looked like a joke!


    Oru and Klyne, this couple awkwardly lowered their heads. They kept saying they cared about Lin Da, but they did nothing, merely sighing: It would have been better if Lin Da hadn''t left.


    Klrona didn''t quite understand.


    This pink twin-tailed loli had always thought Lin Da''s departure was temporary. It was only a few days ago, upon seeing Lin Da''s new members, that she realized Lin Da would not be returning.


    It was like a child seeing their beloved father leave home, and in a blink, having several new women, with new children. The old child was no longer of any concern to him.


    Klrona felt like a dusty little stone by the roadside, no longer getting any attention.


    She hung her head low, no longer interested in her lollipop.


    But the hardest to bear was Aiko.


    As the team leader, Aiko helplessly endured the gloating looks.


    She hated that Lia wasn''t there.


    It was that powder keg who had driven Lin Da away.


    Yet she ended up ying the fool for Lia.


    Lin Da''s departure, even if rted to her... was just a tiny bit!


    Wasn''t it just asking Lin Da to help with massages every day, enjoying the gourmet food Lin Da cooked, and the strategies Lin Da made? But did they act blind?


    Klrona, Oru... everyone was the same!


    Compared to them, she was the one who hurt Lin Da the least.


    So, I shouldn''t be the joke.


    Aiko looked indignantly at Klrona and the others.


    Especially Klrona �� the night Lin Da left, she had been dragged by Klrona to y a few games, causing her cucumber beauty treatment to be dyed by half an hour.


    If it weren''t for Klrona, she could havepleted her beauty routine on time and had the chance to stop Lin Da and ask where he was going in the middle of the night.


    At that time, a tearful plea for him to stay might have made a difference.


    If Lin Da hadn''t left, with the birth of this strategy, Snow Goose would have propelled its prestige to a whole new level.


    Doubtlessly, Lin Da, hiding his identity as the Primal Team Leader, would have taken them to the higher ranks.


    Bing the strongest adventure team in White Dove City, and even advancing to the Royal Capital, was highly likely.


    If only she had retained Lin Da then...


    Aiko bit her lip, her face devoid of any color.


    So, you mean to tell me, there was a chance in front of me to turn the tides, and I missed it because of cucumbers?!


    Cucumbers... damn it!


    As Aiko considered cucumbers her arch nemesis inwardly,


    Lin Da and his group had already reached the end of the Arid Corridor.


    ...


    Lin Da suddenly stopped.


    He found a vine in the canyon, lifted it, revealing a narrow passage.


    "You know about this ce too?" Dawen raised his eyebrows in surprise from the second floor of the hall.


    Behind the vine, there was a hidden cabin.


    Next to the cabin was a well, whose magic spring water could replenish an adventurer''s Battle Qi and magic power.


    But Lin Da''s goal was not the well.


    In game settings, the well could only produce a handful of magic spring water, which most people would drink, rest up, and then leave.


    The real hidden spot was actually inside the nearby cabin.


    Lin Da had Kafni hold the spring water and led the way, opening the cabin door.


    Finding the right spot, he knocked on the ground seven times.


    Three long and four short.


    Everyone was confused, wondering what he was doing.


    Dawen and Jite didn''t understand either.


    Buzzing...


    About a minuteter, the spot Lin Da had knocked on began to vibrate and gradually swelled into a mound of earth.


    A pangolin as big as a calf leaped out from the mound!


    Speaking humannguage, the pangolin said, "Kind adventurers, there''s magic spring water in the well outside. Can you draw the water and feed it to this thirsty old pangolin grandfather?"


    Everyone, including Dawen, was stunned.


    There was a magical being inside the cabin?


    Normal people, after drinking the spring water, cooled off in the cabin for a while and then resumed their journey.


    Who would knock the ground seven times, especially in a three long, four short pattern?


    Read exclusive chapters at mvl


    Even if someone identally got it right, it would take over a minute for the pangolin to emerge.


    By that time, the magic spring water would have been drunk by the adventurers.


    The condition to summon the pangolin was incredibly harsh. It was as if it was deliberately making it difficult for adventurers to discover!


    Dawen cursed inwardly.


    After finishing his cursing, he became curious again.


    The Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team still had the spring water held by Kafni, unused.


    What would happen if they fed the pangolin the spring water?


    Dawen asked for a can of wheat beer from the waiter and watched with interest.


    What secret was hidden inside the cabin?


    Not just Dawen was curious.


    Jite, Isa, Aiko, and the others were as well.


    Including a girl in a ck robe, whose red hair was concealed under a hood.


    The girl''s heart was a mix of emotions.


    A rich bitterness and sourness overflowed in her mouth.


    No one there wanted Lin Da''s live strategy session to fail more than she did.


    "Why didn''t you bring everyone inside when you were with Snow Goose?"


    "In your heart, were we not there from the start?"


    "Am I not as good as that Kafni?"


    The hooded girl clenched her fists, feeling a bit devastated.


    ...


    Sparrow District, Adventurer''s Guild hall.


    The live broadcasting station here only had one huge hanging screen, unlike in the Inner City District, which had three, allowing adventurers to watch from any angle.

 Chapter 118: 110, Hidden Magical Creatures Appear, Metal Destroyer Achieves Merit - Part 2

    The people in the hall were far more numerous than those in the Inner City District.


    The impoverished Sparrow District was home to thergest number of bottom-tier adventurers.


    Lulu had arrived early.


    She wore a hood, blending into the crowd, hands in her pockets, staring nkly at the huge screen.


    When the screen lit up and the figures of Lin Da and hispanions appeared, a ripple of excitement stirred in her otherwise calm heart.


    From the strategy discussion of the ck Magic Dog, to the exnation, and then the announcement that the uing floors'' strategies would be simrly detailed and freely shared with all adventurers...


    Lulu took all this in, her expression softening unconsciously.


    These days, she often found herself recalling that evening of the White Thanksgiving. Was Lin Da, who had assured her with a resolute expression and yet tender gaze that he would take her to the top of the World Tree, putting on an act?


    The recent events in her life felt like a beautiful dream within a bubble. Lulu, who had be ustomed to hardship and had epted her miserable fate over thest three years, felt afraid.


    As the Catastrophe Girl who had hit rock bottom, there was hardly any light in Lulu''s life until Lin Da reached out to her once again.


    Lulu tried climbing back up, but if that hand were to let go halfway, she would fall back to the bottom of the valley with a hard crash.


    The pain from such an abrupt fall would surely cause her to copse!


    At this moment, seeing Lin Da earnestly exining the strategy to the lower-tier adventurers on the screen, Lulu was certain that this Primordial team captain had indeed changed.


    Towards the former team captain, Lulu had felt a mix of reverence and resentment, but now facing Lin Da, she experienced a strange wave of emotion.


    Lin Da''s image shed through her mind asionally, and whenever she heard something about him, she couldn''t help but pay attention.


    The adventurers in the hall excitedly chanted Lin Da''s name, their gazes full of respect directed toward the floating screen.


    The corners of Lulu''s lips curled up without her noticing.


    Standing still with her hands in her pockets, she did nothing, yet she was perhaps the most ted person present.


    She, too, was a member of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.


    "Looks like there''s no need to worry anymore," Lulu murmured to herself, lifting her head to look at the dome of the Adventurer''s Guild.


    In the eyes of the Beastwoman girl shed an indiscernible color.


    With a single motion, Lulu had already disappeared from the hall.


    ...


    "What? Jite wants me to watch a live feed of an Apprentice Level adventure team? Has she lost her mind?"


    A blond young man with a monocle was flirting with a healthily built Bunny Girl in the tavern.


    Swirling the crimson liquid in his wine ss, he shook his head disdainfully and said, "You can go back. Tell Jite I''m busy with something important!"


    "Mr. Gale, Miss Jite''s exact words were: ''Tell that bastard Gale who''s always messing around with women to get his ass over here immediately, or I''ll w him into shape myself,''" said a bald adventurer, tasked with delivering the message, as he wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and nervously nced at the blond young man in the ck tailcoat.


    Gale the Observer.


    Themander of the White Dove Adventure Group, a Star-ranked adventurer with a special ability to scout the aura of Magical Creatures, hence the nickname Observer.


    Such a Big Shot was not someone a minor adventurer like Baldy could afford to offend!


    Baldy imitated Jite''s rough tone vividly but, fearful of Gale''s wrath, he stood there nervous and tense.


    Fortunately, Gale was understanding and did not make things difficult for him.


    "What can I do, maybe Jite has a thing for me?" Gale arrogantly tossed his smooth blond hair, kissed the Bunny Girl on her cheek, and leaving behind a Purple Gold Coin worth 100 Gold Coins, said nonchntly:


    "My dear, let''s continue this battleter tonight. I have to go on a date with Jite, otherwise she''ll get jealous."


    "Mr. Gale, I''ll be waiting for you~" The Bunny Girl''s eyes lit up at the sight of the Purple Gold Coin.


    A whileter, Gale arrived at the Adventurer''s Hall.


    "Jite, you missed me after just a few hours? Oh? It seems the Thunder Swordmaster Dawen is also here; I am truly sorry for my rudeness."


    Gale greeted them both, only to realize they didn''t even pay him any mind.


    Jite, her eyes fixed on the screen below, said, "You im to know everything. How did you miss the hidden trial on the first floor?"


    "Hidden? You mean that little cabin?" Gale chuckled and said, "Didn''t I take you there already?"


    "No, it''s not a little cottage," Jite squinted his eyes, "A brand new, hidden trial that we don''t know about."


    A heated discussion erupted in the hall:


    "Gosh, what kind of magical creature is that, howe I''ve never seen it before?"


    "Although it''s small, it seems pretty powerful! Can Phoenix Tail Flower handle it?"


    "That metallic skin looks so slick, it''s hard to hit."


    The noise was unbearable, like a bustling discount market. Explore stories at mvl


    Gale was struck with a thought, wondering, why were there so many people in the hall?


    The live coverage of the first three levels usually drew a sparse crowd of about a dozen people, which was quite a lot.


    Looking down from the second floor, the ce was packed with at least a thousand people.


    "A hidden trial on the first level with an unheard-of magical creature? How is that possible, the first level has been trampled over by adventurers, they''re so familiar with it that they might as well know the number of freckles on a Bunny Girl''s butt," said Gale.


    Gale turned his gaze to the screen.


    The sensordybug flew in the sky, giving a top-down view.


    One could see a male and two female adventurers enveloping a silvery globe the size of a bucket.


    Not long ago, the Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team exchanged magic spring water for the pangolin''s treasure bead, and with the bead, they activated the teleportation array to enter the first level''s hidden trial!


    It was clear to Gale at a nce, that globe was Slime, the mostmon type of magical creature.


    There were many kinds of Slimes, like Fire Slime, Thunder Slime, Rock Slime... and so on.


    But he had never heard of a metal form of Slime.


    Gale''s interest was piqued, and he joked, "For an apprentice level adventure team, discovering a new kind of low-level magical creature is indeed quite good. But it''s not enough to call me, a Star-ranked adventurer, over, right? My time is precious, every minute should be spent on lovely girls."


    "Gale, shut up. Take a good look, that''s no low-level magical creature."


    Jite punched Gale irritably, causing Gale to cup his waist in pain, his eyes bulging out, nearly losing half his life.


    "Slime, and it''s not a low-level magical creature?" Gale grimaced but didn''t dare to retaliate.


    Dawen said, "I''m afraid, it may not even be considered a high-level magical creature, but a unique one that doesn''t exist in reality, exclusive to the World Tree Secret Realm."


    "A special magical creature?" Gale rubbed his waist, steadied his mind, and looked at the screen again.


    This time, he noticed what was abnormal.


    No matter how the members of the Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team attacked, they were dodged by the Metal Slime''s smooth surface.


    Both sword and magic alike, everything slid off to the side, without harming the Metal Slime in the slightest!


    Lin Da''s voice came from the screen: "You all have seen the characteristics of this Metal Slime, even when my team member Monica, who has reached level 15, attacked it, the hit rate was zero percent. And the level of this Metal Slime is only 10, lower than Monica''s."


    To dodge spells from a level 15 adventurer?


    Gale''s expression turned serious, finally realizing why Jite had summoned him.


    Killing this special hidden magical creature would undoubtedlye with a reward from the World Tree Goddess.


    The Metal Slime was level 10, yet it appeared on the first level with an average level of 5.


    Clearly, it was not meant to be hunted by clueless novices.


    Gale considered himself omniscient within the first 20 levels of the Mystic Realm, and this unheard-of new magical creature fired up his strong desire for knowledge.


    What would he get by killing this Metal Slime?


    How should he kill it?


    He couldn''t let it get away at all costs.


    A name of an item flickered through Gale''s mind.


    With that, he should be able to kill the Metal Slime.


    The only problem was, such an item wasn''t something anyone would go out of their way to collect.


    "Last month, the White Dove Adventure Group exploded one of those bottles, that worthless trash was thrown away by me directly. A Gold Coin wouldn''t even insult White Dove Adventure Group," he thought.


    Now, Gale felt a slight regret.


    The item he had discarded was none other than the Metal Destroyer.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 119: 111, three purple, one orange, forty thousand experience

    Gale wasn''t the only one to realize the function of the Metal Destroyer.Some sharp-nosed merchants and well-informed adventurers also thought of the Metal Destroyer.


    If this magic potion could be used to kill the hidden Magical Creatures on the first layer, its value would quickly skyrocket.


    From 1 Gold Coin to 200, 300 Gold Coins, it was all possible. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    How much it would increase specifically depended on the rewards the Metal Slime dropped.


    Lin Da''s voice came from the screen.


    "I guess everyone has figured it out, by using a magic potion named Metal Destroyer, we can deal with this creature."


    "Coincidentally, Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team was lucky enough to obtain some."


    Lin Da took out a silver potion from the pouch on his waist.


    He handed the potion over to Kafni, nodded, and said, "You use it."


    The Metal Slime was a very special Magical Creature, with a total of only 10 Hit Points.


    But it had a high evasion rate, and even if adventurers hit the Metal Slime, no matter how much damage they dealt, they could only inflict a maximum of 1 point of damage.


    This prevented adventurers from relying solely on luck to kill the Metal Slime.


    Kafni''s Dagger Scatter, attacking three times instantly, was better suited to kill the Metal Slime than her one-second-interval Venom Magic Sphere.


    Since the Experience Points from killing the Metal Slime were team-based, Lin Da wasn''t worried about missing out on Mystical Points.


    The appearance of the Metal Destroyer Potion invigorated everyone in the hall.


    The merchants ready to buy were eagerly eyeing Lin Da.


    If one didn''t know how much the reward for killing the Metal Slime was, the exact price of the potion would be a guess in the dark, based entirely on personal judgment. When Lin Da killed the Metal Slime and displayed the rewards in front of everyone, the price of the potion became relatively transparent.


    Merchants recognized the value of such Magical Creatures as the Metal Slime and dared to spend a fortune to purchase potions.


    Most of the other people hadn''t thought that much about it.


    They were simply curious.


    As a hidden creature, how much reward could the Metal Slime bring?


    A small number of people were adventurers who hadn''t entered the World Tree yet and had a bit of money in hand.


    They wondered if they could buy a bottle of Metal Destroyer Potion and copy Lin Da''s ''strategy homework'' to attempt to kill the Metal Slime?


    A pair of eyes turned towards the screen.


    There, the blonde Kafni activated her skill Dagger Scatter.


    Under the effect of the Metal Destroyer Potion, the three Qi-condensed daggers weren''t repelled by the Slime''s smooth silver skin but hit successfully.


    "Chii-chii!"


    The Metal Slime made a strange cry, agonizingly bouncing on the ground.


    Three -1s popped up above the creature''s head in Lin Da''s view.


    "Kafni, keep attacking!" he called out sternly.


    Once an attack hit, if the Metal Slime wasn''t quickly killed, it would burrow underground and flee.


    "Take my Dagger Scatter!" Kafni threw three glowing daggers with a deft hand, and immediately three -1s popped up above the Metal Slime''s head.


    The Slime was on its last breath, crawling much slower.


    Poeple both inside and outside the venue realized that the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team was about to score the first kill on a hidden creature. They held their breath and stared wide-eyed at the screen, afraid to miss any detail.


    Even a Star-ranked adventurer like Dawen was slightly stirred. No one disliked the sensation of killing Magical Creatures and the harvest of seeing Magical Equipment burst forth with light.


    -1, -1, -1...


    Numbers indicating damage kept leaping from the Metal Slime.


    Lin Da''s heart rate increased with them.


    Kafni leaped above the Metal Slime''s head and plunged her dagger into it.


    The final -1 leaped out!


    Then, with a bang!


    The body of the Metal Slime transformed into a ball of dazzling silver light, rising instantly to midair.


    The creature split into four bundles of light, three of which fell towards Lin Da and the others, while the largest bundle faintly revealed the silhouette of Magical Equipment inside.


    "It dropped Magical Equipment."


    Dawen said in a low voice, a touch of envy in his tone.


    His Scarlet Adventure Group had also experienced killing hidden creatures. But they had never burst Magical Equipment from a hidden creature.


    Unlike the Secret Realm Guardian, which guaranteed equipment drops, the chance of getting equipment from hidden creatures was very small.


    In contrast, once equipment appeared, it was of at least Purple Rare quality.


    They were exclusive to hidden creatures and not obtainable from any other, adding to their collectible value and making them favorites among the Great Nobility and famous adventurers.


    If sold on the market, the price would never be low.


    However... why were there four bundles of light?


    Everyone was puzzled.


    Apart from the bundle enclosing the Magical Equipment, the other three bundles of light each fell upon the members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    The next moment, people understood what that was.


    Divine Light, signifying a level up, fell upon the heads of Lin Da and his team!


    Dawen realized, "Killing that hidden creature comes with an additional ''Divine Reward''!"


    Divine Reward appeared when killing the Secret Realm Guardian of the current level.


    The World Tree Goddess would bless the adventurers who passed the trial with increased Magic Power/Battle Qi.


    This was one of the main level-up channels for adventurers, besides their own training.


    And as it turned out, the Metal Slime as a hidden creature, shared the same feature as the Secret Realm Guardian; upon its death, would receive the blessing of the World Tree Goddess''s Divine Gift!


    At that moment, multiple system prompts appeared in Lin Da''s view:


    [Killed a level 10 hidden Magical Creature, Metal Slime, and obtained a Divine Gift from the World Tree Goddess!]


    [Experience Points +40000!]


    [Consuming 6000 Experience Points, you have leveled up to 11!]


    [Consuming 10000 Experience Points, you have leveled up to 12!]


    [Consuming 15000 Experience Points, you have leveled up to 13!]


    The amount of Experience Points required for leveling up increased massively afterward, but the rewards were too lavish to resist.


    The infusion of 40000 Experience Points catapulted Lin Da straight from level 10 to level 13.


    His Experience Points bar reached 9000/20000, not far from the next level.


    After level 10, each level-up results in a significant increase in Attribute Points, incomparable to levels prior.


    The system notification indicated that Lin Da''s 3-level increase resulted in the following accumulative boost in attributes:


    Strength 82, Magic Power 82, Defense 12, Magic Defense 18, Agility 12, Hit Points 900.


    His Hit Points maximum soared from 3000 to 3900, the attribute with the largest increase.


    The other attributes also improved by a quarter on average.


    The higher the level, the more Experience Points it requires.


    Similarly, the improvement of attributes is exceedingly terrifying!


    Having reached level 13, Lin Da felt more at ease with the strategic aspects ahead.


    He casually opened the team page in the system to check Monica''s level.


    Monica had only leveled up once, reaching level 16.


    But her Magic Power had gone up by an impressive 50!


    All three of them gained massive increases, their faces lit with excitement, eyes sparkling.


    Afterward, they moved towards the largest orb of light.


    The real loot had yet to be inspected.


    Lin Da placed the sensor ladybug on his shoulder and switched to a first-person view.


    To allow the audience outside the screen to join in the thrill of claiming the dropped equipment.


    But in reality, many were seething with jealousy.


    Within that glowing orb laid visibly three Purple Rare equipments... a total of three!


    "This kid''s so lucky," Dawen said with a wry smile. He knew about the rule that first-timers killing hidden Magical Creatures will certainly drop Magical Equipment, but getting three at once was indeed excessive.


    Gale shrugged and said, "I''ve seen live streams of the Royal Capital''s adventure teams making their first kills on hidden Magical Creatures, and they got just two pieces."


    Many envied Lin Da''s team, but most low-level adventurers felt the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team deserved it.


    An influencer who openly and gratuitously shared detailed strategies deserved a little extra loot, it only seemed fair!


    The Snow Goose Adventure Team members, however, harbored the most mixed feelings.


    They felt the typical dichotomy: dreading to see their brother in hardship yet envious when he moved into a mansion.


    Aiko stared at Lin Da approaching the orb of light on the screen, her expression somewhat strange.


    She would have preferred the Phoenix Tail Flower''s success to be more modest.


    In such cases, her value would become more conspicuous!


    She''d then lead the Snow Goose members to ''sincerely'' console Lin Da, showing him that when the tide recedes, they''d be the ones to help him, even if it meant baring it all.


    Aiko''s plan of offering timely help fell through spectacularly!


    "Eh, Aiko, look at that. What is that sparkling thing emitting an orange light?"


    Klrona blinked her eyes, pointing at a certain spot.


    There lay a very small object, emitting a faint orange glow.


    Aiko, who had been daydreaming, snapped to attention upon hearing this.


    She rubbed her eyes vigorously, her facial muscles twitching.


    What, an orange light?


    Could it be one of those Orange Rare equipment that are even rarer than the Purple Rare quality?


    Jumping up a quality tier meant that the price could differ by five or even ten times.


    The Snow Goose Adventure Team hadn''t come across any Orange Equipment thus far.


    Was Lin Da''s luck really that extraordinary?


    Explore stories at ��??


    ...


    One after another, suggestions crowded onto the screen like schools of fish.


    They all were urging Lin Da to bring the Magical Equipment in front of the ladybug, so everyone could have a good look.


    [Three Purple, one Orange, the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team hit the jackpot!]


    [That''s definitely the kindness of a leader who shares strategies for free, touching the World Tree Goddess, and rewarding our hero!]


    [No more words, brothers, I''m off to stock up on Metal Destroyer Potions. When I return as a War God, I''ll burst an Orange Equipment too!]


    [Cut the crap, it''s just Orange Equipment, what''s the big deal, it''s nothing compared to level 20 Purple Equipment.]


    [What was that last comment talking baloney? Why don''t you compare it to level 50 equipment then? I think you are just green with envy.]


    [What, jealous? I''m not!]


    [If you''re not jealous, why are you making a fuss?]


    At the bottom of the giant display, there was a row of stone platforms specially designed to sacrifice Demon Cores to the World Tree Goddess and send suggestions.


    The Phoenix Tail Flower team''s strategies were for level 1, so the required Demon Cores were on the lower side, and most adventurers could afford to send them. A crowd had gathered around the stone platform.


    A round-faced young adventurer, vying with the jealous critic, rapidly sacrificed Demon Cores into the platform, cursing the other party.


    The young man''s eyes were also scouring around �C those who sent suggestions were mostly in the hall.


    This young adventurer was stuck on the second level, just waiting for Lin Da''s subsequent strategies to learn and take on the Mystic Realm once more.


    Yet someone, green with envy, spoke ill, how could he tolerate that!

 Chapter 120: 112, Lias eyes turned red, Ultimate Clear

    [Orange equipment isn''t necessarily useful, and the items dropped by level 10 hidden magical creatures would be around level 10 as well. So what if it''s orange? How much is it worth in gold coins? If I wanted, I could get a level 20 orange equipment!]Huddled in a corner with a hood over her head, a girl sent her suggestion to the screen with a sullen expression.


    She refused to admit that Lin Da, who left Snow Goose, was getting better and better.


    "Orange equipment, what''s so great about that..."


    The girl bit her lip, thinking to herself silently.


    However, Lin Da on the screen couldn''t see her suggestion at all.


    Not to mention that there were too many suggestions, it would be hard to pinpoint this single one.


    Lin Da''s attention was all on the spoils of war.


    The sphere of light dissipated gradually, revealing the items inside.


    A pile of gold coins, about half a meter tall, shone dazzlingly under the sun overhead.


    Mixed in were several Metal Series magic cores and three pieces of equipment emitting purple light, half-buried in the pile of gold coins.


    A shield peeked out, along with the hilt of a sword, and the upper part of a silver chainmail.


    Lin Da, with a sensor ladybug in tow, approached the spoils.


    First, he took out the three purple equipment from the pile of gold coins.


    All of them featured a simple metal design, with white gems embedded in the center, conveying a sense of icy reliability.


    Lin Da''s gaze shifted.


    The system interface popped up from the equipment:


    [Name: Lively Metal Slime Chainmail]


    [Type: Equipment - Chest]


    [Quality: Purple Rare]


    [Level: 10]


    [Attribute Points: Defense +14, Agility +5, Hit Points +1000]


    [Equipment Rating: 195. Lightweight chainmail that provides intimate protection for the adventurer.] S~ea??h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    [Name: Sturdy Metal Slime Round Shield]


    [Type: Equipment - Offhand]


    [Quality: Purple Rare]


    [Level: 10]


    [Attribute Points: Defense +25, Strength +50]


    [Equipment Rating: 177. Light, flexible, and powerful!]


    ...


    [Name: Cunning Metal Slime One-Handed Sword]


    [Type: Equipment - Main Weapon]


    [Quality: Purple Rare]


    [Level: 10]


    [Attribute Points: Agility +10, Magic Defense +10, Strength +70]


    [Equipment Rating: 182. Only a cunning person can survive on the battlefield.]


    ...


    Lin Da, seeing the attributes of the three pieces of equipment, beamed even more.


    Having seen plenty of purple equipment in the game, he had never actually used any in reality.


    Touching them with his hand, he could feel the powerful magic power fluctuations contained within.


    His set of blue equipment was no match for them.


    After some thought,


    the Metal Slime Sword and Shield, being warrior-type equipment, were something he couldn''t use right now; he could consider selling or collecting them.


    A regular level 10 purple equipment would be priced around 5,000 gold coins.


    But Metal Slime Series equipment were only dropped by hidden magical creatures.


    As collectibles, they are worth much more than their practical use.


    Factoring this in, they could likely be sold for between 10,000-20,000 gold coins each.


    The remaining Slime Chainmail, having the best attributes and fitting Lin Da''s class, Discover stories with ��??


    increased his Hit Points by a full 1000.


    Without a second thought, Lin Da took off his Inner Armor and put on the lightweight chainmail.


    The ''Life Barrier'' that flowed on his body, that is, the ''Hit Points,'' became even more robust, able to withstand more damage.


    This barrier, generated by the core''s power, acted like a soft protective membrane, greatly reducing the actual damage adventurers would receive.


    In return, each hit would weaken the Life Barrier, indirectly harming the core in the spiritual world, thus resulting in ''blood loss.''


    If the Life Barrier completely shattered, the adventurer''s crucial core would be damaged as well.


    From Lin Da''s perspective as a ''player,'' this meant his Hit Points were emptied. In this state, even if adventurers didn''t exhibit obvious external injuries, they would still die.


    With the Metal Slime Chainmail''s boost, his maximum Hit Points reached a total of 4,300 (basic Hit Points of 3,300, plus 1,000 from equipment).


    The skill Verdant Shield could apply a shield worth 30% of his Hit Points to the target, which with 4,300 Hit Points would make the shield''s thickness reach 1,290!


    This number was almost equal to Monica''s basic Hit Points.


    At that moment, as Lin Da was checking his equipment, Kafni laughed heartily while scattering gold coins all over Gold Mountain, Monica held the little shield, smiling radiantly.


    With such plentiful spoils, everyone had beaming faces, feeling overjoyed.


    [Hello, Captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, I''m the owner of Vanilla Firm, a collector who is very interested in your Metal Slime Series equipment. I wonder if you''re willing to sell it?]


    A Golden Advice flashed across the ladybug''s belly.


    Lin Da thought for a moment and said, "This is the first set of equipment that Phoenix Tail Flower has obtained from clearing the level; it is of special significance. I think I''d rather keep it for myself as a collection."


    The Metal Slime Sword and Shield set was quite nice and could be hung on the wall to decorate the team''s house.


    In the future, when the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team acquired a villa, they would display the spoils in the reception hall on the first floor.


    It was a tradition among adventure teams of various races to showcase their strength in this way.


    The collector in the hall felt somewhat disappointed upon hearing Lin Da''s refusal to sell.


    Another Golden Advice flashed by: [And don''t forget to pick up that orange equipment too!]


    Naturally, Lin Da wouldn''t forget.


    The orange equipment emitted an exceptionally strong magic aura; even though the item was small and buried by gold coins, it was impossible to ignore.


    ''I rarely got orange equipment when repetitively farming Metal Slime in the game; my luck today is really good, three purple and one orange, it''s absolutely god-tier level.''


    Lin Da inwardly exclaimed.


    Having such good fortune was probably thanks to his legendary skill: [Blessings of the World Tree Goddess].

 Chapter 121: 112, Lia is jealous, Ultimate Clear_2

    As a chosen hero of the Divine Realm by Kafni, he was equivalent to a distinguished guest of the World Tree Goddess; his treatment was certainly different from that of ordinary adventurers.Receiving a small blessing from the Goddess was also normal.


    Lin Da dug through a small mountain of gold coins and found that piece of orange equipment.


    It was a main weapon.


    About 20cm long, a silver crescent dagger!


    Kafni was overjoyed and clamored to see it.


    "I''m the team captain, I''ll look at it first." Lin Da flatly refused.


    An orange dagger could add some combat power to Kafni... Lin Da secretly thought.


    The attributes of the orange dagger popped up:


    [Name: Crescent Dagger]


    [Type: Equipment-Main Weapon]


    [Quality: Orange Rarity]


    [Level: 10]


    [Attribute Points: Agility+30, Strength+150]


    [Equipment Score: 255. Can you hear their wails? Under the crescent, countless souls perished.]


    Lin Da internally praised, 150 strength and 30 agility, truly worthy of an orange piece of equipment, it felt almost a waste to give it to Kafni!


    But after all, she was also a member of the Phoenix Tail Flower, and Lin Da, as the team leader, arming a team member was equivalent to enhancing himself; there was no difference.


    "It''s yours." Lin Da handed the Crescent Dagger to Kafni.


    "Hahaha, now I''m also a damage dealer!"


    The moment Kafni grasped the dagger, she felt as if it was a bomb filled with magic power, any attack made with the Crescent Dagger would get greatly amplified!


    "An orange main weapon, my luck is unmatched."


    Gale sighed, "Main weapons and accessories are the hardest to come by."


    Wild Panther Gite took a more cynical approach, "A team leader with ordinary equipment, willing to give such a dagger to a team member, that''s generous."


    "Maybe that''s his woman?" Gale countered, "I''d also be willing to spend a lot of gold coins on a woman!"


    As they joked around, there was not much envy.


    It was like a group of adults watching children play a game of marbles, though it was a rare marble, it was just that.


    Equipment dropped at the levels where Star-ranked adventurers were, was all above level 30.


    Even the lesser valuable purple equipment was worth more than a level 10 orange dagger.


    Dawen said, "The merchants are going to be busy."


    Hearing his implied meaning, Jite disdainfully nodded, saying, "They''re just a bunch of despicable bastards who speculate and manipulate."


    The Metal Slime burst out three purple and one orange, successfully proving its value.


    Consequently, it indirectly caused the price of Metal Destroyer Potion to spike!


    With Lin Da bursting out so many equipment pieces, it was clearly the first kill.


    The adventure teams following closely who killed the Metal Slime also had a high probability of dropping magical equipment.


    As more teams killed the Metal Slime, the drop rate of equipment would only decrease.


    Now was the best time to buy Metal Destroyer Potion.


    In fact, as soon as they saw that Metal Slime, merchants had already started buying them from all around.


    Their guards had run around the market, and the results were the same: none.


    Metal Destroyer Potion was damn hard to purchase.


    It was already in short supply and not very effective.


    Many adventurers either used it carelessly or simply threw it away.


    A money-losing item that couldn''t even be sold for one gold coin and just took up space!


    It wasn''t until the appearance of the Metal Slime that this potion began to shine.


    Only those who had watched the live strategy session of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team understood the value of the Metal Destroyer Potion.


    Apart from White Dove City, adventurers in other places would take at least a day later to get this news.


    Nearby were Red Heart City and South Rock City.


    The present merchants immediately instructed their subordinates to use long-range communication arrays and have their staff in those two cities make purchases.


    Metal Destroyer Potion, buy as much as available!


    Unfortunately.


    Their plans were doomed to fail.


    Three days ago, Lin Da had already commissioned Lulu to go to Red Heart City and South Rock City to purchase Metal Destroyer.


    The few potions in those cities, just five bottles, all ended up in Lin Da''s hands.


    There might be some leftovers hidden away, but certainly not many.


    World Tree Secret Realm, first level, Arid Corridor. Continue reading at ��??


    Lin Da glanced at the suggestions scrolling across the belly of the sensor ladybug. Many people were debating the value of the Metal Destroyer Potion.


    Some said ten thousand Gold Coins, others said twenty thousand, thirty thousand.


    But Lin Da didn''t immediately take out the remaining four bottles he had to sell.


    Now was not the time.


    Only when the event had fermented, and the group of merchants had failed, disheveled and dejected, would the price reach its peak.


    Lin Da gathered his thoughts and joined his teammates in cleaning up the other spoils of war.


    There were a total of 9856 Gold Coins and 11 Level 10 Metal Series Magic Cores.


    Lin Da pulled out the burlap sacks he had prepared in advance and had Kafni carry them.


    Large adventure teams have Space Rings. Snow Goose had a small one, which he had bought at an auction for 200,000 Gold Coins.


    Lin Da pondered that in the future, he should equip one too, to spare his teammates from having to carry large sacks that could hinder their combat abilities.


    ...


    Shortly thereafter, the party arrived at the endpoint of the Arid Corridor.


    A Black Magic Dog, one and a half meters long with three heads, guarded the Teleportation Array that led to the clearance point.


    In Lin Da''s mind flashed information from the game:


    BOSS, Three-headed Black Magic Dog, High-level Magical Beast.


    Level 6, health points 3000!


    As a BOSS of the High-level Magical Beast species, it naturally had extremely high health points, making it a king among Magical Creatures.


    How to subdue it was a serious challenge that adventurers must carefully consider.


    Lin Da, as usual, held his Rusty One-Handed Sword, presenting himself as a regular Level 5 warrior, teaching the adventurers how to kill the Three-headed Black Magic Dog.


    Just by firmly remembering the prelude to each of the BOSS''s skill attacks, passing without injury was an easy task.


    Lin Da dodged and weaved like a greased eel.


    No matter how fierce the attack the Three-headed Black Magic Dog launched, he always managed to dodge at the last moment and then used his Rusty One-Handed Sword to scrape against it.


    If he really wanted to kill this BOSS, Lin Da would just throw two Venom Magic Spheres and go AFK.


    But this was a strategy prepared for lower-level adventurers, so he purposely slowed his actions, attacking the tri-headed dog while explaining.


    The audience outside of the screen was a bit baffled.


    Was this really the ferocious beast known as the ''Apprentice Terminator,'' the Three-headed Dog?


    In Lin Da''s hands, it seemed no different from a domesticated pet!


    Ten minutes later.


    The Three-headed Black Magic Dog collapsed with a thud, dying humiliatingly under Lin Da''s Rusty One-Handed Sword.


    3000 health points, painstakingly scraped to death by him.


    The Secret Realm Guardian collapsed with a thunderous fall, its body transforming into a golden light, splitting into three small orbs that fell above the heads of the Phoenix Tail Flower team members.


    Lin Da received a system prompt:


    [Team successfully cleared the first level of the trial, received the World Tree Goddess''s Divine Gift!]


    [Experience Points +1000!]


    [You delivered the final blow to the Level 6 Secret Realm Guardian, Three-headed Black Magic Dog, and received 1000 Diamonds!]


    The last hit that killed the Secret Realm Guardian yielded Diamonds for Lin Da, not Mystical Points.


    He entered his query into the system''s Q&A sprite and received an answer:


    Killing real wild Magical Creatures outside the Mystic Realm would add Mystical Points to Lin Da, while trial Magical Creatures conjured by the Divine Power of the World Tree Goddess inside the Mystic Realm would yield Diamonds.


    In addition, whether killing a BOSS who was a Secret Realm Guardian or a hidden BOSS would earn the entire team the World Tree Goddess''s Divine Gift, which meant ''Experience Reward.''


    This allowed Lin Da to farm Mystical Points outside to enhance himself and to reap Diamonds in the Mystic Realm to increase points for his team members.


    "It''s just that the reward for the Three-headed Black Magic Dog is a bit meager, only 1000 experience points,"


    Lin Da thought helplessly. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At Level 13, killing a Level 6 BOSS yielded experience points that were almost negligible.


    As he thought about it, a settlement page popped up before his eyes.


    Just like in the game, after killing a BOSS, depending on the clearance evaluation, the quality of the loot would accordingly increase.


    [Clear without taking more than 10 hits: Completed. +2 Stars]


    [Kill more than 30 Black Magic Dogs: Completed. +1 Star]


    [Burst at least two pieces of Purple Equipment: Completed. +2 Stars]


    [No injuries in the second phase of the Three-headed Black Magic Dog: Completed. +2 Stars]


    [Kill the hidden Magical Creature, Metal Slime: Completed. +2 Stars]


    [Kill the Metal Slime within one skill: Not completed. +0 Stars]


    [Total: 9 Stars]


    [Ultimate Clear Achieved]


    [Gold Coin acquisition increased by 90%, high-quality equipment drop rate increased by 90%!]

 Chapter 122: 113. Mystic Realm third layer, hidden Trial

    Under the Ultimate Clear bonus, the three Black Magic Dogs exploded into another pile of loot.Lin Da glanced over and saw within it five Level 6 equipment emitting purple light and one piece of rare equipment glowing orange.


    The only pity was the level was too low, all Level 6, not worth much.


    A Mountain of Gold Coins, 1200 in total, which was not too shabby.


    Along with the equipment, everything was stuffed into the bag Kafni was carrying on his back.


    These low-level pieces of equipment weren''t worth collecting, so Lin Da planned to sell them to a shop once they got out.


    Suggestions kept flooding the chat.


    [5 purple, 1 orange? What''s really going on, guys, I''m not trying to be sour, but I seriously doubt there''s something fishy between the World Tree Goddess and Lin Da!]


    [It must be because the trial completion rate was high. The method to clear the Phoenix Tail Flower level satisfied multiple hidden trial rules, which is why so many rare equipments could be obtained.]


    [Is that orange earring for sale? I''ll offer 1000 Gold.]


    As Lin Da looked at the sensor ladybug, he thought to himself: Other adventure teams are not aware of the method to achieve a high rating for clearing the levels.


    Each level has numerous hidden conditions that have to be met in order to achieve [Ultimate Clear], and even [Perfect Clear].


    But the requirements for a Perfect Clear are too stringent, an adventure team on their first attempt wouldn''t be able to accomplish it. S��ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Take the first floor''s Arid Corridor, for instance, where you''re tasked with killing a Metal Slime, and it''s stipulated to be done "within a single skill".


    The Metal Slime has 10 hit points, so to kill it with one skill, you would need an ability that deals multi-stage damage of over 10 hits, and it all has to burst instantly. It won''t work with something like a Venom Magic Sphere that deals damage every second, as it will scare the Metal Slime away.


    What Lin Da achieved was an [Ultimate Clear].


    In the game, to reach the top floor and pull out the Sword of the Brave, one must complete a severely difficult prerequisite. Otherwise, even if you reach the 50th floor, you can only stare at the Sword of the Brave.


    That condition is: to achieve an Ultimate Clear on 90% of the levels!


    Under this prerequisite, aside from Lin Da, no adventurer on this continent can pull out the Sword of the Brave.


    The strength of the adventure groups from the Royal Capital is greater than the current Luanwei, but they don''t know how to achieve an Ultimate Clear.


    Thus, even if an adventure team got to the 50th floor ahead of Lin Da, they still wouldn''t be able to pull the sword out.


    Lin Da''s opponents were never the other adventurers; he didn''t need to participate in a rat race with his own kind.


    His enemy has always been one: the King of the Demon Realm, the ultimate BOSS Satan.


    ...


    The second floor of the World Tree is named [Leaf-drop Forest].


    On this floor, there are no hidden Magical Creatures.


    Lin Da gave the lower-level adventurers some strategy tips and breezed through the level.


    The challenge lay in the hidden trial of the third floor.


    For that one level, Lin Da rigorously drilled his team for three days to perfect their strategy.


    Through his serious demeanor, the audience outside the screen could sense something was up.


    A pair of nervous eyes stared at Lin Da: Could it be that the third floor also has a hidden trial?


    Jite glanced at Gale''s darkened face and taunted, "So the so-called all-knowing fellow missed quite a few things, huh?"


    "Who knows where he got this information from! I bet even the Sun Adventure Group has no idea about the undiscovered hidden trials on the first and third floors!"


    Grinding his teeth, Gale said, "That kid is either damn lucky or... he''s an undercover big shot, the kind that''s even tougher than the Sun Adventure Groups!"


    "Haha." Both Jite and Dawen laughed at his words.


    A big shot tougher than a Sun Adventure Group, how could one possibly stay in White Dove City?


    Different cities have maximum levels on their World Trees, which are determined by the size of the World Tree and accordingly decide the scale of the city.


    Why is the Royal Capital flourishing? Because it has one of the largest World Trees in the entire continent at its back.


    If you want to go above the 40th floor, you must head to the Royal Capital!


    White Dove City''s World Tree is small scale, with an upper limit of 20 floors.


    The one in Red Heart City is slightly higher, capped at 25 floors.


    If Lin Da were a hidden big shot, he''d be in the Royal Capital making his mark, not in the ''small place'' of White Dove City.


    "Let''s see what hidden trial the third floor has in store." Laid back, Jite leaned on the railing, a giant panda pad beneath him attracting Gale''s envious gaze.


    At this moment, Lin Da was completely ignoring the chat suggestions, all his focus was on tackling the hidden trial.


    World Tree Secret Realm''s third floor: Silent Plains.


    The team walked out from the Teleportation Array into an endless plain covered in lush green grass.


    The sky above was a clear blue, with birds flying by.


    At first glance, it seemed quite peaceful.


    But beneath the grass, there were many venomous snakes ready to attack at any moment.


    In the green brush of the plains, one might also encounter a creature known as Goblin, which the locals called ''Lao Liu''.


    Once an adventurer let their guard down, these Lao Lius would leap out of the brush with a snarl, attacking unsuspecting victims from behind with a Wolf Fang Club.


    Adventurers that slipped up on the third level met a grisly fate.


    No matter their gender, they would first be violated by Goblins, then killed!


    This is a malevolent low-ranking species that is as lustful as it is alive, able to wield its club anywhere there is a hole!


    Lin Da and his companions cautiously observed their surroundings, using a magic compass to continuously discern their bearings, and then found a piece of turf, which the three of them pulled aside with combined effort.


    What looked like turf was actually a lifelike carpet, deceptively realistic and difficult for anyone to distinguish.


    Even after finding this spot, there was still another step needed to unlock the hidden trial.


    Otherwise, it was merely a discovery of a den where one could hide and rest temporarily.


    More suggestions flew across the belly of the sensor ladybug:


    "I know this place; I stumbled upon it while passing through the third layer. But it was pitch-dark below, with nothing in it. My team and I turned everything upside down and found nothing!"


    "Let''s see how the pro handles this."


    "Eye of True Knowledge pro, can you share what the hidden trial on the third layer is, and the recommended level for the strategy? My team just so happens to have not entered the third layer yet."


    Lin Da took out a torch he had prepared in advance, lit it, and led the way into the cavern, glancing at the suggestions on the ladybug and said, "The hidden trial on the third layer is not recommended for everyone to take lightly, clearing the level normally is fine."


    "If you must try... I recommend level 15 and above."


    "Level 15??? The average level of Magic Creatures on the third layer is only 8."


    "Your team doesn''t seem to have an average level of 15, do they?"


    Experience tales with ��??


    "Please, don''t let anything happen to you!"


    The members of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, hearing that Lin Da recommended a strategy level of 15, all had a change in their expressions.


    "Why didn''t you tell me about such a dangerous thing that night?"


    Aiko felt a bit of pain in her heart. If Lin Da didn''t make it out of the World Tree Secret Realm, she feared she wouldn''t have any sexual interest in other men.


    It was not until Lin Da left the team that Aiko realized how outstanding this dog was. Compared to others, it was truly the difference between a purebred and a mixed-breed.


    "Don''t let anything happen to you, Small Fry Uncle!" Klrona''s lips pursed as she put down her chips and said softly.


    Oru and Klyne were also looking worriedly at the glowing screen, not understanding why Lin Da was so reckless, rashly taking on a hidden trial with a recommendation level of 15.


    In the corner, a red-haired girl with a hood on, paused, murmuring to herself: "You can''t die in the hands of Magical Creatures before you''re defeated by this missy."


    ...


    Lin Da, holding a torch, lit up the cavern below the turf.


    Descending the moss-covered stone steps, they arrived one by one at a vast, dark space.


    The place was filled with the smell of damp earth and had plenty of bizarre shapes of underground fungi growing around.


    Lin Da walked around inside with the light of the fire, seemingly finding nothing.


    "Hand it over," he nodded at Kafni.


    The latter understood and took out a black bottle from her pocket.


    Lin Da took it over and opened the bottle.


    From the sensor ladybug''s view, one could see that the bottle contained a green colored liquor.


    Highly concentrated, known as ''Green Nightmare,'' a glass of it can let an adventurer comfortably spend the night.


    "Are they going to drink liquor in there? When they are about to face the hidden Magic Creatures?"


    "That''s too rash!"


    "Everyone calm down, I guess that glass of Green Nightmare is the key prop."


    "But I really can''t imagine how a glass of liquor can start the hidden trial."


    All they saw was Lin Da placing the glass on the ground, and then doing nothing, quietly waiting.


    One minute, two minutes... Five minutes passed.


    Everyone grew impatient, thinking perhaps there was an error in Lin Da''s method.


    "Lin Da wouldn''t act without being sure," Aiko''s eyes sparkled with worry, believing there was reason behind his actions.


    But she was concerned that Lin Da might encounter unexpected dangers during the hidden trial��with the unreliable Kafni and a soft and silly young girl, how could Luanwei succeed in a level 15 hidden trial?


    A layer of sticky sweat emerged on the palm of Aiko''s hand; even if they didn''t start the hidden trial, it didn''t matter. She just hoped Lin Da could return from the World Tree safely. After all, no girl who likes pets wants to see them hurt!


    Another minute passed, and the silent image on the screen broke.


    "Huff huff! What delicious wine aroma, the old fellow can''t hold back anymore!"


    An elderly but excited voice came from the wall.


    The earthy wall started to undulate like an illusion, and a gray-bearded Dwarf about one meter and thirty centimeters tall, with a round cylindrical body, appeared in everyone''s view.


    "This is... the Dwarf Race? No wonder they used the strong liquor, Green Nightmare!"


    "So the strong liquor is the key prop to unlock the hidden trial?"


    "No wonder when my team accidentally entered this cavern, no matter what, we couldn''t find anything unusual, it was hiding behind that wall..."


    Unlike in the outside world, in the World Tree Secret Realm, one must rigidly meet the conditions to initiate the hidden trial. Just like the Dwarf behind the wall, he wouldn''t have been discovered by the Sun Adventure Group, even if they had come here, without the lure of strong liquor.


    Lin Da performed the standard adventurer''s salute with a smile, "If you don''t mind, sir, please accept this glass of strong liquor as a gift from me."


    The Dwarf in front of them had a long beard braided into five thick plaits, dressed in dark green cloth clothes, with a large round red nose like a wine barrel, his eyes unblinkingly staring at the strong liquor in the glass, his mouth unconsciously open, drooling already.

 Chapter 123: 114. Dwarf commission, Monica annihilates the enemy with one shot

    In the Dwarf tribe, status was determined by the number of twists in their beards: three for an adult, four for those highly respected, and this dwarf emerging from the wall had five braids, signifying he was the chief of a small community."My heavens, kind adventurer, I, Kanto, am very pleased to accept your gift! In fact, I haven''t had a drink in a month!"


    The Dwarf Chief, Kanto, excitedly grabbed the cup and downed the Green Nightmare in one gulp.


    A drink potent enough to immediately intoxicate an adventurer merely caused Kanto''s face to flush slightly red, he burped, licked his lips, and said wistfully:


    "What a delicious strong drink! Adventurer, since you are so kind, may I ask if you would accept my commission to escort my tribe across the Silent Plains?"


    "Of course, I won''t let you go unrewarded; in my treasury, I have a treasured item that I will give to you as payment."


    A system message popped up in front of Lin Da:


    [You have triggered the hidden trial: Dwarf Chief Kanto''s Commission]


    Lin Da said righteously, "As an adventurer eager to help, I am very willing to accept your commission!"


    "Excellent!" Kanto exclaimed excitedly to the wall, "Everyone, come out! This adventurer will protect us across the Silent Plains!"


    The illusory wall vanished, and a crowd of about forty dwarfs streamed out.


    "This is our entire tribe." Kanto said solemnly, "Among them, there are fifteen adult dwarfs capable of combat, they are level 12 elites. Adventurer, please feel free to command them as their leader."


    "But I must remind you, the Goblin Chieftain has been eyeing my tribe covetously and has secretly assembled a group of elites; it is impossible for us to cross the Silent Plains by ourselves. I hope you can protect every one of my people from death and injury as much as possible."


    Dwarf Chief Kanto looked at his uneasy tribe members and sighed, "The fewer my people are harmed, the more valuable the reward I will give you!"


    Lin Da: "I will give it my all."


    To achieve the ultimate clear on this level, one must successfully escort the Dwarf Tribe across the Silent Plains, and the number of deaths must not exceed ten.


    This is quite difficult.


    A normal adventure team, even if they initiated this hidden trial, would struggle to clear it with fewer than ten dwarf casualties.


    Many in the dwarfs were unable to fight, including the weak and elderly, women, and children; even a slight scrape from a Goblin''s attack would mean instant death.


    "Warriors, take the outer layer, protect the elderly, women, and children, let''s set out!"


    Lin Da and Monica walked at the forefront, with Kafni covering the rear, they emerged from the cave.


    Outside, the sky was nearing twilight.


    A cool breeze blew, and the grassy plains stretched endlessly devoid of any life.


    Every dwarf was on edge.


    No one knew if the bushes below harbored any malicious Goblins.


    An icy, deadly atmosphere descended.


    [It''s making me nervous just watching. The Dwarf Tribe has 15 level 12 warriors, and they still need an adventurer''s escort; how many Goblins must there be?]


    [This hidden trial isn''t meant for ordinary adventure teams!]


    [If it''s too much, Eye of True Knowledge, you should give up; safety first!]


    [Don''t overestimate yourself, if you''re a recovery role, better to leave those dwarfs behind and find another way to clear.]


    A red-haired girl, wearing a hood, placed a Demon Core on the sacrificial altar and quietly input Golden Advice.


    "Thank you all for your concern."


    Lin Da glanced at the sensor ladybug and said, "if we were dealing with level 15 high-level Magical Beasts, we would have given up, but since they are low-level Goblins, we can take the challenge."


    The escort of the Dwarf Tribe progressed quietly.


    Occasionally, they encountered a few prairie wolves, which Lin Da let Monica practice on.


    Initially, Monica was a bit nervous, her chanting speed was half slower than usual.


    After slowly killing a few prairie wolves, she began to adapt.


    However, observers outside noticed something odd: the Earth Mage''s spell was the very common Earth Spear Spell, and prairie wolves, being rare Magical Beasts of the third layer with a high level of 12,


    even though Monica was a bit higher level, at level 15, it would normally take two Earth Spear Spells to kill a prairie wolf.


    How did a casual wave take down a prairie wolf? S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [That girl is so cute, isn''t she the one Captain Lin Da called Monica? It seems her damage is quite high!]


    [Her magic wand is from the Earth Tiger series, and her bracelet is from the tough fruit series...I didn''t see any impressive equipment on her?]


    [She must have a high base magic power. Killing fragile Magical Beasts like prairie wolves doesn''t show her real damage.] Enjoy exclusive chapters from M V L


    Among the audience were some elite adventurers and merchants familiar with all kinds of equipment series.


    They immediately discerned that Monica was a poor Mage, entirely in blue gear. The fact that she could use Earth Spear Spell, the most basic spell, to kill prairie wolves, strongly suggested her inherent magic points were high.


    Exactly how high, would need a somewhat tougher Magical Beast to test.


    In Lin Da''s view, however, it was all very clear.


    The health points of level 12 prairie wolves varied individually between 1100 and 1300.


    With Monica''s magic attributes, wearing a full set of blue gear, reaching over 800,


    plus the passive skills [Glass Cannon] and Lin Da''s [Captain''s Aura] contributing an additional 10% damage...when multiplied together, even a basic spell like Earth Spear Spell could produce a blood-red -1553 above the prairie wolf''s head.

 Chapter 124: 114, Dwarf commissioned, Monica annihilates the enemy with one shot_2

    In the realm of mages under level 20, she ranked among the top in terms of damage output.By comparison, although Lin Da''s Venom Magic Sphere caused significant total damage, it was not as high in single-shot output as the Big Lolita.


    "Ah heh, hehehe..." Monica giggled foolishly, hugging her Magic Wand, blushing as Lin Da stroked her head.


    Once she relaxed, her chanting speed also increased.


    Kanto exclaimed in surprise, "This little adventurer is more powerful than any mage I''ve ever seen!"


    The heavy atmosphere seemed to have dissipated somewhat.


    And just then.


    "Ah!"


    A Dwarf Warrior''s scream came from the rear.


    A sharp arrow pierced through his eye socket, causing a fatal wound!


    Lin Da received a system prompt: [Current Dwarf dead: 1]


    Even with strong protective skills like the Verdant Shield, Lin Da couldn''t foresee which Dwarf the Goblins would attack.


    For the three members of the Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team, ensuring not a single Dwarf died, a perfect clear, was too difficult.


    Lin Da decided to settle for an ultimate clear instead.


    "Everybody, form up to face the enemy!"


    Ling Da took a resolute stance, directing the elderly, women, and children to retreat behind them, using their luggage as shields for protection.


    The Dwarf Warriors split into two rows to meet the enemy��under Kafni''s keen perception, they noticed the Goblins were concentrated in the front.


    "Here they come."


    Lin Da took Monica''s trembling hand and stood behind the Dwarf Warriors'' shields, looking towards the end of the plains.


    On the horizon, a cluster of small black dots began to materialize.


    The vanguard consisted of a dozen or so green Goblins wearing Leather Armor, riding the wolves of the plains.


    Brandishing broadswords, the ugly green faces of the Goblins bore arrogant grins as they shouted loudly, charging at Lin Da and the others like a band of marauders!


    Read exclusive adventures at M V L


    "It''s, it''s the Goblin Wolf Riders, no, we can''t win!"


    A shield-bearing Dwarf Warrior turned pale with panic, on the verge of dropping his Sword and Shield and begging for mercy.


    The remaining Dwarves, though braver, couldn''t stop trembling.


    Those riding the plains wolves, strong green-skinned monsters nearly 1.8 meters tall, were not something this group of level 12 Dwarves could defeat.


    "Do not fear, everyone, we adventurers, will protect you!"


    Lin Da shouted, but to little avail; the Dwarves were terrified.


    No wonder, with Goblin Knights averaging level 15 considered mid-tier Magical Creatures, they had hefty health pools.


    When mounted, their health points and those of the plains wolves combined, reaching up to 4000.


    Magical Creatures naturally had stronger constitutions than adventurers, and starting from mid-tier, their health points soared.


    This posed a great challenge to the adventure team''s attackers.


    Without sufficient output, they could forget about conquering the higher levels!


    Thinking of this, Kanto also worried for the few from the Phoenix Tail Flower; the menace of the Goblin Knights weighed on everyone like a nightmare.


    Adventurers who had narrowly escaped death under the clubs of such Magical Creatures clutched their backsides with pale faces.


    That memory was unbearably painful.


    What Lin Da did was to grab onto Monica''s pair of pure, unblemished white silk legs.


    "Are you ready? Just like we practiced before."


    "Mon, Monica''s fine!" The Big Lolita nodded her head vigorously, steadied Lin Da''s head, and got hoisted up.


    Lin Da, already quite tall, now hoisting Monica, turned into a makeshift ranged turret!


    The Goblin Knights laughed maniacally as they closed in, the distance quickly shrinking to a hundred meters.


    Cocky and arrogant, they advanced in a straight line, utterly devoid of any intention to dodge.


    The Goblin Chieftain had already scrutinized the area; the impoverished Dwarf Tribe couldn''t afford bows and arrows, and those few shield-bearing Dwarf Warriors would crumble under a single charge from the Goblin Knights!


    Male Dwarves bent over, female Dwarves useful for breeding...


    The Goblin Knights'' lust surged as they cackled and brandished their broadswords.


    Suddenly, the vanguard Goblin Knight Captain sensed something was amiss.


    The braided Goblin Captain looked suspiciously ahead, sensing an extremely rich concentration of Earth Elemental Magic gathering among those pathetic Dwarves.


    Mages are much more valuable than warriors; where would the impoverished Dwarf Tribe get a Mage?


    The level of the magic aura doesn''t seem to be low either!


    On the plains, more than a dozen Goblin Knights charged towards Lin Da with great ferocity, the wolf hooves shaking the earth and kicking up dust.


    Adventurers outside the screen held their breath, tense to the point of forgetting to breathe.


    The health points of the Goblin Cavalry were obviously not comparable to those of the plain wolves. If they could not be weakened as much as possible before they closed in, the group of Dwarves would be utterly slaughtered one-sidedly.


    If the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team were to be defeated, the evil Goblins wouldn''t just kill their prey outright. Whether it was Kafni or the pitifully lovable Monica, they would face terrible fates!


    Just as everyone was feeling worried, a dull brown Array about one meter in diameter lit up at the tip of Monica''s Magic Wand.


    "Heh...!"


    The cute voice of the girl, somewhat strained, came from the screen.


    What followed was a thick, brown beam of light.


    It roared like an Earth Dragon sweeping away everything, aimed straight at the leading Goblin Knight.


    The heavy recoil of the massive spell almost caused Monica to fall off Lin Da''s shoulder; her face flushed, she hugged Lin Da''s head, her small white silk legs wrapped tightly around him to prevent herself from the shame of falling.


    Lin Da also held on to Monica tightly, gripping so hard that the soft flesh on Monica''s legs indented slightly.


    Even though he was blushing, Lin Da refused to let go!


    The end lag from the skill Earth Bombardment was just too great!


    The bombardment was deafening, and the earth elemental magic around seemed to converge on this one attack.


    The Dwarf Warriors were so frightened they almost dropped their armor and fled; Chief Kanto was stunned, with eyes wide open, only to see the earthen beam hit the Goblin Knight Captain''s chest,


    For a moment, the Goblins'' screams and the plain wolves'' wails were all buried in the light beam.


    Equipped with her gear and at full fire power, Monica''s base Magic Points were 800; the skill Earth Bombardment marked ''consumes a medium amount'', ''high damage'' with a minimum of 8x damage multiplier.


    Add Monica''s skill [Glass Cannon] and Lin Da''s [Captain''s Aura] on top of it...


    Even if that Goblin was a Knight Captain, a medium-level Magical Creature, though a hundred meters away which weakened the Earth Bombardment''s power, Monica still dealt a terrifying 6460 damage. S��arch* The n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The level 15 Goblin Knight Captain... was instantly killed by Monica!


    After the Earth Bombardment pierced through the Goblin, it hit the ground, resulting in an explosion of soil and grass, digging a sloped hole downwards.


    The nearby ground was scorched black, giving off a thick scent of burnt magic.


    This attack had stupefied the Goblin Knights.


    All the Magical Creatures looked at each other in bewilderment, not understanding why their Captain vanished in the blink of an eye.


    "Awoo! Awoo! Awoo!"


    In stark contrast, the Dwarves'' morale soared; they raised their One-Handed Swords excitedly!


    Who could have thought that even the demonically strong Goblin Knights couldn''t withstand even one attack from the petite adventurer?


    With the help of the adventurers, defeating the Goblin Chieftain was no longer impossible!


    Monica''s outrageous damage also stunned the adventurers outside the screen; they saw the girl riding on Lin Da''s shoulders, shyly giggling with an embarrassed laugh, as if awkwardly trying to take credit...


    At this, Snow Goose and the others felt a complex mix of emotions, witnessing how powerful Lin Da''s current teammates were, they couldn''t help feeling a bit upstaged.


    They genuinely hoped Lin Da would clear the level safely, but they didn''t want to see Lin Da''s teammates outclassing them, his old teammates.


    Lin Da could do well.


    But better than them, it felt like a second helping that was hard to swallow. It wasn''t jealousy or annoyance, just a slightly awkward feeling.


    The one feeling this the most was Aiko, who, like Monica, was also a Mage.


    No wonder... Lin Da didn''t care about her joining the team.


    They had Monica, and that was enough.


    ...


    ����"Woo woo~!"


    At this moment, a long horn sound came from the screen.


    All attention was drawn to it as on the distant grassland, an exceptionally robust Goblin appeared.


    It stood three meters tall, wearing a beast skirt, carrying a huge Wolf Fang Club, and was blowing on a curved horn.


    [A Goblin Chieftain? The third level actually has such a high-level Magical Beast?]


    [Isn''t it that Goblin Chieftains only appear above the seventh level?]


    [Hiss, this one doesn''t seem to be the ordinary kind; the Goblin Chieftains I''ve seen are at most two meters tall, but this one is actually three meters!]

 Chapter 125: 115, Extremely high healing output, protecting the Dwarf

    Fear permeated through the suggestions �� goblins were weak magical creatures, but the goblin chieftain was not.With tough skin and powerful attacks, capable of imparting a "frenzy" state on regular goblins, it was a particularly troublesome high-level magical beast.


    As the horn sounded, the goblin knights, as if injected with adrenaline, their eyes bursting with bloodthirsty red light, roared and charged forward.


    "Kill the damned dwarves, kill the adventurers! Spare no one!"


    "The desire to breed, is burning fiercely!"


    "Eat my goblin charge!"


    Fifteen goblin knights charged together, their hooves thundering across the plain, and behind them, ten goblin soldiers wielding swords and shields rushed toward the dwarves like hungry beasts.


    A total of 25 magical creatures of average level 15, this force was enough to terrify any ordinary adventurer squad!


    Lin Da''s eyes narrowed as he commanded the dwarf warriors, "Everyone, move forward, protect the elderly, women, and children. We must not let the goblin knights get close!"


    The leader, Kanto, pulled out a pair of hammers from behind and roared, "Warriors, charge with me!"


    With their leader taking the lead, the dwarf warriors finally mustered the courage to charge toward the towering goblin knights.


    Lin Da was not idle either; together with Monica, they provided magic support, bombarding the numerous goblins like mobile artillery.


    Kafni''s Dagger Scatter was a long-range skill, and with the Crescent Dagger enhancement, this scrap deity''s output was greatly supplemented,


    Each dagger could deal about 400 damage, and three daggers hitting the same target amounted to 1200 damage.


    "Venom Magic Sphere, Venom Magic Sphere, Venom Magic Sphere!"


    Lin Da pulled out his walnut wood magic sword from his waist, silently reciting the spell.


    Three ominous purple magic spheres flew toward the goblin knights.


    This spell, weak as it seemed, was not taken seriously by the goblin knights, who focused on avoiding Monica''s Earth Spear Spell��the earth mana-formed spears were the real threat, each capable of inflicting substantial damage on them!


    However, when the goblin knights were hit by the venom magic spheres, they immediately regretted it.


    Their life barriers on their bodies hissed as they were corroded by the venom magic spheres; goblins didn''t have a source core but had a demon core instead, these transparent life barriers connected to the demon cores, and as the barriers corroded, it also inflicted damage on their demon cores.


    In Lin Da''s field of view, three numbers popped out above the goblin knights'' heads:


    -705, -702, -707!


    The venom magic spheres dealt damage six times in total.


    The goblin knights had 4000 health points, meaning Lin Da''s mere venom magic sphere could completely kill a goblin knight.


    When initially hit, those goblin knights could still hop around energetically, swinging their broadswords and causing the dwarf warriors to retreat steadily.


    But from the third second, the toxins began to seep into their life barriers, turning these green-skinned creatures'' lips purple.


    By the fifth second, their health was nearly drained, their eyes darkened, and their broadswords flailed aimlessly. S��ar?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    By the sixth second, the last -700 popped up.


    Three arrogant goblins fell off their grassland wolves and died completely from the venom magic spheres.


    "Captain, such high damage!"


    Monica looked at Lin Da in astonishment; she had to use Earth Bombardment, which took significant effort, to kill a single goblin knight.


    Yet the captain easily killed three goblins.


    "Monica is also performing very well. In terms of burst ability, the captain is far behind you," Lin Da said as he launched three more venom magic spheres.


    His damage was indeed high, but it took six seconds for the goblin knights to die.


    Unlike Monica, whose Earth Bombardment instantly vaporized a goblin knight.


    After killing another three, Lin Da''s system messages popped up continuously:


    [Kill Goblin Knight x6, Gain Diamonds 6000!]


    Monica also reaped substantial gains.


    Alternating between Earth Spear Spell and Earth Bombardment, she eliminated four goblin knights.


    Kafni was less impressive, managing to kill only one. However, she successfully used the Stealing Skill to snatch the broadsword from a goblin knight''s hand!


    The two unfortunate goblin knights suddenly found themselves weaponless, slightly bewildered.


    What met them were the dwarves'' swords.


    With the aid of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, within a short half-minute, the goblin knights were reduced by thirteen, leaving only two.


    At that moment, the goblin soldiers arrived, roaring as they clashed blades with the dwarves.


    Being of a higher average level than the dwarves, it wasn''t long before two dwarves were decapitated, and several others were wounded!


    Dwarf Foka was also among the warriors.


    At only twenty-eight years old, he was an ordinary level 12 warrior. When he felt the chilling wind behind him and caught a glimpse of the fierce broadsword of the goblin in his peripheral vision, it was already too late.


    Foka closed his eyes in despair, gave up resisting, and silently murmured his mother''s name...


    "Emerald Light Shield!"


    Suddenly, a green light sphere fell on Foka.


    Outside his fragile life barrier, an emerald-colored light shield appeared.


    The goblin soldier''s broadsword struck it but not only failed to break through, the hardness of the light shield also caused a tingling pain in his hand, causing him to step back in fear.


    What was this shield?


    Foka was also stunned for a moment.


    He had a hunch that this shield was perhaps even thicker than his life barrier. Discover hidden stories at M V L


    Thoughts flashed through his mind in a split second, and Foka gritted his teeth, bravely charging toward the Goblin Soldiers.


    Each of his swords steadily struck the Life Barrier of the Goblin Soldiers, shaking their Demon Cores, while the Goblin Soldiers could only helplessly hack at that emerald Light Shield,


    Just as the Light Shield was about to shatter, Foka''s sword had already pierced through the Goblin Soldier''s Life Barrier, stabbing into the latter''s chest.


    The Level 12 Foka, with the aid of a Light Shield, successfully killed a Level 15 Goblin Soldier!


    On the chaotic battlefield, streaks of emerald light fell upon the Dwarf Warriors.


    With the enhancement of the Light Shield, the Dwarf Warriors were as if granted an extra life, becoming fearless, and although lower in level than the Goblin Soldiers, they gained the upper hand in the battle!


    [Is the Light Shield one of Lin Da''s protective skills? It took several hits from a Level 15 Goblin Soldier and didn''t break?]


    [How thick is this shield exactly?]


    [I heard that the Healing Mage is a crappy half-baked profession, but why does it seem so powerful?]


    A wave of suggestions flew across the belly of the sensor ladybug.


    However, Lin Da didn''t have time to look; he needed to ensure the survival of the Dwarf Warriors as much as possible.


    Scanning the battlefield, various damage numbers sprung up, dense and disorderly.


    Lin Da took out one Skill Point and on the Recovery Series Skill Tree, he chose [Group Healing].


    The Walnut Wood Magic Sword, like the conductor of an orchestra, pointed forward, and immediately, white droplets rained down on the Dwarf Warriors.


    Group Healing lv1, maximum healing diameter five meters, maximum number of people healed five.


    Green numbers sprang from the tops of the Dwarf Warriors'' heads:


    +400, +401, +405, +398, +402.


    Despite the low Recovery Amount of the Group Healing, Lin Da''s Magic Points were high.


    Together with his Primary Healing Spell, which could recover 600 in one go, this number was almost half the total health points of a Dwarf Warrior.


    600 + 400, which equals an instant recovery of 1000.


    This resulted in Lin Da being able to keep any focused Dwarf Warrior from dying.


    Goblin Soldiers are a type of Magical Creature with relatively high sustained damage, but lacking in burst damage.


    As long as the Goblins couldn''t instantly break the Verdant Shield and shatter the Dwarf''s Life Barrier, Lin Da could always bring the Dwarf back from the brink.


    It could be said that under Lin Da''s watch, it was hard for the Dwarf Warriors to die!


    "Adventurer, the chieftain acknowledges your strength,"


    Suddenly, a rough and hoarse voice came from a distance.


    Even separated by a hundred meters, it still caused all present, including Lin Da, to feel pain in their eardrums.


    The remaining Goblin Soldiers all retreated, kneeling on the ground in reverence.


    Thump thump.


    Heavy footsteps approached.


    The Goblin Chieftain had a necklace of human skulls around his neck, neatly arranged eight-pack abs at his waist, and his thighs were thick and muscular.


    With each step, like a giant beast shaking the ground, a terrifying aura along with a nauseating body odor rushed forward.


    Under this frightening pressure, many Dwarf Warriors turned pale and trembled, unable to even hold their swords.


    Lin Da shouted sternly, "All Dwarves, fall back!"


    Even with the support of the Verdant Shield, the Dwarves would be killed by a swing of the Goblin Chieftain''s Wolf Fang Club.


    The Goblin Chieftain was only Level 15, the same level as the common Goblin Soldiers, but...Magical Creatures have a hierarchy within their race.


    The attributes of the Goblin Chieftain completely crushed the latter''s.


    Goblin Soldiers and Goblin Knights generally fall into the category of mid-level Magical Beasts, corresponding to Blue Rare equipment quality.


    They can also be referred to as Rare Magical Beasts.


    As for the Goblin Chieftain, he belongs to the Purple Rare Level, coupled with the bonus of being a hidden and boss Magical Creature...


    In Lin Da''s mind, he recalled the disgusting health points of the Autumn Goblin Chieftain: 30,000 points.


    The combined health points of ten Goblin Soldiers were not even as much as that of the Goblin Chieftain!


    The pressure exerted by this Magical Creature made even adventurers outside the screen shudder, and Aiko, along with others close to Lin Da, all showed nervous expressions.


    The three members of the Phoenix Tail Flower took the forefront.


    In front of the three-meter-tall Goblin Chieftain, they appeared tiny like ants, having to look up at the Magical Creature.


    The Goblin Chieftain''s arms were even bigger than Monica''s entire person!


    A fishy stench hit their faces, and within the large green mouth, sharp teeth held remnants of some meaty bits.


    Monica, frightened, hid behind Lin Da.


    But this time, Lin Da''s gaze was stern as he scolded, "Don''t be afraid, remember what you trained for, a mere Goblin Chieftain is no match for Phoenix Tail Flower!"


    "Yes, Captain Lord...!" Even though Monica was extremely frightened, she still timidly came out from behind Lin Da.


    The girl took a deep breath, clenched her Magic Wand tightly, and aimed it at the Goblin Chieftain.


    "Adventurers, the chieftain has a proposal,"


    "If you leave now, the chieftain will gift you a rare item."


    With a sinister smile, the Goblin Chieftain pulled out the massive Wolf Fang Club from behind and swung it, the air pressure stunning, "This deal should be quite worthwhile, right?"

 Chapter 126: 116. Kill Goblin Chieftain, Hidden Equipment

    [System Prompt: Do you accept the Goblin Chieftain''s gift and give up protecting the Dwarf Tribe?]Lin Da did not hesitate for a moment and flatly refused.


    Once he killed the Goblin Chieftain, he could still loot items from the corpse of this Magical Creature.


    "Filthy Magical Creature, your end is the same, death at the hands of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team!"


    Lin Da swung his Walnut Wood Magic Sword fiercely, shooting out a Venom Magic Sphere that hit the Goblin Chieftain''s abdomen.


    A purple -550 popped up.


    As expected, the Goblin Chieftain''s skin was much thicker than that of minor monsters!


    Lin Da had anticipated this and looked towards Kafni and Monica on either side, without much words, he placed a Verdant Shield over both his teammates.


    Without a shield, besides himself, the two teammates couldn''t withstand a blow from the Goblin Chieftain.


    "Despicable adventurers, you have angered the chief, I will punish you!"


    The Goblin Chieftain touched his wounded abdomen, charged towards Lin Da furiously, the massive Wolf Fang Club swinging like a tree directly at Lin Da''s head!


    As if they had agreed upon it earlier, the three of them dispersed in unison.


    Lin Da, as the Healing Hero plus tank, drew the Goblin Chieftain''s enmity head-on, throwing the second Venom Magic Sphere with an uplifted hand.


    Kafni, with the agility of a rogue, quickly circled to the Goblin Chieftain''s back, the light of Battle Qi transforming into a thrown dagger��the Poison Explosion Dagger, dealing double the damage on poisoned units!


    -1000!


    Monica, panting heavily, ran far away, waiting until Kafni''s hit drew some of the Goblin Chieftain''s enmity before starting to chant a spell:


    "Sprites of the earth, lend me your strength, to vanquish the evil Magical Creature before me..."


    "Earth Bombardment!"


    With a bang, a column of earthy yellow light shot out, striking the Goblin Chieftain''s back, as a massive -4870 number instantly appeared.


    The Goblin Chieftain''s sturdy back was scorched with large black marks!


    That was the Glass Cannon Monica, an Earth Mage whose single attack was as powerful as three attacks from others!


    "Aargh ah ah ah!"


    The Goblin Chieftain bellowed furiously, pounding his chest, then fixed his gaze on Monica,


    The recent Earth Bombardment made the chief painfully aware of the hurt!


    "Fearless Charge!"


    The Goblin Chieftain''s speed surged, crashing into Monica like a giant beast.


    But, this was also within Lin Da''s calculations.


    The Goblin Chieftain''s green foot kicked Monica away like a soccer ball, a white -1290 popping over her head.


    That number represented the thickness of the Verdant Shield; the shield shattered first, followed by a drop of 500 from Monica''s Hit Points.


    Having delivered the blow, the Goblin Chieftain''s ''enmity'' towards Monica was wiped clean. Explore more adventures at M V L


    Lin Da took the lead without hesitation, throwing out a Venom Magic Sphere: -570!


    "Wretched ant, I will squash you!"


    The Goblin Chieftain, in a fit of rage, used ''Fearless Charge'' once again, and the Wolf Fang Club, bigger than Lin Da himself, smashed towards Lin Da''s head.


    The gleam of cold light on the Wolf Fang Club''s spikes, each as thick as a normal person''s forearm, and the strong air pressure forced the nearby wild grass to bend aside��no one would doubt the power of this strike, an adventurer hit by the Wolf Fang Club would instantly turn into a meat patty!


    "Frenzied Smash!" the Goblin Chieftain laughed cruelly, his green, ugly face contorted like a demon, sending shivers down one''s spine.


    At this moment, adventurers both inside and outside the field were anxious for Lin Da, knowing that under such a strike, a normal Level 13 adventurer would have no chance at all!


    But Lin Da was anything but normal.


    The Metal Slime Chainmail had added 1000 Hit Points, and his total Hit Points reached 4300, along with the Verdant Shield he had put on himself, the final number soared to 5590.


    Frankly, the combined Hit Points of five Level 10 Mages would hardly match Lin Da''s.


    He was the only one on the plains who could withstand a frontal blow from the Goblin Chieftain''s Wolf Fang Club. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And only after the Goblin Chieftain had used one ''Frenzied Smash'', would he kick with his foot instead of the Wolf Fang Club when he used ''Fearless Charge'' to pursue Monica next.


    Lin Da''s feet rooted into the ground like trees, as his gaze fixed on the looming Wolf Fang Club, using his Walnut Wood Magic Sword to brace horizontally.


    A thunderous boom as if to rupture the eardrums followed!


    -1290.


    The Verdant Shield on Lin Da burst explosively.


    That wasn''t the end, as another red -1500 appeared above his head.


    After withstanding the hit, his arm seemed to lose feeling, going numb, his palm rigidly holding the Walnut Wood Magic Sword to prevent it from falling.


    The impact from the Goblin Chieftain''s strike caused Lin Da''s Hit Points to plunge to 2800.


    Yet he indeed survived, and rather healthily at that. The remaining 2800 Hit Points were more than many adventurers had at full status.


    Outside the screen, Aiko and the others were puzzled as they looked at Lin Da, their faces showing different expressions,


    Even front-line fighters at the same level would struggle to withstand such a hit, yet Lin Da, as a back-line class specializing in recovery, was taking it so well?


    Meanwhile, Monica and Kafni, who already anticipated it, were among the few who knew of Lin Da''s high defensive power.


    "Primary Healing Spell, Continuous Healing!"


    Lin Da rolled to the left, escaping beneath the Wolf Fang Club while chanting a spell, two green lights descended upon himself.


    +600.


    +470,+455,+468...


    In a short time, Lin Da had recovered around 1900 Hit Points, then raised his hand to shield himself, almost topping up his Hit Points.


    That was the Healing Hero.


    As long as he wasn''t instantly killed, he could always recover to full status the next second.


    The Goblin Chieftain, holding the Wolf Fang Club, stared wide-eyed in shock.


    After such an effort to hit this human, why did it feel almost the same as if he hadn''t hit him at all?


    "Venom Magic Sphere."

 Chapter 127: 116. Kill the Goblin Chieftain, Hidden Equipment_2

    During the moment when this huge green-skinned brute was dazed, Lin Da greeted it with a purple magic sphere.-565.


    Kafni''s Poison Explosion Dagger also shot into the Goblin Chieftain''s back.


    Double damage: -1052!


    "Augh, augh, augh!" The Goblin Chieftain flew into a rage out of humiliation, jumping around on the spot, with patterns emerging on its skin and a red glow emanating from its body.


    Lin Da shouted, "Be careful, it''s entering the second phase!"


    In the second phase, the Goblin Chieftain would release ''Hunting Dance'', increasing agility and strength by 20%, while reducing defense by 30%.


    Lin Da quickly calculated the hit points in his mind��so long as he could withstand all the attacks from the Wolf Fang Club, Kafni and Monica would be in no real danger.


    Entering the second phase, the Goblin Chieftain, with weakened defense, was most susceptible to fierce output damage.


    "Hey...!"


    A yellow-brown beam of light hit the Goblin Chieftain''s head, causing the magical creature to stagger on the spot and barely avoid falling by propping itself up with the Wolf Fang Club.


    Bright red blood flowed from the wound on the Goblin Chieftain''s forehead.


    Monica''s Earth Bombardment dealt a terrifying 7150 damage!


    The members of the Phoenix Tail Flower positioned themselves in a perfect triangle, kiting the furiously impotent chieftain back and forth within it.


    With Lin Da''s high recovery amount and the protection of the Verdant Shield, although the Goblin Chieftain frequently brought Monica and Kafni to near-death, it couldn''t land the final killing blow.


    This reminded the Goblin Chieftain of the frustration and helplessness it felt when summoned by the Goblin King to the cave, forced to watch the King toy with the Wild Boar Princess, unable to do anything but stare.


    Three frail adventurers were right before its eyes, yet it couldn''t kill any of them!


    Even with the Goblin Chieftain''s 30000 hit points, it couldn''t withstand the insane output from the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.


    In less than five minutes, the Goblin Chieftain was at death''s door.


    "Curse you adventurers��prepare to face the chieftain''s fury!"


    The Goblin Chieftain''s eyes bulged like copper bells, its teeth clenched tightly, veins near its neck bulging suddenly.


    Lin Da was fully focused.


    This was the Goblin Chieftain''s final stage.


    Once the Goblin Chieftain''s hit points dropped below 3000, it would initiate ''Blood Locking''.


    Unless it received a single hit of over 10000 damage, one couldn''t bypass this stage and directly kill the Goblin Chieftain.


    The duration of Blood Locking was 30 seconds, a span of time that was a death sentence for the adventure team, as the Goblin Chieftain would target the person with the highest total damage output and launch an all-out suicidal attack!


    This was the biggest difficulty in conquering the Goblin Chieftain: to make the most durable adventurer in the team deliver the highest output, to cope with this 30-second death sentence.


    Lin Da dared to trigger this hidden phase, relying on the Healing Hero''s job traits.


    He didn''t need to worry about how to make the front line deliver the highest total damage; he could easily accomplish this as the ''front line''.


    "Adventurer, die!"


    The Goblin Chieftain, with blood-red eyes fixed on Lin Da, swung the Wolf Fang Club like a whirlwind, rotating it in a deadly attack!


    Facing the Goblin Chieftain''s deathly whirlwind of attacks, Lin Da took a deep breath, applied Continuous Healing to himself, and took out three Life Recovery Potions from the pouch on his belt.


    He focused all his attention on defense, using the Walnut Wood Magic Sword as a shield. His body radiated a pale white glow from the Life Barrier sourced from his core, reinforced by an additional layer of the Verdant Shield...


    -500, -571, -620!


    In a few breaths, the Verdant Shield shattered, and Lin Da''s Life Barrier vibrated intensely!


    Anxious suggestions fluttered across the belly of the sensor ladybug.


    On the outside, Aiko and others watched the screen with anxious eyes:


    The Goblin Chieftain''s deadly spin kicked up a cloud of dust, obscuring Lin Da''s figure in the imagery, completely covered by the Wolf Fang Club.


    -670.


    -599.


    +600, +455.


    Red damage numbers and green recovery numbers, like warriors of opposing elements, battled above Lin Da''s head.


    While desperately defending, Lin Da also chanted spells, applying Primary Healing Art and Continuous Healing to himself.


    Taking on this hidden trial with just three people was indeed quite the challenge.


    As he struggled to defend against the Goblin Chieftain''s onslaught, Lin Da sighed inwardly.


    To reduce the difficulty, one would need to enter the instance according to its maximum party limit.


    The third level allows up to six people.


    With just one more front-line fighter and two more damage dealers, conquering the Goblin Chieftain would be a breeze.


    At that moment, he muttered the spell in his heart, "Pure Life Magic Power, transform into a shield of protection, ward off all harm... Verdant Shield!"


    An emerald light shield enveloped the surroundings, but after a few thuds, it lasted only two seconds before the Verdant Shield was shattered by the Goblin Chieftain''s deathly windmill attack.


    But at the same time, the 30-second death timer had ended!


    The Goblin Chieftain''s breath quickly withered, exhausted after the windmill attack, it came to a halt, panting with its tongue lolling out.


    "Venom Magic Sphere!"


    "Dagger Scatter!"


    "Earth Spear Spell!"


    The three had long plotted their move, unleashing their skills simultaneously, bombarding the Goblin Chieftain!


    "Ughhhhh!"


    The Goblin Chieftain''s eyes were punctured by daggers, its chest pierced by a spear formed of earth magic,


    while the Venom Magic Sphere, cunningly fired into the Goblin Chieftain''s wide-open mouth, caused the large green-skinned monster to fall to the ground with a thud, rolling and clutching its head in agony!


    Lin Da kept his eyes on the numbers popping up above the Goblin Chieftain''s head, quickly doing the mental math: 30,000 hit points should be down to about 190 or so.


    "Now''s the time!"


    Seizing the moment, he swung his walnut wood magic sword at the Goblin Chieftain''s neck!


    -211.


    Fearing the approach of death, the Goblin Chieftain let out a terrified scream, but the severe pain in its body prevented it from putting up any effective defense.


    The next moment, all sounds ceased abruptly.


    A massive head was chopped off by Lin Da. S��arch* The ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The hidden magical creature, a level 15 Goblin Chieftain, was dead!


    On the belly of the sensor ladybug, pressed by the tense battle to the point of suffocation, people finally had the chance to send their suggestions,


    and for a moment, the text scrolled furiously:


    [Congratulations to the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team for conquering the third floor''s hidden trial!]


    [That was too hard, to defeat this Goblin Chieftain, the entire team has to hold off until level 15, even level 20, before entering the third floor, it''s not meant for normal people at all...]


    [Didn''t you realize, except for the one named Kafni, all the members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team are abnormal?]


    [Lin Da''s recovery amount, and that white-stockinged Big Lolita''s output, are both quite high.]


    Outside the screen, the adventurers watched eagerly as the Goblin Chieftain''s corpse lay there.


    A second later, the corpse turned into a burst of light, which shot towards the three members of the Phoenix Tail Flower.


    By completing the hidden trial, they received the Divine Gift from the World Tree Goddess.


    Explore more stories at M V L


    Monica bathed in the Divine Light, her face flushing red, her legs twisting in comfort.


    After killing the Metal Slime, Monica leveled up again, this time becoming an 18th-level Earth Mage.


    As for Lin Da, it was a case of over-leveled killing, and his higher evaluation was reflected in the three streaks of golden light that fell upon his head.


    In front of Lin Da, system notifications popped up one after another:


    [Your team has killed a level 15 hidden magical creature, the Goblin Chieftain, and you have received the Divine Gift of the World Tree Goddess, gaining 50,000 experience points!]


    [You have advanced to level 14]


    [You have advanced to level 15]


    [You have advanced to level 16]


    [Attributes increase: Strength +85, Magic Power +85, Defense +15, Magic Defense +25, Agility +14, Hit Points +900!]


    [You have earned 3 Skill Points]


    [For delivering the final blow to the Goblin Chieftain, you have obtained 40,000 diamonds!]


    Lin Da''s eyes blur with the barrage of messages, murmuring softly, "It''s too much, it really is... too much!"


    Not only did he gain 50,000 experience points, but he also leapt from level 13 to 16.


    The system also awarded him 40,000 diamonds, which he could use to��ahem��thoroughly guide Lulu and Monica.


    The cottage in the Back House system could also be upgraded, potentially unlocking new functions.


    These gains alone left Lin Da feeling brimful and exceedingly content.


    Yet, the major event was still to come��the loot dropped by the Goblin Chieftain.


    Lin Da glanced at the walnut wood magic sword in his hand; this level 10 purple weapon, which he had used as a shield, was now riddled with cracks after being bashed by the Goblin Chieftain''s Wolf Fang Club.


    Now that he was level 16, it was time to change to a new main weapon.


    Lin Da called over the sensor ladybug from the sky and invited those outside the screen to share in the joy of slaying the hidden magical creature with the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    The Goblin Chieftain''s body dissipated into light and vanished, but one item remained where it was.


    It was none other than the massive Wolf Fang Club it held, as thick as a tree.

 Chapter 128: 117, Wolf Fang Club, key item Goblin Ring

    Just like in most games, when a weapon from a big boss fell into the hands of the players, it shrank to suit the race of the player."To have this weapon drop, that''s some good luck."


    Lin Da unexpectedly raised his eyebrows, his expression somewhat wistful.


    He remembered that in his past life when he completed the first kill in the game, the Wolf Fang Club and the Goblin Chieftain''s body had vanished together.


    Subsequent massive instance testing by players revealed that there was only a 1% chance of the Wolf Fang Club dropping in non-first kill scenarios.


    Besides the Wolf Fang Club, there was a Little Gold Coin Mountain with a palm-sized Treasure Chest lying askew on top.


    Explore more at M V L


    The Treasure Chest was red and rimmed with gold, looking quite valuable.


    The lid was slightly ajar, revealing a glimpse of purple and orange glows emitting from inside.


    Moreover, the Wolf Fang Club was also emanating an orange glow!


    The suggestions on the sensor ladybug exploded once again:


    [Did my eyes deceive me, two pieces of Orange Equipment?]


    [This luck is too outrageous, I know I shouldn''t envy the big shots, but I still do!]


    [What happened to that case of red-eye before? Level 10 Orange Equipment is nothing, what about those at level 15? And to have two!]


    [I''m the owner of the Giant Wolf Corporation, and I''m willing to offer a generous price to purchase these equipment pieces, please do consider selling them.]


    Chloe stared intensely at the Wolf Fang Club; that piece of equipment was clearly meant for front-line warriors, and it was certainly much stronger than the blue hatchet she was making do with.


    Orange weapon... She had never used one in all her life.


    She tugged on Aiko''s sleeve, her face turning red, her voice a bit excited, "Will Lin Da give me that piece of equipment?"


    Aiko: "..."


    Sister, you''re purely wishful thinking there!


    When Lin Da was still in the team, there might have been a chance. But now, there''s only one way to get that equipment��buy it!


    Negotiate a deal with the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, and only if they are willing to sell it, can you get your hands on that Goblin Chieftain''s Wolf Fang Club.


    Aiko looked at Chloe''s eager expression, finding it both amusing and a bit sad. She thought to herself, might as well try; after all, even if Lin Da doesn''t give it, it''s not her face that would be lost. In case he does, scoring a piece of Orange Equipment for free would be a nice thing.


    "Hahaha, damn green-skin monster, you''re damn well dead now!"


    On the screen, Kafni laughed heartily with her hands on her hips; having been chased by the Goblin Chieftain in a panic, she was all dusty like a panda, wiped the sweat off her forehead, and jumped right into the Mountain of Gold Coins to swim.


    After obtaining Lin Da''s permission, Monica also came over, carefully taking out the small red Treasure Chest to see what was inside.


    "Wow, Lord Captain, there are two pieces of jewelry here!"


    Monica happily held up a ring and a Bonetooth Pendant with her little hands.


    Lin Da smiled and nodded, letting Monica hold onto the two pieces of jewelry while he went to check the attributes of the Wolf Fang Club.


    He had seen these two pieces of jewelry equipment drop in the game before, so he knew them well, but it was his first time getting his hands on the Wolf Fang Club.


    Lin Da walked over and saw the Wolf Fang Club lying quietly on the ground, transformed to one meter in length, its entire surface silver with densely packed, thick spikes, the handle wrapped in deep purple fabric that looked as if it was dyed in too much blood to achieve its color. S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He held the Wolf Fang Club in his hands, and the equipment''s attribute page popped up in front of his eyes:


    [Name: Goblin Chieftain''s Bloodthirsty Wolf Fang Club]


    [Type: Equipment��Main Weapon (Front-line profession restricted)]


    [Quality: Rare Orange]


    [Level: 20]


    [Attribute Points: Strength +800, Defense +50, Agility -50]


    [Equipment Rating: 877. The Goblin Chieftain''s favorite club, each of its spikes has smashed at least three Dwarves'' heads, no Dwarf could withstand this club, and if there was, then they''d get two hits.]


    After checking the attributes, the corners of Lin Da''s mouth twitched slightly; this piece of equipment... was too extreme, making it hard to evaluate!


    With the equipment being as high as level 20, it brought a high evaluation kill, leading to an equipment upgrade. The strength attribute boost of +800 was outrageous, considering that Lia''s level 20 Purple Blazing Bracelet only added +300 strength.


    Though naturally, the attack added by jewelry is less than that of the main weapon, but +800 compared to +300, nearly three times more, was almost the attributes of a level 30 Purple main weapon!


    Not only that, the Wolf Fang Club also added 50 points to defense, greatly enhancing the adventurer''s survival ability.


    However, there''s no gain without a loss.


    Such a tremendous increase came with two disadvantages: the profession being restricted to the bulky front-line, plus a negative effect of -50 agility... that was hard to deal with.


    The increase per level for agility is not much, even less for front-line professions.


    Reducing it by 50 points, the speed becomes that of a snail.


    But there was one person who was quite suited for this Wolf Fang Club.


    Lin Da suddenly thought, Chloe''s agility was already low, lowering it a bit more wouldn''t make much difference.


    That pink-haired loli would gain a powerful Taunting Skill after level 30, becoming even less in need of agility, making her very suitable for the Wolf Fang Club.


    For others, it''s regular Orange Equipment, but for Chloe, it is premium Orange Equipment.


    The only problem was,


    Lin Da didn''t really want to recruit Chloe anymore.


    If Chloe kept making Monica cry, bullying her until Monica became introverted, then he could only choose to protect Monica and give up on the former.


    Compared to the team members'' exceptional talents, Lin Da valued compatibility more.


    If the team members got along well, they could all perform their best in adventures, and even perform beyond their usual abilities.


    He spoke to the sensor ladybug, sharing the magic aura of the ''Goblin Chieftain''s Bloodthirsty Wolf Fang Club'' with everyone.

 Chapter 129: 117, Wolf Fang Club, key item Goblin Ring_2

    The general idea is that the weapon significantly increases strength, but it''s too heavy, and most front-line warriors simply can''t use it.Many merchants who were prepared to purchase it were caught in a dilemma when they heard this.


    [Front-line professions need agility the most, this piece of equipment is a bit off...]


    [As a collectible, its value is still good. Cough cough, if only it hadn''t come from a despicable race like goblins.]


    [Not necessarily, some front-line warriors have the ability to increase agility, and can handle this Wolf Fang Club.]


    All in all, this Wolf Fang Club might not sell for a top price, but as a limited item only dropped by hidden magical creatures, coupled with its collector''s value, selling it for a decent high price wouldn''t be an issue.


    Lin Da planned to sell it if someone offered a fair price; if the offers were too low, he''d keep it for his own collection.


    Afterward, he came over to Monica, smiled, and ruffled the big lolita''s head: "Good job, once we''re back, the captain will make you some grilled chicken wings."


    "Mm-hmm!" Monica lifted her little face, beaming with joy. Only the three members of the Phoenix Tail Flower were nearby, so her introverted nature was hidden for the moment.


    Little did they know, the sensor ladybug on Lin Da''s shoulder projected the heartwarming smile of the big lolita, the epitome of healing, on the big screen.


    [I think I''m only now realizing what the real treasure of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team is.]


    [Sigh, if only my daughter, who runs an inn with that no-good blonde adventurer every day, could be as sweet as this Monica!]


    [Captain Lin Da, are any of your team members single? I''ve got a bold idea.]


    Upstairs, Gale, known as the Observer, was also feeling sour, not envious of Lin Da''s big Wolf Fang Club, but jealous that the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team had a pretty girl!


    Gale''s eyes were glued to Monica''s imposing figure, his gaze seemingly emitting red peach hearts.


    Seeing his useless look, Jite sneered: "If you dare to covet other people''s team member, don''t blame me for twisting your neck!"


    "Wha, what do you mean? I''m just admiring, admiring!" Gale coughed, looking serious: "Any girl from Brother Bear deserves my serious appreciation! Even a statue of the World Tree Goddess, I wouldn''t neglect!"


    Jite: "...I hope the Goddess didn''t hear that."


    In the screen, Lin Da received a warm and fragrant small Treasure Chest from Monica''s arms.


    He glanced at a certain big lolita''s healthy figure, holding the chest, feeling a ripple in his heart, as if it were Monica''s panda.


    ''As a captain, how can you fantasize about your own team member?''


    Lin Da cursed himself in his mind, took a deep breath, and focused on the small chest.


    The first item was a Bonetooth Pendant that emitted a purple glow. The bone tooth, about the size of a thumb, resembled the fang of a Goblin Chieftain, and the string it was tied to was pitch-black and looked a bit dirty.


    [Name: Goblin Chieftain''s Bonetooth Pendant]


    [Type: Equipment - Jewelry] S��arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Quality: Purple Rare]


    [Level: 15]


    [Attribute Points: Magic Power +120, Magic Defense +20, Casting Speed +10%]


    [Equipment Rating: 289, as a great Goblin Chieftain, not only am I strong, but I also possess the wisdom to match it!]


    Judging from the attributes, this is a piece of equipment very suitable for mages.


    Lin Da caught a glimpse of Monica''s earnestly watching the Bonetooth Pendant, yet too shy to speak up, and with an understanding smile, he said: "The captain and Kafni both got new gear, so this one is for you."


    "But, but Monica can''t use such powerful equipment." Monica hastily waved her little hands and said pitifully: "Monica is fine just wearing white gear and sweeping the warehouse."


    In the mid-game, Lin Da did treat Monica this way, but there was a slight difference: in the game, he stripped Monica of all her gear and left it gathering dust in the warehouse, not even leaving her the white gear. It seems that Another World would automatically censor some uncivilized behaviors.


    "Turn around, the captain will put it on for you." Lin Da said sternly, with a commanding tone.


    Monica shivered, turned around fearfully, her small hands clenched nervously in front of her.


    A pair of strong hands reached around from behind the girl''s neck, opened the clasp of the Bonetooth Pendant, and put it on.


    The Bonetooth hung on Monica''s healthy figure and wouldn''t fall off at all, leaving Lin Da somewhat embarrassed. Thankfully, the Bonetooth wasn''t too heavy, so it wouldn''t weigh Monica down.


    "Monica... has become stronger!" The big lolita spoke crisply: "Thank you, Captain!"


    "As a member of Phoenix Tail Flower, it''s the captain''s responsibility to equip you." Lin Da replied with a smile.


    After speaking, he turned his attention to the last [item] in the small chest.


    Yes - an item, not equipment.


    ```


    Killing the Goblin Chieftain has a 5% chance of a drop, but on the first kill, the drop rate is 100%.


    Those outside the screen, along with the sensor ladybug, all looked on: in Lin Da''s palm lay a round bracelet, seemingly woven from green grass roots.


    An orange glow radiated from it.


    In fact, it was a ring, it''s just that the Goblin Chieftain''s fingers were so thick that in the eyes of an adventurer, it looked almost like a bracelet.


    Lin Da''s gaze scanned it, and a details page popped up:


    [Name: Goblin Chieftain''s Identity Ring]


    [Type: Magic Items]


    [Quality: Orange Rare]


    [Level: 0]


    [Description: Only the Goblin Chieftain could possess this proof of identity, with it, you may be invited to the Goblin King''s lair at a special time, in a special place.]


    Lin Da''s eyes gradually sharpened.


    This ring was the most valuable thing on the Goblin Chieftain.


    A key to unlock the trials hidden within the mid-tier Mystic Realm!


    Only by wearing the Goblin Chieftain''s Identity Ring could one qualify to subjugate the Goblin King.


    That is an extremely vicious BOSS in the mid-tier Mystic Realm, and once killed, it would yield the ''Goblin King'' series of equipment.


    In this series, even the worst items are Orange Equipment, not to mention there''s Epic Equipment beyond that!


    Suggestions were skeptical about this item, Lin Da chuckled without explaining. When he would lead the team to subdue the Goblin King, he would broadcast the strategy live, teaching everyone how to defeat him.


    As for now... he had his own private desires, let Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team have the honor of the first kill on a hidden magical creature.


    The allure of Epic Equipment for adventurers was significant, and even a seasoned multiple-run player like Lin Da couldn''t resist it.


    Next, Lin Da pulled out his second pocket, stuffing the new Mountain of Gold Coins into it.


    The system message informed that the Goblin Chieftain''s death had yielded 17,560 Gold Coins, and a level 15 Demon Core.


    The Demon Core was green, spherical, with a pockmarked surface, about the size of a bowl.


    This was a core equivalent to a Secret Realm Guardian, much coveted by smiths and merchants alike. Continue reading on M V L


    While Lin Da and his team were collecting the spoils of war, the Dwarf Warriors began a rout against the remaining Goblins, and when the last Goblin died, the system message popped up:


    [Dwarf Death Toll: 3]


    [You have completed the commission of Dwarf Chief Kanto!]


    "My goodness, you truly are a brave, powerful, benevolent, and passionate adventurer!" Kanto, along with all the Dwarves, bowed to the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.


    "Please, you must accept this gift."


    The old chief respectfully took out a wooden box from his chest and handed it to Lin Da.


    Lin Da already knew what was inside.


    Orange jewelry that suited him perfectly.


    He didn''t display the jewelry, for Phoenix Tail Flower had already gained enough today; he feared any more, and some people might become envious and uneasy.


    "Thank you for your gift," Lin Da responded to Kanto with gratitude.


    After dealing with the Goblin Chieftain, the next subjugations became much simpler.


    The third-layer''s gatekeeping BOSS was the Rash Forest Python, a fifteen-meter long snake as thick as a bucket at its head.


    Lin Da recommended to the average adventurers to challenge this layer at an average of level 8 and demonstrated how to slay the Python.


    It was still that familiar Rusty One-Handed Sword, but this time Lin Da disguised himself as a level 8 warrior.


    The One-Handed Sword scraped again and again, and after about ten minutes, the Python was covered in cuts and bled to death from excessive blood loss.


    The death of the level 8 Python brought Lin Da 2,000 Experience Points and 2,000 Diamonds.


    The clearance evaluation popped up in the void:


    ```

 Chapter 130: 118. Lia: A potion for 100,000 gold? Have you lost your mind due to poverty?

    [Instantly kill a Goblin Knight: Completed, +2 stars][Clear the level with fewer than twenty hits received: Completed, +2 stars]


    [Vanquish the Goblin Chieftain: Completed, +2 stars]


    [Extraordinary luck, obtained the Wolf Fang Club from the Goblin Chieftain: Completed, +2 stars]


    [Kill the Rash Forest Python with a longsword: Completed, +1 star]


    [Thunder series damage taking the first place in the team''s total output: Incomplete, +0 stars]


    [Total: 9 stars]


    [Ultimate Clear achieved]


    [Gold Coin acquisition increased by 90%, high-quality equipment drop rate increased by 90%!]


    Five pieces of level 8 Purple Gear, a small Mountain of Gold Coins, and the Demon Core of the Rash Forest Python burst forth from the light.


    Lin Da opened his bag and collected them all.


    The clearance evaluation was still the familiar Ultimate Clear.


    In his heart, Lin Da actually really wanted to achieve a 10-star Perfect Clear.


    That would grant him a piece of random, powerfully guaranteed equipment.


    But the conditions for a Perfect Clear were just too stringent, requiring a very high diversity among the adventure team members.


    For example, for a Perfect Clear on the third level, if there wasn''t a member in the team mainly dealing Thunder series damage, it would be virtually impossible to achieve.


    Fortunately, the prerequisite for pulling out the Sword of the Brave was a 90% level clear rate, and an Ultimate Clear would suffice.


    Otherwise, Lin Da would have also felt troubled. After all, in Another World, one couldn''t merely pay to get characters, each team member was a living person he had to personally find.


    ...


    In the guild hall, Aiko and the others could hardly sit still.


    It felt like there was a fire under their butts, making it uncomfortable no matter how they stood.


    Seeing their former teammate shining so brightly in the Secret Realm, reaping great rewards,


    And standing high above all, with them purportedly here to support the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, their faces began to feel hot.


    Although Lin Da still treated them as friends,


    The adventurers present wouldn''t think the same.


    These people benefited from Lin Da''s strategies and naturally sided with him. Coupled with the fact that Lin Da was willing to share his strategies for free, the kindhearted person who left the team was probably forced out by inadequate teammates, right?


    On the promotional posters of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, it''s always Lia and the others standing in the center, with Lin Da at the very back. From this, one could tell he wasn''t valued.


    Aiko pretended not to hear, but the dissonant voices were too numerous, forcibly invading her ears:


    "To kick out such a major support they got for free from the Snow Goose Adventure Team, I really don''t know what''s going through their heads!"


    "It''s actually good that he left the team. Someone as magnanimous as Eye of True Knowledge was completely wasted in the Snow Goose."


    "I''d just like to know what that leader of Snow Goose thinks when she sees this live strategy demonstration. Alas, it''s a pity she didn''t come; does she have the self-awareness of being a jokester?"


    Listening to those voices taking pleasure in their misfortune, Aiko''s face alternated between hot and cold as she reassured herself:


    The blame for Lin Da leaving the team lies entirely on Lia, and it has nothing to do with me. If you want to mock, go mock Lia; just leave me out of it!


    ...


    In a corner of the hall, a red-haired girl shrouded beneath a hood silently took a Demon Core and walked to the altar where Golden Advice was offered.


    She had thought of many things to write in the advice, such as how to belittle Lin Da and make his strategies and equipment seem worthless, among other things...


    But then, her mother''s teachings flashed through her mind: Only those with a great spirit are cherished by all.


    [Congratulations]


    Thus, the girl insincerely sent out this piece of Golden Advice.


    The two words ''go with the flow'' slotted into a screen full of advice, hardly noticeable.


    This gave her a sense of growth, as if this magnanimous act had triumphed over the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, showcasing the breadth of her chest.


    However, it was all just an act. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the screen, Lin Da''s calm face irritated her no matter how she looked at it.


    To finally burst out an Orange Equipment piece and then react like a na?ve country bumpkin brimming with glee! Could it be that just a few days after leaving the Snow Goose, he''d become so arrogant that he wouldn''t even care for Orange Equipment?


    The hooded girl stared straight at Lin Da on the screen as if trying to see through his smug heart��everything about you is just a show for me, right?


    You want me to see how much you''re pretending not to care, secretly hoping I would see it, wishing for my envy... But I refuse!


    Orange Equipment��Not envious at all!


    Her eyes turned red, although she''d never burst Orange Gear herself, she had seen it in The Mandalas'' treasury.


    There, she saw many more powerful Magical Equipment than what Lin Da had!


    ...


    On the third layer of the World Tree Secret Realm, Silent Plains.


    Lin Da had killed the BOSS and escorted the Dwarf Warriors away, and the Teleportation Array for the next layer appeared before him.


    This Teleportation Array was different from the previous layers; the normal ones were green, indicating the next layer would be a vanquish-type Secret Realm,


    White ones were for the Public Grand Secret Realm,


    But this time, the Teleportation Array was the mysterious purple color: a narrative-type Secret Realm.


    Lin Da estimated the time��if he wanted to enter the narrative-type Secret Realm where his sister Lin Xi disappeared, it would be best to enter next month.


    The maps within the Secret Realm change randomly but also follow certain patterns. Entering at different times can increase the probability of entering a specific map.


    Lin Xi disappeared in the narrative-type Secret Realm of the "Dark Night City" on the fourth layer, a Western horror-themed Secret Realm.


    This type of Secret Realm was the most difficult to navigate.


    The reason behind all this was that in the games Lin Da had played, this should have been a haphazard, pigeon-like Mystic Realm!


    In other words, a completely random realm without a set process, where every entry would randomly pick from numerous material libraries to generate an unpredictable Mystic Realm.


    However, after Lin Da''s trans-dimensional travel, the characteristics of these pigeon-type games were automatically ''localized,'' turning into meticulously crafted original storyline Mystic Realms.


    This type of Mystic Realm formed its own small world, and even with Lin Da''s knowledge of this game, he could only vaguely guess what Magical Creatures might be inside.


    Luckily, he had entered the fourth layer once before and knew a bit about [Dark Night City].


    Just clearing it typically was not a big deal. But his goal was to find clues to Lin Xi''s disappearance, which meant he had to delve deeper into Dark Night City.


    From Lin Da''s previous experience of clearing Dark Night City, he knew that the Mystic Realm, which on the surface suggested a recommended strategy level of 10, was only showing the tip of the iceberg.


    To reach the core of this realm, adventurers would need to be at least around level 19.


    Facing this unknown realm, Lin Da chose a cautious approach, preferring to level up before entering the fourth layer.


    Moreover, after connecting three layers, he and his teammates were indeed in poor shape, each of them feeling exhausted and in need of a good rest.


    Next to the purple Teleportation Array, there was a blue Array to return to the Secret Realm Square, which would activate once the level was cleared.


    Before heading back, Lin Da had one more announcement to make.


    He took out four bottles of Metal Destroyer Potions, kept one for himself, and while looking at the ''Camera Head'' of the sensor ladybug, said:


    "If anyone wants this kind of potion, they can come to room 303 at the Adventure Fast Travel Inn in the Sparrow District later."


    ...


    About three hours had passed since the Metal Destroyer Potion made its first appearance.


    The servants sent by merchants to purchase the potions had all sent back the same message: The potion couldn''t be bought!


    Even with high bounties offered, there were still none available!


    This result couldn''t help but cause everyone to sigh in disappointment.


    If they had started buying a few days earlier, back then a bottle of Metal Destroyer Potion would at most cost 1 Gold Coin.


    But now, as a powerful potion capable of killing Metal Slimes, a rare Magical Creature, the price had soared. It was like a tavern girl who had been coveted by a prince, her value had increased exponentially, from 1 Gold to 1000 Gold!


    However, the value of the Metal Destroyer Potion had risen not just a thousandfold, but by at least ten thousand times.


    The heads of the trading companies did some calculations and roughly estimated the price of the Metal Destroyer Potion:


    Metal Slimes could drop Level 10 Purple Gear, with a small chance for Orange Equipment. The first kill went to Phoenix Tail Flower, making it hard for others to get Orange Gear, but those who fought quickly might, while the drop rate was still high, manage to get one or two pieces of Purple Gear.


    What mattered most was the Divine Reward. The Divine Reward from Metal Slimes was visibly generous, with the average member of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team gaining 2 levels.


    All things considered, within the next few days, the price of the potion would peak, estimated to be around 10,000 to 20,000 Gold Coins.


    Later, as everyone became aware of the news and specifically started to kill monsters that could drop Metal Destroyer Potions, the price would gradually decrease.


    Discover hidden tales at M V L


    But it wouldn''t fall too much; the merchants estimated it would still be above 5000 Gold.


    However, the words that Lin Da spoke on the screen made everyone''s eyelids twitch:


    "My asking price for this potion is one hundred thousand Gold Coins."


    One hundred thousand?


    The multitude of adventurers in the hall, along with several merchants, all showed peculiar expressions on their faces.


    This was not just ''a bit expensive,'' it was ''outrageously expensive.''


    Did the leader of Phoenix Tail Flower not understand the market?


    Or was he trying to capitalize on the fame brought by this strategy to start scamming newbies?


    If the latter were true, Lin Da''s title would no longer be Eye of True Knowledge but instead the despised ''Da the Rip-off.''


    While the price was absurd, one person in the crowd started to feel delighted.


    Aiko displayed a puzzled look just like everyone else, but inside she was overjoyed; the more the other adventurers doubted Lin Da, the more she wanted to support him, even if she knew she would take a loss in buying his potions!


    Then, when Lin Da saw: everyone else looks down on my potion, but you, Aiko, appreciate it; you''re such a good person!


    After that, she could legitimately invite Lin Da to dinner and start the enjoyable things!


    On the screen, a sour piece of Golden Advice scrolled by:


    ["One hundred thousand Gold? I think you''ve gone mad with poverty after leaving Snow Goose. Only idiots would buy that."]


    When Aiko saw this comment, her first reaction was: Damn it, who''s pretending to be a member of Snow Goose and framing us?


    If Lin Da saw that message, wouldn''t it reduce his favorable impression of the Snow Goose members again?


    Aiko, seething with anger, turned her sinister gaze toward the Demon Core sacrifice area, her chest heaving with rage.


    She swore to herself that if she found the ''imposter'' posing as a Snow Goose member, she would pick a dark and windy night, dress in a black robe, and go bash the impersonator into a pig''s head!


    However, her mood changed to silence when she saw a strand of red hair peeking out from the hood of a petite girl.


    Her mouth twitched.


    All the words she wanted to say died in her womb.


    The truth became crystal clear.


    That pretender who said she "wouldn''t go to see the Phoenix Tail Flower strategy live broadcast" �C Powder Keg �C had she secretly put on a hood and come to the site?


    And she was extraordinarily sour, saying Lin Da was crazy for asking one hundred thousand Gold, only an idiot would buy it?


    Sorry, but I plan to buy it!


    Indirectly called an idiot by Lia, Aiko''s molars ground against each other in fury.


    "It seems like there''s some controversy over the pricing of the Metal Destroyer Potion," Lin Da said, checking the belly of another sensor ladybug on the screen, realizing that his price of one hundred thousand Gold had provoked some murmurs.


    ...


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 Chapter 131: 119, Potion popular, Snow Goose looking to buy

    "That''s right,""If only the first level had Metal Slime, indeed it wouldn''t be worth the price of one hundred thousand gold. But... all three random trial Mystic Realms on the thirteenth level have Metal Slimes."


    Lin Da calmly stated this fact.


    In his head, he held the information on hidden Magical Creatures for every level, and he didn''t mind giving away a few common hidden ones to secure the first bucket of gold for his team.


    As Lin Da''s words spread throughout the hall, all the noisy chatter instantly disappeared, leaving a quiet stillness.


    An Elf Merchant with white hair and a monocle on his face changed expression��the thirteenth level also has Metal Slimes?


    A level 10 Metal Slime from the first level was enough to raise the level of the Phoenix Tail Flower team''s captain by two. Then what about the Metal Slimes on the thirteenth level?


    Helping each member of a rock-level squad gain one level effortlessly?


    This sudden piece of news sent everyone into a brainstorm.


    No one knew where Lin Da had gotten his information from, but even if they asked, such secrets wouldn''t be shared with them. Inquiring rashly could easily make them appear to have ulterior motives, leading to enmity.


    In this Another World, where Mystic Realm rewards varied widely, it was not impossible for low-ranked adventurers to possess valuable information, although the chances were small.


    Everyone subconsciously regarded Lin Da as a lucky fellow.


    If Lin Da wasn''t lying, then... the price of one hundred thousand gold was not only fair but outrageously so.


    [How can you prove that this is true? You''ve only been to the eighth level, right? Your word alone is not proof!]


    Seeing this Golden Advice, Lin Da thought to himself that the sender seemed to know him quite well, aware that he had only been to the eighth level.


    "The way to prove it is very simple."


    He said, "The captain of the Ice Flower Adventure Team, Isa should be here, right?"


    [Frost Swordsman: I am here.]


    Lin Da nodded and said, "I will act as the off-field commander for the Ice Flower Adventure Team, assisting them in conquering the thirteenth level. At that time, I will also guide them to find the hidden Magical Creatures of the thirteenth level, the Metal Slimes."


    Off-field commanding and personal guidance.


    These two key phrases conveyed Lin Da''s strong confidence.


    With his solemn public promise, adventurers and merchants almost entirely believed him. Considering the reputation Lin Da had from his strategies, he wouldn''t ruin his credibility for a few potions.


    That is to say, it was very likely that there really were Metal Slimes on the thirteenth level!


    In front of the strategy broadcast podium, Isa looked utterly incredulous, somewhat disbelieving that Lin Da would give her such a generous gift,


    So much so that it made her wonder: Could it be that Lin Da was showing affection for her?


    The members of the Ice Flower team screamed excitedly. Under Lin Da''s command, the Ice Flower Adventure Team would seize the first kill of the hidden Magical Creatures on the thirteenth level!


    This pie from the sky directly made everyone on Ice Flower dizzy with disbelief.


    "Captain, I think Lin Da has taken a fancy to you, this is him pursuing you indirectly."


    "Captain, just reward him with your body that''s been kept for more than twenty years, there''s nothing else we can offer."


    "The Eye of True Knowledge is awesome!"


    Amidst the teasing of her teammates, Isa''s face turned red with embarrassment and she coughed sternly, "Stop talking nonsense. With so many girls around Lin Da, how could he have feelings for me?"


    Her teammates laughed good-naturedly.


    The proud female commander of Ice Flower said, "Well, that''s not necessarily true. Some boys just like conquering a frosty beauty like our captain!"


    "Hahahaha��"


    Compared to the lively atmosphere at Ice Flower, the people of Snow Goose could only be described as clowns.


    Lin Da had given the opportunity for the first kill of the hidden Magical Creatures to Ice Flower, not his old employer, Snow Goose.


    When you think about it, it made sense��with that annoying Lia around, how could Lin Da possibly give such an opportunity to Snow Goose? Aiko sighed deeply as she looked at the somewhat sad expressions on Klrona and the others.


    She glanced surreptitiously towards a corner, where a pale girl sat, and couldn''t help but sneer inwardly: What''s the use of regretting now? If you hadn''t driven him away, the thirteenth level''s hidden Magical Creatures would definitely have belonged to Snow Goose.


    Since the first kill was no longer possible, Snow Goose could only settle for the next best thing, the second kill.


    ''If Lia truly has the responsibility of a captain, she would calmly negotiate and ask Lin Da to sell her the Metal Destroyer Potion. Anyway, I am not about to play the fool for her anymore,'' Aiko thought coldly.


    The crowd in the hall buzzed with discussion:


    "Lin Da''s potions are limited to three bottles, and Ice Flower will definitely get one, leaving only two bottles remaining, right?"


    "There are over a dozen rock-level squads in White Dove City, more than half haven''t conquered the thirteenth level yet, two bottles of potion are clearly not enough to go around."


    "The decision of to whom he sells is ultimately Lin Da''s, isn''t it?"


    On the second floor, Jite looked surprised, "The hidden Magical Creatures on the thirteenth level... Gale, hasn''t the White Dove''s second team only reached the twelfth level?"


    "Hmm. I think we can secure a bottle for the brothers in the second team."


    Gale, putting aside his usual nonchalance, spoke seriously, "The ''Divine Gift'' provided by such hidden creatures is even more abundant than the treasures of the Secret Realm Guardian of the same level. Selling it for one hundred thousand gold a bottle is indeed not expensive."


    Gale recalled the Metal Destroyer he thrown away as trash, feeling somewhat uneasy.


    Fortunately, only he knew about it; if Jite found out, his head would surely be in for a beating.


    The conversation on the second floor was not hidden from the others; rather, it reached the ears of every person with the reinforcement of Jite''s and Gale''s power.


    The implication was clear.


    Lin Da''s Metal Destroyer belonged to White Dove Adventure Group��they wanted a bottle.


    As the strongest adventure group in the city, there wouldn''t be any objections from others, would there?


    Under this silent threat, people could only reluctantly accept it.


    The White Dove Adventure Group''s defense of resources in the Great Mystery Continent and their prevention of invasions from neighboring cities was a well-acknowledged feat.


    Moreover, their strength was indeed formidable, being an all Star-ranked adventurer team, they were not ones ordinary adventurers dared to offend.


    In this way... Ice Flower took one bottle, White Dove Adventure Group took one, leaving only one bottle remaining.


    Many eyes turned toward the Snow Goose Adventure Team on the platform.


    The relationship between Aiko and Lin Da seemed rather good, didn''t it?


    This way, the three potions would all be booked, nearly irrelevant to outsiders.


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    "But you never know. What if, just what if Lin Da sells the potion to me? Taking a chance to ask doesn''t cost anything, right?"


    Many people held onto the idea of trying their luck.


    In the stream, Lin Da bowed slightly and said:


    "The live strategy session ends here, and it''s time for Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team to pack up our spoils and leave the Mystic Realm. Those interested in purchasing can go to the address I mentioned earlier tonight. So, I hope everyone has a happy day, see you next time!"


    With a snap, the screen plunged into darkness.


    The live strategy broadcast was over, and numerous adventurers were still passionately discussing it, immersed in the aftermath of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team''s strategy session, reluctant to move on.


    Tutorial-level guidance for the first three layers,


    Defeating the hidden Magical Creature Metal Slime,


    The fierce battle with the Goblin Chieftain,


    One after another, Orange Equipment was looted...


    Without a doubt, the front page of tomorrow''s White Dove City morning papers would be dominated by Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.


    Everyone was joyfully talking about the strategy session as they left the hall in groups.


    The members of Snow Goose did as well.


    However, the enthusiastic reporters from the press were not about to let them leave easily.


    Magic Cameras were snapping away at Aiko and the others.


    It was clearly noticeable that the well-known adventurers of Snow Goose all seemed a bit downcast, lacking the radiant luster they had upon arrival.


    Kami, a female reporter with short brown hair, eagerly blocked Aiko''s path and handed her the magic microphone:


    "Miss Aiko, may I ask what it''s like being the Joker... Oh no, I mean, as Lin Da''s rumored girlfriend and a former teammate, what do you think of this live strategy event?"


    "What do I think? I watch with my eyes."


    Aiko''s calm and smiling face throbbed with bulging veins.


    For crying out loud, it''s not over, is it?


    I''ve said before that the Joker is Lia, not me! sea??h th�� n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kami seemed even more excited��she''s perturbed! Nothing attracted more attention than seeing a pampered young lady lose her composure, and Kami hurriedly threw out a second question:


    "Snow Goose team leader Lia claims Lin Da was too weak and got kicked out of the adventure team, do you agree with this?"


    "Actually, everyone misunderstood."


    Aiko took a slow, deep breath and put up a falsely cheerful smile:


    "Snow Goose Adventure Team had a small misunderstanding with Lin Da, and with our team leader''s temper... well, everyone knows��give her a little stimulus, and she starts talking nonsense. But I believe the day will come when Snow Goose gets back on good terms with Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team and fights side by side."


    "Oh, is that so? But I don''t think so!" Kami''s reply almost made Aiko reveal her true self��a disguise smeared all over this Shar Pei reporter''s head!


    Kami still didn''t realize the danger; with a reporter''s fearless dedication to the truth, she continued to ask:


    "Is it true that Lia missed out on today''s event because she was working on a breakthrough in her level? Knowing about today''s live event, does she regret her decision to kick out Lin Da?"


    Regret? Aiko almost burst into laughter; the powder keg had actually regretted it the day after Lin Da left, only her mouth was harder than her skull!


    That kind of person, even if smacked on the buttocks with the Goblin Chieftain''s Wolf Fang Club, wouldn''t admit to her regret.


    "Sorry, I''m in a rush, I haven''t done my beauty treatment this afternoon, and my skin is getting worse~"


    Aiko pushed past Kami, her expression dark as she operated her wheelchair like a defeated commander, leading Klrona and the others away.


    A group of reporters from the press felt as satisfied as bears with honey, shouting in delight, and began scribbling fervently in their notebooks.


    Major newspapers like the White Dove Morning News still knew restraint, but it was anyone''s guess how some smaller papers might exaggerate and sensationalize the scene.


    ...


    Upstairs, as Dawen was about to leave, he spotted a familiar figure.


    Slim figure, red long hair peeking out from beneath a hood.


    Head bent low, biting her teeth together, her face pale.


    "Dawen, where are you going? Won''t you come and sit with the White Dove Adventure Group?" Jite asked in surprise.


    "Next time, got some family matters, gotta go."


    Dawen disappeared like a bolt of lightning, leaving only traces of electricity in the air.


    Jite narrowed his eyes and muttered: "That guy, he''s gotten stronger."


    The Crimson adventure team would always be a massive rock looming over the heads of White Dove Adventure Group.


    ...


    In an alley near the Adventurer''s Guild.


    "If you apologize, Snow Goose might still have a chance at reconciliation."


    In the flicker of electric sparks, Dawen''s figure appeared before a red-haired girl wearing a hood.


    "Get out of my way." The girl hung her head, and today, it seemed she had no intention of picking a fight with Dawen.

 Chapter 132: 120. Lia regretted: What if I let Lin Da come back?

    "That won''t do. A loser should just roll back to the Scarlet Adventure Group, start from the bottom, work for a few years, then if father is in a good mood, maybe he''ll let you join the main team."Dawen''s expression was cold and merciless as he said, "I''ve seen your 11th-floor strategy video. With the way you''re fighting now, Snow Goose will sooner or later be left behind in the World Tree Secret Realm, becoming one of the nameless on the monument."


    "Are you cursing us to die at the World Tree?"


    The young girl, furious, yanked off her hood, her long hair cascading down like a waterfall.


    She glared at Dawen, face full of murderous intent, the fiery red Battle Qi around her body like a dazzling shroud.


    With such momentum, she indeed had broken through to become a level 25 adventurer.


    A trace of admiration flickered in Dawen''s eyes, but he then dismissively nodded, "Yes, without a top commander, the Snow Goose Adventure Team is bound to capsized sooner or later. Maybe on the next floor or the one after... Lia, how long can your luck last?"


    "Luck? You''re saying that I led Snow Goose to become a well-known team, a rock-level squad, by luck?"


    The girl was none other than Lia. S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her face was filled with surprise and anger from her efforts being denied.


    To lead Snow Goose to this day, she had also paid so much.


    In every adventure, she was always the one charging at the forefront.


    "Yes, luck," Dawen sneered. "It''s sheer luck that you stumbled upon Lin Da in the street and somehow managed to recruit Aiko and Klrona. Without them, your adventure team wouldn''t have made it past the eighth floor."


    Lia clenched her fists, "But I will defeat the Phoenix Tail Flower and prove myself."


    "Prove? What''s the point?"


    Dawen snorted, "Have you ever thought, Phoenix Tail Flower doesn''t need to fight you at all? As long as they methodically reach beyond the 12th floor, your Snow Goose Adventure Team..."


    He looked deep into Lia''s eyes and said, "Your Snow Goose will become the biggest joke in White Dove City."


    Lia''s face paled, her body swayed. The cold words of her elder brother sent her reeling��Phoenix Tail Flower surpassing Snow Goose''s floor? That couldn''t be possible.


    Phoenix Tail Flower had only cleared the third floor while Snow Goose had already reached the 11th floor.


    What could Lin Da use to catch up with her?


    To widen the gap further... yes, she had to keep climbing the World Tree, throwing Lin Da far behind. Lin Da said he would guide them in the Ice Flower''s live strategy, pointing out hidden Magical Creatures.


    All she had to do was sneakily learn from them and follow Ice Flower to the 13th floor, claiming the secondary kill on the hidden creature would do!


    At this thought, Lia felt somewhat uncomfortable, a sour sensation creeping up her esophagus, making it hard for her to breathe.


    This opportunity for the first kill, it was hers to begin with...


    When Lin Da was with Snow Goose, he was quite a decent person. How had he become so heartless and petty after leaving the team?


    Was he purposefully giving the chance to Ice Flower, silently provoking her?


    In fact, when Lin Da agreed to Isa''s off-field direction, he hadn''t thought of anything like that.


    The most down-and-out moment after he left the team, it was Isa who brought two Town Portal Scrolls and agreed to give him the Demon Core of a Guardian as payment and believed in his potential as a commander.


    That was the real reason Lin Da agreed to Isa''s request.


    As for targeting Lia like this, Lin Da wasn''t so petty as to hold a grudge against a young girl.


    Everyone could see it very clearly.


    Aiko did, Dawen did, only Lia herself was kept in the dark.


    "Dawen, can you help me get a Metal Destroyer Potion? I''ll give you a reward," said Lia, her gaze intense.


    She was still contemplating how to secure the secondary kill on the Metal Slime.


    "We have a bottle in the family, but I''ve already planned to give it to the members of the second team," Dawen shook his head, "If you want it, you''ll have to collect it yourself."


    "Now, I''ll give you one last reminder," Dawen said, a touch of faint concern in his eyes as he looked at his runaway little sister, helplessly saying:


    "If you do not realize the real reason Lin Da left the team, there will be no opportunities left. As Phoenix Tail Flower''s members increase, he will truly forget you. Is that alright with you?"


    At these words, Lia was somewhat astonished.


    Not to surpass her, but to forget?


    If Dawen had praised Lin Da for being amazing, stronger than her, Lia would not have been defense broken. But ''forget''? That''s something that applies to insignificant people, right?


    Just as she couldn''t remember how many Slimes she had fought, once Phoenix Tail Flower''s members increased, would Lin Da forget her...?


    The three years with Snow Goose couldn''t possibly just be forgotten.


    She regarded Lin Da as her archenemy, surely Lin Da must feel the same, right?


    Lia pursed her lips, silent.


    For the first time, the usually fiery and passionate girl showed a sign of fatigue on her face.


    She uttered words she would have never said before.


    Almost whispering, Lia mumbled to herself, "What if I get him to come back?"


    Dawen shrugged, "What do you think?"


    "I don''t know," she said. Explore new worlds at M V L


    Feeling dejected, Lia sidestepped Dawen, her red hair''s luster seemingly much dimmer than usual.


    In the narrow alley, a sliver of light squeezed in but failed to illuminate the path ahead for the young girl. She stepped tentatively on the shadows cast by the houses, returning to Snow Goose''s villa.


    Watching the small figure from behind, Dawen sighed with a feeling that talent was wasted...


    ...


    Upon reaching the main road, adventurers recognized Lia.


    At that moment, Lin Da''s live strategy broadcast was spreading fast.


    Besides the ridiculously detailed strategies for the first three floors, there was also the high healing output of Lin Da and the absurd damage dealt by Monica when confronting the hidden creature Goblin Chieftain...

 Chapter 133: 120. Lia regretted: What if I let Lin Da come back?_2

    The Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team is already considered by everyone to be a surefire future Rock-level Squad.As for Lia, who kicked Lin Da out, the thought of most onlookers was only one, "She got what she deserved!"


    Due to her fiery temper, Lia had offended many adventure teams in the Great Mystery Continent and didn''t have a good reputation.


    When Lin Da was with them, Snow Goose was known for its harm-free strategies and was thriving, no one dared to offend them lightly, and they tolerated Lia.


    But once Lin Da left, the embarrassing defeat of Snow Goose on the eleventh floor was witnessed by everyone.


    They all realized that this attention-grabbing adventure team was on a downward spiral.


    When the walls fall, everyone pushes; when the drum is broken, everyone strikes.


    Now, Lia had become that broken drum.


    Adventurers passing by, though saying nothing, had a hint of mockery in their eyes when they saw her.


    Lia''s ears were sharp enough to hear those adventurers whispering behind her back:


    "Isn''t that the ''Clown Captain'' Lia? What was going through her mind to kick the pillar of the team out?"


    "I heard that when Lin Da was with Snow Goose, his compensation was the lowest of all the members."


    "What a blind leader, seems her brains are as small as her chest!"


    What''s wrong with being as small as a bear, none of your damn business!


    Lia forcefully suppressed her anger. In the past, she would have immediately started a fight with those adventurers making snide remarks.


    But today, she just wanted to go back and rest.


    ...


    At the same moment, at Secret Realm Square.


    A blue light flashed.


    Lin Da and his two companions appeared on the circular platform beside the World Tree.


    "We''re back,"


    Lin Da looked at the crowded Secret Realm Square with a sense of emotion.


    Every time he returned from the World Tree, he would utter a similar exclamation: once again, they had all come back safely.


    He held Monica''s little hand, and beside him was Kafni with a big bag on her back brimming with Gold Coins and Magical Equipment.


    The adventurers in the square looked at them with envy.


    Teams coming out from the World Tree were either triumphant and jubilant or downcast and dispirited.


    Lin Da''s team was clearly the former.


    Departing the platform, they planned to find a nearby trading house to sell off the unnecessary items.


    A big bag of spoils had worn Kafni out.


    In his mind, Lin Da tallied the gains from this strategy,


    Firstly, in terms of levels, both he and Kafni had reached level 16, while Monica was at 18.


    Once the team''s average level reached 20 and they made it to the tenth floor, they could become a Rock-level Squad.


    ''Let''s hurry up and reach level 20,'' Lin Da thought to himself.


    The second gain was in Gold Coins and Demon Cores.


    From the first, second, and third floors, along with two hidden Magical Creatures, a total of 30,140 Gold Coins burst forth.


    Among them, 35 level 5 Black Magic Dog Demon Cores, and 11 level 10 Metal Series Magic Cores.


    33 level 7 Aquatic Demon Demon Cores from the Withered Leaf Forest of the second floor.


    On the third floor, 25 level 15 Goblin Demon Cores.


    And 2 Demon Cores from hidden Magical Creatures, one from the Metal Slime and the other from the Goblin Chieftain.


    Their Demon Cores were much larger in size, contained much more concentrated Magic Power, and were much more valuable than ordinary Demon Cores.


    The third gain was equipment, again a big pile.


    Included:


    5 level 6 Purple Gear pieces, 1 Orange Gear piece.


    A level 10 Metal Slime Sword and Shield, a level 10 Metal Slime Chainmail, and a level 10 Orange level Crescent Dagger.


    6 level 7 Purple Gear pieces exploded from the second floor Withered Leaf Forest.


    On the third floor, the Silent Plains, 5 level 8 Purple Gear pieces.


    The Goblin Chieftain''s Bloodthirsty Wolf Fang Club, Bonetooth Pendant, and key item Goblin Ring.


    And the last item...


    A small box tucked into Lin Da''s pocket, a gift from Dwarf Chief Kanto.


    An Orange accessory, Ferocious Fang.


    The attributes of this equipment were:


    [Level: 15]


    [Attribute Points: Strength +150, Agility +20]


    [Special Effect: Comes with the skill ''Fatal Strike'']


    [Fatal Strike: Smash forward with the Main Weapon, causing ''high damage'', can be used twice, recharge time 24 hours]


    [Equipment Score: 471. This tooth belonged to the great Dwarf Warrior Okama * Liqiu.]


    An accessory with a strong active attack Skill and great attributes!


    While the attribute added is strength, Lin Da has the legendary Skill [Balance of the Scales], making his Magic Power always equal to his strength, so he could also make use of this accessory.


    The skill ''Fatal Strike'' that comes with Ferocious Fang is a very useful physical Skill for the early stages,


    Featuring a ''blunt'' characteristic, it deals 50% bonus damage to shell-armored and rock-type magical creatures due to their vulnerability.


    In another week, a murderous crab frenzy will break out in the wilds of White Dove City. The attributes of the murderous crab are [Water] [Carapace], with weaknesses being [earth system magic] [blunt impact].


    The skills that come with the Ferocious Fang are quite suitable for dealing with murderous crabs.


    Remembering this minor event, Lin Da''s expression gradually became more solemn.


    In the game, his adventure team had seven members, but now there were only four. As a witch, Lulu wasn''t convenient to show up, making this event much more difficult than it was in the game.


    The magical creature hidden beneath Breeze River Beach had reached level 23 and was of the Rare Orange Level, much stronger than the Goblin Chieftain. Lin Da estimated that two of the crab''s pincers could "Blood Lock" the Goblin Chieftain...


    Lin Da''s target wasn''t that creature, however; there''s a significant gap below and above level 20.


    Being an Orange Level creature, a hidden magical creature + a mutated being... The White Dove Adventure Group would be the ones to deal with it.


    Lin Da''s team still fell short of facing such a level of magical creature.


    His true target lay beneath that hidden creature, a few of the Purple Rare Level magical creatures: the Black Shell Crab General.


    The pair of large pincers of the Black Shell Crab General were precious magical materials; its Demon Core could be used to craft a Magic Wand. Killing it would also yield a significant amount of Mystical Points.


    Explore more stories at M V L


    "System, activate."


    Lin Da silently muttered to himself, opening up his personal attribute page.


    To subdue the Black Shell Crab General, he needed to increase his attack to at least 500, otherwise it would be difficult to penetrate its defense.


    Lin Da donned the Ferocious Fang ornament��so long as it was connected to his magic power, even if it was kept in an inner pocket, it counted as equipped.


    His attributes now read as follows:


    Level: 16


    Occupation: Chosen Healing Hero


    Hit Points: 5200 (4200+1000)


    Magic Power: 563 (333+230)


    Strength: 563 (333+230)


    Defense: 83 (63+20)


    Magic Defense: 131 (111+20)


    Agility: 100 (70+30)


    Resistance: 30% Poison Series reduction


    Experience Points: 1000/40000


    Remaining Skill Points: 6


    Mystical Points: 3067


    Diamonds: 44040


    ...


    Lin Da''s Dual Attack had risen from 366 when he first entered the Mystic Realm to 563, nearly double, meeting the minimum standard to break through the Black Shell Crab General''s defense.


    However, this was not his full capacity, as his Main Weapon, the Walnut Wood Magic Sword, was full of cracks and unusable, leaving him down one piece of equipment.


    "Now that I''ve got money, sticking with blue gear won''t do. Moreover, creatures like murderous crabs with their carapace armor have resistance to poison, requiring even higher equipment standards," Lin Da thought to himself.


    The shell of the murderous crab is akin to human nails, which are naturally resistant to poison. Sear?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He needed to consider purchasing equipment with attributes like [Aquatic Monster Special Attack] [Spell Penetration], to mitigate the disadvantage of the murderous crab''s poison resistance.


    While pondering this, Lin Da cast a glance at Monica.


    As a damage dealer, Monica''s earth system magic is the perfect counter to murderous crabs.


    He remembered the suggestions made in jest that Monica was a poor loli in tattered blue gear... Lin Da patted Monica''s head generously and said, "Come on, the captain will take you shopping for equipment!"


    "What about me?" Kafni came up excitedly, panting and carrying a large bag.


    Lin Da was surprised, "Don''t you already have a Crescent Dagger?"


    "Not enough, get me a full set of Purple Gear so I can steal from the magical creatures until even their underpants are gone," Kafni boasted, pulling out two large swords from her bag.


    Lin Da glanced at them, and his attribute page popped up in front of his eyes:


    [Name: Slightly Blunt Ordinary Greatsword]


    [Type: Equipment - Main Weapon]


    [Quality: Green Fine]


    [Level: 15]


    [Attribute Points: Strength +35, Magic Power +10]


    [Equipment Score: 47. A weapon favored by Goblin Soldiers, but it might smell a bit stinky]


    Lin Da and Monica both held their noses.


    "You managed to steal two of the Goblin''s weapons, which is indeed commendable, but these are only of green quality, right?" Lin Da spread his hands, "At best, I can buy you a pair of Purple Boots."


    "What? I want the full set!" Kafni complained dejectedly, her voice echoing across the square,


    People nearby cast them odd looks.


    Shouting for Purple Gear like it was nothing, just how much had this team gained?


    That blonde big bear of a woman actually dared to demand a full set of Purple Equipment...


    Looking around at the adventurers in the square, only one in ten would have a piece of Purple Gear.


    Being fully equipped in Purple Gear usually indicated membership in a Rock-level Adventure Team.

 Chapter 134: 121. The fallen old man, the awakened hero

    At the moment, not many people knew about Lin Da''s strategy, just those two thousand or so people in the hall of the Adventurer''s Guild in White Dove City.It would take a few days for his strategy video to spread.


    Thus, the adventurers in the square were unaware of how many rare treasures were stuffed in the big pocket of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.


    Lin Da and his team arrived at a firm called "Chilang."


    In a small private room, Lin Da spilled all the equipment and Demon Cores he planned to sell onto the table in one go.


    Seeing the small mountain of spoils, the brown-haired elf manager tasked with receiving them was dumbfounded.


    Glowing with both purple and orange light, it was dazzling and heart-stoppingly beautiful.


    Other adventure teams would sell one purple gear at a time, which was already quite a lot. S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But this Mr. Lin Da, he brought along 13 purple pieces of gear, and 1 orange!


    This big transaction could easily make this elf manager the procurement champion of the month!


    The elf''s name was Queci, and her voice trembled with excitement, her eyes gleaming watery at Lin Da, sticky as glue.


    In order to facilitate this deal, Queci would not hesitate to kneel in front of Lin Da... The competition to purchase magical equipment was fierce, and various firms offered numerous benefits.


    Lin Da gazed thoughtfully at the elf Queci''s black body-hugging skirt and the smooth shiny black stockings that clung to her slender legs below.


    "Monica, Kafni, could you two wait for me in the hall for a bit? I need to discuss something important with Miss Queci."


    If this service was incidental, Lin Da, a weary adventurer just out of the Mystic Realm, might as well rest a bit.


    Kafni chuckled, flicking her waist-length golden hair, and walked out of the private room holding Monica''s hand.


    That chuckle, Lin Da always felt it had a deeper meaning, but it seemed unlikely. Kafni had been covering her backside at night when she first came to this world, wary of his attacks...


    "Mr. Lin Da, I am starting now~" Queci smiled and turned off the magic lamp, squatting down like a servant.


    This beautiful elf manager tucked her brown hair behind her ears and began what was called a "healing" magic.


    Lin Da''s expression relaxed, like a weary traveler stepping into a hot spring.


    All the fatigue and hunger disappeared in the enveloping warmth of the spring water.


    ...


    Both parties also bargained during this process.


    Shrewd merchants would take advantage of adventurers'' weaknesses, relentlessly driving down prices to extract the maximum profit.


    Appear to be extra benefits? Actually, a big mistake��the amount deducted from the gold coins could easily enable adventurers to seek out many more Elf Misses!


    "Ugh ugh, level 6 purple gear, one piece for 200 gold coins... Orange gear...800 gold coins..."


    Queci looked at Lin Da with a seductive expression, pushing the prices to their lowest.


    However, as soon as the word "gold coins" was mentioned, Lin Da''s previously blank mind was instantly filled with various figures!


    His attention shifted from Queci, the pretty elf, to the equipment prices��level 6 purple gear for 200 gold coins a piece, did Queci take him for a fool?


    "You cunning elf."


    Lin Da spoke displeased,


    "Ugh ahh, Mr., Queci made a mistake!"


    It did not take long for Queci to lose the battle.


    She found it funny yet helpless to realize that Lin Da was unlike all her previous clients; he was meticulous about the price and very familiar with the market conditions.


    Her efforts could not even lower the price by half a gold coin.


    This even caused Lin Da''s focus to shift, and what originally took Queci ten minutes to bestow benefits, now took twenty, even thirty minutes.


    That infuriating Lin Da, he completely exhausted her!


    After a lengthy discussion, they finally settled on a price.


    Queci sat on the small sofa across from him, holding a cup of tea to rinse her mouth, gulping it down, with the priced list in her hand:


    Level 6 Purple Gear, 5 pieces, purchase price 1500 gold.


    Level 6 Orange Gear, 1 piece, 1200 gold.


    Level 7 Purple Gear, 6 pieces, 2200 gold,


    Level 8 Purple Gear, 5 pieces, 2000 gold.


    A bunch of various levels of ordinary Demon Cores, 1700 gold.


    Level 1, 2 and 3 Secret Realm Guardian Demon Cores, 1600 gold.


    The remaining Metal Slime Sword and Shield, hidden Magical Creatures Metal Slime and Goblin Chieftain Demon Cores, Wolf Fang Club, Lin Da kept for himself.


    He planned to collect the first two, and for the last he would find personal buyers to avoid the firm taking a cut. The ordinary Demon Cores and purple gear, he preferred to sell in one go for convenience. Explore more at M V L


    Queci wiped her lips, and despite feeling bitter, her face still wore a professional smile:


    "Sir, your total selling price is 11400 gold coins, and together with your 30140 gold coins, all will be stored onto the Savings Card through our firm... Our firm has transferred a total of 41540 gold coins into your account, please check."


    Lin Da took the white statement, reviewed it for correctness.


    He pressed his large hand on it, magic stirred, leaving a magic fingerprint.


    He took out a red Savings Card from the Southern Fire Empire and handed it to Queci.


    Queci placed the Savings Card in a square black box, operated it for a while, and the gold coins were transferred in.


    When Lin Da checked it, he found the balance was much more than he expected, reaching 141540 gold coins!


    Where did the extra 100000 come from?


    Lin Da had Queci display the detailed bill and finally realized, it was from the Ice Flower Adventure Team''s public account, transferring 100000 gold coins to him.


    This was for a pre-order of Metal Destroyer Potion.


    Previously, when Isa invited Lin Da for lunch, she had asked for his Savings Card number. Perhaps at that time, Isa had envisioned one day entering into a partnership with him.

 Chapter 135: 121, The Downfall of the Old, The Awakening of the Brave_2

    Having received that money, Lin Da''s purse was much fuller.He came to the hall with a clear mind and met up with his team members.


    "Team leader, what were you doing in the private room?"


    Monica approached, pursing her lips and wearing a sulky, bun-like face.


    "We were just discussing the selling price of the equipment," Lin Da said with a chuckle, bending over to pet Monica''s head.


    But this time, Monica didn''t feel happy about it, hanging her head like a little jar of vinegar and muttering, "Team leader is a big pervert...!"


    Lin Da''s head popped up a question mark, confused as he glanced towards Kafni, who was lounging on the couch, freeloaders the shop''s fruit plate.


    Could it be that this guy had led Monica astray?


    ...


    It was already three in the afternoon when they left Chilang Commerce.


    Lin Da and the others had bought many things, each carrying large and small bags. Lin Da''s main haul consisted of various ingredients rich in magic power, not only delicious but also beneficial for cultivation and considered noble ingredients.


    A pound of broccoli from the Great Mystery Continent was priced at two gold coins, which was roughly equivalent to 2000 RMB per pound in his previous life.


    Before entering the World Tree Secret Realm, Lin Da would never have afforded such expensive ingredients.


    Apart from vegetables, there was also a lot of fresh wild magical creature meat, which was beneficial for adventurers'' cultivation.


    Kafni''s purchases were more varied, ranging from snacks and comic books to underwear, dresses, toothbrushes, cups, and other household items... each endorsed by a famous adventure team.


    The piece housed in a beautiful gift box, a purple ribboned underwear, from the brand ''Dreamland'', had a magic circle that automatically cleaned all sorts of dirt.


    It was said that in emergency battles, even if one urinated, there was no need to worry about it affecting one''s movement, as the magic circle would quickly evaporate the filth��but Lin Da suspected that Kafni''s skills were quite diverse, as he was occasionally woken up in the middle of the night.


    Monica, being a well-behaved member, didn''t get up to those antics. This Big Lolita bought simple, practical items��a few new magic puppets, a home delivery freezer filled to the brim with ice cream.


    The total cost of all these items was 4500 gold coins.


    Regarding equipment, Lin Da had heard that a large auction would be held in a few days. Items that made it to the auction were generally of exceptional quality, and there might even be equipment with rare attributes like "spell penetration".


    Lin Da also needed to purchase a space ring so that he wouldn''t have to carry a big bag every time he went into the World Tree.


    The three walked out of the shop in a cheerful mood.


    People were coming and going around them; many adventure teams, having returned from the World Tree, headed here to sell their unneeded items in bulk.


    Some adventure team members were chatting and laughing arm in arm. Yet others had a morose and heavy atmosphere that was hard to ignore.


    Lin Da noticed such a glaring sight: a male adventurer in his thirties with golden short hair. He was slumped against a glass wall of the shop, looking dejected, sitting like a vagrant.


    His legs weakly spread open, a broken sword propped between them, his expression dull, he weakly held a savings card in his hand, staring blankly at himself.


    "Finch?"


    Lin Da recognized the adventurer''s identity.


    Back when he was still with Snow Goose, he had briefly met Finch. On the fifth layer of the Great Mystery Continent, their two adventure teams had joined forces to fight against a ''Wilderness Guardian'', commonly known as a regional boss level magical creature.


    But Finch''s team had less potential, and while Snow Goose had reached the eighth layer, they had still not broken through the sixth. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At that time, as a team leader, Finch had even provoked Lia, betting on who would enter the sixth layer first.


    More than a year had passed, and Lin Da had forgotten about Finch, and Lia had completely forgotten him.


    Adventurers meet many people during their journeys, but except for teammates, most others are just passersby.


    "Lin Da, I heard you left the team."


    Finch''s golden hair looked like wilted wildgrass, his face weathered. He remained seated, showing no intention to stand, and waved to Lin Da.


    "Uh��what''s happened to you?" Lin Da hesitated for a moment before he and his team members approached.


    Finch chuckled and said, "Buying such things, it seems you''ve had a good haul. Me? Haha... the ''Hunter Adventure Team'' disbanded today."


    "Disbanded? Why, I thought you all got along well," Lin Da began, but suddenly realizing something, his face darkened, "Sorry."


    "No need��everyone has their day, everyone."


    Finch had never believed that such a thing could happen to him, but when it actually did, he believed it, viewing every adventure team with a pessimistic attitude. Perhaps that was the only way he could feel somewhat better.


    Clearly, Finch''s adventure team had been forced to disband.


    He was the only member left in his team.


    Experience tales at M-V-L


    "The sixth floor was really tricky; had I known, I would have stayed on the fifth floor all my life."


    Finch gave a sorrowful chuckle, pointing at the two girls from the Phoenix Tail Flower: "You must protect them well, don''t make my mistakes!"


    Lin Da nodded.


    To him, Finch was ultimately a passerby. However, this incident made him realize once again that merely covering three floors in a strategy broadcast was far from sufficient.


    Most adventurers were not geniuses like Lia and Aiko, who could use their talent to escape danger. Most adventurers were just ordinary beings, the background wildflowers and rocks in the game.


    And transported to another world, these backgrounds all turned into real people, each with their own dreams and ambitions, truly living in this world.


    If the Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team''s strategies could help those people, Lin Da wouldn''t mind making an effort.


    He would forge ahead, clearing thorns and paving a smooth and broad road for ordinary adventurers.


    Perhaps it was because he could do such things that he was chosen to be the hero in a mysterious way.


    For the first time, Lin Da felt the heavy weight of the words ''saving the world.''


    ...


    After resting for a while, Finch, leaning on his sword, headed to the Adventurer''s Guild with a faltering gait.


    As the leader of the Hunter Adventure Team, Finch still had one thing left undone: he needed to unregister his team members'' information.


    Arriving at the guild hall, Finch found it unusually crowded today, with everyone gathered around a big screen.


    That screen usually showed free replays of strategy broadcasts from lower floors, but since it was free, the levels certainly weren''t high.


    As an adventurer who had reached the fifth floor, Finch had little interest in lower floors.


    However, the voice coming from the screen was very familiar, making him stop.


    Intending to take a casual glance, Finch paused but became deeply engrossed in the images on the screen.


    Like a brown bear savoring honey, he was absorbed, half an hour passing unnoticed.


    It was only when that fearsome Goblin Chieftain fell and cheers from surrounding adventurers erupted,


    that Finch, caught up in the thrilling battle, snapped back to reality.


    Finch''s first thought wasn''t about how strong Phoenix Tail Flower was, or how high Lin Da''s healing was. Lin Da claimed in the screen that Phoenix Tail Flower would continue to make strategies.


    Lin Da''s former team, Snow Goose, had been to the eighth floor, which meant that this strategy could reach at least the eighth floor...


    Finch couldn''t help but think, if he had entered the sixth floor a few months later, could he have seen the live strategy broadcast of Phoenix Tail Flower?


    Could he have avoided his teammates'' deaths?


    Finch''s face changed gradually, and then he became somewhat frantic, despairing! At this moment, he desperately wished for the skill named ''Rebirth'' from comic books, for another chance to prevent his teammates'' deaths!


    Like Finch, there were actually many people with similar thoughts, most of whom had similar experiences: losing teammates in the World Tree due to various accidents.


    If they had entered later, after seeing this strategy, they would enter the World Tree Secret Realm, and the outcome would be vastly different.


    Some adventurers, reminded of their deceased teammates, mourned silently. Meanwhile, novices who had not yet entered the World Tree secretly felt relieved.


    They bought Magic Recording Devices, recorded the strategy, and went back to watch it repeatedly.

 Chapter 136: 122, Lia: I really dont know anything, you know?

    No matter the type, on this day, a new adventure team''s name firmly imprinted itself in everyone''s minds.This team was neither a well-known squad nor at the Iron Level or Rock Level, but merely a team that had just reached the first three levels, ordinary in every sense.


    Yet, for adventurers of the lower levels, this team''s contributions were far greater than those of any Sunrise Level adventure group.


    Its name was the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.


    In just one afternoon, the deeds of Phoenix Tail Flower were passed from mouth to mouth, and Lin Da''s title of Eye of True Knowledge completely replaced Ultimate Pervert.


    The matter even startled the Mayor of White Dove City, who, upon seeing the free detailed strategy guide, immediately decided to award Lin Da an Honorary Adventurer Badge!


    This strategy guide would greatly increase the survival rates of novice adventurers, and as Lin Da was a native adventurer of White Dove City, his fame was also the city''s fame, which the mayor could use to gain merit for his promotion.


    After several years, the Honorary Adventurer Badge was once again retrieved by the Mayor of White Dove City.


    The news spread rapidly, with various newspapers learning of it beforehand through various channels.


    Every reporter was writing extensively:


    Glorious Adventurer Badge.


    An extremely detailed strategy guide for the first three levels, almost as if predicting the future.


    The first kills of the hidden Magical Creatures, Metal Slime, and Goblin Chieftain.


    New orange equipment, Crescent Dagger, and Goblin Chieftain''s Bloodthirsty Wolf Fang Club...


    On a regular day, each of these pieces of news would be worthy of the front page of the White Dove Morning News.


    But this time, all the newspapers were overwhelmed, as a flood of attention-grabbing news from the same adventure team converged upon them.


    After today, the ranks of well-known teams in White Dove City would decidedly need to include one more name:


    Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team!


    In Secret Realm Square, where the largest number of adventurers gathered, news spread as swift as lightning.


    "Insider news, there are hidden Magical Creatures on the first and third levels!"


    "Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, hopeful for Iron Level in the future!"


    "What, you don''t know who the Eye of True Knowledge is? It''s obviously Phoenix Tail Flower''s team leader, Lin Da."


    "And ''Earth Bombardment'' Monica, ''Great Bear Thief'' Kafni, they are all famous upcoming adventurers."


    "Ah? Metal Slime, you can level up several times by defeating it?" Continue reading at M-V-L


    "Where can I buy a Metal Destroyer Potion, I''ll pay 100 Gold Coins!"


    "Fuck, I watched the live guide of the Goblin Chieftain''s raid. Such a beast set on the third level? World Tree Goddess, that''s so ruthless!"


    People who had watched the Phoenix Tail Flower live relay vividly recounted the events in the hall as if they were skilled bards, gathering a circle of adventurers who listened with keen interest:


    "You don''t know, that Star-ranked adventurer Dawen, and White Dove Adventure Group''s Jite and Gale were also there. The three gasped in unison when they saw Lin Da kill the Goblin Chieftain, loudly stating, ''This adventurer has the potential for Iron Level!''"


    "Reporters stopped Lin Da''s former teammates for an interview, guess what �� "


    "Come on, spit it out, don''t leave us hanging!"


    The crowd of adventurers jeered.


    The man laughed and said, "The so-called Holy Mage, Miss Aiko, got flustered! She pushed the reporters away and ran away in a puff of smoke!"


    "Ah? That Aiko can also lose her composure?"


    The scene buzzed with murmurs.


    Aiko had always impressed everyone with her calm and elegant demeanor, a true model of a noble young lady, and a dream object for many adventurers. Yet their goddess apparently lost her composure because of Lin Da?


    "My heart is broken, the goddess really likes Lin Da. I''ve been jilted!"


    "Wuuu~"


    "I swear enmity against Lin Da, he made Miss Aiko feel embarrassed!"


    Adventurers like Mei Yangyang were seething with anger. What they didn''t realize was that even if they approached aggressively, they would be scorned by Mei Yangyang and blown away with the Light Arrow Technique.


    ...


    ...


    At this time, at the villa of the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    In the living room on the first floor, everyone around the long table looked worried.


    After returning from the live showing of Phoenix Tail Flower''s strategy, the Snow Goose team members had become mute, not uttering a single word.


    ''Congratulations, Lin Da?''


    As they chewed on this phrase, they couldn''t taste how much genuine congratulation was in their hearts, mostly just sourness. They regretted not trying to bring him back on the night Lin Da left.


    Otherwise, Lin Da''s fame would also have been theirs.


    Many corporations would want Snow Goose as their endorsers, and every team member would gain a lot of Gold Coins and new equipment.


    "I''ve completely lost face," Aiko said irritably, placing her teacup on the table and looking at the others:


    "You''ve also heard. Lin Da still has three vials of Metal Destroyer Potion. Isa, that stinking bitch... that pretty girl got one bottle, White Dove Adventure Group''s smart guy Dasha... cough, cough, Gale got another one, leaving just one bottle."


    "We haven''t yet tackled the 13th level. If we get our hands on that last bottle of the Metal Destroyer Potion, we have a great chance of killing the Metal Slime on our next try, and our strength will see a significant boost!"


    "Two and a half months to go until the Stone of Bravery arrives. Everyone wants to be a hero, right? A noble title, powerful strength, and even a chance to make a request from the World Tree Sanctum... no one can resist the temptation to become a hero."


    "Aiko, what exactly are you trying to say?" Klyne asked, confused, furrowing her brows.


    "We must get the remaining bottle of potion from Lin Da."


    "But it can''t be me, I''ve embarrassed myself enough today, those reporters will paint me black, I can''t go and lose face at Lin Da''s place again,"


    Aiko said sternly, cutting straight to the chase.


    Her true thoughts were��whoever goes to ask Lin Da will use up their old team''s camaraderie with him.


    She wanted Lin Da to owe her a favor, so how could she go and ask Lin Da for potions?


    However, if she were to do it, it would definitely be easy. Aiko thought proudly to herself.


    "It''s inconvenient for us too." Klyne quickly grasped the underlying meaning, holding Oru''s hand tightly and whispering, "I still have to take care of him, so I can''t go."


    Although Klrona didn''t know what was going on, she was a bit scared to see Lin Da alone after he had spanked her.


    Plus... she wanted Lin Da''s Wolf Fang Club.


    Going by herself, she didn''t know how to start.


    Klrona looked eagerly toward Aiko.


    Aiko pretended not to see her, seemingly decided not to go.


    If they must send someone, and none of the four of them were going, then the only option left was��


    Tap tap tap.


    The sound of footsteps coming downstairs.


    Lia, covering up her guilt, draped a white towel around her neck pretending to wipe her face wet with ''sweat'' from ''long hours of exercise.''


    The redhead noticed everyone''s eyes turn to her in unison, blinked nervously, and said:


    "Ah? I''ve been exercising since morning and haven''t stopped, so I don''t know anything, okay?"


    Aiko: "I know you don''t know anything, but once I tell you, you will know."


    "Oh."


    Lia felt everyone''s expressions were a bit strange, making it awkward for her to either stand or sit; she didn''t know where to put her hands or feet.


    This is her team''s villa, yet she felt the constraint like she was visiting a stranger''s home for the first time.


    "Lia, take a seat," Aiko said with a smile.


    "Oh..." Lia awkwardly sat down on the far-right end of the sofa.


    "You know about the Metal Destroyer thing, don''t you?"


    "Know... cough, what''s that?"


    Faced with Lia''s feigned naivety, Aiko unsmilingly explained the whole situation regarding the Phoenix Tail Flower''s strategy today.


    "I see, Lin Da''s adventure team seems to have performed quite well then, I should congratulate him then,"


    Lia calmly poured herself a cup of tea, her fingers steady, her demeanor composed.


    She had obviously practiced this many times.


    Aiko said, "We need someone to go buy the Metal Destroyer Potion."


    As everyone''s eyes turned toward Lia, even she, as naive as she was, understood the silent pressure from her teammates.


    "What about you guys? You''re not going?"


    Why should I go alone?


    Lia was a bit panicked, the thought of going to the Phoenix Tail Flower''s base alone stirred her insides like a little spoon swirling around, making her restless.


    She had already experienced Lin Da''s sharp tongue in Red Heart City; she knew she couldn''t outtalk Lin Da by herself��she needed to bring someone smart with her!


    "We can''t go," Aiko decisively shook her head. S��ar?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The biggest conflict between Snow Goose and Phoenix Tail Lay on Lia. Only Lia herself could resolve this conflict.


    Seeing Lia hesitant and not quite daring, Aiko puffed out her chest slightly, her voice tinged with sarcasm:


    "You are the famous leader of the Iron Level adventure team Snow Goose, can''t you handle even this little matter? Lin Da, being the nice guy he is, will surely hand over the potions over to you with tears of gratitude if you ask him in person, right?"


    "Or are you saying�� you can''t handle even this little thing?"


    "No way, no way, Bursting Flames Lia is actually afraid to go and buy a bottle of potion from an old teammate?"


    Aiko said this in a teasing tone.


    "Wh, what��Young Lady here, can definitely do it!"


    Lia''s face turned red all of a sudden, she spilled a little bit of her tea on the table, defiantly puffing out her chest, her lips trembling slightly as she tried to form a smile:


    "Not just one potion, even if it''s three potions, Young Lady here can easily buy them, ha, hahaha..."


    Aiko, impressed, said, "Wow, true to the leader of Snow Goose. But if you can''t bring them back, it would be so embarrassing, If it were me, I''d rather hang myself on a tree."


    Lia: "....."


    ...


    ...


    While Snow Goose was discussing who to send to buy the potion, Lin Da and his companions were already riding a carriage back to Sparrow District.


    Number 303 rental house.


    The door was unlocked, pushing it open, he was greeted with the enticing aroma of food.


    Lin Da looked with surprise inside, a girl with pale blue hair wearing a white apron was busy at a simple stovetop.


    The air in the rental unit was not well ventilated, and the steam from cooking covered the girl''s fair neck with sweat.


    The evening light filtered in, casting a golden glow, and the ordinary sweat seemed like divine nectar. Lin Da was unsure if it was the smell of the food or the girl''s body fragrance that was making his mouth water...

 Chapter 137: 123, Upgrade wooden house, double guidance

    The brightest moment for Lin Da was coming home after an adventure to find that someone had already prepared a meal at home.This warm scene gave each team member a comforting sense of being home.


    The old redwood round table was filled with dishes, presenting a dazzling array of food: salt-baked snails, charcoal-grilled steak, cream of mushroom soup, truffle foie gras, fruit pizza, fried lizard tails, shrimp platter, and freshly baked bread as the main staple.


    The bread was bought from a famous Mary Bakery in the Inner City District. Lin Da had heard that one had to queue up from noon and wait more than an hour to make a purchase.


    Passing by, he often saw long queues at the place.


    "It smells so good!" Kafni squeezed into the rental house.


    The lazy, golden-haired deity saw the table full of food and drooled, unable to wait to sit down and start eating.


    Monica cheerfully said, "The food that Sister Lulu makes is delicious!"


    The game settings indeed included a keyword that Lulu was skilled at cooking.


    In reality, it was Lin Da''s first time eating it.


    Having a Four-Star Character cook for him was like something out of a dream...


    Lin Da was inwardly amazed.


    "Welcome back," Lulu said calmly, placing tofu fried to a golden crisp from the skillet onto a plate and bringing it to the table.


    She took a handkerchief from her apron pocket, wiped her hands, then pulled back the ''chief'' chair opposite the door, like a dutiful wife, for Lin Da.


    The girl calmly said, "You''ve worked hard conquering the Mystic Realm."


    Even before Lin Da had ascended the stairs, Lulu had heard their voices and started practicing in her mind how to calmly say "Welcome back" and "You''ve worked hard."


    She believed she did well, yet failed to notice her fingers trembling slightly, betraying the unease in her heart.


    Lulu had watched the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team live stream taking on the Goblin Chieftain, and when that damned green-skinned Magical Creature spun towards Lin Da like a whirlwind of death, Lulu''s heart clenched as if in a vise.


    If Lin Da had died in front of her, she seriously feared she would lose her composure, unable to suppress the Witch''s Corruption, and transform into a Catastrophe Beast right in the guild hall.


    Facing such a terrifying creature, yet he hadn''t mentioned a word about it.


    "Come here," Lin Da sharply noticed something, his gaze becoming as fierce as the Dark Shadow, and commanded Lulu in an undeniable tone.


    This seemed to touch a nerve of fear in Lulu, and she subconsciously obeyed, walking over.


    Lin Da''s large hand landed on Lulu''s head, gently caressing it.


    Emerald light of Purification shone from his palm.


    Gently healing Lulu''s spirit.


    A deep sense of comfort welled up inside her, making Lulu involuntarily hum.


    The warm hand seemed to pass through her body, soothing her heart.


    Despite noticing the surprised looks from Monica and the others, Lulu couldn''t help but revel in Lin Da''s head pat��she actually yearned for Lin Da to caress her chin like the wolf Beastmen would, but it was too difficult to mention.


    The Purification continued for a minute before ending, and Lin Da held Lulu''s petite body in his arms, gently patting the girl''s back.


    "Sorry for making my team worry," he said.


    Biting her lip, Lulu leaned her small head against Lin Da''s sturdy chest and said softly, "Idiot."


    A faint sourness neutralized the greasiness of the kitchen fumes in the room.


    Lin Da inexplicably received a system notification:


    [Witch Lulu''s Trust +5 points. Current Trust Level: 75. Only 5 points away from next level: Close Companion.] S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The trust increased this fast?


    Could hugging a girl really boost trust so rapidly?


    ...


    Lin Da tried it again,


    Apparently not only.


    Confused, he then received a punch to the stomach.


    "Ouch!"


    Lulu walked away from his embrace and sat down at the right side of the round table, scoffing, "All this ''Eye of True Knowledge,'' but you''re still just the ultimate pervert."


    "The Captain, such a pervert... even when we were at the market..."


    "Eek!"


    Monica was about to say something else when she suddenly let out a small scream, her mouth covered by Lin Da.


    Lin Da smiled like warm sunshine, stroking Monica''s little head, "Next time we go to the auction, the Captain will buy you the newly released limited edition Magic Puppet, so don''t say a word, okay?"


    "Hmm..." Monica hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement.


    Lulu looked at them suspiciously. Curious as she was, her aloof nature wasn''t supposed to inquire.


    "Cheers!"


    Three beer mugs clinked together with Monica''s juice cup, the crisp ringing sound lively and cheerful like a silver bell.


    With a gulp of wheat beer, Lin Da contentedly slammed the cup onto the table, the flavor seemingly enhanced by the company of three beautiful girls.


    The ones who returned from the Mystic Realm were already famished, devouring the dishes like wolves.


    Amidst laughter and chatter, the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team''s dinner party drew to a close.


    Well-fed and watered, Lin Da and his companions went to the small beds, too exhausted to care about propriety as they lay down haphazardly.


    Lin Da held the fragrant fragrant Big Lolita, Kafni tucked behind clutching his leg,


    It looked like a scene straight out of a sloppy night of drinking.


    The weary companions each succumbed to sleep.


    Seeing them like this, Lulu couldn''t help but laugh,


    Who would have thought that the person who got along so well with the team could actually be the Dark Shadow?


    If the old team members of Primordial saw this, they''d probably drop their jaws.


    After a busy day, Lulu too was tired; she closed the door and lay down on the sofa for a nap.


    ...


    About an hour had passed when Lin Da opened his eyes in bed.


    Looking around, Monica was sleeping soundly in his arms, resting on his arm with her unguarded little face.


    Her clean forehead was tempting to kiss, and her white, curled-up legs in a secure, baby-like pose.


    Lin Da gently pinched Monica''s cheek, soft and slippery, full of collagen, it must feel great to kiss it... But Lin Da didn''t do so; he had woken up early, preoccupied with a pile of unused diamonds.


    Taking advantage of the sleeping team members, he decided to upgrade the Back House and, well, "guide" Monica and Lulu.


    "Back House, open."


    With a command in his mind, a shabby wooden hut, resembling a mobile game interface, appeared before him.


    It had been a while since he last checked inside, and it had attracted cockroaches,


    Five cockroaches, as big as the heads of chibi characters, scurried around the hut, terrifying Monica into staying on the iron bed, her mood plummeting to a red -30%.


    Lulu was chasing the cockroaches, but they moved too fast, throwing her off a great distance while they stopped and covered their mouths with their forelimbs, making a sneaky laughing expression.


    The only one with a green mood value was Kafni.


    This guy was curled up in a corner, up to something, with a mood value reaching a terrifying +100%.


    You truly are a Scrap God!


    Lin Da thought, amazed, that even if Magical Creatures invaded, Kafni could maintain his composure.


    He first spent 500 diamonds to exterminate all the cockroaches, then clicked on the house upgrade button:


    [System Prompt: Do you wish to spend 20,000 diamonds to upgrade the wooden hut to a small bungalow?]


    Yes!


    Lin Da''s total diamond count was 44,040, spending a mere 20,000 was nothing.


    As the diamond count dropped to 24,040, a golden light enveloped the hut,


    Among the cheers of the chibi team members, the wooden hut transformed into a small bungalow with a concrete floor!


    Continue reading on M-V-L


    The inside was unadorned, a simple unfinished building, but at least it wouldn''t attract mice and bugs anymore.


    With the house upgraded, the Back House system unlocked new features:


    [Your daily basic diamond earnings increase by 1000!]


    [New in the shop: white painted walls, tall goblets, silver chandeliers, noble red carpets... team member experience vouchers!]


    Lin Da''s attention quickly shifted to the latter: team member experience vouchers?


    It looked as if he could indeed imbibe Monica and the others with distilled wisdom, cramming Experience Points into them?


    Clicking into the Back House shop, the first items were various furnishings, dazzling to the eyes.


    The second section was for voucher sales, and at the very bottom, there were blue and white ''team member experience vouchers''.


    [Item: Team Member Experience Voucher]


    [Price: 1 diamond/1 voucher]


    [Effect: Increases a team member''s experience points by 1, only usable while the team member is asleep]


    He truly could imbue his team members with knowledge!


    Apart from the ''Experience Points'' the team members gained through daily practice, Lin Da could also actively transmit ''Experience Points'' to them in their dreams.


    It was akin to transferring martial skills, instantaneously enhancing the team members'' abilities, achieving level breakthroughs.


    Lin Da pondered for a moment: for Monica and Lulu, the former was suitable for being imbued with experience points as Monica had a lower level, easier to enhance. As for Lulu, a Potential Guidance Coupon was more appropriate to boost her attributes.


    He spent 10,000 diamonds bought one Potential Guidance Coupon, and spent another 10,000 diamonds to buy an equal number of team member experience vouchers.


    [Please select Dream Guidance/Automatic Training?]


    The former occasionally resulted in an ''Enhanced Guidance Effect'', improving the quality of training.


    Without hesitation, Lin Da chose Dream Guidance.


    "I want to guide simultaneously: Team Member Lulu, Team Member Monica."


    [Simultaneous Guidance Confirmation... can guide simultaneously... entering team member''s dreams...]


    ...


    "Hehe, hehehe... Captain''s shoulders, so broad."


    In the dream, Monica had Lin Da carry her on his shoulders, no longer socially shy, basking under the envious gazes of many adventurers as they walked down the street.


    Just then, with a whoosh, the dream plunged into a ''black screen''.


    When the colors restored, the surrounding scene had changed to the top of a high-rise under the moonlit night.


    Monica was being pressed down by an irresistible force in the air, her hands supporting her shoulders and heavy chest, legs straight and tense... astonishingly in a push-up position?

 Chapter 138: 124. People come to the door to buy potions.

    "81, 82, 83."Lulu''s muttering voice came from one side.


    Monica was agape with shock, "Lulu, Sister Lulu, what are you doing here?"


    "No time to talk, start moving, or Dark Shadow will punish you."


    A flicker of residual fear passed through Lulu''s eyes as she rubbed her bottom with her wolf tail. Just before, when she had provoked Dark Shadow, she had been severely whipped by him with a vine, and it still hurt.


    "Eh? Is the captain here too?"


    Before Monica could understand what was happening, a whooshing sound suddenly rang out,


    a man wearing a faceless mask and a black coat swung a slim vine, hitting Monica''s plump bottom.


    "Ouch!"


    Monica cried out like a little duck, one hand covering her bottom, her big eyes shimmering with tears, looking aggrieved as she faced Dark Shadow.


    "Don''t stop. Monica, 500 push-ups, Lulu 1500, anyone who stops will be beaten."


    Dark Shadow coldly swung the vine through the air, creating a sharp sound.


    Each strike would leave a fiery red mark on the bodies of the two girls!


    Despite his inner reluctance to strike his team members, not doing so would greatly diminish the quality of the training.


    20,000 Diamonds was not a small amount; he had to maximize the use of every single Diamond.


    Smack, smack, smack!


    In no time, Monica''s bottom had swollen from the strikes, and she tearfully continued her push-ups.


    In the dream, time seemed to stop; Monica felt each second stretched out endlessly, using all her strength to barely complete over 200 before collapsing to the ground.


    This time, Dark Shadow did not scold her but crouched down, gently stroking the girl''s head, his tone still cold, "Try to keep going a little longer."


    Having seen Monica receive a pat on the head from the captain, Lulu hesitated for a while, then also stopped, her fluffy ears twitching as her face turned red, "I... I want that too... "


    In the dream world, even if she acted capriciously, no one would find out.


    Dark Shadow grinned knowingly, "Such a greedy teammate."


    Thereupon, his other hand rested on Lulu''s head.


    The fluffy beast ears felt very pleasant to the touch; Lin Da... no, he was now the strict Dark Shadow.


    It had to be said, playing with beast ears felt amazing!


    Lin Da, touching one girl''s head and seeing both quite happy, also felt a deep sense of achievement.


    "Don''t stop; if you crave more, then continue, the faster you do it, the happier the captain will be!"


    Lin Da looked at them with an encouraging gaze, "Yes, go faster, the faster your movements, the quicker you''ll finish!"


    Only after completing the training content would Lin Da allow the two teammates to leave the dream world.


    ...


    Monica completed her 500 push-ups almost simultaneously with Lulu.


    The 10,000 Experience Points Coupon and Potential Guidance Coupon took effect.


    After emerging from the World Tree, Monica vaguely felt she was on the verge of a breakthrough; the 19th Star in her spirit world was faint yet almost energized by just a bit more Magic Power.


    In reality, the sleeping Monica''s body twitched.


    Golden light landed on her body, also appearing in the dream world.


    Monica, broke through to level 19 Earth Mage!


    Only one step away from becoming a level 20 adventurer and mastering a terrifying Ultimate Skill!


    Lulu also reaped significant gains, as seen from Lin Da''s team interface, Lulu''s base strength increased by 20 points, and her Hit Points increased by 100 points.


    "We, have we become stronger?"


    The two girls sat exhausted on the ground.


    Their cheeks damp with sweat, their messy hair stuck to the corners of their mouths,


    looking disheveled but their eyes sparkling, both girls exclaimed in unison.


    Lin Da, beaming, seeing his team members happy, felt a pleasant mood as their captain.


    "Yes, you''ve become stronger, and this strength will carry over into reality."


    Dark Shadow''s cold voice emanated from behind the white mask:


    "Remember, this is your greatest secret, do not tell anyone. My existence is your cheat key, named ''Heaven Rewards the Diligent System''! The flow of time in the dream is much slower than in reality. A moment in the dream is a minute in reality, you can continue to train and level up extensively in the dream world!"


    System?


    Monica and Lulu were dumbfounded, such fantastical things only found in comic books were now a reality for them?


    "I have... the Heaven Rewards the Diligent System..." Monica''s face showed a mischievous joy, hanging her head and quietly reveling in her secret.


    But disbelief lingered in Lulu''s eyes. Comic books were for children; being a mature adventurer, how could she believe in such naivety?


    However...


    This was her second encounter with Dark Shadow in the dream, and she had previously experienced an increase in strength.


    "Heaven Rewards the Diligent... is this my special talent?"


    A trace of gloom lifted from Lulu''s face.


    Dark Shadow spoke faintly, "Yes, you are all chosen by the system, but remember��not to tell anyone, this is your greatest secret. Understood?"


    "Understood!"


    "Hmm."


    Monica and Lulu nodded in agreement.


    "Good. But let me be clear, anyone who leaks this secret, my vine will burst their bottom!" Explore more adventures at M-V-L


    Dark Shadow waved a large hand, and the surrounding scene melted away like ink.


    The dream vanished.


    In the rental house''s small bed, Lin Da opened his eyes once again.


    Monica was still deep in sleep, a joyous smile hanging on her face.


    "As your captain, I will make you into top-level adventurers."


    S��arch* The N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 139: 124. Everyone comes to the door asking to buy Potion_2

    Lin Da thought to himself that one day, the four-star Monica and Lulu would possess the strength of top-tier five-star characters.He opened the Back House interface and clicked on the daily sign-in.


    The original profit was 440 diamonds, but upgrading the small flat added a base profit of 1000, and with the team members'' 120% mood boost...


    [System Prompt: Sign-in successful, 2200 diamonds received!]


    Lin Da''s balance instantly increased from 4040 to 6240.


    In the lower left corner of the Back House interface, an icon with blood-red flames of a black pit, the entrance to the Hell Rift, was flashing golden.


    This indicated that there was a new change inside.


    "When I came back from Red Heart City, the chibi adventure team reached the 27th level and couldn''t move forward, blocked by four centaurs," he said.


    "Did Monica and Kafni level up and conquer the 28th level?"


    Lin Da, curious, clicked on the Hell Rift.


    The World Tree was climbed upward, with fifty floors, while the chibi team went downward, the Hell Rift had a hundred floors. The deepest part corresponds to the 100th level mysterious BOSS.


    In reality, this web event only lasted seven days. At that time, the highest level among players was around fifty. What lay in the deeper 100th level remained unknown.


    As he entered the Hell Rift, the bright Back House interface became somber and dark, and the background music also carried a bizarre and unpredictable feeling.


    Black circular stone platforms floated, surrounded by blue light orbs like soul fires, and piles of white bones on the ground outlined the horror of the Hell Rift.


    "Frost Wolf''s Bite!"


    The skill text jumped out from chibi Lulu''s head, and the light blue figure leaped up, landing on the face of a centaur clad in black armor.


    Behind her, Kafni threw out Dagger Scatter, and Monica released Earth Bombardment.


    The centaur neighed softly, slowly knelt on the ground, and turned to dust.


    [System Prompt: Your team has conquered the 27th level and received 10000 diamonds!]


    The previously insurmountable 27th level was finally conquered after Monica leveled up to 19 and Kafni to 16.


    The magical creature on the 28th level was a giant caterpillar named Heart Eater Worm, shown on the screen as a huge lump, making Lulu and the others look like ants in comparison.


    Facing this creature, the entire chibi team was eaten, and the team was stuck again.


    "I''ll check back later," Lin Da said.


    Lin Da shook his head, closed the system, and got up from the bed.


    Looking at the ancient magical clock on the wall, it was already past six in the evening.


    The person who wanted to buy the Metal Destroyer Potion should be arriving soon?


    At that moment, Lin Da did not know that just beyond the wall, outside the plain door, a group of adventurers had gathered while he was asleep.


    These people did not rashly knock, all quietly waiting for the ''later'' time Lin Da had mentioned.


    There were about twenty purchasers, mostly members of Rock-level squads, the other half being adventurers from well-off families.


    As the night fell, a girl with her red hair concealed under a hood, not wanting to be recognized, slowly approached.


    "Huh... who is she?"


    "Oh no, Snow Goose sent her. Do we still have a shot at competing for the last bottle?"


    "Bursting Flames, Lia! Her Battle Qi aura seems to have deepened," they murmured.


    The adventurers all turned their surprised gazes towards the hooded girl.


    Possibly out of respect for her level, or perhaps considering her relationship with the Phoenix Tail Flower Team''s captain, they instinctively made room for the girl to come to the front.


    The girl took off her hood.


    Gleaming red hair like flowing flames, her beautiful face bearing a trace of melancholy, she looked at the familiar door lock with dim eyes.


    ''This is the place we lived for a year,'' she thought silently.


    The door lock bore an old sword mark, made when she once lost her keys and chopped at it.


    Lin Da reminded her the keys were not lost but hanging behind her belt...


    Aside from Lin Da, Aiko and the others, everyone laughed out loud. Lia felt a bit embarrassed, vividly remembering the incident.


    She touched her pocket.


    The key, somehow, she had brought it along.


    "Observer Gale has also come!"


    A murmur rose from the crowd as Lia turned, and there he was, dressed in a flashy white tuxedo with golden hair combed back, it was Gale.


    "Good evening, ladies," he said.


    Gale bowed politely, his right hand producing many roses, which he handed out to the women present.


    Given Gale''s status as a Star-ranked adventurer, even those who didn''t want them reluctantly accepted the roses,


    When it was Lia''s turn, Gale received a cold reply, "No need."


    The rose was slapped away by Lia, fell to the ground, and was crushed underfoot, petals scattering.


    Gale didn''t get angry but touched his forehead helplessly, "Ah, truly worthy of being Thunder Swordmaster Dawen''s sister, you have exactly the same temperament as he did when he was young."


    ...


    In the rental house, Lulu, who had been sleeping on the sofa, woke up.


    She had been awakened by the noise.


    Outside, there were many disordered voices, each aura strong.


    Among them, two auras of Battle Qi, one of ice and one of fire, even made her feel slightly threatened.


    The most profound was a wind-based Magic Power, far surpassing everyone else, reaching the level of 30.


    Lulu narrowed her eyes, her expression turning serious.


    As a witch, she always had to be cautious of being hunted by the Holy Light Church. Could it be that her whereabouts had been leaked, and these people outside had come to deal with her?


    Seeing Lin Da walk out of the bedroom, Lulu''s heart unexplainably steadied, seeming not so nervous anymore.


    She walked up to Lin Da, tiptoed, and whispered the situation into his ear.


    "Being hunted? Many auras above level 20?"


    Upon hearing this, Lin Da understood what was happening.


    He chuckled, "You''ve misunderstood, these are adventurers here to buy Magic Potions."


    Thinking it over, it would be inconvenient for Lulu to appear, in case someone recognized her and it caused issues.


    Lin Da had Lulu hide and then woke up Kafni and Monica to greet the guests outside.


    Opening the door, Lin Da was taken aback by the nearly thirty people crowded in the narrow corridor, S��ar?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The number of people was far more than he had anticipated!


    It''s worth mentioning that the moment Lin Da opened the door, a red-haired girl reflexively hid, pulled her hood tight, and blended into the crowd.


    It was unclear whether she didn''t want to see Lin Da or wasn''t mentally prepared.


    The first thing Lin Da noticed was the conspicuous pack from Gale.


    Gale knelt on one knee, holding a silver-haired girl''s pristine hand, planning to kiss her hand back deeply.


    The identity of the silver-haired girl was naturally Captain Isa of the Ice Flower Adventure Team.


    Isa, greatly troubled, furrowed her brows and pushed Gale away, appearing ungallant. A kiss on the hand was a normal greeting.


    But Gale was notoriously flirtatious, and being honored with such a greeting by Gale was not something to be pleased about. Almost any adventurer of similar attractiveness would receive a kiss from him.


    This dilemma of whether to push Gale away dissipated the moment the rental''s door opened, revealing Lin Da''s handsome face.


    Isa hastily withdrew her hand.


    Gale, kissing the air, nearly fell flat on his face.


    "Ah, still can''t compete with the Ultimate Pervert," Gale sighed deeply, enviously looking at Lin Da, who was somewhat surprised.


    ...


    ''��Lin Da giving the first chance to kill a Magical Creature to the captain must mean he has feelings for her.''


    Isa''s heart raced as her teammates teased her in her ear.


    In adventures, Isa was an experienced professional, but when it came to love, she was clueless, unsure how to approach Lin Da.


    "Thank you for giving the opportunity to the Ice Flower Adventure Team."


    After she spoke, Isa slightly regretted it, as her tone was too polite, almost like a formality. Yet she truly didn''t know how else to face Lin Da; she certainly couldn''t just bend over and present herself like her teammates suggested...


    "Mutual help, those were Captain Isa''s own words, weren''t they?"


    Lin Da smiled, stepped aside from the doorway, and made a gesture inviting everyone in: "It''s a bit small inside, I hope you all won''t mind." Continue your adventure with M-V-L


    At a glance, many adventurers present were from Rock-level Squads:


    Earth Wolf Adventure Team,


    Valiant Adventure Team,


    Sword Light Adventure Team,


    And even... a Star-ranked adventurer from the White Dove Adventure Group.

 Chapter 140: 125, the protagonist of this adventure story is not me.

    "Mr. Gale, welcome."Lin Da greeted him with a smile.


    Even knowing the negative reputation of the other party, he still needed to greet the star-ranked adventurer individually.


    "Lin Da, I have high expectations for you! You could be the next leader of a Steel Level Adventure Group!"


    Gale warmly clapped him on the shoulder, winked, and said, "You know what I mean by coming here, right? White Dove Adventure Group won''t let you lose out: 100,000 Gold Coins for a potion, plus I personally owe you a favor. How about that?"


    The favor of a star-ranked adventurer... Lin Da had no reason to refuse. If he had to sell, why not sell to the White Dove Adventure Group?


    Before everyone''s eyes, Lin Da took out three silver Magic Potions and handed one to Gale and one to Isa.


    "Hey, thanks!" Gale raised his eyebrows, placing the potion before a white ring on his finger.


    On the ring, there was a transparent Space Magic Gem. The potion disappeared with a flash of light, absorbed into the ring.


    Lin Da''s gaze heated slightly.


    A Space Ring, the ''Rolex'' of Another World, the cheapest cost at least 100,000 Gold Coins.


    Afterward, both men took out their Savings Cards, touched them together, and Gale operated on a small magic screen.


    Discover hidden tales at M-V-L


    "100,000 Gold Coins transferred. I won''t bother you further. There''s one potion left, take your time to compete, no rush, huh."


    Gale looked over the male adventurers with a superior expression, a stark contrast to how he treated the females.


    He wanted to greet Dawen''s younger sister, but after scanning the room without finding her, Gale shook his head, waved his hand, and left the rental house. S��arch* The nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Isa also received a potion, whispered her thanks, and stood quietly to the side.


    Now, with only one vial of Metal Destroyer left, all the adventurers in the room tensed up.


    No one knew to whom Lin Da would sell the last potion.


    ...


    The rental house was far too cramped; it was hard even to stand. Lia used this as a reason to escape from the living room to the bathroom.


    She knew the layout of every room here well and could even recount the origins of each piece of old furniture.


    Walking in this place full of memories, Lia seemed to transform into a different person, like a quiet girl, her flames significantly quenched.


    Her fingertips brushed the somewhat yellowed washstand, and she couldn''t help recalling the scenes where she and Lin Da''s sister, Lin Xi, fought over spots.


    Both warriors, they often played and frolicked. Among all the team members, she had the best relationship with Lin Xi.


    Lia stared blankly at the mirror in front of the washstand, glued together with glue, reflecting a girl with a hood, frowning and with a lingering gloom on her face.


    Returning from Red Heart City, Lia had been training obliviously for days without looking in a mirror. Suddenly seeing her reflection startled her: Was this dusty-faced person really herself?


    How had she become like this?


    Lia slapped her face vigorously, massaging her cheeks and muttered to herself, "It''ll get better; once Snow Goose Adventure Team rises, they''ll all be speechless."


    As the Phoenix Tail Flower came into prominence, the Clown Captain seemed to have taken over her title of Bursting Flames.


    Lia urgently needed to prove herself.


    If everyone around her, including herself, doubted her, her mentality would probably break. Not to mention continuing as an adventurer, she wouldn''t even have the courage to continue living.


    Born as an illegitimate daughter and raised in the slums, Lia had gotten to where she was today purely through stubbornness. She believed herself to be like a sharp sword, able to cut through all hardships and obstacles.


    After washing her face, Lia felt her complexion improved somewhat.


    About to leave the place to make a deal with Lin Da, from the corner of her eye, she accidentally caught sight of several lines of large letters engraved under the dust on the yellowing wall.


    The handwriting was crooked, like that of a primary school student.


    It was from three years ago when the Snow Goose members playfully gathered and wrote down their dreams on the wall.


    The top line read: ''To become the strongest adventure team in White Dove City!''


    Lia stared blankly for a long time.


    She looked at the bottom row: ''To safely reach the top of the World Tree.''


    Suddenly, she understood a bit more,


    Neither she nor Lin Da had changed; perhaps from the beginning, they never truly understood each other.


    Her beliefs and battle Qi were as fiery as flames, while Lin Da was always reserved, as still as dead water.


    ...


    "The last Magic Potion belongs to me, Bursting Flames."


    After Gale left, a new prominent package appeared.


    Lia removed the hood she used to hide herself, proudly raised her head, her youthful cheeks supple and fair, her large eyes gleaming like red jewels.


    Before she emerged, people were discussing deciding the buyer of the last vial of Metal Destroyer by drawing lots.


    Lia''s assertive proclamation offended everyone present.


    Mindy, captain of the Earth Wolf Adventure Team, a 24-level Swordsman adventurer, stared at Lia unfavorably. First, he glanced at Lin Da and, upon seeing Lin Da''s lack of stance, swallowed his harsh words.


    Despite rumors of a falling out between Lin Da and Lia, no one could be sure of the truth.


    If there was still some old affection between the two, anyone who openly insulted Lia would be offending Lin Da.


    As captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, a rising future star, even many adventurers present who were above level 20 didn''t dare to offend him lightly.


    Everyone silently waited for Lin Da to take a stance.


    "You''re here too? Why didn''t I see you earlier?"


    Lin Da looked surprised.


    "I borrowed your bathroom." When she mentioned borrowing it, Lia''s demeanor was a bit unnatural, her tone cold and rigid.


    Lin Da nodded, "I''ll prepare an extra lot."


    There were 27 buyers in the living room, and he, along with Monica and Kafni, made 27 simple paper slips. Since there was one extra, they had to add another paper slip.


    "Did you not understand what I meant?"


    Lia took a deep breath and said, "I want you to sell me that potion."


    "Why?" Lin Da frowned in confusion, as it seemed to have no benefit.


    Lia clenched her teeth and took out her Savings Card: "There are 200,000 Gold Coins in here."


    Before leaving, Lia had already anticipated this predicament and had borrowed 50,000 coins from each team member in advance.


    "Hey, this is unfair competition!"


    The captain of the Earth Wolf Adventure Team, Mindy, couldn''t sit still any longer. His face darkened as he said:


    "200,000 gold coins, the Earth Wolf Adventure Team can also bring it out. Miss Lia, if you want to, you might as well draw lots like everyone else. It''s fair for everyone."


    Fair?


    Lia clenched her fists. She used to be Lin Da''s team leader; wasn''t it normal for her to receive some preferential treatment?


    Lin Da did not answer, but Kafni snorted, "You don''t even have the attitude of asking for a favor. Shouldn''t you bring out the panda to see first? Isn''t that common sense?"


    Lately, Kafni had been reading a lot, and his head was muddled.


    "Are you insulting me?"


    "Enough, both of you."


    Lin Da placed a cardboard box as a drawing box on the table: "Whoever draws it gets it."


    This gesture won the favor of those present.


    If Lin Da really sold the potion to Lia, they might not say it, but they would inevitably bear some resentment.


    When Lin Da took a stand, the many adventurers in the room no longer held back their disapproval of Lia, which they visibly showed on their faces.


    Kicking Lin Da out and then coming to monopolize the potion, aren''t you shameless?


    The people did not say it, but everything they wanted to say was apparent on their faces.


    Lia had a belly full of fire, and this silent cold treatment was the most discomforting.


    She wanted to pick a fight but didn''t even know whom to fight.


    Moreover, standing opposite her were a group of Rock-level adventurers!


    Lia only felt as though these people were like annoying goblins, all pressuring her, the only "human" being Lin Da, not on her side but blending in with the goblins. Especially the biggest, leader-level stubborn goblin.


    In plain terms, Lia was isolated, like the one who doesn''t fit in the class.


    She frowned, joined the long line, and became just an ordinary member in the small cabin, indistinguishable from the other adventurers who had come to make a purchase.


    At Lin Da''s place now, she got no special treatment.


    When it was Lia''s turn to draw, she looked up at Lin Da.


    Lia herself didn''t know what she was waiting for, perhaps subconsciously, she wanted some proof that she was different from the others.


    That she was not like those ordinary adventurers.


    Even if Lin Da despised and loathed her, it would be okay.


    However,


    Lin Da didn''t say anything, just calmly looked at her.


    Dawen''s voice suddenly emerged in Lia''s ear:


    Is it okay even if you''re forgotten?


    Under the gaze of many eyes, Lia''s mouth twitched.


    ''I''ll kick Phyllis out, and you come back.''


    The conciliatory words she wanted to say paused, turning into a faint scoff.


    She took out the paper slip from the drawing box and walked aside.


    The hand clenching the paper slip trembled a bit. Lia didn''t know whether she was relieved she hadn''t said something stupid or disappointed in herself for not having the courage to speak up.


    "Everyone open theirs," Lin Da said.


    "��Yes! I won!"


    A young elf with short hair jumped up excitedly.


    Lia stared at the person in dismay.


    She hadn''t even opened her paper slip yet.


    Luck''s goddess was not on her side.


    She was not the protagonist of this adventuring story.


    Lia slowly clenched the paper slip and put it in her pocket.


    The lucky elf boy named Wenlai, a level 20 Archer.


    Wenlai paid 100,000 gold coins and obtained the last Magic Potion.


    Wenlai left happily with the Magic Potion, and the others sighed in resignation, gradually dispersing.


    Adventurers passed by Lia, like the downstream flow of a tide while she stood there like a stake, bewildered.


    As the adventurers brushed past Lia, inevitably bumping shoulders, Lia though stationary, was jostled around, and some showed clear annoyance, as they disliked her blocking the way.


    Across the crowd, Lia looked towards Lin Da inside the house.


    The girl pursed her lips, her gaze fragile, as if seeking help.

 Chapter 141: 126. Scrap God and the Reward Girl

    ```But Lin Da didn''t notice her gaze, he was discussing something with Isa, laughing and jovial.


    Lin Da wouldn''t help her anymore. Lia''s face turned pale as she faced this harsh reality.


    As she stepped outside, Lia felt her steps were floating, her body seemingly weightless, stumbling to and fro.


    "Sigh." A figure in robes sitting in a wheelchair beside her heaved a sigh.


    "I had guessed you wouldn''t make it, so I secretly followed you."


    Lia, her mind elsewhere, looked up in surprise: "Ai... Aiko, what are you doing here?"


    "I feared the captain might hang himself from a tree."


    The cloaked figure revealed blond hair, indeed it was Aiko, looking none too pleased.


    Though Aiko often mocked Lia, after three years of companionship, she had developed a certain fondness for the red-haired dwarf. Besides, Snow Goose genuinely needed that potion.


    "I messed up, I didn''t get the potion." Today Lia was somewhat vulnerable, not as tough-talking as usual.


    "There''s still a chance." Aiko said with a mysterious smile.


    On a deserted street, Aiko and Lia suddenly appeared, blocking the luck-struck elven young boy Wenlai.


    "Little brother, your sister here has something she wants to discuss with you." Aiko said with a soft, gentle smile. However, under the dark, windy night sky, dressed in a black robe, that smile seemed chilling.


    "What do you want to do? I am just a kitchen boy!" Wenlai stepped back in terror.


    "Don''t worry, sister isn''t interested in you, all right?" Aiko said, eyes smiling: "You have the potion in your possession, right? I''ll buy it for twice the price."


    "You''re from ''Stargrave Adventurers'', right? The average level of your team members is 21, you haven''t even cleared the 11th floor yet. By the time you reach the 13th floor, the first kill of the hidden Magical Creatures would have already been claimed by Ice Flower."


    "You won''t even get the subsequent kills...not any of them. Now, I''m offering 200,000 gold for your potion, it''s a guaranteed profit for you."


    Wenlai''s expression shifted again and again.


    This big sister made some very compelling points.


    Plus, if he didn''t sell, something terrible might happen.


    Wenlai grumbled and reluctantly pulled out the silver potion.


    "Aiko, thank you."


    Having obtained the potion, the two were on their way back to Snow Goose when Lia suddenly spoke out.


    Read new chapters at M-V-L


    Aiko gave her a surprised look.


    This powder keg was actually being open with her gratitude?


    If you had been like this earlier... how could Lin Da have left Snow Goose?


    On second thought, it''s also thanks to Lia not being too clever.


    Otherwise... Aiko had a myriad of emotions in her heart, probably nobody else would have had a chance.


    ...


    ...


    Meanwhile, at a nearby coffee shop.


    This coffee shop, located in Sparrow District, is quite luxurious, with clean floors, neat round tables, and a pianist playing soothing music.


    A girl with silver waterfall-like hair sat by the window, her stunningly beautiful profile captivating attention from patrons all around.


    The girl was transfixed, staring at the young man opposite her: Lin Da was doing a final review of Ice Flower team members'' information.


    After all the adventurers had left, Lin Da was invited by Isa to this coffee shop to discuss strategies for the 13th floor.


    Since returning from Red Heart City, Lin Da would intermittently work on strategizing.


    Isa''s requirement was to avoid any deaths or serious injuries, so he didn''t have to spend as much time strategizing as he did while with Snow Goose.


    Of course, the main reason was that Ice Flower''s members worked harmoniously together, their number was greater, and their overall strength exceeded that of Snow Goose.


    "We can start the day after tomorrow at the earliest, is that okay with you?"


    Lin Da packed the materials, rubbed his slightly sore brow, and sipped the coffee on the table.


    Not hearing a response, Lin Da spoke in surprise: "Miss Isa?"


    "Ah."


    As if she had been startled awake, Isa said somewhat flustered: "No problem, we''ve always been preparing for the 13th floor, I''ve watched quite a few strategy videos too."


    "Are you feeling hot? Why is your face red?" Lin Da thought it was strange, recalling the last time they dined together, the Ice Flower Captain had been very composed. How had she suddenly turned into a shy girl this time?


    "Yes, it''s a bit hot." Isa drank her coffee to cover her embarrassment, feeling uneasy at the thought that the man before her might like her. S��arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She pretended to casually gaze out the window and nonchalantly asked: "Lin Da, do you have a girlfriend?"


    "Why sudden asking about that?" Lin Da, puzzled, replied: "No, I''m a perennial bachelor Mage."


    "What a coincidence, so am I." Isa''s pretty face showed a slight smile.


    Under the cafe''s warm yellow light at night, the girl in the white coat sitting opposite, her silver hair with a hint of graceful fragrance drifting over.


    Lin Da''s heart stirred: Everyone seems quite nice.


    Whether it''s Isa, Monica, Lulu, Aiko... Lin Da thought they were all exceptional girls.


    "If possible, I''d like you to join my team and become part of the family."


    Lin Da joked.


    There was a bet between them; if Phoenix Tail Flower climbed higher than Ice Flower, Isa would have to join his team. If he failed in three years, he would honor the agreement.


    Getting back to the subject, Isa was confident, once again the beautiful and composed Ice Flower Captain, almost like she was proclaiming victory: "Lin Da, I will make sure you become a member of Ice Flower."


    "I return that sentence to you, exactly as is." Lin Da spread his hands.


    Half an hour later, they settled on a start date for the strategy: noon, two days from now.


    When they stepped out of the coffee shop to settle the bill, Lin Da reached for his Savings Card but found Isa had already paid.


    Waving goodbye at the door, he thought to himself: She really is a mature girl. Compared to her, Lia seems to be aging in reverse.


    ```

 Chapter 142: 126. Scrap God and Reward Girl_2

    The petite figure with red hair, in recent days, had been fading more and more from Lin Da''s mind.In the initial days after leaving the team, he would often recall the moments spent with Lia, Snow Goose, and the others, but as new team members arrived one after another, his empty heart seemed to be filled, making it hard to remember those past events.


    Time indeed erases everything.


    Lin Da thought quietly to himself.


    Whether happy or sad, as time passed, everything seemed to smooth over like wind over sand, erasing all traces.


    "Popcorn~ Fresh popcorn, 5 copper coins a cup~" a street food cart attracted Lin Da''s attention, he fished in his pocket, the smallest denomination was a gold coin.


    The popcorn seller was an old man missing a leg, mostly those are retired adventurers who got injured in the Mystic Realm.


    Lin Da handed over a gold coin, "Three buckets of original flavor; keep the change."


    The old man looked up, a hint of surprise in his cloudy eyes, sized up Lin Da, and placed his right hand on his chest praying: "May the World Tree Goddess bless you."


    ...


    Click.


    Back at the rental, Lin Da dropped the bag on the ground.


    Sounds of water were coming from the washroom, probably Lulu taking a shower; Kafni had claimed the small bed early, and her snoring reached the outside.


    Meanwhile, Monica stood anxiously in front of him, holding a strangely shaped gold coin suspended by a string, swinging it back and forth like a pendulum, whispering softly:


    "Dark Elf, help me hypnotize Lord Captain into a puppet that can be controlled at will..."


    Lin Da''s facial muscles grew more and more relaxed as if he were truly ''hypnotized''.


    That odd-looking gold coin was clearly a fake, who knows where Monica had gotten it from.


    But Lin Da was quite curious to see what Monica would do with his hypnotized self.


    Seeing him completely relaxed, Monica blinked in surprise and commanded, "Touch your left cheek, bend over, stand up."


    The girl tentatively issued a series of orders, and Lin Da actually did all of them; this made Monica''s cheeks flush red, and her heart beat faster, pointing at the living room couch: "Do, do push-ups!"


    Was it to retaliate against the self in her dreams?


    Although puzzled, Lin Da still did as he was told.


    But the next scene almost made him have a nosebleed!


    When he set himself up on the sofa, ready to go down, Monica, the little clever ghost, shakily crawled into his arms,


    The girl''s big eyes looked up in fear and longing, her small hands clasped in front of her in prayer, her two white silk legs tightly clamped together, nervous as a small animal targeted by a hunter.


    What was this all about?


    Lin Da was quite shocked inside, his memory of Monica had her as a very proper and well-behaved team member; why hypnotize him to do such a misleading act?


    An idea suddenly lit up in his mind:


    In the game, Monica was 15 years old, but three years passed since he traveled here, Monica had fully matured, and no one knew what she had gone through during these three years. Recalling the entrance to that small western-style house, the garbage bags full of tissues, and the strange smell...


    Lin Da''s face paled, his heart felt as if ten thousand horses were stampeding through it.


    Could it be that Monica had turned into a useless prize girl?!


    Sweat trickled down Lin Da''s forehead; this push-up was somehow impossible to continue.


    The girl''s warm breath less than 20 centimeters from his cheek reached him, her healthy figure catching attention, and her face growing redder.


    Perhaps thinking he was still ''hypnotized,'' unable to remember anything,


    Monica bravely reached out her small hands, encircling his neck, her eyes sparkling like stars, and from her rosy lips, she uttered a few trembling words:


    "Monica feels for Lord Captain..."


    No, she couldn''t say more!


    A demon inside Lin Da writhed, ready to break free at any moment!


    At the same time, the door to the washroom opened; it was Lulu, having finished her shower, walking out,


    This situation was extremely bad,


    Lin Da tensed up internally; if Lulu saw this scene, she would most likely think he had initiated something with Monica, which was not beneficial for raising trust to 100.


    "Huh, where is this, wasn''t I just at the door?"


    Lin Da pretended to wake from his hypnosis, seeing Monica below him, he stood up ''in disbelief'': "What exactly happened?"


    "Ah, Lord Captain..." Monica was startled and quickly hid the hypnotizing gold coin behind her.


    Big Lolita ran into the bedroom, covered her head with a blanket, played ostrich, and ignored all of Lin Da''s questions.


    The next moment, the washroom door opened.


    Lulu was dressed in a pair of tight black shorts and a white sporty tube top, wiping her steaming hair with a towel draped around her neck.


    Upon seeing Lin Da, she paused for a moment, then nodded lightly, "You''re back, how did it go over there?"


    "I''ll be assisting Ice Flower in conquering the thirteenth floor the day after tomorrow," Lin Da stretched lazily, pretending nothing happened and asked, "It''s so late, will you stay or go to the inn?"


    "This place is too small," Lulu frowned. It suggested that if the house were bigger, she wouldn''t mind staying over, especially since she was also a member of the Phoenix Tail Flower.


    A house, huh... I''ll go to the Inner City District tomorrow to see if there are any affordable ones.


    Lin Da''s current rental cabin was indeed too cramped, with only one bed and a pitifully small living room.


    As the number of people in his squad increased, he would definitely need a larger house.


    He counted the gold coins in his hand: selling three bottles of Metal Destroyer earned 300,000 gold, plus the winnings from the World Tree Secret Realm...he had a total of 341,540 gold coins on his savings card.


    A villa in the central area was definitely unaffordable, but the prices were cheaper at the edges.


    While pondering this, Lin Da escorted Lulu downstairs.


    "Oh, there''s something I need to tell you," Lulu hesitated, then suddenly turned around and called out to him.


    "What is it?"


    At night, the dim light of a street lamp fell between them, enveloping the surroundings in a strange solemn atmosphere.


    Lulu, "Do you know about the ''Heaven Rewards the Diligent System''?"


    Lin Da, "..."


    Didn''t I tell you to keep it a secret and not to tell anyone!


    "What is that? I have no idea," Lin Da shook his head "cluelessly."


    "Is that so?" Lulu looked skeptical.


    Lin Da watched as Lulu left, and only then did he breathe a sigh of relief and return to the rented cabin.


    The disobedient Beastmen girl still needed to be guided tonight.


    Continue your adventure with M-V-L


    Night.


    [System notification: 1 Potential Guidance Coupon consumed, team member Lulu''s strength increased by 30!]


    Collapsed in sweat atop the rooftop in her dream, Lulu fell once again.


    ...


    Lin Da did not sleep very soundly that night.


    He slept on the living room couch, awakened in the middle of the night by the noise of Kafni''s craft, and buried his head in distress under the blanket, wondering whether to remind Kafni.


    It is said that a girl''s joy is more than ten times that of a boy, and it lasts longer.


    If this continues, Kafni will truly become a Scrap God!


    He awoke for the second time in the late night.


    While going to the restroom, Lin Da heard a faint hum.


    It was soft, so unlike Kafni''s typically loud and bold voice that considered others as if they were in a deep sleep...


    Lin Da''s heart suspended, as if he had become the protagonist of "O''s Void," treading on thin ice as he pushed the bedroom door open a crack.


    The girl''s voice came intermittently:


    "Lord... ying ying..."


    Lin Da silently closed the door.


    He sat on the couch, pensively massaging his temples.


    In the cold and lonely night, he once again recalled the scene when Monica shyly wrapped her arms around his neck while doing push-ups.


    He was right.


    Three years had passed, and Monica had come of age.


    One should not treat her as a little girl just because she looks young.


    Adult adventurers have their own needs, an inevitable impulse brought on to ensure the survival of their race.


    "But I can''t bring myself to do it..." S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da sighed deeply.


    The guilt of touching those white, slender legs was too much for him.


    He preferred someone more mature over a Lolita.

 Chapter 143: 127, Glorious Adventurer Badge, a reward from the committee

    Lin Da was woken up for the third time at seven in the morning.Thud thud thud!


    Thud thud!


    The intense knocking continued incessantly.


    Lin Da sat up from the sofa with annoyance, who would disturb him so early in the morning?


    Opening the door, the scene outside was unexpected, with dozens of dark magic guide microphones striking at him like goblin swords.


    The faces of reporters from various newspapers were filled with frenzy, eagerly throwing out questions:


    "Eye of True Knowledge sir, how do you view the acquisition of the Honorary Adventurer Badge?"


    "What is your motive for releasing this strategy for free? Are you planning to ''sell products'' once your fame reaches a certain level, shearing the adventurer''s leek?"


    "Having killed the Goblin Chieftain, your strength is evident for all to see, yet the leader of Snow Goose claims you were too weak and that''s why you were kicked out of the team, how do you explain this?"


    Lin Da was bombarded by these reporters right off the bat, somewhat ruffled, while behind him, Kafni and Monica were also woken up, groggily dressed in their pajamas, side by side emerging from the bedroom.


    Reporter Kami''s face suddenly flushed with excitement, the kind that comes with catching big news: "Is this��is this��triangulation? The leader of Phoenix Tail Flower has this kind of interest?"


    Click click click!


    The shutters of the Magic Guide Camera were pressed nonstop, frenziedly capturing the clueless faces of the two team members.


    The drool at the corner of Kafni''s mouth and Monica''s partially exposed delicate shoulder seemed to testify to last night''s revelry.


    Lin Da shouted in frustration, which temporarily made the crowd of reporters settle down a bit.


    He first took a sip of water, moistened his throat, and allowed his thoughts to return to normal��clearly, the strategy had spread.


    This was a good thing as it could reduce adventurer casualties. However, inevitably, as the leader of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, becoming a ''celebrity'' had its advantages and disadvantages...


    The advantage was quite clear: he had gained prestige, an intangible asset that could bring convenience in many areas.


    The downside was... he worried that some high-ranking four-star or even five-star characters, bearing grudges and wandering outside, might recognize him and come knocking on his door.


    Lin Da, helplessly faced with the microphones of the reporters, dug into his mind for a standard and proper statement to avoid becoming a noticeable target like Gale,


    He cleared his throat and said:


    "The first question, about the adventurer badge. As an adventurer who has only reached the third level, I am flattered and will continue to produce strategies with an even firmer, more solid, diligent, upright, and reflective attitude."


    "For this, I thank the vast number of adventurers, the recognition from White Pigeon City Hall, the help of my team members..."


    "I must also thank..."


    "Continuing to thank..."


    "In order to make better strategies, I need to...%��&��%&%...&"


    Blah blah blah.


    Lin Da rattled off a standard civil servant exam template, so dull it could put a baby to sleep.


    Anyone could see, there was not a bit of sincerity in his rote, perfunctory statement.


    But Lin Da ultimately overlooked one thing.


    The ''empty talk culture'' in Another World was far behind compared to his previous world!


    Upon hearing it, the reporters'' expressions changed.


    Not only to be ''firm and steady'', but also ''diligent and upright''?


    To produce such an exquisite strategy, Lin Da wasn''t thinking about promoting products or harvesting adventurers'' leeks,


    but instead ''reflecting'' on where he could improve?


    His words of thanks, firstly to the broad mass of adventurers, then to the White Pigeon City Hall, and putting his own team members last... this was both humility and a significant appreciation for his team members!


    No wonder the Lord Mayor decided to award Lin Da the Glorious Adventurer Badge��it was well-deserved!


    The many reporters all showed their respect.


    "Ahem, moving on to the last question." Lin Da hadn''t realized where the problem lay, only feeling that the reporters'' expressions were a bit odd.


    He said, "Regarding the departure from the Snow Goose team, it was just a regular exit, there''s not as much intrigue as you all think." S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kami passed over the microphone: "What''s the current relationship between Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose? If you meet them in the Great Mystery Continent, would you fight over their resources?"


    Under the rules set by the World Tree, each adventure team''s quantity of resources they can gather is fixed; to want more, one would have to take from other teams.


    But adventure teams from the same city tend to have an alliance relationship in the Great Mystery Continent, and would not act against each other unless it''s extremely severe.


    Read new chapters at M-V-L


    Facing Kami''s question, Lin Da replied, "There should... hopefully be no issues."


    Potentially?


    People sensed something unusual.


    On the day the Great Mystery Continent opens, perhaps, more explosive news could be unearthed.


    ...


    It took a whole hour for Lin Da to finally send the group of reporters away.


    Early in the morning, without having done anything yet, Lin Da already felt drained, as if he''d just conquered a Mystic Realm.


    And Kafni and Monica seemed quite drained as well...


    Lin Da sighed internally, choosing to turn a blind eye.


    "Team leader, what exactly is the Glorious Adventurer Badge?" Monica curiously asked.


    Kafni was also quite concerned: "Can it be sold for money?"


    "Less than ten adventurer badges have been issued by White Pigeon City, such a precious thing, how could it possibly be sold for money?" Lin Da said.


    Having an adventurer badge at the Adventurer''s Guild brings VIP-level treatment, with personal handlers for various affairs and priority processing.


    The most impressive thing is the attainment of the title of Lord of Glory, becoming a lifetime noble!


    The Lord of Glory has no actual power; its main function is to grant adventurers noble status.


    Upon encountering nobles below a Marquis, no need to salute, and one can receive a hundred gold coins as imperial stipend every month.


    These coins may not seem like much, but they are enough to comfortably retire an adventurer who encounters an accident and can no longer continue adventuring.

 Chapter 144: 127, Glorious Adventurer Badge, a reward from the committee_2

    It meant that a major concern had been taken care of by the empire.Upon hearing this, Monica waved her little fist with pride: "Lord Captain is so amazing."


    Lin Da smiled and said, "This badge belongs to the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team."


    After the three had washed up and were ready to leave, a messenger from the city hall arrived.


    The other party was a civil servant dressed in navy blue suit and tie, respectfully handing over an invitation with a White Dove totem to Lin Da.


    "Please make sure to attend. In the afternoon, Mayor Adel eagerly awaits your arrival!"


    "I will go."


    Lin Da nodded solemnly.


    ...


    After breakfast, they took a carriage to the Inner City District.


    "The house is nice, but it''s too expensive."


    Lin Da came out of Clear Spring Community somewhat regretfully.


    They had just viewed a two-story villa covering 200 square meters of land.


    The area was decent, only a 20-minute walk from the World Tree, but the price had accordingly shot up, costing a total of 500,000 gold if paid in full.


    They then visited a more secluded area, but the prices were still quite steep, with the cheapest being around 200,000 gold.


    This put Lin Da in a dilemma; buying a house meant no money for equipment.


    He was short of a main weapon with "Spell Penetration" or "Aquatic Monster Special Attack," any of which would cost at least several tens of thousands of gold, not to mention the equipment for Kafni and Monica...


    "We''ll buy it later, priority should be given to the squad''s strength for now."


    Lin Da thought helplessly.


    Afternoon.


    He and his team members arrived at the city hall to participate in the award ceremony.


    The ceremony took place on the first floor of the hall, with many officials standing on both sides to welcome them.


    The mayor was a blond old man around fifty, his beard meticulously groomed, dressed in a white suit, leaning on his ceremonial staff. Despite smiling, his square face emitted an awe-inspiring dignity that made one''s heart tremble.


    Looking at him, Lin Da felt as though he was looking up at a towering mountain.


    A retired adventurer of at least Star Rank, and above level 35.


    "Lin Da, in recognition of your contributions to the larger community of adventurers, after committee deliberation, the unanimous decision was made to award you the Glorious Adventurer Badge."


    Mayor Adel, with a beaming smile, took a gold circular badge from a tray held by his assistant.


    The background pattern was a dove with spread wings, featuring a raised relief of an armored adventurer with a thin sword held upright in front of him, like a warrior ready to sacrifice himself for the empire at any moment.


    "I thank the committee and Lord Mayor," Lin Da saluted, and then, with the affable assistance of Mayor Adel, he pinned on the Glorious Adventurer Badge.


    He shook hands with Adel, both men wearing courteous smiles, a scene eagerly captured by the snapping photographers.


    "In addition to this badge, the committee has another gift for the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team."


    Adel handed over a transparent document bag to Lin Da.


    "This is...?"


    Lin Da took it with surprise and looked inside the bag.


    "Wow!" Kafni exclaimed without any image-conscious restraint, her face beaming with joy as she gave Adel a thumbs-up: "Old guy, you''ve got good judgment, this present is absolutely divine... cough, cough, I''m keeping it, Your Grace!"


    Adel laughed heartily, "This young lady is interesting. The members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team are all formidable indeed."


    "That''s right," Kafni arrogantly accepted Adel''s praise.


    And about that folder �� inside it were a deed for a villa in Goldfinch District and a set of keys!


    Goldfinch District, located at the very center of White Dove City, is a prime location where every inch of land is worth its weight in gold.


    Those who live there are either wealthy or noble, including rock-level squads and nobles, and the residence of the White Dove Adventure Group is also located there.


    Written on the deed, the villa covered an area of 330 square meters... considering the Goldfinch District''s location, buying this villa would cost around 1 million gold.


    No wonder Kafni was so excited.


    Such a large villa could not only accommodate three or four team members but three or four dozen! S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once the award ceremony ended, Lin Da and his team members set off for their new home without delay.


    Goldfinch District.


    The three of them gazed up in astonishment at the white villa before them.


    The villa had three floors and resembled a castle, with a wooden plaque in the shape of a goldfinch at the pinnacle. Stirred by the wind, the plaque rotated, emitting the clear sound of birds chirping.


    The exterior features a garden, with a neatly manicured lawn.


    Lin Da thought that planting some holly along the sides of the corridor would look nice. The empty spaces inside could be used to grow cucumbers, tomatoes, and the like, available to pick and eat at any time.


    Opening the door, the three of them crossed the hallway and filed into the spacious living room.


    The interior of the villa was quite empty, furnished only with basic magical furnishings like magic chandeliers.


    Lin Da took a walk around and found that on the first floor there were two washrooms and two training rooms, the material of which was a special magic-resistant material that could withstand the impact of Battle Qi magic power below level 30.


    There was also a study and a lounge...


    The second floor contained the bedrooms for the team members, eight in total.


    Each one was equipped with magic amplification arrays of different attributes. Inserting a Demon Core would activate the array, speeding up the adventurer''s training.


    Monica and Kafni excitedly chose their favorite rooms, running up and down the hallway like two little explorers.


    Lin Da went up to the third floor, where there was a spacious activity hall with a podium-like area in front where team meetings could be held, or parties thrown.


    Standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling glass wall, looking out at the clear blue sky and white clouds, a sense of comfort surged in Lin Da''s heart.


    That such a large house actually belonged to the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team...


    The huge change in environment left Lin Da feeling somewhat dazed. Everything in front of him seemed like a dream, unreal; just a day before they had been living in a rundown shack, but now they were firmly standing in their own million-dollar mansion, feeling a bit surreal.


    Speaking of which, this was Lin Da''s second time buying a villa.


    But his mood was the complete opposite of the last time; instead of excitement, he felt a great sense of relief, as if his previously uncertain life had finally settled down.


    It was the sound of Monica and Kafni upstairs that snapped him out of it.


    Kafni said, "This is way too empty, we need to buy some furniture, decorate a bit!"


    Lin Da came back to his senses and smiled, "Yeah."


    He looked around the empty activity hall and quietly thought to himself, take it slow, new things would gradually fill this void in the villa.


    Kafni was in charge of purchasing furniture and household supplies from the market.


    Lin Da went with Monica back to their small rental, to pack up their belongings.


    From today, they would settle in the Inner City District.


    By the time they took a carriage back to the small rental, it was already dark.


    The streetlights in the community were glowing a dim yellow, flickering on and off, attracting swarms of insects that circled beneath them like headless flies.


    Lin Da held Monica''s small hand and arrived downstairs.


    Upon looking up, he discovered someone standing at their doorstep.


    From the silhouette, it looked like a man of around 1.7 meters tall, clad in a black robe, looking around suspiciously. Enjoy more content from M-V-L


    A thief?


    "What are you doing?" Lin Da abruptly went upstairs and put his hand on the shoulder of the sneaky person in the black robe.


    From a distance, Monica anxiously drew her magic wand, brewing an Earth Bombardment spell aimed at the figure in the black robe.


    If this guy dared make a move, she would blast him straight away.


    "Ah!"


    The person in the black robe was startled, nearly jumping on the spot, and when he turned around and saw Lin Da''s face, he finally let out a breath of relief and took off his hat.


    "Teacher Lin Da, please hear my plea for help!"


    The black-robed person said excitedly and then knelt on the ground with a thud!


    Lin Da and Monica were both a bit confused; so... not a thief?


    The person spoke at breakneck speed, "Please, you must help me, or else I''ll be kicked out of the team by that devil Lia!"


    Lia?


    Lin Da frowned, "First, lift your head up."


    "Yes, yes." The person in the black robe smiled sheepishly and stood up.


    It was then that Lin Da recognized him.


    Their last ''encounter'' had been on the night he left the team, when Lia had handed over a resume.


    ''Being replaced doesn''t matter to you?''


    With those words, Lia slapped the resume in front of Lin Da.


    This black-robed person, showing no dignity and kneeling to ask for help, was none other than Snow Goose, the current Healer and graduate of the White Dove Noble Academy, Phyllis!


    "Why have you come to me?" Lin Da asked in surprise. Since Phyllis didn''t want to be kicked out by Lia, he should have been even less likely to seek him out.

 Chapter 145: 128. Phyllis: Lia is just a Shar Pei

    ```This scene, if witnessed by Lia, would certainly result in her kicking Phyllis out on the spot��the young lady had high hopes for Phyllis, and now he was coming to ask for my help. Wouldn''t that be akin to saying Lia has poor judgment and indirectly slapping her face?


    Phyllis''s expression hardened, as he made his stance clear, "Forgive my blunt words, but Lia is a Shar Pei."


    Lin Da: "..."


    Silenced in an instant.


    However, Phyllis lacked the awareness that ''it''s wrong to talk about others behind their backs,'' and as soon as he started talking, it was like a dam bursting, endlessly beginning to complain:


    "Brother, as Snow Goose''s Healer, I truly understand you. Lia, that jerk, is a capitalist demon!"


    "I stayed up for several nights in a row to create a strategy, only for her to trash it, calling it worse than dogshit. Just out of the Mystic Realm, didn''t even have time to rest, and she''s making me come up with a 12th-floor strategy, or else I''m kicked off the team.


    I haven''t seen a single Gold Coin of adventure bonuses this month, and still, every damn day I have to hustle because of that red-headed dwarf... Even a donkey grinding at the mill would have it easier, right?"


    Hearing Phyllis''s complaints, Lin Da actually felt a sense of ''fellow sufferers commiserate.'' The person who understood him best wasn''t his old teammate of three years, but his yellow-haired replacement...


    The three entered the rented apartment and sat down at the round table.


    Lin Da only had instant red tea available, so he brewed a cup for Phyllis.


    Monica, shy by nature, sat beside him like a kitten in a strange new place. When Phyllis greeted her friendly, Monica nervously buried her head in Lin Da''s chest.


    "She''s a bit introverted, please don''t mind it," Lin Da said, holding Monica''s small hand, smiling.


    Is this introversion? More like ultimate social anxiety.


    Phyllis thought with a puzzled expression.


    He took a sip of the red tea, instant, not very tasty.


    As the son of a noble, Phyllis was used to drinking red tea hand-brewed by lovely maids with their delicate hands. But since he was the one asking for help, he took a sip and exclaimed with feigned admiration,


    "It truly befits red tea brewed by Mr. Eye of True Knowledge��mature, sophisticated flavor, simply marvelous~"


    If you can''t compliment sincerely, better not to bother at all.


    Lin Da''s face twitched a little, and he asked, "So, since you hate Lia so much, why are you still with Snow Goose?"


    "I have no choice, it''s a task my father has given me," Phyllis sighed, "The family has been wanting to expand business into Red Heart City, and we can''t overlook the help of the local heavyweights, The Mandalas! Lia is the young lady of The Mandalas. If I became her teammate, perhaps I could get The Mandalas'' support."


    Phyllis''s expression became serious as he revealed his true intentions. He took out a Savings Card from his chest, his eyes intensely focused on Lin Da, and said,


    "Please, you must help me. I need the 12th-floor strategy to prove myself to Lia, or she''ll really kick me out! There''s 30,000 Gold in this card, just for a strategy for the 12th floor. It doesn''t have to be detailed, just enough to get by!"


    Lin Da questioned with suspicion, "I''ve never been to the 12th floor. You trust me that much?"


    "Ha, just kidding, anyone willing to coach Ice Flower from outside on the 13th floor, how could they be stumped by the 12th?"


    As Phyllis spoke, his expression grew serious: "Actually, I''ve seen some of those strategies you made before."


    "Uh, not that I meant to snoop, but Lia threw them in the trash, and I happened to see it," Phyllis explained.


    Lin Da''s expression remained unchanged. Just mentioning Lia no longer stirred any emotions.


    He hummed in acknowledgment, "It''s fine that she threw them away. They''ve already cleared the ninth floor, so they don''t need that strategy anymore."


    "No, what I mean to say is..."


    Phyllis took a deep breath, spread his arms wide, and made a grand gesture, "Incredibly awesome, absolutely stunning, it''s practically a textbook-level strategy!"


    "Although there were many terms, T, AP, ADC, and the like that I didn''t understand, still, I could somewhat guess their meanings. It''s hard to imagine someone understanding Magical Creatures to such an extent, almost like they''ve been living with them since childhood... In any case, you are my idol!"


    Phyllis, filled with excitement, stood up, taking out pen and paper he had prepared in advance: "Please, I must have your autograph!"


    "Um..."


    Lin Da scratched his head in distress.


    Phyllis grinned, pocketed the autograph, and then looked towards the Savings Card on the table. It seemed that Lin Da had no intention of accepting it.


    "About the strategy..."


    "I must refuse."


    Lin Da shook his head, "I need to prepare strategies for the Ice Flower Adventure Team and train my own teammates. I don''t have time to produce a strategy for you."


    Phyllis''s face changed, and he clenched his teeth, "I understand, the reward was too little, huh... Right, a solid strategy for the 12th floor, how could anyone accept 30,000 Gold Coins for it."


    With a slap, another Savings Card was laid on the table. Phyllis''s eyes were red, "60,000 Gold, please, you must agree!"


    In a show of sincerity, Phyllis knelt on the floor again, as if he would stay there until Lin Da agreed.


    Monica, startled by this scene, didn''t know what to do and timidly hid behind Lin Da,


    And Lin Da also found the situation tricky, trying to persuade kindly,


    "Give me some other time, I could help you, but right now, it''s a bit tight."


    "You don''t have to start right now, three days, just within three days! That''s the last deadline Lia gave me!"


    Phyllis agonized, clutching his head, "If I get kicked out of Snow Goose, my father will definitely kill me! Please, be kind. The strategy doesn''t have to be very detailed, even severe injuries to teammates are fine, as long as no one dies, just making it through!"


    Phyllis was a typical Academic Faction commander, whose baseline for successfully passing was for the team to have no casualties. Injuries like those sustained by Oru, arm-breaking ones, were not even taken into account by Phyllis.


    His only mission was to ensure the adventure team made it through.


    If someone died, it was considered normal,


    And if no one did, it was all the better.


    By contrast, Lin Da aimed for the safety of all team members, which made his approach seem somewhat unconventional.


    ```


    Phyllis, seeing that Lin Da still didn''t plan to agree, grudgingly took out the last savings card, "With everything added together, it''s a total of one hundred thousand Gold Coins. Please!"


    Lin Da sighed.


    Seeing the sincerity in the Gold Coins...cough, seeing Phyllis''s sincerity, he accepted the three savings cards.


    "Let''s get this straight beforehand, it''s just a basic strategy guide, which might be quite rough, and forget about it being damage-free," he said.


    Phyllis was overjoyed, "As long as you agree! Then, I''ll come to pick it up in three days."


    "Don''t come here at that time, go to Villa No. 003 in the Goldfinch District."


    "Goldfinch District?"


    Phyllis was taken aback, "The one in the city center?"


    "Correct," Lin Da nodded.


    Phyllis struggled to find the words for a long while before finally uttering two, "Awesome."


    You couldn''t get a villa in the Goldfinch District for less than a million Gold Coins.


    Those who lived there were primarily business owners.


    Plus, the three Steel Level Adventure Groups of White Dove City were also located in the Goldfinch District.


    Having secured Lin Da''s promise, Phyllis returned to the Inner City District feeling relieved.


    Lia had been pestering him these past few days, and it felt like he had a huge stone weighing on his heart. Now that he had obtained Lin Da''s agreement, the stone had finally fallen, and he could sleep peacefully at last.


    On Lin Da''s side, he moved all his furniture onto the cart and returned to the villa.


    They were busy until late into the night before finally stopping to rest.


    The living room of the villa was still empty, but with tables and chairs set up and decorative paintings hung on the walls, it had become more lively and no longer seemed cold and sterile.


    In the bedrooms, everyone spread out their chosen bedding and put up some wallpaper. Looking at their bedrooms, which had been transformed anew, a sense of achievement naturally arose.


    Lin Da''s room was in the very center, with Monica right next to him, and Kafni heading to the far end of the hallway.


    After a simple dinner, the three of them said goodnight to each other in the hallway and entered their new bedrooms.


    Lying on the soft big bed, the Magic Circle on the ceiling activated, resembling a transparent skylight, displaying a view of the galaxy��beautiful, dazzling, and breathtaking!


    This environment, these facilities, were worlds apart from the rented shack.


    Feeling the softness of the big bed, Lin Da was filled with mixed emotions.


    He turned over to find a more comfortable position and opened the back house interface of the system.


    [System Prompt: Check-in successful, you have received 2200 Diamonds!]


    He casually checked the Hell Rift,


    Opening it, he saw three chibi-style team members being eaten by the Heart-Devouring Demonic Worm, with their little legs comically sticking out of the worm''s mouth.


    Then, with a gulp, the demonic worm swallowed the team members whole. sea??h th�� novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Challenge Failed]


    The red bold letters appeared on the interface. After waiting for a moment, the game restarted, and the team members tirelessly continued their efforts to challenge the demonic worm...


    "If I could join the battlefield, I should be able to clear this obstacle," Lin Da thought to himself. His healing output and super-high hit points could buy Lulu time to deal damage, and with his passive skill, [Captain''s Aura], increasing the damage of all team members by 10% within a ten-meter radius, it would significantly increase the success rate of passing the challenge.


    But with this Hell Rift, there was almost nothing he could do but ''watch''.


    Suddenly, he noticed a small red door appearing above the circular arena. Clicking on it, a list sprang up:


    [Free Challenge]


    [Earth Wolf Adventure Team, Challenge Difficulty: High]


    [Valiant Adventure Team, Challenge Difficulty: High]


    [Ice Flower Adventure Team, Challenge Difficulty: Difficult] Continue your journey at M-V-L


    [White Dove Adventure Group, Challenge Difficulty: Hell]


    [Today''s Refresh Count: 1]


    "Is this...an additional activity?"


    Lin Da blinked in surprise, the teams appearing in the challenge list were all groups he had encountered in reality.


    He tried clicking on the White Dove Adventure Group, and the scene abruptly shifted to a dojo-like open space.


    [Battle Starts]


    The three chibi-style members of Phoenix Tail Flower Team descended from the sky onto the left side of the dojo, while on the right, a magic array opened up, and a chibi-style male Swordsman with blue ponytail and white robe, squinting his eyes, stepped out.


    On either side were ''Mad Panther'' Jite and ''Observer'' Gale, with seven other distinctively featured team members behind them.


    Lin Da''s expression changed; the squint-eyed swordsman was none other than the Captain of the White Dove Adventure Group, ''Mind''s Eye'' Abner, a veteran Star-ranked adventurer!


    In the blink of an eye, as Mind''s Eye Abner drew and sheathed his sword, a light of slaughter erupted among the three members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    Kafni and Monica turned into black and white icons instantly, and Lulu entered a critical state, roaring as her Battle Qi turned jet black and her eyes flamed with red!


    This was...she was triggered into the second phase, Lulu was entering her Witch form!

 Chapter 146: 129, Four-Star Character: [Storm] Tasya

    Lulu, in her witch form, greatly increased in strength and managed to dodge the attacks of Heart''s Eye Abner consecutively.The Q-version tiny figure flickered back and forth in the dojo, like something out of an action blockbuster.


    However, the power of the White Dove Adventure Group was too overwhelming, and their numbers too great.


    Lulu didn''t last long before she too became a black and white avatar.


    Lin Da shook his head and returned to the free challenge page.


    Above were the rock-level adventure teams. With the current Phoenix Tail Flower team, there was a certain gap compared to the rock-level. To start with, they were significantly lacking in member count.


    Looking at any rock-level team, there were at least five members.


    His Phoenix Tail Flower team, fully tallied, had only four people, including Kafni the Summoned Beast.


    Noticing the [Today''s Remaining Refreshes: 1] below the challenge page, Lin Da clicked it.


    He was in luck this time; the challenge page refreshed, and there was one marked ''Easy''.


    [Panda Adventure Team]


    "This is the one."


    Lin Da clicked to confirm the challenge. The adventurers walking out of the teleportation array on the right side of the screen were all dressed in matching Panda team uniforms.


    The young leader of the group, seeing the healthy physiques of the Phoenix Tail Flower team members, seemed to lose his way.


    He was blown away by a direct hit from Monica''s Earth Bombardment.


    "This weak? They probably average below level 15; couldn''t even withstand a single Earth Bombardment."


    After dealing with the Panda Adventure Team, a system prompt popped up in front of Lin Da:


    [Challenge Success, you''ve received Defense Guidance Coupons x10, Strength Guidance Coupons x15, and a Furniture Little Bear Pattern Cup x1]


    "Not a bad reward."


    Lin Da nodded and placed the little bear cup in the Back House, thereby increasing the base diamond earnings by 100.


    The challenge page, now grey, could no longer be clicked. It seems there were only two challenge chances per day.


    At the very bottom of the page, there was a very familiar adventure team.


    [Snow Goose Adventure Team, Challenge Difficulty: Difficult]


    Looking at the name of this adventure team, Lin Da slightly lost his focus.


    To challenge his former team with the current team he led was a mix of complex emotions.


    "After passing the fourth level of the Mystic Realm, comes the fifth level, the Public Grand Secret Realm. To prevent Lia from pulling any tricks, it''s best to recruit some more members and improve Phoenix Tail Flower''s strength," Lin Da murmured to himself, with the images of several Four-Star Characters flickering through his mind.


    He had previously asked Lulu if she knew where the other Primordial team members were. Lulu''s answer was that she was not sure; she had only happened to encounter Monica.


    Those Four-Star Characters were each kicked out by Lin Da, leading them to leave the team individually, basically cutting off contact with each other.


    Lin Da wanted to take them to the top floor, but how to find them, to resolve their grudges against him... Just the mere thought gave him a headache.


    ... S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In South Rock City, a large entertainment facility. Stay connected with M-V-L


    At night, colorful lights flickered wildly. Exotic dancers flaunted their moves on stage, music blasted loud from magic devices, deafening to the ears.


    The adventurers below laughed and frolicked, waving flower tickets bought with gold coins, throwing them in heaps towards the stage.


    The place was filled with people of all races, though mostly males.


    Returning from the World Tree Secret Realm, they came here to release stress, indulging in beauty and alcohol...


    What could be seen around was a scene of unrestrained chaos.


    The night club owner would arrange beauties to attend to the adventurers. As long as the night''s entry fee was paid, one became a top-level guest here.


    However, in this chaotic paradise of desire, there was one maid who stood out as out of place.


    She didn''t belong to this club, but rather, she was a ''guest''.


    She wasn''t there for enjoyment, but rather to ''find someone''.


    "Are you Lin Da?"


    The voice, as mechanical as it was calm and without fluctuation, emerged from the cherry-colored lips of the maid.


    Her long silver hair, her tan healthy skin, slender in stature, she carried a large black suitcase which faintly smelled of magic stone gunpowder smoke, perhaps holding a rarely seen weapon: a Magic Cannon.


    The Magic Cannon had greater power than bows and arrows, the main weapon for a rare profession. However, the people in the club did not notice this, the strong scent of perfume and wheat beer masking the odor of magic stone gunpowder from the case.


    What garnered more attention was the woman''s appearance; her cold, forbidding beauty. She wore a black and white maid outfit, her long legs covered by white garter stockings, a seductive lace ribbon delving into the long skirt, wrapping around her waist.


    The flawless ivory further highlighted the enchantment of her tanned skin, giving off an exotic and mysterious vibe.


    Her eyes, serene as a lake, made the surrounding revelry seem like mere noise. Even when she saw several Beastmen ganging up to punish a blonde Elf, she remained indifferent, showing none of the shyness or fear of a normal woman.


    "What, Lin Da? What do you want with me?"


    A big man called out impatiently, turning around.


    The mysterious maid was immediately disappointed.


    What she saw was an ugly pig-headed face with a large black mole at the corner of his mouth.


    Could the face behind that ''master''s'' mask truly shine brighter than the stars, and not be this disgusting pig''s head?


    A thick disapproval showed uncompromisingly on the face of the mysterious woman, as if seeing a lump of excrement buzzing with green flies, sickened by the pig-headed man.


    She withdrew her gaze, picking up the large black case and walked toward the exit of the club.


    Her search for the ''Lin Da'' in South Rock City had once again proved fruitless.


    Since leaving the Scarlet Adventure Group, half a year had passed, and she still hadn''t found her ''master''. According to the agreement, she was to return to Red Heart City for a while, to fulfill her adventurer''s duty of exploring Mystic Realms.

 Chapter 147: 129, Four-Star Character: [Storm] Tasya_2

    Only upon entering the Mystic Realm could one grow stronger and gain recognition from that person.If Lin Da were here, he would immediately recognize the identity of the brown-skinned, silver-haired maid. sea??h th�� NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Four-Star Character, [Storm] Tasya!


    Like Lulu and Monica, Tasya, as an early game character, had strong advantages and disadvantages.


    Her advantage was her stable wind-based physical output; her Magic Cannon dealt more instantaneous damage than a bow. When fighting against Magical Creatures weak to "wind," her output was explosive, comparable to a five-star level character.


    However, her disadvantages were significant as well. Tasya''s Ultimate Skill at level 20 did not deal high damage, except against Magical Creatures weak to wind. At other times, she was far inferior to five-star characters.


    Of course, this was from Lin Da''s harsh perspective, and he compared her to five-star level characters.


    In Another World, Tasya''s talent was no less than Bilya''s.


    "Hey, girl, you think you can just touch Pig Grandpa''s shoulder and walk away? It''s not that easy."


    The pig-headed man lecherously reached out to grab Tasya''s waist.


    This mysterious brown-skinned maid piqued the interest of the pig-headed man, who, stimulated by wheat beer, completely failed to sense the deep Battle Qi radiating from her.


    "Trash, do you want to die?"


    The pig-headed man didn''t even see what happened, only hearing a chilling reprimand by his ear, like a bitter cold winter while wearing a thick coat, with an Ice Cone falling down the back of his neck, chilling him to the bone.


    Immediately after, his pig head was pressed to the ground with a bang, a black round-toed leather shoe wrapped around a white silk-stockinged foot stepping on his face, rubbing hard as if it was being used to wipe off dog poop!


    "Aaargh!"


    The pig-headed man grimaced in pain, nearly crying!


    As an adventurer of up to level 25, he didn''t even get a chance to resist and was trampled on the ground by the opponent like trash!


    "Fuck, it''s a Star-ranked adventurer!"


    "Where did she come from? She seems unfamiliar."


    "Old pig, don''t blame the brothers for not being righteous. Got to go, see you!"


    Seeing that the situation was not good, several Beastmen companions scrambled away, leaving only the pig-headed man named ''Lin Da'' in tears.


    He strained to raise his head and along the pristine thigh-high stockings he looked upwards��


    "Wah!"


    The pig-headed man screamed as the round-toed leather shoe plunged into his eye, plunging his vision into darkness!


    "Disgusting, worthless, trash... either die or change your name, you don''t deserve to be called ''Lin Da''."


    Tasya looked down on the pig-headed man with utter contempt.


    In her heart, only one person was worthy of that name.


    The captain of the Primitive Adventure Team, Dai Lian * Zhao Wo!


    And Dai Lian''s real name was what he told her in private when he called her into his room to clean up coffee spilled on the table.


    Continue your adventure with M-V-L


    His name was��Lin Da.


    Remembering that powerful, arrogant man who was like a Demon God, Tasya''s heart was filled with endless admiration.


    Even after being kicked out of the team, Tasya still regarded Lin Da as her only master, striving hard to become stronger and become a Star-ranked adventurer, all to be able to serve Lin Da once again.


    The pig-headed man only felt the strength in that beautiful leg growing stronger, his eyeballs nearly bursting, as he miserably shouted, "I''ll change it, I''ll change it right now, I won''t dare call myself Lin Da ever again!"


    "Hmph."


    Only then did Tasya lift her foot.


    She bowed slowly to the surrounding shocked crowd, picked up her suitcase, and left the nightclub.


    On the silent streets, the silver-haired maid looked at the night sky, her expression lost, unsure of where to go.


    Since Lin Da had disappeared, it had been three years, during which she searched for more than a hundred Lin Das, but without exception, none were the person she was searching for.


    "White Dove City... although the chances are slim, I''ll still look for him."


    Tasya boarded the carriage returning home.


    ...


    ...


    The next day, in the Goldfinch District.


    Lin Da''s villa had its doors broken through again.


    His original plan for today was to finalize the strategy for Phyllis and to continue perfecting Isa''s, but as soon as he got up, he was awakened by messengers from various companies.


    A famous adventure team will have many people eager to offer money.


    Lin Da carefully selected a few suitable companies, ensuring their quality was without error, he then accepted the endorsement deals.


    But he only took on three, to prevent the ''Eye of True Knowledge'' from degrading into an ''influencer'' who endorses products.


    Three endorsements, with a contract term of one year, earned Lin Da an income of 100,000 gold.


    The effort he exerted was merely taking photos with the team members holding the endorsed products, spending just two to three hours to complete it all.


    "Earning money is really easy," Kafni remarked.


    For this endorsement event, Lin Da had called Lulu over from the inn.


    Lulu hesitated, but after Lin Da grabbed her wrist and pulled her into the villa, she agreed to stay, choosing a room next to Lin Da''s on the right.


    After a busy afternoon, the merchants left one by one.


    Though physically tired, Lin Da and his teammates excitedly headed to the third-floor activity hall.


    He stepped on a chair below, while Kafni took charge of directing:


    "A bit to the left, the left! It''s all crooked!"


    What they were hanging on the wall was a huge poster.


    The poster featured a ''family photo'' of the four members of the Phoenix Tail Flower.


    "I''ll help you." Lulu frowned at Kafni, who was all talk and no action, brought over a chair, and hung it up beside Lin Da, one on each side.


    Lin Da gratefully said, "Thanks, you''ve been a big help."


    "It''s nothing," Lulu whispered. "We are teammates, after all."


    "Isn''t that obvious?" Lin Da shrugged, jumped down from the chair after hanging it, and walked over to Lulu. He extended his hand to the girl, "Be careful."


    "Mm..." As a Beastman, Lulu had great balance and physical fitness, but her face turned red when Lin Da reached out his right hand, and she placed her small hand in his.


    "Eh~" Kafni seemed to realize something, wearing a meaningful smile.


    Lulu felt a bit guilty and quickly let go of Lin Da''s hand: "I don''t need your help."


    "Ah?"


    Lin Da scratched his head in confusion.


    It was fine a moment ago; how did it become awkward so quickly?


    "By the way, this poster is really well made."


    He crossed his arms and looked forward. In the center of the giant poster was himself holding a decorative magic book, deep in thought.


    Kafni stood next to him holding three daggers, striking a cool pose.


    Monica clutched timidly at his sleeve, not daring to look at the camera. However, under the photographer''s instruction, she reluctantly managed to smile.


    She looked as though a robber was threatening her with a large knife on the side, making Monica''s left hand tremble as she formed a scissors gesture with her fingers, as if one could sense the trembling in that ''yeah'' word as well.


    It would be some time before Monica could overcome her social anxiety... Perhaps when Monica became a normal girl, Lin Da might be able to let go of his guilt and engage in actions common among adult adventurers.


    The team''s fourth member, Lulu, was in her classic ''none-of-my-business'' pose with hands in her pockets.


    Aside from Lin Da, the three teammates all looked rather eccentric in front of the camera.


    But together, they strangely harmonized.


    Snapping her fingers, Kafni said, "Shall we do it too?"


    "Do what?" Lin Da asked.


    "Of course, that thing you did with them when you were in Snow Goose!" Kafni said mysteriously.


    "Hmm?" Lulu''s beast ears twitched, her expression turning dark.


    "Don''t talk nonsense," Lin Da, noticing Monica was also looking at him with a ''so the captain is that kind of person'' shocked expression, hurriedly explained, "I''m still a single Old Mage."


    Upon hearing this, both Lulu and Monica relaxed.


    Kafni laughed heartily, saying, "What are you thinking? I meant, our adventure goals! You didn''t think of something else, did you?"


    "Adventure goals?"


    Upon hearing this, Lulu and the others were somewhat moved. This sort of thing felt very ''team''-like, like youthful episodes from comic books and storybooks.


    "Then let''s do it," Lin Da naturally had no reason to refuse.


    He took out a feather pen he carried with him, and walked with his teammates to the bottom of the poster: "Who''s first?"


    Lulu said, "You go first."


    Kafni also nodded, "Yeah, the captain should set an example. It would be awkward to let others write first."

 Chapter 148: 130, New Home, and Their Dreams

    Lin Da originally felt nothing, but when several team members stared at him with eager eyes, he inexplicably felt a bit nervous.Writing an overly sentimental adventure goal, it really was embarrassing.


    But his goal remained unchanged.


    It was still the same as it had been three years ago.


    Even with new team members and a new villa, Lin Da''s goal, or rather his dream, remained unchanged.


    He wrote neatly under the poster: ''Safely reach the summit of World Tree.''


    "Oh~ still the one from the rental house? You''re not too shy to write the real one, are you?" Kafni teased as she took the feather pen.


    "Not at all��adults have long passed the stage of being shy," Lin Da shrugged.


    Lulu''s gaze became even softer, like a tranquil spring water, silently watching Lin Da''s side face.


    The three team members took turns writing their adventure goals.


    Kafni: ''Defeat the Demon King, save the world!''


    Monica wrote: ''Adventure with the captain.''


    Lulu held the pen hesitantly for a long time, torn between writing casually or stating her true dream. That was what Kafni had said��it was a bit shy, awkward.


    "Go ahead, no one will laugh at you," Lin Da seriously said.


    With his encouragement, Lulu finally nodded her little head and bravely started writing after Monica''s words.


    ''Become someone whom everyone can trust.''


    Lin Da and the others looked at Lulu in surprise. Although their gazes were not malicious, they still made Lulu embarrassingly blush and she said with a feigned cold tone, "What, is there a problem?"


    "No problem." Lin Da thought for a moment, then said, "I think it''s a very great dream."


    "Monica thinks so too, Sister Lulu, very cool!"


    "Tch, adults here, embarrassing to death... uh oh!"


    Kafni had wanted to taunt a bit more, but was immediately chopped on the forehead by Lin Da''s palm knife, causing her to cry out in pain.


    "Damn it, playing favorites, aren''t you!"


    "In my team, you are at the bottom position, get that clear!" Lin Da said.


    "What?! I''m gonna make sure you''re left with not even a pair of stolen underwear aaaah!"


    "Pfft." Lulu saw them bickering with each other and couldn''t help but laugh out loud. This small laughter drew everyone''s attention, and the innocent Monica said, "Sister Lulu just laughed."


    "I did not." Lulu kept a straight face.


    "Definitely laughed." Lin Da also said.


    "I said no." Lulu''s face turned red.


    ...


    2 AM, the study.


    The magic lamp was on, and Lin Da stretched lazily at his desk, rubbing his sore eyes.


    On the desk, there were two stacks of strategies.


    One was from Isa, and the other was a simple strategy made for Phyllis.


    Looking up at the palm-sized exquisite magic clock, Lin Da sighed, "Up late again."


    Coming out from the three-story hall, the team members went off to wash up and sleep, while he had to finish making the strategy.


    Knock Knock.


    The sound of knocking echoed.


    Late at night, the room bright as daylight, a head throbbing... all these gave Lin Da a familiar feeling.


    "Come in," he said.


    The person who walked in was Lulu, sporting a pale blue short hair. Her cheeks glistened with sweat from exercise, wearing a black crop top and showing a slender waist but explosive power, the contours of a six-pack visible.


    Lulu, the one who came in, was carrying a round black tray, on which was a cup of hot milk.


    "It''s good for your health." Lulu placed the milk on the table.


    Lin Da held the cup, the temperature just right, not too hot, nor too cold.


    The other two team members were asleep, the silence of the deep night, his own bedroom, Lin Da stared blankly at the petite Beastmen girl in front of him, feeling a strong primal urge erupt within him, almost desperate to shed the title of perennial single old mage tonight.


    "You''re not about to go wild, are you?" Lulu glanced at him lightly, dousing the blazing flames.


    Right, she was his team member, still the kind who keeps herself clean, not likely to just do it.


    Lin Da, aware of his own lapse, coughed and adjusted his trousers to cover it up. He finished the milk, wiped his mouth and said, "I have something I want to ask you."


    "Tasya... do you know where Tasya is?"


    Lulu frowned, "Why ask about her?"


    "If I remember correctly, after you left Primordial, the next one to leave the team was Tasya. Didn''t she contact you?"


    Lin Da needed to increase the Phoenix Tail Flower''s personnel, and the most likely old team member he could recruit was Tasya.


    "I''m taking the cup; you should go to sleep soon too," she said.


    Lulu picked up the milk cup, calmly closed the door, and left.


    The hallway was unlit and dim.


    Clutching the cup, Lulu''s heart suddenly quickened as she slowly brought it to her lips.


    On the rim of the cup, there remained warmth and a trace of saliva.


    Lulu glanced at the tightly closed door behind her, pretending nothing had happened, and took the cup back to her own bedroom.


    ...


    At the same moment, in Red Heart City, at the estate of The Mandalas.


    "Welcome back."


    Dawen, clad in a white coat, rustled in the night wind.


    He stood firm like an unsheathed sword, his eyes flashing with a lightning-like brilliance that was startling.


    Then, Dawen moved, vanishing like a bolt of lightning, his sword thrusting straight toward the neck of the silver-haired maid!


    Composed, the maid opened her black suitcase, and the equipment inside quickly assembled into a dark magic cannon with a meter-long honeycomb-shaped barrel.


    She lifted it with a handle on top, channeled her power, and the cannon''s honeycomb launcher spun rapidly. Battle Qi entered, turning into a barrage of green wind bullets that rained down on Dawen as he charged forward!


    Da da da��


    Dawen''s long sword swung out shadows, like a solid umbrella that blocked all incoming bullets. With a sudden acceleration in his step, it was almost as if he teleported behind the maid.


    When a long-range shooter is approached by a swordsman... the outcome is decided!


    But then, black energy flickered in the maid''s azure eyes. With the help of this dark energy, her Battle Qi surged, enhancing her reaction and attack speed. Her long legs, clad in white lace stockings, crashed down on Dawen like a whip!


    With a thud,


    Dawen was forced back several meters, his feet digging into the ground and plowing a small trench about three centimeters deep.


    Feeling the turbulence of blood within and the numbness in his hands, Dawen couldn''t help but reveal a satisfying grin.


    "After a year, I thought you had gotten weaker. Tasya, you always inspire me to become stronger!"


    Dawen sheathed his sword, his face slightly flushed with excitement, his eyes filled with a light affection as he looked at the impassive silver-haired maid before him.


    Tasya''s demeanor made it clear to Dawen once again that before her master, he was utterly defeated.


    Not even qualified to compete in the arena against her.


    Tasya just stood quietly, making no response.


    "Still haven''t found him?" Dawen walked ahead, leading Tasya into the estate.


    "Yes."


    "It would be good to find him soon."


    "Do you really hope so?"


    A slight change appeared on Tasya''s usually unchanging poker face. "Finding the master means I will leave the Scarlet Adventure Group."


    "I know. The contract won''t make it difficult for you. Your contributions to the Scarlet Adventure Group are plenty; I hope you can fulfill your wish."


    Dawen laughed carelessly, still confident and proud despite being a loser, "By the way, who exactly is your master? I''m quite free lately; maybe I could help you look."


    "Dai Lian * Zhao Wo." Tasya softly pronounced the name, her demeanor tender as if caring for a newly born chick.


    Walking beside the silver-haired maid, Dawen was somewhat enthralled. Coming back to his senses, he chuckled bitterly. "Among the adventurers I know, there''s no one by that name."


    "He has another name." Tasya said, "Lin Da."


    "What?" Continue your saga on M-V-L


    Dawen stopped in his tracks.


    He thought of Lin Da from White Dove City.


    But... that Lin Da couldn''t possibly be the person Tasya was looking for. To command the loyalty of a woman like Tasya, one must be a formidable figure.


    Lin Da had potential, but as it stood, he couldn''t possibly command Tasya''s loyalty as her master.


    Besides, considering his little sister''s complicated situation,


    Dawen sighed with a headache.


    "Breeze River Beach... Phoenix Tail Flower should also be going; whether he is the one Tasya is looking for will be clear then,"


    Dawen muttered to himself.


    ...


    ...


    The next morning in White Dove City.


    "White Dove Morning News, get your fresh White Dove Morning News, one copper coin a copy��exciting news, a new hidden Magical Creature, a future Iron Level adventurer team, hurry and buy~"


    The newsboy roamed the streets, a dark green large bag on his back filled with stacks of newspapers and a magic-guided megaphone hung over his shoulder. His crisp, loud voice, like morning rooster calls, awakened the still-slumbering city.


    "Give me a copy."


    "Me too."


    "Here''s a silver coin for you; keep the change!"


    Adventurers bought their copies of the White Dove Morning News. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Some, sipping milk, began reading it right on the street,


    while others found a bench, comfortably sitting down, enjoying the fresh morning air.


    They read the newspaper to see what interesting events had happened recently.

 Chapter 149: Lias growth, learning from idols

    The front page of the newspaper featured a group photo of four adventurers.Usually, this spot was reserved for articles about rock-level adventure teams, which floors they had conquered, and what kind of equipment they had looted...


    Or about some teams who had reached level 20, but fell short in layer count, just a step away from promotion to the rock level.


    However, the group photo this time featured four unfamiliar faces. The one in the middle named Lin Da was relatively more known, while the adventurers named Monica, Kafni, and Lulu had never been heard of before.


    With curiosity piqued, the adventurers eagerly read on.


    Seeing the White Dove reporter''s unreserved praise for Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team''s strategy guide, everyone''s expressions gradually changed.


    Hidden Magical Creatures, Orange Equipment, strategies detailed to the extreme...


    Each was enough to make that Lin Da a sought-after top-tier adventurer.


    But in the interview with the reporter, Lin Da expressed his intention to create more strategies for everyone with a firm, steady, serious, honest, and reflective attitude.


    This show of humility conjured up an image in everyone''s mind of a towering figure for the greater adventurer community, carrying the weight of responsibility, earning their utmost admiration.


    Lin Da''s story spread like wildfire throughout White Dove City.


    "Hey, have you heard about Phoenix Tail Flower''s Lin Da..."


    "I know, the Eye of True Knowledge. The tenth person to receive the Glorious Adventurer Badge personally awarded by the mayor!"


    "Tsk tsk, the last one to get the badge was the captain of the White Dove Adventure Group, Mind''s Eye Abner, right?"


    "I''ve heard that besides the badge, the city hall has rewarded Phoenix Tail Flower with a grand villa in the Goldfinch District."


    "Goldfinch District? Those villas must be worth a million Gold Coins each."


    In the market, on Secret Realm Square, inside taverns, adventurers were discussing the matters of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team with relish.


    Some were full of admiration, others green with envy.


    But one thing they all agreed on was that when it came to Phoenix Tail Flower''s old adventure team, Snow Goose, everyone had the same opinion: Now, Lia truly became the ''Clown Captain''.


    If Lin Da had not left the team, Snow Goose would have been the next most likely to become an Iron-level Adventure Team.


    In front of a bakery, an adventurer suddenly remembered: "Right, today there seems to be a live strategy guide from the Ice Flower Adventure Team. I remember Lin Da mentioned he would be giving remote instructions, right?"


    Simultaneously.


    At the headquarters of the Ice Flower Adventure Team, outside the main gate, a silver-haired lady Swordsman stood imposingly, giving a speech to her team members.


    "Our motto is��"


    Isa cast a stern gaze over the seven team members before her.


    The Armor shone brightly, the Magic robes emitted a faint glow, and even the weakest member was level 23.


    "Help each other and progress together!"


    "Work hand in hand to defeat Magical Creatures!"


    Their voices rose in unison, revealing an unstoppable momentum.


    "Very good," Isa nodded seriously, cleared her throat, and said, "Next, I would like to introduce someone familiar. He will be assisting Ice Flower with off-site support as they navigate the 13th floor. Everyone, be sure to follow his orders!"


    With that, Isa took a step back, allowing Lin Da to step forward.


    Lin Da wore a practical adventurer''s outfit, with white trousers and a brown jacket full of pockets.


    He was tall and straight, a Mage by definition, but with a build akin to that of a warrior, standing there like a stable mountain peak.


    Just by looking at Lin Da, the members of Ice Flower had an inkling: This strategy guide was going to be rock-solid!


    "I only have one thing to say. Pay attention to safety in the Mystic Realm and follow instructions. Everyone must return safely," Lin Da said earnestly.


    "Yes!"


    A chorus of uniform affirmations rose.


    ...


    Lia was awakened by a cacophony of noise coming from outside.


    Her villa was not far from Ice Flower''s, and their shouting had roused her from her slumber.


    Lia sat up from her white princess bed, her red hair slightly frizzled, sticking up here and there in disarray, her expression somewhat dazed.


    She had dreamed of another ''Snow Goose Adventure Team,'' where everyone was harmonious and friendly, and a certain someone was still with them.


    "True strength always stands alone," Lia silently murmured to herself, recalling the phrase her idol had once said. She clenched her fist, looking resolutely at the wall in front of her, where a newspaper clipping of the Primitive Adventure Team, with their captain Dai Lian at the forefront, was displayed.


    The power of Primitive was like a beacon to Lia.


    Dai Lian * Zhao Wo showed her through their actions that the strength of a captain was the most crucial element in building a top-tier adventure team; as long as the captain was strong, they would inevitably attract more talented members.


    All her failures, the reason she was referred to as the ''Clown Captain,'' was only one: not strong enough!


    Lia took a deep breath, her gaze sharp as she entered the washroom. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she whispered to herself, "Lia, you don''t need companions. You yourself are the most formidable!"


    The cold treatment she received from Lin Da the previous day made the young girl keenly aware that without strength, one didn''t even have the right to make their voice heard in a crowd.


    A bunch of rock-level adventurers had sided with Lin Da, treating her coldly, but she had no power to respond.


    In the end, power was everything.


    With power... she could even make Lin Da apologize to her by pressing his head down.


    Lia grabbed the Greatsword ''Flame Devourer'' leaning against the wall, taking her beautiful red hair in her left hand. With an easy swing of the sword��*snip*!


    The long hair she had kept for years was sliced off.


    With no expression, Lia took the cut lock of fiery hair and tossed it into the trash can.


    Discarded there were her timidity and her past.


    Lia took out an elastic band and tied her short hair into a ponytail.


    In the mirror, she looked much fresher, and her always furrowed brow also smoothed out.


    Move forward,


    To a place they couldn''t reach!


    After washing up, Lia simply ate some bread, drank a nutritional beverage, and threw her favorite strawberry cake from the fridge into the trash can��she had no need for such useless sweets anymore.


    She also cleared away the Magic Puppet game console on the sofa and many unfinished comic books, packing up several bags of useless items.


    Then Lia began frantically watching level 12 strategy videos, gripping her greatsword and imagining Magical Creatures before her, she embarked on an intense sweating training regimen.


    "The Ice Flower Adventure Team''s level 13 strategy live broadcast is about to start, aren''t you coming?"


    Aiko pushed open the door and walked in.


    The sight that greeted her was startling��what was with all these huge trash bags? They seemed to be filled with Lia''s favorite things!


    "I won''t go. Record it for me, I''ll watch it later."


    Lia turned her back to her, the Flame Devourer in her hand glowed red-hot under the surging infusion of Fire Fighting Qi.


    "You, your hair... Are you crazy?"


    Aiko''s face wore an expression of disbelief. Lia, that vain little dwarf, cherished her red hair so much��who had cut it off... could it have been Dawen sneaking around?


    "I cut it myself," said Lia, pausing her movements and speaking indifferently: "It''s more comfortable this way."


    Aiko was even more shocked. The sudden change in Lia felt as unreal as if the sun had risen from the west��what sort of blow had driven Lia to the decision to cut her hair?


    Speaking of which, when Lia returned from Lin Da the other night, she wasn''t obstinate and actually thanked her, which she found quite incredible at the time.


    Had Lia broken down that day?


    A damaged powder keg would not explode but instead fall silent?


    Aiko found it hard to calm her feelings for a long time.


    She looked at Lia''s small ponytail with complex eyes and said, "Lin Da likes long hair, right? Did you grow it out for him? You..."


    "Lin Da? What does he have to do with it? I just thought it was bothersome and cut it off," Lia glanced at her and said: "You should also focus on your training. Don''t get lost in cooking and fall behind in your spell proficiency."


    "Oru is almost recovered from his injuries, and the materials for the level 12 strategy are also ready. Phyllis said that the strategy can be handed over to us the day after tomorrow at the latest. This time, Snow Goose cannot afford any mistakes."


    "How do you know Oru is healed?"


    Aiko felt even weirder. Who was this composed powder keg, unrecognizable?


    A fool would speak foolish words, jump around in a fit of rage, and say ''You haven''t passed level 12 because you''re not trying hard enough''!


    Lia took a bottled water from the table, drank it, wiped the sweat with a towel, and said somewhat strangely, "Of course I went to visit him, didn''t I?"


    "Oru and Phyllis?"


    "Hmm."


    "Are you sick?"


    "What are you talking about! Even I would visit my teammates!" Lia said, clearly annoyed.


    Bless me,


    Aiko couldn''t help but exclaim it.


    It seemed that Lin Da''s departure had indeed struck the red-haired dwarf hard��so much so that she had completely changed.


    Lia then said, "Right, tell everyone that the person who performs the worst in the level 12 Mystic Realm will get no reward."


    "What?" Aiko was taken aback, "No reward, what do you mean?"


    "The reward of the useless person will be given to other members who perform well," Lia mentioned it as if it were a trivial matter.


    Aiko frowned, "That''s not very fair, is it?"


    "What do you know, this is called a wolfish competition."


    Lia huffed and said, "If you don''t want your ''food'' stolen, then become stronger and instill fear in the others!"


    "What if the person who performs the worst is you?"


    "How could it be me."


    "But what if?" S��ar?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Then... I''ll step down as team leader," Lia pondered for a moment and said slowly.


    "That''s not necessary," Aiko''s eyebrows rose in surprise.


    The person who loved the adventure team the most was Lia. Asking her to give up the position of team leader was like asking for her life, wasn''t it?


    Just how much pressure was this little dwarf willing to put on herself?


    In the past,


    Aiko was a top student,


    Then she figured it out, gave up, and came to White Dove City to live a happy life.


    Now looking at Lia''s determined expression, she really wanted to say: ahead lies hell!


    After thinking about it, ever since Lin Da left, Lia indeed faced a lot of pressure, even though the pressure was deservedly self-inflicted.


    But this person seemed not to think she had done anything wrong, which meant that in Lia''s eyes... she truly believed, from the bottom of her heart, that she had done right by Lin Da!

 Chapter 150: Auction invitation, poor Lia borrows money again

    At this rate, you will only lose more horribly.No one cares about you anymore.


    Aiko sighed.


    At her and Lin Da''s wedding in the future,


    she should give Lia a few more wedding candies.


    Otherwise, Lia is really too miserable.


    "Come here, let me give you a hug."


    "Ah, what are you doing��let go of me!"


    ...


    World Tree Secret Realm, thirteenth floor, Mist Barrier Forest.


    In the thick fog where you couldn''t see your fingers, the members of the Ice Flower Adventure Team entirely relied on "smell" to determine the direction of the magical creatures.


    "Ice Blade Waltz!"


    Isa, like a dancer gliding on ice, sent blades of ice filled with lethal intent towards the front.


    The thick fog momentarily parted, revealing a three-meter-tall Treant composed of dead wood.


    Secret Realm Guardian, Indestructible Tree Demon.


    Level 27, 100,000 health points.


    Following Lin Da''s instructions, Ice Flower''s members splashed a highly pungent liquid on the Indestructible Tree Demon to determine the monster''s position.


    After five minutes of intense battle, a very eerie scream emitted from the hollow of the Indestructible Tree Demon''s tree trunk. Its wooden body instantly regained vitality, sprouting fresh branches and leaves��


    At Ice Flower''s villa, Lin Da sat in front of a small broadcast screen, intently staring at the footage.


    When the scream sounded, he immediately realized: It was the second phase.


    When the Indestructible Tree Demon''s health dropped below 50,000, it would wildly grow new branches and leaves until its health recovered to 70,000 before stopping.


    The adventurers had to deplete the Indestructible Tree Demon''s health within one minute; otherwise, the creature would repeatedly regain health... with a maximum regeneration count of 15!


    Ninety-nine percent of adventure teams would be drained by the Indestructible Tree Demon and perish in the Mist Barrier Forest.


    "Now is the time!"


    "Bard and Scholar, use your level 20 ultimate skills, Isa and the other teammates, also get ready, don''t hold back, attack the creature with all your might!"


    Lin Da''s Golden Advice was sent to the sensor ladybug in a pouch on Isa''s thigh.


    "Go!"


    Isa shouted.


    The team''s two support professionals, the Bard holding a harp, sang like a nightingale:


    "Great God of the Forest, please lend me your strength, play the song of agility and ferocity~!"


    The Scholar girl waved her magic wand, and a red light fell on Isa: "Battle Fury!"


    These two level 20 ultimate skills were powerful support skills. Stacked together, they significantly improved the output ability of the Ice Flower team members by at least thirty percent.


    The team swarmed up, attacking the Indestructible Tree Demon.


    Isa took the lead, her rapier like an arrow tearing through space, accurately stabbing the Indestructible Tree Demon''s eye!


    On the screen, a series of damage numbers jumped out.


    Just as Lin Da had calculated, with Ice Flower''s output capacity, it was more than enough to deplete all the health of the Indestructible Tree Demon in one minute.


    The Tree Demon fell with a thunderous crash, its body transformed into orbs of light, shooting towards the members of Ice Flower.


    Upon clearing the thirteenth floor, Ice Flower received a Divine Gift from the World Tree Goddess, with all team members leveling up!


    The largest orb of light burst open in a shower of Gold Coins, containing seven streaks of blue light and three streaks of purple light.


    Lin Da thought, Ice Flower was quite lucky.


    Even at a ''Five-star'' clearance, to explode three pieces of Purple Gear��he considered that any other adventure team would be lucky to get two.


    He again sent a suggestion: [The Indestructible Tree Demon will leave behind a green leaf, that leaf will guide you to find the Metal Slime.]


    "Is this it?"


    In Mist Barrier Forest, Isa and her teammates, immersed in the excitement of acquiring several pieces of Purple Gear, remembered the greatest loot upon seeing this suggestion.


    Under Lin Da''s command, the group returned to the center of Mist Barrier Forest, following the leaf''s direction, and successfully opened a dead-end tree wall.


    Behind the tree wall on the clearing, a bucket-sized Metal Slime was sound asleep!


    With the appearance of this rare magical beast, suggestions instantly flooded the communication.


    Watching Ice Flower''s live action were not only Lin Da but also people from Inner City District and Sparrow District in the Adventurer''s Guild Hall.


    [The thirteenth floor really has a Metal Slime!]


    [Ah...my squad just passed the thirteenth floor not long ago.]


    [Maybe it could drop Orange Gear.]


    The Metal Destroyer Potion was consumed by an Archer of Ice Flower who directly unleashed the ultimate skill ''Barrage of Arrows'', striking the Metal Slime more than twenty times in an instant. sea??h th�� ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In Lin Da''s view, a sea of -1s.


    In one second, before the Metal Slime even had a chance to react, it exploded into a burst of light.


    Among that burst of light, there were unmistakably two pieces of gear shining with an orange glow!


    Isa glanced at them and quickly made a decision: she would keep the long sword for herself, and the other piece, an Earth Attribute accessory only requiring level 20 to wear, along with the Metal Slime''s Demon Core, she would give to Lin Da.


    When she voiced her thoughts, she encountered opposition from her teammates,


    "Captain, isn''t this a bit too much?"


    The team''s leader, the green bob-haired Fannis wearing large glasses looked somewhat reluctant.


    A level 20 Orange Equipment starts from 100,000 Gold Coins.


    Ice Flower had already spent 100,000 Gold Coin on the Metal Destroyer, and now to give this accessory to Lin Da... Fannis was reluctant.


    Isa knocked Fannis on the head: "The hidden magical beast allowed all of us to level up by 1; even if we gave all the equipment to Lin Da, Ice Flower still got the better deal."


    "Besides... there''s still an Orange long sword."


    Isa felt the power within the long sword, a trace of joy appeared on her serious face.


    This weapon was at least thirty percent stronger than the one she was currently using.


    "Ow..." Fannis covered her head, a bit jealously saying, "I think you, Captain, could even give away yourself, so of course, you wouldn''t care about one piece of Orange Gear."

 Chapter 151: Auction invitation, poor Lia borrows money again_2

    "Don''t blab, Lin Da...She''s still watching!" Isa glared at Fannis, her eyes full of reproach, and flicked Fannis'' forehead, turning the girl''s skin bright red....


    In the afternoon, Lin Da, along with the members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team and Ice Flower, held a celebration feast in the most expensive dining room in the Inner City District.


    "Cheers!"


    At the huge round table, more than a dozen people raised their glasses of wheat beer.


    The banquet lasted until the evening.


    Lin Da made a somewhat disheveled retreat; a drunken Isa was not a good sign. He felt that if he stayed any longer, they might not be able to interact as normal friends the next day.


    Behind him, Monica watched him like a little jealous jar, muttering, "Captain, you big flirt..."


    Kafni teasingly said, "You seemed to enjoy playing the game quite a bit, huh?"


    Baiqi is a type of long chocolate cookie from Another World; a man and a woman each take an end and eat towards the middle��if someone stops, they lose. A tipsy Isa seemed intent on devouring Lin Da alongside the cookie, and though he wanted to refuse, the nefarious Ice Flower team members were like a bunch of bad ''drinking persuaders,'' egging him on to accept.


    It was very much a matter of ''saving face by eating as much,'' Lin Da definitely did not agree to play because Isa''s lips looked tempting!


    "Misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding," Lin Da said gravely, "I just really enjoyed the cookie."


    "There''s still some left..." Monica took out a box from her pocket, placed a chocolate cookie in her mouth, looking at Lin Da with shy, sparkling eyes.


    Perhaps it was the alcohol talking, but Lin Da did not refuse; he wanted to taste what the cookie at a team member''s lips was like.


    "Lin Da, Mr. Lin Da, you forgot something��"


    Fannis hurried out, holding a piece of jewelry and a fist-sized metal Demon Core: "The captain said, you must accept it!"


    By this time, Lin Da had already finished the cookie.


    Monica''s face turned beet red, hiding behind him like a shy cat, and he licked his lips, which seemed to retain the girl''s sweet fragrance��like jelly!


    ''Monica''s lips are different from Lulu''s.''


    Lin Da thought Lulu''s were more like cool mint, suitable for a hot evening.


    Hearing Fannis'' voice from earlier, he came back to his senses.


    "Orange jewelry, how could I accept this?"


    "The captain said you mustn''t refuse!"


    Even knowing it was a polite gesture, Fannis still greatly appreciated it; not everyone could face Orange Jewelry and still offer to refuse it.


    "I''m starting to see why the captain took a liking to you," Fannis chuckled, stuffing the jewelry and the Demon Core into Lin Da''s hands, waving her hand, "I''ll head back first, everyone said they plan to drink till dawn."


    "Tell your captain to drink less, her tolerance is... really small."


    Lin Da watched Fannis leave, then looked at the jewelry in his hand.


    It was a silver bracelet, the inner circle engraved with Slimes happily living out on the prairie.


    [Name: Joyful Earth Bracelet]


    [Type: Equipment - Jewelry]


    [Quality: Orange Rare]


    [Level: 20]


    [Attribute Points: Magic Power +450, Earth Magic damage increased by 10%]


    [Equipment Score: 685. Wearing it, you can feel the call of the earth]


    A very standard piece of jewelry suitable for an Earth Mage.


    Lin Da judged internally.


    The equipment required level 20, and his team member Monica, currently at level 19, was just a little short of being able to wear this Orange Gear.


    He carefully put the bracelet in his pocket, and Lin Da and his team boarded a carriage to return to the villa.


    In front of each villa was a red mailbox, and when Lin Da returned, he saw an invitation inside.


    In White Dove City, large and small events always prioritize inviting Rock-level Adventure Teams.


    Though the Phoenix Tail Flower Team had not reached Rock-level, Lin Da, holding the Honorary Adventurer Badge, and his team''s demonstrated potential had been recognized by the White Dove Adventure Group, affording them similar privileges despite not being Rock-level.


    He took the invitation out of the mailbox. It was a magic paper gilded with gold, elegantly written in artistic script:


    ''To the esteemed Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team:


    The 36th annual auction hosted by Chilang Commerce, along with two other commerce groups, will commence tomorrow night at 9 PM. Hereby extends you a sincere invitation, looking forward to your esteemed visit.


    Location: XXX Road, Number XXX, underground grand theater.''


    It had arrived.


    Lin Da''s lips curled up. He had made so much money these past few days that his savings card totaled 541,540 gold coins, and he had been waiting for this auction.


    He still needed to secure a main weapon, Monica and Kafni also needed to switch to new purple gear... Moreover, he had to buy a space ring.


    ...


    Back at the villa, Lin Da was in the study crafting strategy guides for Phyllis.


    At 1 a.m., he finished everything.


    He drank a cup of hot milk and leisurely opened the back-house system on a lounge chair:


    [Sign-in successful, received 2440 diamonds!]


    The challenge page refreshed a small fry team, and the Q-version Phoenix Tail Flower Team easily handled the opponents, earning 10 Defense Guidance Coupons.


    There was no change in the Hell Rift; it was still stuck at the 28th level with the Heart Devourer Worms. It seemed he wouldn''t get past it without leveling up.


    Lin Da had essentially completed a set of "daily quests" and went to bed after washing up.


    ...


    At the same time, at Snow Goose''s villa.


    Oru, Klyne, and Phyllis, along with others, were called by Lia to the second-floor conference hall.


    "What, you want to sell the Flame Devourer?"


    Aiko''s mouth dropped open in surprise. S~ea??h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The other members of the team incredulously looked at the short-haired Lia, who was sitting at the head of the long table.


    The same thought occurred to everyone:


    What severe illness had Lia come down with? She had cut off her long hair and was now selling her favorite weapon?


    "What are you all thinking? I haven''t given up on myself," Lia huffed, her arms crossed over her modest chest, her short hair tied in a ponytail giving her a brisk and cool beauty, she said with a proud look:


    "On the contrary, my fighting spirit has significantly increased, and I''ve even advanced to level 25, making me the most powerful person in Snow Goose."


    Aiko was also level 25, on par with her, but subconsciously, she felt that Aiko was no match for her.


    Lia said, "I need a new main weapon, and there''s an auction happening soon. I will sell this Flame Devourer and buy a new one."


    "So that''s it..."


    Aiko patted his mighty chest and exhaled in relief.


    If Lia had ever lost her temper and given up, everyone in the team would find themselves in a very awkward position. To leave the team meant facing contractual restrictions, but staying would be unbearable...


    Moreover, the stronger Snow Goose become, the higher the price of its members, making it easier for Aiko to gain Lin Da''s favor.


    If Snow Goose were to fall apart, letting Lin Da think, "Aiko, you''re not up to it, are you?"


    Then Aiko would have an even harder time winning Lin Da over!


    Therefore, Lia, you need to pull yourself together; sweet life is still ahead!


    At that moment, Aiko was undoubtedly Lia''s biggest fan.


    "So, everyone needs to lend me money to buy equipment,"


    Lia extended her pale, delicate hand, saying it as though it was the most natural thing in the world.


    "?"


    Five question marks popped above the heads of the Snow Goose team members.


    Borrowing money?


    Again?


    You already borrowed 50,000 gold from each of us yesterday, and you haven''t paid that back!


    Lia frowned and said, "This is for everyone, isn''t it?"


    "If I become stronger, everyone gets stronger. I only have a little over a thousand gold coins left, and even if I sell the Flame Devourer, it won''t be enough to buy a useful level 25 main weapon. You all need to lend me the money!"


    "Don''t worry, after clearing the 12th floor of the dungeon, I''ll pay you all back immediately."


    Seeing Lia''s earnest expression, Aiko and the others, though infuriated, also breathed a sigh of relief.


    Lia was still the same Lia, arrogant, self-centered, which paradoxically reassured everyone.


    If Lia really became calm, humble, mature, and stable, they wouldn''t know how to handle it.


    That Lia wouldn''t be Lia anymore.

 Chapter 152: 133. Top-tier Orange Weapon [Azure Sword]

    ```"But we''re out of money now, and the mortgage on the house isn''t even paid off yet," Klyne glared at Oru, who wanted to say something, and was the first to express her refusal.


    Following Lia around, not only did we not make a single Gold Coin, but we also had to pay out of our own pockets for the work.


    The day before yesterday we borrowed 50,000, and today we''re borrowing again.


    Klyne''s resentment towards the team leader had reached its boiling point.


    Klrona, who had more savings, took out 20,000 Gold Coins to give to Lia.


    Phyllis painfully forked out 30,000.


    "Ah, really can''t do anything about you."


    Aiko pinched a Savings Card between two fingers, "There''s 100,000 in here, after the strategy on the 12th floor, you must pay me back immediately."


    "Oh!"


    Lia calculated with her fingers: 3 plus 2 is 5, add Aiko''s 10, makes 150,000.


    That''s enough for buying a Main Weapon.


    She took the Savings Cards from her three teammates, thought for a moment, and said, "Thanks."


    Watching Lia bow slightly, everyone was taken aback with shock, their eyes widened dramatically.


    Is this still that Powder Keg?


    The sky hasn''t fallen, has it? Sear?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Under their odd gazes, Lia took the Savings Cards and went back to her room to continue her cultivation.


    She had borrowed 200,000 from her family, and a total of 350,000 from the team members, but in her hands, she only had 150,000 left...


    The pressure of repayment hung over her head like a sharp blade, leaving her gasping for breath.


    ''But a real powerhouse can break the cauldrons and sink the boats.''


    Lia looked longingly at the wall where a picture of the Primordial Adventure Team''s captain hung, feeling an unstoppable surge of power in her heart.


    When there are enough lice, one doesn''t itch as much.


    The current Lia didn''t even feel the burden of another ten or twenty thousand in debt.


    ...


    The next day.


    As the sun rose and set, nightfall enveloped White Dove City.


    A white barrier was erected at the entrance of the underground theater.


    Warriors with remarkable Battle Qi guarded the entrance, their eyes sharp as they scanned every adventurer attempting to approach.


    No past auctions had seen mishaps, but the organizers were still very cautious.


    Today, a large amount of precious Magic items, weapons, and materials would be transported to the auction site, with a total value approaching twenty million Gold Coins.


    One after another, invited guests got off their carriages.


    They were all dressed in black robes, wearing special masks.


    These masks could not only change one''s voice but also block scouting Magic, ensuring maximum personal information security.


    "Please show your invitation."


    The guard looked at a tall figure in a black robe and said coldly.


    After producing a Magic card, the person in the black robe handed it to the warrior.


    After inspection, the guard nodded, "You may enter."


    "Thank you."


    The distorted voice from behind the mask came through.


    Thinking to himself, the man in the black robe mused: This mask is pretty useful, buying one would cost at least a thousand Gold Coins.


    As expected of an auction co-hosted by the three major commercial firms, they''re really loaded.


    The man under the black robe was Lin Da.


    He had gone out with his team to farm some minor creatures in the morning, earning 2,000 Mystical Points.


    By nightfall, he had donned the black robe and come to the auction.


    ''Creatures above level 15 are not cabbages that you see everywhere. To harvest Mystical Points, it seems I still have to wait for the Murderous Crab frenzy.''


    Walking down the dark corridor, Lin Da sighed to himself.


    Higher-level creatures have their own territories; within these territories, you might search for half a day to find a single level 15 creature, while the rest are just lackeys.


    Killing lower-level creatures is also an option, but the Mystical Points gained are too few. After much consideration, participating in the Murderous Crab event is still the best bet for leveling up.


    Looking ahead at the dark auction house, Lin Da fondled the Savings Card in his pocket, which had 500,000 Gold Coins, and strode forward with confidence, resembling a newly-rich man unconcerned about money.


    His purpose was clear: to bid on a weapon with either [Spell Penetration] or [Aquatic Monster Special Attack] characteristics in order to maximize the reduction of the Murderous Crab''s carapace resistance to his Poison Series.


    He also intended to get a set of Purple Gear for Monica.


    For Kafni''s thief series equipment, if there were suitable pieces, he would bid on a few; if not, he wouldn''t bother.


    As he pondered this,


    the sound of footsteps approached, and someone walked directly towards him from behind, bumping into his shoulder without any concern.


    Lin Da frowned, watching the person in displeasure.


    It was a woman about 1.6 meters tall, with a curvaceous figure and a chest that seemed to fill out the wide black robe.


    She wore a Flower Cat mask, and her eyes beneath it were cold and intimidating, much like a ruthless predator.


    Lin Da tentatively reached for the blue sword he had brought at his side, alarmed by the woman''s scrutinizing gaze; he felt as though his body had been tinged with an ominous chill.


    Although he knew that the auction was strictly regulated and that no one was allowed to start a fight, he still felt the dangerous sensation of being targeted by a venomous snake.


    The woman chuckled lowly, withdrew her gaze, and continued on her way, vanishing into the depths of the corridor.


    The oppressive sensation that had made one''s chest feel heavy also dissipated with her departure.


    Lin Da touched his forehead and found a sheen of fine sweat.


    Star-ranked adventurer?


    He sensed a familiarity in her presence as if he had encountered her before.


    Yet thinking back on the Star-ranked adventurers he knew, there were no women among them.


    And that chuckle, what did it mean... Lin Da felt bewildered, his mind alert to the fullest.


    Those invited to this auction were no simple characters.


    Not limited to White Dove City, adventurers from nearby Red Heart City and South Rock City could also be present.


    A 16th-level adventurer like Lin Da could be considered outstanding, but at this auction, one could easily encounter adventurers of level 20.


    In such a setting, his abilities were just ordinary.


    He glanced at the number on his invitation, 412, which was the twelfth seat in the fourth row.


    Lin Da continued his descent, arriving at a dimly lit auction house.


    ```

 Chapter 153: 133. Top-tier Orange Weapon [Azure Sword]_2

    Independent couches formed an arch, surrounding the auction stage.There were five rows in total.


    The position of each row was meticulous.


    Those sitting at the very front were not to be underestimated.


    Lin Da, in the first row, noticed the lady with the Flower Cat mask who had bumped into him earlier.


    She was looking straight ahead, seemingly unaware of his arrival.


    Every person in the venue was cloaked in black robes, donning various masks, quiet and still.


    In front of Lin Da, at seat number 311, a small figure wearing a Joker mask had been staring at him for a while.


    When he looked back, the person immediately averted their gaze. S��arch* The ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''An acquaintance?'' Lin Da wondered curiously.


    ...


    The auction officially began.


    The auctioneer on the stage was a voluptuous woman in a golden off-the-shoulder gown.


    She wore a mask that covered only half of her face, her bright red lips releasing a strong allure under the dim lights.


    One after another, auction items took the stage.


    Lin Da kept bidding.


    He won an 18th-level Earth Staff, a 19th-level chest piece, and 18th-level pants.


    All were Purple Rare quality, costing a total of 50,000 Gold Coins.


    These were prepared for Monica; wearing them, her Magic Attack was estimated to surpass 900.


    And the standard for breaking through the defense of the rare boss, the Black Shell Crab General, was 500 attack; Monica had greatly surpassed that.


    Lin Da''s own attack without his Main Weapon was 563, just barely breaking the defense threshold.


    Considering the resistance of creatures like the Murderous Crab to the Poison Series, his attack would ideally reach 700.


    "Next up, we have our 168th lot, also identified by our appraisers as ''extremely precious''. Prepare your Gold Coins, everyone~"


    The enchanting auctioneer named Meisi, swaying her hips, took a golden scabbard from a servant''s hand.


    The scabbard opened to reveal a Magic Longsword, wrapped in white, soft silk.


    Dazzling orange light emitted from within.


    The blade was two fingers wide, engraved with complex Magic Runes, one edge plain and the other serrated, about 1.2 meters long, with a black handle embedded with a cat''s eye sapphire.


    As the longsword was drawn from the scabbard, everyone in the room seemed to hear the sound of ocean waves, and schools of fish swimming past!


    At that moment, even the lowliest Beastmen shifted their gaze from Meisi''s figure to the longsword.


    Some were ready with their bidding paddles in hand.


    An Orange Weapon that was among the top even among Orange Equipment!


    Every adventurer''s eyes gleamed with an intense heat, as if a starving beggar were gazing at a feast, or a beast in heat holding the slender hand of an Elf Lady... eager to make a bid!


    Lin Da and number 311 in front of him were also captivated by the blue Magic Longsword.


    The beautifully slender blade with its rugged serrated edge was seamlessly integrated.


    The mere appearance of this weapon held significant collectible value.


    Add to that its potent magical aura, and without a doubt, a storm of bloody bidding was about to unfold.


    Miss Meisi was pleased with the passionate gazes, her fingers caressing the blade of the Magic Longsword as if touching a lover''s chest.


    Many adventurers were so mesmerized that they were swallowing hard and salivating.


    "The weapon, [Azure Sword], appraised to be level 15, Orange Rare Quality, increases damage to Aquatic Demons by 40%, and enhances strength by 300 points."


    After saying this, Meisi smiled coyly at the crowd below.


    They were no strangers to the worth of such equipment.


    Ordinary level 15 Orange Equipment typically provided around a 20% increase in damage against specific demons, and the price soared for every percentage increase above that.


    But the increase in damage against Aquatic Demons by the Azure Sword was an astonishing 40%!


    For such a weapon, all other words were superfluous.


    All other descriptions were a defilement.


    Simply conveying the power contained within the Azure Sword was the best representation.


    Indeed, as Meisi had anticipated, the adventurers were collectively excited!


    Lin Da''s breathing became rapid with excitement��40% increased damage to Aquatic Demons and an additional 300 Attribute Points.


    Under his legendary passive skill [Balance Conservation], this would also increase his Magic Power by 300 points.


    For a level 15 weapon, these attributes were near perfect.


    The associated high percentage of increased damage would keep it from becoming obsolete for a long time.


    Even if Lin Da were to reach level 30 or even 40 in the future, the Azure Sword with its 40% increase against Aquatic Demons could still be used as a strategic weapon.


    From an attribute standpoint, the Azure Sword had no flaws.


    If there had to be one, its only flaw was its price!


    Lin Da still had 450,000 Gold Coins��one could easily buy other level 15 Orange Equipment with that amount.


    But such a high-percentage damage-increasing weapon, viable even for Star-ranked adventurers... he wasn''t completely certain he could win it.


    Among the VIPs in the first row, it was clear that some were interested, eyeing the Azure Sword, ready to leap into action.


    Facing these potential Star Rank competitors, Lin Da''s palms started to sweat.


    His financial resources paled in comparison to established Star-ranked adventurers.


    His only hope was that they were not particularly enamored with the weapon, so he might stand a chance of winning it.


    "The Azure Sword, starting bid at 100,000 Gold, each increase must be no less than 10,000 Gold Coins."


    Meisi struck the gavel, "Let the auction begin!"


    "150,000."


    "170,000."


    "200,000!"


    Bids were called out one after another, in rapid succession.


    Number 311 was anxiously looking at the Azure Sword, lacking enough Gold Coins, desperately tapping her small feet on the ground...


    "400,000."


    From behind her, number 412 raised their paddle and calmly called out an incredibly daunting number.


    Jumping from the previous bid of 200,000 Gold, they had doubled it!

 Chapter 154: 133. Top-tier Orange Weapon [Azure Sword]_3

    Moreover, judging from the composure of number 412, bringing out 400,000 Gold Coins seemed like a trifle to him.A hint of confusion flashed across the face behind the young girl''s mask.


    When number 412 left the team, he was penniless, how had he become so rich?


    Even though the other party donned a mask, those eyes were too familiar, and she quickly recognized his true identity.


    The very person responsible for making her become the "Clown Captain," someone she would never forget even in her dreams.


    "400,000 for a level 15 weapon is definitely a rip-off."


    As the young girl bitterly cursed,


    "410,000."


    A distinguished guest in the front row, number 009, raised his card to bid.


    It seemed there was more than one person who valued the weapon over 400,000.


    Lin Da furrowed his brows and raised his placard, his tone calm and soothing, concealing his emotions, "420,000."


    "430,000."


    "440,000."


    "450,000."


    In the heart of the bidding battlefield, it had come down to just the two of them.


    As he called out 450,000, Lin Da''s heart raced, filled with nervousness; this was his entire fortune.


    If this were in a game, he would have already opened the blue software to take a loan, as this sword could bring him greater profit. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But the loan process in Another World was quite complicated.


    Distant waters can''t quench immediate thirst, and Lin Da hadn''t expected that bringing so much Gold Coins would still be insufficient.


    "500,000."


    Number 009 raised his card.


    This figure chilled Lin Da''s ardent heart.


    Compared to those Star-ranked adventurers in the first row, the difference in financial power was still too large.


    High-level Mystic Realm items could burst forth a Purple Gear whose price matched ordinary Orange Equipment.


    Accumulated slowly, each Star-ranked adventurer had a substantial base.


    And just then,


    The woman wearing the Flower Cat mask with number 004 glanced at him.


    A voice, almost hallucinatory, rang by his ear: "Leave."


    What?


    Lin Da frowned in confusion.


    A peculiar sensation emerged from the depths of his heart.


    An unknown cold breeze blew, causing him to shudder forcefully.


    In the silent air around, a trace of murderous intent seemed to lurk.


    The reminder from the woman in the Flower Cat mask was like igniting the fuse of a bomb, letting Lin Da hear a hissing burning sound.


    A strong premonition of doom grew in his heart.


    The next moment, a deafening explosion erupted.


    The ceiling above crumbled outright,


    Massive stones along with a cloud of dust cascaded down!


    Dozens of powerful auras, like lights ignited in the darkness, suddenly appeared.


    Lin Da looked up in surprise.


    These were people in black robes, wearing black devil masks with a horn about the length of a thumb on the right side of their foreheads, their weapons drawn.


    "Doomsday Sect?"


    The characteristic mask made Lin Da''s expression shift.


    An evil cult that worshipped the Demon God, intending to bring doomsday upon this land.


    The members inside were either madmen or psychopaths!


    The auction hall was in complete disarray.


    The sound of rolling stones, exclamations, curses, complaints... all jumbled together.


    Fortunately, most were experienced adventurers who, after the initial panic, quickly calmed themselves.


    Everyone began to activate their Magic Circuits, readying for combat.


    Lin Da, recalling the earlier reminder from number 004 with the Flower Cat mask, gazed forward with a trace of doubt.


    The spot in the first row where number 004 had been was now empty.


    Suddenly, a scream drew everyone''s attention.


    On the auction stage, the lady with long golden hair in a flowing gown, Ms. Meisi, covered her front in disbelief.


    A bloody sword tip pierced through her chest.


    The assassin, a Doomsday Sect member as small as a monkey, chuckled weirdly as he grabbed the Azure Sword behind him.


    The sight of this powerful weapon being snatched incited a mix of shock and anger among the crowd.


    A weapon worth over 500,000 Gold Coins, falling into the hands of the Doomsday Sect was a huge loss, and who knows how many adventurers could lose their lives in the future because of it.


    Against such a cult, it''s better to destroy weapons and resources rather than let them fall into their hands!

 Chapter 155: 134. Adventurers join forces, your shield is really useful

    "Damn it, this is my item!"No. 009 flew into a rage, tearing off his mask to reveal a head of spiky blonde hair.


    Someone recognized his identity, Gana the "Hedgehog" from South Rock City, a Star-ranked adventurer!


    Gana, who wielded Water-based Fighting Spirit, was determined to obtain the Azure Sword, and just as it was within his grasp, the Doomsday Sect had to meddle, how could he not be furious?


    The Water-based Fighting Spirit enveloped him in a pale blue radiance as cold murderous intent flashed in Gana''s eyes, he charged toward the sect member,


    At that moment, a figure in a black robe with a blue Oni Horn Mask chuckled and stepped forward, blocking Gana with a great sword.


    Their fighting spirits collided, exploding with a boom and forcing them apart.


    Both retreated a few steps, evenly matched.


    Clearly, this sect member was also a Star-ranked adventurer!


    "Monkey, don''t steal it, I had already reserved that weapon!"


    The man turned back frantically, looking at the sect member who had grabbed the Azure Sword.


    "First come, first served!" the monkey boasted while brandishing his twin blades, his eyes behind the mask gleaming with a bloody light, "Wonder whose soul shall I sacrifice to our Demon God..."


    "Doomsday Sect rats, daring to show up in White Dove City!?"


    A VIP wearing a leopard mask burst out of her robe and mask, revealing a head of brown hair and an explosive figure.


    Powerful Battle Qi gushed from the woman as she gripped her clawed weapon. She vanished with a swoosh and landed a punch on the Star-ranked sect member''s head!


    In Lin Da''s view, a blood-red "-9999" appeared,


    The Life Barrier on the latter''s head was pierced, unable to dodge in time, he was smashed directly in the skull by the clawed woman, shattering his head.


    A fatal strike, instant death!


    The crowd suddenly became spirited.


    "It''s Wild Panther Gite!"


    "With so many Star-ranked adventurers here, have the Doomsday Sect''s brains been caught in a door, attacking the auction?"


    "Everyone, the situation is urgent, let''s join forces first!"


    The adventurers quickly united.


    Because of the Doomsday Sect''s raid, several had met their untimely death.


    The target of these cultists was the treasure of the auction, which ironically placed Lin Da, seated at the back row, in a relatively safe position.


    "Group Healing."


    As his voice fell, he cast a large green Array above the heads of the crowd.


    The warm healing light descended, dispersing the chill in the hall.


    "A Grand Healer? Thanks!"


    The Elf Swordsman with tag number 231 happily touched the wound on her arm, which had stopped bleeding.


    Lin Da''s healing output was far above that of a regular Healer, leading those who were treated to believe he was a Grand Healer who had reached level 20 and advanced.


    Lin Da did not explain but nodded, "Anyone injured, call for aid immediately, and I will provide healing as quickly as possible!"


    The crowd arranged their formation, with non-frontline professions retreating to the rear while Swordsmen and Heavy Armored Warriors took the forefront.


    At that moment, the most intense fighting was happening in the front row, where magic and Battle Qi were going off wildly, leaving no opportunity for adventurers under level 30 to intervene.


    Gite was caught in a hard fight, with many Star-ranked members among the Doomsday Sect.


    The leader, a woman wearing a Flower Cat mask, known to the other cult members as ''Lady Bai Mian.''


    This Lady Bai Mian had deep magic power, seemingly at a higher level than Gite, her weapon a black dagger imbued with malevolent corrupting power that seemed to threaten life with the slightest touch.


    Gite fought with difficulty, restrained, unable to exert her full strength.


    "Is this person their leader?"


    Confusion marred Lin Da''s features as he grew even more puzzled about the reason the other party had warned him to leave.


    The goal of the Doomsday Sect was to kill all adventurers, paving the way for the Demon King''s arrival. And Lin Da was clearly one of these adventurers, so why would Lady Bai Mian show him leniency?


    Recalling the familiar aura from that person, Lin Da felt a sense of d��j�� vu mixed with much strangeness, unable to pinpoint where he had encountered it before.


    His thoughts were abruptly interrupted as thirty to forty Doomsday Sect members launched an attack,


    The horns on their ghost masks were all green.


    According to the game settings, green Oni Horns corresponded to level 20, while blue denoted the Star Rank of level 30.


    Among the attacking sect members was the twin-bladed monkey.


    Lin Da''s eyes flashed with a cold light, and he raised his hand to throw a Venom Magic Sphere!


    Someone was even faster than him and had also set sights on the monkey.


    It was the Joker-masked No. 311.


    "Evildoer, die!"


    311, wielding an ordinary sword of blue quality, had Flames Sword Qi swirling around it, launching a vicious slash at the monkey.


    The monkey, however, let out a weird laugh, blocking 311''s attack, and his other blade aimed at 311''s head,


    At that moment, the Venom Magic Sphere arrived. Sensing the threat within, the monkey had to withdraw his attack, and his long blade merely grazed the mask on 311''s face.


    Crack!


    311''s mask fell off and the hood on her head tumbled aside.


    Vibrant red hair cascaded down, dancing in the fierce wind.


    Lin Da found her somewhat familiar, such a hair color was quite rare in White Dove City.


    However, the person he knew had waist-length hair, whereas this one had tied it into a small ponytail.


    311 drew in a deep breath, her gaze fierce and focused on the twin-bladed monkey.


    Thinking to herself, none of these cultist scum from the evil sect shall be spared!


    But on her own, she would struggle to kill that ape which was at least level 28. She hesitated for a moment and, taking advantage of a pause for breath, she turned to look at number 412.


    She knew who was beneath that mask. She yelled, "Help me, I''m going to kill that bastard!"


    When the girl''s face came into his view, Lin Da was slightly taken aback.


    The face filled with stubbornness and rage belonged to none other than the leader of the Snow Goose team, Lia!


    She didn''t issue a capricious order but instead made a request.


    Having not seen her for several days, Lia seemed to have undergone some kind of change.


    "This is something I also want to do."


    "Verdant Shield!"


    With a formidable enemy before him, Lin Da didn''t hesitate and raised his hand to release his skill.


    The Light Shield that had once appeared on the screen now enveloped him, and Lia couldn''t help but feel incredibly complex emotions.


    She could roughly feel how terrifying the thickness of this shield was; blocking a level 20 Swordsman''s strike wouldn''t be an issue.


    But Lin Da''s Level Aura... was only around 16.


    Lia put aside the slight envy in her heart and applied the ''Energy Charging'' skill, then with the Light Shield, she darted toward the ape like a bullet!


    "The young mistress of the Mandala family?" The ape recognized Lia''s identity and became even more excited, charging at her without dodging, "Rock-Smashing Strike!"


    "Flame Slash!"


    Blades clashed and the ripples from the colliding Battle Qi swept across the surroundings.


    Lin Da narrowed his eyes towards the front where a red -1800 appeared above the ape''s head, while Lia only had the outer layer of her Verdant Shield broken.


    Frustrated curses erupted beneath the ape''s mask, as one hand reached towards its back for the ''Azure Sword''.


    This weapon possessed the Water Series trait, which could suppress the Fire Fighting Qi effectively.


    "Don''t even think about it!"


    Lia''s eyebrows shot up as she launched an attack with her long sword like a fierce storm.


    Forced to fight, the ape''s dual blades slashed toward her shoulders.


    But at that moment, a second Emerald Light Shield descended!


    With the Verdant Shield powered by Lin Da''s 5200 Hit Points maximum, the thickness reached 1560, almost able to withstand all attacks excluding Ultimate Skills.


    This resulted in the ape being unable to reduce Lia''s Hit Points, while Lia''s sword could chop half of the ape''s life away with each strike.


    Lia internally whooped in delight. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With this uninterrupted Light Shield, she could completely forsake defense and focus purely on output!


    Whenever Doomsday Sect members from other directions attacked her, Lin Da would use a simplified version of his unique terminology to alert her.


    Three years earlier, Lia had been made by Lin Da to memorize this set of terminology by rote.


    Therefore, in battle, she didn''t have to think at all; she could leave everything to Lin Da and maximize her combat effectiveness to the fullest.


    The long-missed feeling of exhilaration returned to Lia; in the fight for her life against members of the Doomsday Sect, she became more and more excited as if she were playing the ''obstacle carriage'' game, facing the sprint straightaway that served as a bonus round with not a single obstacle in sight.


    She didn''t have to wait for Phyllis''s nagging and always late-in-coming commands. The steady voice behind her could always predict the enemy''s movements.


    As long as Lia followed Lin Da''s instructions, she became like a Witch who had learned foresight, easily dodging all of the enemy''s attacks!


    For a moment, she even felt the illusion that the two of them were ''comrades''.


    Her body was willing to be controlled by the person behind her!


    "Explosive Flame Slash."


    Lin Da shouted out.


    "Ohhhh!"


    Lia screamed out, like the protagonist in a hot-blooded novel, raising her long sword high above her head.


    The Flames burned ferociously, turning into a massive three-meter-long Sword of Light, the level 20 Ultimate Skill �C Explosive Flame Slash!


    "Fuck!"


    The ape turned white with fear.


    It couldn''t understand how this woman, after taking commands from number 412, had risen several levels in combat effectiveness, leaving no flaws in her movements!


    "Charge!"


    At that moment, Lin Da was like a Pok��mon trainer, his right hand pointing at the ape as he issued the attack order.


    Lia transformed into a fiery beast, as the Explosive Flame Slash ruthlessly struck the ape!


    "Waaaahhh!"


    The ape let out a long, drawn-out shriek, as if a baseball had been hit and flew, crashing through the ceiling to expose the bright night sky above.


    It turned into a falling star, vanishing into the heavens.


    Just shy of saying ''I''ll be back!''


    Defeating this terrorist from the Doomsday Sect was certainly satisfying, but Lin Da did not forget that the Azure Sword was on the body of the ape.


    Without a second thought, he sprung up with a ''hey'' and followed through the hole in the ceiling to the outside, looking for where the ape had landed.


    "Haha, I won!"


    Lia wiped the sweat from her forehead with her little hand, her face beaming with a radiant smile as she turned to look at Lin Da.


    That green Light Shield had piqued Lia''s interest.


    If someone in her team could master this move, she was confident they could surpass the White Dove Adventure Group and ascend to even higher floors within a year!


    The Energy Charging''s biggest concern for Lia was being interrupted, but with the Emerald Light Shield, she could maximize the power of every move.


    Having personally experienced the thickness of the Light Shield, even if Lia was reluctant, she had to admit in her heart: Lin Da was no longer a hindrance to her.


    ��


    (ps: Added character cards, folks, go ahead and give it a red heart!)

 Chapter 156: 135, Golden Cicada Shedding, the man behind

    Lin Da''s power value had reached 563 points, and with a powerful leap, he jumped directly up several meters, and within a few moves, he had reached the outside.He had been ready to be pursued by other members of the Doomsday Sect, but to Lin Da''s surprise, the robed figures seemed as if they could not see him at all, allowing him to leave freely.


    The other adventurers wanted to follow suit, but were stopped by the Doomsday Sect.


    A thought flashed through Lin Da''s mind: Was it because of the woman with the Flower Cat mask?


    In the game, the Doomsday Sect was a power that spanned the continent, and the names of lowly followers were never mentioned. Lin Da had also never heard of this ''Lady Bai Mian.''


    "Finding the monkey''s corpse is crucial."


    Lin Da shook his head, remembering the Orange Equipment, the Azure Sword, that the monkey had snatched, feeling a slight heat in his heart.


    His ultimate goal was to subdue the Demon King and save the world, and borrowing a weapon from the merchants, the ''capitalists,'' was something that could be forgiven, right...?


    Like a nimble orange cat, Lin Da jumped onto the roofs and flew around, searching for the monkey''s corpse.


    One minute, ten minutes passed...


    Cold sweat gradually emerged from Lin Da''s back.


    Nothing found.


    To not mention a corpse, he couldn''t even find a trace of the monkey''s Battle Qi!


    Lin Da''s brows furrowed into a frown.


    Something was fishy.


    Lia''s Explosive Flame Slash had sent the monkey flying, but even if it had flown far, it should still be within a hundred meters radius.


    He had expanded his search to a two hundred meter radius, yet he still couldn''t find any clue.


    Had that heretic really died under the Explosive Flame Slash?


    As this question arose in Lin Da''s mind, a sinister feeling grew, like thorns spreading from his ankles to his chest.


    He suddenly realized: It was a Golden Cicada Shedding!


    The damnable monkey hadn''t died, it wanted to escape with the Azure Sword!


    If it stayed, the higher-ups in the Doomsday Sect might not allocate the Azure Sword to the monkey, even though it was the one who had snatched the sword, at best they would just grant it some privileges.


    For such a highly valuable weapon, surely the Star-ranked members would have priority.


    The monkey wanted to monopolize the weapon, only by escaping far away from the Doomsday Sect.


    Lia''s Explosive Flame Slash indeed damaged the monkey, but it also ironically helped it achieve its goal of escape!


    As Lin Da was pondering, suddenly, a cold breeze approached from behind.


    It was moving very fast, and he barely had time to react before a hand was already reaching towards his neck!


    ...


    ...


    Now, in a dirty alleyway.


    "Hahaha, hit the jackpot, one Orange Equipment weapon, one piece of Orange Equipment jewelry, and three purple... oh la la, spending a lifetime as a heretic is totally worth it!"


    A short member of the Doomsday Sect, unable to restrain the corners of his mouth from lifting due to the rich haul, chuckled quietly.


    He took off a ghost face mask, revealing a face with shifty eyes and brows.


    An appearance of a thirty-something young man, with protruding buck teeth, he cradled the Azure-colored Magic Sword in his hands, his eyes filled with obsession as if he was looking at an artwork, even a slight force by his fingers made him feel heartache.


    This sect member was none other than ''Mikaa,'' the code-named ''Monkey,'' a level 28 Dual-Blade Fighter.


    Faced with the fearsome Explosive Flame Slash from the Young Lady of the Mandala family, Mikaa had used a magic scroll, the ''Thick Earth Spell,'' at the critical moment.


    The soft magic energy wrapped around Mikaa''s entire body, greatly weakening the power of the Explosive Flame Slash, which allowed him to survive and feign death to escape.


    Mikaa had come from a poor family; his parents had died early on exploring the Mystic Realm, and when invited by the Doomsday Sect, he had joined without hesitation.


    But what he thought of was how to survive, to live better!


    Now, with both the [Azure Sword] and the [Cruel Biting Shark Ring], two pieces of Orange Equipment, if sold, would be enough for Mikaa to live a lavish life for the rest of his days.


    "To hell with the Doomsday Sect, to hell with the adventurers, die, all of you die, I will trample over your corpses and laugh my way to survival!"


    Mikaa roared excitedly in his heart, his eyes blazing as he looked northward; once he left the city gate and entered the boundless wilds, even the Doomsday Sect wouldn''t be able to track him.


    A beautiful new life was beckoning to him!


    Like a nimble great ape, Mikaa in his black robe ran and leaped across the rooftops, heading for the wilderness.


    ...


    When Lin Da felt the cold wind closing in from behind, his hair stood on end.


    He pinned his hopes on his 5300 hit points and the Verdant Shield. sea??h th�� N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Together, they totaled over 7000.


    Only a Star-ranked adventurer''s ultimate skill could kill him instantly!


    As long as the opponent couldn''t wipe out his health points in a flash, he would always have ways to recover quickly.


    However... if the newcomer was Lady Bai Mian, his situation would be quite dire.


    A snap.


    The person who appeared behind him seemed to have no intention of attacking; that small hand merely patted his shoulder.


    In a crisp girl''s voice tinged with indignance, "Why can you, an adventurer not even level 20, enter the auction? You must have sneaked in, right?"


    It was her...?


    Lin Da unnecessarily tensed up. Suddenly relaxed, his body went somewhat limp, and a surge of irritation rose toward the young lady behind him, who do you think you are, sneaking up like that?


    "Don''t you know to say thank you first?"


    He turned around, frowning down at the petite redhead girl before him.


    In the heated battle just earlier, he had conjured numerous Emerald Shields for her, and added to that his command... any normal adventurer would first give thanks, not fiercely question.


    The girl''s haughty tone made her seem like nobility who had spotted a pauper at a banquet, hands on hips, questioning why the poor dare to appear there, making one wish to tie her up tightly and give her a harsh lesson.


    This one''s character is truly deteriorating, even the 11th level hasn''t changed her. Lin Da felt even more disappointed in Lia.


    "Thank you for your shield..." Lia glanced aside, barely whispering.


    "What?"


    Lin Da thought he was dreaming.


    Thank-you? That Lia?


    "I said, thank you for your shield, alright?"


    Lia yelled, frustrated.


    "Are you freaking crazy!" Lin Da burst out angrily. He had sneaked out to goof off and, by shouting so loudly, Lia risked exposing his intentions to others!


    "Let''s talk about something important."


    Lin Da asked, "How did you get out?"


    Unlike the others inside, Lia had not been stopped by the members of the Doomsday Sect.


    Either Lady Bai Mian had let her out, or the Doomsday Sect was not interested in fighting, having snagged the treasures of the auction and preparing to leave.


    Either way, Lin Da didn''t have much time left for goofing off.


    Lia, completely misunderstanding his insinuation, said perplexedly, "I used my feet to get out."


    "You... never mind, asking is useless," Lin Da sighed and said, "So, how about a partnership?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "Chase down that ''ape'' from the Doomsday Sect."


    "Ah? He didn''t die?"


    "..."

 Chapter 157: 136, Youre not a mage at all!

    ```Lin Da voiced his speculation. S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Apart from the Azure Sword, the opponent probably has many other pieces of Magical Equipment. If we could get them..."


    Lia''s complexion changed, "This, isn''t that bad?"


    "We''re not going after the magical monkeys, the equipment will definitely be lost. But if we take it, we can use it to fight the Magical Creatures."


    "You are a similar level to that sect member," Lin Da continued indifferently, "you can sense his lingering aura, can''t you?"


    The magic monkeys are estimated to be around level 28, and one can only sense the opponent''s aura if their levels are close, or if a higher-level faces someone of a lower level.


    Lin Da needed Lia to help find the magic monkey.


    At this crucial moment, Lia was hesitant, like a perfectly law-abiding citizen, "But, everyone will recognize that equipment."


    "We just need to disguise their appearance, and unless someone takes them in for appraisal, they won''t be recognized," Lin Da explained patiently.


    Eventually, persuaded, Lia clenched her teeth and said, "Just this once, okay? We''ll cooperate."


    "That''s what I was thinking too,"


    Lin Da said.


    ...


    To the south of White Dove City, the wilderness.


    "Ha, hahaha, freedom, I''m free!"


    On the boundless plain, Mikaa shouted excitedly to the sky.


    Once he reached Red Heart City and changed his identity, no one would recognize that he was a heretic.


    The Azure Sword would sell for at least 500,000 Gold, and the various other odds and ends of equipment would fetch another 500,000...


    With a fortune of 1 million Gold Coins, many Star-ranked adventurers don''t even have that much on them.


    Whoosh!


    Suddenly, a dark purple Magic Sphere landed on Mikaa''s leather armor at the small of his back.


    The sound of sizzling corrosion was heard, and Mikaa turned his head to see a hole the size of a fist in the armor beneath him.


    "Is it that bastard from Unit 412?"


    Mikaa recalled the recent melee.


    If it weren''t for that Unit 412 getting in the way with all sorts of spells and support, he would have had a chance to kill the young lady of The Mandalas!


    The purple Magic Sphere, as well as the Emerald Light Shield, had both left a profound impression on Mikaa.


    To him, Unit 412 was even more troublesome than Bilya.


    Especially the Light Shield, hacking away one after another, simply inexhaustible, as if he was fighting against someone with dozens of lives, so disgusting he felt like vomiting!


    "Boy, you miscalculated, I''m not seriously injured."


    Mikaa squinted his eyes, a cold smile forming on his lips.


    In the pitch-black wilderness, only Unit 412 appeared alone.


    Although the opponent was troublesome, that was under the premise of having protection from others.


    In a one-on-one duel, no matter how strong Unit 412 was, he would still only be level 16.


    "Rock Splitting Strike!"


    Mikaa sneered, his footsteps leaving afterimages as he rushed to Unit 412''s side within a few breaths. It would only take one swing of his sword to send this ignorant fool to hell!


    However, Unit 412 calmly extended his right hand and murmured the incantation ''Dark Whip.''


    Once Lin Da reached level 16, his Poison Technique Series Skill Tree unlocked two new skills.


    Dark Whip, moderate energy consumption, high power.


    It formed a two-meter-long Energy Whip that could strike up to four times.


    Lin Da, like controlling a Flying Sword in the void, with a mental command, wrapped the pitch-black Energy Whip around Mikaa''s wrist, and instantly, he drew his One-Handed Sword from his waist, applying his second new skill:


    Toxic Enchantment!


    The ordinary longsword of blue quality shimmered with an ominous purple glow.


    With Toxic Enchantment imbued, for five minutes, all of Lin Da''s attacks would convert to Magic Damage, and Normal Attack damage increased by 50%!


    Even the Normal Attack output of a Healing Hero should not be underestimated!


    When he swung his sword, Mikaa was a bit stunned. A Support Mage engaging in close combat with a Dual-Blade Fighter?


    Are you out of your mind?


    Mikaa''s right hand was entangled by the Dark Whip, leaving him only his left hand to attack.


    Thud! Mikaa''s longsword struck the Emerald Shield, carrying the skill ''Rock Splitting Strike,'' which instantly destroyed the Emerald Shield.


    But that was all.


    Facing Lin Da''s longsword, Mikaa confidently tried to withstand it with his Life Barrier.


    But unexpectedly, the barrier fluctuated, and his spiritual core, as if scorched by toxic flames, throbbed with agony. Mikaa grimaced, his face reddening and then paling, as if a giant centipede had bitten his kidneys!


    Damn it, you''re not a Mage at all!


    Mikaa was shocked.


    A normal attack from a level 16 Mage shouldn''t cause his core to feel pain, at most it was like being punched playfully by a young girl.


    But this attack from Unit 412 made him so painfully nauseated that he felt like vomiting blood. With his Life Barrier already weakened by Lia, he feared a few more hits would spell his doom.


    As a level 28 Dual-Blade Fighter, if Mikaa were to be solo-killed by a level 16... That humiliation would be worse than death!


    Mikaa shouted with fierce desperation, "Weak, too weak, barely a scratch!"


    Unit 412''s damned Light Shield was gone, and Mikaa was confident that with the next strike, he would finish off this infuriating adversary.


    Without this guy... without him, Mikaa could even have killed the runt from The Mandalas. It was the accursed Unit 412 that shattered his dream of taking the life of a noble''s daughter!


    "You may make your move now."


    Lin Da suddenly stepped back, holding the Dark Whip taut on Mikaa''s right foot.


    What does that mean?


    Mikaa was taken aback.


    Suddenly, he felt a burning sensation surging from behind him.


    Only then did Mikaa realize that Unit 412 had a partner!


    While Mikaa''s right foot was caught by the Dark Whip, a petite shadow circled behind him, activated ''Energy Charging,'' leaped into the air, and used the level 20 Ultimate Skill, Explosive Flame Slash, for the second time!


    Lia''s personal talent [Ultimate] allowed her to comprehend Ultimate Skills to such an extent that she could use it a second time in short succession.


    Mikaa turned in horror, his pupils reflecting the three-meter-long fiery energy greatsword in Lia''s hands, and couldn''t help but feel his soul escaping as he cried out trembling:


    ```


    "Spare me, let''s talk this through, I can give you all my equipment!"


    "When you killed others, why didn''t you spare them?" Lia refused to listen to Mikaa''s excuses as her giant sword descended.


    With a loud boom, Mikaa''s Life Barrier shattered instantly, and amidst his screams, he was cleaved in two, his body charred black by the fiery Battle Qi.


    Lia sheathed her sword, her face turning slightly pale.


    She had killed many Magical Creatures before, but this was her first time killing one of her own kind.


    "He got what he deserved," Lin Da said calmly.


    Despite the discomfort of taking a life, he felt that relative to the innocent souls fallen by the other''s hand, he had been merciful.


    Bearing the nausea, Lin Da rummaged through the charred corpse.


    The Azure Sword was unscathed, the elegant blade seeming to flow with the ocean, unharmed by the Explosive Flame Slash.


    The second piece of equipment was the Biting Shark Ring, emitting a faint orange glow.


    An orange piece of Equipment at level 20, with decent attributes. He estimated it could fetch around 150,000 Gold Coins.


    Besides that, there were three purple accessories in the monkey''s pocket.


    Glancing at Lia who was dry heaving not far away, he quietly stashed the accessories into his own pocket.


    Lia soon realized it was time to ''split the loot''. Looking around fearfully and seeing no one, she came over to the corpse and extended a clean little hand without any reservations:


    "The Azure Sword, give it to me."


    You sure are thinking ahead, aren''t you?


    Lin Da laughed in fury. Even a fool knew the value of the Azure Sword far exceeded all other equipment combined.


    "Sorry."


    Lin Da shook his head regretfully, "I have already bound it to my magic circuit."


    Once bound, unless the owner actively unbinds it, erasing their spiritual mark, it''s just scrap metal to anyone else.


    This Law was mainly to ensure the safety of adventurers; even if one were to kill and loot, they wouldn''t be able to take the other''s equipment.


    "What?!"


    Lia''s face reddened, her eyes filled with disbelief.


    The Lin Da of the past wasn''t so greedy.


    It was because she trusted Lin Da''s character that she didn''t rush over to take the equipment first!


    "How can you be so shameless?" Lia yelled in anger.


    "This is the normal way adventurers interact," Lin Da retorted, tossing over the Biting Shark Ring, "This is yours."


    The Biting Shark Ring was decent equipment too, but it paled in comparison to the Azure Sword.


    Lia glared at Lin Da with pursed lips, unwilling to concede, "Give me another 200,000 Gold Coins then."


    "Not possible."


    Lin Da acted as if he hadn''t heard her, dusted off his clothes, "Let''s bury the body and leave this place quickly. Otherwise, if the auction house people find out, you''ll have to return even the ring."


    As he walked away under Lia''s envious gaze, he caressed the Azure Sword.


    The touch under his fingers was like running water, as if the sword was truly made of water.


    An attribute frame popped up in front of his eyes:


    [Name: Azure Sword]


    [Type: Equipment - Main Weapon]


    [Quality: Rare Orange]


    [Level: 15]


    [Attributes: Strength +300, Damage to Aquatic Demons increased by 40%]


    [Equipment Rating: 1014. Born of the sea, destined to the sea, its body turned into a keen sword, harboring the roar of waves]


    With only a level 15, the rating of the Azure Sword was quite high, passing 1000.


    The 40% special damage against Aquatic Demons was a huge bonus, raising its score significantly.


    Equipping the Azure Sword pushed Lin Da''s Dual Attack to 863.


    When attacking Aquatic Demons, that would be 1208 Dual Attack.


    However, considering the Murderous Crab''s 50% resistance to Poison damage, Lin Da''s effective Poison Technique attack would be at around 776 after deducting.


    But if he did not use Poison Techniques and instead used the skill ''Lethal Strike'' attached to the Ferocious Fang, he could wield a genuine, full-force 1208 attack.


    After handling Mikaa''s body, Lin Da was ready to leave, but Lia stopped him.


    "The strategy for the 12th floor of Snow Goose..."


    Lia paused before asking, "Will you look at it?"


    "I might not have time," Lin Da pondered for a moment.


    With the onset of the Murderous Crab crisis drawing near, he shook his head, "I need to hunt Magical Creatures in the wild to sync up with the team."


    "It''s ''my'' live strategy feed. You''re not going to watch it?"


    Lia clenched her fists, feeling even more upset than when Lin Da had taken the Azure Sword.


    "If I have some spare time, I might," he replied.


    As Lin Da walked away,


    The Emerald Light Shield that enveloped her gradually dissipated.


    The night wind blew through the wilderness, and without her beautiful long hair to shield her neck, Lia shivered with cold.


    After this brief cooperation, Lia realized that Lin Da wasn''t that weak after all.


    Working with Lin Da felt very comfortable, allowing her to fully unleash her combat potential.


    Possibly, her body had already grown accustomed to Lin Da''s command.


    What was most significant was the sense of dependence she couldn''t deny.


    This made Lia feel incredibly frustrated.


    She thought that without Lin Da, the team would be better off.


    But after replacing him with Phyllis, she realized that Lin Da was somewhat better.


    If she personally asked, would Lin Da... return to the team?


    A distracted Lia kicked a small stone on the wilderness with a heavy stomp.

 Chapter 158: 137. Breeze River Beach, Giant Murderous Crab

    The next day.The attack on the auction caused a huge uproar.


    According to the White Dove Morning News, the Doomsday Sect had almost swept away all the auction treasures, resulting in direct losses of nearly twenty million Gold Coins for the three major trading companies.


    The most precious item was the Azure Sword, a orange weapon, conservatively estimated at five hundred thousand Gold Coins.


    Adventurers also managed to recover a small portion of the auction items, but the Azure Sword was still missing.


    At noon, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team boarded a carriage and headed to the wilderness.


    Lin Da had a dusty long sword hanging from his waist that looked like a common item found by the roadside.


    Only he knew that it was the Azure Sword disguised with ''Illusion Iron.''


    Since returning from that auction, Lin Da had freeloaded this main weapon, along with three pieces of Purple Gear.


    Originally supposed to be broke and in debt, he ended up not spending a single Gold Coin and took all the equipment back...


    But compared to falling into the hands of cult members, being with him, a hero, was considered a stroke of luck among misfortunes.


    This saved Lin Da five hundred thousand Gold Coins, providing him with enough funds to buy equipment for his team members.


    Now, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team was transformed, with all members equipped with at least Purple Gear.


    In terms of Attribute Points, Monica''s Magic Attack exceeded a thousand.


    The Earth Mage had a weakness towards creatures like the Murderous Crab, providing a 50% damage boost.


    This, along with Lin Da''s ''Captain''s Aura'' and other amplifications...


    Monica, at level 19, surpassed many mages fully equipped in level-20 Purple Gear in terms of damage output alone.


    Even Kafni, a Scrap God, now possessed six hundred points of strength.


    Lin Da''s team, though only three members, had the overall power of a ''pseudo-rock level'' team.


    If it were a three-on-three, Lin Da believed the Phoenix Tail Flower Team had a chance of victory, assuming the opponents were level 20 common adventurers.


    Purchasing equipment for his team members totaled one hundred and fifty thousand Gold Coins.


    He then spent two hundred thousand for a Space Ring.


    The inside possessed a cubic space of 3X3X3 meters.


    With this ring, they no longer needed to carry cumbersome bags when hunting Magical Creatures.


    With the remaining one hundred and fifty thousand Gold Coins, Lin Da took out one hundred thousand to purchase a large quantity of earth system and blunt attack gear, waiting for the prices to rise.


    The carriage moved forward.


    Passing by the Adventurer''s Guild, a banner could be seen with the words ''Snow Goose Adventure Team''s 12th Level Strategy Live in Progress''.


    Kafni jokingly said, "Shall we go take a look?"


    "No need."


    Lin Da shook his head.


    The strategy he created had already been given to Phyllis, and as long as Phyllis followed the strategy faithfully, the Snow Goose Team would have no problem getting past the 12th level.


    Their destination this trip was the Breeze River Beach.


    ...


    ...


    Thanks to the Murderous Crabs, Bob had been quite successful these past few days.


    This blond, freckled young man was worried when he met Lin Da a few days ago that Lin Da would compete with him for the business of hunting Murderous Crabs.


    But all was calm.


    It seems he overthought it.


    Adventurers of that level wouldn''t care about killing just two or three Murderous Crabs.


    To make money, Bob and his team had camped at the Breeze River Beach and hadn''t returned for several days.


    Recently, he clearly noticed an increase in the number of Murderous Crabs.


    Before, Bob could only encounter one or two a day, but today, just past noon, his team had already killed three Murderous Crabs!


    These blue-carapaced magical creatures, two meters long, hid in the mud near the river beach.


    If an adventurer carelessly passed by, they would be instantly snapped in half by its massive pincers!


    Bob and his teammates cautiously walked along the edge of the river beach.


    During these days of hunting, they had several close encounters with death.


    Thankfully, they had a scholar in the team skilled in Scouting Spells, who could detect the positions of Murderous Crabs in advance.


    "After killing the last one, let''s head back to the city!"


    Bob turned back to look at his exhausted teammates.


    He tried to show a hearty smile and spoke of the wonderful scene after returning to the city:


    "We have already hunted down 15 Murderous Crabs, and with the Demon Cores and materials, we can sell them for 300 gold. We won''t have to worry about living expenses for the next year!"


    Hearing this, the teammates all smiled, wiped the sweat from their faces, and felt less tired.


    This adventure team, known as ''Earth Tiger,'' consisted of four members, all of average level 9.


    At their level, a few dozen gold could buy a piece of blue gear, a night out at the tavern would only cost a gold coin, and the only scholarly girl''s eye-catching designer skirt could be bought for three gold coins...


    From this hunt of Magical Creatures, the Earth Tiger adventure team had earned about 300 gold, which was indeed a reason for their excitement.


    Even though the members had expended a lot of Battle Qi and Magic Power, they still wanted to kill one more Murderous Crab��as soon as the Murderous Crabs became abundant, the merchants'' purchase price would inevitably drop. If they wanted to make money, they had to seize the moment.


    Suffer today, enjoy greater fortune tomorrow.


    Everyone understood this principle.


    Murderous Crabs equated to double the wages, and if they missed this opportunity, they didn''t know when the next one would come.


    "Lisa, have you found anything?" Bob spit excitedly into his hand and tightly gripped his one-handed sword.


    Lisa was the scholar in the team, a girl who wore a golden ponytail and had a demure appearance.


    She held a white magic book, intensely focused as she used her Scouting Spell, her spiritual power spreading out like a spiderweb in all directions.


    As Bob stood there eyeing Lisa''s graceful figure, Lisa suddenly said in panic:


    "Bob, below you, directly below! It''s moving too fast!"


    The Murderous Crabs the Earth Tiger adventure team had encountered before, even though capable of moving underground, were very slow, giving them time to react.


    Today, however, Lisa felt the Murderous Crabs were much stronger.


    Not only had their average level increased from 8 to 9, but they could also glide smoothly under the soil.


    They could have handled all these factors, until this unusual one...


    At Lisa''s cry, Bob scratched his head, full of confusion.


    With a Scouting Spell in place, how could a Murderous Crab hide directly below them without being detected? S��arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yet, the fact was, the Murderous Crab, with terrifying speed, had moved from outside the range of Lisa''s Scouting Spell and swiftly positioned itself directly beneath them, by the time Lisa detected its presence, it was too late!


    With a plop.


    Mud exploded in all directions.


    Like a mud dragon emerging, half of the Murderous Crab''s body crawled out.


    And its body was three meters long, its carapace was greenish in color, and one of its large claws was thicker than an adult''s body.


    This greenish carapaced Murderous Crab suddenly appeared behind Bob,


    causing Lisa and the other team members to drastically change their expressions and step back in horror.


    "What?"


    Seeing the expressions of Lisa and the others, Bob seemed to realize something as his eyes gradually widened.


    Like in slow motion, he turned around in terror.


    Crack!


    A fiery-red crab claw clamped around Bob''s head.


    The captain of the Earth Tiger adventure team''s field of view plunged into darkness.


    The last thought Bob had before he died was that he should have given up and returned to the city sooner.


    Merely because of the greed to hunt one more Murderous Crab, he would never again see the succulent Succubi of Dreamy Paradise.


    "Ahhhhhh!"


    Scholar girl Lisa, holding her head, screamed in terror.


    Red blood and an unidentified white substance oozed out of the crab claw.


    It sprayed all over Lisa''s face, turning it crimson as if she had sat on a bottle of ketchup that then burst out.


    "How could this be, a Murderous Crab of at least level 15! Why would there be a level 15 Magical Creature around the outskirts of Breeze River Beach!"


    The remaining two male members were also pale-faced, at a loss.


    In front of this viciously murderous giant Murderous Crab, their legs trembled as if they had no strength even to run.


    But even if they had the strength to run, given the Murderous Crab''s rapid movement in the mud, they would quickly be caught.


    Chopped by the crab''s claw, becoming delicious food for this creature.


    Facing a Murderous Crab, the only way to survive was to hunt it down!

 Chapter 159: 138, Monster Tide Approaching, Snow Goose on 12th Floor Crisis

    But... two level 9 warriors, and one overly panicked scholar who had completely lost her ability to fight, subduing a level 15 Murderous Crab, is it really possible?As they pinned their hopes on a miracle, two loud bangs sounded under their feet,


    like two Demon Gods crawling out of hell, two Murderous Crabs appeared that were no smaller than the first.


    One of them even had a stronger aura, reaching level 16!


    At that moment, the miracle in the hearts of the Earth Tiger Adventure Team members disappeared.


    Lisa knelt on the ground, shivering and closing her eyes.


    She recalled her short life, her sick mother was still waiting for her return from adventure, the promise to buy her brother a shield also could not be fulfilled.


    Just like the vast majority of adventurers, Lisa would end her ordinary and common life here.


    "Dark Whip!"


    Suddenly, an explosion rang beside her ear.


    Then came the Murderous Crab''s hissing strange cry.


    What''s going on?


    Lisa opened her eyes, trembling with fear.


    What she saw was a black energy whip, coiled around the giant crab claw.


    The whip pulled to the side, and a crab claw fell off directly, landing on the ground with a thump.


    The second whip, threw the Murderous Crab ''heels over head'', exposing its white underbelly.


    The third whip, the whip tightened, striking like a steel rod, smashing the creature''s underbelly inward.


    The Murderous Crab''s several pairs of claws trembled once, then curled up, motionless.


    All in just three seconds.


    A level 15 Murderous Crab, just died?


    Lisa first was stunned, then her eyes moistened, immediately realizing, she was saved.


    A high-level adventurer had come to their rescue!


    "Earth Spear Spell!"


    Following that, two sharp earth spears shot out, precisely embedding themselves into the mouths of the two Murderous Crabs.


    Lisa and her companions looked shocked, seeing that this basic Earth Mage technique instantly killed two level 15 Murderous Crabs!


    Earth system indeed suppresses Shell-type Magical Creatures, but not to such an unbelievable extent.


    "I understand."


    "It''s a veteran Rock-level Squad!"


    Kodo, the warrior, excitedly looked towards the petite Mage who was casting the Earth Spear Spell.


    She was slightly over one and a half meters tall, wearing a large pointed Mage Hat, and below her cloak, she had pure white silk stockings trimmed with gold.


    This seemingly harmless young girl, however, effortlessly killed two terrifying Murderous Crabs with a simple gesture...


    Earth Tiger Adventure Team had exerted all their might and still could not kill one, but in this young girl''s hands, just a wave of her Magic Wand, casually casting two Earth Spear Spells, finished off the Murderous Crabs.


    As simple as swatting two mosquitoes.


    The prowess of the Rock-level Squad staggeringly impacted Kodo''s mind.


    It also made him doubt the purpose of their recent painstaking efforts at Breeze River Beach fighting Magical Creatures.


    The team''s all-out efforts were no match for someone else''s casual swing of a Magic Wand.


    Even their team leader Bob had lost his life.


    Kodo clenched his teeth, his face filled with reluctance.


    "Thank the World Tree Goddess..."


    Lisa''s body suddenly went weak, and she collapsed onto the muddy ground.


    "Why haven''t you left yet?"


    The three-member group, suspected to be the Rock-level Squad, approached.


    It was indeed the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.


    Lin Da frowned as he looked at Lisa''s group and a headless body on the ground, sighing.


    All they could do was silently pray.


    "It was you."


    Lisa''s mind cleared up a bit.


    The ones who had intervened and saved them were acquaintances.


    Back then, Captain Bob was worried that the ''Eye of Wisdom'' was stealing their business.


    But he didn''t expect that when they met again, Bob would be lying on the ground, never to open his eyes again.


    Lisa sobbed quietly, "If we had returned earlier, there would have been no trouble..."


    Lin Da offered simple words of comfort.


    He then inquired and learned that recently the number of Murderous Crabs had increased, and their level was rising.


    His expression grew serious, warning the few members of the Earth Tiger Adventure Team, "You all hurry back, inform the Adventurer''s Guild, say..."


    "Breeze River Beach is very likely to experience a Monster Tide!"


    A Monster Tide, a term that lingers in the memory of most adventurers.


    Lisa and the others last saw this word in their school textbooks.


    "Monster Tide?"


    The three members of Earth Tiger exchanged glances, all looking somewhat bewildered.


    As White Dove City being a safe inland city, adventurers there had never witnessed a Monster Tide.


    Suddenly hearing this term, they felt an unreal sense of confusion.


    Since Lin Da had said it, even if just to save face, Lisa and her friends felt compelled to suppress their doubts and nodded in agreement.


    The Earth Tiger Adventure Team returned to White Dove City.


    Meanwhile, Lin Da and his group stayed at Breeze River Beach, continuing to fight the Murderous Crabs.


    In just one hour, they had encountered over a dozen.


    The lowest level was 15.


    Level 15 magical creatures weren''t considered formidable.


    But for Breeze River Beach, an area with an average level of 9, this was highly unusual.


    "The Monster Tide is coming soon."


    Lin Da collected the spoils of war with a solemn expression.


    The system''s notification bar had accumulated quite a few messages:


    [Killed level 15 Murderous Crab and earned 150 Mystical Points (triggered event bonus, an additional 150 Mystical Points)].


    [Killed...]


    Lin Da thought: During the event period, the Mystical Points from Murderous Crabs were doubled.


    In just a little while, he had gathered 4200 Mystical Points.


    There were three days left until the outbreak of the Murderous Crab frenzy, yet signs of their mass emergence were already apparent.


    Recalling the most thriving scene in the game: The screen filled with Murderous Crabs, freezing frame by frame, every player happily grinding away, dying meant simply respawning in the city and continuing through a teleport...


    But adventurers in Another World couldn''t resurrect!


    Murderous Crabs, a type of magical creature that reproduced very quickly, if not dealt with swiftly, they would occupy all surrounding areas.


    One life turns into two, two into four, proliferating across the land...


    Under the massive base number of magical creatures, Leader Level Rare Magical Beasts could be born.


    Even if White Dove City had walls for protection, they might not hold.


    This kind of wildfire must be extinguished from its source.


    Lin Da looked ahead at the turbid ''Qingfeng River'' resembling the Yellow River.


    There were still three days until the outbreak of the Monster Tide.


    If the Adventurer''s Guild and City Hall issued a joint order to mobilize adventurers fully, extinguishing this Monster Tide would not be out of the question.


    However.


    Until nightfall, Lin Da had seen no one come to investigate.


    He wondered, had Lisa not notified the Adventurer''s Guild, or had something happened on the way?


    The outbreak of a Monster Tide was no trivial matter, Lin Da and his group headed back, toward the Adventurer''s Guild.


    ...


    Two hours earlier.


    "Breeze River Beach might erupt in a Monster Tide? Miss, you must be joking, it''s been many years since the last Tide; it''s impossible, absolutely impossible!"


    An Adventurer''s Guild, a male staff member with brown short hair, laughed heartily and waved dismissively at the anxious-faced Lisa:


    "I just had adventurers from Breeze River Beach this morning completing missions, and they mentioned no Monster Tide."


    "It might, it might happen!"


    Lisa was also somewhat unsure.


    The appearance of high-level Murderous Crabs at Breeze River Beach was true, but to decide based on this that a Monster Tide would erupt was indeed premature.


    Any other adventurer would at most suspect that something unusual was happening at Breeze River Beach.


    The only person who would assertively predict a Monster Tide would probably be Lin Da alone.


    "Then you all should at least send someone to check it out."


    Lisa said with less confidence, "The Breeze River Beach, marked as a low-risk area on the map, yet having level 15 large Murderous Crabs, isn''t that strange! It could cost many unaware adventurers their lives!"


    "Alright, alright, got it, I will ask the superiors and arrange for the investigation department to check, results can be delivered within thirty working days."


    The man yawned lazily, "For now, I''ll issue a notice that high-level Murderous Crabs might be spotted at Breeze River Beach, would that be alright?"


    "Thirty working days?" Lisa was stunned, "How can that be acceptable, why can''t you send someone to check it out right away, what if there really is a Monster Tide?"


    "Everything has to go through procedures, abide by the rules. If signs of a Monster Tide are confirmed, the Adventurer''s Guild will rapidly organize manpower to suppress it!"


    Impatient, the man tapped his pen, "Next."


    "But thirty working days is too late..."


    Lisa wanted to argue further, but a burly scar-faced adventurer pushed forward behind her, saying gruffly, "A Monster Tide, are you serious? Believing in a Monster Tide might happen is less believable than betting I''d get Epic-level Equipment!"


    The surrounding adventurers burst into laughter.


    The last Monster Tide was centuries ago.


    Back then, the area around White Dove City was teeming with fierce magical creatures.


    The pioneering adventurers had swept through them time and again, and now only the weak ones remained.


    A Monster Tide''s outbreak required Leader Level magical creatures. S��ar?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The current wilderness near White Dove City couldn''t produce such high-level creatures!


    Amid the teasing laughter, Lisa hung her head and withdrew from the service window line.


    "I think I messed up," Lisa approached two comrades leaning against the door, dejectedly stating, "The Guild isn''t willing to send anyone over."


    "Ah, there''s nothing we can do, we tried our best."


    "We still have to take care of our captain''s affairs, let''s focus on that first," Kodo patted Lisa''s shoulder, consoling her.


    Lisa hesitated a moment, then nodded and left the Adventurer''s Guild.


    Fundamentally, she didn''t quite believe Lin Da''s words herself.


    Coming here was entirely in gratitude for Lin Da saving her life.


    The message had been relayed to the Adventurer''s Guild.


    If they didn''t believe it, there was nothing she could do.


    Being optimistic, handling it within thirty working days, and tomorrow being within those thirty days, it shouldn''t cause a delay, should it?


    Currently, the guild hall wasn''t paying any mind to the abnormalities at Breeze River Beach.


    All their attention was captured by a live strategy display on the big screen in the hall.


    Inside was a dark, gloomy swamp where a red-haired girl was battling a group of ugly half serpent-people.


    On the screen, Battle Qi and magic intermingled, each second teeming with tension, making it hard to breathe.

 Chapter 160 139, just watch, this young ladys battle

    World Tree Secret Realm, 12th level, gloomy swamp."No, this isn''t right. I only changed a little bit, just the size of a pinky finger, how could it become like this..."


    Phyllis held the magic wand in panic, as the speed of chanting the Healing Art slowed down by more than half.


    "What did you say?"


    Klyne, exhausted, drew her bow, and the green Fighting Spirit Arrows pierced through the head of a Serpent-person, casting a doubtful glance at Phyllis, who seemed somewhat abnormal.


    "Ha, nothing, we''ll win!"


    Phyllis said with a guilty conscience.


    But the truth was, to prevent everyone from realizing that the strategy came from Lin Da, Phyllis had made some ''improvements'' to it.


    He was from a prestigious school, and since Lin Da had labeled the strategy ''rough,'' Phyllis thought that a little improvement and adding a personal touch to present it as his own would surely be fine, right?


    Now, Phyllis was regretting it so much that his guts turned green.


    The ''improvement'' made by Phyllis led to a significant change in the situation of the battle.


    The number of Serpent-people creatures was twice as many as the strategy had anticipated, and the Serpent Leader, that should have died in the previous attack, still had some life force left.


    Perhaps Lia could kill the Serpent Leader with a single Flame Slash, but the difficulty in slaying this Magical Creature was exactly how to get close to it.


    Discover stories at empire


    Rows of Serpent-man Soldiers formed an impregnable wall of flesh, using their lives to stop the adventurers.


    The three-meter-tall blue Serpent Leader swung the Trident Scepter frequently, summoning new Serpent-people...


    The swamp creatures multiplied, surrounding Snow Goose and the others.


    Every one of them was on edge, a trace of unease spreading across their faces.


    Aiko inwardly puzzled: how could Lin Da''s strategy be wrong?


    Others might not notice, but the sharp Aiko realized the true author of the strategy as soon as she reviewed Phyllis''s version.


    Every strategy creator has a different style.


    Some are Offense Oriented, some are Defense Oriented.


    And what one feels from Lin Da''s strategy is its precision!


    If followed perfectly, Lin Da''s strategy could even predict at 11 minutes and 37 seconds what spell the Magical Creatures would use.


    Therefore, Aiko came confidently.


    But the result turned out like this?


    She glanced at Phyllis, whose face was ashen, and thought strangely, couldn''t it be that this graduate from a prestigious university ''optimized'' Lin Da''s strategy...?


    It''s like a delicate tower of blocks, each piece meticulously calculated. Move just one block and the whole structure could collapse.


    ''If Lin Da were here, even in this situation, there would be many ways to handle it, right?''


    Aiko sighed wearily.


    Now with Phyllis mentally collapsed, he was utterly incapable of giving commands, and the other team members either lacked strategic thinking or were brainless.


    The heavy burden of Snow Goose fell onto her shoulders.


    "Listen up, I''m going to use Rain of Light to cleanse those Serpent-man minions and open up a path to the Leader. Lia... you okay? There''s only one chance at this."


    Aiko said seriously.


    The red-haired girl with the greatsword looked resolutely ahead��at the three-meter-tall blue Serpent Leader, adorned with gold and silver on its neck and wrists, like a king.


    She nodded slightly and said decisively, "I can do it."


    "Good."


    Aiko waved her magic wand, her white magic robe fluttering with the movement.


    As the spell was chanted, Light Magic Power gathered swiftly over the swamp, forming a huge circular Magic Array with a radius of twenty meters.


    The terrifying power changed the color of the sky, as if from night to day in the blink of an eye.


    The Serpent-people looked blankly at the sky, their bodies instinctively trembling under the unknown terror of a threat,


    Within the huge circular Array, it seemed to contain a Law known as death.


    "Become the sword of punishment, cleanse all!"


    Level 20 ultimate skill, Rain of Light!


    Aiko''s golden hair fluttered, her voice beautiful and melodious. Bathed in the glow, she was as holy as a Goddess.


    As the final syllable of the chant fell, the Magic Circle unleashed destructive arrows of light, so numerous they were like a torrential rain, purging every ''impurity'' within the marsh!


    In the desperate screams of the Serpent-people, a path had been opened.


    The dense corpses of the Magical Creatures turned into black mist and dissipated, leaving no Serpent-person survivor within the twenty-meter radius.


    Seeing this, the viewers outside the screen couldn''t help but gasp, even just this wide-ranging, high-damage spell was enough to make Aiko one of the top adventurers in White Dove City.


    Among mages of the same level as Aiko, none had an ultimate skill as powerful or wide-reaching, and their casting speeds could not compare.


    Under Aiko''s Rain of Light, the path to the Serpent Leader opened.


    With a whistling sound, a red blaze shot out.


    From the high-altitude view of the sensor ladybug, what was seen was a streak of red flash.


    Sensing the approaching crisis, the Serpent Leader frantically waved his Trident Scepter, summoning many Snake-man Soldiers on the path of the advancing girl.


    Many Triple Forks, flashing with a cold gleam, thrust toward the girl.


    But her speed did not slow in the slightest, dodging each attack by a hair''s breadth like a fish swimming through water.


    The closer she got to the Serpent Leader, the more Serpent-people there were protecting the creature.


    Lia watched the Triple Forks coming at her impassively, allowing these icy weapons to graze her arms and thighs��as long as they were not life-threatening.


    Even as fresh blood streamed and the sensation of pain tormented her nerves like a sharp knife, she clenched her teeth and endured��it was time to no longer be underestimated.


    Lia needed to grow and break free from her dependence on Lin Da.


    Everyone thought she fought to beat the game, but only she knew that she wanted someone to see that without him, she, the team leader, could still lead Snow Goose to hold their heads high.


    Leaving the team led by someone as strong as her was definitely a mistake!


    Even though she had asked Lin Da the night before, and he had said he didn''t have time to watch Snow Goose''s live strategy feed,


    Maybe, like her, he said he wouldn''t watch, but when the live strategy feed started, he cared so much that he couldn''t control his legs and rushed over.


    "Damn Lin Da, watch this, Miss''s battle!"


    Lia charged in front of the Serpent Leader, staring at the tall blue monster. The Fire Fighting Qi on her sword surged, and she shouted with all her strength:


    "Burst! Flame! Slash!"


    "Waaaah!"


    The Serpent Leader, in fear, drew a curved blade from his waist and slashed at Lia''s head, this cunning creature actually trying to force Lia back with a life-for-life tactic! S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Be careful����"


    Aiko cried out in shock, and Chloe, Klyne, they too showed panic on their faces.


    Including the people watching from outside the screen, everyone thought the same: Abandon this attack, look for another opportunity.


    Or simply use a Town Portal Scroll to exit the Mystic Realm.


    The dark swamp was one of the most challenging Mystic Realms among the twelve layers.


    Failing once was normal.


    However, the team leader of Snow Goose was Lia.


    A Swordsman desperately wanting to prove herself.


    In her list of options, there was no retreat.

 Chapter 161 140、Lia Lin Da, will you return to the team?

    Lia resolutely faced the Serpent Leader''s scimitar, did not dodge, and slashed out with the Blazing Swordsman''s level 20 Ultimate Skill, Explosive Flame Slash.Bright crimson blood bloomed like flowers, even more vibrant than the girl''s red hair.


    The Serpent Leader let out a piercing scream, his body cleaved in two by the Explosive Flame Slash.


    Blue blood spurted into the air.


    The trident scepter fell to the ground from his hand.


    A globe of light burst from the body of the Serpent Leader and showered onto the members of Snow Goose.


    By conquering the twelfth layer of the Mystic Realm, they received a Divine Gift from the World Tree Goddess.


    Each of them gained a level and they also obtained three pieces of Purple Gear.


    However, Aiko and the others felt no excitement.


    Each team member''s heart was in their throat, anxiously looking towards the girl standing still, her greatsword bloodied.


    "Li, Lia, are you... okay?"


    Aiko''s voice shook a bit.


    Looking at Lia, it seemed there was a serious problem no matter how one thought about it.


    Yet besides those dry words, she couldn''t find any other comfort to offer.


    "Captain..." Klyne covered her mouth, her eyes filled with a hint of unbearable sorrow.


    Klrona stood dazed for the first time feeling that adventuring wasn''t a ''game''; it truly involved life-threatening risks.


    Oru blamed himself for not convincing Klyne that night to lend the money to Lia.


    Otherwise, the Serpent Leader might have fallen earlier.


    "Oh, this young lady is fine, just a minor injury," Lia said.


    She touched her left eye where the blood was thick and warm, covering her vision so that she couldn''t see clearly for a moment.


    Though her words were casual, she felt fear too. What if she became blind?


    But the sensor ladybug was directly facing her, and beyond the screen were many adventurers, probably including Lin Da, she couldn''t show any weakness.


    "Sorry!" Phyllis hurried over, casting Healing Art on Lia''s face repeatedly.


    Lia didn''t know the current situation, but the others could see it clearly. Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There was a three-centimeter-long gash that was bone-deep, crossing diagonally over Lia''s left eye, with blood pouring profusely.


    Standard Healing Art could only stop the bleeding, accelerate wound healing, and restore the thickness of the Life Barrier.


    It was powerless for already damaged human organs.


    Phyllis guiltily slapped herself twice in the face.


    If he hadn''t been so clever and altered Lin Da''s strategy... Lia wouldn''t have gotten hurt. Discover stories with empire


    Ah?


    Lia, seeing the reluctant expressions of those around her wanting to speak but hesitating, showed a slight panic on her delicate face.


    Even with Healing Art to stop the bleeding, her left eye was still painfully burning.


    Barely managing to open it, she saw only darkness.


    On the belly of the sensor ladybug, a flood of suggestions came pouring in:


    "Congratulations to the Snow Goose Adventure Team for conquering the 12th layer of the World Tree!"


    "Amazing, that final strike was something I couldn''t have achieved."


    "It seems like they got three pieces of Purple Gear? Snow Goose is quite lucky."


    Some people were concerned about whether Lia''s eye would become blind.


    But to most adventurers, injuries like Lia''s were commonplace.


    Six people entering the Mystic Realm, it''s usual for someone to leave something behind.


    Broken legs or arms were too common.


    Losing an eye, on the other hand, was considered a ''minor injury''.


    But it was different for the members of Snow Goose.


    They were a group of young ladies who were nurtured in comfort and not accustomed to being injured.


    The worst injury Lia had sustained was a cut on her arm on the ninth layer.


    ''Blind? Will I never be able to use this eye again?''


    Lia felt helpless, touching her left eye and trying hard to purse her lips, not wanting to expose her vulnerability.


    "It is just an eye," she said,


    flinging the blood from her hand and shakingly wiping it on her trousers, trying to appear indifferent. "It''s nothing serious."


    Any member of Snow Goose could see that Lia was putting on a brave face and being stubborn. The tears in her eyes were the size of peas.


    This time, no one had the heart to scold her.


    "Foolish captain," sighed Aiko, pulling Lia into her embrace.


    Klyne turned off the connection between the sensor ladybug and the screen.


    Snow Goose Adventure Team needed some time for themselves.


    ...


    ...


    When Lin Da and the others returned from Breeze River Beach, it was already evening.


    Six hours had passed, and there were still no investigators from either the Guild or the Imperial Knights.


    The only consolation was that there were still two days before the Monster Tide erupted.


    There was still ample time.


    The lights of the Inner City District shone brightly at night, with a Magic Guided Streetlamp every few meters along the main street.


    But the view in the distance looked like a flickering flame, only vaguely revealing an adventure team of about six people.


    Lin Da was deep in thought.


    How to persuade the Adventurers'' Guild to organize a large number of adventurers to station at Qingfeng River Beach.


    He rested his chin on his hand, slightly bowed his head, and looked downward.


    The streets at night were not very crowded; even if he didn''t focus entirely on what was ahead, there would be no problem.


    But Lin Da stopped in his tracks.


    What he saw was a pair of brown boots covered in mud.


    The black stockings were torn in several places, revealing skin with extensive abrasions. Above, a red miniskirt with many magic potions hanging on the belt.


    He came to his senses and looked up in surprise.


    Standing before him was a girl with fiery red short hair, wearing a white eye patch over her left eye, her lips pursed, looking at him with a slightly hostile gaze.


    The girl wore a brown, high-collared coat concealing her petite figure, with her hands in the pockets.


    Lin Da was momentarily stunned, looking at the companions behind the girl:


    Aiko smiled at him, though she looked very tired. Klyne nodded slightly, restrained, Oru raised his healed arm greening him.


    Klrona was looking down, poking the ground with her toe as if she were stepping on ants.


    Meanwhile, Phyllis, shaking and clutching her fists, looked as if she had done something wrong.


    At first glance, the Snow Goose Adventure Team appeared disheveled. Each member was dirty and grimy, indistinguishable from those teams that had returned defeated from the Mystic Realm.


    Yet the strategy Lin Da had given Phyllis should have meant there were absolutely no problems.


    What made him feel a mix of emotions was the fact that facing these old teammates, after just over half a month, there was already a subtle sense of estrangement.


    Behind him were Kafni and Monica. This chance meeting was also a meeting between two different adventure teams.


    The streetlamp between them cast a clear light.


    Each team''s leader, with their members, encountered each other.


    "Young Lady has cleared the 12th level," Lia said, raising her little head first, "Did you see? Young Lady''s performance?"


    Aiko blinked hard as if giving some kind of hint.


    Lin Da naturally understood what Aiko meant, but today�� he didn''t want to ''understand''.


    "No," he shook his head, "I just got back from the wilderness."


    Lia looked at him in astonishment.


    "Your eyes��" Lin Da hesitated before asking.


    "Oh."


    "It''s nothing serious, pretty normal for adventurers."


    "Just blindness."


    Lia said nonchalantly as if discussing someone else''s problem.


    "Blindness?"


    Lin Da frowned.


    Lia had expected him to panic immediately, thinking of solutions,


    but after a moment of shock, Lin Da thought: it seems the game is back on track.


    The Lia he knew in the game was a red-haired, one-eyed swordsman.


    Mature and steady, a powerful swordsman who led The Mandalas to their peak.


    But the Lia he met after crossing over was a lot weaker.


    He also reflected on whether it was his fault, having taken on too many tasks meant for the team leader, leading Lia to become a giant baby who only complained about others.


    After he left the team, the game seemed to get back on track.


    This way, there was still hope for Lia to become the respected "Bursting Flames."


    People don''t stay the same forever.


    Having walked past the crossroads, each going their own way could be considered a good thing.


    He would lead his own team with defeating the Demon King as the ultimate goal.


    And Lia, too, would transform from a giant baby into the reliable swordsman from the game.


    "If you don''t rejoin the team,"


    to his surprise, Lia seemed to be trying to salvage something, saying word by word, "More people will get hurt."


    "Maybe even die."


    Lia felt a surge of heat in her chest.


    She bet Lin Da couldn''t let go of Snow Goose.


    She didn''t believe Lin Da could forget three years of adventures together.


    If Lin Da didn''t care about her, why did he spend much more energy on her than on Aiko and the others?


    Now, Lia was giving Lin Da an opportunity.


    The young girl raised her head, her demeanor proud.


    "You know, I''m in a rush."


    Lin Da didn''t look at her but spoke to Aiko, "Snow Goose, it''s on you now. You guys can become great adventurers."


    A polite remark that made both girls turn pale.


    "Let''s meet again when we have time," Lin Da said. "I still have unfinished things to deal with."


    Having time to meet again,


    The biggest lie of adult adventurers.


    A complete evasion.


    Aiko''s mouth felt bitter as she awkwardly responded, "Okay."


    Lia watched as Lin Da and his team members passed by, seemingly heading towards an unreachable place,


    and suddenly felt an impulse, biting her lip and grabbing Lin Da''s wrist.


    Aiko and the rest looked at Lia in surprise.


    Could it be,


    About to speak up?


    The Powder Keg?


    Lia, who had been slashed by the Serpent Leader, might have been thinking clearer.


    But Aiko felt sympathy.


    It was already too late; she could even guess Lin Da''s response.


    Lia slowly said, "If I invite you back..."


    "Will you return to Snow Goose?"


    Lin Da''s steps halted.


    Monica''s small, anxious hand grabbed his coat, and Kafni squinted at him.


    Without any hesitation, Lin Da shook his head: "My team members are in Phoenix Tail Flower."


    Lia''s eyelids twitched as she took a half-step back.


    "Lia, I have thought about it,"


    Lin Da looked towards the large tree standing in the city center, "Taking everyone from Snow Goose to the top of the World Tree."


    "Then why did you leave the team?"


    Lia was full of confusion.


    The original members of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, too, had stood on a road curb by a shabby street one night, looking up at the World Tree under the stars, sharing their dreams.


    If Lin Da promised to take them to the top of the World Tree, then why leave the team?


    Thinking carefully, they had never calmly sat down and talked through things.


    "The initial purpose of Snow Goose changed," Lin Da said.

 Chapter 162 141. Ways to Win Back

    All together, everyone joined hands and ascended to the top of the World Tree.This was originally Lia''s dream.


    Lin Da agreed with her, recalling his past life''s gaming experience, which was extremely utilitarian, and he strongly felt that it was true.


    It was this red-haired girl who had saved him from numbness, making him realize that clearing the game was not everything.


    The teammates fighting alongside him were even more worth cherishing.


    Moreover, since Lia was naturally clumsier than Aiko and the others, Lin Da put most of his energy into helping Lia.


    But it seemed that she had misunderstood something.


    She treated these goodwill efforts as something she could use to order others around.


    Even oxen that plow the fields have their day of collapse.


    "Because the original intention has changed, that''s why I left the team," he said.


    "No,"


    Lia said firmly, "If you come back, I can lead us to become the strongest adventure team in White Dove City."


    Lin Da chuckled, "Snow Goose''s original intention was not that."


    "You mean... teammates are more important?" Lia frowned.


    "Yes."


    "Then you are utterly wrong,"


    Lia decisively refuted him: "Do you know of a team called the Primitive Adventure Team? They were the team most likely to clear the World Tree''s top level."


    "The captain of the Primordial didn''t have any friends."


    "But that team was still powerful."


    "So��you are wrong, power is the only thing that matters,"


    Lia''s youthful face shimmered with the glow of wisdom.


    "Are you going to refute what the captain of the Primordial, the ''Dark Shadow'' Dai Lian, said?"


    It was as if she was using the sayings of great men to educate the unenlightened weak��unless Lin Da himself was stronger than Dark Shadow, no matter what he said,


    Lia could always rebut Lin Da with, "What right do you, a mere captain of a common adventure team, have to deny the Primordial Adventure Team?"


    However, upon saying this, Lin Da''s expression became somewhat strange.


    That included Kafni, Monica,


    and even Aiko, who was standing behind Lia.


    They weren''t sure whether to remind her.


    That the captain of the strongest adventure team she believed in was right in front of her!


    Aiko ranted in her mind.


    Now ''Dai Lian'' had realized that teammates are more important than personal strength.


    He had told Lia to her face, but she was still holding onto the outdated ''bible'' as if it were the truth.


    Lin Da also helplessly held his forehead.


    "If you don''t understand this, you will never become an excellent team captain."


    ...


    Passersby all looked in surprise at the red-haired girl standing on the street, wondering if she had been abandoned, like a stray cat thrown into a box and not wanted anymore.


    In the end, Lia was still unable to convince Lin Da.


    Watching the members of Phoenix Tail Flower disappear at the end of the long street, her expression became blank.


    She couldn''t help but whisper, "Why did it turn out this way?"


    The members of Snow Goose understood what she meant.


    Why did Lin Da, who had always been the kindest to her, become cold like a stranger?


    Indeed, Lia could be annoying, but she was naturally slow-witted, something Lin Da would certainly understand. According to the other members'' understanding of Lin Da, he wouldn''t be so unfeeling.


    Of course, if they knew the later game plot like Lin Da, they would understand.


    Whether Lin Da returned to Snow Goose or continued to help Lia, it would prevent her from growing into a true mature and steady Swordsman, a ''Bursting Flames''.


    Seeing Lia looking dispirited, Aiko found it somewhat amusing, but when the cool breeze blew by, bringing a chill to her heart, she also felt a pitiable coldness.


    Compared to Lia, she wasn''t much stronger.


    She probably was just a slightly better friend in Lin Da''s heart!


    Aiko thoughtfully said, "It turning out this way might have been inevitable."


    "Inevitable?" Lia didn''t understand.


    As if reflecting on herself, Aiko pondered and slowly said,


    "Affection is mutual. If only one side gives, they will soon become an empty shell, hollow, with nothing left. Only when there is mutual giving can affection remain stable."


    For three years, it was Lin Da who had helped them, but they had never considered reciprocating to Lin Da.


    Even their own parents expected these unfilial daughters who ran away from home to care for them in their old age,


    so what was Lin Da hoping to get from them?


    Just as Lin Da said, since the original intention of Snow Goose had changed, and even the last bit of sentiment worth lingering for had been lost, there was no need to stay.


    During the three years with Snow Goose, Lin Da had been drained completely dry, his affection for them exhausted by daily trifles and complaints.


    "I''ve done a lot for him too!"


    Lia''s eyes reddened as she retorted, "In the Mystic Realm, I was always at the front, protecting everyone. He was the lowest level, but I never really planned to kick him out."


    Aiko''s mouth twitched, feeling that the twelve-layer Serpent Leader needed a few more chops; this little dwarf had still not come to her senses.


    What you''ve done is simply fulfilling the responsibility that comes with being a Swordsman, a team captain,


    just like a business owner who works overtime but thinks they''re doing a huge favor for all their employees, self-indulgently moved by their own actions.


    "There is a way to make amends, it''s not impossible."


    "What?"


    "You, go and lick Lin Da''s boots."


    Aiko gazed at Lia''s astonished little face and said, word by word.


    "Me, lick the boots of a commoner born of a wild chicken? Impossible."


    Lia''s face flushed with indignation, and she refused without even thinking about it.


    Aiko said, "Not a commoner, he''s now a lord with the Badge of Honor as an adventurer."


    "Still impossible."


    Lia shook her head anyway.


    She touched her eyepatch.


    Thinking to herself,


    If Lin Da no longer cares about his old teammates, then she need not care about Lin Da anymore either.


    Lia spoke her mind,


    She would defeat Lin Da''s teammates to show Lin Da that teammates weren''t important, and that personal strength was the only thing that mattered.


    Lin Da was too weak when he was a healer, so she kicked him out.


    If Lin Da had been as strong as he is now, she wouldn''t have kicked him out.


    Aiko watched her obstinate behavior with a headache.


    If Lia really did that, not to mention Lin Da rejoining the team, it''d be good if they didn''t become enemies.


    Aiko thought the most appropriate course of action was for Lia to offer up her behind, but this method was flawed because, firstly, Lia would never do it, and secondly, Aiko wouldn''t allow such a thing to happen.


    Being outdone by the Phoenix Tail Flower''s members, Aiko could console herself by thinking that it was just because those little birds were closer to the water and got to the moon first.


    But if Lia got ahead...


    It would mean that a distinguished graduate from the Magic Academy was beaten by a dropout who only knew basic arithmetic.


    Such an insult would haunt Aiko for life!


    As for Lia, who had strayed from the right path, all Aiko could offer was her sympathy and silently add one more to the future wedding candy gift for Lia.


    "Honestly, I think you shouldn''t put all your eggs in one basket. You''re so outstanding; in the future, you''re bound to find teammates more suitable than Lin Da, like joining Snow Goose."


    Aiko needed to apply some ointment to Lia''s eyes.


    She couldn''t let this shorty keep pining for Lin Da and avoid the possibility of a turnabout.


    "You understand me the best," Lia felt slightly better.


    "Let''s go back." Aiko took Lia''s small hand and discovered, to her surprise, that it was terribly cold and even shaking a bit.


    Sigh.


    Looks like the wedding candy count was going up again.


    ...


    ... S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I am sorry, I didn''t catch that. Could you please repeat?"


    Lin Da, with a stern face, set down his cup of tea and looked incredulously at the manager sitting across from him on the sofa.


    They were currently in the VIP room on the third floor of the Adventurer''s Guild.


    Any team reaching rock level was entitled to a private audience with the manager.


    With the Badge of Honor issued by the Mayor of White Dove City, Lin Da was entitled to the same treatment as at rock level.


    Everything was quite nice before entering the VIP room.


    They were provided personal guidance, unlimited tea, and snacks, and the manager was very polite.


    But when he put forward the request for the Adventurer''s Guild to investigate Breeze River Beach, the response he got left him speechless:


    "Mr. Linda, we''ll provide the investigation results within three working days."


    "However, based on my assessment, there''s a high probability that a monster tide will erupt in no more than three days."


    "We can''t help it. If you were a regular adventurer, we would only provide a resolution within thirty working days."


    The manager, named Klay, a forty-year-old fat man with a big belly, forced a hypocritical smile on his chubby face and wiped the sweat off his forehead with a handkerchief, saying:


    "Mr. Linda, you must also consider our difficulties. The guild''s Investigation Department is short-staffed, and you are making such... well, ''strange'' requests."


    "As far as I know, there are clear signs before a monster tide erupts, like the migration and concentration of a large number of magical creatures. It''s not something that happens without noise. A few level-15 Murderous Crabs don''t mean much. Should we interpret the stray wandering of an Earth-Traversing Dragon into the Barren Plains as the revival of the Dragon Race?"


    "Heh, the last monster tide happened over a hundred years ago, Mr. Linda forgive me for being blunt, but aren''t you being a bit... paranoid?"


    Klay said with a sneer veiled in a smile.


    He wasn''t impressed by this newly minted Glorious Adventurer. Lin Da was only level 16, and his claim to the badge was a strategy guide for the first three levels of the World Tree... From a standpoint of magnanimity, Klay praised Lin Da, but deep down, he wasn''t convinced.


    Look at the other Glorious Adventurers!


    The last one, Abner with the Mind''s Eye, killed a frenzied Earth-Traversing Dragon of level 37 in the wild. If they had let that terrifying creature get near White Dove City, the city walls might have collapsed, and city finances would be squandered!


    Klay''s disdain was well hidden in his eyes, but Lin Da still noticed it.


    The matter of the monster tide was too crucial. Lin Da patiently said, "There are always exceptions. It''s true that the last monster tide was a century ago, but can you guarantee there won''t be any in the future? Perhaps that future is just a few days away."


    "There are no exceptions," Klay, an excellent graduate, was very familiar with the habits of the magical creatures. The current state of peace in White Dove City signified there was no possibility of a monster tide.


    "Even if there were an exception..." Klay smiled confidently: "The Adventurer''s Guild would eliminate the unforeseen."


    Kafni had been holding back her anger, and suddenly slammed the table: "Can you bear the responsibility if a monster tide erupts?"


    Klay, still wearing a pleasant face, said, "Please sit down, Miss. It is prohibited to raise your voice in the Adventurer''s Guild."


    "Besides, I haven''t refused your request. According to the process, the investigation results of Qingfeng River Beach will be handed over to you within three working days."

 Chapter 163 142. Events twist, Earth Wolf Adventure Team delves into Qingfeng River

    This unyielding attitude frustrated the three members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team to no end."Have your president come and speak to us," Lin Da said coldly.


    "I''m sorry, but the president has gone out of town. If you wish to meet him, you can schedule an appointment."


    "The president is not here, then I demand a different manager to receive us��surely that shouldn''t be a problem?"


    "Are you sure you want to do this? You should know that changing the reception manager will affect my performance assessment," Klay said, his face darkening.


    "Then I have even more reason to request a change of manager," Lin Da replied calmly. "I am honored to have an impact on your performance assessment."


    "Fine, I understand," Klay gritted his teeth yet managed to conjure up a professional fake smile. "I will arrange for a ''suitable'' manager for you."


    Following this, two people successively came to receive Lin Da, but their attitude was the same: They would respond within three working days.


    Even when Lin Da pulled out a video tape showing the appearance of the Murderous Crab on Breeze River Beach, the managers still insisted:


    They could not determine from this that a Monster Tide had erupted, but in light of the Glorious Adventurer Badge, they would send someone to Breeze River Beach within three working days.


    "Are these people numbskulls? Is it really that hard to send someone to Breeze River Beach for a quick check?"


    Upon leaving the Adventurer''s Guild, Kafni cursed angrily.


    Lin Da also felt an overwhelming sense of powerlessness, like punching into cotton. According to the Empire''s laws, the Adventurers'' Guild''s actions were not at fault,


    but the problem was that this ''game event'' was unlike the usual Monster Tides��it didn''t progress in an orderly fashion.


    In the game, the Murderous Crabs appeared out of thin air, spawning directly from the air without any rationale whatsoever.


    In Another World, this event had been twisted into ''normalcy,'' with the number of Murderous Crabs slowly increasing, offering a faint hint.


    The problem was, this hint was insufficient for the Adventurers'' Guild to judge it as the onset of a Monster Tide.


    That group of rigid middle-aged men had an unshakable belief in textbook knowledge, where one plus one must equal two, without any exceptions.


    Yet clearly, one Beastman plus one Elf Lady equates to several hundred million.


    Sometimes, common sense ends up harming them!


    Having no other option, Lin Da and his group headed to the city hall to meet with Mayor Adel.


    Compared to the Adventurers'' Guild, Mayor Adel''s attitude was much warmer.


    He handed Lin Da a sealed envelope which, with its contents, could compel the Adventurers'' Guild to immediately dispatch someone for investigation.


    However, from Mayor Adel''s expression, Lin Da sensed a similar indifference.


    Apparently, even in Mayor Adel''s heart, he did not believe that a Monster Tide would erupt.


    Neither the mayor nor the managers of the Adventurers'' Guild realized that a crisis was looming.


    Reflecting on it, the Murderous Crab crisis in the game was resolved with the help of players.


    Upon seeing the game announcement, players rushed to Breeze River Beach in anticipation of the spawn, obviating the need for NPC intervention as the Murderous Crabs were wiped out. sea??h th�� n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This time, Lin Da was the only player.


    It was crucial to make the multitude of ''NPCs'' realize that a crisis was imminent.


    He placed his hopes on the president of the White Dove City Adventurers'' Guild.


    If he could convince him to organize a large number of adventurers to station in Breeze River Beach, the issue would be resolved successfully.


    The adventurers would harvest a vast amount of magical creature materials, and he himself could load up bags full of Mystical Points.


    This achievement would count as a merit for both the Guild President and the Mayor.


    A win-win-win situation.


    Returning to the Adventurers'' Guild overnight, Lin Da presented the Mayor''s envelope.


    Klay''s face looked exceedingly bad, he didn''t even pretend to hide his disgust and perfunctorily led him to the Investigation Department.


    They dispatched a Level 15 scholar to accompany him to Breeze River Beach.


    The next day at noon, Lin Da received a message from a messenger of the Adventurers'' Guild:


    After investigation, the anomaly at Breeze River Beach had been identified, and the conclusion was��a suspected appearance of mutated magical creatures.


    From today, Breeze River Beach would be marked as a high-risk area, prohibiting adventurers below Level 15 from entering.


    The guild also commissioned three rock-level Squads to deeply explore Breeze River Beach and eliminate any hidden mutated magical creatures as soon as possible.


    For this, they also expressed their gratitude towards Lin Da, the discoverer.


    Yet, this wasn''t enough.


    "��I need to see your president."


    Lin Da returned to the Adventurers'' Guild once more.


    The receptionist was one of the three managers from the day before.


    A middle-aged woman flashy with jewels, wearing a black bodycon dress, her face carried a feigned, faint smile.


    "We''ve fulfilled your request, marking Breeze River Beach as a high-risk area, and your suggestion has protected many lower-level adventurers. Are you still unsatisfied?"


    The manager named JieLi spoke courteously, but her eyes held a hint of disapproval.


    "Say it again��I need to see your president," Lin Da stated firmly.


    "Mr. Linda, I''ve reminded you several times that meeting with the Lord President requires an appointment, and besides, he truly cannot make it back in time as he is attending a meeting in Golden City."


    Golden City referred to the provincial capital of Cangqing Province.


    JieLi continued smiling, "When the president returns, we will notify you."


    The real reason she and Klay did not want Lin Da to meet the president was their fear of Lin Da filing another complaint.


    With the Mayor''s letter previously, and the potential reprimand from the president following that, the three of them might very well lose their managerial positions.


    But if they just waited until the day after tomorrow, and Breeze River Beach remained quiet without any changes, this stubborn Lin Da would finally shut up.


    A Monster Tide is not something you say erupts when it simply erupts.


    Even an ant disaster has a build-up process.


    Unless the magical creatures fall from the sky one by one, a monster tide is set to erupt the day after tomorrow.


    How could a swarm of Murderous Crabs, each two meters long, gather without being noticed?


    JieLi''s smile was impeccable, as cold as a sculpture, all her thoughts hidden behind a mask: no one likes an adventurer who speaks without proof and is full of themself.


    The desire to save everyone might be a good one.


    But just having a good heart doesn''t mean everyone will accept it.


    At least the three managers whose interests were harmed by Lin Da did not have a good impression of him.


    ...


    After repeated setbacks, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team returned to Breeze River Beach.


    They carried magic video recorders and installed them in various locations to monitor changes in the area.


    Lin Da was making the worst-case plans.


    By understanding the terrain and the habits of the Murderous Crabs, he tried to predict where they would swarm.


    In the game, this event "sacrificed" a large number of players.


    Lin Da had hoped to profit from the Murderous Crabs at the minimum cost, but it seemed that the wheel of history could not be stopped.


    The Murderous Crabs were destined to dye the land red with their crimson claws.


    In the past, it was players, who could respawn indefinitely, who died.


    Now, it had turned into living ''NPCs''.


    Lin Da could only do what was within his power.


    He visited various rock-level squads, requesting everyone to be on standby in the city.


    Telling them not to climb the World Tree or to venture too far to fight magical creatures.


    To most adventurers, Lin Da''s proposal seemed unbelievable.


    Very few people believed that a monster tide would erupt.


    Some, more petty-minded, even suspected that Lin Da was deliberately slowing their progress in climbing the World Tree.


    Among the numerous rock-level squads, seventy percent, respecting Lin Da''s reputation as the ''Eye of True Knowledge,'' agreed.


    Twenty percent of the teams said it depended on the plans for that day.


    Of the remaining ten percent, half outright refused, not giving Lin Da any face.


    The rest readily agreed.


    The fastest to agree was Lin Da''s old friend''s team, the Ice Flower Adventure Team.


    Isa trusted Lin Da''s judgment and took it upon herself to remind many adventurers: "Signs of a monster tide eruption are apparent at Breeze River Beach; prepare for battle!"


    Support from Ice Flower revitalized Lin Da.


    The second team that readily agreed was the White Dove Adventure Group.


    Originally, Gale also felt that something was off about Breeze River Beach but didn''t dare to conclude it was a monster tide eruption.


    Lin Da''s arrival solidified Gale''s thoughts.


    Gale personally went to the Adventurers'' Guild to seek an audience with the Guild Master.


    ��Unfortunately, this time, the Guild Master had really gone out of town for a meeting!


    Yesterday was the last day Lin Da visited White Dove City.


    But JieLi and several other managers collectively suppressed Lin Da''s request, thinking to drag it out until the day after tomorrow, letting Lin Da''s ''lie'' unravel on its own.


    The current highest authority in the city, Mayor Adel, didn''t believe that a monster tide would erupt either.


    This retired old adventurer, a rationalist from the Academic Faction, believed strictly in rules.


    And the anomalies at Breeze River Beach, according to him, merely indicated the emergence of mutant magical creatures, far from a monster tide��sending a few adventure teams for a routine elimination would suffice.


    Despite all his efforts, Lin Da still wasn''t able to raise alarm among the upper echelons.


    In the blink of an eye, it was the deep night of the day after tomorrow.


    The clock tower in the Secret Realm Square of White Dove City pointed its giant minute hand at 23:50.


    Breeze River Beach.


    A majestic river, black as mud, situated there like a roaring mud dragon.


    Recently, adventurers'' visits to Breeze River Beach had significantly decreased.


    After being classified as a high-risk area, only a few rock-level squads came to explore, hoping to find hidden mutant magical creatures to defeat them and earn a substantial amount.


    News of the Murderous Crabs spread far and wide.


    As one of the more ferocious magical creatures within the same level, the materials from a Murderous Crab were far more valuable than those from other creatures of the same level.


    A level-15 Murderous Crab''s claw, carapace, and demon core could bring profits almost equivalent to those from a level-18 magical creature.


    This led adventure teams, who couldn''t defeat level-18 magical creatures, to opt for the simpler level-15 Murderous Crabs instead.


    But the profits were the same!


    Many adventure teams sniffed the scent of gold coins.


    The Earth Wolf Adventure Team was one of them.


    They were greedier: aiming for a presumably highly valuable rare magical creature lurking deep within Breeze River Beach.


    The team leader, Mindy, with dirty brown dreadlocks, complained as they walked:


    "Damn it, why wasn''t I the one who got the purchasing rights for the Metal Destroyer? I could have gained at least one level!"


    "Listen up, we must find the hidden magical creature in Breeze River Beach this time, and burst its materials! Upgrade to powerful equipment and strive to enter the next layer sooner!"

 Chapter 164 143. Doomsday Sect, Witch Ritual

    Earth Wolf adventure team, progress level 12, seven members, average level 21."Hey, Captain, it looks like there''s someone ahead. Could it be an official adventure team commissioned by the Adventurer''s Guild?"


    One of the bald members'' expressions changed.


    "No worries, we''re all rock-level squads from the same city, easy to talk to. Watch me go over and exchange pleasantries."


    Mindy shrugged indifferently and stepped forward, shouting, "Hey�� which adventure team are you...?"


    A sharp, piercing noise suddenly rose in the air.


    It was as if an extremely thin silk thread had been stretched tight, turning into a swift blade slicing toward a person''s body.


    Mindy''s expression froze, and the Life Barrier crumbled like tofu. His body disintegrated into blocks, collapsing under a sky of scarlet liquid.


    "Ah?" sea??h th�� Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The members of the Earth Wolf adventure team stared, dumbfounded as Mindy was instantly reduced to dozens of pieces.


    Three people from the river beach came forward.


    They wore black robes and their faces were covered with sinister demon masks, smiling yet crying; the masks had a short horn on the right side of the forehead, painted blue.


    They were not an adventurer squad from White Dove City.


    That signature mask...


    "It''s the Doomsday Sect! Be careful, everyone prepare for battle!"


    Baldy shouted in terror.


    Splat!


    Splutter splutter splutter!


    Invisible sharp threads chaotically danced through the air.


    In just a few breaths


    , the seven members of the Earth Wolf adventure team were reduced to unrecognizable chunks of flesh.


    "Lady Bai Mian, the bothersome ants have been taken care of."


    The three sect members returned to the riverbank, kneeling on one knee with their shaking heads hung low.


    In front of them, whom they referred to as ''Lady Bai Mian,'' stood a woman clad in a black dress with golden hair.


    Lady Bai Mian was around one meter sixty, with an impressive bust and wearing a smiling Flower Cat mask.


    Her nails painted in tempting red, she delicately took out an item from her Space Ring and tossed it into the center of Breeze River Beach.


    "Moon Grass of 100 years."


    "A Water Series Magic Core level 35."


    "..."


    "Lastly, the blood of a witch."


    Lady Bai Mian chuckled softly, slicing her wrist open to let out jet-black blood, which she mixed with more than a dozen other ingredients, sprinkling them into the murky river before her.


    She completely ignored her three subordinates, opening her arms wide with a pilgrim''s frenzy and began chanting, and from her exalted voice, one could easily imagine an excited, flushed cheek.


    "Abyss Gate, open now~!"


    A deep red light lit up under the Qingfeng River, as the contour of a massive Array appeared, faint and fluctuating.


    A horrific magical creature''s aura emanated from the Array, like a pale hand grasping at the cliff''s edge, as those creatures, desperate to escape from the abyss, pushed forward.


    Click click click...


    The dense sound of carapace rubbing together blended into a single terrifying noise that made one''s skin crawl.


    One Murderous Crab after another emerged from the ground beneath the Qingfeng River. Even the smallest was three meters in length.


    Among each group of Murderous Crabs, there was always one that was five meters long with a dark carapace.


    They opened their pincers, covering the sky and the sun.


    The pressure was immense!


    These magical creatures, as if they had been imprisoned for hundreds of years, climbed out of Breeze River Beach and excitedly looked upon the vast expanse of the world.


    "Hiss hiss."


    The black-shelled giant Murderous Crab issued commands to its kin with strange sounds.


    The message was clear: Exterminate all life other than themselves.


    The Murderous Crabs spread in a frenzy, engulfing every direction!


    A member of the blue Oni Horn Sect fawned, "Congratulations on the successful ritual, my lord. Once the World Tree in White Dove City is destroyed, you are certain to win the general''s favor!"


    A coy laugh emanated from beneath the Flower Cat mask.


    "Just wait and see."


    Witch Bai Mian, gazing at the overwhelming swarm of Murderous Crabs, spoke reverently, "The great Demon King will bestow destruction and death equally upon every ant beneath the World Tree."


    The three subordinates chimed in unison, "And we shall become the masters of the new world."


    Moments later, the figures of the four disappeared from Breeze River Beach.


    The corpses of the Earth Wolf Adventure Team became a feast for the Murderous Crabs.


    ...


    00:01 at night.


    "Good evening to all the adventurers in White Dove City, though by the time you see this footage, it will probably be morning!"


    "This is Kami, reporter for White Dove Morning News, here to uncover the secrets of Qingfeng River Beach~"


    A short-haired, freckled girl tied in a ponytail, full of vigor, laughed in front of the recording camera:


    "What secrets lie beneath Qingfeng River Beach, which has suddenly been classified from low-risk to high-risk? Reporter Kami, together with a Rock-level Squad and the Valiant Adventure Team, will reveal them to you!"


    "Could you keep it down, please? If there are hidden Magical Creatures here, you''ll attract them. It''s very unsafe," complained Robert, captain of the Valiant Adventure Team, with a spiky blonde hairdo.


    "Ha-ha, what does it matter? Even if some hidden Magical Creatures do appear, ''Quick Blade'' Robert can take care of them, right~" Kami teased, with no sense of danger whatsoever.


    Robert hummed proudly in response, "Naturally, what kind of powerful Magical Creatures could there be at a place like Qingfeng River Beach?"


    It was at that moment that the ground began to buzz and tremble inexplicably.


    It seemed like an earthquake yet was akin to the thunderous charge of ten thousand horses.


    An indescribable unease crawled up Robert''s ankles along with the earth''s trembling.


    "Damn it, what is this feeling..." Robert cursed under his breath.


    "What''s that?" Kami, perched on the cameraman''s shoulders, gazed curiously ahead.


    A mass of black... crabs?


    The vibration grew increasingly close and intense. Discover hidden stories at empire


    They finally saw clearly.


    At the end of the dark horizon, large pincers shining with the luster of steel illuminated the night.


    They marched in unison, like an advancing army, and the dense Magical Creatures'' aura, like a mountain that had risen from the ground, weighed heavily on everyone''s hearts.


    Including Captain Robert, everyone''s faces turned exceedingly grim.


    Not the delicious edible crabs.


    But a seemingly endless horde, numbering tens or even hundreds of thousands, forming a black wall of Murderous Crabs!


    Within this moving ''wall,'' every so often appeared an even larger Black Shell Man-Eating Crab, exuding an intimidating aura strong enough to make one''s scalp tingle.


    Such Magical Creatures were at least level 20!


    Any adventure team would seem insignificant before the sheer number of these Magical Creatures.


    Compared to the rest, who were weak at the knees, reporter Kami excitedly shouted, "Ha-ha-ha~ Huge news, massive news! White Dove City in great crisis, a spectacle seen once in centuries: The Monster Tide has erupted~!"


    Is now really the time for this?


    Robert glared at Kami with anger, scooped her under his arm, and started running frantically.


    He had to get this message back to White Dove City as quickly as possible!


    ...


    In just a short amount of time, the Murderous Crab Tide had attacked two nearby mining camps and spread toward the Barren Plains and Man-Eating Swamp.


    Like a clumsy, long-neglected machine, White Dove City only started to lumber into action three hours after the various departments received news of the Monster Tide outbreak, with everything thrown into chaos.

 Chapter 165 144. Monster Tide outbreak, Rock-level Squad assemble!

    In the Inner City District, lights twinkled charmingly in a mansion where the chief, Klay, was dedicating himself to the birth of his third child."Deadbeat, don''t even know to take it slow~"


    Minutes later, JieLi lay on Klay''s greasy, bulging belly, her face showing she still hadn''t had her fill.


    But Klay, holding his wife, turned the conversation to another man.


    He couldn''t help but laugh and said, "It''s past midnight, all is well in White Dove City, that ''Glorious Adventurer'' sir should have nothing to complain about now, right?"


    "Hmph, why talk about him, Klay, let''s do it again, I''m still energetic."


    JieLi''s eyes burned with desire.


    Just as Klay''s legs turned jelly, caught between advancing and retreating, a mournful blast from the Magic Conch outside saved him.


    "What''s going on, a citywide alert?"


    JieLi felt it strange, "When was the last time there was a citywide alert?"


    "I''ve never experienced it," Klay said as he opened the window to look out.


    The magic lamps on the city center''s bell tower had turned into a glaring red.


    The light flickered, accompanied by the shrill sound of the horn.


    "I''m Kami, reporter from White Dove Morning News����I repeat, I''m Kami, reporter from White Dove Morning News..."


    "Damn it, stop flaunting your name at a time like this!"


    An irritated male voice came from the horn, resonating throughout the city.


    It seemed as if the man had snatched the communicator from Kami''s hands, and said solemnly, S��ar?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Adventurers of White Dove City, I have a terrible announcement to make. All adventurers above level 10, grab your weapons and assemble north of White Dove City, a blood battle for survival is about to begin."


    "What the hell is going on?"


    Klay scratched his head in confusion, thinking the matter had nothing to do with him. He closed the window, planning to go back to rest, when


    a heavy male voice came through the Magic Conch����"A Monster Tide has erupted at Breeze River Beach!"


    As the words dropped, Klay and his wife JieLi both froze in their steps, their hearts skipping a beat.


    The two exchanged glances, their faces filled with disbelief.


    The Monster Tide... had it really erupted?


    In the middle of the night, at the Adventurer''s Guild in the Inner City District. Discover exclusive tales at empire


    "That, President Velen, Breeze River Beach, uh... seems like, a Monster Tide has erupted..."


    In front of a Magic Mirror for long-distance communication, Klay ceaselessly wiped his sweaty face with a handkerchief.


    Behind him stood his equally anxious wife, JieLi.


    When news of the Monster Tide breakout came, both of them nearly passed out with darkness clouding their vision.


    Lin Da had twice requested to meet with the president, and they had suppressed those requests. For this, the couple was unquestionably to blame.


    If exposed, the lightest outcome would be the Kreivs being ousted from their positions.


    If matters were more severe, they would be taken to court, facing a grave trial!


    The use of this Magic Mirror was costly, starting at hundreds of thousands of Gold Coins depending on the distance.


    Klay had concealed the news before due to concerns about the cost of the Magic Mirror and the president''s punishment,


    but today, the distance between the president and White Dove City was even greater, the use of a Magic Mirror would cost at least a million Gold Coins.


    But Klay, to mitigate his own punishment, would bear all the coins necessary to contact President Velen immediately!


    "What? ''Seems like'' it erupted? Klay, clear this up for me, is there a Monster Tide or not?"


    In the twenty-centimeter radius Magic Mirror, the image of a man with sharp-cheekboned middle-aged man appeared.


    President Velen, with a square face, golden short hair, and a fuzzy beard on his chin, spoke with a face full of rage,


    "Describing something as serious as a Monster Tide with ''seems like''? Klay, is there one or not?"


    "Uh... yes, there is! And, it will approach beneath White Dove City in no more than a day."


    Klay forced out a smile uglier than a cry, with sweat streaming down his forehead, drenching his handkerchief.


    "Go inform Mayor Adel, I will return as soon as possible! Listen well, you must keep the Monster Tide at least ten kilometers outside of White Dove City, the city walls must not be damaged! Otherwise, you, me... all of management, will end up in prison!"


    Velen roared as he donned his coat.


    "Yes...!"


    Before Klay and JieLi could even catch their breath, a staff member banged on the door, saying loudly,


    "Chief, a message from the city hall, Mayor Adel is on his way, he''ll take over command of the Adventurer''s Guild!"


    Sss����


    Klay and JieLi both shuddered at once.


    About the matter with Lin Da, Adel was in the know.


    When the blame came down, the first to suffer would be them.


    The two descended the stairs with their hearts in their throats.


    Most of the guild''s staff had gathered in the hall, waiting for Mayor Adel''s command.


    Seeing Klay and his wife, who looked like frost-bitten eggplants, everyone couldn''t help but wonder �� were this couple really such responsible people?


    The Monster Tide had erupted, and those most concerned should have been the higher-ups and the adventurers; these back-office staff were the safest.


    Facing inquiries from colleagues, Klay could not even muster a forced smile.


    The couple walked to the front like death-row inmates entering the execution ground, shivering all over.


    While others were considering how to dispatch adventurers, only the Kreivs'' minds were a blank, thinking only of how to plead with the mayor.


    Soon, a carriage from the city hall arrived at the doors of the guild.


    It was followed closely by a dozen more.


    Two people stepped out from the leading carriage adorned with White Dove City''s emblem.


    One of them was Mayor Adel.


    The elderly man''s face was grave, his hand resting on a ceremonial staff, emanating an aura of authority that demanded respect without anger.


    The person by his side was not the Mayor''s assistant.


    But rather, a young man in his twenties.


    The young man was tall and clad in a dirty brown explorer''s outfit; his boots were caked with mud. Frowning, he murmured to Mayor Adel.


    And the Lord Mayor, as if he had become the young man''s assistant, nodded continuously, uttering "Understood," "Will have it done immediately."


    The identity of the young man was not unfamiliar; some who didn''t recognize his face knew the emblem on his chest signified the Glorious Adventurer.


    In White Dove City, there was only one person of that age with that emblem.


    Eye of True Knowledge: Lin Da!


    The young man discussing strategies to manage the Monster Tide and devising plans with the mayor was none other than Lin Da.


    In the days prior, Lin Da had stationed himself at Breeze River Beach to observe the terrain, study the habits of the Murderous Crabs, and predict the potential scenarios after the Monster Tide erupted.


    According to the messages brought back by the Valiant Adventure Team, the number of Murderous Crabs was around what he had estimated, between 50,000 to 100,000, spreading towards the Barren Plains and the Man-Eating Swamp.


    Lin Da, holding a map, was in a rush; he discussed with Mayor Adel while they walked:


    "These locations require the largest number of adventurers to defend. If the Murderous Crabs find a large number of lower-level Magical Creatures to feed on, they will reproduce rapidly... in three days at most, the number of creatures in the Monster Tide could double."


    "Double?" Mayor Adel''s expression shifted, his fist clenching in regret: "If only I had heeded your advice earlier and organized adventurers to station at Breeze River Beach..."


    "Lord Mayor, let''s focus on resolving this crisis first. It''s not too late yet; we have a good chance," Lin Da said, shaking his head; what was needed now was to steady people''s hearts.


    As the two passed by the managers lined up in wait, no one noticed the trembling Kreivs.


    Klay was so panicked that he almost couldn''t stand on his feet, barely resisting the urge to throw himself to his knees and cling to Lin Da''s legs, begging for mercy!


    Klay truly hadn''t known that a Monster Tide would erupt!


    Had he known this would happen, not for a hundred Gold Coins would he dare obstruct Lin Da''s meeting with President Velen.


    Klay had only felt that Lin Da hadn''t shown him the respect due to a Guild official, so he gave him a little bit of trouble...! Heaven be his witness, Klay could never have imagined such a small hindrance would lead to such catastrophic consequences.


    "No... It wasn''t on purpose!" Klay screamed hysterically in his heart, his face ashen with panic.


    Heavy and resolute footsteps passed before him, and he numbly looked up, his eyelids twitching violently at the sight��those were the captains of several Rock-level Squads.


    With grave expressions, they followed Lin Da and Mayor Adel up to the temporary war room on the fifth floor.


    "Damn it, you''ll be dealt with after this is over. Until then, work to the bone!"


    Kafni, too, was among the crowd, landing a fierce kick into Klay''s stomach, causing a sour taste to rise in his mouth and bending over in agony on his knees.


    Under the astonished gazes of those present, Klay did not resist, tremblingly lowering his head: "I... I will work as hard as I can. Please, you must plead with the mayor on my behalf!"


    "Dream on!" Kafni retorted disdainfully, turning her mouth away and headed straight to the fifth floor with Monica.


    Now, the ones who could turn the tide and extinguish this Monster Tide were the Phoenix Tail Flower Team!


    For three days, Lin Da''s efforts were all seen by Kafni.


    He delved into the muck, studying the crawling speed of the Murderous Crabs, and testing the combat data between different individual crabs... His usually neat appearance was obliterated, having completely forgotten to wash and groom in these three days.


    While such behavior indeed fitted a hero, as far as Kafni knew, not all heroes devoted themselves so thoroughly.


    She had heard from her seniors in the Divine Realm that many heroes would rob ordinary people''s homes to amass top-tier equipment, committing all kinds of evil without caring even about the life or death of the Princess they were smitten with.


    How could they be, like Lin Da, concerned about the welfare of the average citizens and adventurers of White Dove City?


    Kafni could tell that Lin Da genuinely wanted to resolve this disaster and save the common people and adventurers of White Dove City!


    "It seems, I didn''t choose the wrong person."


    Kafni muttered inwardly, her eyes following the tall figure heading up the stairs, feeling a strong sense of pride welling up within her.


    Fortunate for choosing Lin Da as the hero and proud to be a member of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    ...


    On the fifth floor, in the war room.


    At the very front, there was a large Magic screen.


    It displayed a bird''s-eye view map of the area around the Breeze River Beach, with red circular icons representing the Murderous Crabs.


    Lin Da stood on the platform, a long rod in hand, tapping the screen, adding red circular icons.


    "This is the current layout of the Murderous Crab Tide."


    Lin Da''s eyes were sharp as he looked at the dozens of adventurers below.


    These were the strongest adventurers in White Dove City, and they were key to resolving this crisis.

 Chapter 166 145, she is a fool.

    Lin Da''s gaze swept over the crowd.Standing at the very front, closest to him, were the leaders of three Steel Level Adventure Groups.


    Leading them was Abner, the chief of the White Dove Adventure Group, known as "Mind''s Eye."


    This was a swordsman with blue, long hair tied into a ponytail, who always kept their eyes closed.


    Abner''s Sword Intent was like a huge Sword Mountain, with wild Battle Qi raging atop it, like a fierce wind, seemingly tearing into shreds anyone who even slightly approached.


    This was not something that Abner did on purpose, but rather a ''momentum'' built from years of training.


    Without using any force, a strong individual could just with a glance cause an ordinary adventurer to be scared out of their wits.


    This was ''momentum.''


    The high-level Battle Qi and Magic Power, infused in every drop of blood of the adventurer, brought pressure with every gesture.


    There were several other Star-ranked adventurers present, but they paled in comparison to Abner.


    Lin Da could only roughly guess Abner''s level: at least 37.


    He silently thought that to deal with the creatures deep in the Breeze River Beach, one must rely on top-tier adventurers like Abner. S��arch* The n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Looking towards the back, Lin Da saw many familiar faces.


    Isa of Ice Flower, Valiant Robert, Sword Light Adventure Team��


    A girl with short red hair was also among the crowd.


    The girl wore a white eyepatch and carried a greatsword taller than herself on her back at a slant.


    When Lin Da swept his gaze over to count the numbers, the girl seemed to take it personally and snorted coldly.


    By her side, Isa whispered, "I know you two have your differences, but now is the time to put them aside. Let''s all work together."


    "Mhm," the girl responded.


    The girl was Lia.


    Lia felt that Lin Da on the stage was insufferably arrogant, even daring to command so many people more powerful than he was without showing the proper respect of a lower-level adventurer.


    Plainly put, his emotional intelligence was too low!


    Had someone else been speaking, Lia might have listened seriously, but the person above was all too familiar to her, a former teammate.


    And she, as the captain, had to listen from below,


    The awkwardness made Lia tap her foot nonstop, feeling annoyed and unable to listen attentively.


    However, this strategy meeting wasn''t held for her. As Lin Da''s view swept by and saw her fiery red hair, his main thought was ''Rock Level Team count +1''.


    On the stage, Lin Da held a long rod, tapping the light screen with a serious face:


    "Immediately issue a notice from the Guild: adventurers above level 10 are to assemble outside the city, to be allocated and commanded by the officers of the Imperial Knights. Those below level 10, stand by within the city."


    "Additionally, send messengers to seek aid from South Rock City and Red Heart City."


    "And the most crucial point��distribute recording rings to ensure that every adventurer who kills a Murderous Crab gets the corresponding reward after the battle, preventing anyone from taking advantage during the chaos by collecting corpses of Magical Creatures."


    Without the recording rings, there would definitely be a lot of adventurers with dishonorable intentions.


    "Dispatch all sensor ladybugs to oversee the battlefield from above, monitoring the Monster Tide''s movement!"


    Each directive was issued in an organized and unflustered manner.


    Lin Da, facing the crisis, didn''t show a trace of panic in the face of the Monster Tide, giving the impression of a veteran who had experienced countless Monster Tides.


    Mayor Adel stood by Lin Da''s side, feeling incredibly ashamed upon hearing this, as he felt completely superfluous.


    White Dove City had been at peace for many years, and the city hall had long lost the mindset of preparing for danger in times of safety.


    The Adventurer''s Guild''s Investigation Department, even more so, existed in name only.


    Adel secretly decided that after surviving this crisis, he would definitely reorganize with great effort, and all the officials would have to reflect on their lazy and perfunctory behavior!


    Many captains of the Rock-level Squads were nodding to themselves as well, seeing the merit in each of Lin Da''s commands, which were extremely useful and well-thought-out.


    Although the Phoenix Tail Flower was an Apprentice Squad, and its captain was only Level 16, the power it demonstrated during this crisis was no less than that of a Steel Level Adventure Group.


    When Isa looked up at Lin Da on the stage, a faint look of admiration appeared on her face. She had realized long before, when Lin Da was just an ordinary Healer, that he would never be a common adventurer.


    The only regret was that it was the lucky Lia who had picked Lin Da up and recruited him into her team.


    At this moment, however, Lia''s feelings were the complete opposite of Isa''s.


    The more others praised Lin Da, the more uncomfortable Lia felt.


    ''Commanding, I can do that too.''


    She thought resentfully, utterly failing to see the uniqueness of these commands and believed that it would be better to gather the Rock-level Squads and charge directly at the Breeze River Beach.


    "��Excuse me for being blunt."


    "I believe Mr. Abner would be more suitable as the overall commander."


    A gloomy man with green curly hair, tall and thin with a hooked nose, raised his gaunt right hand.


    The Specter Adventure Group''s Hulus?


    This sudden statement by the gloomy man brought a silence to the war room.


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    Some were surprised, while others understood something and showed thoughtfulness on their faces.


    Abner, named by Hulus, opened his eyes slightly.


    "I am not good at command."


    Abner''s voice was calm as water, but it clearly reached everyone''s ears.


    Jite became angry, bristling with killing intent as he said, "Hulus, are you asking for trouble?"


    "No, I just think, given that Abner is also a Glorious Adventurer and is highly prestigious, why should we let a kid who has just started out, and hasn''t even hit Level 20, command everyone?"


    Hulus sneered, his green curls like venomous snakes exuding a sinister vibe as he spread his skeletal hands and said:


    "Anyway, I am not convinced. Perhaps there are some who feel the same as I do?"


    The crowd was silent.


    Some people''s eyes flickered as they whispered among themselves.


    Hulus, cloaked in black with a steel skeleton badge on his chest, emitted a bizarre magic aura that made people uneasy, even causing a slight dizziness when one directly looked at him.


    With his remarks, the hall was enveloped by an indescribable atmosphere.


    Lia mumbled in confusion, "What''s going on, isn''t Hulus supporting Abner, so why does Abner look unhappy?"


    "...Miss Lia, did you ever attend school?" Isa''s face twitched, and she suddenly understood why Lin Da had left the Snow Goose.


    The captain of a team might not be the smartest person, but at the very least, shouldn''t be a fool!


    "A bit," Lia frowned. "But adventurers don''t need to go to school, being able to fight is enough."


    Isa sighed inwardly, looking at the eyepatch-wearing short-haired girl with some sympathy.


    Taking pity on her for being so foolish, Isa explained:


    "That Hulus is the leader of the ''Specter Adventure Group,'' a powerful Star-ranked adventurer. Hulus and his teammates specialize in Dark Magic Power and Battle Qi, you know that, right?"


    "I know."


    "The Specter Adventure Group was forced out of the core resource area in the fifteenth layer of the Great Mystery Continent by Abner, you know that too, right?"


    "I know, yeah."

 Chapter 167 146, Steel Level Adventure Group, Beheading Plan

    "So��Hulus is trying to set up Abner, forcing Abner into an opposition with Lin Da, inciting conflict between the two!""Ah, can it really be like that?" Lia exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise.


    "But this move has already been neutralized by Jite."


    Isa praised, "Jite may seem boorish, but he made his stance clear, telling everyone that Hulus has ulterior motives and the White Dove Adventure Group has no intention of competing with Lin Da for the position of commander. Hulus''s attempt to sow discord has backfired, not only failing but also strengthening the relationship between White Dove Adventure Group and Phoenix Tail Flower."


    "So that''s how it is..."


    Lia muttered, feeling a bit confused.


    On stage, Lin Da had not expected this kind of complication.


    He seemed to have thought everything was going too smoothly��in the game, when players triggered the [Attack] command, all members would attack recklessly, even at the cost of their lives. However, the biggest difference between reality and games is that everyone has different thoughts and will fight for their interests.


    Even with a monster tide imminent, some were scheming for their own benefit.


    For example, to irritate the White Dove Adventure Group and ruin their relationship with Abner.


    He inadvertently became the stone caught in the middle of the fight between White Dove Adventure Group and Specter Adventure Group, damaged by the residual effects of the battle.


    "I support Hulus''s command of the battlefield, such a young kid shouldn''t be in charge."


    "Me too."


    "Agreed."


    One after another, five or six captains of Rock-level Squads sided with Hulus.


    Among them was another Iron Level leader: [Shattered Rock] Rhode.


    A two-and-a-half-meter-tall fighter who fought with his fists.


    Now, even Mayor Adel was in a dilemma.


    The protest from two Iron Level Adventure Groups could not be ignored by anyone.


    ''Was this premeditated?'' Lin Da thought clearly. Perhaps, Hulus and Rhode had collaborated more than once against White Dove Adventure Group. After all, there were rumors that the core resource area of the fifteenth layer of the Great Mystery Continent was monopolized by White Dove, naturally irritating the other two Iron Level groups.


    Seconds and minutes passed.


    Every while, the Murderous Crab tide would expand by an inch.


    Lin Da truly wished he could kick such a troublemaker as Hulus out of the war room.


    But his seniority was less than these veteran teams, and Mayor Adel also needed Iron Level Adventure Groups stationed in the city.


    In other words, Lin Da now needed a compromise, one that would silence Hulus without angering these people and still use them to fight the Murderous Crab.


    Just as Mayor Adel was feeling the headache, Lin Da suddenly said:


    "Lord Hulus, in my opinion, you are actually better suited to be the commander."


    Your journey continues on empire


    "Me?" Hulus was taken aback, seemingly not expecting Lin Da to kick the ball back to his court.


    "Yes." Lin Da smiled insincerely, "The Specter Adventure Group has a well-known reputation. With your command, adventurers in White Dove City will surely fight as if they''ve been imbued by a ''song of bravery,'' their combat power doubling."


    "Your feats commanding adventurers in battle will also be talked about in major cities, becoming the most famous Iron Level Adventure Group."


    Hearing this, Hulus began to sweat slightly on his forehead.


    The most famous?


    Indeed, if the command was impressive, his title as Soul Reaper would become widely known.


    But likewise, if it failed, if held accountable by those above, kicked out of White Dove City...


    This infamy would spread throughout the empire.


    No city would welcome them, and they might even be banned from entering the World Tree by the empire.


    This consequence was tantamount to crippling their adventure group!


    "Why did Lin Da compliment Hulus and yet Hulus looks so unhappy?" Lia couldn''t understand.


    Isa patiently explained it once more.


    "What, this is ''killing with kindness'' for Hulus?" Lia said in shock, "Lin Da is too devious, isn''t he? I didn''t know he was like that before." Sear?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Isa smiled awkwardly.


    She thought to herself, this should be called ''wisdom,'' shouldn''t it? If they didn''t quickly resolve the nuisance that was Hulus, the monster tide would come even closer to White Dove City.


    As for Lia not having noticed before, that was because Hu Linda''s ''cunning'' had always been directed at Magical Creatures and those adventure teams targeting Snow Goose.


    He never targeted Lia, so of course, she couldn''t feel it.


    "It turns out my biggest rival is a fool," Isa thought with mixed feelings.


    Meanwhile, Hulus chuckled, waved his hand, and said, "Someone like me is only suitable for dealing with the corpses of Magical Creatures. I''d rather not command."


    Abner said, "I nominate Lin Da for the command."


    "Me too," Mayor Adel followed immediately.


    This made Hulus''s expression grow even darker, forcing a smile with seeming goodwill as he nodded, "I agree as well. Although he''s a junior, perhaps he can bring out something eye-catching, hehehe."


    With Hulus, the thorn, silent, [Shattered Rock] Rhode and the other Rock-level captains had no choice but to give in reluctantly.


    Their attempt to set up Abner had unexpectedly brought Lin Da and Abner closer together.


    A silent confrontation had inadvertently pushed the Specter Adventure Group and Solid Rock Adventure Group into an opposition against White Dove and Phoenix Tail Flower.


    Lin Da was very clear about how awkward and helpless this situation was.


    If he sided with Hulus, he would be targeted by White Dove Adventure Group and vice versa. Caught between the Iron Level groups, like a small boat in the waves, he could only move by borrowing force.


    ''If Phoenix Tail Flower were also Iron Level, would Hulus dare to cause trouble publicly? Just one of Monica''s Earth Bombardments would clear his health bar instantly!'' Lin Da thought, hiding his displeasure, while still maintaining a cordial exterior.


    "No more nonsense, let''s move on to the next step."


    "I call it: the Decapitation Strike."


    "Surely, everyone understands that there''s only one swiftest way to extinguish this Monster Tide."


    "That is... to vanquish all the Leader Level creatures within the Murderous Crabs, leaving the lesser Magical Creatures headless!"


    Lin Da''s voice resounded assertively through the hall, redirecting everyone''s thoughts back to the Monster Tide.


    Within this wave of the Monster Tide, there must inevitably be leaders.


    The presence of the leaders would bestow a sort of calming buff upon the Magical Creatures.


    This would make the lesser Magical Creatures fearless and aggressive, daring to attack even the most formidable adventurers.


    Once the leaders were dead, the calming buff no longer bestowed, those level ten-odd Murderous Crabs would crumble in disarray from merely the aura of a Star-ranked adventurer, significantly reducing their combat effectiveness.


    Nobody objected to the Decapitation Strike.


    Lin Da pointed out several black dots on a glowing screen with a long pole��"Roughly one in every thousand Murderous Crabs will be a level 20 Black Armored Crab General. With the Monster Tide estimated at about one hundred thousand, that means there are nearly one hundred Black Armored Crab Generals."


    "There are a total of sixty-six Rock-level Squads, and currently, the number that can be mobilized within the city is fifty-one."


    "On average, each team will have to kill two Black Armored Crab Generals."


    Lin Da''s long pole pointed directly at the center of Breeze River Beach.


    Everyone''s gazes sharpened.


    Undoubtedly, that was the most dangerous location.


    Until now, no one knew where the Murderous Crabs were coming from.


    To uncover the mystery, one had to venture deep into Breeze River Beach.


    "The strongest leader is ninety percent likely to be found there," Lin Da said.


    In his heart, he knew the likelihood was a hundred percent.


    A ''Regional Level BOSS''.


    In games, players would go mad over such an entity, all vying for the last hit.


    The carapace of this BOSS could be used to forge top-quality Orange Equipment.


    Its Demon Core, rich in Magic Power, could increase an adventurer''s training speed by a hundredfold.


    If one were lucky enough to encounter ''that kind'' of BOSS, the materials could even be used to forge Epic-level Equipment!


    Correspondingly, the difficulty of subjugating it was extraordinarily high.


    It would be pure suicide for a Rock-level Squad to face it.


    Lin Da looked solemnly at the map of Breeze River Beach, saying:


    "This place will be investigated by the White Dove Adventure Group. The Barren Plains and the Man-Eating Swamp are also teeming with Magical Creatures, so Specter Adventure Group and Solid Rock Adventure Group will each lead ten Rock-level Teams to subjugate them. After clearing out the Leader Level Magical Creatures there, they''ll immediately proceed to support White Dove Adventure Group."


    Hulus frowned slightly but did not voice any objections.


    The rare Magical Creatures deep within Breeze River Beach were indeed very appealing.


    However... Hulus was worried about failing to subjugate them.


    In terms of combat power, Specter Adventure Group was weaker than White Dove Adventure Group.


    Looking at the map on the light screen, Breeze River Beach was located straight to the north, with the Man-Eating Swamp and Barren Plains on either side.


    Lin Da quickly assigned the other teams their subjugation areas.


    With every touch of the long pole on the magical light screen, a piece representing an adventure team was left behind.


    To the astonishment of many, Lin Da seemed to remember the names of all teams present without referring to any list.


    When allocating subjugation areas, Lin Da took into account the strength of each team.


    The more formidable the team, the deeper and larger the area they were assigned.


    "Chestnut Dragon Adventure Team, this area."


    "Ice Flower Adventure Team, here."


    "Snow Goose Adventure Team..."


    Lin Da displayed a rare moment of hesitation; after some thought, he assigned Snow Goose to a relatively safe area. When he met Snow Goose the day before, Aiko and the others were not in great shape, so he took extra care of them.


    Some astute adventurers noticed Lin Da''s favoritism but didn''t comment further.


    It was understandable that those with ability had some special privileges.


    Besides, among the Rock-level Squads, Snow Goose wasn''t particularly strong, their coordination was poor, and their overall combat capability was below average.


    Placing them in a safer zone was comprehensible.


    On the other hand, Ice Flower Adventure Team was placed in a comparatively inner area.


    Lin Da trusted Isa very much.


    Then he placed the last piece, "Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team."


    Phoenix Tail Flower was in charge of a mid-layer area.


    The other ''pieces'' in that area were Rock-level Squads.


    Although those teams were the weakest echelon that had just entered the Rock Level,


    Rock Level was still Rock Level, indicating teams that had successfully cleared more than ten layers.


    Lin Da''s decision to place Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team in such a hazardous area immediately prompted reminders from some well-intentioned individuals.


    Gale, with his silky blond hair, smiled amicably and said,


    "Lin Da, perhaps you''ve put the Phoenix Tail Flower piece in the wrong place? I know you''re eager to attract the girls'' attention, but being able to step back when necessary is also a quality of excellence. Leave the limelight to us at White Dove Adventure Group."


    Lin Da smiled, his expression resolute, "Rest assured, if I place Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team in this area, it''s because I have confidence in their capabilities. Phoenix Tail Flower''s member, Monica, is an Earth Mage, and as you all know, Earth Mages have an attribute advantage over Murderous Crabs.


    Monica might only be level 19, but her damage output won''t be any less than that of a level 20 Mage!"

 Chapter 168 147. Monster Tide? Seafood Wave!

    "That little girl is not a problem," Hulus said teasingly, "but you seem to be a Poison Series Mage? Poison magic against Murderous Crab carapaces, hehehe... to put it bluntly, isn''t that just tickling over the boots?"Poison magic was indeed restrained by the Murderous Crab, but in Lin Da''s Space Ring, there lay the Azure Sword, specifically designed against Aquatic Demons.


    Yet, this was not something he would share with Hulus.


    With a faint smile, Lin Da said, "Mr. Hulus, you''ve remembered one thing wrong. I''m not any kind of Poison Series Mage."


    He shrugged his shoulders, with an expression of helplessness, "My true profession is a Healing Mage, a healing support profession."


    "Healing Mage?"


    Hulus seemed to recall the verdant Light Shield from the Phoenix Tail Flower strategy broadcast, his complexion subtly changing.


    Capable of dealing damage as well as supporting, and strong in both aspects.


    As he grew, he could become a formidable competitor.


    "Hehehe, then you have to be careful about your safety; support professions are quite frail. Don''t let the Murderous Crabs hurt you," Hulus''s gloomy face squeezed out a trace of insincere concern.


    "Thanks for the reminder."


    Lin Da''s face was expressionless, but he was secretly on alert.


    In White Dove City, adventurers were clearly divided into two camps, and once reaching or nearing rock level, one would be roped in, and even compelled to take sides, by those in power.


    In the eyes of outsiders, the Phoenix Tail Flower was already leaning towards the White Dove Adventure Group.


    The sale of the Metal Destroyer Potion to Gale was further proof of this, naturally drawing the hostility of the Specter Adventure Group.


    Lin Da disliked taking sides; he did not wish for his team to be constrained by anyone.


    But faced with a veteran force like the Specter Adventure Group, the Phoenix Tail Flower could only seek shade under the big tree that was the White Dove Adventure Group.


    Fortunately for him, his impression of Gale and Jite was positive.


    The public opinion regarding Mind''s Eye Abner was also reassuring.


    At least it was some comfort. sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Standing with the White Dove Adventure Group was not a bad deal.


    Before long, the territorial distribution for the campaign was completed.


    Lin Da handed over command to Mayor Adel. This included various data on Murderous Crabs he had calculated these past few days, now printed into handbooks, distributed to every Rock-level Squad Captain.


    There was no time to delay.


    Mounted on war horses, everyone hurried to the depths of the Monster Tide.


    "Don''t die."


    On the street, a double-winged black horse raced past Lin Da like a bolt of lightning.


    Sitting atop it was a girl with a single red ponytail fluttering in the wind.


    After saying that coldly, the girl on the double-winged black horse vanished ahead.


    "You either."


    Lin Da responded.


    The battle against the Monster Tide was exceptionally perilous; a great number of adventurers would die.


    He had a selfish wish: he hoped everyone he knew would survive.


    But on the battlefield, where countless changes could happen, no one could say for certain what would occur.


    All Lin Da could do was protect the teammates around him.


    Kafni''s war horse ran beside him.


    Behind him, Monica rode the same horse with him.


    This socially awkward Big Lolita was on the battlefield for the first time. With so many adventurers around her like a sea, her face turned white with tension, and she was unable to speak.


    A pair of small hands tightly hugged Lin Da''s waist from behind, her entire body pressed up against his.


    Once out of the city,


    The bumpy ride of the war horse made Lin Da feel the intense oddness coming from behind.


    That trembling... it showed just how scared Monica was!


    "The captain will protect you, Monica. Unleash your magic freely and take down those damned beasts!"


    With his left hand holding the reins and his right hand caressing the delicate little hand from behind, Lin Da''s voice was steady and powerful.


    "Monica... will try her best!" The girl mustered her courage, peeking her little head from behind Lin Da''s back to look forward at the endless black tide.


    Targeting ahead with her magic wand, she whispered softly, "Earth Bombardment!"


    A thick brown column of light soared into the sky.


    In just a breath''s time, the bodies of over a dozen Murderous Crabs were pierced by the column of light, left with bucket-sized holes!


    The members of the Rock-level Squads on the horses ahead all cast surprised glances back.


    Many mages of higher levels than this Monica were unable to kill so many Murderous Crabs in one go.


    The offensive capability of an Earth Mage was indeed formidable.


    "Leader, didn''t I tell you? Phoenix Tail Flower has the potential to reach Steel Level!"


    At the very front, Gale boasted with a triumphant smile, speaking to the blue ponytail Swordsman.


    "The potential is decent," replied Abner, White Dove City''s strongest adventurer, as he nodded slightly.


    Then, he drew his sword.


    The white light of death flickered.


    A whole square area of Murderous Crabs, about three hundred in number, was turned into a bloody mire on the spot!


    With the Steel Level Adventure Group as the sword''s edge and Rock Level as the blade, this fierce dagger plunged deep into the depths of the Monster Tide!


    ...


    ...


    In the midst of the Monster Tide''s middle zone,


    Swordsman Finch faced the Murderous Crabs, each over two meters in length, with deadly pincers nearly reaching three meters, and he couldn''t help but turn pale, his body going limp.


    The hand holding his One-Handed Sword was also shaking violently, and the only thought in his mind was: It''s over, I''m going to die in this cursed place.


    This Finch was the same disheveled adventurer Lin Da had encountered previously at the entrance of the Chilang Commerce.


    At this moment, Finch looked around - everywhere were dark masses of giant crabs and blood-soaked adventurers fighting for their lives.


    Driven by the supervising Imperial Knights, before he knew it, he had ventured into the middle zone of the Monster Tide.


    The battle had not gone on for twenty minutes before Finch was drenched in red.


    Luckily or unluckily, not a single drop of that blood was his - his fellow adventurers, like blood bags, were cracked open by the Murderous Crabs, their crimson liquid spraying over his face!


    "Ah, ah, ah!"


    Finch screamed in despair as he swung his sword with all his might, chopping down on the Murderous Crab''s head.


    However, aside from numbing his hand and leaving a faint white mark on the Murderous Crab, it did nothing significant.


    "Hiss, hiss."


    The Murderous Crab''s eyes peeked out from its carapace, looking disdainfully at Finch with an almost human-like scorn.


    Its huge pincers clacked in the air, making a creepy, bone-chilling sound.


    A blow from those pincers would mean certain death or crippling injury.


    This vast battlefield resembled an execution ground for beheading, with the halves of adventurers'' bodies strewn everywhere!


    "I, I want to go back to the city."


    "I can no longer fight!"


    Finch, who had lost his will to fight, looked utterly defeated as his one-handed sword fell from his palm to the ground.


    Chop, but could not cut through.


    Get hit, and at the very least it''d be severe injury.


    How could one possibly defeat such a monster?


    Finch thought to flee, but behind him stood Imperial Knights in shining armor, supervising the battle.


    The knights surveyed each adventurer with cold, emotionless eyes.


    There was a cruel law in the empire: when Magical Creatures attacked, adventurers were obligated to fight.


    Those who avoided battle would have their city residency revoked, becoming undocumented, and under the empire''s control, they would never be allowed near the World Tree again.


    Continue your journey with empire


    Those who fled the battlefield could be executed on the spot!


    So even if Finch lost the will to fight and couldn''t even hold onto his sword, he was forced to face the terrifying tide of Magical Creatures.


    "Jiji, jiji."


    The eerie laugh-like chirping of the Murderous Crab echoed as it raised its massive pincers, attacking the stunned Finch who had already given up any resistance and was just standing there.


    "Verdant Shield."


    Just as disaster was about to strike, a burst of emerald light fell upon Finch, forming a circular light shield around him.


    The Murderous Crab''s pincers, which should have cleaved Finch in two, seemed to hit a steel wall, and the recoil was so strong that the Magical Creature stumbled backward, its carapace cracking slightly.


    "What?" Finch stared dazedly at the light shield before him, finding it vaguely familiar.


    At that moment, a warhorse thundered past him.


    The rider was carrying a petite girl.


    The knight threw a purple whip, and with a sharp crack, the Murderous Crab''s gigantic pincer was dented, causing it to shriek in pain.


    Then the knight leaped from the horse.


    He drew a dusty long sword from his waist and chopped at the Murderous Crab.


    The carapace, thick as armor and upon which Finch had chopped several times, leaving at most a faint white mark,


    Was effortlessly sliced open by the knight who had just jumped from his horse.


    Finch watched, wide-eyed, as the Murderous Crab was cleaved in half like a piece of rag!


    Not even cutting through butter would be this smooth, would it?


    Like a chef in a high-end restaurant, the knight performed a series of Triple Slashes with his long sword, sectioning the massive Murderous Crab into pieces.


    The tough carapace seemed to have been treated with some magic, becoming softer than tofu.


    It gave Finch the impression that while to him it was a ''Murderous Crab'', to the knight, the two-meter-long creature was nothing more than oversized seafood!


    "Hiss, hiss!"


    The three nearby Murderous Crabs noticed the knight and charged towards him, hissing.


    Their massive bodies and flailing claws rushed at him from three directions, nearly blocking out the sunlight.


    "Be careful!"


    Finch yelled out nervously, warning the knight!


    But the next moment, Finch only saw streaks of sword light, imbued with the power of the Water Series, passing through the Murderous Crabs.


    This delicate energy, upon meeting the solid carapaces of the Murderous Crabs, became exceptionally sharp.


    A cross-shaped cut appeared behind each Murderous Crab.


    Immediately, with a snap,


    The Murderous Crabs were diced into chunks of flesh, raining down like droplets!


    This power ... could it be a high-leveled swordsman?


    Finch was dumbfounded.


    Using no skills, the young man simply wielded his sword in ordinary slashes.


    A mere two or three slashes and a level 15 Murderous Crab was downed.


    As Finch was distracted, two huge Murderous Crabs approached him from both sides.


    The petite mage on the horse noticed what was happening and waved her magic wand.


    An Earth Spear Spell was cast.


    Pur, pur!


    Meter-long earth spears pierced through the Murderous Crabs'' heads, and the creatures fell to the ground with a thud.


    Finch belatedly realized he had narrowly escaped a brush with death at Hell''s Gate once more.


    He numbly watched the two Murderous Crabs with earth spears deeply embedded in their skulls, his mind in disarray: were Murderous Crabs this weak, easily killed at will?


    Yet why could his forceful sword strike only leave a white mark,


    While the mage and the knight could slice through Murderous Crabs like chopping vegetables, effortlessly taking them down?


    Sometimes the matter of levels was just so unfair.


    If skills weren''t used, a top-level swordsman''s attacks wouldn''t look much more spectacular than an ordinary swordsman''s.


    But high Attribute Points brought the power to cut through everything.


    The battle prowess of this squad deeply shocked Finch.


    Yet Finch didn''t become disheartened because of this.


    It was as if he saw a light awaiting him at the end of this dark tunnel.


    Finch regained the courage to wield his sword again, hoping that one day he too could become such a powerful adventurer!

 Chapter 169 148. Crazy monster farming, Leader Level Magical Creatures appear

    ```"The rock-level squad has finally arrived."


    The overseeing Imperial Knight breathed a sigh of relief as his hanging heart finally settled down.


    "But, which rock-level squad is this, and why haven''t I seen them before?"


    "It''s the Phoenix Tail Flower Team." Finch wiped the blood from his face and said, "I recognize their captain, the Eye of True Knowledge, Lin Da!"


    "The newly emerged Glorious Adventurer?" The Imperial Knight was startled, as if something dawned on him, suddenly enlightened.


    But he was still puzzled; to his knowledge, the captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower hadn''t yet reached level 20.


    Why did their combat strength seem no different from someone at level 20?


    Finch was also curious about this.


    He stared intently at the unremarkable long sword in Lin Da''s hand.


    When it struck the Murderous Crab''s carapace, it sliced through like a hot knife through butter, making one wonder if Lin Da could slice the creature in half with a casual throw of the sword without even trying hard.


    The magic power radiating from it was exceptionally strong!


    "Probably because of an extremely good weapon combined with Lin Da''s high ability points. That''s why the Murderous Crabs seem like weaklings that he can kill in a few strokes!"


    Finch secretly pondered.


    Lin Da''s reason for dealing high damage was almost what Finch had thought.


    First, Lin Da''s own attributes were high.


    863 Dual Attack points, which is about the same as a normal level 20 Swordsman. sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Secondly, the Azure Sword''s 40% additional damage against aquatic demons was too handy.


    In front of this sword, a level 15 Murderous Crab was no different from being made of paper.


    Shortly after the Phoenix Tail Flower Team joined the battlefield, they completely reversed the situation in this area.


    The Murderous Crabs retreated steadily, buying time for the adventurers to regroup.


    "Phoenix Tail Flower, awesome!"


    Many people noticed Lin Da and called out excitedly.


    The appearance of a powerful adventure team brought hope of victory to everyone.


    The Murderous Crabs also noticed the three thorns of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team and dispatched dozens to surround them.


    Lin Da and his teammates stood back to back against the enemy, silently calculating the hit points of the Murderous Crabs:


    Level 15 Murderous Crabs generally had around 3000 health. With a little more than two normal attacks, he could slay one.


    If he used the skill Venom Eruption...


    This skill dealt quadruple damage.


    Even after reducing the Murderous Crabs'' 50% slaughter resistance, the damage could still reach 3000.


    Lin Da and Monica exchanged glances, nodding in understanding without words.


    "Venom Eruption!"


    "Earthquake Technique!"


    The Venom Eruption hit the Murderous Crabs'' carapace as if pouring a pot of hot oil on them, and the creatures let out an extremely piercing hissing noise.


    Their carapaces corroded, darkening their flesh.


    Lin Da''s strike instantly killed six Murderous Crabs.


    On the other side, Monica''s output was even more terrifying.


    This Big Lolita had higher Magic Attack than Lin Da, plus, earth system was the weakness of the Murderous Crabs, adding 50% more damage.


    Plus the 10% from Lin Da''s Captain''s Aura.


    Monica''s innate skill Glass Cannon further increased the damage.


    Essentially, whatever skill Monica released, if it even grazed a Murderous Crab, its health points would immediately drop to zero.


    As the Earthquake Technique was launched, the ground in a huge fan-shaped area right in front of Monica began to shake violently. From the cracks that opened up, a large spread of earth spikes emerged.


    Pupupu!


    In Lin Da''s field of view, there were dense red -5000s everywhere.


    The ''screen full'' of damage numbers was truly exhilarating.


    Lin Da even felt like he was still a player, controlling Monica.


    Under one Earthquake Technique, more than thirty Murderous Crabs perished.


    Half an hour later.


    The corpses of Murderous Crabs piled up like mountains.


    The adventurers, excited, raised their bloodied swords in victory cheers.


    In their hands, they all wore the recording rings distributed by the Imperial Knights Order to keep track of the number of Murderous Crabs they had killed.


    Before the Phoenix Tail Flower Team arrived, the total number of adventurers in this area was over three hundred, and combined, they had only killed about two hundred Murderous Crabs.


    After the arrival of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, this number tripled.


    ```


    Monica alone took down three hundred Murderous Crabs!


    The girl''s pale, delicate fingers were adorned with a recording ring, with the number displayed reaching 302!


    With one Earthquake Technique, Monica could wipe out twenty or thirty Murderous Crabs.


    Even a minor skill like the Earth Spear Spell could take out one at a time.


    It was like a large mower entering a field of leeks, effortlessly harvesting swathes with eyes closed.


    Lin Da was not far behind.


    The number displayed on his recording ring was 107.


    Most of the Murderous Crabs had fallen to his Normal Attacks.


    The greatest advantage of Magic and Martial Dual Cultivation was enduring strength, Normal Attacks saved a considerable amount of Magic Power.


    Lin Da, gripping the Azure Sword, could slice a Murderous Crab in half with a casual swing.


    This wave alone caused his Mystical Points to skyrocket.


    A string of system notifications piled up in his panel.


    Slaying Murderous Crabs could earn 150 Mystical Points.


    However, during the event, there was a double points bonus.


    Therefore, the total Mystical Points Lin Da reaped amounted to a massive 32,100!


    Adding to his accumulated 9,267 points, the total was 41,367.


    The experience bar for a level 16 Healing Hero was 1,000/40,000, just 39,000 shy of leveling up.


    It meant he had earned enough Mystical Points to go up a level in just half an hour!


    This rate of leveling was even faster than climbing the World Tree Secret Realm.


    "Continue the hunt!"


    Lin Da excitedly gripped the Azure Sword, charging at the next Murderous Crab.


    ...


    With the inclusion of Phoenix Tail Flower, the pressure on the adventurers in the area dramatically lightened.


    The number of Murderous Crabs dwindled rapidly, with every five adventurers ganging up on one.


    Finch stayed amidst the crowd, envying Lin Da''s silhouette in the distance.


    A year ago, they were adventurers on the same level.


    In such a short time, he could only look up to Lin Da.


    As for the big shots in the distance, Finch didn''t feel much, but witnessing someone who had been at the same level as himself suddenly grow to unreachable heights caused a mix of emotions in his heart.


    "The captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, I know him, we''ve fought side by side before!"


    While fighting, Finch bragged about his past experiences to the adventurers around him.


    This earned him envious looks from the others, and the favoritism of the Overseeing Knight: allowing him, a Swordsman, to rest in the rear for the time being. Enjoy new adventures from empire


    By then, Finch was content.


    Perhaps one day in the future, he and Lin Da''s team would have the chance to fight alongside each other again.


    The story of Lin Da''s rise from an ordinary Healer to prominence deeply inspired Finch.


    The sword in his hand felt lighter!


    "Aooo!"


    Finch yelled in his heart, cheering for the Swordsmen fighting ahead of him.


    He needed a good rest, his Battle Qi was nearly exhausted.


    Suddenly, a powerful magical creature''s aura appeared from the front.


    The retreating Murderous Crabs, as if injected with adrenaline, now had red eyes, fearlessly charging at the adventurers again.


    Everyone''s faces turned pale.


    It was a Leader Level skill: ''Inspiration''!


    Under the Influence of Inspiration, magical creatures of the same species would fight to the death, carrying out the leader''s orders unquestionably.


    "Phoenix Tail Flower Team, we''re counting on you!"


    The Imperial Knight shouted earnestly.


    Capture the king first.


    The Leader Level magical creature had to be eliminated first!


    Lin Da nodded in acknowledgment.


    Defeating the Leader Level magical creature in this area was precisely the Phoenix Tail Flower Team''s goal.


    He, along with two teammates, headed towards the source of the aura!

 Chapter 170 149, Rock-level Squad cant penetrate the Carapace?

    ```After advancing for about six hundred meters, an exceptionally large black crab came into view.


    Compared to the ordinary murderous crabs with a body length of three meters, this black armored giant crab measured a full five meters.


    Its carapace was dark and glossy, like a small hill clad in heavy armor, radiating a steel-like sheen all over.


    Beneath the black armored giant crab were a pile of adventurer corpses, mangled and trampled beyond recognition.


    The evil aura of the magical creature was like a cluster of vigorously burning black flames, impossible to ignore.


    Lin Da gripped the trembling hand of Monica and said, "Don''t be nervous, you can do this!"


    The black armored crab general, level 20.


    A purple rare level magical creature.


    Its combat power was higher than the goblin chieftain, with an astonishing health point total of 50,000!


    But Lin Da''s heart was calm, lacking the tension he had faced when confronting the goblin chieftain.


    Back then, he was only level 13, hadn''t exchanged his equipment, yet he had managed to kill the goblin chieftain with 30,000 health points.


    Now with the Phoenix Tail Flower Bird Gun switched out for a cannon, and he himself wielding the Azure Sword, having also suited Monica up in full purple gear...


    The overall combat strength of the team had increased by more than double.


    Monica also had a 50% damage increase against shell-type creatures, and the damage from each of Big Lolita''s shots would easily exceed ten thousand.


    No matter how powerful the black armored crab general was, it wouldn''t withstand five shots from Monica.


    It simply wouldn''t be enough!


    Lin Da confidently led his team members closer, only to discover that a rock-level squad was already there.


    But when he had been commanding in the operations hall, he hadn''t dispatched any other teams here.


    This ''rock-level'' area should only have the Phoenix Tail Flower team.


    Lin Da thought doubtfully.


    Looking closely ahead.


    It was a squad comprised entirely of beastmen.


    The badge they wore on their chests had a red heart as the background symbol, not a dove.


    A supporting adventure team from Red Heart City?


    Lin Da was somewhat surprised.


    The team had a total of seven members.


    Two front-liners, responsible for drawing the black armored crab general''s fury.


    Four ranged attackers, dealing damage.


    And one dedicated support, a healer.


    Although the opposing team was also at rock level, the pressure Lin Da felt from them wasn''t intense; the highest level among them was estimated to be around 20.


    Some team members'' level auras were only slightly higher than his own, probably around levels 18 or 19.


    The situation on the battlefield was extremely tense.


    This adventure team was struggling to deal effective damage to the black armored crab general.


    Their team members had terribly poor compatibility with this magical creature!


    The two archers couldn''t penetrate the hard carapace of the black armored crab general.


    The archers'' ''penetration series'' was resisted by the murderous crabs, just as Lin Da''s poison series had been.


    The other two mages were fire mages.


    Fire attacking water was a self-inflicted struggle.


    They, too, faced a reduction of 50% in damage.


    The strength of the murderous crabs lay just there, in their ability to resist various types of damage.


    Lin Da saw pitiful numbers rising above the head of the black armored crab general: -300, -400, -370...


    And a single frenzied strike from the creature could cause the frontline warrior to spit blood, their faces reddening and veins on their foreheads nearly bursting.


    Lin Da took a quick glance and immediately understood the battle situation.


    Just relying on this team, even if they could defeat the black armored crab general, the casualties would be heavy.


    On the battlefield, the greater situation took precedence; he didn''t mind leading the Phoenix Tail Flower, cooperating with this team from Red Heart City.


    "I''ll help..."


    Before he could finish his sentence, a ''thump''��an arrow landed right before Lin Da.


    If he had taken half a step further, the arrow would have hit his boot!


    "What do you mean by this?"


    Lin Da furrowed his brow, anger evident in his eyes.


    Monica and Kafni''s expressions changed as well, becoming alert.


    "Sorry, this is the prey of our ''Giant Rhino Adventure Team''."


    A beastman with a hound''s head, holding a crossbow, sneered and gestured somewhere else: "Please leave."


    "Was it you?"


    Lin Da felt the houndman looked familiar.


    A memory suddenly surfaced; he remembered, "Mos?"


    The houndman called Mos hesitated for a moment, then looked carefully at Lin Da: "It''s you?"


    The two had met once before at the Adventurer''s Guild in Red Heart City.


    At that time, Monica was wearing a cardboard box, and Mos mocked her to simply roll back home and stay there.


    The two had a somewhat unpleasant conflict.


    Recognizing Lin Da, Mos''s attitude grew even worse. He raised the crossbow in his hand and bellowed, "If you want to defeat such a black armored giant crab, find your own; don''t covet ours. Leave at once!"


    ```


    Lin Da kindly offered help, only to be met with suspicion, which led to his expression turning cold.


    "Let''s go."


    Without another word, Lin Da, holding Monica''s hand, hurried forward, towards the presence of Leader Level Magical Creatures.


    Kafni viciously flipped the middle finger: "Shar Pei Beastmen, I hope the magical creatures fuck you to death!"


    Mos sneered, "Our Rock-level Squad would never lose to a Level 20 magical creature. Just don''t be jealous, that''s all!"


    "Jealous my ass!"


    Kafni spat out a mouthful of saliva in contempt.


    The Giant Rhino Adventure Team was obviously among the weaker Rock-level teams. Kafni''s Divine Power could sense that Mos was only Level 17. Those who were fighting ahead? Only four were Level 20, the rest around Level 18.


    They were clearly the lucky dogs that passed the 10th floor of the World Tree, yet they believed it was their own strength that got them through. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That kind of thing happening to the muscle-brained Beastmen was pretty normal.


    "Two Archers and two Fire Mages fighting aquatic Shell-type Magical Creatures, seriously, I''m lost for words. They can''t even break the shells, what a joke. Are they crazy for materials or what?"


    Kafni caught up to Lin Da, complaining non-stop.


    This deity was someone who couldn''t stand the slightest loss and was vengeful by nature.


    Lin Da also felt quite helpless: "There''s nothing we can do about it. The materials from a Black Shell Crab General are worth about 200,000 gold. Even established Rock-level Squads only earn that much in a year."


    The Giant Rhino Adventure Team thought it was a huge loss to yield the creature and share it with Phoenix Tail Flower.


    But after all the Giant Rhino Adventure Team''s efforts, they hadn''t even triggered the second stage of the Black Shell Crab General. Over here at Phoenix Tail Flower, it would only take three shots from Monica.


    Joining forces to fight the Black Shell Crab General, the real losers were actually Lin Da and his team.


    They didn''t need the Giant Rhino Adventure Team at all, and could easily kill the Black Shell Crab General by themselves.


    They were willing to share the spoils because they saw the others as reinforcements.


    ...


    Mos, smug as ever, returned to the edge of the battlefield and stood with the Mages in the back.


    "Captain, I drove them off. It was an Apprentice Squad. They ran scared when they saw our Giant Rhino''s Rock-level badge, haha!"


    Mos, trying to look cool, wiped his chin with his thumb, then spread his hands: "This Rock-level badge is really useful. If this were a few days ago, I''d have to argue with those people."


    "Well done. You keep watch, don''t let other adventure teams take advantage of the chaos to steal our gains," the captain of the Giant Rhino Adventure Team said. He was a Rhinoceros-man Mage named Lai Xi.


    Lai Xi glanced at the Rock-level badge on his chest, his stern face softened, revealing a proud smile.


    "Captain, are you sure everything''s fine?"


    Mos hesitated for a moment and looked towards the center of the battlefield: a five-meter-long giant crab was hammering its claws down on the Heavy Armored Warrior''s Tower Shield. The size difference between the two was like that of a cat and a mouse. With each hit from the giant crab, the ground beneath the Heavy Armored Warrior caved in.


    Even from several dozen meters away, the vibration of the earth reached under Mos'' feet.


    Just one pinch from those claws, and he guessed he''d crap himself.


    "Can we, actually kill that magical creature?" Mos had his doubts.


    "No big deal," Lai Xi''s voice was calm and powerful, "Although this Black Crab is trickier than the Giant Carnivorous Flower on the ninth floor, we can wear it down. How can the intelligence of magical creatures compare to us Beastmen?"


    "Exactly, no matter how fierce the magical creatures are, they are just a bunch of brainless things." Mos nodded deeply in agreement, feeling a lot more relaxed in his heart.


    In this Beastman-constituted adventure team, there was also a member from the dolphin race of demi-humans, with a small black fishtail growing behind her head, just like a ponytail.


    The girl hesitated before saying, "Lai Xi, I think we could cooperate with that team."


    "Feiny, are you scared?"


    Lai Xi said with amusement, "Even though you are the smartest in our adventure team, we absolutely must not let this Black Armored Crab General go. If we take it down, everyone in our adventure team can upgrade to more powerful equipment."


    "I know this magical creature is valuable... It''s just that the Giant Carnivorous Flower we subdued last time was actually suppressed by our two Fire Mages, right?"


    Feiny, with a headache, pointed to the Black Armored Crab General ahead, "Such aquatic demons are not easy to kill, their carapace is too thick, we can''t blast through."


    Lai Xi shook his head, speaking with a tranquil voice, "No problem, with precision we can break through. We just need to keep attacking the same spot, and we will eventually break through."


    The focus of the Giant Rhino Adventure Team''s attack was the carapace near the head of the Black Shell Crab General, where a large number of white marks had been made.


    It was presumably quite fragile; a few more hits and the ''crab roe'' would burst.


    "Roaring Charge!"


    The front-line Heavy Armored Warrior holding a battle axe suddenly jumped up, striking the whitened part of the carapace.


    "Good, it''s about to break," Lai Xi said, clenching his fist in excitement.


    Then, the next second, everyone was stunned.


    Mos jumped around anxiously, "Brother Four, why did you wipe the white marks clean, what are you doing?"


    It turned out that the Bull-headed Warrior, Brother Four, charged at the Black Shell Crab General''s carapace covered with white marks only to... wipe it clean!


    It was as if one polished dirty leather shoes with shoe polish, making them shine brightly!


    Lai Xi''s head buzzed, murmuring, "The white marks we finally produced were just... wiped away by Brother Four?"


    The other members of the team were also somewhat dumbfounded, looking at each other, grasping their weapons, unsure if the fight was still on. Experience tales at empire


    "Damn it!"


    "Complete waste of effort, everybody, use your ultimate skills!"


    Team leader Lai Xi, burning with a mix of anger and embarrassment, took the lead with the Flame Mage''s level 20 ultimate skill, Fire Tornado.


    It burned fiercely, and indeed had some effect.


    The Black Shell Crab General, enraged, lifted its giant pincers and swung them like scissors, ''snip snip'', before forcefully snapping them shut, the two pincers turning into two massive, sharp blades amidst the glow!


    If Lin Da were here, he would realize: it was moving into stage two.


    In its second stage, the Black Armored Crab General entered a berserk state, with increased attack power and faster movement speed.


    Healers had to conserve their magic power, frantically healing the front line, or else it would be easy to lose members.


    Unfortunately, the Giant Rhino Adventure Team didn''t have the experience of subduing the Black Armored Crab General.


    The huge ''blade pincer'', with a momentum as if it could split heaven and earth, struck the Bull-headed Warrior.

 Chapter 171 150, Omnipotent Shot, True Damage

    Hiss.The Minotaur was cleaved in two on the spot!


    It was not until this moment that Lai Xi realized something was terribly wrong.


    With only two front-liners in the Giant Rhino Adventure Team, and now just one left, they certainly couldn''t withstand the frenzied attacks of the Magical Creatures.


    Lai Xi immediately turned to Mos, "No good, we need to cooperate. We can''t handle this creature on our own!"


    "Give up half of the reward, hurry, that team hasn''t gone far, get them to join forces!"


    "What?"


    Mos scratched his scalp, awkwardly doodling small western-style houses with his toes inside his shoes.


    "Me, go and talk to them? Isn''t that a bit... inappropriate?"


    "Get moving!"


    Lai Xi, annoyed, gave a hefty kick to Mos''s rear.


    You think I''ll go, the team leader?


    Anything can be lost,


    but face cannot!


    ...


    At this time, about a kilometer to the north of the Giant Rhino Adventure Team,


    "Attention, it''s entering the second phase, everyone back off!"


    Lin Da''s gaze was stern as he watched the Black Armored Crab General transform into something resembling a pair of scissors under the glow, its momentum soaring, and he loudly warned his teammates.


    "Understood, Lord Captain!"


    Monica carefully retreated about fifty meters away, chanting the Spell for Earth Bombardment from a distance.


    Meanwhile, Lin Da, wielding the Azure Sword, took advantage of the Black Armored Crab General''s ''Transformation'', and delivered a Triple Strike with loud clangs.


    The carapace of the Black Armored Crab General was covered with sword marks, looking like a sieve from being chopped so heavily.


    When Lin Da attacked with the Azure Sword, the blade released a flow of luminescence, concentrating on the edge.


    With each strike, the light turned into tiny hissing sawteeth, causing tremendous damage to the Murderous Crab''s carapace.


    As a result, Lin Da''s Normal Attacks dealt almost as much damage as the insusceptible True Damage.


    His Dual Attack was 863, with damage fluctuating between 840-863.


    The Triple Strike inflicted about 2500 damage in total.


    Lin Da was quite satisfied with it.


    Of course, if he knew that Lai Xi''s level 20 Ultimate Skill, Fire Tornado, only totaled 3500, he would have been even more pleased.


    Wielding a Supreme Orange Weapon, Lin Da could slowly whittle down the Black Armored Crab General!


    Boom, from behind.


    A thick, brown column of light flew over his head and struck right in the center of the Black Armored Crab General''s carapace, which was still mid-''Transformation''.


    "Hiss! Hiss hiss!"


    A bucket-sized hole was blasted through the carapace of the Black Armored Crab General, with white, transparent blood flowing out.


    Alarmingly, a five-digit number, -10874, popped up above the creature''s head.


    A genuine cannon blast worth ten thousand!


    If Monica were to disregard the consequences, she could eliminate the Black Armored Crab General in a minute.


    But considering the heavy toll that Earth Bombardment took on the Magic Circuit, Lin Da asked Monica to use it only if it wouldn''t affect her well-being.


    He estimated the Magical Creature''s remaining hit points in his mind: It would enter the second phase with 25000 hit points, and now the giant crab had only 13000 left.


    "Venom Magic Sphere."


    Lin Da first delivered a Triple Strike and then released a Spell with his left hand to fill the gap of the recovery period after the combo.


    -963!


    -945!


    -960!


    Although the carapace resisted the Venom Magic Sphere, it still managed to inflict around 950 damage each time.


    A single Magic Sphere jumping six times roughly amounted to a total of around 6000 damage.


    Lin Da threw another Venom Magic Sphere, stacking the poison damage to one layer, then he stepped aside, patiently waiting for the Black Armored Crab General to succumb to the poison.


    "Don''t just stand around, if there''s an opening, clear out the minions to relieve the pressure on adventurers in this area."


    Lin Da glanced at Kafni, who had been continuously attempting to use Stealing on the Black Armored Crab General, hoping to pilfer one of its claws.


    This remark was primarily meant for Kafni to hear, but Monica''s little face turned red, thinking Lin Da was scolding her for not putting enough effort into using Earth Bombardment.


    "Captain, I''m shooting now," she said.


    Monica hurriedly raised her magic wand.


    "I wasn''t talking about you," he said.


    Lin Da smiled, held down the girl''s magic wand, and pointed at Kafni, who was still diligently "stealing," "I was referring to her."


    "Oh..." Monica relaxed at that.


    The two stood shoulder to shoulder, clearing out the lesser Magical Creatures.


    Lin Da protected Monica from the front, mainly using Normal Attacks to conserve Magic Power.


    [System Notification: Defeated level 15 Murderous Crab, received 150 Mystical Points (activity bonus, an additional 150 points)]


    [Notification...]


    [Notification X87]


    Adding to the Murderous Crabs defeated before encountering the Black Shell Crab General, Lin Da amassed 26,100 Mystical Points.


    On his recording ring, the total count of Murderous Crabs he had defeated reached 194.


    Total Mystical Points: 67,467!


    Lin Da stroked his chin, thinking that if he grinded a bit longer, he should be able to level up twice in a row.


    Upon leveling up, he would receive Divine Light, restoring a certain amount of Magic Power and Hit Points.


    In intense combat, this is a very handy means of healing.


    When he played games, he used to enter dungeons with the experience bar at 90%, fighting until halfway and leveling up for a cost-effective heal.


    "The Black Shell Crab General should be about to die," Lin Da muttered to himself.


    As Lin Da pondered, suddenly, a huge shadow loomed over him.


    Turning his head, he saw the Black Shell Crab General holding on to its last breath, its eyes revealing a ferocious glint.


    The claws tinged with the breath of death struck at him.


    Lin Da made no attempt to avoid it, sword in one hand, he thrust at the creature.


    He silently chanted in his mind: "Verdant Shield."


    With the shield''s blessing, his total Hit Points reached 6,760.


    Lin Da then applied the skill ''Thorns Armor,'' boosting his defensive power and causing Reflective Damage.


    He suspected that he could defeat this critically damaged Magical Creature just by standing still.


    Calmly looking up at the Black Shell Crab General, Lin Da was filled with a flood of emotions. When fighting the level 15 Goblin Chieftain, he had to chug Life Potions, barely scraping by with calculated Hit Points.


    Discover exclusive content at empire


    The Black Shell Crab General, stronger than the Goblin Chieftain, was easily subdued by him and the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    The rise in the Phoenix Tail Flower Team''s combat strength was evident to the naked eye.


    Perhaps it was time to consider using the Goblin Chieftain''s ring to take on their Royal Family. Sear?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As far as Lin Da knew, there was a relatively weak Goblin King''s lair in the fifth layer of the Great Mystery Continent.


    ...


    With a grimy face, Mos dodged the Murderous Crab''s attacks and searched through the Monster Tide for Lin Da.


    Damn it,


    It was Lai Xi who told him to drive the other party away and Lai Xi who asked him to seek cooperation.


    It damn well should have been Lai Xi himself coming over!


    As a Hound Man, Mos had his dignity.


    To do such a thing made his heart feel like a Protean Monster, twisting and contorting inside his chest no matter how he settled it, never sitting quite right.


    He might as well think about how to begin the conversation.


    ''Brat, our Rock-level Squad, the Giant Rhino Adventure Team, in our great magnanimity, allow you to partake in the slaying of level 20 Magical Creatures!''


    Or maybe a more humble approach: ''Damn human, I acknowledge your strength, so hurry up and cooperate with the Giant Rhino Adventure Team!''


    Mos scratched his head in annoyance.


    He felt unless he sent Dolphin Girl over for them to enjoy for a night for free, those people would never agree to cooperate!


    There was a sound of battle up ahead.


    Mos tensed up, he had found them.


    His mind in turmoil, he drew closer, figuring if all else failed, he''d bring Dolphin Girl over to seek cooperation.


    Talk about a coincidence.


    Just as Mos arrived, he witnessed the face-off between Lin Da and the Black Shell Crab General, the moment their sword and pincers collided.

 Chapter 172 151, Mos was stunned after killing the Black Crab

    "Fuck, that kid is done for."When the insignificant human charged at the massive crab, it was like a mayfly shaking a tree.


    Mos could tell at a glance that the human in front of him was merely a swordsman.


    A swordsman''s physique might be tougher than a mage''s, but not by much.


    Among the various professions, it was a slightly above average standard.


    Their Giant Rhino Adventure Team''s heavy armored warrior had been snipped away by this black crab in one pinch.


    How could this human, whose level was even lower than their heavy armored warrior, possibly withstand the attack of a magical creature?


    However,


    The next moment, Mos''s train of thought paused.


    Azure sword light flickered in the air.


    The human ''swordsman'' unleashed a Cross Slash.


    A horizontal cut severed the oncoming claw pincers into two pieces.


    A vertical cut chopped off the other large claw.


    Then with a kick, he flipped over the Black Armored Giant Crab that was five meters long and weighed over a ton.


    The monster lay with its white belly facing upward.


    The remaining eight legs struggled a few times and then curled up quickly like dead seafood.


    "Hmm... this must be a juvenile creature."


    "Otherwise, how could it have died like an oversized small fry?"


    Mos desperately tried to reassure himself.


    The scene before him was too shocking.


    Their captain Lai Xi''s Ultimate Skill, the Fire Tornado, hadn''t even hurt the Black Shell Crab General.


    But this human killed it with two slashes?


    Water System Swordsman?


    Elemental advantage over the black crabs?


    Yes, that must be it!


    It wasn''t that the Giant Rhino Adventure Team was weak.


    It was just that this kid had an attribute advantage!


    Mos felt these excuses were like a rickety tower of building blocks, ready to collapse at the slightest breeze.


    But he had to convince himself.


    He would never admit that the Giant Rhino Adventure Team was inferior to this Apprentice Level human team!


    Mos forced a dry laugh as he approached, his heart unconvinced, yet his body already submitting. Recalling his action of shooting crossbow bolts as a warning, his legs turned weak; he had unknowingly skirted the edge of the Gate of Hell.


    To show that he meant no harm and would not attempt to steal the Phoenix Tail Flower''s spoils, the Hound Man raised his hands and slowly moved closer: S��ar?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Um... may I say something?"


    The three members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team were in the midst of their excitement, completely ignoring Mos.


    Mos felt quite awkward, but he couldn''t say much since he was the one asking for a favor.


    Kafni hopped onto the corpse of the Black Shell Crab General and started to extract the Demon Core with her dagger.


    Multiple encounters with magical creatures had turned Kafni from a novice to an extremely skilled master.


    With her keen sense of perception, she could easily locate the position of the Demon Core.


    Otherwise, even a minor damage to the Demon Core would diminish its value.


    Kafni could be called a master of loot collection.


    Monica curiously squatted on the ground, prodding the sharp claw pincers with her small hand.


    When a Leader Level creature of the region died, the most notable change was that the murderous crabs were thrown into disarray.


    They dared not approach adventurers of higher level than themselves!


    They no longer possessed the demeanor of zombies, recklessly fearless of death.


    The instinct of beasts to seek fortune and avoid harm returned to these creatures.


    Facing the mightier Phoenix Tail Flower Team, they felt fear, worried about getting hurt, and would turn tail and flee.


    Lin Da did not pursue.


    There were plenty of murderous crabs, too many to clear out.


    His goal was to slay Leader Level magical creatures to lessen the burden on ordinary adventurers.


    He then opened the system message to check briefly.


    [Defeated a Level 20 Purple Rare Magical Creature, Black Shell Crab General, and obtained 15,000 Mystical Points (During the event, an additional 15,000 points were awarded)!]


    Once again harvesting 30,000 points, even Lin Da, with his great composure, couldn''t help but let his lips curl into a smile.


    With a few more Black Shell Crab Generals slain, he could potentially level up three times.


    If luck was on his side, even grazing the edge of Level 20 wasn''t out of the question.


    Lin Da closed the system interface and joined Kafni in dismembering the corpse of the Black Shell Crab General.


    The most valuable parts of such a creature were four in number, each fetching a handsome price.


    They were:


    The pincers, with every four capable of forging an orange ''Crab General'' series weapon.


    The carapace, used for crafting Purple Rare armors.


    The four pairs of small legs, which were top-tier ingredients that had miraculous effects on enhancing an adventurer''s strength.


    And the crab roe, which could be used to brew strong liquor to improve the combat prowess of male adventurers.


    Plus a deep blue Demon Core the size of a cantaloupe...


    Lin Da waved his right hand, and his Space Ring released a mystical white light, enveloping and absorbing all the materials.


    "What a great haul," Kafni clicked her tongue.


    The one who was most delighted with the Space Ring was her; otherwise, that dreadful Lin Da would have definitely made her carry sacks.


    Meanwhile, Lin Da calculated that these materials could sell for about 200,000 Gold Coins on the market.


    Money, after all, is never unwelcome.


    His goal was to equip all his team members with Orange Equipment and their main weapons with Epic Level gear.


    A carriage also needed to be added to the shopping list.


    Traveling on foot was slow, unable to compare with the speed of a magical beast-level warhorse.


    ''Speaking of which, the Giant Rhino Adventure Team from Red Heart City has already reached Breeze River Beach, so the Scarlet Adventure Group must be there as well,''


    Lin Da mused.


    Dawen of the Scarlet Adventure Group had detected the presence of mutated magical creatures at Qingfeng River Beach half a month ago.


    Right now, Dawen was probably leading his team into battle somewhere.


    After a bit of thought, it wasn''t hard to guess that they''d be deep within Breeze River Beach.


    Lin Da looked north with a hint of yearning and curiosity, towards the heart of the Monster Tide: a certain BOSS was waiting there.


    But only adventure teams who reached Level 30 were qualified to challenge such a foe.


    Upon reaching level 30, both equipment attributes and personal attributes would greatly increase, with a frontliner''s health points over ten thousand as the baseline.


    Only then could they withstand the attacks of that BOSS.


    The Level 30 Rare Orange Magical Creature: Red Armored Crab King!


    "Level 20 Black Crabs are too easy, but not being able to beat the Level 30 Crab King is frustrating,"


    Lin Da muttered to himself.


    Visualizing the fierce battles deep in the beach, his blood surged with excitement.


    Eight out of ten times, both the White Dove Adventure Group and Scarlet Adventure Group would be there!


    They were the targets that the Phoenix Tail Flower Team needed to surpass.


    Lin Da thought that one day, Phoenix Tail Flower would outpace those adventure groups and even the former Primordial, once again standing at the pinnacle of the World Tree.


    How would those grand scenes in the game physically manifest in Another World... Thinking of this, Lin Da felt waves of emotion that took a long while to subside.


    "Um, could I have a word with you?"


    Mos chuckled with a sly grin, rubbing his hands together and stooping, exuding a sense of low-grade sycophancy.


    "You?"


    Lin Da had noticed Mos quite a while ago.


    His awkward expression was a dead giveaway that he needed a favor.


    Beastmen as a race would only bow when they''re underfoot.


    Stand toe to toe with them and they''re fiercely impudent.


    Lin Da had a rough idea of what was happening.


    And sure enough.


    With an embarrassed laugh and scratching the back of his head, Mos said, "Brother, how about we cooperate?"


    "Cooperate, what kind of cooperation?" Lin Da feigned ignorance.


    "Well, that is... um... let''s team up to take down the Black Armored Giant Crab," Mos stammered, looking distinctly uncomfortable.


    "But your team can handle it by yourselves, can''t you?" Lin Da remarked with a half-smile.

 Chapter 173 152. Like a War God

    Lin Da didn''t particularly like Beastmen, except for Lulu and a few others on the team.This race was mostly brainless with muscles, and in the later stages of the game, they would be misled by the Doomsday Sect, standing against the adventurers.


    Mos''s face fluctuated between shades of pale and flushed as he gritted his teeth and said, "The battle situation is dire, if this continues, the Giant Rhino adventure team will suffer more losses! Please have mercy and save us!"


    Lin Da said, "So, you mean ''requesting aid'', not ''cooperation'', right?"


    "Uh, well..."


    A difference of two words, but the meaning vastly differed.


    Seeing Mos''s dilemma, Lin Da shook his head and said, "Forget it then, we''ll find another Leader Level Magical Creature and subdue it ourselves."


    "Wait��wait a moment! Yes, it''s ''requesting aid''!"


    As Lin Da turned to leave, Mos looked like he was about to cry.


    He understood what Lin Da meant.


    If it was cooperation, the spoils would be split evenly.


    But if it was a request for aid, the Giant Rhino adventure team wouldn''t get any of the loot!


    You expect spoils even when someone else is saving your life? sea??h th�� n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although Beastmen had thick skins, they weren''t that shameless.


    "Phoenix Tail Flower agrees to support you, quickly lead the way," Lin Da turned back and said.


    "No way," Kafni blocked Lin Da, sneering at Mos, "Do you really think we, the Phoenix Tail Flower, are like elvish barmaids, at your beck and call? One hundred thousand Gold Coins, or no deal!"


    "What, that''s too much!"


    Mos''s face turned beet red as he exclaimed angrily, "With the Monster Tide upon us, we are all adventurers. You disregard the greater good and still dare to ask my Giant Rhino adventure team for money? Do you even understand what ''the greater good'' means?"


    "Ha!?"


    Kafni kicked Mos in the stomach with a thud,


    Mos was furious but, like a worker begging for assistance, he had to grit his teeth and swallow his pride: "How can you hit people like this?"


    "To hell with your greater good!"


    Kafni rolled up her sleeves, ready to hit a few more times, "Stupid Beastman, if you knew the importance of the greater good from the start, why did you try to scare me with a crossbow just now? Either pay up one hundred thousand or buzz off!"


    "You...!"


    Mos''s eyes nearly popped out of his sockets, his fists whitening as he clenched them.


    But thinking of his teammates still in danger behind him, Mos''s fists reluctantly unclenched. He looked at team leader Lin Da, feeling this human was easier to talk with:


    "What about you? You just agreed earlier. Even without the Gold Coins, you''d help, right?"


    Lin Da thought for a moment and said, "No, I''ve changed my mind. My teammate is right, one hundred thousand Gold Coins, or no deal."


    Mos eventually compromised.


    Frankly, this Beastman had no bargaining power at all.


    The only team nearby capable of subduing the Black Armored Crab General was Phoenix Tail Flower.


    "One hundred thousand Gold Coins... I''ll pay!" Mos said resentfully: "But let me be clear, I don''t have that much on me; the team''s adventure funds are with team leader Lai Xi!"


    "No time to waste, lead the way."


    Lin Da nodded.


    Shortly thereafter.


    The group found the rampaging Black Armored Crab General.


    The scene was a mess, with crimson liquid everywhere.


    Two of the frontline members of the Giant Rhino adventure team had fallen, their bodies chopped into several pieces.


    Lai Xi, Feiny, and three other teammates were exhausted from running.


    It was fortunate that the Healer had learned the ''Agility Wind'' spell; otherwise, they''d have been caught by the Black Armored Crab General already.


    "Mos, you finally made it!"


    Lai Xi saw the reinforcements and his tense face relaxed slightly.


    However, noticing that Lin Da and his two teammates were only three people, and their Level Aura wasn''t high, Lai Xi''s heart sank again.


    "Are you the team leader?" Lin Da said calmly, "Let me remind you in advance, this is a paid rescue, one hundred thousand Gold, and we''ll handle the Magical Creature. Of course, all the loot will be ours."


    "As long as you can do it, no problem."


    Lai Xi, breathless from being chased, came up to Phoenix Tail Flower and eyed Lin Da with deep skepticism.


    He glanced questioningly at Mos, as if to say: What''s going on?


    Mos nodded vigorously, replying with his eyes: Team leader, don''t worry, these people are reliable!


    "Let''s go." Lin Da said without another word, leading his two teammates toward the Black Armored Crab General, which moved like a tank rumbling towards them.


    Their composure contrasted starkly with the disheveled Giant Rhino adventure team.


    Especially since Phoenix Tail Flower''s levels were much lower!


    Dolphin Girl Feiny watched Lin Da with interest.


    The members of the Giant Rhino adventure team seemed not too saddened by the loss of their two front-line warriors, and Feiny''s attention, even more so, focused on Lin Da''s lower half��by nature, dolphins were even worse than foxes and snakes; they were quite a lecherous species.


    Feiny secretly decided that if this Apprentice level team really could defeat the Black Armored Crab General, she wouldn''t mind rewarding them with her body.


    But Lin Da held his sword at the forefront, flanked by Kafni and Monica.


    Phoenix Tail Flower and the Black Armored Crab General distance grew closer and closer.


    When they entered a distance of twenty meters, Lin Da charged forward.


    He rapidly chanted a spell, launching a purple Magic Sphere.


    Kafni used the Thief''s level 15 skill ''Assassinate''.


    Her form became concealed, her presence nearly vanishing as she quietly slipped behind the Black Armored Crab General.


    Monica chanted the Earth Bombardment spell, a brown Array phantom emerging in the air.


    The battle was on the brink of erupting!


    The Venom Magic Sphere was the first to strike, hitting the Black Armored Crab General.


    It was like a bucket of ice in summer, instantly dousing the Magical Creature, corroding a hole in its tough Carapace, making it hiss in pain.


    This sudden development caused Lai Xi to blink in confusion, wondering: Poison Series should be similar to Fire Series and be restrained as well. Why then, when he as a Level 20 didn''t scratch it, could this human, merely Level 16, pierce the carapace in one strike?


    Lai Xi was puzzled, and so were Dolphin Girl Feiny and Mos, who had watched the whole thing twice.


    If Mos had told them that Lin Da''s sword damage was incredibly high beside his spells, Lai Xi probably wouldn''t have been able to sleep that night.


    A mighty Level 20 Fire Mage, outmatched by a Level 16 human?


    The reason for this scenario, objectively speaking, was Lai Xi''s poor equipment.


    As a team that had just advanced to rock level, Lai Xi only had one piece of Level 20 Purple Gear, and his Fire Series was countered by the Murderous Crab. This was an external factor.


    But the internal reason was Lin Da''s abilities, which were significantly superior to normal people, coupled with that unimpressive, dusty longsword in his hand!


    Wielding the Azure Sword, all of Lin Da''s damage would include an extra 40% damage to Aquatic Demons.


    Plus the Venom Magic Sphere, originating from a Legendary Skill Tree.


    Lin Da had also carefully studied the Black Shell Crab General, knowing which parts of its carapace were relatively weak.


    The combination of these internal factors and the external factors presented results that made Lin Da several times stronger than Lai Xi, the Level 20 Fire Mage!


    "Triple Slash!"


    Lin Da swung the Azure Sword, executing a Triple Strike.


    Water transformed into saw teeth, hissing on the blade as if it were an electric saw.


    Upon initial contact with the carapace, sparks flew!


    The thick carapace held up for less than a second before Lin Da''s sword cut deep into the flesh.


    Lin Da''s Triple Slash directly caused the Black Shell Crab General to lose nearly 2500 health points.


    The carapace was covered in sword marks.


    Its two small legs were also chopped off by Lin Da.


    The Azure Sword cut through like a knife through butter, Lin Da felt no backlash at all.


    Using this sword to kill aquatic demons was pure enjoyment!


    Then, the skills of his teammates arrived.


    Kafni initiated Assassinate, swooping over the Black Shell Crab General.


    The Orange Weapon ''Crescent Dagger'' in her hand drew a deep white line on the monster''s carapace.


    Like a mischievous child using a sharp stone to ruin the paint on someone else''s luxury carriage.


    The carriage wasn''t damaged, but it was certainly heart-wrenching to see.


    A number popped up: -3000!


    The Rogue''s skill Assassinate had an extremely high damage multiplier!


    Following that, a brown beam of light!


    With a loud bang...


    The Black Shell Crab General was bombarded, stumbling and rolling, one of its claws falling off.


    Its body damaged, its combat effectiveness greatly reduced!


    Lin Da estimated that this demon''s health points were at most 15000 left.


    "Monica, use Earth Spear Spell, remember to save magic power!"


    Lin Da recalled his days playing games; if there was a team member who recklessly used their ultimate moves in ''auto-battle'', he would hate it bitterly and lock such unmanageable team members in the warehouse.


    But in reality, facing a cute white-stockinged Big Lolita, Lin Da, moved by affection and reason, could not speak harshly.


    "Yes, Captain Lord!" Monica quickly abandoned the idea of using Earth Bombardment and switched to the minor skill, Earth Spear Spell.


    This scene left the Giant Rhino Adventure Team dumbfounded.


    Holding back powerful spells and only using basic minor skills?


    Didn''t they underestimate the Black Shell Crab General too much?


    And that Lin Da, whatever bizarre profession he had, threw spells one moment, slashed the next, staying in the front like a War God.


    He was 1.8 meters tall, weighing less than 200 pounds, yet he fought the 2000-pound, five-meter-long Black Armored Crab back and forth, with attacks exchanging fiercely!


    Moreover, Lin Da kept advancing.


    Forcing the Black Shell Crab General to frequently retreat, its eight legs drilled into the ground, plowing little furrows.


    The situation was clear at a glance.


    This demon that had driven the Giant Rhino Adventure Team to despair wasn''t enough for the Phoenix Tail Flower Team to handle!


    "Normal Attack, Dodge, Normal Attack, Defend, Normal Attack, Normal Attack..."


    Lin Da muttered as if chanting.


    With the Verdant Shield opened on his body, he felt completely secure.


    Protected by the Light Shield, his mind became even more clear, allowing him to precisely predict the Black Shell Crab General''s attacks and respond perfectly.


    Offense had the Azure Sword, defense had the Verdant Shield.


    The Level 16 Healing Hero, his combat capabilities freshly established.


    If there was a major flaw, it was still the lack of burst damage.


    Lin Da had to pull the monster''s hatred, allowing his teammates to output damage from behind.


    He thought to himself: Monica, although high in damage, was weak in sustained damage; Kafni had Divine Power as a trump card and could scout the demon''s aura, but she was usually very clumsy, needing at least Level 30 to output significantly.


    The fourth member of the team, Lulu, was nowhere to be found, which was worrying...


    The Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, all told, only had four people, which really wasn''t enough.


    From the tenth layer of the World Tree onward, bosses had frighteningly high health points; they needed to add an output player to the team.


    While Lin Da was thinking, the Black Shell Crab General turned into critically low health.


    He thrust his sword into its head, ending its life.


    The Black Armored Crab let out a reluctant screech, its body thudding to the ground.


    The surrounding frenzied Murderous Crabs, as if doused with a bucket of cold water, immediately calmed down.


    With their underdeveloped brains, they thought: if even their leader was killed by this human, wouldn''t they be going to their deaths?


    Having realized this, they scattered in terror under Lin Da''s blood-stained Azure Sword.

 Chapter 174 153, Small Fry Crab About to Die

    "No escape, Venom Eruption!"Lin Da stretched out his left hand forward.


    A palm-sized purple array rapidly formed. sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Like a squid squirting ink, a hiss sound followed, as venomous liquid spewed from the array, scattering onto the fleeing Murderous Crabs and killing a large number instantly.


    [System Message: 8 level 15 Murderous Crabs have been defeated, accumulating 2400 Mystical Points!]


    [System Message: Level 20 Black Armored Crab General has been defeated, accumulating 30000 Mystical Points!]


    These two messages brought joy to Lin Da''s face, as he realized that during the event, the Mystical Points from killing Murderous Crabs did not diminish.


    Normally, having defeated over two hundred Murderous Crabs, the points would have halved.


    Thus, his total count of points had reached an astonishing 129867!


    According to Lin Da''s memory, the experience required for player levels were:


    To reach level 17, 40,000.


    Level 18, 60,000.


    Level 19, 80,000.


    Level 20, 100,000.


    Lin Da''s current Mystical Points were enough to level up twice consecutively.


    With a few more Black Armored Crab Generals, advancing three levels wouldn''t be difficult.


    As for level 20, which required more experience, it was one of the greatest thresholds for adventurers in the early stages.


    Reaching level 20 would grant access to an Ultimate Skill and the capability to wear level 20 gear with much higher Attribute Points compared to level 19 gear.


    If pursued normally, just progressing from level 16 to 19 would take at least three years even for a talented adventurer.


    Yet, Lin Da could achieve it in a single day thanks to his diligent efforts.


    This made him genuinely feel that the day when Luanwei would become a Rock-level Adventure Team was not far off.


    While feeling sentimental, Lin Da chopped up the carcasses of the Magical Creatures, storing them in his Space Ring.


    Glancing at the members of the Giant Rhino Adventure Team trying to sneak away in the distance, he frowned and launched a Venom Magic Sphere.


    With a swoosh, the sphere landed just in front of Lai Xi, corroding a pit into the muddy ground.


    Lai Xi''s eyelids twitched, and he laughed it off, "Brother, what''s this for, the ground over there is cleaner, let''s move over there."


    "That would be best," Lin Da replied expressionlessly, "One hundred thousand gold, please settle the bill."


    ...


    In White Dove City, the Adventurer''s Guild''s fifth-floor operation hall.


    Screens of light projected on the walls, each manned by personnel anxiously monitoring them: these were high-angle shots transmitted by sensor ladybugs.


    Based on the real-time battle situation, messages were sent out to advise adventurers where support was needed and where to attack and so forth.


    Mayor Adel paced back and forth in the hall, drenched in sweat, his face clouded with concern.


    A glance at any of the screens revealed a gruesome scene of adventurers being viciously slaughtered by the giant claws of Murderous Crabs.


    Each dead adventurer felt like a slap in Mayor Adel''s face!


    The battle status of the Rock-level Squads was closely monitored within the screens.


    The success of their decapitation strategy greatly influenced the outcome of the battle.


    A bespectacled civilian staff member rapidly recorded the casualties in a notebook, and Adel moved beside him to check:


    Current number of Leader Level Magical Creatures defeated: 27, casualties among the Rock-level Squad members, 8!


    "Eight people...equivalent to the loss of an entire squad!"


    Adel felt as though his heart were being cut!


    Each Rock-level Squad was a treasure of the city.


    The loss of eight lives to kill just 27 Black Armored Crab Generals��adventurers deployed in squads to hunt a single Black Armored Crab General.


    Still, eight had fallen.


    From the list, those who died were all front-line professionals around level 21.


    They had just advanced to Rock-level and hadn''t had the chance to adapt to their new powers or upgrade their equipment, like fledgling birds trying to soar but devoured by despicable vultures before they could ascend.


    Adel''s heart was in agony!


    "Mayor, Luanwei is engaging the second Black Armored Crab General!" an employee exclaimed excitedly, "This team seems even stronger than some Rock-level teams."


    "What?" Hearing the words "Luanwei", Adel quickly approached.


    When Luanwei was dispatched, Adel had invited Lin Da to stay and command, but was sternly refused by Lin Da.


    ��"A true adventurer must fight on the battlefield!"


    Leaving behind these awe-inspiring words, Lin Da rode his warhorse, leading his teammates toward the city outskirts.


    This intense eagerness to confront the Magical Creatures deeply moved Adel.


    Adel had never seen an adventurer who hated Magical Creatures so intensely, as if Lin Da was born to be at odds with them!


    This noble spirit earned Adel''s respect.


    Awarding the Badge of Honor to Lin Da was undoubtedly the right decision.


    Adel''s tense face relaxed into a slight smile after watching Luanwei''s pleasing battle scene on the screen.


    "Magic and Martial Dual Cultivation...once successful, level 20 could acquire two ''Ultimate Skills'', far surpassing ordinary Rock-level team members in strength," he mused.


    Decades ago, Magic and Martial Dual Cultivation was very popular.


    But the difficulty was high, the leveling slow, and the risk of conflicts between the two professions leading to damaged Magic Circuits, with few succeeding, causing this trend to gradually fade.


    Nowadays, mentioning Magic and Martial Dual Cultivation brought a sense of nostalgia.


    "Mayor!"


    Experience new tales on empire


    "This Rock-level Squad seems to be in danger!"


    An employee cried out urgently.


    ...


    Monster Tide, middle zone.


    A thirty-meter radius circular gap appeared on the black ''carpet'' made up of Murderous Crabs.


    Inside the gap, a six-member squad was attacking a Black Armored Crab General.


    Their faces were relaxed, as though this powerful level 20 Magical Creature was hardly worth mentioning to them.


    "Shield Bash!"


    The small-framed girl, cloaked in steel armor and wearing a full-face helmet with bull horns, only her pink ponytails visible at the back of her head.


    She smashed her thick tower shield onto the Black Armored Giant Crab''s pincers with her left hand.


    Skill: Shield Bash.


    The heavier one''s weight, the greater the damage inflicted!


    The tower shield collided with the giant crab making a loud thud that hurt people''s eardrums!


    Although the girl was small, the force of her shield strike was immense, sinking the huge Black Armored Crab General half a meter into the mud.


    As a Heavy Armored Warrior with an axe and tower shield, the attacks made with the shield inflicted 50% additional damage on shell-type Magical Creatures.


    Therefore, even though the girl''s primary role was as a cumbersome frontline, she was still able to deal notable damage in the war against the Murderous Crabs.


    "Die already, you pathetic crabs, haha!"


    The taunting voice came from beneath the full-face bovine helmet, shrill with a thick hint of childlike mischief, reminding one of a mischievous child who had turned a house upside down.


    The petite girl lifted her face shield, revealing her face dripping with beads of sweat from the heat.


    She grinned triumphantly, stomping on the Black Armored Crab General''s pincers with her combat boots, "Get up you weakling, or I''ll bully you!"


    "Klrona, Magical Creatures don''t understand what you''re saying, you know? Just kill it and let''s move on to the next one," Aiko said.


    Aiko, holding a delicate white magic wand adorned with angel wings, with a shiny white gem emitting a holy light.


    Meanwhile, Aiko was multitasking, chanting the spell "Light Bomb."


    A watermelon-sized sphere of light followed a beautiful parabola and exploded on top of the Murderous Crab''s head.


    Boom��


    The explosion sounded, utterly ruining the Black Armored Crab General''s carapace, exposing the white flesh beneath.


    "It''s my turn now!"


    The red-haired girl leaped, having stored up energy for a while.


    "Flame Slash!"


    She brought down the greatsword.


    Although it was a Fire Series attack, which the Murderous Crab resisted, the greatsword''s blunt attribute increased damage by 50%, thus nullifying the fire weakness.


    Furthermore, this girl''s Strength greatly surpassed that of other Swordsmen at her level.


    The blaze turned into a sharp sword light, and a ferocious strike cleaved the giant crab into two!


    "Hiss hiss hiss!"


    "Hiss hiss..."


    The creature''s agonized shrieks gradually ceased.


    Lia wiped the sweat off her forehead, posed with one hand on her hip, confidently holding up her greatsword, "Snow Goose, invincible!"


    "That''s great, now the captain can pay off her debt." Klyne, panting, put away her bow and arrow, a smile appearing on her face.


    Unlike the older members of Snow Goose, who were not in a rush to have Lia repay her debt, Klyne and Oru, being somewhat distant from Lia,


    and burdened with loans themselves, had grown quite discontent with Lia''s failure to repay.


    The World Tree''s 12th floor might have been conquered, but most of the money went to The Mandalas.


    This Monster Tide, Klyne was eagerly awaiting Lia''s repayment.


    "Phyllis, Oru, what are you standing around for? Go collect the Magical Creature''s materials," Lia commanded, pointing at the dirty corpse of the Black Armored Crab General, herself unwilling to move.


    Aiko and Klrona, too, had no intention of doing such filthy work.


    In the Snow Goose Adventure Team, this was always a job for the boys.


    Oru was used to it and promptly responded, starting to cut the Magical Creature''s materials with a short knife.


    Phyllis, of noble heritage, reluctantly approached, covering his nose and clumsily assisting Oru.


    "You''re so slow at this, not like Lin Da at all," Lia commented offhandedly as she killed more regular Murderous Crabs.


    The members of Snow Goose Adventure Team fell into an awkward silence.


    Only the red-haired girl didn''t seem to recognize that her words sounded just like those of a defeated person,


    seemingly spoken impulsively without any thought.


    It made Aiko even more reluctant to submit her resignation.


    Yes, although Aiko fought alongside Lia and the others, her heart had already flown to the Phoenix Tail Flower, pondering how to get Lin Da to invite her to join.


    Even though Aiko considered Lia a reluctant friend, she wouldn''t compromise her own preferences to remain in Snow Goose.


    Her real target was Lin Da, who had insulted her dignity.


    Until Lin Da was brought to his knees before her charm, she could not swallow this affront.


    "Lia, the Great Mystery Continent is opening soon, isn''t it? What are your thoughts?" Aiko asked absentmindedly as she fired the Light Arrow Technique, piercing through a Murderous Crab''s head.


    "What thoughts?" Lia asked in confusion.


    "Are you really planning to go against Lin Da''s team?" Aiko sneakily glanced at Lia, slightly nervous.


    If such an event occurred, her lackluster contribution might be noticed by Lia.


    "If my team encounters him, surely he won''t have an easy time," Lia snorted, "With just those few members in his team, dreaming of surpassing Snow Goose? Ridiculous."

 Chapter 175 154. Snow Goose seeks help from Phoenix Tail Flower?

    "No... I never said that from the start, did I?"Aiko thought anxiously, fearing that nothing short of a thorough beating from Phoenix Tail Flower Team would wake Lia up.


    But to have Lia''s mentality completely shattered by such a beating, Aiko felt this was too cruel for the little dwarf. Previously protected in the palm of Lin Da''s hand, now she''d be hammered by him. Not everyone could accept such a drastic change. sea??h th�� N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Especially since Lia herself had low tolerance, constantly having her defenses broken.


    Objectively speaking, Lia had a higher level and stronger combat abilities than Lin Da, but Aiko believed that once Lin Da reached level 20, the victor would be Lin Da.


    The reason was very simple.


    Lia''s attack pattern was monotonous, while Lin Da, as Snow Goose''s original commander, knew every team member''s combat style clearly.


    Fearing that Lia''s privacy was thoroughly exposed by Lin Da, plus... with Lin Da offering his head for Lia to chop, would Lia bring herself to strike?


    Before Aiko''s eyes, an image of Lia being awkwardly stuck surfaced.


    "Captain, all the materials have been gathered."


    Oru grinned, wiping the blood of Magical Creatures off his hands, and neatly placed the two claws, carapace, Demon Core, and so on, in front of Lia.


    "That''s not bad," Lia nodded, slightly satisfied.


    Thump, thump, thump...


    Suddenly, the sound of heavy objects stomping on the ground came from afar.


    In everyone''s spiritual perception, they could sense three strong presences of Magical Creatures.


    Aiko''s face changed, "Black Shell Crab General, three of them?"


    Lia fell silent too.


    The team members looked at each other, and came to a unanimous conclusion: they were outmatched.


    Snow Goose only had two front-liners. They couldn''t withstand the attacks of three Black Shell Crab Generals.


    Aiko glanced at Lia, who was torn between fighting and retreating, and solemnly reminded her,


    "Three level 20 leader Magical Creatures. Even if Snow Goose could win, the loss would be severe. It''s better to seek collaboration with another adventure team. There are sounds of battle to our east, probably a rock-level squad.


    "With their addition, our numbers will exceed ten, and we''ll have at least three front-liners. Handling three Black Shell Crab Generals then wouldn''t be too difficult."


    Calm and reasoned analysis.


    Several members nodded inwardly, feeling Aiko more fitting as the team''s leader.


    Lia, given a way out, relaxed her expression, "It''s not that Snow Goose is scared, cooperation is just better. Let''s take down those three Magical Creatures together."


    Aiko, looking at Lia''s stubborn demeanor, felt both irritated and helpless.


    There are no outsiders here, why are you still putting on a tough front?


    That mouth looks quite soft; why does it always talk nonsense?


    "Let''s go, if we don''t hurry, we''ll be caught up."


    Aiko secretly rolled her eyes and added a level 20 Demon Core to her Magic Wheelchair. The power surged, and she rushed to the east, leading the way.


    ...


    Clang!


    A Murderous Crab sneak-attacked Lin Da from behind, its large claws striking the Emerald Light Shield.


    The shield didn''t break, but the Murderous Crab was shaken back repeatedly, swinging its claws as if it had burned its hands.


    "You got a problem?"


    Lin Da turned around and cleaved the Murderous Crab in half with his sword.


    [Defeated a level 15 Murderous Crab, gained 300 Mystical Points!]


    "Lin Da, this isn''t good,"


    Kafni suddenly came over, holding two stolen claws and stuffing them into Lin Da''s Space Ring while her eyes fixed westward, "There''s the presence of a level 20 Magical Creature."


    "Just defeat it,"


    Lin Da said nonchalantly, having been looking for leader-level Magical Creatures.


    After killing the one from Giant Rhino Adventure Team, and taking their 100,000 Gold Coins, it seemed there were no more leader-level Magical Creatures in this area.


    Phoenix Tail Flower Team planned to clear some minor monsters and then go help elsewhere.


    Now, a monster had come to deliver itself to its death, Lin Da happily accepted.


    "Uh, actually, there are three..." Kafni said awkwardly.


    Lin Da fell silent.


    He had high health and didn''t fear being hit, but his teammates did.


    "Let''s find another adventure team and collaborate."


    As Lin Da thought this, he suddenly saw, in the distance, a group of crabs flung into the air as if struck by an Earth-Traversing Dragon charging headlong.


    Under the fiery red glow of Battle Qi, the Murderous Crabs were smashed into chaotic flight, accompanied by a familiar voice:


    "Ora ora ora ora!"


    Was it her?


    Lin Da hesitated a moment and, using his height, looked ahead.


    Charging in the forefront was a short-haired girl swishing her Greatsword about, wearing a white eyepatch.


    When they were less than twenty meters apart, she noticed him.


    A look of surprise clearly appeared on the pretty, petite face of the girl.


    It was all probably too unexpected that, on this vast battlefield, just by searching for a nearby adventure team to collaborate with, they''d run into Lin Da''s squad.


    Lia, with a stern face, suddenly changed her mind and turned back.


    She planned to rely on her own strength, Snow Goose, to fight off the three Black Shell Crab Generals.


    A bit further away, roughly forty meters behind Snow Goose, were three enormous creatures.


    They held their claws, stained with the blood of adventurers, aloft, their eyes containing a trace of human-like mockery.


    Like hunters chasing their prey, they slowly exhausted the adventurers'' strength.


    Aiko saw Lia rashly rushing toward the magical creatures and, her forehead vein popping, reached out a hand and, like catching a rabbit, yanked Lia back.


    The force of her pull left Oru, the Hammer Warrior, dumbfounded!


    Lia was a bit stunned, sitting in Aiko''s lap in the Magic Wheelchair, twisting her head and unwillingly ending up in front of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    "Lin Da, are you guys okay?" Aiko pushed Lia off, tossing her aside like large-scale trash, and asked with worried expression.


    "We''re fine, we''ve already taken down the second Black Shell Crab General."


    Lin Da grasped the Azure Sword, focusing intently on the magical creatures that were about to attack.


    With a simple sentence, he threw out several pieces of information, quickly answering Aiko''s questions.


    First, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team had the qualifications to collaborate with Snow Goose; their combat strength was sufficient to take down a Black Shell Crab General.


    Second, there''s no need to worry about this side, focus all attention on dealing with the magical creatures!


    Upon hearing this, a strange light flashed in Aiko''s eyes.


    "It''s all because of that sword of yours," she said.


    Lia, holding a grudge, stared at the gray sword in Lin Da''s hand, disguised by Illusion Iron.


    She was trying to tell the member of Snow Goose''s team that although the Phoenix Tail Flower Team had killed many Black Crabs, it wasn''t because they were formidable.


    If Lin Da gave her the Azure Sword, she''d have already killed three Leader Level creatures.


    That evening''s profit distribution, Lia only got a level 20 Biting Shark Ring, the best Azure Sword was snatched by Lin Da.


    "Cut the chatter, you don''t want to get into trouble, do you?"


    Lin Da speechlessly reached out to knock on Lia''s head, but she dodged away vigilantly.


    Lia aimed her fiery red Greatsword at him: "What are you trying to do!" Find exclusive stories on empire


    "Right, we''re ''enemies'' after all."


    Lin Da felt somewhat headache and pointed toward the approaching creatures, "Fighting against Phoenix Tail Flower, both sides suffer losses, everyone gets eaten by the magical creatures. How about we cooperate for now and take down these three magical creatures?"


    "As a team leader, you should know how to choose, right?"

 Chapter 176 155. Aiko doesnt want to slack off!

    "Uh..."Lia''s eyebrows were tightly knotted. She looked at the three massive Black Crabs approaching and then at Lin Da''s detestable face. After struggling internally for a while, she gripped her Greatsword tightly and said fiercely,


    "This is the last time, the last time we cooperate! Don''t even think about working with Snow Goose after this!"


    Upon hearing this, everyone except Lin Da looked at Lia with confusion��they had never cooperated before, so why did it sound like this wasn''t their first time from what Lia said?


    A sudden realization flashed through Aiko''s mind as she remembered the strange expression Lia had when she returned from the auction that day.


    Could it be that something had secretly happened between the Powder Keg and Lin Da!


    "Now is not the time to doubt each other," Lin Da said, placing his hands on Aiko''s shoulders.


    Even amidst the blood-drenched battlefield, Aiko''s golden hair remained smooth and beautiful. The Holy series Magic Power seemed to coat her with a faint golden glow, like a goddess descended to earth.


    "Alright... I understand." Aiko thought determinedly to herself, planning to show her true strength in this battle.


    Make Lin Da realize that such a powerful Mage shouldn''t be stuck in Lia''s team.


    The Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, that''s where she truly belongs!


    Klrona stepped on Lin Da''s foot, pointing at his nose with her little finger, "Make sure you support me properly, don''t stop using Healing Art!"


    Lin Da knocked forcefully on the girl''s Bull Horn Helmet, "You should be asking for support from the Healer in your own team instead of me."


    "I don''t want Phyllis''s Healing Art, it''s too slow and always late," Klrona said, unconcerned about Phyllis''s ashen-faced expression.


    "Just keep replenishing me, okay? Anyway, you guys don''t have a front line. I''ll even protect those two Small Fry," she added.


    "No... we do have a front line."


    The three terrifying Black Crabs had already charged towards them.


    As 20-level bosses, the Magical Creatures possessed a certain intelligence. Seeing their prey laughing nonchalantly instead of running, they raised their giant pincers in anger and attacked the two adventure teams!


    "Immovable Barrier!"


    Klrona reacted quickly, slamming her Tower Shield into the ground and creating a square steel-colored Shield Wall that radiated from the shield''s center.


    She huddled behind it, her feet dug into the ground, a trace of pride on her small face. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She planned to take on the Black Armored Crab Generals'' attacks and show Lin Da her strength.


    "Sigh."


    What Lin Da could only let out was a helpless sigh.


    Indeed, with the Immovable Barrier skill, Klrona was strong enough to withstand the Magical Creatures'' coordinated attacks, but the cost was huge!


    Wearing an Emerald Light Shield, Lin Da charged towards the Black Armored Crab General on the left.


    "Partner, let me handle it!"


    A dull male voice rang out from behind him.


    Lin Da glanced sideways and saw Oru, wearing heavy armor, each hand holding a black iron hammer.


    In the heat of battle, Oru habitually called Lin Da ''partner,'' a sign of their tacit understanding from past cooperation.


    "Thanks! You take on another one. I''m enough for this side!"


    Lin Da smiled knowingly.


    Under his confident expression, Oru hesitated for a moment but decided to obey Lin Da''s command as usual. After all, Lin Da had never made a mistake as a commander.


    Thus, Lin Da faced off against the Black Armored Crab General on the left.


    Klrona protected everyone, facing the one in the middle.


    Oru roared as he charged towards the right one.


    Lia and Aiko, under the protection of Klrona''s Light Shield Wall, all looked unanimously towards Lin Da.


    The latter two were definitely capable of withstanding the Magical Creatures'' attacks; there was no need to worry.


    Although Lin Da had performed admirably in the first three floors, those were only level-15 Magical Creatures.


    The strength of a Black Armored Crab General was much greater!


    "What an arrogant fool."


    Lia rolled up her sleeves, ready to rush out of the shield wall to take on the one on the left.


    "You must not... You must not call the captain a fool!"


    A faint rebuttal caught Lia''s attention.


    Lia narrowed her eyes with a displeased expression as she looked towards the white-ribboned Lolita with the terrifying chest.


    Although they had no conflicts, that one look from Lia made it clear that they were enemies.


    "Captain can handle it himself, he doesn''t need your help," Monica said timidly, hiding behind Kafni, mustering up the courage to sneak a glance at Lia before quickly retreating.


    "What��For a Mage like you, Miss here could take down one with a single sword strike!"


    While Lia and Monica were arguing, the three frontline members in front each faced a Black Armored Crab General.


    Klrona was immovable as a mountain, the Light Shield Wall barely fluctuated, not retreating a single step.


    Though small in size, her defensive power was far ahead of others of the same level.


    Lin Da''s assessment of Klrona was a defense-specialized front liner; 1 point of her health could withstand 1.5 times more than other front liners.


    On the other hand, Oru was considered a Three-Star-Level NPC in the game, not the best, yet far from the worst.


    With a pair of giant hammers, he clashed directly with the pincers of the Black Armored Crab General, looking like a small giant, his muscles bulging, wrestling with the Black Armored Crab General, holding his ground!


    Finally, it was Lin Da''s turn.


    He did not use the sword as a shield for defense, nor did he wrestle with the giant crab, but chose... to ignore the opponent!


    Lin Da swung the Azure Sword, striking down!


    With a clang.


    The Black Shell Crab General''s large pincer arrived first, striking the Emerald Light Shield and barely shattering it, but the substantial recoil numbed its pincer.


    Lin Da seized the opportunity to hack at the eyes of the Black Shell Crab General with his sword, cutting off an eye the size of a fist as easily as slicing through mud!


    "Hiss, hiss, hiss!"


    In pain, the Black Shell Crab General wildly swung its pincers, while Lin Da had already retreated to a safe distance and reapplied the Verdant Shield skill to himself.


    "What a thick shield."


    A gleam of fascination burst in Aiko''s eyes as she murmured.


    Klyne and the others were also experiencing the thickness of the Verdant Shield up close for the first time, each showing an indescribable expression.


    They could not help but steal glances at Lia, who had the highest compatibility with this skill.


    After energy charging, Lia''s damage output was extremely high, but she was most afraid of being interrupted. With the green light shield, Lia''s pressure was greatly reduced, and she could even stand amongst the crowd of creatures and slowly charge.


    "What are you looking at, everyone get on for your lady here."


    As the front line drew the ire of the Black Shell Crab General, Lia leapt from behind the Light Shield Wall and charged at the one in the middle.


    "This raid is in the bag," Aiko observed the battlefield discreetly and quickly concluded that killing three Black Shell Crab Generals wouldn''t be a problem.


    Once the survival crisis was resolved, Aiko immediately started scheming.


    "Little sister, as the only Mage of the Phoenix Tail Flower, you must be quite impressive, right? How about competing with your sister to see who kills the Magical Creatures first?"


    Aiko approached Kafni from behind with a giggly smile, her gentle aura radiating from within, like a caring older sister.


    Monica shyly said, "I, I am very weak."


    "That''s okay, your sister will let you. I only win if I kill the giant crab first and am ahead by more than twenty seconds; otherwise, you win, is that okay?"


    Aiko enticingly said, "You want to show off your strength in front of your team leader, right?"


    Monica was indeed tempted, but remembering Lin Da''s instructions not to use Earth Bombardment carelessly, she quickly shook her head.


    "Let''s just consider it a friendly bout, okay? I choose the one on the far left," seeing that persuasion was ineffective, Aiko unilaterally decided.


    The Black Shell Crab General she selected was the one Lin Da was dealing with.


    Aiko wanted Lin Da to truly feel how blessed it was to have such a powerful and reliable Light Mage standing behind him!


    Aiko used to slack off every day, but today, she had no plans to slack!


    Monica sensed something was off, but before she could say anything, Aiko had already claimed Lin Da''s crab.


    "Hammer of Destruction!"


    Aiko placed her left hand over her ample chest, her expression solemn and sacred, chanting the spell at an unbelievably fast rate, and pointed forward with her angel wing-bearing magic wand.


    Instantly, a three-meter-long Light Giant Hammer embedded with golden runes, formed by level 25 magic power, smashed down on the carapace of the Black Shell Crab General!


    The impact was tremendous, directly smashing the Black Shell Crab General into the mud, causing it to wail in pain.


    The rear ranks all turned their heads in surprise.


    Even an old teammate like Klyne was a bit taken aback, feeling that Aiko was in an unusually good form today, chanting spells much faster than usual.


    Aiko swung her magic wand repeatedly, like a magic gatling gun, bombarding the Black Shell Crab General with various spells.


    ''Hammer of Destruction,'' ''Light Arrow Technique,'' ''Holy Bomb,'' ''Cage of Light''!


    The dazzling spell light was mesmerizing.


    In front of him, Lin Da comfortably watched as the Black Shell Crab General rapidly lost health and soon entered the second phase.


    The most horrifying part was that Aiko used relatively low-magic-cost spells, but the cumulative damage they inflicted surpassed Monica''s Earth Bombardment.


    The two had completely opposite fighting styles; Monica had slow attack speed but high damage per hit.


    In contrast, each of Aiko''s skills dealt above-average damage, but with fast firing rates, the total damage was astonishing.


    During the second phase, the Black Shell Crab General raised its blade pincers, but was restrained in place by Aiko''s inverted square Cage of Light.


    It thrashed about inside, like an enraged bull, unable to escape anytime soon.


    Lin Da silently chanted a spell, releasing two Venom Magic Spheres.


    After that, there was no need to watch anymore; once poisoned by him, the Black Shell Crab General was doomed.


    As he turned toward the next one, Lin Da saw Chloe behind the Shield Wall, waving her small hand and smiling sweetly at him.


    Her graceful and beautiful posture was a pleasure to the eyes.


    If it had been another male adventurer, he might have been too smitten to move on.


    But Lin Da''s biggest feeling was ''dissonance.''


    ��Previously, Aiko hadn''t been very nice to him, had she?


    Even though Aiko also contributed during raids against Magical Creatures, she gave him this impression:


    Aiko wouldn''t put in any more effort than necessary.


    If a pass mark was 70, then it was 70. She wouldn''t use the strength for 71 just to make it easier for other squad members.


    About this, Lin Da felt rather helpless, as even private reminders to Aiko would be superficially dismissed with pathetic excuses.


    Yet, since she left the team, Aiko''s attitude towards him had done a complete 180, overly nice in fact.

 Chapter 177 156. That BOSS is coming?

    The saying ''No good deed goes unpunished'' resonated in Lin Da''s mind, suggesting a plot brewing behind Aiko''s kindness.Lin Da pondered for a moment and responded with a smile.


    He then looked towards the other sides of the battlefield and cast Verdant Shield on Klrona and Oru first.


    As Lin Da''s level increased, the number of times he could use Verdant Shield also increased. Initially, he could use it continuously only five times in a short period, but now it had increased to seven times.


    In Mystic Continent, each skill had its usage limits, corresponding to a Magic Circuit within the body.


    Using them in rapid succession could cause the circuit to overheat, resulting in physical damage.


    Lin Da watched Lia, who was holding a flame greatsword and making a Black Armored Crab General keep retreating. Likely due to her reduced intelligence, Lia''s Magic Circuit was naturally more durable than others''.


    As the Crab General''s pincers struck, Lia ducked low to avoid them, then scanned her surroundings. Both Klrona and Oru had Lin Da''s Light Shield, but she did not.


    Lia turned around angrily and glared at Lin Da, who was consuming a Mana Potion to recuperate, "Give this lady a shield!"


    Lin Da shook his head, "Just focus on the fight; I''m not going to shield you."


    "Huh? What do you mean by that? Are you targeting me?"


    Lia was stunned, her desire to fight crabs waned.


    If Oru had a shield, why didn''t she have one?


    Lin Da''s thoughts were straightforward: To prevent Lia from continuing to act like a spoiled child, he needed to distance himself as much as possible. Only by not intervening could Lia''s ''personal line'' return to the proper course of the game, allowing her to become a respected Bursting Flames.


    "I''ll help you out."


    Ignoring Lia, Lin Da joined Oru''s side of the fight.


    "Alright, partner!" Oru laughed joyously.


    Together, with support from the rear, they quickly defeated the second Black Armored Giant Crab.


    The system announced two accomplishments:


    [Killed a level 20 Black Armored Crab General, earned 30000 Mystical Points!]


    [Killed a level 20 Black Armored Crab General, damage too low, earned 10000 Mystical Points!]


    For the first creature, Lin Da dealt substantial damage and consequently earned more points.


    For the second, he arrived when it was nearly dead and managed a last-hit kill, earning 10000 points.


    It was better than nothing.


    Lin Da and Oru walked side by side toward the last Black Armored Crab General.


    Lia''s battle was the slowest, with only Klyne supporting her.


    Aiko and Monica were both aiding Lin Da, leaving Lia somewhat isolated.


    The proud redhead captain, the more she thought, the angrier she got, taking it out on the Crab General.


    With every strike, she muttered curses such as ''damned Lin Da'', ''just die'', ''beat you to death''.


    All this resentment over not receiving a shield?


    Lin Da remembered those parents killed by their children just because they refused to buy Magic Puppets with money. A chill ran down his spine.


    If he had not left Snow Goose and had continued to indulge Lia, the day he refused one of her whimsical requests would have been disastrous.


    In no time, together they took down the last Black Armored Crab General.


    The materials were split evenly, each extracting their share of Demon Cores.


    ...


    "Hm?"


    Kafni paused with her dagger mid-extraction of a Demon Core, suddenly frowning and looking suspiciously ahead.


    Daring the chaotic battlefield, an extremely faint noise arose from beneath the ground.


    Apart from Kafni, Lia also sensed something off.


    She didn''t hear the slight sound, but rather felt it through ''intuition.''


    Lia inexplicably got goosebumps and felt uneasy, sensing that something was about to happen.


    She quickly jumped back to take cover behind Klrona''s Shield Wall.


    "Everyone fall back a bit, something isn''t right," Kafni sternly warned everyone.


    Members from both Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose retreated behind Klrona.


    Klrona took on the role of defense and bait.


    Lin Da tightened his grip on the Healing Art in his hand.


    After calming his mind, he too noticed that strange sound.


    It came from deep underground.


    From afar to near, like a mud dragon speeding through.


    Lin Da recalled for a moment and didn''t remember any Magical Creatures like this from the game activities. The most powerful one should be deep in Breeze River Beach, currently engaging with the White Dove Adventure Group.


    In other areas, it would just be the Black Shell Crab General.


    "Level 23... its aura is strong!" Kafni''s perception became clearer, her golden pupils seemingly seeing through everything underground.


    Upon hearing the level 23, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.


    Lia and Aiko had reached level 25, and Klrona had also broken through to level 23 the day before.


    Two squads joining forces to fight a level 23 Magical Creature felt like no problem.


    Lin Da thought a little deeper.


    A regular level 23 Magical Creature, making Kafni, someone who feared neither heaven nor earth, show such a solemn expression?


    Could it be ''that'' BOSS?


    Lin Da''s brow furrowed tightly.


    For every thousand Black Shell Crab Generals, only one would mutate.


    From Purple Rare Level, it transformed to an orange rarity.


    An extremely rare hidden Magical Creature!


    The top-tier orange jewelry with set attributes needed for forging came from this kind of creature.


    But right now, he truly didn''t want to encounter that creature!


    The teamwork between Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose wasn''t even up to a last-minute preparation.


    Up against that creature, Lin Da was confident of victory, but not sure they could all avoid injury.


    The dynamics of battle constantly shifted; every adventurer had their own thoughts, and it couldn''t go exactly like in the game, where clicking on the ground 5.79 meters away would make teammates walk precisely there, to the exact spot.


    The tremors from underground became more distinct, and everyone sensed the terrible aura of the creature.


    "What is that?" Klyne, uneasy, leaned close to Oru, her body trembling slightly.


    Lia and Aiko, with serious faces, focused their gaze on the ground ahead.


    "L-Lord Captain..." Monica''s small hand urgently clutched at Lin Da''s clothes, her pair of white silk legs trembling like sieves.


    All the Murderous Crabs around them backed away in panic, burying their heads in the ground like ostriches.


    As if to show submission to an unknown existence.


    A tense, oppressive atmosphere loomed in the air, akin to the calm before a storm.


    "Small Fry Magical Creatures, come out!"


    Klrona''s pale face showed she couldn''t withstand the immense pressure; she took the initiative to attack first.


    Her right foot stamped heavily on the ground, transmitting the force to dozens of meters below.


    The signature skill of the Heavy Armored Warrior, Frenzied Trample!


    "Hiss��"


    A sharp cry of a Magical Creature rapidly approached from below.


    The ground beneath Klrona suddenly collapsed.


    A monster clad in crimson carapace, resembling both a crab and a lobster, with a long torso like it was dressed in crimson armor, burst forth from the ground.


    Its pair of crab pincers were as large as two people embracing a tree.


    Like a carp leaping over the dragon gate, it burst forth from the mud.


    Its form obscured the sky, roaring as it attacked Klrona!


    ��


    (ps: Regarding the progress of the plot, efforts will be made to speed up, hoping for your subscription support)


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 Chapter 178 157, Ill take on this Magical Creature.

    Klrona had never encountered such powerful Magical Creatures in her adventuring career thus far.Looking at the sharp and heavy crab pincers, she felt as if her Tower Shield were as fragile as a potato chip, ready to shatter with just a light touch!


    The group had been happily collecting their spoils of war when the giant creature suddenly burrowed out from the ground, as if a comedy had abruptly turned into a horror movie, scaring everyone silly.


    Lin Da had been mentally prepared and was the first to regain his composure.


    He used the Dark Whip to entwine around Klrona''s waist, pulling the heavily armored Klrona over to him.


    Despite being terribly frightened, Klrona kicked up a fuss with stubborn defiance on her face, "I still need to hold off the Magical Creatures, let me go."


    While the two were arguing, the giant Red Crab landed.


    Its pincers slammed down with a dull, thunderous crash that made the ground tremble.


    The girls panicked, stumbling over each other hectically.


    "You can''t withstand this ''Red Armored Crab King''!" Lin Da glared at Klrona seriously, "Get back there and be good!"


    At that moment, Klrona felt a strange sensation; being scolded harshly by Lin Da didn''t actually make her that angry. sea??h th�� NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She huffed deliberately, "Fine, I''ll go. Oru, that stupid small fry, certainly can''t withstand the Magical Creatures'' attack, only I can do it."


    Lin Da shook his head: "No, you can''t either."


    "Are you saying I can''t hold up?" Klrona immediately took umbrage.


    Her toughness was one of the best among those of her level in White Dove City, and that big red crab was at her level; why couldn''t she hold it off?


    "For other Magical Creatures that are approximately as challenging to subdue as the Red Armored Crab King, you could handle them. But not this one," Lin Da said.


    Lin Da was resolute.


    The most troublesome aspect of the Red Armored Crab King was its skill ''Death Crab Pincer,'' which dealt True Damage.


    True Damage ignores defense.


    And Klrona was a defensive tank.


    In terms of standard toughness, Lin Da at level 16 was not as hardy as Klrona at level 23.


    But in terms of Health Points, Klrona couldn''t compare to him.


    Lin Da gazed at the enormous crab drawing near, holding the Azure Sword, advancing steadily.


    "What are you doing?" Kafni''s face changed, reaching out to grab Lin Da.


    As a Deity, Kafni didn''t want to see the hero risking his life to protect a few thick-faced ''Little Mossy Girls''!


    The group of girls, along with Oru and even Phyllis, all stepped forward to stop him.


    When crisis struck, the members of Snow Goose stopped pretending, each wearing a worried expression, gathering around Lin Da.


    As if Lin Da were their leader!


    No one noticed that Lia in the corner was biting her lip, her right hand hesitantly reaching out before quickly retracting.


    "You don''t have to stop me."


    "I''m not going over there to die."


    Lin Da said helplessly.


    The crimson Magical Creature in front of him, half-lobster, half-crab, stood three meters tall and seven meters long, its aura of death feeling like a foul stench blowing directly in his face.


    His body trembled, but his blood only boiled hotter.


    Being a player, a former ''Dark Shadow,'' Lin Da''s bones were filled with blood that thrived on adventure.


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    Of course, what made him decide to face the Red Armored Crab King was the latter''s ''size.''


    A mature Red Armored Crab King was at least level 30 and ten meters long.


    But the one before him was seven meters long, level 23, a juvenile.


    Lin Da''s brain whirred like a high-speed machine, quickly calculating the Health Points, Defense, and Attack of a level 23 Red Armored Crab King.


    Then combining the damage output, healing abilities of his own team members, and those from Snow Goose...


    "Lord Captain, your head''s smoking!" Monica pointed at Lin Da''s head, which seemed to be emitting smoke, tears welling up in her big eyes.


    This was actually sweat evaporating due to fervent thinking.


    ����In the blink of an eye, Lin Da understood everything.


    The level 23 Red Armored Crab King''s Health Points were estimated at 103,000.


    Its most troublesome skill, Death Crab Pincer, dealt True Damage and couldn''t be withstood with less than 6000 health points.


    Once he deployed the Verdant Shield skill, he could withstand up to 6760 damage.


    Very close to the limit.


    But indeed capable.


    Lin Da accessed the system panel, the Skill Tree page.


    The remaining 4 Skill Points were meant for use at such critical moments.


    "System, Add Points!"


    Lin Da silently recited in his heart, investing the Skill Points into the Verdant Shield of the Recovery Series.


    The Verdant Shield is currently at level lv1, allowing the release of a shield worth 30% of one''s maximum Hit Points.


    [Invest 1 Skill Point, and the Verdant Shield is upgraded to lv2, increasing the shield value to ''35%'' of maximum Hit Points!]


    [The Verdant Shield is upgraded to lv3, increasing to 40% of maximum Hit Points!]


    [The Verdant Shield is upgraded to lv4, increasing to 45% of maximum Hit Points!]


    [To advance to lv5 Master Level, you require a Golden Skill Point, and thus cannot upgrade further at the moment!]


    System messages kept popping up.


    Lin Da upgraded the Verdant Shield to lv4.


    Shield value rose from 30% to 45%.


    That meant an increase of half!


    Waves of power flooded in like a sudden enlightenment.


    The magic circuits within Lin Da related to the Verdant Shield were instantly strengthened.


    The number of times Skills could be released increased.


    The thickness of the shield value increased.


    He also gained much insight into this skill out of thin air.


    The casting speed increased.


    All these changes occurred within Lin Da.


    The others only saw him shudder and thought nothing more of it.


    By now, the thickness of Lin Da''s Verdant Shield had risen from 1560 points to 2340 points.


    With this high-value shield, Lin Da''s confidence grew substantially.


    He had intended to upgrade the Verdant Shield to the full 5 levels, but the last level required a Golden Skill Point.


    The source of which was not yet clear.


    For now, Lin Da could only upgrade the Verdant Shield to lv4.


    Muttering spells silently, he waved his left hand, and a green Light Shield enveloped his body.


    "Venom Magic Sphere!"


    Lin Da led the attack, drawing the ire of the Red Armored Crab King.


    The small Magic Sphere hit the massive creature, causing -560 damage.


    Compared to the Black Shell Crab General, the Red Armored Crab King''s defense was much higher!


    But the main damage dealer this time was not him.


    It was the Earth Mage, Monica!


    And Aiko, the level 25 Light Mage!


    As well as another one, whose individual output exceeds Aiko��Lia, if only she would follow orders.


    With these three, even if the Red Armored Crab King had 103000 Hit Points, he was confident they could bring it down!


    As soon as Lin Da released the Venom Magic Sphere, everyone was startled.


    They were really going for it!


    Lin Da commenced the attack on the Red Armored Crab King!


    Aiko was the quickest to regain her composure.


    She was one of the few who trusted Lin Da.


    Because Lin Da was Dark Shadow.


    And because Lin Da had once been their Snow Goose''s Lin Da.


    "Everyone, coordinate with Lin Da''s attacks!" Aiko chanted a spell, casting [Blessing of Holy Light] over Lin Da''s head.


    Klyne, the Wind Archer, unleashed [Agility Wind].


    Phyllis chanted [Continuous Healing].


    One by one, supportive Skills were applied to Lin Da.


    The Blessing of Holy Light gave Lin Da an extra 1000 health points.


    Agility Wind increased his Agility by 30 points.


    Phyllis''s Continuous Healing would allow him to slowly recover health.


    Chloe, the Heavy Armored Warrior, also used her only support skill on him.


    [Armor Enhancement].


    At a ''high'' cost, it could be used only once in a short period, increasing Lin Da''s defense by 50 points.


    Although the increase in defense might seem small, Lin Da''s total defense was only 83.


    Defense, being an extremely valuable attribute, can reduce damage by percentage, like in the game LOL��the higher the defense, the more damage is reduced.


    This [Armor Enhancement] almost meant Lin Da had an extra 1000 health.

 Chapter 179 158. Only after letting go can you move forward!

    Lin Da was bedecked with various buffs, radiating different lights over his body.His combined combat power had increased by at least thirty percent.


    Agility Wind made him light as a feather.


    Armor Enhancement toughened his skin and flesh.


    Lin Da charged towards the massive Red Armored Crab King.


    Behind him, Klyne opened up her Shield Wall to protect all members.


    Everyone held their breath, waiting for Lin Da to draw the rage of the Red Armored Crab King, creating an opportunity to strike.


    Boom! Boom!


    The sound of impacts burst forth.


    The heavy crab pincers of the Red Armored Crab King struck Lin Da, each blow embedding his feet deeper into the ground.


    His Verdant Shield was shattered by a blow, and then he intoned again, releasing his skill.


    And then it was shattered again.


    Ultimately, Lin Da could not manage a seamless skill release.


    The remaining damage, he took on directly with his Life Barrier.


    -1430!


    -1350!


    -1700!


    Four-digit damage numbers sprang from Lin Da''s head.


    His Life Barrier continuously took heavy hits, the connected core suffered, causing internal pain like a headache splitting open, with a trace of crimson blood leaking from the corner of his mouth.


    But Lin Da''s eyes were still fixed firmly on the massive Red Armored Crab King, not relaxing for a moment.


    He chanted the spell for the Healing Art in his mouth, frantically recovering health. Read exclusive adventures at empire


    The last Skill Point was uncompromisingly assigned to the Primary Healing Spell.


    Plus Phyllis was helping from behind.


    Lin Da''s health points maintained a delicate balance.


    Rapidly falling, then quickly recovered.


    Like walking a tightrope high in the air, a slight misstep could send him plummeting into the abyss!


    "Ok now, start attacking!"


    When the timing was right, Lin Da shouted loudly.


    The rage of the Red Armored Crab King was all focused on him.


    The team members could launch an assured attack, no need to worry about being chased by the Red Armored Crab King!


    At this moment, the mood of Aiko and others was like a rollercoaster, up and down.


    The Healing Art landed on Lin Da, the Life Barrier recovered, and they breathed a sigh of relief.


    But then it was shattered once again by the Red Armored Crab King into a thin layer, their hearts plunged into the abyss.


    Some more timid members, like Monica and Klyne, did not dare to watch.


    Fearing the next scene would be Lin Da''s Life Barrier shattering.


    "You pathetic crab, I will definitely not spare you..." Chloe clasped her own small axe tightly.


    As Lin Da issued the attack command, in an instant, the team member''s fury burst forth, eyes reddened, as if they wanted to devour the crab alive.


    "Rain of Light!"


    "Barrage of Arrows!"


    "Earth Bombardment!"


    "Dagger Scatter!"


    A myriad of colorful skills bombarded the Red Armored Crab King.


    In Lin Da''s vision, a bunch of damage numbers popped up.


    In just a few seconds, the Red Armored Crab King lost over twenty thousand hitpoints, a quarter of its health!


    Just then, a fiery-red figure shot out like an arrow, passing by Lin Da, a voice of a young girl mumbling angrily could faintly be heard: S��ar?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Idiots, each and every one of you, idiots...!"


    Lia was in an unprecedented state of rage.


    She couldn''t understand how Aiko had become so careless, actually letting Lin Da take on the Red Armored Crab King head-on.


    ''Before you''re defeated by me, dying at the hands of magical creatures is unacceptable!''


    Hot blood surged in Lia''s chest, her Battle Qi shone bright and crimson, like the sun.


    She hated feeling protected by Lin Da,


    At such times, she felt like she was the idiot.


    Lia always charged to the forefront when fighting magical creatures.


    That way, she would be the one injured, not her teammates.


    Lia was also carrying out her role as a qualified team captain in her own way.


    Under the process of Energy Charging, the blade glow of Lia''s greatsword grew to three meters.


    "Explode! Flame! Strike!"


    The young girl dragged out the tones, furiously screaming as she struck down on the top of the Red Armored Crab King with her sword.


    The Blazing Swordsman of level 25 applied her Energy Charging plus her Ultimate Skill, dealing terrifyingly high damage numbers.


    This number, was beyond even Lin Da''s estimate. Perhaps it was Lia surpassing her usual performance, or maybe her training had paid off, this one strike landed a five-digit number.


    -15789!


    Instantly, it knocked off one-seventh of the Red Armored Crab King''s health points!


    Lin Da was invigorated.


    At this rate, defeating these magical creatures would be much faster than he had anticipated.


    "Now, everyone hold back, don''t draw too much rage from the magical creature!"


    It was Lin Da''s turn to attack.


    Relying on the powerful total damage of the Venom Magic Sphere, he pulled the anger of the Red Armored Crab King back to him.


    Once there was enough hostility, it would create a new opportunity for the back line to strike.


    Repeat three times, and this magical creature would be thoroughly defeated at their hands!


    As Aiko and the others heard the command, they immediately held back.


    But one, however, did not leave.


    The fiery-red greatsword continued to weave a net of sword light, still attacking the Red Armored Crab King.


    Even hearing Lin Da''s words, there was no intent to move.


    This scene was familiar.


    When they were on the second tier, Lin Da had almost caused a team wipe because Lia disregarded his command and ventured deep into the swamp on her own.


    The unpleasant memory suddenly flashed before his eyes.


    Since then, Lin Da had tried his best to produce a detailed strategy to avoid repeating the same mistake.


    But this time, Lia actually disobeyed orders again!


    "Step aside, now is not your time to attack!"


    Lin Da yelled angrily.


    "I... refuse!"


    Lia didn''t even turn back, her face stubborn, as she swung her greatsword, leaving charred marks on the crab pincer.


    "What did you say?"


    "This young miss said... I refuse! I will not back down!"


    Lia glanced at Lin Da, her eyes filled with urgency, "What are you standing there for, hurry up and restore your life barrier!"


    Just now at the back, Lia had been watching closely.


    Even though Lin Da''s recovery amount was high, and Phyllis helped, they could make the thickness of the life barrier increase.


    But, each time, it was not as thick as the last, nowhere near the full strength it was at the start of the fight.


    Simply put, Lin Da''s health points were constantly decreasing.


    At the beginning, with the Blessing of Holy Light, it was 6200.


    After being hit and losing health, he recovered, but could only get back to 6000.


    The second time, it went up again.


    But it was only 5800.


    This was a vicious cycle.


    When Lin Da''s life barrier fell to a certain limit, perhaps he would be killed by the Red Armored Crab King.


    Therefore, Lia labeled Lin Da and Aiko as fools. What she could figure out, those two couldn''t grasp.


    "Red Flame Strike!"


    Lia cried out, her greatsword cleaving a streak of light that slashed across the head of the Red Armored Crab King.


    The immense force forced the creature to back down.


    Lin Da was slow to react, could it be that Lia was showing concern for someone else?


    This was indeed, a first.


    But did this person not understand, if she could think of it, how could others not?


    The fact was, Lin Da''s hit points had indeed dropped.


    But still, the shield was thick.


    Much thicker than the one he had given Lia during the auction!


    "Small Fry, I''m coming to help you!"


    An arrogant girl''s voice came from behind.


    Klrona, wearing a Bull Horn Helmet, her small axe glowing with strong Battle Qi, opened her Tower Shield to protect Lin Da.


    Seeing two girls, one pink and one red, speaking clumsy words but still protecting him, Lin Da felt especially complicated.


    What exactly Lia thought of him, he didn''t know.


    But Klrona, he understood.


    Just a little brat who hadn''t grown up, wilful and always pushing boundaries.


    Lin Da, a grown man, surely wouldn''t quarrel with Klrona.


    As for Lia, he couldn''t exactly say he hated her. Three years of time had profoundly impacted everyone, those initially pleasant memories, even though now paths diverged, hadn''t changed the past.


    If Lia would give up troubling him about Phoenix Tail Flower and coexist peacefully, Lin Da might still be able to become her friend.


    Someday at a tavern, drinking together as two team leaders.


    Letting go of those past times, both could stride forward.


    But who couldn''t let go? Lin Da wasn''t sure he could throw those three years away like rubbish into a trash can.


    Suddenly, a loud noise erupted in front.


    The Red Armored Crab King swept its tail, launching the skill "Thousand Army Scatter", attacking Lia!


    This hit was significant.


    If it really hit, the Swordsman, Lia, would be severely injured at the least, and in the worst case, she could be instantly killed on the spot.


    A trace of panic appeared on Lia''s face; she clenched her teeth, trying to leap up to dodge the attack of the Red Armored Crab King.


    However, the creature was simply too big.


    By the time Lia prepared to dodge, it was already too late.


    Just at that instant.


    Lin Da chanted a spell, releasing Verdant Shield!


    A green glow turned into a shield, settling on the young girl.


    Lia''s eyes shimmered with light, looking up at the death-filled crab tail, but her lips curled upward.


    Wasn''t this him putting a shield on her?


    Lin Da was still Lin Da.


    When she faced danger, he still wouldn''t ignore it.


    However, even with the enhancement of Verdant Shield, Lia couldn''t remain unharmed.


    Verdant Shield shattered, dissipating most of the force.


    The crab tail struck Lia''s abdomen.


    The girl''s face turned pale, she spat out a mouthful of blood, and like a baseball, was flung into the sky.


    This is bad.


    Lia thought as she felt intense pain in her stomach; she couldn''t land on her own!


    Falling from a high place, crashing to the ground, she would inevitably be severely injured!


    Frantically looking downwards, Lia saw Oru running around with his arms outstretched, ready to catch her.


    Her skirt fluttering in the air, Lia covered it with her hands, and the thought of falling into Klyne''s boyfriend''s arms was both embarrassing and infuriating.


    She really didn''t want to fall into Oru''s burly arms!


    "Dark Whip!"


    Suddenly, a black energy whip twined around Lia''s waist.


    Lia cried out in shock, then the whip pulled her toward Lin Da on the ground.


    Lia bit her lip, her emotions in turmoil, thinking that Lin Da, that guy, better not try an inappropriate princess carry or something...


    Then apologize for improperly quitting the team and other such things... Lia''s head was full of happy thoughts, actually feeling getting hit by the Red Armored Crab King wasn''t so bad.


    In fact, she was overthinking.


    Lin Da pulled her over and, like a porter handling a bag of rice, thumped her onto his shoulder.


    Lucky for Lia who exercised often, her body was resilient.


    If it were Aiko, the Mage who usually sat in a wheelchair, that would have instantly broken his back.


    But even with Lia''s strong physique, being smashed onto Lin Da''s shoulder from high above was painful enough to make her eyebrows knit together, tears instinctively forming little pearls.


    This was worse than falling into Oru''s burly arms!

 Chapter 180 159. Do you want to repeat the same mistake?

    "You, are you sick? Trying to murder the young lady here!?" Lia''s head threw back, her small legs clad in black knee-high socks kicking wildly like a grasshopper impotently raging on a stick.Lin Da took the flailing young lady to the back row, and said to Klrona, "Hold off the magical creatures until I get back!"


    Klrona''s eyes lit up, and she proudly patted her steel armor, which clanked in response, "Leave it to me!"


    This feeling of being entrusted by Lin Da was like a potent healing art, instantly invigorating Klrona.


    Lin Da, meanwhile, had his own plan. Once the Red Armored Crab King used "Thousand Army Scatter," it wouldn''t use "Death Crab Pincer" for a while. Klrona could handle the creature''s regular attacks.


    He needed this precious time to recuperate.


    Deep in thought, Lin Da suddenly felt a gust of wind and a soft piece of clothing snapped over his face, plunging his vision into darkness.


    In the back lines, Oru and Phyllis sheepishly turned their looks toward the Red Armored Crab King, while the girls showed looks of surprise.


    It turned out, covering Lin Da''s face, was Lia''s skirt lifted by the wind!


    "Uh, that kindergarten kid''s bear-patterned underwear, that''s Lia''s? I always thought it belonged to Klrona..."


    Aiko thought speechlessly.


    "What''s going on?"


    Lia suddenly felt a chill down below. Being carried on Lin Da''s shoulder, she tried hard to turn her head only to see her own face flush red like a monkey''s butt.


    "Let go, put the young lady down!"


    After a fierce struggle, Lia successfully landed on the ground, covering her skirt in shame, "You, you saw?"


    Lin Da nodded, "My eyes aren''t bad."


    Classic brown bear pattern.


    Lin Da had no interest in such juvenile stuff. Glancing at Klrona who was still resisting the Red Armored Crab King, he took a life potion, and applied healing art and verdant shield on himself.


    Then, he walked toward the monster with his sword.


    His voice drifted back to Lia, "Do you want to repeat what happened on the second level of the World Tree?"


    Lia''s expression stiffened, her fists clenched, she said, "No...ah, I just, wanted to help you."


    "But you''ll only make things worse," Lin Da said bluntly.


    "What? Can''t you see how high my output is? The biggest gap on that Red Armored Crab King came from me!"


    Lia was nearly driven mad by Lin Da.


    All her effort and contributions were significant, so why couldn''t Lin Da see them, and still treated her like a fool who only dragged others down?


    Lin Da said indifferently, "The Flailing that can''t even withstand a single skill from the Red Armored Crab King shouldn''t crowd the front line, Klrona and I are enough."


    Lia, unconvinced, still wanted to talk it over with Lin Da, but Aiko grabbed her hand and frowned disapprovingly:


    "Don''t be impulsive, you''ll only mess up Lin Da''s battle plan."


    "You think I''m a hindrance too?"


    "Not at all."


    Aiko knew how to soothe the firecracker, "But everyone doesn''t want to see the captain get hurt, and maybe Lin Da thinks so too. He wants you to stay back and follow orders to protect you, you know?"


    "Lin Da... protecting me?"


    Lia was shocked.


    She bowed her head low, lost in thought.


    Aiko hooked her lips, thinking: What a simple and straightforward elementary school kid.


    But Lin Da had indeed changed.


    To actually call Lia a flailer.


    Aiko always felt that Lin Da was up to something.


    ''Could it be that he wants to cultivate her independent abilities as a captain?''


    Aiko pondered.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Lin Da finished chanting his spell.


    He opened his left hand and threw out a Venom Magic Sphere, hitting the Red Armored Crab King in the face.


    With Klrona fully on defense, as soon as he caused damage, the Red Armored Crab King immediately shifted its attention to him.


    As a high-level magical creature, the Red Armored Crab King''s intelligence wasn''t inferior to that of human children; it could discern who the core of the adventurers was.


    Only Lin Da could withstand all its attacks.


    His recovery amount was also high.


    "Get rid of this one first, and the rest pose no threat."


    Although Lin Da didn''t have a taunting skill to pull the creature''s aggression, he successfully attracted the Red Armored Crab King with his high health and recovery amount.


    This battle, under Lin Da''s meticulous control, entered a loop.


    He drew enough aggression, letting his teammates deal damage, reducing the Red Armored Crab King''s health points.


    Then his teammates ceased fire, and he continued to pull aggression with the Venom Magic Sphere and healing art.


    After several cycles, the Red Armored Crab King''s health dropped to 40,000, pushing it into phase two.


    Lin Da, seeing the light of victory ahead, excitedly called out, "Everyone, follow the plan I just laid out!"


    In its second phase, the Red Armored Crab King would summon Murderous Crabs, augmenting them.


    Elevating them to the attributes of a level 20, rare blue magical creature.


    Lin Da needed to gather these small creatures and wipe them out in one go!


    The Red Armored Crab King released a powerful shockwave, forcing both teams back thirty meters.


    Then, the Red Armored Crab King, tilting its head back, let out a strange screech.


    From the bulging ground, Murderous Crabs emerged.


    Their eyes emitted a crimson glow, their pincers expanded several sizes with a bang, and their aura wildly surged.


    Kafni, with her high agility, and Lia, nimble in her movements, were the top performers.


    Under Lin Da''s command, they grouped the Murderous Crabs together.


    Monica and Aiko, two mages, simultaneously chanted spells.


    Earthen spikes, and arrows of light descended on the crowd of creatures.


    "Such tough shells." Aiko was having a tough time, "It''s hard to deal with them immediately without using ''Rain of Light''."


    Even Aiko could make mistakes. During the first wave of attack on the Red Armored Crab King, irked that the creature had attacked Lin Da, she unleashed her Ultimate Skill right away.


    Now she and Monica couldn''t eliminate these minor creatures quickly.


    "Hiss��"


    The Red Armored Crab King made a strange sound, commanding the swarm of crabs to disperse.


    The expressions on everyone''s faces weren''t too good.


    The twelve Enhanced Murderous Crabs, once scattered, would require too much Magic Power to eliminate.


    Fifteen Area-of-Effect Spells would suffice to wipe them out.


    Single-target Spells might only need ten, but facing twelve Murderous Crabs amounted to a total of one hundred twenty times. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This consumption was much greater than that of Area-of-Effect Skills!


    Lin Da naturally wouldn''t make such a rookie mistake.


    He directed his teammates to gather the swarm of crabs, confident in eliminating them all at once.


    Driven by a bit of greed, he aimed to secure the Last Hit on the entire swarm to collect Mystical Points.


    "Aiko, Monica, you''ve done well."


    "Now, leave it to me."


    Lin Da looked at Oru, "Throw me into the air, the higher, the better."


    "Sure thing, partner!" Oru slapped his chest, walking over full of confidence.


    "You can''t handle it, let me do it."


    Lia stepped forward before anyone else could.


    Don''t be fooled by her slender arms; her Ability scores were genuinely high.


    Possibly harboring a blend of public and private grievances, Lia coldly said, "Don''t blame me, Young Lady, if I throw you too high and you fall to your death."


    "That would be beyond the stars," Lin Da said with an unchanged expression. Experience tales at empire


    "Wait, what are you going to do in the sky?" Aiko asked, puzzled.


    Twelve Enhanced Murderous Crabs, judging by the current thickness of their Life Barrier, still retained half their health points.


    With Lin Da''s damage, it wouldn''t be possible to annihilate them instantly.


    What exactly was Lin Da planning?


    Aiko found herself increasingly unable to see through him, feeling the anxiety of having a rope in her hands that Lin Da had already wriggled free from.


    She could no longer control Lin Da as she used to, doing whatever she desired.


    Before Lin Da could reply, Lia lifted him mightily.


    Like a javelin, he was thrown into the sky above the swarm!


    All eyes followed Lin Da as he moved.


    He took a fiery red stone out from his Space Ring.


    The stone contained a massive amount of volatile Magic Power, causing the space around Lin Da to lightly twist as if scorched by intense fire!


    Feeling threatened, the swarm of crabs looked up in panic, issuing uneasy hisses.


    The stone in Lin Da''s hand was a reward from increasing Lulu''s trust��a "Large Explosion Stone."


    He had kept this item in hand until today, when there was a scene to showcase its tremendous power.


    "The power of the Explosive Stone is equivalent to a level 20 Ultimate Skill."


    "My Magic Attack might be lower than a level 20 Mage, but the swarm''s health points have been halved by Monica and the others."


    Lin Da had already calculated the health points.


    Above in the sky, he resembled a bomber, dropping the Large Explosion Stone!


    Its vertical fall was extremely fast, giving the swarm no time to react.


    The Large Explosion Stone hit the ground.


    Then there was a thunderous boom!


    A mini mushroom cloud rose!


    Waves of flames formed, sweeping across the area, engulfing all the Murderous Crabs.


    The immense power of the Large Explosion Stone inflicted a five-digit Area Damage.


    -10321!


    The hot wind caressed Lin Da''s face.


    Below, amidst billowing smoke, only the damage numbers could be seen bursting out.


    Standing in the air, he shielded his face with his arm, a bittersweet thrill in his heart.


    With one Explosive Stone, the swarm of Enhanced Murderous Crabs was wholly eradicated.


    He also received a substantial sum of Mystical Points.


    [System Notification: For slaying the Red Armored Crab King''s kin, 20 Level Enhanced Murderous Crabs, you have gained 1500 Mystical Points]


    By wiping out 12, Lin Da earned a total of 18000 Mystical Points in one go.


    This brought his total Mystical Points to a terrifying 187867.


    Enough for a three-level promotion.


    These three levels were his powerful trump card for handling the final stage of the Red Armored Crab King.


    The enraged Red Armored Crab King raised its Crab Pincer, pounding the ground with its lobster-like tail like a wild beast roaring.


    Under a white light, all its legs and large pincers transformed into terrifying crimson blades.


    "Stage three."


    Lin Da used his Dark Whip to buffer his landing, his eyes slightly intense now.


    The third phase of the Red Armored Crab King meant all attacks were True Damage, and it would frequently launch the highly damaging "Death Crab Pincer."


    A level 23 Red Armored Crab King using "Death Crab Pincer" could deal 6000 points of True Damage!


    As the people in the back cheered for the crab swarm''s demise, the next moment, the Red Armored Crab King entered phase three, its four sets of blade-like legs stabbing into the muddy ground, ferociously charging towards Lin Da!


    Chloe''s face tightened, she hurried to assist.


    But Lin Da shouted her back sharply.


    "Everyone, do not act recklessly, wait for the right moment!"

 Chapter 181 160. Slaying the Crab King, the adventurer beloved by the Goddess

    The cold wind swept through, and Lin Da''s heart beat wildly as he watched the crimson blade grow larger in his field of vision.The oppressive feel of the magical creatures was more than double that in the game.


    The massive size and claws resembling scimitars made one want to run away involuntarily.


    Lin Da did not retreat, he bellowed and struck out with the Azure Sword with all his might, meeting the Death Crab Pincer that was bigger than his entire body.


    The two forces collided fiercely.


    Even though the Azure Sword was a supreme orange weapon, Lin Da still felt strained when facing this magical creature.


    The intense recoil tore his palms, numbed his arms, and brought fiery pain.


    The Verdant Shield shattered, and his hit points dropped by 4300!


    Having blocked the massive creature''s attack with one sword strike, Lin Da took out three life potions from his belt, uncorked them, and chugged them down like oral liquid.


    In his heart, he silently chanted, blessing a new Verdant Shield and Healing Art.


    +1134


    +570


    +561


    On the other side, Phyllis was perspiring heavily and casting Healing Art on Lin Da.


    But Lin Da''s maximum health points were too high.


    With just their two Primary Healing Spells, they could not restore full health in a short period.


    The Red Armored Crab King wouldn''t wait for them, its sharp pincers furiously attacking Lin Da.


    The light from the Verdant Shield gradually dimmed.


    If things continued like this, when the next Death Crab Pincer came, Lin Da, in such a poor state, definitely would not be able to resist.


    Everyone became anxious.


    Monica clutched her magic wand in terror, tears welling up in her eyes, while Kafni bit her lip and stepped forward as if determined to sink the ship.


    Golden divine power brewed within her, ready to take the risk of becoming a cripple to attempt a rescue.


    "He won''t... die at the hands of a magical creature, will he...?" Lia looked anxious, her fists clenched in agitation, her mind completely blank.


    The tail of the Red Armored Crab King struck Lin Da, and the Verdant Shield broke.


    Then, a pair of scissor-like pincers crossed and cut down.


    The chilly wind of death blew against Lin Da''s frail Life Barrier!


    "�� System, add points."


    In his heart, Lin Da calmly spoke these four words.


    Mystical Points depleted by 40,000.


    Injected into the Experience Points bar.


    In the blink of an eye, the Experience Points bar burst and shattered.


    The energy within surged into Lin Da''s body.


    In the night sky of his spiritual world, the 17th star lit up.


    In a single breath, Lin Da stepped into level 17!


    Divine Light descended, Lin Da bathed in the golden glow, his magic power and hit points rapidly recovering, like a withered tree greeting the warm spring rain, new branches and green leaves starting to grow vigorously!


    His Life Barrier solidified once more.


    Steadily, it withstood the Death Crab Pincer.


    The Red Armored Crab King gazed at the insignificant human, its eyes revealing a look of disbelief.


    The opponent was on the brink of death just moments ago.


    How could he suddenly be bursting with life again, like nothing had happened?


    Be that as it may,


    the advantage was still on the side of the magical creature.


    Aiko and the others tensed up, subconsciously thinking: Lin Da could luckily breakthrough once in battle, relying on the leveling up Divine Light to block the Red Armored Crab King''s attack.


    But what about next time?


    It can''t be that someone could comprehend and break through twice consecutively in battle, can it?


    "Lin Da... take my last bit of magic power!"


    Phyllis, like a background figure with both hands raised becoming light power, drained the last trace of her magic power to cast Healing Art on Lin Da.


    However, this ''light'' was too little, merely a drop in the bucket.


    Phyllis''s healing of just over 500 each time was pitiful compared to Lin Da''s hit points in excess of 5000.


    With all its strength, the Red Armored Crab King furiously executed a second Death Crab Pincer!


    Like a giant wielding a sky-cleaving giant axe.


    Chopping down at an undaunted tiny ant on the ground.


    Lin Da''s response was a single motion.


    And a calm phrase in his heart.


    He attacked the mountainous magical creature with the Azure Sword.


    Mouthing silently, "System, give me points!"


    60,000 Mystical Points poured in.


    The empty Experience Points bar, like a clueless child seized by a Goblin, was filled by Mystical Points as if by a giant club.


    The moment it was filled, the translucent, glass-like Experience Points bar turned into a dazzling glow stick.


    Accompanied by a crisp sound, it shattered and overflowed.


    Fresh power entered Lin Da''s body.


    And the night sky of his spiritual world!


    The 18th star lit up.


    Lin Da stepped into level 18 at his second breath!


    Divine Light descended, filling the emptied hit points with the terrifying speed of torrential rain pouring into a water tank, instantly restoring them to 5000 points.


    Plus, a Primary Healing Spell added another 1200.


    Overlay the Verdant Shield...


    It took less than a second.


    Lin Da was back to full strength!


    In the eyes of the Red Armored Crab King, a human-like shock emerged, and its mouthparts chewed in hate, as if a human was grinding their teeth in frustration!


    Why!


    Each time, it managed to reduce this ant to the brink of death.


    But it was just a little short.


    This human always managed to become vibrant and lively before its second attack could be launched.


    Once or twice could be overlooked.


    But since the battle began, it launched numerous skills, yet at most could only maim the opponent.


    Just a bit more, and it could have ended this human''s life.


    Yet that bit was like a chasm without seeable shores.


    The Red Armored Crab King, despite its full might, couldn''t reach it.


    As a king among the crabs, it wouldn''t allow itself to be defeated.


    The Red Armored Crab King issued a piercing screech and, with all its strength, launched a third Death Crab Pincer.


    At that moment, time and space seemed to freeze.


    The sensor ladybug in the sky was also frozen in place.


    Behind the connected light screen, Mayor Adel and a group of staff, all held their breaths.


    The members of Snow Goose Squad and Phoenix Tail Flower prayed nervously.


    Kafni clenched her teeth, divine power surging to her palm.


    In someone''s heart, where no one else could hear, a calm whisper resounded:


    "Add Points."


    Lin Da struck with his sword, repelling the Red Armored Crab King with his frail body.


    Then, he closed his eyes, as if comprehending some natural law.


    Under incredulous stares, Divine Light descended upon Lin Da for the third time. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In less than six seconds, between three rounds of combat,


    Lin Da leveled up three times, advancing to level 19!


    As an adventurer, he was just one step away from level 20!


    Whether it was the Snow Goose Squad or the operation hall of White Dove City, all was silent.


    To perceive and break through during battle, three times in a row!


    If people said the World Tree Goddess didn''t favor this adventurer, no one would believe it.


    Legend has it that the Goddess would bestow her luck on very few adventurers, hoping they would become worthy warriors to challenge the Demon King.


    Could it be that Lin Da was one of those cherished by the World Tree Goddess?


    "The Magical Creatures are at the end of their rope, everyone, focus fire!"


    Lin Da''s calm shout awakened everyone.


    The Red Armored Crab King, after using high-consumption skills, was in a weakened state.


    It was the perfect moment to finish off this Magical Creature!


    Aiko and others snapped out of their shock.


    Without the need to think more, they hastily cast spells or charged forward.


    Skills bombarded wildly.


    -15702!


    -10845!


    -5703!


    The numbers indicating damage kept popping up.


    Lin Da, seizing the opportunity, touched a piece of jewelry inside his pocket.


    Equipped the Ferocious Fang.


    It came with the skill: Lethal Strike.


    Discover hidden content at empire


    Pure strength output, unaffected by the Murderous Crab''s 50% damage resistance, usable twice every 24 hours.


    The moment Lin Da activated the skill, a powerful force surged within him.


    He leapt up, and the Azure Sword slashed down.


    "Lethal Strike!"


    The azure sword radiance violently flashed.


    The long sword split the Red Armored Crab King in two from top to bottom!


    As Lin Da landed, the massive Magical Creature split in half, crashing down.


    The corpse of the Magical Creature, like a small hill; Lin Da, sword in hand, facing away from the crowd, fresh blood streamed from his split palm, trickling down the hilt and blade, drip by drip onto the ground.


    Then, he raised his sword and issued an exhilarated roar.


    The Red Armored Crab King was successfully vanquished!


    ...


    ...


    (ps: Updated in advance, asking for subscriptions; if we get more, there''s a chance for a small feature, and I''ll add more chapters! Thank you for the support!)

 Chapter 182 161. Lia Cries (Two in One, Subscribe Please!)

    At that moment, the excited crowd completely forgot that they were from two different adventure teams.Defeating such a terrifying Magical Creature would become a vivid highlight in each of their adventure careers.


    This honor might one day turn into a legend, forever circulating within White Dove City.


    Even the stubborn Lia, raised her Greatsword in exhilaration and cheered.


    All rivalry with the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, enemies, all were forgotten behind their minds as they gathered around Lin Da with Aiko and others.


    Without a second thought, everyone reached out and joyously flung Lin Da into the air!


    "Red Armored Crab King, defeated successfully!"


    "Glory to the Snow Goose and Phoenix Tail Flower Teams!"


    "Hmph, today I won''t call you Small Fry!"


    Lin Da, surrounded by stars, felt somewhat uncomfortable. He used to be the one tossing others in the air, quietly working hard in unseen places.


    But seeing the overflowing smiles on everyone''s faces, he couldn''t help but reveal a slight smile.


    The feeling of everyone jubilantly cheering together, united in defeating the Magical Creature, was indeed great.


    And for the people of Snow Goose, this battle held extraordinary significance.


    Like a spring rain washing away the gloom in their hearts, releasing all the accumulated frustrations��the challenges Snow Goose faced since Lin Da''s departure had cost them dearly; even achieving victory left the team members with little joy.


    One could only say that the weight on their chest had lessened a bit.


    The pressure still existed, and everyone was still unclear about the future.


    Just one person less, and yet the change was so significant.


    But today''s cooperative battle made the people of Snow Goose feel as if they had reclaimed the old times.


    It all came back, everything!


    In a daze, Lin Da was still with the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    In the team, Aiko took extra care of Lin Da, Klrona no longer called him Small Fry, and fought alongside Lin Da.


    Even Lia rushed to Lin Da''s side, thinking about sharing the burden.


    Although Aiko and everyone knew these times could not be returned to.


    But silently, they chose to temporarily forget that fact, soaking in the past times during the celebration.


    At some point, Lia had disappeared from the group.


    Only Aiko saw her, a lonely figure with her Greatsword, heading in a different direction.


    The normally greedy Lia didn''t inquire about the spoils of war, didn''t even glance at them, and quietly left amidst everyone''s laughter.


    Undoubtedly, the captain, had made a certain decision: Snow Goose would give up all materials from the Red Armored Crab King.


    From a team member''s perspective, Aiko felt that Lia''s action was capricious. How could Klyne, Oru, and the new member Phyllis, willingly give up the spoils?


    But as a friend, Aiko felt relieved. It indicated that Lia was starting to realize her neglect of duty as the captain of Snow Goose, this action silently expressing her apology to Lin Da.


    "Lin Da, thank you."


    As the celebration drew to a close, Aiko, on behalf of Snow Goose, said slowly with a sincere smile on her face.


    "What?" Lin Da didn''t understand what Aiko meant.


    But the other members of Snow Goose smiled knowingly, fully aware of the true meaning behind Aiko''s words.


    It was Lin Da who once again made them realize the meaning of being an adventurer. Through thrilling challenges and acquiring spoils of war, they could gain fame and even leave their own legend.


    In such a journey, even if one dies young, there wouldn''t be as much regret.


    "I will become the mage you want me to be."


    Aiko''s lips curled into a confident smile, gazing at Monica behind Lin Da, and said softly, "And until then, don''t let any other mages join Phoenix Tail Flower, okay? With the two of us, the magical output is enough."


    Lin Da and Monica were both taken aback.


    Chloe raised her head, "Huh? Aiko, you...!"


    You, you''re not thinking of betraying Snow Goose, are you?


    Klyne also looked at Aiko in surprise, which was almost like openly stating her wish to join Lin Da''s Phoenix Tail Flower Team! Find adventures on empire


    Lin Da thought for a moment, "If I invite you, would you join?"


    "Holy Mage Aiko doesn''t come that cheap."


    Aiko shook her head lightly, "Only if you genuinely ask me to join will I consider it. After all, Lia is my friend, and who would trust someone who easily abandons their friend as a teammate?"


    Lin Da reflected seriously and said, "That''s true."


    "And me." Chloe hesitated, hands behind her back, "If, I mean if, would you invite me to your adventure team?"


    "Snow Goose needs you." Lin Da rubbed Chloe''s head and said with a gentle smile, "Go protect your team''s captain, that''s what you should do as a Heavy Armored Warrior." S��ar?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh..."


    Chloe looked down, lost in thought.


    When it came to distributing the spoils of war, Aiko and the others casually waved their hands, showing no attachment to the corpse of the Red Armored Crab King.


    "Partner, this is what you deserve."


    Oru''s large hand patted Lin Da''s shoulder, smiling and showing his white teeth: "Without you taking the hits upfront, we couldn''t even escape. Snow Goose gaining the reputation of ''defeating the Red Armored Crab King'' is enough."


    Those who doubted Snow Goose will be silent after today, and the major businesses will resume cooperation with Snow Goose.


    Together with Phoenix Tail Flower, they are the adventure teams that defeated the Red Armored Crab King!


    Such strength and potential are enough to place it among the top in the Rock-level Squad.


    Sometimes reputation is more valuable than immediate profits.


    Klyne also smiled tactfully, "Lin Da, we have never reciprocated the help you provided to Snow Goose in the early years, this Red Armored Crab King''s material, you keep it. Phoenix Tail Flower Team, needs to break into the rock level, right? Upgrading to level 20 equipment is quite an expense."

 Chapter 183 161. Lia Cries Bitterly (Two in One, Please Subscribe!)_2

    Phyllis nodded deeply, "Indeed, the Red Armored Crab King should rightfully belong to the teacher... ahem, to Lin Da!"Even Phyllis, an ''outsider,'' had no complaints.


    With the old teammates being so modest, Lin Da couldn''t possibly accept everything. He handed over the four pairs of blade legs from the Red Armored Crab King, which could be used to craft Level 20 Purple Equipment, to Snow Goose.


    Lin Da solemnly said, "The Monster Tide has not ended yet, everyone be careful."


    "You too." Aiko nodded with a smile, and along with the members of Snow Goose, hurried towards Lia''s location. Discover exclusive tales on empire


    "Everyone has grown." Watching the disappearing backs of the Snow Goose members, Lin Da couldn''t help but feel emotional.


    Lia had learned to be modest and did not vie with him for the spoils of battle.


    Aiko seemed to have understood as well, no longer slacking off, and her attitude became much more sincere.


    Klyne always gave him the impression of a simple, ordinary girl who was good at daily life but also resisted the temptation of the Red Armored Crab King, giving up this spoil to mend the gradually estranging relationship between them.


    Klrona no longer incessantly called him Small Fry...


    Each member of Snow Goose had their own growth.


    ...


    The sounds of laughter gradually faded behind him.


    Lia looked back and saw Lin Da, previously tossed into the air by everyone, now being set down, with Aiko chattering away happily to him.


    Each member of Snow Goose seemed to have a good relationship with Lin Da, like that of very ordinary, sincere old teammates.


    Only she felt out of place there.


    Unable to sincerely utter the simple and honest words, "It''s really great to adventure with you."


    Lia walked with measured steps, her boots kicking a small stone, sending it rolling forward continuously, as if her mind was also following that small stone.


    The joy of successfully defeating the Red Armored Crab King was palpable in her chest, making her so happy she felt like jumping around �C a feeling she hadn''t experienced in so long that the memory had begun to blur. Lia couldn''t recall the last time she felt this way.


    ''What, really, is the meaning of adventure?''


    ''Becoming increasingly weary, is that what adventure means?''


    Lia couldn''t help but question herself.


    Just like Aiko had said, she seemed to have misunderstood something. Lin Da had never treated her as an enemy. Defeating the Phoenix Tail Flower, proving Snow Goose''s strength �C these ''meanings'' were just her own wishful thinking.


    Lia recalled the first time she held a sword.


    Before she was picked up by The Mandalas, sneaking into Noble Academy, hiding under a windowsill gripping a straight stick, imagining it was a sharp sword, using it to defeat Magical Creatures, to become a respected adventurer.


    Ascending to higher floors, defeating powerful monsters, acquiring stronger equipment, and becoming a famous adventurer.


    Lia suddenly realized.


    It wasn''t about proving a point to anyone; she simply wanted to become stronger.


    Did defeating Lin Da prove she was an outstanding adventurer?


    Yet, what measured an adventurer was the World Tree.


    Even if she defeated Lin Da, she would not be more respected than someone who had cleared the top floor.


    Lia''s expression darkened.


    Deep down, she understood, she just did not want to admit it. Sear?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The reason she wanted to defeat Lin Da was probably just because she was upset about Lin Da leaving the team.


    Like a petulant elementary school student, things weren''t going her way, so she threw a tantrum.


    Defeating Lin Da, proving herself, was perhaps just a way to make Lin Da notice her, like before, when just a fuss from her would make Lin Da yield to her.


    This time, however, Lia encountered unprecedented resistance.


    She thought it was because her tantrum wasn''t big enough.


    Until today''s cooperative battle, where Lin Da, bearing no grudges, helped her.


    Lia then realized how childish her behavior had been.


    Lin Da was a true adventurer.


    That was probably why he joined the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Yet she had veered off the path of an adventurer, obsessed with clearing levels and the speed of strategy, indistinguishable from those profit-driven merchants.


    When Lia suddenly looked back, she realized only Lin Da was still supporting her.


    Aiko, Klrona, and the others had long since drifted away from her.


    "At this rate, Lin Da will only look down on me more," she thought.


    Lia''s face turned pale, her small hands clenched so tightly that her knuckles ached.


    Without Lin Da, could she no longer move forward?


    The young girl''s body swayed amid the Monster Tide, feeling her greatsword in hand as heavy as a mountain.


    Just then.


    "Captain."


    "Captain, slow down!"


    "Lia, are you throwing a tantrum again?"


    The members of Snow Goose caught up.


    Klyne, like a formal team member, called her captain, a title unchanged for two years.


    Oru grinned stupidly, obviously slow-witted.


    Aiko was incredibly annoying, showing a resigned face as if placating a child, coaxing her along.


    Kruna strutted ahead like a proud little rooster, carrying her axe at the front.


    Phyllis... his fawning face made Lia feel a bit sick.


    But no one had given up on her.


    The five of them hurried up, surrounding Lia.


    The members of the Snow Goose Adventure Team moved forward side by side amid the swarm of crabs.


    Lia sobbed softly.


    Aiko asked with confusion, "What''s the matter? Did the tail of the Red Armored Crab King hit you silly?"


    "Thank you all for being with me until now," Lia said, dabbing at her eyes and turning her head to speak softly.


    The members of Snow Goose were dumbfounded.


    More incredulous than a goblin paying an Elf Miss after a visit.


    "When we get back...," Lia said, "let''s practice our combat coordination."


    Everyone was stunned.

 Chapter 184 161. Lia Cries (Two-in-One, Subscribe Please!)_3

    Lia suspected that a Soul-snatching Monster had possessed her, turning her into someone else.Klyne and the others were happy, thinking that Snow Goose might be back on track.


    However, Aiko was worried. In this state, Lia was a strong competitor and posed a risk of taking Lin Da away from her.


    After all, what Lin Da cared about most initially was the powder keg.


    ''Damn it, even if I lose to the Little Werewolf, I can''t lose to someone like Lia who flutters about, her underwear no different from that of a grade schooler. Lin Da couldn''t possibly like that, could he?''


    Aiko''s vigilance greatly increased.


    She needed to make Lin Da notice her soon, that she was the outstanding Mage that Phoenix Tail Flower needed!


    ...


    Unknowingly, Snow Goose and his group approached the depths of the Monster Tide.


    Ahead was a small hill, and just beyond it, they could see Breeze River Beach.


    Lia frowned as she saw, on the small hill, a tall woman. sea??h th�� nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her silver hair sparkled with a cold sheen under the sun.


    The tightly covered maid''s long skirt fluttered like a peacock''s tail at the slightest wind.


    Conservative, but equally beautiful.


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    Most importantly, Lia knew her.


    Her presence here, could it mean Dawen was here too?


    At that thought, Lia reacted like a cat on edge, instantly bristling.


    Between her and the Scarlet Adventure Group, a battle was inevitable!


    The Crimson Baron, that old fool, treated her mother like a toy.


    The people of The Mandalas looked down on her and her mother for their commoner origins.


    Angry, Lia had run away from home.


    Her relations with The Mandalas were not good, and both Dawen and the Crimson Baron wanted to teach her a lesson.


    The woman on the hill was Dawen''s capable officer.


    The current Snow Goose together were not enough to take on that woman!


    A dark Magic Cannon was pointed straight at Lia, without any regard for her being a member of the Mandala family.


    The silver-haired maid''s face was cool and impassive.


    ''This is not a place for you, step back.''


    ...


    On the other side.


    The Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team was collecting their spoils of war.


    ''Captain, sir.''


    Monica''s face lit up with a flicker of excitement as she pointed at the body of the Red Armored Crab King, ''Are all those ours?''


    ''Yes,'' Lin Da nodded with a smile.


    He took out a short knife for cutting materials and said to Kafni, ''Come on, get to work!''


    Besides the tangible materials from the Magical Creatures, Lin Da had also gained a substantial amount of Mystical Points by killing the Red Armored Crab King.


    [System Message: Successfully killed a level 23, Rare Orange Level Magical Creature, Red Armored Crab King, and obtained 60000 Mystical Points!]


    And a long list of attributes Lin Da had gained when he leveled up just now.


    His panel was completely renewed.


    Name: Lin Da


    Level: 19


    Profession: Chosen Healing Hero


    Hit Points: 6100 (5100+1000)


    Magic Power: 953 (423+530)


    Strength: 953


    Defense: 98 (78+20)


    Magic Defense: 149 (129+20)


    Agility: 110 (80+30)


    Resistance: Poison Resistance 30%


    Experience Points: 1000/100000


    Skill Points Remaining: 3


    Mystical Points: 67867


    ...


    Reaching level 19, Lin Da''s Dual Attack neared 1000.


    Hit Points reached a terrifying 6100.


    3 new Skill Points were available for emergencies.


    They allowed him to enhance crucial skills in a certain battle.


    Aside from system gains, Lin Da also obtained the corpse of a Red Armored Crab King.


    This was a huge treasure!


    A high-level Magical Beast, its entire body was precious.


    It took three people half an hour to completely dissect the corpse.


    The most attractive parts were the two fire-red, sword-sharp claws of the Red Armored Crab King.


    He could commission an adventurer with the [Blacksmith] profession to forge them into a pair of top-quality, orange accessories with set attributes!


    The so-called set attributes meant that when an adventurer collected all the equipment in the set, new power would burst forth.


    Aside from the increase in attributes, Lin Da clearly remembered that these two orange accessories also came with a powerful skill: Death Crab Pincer!


    A powerful skill of the same type as the Red Armored Crab King!


    As long as the opponent''s level was not more than 10 levels above Lin Da''s, Death Crab Pincer could inflict True Damage.


    No matter how high the opponent''s defense, under Death Crab Pincer, all were equal.


    Especially against someone like Chloe, a defense-specialized tank.


    If Lin Da suddenly used Death Crab Pincer, it was estimated it would scare Chloe so much that her little face would turn pale and she would burst into tears.


    Aside from the pair of claws of the Red Armored Crab King, its carapace and magical beast meat were also valuable materials.


    With a flash of light from the Space Ring, Lin Da collected these materials inside it.


    Looking inside the space with his spiritual power, it was nearly full.


    These materials in the ring could sell for at least 700,000 Gold Coins!


    Lin Da''s level also rose from 16 to 19.


    It was quite a lucrative gain.


    "The Monster Tide seems to be retreating," Kafni observed distantly.


    The ferocious swarm of crabs seemed to become stray dogs, retreating deep into Breeze River Beach.


    It wasn''t just because the Red Armored Crab King had died.


    Crab swarms from various areas were all retreating.


    The trumpets of victory seemed to have already sounded.


    "Let''s go," Lin Da, after drinking several Magic Potions and resting briefly, said to the two team members.


    "Going to hunt other area bosses?" Kafni asked curiously.


    "No," Lin Da said seriously, pointing towards the deepest part of Breeze River Beach, "We need to go there and meet up with the White Dove Adventure Group!"


    "What?" Kafni''s face changed, "Have you lost your mind? The creatures over there are at least level 30. How can we get involved? This isn''t the way to pick up leftovers!"


    "Picking up leftovers?" Lin Da''s expression grew even more solemn.


    "If I''m not wrong, the White Dove Adventure Group is about to be destroyed."


    ...


    White Dove City, battle hall.


    The staff members were jubilant, their faces brimming with joy.


    "Lord Mayor, 71 Black Shell Crab Generals have been subdued, the Rock-level Squads are unstoppable and have completely suppressed the Monster Tide!"


    "Well done!"


    Mayor Adel, looking drained, stood in front of a holographic screen, his back drenched in cold sweat.


    It was not until the Red Armored Crab King fell and Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose achieved their final victory that he finally let out a long sigh of relief.


    These two teams had great potential, both likely to become new Iron Levels.


    Adel''s mood was exhilarated.


    Then, he heard more good news from the staff.


    "Great!"


    Adel chuckled loudly.


    His gaze shifted to the central screen, where two adventure teams were displayed.


    They were jointly battling a giant Red Armored Crab King.


    Compared to the one Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose had subdued, this one, located deep in Breeze River Beach commanding the entire Monster Tide, was larger, measuring ten meters.


    Its level also reached an impressive 35.


    But for some reason, as everyone looked at the giant Red Armored Crab King on the screen, there was a subtle feeling of disharmony.


    It was as if this decades-old giant crab had just been born and was learning to walk for the first time.


    Its battle stance was very clumsy.

 Chapter 185 162. Lin Da encounters the third veteran member [Storm] Tasya

    Then, in a short time, the Red Armored Crab King adapted to its body, and its strength surged dramatically.The White Dove Adventure Group, embroiled in a bitter fight.


    Fortunately, the Scarlet Adventure Group from Red Heart City arrived swiftly upon hearing the news and joined the battlefield.


    With the cooperation of the two top-tier adventure groups, the tide of battle quickly turned, putting the Red Armored Crab King in jeopardy.


    According to the experience of Mayor Adel, within twenty more minutes, the monster presiding over Breeze River Beach would be vanquished.


    Although there were some irregularities...


    But, the scales of victory were indeed tilting towards the adventurers.


    By noon, this battle could probably draw to a close.


    At this moment, on the banks of Breeze River Beach.


    Battle Qi flickered, and magic roared.


    The earth-shaking roar of the monster manifested as a physical shockwave, sweeping across the vicinity.


    The soil, like the surface of water, was lifted in waves.


    More than twenty high-level Star-ranked adventurers were besieging the massive Red Armored Crab King.


    "I never thought we''d cooperate one day."


    The leader of White Dove, Mind''s Eye Abner, was slightly panting.


    He thrust forward, moving behind the Red Armored Crab King, leaving a deep sword mark, and arrived beside Dawen from the Scarlet Adventure Group.


    The deputy leader Dawen had led the team to Breeze River Beach.


    "This monster is ours, no one else should come close, right?" Dawen''s excitement was unmasked.


    A level 35 high-level Magical Beast, he hadn''t encountered such a strong opponent in a long while, feeling his blood boil with eagerness to fight.


    Abner understood what Dawen implied, referring to the Specter Adventure Group and the Solid Rock Adventure Group.


    "No one can snatch this monster from our grasp." Abner''s tone was calm, radiating an indisputable confidence.


    Dawen nodded in satisfaction, "Good, one of my team members is not in the best state, I''ve sent her nearby to keep watch."


    "Not in the best state?" A flash of a silver-haired maid crossed Abner''s mind. A few years ago, in a fight in the Great Mystery Continent, she had made a lasting impression on him.


    If he remembered correctly, the maid''s name was Tasya.


    An adventurer whose strength was not inferior to his and Dawen''s.


    "Mhm. Tasya has some heart issues."


    Remembering Tasya''s ''condition,'' a trace of melancholy flickered through Dawen''s eyes.


    The fervor of battle seemed as if doused by a bucket of cold water.


    They had planned to join forces today and fight a fierce battle against the monster.


    But Tasya''s old ailment had flared up again, preventing her from participating in such intense combat.


    Dawen could only arrange her at the perimeter of the battlefield, as a scout.


    If other Steel Level Adventure Teams appeared, she was to come inform them immediately.


    And to stop certain overconfident Rock-level Squads �� like his sister Lia, that fool.


    Indeed, just as Dawen thought, Snow Goose was actually stopped by Tasya and then sent away.


    At that moment, Lia was leading her team to fight the Black Shell Crab General in another area, honing their combat teamwork.


    If Dawen saw that scene, he would probably feel relieved.


    ...


    ...


    "What do you mean by saying the White Dove Adventure Group will be annihilated?"


    Kafni followed Lin Da, who was sprinting, her face full of confusion.


    "With Abner''s strength, even fighting a fully-grown Red Armored Crab King shouldn''t be a problem, right?"


    "Indeed so," Lin Da nodded.


    "Then why...?"


    "In the same territory, only one monster ruler appears."


    Lin Da''s eyes turned cold, "If the Red Armored Crab King appears here, then what is the monster that the White Dove Adventure Group is fighting?"


    Kafni was stunned, her mouth dry, "An Epic Demon Creature?"


    "That''s the only possibility,"


    Lin Da said.


    In the game, a Murderous Crab frenzy erupts at every server''s Qingfeng River Beach.


    In a very few servers, the final boss is not the Red Armored Crab King.


    But rather an Epic Demon Creature known as the ''Thousand-Change Demon'' from the Demon Lord''s Army.


    The Thousand-Change Demon is among the upper ranks of the Demon Lord''s Army.


    Its most distinctive feature: constant transformation.


    It can disguise as any monster it devours.


    The Red Armored Crab King Lin Da encountered was just a seven-meter-long juvenile.


    The adult Crab King has likely already been devoured by the Thousand-Change Demon.


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    It disguised as a regular high-level Magical Beast luring Steel Level Adventure Groups to their doom.


    As Kafni said, for the White Dove Adventure Group, eliminating a fully-grown Red Armored Crab King is no issue.


    Everyone was so sure of that.


    But, what if the assumed Red Armored Crab King was actually the Epic Demon Creature, the Thousand-Change Demon, in disguise?


    The Thousand-Change Demon''s strength among Epic Demon Creatures isn''t the strongest, primarily relying on cunning tactics. The most nauseating aspect about it is its innate skill "Resurgence."


    Resurgence: Activated when health points drop below 20%; if not killed within 10 seconds, it enters a cocoon state, untargetable during this period, and after 10 seconds, it resurrects with 100% health.


    Simply put, it''s like a phoenix turning into an egg.


    For example, in a game, when you tower dive Anivia, she turns into an egg while you get severely damaged by the tower and Anivia revives at full health.


    If you are not aware that the Magical Creature you are fighting is the Thousand-Change Demon, nearly all adventure teams of the same level will be overturned by this annoying skill!


    When [Resurgence] is triggered, there are no special effects; by the time adventurers see the Thousand-Change Demon cocoon and turn into an unselectable state, it''s already too late.


    The Thousand-Change Demon fully revives, while the adventurer team is substantially drained. sea??h th�� NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When gaming, Lin Da had once been defeated by the Thousand-Change Demon.


    However, once you know the characteristics of the Thousand-Change Demon, you can easily handle it.


    Every member holds on to their Ultimate Move; within 10 seconds of the Thousand-Change Demon activating its innate skill [Resurgence], they just need to finish it off in one go.


    The biggest challenge lies in how to determine when the Thousand-Change Demon''s health drops below 20% and activates [Resurgence].


    This skill shows no signs or external effects; whether adventurers use their naked eye or spiritual power, they cannot detect anything amiss.


    But Lin Da''s skill [Eye of Truth] allows him to see both damage and recovery numbers.


    When Resurgence activates, the Thousand-Change Demon slowly regenerates health.


    Once green numbers appear above its head, it''s time for everyone to unleash their Ultimate Moves and focus their attacks!


    Lin Da knew time was pressing.


    If the White Dove Adventure Group acted too swiftly and pushed the health of the Thousand-Change Demon to 20%... it would be too late.


    He charged through, arriving at a raised hill.


    Beyond there, another five thousand meters ahead, was the midsection of Breeze River Beach.


    He was about to cross the hill.


    Suddenly, a powerful aura of Battle Qi forced Lin Da to stop in his tracks.


    The Wind Battle Qi transformed into energy bullets, which with a series of clicks, lined up in front of Lin Da, marking a straight line like a dead zone.


    On the hill, a silver-haired maid stood indifferently.


    Her long maid''s dress fluttered in the wind, revealing only a glimpse of slim legs wrapped in white stockings.


    Her skin was a rare tan color, filled with an exotic sense of mystery, and she held a magic cannon reminiscent of a Gatling gun.


    The woman''s features were as delicate as a game CG, with faint, thin eyebrows and a pair of cold, indifferent eyes, thin lips as sharp as a knife, looking like a foreign Snow Lotus growing amongst thorns.


    Beautiful, but surrounded by dangers; any closer approach would turn you into a meat sieve under the magic cannon, like the riddled ground.


    Lin Da looked at the silver-haired maid on the hill, feeling a surreal blur as fantasy seemed to step into reality.


    When a two-dimensional paper person materializes into a real person, it''s almost a 100% restoration!


    Whether it''s the mean look like someone who despises trash, or the indifferent yet irresistibly alluring charisma, it''s all exactly like in the game.


    [Storm] Tasya.


    One of the first four-star characters that Lin Da had kicked out of the team!


    "Madam, what is the meaning of this?"


    Lin Da looked ahead at the straight line formed by the magic cannon and asked calmly.


    Now, he was equivalent to leaving the Original Adventure Team without a word, mysteriously disappearing for three years, only to become the leader of another adventure team.


    His strength was also much weaker than during his Dark Shadow period.


    What would the higher-leveled Tasya think now? She wouldn''t, like Lulu, have turned her good feelings into hatred, preparing to mutilate him...


    Thinking this, cold sweat beaded on Lin Da''s forehead.


    "Captain?" Monica, who recognized Tasya as the socially awkward Big Lolita who always stayed in the warehouse, knew not many team members realized she was part of them.


    Kafni also felt Lin Da was a bit off, seemingly familiar with that imposing maid?


    "A Star-ranked adventurer''s support must be really sweet! I didn''t realize you had such connections!" Kafni teased, patting Lin Da''s shoulder a bit too forcefully.


    Click, click, click!


    Suddenly, magic-guided bullets came their way again, and Lin Da and his companions dodged the bullets clumsily as if dancing.


    Luckily, Tasya was just threatening and didn''t really intend to harm them.


    Still, Lin Da and his team were quite embarrassed.


    The clumsy Monica, like a sloth, clung to Lin Da''s back, while Kafni, furious, jumped about, cursing vociferously:


    "You damn woman, are you out of your mind? Can''t you see our White Dove City adventurer''s badge on our chests?"


    Tasya''s gaze remained cold: "Any team is the same. Leave, or die."


    Only then did everyone notice on Tasya''s prominent chest a Steel Level Adventure Group badge against a red heart background.


    "Red Heart City''s adventure team?" Kafni realized and said hastily: "With the Monster Tide approaching, aren''t all city adventure teams supposed to be allies? We have urgent business, so please let us through!"


    Tasya remained unmoved, holding the magic cannon with emotionless eyes.


    "Dawen entrusted me with preventing anyone from crossing the hill," she said indifferently.


    During her year away, Dawen had still sent her full compensation without fussing over the breach of contract.


    Tasya remembered this kindness.


    Even if the Specter Adventure Group arrived here, she would stop them with all her might.


    "We have important news that needs to get through," Lin Da said gravely. "Alternatively, you can take the message there yourself."


    Tasya stood still.


    "My duty is to stop anyone, that''s all."


    Having said that, she turned back into a statue. It seemed that as long as the members of Luanwei didn''t cross that line, whatever they did didn''t concern her.


    Kafni, eyes red with urgency, exclaimed: "I see you really are sick! The Thousand-Change Demon, that Red Armored Crab King, it''s a Thousand-Change Demon! Both the White Dove Adventure Group and your teammates will be overturned!"


    Expecting these words to grab the attention of the silver-haired maid enough to change her attitude by one hundred and eighty degrees, and honor them as distinguished guests,


    Kafni couldn''t believe that Tasya''s facial expression turned into a chilling indifference, her thin lips parting slightly, the tone and wording as if she was discussing people she completely detached from:


    "��If everyone died, what does it have to do with me?"


    ...


    (ps: Still short by ten words to reach 2200 words, yeeyee, no free-riding allowed)

 Chapter 186 163. Dark Shadow, no friends!

    Tasya had repaid Dawen''s favor. She would stay here, even if the entire Specter Adventure Group arrived, to fulfill Dawen''s entrustment.This ''gift'' was substantial enough to repay Dawen''s favor.


    To Tasya, the Scarlet Adventure Group and the White Dove Adventure Group were no different from weeds on the roadside in her mind.


    It wasn''t that their strength was weak.


    Rather, they were irrelevant to her.


    Tasya only ever followed one person, besides him, other things were no different from weeds. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Look at the badge, are you a member of the Scarlet Adventure Group?" Lin Da frowned, "I know your vice-commander Dawen, consider us acquaintances, he owes me a favor. Can I trade this favor for a chance to pass through?"


    Tasya treated his words like background noise.


    The same as the wind around her and the hissing of Murderous Crabs in the distance.


    Lin Da, seeing her emotionless demeanor, sighed inwardly.


    This was going to be tricky, Tasya was just like in the game, a rigid-minded, strictly obedient maid.


    There was a minor plot where the player asked Tasya to wait outside the trading post for him, but due to some accidents, he left through the back door and forgot to go back for Tasya.


    The next day, during a thunderstorm in the afternoon, the player went out for errands, passed by the trading post entrance, and found Tasya still there, sopping wet, waiting in place for the player''s command.


    Although her face was expressionless, under the gloomy light and pouring rain, the tall, mature-looking, silver-haired maid resembled an abandoned stray cat, eliciting a sense of pity.


    The reason for Tasya''s strange character was her background.


    She was raised from childhood to be an assassin, her emotions erased, like a magic puppet only capable of following commands.


    Lin Da recalled Tasya''s storyline, trying to find a way to break through.


    Tasya''s first act of the story: "The Assassin Who Never Missed."


    The cold-hearted Tasya received a commission from the Doomsday Sect, hidden among the crowd, to assassinate the player.


    But the player uncovered her, knocked her out with two hits, and tied her up back to the villa.


    As punishment, he decided to make her his personal maid.


    The second act of the story: "99 Failures."


    Tasya''s traitorous heart unfading, failed to assassinate 99 times.


    Each failure resulted in punishment from the player.


    Through this process, Tasya gradually acknowledged the player''s terrifying strength.


    Upon triggering this story, Tasya''s favorability reached 90 points.


    The final act of the story: "Under the Moon."


    Tasya, submissive to the player, made a promise under the beautiful moonlit CG.


    If her 100th assassination attempt failed, she would abandon her past and devote herself completely to the player, becoming his lifelong maid.


    This scene ended with her favorability reaching 99 points.


    The final point, Lin Da, in his haste for results, pulled Tasya''s higher-ranked five-star character, stripped all her equipment for resale, and swapped it for new equipment for the five-star character.


    The character was also thrown into the great furnace, transformed into essence to strengthen the five-star character.


    The good news was, characters thrown into the great furnace didn''t die but were removed from the team as if expelled.


    The bad news was, Lin Da felt revealing his true identity might not be so wise!


    Tasya''s primary reason for admiring the player was being overpowered by him.


    It''s just that this game wasn''t rated 18+, otherwise, after failing 99 attempts, Tasya might have already become just a fluffy pastry.


    Lin Da looked down, contemplating; the only way to persuade Tasya to let him and his companions pass seemed to be just one.


    The trust Dawen placed in Tasya indeed had a very high priority.


    But when Lin Da pulled out the "Dark Shadow," what would Tasya do?


    Lin Da smiled faintly, clapping his hands.


    "Not bad."


    "Just as Brother Dai Lian said, ''Storm'' Tasya is an exceptionally beautiful woman with a somewhat odd personality."


    As soon as this statement was uttered, Monica, Kafni, and Tasya were all stunned simultaneously.


    The first two realized the relationship between Lin Da and Tasya.


    So, she was another old teammate of Lin Da!


    Seeing Lin Da not daring to easily acknowledge his identity, it seemed likely that he had also committed various despicable acts toward Tasya!


    "Dai Lian?" Tasya''s icy expression rapidly melted away, revealing deep anxiety and eagerness in her tea-colored eyes.


    In a flash, she disappeared from the hillside and reappeared in front of Lin Da.


    This maid smelled delightful, her brown skin smooth as if oiled, her face without makeup yet radiating a seduction not inferior to that of a succubus, her eyelashes thick and lush like small brushes, gazing intently at Lin Da:


    "Say his full name."


    "Dai Lian * Zhao Wo, one four..."


    Your next journey awaits at empire


    Lin Da uttered a string of names that made no sense.


    But Tasya''s eyes grew brighter and gradually teary. Her slender body trembled uncontrollably with excitement beneath her thick maid''s skirt, her face in disbelief, her left hand covering her mouth, her eyes nearly spilling tiny pearls.


    Such a drastic change startled Lin Da inwardly. Was this the terror of a 99-point fondness?


    "Tasya, these three years have been hard for you, your captain I..."


    Lin Da happily began, but the next moment, a sudden chill struck as if his body was packed with ice, making him shiver all over.


    He suddenly fell silent because a massive Magic Cannon barrel had been thrust into his mouth.


    The gun barrel had a faint sulfur smell similar to gunpowder, a reaction produced by the mingling of Battle Qi and steel.


    The barrel was cold and carried a hint of the stench of Murderous Crab.


    If roles were reversed, given Lin Da''s gender, it would have already turned into a banned film.


    A cyan Wind Battle Qi floated around Tasya, the silver-haired maid watching him coldly, her right index finger on the trigger of the Magic Cannon.


    "What are you doing!"


    "Whimper, Lord Captain, I didn''t lie, he really is..."


    Kafni and Monica, panicked, moved forward to stop her.


    "Get lost."


    Though a backline profession, Tasya was unexpectedly skilled in physical combat, bending over to kick sideways, her long maid''s skirt blooming like a huge flower bud.


    Her long, strong legs were clad in white garter belts.


    The point of attachment was a combination of lace edges and a cold metal round buckle, beautiful yet menacing!


    Tasya whipped out a kick, sending Kafni and the others flying!


    "If you plan on insulting your master..." Tasya sneered, "then be prepared to be hunted down to death by me."


    "Hold on, we didn''t have that kind of intention, did we?" Lin Da stepped back, raising his hands awkwardly, "I was just saying, that Dark Shadow you''re looking for, actually..."


    "Pretending to be Dark Shadow, then issuing all sorts of strange commands to me?" Tasya seemed to see through the nature of men.


    Born an assassin, she was used to all sorts of filthy affairs. If not for her talents, she would have ended up like those miserable colleagues, becoming the lowest assassin who uses beauty and her body for assassinations.


    The weak adventurer before her, however, dared to pretend to be the great Dark Shadow. To Tasya, this felt like a weak goblin brandishing a tiny stick, claiming it was the Holy Dragon!


    Lin Da''s appearance did indeed closely resemble Dark Shadow, which was why Tasya hadn''t truly harmed him.


    But there was a fundamental difference between the two.


    Dark Shadow, a man who seemed to be without friends.


    Yet the man before her, astonishingly, was dearly loved by his team members.


    The two girls, disregarding their own safety, had come forward to protect him.


    This kind of good person, could never be Dark Shadow!

 Chapter 187 164. Witch, who isnt one these days?

    "Dark Shadow knows ''Mystery Spiral'', do you?""Dark Shadow can stand motionless in the courtyard all night long, contemplating the ultimate secrets of the Laws of Heaven and Earth. Even the top adventurers can''t detect the slightest movement in his body, not even his organs or blood circulation. Can you?"


    "When Dark Shadow releases his ultimate skill in the villa, he can kill a giant dragon without damaging the furniture in the slightest."


    "Can you?"


    The words of Tasya fell like hailstones, hitting Lin Da in the chest one after another.


    And Lin Da''s face began to take on an increasingly strange expression.


    These things didn''t seem all that impressive.


    The so-called ''Mystery Spiral'' simply referred to a game character spinning in place.


    It was generally just Lin Da being bored, clicking around on the map.


    Standing in the courtyard all night, with not even the blood flow observable.


    That was because Lin Da had logged off in the courtyard.


    To release an ultimate skill within the villa and not damage any furniture seemed like a transcendent control of magic power.


    But in reality, that was just how the game settings were.


    Lin Da could kill level 100 Magical Creatures, but couldn''t destroy a bench inside the villa or a tree blocking the path in town.


    The game developers had set these things to be indestructible.


    Releasing his ultimate skill in the villa was just Lin Da being extremely bored, pressing a key casually, and that was it!


    Of course, he definitely wouldn''t say this at a time like this.


    In Tasya''s eyes, which twinkled like stars, filled with reverence, it seemed Dark Shadow performing these deeds was greater than the deities themselves.


    If Lin Da were to say that all those actions were born from his boredom, he would likely face Tasya''s stern backlash.


    ''Mystery Spiral'' indeed.


    She really has quite the imagination!


    In any case.


    Given Tasya''s adoration for Dark Shadow, she probably would find it hard to believe that her level 19 self was in fact the master she had been searching for so eagerly.


    Lin Da changed his tone and said, "That''s right, I and Dai Lian, had the fortune to meet once. It was from him that I learned of your existence. He also told me that if I met Tasya, and was in trouble, I could ask her for help."


    "You''ve met the master? Where? When?"


    Tasya put away her magic cannon, and her gaze eagerly shook Lin Da''s shoulder.


    "Stop, stop shaking."


    Lin Da felt dizzy, as a level 19 back-row profession, how could he endure the shaking of a Star-ranked adventurer.


    "Cough, my apologies."


    Tasya let go of him, took a deep breath, and with her hands lifting her skirt, she made an elegant curtsy.


    "Since you are a friend of the master, then you are also a friend of mine, Tasya. Please forgive my disrespect just now."


    "May I ask you to tell me about the master?"


    The excitement in Tasya''s heart was unmistakable.


    After three long years of searching fruitlessly for the master, she finally saw a glimmer of hope today.


    "It''s like this..."


    Lin Da concocted a vague lie to brush Tasya off.


    "The Great Mystery Continent on level 10...? The master appeared there?"


    Tasya pondered.


    "Yes. If you have a chance, you can go to the 10th level to investigate; perhaps you can find traces of Dai Lian." Lin Da raised an eyebrow, "As a friend of Dai Lian, can you let me pass? I''m sure this would not be a bad thing for the Scarlet Adventure Group."


    "No."


    "You are lying."


    Tasya''s expression suddenly turned cold.


    The cyan Wind Battle Qi surged to the surface of her skin, emitting a feeling of extreme danger.


    "I''m telling the truth in every word," Lin Da replied with a calm demeanor.


    Tasya laughed.


    It was a laugh cold enough to chill one''s bones.


    "I admit, you do know some information about the master. But that doesn''t mean you have seen the master, or even that you''re a friend of the master."


    "Why?" Lin Da still remained composed.


    Tasya said, "The answer is actually very simple. Your eyes, tone, and demeanor, lack respect for the master."


    Lin Da was stunned.


    Seeing his ''panicked'' expression, Tasya''s eyes gleamed with growing confidence.


    "How can someone who has met the master, who is greater than the deities, consider him as an equal, a friend?"


    "Even the Turtle Race, proud of their ability to procreate for 24 hours, doesn''t have one ten-thousandth of your arrogance."


    Tasya crossed her arms in front of her proud chest, her gaze sharp and venomous, with bone-chilling coldness, as if she were looking at a big foolish Small Fry who didn''t know its place.


    The intense pressure of the Battle Qi and the aggression in her eyes forced Lin Da to involuntarily step back.


    It''s as if his clothes were being ripped apart by the wind, leaving him naked in the coldest of winters.


    At a time like this, what''s most terrifying is not the cold, but under the scrutinizing eyes of this ill-tempered brown-skinned maid, should his body react in any way, it would be an eternal shame he could never live down.


    Lin Da used to enjoy Tasya''s contemptuous CG images in the game and found them quite attractive, but without the screen as a barrier and with the real person appearing right before him,


    Her frosty, scornful gaze put a significant amount of pressure on Lin Da, causing the magic circuits within his body to feel as if they had frozen over, unable to function.


    "Indeed." Tasya curled her lips into a smirk, "If you can''t even withstand my aura, how could you stand before the master? Even I, in the presence of that great adventurer, would involuntarily tremble and be overwhelmed by his power and mystery."


    "I will tie you up, punish you severely, and make you confess all the true information about the master," she declared.


    Tasya took out a small black whip from the large pocket of her maid dress.


    This is bad.


    Lin Da''s face changed.


    Wasn''t that whip a gift he had given to Tasya?


    Purple quality, adding 10 points of favorability, and it cost him 6 dollars.


    And Kafni and Monica, who couldn''t just watch their leader be tied up, hurried over to rescue him.


    "Ugh!"


    "Eeek!"


    As a result, both of them were whipped on their buttocks, wailing in pain.


    On the whip, there was a "Double the Pain" skill, making a single strike excruciating for the already delicate teammates, completely robbing them of their combat strength.


    "Of all the stratagems, fleeing is the best!"


    Lin Da silently recited in his mind, grabbed a teammate with each hand, and tucked them under his arms as he charged toward the small hill.


    As long as he got close to the Breeze River Beach and Dawen saw him, stopping Tasya would be manageable.


    Lin Da wished he could take two steps at once, his calf muscles pronounced and twisted like evil Giant Dragons.


    With each step he took, soil flew in all directions.


    One would think he was a Heavy Armored Warrior if they didn''t know any better.


    "Where do you think you''re going?"


    The honeycomb launcher on Tasya''s Magic Cannon whirled, and a barrage of energy bullets poured out.


    Lin Da twisted his body into various shapes as if playing the most difficult dance machine level.


    The Magic-guided Bullets outlined his figure, somehow missing him completely.


    Tasya let out a surprised yelp, her eyes taking on a more serious look.


    The next shot aimed for Lin Da''s ankles.


    Feeling a chill running up his spine, Lin Da hurriedly applied the Verdant Shield to himself.


    Looking back, he judged from the ''Skill Special Effects'' emerging from Tasya''s Magic Cannon��the green Battle Qi turned into threads and was sucked into the barrel; it was Tasya''s second skill, Gathering Energy Shot.


    The consumption was "medium," and the next three normal attacks would increase damage by 300%.


    Troublesome.


    Lin Da thought with a headache that his current health points were 6100 and his shield thickness was 2745, adding up to 8845. Withstanding an attack from Tasya, a Star-ranked adventurer, once wouldn''t be a problem, but what about a Triple Cast?


    Tasya''s innate skill "Storm of Death" would cause additional Magic Damage for every three hits on the same target.


    If he was hit by Tasya in three rounds, he definitely wouldn''t be able to hold on.


    The green energy gradually gathered in the barrel of the Magic Cannon.


    Bang.


    A pebble, from nowhere, hit Tasya''s index finger and prevented the Magic Cannon from firing.


    Tasya''s gaze darkened, looking in the direction of the pebble.


    Amidst the distant crab horde, a girl cloaked in a robe and hood could be seen.


    Her body low to the ground, her fluffy, light blue tail swung gracefully with her vigorous running. Explore stories on empire


    The hundred-meter distance was crossed in the blink of an eye.


    The girl jumped, her hood blown off by the strong current of air.


    Her light blue short hair fluttered wildly.


    Her furry ears stood straight up.


    Coldness and anger filled the girl''s face; she wrinkled her nose, and her open mouth revealed sharp canine teeth, like a vicious wolf leaping at its prey!


    Tasya was momentarily distracted.


    "Lulu?"


    Clearly, Tasya recognized the Werewolf girl.


    A reunion of old teammates, yet Tasya felt far from joy, with hardly any emotional fluctuation,


    Even when both were part of the Primitive Adventure Team, they wouldn''t greet each other in the corridors, their acquaintance limited to merely knowing of the other''s existence.


    However��as someone who had once been under her master''s command, it suggested that Lulu must have some merit. Why would she protect the impostor claiming to be Dark Shadow?


    Tasya frowned in confusion.


    Lin Da, from a distance, also noticed this scene.


    A figure in a black robe appeared from nowhere, attacking Tasya.


    The fight erupted in an instant.


    Beast claws crossed for a slash.


    Turning into a blue cross-shaped radiance.


    Tasya used her Magic Cannon as a shield to block laterally.


    Boom!


    With the power of the cross-shaped light so formidable, even Tasya, a Star Rank, was forced to retreat several meters.


    Mud stained her white stocking.


    Tasya''s gaze turned colder.


    These stockings were also a gift from her master.


    Holding the Magic Cannon with both hands, she aimed at Lulu, "Don''t meddle in others'' affairs, or else, I won''t hesitate to take you down."


    Lulu''s claws extended three centimeters, fierce as those of a lion or tiger.


    "If you think you can, go ahead and try."


    Lulu said calmly, a black mist rising in her pale blue eyes.


    A beautiful black Flower of the Heart emerged on the skin near her heart.


    This flower, wrapped in thorns,


    The spiky thorns grew along the surface of the skin, spreading towards her limbs and throughout. S��ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That is the Witch Power.


    Activating the Flower of the Heart, she temporarily boosted her strength to the maximum.


    Normally, Lulu would never act so rashly.


    Activating the Flower of the Heart always led to significant erosion of her body by the Fallen Insects within, and the pain would be doubled when the contamination flared up later.


    But now was different.


    She had Lin Da, who could help her clear the contamination every day.


    The Witch Power, reserved for life-and-death crises and only used as a last resort, became a minor skill that could be used at any time.


    If the contamination accumulated too much, then she would simply have Lin Da clean it up... Lulu, with some ulterior motives, activated the Flower of the Heart to the greatest extent.


    Once this fight was over, Lin Da would have to deep-clean her contamination.

 Chapter 188 165. If his name is Lin Da...

    "Why is Lulu here?"Lin Da recognized the robed figure and felt a mix of shock and delight.


    He had not found Lulu since the Monster Tide erupted.


    It turned out she was also on this battlefield.


    Actually, Lulu had arrived in the middle of it all.


    She had toured around another area, finding no opportunity to complete her task. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then on the road, she heard that Lin Da had led the Phoenix Tail Flower into the heart of the Monster Tide.


    Anxious, Lulu abandoned her task and hurried over.


    In the overwhelming Monster Tide, searching for a specific person was extremely difficult.


    Fortunately, being from the Werewolf Clan, Lulu had an acute sense of smell.


    She had barely caught up in the nick of time.


    "You go ahead, I''ll hold off this crazy woman," Lulu shouted.


    Lin Da nodded solemnly, "Be careful yourself, prioritize your safety."


    The three members of the Phoenix Tail Flower crossed the small hill and rushed towards the deeper part of the battlefield at Breeze River Beach.


    "Don''t think of escaping." Tasya moved her agile long legs, and despite wearing a tight maid''s dress and being a ranged class, her movements were nimble, like a swordsman.


    "Same goes for you," Lulu taunted, her beast claw enveloped in dark aura, striking through the air.


    A string of Battle Qi shot towards Tasya.


    The latter could only distract herself to defend.


    One round from the Magic Cannon had countered Lulu''s Battle Qi string, but Tasya also furrowed her brow, a flash of surprise in her eyes.


    ''Witch?''


    She thought to herself.


    Tasya was all too familiar with this power.


    Since being kicked out of the team and taking that as an experience, Tasya realized her own lack of strength.


    Then, she heard the whispers of the Demon King.


    "Sign a contract with the Demon Realm, become a witch~ All your wishes can be fulfilled, you know?"


    Under the temptation of that flying white rabbit Familiar, Tasya blood-signed the contract and pressed her handprint.


    Tasya, turned into a witch!


    But she never expected, the familiar person before her, the werewolf Lulu, was also the same.


    A witch.


    Tasya concentrated her gaze on Lulu, a werewolf girl in Witch State, who seemed colder and more mysterious, her pale blue short hair wildly growing into shoulder-length, her tail also significantly thicker.


    From below the neckline of her dress, black thorn-like tattoos surfaced, a sign of Witch Power running at its peak.


    ''A novice? Using so much Witch Power, aren''t you afraid of the backlash afterward?''


    Tasya immediately discerned that Lulu hadn''t been a witch for long.


    Only novice witches would use Witch Power so recklessly, without any hesitation.


    When the backlash becomes severe, they''ll have nowhere to cry.


    The contrast between Tasya and Lulu was like that between a decrepit old person and a lively young girl.


    During her journey to find her master, Tasya faced numerous dangers and frequently used Witch Power.


    The contamination inside her body had already reached a very severe level.


    Today, there were even signs of a flare-up.


    Thus, even though Tasya was at a higher level than Lulu, she had to dedicate a significant amount of her power to suppress the Witch''s Corruption.


    The power she could spare was only enough to match Lulu, who had activated her Witch State, evenly.


    In her contemplation, Lulu rushed forward.


    A vicious knee strike aimed at Tasya''s face.


    Frost Wolf Warrior''s skill: [Frost Wolf''s Bite].


    Blue and black interwoven Battle Qi energy formed a huge wolf head in front of Lulu''s knee.


    The wolf head opened its bloodied maw, its fangs gleaming coldly, aiming for Tasya''s head.


    Tasya used her Magic Cannon as a hammer, colliding it with Lulu''s Frost Wolf''s Bite.


    Streams of Battle Qi erupted.


    The muddy ground between the two seemed like a carpet that had been violently lifted.


    The girls'' hair blew backward.


    Blue and brown eyes met, neither willing to back down in the slightest.


    From the close distance, Tasya could see the small team badge on Lulu''s chest, initially hidden but now exposed by the gust of wind.


    It was identical to that charlatan''s badge!


    Tasya had thought Lulu acted out of some other motive to rescue that man.


    But unbelievably, Lulu was his team member.


    How could this be! Tasya found it impossible to believe. With the pride of the Werewolf Clan, how could she favor any other inferior team after having been in the Primitive Adventure Team?


    "What''s your captain''s name?"


    Tasya, harboring a sentiment she couldn''t quite explain herself, asked with a trembling voice.


    That arrogant charlatan, when mentioning his master, showed no respect yet seemed to know a lot about her and her master.


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    Was there a possibility that he was Dark Shadow, the captain of the Primitive Adventure Team?


    Tasya''s mind was in chaos. If this were true, wouldn''t it mean she had taunted her master as a big-sized Small Fry?


    The thought made Tasya so regretful that she wanted to point a Magic Cannon at her own head and pull the trigger.


    At that moment, Lulu seemed to understand something and said sternly, "You''re overthinking, he is not your master."


    "...Li Cha. His name is Li Cha."


    Tasya was stunned, unsure whether to feel disappointed or relieved.


    At least, she didn''t have to commit suicide by gun for insulting her master. Not only had she taunted that charlatan, but she also shoved her Magic Cannon into his mouth...


    Such a thing, Tasya could only dare to imagine in her dreams.


    ''Thank goodness��if his name had been Lin Da, wouldn''t that mean he was indeed Dark Shadow? Only such a great master can tame a werewolf like Lulu, who is weak but possesses pride.''


    Tasya regained her composure, her lips curving upward in a sacred, oath-like expression as she spoke:


    "Lulu, I don''t know how you became a Witch, but even if you exert all this power, you can''t defeat me. I carry the duty to serve the master on my shoulders, and until I find him, I cannot fall."


    "No, please do fall," Lulu said coldly. "I will take good care of him, and I have no need of you."


    "Arrogant! Do you know our master better than I, his personal maid? Only I can take good care of him!"


    Tasya, angered, kicked towards Lulu''s stomach with force as if her leg was a whip:


    "I even know the count of the master''s hair, what right do you have to claim you know him better than I do?"


    With a thud, Lulu blocked the strike with her forearms, curling in mid-air and landing solidly on the ground.


    Tap, tap, tap!


    A stream of energy bullets followed, tilting towards her, but Lulu was fast, instantly closing the gap to Tasya''s front.


    "Exactly. I understand the captain better than you."


    Lulu''s beast claws emitted a cold gleam, striking Tasya and sending her flying several meters away.


    She even knew the taste of Lin Da''s lips very well.


    How could Tasya, who only cleaned, possibly understand Lin Da better than her?


    "Stubborn."


    Tasya said coldly, "Then tell me, how much do you know about the master''s strengths? And just so you know, no matter how much you know, it can''t compare to me."


    "If I know more about the captain than you do, then please give up on returning to his side."


    "Is that the stake... Fine, the cost of your failure is the same. This jousting battle against the ugly goblins, a fight with zero chance of loss, I, Tasya, accept it."


    Tasya, her expression proud, stretched her right hand forward, her index finger pointing straight at Lulu who was half a head shorter:


    "Let me take the first move. One of the countless strengths of our master: using extra-large gel sleeves, he displays more male elegance than any reckless Beastman!"


    Lulu was shocked, stuttering, "Why...Why do you know about this?"


    Wasn''t a personal maid''s job just to clean?


    Tasya gracefully lifted her skirt, a proud smile on her face:


    "As a maid, it''s natural to know this. I can deduce it from the degree of bulging in the swimming shorts he wears in summer."


    If Lin Da were here, he would understand that Tasya was referring to the summer events. Players bring their teams, all in swimsuits, to fight against mutated watermelon monsters on the beach.


    Including the size of the body, which Lin Da had adjusted when creating the character, strictly according to his real-world appearance, to perfectly resemble Dark Shadow at a 1:1 scale.


    "Hmm...So it can be deduced like that?" Lulu''s face flushed slightly, not knowing what to think.


    "It''s your turn to make a move," Tasya said.

 Chapter 189 166. Kill the Epic Demon Creature, distribute the materials! (Large Chapter)

    Lulu pondered for a moment, then responded, "Captain, he''s a gentle person."Tasya nodded deeply in agreement.


    "Indeed."


    Each time the master won against her, he would offer guidance.


    Their subsequent battles could be described as a flurry of blades, a razor-thin line between life and death.


    The girls were positioned on opposite slopes of a hill.


    Tasya: "The master''s scent is very pleasant, never tiring of it!"


    Lulu: "He has great leadership skills and is also very meticulous!"


    Tasya: "Powerful and invincible!"


    Lulu: "Handsome!"


    The two exchanged remarks, with surprise flashing across their faces, not expecting the other to be so tough.


    "The mask looks cool!"


    "Tall and well-built!"


    "Unbeatable in swordsmanship!"


    "Calm and reliable!"


    "Neat and clean, his clothes remain unsoiled even in fierce battles!"


    Lulu, straining, clutched her chest, bit her silver teeth, and delivered the ultimate blow, a secret not known to all team members: "The captain is only outwardly indifferent, but actually, he''s very kind to his teammates!"


    Tasya raised her eyebrows in surprise.


    She thought she was the only one who knew this secret.


    Had it not been for a gentle master, why would he still allow her to become his personal maid after she failed to assassinate him 99 times?


    "You''re right... but you don''t understand fully."


    "The master is only kind to useful teammates."


    Coming from you, that statement lacks credibility. Therefore, Lulu, you''re lying!"


    Tasya smiled and flicked her silvery hair, waving it through the air like a victorious cape wearer.


    "Lulu, exit the stage, I''ll protect our master."


    ��


    ��


    While the two girls engaged in a ''praise battle'' over Lin Da, he was completely unaware, even sneezing a few times.


    Perhaps, in the eyes of his teammates, even a casual click of his mouse held deep meaning.


    At that moment, the most pressing issue for Lin Da was rushing to the depths of Breeze River Beach to remind Dawen and the others.


    They must save their ultimate skills.


    Wait until the Thousand-Change Demon activates its resurgence skill, then focus fire on that disgusting Lao Liu.


    He sprinted all the way, quickly arriving at the shore of Breeze River Beach.


    The first thing he saw was a huge Red Armored Crab King.


    About twenty adventurers were attacking it.


    The strongest among them were the redhead Dawen, and the swordsman Abner with blue hair tied in a ponytail.


    Their attributes were thunder and water respectively, neither constrained by the Red Armored Crab King, outputting massive damage.


    Within a five hundred-meter radius centered on the battleground, energy turbulence enveloped the area.


    Lin Da could only feel a gale force wind blowing head-on, and had to exert strength from his lower body, digging his toes into the ground, to keep from being overturned.


    The distant battle was completely out of reach for Luanwei flower at the moment.


    Luckily, someone in the back line of the White Dove Adventure Group noticed him.


    A male Mage, wearing a long robe and a large hat, approached.


    "Luanwei Flower? What are you doing here?"


    "The Red Armored Crab King... is a disguise by the Thousand-Change Demon." Enjoy new chapters from empire


    Lin Da''s eyes narrowed as he straightforwardly said, "Everyone needs to conserve their strength, waiting for the right opportunity to kill that demon creature in one fell swoop."


    "Thousand-Change Demon?" The male Mage frowned, "What is that?"


    Lin Da explained briefly.


    During the conversation, he also learned the other''s name.


    Qilie, a level 32 Nature-based Mage. S��arch* The n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Qilie''s expression became bizarre: "Does such a strange demon really exist? Battling the Red Armored Crab King is already tough, to save strength as well... I can''t make that decision. Moreover, both the White Dove and Scarlet Adventure Groups are here, and it''s unlikely that both would agree."


    "Could you please let the two captains hear me out?" Lin Da''s heart sank as he pointed toward the center of the battlefield.


    "I''m afraid that''s difficult, they are the main force in the battle and can''t be distracted." Qilie shook his head.


    Just based on Lin Da''s guess, having two adventure groups change their combat policy, redraft tactics, and still conserve strength amid dangerous demon subjugation... this decision wasn''t something Qilie, a mere regular member, could make.


    "I understand you came with good intentions, but please leave, it''s too dangerous here." Qilie said helplessly, "Captain Abner has a good impression of you, if you were injured, he would definitely blame me."


    "Step aside."


    The situation was urgent, Lin Da could no longer afford to observe the formalities between adventurers.


    He pushed past Qilie, the Mage, with his physical strength and magic power surging, resisting the strong winds blowing against him, heading toward the White Dove Adventure Group.


    Qilie''s expression slightly changed, he chanted a spell, preparing to conjure a magic spell to stop Lin Da.


    "Wait a second." Suddenly, Gale from the back line noticed the commotion.


    Upon seeing that it was Lin Da, Gale hesitated for a moment, temporarily put down his command duties, accompanied by a breeze, and came over.


    "Gale, it''s handed over to you, I need to go back and support." Qilie felt like a mess was being taken off his hands. Gale, as the commander of the White Dove Adventure Group, held a higher rank than him, and it was more appropriate for Gale to hear what Lin Da had to say.


    Gale chanted a spell, and in an instant, an invisible Wind Barrier enveloped Lin Da.


    The battling gusts bothering Lin Da disappeared with the barrier''s interception.


    "Level 30 skills are truly extraordinary."


    Lin Da inwardly remarked to himself.


    He gave a signal to the two teammates behind him to wait in the distance, then turned his smiling gaze toward Gale.


    It was fortunate that he knew the commander of the White Dove Adventure Group, otherwise, delivering the news about the Thousand-Change Demon would have been impossible. In the game, higher levels had distinct advantages, and this hierarchical world became even more apparent after personally traversing it.


    If it weren''t for his status as an honored adventurer at level 19, he probably wouldn''t even have the qualification to speak with Star-ranked adventurers, let alone convince them.


    In the end, it still came down to leveraging personal connections.

 Chapter 190 166. Kill the Epic Demon Creature, distribute the materials! (Large Chapter)_2

    "Thousand-Change Demon?"After hearing the narration, Gale fell into deep thought.


    At that moment, Gale was quite hesitant.


    However, he thought about Lin Da''s precise prediction of the Monster Tide and his inexplicable actions during the Mystic Realm strategy...


    Gale gritted his teeth and asked, "Are you sure you can predict when the Thousand-Change Demon will activate its Resurgence Skill?"


    "Sure."


    Lin Da nodded and pointed towards his eyes, "I have some special skills."


    "Alright!" Gale was the type of person who, once convinced, went all out.


    This matter being of great importance, he no longer had the frivolous demeanor of wandering through flower bushes; his face was serious as he led Lin Da to the back row of the White Dove Adventure Group.


    There were five people here.


    Including Qilie, everyone was surprised to see Lin Da.


    Only Qilie understood that Gale had been persuaded by Lin Da.


    "I''m going to call Captain Abner and Dawen over. You do realize the consequences of doing this, right?" Gale cautioned Lin Da in advance, "If your judgment is wrong, no one will blame you, but the impression of the two Steel Level Adventure Group captains will undoubtedly be lowered, which could affect your future resource allocation when entering the fifteenth level of the Mystic Realm."


    Plainly speaking, it was still about connections.


    The better the impression Abner had of Lin Da, the more he would favor Lin Da''s team when entering the fifteenth level, supporting the Phoenix Tail Flower Team with a good location in the adventurer''s vote.


    Gale himself was optimistic about Lin Da and naturally hoped Lin Da would win Captain Abner''s favor.


    Of course, Gale had another, unknown reason: the girls in the Phoenix Tail Flower Team were all very pretty, and he couldn''t help wanting to be a simp.


    "Hmm, please notify the two captains." Lin Da said earnestly.


    Gale nodded, muttered a spell, and swung his magic wand forward.


    Two clusters of cyan light transformed into messenger pigeons and flew towards the heart of the fierce battle.


    Enjoy exclusive content from empire


    The pigeons each stopped in front of Abner and Dawen.


    Gale''s lips moved silently, saying something. S��arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The two captains showed surprise, sheathed their swords, and teleported to the back row at incredible speed.


    "Lin Da, long time no see." Dawen nodded politely.


    Abner stood still with his eyes closed.


    It wasn''t coldness.


    As far as Lin Da knew, this captain was practicing the ''Mind''s Eye,'' and he only opened his eyes to look at people on rare occasions.


    "You know each other?" Gale looked at Dawen, surprised.


    "My worthless little sister''s old teammate, how could I not know him?"


    Dawen said lightly, "Lin Da, are you sure about the Thousand-Change Demon?"


    Lin Da patiently explained for the third time.


    "Who agrees, who opposes?" Dawen looked around, "Let''s vote by show of hands. Those who think that the Red Armored Crab King is disguised as the Thousand-Change Demon and, despite the difficulty, are willing to risk reduced numbers to conserve strength, raise your hands."


    In the back row, there were ten people total.


    Four hands were raised.


    Dawen laughed softly and raised his hand.


    "I trust Lin Da, now it''s 5:5. Abner, what about you?"


    Abner''s eyes opened a sliver, he glanced at Lin Da,


    and raised his hand as well.


    "Then, it''s decided," Dawen said, "Everyone, conserve your Level 30 Ultimate Skills and thirty percent of your strength until Lin Da believes the Thousand-Change Demon has activated ''Resurgence,'' then go all out."


    With both group captains making a stand, even those who opposed, albeit reluctantly, adhered to the fine qualities of an adventurer, wholeheartedly obeying the commands.


    "Yes!"


    Gale said with a smile, "Lin Da, it''s all on you now."


    "As it should be, this benefits me as well." Lin Da shook his head. He wasn''t so noble; he too was acting in his own interest, not entirely for all adventurers.


    If he successfully exposed the Thousand-Change Demon''s disguise and killed this Old Six, the Phoenix Tail Flower would gain the friendship of two Steel Level Adventure Groups.


    This relationship would help him smooth over many difficulties in the future.


    The battle resumed.


    Lin Da''s eyes were fixed on the distant giant crab, and about ten minutes later, a green +1 emerged from the top of the giant crab''s head.


    The green was a glowing, emerald green.


    Even as smoke and magic light filled the center of the battle, this streak of emerald stood out above all other ''layers,'' clearly captured by Lin Da.


    The green +1 was just the beginning.


    Soon after, a frenzy of green +1s appeared.


    "Now!"


    Lin Da shouted, "Full power!"


    Under Gale''s amplification spell, everyone on the battlefield heard Lin Da''s voice.


    Suddenly, the direction of the wind changed around them.


    The magic power in the area seemed to be sucked dry as large, intricate arrays appeared next to the back row professions.


    Clusters of magic formed into light spots and flowed into the arrays.


    The light grew increasingly bright, forcing everyone to squint their eyes.


    The two Adventure Groups, ten from the back row, simultaneously used their Level 30 Ultimate Skills!


    Even space itself seemed to tremble!


    "Aeolus Judgment!"


    "Ice Snow Magic Arrow!"


    "Earthstorm!"


    "...!"


    Various powerful magics struck the giant Red Armored Crab King!


    The creature screamed in pain, its carapace riddled with cracks.


    Its Life Barrier also fluctuated violently.


    The final blows, the two biggest weights on the camel, were Dawen and Abner''s Ultimate Skills.


    Thunder Swordmaster Dawen, Level 30 Ultimate Skill, "Thunderclap."


    His form turned into a bolt of lightning, zigzagging through the air like a Z-shaped lightning bolt.


    In an instant, he darted behind the giant Red Armored Crab King, and then a bolt of lightning, thick as a thigh, struck the creature.


    -97850!


    Then came the ''Shadowless Warrior'' Abner, Level 30 Ultimate Skill, "One Flash."


    After drawing his sword, all that could be seen was a chilling flash of the sword.


    -100007!


    Just these two struck almost 200,000 damage.


    The giant Red Armored Crab King was first scorched by the lightning, its carapace softening.

 Chapter 191 166. Kill the Epic Demon Creature, Material Distribution! (Large Chapter)_3

    Abner''s swift strike cleaved it in two, right through the middle.The massive Red Armored Crab King was dead,


    but everyone held their breaths, focused intently, not daring to be careless.


    According to Lin Da, the Thousand-Change Demon would hide inside, using the corpse of the Red Armored Crab King to deceive everyone.


    It would seize the chaos to execute its "Golden Cicada Shedding" maneuver.


    Abner used "Mind''s Eye" to perceive his surroundings.


    His spiritual power spread out like a vast spider web, capable of capturing even the movements of the air.


    "Here."


    Suddenly, Abner opened his eyes.


    His pupils were a beautiful deep blue, like gems filled with clear lake water.


    In the reflection of his eyes, there was a bat-shaped shadow.


    This strange Magical Creature, moving close to the ground, had a color similar to the murky earth, and coupled with its special ability to hide...


    If it weren''t for Abner''s "Mind''s Eye," it would have been very difficult to find it.


    The Thousand-Change Demon truly existed.


    Abner''s emotions, slightly stirred.


    Shadowless Warrior, level 20 Ultimate Skill: "Traceless."


    The katana in Abner''s hands slashed out, a blade light invisible to the eye, piercing through the body of the Thousand-Change Demon.


    "Woooooah!"


    A sharp scream erupted suddenly.


    Now, everyone had located the position of the Thousand-Change Demon.


    Since the massive Red Armored Crab King had been slain, the Thousand-Change Demon didn''t have much health left.


    Although it was an Epic Demon Creature, the Thousand-Change Demon was renowned for trickery, and its frontline combat ability was the weakest among those of its level.


    The twenty or so Star-ranked adventurers pressed forward to greet it.


    There was a flurry of punches and kicks.


    The bat-like Thousand-Change Demon, one meter in length, died a humiliating death.


    "We won!"


    While everyone cheered, they also realized that this Thousand-Change Demon had a high status among Magical Creatures and was sure to be full of treasures.


    Capable of devouring the Red Armored Crab King to camouflage itself... According to Lin Da, had the Thousand-Change Demon successfully triggered its innate ability "Resurgence," it would have completely returned to its prime state.


    The difficulty level of subduing this Magical Creature was, in fact, extremely high.


    Their apparent easy victory was thanks to Lin Da''s intervention halfway through, providing them with pivotal information.


    Otherwise... there was the potential for complete annihilation!


    The materials from such a hard-to-subdue Magical Creature were bound to be highly valuable.


    Members from both adventure teams were active-minded, their eyes burning hotly as they stared at the corpse of the Thousand-Change Demon.


    If the Thousand-Change Demon''s intestines contained feces, they would probably scramble over it as well.


    The feces of an Epic Demon Creature were also extremely valuable!


    Gale took out a booklet from his Space Ring, flipped through it for a while, then smiled and said:


    "Found it, found it, High-Level Magical Creatures Compendium, page 271, Thousand-Change Demon, level 30-39, Epic Demon Creature, materials are as follows:


    The skin, a Rare Orange Level material. Can be used to craft Soft armor or create magic items for invisibility.


    The teeth, also a Rare Orange Level material, can be used to create four orange accessories.


    The claws, the same, can be ground into powder and added to sharpness-enhancing weapons to increase power.


    And finally... the Demon Core.


    The Thousand-Change Demon''s Demon Core is one of the core materials for crafting Epic Level Soft Armor, ''Dragon Demon Soft Armor''!"


    As Gale mentioned each material, everyone''s eyes brightened, pondering how to distribute them, wondering if their team leader would allocate one to them.


    The first three items were easier to divide; they could simply be shared equally between the teams.


    But the most precious part of the Thousand-Change Demon, the Demon Core from which Epic Level Soft Armor could be crafted, there was only one.


    The atmosphere between the two adventure teams suddenly turned tense.


    All the team members were unwilling to give up that single Epic Level Demon Core!


    The two team leaders, however, appeared quite calm.


    It seemed they had already made a decision on how to distribute the Demon Core.


    Dawen drew his sword.


    Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.


    The Thousand-Change Demon was chopped into even halves.


    "You choose, which side do you want?" Dawen declared with generous indifference, waving his hand dismissively.


    Abner said, "Doesn''t matter."


    The Scarlet Adventure Group was generous, so the White Dove couldn''t show any less magnanimity.


    Afterward, all the members'' gazes turned toward the Demon Core.


    "Where''s Lin Da?" suddenly asked Abner.


    At that point, everyone came back to their senses, having been preoccupied with collecting the spoils of battle, forgetting that an Apprentice Adventure Team captain was present here.


    Even though he was an apprentice... everyone had to admit, without Lin Da, let alone subduing the Thousand-Change Demon, they might have met their doom right here on Breeze River Beach.


    Abner raising Lin Da''s name at this moment had a very clear intention.


    The deputy leader Jite, usually arrogant and unrestrained, nodded slightly at this moment: "Indeed, we could give it to him." Your journey continues at empire


    Gale shrugged, "You know, Lin Da and I are good friends. Don''t ask for my opinion, I don''t want to be accused of bias." sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Everyone from the White Dove Adventure Group agreed.


    Since the Phoenix Tail Flower was an adventure team from White Dove City to begin with, giving them the Demon Core was akin to strengthening the overall combat capability.


    In the grand scheme of things, it was like the left hand passing something to the right, not much of a difference.


    But how would the Scarlet Adventure Group see it?


    White Dove City, Red Heart City, and South Rock City maintained a tripartite balance of power.


    Competing against each other in the Great Mystery Continent, occasionally engaging in challenges, invading each other''s resource areas, was a common occurrence.


    The empire also encouraged competition; only then would adventurers become stronger more swiftly.


    These ''challenges'' meant to hone combat skills often escalated into real fights.


    The adventurers from the three cities were not enemies, but they were certainly not friends either.


    "I disagree," said the Scarlet Adventure Group''s commander, a blonde braided female scholar holding a book, speaking coldly:


    "Giving the Epic level Demon Core to that level 19 adventurer would be a complete waste. Only Lord Dawen can bring out its full potential."


    "Lina, shut up," Dawen promptly tapped Lina on the head with the hilt of his sword and, with a calm demeanor despite the puzzled looks of his team members, said: "I owe Lin Da a favor from the time in Red Heart City."


    "It''s time to repay that debt."


    "The Thousand-Change Demon''s Demon Core, the Scarlet Adventure Group agrees to hand it over to Lin Da."

 Chapter 192 167. I am Dark Shadow, and I am also Lin Da.

    Since Dawen had already spoken, Lina could only reluctantly whimper and obediently lower her head.The members on either side raised no further objections.


    "By the way, where is Lin Da?"


    Gale suddenly remembered that he hadn''t seen Lin Da since the beginning.


    Everyone looked around and then noticed that where Lin Da had been standing, there was a trail of departing footprints.


    After killing the Thousand-Change Demon, Lin Da had not coveted the spoils of war but had silently left, concealing his achievements and fame.


    Even Lina, who had disagreed with giving the Demon Core to Lin Da, felt a bit guilty now.


    It was like jokingly saying someone had no father, only to realize that person indeed didn''t have one, making her feel guilty even in the middle of the night. Lina thought it over carefully. An adventurer under level 20 had taken great risks just to warn them, hadn''t asked for any spoils, and had quietly left, yet she had felt Lin Da didn''t deserve the Demon Core...


    Lina felt that she wouldn''t be able to sleep tonight.


    After thinking for a moment, Dawen said, "I''ll deliver it to him, and I have some things to tell Lin Da."


    Abner nodded, "The White Dove Adventure Group still needs to investigate the depths of the Qingfeng River."


    They needed to figure out where the Monster Tide was coming from.


    ...


    ...


    About 5000 meters away from the Breeze River Beach, on a small hill.


    "Let go of me, my body belongs to my master; how can you, this dirty bug, touch me!"


    Tasya gasped, her eyes filled with unbearable pain.


    In the fight with Lulu, her Battle Qi had been depleted too much, leading to pollution backlash, almost robbing her of all combat ability.


    The result was that Lulu had thoroughly tied her up and brought her before Lin Da.


    Lulu''s tying method was meticulous, binding Tasya''s hands behind her back, spreading her calves so she couldn''t exert force, and considering Tasya''s incomplete figure, avoided tying the front of the chest, tightly binding her arms instead.


    This resulted in a prominent protrusion, as if intentionally made so.


    Lin Da and the others watched Tasya with strange expressions, feeling somewhat awkward, not knowing where to look.


    "To save or not to save, you choose."


    Lulu said coldly.


    In the ''bragging battle'', she was slightly inferior, as Tasya knew too much.


    But as Tasya''s pollution acted up midway, it was like a skilled female adventurer discussing passionately at an emergency meeting and suddenly needed to urinate, barely able to stand, trembling with humiliation, with no place around to relieve herself...


    With pollution, one could only endure as it wasn''t something she could simply expel, like urine.


    In contrast, Lulu had her internal pollution controlled by Lin Da; even if it accumulated, Lin Da could help her expel it.


    It was like a robust, young witch fighting an aged one.


    Lulu leveraged her physical advantage to win!


    But this Werewolf Clan girl was ultimately tender-hearted, unable to bear finishing Tasya off. With the level of pollution inside Tasya, in at most one year, she would degenerate into a Catastrophe Beast that only knew slaughter.


    Being of the same witch origin, Lulu could understand the pain Tasya was experiencing.


    She tied Tasya up and brought her to Lin Da.


    Her heart was in turmoil; she hoped Lin Da would save Tasya, who was also a witch, yet she did not want them to have close contact.


    Afflicted with indecision, Lulu left the decision to Lin Da.


    ...


    "This is a big trouble now," Lin Da said.


    As he looked down at Tasya, who was tightly bound on the ground, the rope tightly constricting the soft flesh of her thighs,


    he had an illusion as if this were the setting of an unhealthy filming site.


    Tasya''s expression was no different from a knight captured by the ''Goblin Squad'' of Phoenix Tail Flower, her face bearing the torment of disgrace.


    He was either to kill the female knight or be killed by her, finding himself in such an awkward situation.


    Once the rope was released, Tasya would probably fight Phoenix Tail Flower to the death.


    "Gulp!"


    Tasya was kicked in the stomach by Lulu, her face turning pale, her red lips parted, expelling a bit of acidic water.


    "As the maid of a master, to be insulted by you bugs... I, Tasya, do not deserve to live!"


    Having said that, she even attempted to bite her own tongue to commit suicide.


    Tasya''s loyalty made everyone look sideways, and Lin Da grew even more troubled about how to tell her the truth.


    Lulu was quick, striking Tasya on the neck with her palm, knocking out the hard-headed woman.


    "What should we do?" asked Lulu.


    Facing this unconscious, unresisting silver-haired maid, Lin Da fell into contemplation. S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The pattern on her thigh-high stockings was also identical to the one in the game.


    The transition from game to reality was too realistic.


    Lin Da thought.


    No, now was not the time to consider patterns.


    Ultimately, the reason for this situation was unclear; who exactly was the ''master'' Tasya was loyal to? The game character ''Dark Shadow'', or the player controlling ''Dark Shadow''?


    In a Galgame Lin Da had played, there was a similar plot: the main character with pink hair liked the game character, but the main character with long black hair liked the player controlling the game character.


    Combining Tasya''s personal storyline in the game, Lin Da speculated that Tasya was loyal to the one who could defeat her 99 times, probably the Primal Team Leader.


    The Dark Shadow in Tasya''s heart was overly idealized, rather than a person, it was more like the faith she followed.


    Perhaps one day, when Lin Da could defeat Tasya like the Dark Shadow did, this maid might believe that he truly was the master she was looking for.


    But without sufficient strength before, even if he presented evidence that he was the Dark Shadow, Tasya would have doubted him.


    Of course, there was another possibility: Tasya was so deeply ingrained in her mind that even if Dark Shadow weakened, knowing Lin Da''s true identity, she would still remain loyal and continue to serve.


    However, Lin Da hoped to attract team members to join by using his true identity, strength, and personal charisma, rather than using the old team leader''s alias, Dark Shadow, to bind members to him.


    Just like when Lulu joined the team, Lulu acknowledged him as the Phoenix Tail Flower Team leader before joining.


    Lin Da also hoped that including Tasya, all other Four-Star Character members joined because they loved him, Lin Da, and the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, not because of Dark Shadow.


    Not because of Dark Shadow.


    Today, as an adventurer who had reformed and loved life, he would use his own hands to help Tasya and other Four-Star Characters onto the right path.


    This was Lin Da''s redemption.


    All Four-Star Character members could go to his villa and live there for free.


    "Lulu."


    "Monica."


    "Kafni."


    "Could you form a ''human tent'' to block the view for me? There''s no time to lose, I need to heal Tasya."


    Lin Da''s expression turned solemn as he reached out and touched Tasya''s forehead, finding it hotter than boiling water.


    After falling into a coma, Tasya''s resistance further weakened, breathing heavily like a broken bellows, her chest spasming from time to time.


    This sight was frightening as if Tasya would collapse at any moment!


    "Wait, what''s a human tent?" Kafni asked, perplexed.


    "It''s just you all standing back-to-back, holding hands, so even if someone comes by, they won''t notice what I''m doing," Lin Da explained earnestly.


    Kafni gave an okay, thinking the method was passable.


    But Lulu and Monica weren''t willing!


    The captain was conducting a dicey treatment, and they had to help block people... How was that different from being cheated?


    Lulu occasionally read some adult comic books about Minotaurs, but that didn''t mean she liked being cheated! Especially by such a formidable enemy as Tasya!


    "Hurry up, Tasya''s condition is getting worse," Lin Da said, his mind on Tasya, not noticing the unusual behavior of his teammates.


    The system popped a notification:


    [Recognizing Witch Tasya''s presence, would you like to bind?]


    [Witch Lulu trust level -1, current trust level 74]


    A question mark appeared in Lin Da''s mind.


    What had he done that caused Lulu to lower her favorability?


    Perhaps it was killing too many Murderous Crabs, becoming stinkingly stinky...


    He could not focus on these trivial details now, Lin Da silently commanded: "Bind!"


    [Witch Tasya, bound successfully!]


    [Current trust level: 99 (Sealed)]


    [Note: When Tasya acknowledges you as ''master,'' 99 points of trust level will unlock, along with the rewards from 0-99 trust level]


    "Tss."


    Lin Da inhaled sharply.


    Kicking Tasya out of the team and disappearing for three years, and yet the trust level hadn''t dropped at all.


    What a terrifyingly persistent woman!


    Lin Da sighed with mixed emotions. He supported Tasya''s back with his left hand and cushioned her head with his right, slowly leaning closer.


    The pleasant scent of jasmine wafted from her body.


    Lin Da''s heart rate inevitably quickened somewhat.


    Tasya''s skin was translucent and smooth, a healthy wheat-brown color. With silver hair, closed eyes, and silenced words, she looked as beautiful as a game CG.


    Her thin lips were moist and glossy, as if touched by some lipstick, tempting one to taste them.


    "Lord captain, nooo," Monica clutched at his shirt from behind.


    Enjoy new tales from empire


    Lulu also looked at him with a hesitating, conflicted expression.


    "What are you guys doing?" Lin Da laughed and cried, only Kafni had become the human tent, helping to block the view.


    But this comment caught Lulu off guard.


    Lulu, a young girl with her hands in her pockets, deliberately acted nonchalant, but her fingers, hidden in her pockets, involuntarily clenched tightly.


    They were just teammates.


    As a team member, what reason did she have to stop Lin Da from performing the dicey treatment?


    If Lin Da kissed Tasya, it seemingly had nothing to do with her, Lulu!


    It was like when a Beastman paid to play with an Elf Miss, and a team member suddenly jumped out saying, "You can''t do this with her!"


    Not doing it with her, then shall he do it with you?


    Wouldn''t that imply that she was actually longing for Lin Da''s treatment, like a little roasted chicken craving attention?


    Lulu''s face flushed red immediately.


    For all practical purposes, stopping Lin Da''s dicey treatment equaled admitting she was a little roasted chicken!


    "Cough, cough, cough!"


    Suddenly, Tasya, who was unconscious, coughed violently, and dark blood flowed from the corner of her mouth, landing on the ground.


    The nearby soil and pebbles hissed, corroding into debris!


    Tasya''s contamination was exceptionally dark.


    The corrosive power was also strong.

 Chapter 193 168. Tasya Witchs Corruption flares up, Lin Da steps in

    Lulu''s eyelid twitched, Tasya''s contamination was more severe than before she had met Lin Da.Heaven knows how Tasya managed to endure the nights when the pollution flared up...


    ''It''s okay, saving people is what matters, Lin Da and I are just teammates, I shouldn''t care about such things.''


    Lulu tried hard to convince herself, holding hands with Monica, shielding Lin Da from the view of others in the wilderness.


    In fact, there was no one else in this area; their actions were just a precaution.


    If someone saw Lin Da tending to an unconscious member of the Scarlet Adventure Group, his hard-won freedom from the title of the Ultimate Pervert would probably be reclaimed.


    In short, with the help of his teammates, Lin Da began his wholehearted and tender treatment inside the tent the three beautiful girls had set up.


    The strange rustling noise made Lulu grow even more impatient on the inside.


    She bit her lip, her face filled with the anger of someone itching to beat up Magical Creatures.


    Why couldn''t it be quieter!


    With her back turned to them, Lulu couldn''t see with her eyes, and her mind wandered wildly.


    Fortunately, there were no ''bang bang'' sounds, otherwise Lulu would have definitely stopped Lin Da.


    The first of the original team members to return was her, the first Witch Lin Da treated was also her.


    Even her first kiss... was taken by Lin Da while she was half-conscious and half-awake.


    But why was she now watching over Lin Da as he performed the delicate treatment on Tasya, and even helping Lin Da remain undiscovered?


    This was not right!


    Lulu felt her brain was about to break.


    It was like a beautiful wolf helping the team leader, the lustful wolf, push from behind to attack the warm wolf.


    Such a storyline only appeared in the most wicked comic books!


    ...


    Five minutes later.


    Lin Da breathed deeply, filling his oxygen-starved lungs with fresh air.


    Even though he didn''t want to, his taste buds sent a message to his brain:


    Completely different from Lulu, Tasya''s flavor was intense and full-bodied, like a strong spirit on ice, burning like magma when swallowed but incredibly comfortable.


    Each had their advantages, and neither was superior.


    "The fever has stopped,"


    Lin Da sighed with relief.


    He touched Tasya''s forehead again; it was still about 38 degrees Celsius.


    Still high, but much lighter than before.


    Tasya''s face gradually regained some color, and her breathing became steady.


    "Everyone, turn around, I''m done here,"


    Lin Da said.


    "Eh, the looks in your eyes are very strange?"


    "Lord Captain... your pants," Monica said, covering her face with her small hands in embarrassment.


    Lulu''s eyelids jumped wildly, feeling that losing to Tasya in the ''bragging battle'' was not unjust.


    Turns out, as a healthy adult male, Lin Da, in the process of the close-contact treatment of Tasya,


    experienced what those in the know would understand.


    Bound up like a brown-skinned maid in Dragon Skin and unable to resist, even Lin Da''s strong will faltered.


    Luckily, Tasya was still unconscious; otherwise, seeing Lin Da''s condition, it would definitely have been impossible for him to go home today.


    Under the embarrassed gazes of his team members, Lin Da calmly adjusted his pants, and everything was back to normal.


    "Eh, isn''t that shadow in the distance Dawen?"


    Kafni, with her keen senses, spotted a small black dot far away.


    "We need to untie Tasya quickly," Lin Da thought with a sense of urgency.


    If Dawen, the vice-captain, saw him with his teammate all tied up and his mouth still wet, he''d naturally get the wrong idea.


    The Azure Sword waved with a click-click sound.


    The hemp ropes were all severed.


    Lin Da cradled Tasya in his arms and walked toward Dawen.


    As they approached each other.


    "Tasya!?"


    Dawen''s usually calm expression changed completely, as no one had ever seen the proud Swordsman look so anxious.


    It gave off the strange contrast of a rich young master seemingly becoming a lickspittle...


    Dawen took Tasya from Lin Da''s hands, furrowed his brow as he reached out with his spiritual power to sense her condition, and found that her breathing was normal before wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.


    "Lin Da, thank you for rescuing my teammate. Otherwise, Tasya falling into a coma and being targeted by the Murderous Crab would have been dangerous," Dawen sincerely bowed deeply.


    Lin Da felt undeserving.


    In some ways, Tasya had been knocked unconscious by Lulu.


    "It was no effort at all, no effort at all, heh heh heh," Lin Da laughed awkwardly.


    "However, how did you find Tasya?"


    At that question, Dawen squinted his eyes, scrutinizing the members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    Lin Da''s heart tightened as he sensed a faint trace of killing intent from Dawen.


    His mind raced with thoughts.


    Then it dawned on him.


    Could it be that Dawen knew Tasya was a Witch?


    Worried that the Phoenix Tail Flower Team had stumbled upon Tasya''s secret, was he planning to attack them?


    This was truly... devotion that touched the heavens and moved the earth.


    Tasya adored her master, a fact Dawen was surely aware of. Even so, he did not hesitate to conceal the secret of the Witch, taking on the risk of punishment from the Holy Light Church...


    Even while Tasya was in a coma, Dawen carried her with gentlemanly care, supporting her legs and head without taking any undue advantage.


    If Tasya were not his own longtime teammate, that would be one thing, but Lin Da would not give up on this struggle; he was determined to lure Tasya away from the Scarlet Adventure Group.


    As for Dawen, Lin Da could only offer his apologies inwardly.


    Lin Da replied, "We found her on a nearby hillside. What happened to her? It looks like there''s an issue with her magic circuit?"


    "Hmm... indeed, you''re right," Dawen covertly watched Lin Da''s expression, found nothing amiss, and went along with Lin Da''s assumption, ''taking the opportunity to dismount from the donkey''.


    "I thought I had repaid the favor I owed you, but it seems I''m in your debt once again," Dawen said after some thought.


    "This time, let''s consider it a ''huge'' favor," said Dawen.


    Upon hearing this, Kafni and the other teammates simultaneously thought: What ingratiating behavior!


    Back in Red Heart City, Lin Da helped Lia for three years, and Dawen owed him a medium favor.


    Just by picking up an unconscious Tasya, he now owed a huge favor.


    Who would have thought that the second son of The Mandalas was such an ardent pleaser?


    Lin Da chuckled and accepted the favor.


    He looked at the unconscious Tasya.


    Once she woke up and found her contamination reduced, she should realize that his side meant no harm.


    Saying more would be less effective than taking action; establishing a friendly basis first would make it easier for Lin Da to persuade Tasya to join the team.


    This Witch Purification was to be considered a gift.


    Even if Tasya was reluctant, she would have to seek him out for further Purification.


    Lin Da''s methods weren''t entirely honorable, but they were effective.


    "By the way, Dawen, what did you mean when you said that medium favor you owed me had been repaid?" Lin Da brought his attention back to the present, speaking with confusion. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I came to deliver this to you," said Dawen.


    With a flicker of light from his Space Ring, Dawen took out a dark, spiky sphere that was a Demon Core.


    It was the size of an orange, filled with sinister and malicious magic power, almost like he had pulled out a baked durian.


    The color drained from the faces of Lin Da and his companions.


    Lulu, who had seen much and knew much, exclaimed in surprise, "An Epic Level Demon Core?"


    "What, Epic Level?" Upon hearing this, Kafni leaped up in joy.


    Before Lin Da could speak, Kafni snatched the Demon Core from Dawen''s hand, holding it close like a precious treasure.


    "I must look ridiculous," Lin Da felt a sense of embarrassment; Kafni was too obsessed with wealth.


    Even so, receiving this Epic Level Demon Core was truly exhilarating.


    Lin Da had suspected that he might receive something in return like a piece of the Thousand-Change Demon''s claws or skin from Dawen and his group.


    But he hadn''t anticipated their magnanimity in handing over the most precious Demon Core.


    The Demon Core was the only material from the Thousand-Change Demon that reached Epic Level.


    Combining the Demon Core with Dragon Skin, along with 10 ordinary Level 20 Demon Cores, it was possible to craft the Epic Equipment ''Magic Dragon Soft Armor''!


    The Magic Dragon Soft Armor granted a significant health points increase.


    Lin Da, with his unique class where more blood meant a thicker shield, was very compatible with the Magic Dragon Soft Armor.


    Obtaining the Thousand-Change Demon''s Demon Core, Lin Da was beyond delighted.

 Chapter 194 169, The Mastermind Behind the Monster Tide Demon General [Gluttony]

    Lin Da: "Thank you.""It''s what you deserve."


    With indifference, Dawen waved his hand, "Without your warning, both Abner and I would have been mired in a tough battle."


    Lin Da formally accepted the Demon Core of the Thousand-Change Demon.


    As they parted, Dawen advised, "When you have time, visit the Mandalas. Lady Bellini misses you."


    "Okay."


    Lin Da''s heart stirred, it seemed Lady Bellini''s corruption had flared up again and required his treatment.


    But these days he was rather busy, there were some follow-up matters to deal with the Monster Tide, including assessing acts of valor...


    The month was also drawing to a close, and the Mystic Realm "Dark Night City" on the fourth floor of the World Tree would open next month. Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da had waited a long time and would not miss it.


    Once these matters were dealt with, he could make a trip to Red Heart City.


    ...


    Elsewhere, the White Dove Adventure Group delved into Qingfeng River, finding remnants of a large ritual Array at the bottom.


    Gale looked serious, scooping up some powdered residue from above the river sand and sealing it in a bottle.


    On reaching the shore, Gale shared his findings with the crowd.


    "A Doomsday Sect ritual suspected?"


    "Has the World Tree in White Dove City been targeted?"


    Vice-leader Jite clenched her fists in anger, her leopard tail whipped forcefully, "Most likely, it''s that woman from the auction. Next time she''s caught by me, I''ll tear her apart alive!"


    "You''ve seen that person?" Abner asked, his eyes narrowing.


    "Uh-huh, she''s strong, but we didn''t really come to blows that day; she just came to rob the auction," Jite said frustratedly.


    "This matter, we need to report to the president," Abner said, a glint of sharp light and a cold killing intent burst forth from within him.


    Abner came from a distant city, where the World Tree had been destroyed by the monsters summoned by the Doomsday Sect.


    The adventurers, displaced, all became wanderers.


    And now,


    looking at the surrounding region, there were three major cities.


    Among them, White Dove City was the weakest.


    It was only natural that it had been targeted by the Doomsday Sect.


    ...


    Meanwhile, within a dark palace,


    "General, I am terribly sorry!"


    "The action to attack White Dove City with a Monster Tide failed."


    Wearing a Flower Cat mask, Witch Bai Mian, fear evident in her gaze, kneeled on one knee before the young girl on the stone chair.


    The other direct subordinates of Bai Mian, all prostrated on the ground, shivering, overwhelmed by the General''s imposing aura.


    Some even, fearing they would be killed, were so frightened that they soiled themselves...


    Everyone knew this General was brutal in her actions, favoring using Illusion Technique to confine those who offended her into a hell where they begged for death but couldn''t die.


    Bai Mian also trembled; she kept her head low, daring only to look towards the General''s toes.


    Those were beautifully arched jade feet with polished red toenails and fair skin.


    A peculiar type of black stockings, passing between the big toe and the second, tightly clinging to the thighs and extending upwards.


    They resembled the kind of sensual stockings worn by Bunny Girls, although a pink miniskirt hid the shameful areas.


    From behind the General''s skirt extended a shiny black Peach Heart tail.


    Higher up, Bai Mian dared not raise her head to see.


    Looking up at a superior was an act of provocation, and she was not yet ready to die.


    "Ah, it failed? Why did it fail?"


    General played with her spade-shaped tail, her voice fine, somewhat like a petulant whine.


    It sounded quite amiable.


    But nobody knew her true expression.


    If a subordinate dared to peek, they would be executed on the spot.


    Lady Bai Mian pressed her head even lower and said with a trembling voice, "According to what I know, the failure was due to a captain of an Apprentice Level adventure team."


    "Apprentice Level? Oh dear, how could someone so weak obstruct our plans?"


    "Reporting to General, although that human is weak, his potential is extremely high, suspected to be ''an adventurer beloved by the World Tree Goddess''."


    "That powerful?"


    General tilted her head in confusion, her long pink hair hanging over her perky buttocks, her legs crossed. Her playful toes, painted red, moved about, looking very agile.


    "Yes!" Lady Bai Mian quickly boasted about the adventurer.


    The more formidable the opponent, the more justifiable her own failure.


    "General, you might not know, but that adventurer not only broke through in combat, rising 3 levels, but also saw through our plot to attack White Dove City. He helped the city deploy troops and directed various Rock-level Squads!"


    "Without him, when the crab horde approached the city walls, it would probably be too late for White Dove City''s corrupt and incompetent officials to realize."


    "It can be said that because of that person''s outstanding performance, the plan was a complete failure!"


    The implication in Lady Bai Mian''s words was clear: It wasn''t that she was incompetent, but that the opponent was too powerful, and it had nothing to do with her!


    "So, what''s the name of that adventurer?"


    General''s tone was smiling but already filled with chill.


    Lady Bai Mian hurriedly said, "We''ve already looked into it. It''s Lin Da from the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team!"


    Upon hearing this, General fell silent.


    The atmosphere around became even stranger, as if the air had also become stagnant.


    Lady Bai Mian was anxious inside, unsure of what was happening.


    Could it be that the next moment, General would drag her into an illusion, subjecting her to endless torment?


    "That Lin Da... is it the Lin Da who was once with Snow Goose Adventure Team?" General suddenly asked.


    Lady Bai Mian paused, then said, "Indeed."


    "Oh~ he left the team, probably couldn''t stand Lia that dimwit, hee hee hee."


    General''s attitude made Lady Bai Mian puzzled.


    She hesitated and asked, "My lord, do you need me to take action?"


    "No need. That kind-hearted man will definitely return to the fourth level, where I have left a ''gift'' for him."


    This Demon Realm General, inexplicably in a better mood, waved her hand, saying, "Dismissed. This time we''ve forgiven you for the failure of the Monster Tide."


    "Please punish us...eh!? No punishment for us?"


    Lady Bai Mian was shocked.


    Just moments ago, she felt she was about to die, and suddenly, this General, one of the Seven Demon Generals known by the title ''Gluttony'' and feared for her evil, had forgiven them?


    Thinking back to their conversation, it seemed that everything changed from the moment she mentioned Lin Da''s name.


    Lady Bai Mian and her companions walked out of the palace in a daze.


    They couldn''t figure out how Lin Da, an adventurer full of righteousness, got involved with the evil ''Gluttony''.


    As Gluttony was left alone in the palace, she bit her spade-shaped tail, her cheeks flushed with emotion, as she lovingly gazed at an old, yellowed photograph in her hands.


    It was a group photo.


    Except everyone else had been removed, except for one person.


    "Lin Da, Lin Da, hee hee, hee hee hee..."


    Gluttony''s twisted, evil laughter, along with the sound of dripping water, echoed in the vast hall.

 Chapter 195 170. Celebration banquet, Lia toasts to Lin Da

    Night.In White Dove City, at the headquarters of the Adventurers'' Guild.


    "Cheers!"


    In the grand hall on the fifth floor, glasses clinked, the fragrance of fine wine and delicious dishes filled the air.


    The staff acted as waiters, enthusiastically serving the heroes of White Dove City.


    The crusade against the Monster Tide had come to a pause, its remaining major forces had either returned to the Demon Realm through summoning arrays or flooded into the wilderness surrounding White Dove City.


    They were just defeated troops; a slow extermination would do.


    The horn of victory had thoroughly sounded.


    The grand victory celebration had thus begun.


    Those who could come to the fifth floor of the Adventurers'' Guild were Rock-level Squads.


    They had performed remarkably throughout the Monster Tide.


    Without them annihilating the leaders in various areas, the casualties among the adventurers would have at least tripled.


    Ordinary adventurers crowded every tavern in the city, with the city hall and guild sponsoring today''s food, drink, and entertainment��free of charge��a festival for adventurers!


    Lin Da''s team was not Rock Level, but due to their special contribution, the guild had arranged for them to be on the fifth floor.


    Whether intentional or not, they were even placed in the second row of seats.


    It''s worth noting that in front of him were only three Steel Level Adventure Groups.


    In the third row were the Ice Flower Adventure Team, Snow Goose Adventure Team, and several other veteran teams.


    Sitting here, Captain Lia of Snow Goose seemed quite pleased.


    At such gatherings, Snow Goose usually sat in the fourth row.


    Lia held a wine glass and shared with the Rock-level captains around her how she had led Snow Goose and the Phoenix Tail Flower to kill the Level 23 Red Armored Crab King.


    Lin Da listened for a while and discovered Lia had indeed changed; she didn''t claim all the credit, saying she killed the Red Armored Crab King all by herself.


    Instead, she attributed a substantial part of the credit to herself.


    Lia had said, "That fellow Lin Da has quite decent combat strength, he''s likely to become a Rock-level Squad, you shouldn''t feel jealous about him sitting in the second row."


    "Wow, so that''s it, Captain Lia truly has an insightful eye, no wonder Lin Da is in the second row��he has the potential to be a Rock-level team!"


    "That''s brilliant, truly brilliant."


    "Did you coordinate with the captain of Phoenix Tail Flower? I heard there were some serious conflicts between you and Lin Da?"


    In fact, almost everyone understood the real reason Lin Da was sitting in the second row.


    Anticipating the monster tide in advance, excellent command, killing the Red Armored Crab King...


    There were even rumors that Lin Da had risked his life to enter Breeze River Beach and brought crucial information to the White Dove Adventure Group that turned the tide of battle.


    Nobody envied Lin Da sitting in the second row.


    Some even thought it wouldn''t be a problem for him to sit in the front row.


    Lia thought: Are you jealous of him? Alright, let me explain the reasons, and then you won''t feel jealous.


    This was probably Lia''s way of thanking and apologizing to Lin Da for the past three years.


    But like scratching an itch indirectly, it only resulted in embarrassment for everyone else, who could only play along awkwardly.


    "I do have conflicts with him, but they''re not serious conflicts,"


    Lia took a sip of red wine, like a mature adult and spoke lightly, "Just some minor adult conflicts."


    While speaking, she suddenly noticed someone''s gaze which made her feel uncomfortable, as if her fa?ade had been seen through.


    She raised her glass to that person and downed all the wine in it. Riding the rush of intoxication, she politely nodded her small head, as a form of greeting.


    This surprised Lin Da; Lia''s gesture of raising her glass to him��could it possibly be... a toast?


    That arrogant Lia?


    And without keeping any wine back, she chugged it down; that red wine was not low in alcohol content.


    It was like the sun rising from the west.


    Lin Da thought incredulously as he raised his glass and took a small sip.


    Lia was quite dissatisfied; she had downed her drink while Lin Da had consumed so little.


    Yet she did not make a scene.


    Knowing that Lin Da would not drink much in public,


    "Congratulations to us for being unharmed,"


    At that moment, Isa came up next to Lin Da with a tired expression, lifting her wine glass.


    Lin Da''s attention returned to the present.


    This was a victory celebration but also socializing among adventure team captains.


    But for an old friend like Ice Flower, he could afford to be sincere.


    "Yes, this day has felt as long as a month," Lin Da remarked.


    "Hey, Lin Da."


    Fannis, the tactical officer of Ice Flower with her green bobbed hair and glasses, waved cheerily at him.


    Then, pointing at their very anxious-looking captain:


    "Someone was all over the place, her Battle Qi wasted as she frantically searched where Phoenix Tail Flower was, not even listening to my commands."


    Fannis shrugged, humorously watching Isa.


    "Shut up," Isa''s face turned red as she knocked Fannis''s head, "We''re all adventure teams from the same city; it''s right to help each other."


    "Then why didn''t you help other adventure teams? Like Snow Goose, Valiant, and so on?"


    "Hmm..."


    Seeing that Isa was about to clash with Fannis, Lin Da quickly stepped in to mediate. S��arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He didn''t want these two women to fight over him. Isa was thin-skinned, and Fannis was revealing her secrets; her personality was really terrible.


    "Isa, thanks for your concern," Lin Da raised his glass, "I hope the World Tree Goddess continues to keep us safe."


    Isa and Fannis corrected their expression and raised their glasses.


    Shortly after, the members of the Steel Level Adventure Groups came down from upstairs.


    It seemed they were being summoned by President Velen to discuss matters.


    As the leader of the Specter Adventure Group, Helus walked past Lin Da and sneered softly, "Well done. Too bad you went to the White Dove Adventure Group."


    Around Helus were nine members dressed in black.


    All possessed dark attributes, and the air chilled several degrees wherever they went.


    Lin Da''s face remained expressionless. "Captain Helus, what do you mean by this? If you want to threaten Phoenix Tail Flower, just say it outright."


    "Threaten? No, no, no, I''m just expressing regret. If you had joined the Specter Adventure Group, you could have had the ''Poison Dragon''s Skin,'' an epic-level material."


    Helus clearly knew that Lin Da possessed the ''Thousand-Change Demon''s Demon Core.'' Together, these two materials could forge epic-level inner armor.


    But it seemed he had no intention of seizing it from Lin Da, otherwise, he wouldn''t have pointed out such things in a public setting.


    In reality, Helus was extending an invitation, cackling weirdly, "What do you say? How about coming to our side? I could even offer you a slave almost at the star rank."


    A withered palm rested on a brown-haired female team member, causing her to tremble as Helus added, "Level 28, I haven''t touched her yet. I could give her to you along with the ''Poison Dragon''s Skin.''


    A slave?


    Lin Da, Isa, and their team members all changed color, a feeling of disgust welling up within them.


    Helus''s title was Soul Reaper, capable of imposing slave contracts on adventurers of lower levels than him, manipulating them like puppets.


    "Lin Da, don''t be deceived by him. He just wants to turn you into a slave!"


    Gale was the last to enter the hall; seeing the scene, he took a protective stance in front of Lin Da, his face cold and his smile forced, "If you lay a hand on Phoenix Tail Flower, I assure you, the White Dove Adventure Group won''t let you off."


    "Oh? A commander with such authority?" Helus said dismissively.


    "What Gale means, is what I mean as well," Abner, who had his eyes closed, suddenly spoke.


    When this leader spoke, Helus''s expression immediately darkened, taking a deep look at Lin Da:


    "My offer remains valid anytime. The White Dove Adventure Group is just a bunch of hypocrites, but I, I would sincerely consider you a friend. When you''ve thought it through, you can come to the Specter Adventure Group''s base."


    Yet Lin Da was not the least bit tempted.


    In the game, the Specter Adventure Group wasn''t exactly saints, and there was even a side mission to eliminate them.


    Lin Da wasn''t in a hurry to confront the Specter Adventure Group, subtly nodding his head to maintain a superficial rapport.


    Gale sighed in relief, waiting for Helus to take a seat at the front and then whispered, "That old fart is disgusting. If you encounter them in the Great Mystery Continent, be careful. Speaking of which, Dawen gave you the Demon Core, right?"


    "Mhm."


    "That''s good. If Dawen had run off with the Demon Core, our White Dove City would really have to confront Red Heart City. Also, regarding the forging of inner armor, the piece of dragon skin you''re missing, the White Dove Adventure Group will help you inquire about it."


    Gale slapped Lin Da on the shoulder with a chuckling, "As friends, that''s a pretty high commitment, right? So, when will you arrange for your team member Monica to have dinner with me?"


    Upon hearing this, Monica''s face turned pale as she shook her head frantically, clearly indicating her disinclination to Lin Da.


    "If that is the cost of the White Dove Adventure Group''s help in finding materials, please forgive my refusal."


    Lin Da smiled, knowing Gale was joking to lighten the mood: "But another member of my team might join you for dinner."


    "Oh? This werewolf lady wouldn''t be too bad either!" Gale''s eyes lit up.


    "No... not her." Lin Da pointed towards Kafni who was feasting voraciously on the side.


    "What?" Kafni, holding a chicken leg and dripping with grease, was oblivious to what was happening.


    "This Miss Kafni is quite beautiful too," Gale wasn''t choosy.


    A while later, President Velen arrived, and Gale finally took his seat reluctantly at the front.


    As Jite, the deputy leader of White Dove, passed by Lin Da, he said, "Well done."


    It wasn''t clear if he was referring to Lin Da''s rejection of Helus or his performance in the Monster Tide.


    "Thank you."


    Lin Da sincerely accepted Jite''s praise.


    Being overly humble would only lead others to look down upon you.


    Abner also passed by, nodding slightly.


    This scene was seen by all the adventurers.


    Clearly, the White Dove Adventure Group was conveying a message to everyone: Phoenix Tail Flower is their friend.


    If anyone from the Specter Adventure Group thought of striking, they''d better weigh whether they could withstand the fury of the White Dove Adventure Group.


    This episode indeed made several teams with ulterior motives much more behaved.


    Once everyone was seated,


    President Velen began an impassioned speech.


    First, he praised the bravery of the adventurers.


    Finally,


    "We have won this battle, but at a great cost."


    With a thick list in his hands and a sad face, Velen announced, "Eighteen members of Rock-level Squads and over three thousand adventurers above level 10 were sacrificed in the Monster Tide."


    "In defense of our city, in defense of the World Tree, they gave their lives."


    "They will never see the upper sights of the World Tree again, and many wishes will remain unfulfilled."


    "Let us mourn these valiant warriors."


    With a heavy voice, President Velen closed his eyes, praying silently alongside everyone else. Experience tales at empire


    He hoped that the souls of the fallen would be guided to the World Tree and, with the help of the Goddess, attain reincarnation.


    As the mourning ended, President Velen spoke again, "There''s another matter that I''m sure concerns everyone here."


    "The rewards!"


    "The Murderous Crabs slain on the battlefield have been recorded in the guild''s bracelets, and no one will be shortchanged."


    "The guild and the city hall have already commissioned lower-level adventurers to collect the magical creature materials, which will be all converted into market value, distributed according to the counts on the bracelets."


    Upon hearing this, a hint of relief appeared on everyone''s faces.


    In this battle, some teams had lost members, others had damaged equipment.


    All needed a sum of gold coins to replenish their team''s strength.

 Chapter 196 171. Cheers to the loser group, Aiko wants...

    The rewards from the Guild were substantial: a Level 15 Murderous Crab fetched 100 gold coins, while a Black Shell Crab General fetched 20,000 gold coins.Every team present had defeated at least a thousand Murderous Crabs, and one Black Shell Crab General each.


    A few teams, like Snow Goose, Ice Flower, and Phoenix Tail Flower, had defeated more than one Black Shell Crab General.


    Especially the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, who defeated two by themselves and collaborated with Snow Goose to defeat three.


    That''s three and a half Black Shell Crab Generals.


    Lin Da suddenly felt his purse was significantly heavier.


    Distributing gold coins was a joyful affair, considerably lightening the somber mood in the hall.


    Adventurers must always look forward.


    "There''s one more matter to discuss,"


    President Velen coughed, his expression turning much more serious, "regarding the punishment of Guild managers Klay and JieLi."


    "Klay, JieLi?"


    The adventurers were puzzled upon hearing these names.


    Could this Monster Tide be related to them?


    President Velen recounted the whole story.


    "Preventing Lin Da from reporting the Monster Tide to the president?"


    "Out of fear of demotion, hiding the truth time and again?"


    "Had it been organized earlier, perhaps half as many adventurers would have died..."


    Anger appeared on most faces. The remaining few, taking delight in others'' misfortune, stared at Klay and JieLi, cornered.


    This time, not to mention keeping their managerial positions, it was uncertain if they could even walk out of the iron prison for the rest of their lives!


    After listening to Velen''s account, some sighed, others were furious.


    And some blinked in confusion: Was Lin Da really that clever?


    The gloom on Lia''s little face became more pronounced.


    And Aiko was no exception.


    Though no one around looked at them, they both felt uneasy inside.


    Thoughts like ''what if we had kept Lin Da,'' kept emerging.


    But this time, Lia didn''t cause a scene; she quietly watched Lin Da''s retreating figure.


    If she wanted to restore their past relationship, relying on foolish antics was indeed impossible. Lia thought to herself that she''d first be a mature adventurer, then become a captain worthy of Lin Da''s recognition.


    Maybe one day, they could share a toast at the same round table. Lia patted her face, raised her glass, and murmured to Aiko, "Let''s drink!"


    Aiko''s mouth tasted bitter, to think she had fallen so low as to drink desperation wine with this dwarf.


    At Lin Da''s wedding in the end, would it also be her and Lia eating the wedding candy?


    This toast belonged to the group of those bitterly defeated.


    On the stage, President Velen announced the judgment for the Kreivs, holding a document from the Imperial Supervision Bureau and declared:


    "According to the law section 172, an official''s significant error resulting in adventurer''s rights damage is punishable with a minimum of 30 years in iron prison! If they fail to compensate for the adventurers'' losses, they will spend the remainder of their lives in prison without the possibility of parole or bail!"


    As if the grim reaper himself had swung his cold scythe, the color drained from the faces of Klay and JieLi as they were being escourted by the empire''s guards.


    JieLi even fainted on the spot.


    "No��please let me explain. I didn''t intend to harm the many adventurers; it was just a minor error, this shouldn''t be happening!"


    Klay hysterically rushed forward to Lin Da, frenziedly kowtowing with a series of crisp sounds that grated on the nerves, his forehead quickly bloodied.


    However, even the most compassionate adventurer present couldn''t forgive Klay.


    Had Klay not been arrogantly shortsighted, completely dismissing the possibility of a Monster Tide and instead taken Lin Da to see President Velen... perhaps a thousand lives could have been spared.


    "Lin Da, please forgive us. We are willing to start from the bottom, earnestly serve the adventurers, and never look down on them with bureaucratic arrogance again!"


    Klay screamed in terror, only realizing his mistake under the weight of the law.


    Many officials looked down on adventurers, a common occurrence across the continent. S��ar?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even a rock level captain could sometimes be treated with disdain by Guild managers.


    The reason was simple: the Adventurer''s Guild is a direct institution of the Imperial Federation, the largest official force.


    Working here comes with a high salary and social status.


    Some people would become arrogant, looking down on the adventurers who fought at the frontlines.


    The regret in Klay''s words was not only his; other Guild managers who narrowly skirted disaster were quietly reflecting on their behavior over the years.


    Under Klay''s desperate gaze, Lin Da shook his head: "Go and accept your punishment; it''s the price you deserve to pay."


    President Velen grabbed Klay and handed him over to the imperial guards, "When you reform, at your death, perhaps your spirit can return to the World Tree and be successfully reborn!"


    Klay, hollow and defeated, was half-dragged away by the guards. He suddenly burst into crazed laughter, followed by woeful crying, in such a dramatic breakdown that he ultimately lost his sanity.


    "The parasite of the Adventurer''s Guild really needs to be cleaned out," President Velen said meaningfully, scaring the many staff members who collectively shuddered.


    Then turning to Lin Da, President Velen bowed deeply, "For this error, I, on behalf of the Guild, offer you an apology."


    Lin Da helped President Velen to his feet.


    The celebration thereafter proceeded in a relaxed and cheerful atmosphere.


    Only then did many realize the existence of the Red Armored Crab King and the Thousand-Change Demon.


    Listening to Gale recount that intense battle, how Lin Da hurriedly sent the message to the frontline, then how Abner, like a Sword God, killed the Thousand-Change Demon... Gale, an eloquent speaker, vividly retold the story, as if he was bringing everyone onto that tense battlefield to experience the fight firsthand.


    When Gale finished, a chorus of applause erupted, with Lin Da also receiving praise, the looks he received filled with a new respect.


    Being able to devise strategies, smart and willing to risk his life to aid the White Dove Adventure Group at Breeze River Beach, he was commendable for his bravery.


    Suddenly, Lin Da caught the fancy of many female adventurers.


    However, when those people came to offer him a toast, Lulu, with a stern face, stood in front of Lin Da, her nose wrinkled, growling like a defensive snow wolf warning off enemies.


    Lin Da thought Lulu was blocking the drinks for him and felt grateful.


    Actually, that wasn''t the case; the male adventurer getting closer didn''t receive any warning from Lulu.


    Isa nearby, as well as Aiko in the distance, saw this scene, all understanding clearly and nervously sweating.


    Luckily, the Werewolf Clan is quite proud and doesn''t initiate attacks.


    For a short time, they were still on the same starting line.


    "Eye of True Knowledge, truly deserves the praise of being proficient in both arts and arms. Lin Da, here''s a toast to you."


    The valiant team leader, Robert, with his brown explosive hairstyle, raised a large wheat beer mug and drained it in one go.


    Lin Da chuckled, "Captain Robert is also magnificent, truly admirable."


    "Captain Lin Da, I''ll toast to you too!"


    "Me too."


    "Drink!"


    The crowd gathered enthusiastically, Lin Da was overwhelmed and simply raised his glass together with them. Read new chapters at empire


    "Miss here, to you too," Lia, accompanied by the members of Phoenix Tail Flower Team, came up close.


    The girl''s cheeks were flushed with the glow of drunkenness, her eyes bright as she looked at Lin Da, her mug filled to the brim with wheat beer.


    Lin Da nodded: "Cheers."


    "Cheers," Lia said seriously, as if it were some kind of ritual.


    As the leader of the Snow Goose, she acknowledged Lin Da''s status as the captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    They were now equals.


    She no longer saw Lin Da as the incompetent old team member who dragged down the Snow Goose.


    Amidst laughter and cheers, the celebration banquet came to a close late into the night.


    The adventurers gradually left.


    On the main street.


    "Ugh~ um..."


    Aiko, who couldn''t handle her liquor, threw up directly on Lia''s back.


    "Why hasn''t your tolerance improved at all in three years!"


    Lia didn''t angrily throw Aiko off, but pinched her nose and frowned, "You''re messed up after just one wheat beer, that''s pathetic!"


    "You... haven''t grown in three years either, right?"


    "Ha!? Believe it or not, I''ll throw you out!"


    Lia flew into a rage out of humiliation.


    She also wondered why Aiko had grown up so fast while she seemed frozen in time, not even matching a wheat beer mug.


    Aiko rested her cheek on Lia''s shoulder. The noisy voices of the girl and the cluttered conversation of adventurers on the street intertwined, forming a not-so-pleasant lullaby. Aiko''s thoughts began to drift away.


    She remembered at the celebration banquet Lin Da was surrounded by Isa and many other adventurer teams'' girls, like a bunch of eager sows.


    Such a bunch of shameless temptresses!


    "Zhuo Ai, I really miss Zhuo Ai...Why haven''t I ''zhued ai'' in my twenties..."


    Drunk Aiko, tears emerging, uttered such scandalous words that shocked her team members into stunned silence.


    Lia shuddered almost dropping Aiko on the ground.


    "What what what are you talking about!"


    "That''s just shameless!"


    "Wait a minute��don''t tell me you''re fantasizing about Lin Da?"


    Lia''s face went through several changes, both embarrassed and shocked. Aiko had said before that she didn''t feel that way about Lin Da, so why would she think about...with Lin Da?


    As a swordsman focused entirely on getting stronger, Lia had always prioritized her practice and had never considered such things,


    Hearing Aiko''s vulgar words made her face turn red as a monkey''s butt, her toes curling inside her boots in embarrassment.


    Klyne, the only girl in the team with experience, shyly approached Lia under Oru''s embarrassed gaze, leaned in close to her ear, and whispered something with a giggle.


    Lia''s head seemed to turn into a whistling kettle, suddenly boiling over, her eyes spinning as she stammered:


    "Very, very comfy��? Impossible, absolutely impossible!"


    Klyne mysteriously smiled, "You''ll know once you experience it."


    ...


    Most adventurers returned to their homes to rest and recuperate.


    The Imperial Knights organized lower-level adventurers to go outside the city to gather materials as well as to tally each adventure team''s achievements.


    Mayor Adel had ordered: everything must be tallied by tomorrow afternoon. We can''t let the adventurers feel that after a hard fight, they received nothing.


    Those who went to the battlefield were adventurers above level 10, while below level 10, the numbers were notably more.


    All were deployed, and sensor ladybugs in the night sky ensured that no adventurer pocketed materials for themselves.


    Adel believed he had an unavoidable responsibility in this Monster Tide. When Lin Da sought his help, he had not paid enough attention.


    The upcoming achievement commendation ceremony must be conducted flawlessly.


    Adel even used his personal connections to apply for a subsidy of three hundred thousand gold coins for the Phoenix Tail Flower Team!


    Riding a high-headed steed, Adel surveyed the battlefield.


    "Everyone work hard. Tonight, all adventurers who come to collect materials will be paid triple rewards!"


    "Oh oh!"


    The adventurers let out excited shouts.

 Chapter 197 172. Tasya awakens: Pollution reduced?

    Three carriages reinforced with golden iron sped across the wilderness.A powerful aura emanated from within the carriages, causing all the magical creatures along the road to flee in panic, as if they couldn''t get away fast enough.


    A flag fluttered in the breeze.


    It had a red Mandala flower in the background and a blood-stained sword on the front, like a knight slumbering amongst the blooms.


    This convoy belonged to the Scarlet Adventure Group.


    After the Monster Tide ended, Dawen led his team members back to Red Heart City.


    "Ugh, my head hurts so much."


    "What happened?"


    On the soft bed within the carriage, Tasya rubbed her throbbing brow and opened her eyes.


    Her throat was parched, and her tongue also hurt as if it had been constricted by a python.


    Oh right... and also her limbs, below her chest, she felt the pain of being bound by ropes.


    If she observed her body in front of a full-length mirror, Tasya would find that it was marked with a ring of red marks, like a piece of art.


    "You passed out. Lin Da found you and handed you over to me."


    The person driving ahead was the deputy leader of the group, Dawen.


    Dawen didn''t trust the original coachman. Too much jolting would make Tasya''s condition, who was still unconscious, even worse. To be on the safe side, Dawen decided to drive himself.


    This kindness, which could be described as of the sun level, however, did not reach Tasya''s heart in the slightest.


    Her heart was not large, and it was already completely filled by an adventurer named ''Lin Da.''


    So, when Tasya heard Dawen say ''It was Lin Da who found you,'' no matter how much Dawen did for her, even if he would go to great lengths, Tasya wouldn''t feel the slightest bit touched.


    Her mind had long shifted elsewhere.


    Your next read is at empire


    "Lin Da! Where is he? I want to see him!"


    Tasya got up anxiously, bracing herself against the carriage, seemingly forgetting even the pain in her head.


    This was the 100th Lin Da she was looking for.


    This time, Tasya had a profound sense of fate that it wouldn''t be in vain... This time, it must be the master she had been longingly thinking about.


    Tasya had such a strong premonition.


    "Really?"


    "Another one of your ''masters''? If possible, I''d really like to meet him."


    Dawen forced a bitter smile, "But the Lin Da I mentioned is probably not the one you''re looking for. His level is only 19."


    "19..."


    Tasya muttered the number.


    Her master, Dark Shadow, had reached the level of a Heavenly Rank Adventurer at level 50 three years ago, and by now, three years later, Tasya believed it was plausible for him to have reached level 70 given his astonishing talents.


    Level 19 was indeed too low. However... Suddenly, a figure flashed before Tasya''s eyes. That detestable fraudster who was called ''Li Cha'' by Lulu was also level 19.


    Could there be some connection between Li Cha and Lin Da?


    That Li Cha did indeed know some information about Dark Shadow.


    In this manner, Li Cha, Lin Da, Dark Shadow...


    Between the three of them, there seemed to form a trail.


    As Tasya was pondering this matter with a frown, she was unaware of how uncomfortable Dawen felt inside, as if he had swallowed a bitter herb.


    It was he who took care of Tasya.


    He provided her with accommodation, and despite wandering outside for a year, ensured her compensation was never missed.


    He even helped Tasya look for her master. S~ea??h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Once you meet, it will certainly be a grand affair."


    These things, Dawen with his broad mind, could endure.


    As long as Tasya was happy, it didn''t matter if he had to suffer a bit.


    The only thing he couldn''t stand was that Tasya was completely blind to all he had done.


    As the second young master of The Mandalas, Dawen had never faced setbacks, except for a major stumble with Tasya. It really felt as if she had a serious problem in her head, unable to accommodate anything besides her master.


    And yet, it was this exact dedication that made Dawen admire her exceptionally.


    Perhaps it''s those things we can''t have that we cherish the most.


    "Ugh."


    Suddenly, Tasya groaned with a headache.


    This sound made all of Dawen''s resentment dissipate.


    "Are you alright? There''s hot water in the carriage, drink more."


    Dawen still had to drive, so he could only express his concern with words.


    That''s the ultimate behavior of a fawning sycophant.


    "I... I''m fine."


    Tasya slowly massaged her forehead, closed her eyes, and used her spiritual power to feel her body''s condition.


    Then, shock flashed in her eyes.


    A huge question burst forth in her mind: What''s going on?


    The Witch''s Corruption that plagued her body constantly had diminished.


    It was like an adventurer burdened with five thousand pounds lightening their load by five hundred.


    In an instant, Tasya realized that her physical condition had improved.


    Why?


    What had happened during the time she was unconscious?


    After all... could Witch''s Corruption even be eliminated?


    That was a power tied to a pact with the Demon King.


    What kind of force could possibly dispel the contamination!


    Tasya stood gaping with her lips parted, her heart a tumultuous sea.


    She ignored Dawen''s concerned voice and began to comb through the clues from the beginning.


    First, she fought with Lulu, and the contamination inside her acted up.


    She was defeated by Lulu and tied up.


    After that, she met Li Cha.


    That arrogant scammer seemed intent on defiling her.


    Tasya, unable to bear the humiliation, decided to bite her tongue and commit suicide, to preserve her chastity.


    Yet she was knocked out by Lulu with a slap.


    Tasya''s complexion changed abruptly, and she quickly checked herself over.


    Still there...


    This indicated that the other party had not done anything vile while she was unconscious.


    The reason for the decrease in her body''s corruption could only be sought by finding Lulu and others to inquire.


    At least Tasya understood one thing, that the adventure team bore her no ill will.


    They not only tolerated her various actions but even helped eliminate part of the corruption...


    Why do this?


    This act of repaying evil with kindness left Tasya deeply puzzled.


    [These three years, you''ve had it hard, captain ah...]


    The first sentence from a certain scammer suddenly echoed in her ears.


    Tasya''s heart skipped a beat, and her complexion turned pale.


    She held the black small whip in her maid dress pocket, a gift from Dark Shadow.


    If it were Dark Shadow, not to mention eliminating the Witch''s Corruption, even killing the source of the corruption��the Demon King��Tasya would believe it.


    "Li Cha is Li Cha, Lin Da is Lin Da, Dark Shadow is Dark Shadow�� how could they be confused with one another?"


    Tasya''s heart pounded, and if it weren''t for Lulu''s intervention, her little whip would probably have already exploded Li Cha''s backside.


    Until the truth is clear, it seems she ought to be thankful to Lulu.


    "Dawen, can I ask you for a favor?"


    "Go ahead."


    "Introduce me to Lin Da from White Dove City."


    Tasya still held onto a glimmer of hope, "Even if he isn''t the person I''m looking for, I want to meet him in person to confirm it."


    "...Fine, but you better not get your hopes up."


    The two conversed across channels, with Tasya thinking Li Cha had abandoned her to be found by Lin Da, and Dawen assuming Tasya had never met Lin Da.


    Dawen sighed and said, "I know Lin Da; he joined my sister''s team three years ago. He comes from an ordinary background, with no particular connections; he couldn''t possibly be that powerful ''master'' you''re looking for."


    "Three years ago?"


    A thought stirred in Tasya''s heart.


    The time of Dark Shadow''s disappearance was exactly three years ago.


    Along with Tina from Hell''s Judgment and several core members, they entered the higher levels of the World Tree.


    And then, Dark Shadow mysteriously vanished.


    "If the master disappeared because of a trap set by Tina and her group... I will never forgive them," Tasya''s eyes filled with a cold light. Even if the group was called powerful ''Five-star Characters'' by the master, she held not a trace of fear.

 Chapter 198 173. Monica wants to become a Witch

    ```A carriage returning to Luanwei Flower Villa.


    Inside the compartment, something was happening that made cheeks flush and hearts race.


    "Humph." Monica, not content, sneakily glanced at the two people in the back seat.


    They occasionally made peculiar smacking sounds, which rubbed Monica the wrong way, as if a cat''s paw with its soft pad was scratching inside her heart, making her whole body itch uncomfortably.


    If she were also a witch, she would have received the Lord''s treatment by now...


    Monica thought jealously.


    Kafni had already drunk herself into a stupor, and was currently snoring away on the blanket. In the back seat, Lin Da cupped Lulu''s small face. The beast girl''s pale blue eyelashes fluttered like a startled animal, and her tightly closed lips parted invitingly.


    Even Lin Da, as dull as he was, knew this meant ''okay.''


    It meant ''okay to proceed with the treatment.''


    "Lulu, I''m going to start now; just bear with it and try not to make any strange noises,"


    Lin Da gently instructed. S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He remembered that both Monica and Kafni were quite vocal.


    Although Lulu usually kept her composure, if she were to suddenly let out a sound at an intense moment, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team''s reputation could be ruined:


    Right after the victory banquet, someone couldn''t wait to hold an unspeakable party in the carriage with three beautiful female teammates!


    The title Eye of True Knowledge for Lin Da would be replaced once more by that of Ultimate Pervert.


    "So, you absolutely mustn''t make any noise; otherwise, we''ll wait until we get home for the treatment,"


    Lulu hummed in response, her cheeks blushing faintly.


    The lighting in the compartment wasn''t great, and it was somewhat dim, but that made the girl''s collagen-rich skin even more tempting, like a tasty cake that anyone would want to bite into.


    After a round of treatments.


    Lin Da received a system notification: [Witch Lulu''s trust +2, current trust level 76 points]


    Finally, the one point of trust Lulu had dropped while treating Tasya in the wilderness had been recovered.


    Although today''s treatment was over, Lin Da, looking at Lulu''s charmingly shy demeanor, couldn''t help but test a thought in his mind: Could it be that Lulu didn''t just like the results of the treatment, but enjoyed the process of being treated?


    Could this be a way to increase trust?


    A trust level of 80 points is classified as [Close Friends/Sworn Comrades]. Compared with the 70 points for [Deep Affection], it is a significant jump. Lin Da wondered what kind of reward the system would provide.


    Lulu, a bit short on oxygen and feeling dizzy, prepared to rest for a while, but didn''t expect Lin Da to initiate another treatment...


    The girl let out a small exclamation as she completely lost any ability to resist under Lin Da''s increasingly skilled treatment.


    [Trust +1]


    [Trust +1]


    Her trust went up two points in succession but could no longer rise.


    "Sister Lulu is cheating; you''re not really treating!" Monica, who had been peeping, finally noticed something amiss.


    There were no green lights representing treatment emanating from the Lord.


    In other words, the two of them were simply getting intimate!


    Even though Monica had a meek personality, she did not wish to be outdone by Lulu.


    It was Lin Da who had saved her from the robbers, given her the dark little warehouse, and spared her from facing those dreadful Primordial teammates.


    Having ended up in Red Heart City with debts and narrowly escaping the fate of being sold into a tavern by beastmen, it was Lin Da who appeared again to take her into the outside world, helping her bit by bit to overcome her introverted nature...


    Monica could say without hesitation that the one she liked the most was the Lord!


    Therefore, even though she greatly respected Lulu, she would not easily hand Lin Da over.


    "Lord... Monica also wants to receive treatment!"


    Monica, looking indignant, sat down beside Lin Da''s left side and snuggled up close to him.


    That made Lin Da feel embarrassed.


    On his right, a blushing Lulu; on his left, Monica, who also wanted to be treated.


    Being an adventure team leader really is tough!


    "Monica, stop it. You''re not a witch; you don''t need to be treated," Lin Da said amusingly, stroking Monica''s head.


    "Then I also want to become a witch!" Monica firmly held Lin Da''s arm, pouting with a vigilant look towards Lulu.


    In an instant, Lulu understood something.


    This Monica... felt the same as her?


    "Wishing to become a witch is not something to be said lightly!" Lin Da scolded lightly by tapping Monica''s forehead, causing the girl to cover her head with her hands, her eyes tearing up like she''d received a great injustice.


    Monica felt that Lin Da was playing favorites, treating Lulu the best!


    "If I become a witch, then I can get treatment from the Lord," Monica said, playing with her fingers and her head bowed, looking very downcast.


    Lulu pursed her lips, troubled, not knowing how to comfort Monica.


    Indeed, she wished Lin Da only had eyes for her, but Monica was also a member of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team. Lin Da couldn''t possibly neglect her.


    A leader who didn''t care for his teammates would be no better than the ruthless Dark Shadow.


    Lin Da embraced Monica in his arms and softly comforted her: "Monica likes magic puppets most, right? Our adventure team is wealthy now, after conquering the Magical Creatures. How about I buy you two limited Magic Puppets from Moon Goddess Palace?"


    "Two... two?" Monica wiped her eyes, tentatively asking, "Can it be three?"


    Sure enough, she was still a child. The same thought arose in both Lin Da and Lulu''s minds.


    Even though Monica was an adult, she was not a mature adventurer in spirit.


    Monica being held in Lin Da''s embrace didn''t notice Lin Da and Lulu exchanging glances, silently agreeing: from now on, they would initiate treatments where no one else was around.


    The scene was reminiscent of when parents deliberately keep certain activities secret from their child, not wanting Monica to find out.


    After pacifying Monica for a while, she too became tired and fell asleep on the blanket.


    Lin Da and Lulu sat together side by side.


    They pulled back the curtain, and outside, the night sky was sprinkled with stars, while the moonlight poured down on them, serene and peaceful. Experience more tales on empire


    ```

 Chapter 199 174. Lulus favorability rating is 80, obtained a magical item.

    As a Beastmen, Lulu''s fuzzy ears stood erect like those of a fox, occasionally listening to the sounds around her, tilting at various angles, which looked quite amusing.Lin Da couldn''t resist it and touched Lulu''s ears with his hand.


    "Eek!"


    Caught off guard, the vulnerable spot attacked, Lulu couldn''t help but let out a cat-like adorable noise.


    Lulu looked up, embarrassed, and indeed saw Lin Da''s surprised expression, which made her even more embarrassed. She huffed and said,


    "Who told you to touch my ears, Eye of True Knowledge... haha, more like Ultimate Pervert!"


    No... maybe Lulu was also feeling shy? Lin Da thought, realizing that even though the healing had ended, she was still willing to continue the ''treatment''.


    Linda wisely didn''t point it out. Instead, he smiled lightly and reached out to grab Lulu''s ears again.


    The naughty Beastmen needed to continue the treatment!


    Lulu was completely flustered, as the fuzzy ears and tail were a Werewolf''s no-go zone.


    In her vague memory, her parents had never touched them, but Lin Da had grabbed them mercilessly and even moved closer... to administer treatment!


    At this point, Lulu''s brain seemed to malfunction, her eyes glazed over, letting Lin Da take control.


    "Wuu... let... let go..."


    Despite Lulu''s ''full-force'' resistance, even thumping Lin Da''s shoulders with her little fists, strangely enough, the system sent several notifications:


    [Trust Level +1]


    [Trust Level +1]


    [Trust Level +1]


    [Current Trust Level: 80 points, Bosom friends]


    [Reward Obtained: Magical Jelly Set!]


    [Name: Magical Jelly Set]


    [Type: Item (can be used 9999999 times)]


    [Quality: Legendary]


    [Description: Thin as air, seemingly nonexistent yet still functions like a normal gel sleeve, an essential item for top adventurers!]


    Lin Da got excited and accidentally materialized the Magical Jelly Set in his palm from his inventory. To Lulu, it looked like he was pulling something out of his Space Ring.


    "What...?" Lulu, barely able to breathe, pushed Lin Da away, bewildered as she looked at the item in his hand.


    Lin Da was also puzzled. A trust level of 80 had rewarded him with a gel sleeve, was the system implying something?


    The quality of the gel sleeve was extraordinarily legendary.


    Mysteriously, it consisted only of a white elastic band, with no corresponding ''bag'', and was utterly intangible on touch.


    But according to the item description, as long as you wear this band, there''s no need to worry about conceiving offspring.


    Lulu clearly did not understand the purpose of this item, she took it from Lin Da''s palm like a curious baby and fiddled with it on her finger.


    That made Lin Da quite awkward.


    Should he tell Lulu the truth?


    Wait, that''s wrong. Maybe Lulu actually understood, was this some kind of hint?


    With this thought, Lin Da perked up.


    The girl''s fair skin emitted a faintly alluring glow under the moonlight.


    Her pink lips were so tempting that just for a moment, Lin Da couldn''t remember the taste from before.


    He earnestly looked into Lulu''s eyes and asked, "Is it okay?"


    "?"


    Lulu was stunned for a while, staring blankly at the item in her hand and then at Lin Da''s fervent gaze, before she finally realized!


    She thought it was a magic item, but the reality was that it was specifically designed as a ''weapon'' to target girls!? S��ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Of course not!"


    Lulu''s face turned red instantly, her tail almost bristled, and she threw it forcefully back at Lin Da: "We''re just teammates, you know!"


    "Really, it''s not okay?" Lin Da asked.


    "Anyway... today is not possible," Lulu hesitated for a moment, mumbling.


    "What about tomorrow?"


    "Tomorrow is also not possible! We are teammates, after all!"


    "If it were Tasya, she probably would agree," Lin Da remarked with a sigh and then received a system notification of Trust Points -1.


    "Hmph, then you go find her," Lulu coldly retorted, her arms crossed as she sat to the far right, seemingly upset.


    "Uh, sorry."


    Lin Da realized that some jokes should not be made.


    Although a witch''s trust level is not the same as fondness, it is conceivable that a high trust necessarily corresponds to high fondness for those trusted.


    "Are you planning to invite Tasya to join the Phoenix Tail Flower Team?" With Lin Da''s apology, Lulu''s expression relaxed, and she gently asked.


    The matter was serious, and Lin Da nodded earnestly in agreement.


    He and Lulu had made a pact.


    To find those missing teammates and once again climb to the top of the World Tree together.


    "Silly captain," Lulu pursed her lips, fully aware that Lin Da would always act this way, yet she couldn''t help but want to stay in the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    If Lin Da truly gave up on all other teammates, that version of Lin Da wouldn''t be the one she respected.


    "There are many teammates, stronger than us," Lulu looked at the sleeping Monica and whispered, "Will you forget about us?" Discover hidden tales at empire


    Just like the last time.


    Lin Da knew what Lulu was referring to. The version of himself who had drawn a five-star card and unhesitatingly discarded the four-star cards.


    "This time, absolutely not."


    Lin Da said with determination.


    "Hmph, I hope so."


    For the first time, Lulu bit her lip, and extended her pale arm to embrace Lin Da''s head.


    [Trust Points +1+1+1+1...]


    [Current Trust Points: 83]


    ...


    Returning to the villa, Lin Da and Lulu took the other two, who were asleep, back to their rooms.


    Then, the two of them started inventorying the gains from the Monster Tide in the third-floor hall.


    Lulu watched Lin Da with a tender expression as he removed various materials from the space ring, feeling a deep sense of trust.


    Each of these materials was very valuable, forming the foundation of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    For Lin Da to ask her to help count them, if not trust, then what?


    Compared to Monica and Kafni, she was undoubtedly a step ahead.


    The materials were piled up throughout the room.


    The three most conspicuous items were:


    Four pairs of claws from the Black Shell Crab General, which could be crafted into two orange weapons.


    The carcass of the Red Armored Crab King, valued around 600,000 gold.


    The claws of the Red Armored Crab King, which could be crafted into two exceptional orange jewelry pieces with set attributes.


    "Sorry," Lulu suddenly gripped her fists in self-reproach, saying, "I couldn''t be of help to the team during the Monster Tide."


    Considering the numerous valuable materials, it was clear the Phoenix Tail Flower had encountered a fierce battle.


    But she, due to carrying a certain mission and the fear of exposing her identity as a witch, had not been able to join the Phoenix Tail Flower in battle.


    "Stopping Tasya? You did well with that." Lin Da ruffled Lulu''s hair gently. "Don''t worry about the exposure of your identity; with another week of treatment, unless encountered by very high-level adventurers, no one will be able to detect your witch identity."


    Lin Da said earnestly, "If you are feeling guilty for not contributing to the team, you needn''t. On the fifth layer of the Great Mystery Continent, there is a nest of an epic level demon creature; your help as a Frost Wolf Warrior will be crucial then."

 Chapter 200 175, White Dove Morning News: The four most promising Iron Level teams

    "Mm." Lulu''s face revealed a faint smile, and Lin Da dispelled her unease with just a few words.After inventorying the materials, Lin Da took advantage of his light drowsiness and spent an hour visiting the blacksmith shop.


    He commissioned the blacksmith to craft equipment from the Magical Creatures'' materials.


    For four pairs of Black Shell Crab General materials, the cost was 100,000 Gold Coins, and they could craft two 20-level orange main weapons.


    The claws of the Red Armored Crab King would cost 200,000 Gold Coins to craft a pair of orange set jewelry.


    Lin Da didn''t have much cash on hand, so he sold the materials from his ring.


    The prices were very fair, and with his Glorious Adventurer Badge displayed, no merchant dared to cheat him on price; otherwise, the shop''s reputation would be ruined the next day if word got out.


    From the miscellaneous materials, Lin Da sold them for a total of 900,000 Gold Coins.


    With the 100,000 Gold Coins from Lai Xi, he had amassed... one million Gold Coins!


    Even for the once Snow Goose, this was a substantial amount.


    Earning a million Gold in just one day... Lin Da clutched the ''weighty'' Savings Card, his mind filled with countless emotions.


    Indeed, adventurers make money fast.


    Of course, they also spend quickly. Lin Da spent 300,000 Gold just on forging costs.


    He inquired with the owner of the blacksmith shop, a retired Star-ranked adventurer, "Do you have any Epic-level Dragon Skin for sale here?"


    "Dragon Skin? That''s a rare commodity; haven''t seen it in a long time," the owner shook his head, "Even if it were available, the starting price would be two million Gold Coins, not something just anyone can afford."


    This figure was even higher than Lin Da had anticipated.


    It seemed that there were fewer adventurers hunting dragons this year, making the rare even more valuable.


    He had a Thousand-Change Demon''s Demon Core, and with a piece of Dragon Skin, he could craft the Epic-level Equipment "Magic Dragon Soft Armor."


    "The price is too high; I''ll wait for another opportunity," Lin Da said.


    He wasn''t in a rush. If he crafted the Magic Dragon Soft Armor now, he wouldn''t be able to wear it at his current level of 19 anyway.


    When he reached the appropriate level, he would have the Gold Coins to craft the Magic Dragon Soft Armor.


    The crafting of the Murderous Crab series equipment would take seven days. Lin Da paid a deposit and returned to the villa,


    Late at night, after washing up and lying in bed, he routinely opened the system to sign in.


    [System Notification: Today''s sign-in rewards 2,440 Diamonds; total Diamond count is 13,320.]


    "Monica must be close to level 20 by now. I''ll save up some more Diamonds and give her a hand."


    As Lin Da pondered his future plans, sleepiness gradually overtook him.


    The next morning, the Phoenix Tail Flower trio set out toward the wilderness, hunting the remaining Murderous Crabs.


    The monsters were too scattered. When Lin Da returned in the afternoon, he had only hunted 40, gaining 12,000 Mystical Points.


    With his remaining points, the total was 79,867, about 20,000 short of reaching level 20.


    He took a carriage to the Adventurer''s Guild, where a long queue of people formed, a lively scene.


    After tallying their achievements, the adventurers all came to collect their bounties.


    As a Glorious Adventurer, Lin Da could go directly to the VIP room on the third floor to receive priority service from the manager.


    In just a few short minutes, he exited the crowded Adventurer''s Guild.


    His Savings Card was once again credited with 500,000 Gold Coins, of which 300,000 was an extra subsidy applied for by Mayor Adel!


    With that, Lin Da''s Savings Card now held a total of 1.2 million Gold.


    Once every member of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team reached level 20, these Gold Coins could buy quite a few orange pieces of equipment.


    Just one level short, the combat power of Lin Da and his team would rise to a new tier.


    "Look, it''s the Eye of True Knowledge!"


    As he walked out of the guild hall, some queued adventurers recognized him.


    Many pretty little fans greeted him as if they were actual fans.


    Thanks to reporter Kami''s coverage, any team that performed well during the Monster Tide had seen their fame increase significantly.


    Out of these, four dark horses were acknowledged by Kami as having the potential to advance to the Iron Level.


    They were: Ice Flower Adventure Team, Valiant Adventure Team, Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, and Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    The first, naturally, needs no explanation; under Lin Da''s off-field direction, Ice Flower conquered the 13th floor. They just needed to pass the 14th floor to qualify for the Great Mystery Continent''s 15th floor and officially become an Iron Level adventure team.


    The Ice Flower, just one step away from the Iron Level, attracted much attention.


    While going to collect his reward, Lin Da had a casual chat with the manager and learned that both the White Dove Adventure Group and the Specter Adventure Group had hosted banquets for Ice Flower individually.


    It was unclear which side Ice Flower chose.


    Lin Da guessed, based on Isa''s and his united front against Hulus the day before, that Ice Flower probably chose the White Dove Adventure Group.


    That was for the best, as Lin Da had no desire to become enemies with Isa.


    Smiling and nodding in response to the warm greetings from those around him, Lin Da purchased a newspaper from a newsboy and, feeling somewhat tired, climbed into the carriage.


    He could hear his fans outside:


    "Eye of True Knowledge, I want to be your girlfriend~"


    "I''m a fan of Abner, thank you for relaying the message to White Dove Adventure Group; from now on, I support both of your teams!"


    "Hey, hey~ The loli''s cannon, looks tasty... hehehe..."


    After this battle, Phoenix Tail Flower gained a lot more fans, some even formed a Support Group on their own.


    Lin Da and the others might face problems when traveling in the future. Especially the timid Monica, who even attracted the attention of a pervert who wanted to ''eat'' her Earth Bombardment.


    "Why don''t I have as many fans as you do?" Kafni wondered as she listened to the noise outside.


    Among the supporters of Phoenix Tail Flower, those yelling the name of Eye of True Knowledge were the most numerous, followed by Monica, and only occasionally were there a few who called out her title.


    Moreover, her title was really lame, being called "Great Bear Thief," it sounded like a total loser.


    Kafni''s face turned livid with anger.


    "Maybe you''re just weaker," Lin Da shrugged.


    In the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, Kafni was like a mascot, usually sensing the presence of Magical Creatures and stealing some not-so-valuable materials; that was about it.


    The rogue profession didn''t really start to show its power until level 30 and beyond.


    After a whole day of fighting Magical Creatures, Lin Da sat in the rear seat of the carriage, leisurely crossing his legs. Sear?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He unfolded the newspaper to see how the Monster Tide was being reported.


    He was also a bit curious about what the White Dove Morning News had to say about Phoenix Tail Flower.


    The black and white newspaper unfolded, the front page was a large photo taken by a sensor ladybug: a tall man holding a longsword, turning his back on everyone, with fresh blood spilling from the torn flesh of his palms, dripping along the hilt of the sword.


    The surrounding scene was in disarray, with pits everywhere smashed by the giant crab''s claws. This man, leading two adventure teams, with five young girls, had defeated a level 23 Rare Orange Level Monster, the Red Armored Crab King.


    The carcass of the Crab King lay like a small hill, split in two by a single sword strike.


    From the high vantage point of the sensor ladybug, the man and the girls appeared tiny as ants. But with their united efforts, they took down the king of the Murderous Crabs, the Red Armored Crab King.


    Beneath the image was a comment from a guest invited by the White Dove Morning News, Mayor Adel:


    ''Such an achievement is simply mind-boggling.


    The Eye of True Knowledge with its powerful defensive power firmly blocked every attack from the Red Armored Crab King, and amidst the fierce battle, had an enlightening experience, leveling up three times and receiving the Goddess'' Blessing.


    The quaint coincidence, plus the exquisite cooperation of the two adventure teams, made the defeat of the Red Armored Crab King possible. I would call this a miracle!''


    The journalist Kami, who wrote this report, concluded firmly: Following the Ice Flower Adventure Team, we believe that Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose, these two teams, are also strong candidates for the Iron Level.


    President Velen commented: The 14th floor is the threshold for adventure teams; White Dove City has had too many long-established Rock Level Teams fall at this hurdle. I sincerely hope they can break the curse of ''a decade without an Iron Level'' in White Dove City and bring us some relief from this frustration.


    Even Lin Da, who had a strong will, couldn''t help but smile when he saw this well-founded praise for Phoenix Tail Flower.


    Watching his own team rise step by step was like a father watching his son grow up; the sense of achievement was ineffable.


    Even Monica, who wasn''t that interested in adventuring, started smiling.


    Kafni became downright smug, arrogantly declaring that from now on the adventurers would address her as ''Lady Kafni''!


    "Speaking of which, it''s pretty sad that White Dove City hasn''t produced an Iron Level in ten years."


    Lin Da sighed; he could feel the bitterness in President Velen''s words.


    Every time an adventure team got close to the 14th floor, it stirred President Velen''s hopes. The more Iron Levels that emerged, the greater the achievements accredited to President Velen, and it was a badge of honor belonging only to the President.


    But alas, in almost ten years, not a single adventure team had broken through the curse of the 14th floor.


    Now, Ice Flower was on the 13th floor, Snow Goose on the 12th, both gradually approaching the curse, preparing to make a push for it.


    "Ice and Fire..."


    Lin Da murmured to himself, thinking of something.


    Without a doubt, these two adventure teams would break the curse of White Dove City not producing an Iron Level for a decade.


    Isa was solid as ever, Snow Goose was growing, with Aiko and Klrona as strong supporters helping Lia, reaching Iron Level wouldn''t be difficult.


    His own team had to catch up quickly too.


    After conquering the fourth floor, Lin Da planned to rush all the way to the tenth floor and officially become a Rock-level Squad.


    Currently, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team was: Lulu at level 27, he and Kafni, Monica, all at level 19; passing the fourth floor, they would most likely reach level 20.


    In terms of the strength of the team members, they fully qualified as a Rock-level Squad.


    The only thing missing was the number of floors.


    "The fourth floor, Dark Night City; at zero o''clock on the first of every month, there''s the highest chance to enter this Mystic Realm."


    Lin Da took out a pocket watch from his Space Ring, left to him by his sister.


    Finally back to where everything started.


    As the pocket watch opened, the melody of the music inside rang out, a tune very familiar from home.


    Inside the lid was a small photo; Lin Xi with a lively face hugging his arm, making a ''ye'' victory sign with her fingers.


    A very lively girl.


    Explore stories on empire


    After crossing over, Lin Xi went from a sickly child to healthy, and additionally, her talent for adventure was strong, her combat power not weaker than Lia''s, plus she was smarter than Lia.


    The sibling relationship between the two did not fade due to their crossing and the supposed loss of blood relations but rather intensified; they were not only family but also teammates who put their lives on the line together.


    Lin Xi''s disappearance on the fourth floor was a heavy blow to all members of Snow Goose.


    Lin Da was somber for a while, and Lia became more and more a believer in personal power, seeking speed in strategy.


    Perhaps it was the departure of Lin Xi, the high-output warrior, that made everyone feel the pressure.


    If Lin Xi had remained with Snow Goose, the present situation would have been much different.

 Chapter 201 176. Preparation for Departing to the Fourth Level, News Brought by Lia

    Lin Da thought to himself that with Lin Xi accompanying Lia, she might not become annoying��everyone continuously climbing upwards happily and joyfully.There would then be no need for him to leave the team and start the Phoenix Tail Flower.


    All one could say is that fate is unpredictable.


    Lin Da couldn''t tell which scenario was better, all he could do was to try his best to press forward.


    Staring absentmindedly at the pocket watch, Lin Da silently said to the beaming black-haired girl in the photograph:


    "I will definitely find the clue to my sister''s disappearance on the fourth floor. Even if Lin Xi falls, I will pull her out of the abyss."


    That''s right,


    Lin Da was worried about the worst possibility.


    The power Lin Xi gained from the mid-stage onward was eerily similar to that of a Witch!


    The only difference was, the stronger Lin Xi''s powers became, the frailer her body seemed.


    She also didn''t have nocturnal contamination fits, being tormented by backlash unto death.


    It was somewhat like a Witch, yet not quite so.


    But if... if she really did turn into a Witch, Lin Da would cure Lin Xi, even if it required force.


    Three days remained until the 1st of the next month.


    For the first two days, Lin Da fought monsters in the wilderness as usual.


    On the third day, in the evening, sea??h th�� N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    About four hours were left until midnight.


    Lin Da held a combat planning meeting in the room for two teammates, instructing them on matters to heed when entering Dark Night City.


    It was a city set in a medieval western world with scarce magic, where most people were ordinary beings without any strength, and neither magic nor Battle Qi existed.


    However, by contrast, some Transcendents could use magic gems to temporarily exhibit powers beyond ordinary humans.


    Overall, the difference between them and adventurers was as vast as that between strong men and infants.


    But Lin Da and his two teammates could still find it very troublesome if they were to be surrounded.


    In Dark Night City, there were firearms; Lin Da''s Life Barrier could withstand a few thousand bullets without any issue.


    But Monica was a Mage, frail and delicate, able to withstand only a few hundred bullets, so being enemies with a large force in Dark Night City was not worthwhile.


    Lin Da''s strategy was to act covertly and start the investigation from the place where Lin Xi vanished.


    In the room, Kafni sat duck-style on a cushion, raising her hand to ask, "What if some nasty ruffian covets my body? I can''t stand that."


    "Then take them down," Lin Da replied, but his gaze was on Monica, rubbing Big Lolita''s head, saying, "When necessary, don''t hold back. Use the magic whenever needed, at most we''ll use the Town Portal Scroll and retry."


    "Mhm, got it," Monica nodded in reassurance.


    Investigating clues about his sister was critical, but Lin Da would prioritize the safety of his teammates first.


    According to the World Tree rules, each floor allowed for one use of the Town Portal Scroll.


    Lin Da had exactly three scrolls, enough for the entire team, and with Phoenix Tail Flower''s power comparable to rock level... delving deeper into the fourth floor wasn''t a problem.


    The hidden mysterious forces within might even trigger rewards from the World Tree Goddess.


    Lin Da was quite interested.


    ''With Lin Xi''s restless nature, if she came into contact with the mysterious forces, she would definitely investigate deeply.''


    Lin Da speculated that uncovering the mysterious forces in Dark Night City might be the first step to getting closer to his sister.


    Click.


    The meeting was in progress when a small pebble struck the window from outside.


    Lin Da opened the window and frowned as he looked out.


    In the darkness of the night, a short-haired girl''s silhouette could vaguely be made out. She wore an eye mask, her small hands clasped behind her back, awkwardly prodding at a pebble with the tip of her foot.


    "Lia?"


    Descending the stairs, Lin Da looked at her, puzzled.


    This short-haired girl was none other than the leader of Snow Goose, the same Lia who would bicker with him upon each meeting.


    Yet today, Lia was very calm, cutting straight to the point, "Phoenix Tail Flower is going to the fourth layer, isn''t she?"


    "How did you know that?"


    "I heard it from Isa," Lia said, her expression complex. Now to get news about Lin Da, she had to inquire from her rival, Isa.


    "Oh, I ran into her yesterday and brought it up," Lin Da didn''t deny it.


    "Are you here to... wish us luck?"


    "Don''t, don''t make it sound so weird, okay! Wishing luck or whatever, it''s only natural for you to pass the fourth layer!" Lia couldn''t stand such corny talk��wishes, bonds; she found it childish and unbecoming of her mature adventurer persona.


    "Then what are you here for?" Lin Da was baffled.


    "Lin Xi."


    Suddenly, Lia said, "You''re going to investigate Lin Xi''s disappearance, right? Having finally succeeded in changing your profession and starting World Tree anew... you''d surely go to Dark Night City."


    "Yes," Lin Da nodded, "I believe Lin Xi isn''t dead; she''s somewhere on this continent."


    Lia shook her head: "I don''t think so. Lin Xi... might really be dead."


    Seeing Lin Da''s expression suddenly turn awful, Lia''s heart tightened, and she hurriedly explained,


    "I''m not just making this up, ah. I suddenly remembered yesterday, more than two years ago, the night before we entered the fourth layer, Lin Xi came to me alone..."


    "What!?" Lin Da glared at Lia in anger, "Why are you only remembering this now?"


    "I, I didn''t do it on purpose," Lia had never seen Lin Da genuinely angry before. Her face turned pale, and she took a step back, but she quickly realized how shameful it was to be intimidated by Lin Da, considering her status as a 26-level adventurer. She puffed out her small chest in defiance,


    "Lin Xi merely said to take good care of you for her, after all, as team leader, that''s what I am supposed to do, right? I naturally wouldn''t take such a matter to heart."


    Lin Da thought about it and sighed reluctantly. He couldn''t really blame Lia; with her careless personality, she would hardly notice Lin Xi''s subtle changes.


    He himself was also partly to blame. Before entering the fourth layer, Lin Xi had said things like ''adventure is meaningless'' and ''it''s better to give up climbing the World Tree.''


    Lin Da merely took it as a worsening of Lin Xi''s condition and offered a few words of soft comfort without giving it much thought.


    Perhaps at that time, Lin Xi had already gone through some significant psychological change, leading to her disappearance on the fourth layer.


    "Lia, thanks for specially coming to tell me this." Lin Da''s large hand rested on Lia''s head.


    Her red hair was very smooth, feeling no worse than Monica''s.


    "What are you doing, I''m not a child!" Lia''s face changed color, she slapped his hand away and said irritably, "Make it back alive from the fourth layer! Before you get beaten by me, you better not lose to the World Tree!"


    Lia stomped off, her ponytail from the short haircut swinging. It seemed to have grown longer.


    Wasn''t this just her way of sending her blessings? Lin Da shook his head with a wry smile.


    There were still two hours until midnight. Lin Da, Monica, and Kafni took a carriage ride to the World Tree.


    When the time on the pocket watch reached zero, they entered the World Tree and took out their respective Teleportation Stones.


    "Fourth layer, teleport."


    Lin Da thought to himself. He and the two members of his team turned into a pale blue light and disappeared within the World Tree.

 Chapter 202 177、World Tree 4th Layer, Dark Night City

    Level Four, Dark Night City.The sky was pitch black, with clouds churning, brewing a storm.


    On a highway in the wild outskirts, a carriage raced toward the city ahead.


    Inside the spacious carriage,


    Lin Da felt terrible.


    He had iron shackles on his hands, and his damp clothes clung to his back, with the carriage floor beneath his feet soggy and wet.


    Mud and disordered footprints were everywhere, a mess that was frustrating to look at.


    The surrounding people, wearing the same gray short sleeves as him, hadn''t bathed for a long time and emitted an unpleasant body odor.


    Meanwhile, Lin Da and his teammates, probably taken care under the care of the World Tree Goddess, were relatively clean, with Monica smelling of milk as usual right beside him.


    In such a gloomy environment, one would long to hug Big Lolita and sleep blissfully in a warm bed.


    Lin Da looked around,


    their starting point in this plot-driven Mystic Realm was a moving carriage.


    The roles they played were... prisoners? Slaves? Anyway, their status seemed quite low.


    They had lost their equipment, but their Attribute Points remained. Lin Da opened the panel and glanced over it, and his Dual Attack was still 953.


    A normal adult would have a strength value fluctuating between 8-10, while top warriors could reach 30.


    In this low-magic world, without accessing hidden mystical forces, the strength of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team was overwhelming.


    A cold wind blew in from above, and Lin Da looked up. The black canvas of the carriage was torn in several places, and through these holes, one could see the dark sky and thick clouds outside, with flashes of lightning twinkling among them.


    The storm was about to hit.


    This shabby carriage would surely turn into a drenched chicken.


    Both Monica and he looked at each other with inquiring eyes.


    Lin Da shook his head, signaling everyone to hold off on any rash actions for now.


    A flash of light in his hand revealed a palm-sized leaf.


    It would appear as long as he called for it with magic power.


    Lin Da instructed his teammates to call forth their leaves as well, which detailed the adventure objectives set by the World Tree Goddess.


    "Damn it, I don''t want to be attacked by werewolves. Let''s hurry and try to reach the city before midnight!"


    A burly man with a red armband and a goatee popped his head out from the carriage and yelled at the coachman.


    Immediately afterward, the burly man, with a gloomy face, returned to the carriage, glancing at the people sitting on two long benches who looked ashen and wore tattered clothes. Your next read awaits at empire


    Those were the slaves purchased by the organization; they included men, women, the elderly, and children, all wearing iron shackles, trembling under the rubber baton at his waist.


    "Listen up, my name is Reis, the officer in charge of overseeing you!"


    "All of you must obey me as if I were a god! Otherwise, I''ll let you taste the stick!"


    "We''ll start roll call now!"


    "Jack, Amy..."


    "Present."


    "Lin Da! Monica! Kafni!"


    Reis was pleased with everyone''s performance. When he shouted the names of these lowly slaves, they responded in fear, as if rabbits terrified of being preyed on by eagles.


    So, Reis liked escorting slaves; it made him feel like a god of Dark Night City, allowing him to catch a breather from the deadly oppressive atmosphere.


    However, Reis had encountered tough nuts to crack this time. Sear?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Three individuals, not only did they not respond ''Present,'' but they also ignored him, busying themselves with looking at something in their hands.


    A vein popped on Reis''s forehead in an instant.


    He swore to give these people just ten seconds; if they didn''t respond ''Present'' within ten seconds, he would let them taste what it was like to be beaten by a stick!


    All the slaves in the carriage wore looks of astonishment.


    Officer Reis had already spoken of punishment, yet why weren''t they fearfully begging for mercy?


    This Officer Reis was a retired warrior who could break hard cow bones with a baton.


    If those three got injured now, during the ''feast'' later, they would definitely be brutally torn apart by fighting beasts!


    So what exactly were Lin Da and the others doing?


    The answer was, they were looking at the ''Leaf of the World Tree'' in their hands.


    A palm-sized leaf, resembling a maple leaf.


    Formed by the Divine Power of the World Tree Goddess, only adventurers could see it.


    On the Leaf of the World Tree were written Lin Da and his team''s identities, and the adventure objectives. If completed, they could return to White Dove City within seven days.


    In the fourth layer of this role-playing Mystic Realm, the identities of the members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team were... slaves.


    They were bought by an organization known as Dawn of Hell and sent to a cruel arena to fight wild beasts.


    [Adventure Objective: Identify and kill the instigator behind multiple homicides in Dark Night City, the werewolf, within seven days.]


    [Additional Objective: Kill 5 hidden magical beings/transcendents.]


    [Extra Objective: Kill a ''god'']


    These were all the texts on the Leaf of the World Tree.


    It was identical to Lin Da''s last entry into the fourth level. The only difference was that the role he played had changed, from an ordinary passerby last time to a slave sold to Dawn of Hell.


    The start might have been poor, but it was exactly to Lin Da''s liking.


    Last time, when the Snow Goose Squad entered the fourth level to search for the werewolf in Dawn of Hell, it was Lin Xi who did it.


    Lin Xi had made a discovery there; she killed the werewolf and helped the Snow Goose Squad complete their mission.


    Lin Da and the others also found a few. Together, they barely completed the first two objectives.


    The final one, "Goddess," was considered the hidden boss of this level, which Snow Goose failed to uncover.


    After achieving their main adventure objectives, they waited for Lin Xi to join them, but after seven days had passed, the Snow Goose Squad was forcibly transported back to White Dove City.


    Lin Xi disappeared from then on.


    "Dawn of Hell, there must certainly be clues about Lin Xi there."


    Lin Da thought excitedly.


    "Dammit, don''t you hear, the officer is calling your name!"


    A roar exploded beside his ears.


    Lin Da glanced sideways and saw a burly man with a beard, his eyes wide with anger, smashing a rubber club onto his own shoulder.


    Lin Da instinctively defended with his forearm.


    He forgot that he still had handcuffs on, and almost broke them with the nearly 1000 points of strength difference.


    Startled for a moment, having been accustomed to staying in the Mystic Continent, coming to this low-magic world felt somewhat uncomfortable. It''s all iron, but the iron from Mystic Continent is much harder.


    Handcuffs? They are almost like being made of paper.


    If it wasn''t that Lin Da still needed to sneak into Dawn of Hell on this carriage to investigate, he would have kicked the bearded man flying with one kick.


    Excitement twisted in Officer Reis''s eyes as the rubber club fell with a thump, eagerly anticipating the sight of Lin Da''s forearm breaking.


    However, Reis felt as if he had hit steel. The rubber club bent from the tremendous force, and the man called Lin Da was unscathed, calmly retracting his arm.


    "Here."


    "Here." Kafni and Monica, having finished with the leaf of the World Tree, called out following Lin Da''s lead.


    When they raised their heads, the fury in Reis''s eyes suddenly dissipated.


    How could there be such pretty girls in the world?


    They shone like stars!


    The other people in the carriage were also dumbfounded; how could such beautiful girls have gone unnoticed until now?


    These slightly illogical aspects were all corrected under the rule power of the World Tree Goddess.


    Everyone briefly felt dizzy and then accepted the presence of Kafni and the others.


    Kafni glanced at Reis, who was gaping, and sneered: "Ant, what are you looking at, believe it or not, I''ll take you down!"


    Reis snapped back to his senses, his first feeling not anger, but dejection. What was the deal with these three? Didn''t they realize they were about to enter hell?


    As an officer, he should be someone whom these people desperately need to please; a little bit of planning could greatly increase their survival rate in the upcoming ''feast.''


    "You three, very well, I''ll arrange a wonderful spot for you."


    Reis sneered maliciously.


    Hearing this, everyone showed a schadenfreude expression.


    The few kind-hearted individuals sighed and shook their heads unwillingly.


    Lin Da observed the reactions of those around him, pondering: It seems the first challenge of the Mystic Realm trial is to get through the ''feast'' mentioned by Reis.


    After calling the names, Reis went outside to smoke a cigar, chatting with the coachman.


    Taking this opportunity, Lin Da needed to find someone to learn about the details of this ''feast.''


    Last time he hadn''t explored this place in the Mystic Realm, and once ordinary adventurers leave the scenario-based Mystic Realm, the memories of their experiences there are blurred by the World Tree Goddess, leaving no detailed strategies.


    In this aspect, Lin Da was an exception; he vividly remembered the last exploration of the fourth level. But those areas he hadn''t explored could not be understood through other adventurers'' strategies.


    Lin Da was pondering whom to talk to when a skinny man uninvitedly nudged him with his knee and whispered, "Buddy, want to cooperate?"


    "Cooperate?"


    Lin Da looked at the man.


    He had a horse face with protruding buck teeth and curly brown hair.


    "All lambs to the slaughter, you still want to go it alone?" The skinny man disdainfully looked at Lin Da''s physique, muscular but not big enough.


    If this were the adventurer''s world, such an idea would be laughable��muscles and strength are not equivalent.


    But the people here had no Fighting Spirit Magic Power, and naturally, Lin Da wouldn''t clarify but simply smiled reservedly and asked, "Excuse me, what are ''lambs''?"


    "You don''t even know that? Weren''t you one of the tribesmen caught in the wilderness?"


    The skinny man regretted scratching his head but, having started, decided to spill everything:


    "I''m Mark, a warrior from Serpent''s Tail Gang. Most people here are losers in gang conflicts, captured to be slaves, and lambs are��"


    "Haha, it refers to us poor souls who are about to be fed to the beasts."


    Mark said bitterly, "We will be thrown by the bastards of Dawn of Hell into the arena, where the VIPs buy tickets to watch various beasts tear us apart! Buddy, your group offended Reis; that guy will definitely arrange you closest to the beasts."


    Lin Da: "So, what do you mean by cooperating?"


    "Pushing others forward, letting those poor devils satisfy the beasts. Once the number of survivors is down to one-tenth, this feast will end, and we will become ''fighters,'' fighting three rounds in the arena to regain freedom." Mark sneered sinisterly.


    This type of person made Lin Da uncomfortable, and he frowned, "I refuse."


    With the strength of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, there was no need to cooperate.


    Mark''s expression changed: "You''ll regret this; no one can survive on their own."


    The assumption was, you were not an adventurer. Lin Da added in his mind.

 Chapter 203 178. Through screening, the adventurers strength

    At that moment, Reis returned to the carriage, and everyone stopped whispering.After a short while, the carriage entered Dark Night City.


    Within a massive cylindrical building.


    Lin Da and his companions were escorted through a long, dark passage. As they neared its end, the light suddenly brightened, and a wave of cheers flooded in, along with the thick scent of blood from the Arena...


    Around an amphitheater reminiscent of the Roman Colosseum, men and women excitedly clutched some kind of tickets, shouting loudly:


    "Number 174, you''ve got to survive, I bet 1000 pounds on you!"


    "Girl of number 35, try to last thirty seconds, okay!"


    "Number 36 is pretty too, what a pity."


    Numbers had been affixed to Lin Da and his team members; they were 34, 35, and 36, respectively.


    Right in the middle of the Arena, a rectangular scoreboard was suspended in the air, displaying the current number of people at 100,


    When only 10 people remained, the festivity would end, and those who survived would become warriors.


    Experience tales at empire


    A hundred people stood in formation under the direction of the security staff, and the three members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team were all at the very front.


    Up in the stands, Reis''s face bore a cold smile, as if to say that this was the consequence of offending him.


    Three cages were wheeled out, inside them were tigers that had gone several days without food, massive in size, with powerful majestic roars.


    The cages opened, and they revealed their fangs, walking slowly this way.


    Everyone''s faces changed color.


    Even the strongest gang warriors couldn''t possibly defeat a tiger with their bare hands!


    These beasts, tainted by the miasma of the wild, weighed a thousand pounds, and a single swipe of their paw could knock a warrior''s head askew.


    But Monica''s eyes lit up: just as the captain said, the beasts of this Mystic Realm had no "Magic Power".


    To the ordinary person, the fearsome and terrifying tiger seemed cute to Monica, fluffy and making her want to bury her face in it and rub against it.


    The three tigers walked leisurely this way, their tiger eyes scanning the crowd, pondering which one to eat first.


    At that moment, Monica suddenly cried out in surprise, having been pushed to the forefront by Mark, who was beside her!


    The spectators immediately laughed:


    "Great, great, I love seeing the bullying of the Big Lolita!"


    "I bet on number 35, sigh!"


    "I want to see ketchup splatter!"


    Sentence after sentence of bloodthirsty words made one''s scalp tingle.


    Lin Da narrowed his eyes at the smug Mark. He dared to bully a member of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team; he had just sentenced himself to death.


    As for Monica, she stumbled and fell clumsily to the ground, and accidentally knocked her head against one of the tigers. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The crowd tittered with laughter.


    However, the next moment, the lofty scoffing came to an abrupt stop.


    Somehow, the tiger that had been starved for days lay down, trembling with fear.


    To the tiger kind, lying down and exposing the neck was an act of submission!


    The most baffling part was that the tiger extended its front paw, padding its flesh on the ground to cushion Monica''s forehead.


    It was like... a giant, lick-happy tiger!


    Monica herself was somewhat surprised, hugging the tiger''s head and trying to rub against it. The tiger didn''t resist at all; in fact, it trembled even more violently...


    The instincts of a beast far outweighed those of humans.


    The tiger keenly sensed that this petite human before it was a top predator.


    More powerful than anyone it had ever seen!


    This adorable scene, amid the bloody and brutal Arena, was jarringly out of place.


    What the audience wanted to see was tigers devouring humans, not Big Lolita petting the cats!


    Some people were furious, while others showed thoughtful expressions.


    The three tigers just stood there, dumbfounded, as if turned to stone.


    The Beast Tamer came up to calm them, but to his headache, nothing worked.


    "Scared after being locked up with that Bear King last night?"


    The Beast Tamer muttered, puzzled.


    He injected the red liquid from the syringe into the tigers'' bodies.


    "Owww~!"


    In an instant, the tigers roared in pain; their eyes reddened, muscles swelled, and thick saliva dripped from their bloodied maws.


    Under the influence of that strange potion, the tigers became ferociously aggressive.


    Several unlucky ones in the front row soon met their demise at the jaws of the tigers.


    Lin Da ran away with Monica.


    90% of this Mystic Realm remained unknown; the Phoenix Tail Flower Team had to hide their strength as much as possible to avoid startling the snake by hitting the grass.


    From the adventure goals on the leaves of the World Tree, there was a ''god'' within the Mystic Realm. Although it was in quotes, if it could be called a god, it must at least be a hidden BOSS.


    It won''t be any lower level than a 15th-level Goblin Chieftain, maybe even 20.


    The entire Phoenix Tail Flower Team was at level 19; to face such a BOSS, they needed to be cautious.


    On the Arena, blood splattered everywhere.


    Just a few minutes went by, and only ten people remained on the Arena.


    The bastard who shoved Monica was killed by a tiger due to Lin Da''s covert operation.


    After a selection process, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team became part of the Dawn of Hell''s fighters, and Lin Da and the team members were placed in separate dormitories for males and females.


    "I''ll leave Monica in your care. Remember not to alarm anyone when looking for the Werewolf."


    Lin Da placed Monica''s little hand into Kafni''s palm.


    "Leave it to me. You''re well aware of my scouting ability," Kafni replied confidently. "As long as the Werewolf is on the girls'' dormitory side, I''ll just pluck her right out."


    Monica looked back at Lin Da, reluctant to part, until the fierce and imposing security personnel came to urge them on, and they separated.


    Shortly after reaching the dormitory, once the security officer left, the newcomers such as Lin Da were ''warmly welcomed'' by the veterans.


    This was a large communal dormitory converted from an abandoned factory, with two rows of iron beds lined up in a row, housing at least a hundred people.


    Those who survived the Arena were formidable, each tall and muscular, with faces full of fierce flesh.


    Lin Da felt as if he had entered a room gathering bullies; among them, he was the only one who looked refined and out of place.


    "Haha, newbies have arrived!"


    "Six of them this time... not bad, we''ve got six people to shed ''singlehood''!"


    "Hehehe, it''s my turn to pick first, right?"


    A group of men, all over six feet tall, surrounded Lin Da and the other six newbies. Seeing the newbies'' puzzled expressions, one burly man with a pink mohawk laughed and said:


    "Here, every newbie needs to find a ''husband'' to rely on, you know? Otherwise, with your puny strength, you''ll soon be bullied to death by everyone. It''s better to be bullied by just one ''husband'' than by everyone... my lovelies, you know how to choose, right?"


    "You bastard, dare you insult a ''Blood Flower Gang'' warrior!"


    One lean and vicious newbie stepped forward and elbowed the pink mohawk man''s head.


    However, the latter dodged swiftly with a dip, followed by a wrestling slam... Bang! The newbie''s spine was broken, leaving him paralyzed!


    The other newbies, except for Lin Da, all changed their expressions.


    Indeed, those who survived the tiger''s jaws were among the best, experts in fighting.


    But let''s not forget, those people in the dormitory were all ''fighters,'' having survived countless bloody battles, they could be called champions of brawling!

 Chapter 204 179, Ranked 7th, Bloodthirsty Wolf

    With the previous examples before them, the newcomers had no choice but to pinch their noses and accept their fate, each grimly choosing their "husbands."Dragged into the filthy public restroom amidst the fighters'' laughter, unspeakable things occurred.


    "Number 34, how about choosing me?"


    The big guy named Mika, with a pink crest, came up to Lin Da with a smile, showing off his bulging arm muscles, "If you choose me, most people wouldn''t dare to bully you."


    "Get lost."


    Lin Da frowned, his voice cold.


    He controlled the magic circuit within his body, releasing about one-twentieth of his power.


    At this moment, Lin Da directly transitioned from a normal person to a "Transcendent."


    Although he couldn''t release "pressure" like a Star-ranked adventurer, adventurers inherently possess an oppressive force over normal people.


    Just like a lion and a mouse, even if it''s their first meeting, the mouse would run away screaming.


    Having faced many life-and-death battles in the amphitheater, Mika''s instincts were as sharp as any wild animal''s.


    When Lin Da released a bit of his power, Mika''s eyebrows twitched, and he instinctively retreated several steps, with cold sweat on his forehead.


    "What''s going on?"


    The other fighters in the barracks were all somewhat perplexed by Mika''s strange behavior.


    Among more than two hundred fighters in Dawn of Hell, Mika was ranked ninety-seventh, which was not low; yet, he was intimidated by a newcomer?


    Every fighter who had survived thus far was no easy opponent, each possessing a relatively sharp mind.


    They immediately realized that the newcomer with the number 34 was not to be trifled with.


    At least those ranked below Mika gave up the idea of troubling number 34.


    Lin Da swept a calm glance over everyone, and lay down on his bed with his hands behind his head, legs crossed.


    This time, no one stopped him.


    With power, anywhere can be heaven.


    As for those miserable sounds from the toilet, Lin Da could only say this instance was made quite realistically, unbearable to hear, evoking some sympathy...


    Lin Da feigned interest in what was happening in the toilet, surveying the other fighters until they trembled, their hands covering their behinds,


    but in reality, his attention was entirely focused on a certain fighter in the corner.


    He hadn''t released his power just to intimidate Mika.


    Lin Da''s magic power was the kind that belonged to the Transcendent.


    The werewolf in the shadows was also a Transcendent, and sensed something when Lin Da used his power.


    The moment Lin Da unleashed his power, aside from the terrified Mika, one other person showed a clear look of astonishment.


    Target located.


    Lin Da''s lips curled into a smile.


    Considering the werewolf, as a common monster on the fourth level, was around level 10, Lin Da carefully controlled his magic circuit, releasing an aura of level 6, just enough not to threaten the werewolf.


    Otherwise, Lin Da, unleashing all of his level 19 strength in this low-magic world, would be akin to a Demon God descending.


    The werewolf, if present, would have been scared away.


    His primary goal was not to kill the werewolf, but to uncover the mysterious force hidden beneath the surface from the werewolf.


    Time for a late-night snack.


    In the large cafeteria, Mika, despondently wearing a new pair of trousers, faced mockery from the familiar fighters around him:


    "Hahaha, Mika, you''re so pathetic, a newcomer scared you into wetting your pants?"


    "This unimaginable newcomer came in by ''feast,'' not by joining on his own, which is absolutely absurd."


    "I bet his ranking will quickly rise to around 70, right? Without the strength of a rank 70, how could he have scared our ''Peach Heart'' Mika into wetting himself? Hahaha." S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mika''s face turned beet red as he slapped the table, "Stop it, you little devils. If it had been any of you, you would have leaked too! That newcomer''s strength is definitely not just rank 70, I guarantee it!"


    Several fighters snorted disdainfully, their faces showing disbelief.


    And just then.


    A lean man with grey short hair covered in knife scars passed by the table, coldly remarking, "If you don''t want to die, stay away from number 34."


    "Sss��Lord Ruf!"


    "Lord Ruf, greetings!"


    "You''ve worked hard!"


    Mika and a few fighters stood up in terror and bowed.


    For this man with grey short hair wore a pure gold button with the number 7 at his collar.


    One of the strongest fighters in Dawn of Hell.


    Ranked seventh, the Bloodthirsty Wolf, Ruf.


    Ruf''s fighting style was as fierce as a vicious wolf''s, relentless until his prey was dead.


    With a record of 79 fights and 78 wins, any fighter defeated by Ruf either died or was severely injured!


    In this amphitheater, he was nothing short of a legend.


    Since that battle that had nearly killed Ruf, he miraculously recovered and his combat power dramatically increased.


    From rank 143, he soared to rank number 7 in just six months.


    Ruf was thin and taciturn.


    He carried his tray to a table in the corner.


    He threw chunks of bone-in steak into his mouth, crunching them with two bites, shattering them completely.


    Like a wild animal devouring its meat, he gulped it down whole.


    No one dared approach Ruf recklessly.


    This table was Ruf''s territory.


    To approach rashly was to be seen as challenging the Bloodthirsty Wolf.


    Mika admired the strong and couldn''t help but steal glances with eager eyes.


    In her field of view, a familiar newcomer appeared.


    The newcomer held a tray in his left hand and a cup of orange juice in his right, yawning as if he had just woken up.


    Then, he calmly sat down opposite Ruf.


    Clatter.


    The steak in Mika''s hand dropped onto the table.


    The fighters accompanying Mika were also stunned.


    Holy shit.


    Who is this ruthless person?


    Coming up and provoking the seventh-ranked Bloodthirsty Wolf?


    In the cafeteria, where around fifty fighters were dining, noises were a jumble of utensils clanging, chewing, and swallowing, all blending together.


    However, when the newcomer number 34 took a seat opposite Ruf, all that noise disappeared.


    Shock, confusion... and then, a thick interest appeared on everyone''s faces!


    It had been a long time since someone had challenged one of the fighters ranked in the top ten.


    And the challenger was a newcomer!


    "Number 34, Lin Da, a refugee caught from the wilderness," explained a fighter who was good with information.


    Lin Da.


    Everyone noted this name.


    No matter the outcome today, these two words were deeply imprinted in their minds.


    Just when everyone thought Ruf would use his sharp Palm Knife to cut through Lin Da''s neck,


    Ruf, deviating from his normal state, lifted a bottle of chili sauce next to him, "Want some? It''s a specialty from my hometown."


    "Thank you, but I don''t eat spicy food," Lin Da replied with a polite smile.


    "Is that so, what a pity."


    Ruf expressed some regret, then continued enjoying his beef on his own.


    Lin Da also leisurely ate his veggie and shrimp meal, occasionally sipping his orange juice.


    The two caused no trouble to each other.


    It was as if the dining tables were insufficient and they were reluctantly sharing a table.


    After exchanging courtesies, they each focused on their own meal.


    What exactly is going on here?


    Was the street thug Ru, of such high caliber?


    Mika and several others felt their brains couldn''t quite comprehend what was happening.


    Why didn''t Ruf tear open the newcomer''s throat?


    It couldn''t possibly be that he acknowledged the newcomer''s worthiness to dine with him...


    Thinking this, Mika''s cheeks twitched.


    He had merely been glanced at by number 34, and it seemed he was lucky for it.


    The newcomer''s strength wasn''t around 70 at all.


    It had to be close to Ruf, who was ranked seventh.


    "Shall we talk outside?"


    Lin Da and Ruf finished their meals at the same time.


    He glanced at the numbers above the ''Bloodthirsty Wolf''s'' head��- a red ''-1'' kept dropping.


    The other seemed normal, but was actually injured and continuously losing blood.


    As a Healing Hero, healing was Lin Da''s forte.


    This might be a breakthrough to uncover mysterious powers.


    "Now?" Ruf raised his eyebrows, a wary look flashing through his eyes.


    "Is there a problem?" Lin Da asked.

 Chapter 205 180. Find the Werewolf, Lias Key Memory

    "Of course there''s a problem," Ruf said with an icy face, pulling a mocking smile. "During nighttime, all movements must be approved by a senior officer. If you want to go out, you have to wait until after tomorrow''s competition is over.""That''s just the rule for ordinary people, right?" sea??h th�� ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It doesn''t apply to ''us''."


    Lin Da crossed his arms and placed them on the table, smiling faintly at Ruf. "You would agree, right, Mr. Werewolf?"


    Ruf''s expression changed.


    A chilling murderous aura burst out in an instant.


    Ruf couldn''t fathom how this Number 34 had seen through his identity.


    The mysterious abilities, the undisguised provocative smile, and that damned sense of superiority all made Ruf''s blood boil with restlessness.


    He wished he could open his huge mouth and devour the human before him!


    From the aura that Number 34 had revealed in the dormitory, Ruf concluded that the other party was just an ordinary B-level Transcendent.


    As for himself, he had already mastered Transcendent Power and reached Level A, standing above the other.


    How dare he provoke me like this... he must be tired of living...


    "Fine, let''s talk outside."


    Ruf stood up with a cold laugh and took the lead out of the dining hall.


    "That''s more like it." Lin Da followed closely behind.


    Security personnel spotted them, annoyed. "You fools, it''s nighttime now. Do you want to have your necks snapped by werewolves..."


    "Ugh!"


    Ruf suddenly made his move, his palm knife glinting with cold light.


    In an instant, the security personnel''s head was severed!


    Making this move, Ruf secretly observed Lin Da, hoping to see fear on Lin Da''s face.


    But Lin Da maintained a poker face.


    This kind of thing, even the Mage of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team could do.


    Ruf''s power level was indeed not low among humans, reaching a level of 50 points, about the human body''s limit.


    It''s just a pity that this is a low-magic world.


    50 points is only equivalent to the level of a Level 5 adventurer.


    Seeing Lin Da''s expressionless face, Ruf grew even more cautious.


    In contrast, Lin Da casually took in the building''s layout, as if his thoughts were not on Ruf at all.


    The more Lin Da acted like this, the more Ruf''s heart raced, and he dared not act rashly.


    The two came to an empty small warehouse.


    "What''s your purpose?"


    Ruf stood ten meters away from Lin Da, his gaze ice cold.


    "I mean no harm, just want to ask a few simple questions," Lin Da shrugged. "Try this first, and then you''ll understand that we''re friends."


    Murmuring a silent spell, Lin Da stretched out his right hand.


    This action made Ruf''s hair stand on end, as he assumed a defensive stance!


    What fell was a warm green light.


    This strange glow enveloped Ruf.


    The wounds under Ruf''s clothes stopped bleeding at an astonishing rate, and his weak body turned vigorous within a few breaths.


    A Primary Healing Spell directly refilled Ruf''s blood to full.


    "This is..."


    Ruf incredulously touched his waist, where a wound left by a Hunter''s firearm had been troubling him for days.


    Even with a Transcendent''s formidable physical abilities, he couldn''t recover back to prime condition in a short period.


    But under the mystical spell of Number 34, the wound healed rapidly.


    Now Ruf only felt himself full of vigor, in peak condition!


    "A Healing Transcendent?" The coldness on Ruf''s face melted away.


    In this Dark Night City, werewolves constituted the majority of Transcendents.


    And Healing Transcendents, with their noble status, were highly sought after by the public.


    Even the most terrible diseases posed no challenge to the Healing Transcendents.


    One could say, ten werewolves together wouldn''t compare to a single Healing Transcendent.


    Ruf''s wariness significantly subsided, warmed by just that Healing Spell the other had cast.


    "Ask whatever questions you have. But I advise you, don''t easily reveal yourself, especially your identity as a non-combat Healing Transcendent!"


    Not skilled in combat, huh... Lin Da smiled but did not explain.


    He cut straight to the chase, "How would I make contact with the mysterious forces of Dark Night City?"


    "What, you''re a self-awakened? No injection of potion?" Ruf''s eyes widened in surprise.


    "Uh...right. I hope someone could introduce me." Lin Da said, "What about you? How did you become a Transcendent?"


    "I don''t mind telling you, I come from the Dawn Church; eighty percent of Transcendents come from this organization."


    Ruf didn''t mind sharing this basic information about Transcendents with Lin Da.


    "Becoming a Transcendent was straightforward for me; an envoy from the Dawn Church picked me, I had the Transcendent Potion injected, and awakened my werewolf abilities. Your self-awakening is rare, sought after by the higher-ups of the church."


    "Can you help me get in touch with the church?"


    "That''s difficult. We''re contacted only one way; only people from the church come to see me, I don''t know where they are."


    "Is that so..."


    Lin Da pondered, resting his chin on his hand:


    He had at most seven days to stay in the Mystic Realm. If the church didn''t contact Ruf within these seven days, his purpose would be unachievable.


    "Why did the people from the church choose you?" Lin Da decided to try another angle.


    Ruf gave a cruel smile, "Maybe, because I''m strong enough. I defeated a warrior ranked 100 when I was ranked 143."


    "So if you''re strong enough, you can attract the church''s attention?"


    "Theoretically, yes."


    "I understand."


    Lin Da nodded, looking at the gold button on Ruf''s collar.


    There was the number 7.


    He asked, "Does being ranked seventh make you strong among warriors?"


    Ruf was stunned for a moment, anger flashing in his eyes, "What do you mean?"


    Lin Da countered without answering, "Do you know why I helped you with your healing?"


    "Why?"


    "Because... I want to blow you away when you''re at your best."


    Lin Da smiled modestly.


    "Haha, hahaha! Interesting!"


    A vein throbbed near Ruf''s temple.


    He stepped from the shadows into the moonlight streaming through the window.


    His clothes burst open, revealing gray fur as sharp as steel needles.


    Ruf''s arms were as thick as a man''s thigh, and his hands had turned into fearsome beast claws, with long nails shining with a cold, icy light.


    His identity was now beyond doubt.


    A Transcendent of Dark Night City, a warrior with power far above ordinary people, a werewolf!


    Lin Da nodded with satisfaction.


    Just as he had expected, Ruf had reached the level of 10, just right to be qualified for the "Common Monster" rank of the fourth layer.


    "Considering you''re a Healing Transcendent, I''ll give you a chance to apologize."


    Ruf''s expression was ferocious, his voice hoarse and deep, like a piece of iron scraping in his throat.


    On his furry face, the wolf''s mouth protruded, and his fangs were sharp.


    "Are you deaf?"


    Lin Da scratched his head in confusion, "Then let me say it again."


    He said with a smile, "I want to blow you away."


    ...


    ...


    At the same moment.


    In the wilderness outside White Dove City, the Barren Plains.


    The Snow Goose Adventure Team was nearby, hunting Murderous Crabs.


    They had only caught about twenty or so for the entire day.


    As the numbers dwindled, Captain Lia considered moving to a Mystic Realm.


    After several days of teamwork, Lia felt that Snow Goose''s combat strength had significantly increased, and her relationship with the team members was warming up again.


    Although the smiles were still less frequent than when Lin Da was around, they were much more common than right after Lin Da had left the team.


    As dusk fell in the outside world, the girls, tired from the day''s battle, spread blankets on the ground for a picnic. Aiko proudly placed her hands on her hips as she took out various snacks from her Space Ring:


    "These are the latest creations of the great Aiko herself, enjoy them with gratitude!"


    Fruit cake, egg tarts, potato chips, sugar-baked biscuits, handmade ice cream... the picnic blanket was covered, and Klrona called out with delight, savoring the feast.


    Klyne smiled politely, her movements and posture very ladylike.


    Lia hesitated for a while, her mouth watering as she eyed the tempting fruit cake.


    She had been foregoing sweets for many days for better training results.


    "It shouldn''t hurt to break the rule just once, right?" Aiko pushed the cake towards her.


    "Well then... I won''t be shy!"


    Lia couldn''t resist the temptation of the cake, took a bite, and her eyes lit up, "Aiko, when did your cooking skills get so good? I remember you could only make poison!"


    That''s because I didn''t want to try hard before...


    To become a good bride, Aiko had seriously practiced, and now her cooking skills were top-notch.


    The girls enjoyed the delicious food under the cool autumn breeze, discussing recent amusing events. Meanwhile, Oru and Phyllis, looking rather glum, were collecting Murderous Crab materials and tidying up the spoils, occasionally getting a piece of cake to eat.


    At that moment, Lia suddenly thought of something and said out of the blue, "Do you all still remember the things from the fourth layer?"


    "The fourth layer? That story-like Mystic Realm called Dark Night City?"


    Aiko tilted her head, "Other than the name Dark Night City, I''ve forgotten everything that happened inside. It''s the rule set by the World Tree Goddess, isn''t it? Lia, can you remember what happened there?"


    "Hmm... a little bit, but not very clearly. But Lin Xi... Phoenix Tail Flower was heading for the fourth layer, right? I vaguely remember, inside the fourth layer Mystic Realm, Lin Xi seemed to have said something to me."


    Lia grabbed her hair in frustration, mumbling, "What was it that she said? I just can''t remember, but it feels important."


    "Oh, Aiko, I''m so sorry, I dropped your cake on the ground," Klyne said apologetically.


    "No worries, I can just make more. Why not let Oru and Phyllis have it?"


    Aiko was saying this when Lia suddenly stood up as if struck by lightning, "Yes, that''s it!"


    "What''s what?" Aiko was completely lost.


    "I mean what Klyne just said!"


    Lia was certain, "Sorry. What Lin Xi told me on the fourth layer was the three words ''I''m sorry.'' She wanted me to convey it to everyone!"


    At these words, the members of Snow Goose showed confused expressions.


    Why would Lin Xi need to apologize to them?


    Could it be related to her disappearance?


    The words ''I''m sorry'' were actually her way of saying goodbye...


    She hadn''t left without saying a word.


    It''s just that the memories within the story-like Mystic Realm were erased by the rules of the World Tree.


    Aiko sighed, "Lin Da said he was going to investigate her clues, but without the memory of the last exploration, what''s there to investigate? When Lin Da comes back, let''s all go visit him. Let''s not make him too sad."


    "I... I''m not going," protested Lia.


    "If you don''t go, it just shows you''re a pretentious fool!"

 Chapter 206 181, Surfacing, Mysterious Notebook

    World Tree fourth layer, Dark Night City Arena.At this point, it had already reached the afternoon of the second day, and the stands were filled with people.


    Crazy screams and shouts, ten times noisier than a vegetable market.


    The reason was simple, Dawn of Hell''s rookie fighter, ranked 203, Lin Da, was challenging the veteran ranked 7th, the Bloodthirsty Wolf Ruf.


    This was Ruf''s first appearance of the month, and the audience wanted to see this wolf-like fighter brutally tear the newcomer apart, showcasing Ruf''s classic scene: devouring the loser alive!


    In the top-level VIP box, there was a mysterious figure wearing a duckbill mask and clad in a black robe.


    He rested his cheek in his right hand with interest, lazily leaning on the sofa, looking down at the two tiny fighters in the arena.


    ...


    "What has Lin Da found?"


    In the fighters'' special section of the stands, Kafni held a bag of popcorn, eating together with Monica.


    Many around them looked at them with awe.


    The day before, Kafni had knocked down rank 37''s ''Hyena'' Karin, becoming a minor leader, taking over Karin''s subordinates.


    While others found the match in the arena extremely interesting, Kafni lazily yawned and stuffed the remaining popcorn to Monica, "I''ll take a nap first, wake me up when Lin Da wins."


    Ding��


    A crisp ring from the bell on the stage cut through the roaring shouts as the Bloodthirsty Wolf Ruf launched the first attack.


    His gaze brutally fixed on Lin Da, a healer-type magician not adept at fighting, only needed ten moves... no, five moves, at most five moves to finish this guy, any more would be disrespectful to his own immense power!


    Bang!


    As expected...


    Ruf was sent flying out!


    Lin Da calmly delivered a right straight punch, landing it on Ruf''s face.


    Ruf''s features twisted grotesquely from the impact, and then, like a broken wheel, he tumbled out over ten meters.


    Dead silence.


    In the amphitheater that could hold ten thousand people, there wasn''t a single sound.


    In front of the newcomer, Ruf was as vulnerable as a baby.


    A mischievous baby with a stick, yelling as it rushed towards the robust Lin Da, who then kicked the baby flying for over ten meters.


    That was the approximate feeling!


    "Deity above, how did such a newcomer become a slave and get caught by Officer Reis?" Mika was downright stunned.


    After this match, the top ranking position was likely going to change hands.


    In the top-level VIP box, the duckbill-masked mystery man also expressed doubt, staring fixedly at Lin Da: "This physical strength should have reached grade A..."


    On the stage, Lin Da was just about to leave.


    "Wait, it''s not over yet."


    A deep, hoarse voice, holding back endless fury, resounded behind him.


    A huge shadow blocked the light, completely enveloping Lin Da.


    "Werewolf!"


    "There''s such a wanted monster among the fighters?"


    "The recent string of murders, could they have been done by this werewolf?"


    While some audience members were terrified, others grew even more excited, "Ruf, tear number 34 apart, I bet everything I own on you!"


    Ruf underwent a massive transformation��three meters tall, his arms bulging with muscles, his body covered in gray, steel-needle like fur, a protruding wolf''s muzzle, speaking human words:


    "Number 34, only by tearing you into a hundred pieces can I quench my rage."


    Lin Da looked up and down at his opponent and nodded indifferently, "Now you look a bit like a common monster. Come on, I''m in a hurry."


    "Arrogant!"


    Ruf roared furiously, applying force to his feet, shattering the stone tiles on the arena with a gust of foul wind as he charged towards Lin Da.


    His speed was so fast that the security personnel holding firearms were completely bewildered and unable to lock onto Ruf''s position.


    Frankly speaking, they weren''t enough for Ruf to bother killing.


    In the stands, Kafni was woken by the noise of the fight, lazily opening her eyes to see and thought to herself: this werewolf isn''t even as fierce as a level 15 Murderous Crab.


    Lin Da didn''t seem to have any special plans, only displaying strength typical of a level 12 adventurer and not using any skills, relying solely on standard attacks.


    The bangs of fists and kicks were incessant.


    The more Ruf fought, the more shocked he became; he found he couldn''t touch the slick-as-an-eel Lin Da at all, whereas every strike from his opponent hit him.


    After multiple heavy hits to the chest, Ruf felt a sweetness in his throat, and blood flowed from the corners of his mouth.


    "It''s time to end this."


    Lin Da said calmly.


    His perception caught a fiery gaze from above.


    His goal had been achieved.


    He had successfully caught the attention of the mysterious forces.


    Lin Da grabbed hold of Ruf''s werewolf ear, leapt up with a knee strike, hitting Ruf directly in the forehead.


    Those close enough could hear a crisp crack.


    Ruf''s skull was directly smashed!


    After swaying for a moment, Ruf collapsed on the ground with a thud.


    The werewolf traits rapidly faded, returning him to his human form.


    At the same time, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team heard a gentle female voice in their heads:


    [Adventure completed, Teleportation Stone activated, you may choose to finalize the trial and leave the fourth layer of the Mystic Realm within seven days.]


    Besides this, Lin Da received another system notification:


    [Killed level 10 Magical Being Werewolf, obtained 100 diamonds.]


    100 diamonds... trivial.


    What Lin Da truly cared about were the forces behind the werewolf.


    The match ended, and the senior members of Dawn of Hell came over to meet him with fear and trepidation.


    A refined middle-aged man bowed deeply and apologized, "Mr. Linda, we have prepared a top-tier luxury room for you, with one million in cash. Please do not take offense at Dawn of Hell''s negligence..."


    After killing the werewolf Ruf, Mr. Linda''s identity was on the verge of being revealed.


    Like Ruf, he was a Transcendent.


    Such individuals were not ones that Dawn of Hell could afford to offend.


    Mr. Linda nodded, "Bring over girls number 35 and 36 as well."


    A moment later.


    "Wow! What a big room, such a soft bed, and a shower!"


    "Lord Captain, may I take a bath?"


    Kafni and Monica, entering this luxurious room akin to a top-class hotel, were both excited.


    "Of course you can," Mr. Linda said casually while sipping tea at the round table, pointing at Kafni, "But you will have to wait until Monica is done."


    "Why can''t I go first? You''re looking down on women, aren''t you!" Kafni burst into anger, feeling up to the challenge after not fighting with Mr. Linda for a few days, frantically using Stealing on him.


    "Uh, aren''t you a tough guy..."


    When there''s a risk of getting slapped, play the tough guy; when it''s time to bathe, pull out the female card... Mr. Linda was utterly speechless, this Kafni, truly a super fairy!


    Whoosh whoosh whoosh!


    In the midst of their conversation, Mr. Linda''s shirt suddenly flashed with light and landed in Kafni''s right hand.


    This revealed Mr. Linda''s strong body with its eight-pack abs.


    He also exercised regularly and took some Magic Potions to promote muscle growth; one could say he looked slim in clothes but muscular without.


    It was the first time Kafni and the others had seen Mr. Linda shirtless, and they were momentarily stunned.


    In this hotel-like room, with a large white bed to the front and a hot shower to the right, a handsome man sat at the round table, drinking water and waiting...


    It clearly looked like...


    An unspeakable deal was taking place!


    Monica blushed, gripping Mr. Linda''s large hand, "Lord Captain, shall we bathe together?"


    "You two, don''t mess around! I''m still here!" Kafni said, her face flushed with anger.


    "Monica, be good, go take a bath by yourself. The captain will wait till the end," Mr. Linda said helplessly, rubbing Monica''s little head.


    He needed to guide Monica onto the right path; once an adventurer became addicted to sensuality, they would lose the motivation to continue climbing, opting instead to stay home and raise children.


    "Um." Monica pouted and went to the bathroom sullenly.


    Ding-dong.


    At that moment, the doorbell rang.


    Mr. Linda had already instructed that middle-aged man not to disturb him unless it was something important.


    Looks like... the fish had bitten the hook.


    He and Kafni exchanged a knowing look. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Walking to the entrance, he opened the door.


    "Hello, Mr. Linda, I am an envoy from the Dawn Church, you can call me Black Crow."


    "I sincerely invite you now to join the church and become one of us."


    Wearing a beak mask, the black-robed man self-professed as ''Black Crow'' gave a slight bow to Mr. Linda.


    "Come in and talk."


    Mr. Linda concealed the excitement in his eyes.


    Finally getting close to this mysterious force.


    The three of them sat down at the round table.


    Black Crow, satisfied with his understanding, got straight to the point, "Mr. Linda, you are surely aware of the strength of the Dawn Church. More than eighty percent of Transcendents are here. Of course, we do not absorb useless individuals; you need to show a little loyalty to the church."


    "How should I show it?"


    "Quite simple, just inject this potion."


    Black Crow took out a wooden long box from his coat, opened it, and inside was a syringe filled with a blue liquid.


    The liquid bubbled like magma, giving off an ominous feeling.


    "What is this?" Mr. Linda asked nonchalantly.


    "A harmless potion that ensures loyalty to the church," Black Crow said with a light and dismissive tone, smiling, "As long as you earnestly fulfill the church''s commands and perform excellently, you will receive the antidote after a year and be absorbed as a core member of the church."


    "Of course, we won''t give you overly challenging commands, and we might not even issue any commands within the year. Come on, Mr. Linda, inject the potion, show your loyalty to the church..."


    Bang!


    A wine bottle crashed onto the back of Black Crow''s head.


    The church envoy, excitedly halfway through his speech, rolled his eyes and stuck out his tongue, his head hitting the table.


    "Well done, Kafni, I was itching to slap him myself,"


    Mr. Linda angrily slammed the table, cursing about the supposed harmless potion; it was nothing but poison forcing compliance like a dog.


    He preached righteousness, but Mr. Linda doubted Black Crow would have turned hostile right away if he refused to inject the potion.


    He and Kafni removed Black Crow''s mask and searched his possessions.


    The Black Crow beneath the mask was a thirty-year-old man with wide-set eyes and a little mustache, resembling a catfish.


    His looks just disgusted Mr. Linda and the others for a moment.


    The most important discovery was a notebook, small enough to fit in a palm, bound in black leather.


    This item was stashed in an inner layer of Black Crow''s clothing, and had Mr. Linda not been thorough, it would have been missed.


    He opened the notebook and flipped through a few pages.


    Lines of text came into view.


    Seeing these, Mr. Linda''s breathing changed from calm to rapid, his hands trembling slightly...


    He had actually found several familiar names in the notebook!

 Chapter 207 182. Dark Shadow and the Clue to His Sisters Disappearance!

    "Transcendent Test Subject 73, Tina, summoned the Dawn Goddess, wish granted.""Transcendent Test Subject 74, ...failure."


    "Transcendent Test Subject 79, Lin Xi, summoned the Dawn Goddess, wish granted."


    There might be a possibility of names being common, but Lin Da believed that this probability was very slim; he leaned more towards the latter:


    His own sister, Lin Xi, as well as the original team member, Five-star Character, "Hell''s Judgment" Tina, had both been to the fourth layer and triggered the hidden storyline here!


    Theoretically, each Mystic Realm would reset after an adventurer cleared it, and Black Crow''s notebook, like a "Trophy,"


    recorded the names of all adventurers who had completed the hidden storyline and made a wish to that something Dawn Goddess.


    What was the Dawn Goddess?


    What did Tina and Lin Xi wish for on the fourth layer?


    The disappearance of Lin Xi, as well as the disappearance of Dark Shadow, could it be related to this wish...


    Lin Da felt as if he was in the midst of a thick fog, excited to be close to the truth yet shivering at the face of the unknown.


    "Have you ever heard of the Dawn Goddess?" he asked Kafni.


    "What bullshit Dawn Goddess. There are only two deities on this continent, one is the Native God, World Tree Goddess Tricia, and the other is yours truly."


    Kafni spoke dismissively, "Let me see, this Dawn Goddess must also be a Magical Creature that can be conquered, concocted by Tricia."


    Lin Da thought about it and figured Kafni was probably right; the Dawn Goddess was merely a setting in this narrative-type Secret Realm.


    But, did she possess some kind of magical power capable of fulfilling the wishes of adventurers?


    Lin Da continued to flip through the notebook:


    "After centuries of research, we have finally figured out the ritual to summon the Dawn Goddess.


    We need an Array, then the heart of an S-rank or above Transcendent as the main sacrifice, supplemented with 1705 grams of Fragrant Pork, 2034 milliliters of apple-flavored strong liquor, the head of a three-year-old boy...


    Wait,


    then at midnight, chant a specific spell, and the Dawn Goddess can be called upon."


    The more Lin Da read, the more unsettling it felt.


    What kind of Goddess fancied the hearts of Transcendents and heads of little boys?


    This was clearly some kind of yandere!


    Lin Da was almost certain that his sister''s disappearance was definitely related to the Dawn Goddess.


    "We''ll have to meet this fellow," Lin Da said.


    "That''s what I was thinking," Kafni sneered. "Some nobody popping up and calling herself a Goddess? Does she even have a diploma? Even Tricia, in my eyes, is just a country bumpkin!"


    After Monica came out from her shower, the three discussed and unanimously decided to delve deeper into the Dawn Church and perform that summoning ritual.


    "Wake up."


    Lin Da used the Dark Whip to tie up Black Crow and had Kafni pour a bucket of cold water on his head.


    "Sss."


    Black Crow shivered. sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although a Transcendent, he seemed to have a very weak physique.


    Lin Da found some gems similar to Demon Cores on this man.


    Normal Transcendents, not in Werewolf form, used such external forces to cast spells.


    In other words, confiscate the gems, and they''re completely ordinary people.


    "You''re attacking a Church Envoy? Are you mad? Do you have any idea what you are doing?"


    Black Crow yelled with a frightening tone but inward trepidation.


    He looked at his stripped clothes and Lin Da''s purple Energy Whip, both shocked and afraid: He''d misjudged the situation; based on the strength of this Energy Whip alone, at least an S-rank Transcendent, not someone he could handle!


    "Not quite clear on the situation yet? Kafni, slap him," Lin Da snorted coldly.


    "Alright."


    Kafni picked up the slippers and with two crisp slaps, made Black Crow''s mouth bleed, eliciting his compliance.


    "I ask, you answer. Answer well, and I might consider letting you off the hook."


    Lin Da took a sip of red tea and said, "First question, what were the wish contents for these Transcendent Test Subjects? What were the wishes made by Number 73, Tina, and Number 79, Lin Xi?"


    "That sort of classified information... only the Bishop knows, I really don''t know... ah! Stop hitting me, I truly don''t know!"


    Black Crow''s face was swollen from Kafni''s slapping, turning him into a fat panda head.


    "Fine, I''ll take your word for now. Second question, what is the Dawn Goddess?"


    "A deity that can grant any wish."


    "Be more specific."


    "Uh... that''s what the Bishop says."


    "You believe whatever the Bishop says? Kafni, hit him!"


    Lin Da was infuriated; this was a completely brainwashed good-for-nothing. There was no way to interrogate any valuable information out of him!


    Black Crow was beaten into unconsciousness.


    Lin Da paced in the room with furrowed brows; it seemed that to find out the wish contents of Lin Xi and the others, he would need to meet this Bishop face to face.


    No matter what, he had to infiltrate the Dawn Church.


    He looked at his team members: "Town Portal Scrolls, have them at the ready. If anything unexpected happens, leave immediately."


    "Understood." Kafni and the others nodded seriously.


    With only seven days to stay in the Mystic Realm, Lin Da chose the most direct approach to get close to the Bishop.


    ...


    A day later.


    Black Crow, brimming with confidence, drove back to the Church residence. His face was still bruised, but his spirits were too excited to care, and he was almost ready to burst into song.


    He glanced back disdainfully at the three people bound head to toe in the carriage: "You think a few ropes can hold me, Black Crow?"


    Taking advantage of the three people sleeping, Black Crow escaped from the rope bindings and laid claim to their ''Magic Stones'' used for casting spells.


    With this, the Transcendents became toothless tigers, while Black Crow himself donned the Magic Stones to cast a Grass-type Spell: ''Blue Entanglement'', tying Lin Da and the others up.


    "I wanted to assimilate you into the Church. Well, you brought this on yourselves. The Bishop has been looking for S-tier Transcendents recently, so your three hearts will make a fine sacrifice to the Goddess!"


    "I, Black Crow, an A-tier Transcendent, have actually captured three S-tiers. The Bishop was right; strength isn''t everything, wisdom is!"


    Black Crow, looking smug, glanced at the three ''unconscious'' losers in the carriage, humming a cheerful tune, he snapped the whip and drove out of Dark Night City, onto a path leading to the deep mountains and ancient forests.


    "Lin Da, my stomach is itchy, scratch it for me."


    Kafni''s arms were tied behind her, and she was afraid of breaking the ropes if she used too much force, so she had to ask Lin Da for help.


    "Keep it down. If we get heard, the plan will fail."


    Lin Da''s eyelids twitched with annoyance, wishing he could throw Kafni out of the carriage.


    Look at how well Monica was playing her part, nestled in his arms like an obedient big kitty.


    Kafni was nothing but trouble; one moment it was an uncomfortable position, and the next, an itch here or there.


    The floor of the carriage was indeed damp, and Lin Da was also feeling uncomfortable.


    But enduring hardship is one of the essential qualities of an adventurer.


    If you''re afraid of everything, you might as well go home and raise kids!


    Lin Da gave Kafni a silent warning with his eyes.


    Alright, alright.


    Kafni replied with the shape of her mouth.

 Chapter 208 183, Legendary Item: Dawn Churchs Wish Diary

    The carriage followed a winding path into the deep forest, entering an old castle.Inside, there was dust everywhere, spider webs, and all the furniture had long since rotted away, looking uninhabited.


    Black Crow bound Lin Da and the other two together, dragging them with a rope into a tunnel leading underground.


    In front of a steel gate, there were two warriors responsible for guarding.


    "The dawn shall guide us."


    Black Crow and the two warriors saluted each other with solemn expressions.


    Then, the three from Phoenix Tail Flower were brought inside and locked in a small room with white walls on all sides.


    Lin Da closed his eyes, listening to the sounds around him:


    "These people are S-level Transcendents, Black Crow, are you certain?"


    "Yes, the ritual can be conducted now. Please inform Bishop Marshall immediately, we can''t afford to wait another year."


    "Okay! Black Crow, you''ve made a great contribution, once this is successful, you''ll be promoted at least three ranks."


    "Hahahahaha."


    The sound of chatter and footsteps gradually faded away.


    Lin Da''s plan was going smoothly.


    About six hours passed, and in the afternoon of the same day, Bishop Marshall couldn''t wait to arrive.


    Through a clear glass wall, Bishop Marshall''s face lit up with joy as he looked at the three Phoenix Tail Flower members bound inside.


    Bishop Marshall was a short, bald, white-bearded old man dressed in a white ceremonial robe.


    He couldn''t help but stroke his beard and laugh loudly, "Black Crow, you have done well. The hearts of these three will make the finest material for the ritual!"


    "You flatter me, Bishop," said Black Crow, with a smirk more difficult to press down than a firearm''s trigger. Clapping his hands, he summoned two attendants, "Go, dissect the three inside, but remember not to damage their hearts."


    "Yes."


    The attendants, holding knives, entered the room.


    This was a solemn and ceremonial occasion. Apart from the high-ranking members of the Dawn Church, 20 A-level Transcendents and 5 S-level Transcendents also arrived on the scene to ensure the ritual''s success without fail.


    These Transcendents usually appeared no different from ordinary people, often disguising themselves in various identities and lurking within Dark Night City.


    But today, they gathered together in high spirits, waiting for the moment to behold the Dawn Goddess.


    Bishop Marshall looked at the Transcendents with a satisfied heart.


    It took the church decades to accumulate these elites.


    Even if the Inspection Bureau were to intervene today, they would not be able to stop the ritual.


    So many Transcendents gathered together could be considered the strongest force in Dark Night City.


    The success of the ritual was within reach!


    "Bishop, please be careful, those three... seem to have woken up."


    S-level Transcendent, ''Steel Shield'' Jel, with his towering stature, stepped forward to protect Bishop Marshall.


    "They''re awake?"


    Everyone clicked their tongues in wonder.


    The three captives had been injected with a large amount of sedatives.


    Even an elephant wouldn''t be able to wake up.


    Yet they had managed to stand up and even snapped the ropes binding their bodies.


    "Physical-type Transcendents, eh? Hehehe, I really want to see what the heart of such a person looks like."


    "No matter how strong the flesh, it can''t withstand a blade. In front of me, S-level Transcendent ''Claw'' Mao, they''re as weak as rabbits."


    "So young, they could have had the chance to aim for SS-level in the future, what a shame."


    The core members of the Dawn Church, some with smiles and some with pity, looked on as if viewing animals in a cage.


    The pitiful sacrifices, whether they roared in anger or meowed in protest, could only provide cheap emotional value to them.


    Bishop Marshall smiled, "Jel, you''re being too cautious. This glass wall is made from Transcendent material; even ten mammoths charging simultaneously couldn''t damage it. Once Transcendents are locked inside, they can only wait to die."


    "Since these three little ones refuse to comply, we will have to inject poison gas," said Bishop Marshall with regret.


    No one cared about the two attendants who walked into the small room; they were destined to accompany Lin Da and the others in death.


    However...


    Click.


    Lin Da took out the Azure Sword from the Space Ring and gently swung it forward.


    The glass wall, which had given the members of the Dawn Church endless confidence and was boasted to be indestructible, split in two under Lin Da''s single strike.


    The shattering of the wall, to the church''s people, was like the collapse of their worldview.


    "What!" Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The wrinkles on Bishop Marshall''s old face tensed, his mouth gaping in disbelief as he pointed shakily at Lin Da, "Stop... stop him! Quick!"


    "Protect the Bishop!"


    Steel Shield Jel shouted as he raised his arm, crushing a white magic gem.


    Strength instantly filled his body.


    Jel cast the spell ''Steel Armor.''


    An exquisite set of armor conformed to Jel''s body.


    The armor was extraordinarily hard against enemies but soft as cloth to Jel, weightless, not hindering movement in the slightest.


    With this layer of armor, Jel could defeat the strongest land beast with his bare hands: the over two-thousand-pound king, the Arctic Berserk Bear!


    "Die!"


    Jel sneered and pounced towards Lin Da like a giant.


    "Get lost."


    Lin Da kicked out irritably as though kicking a sandbag.


    With a boom, Jel''s steel armor burst open, exposing the flesh beneath.


    His entire body curled like a shrimp, and the terrifying impact caused his eyeballs to bulge out, covered in bloodshot veins, looking as if they were about to explode.


    Jel was sent flying back to where he came from, tumbling away for dozens of meters.


    ```


    He finally crashed into the wall cabinet, causing bottles and jars to fall with a clatter, the sound chaotic.


    At this, everyone was dumbfounded.


    S-class, Steel Shield Jel known for his defense... was taken out in one strike?


    "Monster, it''s a monster!"


    A female Transcendent clad in black tights screamed in panic, the first to flee.


    She realized that the man in front of them may look human, but at his core, he was a monster��all Transcendents need magic gems to exert their powers, but that man, he didn''t need any gems; he could wield power directly.


    "Stop hesitating, just do it; your captain doesn''t have any area-of-effect spells, you know." Kafni scratched her belly vigorously, finally relieving the itch she''d been holding in for so long, almost moaning in satisfaction from the comfort.


    Monica was muttering to herself: This is all fake, none of this is the real world.


    Then, she extended her hands forward, conjuring a Magic Circle that horrified the other Transcendents:


    "Earthquake Technique!"


    Boom!


    The ground collapsed, and spires of earth jutted out like long spears.


    Screams were unending.


    The Transcendents, regardless of being A-class or S-class, were equal under the Earthquake Technique.


    All were gutted, bleeding profusely.


    "Help..." Bishop Marshall''s face was deathly pale as he trembled in the air.


    Lin Da decided to keep this man useful.


    Just before Monica activated the Earthquake Technique, he had used the Dark Whip to wrap around Marshall and hold him aloft.


    With a snap, he threw Marshall to the ground, slowly dusted off the dirt on his clothes, and joined his team members in surrounding the man.


    "Who exactly are you! Only the Goddess... can wield power without the aid of gems!"


    "Shar Pei, we are adventurers, my Lord!" Kafni declared proudly, puffing out her chest. "You Transcendents are quite rubbish, really; what''s this about S-class? It''s about the level of a level 15 Murderous Crab, I''d say."


    For the NPCs, these words were undoubtedly a dimensional strike.


    Bishop Marshall looked utterly perplexed: "Adventurers? Murderous Crabs? I don''t understand at all!"


    "You don''t need to worry about who we are, just answer the questions."


    Lin Da organized his thoughts and started with the most important question: "Transcendent Test Subject Number 73, Tina, and Number 79, Lin Xi, what did they wish for in the ceremony to summon the Dawn Goddess?"


    Bishop Marshall showed hesitation.


    "Ahhhh!"


    At the next moment, Lin Da unleashed the Dark Whip without any mercy, breaking one of Marshall''s fingers.


    "For every second I count, I will break one finger, then the toes, and lastly, the neck."


    By the time the fourth finger was broken, Bishop Marshall, in tears and snot, confessed.


    "The experiment logs are in the safe, I''ll get them for you!"


    "That''s more like it."


    Lin Da, like escorting a prisoner, followed Marshall deeper into the premises.


    Into a grand hall.


    Ghostly blue torches were inserted all around, their light dim, the atmosphere eerie.


    Inside, it was so quiet that only their footsteps could be heard.


    The most conspicuous object in the hall was a clear and transparent pool.


    It was circular, surrounded by a complex and dense array, enveloping the pool at its center.


    Lin Da glanced around and spotted ritual offerings at various points around the array.


    Among them were items mentioned in the Black Crow''s notes, including the head of a boy!


    Despite the pain from his broken fingers, Bishop Marshall managed to open the safe and retrieve an old, time-worn notebook from within.


    The pages inside were yellowed and brittle, as if they would crumble at the slightest touch.


    Lin Da took it and carefully opened it:


    [Transcendent Test Subject Number 70, Obeka, wished for an epic weapon. Wishing failed, obtained an Epic-level Dragon Scale.]


    [Number 71, wished for strength. He became a ''wall'' forever, standing to this day on the first floor of the castle.]


    [Number 72, wished to resurrect a teammate. Failed, the corpse was devoured by the Dawn Goddess.]


    Lin Da turned the pages, and the text that met his eyes made his scalp tingle.


    Not a single adventurer who made a wish to the Dawn Goddess had succeeded!


    Number 70 was somewhat lucky, acquiring an Epic-level material.


    Number 71 became a wall.


    Number 72 went straight to hell, reuniting with his teammate.


    With these precedents, why did Tina and Lin Xi dare to make a wish?


    "Did you... discover anything?"


    Kafni looked at Lin Da curiously.


    "The contents of the wishes, isn''t it strange?"


    "Uh... the strange one is you! There''s nothing on this!"


    Kafni touched her head in confusion, turning to Monica and asking, "Can you see the wishes of these test subjects?"


    "I can''t," Monica shook her head. "They''re just black squares."


    Hearing his teammates'' words, Lin Da was taken aback.


    Could it be that only a real ''player'' like himself could see the text in the logs?


    "System, open!"


    Lin Da silently called out to the system in his mind, and as he looked at the diary with the help of the system''s view, a window popped up:


    [Name: The Dawn Church''s Wish Diary]


    [Quality: Legendary]


    [Description: Records all the wishes made by adventurers when they triggered this hidden level.]


    [Note: This item cannot be damaged by non-players.]


    ```

 Chapter 209 184. Sisters Wish

    "So that''s how it is..."Lin Da thought to himself, because Lin Xi and her team couldn''t see the records of other adventurers'' failed wishes, they boldly summoned the Dawn Goddess.


    After they made their wishes, since they were not ''players,'' even if they destroyed this diary or took it away, everything would reset when other adventurers entered Dark Night City.


    Until his arrival.


    Lin Da had a premonition that if he took the diary away, adventurers who came after him would never see this item again.


    "Although I don''t know the specific uses, take everything that can be taken."


    Lin Da thought as he turned to the next page.


    "It''s Sister Tina!" Monica said.


    She could only see the name of the wisher, Tina.


    This team member was well-known in the Primitive Adventure Team and was one of Lin Da''s right-hand men.


    She served as the vice-captain of the Primitive Adventure Team.


    Even though Monica spent years in the warehouse, she knew Tina''s reputation well.


    A beautiful girl from the Angel Race.


    What struck Monica the most were Tina''s black wings and her terrifying large scythe.


    The day the Primitive Adventure Team disbanded, Lin Da''s cucumbers were stolen by Tina from his room, for reasons unknown.


    "What wish did Sister Tina make?" Monica asked with interest, leaning close to Lin Da.


    "...It''s unclear."


    "Huh?"


    "The content is unclear."


    Lin Da narrowed his eyes, and what appeared in his vision was a system prompt:


    [Wish number 73, erased three years ago]


    Three years ago was precisely when Dark Shadow disappeared and Lin Da crossed over to this world.


    Lin Da dared not say for sure that Dark Shadow''s disappearance was related to Tina, but there was at least a ninety percent chance.


    If it weren''t for a terrible wish, why would someone deliberately erase it?


    Moreover, Lin Da found something odd: how did Tina return to the fourth layer?


    Unless she changed her profession and reset all levels.


    Otherwise, a second climb up the World Tree was impossible.


    And the higher the level, the riskier the reset becomes.


    Dispersing all the Fighting Spirit Magic Power wasn''t an easy task.


    After level 20, the failure rate is 99%.


    After level 50, a failure is nearly 100% inevitable.


    Lin Da''s impression of Tina as a team member was that she was the kind who was obsessed with strength, who would never reset her levels just to return to the fourth layer.


    The mystery deepened.


    Lin Da thought to himself that he might only wait until the day he returned to the Royal Capital to personally ask Tina.


    Without strength, Lin Da would not approach her lightly. Who knows if those Five-star team members, seeing him become so weak, might seek revenge.


    "Mystic Continent," as a computer game featuring many beautiful girl team members, had characters who could satisfy various player experiences, like Tasya who enjoyed despising others as big shot small fries or Tina with a strong possessive desire...


    In Tina''s personal storyline, there was a scene called [Wanting to turn the team leader into a toy belonging only to her].


    If Lin Da revealed his identity, it probably wouldn''t end well.


    "I came here to investigate Lin Xi''s disappearance, Tina is still too far away from the current me, no need to worry about her for now."


    Lin Da took a deep breath and turned the next page.


    What wish had his sister made that caused her to mysteriously disappear?


    ...


    Something was not right.


    This ''instance'' was very strange.


    "Tricia, you''re there, aren''t you? I need to see you!"


    Lin Da''s face was ashen as he closed the journal, shouting in his heart toward the pitch-black ceiling above.


    As the World Tree Goddess and the will of this continent, Tricia should be able to hear his voice.


    What Lin Da wanted to know more than anything was: was this fourth layer truly created by Tricia using her divine power? Or was it that even Tricia herself could not control the content within the Mystic Realm?


    The fourth layer, within the game, was a chaotic and disordered Mystic Realm of flesh pigeons, where even the game developers didn''t know what it would look like the next time someone entered.


    The Dark Night City Mystic Realm was twisted and evil, featuring an incomprehensible Dawn Goddess who granted wishes.


    All these things were likely beyond Tricia''s expectations.


    The ritual to summon the Dawn Goddess required a transcendent''s heart, a boy''s skull... no matter how he thought about it, these were playthings preferred by an evil god.


    As a loving and nurturing goddess, this wasn''t Tricia''s style.


    Lin Da called out to the void again and again.


    It was as futile as a child fantasizing, raising both hands and executing "Divine Conquest"; no matter how hard he fantasized, it was pointless.


    "Can''t I send a private message to Tricia without the help of a goddess statue?"


    Lin Da clicked his tongue in frustration.


    It seemed that to find out the truth, he would have to beat the fourth layer and go to the Adventurer''s Guild to ask the goddess statue.


    "What did you find in the journal?" Kafni asked as she saw him pacing around, scratching his head in curiosity.


    "I have come to two conclusions."


    "The first is about the Dawn Goddess. In this hidden storyline, adventurers can make wishes to her. The simpler the wish, the more likely it is to succeed."


    "For instance, if I wish for a Level One Magic Core, then it will definitely succeed," Lin Da analyzed gradually.


    "What about complex wishes?" Monica blinked, asking.


    "I guess, they will fail," Kafni said calmly.


    "Exactly."


    Lin Da nodded, "If you wish for a beautiful young girl as a wife, you might end up turning into a beautiful young girl yourself."


    "The more complex, the more difficult the wish, the more likely it is to be twisted and fulfilled in another way. Look, you got a wife and a beautiful young girl, but it''s yourself. There''s also gaining strength but turning into a wall, wanting to resurrect a teammate but ending up meeting in hell... nine out of ten fail."


    Kafni said, "This is because the Dawn Goddess''s power isn''t strong enough. If she were truly a deity, she could grant legendary skills as wishes."


    Then she thought to herself, much like a true deity, not only did she grant the hero a bunch of legendary skills, but she also gave him a strong, beautiful, and wise female teammate.


    Kafni''s attitude could be described in two words: proud.


    "What was Sister Lin Xi''s wish?" Monica feebly said, "Captain, you look so glum."


    "Ah."


    Lin Da sighed.


    Fortunately, Lin Xi''s wish was not erased from the journal and remained on it.


    Unfortunately, Lin Xi''s desire was terribly complicated.


    Among all the wishers, it ranked among the most complicated, most difficult to fulfill!


    Even Lin Da didn''t know what that so-called ''Dawn Goddess'' would twist it into!


    As he was about to answer Monica,


    "Hehehe, hehehehehe... you madmen, you three mentally disturbed madmen, just die!"


    Bishop Marshall flipped a switch within a safe and hysterically laughed.


    "Go die, all of you! Demon, kill these three madmen!"


    The silence in the underground hall was shattered by Bishop Marshall''s manic laughter. S��ar?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da frowned, "I know you''re anxious, but hold on a second."


    He activated the skill Dark Whip, ready to calm Bishop Marshall down.


    At that moment, he heard the sound of rushing water.


    Something seemed to have floated up in the pool below the hall.

 Chapter 210 185. The content of the sisters wishes, Lin Da totally smashes sister

    Something is being kept under the pool?Lin Da and the other two looked at each other, all feeling a chill down their spines.


    Kafni closed her eyes, reaching out with her divine power to sense her surroundings.


    She seemed to discover something, and her expression gradually changed, "It has the strength of level 20, be careful."


    "Level 20... a hidden boss?"


    Lin Da tied up Bishop Marshall, "Is that what you call the Dawn Goddess? Kept in a pool?"


    "Goddess? Hahaha, ignorant fools, that is the church''s strongest weapon, the Ma..."


    While speaking, Marshall''s pupils suddenly contracted.


    He opened his mouth, an expression of extreme terror on his face.


    But he couldn''t make a sound.


    His entire head burst open like a firework!


    With a bang.


    Ketchup splattered everywhere, covering Lin Da and the others'' faces.


    Monica, pale as a ghost, sat on the ground, letting out a crying scream.


    She probably wouldn''t dare to sleep alone for a month!


    Lin Da and Kafni were strong mentally, but their faces were equally ugly.


    The thing in the pool, did it kill Marshall?


    Wasn''t that the weapon Marshall kept?


    No wonder it was sealed beneath the pool.


    It must be some crazed entity, not even Marshall had confidence to control it. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Releasing it must have been meant to give the Phoenix Tail Flower Team a joint burial!


    "Don''t underestimate it, everyone get ready for battle!"


    Lin Da pulled the panicking Monica to her feet, his voice stern, his gaze icy, as if he had transformed into the Dark Shadow he once was.


    This triggered the deeply planted fear of abandonment in Monica''s soul.


    Those who disobeyed the orders of the Dark Shadow would be brutally kicked out of the team!


    Lin Da used poison to fight poison, scaring Monica with the Dark Shadow into regaining her composure.


    The brown array lit up again, and a miserable Monica charged up an Earth Bombardment.


    "Heehee, heeheehee..."


    Different from the explosive battle they expected.


    Spine-chilling giggles eclipsed from beneath the pool.


    In the vast and silent hall, besides the breathing of the three members of the adventure team, there was only this eerie laughter.


    Lin Da didn''t find this laughter endearing at all, but rather like a damp tendril, entwining around his heart.


    Splash.


    With a rush of water sounds, the thing from the pool came onto the surface.


    Lin Da and the others were all on high alert.


    But what appeared before them was...


    A girl.


    A naked girl.


    Her wet black hair clung to her back, with the strands in front modestly covering her private parts.


    The girl''s pale, jade-like feet touched the ground, leaving damp traces as she walked.


    Kafni gripped her dagger tightly, "Monica, isn''t your spell ready yet? Shoot that thing, quick!"


    "Ah, okay, right!"


    Monica''s face was white with fear, her chanting speed half of the usual. In her haste and confusion, tears welled in her eyes, but she couldn''t fire her spell.


    Both women readied themselves for combat, but only Lin Da, dropping Marshal''s headless body, stared dumbfounded at the girl before him.


    Wild-haired, like a wraith.


    From her, Lin Da could not sense the slightest hint of humanity.


    Lin Da couldn''t believe what was happening before his eyes.


    No matter what, the wish Lin Xi had made should not have come true in this way!


    ...


    Before the Snow Goose Adventure Team entered the fourth floor, Lin Xi had mentioned ''not wanting to adventure anymore''.


    Perhaps Lin Xi had already discovered something at that time but did not tell the others.


    Back then, Lin Da was still an ordinary Healer.


    Perhaps even if he had been told, he would have been powerless.


    As far as Lin Da knew, Lin Xi''s magic power was increasing faster and faster, like a balloon that kept expanding without the ability to turn off the inflating valve. One day, it would burst with a loud bang, completely exploding.


    In the end... Lin Xi chose to come to a place like this, pinning her hopes on the unreliable Dawn Goddess.


    The contents of the diary surfaced in Lin Da''s mind.


    Lin Xi''s wish was, ''To abandon adventuring with my brother Lin Da and obtain eternal life, to live a simple life.''


    Although it was just one sentence, it contained multiple wishes.


    It was as if the Magic Lamp said you could make one wish, and then you say your wish is to pick three more wishes.


    Such insatiable greed would cause the one to be devoured by the Magic Lamp, never to see the light of day again!


    So when Lin Da saw his sister''s wish, he felt somewhat disheartened.


    From the wishes of other people in the diary, it seemed the more straightforward and simple the wish, the greater the chance of success.


    Lin Xi''s wish was abstract and complex.


    Eternal life is something most adventurers would not pursue. With the Demon King about to awaken, only by gaining strength and defeating the Demon King could one survive.


    Giving up adventuring was something Lin Da would never do. Lin Xi''s wish certainly couldn''t change his mind.


    To live a mundane life... it''s impossible without destroying the Demon King.


    Lin Da could say with certainty that Lin Xi''s wish would not be fulfilled in a normal way.


    What form it would take to come true, that answer seemed to be laid out before him.


    Usually sealed beneath the pool, becoming the hidden boss of Dark Night City.


    Whenever new adventurers entered, the instance would refresh.


    To gain ''eternal life'' in such an alternative way...?


    "Brother, I miss you so much, please come to me,"


    In Lin Xi''s eyes, there was the innocence and cuteness of a young girl.


    Clean, neat, fair.


    Like a flawless little flower.


    And at this moment, the sister who crawled out of the pool reached out with her pitiful hands.


    "It''s cold, I''m so cold, brother, can you lend me a piece of clothing to wear?"


    Lin Xi staggered like a toddler learning to walk, trying hard to maintain her balance on her feet.


    "Idiot, don''t go over there!"


    Kafni watched in frustration as Lin Da unhesitatingly embraced that ''Magical Creature''!


    Ordinary people couldn''t see the difference, but Kafni''s perception was clear that the aura of that thing was no different from a Magical Creature!


    Approaching it was definitely dangerous.


    This, in fact, Lin Da had also realized.


    If for a brave hero the witch was a piece of black, sooty coal that dirtied upon touch, then the ''sister'' before him was petroleum.


    After embracing the ''sister'', it felt as if a sticky, disgusting liquid wrapped around Lin Da''s entire body.


    They turned into tiny black tentacles, touching everywhere, and causing goosebumps to rise on Lin Da''s back.


    This Lin Xi indeed had a trace of the witch''s aura within her but very faint.


    More than that was the stench of Magical Creatures!


    On the surface, Lin Da showed concern, but inside, his rage was sky-high.


    This Magical Creature''s actions were akin to adding a heap of hated coriander to the soup of an adventurer who detested it.


    He came to find his sister, but the Magical Creature turned into the naked form of his sister, disgusting him.


    "Die!"


    Lin Da roared, grabbing the Magical Creature ''Lin Xi'' around the waist and lifting her high, before slamming her down onto the ground.


    Crack!


    Under his 952 points of strength, ''Lin Xi''s'' neck was broken on the spot!


    Kafni was stunned along with the others.


    They thought Lin Da was going to recognize his kin.


    Then he turned and gave her a body slam.


    Such a hero was approachable!


    Kafni thought to herself, if Lin Da had been charmed by the Magical Creature and become weepy, she would have totally lost respect for him!


    "Ying ying ying, it hurts, it hurts so much brother, why are you hitting me?"


    ''Lin Xi'' sobbed, her broken neck stretching like rubber, hovering in front of Lin Da, her face covered in sadness: "Didn''t brother always like me the most? It hurts, it hurts to death."


    "Don''t f***ing disgust me, Magical Creature, reveal yourself!"

 Chapter 211 186, Lin Da presides over the ceremony, summoning the Dawn Goddess.

    Lin Da''s hand flashed with light as he drew the Azure Sword from his Space Ring and immediately activated the skill of the Ferocious Fang accessory: Lethal Strike!The Azure Sword transformed into something akin to a giant hammer, and with a thud, it plunged ''Lin Xi'' into the ground, her flesh a blurred mess, too gruesome to behold.


    -4750!


    "Ahhh, why are you hitting me, you jerk brother, I''m going to eat you up!"


    Lin Xi''s corpse turned into a puddle of black liquid, which then congealed into the shape of a bat standing on two legs.


    Lin Da sneered, "Just as I thought, an ''Anthropomorphic Demon.'' How could my sister run into her brother''s arms stark naked?"


    What appeared before the Phoenix Tail Flower Team was, in fact, a young Thousand-Change Demon, a Rare Orange Level Magical Creature, the Anthropomorphic Demon.


    The Anthropomorphic Demon, level 20, could mimic any human it had seen before.


    In the later stages of the game, these Anthropomorphic Demon spies disguised as adventurers brought great disaster to the empire.


    They were creatures of not a high level, but exceedingly annoying to deal with.


    "Dark Whip!"


    "Assassinate!"


    "Earth Bombardment!"


    The Phoenix Tail Flower Team launched a round of attacks, dealing twenty thousand damage directly to the Anthropomorphic Demon.


    Lin Da equipped the Verdant Shield, ''total health points'' 8845.


    He then activated the skill [Spiky Thorn Armor], boosting his defensive power.


    [Toxic Enchantment], turning his Normal Attacks into Magic Damage, increasing damage by 50%.


    Lin Da, buffed to the hilt, charged like a brown bear, unfazed by the Anthropomorphic Demon''s various skills, and launched an attack!


    The Azure Sword slashed and cleaved.


    His big feet kicked at faces.


    A string of damage numbers appeared.


    Admittedly, Lin Da''s swordsmanship and combat skills were mediocre.


    But his attributes were high.


    A Normal Attack from him dealt about 1300 damage.


    Fueled with rage, Lin Da swung the Azure Sword in his hand, leaving afterimages as he hit, causing the Anthropomorphic Demon to howl in pain.


    Anyone watching would have thought him a Berserker, nowhere near being thought of as a healer!


    "You like mimicking, huh? Well then, mimic me one more time, I dare you!"


    Lin Da raised the Azure Sword high above his head and executed the New Year''s Swordsmanship.


    -1700!


    The wrathful strike landed a critical hit!


    The Anthropomorphic Demon was like a torn rag under Lin Da''s blade, cleaved in two.


    A somewhat abnormal system prompt rang in Lin Da''s ears:


    [You have defeated a level 20 Rare Orange Level Magical Creature, the Anthropomorphic Demon, and have obtained 45000 Mystical Points!]


    [Current Mystical Points 124867]


    Breaking the hundred thousand mark was undoubtedly good news.


    It meant that Lin Da could level up to 20 at any time, transitioning from the status of adventurer to that of Adventurer.


    Becoming a pillar of White Dove City, ranked alongside many Rock-level Squads.


    But... something was not right.


    Lin Da found it puzzling that killing Magical Creatures in the World Tree should have rewarded them with diamonds, shouldn''t it? sea??h th�� N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The World Tree Goddess hadn''t awarded their team with any experience points either.


    In theory, a burst of golden light should fall upon them, and all would rise to level 20. That would be the normal outcome.


    Yet the current situation seemed indistinguishable from hunting Magical Creatures outside.


    Lin Da landed the last hit, earning Mystical Points.


    Kafni also noticed something amiss, "Where is the Divine Gift from the World Tree Goddess?"


    "Seems like there''s none," Monica tilted her head, feeling around but not sensing any increase in magic power.


    "This isn''t a creature from the trial."


    Lin Da''s expression turned solemn as he pointed at the corpse of the Anthropomorphic Demon, "This... is a genuine Magical Creature."


    The forces of the Demon Realm had penetrated into the World Tree.


    This situation was not unfamiliar to Lin Da, as similar settings were present in the upper levels of the World Tree.


    However, such conditions shouldn''t occur below the twentieth floor.


    The only way to find out the truth was to ask the World Tree Goddess directly.


    "What do we do now? Leave the Mystic Realm? Our main objective is complete," said Kafni.


    "Lord Captain, let''s go," Monica urged nervously.


    The Dark Night City was exuding an eerie vibe from every corner.


    "Hold on, we haven''t completed the final adventure target yet," Lin Da said.


    He took out a maple-leaf-shaped leaf from the World Tree, and the text on it read:


    [Adventure Goal: Find and kill the Werewolf within seven days (completed)]


    [Extra Goal: Kill 5 Magical Beings/Transcendents (completed)]


    [Bonus Goal: Kill a ''Deity'' (incomplete)]


    "This ''deity'' probably refers to the Dawn Goddess," Lin Da said.


    "The ''Goddess'' that lured my sister away and made her disappear, I really want to see what it looks like!"


    The materials for summoning the Dawn Goddess had been prepared by Bishop Marshall.


    The one thing missing, the heart of an S-level Transcendent, they had several of.


    When Lin Da escaped his predicament, he had killed a bunch.


    The specific summoning method was recorded in the journal.


    Everything was ready.


    "Hmm, I''m also quite curious about this ''Goddess''... Heh, I bet she''s not even worth one of my hairs," Kafni said, totally fearless and full of enthusiasm.


    Monica, the more timid member of the team, trembled slightly, clinging to Lin Da like a little tail.


    "If it can be killed, this ''deity'' is at most level 20. The hidden boss of the fourth layer can''t be that much more powerful," Lin Da said with a smile, his warm hand caressing Monica''s soft brown hair.


    It wasn''t that he was overconfident; even the most outrageous boss of the fourth layer couldn''t possibly be at the level of the Red Armored Crab King.


    He himself had over 120,000 Mystical Points, and in a moment of crisis, he could level up directly to 20 and activate his double fatality skills.


    Ultimate Skills, either having extremely high damage multipliers or powerful supportive effects, significantly boost the strength of adventurers with such skills.


    Plus, upon reaching level 20, one would receive a one-time substantial increase in attributes.


    All this was what gave Lin Da the confidence to confront the Dawn Goddess.


    The trio first cleared the battlefield for loot, gathering the materials from the Anthropomorphic Demon.


    Organs and flesh are not precious, to be sold to restaurants.


    Teeth, skin, Demon Core�� these are valuable items.


    Lin Da sliced open the Anthropomorphic Demon''s heart, inside was a shiny object that caught his eye.


    "Gold Coin?"


    He frowned and extracted the coin, the size of a fingernail, from the heart.


    Gold Coins growing inside an Anthropomorphic Demon''s heart?


    This is totally a capitalist''s dream! Raise a bunch and harvest them slowly.


    "There seems to be writing on the back." Monica, being short, pointed at the coin curiously with her small hand.


    Lin Da turned it over and indeed, there was.


    The writing was special, more complex than the common language of adventurers, with many strokes to each character.


    Neither Monica nor Kafni could recognize what was written on it.


    Probably no one throughout the entire Mystic Continent could recognize the writing on the Gold Coin, except for Lin Da.


    It was�� Chinese characters.


    Lin Da''s eyes hardened.


    ''Save me''.


    Two simple and easy-to-understand characters, yet they contained many profound meanings.


    Lin Da''s heart instantly grew fervent.


    Without a doubt, this was a distress signal left for him by Lin Xi!


    Lin Xi was indeed missing.


    At this moment, alive somewhere on the continent.


    A weight lifted from Lin Da''s heart.


    Although he steadfastly claimed Lin Xi was missing, deep inside, he couldn''t help but feel unease.


    The appearance of this Gold Coin made the direction of his journey more apparent.


    No matter if his sister was in the abyss or in heaven, he would rescue her.


    "Dawn Goddess, hehe�� You can make my sister disappear and reappear, so there shouldn''t be a problem, right?"


    After preparing, Lin Da stood at the summoning spot of the Array to oversee the ritual.


    Two team members, one excited, one nervous, were ready with their attack Skills.


    As they had discussed, Lin Da would make a wish first; if successful, they would then kill the Dawn Goddess.


    If the wish failed... they''d start killing immediately.


    Lin Da held a diary, looking solemnly at the Spell written within, like a friar preaching sermons.


    He cleared his throat and began to chant:


    "O greatest and most sacred one;


    The crystallization of beauty and wisdom;


    O evil and cunning Magical Beings;


    Magic Mirror, Magic Mirror, tell me who is the fairest of them all;


    Dawn Goddess!


    I have prepared a lavish sacrifice for you.


    Please respond to my call and descend here.


    Summon!"


    Lin Da bit open his thumb, splattering the blood into the unfathomable pool in front of him.


    Hum hum hum...


    The ground beneath began to tremble, as if an earthquake was imminent.


    Around the pool, the vast Array''s lines emanated a dark purple glow.


    Like the tubes of a giant energy furnace, they heated up and all pointed towards that pool.


    The water within bubbled like magma, the clear liquid turning into an ominous deep red, a shock to the senses.


    A trace of sweat seeped from Lin Da''s forehead; he cast the Verdant Shield on himself, his Magic Circuit operating at full power as he readied a Dark Whip Skill in secret.


    The scene before him didn''t look like a ritual to summon a Goddess at all.


    It was more apt for summoning an Evil God.


    "Whimper, whimper..." Monica''s hands trembled.


    A divine golden light flickered through Kafni''s eyes.


    As a true Deity and a member of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, Kafni would never allow the hero to be harmed.


    "Dare to hurt the hero, then let this counterfeit god taste the might of a distinguished Deity graduate!" she thought fiercely.


    The trembling of the ground continued for ten seconds before gradually ceasing.


    The pool ceased boiling as well.


    Everything seemed to return to normal.


    A soft and pleasant female voice came from the depths of the pool:


    "My followers, I have felt your sincerity."


    "Now, speak your wishes."


    From beneath the pool, tentacles covered with flesh bumps stretched out, grabbing the Array''s offered sacrifice��the Transcendent''s heart, the boy''s head, strong spirits... and then retracted back into the pool.


    With the adventurers'' Level 19 hearing, they could make out faint crunching and chewing sounds from beneath the pool.


    In Lin Da''s mind, the image of a beast that hadn''t eaten in days devouring a boy''s head arose.


    The feeding sounds were rough, yet the Dawn Goddess''s own voice was so delicate, reminiscent of a compassionate Priest in church, adept at listening to the troubles of the faithful and offering comfort.


    Those of weak willpower would''ve directly called out to the Dawn Goddess as ''Mother''.


    Even Lin Da felt a strong alluring power.


    As if something he greatly desired was in the pool, urging him to jump in and embrace the Dawn Goddess.


    He stumbled forward as though dazed, his inner self shouting to stop, to not move any further, but it was as if he''d lost control over his body, his internal cries useless.


    He was just one meter from the Blood Pool ahead.


    Lin Da''s heart suddenly pounded.


    From the chewing sounds that had emanated from the pool, he surmised that jumping in would lead to dire consequences!


    Luckily, when only one meter remained, Lin Da found he could no longer move forward.


    As the pool turned into an ominous deep red, he had already prepared for the worst.


    Tied around Lin Da''s waist was an energy whip.


    The other end of the whip was attached to the load-bearing pillar of the underground hall!


    From the Poison Technique Series, the Skill: [Dark Whip]!

 Chapter 212 187. The True Form of the Dawn Goddess?

    The whip had thorns and barbs, and when Lin Da forcefully moved forward, the barbs pierced through his clothes and into his skin.Each painful sting was like a slap waking someone from slumber, snapping Lin Da''s consciousness awake.


    Lin Da shuddered and suddenly came to his senses.


    "Kafni, Monica?"


    The first thing he did was look around, searching for his teammates.


    Since Kafni was a deity herself, she had high resistance to spiritual attacks and stood her ground, though pain was evident on her face. Kafni was alright herself but had no extra strength to aid others.


    Lin Da looked to the front side and was shocked.


    Monica, trembling like a marionette, was already at the edge of the pool.


    With half a foot hanging in the air, she was about to fall in!


    The pool boiled again.


    The thing beneath seemed very excited, ready to devour Monica as a new sacrifice.


    "Go!"


    In the nick of time, Lin Da unleashed his Dark Whip.


    Crack!


    The Dark Whip coiled around Monica''s waist and yanked her back forcefully.


    Lin Da held Monica in his arms.


    Away from the pool, Monica''s hollow eyes gradually regained clarity.


    "Huh? How...how did I end up in the Captain''s arms?"


    "It was a spiritual attack."


    Lin Da, with a grave expression, set Monica down and stared intensely at the pool, "What exactly are you, come out!"


    "I didn''t do anything, you know? Mortals worship deities, seeking to be embraced by them��it''s an instinct. It seems your little girlfriend doesn''t have a very firm will," the Dawn Goddess said in her pleasing voice. "Come, answer me instead, what is your wish?"


    "Lin Xi�� what have you done to her?"


    "I''m sorry, I can''t answer concerning other wish-makers. That''s a rule," the Dawn Goddess said regrettably. "Please, make another wish."


    "Then...bring Lin Xi in front of me."


    Lin Da clenched his Azure Sword.


    If the Dawn Goddess twisted his wish, he was ready to attack immediately.


    The fact that the opponent stayed under the pool and didn''t come out suggested that its combat power was mediocre.


    Just a four-level hidden BOSS, at most level 20.


    With 120,000 Mystical Points unused, he could directly go to level 20 and give it a taste of his Double Fatality.


    Lin Da was ready to fight at a moment''s notice.


    ��"Your wish has been granted."


    Suddenly, the array''s light extinguished.


    The pool became clear again.


    The Dawn Goddess seemed to have vanished.


    Was the wish granted just like that?


    There seemed to be no change.


    Confused, Lin Da turned around to look, but in the hall, there were only the three members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team; Lin Xi was nowhere to be seen.


    Splashing...


    At that moment, the sound of water echoed in his ears.


    Lin Da''s gaze sharpened, he secured the Dark Whip at his waist, and had his teammates cover him as he cautiously approached the edge of the pool to look down.


    A dark shadow was rapidly surfacing.


    "What is that?"


    Lin Da''s Azure Sword, ready to strike,


    but then he considered, what if this shadow was his sister?


    The Dawn Goddess had said his wish was granted. From other people''s logs, something always happened as long as a wish was made; it couldn''t be without any event.


    As he pondered, the shadow broke the water surface and, like a seal, leaped into the hall.


    Lin Da was astounded.


    Kafni frowned in disgust.


    Monica screamed and escaped far away.


    What appeared before them was not Lin Da''s sister.


    Instead, it was a... gigantic white flesh worm.


    The flesh worm was one meter long and as thick as a bucket.


    Its feet beneath its body were short and numerous, just like those of a silkworm.


    Two rows, nearly a hundred in total, slowly writhed and crawled on the ground.


    In front of the flesh worm''s head was a spiral-shaped huge mouthpart, inside which were densely packed tiny teeth, glinting with sharpness.


    If you threw a chunk of meat and bone in there, it would probably be instantly shredded by this mouthpart.


    "What monstrosity is this?"


    Lin Da''s expression changed dramatically.


    Could this massive flesh worm be his sister? Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Was he going to live his whole life with this flesh worm?


    Such a sister would not be desirable to any adventurer for marriage!


    Kafni said expressionlessly, "Don''t think too much, this is a Magical Creature, I can clearly feel the Magical Creature aura from it!"


    After speaking, Kafni rubbed her hands together, preparing to kill the large flesh worm.


    "Wait," Lin Da shook his head, "What if this thing... really is Lin Xi?"


    The chances were slim, but he couldn''t be too cautious.


    Even if he killed the flesh worm, he had to investigate afterward.


    In the diary, among the wishes Lin Xi had made, there was the word ''eternal life.''


    As far as Lin Da knew, some simple-structured Magical Creatures deep in the ocean could almost achieve eternal life.


    They had no heads and only fed on instinct.


    But this indeed was a form of eternal life.


    In other words, the possibility that this ugly flesh worm was Lin Xi was not ''zero.''


    "Meow meow."


    The flesh worm made a pleasing sound, rubbing its head against Lin Da''s shoes like a small cat.


    That terrifying spiral-shaped mouth had no intention of attacking Lin Da.


    Even the dog he had raised for years was not this well-behaved!


    The sense of eeriness in Lin Da''s heart grew stronger.


    He wished the flesh worm would attack him and a major battle would ensue.


    This way, it would clarify that the flesh worm was not his sister, and he could kill it with ease.


    But the flesh worm''s affectionate actions and its unguarded behavior made Lin Da inevitably suspect: could it really be Lin Xi?


    After rubbing his shoes for a while, the flesh worm coquettishly opened its bloody mouth wide, somewhat like it was begging for food.


    "You two watch it; I''ll go upstairs to find some food," Lin Da said as he touched his stomach, having not eaten all day, and he was a bit hungry too.


    "Are we keeping this thing?" Kafni scrutinized the flesh worm warily: "We might as well kill it directly. I always feel that this thing is not normal, it might be highly intelligent, deceiving us."


    "Meow meow meow!"


    The flesh worm seemed to guess something from Kafni''s stern expression and screamed in fear, wriggling to Lin Da''s side.


    The small feet in front clung to Lin Da''s leg.


    Though it was an ugly, large flesh worm with no ''face'', it somehow evoked the image of a delicate and pitiful girl.


    Lin Da sighed helplessly.


    "Kafni, I understand what you''re saying. However, as long as there''s a slight possibility that it is Lin Xi..."


    "Let''s bring it to White Dove City and ask high-level Beast Tamers and Druids to see the true nature of this flesh worm."


    "Anyway, I''m going to get some food first, you guys keep a close watch."


    Lin Da asked two team members to monitor the flesh worm.


    He himself went upstairs to look for food.


    The church personnel had long evacuated from the castle, and in such a large place, Lin Da was the only person left.


    It took him quite a while to find the cafeteria, where he stuffed large amounts of bread and dried meat into his Space Ring and returned to the underground hall.


    As soon as he entered, he saw Monica sitting on the ground with a painful expression.


    She was clutching her calf, which was bleeding profusely.


    Kafni blocked the flesh worm and shouted angrily, "You damn Magical Creature, showing your true nature now, huh!"

 Chapter 213 188, Monica: Shes fake!

    "What''s going on?"Lin Da''s heart skipped a beat, and he hurried over.


    When Kafni saw him, she breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Not long after you left, that Flesh Worm started acting up and suddenly attacked Monica! Its speed... faster than a rabbit, by the time I reacted, Monica''s calf had already been bitten!"


    "We need to stop the bleeding first."


    Lin Da said gravely, casting Healing Art on Monica before frowning at the ''panicked'' Flesh Worm.


    The Flesh Worm saw him and appeared to find its savior.


    Like a scared little animal, it squirmed and crawled towards them.


    Still pretending?


    No matter how he thought about it, his sister couldn''t have attacked Monica without reason.


    Lin Da''s gaze was icy as he resolved to eliminate the Magical Creature.


    "The repulsiveness of ants fills me with a killing rage!"


    Suddenly, a furious shout erupted beside Lin Da.


    Monica pounced towards the Flesh Worm, her small fists pounding relentlessly on its head.


    The Flesh Worm, in pain, whimpered continuously, thrashing like a bull to shake Monica off its back.


    Monica clung to the Flesh Worm, refusing to let go.


    This scene was particularly eerie.


    The cute Big Lolita perched on the back of the ugly insect, punching and biting, but not using her most proficient Magic.


    The words Monica had spoken earlier were also strange, even the syntax of the adventurers'' common language was all mixed up.


    Lin Da and Kafni exchanged glances, their eyes filled with confusion: what on earth was wrong with Monica?


    "Get away from it quickly!"


    Lin Da embraced Monica''s petite body in his arms.


    On the other hand, the Flesh Worm, beaten until green pus flowed everywhere, sounded weak: "Ying... ying..."


    This Magical Creature seemed to have low health points.


    Was it almost beaten to death by Monica, a Mage by profession, bare-handed? S��arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da looked at Monica with suspicion.


    "Captain, Lord, it makes my heart fearful! We can''t keep it!"


    Monica, filled with righteous indignation, pointed at the Flesh Worm: "It bit me, kill, it must die!"


    "Could it be an infected wound, poisoned?" Lin Da wondered anxiously.


    The current Monica was like someone with rabies, from a timid Lolita to becoming super aggressive.


    "Lord Captain, quick, kill it!"


    Monica''s small hand aimed at the Flesh Worm, ready to cast a Spell.


    But perhaps due to the emotional agitation, she failed her spell chanting multiple times.


    "I''ll do it." Kafni rolled up her sleeves and walked toward the Flesh Worm.


    "Ying... ying ying!"


    The Flesh Worm, scared, kept backing away, turning its head towards Lin Da as if begging for help.


    Seeing the Flesh Worm about to be killed, a gleam of satisfaction flashed in Monica''s eyes, her smile widening to a terrifying extent, devoid of her usual cuteness.


    "Hehe, hehehe... kill, kill it," Monica said excitedly.


    Seeing Monica like this gave Lin Da the creeps.


    "Hold on," he said.


    "What''s the matter?" Kafni turned her head in confusion.


    And Monica at Lin Da''s side, anxious, her face even changed color: "You idiot Captain, just kill it, kill it! Otherwise, we''re all going to die!"


    A hidden gleam flashed in Lin Da''s eyes as he said calmly, "There''s no rush to kill the Flesh Worm. What if it really is my sister? Let''s investigate further and see if we can find any new clues."


    Monica, frustrated, snorted and headed towards the exit of the underground hall.


    "Where are you going?" Lin Da frowned.


    "To clear my head," Monica said.


    Watching the girl''s retreating figure, Kafni seemed to realize something.


    She shivered, looking at Lin Da with lingering fear: "The one with the problem seems to be Monica."


    "Let''s observe for a while."


    Lin Da''s gaze returned to the trembling Flesh Worm.


    As he approached, the Flesh Worm, which had been affectionate towards him, fled in terror.


    "Dark Whip!"


    A purple Energy Whip shot into the air, binding the Flesh Worm.


    Lin Da found a sack and stuffed the Flesh Worm into it.


    He patted the bag; inside, the body of the Flesh Worm was greasy and disgusting, like a lump of rotting meat.


    "I won''t harm you until I figure out the truth. Stay calm in there and don''t make a fuss," Lin Da said.


    Whether the Flesh Worm understood him was uncertain, but after he finished speaking, it indeed became quiet and ceased its struggles.


    Six hours later.


    Lin Da, dressed in a black trench coat commonly seen in Dark Night City, wearing a hat, left the castle with two teammates in a car.


    Everything that needed to be investigated had been investigated.


    The Flesh Worm was packed in the sack and then locked in an iron cage, posing no threat.


    Lin Da observed that this Flesh Worm had very low combat power, only at the level of a level five or six adventurer.


    Concerned about the Church''s people making a comeback, they drove off in a carriage and checked into a hotel in Dark Night City.


    It was already late, Lin Da and his three companions had a simple meal and prepared to rest.


    It was worth noting that Monica''s appetite had increased dramatically, eating almost as much as three robust men needed.


    The hotel was a suite with three rooms, just enough for one each.


    Lin Da placed the cage containing the Flesh Worm in the living room.


    After bidding his teammates goodnight, he turned off the lights and went back to his room.


    Monica''s eyes remained fixed on the cage holding the Flesh Worm, unblinking and unmoved.


    The door closed, blocking the girl''s view.


    Night.


    The clock in the living room ticked away.


    All three bedrooms were silent.


    Only the Flesh Worm in the cage made a crying sound.


    Squeak~ Creak~


    It was an extremely soft door-opening sound,


    as if afraid of being overheard by anyone.


    Monica squinted her eyes and stealthily opened the bedroom door, walking out.


    Her gaze, filled with bloodlust, briefly scanned the Flesh Worm in the cage before she crept up to Kafni''s room and peeped in to check if Kafni was asleep.


    Compared to Lin Da, Kafni was the one she truly dreaded.


    Although Lin Da seemed to have the upper hand in surface combat power,


    there would occasionally flash an aura about Kafni that struck terror into her heart.


    "If possible, I''ll get rid of this one first, then kill Lin Da,"


    ''Monica'' muttered under her breath, eyes shifting toward the inside of the bedroom.


    Kafni was lying on her back, sleeping like a dead pig, occasionally snoring.


    "Stupid humans," she said scornfully, opening the second bedroom door.


    Lin Da was also sleeping peacefully.


    His hands were folded in front of his chest, his breathing steady.


    "Eeeng eeeng eeeng..."


    ''Monica'' let out a sinister giggle from her throat. She closed the door and, holding a fruit knife taken from the kitchen, made her way to the iron cage with a chilling look in her eyes.


    No one understood better than she did how fragile this Flesh Worm was,


    With one strike, she could kill it and take over the body known as ''Monica''!


    Crack!


    But just then, the lights in the living room came on.


    The sudden brightness frightened ''Monica'' immensely.


    She spun around, her eyes widening in surprise.


    "How... how could you be here, weren''t you asleep?"


    "It''s time for the captain''s interrogation," Lin Da said in a cold tone, "Now tell me, what are you doing?"


    ''Monica'' thought for a moment and suddenly burst into tears, "Captain, I''m scared! Eeeng eeeng, keeping this worm will definitely bring harm to us. After I was bitten, I feel so abnormal..."


    "That''s right, abnormal," Kafni said in a teasing tone. "I couldn''t even detect your strangeness. A level 20 hidden BOSS, yet your combat power is so weak. Your true strength lies in mental attacks, doesn''t it? Your real body is about that of a level 5-6 Magical Creature''s, right?"


    "Eeeng eeeng, what are you talking about, I don''t understand, Monica!"


    ''Monica'' looked anxiously at Lin Da, "Captain, please help me!"


    The reply she got was a purple Energy Whip,


    Amidst screams, Lin Da tied up Monica.


    Even now, Lin Da could hardly believe that the truth of the matter was like this...


    If he hadn''t stopped ''Monica'' back in the underground hall, Monica might truly have been lost forever.


    This fourth-layer hidden boss of the Mystic Realm was too cunning!


    "By biting Monica and swapping bodies with her, once your own body died, you could take over this new one."


    "Am I right, ''Dawn Goddess''?"


    The killing intent in Lin Da''s eyes flashed, and he tightened the Dark Whip, making the fake Monica whimper incessantly.


    Her cries were indistinguishable from those of the Flesh Worm!


    "Captain, eeeng... wuwu, you''ve got it wrong! I''m Monica, your teammate!"


    "Then answer me, what is my other identity?"


    "Uh... eh, Captain, it''s just the captain."


    ''Monica'' panicked, unable to answer properly.


    Just as he thought. Lin Da nodded to himself.


    This Dawn Goddess lacked the ability to read memories.


    She knew only that there was a team, he was the captain, named Lin Da,


    and she couldn''t articulate anything more than that.


    "At first, I didn''t believe it. I thought the Flesh Worm was deceiving us."


    Lin Da took out a piece of paper.


    On it, in a greenish liquid, was scrawled a row of shaky letters:


    [Captain, I am the real Monica!]


    ''Monica'' saw these words, and her expression instantly twisted, "Where did this come from, why don''t I know about it?"


    "While you went out to ''clear your mind'' and ''feed'' on the corpses of the Transcendents."


    Lin Da opened the iron cage and gently lifted the Flesh Worm out,


    his expression tender.


    "It was Monica who bit herself and left this message with her blood. In the beginning, I didn''t believe it. I suspected the Flesh Worm of possessing the ability to read team members'' memories, using these words to deceive me."


    "Until now."


    "Seeing your abnormal behavior and your inability to restrain yourself from attacking Monica, I finally became convinced. When the Flesh Worm''s body died, you would become the real Monica!"


    The Flesh Worm Monica in Lin Da''s arms kept nodding.


    If she had eyes, they would surely be brimming with tears of grievance.


    If not for the astute captain, she would already have been replaced by the Dawn Goddess!


    "Hehehe... What of it? Now that you know the truth, can you kill me?"


    The fake Monica laughed loudly, no longer bothering to pretend.


    "Killing me won''t restore that idiot human. Do you want to procreate with an ugly, disgusting worm?"


    It seemed to be an insoluble dilemma.


    Even though Lin Da saw through the fake Monica''s identity, he was still powerless against her.


    That was the source of her confidence.


    "You might have misunderstood a little,"


    Lin Da said with a wry smile, "Who said we were going to kill you? Don''t underestimate the methods humans have devised over thousands of years to torture their own kind."


    In the world of Flesh Worms, death simply meant being eaten by a predator, suffering for a few minutes before it was over.


    But in the human world, there were countless forms of excruciating torture.


    Methods that could make the victim suffer for months, years, or even for a lifetime.


    Lin Da and Kafni chuckled evilly, like two villains committing an atrocity, as they tied the fake Monica to the bed with ropes.


    Big Lolita was bound on the bed.


    A man, a woman, and a giant Flesh Worm surrounded her with strange laughter.


    Fear appeared in the eyes of the fake Monica.


    Disgusting humans, they wouldn''t pair with her, would they!?

 Chapter 214 189. Lin Da captures the Flesh Worm, ruthlessly exploits it.

    "What are you doing, ying ying! Let me go at once!"Under the sinister gaze of Lin Da and the others, the fake Monica panicked, flailing her small hands and feet vigorously. It certainly didn''t want to be shoved back and forth by humans until its buttocks turned bright red!


    But the strength of the Dark Whip was clearly not something it could escape from.


    The bed shook chaotically, and the delicate limbs were also marked with red welts.


    Lin Da remained indifferent and took out a candle to light it.


    The thing that the Flesh Worms feared the most, Monica had told him through text.


    Anything burning... They were very afraid of it!


    Just seeing the flame was enough to make them tremble with fear.


    Previously, in the underground hall, the fake Monica went outside to ''feed'', and it wasn''t without reason that there were too many blue torches in the hall.


    Otherwise, it wouldn''t have let its true form out of sight.


    "Ying ying, what are you doing! Keep that thing away from me!"


    The fake Monica tied to the bed was terrified and struggling fiercely.


    As Lin Da approached with the candle in hand, the fake Monica''s eyes almost dropped pearls, and its delicate body trembled, "Don''t be scared, I''m no longer part of the ''Wish Bug'' family, this thing can''t hurt me..."


    Lin Da snorted and lifted the fake Monica''s garments, exposing her white belly.


    Although the soul inside was a Magical Creature, the body was after all a teammate''s, and the soft tender belly made Lin Da feel somewhat reluctant...


    His fingers gently stroked, eliciting a scream from the fake Monica. The sensitivity of a girl''s body was probably much higher than that of the ugly skin of a Flesh Worm, a peculiar sensation the Flesh Worm had never experienced before.


    ''It''s a Magical Creature, I must not be soft-hearted!''


    Lin Da took a deep breath and tilted the candle with an indifferent expression.


    The liquid candle wax collected drop by drop, falling toward the waist of the fake Monica.


    During this time, Monica transformed into a Flesh Worm, emitting bashful ying ying sounds.


    Lin Da focused his gaze, trying not to look at the impressive terrain nearby.


    All his teammates had developed too well.


    Drip drop.


    The slightly hot candle wax fell onto the fake Monica''s belly.


    In Lin Da''s view, a red -1 popped up.


    The scalded area turned slightly red.


    All things considered, it was not a lethal attack.


    Was this method effective?


    Just as Lin Da was wondering, the fake Monica''s body tensed up, her little face showing extreme terror as she let out a high-pitched scream, "Ying ying!!!"


    The wail was akin to a pampered little Princess being forcefully stuffed into a puff pastry by a Goblin.


    It was so loud it could drown out the cries of a hundred wailing babies!


    To the Flesh Worms of the ''Wish Bug'' family, dripping wax, which is an ordinary, even pleasurable torture for some adventurers, seemed like a more terrifying punishment than death itself.


    "I don''t want this at all!"


    The fake Monica cried out in despair, her body convulsed briefly, and then her expression gradually returned to calm as she blinked in confusion, "Lord Captain? I feel like I''ve come back."


    Meanwhile.


    The Flesh Worm, as quick as a rabbit, scurried off toward the door.


    Lin Da was prepared, "Dark Whip, go!"


    A purple energy whip shot out from his palm, like a venomous snake hunting its prey, opening its maw wide and biting onto the Flesh Worm.


    "Ying ying! No!"


    A soft, adult female''s voice came from within the Flesh Worm.


    Lin Da certainly wasn''t one to ''Cherish Fragility''. He yanked the Flesh Worm over, stomped on it, and with a sneer, poured the entire candle wax onto the head of the Magical Creature.


    "Ying ying! Ying ying ying!"


    The Flesh Worm twisted and writhed as if scalded by boiling water.


    From full of life, in just a few minutes, it was on its last breath.


    "Ying..." Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If the Flesh Worm had been human, by now Lin Da''s wax dripping would have it rolling its eyes and drooling.


    Kafni untied Monica, who with tearful eyes, burst into tears and threw herself into Lin Da''s arms.


    ```


    "Becoming a bug, how terrifying! Wuuwuuwuu..."


    The experiences of just one day were unforgettable for Monica!


    Lin Da could only hold Monica, gently stroking the young girl''s head.


    "Wait, Captain will avenge you."


    Lin Da lit the second candle, taking a two-pronged approach.


    "No, stop... I was wrong, I shouldn''t have offended you all!" The Flesh Worm''s voice was tearful, "I''ll fulfill all your wishes, just don''t treat me this way, ying ying..."


    Kafni was furious, "You wretched bug, trying to trick us again, huh!"


    Bang Bang Bang!


    Kafni kicked the Flesh Worm wildly, causing its head to swell.


    "No, that''s not it, my real body is in your hands, how dare I trick you." The Flesh Worm said in pain, "I was hiding under the pool earlier, that''s why I dared to play tricks, but now with my real body exposed, I truly don''t dare to offend you all."


    "There''s some logic to that, but not much. Who knows what you''re planning." Kafni huffed.


    After pondering for a moment, Lin Da said, "Let''s do this, start with something minor and work our way up. At the first sign of anything fishy, we''ll kill this thing right away."


    "Good." Kafni cracked her knuckles, "Lord myself here, especially loves to bully Magical Creatures."


    The Flesh Worm trembled with fear.


    It said, "Ahem, I should remind you that my power is limited. If you make too many wishes, I might break, so..."


    "So just pray then," Kafni sneered. "Pray you don''t break!"


    "Ying ying..."


    "The wishing starts now." Lin Da thought for a moment, holding up a finger, "Give me one Level 1 Demon Core."


    Slurp.


    The Flesh Worm spit out a fingernail-sized blue stone from its mouth.


    Lin Da picked it up to inspect, and sure enough, it was a Level 1 Demon Core.


    "One Level 2 Demon Core."


    "One Level 3."


    "Level 4..."


    Ten minutes into the experiment.


    In front of Lin Da lay 20 Demon Cores, Levels 1 through 20.


    His wishes had indeed come true.


    Correspondingly, the Flesh Worm had shrunk in size, its plump body now shriveled.


    "Helped you lose weight, be grateful." Kafni kicked the Flesh Worm once more.


    "Ying!" The Flesh Worm let out a furious cry, but upon seeing Kafni pick up the candle, it was frightened into drooping its head.


    "Bad bug." Monica, holding a grudge, hid behind Lin Da and attacked the Flesh Worm with her gaze.


    "Hmph." The Flesh Worm was disdainful, afraid of Lin Da and Kafni, but not at all of Big Lolita.


    If it had the chance, it still planned to seize Monica''s body!


    "Next is the 21st wish."


    Lin Da calmly stated, "An Epic-level Material, Golden Dragon Skin."


    In Lin Da''s Space Ring, there was the Thousand-Change Demon''s Demon Core, just lacking a piece of Dragon Skin to craft the Epic Equipment, Magic Dragon Soft Armor.


    The Flesh Worm spoke hastily, "No, no way! Give me another wish! You''ve already taken so many magic gems, asking for Dragon Skin now will greatly injure me!"


    Lin Da was expressionless, "So? Impoverished and desperate adventurers injure themselves every time they go on a date with Elves at the tavern. And you, a defeated underling, should be thinking about how to save your life, yet you expect to remain unscathed?"


    "Ugh."


    The Flesh Worm was left speechless.


    It had held sway at the Dawn Church, able to utter a sound and send out ''Divine Decrees,'' and everyone held it in awe.


    But falling into Lin Da''s hands... it only wanted to return to its own pool!


    "Can''t produce Golden Dragon Skin, is that it?"


    Lin Da shook his head regretfully, "Kafni, do it."


    "Eh, wait a second!"


    Seeing the danger it was in, the Flesh Worm cried out in a panic and under Lin Da''s satisfied gaze, its body emitted a white light. After that, it exerted force and spat something out.


    ```

 Chapter 215 190. My sister cant possibly be a succubus!

    Thud.A square piece of brown dragon skin, about 30 centimeters on each side, was spat out.


    This seemed to have used up a tremendous amount of the Flesh Worm''s strength, as its body shrank to half its original size and its voice became weak, "Can I be spared now?"


    "Let me check first."


    Lin Da opened the system and eyed the brown dragon skin:


    [Name: Earth Dragon Skin]


    [Quality: Epic]


    [Description: A precious material imbued with magical power]


    "What I wanted was Golden Dragon Skin, right?"


    Lin Da smiled falsely.


    "But, Golden Dragons are so rare, even if you kill me, I can''t transform into one!"


    The Flesh Worm was on the verge of tears from the bullying.


    "Fine. I didn''t expect you to be able to conjure Golden Dragon Skin, anyway."


    Lin Da was somewhat satisfied and stored the Earth Dragon Skin into the Space Ring.


    By combining different types of dragon skin with the Chameleon Demon Core, Magic Dragon Soft armor with various attributes can be crafted.


    The Earth Dragon leans towards defense, which suits him best among the various basic dragon series.


    "There''s only one wish left. After it''s fulfilled, you''ll be free. Adventurers never lie."


    Lin Da saw the Flesh Worm recoil and emphatically emphasized that the wish was ''the last one'' as he patted his chest earnestly.


    "So... it''s really the last one?"


    "I promise."


    Lin Da said, "Bring my sister, Lin Xi... back."


    The atmosphere suddenly became tense.


    If the Flesh Worm could fulfill this wish, Lin Da''s purpose for accessing the fourth level would be perfectly achieved.


    "Impossible."


    The Flesh Worm answered bluntly.


    "To bring a human, whose location is unknown, right before you by tearing through space, only the most supreme Deities can accomplish that!"


    "For an ant that pretends to be a deity like me, it''s impossible, as expected!"


    The Flesh Worm brashly straightened its body.


    Kafni didn''t taunt it this time but nodded deeply, "Indeed."


    Lin Da thought for a moment and said, "How about this? Tell me how you fulfilled Lin Xi''s wish."


    Flesh Worm: "Who is that? I don''t know them."


    "Alright, you''re lying again, huh."


    Lin Da picked up a candle and dripped wax on it.


    "Ow, ow, ow! I really don''t know, I honestly don''t!"


    The Flesh Worm was almost fainted after a while and still insisted it hadn''t lied.


    ''Does the Mystic Realm reset also reset the memories of NPC magical creatures?''


    Lin Da observed the Flesh Worm for a long time, feeling that it didn''t seem to be lying.


    He cleared his throat and said, "Then change the wish."


    "Tell me Lin Xi''s whereabouts."


    "This simpler wish shouldn''t be rejected, right?"


    Lin Da took out several pink candles prepared by the inn and asked with a smile.


    The Flesh Worm broke into a sweat.


    "I... will try. This is the last wish, right? Don''t trick me!"


    "Adventurers never lie."


    Lin Da nodded, "After you finish, I''ll let you go immediately, I swear by the Deity."


    On this matter, Kafni indicated that she wouldn''t interfere.


    The Flesh Worm muttered, "I don''t know if I can succeed."


    "Relax, you''ll be forgiven even if you fail."


    Lin Da''s expression was benevolent, showing no trace of bloodlust.


    The Flesh Worm gave him a suspicious look, then with effort, spat out a white orb of light.


    The orb of light floated in air, forming a large circular mirror.


    Within the mirror, dense fog swirled, gradually gaining color.


    Yet it was extremely blurry. He could only barely make out that it was a forest.


    His own sister, was she inside that forest?


    Lin Da''s spirits lifted, and he encouraged, "Put some more effort, once you fulfill this wish, you will be free." S��arch* The nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Whimper!"


    Possibly motivated, the Flesh Worm exerted itself even more.


    It became increasingly shriveled, as if a balloon had been punctured.


    Its weight dropped from about 100 pounds to 30, the skin clinging to its internal organs, a frightful sight.


    But its effort was remarkably effective; the image in the mirror became clear.


    It was a forest bathed in brilliant sunshine.


    The grass was lush, birds sang amongst the fragrant flowers, and the sky was a cloudless deep blue.


    The beautiful surroundings brought peace to the mind.


    If you went on an outing there with your team, it would surely make for some wonderful memories.


    Lin Da identified the types of wild grasses and flowers in the forest, determining that this was the 20th layer of the Great Mystery Continent: Endless Great Plains.


    The location was ''Harmony Forest''.


    Entering from the World Tree in White Dove City and traveling south for about a month would get you there.


    "Chirp chirp!"


    Suddenly, the sound of birds chirping echoed from the mirror.


    From the treetops, a large flock of birds flew away in panic.


    On the ground, rabbits, foxes, and even wild wolves were all sprinting for their lives.


    Lin Da and his companions all tensed up, their expressions growing more serious.


    Thump, thump.


    The heavy footsteps seemed to cross through the mirror and reach them.


    A group of Magical Creatures of varying heights appeared in view.


    A five-meter-tall Lava Giant, with lava flowing over its body.


    A blue-colored Six-armed Giant.


    Ice Three-headed Dog.


    A Goblin General wielding double axes.


    Red Armored Crab King.


    Plus a dozen other Magical Creatures.


    The lowest were Rare Orange Level.


    Some of them had even reached Epic Level!


    Lin Da''s eyelid twitched.


    With so many Magical Creatures, the adventurers'' resource zone was likely doomed.


    Those who could reach the 20th layer were above the Iron Level teams, known as Sunrise Level.


    The presence of so many creatures required at least three Sunrise Level adventure groups to contend with them.


    Moreover, these might not be trial Magical Creatures spawned by the World Tree but real ones from the Demon Realm.


    From the 20th layer of the Great Mystery Continent onwards, all future continents would encounter adventurers from the Demons.


    The higher the resource zone, the richer the collectable materials, and the fiercer the competition!


    The 20th layer was just the beginning.


    By the time you reached the Great Mystery Continent of the 40th layer, it was almost like purgatory.


    There, countless treasures drove adventurers insane.


    Lin Da looked at the scene in the mirror, puzzled. Could it be that Lin Xi was among these Magical Creatures?


    They all came to a halt and split into two rows, each standing to one side.


    It was as if they were greeting some Big Shot.


    Lin Da''s heart thumped wildly. It couldn''t be...


    A pink figure approached from the distance.


    In a breath, she arrived in the middle of the Magical Creatures.


    Immediately, the various creatures followed behind the pink figure like lackeys.


    Lin Da''s eyes were fixed on her.


    Light black silk stockings paired with white boots, underneath the girl''s purple lacy battle armor which revealed a large expanse of skin.


    A faint transparent black veil draped over her delicate body, outlining her beautiful figure and adding a hint of mysterious allure.


    From the delicate waist upwards was a perfectly proportioned chest, between the gaps of the armor, her enticingly pale skin provoked deep thoughts.


    The girl''s pink hair fell to her back, and a smooth, leather-like black spade-shaped tail happily curled up in the air.


    Her charming little face bore a gentle smile, bewitchingly capturing souls.


    If an ordinary adventurer appeared before this girl, they''d likely be instantly beguiled, their eyes turning into peach hearts, losing their ability to fight.


    Most conspicuously, at the girl''s waist was a particularly ominous red heart-shape motif...


    A hollowed-out red heart, signifying that the girl still maintained her purity,


    and indirectly revealed her species.


    Skilled in Dark Magic, a Fallen Angel, a master at manipulating adventurers'' minds... a Succubus!


    But in theory, a Succubus should have weak combat abilities, meant only for tempting.


    Kafni scratched her head, puzzled, "Who is this big fried chicken, and how can she command so many powerful Magical Creatures?"


    "That''s so lewd!" Monica''s cheeks turned bright red, finding the girl''s attire in the mirror incredibly indecent.


    Yet, Captain Lin Da, looking almost foolish, stared intently at it.


    Could it be that Lord Captain likes revealing clothes?


    Thinking this made Monica''s face burn even hotter.


    "No! I absolutely refuse to accept this!" Lin Da''s vision blackened, and he collapsed to the ground.


    His sister could absolutely never be a Succubus!

 Chapter 216 191. Succubus General, baptism failed?

    World Tree, 20th Floor, Harmony Forest."General Xilin, here is an adventurer I''ve captured,"


    the Six-Armed Demon said in a muffled voice, throwing a female adventurer, bound like a rice dumpling, to the ground.


    The woman''s face was filled with panic; her mouth was gagged with cloth, and she made ''mmph mmph'' noises.


    Looking up at the stunning pink-haired Succubus General, she trembled, and something, either urine or something else, began to trickle down between her thighs...


    "What are you trying to say?"


    The Succubus called General Xilin, curious, squatted down.


    Like a mischievous child poking an ant, she prodded the female adventurer''s cheek and giggled, "It would be a pity to be eaten by magical creatures."


    Xilin removed the cloth from the female adventurer''s mouth, and the latter immediately started to cry out in terror, "Please, don''t eat me, my brother is waiting for me at home, wuwuwu..."


    Just as Xilin was considering giving the female adventurer a painless rebirth, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her head.


    She bit her lip and pressed her hand to her forehead.


    Fragments of memory, like scraps of paper fluttering in the air, kept flashing before her eyes.


    Each scrap bearing a memory showed the same person.


    "Lin Xi, time for your medication."


    "I... seem to be a Healer, what about you?"


    "How many times have I told you, don''t get too close to demons."


    "If you and Lia fell into the water, whom would you save? Of course, I would save both."


    ...


    "General Xilin?"


    The Six-Armed Demon scratched its head in confusion, it had heard that the new general was capricious, and it seemed to be true.


    One moment it felt like General Xilin would send the human adventurer to hell, but the next, she was patting the person''s head like a kitten, softly saying,


    "Don''t worry, I won''t kill you. sea??h th�� n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Peach hearts glimmered in Xilin''s eyes, casting a light onto the female adventurer, who began to feel heavier and heavier, and soon, she fell asleep with a snore.


    "Throw her outside of Harmony Forest, the further the better."


    "But, General, she is just a common human adventurer, why not just eat her?" the Six-Armed Demon asked, puzzled.


    "Are you questioning me?"


    Xilin revealed a cold smile, her spade-tipped tail, which had been perked up, completely drooped down.


    The dark magic power around her seemed to transform into a ferocious beast, the mountainous heaviness of its pressure making all demons present shiver in their core.


    One of His Majesty the Demon King''s Twelve Belongings, indeed powerful, such terrible magic power, it must be at least of level 40!


    "We will follow General''s orders!" the Six-Armed Demon quickly lowered its head.


    Among the group of demons, there was also a Witch wearing a Flower Cat mask.


    As she bowed her head, she pondered secretly, "General Xilin seemed to change her mind when that adventurer mentioned her brother. Could it be that General Xilin has a brother too?"


    Most Witches were originally human adventurers, and Lady Bai Mian was no exception.


    But all Witches, upon meeting His Majesty the Demon King and receiving the baptism of the skill ''Light of the Demon God,'' would let go of their human past and willingly become a proud Demon.


    Even if Xilin had a brother, that would have been during her time as a human adventurer, it couldn''t affect her now.


    Lady Bai Mian, too, had been baptized with ''Light of the Demon God,'' and still recalls that feeling vividly:


    It was as if standing at the end of a long scale of memories, indifferently watching the memories at the starting point... The playfulness of her adventurer days could no longer cause any emotional ripples, just like watching someone else''s memories.


    Only such Witches can ensure they serve His Majesty the Demon King effectively.


    Filled with doubt, Lady Bai Mian wondered, could it be that His Majesty the Demon King''s baptism on General Xilin was not successful?


    But such a matter, Lady Bai Mian dared not ask, nor dared to make known, for fear of being eliminated by General Xilin.


    This Demon General, in her acts, was cruel; many demons who did not obey commands had been brutally killed by her.


    For Xilin personally, she felt the ''Light of the Demon God'' baptism was very successful.


    Only, what she let go of were other adventurers, such as those from the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Lia, Aiko, and Klrona.


    To her, influenced by the baptism, they had become ordinary friends who were dispensable.


    She hadn''t forgotten Lin Xi''s past, either.


    It''s just that the frail and incompetent girl had been locked away.


    ...


    Two years ago.


    In the washroom of a rental place in White Dove City.


    "Don''t you need my help?"


    Sitting in front of the mirror, Lia tilted her head in surprise as she watched Lin Xi help dry her red hair. "Isn''t it troublesome to wash your hair by yourself?"


    Another girl was reflected in the mirror.


    Black hair, a classic oval face, and when she smiled, shallow dimples appeared on her cheeks.


    She tapped Lia''s head lightly with a palm knife, "I''m not dummy Lia, I can obviously handle it on my own!"


    "Calling me a dummy again!" Lia stood up annoyed, chasing after Lin Xi playfully.


    The washroom was small, just large enough for the span of a hand, and as they chased each other around, they knocked over a wooden basket filled with dirty clothes; the mud from their boots also dirtied the floor.


    "You two, stop it now, or the neighbors downstairs are going to come up and scold us!"


    The door to the washroom was pushed open, and Lin Da entered with a thick Demon Beast Compendium in his hands, rubbing his forehead and shaking his head, helplessly amused by the two girls.


    Stopping Lin Xi and Lia''s playful fights had become a daily routine for the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    "She called me dummy first." Lia said with a dissatisfied face, pointing at Lin Xi who was making faces.


    "That''s because Lia is a dummy, one day she might anger brother to death."


    Lin Xi hummed, searching through a basket of laundry, she found a pair of shorts with a teddy bear pattern, "Look brother, Lia is actually wearing this. I always thought it belonged to Klrona."


    "Aaaah!" Lia, with flushed cheeks, chased after Lin Xi, and their battlefield moved from the washroom to the living room, running circles around Lin Da as if he were a pillar.


    "Enough! Quiet down, both of you!"


    A vein popped on Lin Da''s forehead as he precisely caught them with both hands:


    "Lia, don''t lower yourself to Lin Xi''s level; the more you chase her, the happier she gets!"


    "Lin Xi, you should stop bullying Lia too!"


    Lia huffed and glared at Lin Xi as if to say, ''Did you hear that? Behave from now on!''


    Whereas Lin Xi made a funny face and sauntered proudly into the washroom, "I''m going to take a bath now, Lia, you better not sneak attack me!"


    "I have my cultivation to attend to, and I can''t be bothered with you!"


    "Brother, you too, no entering, okay?"


    The previously closed door suddenly opened, and Lin Xi popped her head out, laughing mischievously.


    Lin Da''s face darkened, but he didn''t respond, returning to the sofa to study the Demon Beast Compendium.


    Klrona lay on his thighs, facing up, engrossed in an old second-hand Magic Conductor Handheld Console.


    Aiko was slicing cucumbers for a face mask, frowning at herself in the mirror with a white pimple at the corner of her mouth.


    Seeing the joyful atmosphere in the living room, Lin Xi''s smile deepened.


    She closed the door to the washroom, took off her clothes, and approached the mirror.


    "Everyone is so happy, I have to cheer up too."


    In the mirror, a black thorn pattern emerged on the girl''s chest.


    They wound through the flesh like living things, their sharp barbs growing with the thorns, tearing the flesh and tormenting the soul as they spread.


    Hidden under Lin Xi''s smile was a pain that the others of Snow Goose could not imagine.


    But Lin Xi, who had always been weak from birth, was used to this, and no one noticed anything odd about her.


    Through her private investigations over the last few days, Lin Xi had finally understood what these black thorns were.


    ''Witch''s Corruption''.

 Chapter 217 192. Little Sisters Witchs Corruption

    With great power comes an accelerated journey towards doom.From the growth of these black thorns, Lin Xi deduced that in at most three years, she would completely fall into corruption, becoming a Catastrophe Beast that has lost all reason and destroys everything around her.


    "Are you all right?"


    One evening while Lin Xi was enjoying the night breeze on the balcony, Lin Da came over, concern in his eyes as he draped a jacket over her shoulders.


    Indeed, the person most familiar with her, Lia didn''t notice anything amiss, but Lin Da seemed to have sensed something.


    Lin Xi hesitated whether to speak up.


    However, seeing Lin Da''s tired face, she pressed her lips together and shook her head, "I''m fine. It''s just that we''re about to go to the fourth level, and I''m somewhat worried."


    "We will be safe, I promise," Lin Da said, patting her head. "Snow Goose will become the strongest adventurer team. This difficulty is nothing to us."


    "Actually, giving up on adventuring is also an option, isn''t it?"


    Lin Xi whispered.


    She was keenly aware of how much Lin Da had invested in Snow Goose.


    This was only the fourth level, and Lin Da was already exhausted. Reality, after all, is no game. Things that could be achieved with a click in a game might take days, even tens of days in real life.


    As the brain of the team, Lin Da was living a life more arduous than a 996 schedule. Maybe one day, he would just collapse.


    "Give up adventuring? Lin Xi, you''re tired. How about you take a rest? For the fourth level, Lia and the others can go by themselves."


    "No... I want to go too."


    Without her as one of the main attackers, passing the challenges would become even more difficult.


    Lin Xi was only trying to persuade Lin Da; deep down she knew he would not give up climbing the World Tree.


    After arriving on the Mystic Continent, Lin Da had taken good care of her. Even in reality, to take care of his sickly sister, Lin Da quit his job to become a game leveling service provider for the Mystic Continent.


    She absolutely could not cause more trouble for Lin Da. Lin Xi thought, even if she were to fall into corruption, she must keep away from White Dove City to avoid affecting Lin Da and the others.


    On the day before entering the fourth level.


    Lin Xi encountered a ''noble person'' in a tavern.


    She introduced herself as Tina.


    A wandering adventurer who recognized Lin Xi as a Witch.


    But Tina didn''t report this to the Holy Light Church; instead, she told Lin Xi, "In the Dark Night City of the fourth level, there is a way to save you."''


    Afterward, Lin Xi''s luck improved markedly.


    Together with Lin Da and the others, they randomly arrived at the Mystic Realm of Dark Night City, making their way to that castle to make a wish to the Dawn Goddess.


    A dark shadow with a gigantic demonic horn descended in front of Lin Xi.


    The evil magic power that seemed to fill the entire space forced Lin Xi to her knees, unable to utter a single word.


    ''Become one of my Twelve Belongings, and thy wish shall be granted.''


    That was the tempting voice of the Demon King.


    ...


    The fourth level, a small inn in Dark Night City.


    "What''s wrong with you?"


    "Team leader?"


    Kafni and Monica looked at Lin Da in astonishment.


    The pink-haired Succubus appeared, and Lin Da fell to the ground without warning.


    Luckily, they reacted quickly, catching Lin Da in their arms.


    "Sorry, I lost my composure," Lin Da said with a helpless smile.


    He opened his mouth and took a deep breath.


    How did things turn out this way?


    His sister, pure and lively, was adored by everyone.


    Whether in real-life academics or adventurer exams, she always emerged at the top.


    She was the envy of other families'' children.


    Yet now, such an outstanding girl had fallen to such a state...


    The hollowed battle armor, the thin, sheer black dress, left Lin Da''s eyes unsure where to look!


    Kafni''s, he loved to look at. Lulu''s, he also enjoyed looking at.


    But this pink-haired Succubus... made him ''have nowhere to lay his eyes''!


    Wherever he looked, it felt like a sin.


    Facing the puzzled gaze of Kafni and the others, Lin Da reached out a weak hand, pointing at the Succubus leading the horde of Magical Creatures, his voice hoarse:


    "That girl who''s even worse than the serving Elves in the tavern, she seems like, seems like..."


    Kafni was stunned.


    "No way? Didn''t you say your sister was pure and adorable...?"


    Privately, Lin Da had talked about his own sister with Kafni.


    He spoke so highly of her it felt like there was no better girl in the world than his sister.


    But now.


    Kafni carefully observed the pink-haired succubus in the mirror.


    The young girl''s demeanor and actions were seductive, and even other females might become infatuated with her!


    And this was just through a mirror.


    If they were standing before her...


    Kafni shivered.


    It''s possible that both she and Monica could be kindled by the flames in their hearts, their minds go haywire on the spot, turning into spellbound girls!


    "General Xilin, I sense spying spells."


    In the mirror, a woman wearing a Flower Cat mask spoke solemnly. S~ea??h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This general has been aware of it for quite some time."


    "Maybe it''s my dear brother, teeheehee."


    "Hey, can you see me?"


    The pink-haired girl referred to as General Xilin cheerfully greeted in the direction of the mirror.


    "..."


    Lin Da''s fantasies were shattered.


    He would rather the Flesh Worm''s spell messed up and got the wrong person than to accept that this pink-haired big fire chicken was his sister.


    Even though they no longer shared blood ties, even if his sister turned into a witch, Lin Da would dare to purify her.


    But�� she shouldn''t be this thoroughly corrupted!


    It had been more than two years, how could she have changed so much?


    Through the mirror, Lin Da angrily thought: such a fallen sister must be strictly disciplined!


    Now he understood, the wish Lin Xi had made was realized in such a distorted way.


    In the game, if the Demon King ruled both worlds, the Demon King''s twelve subordinates would be granted ''eternal life.''


    This was one of the Demon King''s major means to seduce people.


    The way the Dawn Goddess fulfilled Lin Xi''s wish probably was: Lin Xi was seduced by the Demon King, signing the contract of the Twelve Belongings, becoming a fallen succubus!


    "If big brother is watching, I bet you''re thinking about disciplining me, right?"


    The reflection of Xilin in the mirror laughed innocently, her voice also filled with laughter.


    Clearly a degenerate succubus, yet she exuded the clean appeal of a pure young girl.


    She said, "But Lin Xi will not awake again, I am now General Xilin, the Demon General."


    "When you realize that His Majesty the Demon King is invincible and are willing to pledge loyalty to him, you can come to the 20th floor of the ''Land of Dead Bones.''


    "Brother... no, Lin Da. Pledge your loyalty to His Majesty the Demon King together with me!"


    Hisss��


    The mirror distorted for a moment.


    The figures of Xilin and the Magical Creatures vanished from the mirror, turning back into thick fog.


    Lin Da angrily grabbed the Flesh Worm: "Make contact with her again! I want to talk to her directly!"


    Lin Da refused to accept that this libidinous succubus was his sister.


    She even changed her name on her own, calling herself ''General Xilin.''


    She even had the audacity to persuade him to defect and become a traitor.


    When talking about the Demon King, Xilin''s face showed longing, clearly heavily brainwashed.


    Lin Da thought furiously, if he saw Lin Xi, he would have to tie her up and use the Witch Purification skill on her, thoroughly cleansing her without leaving a speck of corruption.


    "I can''t do it, I''m already... not capable."


    The Flesh Worm spoke like a feeble old man, even speaking was an effort.


    Its flesh had all gone, leaving only a layer of dry skin wrapping its organs.


    Kafni and Monica looked at Lin Da with concern.


    The long-sought sister turning into a succubus who had defected to the Demon King... that''s a hard pill for anyone to swallow.


    Lin Da was also blinded by rage.


    Concern leads to chaos.


    It was as if he saw his excellent sister suddenly turn into a little sister who messed with bad boys.


    Lin Da''s club had to strike not only at his sister but also at those Magical Creatures known as bad boys.

 Chapter 218 193, Two Witches Travel Together to White Dove City

    "Let''s use these hands, capable of purifying all contamination, to save the fallen Lin Xi!"Lin Da recalled the details he had just seen in the mirror, the 20th floor of the Great Mystery Continent, Harmony Forest.


    Those who reach there can be called the Sun Adventure Group.


    Merely the 20th floor, Lin Da was confident he could get there within half a year.


    Now, he had obtained clues about his sister.


    All that remained was to keep moving forward and accumulate the strength needed to punish his sister.


    If those Magical Creatures in the mirror were his sister''s subordinates, then he would lead a team stronger than those Magical Creatures, defeat his sister''s army of Magical Creatures, and make her admit defeat wholeheartedly.


    ...


    Meanwhile.


    The 20th floor of the World Tree, Harmony Forest.


    Lin Xi was surrounded by Magical Creatures like stars around the moon, like a leader inspecting a school, with a group of nodding and bowing lackeys behind her.


    She held a slightly greenish apple-like Fruit of the World Tree in her hand, chewing it bit by bit.


    Then, with a bitter face, she spat out the pulp, "Why isn''t it ripe yet, even after waiting for so long..."


    "General, there are about eight months left until the ''Harvest Festival''. By then, all the Fruits of the World Tree will be ripe,"


    Lady Bai Mian said with a smile, "With your strength, you can definitely capture all the adventurers who come here in one fell swoop."


    "Lin Da might come too," Lin Xi said, hands behind her back, hopping along the forest path.


    That black spade-shaped tail was swishing back and forth.


    Clearly, she was in a good mood.


    After more than two years of training in the Demon King''s castle, Lin Xi was finally entrusted with an important task, becoming the Demon General stationed on the 20th floor. S��arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She could also return to White Dove City to visit old friends.


    "Given Lin Da''s preachy nature, he''s definitely going to hit me once he sees me like this,"


    Lin Xi thought self-awarely, her slender fingers with red-painted nails resting on her delicate chin.


    She knew she had "fallen."


    But she didn''t resist this sense of pleasure.


    Powerful magic power, the long life of a Demon General, the promises made to her by His Majesty the Demon King...


    If Lin Da willingly submitted to the Demons, he too would be awarded a seat among the Demon Generals.


    His Majesty the Demon King told Lin Xi: this matter, he would never lie about.


    After the Demons rule over the continent, both siblings would gain eternal life.


    So, why not fall into corruption and become one of the Demons instead of a sorrowful adventurer?


    Lin Xi made the choice for Lin Da.


    She wanted to bring Lin Da along with her into corruption!


    And after all, it was Lin Da''s fault she turned out this way!


    Lin Da, a mere Healer, together with the fool Lia and green-tea Aiko, aimed for the top level.


    If her teammates were those five-star level characters that Lin Da talked about, she might have seen hope.


    But the fool Lia, never!


    Sooner or later, she would fall at the World Tree, becoming just another nameless tomb.


    Lin Xi didn''t have many desires.


    To live a simple life with Lin Da was enough for her.


    And when she initially made a wish to the Dawn Goddess, adding eternal life to her request was just to aim high, so she could bargain better.


    Lin Xi, unable to see the wish content of others in the log, didn''t understand the specifics of wishing logic, just thought that more was better, and if the Dawn Goddess disagreed, she''d ask for less.


    Looking at the outcome now... adding the term ''eternal life'' had been the right choice.


    Lin Xi proudly puffed out her chest. Without the term ''eternal life,'' she wouldn''t have been able to meet His Majesty the Demon King and become one of the Twelve Belongings.


    The Twelve Belongings can be understood as a contract with a High-Level Witch.


    What sets them apart from ordinary witches is that the Twelve Belongings have the Demon King''s Blood within them, significantly increasing their lifespan, and preventing them from turning into Catastrophe Beasts.


    Lia was precisely the twelfth of these Belongings.


    To put it nicely, she is called General Gluttony; to put it harshly, she is the weakest among the Twelve Belongings.


    But dealing with a level 40 Moon rank adventurer, Lia believed she was still up to the task.


    From the spying spell she had just felt, she feared that Lin Da had successfully reached the fourth level.


    By making a wish to the Dawn Goddess, she found his location.


    Lia conjured an image of Lin Da''s smiling face in her mind.


    She had almost finished dealing with all the matters at hand.


    She could consider meeting her brother now.


    With a flash of light from the Space Ring on her hand, her entire appearance transformed.


    The hollowed-out armor disappeared


    and was replaced by a black overall dress.


    The upper half was a white lace blouse.


    On her legs, she wore thick stockings suitable for the cooler autumn weather, and she donned a pair of big black-framed glasses on her face, holding a copy of the must-read for adventurers, "Compendium of Demon Knowledge."


    Lia stood prettily, showing not a hint of corruption, perfectly resembling a pure college beauty from some renowned adventure university.


    "Lady Bai Mian, look, Lin Da won''t recognize me now, right?"


    Lia did not want to be recognized by Lin Da and lectured harshly.


    Given His Majesty the Demon King''s terrifying power, it was only a matter of time before Lin Da would surrender; she was not in a rush to get her hands on him just yet.


    Every moment she waited would, in the future, transform into a blazing fire.


    Lady Bai Mian looked at her disguise in surprise and applauded, "Incredible! As expected of Lady Lia, even I think you look like an adventurer, not a demon!"


    Smack smack.


    A group of Magical Creatures also clapped along.


    "But, Lady Lia��" Lady Bai Mian hesitated, "With your status, it might be dangerous if you were discovered entering White Dove City, right?"


    "I won''t stay too long, just long enough to meet Lin Da."


    Lia glared at Lady Bai Mian, dissatisfied, "Why do you keep interfering, are you trying to steal my brother from me?"


    "I wouldn''t dare��"


    "That''s right, you come too!"


    Lia giggled, "I''ll be a passing noble family''s adventurer miss and you''ll be my attendant. Together, we''ll be much more convincing!"


    "Eh�� eh?! I''m also going? What if my identity gets exposed��" Lady Bai Mian waved frantically.


    "It won''t! There were many guests at Lin Da''s house that day; we''ll just blend in," Lia assured.


    "Guests��?"


    "It''s an adventurer''s custom," Lia said proudly, hands on hips. "The newspapers said my brother is already level 19, and after passing the fourth level, he''s definitely reached level 20."


    "And as per the adventurer''s custom, once you reach level 20, you throw a party at your home, inviting other Rock-level Squads as a social etiquette!"


    Reflecting on this, Lia spoke with slight regret, "I originally thought Lin Da would be around level 10 when entering the fourth level, but he turned out to be level 20��"


    She had sent the Anthropomorphic Demon to intimidate Lin Da and let him experience the terror of the Demon Lord''s Army; unexpectedly, she had ended up aiding him instead.


    However, Lia didn''t dwell on it much. The more outstanding Lin Da was, the more the Demon King would acknowledge his potential. In that case, not just a spot among the Demon Generals, but even among the Four Kings could be possible.


    Then, hand in hand with Lady Bai Mian, she used the Teleportation Stone and left the twentieth level.


    Emerging from the World Tree in a certain city, they boarded a carriage and headed for White Dove City.


    Outside, the sunlight was just perfect.


    The pink-haired girl swayed her little feet wrapped in black stockings in the carriage, looking through the window at the clear blue sky.


    Thinking that she would see her brother in a few days, a beautiful smile with shallow dimples appeared on the young girl''s face.

 Chapter 219 194, Fourth Layer of Dark Night City, Cleared!

    World Tree Level Four, Dark Night City Inn."As promised, I have fulfilled your wish, now you must keep your promise and let me go," the flesh worm said weakly, even crawling was a problem.


    Fortunately, Lin Da had vowed to release it.


    Once it found a place to hide, it could slowly recover by eating some roots and tree bark.


    It could then look for the next ''Marshall'' Bishop to hide and continue to deceive...


    A beautiful worm life was waiting for it!


    However.


    "Sorry, I refuse."


    Lin Da''s face was full of apologies, "I''m in a bad mood right now, so I can only kill you."


    Lin Da would not miss any opportunity to become stronger in order to defeat his sister.


    The flesh worm was the ''god'' in the adventure objectives, and by vanquishing it, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team could achieve all three major objectives.


    Lin Da took out the Azure Sword.


    The cold light of the sword reflected the terrified and trembling figure of the flesh worm.


    "You...!"


    "You''re not keeping the promise!"


    "Whimper!"


    A flash of azure sword light.


    The pitiful screams of the flesh worm ceased abruptly.


    As the flesh worm was cut into two pieces, World Tree leaves appeared in front of Lin Da and his companions.


    The leaves were glowing.


    It showed that the last adventure objective: Kill ''god'', complete!


    It took three days.


    Lin Da and his colleagues had perfectly completed all the objectives set by the World Tree Goddess!


    The Divine Gift of the World Tree Goddess appeared.


    Three rays of light descended from the heavens, falling upon the members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    Lines of text popped up in Lin Da''s vision.


    [System Notification: You have vanquished the level 20 epic monster ''Wish Bug''!]


    [Team Experience Points gained: 200,000!]


    [Last Hit Kill, Diamond gained: 200,000!]


    [You have cleared the World Tree''s fourth level]


    [Main adventure objective completed, killing the Werewolf, Team Experience Points gained: 100,000]


    [Additional objective completed, killing 5 Magical Beings/Transcendents, Team Experience Points gained: 100,000]


    [Supplementary objective completed, killing ''god'', Team Experience Points gained: 200,000]


    400,000 Experience Points, divided evenly, would give each person 133,000.


    Of course, ordinary adventurers like Monica don''t have an experience point panel. For Monica, Experience Points are like being blessed by the divine power of the World Tree Goddess, forcibly stuffed with magic power.


    Monica was thoroughly infused with it!


    Under the deluge of team experience, every member of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team was bathed in two streaks of golden light.


    Lin Da, Kafni, Monica...


    Directly advanced from level 19, up two levels, to 21!


    In Lin Da''s spiritual night sky, the 20th and 21st stars lit up.


    The star representing level 20 was especially large, shining brilliantly.


    Compared to the other stars, it was like the difference between the moon and stars.


    Even the star for level 21 could not surpass it.


    When this star lit up, a warm current swept through Lin Da''s entire body.


    As if soaking in a hot spring, all the fatigue in Lin Da''s body, the pain in his magic circuit, was washed away.


    His magic power was also rapidly increasing.


    The Recovery Series and Poison Technique Series skill trees bore new ''fruit''.


    A profound understanding entered Lin Da''s mind.


    He instantly realized that he could master the Ultimate Skills that every adventurer dreams of.


    And he had two of them.


    [System Notification: You have leveled up to lv20!]


    [Attribute Increase: Strength +40, Magic Power +40, Defense +10, Magic Defense +18, Agility +10, Hit Points +400]


    [Upon reaching level 20, gain additional attributes: All Attributes +200, Hit Points +1000]


    [You have leveled up to lv21!]


    [Attribute Increase: Strength +42, Magic Power +42, Defense +11, Magic Defense +20, Agility +10, Hit Points +400]


    [You have received 2 Skill Points and 1 Golden Skill Point]


    The golden light of leveling up was gradually absorbed by Lin Da and the two others, who emerged from a golden waterfall like Cultivators, each with their own gains. They exchanged glances, their smiles so wide they could hardly be contained even by three horse-drawn carriages.


    Breaking through to level 20 represented a significant boost in strength for adventurers.


    Each of them had gained a new Ultimate Skill.


    Excitedly, Kafni said, "My level 20 Ultimate Skill is ''Super Theft,'' which guarantees me to randomly steal one item as long as the target is no more than 5 levels above me!"


    Lin Da was startled upon hearing that; ''Super Theft'' was a skill that only powerful five-star level characters had a chance to learn in the game.


    Many Magical Creatures had a low chance of dropping rare materials.


    But with Kafni''s ''Super Theft,'' it was like having an additional chance to obtain rare materials.


    Even... if she could steal the weapons of the Magical Creatures, it would be a great advantage in combat.


    It could be even more powerful than some high-damage Ultimate Skills.


    "You''re finally useful," Lin Da remarked wistfully.


    Of course, Lin Da was joking. Kafni could detect the presence of Magical Creatures and had Divine Power as a trump card, making her essentially the strongest team member.


    It was just that her usual damage output seemed rather lackluster.


    Upon hearing this, Kafni kicked Lin Da''s shin, unconvinced: "I, the great Lady Kafni, have always been useful!"


    "Yes, yes, yes..." Lin Da laughed.


    Meanwhile, Monica had also fully digested her Ultimate Skill with a cheerful smile spread across her face.


    She stood in front of Lin Da, hands clasped behind her back like an eager elementary school student who did well on a test, longing for praise from a parent.


    "Lord Captain, my Ultimate Skill is ''Falling Rock Technique,'' which can deal high damage to a large area of Magical Creatures!"


    "Oh?" Lin Da''s eyes brightened as he stroked Monica''s head, praising her, "Well done, ''Falling Rock Technique'' can be upgraded to ''Meteorite Technique'' after level 40, which has explosive damage and is one of the most powerful earth system Ultimate Skills."


    "Hehehe..." Monica giggled coyly, closing her eyes to enjoy the captain''s petting. sea??h th�� novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This kind of treatment was only reserved for the powerful members back in the Primitive Adventure Team.


    Monica never dreamt that she, quite the lackluster member, could be petted by the Lord Captain.


    "By the way, what about yours?" Kafni looked at Lin Da curiously, "It''s not the least impressive one, is it?"


    "I have several Ultimate Skills to comprehend, so it takes a bit longer," Lin Da replied, closing his eyes as if to meditate upon his Ultimate Skills.


    In reality, within his darkened vision, he was opening the system panel, flipping to the Skill Tree page.


    At the moment, he had 5 Skill Points and 1 Golden Skill Point.


    He had been wondering where that Golden Skill Point had come from, but now he knew: It can be obtained upon leveling up to a high level.


    Regular skills beyond lv4 could only be further improved using a Golden Skill Point.


    Lin Da thought for a moment that his two Ultimate Skills had to be selected.


    They could not be spared.


    He opened the Poison Technique Series Skill Tree.


    On this tree hung a golden fruit, glittering and shiny.


    It seemed to be enticing Lin Da to hurry up and learn the skill.


    The icon for this Ultimate Skill was a purple energy Giant Dragon.


    The Giant Dragon roared, charging towards a mountain in the distance.


    Wherever it passed, rocks shattered and the sky changed color.


    It looked incredibly majestic, seemingly an output-oriented skill.


    [System Notification: Do you want to spend 1 Skill Point to learn the Ultimate Skill ''Poison Dragon''s Roar''?]


    [Yes!]

 Chapter 220 195, all members at level 21, Lin Da masters Double Fatality Ultimate Skill

    As Lin Da clicked to add points, the skill icon, entwined with locking chains, gradually unlocked amidst a rustling noise.This skill also released a dazzling purple glow.


    Lin Da stared intently.


    [System Prompt: You have learned the ultimate skill ''Poison Dragon''s Roar''!]


    [Skill Name: Poison Dragon''s Roar]


    [Quality: Orange Rare]


    [Type: Ultimate Skill]


    [Consumption: High]


    [Proficiency: lv1 Beginner]


    [Effect: Concentrates the magic power of poison into an energy dragon that devours everything before it, causing ''Considerable'' damage and afflicts the target with 10 layers of ''Dragon''s Sorrow'', each layer causing ''High Damage'']


    In the game Mystic Continent, skills described as ''Considerable'' have a damage multiplier fluctuating between 600%-1000% depending on whether the skill affects a single target or an area.


    This means that Lin Da''s ultimate skill ''Poison Dragon''s Roar'' has at least a 6x damage increase, up to 10x.


    That aside,


    the main capability is to stack up to 10 layers of ''Dragon''s Sorrow''. Sear?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Each layer of Dragon''s Sorrow causes high damage, with a rate around 300%.


    10 layers... that''s 3000%.


    Total damage adds up to a minimum of 3600%!


    Even though Lin Da had predicted that his ultimate skill might be very powerful, this level of strength was still beyond his imagination.


    Candidly speaking, if facing a level 20 Black Shell Crab General, Lin Da could send his opponent off with just one Poison Dragon''s Roar.


    This ultimate skill, when used against a Black Shell Crab General, could approximately inflict a total damage of 30,000.


    What used to require a full round of collective output from the Phoenix Tail Flower Team to beat, now at Lin Da''s current level 21, only needed one move.


    This is the terrifying increase in an adventurer''s strength upon crossing the level 20 threshold.


    An overall increase of 200 in all attributes significantly enhanced Lin Da''s dual defenses.


    Now, his durability allowed him to withstand attacks from the Red Armored Crab King without needing the Verdant Shield!


    It''s worth mentioning that while adventurers output dreadfully high damage against demon creatures, they cannot inflict such high damage in internal conflicts.


    Whether they are demon adventurers or adventurers from Mystic Continent, fundamentally their abilities are operated through a magic circuit that transforms into skills.


    And the power of their life barriers also stems from the same core, resulting in a considerable reduction in skill effectiveness when similar energies collide.


    Lin Da''s Poison Dragon''s Roar, able to deal 30,000 damage to a Black Shell Crab General, is regarded as monstrous, but it wouldn''t be nearly as much against another adventurer.


    Post-transition in the game, there evolved a rule that ''attack and defense originate from the same source, hence damage is reduced.''


    Otherwise, with everyone''s frailty, many star-ranked adventurers wouldn''t even have 30,000 health points...


    That said, with Lin Da''s current damage output, it was enough to threaten star-ranked adventurers.


    After acquiring ''Poison Dragon''s Roar'', he cast his gaze onto the recovery series skill tree.


    There lay a gleaming golden fruit.


    The fruit displayed a skill icon.


    Above it was a sage with a white beard, facing Lin Da, holding a long sword vertically in front of him.


    The sage''s eyes were closed, and behind him spread wings of light.


    In the background, the light transformed into feathers fluttering across the sky.


    A crowd of devotees held up their hands in frenzy.


    They were all enveloped in golden light shields.


    Lin Da raised an eyebrow; such a cool icon suggested this ultimate skill might be incredibly powerful, possibly even stronger than Poison Dragon''s Roar!


    Without a second thought, he clicked to learn the skill.


    [You have learned the skill: Guardian Sword!]


    [Skill Name: Guardian Sword]


    [Quality: Orange Rare]


    [Type: Ultimate Skill]


    [Consumption: High]


    [Proficiency: lv1 Beginner]


    [Effect: Conjures the Guardian Sword with magic power to attack a small area target, causing ''Considerable'' damage, and provides a Guard Shield equal to 50% of your maximum health to allied units within range (currently up to 3 people)]


    At first glance, the damage doesn''t seem high, unlike Poison Dragon''s Roar which can stack ten layers of Dragon''s Sorrow.


    Among the ultimate skills of various classes, this one, solely in terms of damage, is mediocre.


    But its strength lies in its auxiliary effect.


    Lin Da quickly analyzed the truly potent aspect of this skill.


    The accompanying Guardian Shield could layer on top of the Verdant Shield.


    Facing increasingly fierce higher-level demon creatures, a single Verdant Shield was not enough to effectively soften the pressure on the back-row.


    Like Monica, a fragile caster, even with the Verdant Shield, could be slapped in the face by an epic-level demon creature and taken away by a double hit.


    Other mages were the same.


    They didn''t have substantially more health points than Monica.


    In the game, how to ensure the survival of the back-row so that they could continue dealing damage to creatures was a significant challenge for players.


    But now, Lin Da had the Guardian Sword, which, while causing area damage, also provided his teammates with an additional shield.


    The initial thickness of the Guardian Shield was formidable, reaching 50% of Lin Da''s maximum health.


    In comparison, the Verdant Shield, leveled to lv4, only amounted to 45% of the maximum health.


    Lin Da could fully believe that once the Guardian Sword is fully leveled, the shield thickness could reach an astonishing 100%.


    At the moment, he still had three skill points left and one golden skill point.


    Lin Da gritted his teeth and clicked on the Guardian Sword.


    [Would you like to spend 2 skill points to increase the proficiency of Guardian Sword to lv2?]


    Two skill points?


    A big question mark appeared in Lin Da''s mind.


    The system assistant textually responded: [The comprehension difficulty of ultimate skills is higher than ordinary skills; it requires 2 skill points for advancement]


    "Too expensive, better save the skill points,"


    Lin Da thought to himself.


    While ultimate skills are strong, his minor skills, once their proficiency is elevated, are also not weak.


    Like the Dark Whip, this become his most frequently used skill.


    It could attack, assist, and even be used to save people.


    It can be considered as a ''Demon Binding Rope''.


    The most important thing was that upgrading minor skills only required 1 skill point.


    "These three, I''ll keep for now, and add points when needed."


    Besides learning two new ultimate skills, Lin Da''s personal attribute panel had also undergone a complete transformation.


    Name: Lin Da


    Level: 21


    Occupation: Chosen Healing Hero


    Hit Points: 7900 (6900+1000)


    Magic Power: 1235(705+530)


    Strength: 1235


    Defense: 319(299+20)


    Magic Defense: 387(367+20)


    Agility: 330(300+30)


    Resistance: Poison Resistance 30%


    Experience Points: 115782/130000


    Skill Points remaining: 3 regular, 1 golden


    Mystical Points: 124867


    Diamonds: 213320


    ...


    Upon reaching level 20, Lin Da''s several basic attributes had all been increased by 200 points.


    Among them, dual defense was the most valuable.


    These defenses, when facing the high multiplier attacks of adventurers, combined with a Life Barrier, could effectively block damage.


    Now that Lin Da was using the Verdant Shield + Guardian Sword, he could even withstand attacks from Star-ranked adventurers for a while!


    In terms of dual attack, it broke a thousand, reaching 1235.


    For a support class occupation, this number was quite exaggerated.


    As far as Lin Da knew, Healers at his same level would only have about 700 Magic Power.


    Which meant, he was nearly twice as high.


    This was still with him wearing level 10 equipment, without having upgraded them.


    Lin Da had 1.2 million gold in savings; completely buying level 20 equipment for replacements, plus the Murderous Crab series equipment being forged at the Blacksmith Shop...


    Once he updated, his panel would reach an extremely terrifying level.


    Lin Da casually opened the team panel and checked Monica and Lulu''s current personal basic attributes.


    Monica''s basic Magic Power: 901 points.


    Lulu''s basic Strength: 998 points.


    These were their basic numbers without wearing Magical Equipment.


    Through Lin Da''s dream-inducing guidance, in addition to Lulu and other team members'' already significant talents, just speaking of output on the panel, it surpassed his.


    The positioning of Lin Da''s occupation was not as an output role.


    Even as he stood at the front looking like a Berserker, in essence, he still belonged in the support category at the back.


    Staying in the back to heal his teammates and shield them was his appropriate role.


    ''Monica''s basic Magic Power is indeed high; Lulu is at level 27 and barely 100 points higher than her,'' Lin Da thought.


    Considering Lulu''s talent skill ''Berserk,'' the lower her health, the higher the damage, in terms of burst damage per second, Lulu was far above Monica.


    However, in terms of burst capabilities, both Lin Da and Lulu did not match Monica.


    Especially since Monica had mastered an ultimate skill with a very high multiplier, ''Rockfall.''


    It could instantly kill the Black Shell Crab General.


    Lin Da closed the system and, smiling, shared his ultimate skills with his teammates.


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    "Poison Dragon''s Roar?"


    "Guardian Sword?"


    Kafni and Monica each mentioned the name of an ultimate skill.


    If it were a stranger, they would probably envy Lin Da for not only mastering powerful ultimate skills but having two...


    But in the Phoenix Tail Flower, Lin Da was their team leader.


    The team leader and members were one entity; an individual''s strength was the team''s strength.


    "Team leader, you''re amazing!" Monica''s eyes were filled with admiring stars, completely becoming a fan of Lin Da.


    Kafni snorted, "As the adventure team leader dedicated to the demon extermination, such a level of improvement is to be expected; I won''t allow you to become complacent!"


    Actually, Kafni was a bit upset inside; she thought that with her ''Super Theft,'' she would become a core of the team, but the major core was still Lin Da.


    The effect of the Guardian Sword was extremely powerful.


    Kafni, a rogue occupation with a relatively frail body, could now confidently go to the front of magical creatures to perform Super Theft with Lin Da''s Guardian Sword.


    "Everything that needed to be done has been done; let''s leave the Mystic Realm."


    Lin Da glanced at the spot where the flesh worm had disappeared.


    It hadn''t burst out any equipment. Its energy was probably already squeezed dry by Lin Da.


    In the space ring, lay 20 demon cores wished for, plus [Earth Dragon''s Dragon Skin].


    With it, Lin Da could craft the Epic-level armor, [Magic Dragon Soft Armor].


    This was the first time Lin Da had gotten his hands on Epic-level equipment since coming to this world, and he couldn''t help but feel excited.


    He was level 21 now and was still wearing level 10 [Metal Slime Chainmail]; he had wanted to upgrade for a long time.


    The Magic Dragon Soft Armor, once crafted, would be around level 20.


    Being crafted from the defense-oriented Earth Dragon''s dragon skin, the added defense and health points would definitely not be low.


    This would further strengthen Lin Da''s ''Verdant Shield'' and ''Guardian Sword.''


    With these enhancements, regular magical creatures would no longer pose a threat to Phoenix Tail Flower Team before the tenth floor.


    Lin Da and his team took out the World Tree leaf and silently commanded to return.

 Chapter 222 197. Inquiry to the World Tree Goddess about forging the Magic Dragon Soft Armor

    The hall supervisor rushed over when he spotted Lin Da, all smiles with a bowed head.Lin Da shook his head, as his visit was for the statue of the World Tree Goddess, not to conduct business.


    The supervisor tactfully stepped aside but kept his eyes on the trio from the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, ready to come forward and serve at a moment''s notice.


    Ever since the Kreivs'' incident, the staff at the White Dove City Adventure Guild had become much more agreeable.


    For someone like Lin Da, who was above level 20 and carried the title of Glorious Adventurer, they offered the most cordial and enthusiastic service!


    At the Adventurers'' Guild, as long as Lin Da didn''t snap at the staff, most reasonable requests would be fulfilled.


    At that moment, Lin Da stood before the statue with his eyes closed, praying silently in his heart.


    "Tricia, I need to see you!"


    "As a hero, I have important matters that require your answers!"


    When he opened his eyes, the scene had already changed.


    On a vibrant meadow, stood a mature woman with a proud chest, vibrant green hair reaching the ground, looking at him with a gentle expression.


    "Honored hero, please state your doubts," Tricia''s voice was like a breath of spring.


    Under the Goddess''s delightful smile, the impatience in Lin Da''s heart vanished.


    He originally wanted to question Tricia harshly, but upon seeing the Goddess herself, he felt like an internet troll caught in real life, and his demeanor improved significantly.


    Lin Da placed his right hand over his chest, bowed slightly, and performed a standard Adventurer''s courtesy. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Goddess, my question is, why do Anthropomorphic Demons, creatures that are indeed magical, appear in the fourth layer of Dark Night City?"


    Theoretically, it was only above the 20th layer of the Great Mystery Continent that one would encounter the Demon Lord''s Army.


    Tricia replied, "Honored hero, this is because the seal of the Demon King is gradually weakening, and our worlds are drawing closer. It''s like two spheres being squished together."


    "Where they overlap, spatial passages emerge. Magical Creatures can reach the Mystic Continent, and adventurers can also enter the Demon Realm through these channels."


    "Story-driven secret realms and the Great Mystery Continent are the most unstable and prone to overlapping. Combat secret realms are stable and will not encounter such conditions."


    Tricia elegantly placed her hands over her abdomen, made a bow, "Honored hero, please strengthen yourself, and prepare to face more powerful Magical Creatures."


    "I see."


    Lin Da nodded, musing that the awakening of the Demon King was happening sooner than in the game.


    According to the original timeline, the Demon King would awaken in a hundred years.


    Now it might be accelerated to about seventy or sixty years.


    Lin Da didn''t feel too pressured, as based on his understanding of the World Tree, he could reach the summit in twenty or thirty years, and pull out the Sword of the Hero.


    "I have a second question," said Lin Da.


    "What''s the deal with Dark Night City? Why would such a strange secret realm appear within the World Tree?"


    Tricia looked apologetic, "The secret realms within the World Tree are beyond my control; all I can do is silently watch over this continent."


    Lin Da finally understood. Tricia served much like the official maintenance personnel for the game, not responsible for ''creating the game''.


    No matter what the adventurers did, she wouldn''t interfere unless the game''s overarching framework was under attack, threatening to fundamentally destroy the Mystic Continent. Otherwise, Tricia remained a bystander.


    "Thank you, Goddess, for enlightening me."


    Lin Da bowed once more.


    When he looked up, he was back in the hall of the Adventurers'' Guild.


    Kafni was already getting impatient, "By the way, when are you, our leader, going to upgrade my equipment? I''m still using a level 10 Crescent Dagger at level 21!"


    As thieves heavily rely on their equipment, it was a grudge for Kafni that Lin Da still hadn''t upgraded her equipment.


    Lin Da said, "Don''t worry, the Crescent Dagger series equipment is almost forged, and I''ll give you one when it''s ready."


    As he spoke, a glimmer of light flashed in his hand, and he handed over a piece of ready equipment to Monica.


    It was a thank you gift from Isa for helping the Ice Flower Adventure Team get through the 13th floor.


    The "Joyful Earth Bracelet".


    A level 20 Orange accessory, Magic Power +450, earth magic damage increased by 10%.


    A perfectly suitable piece of equipment for Monica.


    On the market, it could sell for at least 300,000 gold coins.


    Although Monica was a homebound ultimate social anxiety sufferer, it didn''t mean she was unaware of the equipment''s value, and she felt somewhat overwhelmed as Lin Da smilingly slipped the bracelet onto her delicate wrist.


    "Team leader, this, this is too expensive!"


    "Someone like me, Monica, who''s a huge flutter, doesn''t deserve to use such good equipment."


    Monica hurriedly waved her tiny hands in refusal.


    Not only was she socially anxious, but she also had low self-esteem.


    The reason for this kind of personality lay heavily in her early experiences with the Dark Shadow.


    Calling Monica a ''worthless four-star'' and locking her in a warehouse, she compared herself with those formidable team members, and over time, she came to view herself as useless.


    "No." Lin Da now shook his head, cradling Monica''s timid little face, and said seriously in front of the other adventurers who were full of envy, "Monica, you are the best earth mage. Don''t talk about Orange accessories; when the time comes, even Legendary accessories, I will help you get."


    "Lege, Legendary?" Monica''s eyes widened in shock, "Such precious equipment, I..."


    "If the captain says you''re worthy, then you are," Lin Da tapped Monica''s little head. "You must never look down on yourself again."


    This affectionate tap made Monica''s face turn red, and she hummed softly, trailing after Lin Da.


    Feeling as if her small body was filled with happiness.


    The crowd who were watching the scene of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team flaunting their affection had their faces twisted with envy.


    Some adventurers coveted the Orange accessory Lin Da had presented, and others thought Monica was adorable and wanted to adopt one for themselves. Read exclusive content at empire


    "Sigh, unlike me, who has followed the team through life and death for years, I''ve never been given an Orange accessory."


    A female adventurer carrying a longsword gave a cold look to her bashful mage boyfriend beside her.


    "That''s the Phoenix Tail Flower Team," said the mage boyfriend in a low murmur. "Even President Velen said they have the potential to advance to the Iron Level. What do we have to compare with them?"


    "If my teammates were as strong as Monica, blasting magical creatures with a single shot, I''d sell everything I own just to buy her an Orange accessory."


    "Ha!? You''re looking down on me, aren''t you?"


    ...


    At this moment, Lin Da and the two others stepped out of the hall.


    "Yo, Lin Da, you''ve cleared the fourth floor? Congratulations," came the voice of a conspicuous figure approaching, a man with a golden pompadour and a rose tucked into his shirt pocket, Gale.


    Lin Da smiled, "Hello, Mr. Gale, I was just looking for you on some matters."


    In his Space Ring, there were two materials, ["Thousand-Change Demon''s Demon Core"]["Earth Dragon''s Dragon Skin"], which could be used to craft the "Magic Dragon Soft Armor".


    Epic-level materials were too precious; Lin Da did not trust them in the hands of a regular blacksmith, so he wanted to ask Gale to find a more reliable blacksmith to do the job.


    As Lin Da made his request, Gale blinked in disbelief:


    "You got dragon skin? I just got word for you that someone in South Rock City is selling it, asking for 2.3 million gold coins..."

 Chapter 223 198, Gales importance, Snow Goose members cooperation

    "Luck."Lin Da humbly smiled, "On the fourth floor, I found a piece of dragon skin."


    "To find something like that... I''m impressed," Gale scratched his head, enviously saying, "Even among Star-ranked adventurers, dragon skin is a rare treasure. I read in the newspaper that you''re described as an ''adventurer favored by the Goddess,'' and that must be true!"


    In fact, that was the truth...


    Lin Da thought amusedly to himself, remembering his recent meeting with Tricia.


    He said, "Could I ask you to help me find a blacksmith?"


    "That''s easy," Gale nodded, "Our White Dove Adventure Group often collaborates with a master blacksmith, it''s just that the crafting fee is a bit expensive."


    "For Epic-level equipment, it starts at 500,000 Gold Coins. But rest assured, with me, Gale, here, 400,000 Gold Coins will definitely be enough."


    "Thank you, Mr. Gale." Lin Da took out a level 20 Demon Core from his Space Ring: "This type of attribute is quite rare, and knowing that you have an interest in collecting various Demon Cores, I specifically kept this one."


    It was exactly the Demon Core he received from the Flesh Worm''s wish.


    Its attribute was ''Mental,'' highly collectible, starting at 50,000 Gold Coins and moreover, very difficult to obtain.


    This level 20 Mental Series Demon Core displayed a deep pink hue, the size of a quail egg, extremely exquisite.


    Gale''s eyes lit up immediately. He took the Demon Core, turning it over in his hands, obviously cherishing it.


    "Brother Lin Da, I won''t beat around the bush with you. Aside from beautiful girls, my favorite thing is Demon Cores."


    Gale stored it in his Space Ring, lightly pressing his fist against Lin Da''s chest: "When you have time, come to the White Dove Adventure Group for a drink."


    "Speaking of which... the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team is planning to host a party," Lin Da laughed. "I was planning to personally notify the White Dove Adventure Group, but it''s a fortunate coincidence to have run into you."


    Gale''s attention, which had been focused on the Demon Core, only then noticed that all three members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team had reached level 21!


    It had only been three days since he last saw them.


    Weren''t they level 19 at that time?


    Gale was slightly taken aback.


    The expression of this Star-ranked adventurer, usually calm and collected, now took on a hint of seriousness.


    Before Lin Da reached level 20, Gale''s interest in him was solely in recognition of Lin Da''s potential. But there were too many adventurers with potential, and countless had met their demise at the World Tree.


    At level 20, one could grasp an Ultimate Skill and equip gear much stronger than that available at level 19.


    Even if Lin Da''s talent were to dry up in the future, hitting a wall, unable to advance to the next floor, at the very least he would be a level 21 adventurer, holding a sturdy position within White Dove City.


    Moreover, Gale didn''t believe Lin Da''s potential would end there.


    Improving to level 21 in such a short period suggested that Lin Da''s chances of becoming a captain of an Iron Level adventure team were all the more likely.


    As the commander of the White Dove Adventure Group, Gale was smarter than most and had made the early decision to befriend Lin Da, considering it beneficial for the group.


    Now that Lin Da had stepped into level 21, Gale truly recognized the worth of Phoenix Tail Flower.


    These thoughts and changes happened in an instant.


    Gale still appeared casual, as if chatting with a friend; however, his heart held much more sincerity.


    "Level 20, indeed you should throw a party! When will it be? You must notify us."


    "As for the time..."


    Lin Da thought about it. In a few days, the Great Mystery Continent would open, so he decided: "Better early than late, I plan to send out the invitations to various adventure teams tomorrow and hold the event the day after."


    "The day after... Good, that day Captain Abner happens to be free, he can come!" Gale patted Lin Da''s shoulder: "Make sure to invite more girls to the party and have good alcohol available!"


    "Captain Abner can come?" Lin Da was somewhat surprised.


    For an ordinary level 20 team''s promotion party, it was already an honor for the White Dove Adventure Group to send someone over.


    With Captain Abner, the leader of an Iron Level Adventure Group, making an appearance, it would undoubtedly help Phoenix Tail Flower rapidly establish a reputation among the adventurers of White Dove City.


    Lin Da, feeling moved, said, "Tomorrow, Phoenix Tail Flower will surely prepare fine wine to welcome you all!"


    Mr. Gale sighed, "It''s okay, it was a good opportunity to pull Abner out to breathe some fresh air. All that constant training has made him almost grow fur. With a captain like that, he''s definitely not going to be liked by girls!"


    "Moreover, it''s been several months since a new team advanced to level 20, so it''s a good chance for everyone to gather."


    Gale looked around and leaned in to whisper in Lin Da''s ear:


    "A little birdie told me that a new Guardian might appear on the tenth floor, much more formidable than the previous ones! Once the tenth floor opens up, you guys should be able to catch up, and our rock-level squads in White Dove City will surely defeat this Guardian."


    Lin Da''s expression changed, and he said with implication, "We''ll see... For Phoenix Tail Flower, it''s still best to make steady progress."


    That ''World Boss'' on the tenth floor �C Lin Da knew about it and knew that Phoenix Tail Flower, as they were now, was not up to the task of defeating it. sea??h th�� n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He still mainly focused on the Goblin Nest on the fifth floor, trying to get an epic-level main weapon to boost the team''s output.


    "As for crafting the Magic Dragon Soft Armor, I''m counting on you." Lin Da solemnly took out the Dragon Skin and Demon Core and handed them to Gale.


    This trust made Gale''s expression turn solemn.


    "Leave it to me. In no more than seven days, I''ll definitely bring you the Magic Dragon Soft Armor!"


    ...


    In the afternoon.


    The wilds of White Dove City, the rocky lands.


    "Flame Burst!"


    The girl with short red hair shouted loudly, swinging her greatsword at the Ironclad Land Turtle in front of her that was seven meters long and resembled a small hill.


    Under the formidable power of the skill "Energy Charging," the Land Turtle let out a mournful cry, and its hard carapace was split by the girl''s blade.


    "Cast your spells now!"


    Phyllis noticed the turtle''s defenses were broken and quickly issued a command.


    You don''t need to tell me, I already know.


    Aiko hummed to herself indignantly.


    A small fry like that, always directing her around.


    Only Lin Da''s commands didn''t annoy her when she heard them.


    In terms of judgment on the battlefield, Aiko was even stronger than Phyllis. She had already predicted the Land Turtle''s defenses would break and was precasting the "Hammer of Destruction" spell.


    "Transform into the force of destruction, annihilate the Magical Creatures in front of me!"


    Aiko''s blonde hair fluttered, her chest proudly puffed, and she pointed the pristine, dainty magic wand forward, as a huge hammer formed from light in the void.


    Following the gap Lia had created, Aiko slammed the hammer down on the Land Turtle.


    Thud!


    The turtle''s Life Barrier violently fluctuated.


    Then, a green Spiral Arrow came tearing through the sky.


    The "Wind Archer" Klyne''s skill "Spiral Piercing Arrow"!


    The Fighting Spirit Arrows became the last straw that broke the camel''s back.


    From the turtle''s wounds gushed a copious amount of fresh blood.


    Soon after, its head drooped, and its limbs went from taut to relaxed.


    It fell to the ground, lifeless.


    Klrona wiped the sweat from her forehead, raised her little axe riddled with notches, and her pink twin ponytails happily swung back and forth:


    "Yay! We''ve defeated a level 28 Magical Creature!"

 Chapter 224 199. Lias important friend, Lulu, welcomes Lin Das return.

    Ironclad Land Turtle, level 28, Purple Rare Level Magical Creature.Materials from its body can be sold for a total of 200,000 Gold Coins.


    In this battle against the creature, the Snow Goose Adventure Team''s days of coordination began to yield results.


    In the past, when they fought this level 28 Ironclad Land Turtle, it was an ordeal that often resulted in injuries.


    But this time, with everyone working together, the front liners Oru and Klrona were responsible for fending off the Ironclad Land Turtle''s attacks while Lia took the opportunity to deal damage, and Aiko provided support...


    The Snow Goose Adventure Team succeeded in defeating this strong level 28 Magical Creature with only minor losses.


    Aiko curved her lips into a smile and wheeled over to Lia.


    Lia was looking down at her hands, seemingly puzzled by something.


    "Have you gotten stronger?" Aiko asked curiously.


    "I don''t know why, but the Battle Qi is flowing more smoothly," Lia murmured, excitement in her eyes.


    Ever since she resolved her issues and stopped viewing Lin Da as an enemy she had to defeat, she felt lighter and even found more pleasure in eating.


    The happiest moment of her day nowadays was before going to sleep when she looked at the ''Dark Shadow'' poster in her room.


    She trained with all her might, hoping someday to be part of a team as strong as the Primitive Adventure Team.


    As Lia''s mindset improved, her Battle Qi became smoother and more responsive, reaching a twelvefold efficiency.


    Her level had not changed, nor her equipment, but Lia could clearly feel her damage output had increased.


    Gently touching her left eye beneath the eyepatch, she felt a faint sense of burning.


    Streams of pure Fire Fighting Qi seemed to emanate from there.


    ''I remember Lin Da saying that wounds scar over and grow even tougher skin. Could it be my wound is healing and becoming more powerful?''


    Lia couldn''t help but be proud, placing her hands on her hips and saying, "If Lin Da knew how strong Snow Goose is now, maybe he would regret leaving the team."


    Aiko secretly rolled her eyes and said, "When we came to the wilderness, I heard adventurers discussing that Lin Da and his team have all reached level 21."


    "Level 21? So quickly?"


    Lia was stunned for a moment.


    She spent half a year going from level 19 to 20.


    Going from level 19 to 20 was even more challenging than from 26 to 27.


    Adventurers lacking in talent, even with the Divine Gift from the World Tree Goddess, couldn''t break through and were stuck at level 19.


    Upon hearing that, Oru laughed and said, "Lin Da made the right choice in changing his profession. He made a mistake choosing to be a Healer before, but this Healing Mage role suits him best."


    Klyne packed away her beautifully crafted green bow and, with a charming smile, said: "Lin Da is catching up with us. Next time in the Great Mystery Continent, maybe we can fight Magical Creatures together."


    Lia''s little face drooped and she fell quiet.


    The other team members perhaps didn''t mean anything by it and were just reflecting.


    But Lia always felt it was a dig at her for letting Lin Da leave the team.


    "Enough, Snow Goose will never collaborate with Phoenix Tail Flower, even if Lin Da isn''t an enemy, he''s still a competitor. Losing to Phoenix Tail Flower would be too shameful for Snow Goose!"


    Lia scanned her team members; current levels in Snow Goose were:


    herself at 27, Aiko at 28, Klrona at 25, Phyllis at 24, and both Klyne and Oru at 23.


    They had the advantage over Phoenix Tail Flower.


    But the advantage was rapidly shrinking.


    Lia was actually a bit afraid of Lin Da mocking her to her face.


    After all, if it were her, she would definitely taunt Lin Da...


    ''It''s not that I want to check up on Phoenix Tail Flower; I''m only thinking of finding him because of Lin Xi!''


    Lia made up her mind and said to everyone, "Lin Da has returned from the fourth layer; we should ask if he found any trace of Lin Xi."


    "Lin Xi..."


    At the mention of this name, the three veteran members of Snow Goose all had a gloomy expression.


    The person most affected by Lin Xi''s disappearance, aside from Lin Da, was Lia.


    Lia and Lin Xi, both frontline damage dealers and Swordsmen of similar age, quickly became friends.


    They had a much closer relationship than with Aiko or Klrona.


    Lia regarded Lin Xi as her best friend, as well as her strongest rival.


    Even Isa, in Lia''s heart, wasn''t quite on par with Lin Xi.


    Their current duel record stood at 99 wins and 99 losses.


    The vital 100th victory was pending, and they agreed that whoever secured it could issue one command to the other.


    Lia had long decided on her command for Lin Xi; she would tell her to stop teasing her!


    Putting cockroaches in her clothes, stealing her cake, showing her risqu�� comic books, trying to corrupt her...


    Lia was annoyed with Lin Xi.


    But it wasn''t until Lin Xi left that she realized something was amiss.


    There was no one to bicker with anymore.


    She couldn''t get along with Aiko, Klrona was too young for her to play with, and Lin Da was a steady type of adventurer, preferring to bury himself in thick tomes.


    So... If there was a clue about Lin Xi, Lia would help Lin Da search for her.


    Definitely not for Lin Da,


    Lia just wanted to find her friend.


    Meanwhile, the male members of Snow Goose had finished collecting the Magical Creature materials.


    The group boarded the carriage and headed back to White Dove City.


    Regarding Lia''s suggestion to go to ''Goldfinch District'' to look for Lin Da, Aiko, however, declined.


    "Why?"


    Lia asked, puzzled.


    She always felt that Aiko cared a lot about Lin Da.


    Even practicing cooking in secret.


    If it weren''t for Aiko telling her that she was just an ordinary former teammate of Lin Da, Lia might have suspected that Aiko had other feelings for him.


    "Let''s wait a bit, the invitation from Phoenix Tail Flower should arrive soon."


    Aiko touched her rosy lips with her finger and after some thought, said, "Lin Da is busy right now, probably busy making invitations; if we go over now, we''ll only be in the way."


    Lia came to a sudden realization.


    Right, Lin Da and his teammates had reached level 21...


    "Will they invite us?" Lia said softly, clutching her little fist.


    "Who knows?"


    Aiko tilted her head and asked back with a mischievous smile in her heart, deliberately irritating the powder keg.


    ...


    At the same moment, in the living room of a white mansion in Goldfinch District.


    "Welcome back."


    With damp hands wiped on her pale yellow apron, Lulu received them with a cool expression.


    But upon closer inspection, one could see her fluffy wolf tail perk up happily.


    It somewhat reminded Lin Da of a pet dog he used to own.


    When coming home, it would also approach and wag its tail.


    Upon entering the living room, the dining table was already laden with delicious food.


    The appetizing aroma quickly captured Lin Da''s nose.


    In Dark Night City, all they had eaten were barely satisfying, far from enjoyable.


    This table full of sumptuous dishes was not only delicious but was also cooked with the warmth of his teammates'' hearts.


    Lin Da''s expression lightened considerably as he took off his coat and placed it on the sofa before giving Lulu, whom he hadn''t seen for days, a friendly hug.


    He also applied the Purifying Witch''s ability to his arms, removing the pollution from Lulu''s body.


    With his hand against Lulu''s back and his eyes closed, Lin Da felt the pollution near her heart.


    Compared to when they first met, it was about five times less.


    The higher the trust, the more efficient the Purifying Witch''s ability.


    Now, even a 40-level Moon rank adventurer standing in front of Lulu wouldn''t be able to detect her witch''s aura.


    "Let''s stop purifying here for now, and continue later."


    When Lin Da came back to his senses, he noticed Lulu''s cheeks were pink, and only her fluffy tail was still wagging high.


    Lin Da was slightly startled and couldn''t help but laugh.


    Turns out, the great comfort he felt just now was from Lulu...


    Now, his ''tail'' wasn''t wagging, but Lulu''s was.


    Indeed, she was a shrewd and shy Beastman!


    Noticing Lin Da''s teasing gaze, Lulu''s wolf ears shook embarrassingly, and she huffed.


    "Let''s eat first."


    Lin Da sat at the head of the table with Kafni and Monica to his left and right, and Lulu opposite him.


    "Is the strategy still going smoothly?" Lulu asked.


    "With some thrills but no dangers, it was just tough on Monica."


    Lin Da thought back to all that had happened in Dark Night City, filled with emotion.


    Perhaps because of his unique identity, his teammates retain clear memories after exiting the Emotion Secret Realm, and nobody forgets.


    As Lin Da recounted the events, Lulu gradually learned about the incidents in Dark Night City.


    The Werewolf girl''s emotions fluctuated accordingly.


    When Lin Da spoke about being tempted by the ''Dawn Goddess'' and nearly falling into the pool, Lulu stopped eating, nervously clutching her fork in both hands.


    When Lin Da revealed the true identity of the ''Dawn Goddess'' and enslaved the Flesh Worm, Lulu smiled appreciatively.


    The short-haired girl with light blue hair sat quietly, gazing at Lin Da across the dining table.


    Her clear eyes shimmered, like a warm lake under the sunlight.


    Lin Da''s voice was calm and steady, carrying a sincere warmth, akin to a spring breeze.


    This reminded Lulu of her childhood, when she would be held in her grandmother''s arms listening to stories, equally captivating.


    But this time, it was as though she was personally embedded in the story, with the hatred for the Flesh Worm, the unease in Lin Da''s situation... It was like a large hand playing with the girl''s emotions.


    Occasionally, Monica and Kafni would interject, sharing their own adventure insights or adding details they had noticed.


    Time seemed to slow down.


    The pale golden sunlight of noon streamed through the windows, bathing the four at the table in a serene and beautiful ambiance.


    Lunch passed leisurely.


    Lin Da''s mood, too, relaxed.


    Delicious food nourished the stomach, and his own teammates were even more pleasing to the eye.


    The beauties from Another World, if placed in reality, would simply be an overwhelming force.


    Lin Da did not doubt that this was the reason he wanted to protect his teammates. If they were bulky Minotaurs, he might halve the meticulousness of his strategies.


    "So... Lin Xi turned into a Succubus?"


    Hearing the end, Lulu expressed her concern, "Don''t think too much about it, even among Succubi, there are good ones."


    Lin Da smiled helplessly, "I do hope to meet her. If I could persuade her to come to Phoenix Tail Flower, that would be great." S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lulu shook her head, "A contract with a Witch of the Twelve Belongings level, I have heard some about it, it controls the witch mentally, making them fully trust the Demon King. You have to purify the pollution from Lin Xi first to have a chance of convincing her."


    The mention of this gave Lin Da a headache.


    Purifying pollution wasn''t an overnight task; he would need to bind his sister and purify her daily to restore her from the fall.


    "Luckily, she won''t be coming to White Dove City anytime soon."


    Lin Da internally breathed a sigh of relief.


    Given the strength that General Xilin displayed, Phoenix Tail Flower was really no match for her just yet.


    But there must be some reason why Xilin wouldn''t act against him.


    Otherwise, he would have been kidnapped by his sister during the Monster Tide.


    When Lulu finished clearing the table, Lin Da took out a stack of invitations from his ring.


    He waved them in his hand, "Let''s make these together and get the party started as soon as possible."


    The leveling-up party was a very important tradition among adventurers.


    Although Lin Da hadn''t fully integrated into the culture here, he knew not to neglect the event.

 Chapter 225 200, Hidden Rich Lady Aiko, Klronas Album

    "My handwritting? Just... forget it?" Lulu said with a bit of embarrassment, "My writing is really ugly."As a Beastmen born into poverty, Lulu had good cooking skills and was talented in combat, but when it came to learning, she was in a cultural desert.


    Her handwriting was barely legible.


    "Lord Kavne is off to drink heavily at the tavern, I heard the Tyrannosaurus Tavern got new brews."


    Kavne chose to slip away: "Tyrannosaurus Tavern, here I come, Your Lordship!"


    "I''ll help our captain."


    Monica, full of energy, raised her hand, striking a muscular pose, her face beaming with a reassuring confident smile.


    Social matters were not Monica''s strong suit, but she excelled at almost everything else.


    "Then it''ll be Monica and me," Lin Da thought to himself, appreciating Monica''s compliance. Kavne was usually just a freeloader.


    He sighed helplessly, but with a smile, took Monica to his bedroom, where they both sat at the table, writing furiously.


    Time flew by.


    The night sky was filled with stars.


    By night''s end, the two had finally finished.


    Monica was exhausted, lying asleep in Lin Da''s arms, her rosy cheeks resembling a delectable apple.


    Lin Da carried her back to her room, then Lulu took over and walked in.


    The girl''s damp light blue hair wafted the warm steam of a bath.


    "Cure..." Lulu murmured shyly, blushing.


    "Indeed, it''s been three days without removing the impurities, we really need a good treatment."


    Lin Da gave a knowing smile, cupped Lulu''s face, and performed "Witch Purification."


    ...


    The following morning.


    Lin Da handed the invitations to a courier, to be distributed among the rock-level squads.


    Meanwhile, in the villa of the Ice Flower Adventure Team.


    A silver-haired girl was in her bedroom doing a plank, sweating profusely.


    The magical clock showed it had been 1 hour and 27 minutes, and astonishingly, there was a 1000-kilogram block of Snowflake Ore on the girl''s back.


    Her body was straight, with beautifully curved buttocks, her chest impressively prominent, and clear droplets of sweat trickled down her pale chin to the mat.


    Because she practiced Ice Douqi, her sweat was clear and clean, emitting a tempting fragrance, despite her sweaty body...


    A small blackboard on the wall listed the upcoming adventure goals set by Isa:


    ''Break through the 14th level to become the fourth Steel Level Adventure Team in White Dove City.''


    As a team already at the 13th level, Ice Flower was under much scrutiny, and all the newspapers were closely watching.


    A few days ago, the White Dove Adventure Group, the Specter Adventure Group, and President Velen had all issued dinner invitations.


    Isa declined all of them, explaining that her team needed to be fully prepared for the 14th level.


    Of course, she did reply to White Dove because she didn''t want to work with the folks from Specter. Besides, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team was also part of the White Dove Adventure Group. S��arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thinking of the always composed young man with black hair, Isa was on the plank for over an hour and nearly collapsed.


    "Captain, there''s an invitation!"


    Fannis, with her green hair, burst into the room with a mischievous grin: "Guess who it''s from?"


    "From Specter? Could you respond for me? Be tactful, don''t anger them," Isa sighed. "After all, they are a Steel Level, and Ice Flower cannot afford to offend them."


    "It''s not from Specter."


    Fannis squatted down, placing a card decorated with a purple Phoenix Tail Flower before Isa.


    It had bold, stable handwriting:


    Hello, Captain of the Ice Flower Adventure Team.


    I am Lin Da, captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    At exactly noon tomorrow, you are invited to the No. 3 villa in Goldfinch District for the Phoenix Tail Flower''s Level 20 promotion party.


    Sincerely, Lin Da.


    ...


    "Ah, I know you''re busy, captain, so I already declined it," Fannis saw Isa''s smile and swiftly took back the invitation.


    "Fannis, what are you doing? It''s really impolite not to attend!" Isa said, flustered, and grabbed the back of Fannis''s shirt.


    "You said to decline it. Actually, I''ve already declined it and am just informing you now."


    "What!?"


    "Hehe, just kidding!"


    "What?"


    A moment later, Isa, with a face full of frustration, carried a lump-ridden Fannis to the villa''s main hall.


    She clapped her hands to get everyone''s attention.


    "Those who are free tomorrow, come with me to the Phoenix Tail Flower''s Level 20 promotion party."


    "Yes."


    "No problem."


    "Eh, I don''t feel like going out. You all go."


    In theory, having one representative from the team attend the party would have been sufficient.


    Fannis, nursing the bumps on her head, mumbled: "It''s just because you fancy Lin Da''s physique, and yet you don''t let people mention it, really..."


    Thump!


    Fannis yelped as another bump formed on her head.


    Isa said with a smile that didn''t reach her eyes, "The other team members can stay behind, Fannis, but you must come with me!"


    "Ying ying."


    At level 20, expenses for food and drink were no longer a concern, and the number of people attending wouldn''t financially pressure the Phoenix Tail Flower Team. In fact, the more people who attended, the more importance it showed towards the Phoenix Tail Flower party.


    Except for a few who wanted to stay home and rest, Isa''s side was mobilizing the entire team.


    On the other hand, inside a mansion of a dark style akin to a vampire''s abode.


    The leader of the Specter Adventure Group, Hulus, yelled furiously, "Well done, Phoenix Tail Flower, Ice Flower, Snow Goose, you ignore my invitation and all stand with the White Dove Adventure Group?!"


    Under Hulus''s roar, the team members trembled, not daring to lift their heads.


    The leader of the Bedrock, ''Shattered Rock'' Rhode, a tower-like giant man, spoke more calmly, "Hulus, what''s the rush? As long as they can''t reach Star Rank, they will never be able to contend with us."


    Specter had fewer Rock-level squads, but their top combat power included two Steel Level adventure teams.


    "I hope so," Hulus said with a somber expression.


    ...


    Knock knock.


    "Klrona, aren''t you coming for breakfast?"


    At Snow Goose''s villa.


    Aiko knocked for a while without response and pushed the door open suspiciously.


    She only saw Klrona lying on the bed with a picture book and crayons, acting sneaky but in a good mood.


    Her pink twin-tails swayed back and forth, and her pale little feet kicked up and down like a fish swimming on the bed.


    Upon noticing Aiko''s arrival, Klrona tensed up and quickly hid the picture book under a pillow, "I''ll come eat right now!"


    "What is that?"


    Aiko entered the room, intrigued by the sight under the pillow.


    Could it be an risqu�� picture book?


    Was Klrona at that age already?


    "No way!" Klrona nervously pressed her little hands on the pillow, earnestly saying, "This is for Lin Da to see first, after he''s seen it, then you can."


    Aiko mentally snorted, what great stuff that Lin Da has to see it first. Phoenix Tail Flower has obedient lolita-type members too, and they''re legal adults, at Lin Da''s side, you Klrona have no chance!


    Lin Da might even disdain to look at it!


    Of course, these were thoughts that Aiko would never articulate. She smiled like a gentle big sister and said, "Lin Da will surely be happy after seeing it, right? Keep it up, Klrona."


    "Hee hee, I like Sister Aiko the best." Klrona hugged Aiko affectionately, and at that moment, Aiko seized the opportunity to use Light Magic Power to move the pillow telekinetically and peek at the cover of the book.


    The title was written in crooked letters: ''The Young Lady Becomes the Strongest Adventurer Starting from Quitting the Team''.


    Aiko: ?


    This little one, she''s not thinking about betraying us, is she?


    After Lin Da left the team, Klrona was the happiest.


    She started living a boundless, free life in the villa.


    Reading comic books till midnight, and no one scolded her anymore.


    "By the way, has Lin Da''s invitation arrived yet?" Klrona suddenly raised her little head, her expression somewhat anxious, seemingly afraid that Lin Da would invite other teams but not Snow Goose.


    "No news yet," Aiko shook her head.


    "Ah? He''s not inviting us?"


    "What are you thinking, Lin Da is not as petty as Lia."


    Aiko said with a smile, "Don''t worry, it will definitely arrive before evening."


    "Oh!" Klrona visibly brightened up.


    This made Aiko inwardly vigilant.


    Lucky Klrona was still a minor, otherwise she''d be yet another competitor.


    ''The vampishly cheap women eyeing Lin Da are too many, if I don''t make a move soon, I might end up having to eat someone else''s wedding candy!''


    Aiko was internally anxious, so anxious that she had sores in her mouth.


    Originally, her plan was perfect: to completely capture Lin Da, making him her servant.


    From then on, Aiko planned to live off Lin Da''s, stay at Lin Da''s place, use Lin Da''s gold coins to buy Magical Equipment, fulfil her physical needs with Lin Da''s OO, and have Lin Da serve her forever, to severely retaliate against Lin Da.


    She wanted Lin Da to know how terrifying it is to affront the dignity of a young girl!


    But!


    The celebration banquet hosted by the Adventurers'' Guild last time made Aiko sense a crisis.


    Firstly, Lia, this short person, had a change of heart and stopped viewing Lin Da as an arch-enemy, rejoining the competitors. Although Lia''s chances of a successful stealth attack were low, she was currently ranked at the very end, but it''s unpredictable what the future holds!


    Then there were the members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, all having unwelcome thoughts about Lin Da!


    Plus Ice Flower''s Isa and other women from various Rock-level adventure teams also felt highly of Lin Da.


    No one could resist an adventurer who was smart, tall, handsome, and had huge potential.


    Aiko immediately realized: if she didn''t act soon, she might miss out entirely.


    Fearing even a peck would yield nothing.


    She might be left out, cleaned out by others!


    So, Aiko decided to strike first.


    She chuckled wickedly to herself, caressing the space ring on her hand��it was a 10X10 meter large space ring, five times more expensive than the 3X3 meter one Lin Da bought for 200,000 gold coins.


    Everyone in Snow Goose only knew Aiko came from a young lady from some family in South Rock City, but they had never really thought about how wealthy she actually was.


    Aiko had specifically requested: she did not want her teammates to investigate her identity.


    In fact, just in terms of wealth, all other members of Snow Goose combined couldn''t match up to Aiko.


    In her space ring, besides a mountain of gold coins, there was also well-cooked delicious chicken soup.

 Chapter 226 201, The gift from Lia to Lin Da,

    In the chicken soup was a special ingredient prepared by Aiko for Lin Da: the pollen of the Chunyang Flower!This pollen had a potent astringent effect, colorless and tasteless, and even a Sage who consumed it would transform into a raging beast.


    Aiko planned to make Lin Da submit under her pomegranate skirt!


    No adventurer would want to have a girl they were close to mingle in another adventure team, right?


    By doing so, Lin Da would surely beg her to join the Phoenix Tail Flower.


    She''d have him completely under her thumb!


    Everyone envied Lin Da, but he could only be a lapdog under her skirt... Thinking of this, Aiko''s face flushed red, her legs fidgeted restlessly, and she let out a creepy giggle with a ''hehehe''.


    She was like an evil big sister about to gobble up a little child, her thoughts so sinister that even a Succubus would feel ashamed.


    "What''s going on, it''s so cold."


    Klrona emerged from Aiko''s embrace, feeling that the air around her had suddenly turned as cold as if she were in a haunted house.


    When she looked up, Aiko''s expression had reverted to her sunny and gentle smile.


    "That, Aiko, aren''t you a cripple? Wasn''t your leg just moving?"


    Klrona spoke in a daze.


    Because Aiko had been twisting and turning just now, thinking about amusing things, she inadvertently let Klrona see.


    "Klrona, you''re tired."


    "Eh?"


    "You''re having hallucinations. You need to rest these next few days!"


    "Wuwu, only Aiko is good to me, Lia doesn''t care about me at all!"


    Klrona was touched.


    Today was a rare and pleasant breakfast for Snow Goose.


    Klrona had a good appetite and devoured a whole steak. She wiped her mouth and said excitedly, "I''m going back to my room!"


    She had many things to do.


    The comic books were almost finished... Aside from showing them to Lin Da, Klrona''s other main purpose was to apologize to Monica.


    She shouldn''t have taunted Monica for being poor.


    Emphasizing the truth over and over again was not the behavior of the strong.


    This time, Klrona planned to defeat Monica with her abilities.


    To show her apology for last time, she specifically bought Monica a limited White Cat Mage Puppet worth ten thousand Gold Coins.


    That day, all three members of Snow Goose were busy.


    Klrona was holed up in her room, working overtime on her drawings.


    Aiko was improving her ''delicious chicken soup''. After sipping just a little to test its effectiveness, she instantly turned into a senseless dork, nearly ruining herself...


    "The effect is so strong, better use less of it."


    Aiko shivered.


    If she used too much of the Chunyang Flower''s pollen, she''d be the one who suffered in the end!


    As for Lia... she was restless, unsure of how to treat Lin Da and the others.


    The one who''d called Lin Da the enemy was her.


    The one prepared to fight Lin Da every time they met was still her.


    The one who had cooperated with Lin Da twice was again her.


    Lia had a sudden realization; her face was already swollen like a ''bee-stung dog''!


    The embarrassment became something she grew accustomed to without realizing it.


    Being mocked by the members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team was the least of it.


    The real trouble troubling Lia, making her heart flip-flop and food seem to well up in her throat, was what kind of gift to pick for Lin Da. sea??h th�� Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Anyone invited to attend the Phoenix Tail Flower''s level 20 promotion party had to bring a gift.


    It was a matter of serious etiquette.


    Even if it was a cheap trinket, it still had to be brought along.


    If she didn''t send a gift, she would be considered provocative, and other adventurers would see her as a Dancing Team Captain who lacked manners and had an extremely low EQ.


    Therefore, the task of choosing a gift for Lin Da stumped Lia.


    Over the years, she had never seriously given Lin Da a gift.


    In the afternoon, Lia wandered down the commercial street, feeling miserable, pausing in front of various shops.


    "Miss, do you have any troubles?"


    A crisp, pleasant female voice like a silver bell rang out in front of Lia.


    Lia lowered her head, her hand supporting her chin, tangled in thoughts about the gift.


    She hadn''t noticed someone in front of her and almost bumped into them.


    "You''re in my way."


    Lia snapped back to reality, her eyebrows shooting up. She had no intention of apologizing; she was already walking close to the edge of the path, it must have been deliberate on the woman''s part to block her!


    Like an aggressive honey badger, Lia glared at the other with rising anger.


    However, upon seeing the pink-haired girl in front of her clearly, Lia couldn''t help but feel a fleeting sense of familiarity.


    She felt she had seen the person before but couldn''t place where.


    Lia sized up the other: thick black-framed glasses, a black suspender dress with lace-trimmed white blouse, beautiful with a quiet demeanor, completely opposite to her own nature.


    The girl''s pink hair was tied into a thick braid, set off by the black-framed glasses... she was exactly the intellectual-type Lia detested.


    Whenever she saw such people, Lia would feel inferior because of her poor background and her primary school-level adventurer education.


    Behind this pink-haired girl stood a golden-haired woman in her thirties, dressed in a black housekeeper''s uniform, captivating in appearance but with undisguised indifference in her eyes.


    "Who are you?"


    Lia instinctively sensed something off about the two, so she stepped back, her expression wary.


    "We''re just passing adventurers," said the pink-haired girl with a shy smile, adding, "I saw you looked troubled, so I wanted to ask what happened?"


    "Just the matter of selecting a gift..." Lia blurted out, then immediately wondered why she was discussing this with a stranger. Her expression darkened, and her tone grew colder, "What''s it to you!"


    "Selecting a gift?"


    The pink-haired girl''s mind clicked, instantly understanding the source of Lia''s concern.


    It must be the party that Lin Da was about to throw.


    And that dummy Lia hadn''t decided what gift to bring!


    "I think that store over there is quite nice."


    The girl pointed to a luxury brand store, speaking like a conniving sales attendant, giggling, "Items like the brands ''Great Sea Clear Sky,'' ''Sexy Elves,'' ''Old Adventurer'' magic guide watches; boys always like them. It''s just that their price... is slightly expensive, but for a rock level team captain, it should be nothing."


    Lia''s face changed.


    She herself lived frugally, saving gold coins to buy magical equipment, and had no expensive accessories on her.


    Was she expected to buy one of those magic guide watches for Lin Da, which cost tens of thousands?


    Expensive, too expensive!


    "Bye-bye then, I have other things to do, I''m off!"


    As Lia was stuck in her dilemma, the pink-haired girl and the housekeeper disappeared at the end of the commercial street.


    "Such quick speed, Star Rank...?"


    Lia blinked in astonishment, murmuring to herself.


    Why did she feel this familiar sensation about such a character?


    She scratched her head, deep in thought, but just couldn''t recall where she had seen that person.


    "Lin Xi looks somewhat similar, but Lin Xi has black hair," Lia mumbled to herself. "I wonder if Lin Da has found any clues about Lin Xi. I''m not going to the party just for the sake of it; I''m only bringing a gift to ask about Lin Xi!"


    With such thoughts, Lia felt somewhat guilty as she stepped into the shop specializing in men''s luxury goods.


    ...

 Chapter 228 203, all rock level captains: Go, we must go!

    ```Lin Da''s Poison Dragon''s Roar indeed dealt 10,983 points of damage.


    But Lin Da didn''t signal his teammates to finish off the target. Instead, he raised his hand, signaling everyone to stop attacking.


    This action made everyone, including Folie, question what was happening.


    Shouldn''t they attack fiercely when the White-Maned Lion is weakened and burst its equipment?


    Why did Lin Da instead tell his teammates to stop?


    "Eh, what''s that?"


    Folie noticed something unusual.


    Around the White-Maned Lion, a group of purple teardrops circled.


    Each teardrop was fist-sized, with a poison dragon totem carved on them. Every second, the poison dragon totem released a dense purple light, and the teardrops shattered in response.


    The White-Maned Lion howled miserably, as if its eggs had been crushed, and its Life Barrier quickly weakened.


    These mysterious purple teardrops totaled ten. If all of them were to shatter...


    Folie suddenly realized: it was Lin Da''s Ultimate Skill inflicting continuous damage.


    The total damage of this Ultimate Skill could cause 40,000 damage to the White-Maned Lion, completely annihilating the magical creature!


    That''s why Lin Da asked his teammates to hold back.


    The remaining attacks were completely unnecessary because the White-Maned Lion, though seemingly alive, was already dead!


    As a result, there were even more question marks in Folie''s head.


    An Ultimate Skill from a level 21 adventurer inflicting 40,000 damage on a level 20 Rare Orange Level magical creature known for its tough hide?


    Isn''t that a bit unreasonable?


    Folie''s class was Jungle Hunter, adept with bows and daggers, serving as a mid-range damage dealer. His Ultimate Skill, Dark Stab, could only deal 20,000 damage to the White-Maned Lion.


    If he remembered correctly, Lin Da''s class was Healing Mage, a backline support.


    Yet, Lin Da''s damage was twice as high as his, a mid-range damage dealer?


    Folie stared blankly at the broadcast screen: Could it be because this captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team had high ability points?


    No, it probably wasn''t that simple,


    Folie thought, shaking his head internally.


    Aside from ability points, there were two other factors.


    Lin Da''s Ultimate Skill was extremely powerful in itself, and...equipment!


    Under the close view of the sensor ladybug, Folie could clearly see a pair of sparkling earrings on Lin Da''s earlobes.


    They were red and crescent-shaped.


    Even with the naked eye, one could feel the powerful Magic Power flowing within the earrings.


    Folie had read about them in books; they were jewelry crafted from the pincers of the Red Armored Crab King, the ''King Crab Set''!


    Lin Da''s Ability Points, the rarity of his Ultimate Skill, combined with the King Crab Set, resulted in damage that was downright double Folie''s!


    Of course, at this moment, Folie didn''t know that Lin Da''s weapon was the level 15 Azure Sword. Otherwise, Lin Da''s damage could be further increased.


    Professionals understand the intricacies, amateurs enjoy the show.


    The majority in the hall were level 10 adventurers who just felt that Lin Da was awesome, but couldn''t explain why.


    "The damage from the Eye of True Knowledge is a bit high, huh!"


    "They just entered level 20?"


    "That pair of magic earrings looks familiar..."


    At this time, the ''Dragon''s Sorrow'' encircling the White-Maned Lion shattered to the ninth teardrop.


    The magical creature let out a mournful wail, like an old general who longed to die in frontal combat with the enemy but was shot in the back, unwillingly falling to the ground.


    The lion transformed into white light and burst out one orange and four purple equipments.


    Upon the successful monster hunt inside the World Tree, Divine Light appeared.


    It fell atop the heads of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    At this moment, Lin Da and the others'' levels rose from 21 to 23!


    Folie''s face grew serious.


    He needed to hurry back.


    To tell his captain, Robert.


    Forget the flawed strategy.


    Joining the Phoenix Tail Flower Team''s promotion party was the priority!


    Understanding human relationships was very important!


    The hall was filled with the cheers of adventurers.


    Lin and her prideful little hands akimbo said to Lady Bai Mian, "Impressive, isn''t it? That''s my brother!"


    "Impressive..."


    "Of course, because he''s the brother of the great Lady Lin!"


    ...


    On the eighth floor of the World Tree, the grey plains.


    Lin Da silently felt the Magic Power within him growing stronger.


    Having broken through three levels to reach level 23, his Dual Attack increased by over 100, and his health points by 800.


    From the crafted Murderous Crab series equipments, he took a pair of earrings for himself and distributed the rest to his teammates.


    Kafni and Monica, now equipped with the level 20 orange quality ''Crab General'' weapons, saw further increases in their output.


    Lin Da''s growth was the most voracious.


    The pair of earrings on his earlobes had the following attributes:


    [Name: Sharp King Crab Earrings]


    [Type: Equipment - Jewelry]


    [Quality: Rare Orange Level]


    [Level: 20]


    [Attribute Points: Magic Power +500, Agility +30]


    [Set: 2/2 (Achieved)]


    [Set Attributes: Magic Power +300, Casting Speed +10%]


    [Set Skill: Death Crab Pincer (Slash directly in front, when the opponent''s level is not more than 10 levels higher than yours, deals ''high'' True Damage, usable once every 24 hours)]


    [Equipment Rating: 1445]


    The other earring was named [Dull King Crab Earrings], with similar attributes, adding 480 Magic Power.


    Just these two pieces of jewelry added 1,280 points to Lin Da''s Magic Attack.


    His original Magic Attack was only 1,250 points...


    From this, one can see just how significant the upgrades equipment provide to an adventurer.


    If Lin Da had only 1,250 points of Magic Attack, his Poison Dragon''s Roar could not have inflicted a total of 40,000 damage on the thick-skinned White-Maned Lion.


    It was precisely because he was wearing a pair of King Crab Earrings that his Dual Attack doubled, providing him such confidence.


    ```


    With his original Magic Attack, hitting that Rare Orange Level white-maned lion would only deal around 20,000 points of damage.


    If he were to use an Epic Weapon, that damage... it could only be described as too beautiful.


    Beyond the tremendous increase in Attribute Points, Lin Da also gained the precious modifier of [Casting Speed +10%], further enhancing his combat ability.


    And the most precious of all, the set skill, [Death Crab Pincer].


    The same as the Red Armored Crab King.


    As long as the target wasn''t more than 10 levels higher than him, he could directly ignore their defense and deal True Damage.


    Now, at level 23, Lin Da could affect all targets at level 33 and below.


    This move was more suitable for inter-clan battles, targeting the frontline of adventurers rather than Magical Creatures.


    Below level 33, all beings were equal.


    After confirming his own Attribute enhancement, Lin Da and his team members approached the mountain of Gold Coins.


    Acquisition of spoils of war:


    A Rare Orange Level spear of level 20.


    Two Purple Equipment hammers of level 20.


    A Purple Equipment breastplate of level 20.


    A pair of Purple Equipment boots of level 20.


    Lin Da allocated the breastplate and boots to Kafni and displayed the rest as spoils of war at the party.


    If anyone wanted them, they would simply sell them directly, avoiding the middleman markups of a merchant.


    Then, they easily killed the guardian BOSS of the eighth floor, the Silverback Great Ape.


    System notifications popped up in front of Lin Da:


    [Cleared by taking less than 10 hits: Completed. +2 Stars]


    [Killed the hidden Magical Creature, the white-maned lion: Completed. +2 Stars]


    [Single skill damage above 30,000: Completed. +3 Stars]


    [Completed with a team of four or fewer: Completed. +2 Stars]


    [Dark attribute accounts for the highest damage in the team: Not Complete]


    [Total: 9 Stars]


    [Ultimate Clear achieved!]


    Lin Da nodded silently, it was just as he expected, an Ultimate Clear with nine stars.


    For a Perfect Clear with ten stars, he''d have to increase his box... um, in this context, it should be called the diversity of his team members.


    He needed members of all attributes.


    Like in the third floor challenge, which required the highest Thunder Attribute output. S��arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If Lin Da had a member of each, Thunder and Dark Attributes, he could overcome this challenge.


    "For Thunder Attribute, I could recruit that short one, and there are quite a few with Dark Attributes, Lin Xi, Tina, they all have Dark Attributes."


    "Tina, as a character with human rights, even has Light and Dark Dual Attributes."


    Lin Da pondered to himself.


    One day, his team would reach a point where they had all attributes covered.


    This triple clear made his level reach 23, with an experience bar of 100,000/150,000.


    He could break through to level 24 with Mystical Points.


    But Lin Da held back, saving them for a crucial moment when leveling up would replenish health points.


    At this rate, by the day they break through the fourteenth floor, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team could all be Star Rank.


    Lin Da was full of determination.


    A bright future was beckoning to him!


    "That''s all for today''s strategy session, and I hope everyone has gained something."


    "Also, if you''re free tomorrow, please do attend the Phoenix Tail Flower Team''s party. We have prepared drinks and fine food, waiting for you to grace us with your presence."


    The Lin Da on the screen beamed with a friendly smile.


    However, several Rock Level Team captains in the hall were sweating bullets...


    Just a short while ago, they considered sending team members to make a perfunctory appearance, thinking it would suffice.


    Meanwhile, Folie hurried back to the Valiant Adventure Team''s villa, burst into Robert''s room, and said excitedly, "Robert, we must go to the Phoenix Tail Flower Team''s party tomorrow!"


    Robert was discussing the strategy for the fourteenth floor with the team commander, deeply engrossed.


    "No time, we''re busy here."


    "I said it''s enough if you go alone. The vice-captain''s presence should be sufficient. Lin Da represents the new generation, he wouldn''t care for such outdated and useless formalities, would he?"


    "Uh, captain, I don''t think so."


    "What? Weren''t you of the same opinion this morning?"


    Robert looked up, puzzled, at the sheepish Folie.


    Folie explained: "Lin Da has reached the eighth floor."


    Robert: "?"


    Folie: "The Phoenix Tail Flower Team is now all at level 23."


    The team commander, a young woman, also looked up in surprise.


    Just yesterday, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team was only at level 21.


    Folie grimaced as he said: "That... Lin Da''s Ultimate Skill can deal around 40,000 points of damage."


    "What?!"


    Robert and the team commander both stood up with a thud!


    "It''s at noon tomorrow, right? Go, we must go!"


    "Tell the team members, we''re not going for field training tomorrow. Everyone gets a day off to attend the Phoenix Tail Flower Team''s promotion party!"


    Robert spoke with spit flying everywhere.


    He initially didn''t want to go, as he thought Lin Da was not the kind to hold onto old customs.


    But what if he was?


    Robert didn''t want to risk being resented by the Phoenix Tail Flower Team for his absence.


    Maybe Lin Da was magnanimous.


    But what if he wasn''t?


    Considering the potential Lin Da had shown, Robert decided it was worth it to give the whole team a day off to attend the Phoenix Tail Flower Team''s promotion party.


    Similar scenarios were occurring in other adventure teams as well.


    The Light Adventure Team, Slay the Evil Dragon Adventure Team, Black Bear Adventure Team...


    The captains of these older, Rock Level adventure teams uniformly changed their decisions: They had to go, and the whole team had to go, to show their regard for the Phoenix Tail Flower Team!


    ...


    (ps: Please subscribe! If you could set up automatic subscriptions, that would be great, ying ying ying~)

 Chapter 229 204, [Door] and [Nightmare Guardian]

    ```At that moment,


    Gale had just returned from the master blacksmith and heard the news that Lin Da had connected the three layers.


    With a hint of curiosity in his eyes, he hurried back to the villa and turned on the special magic replay device in his room.


    A pale blue tablet stone projected the live strategy of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team on the eighth layer.


    Poison Dragon''s Roar.


    Falling Rock Technique.


    Super Theft.


    Each member of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team displayed their ultimate skill, making Gale''s eyes brighten.


    The first thing was that they were special.


    Their ultimate skills were different from most people''s.


    Adventurers of the same profession would comprehend essentially the same ultimate skill by level 20.


    Like the Swordsman''s "Radiant Cross Slash."


    The healing profession''s "Dedicated Healing."


    The thief''s "Triple Assassination."


    They were common as dirt.


    But the Phoenix Tail Flower Team''s ultimate skills were unique and had wonderful uses, possessing a strong irreplaceability in their adventures.


    Especially Lin Da''s Poison Dragon''s Roar, its damage so high that Gale took a while to recover his senses.


    "This Lin Da always surprises me," said Gale, unable to help but chuckle.


    He went to the dojo on the top floor of the villa and spoke to Abner, who was in loose white practice clothes, meditating, "Leader, there''s something I think you should be notified of."


    Abner still had his eyes closed, his breathing steady, as if he were asleep.


    The vital aura of his entire being blended in with the surroundings.


    If Gale closed his eyes and used his magic power to sense around him, he would find the dojo empty except for himself, unable to detect Abner at all.


    Gale knew that Abner was listening.


    "I previously thought that the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team had the potential to challenge the Iron Level, and that was a misjudgment," Gale said with a sigh.


    "?"


    Abner''s eyes opened a sliver, revealing a hint of confusion. The commander from White Dove was very competent and hardly made wrong judgments.


    During the victory celebration, Abner publicly showed friendship with the Phoenix Tail Flower, a gesture suggested by Gale.


    And now he was telling him... a misjudgment?


    "Yes, a misjudgment, a colossal one," Gale said with a smile. "I now believe they have a chance to break the second magic curse of White Dove City. It''s been thirty years since White Dove City has seen a Sun Adventure Group."


    Sunrise Level.


    These three words fiercely tugged at Abner''s heart.


    Abner''s rhythm of breathing became erratic.


    The Sunrise Level was the goal that White Dove Adventure Group had been striving for nearly ten years.


    To be called a "Sun Adventure Group," one had to enter the 20th layer of the Great Mystery Continent, and the group needed to have at least one Moon rank adventurer who had reached level 40.


    Just as their name implied, such adventure teams were like the sunrise for a city.


    The White Dove Adventure Group had been stuck before the 19th layer for three years.


    A wall too high to surmount was blocking them.


    Because of the "Door."


    Starting from the 19th layer, each city''s World Tree contained different nightmare magical creatures.


    They were the gatekeepers to the door leading to the next layer, respawning timelessly within the various World Trees.


    If an adventure team could kill the nightmare magical creatures and destroy the "Door," then the teams following could face just the ordinary 19th-layer magical creatures until the nightmare magical creatures respawned.


    The nightmare magical creatures acted like an openly hidden BOSS, with the task of their subjugation falling to the powerful adventure teams.


    If no one fought them, they just kept existing.


    Actually, the White Dove Adventure Group already had the qualifications to become a Sunrise Level adventure group. If they transferred their adventurer registers to other cities currently without a "Door" in their World Tree and fought the ordinary 19th layer, it would be a near certainty.


    But Abner was unwilling to settle for that.


    ```


    ```


    All adventure teams that made it further have destroyed the "Gate" and killed the Nightmare Creatures.


    This is the inevitable path for the strong.


    Moreover, President Velen has been of great help to the White Dove Adventure Group.


    Abner is also in a semi-official status and will join the Imperial Knights in the future, becoming an official force.


    Therefore, destroying the existence of the "Gate," to pave the way for other adventurers in White Dove City to reach Sunrise Level, is the responsibility of Abner and the White Dove Adventure Group.


    Without a Sun Adventure Group, the adventurers of White Dove City cannot hold their heads high in the Great Mystery Continent.


    When facing teams with adventurers of level 40 Moon Rank, Abner and his comrades have to repeatedly give way.


    Abner longs to see that teleportation array leading to the 20th floor.


    They might succeed, but sooner or later they will leave White Dove City. When a new "Gate" appears, which adventure team will take on the responsibility to pave the way for the adventurers of White Dove City?


    Will they directly transfer their adventurer registration and go to another city?


    Abner was worried about this.


    He took the magic replay device from Gale and watched the entire strategy of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team in silence.


    After a while.


    "How is it?" Gale asked.


    "It''s indeed a huge miscalculation."


    A flicker of surprise and fighting spirit shone in Abner''s usually calm eyes.


    "If the Phoenix Tail Flower one day catches up, I do hope to have a battle with them."


    After pondering for a moment, Abner added, "Inform the other teams, unless they have something particularly urgent, everyone will go to the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team tomorrow.


    Initially, the White Dove Adventure Group only planned to send two people.


    But after seeing this strategy replay, Abner changed his mind.


    The entire White Dove Adventure Group will pay a visit to Lin Da.


    Abner intends to nurture the Phoenix Tail Flower to become the next pillar of White Dove City.


    ... S~ea??h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The next morning.


    In front of the villa of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, the streets were bustling with traffic and crowded with people.


    One after another, luxurious carriages entered the Goldfinch District.


    The male adventurers were in proper tailcoats and suits, while the ladies were in full bloom.


    When the girls from various adventure teams took off their armor and donned dresses and gowns, showing off their graceful figures, even their teammates who were with them day and night were amazed.


    So that violent woman who wields big hammers, she''s got such big bears and buttocks?


    When you put your hair up and dress up, you can even get a reaction from your own brother?


    Why does that careless swordsman girl look like a young lady from a high-class family when she wears a formal dress?


    To those unaware, it looked like a masquerade party.


    Pairs of stunning men and women entered the Phoenix Tail Flower''s villa, led by waiters.


    They were chatting and laughing, greeting each other.


    "Robert, you''re here so early? Geez, the whole team? I thought I would only see Folie, buddy."


    "Pick, look who''s talking, didn''t your whole team come too?"


    "Heard the Black Bear Adventure Team made it to level 13, looking like a sure shot for Iron Level."


    "Hey, don''t damn jinx it, every year is supposedly our most hopeful year!"


    "Drink up!"


    The sound of conversation, clinking glasses, and laughter were endless.


    Passing adventurers wondered, whose party was it that even put tables out in the street?


    Aren''t you afraid I''ll go complain to City Hall?


    But this adventurer had not walked far when he saw an official black carriage with White Dove City Council''s emblem on it.


    It was Mayor Adel''s carriage.


    A question mark popped up over the head of the wandering adventurer A.


    Visiting adventurer B said bewilderedly, "Whose adventure team''s party is this? It''s too grand!"


    Local adventurer C said proudly, "You don''t know, man. It''s the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team. The captain just reached level 20 and they''re throwing a promotion party!"


    Visiting B said in surprise, "The Eye of True Knowledge?"


    ```

 Chapter 230 205. Party starts, Lin Da official announcement?

    "Huh, you know?""Yeah, it''s even spread to our South Rock City."


    The local adventurer''s face lit up with pride as he heard this, "Adventurers from White Dove City are just that awesome."


    "Heh, maybe once you guys can put together a Sun Adventure Group, we''ll talk."


    "What, looking for a fight, are you?"


    ...


    The small brawl in the distance failed to catch Lin Da''s attention.


    He was quite disheartened today.


    His party planning had been a big failure!


    Lin Da had thought his villa was big enough; he cleared out the first and third floors, set up twenty tables, thinking to accommodate one or two hundred people wouldn''t be a problem.


    After all, there were only around fifty Rock-level Adventure Teams in White Dove City altogether. Excluding those from the Specter Adventure Group, which he didn''t invite, the rest would average two or three people each...


    Logically considering, some adventure teams were too busy and would just make an appearance, drop off their gifts, and leave. Lin Da felt that the third floor was unnecessary; the first floor alone would suffice to welcome the guests.


    But in reality?


    A rough estimate suggested that today he would have over three hundred guests!


    Lin Da was completely overwhelmed and had to hire a batch of temporary servers on an emergency basis.


    He and Lulu ran up and down, arranging guests'' seats, sweating buckets from the busyness.


    Monica was shy, so she stayed in her room to play, but that damn Kafni, seeing there was too much work, immediately went into hiding, and nobody knew where she''d gone.


    All the work fell on Lin Da and Lulu.


    "Mr. Robert, welcome."


    "Mr. Pick, good morning."


    "Lin Da, hello."


    "Good morning!"


    They exchanged pleasantries with a smile.


    Robert and Pick, each leading eight members, handed over their gift boxes to Lin Da.


    Lin Da didn''t stand on ceremony and accepted the gifts; it was an adventurer''s custom.


    Hosting one promotion party must earn at least a few tens of thousands of Gold Coins, right?


    It''s quite worth it, no wonder everyone does it.


    "Everyone, please come this way."


    Lin Da neatly directed the guests to their respective seats.


    Fighting magical creatures was nothing, but after running around all morning, he started to feel a pain in his back, and his face was covered in sweat.


    "Rest a bit if you''re tired; I''ll take over welcoming them."


    A voice, cool but with a touch of concern, sounded next to Lin Da.


    He caught a faint whiff of fragrance as soothing as a spring breeze.


    Turning his head, he saw a Beastman girl in a shoulder-baring blue dress standing before him.


    Lulu''s chest was now unbound by bandages and stood proudly, her small face lightly made up, her lips a tender pink, like cherries wet with morning dew.


    Her fluffy tail extended from an opening in her dress, hanging a little wearily behind her.


    At this moment, Lulu, standing on tiptoe, took out a white handkerchief and dabbed at Lin Da''s sweaty cheeks.


    With her pale blue short hair, her pristine bare shoulders, and the strange, alluring scent of perfume and natural girlhood mingling from her body... Lin Da stared at Lulu, finding it hard to reconcile this image with the wary, biting Lulu he first met.


    The other guests, seeing this scene, started to tease them.


    Some joked about Lin Da getting cozy with a teammate, while envious single men turned sour as lemons, guzzling down drinks; some were already drunk though the party had not officially started.


    Lin Da ignored the background noise, his eyes only had room for the beautiful short-haired girl before him. A strong impulse made him reach out and take hold of Lulu''s right hand.


    This public act undeniably suggested a deeper meaning in the eyes of the guests!


    Lulu wasn''t foolish; how could she not know the impression this would give others about Lin Da''s action?


    If guests arrived to see Lin Da holding hands with a girl as he greeted them, they would certainly assume: this girl had a special relationship with Lin Da.


    This kind of treatment...


    Only Tina and those strongest members had ever enjoyed it.


    Lulu thought back to when the Primordial Adventure Team held its promotion party.


    It was also packed with guests.


    The girls beside ''Dark Shadow'' included Tina, Wolf, and so on... seven or eight uniquely beautiful female team members.


    And Lulu could only be a tea-serving maid, watching their backs with complex emotions amidst the crowd.


    Even in her dreams, Lulu never imagined that she would be the one standing beside Lin Da today.


    Moreover, it was only her, her hand held by Lin Da as if she were the mistress of the grand house, coming to the yard together to welcome the guests.


    Lulu''s mind buzzed, her usual quick wit abandoned in the trash can, as she dumbly let Lin Da lead her forward by the hand.


    Reflected in her eyes was Lin Da''s tall and sturdy silhouette as they entered the yard. Sunrise ascended, and a beam of light fell upon Lin Da.


    In Lulu''s eyes, he was like ''the Shadow bathed in the morning glow.''


    Years of bitterness surged forth, and without her noticing, a glistening pearl of tear escaped from Lulu''s eyes, slowly tracing her cheek.


    When Lin Da brought Lulu out, the chattering guests in the yard fell into an abrupt silence.


    They had been speaking softly out of respect for the captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, but seeing the two of them, hand in hand, emerging from the villa, the implications of that silenced them, sparking astonishment and gossip in their eyes.


    Regarding the rumors outside, there were plenty of whispers about Lin Da''s flirtatious affairs.


    The one who received the most attention was Aiko from the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    ```


    And then there was Kafni, rumors also said that things with Lia might be rekindling.


    As for the Eye of True Knowledge, it was a copper refining oddity, which had long had Monica and Klrona in the palm of its hand.


    Thus, when Lin Da arrived with Lulu under the gaze of everyone, this act was like a sharp sword, cutting through the false rumors.


    The one who had the greatest hope of forming an Oath with the Eye of True Knowledge was none other than the overlooked Werewolf Clan girl, Lulu!


    In the courtyard, everyone laughed and applauded.


    Lin Da blinked, a little confused.


    Since when had he become so popular?


    He led Lulu by the hand into the courtyard out of spontaneity, with no intent of ''declaration.'' Among the team members, only Lulu had the proper demeanor to take on the responsibility of hosting guests. If he didn''t bring Lulu out, should he bring Kafni?


    That one was probably off somewhere drinking.


    She wasn''t a heavy drinker* but forced it* just for fun*Kafni.


    "Eh, Captain Lin Da, is one of your team members feeling unwell? Why are they crying?"


    The captain of the Gao Ge Adventure Team, Ouke, with a red cockscomb of hair, scratched his ear and asked, puzzled.


    Lin Da paused for a moment, then looked to his side and indeed saw a bean-sized pearl fall from Lulu''s eyes.


    He asked in surprise, "What''s wrong?"


    "Nothing."


    Lulu wiped her eyes and smiled faintly, "Don''t mind me, focus on hosting the guests."


    Lin Da furrowed his brow as he stared at Lulu, and after a moment, he roughly understood the reason.


    Sigh.


    This time, he would not leave them behind.


    Lulu''s tears were surely tears of joy, finally able to see the scenery at the top of the World Tree in the future.


    Lin Da''s thoughts were correct, but not entirely.


    They were only half right.


    At this moment, he was blissfully unaware that today would turn into a ''river of blood.''


    Two other carriages were hurrying in this direction.


    One carriage carried the ''traveler'' Silin and the ''housekeeper'' Lady Bai Mian.


    The girl with the big pink braid held a black gift box with a butterfly bow ribbon, giggly anticipating Lin Da''s flustered reaction when he opened it.


    "Lady Bai Mian, do you think I should claim Lin Da as my trophy now?"


    Silin propped her chin in her hands, humming rhythmically, as her legs, clad in stockings beneath her black suspender dress, jittered nonstop. The feeling of not being scolded for shaking her legs was too good!


    The thrill of one day pinning Lin Da to the bed like prey and devouring him sent shivers of excitement straight to the top of her head, making Silin''s breathing turn rapid.


    "Hmm... Subordinate thinks that whenever you wish to indulge, you may, since Lord Lin Da has long been a prize within your grasp."


    Lady Bai Mian seemed to have figured out this Succubus General well.


    She couldn''t answer Silin with either ''should'' or ''should not,'' as both posed the risk of stepping on a landmine.


    But this answer was clever, implying that whether sooner or later, Lin Da was Silin''s!


    In fact, that''s how Silin operated; if Silin wanted to turn Lin Da into a trophy sooner, she wouldn''t have waited until now.


    This had to do with the constitution of a High-Class Succubus.


    The higher her level, the longer she could hold out. When enjoying her first trophy and filling up the Holy Pattern on her belly, it would be based on the level and talent of the trophy, granting her a brand-new Ultimate Skill.


    The formula was: Succubus own level X (Trophy talent + level). S��arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Therefore, Lady Bai Mian guessed that Silin was reluctant to consume Lin Da at once, likely waiting for a big catch.


    To let Lin Da grow stronger over time.


    Then, when reaching Star Rank or Moon Rank, if Lin Da still couldn''t defeat Silin, he would be tragically bound to the big bed and become the pitiable trophy!


    Silin suddenly sighed, "Alas, although I don''t have much hope anymore, I guess it would be better if it''s less than a thousand times."


    "What''s a thousand times?" Lady Bai Mian asked, full of question marks.


    "The number of times Lin Da and other girls have been together!"


    Silin, annoyed, clenched her fist: "There''s Lia, Aiko, and that Lulu, Kafni... Lin Da must be far more experienced than me by now!"


    Lady Bai Mian speechless: "Subordinate thinks, not necessarily."


    Possibly, Lin Da was still a pure youth.


    Just the chances were a bit slim, haha��


    ...


    On the other side, at Snow Goose''s villa.


    "What''s taking you so long, we''ll be late at this rate!"


    Klrona, dressed in a brown dress, stood in the living room with her bag on her back, pouting and looking discontentedly at Lia''s room.


    An hour ago, Lia mysteriously dragged Aiko into her room, and they had been up to who knows what since then.


    "The small fry captain makes everyone wait for her."


    Klrona could only mutter under her breath about Lia.


    The painful memory of being soundly defeated in a one-on-one with Lia was deeply etched in her mind.


    At the moment, Klrona had a white rabbit head backpack, containing her Magic Conductor Handheld Console and the limited-edition White Cat Mage Puppet she was planning to gift Monica.


    For the other members of Snow Goose, this was their first formal meeting with the Phoenix Tail Flower Team and required much attention to etiquette.


    For Klrona, however, it was just a fun outing �� she hoped to earn Monica''s forgiveness and show Lin Da that she had changed from the past, now a mature ''adult.''


    The magic clock''s hands pointed to 11 o''clock, almost at the prearranged time on the invitation.


    ```

 Chapter 231 206, Snow Goose Adventure Team, move out!

    The Snow Goose Adventure Team members all gathered in the villa.On the living room sofa, Oru and Klyne chatted while laughing. One wore a crisp suit with muscles popping out, and the other wore a simple and proper turquoise casual dress.


    Sitting together, they resembled a combo of beauty and the beast, an atmosphere so sweet and full of affection that it was envy-inducing.


    Only Phyllis was feeling sour.


    Today, Phyllis sported a meticulous tailsuit, wore a Magic Guide Wristwatch, and his golden hair was carefully styled with "Slime Gel" into a middle-parted intellectual hairstyle.


    He looked decent enough, and with the identity as a Baron''s son, it was not surprising that he attracted some girls.


    But within the Snow Goose Adventure Team, no one gave Phyllis a formal look.


    The brain-underdeveloped team captain was always behaving petulantly, the Mage Aiko was always smiling creepily, making Phyllis shiver.


    And then there was Klrona, the little demon who called everyone else small fry... The stupid lovebird couple didn''t bother with him.


    Thinking about the hardships of joining the team, Phyllis was in tears.


    Dammit, how did Lin Da manage to stay with this team for three years...


    He had only been there for a bit over a month and already wanted to run away.


    Bang.


    The door of the room was suddenly pushed open, and Aiko''s tired but excited voice came out, "Done, our Powder Keg has become pretty too!"


    A somewhat unfamiliar redhead girl was pushed out of the room by Aiko.


    That should, probably... be Lia.


    Lia had changed into a red shoulder-baring dress and a delicate little crystal necklace adorned her neck. She held a timid and bashful expression, seemingly not quite accustomed to her current attire.


    Her shoulder-length well-groomed hair flowed neatly down her back, pinned with a silver butterfly hair clip. The continuous practice of her Swordsman profession blessed Lia with a pair of flawless long legs that shone like ivory under the sunshine.


    Her tiny feet were encased in red laced high heels, and a brighter red sash around her waist would fly about like a general''s cape if a breeze blew by.


    The outfit combined a woman''s soft beauty with the uninhibited spirit of a Swordsman.


    Lia bit her lip and looked towards everyone, her heart pounding. Although she had been very pleased when she looked in the mirror, what mattered most was everyone else''s opinion.


    How, for instance, did Lin Da, Oru, and Isa view her?


    "How, how does it look?" Lia spoke in a harsh tone, hand on her hip, saying, "Not that I care, but you all can give your opinions."


    With those words, Oru''s expression turned very strange.


    Any normal person could tell that Lia was all ears for compliments.


    Aiko thought to herself oddly: If the Little Werewolf from Phoenix Tail Flower was tsundere, then Snow Goose''s Powder Keg was just outright ''tsun-tsun.''


    Nobody liked that kind of personality nowadays.


    If she were to write Snow Goose''s story as a biography later, readers might think, what era the author is living in to be writing such character settings.


    But it couldn''t be helped, that is just how reality is. Even, Aiko was thankful for Lia''s presence, without Lia, how could she highlight her own excellence?


    After all, a genius needs a fool for contrast, Aiko laughed inwardly.


    She touched the Space Ring on her finger, the specially-added chicken soup stirring within a thermos.


    Aiko grimly thought, it was time to turn back and show no mercy, letting the Powder Keg suffer a crushing defeat!


    Snow Goose, she had been done with it a long time ago.


    From today onward, Aiko planned to continuously win and reach the pinnacle of her life!


    "So, how does it look really, no one is speaking?"


    Lia was getting a bit panicky, barely maintaining her posture.


    "Pretty," Klrona simply nodded her little head.


    Lia sighed in relief.


    Oru also said, "Pretty."


    "Really?" Lia''s mouth curled into a slight arch upwards.


    Following that, Klyne and Phyllis also showered her with praise.


    "Ahem, ahem, ahem, it''s the chili that''s making my mouth turn up, don''t get any ideas, it''s definitely not because I''m feeling good after your compliments!"


    Lia seized the chance before she could restrain her smile and was the first to rush out of the villa to the carriage in the yard.


    The others exchanged looks.


    Then they started laughing.


    They were all used to this kind of team leader.


    As long as Lia didn''t mess up on the battlefield, the members were quite tolerant of her at other times.


    "Snow Goose Adventure Team, move out!" sea??h th�� novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With the clear call of the young girl, six people boarded the carriage and headed for the Goldfinch District.


    ...


    In the villa of the Phoenix Tail Flower, within the courtyard.


    It was filled with round tables and had turned into an open-air restaurant.


    There were too many guests, so the less distinguished rock-level squads could only sit in the yard.


    Most of them were adventure teams of about levels 20-25.


    Since yesterday, when the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team first demonstrated their combat prowess, everyone suddenly realized, though Phoenix Tail Flower had only just passed level 20, their overall combat strength had reached the level of veterans, something these ordinary rock-level teams couldn''t match.


    The first and third floors inside were for veteran teams, they naturally wouldn''t scramble for places.


    The team leader of the "Defeat the Evil Dragon" adventure team was a cute girl named Minnie, a 25-level lance fighter with two green buns on her head.


    Minnie was leading her team members on a tour of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team''s exhibition room.


    The exhibition room was located on the far right of the living room, set up like an art exhibit with freestanding glass cabinets and barriers made of red fabric ringing the trophies.


    In front of each glass cabinet stood a golden card, detailing the origin and story of the trophy and, if for sale, listing an expected price.


    Gazing at the numerous trophies, Minnie''s beautiful eyes sparkled continuously, featuring:


    Metal Slime Sword and Shield, Anthropomorphic Demon''s Demon Core, Goblin Chieftain''s Wolf Fang Club, a set of levels 1-19 pink Mental Series Demon Cores, along with many other hidden Magical Creatures'' Demon Cores...


    The value of these trophies summed up amounted to a million gold coins!


    Minnie stopped in front of a lance with white bristles, staring unblinkingly, muttering to herself, "Level 20 orange-quality lance, priced at 200,000 gold, I want it!"


    It was exactly the trophy Lin Da had dropped the day before.


    All excited, Minnie went to the yard to find Lin Da, ready to acquire this lance.


    And it was at that moment.


    Minnie smelled a hint of gossip.


    She instinctively stopped her steps and joined the crowd of onlookers��in front of the yard, a carriage bearing a white goose flag pulled up.


    The old owner of Phoenix Tail Flower, Snow Goose Adventure Team, had arrived!


    Most adventurers didn''t believe Lia''s claim that there was ''just a minor dispute'' between her and Lin Da.


    If Lia thought it was a minor dispute, then what did the leader of Phoenix Tail Flower think?


    Sending an invitation to Snow Goose might just be a way to bring disgrace upon them.


    Thirty years on the east bank, thirty years on the west bank, don''t bully the young and poor!


    Thoroughly embarrass Lia!


    Minnie giggled, grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds, and squatted by the wall with her team members to watch the drama unfold.


    "Everyone, please come inside."


    ��

 Chapter 232 207, Snow Goose Adventure Team, collective defense break

    In the courtyard, Lin Da was responsible for greeting the guests, while Lulu took the gifts they brought.Although it was their first time collaborating, they exhibited a seamless understanding.


    Lulu''s beauty was striking, and her blue gown resembled a layer of icy battle armor, beautiful yet possessing a sharpness that was almost intimidating to behold. Only when she looked at Lin Da standing beside her did her gaze soften slightly, turning into tender, spring-like water...


    Gurgle gurgle!


    A series of bitter swallowing sounds erupted from the throats of the single adventurers.


    This scene was naturally also seen by the members of the Snow Goose Adventure Team in the carriage.


    Aiko and Lia''s faces turned pale instantaneously.


    "Oh no! Has Lin Da already been completely devoured?"


    As Aiko clenched her teeth in annoyance, her cheeks trembled with regret for having behaved like she only had a brain in the past three years, not making a move and constantly taunting Lin Da.


    If she had made a move on Lin Da earlier, what would Lulu have to do with this?


    The lady of this luxurious villa in the Goldfinch District should have been her!


    Compared to Aiko''s regret, Lia''s feelings were far more complicated.


    So complicated that even Lia herself didn''t understand why her chest felt so tight.


    Seeing the person who used to treat her the best staying next to another girl... this made Lia''s hands tremble and a flood of strange emotions overwhelmed her. If she were in the restroom, she might have thrown up.


    Lia stared blankly at Lin Da in the courtyard, who naturally took hold of Lulu''s hand with one of his own.


    The affectionate atmosphere subtly exceeded that between teammates.


    Lia had never considered such matters before.


    She only regarded Lin Da as a team member and never thought that him having a girlfriend would affect her. Or rather, Lia had never contemplated the possibility of Lin Da having a girlfriend.


    As if adventuring were the eternal theme, Snow Goose raced headlong until reaching the top level before considering other matters.


    Even though Lin Da was already no relation to her, and he could find a hundred girlfriends, it shouldn''t concern her, yet at this moment, watching Lin Da and Lulu holding hands, a dull little saw seemed to slowly cut through her heart.


    That slight pain spread throughout her body with each breath Lia took. Gradually, her body grew cold, and she tightly clenched the exquisite little gift box in her hand.


    Dents and fingerprints appeared on it, becoming crumpled.


    Oru remarked in surprise, "Is that Lin Da''s girlfriend? I had long advised him to find one. It''s good to have someone by your side on the journey of adventure, haha."


    These words inflicted an additional attack on both Aiko and Lia, who trembled and looked disheveled, resembling two disheartened dogs with drooping ears.


    Klyne pinched Oru''s thigh and glanced at him with a warning look, continuously shaking her head.


    Oru: "?"


    He was just stating the facts, wasn''t he?


    Klrona, also clueless, dressed in a lovely brown dress with a bunny head backpack, was the first to jump down from the carriage:


    "Let''s go, why aren''t you moving?"


    Aiko forced a laugh and looked at her Space Ring, quietly consoling herself. There was still hope, the last one remaining is the winner, Lulu was just a step ahead.


    As for Lia, she said in a low voice with her head down, "You go ahead. I have a stomachache and don''t want to go."


    "Stage fright?"


    Aiko curled her lip: "You''re not scared, are you?"


    "I... how could I, a lady like me, be scared!"


    Lia''s eyebrows shot up, and she gritted her teeth, stepping down from the carriage, "What''s there to be afraid of Lin Da, whether we fight or not."


    No... nobody is going to fight with you on such an occasion, right?


    Aiko couldn''t help but cry and laugh. If a fight started, that would mean wreaking havoc.


    The Snow Goose crowd walked over.


    "Welcome."


    Lin Da had spotted the carriage parked outside the courtyard long ago.


    The banner of the Snow Goose Adventure Team fluttered in the breeze.


    A pure white goose, spreading its wings high.


    Symbolizing dauntlessness, one day they would achieve their goal.


    The banner was decided upon by Lin Da, his sister Lin Xi, and Lia.


    Lia walked in briskly, her fiery red gown and hair like a vibrant rose.


    Rather than coming for a party, she seemed more like a swordsman entering the battlefield?


    The surrounding guests consciously lowered their voices, sneaking glances this way.


    With melon seeds and drinks ready to enjoy the show.


    As the Snow Goose group approached, it seemed to trigger the werewolf blood in Lulu, instinctively guarding her territory.


    Lulu stepped forward with a face full of frost, looking coldly at Lia without a trace of warmth in her voice: "Welcome."


    Lia stopped in front of Linda and Lulu, without responding.


    This was unlike Lia''s usual style.


    The irritation in her heart surged.


    She looked up at Lin Da, who was not giving her the sharp, taunting looks she imagined, but merely gazed at her tranquilly.


    No different from how he treated the other guests.


    Lia pursed her lips.


    Perhaps, she had only overestimated her own importance.


    In Lin Da''s world, he had a new villa, new teammates, and even the White Dove Adventure Group was on good terms with him; he had almost forgotten about the Snow Goose.


    Only she stayed in those three years, unwilling to step out.


    "Congratulations on breaking through the level 20 threshold."


    Lia brought out the crumpled, long gift box with a [Great Sea Clear Sky] brand logo, featuring simple gilded patterns depicting the sea and the sky.


    A well-known brand with chains spread throughout the empire.


    "Here, a gift," Lia said.


    Seeing Lin Da''s surprised expression, Lia hesitated for a moment and added, "When we first established the adventure team, I remember you staring at the showcase window for a long while."


    "May I open it?"


    "Sure."


    Lin Da unwrapped the gift box, inside which lay a Magic Guide Wristwatch.


    It was silver overall, with a deep blue face. Special magic stones depicted the scene of ocean waves, with schools of fish swimming through them.


    Such a small wristwatch seemed to transport one into the ocean.


    "This must have been expensive, wasn''t it?"


    Of course it was expensive, very expensive indeed.


    Lia remembered the price and still felt a pinch.


    But in this situation, she would not, even at her death, utter the word ''expensive.''


    Lia calmly said, "It''s only seventy thousand Gold Coins, for Snow Goose, that''s just enough for one expedition against the Magical Creatures in the wild."


    Lin Da didn''t immediately wear it, but instead packed the Magic Guide Wristwatch back into the gift box.


    "Thank you," Lin Da said. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Are we at a point where we need to say thank you to each other?"


    Lia, seeing that Lin Da hadn''t wore the wristwatch and wasn''t as moved as she had imagined, couldn''t help but turn pale.


    Being thanked by Lin Da only added to her irritation. The previously dull saw in her chest had sharpened considerably, as if diligent dwarves were sawing at her chest.


    What she wanted was not Lin Da''s gratitude.


    Or perhaps, Lia didn''t know what she wanted to get from Lin Da. Anyway, if Lin Da had joked like before and said, ''So even you, such a miser, are willing to give such an expensive gift?'' she would probably have been happier.


    Instead of a stiff thank you.


    It was the heaviest and yet most perfunctory phrase.


    Lin Da was taken aback for a moment, looking at Lia whose eyes were slightly red, and said, "Is it the enemy then? Apologizing really was an insult to you."


    Lia shook her head.


    "Snow Goose will not target you anymore."


    She said, "But this still won''t change my determination to defeat you. If you want to concede, now is the time."


    Aiko, hearing Lia''s words, almost lost his cool.


    Something''s off.


    We came here to attend the Phoenix Tail Flower promotion party and incidentally to raise some good feelings.


    Why are you declaring war here?


    The guests present were whispering:


    "Isn''t this different from what Captain Lia said? Is her relationship with Phoenix Tail Flower really that bad?"


    "Did she eat gunpowder before coming here?"


    "I hope Phoenix Tail Flower''s captain can give that Lia a good beating and make her realize the reality. I''m a die-hard fan of the Phoenix Tail Flower''s captain; I''ve disliked that red-haired dwarf for a while."


    "Shush, be careful she might hear you."


    Most people thought Lia was here to pick a fight.


    But Lin Da could only think, he''s used to it.


    Lia was like this, especially when being watched by a crowd, her need to maintain face increased tenfold.


    With his understanding of Lia, Lin Da could almost translate her words to:


    ''I apologize for the previous incidents.''


    Everything else was just bluster and nonsense.


    It was that simple a meaning.


    However, Lin Da was not about to reconcile with Lia over this.


    He pretended he didn''t understand and replied, "I wouldn''t recommend that, because Phoenix Tail Flower won''t lose to any team."


    Lia fell silent for a while, then said, "You''ve become confident after meeting them. You wouldn''t have said such arrogant words before."


    "Perhaps," Lin Da sighed.


    "Is it us who are not as good as them?"


    Lia''s voice turned husky as she dragged the other members of Snow Goose into this.


    Aiko and Oru, among others, looked at Lin Da somewhat anxiously.


    This feeling of ''not being good enough'' was much like being cuckolded.


    But Lin Da didn''t deny those three years of time together.


    "No."


    "Then why?"


    "Perhaps it''s because..."


    Lin Da looked towards Lulu standing by his side, thought about the obedient Monica, and the usually unreliable but dependable in crucial moments, Kafni.


    He slowly said, "Perhaps it''s because they trust me."


    "Because of their ample trust, the strategies I created came into use."


    Those simple few sentences made Lia and the rest of Snow Goose break down.


    Indeed, they didn''t trust Lin Da fully.


    If they truly believed Lin Da was a capable leader, and an irreplaceable team member, today''s creation of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team wouldn''t have been possible.


    On the contrary, Lin Da''s current teammates had no doubt about him whatsoever.


    Even if Lin Da said a pit of fire ahead was formed by an illusion of the Magical Creatures, his teammates would jump into it without hesitation.


    This was the reason Phoenix Tail Flower was powerful.


    Lia''s eyelashes trembled slightly; she turned pale and opened her mouth to say, "That night, if I hadn''t pulled out that resume..."


    "I would still have left the team," Lin Da said. "Just later."


    This response hit Lia like a punch in the gut, causing her to stagger, supported by Klyne beside her.

 Chapter 233 208, Aiko: Im the bootlicker myself!?

    Aiko had been worried about herself. After seeing Lulu and Lin Da''s intimate behavior, she couldn''t remain as composed as usual, causing her ''soup of wisdom plan'' to be exposed,but now, she was even more worried about Lia.


    The biggest Defense Break ever!


    The powder keg that was about to explode was doused with a bucket of cold water and simply couldn''t be ignited!


    Lia clenched her small fists, and if it hadn''t been for Klyne supporting her, she might not have been able to stand at all.


    Aiko quietly observed her teammates and soon realized that Lia wasn''t the only one who had her defenses broken.


    Oru, who prided himself on being Lin Da''s most in-sync ''partner'', the diligent and ordinary elf girl Klyne, the puzzled Klrona...


    They were all reflecting on themselves, wondering if they had been too harsh on Lin Da over the past three years.


    It seemed that from beginning to end, they never thanked the commander who had sweated so much for Snow Goose.


    Not being reused or valued, leaving the team was only natural, wasn''t it?


    Aiko looked around, then checked herself, only to realize that she was also a bit broken!


    Lin Da''s ''attack'' had splash damage, piercing through Lia and splashing onto the entire Snow Goose Adventure Team!


    Aiko thought carefully �� was she not responsible for Lin Da''s departure?


    Indeed, she wasn''t like Lia, who complained about Lin Da at every issue.


    Her choice was to conceal her skills, give only 60 percent of her effort, and regard Lin Da''s fatigue as irrelevant to her��she took these as punishment for the insult to her dignity when she first met Lin Da.


    But speaking of which, perhaps such punishment was enough after one or two years. By the third year, Aiko guessed she would still treat Lin Da the same way if there were a fourth or fifth year.


    Getting close to Lin Da as a friend, unintentionally showing off her cleavage, making Lin Da feel painfully awkward while she left modestly and giggled in her room.


    Lia thought Lin Da was useless, and it was not without Aiko fanning the flames.


    The root cause was Aiko joining the Snow Goose Adventure Team, shaking hands with Lin Da, but worried about his sister at the door, Lin Da pushed her aside and walked out.


    In Aiko''s eyes at the time, this was unforgivable. She was the young lady of South Rock City, unlike Lin Da who wore commoner''s clothes and was of much lower status compared to her.


    Aiko was furious and decided to take harsh revenge on Lin Da.


    But if she had known Lin Da''s real identity from the beginning, the captain of the Former Original Adventure Team, she probably wouldn''t have seen his actions as an insult to her dignity.


    Plainly, it was her arrogance, looking down on Lin Da in his commoner''s clothes!


    After working together for three years, Aiko gradually realized that Lin Da''s abilities were much stronger than she had imagined.


    After Lin Da left the team, Aiko even got closer to him under the guise of revenge, fearing Lin Da would disappear from her life.


    Aiko thought with a pale face, wasn''t this behavior similar to foolish Lia?


    Lia also shouted about ''enemies,'' ''finding friend Lin Xi,'' ''obtaining the combat capability of the Phoenix Tail Flower,'' and other reasons to be near Lin Da... Aiko thought Lia doing so was foolish.


    And her, always treating Lin Da as her loyal follower, but objectively looking at her actions...


    Aiko felt a chill in her heart.


    The ground seemed to collapse, and she lost her balance, falling into an abyss filled with goblins��the real loyal follower, was herself!?


    She, Aiko, a 28-level Holy Mage, the young lady of South Rock City, with a Sun Adventure Group background, was actually Lin Da''s adorer!?


    "Wu wu wu, Lin Da, I am different from the others, I have always really trusted you,"


    Said Aiko, wiping her eyes, showcasing the skill ''Fake Cry.''


    She knew Lin Da held the moral high ground and eagerly showed weakness.


    Putting aside the facts.


    Letting a beautiful girl cry woefully, Lin Da, you have some responsibility, right?


    If you have responsibility, then shoulder it!


    Aiko squeezed out a few tears, and in just a few seconds, thought about the saddest thing in her life.


    Tearfully, she looked at Lin Da and said, "Not just me, Lia trusts you too, we just haven''t communicated well, everything can still be salvaged, right?"


    The members of Snow Goose were all reenergized.


    They still didn''t know how Lin Da viewed them.


    Lia, too, perked up her ears.


    The onlookers in the yard shouted happily, munching through handfuls of sunflower seeds.


    But Lin Da sighed softly, took the decorative handkerchief from his suit pocket, and handed it to Aiko.


    He said, "Even if we''re not on the same team anymore, we''re still old teammates, aren''t we?"


    The people of Snow Goose all breathed a sigh of relief. S��ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They feared that they thought they had a good relationship with Lin Da, but he was irritated by them.


    That would be too clownish.


    "Thank you, Lin Da, I will cherish your handkerchief,"


    Aiko wiped away her tears and managed a smile.


    Her fake crying was meant to draw Lin Da''s attention and sympathy, and she had achieved her goal.


    This would make Lin Da realize, compared to Lia, Klrona, and the others, she, Aiko, was the teammate who cared about him the most!


    With clear insight, Aiko didn''t plan to disrupt Lulu''s position right away, but at least she aimed to knock Lia out of the contention first, stepping over Lia to climb higher.


    And Lia... became silent and if there was no one around, probably tears would have fallen. Her eyes were red, as she forcefully held back.


    Aiko thought sympathetically, hoping that once Lin Da was conquered and became a true adorer, Lia could also hold back her tears.


    Once Aiko got Lin Da, she would not allow Lia to get close to him anymore.


    ashes either do not ignite, or when they do, they blaze mightily.


    The thing Aiko feared the most was Lia awakening.


    Realizing why she had been clinging to Lin Da like this stupid redhead!


    "Lin Da, congratulations!"


    At that moment, an imposing carriage rushed from the distance.


    The members of the White Dove Adventure Group alighted from their vehicle and approached.


    Lin Da, Lia, and the many guests in the yard all turned their heads to look, expressions of surprise flickering across their faces.


    Seven Star Rank members from the White Dove Adventure Group had arrived!


    Aiko was the first to regain her composure.


    Knowing Lin Da''s true identity and the high likelihood that he would lead a Legendary adventure team in the future, she understood that the White Dove Adventure Group''s show of friendship towards the Phoenix Tail Flower meant they were on a path of widening opportunities.


    Lia, however, was astonished, her mouth gaping slightly more with melancholy.


    As a team leader, Lia could deeply appreciate the honor of having many attendees at a promotion party. On the day Snow Goose reached level 20, only about forty to fifty people showed up, many of whom symbolically left a gift and departed.


    The night before the promotion party, Lia had been so excited she couldn''t sleep, imagining the White Dove Adventure Group coming to offer their congratulations.


    Indeed, they had come.


    But it was for her former team member, Lin Da''s promotion party.


    Leading the White Dove was their group leader, Abner, with his blue hair tied back into a ponytail, a bamboo sword at his waist, eyes closed, dressed in a suit. His refined demeanor seamlessly merged with his sharp sword intent, causing screams among the female guests.


    In terms of fan numbers, Abner, known as Mind''s Eye, far surpassed Lin Da, called the Eye of True Knowledge.


    Standing slightly behind Abner to the left was the commander, Gale.


    Gale, with his slicked-back golden hair, whistled at the sight of the Snow Goose''s beautiful girls: "Such a feast for the eyes!"


    Upon their arrival, the members of the White Dove immediately became the focus of the yard.


    Lin Da caught Lulu''s eye and then said to Lia, "Let''s sit upstairs, Lulu will show you the way."


    "Let''s go." Lulu pulled at the distraught Lia''s wrist with a cold expression and dragged her upstairs.


    The last thing they wanted was to embarrass themselves at Lin Da''s promotion party.


    Lulu was well aware that the White Dove Adventure Group was the most important guest of the party and that nothing should mess it up on behalf of Snow Goose.


    With Lulu''s urging, the Snow Goose members ascended the stairs with mixed feelings.


    ...


    "Welcome, we''ve been expecting you."


    Lin Da smiled as he accepted the gift from Gale.


    It was a wreath encased in a glass box.


    Magical equipment?


    His gaze shifted, and the properties of the equipment became apparent.


    [Name: Forest Wreath of Elan]


    [Type: Equipment-Headgear]


    [Quality: Orange Rare]


    [Level: 23]


    [Attribute Points: Magic Power +100, Magic Defense +30, Hit Points +1000]


    [Equipment Score: 872]


    An incredibly valuable piece of equipment, and at just the right level, 23.


    Lin Da couldn''t help but think, had the White Dove sourced his level information and prepared this level 23 helmet especially for him?


    That was truly considerate.


    Such orange-quality equipment would fetch no less than 300,000 gold on the market.


    Among all the gifts today, the ''Forest Wreath of Elan'' was the most precious.


    "It''s too valuable," Lin Da remarked.


    Gale just smiled, "No worries, just a little gift. It''s nothing compared to the friendship between the White Dove Adventure Group and the Phoenix Tail Flower."


    Lin Da led Abner and the others into the villa.


    ...


    From the moment Abner and his group entered the yard, until they moved to the top level, the guests were abuzz with heated discussions.


    "The leader of the White Dove Adventure Group came personally?"


    "The vice leader, Jite, is also here."


    "And Commander Gale too... No adventure team has ever received such treatment before!"


    The crowd was amazed.


    At the Ice Flower Adventure Team''s promotion party, only the vice leader Jite had attended.


    Now at the Phoenix Tail Flower''s party, not only did all three top leaders attend, but they also brought four other key members.


    This level of regard left much to the imagination.


    The valiant captain, Robert, squinted his eyes, reflecting: Luckily they came. Abner seems to be grooming the Phoenix Tail Flower as their successors!


    It seemed that once the White Dove Adventure Group left, the next to guard White Dove City and shield its adventurers might well be the Phoenix Tail Flower.


    Lin Da led Abner and the others to the central table on the top floor, exchanged some pleasantries, and then went downstairs.


    This time to greet an acquaintance.


    "Lin Da, congratulations on breaking through level 20."


    Isa presented a gift.


    Was it... a Magic Guide Wristwatch?


    Also branded "Great Sea Clear Sky," but a different model.


    Lin Da was surprised, wondering how Isa and Lia knew he wanted a wristwatch.


    Today, Isa, dressed in casual long pants and wearing a black cap with artistic elf script, her silver hair cascading down her back, looked youthful and beautiful, almost like a college beauty queen.


    Fannis blinked and said, "Captain, you really are full of surprises."


    She had thought Isa might be shy when handing over the wristwatch, but to her surprise, Isa had been completely professional in the formal setting, flawlessly diplomatic, exuding the air of a skilled diplomat.

 Chapter 234 209, you guys cant throw a party for my sisters gift!

    ```Of course, as Isa''s old teammate, Fannis still caught a glimpse of sadness in Isa''s eyes.


    Because by Lin Da''s side, there was Lulu.


    "Then let''s head upstairs," Isa said with a forced smile, joining the other team members to go upstairs.


    Fannis took Isa''s hand, comfortingly telling the captain not to be sad. S��arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Good adventurers are a dime a dozen.


    Someone better than Lin Da? If you really tried in White Dove City, there might... be one, right?


    ...


    The guests had all but arrived.


    Lin Da was about to head back upstairs when he encountered a pair of unfamiliar guests.


    "Who are you?"


    Lin Da looked at the two women before him with curiosity.


    A quiet girl with pink braids and thick, black-rimmed glasses.


    And a mature woman with golden hair, dressed in a housekeeper''s uniform.


    "Congratulations on your promotion, this is my gift, please make sure to accept it!"


    The energetic pink-haired girl held out two gifts with both hands to Lin Da.


    The one on top was a Demon Core encased in a crystal box, polished into the shape of a droplet.


    Judging by the rich fluctuations of Magic Power within, it turned out to be a level 30 Demon Core from a rare orange Magical Creature!


    Its value was around 350,000 Gold Coins.


    Lin Da''s expression changed.


    Who is this person, even more generous than the White Dove Adventure Group?


    "May I ask, who are you?"


    Lin Da did not accept the gift hastily.


    "I''m Lin, and she''s my housekeeper, Flower Cat,"


    Lia giggled, pushing the gift box into Lin Da''s arms, "We''re adventurers on a journey. We''ve heard that the Phoenix Tail Flower Team is quite famous around here and wanted to come and offer our congratulations."


    "Adventurers on a journey...?"


    Lin Da looked at them with suspicion.


    His sixth sense told him that something was off about these two.


    But on the surface, they seemed like ordinary adventurers; nothing unusual was detected.


    And after all, they had come to offer their congratulations.


    As the saying goes, don''t slap a smiling face; driving them away would be rude.


    "Then, I thank Miss Lin for her gift,"


    Lin Da accepted it.


    He looked at the black gift box beneath the level 30 Demon Core, curiously asking, "What is this?"


    "Oh, that''s a local specialty from our place. You must only open it at night; otherwise, it will rot immediately," Lia advised gravely, "You absolutely cannot open it during the day."


    "I understand," Lin Da nodded, "I''ll show you to the third floor."


    "Yay!" Lia cheered, following Lin Da upstairs.


    ...


    "General, is this really okay? If we''re discovered, it could cause big trouble!"


    Witch Bai Mian kept an eye on their surroundings while secretly communicating with Lia using a Secret Technique.


    "My disguise Skills are very strong, don''t worry,"


    Lia confidently communicated back, hands behind her back, taking an interested look around the villa''s interior.


    Everywhere here bore Lin Da''s scent.


    Watching the tall figure in front of her, within arm''s reach, the Holy Pattern in Lia''s lower abdomen emitted a fiery sensation, as if compelling her to prey upon the man before her.


    The first hunt of a High-Class Succubus would grant considerable power to both parties.


    But Lin Da''s current level was too low; Lia worried that he could not withstand the feedback of Magic Power.


    It was likely that only she would grow stronger, and Lin Da''s Magic Circuit would simply be ruined.


    ```


    Forget about cultivation, you won''t even be able to pee in the future!


    "We can browse around by ourselves, you should rest." Xiaoling saw a trace of fatigue on Lin Da''s face and felt a bit of heartache, probably because he had been entertaining guests all morning and was tired.


    "Alright, then have fun on your own."


    Lin Da said with a smile.


    At Snow Goose''s table, it seemed like Klrona had something to say to him, carrying a bunny-head purse, she stared at him from a distance.


    If he didn''t go over, she''d probably keep staring until the end of the banquet.


    "I''m leaving now."


    "Yes."


    Xiaoling and Lady Bai Mian took turns carrying on the conversation.


    "That''s also good, after all, it''s Lin Da, staying too close to him for too long might reveal us."


    Xiaoling, like a diligent little bee, flitted about the buffet in the hall, sampling a little here, a little there, eating cake, drinking orange juice, observing every kind of object in the villa, like a curious baby.


    As was only to be expected, her attention was captured by a huge promotional poster on the wall ahead.


    The people on it were Lin Da and the Phoenix Tail Flower Team members.


    Aside from Xiaoling, there was another girl, standing dazed in front of the poster, looking at the line of text below it.


    "What? Let me see too."


    With familiarity, Xiaoling sidled up to the red-haired girl, approaching silently as she had done two years before, suddenly placing her hands on the other''s shoulders.


    She let out a ''wow''.


    "Ah!" Lia instantly snapped back to reality, turning around to face Xiaoling as if ready for battle, just about to get angry when she paused, "Is that you?"


    They had met on the commercial street the day before.


    "What are you looking at, Bursting Flames, Miss Lia?" Xiaoling joked.


    This kind of familiar manner of speaking, a bit annoyingly presumptuous... it all made Lia think of someone.


    But looking up and down, Lia couldn''t associate the person in front of her with that other person she thought of.


    The difference in appearance was too great.


    "Look on your own time, don''t disturb me." Lia reverted to her cold demeanor, contemplating her own matters �� she hadn''t yet asked Lin Da if he had found Lin Xi''s whereabouts.


    With the atmosphere in the courtyard earlier, she couldn''t bring herself to ask, too many eyes watching.


    Xiaoling, out of curiosity, went over and discovered several lines of small text beneath the poster.


    They were the Phoenix Tail Flower Team''s adventuring goals.


    This strangely familiar scene made Xiaoling''s eyes widen slightly.


    Her head ached for a moment.


    The memories deep underwater, as if separated by a thin membrane, suddenly surfaced.


    It was like someone was grabbing them with a big hand and forcefully stuffing them into her head.


    These were the emotions Xiaoling had sealed away after undergoing the "Light of the Demon God" baptism. The memories had always been there, but the emotions felt during those events had been worn away by the baptism.


    Xiaoling''s most vivid memories were only of Lin Da, who had stayed, and the great and mighty Demon King.


    But now, the adventuring goals of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team triggered Xiaoling''s ancient memories.


    A narrow and cramped, yet very clean rental house.


    Five poor but zestful adventurers.


    They held paintbrushes and wrote down their dreams on the wall.


    Today, aside from Lin Da, all had been replaced with new members.


    She, Xiaoling, had no right to take up the pen and write on the poster.


    ''With Lin Da''s charm, maybe in a few years he''ll own a carriage full of Phoenix Tail Flower Team members, all with bulging bellies!''


    ''With so many wives by then, would he still care for his non-blood related little sister?''


    Xiaoling thought about it until she broke her own defenses.


    She was supposed to be the person closest to Lin Da, yet to be forgotten in the end... She didn''t want that to happen!


    When Xiaoling looked at Lia again, the joy of reuniting with an old friend was gone, completely replaced by jealousy: during the two years she was absent, Lia might have been carousing night after night with Lin Da, only sleeping exhaustedly, and sometimes, when in the mood, even including Aiko...


    "You guys can''t have a silver party every day!"


    Xiaoling, on the verge of a breakdown, grasped Lia''s shoulders, "In those two years, how many times have you done it!"

 Chapter 235 210, Lolita reconciliation, an uninvited guest

    Lia: ?She had no idea what the pink-haired girl was talking about.


    "If it''s about training, I do it every day," Lia frowned, pushing Celin''s hand away.


    "Wait a minute."


    Celin noticed something strange.


    Through contact, her succubus abilities told her that Lia was still a virgin?


    Three years under the same roof.


    Still a virgin?


    What on earth was Lin Da doing!


    Celin was shocked and said with disbelief, "Don''t tell me it''s with someone outside... Lia, have you ever played with a boy''s that thing?"


    "Of course not!" Lia''s voice rose several degrees, her eyes wide with astonishment: "What are you saying to someone you''ve just met, that''s so rude!"


    "So, you guys didn''t do anything?"


    Celin was taken aback.


    It was truly like a pocketknife pulling at a butt cheek, a real eye-opener.


    Could it be that Lin Da, who is surrounded by beautiful girls...


    ...was still a bachelor Old Mage?


    Celin had always been ready to wear the ''green hat'', but reality told her that there wasn''t a single blade of green grass on her head. Lin Da hadn''t touched a single girl and was still a chaste Old Mage!?


    One was a single dog who had lived with a bunch of beautiful girls for three years, and the other was a virgin succubus...


    Celin was completely flabbergasted by the situation.


    Doesn''t this mean that if she now turns Lin Da into her prize... she could have Lin Da''s first time?


    Celin''s heart throbbed at the thought.


    Just thinking about overthrowing Lin Da, who had taken care of her for a long time, the shocked expression that Lin Da might show, his resistance, and yet being subdued by her, devoured in one gulp...


    A certain indescribable rush of intense stimulation made Celin''s head a little dizzy.


    At that time, they would gain the strongest bond that transcended their original relationship, something Lia as an old teammate could not compare with.


    Celin was so excited by her fantasies that her spade-shaped tail hidden at her waist swelled up, turning from a flat spade into a balloon filled with air.


    She immediately made a decision��if Lin Da was really a single dog, she had to make a move. If possible, she still didn''t want to be wearing a ''green hat'';


    But if Lin Da wasn''t single, she would wait. Just like a mop tainted with excrement is only terrifying at the first strike. After being hit once, the mop poses no threat at all. Similarly, once Celin got her first ''green blade'' on her head, bearing a ''green meadow'' thereafter wouldn''t be so hard to accept.


    As a pure love succubus, Celin firmly believed that the one who remains till the end is the winner!


    The life force of the Demons is much stronger than that of the adventurers; she could outlast Lin Da''s team members!


    ...


    While Celin was smugly pleased with herself, within the villa''s second floor.


    "Achoo!"


    Lin Da had sent Klrona to Monica''s room for the two of them to play with the Magic Conductor Handheld Console together.


    As soon as he stepped out, he sneezed loudly.


    Could it be someone talking about him behind his back?


    Lin Da shook his head, puzzled.


    A few steps out in the corridor, he doubled back, cracked open a door, and peeked inside: Two lolitas in white knee socks sitting primly on the small bed.


    Klrona turned her face away, took out an apology gift��a limited edition White Cat Mage Puppet. Monica was initially afraid, but realizing Klrona had no ill intentions, cautiously accepted the puppet.


    "Thank you, Klrona."


    "I''m being awfully kind to come and make friends with you, so you better remember it!" Klrona pulled out her pink Magic Conductor handheld game console: "Let''s battle, this time I''ll defeat you with my true strength."


    "Sure, sure," said Monica, enthusiastic about the game, and she didn''t seem introverted at all.


    Lin Da quietly closed the door.


    The scene of the two lolitas playing games together was very healing and made him smile like a proud father.


    Lin Da had always been worried about Monica''s introverted personality and the lack of friends her age around her. With Klrona coming along, she could help Monica ease her introversion and come out of her social anxiety.


    Klrona herself was not bad by nature; she just had a foul mouth and too strong a desire for attention. During battles, she would protect the rear very responsibly.


    If he had been strict with Klrona from the start, she would probably be a good girl by now.


    Lin Da sighed, hoping that Klrona and Monica would grow together.


    "Where have you been? I''ve been looking for you," Lulu said, rushing downstairs, her eyes catching sight of Lin Da. She walked over quickly, holding up the hem of her blue dress, her expression grave.


    "What''s the matter?" Lin Da''s brow furrowed, sensing something wrong from Lulu''s flustered demeanor.


    Today was the Phoenix Tail Flower promotion party; there couldn''t be any glitches.


    "We have trouble," Lulu''s voice contained a hint of anger, saying, "The Specter Adventure Group and the Solid Rock Adventure Group are here."


    "Specter, Solid Rock?"


    "Come on, let''s go take a look!"


    Lin Da''s eyes narrowed, a chill appearing on his face.


    He didn''t invite the people from Specter, so their uninvited presence... this was asking for trouble.


    ...


    In the third-floor hall, Xilin was playing Beast Chess with Lia, utterly outclassing her.


    She won every game, as effortlessly as eating and drinking.


    Weak, so weak, Lia. With such intelligence, it''s no wonder you''re still a moronic virgin! And to think you were the only harem member I truly acknowledged!


    Before becoming a Demon, Xilin wasn''t interested in Lin Da, and if she was, that interest was quickly snuffed out. At that time, she was selectively picking through Snow Goose''s people and thought Lia was passable, certainly much better than the green tea Aiko and the little demon Klrona.


    But the reality was that Lia wasn''t up to the task when given the chance!


    Thus, Xilin could only apologize to Lia in her heart.


    At most, she would plead for Lia to be taken in as her own lackey when the Demon King arrived.


    "General."


    A voice echoed in her head, Xilin glanced behind her to see Lady Bai Mian:


    "Subordinate senses two Star Rank presences approaching; your highness''s brother may be in trouble."


    "No problem," Xilin replied while mockingly relishing Lia''s distressed look, responding telepathically: "Aren''t the people from the White Dove Adventure Group here? Besides, it''s better to let Lin Da experience the deceit among adventurers. Within our Demon Realm, everyone is united, faithfully serving His Majesty the Demon King."


    The two presences outside were also detected by the members of the White Dove Adventure Group.


    In the middle of the hall, Abner slightly opened his eyes.


    He was about to move when the deputy head, Jite, stopped him.


    Jite gently shook his head and said, "We need to see if Phoenix Tail Flower is worth cultivating."


    What the White Dove Adventure Group wanted was a steadfast ally, the kind you could trust with your life.


    Not the kind who wavers like a reed in the wind.


    Abner thought for a moment and sat back down.


    He wasn''t very good at these brainy tasks; usually, he just followed his team members'' lead.


    At that moment, in the courtyard.


    "Hahaha, please continue to enjoy yourselves, everyone. Hulus and I didn''t come to disrupt your refined gathering. On the contrary, we brought gifts to congratulate Luanwei!"


    Rhode, carrying a blood-drenched wild boar, stood over two meters tall with golden, steel-needle-like short hair, much like a hedgehog, reeking of the stench of blood from killing Magical Creatures.


    Once Rhode stood in the courtyard, his 34-level Star Rank''s ''demeanor'' swept out like an invisible tide, washing over everyone!


    Suddenly, all guests'' complexions changed. Someone holding a wine glass was shaking like chaff under the ''demeanor''s pressure, spilling wine all over their pants...


    The Star Rank''s ''demeanor'' is a kind of Higher order energy''s oppression over the lower order, its most evident trait causing tremors in the lower rank, making the body incoherent and significantly reducing combat capabilities.


    This has nothing to do with bravery; it''s like a fist forcefully pressing a goose''s head to the ground, a sheer force crushing.


    The captain of the Slay the Evil Dragon Adventure Team, Minnie, peeked timidly at the wild boar on Rhode''s shoulder��a Level 30 purple Magical Creature, the Steel Armored Wild Boar King. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Its skin was covered with bruises, likely from Rhode beating it to death with his bare knuckles without using a weapon.


    The black-robed old man by Rhode''s side was Hulus, resembling a withered tree.


    Hulus chuckled and said, "Captain of Luanwei, won''t you invite us two to sit upstairs?"


    Lin Da came downstairs, looking at them expressionlessly.


    Allowing these two upstairs would be like letting Brother Crow flip the table during an upgrade party. If it''s too difficult to conduct, then don''t bother!


    The reputation of Luanwei would be completely tarnished!


    But to refuse Hulus and Rhode would mean offending two Steel Level adventure teams.


    All eyes were on Lin Da, waiting for his response.


    The potential of Luanwei was clear for all to see; they were destined to advance to the Steel Level.


    Whomever could win over Luanwei would essentially gain a future Steel Level adventure team.


    If Lin Da turned to Specter, Specter would have three Steel Level teams, overtaking the White Dove Adventure Group in numbers.


    Therefore... Specter was getting anxious.


    Hulus and Rhode came together to exert their influence on Lin Da��just by Lin Da being cowardly today and inviting them up, would surely cause dissatisfaction within the White Dove Adventure Group; their little boat of friendship would start to wobble. They would then deploy a mixture of hard and soft tactics on Lin Da, tempting him with gifts��Hulus knew that Lin Da needed Dragon Skin, and had brought with him a Poison Dragon skin worth two million Gold Coins.


    As long as Lin Da agreed to invite him and Rhode upstairs, he would present this exceptionally valuable gift to Lin Da in front of everyone.


    This hot potato of a gift, once accepted by Lin Da, would completely capsize his little boat of friendship with the White Dove Adventure Group!


    Hulus planned to lure Lin Da over forcefully with a combination of the carrot and the stick!


    "Hehehe, Captain of Luanwei, go ahead and show your fearful and weak side to let everyone down."


    "I, Hulus, will train you well, turning you into a puppet captain of an adventure team!"


    Hulus cackled inwardly, joined by Rhode as they released their Star Rank''s ''demeanor,'' pressing down on Lin Da!


    Lin Da stood in the midst of a sea tide, enduring the ceaseless waves capable of shattering rocks.


    This ''demeanor'' was about rank suppression, only resistible through sheer force of will.


    Lin Da''s legs trembled slightly, the crushing pressure made it hard to breathe, each breath felt like nostrils clogged with snot, no matter how hard he tried, he could only suck in a tiny bit of fresh air, feeling suffocated in his chest.


    If Hulus thought that bullying would make Lin Da submit, he was sorely mistaken.


    Hulus''s approach only made him more determined to side with the White Dove Adventure Group!


    It''s worth mentioning that Xilin, fully aware of Lin Da''s personality and owing to her High-Class Succubus physique, refrained from making a move on Lin Da. Forcing him would only reduce his fondness for her.


    Therefore, Xilin planned to pursue him gently, slowly winning over Lin Da.

 Chapter 236 211. Lin toasting: Your adventurous goal, cannot be achieved.

    Speaking of the present moment,Lin Da''s legs were in severe pain, his bones making cracking sounds.


    Yet, his facial expression remained calm.


    Even though his legs shook like a sieve, he calmly looked at Hulus and his companion.


    "The Phoenix Tail Flower party�� does not welcome you."


    Lin Da''s voice was icy as he upheld an enormous weight with his arm and pointed outside the courtyard, "No escort needed."


    "?"


    Hulus''s face was filled with astonishment.


    He exchanged glances with Rhode, feeling it somewhat absurd.


    Two Star Rank ''presences'' couldn''t suppress a level 23 adventurer?


    The higher the Ability, the greater the resistance to ''presence'', that was true.


    But an adventurer''s willpower was also a major factor.


    Hulus had always thought that Lin Da was a kind and gentle adventurer with no backbone, easy to manipulate.


    Now, it seemed, perhaps he had misjudged?


    "Well said! Two useless adventure groups daring to cause trouble?"


    A hearty laugh rang out from the building.


    Jite leaped down from the third floor and landed with a thud.


    His furry panther tail maintained balance, whipping fiercely against the floor.


    The shrill sound made everyone shiver.


    Vice Captain of White Dove, [Mad Panther] Jite!


    White Dove Commander, [Observer] Gale, also flew down using the Wind Control Skill.


    The two positioned themselves in front of Lin Da, blocking Hulus and his partner''s ''presence''.


    Lin Da''s body relaxed, and he was clumsily caught by Lulu.


    "Are you alright?" Lulu asked with concern, her eyes glancing at Hulus and his group as her eyes filled with murderous intent, her hands stealthily shifting into beast claws...


    Lin Da could clearly see through Lulu''s intentions and shook his head. After a short rest, he stood up, patted Lulu''s head gently, and said softly, "No need for you to intervene. Once the Phoenix Tail Flower reaches Star Rank, I will have my own methods."


    Specter''s people won''t be arrogant for much longer.


    Once the Phoenix Tail Flower stepped into Iron Level, Lin Da would complete the [Annihilate Specter Adventure Group] sub-quest.


    Meanwhile, inside the courtyard, the arrival of Jite and Gale made the atmosphere tense and charged.


    Hulus clearly hadn''t expected that White Dove Adventure Group would have ''two people'' here.


    In their estimation, having Gale alone attend the party was already a great honor for Phoenix Tail Flower.


    Adding Jite made the situation balanced, 2v2; both Hulus and Rhode, being group leaders, weren''t intimidated by them.


    But Hulus cast a startled glance upward and was terrified to notice that person standing by the window, whose presence was utterly imperceptible��Abner!


    [Mind''s Eye] Abner, level 38.


    The strongest adventurer in White Dove City!


    Hulus''s heart skipped a beat, and he put on a smile, "Everyone, please don''t misunderstand. We merely came to deliver a congratulatory gift to the Phoenix Tail Flower. We''ll leave immediately after setting it down."


    He gave Rhode a meaningful look, suggesting they leave the Steel Wild Boar King behind.


    But Lin Da scoffed coldly, "No need. Take it back with you. My warehouse is too small to accommodate anything else." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Some favors also depend on the circumstances.


    In full view of everyone, even if Hulus offered him a million Gold Coins, he wouldn''t accept.


    Once tagged with the label of a fence-sitter, it''s hard to ever shake it off.


    Gale raised an eyebrow, a twinge of satisfaction in his eyes, and said, "Hulus, if you don''t want to get beaten, scram!"


    Hulus''s old face turned red, knowing that he was outmatched, and he and Rhode skulked away.


    Once they were completely gone, the Rock-level guests, who had been holding their breath, began to breathe again and started discussing animatedly.


    "Hulus really has lost his edge, crashing someone else''s party like that is pure provocation!"


    "Lucky for us, the White Dove folks were here, or today could have been dangerous."


    "The captain of Phoenix Tail Flower is tough, actually daring to send Hulus packing."


    Minnie lamented, "If it were me, I''d probably have caved first and dealt with the rest later."


    Gale, feeling a bit awkward, patted Lin Da on the shoulder and took out a magic scroll, saying, "Here''s a Locating Technique in here. If this happens again, just tear open the scroll and our White Dove Adventure Group will come as fast as we can."


    "Alright," Lin Da accepted without demur.


    He thought to himself, The Locating Technique is merely a last resort. The main thing is still to improve myself.


    The "Death Crab Pincer" he obtained from the King Crab Set can inflict true damage on anyone not more than ten levels above himself. According to Lin Da''s inquiries, Hulus is around level 35, meaning, as long as he reaches level 25, he would have a fighting chance against Hulus.


    ''The fifth floor''s Goblin Prince is a two-star Epic Demon Creature. Killing it would be enough to boost our entire team to 25.''


    ''Lulu, at levels 28 or 29, has a chance. ''


    ''By using Diamonds to buy some Experience Guidance Tickets for Lulu and coaching her well, there''s a good chance to boost her to Star Rank first!''


    Lin Da held Lulu''s cold little hand, his gaze intense as he thought: Having a Star Rank would ensure the safety of Phoenix Tail Flower, and a Star Rank in Witch State is not something ordinary Star Ranks can compare with.


    The matter involving the Specter Adventure Group quickly spread at the party.


    People were filled with righteous indignation. Everyone at the Great Mystery Continent had been annoyed by the Specter people at some point, as they stole their resources and outright denied it, utterly lacking in decency.


    They wouldn''t commit crimes violating the empire''s laws, but every petty act on the fringes was their forte without Specter''s people abstaining.


    Even President Velen couldn''t handle them since Specter and Bedrock were still Steel Level Adventure Groups.


    Without such elite teams, the Great Mystery Continent resource areas allocated to White Dove City by the empire would shrink, along with the monthly supplies given to the Rock Level Teams.


    President Velen wanted to eliminate these two cancers but couldn''t afford the heavy cost it would entail.


    If White Dove City were to be personified, it would be considered too poor to cure its own tumors, merely allowing them to grow unchecked.


    After this small episode, Lin Da and Abner went off to talk in the study.


    Abner expressed that the White Dove Adventure Group would do its utmost to protect the Phoenix Tail Flower team from ''external forces'' until all its members reached Star Rank.


    However, he hoped that Phoenix Tail Flower would stay determined and not defect to the enemy.


    Lin Da immediately swore to the Goddess��Phoenix Tail Flower''s conflict with Specter and Bedrock was irreconcilable!


    The bond between the two teams deepened once again.


    If Hulus knew his visit would lead to this outcome, he would have been kicking himself.


    By noon, the party officially began.


    Lin Da, on the third-floor podium, gave a brief thank you speech, followed by everyone raising a toast to celebrate.


    "Congratulations to Phoenix Tail Flower for breaking through level 20!"


    The crowd''s cheers, loud and clear, were like a sword piercing into the skies.


    In this lively atmosphere, Lin Da''s previous discomfort faded away, and his smile returned.


    Captains from various Rock-level Squads came forward to toast, and though Lin Da was a good drinker, his face grew a bit flushed.


    Eventually, he had to switch to fruit juice in place of alcohol.


    "Captain Lin Da sure is a stubborn one."


    A young lady with pink hair, holding a glass of orange juice, adjusted her thick black glasses and looking under a poster, said:


    "The adventure goal of Phoenix Tail Flower, everyone safely reaching the summit��do you think it''s possible? It''s quite funny, like something a child would dream of."


    Si Lin was trying to use her rhetoric to persuade Lin Da.


    To simply defect, swear loyalty to the Demon King.


    Being an adventurer really isn''t worth it.

 Chapter 237 212, Lin failed to trash talk, but ended up being trash talked by Lin Da

    "Uh... Miss Lin, right?" Lin Da gave the pink-haired girl before him a strange look.She seemed a bit too familiar.


    There''s a saying, ''Do not speak deeply when the friendship is shallow.'' Talking about one''s adventure goals is generally reserved only for teammates or extremely close friends.


    Who would confide such things to a stranger?


    Xilin didn''t mind Lin Da''s wariness and, like an imperceptive and unreasonable adventurer, continued to press on: "Have you ever considered that you might fail at a certain level and thus lose an important companion?"


    "Such things happen every day."


    "Captain Lin Da, you''re quite accomplished now. If you retire directly, no one would have to take risks, right?"


    Indeed, stop adventuring.


    Just join the Demons.


    Xilin thought to herself.


    Of course, she was also worried that Phoenix Tail Flower might capsize in the World Tree''s canals.


    To others, Xilin seemed lively, an optimist, but deep down, pessimistic blood flowed in her veins.


    Other people adventure for Gold Coins.


    When Xilin adventures, she worries about capsizing.


    Lin Da joked, "Miss, are you here to lecture me?"


    "You could say that," Xilin said with a smile: "I did give you a Demon Core from a Rare Orange Level Magical Creature. Getting a lecture for such a profit should be worth it, right?"


    Lin Da was startled.


    This miss had a knack for finding reasons.


    He pondered for a moment and said, "Miss Lin, your question in itself is flawed."


    Xilin tilted her head, "What do you mean?"


    "We are all connected by adventure. It''s the adventures first that make us important companions. Without the adventures, we''d likely still be strangers," Lin Da said slowly.


    Xilin thought about her encounters with Lin Da and others like Lia.


    Indeed, it was the adventure that brought everyone together.


    Without adventuring together, she''d be just a civilian, gradually drifting away from Lin Da, and even if they once had blood ties, this distance would eventually dilute them.


    It was because she had experienced adventures with Lin Da, seen first-hand his contributions for the team, for her, that she came to value him more.


    And it was not just for Lia, Aiko, Klrona... all because of adventuring, they came together.


    Xilin''s expression subtly changed.


    Lin Da''s voice was soft, as if he were thinking of his teammates.


    He said, "Our bond also strengthens through the adventures. There are definitely risks, but I''ll do my best to minimize them."


    "Looking further ahead, if no one reaches the peak, draws the Sword of the Brave, who will go to challenge the Demon King? When His Majesty the Demon King descends, all adventurers, will die."


    "Only by adventuring, only by continuing to adventure, can I protect my teammates and companions."


    Xilin''s face was indifferent: "You speak well, but, the Demon King is invincible."


    "You have not seen the Demon King with your own eyes. If you had, you would fear, despair, lose the courage to wield a sword."


    After saying this, Xilin lowered her head, and a dense black fog surged in her eyes.


    It was as if a force were controlling her soul, continuously warning her: the Demon King is invincible, and to realize His Majesty the Demon King''s grand aspiration of conquering the Mystic Continent, she ought to become the sword of the Demon King and eliminate all enemies!


    But Lin Da''s answer was: "Nothing is absolute, you''ll only know if you try."


    "Moreover, I have another reason I must continue to adventure."


    Xilin: "What is it?"


    Lin Da turned to look out the window.


    From this position, one could see the towering verdant tree to the east.


    Lin Da''s expression was somewhat melancholic, but his black eyes twinkled with unwavering determination.


    His plain words seemed to carry the power to chisel through rock, "Because there''s an important family member waiting for me on the 20th floor."


    In Si Lin''s eyes, the black fog churned violently, and she said with reluctance, "But, you have new family members now, and you''ve set new adventurous goals with them."


    You must have forgotten about yourself.


    Just paying lip service! Sear?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da smiled, "My family members are irreplaceable. How could I forget her just because I have new teammates? Moreover, I still need to go to the 20th floor to bring her back. Adventure... is definitely something I can''t give up."


    This time, Si Lin''s defenses were shattered.


    Feeling a sting in her nose, she almost turned into a whining creature.


    So, Lin Da had never forgotten her after all.


    Even with the Little Werewolf and the Big Lolita... to Lin Da, she was still the irreplaceable one!


    The Holy Pattern on Si Lin''s lower abdomen cooled rapidly, in respect of this pure and flawless emotion.


    From now on, unless Si Lin actively preys on Lin Da, the Holy Pattern would not flare up.


    "You''re still the same stubborn mule as before," Si Lin said, wiping her eyes with her sleeve in a reproachful tone.


    Though she was scolding Lin Da, the girl''s lips curled up in a faint smile, and the dark fog in her eyes quickly retreated.


    Lin Da hadn''t done anything special, just voiced what was in his heart.


    But unbeknownst to him, this unintentional act built an impregnable wall around the girl''s heart, one that not even the corrupting power of the Demon King could destroy.


    "Miss, if I may be so bold to ask one question."


    "Do we... know each other?"


    Lin Da asked, puzzled.


    Si Lin''s expression returned to normal, raising the glass of orange juice, "Here''s to your adventure progressing smoothly."


    The worried Si Lin giggled and quickly made her escape, fearing that Lin Da would recognize her identity.


    Leaving Lin Da with nothing but a cloud of confusion.


    "What a strange person."


    Lin Da chuckled.


    Even though it was a senseless conversation, he found he didn''t dislike this pink-haired girl.


    If they met in the Great Mystery Continent, perhaps they could become comrades fighting side by side.


    After Si Lin left, other adventurers came over to toast.


    Some were adventure team leaders eager to form a friendly bond with Phoenix Tail Flower, others were female adventurers curious about Lin Da.


    After Lin Da used the "Poison Dragon''s Roar" Ultimate Skill, the number of his fans doubled.


    The members of Snow Goose approached, too, holding their glasses; Aiko was at the forefront, while Lia drank sullenly by herself in a corner.


    Aiko wore a white spaghetti strap dress, elegant and modest, epitomizing the demure beauty of a lady.


    "Lin Da, congratulations on reaching level 23."


    Aiko smiled, raising her glass of orange juice.


    "Your levels have increased quite a bit too." Lin Da looked at everyone with mixed emotions.


    After the collaboration during the Monster Tide, the gap created by his leaving the team had quietly closed; although things couldn''t return to how they once were, they were now normal old teammates.


    Klyne said, "We''re about to challenge the 13th floor soon, feeling a bit anxious."


    Lin Da smiled, "I believe Phyllis can do it."


    The future strategies for Snow Goose would still have to rely on them.


    "Yes, yes," Phyllis laughed awkwardly, "I probably can do it?"


    While Lin Da and the members of Snow Goose were making small talk, reminiscing about the past, Lia sat in a corner with a sullen face, downing glasses of wheat beer one after another.

 Chapter 238 213, Lia: This time, I wont let go (begging for monthly passes, ying ying ying!)

    But no matter how much she drank, Lia didn''t feel the drunken stupor she sought.When the gifts were presented, the courteous image of Lin Da kept replaying in front of her eyes.


    Also, the scene where Lin Da and Lulu held hands to greet them...


    Gurgle, gurgle!


    Lia gulped down the large glass of wheat beer, a blush creeping onto her cheeks.


    Beneath the influence of alcohol, her vision blurred as she looked towards Lin Da, surrounded by Snow Goose''s people in the middle of the room.


    The party was attended by many important figures, all coming for Lin Da. Lia envied him; Lin Da had achieved what she wanted but could not.


    And that glory should have included a share for her. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''It''s probably because they trust me,''


    Lin Da''s words echoed in her ears once again.


    Lia''s grip on her beer mug slowly tightened. She couldn''t help but wonder, if she could trust Lin Da as the members of the Phoenix Tail Flower did, would Lin Da have had no reason to leave the team?


    After careful consideration, Lia turned pale as she arrived at the answer: apparently not!


    The members of Snow Goose were no worse than those of Phoenix Tail Flower, plus they had the foundation of three years of shared adventures with Lin Da. Why would Lin Da leave the team for no reason?


    All the adverse outcomes were brewed by her and Aiko, together.


    Assuming Lin Da would never leave the team, they thought they could use him however they wanted.


    When troubles arose, they complained about Lin Da first.


    Among them, it was she who complained the most.


    Lia''s complexion grew paler as she suddenly realized that in the process of fostering this misfortune, she had watered it the most, contributing the most effort!


    Dingling~


    A crisp bell rang, and the handsome blond elf who was the host of Phoenix Tail Flower announced with a smile:


    "Now it''s time to enter the second part of the party, the social dance. If anyone draws the lucky Number 1 ticket, they will become the host of today''s party and Lin Da''s dance partner!"


    These words set off a small wave of surprise among the crowd.


    Social dancing was a routine part of the party.


    In Mystic Continent, being skilled at social dancing signified knowledge, cultivation, and the embodiment of the upper class.


    Many of the single female adventurers in the hall had a sparkle in their eyes, looking at Lin Da with heated gazes.


    The fitted suit enhanced Lin Da''s stature, making him appear even more upright.


    Lia heard the female adventurers whispering nearby:


    "I really wish I could be Lin Da''s dance partner and be poached by Phoenix Tail Flower Team."


    "Keep it down! It would be bad if our Captain heard you!"


    "Watch me impress with my outstanding dance skills and snatch up the Eye of True Knowledge!"


    Only Lia was not enthusiastic.


    She didn''t even plan to go and draw a ticket.


    With her horrendously bad social dancing skills, she was more likely to mistake her partner''s feet for the floor.


    The embarrassing scene from Snow Goose''s last promotion party was still vivid in her mind.


    Lia almost fell over with Lin Da, her terrible dancing skills had been mockingly discussed for a long time by the adventurers who attended that party, and even made it into a small section of the White Dove Morning News.


    The elf host brought out the large raffle barrel, and the single adventurers lined up excitedly, all looking forward to encountering romance.


    Lia was indifferent, still drinking her wheat beer.


    "Could you do me a favor?"


    An uninvited guest interrupted her.


    Lia looked up.


    It was the pink-haired idiot.


    With her hands pressed together pleadingly, Celine said with an air of helplessness, "If you draw the Number 1 ticket, swap with me, I''ll give you ten thousand Gold Coins."


    "Ten... thousand?"


    Lia''s eyelids twitched.


    She was in dire need of money, especially after giving Lin Da an expensive Magic Guide Wristwatch.


    Ambivalent for a while, Lia said, "Okay."


    She went up to draw not because she was desperate for money, not like those vulgar female adventurers.


    If she drew ticket Number 1, she''d sell it to the pink-haired girl. If she didn''t, she would turn down the dance. Her social dancing was still as terrible as a year ago; she didn''t want to embarrass herself in the middle of the hall.


    Passing by Aiko, Lia noticed that Aiko was biting her handkerchief, almost crying with envy.


    Oh�� because of her limp, she couldn''t draw a ticket.


    Come to think of it, did Aiko really want to shed her single status so badly? It was just a social dance, after all.


    Lia thought it strange.


    "Miss, please draw your ticket," the elf host courteously tilted the barrel towards her.


    Lia reached inside and pulled out a wooden ticket resembling an ice cream stick, wrapped at the end with white paper which she then tore open.


    Many around her, who weren''t lucky enough to get the Number 1 ticket, leaned in to see.


    As Lia tore open the paper and revealed the number on it, a murmur of surprise rose: Your next read is at empire


    "Your luck is just too good!"


    "Captain Lia, do you want to swap with me? I have Number 37, that famous Star-ranked adventurer Gale."


    "Swap with me! I''m Number 28, Robert, a veteran rock-level team captain!"


    A bunch of female adventurers surrounded Lia.


    "Er..."


    Lia was also stunned. She thought it would be great to get ticket Number 1, but she didn''t hold much hope. With over a hundred tickets, how could she possibly draw Number 1?


    But, as fate would have it... she did.


    The wooden ticket in her hand was the coveted Number 1 that many desired!


    "Make way, make way, Lia had already made a deal with me." Celine pushed her way through the crowd, exclaiming, "You really did draw it... here, give it to me, this Savings Card has ten thousand Gold in it."


    Xi Lin held a Savings Card and handed it to Lia.


    However, Lia didn''t reach out to take it.


    "?"


    Xi Lin looked at her, puzzled.


    "Didn''t we agree?"


    "You dislike Lin Da, right? For you, number 1 wooden sign is a waste; exchanging it for 10,000 Gold Coins would be great, wouldn''t it?"


    "You''re not thinking of going back on your word, are you?"


    Under Xi Lin''s repeated questioning, Lia only gripped the wooden sign tighter and tighter.


    The curious gazes of those around made her flush with heat, and her heart started to pound fiercely.


    Lia had an intuition that if she sold the wooden sign to Xi Lin, she would become a stranger to Lin Da forever.


    Lia couldn''t figure out what her feelings towards Lin Da were: enemy, old teammate, friend, competitor... Each one fit, yet none felt entirely right.


    The one thing she was sure of was that she didn''t want to become a stranger to Lin Da, growing further and further apart.


    Even if she was hated, Lia hoped that Lin Da would remember her.


    ''It''s just a social dance, making a fool of yourself, right? You''ve already made a fool of yourself once, what''s there to fear if you do it again?''


    ''You can even take the opportunity to embarrass Lin Da with your awful dance skills and kill two birds with one stone!'' Lia''s mind seemed to be tempted by a little devil holding a pitchfork.


    Then, a little angel with a halo above its head emerged, saying anxiously:


    ''Lia, you mustn''t listen to it! Instead of being hated by Lin Da, isn''t it better to earn his recognition?''


    ''Even if you can''t be teammates anymore, you can still be friends, right? Don''t you want to fight alongside Lin Da in the Great Mystery Continent in the future? You know how strong his shield is, don''t you? With Lin Da supporting you from behind, you can charge your energy without any pressure!''


    In her head, the two little figures, one black and one white, argued fiercely.


    Lia covered her ears and yelled in irritation, "Enough, both of you, stop it!"


    There was a hush in the room as everyone fell silent.


    The female adventurers who wanted to exchange wooden signs with Lia seemed to understand something, looking at her with surprised expressions.


    They showed embarrassed faces and awkwardly retreated.


    Xi Lin was also somewhat surprised.


    Well, not exactly surprised. Xi Lin had long noticed Lia''s attitude towards Lin Da, but Lia was too proud to admit it.


    What surprised Xi Lin was Lia shouting loudly to drive people away.


    If any other seductive vixen got close to Lin Da, Xi Lin would definitely stop it.


    But Lia was her only close friend. Even though it was uncomfortable to see her head turning green with envy, Xi Lin, considering the long lifespan of a High-Class Succubus, and the promise of the Demon King granting her and Lin Da eternal life, could just about accept letting Lia have Lin Da for the time being.


    She had no choice but to think of it as Lin Da improving his skills!


    "I hope you seize this opportunity," Xi Lin said with a teasing smile, patting Lia on the shoulder, "After all, you are my close friend, and it''s better to have you win than to let Aiko steal the spotlight."


    "What?"


    Lia, hearing Xi Lin''s incomprehensible words, was somewhat stunned.


    Close friend? Who are you?


    I have no idea who you are!


    No matter what,


    the ball began beneath the melodious jazz music.


    Handsome men and beautiful women walked into the center of the great hall with elegant steps, hand in hand.


    There was the trembling Robert, who looked like he was being held hostage by robbers��his dance partner was Wild Panther Gite, a Star-ranked adventurer with exploding muscles.


    And there was Gale, brimming with pride, and Minnie, captain of the Slay the Evil Dragon Adventure Team, with a face full of bitterness.


    Of course, the most eye-catching was the host of the party, Lin Da.


    Dressed in a tailored suit, he danced in the jazz music, hand in hand with a red-haired girl.


    On the seats to both sides, Aiko''s eyes were filled with envy.


    She had prayed to the World Tree Goddess that anyone but Lia should pull the number 1 tag...


    So much for prayers being useful!


    Aiko felt a bit panicked inside; anyone could win, but she couldn''t endure seeing the redhead win! She could tolerate others far away having a good life, but she absolutely couldn''t stand someone beside her living better than her!


    Especially when that person was just a powder keg ready to explode in her eyes!


    ''With Lia''s dance skills, she dares to go up there? Make a complete fool of yourself, embarrass yourself, and drop Lin Da''s good impression of you by a ton!'' Aiko wore a forced smile, but inside, her fury twisted her facial features as she cursed Lia''s misfortune manically.


    At that moment, the guests were all looking forward to Lin Da''s dance performance.


    Ballroom dancing was an upper-class social activity, costly and difficult to learn; men admired and women aspired those who could dance well.


    But clearly, Lin Da was lacking in this area.


    It didn''t take long for everyone to notice: Lin Da''s dance skills were mediocre, and among the dozens of couples in the hall, they ranked towards the back.


    And Lin Da''s dance partner, Lia, had even worse skills.


    The two looked less like they were dancing and more like they were fighting.


    You shove me, I shove you; stumbling around, they almost bumped into others.


    Before long, Lia had left footprints all over Lin Da''s dress shoes.


    ''Shall we just stop?''


    Lin Da, looking helpless, conveyed his thoughts through his eyes.


    Let''s stop embarrassing ourselves and just rest.


    But Lia stubbornly shook her head.


    Upon closer inspection, one could see that Lia had put on makeup today.


    It was subtle, nearly imperceptible.


    But Lin Da, holding her hand at this intimate distance, could even spot the faint eyeshadow and lipstick on the girl''s face.


    Her fiery red hair fluttered as they danced, her gaze stubborn, and her hands clinging to him as if they were wrestling.


    Lia made it clear: Letting go was not an option!

 Chapter 239 214, start dancing, but the clothes are ripped.

    Lia was indeed quite pretty in appearance.But the thought of her personality gave Lin Da a headache.


    He felt like he was dancing with a powder keg in his arms.


    The party was about to come to a successful close, and he really didn''t want to cause any trouble.


    Giving up and sitting down on the side seemed like a choice.


    Lin Da had thought Lia would agree.


    But what was she thinking? She refused?


    Lia glanced sideways at the golden trumpet-shaped Magic Guide Musical Instrument, pursed her lips, and said, "It''s coming up to that part."


    "That part?"


    "Have you forgotten?"


    Lia''s nails pricked Lin Da''s palm, and for some reason, they suddenly pressed harder.


    She said, "During Snow Goose''s promotion party, at the climax of this song..."


    "There''s a windmill?" Lin Da remembered.


    It required the men to grab one hand of their dance partner, and spin like a berserker creating a huge windmill...


    At least in the eyes of someone like him, whose dance skills were lacking, that was how it seemed.


    The impressive dancers displayed grace in their twirling revolutions.


    A year ago, at Snow Goose''s promotion party, they nearly fell flat on their faces, making into the ''Fun Facts'' section of the White Dove Morning News, becoming the laughingstock of adventurers during their leisure time.


    Did Lia want to conquer that windmill?


    Lin Da wasn''t very confident.


    Even when they were together day and night at Snow Goose''s, they couldn''t do it, let alone now.


    Lin Da mentally calculated the odds of success, shook his head, and said, "We can''t do it, let''s give up."


    The party was about to end, and all he wanted was to get through the day smoothly.


    But... today''s Lia seemed a bit different from the usual.


    It was as if she had become a different person. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It seemed like Miss Lin wanted to spend ten thousand gold coins to buy Lia''s No. 1 wooden token, but was refused by Lia.


    And there was that Magic Guide Wristwatch worth several tens of thousands of gold coins...


    Something was wrong, very wrong.


    This was not the stingy Lia Lin Da knew.


    Strange lights flickered in Lia''s eyes as she looked up at him, "Can you trust me one more time?"


    Lin Da heard a hint of reproach, grievance, and even anger in her voice.


    "Sorry."


    Lin Da sighed, "I''ve already trusted you too many times."


    Lia''s hand trembled for a moment.


    During a dance move that involved the woman leaning back, she almost didn''t hold on tight enough and fell to the ground.


    But this weakness flashed through Lia''s heart for just a moment.


    Her expression stubborn, she said, "Lin Da, do you not dare?"


    "This time, even if you want to leave, I won''t let you go."


    The strength of Lia''s level 27 swordsman, turned into a vise, clamping onto Lin Da.


    Ignoring Lin Da''s surprised expression, she focused all her attention on her body.


    She was ready to defeat the windmill.


    The cost... perhaps being flung out like a defeated dog.


    The jazz music transitioned from melodious to hurried.


    It was as if dark clouds had suddenly spread over the sea level, soon to bring about a fierce storm.


    In the hall, dozens of couples were poised, ready to demonstrate their exquisite dancing skills in the following twirls.


    Gale was particularly confident.


    Stay tuned with empire


    To win over the hearts of women, Gale had spent at least half of his training time on ballroom dancing.


    Those who dared to enter the dance floor were all confident in their skills.


    Only Lin Da, who was with Lia, was very anxious.


    The music sped up.


    Lin Da sighed internally, resigned to making a fool of himself, and prepared for the worst.


    Finally, the ''storm'' arrived.


    In the rousing music, Lin Da hooked the fingertips of Lia''s left hand with his right and flung her out with force.


    Looking across the dance floor.


    Several female adventurers stood on one foot, with their skirts flying, dancing like swans, a pleasure to watch.


    And so was Lia.


    Her level 27 strength was all concentrated at her fingertips, like a hooked iron claw, firmly latched onto Lin Da''s palm.


    No technique, all brute force.


    Lin Da''s eyes widened bit by bit in surprise and confusion.


    Could it be, he succeeded?


    Lia smiled triumphantly, her face showing unabashed pride, as if declaring her victory to Lin Da.


    Her red gown spun like a blooming flower.


    Fire Fighting Qi turned into brilliant crimson wings, unfurling behind her.


    At that moment, it wasn''t about the dance. If there had been a spotlight, it would have surely been on this young girl.


    The crowd gasped in amazement.


    Gradually, someone started to clap.


    In the middle of the dance floor, Lia felt wonderful, as if she had taken flight.


    Until, a ripping sound.


    The noise was very slight.


    But Lia''s heart went cold.


    Something went wrong.


    She was too full of herself!


    The gown she wore was expensive and delicate; buying it would cost a thousand Gold Coins, but she had rented it.


    Let''s not talk about the Gold Coins for now.


    The shoulder strap of her gown had torn off during this ''windmill'' spin!


    Lia felt a cold sweat on her forehead, her body tensing up with nervousness.


    The top of her gown peeled away like a banana skin.


    It slid over the delicate skin of a young maiden.


    That smoothness, it was as if it had been greased!


    More embarrassing than falling on the ground would be her clothes falling off in public.


    Lia''s eyes became circles of confusion, and she opened her mouth, stammering, unsure of whom to ask for help.


    There were over a hundred male adventurers present.


    For Lia, with her simple beliefs, being seen naked by so many would be a dishonor, ruining her reputation and making her unmarriageable for life!


    However, one person noticed Lia''s predicament.


    Lin Da saw Lia''s panic and hesitated for a moment before reaching out to support her back.


    He grabbed onto the broken strap, preventing the dress from falling off.


    The reason for Lin Da''s hesitation... Lia''s gown was backless, designed to highlight a woman''s shapely figure.


    His large hand on her back made Lia shudder, and her previously confused eyes whirled even faster.


    Even if Lin Da had punched her, she wouldn''t have been so flustered.


    But at that moment, Lia clearly felt the rough, warm hand continuously caressing her back during the social dance.


    It immediately reminded her of the risqu�� Comic Books Lin Xi had shown her, and she imagined Lin Da and Lulu holding hands in the bedroom.


    She pictured Lin Da, who usually seemed like a Powder Keg, looking at her with the hungry, fervent gaze of a beast...


    Although imagining others doing certain things is not etiquette, Lia''s mind couldn''t help but wander, and the more she thought, the redder her face became.


    "What are you doing!"


    "Miss Lin, I truly misjudged you!"


    "Let go quickly!"


    Lia''s cheeks burned hotly, and one foot, clad in red high heels and encased in black stockings, stepped on Lin Da''s shoe.


    "Gnn."


    Lin Da watched as a -100 appeared on his foot.


    If he were a Slime, Lia would have stomped him to death.


    It seemed like Lia really despised him.


    Lin Da shook his head, resigned, "Well, I can let go now."


    His hand, which held Lia''s gown strap, relaxed, and immediately the dress began to slip.


    Even the most insignificant mountain has its slopes.


    Lia''s expression froze, and her eyes widened; only then did she realize why Lin Da''s hand was on her back.


    She could have held it up herself, but then the guests would notice that she had split her dress during the social dance.


    The applause from before, the praises for her, all would disappear.


    The best course now was for Lin Da, her dance partner, to support her back, pull the strap tight, and once the song ended, take the chance to leave the dance floor.


    "Don''t let go!"


    Lia said urgently in a low voice, stepping again on Lin Da''s shoe.


    Lin Da''s eyelid twitched; this one really had no manners when asking for a favor.


    He acted as if he didn''t hear, continuing to dance to the jazz music.


    The gown had already slipped halfway down, but fortunately, the current dance pose had the woman entering the man''s embrace. Lin Da''s arms were broad enough, and although Lia was now in a very...embarrassing state, from the back, no one could see anything was amiss.

 Chapter 240 215, Lias thanks, and apology

    The dress was backless to begin with, and the front was obscured by Lin Da.But this state could last at most seven seconds.


    After seven seconds, it was the part where the man would spin the woman out, and the woman, facing forward, would perform a move that showcased the curves of her body.


    By then, if Lia hadn''t thought of a solution, the result would be...


    She would have to stand there, showing off her white underwear and steel plate to everyone.


    ''Shocking, Captain Snow Goose suspected of being male!''


    ''I''ve never seen such a small bear.''


    ''Is Captain Snow Goose really an adult, with zero charm!''


    In her mind, Lia couldn''t help but envision tomorrow''s White Dove Morning News.


    That unscrupulous reporter Kami would definitely put the worst comments on display, making her the laughingstock of adventurers once again.


    Anything but that... please no!


    Lia''s voice trembled as she looked at Lin Da with gritted teeth, "You, hurry up and help!"


    "Is that the attitude you ask for help with?" Lin Da teased.


    Lin Da was not about to help Lia for free, especially since she had stepped all over his shoes leaving footprints.


    "Hurry up, hurry!" Lia still didn''t understand why Lin Da wouldn''t help her.


    Three years, enough time for a person to develop all sorts of bad habits.


    When dealing with others, Lia knew that she must have the right attitude when asking for help. But with Lin Da, she really felt it was only right for Lin Da to help her.


    As time ticked by, they were about to reach the ''steel plate display'' part, and seeing Lin Da''s indifferent demeanor, Lia finally bit the bullet and conceded.


    "Lin, Lin Da, please, help me."


    "I''ll give you a reward of fifty Gold Coins."


    Lia, like a poor soul caught with her underwear showing, made an offer that was quite generous for her.


    It''s true that Snow Goose had earned two hundred thousand Gold Coins from subduing the Ironclad Land Turtle, but Lia had debts to pay and needed to distribute Gold Coins to Aiko and the rest, leaving her with very little in hand.


    Even the Magic Guide Wristwatch she had stubbornly given to Lin Da as a face-saving measure was bought on an installment plan.


    Now, Lia was in debt up to her ears.


    The cash she had on hand was only a little more than a hundred Gold Coins.


    "What did you just say?" Lin Da asked with a trace of confusion in his eyes.


    "The reward... fifty... Gold."


    "The sentence before that."


    "Uh, asking you to help me."


    Lin Da shook his head, "That''s not quite how you said it, is it?"


    Lia''s face turned red and she stammered, "Please do me a favor, help me out."


    Who would have thought Lia would see the day she softened.


    Lin Da truly saw something new.


    The female supervisor who had been a thorn in his side for three years, now humbly bending over to ask for a favor... Lin Da felt oddly satisfied inside.


    "For the sake of an old team member, I''ll help you," Lin Da said.


    "But forget about the fifty Gold Coins. The finances of Phoenix Tail Flower are doing well, we have over seven hundred thousand in cash."


    "How much...? Seven hundred thousand?" Lia was a bit stunned.


    Yes.


    After spending four hundred thousand Gold Coins to commission Gale to forge the Magic Dragon Soft Armor and fifty thousand Gold Coins to host a party, Lin Da still had over seven hundred and fifty thousand Gold Coins in his Savings Card, belonging to the team''s communal adventure wealth.


    Adding to that, the items in the trophy display room could fetch a million if sold.


    In total, Lin Da''s disposable assets reached one million seven hundred and fifty thousand Gold Coins!


    Of course, he had no interest in Lia''s fifty Gold Coins now.


    "Alright then."


    Lia didn''t argue.


    She needed to repay her debts first.


    If she lived frugally, fifty Gold was enough to last a long time.


    Once again, Lin Da''s hand grabbed onto the back of the girl, caught the broken shoulder strap, and pulled it up.


    But wearing it or not seemed to make no difference.


    Lin Da thought it odd to himself, when Lia pressed against him just now, it wasn''t as if he felt nothing, but it was nearly nothing.


    Take his teammates, Lulu and Monica; getting close to them was like being hit with a nuclear blast.


    Lia with her steel plate just didn''t pique his interest.


    The dance ended without incident.


    In the saluting part, Lin Da became the epitome of a courteous gentleman, supporting Lia''s back.


    In reality, his fingers clung to the strap while bowing to the guests.


    Applause thundered like roaring waves.


    Everybody thought that the two captains had thawed their previous animosities, which seemed quite the story.


    Only Aiko sensed something was amiss.


    Why did Lia seem so flustered?


    With Lia''s temperament, if her relationship with Lin Da had improved, she''d be barely able to hold back a smirk, unable to suppress the corners of her mouth.


    Could there be more to the story?


    Aiko rubbed her chin, pondering.


    The Elf host smiled and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, please take a short break. There will be a second dance in a bit, but there''s no need to draw lots this time, everyone is free to choose their desired dance partners."


    Pair after pair of eager eyes turned toward Lin Da.


    Lin Da declined politely, "I won''t join in, I''ll rest for a bit. I hope everyone has fun."


    Many of the single female adventurers felt disappointed, losing interest in participating in the dance party.


    Lia nudged Lin Da with her elbow and asked, "Are you going to the restroom?"


    Her real goal was to find someone to fix the strap on her dress.


    Not wanting a third person to discover it, Lia had no choice but to shamelessly ask Lin Da for help.


    She carefully held on to the back of her dress with her hand and ran toward the exit of the hall.


    Reaching the corridor, she stopped to look back, to see if Lin Da was following.


    Lin Da nodded but didn''t follow; instead, he headed toward the stairs leading to the second floor.


    What was he doing?


    He couldn''t possibly think she was going to take a dump and had forgotten to bring toilet paper, so he went downstairs to get some, could he?


    Lia, whose thoughts ran wild, blushed at the idea. With such a large villa, wouldn''t the restrooms have paper? Could Lin Da''s wealth be just for show?


    "Lia, what are you looking at?" Aiko questioned suspiciously as she approached in her magic wheelchair.


    "Nothing, nothing at all!"


    Lia certainly did not want her teammates to know of her embarrassment.


    She dashed to the restroom and hid inside, waiting for Lin Da to come ''deliver the paper'', at which point she''d ask him to fix her dress as well.


    If it got ruined, not only would she be embarrassed, but Lia would also have to pay for it.


    The rent wasn''t much, only a mere thousand gold coins, but given Lia''s current financial situation, she couldn''t afford it...


    Seeing Lin Da who seemingly had money��an astonishing idea struck Lia. Perhaps she could borrow gold coins from Lin Da! S��arch* The n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lia, now level 27, desperately needed to upgrade to an orange main weapon. But the problem was clear��she was broke!


    ''No, I can borrow from anyone, but I can''t ask Lin Da.''


    Lia shook her head vigorously, dismissing the ridiculous thought. It would be too embarrassing if Lin Da refused��how could she, a proud former team leader, ask a teammate who had left the team for money...


    The corridor was eerily quiet, far from the lively noises of the hall.


    Once calmed, Lia realized: if Lin Da came by, wouldn''t it mean the two of them would be alone together!


    Her heart skipped a beat, and it felt like ants were crawling on her back.


    Their situation was undoubtedly awkward, still caught between past teammates and enemies.


    "No, that''s not right!"


    On second thought, it was also a rare opportunity!


    Words Lia couldn''t say in the presence of a crowd at the hall, if there were no onlookers, perhaps... she could speak her mind.


    Lia was gradually coming to understand the reasons behind Lin Da''s departure from the team.


    If the mistake could be divided into ten parts, one part belonged to Lin Da, two to Aiko, two to other teammates...the rest, all on her, the captain.


    In the quiet corridor, Lia leaned against the wall, taking care not to let the dress slip.


    She pursed her lips, gripping her right arm tightly with her left hand, her complexion somewhat pale.


    While drinking in silence at the hall, she had been reminiscing over the past three years. It seemed that ever since Snow Goose''s second-level failure, she had become impatient for success, and it was from that time that Lin Da''s strategy papers became thicker and his work slower.


    On every holiday, Lia never gave Lin Da a gift. She did receive many gifts from him, though��nothing very expensive, just some clothes or dolls that she carelessly piled in a cabinet, collecting dust.


    She had assumed these were things Lin Da bought in bulk and didn''t take it to heart.


    But recently Lia came to understand that the gifts they each received were always different, each carefully selected by Lin Da.


    Every sharp new reality she recognized after Lin Da left the team felt like a swordsman''s strike cutting into Lia.


    With her intelligence, she completely lost measure, as if she was watching her own villa crumble before her eyes, yet all she could do was stand there dumbfounded, unable to think of any solutions.


    Lia''s knuckles turned white from the grip. Why had she, consumed with the desire to reach the higher ranks and blinded by ambition, not paid attention to the teammates around her?


    Snow Goose was like a heavy chariot that needed pushing from behind to move forward.


    And those pushing were precisely Lin Da and the other teammates.


    This realization had escaped the former Lia, who arrogantly believed that all the credit for their success was due to her and that replacing any teammate would not make much difference.


    Only now did she understand that the credit belonged to everyone; without any one of them, Snow Goose wouldn''t have made it this far.


    ''Why couldn''t I have been nicer to him back then?''


    Lia drooped her head, like a wilted little flower.


    If that night she had not burst into Lin Da''s room, knocking over his meticulously prepared strategy papers, trampling them underfoot, if she had not pulled out that resume, if instead, she had calmly talked with Lin Da, in an attempt to understand each other...things wouldn''t have turned out this way.


    Although she couldn''t change the outcome, Lia hoped to do something to clear her conscience.


    There was something she had to say to Lin Da.


    And it had to be in private. Lia knew her own nature; as long as there was one other person watching, she wouldn''t be able to mouth the words.


    Now was the perfect opportunity.


    After waiting for about three minutes, footsteps could be heard coming upstairs from the other end of the corridor.


    It was Lin Da who appeared.


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    Lia, feeling inexplicably nervous, stammered, "Why, why did it take you so long, what were you doing?"


    Lin Da lifted up the needle and thread in his hand, "I went to borrow them from Monica. Chloe seems to be having a great time with her."


    "Oh...well, that''s good."


    Lia mentally braced herself, resolving to speak up once her dress was fixed.


    She was the ''Blazing Swordsman''; no challenge could stop her.


    Yes,


    Lia prepared to summon the courage to thank Lin Da for his three years of dedication to Snow Goose, and also...to apologize.


    ...


    (ps: Continuing to ask for monthly tickets, recommendation tickets, and subscriptions, ying ying ying)

 Chapter 241 216. Lia drops a small pearl, Lin Da refuses to return to Snow Goose (two-in-one)

    Even if she couldn''t make up for anything.This was just Lia''s one-sided wish: Since this young lady has made a mistake, then she should apologize to you, otherwise, thinking about this matter at night and getting no sleep would be terrible.


    "Turn around." Lin Da raised the needle and thread in his hand.


    "Oh..."


    Lia turned around and leaned against the wall.


    Lin Da began to work behind her.


    It had to be said, Lia''s skin was quite fair, and she was quite slim, her evening gown revealed most of her back, allowing Lin Da to have a very clear view of the girl''s slender figure.


    Another World was really too magical.


    Lin Da sighed in his heart, such a small person could swing a greatsword, and a high-output one at that; in reality, she probably couldn''t even twist off a bottle cap.


    "Hurry up, isn''t it done yet?"


    Lia looked anxiously to the left and right, only after Lin Da began did she realize this posture could easily be misunderstood.


    In the corridor, there were voice-activated Magic Guide Lamps, and when no one passed by, the light was dim. If the guests from the main hall came out and looked this way...


    They would see, vaguely, Lin Da leaning close behind her, moving. S��ar?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It would definitely be misunderstood as something indecent!


    "This is my first time too, so my technique might be a bit clumsy," Lin Da said irritably from behind.


    "Wait, it seems like someone is coming!"


    Lia, who seemed to have the ears of a large-eared cat, was aware of any slight rustle around her. She peered toward the entrance of the main hall, her muscles tensed, her voice trembled, "Oh no, oh no, someone''s coming this way!"


    "What do we do, we''re finished if we''re seen!"


    Stuttering, Lia subconsciously took out her greatsword from the Space Ring, ready to knock out any witnesses.


    "Come here."


    Lin Da, unwilling to let Lia hurt someone at the party, grabbed her wrist and, with a swift move... entered the men''s restroom.


    Inside were a series of stall-like partitions, the restroom on this third floor was mainly for the use of guests and was made public.


    The space inside was cramped, and with two people, it felt a bit crowded.


    Lin Da sat Lia down on the toilet, covered her mouth, and listened to the noise outside:


    "Lord Abner is so handsome!"


    "Yeah, yeah, I even toasted him, but he seems to only drink juice."


    "Gale isn''t bad either, right? His personality may be problematic, but after all, he''s Star Rank."


    The voices of a pair of female adventurers entered the women''s restroom next door, then faded away.


    Lia''s eyes, however, were as wide as copper bells: hiding here would only make the situation worse, won''t it?


    Noticing what Lia was thinking, Lin Da slowly let go of her and said, "It''s no big deal, wait until no one''s outside, then you can sneak out."


    "What if we are discovered?"


    "You can say you''re an idiot who mistook the men''s restroom for the women''s."


    "..."


    Speechless, Lia said, "Only you see me as an idiot; actually, I''m not dumb at all."


    Lin Da didn''t argue about this, he pressed on Lia''s neck, "Lean down a bit, it''s hard to sew like this."


    "...Oh."


    Lia hesitated slightly, then leaned forward to make it easier for Lin Da to work behind her.


    In such a cramped space, Lia was worried about being discovered by others on one hand, but on the other hand, she felt the familiar breath behind her, her heartbeat quickened considerably, and her clenched fist was slightly sweaty.


    If it were another man, Lia certainly wouldn''t have followed him into such a place, let alone trust him with her back, who knows if he might become lascivious and do something terrible to her!


    But as for Lin Da, Lia was quite at ease. Whether it was fighting Magical Creatures or now, she trusted that Lin Da would not harm her, even after her repulsive behavior caused Lin Da to leave the team.


    This trust was far greater than for Oru and Phyllis. Lia thought to herself, if it were those two, daring to pull her into the men''s restroom, she probably would have taken out her greatsword and sent those two flying long ago.


    After the two adventurers in the women''s restroom next door left, the surroundings fell completely quiet, so quiet that Lia could only hear her heartbeat and the sound of Lin Da mending clothes.


    The scene felt familiar. Lia was in a daze but remembered the rustling sound of turning pages��she was striving hard in her practice, while Lin Da flipped through books thicker than bricks. Whether in that small rented room, or in Snow Goose''s villa, the two did their own things with little communication.


    Even if there was, it was just uninformative talk like "It''s time to eat" or "Go pay the magic energy cost for the room."


    That kind of peaceful time when they each did their own thing, and the times when Lin Xi played tricks on her, Lia used to disregard or find annoying...


    But now she realized, without those moments, the colorful life of adventure turned black and white.


    Lia always focused on moving forward, grasping every second to enhance her Battle Qi, without ever paying attention to the present.


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    By the time she came to her senses, those things were already gone like bubbles.


    Lia''s fists slowly clenched tighter, her voice very soft, as if worried about breaking the rare silence, "How did it become like this?"


    The two who had once created the Snow Goose Adventure Team had become so estranged that they needed to bring gifts to each other''s promotion parties, receiving only a stiff thanks.


    If she had another chance...


    She would never let that Lin Da of that night go.


    Biting her teeth, Lia closed her eyes and said with a resignation, "Lin Da, do you realize, that night, I never intended to make you leave the team."


    "Even then, when you were just a 15-level Healer, I had no intention of kicking you out."


    "Phyllis''s profile... was just to scare you!"


    Lia''s eyes were reddish. But after speaking out, she breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that the burden she carried on her back had lessened a little.

 Chapter 242 216, Lia drops small pearls, Lin Da refuses to return to Snow Goose (two in one)_2

    Lin Da was indeed looked down upon then, but Lia had never thought of abandoning him.She just assumed that, as usual, if she pressured Lin Da a bit, he would abandon his complex strategy and recklessly join her in advancing to the ninth level.


    That morning, however, she wasn''t able to wait for him.


    At that time, Lia was already regretting it, but couldn''t lower her face to apologize to Lin Da.


    Even though it was late now, she still wanted to tell Lin Da her true thoughts.


    Lin Da paused with his needlework, silent for a long time.


    "I know all this."


    "You know?!"


    "After working together for three years, I would certainly be able to see a person''s character."


    Lin Da''s hand gently rested on Lia''s head.


    Some things, objectively, can be understood, but subjectively are hard to accept.


    Lia said nothing; tiny pearls fell from her eyes, and in the dimly lit restroom, they dropped to the floor one by one.


    She made no sound, merely letting the pearls slide from her eyes, mixing with the dripping noise from a leaky faucet on the other side of the sink.


    "I carefully considered whether I''m also responsible for you turning out this way," Lin Da said. "From the beginning, had I done less and trained you more, perhaps Snow Goose could have gone further."


    "My leaving the team is also a good thing for you all. Haven''t you noticed that you and Aiko, along with others, have all become stronger?"


    Lia was momentarily stunned by the sudden question.


    She recalled the battle against the Ironclad Land Turtle yesterday, where her Fire Series Battle Qi had become purer.


    Objectively speaking, Lia''s strength had increased. Aiko and Klrona had also improved to varying degrees.


    Of course, the biggest change was that Snow Goose had begun to operate as a team. Though still somewhat uncoordinated, they were much more formidable than before.


    "It seems, we really did become stronger... Why?" Lia said, puzzled.


    "Because you are no longer reliant on others," Lin Da smiled. "The somewhat rough strategies of Phyllis are what bring out your potential, forcing you to refine your combat abilities."


    What Snow Goose Adventure Team needs is a moderate commander.


    Through bruises and injuries, they keep moving forward.


    Late in the game, Snow Goose is a very strong adventure team. The Iron Triangle��[Lia] [Aiko] [Klrona]��reached the Five-Star Card level.


    Lin Da''s strategies were too perfect, unable to bring out their true potential.


    Some characters need to be hammered to shed their outer muck and reveal their pearly essence.


    By contrast, members of the Phoenix Tail Flower had been tempered during their Dark Shadow period.


    Put them on the battlefield, and they''re immediately ready to use.


    This is the biggest difference between them and Lia''s group.


    As long as Lin Da stayed with Snow Goose, they couldn''t grow.


    "Adventurers always need to move forward."


    Lin Da''s voice softened as he said, "Perhaps further ahead, there''s a place where Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose intersect."


    Lia''s shoulders jerked violently, and she turned around with a thud. sea??h th�� N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Only then did Lin Da realize that Lia''s eyes were red, with glistening tears sliding down her cheeks.


    Lia, grasping the front of his shirt, her head hanging low, her tears spilled one by one, her voice sharp, "I don''t want that kind of future!"


    "Lin Da, come back now!"


    "You''re a member of Snow Goose too, right?"


    Lin Da looked at Lia, taken aback.


    He had misjudged; he thought Lia would never say such undignified words.


    The last time Lia cried was when they were defeated on the second level.


    Lin Da understood that Lia was repenting.


    But, it was too late.


    The members on the Phoenix Tail Flower''s side were waiting for him; he couldn''t possibly return to Snow Goose.


    It was as if an employee fired by Lia started his company, achieved minor success, and only then did Lia think of renewing the contract... Lin Da would not agree, and neither would his team members.


    "You are the captain of Snow Goose, crying really is embarrassing," Lin Da laughed, unable to contain his amusement, which entirely ruined Lia''s composure.


    Her face flushed red all at once, she pulled out a tissue from the restroom box, vigorously wiped it, and glared at Lin Da: "If you dare to speak about this, I will never forgive you!"


    "Sharing it benefits me in no way."


    "Then, what about your answer?" Lia fidgeted, looking at her toes: "Merging Phoenix Tail Flower into Snow Goose, I can accept that. Giving you the position of Vice-Captain is also feasible... "


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    "What are you thinking?" Lin Da laughed incredulously; his Phoenix Tail Flower was in no way inferior to Snow Goose, so how could they possibly merge?


    He tapped on Lia''s forehead: "Don''t you even have the courage to keep up with Phoenix Tail Flower? Afraid that we will leave you behind, unable to even see Phoenix Tail Flower''s tail?"


    "What, what, Lin Da, you''re too arrogant! Don''t you know that I am the future''s greatest Swordsman!?"


    Lia said angrily. Lin Da could insult her character, but he must never insult her strength!


    She had practiced diligently for over ten years; her sword skill was refined to excellence��despite seemingly being at a disadvantage in this verbal exchange, if it truly came to a fight, the odds of her winning were high.


    "Isn''t that the point?"


    Lin Da smiled and said:


    "Since you can keep up with Phoenix Tail Flower, whether I return or not, it''s all the same. At the higher levels, the legendary layers of the Great Mystery Continent, layers thirty and forty-five, fraught with danger, a single adventure team can''t survive there alone. There will be plenty of opportunities for Snow Goose and Phoenix Tail Flower to fight side by side, as long as you can keep up."


    "When I founded Snow Goose, I envisioned it as a legendary adventure team, how could it possibly fail to keep up!"


    "That''s the point."


    Lin Da paused, looking down at Lia''s spirited little face. Even with her eyes red, her fiery, intense spirit couldn''t be concealed, inspiring any team member under its glow to continue climbing with her.

 Chapter 243 216, Lia drops small pearls, Lin Da refuses to return to Snow Goose (two in one)_3

    Lin Da, Lin Xi, Aiko, and Klrona, why did you choose to join Snow Goose instead of another adventure team?Lin Da thought there must be the influence of ''Flames,'' the burning passion for adventure within Lia, which can also be colloquially understood as��the Ultimate King of Hustle!


    Lia was diligent in her training, and whenever she made her efforts to climb the World Tree, she incited anxiety among the lazy adventurers, who were then influenced by her to train together.


    Lia''s hustling flame, her burning passion, dispelled Lin Da''s initial confusion in this strange world and was resolutely pulled into the Adventurers'' Guild by the 15-year-old girl at that time.


    Even though Lia has turned out to have a terrible personality now, Lin Da couldn''t deny that at the beginning of their adventure, she was a fledgling and vigorous flame that could attract bewildered adventurers like moths to a flame.


    "Sit down, it''s almost half repaired."


    Lin Da saw Lia tilt her little head, looking at him with confusion. He didn''t respond to what Lia had just hinted at with ''just that much,'' repeatedly bringing up things that can''t be brought back only causes them to fade.


    "Done."


    Three minutes later, Lin Da put away the needle and thread, satisfied with the stretchiness of the strap on the back of Lia''s dress. It was very elastic and didn''t break despite a few tugs; it would definitely withstand the day without issues.


    Lia sat on the toilet seat without getting up, her back to him, and whispered, "Lin Da, about today... uh, that... thanks. And, umm..."


    Like constipation where one can''t poop, Lia''s face turned red with the strain.


    "No need to thank me, just don''t cause trouble for Phoenix Tail Flower and I''ll be grateful," Lin Da said.


    "Aside from thanks..." Lia clenched her eyes shut fiercely and blurted out in one breath, "This lady, I also owe you an apology."


    Lin Da: "?"


    Could it be that someone held a knife to Lia''s neck, and she had to apologize or else they would cut her?


    This is as likely as the sun rising from the west!


    After waiting a moment, and seeing that Lia was stuck like a broken record, Lin Da reminded her, "Weren''t you going to apologize?"


    Lia: "?"


    "Didn''t I just say it?"


    Lin Da was dumbfounded.


    So this is an apology?


    Sigh.


    He sighed, realizing that getting someone like Lia to sincerely and seriously apologize was probably impossible.


    "This lady attended your promotion party, actually for another reason," Lia said: "Have you found any traces of Lin Xi?"


    Lin Da frowned and thought for a while, and decided that it was necessary to tell Lia about Lin Xi.


    During their time in Snow Goose, Lia could be said to have been Lin Xi''s best friend, so she had the right to know about Lin Xi''s changes.


    Choosing what could be shared, Lin Da slightly sanitized the process of discovering clues about Lin Xi.


    After listening, Lia''s face was incredulous: "Succubus? You''re saying Lin Xi turned into a succubus! That''s definitely disgusting, isn''t it? Lin Xi was already quite lecherous, now she must be even more so!"


    Lin Da gave a forced smile, alright, alright, speaking ill of Lin Xi''s lustfulness in front of him, huh? Only Lia would have the emotional intelligence to do such a thing.


    He tentatively explained, "High-Class Succubi have much more self-control than normal succubi."


    "Oh... well, that''s a relief." Lia clenched her fists and declared, "The 20th floor, huh... Lin Da, don''t you worry, I will make it there and personally take down Lin Xi, to bring her back here!"


    Lia and Lin Xi''s battle record remained at 99 wins and 99 losses.


    She would use the 100th victory to wake Lin Xi up!


    "The clothes are also repaired now, you should leave quickly, lest if you''re gone too long, you get discovered," Lin Da patted Lia on the shoulder.


    "Oh..."


    Before leaving, Lia bit her lip and said shyly, "One last question for you.


    "What is it?"


    "You... that... um..." Your next read is at empire


    "Forget it��It''s nothing!"


    Lia dashed out of the restroom in a whoosh and disappeared as if she had flown away.


    Lin Da scratched his head in surprise; the restroom door in front of him was shaking violently, and the hinges were even slightly cracked.


    What on earth did she want to say?


    After a brief delay, Lin Da slowly returned to the hall.


    The party was coming to an end.


    He gave a brief speech, and most of the adventure teams with casual relationships said their goodbyes, leaving only some familiar faces behind to continue the fun.


    Lin Da helplessly surveyed the hall, which was quite a mess.


    After the dance, everyone discarded their champagne glasses in favor of wheat beer mugs bigger than their faces, all getting wildly drunk.


    Lin Da found Kafni fast asleep under a table; Kafni''s clothes in front of her were soaked with wheat beer and clung wetly to her. Everything that should and shouldn''t be seen was exposed.


    Isa, usually so proper and composed, was now drunkenly standing on a table, holding a mug of wheat beer, her face flushed and hiccupping as people around her clapped and cheered her on.


    When Isa saw Lin Da passing by, she laughed heartily like a bandit and pointed at him, saying, "Members of the Ice Flower team, don''t let him get away!"


    Lin Da broke into a sweat and quickly slipped upstairs. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Isa usually seemed so refined, he hadn''t expected her to be such a poor drinker!


    Oh well, as long as these people don''t tear down the villa, let them make their noise.


    Lin Da shook his head, intending to go back to his room to read a book, to enjoy some peace and quiet.


    But clearly, his plan was foiled the moment the girl, who was obviously waiting to block him, appeared in the second-floor corridor.


    "Aiko?"


    The golden-haired girl sitting quietly in a wheelchair by the window, basking in the sunlight, was none other than the [Holy Mage] Aiko.


    The warm midday sunlight fell on Aiko''s golden hair and white dress, creating a tranquil beauty as if all was quiet in the world.


    A gentle smile appeared on Aiko''s face as she waved her hand slightly: "I''ve been waiting for you for a long time."


    Her left hand gently caressed the silver Space Ring on her right index finger.


    Aiko''s eyes flickered, bringing out Klrona as a shield to hide her real intentions: "Lin Da, Klrona has something important to tell you, okay?"

 Chapter 244 217. Lin Da disciplines Klrona

    From the moment Lia hurriedly rushed out of the hall, Aiko sensed that something was amiss.And when Lia returned, her face was unnaturally flushed.


    Aiko asked what had happened, and Lia replied in a flustered panic, "I definitely did not do anything shady with Lin Da in the bathroom!"


    What!


    Aiko was shocked, and it felt like the wheelchair beneath her might just collapse.


    If she was outpaced by Lulu, Aiko could still console herself, citing the advantage of proximity as inevitable.


    But Lia, starting at the very back of the starting line, was in last place...


    Being bested by anyone else was something Aiko could accept.


    But losing to Lia was out of the question.


    If she lost to Lia, Aiko would rather find a rope and hang herself!


    That would be too damn embarrassing!


    Aiko panicked.


    She was ready to make her move.


    Today, she was going to win Lin Da over once and for all.


    She planned to make a comeback on the inside track, and firmly secure her position above Lia and the Little Werewolf!


    ...


    A little while later, Aiko and Lin Da arrived at Monica''s room.


    The two people inside were playing a board game brought over by Klrona.


    Lin Da glanced over the situation and saw that Monica''s red pieces were at a great advantage, just one move away from defeating Klrona.


    In terms of gaming, Monica''s talent was extraordinary, trouncing Klrona completely.


    This clearly wasn''t what Klrona had expected; her eyes were welling up with tears and she was about to cry!


    Klrona had come to show off, boasting years of gaming expertise, but when facing Monica, she simply got the wool pulled over her eyes.


    In the Magic Puppet battles, her puppet was sent sky-high by Monica''s, unable to come down, and what Klrona thought would be an exhilarating match turned out to be a one-sided beatdown.


    The end of a Magic Puppet match was dependent solely on how much health Klrona''s puppet had left...


    Not willing to accept defeat, Klrona took out her favorite board game, "Brave X Evil Dragon" from her bunny-head bag, intending to turn the tables and show Monica what she was made of!


    But!


    Klrona was reduced to tears again.


    She just couldn''t win, it was impossible; it wasn''t a game, but sheer one-sided cruelty!


    Compared with this, playing with Lia was much more fun... Klrona thought sulkily.


    "That''s enough, I don''t want to play with you anymore." Klrona''s face darkened as she packed up the board game, effectively conceding defeat.


    Monica, being timid, didn''t dare say anything, but she actually felt happy to have someone to play with.


    "Lord Captain." Monica saw Lin Da and a smile spread across her face. She went over, took Lin Da''s hand, and they both sat down on the couch together.


    Klrona''s eyebrows shot up, and she stood up with a bang, glaring at Monica. That spot was her place, where she''d always lie with Lin Da''s legs as her pillow, watching comic books!


    Aiko coughed, giving Klrona a meaningful look.


    Before coming over, Aiko had already warned her: if she didn''t want Lin Da to keep disliking her, she needed to rein in her capriciousness.


    Reminded by Aiko, Klrona held back.


    She took out a picture album, walked over to Lin Da with arrogant strides, her pink twin ponytails swinging, and said,


    "This is my masterpiece! Today, I''ll benevolently let you have a look!"


    "Cough cough."


    Aiko coughed again, reminding Klrona to watch her tone.


    If she wanted to regain Lin Da''s favor, she didn''t need to be stronger than Monica, but at the very least, she couldn''t be too much worse.


    Look at Monica, the model child! Obedient and polite, also demonstrates her care for the leader:


    After Lin Da sat down, Monica noticed that his shoulders were stiff and took the initiative to give a vigorous massage from behind. Her soft little hands and gentle strength made Lin Da squint his eyes in pleasure.


    Now, look at Klrona, aside from causing trouble for Lin Da, she''s of no other use!


    Although as a Heavy Armored Warrior she is quite useful when fighting Magical Creatures, Monica''s cannon isn''t just for show either.


    Comparing the two, Monica wins hands down!


    The air of arrogance surrounding Klrona extinguished instantly as she walked up to Lin Da with a hesitant gait, handing over her sketchbook, "Lin Da, please look at my masterpiece."


    A barely noticeable smile flickered in Lin Da''s eyes as he took the sketchbook.


    The sketchbook''s cover was crude, featuring a stick figure drawn with crayons, roughly depicting a little girl with pink pigtails.


    Lin Da glanced at Klrona, who stood nervously, her small hands fidgeting as she scratched her cheeks and played with her hair, reminiscent of a primary student waiting for her exam results.


    Was the girl on the cover modeled after herself? Lin Da thought as he turned back to the sketchbook, whose title read ''The Mightiest Adventurer Begins from Being Kicked Out''.


    The story tells of the protagonist ''Klena'' who leaves her team due to conflicts and, after leveling up an impressive ten times within the World Tree, triumphantly returns.


    The leader begs Klena to come back, but she retorts with ''Small Fry leader, get lost''.


    After a series of adventures, Klena gradually realizes her own faults, that she shouldn''t insult others recklessly, and sometimes the leader''s strict lessons were correct and should be heeded.


    Eventually, Klena rejoins the team, with the leader becoming her servant, as they resume their joyful adventures.


    Lin Da: ...


    Pretty speechless.


    Was Klrona showing this to him to flaunt her growth?


    The ''leader'' in the sketchbook was likely himself.


    In the end, he is humbled by the protagonist ''Klena''s powerful abilities and becomes Klena''s worthless servant, at her beck and call, washing her clothes, cooking, and helping to buy various toys and comic books...


    There is no growth at all!


    Lin Da couldn''t help but laugh and cry.


    "How is it?" Klrona asked with her hands clasped behind her back, her eyes filled with anticipation, her face eager for praise.


    But Lin Da''s expression darkened, and he set the sketchbook down.


    "Have you been practicing diligently these days? Sneaking peeks at comic books and playing with the Magic Conductor Handheld Console late at night again, huh?"


    "Just over a month gone and you''re already out of control."


    "This sketchbook... is very bad, extremely bad!" Lin Da critiqued without mercy.


    Klrona was immediately stunned. Read latest chapters at empire


    Who would have thought that Lin Da, always a softie, would utter such icy words? Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Klrona''s nose twitched as tears began to well up in her eyes like pearls.


    She had stayed up late for so long creating something, only for Lin Da to criticize it as worthless!


    Klrona had worked hard for half a month for this day!


    Lin Da let Klrona''s tears fall, his expression stern and unmoved.


    His earlier indulgence and pampering toward Klrona had caused her to grow like a crooked tree.


    Luckily, this tree still had a chance to be straightened.


    But it required a firm hand, to cut off all the parts that had grown crooked.


    Lin Da''s firmness, even reluctantly, had to fall upon Klrona''s backside.


    The first lesson he taught Klrona was ''effort doesn''t always yield results.''


    Klrona''s laboriously created sketchbook received no praise from him.


    ''Oh, Lord leader, you''re so fierce.'' Monica, shaken and careful not to move her little hands haphazardly, stopped massaging Lin Da''s shoulders.


    With her, Lin Da had always been a gentle leader.

 Chapter 245 218. Faced with Lin Das Great Sword, Aikos choice is...

    But in dealing with Klrona, Lin Da was like a strict father, which even scared Monica!Klrona''s nose twitched, and small pearls of tears suddenly fell out as she wiped them with her sleeve, making a whimpering sound.


    It was just like a teacher scolding a mischievous elementary student!


    The proud and sharp-tongued Klrona in front of Monica, was reduced to tears by Lin Da in just a few words!


    Aiko was somewhat flustered.


    Though she didn''t take Klrona seriously, seeing Klrona cry stirred Aiko like an ''awakened mother,'' who softly consoled her:


    "Don''t cry, let Monica see, how embarrassing."


    Lin Da, however, snorted coldly.


    "Don''t mind her, only this way will she understand that crying solves nothing!"


    Lin Da knew that Klrona, being an orphan, had probably come to see him and Aiko, the older figures, as sort of ''parents,'' who thought crying could solve everything.


    Out of sympathy for Klrona''s background, Lin Da had been overly indulgent in the early years. But now, Lin Da had to take responsibility, to make Klrona a mature adventurer.


    "Adventurers bleed, they do not cry."


    "Crying solves nothing."


    "Look at Lia, Aiko, Isa... have they cried? No. Facing reality squarely and taking firm steps forward is what an adventurer should do."


    Lin Da, arms crossed, watched Klrona indifferently: "If you keep crying, you''ll only disappoint."


    Upon hearing this, Klrona forcefully wiped her face and held back the tears.


    Monica, standing behind Lin Da, waved her little fists, cheering Klrona on.


    Through spending time together, Monica could feel that Klrona wasn''t inherently bad.


    Just a bit foul-mouthed and a sore loser at games... but putting those aside, she was actually quite nice.


    Klrona had given her a limited-edition white cat Magic Puppet, and her small bag also had lots of snacks which she would share generously, giving half to her.


    The two even made plans to visit the Magic Guide Gaming Center together when they had time.


    Such places were too crowded for Monica to dare go alone.


    But Klrona, bold as ever, declared it her turf and promised to take Monica there to play and cover any expenses.


    Recognizing Klrona''s good nature, Monica hoped Lin Da would forgive her.


    "I... won''t cry anymore." At this point, Klrona took the handkerchief Aiko handed her and twisted her nose.


    Lin Da''s expression softened slightly.


    "By the way,"


    he picked up the sketchbook again and said, "Though there''s not much significant progress, this ''Klena'' is much stronger than at the beginning."


    "I personally like this sketchbook quite a bit."


    Lin Da smiled faintly, reaching out and ruffling Klrona''s head, "When you go back, listen more to Aiko and Lia, no more staying up late, you understand?"


    The tears Klrona had held back fell once more.


    Only Lin Da would scold her; Aiko and Lia practically let her do whatever she wanted without even calling her for meals sometimes!


    Klrona nodded slightly and hummed in agreement.


    "That''s great, the captain has forgiven you," Monica said, smiling coyly and grasping Klrona''s hand.


    Klrona burst into laughter, "Yeah!"


    Seeing this heartwarming scene, Aiko''s expression relaxed, and she too felt a bit of happiness.


    Realizing this, Aiko was startled: Strange, why did she care so much for Klrona?


    Just a capricious little devil after all, none of her business!


    Sure enough, stupidity is contagious.


    She and Lia, having spent too much time with Klrona, also became part of Snow Goose''s den of fools.


    ''I can''t continue in Snow Goose, the chicken soup plan must succeed, today I''ll take Lin Da down!''


    Aiko''s eyes darted around, patting her stomach, murmuring to herself: "Ah, I''m feeling a bit hungry, does anyone want to eat something?"


    "I happened to have made a stomach-warming chicken soup, it''s good for the body to have some after a drink."


    Of the four, only Lin Da had been drinking.


    Lin Da, wary of Aiko''s cooking skills, said, "Or... let''s not, I''m not very hungry."


    "Not anymore," Aiko insisted aggressively, grabbing Lin Da''s wrist, "You really must try it, the chicken soup''s made from a level 15 Black-Bone Chicken King, it''s very rare, this one alone costs a thousand gold coins!"


    "I want some!" Klrona raised her little hand.


    Monica''s mouth watered too, but being unfamiliar with Aiko, she felt shy about saying she wanted to eat and awkwardly stood aside.


    "Then let''s have some," Lin Da said with a resigned smile, pulling Monica to sit down on the sofa.


    Great!


    Aiko mentally gave two thumbs up to the pair of little girls.


    She took out the lunch box she had prepared earlier.


    It was a box divided into four parts by partitions.


    Only the portion facing Lin Da was laced with the bitterly effective Chunyang Flower.


    Her own, and those of Klrona and others, were just normal chicken soup.


    The Black-Bone Chicken King soup looked beautifully white and smelled tempting.


    Everyone at the table was impressed.


    Lin Da looked at Aiko with surprise, noting her culinary skills had improved significantly within just a month.


    She used to be such a lazy dog...


    "I''ll serve you," Aiko acted like a gentle, virtuous wife, tucking her blonde hair behind her ear to prevent it from falling into the soup.


    She took a soup bowl out of the Space Ring, ladled it full of chicken soup, and placed it in front of Lin Da.


    "Then I won''t be shy."


    The aroma of the chicken soup was rich, and Lin Da drank it eagerly.


    "How is it?" Aiko looked at him eagerly.


    "The flavor is rich, the chicken is soft and falls off the bone, it melts in your mouth. Good!"


    Lin Da gave a thumbs up, jokingly said, "Whoever marries Aiko in the future will be in for a treat."


    "Hehehe��" Aiko''s face turned red with embarrassment, she blinked her eyes and said with burning gaze, "Are there any... other feelings?"


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    "Other? My body feels warm, this chicken soup really warms the stomach." Lin Da quickly finished a bowl.


    "I''ll serve you some more!" Aiko said with a smile.


    About ten minutes passed and Lin Da gradually realized something was amiss.


    Warming the stomach with chicken soup, he could understand that.


    But why was the warmth spreading...


    to other parts of the body?


    His whole body started feeling hot and restless.


    Lin Da felt like a wild beast that couldn''t release its energy, eager to cause a huge commotion.


    The Aiko before his eyes became even prettier.


    The golden hair, delicate and soft skin, the subtle curves under the white dress, and her gentle and beautiful face, all were incredibly enticing.


    "Come on, keep drinking." Aiko served him bowl after bowl of chicken soup.


    As the chicken soup entered his stomach, Lin Da''s vision began to distort, his consciousness blurred, and his body''s control was taken over by instinct.


    Very good.


    Aiko saw Lin Da''s abnormal condition and chuckled to herself.


    The Chunyang Flower was taking effect.


    Lin Da would soon become an animal driven by instinct.


    When Lin Da sobered up and saw her tear-streaked face next to him, along with the bed sheets adorned with bright red "Oath Flowers," he would be utterly unable to explain himself and would have to take responsibility.


    Depriving an innocent girl of her purity is a serious crime under imperial law, punishable by a minimum of ten years!


    There were only two ways to avoid punishment: the first was to pave the way with gold coins, settling between the two parties;


    Aiko wasn''t short of money, she definitely wouldn''t agree.


    That left only the second option: the two parties becoming legally Oath-bound, agreeing to protect each other for life until their adventures ended.


    Simply put, being ''Oath-bound'' is more than friendship, less than lovers.


    A legal, high-level friends-with-benefits relationship, but more pure and sacred.


    Many Oath-bound partners retire from adventuring and become spouses.


    Thus, Aiko''s first step in capturing Lin Da as her servant was to become Oath-bound with him.


    This bowl of chicken soup contained infinite possibilities.


    She, Aiko, was about to rise to power today! Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just as Aiko was feeling triumphant, a drastic change occurred in Lin Da.


    As if a Berserk skill had been cast, Lin Da''s chest muscles bulged, his arms thickened, and veins popped on his forehead.


    His entire body grew larger under the stimulus of the Chunyang Flower!


    Aiko, getting carried away with herself, had given Lin Da too much chicken soup, and the result was�� Lin Da became twice as fierce, transforming into an irrational beast, roaring suddenly.


    Like a hungry wolf pouncing on its prey, he pushed over Aiko, who was fantasizing about ten years later and giggling in her wheelchair!


    "Wah!"


    Aiko let out a scream, unable to resist before her arms and legs were firmly pinned down by Lin Da.


    Lin Da''s knee pressed against her abdomen, as if a cannibal was securing his prey, ready to feast!


    The two Lolis were also frightened by Lin Da, their mouths agape in astonishment: Lin Da looked terrifying, his eyes seemed to be spitting fire, saliva dripping from his mouth.


    Then, with a swing of Lin Da''s mighty hand, there was a ripping sound��!


    Aiko''s white dress, health points -100!


    Directly revealing the spoils of battle: [White stockings that reach the thighs]!


    The stockings were thin, almost transparent, and one could vaguely see Aiko''s crystal-clear skin through them.


    Her thighs were elastic, the lace rim of the soft stockings digging slightly into the flesh, making one wonder just how soft they would feel to the touch.


    "Wah wah wah!"


    Inside, Aiko was terrified, her face completely drained of color��what was this situation, how was it completely different from what she had imagined?


    Lin Da, with blood-red eyes and a fierce expression, drooled on her�� One hand grasped the tear in the white dress, seemingly preparing to continue tearing.


    Could it be that Lin Da, in front of the two trembling Lolis...


    She was going to be ''stripped alive''!


    Aiko panicked to no end!


    This wasn''t the gentle and beautiful treatment she had imagined a Knight would show to a Princess, but rather like a Princess captured and tied up in a Goblin Cave.


    The strongest Goblin Chief holding her down, ready to tear her apart!


    In that moment, Aiko felt like a student who discussed military strategies on paper, elegantly and confidently in the academy, suddenly brought to the battlefield.


    The harsh reality that hit her face made Aiko''s pupils shrink, her legs tremble, and she inwardly screamed to go home, vowing never to boast again!


    As a Mage, she was no match for Lin Da in terms of strength, the hands gripping her wrists felt like iron clamps.


    But even now, it was too late for Aiko to regret.

 Chapter 246 219, Holy Sword and Reinforcements

    Aiko gurgled a swallow of saliva, feeling an icy sensation below, as if someone had cleaved her there with a blade, causing unbearable pain."No, why be scared, this lady watched a bunch of ''Saucy Albums,'' I am an experienced ''Zhuoai Warrior.'' Lin Da is nothing, I can make him submit even with my eyes closed!"


    Aiko cheered herself up inwardly, took a deep breath, and tremblingly looked up at Lin Da.


    Even though she was prepared for the worst, when Aiko saw... her face turned deathly white, and she stared in disbelief.


    It turned out that she was the "Goblin," facing a Paladin who held the Holy Sword, towering up to the sky!


    Lin Da didn''t even need to vanquish her, this "Goblin." The mere presence of the Holy Sword had her scared out of her wits.


    At that moment, various phrases flashed through Aiko''s mind: "Split apart," "What the hell is this thing," "Lin Da? Lin Great!"


    As Lin Da approached closer, with hands frantically searching, Aiko''s heart pounded like a drum, daring not to breathe.


    The force of Lin Da''s grip left bright red handprints on her body.


    This was by no means the romantic, beautiful "Oath-bound;" it was a "Sacrificial Ceremony" that a maiden offered to a tyrant!


    Then, Lin Da grabbed her hipbone.


    Aiko: !!!


    The pants weren''t even off, and he was starting to unleash power?


    She immediately blacked out, scared faint by the barrage of emotions!


    She resigned herself to fate.


    The last thought Aiko had before fainting was to hope that when she opened her eyes, she would still be alive and everything would be over.


    Monica and Klrona charged over from both sides.


    "Captain, what happened to you?"


    "Lin Da, you wouldn''t be trying to attack Aiko, would you?"


    Two unsuspecting lasses, each grabbing one of Lin Da''s hands.


    Lin Da glanced over, instantly captivated by Monica''s impressive front.


    "Wuuu!"


    Monica shivered violently, her face pale with fright.


    Little did she know, this show of weakness only sparked greater interest in the predator.


    Lin Da, under the overwhelming influence, almost lost his sanity, acting purely on instinct.


    He vaguely felt that if he did nothing, he would combust internally, causing deep injuries, making his weapon useless henceforth.


    Now, it didn''t matter who his weapon was used on.


    It simply had to be used.


    Lin Da pinned Monica down all at once.


    "Help, somebody help!" Monica screamed in terror.


    Klrona by the side was flustered, her voice trembling, "I, I''ll go get help! Lin Da has gone mad!"


    She burst out the door to call for reinforcements.


    In the room, only the pitiful, terrified Monica and the unconscious, useless mage Aiko were left.


    "Wuuu wuuu, if it''s the Captain, then, then maybe it''s okay," Monica cried as she closed her eyes.


    But her voice awoke the little sense Lin Da had left.


    Like someone drowning suddenly breaking the surface, Lin Da saw the scene before him clearly.


    Monica, why is she sobbing?


    Is it because of me?


    Why did I grab Monica?


    Lin Da was stunned for a moment.


    Then, the effects of the Chunyang Flower surged again.


    He realized that he had been set up.


    He didn''t bother to think about who it was.


    The most important thing right now was that he must not hurt Monica.


    Lin Da bit his tongue fiercely, growled lowly, threw Monica aside, and staggered to the corridor.


    He kept applying "Healing Art" to himself.


    It was useful, but not much.


    His body was still extremely hot.


    Under these circumstances, Lin Da needed cold water on his body.


    He rushed into a small, empty room at the end of the corridor, panting heavily, closed the door behind him, and grabbed a roll of paper��as if it were a life-saving straw, no one should bother him here. He was confident that he could handle it with his Healing Art, cold water, and willpower.


    Lin Da silently prayed in his heart that no one would come over.


    Under the effect of the Chunyang Flower, he was like standing on the edge of a cliff, about to fall off. He could barely maintain his balance, but if a breeze blew, even a slight one, it would send him into the abyss.


    Now, all Lin Da could do was pray.


    Please, let no one come over!


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the grand hall on the third floor.


    Bodies of the drunk sprawled all over.


    The Ice Flower Adventure Team and Snow Goose had launched into a fierce battle, Oru taking on three by himself, drinking enough to knock down three members of Ice Flower, while Klyne, usually unremarkable, also had a surprisingly high tolerance, besting Oru and knocking down four members of Ice Flower.


    The rest were easily handled by Lia.


    The real "Wine King" was none other than the captain of Snow Goose, Lia.


    Her Fire Series Battle Qi could quickly evaporate the alcohol, allowing her to drink far more than the average person.


    "Isa the Cricket, you dare to compare yourself to me?"


    Lia belched loudly, standing with her hands on her hips, looking down on Isa slumped over the table.


    She raised her glass of Wheat Beer and looked around, the only one left standing.


    Even Oru and Klyne had drunk too much and were asleep on the sofa.


    The petite Klyne nestled in Oru''s arms.


    Even asleep, Oru''s broad hand protectively held Klyne, guarding his girlfriend.


    Lia stared blankly, feeling a faint sense of envy.


    This couple was "Oath-bound".


    They had made a vow in the church to protect each other for life as adventurers.


    Lia had grown up without even having many male friends, let alone an Oath-bound.


    She couldn''t help but wonder what it felt like to be protected by an Oath-bound.


    ''No, no, I''m a Blazing Swordsman, even if I had an Oath-bound, I''d be the one protecting him.''


    ''Boyfriends? Not envious at all!''


    Lia poured Wheat Beer into her mouth, the beverage spilling from the corners and onto the floor.


    Just then.


    "It''s terrible, Lin Da has gone mad, someone come quick!"


    Klrona rushed into the hall, glanced around and saw only Lia standing, she quickly said, "Lia, you need to check on Lin Da, he''s gone mad!" Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ah? What do you mean?"


    Lia was confused.


    That Lin Da, as calm as a rock, how could he go mad?


    "Really, you should go take a look, it''s terrifying, Monica was devoured by him!"


    Klrona, recalling the scene of Lin Da ''preying'' on Monica, spoke with lingering fear.


    He was like a hungry beast that had caught a plump prey and was ready to feast!


    Thankfully, she was thin enough to escape that fate.


    "Alright, I''ll go take a look."


    Lia coughed, "But don''t get me wrong, I''m not concerned about Lin Da''s safety, just curious to see what happened."


    Klrona looked at Lia with a strange expression on her face.


    "Let''s go, let''s go."


    Lia took Klrona''s hand and they went upstairs.


    "No one here? Looks like they went to the furthest room?"


    "Not sure."


    "Let''s go check it out."


    The two of them walked over together.


    What appeared in front of them was a normal white door.


    Lia turned the doorknob.


    Click, click, it wouldn''t turn, it was locked.


    But a door couldn''t possibly stop a level 27 Blazing Swordsman.


    "Open up for me!"


    Lia exerted her wrist, and with a crisp snap, the door latch broke off.


    "See, it was easy."


    At that moment, Lia was somewhat proud.


    While still talking to Klrona, she stepped into the pitch-dark room.


    ��Swoosh!


    Suddenly, a thorn-covered energy whip struck.


    It was like a venomous snake striking an unsuspecting prey, or an antlion hidden under the sand capturing a careless ant marching by.


    Whichever it was, the unfortunate Lia had no time to react.


    After all, she subconsciously believed that there was no danger here, and Lin Da could not possibly hurt her.


    The consequence of such carelessness was that Lia got bound by the Dark Whip and whisked into the ''nest''s depths.''


    There, the predator gazed at her with fiery eyes.


    "You, what''s wrong with you?"


    Lia had never seen Lin Da like this before, her mind was somewhat clouded.


    The most terrifying part was...


    As soon as she arrived, like peeling a banana, the straps of her neatly repaired dress broke, both snapping simultaneously.


    "Help, help me!"


    Lia let out a disheveled cry for help.


    Outside, Klrona stepped back in panic.


    The room''s door, pushed by the Dark Whip, closed, and only faint cries for help from Lia could be heard inside.


    Even Lia had been ''devoured'' by Lin Da!


    Klrona thought anxiously: No, I have to go call for more people.


    Just the two of them could not subdue Lin Da!


    Klrona dropped Lia and ran off like a streak of smoke.


    Inside the room.


    On a large white bed, Lia sat dazed, not understanding what was happening.


    Lia imagined the most extreme scenario to be just holding hands with someone of the opposite sex.


    But how did she end up underneath Lin Da?


    She felt utterly unclean!


    Lia''s body and voice trembled as she fiercely yelled, "Lin Da, are you sick! What do you want to do to me!"


    Lia''s dress skirt slid to the side.


    Her round shoulders and milk-white skin glittered in the dimly lit room.


    Upon closer inspection, it was not as if they were made of steel.


    As an eighteen-year-old young woman, Lia naturally had some attributes.


    At that moment, Lin Da''s rough hand caressed her cheek, feeling the breath close at hand, hotter than magma, and her mind went blank.


    Her legs fearfully curled together, and her level 27 Battle Qi was like a jammed magical machine, unable to operate at all...


    Lin Da did not answer her question. His eyes were bloodshot, like a rampaging beast.


    "What in the world is happening?"


    Lia thought, trembling with fear.


    If she were ten meters away, holding a Greatsword facing Lin Da like this, she wouldn''t be scared at all. But being under him, facing Lin Da''s terrifying gaze, she couldn''t help but tremble like a little rabbit, unable to muster any strength.


    In a brief glimpse, Lia saw something.


    Her mind instantly buzzed: Weapon!


    Lin Da was carrying a weapon.


    This was a matter of life and death!


    "Lin Da, I really misjudged you. You must have been coveting my body for a long time!"


    Lia, filled with shame and anger, pounded her fists on Lin Da''s chest.


    But first, she couldn''t muster much Battle Qi, and second, Lin Da''s health points were too high.


    This attack not only was useless but also spurred Lin Da''s ferocity.


    The already slipping dress...


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    Lia: "!!!"


    She felt dizzy and her mind shut down completely.


    Although Lia was usually bold and assertive, she performed even worse than an ordinary person in such situations.


    Tears welled up in her eyes, she bit her lip, and her face looked pitifully like she was about to cry but was desperately holding back.


    Interestingly,


    the rational part of Lin Da, struggling hard against innate instincts, gained a slight upper hand, and the blood-red in his eyes somewhat receded.


    Lin Da looked intently and gasped in surprise: What''s going on, why is Lia here, and under me?


    Could something have already happened?

 Chapter 247 220, Paratrooper Number Two, Aiko reporting!

    Lin Da struggled to speak, "Run, I might have been tricked!"Who exactly is framing him?


    If he loses control at the party and starts chasing Isa and other beauties to devour... a well-going promotion party would completely turn into a mess!


    As the Adventure Team Leader, Lin Da''s reputation would be utterly ruined.


    ''Damn culprit, once I catch you, I''ll never let you off!''


    Lin Da hastily urged Lia, "What are you waiting for, run! You don''t want to get hurt, do you?"


    "I, I want to!"


    "But I have no strength!"


    Lia, on the verge of tears, said, "I don''t know why, but I feel so weak, unable to muster any strength."


    Lin Da''s expression turned to one of pain, "Not good... the toxin''s effects are too strong, I''m about to lose my sanity again!"


    "Don''t just lose your sanity so easily!"


    Lia shrieked pitifully, just as Lin Da''s eyes turned red again, entering a beast-like state.


    She had never had a romance, never enjoyed the youth that a young girl deserves, yet was she to fall into Lin Da''s hands in such a confused state?


    The worst part was, it was Lin Da without sanity, in his beast-like state.


    Just when Lia was about to lose her precious pearls��"Lin Da, I''m taking responsibility now!"


    Aiko burst through the door, her face full of fearless valor.


    Aiko, having awakened from her faint, realized how embarrassing and cowardly she had been.


    Everything had been going according to plan, yet she had been scared off by Lin Da''s frightening appearance just at the crucial moment.


    With just a bit of grit and endurance, Lin Da would have become her captive.


    Thus, Aiko gathered her courage and came to this room.


    With a swish.


    The Dark Whip flew out, capturing Aiko onto the large bed as well.


    Thud.


    The two girls'' heads collided, producing a crisp sound.


    "Ouch."


    "Who is it!?"


    Aiko and Lia found themselves side by side, both rubbing their sore heads and turning to look at each other.


    Then they were stupefied.


    Aiko: "You, how did you end up here?"


    Lia: "What do you mean? Aiko, it seems like you know what''s going on with Lin Da?"


    Both were a bit bewildered.


    Lia was prepared for a do-or-die situation, and Aiko was no less determined, ready to take on the risk of blood and tears to take responsibility.


    Lin Da had gone berserk because of her, and she would personally purify him.


    Now to be told... there was also a Lia here?!


    How was this supposed to work?


    Aiko''s face turned green with fury.


    She was a Pure Love Mage and could not tolerate anyone watching!


    Especially Lia, if she couldn''t control herself and pearls fell, she''d be mocked by Lia for a lifetime!


    "Right, you guys... are done?" Aiko stammered, recalling something.


    Lia was stunned for a moment before realizing what Aiko was referring to.


    "Of course not! How could I possibly with Lin Da, what are you thinking!"


    Lia''s neck flushed with urgency.


    "Then you leave, I''ll handle this," Aiko said with a forced smile.


    "I would love to, but I can''t move,"


    Lia replied, both anxious and annoyed, pointing at Lin Da''s hand pressing on her: "I can''t move."


    Drip, drip.


    Lin Da''s saliva fell on both of them, a precursor to a beast feeding.


    Lia panicked, "What do we do, one of us must be sacrificed!"


    "Let me do it!"


    Aiko stepped forward, her expression resolute, saying to Lia, "You know, I was once with the Holy Light Church, and the church''s mission is to save the weak and let the warm Holy Light shine upon the earth. As a former mage of the Holy Light Church, I should take action to save Lin Da."


    "This is a sacred act, I hope you don''t overthink it or spread rumors."


    Lia hesitated, frowning, not knowing why she felt uncomfortable.


    "Alright, alright, you do it."


    "Then I''m going in!"


    Aiko closed her eyes, like a knight bravely facing sacrifice.


    Ka-ka!


    Two large hands grabbed Aiko''s shoulders. Stay tuned with empire


    Lin Da slowly approached...


    Aiko''s body trembled involuntarily, and ludicrous weapons floated into her mind...


    This was definitely not the normal Lin Da.


    It was chicken soup!


    Chicken soup had enhanced Lin Da''s strength!


    "Ahaha, hahaha, Lia, should I check first, or do you want to?" Aiko said with a dry laugh.


    Just one step away, Aiko chickened out again!


    She pondered, letting Lia go first and learning from the experience herself.


    According to incomplete statistics from the Adventurers'' Guild, seventy percent of first loves don''t last. That meant, whoever went first had a seventy percent chance of ending up losing.


    For victory, Aiko absolutely must not go first!


    But at this moment, Lia also lost her initial bravery.


    A surge of courage, followed by decline, and then exhaustion.


    Now, Lia was ''declining''.


    The two of them politely deferred to each other, like old friends who hadn''t seen each other in years.


    "Lia, you go first; I''ll learn," Aiko offered.


    "No way, this miss is not just anybody; I can''t let that stinky Lin Da take advantage of me."


    "You go first..."


    "No, you go first..."


    The two pushed and shoved each other, and just as sparks of anger were being kindled, the ''savior'' arrived.


    Klrona shouted happily in the corridor, "Reinforcements are here!"


    "Werewolf sister, Lin Da is inside!"


    Hearing Klrona''s voice, cold sweat streamed down the foreheads of Lia and Aiko on the big bed.


    Werewolf... was she referring to Lulu from the Phoenix Tail Flower Team?


    Aiko and Lia both knew that Lulu and Lin Da had a close relationship.


    If the situation here was exposed, the consequences would be terrible.


    The two pure young girls from outside teams, lying on the bed of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team Leader... If word got out, their reputations would be ruined.


    If Lulu was ruthless, she could also take this chance to ''eliminate'' them.


    Or use the situation as leverage, blackmail them, and treat them like slaves.


    Either scenario would be awful.


    Aiko and Lia exchanged glances, both seeing the panic in each other''s eyes.


    Squeak~ya~


    The sound of the door opening was like the fall of a guillotine''s blade.


    Facing this, the two made their choice...


    Aiko resigned to her fate, closed her eyes, and pretended to be an ostrich;


    Lia gathered her strength to struggle, trying to escape Lin Da''s constraint.


    But somehow, Lin Da''s fiery gaze and body heat, like an emperor of flames, completely overpowered her. Lia went limp, her Fire Series Battle Qi becoming like a doddering old man, not only disobeying commands but also lazily munching on seeds and watching the spectacle...


    You damn Battle Qi, watch out, or this miss will chop you all up!!!


    No matter how furious Lia became, time would not stop.


    They lost their chance to escape.


    Outside, the werewolf girl''s fluffy tail drooped behind her; she had changed out of her ill-fitting gown into trousers and a black jacket.


    The person who arrived was Lulu.


    Lulu walked into the room with her hands in her pockets, calm and collected.


    Whoosh! sea??h th�� N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The sound of something tearing through the air came.


    An enemy?


    Lulu''s expression changed, her beast claws sprung out, readying for battle.


    What struck at her was a black Thorn Whip.


    She knew this whip, it was Lin Da''s Dark Whip.


    But why was Lin Da attacking her?


    Lulu used her beast claws to fend off the Dark Whip, perplexedly looking toward the depths of the room and the big bed.

 Chapter 248 221, Aiko was beaten by everyone: Because, I like Lin Da...

    In the darkness, the werewolf''s eyes emitted a faint green glow, their night vision was extremely outstanding.Hence, Lulu instantly saw Lin Da and the two overpowered girls.


    "Lia, Aiko? How could you be here!"


    "Wait, what are you doing!?"


    Lulu felt dizzy and almost collapsed to the ground.


    On that big bed, there were actually three people lying there!


    Why would Lin Da, Lia, and Aiko be together?


    Were they piled up together, whispering to each other?


    This... no matter how you think about it, it''s impossible!


    Lulu was first shocked, then felt a strong surge of anger.


    Could it be that Lin Da had been deceiving her all along?


    On the surface, a perfect captain, but behind the scenes, lusting after the bodies of his team members.


    Even behind her back, bringing Lia and Aiko to his room...


    "Shameless!"


    Lulu''s expression turned icy, from the kind and gentle little werewolf, she reverted to the aloof werewolf warrior she was when she first met Lin Da.


    "Wait, wait, it''s not what you think, I didn''t do anything!" exclaimed Lia in a panic, scared that Lulu might misunderstand.


    Aiko explained dryly: "Don''t rush, let us explain..."


    "Hm?"


    Lulu noticed something off about their expressions.


    She knitted her brows and observed closely, finally noticing something strange.


    She saw Lin Da''s eyes turn red, his forehead veins protruding, looking like a humanoid beast.


    Lulu sniffed, detecting a strange scent on Lin Da.


    "Is this... Chunyang Flower?"


    "Who fed Lin Da this stuff?"


    Her face changed, and she exclaimed in shock.


    Lia: "I came over because I heard Lin Da had gone mad."


    Aiko chuckled dryly: "Me, too."


    "Humph, when I catch the perpetrator, they won''t be spared," Lulu''s eyes flashed with killing intent, and she took big strides over.


    She observed Lin Da with a heavy heart��Chunyang Flower was a magical herb with terrifying effects; without aid, Lin Da would suffer severe internal injuries and might never be able to stand again.


    Objectively, this had little to do with Lulu; she was not Lin Da''s Oath-bound.


    But!


    Lulu remembered the many times Lin Da purified her.


    Aside from letting her join the team, Lin Da did not ask for any other reward.


    Now, it was her turn to repay the favor... to purify Lin Da''s ''contamination''!


    "You two, get out, or I''ll report your shameless behavior to the White Dove Morning News," Lulu commanded with a stern face.


    Lia said huffily: "Do you think I don''t want to? It''s this Lin Da, heavy as a corpse, pinning us down."


    Two Dark Whips tightly bound Lia and Aiko.


    They were like prey wrapped up by a spider, unable to run even if they wanted to.


    Lulu tried to help but was met with a fierce counterattack from Lin Da.


    Like a beast guarding its food, anyone daring to snatch Lin Da''s ''trophies'' would face ruthless attacks!


    ''If I force my way, I''ll definitely hurt Lin Da.''


    Lulu''s expression showed her unwillingness to cause him harm.


    She glanced at the two ''trophies'' and thought she had no choice but to act, otherwise Lin Da would explode.


    Sshrraack.


    Lulu tore the bedsheet into two long strips and blindfolded Aiko and Lia. sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You two, dare to peek and you''re dead," Lulu threatened fiercely.


    Then, she sat on the edge of the bed and took out an album from the Space Ring.


    The album was titled: [Elf Sister Firth''s Eighteen Skills]


    Just as there were over a dozen ways for Lin Da to purify Lulu''s contamination, the reverse was also true.


    This album recorded eighteen methods to rescue Lin Da!


    Lulu opened it to page seven.


    Skill: Swallow Mountains and Rivers, Bind the Wicked Dragon.


    A look of hesitation crossed Lulu''s face.


    But seeing the pain on Lin Da''s face, she bit her lip and extended her hands...


    Time ticked away, second by second.


    Lia had a question: What exactly were these two doing?


    It sounded like eating jelly.


    Could it be that the werewolf had a cure to treat Lin Da''s condition, and eating it would lead to recovery?


    If so, why blindfold them?


    While Lia was bewildered, Aiko cried.


    Cried because of her own stupidity.


    She gathered Holy Light in her eyes, and through the fabric barrier, she could see what Lulu was doing.


    Aiko was slow on the uptake.


    Right.


    Other methods could work too.


    But she was terrified by Lin Da''s ferocity and lost her composure, believing that bloodletting was necessary.


    ''No wonder the little werewolf rose to power, no hesitation, just doing it when needed, so brave.''


    Aiko was dumbstruck.


    This scene was like a hamster stuffing its cheeks full of corn.


    Wolves and dogs are cousins; what was happening was a true display of ''dog-licking''!


    Thanks to Lulu''s aid, Lin Da''s rationality began to slowly return.


    Originally, Lin Da felt as though soaked in fiery lava, unable to release his pain and anger.


    Suddenly, the Stairway to Light appeared before him.


    At the top of the stairs was an angel in a pure white dress with wings, reaching out to him with tenderness.


    Lin Da looked carefully and realized the angel was not Aiko or Lia.


    But his own teammate, Lulu!


    Lin Da climbed the steps.


    Your adventure continues at empire


    In reality, the bloodshot in his eyes gradually faded, returning to clarity,


    Hazy memories followed the soup he drank.


    Lin Da looked around, puzzled. This should be a bedroom on the second floor, dark with the lights off.


    Two girls were tied up by Dark Whips on the big bed, blindfolded with fabric.


    He stood on the ground while Lulu sat on the edge of the bed.


    His hands instinctively reached for Lulu''s head, clutching a pair of fuzzy beast ears.


    The warm and comfortable sensation of caressing those beast ears was quite nice.

 Chapter 249 221, Aiko was tortured by everyone: Because, I like Lin Da..._2

    But... it''s not just that. If the happiness derived from petting beast ears is 10, then Lin Da''s happiness right now, must be at least 90.Where did the extra 80 come from?


    Lin Da looked on, puzzled.


    Then, his mouth opened so wide, a goose egg could fit in.


    He finally understood why he recovered from the ''poisoned'' state.


    It was Lulu who had helped him.


    A wave of ''tears'' of emotion surged up in Lin Da''s heart. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Not everyone would be willing to do this kind of thing.


    He was almost fooled by Lia and Aiko.


    Anger rose from the depths of Lin Da''s heart, who was the culprit after all?


    Although he didn''t want to suspect a certain old teammate, after calming down and thinking it over, besides her, it seemed that no one else had the opportunity to poison him...


    At this moment.


    Bang!


    The door was opened once again.


    Lin, hands behind her back, hopped in with a giggle, "Lia, I gave you a chance, oh, if Lin Da is still single, then I won''t be polite... huh?"


    As she spoke, Lin''s voice stopped abruptly.


    She blinked, looking inside the room.


    One, two, three, four.


    In total, there were four people.


    Lin Da had his back to this side, and sitting in front of him was the Little Werewolf, seemingly repairing the zipper on his pants.


    Such lies could only deceive Lia.


    As a High-Class Succubus, Lin could detect the lewd scent.


    The Holy Pattern on her lower abdomen was slightly warm.


    Telling her: these people were not only frisky but extremely frisky!


    "You guys were indeed throwing a silver party!"


    "Stupid Lin Da, only obsessed with Paper Person, moron!"


    Lin cried out in despair, wailing and rushing out the window, jumping from the second floor.


    "General, wait for your subordinate!"


    Lady Bai Mian followed behind and leaped down as well.


    "Who are you?"


    Lin Da''s heart skipped a beat, how many years had it been since he had heard the term ''Paper Person''?


    Theoretically, only two people on this continent knew this term.


    "Lulu, thanks for your help! We''ll talk about what happened here later, I need to chase those two first!"


    Lin Da straightened his clothes, gathered his strength, and sprung like a released coil, following the pink-haired girl by jumping from the second floor.


    What he saw was the pink-haired girl unfolding bat-like black wings in mid-air, flapping them twice, and soaring into the sky.


    Flying?


    Lin Da gazed in amazement at the girl turning into a speck in the sky, muttering to himself, "She has Magic Wings."


    Most races, after reaching level 40, were able to gain the ability known as [Magic Wings] or [Fighting Spirit Wings].


    They could fly freely in the blue sky with minimal consumption, greatly increasing their travel speed.


    Before reaching level 40, adventurers who wanted to fly had to rely on Wind Mage''s ''Imperial Air Technique,'' which consumed a lot of magic and couldn''t last very long.


    The age of that young girl seemed to be around his, and she had already reached the Moon Rank of level 40...


    Lin Da wondered who she was. She claimed to be a traveling adventurer and even presented him with two gifts... one was a level 30 orange Demon Core of Magical Creatures, and the other a black gift box, advising him to open it only at night.


    Could it be, inside the black gift box lies some secret?


    Lin Da made his way back to the villa to find the ''gift'' given to him by the young girl in the place where gifts were stored on the first floor.


    ...


    In the room, Lulu calmly wiped her mouth.


    Although she seemed unharmed on the surface, Lulu''s tail curled up with tension.


    Thinking back to all that had happened just now, her body felt hot and restless, she wouldn''t be able to sleep well tonight!


    If someone had told Lulu three years ago that she would help someone do such shameless, dirty, and disgusting things, she would never have believed it to death.


    But now, not only had she done it, but she did it willingly...


    Lulu felt her head must be broken. The cause of everything was that morning when Lin Da was greeting the guests, he grabbed her hand.


    Otherwise, Lulu might have given this opportunity to Aiko and the others.


    Now, Lia and Aiko were free, removing the cloth from their faces.


    Lia: "Where is Lin Da?"


    Lulu: "He went out to chase a pink-haired girl."


    "Oh..."


    The two of them didn''t get along very well and fell silent after exchanging these few words.


    But actually, Lia was very curious about certain things, such as what was the ''smacking'' sound all about.


    Aiko, with her golden hair puffing up, looked disheveled, pale, and sat on the edge of the bed.


    After a while, Lin Da came back.


    He brought a gift box tied with a black bow that was slightly larger than the palm of his hand.


    All three women looked over. Enjoy new stories from empire


    Lulu asked, "What is that?"


    "Something Miss Lin left behind," Lin Da said solemnly, "You must have felt it just now, that strong presence."


    Lulu nodded: "It felt like Moon Rank."


    "Exactly, I saw her unfold her Magic Wings." Lin Da rubbed his temples, "If Phoenix Tail Flower is targeted by a Moon Rank enemy, that would be troublesome."


    "I don''t think it''s a big problem," Lulu said calmly. "If that person had ill intentions, why would she come bearing gifts? And she left without troubling us."


    "That''s exactly what puzzles me," Lin Da placed the gift box on the bed, mumbling to himself, "Who could it be..."


    Aiko suggested, "Should we... excuse ourselves?"


    To Phoenix Tail Flower, they were outsiders.


    Mainly, Aiko wanted to leave, fearing that the chicken soup incident would be exposed.


    But Lia opposed it stubbornly, saying, "No, we''re also involved in this matter."


    Lin Da: "Why?"


    "I may know the identity of that person," Lia said with piercing eyes, "From the start of the party, she kept coming to chat with me! The feeling she gave me was very familiar, like someone!"

 Chapter 250 221, Aiko was tortured by everyone: Because, I like Lin Da..._3

    "Could it be..."Lin Da raised an eyebrow and said, "You all stay behind, let''s see together what this gift really is."


    "Uh, okay, sure." Aiko''s smile was somewhat forced.


    The four of them formed a circle.


    Lin Da slowly untied the ribbon bow on top of the gift box.


    Bang!


    A thick cloud of smoke burst out from inside, causing Lin Da and the others to cough profusely.


    "Everyone, be careful, it would be bad if it were poisonous!"


    As Lin Da said this, a stone from within the gift box projected a three-dimensional holographic figure. Sear?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was a pink-haired girl wearing black hollowed-out battle armor, with a spade-shaped tail raised proudly.


    The girl was lazily seated on a stone throne with her legs crossed, her full, fair thighs and bare feet were visible, with her toes painted an enticing red.


    "Be careful of poison... that''s what Lin Da would probably say, right? But unfortunately, there''s no poison, just smoke to scare people!"


    Selin''s annoyingly coy laughter rang out.


    Lin Da and his party were stunned, feeling both annoyed and bemused.


    This kind of personality, that enjoyed playing pranks on others, was indeed very much like Lin Xi.


    "It''s really her!" Lia exclaimed, pointing at the holographic Selin: "The one with glasses was disguised! If I had known, I would have finished her off and defeated her!"


    Lulu snorted, "Level 27, fighting against a Moon Rank?"


    "Um..." Lia wanted to argue, but was left speechless.


    "How could Lin Xi''s little sister have turned out like this?" Aiko asked in surprise, looking at Lin Da, "Did you know about this already?"


    "Yes. But that Miss Lin was Lin Xi, I only just found out too."


    This visit from his sister had left Lin Da both angry and somewhat happy. Angry that his sister was disrespecting her elder brother, but happy that she had not completely fallen from grace.


    If she had already succumbed to the Demon King, a Moon Rank coming to the promotion party would definitely have slaughtered the adventurers en masse.


    But she didn''t do that.


    The holographic Selin lazily propped her chin with her hand, issuing a command like an arrogant queen to her subjects:


    "Lin Da, Lia, and the other members of Snow Goose, if you surrender, I can ensure you won''t be destroyed by His Majesty the Demon King. I advise you to think it over before you reach the 20th floor, whether to become corpses or pledge allegiance to His Majesty the Demon King... hehehehe."


    As Selin''s proud laughter faded, the hologram disappeared.


    Lia said blankly, "Lin Xi has gone bad."


    "Yes," Lin Da sighed, "I must defeat her and bring her back to her old self."


    "Don''t worry, this miss will help you," Lia said confidently.


    "Thank you very much for that."


    Lin Da did not refuse. If Snow Goose could reach the 20th floor, their strength would be of great help to him.


    "I''ll be leaving first, you guys take your time to chat." Aiko tried to sneak away quietly.


    "Wait a minute."


    As Aiko was about to get away, a hand was placed on her shoulder.


    "What, what''s up? There should be nothing to do with me now, right?"


    Aiko''s forehead broke out in a sweat, running down like a small waterfall.


    "I mean no offense, I just wanted to ask..." Lin Da stared intently at Aiko, "why did you ''poison'' the chicken soup?"


    "No, there''s no such thing," Aiko said in panic, "it could have been someone from the Specter Adventure Group framing you."


    "Impossible," Lin Da shook his head, "Considering the speed at which the Chunyang Flower took effect... If it had been someone from Specters who poisoned me, I would have shown symptoms at the party. Since then, there''s only been one thing I''ve eaten."


    "That is, the chicken soup you cooked."


    "Aiko, there''s no point in denying it. All we need to do is check your lunch box, and the truth will be revealed."


    Lin Da said calmly.


    "What? You poisoned Lin Da? Why would you do such a thing?" Lia looked at Aiko in shock.


    Lulu also wore an unfriendly expression; her beast claw flicked out in a flash. If it hadn''t been for Lin Da holding her back, letting Aiko have the chance to explain, that claw would have been scratching at Aiko''s face.


    "Wuuu, don''t look at me with those eyes. I''m not your enemy," Aiko said again, launching into her fake crying skills, wiping away tears.


    Lin Da was not softened, "If you can''t provide a reasonable explanation, Aiko, even you will not be forgiven. What if Lulu hadn''t come? What if, in Monica''s room, I had not been able to hold on to that last shred of sanity..."


    He didn''t finish the rest.


    Enjoy new adventures from empire


    But everyone knew what the consequences would be.


    Monica, Lia, Aiko, all three of them, would be torn apart by Lin Da!


    Aiko reaping what she sowed was one thing.


    But the other two were victims.


    Although Lulu had helped Lin Da through tough times, this did not mean that Aiko''s wrongdoing could be excused.


    Lin Da needed Aiko to give a convincing reason.


    "I believe in Aiko," Lia said, exceptionally taking Aiko''s side and speaking out for her, "Although she''s not always great, I know she''s not a bad person. Aiko, quickly tell Lin Da the real reason you did this!"


    Faced with Lia''s trusting gaze, Aiko felt a wave of shame.


    This powder keg... was really too naive!


    Aiko had always treated Lia as a simple stepping stone


    But unexpectedly, Lia trusted her so much.


    Aiko felt a bit moved.


    But how could she explain to Lin Da?


    She had wanted to use the chicken soup to defeat Lin Da and make him her captive.


    This ''real reason'' definitely could not be revealed.


    If she spoke the truth, Lin Da, Lulu, and Lia would not let her go.


    So, she had to resort to a ''lie.''


    A lie that was most logical and would certainly not be seen through.


    Supporting herself at her chest, Aiko put on the expression of someone on the verge of tears; two drops of tears fell from her eyes as she said with a whimper:


    "Lin Da, don''t you understand why I did this?"


    Lin Da shook his head, "I wouldn''t be asking you if I understood."


    "Do I have to say it out loud?"


    "Yes. Otherwise, I will not forgive you."


    Hearing Lin Da''s almost heartless words, Aiko''s face grew even paler.


    She clenched her fists, the nails painfully digging into her palms.


    Facing Lin Da''s perplexed gaze, Aiko''s mouth felt dry, her throat as if blocked by a foreign object.


    Normally glib with lies, she was, at this moment, somewhat disconcerted.


    Aiko took a deep breath and slowly said:


    "Because..."


    "I like you."

 Chapter 251 222, Lin Das response to Aiko, the power behind Lulu

    Aiko''s voice was very soft.But to everyone''s ears, it sounded like a thunderbolt from the blue.


    The room fell into silence, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.


    Lin Da and the others were all stunned.


    It seemed impossible.


    After all, Aiko had proclaimed many times in public that she only saw Lin Da as a close friend.


    Lia had also asked Aiko what she thought of Lin Da, and Aiko had replied that it was a relationship between ordinary old teammates.


    "What, what are you talking about!" Lia was dumbfounded, "You must be lying, right? If you liked Lin Da, why didn''t you say a word when I kicked him?"


    Lulu''s face was full of vigilance, and she grabbed Lin Da''s hand as a warning.


    Lin Da... was the most shocked.


    He hadn''t felt that Aiko''s attitude towards him was anything special; they hadn''t even touched hands in three years.


    Every man has a special ability: to sense whether or not girls like them. When the thought "does she like me?" occurs, nine out of ten times it''s accurate.


    But up till now, aside from his own teammates, Lin Da had never had such an intuition from anyone else.


    Especially Aiko, least of all!


    "It''s true, I didn''t lie to you!"


    Aiko''s face turned as red as a monkey''s butt.


    On one hand, she felt the shame of being executed in public, and on the other, Aiko worried that her ''lie'' would be exposed and she felt compelled to embellish details of this emotion to make Lin Da and the others believe her.


    "I didn''t realize it until Lin Da left the team, but it was precisely because he left that I understood!"


    Aiko reasoned, "You see, my cooking skills, they were all practiced for Lin Da!"


    "Adding Chunyang Flower pollen to the chicken soup, I just hoped to take my relationship with Lin Da a step further. You all blaming me, waaaah, it''s so heartbreaking!"


    Aiko bowed her head again to fake cry. But for some reason, the teardrops in her eyes began to flow down without her needing to think about sad things.


    Lia was the first to believe her, hesitantly saying, "You... you... this isn''t right, you''re a member of Snow Goose, and as the team leader, I forbid you from dating."


    You''re overstepping your bounds, aren''t you!?


    In her heart, Aiko bitterly cursed Lia as a ''love loser,'' someone who failed in love yet wished to drag others down with her.


    Lulu said, "I object."


    Aiko: ? Sear?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Who asked you?


    So what if you have a tail and more ways to play? What can you really do?


    Lulu''s face turned icy, "Lin Da has no interest in dealing with women; his energy will be devoted to adventuring."


    That''s nonsense.


    Aiko was indignant in her heart, looking at her own big white thigh-highs, thinking they''d have Lin Da all confused with desire; how could anyone be indifferent to the opposite sex and focus solely on adventuring?


    Lin Da''s Holy Sword spoke of someone definitely interested in the opposite sex! Once he became her slave, he might well beg six or seven times a night and not let his master sleep.


    But Lin Da''s voice shattered Aiko''s fantasy.


    "Lulu is right."


    Lin Da slowly said, "With the Demon King about to break the Seal, and my own sister has turned into a lackey for the Demons, with such a formidable enemy at hand, I can''t afford to focus on other matters."


    "Aiko, I know you''re a good person, and I hope you will concentrate on the right things in the future and earnestly assist Snow Goose."


    After listening, Aiko felt a sudden pang in her heart: What did he mean, her ''confession'' just got rejected by Lin Da?


    Although it was a fake ''confession,'' Lin Da''s response to her was real.


    That is to say, even if Aiko had confessed her feelings honestly, she would still have been rejected by Lin Da!


    The cheek of Lin Da to actually reject her!


    Aiko''s face went pale as snow.


    As a genius Mage, she had never experienced such a painful defeat in her life.


    She said resentfully, "Fine, I understand your mind is on adventuring right now. But what about after the adventuring is over? Once you''ve dealt with the Demon King and Lin Xi, you''ll have to find your own Oath-bound, won''t you?"


    Lin Da thought for a moment, then nodded, "Yes."


    Aiko said, "By then, I can barely qualify as your Oath-bound."


    This left Lia dumbfounded once again.


    Lin Da shook his head, "Oath-bound are usually found within one''s own team, companions who have been through life and death together. There''s no one more trustworthy than them."


    Aiko: ...


    It made her feel like offering to lower her status and join the Phoenix Tail Flower!


    "But I suggest, don''t limit your options to your own team," Lia said, straining to get the words out all at once.


    Lin Da, puzzled: "Why not?" Continue your story on empire


    "Because... there might be better ones outside, more impressive or something..." Lia didn''t even understand what she was babbling.


    Looking at Lia, Lin Da suddenly remembered something, "When I was ''poisoned,'' it seemed like..."


    If Aiko and Lulu hadn''t arrived on the scene, the situation might have ended up with Lia mustering the Snow Goose crew with great pomp, forcing him to take responsibility.


    Lia''s ears turned a bit red as she stubbornly said, "Don''t overthink it, actually, nothing happened."


    Lin Da breathed a sigh of relief, "That''s good then."


    He felt as if he''d avoided some troublesome matter and instantly relaxed.


    Seeing Lin Da''s reaction, Lia inexplicably became angry.


    It was like dealing with a sticky piece of gum on her shoe, something to be wary of stepping on.


    No one asked if Aiko was hurt, even Lia, who stood by Aiko''s side, felt that it was a bed of Aiko''s own making.


    To everyone else, Lin Da was just a regular teammate, yet she actually thought to use such deceitful methods to gain Lin Da''s favor.


    How was that any different from the despicable Elves in the tavern who targeted patrons'' money?


    Lia crossed her arms and put on her captain''s airs: "Aiko, you''d better apologize. If this gets reported to the Law Enforcement Bureau, you could be locked up for several months, which would delay Snow Goose''s strategy progress."

 Chapter 252 222, Lin Das response to Aiko, the power behind Lulu_2

    This remark was very astute, pushing Lia''s intelligence to its limit. Lia seemed to be threatening Aiko, but in fact, she was conversing with Lin Da: "Don''t let the Law Enforcement Bureau take Aiko away, Snow Goose still needs to conquer the World Tree."Upon knowing Aiko''s reasoning, Lin Da couldn''t help but laugh and cry at the same time.


    The blonde, beautiful young mage seemed pitiful as she rubbed her tears, appearing delicate and remorseful for her mistakes.


    "Considering the old team''s sake, we can let bygones be bygones today, but Aiko, I hope you will be honest from now on. Don''t think about these improper methods, and earnestly support Snow Goose, fulfilling your responsibilities as an adventurer," Lin Da said sternly.


    Aiko hung her head and weakly hummed in acknowledgment.


    The chicken soup plan had completely failed.


    She, who should have been winning and rising to the top, had hit rock bottom, becoming the most defeated among them!


    Even Lia had made progress, and Klrona had been forgiven by Lin Da, but her likability not only had not increased, but it had also decreased.


    How could Aiko willingly accept defeat?


    Since Lin Da asked her to earnestly pursue her adventurer duties, she decided to do exactly the opposite, beginning to plan her next strategy to capture Lin Da''s heart.


    Using the crafty tricks she learned from risqu�� comics, she could gauge from the stance of Lin Da''s Holy Sword whether it was genuine, and obviously, the answer was ''yes''!


    This meant, Lulu was only a small step ahead; the gap wasn''t insurmountable.


    Aiko secretly resolved that next time, she would definitely overtake on a curve, trampling both Lulu and Lia beneath her feet!


    ...


    After Snow Goose left, only Lin Da and Lulu remained in the room.


    "Everyone else has almost left, right? Need to clean up..."


    Before he could finish, Lin Da was about to step forward when his wrist was grabbed.


    Surprised, he turned his head, only to meet a light blue-haired girl standing on tiptoe...


    Something soft blocked Lin Da''s mouth.


    Lin Da: "!!!"


    Lulu looked nervous, her hands tightly grasping Lin Da''s back.


    After a while, they separated, taking deep breaths.


    "Before this adventure is over, you can''t let either of them become your Oath-bound," Lulu stared intently at Lin Da.


    Lin Da was even more confused, "Isn''t that expected?"


    Lulu''s expression relaxed a bit.


    "Then that''s good."


    She walked to the room''s door, "Should we start cleaning up the third floor now?"


    For some reason, Lin Da felt Lulu''s mood had improved again.


    Even with temporary servants hired to help, Lin Da and the others cleaned until the evening before they managed to clear the first and third floors.


    For dinner, they reheated some leftovers to fill their stomachs.


    The Phoenix Tail Flower Team of four headed to the trophy room �� inside, gifts piled up like a small mountain. S��ar?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da and the team hadn''t yet counted how many gifts they received or their total value in gold coins.


    Currently, not all members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team were equipped with level 20 gear, some mixed with level 10 and other outdated equipment.


    Lin Da''s goal of fully equipping them with Orange Equipment was still far off.


    He planned to sell the gifts for gold coins to arm the Phoenix Tail Flower Team as soon as possible.


    As everyone knows, each adventurer has six equipment slots.


    They are:


    Head.


    Chest.


    Legs.


    Main Weapon.


    Jewelry X2.


    Lin Da''s chest plate, boots, and main weapon had not reached level 20. Stay connected through empire


    Monica and Kafni were in a similar situation, only half of their gear was level 20.


    And there was Lulu, a level 28 Frost Wolf Warrior.


    "Is this all of your equipment?"


    Lin Da looked at the neatly arranged warm clothes on the table.


    Looking at Lulu, who wore a wide black robe concealing her delicate body, he couldn''t help but think that just seconds ago, all these were on Lulu''s body.


    No wonder they smelled so good.


    As Kafni, just awakened from her drunken stupor, swam in the pile of gifts, her eyes gleamed, "Hehehe, good, very good, so we''ve received so many nice things, I''m going to buy a personal carriage."


    After days of interaction, Lin Da recognized Kafni''s true nature: a money-loving and lazy Scrap God.


    He first checked Lulu''s equipment:


    Main Weapon at level 25, Orange Equipment.


    Head, chest plate, boots at level 23, purple.


    Two pieces of jewelry at level 25, one purple, one orange.


    Lin Da let out a "huh," impressed by Lulu''s quite decent equipment.


    "Saved from before," Lulu said somewhat awkwardly, "Can I put them on now?"


    "Oh, of course."


    Lin Da returned the equipment to Lulu.


    It''s worth mentioning that as long as equipment is connected to the user''s magic circuit, it can exert power. It doesn''t need to be more than ten meters away from the user.


    Some awkward-looking equipment, once connected to the magic circuit, can be placed in a space ring and still be effective.


    This is how Lin Da usually did things.


    He and Lulu also joined in the phase of assessing the gifts.


    They each brought a small stool, opened gifts, and chatted casually.


    Lin Da asked, "Can you tell me now about the mission you''ve come to White Dove City for?"


    The trust level system showed 84 points. After Lulu helped him clean the pollution, and he, in turn, purified Lulu, it rose from 82 to 84.


    As trust increased, it became more challenging to raise it further.


    But 84 points was not low, equivalent to close friends.


    Lin Da thought, with the current trust level, perhaps Lulu might open up to him.


    When she heard his question, Lulu trembled, her hands pausing on the gift box, her face revealing her inner conflict.


    "Can''t you even tell me?" Lin Da gently said.


    Lulu, feeling provoked, shivered.


    Too cunning, she thought. If she didn''t confide in Lin Da, wouldn''t she imply that he wasn''t trustworthy?


    She knew Lin Da was concerned about her, and this prevented her from getting upset.

 Chapter 253 222, Lin Das response to Aiko, the power behind Lulu_3

    "I can''t disclose the specifics due to the contract, but I can tell you about the power behind me,"Lulu narrowed her eyes, "who sent me to this city, and their purpose."


    "Can we listen too?" Kafni asked, pulling Monica close and pointing to her own nose.


    Lulu looked at Lin Da.


    Lin Da nodded, "There are no strangers here, go ahead."


    Only then did Lulu speak, "You should still remember the Duke of Cold Moon."


    It was a name well-known to players from the game''s storyline.


    "Cold Moon Fire, one of the four guardian flames of the Southern Fire Empire."


    "The head of the Cold Moon Clan in each generation is called the Duke of Cold Moon, and he is one of the top adventurers on the continent today."


    Enjoy exclusive content from empire


    Lin Da, recalling the game''s storyline, said, "The Cold Moon Clan is also the biggest sponsor of the Primitive Adventure Team."


    Every top adventure team stationed at the Royal Capital is favored by one of the four great clans.


    As a player, after making a name for themselves in the Royal Capital, they would encounter the choice: pledge allegiance to one of the clans.


    Lin Da''s choice was the Cold Moon Clan.


    What''s special about Cold Moon is that it encourages PK (Player Killing).


    Defeat the adventure team specified in Cold Moon''s power tasks, and a player can get a lot of money.


    Lin Da chose the Cold Moon Clan precisely for this reason.


    Kafni and Monica both sensed that Lulu was about to reveal some important information and pricked up their ears.


    "After you disappeared, there was a drastic change within the Cold Moon Clan."


    "These things I only learned after I became a witch, was saved by the Cold Moon Clan, and signed a loyalty contract. On the surface, the Cold Moon Clan is still one of the Empire''s four guardian flames."


    Lulu''s words were startling, "The Duke of Cold Moon has defected and has ties to the Demons."


    "What!"


    Lin Da''s face changed.


    The four great clans were the Empire''s strongest pillars; the defection of one was unthinkable!


    Such an event never happened in the game''s storyline.


    "I guess, the reason for the Duke of Cold Moon''s betrayal is because of you," Lulu said, staring at Lin Da with a serious expression.


    "Me?"


    "Yes."


    Lulu nodded. Her hands resumed the action of unwrapping the gift box as she thoughtfully spoke.


    "Although the members of the Primitive Adventure Team weren''t very high level when they were in the Royal Capital, their potential was recognized by the Duke of Cold Moon, who believed they had the most potential to reach the top."


    "With the Primitive Adventure Team around, even if the Demon King resurrected, he would be sealed again��the Duke of Cold Moon was convinced of this."


    "But because he trusted the Primitive Adventure Team too much, after the leader, Dark Shadow, disappeared, the Duke of Cold Moon was completely disappointed. Vice-captain Tina and the rest disbanded; some joined other adventure groups, some started new teams... the Duke of Cold Moon thought none of them had potential."


    "Rather than waiting for the Demon King''s resurgence and face destruction, it''s better to defect to the enemy and ensure the family''s safety."


    Lulu sighed softly, "The mission that brought me to White Dove City was to find someone for the Duke of Cold Moon. I can''t tell you who it is specifically, as it involves the contents of the contract. Once I find that person, my contract with the Cold Moon Clan will be finished."


    Lin Da rubbed his chin, "If you tell me who you''re looking for, then I could help you."


    "I already have some leads, I''ll definitely find them,"


    Lulu shook her head, "Lin Da, you need to focus on yourself. If Tina, the Duke of Cold Moon, or others discover your existence, you will be in danger."


    Tina was a mature and strong team member, usually seemingly nice to people. However, sometimes she would act crazily, and no one knew what she might do upon catching Lin Da.


    And now that the Duke of Cold Moon had defected, if he caught Lin Da, he would certainly offer Lin Da to the Demons.


    Fortunately, Dark Shadow had always worn a mask, so no one knew what Lin Da''s face looked like underneath.


    Lin Da pondered for a moment.


    With the current situation, there wasn''t a good way to deal with either the Duke of Cold Moon or Tina.


    If anything had to be said, the only option was to increase his own level.


    "First, aim to become an Iron-level Adventure Team,"


    Lin Da thought to himself.


    The immediate concern was to obtain an Epic Weapon to increase the team''s overall damage and meet the criteria for the ninth floor''s ''Ten Second Quick Kill'' hidden demon.


    Looking over the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, the one with the weakest main weapon was Lin Da.


    Monica and Kafni had level 20 purple Crab General series weapons, and Lulu had bought herself an orange weapon at level 25.


    Only Lin Da, at level 23, was still using the level 15 Azure Sword.


    ''Increase damage done to aquatic demons'' was a good trait, but was limited only to aquatic demons.


    Against other creatures, it was just an orange weapon with higher attributes.


    If they can''t find an Epic Weapon he can use in the Great Mystery Continent''s Goblin Nest on the fifth floor, they''ll have to consider buying an orange weapon at the shop.


    Let''s hope that the ''Blessing of the World Tree Goddess'' skill can make him an ''Euro lord'' for once.


    Thinking too much about luck is useless; Lin Da rolled up his sleeves, speeding up the pace of unwrapping gift boxes.


    An hour passed, and they tallied the total value of the gifts.


    Today, a total of 31 Rock-level Squads came, and the gifts together were worth... around 900,000 Gold Coins!


    This number made Lin Da suck in a breath of cold air.


    When he was Snow Goose, the gifts for his promotion party amounted to only 30,000 Gold Coins total.


    The reason for receiving so many valuable gifts... Lin Da thought, was probably due to the strategies for the 6th, 7th, and 8th floors.


    The Ultimate Skills of the three members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team impressed many other adventurers.


    They upgraded the quality of the gifts they originally intended to give.


    Secondly, there were four gifts especially precious, which increased the total value significantly.


    Top of the list was a level 30 orange Demon Core from his sister.


    Valued at 300,000 Gold Coins.


    The White Dove Adventure Group gave him an ''Inspiring Forest Wreath'' with really nice attributes; among the helmets of the same level, it stood out and was valued at 300,000.


    Then there were wristwatches from the ''Great Sea Clear Sky'' brand given by Lia and Isa.


    One was azure blue, the other deep blue.


    Together they add up to around 150,000.


    That makes 750,000.


    The gifts from others amounted to about 150,000. S~ea??h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 254 223, Preparations for the Attack, Lin Das Plan of One Guard Five

    Lin Da connected the "Invigorating Forest Wreath" to the magic circuit and then placed it in the space ring. He kept the wristwatch, and sold the rest to a merchant in exchange for equipment.Apart from the income from gifts, a substantial amount of the Phoenix Tail Flower''s spoils of war were also sold.


    Klrona bought the Wolf Fang Club from the Goblin Chieftain.


    Out of respect for an old teammate, Lin Da gave a 10% discount, only charging Klrona 180,000 gold.


    He sold the orange long spear to Minnie for 200,000 gold.


    Gale bought the levels 1-19 Mental Series Demon Core for his collection for 50,000 gold.


    Equipment dropped by hidden magical creatures on the 678th floor was also sold, bringing in 190,000 gold.


    With the gifts and spoils added to Lin Da''s savings card balance, he currently had a total disposable "cash" amount of: 1,520,000!


    This substantial amount of cash was something many Rock-level Squads did not possess.


    The next morning, Lin Da took his teammates to sell the gifts and exchange them for gold coins, which they spent at the merchant''s.


    Lin Da kept 500,000 gold in reserve and purchased two level 20 orange gear pieces and seven purple gears, arming his teammates.


    The entire Phoenix Tail Flower Team''s combat strength had once again increased!


    Back at the villa on the third floor, in the war room.


    Lin Da held a long stick, pointing at a white board depicting a Goblin in a red cloak, his voice firm and resolute:


    "The one with the blonde hair, don''t fall asleep! Look at the whiteboard!"


    "This is our next target, the Goblin Prince!"


    "There are three days left until the Great Mystery Continent opens, and we need to expedite our training to adapt to the various skills of the Goblin Prince."


    "But before that... as a captain, I need to check your physical stats!"


    Hearing this, Monica''s face immediately turned red, somewhat flustered, "Eh, eh, eh?"


    Lulu was the first to stand up and said, "My strength is about 3600, and the thickness of my Life Barrier is 5000."


    "Very good, sit down."


    A touch of surprise flashed in Lin Da''s eyes.


    Lulu''s output capability was higher than he had expected.


    Lulu''s strength reached 3600, while he only had 2515.


    Although there were differences in professional roles, the biggest gap came from the main weapon.


    If Lin Da could switch to a level 23 epic main weapon, his dual attack could potentially increase by 1000.


    Lin Da had no intentions of competing with Lulu; he was accustomed to using his own abilities as a baseline to assess the output capability of his teammates.


    Next, it was Monica''s turn to report her numbers.


    "So it''s just this."


    Monica sighed in relief.


    She thought Lin Da was going to check her development.


    Monica often felt self-conscious about her physique, attracting strange glances wherever she went, as if she were a freak.


    Only Lin Da didn''t look at her that way, treating her like a normal girl.


    Monica raised her hand and said, "My magic power is about 2900, and the Life Barrier is 3000."


    Kafni reported, "Strength 2000, Life Barrier 4000."


    2000...


    Lin Da felt a headache coming on.


    He rubbed his brow, considering the impracticality of expecting Kafni to output damage against the Goblin Prince.


    But considering Kafni''s "Super Theft" and "Magical Creature Aura Perception," along with the Phoenix Tail Flower''s strongest card "A Trace of Divine Power," even if Kafni had no output, Lin Da still needed to include her.


    Lin Da''s current attributes were:


    Level: 23


    Profession: Chosen Recovery Warrior


    Hit Points: 9700 (6900+2800)


    Magic Power: 2615 (705+1910)


    Strength: 2615 Experience new stories on empire


    Defense: 319 (299+40)


    Magic Defense: 447 (367+80)


    Agility: 380 (300+80)


    Extra Bonus: Skill cast speed +10%


    Resistance: Poison Resistance 30%


    Experience Points: 50000/150000


    Skill Points remaining: 5 regular, 1 gold


    Mystical Points: 124867


    ... Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After equipping the orange helmet gifted by the White Dove Adventure Group, Lin Da''s hit points reached an impressive 9700.


    This meant his Verdant Shield''s thickness could go up to 4365 points, higher than a whole tube of Monica''s blood.


    Yet, even with such strength, Monica''s fragile defenses could not handle direct attacks from epic magical creatures.


    As the level of magical creatures increased, so did their damage. Even the strongest adventure group could have their boat capsized in a gutter.


    Fortunately, Lin Da had an ultimate skill "Guardian Sword."


    While causing a small range of output, it also applied "Guardian Shield" to a maximum of three people around him, the thickness being 50% of the maximum hit points, amounting to 4850.


    The Guardian Shield''s stack on the Verdant Shield meant that even if Monica were targeted by an epic magical creature, she could withstand it.


    There wouldn''t be a scenario where the back row was annihilated before everyone else could react.


    Lin Da convened this tactical meeting specifically to gather detailed information from his team members and devise a plan to subdue the Goblin Prince.


    Shh, shh, shh.


    His brush in hand, he scrawled a line of graceful Continental Common Script on the whiteboard, naming the plan: "Defend One, Wipe Out Five: The Magical Creature Assault Strategy."


    The team members looked puzzled.


    They had heard of "Defend Five, Wipe Out One," like Snow Goose was.


    Aside from team leader Lia, everyone else was support.


    But what was this "Defend One, Wipe Out Five"?


    Moreover, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team only had four people in total.


    Under the probing gazes of everyone, Lin Da smiled serenely and tapped the Goblin Prince''s head on the whiteboard with a long stick, saying,


    "This creature''s characteristics are quite clear, high damage and a large amount of hit points, but it only has two phases, and most attacks are targeted at a single individual."


    "As long as one person can hold the Goblin Prince''s attention, everyone else is safe."


    "With my 9700-hit point life barrier, coupled with the Verdant Shield and Guardian Shield... the Goblin Prince will need at least three full attacks to take me down."


    Lin Da shrugged, "But I also have Healing Art, so as long as I can hold the Goblin King''s animosity and keep him attacking me... this subjugation is a sure win."


    "I see," Lulu realized with a flash of enlightenment in her eyes.


    At the same time, she was also somewhat surprised; the old Lin Da used to be very frail, but after his class change, he had transformed into a Blood Ox.


    A life barrier of 9700, almost on par with Star Rank.


    "But can you maintain the enmity?"


    Kafni looked less optimistic, "High-level magical creatures, even those conjured by the World Tree Goddess, possess a certain level of intelligence. If it realizes it can''t hit you hard enough, it will definitely attack someone else, and you don''t have the compulsory ''Taunt'' skill."


    Taunting Skill, a powerful skill that forces magical creatures to attack oneself, is something only tank-class warriors like Chloe possess,


    Chloe, who can match the strength of a Five-star Character in the later stages, has a supremely dominant Taunting Skill dubbed "Small Fry, Small Fry," which can infuriate a magical creature into cerebral hemorrhage, causing it to lose its senses.


    "Yeah," Lin Da replied helplessly with a smile, "The Taunting Skill is exclusive to front-line professions. My toughness is no less than that of a front-liner, but the Taunting Skill is challenging to learn. Therefore, we need to decide this battle quickly, before I lose the enmity and defeat the creature."


    Monica timidly raised her hand, "Captain, I read in a book that the Goblin Prince has a barrier of 400,000 hit points, can we really do it?"


    "Yes, 400,000, Monica is correct."


    Lin Da praised Monica, who had been brave enough to speak up; this made her cheeks flush slightly with pleasure.


    "To deal with this creature in the shortest time possible, we need to hire two temporary members to join us on the fifth level."


    "The Goblin Prince''s nest can accommodate up to six adventurers; any more would trigger its three-phase berserk state, which is counterproductive. Six is the optimal number of people for the subjugation."


    "I already have someone in mind."


    Lin Da said, "The 500,000 Gold we saved when buying equipment is to hire them."


    "Who are they?" Lulu asked cautiously, her wolf ears perking up.


    "You''ll find out tomorrow." Lin Da clapped his hands, "This half-day is your last time to rest, starting tomorrow, we''ll begin the training specific to the Goblin Prince. Anything you need to do, get it done today."


    "Ugh," Kafni pouted, her face lacking enthusiasm, "There''s a new ale at Tyrannosaurus Tavern tomorrow."


    Lin Da, with a half-smirk, stated, "Kafni, others might complain, but you shouldn''t, right?"


    As a deity come to save this world, Kafni thinking of slacking off to drink was utterly preposterous!


    "Fine, fine." Kafni yawned, "I''m not well-rested, need to go back to catch up on some sleep."


    Lin Da: ...


    Monica said, "Captain, Chloe is coming over today, can she take me out for the day?"


    "Of course," Lin Da answered as he took a hundred Gold Coins out of his space ring and handed them to Monica.


    His face showed a trace of reassurance.


    Monica actually had friends and could step out of the villa to have fun.


    "Just make sure not to come back too late," Lin Da said.


    "Yes!"


    The tactical meeting concluded, and Lin Da next went to the Magic Puppet shop to pick up the previously ordered "Goblin Prince Illusion Puppet."


    Enhanced by a magic circle, Lin Da could use a joystick to manipulate a faux Goblin Prince, simulating various skills allowing the team members to quickly familiarize themselves with this creature.


    Compared to the real Goblin Prince, the difference was still significant, but it was sufficient for learning skill mechanisms.


    It transformed armchair strategizing into practical simulation.


    A magic circle carved on a circular carpet, a joystick, and a Goblin Prince ''figure,'' this was all that Lin Da had custom-ordered.


    "One hundred thousand Gold Coins, thank you!"


    The puppeteer, a pretty single pony-tailed elf, packed the items in a handheld gift box and handed it to Lin Da.


    After paying the Gold Coins, Lin Da rode a horse-drawn carriage to his next destination.


    He needed to go hire those two adventurers.


    On the carriage, Lin Da remembered the rigid condition for an ultimate clear on the ninth layer: Slay the hidden magical creature within 10 seconds.


    In games, one could brute-force their way through levels with microtransactions, but in reality, without an epic-grade main weapon, achieving a 10-second kill was difficult.


    ''If only Kafni''s Super Theft could steal the Goblin Prince''s "Sword of Royalty".'' Lin Da chuckled at his own ludicrous thought.


    The Sword of Royalty was an epic-grade main weapon; if it could be stolen, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team could breeze through levels undermining the enemy.


    These luck-dependent strategies were never something Lin Da considered seriously; it was just a fleeting thought.


    As he pondered, the carriage arrived at the first stop of the day.


    Ice Flower Adventure Team''s villa.


    ...


    In a neat and modest bedroom.


    The furnishings were simple, focusing on practicality, belying the fact that the room belonged to a well-known beautiful girl of White Dove City.

 Chapter 255 224, Isa doesnt want to be a mistress!

    Isa sat on the edge of her bed, massaging her temples with a headache.The hangover from last night still hadn''t subsided.


    Her memory was also fuzzy, only vaguely recalling competing in a drinking contest with Lia, and then...


    she''d forgotten everything else.


    Isa''s complexion changed, worried that she might have done something terrible at the party.


    As for the reason she got drunk, it was mostly because she saw Lulu by Lin Da''s side.


    This made Isa, who had very traditional values and couldn''t accept the chaos of multiple partners, feel somewhat disheartened.


    She hadn''t even started, and she''d already lost!


    Isa sighed softly, cradling a cup of hot water and sitting at the desk lost in thought, she reflected on her life��born into an average well-to-do family, her parents were also ordinary adventurers. She grew up normal, was ordinarily outstanding, doing okay in every aspect but never reaching the top. Similarly, she hadn''t had an ordinary relationship, never had her own Oath-bound.


    At 25 years old and level 28, Isa was considered to be of a higher age among adventurers.


    Watching her teammates pair up, showing affection for each other, running off to inns during holidays to frolic... Isa didn''t mention it, but she felt envious.


    Even if she had good relationships with her teammates, it was not the same compared to having an Oath-bound to entrust her life to.


    Isa just wanted an ordinary outstanding male.


    But after looking around, she found that everyone had their own strengths, as well as their own flaws!


    Even those excellent traits didn''t catch her eye.


    Especially now that the Ice Flower was on the 13th floor, breaking through one more would bring them to the Iron Level adventure team.


    Under these circumstances, Isa''s standards inevitably rose again.


    Fortunately, there was one person who always satisfied her.


    When that person left the team, she immediately sent out an invitation.


    Only at that time, that person''s level had reset to zero, which made it difficult for her to be certain of his future.


    Due to realistic considerations, Isa didn''t rush to make a decision.


    From that day to the present, it had been just under two months.


    In two months'' time, by the time Isa came to her senses, she found that that person was about to reach the same level of progress as her.


    Now, it was no longer about whether he could catch her eye, but the other way around!


    But even so, Isa still held considerable confidence.


    She might not have reached the pinnacle in every aspect, but she also lacked any obvious shortcomings.


    Isa was ready to lay her cards on the table at the Phoenix Tail Flower promotion party.


    But what she hadn''t expected was...


    As soon as she entered the yard, she saw Lin Da gripping the hand of a werewolf girl tightly.


    Isa felt like a deflated balloon, suddenly drained of energy.


    Apart from the werewolf girl, by Lin Da''s side were also Kafni, Monica, Aiko, Lia...


    Each one was unique, their looks by no means inferior to her own beauty.


    Isa grew fearful.


    She really didn''t have the courage to join this smog-filled battle.


    Most importantly, her joining would mean becoming the third party, intruding on Lin Da and Lulu''s relationship.


    Put bluntly, she''d be the "mistress"!


    Isa''s principles didn''t allow her to tolerate the existence of something as despicable as a "mistress," and even less to bear the thought of ruining someone else''s relationship.


    Therefore, the drunkenness at the party was Isa''s farewell to a young girl''s love affair that had never begun and had already ended.


    She had to forget about the Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team and avoid any contact with Lin Da.


    But upon waking up...


    Isa''s chest felt unbearably tight, and she couldn''t help but recall Lin Da holding hands with Lulu, followed by various extreme scenarios.


    One part of her was filled with unwillingness sprouting from within her heart, while another part was her rational self-admonition, telling her that staying away from Lin Da was the right thing to do. Drawing closer would be nothing but a moth flirting with flames, only increasing her own pain.


    She, Isa��the captain of the highly esteemed Ice Flower Adventure Team��must not play the role of the mistress.


    "Starting today, forget about Lin Da and focus solely on climbing the World Tree."


    Isa clenched her fists, bit her teeth tightly, and muttered to her reflection in the mirror.


    Knock, knock.


    The sound of knocking came.


    "Fannis? I told you, I''m not in a good mood, don''t bother me today," Isa replied, rubbing her somewhat moist eyes, feeling downcast.


    "Um, Isa...? What''s wrong? Fannis sent me up to check on you."


    The voice from outside was a warm male voice.


    Isa''s eyelids twitched as she jumped to her feet.


    What''s going on?


    Lin Da was at Ice Flower''s villa?!


    Why did Fannis let him come up? Shouldn''t he be waiting for her in the drawing room?


    Isa looked at herself in the mirror in a panic: her silver hair was a bit frizzy, her face weary, yesterday''s makeup had long smudged, and her pajama buttons were misaligned with the third button fastened in the second hole...


    She sniffed herself, and her complexion turned even paler, reeking of alcohol. After coming back last night, she had slept till now without taking a bath!


    Outside, Fannis''s murmurs could be heard egging on, "Lin Da, just go in, Isa has been awake for a while pretending not to hear. If it was someone else, we wouldn''t let him into the captain''s bedroom, you know? You might even see some perks."


    "Isn''t that a bit inappropriate?" Lin Da hesitated: "If Captain Isa''s boyfriend finds out, I''m in big trouble."


    "What are you talking about? As if Isa could have a boyfriend��she dreams of having one every day. Lin Da, if you''re still lacking, we''ll just give Isa to you, hehehe." Experience new tales on empire


    As Isa hurriedly washed her face and changed her clothes in the bathroom, she kept her ears perked up, listening to the conversation outside.


    When she heard Fannis urging Lin Da to come in quickly, she was furious, wishing she could spin Fannis around by her ears like a windmill!


    But when Fannis mentioned giving her, the captain, to Lin Da, Isa oddly calmed down, biting her lip nervously, attentive to the noise outside.


    Indeed, she held no hope of forming an oath-bound relationship with Lin Da and settled for being just friends. But she wanted to know, what did Lin Da think?


    If she received a rejection, Isa could put Lin Da and Phoenix Tail Flower out of her mind and devote all her energy to climbing the World Tree.


    So... reject her. Isa allowed the faucet to run, her hands restlessly gripping the edge of the basin.


    She held her breath, silently praying, Lin Da, you must reject me!


    Only then could she completely forget about Lin Da, letting him become just a passing figure in her adventure.


    The two outside continued to chat casually.


    They had no idea that, just a door away, a silver-haired girl was closing her eyes as if awaiting the judgment of fate.


    If Lin Da had known beforehand, perhaps he would have rejected Fannis''s suggestion.


    But for Lin Da at this moment, it was just polite conversation with Fannis, and Fannis''s comment about giving Isa to him was simply a joke.


    Lin Da couldn''t help but laugh: "To have a girlfriend like Captain Isa would truly be a great fortune in three lifetimes. Everyone would be envious, hehe." sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Right? Our captain is second to none!" Fannis proudly stated.


    ...


    ...


    (ps: The protagonist is not going to be left alone; I guess many people want to see Aiko get taken in during this scene, but doing so hastily feels meaningless; Aiko hasn''t been enlightened yet. The chicken soup incident is a setup, the next time will be the real deal.)

 Chapter 256 225, Lin Da Offers a Reward: Fusion Finishing Skills

    The two chatted idly by the door for about three minutes, but the door in front of them remained closed.Could it be that Isa really hadn''t woken up yet? Fannis blinked suspiciously; she was sure Isa had been awake when she came up earlier.


    Fannis didn''t know that Isa, in the bathroom, had covered her mouth in disbelief and clenched the edge of the basin tighter upon hearing Lin Da''s response.


    That Lin Da had said having her as a girlfriend was a fortune for three lifetimes, something others would envy...


    Isa wiped her eyes and couldn''t help but laugh.


    But it was a laugh provoked by Lin Da!


    After saying that, how could she willingly bow out?


    She still felt there was some hope.


    Like Lin Da, Isa was a steady person who didn''t like gambling on low odds.


    This flicker of hope only made Isa''s hesitation and conflict more painful.


    But now... Isa had abandoned her plans to give up.


    She decided to observe a little longer.


    She hoped Lin Da wouldn''t show any flaws, would stay devoted to Lulu, making her accept their "rightful" relationship.


    As long as Lin Da truly loved Lulu, Isa would never be shameless enough to intrude upon them.


    She would silently depart, carrying the seed of an embryonic love that had never been revealed.


    In a way, Isa was the ultimate pure love warrior.


    She only acknowledged one-on-one relationships.


    She wouldn''t accept one-to-many, nor would she shamelessly be one of the "many."


    Another two minutes passed.


    The door opened.


    "Isa, are you okay?"


    Lin Da looked concerned.


    The silver-haired girl before him looked fatigued, her usually smooth silver hair now somewhat frizzy, sticking out here and there.


    Her blue house dress was very wrinkled, completely at odds with Lin Da''s memories of the poised, elegant Frost Swordsman.


    "I drank too much last night, Captain Lin Da, I made a fool of myself," Isa said reservedly, pressing her lips together and stepping aside to let Lin Da in. "The room is a bit messy, please don''t mind it."


    Lin Da frowned slightly, "Why do you call me Captain Lin Da?"


    "Because... you are the captain of Phoenix Tail Flower," Isa said, her eyes slightly panicky. She intentionally tried to distance herself from Lin Da, hoping to become mere acquaintances.


    Fannis was quick-witted and immediately guessed Isa''s intentions. She stared in surprise, her eyes filled with anger towards her own captain, frustrated at his obtuseness.


    You won''t know if you''ll fail unless you fight for it!


    If Ice Flower could marry into Phoenix Tail, everyone could freeload off Lin Da''s strategy!


    With her outstanding command and Lin Da''s strategies, not just the Steel Level Adventure Group but even the Sunrise Level seemed possible.


    So Fannis was angry.


    Her captain was usually decisive, but he was incredibly weak in these matters.


    "Ha, I think Lin Da should just call you ''Miss Isa'' then!" Fannis said sarcastically.


    "Uh..." Isa felt uncomfortable.


    Experience tales at empire


    "Just call me Lin Da like before," Lin Da smiled. "Remember how harshly you criticized me when I called you Miss Isa before."


    "Well, okay then," Isa nodded, feeling somewhat defeated. She should have set clear boundaries with Lin Da right there, but she couldn''t harden her heart to take that step.


    The three entered the room and sat at the round table.


    "Lin Da, what brings you to me?" Isa picked up a cup from the table, took a sip of red tea, and masked her nervousness.


    "Here''s the thing, I want to hire you. The price, 200,000 Gold Coins, plus a guaranteed Level 20 Orange Equipment."


    Lin Da said directly.


    "Hire?"


    Isa''s expression became serious.


    It was as if she had a switch inside her that perfectly separated personal matters from official business.


    When Lin Da mentioned matters between adventure teams, the usually calm Isa was back.


    "The offer is good, but I need to know the details," Isa said with a hint of confidence in her eyes, "Hiring the Ice Flower Captain isn''t cheap, and depending on your requirements, these conditions might not suffice."


    "I understand."


    Lin Da said solemnly, "But the Orange Equipment I''m offering you is absolutely the best in its category. If an Epic Weapon is discovered, the agreed 200,000 Gold Coins can rise to 400,000."


    "Epic Weapon?"


    Both Isa and Fannis changed their expressions.


    To every adventurer, an Epic Weapon was the ''dream lover''.


    It''s a bit less for support professions, but for damage-dealing professions... no one doesn''t want an Epic Weapon.


    When the quality reaches epic, the attributes of the weapon become extremely terrifying, and some even come with skills.


    If there''s anything that can level the playing field of differences brought by levels and skills, then it surely must be an Epic Weapon.


    Isa felt puzzled, "For an Epic Weapon to appear, it must at least be from a Rare Orange Level epic creature, right? You''re currently on the eighth layer; if it''s the ninth layer, I can''t enter."


    Fannis also nodded, "The Ice Flower Adventure Team has already reached the thirteenth layer."


    "Right, you can''t enter the ninth layer," Lin Da smiled, "but the fifth layer''s Public Grand Secret Realm is accessible repeatedly to all adventurers."


    "You''re saying there''s an Epic Demon Creature on the fifth layer?"


    Isa was even more puzzled, "The Green Plains on the fifth layer have been almost completely scavenged by everyone. How could there possibly be an Epic Demon Creature?"


    "Theoretically, you are correct," Lin Da said. "But I have the ''key'' to unlock a hidden area."


    By relying on the Goblin Ring, at specific times and places, one can travel to the nest of the Goblin Prince.


    "I believe you aren''t lying, but isn''t the number inadequate for fighting an Epic Demon Creature?" Isa pondered, "Your team has four people, and with me, it''s only five. Is that enough output to defeat an Epic Demon Creature?"


    "I''m about to invite the sixth person," Lin Da said, rubbing his chin, "If you think the reward isn''t enough, I can give you a skill."


    "Skill?"


    "Have you ever heard of Fusion Finishing Skills?"


    Isa and Fannis looked at each other.


    Fusion Finishing Skills were something that appeared only in books.


    Not only do these skills have specific requirements, but they also depend on the compatibility of the two people involved. If the compatibility is not right, even if the skills meet the criteria, they cannot merge.


    Lin Da confidently stated, "Apart from the Gold Coins and equipment as your reward, I can assure you, you will learn a Fusion Finishing Skill. With this, I should be able to enlist you as the Ice Flower Captain, right?"


    "I..." Isa was about to agree because the value of a Fusion Finishing Skill was extremely high, effectively enhancing the combat power of the adventure team. S��arch* The n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Compared to that, Gold Coins and equipment were just extras.


    But Fannis stopped her �C this resourceful lady from Ice Flower, her eyes gleaming cunningly:


    "Lin Da, it''s not that I don''t trust you, but how can you be so sure Isa can learn a Fusion Finishing Skill? What kind of ''fusion'' is it? If it''s one of those rare ones, like a fusion of Ice and Dark, we don''t want it. In White Dove City, only the people from the Ghosts have Dark Series."

 Chapter 257 226, the fourth Four-Star Character: [Black Scissors] Mingli

    "Don''t worry, it''s a common ice and fire fusion," Lin Da said with a mysterious smile. "If she doesn''t learn it in three days, I''ll ''return'' your team leader and pay you three hundred thousand Gold Coins as compensation."Fannis was stunned for a moment. "You''re not just finding a roundabout way to give Ice Flower money, are you?"


    "I''m not that generous," Lin Da said calmly, sipping his red tea.


    Seeing his confidence, Fannis agreed as well.


    "Leave the resource gathering in the fifth layer of the Great Mystery Continent to me and the other members, you just follow Lin Da and go hunt Epic Demon Creatures!"


    Fannis, looking every bit the big boss, slapped Isa on the back with a face full of generosity and said to Lin Da, "You''d better take good care of our Ice Flower''s treasure. The way you take her must be the way you bring her back. Don''t let her lose her virtue."


    Isa''s face turned red in an instant: "Fannis, are you asking for a beating?"


    Lin Da was speechless: "Who would dare to do such a thing to a level 28 Frost Swordsman?"


    In a cheerful atmosphere, Lin Da settled things with Ice Flower.


    He got on a carriage and headed to another villa.


    To hire the other person for Isa''s ''ice and fire fusion.''


    The reason Lin Da was sure he could teach Isa Fusion Finishing Skills in three days was due to a game plot.


    In the 1.1 version map of White Dove City, there was a side quest called [Ice and Fire Combined].


    The players, Isa, and another Fire Series adventure team leader, by coincidence, joined forces to hunt a formidable Magical Creature.


    At the critical moment, Isa and the other used their Ultimate Skills at the same time, triggering a fusion that dealt a key blow with overwhelming power.


    White Dove City was in version 1.1 at the time, and Lin Da had just completed this side quest.


    ...


    ...


    Thousands of miles north of White Dove City lies a place named Black Mamba City.


    The World Tree there twisted like the coils of a black mamba snake, and the city drew its name from this.


    On a riverside in the wilderness, a girl with dark green curly hair wearing a black dress was hunting the Red Armored Crab King.


    The girl wielded a weapon peculiarly large, almost like oversized scissors.


    "Cut off, cut off..."


    The girl''s face was gloomy, and she muttered incomprehensible phrases repetitively.


    Her teeth were jagged like a shark''s, dripping with thick saliva, and her emerald eyes bounced around in their sockets like rubber balls.


    She would sometimes talk to herself, sometimes let out inexplicable laughter; she seemed mentally unstable.


    The Red Armored Crab King in front of her, even larger than the one Luanwei hunted, was also at an astonishing level 30.


    However, in the hands of the girl with dark green curly hair, the Red Armored Crab King was as weak as an ant.


    Black wings of Magic Power sprouted from the girl''s back, and with a whoosh, she soared into the sky, diving back and forth. Amidst the flashing cold light, the Red Armored Crab King let out pained cries as its huge body fell apart like collapsing building blocks, its legs all severed.


    Just a few seconds passed, and it turned into an extra-large plate of seafood sashimi!


    "Heh, hehe...cut off, it''s cut off." The girl danced with joy and stammered, "Under, underestimate me, all get, get cut off..."


    Despite her words, not a single adventurer in Black Mamba City dared to underestimate the girl, for on her chest hung a badge with a black sun.


    The badge was made of gold, signifying that the girl was part of a Sun Adventure Group.


    "Mingli, so you were here. Look what I''ve found for you?"


    A carriage approached from a distance, its lively voice carried over.


    A brown-haired girl hopped off the carriage and handed over a newspaper.


    It was the Adventurer''s Weekly from Cangqing Province, listing cities with active, promising adventurers.


    An obscure little city, White Dove City, appeared in a corner of the newspaper.


    Although just a corner��White Dove City hadn''t made it onto the paper in years.


    The last time was when [Mind''s Eye] Abner hunted an Earth Dragon.


    Abner was rated by the Adventurer''s Weekly as one of the most outstanding adventurers of White Dove City, with the potential to be stationed in the provincial capital and become one of the few adventure teams that stands out from a small place.


    Compared to White Dove City, which would only make it to the paper every few years, Black Mamba City appeared every year.


    The brown-haired girl, named Liqi, excitedly patted the newspaper in her hand, "Mingli, look, another one named Lin Da, Lin Da, the Eye of True Knowledge from White Dove City! I wonder if it''s the person you''re looking for."


    "Lin, Lin Lin Lin Da?"


    The girl known as Mingli, upon hearing the name, had an immediate change in her expression.


    The ecstatic expression on Mingli''s face after successfully hunting the Red Armored Crab King disappeared without a trace.


    Her long dark green hair coiled like snakes, making a ''sasa'' sound, swinging in the wind, resembling venomous snakes flicking their tongues, ready to pounce on their prey at any moment.


    "I hate, hate hate hate hate, those who look down on, on me, call me useless, kick me out, Lin Da...cannot, cannot, cannot forgive!"


    Mingli''s face twisted as she stuck out her long tongue, swishing the gigantic scissors in her hand, thinking to herself: That Lin Da, not only did he kick her out of the team with a foot, he also betrayed his promise to her.


    "That, the scum, the scumbag that promised to take care of me, I will, surely, surely cut off his magic sword!"


    "Ha, hahahaha! Hee hee hee hee hee!"


    Mingli waved the giant scissors in the sky, her throat emitting a sharp and eerie laugh that sent shivers down anyone''s spine just by hearing it.


    Seeing this, Liqi sighed.


    She hoped that this time Mingli would find the real Lin Da.


    The previous impostors had all been cut down by Mingli with those scissors, losing their ability to have children.


    Liqi didn''t know exactly what had happened between Mingli and that ''Lin Da'', only vaguely guessing that Mingli seemed to have been betrayed and had turned from a gentle and shy beauty into someone completely unhinged.


    ''What exactly did that Lin Da do to Mingli? He didn''t push her down, did he?''


    The flames of gossip in Liqi''s heart blazed fiercely.


    Just the thought of the dark and twisted Mingli having once been shy in someone''s arms made Liqi''s heart race with excitement.


    In Black Mamba City, Mingli was like a huge, unstable magic guided bomb, someone whose mere presence on the streets frightened everyone. Girls might be spared somewhat, but men had it rough, often getting beaten up by Mingli for no reason at all.


    All of this was related to that ''Lin Da''. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Suddenly, magic wings sprouted from Mingli''s back and she took to the air: "Liqi, you, you, you, tell the team leader that I, I will be away for a few days!"


    "White Dove City is quite far. Don''t rush and use up all your magic power, okay?"


    Liqi cautioned.


    Mingli didn''t reply, her black magic wings flapping as she flew toward White Dove City.


    At this speed, she would likely arrive in about three days.


    ...


    The next morning.


    A luxurious hotel in White Dove City.


    "General, stop being petulant, you haven''t lost yet. It''s just that those three got there before you," Lady Bai Mian said with a headache, looking towards the pink-haired girl rolling on the large bed. Ever since she returned from the Phoenix Tail Flower villa, General Xilin had been in a petulant mood, shouting things like ''I''ve been cuckolded, my head is so heavy, I might as well have three World Trees growing out of it'' and such.


    "I can accept one person, but they were throwing a silver party! You know what a silver party is, right!" Xilin pouted pitifully, "He also said he wouldn''t forget about me, but right after saying that, he went downstairs to join the silver party! Won''t you be angry?!"


    "General, don''t forget that you are one of the Twelve Belongings, capable of eternal life. In a hundred or two hundred years, when they are all dead of old age, you will still be forever young," Lady Bai Mian said respectfully.


    "Is that so?" Xilin perked up immediately, the tantrum from before seeming utterly feigned. Her moods swung quickly from bad to good.


    "General, should we leave White Dove City now?" Upon seeing Xilin''s recovery, Lady Bai Mian breathed a sigh of relief and quickly suggested they leave.


    They had exposed their identities, and if Lin Da reported this matter and they were confronted by a powerful adventurer, things could get messy.


    "I know what you''re afraid of, but don''t worry," Xilin said with a smile. "Even if Lin Da wanted to defeat me, he would definitely come in person."


    "As a general, I have reasons I must remain in White Dove City."


    Xilin''s eyes glittered, "The world of adventurers is very dirty. Now that Lin Da has appeared in Adventurer''s Weekly, I wonder if the two ''good brothers'' from Red Heart City and South Rock City will feel upset and want to get rid of the rising star of White Dove City?"


    "Although adventurers are more united than ever under the shadow of His Majesty the Demon King''s imminent resurgence, people are filthy at heart. What if a high-rank adventurer turns against Lin Da?"


    Xilin didn''t believe in the good side of adventurers.


    She appeared to be laughing and optimistic, but that was only because she had prepared for the worst.


    "So, General, what you mean is..."


    Lady Bai Mian was a bit confused.


    It almost felt like one of His Majesty the Demon King''s Twelve Belongings was becoming a bodyguard for the adventurer Lin Da.


    In Lady Bai Mian''s eyes, the reason for Xilin''s reluctance to leave was purely to protect Lin Da in secret.


    To look for those who would dare to make a move against Lin Da.


    As one of the Twelve Belongings, Xilin was no low ranking figure, reaching the Moon Rank.


    In the area surrounding White Dove City, the highest-ranking adventurers were only at Moon Rank.


    Moreover, they were all from Red Heart City and South Rock City; White Dove City itself had no Moon rank adventurers.


    Frankly, Lady Bai Mian didn''t think that the adventurers would be foolish enough to engage in internal conflicts at such a critical time. Read latest chapters at empire


    But Xilin stubbornly refused to believe it and insisted on staying in White Dove City to see if anyone dared to provoke her brother.


    Lady Bai Mian inwardly complained: This was no ordinary protective sibling; this was extreme sibling obsession!


    You weren''t even invited to Lin Da''s silver party, yet you still think about secretly protecting him �C no wonder you deserve green hair growing on your head!


    But of course, Lady Bai Mian couldn''t say such things out loud.


    She laughed dryly, "As expected of the General, such thorough consideration. I am in awe."


    "Of course," Xilin said proudly, her lips curling up, "Whoever dares to touch my brother, I will kill!"


    Lady Bai Mian shuddered.


    It was a good thing she had slipped away before the Monster Tide.


    Otherwise, had she seen Lin Da''s outstanding performance, who knows, she might have made a move against him!


    The consequences of that, unthinkable.

 Chapter 258 227. Lin Da helps them understand each others intentions.

    Adventurers'' Guild fourth floor, a training field reserved for VIP squads.On the mirror-like faux wooden floor, the boots of the girls echoed crisply as they stepped.


    "Ahhhhhh��"


    "Stop messing up, Lia!"


    Isa, holding a rapier, had a stern look on her face.


    She and another girl with short red hair crossed their swords as they attacked a test dummy ahead of them.


    Isa''s old rival in the Fusion Finishing Skills'' "Fire" element was none other than Lia.


    Isa thought Lin Da was joking.


    Only those with excellent compatibility could trigger the Fusion Finishing Skills.


    Their compatibility?


    If it weren''t negative, that alone would have been pretty good.


    "We keep failing, and it''s clearly your fault! If it weren''t for the need to hunt that Epic Demon Creature, I wouldn''t be teaming up with you!"


    Lia glared back at Isa, unwilling to appear weaker.


    Lured by Lin Da with 200,000 Gold Coin and a guaranteed level 20 Orange Equipment, Lia was attracted.


    But with Lia''s personality, hearing Lin Da challenge an Epic Demon Creature, she would have likely come running even without a reward.


    Killing an Epic Demon Creature was a matter of honor, something to boast about for a lifetime.


    Lia herself also liked challenging strong opponents.


    So, the moment Lin Da spoke, she didn''t even pay close attention to the reward amount, just patted her chest and showed up.


    "Quick."


    "Now is the time, merge your Magic Power in harmony!"


    Lin Da stood aside, arms crossed, observing.


    Feeling the moment was just right, he hurriedly spoke up to remind them.


    The two girls, one silver-haired and one red-haired, released the light of Battle Qi from their swords.


    Their hair began to flutter.


    A powerful aura rose slowly like a beast lifting its head.


    Just when they were about to reach the final step of ''launching,'' but with a loud bang, the Battle Qi in their swords��water and fire��were incompatible, causing an explosion!


    Isa and Lia fell to the ground.


    From Lin Da''s perspective, he could see red -500 appearing above their heads.


    This was the result of a fusion failure, triggering internal injuries...


    Lia, in pain, was rubbing her stomach, while Isa was rubbing her wrist.


    "What the hell are you doing! We always fail! Isa, are you doing this on purpose to annoy me?" Lia, reverting to her usual habits, Scolded while hands on her hips, glaring at Isa, convinced that the problem was entirely someone else''s.


    Isa frowned and said, "I''m giving those words right back to you. Don''t think you can do whatever you want just because you''re with your old teammate."


    For Isa, this training session was like ''fighting on away ground.''


    The relationship between Lia and Lin Da was clearly not something she could compare with.


    She felt a notch lower in morale than Lia.


    "You want to fight, is that it?"


    "Lia, I''m not afraid of you!"


    "Bring it on, let''s fight."


    Kafni watched the drama unfold, holding a bag of roasted cookies.


    The training field was a mess.


    Lin Da had his hands full.


    "Stop it, both of you. If we can''t master the Fusion Finishing Skills in three days, this hunt will have to wait until next month."


    Lin Da walked over and knocked on Lia''s head, then gave Isa an apologetic smile.


    "Why hit me and not her?"


    "Not fair, how dare you hit me, Lin Da!"


    Lia, holding her aching head, suddenly realized��a usually honest Lin Da dared to be so unrestrained as to hit her!


    Lin Da frowned: "Lia, are you here to play, or to learn the Fusion Finishing Skills and hunt the Epic Demon Creature?"


    "Erm... of course, I am not here to play."


    "Then focus and practice," Lin Da sighed. "Only when your intentions are in harmony can you merge the two completely different types of Battle Qi."


    "If you can''t smoothly hold hands for ''Twin Sword Harmony,'' then let me act as the mediator."


    Lin Da grabbed Isa''s hand with his left and Lia''s with his right.


    "I''m from the Recovery Series, compatible with all but the Dark attribute, so feel free to use me as a stepping-stone, placing all your focus on merging your Battle Qi."


    Lin Da guessed, having these two rivals hold hands to perform a Finishing Skill would be challenging, so he simply decided to grasp their hands himself.


    This scene stunned the three members of the Phoenix Tail Flower squad who were training in the distance.


    Sometimes, Lin Da''s thought processes were indeed peculiar.


    Lulu''s face instantly turned dark.


    Initially, Lulu was on a nearby yoga mat doing weighted sit-ups.


    Today the werewolf girl was dressed in a black crop top and shorts, wrapping her plump buttocks, and her tail wagging cheerfully. However, upon seeing Lin Da holding the hands of the two girls, Lulu''s tail abruptly stopped wagging, and her eyes glared icily at Lin Da''s back.


    Lin Da did not notice the chill coming from behind him.


    All his attention was focused on the fusion finishing skills.


    When Lin Da unexpectedly grabbed the hands of the two girls, they were momentarily stunned, a flicker of panic crossing their eyes.


    Isa''s heart pounded as she thought, ''Is this what holding hands with the opposite sex feels like? Warm and comfortable! Does Lulu get to do this with Lin Da every day?''


    ''No, I mustn''t think about it anymore! Lin Da already has a girlfriend, and I absolutely must not disgrace myself by interfering with them!'' S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Isa, remember the real reason you''re here!''


    Isa bit her tongue secretly to maintain clarity through the pain.


    She was here because of her ''disappointment'' in Lin Da.


    During this tough battle against an epic demon creature, she had hoped to see Lin Da''s flustered side, shattering the image of the all-capable commander she held in her heart.


    She couldn''t let being led by the hand by Lin Da weaken her resolve.


    Lin Da was just a casual friend, even less than a ''friend.''


    Even now, they were only holding hands for the sake of training.


    Having realized this, Isa''s mood gradually stabilized.


    She gripped Lin Da''s hand a little harder, channeling her Ice Douqi into Lin Da''s body.


    Like a hook, using Lin Da as a springboard to provoke Lia''s Fire Fighting Qi.


    Compared to Isa''s composure, Lia was much more unsettled.


    "Wh-what are you doing!" Lia''s eyes widened, "Who allowed you to hold my hand!"


    "But you two can''t sync up to trigger the Battle Qi fusion, can you?" Lin Da sighed in frustration. "I could clearly see how both of you were competing through the angle of your grips, turning your knuckles red."


    "Uh... it was her who started it," Lia pointed at Isa, trying to deflect the blame.


    Lin Da''s eyelids twitched, and he couldn''t help but lament internally: Lia''s temper, still not completely improved, when could she genuinely grow up to become the respected Bursting Flames from the game...


    "Stop wasting time, start practicing now."


    Lin Da urged the two to hold the swords.


    After trying for a while, not only did they not succeed, but they failed even faster, unable to circulate their Battle Qi at all!


    What''s going on?


    Lin Da scratched his head in confusion, his gaze noting that both their earlobes were a bit red, looking like fresh, delicious cherries.


    But the training hall had a temperature control magic circle, it was neither too cold nor too hot, always maintaining a comfortable temperature.


    A beat too slow, Lin Da suddenly realized, could it be because of being led by hand, they couldn''t concentrate?


    Lin Da could feel Isa''s delicate and slender fingers, the pads of her fingertips soft, her palm slightly sweaty.


    From a health perspective, this was somewhat weak.


    The small hand on the right, however, curled up like a shivering little animal, without any strength, relying entirely on his grip.


    "Why are you all so nervous, have you never held hands with the opposite sex before?" Lin Da asked, puzzled.


    As someone with a sister, Lin Da had this experience from early on. Even when holding the hands of the two girls, his mindset remained normal.


    "What, are you looking down on someone!" Lia reacted fiercely, her eyebrows fiercely furrowed and her small fangs bared like a threatening wild animal.


    Isa calmly flicked her silver long hair with her hand, "As a mature adventurer, I''ve definitely been through this before."


    Only it was when she was a child, being led by her father while shopping, Isa secretly thought.


    Lia, on the other hand, simply pretended to be tough.


    Coming from the slums, not favored by Baron Augutuo of the Mandala family, Lia had never even touched her father''s hand from childhood to this day, being singly all her life.


    Although Lin Da''s inquiry was just a casual question, it nonetheless broke through the defenses of both girls.


    "Alright, I''ll help them then," Lulu said.


    With a white towel draped around her neck for wiping sweat, Lulu approached with a fragrant breeze.


    With an expressionless face, she snatched the hands of the two girls from Lin Da and sneered, "If you don''t improve, I''ll kick you out of the raid team."


    "Of c-course we can do it," Lia still really wanted to combat the epic demon creature.


    Isa nodded slightly, "I''ll take it seriously."


    Strangely, once Lin Da left, the two of them got on the right track, and their Battle Qi fusion progress gradually increased.


    Lin Da, confused, pondered whether Lulu was actually a great teacher skilled at guiding others.


    By the end of the morning, Isa and Lia were drenched in sweat.


    According to this fusion progress, they should catch up before the Great Mystery Continent opens.


    In the afternoon, after everyone had eaten, they started the simulated training to combat the Goblin Prince.


    Lin Da, stationed at the forefront of the training ground, set up the array, generating an illusionary Goblin Prince.


    Using a specially made magic controller, Lin Da manipulated the Goblin Prince to attack everyone, refining their teamwork.


    But no matter how familiar Lin Da was with the Goblin Prince, the illusion spawned, and the actual magical creature still had some disparities.


    Lin Da''s goal was to let them get accustomed to the various attacks of the Goblin Prince.


    In this simulation training, Lin Da took on the role of a strict teacher.


    "Lia, you''re charging too far forward; if it was the real Goblin Prince, that ''Royal Assassination'' just now would have penetrated your chest."


    "Isa, you''re playing it too safe; you can trust the Phoenix Tail Flower team a bit more."


    "Kafni, no slacking off; keep slacking and I''ll dock your entire month''s pay!"


    Lin Da''s stern voice struck like a series of whips, causing the members to complain incessantly.


    But there was one person who performed very well.


    Every two hours, they would only get criticized by Lin Da once.


    And the mistakes this team member made were relatively minor ones. Your journey continues with empire

 Chapter 259 228, Fusion successful, Ice and Fire Symphony

    This team member was none other than the Frost Wolf Warrior, Lulu.When Lulu entered combat mode, her ears grew larger, her tail became thicker, and her gaze turned cold and detached, just like a lone wolf of the icy plains.


    Lulu''s combat skills were quite seasoned, devoid of flashy moves, she aimed every strike at the magical creatures'' weak points.


    At dinner that evening, Lin Da personally cooked and singled out Lulu for praise for her performance that day.


    Lulu''s expression remained calm, as she skillfully sliced her steak with knife and fork and placed a piece in her mouth.


    But everyone saw her tail wagging rapidly back and forth, sweeping the ground so clean that not a speck of dust remained, even the fur on her tail became dirty.


    Lia felt somewhat discontent, she buried her head in her meal, pondering over mastering her Fusion Finishing Skills quickly so that she could impress Lin Da.


    In the blink of an eye, it was the morning of the third day of the training camp.


    It was also the last day before the opening of the Great Mystery Continent.


    Just yesterday, the World Tree Divine Court had made an announcement.


    A notice edged with gold, featuring the lush green World Tree as its background, was posted in the most conspicuous place on the Adventurers'' Guild''s notice board.


    [At exactly 12:00 PM on the 27th of September, the fifth floor of the Great Mystery Continent will open for 3 days. This opening will bring down a ''Small Space Blessing'', increasing the capacity of all adventure teams'' Material Bracelets by 50%.]


    In Lin Da''s room, he woke up early, sitting at his desk with the notice in his hand.


    "The fifth floor of the Great Mystery Continent is about to open, I hope Isa and Lia can complete their Fusion Finishing Skills today."


    As he pondered, Lin Da tapped his fingers on the desk, his eyes once again scanning the text on the notice.


    There were two keywords inside,[Small Space Blessing]and[Material Bracelet].


    The so-called Material Bracelet is a special piece of equipment formed en masse by the divine power of the World Tree Goddess, which adventurers can receive from their local Adventurers'' Guild after passing through the fourth floor.


    The function of the Material Bracelet is to store materials gathered within the Great Mystery Continent.


    The materials must be placed into this bracelet in order to be successfully taken out; otherwise, no matter how many precious materials one has on their person, when adventurers use the Teleportation Stone to return, the materials will stay behind within the World Tree.


    Depending on the floor the adventurers are on, the ''Point Limit'' of the Material Bracelet also differs.


    For example, the white jade-like Material Bracelet Lin Da held in his hand had a point limit of 100, and picking a most common white-quality Fruit of the World Tree would consume 10 points.


    In other words, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team could bring back at most 10 Fruits of the World Tree at one time.


    That was under the assumption of incredibly good luck.


    The fifth floor is the most basic Public Grand Secret Realm where magic power is sparse, not many Fruits of the World Tree could grow, and on top of that, there''s the highest number of adventurers. If any fruit appeared, it would be quickly picked.


    Without strength and luck, the 100 Material Points are basically impossible to use up.


    Lin Da silently thought that from the 10th floor onwards, there would start to appear trees that consistently refreshed the Fruits of the World Tree. Enjoy new tales from empire


    And regarding the ordinary materials in the fifth floor of the Great Mystery Continent, their value wasn''t that great, so he didn''t need to rush to gather them and should focus on subjugating the Goblin Prince first.


    At seven o''clock in the morning, Lin Da finished breakfast and went to the Adventurers'' Guild''s training room.


    Tap, tap, tap.


    As soon as he pushed the door open, he heard footsteps inside.


    Who was so diligent as to start training before him?


    Entering Lin Da''s view were the backs of two young girls, one silver and one red.


    The one in red jumped up excitedly, raising her greatsword and cheering, "Success, finally success! I''m truly exceptional, hahaha!"


    The silver-haired girl wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand, her lips curled up with excitement.


    In front of the two girls, the training dummy was devastated, completely battered and charred, covered in gashes as if sliced by icy blades before being scorched by fierce flames.


    Within a five-meter radius centered on the dummy, the ground was pitch-black.


    The training room''s defense was substantial, with the floor made of [Basalt] and the dummy crafted from [Occam''s Resin]. Ordinary level 20 adventurers'' ultimate skills could hardly leave a mark on the facility, much less damage it.]


    But the power of their fusion finishing skills was comparable to that of a Star-ranked adventurer.


    Under the ravaging of the Fire Tornado and Ice Storm, the dummy was almost completely destroyed.


    They had also thought of a name for their fusion finishing skills.


    At the moment this skill was born, an epiphany struck both of them, and they exclaimed the name in unison:


    ����Ice and Fire Symphony!


    Lin Da was a step too late and didn''t get to witness this fusion finishing move in person.


    But he had seen it through the screen while playing the game scenario.


    A skill with an extremely high multiplier and area of effect damage.


    Next to the dummy was a damage display, and the numbers were slightly higher than Lin Da had anticipated.


    The fusion finishing move''s total damage by 27th level Flame Swordsman Lia and 28th level Frost Swordsman Isa was: 143,000. sea??h th�� n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This number was very close to the finishing moves of some adventur*rs who had just reached Star Rank.


    Lin Da thought to himself: Considering the dummy''s defensive power was zero, and the full damage was true damage, if this Ice and Fire Symphony were used on the white-maned male lion that the Phoenix Tail Flower Team had previously hunted, it would probably deal a total damage of around 120,000.


    That''s more than half the health of the white-maned male lion.


    Now that Lia and Isa had mastered their fusion finishing skills, they were poised to unleash a force greater than the sum of their individual strengths.


    "Congratulations."


    Lin Da approached the two jubilant young girls and said with a smile.


    "Aren''t you going to ask what the fusion finishing skill is?" Lia proudly puffed out her chest.


    "Since I was confident in your ability to succeed in the fusion, how could I not know what the finishing skill would be afterward?" Lin Da patted Lia''s shoulder, "Remember to follow my instructions during the hunt; don''t use it recklessly."


    "Okay." Lia nodded in agreement.


    However, a trace of doubt crossed Isa''s mind.


    She had been wondering why Lin Da knew they could use a fusion finishing skill and even knew about the Epic Demon Creatures hidden in the fifth level of the Great Mystery Continent?


    Could it be that Lin Da used to be a formidable adventurer?


    Otherwise, where did he get such valuable information from?


    A flame of curiosity blazed within Isa''s heart. She blinked her big eyes at Lin Da, itching to ask about his past.


    "Isa, what''s wrong?" Lin Da asked, puzzled.


    "Uh, nothing, I''m just a bit tired from practicing all morning," Isa quickly waved her hand, brushing it off.


    She hadn''t forgotten her real purpose.


    No matter what kind of past Lin Da had, it was irrelevant to her.


    After all... Lin Da was someone who had a ''current girlfriend'' and a host of ''hidden girlfriends''!


    Isa would never allow herself to become a despicable person meddling in someone else''s emotions.


    This was a transaction between adventure teams.


    Lin Da helped her master the fusion finishing skills, and she would help Lin Da in hunting magical creatures.


    "That''s all there is to it."


    Isa murmured to herself, her head lowered.


    Dusk.


    After today, it would be the day the fifth level of the Great Mystery Continent opened.


    At the notice board of the Adventurers'' Guild''s live strategy feed, there were several new broadcast reminders from Rock-level Squads.

 Chapter 260 229, Tasya longs for a touch

    [9.27, Slay the Evil Dragon Adventure Team: Beautiful Captain Minnie live playing with plants, teaching you how to identify useful magical materials (Paid/admission 20 gold per person)][9.27, Valiant Adventure Team Robert: A strong contender for the Iron Level Adventure Team, tries to find the Fruit of the World Tree. Whether found or not, three lucky viewers will win a giveaway (Paid/admission 50 gold per person)]


    [9.27, Snow Goose Adventure Team Aiko: Beautiful girl''s picnic, come and watch! Five lucky viewers will win chicken soup! Rest assured, this live broadcast won''t be troubled by annoying Polia! (Paid/admission 10 gold per person)]


    In front of the notice board, the crowd surged.


    "It''s a live show by Holy Mage Miss Aiko! I missed it last time, but this time I must watch it. 10 gold coins is such a bargain, you have to buy a ticket to see it!"


    "Tsk tsk, Valiant Adventure Team really knows how to impress, putting up the Fruit of the World Tree for 50 gold coins. Even the poorest quality white Fruit of the World Tree would cost 1000 gold."


    "I want to learn about magical materials from Captain Minnie!"


    A group of people hurried to the counter to buy tickets.


    By tomorrow, they could enter a specific room with their tickets to watch the respective adventure teams'' live broadcasts.


    "Isn''t there a live show from the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team?"


    The speaker was a swordsman with golden curly hair.


    He stood in front of the notice board with a lively spirit, wearing neat clothes and shiny boots.


    Many who knew him almost didn''t recognize him.


    Half a month ago, this man had the look of a half-dead vagrant who had given up hope on adventuring and was ready to just drift along.


    This man was indeed Finch, the adventurer who had failed in the World Tree and lost the courage to wield his sword.


    Finch had been saved by Lin Da twice.


    Once in spirit, and once in body.


    During the Monster Tide, Finch was nearly killed by the giant pincers of a Murderous Crab, and it was Lin Da who arrived just in time.


    And in spirit... Lin Da''s strategy live broadcasts gave Finch the courage to grasp the sword again.


    Finch, who had been stuck on the 6th floor, recruited new team members, reached the 8th floor by using Lin Da''s methods, and no one was left behind. sea??h th�� n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Now, Finch was a level 16 adventurer.


    Finch''s impression of Lin Da had undergone changes in three stages.


    From a nearly equal competitor at the beginning, to an enviable lucky guy, and then, after seeing Lin Da''s strategy broadcasts and reaching the 8th floor using Lin Da''s methods, Finch had become a complete fan of Lin Da.


    In the Support Group for the Eye of True Knowledge, Finch took the position of vice-captain.


    The Great Mystic Realm on the fifth floor was Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team''s first entry, and Finch had long been expecting whether Lin Da would start a strategy broadcast to teach everyone how to fight the magical creatures of the fifth floor Mystic Realm.


    But after looking around, he did not find the Phoenix Tail Flower''s name.


    Finch sighed.


    He was about to leave when he saw a guild worker run over with several notices.


    "Excuse me."


    The guild staff brought over a small ladder, climbed to the top, and put up the new notices.


    Finch''s curiosity made him stop in his tracks.


    That spot was the kind of treatment reserved for Iron Level adventure teams.


    However, the announcement was not about an Iron Level adventure team.


    Because the captain of that team was a Glorious Adventurer.


    He had special privileges at the guild.


    The onlookers near the notice board, upon seeing the contents above, had expressions that instantly became extremely exaggerated.


    Some rubbed their eyes, fearing they had read it wrong, while others stood dumbfounded, questioning the authenticity of the notice.


    The content of the notice was:


    [9.27, Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team: Captain Lin Da joins hands with Snow Goose Captain Lia and Ice Flower Captain Isa to subdue the hidden Epic Demon Creature in the fifth floor Great Mystery Realm! (Free/limited to 1000 people)]


    Three highly anticipated teams joining forces to conquer an Epic Demon Creature!


    This was like dropping a huge rock into a calm pond, causing the fish within to boil over in an instant.


    Such explosive news should have been hyped up months in advance, so why has it been tossed out so casually?


    The most outrageous part was that it was free.


    A live broadcast of subduing a hidden Epic Demon Creature, and it''s free to watch?


    The crowd looked at each other in disbelief, unable to make heads or tails of it.


    The captain of this Phoenix Tail Flower was being way too generous, right?


    The absurdity was like walking in a filthy alley and being dragged into a room by an scantily clad elf miss. After all is said and done, not only do you not owe any money, but you are also given 10 gold coins as a thank you��making you suspect whether something shady is going on in that room, like catching a disease or something!


    "If it were the Specter Adventure Group, they might be conning everyone into showing up... But this is the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team. I think it''s reasonable!"


    Finch said aloud, "The captain of Phoenix Tail Flower really wants to teach us how to subdue an Epic Demon Creature!"


    "Wait, this live broadcast is free, but it seems to be limited to 1000 people?"


    "Just 1000, that''s not nearly enough!"


    "I''m a staff member, just to let you know, those who can''t see the live broadcast on the day can purchase the replay video. If we don''t set a limit, all our halls will be filled with people watching the Phoenix Tail Flower broadcasts."


    That being said.


    But watching a video, how could that be as thrilling as the live experience?


    People rushed towards the counter desperately.


    "A Phoenix Tail Flower ticket for me, please, thank you!"


    "I want one too!"


    "Don''t push!"


    Within just a few minutes,


    the thousand live-view tickets for Phoenix Tail Flower were sold out.


    While they were free factors certainly played a part, the truth was, even if not for free, just for the reputation of the three captains joining hands to hunt an Epic Level Demon Creature, plenty of people would buy them even for a hundred gold coins each.


    Many adventurers who failed to grab a ticket simply squatted at the entrance in wait.


    "Do you have a Phoenix Tail Flower ticket? I''ll pay three hundred gold coins for it."


    "Three hundred? I''ll give five hundred! It''s the hunt for an Epic Demon Creature, wouldn''t it usually sell for a thousand gold?"


    "Then I sell it for nine hundred."


    "You little..."


    The live-view tickets of Phoenix Tail Flower caused quite a stir at the Adventurers'' Guild.


    That evening, some even got into fights and were hauled off by knights from the Law Enforcement Bureau.


    Besides issuing the 1,000 free tickets for Phoenix Tail Flower, the Adventurers'' Guild also created several VIP tickets and distributed them among various Steel Level Adventure Teams and some veteran Rock Level Teams. Explore more at empire


    What the common folk did not know was that, although the live-view seemed to be free, President Velen had, in the name of White Dove City Adventure Guild, paid Lin Da 1 million gold coins when they negotiated.


    Lin Da was willing to treat the adventurers of White Dove City well, and as an official of White Dove City, President Velen naturally wouldn''t fall short in his duties.


    To freeload off Lin Da once or twice was acceptable, but too often could lead to Lin Da being poached by neighboring Red Heart City or South Rock City.


    Even though White Dove City Adventure Guild paid Lin Da one million gold, from a long-term perspective, these million were more than worth it.


    The adventurers attracted by Lin Da''s reputation would continuously join White Dove City, expanding the city''s size.


    The more adventurers there were, the more prosperous the city, and the higher the house prices could be.


    But that was a story for another time.


    In short, within an afternoon, the news of Phoenix Tail Flower''s hunt for an Epic Demon Creature the next day spread throughout White Dove City.


    White Dove Adventure Team''s quarters.


    Leopard Princess Jiete received the VIP ticket sent over by the Adventurers'' Guild.


    In the spacious armchair, Leopard Princess Jiete lounged with one leg crossed over the other.


    Her thighs were plump and smooth, yet not lacking in muscle tone, filled with explosive power.


    Jiete glanced at the contents of the notice and handed it over to Gale, "For free? Is this Phoenix Tail Flower trying to curry favor with President Velen?"


    A free strategy could attract adventurers from other cities to settle down and also bring some fame to White Dove City.


    "Too trivial, the scope is too trivial."


    Gale took the notice, read it, then shook his head with a light smile, "The one Lin Da probably wants to please is not President Velen, but... the adventuring community itself."


    "What do you mean?" Jiete frowned.


    "The most numerous in this world are the lower-level adventurers; they are the poor who can''t afford equipment or spare the gold coins to watch expensive live-view events. But being lower-level doesn''t mean they will stay that way in the future. Family circumstances, financial status, various external factors may hold them back from advancing."


    Gale''s eyes shimmered with a keen light, "If those people are given enough opportunities, it''s not impossible that a batch of geniuses might emerge, stronger even than you or me."


    "The weak are just that, weak, with no other reason behind it," Jiete dismissed the idea. "You mean to say Lin Da wants to use a free strategy to help the useless low-level adventurers progress?"


    "That''s only part of the reason."


    "There''s more?"


    "What Lin Da is plotting is probably much bigger than we assume," Gale sighed. "I thought Lin Da''s biggest aim was to reach Sunrise Level Adventure Teams, but it seems that''s not the case."


    "Stop beating around the bush," Jiete, almost dizzy with confusion, slapped her thick leopard tail in irritation.


    Gale shrank his neck and explained, "To qualify to enter the Royal Sanctuary and the main World Tree that reaches the 50th floor, a team that carries the hopes of all adventurers... must possess either extreme strength or reputation. With that said, do you understand now?"


    Jiete paused, her expression changing, "You mean, Lin Da is laying the groundwork for later entering the Sanctuary''s World Tree? How could that be? They haven''t even reached Iron Level yet and they are scheming about the top of the World Tree?"


    "It''s just my intuition," shrugged Gale. "It might just be that there are not so many complex reasons, and Lin Da is simply too kind to want to make money. It depends on which one you''re more willing to believe."


    ...


    Meanwhile, in The Mandalas family estate in White Dove City,


    in an elegant small room,


    Tasya, dressed in a black and white maid''s outfit, stood statue-like by a desk.


    The window was open, letting in the cool breeze of the twilight.


    The white curtains fluttered gently, like a caring hand caressing Tasya''s cheeks.


    In a daze, Tasya saw him again, the quiet man in black sitting at the desk.


    As usual, she waited for his orders.


    To close the window, to brew a cup of ''White Striped Cat Coffee'' from the 20th floor of the World Tree, extra bitter with no sugar.


    After doing these tasks, she had a one-in-four chance of receiving ''a pat on the head'' from Dark Shadow.


    As for why there was a one-in-four chance, it was a result Tasya had calculated after meticulous tallying.


    She did not know when Dark Shadow would pat her head and when he would not. But with each preparation, she waited expectantly, ready to crouch down like an obedient kitten before her master.

 Chapter 262 231, Tasya arrives, Aikos older brother appears

    At the same moment, in the Inner City District Adventurers'' Guild.The live coverage of the Phoenix Tail Flower''s strategy was set up in the large hall on the second floor.


    Adventurers crowded around, gathering in front of a huge suspended magic screen.


    The live feed hadn''t started yet; the screen remained dark.


    During this waiting period, adventurers ordered some wheat beer and dried meat, eating and drinking as they waited.


    "This is my first time watching the subjugation of an Epic Demon Creature."


    "It seems like many big shots are here today. I''ve seen more than a dozen Rock-level Adventure Teams alone."


    "People from the White Dove Adventure Group are here too!"


    In the hall, there were distinctly two groups of people; one group, who entered with free tickets, stood in front of the screen, were ordinary adventurers.


    The other group had VIP tickets from the Adventurers'' Guild and sat on sofas, enjoying free food and drinks, were veteran teams.


    This privilege was reserved for only seven or eight Rock-level Adventure Teams.


    All three Steel Level Adventure Groups were present.


    The White Dove Adventure Group was seated at the center of the VIP area.


    The long table was laden with various fresh fruits, branded drinks, and snacks.


    Gale lay languidly on a sofa, with a charming Elf Miss massaging his shoulders.


    "Daring to subjugate an Epic Demon Creature, Phoenix Tail Flower has more cards up their sleeve than I imagined."


    Gale was curious��relying solely on the battle strength Phoenix Tail Flower had shown publicly wasn''t enough to subjugate an Epic Demon Creature.


    But considering Lin Da''s prudent character, Gale didn''t think this was a reckless subjugation action.


    So, how would Lin Da kill the Epic Demon Creature?


    Or rather, where is the fifth floor''s Epic Demon Creature?


    Once the Great Mystery Continent opens again and the creatures are refreshed, the White Dove Adventure Group could also go for a subjugation.


    People from Ghost and Bedrock probably harbored the same plans.


    Gale glanced sideways toward the left side of the VIP area.


    Hulus and Rhode were also there.


    And... that girl with pink hair.


    Gale somewhat remembered her from the Phoenix Tail Flower''s promotion party.


    She wasn''t a local adventurer from White Dove City, yet she was sitting in the VIP area.


    This indicated that the girl''s rank wasn''t low, at least a Star Rank.


    The Adventurers'' Guild in White Dove City, aiming to attract Star-ranked adventurers from other places, offered many privileges, including free viewing of all the strategy live feeds in White Dove City.


    "You noticed that girl too?" Abner''s eyes opened a sliver.


    "Yeah. An unfamiliar Star Rank, a friend of Lin Da?" Gale asked with interest.


    Abner slightly shook his head, "Not just that, I''m not sure I could win against her."


    Gale had just popped a grape into his mouth when he heard this and nearly dropped it.


    If even Abner wasn''t sure of winning, could she be... Moon Rank?


    Was that pink-haired girl from the Sun Adventure Group?


    Jite next to him suddenly showed intense fighting spirit, his eyes fiercely fixed on the girl who was leaning on the table drinking orange juice, murmuring, "Moon Rank, huh? I really want to test my skills against hers."


    "You better not," Gale said, holding back Jite. "She has Magic Wings; what could you use to fight when she flies? The whole team together might stand a chance."


    "A Moon Rank coming to White Dove City without even greeting us, isn''t that a challenge?" Jite said defiantly.


    Even a mighty dragon should yield to the local snake.


    Gale helplessly held his head, "That depends on the situation. If you went to a city where the highest adventure team rank was Rock Level, would you greet them?"


    "No," Jite admitted.


    "Well, there you have it."


    Gale shrugged, "They really don''t need to recognize you."


    Jite was left speechless by the retort.


    At another table, Celine was forcefully sucking on her straw.


    The pulp of the orange had blocked it, she pulled with a grave expression, sucking until her cheeks hurt, as if she had encountered an unprecedented enemy.


    Having appeared at the Adventurers'' Guild, Celine had disguised herself again.


    She wore a thick brown hat, her pink hair pinned up inside, and a pair of black-framed glasses on her face.


    If it weren''t for Gale observing carefully, he really would have missed her.


    Lady Bai Mian whispered on the side, "General, a few Star-ranked adventurers seem to have noticed us."


    "It doesn''t matter, they don''t know our true identities anyway."


    Celine waved her hand indifferently, and while sipping her orange juice, she mumbled vaguely, "Has Lin Da not gotten ready yet? It''s been over an hour since 12 o''clock."


    Having cleared the fruit pulp stuck in the straw, Celine began to feel idle, the screen remained dark, giving her the urge to throw a tantrum.


    Lady Bai Mian was sweating profusely, pondering how to please Celine, when her eyes lit up, and her lips curled into a smile.


    Looking through the window towards the outside of the hall, Celine chuckled, "Some interesting fellows have arrived."


    The sound of footsteps climbing the stairs could be heard.


    It was a swordsman with fiery red hair and a silver-haired woman with light brown skin dressed in a maid''s outfit.


    "Thunder Swordmaster Dawen, and Storm Tasya!"


    "What brings people from the Scarlet Adventure Group here?"


    "It must be Dawen visiting his sister, after all, Lia also participated in the hunt for the Epic Demon Creature."


    The hall erupted into discussion.


    Abner and others greeted Dawen briefly.


    "What brings you here...?" Gale asked curiously, looking at Tasya.


    Dawen replied, "My friend here wanted to meet Lin Da, but unfortunately, the timing was bad, and we missed him."


    Standing by the sofa, Tasya positioned her hands stacked in the large pockets of her maid''s dress, her body straight, her demeanor and posture flawless.


    "Always Lin Da..." Gale chuckled dryly, "Why is it that all the beautiful girls flock to Lin Da''s side?"


    By Gale''s standards, he could easily give Tasya a score of 99. Besides Tasya, that pink-haired girl, suspected to be a Moon Rank, was also here for Lin Da.


    It truly was a case of envy killing a person.


    Gale picked up his mug of wheat beer, downing it in frustration.


    "Are those two the ''interesting people'' the General was talking about?"


    Lady Bai Mian discreetly looked Dawen and Tasya over.


    "Them?" Celine thought for a moment and said, "They''re somewhat interesting, but the ones I just mentioned weren''t them."


    "Who was it...?"


    Lady Bai Mian blinked in confusion. S��arch* The nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the midst of their conversation, a cold breeze swept through the hall.


    The windows on the second floor were closed, and there was a Temperature Control Magic Circle on the ceiling, but Lady Bai Mian still shivered.


    Only Celine, Abner, and Dawen remained calm.


    Even someone like Hulus, a veteran leader of the Steel Level Adventure Group, had his face change color.


    "My, my, it''s been a long time since I''ve been to White Dove City, and it''s changed so much; even the floors are tiled and can afford a Temperature Control Magic Circle."


    A soft male voice came through, clearly reaching everyone''s ears.


    The hall was noisy, but this visitor''s voice dominated over all the noise, flowing like a clear spring.


    Gale''s expression was one of utter amazement: What''s happening? In past years, even a Moon Rank was rarely seen, and today, there are two at once?


    Everyone was guessing who this unexpected guest might be, but one person shuddered, shocked: Why would he come here?

 Chapter 263 232. Xi Lin takes action, saving the face of White Dove City!

    Aiko, who should have appeared on the fifth floor of the Great Mystery Continent, heard that Lin Da was starting a live stream, so she secretly donned a black robe and came to observe the battle.Having learnt from her failure in the last "Chicken Soup Plan," Aiko bought a bunch of racy booklets to learn from experience, determined to take down Lin Da next time.


    However, she didn''t get to wait for the strategy live stream to begin when an unexpected person appeared.


    After leaving South Rock City, it had been three years since Aiko had last seen that person.


    Aiko tightened her hood and cautiously glanced sideways, stealthily watching the direction of the stairs from the corner of her eye.


    A fear so deep it chilled her bones caused her hands to shake uncontrollably.


    To Aiko, that person was a strict mentor, a brother, and also a demon!


    From her childhood, Aiko had always lived in the shadow of that man.


    Leaving South Rock City, at least half the reason was because of him.


    A man dressed in white Swordsman Uniform, with soft, golden hair, walked into the hall.


    This man had a handsome face with a gentle smile on his lips and a pair of smiling, squinting eyes.


    One''s first impression of this squint-eyed Swordsman was that he was very approachable and would easily become a friend.


    But upon seeing him, Aiko only felt a chill in her limbs.


    She adjusted the collar of her robe beneath the hood, trying to cover up as much skin as possible; otherwise, that man would surely ask her with a kindly smile,


    ''Aiko, are you trying to tempt the opposite sex? I simply can''t let my only little sister behave so immodestly. As a punishment, recite the Light Arrow Technique a thousand times, and until you''re done, you''re forbidden from sleeping.''


    It was always like that��speaking terrifying words that would chill any Mage to the core until they fainted, all with the kindest of expressions.


    Aiko was not a genius; her achievements came from her early years of hard work, the kind where she put her life on the line.


    That''s why she cast spells so quickly, praised by all as if she were a naturally gifted adventurer.


    But the truth was not like that at all.


    Aiko was driven by a certain ''demon.''


    That ''demon,'' was none other than her big brother,


    South Rock City''s genius Swordsman, the vice-captain of the Holy Rock Adventure Team, Bervis!


    ''Is Bervis here to teach me a lesson? But that''s not right, it''s been three years, the impact of that incident has long gone.''


    Aiko wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. She instinctively held her breath as if the slightest movement would alert Bervis to her presence.


    She couldn''t figure out what Bervis was here for.


    She only knew one thing for certain, she absolutely couldn''t let Bervis find her here!


    After three years, she was only a 28th-level Mage, and if Bervis found out, he would surely teach her a lesson.


    He might even taunt her in public, ruining her good reputation in White Dove City in an instant.


    To put it bluntly, Aiko''s most detested person was this big brother!


    In the hall, Bervis, with hands clasped behind his back, casually surveyed his surroundings as if it was his own living room.


    Bervis shook his head and said, "There are more than five hundred people in the hall, with an average level of only 11, and this is the Adventurers'' Guild in the Inner City District. The Outer City District''s is even lower."


    "The floor tiles of White Dove City have been replaced, and the ceiling has a Temperature Control Magic Circle, but the adventurers are still as lousy as ever; it''s a wonder you all survived the Monster Tide."


    "If I had one-tenth of your luck, I wouldn''t have a worthless younger sister who ran away for three years and refused to come back."


    Bervis spoke in a gentle tone, his standard imperial accent carried a gentlemanly dignity.


    Only the upper class nobility could master such pronunciation which, compared to the adventurers of White Dove City, was as distinct as the difference between standard Mandarin and dialect.


    In another context, just his fluent imperial accent would earn Bervis the favor of many Noble Ladies.


    But, this was the White Dove City Adventure Guild, and Bervis''s words had angered all the adventurers present!


    Bervis was virtually insulting them to their faces, saying that the adventurers of White Dove City were too weak.


    Their low levels, they admitted, were a fact.


    But White Dove City had not resisted the Monster Tide by mere luck.


    White Dove City had "Mind''s Eye" Abner, "Eye of True Knowledge" Lin Da, Ice Flower, Snow Goose... and so on; adventure teams had shone brightly during the Monster Tide.


    Many adventurers worked together with great sacrifice to resolve the Monster Tide.


    A battle so grave and a source of pride for the people of White Dove City was dismissed by Bervis with a light ''luck''; how could the spirited adventurers bear it?


    Suddenly, angry curses erupted from the crowd.


    "Who the hell are you, hanging around other people''s cities showing off? Why don''t you go to Royal Capital and show off there?"


    "Talking about luck, why don''t you handle the Monster Tide with luck?"


    "It looks to me like you''re only good with your mouth."


    Faced with the tidal wave of shouting and abuse from the crowd, Bervis didn''t get angry, the corners of his mouth still adorned with a faint smile:


    "Ah, that''s why you are bottom-dwellers, rubbish who can''t even see the situation clearly. It''s no surprise that you can''t make it into the Sun Adventure Group."


    "What did you say? Have the guts to hit me, I''m ready to lie down and pick out a funeral carriage."


    "No problem, your wish is granted."


    A tremendous force caused the man who had spoken out to cry out in agony as his lower leg broke, and he knelt on the ground.


    Bervis calmly walked over and tossed a bag of gold coins in front of the howling adventurer.


    "Inside are ten purple gold coins, enough to buy two carriages."


    "Anyone else want to try their luck?"


    "But be warned, next time I won''t be so gentle. You might end up paralyzed from the waist down, unable to ever leave your bed."


    With an elegant imperial accent that never failed to reveal his composure, Bervis''s eyes, narrowed in mirth, surveyed the crowd around him, causing everyone he gazed upon to shrink back a little.


    "Heh."


    Bervis let out a light, indifferent chuckle.


    "Hey, outsider, don''t get too carried away!"


    Jite stood up.


    But Gale''s expression changed, and he covered Jite''s mouth.


    "What are you doing?" Jite said angrily.


    Gale''s face was grave, "Be careful, that''s the ''Smiling Swordsman'' Bervis from South Rock City, Deputy Head of the Sun Adventure Group!"


    Bervis, pleased with Gale''s explanation, smiled and said, "Beastmen lady, do you still have any objections?"


    Jite clenched her teeth, sat down as Gale pulled her, and said in humiliation, "No."


    "Mm, a wise choice," Bervis nodded. "I detest beastmen, but I''m in a good mood today and won''t bully you."


    "��You''re really annoying, what''s so bad about beastmen?"


    The sudden complaint stopped Bervis in his tracks.


    Everyone, including Jite and Gale, turned in surprise to the person who had spoken.


    Before Bervis''s identity was revealed, it could be said that ignorance was bliss. But now that he had announced his title as the ''Smiling Swordsman,'' a challenge from anyone took on a completely different meaning.


    It could be seen as a direct challenge!


    All Gale could do was silently pray, hoping that Bervis would be merciful and forgive the ignorant fool.


    However, Bervis for the first time dropped his smile and adopted a serious expression.


    This Moon rank adventurer opened his mouth slightly in surprise, scrutinizing the pink-haired girl at the corner table.


    "I beg your pardon, miss. May I ask where you are from, which city''s adventurer are you?"


    Bervis placed his right hand on his chest and bowed elegantly.


    If the young lady was an adventurer from White Dove City, he would need to reassess his attitude.


    Of the three neighboring cities, Red Heart City and South Rock City both had their own Sun Adventure Groups, but White Dove City did not.


    This gave adventurers from the other two cities a natural sense of superiority.


    Xi Lin slammed her empty glass of orange juice on the table and said angrily, "You don''t need to worry about who I am. You''re too loud, can you keep it down?"


    The girl''s blunt reprimand caused Bervis''s eyebrows to jump wildly, a chill flashing in his squinted eyes.


    After a moment of standoff.


    Bervis nodded lightly, "Disturbing a lady indeed isn''t gentlemanly, I apologize for my behavior."


    "That''s more like it."


    Xi Lin huffed.


    She ordered another glass of orange juice from the staff and sipped it on her own.


    Everyone in the hall was a bit dumbfounded, their minds struggling to comprehend.


    Who was that pink-haired girl? Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She scolded the deputy head of a Sun Adventure Group to his face, and he didn''t dare to retort, even apologizing to her?


    Doesn''t that mean that the ''Smiling Swordsman'' Bervis acknowledged he is not as skilled, bowing to the young girl?


    "Who is she? Also a Moon rank adventurer?"


    "Very likely so."


    "Why are beautiful girls always so powerful, the world is so unfair!"


    A burst of discussion erupted among the crowd, all curious about Xi Lin''s identity.


    Gale nodded gratefully at Xi Lin and held up his mug of wheat beer, downing it in one go.


    Without this miss stepping in, White Dove City''s face would have been badly lost, unable to find a single adventurer to stop Bervis.


    Xi Lin smiled and raised her glass of orange juice in response.


    After all, she was an adventurer from White Dove City.


    Just a ''former adventurer''.


    Only one person in the room recognized Xi Lin''s true identity.


    Aiko''s face showed confusion.


    If she wasn''t mistaken...


    That pink-haired girl in disguise, wearing a brown hat, was Lin Da''s sister?

 Chapter 264 233, this adventure team has quite a few beautiful girls.

    A Demon stayed in the adventurer''s city and nonchalantly came to watch Lin Da''s Strategy live...Aiko admired Xilin to the point of total veneration.


    This sister''s guts were at least ten times bigger than her brother''s.


    The part about being calm and cautious must have been completely endowed upon Lin Da.


    "Ah, had I known she was so formidable, I would have forged a good relationship with her back in Snow Goose."


    Enjoy new adventures at empire


    "Lin Da''s sister is very clever. She was the only one who could see my true nature. To prevent exposing more, I intentionally distanced myself from her, but now it seems that was a clever move executed poorly."


    Aiko regretfully thought that if her relationship with Lin Xi were as good as that between Lia and Lin Xi, she could now cling to the other''s coattails and escape from Bervis.


    She wanted to escape the hall and stay away from Bervis, but the staircase was deserted��not a single person around. Walking there would be like a crab sticking its head out, definitely attracting Bervis''s attention.


    Should she continue hiding, or find a chance to slip away,


    Aiko was in a dilemma.


    "Come to think of it, what is Bervis actually here for?"


    "It''s not possible that it took him three years just to remember his sister is still out there, right?"


    Aiko''s face darkened.


    She felt no fondness for Bervis whatsoever.


    On the road, if she had to choose a foul, fat otaku for a brother, she would never pick Bervis.


    Aiko spied on the squint-eyed Swordsman, but saw him sit down on the couch, thoroughly enjoying some pastries while his eyes were fixed on the Magic screen, seemingly waiting for Phoenix Tail Flower''s Strategy live.


    Aiko: ?


    Bervis came for the Phoenix Tail Flower?


    Although Aiko did not want to be discovered by Bervis, if this dog brother came out of a sense of conscience to check on his little sister, she could give Bervis a +1 in her regard.


    But Bervis came for the Phoenix Tail Flower?


    This sister was doomed!


    Aiko crazily ridiculed in her mind, using various expletives on Bervis when,


    a gentle voice rose behind her shoulder, "Aiko, not seeing you for three years, did you miss your big brother?"


    Aiko''s body trembled, and she turned her head dryly.


    "Uh, Lord Brother..."


    Facing the Smiling, blond-haired Swordsman, Aiko steeled herself and, in her wheelchair, performed a noble greeting gesture that was awkward to the extreme and hadn''t been done in three years.


    This scene drew many people''s attention.


    Was Aiko, the Holy Mage of White Dove City, and Bervis, the Smiling Swordsman of South Rock City, siblings?


    The crowd finally knew why Bervis had come to White Dove City.


    Just like Dawen, Bervis too had come to visit his sister.


    Gale thought deeper: if Aiko had no small relations with Lin Da, to speak further... wouldn''t Bervis essentially be Lin Da''s uncle through marriage!?


    That pink-haired girl, presumably of Moon Rank, was also a friend of Lin Da.


    Gale''s expression shifted several times, reaching an unbelievable conclusion��Lin Da had brought two powerful supports to White Dove City.


    Originally, Gale was very envious of Lin Da, surrounded by beautiful girls and hoping Lin Da would slip and lose them all.


    But now, from the bottom of his heart, Gale genuinely wished Lin Da could secure Aiko. This meant whether White Dove City could secure an ally in the form of the Sun Adventure Group!


    "That''s probably why my sister doesn''t like Aiko," Dawen saw the moment of recognition between the Aiko siblings but couldn''t help a wry smile.


    Tasya looked puzzled.


    Dawen said, "That Aiko comes from a real noble family. Her big brother is stronger than Bilya''s. Given Bilya''s temperament, she''d probably compete with Aiko openly and covertly, but Bilya can''t win Aiko in any aspect. It''s probably embarrassing for Bilya that I, her big brother, am too weak."


    "No," Tasya''s tone softened slightly, "if placed in your master''s former team, you would at least rank third from the bottom."


    "Are you praising me?" Dawen was astonished, "Although I''m not as good as that Bervis, but being of the same Star Rank, I''ve never been afraid of anyone. To be ranked third from the bottom in your master''s team, with only two people weaker than me?"


    "Yes, and both of them are mages who aren''t good at dealing with High-Speed Swordsmen," Tasya nodded, "You don''t need to feel inferior, my master''s team is far stronger than you think."


    "I''m even more curious about him now."


    "If I can find him, I''ll introduce you," she said.


    Tasya paused for a moment, then said softly, "This Lin Da from White Dove City seems quite popular."


    It wasn''t hard to tell from the discussions among the crowd that Bervis''s sister and Dawen''s sister both thought highly of Lin Da.


    Extremely high personal charm, fitting the characteristics of Dark Shadow.


    Tasya''s expectations for the "Eye of True Knowledge" increased a bit more.


    From a 1% chance of being Dark Shadow, it rose to 2%.


    The Magic Screen was still dark.


    This lack of punctuality was unlike Dark Shadow.


    Just as Tasya was thinking this. S��ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A point of light appeared on the huge suspended Magic Screen.


    The point quickly expanded, filling the entire screen.


    A group of one man and five women appeared on it.


    The man was tall and handsome, wearing a black adventure jacket with many magic potions hanging from the belt around his waist.


    He had a pair of King Crab Set earrings hanging from his earlobes and wore a "Great Sea Clear Sky" brand Magic Guide Wristwatch on his wrist.


    These accessories further accentuated the man''s handsomeness and success. Only people with no Gold Coins couldn''t afford a King Crab Set and a wristwatch worth over seventy thousand Gold Coins.


    Behind the man stood five exceptionally beautiful girls, each with distinctly colored hair.


    From left to right was; blonde Kafni, brown-haired Monica, blue-haired Lulu, silver-haired Isa, and red-haired Lia.


    They might as well have been renamed the Rainbow Adventure Team.


    "Eye of True Knowledge fans are here!"


    "Here''s to your upcoming victory against the Epic Demon Creatures!"


    "Unprecedented, three potential Iron Level adventure team leaders teaming up, looking forward to it!"


    "Sneaking out for a quick secret poop, eh? Nobody noticed, right?"


    The adventurers were making a commotion, sending their suggestions to the Magic Screen.


    In the image, Lin Da, holding a sensor ladybug, couldn''t help but secretly chuckle, "Everyone, don''t waste your Demon Cores. Next up, I''m going to show you how to unlock the hidden Demon Creature cave in the five-layer Great Mystery Continent."


    "Alright, alright, alright, Eye of True Knowledge rocks!"


    "Be careful out there!"


    "Great Bear Thief cute, hey, hehehehe..."


    The Phoenix Tail Flower Team''s fan base was growing faster than any other adventure team.


    Part of this was undoubtedly due to Lin Da''s strategies, but more so because the Phoenix Tail Flower Team had too many beautiful girls.


    And they each had their own style!


    The socially awkward Monica, the languid beauty Kafni, the aloof, abstinent werewolf Lulu... and this time there were two special guests, the well-known rivals from White Dove City, Isa and Lia.


    When these five beautiful girls stood together, people were thrilled.


    Meanwhile, they were even more envious of Lin Da, who was surrounded by a bevy of beauties in the center of it all.


    Gale''s mouth was practically watering; the prettiest elf lady he had encountered in the tavern didn''t compare to any one of the girls by Lin Da''s side.

 Chapter 265 234. Tasya: Lin Da might not want me anymore.

    No one would ever think that Lin Da had a normal relationship with them. They even assumed Lin Da was favored daily, and even the soup he ate was from the 10th floor''s "Goji Berry King."Others haven''t started using their kidneys but Lin Da''s were nearly worn out!


    "This guy Lin Da, he really doesn''t see me at all," Dawen complained about Lin Da, but a smile appeared on his face.


    In the Monster Tide, Lin Da didn''t care for credit, risking his life to bring valuable information about the Thousand-Change Demon. Just for this, Dawen recognized Lin Da.


    Entrusting a willful spirit like Lia to someone else, Dawen wouldn''t be at ease, but giving her to Lin Da, Dawen would be completely reassured.


    If Dawen were to fall at the World Tree one day, he wouldn''t have to worry about Lia being left uncared for.


    "Wait a minute."


    "Where is this Lin Da you speak of?"


    Tasya''s face turned slightly pale.


    The "Eye of True Knowledge" Lin Da couldn''t be found.


    Only... that "Li Cha" who tied her up, did who knows what, and helped purify part of the Witch''s Corruption in her.


    Could it be that Lin Da was a woman? The one standing in the middle was Li Cha, and amongst those few girls, there was one named Lin Da?


    Tasya almost suffocated, a strong intuition that left her panicking surged within her.


    Dawen glanced at her strangely, "That one wearing the Magic Guide Wristwatch is the captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, the Eye of True Knowledge, Lin Da."


    "No, he is, Li Cha," Tasya said with difficulty.


    A few weeks ago, she had aimed a Magic Cannon at someone, wanting to break their ankle and interrogate them with a little whip about the whereabouts of the Dark Shadow.


    And the most outrageous thing the primordial Tasya had ever done to the Dark Shadow was secretly smell the scent on their bed sheets!


    "No, it''s impossible, he is Li Cha, he''s Li Cha..." S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tasya, a mature older-sister type of adventurer, was biting her lip, showing a fragile and delicate demeanor.


    Like a pitiful maid who accidentally spilled soup on her master''s cherished trousers and was scolded to tears.


    This left Dawen completely dumbfounded.


    Tasya''s vulnerability was such a stark contrast to her usual cool demeanor, exceptionally adorable!


    But that expression was caused by someone else!


    Dawen picked up his wheat beer and took a big gulp.


    But he was shocked to find the beer seemed to have gone off, bitter and sour, impossible to swallow.


    At that moment, Dawen envied Tasya''s master deeply.


    How powerful must one be, to capture the heart of Tasya?


    A beat too late, Dawen caught on. Tasya had only reacted so strongly after seeing Lin Da appear on the screen.


    So, did it mean that the captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, Lin Da, was the person Tasya had been searching for?


    This... isn''t right!


    How could someone capable of conquering a woman like Tasya be just over level 20?


    In Dawen''s estimation, Tasya''s master had to be at least Moon Rank, most likely a level 50 Heavenly Rank Adventurer.


    Dawen was in disbelief, "Be sure to confirm it properly, is Lin Da really your master? Don''t get it wrong.


    Look behind Lin Da, there are so many girls."


    Dawen had thought that Tasya and her master were a pure love pairing, 1 on 1.


    This is damn...


    A super huge brawl!


    And Dawen''s sister Lia was also in there.


    Now, Tasya, whom Dawen secretly admired, was also going to Lin Da''s side...


    This led Dawen to feel the illusion of a verdant World Tree sprouting from his head.


    "I''m not sure myself,"


    Tasya said distractedly.


    He had helped her cleanse a portion of the pollution, falsely claiming to be ''Li Cha'' of the Dark Shadow, yet he and Lin Da, the Eye of True Knowledge, were the same person.


    What was going on?


    She stared intently at Lin Da on the screen, her emerald eyes sparkling with stubborn light.


    Tasya was like a professional maid determined to wash a stubborn stain out of her master''s underwear, determined to see it sparkling clean again��Tasya was determined to see through Lin Da''s "lie" through this campaign!


    The true command abilities of the Dark Shadow were divine and flawless; he would never make a mistake.


    If Lin Da couldn''t command perfectly, then Lin Da was not the Dark Shadow.


    As long as Lin Da wasn''t the Dark Shadow, then Tasya, who had committed the two grave sins of binding her master and attempting to punish him with a little whip, still had a chance to return to her master''s side.


    In the midst of tension and excitement, the silver-haired maid''s body, wrapped beneath her thick maid''s skirt, was dripping with sweat, soaking her undergarments and clinging to her smooth, light brown skin.


    On one hand was Tasya''s excitement at the prospect of seeing her master, on the other, the worry that Lin Da would mercilessly abandon her.


    In the screen, Lin Da stood in front of a rock wall, raising a bronze Goblin Ring.


    Lin Da''s action made Tasya pause.


    A familiar scene flashed through her mind.


    In the fifth layer of the Great Mystery Continent, the Dark Shadow had led her and Lulu, among a few other teammates, holding up the Goblin Ring. The sunlight shone through the ring, falling on the rock wall, and the hidden challenge appeared.


    Only a handful of people from the Primitive Adventure Team knew about this hidden challenge.


    "Dawen, I might have found it," Tasya whispered.


    The icy facade on Tasya''s face dissolved, glowing with a golden radiance like the surface of a lake.


    The silver-haired maid''s emerald eyes reflected Lin Da''s figure, her pink lips slightly parted, whispering as if in a dream. Discover more content at empire


    Dawen was astounded, tasting bitterness in his mouth, "Congratulations."


    "No."


    "This just got worse," Tasya said, a shadow crossing her face, her lips pressed tightly together, her palms clenched anxiously, "Lin Da might not want me anymore."


    A question mark popped above Dawen''s head.


    The pearl of the Scarlet Adventure Group, a noted beauty from Red Heart City, being offered to Lin Da for free, and Lin Da wouldn''t want her?


    Was that possible?


    Dawen said, "Don''t worry, I''m at least the deputy leader of the Scarlet Adventure Group. If Lin Da dares to refuse you, that would mean he''s making an enemy of the Scarlet Adventure Group!"


    Dawen was determined to personally deliver Tasya to Lin Da''s side!


    Meanwhile, within the magic screen.


    Lin Da raised the Goblin Ring high.


    The sunlight passed through it, landing on the rock wall.


    In an instant, the rock wall seemed to burn like paper, revealing a black hole.


    It was the entrance to the Goblin Cave.


    Three meters high, one meter wide, the inside was pitch-black, the ground littered with bones, and even through the screen, an ominous aura seeped through.


    "A Goblin Series of Epic Level, it must be that one," Bervis squinted, his clever gaze lighting up as he immediately guessed the magical creature Lin Da was out to conquer.


    Coincidentally, Bervis had also once conquered the same creature.


    Back then, he was level 29, and with the guidance of a Star Rank senior, he had resolved it effortlessly.


    In contrast, looking at the Phoenix Tail Flower Team...


    Team leader Lin Da was level 23. The others averaged about 25.


    The levels were a bit low.


    "Aiko, is this the man who has bewitched you?" Bervis asked, his eyes tinged with slight disdain, gently stroking his sister Aiko''s golden hair with his palm.

 Chapter 266 235. Aikos Bet with Big Brother, Lin Das Battle with the Goblin Prince

    Facing Bervis, Aiko seemed extremely constrained, like a mouse caught and toyed with by a tiger, motionless and not daring to breathe.Bervis patted Aiko on the head and sighed,


    "You are the daughter of the leader of the Holy Rock Adventure Team, my sister. How can you devalue yourself like this? Don''t tell me that staying in a small place for three years has eroded your ambition, and you just want to loaf around day by day?"


    Hearing this,


    sweat dripped profusely from Aiko''s forehead.


    Yes.


    Correct in every way.


    Fed up with so-called ''elite education'', she came to White Dove City and completely indulged herself, falling into depravity.


    She would study magic spells whenever there was time, or else she would pamper her skin and do beauty treatments if there wasn''t.


    With Lin Da and the hot-blooded fool Lia dealing with the World Tree, she could slide by doing the bare minimum.


    So Aiko found out... life could indeed be this wonderful! S��arch* The N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Now, Aiko just wanted to swoop Lin Da under her wing, root herself in the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team like a borer, and live a carefree, loafing existence.


    But this was completely contrary to the ''elite education'' Bervis envisioned for her.


    If Bervis were to take her back home, she would definitely be locked in a small room, receiving endless elite education and turning back into the foolish Mage who, three years ago, had an empty head and knew only of training.


    Aiko gave a forced laugh, setting her hands down casually,


    "Then you are mistaken. It''s not me who is utterly mesmerized by Lin Da. It''s the other way around. Lin Da is almost my obedient lapdog!"


    "Really?" Bervis arched an eyebrow, "The nickname ''Eye of True Knowledge'' has even spread to South Rock City. They say you''re one of Lin Da''s harem members. Is that true?"


    Aiko:...


    Bervis didn''t linger on this topic. He turned his gaze to the magic screen, where new developments were unfolding.


    The attention of everyone was captured.


    The members of the Phoenix Tail Flower passed through the dark tunnel and entered a brightly lit stone hall with torches lit on the walls.


    At the forefront of the hall was a throne.


    On it sat a three-meter-tall Goblin.


    The Goblin''s ears were sharp and its gaze fierce, with a mouth full of saw-toothed, sharp teeth.


    It wore a golden crown, with a bright red cape hanging behind and clutched a sword in its right hand.


    On the hilt of the sword, there was a ruby as large as an egg.


    The blade gleamed coldly, engraved with a string of magic runes.


    Powerful fluctuations of force gathered on this sword, as if there was nothing it couldn''t cleave through.


    Seeing this creature, Bervis said with a smile, "Aiko, how about a bet?"


    Aiko: "What?"


    Bervis said, "If Lin Da can successfully subdue the Goblin Prince, I''ll let you all off the hook. But if Lin Da uses a Town Portal Scroll or dies in the cave, then you will obediently come back with me to undergo the training I''ve prepared for you. How about it?"


    "Sure, Lin Da will never lose!" Aiko said confidently.


    Bervis shook his head, "It''s not as simple as you think. Epic monsters have five star levels. If it''s a regular one-star epic monster like the Slime King or King Frog, this squad might possibly succeed."


    "But the Goblin Prince is a two-star epic monster, whose overall combat strength is far superior to the former, possessing high strength and agility, a true nightmare for regular Mages and weaker damage dealers."


    "When I was at level 29, without the aid of my seniors, I would have been severely wounded."


    "After hearing this, are you still confident that Lin Da will win?"


    "So what?" Aiko countered, flaunting a provocative smile, "Even you could make a wrong judgment."


    "What?" Bervis was puzzled.


    "Lin Da will definitely, most surely win. The foolish one is you, Bervis!"


    "Lin Da is the prey I, Aiko, have set my sights on. How could a mere Goblin trouble him! Bervis, you''re going to lose the bet and slink back to South Rock City to reflect on your stupidity!"


    Aiko declared angrily.


    Bervis could chastise her all he wanted, as she''d been reprimanded countless times as a child and was accustomed to it.


    But insulting Lin Da was out of the question!


    Seeing Bervis''s livid expression, Aiko felt light as a feather, as if she had grown tiny wings on her back, soaring with delight!


    "Aiko, you''ve grown bolder, haven''t you?" Bervis clenched his fists.


    "What, you''re scared before the Phoenix Tail Flower''s attack even starts?" Aiko mustered her courage and glared at Bervis.


    "Alright then, I''ll wait until the Phoenix Tail Flower''s defeat before I teach you a lesson."


    Bervis said, "The terms of the bet are that if Phoenix Tail Flower wins, I''ll leave, and you all can do whatever you like. I won''t report anything about you to father. But if Phoenix Tail Flower loses, you must come back with me and receive strict education to rid yourself of that provincial adventurer stench!"


    "It''s a deal." Aiko held her head high.


    The siblings both turned their gaze to the magic screen.


    ...


    World Tree fifth layer, Goblin Cave.


    Lin Da, facing an overwhelming pressure upfront, held the Azure Sword as if he were a Shield Wall protecting the team, pushing forward step by step.


    "Everyone, scatter and position yourselves as we trained!"


    Lin Da commanded.


    Lulu moved to the side of the Goblin Prince, while Lia and Isa were on the other side.


    Experience tales at empire


    Monica positioned herself at the far back, beginning to chant the spell for ''Earth Bombardment''.


    Kafni, meanwhile, moved next to Lin Da.


    "Verdant Shield."


    Lin Da waved his left hand, and a greenish light fell on Kafni, forming a layer of light membrane.


    His health points were as high as 9700, and the thickness of the Verdant Shield reached a staggering 4365 points. With the protection of the Light Shield, Kafni had practically gained a second life.

 Chapter 267 235. Aikos Bet with Big Brother, Lin Das Battle with the Goblin Prince_2

    ```"Go, Great Bear Thief, give us a good start to this punishment mission."


    Lin Da stroked Kafni''s head with his ''Hand of the European King''.


    "Damn it, Lin Da, I warned you not to just touch my head, I''m not like those brainless bimbos you can compare to!" Kafni complained loudly, jumping up and down.


    "Ow!"


    But her voice had awoken the Goblin Prince.


    The Magical Creature stood up, wearing a Crimson cloak behind it, gripping an Epic Weapon, the Sword of Royalty, spewing stench from its gaping maw that enveloped the cave.


    "Damn it, trying to disgust me, are you? Eat shit!"


    "Super! Thief! Steal!"


    Kafni, with one hand on her hip, shouted the embarrassing skill name like a Magical Girl undergoing a Transformation, spun around beautifully, and stretched out her right hand towards the Goblin Prince.


    A grey Magic Circle appeared in front of Kafni.


    Then, with a flash of light, the cloak on the Goblin Prince''s back vanished into thin air!


    The garment, seeped with the putrid stench of the Magical Creature, appeared in Kafni''s right hand.


    "?"


    The Goblin Prince groped at his back in confusion, not understanding what had happened.


    One of its most treasured possessions, the Crimson Goblin Cloak, why had it ended up in the hands of that blond human?


    "Ow! Ow!"


    In an instant, the Goblin Prince was furious, roaring and thumping his chest like a child who had lost its beloved toy!


    "Ugh~ Erk!"


    While Kafni, who had acquired the cloak, couldn''t feel happy, but covered her throat, retching.


    This thick coat-like red cloak emitted an odor that was both funky and foul, as if it had been soaked in a cesspool for seven times seven, forty-nine days, thoroughly marinated.


    Lin Da and the others, however, were overjoyed.


    "Kafni, well done!"


    Lin Da laughed.


    The Goblin Prince''s defense capabilities had decreased with the loss of its cloak, indirectly reducing its Life Barrier.


    Another point.


    Although the cloak was on the Goblin Prince, whether it would drop after its death was based on luck. By stealing the cloak, Kafni had secured a piece of high-quality Magical Equipment.


    Lin Da glanced at it; it was a level 25 Orange Equipment with quite nice attributes.


    He decided to use it as a reward for Lia. Lia, an adventurer who cared a lot about equipment attributes, probably wouldn''t mind the stench.


    Lin Da took the cloak and put it into his Space Ring.


    "Sil... ver, strike... sss!"


    At this moment, the Goblin Prince uttered garbled human words, his steps suddenly swift as lightning.


    It was one of his signature skills: Royal Assassination!


    During the training session with Phoenix Tail Flower, Lin Da had emphasized the importance of avoiding being hit by Royal Assassination.


    If it weren''t for the Verdant Shield, someone like Monica or Kafni, the squishy types, would be gone in one hit.


    But among the six, Lin Da was an exception.


    His Agility wasn''t very high, whereas the Goblin Prince was a strength and Agility type Magical Creature; moreover, Royal Assassination was particularly fast. If Lin Da were to be attacked, even if his eyes saw it and his brain was aware, he wouldn''t be fast enough to avoid it and would still be hit.


    Therefore, Lin Da didn''t need to pay special attention to Royal Assassination.


    Whether he dodged or not, he couldn''t dodge it anyway.


    He had already resigned himself to that fact.


    Experience more on empire


    A foul wind assaulted him, causing Lin Da''s hair to lean back and his eyelids to sting, while the strong wind made his eyes water.


    But he did not stop.


    Royal Assassination would definitely come from the front, so as long as he initiated an attack towards the front, he would definitely hit!


    "Dark Whip!"


    Lin Da threw out a black Thorn Whip, lashing out fiercely in front of him!


    This skill was a burst of single-hit damage and was fast. Lin Da heard a crisp ''snap'' and a red -6320 popped up.


    At the same time, Lin Da was hit by a violent force that pushed him back seven or eight steps.


    A glint of cold light drew near, hitting his Verdant Shield, and a ghostly -4000 popped up.


    The Verdant Shield became dim as if it would be destroyed if it was hit once more.


    Small indentations were plowed into the ground beneath Lin Da''s feet.


    The Goblin Prince, with blood-red eyes staring at Lin Da and green ears twitching, seemed puzzled as to why this human wasn''t injured.


    One [Royal Assassination], unable to break even Lin Da''s shield.


    "Just as I expected, the first stage Goblin Prince poses no threat to me," Lin Da muttered to himself.


    A move that was extremely threatening to ordinary adventurers could not break through his defense!


    ```


    Then, let''s move into the second stage as soon as possible.


    Under the bewildered gaze of the Goblin Prince, Lin Da chanted the spell of Verdant Shield again. sea??h th�� nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The flimsy green Light Shield became thick once more.


    And that wasn''t all; Lin Da ''wasted magic power'' by casting a Healing Art right in front of the Goblin Prince.


    Attacking the Goblin Prince would draw its enmity. Healing Art could do the same, and even more so than attacking.


    No enemy would let the healer of the opposition live. The first thing to do when taking down an adventure team was always to kill the healer!


    Lin Da''s public act of ''drinking milk,'' which is what they called healing, was nothing short of a provocation to the Goblin Prince!


    This human must die!


    The Goblin Prince roared and launched his Wind Sword Spell.


    A dense rain of sword lights aimed at Lin Da.


    "Now is the moment!"


    Lin Da charged head-on, letting out a loud roar.


    He was signaling to his teammates, now they could attack the Goblin.


    This magical creature''s enmity had been firmly grasped by him!


    "Hmph, like I needed you to tell me that," Lia, who had been charging her energy prematurely, grunted. Her face was flushed red, the veins on her forehead bulging. If she didn''t release soon, it would damage her magic circuits.


    Hearing Lin Da''s command, she and Isa rushed up from the left and the right, their red and silver Battle Qi streaking through the air like long rainbows, aiming for the Goblin Prince''s back.


    "Flame Slash!"


    "Silver Frost Sword Qi!"


    They each unleashed their signature skills.


    Flames scorched the Goblin Prince''s back, and Lia''s Greatsword landed a solid hit.


    Meanwhile, Isa''s silver rapier penetrated five centimeters deep, with the Silver Frost Sword Qi expanding and frostbiting the Goblin Prince''s skin.


    -12200!


    -3100, -2700, -2200!


    The former was Lia''s burst damage after Energy Charging, extremely powerful, delivering over ten thousand damage in one go.


    Isa was a Swordsman with high attack speed, stabbing several holes into the Goblin Prince''s back in quick succession.


    At the same time, Lulu''s attack arrived.


    Lulu, like a giant bird soaring through the air, swung her wolf tail and crossed her claws, with a shimmer of crossed cold light flashing.


    Skill: Sharp Claw Strike!


    -4400, -4700!


    She also dealt significant damage to the Goblin Prince.


    But Lia could tell that among the three of them, her damage was the highest.


    The young girl''s lips curved in pride, her old habit of wanting to outshine her teammates threatening to surface again.


    Fortunately, Lin Da noticed Lia''s action and sharply ordered her to stop, preventing a bad situation from occurring.


    As Lia and Lulu passed by each other, Lia boasted, "My damage is higher than yours."


    Lulu replied coolly, "Everyone has their role to play; we just have different positions. Besides, I''m only using half of my strength right now."


    "Half? You must be bragging," Lia''s face was full of disbelief.


    "You''ll see when Lin Da lets me use ''that'' skill," Lulu said with aloof confidence.


    As the three girls outputted a round of damage, Lin Da easily withstood the Goblin Prince''s Wind Sword Spell.


    Before Verdant Shield could break, he''d already chanted the next Verdant Shield spell.


    No matter how the Goblin Prince attacked, he couldn''t break through Lin Da''s defense.


    Then Monica attacked.


    Lin Da continued to draw aggro with Healing Art.


    The Goblin Prince was almost driven to a brain hemorrhage with anger.


    What was up with this Healer, his skin tougher than a turtle''s!


    Weren''t Healers supposed to be the most fragile among adventurers?


    Every Magical Creature has instincts, even if it was their first encounter with a Healer, they knew that this was their priority target.


    But in Lin Da''s case, this didn''t apply.


    Lin Da might just be the tankiest Healer in history.


    "Venom Magic Sphere, Dark Whip!"


    "Cross Slash!"


    Lin Da used a set of skills and a basic attack to take away ten thousand of the Goblin Prince''s health points.


    Lulu and the others also initiated their crazy output mode.

 Chapter 268 236, Ultimate Skill: Guardian Sword, First Appearance

    Surveying the three girls, each one was a seasoned adventurer.Lulu and Isa needed no introduction, one having endured the trials of the Dark Shadow period, the other being a highly regarded Adventure Team Leader. sea??h th�� n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As for Lia, her reputation suffered due to her arrogance and pride.


    However, such people possess one advantage, strong individual combat capabilities.


    Under the rain of the Goblin Prince''s swords, Lia fluttered like a nimble hummingbird, dodging all attacks.


    Then, Lia''s great sword came crashing down, and with a dull thud, the massive body of the Goblin Prince staggered backward.


    "Lin Da, when will you use ''that one''? Your lady''s great sword can hardly wait!"


    Lia rubbed her hands together eagerly, her face full of impatience.


    "Don''t rush, there will be a chance for you to use it."


    Lin Da moved closer to Lia''s side, draping a Verdant Shield over the rash Swordsman girl.


    He didn''t overlook Lulu and Isa either, bestowing a shield upon each one in turn.


    With the protection of the Verdant Shields, the three of them fought unrestrained.


    Five minutes passed, and Lin Da surmised that the Goblin Prince was about to enter the second phase.


    At that time, aggro would reset, and the Goblin Prince would unleash a powerful skill.


    "All-out attack, reduce its Life Barrier!"


    Lin Da cried out, and the six members of the team were all enveloped within the green "turtle shells" as the front-liners faced the Goblin''s sword rain, charging collectively without concern.


    This gave the Goblin Prince the illusion, wondering who the real Magical Creatures were.


    The most formidable aspect of top-tier Magical Creatures was their thick Life Barrier, but facing these adventurers, the Goblin Prince discovered something outrageous��the thickness of their Life Barriers seemed to surpass his own!


    "Earth Bombardment!"


    "Frost Wolf''s Bite!"


    "Flame Slash!"


    A plethora of colorful lights burst forth all at once, like a fireworks display.


    The Goblin Prince, at the center of this pyrotechnic display, screamed in agony, instantly turning into a bloodied mess.


    In Lin Da''s eyes, damage numbers popped up one after another.


    From the beginning of the battle until now, they had inflicted damage around 200,000.


    It was time for the second phase.


    As Lin Da thought this, the Goblin Prince sneered, lifting his arms high:


    "A king must not be insulted; let you insects witness the power of Royalty!"


    This signature line signified the start of the second phase!


    A ferocious suction emanated from the Goblin Prince''s palms.


    Lin Da lost his balance, lurching forward as the debris beneath his feet cascaded towards the center of the Goblin Prince''s palms.


    Under this suction force, except for Monica, who was quite distant, and Kafni, whose build was relatively fragile, everyone else entered the Goblin Prince''s attack range!


    Lin Da looked up.


    More and more debris gathered in the center of the Goblin Prince''s palm, forming a giant sphere.


    A terrifying aura rose from the Goblin Prince, as oppressive as a mountain, weighing on the chests of all Phoenix Tail Flower Team members.


    The oppressive force of an Epic Demon Creature was so strong that even the adventurers outside the magic screen felt it as if it were physical, struggling to breathe.


    The majority in the hall were adventurers below level 10 who had never witnessed an Epic Level Magical Creature.


    This live strategy broadcast was a feast for their eyes, as if they were on the scene, joining Phoenix Tail Flower Team in the battle against the Goblin Prince!


    At the same time, they were on tenterhooks, watching Lin Da and the others being sucked ever closer to the Goblin Prince on the screen, becoming increasingly worried.


    Could Lin Da withstand the Goblin Prince''s powerful strike?


    Bervis, as if sure of his victory, chuckled, "Aiko, it''s about time you admitted your defeat, isn''t it? The Goblin Prince''s second form will summon a horde of Bone Goblins to charge, followed by a Stone Throw that can pierce through the Armor of the front-line warriors."


    "The correct approach to deal with this Magical Creature is to move back beyond twenty meters before it releases the suction, with everyone hiding behind the Heavy Armored Warrior''s large shield."


    Bervis shook his head in regret, "If I were Lin Da, I would order everyone to use the Town Portal Scroll and give up on this Magical Creature."


    "It seems you haven''t done enough homework on Lin Da."


    Hearing Bervis''s well-founded analysis, Aiko still had a calm look on her face.


    "What do you mean? Do I still need to do homework on a Level 20 adventurer?" Bervis''s eyes flashed with a hint of disdain.


    "Exactly. It''s because you don''t do your homework that you''ve lost this wager," Aiko said, straightening her back and with a hint of a smile in her eyes. "Because Lin Da never does anything unless he''s sure of it!"


    As the siblings were arguing, the Goblin Prince activated his skills.


    The creature''s shrill cry echoed through the hall; with a swing of its long sword, it summoned a row of phantom Bone Goblins wielding long spears.


    They resembled a surging wall of steel, attacking Lin Da and the leading Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    A chilly wind blew towards them, and as Lin Da looked at the cold spear tips coming at him, he took a deep breath, raised the Azure Sword in his hands high, closed his eyes, and silently circulated his magic power. Continue your journey on empire


    The Bone Goblin''s spear formation was drawing closer, and it seemed as if everyone would be pierced in the next second.


    But the few girls remained composed, looking towards Lin Da full of trust.


    Lin Da''s long sword released a flash of white light in his hand, gathering into an even larger Light Sword.


    A pair of ethereal white wings sprouted from his back.


    At this moment, Lin Da was like an angel.


    He floated up from the ground, gazing down at the Bone Goblins below, with the Light Sword in his hand slashing down as he called out, "Guardian Sword!"


    A massive white sword aura cleaved forth.


    It struck the Bone Goblin''s spear formation.


    -10820!


    -10234!


    -10002!


    A flurry of damage numbers crazily popped up.


    In an instant,


    The Goblin spear formation was utterly decimated under Lin Da''s Guardian Sword!


    But the audience outside the screen was still holding their breath, their hearts hanging in suspense.


    The Goblin Prince''s true killer move was yet to come.


    Those palms releasing a fierce suction gathered into a tremendous boulder, over ten meters in diameter, composed of compressed rubble.


    This was a seemingly ludicrous but terrifyingly deadly area-of-effect skill: "Stone Rain."


    Lin Da''s Guardian Sword was powerful indeed, making Bervis nod in approval, but even if Lin Da had dealt with those Bone Goblins, it wouldn''t have changed the outcome of their impending defeat.


    Facing "Stone Rain," they had to use the Town Portal Scroll to flee or suffer heavy injuries as a group.


    Whether Lin Da used the Town Portal Scroll or not, in Bervis''s eyes, their defeat was certain.


    "Aiko, now you can obediently go home with your big brother..."


    He had only gotten halfway through his sentence when Bervis''s mouth stopped moving.


    He furrowed his brows, his eyes filled with confusion.


    On the screen, the white wings on Lin Da''s back gently fluttered.


    Three feathers fell on top of the girls'' heads.


    They transformed into a layer of white Light Shields, stacking on top of the existing Verdant Shields.


    Lin Da did the same for himself.


    The next moment, the Goblin Prince hurled the boulder.


    In mid-air, the boulder turned into countless small pebbles, flying all over the sky.


    These pebbles contained power compressed to the extreme, each one a threat to a Level 20 adventurer.


    But the number of Stone Rain pebbles was overwhelming, reaching into the thousands, even tens of thousands!

 Chapter 269 237, Double Shields deployed, scorning the Goblin Prince

    ```When heavily hit, the fragile Mage class would die instantly, and even the Heavy Armored Warrior, adept at defense, had to take cover behind shields.


    The Goblin Prince''s Stone Rain aimed for what''s called a ''First Encounter Kill''.


    The first adventure team to battle this Magical Creature paid in blood to leave a strategy for future generations.


    Like Bervis, who had battled the Goblin Prince on the tenth floor and knew of the existence of this Stone Rain technique.


    If he were in Lin Da''s shoes, becoming a level 23 adventurer, he would have had no confidence in surviving this barrage of Stone Rain.


    The only option would have been to rip open a Town Portal Scroll and escape the Magical Creature.


    But what really happened?


    Bervis seemed to understand why Aiko claimed he hadn''t done his homework on Lin Da.


    Stone Rain came head-on.


    All that could be heard was the ''clang, clang, clang'' of impacts.


    In addition to the Emerald Light Shields, the Phoenix Tail Flower members had another layer of pale golden Light Shields on them.


    The pebbles struck against it, completely blocked by the Light Shields.


    With Lin Da in the lead, not only did the four at the front not retreat, but they also advanced step by step.


    The quantity of stones was immense, depleting the first layer of Light Shields.


    But beneath it was another almost equally thick Verdant Shield.


    The "Stone Rain," which should have inflicted severe injuries on the adventurers, left the whole team unscathed under Lin Da''s Double Shields!


    "Dark Whip!"


    Lin Da threw out the energy whip, and with a snap, it struck the Goblin Prince''s face.


    Visibly, a gash was torn across the Goblin Prince''s cheek.


    "Aow, aow-aow!"


    The Goblin Prince froze for a moment, and seeing none of Lin Da''s team injured, he jumped around in frustration and rage.


    "All-out attack!"


    Lin Da seized the Goblin Prince''s moment of confusion to leap forward, his Azure Sword slashing down.


    Lulu and the others followed close behind.


    The three girls showed their prowess.


    Beast claws, rapier, Greatsword, they descended in quick succession.


    They battered the Goblin Prince, causing him to bleed profusely and howl in pain.


    "A Two-Star Epic Monster is just like this!"


    As Lia passed by the sensor ladybug, her face was brimming with confidence, and she made a point to say this phrase deliberately.


    "Lia, your arrogance is really annoying, and maybe that''s why we don''t get along," Isa said as she elegantly passed Lia, her silver hair fluttering.


    "But what I said is the truth!"


    "You''re wrong. Without Lin Da''s shield, a casual hit from the Goblin Prince would have severely wounded us," Isa said calmly. "A strong support can reduce the difficulty of a battle. Lin Da''s shield can almost be termed miraculous; it''s not that we are incredible, it''s that Lin Da''s shield is too useful."


    With the Double Shields in place, even the Goblin Prince''s "Stone Rain" could be withstood.


    They ought to have been thrice careful, taking cover behind the Heavy Armored Warrior''s shields, but instead, they could advance under the barrage of the Stone Rain.


    This was Isa''s first time shielded by Lin Da.


    The sense of security, almost like having an extra life, was hard not to become addicted to.


    Usually, when battling Magical Creatures, Isa was cautious to the point of restricting herself for the sake of safety, giving up many opportunities to attack.


    She never overreached. When it was time to roll, she rolled, when it was time to retreat, she retreated, only seizing those 100% safe opportunities to attack.


    This was why Isa''s damage output was relatively low.


    But against a training dummy, she was no worse than Lia. One was sustained damage, the other burst damage; the total was similar.


    Now with Lin Da''s shield, Isa felt as though she''d shed a heavy burden, her steps lightened by a factor of two!


    Thinking of this, Isa''s regret only grew deeper��why hadn''t she made a greater effort to recruit Lin Da when he had just left Snow Goose?


    Back then, Lin Da had not yet formed the Phoenix Tail Flower and was a solo adventurer.


    If she had made the ''Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage,'' she might have truly taken him under her wing.


    Lia, hearing Isa''s words, scratched her ear and looked dark.


    The force with which she swung her Greatsword at the Goblin Prince increased several-fold.


    ... S��arch* The n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The hall of the Adventurers'' Guild.


    ```


    Seeing Phoenix Tail Flower walk through the Stone Rain unscathed, Bervis fell silent.


    The face of this Moon rank adventurer felt somewhat hot.


    It turned out that in addition to its notable damage, the "Guardian Sword" could also stack an extremely thick shield for Lin Da and the other three.


    It could be described as the perfect ultimate skill that integrated offense and defense.


    If Bervis could still accept these facts, the fact that the light shield from the Guardian Sword and the Verdant Shield could stack with each other left him utterly speechless.


    There are not many professions that can enhance shields in the first place.


    Skills of the same nature can easily clash.


    For instance, the Mage''s "Magic Amplification" and the Bard''s "Song of Mana" could not be stacked.


    Defensive skills were even more strict, and shield skills were among the most valuable.


    Among the professions that could enhance shields was the Druid, with its signature skill "Nature''s Shield."


    According to Bervis''s estimate, the thickness of the "Nature''s Shield" was not even half that of Lin Da''s "Verdant Shield."


    What Bervis found most unacceptable was that not only was Lin Da''s shield thick, but he also used double shields.


    The twin shields could perfectly protect the back line.


    The safety of the front line would also be greatly secured.


    Putting it on a Heavy Armored Warrior was like creating a wall that drove Magical Creatures to despair.


    Bervis now understood why Aiko was fascinated by Lin Da.


    Not just Aiko, Bervis felt that if he were a woman, he too would be attracted by Lin Da''s thick and heavy double shields and find himself unable to move on.


    Any adventure team that could get Lin Da would see their combat power increase by at least thirty percent!


    Aiko looked at Bervis with a smile.


    That meant, you should acknowledge Lin Da''s prowess now, right?


    The wager, you''ve lost!


    Bervis chuckled weakly, "Your judgement is indeed not bad."


    "But if you think Lin Da has won, that''s quite premature."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Simple."


    Bervis pointed at the Goblin Prince on the screen who was being beaten into a dire retreat, seemingly powerless to resist, and said:


    "This magical creature has not used its ultimate skill yet."


    Bervis''s words were like a prophecy.


    The Goblin Prince roared angrily, swung the greatsword wildly, and forced the Phoenix Tail Flower Group to retreat.


    Lin Da also realized what was about to happen.


    He nodded at Isa.


    Isa then looked at Lia.


    The six people present immediately split into two groups.


    The Isalia Group.


    And the Phoenix Tail Flower Group led by Lin Da.


    The Goblin Prince, panting and leaning on his knees, had his belly swelling up, round and bulging like a pregnant woman.


    Suddenly, the Goblin Prince opened his mouth wide and spat out two green oval eggs.


    The eggshells cracked and broke apart.


    Two goblins, each one and a half meters tall, lean and muscular, crawled out from the eggshells with a sinister laugh.


    They were armed with a bone knife in hand.


    Though small in stature, their aura was impressive.


    Their level was the same as the Goblin Prince''s, reaching level 25.


    A string of information flashed through Lin Da''s mind: the Goblin Prince''s ultimate skill, "Call for Help."


    It was triggered when the Goblin Prince''s Hit Points dropped to 25%.


    The two Goblin Guards had considerable Hit Points, equivalent to the Goblin Prince''s current health.


    If the guards were not killed within three minutes, the Goblin Prince would use "Devour" to consume the guards, recovering a large amount of health and increasing All Attributes. Discover exclusive tales on empire


    This situation must be avoided!


    Therefore, Lin Da had instructed his teammates to hold back their ultimate skills.


    So far, he was the only one who had used the Guardian Sword in order to counter the Stone Rain.

 Chapter 270 Fusion Finishing Skills: Ice and Fire Symphony!

    "let''s begin!"lin da charged ahead, targeting the one on the left.


    poison magic power surged into his sword.


    with a swing of his sword, he slashed out a purple poison dragon!


    with fangs and claws flashing, the poison dragon lunged at the goblin guard, biting and blasting him several meters away.


    a vast wound tore open on the goblin guard''s shoulder, blood gushing profusely.


    surrounding him were 10 purple teardrops. s~ea??h the n??efire.��et website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    the goblin guard, both shocked and furious, was clueless about what these were.


    they were named: dragon''s sorrow.


    each teardrop would cause three times the damage of lin da''s magic power.


    following lin da''s poison dragon''s roar, monica chanted a spell from the rear.


    trembling with fear, monica raised her magic wand, her timid large eyes daring not to meet the fierce gaze of the goblin guard but focusing on its green feet to pinpoint the position.


    although monica strove to shout the name of her ultimate skill, it came out as a faint whimper instead.


    "falling�� falling rock technique!"


    the magic wand burst into light, and a brown array with a diameter of six meters appeared above the goblin guard''s head.


    a massive rock fell from the array.


    boom!


    the goblin guard was smashed into a deep pit, wailing in agony!


    -30590!


    immediately after, a blue phantom rushed forward.


    lulu''s ears had grown much longer, and her tail was unusually thick.


    crouching on all fours, her eyes filled with blood, she growled like a true wolf.


    the frost wolf warrior''s ultimate skill: "berserk."


    upon activating "berserk," lulu''s output increased for 30 seconds.


    the lesser her health points, the greater the increase in output.


    in a near-death state, the increase could be up to 100%!


    this meant that the perfect match for lin da''s double shields wasn''t lia, who excelled in "energy charging," but rather lulu.


    lin da could allow lulu''s health to drop to half or even a sliver before encasing her in double shields...


    such offensive capability could only be described as terrifying!


    however, in subduing the goblin prince, lin da was confident enough to proceed steadily, not requiring lulu to injure herself to lose health.


    back among his own ranks, lin da would not permit lulu to harm herself unless absolutely necessary.


    lulu, at full health, had her damage increased by 30% through "berserk," which was sufficient.


    lulu pounced forward, her beast claws shimmering coldly, frantically attacking the goblin guard.


    a series of damage numbers popped up: -3521, -3901, -3728...


    and these were merely the damages from normal attacks.


    with "berserk" lasting 30 seconds, lulu could achieve nearly 100,000 in output.


    lin da, along with his three companions, one of whom was the drag kafni, rapidly brought the goblin guard to the brink of death.


    a couple more strikes, and it would be over.


    on the other side, isalia''s group was having a much harder time.


    after all, they only had two people.


    the sensor ladybug''s suggestions displayed concern for them too.


    isa''s fans questioned the fairness of lin da''s distribution of tasks.


    the dirtiest, toughest jobs were all thrown to the outer team''s adventurers.


    these criticisms, even if seen by lin da, would be ignored.


    those people would soon understand the reason for his decisions.


    "ice wall."


    with a graceful lift of her rapier, isa conjured an ice wall that blocked the goblin guard''s attacks.


    "i''m ready!"


    lia, having completed her "energy charging," her greatsword shimmered with a dazzling red glow.


    the two exchanged glances and nodded to each other.


    isa extended her hand to lia.


    lia grasped it.


    the two stunningly beautiful girls, hand in hand, approached the towering magical creature.


    unbeknownst to them, this scene caused an uproar in the adventurer''s guild hall.


    inconceivable as it was that the duo, known for being like fire and ice, would walk hand in hand like close girlfriends towards the goblin guard.


    their steps were initially chaotic, but gradually they synchronized.


    isa''s rapier, wrapped in frosty mist, and lia''s greatsword, ablaze with flames, crossed each other.


    both simultaneously engaged their battle qi.


    fire and ice intertwined and overlapped.


    forming a dazzling ribbon of red and silver, it clung to their swords.


    the goblin guard instinctively sensed a threat.


    he backed away step by step, assuming a defensive posture.


    at that moment, isa and lia joined hands and leaped into the air!


    both swords struck down simultaneously.


    they shouted in unison,


    "ice and fire symphony!"


    the silver and red sword lights transformed into an ice storm and a fire tornado, enveloping the terrified goblin guard.


    the cave turned into a realm of both ice and fire.


    the storm sliced, frostbiting the goblin guard''s skin.


    then the flames scorched him into charcoal.


    rocks tumbled, and dust filled the air.


    a silver and red storm connected heaven and earth!


    "ooowaaahhh!"


    the goblin guard let out a miserable cry.


    -37560!


    -38811!


    -40002!


    the fusion finishing skills triggered three times, totaling nearly 120,000 damage.


    the energy storm dissipated.


    the goblin guard had already turned into a pile of minced meat!


    lia said excitedly, "we did it!"


    she quickly took out a sensor ladybug from the strap on her thigh to see if there were any praising suggestions.


    after using the ice and fire symphony, the number of suggestions surged.


    [is this a fusion finishing skill? such powerful force, truly worthy of bursting flames lia, one of the strongest swordsmen in white dove city!]


    [the goblin guard got instantly killed? how high must the damage be, it almost feels like it''s close to a star-ranked adventurer.]


    [even lia and isa can use fusion finishing skills, why can''t my oath-bound girlfriend and i pull it off after two years of practice?]


    dawen also stared at the screen unexpectedly, the wheat beer glass in his hand hanging in the air for quite a while.


    his expression gradually softened, and he smiled contentedly.


    it felt as if his little sister had grown up a bit.


    she was even willing to cooperate with others and had mastered a fusion finishing skill.


    even he, the big brother, and his team members had been practicing for over a year without finding a clue.


    ''if something were to happen to my father and me during a magical creatures'' hunt, i could leave the scarlet adventure group in lia''s hands with peace of mind,'' dawen thought silently.


    inside the cave.


    lia, seeing so many praising suggestions, could barely keep her lips from curling up.


    thirty years by the east of the river, thirty years by the west.


    never underestimate a young girl''s plight!


    lucky for them, lia wasn''t a beastman.


    otherwise, her tail might have spun circles in the air.


    at this moment, lin da dealt with another goblin guard.


    the six of them pressed forward step by step, forming an encirclement around the goblin prince.


    after using [call for help], the goblin prince was overly exhausted and became weak. explore new worlds at empire


    he sat down on the ground, clumsily swinging his long sword back and forth, shaking his head in fear, looking extremely cowardly.


    it seemed that he had completely lost his will to fight.


    but that ugly big mouth suddenly curled into a cunning smile.


    what''s going on?


    suspicion appeared in lin da''s eyes.


    the goblin prince, had he just smiled?


    something was off.


    the goblin prince is a type of magical creature known for its cruelty and cunning.


    this obvious show of weakness seemed like a lure to draw them closer.


    but this creature had already used up its ultimate skill, it should have been at its wits'' end.


    an unusual seed sprouted and grew in lin da''s mind.


    this abnormal situation gave him a slight chill up his spine.


    lin da chose to trust his instincts.


    he shouted, "everyone, stop, stay away from that creature!"

 Chapter 271 239, Lin Da cuts off the live broadcast and launches the Ultimate Move!

    lia, who was at the forefront, looked back at lin da."why is that?"


    just as lia felt puzzled,


    the expression of the goblin prince, cowardly a moment before, suddenly changed.


    this magical creature stood up with a nasty smile, the sword of royalty thrusting forward!


    it was clear to see the veins on the goblin prince''s body bulging out, like an overinflated balloon, his body rapidly swelling from three to four meters in height.


    his eyes turned a blood red.


    the sword of royalty in his hand turned an ominous deep black, as if infused with some kind of power.


    a terrifying aura emanated from the goblin prince!


    "what''s happening?"


    lia and the others stopped in their tracks.


    lin da''s strategy did not mention this part, did it?


    only lin da realized what the situation was now.


    lin da''s eyes narrowed.


    a chill rose up his back


    it was the third phase of the goblin prince, the furious form.


    the optimal number of people to take on this cave was six.


    once that number was exceeded, the goblin prince would enter the third phase, activating the furious form.


    all attributes increased, embarking on a frenzied slaughter of the adventurers, and the difficulty of the challenge rose by a level.


    this unexpected turn was not too troublesome for lin da.


    even in the goblin prince''s rage, lin da could hold his own with his toughness.


    what truly sent a chill down lin da''s spine was when he surveyed the dim cave and counted the number of people in his field of view, exactly six including himself.


    where was the seventh person who had triggered the goblin prince''s third phase fury hiding?


    even kafni couldn''t detect the presence of this person��kafni, as a deity, had the most sensitive grasp on the aura of the evil side, such as witches and magical creatures.


    but if the opponent was an adventurer with a higher level than kafni''s, then without being on guard, it would be difficult for kafni to notice them.


    following all the way into the goblin cave, secretly observing the phoenix tail flower''s battles... it was hard to say there wasn''t malice involved.


    lin da''s brain worked rapidly.


    at the same time, he quickly chanted a verdant shield, bestowing it upon lia who was at the vanguard.


    two attacks came at the phoenix tail flower team.


    on one side was the goblin prince, who was obviously thrusting the sword of royalty at lia.


    on the other side...


    the space in the shadow of the cave rippled like water.


    a person in a black robe, holding a dagger, walked out from it.


    the black-robed individual''s gaze was icy, his eyes firmly fixed on the phoenix tail flower member closest to him: the mage monica, who had no idea what was happening behind her, wand in hand!


    ...


    on the second floor of the adventurers'' guild.


    the crowd looked at the screen with uncertainty and confusion.


    what on earth was happening?


    why did the goblin prince, who was at death''s door just a moment ago, suddenly become as powerful as if he had drunk three large bowls of chicken soup and made a full recovery?


    only a few people guessed the reason.


    bervis thought with astonishment, it seemed someone was setting up the phoenix tail flower.


    white dove city appeared peaceful on the surface, but beneath there were dark undercurrents stirring.


    in the hall, only hulus knew the whole truth.


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    why would the goblin prince go into a rage?


    the hidden person, where exactly were they?


    hulus knew all these things!


    three days ago, hulus had sent out a team member adept at concealment to follow phoenix tail flower.


    after the incident of the ranking party, hulus''s specter adventure group and phoenix tail flower had a complete fallout.


    like two hunters in the dark forest, since they couldn''t guess whether phoenix tail flower would make a move, it was better to strike first!


    while monica and chloe went to the magic guide gaming center to play with the illusion helmet, hulus''s member took the chance to leave a mark on monica.


    then, they followed lin da and the others into the goblin cave.


    to avoid detection by lin da, all three of hulus''s team members were proficient in the dark series skill turtle breath, which was hard to sense unless someone was much higher in level.


    "if the epic demon creature can''t take you down, then i, the group leader, will see you off!"


    a venomous laugh echoed in hulus''s heart.


    on the outside, he looked ''surprised'' towards the magic screen.


    it seemed that even he did not know why the phoenix tail flower team had encountered such a situation.


    ...


    "ugh!"


    lia blocked the goblin prince''s thrust with her greatsword, and the verdant shield in front of her vibrated violently until it shattered in an instant.


    fortunately, most of the attack''s force was absorbed, and lia only grunted, sent flying a dozen meters away.


    more than a light injury, but not quite severe.


    but without the verdant shield...


    lia''s face turned pale.


    just now, she would have been gone!


    "lin da..."


    lia scratched her cheek, wanting to say thanks.


    but then she was startled to see, behind lin da, two figures in black robes emerged from the shadows, holding gleaming scimitars and shooting toward lin da like arrows leaving their bows!


    the aura emitted by these robed figures was nothing to scoff at, about level 26 each.


    lin da seemed completely unaware, his entire focus on monica in the distance.


    this is bad.


    monica, she''s bait!


    a chill went through lia''s heart.


    lin da chanted the spell for verdant shield, preparing to protect monica.


    but in reality, the real targets of those figures were lin da himself!


    the shield brought by the guardian sword had been exhausted in the "stone rain".


    verdant shield had also become a thin layer after lin da''s clash with the goblin guards.


    the shield lin da was chanting for monica, if given to her, wouldn''t be able to protect him!


    lia did not know the exact thickness of lin da''s life barrier.


    she just felt that lin da, at level 23, would definitely die if attacked by two level 26 figures in black robes.


    so, a strange scene unfolded in the area.


    lia ran toward lin da, while lin da, due to the distance needed for casting, ran toward monica in the far back.


    everyone realized that crisis had arrived, each making their move.


    but all of this happened too abruptly.


    lulu knew she had to confront the two figures in black robes, but her position was too spread out from lin da to offer assistance in time.


    lin da, rushing toward monica, was also looking for a way to cope.


    the killing intent from behind, lin da felt it.


    but he didn''t attend to it!


    with a life barrier of 9700 points, those two figures in black robes wouldn''t be able to break through!


    lin da ran with all his might, his blood boiling, his heart pounding like a drum.


    what he was most concerned about was whether a single verdant shield could keep monica safe.


    the same shield, according to the defensive power of the one it was cast on, varied in ''quality''.


    lin da could give monica a verdant shield of 4350 points, but how much damage this shield could actually withstand, depended on monica herself.


    monica was one of the more fragile mages, not necessarily able to block that black-robed figure''s attack!


    "kafni!"


    lin da''s eyebrows shot up, and he let out a loud yell.


    it was time, to use "that"!


    meanwhile, he retracted his sensor ladybug, cutting off the live strategy feed.


    all the connected magic screens blacked out.


    the adventurers'' guilds in various parts of white dove city were in an uproar.


    everyone was confused, not understanding what was happening.


    why had the goblin prince gone into a rage?


    where did those assassins come from?


    who was targeting phoenix tail flower?


    and why did lin da cut off the live strategy feed? sea??h th�� n?vel(f)ire.��et website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    this was precisely what the assassins wanted.


    they could now use some of their signature skills without restraint, not caring about exposing their identities.


    with the strategy feed live, even if phoenix tail flower encountered an accident, there were videos as evidence, and both the adventurers'' guild and the imperial knights would help phoenix tail flower capture the murderer.


    the current situation left everyone in doubt.


    aiko, celin, and the fans of phoenix tail flower had tense sweat on their foreheads, as if a heavy stone pressed against their chests.


    what was happening behind that blacked-out magic screen?

 Chapter 272 240, Goddess status Kafni

    inside the cave.kafni nodded solemnly, her eyes meeting lin da''s as they shared an unspoken understanding.


    "i don''t need you to tell me, i was ready to use it anyway!"


    kafni bit her teeth fiercely, her voice resolute.


    the scant divine power was channeled into her body.


    a terrifying golden light shone in her eyes as her waist-length hair fluttered in the violent magic power.


    kafni extended her right hand forward, aiming at the black-robed figure attacking monica.


    everyone in the cave felt a heavy pressure on their backs, their footsteps becoming much slower, as a vast force swept across the space.


    lulu, isa, and lia were all stunned by kafni''s sacred and commanding aura.


    what kind of power was this?


    under kafni''s oppression, their calves trembled.


    this thief who usually seemed so unreliable, was she actually an incredibly strong adventurer?


    the black-robed figure targeted by kafni only felt a heaviness in his chest and struggled to breathe. he was horrified to find that his feet seemed stuck in the mud, and no matter how much power he used, he couldn''t lift them!


    the other two black-robed figures also stopped in their tracks with uncertain surprise, not daring to make any rash moves.


    "c-captain!" monica flew into lin da''s arms like a bird returning to its nest.


    "it''s okay, it''s safe now." lin da stroked monica''s head and slowly let out a sigh of relief.


    when his gaze turned forward, it became cold and detached.


    anyone threatening the safety of his team, not a single one would be spared!


    "kafni, do it!"


    lin da said coldly.


    kafni stretched out her fair palm, gently gripping the empty air.


    in everyone''s ears, they heard the sound of something shattering.


    it was like a liver being smashed into a pulp underfoot.


    in fact, it was the heart of the black-robed man revika.


    revika''s eyes bulged as he spat out a shower of blood.


    in the spiritual world, the core that shone bright as stars quickly dimmed.


    the life barrier that had been connected to revika''s body also disappeared.


    along with it, the signs of revika''s life.


    just like a blade of grass withering within three seconds, revika''s pupils dilated, and he collapsed to the ground, limp.


    "what happened? is revika dead?"


    the other two black-robed figures were shocked.


    they couldn''t see through kafni''s true abilities.


    logically, adventurers of each rank should have distinct "auras," and one could generally determine another''s rank by the strength of that aura.


    but they couldn''t detect anything from kafni.


    "outmatched, use the town portal scroll, retreat!"


    "big brother, i understand!"


    the two black-robed figures frantically took out their town portal scrolls.


    if they tore these scrolls and channeled power into them, they could return to white dove city from the fifth floor.


    if one assassination attempt failed, then they would try twice, three times!


    but kafni snorted coldly.


    "insects, where do you think you''re running!"


    kafni stretched out both hands, clenching them into fists. s��ar?h the n?velfire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    bang! bang!


    two explosive sounds.


    the two black-robed figures turned ashen, spewing out a jet of blood.


    the town portal scrolls slipped from their hands, falling to the ground.


    kafni had already anticipated their escape plan.


    after killing revika, kafni had been brewing another "invisible hand."


    the moment they took out their scrolls, she crushed their hearts!


    "well done."


    lin da cheered up.


    if these two had escaped, revealing the existence of kafni''s divine power would have surely drawn the attention of the demons.


    kafni reacted quickly, exterminating them before they could escape!


    "for this time''s non-epic-level equipment, kafni, you can choose any two pieces, plus an additional reward of 100,000 gold."


    lin da was clear about rewards and punishments and decided to reward kafni.


    after a thorough check, there were no other hidden assassins in the cave.


    lin da pointed to the goblin prince who was shivering in the corner trying to run away and said:


    "while you still have strength, cripple that creature for me, but remember to leave it some breath so i can practice my hand."


    "you''re always thinking of good things for yourself."


    kafni rolled her eyes and unleashed a wave of divine power, striking the goblin prince.


    but the force was clearly not as strong as at the beginning.


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    after killing the three men in black robes, kafni had become extremely weak.


    lin da clearly saw the number -97802 appear above the goblin prince''s head.


    he mentally calculated the health points...


    about 10,000 left.


    that would do, he was able to solo it.


    after kafni had done these things, she fell from the sky with a thud.


    all the golden light, the majestic aura, and various special effects disappeared.


    from a beautiful and holy goddess, she reverted to a scrap god.


    lin da was quick to react.


    "dark whip!"


    he wrapped his whip around kafni''s waist and cradled her in his arms.


    not to mention, she was quite soft, and there was a faint scent of alcohol.


    the scrap god had sneakily drunk some wheat beer before the expedition started.


    considering kafni''s contribution, lin da held back his lecturing mindset.


    "just don''t take advantage of your lord here."


    after kafni spoke, she tilted her head wearily and fell asleep in lin da''s arms.


    lin da could feel that kafni''s body was like a lump of mud.


    during the transformation, kafni was consistently ''losing health''.


    the powerful divine power wasn''t something her frail body could sustain.


    while she looked unharmed on the outside, inside kafni was battered and ''as good as new''.


    lin da remembered kafni mentioning that using divine power once would turn her into a scrap, and she would need a long time to recover.


    considering kafni''s injury was work-related, lin da decided to pamper her with food and drink and let her rest in the villa as much as she wanted.


    perhaps this was also what kafni had hoped for. to eat, drink, and be merry in the villa while the hero climbed the world tree...


    plus, since kafni was a "summoned being", whenever lin da leveled up, she would level up too.


    without lifting a finger, she could get stronger just by lying down.


    lin da smiled helplessly.


    he would let the scrap god rest for a while.


    he handed the sleeping kafni over to lulu and then, gripping the azure sword, he approached the goblin prince.


    "lin da!"


    isa and lia came over.


    lia: "who were those men in black robes, and what''s going on with kafni?"


    everyone looked at lin da with curiosity.


    considering the goblin prince had only a sliver of health left and was paralyzed by kafni''s divine power, lin da decided to first explain to the others.


    he described kafni''s divine power vaguely as a kind of ''forbidden move'' and glossed it over for the time being.


    as for the men in black robes, they might be from specter adventure group.


    "those bastards!?"


    upon hearing this, lia stamped her foot angrily, "when i get past the 14th floor, i''ll be star rank, and i''ll take them down first!"


    isa shook her head, "lia, you''re not strong enough yet."


    lia: "who are you looking down on?"


    "what i mean is," isa paused, her gaze turning cold as she said, "add ice flower."


    "eh? you want to help lin da?"


    "idiot," isa sighed, "we''re no different from the phoenix tail flower. we''re both on specter''s hit list. as a few of the most promising rock-level adventure teams in white dove city, once we grow to iron level and join forces with white dove adventure group... what good days would specter have left?"

 Chapter 273 241. Kill a Two-Star Epic Monster, the Goblin Prince!

    "right...""so, the specter is a common enemy of our three adventure teams," isa summarized the pros and cons succinctly in just a few words.


    for the first time, lia felt that isa might indeed be smarter than her.


    "isa is right," lin da nodded, "the specter is our common enemy. to fight against this veterans'' steel level adventure group, we need at least one star rank."


    only the influence of a star rank could counteract each other.


    below level 30, one would be affected by this special ability, and the combat power would at least be halved.


    among the three adventure teams, three people had the most hope of reaching star rank.


    lulu and isa at level 28, and lia at level 27.


    lin da thought to himself that tonight, he would try to use all his savings to help lulu break through to level 30 and become star rank. s��ar?h the n?vel(f)ire.��et website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''the diamonds i have probably aren''t enough. i must get the last hit on this goblin prince!''


    lin da showered lia with kind words, giving the last hit to himself and paying lia an extra ten thousand gold.


    this convinced the red-haired girl, who was eager to ''show off''.


    "goblin prince, it''s a one-on-one duel, draw your sword, at least die like a member of the royal family."


    draped with the verdant shield and flanked by four eager young girls, lin da surrounded the goblin prince.


    the goblin shrieked, like a desperate criminal, and charged at lin da.


    "dark whip!"


    lin da snared the goblin prince''s right foot with a whip, tripped him, then hurled a venom magic sphere!


    "toxic enchantment."


    he caressed his azure sword with his left hand, coating it with a layer of purple light.


    man and goblin tangled in the fray.


    lin da was unskilled in swordsmanship.


    he had sought instruction from isa, but after all, the time was too short, and he only learned the basics.


    however, lin da had one great advantage: his hit points combined with the shield neared 15,000. read new chapters at empire


    he was now truly a man with more health points than a boss.


    when the goblin prince struck lin da, lin da was unmoved.


    only the verdant shield lost some of its brightness.


    lin da''s slashes at the goblin prince caused blood to flow with each hit!


    every strike reliably weakened the life force of the goblin prince.


    "3000 left."


    "2000."


    "1000..."


    "the last 100 points."


    lin da habitually tallied in his mind.


    when the goblin prince was left with only a sliver of health, the creature was thoroughly scared.


    frantically, it threw down its weapon, knelt on the ground, whimpering and licking lin da''s boots, begging for his mercy.


    not an ounce of royal dignity remained!


    lin da looked down at the trembling head of the goblin prince with no sympathy, and his azure sword descended.


    "awooooo!"


    the goblin prince let out a piercing scream.


    a large green head rolled to lin da''s feet.


    the goblin prince''s eyes filled with blood, glaring at lin da, as if cursing him in silence.


    "green-skinned freak, disgusting!"


    lin da kicked, sending the goblin prince''s head flying like a ball.


    it hit the wall with a splat, bursting upon impact.


    disgusting green blood splattered everywhere.


    the goblin prince''s hit points ran out, its body turned to ash, and slowly dissipated.


    immediately after, a golden sphere representing the passage of the trial floated up from where the body had been.


    seeing this sphere, lin da, isa... everyone''s spirits lifted, their faces full of anticipation.


    having cleared the secret trial and killed a two-star epic monster, they would receive a divine gift from the world tree goddess!


    everyone present was killing an epic monster for the first time.


    no one knew how generous the reward would be.


    lia clasped her hands in excitement, praying inwardly, "goddess, please let me reach star rank."


    isa''s heart was also pounding; if she could reach star rank, she was confident she could lead the ice flower through the 14th level and become a steel level adventure group.


    their eyes unblinking, a burning gaze followed the golden sphere as it moved.


    after hovering for a few seconds in the air, the sphere split into six parts.


    like shooting stars, they plunged into everyone''s bodies.


    boom, boom, boom!


    the level-up radiance of divine light fell one after another.


    the girls felt their power within continuously surge, their complexions turning rosy.


    thank goodness the live stream wasn''t on.


    like monica and lia, the two who weren''t particularly enduring, actually made embarrassing moans, so comfortable that they couldn''t even control their mouths!


    lulu and isa, the two girls with colder demeanors, managed to hold it in.


    but just the same, they moaned in their hearts.


    the two of them broke through to level 29, and under the infusion of divine light, they were only three or four steps away from the 30th level��the star rank.


    with their talent, they could confidently step into the star rank within a month.


    if they used the fruit of the world tree, a week at most.


    on lin da''s side, he received a system prompt:


    [last hit on a 25-level two-star epic monster, the goblin prince, yielding 300,000 diamonds!]


    [you have gained 1.8 million team experience!]


    [you have ascended to level 25!]


    [attribute increase: strength +88, magic power +88, defense +22, magic defense +40, agility +20, hit points +800]


    [you have acquired 2 skill points!]


    bathed in the level-up radiance, lin da, overcome with joy at his hit points breaking ten thousand, couldn''t help but let out moans as embarrassing as lia''s.


    fortunately, there were no outsiders here; otherwise, their intermittent odd noises might be mistaken for something strange happening within the golden glow.


    the joy of leveling up combined with that awkward delight, when exploding together, were truly��terrifying!


    lin da dared only to entertain the thought.


    actually doing it might break through the limits of joy and fry his brain on the spot.


    ''team experience of 1.8 million, beyond expectations, directly took me from level 23 to level 25.''


    ''hit points broke ten thousand, and i''ve also accumulated 7 skill points.''


    lin da''s previously barren inventory suddenly became bountiful.


    he used to hesitate to add points to his ultimate skill, but now with seven points, he could afford to add some.


    and there''s that one golden skill point, lin da considered maxing out either the dark whip or the venom magic sphere to increase his output.


    healing profession classes don''t have taunting skills, so lin da, as the ''frontliner,'' had to rely on high output and a large recovery amount to attract the magical creatures'' aggro.


    the golden glow gradually dispersed.


    kafni''s condition improved a bit after being infused by the golden light.


    she still hadn''t woken up, but her face gained much more color.


    lin da''s heart eased slightly.


    when monica was attacked, kafni''s anxiety was no less than his own.


    this scrap god might seem indifferent to others, but she had already acknowledged the phoenix tail flower team.


    even before lin da reminded her, she had begun to use her divine power.


    ''even if you keep pretending to be sick for half a year after waking up, your captain here will keep you!''


    lin da thought to himself.


    splash.


    the sound of ''rain'' drew everyone''s attention.


    the last cluster of divine gold light from the sky transformed into a rain of gold coins, cascading down with a swoosh.


    the dazzling golden glow was captivating.


    in a blink, it formed a small mountain of gold coins as tall as a person.


    buried inside were necklaces, jewels, longswords... and other magical equipment.


    even the least valuable ones emitted a purple glow.


    among them, there were several beams of orange.


    great sword, armor, boots, and a fine sword��all emitting orange light��were stabbing out from the little mountain.


    typically, having even one piece of orange equipment drop was considered lucky, but after killing the goblin king, four pieces burst forth!


    and yet, these weren''t even the most eye-catching.


    members of the phoenix tail flower team, lia, isa, were all stunned.


    especially lia.


    her eyes reddened with greed, transforming into those of a red-eyed monster.


    within the mountain of gold coins, two pieces of equipment radiated a deep purple hue, their glow intense.


    they created slender light columns that reached straight to the sky.


    even the typically composed lin da widened his eyes, his heart pounding rapidly.


    epic-level equipment.


    and there were two pieces!


    it''s well known.


    an epic monster doesn''t necessarily drop epic-level equipment; those with poor luck might just get an epic-level material.


    just like how some people get a guaranteed five-star character from gacha draws, while others end up with trash.


    epic equipment and epic-level materials, only two words apart, but their values differ by several times.

 Chapter 274 242. Two pieces of Epic Equipment, Lia is envious and asks for the Sword of Royalty.

    before the hunt began, lin da had prepared for the worst.even if he didn''t get any epic equipment, he wouldn''t be discouraged.


    but whether it was his good luck or the skill "blessing of the world tree goddess" that had taken effect,


    he actually burst out two pieces at once...


    it was enough to make black hair orcs weep and even the fair-skinned noble ladies cover their mouths in amazement.


    in the market, the most ordinary star rank epic equipment was worth 3 million gold coins.


    at the very least, these two would be worth 6 million!


    lin da felt very bewildered. s��ar?h the n?vel(f)ire.��et website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    his mental expectation was to burst out four pieces of orange equipment and not be at a loss.


    the main goals were to gain team experience and to get the diamond for the last hit on the goblin prince.


    not only had he achieved all these guaranteed targets,


    but he had also obtained two pieces of epic-level equipment!


    lin da thought to himself that it was fortunate he hadn''t live-streamed, or how many people would be green with envy?


    those adventurers with dark faces, the ''unlucky'' ones, would probably be provoked by his royal luck to the point of contemplating life!


    it was like everyone else had to spend 10 times 648 in the card pool to pull out good equipment, but he nearly always got it in a single draw.


    once or twice is one thing, but every time...


    lin da could only say that the "blessing of the world tree goddess" was terrifying indeed!


    seeing the pile of equipment, both lulu and monica smiled.


    the timid big lolita grinned with a sunny, joyful smile, knowing lin da would reward her with a new limited edition magic puppet.


    and when lulu saw lin da happy, her mood also improved.


    however, joy and sorrow do not always translate from one person to another.


    lia''s mouth was brimming with sourness, as if she had eaten five lemons raw.


    "epic-level equipment, you have to give me one, right? i contributed too!"


    lia''s eyes were fixed on the sword sticking out of the mountain of gold coins.


    it was none other than the same model used by the goblin prince, the "sword of royalty" that had put immense pressure on everyone!


    if she got the sword of royalty, lia was confident she could break through the 14th level within a month and become a star-ranked adventurer.


    when lin da and the others heard lia''s shameless words, they were somewhat astonished.


    the contract content with phoenix tail flower and lia was very clear.


    pay lia 200,000 gold coins, plus one level 20 starter orange equipment.


    if epic-level equipment burst out, then an additional 100,000 gold coins.


    a contract in black and white.


    lin da didn''t know just how thick lia''s skin was to demand epic-level equipment.


    sometimes, he even wanted to pick her up and give her a thrashing on her lower back, underneath her black tights, just like he would to chloe.


    lia''s young lady temperament was just too foul!


    another adventurer they had hired, isa, was envious and also wanted the sword of royalty.


    but isa''s manners were far superior to lia''s.


    this silver-haired swordsman girl, with a smile on her face, said, "lin da, congratulations, with two pieces of epic-level equipment, phoenix tail flower''s combat capability will increase significantly. ice flower needs to hurry and strategize, or else she might get caught up by you, haha."


    "not at all, isa, you''re also nearing level 30, soon to become a star-ranked adventurer worthy of my admiration," lin da joked.


    the two of them exchanged words,


    completely sidelining lia.


    lia''s face turned red, and she pointed at the sword of royalty, "lin da, did you hear me? give it to me, please? if not, i''ll just borrow it, and after i pass level 14, i''ll return it to you."


    "borrow? i''m afraid it would be a case of ''gone and never returned,''" lin da shook his head.


    "no, i really will return it to you, really!"


    lia said loudly.


    she couldn''t bear to give up the sword of royalty.


    as a pure output swordsman, this piece of equipment could greatly enhance her abilities.


    with the sword of royalty, what isa, lulu��or anyone for that matter��were no match for her.


    she could even break through lin da''s turtle shell.


    just as lia was daydreaming and hoping.


    "stop thinking about that; i won''t lend it to you,"


    lin da said with a firm tone, "lia, you know that once magical equipment is connected with the user''s magic circuit, even if it''s disconnected, at least a year must pass before a second person can use it. look at this long sword i''m using now; it''s only level 15, and i''ve needed to change my main weapon for a while."


    "main weapons are expensive, you need one, and so do i."


    "so, there''s no way i could lend it to you."


    lia felt her cheeks go pale, and her toes twisted frantically inside her boots, embarrassed enough to curl into a ball.


    lin da refused her outright, without giving any favors, and wouldn''t even consider lending it!


    "stingy ghost."


    "you would have given it to me in the past,"


    lia tilted her little head and muttered resentfully.


    lin da sighed helplessly.


    one must do what one''s position entails.


    when he was serving as lia''s support, his concern was how to enhance snow goose''s combat power.


    continue your journey at empire


    if he obtained an epic-level long sword, he naturally would have handed it to lia.


    but now, he was the captain of the phoenix tail flower team.


    lending the equipment to lia would mean turning his back on his own teammates, who would all feel dissatisfaction.


    lin da noticed that when lia brought up borrowing the sword of royalty, lulu''s face immediately turned dark.


    it only returned to normal after he said he wouldn''t lend it.


    compared to lia, an adventurer from another team, lin da cared more about his own teammates.


    he comforted lulu, "don''t worry, i won''t give this sword to anyone else."


    "mhm." lulu''s expression softened as she spoke softly, "let''s go check the battle spoils."


    lin da nodded and walked toward the little mountain of gold coins.


    lulu followed him.


    monica also walked up, holding her magic wand.


    the two female adventurers from outside teams hesitated briefly, but isa chose to stay put to avoid suspicion.


    that pile was phoenix tail flower''s property.


    lia didn''t think too much into it.


    driven by pure curiosity, she walked up to take a look.


    she didn''t consider herself an outsider at all.


    watching the scene of lia and the others walking side by side, isa''s gaze was filled with complexity.


    if she had even a tenth of lia''s courage, maybe she could be walking by lin da''s side as well.


    the real purpose for isa joining the battle wasn''t to kill an epic demon creature.


    she just wanted to see lin da''s embarrassing side.


    to realize that lin da wasn''t a perfect adventurer and that he made tall claims, tricking her into joining the battle.


    this way, isa could willingly let go of lin da and continue her adventurous life.


    but what isa saw was the exact opposite of what she had thought.


    in the battle against the goblin prince, lin da demonstrated expert command, always issuing precise orders.


    when to move forward, when to retreat��isa didn''t need to think, just follow lin da''s lead.


    besides, the security provided by the double shields was mesmerizing.


    being a frost swordsman was not exactly a profession known for robustness, but with lin da''s double shields, isa was able to let loose for the first time, maximizing her output.


    previously, she had to worry about attacks from magical creatures and keep half her attention on evasion.


    but the moment lin da''s double shields were up, isa felt as if she was wearing armor with extraordinary defensive power, yet as light as air.


    the ferocious attacks from the creatures became less frightening.


    when the sword of royalty charged at her, isa could counter with her light shield and strike back with an "ice spike strike."


    any offensive profession, once shielded by lin da, would be captivated.


    isa, who originally harbored thoughts of giving up, suddenly found herself undecided once again.


    even more so, the thought of wanting to be by lin da''s side sprung up!


    at this moment, lin da''s attention was captivated by the spoils of war, and he did not notice isa''s turmoil.

 Chapter 275 243. Sword of Royalty, Lin Da lets Lia touch it

    ```the most eye-catching item in the pile was the epic weapon, the sword of royalty.


    its blade shimmered like pristine moonlight, with the glow of magic circulating on it.


    the sharp edge sparkled with a cold light, as if it could cleave through anything.


    in the middle of the hilt was a round and smooth ruby.


    when lin da touched it, a surge of fiery power flowed into his body and connected with his magic circuit.


    stay connected via empire


    he slowly drew the sword of royalty and held it up high.


    the magical runes engraved on the blade lit up one after another, and the sword of royalty shone brilliantly.


    the majesty of this sword was several times stronger than that of the azure sword.


    lin da swung it in the air effortlessly, without using any power.


    but when the sword of royalty struck the pile of gold coins among the spoils, it was like a knife cutting through a beautiful girl''s black silk, effortlessly slicing it apart.


    the process was smooth, and lin da felt no resistance in his hand.


    the sharpness of the sword of royalty was truly impressive!


    "what a great sword."


    lin da smiled with satisfaction.


    in front of him, a property panel that only he could see appeared out of thin air.


    [name: sword of royalty]


    [type: equipment-main weapon]


    [quality: epic level (two stars)]


    [level: 25]


    [attribute points: strength+1200, fire damage+10%]


    [equipment score: 1923. a sword cherished by a certain warrior, and for some reason, it ended up in the hands of the goblin prince. the cold light flowing on the blade speaks of its sharpness, and even the foolish goblin could see its extraordinariness.]


    1200 points of strength were worthy of an epic quality.


    with the sword of royalty, lin da''s dual attack broke through the 3000 mark, reaching 3603.


    after he maxed out the venom magic sphere, the conditions for ''killing the 9th level''s hidden magical creature in 10 seconds'' were within reach.


    "lin da, let me have a look at your sword."


    a voice filled with envy reached them.


    lia had been eyeing lin da''s sword of royalty for quite some time.


    she was itching to touch it, feeling that she wouldn''t be able to sleep for days if she didn''t.


    "just a peek."


    lin da handed over the sword of royalty.


    lia held it in her arms, feeling the powerful force within. not only did this not satisfy her craving to handle it, but it made her feel even more envious.


    "that''s enough." seeing that lia had no intention of letting go, lulu firmly grabbed the hilt, took it back, and gave it to lin da.


    "what are you doing? i haven''t finished looking!" lia exclaimed, reaching out to snatch it back.


    lulu sneered, "keep looking and it still won''t be yours. keep away from our phoenix tail flower''s equipment!"


    "you... fine then, you''re so stingy, not even letting me have a look?"


    lia gritted her teeth, "give it here, i don''t even want to look anymore. epic-level equipment, i''ll get my own someday!"


    "let''s hope so," lulu replied indifferently.


    of all the members in the snow goose adventure team, lulu liked lia the least.


    lia was immature and always trying to get close to lin da.


    lulu was worried lin da might soften and end up giving equipment to lia for free.


    lin da put the sword of royalty into his space ring, ending the dispute.


    he then turned his attention to the second piece of epic equipment.


    [name: agile silver ring]


    [type: equipment-helmet]


    [quality: epic level (two stars)]


    [level: 25]


    [attribute points: agility+100, defense+100, attack speed+30%]


    [equipment score: 1955. its elegant form contains a savage power. how it ended up in the collection of the goblin prince is unknown.]


    "a piece of functional equipment?"


    lin da was surprised to think.


    an increase of 30% in attack speed, surely it was not meant for mages.


    it also wasn''t a great fit for him.


    ```


    the warrior gained the most in terms of attack speed increase.


    additionally, with agility 100 and defense 100, it significantly improved survivability.


    wearing this equipment, along with his verdant shield, could make a glass-cannon warrior turn into a semi-tank.


    after a moment of thought, lin da placed the agility-increasing silver ring on lulu''s head.


    "huh?" lulu was startled, not quite understanding lin da''s intentions.


    "the person it suits best is you."


    lin da smiled, "take it."


    lulu looked at him for a moment, then nodded her little head vigorously, "i understand."


    under all eyes, lulu connected the silver ring to her magic circuit.


    this piece of epic equipment officially became lulu''s.


    the two girls from other teams looked on enviously once more.


    to be willing to give team members epic equipment.


    such a generous team leader was rare.


    granted, the silver ring wasn''t the best match for lin da, but using it himself wouldn''t be a problem either, it was a notch above orange equipment.


    however, lin da was considering the overall combat strength of the team.


    with lulu wearing the silver ring, her output could increase by around 15%.


    furthermore, via the team''s panel in the system, lin da learned that lulu had reached level 29.


    just a bit more, and she could advance to star-ranked adventurer status.


    facing the threat of the specter, lin da''s side not having a star rank was always at a disadvantage.


    he decided that tonight, he would use diamonds to help lulu take that last step!


    only with a star-ranked adventurer would the phoenix tail flower have the confidence to face the specter.


    lin da himself had also reached level 25. sear?h the novel(f~)ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    teamed with the death crab pincer, he could deal true damage to any life form not more than 10 levels above him.


    even when facing hulus, lin da could fight relying on the death crab pincer.


    looking at the three robed corpses inside the cave, a surge of killing intent bubbled up in lin da''s heart.


    for the time being, he had no power to utterly destroy the specter adventure group.


    yet, he didn''t mind taking a piece of flesh from specter first.


    lin da''s thoughts raced: the three assassins in black robes bore no evidence to prove their specter origin; only he and hulus knew the truth for certain.


    first, he needed to make this matter public. with some luck, if they could find evidence that the black-robed individuals were from specter, lin da could use the imperial knights to sanction hulus.


    even if luck wasn''t on his side, letting everyone know about the conflict between phoenix tail flower and specter would mean that any similar incidents that disadvantaged phoenix tail flower would immediately cast suspicion on specter.


    hulus, for fear of damaging his own group, would likely be wary of taking any reckless actions.


    in this time, it would be enough for all members of the phoenix tail flower to reach star rank.


    lin da coldly thought that when specter sent the assassins, the conflict between them had become irreconcilable.


    there was only one path before him: destroy the specter adventure group or be destroyed.


    lin da''s gaze returned to the small mountain of spoils of war.


    the two pieces of epic equipment stood out; all other equipment seemed dull in comparison.


    after counting, they acquired more specifics.


    this time, the phoenix tail flower gained:


    2 pieces of epic equipment.


    4 pieces of orange equipment.


    7 pieces of purple equipment.


    an estimated pile of over 150,000 gold coins.


    the two pieces of epic equipment and two of the orange equipment would be used by phoenix tail flower.


    the other two would be paid as compensation to isa and lia.


    the rest, lin da planned to sell.


    he considered buying some fruit of the world tree to see if they could yield any golden skill points.


    to raise skills to full level, golden skill points were indispensable.


    relying on natural progression alone simply wasn''t sufficient.


    but whether or not eating fruit of the world tree could yield them was down to luck.


    all the spoils of war were meticulously collected.


    lin da then brewed over his plans against the specter.


    a glint of cold light flashed in his eyes as he took out the sensor ladybug, ready to resume broadcasting the strategy.

 Chapter 276 244, Live recovery, all members unharmed

    adventurers'' guild, second-floor hall.the magic screen suddenly plunged into darkness.


    just a second ago, the roaring goblin prince and the unidentified assassin clad in black robes.


    had everyone so tense they dare not breathe.


    but the next second, the magic screen went black.


    no one knew what was happening with the phoenix tail flower team now.


    "where''s the staff, what happened, did you cut off the magic energy source?"


    "damn, what''s happening with the phoenix tail flower team? where did those black-robed people come from?"


    "with epic demon creatures in front and assassins behind, this is clearly a trap aimed at the phoenix tail flower team! lin da and the others are in danger!"


    everyone was speculating about how the situation would develop.


    one by one, they were frantic, scratching their heads and occasionally looking up at the magic screen, hoping it would light up again soon.


    the staff was also a bit stunned.


    the magic devices and arrays had been checked, and everything was normal.


    this meant that the cause of the magic screen going dark was not on their end.


    the guild sent out the cutest elf miss to temporarily appease everyone.


    another staff member went to urgently notify president velen.


    the phoenix tail flower team, highly anticipated in white dove city, undergoing an attack was definitely a major event.


    the staff member did not hesitate and immediately chose to report it.


    in the hall, aiko anxiously bit her lip, thinking, lin da''s shield is very thick, he should be fine, right?


    but the level of those assassins was unknown, and there was also the watchful goblin prince...


    no matter how one thought about it, it was going to be a tough battle!


    ''idiot lia, why didn''t you protect lin da properly? did you have to stand so far from him?''


    ''lin da is an idiot too, why hire lia and not me, a level 28 mage.''


    ''if it were me, i could chant the light arrow technique and support lin da from a distance, unlike lia, that close-combat fool who has to run over to hit anyone.''


    aiko stared at the pitch-black magic screen, her eyes showing a desperate longing, wishing she could jump in and help the phoenix tail flower team.


    "don''t worry, lin da will be okay."


    seeing aiko''s restless demeanor, bervis spoke in a calm voice, "with his double shields, no one below star rank can kill him."


    "what if those black-robed people are star rank?"


    "he can still escape using a town portal scroll."


    "what if that group catches the members of the phoenix tail flower team and threatens lin da not to use the town portal scroll?"


    "where do you come up with all these what-ifs?"


    bervis tapped aiko on the head, "since when have you cared so much about others?"


    aiko: "i don''t! it''s just that lin da is my prey. i can''t let any accidents happen to him before i catch him!"


    "yeah right..."


    bervis sighed, "normally, even the driest firewood can be picked up and still be used for burning, but i see you''re completely soaked through, not even any use as waste."


    "what do you care!?" aiko snapped, a faint black aura flickering in her eyes.


    if that black-robed person killed lin da, no matter which organization they were from, she would retaliate against them with "holy rainstorm"!


    ''lin xi must be thinking the same, right?''


    aiko glanced with the corner of her eye toward a certain sofa.


    there, a pink-haired girl with a livid expression had her cup crushed into pieces, and orange juice spilled across the table.


    ...


    "tasya, aren''t you worried about lin da?"


    dawen glanced at the silver-haired maid with an indifferent expression.


    sometimes dawen had the illusion that this maid was just an emotionless magic-driven machine, showing facial expressions only on rare occasions.


    as the magic screen suddenly went dark and the hall erupted into chaos, tasya remained composed, seemingly unconcerned about lin da.


    tasya''s answer was unexpected to dawen.


    as if stating a certain fact, tasya said in a steady tone, "with the master''s strength, how could mere goblins and a few bugs possibly harm him?"


    at the crucial moment, lin da would surely tear off his current mask and transform back into the enormously powerful dark shadow, capable of intimidating the madmen of the primordial adventure team!


    in tasya''s eyes, ''lin da'' was just a mask over the face of dark shadow.


    severing the connection between the sensor ladybug and the screen, he was definitely preparing to "transform."


    from a level 20 ordinary adventurer lin da, he would transform back into the awe-inspiring, astonishingly talented black swordsman.


    thus, worrying about lin da was an insult to him.


    as a professional maid, tasya naturally wouldn''t make such a rookie mistake.


    during their conversation, a speck of light appeared on the huge floating screen.


    the noisy hall instantly fell silent.


    a pair of curious, worried, and puzzled eyes looked towards the screen.


    the tiny light rapidly expanded.


    the scene on the screen was the goblin cave!


    the figure of lin da appeared in the center of the screen.


    behind him stood his team members.


    lia and isa were also there.


    this scene was like a stabilizing magic needle.


    those concerned about the phoenix tail flower team felt a weight lift from their chests, as if a heavy stone had finally fallen to the ground.


    a faint trace of black mist in aiko''s eyes gradually dissipated.


    ''thank goodness, lin da and the others are unharmed!'' aiko thought to himself.


    xilin, the fans of the phoenix tail flower, also felt their moods stabilize.


    suggestions flashed across the screen.


    "captain lin da, what happened? why did you cut off the live strategy feed?"


    "where did the goblin prince go? i didn''t see him."


    "is the great bear thief unconscious?"


    "wuuuuh, i''m so relieved monica is okay, i was really worried." your next read awaits at empire s~ea??h the nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    the crowd began to voice their own queries.


    lin da looked at the belly of the sensor ladybug, closed his eyes, and thought for a moment.


    he cleared his throat and said, "let''s first address the question that everyone is most concerned about."


    "the goblin prince has been subdued by us."


    "all members are safe, not one person is injured!"


    his resounding voice echoed through the hall.


    after a moment of silence, cheers erupted among the crowd.


    the epic demon creature, goblin prince, had been successfully subdued by the phoenix tail flower team!


    this achievement had a high probability of making it to the adventurer''s weekly issued by cangqing province, the province''s largest newspaper with a weekly circulation of over ten million copies.


    being featured in the adventurer''s weekly was an honor.


    it was akin to a primary student being praised by a teacher, or an elf miss''s massage skills being recognized by a client, leading to her photo being placed in the foremost position on the display wall.


    if lucky, being noticed by the big shots above could also increase financial allocations to white dove city, funding more facilities beneficial for adventurers.


    this matter could bring benefits, either directly or indirectly, to everyone locally.


    many adventurers watching the live feed immediately switched their support to the phoenix tail flower, loudly calling lin da by his title, eye of true knowledge.


    a flurry of congratulatory suggestions appeared on the screen.


    lin da couldn''t help but smile.


    he earnestly looked at the belly of the sensor ladybug; the second most frequent question in the suggestions was what kind of equipment the phoenix tail flower had exploded.


    "i can''t say specifically, but there definitely was epic-level equipment."


    the sword of royalty would eventually be used, and lin da had no plans to conceal it.

 Chapter 277 245, Hulus is soaked with sweat, President Velen is furious!

    discover exclusive tales on empire[awesome!]


    [it feels like captain lin da is pretty lucky, managing to burst out good equipment every time he kills magical creatures.]


    [i''m so jealous, our white dove adventure group''s epic equipment mostly comes from purchases. we''ve hunted three magical creatures of this level and only burst out one piece. gale, your luck really has no match.]


    suggestions were all dripping with envy.


    upon seeing this, lin da felt even more embarrassed to admit that he had burst out two pieces of epic-level equipment.


    it was a bit too much of a blow to others.


    the silver ring was stored into the space ring by lulu, and since no one knew about it, he figured it was better left unsaid.


    ...


    in the hall, aiko raised her eyebrows with a proud smile on her face.


    "bervis, the phoenix tail flower has successfully hunted an epic demon creature, i won. now you have nothing to say, right? hurry back to your old home in south rock city and cry your eyes out in your room!"


    aiko thought bervis would stubbornly retort, but surprisingly, bervis just nodded sincerely.


    "this lin da is indeed an excellent adventurer."


    "if he is willing to join the holy rock adventure team..." bervis said with a smiling face, "i can help you convince father to arrange for you to be with him."


    "but lin da won''t join another adventure group."


    aiko said, then suddenly realized something was off about her statement��it sounded as though she was willing, but it just wasn''t possible?


    in a panic, aiko quickly added, "don''t get it wrong, bervis, i don''t want to marry lin da. my aim is to make lin da become my servant!"


    bervis rolled his eyes, too lazy to deal with his sister''s attitude.


    "anyway, you won the bet, and i''ll help you keep the news from father."


    "but don''t get too happy yet."


    seeing the joy on aiko''s face, bervis poured cold water on it with a meaningful tone, "delay can bring change, i suggest you take down lin da as soon as possible."


    aiko: "i know, no need to rush me!"


    "if you can do it, it''ll be a great achievement, and father might make an exception to let you come home."


    "ha, i wouldn''t go back even if you invited me with eight horse-drawn carriages."


    aiko scoffed.


    if bervis is a demon, then that stubborn old man is the demon lord!


    bervis noticed aiko''s disrespect, but he did not correct her behavior.


    the siblings seemed to reach a consensus on certain matters.


    for instance, they both felt disgruntled towards their father.


    ...


    in the far-left of the vip area.


    hulus''s face was ghastly pale.


    bedrock''s leader, rhode, was drinking wheat beer one cup after another with a solemn face. the cups had several deep finger imprints pinched by rhode.


    "this lin da, not bad at all, hehehe..."


    hulus stared at lin da''s smiling face on the magic screen, grinding his teeth in hatred.


    a few minutes ago, all three soul stones in his possession had shattered.


    the three assassins he had sent to assassinate lin da were gone without a trace, no longer connected to their soul stones.


    three level 26 dark series assassins striking together, lin da should have stood no chance at all!


    what was he seeing now, though?


    lin da was alive.


    revika and the others were all dead.


    the goblin prince had been dealt with by lin da as well.


    this... defied logic!


    no matter how hard hulus racked his brain, he couldn''t understand how lin da had done it.


    revika and the others were slaves he had meticulously trained from a young age, investing a significant amount of time and effort.


    they had solved countless problems for him.


    yet they had all fallen at lin da''s hands!


    that was secondary, however.


    thinking about what was coming, hulus felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles, as if his seat were on fire.


    even though there was nothing on revika and the others to indicate any involvement with the specter adventure group, if lin da was smart, he could easily make the connection.


    ```


    so what would lin da do?


    would he hold back or erupt with fury?


    if it were the latter, faced with an adventurer who had lost his reason, hulus had dozens of ways to deal with it.


    but on the screen, lin da, with a smile on his face, answered everyone''s questions calmly.


    he had encountered an assassination attempt and yet remained composed.


    to hulus, it felt like dealing with a poisonous snake. sear?h the n??elfir��.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    his original plan was to strike a fatal blow to lin da, but now it had backfired, exposing himself instead.


    once the phoenix tail flower became a steel level adventure group and joined forces with white dove... thinking of this, a shadow crossed hulus''s face, and his head throbbed as if it would split open!


    he stole a glance at aiko, bervis''s sister, and her expression. if this little girl knew he was the mastermind behind the scenes, she''d probably grab a fruit knife and charge at him.


    admittedly, hulus wasn''t afraid of aiko.


    but if he made a move against aiko, bervis, no matter how much he disliked his sister, probably wouldn''t stand by and watch her get hurt.


    to offend bervis was like an old man chewing hallucinogenic herbs��tired of living!


    "by the way, there''s another matter that everyone is concerned about."


    on the screen, the relaxed look on lin da''s face disappeared.


    "i believe everyone is wondering what happened to the assassin that suddenly appeared in the footage."


    the number of suggestions surged again.


    [yeah, captain lin da, why did you cut off the live strategy broadcast?]


    [who is the assassin, where do they come from? red heart city, south rock city? can''t stand to see others do well?]


    [it''s so great that everyone is safe...]


    at this moment, president velen also rushed to the hall.


    upon hearing that phoenix tail flower had been attacked, velen, who was in a meeting at the city hall, put aside his affairs and hurried over.


    the president''s face was ashen, and anger seethed in his eyes.


    he took a deep breath forcefully to stop himself from cursing out loud on the spot.


    which dimwit dared to target the up-and-coming talent of white dove city?


    he was determined to drag out the mastermind and throw them into the imperial dungeons!


    fortunately, as soon as he arrived in the hall, the screen lit up.


    lin da and the others were all unharmed.


    velen exhaled a sigh of relief.


    then, he listened as lin da started to recount the attack.


    president velen''s gaze was serious, more so than when he attended meetings in the provincial capital.


    on the screen, lin da gathered his thoughts and slowly said:


    "first off, there''s the matter everyone''s first doubt, why did i cut off the live strategy broadcast?"


    "what i want to say is, could it be possible that it wasn''t by my will, but rather the detestable assassin, in order to conceal their signature skills, from being recognized, used some secret technique to sever the connection between the sensor ladybug and the screen?"


    so that was it!


    it suddenly became clear to everyone.


    indeed, the assassin had deviously intended to avoid exposing their identity!


    "the three assassins have been completely eliminated."


    lin da said regretfully, "these are their corpses, as you can see, they''re very clean, with nothing on them that could prove their identity, clearly a group of professional assassins."


    "another point, before the assassins died, they shouted the name of some ''big shot,'' saying something like they were deceived, phoenix tail flower is not that weak, lao deng, how dare you trick us..."


    of course, this was a lie fabricated by lin da.


    but with the principals dead, the truth depended solely on lin da''s word.


    the only pity was that the three assassins'' bodies were too clean, devoid of anything that could be used to smear.


    to plant fake evidence was too risky and could expose one''s own deceit.


    but the words of a dead person could not be checked, allowing lin da to freely invent.


    lin da clutched his chest, his face a picture of grief, showing an expression of ''how could this happen, i just can''t believe it.''


    [captain lin da, i know you''re very upset, but what exactly was the name the assassin cried out before dying? please tell us!]


    [justice may be late, but it will never be absent! the imperial enforcement department will punish all evil!]


    [captain lin da is truly too kind-hearted; looking at his expression, it feels like the mastermind might be someone he knows, maybe even from white dove city.]]


    ```

 Chapter 278 246, Hulus was taken away

    lin da held his breath for a moment, stealing glances at jianyan.after sufficiently arousing everyone''s curiosity, he finally spoke up.


    "i never expected the name uttered by the assassin before he died would be the leader of the steel level adventure group of white dove city, the specter adventure group..."


    "helus!"


    as soon as these words were out,


    the hall burst into uproar!


    ordinary people were not aware of the affairs at the top adventure teams.


    they naively assumed that adventurers from the same city should support each other and unite against external enemies.


    "why would the leader of the specters send someone to assassinate lin da?"


    "i did hear from a friend that there were conflicts between the specters and phoenix tail flower. but i didn''t expect the conflict to be this severe!"


    "even if the specters are steel level, shouldn''t they pay a price for doing such things?"


    the voices of discussion rose all around.


    most ordinary adventurers wore faces of shock and disbelief.


    if what lin da said was true, then the specter adventure group would have to disband on the spot.


    on the sofa in the vip section, helus''s eyes flashed with panic.


    he had not expected lin da''s ''attack'' to come so suddenly.


    it was as if his rear end were on fire and he couldn''t sit still.


    "wait��listen to my explanation!"


    helus stood up in a flurry, raising both hands high to attract everyone''s attention.


    all eyes turned toward the leader of the specters.


    among the gazes, two were particularly striking.


    one came from aiko.


    the other, from that pink-haired girl who had stopped bervis and seemed even stronger than him.


    helus''s heart thumped wildly, continuously wiping sweat from his forehead with a tissue.


    something was off.


    how could lin da have connections with two moon rank adventurers?


    bervis was one thing, but aiko was his sister.


    helus admitted defeat.


    but who was this pink-haired girl who suddenly appeared?


    what was her relationship with lin da?


    with the intelligence network of the specters, they hadn''t found anything about her.


    all helus knew now was one thing: the specter adventure group was in great crisis!


    if not handled well, they might be finished today!


    "cough, cough, listen to my explanation."


    "think about it, everyone, lin da claimed that the assassin shouted out my name, helus, before he died. now, i''d like to ask lin da, what evidence does he have?"


    "is it that you, lin da, received gold coins from the white dove adventure group, spouting nonsense to frame my specter adventure group!"


    at this point, helus was also making a last-ditch effort, shamelessly revealing embarrassing details.


    this skinny old man, under the astonished gaze of many eyes, gritted his teeth and said:


    "what you don''t know is that in the core resource area of the 15th level great mystery continent, there''s a valley where over twenty ginkgo trees are planted. each time the great mystery continent opens, they reliably produce about a thousand fruits of the world tree, worth a million gold coins!"


    "such rich resources should be shared among the three major steel level adventure groups of white dove city, but what happened? they were monopolized by the white dove adventure group!"


    "the specters and the bedrock, as brothers in hardship, supported each other, never expected that the white dove adventure group would go too far, bribing the phoenix tail flower with gold coins to slander us! i strongly suspect, this so-called assassination is a self-directed act by phoenix tail flower and the white dove adventure group to frame my specter adventure group!"


    helus''s eyes were bloodshot, his words fierce.


    not only did he dodge the ''dirty water'' splashed by lin da, but he also splashed it back.


    just like lin da, helus was also talking nonsense.


    as for the true story, only a few knew.


    most ordinary adventurers were in the dark about this.


    whoever sounded reasonable would gain the upper hand in public opinion.


    gale joined the battlefield, clashing fiercely with captain helus.


    both of them were gasping for breath, neither outdoing the other.


    at that moment, lin da spoke from the magic screen.


    even through the "internet", lin da wanted to be part of the battle!


    he had learned through suggestions what helus had said.


    "captain helus, you ask me for evidence, yet i must ask you, how do you propose i prove it? bring the dead back to life?"


    lin da''s expression was cold. "i am merely stating what happened in the cave. what i saw and heard, that''s all."


    both lin da and helus knew exactly who the mastermind behind the scenes was.


    lin da knew that the assassin was helus''s subordinate.


    helus knew that lin da knew.


    but since the matter was out in the open, it had to be dealt with according to the rules.


    the bodies of the three men in black robes were clean, carrying nothing but their robes for concealment.


    even their faces were false.


    they were masks made from a magical material.


    their real faces had long been ''shaved'' off.


    this discovery firmed lin da''s resolve to eliminate the specter adventure group.


    helus, ruthless and merciless, must not be spared.


    at that moment, president velen pressed helus''s shoulder, his voice deep, "i have already contacted the constables from the law enforcement department. please cooperate and allow yourself to be investigated. if you are innocent, you will not be troubled."


    helus''s expression shifted slightly. "you want me, a steel level captain, to undergo investigation based on the wild accusations of a mere boy?"


    velen shook his head coldly.


    "helus, mind your words. lin da is a glorious adventurer of white dove city!"


    if a glorious adventurer were to be assassinated and the local authority did nothing, it wouldn''t only disappoint lin da but all adventurers would lose faith in the officials.


    if the matter were not handled well, president velen might be held accountable.


    shortly after, a squad of constables in shining silver armor arrived.


    their white cloaks displayed the southern fire empire''s totem: four differently-colored flames surrounding a golden crown in the middle.


    these constables weren''t high-ranking, with the leader only at level 15.


    but facing the official power, helus dare not resist.


    with a sullen face, he honestly extended his hands, put on the magic-restraining handcuffs, and was escorted into an iron-barred carriage by the constables.


    bedrock''s team leader, rhode, had veins pulsating on his forehead, repeatedly standing up wanting to stop the constables.


    but president velen watched him with a cold gaze.


    if rhode dared to act, it would mean defying the empire, leading directly to the guillotine.


    rhode sat back down, continuously downing mug after mug of wheat beer, his chin dripping with spilled beer.


    switching to powerless reckless drinking mode.


    facing an adventurers'' guild obviously covering for lin da, rhode felt helpless and could only drown his sorrows in alcohol.


    the current lin da seemed to have the backing of two moon rank adventurers.


    they had no direct relation to lin da and might not intervene on his behalf. but just the possibility was enough to make both the specter and solid rock adventure groups apprehensive.


    the hall buzzed with various opinions.


    "who''s really telling the truth? was it truly helus who sent out the assassins? as fellow adventurers of white dove city, that''s far too extreme."


    "you can''t rule it out; the presence of the phoenix tail flower threatens the interests of the specter!"


    continue reading stories on empire


    "you''re talking nonsense; our brother helus is kind and gentle, he would never do such a thing!"


    a pockmarked old woman, wielding a spatula, smacked the adventurer who badmouthed helus on the head.


    "dare hit your dad, go to hell!"


    the beaten adventurer was no weakling, and with a heavy punch, he smashed it into the old woman''s face and fled in the confusion.


    the old woman fell backward, her head hitting the ground, and she lay motionless in a pool of blood.


    "murder, there''s been a murder!"


    the scene descended into chaos. s��ar?h the n??efire.��et website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 279 247. Girls line up to receive rewards

    inside the cave.through suggestions, lin da had a rough understanding of the situation at the scene.


    hulus was captured.


    rhode dared not say a word.


    for the time being, both adventure teams would definitely behave themselves.


    if they dared to make another move, it wouldn''t require lin da''s intervention, as president velen would handle hulus.


    if they were lucky, and could uncover a connection between hulus and the assassin, hulus would soon meet the guillotine.


    lin da thought, in the game, by completing the side quest "annihilate the specter adventure group," a decent-quality skill book would drop. if he killed hulus, would it ''drop'' in some way as well?


    that skill book, in the late game, was quite ordinary.


    but in the early to mid-game, before level 40, it was quite useful.


    instead of hulus mounting the guillotine, lin da would rather he ''dropped'' gold coins.


    moreover, he wasn''t planning on simply letting the specter go; hulus being captured wasn''t enough. kafni had turned into a real scrap god and it was unknown how long she would need to recover.


    lin da couldn''t eliminate the specter just yet, but he could still make them lose a chunk of their strength.


    this time, when he subdued the goblin prince, he advanced to level 25 and acquired the epic weapon, sword of royalty.


    outside, there was also the forging of the epic armor "magic dragon soft armor."


    with two pieces of epic equipment and his secret trump card, the "death crab pincer," he might stand a chance against ordinary star rank opponents.


    lin da was brewing a cold and calculated plan against the specter.


    he had heard that hulus had a younger brother named kam, who had just reached level 30.


    before the phoenix tail flower promotion party, hulus had thrown a celebration party for kam''s star rank.


    now, with hulus behind bars, the specter was like a dragon without a head.


    lin da didn''t mind taking this opportunity to do some things that would make hulus ''happy.''


    outwardly, the phoenix tail flower hadn''t achieved star rank yet, and didn''t pose a threat to the specter.


    but the truth was, lin da had a bunch of diamonds and could promote lulu to star rank at any moment!


    returning from his thoughts.


    lin da slapped his head, remembering something.


    "right, i haven''t done ''that'' yet."


    he looked toward the eager-faced young girls and smiled as he stretched out his hand.


    every adventure team did something similar after successfully subduing magical creatures.


    lia was the first to understand.


    she was ready to stack her small hand on top of lin da''s.


    making the ''oh, oh, yay'' cheering gesture.


    as a mature adventurer, lia seldom did such elementary school actions anymore.


    but today was different.


    the first time subduing an epic-level magical creature.


    it would definitely make it to the renowned "adventurer''s weekly."


    millions of adventurers across the province would see her valor!


    lia was certain that this cheering gesture would be caught by the photographers and make it into the newspapers.


    so, despite it not suiting her mature adventurer''s image, she still joined lin da in making the gesture.


    "it''s not your turn yet." lulu furrowed her brows and pushed lia away, being the second to stack her hand on top.


    lia: ?


    it''s directed at me, right?


    isa whispered, "we''re from the external team, by the rules, we have to wait for the phoenix tail flower team to place their hands first before it''s our turn."


    well...


    lia hadn''t done this for a while and almost forgot about it.


    previously, she was always the first to reach out, without needing to consider such rules.


    after lulu and monica successively placed their hands, lia weirdly stretched out her hand.


    she felt that the barrier was getting thicker.


    through the thick layer, lin da''s face seemed blurred.


    when isa also placed her hand.


    five of them pressed down together twice.


    "oh! oh! yay!"


    their hands shot up, just like birds taking flight.


    "the epic demon creature, successfully vanquished!"


    lin da said with a smile.


    hearing this exhilarating statement, everyone else also started to laugh.


    the displeasure on lia''s face disappeared.


    she thought about how to handle the reporters coming to interview them.


    not only was she honored with the "vanquish of the epic demon creature" title, she was also able to use lin da''s money to pay off all her debts.


    as agreed, lin da would give her 300,000 gold coins and add an orange weapon.


    they returned fully loaded.


    she guessed that aiko and the others would now respect her as a competent leader.


    lin da then looked towards the circle of girls.


    he was too tall, making lia and the others seem shorter.


    it was like a teacher leading a group of elementary school students on an outing, now getting ready to call roll for the trip home.


    monica tilted her little head up, her big eyes sparkling brightly.


    lulu''s face showed no emotion, but her swinging large tail gave her away. like monica, she was longing for something.


    it was a custom of the primitive adventure team.


    at the end of each expedition, the leader would pat the members'' heads as a form of encouragement.


    when lulu and monica were with primitive, the times their heads were patted were few.


    now there were only three people in the team, and kafni was still unconscious.


    lulu and monica eagerly anticipated a pat.


    this, of course, was something lin da would not refuse.


    in the game, "head patting" involved touching a cold mouse.


    but now, in front of lin da, were two genuinely beautiful girls.


    whether it was the shy big lolita monica or the cool-faced werewolf lulu, both were extremely pleasing to the eye, filling lin da with delight.


    who could resist a werewolf''s furry big ears! he could touch them all day and not get bored.


    lin da''s eyes twinkled with amusement as he reached out towards monica and lulu.


    he placed his hands on the girls'' heads, gently stroking them, and accompanied by encouraging words, "you two did well, i''m proud of both of you!"


    "hehehe." monica hugged her magic wand, comfortably squinting her eyes and letting out a cute and silly laugh.


    lulu''s face blushed slightly, and her beast ears twitched as she was openly patted on the head, seemingly a bit embarrassed.


    but the more lulu reacted like this, the more lin da found it amusing, vigorously patting her head.


    the light blue fuzz of lulu''s beast ears rubbed against his palm.


    soft, silky, and still carrying a hint of a young girl''s warmth.


    even a cold little face has warm ears on top. enjoy new tales from empire


    if it weren''t for the crowd, lin da would have grabbed lulu''s beast ears and teased her.


    until lulu could hardly stand, her body going weak, and she glared fiercely at lin da, did he sheepishly withdraw his hand.


    somewhat inexplicably.


    patting heads privately, and patting in public�� the latter was much more enjoyable.


    the drawback was that he could pat freely in private, but could only pat briefly in public.


    lin da looked at his right hand, feeling conflicted.


    little did he know, the suggestions had already turned into a lemon plantation.


    even through the sensor ladybug, one could smell the sourness.


    a certain silver-haired maid saw lin da''s signature move, and her eyes fluctuated violently.


    "i want..."


    tasya gazed stiffly at the screen displaying the two being patted, like a dog lured by barbecue on the roadside, unable to move.


    her hands, covered in white silk gloves, clutched tightly at the big pocket in front of her maid''s dress.


    her rosy lips parted slightly, uttering an unconscious mutter.


    a strong wave of jealousy surged up in tasya''s heart.


    she too wanted to be by lin da''s side, to be "head pat" and enjoy the reassuring warmth of lin da''s hands! s��arch* the n?velfire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 280 Isa also wants to be touched

    in the cave.behind lulu, isa, lined up a bit shyly, held her breath and closed her eyes in anticipation.


    the silver-haired swordsman girl stood with closed eyes, her pretty face blushed pink.


    a delightful sight.


    it completely dumbfounded lin da.


    what''s going on?


    he didn''t plan to touch isa, did he?


    could it be that isa, seeing him touch a member of the phoenix tail flower adventure team, subconsciously thought that everyone would get touched?


    it''s as if lin da holding a bag of ''little magic dragon crispy noodles'' prompted the girls to stretch out their little hands for some, and although he planned to give none to the members of other teams, seeing isa stretch out her hand...


    lin da, who originally did not intend to share ''little magic dragon crispy noodles'' with members from other teams, couldn''t help but show his worldly-wise side.


    isa closed her eyes, ready.


    not to touch her would seem so socially inept!


    lin da paused slightly, then placed his hand on top of isa''s head.


    isa''s body shuddered a bit, seemingly unaccustomed to being touched by someone else.


    the girl''s silver hair was very smooth and soft.


    there was also a faint fresh fragrance emanating from her, somewhat like the scent of gardenia flowers.


    "not yet... okay?"


    isa, with flushed face, squeezed the embarrassed words from her throat.


    "could i touch a little longer?" lin da smiled, "captain isa, your current expression is really very cute."


    isa''s face reddened even more.


    others always praised her swordsmanship as good and cool, but lin da complimented her on being ''cute''.


    in others'' eyes, she was a mature adventure team leader.


    but in lin da''s eyes, did he see her as just a girl?


    isa''s head was filled with wild thoughts.


    having touched enough, lin da satisfyingly withdrew his hand, looking towards the last person.


    ''little magic dragon crispy noodles'' had reached the last outstretched palm, and although the owner of that hand wasn''t particularly close to lin da, for the sake of courtesy, he still had to give a bit.


    enjoy exclusive adventures from empire


    but the owner of that hand seemed not too eager to have some.


    lia glared at lin da with wariness, her small fangs bared: "lin da, i''m warning you, don''t touch me!"


    so elementary school-like.


    are there really any adventurers who would be happy being touched on the head?


    "no need to be polite."


    lin da unarguably reached out his large hand and pressed it on lia''s small head, messing up the girl''s red hair into a tangled mess.


    compared to how he treated isa, lin da was much rougher with lia.


    with a mixture of three parts jest and three parts ''retaliation'' towards lia.


    he had expected lia to resist, but as soon as his hand touched her, lia immediately calmed down, huffed annoyedly, her eyes slantingly looking at the ground, her profile slightly blushing, allowing him to stroke her.


    ''eh, do i have a hidden skill [hand of god], where touching a girl''s head could increase favorability?''


    ''was this setting from the game retained?''


    the odd reactions from lia and isa sparked curious thoughts in lin da''s mind.


    it was as if the oo of an anime protagonist were smeared with poison, making all girls touched by him madly fall for him; now lin da wondered if his hands had the same function as that anime protagonist''s oo.


    "lin da..."


    at that moment, isa, as if she had resolved on something, took a deep breath and looked intently at him.


    lin da had a bad premonition.


    "lin da, actually, i..."


    isa took a step forward.


    the girl clenched her silver teeth, her face determined as if she were going to sink her boats.


    she planned to tell lin da what she really thought.


    then to be rejected and completely give up��however, quite coincidentally, a small pebble appeared beneath her foot.


    isa, whose entire attention was on lin da, did not notice the cursed pebble.


    her boot caught on it perfectly, and she fell forward stiffly!


    "be careful!"


    lin da reached out to catch isa.


    however, isa, with her face in a panic, completely thrown off balance by the pebble, pressed her hands against lin da''s chest, her head tilting forward, and her lips lightly touching lin da''s cheek!


    right next to lin da was lia, her face a picture of befuddlement.


    lia stared dumbfounded as isa and lin da both tilted toward her. sear?h the n?velfire.n��t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    caught off guard, her lips stamped onto the other cheek of lin da!


    at first glance, it looked like the two girls, one red and one silver, were both planting kisses on lin da''s face!


    "uh-oh."


    lin da was a bit stunned.


    on the left, there was a coldness mixed with a trace of warmth and a heart-soothing fragrance of gardenia.


    on the right, it was like flame, painfully hot. the scent of the girl''s body mixed with the sweat from intense battle against magical creatures created a bizarre, nose-stinging aroma.


    it wasn''t particularly nice, but it wasn''t unpleasant, and somehow made you want to keep smelling.


    before lin da could thoroughly enjoy the moment, the two recovering girls leaped away.


    isa, her earlobes red, frantically waved her hands, "lin lin lin da, i didn''t mean to do this, i definitely wasn''t trying to steal you from lulu, this was an accident, purely an accident!"


    lulu looked at them with an unfriendly gaze, and monica covered her mouth, her face full of surprise, seemingly even a bit envious of isa...


    lia, meanwhile, had a blank mind, staring wide-eyed and dumbly.


    it took about three seconds for lia to react.


    "lin da, you scoundrel, you owe me a first kiss!!!"


    lia yelled, her face pale.


    her lips had only brushed against lin da''s face, but in the knowledge-deficient eyes of lia, it was as serious as having ''done it'', and she suddenly felt her body was no longer pure.


    at the last phoenix tail flower party, she had only been touched on the shoulder by lin da, who was in a poisoned state without memory at the time.


    but this time, her ''first kiss'' was confused away!


    lia glared at lin da, pushed him with her little hand, and shoved lin da down.


    lin da, who was being helped up from the ground by isa,


    faltered with lia''s push, swayed, and grabbed around wildly...


    bringing all four girls down with him!


    even after the fact, lin da couldn''t figure out how they ended up in that arrangement: him lying at the bottom, monica sitting on his face, lulu on his waist, and lia and isa, each hugging one of his legs.


    like a newlywed with four delicate wives, equally divided among them.


    the adventurers'' guild hall seemed like it had reached the harvest season of lemons.


    "lin da, you should really change your title back to ''ultimate pervert'', it suits you better!"


    "i want to be sat on by monica too, why can''t i replace lin da."


    "are they playing like this privately too? both captain isa and captain lia together? no wonder they can develop fusion finishing skills, they must have been touched on the head by lin da while practicing!"


    the live silver party scene turned the adventurers'' guild into a bustling marketplace.


    lin da''s voice, muffled and unclear, transmitted through the screen, "it was an accident, i have to cut the live feed now."


    the screen went black, a crowd internally bellowed, what followed was probably premium content!


    phoenix tail flower adventure team hosts daily silver parties, now it''s confirmed!

 Chapter 282 250, Large Scissors and Cat Girl

    such a girl, with her unkempt clothing and sinister gaze, was naturally given a wide berth by passersby.mingli, holding a copy of adventurer''s weekly and pointing at lin da''s photo, stumbled over to a passerby for help:


    "heh heh heh, heh heh heh... you, you, you, take a look for me... where, where, where is this person?"


    "are you damn crazy, stay away from me!"


    the one addressed was a handsome man, holding his girlfriend''s hand, just coming out of a jewelry store.


    the man, startled by mingli, cursed out loud and walked away with his girlfriend, both looking annoyed.


    "why, why, why do they, they, they all look down on me!"


    mingli furrowed her brows, muttering painfully to herself, her arms wrapped around her body as she saw her own reflection in a puddle on the ground, the inferiority in her eyes growing even more evident:


    such an ugly girl, disliked by everyone, deserves to be abandoned by dark shadow!


    the joy that dark shadow finds in those pretty girls is a hundred times what she could offer!


    mingli, with her dark history of being bullied, had extremely low confidence in her appearance.


    when everyone else was taunting her for being ugly, only dark shadow had stood up for her.


    in the sunlight, dark shadow had reached out a hand and told her:


    [option a: you are the most beautiful girl in the world. join my team.]


    although she didn''t know what option a was about, it was... indeed a lie from dark shadow!


    mingli had been in the team for only two months before she was driven out of the villa by dark shadow, with all her luggage thrown out.


    when other team members saw her lingering near the villa, they warned her:


    "don''t let us see you on chaoyang boulevard, or we''ll beat you every time we do!"


    "just to let you know, if you don''t want a good thrashing, you''d better scram!"


    mingli, shunned by everyone, became more and more unkempt, often wearing the same underwear for months, only changing it when the odor became noticeable to others.


    after all, trash is trash. even in pretty clothes, she would still be the trash that dark shadow discarded. it made no difference whether she changed her clothes or not. mingli''s confidence had nearly hit rock bottom the moment dark shadow kicked her out.


    even with a level of 41, facing those attractive, smartly dressed female adventurers on the street, she still felt inferior and dared not even look them in the eye.


    mingli kept muttering to herself that ''she was not a bug'' as she walked forward, her head bowed and trembling.


    as a result, she accidentally bumped into an adventurer.


    this adventurer was a cat girl, just coming out of the adventurers'' guild after watching a livestream strategy for phoenix tail flower.


    she was attractive, with a fashionable outfit. her shoes were the latest model from estelle, a gorgeous pearly white that reminded one of pearls. her bare thighs led up to a pair of tight shorts and a fit, wild waist marked with the contours of her abs.


    in the cool breeze of late autumn, she presented a strikingly beautiful, chilling sight.


    "are you blind meow, a filthy beggar from out of town, you dirtied my shoes meow!"


    the cat girl was imperious, hands on hips, scolding fiercely.


    by looking at mingli, dirty and lacking in self-confidence, she knew that this girl was a filthy bottom-tier adventurer from out of town who couldn''t make it and had ended up in white dove city.


    the argument drew the attention of the passersby, who stopped with interest to watch the commotion.


    though white dove city was impoverished, its residents were much stronger than the wandering adventurers.


    usually downtrodden by red heart city and south rock city, now faced with a filthy beggar, some of the low-class adventurers who were used to repression couldn''t help but show schadenfreude, even wanting to spit on the girl and curse:


    ''a filthy out-of-towner, even coming to our white dove city to beg?!''


    they saw the girl with dark green hair trembling, the ground nearby buzzing and vibrating, making them wonder: was there an earthquake?


    mingli''s dark green curls cascaded wildly, her eyes flickering manically as she glared at the cat girl: "you, you, you, you, level 11, how dare, dare you taunt me!"


    the cat girl was taken aback, not realizing the nearby abnormalities were related to the girl in front of her, arrogantly retorted, "i''m taunting you alright, ugly and poor beggar!"


    "aaaahhhhhhh!"


    mingli held her head, screaming piercingly, as she whirled out a black pair of scissors as tall as a person from her hand with a flash of light.


    this scene immediately stunned the cat girl and the onlookers.


    from the black scissors, a strong dark series energy pulse emanated, clearly a weapon of extraordinary quality.


    how could a filthy beggar possess such luxurious equipment?


    "meow, i was wrong meow, i apologize meow." sea??h th�� n??el fire.n��t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    the cat girl, frightened, turned pale and retreated.


    but it was too late.


    stay updated through empire


    mingli snickered as she swung the large scissors towards the cat girl''s head!


    snip!


    snip snip snip!


    the cat girl thought she was as good as dead.


    bystanders also screamed in panic, shouting, "murder, the knights order, come quickly!"


    what was cut off, however, was not the cat girl''s head.


    it was her beautiful brown short hair.


    in just a few seconds, mingli had shaved the cat girl bald, the kind that could reflect light in the sunlight.


    "eek!!!"


    the cat girl held her face in horror as she looked at the glass display of a shop next door, her once prideful brown short hair had vanished in the blink of an eye.


    for a woman who loves beauty, hair is undoubtedly a second life.


    mingli didn''t kill her but took half her life.


    "heh, hehehe, ugly, ugly, so ugly! even more than me me me me! heeheeheehee..."


    mingli covered her mouth, her sinister laughter leaking out between her fingers.


    this person must have a problem with their head, right?


    the bystanders wore strange expressions.


    they felt that the person must have a fault in their magic circuit inside their head, turning into a mental case.


    a mentally ill person committing murder wouldn''t be sentenced to death.


    realizing this, the bystanders all became afraid, not daring to approach this strange girl.


    mingli grabbed a copy of adventurer''s weekly, showing it to the cat girl, "this person, where where where is he!?"


    "don''t you come near me!"


    the cat girl cried out in fright.


    just then, an astonished voice rang out.


    "mingli?"


    "what are you doing here?"


    suddenly called by her name, mingli paused for a moment.


    she let go of the cat girl, her eyes warily looking ahead.


    where she was standing was right near the adventurers'' guild.


    the live show of phoenix tail flower ended, and the audience began to disperse, heading downstairs.


    tasya and dawen were planning to go to secret realm square to meet lin da.


    there was also aiko, bervis, lin who was in hiding, the members of the white dove adventure group, the fans of phoenix tail flower...


    they all intended to go to secret realm square to congratulate phoenix tail flower on the successful subjugation of the epic monster.


    and so, mingli ran into them.


    the one who recognized mingli and voiced her suspicion was mingli''s former teammate: tasya.


    even though they didn''t spend a lot of time together, they indeed had an old teammates'' relationship.


    a flicker of confusion crossed tasya''s cool face.


    she remembered that after mingli was kicked out of the team, she went to black mamba city thousands of miles away.


    why would she suddenly appear here?


    the last time the two met was about three years ago.


    unlike normal former teammates, there was no joy of reunion on their faces.


    to be precise, the members of the primordial adventure team were more like competitors.


    only those who performed well would receive praise from dark shadow and be kept on.

 Chapter 283 251. Moon Rank Adventurer? Aiko requests Bervis to help Lin Da

    mingli''s eyes, peering through the sea of dark green, curly hair, gazed at tasya''s cold, beautiful features.she bit her finger enviously and said, "tasya, you, you, you came to kill him too, didn''t you?"


    "you''re here too, so tell me, this time, is it, is it for real!?"


    tasya frowned, "i don''t know what you''re talking about, but if the ''he'' you''re referring to is the master, i will stop you with all my might."


    what does that mean?


    dawen and the rest of the confused spectators.


    this dirty girl with dark green hair, does she know tasya?


    who is the ''he'' they are talking about? it seems there is a deep bond between the three of them.


    however, that bond, for some reason, had shattered.


    mingli came to kill ''him''?


    hiding in the crowd, celin clapped her little fists into her palm, a light bulb going off in her head as she thought: i''ve figured it out!


    that girl, she''s another paper person raised by captain lin da.


    the paper person has leapt from the screen, seeking revenge!


    lucky she stayed in white dove city and didn''t leave, otherwise lin da facing that girl alone would be dangerous.


    celin could tell, the girl''s level wasn''t low.


    lesser than hers, but much higher than lin da and his team members.


    when mingli heard tasya''s response, a murderous glance flashed across her face as she snipped the large scissors several times, "dare, dare, dare block me, i''ll take you down too!"


    the aura of battle qi of a level 41 swept out like an invisible shockwave.


    the color drained from the faces of tasya and her companions, as the ground beneath their feet caved in by one centimeter.


    "a moon rank adventurer?"


    everyone realized this troublesome fact.


    surprise flickered in tasya''s eyes.


    mingli from three years ago was not her match.


    suddenly, tasya noticed something familiar in mingli''s battle qi.


    mingli''s battle qi was dark series.


    tasya vaguely understood why mingli''s level was so high.


    dark series, having the highest compatibility with a witch''s power, was naturally suited to be a candidate for a witch.


    "this place is white dove city, miss. please retract your battle qi."


    abner, the leader of the white dove adventure group, opened his eyes and came to tasya''s side.


    tasya was somewhat surprised.


    she knew who abner was.


    the strongest adventurer in white dove city.


    also the longstanding rival of the scarlet adventure group.


    she didn''t expect him to help her.


    of course, abner wasn''t doing it for tasya.


    the leader had his own considerations.


    if they allowed mingli, a foreign adventurer, to cause trouble in white dove city, the most embarrassed would be the local power, white dove adventure group.


    this type of adventurer ''code'', normally handled privately, always settles itself.


    to seek official help, a ''if you can''t beat them, tell on them'' action is frowned upon by adventurers and utilized only as a last resort.


    eventually, three members from the white dove adventure group, abner, jite, and gale, gathered around tasya.


    dawen was not left behind.


    five powerful star rank.


    barely resisting the level 41 mingli.


    "eh, could the person that girl is looking for be captain lin da? the captain should have just emerged from the world tree."


    a sharp-eyed bald man, noticing the newspaper in mingli''s hand, wondered aloud, "what business does a foreign adventurer have with lin da?"


    mingli, mentioned three times in succession, couldn''t help but notice.


    has he emerged from the world tree?


    mingli gazed ahead.


    the world tree towered into the sky.


    behind her, black magic wings unfolded.


    with a whizz, she flew towards the secret realm square!


    the crowd, no longer confused, understood that the ''he'' in mingli''s words was indeed the eye of true knowledge, lin da.


    from mingli''s previous words, once she finds lin da... the girl plans to kill him!


    abner''s eyes turned icy as if vanishing in an instant, he dashed towards the world tree.


    not long before, abner had promised to ensure the safety of the phoenix tail flower.


    if mingli dared harm lin da, abner, even at the risk of his life, would draw his sword!


    without hesitation, gale and jite quickly followed.


    tasya, dawen, celin, aiko.


    and aiko''s elder brother bervis, along with a group of adventurers bursting with curiosity...


    they all rushed en masse to the secret realm square.


    a moment later,


    the square in front of the world tree was completely cleared.


    mingli''s expression was gloomy as she stood there, clutching large scissors.


    she waited for lin da to emerge.


    if lin da could not offer her a satisfactory explanation, she would use the large scissors to cut off lin da''s evil "magic sword"!


    the weapon that was supposed to be used only by her, lin da had turned on others.


    mingli''s hair hadn''t been so green before. sear?h the novel?ire(.)ne*t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    it was only after lin da kicked her out that the color began to darken, becoming deeper and greener.


    she could only shrink in the corner, imagining loving scenes between lin da and other teammates to console herself.


    she cried her eyes out herself.


    it was the kind where tears came from both above and below.


    as time went on, mingli''s body became weaker, and she grew more insecure.


    but today, she could finally meet lin da, who had abandoned her.


    for some reason, lin da was described as a low-level adventurer in the adventurer''s weekly.


    this was better.


    if lin da were the dark shadow of his peak period, she wouldn''t dare to come and demand answers.


    "scum, scum, cut it off, must cut it off!"


    mingli''s eyes were bloodshot, staring unwaveringly at the entrance beneath the world tree.


    ...


    "things seem to have gotten worse, huh. aiko, who exactly is lin da? how does he know so many moon rank?"


    bervis supported his chin with his hand, a peculiar smile emerging on his effeminate face.


    "you''re not a boy, are you? why so concerned about lin da!"


    aiko''s expression tightened.


    big brother and little sister fighting over the same man? that''s a bit too avant-garde!


    "what are you thinking? i admire him." bervis chuckled, "compared to my useless sister, it''d be great if lin da could become my brother. together, we could definitely take the holy rock adventure team to the next level."


    aiko said sternly, "stop! don''t fantasize about lin da joining holy rock, bervis, i have something to ask of you!"


    "i know."


    "you know?"


    "yes." bervis smiled without a word, glancing at mingli and then towards the unattended entrance of the world tree, intelligence glinting in his eyes.


    "you want me to help lin da stop that girl, don''t you?"


    aiko did not deny it, "yes."


    "this is how you ask for a favor?" bervis smiled lightly, "when you were little and couldn''t finish your homework, you''d be punished, wearing puppy ears and barking. it was quite adorable."


    aiko''s face darkened immediately.


    that was a dark past she''d rather forget.


    but for lin da...


    aiko humiliated herself by barking softly.


    "no way, are you serious?"


    bervis was stunned.


    aiko froze.


    bervis, "even if you hadn''t done that, i would have helped. an adventurer with lin da''s potential, i don''t mind lending a hand."


    "bervis, i hate you!"


    aiko was so angry her blonde hair bristled.


    throughout her life, she had never beaten her big brother.


    in daily life or in battle, bervis always stood like a mountain before her.


    normally, aiko was quite clever, but whenever it involved bervis and lin da, her intelligence seemed to halve.


    for example, aiko never considered why the holy rock adventure team had left her to flounder in white dove city for three years without looking for her even once.


    was bervis really just passing through white dove city and checking on his sister by chance?


    moreover, bervis said he didn''t mind helping "an adventurer with potential" like lin da. this "help," however, meant opposing an unknown moon rank adventurer.


    the girl with dark green hair might also have a sunrise level adventure team backing her.


    the risk bervis was taking had already gone beyond mere assistance.


    but aiko''s poor impression of bervis was deeply ingrained; she always felt bervis harbored nefarious schemes to harm her.


    "hahaha, rare that the poker-faced aiko would ask for my help. i''ll seriously help out this time, and stop that girl with the large scissors."


    "isn''t that right, miss with pink hair?"


    bervis bowed elegantly to someone. discover hidden content at empire


    perhaps this was the real reason bervis was willing to help.


    the miss with pink hair was much stronger than him, even more than the girl named mingli.


    as an experienced adventurer who had fought thousands of magical creatures, bervis could be certain of this.

 Chapter 284 252. Tasyas Lap Pillow, Lin Da Comes to the Fore (Two in One)

    world tree fifth layer."captain, for you!"


    monica, with a sprightly charm, held out a flower crown that she had woven and approached lin da.


    "thank you, it''s a beautiful flower crown."


    lin da squatted down to let monica place it on his head.


    smiles blossomed on both of their faces.


    after exiting the cave, they didn''t rush to return but took a detour through the green plains in search of the fruit of the world tree.


    but the outcome was as one would expect. sea??h th�� n??el fire.n��t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    the mystic realm of the fifth layer had too many adventurers and sparse magic power, making it the most difficult place for a bronze fruit tree to spawn.


    where there''s a bronze fruit tree, there lies the fruit of the world tree.


    the higher the layer of the mystic realm, the richer the resources. by the 20th layer, bronze fruit trees had become quite common.


    the mystic realm of the fifth layer was indeed a blessed place for adventurers around level 10.


    but for lin da and his companions, who were at least level 25, the resources here were somewhat insufficient.


    lin da didn''t find any fruit of the world tree, but he wasn''t disappointed, it was to be expected. he thought that after returning, he could buy some with gold coins, since the mystic realm of the fifth layer had just opened and the fruit of the world tree would experience a small surge in production, making the prices relatively cheaper.


    normally 1,000 gold coins each, now he could buy them for a little over 900.


    first, he''d get 100 of them to test the effects.


    luckily, lin da had more than enough cash on hand.


    the original 500,000 gold, plus the 1,000,000 paid by president velen, and the 150,000 burst from the goblin prince...


    minus the 600,000 paid as compensation to lia and isa.


    the remaining amount was 1,050,000 gold coins.


    buying 100 fruits of the world tree was a mere trifle.


    lin da looked around at everyone, "there''s nothing more to see on the fifth layer, let''s go back."


    isa nodded, "we need to prepare a strategy against the specter."


    "the specter won''t be bouncing back anytime soon."


    lin da chuckled and said, "from the suggestions i''ve seen, hulus has been taken away for investigation and won''t be out for a while. at this critical moment, even if the members of dark shadow are dissatisfied, they wouldn''t dare to act against us."


    "what we need to do is to become a steel level adventure group as quickly as possible."


    lin da turned to isa and lia, "let''s all do our best."


    everyone took out their teleportation stones.


    "return."


    they held hands and silently uttered the word in their hearts.


    a blue light enveloped them all.


    when they reappeared, they were back at the entrance to the world tree in white dove city.


    "huh, why are there so few people in the square?"


    "yeah, is there some event today?"


    "where are the reporters from the press? where are snow goose''s fans? why aren''t they here to welcome us?"


    lin da, isa, and lia were all somewhat puzzled.


    the crowd that they had imagined welcoming them was nonexistent.


    the vast square was cool and clear.


    only a girl with black dress and dark green hair stood in the distance.


    the girl''s hair was a mess, resembling seaweed, her eyes hidden behind it, making her expression indiscernible.


    but lin da and the others had a strong premonition that this girl was here for them.


    she held a massive pair of scissors, muttering something to herself.


    she didn''t seem to be a fan of theirs.


    isa said with uncertainty, "who is this person, lin da? someone you know?"


    "i don''t know her."


    lin da shook his head.


    the girl before them differed too much from the character portraits in the game.


    combined with her messy, dark green hair, lin da failed to recognize her at first.


    he led his teammates forward.


    as they got closer, the girl''s mutterings became clear.


    she spoke of ''cutting off''.


    the sight of those large, dark scissors inexplicably sent a chill down lin da''s spine.


    the girl lifted her head, her green eyes solemnly fixated on lin da.


    when their gazes met, both were struck!


    lin da had an excellent memory.


    he recognized who the girl was.


    and he understood why she was here, blocking his path with large scissors.


    no wonder the sight of her was familiar at first glance.


    it was late at night, just after midnight, when the game''s daily free draw refreshed.


    lin da was there on time to draw a card.


    a flash of purple light.


    lin da drew a four-star dark series character: [black scissors] mingli!


    in the game, mingli was a very special four-star team member.


    her strength was questionable.


    her lower limit was abysmally low, worse than a three-star.


    yet her upper limit was terrifyingly high, stronger than an ordinary five-star when bolstered by powerful gear.


    mingli''s feature was her extremely fast attack speed and growth in attack power that couldn''t match a mage''s.


    with powerful equipment, her normal attack damage was explosive.


    discover hidden tales at empire


    without it, it was as ineffective as giving a massage to magical creatures.


    a toy for the elite to show off damage, an omen of bad luck to the commoners who drew her.


    mingli''s three acts were:


    [the ugly duckling plucked bare]


    [you are the child i favor]


    [the dazzling black rose at the center of the ball]


    in the final act, mingli hoped to enter into an oath with the player.


    lin da chose to agree, but said it would have to wait until after reaching the top of the world tree.


    unexpectedly, the day after that plot line, he drew a five-star dark series character, replacing mingli''s spot.


    to the real-world mingli, it probably felt like the captain promised to marry her yesterday, only to tell her to pack her bags and leave the next day.


    now, lin da understood where that chill came from.


    "so you do know each other?"


    seeing his strange expression, isa asked curiously.


    "why is that seaweed head looking at you so weird?" lia frowned.


    lulu, however, recognized mingli.


    she had a brief encounter with her in the primitive adventure team.


    mingli had been kicked out even earlier than her.


    the two looked at each other.


    mingli''s pupils shook.


    "so, so many?"


    a bunch of stunning young ladies, any of which would attract attention in any city, were surrounding lin da.


    lulu, and a silver-haired swordsman, their looks towards lin da were affectionate, not like mere friends.


    although mingli hadn''t seen the face under lin da''s mask, the soul aura of the man before her was exactly the same as that of the dark shadow.

 Chapter 285 252. Tasyas Lap Pillow, Lin Da Comes to the Fore (Two in One)_2

    after three years of searching, she finally found dark shadow!"lin da, be careful, that woman is very dangerous!"


    a loud shout came from afar.


    it was gale.


    and abner, jite.


    the trio from the white dove adventure group, were racing towards lin da.


    "heartless, heartless man, you kicked me out and even sold my equipment!"


    "dieeeee��"


    mingli screamed, her dark green hair wildly thrashing, a mouth full of jagged teeth gleaming with a cold light as she charged straight at lin da.


    "what''s with this seaweed head?"


    lia, wielding her great sword, positioned it in front, and without turning back she said, "quick, get behind me, miss. she''s coming to kill you!"


    isa and lulu moved forward as well.


    "no good, you can''t stop her."


    lin da''s expression was grave.


    the oppressive feeling bearing down on him was certainly not something a level 30 could achieve.


    eight or nine out of ten, she was a moon rank adventurer.


    in the present company, only he, the support with health points over ten thousand, could withstand a blow from a moon rank.


    "verdant shield."


    an emerald light shield enveloped him, and lin da grabbed isa and lia by the shoulders, pulling them behind him.


    "leave it to me."


    the resentment from mingli had arisen because of him, and he would personally resolve it.


    cold wind blew fiercely in front, mingli''s twisted visage resembling a ghost or demon.


    the blades of that giant pair of scissors shone with a chilling radiance.


    even before the clash, lin da already began to faintly feel pain at the base of his legs.


    even if he could withstand a hit from mingli, he would likely not escape without serious injury.


    lin da clenched his teeth tightly, drawing out the sword of royalty.


    and at that moment,


    a fragrant breeze suddenly swept in from the side.


    it was a brown phantom.


    her long maid''s dress fluttered like a huge blooming flower in the wind, and when her black heels screeched to a halt against the ground, they sparked.


    in a brief glance, lin da saw beneath the voluminous dress, white garter stockings edged with hollow-out lace borders like exquisite works of art.


    the silver metal buckles connecting the garters shone with a cold luster, and beneath that cover lay a pair of long, sturdy legs, sleek and well-proportioned, with muscular curves full of aesthetic beauty.


    the woman''s height reached one meter seventy, and with her black high heels, she almost stood level with lin da.


    "tasya, how come you are here?"


    lin da recognized the other''s identity.


    it was the four-star character, "storm" tasya.


    "master, please leave this to your subordinate."


    a black briefcase suddenly appeared in tasya''s hand. infusing it with battle qi, the briefcase swiftly transformed into a magic cannon with a honeycomb shooting disk.


    "rain of bullets."


    with a cool, low command from tasya, lines of blue energy circuits, the ''blood vessels'' of the magic device, lit up on the magic cannon. as battle qi was injected, the honeycomb disk began to spin, unleashing a deluge of battle qi bullets.


    the aura tasya released was not to be underestimated, she had reached level 34!


    and the leader of the solid rock adventure group, rhode, was only at level 34 too.


    "useless, useless, useless, useless!"


    mingli laughed maniacally as she brandished her scissors, snipping all approaching battle qi bullets in half the moment they neared her.


    three years ago, tasya was stronger than mingli, but now, it seemed to be the reverse.


    mingli, having attained level 41 as a moon rank adventurer, was clearly not someone tasya could stop.


    the bullet rain was cleanly split into two, not a single one hitting mingli''s life barrier.


    despite the considerable power of those magic-guided bullets, which could easily seriously injure an ordinary star-ranked adventurer, they were almost ineffective against mingli, of the moon rank.


    as a ranged fighter, once mingli closed in, tasya knew the consequences were unimaginable.


    she must not let this madwoman get close to lin da!


    tasya''s heart sank, and a sharp chill flashed through her eyes. indeed, she was not worried that lin da would lose to mingli, but mingli''s attack would definitely break lin da''s ''disguise''.


    it was not easy for lin da to keep his identity as dark shadow hidden. although he was unaware of lin da''s schemes, these matters were not for a maid to question. tasya''s duty was to take care of her master''s daily life, and during adventures, to transform into a sharp sword, clearing the way for her master!


    therefore, no matter what, tasya would not allow mingli to ruin lin da''s disguise.


    black mist appeared in her eyes, and her delicate body under her thick maid''s skirt began to transform. with her heart as the origin, black thorns and vines seemed to come to life, crawling across her skin.


    sharp thorns cut through tasya''s skin, and the pain went straight to her soul. her face remained expressionless, but her forehead was covered in dense sweat, and her body couldn''t stop twitching.


    the contamination of tasya''s body was much more severe than lulu''s.


    compared to the latter, who was almost purified by lin da, tasya was like a stinky sewer, with black witch power clogging the flow through her limbs and body.


    "what is this?"


    abner and the others who had just arrived sensed a faint and subtle evil presence.


    they stared at tasya with suspicious eyes.


    now was tasya''s chance to back down.


    once she fully transformed into a witch, there would be no excuses.


    even if tasya could fend off mingli, being wanted by the empire for her identity as a witch would force her onto a grueling journey of escape. s~ea??h the n??el fire.n��t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    but at this moment, tasya had only one thought in her mind: to stand against mingli, this lunatic, and to not let her get anywhere near lin da!


    "heeheeheehee!"


    a sick, sharp laugh came from ahead.


    mingli had black magic wings spread out behind her, and with a crazed expression, she held a large pair of scissors. the open blades were aimed at tasya''s delicate neck, as if they could sever it in the next second.


    "enough," whispered a light sigh that arose from behind tasya.


    strong hands grabbed the back of tasya''s maid''s skirt and yanked her away.


    lin da, shielded by an emerald light shield and wielding the sword of royalty, had eyes that shone with an unshakeable bedrock-like brilliance.


    like a tall wall, he stood in front of tasya!


    mingli hadn''t expected lin da to do this, and her face showed a flash of panic. but remembering all lin da''s scoundrel behaviors, her hate-filled green pupils intensified: "die, die, dieeee!"


    the massive scissors clenched onto lin da''s emerald light shield, and an invisible shockwave burst forth.


    the airwave flung both individuals, with lin da being sent flying backwards by the tremendous force.


    at the crucial moment, tasya caught lin da from behind. the silver-haired maid cushioned him with her soft body, wrapping herself around lin da as they landed to reduce some of the impact.


    still, lin da lost ten thousand health points.


    with a shield strength of 4725 and health points of 10500, after blocking mingli''s great scissors, he was left with 5225 points.


    tasya, acting as his cushion, also lost more than 300 health points.


    the usually composed and proper tasya paid no attention to the dust on her maid''s dress, holding lin da in her arms with a pained expression.


    she took out a handkerchief to wipe the blood from the corner of lin da''s mouth.


    taking a hit from a moon rank adventurer, even a regular attack, lin da couldn''t have been unscathed.


    "why?" tasya bit her lip, her body trembling slightly, silver hair falling over lin da''s face, tickling his cheek.


    tasya''s point was clear.


    even during the monster tide, when she had taken action against her master, something utterly unforgivable, why did lin da still choose to protect her? with the way dark shadow behaved, the best outcome would have been for her to be dismissed, and even being killed was not impossible.


    originally, tasya was recruited by lin da as a personal maid. when her organization, whispers under the moon, came to request her return, lin da stood up to them and told them to get lost.


    that was the first time lin da protected tasya.


    and now, lin da had protected her once again.


    "lin da!"


    "lin da, are you okay?"


    "this seaweed head is crazy!"


    lulu, isa, lia, and the others gathered around.


    abner and his two companions also arrived in time.


    the three seasoned star-ranked adventurers from white dove were at the front, followed by members of phoenix tail flower, snow goose, and ice flower,


    at the back, tasya, with her thighs clad in white thigh-high stockings, knelt on the cold ground, providing lin da with a comforting knee-pillow. with hands clad in white gloves, she cradled lin da''s head. tasya pursed her lips, looking as if she were about to cry.


    but for lin da, protecting his team members was a matter of course. experience tales at empire


    all he knew now was that he needed to stop mingli himself. the strength of a moon rank adventurer was not something that could be countered by numbers.


    mingli seemed to understand this as well.


    she staggered forward, dragging the large scissors behind her, with the blade grating on the ground producing a grating sound. the scissors were so sharp that being merely dragged by the girl was enough to leave clear white marks on the stone bricks.


    "by all your powers combined, you''re unworthy, unworthy to stop me!"


    "hand over lin da to mee!"

 Chapter 286 253, Sliding on Knees in Mingli

    whoosh.mingli transformed into a speeding dark phantom.


    the tiles on the square were violently lifted to the sides by the fierce airflow, and an ominous bloody light emanated from mingli''s large scissors, as if it even cut through the midday sunlight.


    the oppressive feeling it gave everyone had intensified several times compared to before.


    this was no longer a normal attack.


    this time, mingli used his skills.


    when a moon rank adventurer went all out, a star rank simply had no way to block it!


    even so, abner did not retreat.


    abner was a level 39, top-tier star-ranked adventurer, just half a step away from stepping into the moon rank.


    he closed his eyes and assumed the stance of drawing his sword for an iaido slash.


    a force several times stronger than a normal star rank condensed on abner''s sword.


    from a distance, bervis raised his eyebrows and thought in surprise,


    "mind''s eye abner, no wonder he made it onto the adventurer''s weekly, becoming a moon rank is just a matter of time. it seems that white dove city with abner and lin da doesn''t seem so weak."


    at this moment, lin da applied a healing art to himself and stood up.


    tasya''s eyes flickered as she grasped lin da''s hand, not wanting to let him go forward. mingli, let abner handle it. whether abner lives or dies didn''t matter to tasya, as long as lin da was safe.


    however, lin da did not think the same way.


    if abner were seriously injured because of this, he would feel guilty for the rest of his life.


    "lin da, what are you doing? retreat, leave this to us!"


    gale, seeing lin da recklessly coming to the front, was both angry and annoyed, and hurried to pull lin da back.


    "no need, i''m confident."


    lin da shook his head, his expression calmly moving to the center of the area.


    this time, he didn''t even bring the verdant shield with him.


    mingli rushed forward with a crazy laugh.


    with his current state, the least serious consequence of directly facing a moon rank adventurer''s skill was severe injury.


    what on earth was lin da thinking?


    everyone couldn''t help but feel puzzled.


    the lin da they knew wouldn''t do something so impulsive.


    in other words... was lin da confident he could stop that maniac?


    facing mingli''s hate-filled face, lin da offered no explanation or words of comfort,


    his gaze was cold as he stared at the girl with dark green hair, his voice like a chilling wind from hell��"sit down."


    just like training a dog.


    not only did lin da not comfort the frenzied mingli, but he also used extremely humiliating words to publicly shame her!


    gale and the others'' heads buzzed, all thinking the same thing: it''s over!


    even if lin da were to kneel and beg for mercy, everyone could understand. losing face in front of a moon rank wasn''t a big issue.


    but lin da went on to insult the other party.


    what the hell.


    fearing that things weren''t bad enough!


    he wouldn''t have triggered that maniac to launch a super kill, would he!


    while star rank adventurers could learn an ability called "force", moon ranks, in addition to unfolding wings behind them, would also comprehend a power greater than an ultimate skill��a "super kill".


    with mingli activating his skills, abner was confident enough to risk his life to block it.


    but with mingli launching a super kill, there was no solution!


    even if abner was level 39, with exceptional talent and extraordinary fight capabilities,


    he couldn''t possibly block a moon rank adventurer''s super kill.


    lin da, what are you really up to!


    this was completely unlike his usual cautious self!


    everyone was so anxious they were pulling their hair out.


    only lin da understood what he was doing.


    he deliberately cast aside all emotions.


    like a cold, magical automaton, he stared indifferently at mingli.


    "sit down."


    once again, he repeated.


    in lin da''s flat tone, there were strands of murderous intent.


    it seemed that if mingli dared not to obey, he would instantly put on the mask and transform into the "dark shadow".


    by then... the consequences of offending the dark shadow were well known!


    even a team member entering with his left foot first would be kicked out of the team.


    daring to attack the dark shadow, dying ten times would not be too much.


    mingli, hearing lin da''s harsh, cold command, shivered, her pupils revealing panic as if a ptsd symptom had been triggered, and she sat down on the ground in fright.


    the forward momentum not yet dissipated, she indeed slid to lin da''s feet in a ''kowtow'' position!


    mingli looked up at lin da tremblingly, her eyes clearing up.


    like a fiercely barking wild dog being slapped across the face, she immediately behaved.


    the girl, her venomous snake-like eyes hidden behind dark green hair, turned into clear, watery lakes.


    in the scene of the "feather plucked ugly duckling", mingli, bullied by the orphans, had her beautiful long hair cut off, being ridiculed as a bald ugly duckling.


    the dark shadow appeared, spanked those children with a belt, and told mingli: become my captain''s dog, and no one will bully you again.


    for a weird girl like mingli, who is self-abasing, cowardly, and has a vengeful personality, ordinary teachings could hardly help her step out of the shadows.


    lin da chose to fight poison with poison.


    he tamed mingli with a big stick.


    if disobedient, she would be beaten!


    his single command, ''sit down'', awakened memories buried in mingli''s mind.


    "lin lin lin da..."


    mingli shakily lifted her head, her right hand raised like a small dog lifting its paw, reaching out to lin da.


    lin da too extended his palm, waiting for mingli to place hers in it.


    at this moment, everyone in the arena was stunned.


    what the hell, what''s going on?


    what happened to the prestige of a moon rank adventurer all of a sudden?


    could it be that the seaweed head girl didn''t come to kill lin da but to recognize him as her master?


    abner had been ready to fight for his life.


    with eyes that could never be fully opened, widened more than brass bells, abner was dumbfounded, staring at lin da ''training the dog''.


    lia scratched her head, "am i seeing things?"


    isa gave a dry laugh, "i might be seeing things too."


    lulu pondered for a moment and said, "i kind of understand mingli''s approach."


    if it could be confirmed that lin da was the dark shadow, probably no member of primordial would dare to act rashly.


    if lin da were to pull out the big treasure (mask) from his trousers and chuckle coldly:


    ''little team member, you dare to strike against me, the dark shadow?''


    who could endure that?


    the dark shadow in his peak state could easily beat any team member.


    seeing mingli trembling and extremely scared, lin da secretly breathed a sigh of relief inside.


    only he knew he was bluffing.


    unless he acted, no one would know his real strength.


    mingli had just been bluffed. s��ar?h the n??el fire.n��t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    this team member is special, as though she can ascertain through other means that he is indeed the dark shadow.


    compared with lulu who was tricked at first sight, and tasya who was half-incredulous, it was fundamentally different.


    if the two of them could confirm that he was indeed the dark shadow, they would probably also hesitate to attack easily.


    in any case, was this crisis too simply resolved this time? your next read awaits at empire


    compared to lulu''s distrust towards him, monica''s being shut-in refusing to leave the house, tasya''s adamant disbelief that he was the dark shadow...


    when it came to mingli, the process of winning her over went surprisingly smoothly.


    so smoothly that lin da felt uneasy.


    defeating a bunch of magical creatures, facing countless hardships on the throne, opening a treasure chest, no adventurer suspected it to be a treasure chest monster. but a treasure chest found casually in roadside bushes is almost certainly a disguised treasure chest monster.


    once an adventurer happily goes to open it, the treasure chest monster would open its big mouth and swallow the adventurer.


    therefore, when mingli''s small hand tremulously reached out to place in his palm, he sweated nervously.

 Chapter 287 254, Xi Lin: Believe me or her!

    ```quick, let her in!


    i feel if we''re even a second late, there will be a reversal!


    to make mingli hurry up, lin da even bent down and reached out his hand towards her.


    but unexpectedly, mingli recoiled like a startled animal with a ''eek'' and a look of terror on her face.


    "hand."


    lin da had no choice but to keep a straight face and tell mingli he was not reaching out to hit her.


    mingli cautiously glanced at lin da, swallowed, and then started to smile foolishly like an infatuated girl, slowly reaching out her hand again.


    this time, it looked like there was finally hope.


    five centimeters, four centimeters, three, two...


    just one centimeter away, and lin da would be able to grasp that pale, cold little hand.


    but as it turned out, his premonition was right.


    mingli suddenly furrowed her brows and groaned in pain, her outstretched hand freezing in the air.


    she looked down in disbelief at the black spear tip stained with fresh blood piercing through her.


    a black long spear had come from behind mingli, penetrating her lower abdomen.


    "freak, who gave you permission to approach lin da?"


    a voice devoid of emotion rang out.


    the scene seemed to freeze in place.


    the girl''s brown hat fell to the ground, her long pink hair cascading like a waterfall, fluttered by the gentle breeze.


    her small, gorgeous face radiated murderous intent as selena looked down at mingli on the ground; her black long spear, wrapped in black magic power, was piercing through mingli''s abdomen.


    blood drops were falling from the tip of the spear like a curtain.


    this twist was even bigger than lin da had imagined.


    an -8000 red number appeared above mingli''s head.


    mingli''s face turned deathly pale as she grasped the tip of the black long spear with both hands.


    her eyes were full of confusion and incomprehension.


    the scent of blood spread through the wind.


    she wasn''t dead, but she was seriously injured.


    the surrounding onlookers were somewhat dumbfounded, with question marks practically growing over their heads.


    the situation had reversed too quickly, too outrageously.


    so much so that their brains couldn''t process it in time.


    first, the adventurer from another place, mingli of moon rank, attacked lin da, only to end up being tamed by lin da like a pet dog.


    outrageous enough, right?


    then, another pink-haired girl of moon rank strikes from behind, ambushing mingli, forbidding mingli from getting close to lin da...


    "i''ve got it!"


    reporter kami was also at the scene.


    as the top reporter for the white dove morning news, wherever there was news, there was kami.


    this lively girl with brown hair tied in a single ponytail and freckles on her face drew everyone''s attention with her loud voice.


    stay tuned for updates on empire


    carrying a magic guided camera that looked like a cannon barrel on her shoulder, kami excitedly pointed it at lin da and the others while exclaiming, "the adventurer circles are really in chaos, huh? it feels like they''ve almost surpassed the nobility in the last few years."


    "that dark green-haired girl is obviously a dog trained by lin da, but unfortunately for some reason, she was abandoned by lin da, and now she''s come back to her owner, but too bad... the current girlfriend with pink hair says, ''stay away from my lin da!''"


    listening to this, the people felt it made no sense, yet it also made some sense.


    it was barely a coherent explanation.


    the vice president of the phoenix tail flower fan club, finch, was also there, scratching his nose awkwardly:


    "miss kami, your dog is of moon rank? according to that, lin da''s past must be quite remarkable, right? how could such a big shot end up in our small white dove city?"


    "you don''t get it! lin da must have stepped on some dog shit luck, and probably was training her when she was still a lousy chick."


    kami spoke confidently, "i suspect that lin da''s original title ''ultimate pervert'' suits him best, there must be poison smeared on his oo; any girl he touches will become crazily fond of him. otherwise, why would someone of moon rank still come all this way just to be lin da''s dog?"


    a minotaur adventurer had a sudden realization: "whoa, according to miss kami, this battle is lin da''s family affair, it''s not proper for outsiders to interfere."


    ```


    "exactly, we just enjoy the spectacle."


    kami carried the magic guided camera, snapping away like crazy.


    if anyone was completely bewildered at the scene, it was mingli.


    who the hell are you, pink hair?


    just love stabbing people in the belly, don''t you!


    "ouchhhhhhhh!!!"


    mingli''s eyes turned blood red, blood flowed profusely from her mouth, and she screamed insanely.


    her body dissolved into a black mist and reappeared three meters away, clutching her stomach, her gaze venomous as she stared at xilin, "you, you, who are you? are you another pathetic soul abandoned by lin da?"


    xilin casually tossed her pink hair, her black great sword resting on the ground, her petite and delicate chin lifted in a haughty manner:


    "don''t get me wrong, lin da might abandon you paper people, but he won''t abandon me."


    "right, lin da?"


    caught off guard by his sister''s sudden question, lin da couldn''t help but be startled.


    he looked at his sister, then at the severely injured mingli, and felt a headache coming on. he felt that no matter which side he supported, the other would be at risk of exploding on the spot.


    "stop fighting, both of you."


    "continuing this fight is of no benefit to anyone!"


    lin da''s expression darkened, and he stood between the two to stop the clash.


    but xilin frowned unhappily.


    xilin could sense that mingli''s mental state was extremely unstable, like a mad dog.


    docile one moment, potentially rabid and biting the next.


    such a ticking time bomb could not be allowed to stay by lin da''s side��it was too dangerous.


    xilin knew lin da felt guilty towards those paper people he had abandoned, he couldn''t bear to kick them away again. so she would do it for him.


    eliminating mingli, this "risk".


    the moment that thought crossed her mind, xilin moved.


    she teleported in front of mingli, her phantom demon spear thrusting towards mingli''s vulnerable throat!


    "stop it!"


    a black energy whip lashed out, coiling around xilin''s phantom magic spear.


    "lin da, she will harm you."


    xilin gazed at lin da and said slowly, "do you trust me or her?"


    with the phantom demon spear positioned at mingli''s throat,


    xilin decided that if lin da''s response did not satisfy her, she would kill mingli to remove the threat once and for all!


    this scene had everyone present on edge.


    but since no one understood the exact relationship among the three, they could only quietly watch the situation unfold.


    "miss advises you to stop, attacking the weak is very unbecoming!"


    lia recognized xilin''s identity, and her great sword ignited with fire as she stepped forward. s��ar?h the n?velfire(.)net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "this is a conversation between me and lin da, lia, even if it''s you, if you dare to interfere, i will kill you just the same!"


    xilin snorted coldly, her pupils glowing with pink peach hearts.


    under her gaze, lia''s body stiffened, becoming like a puppet on strings.


    go back where you came from.


    lia felt humiliated, her little face reddening like a liver.


    three years ago, the two were nearly matched in strength.


    but now, having been granted power by the demon king and becoming one of the twelve belongings, xilin was clearly far stronger than lia.


    this harsh reality made lia''s heart sink into the abyss.


    lin da frowned slightly and looked straight at xilin, saying, "you''re not the kind to ask such childish questions."


    xilin: "no, i am. answer me now! do you trust me, or this seaweed head!"

 Chapter 288 255, Shadow of Darkness Experience Card

    ```seaweed head...


    in some ways, my sister did have a rapport with lia, as they both came up with the eerily consistent nickname for mingli.


    looking at my sister, who had turned into a pink-haired girl, and mingli, with her dark green curly hair and deathly pale complexion, lin da felt torn.


    if i had to say, among my numerous team members, i just liked mingli, she wasn''t quite my favorite.


    she was a bit behind lulu, monica, and tasya.


    after all, mingli''s character strongly relied on her gear.


    without spending real money, i simply couldn''t afford to maintain her.


    but there''s only one sister.


    even though she turned into a demon and liked to cause trouble, scaring me with gift boxes full of smoke... she was still my family.


    this bond naturally placed her above mingli.


    moreover, lin da seriously suspected that if his answer here was "mingli," the magic spear in his sister''s hands would instantly pierce through mingli''s throat.


    the classic dilemma of ''if your mother and i were drowning, who would you save first?''


    it seemed like she was asking, but in reality, she was forcing lin da to give the answer she wanted to hear.


    just then, a system notification rang in lin da''s ear:


    [you have recognized the witch lin and witch mingli, would you like to bind them?]


    well, well.


    lin da''s heart jolted.


    just as he had guessed, the strange aura on mingli was that of a witch, too.


    in the small secret realm square of white dove city, within a ten-meter radius centered around him, there were actually four witches...


    lulu, tasya, my sister, and now mingli.


    he didn''t know whether he was lucky or cursed. continue your saga on empire


    ''bind, bind them all!'' lin da said inwardly.


    [system prompt: current binding slots remaining: 1. only 1 individual can be bound.]


    you could bind one initially, and then one more every 10 levels increased.


    at level 25, lin da could bind a maximum of 3 people.


    he pondered for a moment.


    ''bind my sister! i want to see her trustworthiness in detail!'' lin da thought.


    if the system showed a low level of trust, it meant that this pink-haired succubus had some sort of poison hiding in her belly, luring him to partake.


    lin da wanted to uncover the true face of the succubus general lin.


    [system prompt: binding in progress...]


    [witch lin has been bound.]


    [lin: current trustworthiness is 95, devoted. (status: contaminated by the demon lord''s power, reward under seal)]


    what, 95 points?


    lin da''s vision darkened.


    what was the deal with this sister of mine! lin da thought she would''ve been doing well to score a trustworthiness of fifty or sixty, but 95 points?


    typically, a score of 80 points of trust is expected between spouses or best friends.


    reaching 90 would qualify you to be featured on the show "top ten heartwarming stories of white dove city."


    only then did lin da realize what a dependable figure he was in his sister''s eyes.


    in the past, he felt his sister showed little respect for him, often bold and mischievous, always roping him into her pranks.


    after consulting the system''s q&a sprite, lin da learned that for characters whose trustworthiness was under a special seal, upon breaking the seal, he could claim all accumulated system rewards corresponding to the trust level at that time.


    for every 10-point increase in trustworthiness, there was one reward.


    that meant if lin da could break the seal on lin, he could receive at least 9 system rewards.


    underneath my sister''s avatar was a long progress bar, resembling a mobile game''s paid ''pass,'' with sealed rewards linked by chains spaced at intervals along it.


    [mystical points], [diamond], [equipment]...


    ```


    there were also many strange and quirky little props.


    what attracted lin da the most was the reward for reaching 90 trust points, "utter devotion".


    a black card with gold plating.


    the card floated in the mist, occasionally flashing crimson light.


    it gave off a mysterious and powerful vibe.


    lin da clicked to preview the reward content ahead of time.


    just like an unscrupulous game operator, tempting players to spend money.


    [item: shadow of darkness experience card]


    [effect: details available upon unlocking]


    lin da''s eyes widened, and a storm surged in his heart!


    it was forcing him to increase the witch''s trust level.


    if he could transform into the peak state of dark shadow, lin da could single-handedly take on the demon king with a sword.


    now he faced two issues, first, which period''s dark shadow would he transform into? a level 0 dark shadow was still a dark shadow.


    second, how could he unlock his sister''s trust level bar to receive the rewards?


    lin da double-clicked on his sister''s chibi avatar with his thoughts, and a prompt appeared: s~ea??h the novel(f~)ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [unlock seal condition: remove at least 50% of the pollution from the target''s body]


    besides his sister, he remembered that tasya also had the 90-point "utter devotion" trust level.


    under tasya''s ''pass'', the ninth reward was indeed a floating black card.


    lulu had one too.


    it seemed, for every witch who reached 90 trust points, lin da would receive an experience card.


    but getting to 90 points was difficult, only his sister and tasya had special circumstances that allowed reaching 90 points. for ordinary people, they might be subservient to a girl their whole life and not even reach 70 trust points.


    lin da clicked on the silver-haired maid''s chibi avatar, and a prompt appeared:


    [unlock seal condition: acknowledge that the real you is indeed the dark shadow]


    lin da thought to himself, so that''s it, the current tasya thinks she is just a mask of the dark shadow. what tasya follows is that cold and emotionless game character that he himself control.


    getting the shadow of darkness experience card immediately seemed impossible. whether it''s educating tasya to change her perception or purifying celine''s pollution, it was not something that could be done overnight.


    lin da still needed to directly address celine''s questions.


    time slowly passed.


    the pink-haired girl''s magic spear inched toward mingli''s neck.


    the tip of the spear broke the skin, and crimson blood flowed out.


    mingli was essentially a bully when facing the weak and cowardly when faced with the strong. realizing the absolute difference in strength with celine, she became a quivering ostrich, hands raised, not daring to resist celine at all.


    sometimes, his sister would show a very tough side.


    lin da had a headache; facing this demonized sister, he sighed and said, "if i really have to choose..."


    "of course, i trust you."


    with lin da''s answer, the tense atmosphere in the room eased a lot.


    celine''s face brightened with a smile as radiant as a flower, "that''s right. listen to me, stay away from that seaweed head lunatic; she''s the kind of mad dog that bites without warning."


    seemingly in a good mood, the black magic spear in celine''s hand moved slightly away from mingli''s throat.


    lin da breathed a sigh of relief.


    "but before that, i have a few words to say to her."


    lin da''s expression became serious, his tone emphatic.


    celine hesitated for a moment and said, "just a few words, okay? don''t get too close to her, it would be troublesome if you get bitten."


    under a sea of curious eyes, lin da walked up to the pale-faced mingli.


    in mingli''s eyes, lin da might be some ferocious beast, making her clutch her head and continuously back away in fear.


    she looked... rather pitiful.


    like a little girl accustomed to domestic violence, trembling like a sieve in front of a father holding a beer bottle.


    yet her level was clearly much higher than lin da''s.

 Chapter 289 256. Siblings fall out, Tasya wants to join the team.

    no one knew what lin da had done to mingli in the past to leave such a strong psychological shadow.furthermore, no one could grasp the relationship between lin da and this moon rank adventurer from black mamba city.


    apart from lin da and a few other parties involved, the only ones who knew the details were lulu and tasya.


    they were in the same situation as mingli and could empathize with her slightly.


    after finally finding lin da, to be abandoned again must not have been easy to take.


    compared to lulu, who as a current member of the phoenix tail flower, could sympathize with ease, tasya felt more nervous.


    what was happening was akin to killing the chicken to warn the monkeys.


    mingli was that chicken.


    if lin da did not accept mingli, then there was probably no hope for her either.


    sticky sweat had formed in tasya''s palms.


    lin da walked over to mingli.


    the girl with dark green hair covered her belly, her pale face trembling as she looked up at him.


    "are you going to kill me?"


    "no."


    lin da shook his head, "i just want to tell you, the person you''re looking for is already ''dead''."


    "however, i will fulfill his promise and take you to the summit of the world tree. if you wish, you can join my adventure team."


    "what did you say?" when mingli heard of dark shadow''s death, a buzzing noise filled her head, and her speech lost its stammer.


    she widened her eyes in disbelief, her expression confused.


    she looked closely at lin da, seemingly feeling that he was lying.


    "stop joking, the captain is so strong, he couldn''t possibly be dead."


    "and you, a captain who''s not even at rock level, think you can have me, a moon rank, join your team? you''re just trying to ride on coattails!"


    "you''re not worthy of a noble member like me, hee hee hee."


    mingli''s pupils wildly darted around her eye sockets like bouncing balls, her face showing a strange smile as she pointed at everyone around her:


    "liar, you''ve deceived that pink-haired one, and tasya, and lulu, and... and everyone!"


    "still so defiant? seems like one lesson isn''t enough."


    xilin''s figure moved abruptly as the phantom demon spear stabbed towards mingli.


    "i''ll get my revenge on all of you liars, banding together to deceive me!"


    mingli let out a hysterical laugh, taking out a magic scroll from her bosom, tearing it open, and disappearing in a black mist.


    bang!


    stones shattered in every direction.


    xilin''s magic spear hit nothing but air, creating a dent in the ground.


    at the very last moment, mingli escaped.


    with the main source of disturbance on the square gone, it suddenly became quiet.


    ran away?


    lin da massaged his temples, feeling somewhat drained. he had barely had time to clarify things with tasya, and now mingli had come along.


    he was now faced with another huge problem.


    lin da looked sternly ahead, where xilin, with a blood-stained black magic spear in hand, had her back turned to him and seemed to be planning a sneaky escape.


    "stop right there!"


    "why betray snow goose and everyone else?"


    lin da had never asked his sister face to face.


    even if she had become a witch early on and there weren''t good solutions, speaking up would have at least let everyone think of a strategy together.


    what angered lin da most was that his sister took matters into her own hands and defected without a word.


    xilin conveyed her words in a unique secret technique, sending her voice to lin da''s mind.


    "would you prefer to fall into becoming a catastrophe beast and destroy white dove city?"


    xilin turned around, her brows and eyes colder than lin da had ever seen.


    "i would have found a way before that," lin da replied using xilin''s secret technique, ensuring no one else knew their true identities.


    "i don''t want to be a burden to everyone." xilin smiled faintly: "seeing brother, lia, and the others all working hard for their adventures, how could i have the heart to slow them down?"


    this was precisely what infuriated lin da.


    being overly sentimental and considering others in one''s own way��if her condition were known, lin da believed even lia would be willing to help her.


    lia might not be all about grand gestures, but she had a sense of righteousness and wouldn''t back down when it mattered.


    pooling the strength of several people, they would definitely have found a way to protect his sister.


    but her betrayal had complicated a journey that should have been straightforward.


    xilin: "it''s only after coming to his majesty the demon king that i realized this is where i belong. no strife, eternal life, the supreme power bestowed by his majesty the demon king..."


    "so, lin da, i no longer wish to be human!"


    "demons are so much stronger than humans!"


    xilin''s outrageous words nearly gave lin da high blood pressure.


    this was complete brainwashing, unable to distinguish between reality and illusion.


    xilin released her grasp, and the black magic spear turned into a streak of purple light and vanished. with her hands behind her back, she sashayed toward lin da with a mesmerizing gait, her bee waist and lifted hips swaying.


    continue reading on empire


    the adventurers who were watching from a distance were weak-willed, their eyes turning into pink peach hearts, losing the ability to fight.


    lin da too felt a strong temptation. but fortunately, he lived daily with the prettiest girls of white dove city and had a high tolerance; even xilin''s powerful charm could not shake his will.


    on the contrary, while his will could withstand xilin''s enchantment, his body could not.


    he stood as if petrified, frozen in place.


    xilin approached lin da, smiling, and raised her foot to caress his face.


    the girl''s tender little hand brushed against lin da''s cheek.


    cold, without a hint of warmth.


    xilin: "will you join me? i can help you achieve the same level as me, or even stronger, in a short time."


    lin da was unmoved, "what i want is lin xi, not a despicable succubus."


    xilin tilted her head, "but i''m still lin xi, essentially no different."


    lin da: "forget it, i would never side with the demons."


    he couldn''t persuade his sister, and she couldn''t persuade him.


    there was no room for turning back.


    they could only resolve it with fists now.


    seeing his resolute expression, xilin understood.


    the girl heaved a light sigh.


    "one day, you''ll be completely disillusioned with adventurers. lin da, i''m leaving, and now there''s no capable person to continue protecting you. also... mingli has been seriously injured by me; it won''t return for a while, that''s the last i can do for you."


    lin da: "next time we meet, i''ll take you down myself."


    a long-awaited reunion concluded in such an outcome. lin da watched as if his sister slowly descended into the abyss of corruption, while his own body was bound by chains, unable to reach out.


    xilin was too stubborn; he couldn''t make her come to her senses unless he had her pinned down.


    verbal confrontations worked well on lulu and monica, but not on his sister; she was someone who only responded to force, not pleas.


    xilin''s figure vanished.


    the power of charm dissipated along with her, and lin da and the others regained their freedom.


    the ordinary adventurers on the secret realm square were completely confused.


    with no memory of the period they were charmed, they had no clue what had happened. coming back to their senses, the pink-haired girl was gone. s��ar?h the n?vel(f)ire.��et website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    abner and others came over, their eyes filled with concern.


    gale: "i have to ask, are you really a ''playa''? those two girls, have you really wronged them?"


    lin da was speechless: "what are you thinking? i''m still a decent, single old mage."


    hearing this, even the usually unflappable abner opened his eyes wide in surprise, looked lin da up and down, and said, "don''t believe it."


    jite nodded, "feels like you''re an old hand at this."


    several girls were all ears, secretly listening in.


    lin da helplessly said, "how am i supposed to prove it, strip down for you to see?"


    after some idle talk.


    lin da thanked the three from the white dove adventure group.


    when mingli attacked, they stood by his side without hesitation.


    keep in mind, the white dove adventure group did not know the relationship between xilin and himself. even so, they were willing to help him fend off mingli, the suspected hostile moon rank.


    this favor, lin da kept in his heart.


    gale laughed, "that''s it? we''re all from the same city''s adventure team; it''s only right that we help each other and fend off external enemies."


    at that moment, president velen arrived.


    after understanding the situation,


    "a moon rank from black mamba city?"


    "in that case, i''ll write to black mamba city and ask what''s going on, telling the local adventurers'' guild to keep their adventurers in check."


    president velen said angrily, "just because they''ve been mentioned a few more times in the adventurer''s weekly? damn them for looking down on us!"


    raising a sunrise level adventure group belonging to white dove city was velen''s obsession; he would not allow the phoenix tail flower to be nipped in the bud by outside forces.


    lin da glossed over the incident with his sister and mingli and then took three assassin corpses out of his space ring and handed them over to president velen.


    the bodies would be sent to the imperial enforcement department for an investigation into the assassins'' identities.


    after dealing with these matters,


    lin da finally had time to look at the silver-haired maid standing anxiously beside him.


    noticing lin da''s gaze upon her, tasya became even more nervous. her hands were neatly folded in front of her, her legs encased in white suspenders standing tall and straight, as if waiting for her master''s command.

 Chapter 290 257. Tasya Joins the Team (Major Chapter)

    the intense noon sunlight draped over the silver-haired maid.wrapped in black high heels were her pristine white stockings, yet her long skirt reached down to her ankles, unwilling to reveal even a slightly nicer place.


    lin da conjured a question mark in his heart: why would a maid wear high heels that impeded movement?


    after a thought, he realized this was a spike monkey game; alright, then it was no problem.


    "you also heard what i said to mingli,"


    lin da said indifferently.


    the condition to unlock tasya''s trust reward was: to make tasya admit that dark shadow was a part of herself, not just an attachment of herself to dark shadow.


    it was about an incident that seemingly involved a minotaur factor.


    the person that tasya must follow had to be him, not the game character he controlled.


    lin da: "the person you are looking for has ''died''; what remains is lin da of the eye of true knowledge."


    "if you still wish to join my adventure team, i will fulfill the promise to take you and everyone else to the top of the world tree."


    upon hearing lin da mention summiting the world tree, both abner and dawen''s expressions became subtly complex.


    you really dare to say it...


    but for some reason, coming from lin da, it didn''t sound arrogant.


    lin da seemed very serious about wanting to take tasya to the top layer.


    "i... cannot accept that."


    tasya said with pursed lips and a hoarse voice, "you, you obviously are... why deny it?"


    lin da shook his head.


    "you no longer need that person; i want you to live freely, without depending on anyone else."


    "whose order is this?"


    "it''s not an order, just a suggestion from an ordinary adventure team leader." sear?h the novel(f~)ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    the atmosphere became a bit stiff.


    struggle flickered in tasya''s eyes.


    joining lin da''s adventure team would mean acknowledging him as her master, that the once dark shadow was just a mask worn by lin da. and lin da no longer wanted to use that mask.


    it was as good as the death of dark shadow himself.


    "it seems this is your answer then."


    seeing tasya unmoved, lin da said regretfully.


    panic spread across tasya''s face: "no, that''s not it..."


    "lin da, just take her!"


    dawen approached and sighed, "though i don''t know what happened in your past, but tasya has reflected on it now. as the deputy leader of the scarlet adventure group, i earnestly request that you take her in."


    tasya looked longingly at lin da.


    so did lulu and monica.


    whether lin da accepted tasya or not, the two of them would accept the decision.


    lin da had already mentioned to them before, welcoming all former team members to join.


    but this time, lin da shook his head.


    "i cannot take her."


    at this response, tasya''s face went pale, and her eyes welled up with tears.


    it looked like she was about to drop tiny pearls.


    indeed, bullying a mature brown-skinned maid felt nice.


    but that wasn''t lin da''s goal.


    lin da needed tasya to follow him, not the former dark shadow.


    "if you want to join the phoenix tail flower adventure team, that''s fine, but you must say it yourself."


    "to become a ''lin da'' team member and adventure together with phoenix tail flower."


    "otherwise, i won''t accept you."


    lin da''s words were final.


    even if dawen stepped in to plead, it was of no use.


    unless tasya was truly convinced.


    otherwise, even if she were handed to lin da on a silver platter, he would not take her.


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    tasya, with a raspy voice, strained to speak: "if you give the order in ''that'' capacity, i am willing to join phoenix tail flower and serve you."


    a hint of disappointment appeared in lin da''s eyes.


    tasya became even more panicked inside.


    she didn''t understand why lin da would not give the order.


    the former lin da had told her to stop thinking, just to follow orders.


    and now he was telling her that she no longer needed orders, to live freely.


    tasya, coming from an assassin organization upbringing, which from a young age inculcated the idea that ''the command of a superior is everything'', couldn''t make her own decision.


    tasya''s mind was thrown into chaos.


    the conversation was on the brink of collapse.


    dawen stepped forward once more.


    this proud red-haired swordsman bowed deeply to lin da, nearly parallel to the ground.


    "lin da, no matter what, please take tasya in!"


    "on behalf of the mandala family, i owe you a favor!"


    everyone looked at dawen in surprise.


    to plead on behalf of a team member, was the deputy leader of crimson begging lin da?


    it would be fine if he asked for something good,


    but what dawen requested was for lin da to take away his own strong star rank team member, offering her to lin da for free.


    either dawen was a sage level leader,


    or a super bootlicker!


    abner, who had known dawen for a long time, wore a face full of surprise.


    lia was also stunned.


    it seemed dawen cared more about tasya than he did about his own sister.


    lin da quickly helped dawen to his feet.


    he sighed lightly, "i never said i didn''t want her. as long as she speaks up herself, willing to follow me, i am very happy to welcome a star rank member."


    others misunderstood his conflict with tasya, thinking that tasya was the one begging to join and he was refusing.


    she was on the verge of crying, and he still maintained his stance, not letting her join.


    but having said all that, tasya still hesitated, confused, unable to make a decision.


    lin da: "then i''m sorry."


    he strode forward.


    "wait, lin da!"


    dawen stopped him once again.


    "i understand how much tasya yearns to see you! in the three years with the scarlet adventure group, she''s been looking for you continuously. if you reject tasya today, her illness will surely flare up. please, have mercy, and keep her here!"


    dawen bowed once more, bending even lower, his head almost touching the ground.

 Chapter 291 257. Tasya Joins the Team (Major Chapter)_2

    gale also said, "lin da, just take in miss tasya. it''s not gentlemanly to make a lady sad."jite, with his arms crossed, added, "weakening the crimson adventure group''s combat power is beneficial for white dove city. having a powerful star rank is worth it."


    the three took turns persuading him.


    standing to the side, tasya''s beautiful emerald pupils shimmered, making her look like a puppy trapped in a box and abandoned. although she didn''t speak, she stared at lin da with a heart-wrenchingly vulnerable gaze, fearing he would leave.


    this reminded lin da of that rainy cg in the game.


    tasya, who was ordered to stand by at the door of a merchant''s shop, stood in the rain for three days, ignoring the surprised glances of passersby as she waited for him.


    the story had a continuation. if tasya''s favorability was below 80, the only option was to "pat her head." if it was above 80, the second option, "hug the girl," would appear.


    lin da had chosen the latter.


    seeing tasya now, lin da was reminded of that cg.


    it was said that this plot had a hidden ending. if the player didn''t choose any options within a minute, it would trigger a bad end where tasya would leave the player''s team and return to the assassin organization to resume her cold, monotonous, and perilous assassin life.


    in a few months, she would fail in a mission, and her last wish before dying was to see the player once more.


    in terms of loyalty, tasya was among the top tier of all characters.


    as lin da was in a dilemma, lulu took his hand and said, "please take in tasya."


    "even you?"


    "yes. but i''m not asking for tasya''s sake," lulu whispered, "specter adventure group and the severely injured mingli are both potential threats. having tasya join could strengthen the phoenix tail flower team''s combat power."


    indeed, this objective factor was undeniable to lin da.


    a 34-level veteran star rank, tasya could probably handle hulus on her own without any problems.


    people repeatedly asked lin da.


    tasya was somewhat confused, clearly not expecting everyone to help her.


    lin da looked at the crowd with a headache.


    three star rank members of the white dove adventure group, dawen of the scarlet adventure group, and his own lulu were all pleading with him to take in tasya.


    he was beholden to abner and the others, dawen was a top-tier star rank, and lulu''s analysis made sense.


    taking all these factors into account...


    "sigh."


    lin da rubbed his temples reluctantly, "for everyone''s sake, i''ll keep her by my side."


    the gloom on tasya''s face vanished instantly, and a hint of a smile appeared on her cool, beautiful face.


    everyone else smiled as well.


    it was a happy outcome for all.


    phoenix tail flower gained a star rank, white dove city''s combat power increased, and tasya''s wish was fulfilled.


    apart from dawen, who was somewhat bitter, everyone else got a satisfying outcome.


    with small, excited steps, tasya moved closer to lin da.


    "however,"


    lin da''s next words were like a bucket of cold water thrown on tasya.


    "you can serve as a maid cleaning the house, temporarily living in my villa," he said.


    "i''ll have a look at the atmosphere of the phoenix tail flower adventure team first. if you find it suitable, i welcome you to join. if you can''t accept it here, feel free to return to the crimson adventure group." find adventures on empire


    "until you''ve made up your mind and are willing to follow me, i won''t acknowledge you as a member of phoenix tail flower."


    in other words, there was an evaluation period for tasya.


    if she passed the evaluation, lin da would take her to the adventurers'' guild to register as one of his team members.


    tasya said, "i understand..." sea??h th�� ��ov��lfire .net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    dawen nodded, "that''s fine. let''s do as lin da suggests. tasya is a professional when it comes to cleaning; she''s really good at it."


    "i''m looking forward to it." lin da, accompanied by the members of his team, lia, isa, and others, headed to the street to hail a carriage.


    they were going back to the villa for a celebration party to properly rejoice over the success of the epic monster subjugation.


    tasya stood there woodenly until dawen patted her on the shoulder, snapping her out of it.


    "don''t just stare, hurry up and follow. you''re now lin da''s maid, and a maid should be by her master''s side, right?"


    dawen''s face showed an unseemly smile, "maybe when we meet in the great mystery continent, we''ll be competitors."


    "dawen, thank you," tasya said.


    dawen waved it off, "don''t mention it, hurry up and catch up to lin da or they''ll leave on the carriage."


    tasya nodded gently, lifted her skirt, and hurried after the man surrounded by girls at the front.


    ...


    once she got close, tasya didn''t quite know what to do.


    the members of phoenix tail flower crowded around lin da too closely, and she couldn''t find a place for herself.


    the arrangement implicitly revealed certain rules.


    the closest to him were monica and lulu.


    lin da''s large hand held monica''s, like a father taking his daughter out.


    on the other side was lulu, carrying the unconscious kafni.


    only further out were isa and lia.


    quietly trailing behind them was tasya.


    she was like a new employee who was unfamiliar with everything and felt awkward with the established staff members.


    tasya''s heart ached as she looked at the two spots next to lin da that monica and lulu occupied.


    just how hard would she have to work to reach that place?


    they soon stopped a carriage.


    it was a small one, and due to the crowd, tasya, who was at the end of the line, was left without a seat.


    tasya didn''t mind, as she was used to standing.


    however, lin da placed big lolita on his lap and patted the space beside him, "take a seat. standing in the carriage, what kind of image does that present? if the press gets a photo, they might spread news that the phoenix tail flower team leader is mistreating his team members."


    "can i really?" tasya couldn''t quite believe it; sitting next to lin da was a privilege rarely afforded even to the main members of the primordial adventure team.

 Chapter 292 257. Tasya Joins the Team (Major Chapter)_3

    "of course you may. the maid of phoenix tail flower is also considered half of my team member, so you don''t have to be so formal, take a seat.""your subordinate obeys."


    tasya lifted her substantial skirt hem and smoothed the area over her bottom, immediately highlighting its contours, and cautiously sat down beside lin da.


    the journey back to the villa wasn''t far, and for lin da, it was over in a moment.


    but tasya was tense, her body rigid with nervousness, afraid that she might accidentally touch lin da.


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    a professional maid, without permission, must not touch her master''s body; this is the most important rule in the "maid''s code of conduct!"


    in the circles of nobility, many young masters'' first experiences often happened with maids, which noble ladies detested deeply. maids who tried to insinuate themselves into higher positions through bodily temptations on their sons would face severe punishments!


    although lin da was no longer a ''young master'', tasya still adhered to this rule, not wanting to be seen by lin da as one of those maids with ulterior motives.


    this ride was as long as years, with each jolt and turn of the carriage being a significant challenge for tasya.


    she concentrated her battle qi in her bottom, sticking to the seat cushion, thereby firmly securing her position and avoiding the indecent accident of suddenly falling onto lin da, becoming a lowly maid trying to tempt him with a bear hug.


    a mere ten minutes'' ride turned out to be more exhausting than fighting magical creatures.


    beneath tasya''s maid skirt, her body was drenched in sweat, marking the shape of a peach on the cushion below.


    when the carriage stopped, lin da looked curiously at tasya''s cushion and said, "you''re sweating quite a bit. are you feeling unwell?"


    "master, your subordinate has a constitution that sweats easily, please pay it no mind." tasya tried to keep her face cool and detached.


    "stop dilly-dallying, i don''t care what kind of big shot you are, hurry up and settle the bill!" the coachman was a cranky old man with a large, hairy mole at the corner of his mouth, impatiently reaching out for money.


    "old small fry, mind your manners when speaking to the master!"


    tasya''s gaze turned icy as a black suitcase appeared out of thin air, instantaneously assembling into a thick, black magic cannon.


    the honeycombed barrel pressed against the old coachman''s face, distorting his features.


    the old man was so frightened he nearly suffered a stroke, and shivered as he said, "war, warn you, if you dare skip out on the fare, i''ll make sure to report you to the law enforcement department. even the leader of a steel level adventure group has to pay me."


    "we have no intention of skipping out on the fare."


    lin da frowned slightly and told tasya, "in the city, don''t resort to violence rashly."


    "yes, master." tasya released the magic cannon, and with a flash of light, the weapon returned to the space ring.


    "old small fry, consider yourself lucky to be alive."


    tasya sneered as she wiped her hands with a handkerchief, as if the old man''s ugliness had sullied even her gloved hands.


    despite tasya being a very disciplined maid in lin da''s presence, she spared no mercy for others, frequently calling them small fry and bugs, always ready to stir up enough anger to induce hypertension.


    to compensate the frightened old man, lin da took the initiative to pay a gold coin, which was dozens of times higher than the original fare.


    the old man beamed with joy, completely forgetting about reporting to the law enforcement department.


    "indeed, nothing but a vulgar bug." tasya''s contemptuous expression became even more pronounced. s��arch* the n??elfir��.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    looking at the silver-haired maid''s condescending stance, lin da found it somewhat amusing. in the game, when he first made tasya his personal maid, she would look down on him with similar disdain, scolding him as a ''big mixed fish'' who didn''t dare to kill, and the assassination-failed tasya wished for nothing but death.


    however, after being thoroughly defeated by him ninety-nine times, tasya completely submitted, never daring to call him a small fry again.


    lin da nostalgically thought he found the pre-tamed tasya quite charming, regretting that he couldn''t punish the female lady maid anymore, feeling a sense of loss.


    "master?" tasya looked at him puzzled, "is there something wrong with your subordinate''s behavior? if it''s the master''s command, i can treat that elder as a guest of honor."


    "no, there''s no need. i just think you should revert to being like the first time we met during the monster tide, that version of you had more class, i prefer that kind of maid," lin da said seriously.


    tasya was stunned for a moment.


    what did he mean?


    did the master like being called a small fry by her?


    tasya''s face stiffened, her eyebrows slightly furrowed, and her gaze as cold as tangible frost: "your subordinate understands, small fry master."


    ��


    ��


    (ps: it''s the end of the month, collecting any unwanted monthly tickets!)

 Chapter 293 258. Celebration Banquet and the Soul of the Maid

    lulu and the others looked at lin da with strange eyes. on this continent, no one would be excited about being called a small fry, right?no way, right?


    in fact, lin da just wanted to teach tasya a lesson with his big stick.


    however, considering the huge difference in strength between them, he dismissed the idea.


    "you misunderstood me," lin da mused. "i think you just need to keep your cool demeanor, no need to call me a small fry."


    "i see, please forgive my rudeness," tasya bowed slightly.


    "alright, let''s go inside, i''ll show you around the villa."


    lin da opened the door, and everyone entered in single file.


    they hadn''t had lunch since coming out of the world tree.


    four girls went to the kitchen to prepare food, while lin da took tasya on a tour around the villa.


    "this is the trophy room, where items acquired during adventures by the phoenix tail flower are displayed. remember to dust regularly, and don''t let them get covered in dust."


    "this is the bathroom."


    "this is my private study. knock before you enter."


    "the second floor has bedrooms. there are many empty rooms, choose one as you see fit."


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    lin da introduced tasya to each room one by one.


    the quiet hallway echoed with their footsteps.


    tasya silently followed behind lin da, her green eyes shimmering with a serene and peaceful light. though it was her first time in this villa, tasya felt a sense of coming home.


    in the past, even though she stayed with the scarlet adventure group and was a member there, she always felt like a rootless duckweed.


    until she came to this villa.


    tasya''s spirit as a professional maid burned fiercely; as soon as lin da''s introduction was over, she quickly headed to the washroom with a bucket and mop to start cleaning the hallway.


    since lin da hadn''t hired any servants, the cleanliness inside the villa was just passable, with the hallway being a trouble area riddled with footprints.


    each footprint felt like a stomp on tasya''s face.


    as a professional maid, these footprints were as provocative to her as the challenges from magical creatures.


    tasya rolled up her sleeves and began a thorough cleaning in the hallway.


    lin da felt that she was quite enthusiastic about cleaning, so he didn''t stop her.


    ''it seems like every member of the team in the game is a bit unusual.''


    lin da chuckled and shook his head, then went to the kitchen to help the teammates prepare the food.


    before they knew it, it was afternoon.


    the orange rays of the setting sun bathed the earth.


    on a long table in the living room, an array of delicious dishes was displayed, and their fragrance wafted out the windows, making a bunch of bachelors below howl with desire.


    everyone in goldfinch district knew that lin da and a group of beautiful girls lived in this large villa.


    they couldn''t even begin to imagine what was happening inside.


    otherwise, they''d be so jealous they wouldn''t eat for three days.


    "mission accomplished."


    lin da sat on a round stool at the head of the table, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and looked at the feast: s��arch* the novelfire.net* website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    rack of lamb from the 5th level, bear paw soup from the 10th level, fish-flavored shredded pork, braised pork, kung pao chicken, spicy diced chicken, lamb and radish dumplings... all made with ingredients rich in magic power and were delicacies from lin da''s hometown.


    compared to this world''s mushroom soup and pizza, the girls preferred chinese cuisine.


    a whole table of dishes was not solely prepared by lin da; some were made under his guidance by chef monica and lulu.


    speaking of which, lin da looked at the other two with a somewhat helpless expression.


    lia was a disaster in the kitchen, only capable of producing burnt dark cuisine, a fact that lin da had accepted; he never expected lia to cook.


    but isa''s cooking was just as disastrous as lia''s; both were equally competent in their inability to cook�� the kind that would get kicked out of a restaurant after just one day of work!


    "my energy is all spent on practice," lia declared emphatically, grabbing a knife and fork ready to dig in.


    isa was somewhat embarrassed: "me too..."


    she had wanted to show off her cooking skills in front of lin da.


    it was a total mess.


    "master, please allow me to handle such matters," tasya stood behind lin da, proudly puffing out her chest, "culinary skills are a fundamental part of a maid''s training."


    lin da nodded, "i''ll leave the meals to you."


    "thank you for your trust, master," said tasya, standing even straighter, her gaze sweeping contemptuously over isa and lia, the ''cooking scraps,'' with a provocative smile playing at the corner of her mouth.


    "this chick really gets on my nerves," lia said irritably.


    isa comforted herself inside, "it''s fine this way; after all, i have no interest in lin da, so it''s none of my business what these people fight over."


    lin da raised his glass.


    "to celebrate the successful extermination of the epic monster."


    "cheers!"


    "cheersx4!"


    the crisp clinking of glasses and the aroma of the wheat beer caused a certain scrap god, lying unconscious on the second floor, to twitch his nose and dribble a viscous drool from the corner of his mouth.


    "hey, hey hey, wheat beer, tasty, hehehe..."


    the celebration started off harmoniously.


    everyone was talking, laughing, passing dishes, raising glasses, chatting.


    until isa, cheeks flushed and slightly drunk, accidentally said, "although lia is quite dense, i think she''s a nice person."


    essentially, she was praising lia.


    on hearing this, lia thought, oh, you think i''m dense?


    using her fire fighting qi, which kept her from getting too drunk, lia quickly knocked isa out in just a few moments.


    lulu joined the fray too.


    tasya shook her head inwardly at their lack of manners.


    "master, may i go clean your room? i really can''t stand the smell of alcohol here."


    tasya wanted to seize this opportunity to show off.


    while lulu and lia were childishly bickering over drinks, she was diligently cleaning lin da''s room.


    her competence was immediately apparent.


    tasya also harbored a secret desire: to monopolize lin da''s big bed!


    the thought of it being where lin da rested each night excited her, and her body grew warm.


    "my room is... a bit messy. i''ve been too focused on devising strategies for fighting the goblin prince and haven''t tidied up," lin da said.


    lin da nodded, "go ahead, my sheets are a bit dirty too, change them for new ones."


    "yes."


    tasya bowed gracefully and proceeded toward the upstairs staircase.


    when she was out of sight of everyone, tasya''s speed increased instantly, appearing like the wind outside lin da''s room.


    "this is the master''s room"


    tasya''s heart raced, feeling the thrill of a thief on their first heist, afraid of getting caught.


    with trembling hands, she pushed open the door.


    the interior was decorated in a very simple style.


    a white, large bed, a desk, shelves filled with various books, a wardrobe, with hardly any decorations.


    tasya carefully examined each piece of furniture.


    her gaze settled on the white, large bed.


    this was where lin da had slept.


    lin da changed clothes, cultivated, and crafted strategies on this bed...


    tasya''s heartbeat suddenly tripled in speed!


    ...


    (ps: if you don''t see the next chapter, it was swallowed. i will fix it as soon as possible.)

 Chapter 294 259. Tasya, behind the door gap, was caught red-handed by Lin Da.

    Tasya sat on the edge of the bed, clutching a white pillow, burying her head into it.Lin Da''s scent was everywhere.


    It smelled so good.


    Unconsciously, Tasya parted her red lips and beads of sweat formed on her forehead.


    She took off her shoes; her perfect feet, enveloped in white silk stockings, stepped onto Lin Da''s bedsheets.


    An astonishing thought burst into her mind: since Lin Da was going to change the sheets anyway, why not make the most of his scent while it was still there?


    In the depths of Tasya''s heart, there was always a rebellious idea.


    Cleaning for her master was also an important duty of a maid.


    In the world of nobility, a personal maid is even a master''s tutor, teaching them the correct ways.


    Not having cleaned Lin Da''s body was Tasya''s greatest regret.


    "Even if it''s just in my fantasies..."


    Tasya murmured softly. She bit her lip, her gaze was misty, and she hugged the pillow, sitting on the large bed in a tuck-sitting position.


    Her plump thighs under the white silk, the soft flesh on the inside, gently touched the bedsheets filled with Lin Da''s scent.


    In a daze, it seemed to turn into Lin Da.


    "This is utterly...rebellious..."


    "But why can''t I stop."


    Tasya had rigorously trained her waist, and mastering close combat skills for ranged professions was mandatory. But normally, her proudly flawless waist was out of control now, completely... unable to stop!


    Just like a skylark landing at the window, chirping constantly.


    The bird''s chirping was clear and touching, like a beautiful piece of music.


    ...


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    Downstairs.


    "We''re out of wheat beer." S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lia, drunken, glanced at the oak barrel, which was completely empty.


    Lulu''s capacity for alcohol was surprisingly high; aside from a slightly red face, she sat upright on the chair, untroubled.


    "I''ll go upstairs and get some."


    Lin Da stood up, "Kafni has kept the good stuff under the bed, since she needs to recover, we might as well help her drink it."


    If Kafni heard this, she would surely thank Lin Da.


    When Lin Da got up, his head was a bit dizzy, and his cheeks felt hot; he thought he had also drunk too much.


    But today was after all a celebration, so he made an exception.


    A tipsy Lin Da climbed the stairs, making his way up to the second-floor corridor.


    Kafni''s room was at the very end.


    As he walked towards it, he would have to pass by his own room.


    He wondered how Tasya was doing with the cleaning.


    With this thought in mind, as he passed by his own room, he glanced inside.


    It was this fleeting glance that unsettled him.


    The door wasn''t properly closed, revealing a small gap.


    Lin Da moved forward, and his view shifted from the gap from front to back, revealing the full interior.


    A silver-haired maid was sitting in a tuck-sitting position, her back towards him, on his bed.


    Moving about.


    Huh?


    Was there a strange sound?


    It was completely different from Tasya''s usually aloof voice.


    Seductive, fragile.


    Quite pleasant to the ears.


    Lin Da gave it a 92-point rating.


    But just after rating it, he realized something was off.


    Wait, could this be...!


    A thunderclap seemed to explode in Lin Da''s mind.


    It couldn''t be...


    The Tasya he knew was definitely not this kind of maid!


    He must be overthinking it.


    To confirm his guess,


    Lin Da slowed his pace, holding his breath.


    He closed one eye and with the other, he discreetly moved closer to the gap in the door, peering inside.


    The first thing he saw was Tasya''s black high heels under the bed. Lin Da''s gaze moved up to Tasya''s back, with a white apron tied around her waist, forming a large bow at the back.


    With her back to him, Tasya sat on the bed, clutching his pillow.


    Was she mending a tear in the pillow?


    Lin Da''s confusion deepened when, because Tasya was sitting in a duck posture, her feet facing towards him, with his level 25 adventurer eyesight, he could clearly see Tasya''s toes, enclosed in white silk, curling up.


    Just like someone clenching their fists and tensing their bodies in pain.


    Was she enduring something?


    Speaking of which, Tasya''s Witch''s Corruption was quite severe. After returning to the villa, Lin Da got busy with the celebration party and forgot to cleanse Tasya.


    Had Tasya made the excuse to clean his room actually to hide away and silently endure the pain brought by the Witch''s Corruption?


    Thinking about this, Lin Da felt a deep respect.


    What a profession as a maid.


    Rather hiding and licking her wounds than letting her master see her abject side.


    Since it was so... did Lin Da have any reason not to go in and purify Tasya?


    "Tasya, you don''t have to worry anymore, because I''ve come," Lin Da said.


    Lin Da, feeling it was his undeniable duty, pushed open the door and strode in.


    Tasya: !!!


    The silver-haired maid''s body shook violently.


    Lin Da barging in unexpectedly nearly scared the life out of Tasya.


    It was like singing "La La La" thinking no one was home, only for a friend to walk out of the bathroom, giving one a puzzled look. Multiply that embarrassment by one hundred, and that was probably Tasya''s current mental state.


    Entering her master''s room and sniffing her master''s scent, Tasya was so overwhelmed with joy that she even forgot to lock the door.


    And she was caught red-handed by her master!


    "Not good, I''m losing balance; I''m going to fall down,"


    Under Lin Da''s confused gaze, Tasya emitted a mechanical tone and laid out on the bed like a blanket, covering up the problematic spot.


    "What are you doing, how can you even fall while sitting on the bed?"


    Lin Da looked at Tasya strangely.


    He always felt that the maid was deliberately covering something.


    He scanned the room.


    "It''s not cleaned at all! What have you been doing all this time?"


    Lin Da blinked curiously.


    Tasya, who prided herself on being a professional maid, didn''t clean a speck in her room for nearly half an hour?


    "I''m very sorry. The cleaning at noon exhausted much of my strength, and I was resting,"


    Tasya said, with her face down and voice neutral, making it hard to gauge her thoughts.


    "Why are you deliberately lying in this place?"


    Like a cat scratched inside, Lin Da said, "Get up."


    Tasya remained silent.


    This made Lin Da even more curious.


    Normally, a maid shouldn''t refuse her master''s command.


    "Get up."


    Lin Da repeated the command a second time, slightly intensifying his tone.


    Tasya trembled, gritted her teeth, and climbed off the bed. She maintained a stony expression and stood by the bed, blocking Lin Da''s line of sight.


    Lin Da walked around Tasya.


    The more she didn''t want him to see, the more he wanted to look.


    He must see what Tasya was hiding.


    As Lin Da circled around, panic was evident in Tasya''s eyes.


    "What''s this?"


    In the spot where Tasya had lain...


    The bedsheets were steaming.


    Lin Da puzzledly scratched his head.


    Tasya''s expression unchanging, "I''m clumsy; I accidentally spilled some water on it," she said.


    "Is that so?" Lin Da, supporting his chin, resembled a detective investigating a case.


    He reached out and touched that spot.


    He grew even more bemused.


    Your family''s water, does it thread?


    It was just that, Lin Da believed in Tasya''s loyalty to him and thought she wouldn''t lie.


    He put his finger in his mouth and smacked it a bit.


    To see if it was "Water Slime."


    Water Slime was also a type of water.


    It tasted unique, and upon soaking, it turned gluey.


    It was a convenient source of water for outdoors adventurers to carry.


    However... after trying it, Lin Da found it somewhat salty.

 Chapter 295 260. Lin Da punishes Tasya

    "This isn''t Water Slime either?"Lin Da tasted the strange, indescribable flavor on his tongue, his face filled with confusion.


    "It''s salt."


    Tasya said, "I added some table salt to the hot water."


    "Salt helps replenish the body''s needed energy, after completing the cleaning work, I like to enjoy a cup. I recommend you do the same, Master."


    Tasya kept a straight face.


    Actually, her heart was racing, almost bursting through the sky.


    When Lin Da tasted it, Tasya almost blacked out and collapsed to the ground.


    The truth of the matter, dead or alive, must not be revealed!


    Tasya planned to carry this as her life''s biggest secret to her grave.


    Unfortunately, Lin Da was not so easily fooled.


    A single Old Mage also has dignity!


    "I''ve tasted saltwater, it doesn''t taste like this."


    Lin Da''s gaze was sharp, "What exactly are you hiding?"


    "I am not hiding anything."


    Tasya''s expression was cool, her eyes clear, she looked like the kind of capable maid who would never lie to her master.


    Only... in this world, ''gravity'' exists.


    A sticky, glittering water droplet, from Tasya..., it slid down her white stockings to her ankle.


    Just like a mischievous child riding a roller coaster.


    ''Here I come!''


    Shouting the slogan, it slid all the way to their feet.


    Lin Da and Tasya stared blankly at the water droplet.


    Silence.


    The atmosphere in the room was as quiet as death.


    Tasya''s eyelid twitched.


    She took a handkerchief out of her pocket, intending to wipe it away.


    Unfortunately, it was too late.


    Lin Da abruptly grabbed her ankle.


    Tasya''s complexion changed.


    She was filled with despair!


    She had been startled by Lin Da just a moment ago...


    And it had dropped out!


    Whimpering, what to do now.


    Lin Da hadn''t even accepted her into the team yet, and she had already made such a huge mistake.


    Doomed.


    If things go wrong, she might be kicked out again!


    As Tasya''s mental state was collapsing, Lin Da touched the droplet with his finger and sniffed it near his nose.


    Suddenly, Lin Da turned to look at Tasya, whose face was full of abnormality.


    He was stunned for a moment.


    A flash of inspiration crossed his mind.


    And then he finally realized.


    Idiotic.


    Lin Da was completely dumbfounded.


    No wonder there was a faint salty taste.


    What had he consumed!


    Ptooey, ptooey!


    He spat several times into the trash bin.


    Sigh.


    Lin Da''s mental state crumbled.


    That bedsheet.


    It was his favorite one with the panda munching on bamboo pattern.


    Turned into a complete mess.


    Lin Da was shaking with cold anger.


    If this were caught by reporters, the reputation he had worked so hard to build would be ruined in an instant, and he would once more be labeled as the "Ultimate Pervert."


    "You... how dare you!"


    Lin Da was both angry and annoyed.


    He glared at the silver-haired maid, who looked injustibly wronged and knew she had made a mistake, and raised his hand.


    If Tasya were really just an ordinary maid who dared to do such a heaven-defying thing behind her master''s back and got caught, she would undoubtedly be beaten severely.


    After a brutal beating, she would be fired and thrown out of the villa.


    But Tasya, after all, was a former member of his team.


    No credit for hard work, but credit for bitter labor.


    Coming to this world, Lin Da hoped to educate Tasya, to make Tasya a qualified team member.


    He wouldn''t fire her, but Lin Da also wouldn''t easily forgive this audacious maid.


    "Please don''t kick your servant away, Master. Your servant is willing to accept any punishment other than that."


    Tasya lowered her head in shame.


    The heat on her body had already turned to a chilling cold because of fear.


    She regretted not closing the door.


    She was careless.


    Caught red-handed by Lin Da.


    If given another chance, she would definitely close the door properly to avoid Lin Da''s inspection!


    "You do need to be punished." Your adventure continues at empire


    "Otherwise, wouldn''t it be lawlessness? Maybe one day, you''d dare to use your sheer-stockinged feet to step on the team leader''s head!"


    Lin Da angrily crossed his arms and circled around Tasya.


    Tasya was like a little schoolgirl who had been called to the office for a mistake, standing stiffly with aggrievement, her blue eyes fixed on her toes, her usual cold aloofness completely gone.


    Lin Da felt that if he asked Tasya to kiss his shoes, she would do so.


    This maid was really afraid of being kicked out by him.


    How should he punish her?


    Lin Da rubbed his chin, thinking with interest: the punishment must make Tasya scared and serve its purpose without really harming her.


    There was one thing that met his requirements.


    It definitely had to be ''that''.


    Lin Da cleared his throat, "A maid who has erred must accept punishment."


    "Please give your orders." Tasya closed her eyes, her eyelashes trembling slightly.


    "Do you remember the first gift I gave you?"


    Lin Da stood with his hands behind his back, walking to the window.


    Starry sky outside, the moon was bright, the night sky was clear and cloudless, giving a refreshingly calm feeling.


    Lin Da carefully drew the curtains.


    "The first gift..." Tasya seemed to realize something, her eyes brightened, and her breathing became a bit heavy.


    "The first gift the Master gave, of course your servant remembers it."


    "Epic Weapon, the ''Whip of Pain''."


    Tasya carefully took out a small black leather whip from the large pocket on the front of her maid dress.


    The whip, made from the mane of a Demon Flame Horse, had a handle decorated with gold and engraved with Magic Runes, which could double the pain felt by the punished without causing any actual injuries.


    Lin Da planned to use the Whip of Pain to punish Tasya.


    The funniest thing was, Tasya had to respectfully hold the whip with both hands and place it into his hands.


    It made Lin Da experience the grand feeling of superiority.


    He glanced at Tasya''s white gloves and said indifferently, "Take them off."


    Tasya''s body shivered.


    "Yes, Master."


    The maid with silver hair, cheeks flushed, looked like a just-ripened water peach, tender and juicy, irresistible to taste.


    One could see Tasya leaning against the bed''s edge... biting her silver teeth, ready for the whipping.


    Her smooth brown skin reflected the glory of the setting sun.


    Just like a high-quality mirror.


    It also reflected Lin Da''s confused expression.


    Lin Da: ?


    What do you mean? sea??h th�� ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I told you to take off those white gloves!


    For a maid who has made a mistake, one must spank the palm severely, make the hands red and sore, so she wouldn''t dare to err again.


    But Tasya...


    What are you implying?


    Sigh.


    Seriously an improper maid!


    Lin Da was a bit flustered.


    His reputation as an old kitchen man was exposed.


    Although Tasya was a newbie, she seemed quite experienced and not embarrassed at all.


    Naturally, Lin Da could not show weakness.


    He had to maintain the aura of a dignified team leader.


    Now if he were to say, ''I''m too shy, this old kitchen man doesn''t dare to do it, please extend your hand for me to hit'' �� his image as the team leader would collapse.


    So, Lin Da had no choice but to indulge Tasya''s wish.


    Lin Da''s expression turned cold as he held the Whip of Pain, walking behind Tasya.


    He gripped the whip in his right hand, and his left hand gently caressed it. Just like a doctor applying a potion to a child''s buttocks before giving an injection, dabbing it with a cotton swab.


    Whether it detoxified, he didn''t know. But it certainly was intimidating.

 Chapter 296 261,

    Warm, smooth.And elastic.


    Lin Da was shocked to see...


    ...his five fingers enveloping it.


    Such warmth and loveliness, spreading from his fingertips, wrists, and arms, all the way to the core of his heart.


    A kind of joy that made one''s heart leap, longing to dance with joy.


    It felt so good!


    Little did he know,


    Tasya''s face had long turned so red it was almost unrecognizable.


    It was only because she buried her head in the pillow, much like an ostrich.


    Otherwise, the image of a professional maid would have certainly collapsed.


    No wonder he is a master who has ''endured countless battles.''


    Tasya thought to herself that even upon seeing her like this, Lin Da remained calm, coolly searching for the weakest spot in her Life Barrier with his large hand.


    She didn''t know if she could satisfy Lin Da when fantasy turned into reality.


    This was a psychological battle between a small fry maid and a small fry master.


    Both thought highly of the other''s technique, considering each other skilled.


    "Right here," Lin Da said excitedly, staring...


    "Your servant is ready," Tasya said, clutching the pillow tightly.


    Crack!


    The black leather whip came down.


    The Whip of Pain, an epic weapon.


    With an attack power of 1, its effect was to deal True Damage and double the pain!


    Even Tasya, who hailed from an assassin organization and had a resilient nature, couldn''t help but whimper.


    Where Lin Da struck, a clear red mark appeared.


    It looked as if it had been scratched by a cat.


    He really didn''t want to continue such harsh punishment.


    Lin Da thought this, yet his hand couldn''t stop.


    Punishing a disobedient maid, the duty of the captain is unquestionable!


    "The first whip is for your grave dereliction of duty as a maid in your master''s room!"


    "The second whip is for eradicating your bad habits!"


    "The third whip is for your reckless boldness!"


    Crack crack!


    Crack crack crack!


    After more than a dozen lashes, Tasya''s eyes brimmed with tears like tiny pearls, she twisted and turned, each time trying to dodge Lin Da''s whipping. But Tasya knew that avoidance would only intensify the punishment, so she clenched her teeth and endured.


    With each strike, Tasya shook violently!


    But the good thing about the Whip of Pain was that with an attack of 1, it didn''t cause too much damage.


    Lin Da''s large hand soothed over the affected area, activating the Healing Art, and in one go, he restored 2000 health to Tasya.


    Tasya even had to thank him.


    "Thank you for the punishment, master. Your servant will definitely improve in the future," she said.


    Tasya turned around, regaining her aloof poker face.


    Staggering, she pulled down the bedsheet, planning to wash it.


    "Wait," Lin Da said with a smile that wasn''t quite a smile, looking at his maid, "After doing such a thing, you want to run away from your master?"


    Tasya paused, her cheeks once again blushing a fiery red: "Do you mean..."


    "Show me," Lin Da said.


    "Let''s see the cleaning skills of a professional maid."


    Tasya never imagined that one of her dreams could be realized so quickly.


    She always believed that compared to her other teammates, she had no attractiveness whatsoever.


    This time, Lin Da''s words brought tears of gratitude to Tasya''s eyes.


    The tall, bronze-skinned maid revealed a sweet smile that took one''s breath away; she brushed her silver hair behind her ears and placed her hands gracefully in front of her maid''s skirt, bowing elegantly: "Master, my apologies."


    ...


    ...


    The events that transpired afterwards were indescribable for Lin Da.


    Last time he visited the Chilang Commerce to sell equipment, it was the bonus service from the elf Queci.


    But to be fair, Queci''s attractiveness wasn''t even one-tenth that of Tasya''s.


    Moreover, Tasya is a powerful 34-level Star-ranked adventurer!


    To have a Star-ranked adventurer serve you, even a hundred thousand Gold Coins wouldn''t be enough!


    Coming and going, it was as if Lin Da had earned a hundred thousand.


    He felt as though he was riding a griffin, with the gentle wind brushing against his cheeks, soaring through the clouds, dancing in the sunlight, and becoming friends with the Light Spirits.


    Three minutes passed.


    Lin Da had a benevolent smile on his face.


    Holy Light enveloped him.


    Who am I?


    Where am I?


    Why am I doing this? What''s the point? What have I gained?


    "Master, the cleaning is complete. What would you like to do next?"


    Tasya knelt on the red mat, wiped her mouth, and a trace of a smug smile flickered in her eyes. With slightly upturned corners of her mouth, it was as if she were taunting Lin Da:


    ''Small Fry Master, only lasted three minutes? How amusing.''


    Lin Da had his own difficulties to express about this.


    He looked down at Tasya before him, his heart still unsettled. What masterful skill... no, grandmaster level!


    Compared to the elf manager Queci, the skill was the difference between 70 and 700 points.


    Lin Da had no power to resist.


    He was easily toyed with by Tasya.


    "Where did you learn this?"


    Lin Da touched his nose, masking his awkwardness.


    "Self-taught."


    Tasya proudly puffed up her chest, speaking in a standard Imperial Language that was in no way inferior to Bervis''s, displaying the elegance and composure of a Professional Maid. Compared to the ''old rustic speech'' of Lin Da and others, it was like the difference between a city dweller and a country bumpkin.


    Tasya said, "In the book ''How to Become a Master''s Excellent Maid'' by the Goddess of Maids, Omel, there are teachings on how to clean a master''s body. Omel can carve a lifelike magical dragon Titian on a banana with the tip of her tongue. I am ashamed to say, I can only carve an ugly Earth-Traversing Dragon, and I can''t even recreate their scales."


    Lin Da: ...


    No no no, being able to carve out an Earth-Traversing Dragon is amazing, isn''t it?


    No wonder he was so quickly defeated by Tasya, it turns out she''s a master, so there''s no shame in losing.


    "Very well, I''ll allow you to occasionally help clean."


    "I am greatly honored to clean for the master," she said.


    "By the way, did you have some ''magical'' feelings?


    Lin Da asked with a smile.


    He had sneakily used Witch Purification while Tasya was helping him clean. Explore stories on empire


    Even though Tasya''s trust bar wasn''t visible yet and he couldn''t muster strong Purification, it didn''t mean he couldn''t purify at all. S��ar?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Trust level means the depth of the Purification, and Tasya was heavily plagued by the Witch''s Corruption. Just the surface alone was a lot, like falling into a cesspool, where cleaning just the outside would use up quite a bit of water.


    Lin Da''s Witch Purification was like a bathroom showerhead, giving Tasya a rinse.


    Tasya, who had long been troubled by the corruption of the Magical Creatures, would certainly feel more at ease.


    "A magical feeling?"


    Tasya frowned, tilted her head adorably, and looked at Lin Da with a dumbfounded expression: "Master... very big?"


    Lin Da''s face turned red.


    "Not that."


    "Then, it''s... very fast."


    Lin Da''s blush disappeared, and his face turned as black as charcoal.


    "You want to be kicked out of the team, is that it!" he said emphatically.


    "That''s not what I meant..."


    Tasya bowed her head in a wronged manner.


    "No other feelings at all?"


    "Let me think..." she said.


    About half a minute passed.


    Tasya''s eyes lit up and she said, "For a moment, you were green."


    Lin Da was of the yellow-skinned race.


    Yet for a moment, he turned green.


    At that moment, Tasya was devoted to serving Lin Da wholeheartedly and overlooked this ''minor'' abnormality.


    "Sigh, I''ll just spell it out."


    Lin Da was amused. Should he say that Tasya was too serious or too plain, to get so immersed and overlook the pain brought by the Witch''s Corruption?


    He sighed in resignation and said, "Check the Witch''s Corruption inside you. You''re a Witch, right?"

 Chapter 297 262. Strange fishy smell

    The Witch''s identity was revealed, and Tasya was not surprised.Upon reflection, Lin Da must have known during the Monster Tide.


    Tasya responded with a hum and closed her eyes.


    She immersed her mind into her body, checking the black contamination flowing in her blood.


    Then, she was startled.


    It had decreased.


    Just like when she fainted during the Monster Tide.


    The Witch''s Corruption had inexplicably lessened!


    Although the amount decreased was only about one-tenth, under the premise of a sufficient base number, one-tenth was not an insignificant figure.


    Theoretically, the Witch''s Corruption should only increase, never decrease.


    This was a contract forged with the Demon King.


    No power was able to break it.


    But the undeniable fact before Tasya was that the contamination certainly had decreased.


    If the instance during the Monster Tide was a coincidence, what about this time?


    She looked up at Lin Da''s face, his confident smile.


    It became clear.


    This master had a way to eliminate the Witch''s Corruption!


    ''So this is the deep intent behind the master asking me to clean �C the method to purify the Witch''s Corruption is actually...''


    Tasya was completely moved.


    She even thought about cleaning for Lin Da 24 hours a day.


    Lin Da''s "Magic Sword" was able to purify the Witch''s Corruption, breaking the contract with the Demon King...


    What a powerful force it was.


    Tasya thought to herself that she indeed had not misjudged him, Lin Da was still the invincible Dark Shadow.


    "Master, can you tell me why you don''t transform back into the Dark Shadow?" Tasya seized the moment after she had finished cleaning and Lin Da was in a good mood to ask her question. Stay updated with empire


    Lin Da''s face changed.


    He tapped Tasya on the head.


    "I''ve said, the Dark Shadow is dead, it no longer exists, that was just an identity from when I was in my chuunibyou phase."


    "What you need to follow is the Eye of True Knowledge, Lin Da."


    Lin Da said with a stern face, educating Tasya.


    "Yes..."


    Tasya''s reply was very reluctant.


    Lin Da checked Tasya''s trust bar in the system.


    It was still sealed.


    It seemed that deep down, Tasya still hoped he would revert to being the Dark Shadow.


    The educational journey was long indeed.


    Lin Da sighed.


    It was all because he had boosted Tasya''s affection level too high while playing the game; lower affection would have made it easier for her to accept his current self.


    A Tasya with an affection level of 90 was already so outrageous, the sister at 95 points would probably be even more so.


    Once he fell into his sister''s hands, there would certainly be no good outcome.


    And then there were those he had not yet met in the game, the team members who had an affection level of 100...


    Lin Da was drenched in sweat.


    It couldn''t be that they were all super big yanderes who wanted to drain him dry!


    One can only tackle problems as they come.


    Moreover, Lin Da was not without the power to resist.


    The Shadow of Darkness Experience Card with a Witch trust level of 90.


    Once he had triggered the Experience Cards of Tasya and Lulu, even if team members came knocking, he wouldn''t be afraid.


    Lin Da pulled up his trousers and walked towards the door.


    Lia and the others in the living room were still waiting for him to bring back the wheat beer.


    After such a long time, they must be getting impatient.


    Lin Da left Tasya in the room to clean up the traces.


    He exited the room and under the bed in Kafni''s corner, he found an oak barrel painted with a Fire Dragon.


    Tyrannosaurus Tavern produces finely brewed wheat beer, World-Ending Fire Dragon King!


    The alcohol index is 10 stars, with a malt intensity of 23 stars.


    Even without opening the oak barrel, one can smell the tempting citrus and floral scents.


    Lin Da glanced at Kafni, who was in a deep sleep.


    Her breathing was steady, and her face had regained some color.


    There was no need to worry about her physical condition anymore.


    "Your treasure, we''ve taken care of it for you."


    With a smirk, Lin Da carried the oak barrel back to the living room.


    "What did you do, why are you so slow!"


    The alcohol made Lia''s face turn red, and her speech was somewhat slurred.


    Her eyes were languid, her top skewed to one side, exposing her fair and delicate shoulder and an orange strap.


    In his sage state, Lin Da had no interest in Lia at all.


    Actually, given the size of Lia''s chest, there might be no difference whether she wears anything or not.


    Lin Da thought to himself with an odd chuckle.


    "Here it is, the World-Ending Fire Dragon King, enough to quench your thirst."


    He placed the oak barrel on the table.


    Lulu said, "Maybe we shouldn''t let Lia drink anymore. Snow Goose''s people might blame us."


    When she left, she was a perfectly good captain, but if she returned dead drunk...


    A typical adventure team would place the blame on the Phoenix Tail Flower.


    But Snow Goose was different.


    In the hearts of her team members, Lia was a not-so-reliable captain, though there had been some improvement now.


    "Go ahead and drink." Lin Da chuckled. "We deserve to celebrate after defeating an Epic Monster."


    Lulu nodded and said no more.


    At that moment, Lulu twitched her nose and looked suspiciously at Lin Da''s mouth.


    This keenly intuitive Werewolf girl suddenly leaned in close to Lin Da, almost bumping her face against his.


    Lulu sniffed at Lin Da''s mouth like a puppy, vigorously. sea??h th�� n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What are you doing! Don''t get disorderly when you''re drunk... don''t do that thing!" Lia caught a glimpse and thought that Lulu was taking advantage of the alcohol to devour Lin Da!


    "You redheaded idiot, shut up. I''m smelling a strange scent in Lin Da''s mouth," Lulu frowned and muttered. "A fishy smell... but there was no fish in today''s meals."


    Lin Da let out a chuckle: "Even the Werewolf Clan can be wrong sometimes, huh? I brush my teeth every day; there shouldn''t be any fishy smell in my mouth... hmm?"


    As he spoke, Lin Da''s expression slowly changed.


    Indeed, he hadn''t eaten fish, but he had consumed something else.


    It was Tasya''s ''saltwater''!


    Lin Da inwardly cursed his bad luck.


    If Lulu found out he had done that sort of thing with Tasya while fetching the drink�� the relationship between Lulu and Tasya might completely fall apart.


    Lin Da hoped that all his team members would get along and fight side by side in their adventures.


    This incident must not become the spark that triggers a rupture in team relations.


    "Ha, haha... actually, I sneaked off to the upstairs and snacked on some treasured dried fish."


    Lin Da scratched his head and forced a laugh, sweat pouring down his back.


    "Lord Captain, you pervert."


    A soft murmur reached Lin Da''s ears.


    Monica was curled up on the sofa with her Magic Conductor Handheld Console, her little pink and lovely feet wrapped in white stockings peeking out. The color of her skin showed through the sheer fabric, perfectly harmonizing even if placed beside a cake.


    In the dark, gloomy room in Red Heart City where Monica had lived, her only company had been the Magic Conductor Handheld Console and various comic books, including some meant only for adults.


    Hence, Monica recognized the smell coming from Lin Da''s mouth all too well.


    It was a scent only found on a girl''s body!


    It was either Kafni or Tasya.


    Monica''s face flushed red, she hid behind the Magic Conductor Handheld Console, only her large, timid eyes showing, tinged with a bit of grievance.


    Lulu and Lia both looked puzzledly at Monica.


    What did the fishy smell in Lin Da''s mouth have to do with him being a major pervert?


    "Cough cough, you shouldn''t talk nonsense!"


    Lin Da shivered and walked over to Monica, grinning as he ruffled Big Lolita''s hair. In a low voice, he said:


    "This matter is a secret between you and the captain, understand? The captain likes a child who behaves."

 Chapter 298 263, Aiko: How to Ride a Legendary Mount

    "Hmm." Monica nodded gloomily.Lin Da hesitated for a moment, looking at Monica''s soft and adorable appearance, and added, "It''s not that the captain doesn''t like you, you are just too young. When you grow up, you can do those things too."


    Even though Monica was already eighteen, her appearance and mentality were not mature enough, and Lin Da felt guilty.


    "Really?"


    "Absolutely certain."


    Yay!


    Upon hearing this, Monica''s eyes happily curved into crescents, and her little white feet swung joyfully. Explore more adventures at empire


    But in her mind, she thought that if Klrona could also become Lin Da''s sworn partner, they could always be together. The innocent and kind-hearted Monica did not forget her newly made friend at such a time.


    ''It would be nice to become Lin Da''s bride along with Klrona,'' Monica innocently thought.


    Lin Da brushed off the young girls and managed to get through the ordeal without any real danger.


    Sigh.


    Having a group of team members who like him was really troublesome.


    Lin Da shook his head inwardly, hands on his hips, full of helplessness.


    ...


    It was deep into the night before the celebration ended.


    Lia, who prided herself on her drinking capacity, was finally knocked out by Lulu, her eyes dizzy, her head seeming to have a spinning yellow duck on top.


    Lia had wanted to challenge Lin Da alone--but Lulu helped Lin Da ward off the drinks like an iron wall, and Lia, despite her efforts, failed and fell at the foot of the fortress.


    ''I heard that all beastmen have a high tolerance for alcohol, but this is something else. Although wheat beer is low in alcohol content, the quantity makes up for it; it would equate to three kilograms if it were liquor,'' Lin Da thought to himself in amazement while he looked at Lulu, who seemed completely unaffected.


    Then Tasya came downstairs, verifying that the celebration had ended, and began cleaning up.


    "I''ll take her home."


    Lin Da rose and hoisted the heavily intoxicated Lia over his shoulder.


    Lulu watched him and hesitated for a moment, but did not stop him.


    Outside the villa, all was silent, under a sky full of stars.


    Lin Da drove the carriage, the wind blowing against him sobered up much of his intoxication.


    He glanced back at the girl''s terrible sleeping posture in the carriage, the fallen orange shoulder strap, the vast expanse of white skin...His heart was filled with mixed emotions.


    He had thought that leaving Snow Goose was the end of their relationship.


    But unexpectedly, there was still a day when they drank together.


    "I hope you can become a mature and excellent adventurer," Lin Da said, touching Lia''s face. Not to mention, it was quite soft, a stark contrast to Lia''s mouth that was unbearable when she spoke, typically a beauty when silent but intolerable when talking.


    Elsewhere, at Snow Goose''s villa.


    The hall was brightly lit.


    At times like this in the past, only Klrona''s room would be lit.


    The pink-haired loli claimed she couldn''t end her day without gaming for a while, feeling as if she had wasted the day otherwise.


    But today, Aiko hadn''t slept, revisiting her role as cram student after a long time.


    It was out of necessity.


    Bervis looked at Aiko, who was deeply engrossed in her studies, with a gentle yet chilling tone:


    "Can''t you even solve such a simple magic problem? With your current level, you''d barely score 115 in the Magic Knowledge Class, only enough for a first-tier university. The empire''s most famous academies require a perfect score of 120, Aiko. You could have achieved that before, couldn''t you?"


    "Not only have you fallen behind in knowledge classes, but you''re also failing in noble etiquette, and your casting speed for the Light Arrow Technique isn''t as fast as when you were seventeen... Aiko, be glad you won the wager, otherwise I would only give you one hour of rest a day and make you study until you bled."


    Don''t be fooled by Bervis''s laugh; the veins on his forehead were nearly bursting.


    Who wouldn''t be smoked with fury to see their academically brilliant, genius sister turn into a lazy, limping, second-rate adventurer?


    Bervis was sure, if their father saw Aiko looking like such a waste now, he''d definitely chop her up.


    "Studying... haha, is studying useful? Can studying make me ride a legendary mount?"


    Aiko couldn''t take it anymore and slammed her feather pen into the trash can, her eyebrows furrowing in anger:


    "Bervis, you study every day, but have you ridden a legendary mount? Let me tell you, if you weren''t born with that, you''d never have it! Studying only makes me suffer!"


    "What nonsense are you spouting? Without studying, how can you become an elite?"


    Bervis was about to use his elite theory to refute Aiko, but Aiko stood up swiftly, sneering as she looked into his eyes, "But I have a way, even without hard work, to ride a legendary mount."


    "What way?" Bervis''s curiosity piqued.


    "First, cooking, mastering master-level cooking skills."


    Aiko raised a second finger, "Second, exercise regularly to maintain a good figure. Third, take care of your skin daily to always look like an eighteen-year-old young girl."


    "Fourth, have exquisite makeup skills and a sense of fashion. Even the elf princess, famed as the most beautiful on the continent, can''t do without cosmetics and fancy clothes. She appears every time with well-thought-out light makeup, and those muscled-brain dead adventurers still think it''s her bare face. Truly hilarious."


    "Stop!"


    Bervis interrupted Aiko''s speech, utterly baffled, "Can all these things really allow you to ride a legendary mount?"


    "Yeah."


    Aiko said matter-of-factly, "Without mastering these, how can you make outstanding men like you?"


    Bervis''s face stiffened.


    "You mean..."


    "As long as Lin Da becomes my captive, I can ride a legendary mount."


    Aiko proudly puffed out her chest, "Don''t be arrogant, Bervis. I''m telling you, Lin Da is already diligently gathering fragments for a legendary mount!"


    Bervis was dumbfounded.


    Lin Da is working hard, what does that have to do with you?


    Maybe he''s out having fun with a bunch of beautiful girls and not even thinking about you!


    It''s over.


    This sister of his was beyond saving!


    To think she''d given up on hard work and was counting on marrying someone else for a turnaround.


    "But��I think you''re quite smart."


    Bervis gave it a serious thought.


    It seems Aiko''s approach wasn''t completely wrong.


    If Aiko could capture Lin Da and turn him into her servant, it would be a huge win for the Holy Rock Adventure Team.


    Only fearing that stubborn old-fashioned father... Bervis narrowed his eyes significantly as he looked at Aiko, "Then you''d better hurry, before you know it, Lin Da will be swept up by someone else."


    "Too many wolves for the little meat." Bervis sighed, "According to the 195th Adventurers'' Census, women outnumber men by 20%, which means there will be 20% female bachelors. Excellent male adventurers are highly sought-after, grab them while you can, or you''ll have nowhere to cry when it''s too late."


    Aiko slumped back into her wheelchair, her face drooping melancholy, "I know, no need to rush me. Lin Da will definitely be captured by me."


    "The last one standing... should definitely be me."


    The last sentence, Aiko muttered softly to herself.


    Ding-dong�� S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The doorbell rang.


    "It''s me, Lin Da, I''ve brought your Lia back."

 Chapter 299 264, Aiko beats Lia

    Returning to this familiar villa, but only as a guest.Lin Da felt a subtle mood.


    After pressing the doorbell several times, the door opened a few seconds later.


    "In person, you''re even more handsome than on the screen," said the blond, squint-eyed swordsman, sizing him up with an appreciative gaze.


    Lin Da felt a chill run down his spine.


    Where did this boy come from?


    Why was he at Snow Goose''s villa?


    "I won''t disturb you any longer." The blond swordsman stepped out of the entrance hall, brushing past Lin Da, and headed towards an armored luxury carriage by the door.


    The horse was a Green-Faced Ghost Horse worth half a million in gold, a level 25 Magical Creature. Lin Da had wondered whose "The Treasure Horse" was when he arrived, and here was its owner.


    Aiko arrived late in her Magic Wheelchair.


    Gazing at the carriage disappearing into the night, Lin Da asked with confusion, "Aiko, who was that?"


    "My elder brother, a bit off in the head. He looks like a boy but is really a ''demon'' of an elder brother," Aiko said resentfully.


    Lin Da nodded and did not ask further.


    "Lia has been returned to you." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He entered the living room and laid the unconscious Lia on the sofa.


    "I watched your adventure team''s live strategy session," Aiko said with a smile, "Congratulations on the Phoenix Tail Flower''s successful conquest of the Epic Monster."


    Lin Da: "Thank you."


    "Oh, I made some chicken soup and snacks, take them with you to eat," Aiko walked towards the kitchen.


    "No, I dare not drink your chicken soup anymore," Lin Da said awkwardly.


    "This time I didn''t add anything, it''s really tasty!" Aiko pouted pitifully, "You don''t trust me anymore."


    "That''s not what I meant," Lin Da pondered, "Aiko, we''re just old teammates, don''t think too much into it."


    After Lin Da rejected Aiko''s confession, their relationship became somewhat awkward.


    Lin Da thought it was best to stay away from Aiko, to avoid more confusion.


    At home, he had a jealous werewolf.


    Getting too close to girls from outside the team could easily lead to disharmony within.


    It was better to make it clear to Aiko.


    Enjoy exclusive content from empire


    They were just ordinary old teammates and nothing more would come of it.


    Aiko was silent for a while.


    "I know," the girl said, her eyes brimming with tears, "Why would you misunderstand me? I just thought you must be tired after fighting those Magical Creatures; having some chicken soup would be replenishing. Isn''t that allowed?"


    "But I really don''t lack chicken soup at home," Lin Da sighed, "Aiko, don''t set your heart on me. You should focus on helping Lia and work together to make Snow Goose an excellent adventure team."


    Lia...


    Again with Lia.


    Aiko clenched her teeth, her cheeks trembling with anger.


    After exchanging a few pleasantries, Lin Da hurriedly took his leave and drove the carriage out of the neighborhood.


    The door of the villa was left open, and Aiko stood by the shoe rack in the entrance hall, staring blankly at Lin Da''s figure as it disappeared into the night.


    The pearls in the girl''s eyes could no longer be held back, and they fell, drip by drip.


    "Why, oh why? Lin Da is just my prey; how can prey make me cry?" Aiko sobbed, rubbing her eyes with her sleeve.


    If the lights in Klrona''s upstairs room hadn''t been on, Aiko would have burst into loud sobs.


    Even she didn''t know if this was an act.


    When Lin Da said his home didn''t lack chicken soup, Aiko felt as if there was a hole in her chest, sour and acrid, so uncomfortable she wanted to vomit out the bread she ate at noon.


    Aiko stood lost in thought at the entrance.


    The girl under the light and the darkness outside the villa seemed to be separated by a line.


    But, at some point, this boundary blurred rapidly. The darkness outside seemed to come alive, transforming into a viscous mire that climbed the steps, entered the hallway, and slowly crawled to Aiko''s feet, grabbing her ankle.


    The same black fog that once disappeared at the Adventurers'' Guild surfaced again in Aiko''s eyes. Like dye into a lake, it eroded every inch of clean space.


    A seductive whisper rang in Aiko''s ear: "What you can''t have, let no one else have!"


    Aiko''s gaze was hollow as she stared blankly at Lia, who lay on the sofa, drunk and unconscious. More specifically, at Lia''s vulnerable neck.


    The black fog in her eyes churned, which seemed to affect Aiko''s sanity, igniting a fierce jealousy within her:


    Why is it always Lia who gets the attention, this red-haired dwarf, how is she better than me?


    In Lin Da''s eyes, it was always Lia, never her.


    Damn it, damn it all.


    Aiko bit her own index finger, her bones cracking audibly. Fingers connected to the heart, but she felt none of the drilling pain; the black fog in her eyes spread like an enveloping cloud.


    She threw down her Magic Wheelchair, propped up her weak legs, and staggered toward Lia. She reached out her hand, slowly grasping towards Lia''s defenseless, pale, fragile neck...


    Aiko didn''t know what she was doing, a voice booming in her head: Get rid of the nuisance Lia, and Lin Da will notice you!


    Lin Da will transfer all the affection he gives to Lia onto you.


    If only there were no Lia...!


    A twisted smile appeared on Aiko''s face, devoid of any gentleness or kindness associated with a Holy Mage, her visage resembling that of a demon capable of terrifying adults.


    ��Just at that moment.


    Lia, in her drunken slumber, muttered softly, "We will all become the strongest adventure team together."


    "Don''t leave... nobody is allowed to leave."


    Gleaming tears trickled from the corner of Lia''s eyes.


    Leaving a clear streak on the girl''s face.


    This slight change dissipated the black fog in Aiko''s eyes.


    Wait... what am I doing?


    Aiko looked at her hands, confused.


    Was she about to strangle Lia just now?


    That''s insane.


    Aiko''s expression changed.


    She hated Lia, sure.


    But not to the extent of wanting to kill her.


    At most, she would sneak out the cake Lia had hidden away and bring it to the team meeting table for an early reveal, making Lia die of embarrassment.


    Killing Lia was something Aiko knew she absolutely couldn''t do, upon deep reflection.


    Probably because Bervis had forced her to study all day, her mind was muddled.


    Aiko sighed.


    She looked at Lia on the sofa, her gaze flickering.


    The drunken Lia presented a good opportunity...


    Aiko leaned in close to Lia''s ear and asked in a gentle tone, "Tell me, what''s your Savings Card password?"


    Lia: "123456."


    Aiko tried it, and the password was correct.


    "Now tell me, how would you rate Holy Mage Aiko?"


    She planned to take advantage of Lia''s sleep to give her a fierce interrogation.


    To make this stubborn oddball spill the truth!


    Lia, slurring: "I think Aiko... uh, is sly, I don''t like it."


    So that''s how you see me.


    Aiko thought angrily.


    "But,"


    Lia continued:


    "Aiko is my friend."


    "I, the young miss, will protect her."


    Even in her dreams, Lia''s tone was firm.

 Chapter 300 265, The most important person

    Aiko''s angry expression froze on her face.Some surprise.


    And some embarrassment.


    Her feelings were quite complicated.


    Is that so.


    So, you really do consider me a ''friend''.


    In my eyes, you were just a Shar Pei...


    Aiko experienced a strange emotion that was indescribable and inexplicable.


    Overall, she found herself looking at Lia more favorably.


    But this stupid team captain simply didn''t understand that it was the team members protecting her, not her protecting the team members.


    The only thing that could be commended was Lia''s bravery in charging ahead to confront the Magical Creatures.


    Remembering Lia''s various foolish actions, Aiko couldn''t help but laugh.


    The black fog in her eyes quietly dissipated.


    "There is one last question."


    Aiko whispered in Lia''s ear, "What is your opinion of Lin Da with the ''Eye of True Knowledge''?"


    I was just really curious.


    Wondering how this Powder Keg would view Lin Da.


    Aiko rubbed her hands together in anticipation.


    She took out a Video Recording Magic Stone and held it close to Lia''s mouth.


    No matter what, she had won. If Lia said she liked Lin Da, she could threaten the thin-skinned Lia with the Video Recording Magic Stone. If you don''t stay away from Lin Da, I''ll give this stone to the White Dove Morning News, and let the whole city know that you, Lia, are a stubborn tsundere freak.


    And if Lia considered Lin Da as a rival, an enemy, that would be even better.


    Aiko could rest easy, never having to feel jealous of Lia again.


    But...


    She waited for a long time.


    The sleeping Lia didn''t say a thing.


    Passed out in sleep?


    Aiko slapped Lia''s face.


    No response.


    This dead pig...


    Aiko shook her head and went to find a blanket to cover Lia with.


    When she reached the second floor stairs, suddenly, Lia''s dreamy mumbling began.


    She said something.


    Aiko''s pupils contracted.


    Her expression went from shock, to disbelief, to contemplation, and finally to acceptance.


    Right.


    If one day Lia became candid, with Lia''s character, she would indeed give such a concise answer. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Only five words.


    But Aiko understood everything.


    Her biggest rival in the future was indeed this person.


    Aiko put away the Video Recording Magic Stone.


    She no longer wanted to threaten Lia with that thing.


    It was too despicable.


    Aiko covered Lia with the blanket.


    Then she tied her blonde hair back with a headband, returned to her room, and pulled out a white suitcase from under the bed that she had never opened in nearly three years.


    The suitcase was covered with dust; after patting it twice, Aiko coughed heavily.


    She opened the suitcase and took out a book that was thicker than a brick, "Advanced Knowledge and Application of Light-based Magic (Volume I)"


    Aiko took a deep breath, rubbed her cheeks, her gaze firmed and she sat down at the desk with the thick book, ready to read by lamplight into the night.


    No one knew that Aiko was also a bookworm in the past.


    She was determined to be the first among Snow Goose and the others to step into the Star Rank!


    ...


    ...


    Under the starlight, Lin Da drove the carriage back to the villa.


    ```


    "That''s fine."


    Remembering Aiko''s tearful expression, Lin Da sighed and quietly said to himself.


    Aiko indeed made a good impression on him, beautiful and a powerful mage.


    But he couldn''t keep biting off more than he could chew, with already four people in his current team.


    Lin Da had a thin face.


    Where others formed oaths on a 1v1 basis, him going 1v4 was already outrageous enough, hands couldn''t even connect, and to put rings symbolizing the Oath of Protection on the girls required them to line up.


    But at least they were his teammates, and outsiders could kind of understand that. Forming an Oath with someone from another team, on the other hand, was quite playful.


    The content of the Oath was to protect each other for a lifetime as adventurers. Many teammates with good relationships formed such Oaths, man and man, woman and woman, man and woman, all combinations existed, essentially a pure and holy relationship.


    But to form an Oath with an adventurer from another team... was basically either for money or for the body.


    Public opinion would not let Lin Da off the hook, and his teammates would be angry too!


    Even he only regarded Aiko as a somewhat closer former teammate, not to the extent of going all out to form an Oath with her.


    So, this was quite good.


    As his reason concluded the answer.


    Within Lin Da''s heart, however, he was anxious, and while driving the carriage, he was somewhat distracted and almost forgot to turn the corner.


    "I''m back."


    Ten minutes later, Lin Da arrived at the villa in the Goldfinch District.


    The temperature control Array made the villa''s temperature comfortable, he took off his coat, and placed it on the rack by the entrance.


    Walking into the living room, Lin Da paused.


    Everything was cleaned spotlessly, not a speck of dust, he almost thought he had entered someone else''s home.


    "Impressive."


    From when he left to when he returned, it had only been half an hour. To clean to this extent in such a short amount of time was nothing short of miraculous.


    Lulu glanced at Tasya with a touch of faint admiration in her tone, "Most of it was done by her."


    "Indeed." Tasya proudly puffed up her chest.


    "Very commendable, Tasya, you are an excellent maid," Lin Da praised as he nodded.


    A smile appeared on Tasya''s face.


    She elegantly bowed, "Master''s praise is the maid''s greatest honor."


    "It''s getting late, everyone should go to sleep."


    Lin Da thought for a moment and said, "We''ll clear the ninth level tomorrow and officially become a Rock-level Squad."


    Clearing the ninth level would allow him another upgrade, almost.


    Then, the Teleportation Array to the Great Mystery Continent on the tenth level would open up to the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    With Lulu as a ''Sub-Star Level'' and the seasoned Star Rank Tasya, perhaps they could aim for that thing.


    The three said their goodbyes in the living room.


    Lin Da returned to his room and doubted his eyesight.


    This room, as tidy and clean as a five-star luxury hotel, was his own?


    Admittedly, Lin Da had a hint of a cleanliness obsession, but it was only slight. Sometimes, engrossed in strategizing, he would forget to eat or sleep, even forget to wash his face.


    But what about this room?


    The floor that could mirror a person, the bedsheet whiter than swan feathers, and the small magical chandelier on the ceiling which had some dust on it before, now shone like new after being wiped clean.


    The entire room seemed to glow, dazzling Lin Da''s eyes!


    A pleasant fragrance of flowers filled the room, a type of magic material air freshener.


    Lin Da had the illusion of stepping into a green meadow filled with birds singing and flowers blooming. In such a room, his mood became relaxed, and his entire being unwound.


    On the nightstand, several new items appeared. Lin Da walked over curiously. They were black bells with different words on each, respectively:


    [Food][Changing][Cleaning][Service][Other].


    "What do these bells mean? What will happen if I press them?"


    With a hint of curiosity, Lin Da pressed the one labeled [Service].


    Dong dong.


    In less than ten seconds, there was a knock at the door.


    Tasya''s voice came through, "Master, did you call me?"


    "Oh, it''s like room service, I was just playing with it, never mind," Lin Da said awkwardly.


    "If you need anything else, please feel free to call me. I will arrive as quickly as possible."


    The voice came through the door.


    Therefore, Lin Da didn''t know what Tasya looked like on the outside.


    ```

 Chapter 301 266. Skills maxed out, guiding Lulu in the dream

    The maid''s skirt had long been set aside by Tasya, and in the dimly lit corridor, the maid''s smooth brown skin became even more enticing.A long silver hair draped behind her hips, the suspenders of her white stockings connecting to the garter belt around her waist, where many hollowed-out butterfly patterns were just revealing her cheeky, cute navel.


    The blush on Tasya''s face slowly faded as she looked at the closed door with disappointment.


    "Twice a day, is it really too tiring for the master?"


    "If it''s just once, the competition becomes much greater."


    Tasya felt heavy-hearted.


    If she couldn''t gain Lin Da''s favor, she might not get a turn even once a week.


    She must become Lin Da''s most outstanding team member!


    Tasya clenched her fist tightly in determination.


    Back in her room, Tasya didn''t rest but exercised on a black yoga mat. As a professional maid, she was a powerful force not only in daily life but also in adventures.


    Having experienced the brutal elimination process of the Primitive Adventure Team, Tasya knew the importance of strength. Without strength, no matter how skillful at service or cleaning, one couldn''t gain Lin Da''s favor.


    Those three members who were the strongest and were called "Five-star" by Lin Da, just they alone occupied half of Lin Da. The time they spent with Lin Da and the number of times they were patted on the head were more than everyone else combined.


    Now, those three must also be living somewhere on this continent.


    To prevent Lin Da from being taken away by them again, Tasya trained even harder.


    Only when the wooden bird from the magic clock jumped out from the house below, shouting with its unpleasant voice, "It''s 3 o''clock, rest, rest!" did Tasya finally head to the bathroom to shower off the sweat and crawl into bed.


    Before sleep, Tasya thought to herself: Lin Da doesn''t seem to like women who sweat a lot; she had embarrassed herself sweating profusely in the carriage. Being caught by Lin Da too, if she were the type to sweat less, she wouldn''t have left so many traces.


    Is there any magic that can change one''s constitution and reduce sweating...


    With a smile on her lips, Tasya nestled into bed, clamping the sheets between her legs and fell soundly asleep.


    ...


    Elsewhere.


    In Lin Da''s room.


    He leaned on the bed, his gaze intense as he stared into the void.


    "Seven skill points and one golden skill point, which to add to?"


    After a moment of thought, Lin Da opened his personal panel and controlled the ''mouse'' with his mind, clicking the plus sign on the purple skill icon.


    That was an image of a mage stretching out their hand and firing a purple magic sphere.


    The Venom Magic Sphere, Lin Da''s strongest single-target skill.


    To meet the killing condition for the ninth layer''s Magical Creatures, Lin Da temporarily gave up the Verdant Shield, opting to max out the Venom Magic Sphere first.


    A frenzy of clicking.


    The system notifications popped up one after another:


    [Venom Magic Sphere has been upgraded: lv2 to lv3, poison damage duration increases by an additional 1 second!]


    [Venom Magic Sphere has been upgraded: lv3 to lv4, poison damage duration increases by an additional 1 second!]


    [You have used a golden skill point.]


    [Venom Magic Sphere upgraded to lv5, poison damage can stack +1 layer, you will fire two magic spheres simultaneously!]


    Seeing the skill effect, Lin Da''s mouth curled into a smile.


    From level 4 to level 5, the Venom Magic Sphere underwent a qualitative change!


    Originally he could only shoot one sphere at a time, but now it was two.


    The skill description was updated to: [Fire two venom magic spheres straight ahead, medium flight speed, inflicting substantial damage per second on the target, lasting for 8 seconds, stackable up to 2 layers]


    In other words, using the Venom Magic Sphere once, Lin Da could inflict continuous damage on the Magical Creatures for 16 seconds.


    He would be free to cast other skills, greatly increasing his damage output efficiency.


    Maxing out the Venom Magic Sphere took two skill points and one golden skill point.


    Then, he directed his attention to the ultimate skill[Guardian Sword].


    To face the fierce Magical Creatures on higher levels, the shield''s thickness had to be sufficient.


    Lin Da clicked to add points.


    [System Prompt: Consumed 2 Skill Points, Guardian Sword upgraded to lv2]


    [Guardian Sword lv2 effect: Uses Magic Power to conjure a Guardian Sword to attack a small area target, causing ''substantial'' damage, and provides an area ally shield (current up to 3��4 people) worth 50%��60% of your maximum Hit Points]


    The enhancement was quite noticeable.


    Originally, it could only give shields to 3 people besides Lin Da, which has now increased to 4.


    The shield thickness also increased from 50% of maximum Hit Points to 60%.


    Since Lin Da had exactly four teammates, one use of Guardian Sword would equip everyone with a "turtle shell."


    After this, Lin Da still had 3 Skill Points left.


    Seeing as he was about to reach level 30, not knowing what Skills would unlock, Lin Da decided to save these Skill Points to use after level 30.


    After enhancing his personal strength, Lin Da didn''t forget about his teammates.


    He went to the Back House to check in and collected 2,440 Diamonds.


    Lots of messages popped up from the Hell Rift.


    After the Phoenix Tail Flower Team''s strength increased, the members burst forth with power and pushed through to the 30th Star Rank.


    Lin Da received a reward: 80,000 Diamonds.


    With these Diamonds, plus the savings, the total amount of Diamonds reached a staggering 672,070.


    It was more than enough to upgrade Lulu to Star Rank, and even quite sufficient to further develop Monica.


    Before exiting the Hell Rift, Lin Da took one last look:


    On the dark, circular arena, the 30th Star Rank BOSS was a brown, lizard-like terrain dragon with spear-like horns on its head.


    Terrain Dragon, Level 31, thick-skinned.


    All the members were below level 30, and they were getting beaten senseless by the terrain dragon.


    Constant GAME OVER followed by restarts. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da shook his head, exited the interface of the Hell Rift, and went to the system mall to exchange 600,000 Diamonds for 600,000 Experience Guidance Tickets.


    "Select teammate Lulu."


    "Dream Guidance!"


    Lin Da lay down on the bed, his consciousness sinking into slumber.


    ...


    In the dream.


    The werewolf girl ran carefree on the snowy mountains, climbing to the peak to howl loudly into the distance.


    On the verge of breaking through to the Star Rank, the normally calm Lulu couldn''t help feeling excited.


    Seeing more and more girls joining Lin Da''s side, insecurities inevitably arose in Lulu''s heart.


    Before Tasya joined, she was the strongest member of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    But following Tasya''s arrival, it became her whom Lin Da relied on more��the Professional Maid.


    Whether it was combating the Specter Adventure Group or being on guard against the wounded fugitive Mingli, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team needed to enhance their strength.


    ''When will I be able to enter the Star Rank?''


    ''This last small step, for some it only takes a week, for others, it could be half a year... Those with less talent might even get stuck here.''


    A hint of worry appeared on Lulu''s face, and her fluffy tail drooped down.


    She didn''t know whether her talent was good enough.


    Compared to Lin Da''s ''Five-star'' teammates, at least, she felt inferior.


    As Lulu was worrying, the surroundings began to change.


    From the clear skies of the open snowy mountains, it transformed into the top of a dark, high-rise building.


    "Lift your head."


    A voice cold and devoid of any emotion carried on the wind from ahead.

 Chapter 302 267. Lulus Star Rank and the Incident with Lin Da

    Lulu was stunned briefly.It was still the familiar rooftop, a tall man dressed in familiar black clothes, wearing a mask.


    He had appeared again.


    ��["Dark Shadow"] Lin Da.


    In the dream, time seemed to stretch indefinitely.


    Lulu felt as if she had been trained by Lin Da for eight or nine hours, but the sky remained pitch dark, without a hint of light.


    "This is it? Get up, continue attacking me."


    Lin Da walked up to the exhausted Lulu, his black combat boots stepping on the werewolf girl''s palm, a cold mocking laugh emanating from beneath the mask, as if toying with a weak ant.


    The training had to be rigorous.


    Only then, the "Experience Guidance Ticket" could take effect.


    Lulu''s face was covered in sweat, her short hair sticking together as she gasped for breath.


    "If you want to become Star Rank, stand up."


    "Defeat me... no, even if you injure me slightly, you win," Lin Da said calmly.


    Lulu propped herself up from the ground, trembling as she climbed to her feet.


    The fight erupted again.


    As expected, Lin Da sent Lulu flying.


    Then he would use the Healing Art, restore Lulu to health, and continue the bout.


    In this life-or-death ordeal, Lulu''s combat skills rapidly improved.


    Once again, Lulu attacked.


    Like a pale blue lightning bolt, she darted back and forth through the night sky.


    Suddenly, Lin Da felt a chill behind him.


    Without a thought, he threw a punch.


    The punch hit Lulu in the abdomen.


    In terms of dream damage, Lulu was "dead."


    But just as he hit Lulu, her beast claw swung fiercely��Lin Da, of course, dodged it, but then realized that Lulu''s target was not him. His pure white mask was sliced into several pieces and fell off.


    "I won."


    Lulu saw Lin Da''s dazed expression and her lips curled up, "The mask is part of you too, you said that as long as I injured you, I win."


    "Then I''ll reward you��"


    Before he could finish his sentence, Lulu suddenly collapsed toward him.


    Lin Da caught Lulu, a streak of green light flashed, and her injuries were fully healed.


    But Lulu did not get up; instead, she pushed Lin Da down, sitting on his waist, her tail gently swaying.


    The werewolf girl''s beast claws transformed back into delicate hands, boldly cupping Lin Da''s face.


    "Not enough," Lulu murmured softly, "I want to choose the reward myself. This is my dream, after all, why should I listen to you?"


    Actually, it''s my dream...


    Lin Da thought to himself.


    "The content of the contract to join the team isn''t like this," he emphasized.


    After a spirited battle, Lulu, all sweaty and enticingly fragrant, had a different kind of allure.


    Sweat dripped from the girl''s snowy chin, plinking onto Lin Da''s chest.


    The slight impact, the warmth of the sweat, an incomparable sense of reality.


    Constantly challenging Lin Da''s fragile nerves.


    "I know, the most important part of the contract content is that the team member must obey the captain''s orders, follow the captain''s arrangements,"


    Lulu''s lips hooked up in a provocative smile, "But this is my dream, unrelated to reality, and now you are my defeated subordinate."


    "Wait..."


    Lin Da''s voice abruptly stopped.


    Blocked by a pair of soft lips.


    Under the moonlight.


    The werewolf transformed into a pure white lamb.


    Lin Da was struck dumb.


    The scene before him was indescribable.


    Forget it.


    It was just a dream, after all.


    Lin Da sighed.


    He grabbed Lulu''s small hands.


    They began to move.


    ��


    ��


    With a boom,


    Level-Up Radiance descended.


    Lin Da''s 300,000 Experience Guidance Tickets were all used on Lulu.


    The werewolf girl threw her head back and let out a howl.


    A powerful aura burst from the core source, forming a mini energy storm around the two.


    Lin Da, who was pinned underneath, laughed.


    300,000 Experience Guidance Tickets allowed Lulu to level up twice.


    She became a 31st-level Star-ranked Adventurer!


    Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team now officially had its own Star-ranked member.


    Everything was quite good.


    Except for Lulu''s leveling-up posture, which was somewhat indecorous.


    Other adventurers leveled up in training rooms, at the World Tree, or in the wilderness after conquering Magical Creatures... Alone Lulu, inexplicably, sat on him to level up.


    Lin Da felt someone else''s Level-Up Radiance for the first time.


    It was warm.


    And it got even hotter inside...


    Stimulated by the Level-Up Radiance, Lin Da shuddered.


    He wore a sage-like smile, free of desires and wants.


    Dream guidance concluded, Lin Da slowly woke up.


    The scenes from before still hovered before his eyes.


    The werewolf girl''s bashful expression, her handsome howl, her wild attacks... completely different from the usual cold Lulu, as if she had become a different person, which scared Lin Da stiff.


    "But..."


    "It was quite fun though."


    Lin Da burst into laughter.


    He got up to wash up.


    Looking at his own trousers.


    No way...


    Lin Da was stunned.


    It was all a dream, so why did his body in the real world also manifest anomalies?


    He felt sticky all over, uncomfortable.


    He had no choice but to take a bath and change into fresh underwear.


    Then, Lin Da looked at his bed with some worry. If he let Tasya wash the sheets he''d taken off, his dignified image as team leader would surely be ruined. If he washed them himself, it would seem too deliberate and could easily lead people to speculate what might have happened on those sheets.


    After some thought, Lin Da decided to let things take their course.


    A healthy adult male occasionally getting his sheets dirty was normal. Even if he gave them to Tasya, she wouldn''t overthink it.


    As for Lulu...


    Was she in the same situation?


    Recalling the lovely scenes in the dream, Lin Da''s cheeks grew hot.


    Thinking from a realistic standpoint, he had to congratulate Lulu on breaking through to Star Rank��there was no way he couldn''t have felt the energy fluctuations from her leveling up.


    Lin Da slapped his head, pushing aside the memory of Lulu''s bad dream persona, and opened the door to the corridor.


    Dong dong.


    "It''s me,"


    Lin Da knocked and called out softly.


    The door opened quickly.


    A distinct scent of bathing water and the warm fragrance of a girl just out of the bath enveloped him.


    Lin Da''s spirit revived, and his blood flow sped up.


    The door before him swung wide open to reveal a girl in a bath towel, her pale blue short hair wet.


    Her fluffy beast ears were also wet, drooping on her head and sometimes shaking instinctively, splashing droplets everywhere.


    It was... sort of cute.


    Seeing Lulu in a bath towel and watching him with a strange expression, Lin Da panicked for a moment, fearing that the dream had been revealed.


    He scratched his head and said, "If it''s not convenient for you, you can get dressed first; I''ll come back later."


    "It''s okay," Lulu stepped aside and whispered, "I don''t mind if it''s you."


    "Then I''m coming in."


    Walking into a girl''s room in the middle of the night for the first time, Lin Da felt uneasy and nervous.


    Inside was a very plain girl''s bedroom.


    The bed had several chibi werewolf dolls, adding a touch of girlishness, but the other furniture was minimalist. The only doll was a gift from Monica to Lulu.


    Lulu sat on the white bed while Lin Da sat in front of the desk.


    The atmosphere was delicate.


    Lulu hung her head low, one hand clutching the top of the bath towel, the other on her snow-white thighs, her face still slightly flushed.


    It was somewhat like what had happened in the dream, now in reality. S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da coughed, breaking the ambiguous atmosphere, and said, "Congratulations on reaching Star Rank."

 Chapter 303 268. Lin Das Promise, Entering the Ninth Layer of the World Tree: Muddy Wetland (2 in 1)

    Star Rank had two main enhancements, the first of which was an ability called "Power" which could effectively suppress adventurers below level 30.It could also counteract the enemy''s "Power" to nullify the debuff that reduces all abilities of one''s own side.


    In reality, it was akin to gravity, enveloping the adventurers and making them feel as though they were stuck in mire, unable to perform at their full capacity.


    The second enhancement was the Ultimate Skill.


    The damage and duration of the Ultimate Skill, among other aspects, would be further enhanced.


    These two major advantages allowed Star-ranked adventurers to absolutely dominate those below this rank.


    When talking about Star Rank, a slight smile appeared on Lulu''s face as she softly said, "I thought I''d never have the chance to return to Star Rank again."


    "Don''t talk about Star Rank, you can reach Moon Rank, Light Rank, and even legendary," said Lin Da confidently with a smile. He walked up to Lulu and stroked the fluffy animal ears of the girl.


    Lulu closed her eyes in comfort, her ears trembling in his palm.


    The joy of being caressed by warm fluff made Lin Da feel invigorated.


    "Mhm," Lulu obediently sat at the edge of the bed, her big tail gently swinging, silently expressing the joy in her heart.


    With this, Phoenix Tail Flower now had two Star Ranks.


    Lin Da secretly thought, even if Specter Adventure Group made a move, he could now counter with the strong Star Rank duo of Lulu and Tasya.


    Now Lulu was level 31, Tasya 34, and though they were few in number, they were formidable Star-ranked adventurers with Witch''s powers, far beyond ordinary adventurers.


    Plus, he mastered the Death Crab Pincer, which made him a Half-step Star Rank.


    He still had 300,000 Experience Guidance Tickets in his hand, which could increase Monica''s level by at least one.


    The small goal of everyone reaching Star Rank was now one step closer.


    Seeing his adventure team grow stronger, Lin Da was in high spirits.


    "It''s getting late, I should go back, and you should sleep early too," he said.


    Having said that, Lin Da walked towards the door.


    Thud.


    Just then, Lulu suddenly grabbed his wrist, her animal ears pinned atop her head and her eyes shimmering with a hopeful glow, like a little dog longing to be petted.


    "We haven''t done the Purification today," Lulu reminded him.


    Lin Da slapped his forehead, having forgotten this detail.


    He gently purified her with a peck on Lulu''s pink lips.


    The Witch''s Corruption was once again reduced.


    Compared to when they first started with Lulu, it had probably decreased by about 90%.


    The remaining little bit wouldn''t affect her daily activities.


    "Purification''s done; go to sleep," Lin Da said.


    Normally, this would have pleased Lulu.


    But today, for some reason, Lulu still clung to his hand, unwilling to let go.


    Lin Da blinked in confusion and returned to the room, sitting down on the chair, "What''s wrong, is there something bothering you?"


    "I... am scared," Lulu''s hand clutching the towel, her voice slightly unstable.


    "Scared? Phoenix Tail Flower has two Star Ranks now, no need to fear Specter Adventure Group. Mingli has been severely injured and won''t be back anytime soon. Even if he comes back, I have a plan to deal with it," Lin Da said, "You don''t need to be scared."


    "It''s not that."


    Lulu shook her head.


    "Then what is it?" Lin Da was even more perplexed.


    "I''m worried, it will be like before," Lulu looked troubled and said, "With more and more teammates around you, soon there will be no place for me."


    Kafni, Monica, Tasya, and others outside like Isa, Lia, Aiko... Lulu worried that if she wasn''t careful, they might steal Lin Da away.


    Especially with Tasya''s arrival.


    Having an enviable sexy figure and skin, always obedient to Lin Da''s requests, and being the highest ranked in Phoenix Tail Flower... it was inevitable that Lulu felt uneasy.


    Lin Da pondered for a while.


    A certain decision formed in his mind.


    He took out a pen and paper and began writing vigorously at the desk.


    He took out the Sword of Royalty, and with a flash of the sword light, he cut it into the size of a business card.


    Next, he bit his finger and with a serious expression silently chanted, "Should I break this oath, may the Deity abandon me!"


    Seeing his solemn expression, Lulu curiously stood up, walked to the desk, and said subconsciously, "What is it?"


    "You''ll see," Lin Da said with a mysterious smile.


    Lulu stared at him for a while before she took the card and looked at the text on it.


    [Oath-bound Ticket]


    [Number:1]


    [Sign: Lin Da]


    At the signature, there was a fresh bloodstain.


    Lulu still didn''t understand.


    Lin Da explained, "By holding this ticket, if I ever conduct an Oath ceremony, you will be the first one."


    This was Lin Da''s promise to the Werewolf girl.


    Lulu stared blankly at the Oath-bound Ticket, holding it tightly in her hands.


    She hummed softly.


    The unease in her voice had already vanished.


    [System Notification: Witch Lulu''s trust level +5, current trust level 88 points]


    Lin Da''s spirits lifted.


    Good.


    Only 2 points away from 90.


    "Captain, Lulu dedicates the rest of her life to your service," said the Werewolf girl as she wiped the gleaming tears from her eyes, her face blooming with a breathtakingly beautiful smile.


    Lin Da was momentarily distracted. sea??h th�� n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He cleared his throat, "This time, I really need to go back to sleep."


    "Mhm," Lulu stood up to see him off.


    "Oh, and one more thing," Lin Da''s mind stirred, glancing unobtrusively at the corner of the room where the laundry basket full of clothes was, "Could you give it to me?"


    "Eh?"


    Lulu was taken aback, clearly not expecting Lin Da to make such an odd request.


    What kind of team leader asks their teammate for underwear?


    Could it be for some perverted reason?


    But then Lulu thought, perhaps this way Lin Da wouldn''t divert his energy to the other teammates.


    "Okay, but I have to wash them first," Lulu''s heart raced, her cheeks flushing as she stuttered.

 Chapter 305 269, start with a finishing move as a sign of respect.

    No wonder these adventurers were surprised. Objectively speaking, Lin Da at level 25 should have no problem hunting level 20 Wetland Worms, but it shouldn''t have been this easy.He simply held his sword in the air, and when a Wetland Worm crashed into it, it died.


    At this moment, Lin Da on the screen made a new move.


    His eyes narrowed, and the Sword of Royalty in his hand spun like a large windmill.


    The sword light traced a chilling arc, and then, a torrent of blood rained down.


    A bunch of Wetland Worms that burst out from the ground were cut into halves like chopping chives as Lin Da spun around.


    The Sword of Royalty slicing into the worms'' bodies felt as smooth as a beastman''s nail cutting through an elf lady''s tearable black silk stockings, without encountering any resistance.


    ''Epic Weapon, truly extraordinary.''


    Lin Da sighed to himself, shook the blood off the Sword of Royalty, and sheathed it.


    [System prompt: Defeated 20 level Wetland Worms x10, acquired 5000 diamonds!]


    Lin Da didn''t even use magic power, a casual swing was enough to kill the Wetland Worms that troubled ordinary adventure teams so much.


    The disparity in personal profession, talent, and equipment added up, creating a chasm between individuals'' strengths.


    If it were an ordinary level 25 adventurer, they would have had to use at least 3 small skills to kill a Wetland Worm.


    Just now, 9 worms buried underground ambushed Lin Da. If it were an ordinary adventure team, they would have been thrown into disarray, exerting a lot of effort, and if not handled well, there could even be severe injuries.


    This was the reason behind everyone''s shock outside the screen.


    [One sword strike to kill 9 Wetland Worms? You''re telling me this is a support?]


    An adventurer passing through South Rock City stared dazedly at the screen, feeling a giant question mark forming in his mind.


    "Brother, you just don''t get it. Lin Da himself is very powerful, and with that exceptional weapon, it''s normal for him to kill 9 level 20 Wetland Worms with one sword strike," said Finch, the vice president of the Phoenix Tail Flower Fan Club and a blond Swordsman, as he patted the former''s shoulder and laughed heartily.


    Since Lin Da conquered the sixth, seventh, and eighth floors, Finch, along with his adventure team, crazily copied his strategies and successfully cleared the levels by following Lin Da''s techniques.


    Of course, Finch didn''t dare to face the hidden magical creatures; his clearance was just standard. Still, it was exciting enough, and Finch felt he had a chance to become the captain of a Rock-level Adventure Team.


    Today, Lin Da''s ninth-floor strategy arrived just in time.


    Clearing the ninth floor meant becoming a Rock-level Adventure Team, which would allow for monthly resource allocations from the empire.


    With the standards of White Dove City, at least 3 Bronze-level Fruits of the World Tree.


    Everyone''s gaze focused on the screen.


    The ninth floor, muddy wetlands.


    Lin Da killed the worms and stood with his sword sheathed.


    He wasn''t feeling as relaxed as everyone thought.


    Seeing Monica trembling by his side, her little face pale, Lin Da sighed in his heart.


    "Don''t be afraid, with the captain''s shield, these worms won''t be able to bite you."


    Monica, in a state of fear, was completely unable to fight.


    It was similar to the [Fear] DEBUFF in games.


    When team members used skills, there was a fifty percent chance of failure.


    This wouldn''t do.


    Lin Da was counting on Monica''s cannon for output.


    He put on a stern face, took Monica''s small hand off his clothing, and pointed to the corpses of the Wetland Worms cut in half on the ground:


    "As an adventurer, how can you be afraid of magical creatures? Monica, I want you to touch these worms, get used to their presence!"


    The hidden boss of the ninth floor was much more disgusting than the Wetland Worms.


    Lin Da worried that Monica would be scared to the point of passing out, unable to cast a single spell.


    "Wuu wuu, Lord Captain, I don''t want to touch them," Monica''s little head shook like a rattle-drum.


    Her petite white legs clamped tightly together, trembling like a sieve, her cute brown round-toed shoes covered with mud.


    This damp environment made Monica''s little face bitter, and she really wanted to go back to the villa for a hot bath.


    "If you don''t overcome this difficulty, you won''t be able to proceed," Lin Da''s tone softened a bit as he bent down to pat Monica on the head, "The captain believes you can do it. Go ahead."


    "Wuu wuu, if it''s an order from Lord Captain..."


    Obediently, Monica walked up to the carcass of the Wetland Worm and crouched down, her little hand trembling as she reached out to touch the dark, slimy, stench-ridden skin of the worm''s corpse...


    Little did they know, Lin Da''s teaching method with Monica was causing the number of suggestions to skyrocket again.


    Some adventurers thought letting the pure Big Lolita touch such dirty things was very thrilling, satisfying a dark desire in their hearts.


    Another group of diehard fans of Monica believed that Lin Da was maliciously making things difficult for her.


    [You turned out to be this kind of Eye of True Knowledge. We misjudged you. You must only want to have Monica, who has touched the big black worm, throw herself into your arms with tears in her eyes, fulfilling your perverted desires!]


    [You mustn''t let our Monica touch something so dirty!]


    [Stop your perverted behavior!]


    [Hey, hey, hehehe... The Big Lolita is touching the big, black Flesh Worm...]


    Lin Da couldn''t be bothered to read those suggestions.


    No matter what those people said, Monica was his teammate, and it was none of their business.


    Monica, squatting on the ground, appeared to be wearing a ''Mask of Pain,'' forcibly closing her eyes, her tiny white hands fumbling clumsily over the worm''s body.


    Soon, her fingertips were covered in green, stinking blood. The soft, slimy, and cold touch of the worm''s skin was about to bring tears to Monica''s eyes.


    "Lord Captain, I did it."


    Monica wiped her eyes with her elbow.


    Lin Da smiled and said, "Well done, worthy of being my teammate."


    As a reward, Lin Da took an orange gummy candy from his pocket and placed it into Monica''s mouth. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After a few more training sessions, Monica gradually became desensitized to the Wetland Worms.


    Although still somewhat resistant, overall, she was able to release magic calmly when faced with worm attacks.


    Lin Da''s education of Monica was a complete success.


    In the blink of an eye, the two arrived at the hiding place of the Magical Creatures.


    From the pit filled with black stinky water, an enormous Flesh Worm crawled out.


    Its body was like a small hill, 10 meters long and 3 meters high, with dozens of caterpillar-like legs wriggling and crawling through the mud, slowly advancing towards Lin Da and Monica, who seemed as tiny as ants.


    This Flesh Worm''s body was covered in yellow mucus that could effectively resist Battle Qi and magic attacks, and its body odor, like fermented faeces for 10 days, was an extremely pungent stench that could knock out unprepared adventurers on the spot.


    Fortunately, Lin Da and his group had already put on their poison masks.


    Gazing at this mountain of flesh, Lin Da stood with the Verdant Shield above his head and the Sword of Royalty in his hand, protecting Monica behind him.


    "Ten Second Quick Kill... let''s begin."


    Lin Da''s first move, Ultimate Skill: Poison Dragon''s Roar!


    ...


    ...


    It''s over?


    The Adventurers'' Guild hall in White Dove City, people watched dumbfounded as the giant Magical Creature flipped onto its back on the screen.


    It felt absurd and unbelievable.


    Lin Da initiated with Poison Dragon''s Roar as Monica cast the Falling Rock Technique at the same time.


    The moment they unleashed two Ultimate Skills, they hammered the Flesh Mountain Magic Worm, making it wail miserably.

 Chapter 306 270, cleared nine floors, lacking Light Series

    Following that, Lin Da released two purple Magic Spheres.The spots where the Flesh Mountain Magic Worm was hit turned an ominous black.


    The toxin quickly entered its bloodstream and spread throughout its body.


    In addition to the ten Dragon''s Sorrows left by the Poison Dragon''s Roar, the sustained damage from Dragon''s Sorrow, and the poisoning damage from the Venom Magic Sphere, the worm''s health points dropped drastically, making it wish for death.


    It swallowed Lin Da in one gulp, but unfortunately for it, Lin Da was protected by a Verdant Shield above his head, acting like an indestructible iron ball.


    Not only did the Magical Creature fail to devour Lin Da, but it also ended up breaking its teeth. S��arch* The N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da made a successful escape and immediately after, Monica''s Earth Bombardment hit its mark, accurately bombarding the Flesh Mountain Magic Worm''s mouth, striking its most vulnerable spot.


    The Phoenix Tail Flower Team, with only two members, created an overwhelming force against the Magical Creature.


    By the eighth second.


    Lin Da leaped up, holding the Sword of Royalty vertically above the Flesh Mountain Magic Worm''s head, chopping out a handle-deep wound.


    This was in line with the adventurers'' joke, "Give it to you, and you''ll wish you could even stick your hand in."


    ����Because chopping a Slime felt just that satisfying.


    The one-meter long Sword of Royalty, in comparison to the massive body of the Flesh Mountain Magic Worm, seemed a bit short.


    He pushed it in forcefully, with both hands holding the sword sinking in as well.


    The sensation was disgusting, enough to make one queasy.


    But the results were significant.


    Lin Da''s incredibly strong normal attack dealt a critical hit of 7000 damage.


    At this point.


    The Flesh Mountain Magic Worm, a level 20 Orange Equipment rarity Magical Creature with 100,000 health points.


    Was killed by Lin Da in eight seconds.


    [Is this something an ''Apprentice'' adventure team can do? I suspect Phoenix Tail Flower has had Rock-level strength all along and just held back from climbing up!]


    [Isn''t Lin Da a Healing Mage? Why didn''t he use his Healing Art even once?]


    [This is even higher damage than a Swordsman!]


    Suggestions flashed by swiftly.


    A powerful level 20 Orange Equipment Magical Creature was slain by Lin Da and his partner in 8 seconds.


    After today''s hunt, Phoenix Tail Flower is bound to gain a batch of new fans.


    Half a month ago, the report by journalist Kami, ''The Four Teams Most Likely to Reach Iron Level,'' seems to be becoming a prophecy.


    The 13th floor''s Ice Flower, the 12th floor''s Snow Goose and Valiant, as well as Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team which officially broke through the 9th floor and advanced to Rock-level.


    All are racing towards the Iron Level.


    In White Dove City, this year is the most promising yet!


    Adventurers all felt an inspiring force.


    The ninth floor.


    The Flesh Mountain Magic Worm, flipped onto its back, gradually turned into dust and disappeared.


    At the location of the corpse, a golden light sphere appeared.


    The sphere divided into three.


    One of them transformed into a rain of Gold Coins, mixed with several pieces of Magical Equipment of different colors.


    The ''raindrops'' sound was crisp and pleasant, filled with the scent of gold.


    The other two light spheres followed a rainbow-like trajectory, falling on Lin Da and Monica.


    In an instant, the Level-Up Radiance descended upon their heads!


    Lin Da squinted his eyes in intense pleasure.


    He temporarily cut off the ''audio output'' from the sensor ladybug and the Magic Screen, to prevent the sounds of Monica, with her extremely weak defensive power, from being heard by everyone.


    "Mmm~ Ah... so comfortable..."


    Monica''s face was flushed red, like a laborer with stiff shoulders receiving a professional massage, then stepping into a hot spring, her entire body relaxed, and she couldn''t help but moan.


    Lin Da revealed a satisfied smile.


    His teammate was just too adorable.


    The system notification sounded in his ear:


    [Killing the level 20 hidden Flesh Mountain Magic Worm, the team has received the Divine Gift from the World Tree Goddess, gaining 200,000 team experience points!]


    [Last Hit kills, obtaining 100,000 Diamonds!]


    200,000 experience points, split between Lin Da and his companions, each receiving 100,000.


    His previous experience bar was at 100,000/200,000, and with these points, he just leveled up to 26.


    [System Notification: You have leveled up, receiving 1 Skill Point.]


    [Strength +85, Magic Power +85, Defense +15, Magic Defense +25, Agility +14, Hit Points +900!]


    [Current Experience Points 0/250,000]


    Lin Da nodded to himself, having reached level 26 after clearing the 9th floor, and took a step closer to the Star Rank.


    The Phoenix Tail Flower Team was officially promoted to Rock-level, with the 10th floor of the Great Mystery Continent now unlocked for them.


    The resources there were much richer than on the 5th floor.


    ''With the standing of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team in White Dove City, securing a few [Bronze Fruit Trees] shouldn''t be difficult, thus ensuring a steady supply of the Fruit of the World Tree.''


    Eating the fruit not only accelerates one''s training speed, but its most critical feature is the chance to increase Attribute Points and Skill Points.


    Equivalent to an [Enhancement of Constitution] and [Sudden Insight].


    Lin Da planned to pay out of his own pocket first, purchasing 1,000 fruits from the Bronze Fruit Trees to test the effects.


    Should they grant even 1 Skill Point, it would be a massive gain.


    As more Skills become necessary in the later phases, the Skill Points obtained from leveling up are entirely insufficient.


    So far, Lin Da''s Ultimate Skill, Guardian Sword, was only at level 2, and Poison Dragon''s Roar was still at level 1.


    The one downside to the Fruit of the World Tree is that you cannot exceed the daily consumption limit; otherwise, it results in magic intoxication, which can be life-threatening.


    ''1,000 fruits from the Bronze Tree should be enough for the team to last a month.''


    Lin Da collected the equipment exploded from the Flesh Mountain Magic Worm, took it to the trade house to sell for money and purchased a batch of Bronze-Level Fruit of the World Tree.


    Within the small mountain of spoils, there were two beams of orange light and three of purple.


    This once again sparked envy among everyone.


    At first, they thought Lin Da was just lucky, but now they were convinced... Lin Da truly had great luck!


    Guaranteed Orange Equipment every time.


    The number of times the Phoenix Tail Flower hunted magical beasts wasn''t high, but their accumulated wealth was comparable to some of the established Rock-level squads.


    [Congratulations to Phoenix Tail Flower for advancing to Rock-level Squad!]


    [Captain Lin Da, when will you broadcast the live run of the 11th floor? Your brothers are all waiting.]


    [With the strength of Phoenix Tail Flower, it feels like they have a chance to reach Iron Level in the short term.]


    [Indeed, Lin Da and Monica are level 26, and Lulu will be level 29 after hunting the Epic Monster. Perhaps Phoenix Tail Flower will become the fourth Iron-level adventure team in White Dove City.]


    After finishing the hunt, Lin Da had time to look at the suggestions.


    He first thanked everyone for their congratulations and then said, "The timing for the 11th floor assault is uncertain, probably after we get a feel for the 10th floor of the Great Mystery Continent."


    If Lulu could participate in the assault on the Minor Secret Realm, this process wouldn''t be necessary at all.


    With Lulu, who is level 31, leading them, they could directly push through to the 15th floor.


    But the current situation of Phoenix Tail Flower was complicated, to say the least.


    Lin Da sighed inwardly.


    Kafni needed to recuperate, Lulu couldn''t come, and Tasya was also...


    Find exclusive content at empire


    They could only rely on himself and Monica, a duo.


    Lin Da was confident about the 11th and 12th floors.


    But the 13th floor...


    The hidden magical creatures there required a strong Light Series output to achieve a [Perfect Clear].


    The other requirement was to clear the floor strictly with Light and Dark Series members.


    The difficulty was too high and not practical. Lin Da had no choice but to opt for the former, use Light Series output, and continue with [Ultimate Clear].


    The reason for his continuous high-quality equipment drop, apart from the blessing from the World Tree Goddess, was also largely related to Ultimate Clears.


    Additionally, as a prerequisite to drawing the Sword of Royalty from its pinnacle status, Lin Da aimed to go for Ultimate Clears whenever possible or Perfect Clears if the conditions allowed.


    Without relying on the Light Series to restrain magical creatures by attribute, the level requirements for Lin Da and Monica would be extremely high.


    After much consideration, Lin Da thought the best method would be to hire a temporary team member at a high cost to help them get through the 13th floor.

 Chapter 307 271, Unexpected Encounter

    After saying farewell to the audience beyond the screen, Lin Da closed the live stream, took out the Teleportation Stone, and returned to the Secret Realm Square with Monica.The noon sun fell on Lin Da''s face as he held Monica''s hand, a contemplative look crossing his features.


    The cost of hiring someone to challenge a Minor Secret Realm and the endlessly repeatable Great Mystery Continent varied drastically.


    If someone helped the Phoenix Tail Flower clear the 13th level and then went back to their original team, they couldn''t enter the 13th level again and would have to wait until the 14th level to rejoin.


    Fortunately, Lin Da was not too short on money.


    The first person he thought of hiring was the Holy Mage Aiko.


    With Aiko''s help, clearing the 13th level''s hidden problems wouldn''t be too big of an issue.


    However, he had only recently refused Aiko, deciding in his heart to distance himself from her.


    And then there was the question... would Lia let her go?


    Since Snow Goose was stuck on the 13th level without passing, borrowing Aiko would mean Snow Goose''s team would lose their magical output, making it even harder to get past the 13th level.


    Thinking about this, Lin Da began to feel a headache coming on.


    ''Forget it. We''re not at the 13th level yet, I''ll think about it when we''re close,'' Lin Da thought to himself.


    Rather than the yet-to-be-reached 13th level, the immediate challenge was the 10th level of the Great Mystery Continent.


    According to the announcement from the World Tree Sanctum, there was still half a month left until the opening of the 10th level of the Great Mystery Continent.


    Originally, Lin Da had no intention of aiming for ''that item.''


    But Tasya''s arrival was an unexpected pleasure.


    Plus the newly-promoted Star Rank Lulu.


    Phoenix Tail Flower was no longer the weakling that had to walk around Star Ranks; they now qualified to compete at the 10th level.


    ''Before the Great Mystery Continent opens, try to improve strength as much as possible. The 300,000 Experience Guidance Tickets haven''t been used yet, I wonder if I can push Monica to Star Rank before then.''


    As Lin Da pondered this, he took Monica''s hand and walked toward the Chilang Commerce near the square.


    Just then, there was a commotion in the crowd ahead, interrupting Lin Da''s train of thought.


    Approaching them was an adventure group of twelve people.


    The leader was about fifty years old, with silver-grey hair parted in the middle, a grim face, wearing a black robe, and carrying a pair of twin swords on his back.


    This adventurer exuded an impressive aura, which gave Lin Da a sense of pressure, though much less compared to the pressure he felt from Tasya or Lulu, probably a level 30 Star Rank.


    Combining that with the somewhat familiar face and the ghost-patterned badge on his chest...


    Lin Da realized it was the deputy head of Magic Shadow, Kam, Hulus''s brother!


    "Captain..."


    Monica gripped Lin Da''s clothes nervously with her small hands.


    Seeing the deputy head of Magic Shadow, Kam, approaching with a strange smile, the onlookers sensed a whiff of gunpowder.


    To retreat or not to retreat?


    Lin Da only had one choice in mind.


    Being seen as the successor to the White Dove Adventure Group, retreating here would mean Lin Da would lose face so badly that he wouldn''t sleep well for a month.


    "Kid, my big brother Hulus has been well taken care of by you," Kam said, as he walked up to Lin Da with the Magic Shadow group, his smile hiding a non-smile, "I hope you don''t give me a chance."


    "What do you mean?" Lin Da looked straight at him, feigning ignorance.


    A murderous intent crossed Kam''s face, "My big brother Hulus is a kind person. The matter of sending an assassin to attack you is definitely not his doing. Lin Da, you have framed him!"


    Hulus is kind?


    Lin Da was taken aback and closely observed Kam''s serious expression, feeling that he did not seem to be joking.


    "Have you watched the Magic Shadow film ''Elf Miss Emimi and the Logger''s Summer Romance''?"


    "I''ve seen it, what about it?" Kam frowned, not understanding Lin Da''s intention.


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    "You are just as naive and adorable as the noble elf Miss Emimi in the story, gullibly following the woodcutter who can''t walk the path straight, rejecting a prince to choose a woodcutter with nothing in his house but a big axe��an incredibly pure, silly, sweet girl."


    Lin Da patted his head as if he remembered something and added, "Oh right, I''m not complimenting you; I mean to say that your brainstem is rather underdeveloped, not reaching the level of a normal person even in your forties or fifties."


    "What? Are you insulting me?"


    Kam''s face turned red, his voice sharp.


    Even with his slow wits, he could tell that Lin Da was taunting him.


    It was a scholarly taunt, fitting for a man of letters, comparing him��a man in his forties��to the feeble elf Miss Aimmi.


    Kam, feeling humiliated and furious, drew the twin blades from his back!


    His Star Rank "Presence" burst forth, a force of gravity pressing down on Lin Da.


    The onlookers panicked and began to back away.


    "Is the vice-captain of Magic Shadow about to kill someone in public?"


    "Knights Order, do something!"


    "How dare this old fart lay a hand on my brother Lin Da? I''m going to the Law Enforcement Department to lodge a serious complaint!"


    Everyone there stood on Lin Da''s side.


    It was because Lin Da''s reputation was so good��free strategy guides, amiable demeanor, no airs of a top adventurer... he had gained a large following of casual fans.


    If Kam dared to make a move on Lin Da in public, the Adventurers'' Guild would receive a cartload of complaints against Magic Shadow the next day.


    The crowd''s murmurs were like a bucket of cold water, sobering Kam up considerably.


    A bead of cold sweat trickled down Kam''s forehead.


    "What, not planning to make a move? Turns out you''re just a good-for-nothing coward."


    Lin Da, with the Verdant Shield hovering over his head, curled his lip.


    "You little bastard..."


    Kam''s expression darkened.


    "Vice-captain, sir, this is not good."


    A blonde woman in a black robe with freckles on her face pulled at Kam.


    "If you strike now, even if you kill Lin Da, you won''t escape the Knights Order''s pursuit," the blonde woman whispered. sea??h th�� N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kam clicked his tongue in annoyance.


    "You brat, better watch your back at night, or you might just find a flowerpot falling from the sky and crushing you dead!"


    Kam led the Magic Shadow members toward the World Tree.


    The square fell silent for a moment, until the people from Magic Shadow disappeared in the blue teleportation light, and then erupted into discussion.


    "Based on the vice-captain of Magic Shadow''s reaction, could the rumor that Hulus sent someone to assassinate Phoenix Tail Flower be true? Why else would he be so anxious?"


    "It''s not certain, maybe Hulus was indeed framed by Lin Da. Otherwise, how stupid would Kam have to be, picking a fight with Lin Da at this time? This shows Kam is confident and knows Lin Da is lying."


    "I believe in Lin Da ''Potpot''."


    "Exactly, my Potpot would never lie!"


    A pair of twin lolita sisters stared fiercely at the person who spoke ill of Lin Da.


    ...


    After Lin Da left Secret Realm Square, his face turned utterly cold.


    He had planned to give Magic Shadow a few days of peace before making his move, but Kam brought his face to the punch, so Lin Da had no choice but to strike.


    When he returned to the villa, Lin Da found Gale there, too.


    In the living room, the scent of black tea lingered.


    The silver-haired maid served the guest from White Dove Adventure Group with a wooden tray.


    Seeing Lin Da return, Gale stood up and took out a piece of Magical Equipment from his Space Ring.


    "The equipment you commissioned, the ''Magic Dragon Soft Armor'', is ready. Have a look and see if you''re satisfied."


    Lin Da''s eyes lit up.


    He had been waiting for over a week, and finally, it was made.

 Chapter 308 272, provoked the wrong person?

    He quickened his pace and took the "Magic Dragon Soft Armor."The soft armor was brown with firm dragon scales, and at the center was a fist-sized, diamond-shaped earth system gem.


    A hexagram magic array was engraved around the gem.


    Lin Da could feel the powerful magic power fluctuations from the gem; it must be a Level 30 Secret Realm Guardian''s Demon Core.


    And the materials he provided to Gale were only the Earth Dragon''s skin and the Thousand-Change Demon''s core.


    This Level 30 Secret Realm Guardian Core was obviously out of Gale''s own pocket.


    "Thanks," Lin Da said earnestly.


    "Hey, it was the team leader''s idea; he''s not short of cores. Rather than wasting them, better to use them on this armor," Gale chuckled.


    Lin Da nodded, knowing that the other party said this just to make it easier for him to accept. A Level 30 Secret Realm Guardian Core, more valuable than gold coins��how could anyone think it too many?


    Lin Da''s gaze moved to the equipment in his hands, and the attribute panel popped up:


    [Name: Magic Dragon Soft Armor]


    [Type: Equipment-Chest]


    [Quality: Epic Three Stars]


    [Level: 25]


    [Attribute Points: health+3000, earth damage reduction 20%, defense+100]


    [Equipment score: 2780. Reliable soft armor crafted from the skin of an Earth Dragon. Perhaps you can wear it and tell the young Earth Dragon how warm it is inside its mother.]


    After reading the equipment description, Lin Da inwardly exclaimed at how impressive it was.


    3000 points of health, plus 100 points of defense, and 20% reduction in earth damage.


    The score of the Sword of Royalty was only 1923, whereas the soft armor crafted from Earth Dragon''s skin scored an impressive 2780.


    Indeed, equipment crafted from Dragon Series materials was exceptional.


    In this world, anything related to dragons, even a sub-dragon species like a large lizard or Earth Dragon, was powerful.


    Without a word, Lin Da took off his purple equipment and donned the Magic Dragon Soft Armor.


    The health points skyrocketed.


    They soared to the terrifying number of 12800!


    If Lin Da were to spread the word, it would probably shock the entire empire.


    A fragile support class at Level 26 with 12800 health points?


    Even a Heavy Armored Warrior didn''t have such high numbers!


    And the real fragile class, Monica at Level 26, only had about 3200. sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da had four times more than Monica.


    And that was without calculating defense.


    With defense included, Lin Da''s durability would be more than ten times that of Monica.


    Wearing the Magic Dragon Soft Armor, Lin Da felt more confident about the plans ahead.


    "About Kam from the Specter..."


    He talked about the situation in the Secret Realm Square.


    Gale widened his eyes in disbelief. "He almost attacked you in public? Does Kam... have a tumor in his brain? Maybe the priest should find a hammer and give it a tap."


    Then, Gale stroked his chin and pondered, "Seeing it this way, Kam is impulsive and might pose a danger to the Phoenix Tail Flower. These days, you might want to move to the White Dove Adventure Group''s villa for safety."


    "No, my idea is to solve it once and for all."


    Lin Da smiled amiably and explained his plan in detail.


    After listening, Gale''s expression turned grave, and he pondered for a while.


    Lin Da was not in a hurry; his plan indeed carried certain risks. Gale might seem frivolous, but he was actually a very cautious adventurer, which was why he was fit to command the White Dove Adventure Group.


    A few minutes later, Gale''s eyes hardened as he made up his mind.


    "Lin Da, I support your approach; there''s at least a 70% chance of success, and even if it fails, the White Dove Adventure Group will back you up."


    "But... are you really confident about dealing with Kam? He is Star Rank, even at just Level 30, the weakest Star Rank, but a Star Rank nonetheless," Gale said gravely.


    "Once the bow is drawn, there''s no turning back. Think it over," he added sternly.


    "Master will certainly not miss," Tasya, standing behind Lin Da, said proudly. "Anyone targeted by Master only has one fate, to fall into an abyss of unfathomable depth and die in agony!"


    "I believe in our captain," Monica added.


    Lin Da shrugged, "You see, I can''t let down the trust of my team members."


    Gale nodded, "Then it''s decided. I''ll go prepare a bit, so things will go smoothly when the time comes."


    "That would be helpful," Lin Da said as he rose and escorted Gale to the carriage.


    ...


    Night.


    In the suburbs of White Dove City, Building 4 of the prison.


    In a spacious study, two adults wearing imperial official uniforms were conversing.


    "Hulus has been thoroughly investigated, and there is no connection with the three assassins. According to the imperial law, he is presumed innocent and we cannot convict him."


    The warden, named Rucci, was a tall Caucasian with messy dreadlocks.


    Rucci sipped his coffee and handed a stack of paper documents to the imperial knight sitting opposite him, who was draped in a cloak with four flames.


    Lemy, a level 30 Star-ranked adventurer.


    The other also held another position, the head of the Imperial Enforcement Department of White Dove City.


    His status was only below that of the mayor and the head of the Adventurers'' Guild but much higher than that of the warden, Rucci.


    In the presence of Lemy, Rucci always maintained a respectful demeanor.


    "When will he be released?" Lemy didn''t look at the stack of documents representing Hulus''s ''innocence'', his attitude ambiguous.


    Rucci, who had been immersed in bureaucratic circles for many years, immediately understood.


    He said, "''Theoretically'' today."


    "But the investigation into Hulus is insufficient. I have decided to keep Hulus locked up for another month."


    Hearing this, Lemy frowned.


    Isn''t that enough?


    Rucci muttered in his heart, quickly adding, "Three years ago, Specter Adventure Group was found smuggling unnamed magic potions, resulting in the deaths of several adventurers."


    "At that time, due to White Dove City having only two Iron Level groups, the significance of Specter Adventure Group was extremely high, and the matter was dropped. Now, I believe that was a mistake and we should hold responsible for the deceased adventurers by sentencing Hulus to six months in prison and fining Specter Adventure Group three million Gold Coins."


    "Hmm."


    Lemy''s brow relaxed.


    The head of the Enforcement Department added, "Three million Gold Coins is too little, I reckon five million would be more appropriate."


    Rucci: "...You''re right."


    "Then draft a document." Lemy patted Rucci''s shoulder, "Do a good job, and with the personnel changes next year, you might just get promoted to a big city."


    Rucci had been waiting for these words and replied with a smile, "The matter will be handled properly."


    Faking evidence to get Hulus on the chopping block was too risky, Rucci didn''t dare to do it, but keeping Hulus locked up for an extra six months in exchange for a chance to climb up the ranks was a risk Rucci was willing to take.


    If there was anyone to blame, it was only Hulus for provoking the wrong person.


    Three years ago, White Dove City could tolerate Hulus with only two Iron Level teams, but now, with the emerging potential of Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, having just one Iron Level group like Young Specter was acceptable to White Dove City.


    Rucci didn''t mind taking a bit of a risk to make connections with Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.


    In the study, the two men looked at each other and smiled, shaking hands.


    The next day at noon.


    Hulus''s good brother, Rhode, the leader of the Solid Rock Adventure Group, went to visit the prison.


    This tower-like robust man, touching his bare head, looked awkward and hesitant, unable to speak.


    Behind the iron bars, Hulus looked anxious, "What, weren''t you supposed to be picking me up? The investigation by the Enforcement Department should have ended."


    "Erm... You might have to stay locked up for another six months," sighed Rhode.


    "What?!"


    Hulus''s eyes widened.


    "There''s a second matter," hesitated Rhode, revealing the almost conflict between Kam and Lin Da in the Secret Realm Square the day before.


    Upon hearing this, Hulus was stunned, then immediately burst into curses. Read exclusive chapters at empire


    "That idiot! With so many eyes watching Specter Adventure Group, he still dares to provoke Lin Da?"


    Weylon was waiting for a mistake from Specter Adventure Group, and Kam offending Lin Da at this critical juncture was tantamount to suicide.


    Had it been anyone else, Hulus would have ruthlessly eliminated such a liability.


    But Kam was different.


    He was Hulus''s only blood younger brother.


    Remembering the dying wish of their parents, Hulus sighed helplessly.


    "Tell Kam to keep calm and wait till I''m out of prison," he said.


    "Luanwei must die, but Kam doesn''t have the strength to do it. Tell him to hold off for now!"


    "Okay," nodded Rhode.


    The two men cut off their Secret Technique transmission.


    Rhode climbed into his carriage, heading towards the villa of Specter Adventure Group.

 Chapter 309 273, the ghost takes the bait, Lin Da almost settled down in Bengbu.

    Specter Adventure Group Villa.In the meeting hall, black curtains were drawn tight to block the noon sunlight.


    Under the dim indoor lighting, there were shelves displaying various Magical Creatures'' skulls, a fish tank breeding pink tentacles that were wriggling in the water, which was somewhat nauseating to watch.


    The oil paintings on the walls depicted black devils sinisterly using various torture devices on humans... Each item showcased the proprietor''s unique taste. S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Aaaaaaah! Lin Da, you bastard!"


    A roar shattered the silence in the hall.


    As Kam reviewed the results of the court trial in his hands, his face turned ashen; he tore the document in two.


    He had prepared a feast for his elder brother Hulus, having brought in ten incredibly beautiful Elves from the tavern, ready to enjoy the meal together in celebration of Hulus'' release from prison.


    But this document shattered Kam''s beautiful plans.


    Furthermore, the Law Enforcement Department reopened past grievances, alleging that the Specter Adventure Team had sold inferior Magic Potions three years ago, causing the death of several adventurers.


    A fine of five million Gold Coins and an extension of Hulus'' sentence by six months.


    Five million Gold Coins��it was an enormous sum even for a Steel Level Adventure Group!


    Kam could endure all this.


    But why was Hulus'' sentence extended by six months?


    The gentle, kind elder brother, who always let his younger brother have the most beautiful women, now had to spend more time in prison because of Lin Da.


    He would also miss this year''s grandest festival, the Winter Festival.


    For adventurers in this world, the Winter Festival was almost equivalent to the Chinese New Year.


    On that day, Hulus could only shed tears behind iron bars.


    The two brothers would not be able to watch the fireworks display of the Winter Festival together.


    Just when, for more than 40 years, his elder brother had never missed it once.


    Thinking about this, Kam was seething with hatred.


    All this just for assassinating one insignificant Lin Da, daring to imprison my elder brother?


    A mere level 20-something adventurer, killing you is doing you a favor!


    Kam''s mouth twisted in fury.


    He looked at Rhode crazily and said, "We can''t just let it go, I want Lin Da dead!"


    "Indeed, we can''t let it go, but not now,"


    Rhode calmly said, "Phoenix Tail Flower was able to kill Revika and his two companions without a scratch, they definitely have unknown tricks up their sleeves. We''ve been careless once, we cannot afford to make the same mistake again."


    "Right now, our advantage is that Phoenix Tail Flower has not reached Star Rank yet, posing no threat to us."


    "When the recent attention dies down, we can completely ambush Phoenix Tail Flower in the Great Mystery Continent, making them pay a bloody price!"


    "Meanwhile, the most important thing is to get Hulus out of prison first."


    Rhode analyzed methodically.


    His muscular physique gave others the impression of a brute, but in reality, he was meticulous and adept at planning, a requirement for a leader of the Steel Level Adventure Group.


    After listening, Kam gradually came to his senses.


    "But how can we get my brother out?" Kam frowned.


    "You like this... again like this..."


    That same afternoon.


    Under Rhode''s arrangement, Kam held a press conference in the villa''s main hall.


    This grey-haired co-leader of the Specter, righteously claimed:


    ''Lin Da abused the rights of the Glorious Adventurers without any evidence, causing Hulus to be unjustly imprisoned, which is complete slander! We demand a public apology from Lin Da, otherwise, we''ll see Phoenix Tail Flower in court!''


    Rows of Magic Guided Cameras snapped photos of Kam voraciously.


    Rhode stood in the background, his face breaking into a cold sneer.


    With the Law Enforcement Department unable to find evidence of Hulus assassinating Lin Da and under the pressure of public opinion, they would have to release Hulus soon.


    Ironically, that day, the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team also held a press conference.


    "Having heard of the formidable strength of the Specter Adventure Group, I, Lin Da, captain of Phoenix Tail Flower, am eager to experience it firsthand."


    "After battling an Epic Monster, one of my teammates was injured and has yet to recover."


    "Ouch, it hurts..."


    "As you can see the condition of my teammate, I am deeply pained and must vent my anger."


    "The Arena seems like a good place, and I hope the Specters can extend their gracious teaching to us, a newbie adventure team that has just advanced to the rock level!"


    At the Phoenix Tail Flower Villa''s third floor, Lin Da stood at the podium with bloodshot eyes, his speech fierce.


    Next to him, Kafni was wrapped in bandages, appearing so feeble as if she might die at any moment.


    An assassin had attacked the day Kafni seemed unharmed but had suffered severe ''internal injuries.'' By condemning the Specters, Lin Da did not directly name Hulus as the perpetrator, but his actions already told everyone the answer.


    Click, click, click! The Magic Guided Cameras'' flashes flickered constantly.


    Lin Da looked down at the twenty or so reporters below the podium and smiled:


    "Why not choose today? I think today should be the day we all accompany each other to witness Phoenix Tail Flower issuing a challenge to the Specters. With the Steel Level Adventure Group''s strength, I believe they will not mind our challenge."


    The reporters'' eyes lit up, sensing a hot news story.


    Lin Da, along with Tasya, Lulu, Monica, and a group of reporters, marched mightily towards the residence of the Specter Adventure Group.


    Upon arriving at the scene.


    Both groups of reporters were momentarily stunned.


    Why are you guys here too?


    As they say, "fellow workers are worst enemies." They had secretly come to interview Lin Da/Kam, aiming to scoop an internal scoop by surprise, decisively clinching the end-of-month bonus.


    But, looking closely, they saw their colleagues interviewing the other side.


    There was an awkward sense of having their sneaky move exposed.


    Both parties laughed it off and turned their ''big guns'' towards the parties involved.

 Chapter 310 273, The Wraith Took the Bait, Lin Da nearly fell for it in Bengbu_2

    "She''s here too?"Upon seeing Tasya from the Scarlet Adventure Group following behind Lin Da, Kami''s heart skipped a beat, and the relaxed expression on his face vanished completely.


    This veteran Star-ranked adventurer was known to Kami.


    The strength of the Scarlet Adventure Group was not inferior to that of the White Dove Adventure Group, and Tasya was one of its main forces.


    It could be said that, apart from Hulus, the Specter side really had no confidence in dealing with Tasya.


    Moreover, Kami realized that the Phoenix Tail Flower team also had a second Star-ranked adventurer.


    The aura of the werewolf Lulu was even more profound than his!


    The information was wrong!


    Kami glared at Rhode in anger, silently questioning: Wasn''t the Phoenix Tail Flower team supposed to be without a Star-ranked adventurer?


    Rhode was also very surprised.


    The growth rate of the Phoenix Tail Flower team was far too fast.


    Rhode discreetly shook his head at Kami.


    Kami understood.


    "The Phoenix Tail Flower team is not qualified to challenge the Specter Adventure Group," Kami said with a solemn face, amid the cameras of magic guided cameras.


    He glanced, without changing his expression, at the silver-haired maid standing expressionlessly behind Lin Da.


    Who knows what kind of challenge Phoenix Tail Flower was thinking of?


    If it came to a one-on-one fight, probably no one from Specter would be a match for Tasya.


    The reporters from both sides pointed their cameras at Kami.


    Kami''s face began to show embarrassment, fearing that others might see his lack of confidence.


    Lin Da laughed and said, "I just wanted to challenge one of your level 29 members, while I am only level 26. As an Iron Level group, you are afraid to accept this challenge?"


    Kami''s eyes turned bloodshot as he glared at Lin Da. He was not blind, and judging by the thickness of the shield Lin Da displayed while fighting an Epic Monster, Specter''s level 29 member would stand no chance against Lin Da and would only be humiliated if he stepped up!


    "He is unwell, not fit for battle," Kami said, his face turning purple.


    "Then, let''s switch to another," Lin Da suggested.


    "He''s planning to travel far with his wife soon and cannot accept your challenge," Kami replied.


    "How about the blonde lady then?"


    "She''s carrying my child, how dare you challenge a pregnant woman?" Kami exclaimed.


    "Then let''s switch to pockmarked-face."


    "He''s suffering from unbearable hemorrhoid pain and is not suited for combat," Kami stated.


    Their exchange made the expressions of the reporters quite bizarre.


    Lin Da pointed out that all the adventurers below level 30 from Specter either had stomach aches or headaches.


    Some even had ''battle phobia'' after coming out from the World Tree yesterday, feeling nauseous whenever they held a sword, needing a long time for psychological treatment.


    In any case, they just wouldn''t fight Lin Da.


    But don''t get it wrong, Specter wasn''t scared of you, Lin Da; all their members just happened to be unwell!


    "Sigh," Lin Da sighed, looking at Kami with a bit of amusement, "I never thought that the deputy leader of Specter would be such a tsundere old man, acting tough even though he''s clearly terrified, making one unable to resist the urge to teach him a lesson."


    "Tsu, tsundere!?" Kami''s eyes bulged as if they were copper bells, and the blood vessels near his temples swelled.


    He too liked to ''educate'' tsundere elves, making them cry and say ''I like Uncle Kami the most,'' but this damn Lin Da actually dared to call him tsundere!


    What made Kami even more furious came next, as Lin Da pointed lazily at his nose:


    "Since the members below Star-ranked from the Specter Adventure Group are all unwell, then let me challenge you, the old tsundere. Mr. Kami, a Star-ranked adventurer, you surely wouldn''t refuse this challenge, right?"


    "After all, you look so spirited, turning purple one moment and red the next, even young girls don''t change so much."


    "Ha ha, hahaha!" Kami burst into laughter, finding the concept absurd. "You, a level 26 adventurer, challenging a Star-ranked adventurer like myself?"


    Kami covered his forehead, laughing loudly.


    Courting death.


    This Lin Da was recklessly arrogant, seeking his own doom!


    Even though in the Arena, the duels were just sparring sessions, they were fought until yielding.


    But Magic Power and Battle Qi were blind.


    Many who went up there arrogant and aggressive, came down missing limbs and more dispirited than weeds dried up by the roadside.


    Doomed to a second half of life in defeat, in the form of waste.


    Lin Da oh Lin Da, there are paths to heaven you didn''t take, to hell you rush without a door!


    Kami struggled to contain his amusement, barely able to keep a straight face, with a smile that was about to break through.


    ```


    The reporters were anxious, all wanting to move a large rock to press down on Kam''s mouth corner.


    Your true colors are fully exposed!


    "What''s the deal with Lin Da, challenging a Star Rank at level 26 against level 30, has excessive praise gone to his head?"


    Kami, the ace reporter of White Dove Morning News, holding a little notebook and a feather pen, looked curiously at Lin Da.


    There were not a few who shared Kami''s thoughts.


    The gap between Star Rank and those below it was too vast.


    There had yet been any Star Rank who had lost in a head-on confrontation.


    Rhode, however, felt somewhat puzzled.


    From his investigation, Lin Da''s character was steady, and the details in his adventure strategies were numerous, showing his caution everywhere��the kind of person you suspect of ulterior motives even when he picks up droppings and puts them in his mouth.


    To challenge the Star Rank at level 26, did Lin Da really have confidence?


    Rhode had just decided to thicken his face and refuse Lin Da''s challenge.


    Unfortunately, he was a step too late.


    With a loud laugh, Kam said, "Well, then I''ll teach you a lesson, you ignorant brat!"


    "Once you enter the Arena, you are responsible for your own life and death, that''s the unwritten rule among adventurers, you should know that, right?"


    Lin Da''s body shook, and he bit his lip, "But, but why won''t you refuse me! Star-ranked adventurers are much stronger than me, it''s, it''s unfair!"


    Facing the Star Rank, Lin Da suddenly lost his confidence, and everyone present could see the panic in his heart.


    Kam''s mouth corner twitched upward, feeling even more smug in his heart.


    From Lin Da''s performance, he was clearly scared.


    As the deputy head of Specter Adventure Group, Kam was naturally not foolish, always wary of Lin Da playing dirty tricks.


    But at this moment, Lin Da''s fear made Kam realize in an instant: Lin Da had no confidence in beating him, he was just shooting his mouth off earlier, and now that Kam had really accepted Lin Da''s challenge, Lin Da was the one who was scared!


    Kam observed carefully; Lin Da''s surface appeared relaxed, but cold sweat was seeping out of his forehead, and he was deliberately pursing his lips and making odd movements to mask his unease.


    "Lord Captain, no."


    "Master, you''re being impulsive."


    "Lin Da, turn him down."


    Monica, Tasya, and Lulu, the three members of the team, surrounded Lin Da, each looking anxious and speaking in hushed tones, trying to persuade him.


    They didn''t want to be overheard, but unfortunately for them, Kam was Star Rank, his hearing was far beyond that of an ordinary person.


    He overheard every word said by the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    With that, Kam''s heart felt like a heavy stone had finally settled.


    At level 30 Star Rank, against the mere level 26 Lin Da, the advantage was his!


    Kam couldn''t think of any way he could lose.


    "I... I refuse this chal... "


    Lin Da''s forehead beaded with sweat, his gaze darting around.


    But why would Kam miss out on this great opportunity?


    Played right, he could rid himself of Lin Da, a chronic headache.


    With a sneer, Kam said, "I know you''re scared, so let''s do this, I won''t bully the weak by holding back my Star Rank ''presence'' and will even give you a handicap of one arm, that should be fair, right?"


    "Things have come this far, and you, the team leader of Phoenix Tail Flower, came here with such pomp, issuing the challenge yourself, you wouldn''t refuse, would you?"


    "No way, no way, could it be that you, Lin Da, are the ''tsundere'' who says one thing and means another? Hehehe... If word of this gets out, the whole city will look down on you, Lin Da."


    "And the so-called ''Eye of True Knowledge? I''d say ''Eye of Cowardice'' suits you better!"


    Kam''s words were sharp, pushing aggressively.


    It seemed as though if Lin Da refused the challenge, he would be utterly disgraced!


    The atmosphere was tense, with Kam pushing Lin Da to the edge of a cliff.


    Lin Da either had to cower and accept losing face,


    Or steel himself and agree to the duel with Kam. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    All reporters were sweating bullets for Lin Da.


    They liked hot news, this was true, but in their hearts, they held more affection for the honorable adventurer Lin Da than for Kam.


    "Sometimes, you have to know when to back down," a female reporter murmured a reminder.


    Regrettably, Lin Da''s face was beet red, scratching his ears and cheeks, and he breathed heavily, with a pronounced rise and fall of his chest, appearing to have lost all reason.


    "I am an honorable adventurer, how can I go back on my word."


    "Alright, Kam, I accept this duel!"


    Having said that, Lin Da seemed drained, cupping his face with his hands, not wanting others to see his annoyed expression.


    If Kam''s mouth corner could be pressed down with a large rock, then Lin Da''s would require moving a whole mountain.


    So much so that he had to cover his face with his hands.


    ```

 Chapter 311 274, Life and Death Contract

    Originally, Lin Da''s objective was considered successful if Kam could restrain his "momentum" without using it.He had not anticipated that Kam would be so flamboyant, even allowing himself to use just one hand.


    Lin Da could only accept the situation with a smile.


    The reporters, seeing Lin Da being coerced into agreement, caused a stir.


    Kami sighed inwardly, "I hope Captain Lin Da can safely step off the arena. My rise to the position of chief editor at the White Dove Morning News is all thanks to the news provided by Lin Da."


    Headlines like "Lin Da''s Crab Battle," "The Elusive Shadow, Suspected to be Lin Da Throwing a Silver Party," "The Man Who''s More Handsome than the Goblin Prince," "Panda Enthusiast Lin Da," and so on, were all written by Kami''s hand.


    With Lin Da around, Kami never worried about hot news.


    The members of the Phoenix Tail Flower were terribly anxious and wanted to persuade Lin Da, but they were stopped by the members of Ghost.


    Kam laughed heartily, rubbing his hands eagerly: "The amphitheater is a five-minute carriage ride from here. Captain Lin Da, if you please?"


    Kam, overly excited, even used honorifics with Lin Da.


    After all, this might be their last conversation.


    Thinking of this, the smile on Kam''s face grew even broader.


    "Let''s go, let''s go," Lin Da''s voice sounded unconfident.


    Rhode had been observing Lin Da all along.


    The robust man muttered to himself: "Am I overthinking? Fame and wealth are the easiest things to cloud one''s judgment. Even if Lin Da behaves well and has a stable temperament, he''s ultimately just a young man. Layer upon layer of glory has blinded him to reality, making him truly believe he is stronger than a Star Rank."


    "It would be nice to get rid of Lin Da, but I actually feel a bit of regret. Such talent should not be wasted on us."


    Seeing Lin Da covering his face, his shoulders trembling slightly, Rhode let out a sigh, feeling a sense of regret for the talent that might be lost.


    In a blink of an eye, everyone moved into the amphitheater.


    The sky was dyed with twilight, and the orange sunset spilled over the arena''s mottled stone bricks.


    There were many cracks, chips, and indelible deep purple ''paint'' stains.


    Every adventurer who set foot on the arena had left their own mark.


    It was said that at midnight, one could hear sharp cries coming from the amphitheater.


    The amphitheater was managed by the Adventurers'' Guild, and the staff, with serious expressions, took out the documents for Lin Da and Kam to sign.


    "You still have a chance to refuse now."


    The staff member was a sweet-looking lady with purple hair.


    "I would really like to refuse, but I''m an adventurer, and adventurers don''t speak of retreat," Lin Da said, signing the Life and Death Contract with his trembling hand.


    The two handed the contract back to the staff member.


    This meant there was no turning back.


    Under the watchful eyes of many, Lin Da walked up the stone steps to the circular arena.


    The arena was one meter high with a diameter of thirty meters.


    Just standing on it, one could feel an oppressive, deadly atmosphere.


    Lin Da and Kam each took a position on opposite sides.


    The Magic Guided Cameras below focused on them.


    Many reporters secretly prayed, hoping that Kam would show the restraint of an elder and stop at an appropriate point, not to harm the future talent of White Dove City.


    "Eh, the White Dove Adventure Group and President Velen are here?"


    Reporter Kami shrewdly noticed that before the battle even started, some had already come following the news.


    The speed at which the news spread was perhaps too fast.


    It was almost as if it was anticipated.


    The ones from the White Dove Adventure Group who arrived were a trio: Abner, Jite, and Gale.


    Seeing Lin Da on the arena, facing the Star Rank Kam, they did not seem worried.


    Gale even took out a reclining chair from his space ring, crossed his legs, fetched a cup and a straw, and contentedly sipped on peach juice.


    President Velen''s face was expressionless, he wore a brown trench coat, and his golden braids fluttered in the wind. The scar on his forehead made the lines of his cheeks appear even more rigid.


    Seeing this setup, Rhode felt a sense of foreboding.


    He was just about to warn Kam when the staff member rang a brass bell. Following the piercing ''ding'' sound, the battle officially began!


    "Lin Da, I''ll make your death a quick one!"


    Kam, who couldn''t hold back any longer, laughed loudly.


    As per the agreement, he didn''t use his Star Rank "Strength" and even gave Lin Da the advantage of only using his left hand.


    "Shadow Enchantment."


    Kam uttered lowly, black flames ignited on his longsword, slightly distorting even the air around it as it seared.


    "Dual Blade Warrior, level 30, main weapon the ''Dream Demon'' series, probably possesses over 3500 points of strength."


    Jite immediately spotted Kam''s details, and his complexion didn''t look too good. "Wasn''t Lin Da a bit reckless?"


    Even with Kam''s concessions, the foundational powers of a Star Rank were still far too superior to Lin Da''s.


    Gale merely shrugged his shoulders, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.


    "Just watch, what they call a ''turtle shell.''"


    On the arena, Kam''s mouth split into a smile, and as he charged swiftly forward, his center-parted grey hair flew to the sides, an expression of sweet revenge plastered across his aged face.


    If Kam could share just one-tenth of the joy in his heart with others, it might instantly heal sufferers of melancholia!


    Only ten meters, eight meters... three meters, and he would eliminate the bane of the Phantom''s existence!


    Once his elder brother Hulus got out of prison, how would he praise him? Since the death of their parents, Kam had always relied on Hulus. Someone in the team had privately called him "Brother''s Boy," angering him so much that he burned that person to ash and scattered them in the urinal.


    Now, Kam wanted to prove to Hulus that he, too, was an excellent adventurer, capable of solving troubles even Hulus couldn''t handle!


    "Die!"


    Kam laughed maniacally as he charged in front of Lin Da, the longsword ablaze with black flames, aimed at Lin Da''s neck.


    He intended to behead him with one blow, to witness the troubling thorn in his side''s head flying through the air!


    "Poison Fang Slash!"


    Kam announced his technique, shouting the name of the move out loud!


    The hearts of the spectators rose to their throats. Those who were closer to the amphitheater worried about getting splashed with blood hastily moved a bit farther away.


    When a Star Rank deployed a skill, its might was tremendous.


    Even though the members of the Phoenix Tail Flower were mentally prepared, they couldn''t help feeling tense.


    Tasya and Lulu were somewhat better, one regarded Lin Da as a deity, and the other had enough trust in Lin Da.


    Monica was more timid, unable to help herself, she covered her eyes with her small hands, silently praying for Lin Da''s safety.


    "Verdant Shield."


    Lin Da chanted a spell at the start, ensuring he was well protected with his "turtle shell."


    He purposely acted very apprehensive, exerting himself to tremble with apparent overwhelming fear.


    The goal was to lower Kam''s guard and provoke him into attacking openly and broadly.


    For ''that move'' could only strike directly ahead.


    If Kam relied on the high agility attribute of the Star Rank to fight a guerrilla war, Lin Da would indeed have difficulty coping. Sear?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Luckily, Kam was foolish enough to be a ''Brother''s Boy.''


    Under Hulus''s protection, Kam''s brain had devolved to the level of a baby.


    When Kam grinned and rushed forward, Lin Da''s trembling and facial fear had vanished without a trace.


    On his lips, a hint of a mocking smile curled up.

 Chapter 312 275, hand, my hand

    Kam''s heart skipped a beat.What was up with Lin Da''s expression?


    Kam faintly felt a hint of unease.


    But he clenched his teeth and chose to trust the long sword in his hands, "Dream of Slumber."


    It was a superior orange weapon.


    A Star Rank gift prepared by Hulus for him.


    "Die!"


    Kam''s eyes turned blood-red as the "Dream of Slumber," ablaze with Black Flame, slashed down. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Those in the audience who were faint of heart instinctively shut their eyes.


    ���� Clang!


    What everyone heard, however, was the sound of the longsword chopping on the hard rock.


    The blade recoiled.


    A powerful recoil turned Kam''s face pale, and his hands went numb, losing sensation for a moment.


    He stared at Lin Da incredulously.


    As the black flame longsword came within one centimeter of Lin Da''s neck, a verdant green light shield lit up.


    Firmly blocking the attack.


    Then came a crisp shattering sound.


    This marked Kam''s greatest accomplishment.


    He broke Lin Da''s shield with one move.


    A Star Rank, after all, still had its attack power.


    But no one knew that beneath the shield, Lin Da had a staggering 12,800 hit points.


    The outcome of this battle had been set from the moment Kam stepped onto the arena.


    Lin Da knew everything about Kam.


    Unless Kam was a witch, even considering Kam''s strength at the top of level 30 Star Rank, he couldn''t kill him in one blow.


    The tactic Lin Da devised was to exploit the stiffness after Kam''s all-out attack.


    The more force Kam used in his swing, the larger the recovery delay from his follow-through would be.


    This set of gaming theory applied just as well in reality.


    Lin Da lured Kam step by step into the trap with his superb acting skills.


    Next, it was his turn.


    "Death Crab Pincer."


    Lin Da muttered to himself.


    The skill granted by the equipment resonated with the magic circuit within him.


    The original white circuit turned red, matching the Red Armored Crab King.


    A semi-transparent phantom of the magical creature emerged behind Lin Da.


    It was distinctly a downsized Red Armored Crab King, two meters tall with a five-meter wingspan!


    As the magical creature phantom appeared, Kam immediately felt a chill over his head.


    "Not good," Rhode''s expression changed as he recognized Lin Da''s skill.


    Death Crab Pincer ignored defenses and dealt true damage to an adventurer''s life barrier.


    Even if Lin Da''s attack was low, having the Death Crab Pincer skill still posed a threat to Kam.


    The thoughts of the crowd flashed momentarily.


    On the arena.


    The crimson crab pincers slashed horizontally forward.


    A soul-chilling burst of cold light shone.


    Kam''s sword-wielding right hand flew into the air.


    At the site of the wound, broken bones and muscle fibers could be seen.


    Blood spurted out, adding a touch of murderous aura to the arena.


    Kam stared blankly at his severed arm, his expression frozen.


    Pain shot through his brain, yet it failed to pull Kam back to reality.


    Wait, what happened?


    Where is my hand?


    Kam was a bit dazed, as if he were in a dream.


    He tried to control his right hand to wield the sword and continue attacking Lin Da.


    But no matter how his brain issued the command, he could not find the presence of his right hand.


    The old buddy who had been with Kam for decades was suddenly gone.


    That sense of discord kept Kam out of his senses for a long while.


    "Venom Magic Sphere, Dark Whip, Venom Eruption!"


    Lin Da would not wait for Kam to adjust his mentality.


    While Kam was spacing out, he chanted a spell, unleashing all his attack skills at once.


    "Ahhhh!"


    Kam was hit by all of it, screaming in pain.


    The Life Barrier fluctuated violently, and the Venom Magic Sphere corroded it, emitting wisps of white smoke.


    Every inch of the barrier was connected to the core of his spiritual world, more connected than fingertips to a heart.


    Kam rolled on the ground in agony, his face streaming with tears and mucus, covered in dust.


    Everyone was stunned.


    Strong endurance is an essential quality of an excellent adventurer. How could Kam, placed in his situation, perform worse than a third-rate adventurer of a wild team?


    At that moment, Rhode''s face completely darkened. How could that cruel and cunning Hulus have such a useless brother?


    It was unimaginable how much resources Hulus had invested in Kam to push him to Star Rank!


    Jite''s thick leopard tail swayed back and forth, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes as he muttered to himself, "No wonder Gale agreed, the thickness of this shield is unbelievable..."


    In fact, that afternoon, Lin Da and Gale had tested it.


    Verdant Shield could withstand the skills of the 34th level Gale.


    That was why Gale had agreed to Lin Da''s plan.


    "Venom Magic Sphere."


    On the arena, Lin Da kicked a man while he was down, waving his hand to release two deep purple magic spheres.


    Kam jumped up frantically, dodging in severe pain.


    After all, as a Star-ranked adventurer, his speed far exceeded that of ordinary people.


    However, what happened next dumbfounded everyone.


    Kam accidentally stepped on his right hand that had fallen to the ground.


    As a result, he tripped over his own hand and fell flat on his face, hitting his forehead hard on the ground.


    Next, Lin Da''s two Venom Magic Spheres hit Kam squarely on the buttocks.


    "Ahhhhhh!"


    A scream, unbearable to hear as if a pig was being slaughtered, erupted in the arena.


    A reporter, quite inappropriately, laughed out loud.


    Despite the tragic scene.


    But Kam was tripped up by his own hand that had fallen on the ground.


    "Now I can scratch that itch on my back," Kami murmured.


    "Don''t come over here, don''t come over here!!!"


    "Big brother save me!"


    Experience new tales on empire


    Kam looked at Lin Da in panic.


    On Lin Da, the green shell was put back on.


    A full-force strike with Kam''s right hand was needed to break through Lin Da''s defense.


    Now, the right hand was gone.


    No chance of fighting back!


    The battle was decisively concluded!


    Lin Da heaved a sigh of regret, "Mr. Kam, I am sorry. I cannot forgive you; you and your brother both wanted to put me to death. If I let you go, wouldn''t I be crossing myself?"


    "Upon entering the arena, as brave adventurers, we signed a Life and Death Contract. I hope you can maintain the honorable side of an adventurer and die with a smile."


    "No, I surrender..." Kam, grasping at straws, remembered that surrender was allowed in the arena.


    Only it was too embarrassing. Many adventurers would rather fight until the last moment than to surrender humiliatingly.


    Seeing Kam preparing to surrender, Lin Da quickly released the Dark Whip.


    Whoosh.


    The Dark Whip and a shadow below the stage charged towards Kam simultaneously.


    "Dare!"


    The shadow''s hand lit up, revealing a huge double-bladed axe.


    This man had dark red hair, a scar-covered face, and bulging muscles on his arms, appearing to be about thirty years old.


    With a swing of his axe, he chopped Lin Da''s Dark Whip!


    This strong man, named Nacho, a 33rd-level Berserker, had been previously schemed against by Hulus and signed into a slave contract.


    If Kam were to die, Nacho would undoubtedly be held accountable, tormented to a fate worse than death.


    Even if it meant breaking the rules of the arena, Nacho had to save Kam!


    The sudden turn of events stunned everyone.


    Nacho''s eyes gleamed coldly, his Dark Series Battle Qi gathering on the double-bladed axe, like a beast ready to pounce on its target.

 Chapter 313 276. After killing the deputy leader of the ghost, Lin Da demands compensation.

    This 33-level Berserker put a lot more pressure on Lin Da than Kam, who was strong on the outside but weak on the inside, like a paper tiger.The Star Rank [Force] swept across, and the gravity around suddenly increased by hundreds of times.


    The tip of the Sword of Royalty in Lin Da''s hand thudded to the ground, and his feet sank into the bluestone tiles of the Arena.


    He didn''t dare to be careless and quickly replenished himself with a new Verdant Shield.


    These old Lao Deng really had no martial values, sending a 33-level Berserker to ambush him, a 26-level support!


    The crowd below quickly reacted.


    The two Star Rank members of the Phoenix Tail Flower burst out in anger on the spot!


    Tasya''s face was covered with frost, and killing intent swirled in her green eyes.


    Read exclusive chapters at empire


    A black suitcase appeared out of thin air, quickly assembling into a Magic Cannon resembling a Gatling gun.


    Wind Battle Qi followed the precise Array inside, Tasya held the Magic Cannon, the honeycomb-like barrel lit up, and a barrage of Battle Qi rained down! Sear?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lulu''s hands transformed into fiercely savage beast claws, shooting towards the Arena like arrows, and she launched the "Frost Wolf Iron Claw" at Nacho!


    Nacho could hardly imagine that the people from Phoenix Tail Flower would react so quickly; he barely caught Lulu''s attack with his double-bladed axe, scraping the ground and being pushed back eight meters.


    The Berserker couldn''t help but feel shocked: from sensing the aura, the werewolf girl seemed much weaker than him, around level 31. But her strength was almost comparable to his.


    Before he could think further, the barrage from the Magic Cannon fell down, Nacho hardened himself with a Life Barrier, the continuous barrage rattling against it, Nacho''s mouth spouting nonstop blood.


    The Barrier was connected to the adventurer''s critical source core; each hit inflicted damage upon Nacho.


    Lulu seized the opportunity to launch a follow-up attack; her cold eyes reflected Nacho''s horrified expression, her beast claw raised toward Nacho''s neck.


    At this moment, Nacho was both shocked and angry, shocked by the formidable strength of the two Star Rank adventurers, none of which he was confident to defeat, and yet he was angry because...


    He had only looked at Lin Da once, but both Lulu and Tasya seemed intent on killing him!


    This, this wasn''t necessary!


    The staff of the Adventurers'' Guild seemed like ''blind men with open eyes,'' not stopping Lulu and her attacks on Nacho.


    Since Nacho was the first to break the rules, it served him right to be counter-attacked by the people from Phoenix Tail Flower.


    In just a few seconds, Tasya and Lulu had pushed Nacho into constant retreat; the robust man''s chest was covered in blood he had spat out, his eyes filled with terror.


    Clearly, the strength of both Tasya and Lulu was beyond Nacho''s imagination!


    From Lin Da''s perspective, this Berserker had almost lost 8000 health.


    He still looked quite spirited, worthy of being level 33.


    "Stop!"


    The leader of Bedrock, Rhode, couldn''t stand it anymore; with a low roar, his nearly 300-pound body shot into the center of the Arena like a cannonball.


    "This duel is over, I request a stop!"


    Rhode truly lived up to his identity as the leader of the Steel Level Adventure Group, his aggressive combat power directly blocked Lulu''s attack, and with a fierce swing of his right arm, Lulu spun several times in the air with her knees curled before dissipating the impact and landing on the ground.


    ''This person, stronger than me.''


    A trace of solemnity flashed in Lulu''s eyes.


    Members from Soulghost and Bedrock also stepped onto the stage in succession.


    Abner frowned, taking Gale and Jite onto the stage.


    The Arena was permeated with the smell of gunpowder, and what seemed to be an ordinary duel had escalated into a contest between three major Steel Level Adventure Groups!


    The staff differentiated between severity; an internal conflict at the Iron Level was definitely something the officials of White Dove City did not want to see, she coughed and said:


    "Conceding requires the person himself to shout it out. Also, regarding Soulghost''s interference in the duel, appropriate penalties will be imposed."


    After listening, Lin Da''s eyes darkened; how could he let Kam concede?


    His plan was to kill Kam!


    He wouldn''t spare anyone who laid hands on Phoenix Tail Flower.


    Showing mercy to the enemy was being cruel to oneself.


    His mind raced, searching for ways to kill Kam.


    Rhode saw Lin Da''s indifferent expression and shouted inwardly that something was wrong.


    This young adventurer was only level 26, yet he posed a threat to Rhode, much higher than many Star Rank adventurers.


    "Kam, quick, admit defeat!"


    Don''t give Lin Da a chance.


    Rhode thought anxiously.


    He turned his head to urge Kam.


    The sight before him, however, made Rhode''s expression change.


    Kam''s eyes were full of loathing, and his facial flesh trembled crazily with fury.


    "A mere ant, daring to harm me, damn it, damn it...!"


    "Lin Da, I want you dead!"


    Kam''s eyes were filled with fury as he charged at Lin Da. At that moment, Kam no longer held back; his 30-level Star Rank momentum fully erupted, his left hand gripped the long sword, the Magic Circuit inside his body ran at full speed, and his entire body ignited with Black Flame.


    Rhode stared at Kam astonished; that was Kam''s Ultimate Skill, [Demon Man Slash].


    By imperial law, duelists among adventurers were prohibited from using Ultimate Skills, which were extremely damaging. Once used, it was either death or severe injury, and all Ultimate Skills should be applied to Magical Creatures.


    Releasing an Ultimate Skill in the city under everyone''s eyes was akin to despising imperial law.


    Even a Moon Rank or Light Rank adventurer couldn''t save the completely mad Kam!


    ''This idiot!''


    Rhode, frantic, reached out to stop Kam.


    But unexpectedly, Gale was one step ahead.


    A gust of wind magic blew Rhode away, forcing the irrational Kam to attack Lin Da.


    Actually, when Kam had charged out, he immediately regretted it.


    He was blocked by Rhode''s group and hadn''t seen how many Star Rank adventurers were standing by Lin Da.


    Among them was Abner, the top combatant of White Dove City, a 39-level [Mind''s Eye].

 Chapter 314 276. Killing the Vice Captain of the Spectral Ghosts, Lin Da demands compensation_2

    The nearsighted rhinoceros charged forward only to discover upon approach that it was facing an elephant herd.It left Kam completely dumbstruck. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Abner''s expression remained calm, seemingly unaffected by the threat Kam posed.


    His right hand reached for the long sword at his waist.


    The sword resembled a katana, with a white hilt wrapped in spirals of black cloth.


    It had no elaborate decorations, simple and efficient.


    But the magic fluctuations emanating from the sword couldn''t be ignored.


    With such a powerhouse present, Lin Da hardly worried about being harmed by Kam.


    A flash of cold light.


    Kam''s remaining left arm flew into the air.


    With a thud, it landed on the ground like bulky trash.


    Kam, having lost his balance, fell awkwardly.


    There was no fear, shock, or anger on Kam''s face.


    He just stared blankly at his ''hands.''


    "You''ve brought this upon yourself," Abner sheathed his sword, speaking indifferently.


    Rhode closed his eyes and sighed deeply.


    The reporters frenziedly snapped pictures of Kam, capturing this clownish spectacle.


    Seated on the ground, Kam remained dazed for a moment before bursting into laughter.


    "Gone, my hand is gone, hahaha! My hand is gone, hahaha!"


    Watching Kam, now driven mad, Lin Da felt no sympathy as he calmly approached and raised the Sword of Royalty.


    "You lack martial honor, attacking me with an ultimate skill unawares. According to the ''Adventurer Law,'' Article 61, I have the right to execute you."


    "Wait, he''s just a child��"


    Rhode tried to argue.


    Even if Kam was 46 years old, he was still immature.


    How could you take such a person seriously?


    However, Lin Da would not allow any more accidents to happen.


    The Sword of Royalty made a clean, decisive cut.


    Splurt!


    Tomato juice-like blood sprayed out.


    In the moment before death, Kam regained clarity and cried out in fear: "Big brother, save me!"


    Alas, it was too late.


    The moment Kam challenged Lin Da, his fate was sealed.


    A once whole head rolled to a stop at Rhode''s feet.


    "He... was still... a child."


    Rhode muttered to himself.


    The burly man touched his smooth forehead, feeling helpless and heartbroken.


    Even if Kam was a good-for-nothing, he was also the brother of his friend, Hulus.


    Kam''s death filled Rhode with surging anger.


    But glancing at Abner, Rhode forcefully quenched his fury.


    Lin Da killing Kam by his own hand marked the end of the duel.


    The reporters snapped photos continuously.


    Kam became the first Star Rank to be slain by an adventurer below level 30.


    His attempt to ambush Lin Da with an ultimate skill was sheer humiliation.


    Even with Kam dead, no one could accuse Lin Da of any crime.


    "Let''s go!" Rhode took a deep breath, picked up Kam''s head and body, intending to leave.


    "Wait."


    Lin Da spoke, "Interfering in the arena, you nearly caused my death; this cannot be overlooked."


    "''Nearly caused your death''? Nacho just glanced at you!" Rhode paused, then burst out in anger.


    "How would you know if I wasn''t scared to death, not being me?"


    "The pressure from a level 33 Star Rank is too great for me."


    "It may look like I''m fine, but I''ve lost half my life already!"


    Lin Da pointed at Nacho, expressionless: "Having him lose half his life too, that seems fair, doesn''t it?"


    Upon hearing this, Nacho, who had barely suppressed his internal injury, nearly relapsed.


    Fair?


    Absolutely ridiculous!


    He had merely glared at Lin Da and was beaten severely by two of Lin Da''s teammates.


    Now Lin Da wanted half his life too.


    "Just let him die and it''ll all be over!"


    "Not just that."


    Nacho looked at Kam''s corpse, feeling increasing chill in his heart.


    Once Hulus gets out of prison, he definitely won''t let him off lightly.


    His future looked grim.


    Unexpectedly, at this time, Rhode stood up.


    "Lin Da, just say it, what kind of compensation do you want?" Rhode said coldly. Experience exclusive tales on empire


    Lin Da thought for a moment and said, "I''m the victim here. It''s only reasonable that you propose the compensation amount, isn''t it?"


    Rhode just wanted to quickly settle the matter.


    After some argument, it was decided: Phantom would pay Lin Da one million Gold Coins in damages for emotional distress.


    This amount was incredibly large. Phantom''s annual income was about one million Gold Coins.


    Not only had their vice-captain died, but they also had to compensate Lin Da with money.


    Apart from the few slaves directly controlled by Hulus, the other team members, one by one, were so angry that their faces turned ashen.


    Yet, facing the cameras of the reporters, they had to speak gently and comfort Lin Da, wishing him a good rest and recovery.


    In the afternoon, Lin Da and his team confidently walked out of the Amphitheater.


    They headed to a nearby business, brandishing the damages paid by Phantom, and splurged on 1,000 Bronze Level Fruits of the World Tree.


    As it happened, the Great Mystery Continent had recently opened its fifth layer, leading to a slight increase in the production of Bronze Tree fruit.


    Furthermore, with Lin Da''s honor as an adventurer, the business reduced their prices proactively, lowering them to 950,000 Gold Coins.


    Effectively, Lin Da saved 50,000 Gold Coins and bought 1,000 Bronze Tree fruits.


    True to its name, the tree that bore this fruit had leaves of a bronze-colored hue. Close-up, the fruit exuded a fragrant aroma and was infused with rich magic power fluctuations.


    Overall, it looked a bit like an apple.


    Lin Da distributed one to each team member, and they ate them as they rode in a carriage on their way back to the villa.


    [System Prompt: Consuming a Bronze Level Fruit of the World Tree increases your experience by 1 point per second for 1,000 seconds.]


    It seemed that one fruit could increase experience by 1,000 points.


    Lin Da felt his stomach was still quite empty, so he took out a paper bag filled with Bronze Tree fruits from his Space Ring and continued to eat voraciously.


    Not until the tenth fruit did he burp, feeling too full to eat anymore.


    Lin Da glanced at his personal interface, where the experience point increase had jumped from 1 point per second to 10 points per second.


    In other words, by eating the Fruits of the World Tree, he could gain an extra 10,000 experience points every day.


    However, for ordinary adventurers, consuming the Fruits of the World Tree required cultivation for transformation, and the higher the level, the more difficult the transformation became.


    If one kept relying on the Fruits of the World Tree to level up, they''d eventually hit a bottleneck that could permanently halt their progress.


    The body would become dependent on the fruit, ruining an adventurer''s career thereafter.


    One could eat them, but not excessively.


    Therefore, Lin Da only gave Monica and the others three each.


    "Three team members, consuming nine Bronze Tree fruits a day, and I ten, will amount to 570 fruits a month... roughly 570,000 Gold Coins. Plus the team members'' wages... Although they aren''t asking for it, I still need to give what''s due."


    "Lulu is Star Rank, her base pay is 100,000 Gold Coins a month, Tasya isn''t officially on the team, so she only gets maid-level wages, Monica 30,000 Gold Coins, Kafni 1,000 Gold Coins..."


    "Then there''s the villa''s ''Magic Power Fee'', heating, and all sorts of miscellaneous expenses, which add up to at least about 720,000 Gold Coins a month,"


    Lin Da calculated his expenses on the carriage, looking somewhat troubled.


    If it weren''t for the million Gold Coins he got from Phantom, he really wouldn''t have enough money.


    Currently, he had 1.1 million Gold Coins left on his Savings Card.


    After eating the Fruits of the World Tree in his hand, that money wouldn''t last even two months!


    "Master, is something troubling you?" Tasya noticed the difficulty on Lin Da''s face and asked attentively.


    The team members all looked over.


    Lin Da hesitated.


    Asking a maid who hadn''t yet joined the team for a loan would hurt his image as a team leader.


    Having been through owing wages with Lia, Lin Da knew all too well the importance of paying staff on time.


    Even if they were his old team members.


    But the money due had to be paid without cheating.


    Luckily, there was enough for the next two months.


    ''If I can obtain that treasure on the tenth layer, making a few hundred million Gold, and level up a few times, there should be no problem.''


    Lin Da mulled it over quietly.


    He looked up at his team members and said with a smile, "Nothing much, everyone has absorbed the strength of the Bronze Tree fruit. Cultivate well and don''t waste the fruit."


    "Even a maid like me can enjoy your fruit?" Tasya asked shyly, holding a Fruit of the World Tree, hesitating to eat it.


    "If I say eat, you eat. That''s a benefit for the maid."


    Lin Da took a World Tree fruit the size of a fist, shoved it into Tasya''s mouth forcefully.


    "Mmm, master, it''s too big... cough, cough."


    Tasya closed her eyes in embarrassment, bit into the fruit, and coughed repeatedly as she choked while swallowing.

 Chapter 315 277, Two Five-star Characters

    "I want Lord Captain to feed me too!""Sigh, there''s really no way to deal with Monica."


    "Crunch! Crunch!"


    Lulu sat in the corner of the carriage, her face cold as her sharp canine teeth easily bit the fruit in half.


    It was then that Lin Da remembered something.


    "Lulu, you have some too."


    He placed the fruit in the palm of his hand, cut it into small pieces with a fruit knife, took a toothpick out of his space ring, and handed a piece to Lulu.


    Lulu''s bushy tail gently swayed as she opened her mouth and contentedly ate the fruit piece Lin Da handed her.


    Lin Da felt somewhat embarrassed.


    It seems that having too many team members isn''t necessarily a good thing.


    The next day.


    Although there was no festival, it was the day when the Bluebird Press, the biggest newspaper in Cangqing Province, released its "Adventurer''s Weekly".


    There was a section in the Adventurer''s Weekly called "Gathering of Heroes" which introduced some adventurers who had made a name for themselves in different cities over the past week.


    Being featured in the Adventurer''s Weekly was like gilding one''s resume.


    The most famous adventure academies in the Southern Fire Empire require their students to appear at least once in their local provincial weekly.


    Abner, who had such an experience, had received an invitation from Azure Sky University located in Cyan City, the capital of Cangqing Province.


    The university''s dean was a retired adventurer of high rank.


    At his peak, he was well-known throughout the entire empire.


    It was said he had served in an adventure team that was ''most likely to reach the top of the World Tree''.


    The dean''s involvement further enhanced the reputation of Azure Sky University.


    Upon entering Azure Sky University, adventurers would receive professional combat training and scholarly education.


    Graduates from this university were highly sought after by countless adventure teams.


    The most popular among them were pure damage-dealing roles and scholars.


    Adventure teams below the Iron Level didn''t even qualify to invite them to join.


    And today, someone else received an invitation from Azure Sky University.


    The invitee was from an unnamed small city.


    So much so that people had to check the map for a while to learn that this city belonged to Cangqing Province.


    The person was titled "Eye of True Knowledge", named Lin Da.


    He was currently the leader of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, at the Rock level.


    What''s noteworthy is that this time the invitation from Azure Sky University was not sent by the admissions department but by the beautiful and aloof dean herself!


    This made many people wonder, especially the adventurers from Cyan City.


    They considered themselves ''lords'' within the province, and even across the entire empire, Cyan City was well-regarded. In their eyes, a place like White Dove City was comparable to a backward rural area.


    An adventurer from a small village could only jump so high, no matter how capable.


    Being invited by the admissions department of Azure Sky University was something to rejoice for over eight generations.


    But it was White Dove City.


    About this city, adventurers from other places didn''t have much memory, but the locals in Cyan City had almost all heard of it.


    The reason was that the admissions department of Azure Sky University had once invited Abner, the leader of the White Dove Adventure Group.


    And he had refused.


    The mentality of the adventurers from Cyan City was: How dare you?


    The chance to reach the heavens was in front of you, and you rejected it?


    Adventurers joked among themselves: Now White Dove City will be blacklisted by Azure Sky University, and no one from there should even dream of getting in.


    Yet...


    Azure Sky University sent out another invitation.


    But this time, it was the dean herself who issued the invitation!


    Ever since she took up the position, she had been indifferent to admissions, leaving everything to the admissions department.


    But unexpectedly, because of an adventurer named Lin Da from White Dove City, she made an exception and extended an invitation.


    Everyone was curious about who Lin Da was to have the dean personally invite him?


    The Adventurer''s Weekly thoughtfully included Lin Da''s portrait at the bottom and recounted his deeds.


    Everyone featured in "Gathering of Heroes" surely had some outstanding achievements. Without such records, even if someone offered a lot of Gold Coins, Adventurer''s Weekly wouldn''t publish their story.


    In the tavern, a red-haired Tigress with round beast ears and a black and white patterned tail was gnawing on a succulent pork leg while glancing at the newspaper in her hand.


    "Having been out for over a month now, Mingli and the others should be okay, right?"


    The red-haired Tigress only wore a leather bustier and shorts, revealing her healthy wheat-colored skin. With a slender and flexible waist, the contours of her abs were faintly visible.


    She sat on the chair with her legs splayed out carelessly, unconcerned about the lecherous stares from around her.


    Her name was Taige, the leader of the Dark Flame Adventure Team, at the Sunrise Level.


    Originally, Taige came to ask the dean of Azure Sky University some questions, but she got attracted by the rich atmosphere of adventure here and decided to stay for a few months before returning to Black Mamba City.


    Her fluffy tigertail wrapped around her waist as she savored a bite of roasted pork leg and spread out the newspaper, looking at it intently.


    ["Adventurer Lin Da, 23 years old, current captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team. Mature and steady, gentle to people, with an excellent reputation, possesses outstanding Shield Skills, and a very high level of Life Barrier thickness, adept at standing in the front lines, fending off Magical Creatures."]


    ["Occupation: Healing Mage. Role: Support."]


    Taige: ?


    The girl blinked in confusion.


    She even forgot to take another bite of her favourite roasted pork leg.


    If I''m not mistaken, this Lin Da is support?


    And yet his strongest suit is fighting Magical Creatures at the forefront?


    Well, why not just claim that the Elf race is never promiscuous?


    Guess even the Adventurer''s Weekly makes typographical errors... S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 316 277, Two Five-star Characters_2

    Taige chuckled and took a bite of the roasted pork leg, continuing to read.The reporter for the Adventurer''s Weekly had written about Lin Da''s achievements.


    [First: Skilled in creating detailed strategies, effectively reducing casualties among lower-level adventurers.]


    [Second: Performed exceptionally during Monster Tide in White Dove City, killing a Level 20 Orange Magical Creature, the Red Armored Crab King, with a squad with an average level in the teens.]


    [Third: Recently, he defeated a Two-Star Epic Monster, the Goblin Prince! At that time, Lin Da''s team''s average level was only 24.]


    [Fourth: Became the first in the history of Cangqing Province to kill a Star-ranked adventurer in a face-to-face duel with a strength level below 30!


    (Note: According to reports from the White Dove City reporter, the duel employed many tricks, but Lin Da''s formidable personal strength cannot be denied!)]


    Based on these four points, Adventurer''s Weekly decided to feature Lin Da on the cover of this week''s Hall of Heroes section.


    The cover image was provided by Kami, the editor-in-chief of White Dove Press.


    It was a picture of Lin Da holding a blood-soaked longsword, silhouetted against the backdrop of him killing the Red Armored Crab King during the Monster Tide.


    Taige nodded thoughtfully, thinking that these achievements were indeed fierce. White Dove City was considered one of the poorer cities in Cangqing Province, yet it managed to produce such a talent, truly a stroke of luck.


    "Shield skills, quite rare, would be great to have them join my Dark Flame adventure team."


    "But with Azure Sky University stepping forward, there probably won''t be a chance."


    "Lin Da... that old lady must have issued an invitation to White Dove City because of this name, right? I heard that White Dove City is blacklisted by Azure Sky University."


    Taige recalled a recent encounter with a petite girl with silver hair and a lazy, noble demeanor, feeling a pang of curiosity.


    She didn''t think that this person would be interested in men other than from Dark Shadow.


    After all, one of Dark Shadow''s most favored members was that person.


    Although Taige was also called a Five-star Character by Dark Shadow, there were strengths and weaknesses among the Five-stars, and despite being from the Tiger Tribe and possessing courage, Taige doubted he could defeat that person.


    "It would be fun if this Lin Da were from Dark Shadow."


    "Unfortunately, terms like ''gentle and highly praised'' could never apply to Dark Shadow."


    "Cold, ruthless, cruel, and vicious, that is what Dark Shadow is."


    Taige finished reading the Adventurer''s Weekly and casually tossed it into the trash can at his feet.


    He wasn''t in a hurry to return to Black Mamba City.


    The adventurous atmosphere in Cyan City was so strong that Taige even considered working there, saving enough money to buy a villa and move the entire Dark Flame adventure team over.


    "Where to get the money..."


    Taige''s mind wasn''t the brightest, the only thing he could think of was fighting.


    "Miss, would you like to collaborate with me?" sea??h th�� N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A young lady with pink hair approached Taige.


    The girl wore thick black-rimmed glasses and held a book, looking quite literary.


    "Who are you?" Taige sensed a hint of threat from this person.


    "Just an ordinary traveling adventurer passing by."


    Selin tilted her head slightly, smiling charmingly.


    ...


    In the evening, under the starlit sky.


    The reception room of the White Dove Adventure Group villa hosted a celebration banquet.


    The main characters of this celebration banquet were the Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team.


    Under the warm lighting, the aroma of fine wines and delicious food was heartwarming, with constant laughter and chatter.


    At the large crystal round table, President Velen sat at the head, his cheeks glowing redder from the drinks.


    To his left and right respectively were Lin Da and Abner.


    Opposite them sat Mayor Adel, with the members of the Phoenix Tail Flower and White Dove on either side.


    This seating arrangement left Lin Da feeling somewhat overwhelmed.


    Being seated to the immediate left and right of President Velen, a place for the most honored guests, was something a rock level captain like him rarely experienced.


    Lin Da, not an adventurer who normally sought the spotlight, found sitting there uncomfortably hot.


    Seeing his discomfort, President Velen raised his copy of Adventurer''s Weekly and laughed:


    "Lin Da, you are truly White Dove City''s pride, and you should rightfully be sitting here!"


    "Besides Abner''s time, it has been many years since White Dove City made it onto the Adventurer''s Weekly! Look, even Azure Sky University, renowned within the province, has sent you an invitation, and it was the president himself who invited you!"


    Abner raised his glass and said succinctly, "Lin Da, congratulations."


    Lin Da didn''t delay; he deeply respected the White Dove Leader who had helped him on numerous occasions.


    He raised his wheat beer glass with both hands and drained it in one gulp.


    Tasya stood behind Lin Da pouring wine, while Lulu furrowed her brow and whispered, "Drink less; didn''t we agree to go pick out yukatas?"


    Lin Da shuddered.


    He had almost forgotten about that.


    The Winter Festival was just around the corner.


    According to the customs of the Southern Fire Empire, adventurers would don yukatas and watch the fireworks.


    The essence of changing into yukatas was to wash away the bloodshed accumulated over the year, watch the fireworks with companions in a state of purity, and receive the blessings of the World Tree Goddess.


    Lin Da and his companions didn''t have yukatas, so they had agreed to go and buy some tonight.


    He nodded subtly at Lulu to show that he understood.


    But President Velen was offering such warm hospitality that Lin Da really couldn''t bring himself to ask Lulu to help him ward off the drinks.


    Mayor Adel sighed, "The news of Phoenix Tail Flower making the headline of Adventurer''s Weekly has already reached the Cyan City Adventure Committee. We received a notice an hour ago that from this month onwards, the monthly subsidies for each Rock-level squad will be increased from three Bronze-Level World Tree Fruits to five, and for Iron Level, from three Silver-Level to five."


    A Silver Tree Fruit was valued at ten thousand Gold Coins, adding two more made this subsidy quite significant.


    Gale joked, "Lin Da, even the Specter Adventure Group ought to thank you."


    "It''d be good enough if they don''t curse me, let alone thank me," Lin Da smiled.


    Right now, Hulus was probably in prison, mourning over Kam.


    During the Winter Festival, he could only watch the fireworks through an iron-barred window.


    "Lin Da, regarding that invitation from Azure Sky University, have you thought about it?" Velen asked, his eyes filled with expectation.


    Lin Da didn''t answer immediately, looking first towards Abner, curious, "Captain Abner, why did you refuse the invitation from Azure Sky University at that time?"


    Objectively speaking, accepting the invitation from Azure Sky University would be a very advantageous move.


    The best adventuring resources within the province, personal training by famous masters, professional knowledge... Azure Sky University is akin to a renowned 985 university; one acceptance brightens the entire family''s face.


    Everyone looked at Abner, their minds itching with curiosity.


    Yes, why did Abner refuse Azure Sky University at that time?


    Under these questioning gazes, Abner slightly opened his eyes.


    This quiet adventurer with pale blue hair tied in a ponytail, silently looked towards the floor-to-ceiling window ahead. Through the window, the World Tree twinkled beneath the night sky with emerald light.


    "Because of the existence of the 19th floor ''Gate'' in White Dove City. As long as the gate remains, White Dove City might never produce a Sunrise Level adventure group,"


    "I want to personally break through that gate," said Abner.


    Abner''s voice was calm, but his tone carried a firm resolve and determination that commanded respect.


    With Abner''s capabilities, if he were by another city''s World Tree, he would have already reached level 40 and become a Moon Rank adventurer.


    Abner''s decision to stay was to challenge the Nightmare Guardian located on the 19th floor of the White Dove City World Tree, known as the ''Gate.''


    The strength of the Nightmare Guardian surpassed that of hidden Magical Creatures.


    It is a trial randomly bestowed by the World Tree Goddess at unpredictable times.


    Before this trial is surpassed, all adventure teams that enter the 19th floor of the White Dove City World Tree will encounter the Nightmare Guardian.


    If the gate remains, it will significantly affect the prospects of the adventurers in White Dove City.


    In the future, many adventure teams that reach the 19th floor might choose to change their adventure origins and settle in Red Heart City or South Rock City, leading to a continuous loss of strong adventurers from White Dove City.


    Of course, there''s another approach: the officials could spend a large amount of money to hire excellent adventure teams from other cities to subdue the Nightmare Guardian for their own city.


    But in doing so, both the adventurers and officials of White Dove City would be despised by the entire empire �� a city that can''t even cultivate an adventure team to subdue the Nightmare Guardian surely doesn''t need the empire to prioritize its resources, does it?


    Your local officials can forget about promotions in this lifetime!


    The general atmosphere of the Mystic Continent is survival of the fittest.


    The strong get stronger, and the weak weaker.


    The reasons Abner refused Azure Sky University were two-fold: one was to challenge the Nightmare Guardian, and second, to repay President Velen for his asylum.


    Abner, once a wandering adventurer due to the Monster Tide, was accepted by President Velen, who allowed him to lead the White Dove Adventure Group.


    Thus, Abner would rather forgo the tempting offer from Azure Sky University and stay in White Dove City.


    "So, what about you, Lin Da? I think you should accept the invitation from Azure Sky University."

 Chapter 317 278. Lin Da selects yukatas for the team members.

    Abner took a sip of wheat beer from his cup and looked at Lin Da, "The principal of this university, it is said, was a Light Rank Adventurer before retiring, and his rank is probably even higher now."Above the Moon Rank is the 50th level of Light Rank.


    At that level, even in the populous Cangqing Province with its billions of people, one could be considered a powerhouse.


    President Velen sighed, "If White Dove City could produce a Light Rank Adventurer, I''d say it''s worth it even if I get my head chewed off by Magical Creatures tomorrow."


    "Hahaha, I believe that Phoenix Tail Flower and the White Dove Adventure Group both have hope," Mayor Adel laughed.


    Then, everyone turned their eyes to Lin Da: the invitation from Azure Sky University, would he go or not?


    Lin Da had his answer ready in his heart.


    He pondered for a moment before speaking, "The biggest goal of Phoenix Tail Flower at present is to advance to the Iron Level, with all members reaching Star Rank. And the invitation from Azure Sky University, it only invited me alone. I cannot abandon my teammates and go there to enjoy it all by myself."


    As Lin Da said this, the expressions of Lulu, Monica, and Tasya became particularly gentle.


    This was nothing less than Lin Da''s promise to them that he would not leave them behind again, like during the Dark Shadow period.


    It was just a pity that when Lin Da sneaked a look at the Witch''s panel, Lulu''s trust level was still at 88 and did not increase, and Tasya''s trust meter at 90 was sealed.


    The higher the trust level, the harder it is to increase.


    Getting a "Shadow of Darkness Experience Card" seemed not so easy after all.


    When Velen and the others heard Lin Da''s response, they were all a bit surprised.


    The reason for not accepting the invitation from Azure Sky University was that he couldn''t leave his teammates behind?


    From a personal interest perspective, Lin Da''s decision no doubt seemed rather foolish. Graduating from Azure Sky University was tantamount to a golden signboard, which would make recruiting teammates or planning adventure strategies twice as effective with half the effort.


    However, from the perspective of White Dove City or Lin Da''s friends, a team leader who valued loyalty and friendship was someone you could feel secure to befriend.


    Nothing like Specter Adventure Group, where President Velen''s early investments were like throwing meat buns to a dog��gone for good.


    "Lin Da, you''re really to my liking, young man. When I was an adventurer, I treated my teammates just as well as you do!"


    Velen burst into laughter, touching the scar on his face as if recalling something, his expression darkening for a moment, then lifting his glass of wheat beer:


    "One last drink, and let''s not delay Lin Da''s romantic date! I heard it, you''re going together to buy yukatas?"


    A round of good-natured laughter erupted from the table.


    Lin Da''s expression remained unchanged, graciously accepting President Velen''s teasing.


    However, Lulu''s face turned red, and she almost buried her head under the table.


    "Sister Lulu, congratulations," Monica said without a hint of jealousy, sweetly smiling. She held only blessings in her heart for Lulu, who had been as a great benefactor in helping her buy a house in Red Heart City.


    Tasya, however, kept a poker face, feeling far from calm inside.


    ...


    That evening, in the visitors'' room of Suburban Prison No. 4.


    Rhode sighed, handing over a copy of Adventurer''s Weekly and Kam''s black-and-white obituary photo to Hulus behind the iron bars. sea??h th�� N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What does this mean? Shouldn''t this be Lin Da''s obituary? Why Kam''s?"


    Hulus''s mind already knew what had happened, but his heart refused to accept it, and with trembling hands, he took Kam''s obituary.


    Although Kam was a stupid, worthless, good-for-nothing brother... he was still the only blood kin Hulus had.


    ''Big brother, that Elf is so beautiful, I want her!''


    ''Good little brother, tonight I''ll capture her for you.''


    ''Big brother, that adventurer dared to stare at me, it''s infuriating!''


    ''Don''t worry, tonight I''ll send someone to assassinate him.''


    ''Big brother, big brother~''


    ''Big brother, help, I don''t want to die��''


    Suddenly, Hulus''s mind was filled with the terrified expression of his brother Kam before his death.


    "No!" Hulus''s eyes bulged out as blood spurted from his mouth, and he fainted on the spot.


    "Hulus, Hulus!"


    Rhode immediately called for the guards.


    After the Healer''s emergency treatment, Hulus finally came around slowly.


    This time, his mood was much calmer. Holding Kam''s obituary, he stared silently for a long time without speaking.


    Rhode had a bad premonition.


    This kind of Hulus, he had never seen before.


    "I think, about this Lin Da..."


    Rhode cautiously organized his words, trying to persuade Hulus to give up.


    At least, to give up for now.


    If they were to mess with Lin Da now, they would become the enemies of the whole White Dove City!


    Phoenix Tail Flower made a name for White Dove City in the province and increased the subsidies for the Rock-level Adventure Team, gaining a lot of support.


    Conversely, Specter had acquired a reputation for a suspected assassination attempt on Lin Da, becoming reviled like a rat crossing the street, everyone calling for its demise.


    Rhode even considered parting ways with Hulus and switching to an honest path.


    If Hulus remained delusional... a cold light flashed in Rhode''s eyes.


    He would have to betray his old companion.


    "I was wrong."


    Suddenly, Hulus said this out of the blue.


    Rhode looked puzzled.


    Hulus continued, "I shouldn''t have provoked Lin Da. I was momentarily blinded, mistaking a tiger and a leopard for a puppy."


    "Kam''s death, he had it coming. It was a blow to my face, woke me up."


    "Rhode, go tell the members of Specter not to mess with Lin Da anymore, and to wait for my release from prison before making any plans."


    After hearing this, Rhode was flabbergasted.


    But after thinking about it, it indeed fit Hulus''s style. For the sake of interest, he could even bear the revenge for his blood brother Kam.


    "Then I''m relieved," Rhode exhaled and smiled, "Hulus, once you''re out, we''ll have a good drink together."


    "Sure," Hulus nodded.


    After Rhode left the visiting room, Hulus was taken back to his cell.

 Chapter 318 278. Lin Da selects yukatas for the team members_2

    His eyes had just revealed a twisted flame of hatred.Let Lin Da go?


    How could that be possible!


    Having killed his own younger brother, he wanted Lin Da to pay with his life!


    But there was one thing, Hulus hadn''t lied to Rhode.


    Before his release from prison, he indeed wouldn''t lay a hand on Lin Da.


    Kam had already startled the snake by hitting the grass, surely alerting Lin Da to be cautious.


    With just the remaining fools of Dark Shadow, there was no chance they could assassinate Lin Da successfully.


    Hulus planned to train madly in prison, to personally end Lin Da''s life!


    Of course.


    Even if Lin Da knew about this, he probably wouldn''t take it to heart.


    There were too many people who wanted ''revenge'' on him, one more Hulus wouldn''t make a difference.


    Not to mention distant threats.


    There was a level 40 Mingli in Black Mamba City, far stronger than Hulus.


    By the time Hulus got out of prison, that wouldn''t be until half a year later.


    By then, Lin Da would at least be a Moon Rank adventurer.


    If Hulus still dared to come after him, it would only bring him shame.


    At this moment, Lin Da was leisurely strolling through a mall with his team members, picking out yukatas.


    ...


    The night market was brightly lit, neon signs of various shops casting the street in a multitude of colors.


    In a large chain clothing store run by Elves named Verdant Abundance.


    Silver chandeliers made the interior as bright as day, the floor was shiny and smooth, making crisp tapping sounds as one walked on it.


    On the matte black shelves, hung Winter Festival yukatas of various styles.


    Lin Da stroked his chin, musing that the yukatas, in broad terms, followed a Japanese style.


    As for why adventurers in Another World with a Western background converse in Chinese phrases and wear Japanese yukatas...


    That was something Lin Da couldn''t figure out either.


    Maybe that''s just how Another World is.


    "Team, Team Lord, does it look good?"


    A soft and gentle voice brought Lin Da back to his senses.


    In front of Lin Da, the white curtain of the fitting room slid open, revealing Monica in an orange yukata.


    Monica''s brown hair cascaded down her back, and the fringe in front of her forehead was fastened with a black clip, showing off her shiny and adorable forehead.


    Coupled with that somewhat timid expression, Lin Da couldn''t help but want to hold her in his arms and soothe her.


    Besides being beautiful, Monica also had a great figure, her small hands shyly clutching the matching handbag for the yukata, a large white belt around her waist, tied in the back with a small pillow, lightly accentuating the delicate and slender waist of a young girl.


    In white silk, Monica''s little feet were in wooden clogs, the hem of the yukata covering her calves. Her upper body''s curves were astonishing, and despite the conservative style of the yukata, it still revealed a slight gap.


    A yukata was being worn by Monica with a sensual appeal that even a Bunny Girl outfit couldn''t match.


    Of course, if Monica really did wear a Bunny Girl costume, Lin Da would be the one thrown into prison.


    Looking at Monica''s shy demeanor, Lin Da was taken aback for a moment, realizing once again that although Monica''s spirit was that of a child, her body was very much adult, much more ''grown-up'' than Lulu or Tasya!


    Moments of Monica''s awkward expressions flashed through Lin Da''s mind.


    He couldn''t help but curse himself silently for being perverted.


    Had he not agreed to make a move when Monica was mentally mature? Was he now so impatient that he couldn''t wait? With such willpower, what kind of adventurer was he?


    Seriously, knock it off!


    If it weren''t for Monica''s bashful gaze, Lin Da would have liked to slap that disobedient thing twice.


    Lin Da took a deep breath and smiled, "Monica''s yukata is very suitable indeed."


    "Really?" Monica blinked her big eyes in delight, "Then I''ll buy this set."


    "Tonight''s expenses are on the Team Lord," Lin Da declared generously.


    "Lin Da, what do you think of this set on me?"


    The curtain of another fitting room also slid open.


    It was Lulu in a blue yukata embroidered with little white flowers.


    Lulu''s ears on her head were slightly drooping forward, and she looked uneasy, her hands awkwardly clutching the handbag tightly.


    Lulu, who came from a poor Beastmen background, had never worn a yukata or attended a fireworks festival.


    Such clothing was not affordable for ordinary people, and moreover, during the time with the Primitive Adventure Team, Lin Da had never invited her.


    Lulu felt a bit nervous the first time she put on the yukata, worrying that something might look off.


    Lin Da stroked his chin, with a serious look in his eyes as he stared at Lulu.


    This only made Lulu feel even more unsettled and lose her confidence.


    Her ears pressed hard against her head, and her fluffy tail drooped down.


    "Someone like me surely isn''t suitable for pretty clothes," she muttered softly, sounding a bit sullen.


    "I should just wear a black robe to the fireworks festival."


    As Lulu spoke in a low voice, she seemed somewhat gloomy.


    "Why?"


    Lin Da scratched his head, puzzled.


    "I find Lulu''s yukata very beautiful; it completely mesmerized me."


    "Wh-what?" Your next read is at empire


    Lulu''s cheeks turned red, and she spat out, "You must be lying."


    "No, the yukata really suits you." Lin Da walked over and touched the wolf girl''s big ears, helping to straighten them so that they stood up instead of lying flat.


    "Any other captain with a team member as beautiful as Lulu would wake up laughing from their dreams." Lin Da took Lulu''s cool little hand, "Come on, let''s go see how Tasya''s choice turned out."


    "Okay... okay." Lulu nodded bashfully, following Lin Da step by step.


    Monica also said, "Sister Lulu really looks great!"


    "Thank you, Monica."


    So it was that Lin Da, holding Lulu with his left hand and Monica with his right, weaved between garments on the rack.


    They found Tasya, standing in front of a black yukata, indecisive.


    Lin Da: "What are you doing?"


    Approaching closer, the three of them looked at Tasya with curiosity.


    Lulu said, "Are you struggling to choose a yukata design? I think this one would suit you well."


    It was a mature yukata in black, embroidered with peonies.


    The yukata itself, a garment that had come from a foreign land in ancient times, matched Tasya''s rare brown skin without any sense of incongruity, but rather made onlookers take notice.


    Lin Da couldn''t wait to see Tasya dressed in the yukata.


    Following Lulu''s remark, he said, "That really is a nice one."


    But Tasya still seemed troubled.


    "Do I have to wear a yukata?"


    "Not everyone will. But if you do, it''s better, more festive."


    Lin Da replied.


    Tasya looked at the yukata, then looked at her maid outfit adorned with large black and white ruffles that she was wearing, caught in a dilemma.


    The maid dress given to her by Dark Shadow was something she hadn''t changed out of since she put it on.


    "Is putting on a yukata an order?"


    Tasya''s eyes held a glint of hope. S��arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If Lin Da ordered her to take off the maid dress, she could do so without any stress.


    Only then did Lin Da understand the deeper meaning behind the issue of ''changing into a yukata''.


    If Tasya changed into the yukata by her own will, it would be a step forward, allowing her to gradually escape from the influence Dark Shadow once had on her.


    What Lin Da needed was not a docile puppet, but a living person, an adventurer named Tasya.


    Only then would Lin Da truly become Tasya''s master and unlock the trust gauge for Tasya.


    Realizing the importance of this, Lin Da''s expression became serious as he said earnestly, "It''s not an order, just a suggestion between friends."


    "Friends?" The unfamiliar term seemed to baffle Tasya.


    "Yes, friends. In adventure, you''re my team member; in the villa, you''re my employed maid; but in everyday life, I hope you can be my friend."


    Lin Da''s gentle hand rested lightly on Tasya''s head as he spoke soothingly:


    "This is just a friend''s suggestion; I''d like to see you in a yukata."


    Tasya''s eyes darted away, hesitant to meet Lin Da''s tender gaze.


    This reduced her reverence for Dark Shadow in her heart, to the point where she dared to long for things she had never even dared to dream of.


    Tasya took the black yukata off the rack, held it to her chest, and hummed in agreement.


    In the witch panel previously, Tasya''s trust gauge was completely locked in gray.


    Lin Da found that, after his efforts, the gray had lightened a bit.


    A glimmer of golden light could faintly be seen on the trust gauge.


    Lin Da couldn''t help but smile.

 Chapter 319 279, Winter Festival and the Knights Daughter

    Lin Da led the three of them to the counter to pay."One thousand and forty-five Gold Coins? That expensive?"


    Hearing the price, Lin Da''s expression was one of astonishment.


    It wasn''t that he couldn''t afford it, but that he pursued cost-effectiveness.


    A thousand Gold Coin Fruit of the World Tree, Lin Da would eat without the slightest pain. Enjoy new chapters from empire


    But for a few bathrobes devoid of Magic Power, the price was so exorbitant.


    "Sir, our bathrobes are all made of top-quality Ice Silk, blah blah blah..."


    "Master, please allow me to pay."


    Tasya took out a tree-patterned savings card with a silver base, adorned with the image of the World Tree, and handed it to the lady at the counter.


    "How can I accept this?"


    Lin Da''s eyelid twitched; what Tasya had was a tree-patterned savings card commonly used across the continent, issued by the World Tree Sanctum, also known as the Savings Card.


    Only those with savings of over 5 million were entitled to the silver-level Savings Card.


    He hadn''t expected this maid to be a concealed rich lady, even wealthier than himself!?


    Lin Da felt a bit sour for no reason. As the Adventure Team Leader, he didn''t expect to be outdone by his maid in wealth.


    Tasya gave him a strange look: "Master, do you wish to manage the subordinate''s Savings Card?"


    "Man...age? For me?" Lin Da was surprised.


    Their conversation attracted the attention of many passersby waiting in line behind them.


    Whispers reached Lin Da''s ears:


    "Isn''t that Lin Da, the Adventure Team Leader who was on the cover of Adventurer''s Weekly, hailed as the star of tomorrow in White Dove City? Why is he using his maid''s money?"


    "Impossible, would Lin Da lack money?"


    "With Captain Lin Da''s style, he would only give his maid a raise, not spend her money."


    The whispers lashed at Lin Da''s pride, making his hand, which had stretched out to receive the Savings Card, stiffen in his pocket.


    Lin Da''s face reddened as he said, "No need, keep it for yourself. As your master, I am supposed to pay you."


    Tasya bowed slightly: "I shall obey the master''s orders."


    Of course, if the day came when the finances of Phoenix Tail Flower were in dire straits, Lin Da would still borrow it.


    It would stay with Tasya for now.


    ...


    The group left the shop, carrying bags with the bathrobes.


    It was growing late, but the commercial street was still brightly lit.


    This was the busiest street in White Dove City, where major businesses, brand-name stores, and Elf race-run gold diggers'' dens were located.


    On the road there were throngs of pedestrians, Elves, Beastmen, humans with various colored hair, and horse-drawn carriages passing by... weaving a lively tapestry.


    There were only three days left until the annual Winter Festival.


    Even though it hadn''t started, you could already feel the festive atmosphere on the street.


    Every storefront was adorned with a ''harvest tree'', and it was decorated with fairy lights. It was a decorative piece modeled on the World Tree but scaled down.


    The harvest trees were embellished with many candies, jerky, and children under ten could freely pick food from them, but they had to eat it on the spot.


    Seasonal specialties were also on sale, such as cream bear jerky, cheese rice cakes, and sugar apples...


    People put on new clothes en masse, extravagantly spending the Gold Coins they had saved up all year round.


    Businesses made as much in the week before and after the Winter Festival as they usually did in two months.


    Many adventurers not seen all year returned from the wilds or other cities to boast in taverns about the exotic Magical Equipment they brought back and the outlandish tales that were hard to verify as true or false.


    These included Magic that could turn cats into beauties, forests filled with golden trees, tamed purebred Succubi, and even taking advantage of one''s good looks to get free services...


    The listeners in the tavern turned green with envy, coveting the tales intensely.


    Only the wise noticed that those boasting often wore sweaters unraveling at the seams and boots that were merely of a blue rare-level Magical Equipment.


    Everyone was preparing for the upcoming Winter Festival in their own way.


    In the blink of an eye, it was the night before the festival.


    "Eek!"


    In her dream, Monica was sobbing and holding her butt, completely drained of strength and clumsily collapsed on the floor.


    But Monica''s figure was too good, her stomach didn''t make contact with the ground at all.


    Because she failed to complete the 1000 push-ups demanded by Dark Shadow, Monica''s butt was nearly swollen from being spanked.


    "No effort, and you still want to become an excellent adventurer?"


    "Continue doing it!"


    "Move your waist! Don''t stop your hands! Put in effort and move!"


    Lin Da suppressed his reluctance, and a Whip of Pain materialized in his hand, which snapped sharply on Monica''s petite behind.


    "Wu wu wu." Monica whimpered in pain, tears streaked across her little face, and under Lin Da''s intimidation, she fearfully propped herself up again, her behind trembling like a sieve.


    "998...999...1100!"


    Finally, Monica completed the last push-up.


    "Well done."


    "Fitting for an excellent member of my team."


    Lin Da squat down and performed a head pat on Monica.


    Monica, wary of the Dark Shadow''s version of Lin Da, said timidly, "Th-thank you, Lord Captain."


    "I''m looking forward to Monica''s yukata at tomorrow''s fireworks festival."


    "Eh? Does the captain in the dream also know what''s happening in reality?"


    "Cough cough cough, because I am omnipotent."


    Lin Da realized his slip-up and hurriedly ended the dream instruction.


    After 1000 push-ups, an experience voucher worth 300,000 had completely absorbed into Monica''s body.


    A beam of golden light fell upon Monica.


    "Wow..." S��ar?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The girl whispered in astonishment, and before she could ask Lin Da what was happening, she was sent out of the dream.


    In a bright yellow, cozy boudoir, Monica woke up, clutching her large yellow duck pillow, still dazed.


    She closed her eyes to feel the Magic Strength inside her body and, incredulously, thought: She had leveled up from level 26 to level 28.

 Chapter 320 279, Winter Festival and the Knights Daughter_2

    "Captain, you''re just too amazing!"Monica''s admiration for Lin Da grew even more.


    That night, only Lin Da slept soundly.


    If you''re looking for the reason, it''s probably because Lin Da, having consumed a Bronze Level Fruit of the World Tree, had incredibly good luck and gained 2 Skill Points.


    Usually, it would take leveling up twice to acquire 2 Skill Points, but now he got them so easily that he couldn''t help but wonder if he was a favored one by fortune.


    With that, he had a total of 6 remaining Skill Points.


    His Experience Points also surged by thirty thousand in three days, thanks to consuming the Fruits of the World Tree.


    Plus, venturing out to defeat some Magical Creatures and fitting in some training whenever he thought of it...


    Lin Da''s experience bar at level 26 came to 33,301/250,000.


    His Mystical Points were over 120 thousand.


    One more step closer to Star Rank.


    When he heard at the victory banquet that Abner was stuck at the 19th level "gate", Lin Da had some other ideas.


    Like having the Phoenix Tail Flowers break the gate.


    Like helping the White Dove Adventure Team.


    But in the end, Lin Da gave up on these ideas.


    In the game storyline, the potential of the White Dove Adventure Team was enormous; they would settle in the Royal Capital in the future, and their strength would become renowned throughout the empire.


    It''s best for him not to interfere and let them develop freely.


    Otherwise, it could end up like Lia.


    Under Lin Da''s meticulous strategy, she might turn into a mindless, arrogant spirit.


    Totally different from the mature and beautiful "Bursting Flames" in the game.


    "Speaking of which, Lia hasn''t forgotten, right?"


    "We agreed when we came out from the Epic Monster expedition, that we would all go to the fireworks festival together."


    Lin Da thought silently to himself as he looked out the night sky from his window.


    Deep into the night.


    The full moon hung high in the sky.


    That night, apart from Lin Da, none of the others slept well.


    Lulu was nervous about tomorrow''s fireworks festival; even though Lin Da had complimented how lovely she looked in a yukata, she still worried about wearing it incorrectly��the yukata was difficult to put on with its numerous accessories, and it had been dressed by the shop assistants when she bought it.


    And Monica, thinking of the teeming crowds at the Winter Festival, had her social anxiety flare up, curling up and trembling in her bed.


    Tasya tossed and turned in her room all night.


    When it finally came time to take off her maid outfit that had self-cleaning features and had been worn for three years, Tasya hesitated again.


    The cold and ruthless Dark Shadow, or Lin Da who treated his team members well and was stable and gentle... Who was truly her master?


    As for the last member of Phoenix Tail, Kafni was not going to the fireworks festival.


    Kafni told Lin Da that she needed to rest.


    But Lin Da always felt that Kafni had been sneaking around lately, zigzagging through the alleys, disappearing into odd places, and returning only in the dead of night.


    Once he found out that there was a ''Muscle Frenzy Bar'' nearby.


    Apparently, a lot of gay men liked to go there.


    It probably had nothing to do with Kafni.


    After all, before Kafni became a girl, she claimed to be all man.


    ...


    Aside from Phoenix Tail, in the rooms of Snow Goose and Ice Flower, two girls also had trouble sleeping.


    Lin Da had yet to realize that his invitation the other day had led to a misunderstanding by the two girls.


    He had invited the "Ice Flower" and "Snow Goose" teams.


    Not Isa and Lia individually!


    They had all misunderstood.


    Thinking that Lin Da had some ''sort of intention''.


    Winter Festival was also a couple''s holiday.


    It was said that the hookup rate on that day could reach 90%!


    Although Isa and Lia were inexperienced, they were aware of this kind of common knowledge.


    They worried Lin Da might have unscrupulous intentions, lusting after their bodies!


    Even so.


    Even so... they still accepted Lin Da''s invitation.


    In a room all white, clean and simple��a girl''s boudoir��


    Isa looked dazedly at the yukata on the table, silently deciding that this time she had to set clear boundaries with Lin Da.


    She would express her feelings to Lin Da, get rejected harshly, and cut off these unrealistic hopes.


    Isa believed that, with Lin Da''s reputation and the level of affection he showed Lulu, he would surely reject her.


    Then she could finally give up, focusing all her energy on the adventure team.


    Isa thought that she might never meet an adventurer like Lin Da again.


    Ever since kindergarten, Isa knew people were making sly comments that she would never get married.


    Those people thought that she, always at the top of her class every year, was too outstanding, too ambitious, and that she would surely be unable to marry when she grew up!


    I never expected they''d be right.


    At 25 years old�� and soon to be 26 after the Winter Festival, Isa was still a pitifully single woman!


    Isa pursed her lips, picked up the carefully chosen bathrobe, and looked toward the trash can with a surge of impulse inside her��she was bound to be rejected by Lin Da one day or another, so what was the point of wearing such things?


    Lin Da''s gaze was always fixed on Lulu, Lia, and the others anyway. With so many girls around, he wouldn''t even notice her, whether she wore the bathrobe or not.


    Besides, Isa was what Fannis called a "flat-chested captain." She really didn''t have much to show off. Wearing a loose bathrobe would only make it more of a magnifying glass moment!


    Isa bit her lip, her right hand clutching the bathrobe, and with all her might, she threw it away.


    Such things were completely unnecessary!


    Yet.


    Images that could only seemingly appear if a miracle happened floated through Isa''s mind.


    It was Lin Da praising her, saying she looked very cute in the bathrobe.


    Even though she was flat-chested...


    Isa slumped down in her chair.


    She realized her right hand was still clutching the bathrobe tightly, not having let go at all.


    Even Isa herself wasn''t clear if she could calmly accept Lin Da''s rejection tomorrow.


    "If I cry, I''ll bring shame upon the Ice Flower Adventure Team. I''m about to become the captain of an Iron Level adventure team, so I cannot afford to lose face like that."


    Isa wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and showed a smile full of propriety in the mirror.


    As the daughter of a knight, she couldn''t lose her composure on any occasion.


    Calm, confident, composed.


    That was the daughter of a knight, the captain of the Ice Flower Adventure Team, Isa.


    ...


    Late at night, in the villa of the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Lia had a nightmare in her room, her small face twisted in agony, forehead slicked with sweat.


    "��Lia, these are my wives, you should stop contacting me from now on, I''ll be busy making babies with them."


    "Making babies, won''t you go on adventures anymore?"


    "What''s the fun in adventuring? I''ve already earned enough gold coins, from now on I''ll enjoy life with them. Goodbye, Lia, I''m off to settle down in a rich city."


    "Lin Da, Lin Da, come back, I haven''t defeated you yet!"


    "Come back, come back quickly!"


    Lia chased the carriage, stumbling and tottering.


    Ugh!


    Gasping as if she were suffocating underwater, Lia opened her eyes and sat up with a start.


    Only then did she realize that everything that just happened was a dream.


    She''d dreamt that Lin Da married all the members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    He cut ties with her and left White Dove City to live elsewhere.


    Wiping the cold sweat from her forehead, Lia was still shaken.


    The unfamiliar expression on Lin Da''s face in the dream loomed before her eyes.


    Kissing his wives one by one right in front of her!


    Lia seemed to understand where her anxiety these past few days was coming from.


    She couldn''t bear to imagine Lin Da being taken by someone else, severing all ties with her.


    "I should confirm it," Lia murmured to herself, clutching at her chest, "whether Lin Da still likes me or not."


    At least while Lin Da hadn''t left Snow Goose, Lia could almost certainly, or at least ninety percent sure, determine that Lin Da had some feelings for her.


    But now, she couldn''t quite see through Lin Da.


    This night seemed especially long.


    The girls spent it immersed in their respective sorrows.


    Finally, came the next day at noon.


    The agreed time to meet.


    "Happy Winter Festival."


    "Wishing you all Epic loot in the new year!"


    "Happy holidays!"


    There was cheerfulness in every street and alley.


    It wasn''t even evening yet, but some children had already started setting off miniature handheld fireworks.


    The spacious commercial streets of the Inner City District were incredibly congested today.


    Everyone swapped their everyday clothes for bathrobes and wished each other happy holidays.


    Your next chapter is on empire Sear?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Women carried handbags and were dressed to the nines.


    "Candied apples, fresh out of the pot, 10 copper coins each!"


    "Cheese chocolate bananas, get them before they''re gone!"


    "Roasted sweet potatoes, mommy, I want a big roasted sweet potato, eat, eat the big one!"


    Adventurers attracted by the savory smells crowded in front of each stall.


    The shops were also packed to the brim.


    Whether it was a clothing, equipment, or jewelry stores, all held sales events today, bustling with activity.

 Chapter 321 280, Amusement Park and Gifts

    Noon, the sun hung high above, providing a hint of warmth to everyone in the cold winter.In a private room at a cafe.


    Lin Da had changed into a dark cyan yukata, wearing the "Great Sea Clear Sky" brand watch gifted by Isa on his wrist, wooden clogs on his feet, and his hands tucked into his sleeves, giving off a relaxed and comfortable vibe.


    He had managed to reserve this private room a month in advance.


    The hall downstairs was bustling with people, so it was rare to have some tranquility in a private room.


    This was the prearranged meeting spot for them.


    Lin Da, wearing a smile, turned to his team members sitting on the couch. Read exclusive content at empire


    Monica wore an orange yukata with a huge white bow-shaped hair clip in her brown hair; she was shyly clutching her purse with both hands.


    She looked so pure and lovely that Lin Da felt a surge of protectiveness.


    Then there was Lulu, in a mature blue yukata decorated with small white flowers that added a touch of charm, quietly sipping her coffee.


    Kafni needed rest and hadn''t come. But Tasya, why was there no sign of her?


    Lin Da wondered to himself.


    That morning, he had seen Tasya dressed in her maid uniform.


    Had his first lesson been a failure?


    Lin Da glanced at the watch on his wrist, with only about 10 minutes left to the agreed 12 o''clock.


    Ice Flower and Snow Goose were still nowhere to be seen.


    The latter he could understand, but Isa was usually punctual.


    "Let''s not wait for them, let''s go on our own," Lulu suggested. sea??h th�� nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da shook his head, "Let''s wait a bit longer, the roads must have been too congested."


    With one minute to go until 12 o''clock, the door to the private room was abruptly pushed open.


    "Huff, huff...I''m not late, right..."


    "Made it, just in time!"


    Two girls, one silver and one red, each leaned against a wall, panting heavily.


    They were drenched in sweat, with their yukatas wrinkled as though they had been through a battle on their way to the cafe.


    "What happened to you?"


    Lin Da asked in surprise.


    "Sorry, the traffic was worse than expected. After running into Lia, she insisted on seeing who could get here first, so we competed a bit...looks like it''s a tie," Isa said with an embarrassed smile, looking at her somewhat dirty white yukata, and added sheepishly, "Lin Da, I''ve made a fool of myself."


    Lia''s little face was stern: "I wasn''t late. Let''s get going!"


    "No rush, wait a moment," Lin Da said.


    The members of Ice Flower and Snow Goose hadn''t arrived yet.


    Of course, Lin Da was unaware that Lia and Isa hadn''t notified their team members at all.


    At that moment, Lin Da''s attention was on the two girls'' attire.


    Isa wore a white yukata, like a pure blossom unmarred by mud, while Lia''s yukata was fiery red, adorned with many flame embroideries, her red hair pinned up, with a jade peony hairpin.


    The girls revealed their snow-white necks, their faces lightly made up, pink lipstick shining with a jelly-like luster, and paired with that peony hairpin, they unexpectedly exuded a delicate charm.


    Lin Da suddenly realized that Lia had grown into a fresh and vivacious young girl.


    "You both look very pretty," Lin Da commented simply and sincerely.


    Isa smiled graciously: "Thank you for the compliment."


    But a flicker of panic crossed Lia''s eyes, not expecting Lin Da to be so blunt.


    She had intended to respond with a hard retort, but when the words reached her lips, it turned into a soft "Hmm," as her black-stockinged feet fidgeted.


    Suddenly, Lia felt that today''s sun seemed a lot brighter and even the bitter smell of coffee carried a hint of richness.


    "That hairpin..." Lin Da hesitated, "looks familiar."


    "It''s one you gave me before," Lia said, "I figured I should use it instead of throwing it away."


    The other three people in the private room turned in surprise toward the hairpin in Lia''s hair.


    It was a gift from Lin Da?


    Aside from Monica, who had received a Magic Puppet, neither Lulu nor Isa had ever received a gift from Lin Da.


    A wave of jealousy permeated the private room.


    Lin Da, sensing the atmosphere was amiss, quickly added, "Actually, it didn''t cost much, just 10 Gold Coins."


    "Monica wants one too."


    "So do I," Lulu looked at Lin Da with lingering dissatisfaction.


    Isa, seeing her teammates from Phoenix Tail Flower Team having such an intimate moment, opened her mouth to speak but then swallowed her words back down.


    "Then I want one as well," Lia bravely joined the ranks demanding gifts.


    Seeing Lia''s boldness, or rather ''shamelessness'', in asking an ousted team member for gifts, Isa was astonished and felt a tinge of envy.


    Sometimes, it''s good not to be too well-mannered.


    At least one doesn''t have to be overly concerned.


    If she had even a tenth of Lia''s courage, she wouldn''t be so conflicted.


    "Buy, I''ll buy them for everyone," Lin Da massaged his temples and turned to Isa, who stood somewhat out of place, jokingly adding, "Captain Isa, you''re included as well."


    This was the [Snack Theorem]��if you give to most people and only one person is excluded, even without any malice, it leaves a negative memory with the person left out.


    And Lin Da certainly didn''t dislike Isa.


    Of course, everyone was to get a share.


    Isa bowed her head shyly: "Thank, thank you," she said.


    Seeing Isa''s uncomfortable expression, everyone was puzzled. It seemed that the captain of Ice Flower was a bit off.


    "By the way, where are your team members? Why haven''t they come over yet?" Lin Da looked at the time; it was already several minutes past the hour.


    "Team members?" Lia was confused for a moment, then said hesitantly, "You, you didn''t just invite the two of us?"


    "Huh?" Lin Da was startled.


    This left Lia and Isa feeling extremely awkward.


    So Lin Da had invited their entire adventure team.

 Chapter 322 280, Amusement Park and Gift_2

    "So, where are they now?""They''re at Snow Goose''s villa, having fun."


    "Fannis and the others went to South Rock City for a trip."


    Both of them responded separately.


    "Well, can''t be helped, let''s go, just us, we won''t call them."


    Lin Da shook his head helplessly, grabbed Monica''s soft little hand, "Let''s set off."


    A few people filed out of the caf��.


    When Lin Da and a group of girls appeared on the street, they immediately became the focus of the crowd.


    Envious glances were cast towards Lin Da.


    "Who''s that guy, how can he be leading a group of such cute beauties?"


    "Ha, you''re such a country bumpkin. That''s Lin Da from White Dove City, ''The Eye of True Knowledge.'' Who doesn''t know him now? He''s a top adventurer who''s been on the cover of Adventurer''s Weekly!"


    "Hiss, so that''s Captain Lin Da. I''ve heard the rumors, but it''s my first time seeing him in person, and he''s way handsomer than in the newspaper photos."


    "If it''s Captain Lin Da surrounded by beauties, then it makes sense."


    The crowd''s jealousy turned into admiration and respect.


    Others with beauties, no good.


    Lin Da with beauties, all good!


    However, Lin Da was still feeling uncomfortable, as every move he made in the crowd was specially noticed. It seemed he even spotted the journalist Kami hiding behind a trash can?


    Lin Da thought, all those scandalous headlines, silver-party news were spread by Kami. If he caught Kami, he''d have to teach him a lesson to stop the journalist from making up stories every day.


    Silver parties, he''d never thrown even one!


    All fake news!


    While adjusting to the attention of the crowd, Lin Da selected gifts at a small jewelry stall.


    He bought Monica a panda munching on bamboo stuffed toy and got Lulu a blue ice jade bracelet.


    For Isa and Lia, he chose a hat for each.


    Don''t misunderstand, not green hats, but the fashionable berets that are popular this year.


    Designed by Bellini, a master designer from the Elf race, the new autumn and winter model premiers warmth and fashion, along with lavishly designed fonts, at first glance they look a bit like Elvish in English, and they quickly became a hot-selling style.


    ''The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence,'' this saying also holds true in Another World. Apparently, having clothes inscribed with Elvish script that most people don''t recognize seems to make them appear higher-end. After all, only the rich have the luxury to learn Elvish, and the prevailing trend in White Dove City is the genuine local dialect.


    Lin Da placed the black beret on Lia''s head, and the white one he helped Isa put on.


    It''s just that it didn''t quite match the yukata.


    It also messed up Lia''s hair, and she glared at him grumpily. But at least she didn''t draw her sword on him, and instead, Lia put the hat into her Space Ring.


    "Thank you for the gift." Isa''s expression was serious, "I will cherish it."


    This made Lin Da a bit embarrassed, "It''s just a hat, in the future, I''ll give you even more."


    "What do you mean by that?!"


    "Don''t people exchange gifts with friends every White Gratitude Festival, like chocolates and things? Don''t tell me I''m the only one who sees Isa as a friend?"


    "That''s not it, we are... indeed friends."


    By the end of her words, Isa''s eyes dimmed slightly.


    She took the hat off, carefully placed it in a paper bag, and only then put it into her Space Ring, treating it as if it were a very precious piece of Magical Equipment.


    But Lin Da had only spent 5 silver coins on the hat.


    Lin Da thought it was just Isa''s nature.


    No matter who gave Isa a gift, she would treat it seriously.


    However, nobody knew the real reason.


    Isa treated the beret as a farewell gift from Lin Da.


    Future White Gratitude Festivals would have nothing to do with her, as she would try to stay away from Lin Da and focus on the Ice Flower Adventure Team.


    "Hey, are you ill?" Lia frowned at Isa, showing concern in her own way for this old rival.


    "I might have caught a cold," Isa said with a dismissive smile. Explore stories on empire


    "Is that so..."


    After buying gifts, the group wandered around the shopping district, munching on various snacks.


    Before they knew it, dusk had arrived.


    Lia, licking her candied apple, suggested, "Let''s go to Swan Amusement Park. There''s a hill there with a great view, I heard it''s the best spot to watch the fireworks display."


    Lulu nodded too, "I read in the newspaper that there are a lot of interesting shops in the park."


    She didn''t finish the sentence.


    Those shops were basically geared towards couples.


    "Then let''s go to Swan Amusement Park."


    Lin Da hailed a carriage and boarded it with the girls, heading towards the Swan Amusement Park in the suburbs.


    ''Eh, is that...''


    Sitting by the window, Lulu caught sight of a silver-haired maid in a black kimono, looking flustered and seemingly searching for something behind the carriage.


    No.


    She could no longer be called a maid.


    Tasya had changed out of her bulky maid outfit and into the black kimono chosen by Lin Da.


    Her striking face was full of urgency as she bit her lip, standing amidst the crowd, scanning her surroundings for the sight of someone.


    Tasya was holding a handbag, within which the corner of a blue scarf was faintly visible.


    There was a chibi embroidery on it.


    It was Lin Da and Dark Shadow leaning back to back; one bathed in light while the other held a magic sword, concealed in the shadows.


    It certainly wasn''t bought from a store.


    It was handmade!


    Lulu immediately realized that this was a scarf Tasya had knitted for Lin Da herself!


    "What''s wrong?" Lin Da, seeing Lulu continuously looking outside, couldn''t help but ask.


    Lulu closed the curtain and said, "Nothing, just saw a turtle, that''s all."


    "A turtle?"


    Lin Da curiously looked outside.


    But by then, Tasya had already been swallowed up by the dense crowd behind them.


    ...


    After a full hour, they finally reached the Swan Amusement Park in the suburbs.


    "It''s so congested, usually it would only take twenty minutes," Lin Da remarked.


    "It''s been a long time since I''ve been out to play," Lia said as she hopped down from the carriage, looking up at the park ahead.


    There was a huge arch with a white swan carved on it, its wings spread as if about to take flight.


    As the sky darkened, the array inside the swan activated, releasing a gleaming white light, enchantingly beautiful, as if it would soar into the sky at any moment.


    Behind the arch in the park were couples, families with kids, laughter and joyful sounds echoing around.


    Ferris wheel, merry-go-round, musical fountain, roller coaster...


    Lia had never experienced any of them.


    The young girl, standing in front of the arch, reflected the colorful lights of the amusement park in her eyes, her figure stretched long, her shoulders drooping slightly.


    In her childhood, Lia and Bellini depended on each other in the slums, until they were picked up by the Bloody Baron. Lia, to avoid the disdain of The Mandalas, immersed herself in training, practicing her swordsmanship diligently.


    Her only pleasures were eating sweets and occasionally drinking wheat beer.


    These amusements, which were common sights for the kids in the city, were totally alien to Lia.


    Although she was not particularly short of money after becoming an adventurer, Lia never thought about wasting time in such places.


    As Lia looked up at the amusement park, with an inexplicable mist forming in her eyes, she felt rather pitiful: how had she never enjoyed these, the very captain of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, yet a genuine bumpkin.


    "Yeah, it''s been a long time since we''ve been out to play," Lin Da walked up beside Lia, looking at the dazzling lights in the amusement park with a rush of mixed emotions.


    Lia''s face drooped, "Aren''t I just a country bumpkin for never having been to an amusement park before?"


    "So what if you are," Lin Da said, amused, "If that''s the case, we''re all country bumpkins."


    Monica and Lulu also nodded in agreement.


    "What do you mean?" Lia looked at them incredulously.


    Lin Da: "This place, I haven''t been here either."


    "You''re lying."


    "There''s no need to lie to you."


    "If you''ve never gone before, then we''ll go now."


    Lin Da grabbed Lia''s wrist.


    The girl was momentarily taken aback.


    She looked down at the spot where Lin Da''s grasp was, slightly distracted.


    Was Lin Da holding her hand?


    She couldn''t remember the last time that happened... or the time before.


    Lulu and the others quickly followed.


    Together, they entered the amusement park.


    Lia thought, from now on, no one could call her a country bumpkin anymore.


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 Chapter 323 281, Lia confesses, but I like everyone.

    That night, they rode every single attraction in the amusement park.But Lia didn''t seem very excited. There are some things that once missed, even if you try to make up for later, can never be retained. Roller coasters, Ferris wheels... The young Lia who could have ridden these would probably have been so happy she couldn''t sleep all night. But now, having grown into a Level 28 adventurer, the leader of the Snow Goose team, Lia, sitting on them, only felt ''Oh, so this is it.''


    After getting off the Ferris wheel, Lia noticed that there were very few children among the visitors; most were couples in pairs.


    Only then did Lia realize that she had the wrong idea. The amusement park on a winter festival evening is not a place for children to have fun; it''s actually a dating hotspot!


    Looking at the night view of White Dove City through the glass on the Ferris wheel, silently enjoying a space all to themselves, that was the real joy of the amusement park.


    Lia glanced at Lin Da without showing any emotion. Since they entered the amusement park, Lin Da had been holding Monica''s hand the whole time.


    Some inexplicable impulse compelled Lia to reach out her hand and touch Lin Da''s free left hand.


    Just at that moment.


    "Lord, we haven''t tried that one yet!"


    Monica, pointing at a pumpkin-shaped building ahead, said expectantly, "It''s the Haunted House, Lord. Shouldn''t we go and play there?"


    A giant pumpkin with a wide bloody mouth and eyes flickering with green ghastly light, with a swarm of bats flying out of it.


    A twisted and bloody sign hung above the big mouth of the pumpkin: [Evil Pumpkin Castle]!


    There were a lot of people in line; it looked quite popular.


    "Let''s go have a look."


    Lin Da and the others walked over.


    Half an hour later, they finally arrived at the entrance.


    "Please draw lots to decide the order of entry, it''s in pairs."


    A young lady dressed like a wizard, wearing a huge black hat, handed over a sweet smile with the draw box to Lin Da and the others.


    They each drew a sphere from inside.


    The result was that Isa and Monica were a pair.


    Lin Da and Lia were a pair.


    Lulu, unfortunately, got a bye and was alone.


    "I didn''t get paired with the leader." Monica murmured softly.


    All four girls present, except Lia, showed a flash of disappointment in their eyes.


    Isa quickly composed herself, bent over and reached out to Monica, "Big sis will protect you, let''s go in together."


    "Mhm." Monica blinked and was led into the Evil Pumpkin Castle by Isa.


    After waiting a moment, it was Lulu''s turn.


    Lulu noticed Lin Da''s worried gaze and said, "Don''t worry about me, this kind of Haunted House can only scare three-year-olds."


    As Lulu also entered the Pumpkin Castle, after waiting a short while, the young lady reminded Lin Da, "It''s your turn now."


    "Let''s go." Lin Da said to Lia.


    "Ah... right." Lia absentmindedly replied, her head bowed in thought.


    "Please wait a moment."


    The young lady tapped on the blackboard reluctantly, "The rules are there, right? To enter the Evil Pumpkin Castle in pairs, you must hold hands. There are many Illusion Magic Circles inside, and if you don''t do this, you can easily lose each other, lost within!"


    "If you get too scared, just open this magic scroll, and the staff will come to rescue you."


    The lady handed over a scroll the size of a thumb to Lin Da and Lia.


    "Thank you."


    Lin Da looked at Lia and hesitated, "If you don''t want to, we don''t have to go."


    "We''re already here." Lia shook her head and reached out her hand.


    Delicate fingers, nails painted pink and tender, it was hard to imagine they belonged to a swordsman.


    Lin Da held Lia''s hand in his.


    Tiny and exquisite, with a faint warmth, he could clearly feel the softness of her fingertips pressing into his palm.


    The noise around them seemed to disappear, the area grew exceptionally quiet, and only Lia''s small hand remained.


    Lin Da''s mindset when leading Monica was primarily that of protecting a team member, but what was this tingling sensation now? Lin Da looked at Lia in surprise, and after staring for too long, Lia sensed it and lifted her head to meet his gaze. Her face was flushed, a stark contrast to her normally tough demeanor, giving her an unexpectedly cute look.


    What, he found Lia cute? There must be something wrong with his head!


    Lin Da noticed the working lady covering her mouth and giggling. He coughed, "Let''s go in, don''t keep the people behind us waiting."


    "Right."


    Lia nodded.


    Inside was a pitch-black gallery, as if entering the depths of a cave.


    There was water at their feet, and droplets fell from above, sometimes catching them by surprise as they landed on their necks, chilly to the bone.


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    The Illusion Magic Circles were done very realistically.


    Above their heads were many round green Fluorescent Stones, whose faint light barely illuminated the path. Even with them so close to each other, they could only see one another''s blurry profiles.


    Walking in the cave, a sense of tranquility emerged.


    There was no better opportunity than now.


    Lia thought to herself.


    So, Lin Da heard Lia''s apology.


    "I''m sorry."


    "Huh? What?"


    "What thing is not straight? Or is it the Specter Adventure Group that can''t rise up?"


    Lin Da was left with three question marks above his head.


    The cave was only lit by the glow worm-like weak green light, Lia''s profile was vague, and the only thing Lin Da could distinctly feel was the strangeness in the palm of his hand.


    Lia''s hand was very tense, her heartbeat transmitted through her vessels to Lin Da, making him nervous as well.


    Could it be that what Lia had just said was those three words?


    Lia took a deep breath and repeated, "I mean, I''m sorry for kicking you out of the team."


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 Chapter 324 281, Lia confesses, but I like everyone_2

    Lin Da remained silent for a long time.Drops of water from the cave ceiling dripped down continuously, their echoes lingering.


    "Hmm."


    After a series of events, Lin Da had long harbored no resentment towards Lia. It was Lia, the ''failure,'' who had taught him how to interact with his team members.


    Lin Da had learned many lessons about being an adventure team leader from Lia.


    Lessons in failure.


    He could avoid the pitfalls Lia had stumbled into.


    "Having spent three years with Snow Goose, I have no regrets," Lin Da said.


    "What? You''re not angry?" Lia looked up, surprised.


    "Of course I was angry," Lin Da chuckled wryly, "Worrying too much, fearing the team leader might fall under the claws of Magical Creatures. Reckless, proud, arrogant, and flat-chested..."


    Lia''s face darkened, and she huffed, "Then why did you stay for three years before you quit?"


    "Despite all the flaws... she might become a great adventure team leader in the future."


    "And it''s not all flaws, she protects her teammates in her own way." sea??h th�� ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the cave, Lin Da''s voice flowed like a clear spring.


    A bitter feeling welled up in Lia''s chest, her eyes burning.


    She hadn''t expected Lin Da to see her this way.


    Despite everything she had done to him, Lin Da could still speak of her strengths.


    All she had thought about was how to defeat Lin Da, humiliate him, and she almost wished the whole continent knew leaving the team was a wrong decision by Lin Da.


    Her magnanimity paled in comparison to Lin Da''s!


    Lia sucked in a breath through her stifled nose, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.


    As they left the cave.


    In a corner, Isa and Monica appeared.


    Isa, holding Monica''s hand, silently watched the backs of Lin Da and his companion.


    "Is the Lord going to be with Lia...?"


    Monica''s heart tightened.


    She spread her fingers, counting for Lin Da.


    Fortunately, people have two hands.


    Otherwise, she wouldn''t have been able to count it!


    Monica looked at the dazed Isa, then at the distant Lia, saying, "Isa, sister, I support you!"


    "Huh?" Isa snapped back to reality, blinking.


    What did that mean?


    In another place.


    Lin Da and his companion walked out smoothly.


    The Evil Pumpkin Castle, which could scare regular adventurers witless, was nothing more than child''s play to them.


    In terms of courage, the two were quite alike.


    Passing through a jungle simulated by an Array, a glowing sign appeared ahead, with the word [EXIT] written on it.


    At the exit, two clown-like automata pulled open sprays of confetti, ribbons falling on Lin Da and his companion as the automata shouted, "Congratulations to the two brave warriors for passing through Evil Pumpkin Castle!"


    "Not scary."


    Lin Da commented.


    Lia hummed, "It''s less interesting than hunting Magical Creatures."


    Upon leaving the Pumpkin Castle, outside was a tranquil little grove, with night lamps placed not too far apart, and many couples sitting on the benches beside them.


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    Lin Da realized it was time to let go of the hand, now that the haunted house adventure was over.


    But when he tried to pull away, he couldn''t.


    He reminded, "You don''t have to follow the rules now that we''re out of the haunted house."


    "Just a little longer..."


    Lia lowered her head and nudged a pebble on the ground with her toe, her voice tiny, like the whine of a mosquito.


    This was a far cry from her usual clear, loud voice.


    "What, you''re in debt again?" Lin Da questioned without a hint of mockery, "After hunting the Epic Monster, I already gave you the reward of 310,000 Gold Coins, plus a level 25 orange-quality Great Sword. That should have covered your debts, right?"


    "Still a bit short," Lia mumbled unclearly.


    "I''ve been meaning to ask since the last party..." Lia''s voice trembled slightly, "Lin Da, have you ever, liked me?"


    The two had just walked into the deeper part of the grove, a profoundly dark place, devoid of people.


    Only the bright moonlight pierced through the canopy, scattering patches of light on the ground.


    Lin Da pondered seriously.


    "Yes."


    "What?"


    Snow Goose gasped.


    "It''s not just you."


    Lin Da laughed and said, "Lin Xi, Aiko, Klrona, Klyne, Oru... I like them all."


    Lia''s eyes widened, she shook her head and said, "Not that kind of like."


    She tilted her head upward, looking at Lin Da.


    The peony flower hairpin in her red hair added a touch of maturity to her, her kimono neckline had unknowingly loosened slightly, revealing a clavicle as exquisite as art.


    The girl''s other hand trembled as she clutched her handbag, from which Lin Da caught a glimpse of makeup completely unrelated to Lia''s personality, and a fine "Great Sea Clear Sky" brand wristwatch that seemed to match the one she had gifted him.


    But today, Lin Da was wearing the one given by Isa, or maybe for that reason, Lia had put it into her handbag.


    A flicker of realization crossed Lin Da''s mind.


    So that was it.


    Lia''s whims were based on her assumption that he liked her, that he was her devoted admirer!


    When he first joined the team, Lin Da probably did have some feelings for this young girl.


    The valiant figure she cut while battling with a great sword, the splashing glow of her fire-red Battle Qi, was very dashing and cool.


    Not to mention Lin Da''s favorite feature: her black silk long legs.


    But now...


    It''s complicated.


    Some people, the more you hang out with them, the more they become just a teammate.


    Lin Da seriously pondered the image of him overpowering Lia, only to find it embarrassingly unfeasible.


    It was simply too familiar, and he couldn''t go through with it.


    "Wuwuwu, Team Leader is so scary inside the Haunted House."


    A rustling sound came from the bushes, and Monica and Isa emerged.


    "Lin Da, what are you guys doing?"


    Isa clenched her fists and asked in a ''surprised'' voice.


    Lin Da and Lia, like people caught secretly trading Dream Herb by the Knights Order, instinctively jumped apart.


    Although nothing had happened, it was better not to be misunderstood.


    The ambiguous atmosphere instantly dissipated.


    Lia discreetly glanced at Lin Da, noticing that he was not planning to respond to the earlier topic, and a flash of disappointment crossed her face.


    "Let''s go, we haven''t found Lulu yet." Isa looked at them with complex eyes.


    Eventually, the four waited outside Pumpkin Castle for half an hour before a pale, weak-legged Lulu appeared.


    "Spiders, inside, so many spiders."


    Lulu wiped the cold sweat from her forehead, still terrified.


    It turns out she was afraid of spiders.


    Lin Da and the others found this quite amusing.


    There was still some time before the fireworks show officially started.


    They strolled around the amusement park and discovered a shop with a unique design.


    It was a huge green turtle shell topped with a crystal ball, inside which glowing, floating letters read:


    "Heartbeat Cottage~choo", and a picture of a Succubus with horns on her head, sticking out her buttocks and blowing a kiss.


    Driven by curiosity, Lin Da and his companions approached.


    Near the cottage, there wasn''t a single visitor.


    Quite rare in a bustling amusement park.


    At the entrance of the turtle shell, a blackboard stood displaying an introduction and rules for entering the shop.


    [Heartbeat Cottage: Want to know his/her heartbeat level for you?


    Still worried that you are a devoted admirer?


    Perhaps he/she is only after your Gold Coins?


    Once you enter this cottage, all will be revealed!


    The cottage is fully self-service, equipped with an ''Heartbeat Test'' Array developed personally by the Elf Love Master Aimmi, costing 10 Gold Coins per person.


    Note: Devoted admirers and weak adventurers, do not enter!]


    Damn.


    Lin Da stiffened, understanding why there was no one inside.


    First off, the fee of 10 Gold Coins per person; not every adventurer was wealthy like him.


    Ordinary level-10 Magical Creatures'' Demon Cores also sell for 10 Gold Coins. Excluding those with extraordinary personal strength, this required at least a three-person, well-coordinated adventure team for successful subjugation.


    It was equivalent to spending an entire day''s salary for the whole team on an entertainment that might hit too close to home; just thinking about it seemed very uneconomical.


    Furthermore, Gold Coins aside, realizing that one is a devoted admirer could ruin their entire Winter Festival.


    Lin Da decided to name this Heartbeat Cottage the "Devoted Admirer Breakdown Cottage."

 Chapter 325 282. Heartbeat index, multiple Defense Breaks (Subscribe, please subscribe!)

    Lin Da always felt that this cottage emitted a dangerous aura. He wouldn''t suffer a Defense Break by entering, but he feared that certain people would.He had to leave quickly.


    However, Lulu grabbed hold of him.


    The Werewolf Girl''s eyes turned toward Heartbeat Cottage, as if igniting a competitive flame, "Since there''s still some time before the fireworks festival, why not give it a try?"


    Monica also said, "Monica hopes to make Lord Captain''s heart race!"


    Lia coughed, "This young lady will deign to play along."


    "Since everyone is saying so��" Isa bit her lip, "I want to play, too."


    "Ah?"


    Lin Da looked at everyone in surprise.


    "But, whose heart rate are we testing? The rules say we can only test one at a time."


    Someone needed to enter the turtle-shell-shaped Heartbeat Cottage, and then the tester would make various acts, while the Array recorded the heart rate changes of the person being tested.


    The higher the heartbeat count, the higher the score received.


    All the women chimed in unison, "Of course it''s you!"


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    Lin Da felt a tad reluctant.


    If his heart rate for the girls from other teams was higher than that for his own teammates, wouldn''t that imply that he, as the captain, was coveting others while still enjoying his own?


    No doubt it would lower his own appraisal.


    Lin Da had also promised Lulu an Oath-bound ticket.


    If his heart rate for Lulu wasn''t the highest, things seemed quite ominous.


    The biggest problem came from Monica.


    Lin Da thought that the most astringent person in Phoenix Tail Flower wasn''t the Brown-Skinned Maid, but instead the innocent and cute, yet with colossal panda, legal loli Monica!


    If Lin Da''s heart rate for Monica skyrocketed, Lulu would be disappointed in him, and Isa would look down on him.


    And Lia, that megaphone, would probably broadcast this incident throughout the city within a few days.


    This turn of events made Lin Da break out in a cold sweat!


    "I think, let''s not go. This Heartbeat Cottage, it''s all fake. The designer, Aimmi, you all know her, just an Elf Shadow actress who''s only good-looking and nothing else."


    Lin Da logically declined.


    "It''s getting cold; let''s go warm up in the hall." He chuckled, taking Monica''s hand, hoping to leave the turtle cottage quickly.


    "Lord Captain, play for a while," Monica pleaded pitifully, her voice whiny, giving Lin Da a jolt.


    No captain could resist his team''s loli member''s coquetry!


    "Fine, let''s test. What''s there to be afraid of in the Heartbeat Cottage!"


    Lin Da impulsively agreed.


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    "Yay!"


    Monica smiled as she pushed Lin Da in.


    The other three gave Monica a thumbs-up.


    Lia thought to herself: She must make Lin Da''s heart race and fall under her pomegranate skirt.


    Considering Lin Da''s performance in the woods, he probably still liked her a lot... eight out of ten, if not nine or ten chances!


    Perhaps Lin Da''s heart rate for her would be the highest among everyone.


    Lia, thinking of the happy possibilities, couldn''t help but put her hands on her hips and laugh proudly.


    "Shall I go first?"


    Lia looked at the others.


    Lulu and the rest were worried about who should go first and felt a bit nervous.


    Since Lia volunteered eagerly, it was perfect for her to be the ice breaker.


    "Hmm." Lulu nodded, "We''ll let you."


    "Then, I won''t stand on ceremony."


    Lia proudly walked into the turtle shell.


    ...


    "So this is what it looks like inside."


    Lin Da observed the interior with interest.


    The floor of Heartbeat Cottage was covered with a pink blanket depicting a somewhat ominous heart-shaped Array, which reminded Lin Da of a Succubus''s lower abdomen.


    The Holy Pattern on the stomach of a Succubus and the Array on the blanket bore some resemblance.


    The designer, Aimmi, was a star Elf actress. Lin Da had seen several of her Magic Shadows, a cute Elf Girl with golden short hair and silly sweetness.


    "Come to think of it, Aimmi''s hometown is Cyan City in Cangqing Province. Maybe I''ll have the chance to meet her someday."


    "In the game, Aimmi is a character with a contrasting personality, deceitful, and would scam players who chose unhealthy options out of a large sum of money. Hopefully, her designed Array won''t lead me to crash."


    The cottage was quiet, without outside interference, calming Lin Da''s thoughts.


    He was starting to regret it. He shouldn''t have been impulsively swayed by Monica''s act of coquetry to take the test.


    This matter was all harm to him and no good!


    Lin Da could only control his own heart rate, preferably having the heart rate for Lulu to be the highest, Monica the second, Isa third, and Lia as the caboose... that would fit his persona best.


    Lin Da sat with a worried face on a chair that resembled a torture device.


    Next to it was a small blackboard: Test participants, please take a seat here, it''s very safe (heart).


    As Lin Da sat down, the chair sprang out four metal chains with a snap, crisscrossing and binding him to it.


    Not far from the ground, a platform with a key protruded out. After the test ended, the girls could help him unlock it.


    It was good Lin Da had many people around him.


    If it were just an ordinary couple entering the cottage, and the test subject''s heart rate was too low, they might end up stranded on the chair, crying without tears.


    "Luckily, I have Monica. Even if the other three aren''t satisfied, Monica would still unlock the chains for me."


    After Lin Da settled, the cabin lit up with mood lighting, the same ambiguous pink found in couple''s hotels.


    At this moment, the wooden door of the small cottage squeaked open, and a girl wearing a red yukata walked in.


    Lia closed the door, propped her chin in her hand, and coughed, "Don''t get the wrong idea. This is just for the test. It''s fine even if your heart doesn''t race for me. After all, I don''t care."

 Chapter 326 282. Heartbeat Index, Multiple Defense Breaks (Subscribe, please subscribe!)_2

    "But since it''s a competition, *cough* I naturally want to come first."Under the soft pink light, Lia walked up to Lin Da and extended a hand. A trace of embarrassment appeared in her eyes, "I allow you to hold my hand."


    What? Just a handshake?


    Lin Da breathed a sigh of relief.


    The heart-shaped array on the blanket began to flicker, and numerals appeared on the cabin ceiling.


    Starting from zero, it probably represented Lin Da''s heartbeat index for Lia.


    Lia nervously looked up as the numbers quickly rose from 0 to 50, then 70, and finally to 90.


    Eventually, it settled on 95!


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    Lia was dumbstruck, both proud and shy. She had no idea Lin Da liked her so much!


    No wonder he was willing to be her assistant for three years!


    Phyllis, who was hired less than three months ago, had just recently submitted her resignation, which she rejected and symbolically increased Phyllis''s monthly salary by 1000 Gold Coins.


    "Lin Da, I didn''t know you felt so... about me."


    Lia was too embarrassed.


    But somehow,


    she noticed Lin Da''s expression was quite plain, not surprised at all.


    Could it be that Lin Da already knew his heartbeat index for her would be high, which is why he was so resistant when Lulu dragged him into the cabin?


    With that thought, Lia felt even more embarrassed.


    95 points, just 5 points shy of 100.


    She couldn''t imagine how important she was in Lin Da''s heart.


    "What are you thinking about?"


    Lin Da looked amused, "You don''t think 95 is very high, do you?"


    "95 isn''t high?"


    "Lin Da, you''re just shy!"


    Lia frowned slightly, a bit annoyed.


    Why couldn''t Lin Da just admit it? While she wouldn''t say it out loud, Lia was very concerned about her charm. When on the streets, she would secretly compare who turned more heads, her or Aiko.


    "Look over there."


    Lin Da pointed toward a blackboard by the door.


    Apparently, the heartbeat index was related to the number of heartbeats.


    80-100, calm as still water.


    100-150, heart fluttering like a little deer.


    150-200, heart throbbing.


    200-250, comparable to a Beastman.


    A normal person''s heart rate, in a calm state, is 60-100 beats per minute.


    After reading the explanation on the blackboard, Lia was completely dumbfounded, her scalp tingling from the awkwardness.


    She had thought Lin Da was captivated by her charms, that she was the most important person to him.


    A heartbeat of 95...


    That''s practically indifferent!


    Lia was stunned, her eyes nearly popping out!


    In a calm state, it''s 60-100.


    Meaning, Lin Da could have a heartbeat of 95 while eating, reading, or even during a bowel movement.


    So, Lin Da holding her hand has no more emotional impact than him taking a dump!


    Not a bit of throbbing!


    The harsh reality caused Lia''s face to turn pale, deeply stricken.


    Seeing Lin Da''s slightly curled lips, Lia felt so embarrassed she wanted to hide her head in her trousers, nearly collapsing on the spot.


    But there was one thing Lin Da hadn''t told her.


    In his usual calm state, Lin Da''s heart rate was about 80.


    This means when holding Lia''s soft little hand, Lin Da actually did feel something. Just not much.


    "Lin Da, do you think I have no feminine charm at all?"


    "Some things are better said straight, I... prefer bigger ones."


    "Ah?"


    Lia looked down at her chest.


    Instantly deflated.


    There was a knock at the door.


    "It''s someone else''s turn." It was Lulu''s dissatisfied voice.


    Lia walked out looking disheveled.


    The heartbeat index was also displayed outside. The original intent of Aimmi, the Elf who designed the heartbeat array, was public execution, allowing the spectators to mock the infatuated.


    This only shows how nasty this Elf''s character was.


    Everyone outside knew that Lia scored a pitiful 95 points.


    In other words, Lin Da felt no throb at all!


    Lia, as a potential romantic interest, was a total failure!


    Only her old rival Isa comforted Lia a little.


    But Lia was so immersed in her sadness that she didn''t absorb a word.


    The next person to be tested was Lulu.


    Lulu pushed open the door and entered the cabin.


    Feeling quite nervous.


    Everyone thought that Lin Da''s heart-throbbing index for her would be very high.


    Lulu hoped so too.


    If it was only higher than Bilya''s by a little, that would still be a failure.


    It had to be a lot higher.


    A moment later.


    Isa and the others standing outside watched as the numbers on the display screen rapidly changed.


    It soared from 0 to 100, then to 170!


    It far surpassed Lia''s 95, reaching the "Heart Throbbing" level.


    "Sister Lulu, amazing. I have to work hard too, to make the Lord''s heart throb." Monica clenched her little fists secretly, cheering for herself.


    Seeing Lulu score 170, Lia became even more "jade."


    Sitting on a bench next to the cabin, she stared blankly at the night sky.


    "As expected, it''s high."


    For Isa, even the last sliver of a miracle disappeared under the astonishing score of 170.


    Just look at Lia. A black silk bathrobe beauty, who had been Lin Da''s team captain for three years, yet she got a pathetic score of 95.


    Not to mention her as a mere friend?


    Getting a score of 60 or 70 would probably make others laugh behind her back.


    Flat-chested captain, rigid, boring...


    Isa''s hands trembled a bit, even more than when they hunted Epic Demon Creatures.


    The third tester was Monica.


    "Lord, please help Monica wipe the sweat inside, it''s sticky and uncomfortable!"


    Inside the cabin, Monica used the technique she had seen in Comic Books...


    Lin Da''s pupils constricted.


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    "Captain... it''s inconvenient, I''ll help you..."


    Lin Da replied with great difficulty.


    The heart-shaped array on the blanket twinkled intensely.


    It seemed to see through Lin Da''s pretense.


    The numbers on the ceiling, like a carriage pulled by an Earth Dragon, left everything behind in a flash.


    Within a breath, it broke 100.


    In the second breath, it surpassed Lulu''s previous high record of 170.


    In the third breath, it reached 210, the level "Comparable to Beastmen"!


    Monica was scared, shivering as she said, "What''s going on, why is it even higher than Sister Lulu..."


    Lin Da''s face turned dark.


    He simply had no face to face Lulu and the others anymore.


    "Lin Da was a pervert all along!?"


    Even with the door closed, Lia''s surprised voice could still be heard.


    Outside, all three were stunned.


    They had thought Lin Da treated Monica as a younger sister or a daughter.


    Did not expect this, did you Lin Da?


    If Monica wasn''t young-looking, he probably would have taken her down long ago, devouring her completely.


    Lia recalled Lin Da telling her he liked ''big ones.''


    Now it seemed understandable why Lin Da''s heart-throbbing index for Monica was so high.


    The bigger, the higher!


    Poor Monica''s starting line was next to the finish line.


    Lia dumbfoundedly looked down, clearly seeing her own toes.


    Even multiplied by ten, she couldn''t match Monica!


    "Hehehe..." Monica, who walked out of the cabin, had a naively sweet smile on her face.


    Lulu gently patted Monica''s head: "The captain really likes you."


    "Sister Lulu, you, you''re not angry, are you?"


    "Not at all, we are teammates who fight side by side."


    There was no conflict between the two.


    But when Lulu looked toward the cabin, her eyes turned icy.


    She wasn''t angry at Monica, but that did not mean she wasn''t angry at Lin Da!


    Why was the heart-throbbing index for the outwardly young Monica so high?


    That''s not normal!


    Lulu definitely did not want her captain to be a sophisticated brute who secretly liked little girls.


    She must give Lin Da a severe beating to make him explain himself.


    "Isa, it''s your turn." Lia gestured toward the cabin with her mouth, trying to find a scapegoat.


    At least she couldn''t be the weakest among the four.


    "Oh...!"


    Distracted, Isa walked stiffly towards the cabin after Lia''s reminder.


    Was she scared?


    But what was there for her to fear, she was just a friend to Lin Da, right?


    Lia blinked, utterly confused.


    ...


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 Chapter 327 283. Fireworks Festival and Isa

    The turtle shell under the veil of night emitted a glowing green light, making everyone''s face around it appear greenish. Enjoy more content from empireIsa couldn''t figure out whether a high or low Heartbeat Index was better.


    She thought, it at least shouldn''t be below 70.


    Despite being flat-chested and having a rigid personality which wasn''t much liked by others, she had once been heralded by the White Dove Morning News as one of the rare beauties in the city.


    Getting Lin Da''s heart to flutter a little should be possible, right?


    Isa clenched her fists, took a deep breath, and pushed the door open.


    "Ah?!"


    When she entered, an incredibly coincidental thing happened.


    There was a mop in the room, whose handle hooked onto the sash of Isa''s bathrobe.


    The loose bathrobe was secured only by a single sash.


    Isa felt an icy chill at the bottom of her heart, as if plunging into an abyss, with a whooshing cold wind continuously blowing at her back.


    This wasn''t just figurative; it was a literal coolness.


    The bathrobe slid from Isa''s body, and the winter wind, icy and biting, struck her back.


    Isa''s brain crashed, standing in the wind, disheveled.


    And so, Lin Da saw it.


    He involuntarily held his breath.


    His heart felt like an aging adventurer whose butt was burned by fire, leaping three meters high.


    That was...


    Whiter than a sheep,


    More tender than a peach,


    A very healthy Swordsman''s body.


    The heart-shaped formation at her feet flickered frantically.


    100, 150...


    In a blink, it surpassed the 200 mark.


    Drip, drip, drip!


    An alarming alert sound blared, the room''s suggestive pink lights switched to a startling red.


    "What''s happening?"


    Outside, Lulu and others were dumbfounded.


    The number on the magic display screen broke 250.


    What on earth happened inside the room?


    What had Isa done to make Lin Da''s Heartbeat Index go off the charts?


    Monica''s face turned pale: "Could it be, did it go in...?"


    This directly scared Lulu and Lia speechless!


    No, that couldn''t be possible.


    That was Isa, the leader of the Ice Flower team.


    Shameless as she might be, she couldn''t possibly do that.


    "I need to check it out." Lulu strode to the door, her right hand glowing with Battle Qi, covered in fluff over her delicate palm.


    Lulu raised her right paw and struck the tightly shut wooden door.


    Bang!


    Just then, the door opened.


    Isa walked out with a face flushed with embarrassment.


    Behind her, stood Lin Da, who had just escaped from a torturous chair. S~ea??h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da''s expression was awkward.


    Neither of them spoke.


    This atmosphere...


    Lulu''s head spun.


    They did it, didn''t they.


    Within just that short minute, the two did something extremely unfortunate inside the cabin!


    "Lust Demon Team Leader, I really misjudged you."


    Lulu scoffed coldly and started to walk away.


    "Listen to my explanation."


    Lin Da immediately snapped to his senses and grabbed Lulu''s wrist.


    "You don''t need to explain anymore. If it wasn''t that... why would the Heartbeat Index be so high?" Lulu pushed Lin Da''s hand away, her little face bearing a trace of grievance, "I only scored 170, so why does Isa score 270!"


    Faced with the undeniable facts before him, Lin Da was left with no defense.


    "But, it''s not what you think, we really didn''t do it."


    "It was all an accident!"


    "You agree, right, Isa?"


    Lin Da gave her a pleading look.


    Why not help with the explanation?


    Isa, known in White Dove City for her excellent reputation and propriety as an adventure team leader, surely wouldn''t want to be misunderstood, right?


    If Isa were linked to him, it would absolutely break the hearts of Ice Flower''s fans, thinking Isa had also joined his ''silver party''."


    Yet Isa''s face turned red, and she couldn''t lift her head to face Lulu, saying, "Mm, mm, we really didn''t do it."


    This appearance stupefied Lin Da right there and then.


    Anyone would think Isa was lying, right?


    "You two are ganging up to deceive me?" Lulu''s chest heaved up and down.


    Monica and Lia also looked at Lin Da with suspicion.


    "Really, we didn''t."


    Lin Da explained the incident from beginning to end.


    "What? Isa got tripped by a mop, her yukata accidentally fell off, you helped her open the stool with a key, and then you helped her wear her complicated yukata afterward?"


    Lulu laughed in anger, "Do you think anyone would believe that?"


    "Lulu, you know, I wouldn''t lie to you."


    Lin Da decided to use his last resort.


    "Hmph."


    Lulu swatted Lin Da''s hand aside, disrupting him from casting his spell.


    Awkward.


    Lin Da had no choice but to seek help from Monica and Lia.


    Monica is really kind-hearted after all.


    "Monica thinks, Sister Isa isn''t that kind of a vulgar person."


    Lia nodded too, "I know Isa better; her father would break her legs if she did something like that. Moreover, Isa doesn''t like Lin Da, why would she do such a thing? It doesn''t make sense, right Isa?"


    "Uh... yes, exactly!" Isa said in panic, "I really have no feelings for Lin Da at all."


    Lin Da breathed a sigh of relief, "Lulu, see, everyone is saying this, you should trust me now."


    "Really didn''t do it?"


    "Of course, it was all an accident."


    Lin Da patted Lulu''s little head, "Team Leader here loves his team members the most."


    Everyone finally believed Lin Da''s explanation.


    After all, the design of this Heartbeat Cottage''s magic array is quite unreasonable; the Heartbeat Index is related to the heartbeat rate, imagine if someone held a knife to Lin Da''s neck, the ''Heartbeat Index'' would probably skyrocket.


    This way, both Lulu and Lia felt relieved.


    The scores obtained are at best taken as a reference, not to be completely believed as true.


    "The fireworks festival is about to start, let''s go and secure a good spot."


    Just as Lin Da and the others were about to step away, they felt the ground rumbling and saw a crowd sprinting towards them.


    Their expressions were fanatical, their eyes glinting; mostly males, with ''Aimmi Fan Support Group'' bands tied around their heads, wearing jackets featuring the elf Aimmi''s graphics, carrying backpacks with Aimmi''s scroll paintings, figurines, photo books, and other related items.

 Chapter 328 283rd Fireworks Festival and Isa_2

    "Quick, brothers, charge! Aimmi, the top idol of Cyan City, is performing at Swan Amusement Park��I must get to hold Aimmi''s delicate hand and then never wash it again for the rest of my life!""I''m going to shake hands with my Own OO and Aimmi!"


    "Aimmi, my goddess!"


    A horde of rotund fans charged towards Lin Da, kicking up dust as they ran.


    To the unknowing, it would seem as if a Monster Tide had arrived.


    A sense of alarm struck Lin Da''s heart, "The top idol of Cangqing Province, Aimmi, is performing here? I kind of want to see... No, that''s not right! What''s most important now is not to get scattered by these frenzied fans. The fireworks display is about to start, and I need to stay with everyone."


    Regrettably, the people at the front of the fat crowd turned out to be quite strong, many reaching level 20. Faced with these fans who had lost their reason in their eagerness to see their idol, Lin Da had no choice but to dodge them.


    "Wuu wuu, my captain," Monica said, getting so frightened that she hugged her head and squatted down right there.


    "Hand, hand to me!" Lin Da desperately tried to grab Monica.


    "Woo hoo hoo, Aimmi, here I come!"


    A man in a white suit and with blond slicked-back hair, his eyes alight with peach hearts, pushed through between Lin Da and Monica, shoving away the hand Lin Da had stretched out.


    The next moment, the crowd surged closer and Lin Da could no longer see Monica.


    At the last glimpse, he saw Lulu grabbing Monica''s hand. There shouldn''t be anything to worry about��despite Lulu seeming rather indifferent, she was actually very good at taking care of others.


    The detestable man who had interrupted Lin Da, the blond with the slicked-back hair, turned out to be the commander of the White Dove Adventure Group, a level 34 wind-based Mage named Gale!


    Choosing to chase stars over participating in a perfectly good fireworks display, Gale''s leadership was certainly exemplifying misconduct.


    Having no other choice, Lin Da looked for someone else nearby. His gaze fortunately met with Isa, who looked spiritless and was being jostled about in the crowd.


    Ever since Lin Da had seen Isa''s naked body, Isa hadn''t been feeling right.


    Understandable, as Isa''s father was a highly principled Knight who was strict at home. He surely expected his daughter to remain chaste. Lin Da, having seen what he should and shouldn''t have, certainly made Isa uncomfortable.


    Lin Da hesitated a moment but still decided to reach out his hand.


    "Isa, over here!"


    He grabbed Isa''s wrist.


    A moment later.


    "Whew, whew, that was terrifying. Frenzied fans are just too scary," he gasped as he sat under a large pine tree at the summit, wiping the sweat from his forehead and recalling the Aimmi fans who had charged over like starving wolves, shuddering at the thought.


    "It seems we can''t find Lulu and the others," Isa mentioned, her mind on other matters as she glanced around. The peak was filled with couples and adventure teams watching the fireworks display��a crowd of more than a thousand people.


    Finding Lulu and the others among so many would be tough.


    Down below, a light bullet shot up with a tail like a shooting star into the night sky and then exploded with a bang.


    The fireworks display had begun!


    Looking for someone now was clearly futile.


    Lin Da adjusted his emotions and said, "As long as we are under the same night sky, watching the same fireworks, I believe the World Tree Goddess will bless us."


    "Mhm," Isa gently nodded her head.


    The two of them simply sat down by the large pine tree and looked up at the night sky.


    As the first light bullet rose, several more followed in quick succession, turning the sky into a brilliant rain of light.


    Everyone on the summit silently closed their eyes, placed their right hands over their hearts, and made wishes for the new year.


    Lin Da silently mused, "In the new year, I hope the team remains harmonious, purifies Little Sister, and safely adventures together."


    After a short while.


    Lin Da opened his eyes. sea??h th�� novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He wanted to ask what wish Isa had made.


    But when he turned his head, he saw Isa staring intently at him.


    Lin Da asked in puzzlement, "What''s wrong?"


    "Lin Da, I..."


    As the fireworks bloomed in the night sky, the colorful dazzling lights were reflected on Isa''s face.


    Suddenly, a gust of wind blew, causing the girl''s silver hair to flutter.


    Isa''s lips moved, and she said something.


    Her voice was drowned out by the rain of light from the fireworks.


    Lin Da''s eyes widened slightly.


    This was why Isa had always been so nice to him.


    Inviting him to join the team, giving him a Town Portal Scroll, agreeing to defeat Epic Monsters together...


    It was all because of this.


    Although Isa was well-regarded, it didn''t mean she treated everyone the way she treated him.


    Only then did Lin Da understand the special place he held in Isa''s heart.


    The real moment that Lin Da caught Isa''s attention was probably on the fifth level at the Green Plains. It was the first conflict between Ice Flower and Snow Goose, both sides fighting over a gigantic Slime, the "Wilderness Guardian."


    That was the beginning of Lia and Isa''s feud.


    It also brought a healer whose level wasn''t very high, but who could cast healing arts very quickly and commanded brilliantly, into Isa''s view.


    Isa thought it was time to put an end to this matter.


    Just as she planned.


    "Sorry."


    Lin Da''s face was filled with apology.


    No miracle occurred.


    It perfectly matched Isa''s plan.


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    This was just fine.


    It was enough.


    Isa stared blankly at Lin Da.


    At least let herself be selfish in the end.


    Suddenly, Isa moved close to Lin Da, and under his shocked expression, with the peak Battle Qi of level 29, she held his face in her hands, nervously closed her eyes, and their lips met.


    Lin Da was greatly shocked.


    ...


    Due to the nature of her Ice Douqi, Isa''s lips were very cold, like ice blocks.


    Only upon close inspection could one find a trace of a young girl''s warmth.


    Isa was also very clumsy, like two leaves coming together, barely touching before disappearing in a flash.


    When that sweet sensation faded, Lin Da saw Isa clutching her handbag, wiping her eyes as she ran off.


    "Wait..."


    When Lin Da stepped forward, his heart suddenly jolted.


    It seemed as if a little angel with wings and a halo above its head flew out of his head, questioning him with a piercing gaze:


    "Why are you chasing after her? Do you want to disappoint Lulu too?"


    "Your team already has four members, isn''t that enough? Are you still targeting girls from other teams? You truly don''t deserve the title ''Eye of True Knowledge''; you''re just an ''Ultimate Pervert''!"


    "This..."


    Lin Da''s face burned with heat.


    It was a bit much.


    A man can be shameless, but not too shameless.


    Watching Isa running off into the night, about to disappear into the crowd, he felt uncomfortable. Perhaps he had unknowingly been attracted to this elegant silver-haired swordsman, but since Isa had always appeared as a friend and he was not lacking in beautiful girls, he never realized it.


    In the game, Isa was an NPC, a non-playable character, and Lin Da, who had traveled to this world, subconsciously thought that it was impossible to develop a romantic storyline.


    But he was wrong.


    Every ''NPC'' here was a living person.


    The Beastmen wanting to impregnate the Elves wasn''t just a game setting, but a true expression of a lecherous old lech lusting after bodies.


    The cause of Kam''s cerebral palsy was Hulus''s overprotectiveness.


    Isa wasn''t just a background in Novice Village to appear in players'' landscape photos.


    If being a pervert means being a pervert, even if it''s rumored that I host silver parties every day, I don''t care anymore," he decided.


    He would figure something out with Lulu.


    A hero tasked with the duty of saving the world having a few more beautiful girls than an average person should be understandable to his brothers.


    Lin Da''s conviction turned into a blade, and with a snap, he cut the small angel advising him to be good in half.


    "You, you will not end up well..." the little angel wailed as it died.


    Lin Da''s magic circuit within him spun rapidly. He took two steps in place of three, dexterously maneuvering through the crowd.


    Then, with a snap, he caught the silver-haired girl who was wiping away tears and trying to flee!

 Chapter 329 284. Isa declared war on Lia: Im going to steal Lin Da away!

    Isa''s body trembled, and she bit her teeth, wondering why Lin Da had caught up."While the fireworks festival isn''t over yet, you should go find Lulu. And Lia, Monica, they''re waiting for you too."


    "What about Isa?" Lin Da asked.


    "I... I will go back to the Ice Flower villa."


    "But didn''t Fannis and the others go to South Rock City? It''s the rare Winter Festival; do you want to spend it alone in the empty mansion?"


    "Otherwise, what else?" Isa''s composure started to crack, her voice wailed, "It can only be this way."


    She had been rejected by Lin Da and couldn''t bring herself to do what Lia did, acting shamelessly, kicking Lin Da and still clinging to his side. sea??h th�� n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A gloomy exit was the best outcome.


    "Remember that bet?"


    Lin Da said, "If the Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team''s strategy ranks catch up to Ice Flower''s within three years, you''ll join my team, and vice versa."


    Isa nodded.


    In less than three months, Lin Da''s Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team had already reached the 10th floor.


    Catching up to the 13th floor where Ice Flower was, was merely a matter of time.


    Isa had never thought she would lose.


    The Ice Flower Adventure Team she had trained with her own hands, every member was a dear friend with deep emotional ties.


    Leaving these people to join Lin Da''s team was something she couldn''t do.


    Yet she also couldn''t go against the bet she had personally agreed to.


    Just as Isa was at a loss, Lin Da spoke up.


    "Thinking about it now, that bet was a mistake."


    "A mistake...?"


    "Yes," Lin Da said.


    Lin Da steadied Isa''s shoulders.


    He looked sincerely at the silver-haired girl with swollen eyes, "Because you are an excellent captain, rather than forcing you to join Phoenix Tail Flower, I''d prefer to see Ice Flower and Phoenix Tail Flower, side by side, fighting together at the 20th, 30th floor, or even the top floor in the future."


    "So, I want to change the agreement."


    "Change it?"


    "Yes. As captains of our respective teams, let''s advance towards the World Tree together until we''re unable to wield our swords any longer, until the day we retire," Lin Da proposed.


    After saying all this, Isa was completely dumbfounded.


    When she had made that bet with Lin Da, she had impure intentions.


    She was offering a little favor to make Lin Da grateful, absolutely determined to win him over to her team.


    Now, the Ice Flower Adventure Team was closely followed by Phoenix Tail Flower, which could surpass them at any time.


    Isa had noticed that Lulu had advanced to Star Rank. Lin Da and Monica''s potential were also extraordinarily remarkable. Within at most half a year, Phoenix Tail Flower was very likely to overtake the Ice Flower Adventure Team.


    If Lin Da brought up the bet by then and forced Isa to join...


    Asking herself honestly, with her character, even if she couldn''t bear to leave Ice Flower, she would disband the team and enter Lin Da''s adventure team.


    But this crisis was easily resolved.


    Lin Da voluntarily suggested giving up.


    Thus allowing Isa to keep the Ice Flower Adventure Team.


    In that moment, Lin Da seemed to radiate a warm Holy Light, shining on Isa''s face.


    Warm.


    So warm.


    With strength, talent, good looks, and empathy...


    Isa rubbed the corners of her eyes vigorously.


    More tiny pearls spilled out in a stream.


    "How can I refuse you when you look like this," Isa murmured.


    Steal a girl''s heart, yet unwilling to bear any responsibility.


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    Too cunning.


    Lin Da thought seriously for a moment.


    "After I convince my team members, I can respond to you once more," he said.


    Lin Da''s own household was not even in order; attracting trouble from the outside, he might end up with his head gnawed off by a werewolf girl in the middle of the night.


    "I understand," Isa said softly.


    She did not feel that Lin Da''s actions were inappropriate.


    An excellent adventurer is meant to be competed for.


    Having multiple potential Oath-bound of the opposite sex is nothing new.


    Isa had not understood this before.


    Not giving up on Lin Da would result in pain, but giving him up meant she would spend her entire life in agony.


    Moreover, Lin Da made her heart flutter the most.


    Maybe one day, she could become Lin Da''s sole Oath-bound.


    Isa wiped her eyes with a handkerchief, her cheeks blushing as she said, "Then, could you call me by my nickname? Sasha."


    "Uh..."


    Lin Da was embarrassed and felt that if Lulu heard this, she might explode.


    Isa: "Sorry, I might be a bit greedy."


    "On the day we make the Oath, I will call you that," Lin Da promised.


    With their relationship improved, they noticed the strange looks from the crowd around them.


    "Isn''t that Captain Isa and Lin Da? Why are they together watching the fireworks? Where are their team members?"


    "Sss, could it be a secret rendezvous?"


    "I remember Captain Lin Da''s favorite was the Holy Mage, could the White Dove Morning News be deceiving us?"


    Lin Da sighed.


    Tomorrow there would probably be gossip about him throwing silver parties again.


    But when you''re covered in lice, you don''t itch.


    Let those people talk.


    As Lin Da held Isa''s hand, looking for a quiet place to watch the fireworks... they ran into Lulu and the others who were searching for them.


    The fireworks soared into the sky; with a loud bang, they burst open, casting splendid light onto every face.


    Amidst the noisy crowd, Lin Da felt a silence as profound as death.


    Sweat beads rolled down his forehead uncontrollably, his clothes seemed soaked through.


    "Let''s go somewhere less crowded to explain, there are too many people here," Lin Da sighed.


    The amusement park at the foot of the mountain was deserted; everyone had gone to the mountaintop to watch the fireworks.


    Lin Da sat wearily on a bench, with Isa beside him.


    Three girls glared at them fiercely, encircling them as if they were conducting a strident interrogation following a scandal.


    Isa hung her head in embarrassment, shivering slightly from intense shame, unable to raise her head under Lulu''s icy stare.


    Monica hid timidly behind Lulu: "Lord Captain, this is awkward!"


    Lulu cast a sidelong glance at Isa, and then frowned at Lin Da, her face remaining calm.

 Chapter 330 284. Isa declared war on Lia: Im going to steal Lin Da away!_2

    This was very tricky for Lin Da.Lia''s eyes bulged, and she chuckled nervously, "You, how did you two end up together, what happened? When was this, how did I not know..."


    "There are some things I want to say." Isa clenched her fists, took a deep breath, and looked firmly at Lia:


    "Even though Lin Da was once your teammate, and your bond deeper, I won''t lose to you. Lia, I will snatch Lin Da away from you!"


    Led by Lia, everyone was struck by a bolt from the blue, their heads buzzing.


    At first, they were guessing if it was a misunderstanding.


    Now it was confirmed.


    Isa actually declared war on Lia in public!


    Monica covered her mouth, too scared to come out from behind Lulu.


    Lia''s eyes went dark.


    How could Isa also become involved with Lin Da?


    And she was claiming to snatch Lin Da away from her?


    It seemed Isa suddenly remembered something: "Right, Lia, you and Lin Da are just former teammates, not even a couple. My declaration of war against you is meaningless."


    Upon hearing this, Lia''s face turned even blacker than coal.


    Then, Isa''s gaze shifted to Lulu.


    This werewolf girl was the toughest one to handle.


    Since Isa had decided to join the battle to fight for Lin Da, she would move forward bravely, like the knight''s sword in hand.


    Only when she lost could she willingly leave the stage.


    Before the outcome was decided, Isa planned to give it her all.


    Even if it meant facing Star Rank Lulu.


    "If it''s a challenge you want, I welcome it at any time."


    Lulu sneered with a cold laugh, "But just one thing, I want to make it clear, the captaincy of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team won''t be given to just anyone."


    "Lulu..."


    Just as Lin Da was about to say some words of comfort, he saw Lulu take a big step towards him, close her eyes, and lean in fiercely!


    The light scent emanating from the girl, and the softness of her lips, left Lin Da petrified on the spot.


    Watching Lulu kiss Lin Da in public, everyone was stunned.


    No wonder Lulu was so confident.


    She was on a whole different level from them.


    Isa gritted her teeth: "I, I''ll do it too."


    "All of you shut up!"


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    Lia''s earlobes flushed red, her hands flailing desperately as if she were a fly that couldn''t take off, "Messing around with relationships, I''m reporting you all!"


    It was akin to flipping the chessboard when losing the game.


    Messing around on the amusement park benches, huh?


    Just wait and see if I don''t report you!


    Right when Lulu had just released her mouth, Lia with a grim face, walked over quickly.


    Lin Da was on guard, "What are you doing?"


    Lia didn''t give Lin Da a chance to move further.


    She reached out, took hold of Lin Da''s head, and fiercely opened her mouth.


    The other three were all dumbstruck.


    Complain about others, then go ahead and do it yourself, huh?


    How can someone be so shameless!


    Monica covered her face with her hands, only her large eyes peeping out from between her fingers.


    Far more thrilling than the scenes in the comic books!


    Is this what kissing is like, so impressive!


    Monica thought in shock.


    Lin Da''s eyes widened slightly.


    He could only see Lia''s pristine forehead.


    Pressed against his own forehead, it was warm.


    The girl''s eyes were tightly closed, her eyelashes trembling slightly, the scent of fresh shampoo wafting over him.


    It must be from an expensive brand.


    This miser, she actually spent money on it? She always used dry shampoo before.


    And... Lia''s lips really were soft!


    With a faint strawberry flavor.


    She probably had too much strawberry cake.


    The only pity was...


    After Lia''s face turned beet red and she let him go.


    Lin Da touched his own lips.


    Blood.


    Blood on my hand!


    Bit by Lia!


    Lin Da speechless, "Are you a dog or something?!"


    "Hmph, just be happy about it, getting the first kiss from the future strongest Swordsman."


    "From now on, I''m someone important to you."


    Lia emphasized the last few words especially hard.


    Lin Da was gobsmacked, "Isn''t this just wishful thinking on your part? If the genders were reversed, this would be sexual harassment!"


    "Hah?! Don''t act coy after taking advantage of the situation!"


    "To be honest, Lulu''s lips are softer."


    "What!? "


    Lia was about to explode with anger.


    Lin Da, "Speaking of which, you still owe me salary..."


    "Just owe."


    "Well, quitting the team really was the right choice, Lia. I''m finally seeing your true nature, you''re just a bad-tempered, unscrupulous team leader!"


    "Exactly, so what, hurry up and like me!" Lia yelled with a red face.


    It was impossible to reason with someone like her.


    Had Lia not received a low level of cultural education, she would have been washing dishes in a restaurant, given her lack of talent as an adventurer.


    "Like you if you say so? I''m not a Beastman in heat, just any female would do." Lin Da sneered.


    "Looking down on me, huh? Who was it that said I was cute when he first joined the team?!"


    "Even pigs can grow ugly, let alone people."


    Lin Da retorted.


    Lia was so angered by Lin Da that smoke seemed to be coming out of her head, and her hair ignited with fiery Battle Qi.


    It seemed like the two were about to start fighting.


    "Stop arguing, if this continues someone will discover us," Lulu frowned.


    "For Lulu''s sake, I won''t stoop to your level," Lin Da said indifferently.


    "Hmph." Lia turned her head away, apparently no longer interested in speaking to Lin Da.


    "Right." Lia remembered something and glared at Isa, "Lin Da is mine, don''t even think about taking him."


    Isa was stunned. Was Lia''s reaction time always this slow? The topic had changed several times before Lia thought to respond to her declaration of war?


    How foolish, how foolish, perhaps this is just the leader of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, Lia.


    Lin Da laughed in spite of his anger, "Who''s your thing, huh?"


    "You''re mine because I picked you up," Lia brought up the old story when she had taken in Lin Da and Lin Xi when they were wanderers.


    Lulu said coldly, "Lin Da belongs to the Phoenix Tail Flower, Lia, stop bothering our leader."


    "Yes, Lord is everyone''s," Monica added softly. Monica, who had severe social anxiety, was very afraid of brash adventurers like Lia who spoke without any filter.


    Isa, "Whatever, I will take Lin Da anyway."


    Lia, "Fine, just after we teamed up to defeat the Epic Monster I thought there was hope for us to become friends, seems I was mistaken. I will definitely defeat you thoroughly!"


    "Sorry to say, but within a week, I''ll advance to Star Rank, and Ice Flower will soon be an Iron Level adventure team."


    "Grr...! Me too, I can... in a month, it''s possible."


    Facing the ironclad reality, Lia was so flustered she was at a loss for words.


    In the matter of adventuring, she was always a step behind Isa.


    Isa ignored the boastful Lia and bent down to look Monica in the eyes, speaking softly, "I''m sorry, Monica. I want all of Lin Da."


    "Eh!?"


    Monica was shocked.


    Then, Isa apologized to Lulu.


    With her hands by her thighs and a solemn expression, Isa bowed deeply at ninety degrees like a Knight reviewing herself before the public, her voice ringing out clearly, "I''m sorry for liking your leader and causing you trouble!" S��arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "But... I won''t give up. If I have the chance, I will do my best to take Lin Da."


    Lulu expressionless, "Then you''re doomed to be disappointed because Lin Da has long promised to make me the first Oath-bound."


    Isa and the others changed their expressions.


    All of them looked at Lin Da.


    Lulu looked at him too.


    Without hesitation, Lin Da nodded, "That''s right, Lulu and I have arranged that, after the adventure, we will form an Oath-bound contract."


    The three had differing expressions.


    Monica was happy for Lulu, and thought further that as a member of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, she too wouldn''t be far behind.


    Just the thought of living with Lin Da in the future made Monica''s face brighten with a sweet smile.


    Only Lia was so agitated she was about to explode.


    Why are you all moving so fast?


    Wasn''t Lin Da a blockhead who focused solely on strategy, with no time for anything else?


    Ever since the establishment of Phoenix Tail Flower, why did the number of girls around him keep increasing day by day?


    Once again, Lia transformed into a frantic king.

 Chapter 331 285, Three-way alliance, tenth floor of the Great Mystery Continent

    Isa fell silent for a while before saying, "Even so, I won''t give up."Although the Oath-bound''s position had been snatched away by Lulu...


    the bride''s position was still vacant.


    "Right, I have a proposal," Isa''s mind sparked with an idea: "Phoenix Tail Flower and Ice Flower, let''s form an alliance."


    "An alliance?" Several people looked towards Isa.


    "Yes, an alliance," Isa responded with a smile: "Once Ice Flower and Phoenix Tail Flower join forces, no one will be able to look down on this power."


    As the Ice Flower Captain, Isa was confident she could reach Star Rank within a week.


    Phoenix Tail Flower''s promotion to Iron Level was a done deal, only a matter of time.


    No one could ignore the alliance between these two teams.


    Lin Da pondered for a moment.


    "Let''s not delay, let''s go and register now!"


    Isa: "Great!"


    The group headed out of the amusement park.


    Lia followed behind, dejected.


    She glanced at Lin Da and Isa, opened her mouth several times wanting to say something but couldn''t bring herself to do it.


    She always felt left out.


    ...


    Fireworks bloomed one after another in the night sky, and perhaps because of her mood, Isa had ample leeway to admire these mundane magical glimmers.


    Though she felt a bit sorry for her team members, Isa still felt this year''s Winter Festival was better than the previous ones.


    Originally, Isa had planned to be rejected by Lin Da and return to Ice Flower''s villa holding back tears.


    Coming to her senses, Isa had also become one of those ''shameless women'' she used to see.


    She no longer wished to think about the future.


    At least she should live without regrets in life.


    Another firework ascended.


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    This one was much larger than the previous ones.


    Symbolizing the new year''s arrival.


    The light snow that started before was now turning into a heavy downpour of goose-feather-like flakes.


    It settled on the hair and eyebrows of Lin Da''s party, forming a faint frosting of ice.


    They raised their heads, gazing at the final firework in the night sky.


    A verdant blaze of light came together to form a massive World Tree.


    At this moment, all of White Dove City''s inhabitants quietly looked up at the night sky.


    When the last trace of light vanished from the sky,


    Lin Da and the others looked at each other and said with a smile,


    "Happy New Year."


    ...


    In the Inner City District, Adventurer''s Guild.


    With the firework show concluded, the streets were noticeably less crowded.


    Most had gone home to eat New Year''s Eve dinner together in the warmth indoors.


    A carriage arrived at the end of the street.


    The carriage door opened, and Lin Da''s group filed out.


    They surveyed the surroundings, the streets draped in a cloak of silver.


    "I can understand you riding with us in the carriage, thinking of it as a free ride back to the Inner City District''s Snow Goose Villa, but why are you still following us now?"


    Lin Da feigned confusion, turning his astonished gaze towards the sheepish Lia, "So, what are you here for?"


    "I, I''m just looking," Lia''s small face turned beet red with restraint.


    "Oh." Lin Da looked at Lia with a meaningful glance.


    A group of people headed towards the Adventurers'' Guild.


    Lia followed behind, scratching her cheek and muttering loudly to herself, "Geez, Snow Goose actually wouldn''t mind finding an ally. Whoever becomes Snow Goose''s ally would gain the friendship of the future strongest swordsman."


    "Oh, who will invite Snow Goose and seize this great opportunity?"


    As Lia spoke, her eyes drifted towards Lin Da.


    "We''ll have my hometown''s delicacy ''dumplings'' for the New Year''s Eve dinner. What fillings do you all like?" Lin Da pretended not to hear and chatted with his team members.


    "Monica wants vegetable ones."


    "Mutton," Lulu said.


    "I''ll have pork and cabbage," Lia said subconsciously.


    Everyone paused for a moment.


    Who asked you from another team?


    Lin Da''s feelings, however, were somewhat complicated.


    In the past, after Snow Goose''s adventures ended, he would ask the same of Lia and her team.


    After thinking for a while, Lin Da said, "Let''s call everyone together and celebrate the New Year''s together tonight."


    "Yeah!" Lia''s eyes lit up.


    A short while later, they arrived at the Adventurers'' Guild.


    The hall was carpeted in beige, warm winds blew from the magical Arrays on the ceiling, and the staff diligently offered paper cups filled with hot water.


    This was the special treatment for Rock-level Adventure Teams and above.


    Lin Da took a water cup and drained it in one gulp.


    The warmth spread from his stomach throughout his body, feeling very comfortable.


    "That thing about forming an alliance, count me in," Lia knew it was too late if she didn''t speak up now. S��ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da: "That''s not what you said when you kicked me out."


    "But I apologized, didn''t I?"


    "..."


    Lin Da speechlessly said, "I haven''t said that I forgive you."


    Lia: "???"


    The young girl awkwardly scratched her head. "So there wasn''t one?"


    Lin Da said, "You need to show the right attitude when asking for a favor; otherwise, we won''t form an alliance with you."


    Isa also felt like teasing Lia, saying with all seriousness, "Snow Goose has good combat strength, but there''s a big problem with the character of its members, such as the captain being quite arrogant."


    "I, I''m not arrogant," Lia said, her face burning hot.


    "Why don''t you form an alliance with us?" Lia bit her lip and said.


    "Not sincere enough. Say, ''Please, Captain Lin Da.''"


    "Gr..."


    "Please, Captain Lin Da, please form an alliance with Snow Goose."


    Lia placed her hands on the sides of her thighs, slightly bent over, and asked in a low and humble voice.


    Seeing Lia''s neck turning red with shame, Lin Da felt quite satisfied.


    He never expected the proud and arrogant Lia to bow to him one day.


    "Alright then, I''ll reluctantly count you in, although I was planning on it anyway."


    "Huh!?"


    Lia: "You were planning to form an alliance with Snow Goose all along? Was I begging you for nothing?"


    Lin Da shook his head at her intelligence.


    In the end, the captains of the three adventure teams gathered in front of the counter.


    The sight of their assembly indeed frightened the main supervisor of the hall quite a bit.


    As the captains of the most promising adventure teams in White Dove City, President Velen had personally emphasized that they should be treated with special care whenever they visited the Adventurers'' Guild.

 Chapter 332 285, Three-way alliance, tenth floor of the Great Mystery Continent_2

    Three people appeared simultaneously, and the manager, not daring to neglect them, hurried forward to greet them warmly."We are just here to conduct some business," Lin Da said, "Please register our intent to form an alliance." sea??h th�� n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The manager, named Ricky, was a tall man with brown, short hair, wearing glasses, and had a gentle demeanor.


    Upon hearing Lin Da''s words, Ricky slightly startled, adjusted his glasses, and said, "Do you mean, Captain Lin Da, that the Phoenix Tail Flower, Ice Flower, and Snow Goose teams are forming an alliance?"


    "Yes," Lin Da replied.


    The two young women beside him nodded as well.


    As soon as this statement was made, all the staff in the hall and a few adventurers who were handling their business looked incredulously towards them.


    Once these three teams allied, they would become the largest civilian force in White Dove City over time.


    Most importantly, how did Lin Da manage to bring together Lia and Isa, two adventure team leaders who were like water and fire?


    They had fought each other for three years and couldn''t suddenly become friends.


    The reason most likely lay with Lin Da.


    And it happened to be the Winter Festival today, a favorite holiday for couples...


    Someone noticed that Lin Da''s lips were broken, seemingly bitten.


    Reporter Kami, hiding behind a garbage bin in the hall, excitedly pulled out her notebook and wrote furiously:


    On the night of the Winter Festival, a suspected gathering of the Eye of True Knowledge, serving him with two girls of ice and fire, even broke his lips!


    ...


    Five minutes later.


    Lin Da and his allies had completed the alliance.


    The Adventurers'' Guild would issue an announcement informing the people of White Dove City


    that from now on, anyone who intends to deal with one of them will face the combined retaliation of all three.


    Whether it''s shadow spirits or Bedrock, they would have to think twice before making a move on Lin Da and the others.


    Upon leaving the Adventurers'' Guild.


    "I''m going to see if Fannis and her group have returned," Isa said energetically.


    Lia said, "I''ll also inform Aiko and the others!"


    Lin Da smiled and said, "To celebrate our trilateral alliance, once everyone gathers, I''ll make an announcement."


    "What is it?" Isa asked, curious.


    "It''s mainly for the Snow Goose side," Lin Da said.


    Snow Goose?


    Lia seemed to think of something, her eyes bursting with brilliance, and she stuttered, "You wouldn''t, you couldn''t be planning... to create a strategy for Snow Goose, could you?"


    Facing their inquisitive looks, Lin Da nodded gently, "However, I will only provide Snow Goose with a rough strategy. You need to figure out the details yourselves. Plus, I''ll train your team cooperation. If Lia doesn''t follow orders again, Snow Goose will never get my strategies in the future."


    "No problem," Lia said excitedly, "Then I''ll go call the others!"


    A red figure swiftly disappeared into the snowy landscape.


    Lia couldn''t wait to bring this great news back to Snow Goose.


    ...


    On the way back, Lin Da spent a good deal of effort to calm his own team members.


    He wouldn''t neglect his own side just because he had two new allies.


    Lin Da''s focus was still on Phoenix Tail Flower, helping Lia and her group, only lending a hand in his spare time.


    Boots crunched on the snow, making creaking noises.


    Lin Da thought about the future of Phoenix Tail Flower.


    In a few days, the ten floors of the Great Mystery Continent would open.


    He definitely wouldn''t miss this opportunity to get stronger.


    The challenge lay in floors 13 and 14, where one would have to defeat hidden Magical Creatures and a Light Mage was needed.


    Lin Da''s team was low on magical output, with only Monica there.


    ''If we can''t manage, we''ll just have to farm wild creatures to accumulate Mystical Points and brutally power through after reaching level 30,'' Lin Da thought reluctantly.


    Upon returning to Goldfinch District, from afar he saw the villa of Phoenix Tail Flower enshrouded in darkness, without any lights.


    A chill shot through Lin Da''s heart: had Tasya not returned yet?


    He had thought Tasya was just not wearing a yukata and didn''t come.


    But it seemed the situation was more serious than he thought.


    "What''s wrong with Sister Tasya?" Monica asked worriedly.


    Lulu felt somewhat guilty, and seeing the solemn expression on Lin Da''s face, dared not speak.


    Entering the villa, Lin Da turned on the magic guide lamp switch.


    The hall immediately lit up.


    There was a letter on the table.


    Lin Da''s sense of foreboding grew stronger.


    He walked briskly over and opened the envelope.


    [To the master: I had promised Dawen to participate in the subjugation of level ten Magical Creatures, and as level ten is about to open, please forgive my leaving without a word.


    Tasya left this note.] Continue reading on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Level ten subjugation... The creature Dawen wants to subdue, could it be that ''Magical Creature''?"


    Lin Da''s expression changed.


    If the Scarlet Adventure Group were to challenge that Magical Creature without any knowledge, they would surely be wiped out.


    "Um, Lin Da... I have something to tell you." Lulu, with her tail drooping, came over.


    "What''s wrong with you, looking like that?"


    Lin Da asked in surprise.


    She looked nearly as limp as frostbitten eggplants, her light blue furry ears had lost their luster.


    Lulu said, "Actually, Tasya had come looking for us, just when we were leaving in the carriage... and she was wearing a bathrobe..."


    "What?"


    Lin Da was stunned, "Then why didn''t you say so?"


    Lulu was at a loss for words.


    After a brief moment, Lin Da understood the reason.


    He sighed, "Don''t blame yourself; this isn''t your fault."


    "There is also this thing that I found." Lulu carefully took out a blue scarf from her space ring.


    "I found it in the amusement park, probably, Tasya went there too."


    "A scarf?"


    Lin Da took it, it was a scarf made of Fire Dragon Silk, warm and smooth to the touch, and it had a faint fragrance, very much like Tasya''s.


    In the bottom right corner of the scarf, there was a pair of cute chibi human figures embroidered, one dressed in a scholar''s robe holding a book was Lin Da, and behind him stood a man in a black coat wearing a faceless mask, holding a magic sword.


    It was Lin Da and Dark Shadow.


    To the left side of the scarf, a chibi silver-haired maid was holding a broom and cleaning, staring blankly to the right.


    "Tasya has been busy these past few days, so this is what she was making?" Lin Da suddenly realized.


    It seemed Tasya had intended to give him the scarf on the day of the Winter Festival.


    But for some reason, the scarf ended up in the amusement park.


    Lin Da took a deep breath, wrapped the scarf around him, grabbed his coat hanging at the door, and hurried out.


    "Where are you going?" Lulu asked, worried.


    Monica also followed to the door.


    "When Lia and the others arrive, please entertain them for me, and apologize on my behalf."


    "I need to take a trip to Red Heart City."


    Lin Da looked determinedly to the south.


    He must stop Dawen, he couldn''t let the Scarlet Adventure Group attempt to challenge that Magical Creature.


    Even the ordinary Sun Adventure Group would take a detour upon seeing that creature!


    Fortunately, there was about a week left before level ten opened.


    He set off overnight, and he would reach Red Heart City before dawn.


    "I''ll come with you," Lulu said, not quite at ease.


    "No, you stay here and entertain Lia and the others. Kafni needs to recuperate, and Monica isn''t able to manage everything, so it''s up to you. Can I entrust this to you?" Lin Da asked emphatically.


    Lulu''s drooping wolf tail gently wagged as she nodded: "Leave it to me."


    During the night, Lin Da rented a Blackflame Horse worth one hundred thousand gold and sped towards Red Heart City.


    ...


    A few hours earlier, at Swan Amusement Park.


    Snowflakes fell on Tasya''s hair, which was coiled up, and soon a thin layer of snow covered her shoulders.


    She had been following Lin Da and the others the whole time.


    In Tasya''s head, the scene of Lin Da being surrounded by young girls replayed, leaving a void in her body, as if even the heartbeat had vanished.


    She stared blankly at the night sky, the colorful lights of fireworks falling on her face.


    The blue scarf in her handbag fell out, swept away by the wind, unnoticed.


    She had been with the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team for several days.


    But Tasya still didn''t feel a part of it.


    She always felt that there was an unseen barrier between her and people like Lin Da and Lulu.


    To Lin Da''s side, it seemed her presence was completely unnecessary.


    Passersby were attracted by Tasya''s appearance, stopping to stare.


    "Who is that person, she looks so beautiful in a bathrobe."


    "Looks like a Star Rank of the Scarlet Adventure Group, but now she''s a member of Captain Lin Da''s team."


    "Eh, Lin Da again?"

 Chapter 333 286. Lin Da versus Dawen, Tasyas decision

    Half an hour later, Tasya returned to the Phoenix Tail Flower''s villa to pack her luggage.She still owed Dawen a promise.


    Dawen had helped her meet Lin Da, and in turn, she had promised to help the Scarlet Adventure Group hunt Magical Creatures one last time.


    Their destination was the Dragon Forest on the tenth floor.


    According to Dawen, the weakest of the Dragon Race, the Earth-Traversing Dragons, resided there.


    In the bedroom, Tasya carefully took down a clock shaped like a little wooden house hanging on the wall and placed it into her Space Ring.


    It was a gift from Lin Da that she always carried with her.


    Standing on the red doormat at the entrance, Tasya looked at the empty living room with mixed feelings.


    As she flicked the switch of the Magic Guide Lamp, the living room plunged into darkness with a click.


    Tasya returned to Red Heart City overnight and surprised Dawen with her sudden appearance at the Mandala Manor.


    "Why have you come back? Didn''t Lin Da let you join his team?"


    Tasya shook her head.


    "The tenth floor," she said succinctly.


    "Ah!" Dawen sighed, "You didn''t have to come back. Isn''t this the period when Lin Da is assessing you? Isn''t your greatest wish to join his team?"


    Grasping the pocket of her maid''s apron, Tasya said softly, "It feels like they don''t need another maid there."


    If Lin Da had remained the cold and heartless Dark Shadow, Tasya wouldn''t have thought too much of it.


    But Lin Da''s gentle demeanor made Tasya unsatisfied with just being around him, especially seeing how Lulu, Monica, and Lin Da were so close, and even Isa and Lia from the external team...


    Each had taken turns kissing Lin Da.


    Tasya was deeply shaken.


    She couldn''t imagine a day when everyone except her, who was just cleaning and washing filthy sheets, would become Lin Da''s Oath-bound, while she remained a pitiful maid.


    How miserable such a life would be.


    Even as the most favored member of the Primitive Adventure Team, she was only touched on the head by Lin Da more times than the others.


    Compared with the lower-ranking members, the gap wasn''t big��it was like the difference between 2 and 1.


    But with the current Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, the gap was a colossal 200 to 1.


    This disparity totally shattered Tasya''s spirit.


    So she fled here.


    On her way back to Red Heart City, Tasya''s gaze sometimes drifted northward, turning back to look.


    That direction led to White Dove City.


    In her heart, Tasya held on to a sliver of near-fantastical hope.


    "It''s cold outside, come in. It''s getting heavy snow. Your room has been kept clean by the staff," Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Dawen sighed again, led Tasya to the living room, and ordered the servants to prepare hot water and food.


    Tasya sat on a chair across from him, silent and with a dim look in her eyes, appearing utterly dejected.


    It was clear that things hadn''t gone well at the Phoenix Tail Flower.


    So what exactly did Lin Da do to Tasya?


    Dawen scratched his head curiously.


    This maid had both looks and skills; why wouldn''t Lin Da accept Tasya?


    Dawen was well aware of Tasya''s loyalty to Lin Da.


    For three years, she had spent most of her time searching for him.


    Dawen couldn''t help but feel indignant towards Lin Da.


    His kindness to Tasya dated back to three years ago.


    Tasya had once saved Dawen''s life.


    As a talented Swordsman with an advantageous background, Dawen was never short of women from a young age. After experiencing what they offered, he grew uninterested, finding no enjoyment comparable to hunting Magical Creatures.


    Until he met Tasya in the wilderness, who was the first person to call him a bug and told him to roll away.


    With her tanned skin, she wore a maid''s dress even in the wild.


    Paired with her stunningly cold beauty... she instantly piqued Dawen''s great interest.


    A battle erupted between the two, ending in a draw. Stay connected through My Virtual Library Empire


    But then a deceitful Magical Creature, a mimetic giant centipede that had been hiding under the soil, suddenly emerged.


    As Dawen struggled, his Battle Qi failing him and clinging to life, Tasya unleashed her Witch State to save him. Although it was a lack of travel funds that prompted Tasya to help Dawen, objectively she still saved his life.


    For this reason, Dawen wholeheartedly helped Tasya approach Lin Da, to fulfill the wish of the maid.


    At this moment, looking at Tasya''s crestfallen figure, Dawen''s heart ached as if cut by a knife, wishing he could grab Lin Da by the collar and demand: Why not accept her? Just do it! Do I have to give you a hand?!


    Dawen escorted Tasya upstairs, still seething with anger, and decided to go to the courtyard to practice with his sword.


    He practiced until the break of dawn.


    Just then, a man wearing a brown coat and riding a Blackflame Horse, weary from his journey, arrived at the Mandala Manor.


    ...


    Setting out through the night, and with the speed of the Blackflame Horse, Lin Da arrived in Red Heart City in just five hours.


    The way was filled with fluttering snowflakes and biting cold winds.


    Yet, the scarf woven from Fire Dragon Silk around his neck brought him comfortable warmth.


    Sometimes, when a corner of the scarf fluttered into his view due to the wind, he could see an image of a silver-haired chibi maid holding a broom handle blankly.


    Lin Da made a certain decision in his heart.


    In front of the black iron gate with its intricate designs, at Mandala Manor,


    "I know that Tasya is here."


    Lin Da looks at Dawen blocking his way, his eyebrows furrowed.


    He didn''t understand why this son of the Mandala family''s attitude towards him had turned so cold.


    The morning light fell on Dawen''s Golden Sword, entwined with lightning that crackled loudly.


    His red short ponytail hung behind him, and under his fringe, which looked like lobster antennae, were a pair of sharp eyes, staring intently at Lin Da.


    "She''s not here."

 Chapter 334 286. Battle Against Dawen, Lin Das Decision Regarding Tasya_2

    Dawen said, word by word,Facing the indifferent attitude of Lin Da, Dawen felt a strong sense of being insulted.


    He regarded Tasya as his lifesaver, a distinguished guest of The Mandalas, and had taken great pains to send her to Lin Da to celebrate their reunion. But then... Tasya was treated by Lin Da like she was nothing?


    It seemed that even at the fireworks festival, Tasya wasn''t included. Since Dawen was unaware of the circumstances, he could only speculate, and various terrible thoughts emerged in his mind.


    The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, and naturally, his attitude towards Lin Da couldn''t be good.


    Lin Da shook his head and said, "There are some misunderstandings between us, but it''s not what you think. Dawen, please step aside, I have something to say to Tasya."


    "If you don''t believe it, you can go and check in the manor yourself. As long as you can defeat me, Thunder Swordmaster Dawen."


    With that, the long sword in Dawen''s hand, named Thunderstrike, flashed with lightning and sparks flew, unleashing a powerful force of Star Rank 37, sweeping across.


    Truly a Star Rank on par with Abner, this oppressive force was far beyond anything the Phantom Nacho or Hulus could compare with.


    Lin Da''s gaze grew more solemn, summoning the Sword of Royalty and adding the Verdant Shield to himself.


    "Then I''m afraid I''m about to offend."


    "Dark Whip, go!"


    ...


    Two minutes later.


    "You''ve lost."


    Dawen''s Epic Level sword, Thunderstrike, stopped in front of Lin Da''s neck.


    Some traces of the battle remained in the courtyard.


    Dawen had thought he would easily defeat Lin Da, but it turned out to require some effort.


    The thickness of the Verdant Shield was not just for show.


    The Sword of Royalty in Lin Da''s hand was also an Epic Weapon.


    Underneath the coat was drab dragon scale soft armor.


    Also Epic.


    Against a typical Level 26 adventurer, Dawen only needed one encounter to defeat the opponent.


    Meeting an odd ''supporter'' like Lin Da was a first for Dawen.


    He touched the dragons whisker bangs on his forehead, almost taking it lightly and nearly getting a strand chopped off by Lin Da.


    In due time, once Lin Da advanced to Star Rank, he would probably become exceedingly troublesome.


    Various thoughts flashed through Dawen''s head momentarily.


    The important part was the present.


    Currently, he was far more powerful than Lin Da.


    "Leave Red Heart City," Dawen said coldly.


    "I still have a few words." Lin Da took a deep breath and said, "The Magical Creatures deep in the Dragon Forest are not something you can handle. If the Scarlet Adventure Group dares to go, there will be no return!"


    Dawen frowned, "What do you mean by that?"


    Lin Da, "If you trust me, then don''t go deep into the forest."


    The scene fell into silence momentarily.


    Dawen looked at Lin Da with suspicion, arms crossed, deep in thought.


    The last monster tide, facing the disguised Red Armored Crab King, Thousand-Change Demon, Lin Da brought crucial information without seeking any reward. After the Thousand-Change Demon died, Lin Da had already left.


    Plus, since Tasya was in the Scarlet Adventure Group, for Lin Da to trap the Scarlet Adventure Group would be to trap Tasya as well.


    After weighing everything, Dawen nodded, "Alright, the Scarlet Adventure Group will give up entering deeper."


    After this battle, the coldness on Dawen''s face somewhat dissolved. It might really be as Lin Da said, just a misunderstanding, and Tasya''s sad expression had other reasons.


    If Lin Da truly didn''t care about Tasya, he wouldn''t have drawn his sword and faced him knowing he would be defeated.


    "May I ask what happened between you two?" Dawen sheathed his sword, puzzled.


    "It''s probably... we didn''t wait for her," said Lin Da.


    Dawen: ?


    Seeing Tasya''s devastated look when she returned, Dawen had thought that Lin Da definitely messed around with her and then dumped her!


    Just that?


    Such a minor issue could make Tasya so dejected.


    This showed how important Lin Da was in the heart of this maid.


    Thinking this, Dawen felt a pang of jealousy.


    What on earth had Lin Da done in the past to make Tasya so devoted?


    And then, there was Mingli from Dark Flame Adventure Group who came from Black Mamba City a week ago, who also had a deep connection with Lin Da.


    It made people believe Kami''s report: [The Eye of True Knowledge excels at raising fish, producing Star Rank and Moon Rank beauties!]


    "Sigh, to think it was just this minor thing... it feels like a sister who''s just been married complained about being slighted and ran back home," Dawen mused.


    Dawen frantically scratched his scalp, "And Lia... ah, I give up. Lin Da, I hope you don''t let them down, otherwise, the Scarlet Adventure Group will never let you go."


    "Speaking of which, Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose have formed an alliance."


    Clearing up the misunderstanding, the two simply sat down on the stone chairs in the courtyard and chatted casually.


    Dawen''s smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, "Lia must be happy now."


    "Didn''t see that coming, she actually bit my lip."


    Lin Da''s unintended comment left Dawen flabbergasted, his mouth hanging open wide.


    "Li, Lia that girl, actually..." Dawen stuttered.


    Although he knew Lia was surely involved with Lin Da, the reality still left Dawen shaken, unable to calm down for a long time.


    That girl, who in her childhood would only chop boys with a wooden sword, throw rocks through windows, play in the mud, and not learn a bit of adventurer etiquette... now had a day of romance, even biting Lin Da''s lip.


    Dawen could hardly imagine that shy look on Lia''s face.


    Thinking about it made himself burst into a disgusted laughter.


    "Ha, hahahaha, Lia, that Lia... hahaha." Dawen slapped the stone table and laughed out loud.


    In the laughter, there was a sense of reassurance an old father feels seeing his daughter growing up.


    The Crimson Baron never treated Lia, the girl he picked up halfway, as family, but Dawen truly admired Lia, who devoted her heart to training.


    "I should be going," Lin Da stood up, "since Tasya has promised to help the Scarlet Adventure Group enter the tenth layer for a raid, let her stay here for now. Finally, help me pass on a message..."


    Lin Da touched the light blue scarf around his neck. Tucked away on one end, it featured a chibi Dark Shadow, the outside displaying an embroidered silver-haired maid cleaning.


    He laughed, "I really like this gift. I will cherish it."


    Knowing that Tasya was asleep in her room, Lin Da simply peeped through the crack of the door and left.


    When Tasya returns to Phoenix Tail Flower, prepare a welcome party for her.


    Lin Da thought to himself.


    Two hours later, during breakfast time at Mandala Manor.


    At the long table covered with a neat white tablecloth, Tasya asked, "Did someone come by? I heard fighting noises."


    Dawen said, "Indeed, someone did come."


    "Who was it?"


    Tasya''s voice tightened, her hands holding the knife and fork to cut the steak froze in mid-air.


    "Lin Da."


    Dawen said, "He came to see you. But you were asleep, so he didn''t disturb you, just took a look and left."


    "Oh..."


    "Is that so."


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    "Hmm."


    Tasya''s lips curled slightly upwards, her tense brows slowly relaxed, and her eyes shone with light.


    "Today''s salmon is very delicious."


    "No, it''s always tasted the same..."


    Dawen sheepishly admitted. sea??h th�� N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He didn''t dare pass on Lin Da''s words to Tasya.


    Fearing that Tasya would rush back to Phoenix Tail Flower, she might not even accompany the Scarlet Adventure Group to the monster raid on the tenth layer.


    This indirectly caused Tasya to have several sleepless nights, thinking about weaving another scarf to bring to Lin Da before the Great Mystery Continent''s tenth layer opened.


    ...


    ...


    The morning sun was warm and comforting.


    On the way back to White Dove City, Lin Da rode a Blackflame Horse, the wind whirling around him, his Level Aura at 26 intimidating the Magical Creatures of the wilderness to stay clear.


    Slimes were so scared they sprayed water in place, and Goblins hid in the bushes, trembling, fearing this powerful human might harm them.


    Lin Da had no intention of doing such things.


    He silently reflected whether he had been too harsh on Tasya.


    Seeing the seemingly strong but icy Tasya, he realized she was actually the most vulnerable among the team members.


    Perhaps he could consider being gentler in the future, trying to change this maid over time.


    "When Tasya returns, I''ll take her to the Adventurers'' Guild to register, making her an official member of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team."


    The Scarlet Adventure Group would go to the tenth layer, and so would Phoenix Tail Flower.


    They might even meet there.


    With Phoenix Tail Team having gained some strength and not lacking luck,


    Lin Da naturally wouldn''t miss the opportunity to strike it rich in the Great Mystery Continent starting from this layer.


    From this level, rare materials would appear in the Great Mystery Continent. Some lucky dogs could ''pick up'' millions, even tens of millions of Gold Coins, and get rich overnight.


    This kind of event is eagerly reported by the empire''s major newspapers, encouraging adventurers to bravely climb to higher levels for the chance to strike it rich.

 Chapter 335 287. New Years Eve Dinner, Lias Battle Qi Evolution

    Those extremely rare materials would randomly spawn in various locations once the Great Mystery Continent opened.Generally speaking, the more dangerous the area, the higher the chance of encountering rare materials.


    However, it was not out of the question that such safe places could host millions of Gold Coins'' worth of rare materials like Dragon Heart Grass, Nightmare Flower, and Bone Azure.


    At the moment, not all members of the Snow Goose adventure team were level 30. However, as the saying goes, "Amass provisions before sending troops," so the Gold Coins for level 30 gear had to be prepared in advance.


    Thinking about Gold Coins always gave Lin Da a headache.


    Even Lulu, a level 31 Star Realm adventurer, still wore gear from around level 20.


    The only decent piece she had was the Silver Ring dropped by the Goblin Prince.


    "If we could get a share in the small event in Dragon Forest, Snow Goose''s financial issues would be solved, and our level could receive a substantial boost," Lin Da thought.


    "But the recommended participation level for that event in the game is 30, and the strategy level is 45," he added.


    Lin Da''s greatest advantage was his foresight, knowing a safe route deep into Dragon Forest.


    But there was a big if.


    He had to ensure that the game''s plot had not changed. His information had to be accurate.


    Since Lin Da had arrived in White Dove City, he had already altered many of the original plot points.


    Lia''s Snow Goose adventure team, the Monster Tide, the slaying of Kam��these all varied significantly from the initial storyline.


    Lin Da was not sure if the route to Dragon Forest was still safe, or if the terrain there had changed.


    "The event in Dragon Forest will officially start on the third day after the opening of the ten-layer Great Mystery Continent, which means I have two days to gather materials and survey the terrain," Lin Da thought.


    "Lucky players in the game could explode out Dragon Series Skill Stones, which I''ve only ever seen in pictures on forum posts. I hope the World Tree Goddess blesses me during this event," he mused.


    Lin Da opened his personal interface and looked at one of the legendary skills: "Goddess''s Blessing of the World Tree."


    With some luck and Goddess''s Blessing, he might stand a chance to encounter that highly rare Skill Stone.


    "Taking advantage of the few days before the Great Mystery Continent opens, let''s train the team a bit more and continue to strengthen our overall battle power," he planned.


    "Lulu''s innate skill increases her attack power the less health she has, I can develop an attack system centered around her," Lin Da thought to himself.


    The game had setups with Lulu at the core��essential for budget players. It was quick to form, required few resources, and offered high returns, though its only flaw was that it wasn''t very strong in the later stages.


    But in this context, the later stage meant post-level 50.


    For Lin Da at this moment, never mind level 50, having a level 40 Moon Rank team member alone would allow him to roam around freely within hundreds of miles.


    Lin Da, riding on a Blackflame Horse, conceived a new combat model for Snow Goose as he galloped across a yellowish wasteland.


    In the afternoon, the orange glow of dusk illuminated the earth.


    Goldfinch District, Luanwei Flower Villa.


    "I''m back!"


    Lin Da entered with a smile, pushing the door open.


    What he saw was a living room in disarray.


    The floor was strewn with small oak barrels, broken dishes, and unidentifiable vomit��a clear aftermath of a wild party.


    Lulu and Monica, dressed in white aprons and wearing masks, were cleaning up.


    "Lord Captain," Monica ran up and hugged Lin Da, looking up at him: "Did you find Sister Tasya?"


    "Yes, everything''s fine now," he reassured.


    Lin Da temporarily set aside his questions about the messy living room and, with a smile, patted Big Lolita''s head and recounted his trip to Red Heart City.


    As soon as Tasya helped the Scarlet Adventure Group with their final hunt, she would leave the team in Red Heart City and officially join Snow Goose.


    "Yay," Monica pumped her little fists.


    Then, looking at the grimy hall, she said with a pained expression, "Sister Tasya is really good at cleaning. The party last night ended at dawn, and after Lulu and I rested for a bit, we started cleaning at noon and still haven''t finished."


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    Lulu nodded in agreement: "Tasya really excels in cleaning."


    "I''ll help clean up in a bit as well," Lin Da offered.


    First, he took a seat and drank a cup of water. He set aside a brown woman''s coat someone had left on the couch, made space, and sat down, finishing the hot water in his cup.


    Only then did his fatigue from the long journey seem to dissipate.


    "Ah, that''s better!"


    Lin Da wiped his mouth and exclaimed contentedly.


    ...


    Let''s rewind to the previous night, when Lin Da had set off on horseback for Red Heart City.


    At the villa of the Ice Flower adventure team.


    Isa had just returned when the teammates in the living room surrounded her, eager for gossip.


    "Captain, how are things progressing with Lin Da?"


    "Did you hold hands, kiss, or anything?"


    "Oh, Captain, are you blushing? You didn''t just do it, did you!" sea??h th�� n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The teammates were shocked.


    Fannis curiously stared at Isa: "Stop hemming and hawing, just spill it! Captain, you''re 25 already, if you keep this up, you''ll really turn into a dog."


    There was a curse among adventurers that if one was still single at 30, they would turn into a dog.


    In the sparsely populated era of war, adults often used this to scare children.


    Isa, embarrassed, bowed her head and hesitated before admitting: "We, we kissed."


    "Ah?!"


    "Well done!"


    "I thought you''d definitely come back and secretly cry!"


    Fannis was the most delighted: "Now Lin Da will become Ice Flower''s strategist, and I can alleviate some of my command pressure."


    "Lin Da hasn''t agreed to join yet," Isa said, both shy and annoyed, pinching Fannis at her waist and causing the bespectacled green-haired girl to beg for mercy due to the pain.

 Chapter 336 287, New Years Eve Dinner, Lias Battle Qi Evolution_2

    Isa said, "Lin Da and I, we''re not in a romantic relationship.""Then you two still kissed?" Fannis was surprised.


    "It was me who initiated it..." Isa''s voice trailed off.


    "What?"


    Fannis and the others exchanged confused looks.


    Isa, who had never been interested in love, actually took the initiative to kiss Lin Da?


    This was completely being head over heels!


    "Hope the captain doesn''t get led away by Lin Da and abandon us," Fannis joked.


    "No way, what are you talking about!" Isa''s face flushed with embarrassment, unable to withstand the teasing.


    "Alright, I''ll stop teasing you. Go get him, and defeat Lulu and Lia to win Lin Da over!" Fannis cheered with a hehehe.


    Elsewhere.


    Lia returned to Snow Goose Villa with a triumphant expression. S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Good news, Lin Da is willing to create a strategy guide for Snow Goose!"


    As soon as she opened the door, Lia announced it loudly, catching the attention of everyone in the living room.


    On Winter Festival''s night, everyone was there.


    The warm lighting combined with the hot air blowing from the temperature control magic circle made it feel like summer as soon as you entered the villa.


    Inside, everyone was dressed in light clothes, with the girls either in shorts or short skirts, their fair thighs especially eye-catching.


    On a table, there was a family board game called [Snow White and the Seven Goblins].


    Aiko and Klrona sat on the long couch, one in a yellow home dress and the other in cute bunny pajamas. Klrona leaned against Aiko. While waiting for their turn to move the chess pieces, they played with a magic conductor handheld console, never idle for a moment.


    Opposite the table, on two white round stools, sat the short-haired green elf Kafni and the muscular and reliable Oru.


    Aiko and the others, playing the goblins, attempted to attack the two princesses played by the latter. If they succeeded, it would trigger the pre-set magic circle on the board, revealing an interesting Easter egg.


    It was a bordering-on-edgy board game, recommended by the official for ages 16 and up.


    The four were having a blast.


    In the corner of the long couch sat a worried-looking Phyllis, clutching paper and pencil, scribbling what faintly appeared to be data about the Snow Goose team members and magical creatures.


    On Winter Festival''s evening, this new commander was working overtime.


    As Lia returned and announced the news, everyone''s faces showed disbelief.


    Oru stood up with a slap: "My partner is willing to come back to Snow Goose?"


    Kafni''s face lit up with joy. "That''s great, with Lin Da''s help, we might quickly reach Iron Level."


    "Did Monica come?" Klrona was more concerned about her new friend, standing eagerly on the couch and peering out, her pink pigtails swaying.


    Lia was a bit stuck, scratching the back of her head. "Lin Da hasn''t rejoined the team, he just said he''s willing to create a strategy guide for Snow Goose..."


    "Wait a minute, captain dear." Aiko smirked, "Weren''t you supposed to be at the training ground practicing swordsmanship? Did you run into the Phoenix Tail Flower Team there?"


    "Uh..."


    Lia scratched her cheek, her glance flickering. "Yes, I happened to meet Lin Da. He invited me to the fireworks festival, then he said... uh, he wanted to form an alliance with Snow Goose, make a strategy guide for this miss, and also asked this miss to give him a chance."


    "Can you look someone in the eye when you lie?"


    "I, I didn''t lie! Lin Da really wants to create a strategy guide for Snow Goose!"


    "Ah...I can''t be bothered with you anymore."


    Aiko muttered to herself, this matter was also beneficial for her. If Snow Goose and the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team formed an alliance, she would have more chances to naturally get closer to Lin Da.


    "It''s a bit of a pity that my partner couldn''t rejoin the team, but when you think about it, forming an alliance might be better? In the future, we can rely on the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team in times of difficulty," Oru chuckled.


    "Did Monica not come?" Klrona persisted.


    "She didn''t, but Lin Da invited us over for the New Year''s Eve dinner," Lia said.


    In previous years, Lin Da had been there, and the Snow Goose Villa suddenly felt awkward without him.


    Now, getting an invitation from Lin Da indicated that the rift between them had completely disappeared. Even though they weren''t on the same team, they still maintained a peaceful old teammates relationship.


    "Alright, alright, let''s go!" Oru laughed heartily and went outside to drive himself.


    "By the way, Lia, is your eye alright now?"


    Kafni looked at Lia with concern.


    As they climbed into the carriage, a gust of wind blew off Lia''s eyepatch.


    Kafni was surprised to find that Lia''s left eye was bright and seemed normal, not at all like it was blind.


    "Huh?"


    Lia, reminded by this, blinked her left eye and could indeed see.


    She could even see clearer than before.


    The people of Snow Goose stared at her curiously.


    Aiko asked, "Did the church''s priest heal you?"


    "No, I don''t know how, it just healed by itself."


    Confused, Lia touched her head and closed her eyes, feeling a pure force of Fire series circulating inside her body.


    She had first noticed this force at Lin Da''s promotion party.


    When she was a child, Lia had felt it too.


    Fighting over food with the slum kids, she had relied on this force to take on five at once.


    But as she grew up, she had never felt it again.


    Until she was injured while protecting her teammates.


    This power had appeared once again.


    Lia fell into deep thought.


    Could it be that the flame in her eyes, a flame of protection, only resurrected to protect others? Read latest stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    Yet, when rushing the Serpent Leader on the 12th floor, what had actually crossed her mind was not to let Lin Da look down on her.


    Whether the flame was for guarding her teammates or because of Lin Da, even Lia couldn''t figure it out herself.


    ''Go ask Lin Da, he might know.''


    ...


    Late, three adventure teams gathered in the Phoenix Tail Flower Villa.


    Learning that Lin Da had headed to Red Heart City, although Lia and her group felt some regret, they ate the New Year''s Eve dinner as planned. The chefs Lulu and Monica prepared a sumptuous feast and Kafni, who was recuperating, got up from the table to bring out her newly purchased vintage wheat beer.


    The three adventure teams raised their glasses in unison.


    Not until daylight did people gradually return home.


    In the villa''s living room, after hearing Lulu''s recount, Lin Da couldn''t help but chuckle, "Even for New Year''s, that''s too much drink."


    After resting for a while, Lin Da joined in the cleaning.


    By the time it grew dark, they had finally cleaned the living room.


    After a simple dinner, Lin Da returned to his room and busied himself at his desk.


    He was making the 13th-floor strategy he had promised Lia for Snow Goose.


    This time, the strategy took Lin Da only two hours to complete.


    He briefly noted the weaknesses of the Magical Creatures and the rough plan of subjugation.


    As for how to implement it, he left that for Snow Goose to think over.


    Lin Da stowed the strategy diagram, placing it into his Space Ring.


    Afterward, he took out 10 Bronze Tree fruits and ate them in one go.


    Aside from the stems, Lin Da swallowed even the cores, ensuring not a bit of experience was wasted.


    The fruits he ate were perfectly digested by his body, turning into a ''gain Experience Points per second'' BUFF.


    10 Bronze Tree fruits guaranteed a baseline of 10,000 Experience Points per day.


    With enough resources, Lin Da could level up in at most a month, even at his slowest pace.


    Plus, there was his own hard work.


    A Star Rank was within reach.


    After eating the fruits, Lin Da routinely checked the system message box.


    As expected.


    No alerts for increase in Skill Points.


    "Last time I got an increase of two Skill Points at once, I really hit the jackpot," Lin Da thought reluctantly.


    ...


    The next day.


    At 7:40 AM, Lin Da awoke from his sleep.


    "Not having a maid to wake me up feels somewhat unsettling," he muttered as he washed up and went to the living room.


    "Look at this." Lulu, who was already up, handed him a newspaper with a grim face.


    Under the [Miscellaneous] section was a picture.


    It blatantly showed Lin Da holding Isa''s hand, discovered by Lulu and others, both sides silenced.


    Lin Da: ...


    The report claimed that Isa and Lia went to the Phoenix Tail Flower Villa in the middle of the night.


    Then, behind the curtains, silhouettes flitted about in a Chaotic Dance.


    It described a ''fierce battle,'' with unidentified liquids splattered everywhere.


    Without a word about the Silver Party.


    But throughout the article, it was filled with Lin opening the Silver Party.


    Purely to attract readers, deliberately misleading the public!


    Once Lin Da saw the reporter''s byline, sure enough, it was that Kami again!


    "Come across me, and I must teach this guy a lesson!"


    Lin Da was so angry his chest heaved up and down.


    The section below was the second article.


    About the alliance of the three Phoenix Tail Flower teams sparking widespread discussion.


    White Dove Morning News editor commented: Undoubtedly, this will be the largest new force in the next decade. What''s precious is that their bond is based on feelings, which is more solid than ordinary mutual interests.


    Kami''s comment: "Finished, Lin Da can legally host the Silver Party now."


    President Velen: "Looking forward to their early step into Iron Level and heading to the 15th level on the Great Mystery Continent!"


    After reading the reports, Lin Da always felt the tone of Velen was between gritted teeth.


    Continuing to read down, he found the reason.


    A news headline, titled: [White Dove City Again Frustrated, Frequent Incursions in the 15th Level Great Mystery Continent Resource Area, When Can We Stand Up?]

 Chapter 337 288. City Ranking, Phoenix Tail Flower Teams Resource Area Allocation

    Lin Da''s gaze swept across the page.The report detailed how not long ago, the 15th layer of the Great Mystery Continent was opened, and White Dove City''s resource area was invaded once again by an Adventurers'' Guild Sunrise Level adventure team from another city.


    Abner and the others fought valiantly to the end but still failed to prevent the tragic fact that the resource area was plundered.


    According to the unwritten rules among adventurers, if the local adventurers are unable to protect their resources area, the invaders have the right to take away seventy percent of it.


    The World Tree Goddess''s Material Bracelet has a high capacity. The higher up the floors one goes, the more Material Points it gives. Taking the 15th floor as an example, a normal adventure team can only fill one-twentieth of the Material Bracelet.


    An exaggerated figure.


    A top adventure team''s harvest on the 15th floor can fill the entire Material Bracelet.


    In other words, the resource acquisition is twenty times that of an ordinary adventure team.


    Take Black Mamba City for instance, which is notoriously known as a ''plundering city.'' The adventure teams from Black Mamba City are generally more powerful. Because of their geographical location, they were allotted a smaller resource area. To develop, they had no choice but to invade resource areas from other cities.


    Like a strong warrior grown up in bitter cold, the average combat power of the adventurers from Black Mamba City ranked in the top 30 in Cangqing Province.


    And the number of cities within the province is as high as 300!


    It''s worth mentioning that last year, according to the [Adventurers'' Report] summary, White Dove City''s overall city ranking was 204.


    The Red Heart City where Dawen is from ranked 137, and South Rock City, Aiko''s hometown, 109.


    "The 15th layer was robbed again, how many times has it been now?."


    Having finished reading the report, Lin Da felt no great fluctuation in mood; such incidents had long since become commonplace.


    White Dove City, without protection from a Sunrise Level adventure team, was like a sweet bun, attracting adventure teams from many cities to come from far away ''to visit.'' Experience new tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    The 15th layer of the Great Mystery Continent was still a considerable distance away from Phoenix Tail Flower Team, so Lin Da''s focus was on the 10th layer of the Great Mystery Continent, which was a few days ahead.


    After finishing their meal, he and his teammates went to the training field offered by the Adventurers'' Guild.


    Here, there were professional training dummies, Illusion Techniques that simulated Magical Creatures, and the buildings were made of durable stone, not easily damaged.


    The daily rent was 100 Gold Coins.


    As a preferential measure from the Adventurers'' Guild, teams above the Rock-level Squad were exempt from all fees.


    Lin Da, as a newly promoted Rock-level Captain and an honorary adventurer, was not only exempted from payment but also had access to the private training field on the third floor.


    Accompanied by effort and sweat, the time for training silently passed by.


    By noon, Lin Da and his companions were just about to have a meal and rest.


    Thump thump.


    The voice of a Guild staffer came from the door:


    "Captain Lin Da, the resource area allocation for Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team has been completed. The guildmaster invites you to handle the formalities."


    "Coming!" S��ar?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da perked up, forgetting all about hunger and fatigue.


    The long-awaited notification of resource allocation had finally arrived.


    Since Phoenix Tail Flower set foot on the 10th layer and started wearing the Rock-level badges, the Guild had been working on the allocation of a resource area.


    No matter how rare the materials grown in the allocated resource area were, they belonged to Phoenix Tail Flower.


    The materials in this kind of ''private land'' were not contested by local adventurers. The only threat came from invaders from other cities.


    Then there were the ''public areas.''


    Public areas made up 99.9% of the Great Mystery Continent, and the materials found within were deemed ownerless.


    First come, first served for those who find them and the strong take precedence.


    In the public areas, it was a matter of survival of the fittest!


    As long as an adventure team was strong enough, they could reap a massive amount of resources and Gold Coins within the Great Mystery Continent.


    On the seventh floor, in the guildmaster''s office.


    "Lin Da, this area is the resource area allocated to the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team. Take a look."


    Weylon stood from the chair behind his desk and warmly ushered Lin Da to a map.


    It was a map near the World Tree Teleportation Point in White Dove City on the 10th layer of the Great Mystery Continent.


    Each area was colored differently according to the level of danger it presented.


    Green represented safety, the deeper the yellow, the more dangerous.


    Ninety percent of the area was yellow.


    To the south, White Dove City, South Rock City, and Red Heart City formed an encirclement, and in the wide central area was a forest. Deep within the forest was a bright red, startling to the eyes.


    It signified extreme danger!


    Weylon served a cup of tea to Lulu, grabbed a handful of chocolate-cream candies for Monica, and even invited Monica to sit in the genuine leather chair behind his own desk.


    It was evident that the guildmaster treated the Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team quite courteously.


    Monica''s youthful appearance brought out a kinder side in the nearly fifty-year-old Weylon. Upon hearing Monica crisply say thank you, grandfather, Weylon''s heart warmed, and he laughed heartily, petting Monica''s head:


    "If you ever run into trouble, come find Grandpa. I''ll take care of it for you."


    "Mm, mmhmm." Monica, a little frightened by Weylon, came down from the chair and ran to Lin Da''s side, holding her candies.


    "What a shy girl." Weylun commented with a smile.


    His gaze shifted to Lin Da, but he noticed that Lin Da''s attention remained fixated on the red area of the Central Forest.


    Weylon earnestly cautioned, "Lin Da, I know it''s your first time leading a team into the 10th layer and you''re excited, but that place is strictly off-limits."


    "Dragon Forest, the most dangerous place within thousands of miles of White Dove City, forbids the use of Teleportation Stones and Town Portal Scrolls in its depths, and adventurers have reported observing the presence of dragons there! For such Magical Creatures, Epic Level is just the beginning. It''s not just Rock-level Adventure Teams that should avoid the depths of the Dragon Forest, even Iron Level teams often venture there never to return!"


    Weylon''s advice came from a place of genuine concern.


    Lin Da returned from his thoughts and offered a smile: "Guildmaster, you worry too much, I was just taking a look. I wouldn''t dare venture into such a dangerous place."


    "That''s good. Phoenix Tail Flower is a potential powerhouse of White Dove City, and I wouldn''t want to see anything happen to you all." Recalling another matter, Weylon added, "By the way, have you and Isa formed an alliance?"

 Chapter 338 288. City ranking, resource allocation for Phoenix Tail Flower Team_2

    ```"Hmm, the more the merrier, forming an alliance earlier would have prevented that Specter issue," Lin Da nodded.


    Three teams with the potential to advance to Iron Level, anyone facing them would have to weigh their options.


    Velen smacked his lips, saying meaningfully, "Isa and Miss Lia, as you know, are like fire and water. Lin Da, you really have some skills, even more impressive in romance than I was in my youth."


    Lin Da: "?"


    Seeing Velen''s unspoken admiration in his eyes, Lin Da felt quite helpless.


    The more he tried to explain, the worse it became, so he simply chose not to explain at all.


    Someday, he would make Isa his Oath-bound as well.


    As for Lia... he didn''t have much thought about that. Facing that red-haired girl, he just couldn''t treat her as the opposite sex. To say friends might imply a closer relationship, but lovers was definitely out of the question.


    He himself couldn''t clarify what exactly his relationship with Lia was.


    For now, he would just treat her as an ally.


    "So, this is the resource zone of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team?"


    "Quite large, isn''t it, President? Is this really okay?"


    Lin Da''s tone changed as he saw a red circle drawn on the map by Velen, his expression subtly shifting.


    At first glance, it was only the size of a chestnut.


    But placed within the vast Mystic Realm, it had to be 100 meters in diameter, roughly the size of dozens of basketball courts combined.


    And a regular Rock-level Squad would only gain a resource zone of 10 meters in diameter upon promotion.


    So, Phoenix Tail Flower was starting with ten times what normal teams got!


    It was hard for Lin Da not to suspect that Velen was trying to win him over, hoping to make him owe a favor.


    Unexpectedly, Velen chuckled and said:


    "You keep it, this is the result of the guild''s comprehensive consideration, not my solo decision. The reputation of Phoenix Tail Flower, the level of its members, votes from other Rock-level Squad captains, as well as the guild''s opinion, all these factors combined determine your team''s resource zone size."


    "By the way, during the voting, Snow Goose Adventure Team was the first one to vote. Four types of votes: ''Excellent,'' ''Good,'' ''Mediocre,'' ''Poor,'' Snow Goose cast an ''Excellent'' vote, hoping that the guild would grant Phoenix Tail Flower a high-quality resource zone."


    "The first one to vote? An excellent vote?" Lin Da spaced out for a moment, the image of Lia wielding her Greatsword and declaring him an enemy coming to mind.


    Lin Da chuckled inexplicably and looked at Velen, "President, can you really talk about these things? The voting is supposed to be anonymous, right?"


    "Once you leave this office, just forget all about it,"


    Velen waved his hand nonchalantly, saying: "By the way, out of 53 Rock-level and above teams in White Dove City, your team received 37 excellent votes, 5 good votes, and 11 poor votes."


    "11 poor..." Lin Da''s eyes flashed coldly, "It must be the Rock-level Squads from the Specter side."


    "That''s your personal grudge, the guild doesn''t interfere. But no matter what you do, don''t leave any evidence. Just like the assassins of Specter, without evidence, there''s nothing we can do on our part," Velen casually remarked.


    "Understood," Lin Da nodded.


    Having memorized the location of the resource zone, Lin Da signed a document, pricked his finger, and pressed down a magic-contracted fingerprint. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That piece of land then officially belonged to the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    Once Lin Da put away the documents, Velen''s expression turned serious:


    "It''s your first time entering the 10th floor, and many adventure teams and newspapers will be watching your performance. The following words are from me as the president of White Dove City Adventurers'' Guild."


    "I''m all ears," Lin Da said, his expression becoming serious as well.


    Velen: "You must understand, White Dove City isn''t big, and the empire hasn''t allocated many reserve resource zones to us, so I hope Phoenix Tail Flower Team enjoys the privileges but also takes on the responsibility of jointly resisting foreign enemies."


    "The adventurers from Red Heart City and South Rock City invade our resource zones every time. As a top force among the Rock-level Squads, you must set an example."


    "As the president of the White Dove City Adventurers'' Guild, I look forward to your performance," Velen said, patting Lin Da''s shoulder gently.


    Lin Da nodded, his voice resolute, "President, rest assured, I am also a member of White Dove City adventurers, and if someone bullies us, I won''t just stand by and watch."


    "I can''t control the Iron-level adventure teams, but for the Rock-level Squads, I''ll make sure they roll back the way they came, one by one."


    His words were unapologetic, even bordering on arrogance.


    Lin Da spoke casually, as if discussing what he had for lunch yesterday.


    Velen couldn''t help but take a sidelong glance.


    This Phoenix Tail Flower captain seemed to have more up his sleeve than he had thought.


    "Good, you do remind me of myself back in the day!" Velen laughed aloud.


    Lin Da''s ''arrogance'' clearly wasn''t unreasoned.


    ```


    Even Lulu alone made their Phoenix Tail Flower Team one of the top teams at the rock level.


    If Tasya hadn''t gone to the Scarlet Adventure Group, Lin Da could have gone toe-to-toe with Iron Level.


    And as for himself, he possessed a half-step Star Rank strength.


    Ordinary rock-level squads, Lin Da didn''t even take them seriously.


    ...


    After bidding farewell to President Velen.


    By afternoon, the Snow Goose Squad arrived as scheduled.


    They came to undergo team coordination training with Lin Da.


    "Happy New Year."


    In the training room, people on both sides met and cordially greeted each other.


    Klyne smiled, "Lin Da, long time no see."


    "Yes, let''s train together and aim to enter the Iron Level as soon as possible," Lin Da greeted each of his old friends in turn.


    Klrona went over to Monica''s side, and the two whispered about the latest Magic Puppet game.


    Continue reading on My Virtual Library Empire


    Aiko''s gaze was so resentful that it made Lin Da''s skin crawl.


    After hastily offering New Year''s greetings, he quickly looked away from Aiko''s gaze.


    As for his feelings toward Aiko, they were closer to those of a pure old teammate, with a slight fondness for Aiko''s figure. Not like Isa, whose confession under the fireworks had touched his heartstrings.


    It was like, no matter how Aiko tried to tickle him, she could never reach his real itchy spot, something was missing.


    Until he was certain he liked Aiko, Lin Da wouldn''t add any more Oath-bound to their numbers.


    "Lin Da, train me hard. As long as I can become stronger, I can accept even the strictest training," said Lia as she approached.


    Lia, with one hand on her hip, was dressed in neat adventurer''s attire, her long hair tied back in a ponytail, and with a greatsword about the width of her palm on her back, her eyes shining as she stood in front of Lin Da.


    During the New Year''s Eve dinner the night before, the team members took turns persuading Lia not to throw a tantrum during Lin Da''s training, even if Lin Da did something that made her uncomfortable, it was definitely for her own good.


    Everyone was convinced that Lin Da would never harm Snow Goose.


    Lia had come to that conclusion as well.


    So far, Lin Da''s decisions seemed to always be right.


    If she was not bright, she would just listen to Lin Da more.


    "That''s what you said."


    Lin Da looked deeply at Lia.


    In the new year, Lia seemed to have grown taller, and her character also appeared much stronger than in previous years.


    The only pity was... Lin Da glanced at a certain place


    She still couldn''t distinguish the difference between her front and back.


    The team training started quickly.


    Lin Da used the pre-set Illusion Magic Circle in the training ground to simulate various Magical Creatures.


    These Magical Creatures moved stiffly, far from real combat.


    But for "armchair strategizing" and to hone the Snow Goose''s teamwork ability, it was enough.


    "Lia, attack the Goblin Chieftain to your front left!"


    "Aiko, support with Cage of Light!"


    "Time to retreat, Oru, take over!"


    "Klrona, don''t charge too far ahead."


    "Phyllis, you need to practice chanting as a Healer more."


    Lin Da sat on a bench-like stool, overseeing the battle situation, shaking his head repeatedly in his mind.


    If Ice Flower''s teamwork ability was 85 points, Snow Goose''s performance was around 50, not even passing.


    Though it was somewhat stronger than before he left the team, the improvement was not significantly noticeable.


    In each of their hearts, they still held onto the idea of fighting on their own.


    Lia rushed impulsively at the sight of Magical Creatures, Klrona loved to charge into the midst of monsters, Aiko could never seem to muster any enthusiasm, acting languid, and occasionally casting those resentful glances at himself...

 Chapter 339 289, Swordsmanship Enhancement, Snow Goose departs for the 13th floor, Isa Star Rank

    In order to get everyone in Snow Goose to seriously participate in the training, Lin Da decided that for every mistake they made, the team leader Lia would have to carry him and do a push-up. This doubly humiliated Lia, both physically and in terms of dignity.Upon hearing this, Lia was indeed energized and glared at the people around her, as if to say, "Just wait if you mess up."


    Continue your journey on My Virtual Library Empire


    By evening, Lia, humiliated, was supporting herself on all fours and, without using any Battle Qi, did 783 push-ups with Lin Da on her back.


    When Lin Da got up, his pants were soaked with the sweat from Lia''s waist.


    "Next time, I will lower this number!"


    In the training field, Lia''s reluctant voice echoed incessantly.


    Since it was too late, the other members of Snow Goose had left, leaving only the individuals from Phoenix Tail Flower and Lia.


    "Have your eyes recovered?" Lin Da, after disdainfully wiping his rear with a towel, glanced at Lia as she removed her eye patch and asked.


    Lia''s expression softened, and she fiddled coyly with a strand of hair in front of her forehead, "You noticed, huh? I thought..."


    "Such a big eye patch, even a blind man would see it, wouldn''t they?" Lin Da said flatly.


    "Come here, let me have a look."


    "You think I''ll just come because you say so? Who do you think you are?"


    Lia wanted to stay tough for a bit longer, but unexpectedly, Lin Da suddenly walked over to her.


    She was sitting on the ground resting when Lin Da''s tall figure suddenly loomed over her, grabbing her by the face.


    What was he doing?


    Lia''s heart raced, her eyes darting away. She was pulled closer, almost crashing headfirst into Lin Da''s chest.


    "What are you doing!" Lia cried out in panic.


    Without answering, Lin Da flipped up Lia''s left eyelid and peered inside.


    Indeed, a faint red glow of Flames flickered by.


    Lin Da murmured to himself, "Finally awakened the ''Starfire Douqi''."


    He let go of Lia, "It''s fine now. Your eyes have recovered quite well."


    "Huh? You pulled me over just for this?"


    "What else?"


    "I thought..."


    Lia, her face flushing red, became speechless.


    "Hold on."


    "You know about the changes in my eyes, the inside story?"


    Lia finally realized.


    When she was injured and first saw Lin Da, he seemed indifferent.


    Could it be that Lin Da knew her eyes would be fine, that''s why he didn''t ask her then?


    "You already knew my eyes would recover, and you know what that pure Fire Series Battle Qi inside me is?" Lia, anxious, stood up.


    "Who knows."


    Lin Da vaguely said, "Anyway, it''s a good thing, just keep up your training."


    Actually, the flame inside Lia, known as Starfire Douqi, is essential for changing classes to a Starfire Swordsman.


    In the mid-game, at level 40, Lia possesses combat capabilities comparable to a Five-star Character.


    The reason is precisely this class of Starfire Swordsman.


    According to the original game plot, Lia should have awakened a trace of Starfire Douqi at level 20.


    But Lin Da joining Snow Goose caused her to only awaken it at level 28.


    He worried that if Lia knew about the existence of Starfire Douqi, she might become arrogant and overconfident.


    Thus, he kept it a secret.


    "We needn''t discuss this now, you should fulfill my conditions by now, right?"


    Lin Da checked the time; it was 7 p.m.


    "Happy New Year."


    Shortly after, Isa arrived at the training hall, greeting them with a faint smile.


    Isa was dressed in a streamlined Swordsman Uniform, the black trousers accentuating her elegantly long legs, her silver hair billowing behind her.


    Due to her practice of Ice Douqi, the temperature around Isa was colder than elsewhere, making her seem like a mobile human refrigerator.


    Lin Da heard from Fannis that in summer, she would chill juices under Isa''s clothes for a while; fragrantly creamy and very delicious, she recommended Lin Da try it too.


    Feeling the chill emanating from the girl, Lin Da''s thoughts momentarily wandered.


    Perhaps because she was just a step away from reaching level 30, Isa''s Battle Qi was in a boiling and unstable state, emitting a cold white mist from her body as if she might advance to Star Rank at any moment.


    Both Lin Da and Lia were somewhat envious.


    The Star Rank was the ultimate pursuit of most adventurers in White Dove City.


    Moving on to why Isa came.


    The three of them had discussed it one winter night during the Winter Festival.


    Lin Da had tasked both Lia and Isa to be his swordsmanship mentors.


    His Swordsmanship was merely at the level of an ordinary adventurer and urgently needed improvement.


    Lin Da would provide strategies when Snow Goose and Ice Flower needed them, and for the improvement of his own sword skills, he would rely on their help.


    Facing Lin Da, who was grasping a wooden sword, Isa looked serious, "I won''t go easy, even in training, I''ll give it my all."


    Lia said, "Me too! I''ll give you back all the hardship I suffered during the day!"


    "Bring it on."


    Lin Da stretched his limbs, "If you''re not harsh enough, I''ll be disappointed."


    ...


    From 7 p.m. until midnight, Lin Da spent time in a dual torment of ice and fire. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Isa''s teaching style was precise, academically faulting Lin Da on incorrect movements and how to exert force or the angle of swinging the sword.


    Sometimes, for a simple jab, Lin Da had to repeat it hundreds of times before Isa was barely satisfied.


    Lia, on the other hand, came from a rough background and relied purely on instinct, often pointing out tricks that even Isa hadn''t noticed.


    "You don''t swing a sword like that, you should feel it with your heart, treat it as your partner!"


    "The angle is also wrong, if it were a real fight, I would have beaten you down dozens of times already."


    "Clumsy, so clumsy!"


    Her unrelenting mouth didn''t spare Lin Da from a verbal thrashing.

 Chapter 340 289, swordsmanship improvement, Snow Goose reaches the 13th floor, Isa Star Rank_2

    Lia trained Lin Da with extraordinary spirit, as if she had been injected with chicken blood, showing no signs of fatigue whatsoever.Lin Da, massaging his sore wrist, couldn''t help but wonder if Lia was taking the chance to settle private scores.


    ...


    There were six days left until the opening of the Great Mystery Continent''s tenth level.


    During these six days, Lin Da went through intense training.


    During the day, he trained with Snow Goose, and at night, Lia and Isa served as his swordsmanship instructors.


    Lin Da was like a dry sponge, desperately absorbing the knowledge the young women transmitted.


    In just a few days, he couldn''t become an outstanding Swordsman, but he had mastered quite a few techniques.


    After all, not everyone has the opportunity to be personally mentored by two swordsmanship masters.


    The guidance that Lia and Isa provided Lin Da was wholeheartedly comprehensive, far surpassing the swordsmanship instructors at the academy who held back and settled for a dead salary, by dozens of times.


    Thanks to the two of them, Lin Da''s swordsmanship had almost doubled in strength compared to when he started.


    Without using any skills, in a pure swordsmanship bout, Lin Da was confident he could defeat his past self from a week ago within ten rounds.


    During these six days, Lin Da also continued to consume the fruits of the Bronze Tree.


    A guaranteed ten thousand experience points each day, delightful.


    The only regret was that he couldn''t gain any skill points.


    One evening, Lin Da had an impulse to level up the "Toxic Enchantment" skill.


    Once his swordsmanship became somewhat decent, combined with "Toxic Enchantment", even his normal slashes would deal significant damage.


    "The day I can last fifty rounds against Isa without losing, that will be the day I''m somewhat accomplished," Lin Da set a goal for his swordsmanship.


    In the blink of an eye, the sixth day arrived.


    Tomorrow would be the day the Great Mystery Continent''s tenth level opened.


    In the training field, only the Phoenix Tail Flower Team remained.


    The ''Remaining Blood Flow'' style centered around Lulu was being perfected continuously.


    Lulu''s innate skill allowed her to have a higher attack power the lower her health, but the drawback was the extremely low tolerance for remaining blood, which could lead to death if not careful.


    Lin Da''s Verdant Shield compensated for this drawback and enabled Lulu to maximize her combat efficiency.


    If she activated the Witch State without any concern for the cost, she could even take on a common five-star character of the same level.


    The downside was that Lulu had to self-harm every time, biting her arms until they were covered in wounds.


    Even though the wounds could be healed with magic without leaving scars, the pain of self-harm was real.


    In contrast, Lulu didn''t even frown, treating it as casually as eating or drinking.


    This made Lin Da feel concerned for her, and at the same time, greatly admire her.


    After the morning training session ended, Lin Da held a cup of water and stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, silently gazing to the east.


    There stood a verdant tree so tall that it covered the sky.


    He hoped they would pass through successfully.


    Lin Da silently prayed in his heart.


    Last night, Isa advanced to Star Rank.


    The sudden downpour of golden light and rampaging cold air almost injured him and Lia.


    As a Star-ranked adventurer, Isa''s combat power had increased more than twofold.


    In a spar, both Lin Da and Lia combined were still defeated by Isa''s Ice Fighting Spirit.


    The only one who could go back and forth with Isa was the Frost Wolf Warrior, Lulu, from the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    Before parting in the evening, Isa told Lin Da that she would lead the Ice Flower Adventure Team to the 14th level today.


    Without surprises, the Ice Flower would become White Dove City''s fourth Iron Level Adventure Team.


    Lin Da was already prepared to congratulate Isa.


    With Isa''s strength, she could open champagne mid-game.


    Then there was Snow Goose.


    That was what Lin Da was worried about.


    The very first day of training, he handed over his strategy guide to Lia.


    Today was the day Lia led her team into the 13th level.


    If Isa was the exemplary student, then Lia was the very last in the class, mischievous and troublesome, always keeping people on their toes.


    Lin Da alternated between honing team coordination with Lulu and the others and waiting for news of the two adventure teams'' return.


    ...


    ...


    On the first day of the team training, Lia received the strategy guide from Lin Da.


    Previously, she treated these strategy papers like trash, trampling on them with her black silken feet before tossing them into the waste bin.


    But now, Lia treasured them like precious gems.


    Even though she was tired after training in the evening, Lia still summoned everyone energetically, holding battle meetings in the living room.


    When they looked at the strategy content, everyone was dumbfounded.


    What''s going on.


    There were way too many blank spaces on the paper, weren''t there?


    Lia stuck the strategy blueprint onto a small blackboard, and at a glance, each sheet corresponded to a random Mystic Realm on the 13th floor. Unlike the complex strategies starting with 30 sheets of paper in the past, this time, it was so simple that it only had five lines of text.


    "It doesn''t say when I should use my ultimate skill, does it?" Lia blinked hard, suspecting she had read it wrong.


    Oru scratched his head, saying, "It also doesn''t say how long I need to hold out."


    Klrona: "Which Magical Creature should I attack?"


    Among the confused group, only Aiko was clear-headed.


    Aiko said with amusement, "Can''t you see Lin Da''s intention? He wants everyone to think for themselves and come up with a specific strategy. Only by doing this can Snow Goose become an independent, qualified, and excellent adventure team."


    Lia: "That makes some sense..."


    Starting from that day, the members of Snow Goose gathered every night to discuss and fill out the details based on Lin Da''s framework. S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    During the discussions, arguments often ensued.


    Everyone had different ideas, especially Aiko''s ''Laid-back style'' and Lia''s ''Aggressive style''.


    The former advocated for getting by if possible, and if not, using a Town Portal Scroll to escape.


    The other''s idea, to kill Magical Creatures even if severely wounded!


    The two often quarreled fiercely.


    But during the arguments, they inexplicably felt that their bond seemed to deepen. Some jokes that normally couldn''t be made were now spoken easily.


    For example, Lia would taunt Aiko as a ''big bear monster,'' while Aiko would despise Lia''s flatness. Your adventure continues at My Virtual Library Empire


    After several nights of discussion, Snow Goose finally settled on the final plan.


    Today, it was time for them to verify their results.


    World Tree Secret Realm, the 13th floor, Dripping Water Cave.


    This was a vast cave with an open layout, rugged rock walls, and bluish boulders in sight; there were rock formations resembling stalactites above, with cool drops of water dripping down ceaselessly.


    In front of the Snow Goose Squad, from within a puddle, a Magical Creature suddenly emerged, spouting a thick Water Column Spray that swept around.


    "Here it comes!"


    "The Secret Realm Guardian of Dripping Water Cave, level 28 Magical Creature, Sleeping Serpent Beast!"


    "Upon encountering adventurers, the Sleeping Serpent Beast will release the skill [Water Column Spray], everyone listen to my command to dodge!"


    Phyllis''s golden braids fluttered as she wore her white scholar''s outfit, nervously looking towards the Magical Creature ahead.


    The Sleeping Serpent Beast, 15 meters in body length and 5 meters tall in a semi-erect state, was a Water Attribute creature of the Serpent Series, with a faint blue organ resembling a round rock located at its vital point.


    In Lin Da''s strategy, it was called a Sleeping Pod, containing a large amount of gas that could induce sleep.


    The Snow Goose Squad arranged their formation, with Oru and Klrona at the first row, watching over each other ten meters apart.


    Lia, the strongest output warrior and half-tank of the team, took a central position ready to adapt to any situation.


    In the back row were Klyne and Aiko, one with a bow armed with arrows, the other holding a Magic Wand.


    At the very back, Phyllis was in charge of command.


    "Jump!"


    Timing it just right, Phyllis gave the order, and the Snow Goose Squad leapt up, accurately dodging the Sleeping Serpent Beast''s sweeping Water Column.


    What came next was the most lethal part.


    The horror of the Sleeping Serpent Beast lay in its Sleep Ray.


    Adventurers hit by it would instantly fall asleep, with the duration lasting from 10 to 30 seconds.


    In the midst of a crisis-ridden battle, not to mention sleeping for 30 seconds, even 1 second could be fatal.


    But Lin Da gave Snow Goose a battle plan��going against the grain.


    He had the damage-dealing characters like Lia deliberately get hit and affected by the Sleeping Serpent Beast''s Sleep Ray. After using this move, the Sleeping Pod would need to recharge, leaving it unable to continue the attack for a while.


    While Lia and the others were asleep, Klrona and Oru in the front row would block the Sleeping Serpent Beast''s attacks.


    A normal front liner wouldn''t be able to do this, but with Klrona, the hard-bodied pink-haired loli, and her not-insignificant attack power with [Frenzied Trample], they were more than able to hold off the Sleeping Serpent Beast''s attacks and hold its attention.


    When Klrona reached Star Rank and learned the powerful Taunt-based ultimate skill [Small Fry Small Fry], its utility was comparable to a Five-star Character.


    But those were things to come.


    Looking at the present, Phyllis, following Lin Da''s thought process, had formulated a detailed battle plan.


    The 13th floor, a certain victory!


    ...


    "It used its Sleep Ray, Captain, now''s our chance!"


    Phyllis''s eyes were red as she shouted hoarsely.


    To resist the frantic Sleeping Serpent Beast, Oru''s shield shattered, and he spat out blood.


    Klrona''s face turned slightly pale, as she was on the verge of not being able to hold on.


    "Die!"


    "Explosive! Flame! Slash!"


    Lia shouted loudly, her hand gripping the fiery-red Greatsword, igniting a tornado of Flames.

 Chapter 343 291. The ten-layer specialty, Lin Da looks for rare materials.

    99% of adventurers have their strategy progress below the 10th level.White Dove City''s few Adventurers'' Guilds simply can''t accommodate this many people.


    So, over these past few days, the live viewing tower will be initiated.


    The tower covers nearly ten thousand square meters and is as tall as a 15-story building.


    The initial intention behind White Dove City''s construction of this tower was to attract adventurers from other cities with the outstanding real-life adventures happening here.


    But reality is cruel.


    Without a Sunrise Level adventure team, it''s difficult for White Dove City to compete with the two neighboring cities.


    The viewing tower is often left gathering dust.


    It''s only activated during the 10th and 15th levels of the Great Mystery Continent''s live viewings, when there are many adventurers watching, that the tower''s underground, the Magic Circle that consumes vast amounts of energy and is known as a gold-devouring beast, is utilized.


    Otherwise, the cost of magic power alone would be enough to break White Dove City''s bank.


    It was a little past seven in the morning, and daylight had broken.


    Finch, with his new adventure team��the Rebirth Adventure Team''s six members��arrived at the viewing tower.


    As the deputy head of the Phoenix Tail Flower Fan Club, Finch had only one purpose for being there.


    This thirty-something swordswoman, dressed in a green Swordsman Uniform with golden braids, approached the counter and confidently slapped 10 Gold Coins down:


    "Hall 6, Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, give me the front row seats!"


    The viewing tower''s activation consumes a vast amount of resources, so all adventurers watching the live broadcast have to pay a fee.


    And the Adventurers'' Guild officially gives a share of the revenue from the live broadcast of each hall''s adventure team to the respective team captains.


    Even Lin Da couldn''t break the rules; his proposal for a free broadcast was rejected by the Guild. This would lead to no one watching the live broadcasts of other adventure teams, as everyone would flock to Phoenix Tail Flower.


    The Guild hopes to see a multitude of teams thriving, not just one dominating everything.


    Afterward, they could even sell recordings of the Phoenix Tail Flower''s strategies.


    All these would include a share for Phoenix Tail Flower.


    After understanding the details, Lin Da complied with the Guild''s decision.


    The Great Mystery Continent''s live broadcast would follow the rules of White Dove City.


    Minor Secret Realm strategies are free for everyone.


    Lin Da could help lower-ranking adventurers reduce casualties, and White Dove City could use Lin Da''s strategies to attract adventurers from other places to join.


    It''s a win-win situation.


    According to statistics from the Adventurers'' Guild, the number of adventurers from outside the city who joined White Dove City in the past two months increased by 22% compared to previous years.


    A large part of this achievement came from Lin Da.


    Today, however,


    the live broadcast of Phoenix Tail Flower Team''s strategy in Hall 6 was highly anticipated.


    Everyone wanted to see how this rock-level up-and-comer would perform on the 10th floor of the Great Mystery Continent. Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire


    The Great Mystery Continent opens at noon, and even though it was only a little past seven, the viewing tower had already drawn quite a crowd; people were securing spots early and buying viewing tickets for their favorite adventure teams.


    Finch proudly slapped down 10 Gold Coins, but the lady at the counter, a blonde in a green vest over a white shirt and tie, apologized:


    "I''m really sorry, but the front row tickets for the Phoenix Tail Flower live broadcast are sold out." S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What? Didn''t ticket sales start at 7 am? How are they gone in just half an hour?" Finch asked, astonished.


    "Well... actually, the front row tickets for Phoenix Tail Flower were booked a month in advance. If you''d like, you can book now for six months later."


    "Six months!?"


    Finch was stunned.


    They''re selling tickets for half a year from now?


    "If she were the head of the Phoenix Tail Flower Fan Club, she definitely could get the tickets, but it seems she''s not a local from White Dove City, and as deputy head I''ve only met her once..." Finch mumbled to himself.


    "Sigh, there''s nothing I can do then, give me a middle-row ticket."


    "The middle row is also sold out."


    "Back row, then."


    "The back row is gone too."


    "..."


    "Sir, only standing tickets are left."


    Finch, with a dazed expression, took the standing tickets and led his team members to Hall 6 on the third floor.


    Unlike the sparsely populated other halls,


    this area was bustling, crowded shoulder to shoulder.


    A sea of heads was visible at a glance.


    All waiting for the Phoenix Tail Flower''s live broadcast to start!


    "Ladders for sale��one Gold Coin each," a staff member came over to hawk his wares.


    Finch: "...Give me one."


    Before the live event had even started, staff were pushing carts around selling beer, sunflower seeds, and popcorn.


    The adventurers also spent a fantastic time chatting and eating.


    Before they knew it, it was 11:50 am.


    Only 10 minutes left until the start of the Phoenix Tail Flower live broadcast.


    At the same moment,


    in the Secret Realm Square, where snow had not yet fully melted, Lin Da and Lia''s teams converged at the entrance to the World Tree.


    Both sides wore simple and practical adventurer''s clothing.


    Lin Da was in a white short-sleeved shirt, with tactical shorts that had many pockets, and boots whose soles were reinforced with steel plates embedded with miniature magic Arrays to enhance agility and friction.


    A belt around his waist held numerous pouches with Magic Potions for mana and health recovery, Healing Bandages, a compass, and Demon Repellent... Rather than keeping them in a Space Ring, it was more convenient to have them where they can be easily accessed.


    Lia wore a sleeveless white jacket with high-waisted black shorts.


    A large belt also brimming with adventure supplies hung around her waist, her long, shapely legs filled out the black over-the-knee socks, and her brown boots came up nearly to her knees.


    The girl had a Greatsword on her back, her long hair tied into a ponytail with a black ribbon, giving her a neat and efficient appearance.


    When silent, Lia could definitely be considered a beautiful girl.


    Lin Da thought to himself quietly.


    "Don''t you drag down this Star-ranked adventurer!"


    Lia snorted dismissively, leading the Snow Goose members into the World Tree. She waved her hand:


    "Follow the agreement, let''s meet again after we''ve harvested resources from the private area. I''ll take you to explore the public domain! Just cling to the coattails of the double Star-ranked Snow Goose Adventure Team!"

 Chapter 344 291. The ten-layer specialty, Lin Da looks for rare materials_2

    This flaunting flavor...Lin Da sighed in his heart.


    "In the future, I have to learn a silencing spell to shut Lia''s mouth. As soon as she opens it, people can''t help but dislike her," he thought.


    Once the people from Snow Goose disappeared in the blue transport light, he turned to look at Lulu and Monica.


    The two teammates were dressed uniformly, in white shirts paired with black skirts; inside was a fixed array that ensured no wardrobe malfunctions during intense battles.


    And on the breast of the shirt, there was a brown, circular team emblem with a background of a white dove in flight, and the main image being a blue Phoenix Tail Flower.


    Lin Da smiled and said, "Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, depart!"


    The three of them entered the large cave beneath the World Tree and disappeared in the blue transport light.


    ...


    The tenth floor of the World Tree, "Tawny Wilderness."


    The enormous sun shone down from overhead, and in comparison to White Dove City in winter, it was quite the tropical savannah.


    From a bird''s eye view, the tenth-layer landscape was primarily plains, littered with what seemed to be Mondale Trees, resembling maple trees.


    This type of tree had excellent drought resistance, with sparse orange leaves growing on its branches. Under each leaf, there was a round fruit about the size of a thumb''s pad, looking remarkably like golden jujubes.


    Besides the Mondale Trees, the most common vegetation was thorny bushes and a large number of tumbleweeds. Sometimes, venomous snakes would hide within, causing adventurers great harm.


    At this time, under a Mondale Tree, a tall adventurer cast his Dark Whip, plucking a handful of Mondale fruits.


    He shared the fruits with his two teammates, and he also took one, wiped it clean, and threw it into his mouth.


    Enjoying the sweet juice splashing in his mouth, Lin Da cheerfully said:


    "If you''re thirsty, just eat these. Mondale Tree fruits are not cheap in the outside world, costing a silver coin for a handful. Many adventure teams don''t dare explore the public areas, so they gather Mondale Tree fruits in the resource areas, put them into their Material Bracelets, and sell them in the outside world."


    While eating the Mondale Tree fruits, he casually inculcated their value.


    "Wow, so sweet," Monica bit into one, holding her cheeks in her hands, her eyes sparkling.


    Lulu also said, "Tastes good."


    "Of course, they''re fresh off the tree," Lin Da replied.


    Lin Da grabbed a handful of Mondale Tree fruits and raised his right hand to scan them with the silver Material Bracelet on his wrist.


    In the middle of the bracelet was a tiny, pale green gem.


    The gem released light that fell upon the Mondale Tree fruits.


    A row of ancient texts appeared: [Mondale Tree Fruits: 100 pieces, consuming 1 Material Point, proceed with storage? Current Material Points: 0/1000]


    Lulu raised an eyebrow: "Lin Da, let''s not take these fruits, shall we? They take up too much space."


    The Material Bracelet''s points, since the Phoenix Tail Flower arrived at level 10, had increased from a limit of 100 to 1000, meaning that before midnight today, they could collect materials worth up to 1000 points at most.


    Anything beyond that, even if placed into the Space Ring, would disappear the moment they left the Great Mystery Continent.


    This was a limitation set by the World Tree Goddess to prevent some insatiable people from stripping the World Tree bare.


    However, the World Tree Goddess was also generous.


    A full 1000 Material Points, refreshed daily; only a very few adventure teams could expend all the points.


    Lin Da gently tapped Lulu''s head, "Are all Beastmen so greedy? With our team''s strength, we can''t even fill this Material Bracelet. Things are not the same as ''before,'' where we could reap until we could hold no more, and even had to throw away some less valuable items."


    "These Mondale Tree fruits only cost 1 point, let''s take them back for our own use. It''s also a great side dish for a certain someone resting at home."


    "Oh..." Lulu nodded, "Then let''s take them with us."


    After collecting the Mondale Tree fruits, Lin Da unfolded the map and used the compass to confirm their direction.


    Their transmission point was near the World Tree in White Dove City.


    "The west... That''s the spot. We''re in luck, it won''t take more than twenty minutes to reach the Phoenix Tail Flower resource area."


    As Lin Da spoke, he untied a small cage from his waist, which contained several sensor ladybugs fluttering around chaotically.


    It was 12:01, and he had to start his strategy live stream. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da transferred his magic power to a sensor ladybug, and the insect immediately started to fly around with great enthusiasm.


    The external magic screens all lit up.


    Adventurers who had been waiting enthusiastically sent in their suggestions.


    [Finally started, yippee!]


    [Captain Lin Da, teach us how to harvest rare materials, preferably those worth over 100,000 Gold Coins.]


    [I''d actually like to see the Phoenix Tail Flower Team fight a Wilderness Guardian.]


    [I hope Monica and the others get attacked by Tentacle Flowers!]


    [Actually, I''d rather see Captain Lin Da get tied up by the Tentacle Flower, have his clothes corroded by the slime, and entangle his...]


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    [Where do all these perverts come from? Continuing like this will get the World Tree Goddess to cut off the live stream!]


    [Elf spring cottages grand opening sale, 30% off for half a month before and after the Winter Festival, Beastmen enjoy an additional discount on top of that!]


    Lin Da held a ladybug in his hand and watched with an amused expression as suggestions rapidly flitted across the small crystal screen on the ladybug''s belly.


    It''s not clear if it''s because tall trees catch much wind, but the Phoenix Tail Flower had gained a lot of unconventional fans, from advertisers to those who wanted to see them assaulted by Tentacle Flowers.


    Tentacle Flowers, a high-level magical creature that doesn''t harm adventurers. They especially like to corrode the clothes of adventurers and then inject pollen into the holes.


    Being attacked by Tentacle Flowers won''t be a problem for an adventurer''s life, but it might result in the birth of a new life.


    Lin Da couldn''t help but laugh and cry, "I suggest that girls stay away from Tentacle Flowers; being preyed upon by such magical creatures is addictive."


    "About today''s live stream content, I will teach you some methods of finding rare materials. I can''t guarantee that you will definitely find rare materials, but the chances are definitely greater than searching blindly. Most importantly, it still depends on everyone''s luck."


    On the first day of entering the Mystic Realm, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team was under a lot of attention, and it was not convenient for Lin Da to investigate deep into Dragon Forest.


    That event was scheduled to start the night after next.


    Lin Da wasn''t in a hurry. His main goal for the first day was to collect rare resources and earn Gold Coins.


    His second goal was to strike at those adventurers from other regions who had invaded White Dove City.


    Walking on the stark tawny wilderness, the sensor ladybugs circled around Lin Da, and his calm voice reached the external magic screens.


    "The three most common rare resources in the Great Mystery Continent are as follows: the Fruit of the World Tree, silver level, requires 30 Material Points, and is sold for an average of 10,000 Gold Coins in the outside world."


    "Haru Ore, requires 50 Material Points, can be used to forge level 30 Purple Equipment, and sells for 20,000 Gold Coins."


    "Storm Hawk droppings, 40 Material Points, mainly used to make Demon Repellent, and also a favorite food for Blackflame Horses that can enhance their physique, selling for about 15,500 Gold Coins."


    Lin Da smiled, "The Silver Tree is a matter of chance and not something you can search for intentionally. Our main target is the second type, the Haru Ore. The burial sites of this ore generally have a dark brown soil color, and the soil quality is drier..."


    This knowledge was half based on Lin Da''s mining experience in the game and half from what he had learned in the library.


    A barrage of knowledge points came down, leaving many adventurers in awe but puzzled.


    It was not enough to talk; Lin Da had to demonstrate.


    "This spot looks pretty good."


    Lin Da stopped next to a large rock.


    He stomped his foot twice, feeling that the ground nearby was different from the surrounding area.


    "As expected, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team''s first bucket of gold today is right here."


    Taking an Iron Pickaxe out of his Space Ring, Lin Da handed it to Lulu��being the captain meant he had to let his teammates do the rough work, even if they were all beautiful girls.


    Lulu took it for granted. The old Lin Da had been a hundred times worse than now. She picked up the Iron Pickaxe, without a word, and started digging with her bushy tail in the air.

 Chapter 345 292. Picking up money in a sack, adventurers from other cities

    [Just because he stomped his foot twice, he was sure there was Haru Ore underneath? That boast seems a bit too big, feels like the ladder was bought for nothing, might as well have saved the money and had a good meal.][A piece of Haru Ore is worth about 20,000 Gold Coins, if there really is some, isn''t that just too easy to earn money?]


    [Alas, I want to learn the Phoenix Tail Flower''s mining method, but I don''t know when I''ll be able to reach the 10th floor; climbing the World Tree is too hard, brothers.]


    Many doubtful voices appeared in the suggestions.


    Lin Da did not respond.


    He could not be sure there was Haru Ore underground with 100% certainty.


    Humans stumble, horses trip.


    No matter how rich the theoretical knowledge, without luck, one might still come up empty-handed.


    He had said earlier, using his method could only increase the chances, but it didn''t guarantee a full return.


    If mining were so easy, there would be no poor people on the continent.


    But quite obviously...


    Lin Da, blessed with the legendary skill "Blessing of the World Tree Goddess" is unusual in the luck department.


    When Lulu dug a three-meter-deep pit, her iron pickaxe struck something hard, creating a loud bang and sending sparks flying.


    "There''s something."


    Lulu dropped her pickaxe, and dug a few times with her beast claws, retrieving an object.


    She jumped out of the pit and walked over to Lin Da.


    The sensor ladybug also flew over, its eyes flickering blue, akin to a camera lens, aiming at Lulu.


    In the hands of the werewolf girl, unmistakably, were three square, shiny silver, fist-sized pieces of ore.


    Knowledgeable adventurers recognized it at a glance.


    That was the specialty of the Great Mystery Continent''s 10th floor, Haru Ore!


    It could be used to forge level 30 Purple Equipment, and some Orange Equipment also required Haru Ore.


    There was an enormous demand in the market, and supplies were short.


    [This method really works, hurry up and take notes. When I get to the 10th floor, I''m going mining too!]


    [Three pieces of Haru Ore, that''s about 60,000 Gold Coins. Earned 60,000 in a few minutes?]


    [I''ve already told the Valiant Adventure Team next door Luanwei''s method. Captain Robert is trying it out.]


    When Lin Da excavated the Haru Ore, the doubtful voices in the suggestions grew quieter.


    Some still stubbornly said that Lin Da was just lucky.


    But it was all bluster.


    "Hard work."


    Lin Da took out a handkerchief and wiped Lulu''s dirty face.


    He helped clean Lulu''s fluffy wolf ears, breathed some warm air on them, and then wiped them with the handkerchief.


    The wolf ears looked as good as new, without a speck of dust.


    People watching outside the screen couldn''t help but feel envious.


    Having a beautiful girl team member helping with mining, who''s also handsome, intelligent - such a guy is just too enviable!


    However, Lin Da couldn''t really appreciate the feelings of jealousy; his mind was filled with earning Gold Coins, upgrading equipment for the team. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Store."


    Muttering silently in his mind, Lin Da pointed his Material Bracelet at the three pieces of Haru Ore.


    A verdant light flashed, and the ore disappeared from Lulu''s hands, entering the bracelet.


    The limit of Material Points decreased by 50x3, leaving 850 points remaining.


    ''This Great Mystery Continent really does make money easily.''


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    Lin Da appeared calm on the surface, but he was actually quite pleased inside.


    A level 30 piece of Purple Equipment averages 100,000 Gold Coins each.


    These three pieces of Haru Ore were worth nearly half a piece of Purple Equipment.


    The speed of making money was even faster than fighting magical creatures.


    On the way to his team''s resource area, Lin Da repeated his method, digging up two more pieces of Haru Ore and incidentally finding a Wind Stone.


    This made everyone quite jealous.


    If digging up Haru Ore relied on knowledge, then Lin Da finding this thumbnail-sized, rectangular stone plate with little wings was purely luck.


    The cause was Lin Da feeling uncomfortable in his boots, so he took them off and put them on again.


    As it turned out, he had a small green stone plate under his feet, hidden under dry yellow leaves.


    The material was named Wind Stone, using up 80 points.


    It could be entrusted to a blacksmith to be embedded in boots to enhance Agility.


    The market price was around 40,000 Gold Coins.


    These 40,000 Gold Coins were purely found by Lin Da.


    How could others not be jealous?


    "Maybe my luck is just a bit better than the average person."


    Lin Da said cheerfully as he stored the Wind Stone into the Material Bracelet.


    At this point, his Material Points remained at 770 points.


    His initial target was to enter the 10th floor of the Great Mystery and gather materials worth 500 points on the first day, considering it a full success.


    But it seemed like there was a chance to fill up the Material Bracelet.


    Maybe even... too full to fit?


    Lin Da''s eyes shifted, thinking that Lia''s Material Bracelet definitely couldn''t be filled. If he really ended up with more materials than the bracelet could hold, he could let Lia help hold some.


    This kind of loophole exploitation was allowed by the benevolent World Tree Goddess for each adventure team a couple of times.


    But if done too frequently, there would be dire consequences, like reducing the Material Bracelet''s point limit by half.


    Lin Da continued towards the Phoenix Tail Flower''s resource area, picking resources and looking for ore along the way.


    To the relief of many, Lin Da''s luck wasn''t always good.


    Since finding the Wind Stone, the rarest material Lin Da gathered was a lump of Storm Hawk dung.


    It was from a juvenile Storm Hawk, which greatly reduced its value.


    Lin Da spent 10 points to store it into his bracelet.


    He spent an hour explaining and imparting knowledge about the Great Mystery, as well as gathering materials, before finally reaching the resource area belonging to the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.


    "Everyone, look at the blue sky ahead."


    "Underneath this blue sky, within a hundred meters, basically all of it is our resource area."


    "You can see many Mondale Trees, Green Devil Grass, Orange Flower - the vegetation density of the resource area is far higher than the public area. Most importantly, there��surrounded by a cluster of Mondale Trees��are ten Bronze Trees!"

 Chapter 346 292, Money Picking from a Sack, Out-of-Town Adventurer_2

    Talking about the latter part, Lin Da''s voice involuntarily rose.The biggest difference between the resource zone and the public adventure area is that the former has a rich quantity of vegetation.


    The chances of finding a Fruit of the World Tree significantly increase.


    The resource zone allocated to the Phoenix Tail Flower belongs to high-quality resources.


    Initially, Lin Da had no concrete concept.


    Not until he saw those ten Bronze Trees with his own eyes.


    The rare vegetation in the resource zone is fixed, unlike in the public areas where it refreshes randomly each time the Great Mystery Continent opens. This means that every time Phoenix Tail Flower enters the tenth floor, those ten Bronze Trees are there, guaranteeing a considerable amount of resources.


    Just ten Bronze Trees are enough for Lin Da and his team''s expenses after retirement.


    [Is this entire area Phoenix Tail Flower''s resource zone? Isn''t it too vast?]


    [The neighboring Rock-level Adventure Team is also newly promoted, so how come their resource zone is not even one-tenth of Phoenix Tail Flower''s?]


    [What third-rate stuff is the Battle Axe? Captain Lin Da''s battle record is remarkable; it''s only natural for his resource zone to be large.]


    A group of ''Phoenix Scholars'' appeared in the suggestions, explaining the rise of Phoenix Tail Flower to the bystanders.


    From the Monster Tide to defeating the Epic Monsters and getting featured in Adventurer''s Weekly, receiving invitations from Azure Sky University...


    If Phoenix Tail Flower doesn''t claim such a high-quality large resource zone, then no one else deserves to.


    While everyone was arguing, Lin Da walked over to the Bronze Fruit Trees.


    This strange fruit tree was three meters tall, with a rather slender trunk and brown leaves shaped like apple leaves.


    On average, each tree had ten bright red Fruits of the World Tree.


    Lin Da picked them all and obtained a total of 50, spending 500 Material Points.


    Lulu grinned, "It''s time to throw away the Mondale Tree fruits, and maybe the Bronze Tree fruits, too."


    That suddenly revealed gentle smile made Lin Da''s eyelids twitch, and he felt like giving Lulu a kiss.


    The smiling werewolf girl''s charm directly increased by 20 points.


    Gathering 50 Bronze Tree fruits, the remaining point in the Material Bracelet dropped to 260. Explore more stories with My Virtual Library Empire


    But it was only noon, a long time before the 0 point refresh of the Material Points cap.


    Filling up 260 points was more than sufficient.


    Lin Da furrowed his brow, realizing he had two options in front of him.


    One was to keep searching for materials, while discarding the cheap ones to maximize profits.


    For instance, Bronze Tree fruits worth 10 points could only be sold for 1000 Gold Coins, whereas 50 points worth of Haru Ore could fetch 20,000 Gold.


    The latter''s value was much higher.


    The second choice was to use Lia''s Material Bracelet, offering her a share of the profits as compensation.


    "If Isa were here, it would be less risky to store materials with Lia," Lin Da sighed inwardly.


    After searching in the Phoenix Tail Flower resource zone, Lin Da found three more pieces of Haru Ore, a piece of Storm Hawk dung, the multipurpose spice Orange Grass, Mage-used Green Devil Grass...


    Spending another 220 Material Points.


    The total value was around 85,000 Gold Coins,


    Adding to this the Wind Stones and other items in the Material Bracelet, Phoenix Tail Flower''s current total income amounted to 280,000 Gold.


    Under the blazing sun, Lin Da gasped in astonishment.


    This speed of accumulating wealth was even faster than selling Dream Herbs.


    Outside the Lumiscreen, many adventurers thought entering the tenth floor and earning Gold Coins would be that easy.


    They became highly motivated, swearing in their hearts.


    They absolutely had to enter the tenth floor of the Great Mystery Continent and bag money.


    Only a few wise ones realized that Lin Da''s luck was somewhat outrageous.


    The neighboring Valiant Adventure Team, having learned Lin Da''s mining method through adventurers communicating between halls.


    But after digging for a while, they didn''t find a single piece of Haru Ore.


    They found nothing but worthless residue.


    Lin Da''s method was effective.


    99% theoretical knowledge, paired with 1% luck.


    Only then could one find rare materials as if drinking water, like Lin Da.


    ...


    "Over an hour has passed; it''s time to meet up with Snow Goose," Lin Da thought.


    Lin Da took out the palm-sized magic scroll named "Signal Flare" and injected magic power into it.


    The scroll turned into a green light and, with thick smoke, it shot into the sky, exploding into a giant pattern of a Phoenix Tail Flower.


    About ten miles away.


    A girl was standing under the Mondale Tree, waving her arms and shouting excitedly, "Oru, come over and pick up this poop, it''s worth over 15,000 Gold Coins!"


    After searching the resource area for more than an hour, Lia found the most valuable material, which was the pile of white, dry bird droppings in front of her.


    It was Storm Hawk dung with a strong pungent smell, capable of driving away weaker magical creatures!


    At that moment, a green signal flare rose in the eastern sky, exploding into the pattern of a Phoenix Tail Flower.


    In a short while, Snow Goose and the Phoenix Tail Flower met.


    "How was your harvest?" Lin Da asked.


    "Not bad," Lia said, "And you?"


    "Almost full."


    ?


    Lia was taken aback for a moment, then, surprised, she pointed at his wrist material bracelet: "How many material points are left?"


    Lin Da replied, "260."


    At this, everyone from the Snow Goose fell silent.


    Even though Aiko, the undercover rich girl, wasn''t short on money, she was still shocked by Lin Da''s luck.


    Since the opening of the 10th floor of the Great Mystery Continent, hardly two hours had passed, and Lin Da''s material bracelet was almost full?


    Even the White Dove Adventure Group couldn''t achieve such an inconceivable speed!


    "I want to borrow yours for a while, a split of... not 91, but 82." Lin Da noticed Lia''s gloomy face and changed the originally planned split from 91 to 82. It seemed her debt wasn''t cleared yet, so he decided to give her a bit more.


    "Okay then." Lia finally nodded reluctantly.


    The two reached an agreement and together looked forward.


    They saw a scenery of a barren tropical savanna: plenty of withered weeds, bushes, orange Mondale Trees, and the blazing hot sun overhead.


    Outside the resource area, the danger of the public area increased several times.


    Magical creatures hidden in the dark, powerful Wilderness Guardians, and adventurers from outside White Dove City made it quite a challenge.


    Teams lacking in confidence, after harvesting the resources from their private lands, would leave the Great Mystery Continent.


    Only teams that had either a stroke of luck or confidence in their strength would venture into the vast public area.


    "Let''s go, let''s see if we can find the specialty of the 10th floor of the Great Mystery Continent, the Sky Flower worth 300 material points."


    Lin Da, accompanied by the members of Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose, boldly entered the public adventure area.


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, several hours passed.


    The time shifted from midday to dusk.


    The sun was setting, and the temperature also dropped a bit.


    On the plains, giraffes were munching on the fruits of the Mondale Trees, and a lion was lurking in the bushes, ready to pounce.


    The most spectacular sight was certainly the World Tree in White Dove City, which overshadowed everything.


    The Great Mystery Continent seemed like a disc placed on top of the mainland, connected by the World Tree as an elevator, linking both realms.


    From any layer of the Great Mystery Continent, one could see the existence of the World Tree.


    Suddenly, 30 miles south of White Dove City''s World Tree, amidst a cluster of Mondale Trees.


    "Hehehe, Captain Minnie, I don''t like bullying women, so if you know what''s good, just hand over the resources from your bracelet. Otherwise, don''t blame my spear for being heartless and making you embarrass yourselves live." The man had short red hair like steel needles and wore a black leather jacket; he flicked his earwax toward Minnie.


    This man, named Dennis, was a captain of an Iron-Level Adventure Team from Red Heart City, skilled with a long spear and known as the "Flaming Gunman." S��arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Dennis had recently advanced to level 33, stepping beyond the despised designation of a ''newbie Iron-Level captain.''


    Since there were more than ten Iron Level teams in Red Heart City alone, exploring in the local public area was highly risky, far less advantageous than ruling over White Dove City.


    As soon as the 10th floor of the Great Mystery Continent opened, Dennis rushed to White Dove City with his ''Flame Adventure Team.''


    Today, he was lucky to have found a Ginkgo tree and had also caught a Rock-Level Adventure Team from White Dove City.


    Dennis sneered, spear on shoulder, and bluntly stared at the pale-faced girl opposite him.


    He had caught Captain Minnie of the ''Slay the Evil Dragon Adventure Team.''


    The girl''s green hair was tied into two large buns, she clutched a long spear in her arms, her legs were trembling, and behind her, her team members glared angrily at her.


    To Dennis, they looked like a bunch of mice caught by a cat; even their angry faces seemed adorably foolish.

 Chapter 347 293. Squad Descends, Joining Forces to Battle Iron Level Adventure Team

    Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire"If we met outside the Great Mystery Continent, I wouldn''t mind sharing a drink with your adorable captain at the tavern. But since we''re in a public Adventure Zone, if you don''t surrender, I''ll have to make your captain cry,"


    Dennis said with a sneer as he rubbed his wrist and swung his spear, "Neither this Ginkgo tree nor your Material Bracelets are yours any longer��they''re all property of my ''Flame Adventure Team''!"


    Swoosh swoosh swoosh!


    Seven members instantly surrounded Minnie and her team.


    This Iron Level adventure team from Red Heart City might not have been the most experienced, but their members had still reached an average level of 28.


    Captain Dennis was even stronger, at level 33, exerting a ''presence'' that made it hard for Minnie and her group to breathe, their steps heavy, and their strength seemed to halve out of nowhere.


    Minnie was about to cry from frustration, with tears rolling in her eyes like little pearls.


    They had finally found a Ginkgo tree, and she had told her team they would have a feast tonight, even promising an extra 1000 Gold Coins to each of them. But just as they had approached, they were caught red-handed by the Flame Adventure Team.


    Not only was there no hope for the Ginkgo tree, but they also had to hand over the materials that they had collected with so much difficulty.


    Minnie gritted her teeth, gripping the white-speckled spear in her hand.


    This was an orange-quality spear she had bought from Lin Da for 100,000 Gold Coins at her Phoenix Tail Flower promotion party.


    Regrettably, the spear did not give Minnie the courage she needed.


    She weakly glanced at the burly members of the Flame Adventure Team.


    Compared to her, a regular Spearman at level 25, even the weakest member of the Flame Adventure Team was level 28; the power discrepancy between the two teams was too great.


    Just Dennis alone could sweep through them all; there was no chance for a fight.


    Minnie''s face turned bitter. She looked up at the sensor ladybug flying above and complained:


    "This Dennis is so shameless. I''m the one who found the Ginkgo tree. He won''t let me have even one fruit, and now he wants to steal my Material Bracelet too! What a shrimp-head man with his brain full of crap! Everyone, curse him with me!"


    Unable to confront the reality, Minnie had to take out her frustration on the magic screen.


    Meanwhile, Dennis seemed unconcerned, leaning on his spear, picking his ears and his nose, apparently with as much filth in his head as Minnie had said.


    His arrogant demeanor, completely disregarding Minnie, was captured perfectly by the sensor ladybug.


    His big face appeared on the magic screen, with each nose hair clearly countable. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Dennis picked and prodded, a black ball was removed from his nostril, emanating a salty scent as if it reached everyone''s mouth through the screen.


    Dennis rolled it between his fingers and then flicked it lightly, hitting the sensor ladybug on the head.


    Its head served as the ''camera'' for this magical creature. In the hall, adventurers from White Dove City could only see a large black mass smeared across the screen. Some who were drinking juice turned pale and vomited on the spot.


    The actions of this Star Rank adventurer from Red Heart City immediately caused outrage.


    [I know Dennis. He often comes to steal White Dove City''s resources. Last month in the tenth level of the Mystic Realm, the Valiant Adventure Team was robbed by them, and Robert, their captain, was beaten bloody and bedridden for days!]


    [The Flame Adventure Team, a habitual offender. They don''t collect any resources themselves and just rob others.]


    [Disgusting shrimp-head man!]


    [If only the White Dove Adventure Group were here.]


    [The public area is too large. Even with the White Dove Adventure Group, can they really protect everyone? Spirits, Bedrock, and the adventurers from Red Heart City are all in cahoots. If only they didn''t help Red Heart City rob us. The only ones who can really help are White Dove.]


    [Hey, everyone, look! Isn''t there someone behind Captain Minnie? Has another adventure team arrived?]


    It seems the Ginkgo tree had attracted not only the Flame and Slay the Evil Dragon Adventure Teams.


    Seeing this suggestion, Minnie stealthily glanced behind her and indeed spotted figure approaching.


    This glimpse brought a surge of joy to Minnie. While White Dove City had many invaders from other cities, the majority were still locals.


    In the Great Mystery Continent, standing together against external enemies was an unwritten rule among adventurers.


    However, Minnie''s elation lasted only a moment.


    She immediately remembered that, apart from the White Dove Adventure Group and Ice Flower, who had just advanced to Iron Level yesterday, there seemed to be no one who could defeat the Flame Adventure Team.


    The approaching team was in danger of falling into a trap, possibly dooming themselves because of her.


    ''I need to warn them; it''s dangerous here!''


    Minnie nervously reached with her right hand toward the pocket of her jacket, where she kept a scroll capable of launching a signal flare.


    "What are you reaching for, hands up!"


    Dennis was waiting for the approaching adventure team to walk into his trap. Seeing Minnie''s move toward the magic scroll, his face changed instantly, and he smashed the butt of his spear onto Minnie''s right hand.


    With a crack, Minnie''s wrist, caught off guard, was broken, causing her to furrow her brows with pain as tears rolled out of her eyes.


    "How dare you! You rob us and now you hit our captain, let''s fight them!"


    "Ouch."


    "It hurts, stop hitting!"


    A bald, burly teammate who admired Minnie raged, but within three seconds, was begging for mercy as he was beaten by members of the Flame Adventure Team.


    "Playing the hero, are you? Look at what a mess you are,"


    A blond Little Beard scornfully kicked the former in the stomach.


    [This is too much. It''s one thing for the Flame Adventure Team to beat the bald guy, but how could they hit Captain Minnie!]


    [Damn it, isn''t there anyone who can discipline Dennis?]


    [Brothers, good news. I came running over from hall number 6 to inform you that the adventure team coming here is Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose!]

 Chapter 348 293. Squad Descends, Joining Forces to Battle Iron Level Adventure Team_2

    As the suggestion emerged, the adventurers in the hall fell slightly silent.If one were to consider which team could confront the Flame Adventure Team, Phoenix Tail Flower would undoubtedly be a candidate.


    Phoenix Tail Flower had Lulu, a Star-ranked adventurer. Captain Lin Da also had a record of defeating Kam.


    It wasn''t to say they would definitely defeat the Flame Adventure Team, but forcing them to retreat seemed feasible.


    The crowd was overjoyed and quickly relayed the good news to Minnie, who was wiping away tears, begging Dennis to stop, via suggestions.


    "Are the ones coming the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team?"


    Minnie was stunned for a moment, her mouth slightly agape in disbelief.


    She confirmed it several times, making sure the suggestions were indeed about the Phoenix Tail Flower, before a hint of joy appeared on her face.


    Dennis was no fool; noticing the change in Minnie''s expression, a chill ran down his spine.


    He squinted, gazing towards the group of figures in the distance.


    Could it be the White Dove Adventure Group coming?


    Recalling the 39th level "Mind''s Eye" Abner, Dennis felt a chill on his back, and all his confidence vanished.


    Even in Red Heart City, the combat strength of the White Dove Adventure Group was ranked among the top three, and was in a completely different dimension compared to his Flame Adventure Team.


    Thinking of the consequences if caught, Dennis''s facial muscles tightened, and a layer of fine sweat covered his forehead.


    "Everyone pay attention, run immediately if something''s off!"


    Dennis whispered to his teammates.


    The group of figures in the distance seemed to realize the abnormality here and sped up.


    If it were the White Dove Adventure Group, Commander Abner''s blue long ponytail would be quite conspicuous.


    Dennis focused intently but discovered the leader was a male with short black hair, with a brown-dominated badge pinned on his chest.


    "A Rock-level Adventure Team?"


    Dennis''s expression immediately became incredibly vivid.


    After all that, it was just a false alarm!


    His tense body gradually relaxed.


    His back was drenched with sweat, soaking through his clothes.


    He nearly got tricked by Minnie.


    If Dennis had been more cowardly, he could have lost a Silver-level Fruit Tree and two ready-made Rock-level Squad prey.


    ''A daring adventurer gains the dragon''s treasure. This famous saying by Legendary Adventurer Caesar really has some truth to it.''


    Dennis breathed a sigh of relief, his face regaining its composure.


    He lazily leaned on his spear and waved his hand, telling his teammates to surround the approaching group.


    "Captain, there are two adventure teams coming!"


    "Two? Doesn''t matter, with me here, a 33rd level Star-ranked adventurer, no matter how many they are, it''s useless." Dennis was unconcerned.


    "So, you''re planning to rob us?"


    The two adventure teams arrived from afar. S��arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Stay tuned to My Virtual Library Empire


    The leader, a man with black hair, asked with an odd expression.


    "Captain Lin Da, there''s a Silver-level Fruit Tree ahead, we found it first!" Minnie shouted.


    When Minnie shouted the opponent''s name, Dennis''s eyelids twitched, showing a realizing look: "So you are that Phoenix Tail Flower''s Captain, Lin Da?"


    "Do adventurers from Red Heart City all recognize me?" Lin Da was surprised.


    "Haha, after all, you made it onto the Adventurer''s Weekly. It''s hard not to recognize you. I heard you''re involved with Da''s sister? Oh, she''s here too. Ah, skipping the adventurers in Red Heart City and going for those in White Dove City, Da''s sister seems to lack good judgment."


    Dennis sarcastically mocked the two.


    Lia was dumbfounded, not understanding Dennis''s implications.


    Lin Da remained expressionless: "Enough of the trash talk, Red Heart City''s constant unreasonable actions towards White Dove City need to be experienced by you too."


    He took out the Sword of Royalty from his Space Ring, pointing it at Dennis''s chest: "Hand over the Silver-level Fruit Tree, leave the resources in your Material Bracelet, and I might let you guys off."


    Facing the encirclement of the Flame Adventure Team, Lin Da''s side didn''t panic at all, calmly setting up a battle formation to face the enemy.


    Lia even licked her lips, her eyes gleaming with an eager look.


    At that moment, Dennis still hadn''t noticed anything unusual.


    A sensor ladybug hovered beside Dennis, connecting to the live strategy feed from Red Heart City.


    When Lin Da made those comments, adventurers in Red Heart City immediately blew up, and the number of suggestions surged.


    [Has this Phoenix Tail Flower''s Lin Da become too arrogant? He just barely managed to beat the Star-ranked Kam, what makes him think he can boast against an Iron Level captain?]


    [The more famous you are, the more you risk, looks like Phoenix Tail Flower is getting carried away.]


    [Look at that Lia, it''s as if her face is saying ''watch me thrash Dennis'', isn''t she just level 28?]


    Just as the adventurers of White Dove City defend their local adventure teams, adventurers in Red Heart City also support the Flame Adventure Team.


    Lin Da''s boastful words incited the anger of adventurers in Red Heart City.


    They couldn''t wait for Dennis to strike with full force and humiliate Lin Da, so this darling of White Dove City would lose face completely.


    Dennis knew how to work the live feed effectively��only interesting live feeds could attract more viewers who would pay, and that was one of Dennis''s main secrets to making money.


    The new live feed was here��White Dove City''s celebrity adventure team, Phoenix Tail Flower, defeated by him, Dennis, with the beautiful female team member of Phoenix Tail Flower kneeling and begging him to let her go...


    Thinking of the delightful scenario, the corners of Dennis''s mouth curled into a smile that he couldn''t suppress.


    Dennis placed his long spear on his shoulder, as though carrying a burden, his posture relaxed and composed as he approached Lin Da, saying:


    "The White Dove Morning News seems to think highly of you, but let me tell you, this is the Great Mystery Continent, Lin Da, your name might work in White Dove City, but here... ouch!"


    A streak of red flame-shaped sword light cleaved through the air, the intense heat of over a thousand degrees instantly singed Dennis''s eyebrows and scorched his cheeks painfully.


    Even the ground was plowed into a depression!


    At that moment, Dennis''s complexion changed.


    The power contained within that sword light was undoubtedly that of a Star Rank!


    To Dennis''s knowledge, among Lin Da''s group, only the werewolf Lulu had recently advanced to Star Rank.


    The next highest level was the Holy Mage Aiko.


    Now, was Dawen''s sister also advanced to Star Rank?


    Dennis hastily defended himself; his black spear offset Lia''s sword light, but he was forced back five meters, his posture awkward, his eyebrows, and the front of his shirt all scorched.


    For an Iron Level captain, this was undoubtedly a massive disgrace!


    Fury turned Dennis''s face darker than coal!


    Meanwhile, Lin Da, under the cover of a green shield, swung the Sword of Royalty at the closest Little Beard.


    Lin Da''s sword lit up with a deep purple glow, poison-like, and within a few moves, Little Beard''s sword was so corroded it was filled with notches.


    This so-called Grek, despite being level 28, was no match for the level 26 Lin Da, who chopped his good weapon into scraps, nearly snapping it in half.


    Lin Da''s Sword of Royalty thrusted in a tricky curve, bypassing Grek''s defense, striking precisely at his right chest.


    The sword move taught to him by Isa was used for the first time in real combat, and it was a resounding success.


    "I, I surrender!"


    Grek bit down in pain, threw away his long sword, and raised his hands in surrender.


    The Great Mystery Continent wasn''t a battle to the death, and seeing that he was in this state, Lin Da also sheathed his sword and turned to deal with others.


    Indeed, in the time Lin Da and Grek were fighting, the other members of the Flame Adventure Team had been dealt with by the rest.


    The individuals led by Lin Da all excelled in single combat, even the less powerful Phyllis, who had graduated from a prestigious adventurer academy.


    Oru and Klyne, both outstanding adventurers as well, otherwise, they wouldn''t have been recruited by Lia into the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Klrona, wielding her small axe, chased two back-row members of the Flame Adventure Team, beating them as they ran begging for mercy.


    The field was left with a trail of a young girl''s crisp taunting laughter.


    Words like ''weakling'' and ''small fry''...


    The two fleeing had faces flushed with humiliation, clenched their fists in frustration, but dared not stop their feet.


    At the same time, Aiko cast Cage of Light, trapping the other members of the Flame Adventure Team in place.


    Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose closed in for the kill, swiftly taking them down in moments.


    Minnie and her team watched, dumbfounded by the speed.


    It was only a month since the promotion party, but the strength of the two adventure teams had grown immensely, almost unrecognizably so.


    Justly renowned by the White Dove Morning News as genius adventurers, their value was truly frightening!

 Chapter 349 294. Defeat the Iron Level, turn the tables

    Lia and Aiko, both were Star Rank.Lin Da also crushed that Level 28 Grek, avenging Minnie''s adventure team.


    What was left of the Flame Adventure Team was just their captain, Dennis.


    "Damn it, damn it all!"


    Dennis, his face flushed with blood, brandished his spear, his upper garment scorched by flames, nearly in a state of collapse.


    Up against Lia, who had just reached Level 30, Dennis felt an immense pressure, knowing a single misstep could result in being struck down by the great sword in her hands.


    "Is it okay not to intervene?" asked Lulu, feeling idle and walking over to Lin Da.


    "With Lia''s temperament, she''d probably complain if we helped without asking," Lin Da shrugged his shoulders, "Wait and see."


    Both of them turned their attention to the fight.


    Lia was only Level 30, but her combat talent was evidently superior to Dennis''s, moving like a nimble hummingbird. No matter how fierce Dennis''s spear attack was, Lia always managed to narrowly evade it and then counterattack with a sword strike.


    Including the fallen members of the Flame Adventure Team, everyone soon realized the fact that if Lia''s level were equal to Dennis''s, the one to be defeated would certainly be him.


    But the current situation was in Dennis''s favor.


    Lia, newly at Level 30, had yet to fully adapt to this newfound strength, and all her equipment was still below Level 30, with no gold coins to exchange for better gear.


    Even if she was far more skilled in combat than Dennis, her ability points lagged behind considerably.


    "Piercing Strike!"


    After taking a dozen hits, Dennis finally found a slim opportunity.


    His spear, swirling with spiral airflow, thudded against the Life Barrier in front of Lia''s chest.


    Lia reacted quickly, concentrating her Battle Qi to a point to resist the strike.


    If she had been completely off guard, the Battle Qi evenly scattered across the Life Barrier would have made it not hard enough; like a coat of glue, it would have allowed Dennis''s spear to penetrate into her body.


    If severe, it could even lead to her being skewered through.


    Even at Star Rank, sparring carried great risks.


    However, Lia''s response was extremely clever, allowing the rest of the Life Barrier to soften while concentrating Battle Qi at the point of Dennis''s attack, turning that part of the barrier as hard as iron.


    With a loud thud, Lia was sent flying backward, adjusting her posture mid-air, and landed steadily on the ground. S��ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although her face was somewhat pale, she was virtually unharmed, and Lin Da only saw a -500 appear above Lia''s head.


    As a semi-tank Great Swordsman, Lia''s health points started from a minimum of 6000. Entering Star Rank and after swapping to a full set of Level 30 equipment, it could probably approach 10000.


    "I could have dodged it, a mistake," Lia stomped her foot in annoyance, still reflecting on the fight just now.


    Not far away, Dennis, spear in hand, panting heavily, saw that all the members of the Flame Adventure Team had been defeated, disbelief flooding his eyes.


    [What''s going on, those two from White Dove City, Lia and Aiko, both are Star Rank?]


    [Their strength is a bit exaggerated, it feels like Captain Dennis will lose!]


    [Are those two adventure teams really Rock-level?]


    In the Adventurers'' Guild in Red Heart City, a wave of heated discussion erupted in the hall.


    Meanwhile, on site.


    Minnie rushed over to Lin Da''s side, supporting her injured Baldy team member, the two of them bowing solemnly:


    "Captain Lin Da, thank you. Otherwise, the resources of our adventure team would definitely have been taken by Dennis!"


    "Uniting against a common foe is only natural." Lin Da helped Minnie up, then turned his cold gaze towards Dennis, leaning on his spear and gasping for breath, "Hand over the resources, I don''t want to ask a second time."


    "Tch."


    Dennis was full of reluctance, but Lulu''s icy stare stayed fixed on his throat, sending chills down his spine. The werewolf with light blue hair imposed an even greater threat to Dennis than Lia!


    Dennis glanced out of the corner of his eye and saw, besides Lia and the werewolf, there was also a grinning blonde Mage...


    Two Rock-level Squads, but with three Star Rank members, was unheard of for Dennis!


    He looked at the silver Material Bracelet on his right wrist, regretting so deeply he could spit blood.


    Losing resources was one thing, but losing face was something Dennis found even harder to accept.


    It had always been Red Heart City robbing the adventure teams of White Dove City, where had it ever been reversed? If he had run into the White Dove Adventure Group, Dennis could have accepted the defeat, as their strength was plainly apparent.


    But it was two Rock-level teams.


    Those newspapers that loved to sensationalize stories and attract the eyes of adventurers would surely make a big deal of the two teams'' levels, portraying the Flame Adventure Team as the laughingstock of the year!


    "It seems you don''t want to hand over the resources," Lin Da sighed helplessly, "Lulu, go beat him until he can''t move, then we''ll take the Material Bracelet ourselves."


    "Hey, wait, I''ll give it, okay?!"


    Dennis was sweating profusely in urgency as he saw Lulu don her Verdant Shield, with support from Aiko''s Light Arrow Technique coming from behind, and a gust of cold wind as she charged over.


    "Cage of Light!"


    Aiko aimed at the continuously dodging Dennis, rapidly chanting the spell.


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    A square cage made of golden bars descended from the sky, trapping Dennis upside down inside.


    It then swiftly cinched tight, immobilizing Dennis on the spot.


    "Wait a second, I said wait!" Dennis cried out in panic.


    He looked up, only to see Lulu blocking the sun as she leapt up, the shining claws of the beast sending a chill through him as if in the depths of winter.


    A chill crept up Dennis''s spine and slowly entered his brain, his eyes gradually widening as an increasing sense of helplessness filled his body.


    The speed of this werewolf was too fast, faster even than him, a Level 33 Spearman!

 Chapter 350 294. Defeat the Iron Level, turn the tables_2

    Even though Dennis saw Lulu''s aerial attack, his body could not react in time, his limbs felt as though they were chained and sealed, incredibly heavy.This feeling of powerlessness eventually turned into despair, and Dennis, with a blank stare, raised his head to look up at the pale blue phantom descending from the sky.


    In the Great Mystery Continent, it was not a battle to the death, and at the critical moment, Lulu showed mercy.


    Her claw turned into a fist, which knocked on Dennis''s forehead.


    Dennis screamed in pain, his head tilted, and he lost consciousness.


    But he was not seriously injured, lying down for a few hours would allow him to wake up.


    The members of the Flame Adventure Team, seeing this, sincerely breathed a sigh of relief.


    The outcome of the battle had been decided, Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose joined forces and defeated the Iron Level adventure team from Red Heart City.


    "Wow, so cool." A burst of wonder shone in Minnie''s eyes.


    She gazed eagerly at Lulu''s figure, her fluffy pale blue tail waving gently like a cape, and her beast ears added a unique charm.


    Minnie wondered who could be cool and collected enough to stroke such a beastman''s ears; she felt a burst of impulse to touch them herself.


    In just a few minutes, the captain of the Slay the Evil Dragon Adventure Team had turned into a little fan of Lulu, "She''s so amazing, she defeated Dennis that easily!"


    "Aiko and Lia also played a part," Lulu shook her head and spoke indifferently.


    Without Lia weakening Dennis''s stamina and Aiko''s support, it would have been hard for her to defeat Dennis head-on.


    Dennis, as the captain of the Flame Adventure Team, was not weak.


    It''s just that they had more people, fighting him in turns, which gave the illusion that Dennis was a small fry.


    To Lulu, Dennis was stronger than the Phantoms, Kam, and Nacho!


    With Dennis falling, suggestions surged.


    [It turns out that Snow Goose''s Lia and Aiko have entered the Star Rank, congratulations.]


    [Is the Flame Adventure Team that weak? Lulu defeated them without them being able to fight back.]


    [The predictions of the White Dove Morning News are gradually coming true. Ice Flower has entered the Iron Level, Snow Goose is almost there, Valiant has reached the 13th floor, Phoenix Tail Flower will also not take much longer.


    From the original three Iron Level teams, it has grown to seven; our White Dove City is on the rise, and invaders like Dennis will probably decrease a lot.]


    In the viewing hall, people were uplifted, raising their cups of wheat beer in celebration.


    White Dove City was often looked down upon by adventurers from other cities; at this moment, watching Dennis getting knocked out, shouting ''stop, stop,'' and seeing his pale face when Lulu made her last move, was incredibly satisfying for them.


    [The fans of both are ecstatic; Lulu''s claw also vents for Captain Minnie! Now I have to join the Phoenix Tail Flower Fan Club.]


    Lin Da fetched a sensor ladybug from his waist, looked at the swarm of suggestions flashing across its belly, and smiled knowingly:


    "The number of adventurers invading White Dove City''s resource zones will reduce, everyone can climb confidently, hurry up to the 10th floor, the resources here are much richer compared to the 5th floor."


    [If I happen to meet Phoenix Tail Flower, can I explore the public areas with you?]


    "Of course, but only the first team encountered will have a chance, too many people and we can''t harvest anything," Lin Da replied.


    After talking for a while, Lin Da approached the unconscious Dennis.


    The members of the Flame Adventure Team had been released from the Cage of Light by Aiko, each one dejected, covering their faces with their hands to avoid the gaze of the sensor ladybug.


    There was bound to be a reporter by the screen, clicking away madly.


    There was a journalist in White Dove City named Kami, who seemed very adept at smearing others, not even sparing Phoenix Tail Flower, and certainly not sparing their adventurers from Red Heart City.


    Even if Kami released an article titled [Small Fry Flame Adventure Team was bullied by a Rock Level (sweating slime emoji)], it would not be surprising.


    Lead by Little Beard Grek, all members of the Flame Adventure Team huddled down, not letting the sensor ladybug photograph them.


    "What are they doing?" Lia asked, puzzled.


    "Probably afraid of losing face, after all, they were defeated by a Rock Level Team," Aiko replied with a slight smirk of sarcasm.


    Meanwhile, Lin Da took Dennis''s Material Bracelet, handed it to Little Beard Grek, and instructed Grek to take out the items inside.


    The Material Bracelet could only be used by members of the adventure team it belonged to.


    Grek was reluctant in every way, but under the watchful eyes of everyone, he had no choice but to tough it out and open the bracelet.


    A green light flashed, and a dozen items appeared on the ground.


    "So many?"


    Lin Da said, surprised.


    Before them appeared 3 pieces of Haru Ore, 2 Wind Stones, and 10 Silver Tree Fruits. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The tree Minnie discovered also had 10 Silver Tree Fruits growing on it.


    All these resources combined were worth a total of 340,000 Gold Coins!


    Since the Flame Adventure Team were the invaders, and were defeated by Lin Da and his team, they didn''t have to abide by the rule of only taking 70% of the resources and could take everything.


    In this battle, Snow Goose also made significant contributions, and Lin Da had agreed to split the winnings evenly with Lia.


    This meant that each side would earn 170,000 Gold Coins.


    Lia, excited, her face flushed with joy, probably didn''t expect earning Gold Coins could be so easy.


    Carried away, she forgot to maintain the poise of a Star-ranked adventurer and waved her little fist, "With this, I can finally get myself a purple Star-ranked ornament!"


    Once she upgraded her entire gear, Lia was confident she could singlehandedly defeat Dennis.


    The only thing holding Lia back in terms of combat power was Gold Coins; she didn''t have a single Level 30 piece of equipment, making her the poorest Star-ranked there.


    The materials stolen from the Flame Adventure Team consumed 810 Points, and Lin Da''s bracelet was unable to contain them, so they were temporarily stored with Lia.


    "Don''t you dare swallow them all." Lin Da warned Lia.


    "I''m not that kind of person!" Lia stamped her foot furiously and glared at Lin Da, "What do you take me for?"


    "A willful brat."


    "Huh!?"


    After securing the materials, Lin Da handed the unconscious Dennis over to Grek, saying, "Remember, don''t come to White Dove City again, or every time we see you, we''ll rob you."


    "Understood, understood," Grek said, his face full of humiliation.


    An Iron Level adventure team, threatened by a Rock Level one.


    This was like adults being threatened by juvenile Succubus, not only unable to resist but also having to leave in utter humiliation after being called small fry.


    The insult was extreme!


    Grek and his teammates dared not retaliate.


    By the time the next ten-layer Great Mystery Continent opened, the Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose would have grown incredibly powerful, beyond what his Flame Adventure Team could handle.


    Furthermore, rumors had it that Ice Flower had also allied with these two teams.


    Reflecting on this, Grek thought it might actually be a stroke of luck to have hit this snag today. If they had managed to rob Phoenix Tail Flower, far worse consequences might have followed.


    With this in mind, Grek''s attitude suddenly became much more polite.


    "Captain Lin Da, we assure you we won''t come to White Dove City again, and if there''s nothing else, we''ll be leaving now."


    "Oh, go ahead."


    "...Captain Lin Da, why are you following me?"


    "Ah, just happens to be on our way."


    Lin Da chuckled, then turned to Minnie, who looked at him with admiring eyes, "Want to join us for a big heist?"


    "I do!"


    "Uh, don''t you want to hear what it is first?"


    "As long as it''s a good thing."


    Minnie giggled.


    Together, Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose had three Star-ranked adventurers, making Minnie feel exceptionally safe with them.


    "So where are we heading?" Lia was also unclear about what Lin Da was planning.


    Lin Da, "All along, it''s been Red Heart City and South Rock City invading us, right?"


    "Yeah," Lia nodded.


    "Then why can''t I go to Red Heart City?"


    Lin Da''s eyes twinkled, "It''s always them visiting our home, how embarrassing."


    Everyone finally caught on.


    Grek''s expression changed, "There are over a dozen Iron Level teams in Red Heart City, not something you can handle!"


    "That''s for the Flame Adventure Team to worry about, not us."


    Lin Da stated flatly.


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    Just because the Flame Adventure Team likes to pick on the weak, didn''t mean they couldn''t as well.


    Lin Da also wanted to train Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose, who only knew how to combat Magical Creatures and not how to handle other adventurers, which could be disadvantageous in future ventures on the Great Mystery Continent.

 Chapter 351 295. Sweep Red Heart City, Beastmen Adventure Team

    Secondly, Lin Da did not believe that an average Iron Level adventure team could rival the Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose.With the addition of the Verdant Shield, Lia and Lulu''s combat power had soared shockingly.


    Especially Lulu.


    The Remaining Blood Flow style was truly incomparable to ordinary Star Rank levels.


    Lulu also had the "Silver Ring", an Epic Equipment that significantly increased defense and Agility.


    Lia was similarly a tank-like Great Swordsman.


    Donning the Verdant Shield, the two of them could both tank and hit hard.


    Avoiding those seasoned Iron-Level teams, when encountering others, if Lin Da and his team couldn''t win, they could also escape.


    "It''s time for the adventurers of Red Heart City to feel the goodwill from White Dove City,"


    Lin Da said with a chuckle.


    Outside the Magic Screen, the adventurers from White Dove City finally understood what Lin Da was planning.


    Each of them showed an excited expression.


    An invasion of Red Heart City was unprecedented.


    Just thinking about those arrogant Rock-level squads in Red Heart City suddenly seeing White Dove City''s team appear on their turf, including three Star Rank individuals... everyone felt a surge of excitement, unable to help but burst into laughter.


    Lia and Minnie, among others, were also very interested in Lin Da''s proposal.


    "Alright, let''s cause a huge commotion in Red Heart City!" Lia waved her Greatsword, her eyes full of Fighting Spirit.


    Minnie, since she had few items in her Material Bracelet, nodded, "Hmm, I''ll go with you!"


    Oru laughed, "Invading Red Heart City, just the thought excites me."


    Except for Aiko, who was somewhat reluctant, everyone else agreed readily.


    It was time for Red Heart City''s adventurers to taste what it felt like to be robbed.


    Five hours later.


    Dusk, Red Heart City''s resource area.


    An adventure team called Good Fortune was busy in a thicket.


    Several members were on lookout, while the captain, Kachuji, nervously gripped a small sickle, his hands moving swiftly to harvest a type of blue flower.


    The Good Fortune adventure team, Rock-level, average member level 24.


    Kachuji, a black-skinned adventurer with dirty braids and thick lips, bowed his head, his eyes burning as he gazed at the Mana Replenishing Grass within the thicket.


    This blue flower was an essential herb for Magic Pharmacists to refine Magic Potions, each valued at 300 Gold Coins.


    And at that moment, there were about 200 of them right there, equalling about 60,000 Gold Coins.


    Kachuji regretted that he did not have the guts to rob in White Dove City, only able to carefully pick materials in the public areas. Your next journey awaits at My Virtual Library Empire


    Hearing that White Dove City was full of easy targets who wouldn''t fight back, Kachuji dreamed every night before the opening of the Great Mystery Continent of becoming a slave master, capturing adventurers from White Dove City, and locking them up in the "Cotton Garden" to gather materials for him.


    Unfortunately, reality was cruel, and although White Dove City had fat sheep, they were not wolves.


    "Lucky I''m an adventurer from Red Heart City, with Sunrise Level ''Red Heart Adventure Group" and top Iron Level ''Crimson Adventure Group'' above me. Other city adventurers dare not invade here, and I can collect materials comfortably. Even if a fight is lost against those from the same city, the losers would only take about 70%."


    Kachuji laughed as he wiped the sweat from his forehead, his last swing of the sickle packed all the Mana Replenishing Grass into the Material Bracelet.


    "Brothers, work''s over, I''m treating everyone to the massage parlor tonight!"


    Just as Kachuji was smiling, imagining playing with elf ladies in black stockings, several figures quietly approached. S��ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Look at the roots left on the ground, it''s Mana Replenishing Flower, about 200 in number? This adventure team is quite lucky,"


    a tall, black-haired man walked up slowly.


    With a sensor ladybug perched on his shoulder, he seemed oblivious to Kachuji''s drastically changing expression, busily examining the ground by himself.


    "Which adventure team are you from? I''ve never seen you before!"


    Kachuji, not recognizing Lin Da and his companions, pulled out his curved knife as if facing a great enemy.


    The other eight members of the Good Fortune adventure team also adopted defensive stances.


    Yet everyone felt their bodies heavy, their feet like stuck in mud, clenching their teeth to move even slightly.


    This abnormality made Kachuji and his men''s hearts quake.


    Star Rank!


    Three damned Star Ranks!


    Three beautiful girls following the black-haired man, distinctly stronger than him, yet still treating him as their leader.


    Each was strikingly beautiful with distinct features and hairstyles��blonde, red, and blue-haired, each possessing a different demeanor. Except for the one with red hair, the other two boasted impressive figures.


    Behind them was a brown-haired Big Lolita, her head low, trembling under their gaze, her hand held by a pink-haired Lolita with twin ponytails. On their sides stood an Elf Archer and a robust Hammer Warrior.


    This group, each one''s expression was exceedingly calm, as if leisurely strolling in a garden, utterly disregarding the Good Fortune adventure team.


    Kachuji and his team''s terrified expressions were captured by the sensor ladybug, appearing on the Magic Screen.


    "See that black-lipped expression? Feels like he ate blue-veined cheese with extra crap!"


    "After all, the Mana Replenishing Grass he worked so hard to gather is all Lin Da''s now."


    "Good good good, I just love watching beautiful girls suppress others with Star Rank might, best if they stomp on their faces with boots!"


    "If I could get stomped by Miss Aiko''s white stockings, I''d gladly take their punishment."


    In the viewing hall of White Dove City, everyone laughed heartily.


    Meanwhile, at the scene, Kachuji''s expression gradually turned livid


    Step back, the more he thought, the angrier he got!


    His clothes were full of grass leaves and white-fuzzed shrub seeds, which clung tightly, causing long-lasting itchy skin.

 Chapter 352 295, Sweep Red Heart City, Beastmen Adventure Team_2

    Compared to the value of Mana Replenishing Grass, these grievances may not seem like much, but when one must hand over hard-earned gains, Kachuji feels even worse than if he had eaten shit."What are you looking at? Hand it over! Do you really want me to do it myself?"


    Lia snorted coldly and slammed her greatsword on the ground next to her foot.


    The ground where she struck instantly caved in, the massive force causing Kachuji''s eyelids to twitch uncontrollably.


    "Captain, just give it to them," commanded the leader of the Good Fortune adventure team, a golden-haired male elf with glasses, clutching his fists in humiliation.


    "I... can''t accept this! Over 200 Mana Replenishing Grasses; in my more than twenty years as an adventurer, I''ve never had such good luck!" Kachuji said through clenched teeth, his eyes blood red.


    60,000 gold coins were a considerable sum for a Rock-level adventure team. The fortune they were about to grasp was suddenly snatched away by this gang...


    Feeling like his freshly wedded bride had been taken away by a dark-skinned Viscount and returned only to have become ''secondhand''.


    Kachuji''s face turned from red to green, and then to pale green.


    To the uninitiated, it may even seem that his wife was taken by Lin Da.


    "��wait a minute.


    "You are from White Dove City''s adventure team?"


    It was then that Kachuji noticed the badges on Lin Da and the others'' chests.


    Trailing behind them, the little tag-along Minnie made a face: "What about White Dove City? Who says we can''t rob you? The Flame Adventure Team has been defeated too."


    "Even Dennis...?"


    Kachuji''s eyes widened in shock.


    "Count to three. If you haven''t handed over the resources, then I won''t be polite anymore," said Lia, stone-faced, her greatsword slapping in her palm like a teacher''s ruler used for admonishment.


    Perhaps in the eyes of Lin Da and his team, Lia''s actions might appear somewhat cute and dumb, but to Kachuji, she was a fearsome devil!


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    The red-haired girl''s rounded legs peeked out from under her high-waisted shorts, wrapped in thick over-the-knee socks, with what sounded like reinforced steel in her boots clicking on the ground, exerting immense pressure on Kachuji.


    "Here, take it then," under Lia''s ferocity, Kachuji''s hands trembled as he removed his Material Bracelet and poured out its contents.


    A whole bunch of freshly picked blue Mana Replenishing Flowers, a chunk of Harl Ore, and a small mountain of Mondale Tree Fruits.


    By the rules, Lin Da and his team, as invaders, were entitled to take seventy percent.


    Claiming all of the Mana Replenishing Flowers, Lin Da left the rest for Kachuji.


    In total, there were 203 Mana Replenishing Flowers valued at around 60,000 gold coins, costing 203 Material Points.


    Lin Da had Minnie temporarily hold onto these, and they would divide the spoils using a 9:1 share after the fact.


    This was as if Minnie and his companions had made an effortless 6,000 gold, and they started laughing cheerfully.


    Lia was counting on her fingers how much gold she had earned, but soon ran out of fingers and felt dizzy with the math.


    Oru laughed and said, "No wonder the adventurers from other cities come to rob White Dove City; the speed of making gold here is much faster than painstakingly gathering materials ourselves."


    Lin Da, too, was feeling the addiction, and with a grand wave of his hand, he declared, "Let''s go, on to the next team!"


    ...


    Watching Lin Da and his team''s fading figures, Kachuji was seething with anger deep inside. He pulled out the sensor ladybug to start a live broadcast, spreading the news of White Dove City''s incursion all around.


    Since the broadcast was sudden, not many people were watching.


    The adventurers from Red Heart City would take some time to react.


    And in this time, it was enough for Lin Da and his team to make a sweep through Red Heart City.


    Lin Da''s team had Lulu, the werewolf with excellent scouting abilities and acute senses, always able to find easy targets to crush.


    For those Rock-level Squads, Lin Da didn''t even need to lift a finger; having Lulu and the other two Star Rank members exude ''aura'', they simply applied pressure to their foes. Lin Da would then chuckle villainously a few times, enough to terrify the other team into scrambling and willingly offering up their resources.


    Haru Ore, Wind Stones, one after another Bronze and Silver Tree Fruits...


    What others saw as a perilous public adventure area, to Lin Da and his companions, seemed like a land of gold everywhere.


    With an endless stream of loot, everyone was smiling ear to ear.


    In just three hours, Lin Da, Lia, and Minnie had filled their Material Bracelets to the brim, with the materials inside valued at nearly 830,000 Gold Coins.


    Latter on, Lin Da came up with another idea, letting those they captured pay for their freedom.


    This approach was remarkably effective. In the following hour, Lin Da and Lia''s Savings Cards each swelled by an additional 200,000 Gold Coins.


    For a time, in the vast public area of Red Heart City, only the desolate wind remained, along with the lonely light of the twilight and the stripped Mondale Trees.


    Not a trace of the Rock-level Squads could be seen.


    Fearing a second capture by Lin Da and the others, they all used Teleportation Stones to flee back to the city, complaining bitterly to the local adventurers.


    It''s worth mentioning that Teleportation Stones couldn''t instantly return someone to the city; they needed to be used in a safe area, and the user couldn''t be attacked during the process.


    That afternoon, the folks over in White Dove City had a great time watching, but in Red Heart City, the reputations of the Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose adventure teams plummeted dramatically, branded as ''robbers'', ''invaders'', and ''shrimp brains''.


    All adventure teams captured by Lin Da and his group were treated the same, regardless of gender, all were required to leave their resources behind.


    Adventurers from Red Heart City, robbed senseless, never considered how the adventurers from White Dove City felt when they were robbed.


    They all directed their anger at Lin Da, denouncing him with both words and writing.


    ...


    In the screening building of Red Heart City, Hall 11 was broadcasting the live strategy session of the Giant Hammer Adventure Team. Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With over a thousand adventurers watching and not a single seat empty, it was evident that the Giant Hammer''s adventure zone was very popular.


    The screen showed a tiger-headed adventurer wearing a white tank top, his muscles bulging, with a pair of dark hammers crossed behind his back.


    The tiger-headed man, Xiu, had a scar that spanned across his left eye, wore a black eye patch, and had a menacing look about him. He was chewing on a thumb-thick ''Dream Smoke'', creating clouds of smoke.


    [Xiu, Captain, our resource area has been terribly invaded by two Rock-level teams from White Dove City, if you find them, you must take revenge for all of us!]


    [Good Fortune Adventure Team, Flame Adventure Team, Eagle Adventure Team... they''ve all been robbed by these people!]


    [Damn it, Red Heart City has never suffered such humiliation, if we catch them, we mustn''t just rob all their resources. We have to make those female team members show their bellies and apologize sincerely to Red Heart City!]


    A group of people were making suggestions to the Giant Hammer Adventure Team.


    Some were fans of the teams that had been robbed by Lin Da and his group, while others were local adventurers from Old Red Heart City, with a strong sense of local pride.


    Stepping on Red Heart City felt like a slap in their faces, and their pride hurt fiercely.


    The live broadcast in Hall 11 was set up by the Giant Hammer Adventure Team, a team entirely composed of Beastmen, and their fans were mostly of poor quality.


    Used to bullying White Dove City, their trips there were performed with an air of entitlement. Now, these ''country bumpkins'' from White Dove City were stepping on their faces, and the situation exploded, with these people cursing the Phoenix Tail Flower the most.


    The tiger-headed Xiu glanced at the suggestions on the sensor ladybug, frowned, threw his Dream Smoke to the ground, and viciously stomped it out:


    "Isn''t Flame an Iron Level adventure team? How could they be robbed? That Dennis might not be impressive, but he''s not someone Rock-level can handle!"


    Xiu muttered, puzzled.


    As a level 35, Xiu''s Giant Hammer Adventure Team was a mainstay among the Iron Level. Naturally, they looked down on the recently advanced Flame Adventure Team.


    But even so, Iron is Iron, and when Iron collides with Rock, only the latter would be crushed.


    The vice-captain of the Giant Hammer Adventure Team, known as Brother Bear, was a black-bearded bear-headed man with thick eyebrows and big eyes. Brother Bear, quenching his thirst with a straw in his honey lemon tea, chuckled upon hearing Xiu''s words:


    "Captain, that''s why I say you need to read more newspapers, learn some culture. Your information is too outdated. If I''m not mistaken, those two Rock-level teams are probably Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose."


    "Huh? I''ve never heard of either. No matter who they are, once caught by our Giant Hammer Adventure Team, with you and me at Star Rank, couldn''t we just crush them?" Xiu said, scratching his head, as steam snorted from his nostrils.


    The six Beastmen team members all smiled in pride when they heard this.


    Brother Bear nodded, "If they encounter us, of course, those two teams will be soundly defeated, but the Flame Adventure Team won''t make it. Dennis is only level 33, and I''ve heard that Phoenix Tail Flower has a Werewolf who''s quite powerful, even suppressed Nacho from the Specter Adventure Group in the Arena."

 Chapter 353 296, Remaining Blood Flow style play, Lulu in Bloodthirst state

    ```"Nacho? That level 33 Berserker?"


    Xiu was taken aback, rubbing his chin, "In that case, his strength is not bad. Werewolves and my Tiger Clan are in-laws, if we meet him, we can consider recruiting him into our Giant Hammer."


    "The Captain is wise."


    Brother Bear laughed, "Among their two adventure teams, only that werewolf girl is somewhat impressive, the others, Lin Da is just a shield caster without combat capability, and Snow Goose team leader Lia is flat-chested and mindless, not a concern."


    "Hahaha, true to being the Vice-captain and commander of the Giant Hammer Adventure Team, I love to hear you talk."


    Xiu nodded in satisfaction, clapped his hands, "Rest time''s over, let''s continue gathering materials. If we encounter that what''s-it-called flower and whatever Snow Goose adventure team, we''ll take care of them as well."


    "Ao ao!" S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The wolf-headed, ox-headed, and dog-headed members of the team emitted excited cries.


    One of the ox-headed men in leather armor had only walked a few steps out when he was snatched by a dark whip speeding through the grass like a venomous snake, and whooshed into the air by his ankle.


    "Aaaah!" the Minotaur cried out in terror, "What is this? It can''t be the Tentacle Flower, can it?"


    Just when the Minotaur thought his "chrysanthemum" wasn''t safe, a Light Arrow Technique and a green Fighting Spirit Arrow struck his belly.


    Despite the Minotaur''s quick reaction, fortifying that area with a Life Barrier, the attacker''s powerful strike still caused him considerable injury.


    Especially that seemingly ordinary Light Arrow Technique, which made the Minotaur spew blood, the core of light in his spiritual world flickered violently, nearly shattering.


    "Star Rank?"


    Xiu unsheathed the dual hammers behind his back and roared, "Where are these despicable thieves? Come out to me!"


    "Brothers, get ready for battle!" Brother Bear took out a vicious broadsword with saw-toothed edges, its blade as wide as a hand, and watched the front warily.


    The Light Arrow Technique is one of the basic skills of a Light Mage, quick to chant and low in power. But as Brother Bear replayed that pure golden Light Arrow Technique in his mind, he couldn''t shake the chill creeping up his back. Compared to an ordinary Star Rank''s Light Arrow Technique, the one just now seemed too strong.


    As dusk fell, a group approached from afar.


    Leading them was a man with short black hair, dressed in a white shirt, with a loop of pouches tied around his waist, and a long sword on his back.


    From the angle of Brother Bear and the others, only the hilt could be seen, appearing to be made of gold, with a round, radiant ruby radiating an astonishing magical aura.


    "So it''s Iron Level, huh... No choice, there are no more rock levels to find, so you''ll do. Fifty thousand Gold Coins to let you leave. Or shall we beat you into submission before you pay up? By then, it won''t be just fifty thousand."


    Lin Da appeared indifferent, walking up to about ten meters in front of the Giant Hammer Adventure Team.


    By his side, were the two young girls, one blue and one red; further out were Oru and Klrona.


    "I know these two people. ''Giant Hammer'' Xiu, level 35, give him to Snow Goose. As for the one with the big blade, ''Black Bear'' Bear Thunder, level 33, you guys take care of him." Lia said, with fire in her eyes.


    "We definitely have no problems, Snow Goose does need to be cautious though. That Xiu''s class seems to be a Dual Hammer Wielder, aside from lacking in agility, both his toughness and strength are extremely formidable." Lin Da spoke.


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    He was curious to test whether the ''Remaining Blood Flow'' style was effective against this Red Heart City Iron Level adventure team.


    Glancing at Lulu, the two nodded in silent agreement.


    Under the watchful eyes of Xiu and his team, Lulu''s eyes hardened, and she scratched her own arm with her beast claw.


    "You''re underestimating us?" Xiu said angrily.


    "Captain, be careful, these two teams are Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose." Brother Bear, whose real name was Bear Thunder, was a Thunder Warrior. He clicked his tongue and said, "That Snow Goose has two Star Rank members, they''re tricky to handle."


    "Two unstable level 30 Rankers, and you call them Star Ranks? Watch me make them kneel and beg for mercy!"


    "That Lia is Dawen''s sister, Captain, remember not to hit her too hard."


    "Dawen? Humph, she brought her loss upon herself in the Great Mystery Continent, even Dawen can''t complain. It doesn''t matter if it''s Dawen''s sister or even the sister of Alajie, the leader of the Red Heart Adventure Group, I''ll smack her just the same."


    Xiu smirked and hammered his dual hammers together, bestowing upon himself a skill called [Incandescence], which increased his strength and defense, and then he stepped towards Lia.


    Bear Thunder, meanwhile, faced off against Lulu.


    The other members of the Giant Hammer Adventure Team were intercepted by Oru and Klrona.


    "That''s about enough," Lin Da said, unable to watch Lulu''s self-harm any longer.


    In her frenzy, Lulu''s health points dropped below 1000.


    Lulu''s innate skill [Bloodthirst] activated; her wolf tail thickened, blood-red light radiated from her pale blue eyes, and she issued a low growl from her throat.


    In this state, Lulu''s damage increased by 50%, and her output capacity reached the standard of a Five-Star Character.


    Lin Da waved his hand and cast the Verdant Shield upon Lulu.


    His health points of 12,800 and shield thickness of 5,760 were nearly equal to Lulu''s ''full health'', yet she now had an additional 50% damage increase.


    "Venom Magic Sphere!"


    Lin Da released a spell first, drawing Bear Thunder''s attention.


    As Bear Thunder dodged, Lulu crouched down and darted out, circling Bear Thunder, whipping up a cloud of dust.


    Lulu, already extremely agile, and now equipped with the Silver Ring providing a wealth of ability points, was directly comparable to the Assassin class.


    Her circling speed grew increasingly faster, leaving trails of afterimages.


    Bear Thunder''s eyes bulged, but he still couldn''t catch Lulu''s position!


    He could only see a pair of blood-red eyes intermittently visible in the swirling dust.


    This oppressive force made Bear Thunder break out in a cold sweat!


    Suddenly, a blue Phantom burst from the lingering dust.


    ```

 Chapter 354 296, Remaining Blood Flow style, Bloodthirst state Lulu_2

    ```Bear Thunder''s eyes swirled in confusion, his greatsword unsure of which direction to face.


    Lin Da coordinated with Lulu''s attack timing, unleashing the Dark Whip.


    The whip struck directly, forcing Bear Thunder to defend, while Lulu attacked from the side, her beast claws wrapped in a silvery-white Battle Qi, casting the skill [Frenzied Claw Strike]!


    Faced with their pincer attack, Bear Thunder roared angrily, his Battle Qi surged, and he easily snapped the Dark Whip with his greatsword.


    Unable to defend his side in time, Bear Thunder could only concentrate his Battle Qi, reinforcing his Life Barrier.


    Indeed an old hand adventurer, Bear Thunder''s response was like something out of a combat textbook!


    Realizing he couldn''t defend, he simply abandoned all defense, using Battle Qi to manipulate the Life Barrier, strengthening it at one point to minimize the damage taken as much as possible.


    The Life Barrier on Bear Thunder''s left side showed a thick milky white, while elsewhere it was as thin as a cicada''s wing, completely transparent.


    He thought to himself, now is the time to brace, withstand the werewolf girl''s strike, then launch a fierce attack, catching the opponent off guard!


    "This Bearheaded man is indeed very clever, but unfortunately, he''s up against Lulu."


    Lin Da saw through Bear Thunder''s strategy in an instant, thoughts flashing in his mind like lightning.


    At this moment, Lulu, having triggered her innate skill [Bloodthirst], had her damage increased by 50%.


    The outcome of Bear Thunder enduring Lulu''s attack could only be one.


    The Frenzied Claw Strike crossed over, and in the blink of an eye, blood sprayed, the crimson liquid splashing across Lulu''s cheek.


    Paired with the girl''s blood-red wolf eyes, she resembled a ghostly orchid blooming amongst white bones, cold and bewitchingly beautiful!


    Bear Thunder''s reinforced Life Barrier failed to stop the blow, leaving ten bloody wounds on his shoulder.


    "What kind of damage is this?"


    Bear Thunder, clutching his left shoulder, backed out several meters, taking out a potion with his other hand to stop the bleeding.


    Before he had time to adjust his stance, Lulu attacked again.


    Her snow-white legs swept towards him like deadly weapons, aiming for his head!


    Bear Thunder''s complexion changed as he clenched his teeth and defended with his arms.


    All he heard next to his ear was a thud, his forearms instantly went numb, losing sensation.


    The Life Barrier rippled like disturbed water, each wave sending stabs of pain through his brain.


    After several deep breaths, Bear Thunder finally stabilized his physical condition.


    Looking again at the werewolf girl with pale blue short hair, his expression grew much more serious.


    "How''s the captain doing? I''ll hold this off, and when Xiu deals with those two little girls from Snow Goose''s side, he can join me for a righteous two against one and easily claim victory!"


    Bear Thunder took out a red Life Potion, not bothering to remove the cork, instead tossing the test-tube-like glass bottle straight into his wide mouth, crunching it to pieces. The potion and glass shards were all swallowed together.


    With the Bear Tribe''s robust digestive system, these were nothing to worry about.


    But the next moment, Bear Thunder''s eyelid twitched furiously, what was happening over there?


    The 35-level captain Xiu was actually in a deadlock with two little girls?


    Lia and Aiko coordinated with precision, one engaging Xiu in close combat while the other harassed him with Light Arrow Technique, occasionally casting a Cage of Light to trap him in place.


    As a member of the Tiger Tribe, Xiu''s temperament was volatile, growing more desperate the less he could hit his target, wildly slamming his large hammers on the ground in frustration, a waste of energy.


    "Captain, go for the Mage first, ignore the red-haired dwarf!"


    No sooner had Bear Thunder called out a reminder than Lulu''s claws suddenly loomed before him.


    The werewolf girl''s gaze was chillingly cold, reminding one of a lone wolf wandering the wilderness. Being stared down by Lulu, Bear Thunder couldn''t help but feel a chill in his heart.


    "Thunderbolt Strike!"


    Bear Thunder channeled Magic Circuit inside his body, condensing Thunder Fighting Spirit onto his greatsword, and ferociously slashed towards Lulu.


    Facing the overhead cleave, Lulu didn''t retreat, her strong legs fiercely pushing off the ground, propelling her forward to meet Bear Thunder''s greatsword with a knee strike.


    The signature move of the Frost Wolf Warrior, [Frost Wolf''s Bite]!


    This battle was being watched by thousands of adventurers, with audiences in front of magic screens in both White Dove City and Red Heart City holding their breath.


    The battles between Star-ranked adventurers were extremely dangerous, and even friendly spars could result in death or injury.


    Lin Da''s eyes were sharp, the Healing Art ready in hand, prepared to cast at any moment.


    With a booming sound, a radial pit was blasted out from the center of where Bear Thunder and Lulu stood, and turbulent Battle Qi shot out in all directions.


    Stone chips flew about wildly, and dust filled the air.


    Lin Da and Klrona, along with the others engaged in distant brawls, all raised their arms to shield their faces from the impact.


    After catching his breath, Lin Da rushed into the fray.


    In the midst of the dust cloud, centered around the large pit, Lulu and Bear Thunder each stood more than ten steps apart.


    ```


    Both of them were not in danger of losing their lives, only their appearances were extremely disheveled.


    Lulu''s knee had a deep cut that revealed the bone, from which blood was profusely flowing; her face turned pale, and her bushy wolf tail, which had been bristling, returned to its usual state, hanging limply between her legs.


    Three of the claws on her beast paw were broken off.


    In Lin Da''s field of view, red -70 blood loss numbers periodically popped up over Lulu''s head. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On the other hand, Bear Thunder seemed to be in much better shape than Lulu. He stood propped up on his sword, with no apparent external wounds, only his hands were shaking slightly and his chest heaved violently, his eyes bulging like copper bells.


    Lin Da first cast the Healing Art on Lulu.


    A warm emerald light fell, and color immediately returned to Lulu''s face, with a +2530 appearing above her head.


    With Lin Da''s current Magic Points, three doses of healing could fully restore a same-level semi-tanky warrior.


    "Are you okay?" Lin Da looked at Lulu, covered in wounds, with concern.


    Lulu shook her head and pointed to the panting Bear Thunder on the opposite side, "Give him a Healing Art. As a warrior, he didn''t shrink back, his courage is commendable."


    Upon hearing this, Lin Da frowned slightly.


    Healing Art for that Bear Thunder, what was Lulu thinking?


    The truth was only clear in the hearts of those who fought each other.


    Bear Thunder, who appeared unharmed, was on the verge of losing his Life Barrier. That was after he dispersed the force of Lulu''s attacks with [Thunderbolt Strike]. If Bear Thunder had cowered and only defended, he would have been beaten half to death by a series of Lulu''s combos.


    In her Bloodthirst state, Lulu''s damage capability far exceeded Bear Thunder''s.


    She, too, had taken a direct hit from his Thunderbolt Strike.


    Theoretically, Lulu should have fared worse, but what Bear Thunder didn''t know was that Lulu''s Space Ring contained the Epic-level Equipment, [Silver Ring].


    The Silver Ring was level 25, Epic Two-Star, adding 100 to both Agility and Defense, and increasing Attack Speed by 30%.


    You should know that even Lin Da''s defense was only 419 points.


    The Silver Ring alone added 100 to Lulu''s defense.


    Besides level, both Lulu''s attack and defense were higher than Bear Thunder''s!


    Plus, there was Lin Da''s harassment with various Skills and Monica''s long-range support... Even with Bear Thunder''s extensive combat experience, he was defeated by their combined efforts.


    This time, unlike their clever victory over Kam, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team won against Bear Thunder by genuinely relying on their own strength.


    Adventurers outside the screen still didn''t understand what had happened.


    [Why is that werewolf girl so arrogant? Does our brother Bear Thunder really need their Healing Art?]


    [Exactly, Bear Thunder obviously got hurt more.]


    [I think they''re just bluffing; don''t be fooled!]


    When the opening of the Great Mystery Continent''s tenth level happened, those who could spare the time to watch the live strategy broadcast were either top adventurers or weaklings.


    Clearly, the number of weaklings in Red Heart City was no less than in White Dove City.


    The same scene was unfolding on the other side. However, the roles were reversed; the people of White Dove City were puzzled as to why Lulu would say that.


    Before long, adventurers from both sides got their answer.


    Over the plains bathed in the orange glow of the setting sun, a sudden gust of wind blew past.


    Bear Thunder, propped up on his sword as if nothing was amiss, stiffly fell to the ground.


    From Bear Thunder''s mouth, a mouthful of blood that he had suppressed for too long spouted out.


    It was like a burst water pipe, spewing out to a height of one meter.


    Only then did everyone understand that Bear Thunder, who seemed unscathed, had actually sustained serious internal injuries.


    The one bluffing, trying to make the opponents fear and surrender, was none other than the 33-level Star-ranked adventurer Bear Thunder!


    With his mind made up, Lin Da took out bandages and began to dress Lulu''s wounded knee.


    He said to Lulu, "Sorry, I can''t agree to your request; I won''t heal someone who has hurt his own teammates."


    As the plains slowly sank into the night, a cool breeze blew gently.


    The surroundings were filled with others engaged in fierce battle, only this area, where the fight had just ended, enjoyed a moment of tranquility.


    Lin Da knelt halfway to the ground, his head lowered, seriously bandaging the girl''s injury.


    His voice was gentle and firm as he chanted the second Healing Art, still casting it on Lulu.


    The cool wind fluttered the light blue fringe on Lulu''s forehead as she looked at Lin Da with surprise. Since Lin Da was bowing his head, she couldn''t see his expression, but she guessed it carried a fair amount of resentment.


    It was directed not only at Bear Thunder but also at her for recklessly using Frost Wolf''s Bite and going head-to-head with Bear Thunder.


    "Hmm, don''t heal him anymore," Lulu said, with the corners of her mouth turning up, revealing two shallow dimples on her cheeks.

 Chapter 355 297, Lin Da is injured, three women are furious

    Just then, Lin Da''s ears rang with the system notification:[Witch Lulu Trust Level +1, Current Trust Level: 89]


    The stagnantly halted 88 points of trust silently increased by one.


    Lin Da scratched his head, and even after a long time, he couldn''t figure out how that one point of trust was added.


    "The battle at Snow Goose''s end is still ongoing. We can''t delay any longer; we need to provide support quickly."


    After fully restoring Lulu''s health and tying a bow with a bandage on the wound on her knee, Lin Da stood up and surveyed the battlefield with a stern gaze.


    Firstly, there was Klrona''s side.


    Klrona and Oru, together, held back four members of the Giant Hammer Adventure Team apart from the captain and vice-captain.


    Along with Klyne and Phyllis, their 4V4 battle was evenly matched. Klrona fought with enthusiasm, jumping around as if it were a game.


    Being defensively specialized, Klrona has grown up never being severely beaten; no one could make her feel pain. Oru, on the other hand, was having a harder time, his legs trembling, grinning and bearing it through clenched teeth.


    The members of the Giant Hammer Adventure Team identified Oru as the weak point, and under the leadership of a Mohican-haired Heavy Swordsman, they focused their attacks on Oru. S��arch* The N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Phyllis''s healing wasn''t very high, and when the opposition concentrated their fire on Oru, she was immediately stretched thin and began to falter. At Phyllis''s feet, a large pile of blue Magic Potions were scattered, her face turning purple.


    "Group Healing!"


    Lin Da pointed forward with the Sword of Royalty, and a green Recovery Array appeared over the heads of Oru and Klrona.


    +1700


    +1720


    "Primary Healing Spell!"


    A second wave of healing was sent to Oru.


    +2550!


    That still wasn''t all for Lin Da; a Verdant Shield with a thickness of 5760 was fitted securely around Klrona and Oru.


    Klrona was a defensively specialized frontline fighter, naturally low in health but extremely high in defense, making the addition of a shield greatly cost-effective for regaining health.


    A single Verdant Shield was akin to having an extra ''life.''


    With Lin Da''s maneuvers, both fighters were instantly brought back to their peak condition.


    "Awesome." Klrona felt the surge of power reentering her life screen and couldn''t help but brighten up at the warm touch of the Verdant Shield.


    The amount of healing Phyllis could do was like a small toothpick, barely making a scratch, while in contrast, Lin Da''s effect was like a rolling pin, immediately effective.


    "��|��O��|�� Wow~~, the power is surging out!"


    Oru''s face flushed with effort as he pounded his chest, his hands gripping the giant hammer, instantly knocking the charging Mohican-haired Heavy Swordsman off his feet.


    "Partner, thanks! Don''t worry about us here; go help Lia first!"


    Without looking back, Oru gestured ''no problem'' and together with the petite Klrona, they formed a solid barrier, firmly blocking the other members of the Giant Hammer Adventure Team.


    After a moment of contemplation, Lin Da called out to Monica, who was timidly hiding and not daring to show her face beside Klyne: "Stay close to Klyne, don''t run around!"


    "Yeah." Monica nodded repeatedly, hiding behind Klyne. This green-haired Elf Miss, naturally personable, also took good care of Monica and was among the few members of Snow Goose whom Monica liked.


    "Don''t be afraid, even if those bad guys come at you, Big Sister will protect you!"


    Klyne fired a Wind Arrow, turning her head to gently smile at Monica.


    ...


    "Brother Bear actually lost to that Level 31 Werewolf?"


    This fact intensified Xiu''s anger, causing him to roar skywards.


    He chased after Lia, elusive as an eel, wielding his Giant Hammer, but that damned redhead dwarf refused to face him in direct combat.


    If it were a head-on fight, Xiu was confident he would settle it within three strikes.


    As a Level 35 Senior Star Rank adventurer, not only was Xiu''s prowess formidable, but his equipment was also rather impressive.


    Mostly orange with a fair amount of purple, his deep green Inner Armor woven from vines was of one-star Epic Level.


    Had it not been for Xiu''s desire to form his own team, several major adventure teams from Red Heart City and White Dove City would have sought him out with offers.


    With his strength, even if Lia and Aiko together couldn''t put up a fight against him!


    But the problem was, Lia was too agile and wouldn''t face him head-on, slowly wearing him down while waiting for backup from the Phoenix Tail Flower.


    With Lulu joining the battlefield, Xiu''s pressure increased slightly.


    "Verdant Shield."


    Lin Da chanted a spell, and a rich green glow fell on Lia.


    "You''re finally here."


    Lia panted with exertion.


    While facing the Level 35 Xiu, she remained highly alert, her small feet wrapped in black stockings within her shoes now thoroughly soaked.


    Besides her feet, Lia''s back and forehead were also covered in sweat.


    With the Verdant Shield, she had an added margin for error, allowing her to relax significantly.


    She and Lulu charged towards Xiu, and Aiko cast a [Sacred Hammer] spell, and the three Star Tier fighters launched a joint attack.


    "Bring it on!"


    Xiu''s face twisted into a sneer, showing no signs of retreating as he swung his iron hammer to smash at the two young girls from both sides.


    "Flame Slash!"


    "Frost Wolf''s Bite!"


    Red and silver-white Battle Qi bursts erupted, and with two crisp sounds, the Verdant Shield was shattered by Xiu''s hammers.


    Xiu, true to his reputation as a Dual Hammer Wielder known for his strength, shattered the Verdant Shield, which had a thickness above 5000, on the spot!


    Lia and Lulu''s Life Barriers also violently shook, and both girls turned pale, being knocked back ten meters.


    In contrast, Xiu remained unmoved except for the cracked ground beneath his feet.


    The Tigerman bared his teeth in a wild laugh: "Weak, so weak, that''s all there is!"


    However, the next moment was marked by Aiko''s spell, Sacred Hammer.


    Now a Star Tier Mage, her originally three-meter-long Light Hammer expanded to five meters.

 Chapter 356 297, Lin Da is injured, three women are furious_2

    The hammer handle was engraved with many intricate magic runes; the front of the hammer head was flat and heavy, while the back was a conical point, with a ring of angels kneeling in worship of the holy light etched around it.If one listened carefully, they could catch a hint of solemn music, as if the angels residing within the hammer were singing!


    Watching the Sacred Hammer flying towards him, Xiu''s eyes revealed a trace of solemnity.


    Accompanied by the music, a concentration of holy light that only the prodigies within the Holy Light Church could possess.


    Unlike the impoverished Lia, Aiko had put on a full set of level 30 orange equipment on the day she advanced to Star Rank.


    Others couldn''t tell because Aiko was low-key, keeping all her magical equipment stored in her space ring.


    On the outside, she wore a white silk dress, her body clean without any unnecessary accessories, looking like a simple girl next door at first glance.


    Aiko''s mouth curled with a sly smile��she had intentionally held back her strength, allowing Xiu to underestimate her. It wasn''t until Lulu arrived and fully caught Xiu''s attention with Lia that she brought out her full power.


    Standing in the distance, Lin Da raised his eyebrows; such a magical aura was not something an ordinary Star Tier Mage could compare with.


    The unassuming Aiko was actually the strongest among both of their teams.


    Even Lulu, without her Witch State, was likely no match for Aiko!


    At the release of the Sacred Hammer, adventurers from both Red Heart City and White Dove City who were watching the battle held their breath, their eyes glued to the screen.


    Despite their eyes becoming dry, they didn''t dare to blink, afraid of missing any detail.


    "Damn Mage, just you wait!"


    Amidst the roar, Xiu was smashed into the ground by the massive Sacred Hammer, like a nail hammered in without a handle.


    After the muffled boom, a large crater was left in the field, and Xiu''s figure was nowhere to be found.


    "Is it over?" Lia cautiously approached the crater.


    "Wait, one more time." Aiko, worried that the opponent was still alive, chanted the next Sacred Hammer.


    "Stop it, it''s not good if you kill someone."


    Lia said this but had only walked a few steps forward when suddenly, a black shadow shot out from the crater!


    The shadow passed by her, with her red hair being fiercely swept by the strong wind.


    "Aaah!"


    Xiu, head bleeding profusely and eyes filled with rage, charged at Aiko with all his Battle Qi unleashed.


    Lulu and Lia were stunned for a moment, and by the time they reacted, Xiu was already beyond their reach.


    Aiko remained composed, finishing the chant for the Sacred Hammer and releasing it in anticipation of the attack.


    If Xiu dared to attack her, he would have to endure a direct hit from the Sacred Hammer.


    "Hahaha, you fell for it! This is my true attack path!"


    Unexpectedly, Xiu laughed out loud, and just as the Sacred Hammer took shape and could no longer be significantly redirected, he twisted his body with a union of waist and horse, turning to charge at Lin Da.


    Xiu could see that Lin Da was the core of their team, injuring Lin Da would be more effective than attacking any of the others.


    "Three stinking little girls, just watch as this great master cripples your man! Hahaha!"


    Xiu approached Lin Da, his hammers whirling with a fierce cold wind, smashing towards Lin Da''s shoulders!


    Despite deliberately avoiding vital spots, given Lin Da''s defense as someone not yet at Star Rank, if the blow landed solidly, he would likely be crippled in both arms, needing years to recover.


    "Venom Eruption!"


    Lin Da reacted swiftly, a small purple array emerging in his palm, spewing a stream of purple venom straight at Xiu''s face.


    The barrier corroded, emitting a piercing sizzle.


    "Such minor poison, useless!"


    Xiu resisted with the barrier, unguarded, and unleashed a powerful hammer blow!


    Everyone''s hearts clenched, and those like Klrona and others who were farther away couldn''t help but look this way.


    Monica was so frightened that her pale face turned white, dropping her magic wand on the ground.


    Nobody dared to guarantee Lin Da would be unharmed if he took Xiu''s head-on attack.


    In that moment, Lin Da''s face was as still as water, and in his vision, Xiu �C with a ferocious smile, blood gushing down his face, seeping through his teeth �C looked less like an adventurer and more like a bloodthirsty beast yet to be tamed.


    "Blind Strike!"


    As the hammers smashed down towards him, Lin Da''s body sensed the danger, every muscle tensed, and his mind became crystal clear.


    He quickly chanted, summoning the Dark Whip, which entangled Xiu''s Giant Hammer to lessen the impact of his attack, then used the Sword of Royalty as a shield, blocking in front of him.


    After all this, Xiu''s Giant Hammer smashed onto his Verdant Shield.


    Lin Da felt a powerful vibration; every muscle in his body lost sensation, and his ears buzzed as if he had gone deaf.


    The Verdant Shield lasted less than half a second before shattering, and Xiu''s Giant Hammer struck squarely on his Life Barrier.


    In his mental world, the core trembled, and a piercing pain transmitted to Lin Da''s brain, as if his organs were trampled by a Succubus'' black, pointy high heels.


    His eyes widened, and he couldn''t help but spit out a mouthful of blood, as he was knocked back five meters by Xiu''s hit.


    "Primary Healing Spell."


    As Lin Da flew backward, he immediately cast a Healing Art on himself, restoring his health points from 5000 to 7500.


    "You''re okay after that?"


    Xiu''s face showed shifting expressions.


    Just as he was prepared to continue his pursuit, he suddenly felt three intense auras of killing intent from behind.


    It was the aura of an adventurer fighting Magical Creatures, or Magical Creatures fighting an adventurer, staking their very lives.


    Even as he attacked Lin Da, he knew to show mercy, not aiming to take Lin Da''s life.


    But the malice behind him was genuine, aiming straight for his head!


    Xiu''s heart sank with dread, and as he turned to look, he faced the oncoming crimson Greatsword.


    Lia, with teeth clenched in anger, executed an Energy Charging-enhanced Flame Slash aimed at Xiu''s face.


    Xiu, already exhausted from exerting his Battle Qi, had his defense breached by the Flame Slash, which carved deeply into his shoulder, down to the bone.


    The fierce flame-infused Battle Qi charred his flesh and blackened his bones on the spot, causing Xiu such agony he nearly passed out.


    But waiting for him were sharp beast claws.


    Xiu gathered all his spirit, barely marshaling the remnants of his Battle Qi for defense.


    With a crack, as Lulu''s claws came down, the Giant Hammers were knocked away, and numerous gashes were added onto his arms.


    Lulu''s nails were extremely long, nearly slicing Xiu''s hands into chunks of meat, with only a thin layer of bone barely holding together, preventing them from falling apart.


    Just when Xiu thought he had survived by the skin of his teeth and could breathe a sigh of relief, a light ball the size of a water jar hurtled towards him.


    Light-based Magic Spell: [Star Bullet]!


    Xiu''s pupils dilated, he had no energy left to defend.


    He could only watch as the light ball drew nearer, engulfing him.


    The tiger-headed man was propelled dozens of meters into the air, exploding like a firework mid-flight.


    Unable to even scream, Xiu''s charred figure plummeted straight down, creating a small crater upon impact with the ground.


    The chaotic battlefield suddenly fell silent.


    The remaining members of the Giant Hammer Adventure Team, Klrona, Monica, and others, unanimously ceased fire, staring blankly at the point where Xiu had fallen.


    The sudden turn of events in battle stupified everyone.


    Even in Red Heart City and White Dove City''s viewing buildings, there was silence.


    Everyone''s emotions took a while to settle down.


    First was Xiu''s surprise attack on Aiko, which turned out to be a feint, before he turned and bullied Lin Da, who was less than Star Rank.


    When everyone thought Lin Da was doomed, Lin Da appeared only lightly wounded?


    Then, Lulu and the other two exploded like ignited dynamite, unleashing their full force on Xiu.


    The final [Star Bullet] took Xiu into the sky, just as dusk fell, like a firework blooming.


    Half a minute passed before a suggestion came through on the magic screen in Red Heart City:


    [Captain Xiu, are you still alive?]


    This was the question on everyone''s mind.


    The situation had become rather complicated.


    If Xiu had perished, then would the attack by Lulu and the others be considered excessive force? S~ea??h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If the answer was ''yes,'' then the Imperial Knights would undoubtedly sanction the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.


    From the expressions, just moments ago, Lulu and her companions were intent on killing Xiu. Across the magic screen, many adventurers were scared stiff, with some of the more faint-hearted even wetting their pants.

 Chapter 357 298. Defeating Tiger Man Xi Ou, famous in both cities

    Bear Thunder was woken up by the noise, rubbing his head groggily as he climbed to his feet.As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw Xi Ou lying not far away, his body a mangled mess.


    Not a single whisker was left on the old tiger, and his proud patterned tail was blasted off by half, lying motionless on the ground.


    "Xi Ou lost?"


    "Pah, no, is Xi Ou dead?"


    "How is this possible, could it be that the White Dove Adventure Group has arrived?"


    Bear Thunder opened his mouth in shock, standing there as still as if he were made of wood.


    It was hard for him to believe that Xi Ou had been defeated by three rookies of Star Rank, and so thoroughly that it seemed his life was hanging by a thread.


    "I''ll take the blame for this."


    Lulu''s gaze was gloomy as she flung the fresh blood off her beast claw, intending to finish off Xi Ou.


    Even if Xi Ou had but a breath left, she wouldn''t allow such a menace to live.


    "No, it''s not your fault, I''m also to blame," Lia said, not wanting to owe this favor.


    Though she didn''t understand why she was so furious just now, Lia knew that without her sword strike, Xi Ou wouldn''t have been so close to death.


    Aiko stuttered, feeling somewhat afraid afterward.


    If Xi Ou truly died, the most damage would have been dealt by her, placing the greatest responsibility upon her shoulders. S��ar?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing the other two displaying such a sense of responsibility, she couldn''t help but feel a bit ashamed.


    "Let me do it, my brother is Moon Rank, he wouldn''t just watch me get judged by the Knights Order."


    Aiko hesitated for a moment before deciding to take initiative and shoulder the blame.


    "Enough, if anyone is to be responsible, it should be me," Lin Da frowned, interrupting the three girls'' argument.


    "You came with me, so if anything goes wrong, it''s my fault, not yours."


    "No," Lulu hurriedly said, "It was clearly us who injured Xi Ou!"


    "Stop arguing, that Tigerman might not even be dead yet."


    Lin Da sighed, his large hand stroking Lulu''s small head to comfort her.


    Her wolf ears flopped down listlessly, looking not at all pretty.


    The four of them walked towards the charred figure of Xi Ou, their mood somewhat heavy.


    Not because they were worried about Xi Ou''s life or death��both Lulu and Aiko would rather he just died.


    They simply didn''t want to be held accountable by imperial laws.


    When Xi Ou sent Lin Da flying, they all thought that Lin Da was a goner and, in that moment, their urge to kill Xi Ou was unmasked.


    If they had just held back their expressions a bit, they could have pretended it was an accident.


    But now, with the battle recorded live, thousands of eyes watching, if Xi Ou died, even Weylon stepping in wouldn''t be able to protect them.


    This was both a helpless and moving situation for Lin Da.


    ''I didn''t expect Lia and Aiko to care so much about me, three years of being teammates wasn''t for nothing.''


    Lin Da was flooded with mixed emotions.


    "Captain, captain wake up! We agreed to return to the northwest next year to find wives, you can''t just die like this!"


    "I''ve decided to give you my treasured risqu�� sheep comic books, you must wake up!"


    "The suggestions are all calling you an idiot, captain, please wake up and scold them, wuuwuu~"


    With Bear Thunder leading, the members of the Giant Hammer Adventure Team surrounded Xi Ou, crying their eyes out.


    It was evident that Xi Ou was well-loved.


    "What are you doing here!?"


    Seeing Lin Da arrive with three girls, Bear Thunder became furious, protectively placing Xi Ou behind him: "The battle is over, you won; stay away from our captain!"


    "Try to come closer, and we''ll go all out against you!" A Crocodile Man wielding a magic wand started chanting a Water Series spell, his massive teardrops rolling down with his roar.


    But Lin Da couldn''t tell if it was his imagination, the Crocodile Man seemed to be crying and sneaking in a laugh at the same time. It seemed the Giant Hammer Adventure Team wasn''t so united after all.


    He sheathed the Sword of Royalty to show that he meant no harm.


    "You''ve got us wrong, if Xi Ou dies, it would complicate things for us too. It just so happens that my profession is a Healing Mage, I could lend a hand."


    "Healing Mage? Help us?"


    The Minotaur looked at Lin Da skeptically: "I don''t believe you, stay away from us!"


    "Hold on."


    Bear Thunder said solemnly, "You''re quite famous in White Dove City, and our team only has a 28-level Healer; the more people we have, the more help we get, come over and assist us."


    Lin Da nodded and brought Aiko and the others to Xi Ou''s side.


    Several members of the Giant Hammer Adventure Team glared at Lin Da with hostility.


    Bear Thunder coughed, and these people reluctantly stepped aside.


    "This looks bad."


    Seeing the human-shaped char, Lin Da''s heart skipped a beat.


    His confidence was not high.


    Next to him, a rabbit-eared girl from an Orc subspecies��the term implies a leaning towards human in overall appearance, with beast ears and a tail.


    Pure Breed Beastmen like Bear Thunder and Xi Ou, have a full animal head and are inherently warlike in their bones.


    The White Rabbit Sister was so anxious that her large eyes brimmed with tears, her hands placed on Xi Ou''s chest, injecting Recovery Magic into him.


    But her ''healing amount'' was too small, inadequate for the task, and Xi Ou''s body was gradually growing cold.


    +300, -720


    +310, -733


    Even if Xi Ou still had a little blood left, it would not last much longer.


    Lin Da rolled up his sleeves, and his hands glowed with a lush green light, pressing them against Xi Ou''s abdomen.


    Pure Recovery Magic Power surged in, and in Lin Da''s vision, a +1000 popped up in an instant.


    In less than ten seconds, Xi Ou''s body regained its warmth.


    "This... is he alive?" Bear Thunder couldn''t believe his eyes and rubbed them.


    The White Rabbit Sister exclaimed: "Your healing amount is so huge."


    "I know you mean the Recovery Amount," Lin Da kept his expression serious: "The injuries are too severe, Recovery Magic Power alone won''t bring him back."


    Xi Ou''s condition was only temporarily stable, and the ongoing blood loss had not stopped.


    Even with Lin Da''s significant healing output, he could only hold on for about three minutes at most; he couldn''t keep pouring in magic power endlessly.


    "Why won''t the captain wake up?" the White Rabbit Sister looked tired, her magic power was nearly depleted.


    Lin Da did not speak, closed his eyes, concentrated deeply on the Recovery Magic, and scouted Xi Ou''s internal injuries. Continue your adventure at My Virtual Library Empire

 Chapter 358 298. Defeating Tiger Man Xiu, famous in both cities_2

    A few seconds later, he sighed softly.This sigh startled the White Rabbit Sister and Bear Thunder.


    "Is there no hope?" Bear Thunder said blankly.


    Lin Da, "No, I''ve been outputting magic power for too long, and I feel a bit of chest tightness."


    Bear Thunder almost cried in frustration, "Then you should have said so earlier! Could you not randomly sigh in this kind of situation?"


    "Is there still a chance to save the captain?" White Rabbit Sister asked.


    Lin Da pondered for a while, feeling the chest tightness again. He was about to sigh, but seeing the anxious looks of the surrounding beastmen, he held it back with effort.


    "There is a lot of rampant light series magic power inside Xi Ou. We helped to disperse most of it; with his level 35 Battle Qi, he should be able to withstand the rest."


    Hearing this, everyone felt a heavy heart.


    The light magic power was ravaging through Xi Ou''s body, and dispersing it was as difficult as separating ink spilled in clear water.


    Many adventurers injured on the battlefield did not die due to the untimely Healing Art but were harmed by the violent enemy magic power and Battle Qi inside their bodies.


    The essence of Healing Art is to restore strength to adventurers'' source nuclei, unfold the Life Barrier again, and provide slight effects of stopping bleeding and healing the physical body.


    There are many types of recovery skills. For Xi Ou''s condition, what he needed most were [Purification Spell] and [Resurgence Spell].


    The problem was that there were too few people who mastered these skills; most of them had been poached by the Holy Light Church, leaving few adventurers outside.


    Given Xi Ou''s situation, it would be a miracle if he could hold on for three minutes; they didn''t have time to go to the Holy Light Church for help.


    "By what you''re saying, is Xi Ou doomed?" Crocodile Man wiped away tears, his tone oddly happy.


    "Not necessarily," Lin Da shook his head, "Although I don''t have the Purification Spell, if the owner of the light magic power takes action personally and guides it out, there is a chance to save Xi Ou."


    "Aiko, could I ask for your help?"


    Lin Da looked at the white-dressed girl beside him.


    Aiko pursed her lips, her face showing difficulty.


    To strip the light magic power from Xi Ou''s body required very proficient control over light magic power.


    It was as challenging as removing all the white pith from an orange with a steel needle without damaging the orange itself.


    Even the Spell Instructors from White Dove City Adventure Academy would be at a loss.


    All eyes were on Aiko, pressuring her immensely.


    Aiko, "I...I''ll try, but I might not be able to do it."


    Lin Da nodded, "Go ahead without worries, there''s no shame in failure."


    Bear Thunder, upon hearing this, glared with eyes wide open and nearly bit Lin Da''s neck in rage.


    But Lin Da''s words helped Aiko relax.


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    She took a deep breath and drew out Light Silk Thread from her hand.


    Like tentacles, they entered Xi Ou''s body through his wounds.


    Time ticked away, second by second.


    The Light Silk Threads Aiko was controlling in her hands increased in number.


    From the initial single one to a mass as dense as strands of hair, they were too numerous to count.


    Sweat on her forehead poured like rain, and her loose white dress became drenched and clung to her back.


    The White Rabbit Sister, exhausted from magic power depletion, sat on the ground panting, leaving only Lin Da still persisting.


    "Captain, you must survive this," Bear Thunder clasped his hands together and prayed to the World Tree Goddess.


    The adventurers in White Dove City watching the live broadcast were in an uproar.


    [Why save that beastman, just let him die.]


    [Although I think so too, wouldn''t Lia and her team end up in a bad situation? The intention to kill out of malice is too obvious.]


    [If that Tigerman survives, I hope the Giant Hammer adventure team knows gratitude and doesn''t forget who saved his life!]


    [I bet the adventurers in Red Heart City are cursing Phoenix Tail Flower now.]


    This suggestion was on point.


    In the Giant Hammer adventure team''s live broadcast, ninety percent of the suggestions were denouncing Lin Da and demanding that he and his team members be thrown into jail.


    At the healing scene, the sky had completely darkened.


    Bear Thunder nervously held up a lantern made of Fluorescent Stone, illuminating Lin Da and Aiko.


    Suddenly, Aiko''s body went limp, and she fell backward, her fingers'' connection to the Light Silk Threads all breaking.


    Lia reacted the fastest, catching Aiko.


    Bear Thunder cried out in pain, "Captain, your death is such a tragedy!"


    "He died in such a tragic way!" the Crocodile Man also cried out aloud.


    Gradually, all the members of the Giant Hammer Adventure Team started crying.


    Despite their efforts, they couldn''t save Xi Ou''s life in the end.


    At that moment, a cough caught everyone''s attention.


    Xi Ou coughed up a mouthful of black blood and tentatively lifted his eyelids.


    On his charred face, only his eyeballs appeared white.


    Xi Ou and the weeping Bear Thunder stared at each other, eyes wide.


    The scene suddenly became still.


    Aiko took out a handkerchief, wiped the sweat from her face and said with a light laugh, "It seems to have worked."


    Lin Da also noticed that the red numbers above Xi Ou''s head had stopped jumping.


    The Giant Hammer Adventure Team all came to their senses, one by one throwing themselves on Xi Ou, crying with joy.


    "He''s alive, he''s really alive!" Bear Thunder laughed heartily, his hand as big as a fan slapping Xi Ou''s chest, nearly sending him off then and there.


    After listening to the recount of events, Xi Ou''s voice was hoarse. "Was it them who saved me?"


    Bear Thunder said, "Without Lin Da and that Mage, you''d probably be cold by now."


    White Rabbit Sister said through sobs, "There really are more good people out there."


    Xi Ou fell silent.


    The warm feeling inside him while he was unconscious must have been Lin Da and Aiko helping him.


    Without them, he would likely have met his great-grandmother in heaven by now.


    Mixed feelings filled Xi Ou''s heart.


    "Brother Bear, give them the materials. Giant Hammer Adventure Team has lost."


    Having said that, Xi Ou''s head lolled to one side, and he fell back into unconsciousness.


    Bear Thunder and the others panicked until they realized that Xi Ou was merely sleeping, which finally put their minds at ease.


    Lin Da also felt much more relieved.


    "Thank you, you saved Xi Ou''s life," Bear Thunder bowed his head deeply to Lin Da and Aiko.


    The other team members, White Rabbit Sister, Minotaur, Crocodile Man, all followed Bear Thunder in bowing.


    Lin Da said with indifference, "No need, we did it for ourselves as well."


    "I know, but thanks are still in order," Bear Thunder said as he tossed over a Savings Card. "Our Material Bracelet only had about a hundred Bronze Tree fruits, not worth much. Here, take this card. It has a million Gold Coins."


    Lin Da grunted in acknowledgment and unceremoniously stuffed it into his Space Ring.


    With Xi Ou''s awakening, the battle had finally come to an end.


    In White Dove City''s 6th hall of the viewer''s building, bottles of expensive champagne were popped open, the liquids spraying everywhere.


    And all of this, it was said, was paid for by the leader of the Phoenix Tail Flower Fan Club!


    Nobody knew where that leader was or from where they''d watched the event live.


    Everyone only knew one thing: they could now drink for free many high-class beverages that started at 100 Gold Coins, which they normally wouldn''t splurge on.


    "Impressive indeed, Giant Hammer Adventure Team was defeated by Lin Da and his group. The only ones stronger than them now would be those veteran Iron Level adventurers."


    "Aiko separated the Light Magic Power from within the Tiger Man''s body. It must have been difficult, right? She truly is a genius Mage."


    "The fact that Captain Lin Da only suffered minor injuries after withstanding Xi Ou''s Skills is also outrageous. I can''t even imagine how tough he''d be if he reached Star Rank, let alone Moon Rank."


    "Does anyone still remember that Lin Da is supposed to be a support? He couldn''t have lied about his profession, could he?"


    The crowd merrily conversed over glasses of champagne.


    The next day, and unsurprisingly, the White Dove Morning News put the story on the front page of the newspaper.


    The cover photo was a snapshot taken by the reporter, Kami, by the screen, depicting ''Fireworks Xi Ou'' �� Aiko''s Star Bullet sending Xi Ou into the night sky and spectacularly exploding.


    The headline was equally explosive: [Walking by the river, how can one not get sprayed by the Water Slime! Shocking, Red Heart City''s resource area horribly invaded, and the initiator was a good-for-nothing dropout?]


    Wondering who the ''good-for-nothing dropout'' was, people couldn''t help but buy a copy of the White Dove Morning News and felt duped upon reading it.


    The invader of Red Heart City was none other than White Dove City''s hot prospect team, the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team!


    Phoenix Tail Flower joined forces with Snow Goose, defeating two Iron Level teams in a row.


    Facing them were the influential Giant Hammer Adventure Team of Red Heart City and its leader, the well-ranked Tiger Man Xi Ou.


    Even so, they were soundly beaten by Lin Da''s team. The man ended up in the Holy Light Church undergoing Healing Art treatments, supposedly unable to leave his bed for half a year. S��arch* The N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Apart from the unbelievable strength of the two small teams, the affection of young girls for Lin Da also sparked lively discussions.

 Chapter 359 299. Forest Dragons Treasure, exploring Dragon Forest

    When Xiu attacked Lin Da, Lulu from Phoenix Tail Flower, Lia from Snow Goose and Aiko all wore terrifying expressions of vengeance as if they had been wronged by a husband''s killer, striking with extreme heaviness and even breaking Xiu''s tiger tail.If that Beastmen head were a mere hood, it would probably have been thrashed all over the ground.


    Countless people were curious, just how did Lin Da manage to gather top-tier beauties under his banner and even willing to attend his silver parties?


    Whether it was Lia or Aiko, they both looked like pure beauties, and it was hard to imagine how Lin Da trained them successfully to be so proficient behind the scenes.


    Just thinking that in front of others, they were aloof beauties, but behind the scenes, they had to be dominated by Lin Da, one couldn''t help but feel so sour that their eyeballs turned green, not needing to add lime to their tequila, simply mentioning Lin Da''s name would do the trick.


    But in general, only a minority were jealous of Lin Da, not all adventurers were lecherous veterans.


    When the news broke out, the adventurers of White Dove City were overjoyed as if celebrating a festival.


    Having been stepped on by Red Heart City all year round, everyone had accumulated a lot of resentment in their chests.


    Seeing Red Heart City being invaded was as refreshing as relieving constipation of three days with an explosive release.


    Especially the charred head of the Tiger-man Xiu and the begging Dennis, their miserable state, had many adventurers specifically purchase recording stones to watch it repeatedly and cheerfully without getting tired.


    This indirectly resulted in Phoenix Tail Flower Team''s prestige reaching an extremely high level, becoming the most well-known team under White Dove Adventure Group.


    Some were happy, naturally, some were worried.


    Rhode of Solid Rock Adventure Group was so worried his Baldy head became balder.


    He announced at noon that day, withdrawing from the alliance with Specter Adventure Group and canceling his adventurer status in White Dove City.


    He might join Red Heart City or South Rock City.


    This incident angered Hulus in the iron prison so much he vomited three liters of blood and vowed that once he was out of prison, he would definitely punish Rhode, the traitor.


    Meanwhile, in Red Heart City located a few hundred miles to the south.


    In the top-floor private room of the chain brand Tyrannosaurus Tavern, the leaders of several veteran Iron Level adventure teams gathered.


    "Everyone''s here, it''s time to discuss how we''ll respond to the invasion of White Dove City into our territory," said a male Elf with golden short hair, wearing a white suit and round silver-framed glasses, looking quite refined.


    Wind Archer Fry, Level 35, team leader of Yuefeng Adventurer Team.


    Fry held the White Dove Morning News in his hand, placing it on the glass round table.


    On it was the portrait of Lin Da, team leader of Phoenix Tail Flower.


    Fry''s eyes swept coldly around the private room, where six people were seated, most of them had as strong a presence as he did, and some were even stronger.


    Team leader of Claws of Tomorrow Adventure Team, ''Coyote'' Wol.


    Team leader of Purple-White Adventure Team, ''Flower Messenger'' Celina.


    Team leader of Thunder and Lightning Adventure Team, ''Swift Shadow'' Timo.


    Vice leader of Scarlet Adventure Group, ''Thunder Swordmaster'' Dawen.


    The other three were old acquaintances of Fry, so further introduction wasn''t needed.


    Among these people, Fry wasn''t the strongest, but he was the most seasoned.


    Over fifty years of age didn''t leave too many traces on his handsome Elf face.


    "Red Heart City hasn''t faced an invasion in years, this is nothing short of a loud slap in the face!"


    "If the invaders were from some of the top-ranking powerful cities within Cangqing Province, we could just grit our teeth and endure the slap, but the fact is, Red Heart City''s resource area was swept by two rock level teams? And they''re adventurers from White Dove City?"


    Behind Fry''s silver-framed glasses, flames of anger burned, no longer reflecting the Elf''s usual grace and composure:


    "We must capture the leaders of these two teams and force them to publicly apologize to Red Heart City with their heads down!"


    "The old folks of Red Heart surely have a temper," Swift Shadow Timo, a drab-colored raccoon dwarf, picked at his ear and said with a sneer, "For those of us who joined Red Heart City halfway, it doesn''t really matter one way or the other."


    "Damn it, the honor of Red Heart City''s adventurers must not be tarnished!" Fry angrily slammed the table.


    "Alright, alright, since it involves an invasion of the resource area and our own homes might be robbed next, we''ve got to deal with this matter."


    The Flower Messenger Celina, a tall woman with a wild brown afro, dressed in a black leather jacket with arms crossed, spoke lazily:


    "That idiot Xiu was played like a fiddle; had it been our Purple-White Adventure Team, we would''ve already won."


    "Did you call the Scarlet Adventure Group here just for this?"


    Dawen who had been quiet until then finally spoke up.


    Everyone fell silent, all eyes turned towards the Thunder Swordmaster, known for his genius.


    The strength of the Scarlet Adventure Group was not on the same level as theirs.


    Aside from the Sunrise Level Red Heart Adventure Group, the strongest was Scarlet.


    Furthermore, there were rumors that the leader of Scarlet, ''Bloody Baron'' Augutuo, was on the verge of breaking through Level 39 and entering the Moon Rank list.


    Fry and the others showed due respect to Dawen, closing their mouths and waiting for him to speak.


    "There were two teams invading Red Heart City, one of them was Snow Goose; everyone should know who the leader of Snow Goose is," Dawen sneered, "Of course, I am also a member of Red Heart City, and Lia, the invader, should indeed be punished. Do whatever you want with her, but don''t drag the Scarlet Adventure Group into it; we''re not going to intervene."


    The room lapsed into silence, no one dared to challenge Dawen''s decision to remain neutral, not even Fry, a long-time Red Heart citizen.


    Dawen huffed and disrespectfully slammed the door as he left.


    After a brief silence in the private room, the little dwarf Timo scratched his head and said: Find your next read on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Why not ask the Red Heart Adventure Group to take action? With the ''Red Heart Thief'' Alajie there, we can strip Phoenix Tail Flower down to nothing, make them be utterly humiliated on live broadcast!"


    sea??h th�� n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 360 299. Forest Dragons Treasure, exploring Dragon Forest_2

    "Stupid, a Sunrise Level against a Rock Level, do you have no shame?" Celina said irritably.The Empire encouraged adventurers to spar, but it did not condone bullying the weaker.


    For them, veteran Iron Level adventurers, handling Lin Da would invite idle gossip.


    "Fairness sake, let''s each send one person out, so if our reputation is ruined, it will be all of ours together." Coyote Wol suggested.


    Looking around, no one opposed.


    So, they organized a team specifically to target Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose and ambushed them in the public Adventure Zone of Red Heart City.


    But throughout the day, there was no sign of Lin Da.


    Only after inquiring did they learn that Lin Da had not even started broadcasting his adventure live. sea??h th�� Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No one knew where Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose had gone, as if they had vanished from the face of the earth.


    Essentially, the joint team in Red Heart City had wasted a day for nothing.


    ...


    At noon, Dawen and Fry''s party parted on bad terms.


    Returning to the Mandalas Estate, Dawen found Tasya in the courtyard, drenched in sweat.


    Apart from cleaning and daydreaming, Tasya mostly engaged in combat training.


    Especially in hand-to-hand combat, the dummy made of special materials was full of dents from hits.


    "We''re leaving tonight, switch to this weapon for the hunt; it''s more advantageous."


    Dawen took out a Magic Cannon from the Space Ring.


    It was cyan overall, shaped like a dragon''s head with a round barrel in the middle of its open mouth.


    "What''s this?" Tasya wiped the sweat from her neck, looking at the weapon with a magic aura, her eyes flashing with hesitation.


    She had already planned to officially leave the Scarlet Adventure Group after completing the ten floors.


    Accepting something from Dawen at this time meant owing him a favor.


    "The Dragon Hunting Cannon, take it, it''s for my own benefit. All the materials from the hunt will belong to the Scarlet Adventure Group,"


    Dawen said gravely, "Recently, the production of Dragon Saliva Grass has drastically reduced, and the rarity of Dragon Blood and Dragon Bone has also increased a notch. The Dragon Forest is hot property now, probably a lot of Sunrise Level Adventure Groups will be eyeing it, our goal is the middle layer, if we encounter any Lizard Dragon, we will take it down, the gains from one trip are enough to buy a dozen weapons of this quality."


    Tasya thought for a moment, nodded her head, and took the weapon.


    Then she looked at Dawen with confusion.


    For years, the materials related to the Dragon Race had been stable in price, how could they suddenly have increased?


    Dawen understood and explained, "The Dragon Race primarily resides in the northwest, which is Beastmen territory, recently the Beastmen''s export trade of Dragon materials has significantly decreased, it seems the seventh prince is preparing to switch jobs to a Dragon Blood Swordsman."


    Tasya hummed in acknowledgment, asking no further.


    Imperial matters were too far from a solo adventurer.


    The biggest impact was merely fueling the adventurers'' frenzy for dragon hunting.


    ...


    That afternoon.


    In the Great Mystery Continent, the outer reaches of the Dragon Forest.


    Patches of tall trees formed the famously known Dragon Forest among the three cities.


    Enjoy new stories from My Virtual Library Empire


    The types, quantity, and density of vegetation here were higher than other areas, and the chance of encountering rare materials also significantly increased.


    In contrast, a large number of Magical Creatures also lived in the Dragon Forest.


    In the map distributed by White Dove City, the depths of Dragon Forest were marked as "extremely dangerous" in red.


    The periphery was relatively safe, but it still reached the "caution" yellow level.


    A man and a woman walked down a forest trail.


    A Gray Hawk swooped down rapidly from the sky, its sharp claws aimed at the back of the man''s head, ready to kill him in one strike.


    But the man had long anticipated the attack of the Gray Hawk and raised his hand to apply a green shield on himself.


    As the Gray Hawk pounced, the man wasn''t injured; instead, the Gray Hawk, dazed, hit the shield head-on and fell straight to the ground.


    "A level 22 Gray Feather Hawk, can''t even break through my defense,"


    Lin Da murmured, swinging the Sword of Royalty casually and severing the Gray Feather Hawk''s neck.


    A gust of wind blew, and the hawk''s body turned into flying ashes, disappearing.


    On the ground, a small golden glow remained.


    When the light faded, it transformed into a small-forearm-long gray feather.


    [System Prompt: Killed a level 22 Gray Feather Hawk, obtained 500 Diamonds, a green fine-quality material gray feather]


    Lin Da collected the spoils into his Space Ring, then glanced at the girl playing with her hair beside him, her cheeks slightly flushed.


    He didn''t continue his invasion into Red Heart City today, instead he arranged to meet Lia to scout the safe routes leading deep into the Dragon Forest.


    When it comes to scouting, fewer people is better, as more might attract the attention of the Magical Creatures.


    In the game, the optimal team size for tackling the Dragon Forest instance is four people.


    Kafni was still recuperating, leaving only three people on Lin Da''s team, one short.


    Initially, he wanted to invite Isa.


    But after meeting Isa last night, he was gently turned down.


    It seemed Isa had just advanced to Star Rank and needed time to adapt to her power; she hadn''t even come to the top ten floors of the Great Mystery Continent.


    The second person Lin Da considered was Aiko.


    However, facing the dangers of the Magical Creatures in Dragon Forest, he wasn''t confident in protecting two Mages at the same time.


    On the other hand, Lia had more health points and was a flexible Great Swordsman.


    Her Starfire Douqi was slowly awakening, enhancing her combat abilities.


    She was more suitable for his plan.


    "So, er, you didn''t bring me alone to this grove to do something shameless, did you?"


    "Lin Da, I''m telling you, don''t even think about it, I''m at Star Rank and could send you flying in a second!"


    Lia''s face was flushed, and on her back was her newly purchased Level 30 orange Great Sword, the [Phoenix Feather Sword].


    The Great Sword shaped like a red feather weighed more than she did. Her boots sank slightly into the soft soil of the forest.


    This brings us to last night''s division of the spoils.


    Lin Da harvested 1.76 million Gold Coins, and Snow Goose 1.34 million.


    Which not only allowed Lia, who had been burdened with debt, to clear her debts, but also to buy new equipment for the team.


    Oru''s shield, Klrona''s long-coveted pink rabbit armor, Klyne''s new bow and arrow...


    And that sword on her back which she could have stored in her Space Ring but chose instead to flaunt, valued at 700,000 Gold Coins, the [Phoenix Feather Sword].


    Lia once again lovingly took off the Great Sword, this time pointing it at Lin Da, her eyes filled with caution: "If you mess around, I will have to strike you!"


    UNfazed, Lin Da smiled, "How about a big gamble?"


    "A big one!?"


    Lia was startled: "Not, not in the wild, right?"


    "Yes, and we''re going deep." Lin Da nodded.


    "How deep?"


    Having read some books, Lia was able to understand what Lin Da was saying, her hand holding the Phoenix Feather Sword trembling slightly.


    Lin Da''s smile grew deeper: "Let''s not do things by halves, if we go, we go deepest, I''ll lead the way right to the very back!"


    "The very back?"


    Lia''s head buzzed, she glanced down at Lin Da, her head boiling like a teapot, steaming up.


    "No, no, no, absolutely not��how can we casually do such a thing!"


    Lia stammered.


    Confused, Lin Da said: "What''s wrong with you? If you''re not feeling well, we should head back. Venturing deep into the Dragon Forest requires a lot of stamina, your current condition would only hold us back."


    Lia paused: "You said deep into where?"


    "The Dragon Forest." Lin Da said strangely: "Where did you think we were going?"


    "Oh..."


    Lia, like dry wood doused with a bucket of cold water, instantly calmed down.


    For some reason, Lin Da felt she seemed a bit disappointed, and his mood dipped as well.


    "Are you okay?"


    Lin Da rubbed Lia''s head. Even with boots on, the girl barely reached 1.6 meters, not even up to his chin.


    "Who let you touch my head?" Lia pushed his hand away disdainfully, puffing up as she fussed.


    "By the way, why are we going to Dragon Forest, isn''t that a dangerous area?" Lia followed Lin Da deeper, asking out loud.


    "I was just about to tell you."


    Lin Da picked part of his plan to tell Lia.


    A moment later.


    Lia''s voice shot up an octave, eyes wide in disbelief:


    "Steal the Forest Dragon''s treasure? Aren''t you a bit too arrogant! Even if I''ve upgraded my weapon and grown stronger, I''m still not a match for a Forest Dragon!"

 Chapter 361 300, Dragons Cave

    The Dragon Race, by nature, possessed astonishing builds and powerful Dragon Language Magic, placing them at the top of the Magical Creatures hierarchy.The Forest Dragon was not the strongest among the dragon species, but it was certainly not on the same level as the mixed-blood subspecies such as lizard-dragons.


    An adult Forest Dragon started at the Epic Five-star level, with level 40 as the base. Stay connected via My Virtual Library Empire


    Some could reach level 49, or even 50!


    If it were a lizard-dragon in its 30s, Lia was confident she could take it on.


    But when Lin Da mentioned the Forest Dragon, her head spun like a rattle-drum, faster than anyone''s.


    Watching Lia frantically shake her head, Lin Da said with a sense of resignation, "Can you listen seriously to what others are saying? I''m talking about stealing, not robbing." S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "With just a few of us, steal treasure under the watch of a Forest Dragon?" Lia said, laughing in disbelief, with her hands on her hips, one finger pointing at Lin Da''s nose, "I suggest you go home and read more books. Without even this common sense, you''re still out here adventuring!"


    A vein throbbed on Lin Da''s forehead; if he weren''t lower in level than Lia, he would have bound her with the Dark Whip to teach her a lesson. He truly didn''t know how he had tolerated this red-haired dwarf for three years; he felt like awarding himself the employee of the year.


    "I already said it��just the two of us certainly won''t be enough. We have to wait for those top adventurers to attract the Forest Dragon''s attention, then we''ll sneak in," he explained.


    "The main part of the treasure will probably be taken by the Sun Adventure Group, but a dragon''s cave is vast and with the Forest Dragon closely watching, some treasure is bound to be overlooked. Just picking up the leftovers should cover our expenses for the coming year! If we''re lucky, earning the Gold Coins of two or three Epic Weapons is also possible," Lin Da said as he laid out the plan in detail for Lia to understand with her walnut-sized brain.


    "Oh, I see now." Lia clapped her fist into her open palm, "If you''d explained like this from the start, I''d have understood; we''re going to sneak in and steal."


    "That''s what I''ve been saying from the beginning."


    "But is it feasible? Shouldn''t the Forest Dragon be in the deepest parts of the Dragon Forest? The Magical Creatures along the way are tough to handle," Lia said with a worrisomely furrowed brow, "we can''t get in!"


    In the depths of the Dragon Forest, level 30 Magical Creatures were everywhere.


    One or two were manageable; they could join forces to deal with them.


    But what about ten, twenty, or more?


    The outcome would be only one.


    Total annihilation!


    "In theory, yes," Lin Da smiled, "but coincidentally, I happen to know a safe route that leads deep into the forest. I came today just to verify whether this route still exists."


    "Really?" Lia looked at him skeptically.


    Ever since Lin Da founded the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, Lia hadn''t been able to trust him entirely. She always felt as if she and the other members fell into the water, Lin Da would save Lulu first.


    After all, their relationship was just that of allies. Thinking this, Lia felt somewhat uneasy. Lin Da was right beside her, yet he had become the leader of others.


    Though their relationship had improved a lot since she expelled Lin Da, it was likely impossible for things to return to how they were before.


    As Lia dwelled in her disappointment, Lin Da said, "That''s why we''ve come to verify today. If that route isn''t there, we''ll give up on going deeper."


    Lin Da had farmed the Great Mystery Continent more than a thousand times. He knew all the spots where Magical Creatures were distributed, the common hangouts of the Forest Dragons, and the layout of the caves. All of it was deeply etched in his mind.


    Included in his knowledge was a hidden passage.


    It was a tunnel dug out by a level 30 Magical Creature, the Burrowing Mole, which led right near the Forest Dragon Cave.


    A subsequent earthquake caused the entrance to the tunnel to collapse, and it lay forgotten somewhere in the forest.


    In the Dragon Forest, vegetation was lush and the terrain complex. Looking up, one could only see the sky-obscuring orange canopies of the Mondale Trees, seemingly a lazily cobbled-together high-scale map.


    In such an environment, determining one''s direction was undoubtedly extremely difficult.


    Without a single landmark, inexperienced adventurers would get disoriented in minutes.


    In this place, even a compass was affected by magical interferences. Lin Da placed one in his palm only to see the red needle spin round and round.


    "Can''t rely on this after all," Lin Da said as he put the compass back into his Space Ring, staring at the monotonous Mondale Trees while his brain rapidly worked to compare his surroundings to the 2D map from the game.


    "We''re not lost, are we?" Lia began to panic.


    If they got trapped in the Dragon Forest and missed the closure of the Great Mystery Continent, they would have to stay there for a month��use of Teleportation Stones and Town Portal Scrolls was prohibited in such dangerous areas as the Dragon Forest.


    During the closure of the Great Mystery Continent, all the Magic Power in the air would dissipate, making it impossible for adventurers to restore their Magic Power and Battle Qi. Moreover, the Magical Creatures would become more ferocious.


    In other words, if they couldn''t get out of the Dragon Forest and were locked in the Great Mystery Continent, their survival was anything but certain!


    "What should we do?"


    The surrounding area became increasingly menacing as the light dimmed and the silhouettes of the Mondale Trees swayed in the wind like towering giants.


    The rustling of the grass stirred by the wind, the footsteps of unknown Magical Creatures, and various eerie howls... Even the usually brave Lia started to panic, instinctively grabbing the hem of Lin Da''s clothes.


    "I''ve got it."


    A flash of inspiration struck Lin Da, and taking Lia''s small hand, he said, "This way!"


    "Ah!" Caught off guard by Lin Da''s sudden pull, Lia nearly fell over, stumbling before catching up to him.


    Her hand was enveloped by a sturdy, reassuring grip. Her heart pounded, and a flurry of thoughts ran through her head.


    By the time Lia regained her composure, Lin Da had already brought her to their destination.


    A sunken pit, inside of which was dirty, stagnant water, leaves, and lumps of black Magical Creature excrement. White worms thrived in the dung, slowly wriggling about.

 Chapter 362 Dragons Cave_2

    Lia''s good mood was utterly ruined, and her face darkened, "Don''t tell me the route is in this pit.""Aren''t you quite clever?"


    Lin Da took out two shovels from the Space Ring and handed them to Lia, "Don''t just stand there, let''s confirm the route before it gets dark."


    "I won''t do it." Lia threw the shovel away, pointing naturally at the Magical Creatures'' dung in the hole, "How am I supposed to dig through all this filth?"


    "Really?" Lin Da shoveled some and threw it onto Lia''s boots, "It should be clean enough now, hurry up."


    Lin Da jumped into the pit, unconcerned and began to work.


    Lia, standing by the pit, was dumbfounded.


    The disgusting black sticky substance slid down the edge of her boots.


    Lia trembled, her face flushed with anger.


    Keeping in mind that they were in the middle of Dragon Forest, she suppressed the urge to scream and glared fiercely at Lin Da, baring her fangs as she jumped into the pit.


    Lia stepped on the dung, her face gloomy, and she thrust the shovel into the soil, clearly telling someone just how furious she was.


    Throwing dung on a woman''s boots, what kind of shrimp-headed man is he!


    "Stop staring and get to work. The creatures at night are much fiercer than during the day."


    Lin Da, as if oblivious to Lia''s menacing look, dug vigorously.


    According to the description in the game, they had to dig about forty or fifty meters to find the passage.


    Seeing that Lin Da was ignoring her, Lia shut up and started to work.


    Although digging was boring and somewhat lame, the feeling of sweating it out together unexpectedly made Lia feel not too bad, reminding her of playing in the mud as a child.


    Half an hour later.


    Lia shoveled down, expecting hard ground, but found emptiness below.


    She lost her balance due to too much force, her eyes widened, and her hands flailed like a fledgling learning to fly, maintaining a 45-degree angle, unable to stand up or lean over.


    "You''re quite playful," Lin Da said.


    "Help me, I''m not playing here!"


    "Oh..."


    Lin Da lightly pushed Lia''s shoulder, and she ended up sitting on the ground.


    The ground there then collapsed with a rumble.


    A dark tunnel was revealed.


    "Found it!"


    Lin Da''s eyes lit up as he pulled the dirt-covered Lia up.


    He took out a prepared ''glow stick,'' a magic device very similar to a flashlight.


    He lay down and squirmed into the tunnel, saying to Lia, "Follow."


    "Are you sure it leads deep into Dragon Forest? It better not head straight into a den of Magical Creatures..."


    Lia muttered as she followed Lin Da into the tunnel.


    Ignoring Lia''s complaints, Lin Da could only smell the musty soil. In the narrow tunnel, it was claustrophobic, and moving forward always felt frustratingly ineffective.


    Lia continued to mutter, "Better be an exit ahead, or it''ll be troublesome to back out, all thanks to your random directions..."


    "Starting with complaints, are we?"


    Lin Da itched with irritation. With someone like Lia, unless she saw him as less capable than her, he wouldn''t ever earn her respect.


    "Move faster, I really don''t want to bump into your backside!"


    Lia poked his thigh from behind.


    In the tunnel where the air was thin, Lin Da didn''t waste his energy arguing with Lia and kept crawling forward, ensuring the route was usable.


    About another half an hour passed.


    Lin Da mentally calculated the distance they had crawled; by now, they should have entered deep into Dragon Forest.


    No one could be sure if the scene they would step out to was safe.


    If they were unlucky, maybe they would encounter a horde of level-30 Goblin Warlords throwing a party?


    ''If only Kafni were here, as a thief and a deity, her sensing ability for Magical Creatures would be far superior to ours.''


    Lin Da steadied his heart and continued onward.


    About ten minutes later, illuminated by the glow stick, there was a pile of soil ahead.


    No way forward.


    "Why aren''t you moving?"


    Lia asked, puzzled.


    Lin Da: "It''s blocked."


    "Ah?"


    "The soil color is different from the surroundings; it must be newly collapsed earth. Just dig a little, and we can get out." S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da was prepared and pulled out a shovel to start digging.


    His guess was indeed correct. After digging for a while, the soil ahead became looser and easily led upward.


    The exit of the tunnel was large enough for Lin Da and Lia to stand side by side.


    They looked up at a massive boulder pressing down from above, their expressions tense.


    Once that boulder was moved, the deep parts of the Dragon Forest would be outside.


    The map marked it as extremely dangerous, and the Adventurers'' Guild only recommended Sun Adventure Groups to enter this area.


    To put it bluntly, the level 30 Magical Creatures in the depths of the Dragon Forest were more numerous than the excrement drawn by adventurers in the slums.


    Lia said seriously, "I''ll go out and check if it''s safe, then I''ll call you."


    Being a Star-ranked adventurer, Lia wouldn''t let Lin Da, who was not of Star Rank, take such risks.


    "I appreciate your concern, but it''s unnecessary; I have a better way."


    Lin Da affectionately patted Lia on the head. Then, under the girl''s puzzled gaze, he pulled out a cumin-coated roasted Slime.


    "Are you hungry?" Lia asked.


    "No, this is for the Magical Creatures outside."


    Lin Da released the Dark Whip and wrapped the roasted Slime with it, placing it outside through the crevice of the boulder.


    The Slime was a type of food that all Magical Creatures liked. If there were any creatures outside, this roasted Slime would not survive.


    After waiting a minute, he pulled the Dark Whip back. Besides being dustier, the roasted Slime wasn''t diminished.


    Only then did Lin Da feel somewhat relieved and carefully climbed upward. His head pushed against the boulder, creating a crack to peer through to the outside.


    Fresh air rushed into the tunnel, and Lia took a deep breath with delight.


    However, her face suddenly changed!


    Lia''s face turned as white as paper, and her legs couldn''t stop shaking. A terrifying pressure, along with the air, entered the tunnel!


    It was a pressure no ordinary level 40 Magical Creature could exert. Even experiencing just a breath of this creature''s presence made Lia''s legs go weak, her eyes widened in panic, and she frantically grabbed Lin Da''s trousers, as if to ask, "What''s outside?"


    Lin Da, like Lia, also felt somewhat weak.


    Directly in front of him, about a hundred meters away, a green Giant Dragon was coiled up.


    It measured nearly thirty meters in length, with wings folded around its body, using its thick tail as a pillow while it snored loudly in its sleep.


    Even though the Magical Creature was asleep, the inherent pressure it exuded made it hard for Lin Da to breathe.


    He involuntarily held his breath, trying to observe only with his peripheral vision.


    Using the lightest force, he covered the boulder above him, then sat down in the tunnel, breathing heavily with his entire body relaxed.


    Lia wasn''t faring much better, holding the Phoenix Feather Sword and trembling.


    "What''s outside?"


    Lia''s voice was very low.


    Lin Da still had the mood to smile: "A dragon, and a Forest Dragon at that. Our target is the treasure in its lair."


    Giant Dragons love to collect shiny, glittering items rich in Magic Power.


    Every dragon-slaying adventurer has an epic tale to tell.


    Not only does slaying a dragon showcase one''s strength, but the wealth obtained from a Dragon Slayer is significant, enough to help one quickly grow stronger.


    Every part of a Giant Dragon itself is treasure.


    Enhancing specific aspects, dragon whip, dragon''s private parts.


    Wings for crafting powerful Magic arrows.


    Dragon Scales for forging Armor.


    Dragon Blood with strong body-enhancing and magic circuit-healing properties.


    Dragon horns ground into powder, a precious material for drawing Magic Circles...


    Your next read is at My Virtual Library Empire


    If Lin Da could slay that Forest Dragon, the value provided just by the materials would secure at least forty million Gold Coins!


    Typically, the treasure collected by Giant Dragons is the most valuable.


    Some dragons that have lived for thousands of years, their wealth could rival dozens of adventurer cities.


    "Can we really steal the treasure from such a creature?"


    Lia, having lost her initial confidence, was thoroughly frightened by the Forest Dragon.

 Chapter 363 301, Mountain forest shakes, the Sun Adventure Group, squad goes deep

    "It''s not possible now, the opportunity might only come after midnight tonight,"Lin Da was the first to crawl into the tunnel, "Wait for the Sun Adventure Group to take the lead into the Dragon Forest and distract the Forest Dragon, that''s our chance to move."


    "Wait... you''re not scared, are you?"


    Seeing Lia''s pale face, Lin Da said gravely, "If you want to back out, do it early."


    Scared? How could I be, I''m destined to be the empire''s strongest Swordsman!"


    Provoked by this, Lia suddenly perked up.


    "It seems like there''s no problem then," Lin Da nodded, "The scouting of the route is complete, go and call Lulu and the others."


    This time, Lin Da planned to deploy only four people, conforming to the optimal number for a strategy in the game, minimizing unnecessary variables.


    ...


    On the way back, with experience, the two''s crawling speed increased, arriving at the entrance in 20 minutes.


    Lin Da crawled out and eagerly breathed in the fresh air, exclaiming with pleasure.


    The sky above was starred, completely dark now.


    "In another hour, the signs should appear..."


    Lin Da muttered to himself.


    He and Lia were now in the middle layer of the Dragon Forest.


    On their way back, they heard a dragon''s roar that shook the mountains and forests.


    The ground seemed to tremble, and flocks of birds scurried overhead.


    Afterward, Lin Da saw wild boars, wolves, and goblins fleeing from the depths.


    As they encountered each other, those Magical Creatures had no intention of attacking them, running straight towards the outer forest.


    "What''s going on?" Lia asked curiously.


    "The Forest Dragon''s young have hatched,"


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    Lin Da explained, "Young dragons are most vulnerable when they just hatch. Not only do adventurers covet the materials from dragon-kind, dragon blood and flesh are also great supplements for Magical Creatures. Whoever consumes them might become the top warrior in their village, and might even mutate to grow an extra pair of arms. This is the Forest Dragon warning other creatures to stay away from its child!"


    Little did they know, this dragon roar would spur many adventurers'' greed.


    The event in the game apparently started with the sound of the dragon roar.


    All players on the Great Mystery Continent''s tenth layer would receive the system announcement: Instance "Calamity of the Forest Dragon" officially begins!


    On their way out, Lin Da and his group spotted more fleeing Magical Creatures, including some level 30s. However, these creatures ignored them completely, terrified by the Dragon''s Might, desperate to escape.


    Finally, they approached the edge of the forest.


    Just then, several powerful presences swept over from the sky above, apparently to confirm the identities of Lin Da and his group.


    Lin Da felt a stifling sensation in his chest as if struck by an invisible shockwave.


    It was not painful, but certainly not comfortable either.


    Such behavior was quite rude among adventurers. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, after assessing the disparity in strength between them, Lin Da decided to swallow his pride, shutting his mouth and remaining silent.


    He looked up at the night sky, the ''rude ones'' each had wings of various colors sprouting from their backs, and each chest bore a golden, shimmering badge.


    The badge''s background featured a rock fortress, with a glowing square as the main emblem.


    Recognizing the team badge, Lin Da realized in a flash: it was the Holy Rock Adventure Team from Aiko''s hometown, South Rock City!


    The leader was a burly middle-aged man with short golden hair. He carried a Great Sword on his back, adorned with sixteen Light-based Gems, each emanating extremely remarkable Magic Power, reaching the strength of a level 40 Secret Realm Guardian.


    The middle-aged man''s face was covered with scars, and his exposed neck and arms bore various degrees of old scars, indicating he was not someone to mess with.


    "The leader of the Holy Rock Adventure Team, does that mean, he is Aiko''s father?"


    Lin Da murmured to himself.


    Bervis was also in the team, waving at Lin Da to greet him, then with a swing of his golden Battle Qi Twin Wings, disappeared into the distance in the blink of an eye.


    "Must be nice to be able to fly," Lia said enviously, watching the Holy Rock Adventure Team''s figures.


    The terrain of the Dragon Forest is intricate and filled with Magical Creatures, demanding cautious exploration.


    But flying could solve most troubles.


    Below the Moon Rank, apart from a few mages and special professions, other people could only run on the ground.


    The sky has always been regarded by adventurers as a symbol of sanctity and power.


    And undoubtedly, dragons are the kings of the sky.


    "Moon Rank, that day will come,"


    Lin Da said, "We need to hurry now, as the Holy Rock Adventure Team takes the lead, other Sun Adventure Groups will follow soon."


    "Ah? Doesn''t that mean we won''t get a chance?"


    "It''s not that easy, dealing with the Forest Dragon requires at least four ordinary Sun Adventure Groups. And adding up White Dove City, Red Heart City, and South Rock City, I estimate there aren''t even four groups."


    Lin Da said intensely, "Now, is our chance to sneak into the Forest Dragon''s nest!"


    As Lin Da spoke with such certainty, Lia felt a sense of security. Unlike the anxiety when leading the team herself, being assisted by someone else... ahem, was quite comfortable, like tucking the brain comfortably into a pocket.


    A thought flashed through Lia''s mind: if she stayed with Lin Da, couldn''t it always be like this?


    Lia shook her small head, casting away distracting thoughts. Whenever she thought about this, her heart ached sourly.


    Right now, the most important thing was the Forest Dragon''s treasure.


    Snow Goose''s step into Iron Level was a done deal, her goal was to become part of the Sun Adventure Group. If she could obtain the Forest Dragon''s treasures, she could skip three years of hard work.


    Imagining a huge treasure chest filled with gems and rare equipment, Lia''s eyes lit up, and a goofy smile appeared on her face.


    Half an hour later, the pair walked out of the Dragon Forest.

 Chapter 364 301, the forest trembles, Sun Adventure Group, squad delves deep_2

    An endless expanse of wildlands enveloped in the night.Occasionally, one could see an adventure team, carrying glow stick lanterns, hurrying this way.


    Most of them were of the Iron Level.


    Among them was an old acquaintance, the White Dove Adventure Group.


    "A powerful Magical Creature, let''s take a look," Abner said succinctly with his eyes closed.


    Gale saw Lin Da and Lia together and whistled with interest:


    "Oh, I can''t control what you do in the little woods, but the Dragon Forest is quite dangerous now. I advise you to stay away from here."


    "Understood," Lin Da nodded. "Take care yourselves too."


    With her face flushing red, Lia wanted to retort something, but the White Dove Adventure Group had already walked far away.


    On their way to meet up with Lulu and the others, Lin Da encountered no fewer than ten Iron Level adventure teams, and overhead flew two from the Sunrise Level.


    More and more adventurers were heading toward the Dragon Forest, all hoping to share in the spoils��the Sunrise Level for the treasures of the Forest Dragon, or even the Forest Dragon itself, while the Iron Level was a bit more practical, taking the opportunity to pick Dragon Saliva Grass as the creatures from the depths were driven out by the Forest Dragon.


    Dragon Saliva Grass, mostly blue in appearance, could enhance the meditation effects of Mages and the training speed of Battle Qi for warriors.


    In simpler terms, it could enhance the talents of adventurers.


    Though one could consume a maximum of only three patches of Dragon Saliva Grass, there were millions of adventurers on the Mystic Continent, and Dragon Saliva Grass had always been a rare material in high demand.


    Speaking of which, Lin Da had struck incredibly lucky, picking a patch in the middle layer. Lia was extremely envious, repeatedly insisting he share half with her.


    However, Lin Da predictably refused her.


    When it came to Gold Coins, Lia''s skin was always quite thick, a true miser at heart.


    "The time has come."


    Upon reaching the rendezvous point, Lin Da looked towards Lulu and Monica with a determined gaze, "Let''s go!"


    ...


    Under cover of night, the four of them returned to the Dragon Forest.


    Lin Da led the way, with Lulu and Lia following behind, Monica protected in the middle.


    The forest was devoid of any noise, the lack of birds chirping and insects buzzing making it even more disconcerting.


    The surrounding silence was deafening, as if they were the only ones left in the vast forest.


    About twenty minutes later, the landscape was dominated by towering Mondale Trees.


    Suddenly, fast footsteps surged from Lin Da''s rear!


    Accompanied by a ''woeya'' roar, a small Goblin dressed in a grass skirt leapt from behind a large tree, brandishing a rusty curved knife, chopping toward Monica!


    Monica hadn''t recovered from the shock yet, timidly gripping the corner of Lin Da''s clothes, her eyes staring forward.


    Fortunately, Lulu, with the Werewolf Clan''s superior olfaction, hearing, and instincts for danger, far outmatched Lin Da and the others.


    Before the Goblin was even halfway through the air, Lulu had already leaped past, a cold light flashed across her claws, and the Goblin''s head was cleanly severed, rolling on the ground.


    "Ahh!" Monica''s delayed scream rang out.


    Lia crouched down to check, scratching her cheek in puzzlement, "Just level 13, a normal Goblin..."


    Goblins, a typical breed of Magical Creature that preys on the weak and fears the strong.


    Theoretically, encountering their group would have frightened it into cowering.


    Not to mention attacking them, not wetting itself would already render this Goblin brave.


    Where did it get the courage to attack them?


    Lin Da examined the Goblin''s corpse and said gravely, "Everyone, be extra careful. Something''s not right."


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    The group set out again.


    They crossed a small ridge and saw the milky white light of fluorescent stones ahead.


    Other adventure teams?


    Lin Da, not wanting to encounter others, prepared to take a different path.


    But at that moment, several screams sounded in succession, and a dark shadow shot towards them.


    Lin Da''s expression changed slightly, quickly chanting a spell, releasing the Dark Whip.


    The purple whip seemed to become an extension of his body, grabbing the object as it shot towards them.


    Using a glow stick to illuminate it, the object bound by the whip was startlingly a corpse of an adventurer!


    "[Flaming Gunman], Dennis?"


    Lin Da and the others were shocked.


    Dennis''s head had been vertically split into two, his eyes wider apart than those of a catfish, his mouth wide open, his face frozen in an expression of terror.


    An adventurer who was fine just yesterday had now become a corpse...


    In the peril-ridden Dragon Forest, the line between life and death was gradually blurring.


    Even Dennis, with his formidable Star Rank Level 33 combat prowess, was gone in an instant.


    "Strange, very strange!"


    Lin Da was shocked internally.


    The wounds on Dennis seemed unlikely from a weapon, most likely death by magical creatures.


    But the powerful magical beasts within Dragon Forest had been driven out by the Forest Dragon, leaving behind only harmless ones.


    This was why Lin Da dared to lead the team into the middle layer of Dragon Forest, then through the tunnels to encircle the Forest Dragon''s lair.


    But what was happening now? A level 13 Goblin, daring to attack them, Dennis killed by a magical creature... and those screams they had heard earlier, were probably from other members of the Flame Adventure Team.


    This Iron Level adventure team was most likely wiped out.


    "Lin Da, fall back, there are magical creatures ahead!"


    Lia''s expression tightened, her battle qi flamed to life, and her petite figure stood protectively in front of Lin Da, her great sword aimed at the dark depths.


    "This scent, it''s a plant series magical beast."


    Lulu joined Lia at the front, standing shoulder to shoulder. She sniffed, identifying the type of beast.


    Although Monica was scared, she still bravely chanted a spell, ready to launch Earth Bombardment at any moment.


    Lin Da was not idle either, casting Verdant Shield on several of them.


    Depending on the type of magical beast, he would make different choices.


    Fight... or simply retreat.


    Rustle.


    Rustle rustle.


    This was the sound of the Mondale Tree leaves rubbing together. S��ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The leaves grew three meters up the trunk, just hearing it let them know it was something gigantic.


    The creature in the dark gradually revealed its form, it was a huge mushroom, primarily brown with red spots over it.


    Underneath the mushroom were fungal-like tiny limbs, densely packed, thousands in number, and four vine-like tendrils spread from its body, each ending in a round-shaped iron saw, whirring under the effect of magic power.


    One could imagine, Dennis''s head had been sliced open by this thing!


    Staring at the five-meter-tall purple giant mushroom, Lin Da''s brow furrowed, his palms sweating.


    Giant Magic Saw Mushroom, level 30 orange-rare magical beast, plant series.


    Weak fire, sharpness, poison resistance, striking series.


    Health points 200,000, medium attack power, distinguished by speed and durability.


    Just one Giant Magic Saw Mushroom couldn''t possibly have obliterated the Flame Adventure Team.


    This meant...


    "Open with the ultimate move, take one down first!"


    At Lin Da''s command, despite the disadvantage in attributes, he still executed his ultimate skill "Poison Dragon''s Roar."


    A purple Poison Dragon, baring teeth and claws, rushed at the giant mushroom, biting off one tendril, ten tear-shaped Dragon''s Sorrow swirled around the wound, numbers popping up: -11052!


    As one Dragon''s Sorrow shattered, thick smoke billowed from the wound: -5311!


    Lin Da felt as if he had lost a million gold coins in his heart.


    The Giant Magic Saw Mushroom had 50% resistance to his poison series, and the damage from such an ultimate move was embarrassingly low.


    Fortunately, he was not fighting alone.


    Monica chanted the Falling Rock Technique, a five-meter diameter brown array appearing above the giant mushroom, a massive rock emerging slowly from the array and crashing down.


    -47901!


    "Opening with an ultimate move? Better not misdirect us!" Lia doubted Lin Da verbally, yet her body honestly activated the skill at the first opportunity.


    "Energy charging!"


    "Super Burst Flame Slash!"


    Lia dragged out the tones, a fire tornado wrapping around her sword as she dodged the giant mushroom''s chainsaw tendrils with agility, slashing her great sword down on the mushroom cap.


    "Yiya~~~!"


    The giant mushroom let out a squeal like a little girl, its sturdy body twisting as Lia''s sword hacked it in half, emitting a burnt aroma.


    -111375!


    Following this, Lulu jumped up, landing on the giant mushroom''s face, delivering two regular attacks.


    The giant mushroom''s 200,000 health points were completely depleted, bursting into ash with a boom, leaving behind a golden orb.


    "Ha! Ha! Ha! See how amazing I am!"


    Lia touched her nose with her index finger proudly, turning her head to wait for praise from Lin Da and the others.


    Fire-element Lia against a plant-series giant mushroom, the damage was off the charts indeed.


    50% attribute damage increase due to resistance, plus a 35% increase from energy charging, directly hitting for a terrifying figure of 111,000+.


    Lin Da hardly had a moment to chide Lia when the next to arrive at the battlefield was: Giant Magic Saw Mushroom Number 2!


    A massive dark shadow appeared behind Lia.

 Chapter 365 302. Doomsday Sect, Lias Decision

    Lia felt the cold wind behind her, and cold sweat poured down.She couldn''t feel smug now!


    With a shivering glance to the side, she saw the giant mushroom extending two chainsaw tentacles, the circular saws hissing as they spun, still stained with the blood of the Flame Adventure Team, splattering everywhere.


    The chill blended with the stench of blood, and the smile on Lia''s little face froze instantly.


    Lulu and Lin Da had anticipated this scene.


    Lulu relied on her keen sense of smell to detect other magical creatures lurking around, while Lin Da relied purely on prediction.


    "Go, Dark Whip!"


    The whip wrapped around Lia''s waist, pulling her to safety. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s a big taboo to open champagne midway. I''ve said it so many times before, why do you always forget?" Lin Da scolded Lia as he absentmindedly began to chant the Spell for the Venom Magic Sphere.


    With the appearance of the second giant mushroom, a third one followed suit.


    These despicable magical creatures had been planning to attack Lin Da and his companions from the start.


    If they hadn''t killed one right at the beginning, facing 12 chainsaw tentacles simultaneously... Just the thought made Lia break out in a sweat.


    It seems she was right to listen to Lin Da.


    This thought flickered through Lia''s mind.


    She added a second Energy Charging layer and confronted the mushroom behind her, leaving the one in front for Lulu to handle.


    Lin Da and Monica held the center, one responsible for Shield Enhancement and the other for long-distance support.


    Working in coordination, it took three minutes for the two giant mushrooms to turn into reward glimmers.


    "Phew, won without a scratch. I''m truly amazing," Lia started to boast.


    Lin Da said, "It''s everyone''s credit."


    He emphasized the word "everyone" especially.


    "I know that," Lia retorted, "I was just saying I''m really amazing, don''t you think so?"


    "Yes, yes, yes."


    Lin Da said, "Hurry up and collect the spoils. We need to leave this place. There''s something unusual about the Dragon Forest: these level 30 magical creatures aren''t scared off by the Dragon''s Might but have stayed in the middle layer... The Giant Magic Saw Mushroom, being the cowardly type, should have fled the furthest. Not only have they not fled, but they also dare to ambush adventurers in here... What exactly is happening in this forest?"


    The situation was developing in an unknown direction.


    "Anyhow, as long as the Forest Dragon doesn''t show up, Missy here will protect you with my Great Sword, so don''t worry," Lia said.


    Lia picked up a palm-sized cubic material named Essence Giant Mushroom Meat, happily storing it in her Space Ring.


    Three mushrooms, and she took one; that seemed fair.


    Lin Da accepted the other two materials and noticed Lulu sniffing something on the ground.


    Her butt was lifted high, but her wolf tail was tucked between her legs.


    This was a sign of nervousness and fear in the Werewolf Clan.


    "Did you find something?" Lin Da approached Lulu and asked quietly.


    "Something''s off about the smell," Lulu''s nose twitched as she murmured, "The scent of plant series magical creatures shouldn''t be like this... Woof!"


    A slender brown hunting dog leaped out of the bushes and came before them, barking softly.


    Lulu glanced at it and suppressed it with her bloodline, scaring the hunting dog into silence.


    But what followed the hunting dog was a group of people in black robes.


    They wore white ghostly masks on their faces, with tearful eye holes, and a bent, one-inch-long horn protruded from the right side of their foreheads.


    The horns of the leading few were blue.


    The rest, about a dozen, were green.


    They all bore the same emblem on their chests: a dark sun illuminating the land, with purple tentacles reaching out from the abyss, devouring all living things on earth.


    Seeing this group, Lin Da''s expression changed: "The Doomsday Sect?"


    A horrific organization devoted to the Demons, tasked with destroying the World Tree and aiding the Demon King''s descent onto the continent, comprised of madmen who would stop at nothing to achieve their goals.


    The last time Lin Da encountered the Doomsday Sect was at the Azure Sword auction.


    After facing the Monster Tide, White Dove City had raised its guard. He had thought these people had gone into hiding, but here they were in the Dragon Forest?


    Lin Da thought quickly, pondering the purpose of the Doomsday Sect, wondering if the abnormal behavior of the monsters in the forest is related to them.


    "Be careful, there are at least five Star Rank among them." Lulu moved him behind her and then bit into her arm.


    Her fair arm glanced over her arm instantly became blurred with flesh and blood, activating her Bloodthirst state.


    Lin Da, Lulu, and Lia stood back to back, protecting each other, while Monica stood tensely in the middle.


    The leader of the Doomsday Sect appeared to be an old man, exuding a sinister presence.


    "Ha, hahaha... Lin Da, to find you here, it seems His Majesty the Demon King is truly blessing me! Kehkehkeh!"


    The eerie laughter echoed from behind the ghostly mask, the old man spreading his arms wide, as two large leech-like dark creatures slowly emerged from his sleeves, squirming their multitude of small feet toward Lin Da.


    Those two leeches gave Lin Da an extreme sense of danger, but what was even more disconcerting was the familiar "kehkehkeh" laugh of the old man.


    Lia blurted out the true identity of the robed figures in shock, "Hulus, weren''t you locked up in prison, how did you get out?"


    The one leading these sect members turned out to be the captain of the Specter Adventure Group, Hulus, who should have been confined behind bars!


    "Hehehe, I am honored to be recognized by Captain Lia. After you die, I will turn you into a beautiful Shadow creature, so that you can make sweet love with these two ''Dark Leeches'' and breed more magical creatures, kehkehkeh...!"


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    "Ew! Who wants to become a leech? If you dare, come here and see if Missy can''t chop your head off!"


    The two taunted each other from ten meters apart.


    To buy time, Lin Da tried to delay with his words: "Why are you here? Escaping from prison, the Knights Order will not let you off easily!"


    Meanwhile, his gaze surveyed Hulus and the others, assessing their strength;

 Chapter 366 302, Doomsday Sect, Lias Decision_2

    Hulus brought a total of twelve people with him, among whom five were Blue Horn Ghost Faces, at the Star Rank, while the other seven were Green Horns, with an average level aura of around 27.Lin Da''s mood grew increasingly heavy.


    On his side, there were only two Star Rank individuals �C even though Lia was a talented Swordsman and Lulu had her Witch State �C but the numbers were far too unequal.


    Not to mention that the opposition had Hulus, the experienced adventurer.


    Hulus''s strength was even greater than that of Tiger Man Xi Ou, whom they had defeated the day before!


    Using a Town Portal Scroll to escape was also out of the question.


    There was a magic restriction within Dragon Forest; unless they walked out, they couldn''t use the Town Portal Scroll or the Teleportation Stone.


    Their only hope rested on the Signal Flare Scroll.


    If there was any Iron Level adventure team nearby that saw the signal, regardless of which city they were from, they would unite against the Magical Creatures and the Doomsday Sect.


    Lin Da discreetly reached for a pocket behind his waist.


    Hulus, as if he hadn''t seen the subtle movement, crossed his arms and spoke with composure:


    "Iron Cages? The Empire? What are those, in the face of His Majesty the Demon King, all rules can be broken. Lady Bai Mian has bestowed upon me new power, at this moment, Dragon Forest has become our Doomsday Sect''s hunting ground, adventurers who enter with hearts filled with greed, we shall bestow upon thee the ''justice'' of judgment!"


    The abnormal behavior of the Magical Creatures was indeed related to the Doomsday Sect.


    A flicker of doubt arose in Lin Da''s mind; this region''s Doomsday Sect should be under the control of the Demon General, his sister, who called herself Lin Xi. Could it be that his sister was nearby?


    Although he didn''t want to shamelessly rely on his sister, their current situation was extremely dire �C naturally, Lin Da was unaware that Lin Xi had gone to Cyan City and even met with Taige, the leader of the Dark Flame Adventure Group.


    Regardless, Lin Da activated the Signal Flare Scroll; with his right hand raised high, like shooting off fireworks, the signal flare shot up into the night sky, bursting into a pattern of a blue Slime crying.


    This was the continent''s universally recognized adventurer distress signal.


    "Forget it, not one of you will escape today! Nacho, attack!" Hulus sneered coldly, ordering the sect member to launch an attack.


    "Concentrate - break out!"


    Lin Da gave a signal to Lulu and the others with his eyes and rushed toward the east.


    "Where do you think you''re going! Stinking Werewolf, I haven''t settled the score with you from the arena!" A burly man in a black robe roared as he swung his axe, aiming a vertical chop at Lulu''s back.


    From the voice, it was clearly the 33-level Berserker Nacho.


    Nacho, who should have been injured, bedridden and immobile, had miraculously been healed after joining the Doomsday Sect.


    "Awooo!"


    Lulu caught the sharp edge barehanded; her beast claws accurately trapped the axe as she countered with a stylish spin kick.


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    Grunting, Nacho staggered several steps backward.


    Surprised behind his mask, Nacho felt the shock in his hands �C the last time he had fought this Werewolf, their strength was more or less equal, or perhaps his was slightly lower, so why was she now even stronger?


    "Frost Wolf''s Edge!"


    Lulu''s beast claws shone with a silvery light; she swung left and right, sending out crescent-shaped Battle Qi bolts flying.


    One was neutralized by Nacho, while the other left a bloody wound on Nacho''s shoulder.


    "Argh! You scoundrel, scoundrel Werewolf, I''ll flay your hide to carpet my floors!" Nacho roared into the sky, activating the Berserker''s Ultimate Skill "Complete Madness"!


    His head swayed wildly, as if he had lost all reason.


    In this state, his attack and defense increased, his agility decreased, and he became impervious to pain.


    Nacho charged again, his axe aimed at Lulu!


    "Frost Wolf''s Bite!"


    Lulu delivered a simple, brutal knee to Nacho''s face, smashing his mask and sending him rolling away.


    "Lulu is so powerful?" Lia, who was struggling with a Star Rank level 33 opponent, found each clash between her Great Sword and the opponent''s long blade exhausting a great deal of Battle Qi. In contrast, Lulu seemed to have an easier time?


    "Frost Wolf Warriors excel in strength and agility, perfect for dealing with those big, dumb Berserkers."


    Lin Da threw a Venom Eruption as a distraction, deliberately saying, "It seems the Doomsday Sect is just so-so after all!"


    "Ah! Ah! Ah!" Nacho, consumed by rage, glowered fiercely, completely losing his bearings.


    He couldn''t understand why the Werewolf had improved so much in just a few days; last time at the arena, he was confident he could take her on, so why now could he not land a single blow?


    Lulu kicked Nacho away once more and, looking at his confused, crumbling expression, said coldly, "Let me tell you, last time we fought, I didn''t have a single piece of Magical Equipment of level 30." S��ar?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just last night, Lin Da had spent a whole million Gold Coins to equip Lulu.


    Right now, Lulu had one piece of level 28 Epic Equipment, a level 30 orange beast claw weapon, and four pieces of level 30 Purple Equipment.


    Combat strength increased by over thirty percent.


    Moreover, Lulu''s profession greatly restrained Berserkers, resulting in Nacho having no chance to fight back.


    The three focused on an assault and finally opened a route for escape.


    "I''ll carry Monica."


    Lulu, being the most agile, quickly grasped Monica, tucking her under her arm.


    "Grab my hand!"


    Lia''s expression was anxious as she firmly grasped Lin Da''s wrist, nearly yanking him to the ground.


    "We can''t let them get away! Let one go, and I kill one of you!"


    Hulus and Nacho each led a group of men and pursued them.


    Lin Da and the others fled in different directions; those not being chased by Hulus had a high chance of escaping.


    As they ran for their lives, Lin Da looked back to see Nacho, his face covered in blood, in hot pursuit.


    That meant... Hulus was on Lulu''s side.


    "Lulu can activate her Witch State; she can''t beat Hulus but escaping won''t be a problem."


    "Now I just need to focus on my own situation��can Lia and I take down these three Star Rank together?"


    Lin Da thought quickly and concluded with a negative answer.


    At level 20, he was quite an anomaly, but compared to Star Rank, the gap in basic abilities was too large.


    Lin Da had never felt such an intense desire for an increase in strength.


    In cities, the imperial laws protected adventurers, allowing them to live in peace. But out in the wilderness, especially in dangerous areas like Dragon Forest, all pretenses were stripped away; the only thing worshipped here was strength!


    With strength, Giant Dragons would bow their heads in submission and yield their treasures.


    The Goblin King would cower in fear, leaving his fate in your hands!


    All sorts of thoughts flashed chaotically through Lin Da''s mind. The Sword of Royalty pointing backwards, the Dark Whip flew out, hindering Nacho and his men.


    "Don''t use your magic power anymore, save it."


    Lia suddenly said something.


    "?"


    Lin Da looked at Lia''s face, filled with determination, and felt a buzz in his head.


    What was she planning?


    "Wait..."


    Lin Da''s words came to a sudden halt, cut off by Lia.


    As expected, Lia did just that.


    With a swift exertion of force from her wrist, she threw him dozens of meters away.


    "If we keep running, the Battle Qi consumption will only increase and, Miss, will have a harder time dealing with them."


    Lia, with her back to him, held the Phoenix Feather Sword tightly in her hands.


    The girl was petite, but at that moment, her silhouette resembled a towering mountain as she hastily said, "I have a way to get out, just go!"


    Agility was a notably strong attribute of Star Rank.


    Lin Da, although highly armored, seemed sluggish compared to the high Agility of the Star Rank.


    If he stayed, he would likely just slow Lia down.


    With a myriad of thoughts whirling in his head, Lin Da ultimately gritted his teeth fiercely and handed over his Double Shields;


    First, the Verdant Shield landed on Lia, followed by its unfolding golden wings, and a massive sword light slashed towards Nacho.


    The Ultimate Skill of the Recovery Series [Guardian Sword]!


    Both shields were raised, their thickness exceeding 10,000 points.


    The two layers of shields brought a warm sensation. Lia''s expression softened a bit, her lips curling into a slight smile as she thought: Now it''s Miss''s turn to protect you.


    Although she couldn''t repay Lin Da for the three years of kindness he''d shown Snow Goose, she hoped to repay Lin Da in her own way.


    And it was at that very moment that Lia''s left eye burnt fiercely, as the seed of flames residing within it blazed vigorously.


    The Fire Fighting Qi turned a faint orange-red, and a trace of starlight passed by casually.

 Chapter 367 303. Chance Encounter in a Tunnel, Precious Dragon Blood

    The Fire Fighting Qi turned into a faint orange-red, a touch of starlight, inadvertently flashing by.In the original game storyline, to protect her teammates, Lia awakened the Starfire Fighting Qi, embarking on a monstrous journey of growth.


    She led Snow Goose and became one of the top-ranking adventure teams in Cangqing Province.


    But that was years later.


    The current Lia could only rely on instinct to use the Starfire Fighting Qi and was unable to control it.


    "Lin Da, where are you running off to!"


    Nacho''s main target was Lin Da.


    "Take a hit from this lady''s sword!"


    With a move "Flame Waltz", Lia swept around, forcing Nacho back.


    Nacho was so angry his eyebrows trembled, "Attack, take down this Snow Goose brat first!"


    The four of them tangled in battle, with the sound of Battle Qi explosions never ceasing.


    One by one, large trees were destroyed as if they were made of paper, the Fire Series Battle Qi set the trees ablaze, turning them into a raging mountain fire that burned fiercely in the night.


    ...


    ...


    Lin Da sprinted forth with all his strength, wind howling in his ears, lungs in agonizing spasms.


    It felt like a flashback to his youthful days in track meets, gasping for breath. sea??h th�� N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The thought of Lia being the one to protect him made him feel as if he had eaten a chunk of excrement-flavored chocolate, foul yet oddly sweet.


    The painstakingly nurtured "character" was finally taking shape, capable of contributing on the battlefield.


    Lin Da knew this was not a game, yet felt a sense of achievement similar to playing one.


    The sounds of battle faded behind him, and turning back, he could only faintly see a glimmer of light.


    "The best way to repay Lia is to successfully secure the forest treasure and share some with her," he thought.


    Lin Da took a deep breath, looking ahead.


    His current location was the middle layer of the Dragon Forest, and running back might lead him to encounter other sect members��better to move forward and stick to the original plan.


    Through the tunnel into the deeper layer, to the Forest Dragon''s Lair, to steal the treasure inside!


    This carried certain risks, without the keen-nosed Lulu, Lin Da might not be able to detect when the Forest Dragon would return to its lair.


    If he happened to face the Forest Dragon while escaping with the treasure, it wouldn''t be as simple as saying "let me clean that treasure for you before placing it back".


    Logically, the best choice was to sneak back with his tail between his legs.


    The mountain fire was the best signal, and the Adventurers'' Guild would soon receive news of the anomaly in Dragon Forest and dispatch an official adventure team for rescue.


    He should''ve just stayed honestly in the warm villa, waiting for good news from Lia and the others.


    That was the most sensible, safest approach.


    But Lin Da''s legs just couldn''t stop moving.


    Thinking of everyone suffering in the perilous Dragon Forest, how could he alone run back to enjoy the warmth of the fireplace and tea?


    Only by obtaining the Forest Dragon''s treasure could Lin Da quickly advance to Star Rank and arm the entire squad.


    If the entire Luanwei team were Star Ranks, those fleeing today would be Hulus and his crew.


    "Only forward."


    Lin Da solidified his will, resolved to clean out the Forest Dragon''s lair and share it with the girls.


    The distance to the tunnel entrance grew closer.


    "Ahead, chase!"


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    Suddenly, a fierce shout resounded from behind.


    He turned to look.


    Under the moonlight, two small black dots rapidly closed in.


    That voice... was it Nacho?


    Had Lia been taken down?


    Lin Da''s heart constricted.


    A surge of intense anger almost drowned his rationality.


    Yet Nacho, either out of stupidity or a desire to boast, laughed loudly:


    "That redhead dwarf has already been injured and fled, Lin Da, now no one can protect you! Just stand there and die obediently!"


    "Typical small fry villain speech; who would just stand there waiting for you?"


    Heartened by the knowledge that Lia was safe, Lin Da relaxed enough to joke.


    Come to think of it, it made sense.


    Lia, active until the late stages of the game, couldn''t possibly be defeated so easily.


    Those who survive the most perilous scenes are often those bumbling characters.


    "Go!"


    Lin Da unleashed the Dark Whip, pulling down a row of trees behind him.


    Kicking up a cloud of dust, he obstructed Nacho''s view.


    "Aargh!"


    Nacho crashed into a tree, gasping and scanning the surroundings.


    Unable to find Lin Da.


    "He must be hiding nearby, search!"


    ...


    ...


    Footsteps echoed above Lin Da''s head.


    He hid beneath the tunnel, holding his breath, imagining he was a harmless little grass, photosynthesizing under the sun.


    ��[Self-Created * Turtle Breath Spell].


    Not sure if it would work, but it was worth a try.


    After pulling down the trees, time was tight, and Lin Da managed to cover the tunnel entrance with a nearby rock.


    Nacho and another Star Rank wandered nearby.


    Like a cat chasing a mouse.


    Lin Da remained motionless until the footsteps faded away, then he breathed a sigh of relief.


    He lay on the ground, crawling into the barrel-sized tunnel.


    Taking out a glow stick, he switched it on, and the pitch-dark tunnel instantly lit up.


    The air inside was thin; his lungs, strained from the forceful running, prickled with pain.


    The Great Mystery Continent was scorching during the day and extremely cold at night; the cold air churned in his lungs like a cactus, causing Lin Da to grimace and put on the Mask of Pain.


    ''Thinking this way makes me admire Lulu more, how can she trigger the Bloodthirst state without changing her expression?'' Lin Da wondered.


    Lin Da''s willpower was firm, but it didn''t mean his head was immune to pain.


    On the contrary, due to his brain being quite useful, he felt pain more acutely.


    He took out a bottle of hot water from his ring, took a sip to warm himself, melted away the ''Mask of Pain,'' and continued to crawl forward.

 Chapter 368 303, Accidental Encounter in the Tunnel, Precious Dragon Blood_2

    Crawling forward for a short while, he saw something strange.Bloodstains.


    Confusion flashed in Lin Da''s eyes.


    Under the light of the glow stick, the red, dripping fresh blood was visible.


    It spread forward, reaching deep into the tunnel.


    All sorts of thoughts crossed Lin Da''s mind��was it Lia''s ''that'' kind of blood?


    When they returned, he was leading the way; even if Lia was bleeding, he wouldn''t have seen it.


    Recalling Lia''s lively and jumping figure, he was pretty sure that today was not her physiological period.


    Meaning, it was another kind, the worst-case scenario.


    Someone else had found this tunnel and entered before him!


    Lin Da narrowed his eyes, feeling slightly more tense.


    The depth of the tunnel was engulfed in complete darkness.


    ''Adventurers shall not kill each other in the Great Mystery Continent,'' does this imperial law still apply here in the dangerous Dragon Forest, and in this kind of pitch-black tunnel where not even the hand is visible and no third person would discover?


    Rather than trusting in the other party''s goodness, Lin Da preferred to trust himself.


    Moreover, the bloodstains might not necessarily be from an adventurer.


    Lin Da turned off the glow stick, moved stealthily, and squirmed forward in the narrow tunnel.


    The flow of underground magic power was chaotic. Aside from earth system magic users and Battle Qi users, everyone else was as good as blind.


    Lin Da could only rely on the tactile sensation on his palms to navigate.


    After crawling for about forty meters.


    He reached out suddenly.


    What he caught was no longer the damp soil.


    Incredibly soft, and huge.


    The first thing that came to Lin Da''s mind was some kind of obese insect.


    Perhaps right now, it was opening its gaping maw, ready to bite the hand he''d extended.


    Just the thought of it made his spine chill!


    Before the opponent could bite him, he struck back fiercely, subduing the ''insect''!


    Lin Da used both hands at once, firmly covering the ''insect.''


    The spongy ''insect flesh'' oozed out between his fingers.


    "Hmm..."


    An unconscious moan sounded from beneath him.


    Lin Da''s eyebrows raised��was this voice that of a ''Human Face Worm''?


    It could produce the lovely voice of a woman, luring adventurers to check it out.


    When the adventurer bent down, the Human Face Worm would leap from the ground, cling to the adventurer''s face, and insert its appendages into nostrils, mouth, ears to suck blood.


    To ensure that the other party was not a Human Face Worm, Lin Da moved one hand to feel around.


    Well, well.


    There was another round and plump ''insect'' next to him.


    Beneath were the waist, belly button, thighs...


    Read exclusive adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    Between the thighs...


    Lin Da fell silent.


    He released his hands and took out his glow stick again.


    Before him lay a beautiful female face.


    Silver hair was disheveled, with plenty of dirt on her forehead.


    Her lips were devoid of any color��a face as pale as paper.


    Her chest rose and fell very slightly, her breathing was barely noticeable.


    This was why Lin Da, upon reaching her, only discovered her presence after grabbing the ''big fat worm.''


    And this woman happened to be an acquaintance.


    The prospective member of the Phoenix Tail Flowers��Tasya?!


    Lin Da was utterly stunned.


    What was Tasya doing here?


    Where were the people from the Scarlet Adventure Group?


    Had Dawen and the others been attacked by the Doomsday Sect?


    Theoretically, Tasya shouldn''t have known about this tunnel.


    When he farmed the tenth layer of the instance in the Great Mystery Continent, he used a different character.


    Her being here could only be described as a coincidence.


    "Wake up," Lin Da called softly, patting Tasya''s face.


    Tasya''s eyes were closed, her brows furrowed tightly, occasionally letting out a pained groan.


    Looking carefully, a purple -100 appeared above Tasya''s head, indicating she was continuously losing health points.


    Lin Da''s gaze sharpened as he placed his hand on Tasya''s forehead: it was cold, like touching a block of ice.


    "Excessive blood loss, and poisoned as well!" Sear?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Dawen is an experienced adventurer; how could he let Tasya get so seriously injured? What happened to the Scarlet Adventure Group?"


    Lin Da was full of doubts.


    He first chanted a Healing Art, restoring 2500 health points to Tasya, then took out a commonly stocked Antidote from his Space Ring.


    The Antidote was contained in a slender triangular glass bottle, filled with blue liquid.


    "Open your mouth, it''s me!"


    Not knowing if Tasya could hear him, Lin Da pried open Tasya''s icy lips and poured in the Antidote.


    Perhaps craving hydration, Tasya instinctively swallowed, consuming all of the Antidote.


    He quietly waited one minute.


    -100.


    The unchanging purple numbers popped up.


    Lin Da scratched his head, muttering, "Seems like it''s not an ordinary toxin."


    Even with Tasya''s level 34 Battle Qi, she had been poisoned into unconsciousness.


    There was excessive blood loss, accompanied by severe hypothermia.


    The situation was very grim.


    Only by identifying the source of the toxin could Lin Da find a solution.


    "Pardon me."


    Internally apologizing, Lin Da undid the thick layers of Tasya''s maid dress, searching for wounds.


    Persistence pays off.


    On the left side of her chest, he found a small cut.


    Pus oozed from there, and the blood was purple.


    Now wasn''t the time for hesitation.


    Lin Da bit onto the wound, sucking out the poison.


    He disinfected it and wrapped it with bandages.


    Throughout this process, Tasya remained unconscious.


    Lin Da''s heart grew heavier.


    This indicated that the toxin had spread to the brain; if not treated promptly, it could be life-threatening!


    "The wound keeps oozing pus, with a necrotic stench, like rotten fish." ''The Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures,'' page 708, records these symptoms as those of a level 32 Orange-Rare Magical Beast, the Cold Poison Feathered Snake''s bite."


    "Though the Cold Poison Feathered Snake has weak combat abilities, its toxin is incredibly lethal. Adventurers succumb to unstoppable bleeding, unconsciousness, hypothermia, then suffer Magic Circuit damage and brain corrosion from the toxin, eventually falling into eternal sleep."


    Identifying the type of toxin was the good news.


    However, the bad news was that the toxin of the Cold Poison Feathered Snake was extremely fierce.


    With the materials Lin Da had on hand, he could not concoct an Antidote.


    In no more than three hours, Tasya would become a cold corpse.


    "If I had not chosen to continue forward and had instead returned to the communal area by another route, Tasya might have..."


    Thinking this, Lin Da felt a chill in his heart.


    The current situation was not entirely without solutions.


    If he could gather some Dragon Blood��Dragon Blood is of the Fire Series and has a strong suppressing effect on the toxin from the Cold Poison Feathered Snake, combined with Antidote Herb, saving Tasya wouldn''t be difficult.


    However, collecting Dragon Blood was extremely difficult.


    A drop or two of Dragon Blood wouldn''t be of much use��it needed to be at least a teacupful.


    Lin Da felt overwhelmed with trouble.


    He was only a level 26 support; where could he find so much Dragon Blood?


    He couldn''t be wishing for the Forest Dragon to be female and coincidentally in her physiological period...


    Even if such Dragon Blood was available, its quality couldn''t be guaranteed.


    "Could there be a stroke of luck?"


    Lin Da suddenly thought of the places where the Forest Dragon battled with the Sunrise Level adventure teams, where some Dragon Blood should have been left behind.


    To his knowledge, three Sunrise Level adventure teams had ventured deep into the Dragon Forest. Defeating the Forest Dragon may be out of the question, but injuring it should be sufficient.


    Cradling Tasya, Lin Da looked ahead with sparkling eyes.


    With or without Dragon Blood, they could only move forward.


    If all else failed, he would ask those Sunrise Level adventure teams for some Dragon Blood.


    He wondered if the name Phoenix Tail Flower held any sway among those at the Sunrise Level... Right, the leader of the Holy Rock Adventure Team was Aiko''s father��it might be worth considering this relationship.


    Afterwards, he would owe a favor to Aiko and Holy Rock. Wait, Aiko had strained relations with her family; mentioning her name might backfire, mightn''t it?


    Lin Da''s head was in turmoil, his mind feeling numb.


    "Overthinking is futile; first, I must get to the Forest Dragon Cave, and then improvise as necessary."


    He crawled forward.


    At the same time, he held Tasya tightly, sharing his body heat with her.


    Tasya, who usually sweated easily and was always warm, now felt as cold as a block of ice.


    As the team leader, seeing his teammate injured made Lin Da''s heart ache as if she were his own daughter raised by hand, not willing to let go of any.


    Feeling Tasya''s body growing colder, a fiery urgency kindled in Lin Da''s heart.


    Half an hour later, they reached the end of the tunnel.


    Carrying Tasya on his back, he cautiously pushed open the stone slab and looked outside.


    Thanks to the moonlight, the surroundings were barely visible.


    The huge creature that had been guarding the entrance to its lair had vanished.


    The ground bore many signs of battle.


    Huge pits, shattered trees, rocks, blood...


    Lin Da''s excitement surged: might that blood be the Forest Dragon''s?

 Chapter 369 304、Lin Da Slays the Dragon (Dont raise it anymore, come subscribe, muah!)

    Lin Da used the old method to confirm that there were no Magical Creatures nearby before he climbed out carrying Tasya.He took a thermos from the Space Ring and collected beside the bloodstain.


    The method to determine if it was Dragon Blood was simple, jab it with a stick.


    Dragon Blood belonged to the Fire Series, fierce and intense, the giant dragon''s body could remain undecayed and not turn to ash even thousands of years after death.


    The instant the twig touched the Dragon Blood, it ignited!


    "No, no."


    "No."


    "Still not."


    "It''s all the blood of adventurers!"


    Lin Da investigated several spots in succession, all in vain!


    His high spirits plummeted.


    Glancing at the pained expression on Tasya''s face on his back, Lin Da''s fists clenched involuntarily.


    Just at that moment.


    A withered leaf, driven by the wind, fell into a hollow.


    Shhh.


    The leaf ignited, a spark of fire flickered in the darkness.


    Lin Da''s eyes lit up.


    Carrying Tasya, he quickly walked to the edge of the hollow.


    At its deepest part, there was a fist-sized patch of deep red bloodstain.


    Lin Da, together with the soil, scooped it into the thermos, then filtered it using Magic Power...


    These methods were all learned in the library.


    It was Lin Da''s first time doing this, yet he was surprisingly adept.


    After filtering, the liquid remaining in the thermos was a shallow layer, estimated to be 10 milliliters.


    Creating the "Dragon Blood Antidote" required 100 milliliters.


    He was still far from the target.


    "But these should help alleviate the situation a bit, at least buy us a few hours."


    Lin Da administered the simplified version of the Dragon Blood Antidote to Tasya.


    Gulp.


    Tasya''s throat moved as she swallowed the medicine.


    Dragon Blood, being of the pure Fire Series, scorched Tasya causing her to cough as soon as it entered her stomach.


    Her icy body gained a hint of warmth.


    Previously losing 100 health points every so often, she now lost only 85.


    Lin Da applied Healing Art to Tasya.


    +2500. S��arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "How is it, feeling any better?"


    He asked softly.


    Tasya still had her eyes closed, showing no signs of awakening.


    Lin Da thought for a moment and took a blue scarf from the Space Ring.


    It was the one that Tasya had dropped at the amusement park, intending to give to him.


    Made from Fire Dragon Silk, it provided excellent warmth.


    Like a "Boomerang" thrown out, the scarf returned to protect Tasya. A scarf made of Fire Dragon Silk, perfectly adapted to counter the poison of the Cold Poison Feathered Snake.


    Lin Da wrapped Tasya''s head securely, leaving only her eyes exposed.


    "Recover quickly."


    He prayed silently in his heart and grabbed Tasya''s legs, pulling her up to prevent her from falling.


    Before him lay the entrance to the Forest Dragon''s old den.


    Carved into giant rocks, the dungeon entrance stood seven meters high and more than ten meters wide.


    The residual Dragon''s majesty lingered in this place, and even without the Forest Dragon present, it exerted immense pressure as if it were the gaping maw of a giant beast.


    Lin Da, not knowing when the Forest Dragon would return, could only explore as quickly as possible.


    He turned on the glow stick and stepped boldly into the Forest Dragon''s old den.


    Walking down the spacious corridor into the interior, it appeared to be a labyrinthine palace of Magical Creatures.


    There were Treasure Caves, Resting Dens, Recreation Dens, Storage Dens, Breeding Dens...walking in it, it was as if he had entered a world of stone.


    "Let''s check the Treasure Cave first."


    Lin Da recalled the layout from the game and among several forks in front of him, he chose the one on the left.


    Walking about ten meters forward, the floor was covered with a red carpet.


    At the end of the carpet was a bowl-shaped depression.


    Lin Da walked over, glanced at the contents of the pit, and his face involuntarily changed.


    Though he knew he was at best sipping the broth, Lin Da still harbored a bit of luck in his heart that perhaps the Sunrise Level could not withstand the Forest Dragon and hastily grabbed some treasures before fleeing, leaving him half or even a vast majority...


    The reality was, the pit contained only a few scattered Purple Gold Coins and a lot of ordinary Gold Coins.


    Lin Da sighed, unable to dwell on his disappointment, he swept like a whirlwind, gathering everything into the Space Ring.


    There were a total of 1054 Gold Coins, and seven Purple Gold Coins each the size of a hand and one centimeter thick.


    Purple Gold Coins, a common expensive currency on the continent, were made by melting gold mixed with level 40 Magic Core Powder.


    They contained a mini Array inside and in times of war, could directly activate the embedded Array to aid in meditation and restore Magic Power.


    While serving as currency, they were also a kind of magic item.


    The sale price of Purple Gold Coins was dear, one equating to ten thousand ordinary Gold Coins. At Moon Rank and above, the size of transactions often increased significantly and were usually settled using Purple Gold Coins.


    "Seven coins, that''s seventy thousand Gold, not too bad."


    Having collected the coins, he did not even spare the red carpet, collecting some ''Dragon Ash'' �� just as humans wash off dead skin during a bath, giant dragons sometimes rub playfully. Rich in Magic Power, the material scraped off by dragons, called ''Dragon Ash'', was a valuable material for Magic Circle crafting.


    With the mindset of an old father bringing home specialties for Lia, Lin Da, the worker who entered the Forest Dragon''s den, tried to bring back some fine items.


    The treasure room was stripped clean, enough to make a scavenger cry.


    Lin Da carried Tasya and explored other caves.


    Perhaps some adventurers had recently entered and fought with the Forest Dragon, causing it to bleed.


    From the Resting Den to the Recreation Den, everything was in ruins.


    A violent battle had clearly erupted here.


    Persistence paid off.


    Dragon Blood was indeed collected by Lin Da.


    But it really was just ''a bit.''


    All told, it was less than three milliliters.


    Lin Da scratched his head, his face clouded with worry.


    It seemed he might have to resort to plan B and seek help from the Holy Rock Adventure Team?


    "Let''s check the Breeding Den and then figure out what to do."


    He arrived at the last cave.


    It contained a warm Dragon Nest woven from branches and dry leaves.

 Chapter 370 304、Lin Da Slays the Dragon (Dont raise it anymore, come subscribe, muah!)_2

    Scattered around the Dragon Nest were piles of Gold Coins and gemstones.It was an air of opulence akin to that of a nouveau riche.


    Lin Da jumped into the nest.


    The nest was circular, with a diameter of two meters, ample enough to comfortably accommodate a grizzly bear.


    Gathering the spilled Gold Coins and gemstones, Lin Da stuffed them all into his Space Ring and after searching around, found nothing new.


    "The protection of the World Tree Goddess seems to have failed..."


    Lin Da sighed and tightened his grip on Tasya, who was on his back, preparing to leave the den.


    "Ao?"


    "Hm?"


    Just as he reached the entrance of the Breeding Den, Lin Da encountered a Magical Creature.


    Both parties stared at each other, somewhat stunned.


    This creature had green skin, with tender, spiral-shaped horns about the length of a finger.


    It stood upright on its robust hind limbs while its front limbs, much smaller, hugged half-eaten Slime as it gazed at Lin Da with a dimwitted expression.


    It seemed not to understand why, after merely stepping out, its home was now occupied by this stranger.


    "Roasted Slime... is it the one I left outside to attract Magical Creatures?"


    "Where did it come from? Did it sneak out of the nest while I was collecting Dragon Blood, or did it return from outside with the Forest Dragon right behind it?"


    Seeing the two-meter-tall Young Dragon in front of him, Lin Da''s face drained of color as ideas flashed through his mind at lightning speed.


    "Toxic Enchantment!"


    "Venom Magic Sphere, Cross Slash!"


    The standoff lasted less than three seconds before Lin Da acted first.


    Drawing the Sword of Royalty and coating it with poison, he executed Isa''s taught Basic Knight Combat Skills: Cross Slash!


    Lin Da had considered subduing the Young Dragon to make it his slave, but a newly hatched dragon had already bonded and was difficult to tame. Besides, this was a Trial Magical Creature that couldn''t be taken out of the Great Mystery Continent, essentially being the Divine Power of the World Tree Goddess.


    Even considering that, rather than having a Pet Beast he couldn''t fully trust, Lin Da preferred its flesh, bones, and Magic Core.


    A dead Young Dragon was worth more than a living one!


    "Ying ying!"


    With a roar, the Young Dragon opened its mouth, transforming its Grass System Magic Power into vines that shot towards Lin Da.


    It was a true dragon, boasting a level 25 standard at birth, likely only needing a month to reach level 30.


    But no matter how gifted the Young Dragon was, the advantage now lay with Lin Da!


    The fully leveled Venom Magic Sphere could fire two spheres at once, one destroying the vines the Young Dragon spat out, the other entering its gaping mouth.


    The poison took effect instantly, and a -5543 appeared above the Young Dragon''s head.


    With its mouth burning and tingling uncomfortably, the Young Dragon leapt up and down, its big eyes filled with a pitiful expression, looking as though it was about to shed tears.


    Despite its dopey appearance, if it grew up, it would undoubtedly become a formidable dragon.


    Dragons and adventurers were natural enemies; their territory and their bodies coveted by adventurers who sought the title of Dragon Slayer and the loot that came with it. Therefore, each Young Dragon was taught by its parents:


    Adventurers are the Dragon Race''s biggest enemy. Letting the young escape would lead to older ones, and if the older ones escaped, even older ones would come. Unless you completely wipe them out, you are the one who will surely die!


    Endless waves of adventurers were the Dragon Race''s worst foe!


    If Lin Da had let the Young Dragon go because of its cute appearance, even a saint would have burst into tears at his mercy.


    Taking advantage of the Young Dragon''s ''recovery delay'', in pain and crying out loud, Lin Da''s Cross Slash followed promptly, landing a solid hit on the Young Dragon''s head.


    Blood splattered instantly!


    "Wu ao, wu ao!"


    The Young Dragon, sensing a threat to its life, involuntarily unleashed its dormant potential in the form of Dragon''s Might.


    It was similar to the Star Rank''s "Powers," but far stronger.


    Adult Giant Dragons, which sit at the apex of the Dragon Race, can annihilate an adventurer party of similar level with a mere roar!


    Lin Da felt a heaviness in his body as fear surged from deep within, his legs bending involuntarily, an irresistible urge to kneel taking over.


    But the Young Dragon did not continue its attack and instead, confused, scratched its head with its front limb.


    It seemed like a newcomer who enters a game with a high-level account, clumsy and unsure of what to do next.


    If the Young Dragon had been born just a few days earlier and mastered basic combat skills, Lin Da would have faced a tough battle.


    But now... its hesitation in attacking while still in recovery was a frustrating sight for any spectator, and the severe consequences of such behavior would be a lesson Lin Da was ready to teach.


    "Dark Whip!"


    Lin Da threw his whip, binding the Young Dragon''s mouth to prevent it from using Dragon Roar, and then swung the Sword of Royalty fiercely.


    Clang!


    Scales clashed against the sword, sending sparks flying.


    The defensive power of the Dragon Race made Lin Da envious.


    One sword, two swords, three swords... the Sword of Royalty finally cut into the young dragon''s flesh.


    The young dragon''s eyes flickered with the color of pain, its wings and forelimbs flapped and scratched wildly, its mouth struggled to open to release a Dragon Roar but was firmly bound by Lin Da''s Dark Whip.


    It was beaten black and blue by adventurers from the moment it was born!


    "Venom Magic Sphere!"


    Lin Da aimed at the wound he had cut, and a purple glowing Magic Sphere shot into it.


    The young dragon''s eyes widened, and its body convulsed.


    If it could talk, it probably would have cursed out fragrant sentences, inquiring about Lin Da''s entire family.


    "Knight Swordsmanship * Sword Dance!"


    Lin Da executed a spinning sword technique, using the momentum of his body to maximize the strength of his sword moves.


    This was also a technique taught to him by Isa!


    The Sword of Royalty continuously slashed at the young dragon''s neck, and despite the dragon race''s high defensive power, it couldn''t withstand Lin Da''s sustained attack.


    -5503, -5670, -5001...


    The light in the young dragon''s eyes gradually dimmed, and its wings drooped.


    "Aowu..."


    A reluctant whine came from its throat, and the young dragon no longer had the strength to stand. It fell to the ground with a thud.


    Its body turned to ash, leaving only a clump of golden light the size of a bowl.


    "Success."


    Lin Da''s head was drenched in sweat, his chest heaving violently, his lungs gasping for air as though it were free.


    That round of Sword Dance had drained all of his stamina.


    It was all thanks to the sharpness of the Sword of Royalty.


    A regular longsword would have been chipped all over by now.


    He nervously looked towards the young dragon.


    The dead young dragon turned into golden light, instead of leaving a corpse behind like magical creatures in reality.


    This meant whether he could obtain Dragon Blood was a matter of luck. S��ar?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If the golden light didn''t burst out with Dragon Blood, Lin Da could only collect what had dropped on the ground while he was chopping at the young dragon.


    "According to the game''s drop rate, there''s a 90% chance of Dragon Blood appearing, my luck can''t be that bad."


    Lin Da clasped his hands together, briefly becoming a devotee of the World Tree Goddess, praying silently in his heart.


    Seconds later, the golden light dissipated, turning into several materials that fell to the ground.


    The first item was a bone fragment the size of a palm.


    This was [Young Dragon''s Dragon Bone].


    It could be ground into powder and mixed with sunlight goji berries from the Mystic Realm to make a drink.


    It had the effect of improving male vigor and was valued at around 100,000 Gold Coins.


    The second item was a deep green diamond-shaped crystal.


    A level 25 [Young Dragon Magic Core], with an Epic Three Stars quality.


    This was impressive.


    It could be sold on the market for 800,000 Gold Coins. With the price of dragon materials soaring, selling it for 1.5 million wouldn''t be a problem.


    But Lin Da dared not get too excited just yet, he held his breath and continued to look at the next item.


    It was a square glass bottle.


    Inside the bottle was a fiery red liquid, reminiscent of magma.


    At that moment, Lin Da''s body went limp, and he nearly sat down on the ground.


    He smiled silently.


    Glancing at Tasya on his back, he whispered, "Dragon Blood, I''ve found it, I''ll heal you right away!"


    The third item that burst forth was the magic item [Young Dragon''s Dragon Blood]!


    With the size of that glass bottle, there were at least 500 milliliters inside, the equivalent of a can of Wheat Beer.


    More than enough to treat Tasya.


    In addition to the Dragon Blood, there were also 10 Purple Gold Coins, valued at 100,000 Gold.


    Lin Da carefully collected everything, then took a moment to survey his surroundings to confirm there were no enemies, before carrying Tasya back through the tunnel.


    At the exit, there was a hollow space big enough for two people to stand.


    After covering the stone lid overhead, his gaze serious, he took out the Dragon Blood and the detoxifying ingredients he had prepared ahead of time in his Space Ring.


    Using the light from the glow stick, Lin Da began crafting the antidote.


    ...


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 Chapter 371 305. Healing Tasya, Fox Beastman

    Four hours ago, the Scarlet Adventure Group was attacked by a group of Cold Poison Feathered Snakes.These Magical Creatures are frail, yet they possess a toxin that sends shivers down one''s spine.


    To make matters worse, members of the Doomsday Sect were also present.


    Everyone scattered in panic, and when they collected their senses, Tasya had already fallen confusedly into a tunnel.


    "Survive."


    That was the only thought in her head.


    Even though her body was losing heat under the toxin of the Cold Poison Feathered Snakes and her Magic Power was draining away like air from a deflating balloon, moving even her pinky required all her strength.


    But Tasya still didn''t entertain the slightest idea of giving up.


    While previously searching for Dark Shadow during her travels, Tasya had been disheartened numerous times.


    She thought it wouldn''t be too bad to be eaten by a Giant Dragon that leapt out on the road.


    Now it was different.


    Lin Da had chased her to Red Heart City, dueling with Dawen just for her sake, and thinking of this made Tasya''s heart feel as if it were soaked in honey.


    As long as she completed the last mission with the Scarlet Adventure Group, she could return to Lin Da''s side.


    Tasya had knit a new scarf, planning to go back and apologize to Lin Da for leaving rashly with just a letter.


    From now on, she would devotedly be the exclusive maid of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    It was as if she had walked through the first dark and rocky half of her life, and finally, the path ahead was a smooth, sunny avenue lined with flourishing flowers, welcoming a wonderful life. How could she die in such a place?


    In a pitch-black, damp tunnel that seemed to have been dug by a Burrowing Mole?


    If she died here, even her body wouldn''t be found. Find more to read at My Virtual Library Empire


    But reality always went against one''s wishes.


    Merely by willpower, it was impossible to rid her body of the snake poison.


    Tasya''s vision began to blur, her body lost warmth, and she couldn''t feel the existence of her limbs.


    The last memory in her mind was someone''s call.


    It might have been just a hallucination before death, but Tasya felt it was like Dark Shadow''s voice.


    "Wake..."


    "Wake up..."


    It was Dark Shadow calling her.


    Why would she dream such a thing?


    Considered from a different perspective, dying in this dream would also be a satisfactory end.


    Suddenly


    Something...


    Felt like scorching hot magma.


    "Eat!"


    A stern command sounded next to Tasya.


    Was it her master...?


    Tasya''s heart shuddered, thinking: That''s something she definitely couldn''t waste.


    Everything related to Lin Da was incredibly precious.


    In the pockets of her maid''s skirt, she had some hair and tissues she collected while cleaning Lin Da''s room.


    Items carrying Lin Da''s aroma were treasures to Tasya.


    Especially...


    This could possibly be a batch of future little masters.


    Tasya dared not waste them.


    Even if the liquid scorched her lips, numbed her tongue, and seemed to make her throat smoke, she still didn''t let go of a single drop.


    "You''re drinking so fast, be careful not to choke," Lin Da finally showed a hint of a smile on his strained face.


    The Fire Attribute-enhanced Dragon Blood Antidote was consumed by Tasya without leaving a drop. Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She even licked her lips as if still longing for more.


    The once unconscious Tasya was now able to emit a dreamy, faint sound.


    Lin Da listened closely, she said:


    "Master, I want more..."


    "Please give me more..."


    Lin Da felt embarrassed.


    He knew the silver-haired maid wanted more Dragon Blood.


    But for some reason, he felt a sharp pain on both sides of his waist, as if sensing some impending crisis.


    He shook his head vigorously, trying to dispel the bad thoughts.


    This Dragon Blood, when consumed in moderation, was very beneficial, but too much of it was actually poisonous.


    He resolutely decided not to give her a single drop more.


    Lin Da gazed at Tasya''s forehead.


    Three minutes passed, not a single drop of blood did drop.


    When he looked at her face, it slowly grew more rosy.


    Under her maid''s skirt, the enticingly white-encased legs were slightly parted, probably due to the heat, allowing the cool air of the tunnel to flow in.


    With the boost from the Dragon Blood, Tasya''s body warmly revived.


    Previously in a near-death state, she was now close to being mostly alive!


    Lin Da did not force Tasya to wake up, as she needed to rest now.


    Moreover, if she awoke, Tasya might still not be able to regain her fighting strength and might feel guilty, troubling her master who had done so much.


    He planned to take her away from Dragon Forest and then find a way to regroup with the lost Lulu and Lia.


    Lin Da put the remaining half bottle of Dragon Blood into his Space Ring.


    Then he adjusted the slightly loose blue scarf around Tasya''s neck.


    He didn''t continue to covet the mature Forest Dragons.


    Lin Da decided to prioritize safety.


    The gains weren''t substantial, but they were still worth 2 million Gold Coins.


    Besides, killing the young Forest Dragons also brought him 100,000 Diamonds.


    His current total was about 250,000 Diamonds.


    For level 28 Monica, it was enough to upgrade her to level 29.


    His Big Lolita was also one step closer to the Star Rank.


    Lin Da directed his glow stick toward the tunnel, carrying Tasya on his back as he crawled in.


    Suddenly.


    A loud voice came from ahead: "Who''s there!?"


    Lin Da paused.


    This voice... was it the ever-persistent Nacho?


    The entrance of the tunnel, found by Nacho.


    They had followed him!


    Lin Da''s eyes narrowed, he quickly turned off the glow stick to avoid revealing their position.


    Listening to the sound, the parties were roughly a hundred meters apart.


    Nacho realized and shouted: "Lin Da, it must be you! You are injured, the bloodstains in the tunnel, they are yours!"


    "If it weren''t for this great sir''s wisdom, you would have escaped!"


    "Orlan, chase!"


    In the narrow tunnel, even a Star Rank had to crawl.


    Lin Da, carrying Tasya on his back, dashed out of the tunnel, found a densely bushed area, and plunged in.


    ...


    ...

 Chapter 372 315, Treating Tasya, Fox Beastman_2

    About ten miles north of the Forest Dragon''s lair, there was a stretch of woodland.The trees had been blasted into thousands of pieces by the rampant flow of magic power, and the ground was covered with countless large craters.


    Inside several of them lay the mangled bodies of adventurers.


    In life, they had all been renowned adventurers of the Moon rank.


    But facing this immense being, the incarnation of power, the ruler of the skies��a mature Forest Dragon��they were as fragile as paper mach��, and a swipe of the dragon''s claw inflicted critical injuries instantly.


    The Heavy Armored Warriors fared somewhat better, but the Mages and Healers in the back could not withstand even one attack from the Forest Dragon.


    The deep green dragon spread its wings and soared a kilometer high, its dragon eyes filled with rage.


    It opened its mouth, where the Grass System magic power gathered and transformed into numerous Light Bullets, shooting towards the adventurers.


    "Watch out and dodge! It''s at the end of its strength, victory belongs to us, Holy Rock Adventure Team!"


    The man with golden blond hair raised his Sword of Light high; a Holy Rune drifted from the sword, instantly enlarging and scattering light over his comrades.


    Rare Technique: Holy Law!


    Pray with a heart of devotion for the protection of Holy Light, enhancing the defense and agility of oneself and allies!


    The members of the Holy Rock Adventure Team surged with energy as if invigorated.


    "He truly is my father, fearless in the face of a mighty dragon. Aiko and I still have much to learn,"


    A serious look crossed Bervis''s squinting eyes.


    Looking up at the rain of Light Bullets falling from the sky, what Bervis recalled, however, was his sister, who had completely resigned herself to her fate.


    Dragon-slaying was fraught with great risk, but his father had never considered the consequences of failure. For the man proud of his body covered in scars, risking his life for the title of Dragon Slayer was utterly worth it.


    Sometimes Bervis even wondered whether he and Aiko were really his father''s children. Their personalities were too different, as though standing at three corners of a triangle.


    "If I survive, I should go see Aiko. Maybe I was too harsh on her in the earlier years."


    Bervis knew why these tangled thoughts were surfacing in his mind��he was scared.


    He feared becoming another body in a crater when the dragon''s rain of Light Bullets fell.


    That was the sheer terror of a level 49, Epic Five-star mature Forest Dragon.


    There were three Sunrise Level Adventure Groups nearby: from South Rock City, Holy Rock and Bear Roar, and from Red Heart City, Red Heart, with a total of thirteen Moon rank adventurers.


    Even so, they were no match for the Forest Dragon.


    And this was merely one of the lower-ranked dragons in the dragon hierarchy.


    How formidable must legendary beings like the Golden Dragon and Holy Dragon be?


    Bervis smiled helplessly.


    He hoped he could survive and have the chance to witness such a spectacle.


    Unlike the battle-hungry Holy Rock Adventure Team,


    The Bear Roar Adventure Group focused solely on taking advantage of the situation.


    The group''s leader was named Bear Ji, a pure-blood brown Bear Beastman.


    The Bear Tribe had always been amongst the more intelligent within the Beastmen, producing many leaders alongside the Leopard and Wolf Tribes.


    Bear Ji thought to himself: While the three Sunrise Level groups are holding off the Forest Dragon, that old fox who went back to scavenge for treasures must have succeeded by now?


    The young dragon was nowhere to be seen, hidden somewhere.


    While fighting in the lair with the Forest Dragon blocking them, Bear Ji could not make his move.


    Now that they had lured the Forest Dragon out, the lair was unguarded.


    As long as the young dragon was still there, it had no chance against the level 43, highly experienced old fox.


    Bear Ji''s round ears twitched, and his mind clicked, calculating inwardly: The treasures he could steal from the Forest Dragon''s lair were worth at least 15 million gold, and killing the young dragon could net several million more��this trip would not be a loss.


    As for slaying the Forest Dragon and earning the title of Dragon Slayer?


    Such a thankless task was the last thing Bear Ji wanted to do.


    Two from the Holy Rock had already died, and Red Heart had lost one.


    His Bear Roar Adventure Group, aside from two injured, had largely remained unscathed.


    They might be criticized by the others afterward, but what of it?


    To an adventurer, staying alive was what mattered most.


    Let the crazies take on dragons.


    In his thoughts, the rain of Light Bullets fell.


    ��


    The forest was destroyed, the booming noise deafening.


    Surge flames ignited.


    The night turned to orange-red.


    The Forest Dragon raised its neck and howled, its eyes filled with profound grief.


    It sensed something.


    Its offspring, the young dragon, had forever left this world.


    Rising in its heart was a fire of rage ready to destroy everything.


    The Forest Dragon vowed to make the assassin of its offspring pay,


    Consuming the flesh and crushing the soul of its attacker in screams of agony.


    The Forest Dragon took off.


    Amidst the mountain fire, Bervis, his face covered in blood, climbed out of the pit.


    "Three ribs broken, and the thigh bone too."


    "The giant dragon was indeed tough to deal with."


    As he sighed, Bervis looked up at the night sky, only to find that he could not locate the Forest Dragon.


    ...


    ...


    "Chase! Lin Da must be right ahead!"


    Nacho and another robed figure emerged from the tunnel.


    After searching for Lin Da for a long time, they finally saw a glimmer of hope.


    How could they let him get away?


    Nacho did not want to face Hulus''s wrath!


    The only way to save his own life was to capture Lin Da and deliver him to Hulus.


    Although Nacho was on the chasing side, he was far more nervous than Lin Da.


    He even thought about begging Lin Da to stop running and let him catch him without dignity.


    "Brother Nacho, what is that up there?"


    His companion, dumbfounded, pointed aimlessly at the sky.


    Nacho turned his head to look.


    And was dumbstruck too.


    An overwhelming surge of the Dragon''s Might swept over them.


    Feeling as though a boulder had hit his chest, Nacho coughed out a mouthful of fresh blood.


    In the night sky, a pair of golden dragon eyes watched them.


    The Forest Dragon that returned to its lair just happened to spot Nacho coming out of the tunnel.


    "My luck is too good..."


    Unable to move, Nacho felt like a cornered mouse helplessly looking up at a cat��a very angry cat who had just lost her offspring.


    A massive dragon tail swept toward them.


    The oppressive feeling was beyond description.


    Only two words remained in Nacho''s mind: It''s over.


    There was a splat.


    Nacho, a level 33 Berserker, and his level 31 companion, were instantly turned into a bloody pulp.


    The Forest Dragon landed on the ground, and its huge head sniffed around a bit. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When dragons die, they leave a Revenge Mark on their killer, and relatives can track it if they are close enough.


    But the Forest Dragon did not sense the Revenge Mark on these two weak adventurers.


    The killers were not them.


    Of course, the Forest Dragon felt no remorse for Nacho.


    To it, stepping on Nacho was no different than crushing an ant; he was not even worth remembering.


    ...


    "Looks like I escaped a disaster."


    North of the Forest Dragon''s Lair.


    Lin Da, carrying Tasya, was running wildly when suddenly he heard a loud thud behind him.


    He knew he had a Revenge Mark on him.


    Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire


    The farther from the Forest Dragon, the better.


    Without stopping, he kept moving his legs towards the outskirts.


    Whoosh!


    Suddenly, a dagger flew out from the shadows.


    Thanks to Lin Da''s vigilance, keeping an eye on his surroundings, he narrowly avoided it.


    The dagger whizzed past his cheek, leaving its bone-chilling cold breeze nagging at his heart.


    What was more troubling was that the dagger was imbued with Battle Qi, hard as iron, which lightly damaged his Life Barrier, something not even the Tiger Man Xi Ou had managed to do.


    The attacker was at least of Moon Rank.


    Who was it?


    The Doomsday Sect, or another adventurer?


    Lin Da took out the Sword of Royalty, and took a deep breath.


    He put up his Verdant Shield.


    And heightened his alertness to the utmost.


    He would do everything within his power to seize every opportunity.


    No matter what, Lin Da had to return to the Phoenix Tail Flower villa, and enjoy a meal in front of a warm fireplace with the girls!


    Clap, clap.


    Applause came from behind a tree trunk.


    "Oh my, the captain of Luanwei Flower truly lives up to his reputation, dodging a ''casual blow'' from a Moon rank adventurer. At level 20, you''re indeed outstanding. But I hear you''re most famous for your turtle shell? Should I experience it for myself?"


    A tawny Fox Beast man stepped out from behind a large tree.

 Chapter 373 306. Moon rank adventurer Hu Er, Tasya woke up

    The night forest.The fox beastman toyed with the shiny throwing knife, his eyes squinted into crescents, and he wore a seemingly amiable expression as his tail wagged happily.


    But those familiar with him knew this was the prelude to his torturing prey.


    Using the throwing knife to slice his prey''s flesh and listening to their wonderful screams of agony was his favorite pastime.


    Looking at the black-leather-armored fox beastman blocking his path, Lin Da recalled a name in his mind: [Tormentor] Hu Er.


    Level 43, a Moon rank adventurer from the Bear Roar Adventure Group of South Rock City.


    "I have no grudge with you, what is this for?"


    Lin Da asked, his voice betraying none of his emotions.


    "Because you''re the captain of the Phoenix Tail Flowers, a man with hopes of becoming the leader of a Sun Adventure Group."


    Hu Er''s voice was as seductive and smooth as a cat toying with a mouse. He was filing his nails��now dyed pink��with the throwing knife, which seemed to imply that with a bit more grooming, even a male could pass as acceptable.


    "The resource zones of White Dove City are ours, belonging to South Rock City and Red Heart City. If Phoenix Tail Flower advances to Sun rank, doesn''t that mean we''d have less resources to claim?"


    Hu Er sounded as if it was the most natural thing, despite being a male fox, using words reminiscent of the small mossy creatures often loathed by adventurers.


    As an aside, the name "Little Mossy Girl" comes from the fact they grow moss on their lower parts and are arrogant in nature, which makes them disliked by many adventurers.


    But there are a few turtle beastmen who take pleasure in groveling before these Little Mossy Girls.


    After all, moss is one of the turtle''s favorite foods.


    Lin Da said, "You are wrong; those resources belong to White Dove City."


    "No, no, no��I have always slept in your house, so it''s mine, and it''s your fault for kicking me out."


    Hu Er slowly explained like he was reasoning with a child: "Originally, my task was to go to the Forest Dragon''s lair to kill young dragons and steal treasures but someone beat me to it. When the Forest Dragon arrived, I slipped away and, by chance, ended up on the same path as you."


    "Captain Lin Da, this doesn''t seem like a coincidence, does it? Who, I wonder, was the one who killed the young dragon?"


    Hu Er spoke sarcastically, even forming an elegant ''Elf Finger'' gesture, showing none of the beastman''s masculine energy.


    "Speak plainly, what do you want?"


    Lin Da felt a prick of trouble.


    "What I want, you should be well aware of."


    Hu Er tossed the throwing knife in his hand as easily as if it were a ball, casually walking over.


    A sudden pressure overwhelmed him, and Lin Da''s expression changed as he covertly mobilized all the magic power in his body.


    Among adventurers, there was deceit and trickery, not just cries of friendship and bonds that could lead to a heated battle against the Demon King, a battle where they entrusted their lives to each other as confidants. S��ar?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Most adventure teams, especially those comprised of beastmen who don''t get along with humans or elves, prioritize their own interests.


    Going after the Demon King? That''s for Legendary Adventure Groups to consider, what does it have to do with me?


    Gathering more Gold Coins is the most pragmatic choice.


    And the existence of the Phoenix Tail Flowers silently threatened the interests of South Rock City.


    If Lin Da became the captain of a Sun rank adventure team, he would undoubtedly protect the resource zones of White Dove City and repel the invaders.


    So someone felt uncomfortable about it.


    Hu Er''s smile exuded ease, a composure that made Lin Da feel insulted.


    But Lin Da also understood why Hu Er was so arrogantly confident. No matter how high the potential of Phoenix Tail Flowers, they were merely seen as a team that might become Sun rank, while Hu Er was a bona fide member of a Sun rank team.


    Even if Phoenix Tail Flowers had a significant reputation, in the eyes of the current Sun rank members, they were at most somewhat large children.


    "Guardian Sword!"


    As Hu Er drew closer, Lin Da gritted his teeth and forcibly activated his magic circuit, using his second Ultimate Skill.


    It had been almost three hours since he last used it.


    The magic circuit had cooled off just enough to possibly succeed.


    Even so, Lin Da would have to pay a price.


    For a time following, he might not be able to activate the Guardian Sword smoothly.


    But this was all he could do right now.


    Relying only on the Verdant Shield, he had no confidence in withstanding the attacks of a Moon rank adventurer.


    A gigantic Crescent Sword Light slashed towards Hu Er. Read exclusive adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    Facing this Guardian Sword, Hu Er smirked contemptuously. With the crystal-clear throwing knife in his hand, he casually flicked and deflected Lin Da''s sword light towards the sky.


    Lin Da hadn''t expected the Guardian Sword to injure his opponent.


    What he needed was the Guardian Sword''s accompanying Light Shield.


    Double Shields out, ten thousand in thickness!


    As Hu Er charged forward, Lin Da attacked with a Venom Magic Sphere.


    With a swoosh, Hu Er''s figure disappeared and reappeared behind Lin Da.


    His target was... Tasya on Lin Da''s back!


    Lin Da''s face changed, and he twisted his body, ready to face the enemy head-on.


    He would rather take the hit himself than let Tasya be harmed.


    Given Tasya''s frail condition, a blow from Hu Er would likely mean instant death.


    "A captain with a sense of loyalty, how touching. But unfortunately, what I hate most are people like you!"


    Hu Er''s gaze was cold as he lunged with his knife at Lin Da.


    Crack!


    Bang!


    The Verdant Shield and the Guardian Shield shattered consecutively, and the throwing knife slammed into Lin Da''s Life Barrier.


    His core was shocked, causing an intense pain at the base of his brain.


    It felt like a swarm of ants gnawing at the blood vessels in his head, and he couldn''t help but grunt.


    Fortunately, the Double Shields absorbed a lot of the damage, leaving Lin Da to lose only 2740 health.


    That meant a Moon rank adventurer''s attack could inflict over ten thousand damage in one blow.


    Lin Da suddenly thought back to when he was attacked by Mingli, who must have held back. Considering the possibility that he was part of Dark Shadow, Mingli only dared to attack tentatively.


    No time to think further.


    Lin Da quickly reached out and took something from his Space Ring.

 Chapter 374 306, Moon rank adventurer Hu Er, Tasya wakes up_2

    He pried the stopper loose and fiercely threw it at Hu Er.The red liquid splashed all over Hu Er.


    "What is this?"


    Hu Er''s expression was full of suspicion and uncertainty.


    The liquid possessed an extremely strong burning ability and instantly set his pants on fire.


    Lin Da spat out a mouthful of fresh blood and smiled, "It''s Dragon Blood."


    "What?"


    "I said, it''s Dragon Blood."


    Lin Da pointed toward the night sky above, "The wind is quite strong tonight, pray that the smell of the Dragon Blood doesn''t drift to the Forest Dragon."


    "Ha ha�� If I were a parent and saw someone covered in my children''s blood, I''d probably kill them without a second thought, right? Oh, you also want to change your pants? It''s useless, the scent of Dragon Blood has already seeped into your skin."


    Watching Hu Er''s increasingly ugly expression, Lin Da felt a surge of satisfaction:


    "Right, even though I carry the Revenge Mark of a young dragon, it can only be sensed from a very close distance. But you, a ''murderer'' drenched in blood, will be more noticeable, won''t you?"


    Lin Da, carrying Tasya, strode forward.


    Not to the periphery of the Dragon Forest.


    He chose the direction deep into the Forest Dragon''s Lair.


    Lin Da was returning on the same path!


    If Hu Er dared to follow, he would have to face the risk of encountering the Forest Dragon.


    If he didn''t follow, he could only watch Lin Da escape helplessly.


    "You little bastard!"


    Hu Er cursed with a spit, his expression fluctuating uncertainly.


    Despite the anger in his heart, his feet never managed to step forward.


    He didn''t leave immediately either, but instead adopted a sly expression.


    The fox clan was cunning and deceitful and wouldn''t settle for being mocked by Lin Da.


    Hu Er planned to stay here and keep an eye on Lin Da, to prevent him from doubling back to the outer layer after letting him leave.


    He wanted to watch Lin Da personally, as he re-entered the deeper parts of Dragon Forest.


    It would be best if he encountered the Forest Dragon and got eaten outright!


    Hu Er jumped onto a Mondale Tree that was over twenty meters tall and stood on one foot at the very top.


    In midair, the wind howled, but Hu Er''s posture remained immovable.


    His eyes were fixedly staring at Lin Da''s retreating back.


    "What a trouble, if only all Beastmen were as hot-blooded and foolish as Xiu."


    Lin Da, feeling a cold gaze constantly behind him, couldn''t help but shiver.


    Turning back, at the top of the tall tree stood a fox.


    The two were far apart, unable to see each other''s specific expressions. Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire


    But it was easy to guess that the corners of that fox''s mouth were certainly curled up mockingly.


    Many times, Lin Da didn''t want to use his intelligence, but he had no other choice.


    Facing these Star Rank and Moon Rank adventurers, he could only rely on his wits to make up for the lack of strength.


    Going forward might lead to an encounter with the Forest Dragon, while behind was the menacing Hu Er.


    Neither side was easy to deal with.


    However, Lin Da still held one last ace in his hand.


    He couldn''t guarantee it would work against the Forest Dragon,


    but it would certainly be enough against Hu Er.


    The only issue was that it was a ''Schr?dinger'' card. Lin Da also couldn''t be sure whether it would come through at the crucial moment.


    That was the [Shadow of Darkness Experience Card].


    By unlocking Tasya''s trust bar, he would immediately receive all rewards between 0�C90 points of trust.


    Just like a mobile game''s season pass, every 10 points of trust would grant him a reward.


    The reward at the 90-point mark was precisely the Shadow of Darkness Experience Card.


    Lin Da was very confident in his own character''s strength.


    At his peak, he could lead the Primitive Adventure Team to take constant attacks on the Demon King.


    But he figured the system wouldn''t be so kind.


    The Experience Card would probably represent the early stages of Shadow of Darkness.


    How early was hard to assess.


    The only thing he could deduce was that, as a reward only given at the Witch''s 90 points of trust, it definitely wouldn''t be poor.


    Even Baolulu''s Experience Card would be fine.


    Lulu had 88 points of trust in herself at the moment, just one short of obtaining the experience card.


    But he didn''t know where Lulu was at that time.


    Of the witches left by his side, only one remained.


    Lin Da stopped in his tracks, shifting Tasya from his back to cradling her in his arms.


    He solemnly shook Tasya, whispering softly, "Wake up."


    From a distance, Hu Er saw Lin Da standing still and laughed out loud, "Have you run out of tricks? Venturing deep into the Dragon Forest was just a bluff, meant to scare me."


    "If you had run over fearlessly, I might have thought better of you, and when I mentioned it to Bear Ji, I would have praised you as a ''brave fool.'' But now, I can only call you a coward."


    Hu Er relished the superiority of being above it all, playing cat and mouse.


    Watching the prey hesitate, struggle, and suffer, Hu Er deeply enjoyed the beauty of being alive.


    "Ah, bullying such a young and promising adventurer feels different indeed. If I had known, I would have brought my ''Meat Grass Cup'' to use, watching Lin Da''s painful expression from atop a tree, spending a pleasant time; just thinking about it excites me."


    As Hu Er''s cheeks flushed, he licked the blade''s edge with his tongue, and though it cut him and blood flowed out, he was completely oblivious, instead savoring the taste as if he had drunk red wine, closing his eyes and indulging himself.


    Lin Da had no idea that a certain perverted fox wanted to watch him "play accordion."


    He was entirely focused on calling out to Tasya.


    He used the emergency wilderness first aid method essential for adventurers.


    With his hands over Tasya''s forehead, he stimulated her with magic power.


    Like electrified, the silver-haired woman in the thick maid skirt in his arms groaned softly, her eyelashes fluttering.


    A few seconds later, she finally opened her eyes.


    ...


    In Tasya''s green pupils, confusion filled the air.


    Who am I?


    Where am I?


    What am I doing?


    The classic Sage''s triple questions.


    For Tasya, most of her memory was fragmented.


    The only impression in her head was of being injured before stumbling into a tunnel.


    Now, as she opened her eyes, she saw a night sky fragmented by the towering Mondale Tree Crown.


    The sparse stars in the sky shed a faint light on the woods, barely illuminating a face looking at her with concern.


    "You''re awake, that''s great!"


    "This is urgent, there''s no time to explain. Tasya, there''s something I need you to believe��that I am truly the Shadow of Darkness, and I need your complete trust in me."


    "I know this might be very confusing and troubling, but it is extremely important to me, concerning whether we can survive out of the Dragon Forest."


    With a dragon ahead and a fox behind, Lin Da, without time to explain further, spoke hastily as sweat beaded on his forehead.


    "Wait, my mind is a bit scattered. Why are you here, and where is this?"


    "I remember being attacked by a group of Cold Poison Feathered Snakes and the Doomsday Sect, the Crimson people scattered, and I was also poisoned by the snakes..."


    As Tasya spoke, she suddenly paused as if she had realized something incredible.


    She reached out to touch just below her left chest, where there had originally been a wound from a Cold Poison Feathered Snake. The wound had been pus-filled and festering, unable to stop bleeding, and had once left her feeling helpless.


    Now, however, it had already scabbed over, healing bit by bit. The troubling magic circuit, like a layer of frost frozen over it, and the damn snake poison, had completely disappeared.


    In its place was a fiercely hot power.


    Tasya could feel the benefits of this power for her body.


    It was being subtly absorbed by her body, and if she went to the Adventurers'' Guild''s training ground to test her ''strength,'' it would probably increase by 10%.


    "��I haven''t eaten Behemoth Beast meat, but I''ve seen a Behemoth Beast running in a recording."


    Tasya was shocked. The only thing that could resolve the Feathered Serpent poison in her body in a short time, and that was hot and could enhance muscle strength and increase strength... was one thing.


    Dragon Blood!


    Yes,


    Tasya vaguely remembered, someone had placed something thick and hot


    That thing, it wasn''t Lin Da''s...


    but a cup filled with Dragon Blood!


    It was Lin Da, who had stuffed the cup into her mouth!


    At this thought, Tasya looked at Lin Da incredulously, tears of emotion welling in her eyes.


    Previously, in the Primitive Adventure Team, Lin Da would dismiss team members he didn''t need by kicking them out; why would he go through such trouble to obtain Dragon Blood to save a teammate? S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although still weak, Tasya felt an unprecedented fiery fighting spirit in her heart.


    She had to recover quickly, serve Lin Da diligently, and repay Lin Da''s kindness with her life.


    Even if she could only become a useless maid in the future, helping Lin Da and his Oath-bound by washing their wet, dirty sheets, she would spare no effort.

 Chapter 375 307, I, Dark Shadow!

    Tasya thought to herself, even if she could only become a useless maid who helps Lin Da and his Oath-bound wash wet, dirty bed sheets in the future, she would spare no effort. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.At the same time, a system notification rang in Lin Da''s mind:


    [Witch Tasya is moved to a mess, trust +3, current trust level 93 points (sealed)]


    Hearing this notification, Lin Da was both surprised and delighted.


    Trust levels can increase even under a seal?


    Pah, no, why isn''t the trust bar unlocked even after trust has been gained?


    In the night of Dragon Forest, the moonlight was cold and clear, and the wind was chilly.


    Lin Da shivered from the cold.


    He sighed, "Tasya, you do not fully trust me."


    "No, I do not��sir, I haven''t!"


    Panic arose in Tasya''s heart.


    If possible, she still hoped Lin Da would revert to his Dark Shadow form.


    But she thought she had hidden it well and wondered how Lin Da had figured it out.


    Tasya carefully raised her eyes to look at Lin Da, her eyebrows knitted together in an anxious expression, like a homeless kitten, and her breathing involuntarily slowed down.


    Lin Da''s face was a mixture of emotions.


    He saw the silver-haired maid biting her lip in his arms, looking aggrieved.


    Blaming Tasya would likely backfire and make it even harder to unlock the trust bar.


    He chose to briefly explain the current situation.


    Perhaps Tasya had a strategy to resolve the crisis.


    After all, as a Level 34 Star Rank, she might have an ace up her sleeve that could turn the tide.


    After listening to the explanation, Tasya''s face showed not a trace of nervousness, her expression calm and composed.


    "Do you have a way?" Lin Da asked in surprise.


    "A way?"


    Tasya tilted her head, "Isn''t that why you''re here? Just a Forest Dragon, you need only one sword strike."


    "Ah, I forgot to explain, I have some difficult-to-speak-of reasons, and my strength has fallen to the current Level 26."


    "Encountering a Forest Dragon, there''s only one outcome: to find out how warm the inside of a giant dragon''s belly is. But since I killed its offspring, I''ll probably go through some other ordeals before that, like dragon teeth tickling, vine bondage massage, young dragons humming in my ear, and only when I''m tormented to my last breath can I ''enjoy'' the dragon''s stomach."


    Lin Da said somewhat embarrassingly.


    Tasya was stunned.


    "But... but you are the invincible Dark Shadow, how can you have no way out?"


    "No, the person standing before you is Captain Lin Da of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, Dark Shadow is just my past. I don''t plan to engage in adventurer activities under that identity anymore, do you understand?"


    Lin Da said seriously, "I hope it is me that you trust."


    "Subordinate... understands," Tasya said with difficulty.


    What a lying maid she was.


    Lin Da, distressed, scratched his head and opened the system, where Tasya''s trust bar was still dark.


    "Hehehe, Captain Lin Da, is your performance over? If you don''t move forward, I might have to lend you a hand," from afar, Hu Er''s mocking voice drifted over.


    A throwing knife whooshed and stuck into the ground behind Lin Da, the blade completely buried in the earth.


    This fox very well could have ambushed Lin Da but chose to give a warning instead, pushing Lin Da step by step into the abyss of despair.


    Lin Da complained in his mind, it seems that pure-blooded Orcs mostly have nasty temperaments, almost like Brother Ni from his past life.


    The next moment, an immense pressure of wind came from the front.


    The Mondale trees all snapped at the midsection, and Lin Da and Tasya were blown away.


    The two, hand in hand, were lifted like kites into the air.


    The sound of wind howled in Lin Da''s ears, and within his line of sight, there was a giant green beast with a wingspan of nearly thirty meters.


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    The giant dragon spread its wings, covering the moon, plunging the forest into endless darkness.


    Hu Er''s complexion instantly changed, he fell from the treetop, his form wretched.


    He was no longer concerned about Lin Da and Tasya, reverting to a Primitive Orc, he ran on all fours towards the edge of the forest.


    As he ran, Hu Er cursed inside, "What the hell is Bear Ji, that damnable leader, doing, wasn''t he supposed to contain the Forest Dragon?"


    After sprinting for a distance, Hu Er spread his Battle Qi Twin Wings, leaped into the air, and disappeared into the night sky.


    Since the Forest Dragon was too far away, the scent of the Dragon Blood on Hu Er did not immediately drift over, but it was Lin Da who caught the Forest Dragon''s attention.


    At first, the Forest Dragon merely thought the human before it was a weak ant, to be casually crushed to death.


    But its bloodline suddenly throbbed, and the dying cries of the Young Dragon seemed to ring in its ears.


    The Revenge Mark responded.


    The Forest Dragon stared dumbfounded at the male adventurer, who was not even Level 30: he fell from the sky to the ground, even needing the help of a black whip to mitigate the impact force, and still gasped for breath upon landing. Was this feeble adventurer the killer of its offspring?


    Rage flared in the Forest Dragon''s golden eyes.


    Unforgivable!


    Only by devouring the flesh and soul of the human could it quell its anger!


    The Forest Dragon initially planned to crush the human before it with one foot but now changed its mind, intending to torture him slowly.


    It looked at Lin Da with its golden dragon eyes as Dragon''s Might silently spread.


    Countless humans had been frightened to death by this presence, revealing various ugly reactions.


    "Luck truly can''t always favor one," Lin Da sighed softly.


    He was barely able to withstand the Young Dragon''s Might, but facing the adult Forest Dragon, Lin Da felt as if every bone in his body was about to split apart.


    Creaking noises came from his knees, and intense pain throbbed rhythmically.


    The Magic Power inside him was like a startled mouse, futilely struggling to respond.


    The only good news was that he caught Tasya in midair. With Tasya''s current physical condition, she would likely have suffered serious injuries without his help.

 Chapter 376 307, I, Dark Shadow! _2

    And this maid was Lin Da''s only hope for a turnaround.He lifted his head, his heart full of emotion as he gazed up at the deep green giant dragon.


    What an arrogant, powerful creature!


    In its eyes shone a deep disdain for humanity. Without any movement, it simply watched calmly at him and Tasya.


    More than ninety percent of adventurers crumbled mentally upon encountering a giant dragon, and even those who were lucky enough to survive lost the courage to continue wielding a sword.


    A dragon was such a terrifying magical being.


    For a small portion of adventurers, it was a stepping stone necessary to wear the crown of honor, but for most, it marked the endpoint of their adventures.


    Tasya noticed Lin Da''s trembling body��not just Lin Da, she felt the same, unable to withstand the Forest Dragon''s might, their bodies spasming and shaking.


    It was only then that Tasya was struck with a realization, deeply aware that Lin Da was no longer the Dark Shadow of the past; they were in an unprecedented life-or-death crisis.


    This realization twisted in her gut, the bitterness spreading from her stomach to her mouth, sour and fiery, making her feel nauseous.


    She clenched her fists, using the last of her strength to support her legs, and fearfully stood up, pulling out her magic cannon.


    For someone like her, abandoned by her parents and raised by the Assassin Organization, a life filled with misfortune, perhaps this was the only ending she deserved.


    Tasya had thought she was finally on the verge of a sunlit path filled with flowers, but a giant dragon had swooped onto it.


    What saddened Tasya the most was that she had indirectly harmed Lin Da. If she had never existed, Lin Da wouldn''t have sought the dragon blood and attracted the Forest Dragon''s attention.


    The catalyst for the tragedy lay within herself.


    Tasya lowered her head in insecurity, her knuckles turning white from gripping the magic cannon too tightly. She almost wished she could drown in this physical pain to forget the agonizing pain before her.


    "Master, please let me cover our retreat."


    Tasya said hoarsely. Now, the only thing she could do was to use the witch''s power to delay the Forest Dragon as much as possible.


    "This is really a headache."


    Lin Da rubbed his temple, a look of helplessness on his face.


    He placed his hand on Tasya''s head, "To protect the maid of this team leader, let''s make an exception this time."


    "But only this time, from now on, remember, the leader of the Phoenix Tail Flower team is Lin Da, not the cold and ruthless Dark Shadow of the past, understand?"


    Tasya stared blankly at Lin Da, somewhat perplexed by the meaning behind his words.


    An exception this time?


    Lin Da was no longer able to use the power of the Dark Shadow, was he?


    "The scarf, I quite like it."


    Lin Da''s face broke into a mild smile, arranging the messy blue scarf around Tasya''s neck and tying it neatly.


    All along, the Forest Dragon was enjoying the performance of two ants.


    The bravado of adventurers in their life and death farewell was its favorite spectacle.


    "Is this... the scarf? The one I lost at the amusement park?"


    Tasya finally noticed the item on her neck.


    Lin Da nodded, "Lulu picked it up."


    "The fireworks festival, I wasn''t planning not to go��"


    "I know."


    Lin Da rubbed Tasya''s head.


    The soft silver hair adjusted in his palm, carrying the moisture of the night, faintly feeling Tasya''s body warmth.


    This made Lin Da sigh inwardly, the one he was touching was no longer a paper person, but a real woman.


    As the team leader, protecting his team members was his duty!


    "So, next Winter Festival, let''s go together. With Lulu, Monica, Kafni... and everyone. Together, to watch the fireworks festival, make a wish, without missing a single one."


    Lin Da said.


    "But..."


    Tasya pursed her lips, her expression tense as she looked behind Lin Da.


    Like a fisherman on a boat holding a harpoon, wearing a playful smile, ready to catch small fry. The calm demeanor of the Forest Dragon was terrifying.


    Tasya found it hard to imagine how they could escape from under the dragon''s gaze.


    Lin Da put a finger to Tasya''s soft lips.


    "Just like ''that time'', leave it to me."


    "To protect my team members, I will kill that Forest Dragon."


    Lin Da slowly turned, facing the oppressive might of the dragon as he walked over.


    His demeanor was relaxed and casual, not even casting the Verdant Shield around himself, nor drawing the sword at his side.


    His entire body was open to attack.


    Not just Tasya was confused, even the Forest Dragon was as well.


    The large dragon eyes blinked, watching Lin Da with uncertainty.


    Approaching a giant dragon unarmed?


    Even the Sunrise Level leader, the burly man who wielded the Golden Greatsword, did not dare be so arrogant.


    Could it be that the other party possessed some hidden powerful force?


    Despite thinking this, no matter how many times the Forest Dragon scouted, it could find not a hint of a threat on the adventurer in front of it.


    At that moment, Lin Da made a move.


    The Forest Dragon narrowed its eyes.


    But what Lin Da did was quite nonsensical.


    He opened his Space Ring and took out a windbreaker.


    The windbreaker was as black as ink, adorned with many blood-red patterns.


    Lin Da slowly put it on.


    The Forest Dragon was even more baffled.


    Was he tidying himself up before death? Explore stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    This coat had actually been tailor-made for Lin Da after he was attacked by Mingli, in case it might be useful someday.


    Indeed, the windbreaker itself had no magic power.


    It was just an ordinary piece of clothing.


    But whether the coat was real or not didn''t matter.


    What was important was whether his teammates believed it.


    Immediately, Lin Da took out a second item.


    A pure white mask, revealing only the eyes.


    Seeing this object, Lin Da felt a wave of nostalgia.


    It embodied his most invested role, the Shadow of Darkness, which he poured the most heart, energy, and money into.


    The moment Lin Da touched the mask, his emotions surged as if he were back in the days of the Primitive Adventure Team.


    He had led a group of girls in combat against Giant Dragons and abyssal demons, and even haughty celestial beasts had been shot down to the earth.


    Lin Da had indeed walked such a long journey.


    The Shadow of Darkness was a projection of his soul.


    "If Tasya cannot witness it with her own eyes, she won''t be able to believe me deep inside,"


    even though stacks of ironclad evidence lay before her.


    But after all,


    Lin Da had never transformed into the Shadow of Darkness in front of his teammates.


    Though Lulu and Monica trusted him,


    because of Tasya''s excessive initial trust, it was not easy for her to believe.


    Even if her subjective consciousness, her sense of reason, concluded that he was indeed the Shadow of Darkness, her subconscious still harbored a sliver of doubt.


    Unless that hint of doubt was dispelled, Lin Da could never unlock Tasya''s trust bar.


    It was at this moment that Lin Da had an epiphany.


    To make the maid believe he was the Shadow of Darkness, he had to transform.


    The prerequisite for transformation was for Tasya to believe in him and to obtain the "Shadow of Darkness Experience Card."


    It seemed like an unsolvable deadlock.


    But at this moment,


    Lin Da was about to create a miracle by bluffing.


    With the pure white faceless mask on, Lin Da''s steps grew even more composed.


    No one knew that his bones had long been shattered under the intense pressure of the Dragon''s Might, held together solely by Recovery Magic Power.


    The mask was also to thank.


    No one could see Lin Da''s expression.


    Be it the wind, the night, or Tasya behind him, they could only see Lin Da''s arrogant stride.


    As if Lin Da was not facing a Giant Dragon, but a mere ant that could be crushed with a flick of his hand.


    Lin Da''s silhouette told all creatures what true arrogance was! S��arch* The ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He stretched out his right hand horizontally, his fingers loosely curled, as if to pull something from the space.


    This posture of power directly intimidated the Forest Dragon, eliciting a deep growl from its throat.


    Its burly hind legs slowly shifted backward, its large dragon eyes looking at Lin Da with heightened vigilance.


    "#@%, &����#*#...!"


    An obscure and difficult language emanated from Lin Da''s mouth, reverberating through the mountains and forests.


    And this was the iconic line of the Shadow of Darkness as he drew his sword to enter battle mode.


    Its meaning was �� "This moment is the time of judgment!"

 Chapter 377 308, Demon Sword Loli [Philoceeld]

    The cold night wind blew Tasya''s scarf around her neck, and her long silver hair danced like silk satin.Tasya stared incredulously ahead, covering her mouth, her body losing strength from excitement and sitting on the ground in a squatting position.


    In her emerald pupils, the raging mountain fire and the roaring giant dragon were reflected, but they all blended into the background, focusing on a dark silhouette ahead.


    It merged with someone from her memory into one.


    Large teardrops rolled down from her eyes, and Tasya sobbed without a sound.


    Only at this moment did she believe the reality before her.


    Shadow of Darkness, leader of the Primitive Adventure Team, was right in front of her.


    Lin Da was the Shadow of Darkness, the Shadow of Darkness was Lin Da!


    As an invisible barrier between them shattered, Lin Da heard a system prompt by his ear.


    [Witch Tasya''s Trust Bar Unlocked!]


    The "special effects" finally dscended.


    The moment he used the Shadow of Darkness Experience Card, a tremendous surge of magic power flowed into Lin Da''s body.


    His body flashed with twisting arcs of black electricity, cracking like the gathering of thunderbolts condensed to the size of a thumb, each arc holding power enough to destroy space.


    The pressure from Dragon''s Might vanished instantly; Lin Da felt as if his body had expanded thousands of times, making a thirty-meter wingspan Forest Dragon seem as tiny as a water flea. Enjoy new stories from My Virtual Library Empire


    Lin Da felt, at that moment, like he was the dominator of the Dragon Forest.


    No one could resist his power, everything was within his control.


    His black coat and mask burned completely away, to be replaced by the real "Flawless Face" and "Shadow Seal."


    Both items reached ''Primordial 10 Stars'', a quality surpassing legendary, top-tier equipment!


    The Flawless Face, crafted from the shattered crystals of the sky, even the strongest on the continent couldn''t discern the true face of its wearer.


    The coat of Shadow Seal could resist 50% of physical attacks, forged from the depths of the abyss with shadow demons, boosting dark attribute attacks by 100% when worn.


    Their levels were "Infinite", always matching the level of their owner.


    Yet, these weren''t the strongest equipment of the Shadow of Darkness.


    In Lin Da''s loosely clenched right hand, black flames burst forth, and a fierce sword cry sounded as a dark magic sword appeared out of thin air.


    The hilt was inlaid with deep red gems, with two curved demonic horns at the very bottom, the blade was a palm-width, engraved with a string of ancient demonic runes.


    This was the magic sword forged from the void fire: Philosheld!


    A detached female voice emanated from within the sword:


    "My Lord, I''ve finally awaited your call, please use this body to your heart''s content."


    The magic sword Philosheld, upon reaching its limit, could awaken and possess a Tool Soul.


    At that moment, Lin Da hadn''t regained all the power of the Shadow of Darkness, Philo could only reside in the sword and converse with him. If she were to manifest, she would be a petite barefoot girl with purple hair.


    "Philo, it''s been a while, as your master, I will make good use of you."


    A hint of emotion flickered across Lin Da''s eyes.


    His fingers caressed the blade, formed from black flames, as if petting a beloved beast.


    He seemed to see that icy-cool lolita girl comfortably squinting her eyes in front of him.


    Among all the team members he owned, Philo was one of Lin Da''s favorites.


    Not only was she a legal lolita, but she also possessed formidable strength, mismatched with her appearance.


    He murmured to himself, "So the level after using the Experience Card is 50, huh? The system really won''t give me the full power of the Shadow of Darkness from my prime."


    "But still, level 50 is enough."


    Lin Da spread his black magic wings and flew into the air.


    From his lofty vantage point, he pointed the magic sword towards the Forest Dragon, "Die."


    The third purple rune on the sword lit up, and the petite purple-haired girl''s vague form twinkled in the night sky.


    She was dressed in a black dress, her long purple hair grew all the way down to her pristine white feet, her exquisite face devoid of any emotion, looking down indifferently at the Forest Dragon below.


    The girl''s tender lips parted, heralding the arrival of the end for her foes.


    "Rare Technique: Void Split Slash."


    A vertical slash of pitch-black sword light, as if crossing through space, appeared instantly on the body of the Forest Dragon.


    At this moment, the Forest Dragon still couldn''t understand what had happened.


    What kind of monsters were this floating black figure and that purple-haired little girl?


    The Forest Dragon had lived for over a hundred years and had never encountered such a terrifying opponent.


    The opponent had been a mere level 26 adventurer a moment before, but then erupted with the power of a Light Rank Adventurer.


    If it were just a normal Light Rank, that would be tolerable.


    The Forest Dragon, being of draconic kin, possessed hard Dragon Scales and a robust body.


    Facing a Light Rank Adventurer, if it couldn''t win, it could still flee.


    But that is, if it were a normal Light Rank Adventurer!


    The Forest Dragon looked up in terror at the black silhouette in the sky; fighting was out of the question, its body trembled like a sieve, unable to even flap its wings to escape.


    Its instincts had already submitted, its hind limbs kneeling on the ground like livestock awaiting slaughter.


    Though the adventurer was only level 50, his aura was more terrifying than those top Light Ranks at level 59!


    As the Void Split Slash descended, pitch-black flames erupted within the Forest Dragon. S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Its massive body split into two halves, falling to either side.


    Unable to withstand even a single strike, the Forest Dragon''s life barrier, previously over a million, was wiped out in an instant.


    The Forest Dragon, which even three Sun Adventure Groups at level 49 had failed to subdue, was slain by Lin Da with a single sword slash!


    The body of the Forest Dragon crashed to the ground, toppling surrounding trees and raising a cloud of dust.

 Chapter 378 308, Magic Sword Loli [Philo Shield]_2

    Tasya stared unwaveringly ahead, her face flushed with excitement, her legs cramped. Her hands pressed firmly against her chest, as if only the pain there could convince her this was not a dream.The leader of the Phoenix Tail Flower, Lin Da, was indeed the Dark Shadow.


    Tasya''s last doubts completely dissipated.


    Like most members of the Primitive Adventure Team, Tasya also adored Lin Da. First, because Lin Da had helped them a lot; and second, because of Lin Da''s invincible power after transforming into the Dark Shadow.


    In his lifetime, he had never tasted defeat!


    Before the Dark Shadow disappeared, his power was even greater than it is now.


    But even so, he was no match for a Forest Dragon.


    As soon as the Dark Shadow drew his sword, Tasya and her teammates knew that the trouble had been dealt with, all enemies would perish under the magic sword.


    This was the Dark Shadow.


    He was the incarnation of "invincibility," the most talented adventure team leader in the Royal Capital, supported by the Duke of Cold Moon, one of the four guardian flames, famously called ''the adventurer with the most potential to reach the top of the World Tree''.


    At that moment, what Tasya saw were black flames shooting straight into the night sky, hundreds of meters high.


    His sword light slew the giant dragon, melting trees and rocks along its path.


    A terrifying ravine, a hundred meters long and up to fifty meters wide in a fan shape, was carved into the earth.


    Any adventurer seeing this would hardly believe that a Light Rank adventurer could achieve it.


    With the magic sword "Philo Shield" and the cloak "Shadow Seal," Lin Da''s combat power was incalculable. Enjoy exclusive content from My Virtual Library Empire


    These equipments were the fruits of Lin Da''s countless nights of dungeon raids and hard work.


    By relying on the Dark Shadow, he had supported himself and his sister, even saving quite a bit of money.


    How powerful this character was could be imagined.


    "My lord, I feel the seal strengthening, I must part from you for a while."


    The melancholic voice of the magic sword Philo came through.


    Lin Da also felt the power of the Experience Card waning.


    According to the system description, the duration of the Experience Card''s effect was greatly related to one''s own level.


    The higher one''s own level, the higher the level of the transformed Dark Shadow.


    The longer the usage time.


    At the current level of 26, it was just one swing of the sword.


    "Philo, rest for now, I believe we will meet again soon."


    Lin Da nodded.


    Facing the Tool Soul girl in the magic sword, he chose to maintain the somewhat dramatic tone of the Dark Shadow.


    In the game, to subdue Philo, he had had to defeat her forcefully.


    Lin Da had to maintain the mystery and strength of the Dark Shadow to prevent the Tool Soul from rebelling.


    Before being subdued, Philo was essentially a little witch, having killed numerous Shadow creatures.


    He had barely won thanks to the abundance of potions in his backpack.


    "My lord, I look forward to our reunion."


    The black flames entwined around his body quietly receded.


    Lin Da felt his body go limp, so limp that he couldn''t even breathe and fell straight from mid-air.


    It seemed using the Experience Card was not without a price.


    Lin Da felt as if he''d been drained dry by a group of succubi, not a drop of water left.


    Fortunately, Tasya had recovered enough to leap up and catch him securely in her arms.


    The intense motion caused her to...sway back and forth,


    Lin Da''s face suffered a painful blow, and everything went dark before his eyes, nearly causing him to pass out.


    "Master, are you alright?" Tasya held him tight anxiously.


    "I can hardly breathe."


    Lin Da''s mouth and nose were blocked, he could only smell a fragrant scent, but fresh air couldn''t enter his lungs at all.


    "I''m sorry, I was disrespectful."


    Tasya quickly let Lin Da out.


    Lin Da took deep breaths, and after drinking two bottles of Mana Recovery Potion, was finally able to walk normally.


    He looked at the silver-haired maid, her eyes misty, a look of guilt mixed with emotion, and he gently smiled, pulling her into a hug and stroking her trembling little head:


    "I wouldn''t want to be mistaken as a master who bullies his maid. If you''re going to cry, save it for when we reach the top of the World Tree, turn them into tears of joy, and scatter them with everyone."


    "Yes."


    Tasya, nowhere near her usual aloof demeanor, curled her lips into a slight smile, nestled against Lin Da''s chest like a well-behaved kitten, gently sniffing her master''s scent, her body completely softening.


    The heart-stopping embrace invigorated Lin Da, feeling as if energy had been injected into his body.


    Starting today, he was officially a captain with his own dedicated maid.


    Because of his encouraging hug just now, Tasya''s trust level had unexpectedly increased by two points, reaching an astonishing 95 points.


    He didn''t know what rewards reaching full trust level could bring.


    Lin Da clicked on the trust meter to check, at the end there was a black package with a red ribbon, a gift box with a big question mark on it.


    The 90-point trust level came with the Shadow of Darkness Experience Card; surely 100 points wouldn''t be worse.


    But the final five points of trust were harder to earn than reaching the heavens.


    Lin Da didn''t plan to force it.


    He wiped a small pearl from the corner of Tasya''s eye and, holding her soft hand, moved forward.


    After the Forest Dragon died, its body turned to ashes and dissipated.


    A mass of golden light, the size of a water tank, remained in its place.


    It was ten times larger than that of its offspring.


    As expected of a mature giant dragon, the rewards were plentiful.


    Aside from the rewards for slaying the Forest Dragon, there were eight other notifications in Lin Da''s system message bar.


    These were prizes unlocked after accessing Tasya''s trust meter.


    At a glance, each item was of remarkable quality.


    Some even made Lin Da''s heart skip a beat with excitement.


    Taking advantage of the golden light from the Forest Dragon, which was in ''random generation'' mode of the World Tree Goddess''s blessings, in ''loading'' state, Lin Da used this time to first check the system messages.


    [You have received trust reward: Level 34 Orange Helmet, Orange Breastplate, Orange Boots, Orange Jewelry X2, Magic Scroll Super*Charge, Level 34 Epic 1-star Magic Cannon, Legendary Oath Ring (Tasya*Min), Shadow of Darkness Experience Card (used)]


    A full set of level 34 orange equipment!


    Lin Da quickly scanned them; the attributes focused mainly on strength and attack speed, perfectly fitting for Tasya''s magic cannon profession.


    There was also the epic 1-star magic cannon weapon.


    If he equipped Tasya with all of these once her body was fully recovered, soloing Hulus would be a piece of cake.


    Although Tasya had now used dragon blood to neutralize her poisoning, she needed some time to recover and could probably only exert half her battle strength.


    In addition, there was an epic-level magic scroll, Super*Charge.


    It was an upgraded version of Lia''s energy charging skill.


    The magic scroll could only be used once, with the effect of doubling the power of the next attack.


    It was extremely practical, definitely a trump card to hold onto. S��ar?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then there was the legendary equipment, Oath Ring (Tasya*Min).


    [Equipment Description: A ring from Tasya''s 80-point trust level, the wearer''s agility is increased by 30%]


    The ring was silver, delicately and elegantly crafted, seemingly with moonlight flowing over it, absolutely stunning.


    The attributes were also very impressive.


    Increase agility by 30%!


    Percentage increase equipment was very valuable, usable from level 1 to max level without any issues.


    Inside Lin Da''s system backpack, there lay another ring.


    From Lulu, it could increase strength by 30%.


    He thought about giving it away when he found a chance.


    Lin Da thought to himself: giving the Oath Ring too early before seemed premature, easy to be taken for a fool.


    Now, it seemed the timing wasn''t a problem anymore.


    If possible, he needed to find the right setting.


    Giving the Oath Ring could also increase the trust level.


    At this moment, the golden light formed by slaying the giant dragon had finished condensing.


    Lin Da''s train of thought was interrupted.


    The golden light shot toward him, striking his chest.


    The Divine Light indicating the rise in adventurer level fell continuously.


    Since the Forest Dragon was classified under wild BOSS magical creatures, defeating it earned rewards and experience points.


    Under the infusion of the Divine Light, Lin Da''s depleted magic power replenished rapidly; his body was teeming with a warm flow, like drinking a nourishing chicken soup, filled with inexhaustible energy in all his limbs and bones.


    Even if faced with ten lustful succubi, Lin Da could confidently say he wasn''t afraid at all.


    Strength, surging continuously!


    "Awesome, this is just awesome."


    Lin Da cheerfully shouted in his mind.


    It felt like relieving a three-day constipation with a long flush, squeezing out a nose pimple, and holding hands with the team members stepping onto the ladder of adulthood��


    Lin Da''s mind went blank, filled with the joy of leveling up.

 Chapter 379 309, Stepping into Star Rank, burst out powerful Skill Books

    Lin Da heard a system notification by his ear:[Killed the Wilderness Guardian (Regional Boss) of Dragon Forest, an Epic Five-star Forest Dragon, Level 49, gained 2 million Experience Points!]


    [Your level has increased from 26 to 31. Current Experience Points: 153,000/800,000]


    The Forest Dragon was not in its prime state, having been worn down by three Sun Adventure Groups, so the Experience Points Lin Da gained were not that substantial.


    Even so.


    Two million Experience Points raised Lin Da''s level from 26 to 31.


    He ascended five levels in one go, stepping into the Star Rank!


    All along, Lin Da''s level had been on the lower end among his peers.


    As a team leader, he never mentioned it, but it somewhat bothered him internally.


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    Especially since Proud Dwarf Bear''s Lia often brought up level differences, leaving him unable to retort.


    But today, Lin Da reached Level 31.


    Officially surpassing Lia.


    Knowing that guy, he would probably be green with envy.


    A slight smile appeared on Lin Da''s lips.


    [System Notification: You have mastered the skill: ''Momentum'']


    [Ultimate Skill Guardian Sword Enhanced: Receivers of the Guardian Shield''s blessing will immediately recover 50% of their maximum Hit Points]


    [Ultimate Skill Poison Dragon''s Roar Enhanced: Initial attack damage increased from ''Greatly'' to ''Extremely Greatly'']


    [You have entered the Star Rank, gaining one-time extra attribute boosts: Hit Points +2000, All Ability Values +200]


    A surge of power coursed through his body.


    Lin Da hummed comfortably.


    Having been in this world for nearly three years, he had finally entered the Star Rank.


    From here on out, he was among the top-tier adventurers of White Dove City.


    The attribute boosts from ascending five levels together, his current personal panel read:


    Name: Lin Da


    Level: 31


    Occupation: Chosen Healing Hero


    Hit Points: 17,200


    Magic Power: 3,880


    Strength: 3,880


    Defense: 580


    Magic Defense: 697


    Agility: 501 S��arch* The n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Extra Bonus: Skill casting speed +10%


    Resistance: Poison Resistance 30%, Earth System Resistance 20%


    Experience Points: 153,000/800,000


    Remaining Skill Points: 11


    ...


    "With my current strength, facing Nacho and the others, I definitely stand a chance,"


    "But probably Nacho has already perished at the hands of the Forest Dragon, what a pity, I missed the opportunity to get revenge personally!"


    Lin Da clenched his fists, feeling regret.


    Back then, he was only Level 26, and even with Lia''s help, he had no confidence in defeating three Star Rankers.


    His own agility was too low, and he feared the Star Rank''s ''Momentum,'' being a burden to Lia.


    Now, however, it was different.


    Teaming up with Lia, Lin Da felt confident about taking on Nacho and his team.


    And now... with the sidekick Tasya at Level 34, whose hidden Witch State and rewarded magic cannonier equipment from the system.


    Undoubtedly, among the Luanwei Flower, Snow Goose, and Ice Flower adventure teams, the strongest in personal combat was this foul-mouthed, silver-haired maid.


    Even if Tasya had not fully recovered, only able to exert half of her strength,


    she could still dominate those members of the Doomsday Sect around Level 30.


    Lin Da''s combat ability was also not weak.


    Both his ultimate skills had received enhancements.


    Guardian Sword transformed into Shield Enhancement and Integrated Regeneration, divine skills of healing and saving lives.


    Poison Dragon''s Roar increased damage.


    Overall, it was inferior to the Guardian Sword.


    After all, the former came from the occupation, Chosen Healing Hero.


    Additionally, Lin Da unlocked two new skills.


    AoE, continuous damage [Toxic Purple Mist].


    Higher recovery amount [Intermediate Healing Spell].


    Lin Da''s previous Primary Healing Spell could heal 2500 in one go.


    The recovery amount of the Intermediate Healing Spell could reach over 4000!


    At the same time.


    The spoils of war in the golden light revealed their true nature.


    "That is..."


    Lin Da and Tasya exchanged glances, both utterly astonished.


    Their luck was a bit frightening.


    They hit the jackpot with one of the rarest types of magic items: a Skill Book!


    ...


    ...


    About twenty li from there, the members of the Holy Rock Adventure Team were flying with ashen faces.


    The Leader of the Holy Rock Group''s ''Holy Law'' shielded them from the Forest Dragon''s barrage of light spheres, but the team was heavily injured and morale was low.


    Several of the rear position members still couldn''t stop shaking.


    Drinking water resulted in spilled pants; using the restroom required heavy effort.


    The dread induced by the Dragon''s Might penetrated deep into their souls.


    They could not endure it simply with courage and will alone.


    They needed a Psychic Priest, kind words and healing.


    Like lying on a lap pillow, basked in the warm Holy Light, being cooed to sleep like a little baby.


    Psychic Priests are usually pretty, big-hearted elder sisters.


    Charging up to ten thousand Gold Coins for one session, it would take at least ten visits to heal the psychological scars left by Dragon''s Might.


    "Where did the dragon go!?"


    Unlike those ''cowards'' who just wanted to snuggle in the elder sister''s arms, or even do something naughty, some adventurers inherently have stronger souls and are better at resisting Dragon''s Might.


    These individuals typically seem irritable, reckless, partial to helpless rage, and do not care about others'' feelings.


    In short, they are not very high in either IQ or EQ.


    At this moment, the Leader of the Holy Rock Group, Rocher, with his golden hair disheveled, roared upward into the sky.


    This muscular man''s eyes frantically shot around as he looked down from the sky in search of the Forest Dragon.


    "Leader, let it go."


    "That kind of monster is beyond us," a man in a deep blue mage robe with thick eyebrows said gloomily.


    Bervis also suggested, "Father, there are plenty more opportunities to slay dragons, it''s not urgent this time."


    "No, you don''t understand, that dragon has surely reached its last legs, we have a chance to kill it! Don''t you crave the rewards for subjugating the Forest Dragon, the title of Dragon Slayer?"


    Rocher''s eyes bulged like bells, the scars on his face from the barrage of light spheres reopened, and fresh blood flowed like little rivers.


    He sternly said, "Unless we kill the Forest Dragon, no one is allowed to return!"

 Chapter 380 309, Stepping into Star Rank, burst out powerful Skill Books_2

    "The team leader has gone mad again..." the Elf Swordsman sighed in distress.Everyone was trying to find a way to console Rocher.


    At that moment.


    A loud boom came from the distance.


    The sword light condensed by Black Flame swept across the land.


    All things seemed to turn into fragile cream cakes, lightly brushed by the sword light, leaving a terrifying fan-shaped gap on the ground.


    Rocher instantly shut his mouth.


    Even though he was more than a dozen miles away from the sword light, Rocher, the veteran Moon rank adventurer, still got goosebumps all over his body.


    He didn''t feel the slightest bit cowardly when facing the breath of a Forest Dragon.


    But looking in the direction of the sword light was like looking into the depths of the abyss of death.


    Rocher''s hand, holding the great sword, shook uncontrollably, as if electrocuted.


    That was an existence absolutely invincible, impossible to compete with. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Dark attribute presence, adventurer, or Magical Creature?"


    "If it''s an adventurer, it has to be at least Light Rank! And a very top-notch one at that!"


    Rocher muttered, "Why would a Light Rank Big Shot come here? We local adventurers only learned about the Forest Dragon not long ago, and that shouldn''t have leaked. Light Rank, where did it come from?"


    The rest of the Holy Rock Adventure Team were equally puzzled.


    To become a Light Rank Adventurer, one would be considered a strong individual within the province.


    They only saw a Light Rank instructor once a year when they went to Cyan City for training.


    At other times, the Light Ranks seemed so distant as if they didn''t exist at all.


    Such Big Shots were concentrated on the 25th level of the Great Mystery Continent.


    To guard the World Tree, they fought against the invading Demon adventurers.


    The treasures of the Forest Dragon were valuable, but the Light Rank wouldn''t come all this way to compete with them, a group of Sunrise Level adventurers.


    In the Great Mystery Continent, there were many more things valuable than the Forest Dragon.


    They didn''t need to stoop so low to come here.


    Rocher wanted to go and check it out, but he was afraid it might be a Magical Creature.


    "Let''s just keep an eye out, maybe there''s a hidden Light Rank in one of the three nearby cities."


    "Dark attribute is very rare, and once it appears, it''s easy to track."


    "It''s not often that you get a chance to learn from a Light Rank Adventurer, I must seize it well."


    Rocher quickly thought to himself.


    Because the noise from the Void Split Slash released by Lin Da after transforming into the Dark Shadow was too loud, all the adventurers in the Dragon Forest took notice.


    They each stopped what they were doing, looking toward the depths of the forest with uncertainty and apprehension.


    What exactly happened there?


    The roar of the Forest Dragon spread for hundreds of miles, but since that boom, everything went quiet.


    It was like a tavern being raided by the Knights Order, where the sound of poker faded away in an instant.


    "Could it be, the Forest Dragon has been subdued?" Stay connected through My Virtual Library Empire


    This thought occurred to each and every adventurer''s mind.


    An adventurer who slays a dragon would be entitled to the honorific of Dragon Slayer.


    This was a recognition that could make an adventurer''s name be remembered for a hundred years in the land.


    They admired, envied, and with a sense of awe, respectfully looked towards the direction of the loud noise.


    "The presence of the Forest Dragon, it''s gone?"


    Hu Er, who had unfolded his cyan Battle Qi Twin Wings and fled to the outer area, scratched his head, puzzled, stopping in midair.


    The moment the Forest Dragon appeared, Hu Er activated all his Battle Qi and fled frantically, fearing being targeted.


    That was a monster that even three Sunrise Level adventure groups couldn''t trap, he had no chance on his own.


    And now, Hu Er could no longer sense the presence of the Forest Dragon.


    Based on his experience as an adventurer for over a decade, he judged that, nine times out of ten, the Forest Dragon had been vanquished.


    "It''s a Light Rank Adventurer!"


    "Such a Big Shot, why would they come to the Dragon Forest of the tenth level?"


    Hu Er was full of doubts.


    He was tempted to go back and take a look to satisfy his curiosity, yet also worried about encountering unexpected danger.


    This was the depths of the Dragon Forest where the Empire''s laws couldn''t reach.


    If his actions angered a Light Rank and he was casually slain, there would be no place in hell to seek justice.


    "Wait a second��"


    Suddenly, a possibility emerged in Hu Er''s mind.


    It was an unbelievable speculation: could it be that Lin Da or the silver-haired woman had slain the Forest Dragon?


    Hu Er''s chest tightened, almost vomiting out the durian pizza he had eaten the night before.


    Fortunately, upon giving it a little thought, he came to the conclusion it was impossible.


    If Lin Da and Tasya had that kind of power, they would have chopped him into feces already, why would they let him escape?


    ```


    "I wonder which city that Light Rank came from. If it''s White Dove City or Red Heart City, that''s bad news. Hopefully, they''re just passing through from somewhere else..."


    Hu Er muttered to himself, withdrawing his gaze as his Battle Qi Twin Wings waved, continuing his rush toward the outskirts of Dragon Forest.


    Shhh��


    A sword light flashed past Hu Er, and his fox tail lost quite a few hairs.


    "Who!?"


    Hu Er shrieked, turning his head in shock to look.


    In flight, it was a woman in a black robe, with a curvaceous figure.


    She wore a ghostly mask with two eye sockets that seemed to weep, staring intently at Hu Er.


    "Doomsday Sect?"


    Hu Er''s face changed color.


    The one who appeared was none other than Lady Bai Mian.


    Since Lin headed to Cyan City, Lady Bai Mian had temporarily taken charge, and she had successfully broken through to Moon Rank.


    Lady Bai Mian licked her lips, smiling radiantly as she drew her long sword, the blood still not wiped clean from it.


    "My luck seems good tonight. It looks like I might claim the third Moon Rank head?"


    ...


    ...


    "This is!"


    Both Lin Da and Tasya showed incredulous expressions on their faces.


    Within the golden light lingering from the corpse of the Forest Dragon, a deep purple book appeared.


    On its cover was a lifelike image of a Forest Dragon, surrounded by a ring of Magic Runes.


    Skill Book.


    One of the rarest magic items!


    "Forest Dragon, a mixed-attribute Dragon Species with Grass System as the main element, second attribute being Recovery Series. In ancient times, they were the servants of the White Dragons."


    In his mind, Lin Da quickly recalled the background of the Forest Dragons.


    This meant the Skill Book could only be either Grass System or Recovery Series.


    If it was the latter, he could study it directly and master a powerful skill inherited from the Forest Dragon.


    Lin Da''s heart thumped, and he quickened his pace toward it.


    The Skill Book lay buried within a small mountain of loot formed by Gold Coins, topped with a thick layer of Purple Gold Coins, roughly totaling hundreds at a glance.


    Just the exploded Purple Gold Coins themselves were worth a million.


    And this was after Lin Da killed a weakened Forest Dragon, with the rewards decreased.


    If normally killing a Forest Dragon, the scale of the loot pile would be at least a size bigger.


    With Tasya keeping watch, Lin Da began to clean up the spoils.


    The first item he picked up was the Skill Book.


    With one glance, the attribute panel popped up.


    [Item: Skill Book]


    [Name: Forest Dragon''s Rage Fang]


    [Quality: Epic Four-Star]


    [Category: Rare Technique (usable times: 2)]


    [Attribute: Recovery Series]


    [Skill Description: Summon the Vine Dragon, deal ''substantial'' damage to the enemy]


    "It''s actually a Rare Technique Skill Book, and it''s of the less common Recovery Series, yet it has attack damage!"


    Lin Da thought to himself, elated.


    Recovery Series skills lack attack damage, relying on poison for slow harm, a weak point for him.


    But Forest Dragon''s Rage Fang, belonging to Recovery Series, could deal an extra 50% damage to Shadow Life, and it was a Rare Technique.


    This was a type of attack only second to Ultimate Skills, with the advantage of being usable more times.


    When adventurers first encounter Rare Techniques, they usually had to reach level 40, becoming a Moon Rank adventurer.


    Lin Da, through this Skill Book, was enjoying some of the power belonging to Moon Rank early.


    The damage from Forest Dragon''s Rage Fang was ''substantial,'' equivalent to an unenhanced Poison Dragon''s Roar.


    But the former could be released twice!


    Not governed by the adventurers'' duel rules: blatantly releasing an Ultimate Skill is akin to murder, forbidden by the empire, but Rare Techniques are different, still within the scope of sparring.


    If Lin Da were inside the empire''s domain, and got into a fight with other adventurers, as long as they were below level 40, it would mean Lin Da had an additional powerful Rare Technique.


    The boost was significant.


    Lin Da flipped through the Skill Book, bit his finger to draw blood, and activated the internal Array.


    The text turned into a fine stream, rushing into his forehead.


    Bathed in the essence of understanding.


    The warm flow of knowledge entered Lin Da''s body.


    Like warming his head with a large dumpling, his head heated up!


    ```

 Chapter 381 310. Mastering a Rare Technique, the Anomaly of Dragon Forest

    [System Prompt: You''ve mastered the Rare Technique ''Forest Dragon''s Rage Fang,'' current proficiency level 1, upgradable.]Like Ultimate Skills, each level up of a Rare Technique requires two Skill Points.


    Lin Da already had 11 Skill Points.


    Without another word, he silently decided to add points.


    [Consumed 6 Skill Points, the level of Forest Dragon''s Rage Fang has been upgraded from lv1 to lv4, attack distance increased to a maximum diameter of 50 meters, number of uses +1!]


    [Upgrading to lv5 requires 2 Golden Skill Points, which is currently not possible!]


    Lin Da kept adding until he could add no more, and then he stopped.


    With the high-damage Rare Technique ''Forest Dragon''s Rage Fang'' that can be used three times, his own combat power had increased significantly, and he was no longer just an iron can taking hits.


    In addition to that, reaching level 30 also unlocked two new skills: [Toxic Purple Mist] and [Intermediate Healing Spell].


    Lin Da spent 2 Skill Points to learn both.


    The remaining 3 Skill Points were saved for later.


    The spoils of the war-like bounty were also stored in the Space Ring.


    Inside, there were around 10,000 Gold Coins and 101 Purple Gold Coins.


    A square crystal bottle filled with [Dragon Blood].


    Estimated to be 1000 milliliters. S��ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The third item was a Forest Dragon Magic Core, Epic Five-star level 49.


    This was impressive, valued at over 8 million Gold Coins on the market.


    As long as Lin Da sold the Forest Dragon Magic Core, he could solve the equipment problems of the entire team.


    He seemed to have struck it rich overnight.


    The last item acquired came from the system.


    For slaying the Magical Creatures in the World Tree''s trial, he received 500,000 Diamonds!


    Although the journey through the Dragon Forest was dangerous, the gains were considerable.


    The combined value of the various items was nearly 20 million.


    Lin Da had also risen from level 26 to 31, becoming a Star-ranked adventurer.


    And he had won over Tasya, a level 34 Wind Attribute Magic Cannoneer, greatly enhancing the overall strength of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    "Becoming Iron Level is just around the corner!"


    Lin Da felt extremely exhilarated.


    The 11th to 13th floors of the World Tree posed no difficulty for the current Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    Once they passed, they would receive considerable rewards from the World Tree Goddess.


    It''s only the 14th floor''s Emotion Secret Realm, and the 16th and 17th floors'' Light Series specialized Mystic Realms that were more troublesome.


    "The top priority is to leave the Dragon Forest and use the Teleportation Stone to return to White Dove City," Lin Da looked toward the dense forest ahead.


    Since the event ''Calamity of the Forest Dragon'' began, six hours had passed.


    However, the closing time of the Great Mystery Continent was today at noon.


    Lin Da had to leave the Dragon Forest with Tasya within the remaining six hours!


    Under normal circumstances, this would not have been a problem.


    Both were Star-ranked adventurers, and their travel speed far exceeded that of level 20 adventurers.


    It would only have taken three to four hours to reach the public Adventure Zone and lift the Dragon Forest''s restriction on using ''teleportation-type'' items.


    But the problem was...


    With the Dragon Forest in turmoil due to the Doomsday Sect, it became a mess.


    Magical Creatures, stimulated by the arrays, became exceptionally ferocious.


    Goblins around level 10 dared to attack adventurers over level 20.


    Besides these Magical Creatures, there were also Doomsday Sect members hiding in the shadows.


    If it were a smooth journey, leaving the Dragon Forest would not be difficult.


    But the frenzied Magical Creatures and the Doomsday Sect added many uncertainties.


    Lin Da''s brows furrowed tighter and tighter, he used his legs to leap onto the branches, moving alongside Tasya: "Let''s not delay; we must leave the Dragon Forest as quickly as possible!"


    They didn''t even have time to look for Lulu and the others.


    With only six hours left before the Great Mystery Continent closed,


    Searching for someone in the vast and complex terrain of the forest would only make them busier.


    They would discuss further plans after returning to the public Adventure Zone.


    He believed they all shared this understanding.


    The only thing Lin Da was worried about was a certain red-headed dwarf.


    She wouldn''t be foolish enough to keep looking for him alone in the forest...


    While Lia might appear clumsy most of the time, she was quite caring about her companions when it mattered.


    Right then, Tasya''s expression tightened, she grabbed Lin Da''s sleeve, and whispered, "Master, adventurers are approaching, with a very distinct Dark Magic Power!"


    Lin Da blinked, trying to sense any disturbance but noticed nothing.


    Tasya, level 34, had stronger perception than Lin Da, the newly promoted level 31 Star-ranked adventurer.


    He contemplated: Dark Magic Power, it could be members of the Doomsday Sect.


    The two held their breath and hid in the dense canopy of the trees.


    Lin Da, supporting himself against the trunk, looked down, a trace of chill flickering in his eyes.


    Killing heretics of the Doomsday Sect didn''t burden his conscience one bit.


    ...


    Three minutes earlier.


    "Lanwei, these two Shadow Leeches are yours to command. You must capture Lin Da, or you know the consequences," Hulus''s face behind the mask was clouded with gloom.


    Just moments ago, a pale blue figure had vanished into the distance.


    The man Hulus had ordered around was named Lanwei, a 31-level Spearman with medium build and golden short hair.


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    Lanwei touched the spiked black collar around his neck with a brief flash of resentment in his eyes.


    "Understood, Lord Hulus," he bowed submissively.


    "Lanwei, you seem quite unsatisfied with me,"


    "Not at all!"


    Lanwei tensed up inside.


    "There''s no need to lie. I''ll give you a chance to capture Lin Da in exchange for your freedom," Hulus offered with a pleasant smile. "After so many years of service to the Specter Adventure Group, it''s time you took a rest."


    "Are you serious?"


    Lanwei, hearing that he could regain his freedom, lit up with excitement.


    "Yes, absolutely,"


    "Thank you, Lord Hulus! I will do my utmost to capture Lin Da and will not let you down!"


    Revitalized, Lanwei, with the two Shadow Leeches, plunged deeper into the forest.


    Three minutes later,


    "I confess everything; please stop hitting me!"


    "Will you talk or not?"


    "For the love of... just ask already!"

 Chapter 382 310. Mastering a Rare Technique, the Anomaly of Dragon Forest_2

    Lanwei was on the verge of a breakdown.Two Shadow Leeches had been killed on the spot by a Healing Art with an absurd Recovery Amount while he was rapidly wrapped by a whip of darkness and hung upside down from a tree.


    Lanwei swore to himself that he was not a weak Star Rank; he recognized that the whip was one of Phoenix Tail Flower Team leader''s signature Skills.


    According to the records, the adversary should only be at level 26.


    He, a dignified level 31 Star Rank Spearman, even if not in good form, having not eaten for a day and after being disgusted by Hulus, with all kinds of negative statuses affecting him...


    But to be ambushed by a level 26 adventurer and hung up in a tree? Impossible!


    Lanwei was furious, ready to resist and prove his true strength, when suddenly a thick, white object pressed against his head.


    It was a Magic Cannon.


    The pure white barrel ended in a helix-shaped triangle.


    At the center was an opening, revealing a black cannon mouth as thick as a fist.


    Lanwei knew what he was looking at.


    From the notable Magic Power fluctuations of the Magic Cannon, it should be an Epic Level Magic Cannon.


    This white Magic Cannon was named Shell Rush Sand.


    Lin Da had received it as a reward for his Trust Level and had immediately given it to Tasya.


    Level 34, Epic 1 Star.


    It could provide a mighty 2800 points of strength.


    In comparison, the Sword of Royalty at Lin Da''s level 25 could only provide 1200 points of strength.


    The equipment level of Shell Rush Sand was only 9 levels higher, yet its strength more than doubled that of the Sword of Royalty.


    This was the huge advantage that came from Star Rank.


    Not only did adventurers gain more Ability Points when leveling up, but equipment enhancements were also significant.


    Meanwhile, due to being hung upside down, Lanwei''s first sight was a pair of black high heels. Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire


    Inside the shoes were muddy, dirty white stockings.


    Lanwei strained to lift his eyes higher and then saw the hem of a maid''s skirt.


    Despite being in a place as dangerous as Dragon Forest, this ''roasted chicken'' still wore high heels, yet not a bit of flesh that should have been exposed was visible, which irritated Lanwei enough to make him want to curse the streets!


    He saw Tasya holding a small black leather whip in her hands, her expression cold.


    Smack!


    Smack smack smack!


    Tasya knew this man was ogling her with filthy eyes, and she put her full force into every lash.


    Lanwei was soon covered in blood, his arrogant demeanor entirely reined in.


    "I''ll talk, I''ll talk, please just ask your questions quickly..."


    Lanwei''s voice grew weaker and weaker.


    Lin Da gestured to stop Tasya and stepped in front of Lanwei, "Are you the Star Rank that was with Hulus? How are Lulu and the others, did Hulus catch up to them?"


    "How could he, that werewolf runs incredibly fast... Eh, you''re a Star Rank too? Strange..."


    Lanwei paused for a moment, looking dazedly at Lin Da.


    Thinking his perception was faulty, he adjusted his mental state slightly with a wink, and probed again for auras.


    He found that... Lin Da was still a Star Rank.


    A chill went down Lanwei''s spine.


    Just a short while ago when they had crossed paths, Lin Da had indeed been at level 26.


    How could he have advanced to Star Rank in the blink of an eye?


    Although the World Tree wasn''t lacking in opportunities, chances that could greatly elevate an adventurer''s level were few and far between.


    What had happened to Lin Da in these short few hours?


    Without reason, Lanwei recalled the abrupt disappearance of the Dragon Roar not long ago.


    Could it be that the one who had subdued the Forest Dragon was Lin Da?


    "Is that so, Lulu and Monica are safe."


    Lin Da murmured, relieved in his heart.


    "Second question, where are Hulus and your boss, the Demon General Serene?"


    Lanwei''s attitude was much more respectful, and he replied diligently, "Hulus went another way to chase you guys. I have not seen the Demon General herself; right now, our leader is a witch named Lady Bai Mian!"


    After hearing this, Lin Da seemed thoughtful.


    My little sister went to another place.


    What was she plotting?


    "I''ve told you everything I know, you should let me go now, right?" Lanwei said, hoping for release.


    Responding to Lanwei was the blade of the Sword of Royalty.


    Lin Da simply slashed Lanwei''s neck, delivering a Fatal Strike.


    "You...!"


    The curse Lanwei was about to utter got stuck in his throat.


    The body thudded to the ground.


    As he killed another adventurer, Lin Da''s inner discomfort lessened significantly.


    The constant battles he''d experienced had been sharpening his resolve.


    Lin Da shook off his thoughts and said to Tasya: "Let''s not bother with Hulus; getting out of Dragon Forest is what matters!"


    After dealing with Lanwei and receiving news that Lulu and the others were safe, they did not stop for a moment and rushed towards the outskirts of the Dragon Forest.


    ...


    However, the journey was not smooth.


    From the middle level onwards, the number of magical creatures surged.


    ... S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Three hours passed.


    "Energy Storage Storm!"


    Tasya held up the white Magic Cannon, "Shell Rush Sand," channeling Wind Battle Qi into it, enhancing the next three bullets.


    Each bullet was the size of a bowl and hit the obstructing Giant Demon Saw Mushrooms accurately.


    -17000!


    -17550!


    -16890!


    The Energy Storage Explosion was a medium-consumption Common Skill, yet it dealt over 50,000 damage.


    Lin Da watched this scene and thought to himself that it was no wonder Tasya, known for sustained output with her "Storm" abilities, had a strong stand-still capability, averaging higher damage per second than Lulu and Lia.


    "Toxic Purple Mist."


    As Lin Da was contemplating, he released his new skill.


    The current situation was: he and Tasya were surrounded by two Demon Saw Mushrooms and a pack of Wind Blade Wolves.


    The former were Level 30 magical creatures, and although the latter were only Level 25, they were numerous, exceeding thirty.


    The Wind Blade Wolves excelled in magic, their wind blades smashing against Lin Da''s Verdant Shield, rapidly reducing the barrier''s thickness.


    Lin Da was not afraid of one or two, but there were so many wind blades that it was like rain.


    To counter this, Lin Da chose to use his new skill [Toxic Purple Mist].


    He thrust his right hand into the ground and centered at his feet, a thirty-meter diameter, light purple Magic Circle unfurled.


    From within the Magic Circle, smoke billowed out in an ink green color.


    The Wind Blade Wolves immediately sensed something was amiss, letting out pained whines from their throats.


    The Toxic Purple Mist lasted for five minutes, continuously reducing health every second.


    This skill could differentiate between friend and foe, as long as Lin Da had previously made a mental mark on his allies, they would not be harmed by the mist.


    Not long after, all the Wind Blade Wolves were at critical health, each one listless, their legs trembling.


    "Venom Eruption!"


    Lin Da pointed his Sword of Royalty forward, and a round purple Array appeared in the air, spraying out like a high-pressure water pipe.


    The Level 25 Wind Blade Wolves were instantly killed by Lin Da.


    [Kill Wind Blade Wolf x7, obtain 7000 Diamonds!]


    Over at Tasya''s side, a Demon Saw Mushroom was quickly defeated.


    After another minute, all the Wind Blade Wolves and the remaining Demon Saw Mushroom were subdued by them.


    Lin Da hastily collected the spoils of war and continued forward.


    But for some reason, the closer they got to the periphery of the Dragon Forest, the more numerous and frenzied the magical creatures became.


    It was like an unending crop of leeks, one wave after another.


    Just a few miles forward, Lin Da was surrounded by a group of Treants.


    Treants were Level 28 magical creatures with 100,000 health points.


    They wielded large rusty swords, axes, and spears with their dry, wooden limbs.


    Their roots moved rapidly, forming a tall wall of wood that blotted out the sky, trapping Lin Da and Tasya in the middle.


    "Break out!"


    Lin Da took out a Mana Potion and drank it, his spirit rejuvenated.


    He threw out his Dark Whip to entangle a Treant, lifting it before slamming it down hard.


    With a thud, the Treant broke in half at the waist, struck by Lin Da''s Fatal Strike and vanished into ash on the spot.


    As Lin Da''s level increased, so did his chances of landing a Fatal Strike, especially against lower-level magical creatures.


    The Treant might have had 100,000 health points, but many times Lin Da could deal a fatal blow with just a casual strike.


    Tasya was even more ferocious, sweeping her Magic Cannon horizontally and felling a row of Treants.


    One, ten, thirty, fifty...


    Both were Star Rank, and the Level 28 Treants stood no chance against them.


    But after the sixtieth, seventieth kill...


    Lin Da was almost numb.


    How could there still be more?


    It was as if all the magical creatures of the forest had gathered here.


    The inner parts were slightly better, but the closer to the outer layer, the more numerous the magical creatures.


    Initially, Lin Da received 1200 Diamonds for killing a Treant, but later on, it dropped to 700.


    After the eightieth kill, it was only 500 Diamonds left.


    ''If I could use Diamonds to Add Points for Tasya, it would be easy,'' Lin Da thought as he slashed through the torso of a Treant while pondering this.

 Chapter 383 311, Lin Das Decision, the Tenth Floor of the Great Mystery Continent Closes

    Tasya might not have formally terminated her contract and left the Scarlet Adventure Group, which is why her name didn''t show up on the squad page.Otherwise, with Lin Da''s hand holding hundreds of thousands of Diamonds, he could have upgraded Tasya to level 36 within minutes.


    "Master, be careful."


    A shout came from behind.


    Caught off guard, Lin Da had failed to notice a Treant attacking from the side when Tasya rushed to his side, delivering a beautiful spinning kick that struck the Treant in the middle of its trunk.


    There was a crackle as the Treant emitted a sharp screech from inside, split in half by Tasya''s high heel on the spot.


    "Thanks."


    Lin Da wiped the sweat from his forehead.


    His limbs ached.


    He leaned back against Tasya, and they both faced the seemingly endless ''sea of trees''.


    A trace of fatigue couldn''t help but cross his face


    Even though they were both Star-ranked adventurers who could crush the Treants, they couldn''t withstand the overwhelming numbers of their opponents.


    The Treant belonged to the Grass System; if only he had a Fire Series member on the team, Lin Da thought to himself.


    The Fire Series against the Grass System, twice the result with half the effort.


    The probability of triggering a Fatal Strike would also significantly increase.


    Hitting the opponent''s Life Barrier had a chance to cause violent fluctuations in the Demon Core, resulting in its immediate death.


    In the endless battle with the horde of Treants, Lin Da''s Magic Power was quickly depleting, leaving only about thirty percent.


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    Tasya, already in a frail state, was performing even worse than him.


    Resting against his back, she was gasping for air, her maid skirt soaked through with sweat, which seeped through the fabric to his side.


    The air in the forest was already damp, creating a feeling of discomfort, and their intermingling sweat made the sensation even more intense...


    Lin Da, who had a slight obsession with cleanliness, desperately wanted to go home for a shower at this moment.


    But these damned Treants clearly had no intention of letting him have his way.


    "This doesn''t look good if we keep going like this," he muttered.


    Lin Da glanced at his pale blue wristwatch.


    The spade-shaped hand pointed to ten o''clock sharp in the morning.


    It was already getting light outside.


    However, due to the density of the trees within Dragon Forest, it was still dim during the day.


    According to the previous notice from the World Tree Sanctum, the closing time for this ten-layer Mystic Realm was noon at twelve o''clock.


    He still had two hours left.


    The exit from the Great Mystery Continent would close.


    Inside the Dragon Forest, it was impossible to use teleportation items or skills.


    Lin Da''s Teleportation Stone was in a dull state, unresponsive to infused Magic Power.


    If he couldn''t get out of the forest with Tasya in the next two hours, they would be trapped on the tenth floor.


    They could only leave when the Mystic Realm reopened.


    The mere thought of it gave Lin Da a headache.


    The danger level of the Great Mystery Continent would increase manifold in its closed state!


    Even the relatively safe resource areas could become high-risk.


    Magical Creatures would be greatly strengthened, making their subjugation much more difficult.


    All of these were not even the most troublesome issues.


    During the closure of the Great Mystery Continent, the supply of Magic Elements inside would be stopped, and all means of magic restoration were forbidden.


    Adventurers could not refill their Magic Power or Battle Qi from the air or items.


    It was tantamount to ensuring a ''one-life clearance'', holding out until the Great Mystery Continent reopened.


    Lin Da had done this before.


    He even liked training his team in the closed Great Mystery Continent.


    But back then, with his Dark Shadow leading them, the whole experience felt like ''outdoor training'' or a ''team outing'', with a relaxed atmosphere akin to a special episode in an anime.


    But now it was different.


    Constantly encountering Magical Creatures, both he and Tasya wouldn''t be able to bear it.


    "Two hours, can we make it out of Dragon Forest?" S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da questioned himself, but couldn''t arrive at a definite answer.


    "There are two choices: move deeper, where due to my battle as the Dark Shadow with the Forest Dragon, the Magical Creatures were actually cleared out, with their numbers greatly reduced compared to the outer regions, which can effectively preserve strength and provide more assurance for subsequent battles;


    Or, gamble on luck, cut down the Treants, and dash to the edge!"


    Lin Da was caught in an internal struggle.


    At that moment, he seemed to see a vision of a red-haired girl before his eyes.


    That''s right,


    Lia, that kid, she wouldn''t still be in the forest, would she?


    What about Lulu, Monica?


    They were not captured by Hulus, but did they manage to escape the Dragon Forest and return to White Dove City?


    If it were a public Adventure Zone, Lin Da could use a sensor ladybug to open a live feed and inquire with the adventurers outside.


    But the Dragon Forest had special restrictions, preventing sensor ladybugs from connecting to the magic screens outside, as if disrupted by a signal jammer.


    The thought struck Lin Da suddenly: what if he went back to the villa and found it empty, with none of them having returned...


    Then he, as the team leader, would have failed miserably.


    Secondly, he was the only one in the group with a Recovery Series profession.


    Without Healing Art, getting injured in the closed Great Mystery Continent would be no different than waiting to die.


    The Recovery Series profession was the lifeline of an adventure team, indispensable.


    After giving it some thought, Lin Da''s eyes gradually deepened.


    He raised his head and looked up at the night sky above.


    "There are only two... no, just over an hour left before it comes.


    "The unique ''scenery'' in that closed Great Mystery Continent!"


    ...


    Noon, the sun blazed in the sky.


    The ten-layer Great Mystery Continent, Tawny Wilderness.


    The cold night had passed as if it were a dream.


    Adventurers went through the transition between winter and summer all within one day.


    Teams that had not entered the Dragon Forest went back in for another day, after a good night''s sleep, using the Teleportation Stone.


    They dressed lightly, picking Mondale Tree fruits in boredom.


    Despite the tedium and low earnings, it was safe.


    Picking fruits here, you''d actually rob me? Have you no heart?


    Apart from the Beastmen, Elves and humans, who generally had higher cultural literacy, would mostly show mercy to such poor adventurers.

 Chapter 384 311, Lin Das Decision, the Tenth Floor of the Great Mystery Continent Closes_2

    But encountering an adventure team of pure-blooded orcs was just bad luck. Not only would they rob them of their fruits, but they might also taunt them with phrases like "too scared to enter the adventure zone, you scrap iron", "more cowardly than a slime", "should go home and drink mommy''s milk".Despite being too afraid to leave the safe area themselves and only daring to rob others of their fruits, the orcs still shamelessly taunted other adventure teams.


    Such were the pure-blooded orcs from the harsh northwestern lands, generally uneducated and muscle-headed. Only those from major tribes who were noble orcs possessed some cultural sophistication.


    By contrast, the situation with subspecies orcs was much better, with beings like the cat-eared girls being quite beloved by human adventurers.


    Less than half an hour remained before the Great Mystery Continent would close.


    The adventurers were all busy.


    They wanted to earn some extra gold coins in these last moments.


    Digging under the turf, lifting stones.


    They hoped to get lucky and find a [Wind Stone] or [Haru Ore].


    ...


    "Did you hear, yesterday three Sun Adventure Groups went to slay the Forest Dragon!"


    "That explains the loud boom I heard while hunting coyotes yesterday. What happened next, which adventure team took down the dragon?"


    "Um, I don''t know."


    Two rock level team captains talked while using long nets to catch fruits.


    A place like Dragon Forest was only open to adventurers level 30 and above; for them, rock level, going there was like an old lady chewing Dream Herb��almost like wishing for a shorter life.


    "Don''t know? It wasn''t in the newspaper? The dragon-slaying team didn''t announce it immediately?"


    The round-faced dwarfish team captain said in surprise.


    "Hmm." The other, a handsome elven youth, puzzledly said, "I discussed this with my teammates this morning. It''s unusual, all three Sun level teams silent. Could it mean the dragon was taken down by someone else? But that person hasn''t come forward either."


    "Rumors claim that a Light Rank just passing by slew the Forest Dragon. The person was worried about being criticized for using his strength against a lesser opponent, so he''s stayed hidden."


    "A Light Rank?"


    The round-faced dwarf paused, lost in thought a moment, then a fruit fell from his net to the ground.


    He clicked his tongue, bent down to pick it up, and mumbled, "What''s this about bullying? If I ever get a chance, I''d really like to meet such a big shot."


    Tracing a Moon rank adventurer was still possible, but a Light Rank was different.


    White Dove City, Red Heart City, South Rock City, the three sister cities, had not seen a Light Rank in several decades.


    At that level, one could harness the powers of both sunlight and moonlight.


    They could conjure a massive Hand of the Void with greatly enhanced destructive power.


    A Light Rank adventurer once claimed that given fifty days, he could level a city.


    Not just destruction, Light Ranks were also extremely good at construction.


    A fortress could be erected overnight at the frontline; the ''worker'' was the Light Rank.


    "Have you seen this man, or perhaps this girl?"


    An urgent voice interrupted the two rock level captains'' idle talk.


    It was a young girl with light blue hair and fluffy wolf ears.


    She was holding a white square Recording Stone, about the size of a strawberry.


    It displayed a group photo taken during the Winter Festival.


    In the center of the photo was a man with black hair, an imposing demeanor.


    A bunch of girls in yukatas huddled around him.


    "Oh, I recognize you, the [Frost Wolf] Lulu from the Phoenix Tail Flower Team!"


    "Are you looking for [Eye of True Knowledge] Lin Da and [Earth Mage] Monica? Aren''t you with them?"


    The round-faced dwarf asked curiously.


    Upon hearing this, Lulu knew her plan had fallen through.


    "Thank you."


    After speaking, she hurried off toward her next destination, the resource area of Snow Goose.


    "Hey, [Frost Wolf] Lulu, are you injured? Don''t push yourself. Our team has a Healer; he can treat you," the dwarfish captain kindly called out after her.


    Lulu halted her footsteps for a moment but simply responded with a faint thank you.


    She bit her lip, inwardly agitated, her wolf tail swiftly swishing back and forth like a sweeping broom.


    Her arm, knee, and waist injuries, all just sprinkled with some basic Hemostatic Powder, left her with neither the mind nor the time for treatment.


    In the forest, Lulu had been chased by Hulus for over six hours.


    Facing the former leader of the Specter Adventure Group, now a level 35 Hulus, Lulu was not confident she could win, especially with the frail Monica in tow. Without Lin Da, just one strike from Hulus would shatter Monica''s Life Barrier instantly.


    Lulu couldn''t take that risk.


    Just as Lia had chosen to protect Lin Da, Lulu decided to cover their retreat herself.


    She managed to hold off Hulus for a while.


    Afterward, relying on his outstanding agility, he barely managed to shake off Hulus.


    The problem was, Monica could no longer be found.


    The vegetation in the Dragon Forest was dense, and the terrain complex, greatly weakening her sense of smell.


    Seeing that the closure of the Great Mystery Continent was imminent, Lulu could only hope for the best: perhaps Monica had already met up with Lin Da and left the Dragon Forest?


    She hurriedly went to Snow Goose''s resource area to gather information.


    The person leading Snow Goose''s team was Aiko.


    Aiko, too lazy to collect materials, pulled out a lounge chair and set up an umbrella, lounging in the flowerbeds with her snow-white legs crossed, basking in the sun.


    Oru and Klyne, who had gone to pick fruits together, hadn''t returned yet.


    Klrona had gone out to catch bugs for fun.


    In Snow Goose''s resource area, only Aiko was present.


    "Has Lin Da and the others come back?"


    Lulu, gasping for breath, ran up to her, her knees wrapped in bandages soaked red with blood.


    "What happened to you?" S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Aiko looked at her in surprise, took out several bottles of high-grade recovery potions from her space ring, and handed them over: "Here, take these."


    Lulu didn''t take them but repeated, "Have they come back?"


    "What are you talking about? Lia hasn''t been back since last night. Wait, could it be Lin Da and the others too?"


    Aiko was alarmed and couldn''t care about sunbathing anymore. She lifted her wrist and looked at a cream-colored, finely-strapped magic guide watch, murmuring:


    "11:45, isn''t it just 15 minutes before the Great Mystery Continent closes? What are they doing?!"


    "As I thought..." Lulu''s body swayed, and she collapsed to the ground.


    Aiko, more composed, propped her chin with her hand and analyzed quickly:


    "With so little time left, it''s definitely too late to search for them. Did you go back and check? Maybe Lin Da and the others have already returned to the Great Mystery Continent and just haven''t had the chance to contact us?"


    "That''s a possibility!"


    Lulu, frazzled by concern, perked up at Aiko''s suggestion, took out the Teleportation Stone: "I''ll go back and see."


    "I''m coming with you!" Aiko said seriously, "This also concerns our leader of Snow Goose!"


    Although Aiko had felt somewhat bitter, thinking Lin Da had chosen Lia over her, she now only hoped for their safety.


    If Lia were to die in the Dragon Forest, she would surely be devastated for a while.


    Aiko and Lulu returned together to Secret Realm Square, boarding a carriage to Luanwei Flower Villa.


    In that villa, there was only a self-rewarding Scrap God, making a mess of the place with tissues everywhere.


    A few hours earlier, Kafni had shuddered for a while.


    From nowhere, she had leveled from 26 to 31.


    As a summoned being, her level was always equal to Lin Da''s.


    This made Kafni realize that Lin Da must have come across a fortune in the Mystic Realm!


    "Well done, I like this kind of hero that doesn''t need my worry."


    With a 5-level jump, Kafni''s body quickly recovered, and Divine Power was regenerated.


    Having used up the last tissue nearby, Kafni, satisfied, rubbed her waist and headed toward the upstairs bathroom.


    Unexpectedly, she bumped into Lulu and Aiko, who had hurried back.


    The three stared at each other in the hallway.


    The silent, empty villa had already silently given the answer.


    "The Doomsday Sect...!" A cold light flashed in Lulu''s eyes, and her fist smashed heavily on the wall.


    If it weren''t for those people from the Doomsday Sect interfering, they wouldn''t have been forced to flee and scatter!


    "How could this happen..." Aiko was stunned as well.


    The magic guide watch on her wrist showed the time: 11:59.


    One minute left until the Great Mystery Continent closed.


    It was too late.


    Suddenly, Lulu bit her lip and dashed out of the villa.


    "Where are you going?"


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    Aiko followed in her wheelchair.


    "To the Adventurers'' Guild, Weylon might have a solution!"


    Lulu didn''t look back as she spoke.

 Chapter 385 312, In wilderness survival, Lia realizes she is very smart.

    At the same moment.The tenth layer of the Great Mystery Continent, Dragon Forest.


    "Lin Da, where are you, come out!"


    "It''s this young lady, stop hiding, come out already!"


    A girl with disheveled red hair, dirt on her face, and leaves stuck to her clothes, carrying a crimson Great Sword, called out weakly.


    Above was the sky, obscured by dense tree canopies, with a single ray of sunlight barely making its way through the gaps and falling on her face.


    The pride and spirit in the girl''s eyes were gradually replaced by exhaustion.


    Her face was dusty, and her right arm was wrapped in bandages that were seeping blood from the wound.


    After a skirmish with Nacho and three other Star Rank adventurers, Lia sustained considerable injuries.


    With just a Primary Recovery Potion from her ring and some hemostatic bandages, she couldn''t fully heal her wounds.


    This was the first time Lia truly adventured all by herself.


    In the past, there was Lin Da, Aiko, and at worst, the excellent graduates from Adventurers'' University like Phyllis.


    She didn''t have to prepare supplies or strategies, just focus on defeating Magical Creatures.


    It wasn''t until she was without any help that Lia realized she wasn''t very clever.


    The supplies in her ring were pitifully scant, with only three bottles of Primary Recovery Potion, no food prepared at all, except for a few strawberry cakes she had hidden away and just now couldn''t help eating two.


    As for water... not a single bottle.


    Lia had no idea how to find water in this vast forest. After the closing of the Mystic Realm, even the common fruits of the Mondale Tree had vanished. All she remembered from the books was something about collecting dew in the morning.


    But the problem was, she was so thirsty now that she felt like her throat was on fire, she couldn''t wait until morning!


    After running madly and shaking off the pursuit of Nacho and the others, Lia had completely lost her sense of direction; the compass in her ring was useless in Dragon Forest.


    As she searched for the way back to the public area, she also looked for Lin Da.


    But as time went on, Lia felt an increasing chill in her heart. No matter where she went, the familiar Mondale Trees were all the same.


    The environment around her was perpetually identical, so much so that she couldn''t help doubting if she was just running in circles.


    The adventurers seemed to have vanished into thin air, while Magical Creatures became increasingly numerous.


    Her Battle Qi was being slowly drained, and she could clearly feel her wrist protesting each time she swung the Great Sword.


    This weakness and loneliness made Lia''s mood even worse.


    And then, a thought uninvitedly barged into her mind: could it be that Lin Da had already left Dragon Forest and returned to White Dove City, leaving only her foolishly searching for him? sea??h th�� N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


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    Lulu, Monica, they all went back, as did Aiko and the others, now probably gathered together, drinking Wheat Beer and celebrating, having completely forgotten about her, the captain of Snow Goose...


    Such a thing, she didn''t want that!


    Lia''s complexion grew paler.


    "No, that''s not right, they''re not that kind of people, if I didn''t go back, they would definitely be worried!"


    Lia gritted her teeth and continued on her way. Throwing those dreadful thoughts out of her mind, she huffily took out the last exquisite piece of strawberry cake from her ring and devoured it fiercely, as if it was the presumed Lin Da and Aiko who had forgotten her and were now reveling.


    She tried to stay optimistic, thinking about the best-case scenarios��that was her plan.


    But fate had other plans.


    A soft, mature voice echoed in her mind.


    It was an announcement from the World Tree Goddess.


    [Attention all adventurers, this tenth layer of the Great Mystery Continent will close in ten minutes, please use the Teleportation Stone to return in time.]


    "Only ten minutes left?"


    Lia did not have a Magic Guide Wristwatch and did not know the exact time.


    Upon hearing the voice of the World Tree Goddess, her heart sank instantly.


    She ran forward in a frenzy.


    Gambling that her current location was just the periphery of Dragon Forest, there might be a chance to break free within ten minutes.


    "Lin Da, Lulu, they are all very clever; they must have already left, leaving me as the only one still inside the forest!"


    Lia was not a broad-minded adventurer; the horrible thoughts that she had barely suppressed surfaced again. She hallucinated, seeing an image of Lin Da and Aiko hugging and being affectionate.


    Aiko, having taken her place as the Snow Goose captain, said with a smile, "It''s so much quieter without that red-haired shorty."


    Lin Da nodded in agreement, "Yeah, I''ve been annoyed with her for a long time, it''s better if she stays in Dragon Forest and never comes back."


    Wuu wuu wuu!


    Thinking like this, Lia felt a burning sensation at the corners of her eyes, as if pearls were about to fall.


    Only about a hundred seconds were left until the Great Mystery Continent closed.


    She looked ahead, only to see that the forest was still as dense as a swarm of ants, with no end in sight.


    Had she been running in the wrong direction all along, not towards the periphery but deeper into the depths?


    Lia stopped in her tracks, her expression one of bewilderment. Surrounded by towering trees that were like walls, even at noon, only a meager amount of sunlight could be seen, the dim light mirroring her mood.


    She felt an inexplicable urge to cry.


    No answer from heaven or earth.


    Was adventuring alone always this difficult?


    She looked around; everywhere were the Mondale Trees, dozens of meters tall with canopies dense like oversized mushroom caps.


    Thirty seconds left until the tenth layer closed.


    Lia exerted all her strength and took a step forward.


    Forest, forest, all she could see was still the forest.


    Like a massive labyrinth, there seemed to be no escape.


    Finally, the last second ticked by.


    Lia still had not made it out of Dragon Forest.


    She took the Phoenix Feather Sword from her back and held it in her arms.


    In the heat of midday, she felt a bone-chilling cold on her back.

 Chapter 386 312, In wilderness survival, Lia realizes she is very smart_2

    The scant light in the forest disappeared completely at the moment the Great Mystery Continent closed.A vast, blood-red sun rose in the sky.


    It was so large it seemed like a millstone within arm''s reach.


    Ominous red light shone across the land.


    Under the glow, Lia felt her skin sting as if scorched by fierce flames.


    She heard the irate roars of Magical Creatures nearby.


    They were not far, at most about five hundred meters away.


    Different from their usual howls, those sounds were like Magical Creatures stepping into bear traps, filled with hate and rage, completely losing their sanity. If an adventurer appeared before them, they would not hesitate to bite off the adventurer''s neck.


    Beneath the red light, adventurers suffered damage, and the ferociousness of the Magical Creatures greatly increased!


    To make matters worse, dark clouds gradually gathered above in the sky, and within minutes, a torrential downpour fell.


    This seemed to be a type of large-scale magic unique to the enclosed Great Mystery Continent. Unlike regular rain, this downpour had a high acidity, specifically eroding adventurers'' Life Barriers. Lia could only feel itchiness all over her body.


    She carefully checked and found that the thickness of her Life Barrier hadn''t reduced too much �C only by about -1 or -2.


    But this was little comfort as the rain showed no sign of stopping and might continue for a day, or even a month.


    Even a Heavy Armored Warrior could not survive in such a hostile environment!


    "I must find a place to shelter from the rain."


    Lia crouched under a large tree, supporting her face with her hands, her brows knit with worry. She resembled a frail, bespectacled beauty ridden with debt, harassed for payment by a Minotaur in a black jacket.


    For the time being, she relied on the dense canopy to shelter from the rain.


    Lia was well aware that this was not a long-term solution.


    The air moistened by rainwater caused a burning sensation when inhaled.


    She needed to find a wooden cabin or a cave to reduce the damage caused by the rainwater.


    If possible, she would also gather materials from the forest that could replenish Battle Qi.


    Lia had read an adventurer''s miscellaneous talks that mentioned how to survive in a closed Great Mystery Continent.


    During the closure, adventurers could not use Teleportation Stones, magic and Battle Qi recovery items, and there were no Magic Elements in the air.


    But!


    The World Tree Goddess wouldn''t cut off all avenues of survival for the adventurers, leaving a glimmer of hope.


    [Dark Tree Fruit].


    One type of Fruit of the World Tree, appearing only during the closure of the Great Mystery Continent.


    They cannot be taken out and would turn to ash on the day the Great Mystery Continent reopens.


    The effect: it can recover a small amount of the adventurer''s Magic Power and Battle Qi.


    With a sufficient number of [Dark Tree Fruits], continuously replenishing Battle Qi, she could survive in the closed Great Mystery Continent for a month.


    At the moment, Lia, with an empty stomach, licked the cream from the strawberry cake on her fingers.


    It was sweet and also salty from sweat.


    She wanted to vomit but fought back the urge.


    In the peril-filled closed Great Mystery Continent, every bit of food was precious.


    And so was the source of water.


    She had heard that in absence of water, one had to drink urine.


    At such times, Lia suppressed her capricious temperament and instead thought about using the juice cup in her ring to save urine.


    She would have to drink it if necessary.


    After all, no one else would know she consumed such a thing.


    Having overcome the initial unease, Lia quickly calmed down, displaying the basic qualities an adventurer should have.


    She considered: her primary goal was to find a place where she could evade the [Acid Rain] and frenzied Magical Creatures, a place where she could sleep in peace.


    Next were water sources and food.


    Only third in line was finding Dark Tree Fruits. sea??h th�� novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I have about 30% of my Battle Qi left, over 4500 in my Life Barrier, enough to handle a level 30 frenzied Magical Creature. But two would be troublesome, three, I''d have to run quickly; four of them..."


    Lia shook her head.


    She would likely end up as just another excretion from the Magical Creatures.


    After spending about ten minutes formulating a survival strategy and the rain slightly weakening, Lia used her Great Sword to carve a ''Wooden Shield'' from the tree to cover her head from the rain.


    She leaped onto the tree, using the wide view to look for a shelter.


    "Caves are preferred, but they''re basically occupied by Magical Creatures."


    "I could also dig one in the rock face myself, but that would create too much noise and might attract Magical Creatures."


    "If only I had Light Series and Poison Series Magic!"


    The former could silently cut through rock walls, and the latter was good at corroding, which could easily carve out a cave in the rock face.


    But Lia''s Fire Fighting Qi was only at level 30; she could only melt rock with the help of Skills. Normal Fire Series Battle Qi was only good enough for barbecuing.


    "No use, my head is about to break."


    Lia thought for a while but soon felt dizzy, her stomach churning, so exhausted she wanted to vomit.


    ```


    "If only someone could think for me," she wished.


    Although Phyllis and Aiko were in the team, Lia always felt she was somewhat lacking compared to someone else.


    "I wonder if they''ve managed to escape from Dragon Forest," she pondered.


    Thinking she might be the only one trapped here made the feeling so much worse.


    Thump!


    Boom!


    Suddenly, the sound of battle came from straight ahead.


    "Could it be adventurers?"


    Lia''s spirits lifted.


    She stood atop a large tree, looking off into the distance. Stay connected via My Virtual Library Empire


    About a hundred meters away, six Giant Magic Saw Mushrooms were besieging an adventurer.


    Under the Acid Rain, the magical creatures became more ferocious, and the mushrooms'' round eyes glowed with a bloody red light, their bodies bulging with what looked like ''veins'' as if in rage.


    Calling them Muscle Mushrooms wouldn''t be an exaggeration.


    They were still Level 30, but their combat power was much stronger than those Bilya had encountered before.


    Attack speed, agility, the ability to withstand strikes, all had visibly improved.


    Upon rough estimation, they had increased by half a grade.


    They used to be orange-class magical creatures, but now they seemed to have half the strength of an Epic One Star.


    Lia asked herself if even with her Fire Series being the nemesis of Grass System, she only had the confidence to deal with two of them.


    But the adventurer beneath, who was being attacked by six Demon Saw Mushrooms, seemed to have an easy time dealing with all of them?


    That was just too strong!


    A flicker of joy arose in Lia''s heart; if she could cooperate with that person, the coming month would be much easier.


    But as the saying goes, ''one must always guard against others.''


    Lia did not rashly reveal herself, instead hiding in the tree to observe and gauge the stranger''s capabilities.


    "Eeya!"


    A Demon Saw Mushroom with blood-red eyes charged at the adventurer, only to be cleanly sliced in half with a backhand swing.


    To the adventurer, the thick hide of the Demon Saw Mushroom was as frail as disposable silk stockings sold for five copper coins at a street stall.


    Lia had bought a pair once and, finding them a poor investment, decided against another purchase. Yet witnessing the adventurer dispatching the mushrooms with ease, she was reminded of that useless pair of five-copper-coin black stockings.


    "Star Rank couldn''t be this strong, could it?"


    "Too far away, magic aura perception is unclear. If I had to guess... it must be Moon Rank!"


    Lia thought in surprise.


    Looking carefully, the besieged adventurer had a pair of big orange ears on his head, and a bushy, thick tail protruding from his back.


    Dressed in black leather armor, he wielded a dagger in each hand.


    "A Moon Rank assassin from the Fox Tribe?"


    Lia roughly guessed in her mind.


    In just one minute, the adventurer had finished off all six Demon Saw Mushrooms.


    After collecting the loot, the fox suddenly turned and looked in Lia''s direction.


    "Hiding in the dark and observing others is a very impolite behavior," said the fox, his voice crisp as he took out a handkerchief to wipe the filth of the magical creatures off his daggers.


    Then, with a flourish of his blades, he suavely returned them to the sheaths on his belt.


    "Oh, then I might as well come out," said Lia, appearing warily from the tree.


    The two approached each other.


    They sized each other up.


    Lia''s tension and the fox''s nonchalance were in stark contrast.


    Why did it have to be a pure-blooded orc...


    Lia felt bitterness swell inside her.


    If it were a human at Moon Rank, most of them would be more agreeable.


    But orcs were generally impulsive or cunning, and the phrase ''bargaining with a tiger for its skin'' typically referred to partnering with orcs. If it weren''t for the near awakening of the Demon King, which forced adventurers to unite, the territorial disputes between humans and orcs would still be ongoing.


    "The Tormentor, Hu Er?"


    "Miss Lia from Snow Goose?"


    Both recognized the other''s name.


    She knew of Hu Er because he was quite perverse, labeled by the White Dove Morning News as ''an adventurer more dangerous than the monsters.''


    He loved to capture his prey and torment them severely, letting them fully experience despair before killing them.


    His personality was extremely unpleasant.


    ```

 Chapter 387 313, Lia drinks strange beverage, Lin Das adventures level up

    Lia would sometimes flip through magazines like the adventurer rankings to see what others thought of her.That''s how she happened to discover people like Dawen, Abner, and Hu Er at the top of the list.


    The moment she recognized Hu Er, alarm bells rang in her heart.


    Lia secretly unleashed an [Energy Charging], her Battle Qi flooding into her limbs and body, putting her directly into a state of combat readiness!


    She had no confidence in defeating a Moon rank adversary.


    But there was good news: Hu Er seemed to be severely injured.


    The thick bandage around his left waist was soaked with blood, and as he walked, his steps were heavier on the right and lighter on the left. His face was an unnatural shade of pale.


    A battle must have occurred before and he suffered serious injuries.


    Although Hu Er strived to disguise his weakness, Lia''s combat intuition was sharp; a single glance was enough to see through Hu Er''s facade.


    Maybe just casually killing six Demon Saw Mushrooms exhausted all of his Battle Qi.


    Besides, she knew he was aware of her peering and was deliberately putting on an act.


    Just one sword strike could finish off this Fox Beastman...?


    Of course, everything was speculation, and Lia had no confidence to swing her sword directly.


    Even if Hu Er had only one-tenth of his Battle Qi left, it was not something she, a novice Star Rank, could overcome.


    Lia chose to negotiate first to see what Hu Er''s attitude was.


    "Of course, I know your name, given that you''re a famous adventure team leader in White Dove City, and a beautiful young lady at that," said Hu Er with a gentleman''s smile, placing his right hand over his chest, bowing slightly, as graceful as an elf from high society.


    His voice was so gentle that it almost sounded feminine:


    "My title as Tormentor might be misleading, but Miss Lia, I beg you to believe me, it''s just slander by those adventurers who dislike pure-blooded orcs; they can''t stand to see orcish success.


    We possess the strongest bodies among the three great races, and if someone like me also has a handsome appearance and an excellent brain, wouldn''t it make humans and elves look incompetent?


    That''s why they want to tarnish my reputation, affixing the baseless title of ''Tormentor'' to me.


    The truth is, I don''t take pleasure in tormenting my prey, I am not a sadist. Quite to the contrary, I am a triple-good orc in a broad sense."


    Hu Er spoke with a smile: sea??h th�� N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Miss Lia, I now extend an invitation to you. As fellow unfortunate adventurers trapped in the Great Mystery Continent, would you care to partner with me to get through the time ahead?


    As a Moon rank adventurer, I normally wouldn''t bother with regular Star Ranks, but you, Miss Lia, with your excellent reputation and beauty, I cannot ignore.


    Alright, I see the wisdom in your gaze��I admit there are other motives, such as building a good relationship with the Mandalas behind you. I heard that the Bloody Baron is likely to reach Moon Rank this year, and your brother Dawen is also called a genius Swordsman."


    Hu Er explained on his own.


    He presented a number of sufficient reasons why someone of his Moon rank would condescend to approach Lia.


    Seeing Lia''s thoughtful expression, as though she was being persuaded, the corners of Hu Er''s mouth couldn''t help but curl up.


    Inside, he had already revealed another face, like a devil who had taken off its mask, grinning evilly while drooling, reaching out with his hands, left and right, to grab Lia... Hu Er planned to devour this prey before him!


    Before he recovered from his injuries, he would let Lia take care of him, becoming her "companion."


    Once the Great Mystery Continent was opened and they could use the Teleportation Stone to return home, he would cruelly kill her, savoring the sight of the girl''s despair!


    As for praising Lia,


    Excellent reputation?


    Beauty?


    Those were all fabrications by Hu Er!


    He was biologically repulsed by all women. A true man should dominate over other males, using brutal means to hear their pleas for mercy!


    Presenting himself as a gentleman in front of Lia was merely to deceive her. He found her to be the sort who let her ''wisdom'' lead her by the nose, easy to fool.


    "Cooperate?"


    Lia showed a hint of interest.


    In her mind, she thought: To have a Moon rank adventurer as a companion during the perilous closure period of the Great Mystery Continent would undoubtedly enhance her safety significantly.


    Hu Er had also given many convincing reasons.


    However...


    Somehow, seeing Hu Er''s extending his hand with a smiling face, Lia felt annoyed and disturbed. Was this man too forward?


    She hadn''t held hands with the opposite sex much growing up. What if Lin Da hadn''t left the Dragon Forest and saw her with Hu Er...


    She couldn''t pinpoint exactly why, but Lia instinctively resisted such a situation.


    She didn''t want Lin Da to see her being intimate with another man.


    Lia replied cautiously, "Thank you for your kindness, but I have other companions in the forest I need to meet up with, so I''m sorry."


    Heaven knows, Lia was speaking in a flowery tone, and all because of Hu Er''s status as a Moon rank adventurer.


    As arrogant as Lia was, she knew now was not the time for pride.


    Hu Er still wore a bright and cheerful smile: "May I ask who Miss Lia''s companions are? Maybe I''ve seen them before."


    Lia responded, "Lin Da, Lulu, and Monica!"


    "Captain Lin Da, huh... Heh, hehe, interesting."


    Hu Er paused and then burst into laughter, tears nearly forming in his eyes.


    He smirked with profound meaning, "Miss Lia, I saw it with my own eyes, Lin Da and the others have already left the Dragon Forest and moved to the public Adventure Zone."


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    "Huh?" Lia was a bit confused.


    "Yes, Lin Da abandoned you, taking Lulu and Monica with him. In his eyes, you''re just expendable, someone who doesn''t matter!"

 Chapter 388 313, Lia drinks strange beverage, Lin Das adventures level up_2

    Watching Lia''s stunned expression, Hu Er inwardly scoffed with disdain, thinking her such a fool for believing anything she was told."Miss Lia, if you don''t believe me, how about we make a bet? If it turns out exactly as I said, with Lin Da abandoning you, then this level 40 orange-quality Fire Series Demon Core is yours," Hu Er proposed.


    "And if I lose, Miss?" Lia asked.


    "You don''t have to pay any price," he replied.


    "Why?" she questioned.


    Lia sensed a whiff of conspiracy but couldn''t pin down anything suspicious no matter how hard she thought.


    Hu Er smiled and said, "Perhaps because I ''desire'' Miss Lia''s love. After all, you are a beautiful and captivating young woman."


    "Wha... what? Love?! My mother always said, men who frivolously throw that word around are full of lies!" Lia exclaimed, shocked.


    Lia was taken aback.


    What kind of era was this, still having adventurers speak of love, a word so outdated it was falling apart?


    What''s the worth of your ''love'' in Epic-level Equipment? How many Gold Coins could it buy?


    According to her mother, every man who hung that word on his lips was after one''s body! That''s what Lia''s mother had told her.


    Hu Er remained calm and chuckled, "I''m not lying or joking, Miss Lia. I am seriously pursuing you. The moment I saw the beautiful Miss Lia, I fell head over heels and wished I could kiss your boots."


    Lia responded, "Then I''m seriously rejecting you. A Moon Rank, you''re not worthy of me."


    Hu Er: "?"


    A huge question mark appeared above his head. S��ar?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Moon Rank not worthy of you?


    Hu Er thought he had heard wrong and scratched his head in confusion, "Miss Lia, could you repeat what you just said?"


    Taking a deep breath and with a serious face, Lia said, "A Moon Rank adventurer isn''t worthy of me. At a minimum, it has to be a Light Rank, is there something wrong with that?"


    "But you''re just a Star Rank, and just level 30 at that," he pointed out.


    "So what about it?" she asked.


    Lia said, "Miss here has the potential to become the Empire''s strongest Swordsman. Isn''t it simple for me to become a Light Rank? Is it wrong for me to hope my future partner to be of a Light Rank too?"


    Hu Er stroked his chin, deep in thought for a while.


    "��You''re right, but you''re only a Star Rank now. Why do you think you can become a Light Rank in the future?" he asked.


    Lia: "I don''t need your opinion, I trust my own. I believe I can do it."


    Fuck!


    Hu Er felt like cursing.


    He''d assumed Lia was a fool, but it turns out she''s a Little Mossy Girl!


    Such people are overly confident, liking to disregard the facts.


    Hu Er had thought he could win her over with his smarts, but it turns out she didn''t care for such things. Working with her, in her eyes, was probably him taking advantage of her, as after all, she is the ''future Light Rank Adventurer''!


    Hu Er''s biggest mistake was assuming Lia was a Little Mossy Girl!


    "So, I won''t work with you. Please, give it up, and another thing �� you''re lying to me. Lin Da would never abandon me and run away from Dragon Forest!"


    "There are two reasons! First, Lin Da, a mere level 26 adventurer, wouldn''t easily find Lulu and Monica.


    Second! Lin Da, being the good guy he is, would never just abandon me. In fact, he would try his best to help any companion!"


    Lia, with piercing eyes, pointed at Hu Er who had turned an ashen color: "So you''re lying to me, probably just lusting after my body, you lecherous fox!"


    "Ahhh!!!"


    Hu Er roared in anger internally.


    His standards were so high, if it were Lia''s brother Da, he might have given it a thought, but looking at Lia, flat as a board in the chest and skinny as a rake, also short, she was utterly unattractive by Hu Er''s standards!


    And this person dared to say confidently that he was after her body?


    Disgusting, utterly revolting!


    Fortunately, Hu Er had great control over his facial expressions and didn''t give anything away. He managed a strained smile:


    "These are all just your guesses, Miss Lia. I''ve truly seen Lin Da flee and leave you behind. The proof is that I know what Lin Da wears, a set of white adventurer''s clothes with a large belt full of pockets, accompanied by a brown-skinned maid..."


    "Ah! It''s Tasya!"


    "I didn''t lie to you, did I?" Hu Er said with a smile.


    Lia, with a sullen face, silently walked away in the opposite direction.


    "Wait, not going to work together? Without magic power replenishment in the sealed Great Mystery Continent, a Star Rank cannot survive alone," Hu Er called after her, chasing her.


    "Let me make it clear to you, I don''t like you. Stay away from me," Lia frowned, giving a threatening look and glancing sideways at Hu Er''s hand reaching towards her shoulder.


    There was a sudden whiff of gunpowder in the air.


    Lia showed not a trace of fear, as proud and defiant as a little rooster with a fiery red comb.


    She didn''t believe this severely injured Fox Beastman would dare make a move on her in the closed Great Mystery Continent, where replenishing magic power and Battle Qi was impossible.


    It would be a self-harming act.


    Sure enough.


    Hu Er awkwardly withdrew his hand.


    Which gave Lia some peace of mind.


    Hu Er said, "How about this, we''ll tell each other where we''re staying. In case something happens, we can look out for each other."


    Lia was ready to flat-out reject him.


    But the smile on Hu Er''s face disappeared, and he looked at her calmly:


    "Miss Lia, no matter what, I am a Moon rank. A Moon rank''s goodwill can''t be refused without reason."


    ...


    ...


    Acid Rain had been pouring for three days straight.


    Adventurers trapped in Dragon Forest and unable to leave were not only Lia.


    While searching for food, Lia found the body of a male adventurer, his chest adorned with the badge of an adventure team from South Rock City.


    It was only three days, and already an adventurer had died.


    As for a place to stay, Lia had found one for the time being.


    She dug a hole in the trunk of an exceptionally thick Mondale Tree and curled up to sleep there at night.


    Under the acid rain, food and clean water sources were extremely hard to find. In these three days, Lia had only managed to eat some wild mushrooms.


    Luckily, they were all non-toxic and sufficed to fill her stomach.


    But the problem of water still remained unsolved.


    At noon on this day, Lia squatted in the tree hollow, resting her cheek in her hand as she watched the relentless torrents of acid rain.


    She looked worried and exasperated as she took out a clear juice cup from her space ring.


    Inside the cup was some warm, slightly yellowish liquid.


    She had no choice.


    No choice at all!


    Lia instinctively looked around.


    As expected.


    There was certainly no one.


    She gritted her teeth and brought her lips close to the cup.


    There was a foul smell.


    But there was no shame in it; if Lin Da were also trapped in the Great Mystery Continent and couldn''t get out, he would definitely drink this kind of thing.


    With water so hard to find, Lin Da would certainly be unable to find any.


    Lia consoled herself, thinking at least she was quite a pretty girl. Her own... must be more palatable than Lin Da''s, right?


    "Ugh��"


    Lia threw up on the ground.


    The water recycling plan was a huge failure!


    ...


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the outside world.


    It had been three days since the closure of the tenth layer of the Great Mystery Continent.


    President Velen was shocked to the point of dropping his teacup upon hearing from Lulu that Lin Da had not returned from the tenth layer.


    Despite his desire to help, this matter was related to the rules governing the World Tree, and what could he, a mere president of the White Dove City Adventurers'' Guild, possibly do to intervene?


    All he could do was pray.


    Velen reassured Lulu, "An excellent adventurer like Lin Da will definitely be able to survive in the sealed Great Mystery Continent!"


    But Lulu was still worried and unable to eat every day.


    Kafni, on the other hand, was quite optimistic.


    "This great one can feel that Lin Da is in good shape," Kafni thus spoke.


    As a deity soul-bonded to a brave hero, Kafni could vaguely sense Lin Da''s life force.


    Not to say very healthy, but it was comparatively in a good condition.


    And the most magical part...


    In these three days, she had leveled up again.


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    From level 31, she reached level 32!


    This meant that Lin Da had encountered something extraordinary in the sealed Great Mystery Continent!


    Maybe his conditions were quite comfortable.


    Kafni''s thoughts were simple: Lin Da was chosen by the great herself, and such minor troubles were nothing for him.


    Just wait and things will be resolved.


    Perhaps in a month, Lin Da''s strength will have grown to an even more astonishing level.


    But no matter how much Kafni tried to persuade her, Lulu still looked somber, climbing to the rooftop to howl at midnight with tears in her eyes, seemingly on the brink of breaking down.


    "This Little Werewolf must have done it many times with Lin Da. Could it be that Lin Da''s rod has some magical power that makes one never forget? The previous Little Werewolf seemed quite aloof."


    As Kafni thought about it, the fire within her reignited.


    Now she really had to reward herself.

 Chapter 389 314. Principal White Cat Lolita, Dark Shadow Exposed?

    At the same time,in Cyan City, the most famous academy within the province��Azure Sky Advanced Adventurers Academy��stood out prominently.


    A colossal white pyramid-shaped building, it was situated within the first circle of the inner city district of Cyan City.


    At the top of the pyramid structure, in front of a luxurious crystal floor-to-ceiling window, there was a row of exquisitely crafted stoves.


    Thin smoke spiraled up, wafting from the chimney.


    A petite silver-haired girl, standing on a stool with a pink apron featuring a pattern of cat paws tied around her waist, was busy at one of the stoves.


    In her hand was a soup ladle, as she cooked a dish called Fish-Flavored Shredded Pork.


    The girl probably didn''t reach 1.4 meters in height, with adorable white cat ears on her head. Her small face was like a porcelain work of art, her pale purple pupils like two jewels set in the night sky.


    She had a three-dimensional face, petite yet with a mature look to it. It was a pity that her expression was somewhat indifferent.


    When she tasted the soup on the ladle, the corner of her mouth gently lifted; her white cat tail made happy circles behind her, and her cat ears twitched.


    "You''ve got half of the captain''s skill,"


    The silver-haired, purple-eyed petite girl laughed softly, exuding a mature charm. Yet, the way she stood with one hand on her hip while wearing a pink apron was incredibly cute, a perfect fusion of two contrasting qualities.


    Perhaps this was why cat girls were so beloved by adventurers.


    Standing in front of the stove, cooking to entertain the guests, this petite cat girl was none other than the dean of Azure Sky University, who, before her retirement, was a highly renowned adventurer in the Royal Capital: the White Cat Swordsman, Bailuo.


    This top floor of the building was the dean''s exclusive office.


    Of course, calling it an office is a bit of a stretch; it''s more like a luxurious hotel, with everything from a bathroom, kitchen, living room, entertainment room, training room, to a storeroom, covering an area of three hundred square meters.


    And the only resident in this imposing "house" was the reclusive tiny cat girl, not even 1.4 meters tall.


    Every student who learned about this would gaze towards the top floor with longing, hoping that one day they might meet the mysterious cat girl dean, and better if they could be called to the office for individual training.


    Leaving the kitchen and entering the living room, one would find various elegant and unique decorations, tea sets, wood carvings of Magical Creatures, and ceremonial swords hung on the walls, each embedded with various types of gems, all crafted by famous artisans.


    It was evident that the house''s owner had extremely good taste. S��ar?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Besides that, there were many framed oil paintings.


    Strangely, it seemed all paintings were of the same person.


    Wearing a pure white mask with no face, clad in a pitch-black coat.


    There was a painting of this person wielding a magic sword, standing with his back to a mass of Magical Creatures; another of him standing under a large tree in the yard, gazing up pensively at the moonlight; and even a comical one where he faced a chair but couldn''t seem to sit down...


    A vast array of oil paintings, all somehow related to this man.


    "It''s ready to serve,"


    The cat girl standing on the stool nodded satisfactorily and picked up the pan with thick insulated gloves on her hands.


    With her power, even a thousand-degree heat could not harm her, but she was getting used to "living a regular life after she and her teacher retired from being adventurers."


    Bailuo laid out the dishes one by one on the table in the living room, in order to entertain her long-lost old teammate, the Tiger Man girl Taige.


    "Wow, Fish-Flavored Shredded Pork, Braised Potatoes with Beef, Pan-Fried Dumplings, all of Captain''s best dishes. It''s been so long since I''ve had these!"


    Taige''s red hair was a mess; it was clear it hadn''t been cared for in quite some time. She was dressed in simple leather clothing: a top and shorts that highlighted her wheat-colored, full thighs.


    Despite the cold winter, Taige seemed as if she had come from the hot summers of the south.


    Her relationship with Bailuo was extraordinary, and even after their team disbanded, they stayed in touch.


    Today, Taige''s visit to Bailuo''s home was about a Recording Stone.


    The contents of the Recording Stone were sure to interest Bailuo.


    Taige was shocked when she first saw it, almost thinking her eyes were playing tricks on her.


    Their captain, who vanished three years ago, could he have reappeared on the continent?


    Unable to judge the truth for herself, she came to seek understanding from the more astute Bailuo.


    The origin of the Recording Stone was the Great Mystery Continent near White Dove City.


    Inside it was one simple thing, a shining sword enveloped in Black Flame.


    Its might was significant, at least of Light Rank.


    What intrigued Taige was that the sword''s radiance was incredibly familiar, reminiscent of their former captain.


    However, when Bailuo started serving the dishes, Taige''s attention shifted entirely to them.


    Seeing the table full of sumptuous food, she involuntarily drooled, and her stomach started to growl.


    Taige didn''t bother with chopsticks; she hastily reached out her hand, grabbed a pan-fried dumpling, and threw it into her mouth.


    Upon biting into the crispy skin, juice spurted out in her mouth.


    With a moan of "mm," Taige clasped her cheeks with both hands, indulging in sheer bliss.


    "Mmm, Bailuo, you''re amazing. So strong and skilled at cooking, why did you retire?"


    Taige moved, overcome with emotion, and lunged at the petite cat girl, causing both to topple onto the sofa. She rubbed her cheek against the other''s chest, suspiciously close to taking liberties.


    Bailuo shook her head in resignation, positioned Taige''s head on her lap, and gently kneaded the Tiger ears while helping to tidy up the tousled red hair.


    In a soft voice, like that of a tender elder sister if one closed their eyes, she said, "Because this was my teacher''s command. I had to retire first to train to be a bride, to become a wise and virtuous wife and mother worthy of my teacher." Experience new stories on My Virtual Library Empire

 Chapter 390 314. Principal White Cat Lolita, Dark Shadow Exposed?_2

    "Eh..." S��ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality."Eh???"


    It took Taige a good few seconds to react, suddenly jumping up from Bailuo''s embrace, eyes shaking: Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire


    "How could a cat girl who''s barely 1.4 meters tall possibly become a good wife and a good mother, she can''t even take care of a baby, can she? And what the hell is ''Bride Training''? If I''m not mistaken, the ''Teacher'' Bailuo mentioned refers to the team captain!"


    "How come I didn''t know you were going to be the captain''s wife?"


    Shocked, Taige grabbed two pan-fried dumplings and threw them into his mouth to calm himself down.


    Bailuo''s cheeks flared red as she played with her smooth white cat tail, saying, "Teacher once promised me to retire and go home together to live out our old days."


    "Ah! That definitely means he wants you to be his wife!"


    Taige''s eyes widened, "How come none of us knew about this?"


    "Because this is a secret between me and Teacher," Bailuo confidently declared.


    The true story behind this was known by only one person throughout the Great Mystery Continent.


    Titled "And you, you are my true hero," was a scene.


    On a park bench beneath the setting sun, facing his student in swordsmanship, the true feelings of the White Cat Swordsman, Bailuo, were revealed, as someone clicked Option A:


    "It''s not impossible to retire and grow old together with the captain''s beloved student..."


    Before the scenario''s voiceover could finish, a bolt of lightning struck the night sky outside the window.


    Everything went black.


    After someone repaired the machine and logged back into the game, they found the scenario had ended.


    The original latter half of the sentence, "but only after we reach the summit of the World Tree and defeat the Demon King," was lost forever.


    As a result, Bailuo only heard the agreeable first half.


    "Could you taste the dishes for Teacher first, and see how they are?"


    Bailuo''s voice was tender as she served Taige, wiped his greasy fingers with a napkin after grabbing dumplings, and then placed chopsticks in his hands, saying:


    "You haven''t forgotten how to use these, have you? If not, there are forks and knives."


    "Uuuu, I also want a wife like Lady Bailuo! No! I not only want to cuddle with Lady Bailuo but also want to enter her body!"


    Taige, never having received such care, especially from a petite, beautiful silver-haired cat girl, was moved to tears.


    But that joke turned Bailuo''s face dark as she angrily twisted Taige''s ear, "If you dare to do that, I won''t let you off the hook! I am Teacher''s future wife, and my body belongs to him already."


    "Uuuu, the loyal and cute Lady Bailuo faithful to the captain is so adorable; no wonder she hasn''t been kicked out, unlike a useless tiger like me, even as a Five-star Character, I still received a dismissal contract."


    "That''s Teacher''s gentle side; he didn''t want you to sacrifice yourselves in the World Tree,"


    Bailuo explained seriously, somewhat angrily.


    "Speaking of the captain, I have something I want to show you,"


    While Taige devoured the food on the table, his hands searched his pockets, pulling out a half-eaten piece of raw meat, a string of large green grasshoppers, a bunch of worms, mixed with a round, crystal clear Recording Stone.


    "You normally eat these kinds of things?"


    "Yes, yes, the food Lady Bailuo makes is really delicious,"


    "I think having you taste-test is kind of pointless."


    Bailuo stood with one hand on her hip, the other holding the Recording Stone, "The thing you wanted to show me, it''s this, isn''t it?"


    "Exactly, you really are Lady Bailuo!"


    "I''ve already retired from being an adventurer; you''ll surpass my abilities in the future; no need to use that appellation anymore,"


    Bailuo shook her small head, seeming extremely resistant to the title.


    The "Lady Bailuo" who stubbornly imitated the teacher, scowling and being rude to everyone, preferring to persuade others with a sword, was now a thing of the past, a dark history she wished not to recall.


    "Hurry up, let''s look."


    Under Taige''s urging, Bailuo, with an air of resignation, activated the Recording Stone.


    With her mature adult mindset, not many things could interest her anymore.


    But she would play along with Taige, appearing slightly surprised.


    After all, Taige was one of her few friends, who still today visited as a guest; she had to give her face.


    Bailuo infused a thread of magic power into the Recording Stone, and an illusory screen instantly popped up.


    The background was a pitch-black forest, the viewpoint aimed at the night sky slightly ahead.


    "Mondale Tree, Gugu Grass, very typical of the tenth floor of the Great Mystery Continent."


    Although Bailuo was young, her judgment was exceedingly precise. She glanced briefly and knew the recording came from the tenth floor.


    She found nothing of interest within it.


    Should she compliment the beauty of the trees or the loveliness of the night sky?


    Taige had changed too, from that Tiger Warrior who only liked to eat and fight bravely, into a mature adult capable of appreciating the night sky and forests.


    Being a mature adult was very important to Bailuo.


    At not even 1.4 meters tall, she had to perform better and be more mature than average people to qualify as a suitable wife.


    Otherwise, adventurers would surely mock her, saying she was just a half-grown child, totally unfit for her teacher.


    "Sigh, just look at the night sky in the recording and try to improve your mood a bit."


    Just as Bailuo was thinking this, a sword light burning with Black Flame, hundreds of meters high, appeared out of nowhere.


    That power made one shudder even through the illusory screen, as if death was only a step away.


    The sword light devoured a large swath of the forest, as though it was about to tear apart the space itself.


    Bailuo froze, her cat tail quietly resting on the couch, her violet pupils reflecting the black flame sword light.


    Her eyes, unblinkingly staring at the illusory screen.


    Her usually unfluctuating chest now had a noticeable curve.


    Bailuo exclaimed in a lost voice, "Taige, it''s the teacher, the teacher is definitely there, I can''t be wrong!"


    "Which city''s World Tree is the closest to enter the tenth floor, if not close enough, let''s enter from the World Tree in Cyan City!"


    Bailuo''s words suddenly increased, she hurriedly entered her room, took out two beautifully exquisite white long swords from under the bed, and placed them crossed on her back, seemingly ready to leave immediately.


    "Hold on, aren''t you being too hasty?"


    Taige''s mouth was all greasy, "The tenth floor of Great Mystery Continent just closed three days ago, you can''t get in now!"


    "Don''t worry about that, I have a way."


    "Ah? You''re not going to use that item, are you?"


    Bailuo''s expression remained calm, noncommittal.


    She pondered for a moment, slightly calming her mood, before she said:


    "We need to head to the city from which this recording originated, also, whether or not the owner of the sword light is the captain, we need to keep this news under wraps."


    "Why?" This time, it was Taige''s turn to be baffled.


    Bailuo''s expression turned grave:


    "Judging by the strength of that sword light, if it''s the teacher, his power seems to be damaged, only at Light Rank.


    The mysterious assailant who framed the teacher and caused his disappearance three years ago is definitely more than Light Rank!


    In case that person learns of the teacher''s existence, they might strike again, so we must keep this news secret, not letting more people know!"


    Additionally, Bailuo had a personal motive.


    She wanted to secretly retire with her teacher and live the peaceful life they had agreed upon.


    She had saved up plenty of Gold Coins, enough for the two of them for a lifetime. As for things like climbing the World Tree to challenge the Demon King, she would leave that to the genius adventurers in the Royal Capital.


    If the teacher''s strength had really dropped to Light Rank... A small thrill of joy emerged in Bailuo''s heart; even if the teacher disagreed, she might also be able to push a little harder.


    "Indeed, as expected of Lady Bailuo, you think far ahead!"


    Taige wiped his mouth, "I''m done eating, to White Dove City, let''s go!"


    "Eh, White Dove City?"


    Bailuo murmured, "This city feels somewhat familiar."


    After thinking for a while, a spark of insight flashed through her mind��it was the city where the adventurer Lin Da, who made it to the Adventurer''s Weekly by leading the Rock Squad at level 20+ to conquer an Epic Monster, resided.


    She had sent an invitation there not long ago, but had yet to receive a reply.

 Chapter 391 315, Lia accidentally eats poisonous mushrooms, Lin Da

    "While you''re there, ask them why they haven''t replied. I''m the Dean, after all, and they''re showing me a serious lack of respect,"Although Bailuo was small in stature, she carried the pride of a top-ranked adventurer.


    That Lin Da, a mere Level 20-something adventurer, should at least give a proper reply even if he doesn''t want to join Azure Sky University.


    Instead of acting as if he hadn''t seen it, ignoring her invitation.


    When a Light Rank Adventurer gets angry, someone is bound to suffer!


    That very night, Bailuo and Taige spread their Battle Qi Twin Wings and flew to White Dove City, located at the southern end of Cangqing Province.


    ...


    ...


    World Tree''s Great Mystery, the tenth floor, Dragon Forest.


    The time was probably dusk.


    The forest was perpetually dark, seldom bright, and without a Magic Guide Watch, it was difficult to determine the exact time.


    Almost ten days had passed since the Great Mystery Continent closed.


    The good news was that the ''Acid Rain'', which could continuously corrode an adventurer''s Life Barrier, had stopped the day before.


    Lia''s heart cried out in gratitude to the Goddess as she hurried out to search for food.


    The bad news, however, was that Lia was so hungry she was seeing white.


    That detestable Hu Er had found her dwelling and brought some fruits,


    but Lia, ever vigilant, feared the fruits contained harmful toxins and refused them all.


    She planned to gather some food during the day and move out at night, distancing herself from Hu Er.


    At the moment, Lia''s stomach growled loudly, her throat parched as if on fire, and she had even drunk all her self-produced beverages dry, unable to produce more.


    Her face was as dirty as a beggar from the slums, her legs weak and powerless.


    Starvation had slowed Lia''s inner Battle Qi to a standstill; she felt that even a normal Giant Magic Saw Mushroom might beat her now, let alone a Level 30 feral Magical Creature.


    Walking through the dense, spiky underbrush, Lia staggered, using her beloved Phoenix Feather Sword as a crutch.


    She cautiously peeked her head out to ensure there were no feral Magical Creatures around then sprinted to a moss-covered rock.


    Like a starving lamb, she gnawed away wildly.


    Lia endured the strange taste in her mouth and swallowed everything.


    The moss, named ''tasty moss'', could replenish a certain amount of strength for an adventurer, but tasted worse than dung.


    In contrast, there was ''tree cotton'' which tasted like roasted pork skewers, but in truth, it couldn''t replenish strength and was essentially a bird''s droppings.


    Food tasting of dung and tasty dung.


    Lia chose the former.


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    She ate with tears in her eyes, silently wiping away the little pearls with her sleeve.


    ��She longed to go home, to soak in the warm Great Water pool, to scrub the dirt off her neck that was thick enough to roll into balls.


    Lia also missed Aiko and the others, reminiscing about the days of bickering together. It was in such a lonely and dangerous environment that she realized adventure wasn''t something one could do relying solely on oneself.


    If she could make it back to White Dove City alive, she would definitely give Aiko and her friends a raise and treat them better. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Alas, I can''t produce today''s drink!"


    After searching the forest for a long time, Lia couldn''t find any water source.


    After the Mystic Realm closed, all the ordinary resources that were easy to find disappeared. This was the World Tree Goddess''s punishment for adventurers who didn''t follow the rules.


    Lia didn''t dare complain in her heart; cursing Holy Light was one thing, but cursing the World Tree Goddess would bring trouble. Who knows, stepping wrong could mean landing in a nest of Cold Poison Feathered Snakes.


    Lia took out her juice cup, held it up for a while, but not a drop came out.


    Having spent ten days in the Great Mystery Continent, her once vibrant red hair had become like withered weeds, losing its luster, with split ends signaling her poor physical condition.


    Suddenly, her stomach cramped as if someone with half-year-untrimmed nails was rummaging through it.


    Lia''s face went pale, and her heart dropped: was it because of the mushrooms she ate this morning?


    Although they looked toxic with their bright colors, she remembered the book said they were edible!


    The truth, however, was that they indeed could be eaten, but only after being boiled in water for over 30 minutes.


    Hungry to the point of desperation this morning, Lia had simply dipped the mushrooms in like hotpot ingredients, eagerly stuffing them into her mouth.


    Now paying the price for her haste, she convulsed in pain, her vision doubled, her head spun, and she collapsed to the ground.


    ...


    One hour, two hours passed.


    Lia was lucky; during this time, no Magical Creatures passed by.


    Tap tap, tap tap.


    Footsteps approached.


    The person discovered Lia lying on the ground, paused for a while, holding his chin, a puzzled expression on his face.


    This dirty redhead, why does she look somehow familiar?


    ...


    ...


    Lia only vaguely remembered something: as she lay on the ground, poisoned by the mushrooms, it seemed a tall adventurer came by.


    They stuffed something thick and large into her mouth.


    Then a warm rush flowed from within.


    It was water.


    Precious water!


    Feeling elation from her throat, the simple-minded Lia didn''t associate it with anything else and immediately thought it was the mouth of a water bottle.


    She didn''t know how much time had passed, but when Lia regained consciousness and opened her eyes, her first sensation was a burning pain in her stomach, her body felt light, and her head was still dizzy.


    The symptoms of poisoned mushrooms hadn''t completely dissipated.


    She lay on a mat made of ''tree cotton'', atop a stone bed, under an uneven "ceiling," with dark blue rocky walls around her.


    Lia sat up, staring blankly around.


    What she saw was a room carved out of stone that resembled an adventurer''s resting quarters, the entrance obscured by vines, through the gaps of which she could see the forest in the distance and the pale red sky.

 Chapter 392 315, Lia accidentally eats poisonous mushrooms, Lin Da

    That is to say, this cave was carved out on a cliff.It could effectively prevent attacks from Magical Creatures on land, greatly increasing the safety rate.


    Carving a cave on a cliff was no easy task.


    Lia''s respect for her savior grew immensely in her heart.


    The facilities inside the cave were not simple either. There was a long table made of stone, chairs, and a big water tank filled with a liquid that appeared to be "clear water."


    Next to it was a partition made of banana leaves, with a funnel-shaped showerhead above, which seemed to be a shower area?!


    Lia''s eyelids twitched wildly, her face a picture of disbelief.


    She treated the water in her own body as a precious resource, drinking it all back, yet the owner of this cave could actually afford to use clean water for bathing?


    It was simply too extravagant!


    Lia''s awe towards this unseen benefactor rose another notch.


    At that moment, she smelled an enticing aroma and her stomach, which had been hungry for a long time, started rumbling.


    There was a stone table in the middle of the cave with two stone bowls on it, containing smoked meat stewed with wild vegetables and a bean soup.


    Like a puppet with strings pulled, Lia sat down on a stone stool, drooling.


    She blinked hard and touched the food that still had some warmth, feeling as if she were in a dreamy haze.


    The delicious food, the cave carved out on a cliff, and the strong ability to make various stone furniture...


    The owner of this cave seemed extremely powerful.


    "Oh no, what if that person fancies my body?"


    Just as Lia was about to pick up the stone bowl and start eating, a sudden shock went through her heart.


    In the lawless land of the Dragon Forest, even if the other party wanted to do something, she wouldn''t be able to resist in her current weakened state.


    The best course of action would be to quickly finish the meal, drink enough water, and leave this place, right? Stay updated via My Virtual Library Empire


    After all, no one can be sure if the one who saved her was a good Samaritan with no ulterior motives.


    But, to just walk away like that would make her seem too ungrateful.


    Lia was caught in a dilemma.


    "Ah! Never mind, eating comes first!"


    Her stomach growling in warning, Lia realized her saliva had long since formed threads, dripping into the ragged holes of her black thigh-high stockings on her thighs.


    She picked up the stone bowl and voraciously devoured the vegetable soup.


    "Delicious, so delicious, wuuwuu~"


    And the smoked meat stewed with wild vegetables, the fragrance of the meat perfectly merged with the sweetness of the vegetables, each bite was like elegant elven ladies performing ballet on her taste buds, a kind of pleasure almost equivalent to the Divine Gift received upon leveling up.


    Lia hadn''t eaten proper food for ten days, surviving on mushrooms and crap grass; it took her just two minutes to polish off a bowl of bean soup and smoked meat stew, leaving not a trace behind.


    She even hugged the bowl to lick it, making sure every last drop of soup was consumed.


    "Burp~"


    Lia patted her round belly, letting out a satisfied burp.


    Having eaten her fill, she stared unblinkingly at the makeshift shower area: since it was there, it surely wouldn''t hurt to use it, right?


    She was dirty like a beggar, her own smell insufferable, with ash coming off every part she touched. For an eighteen-year-old girl in the prime of her youth, this was a truly bothersome thing.


    "Take a shower and then slip away, leaving some Gold Coins as compensation!"


    Lia decided to err on the side of caution. She had heard that some beautiful female adventurers were captured and used as slaves to fulfill bestial desires; she did not wish to bet her life on her savior being a completely altruistic nice guy.


    She took off one of her ragged black stockings and was about to remove the other when��


    Sssss.


    Sssssss!


    A strange noise came from behind her.


    Along with the rustling sounds of movement, the camouflaged curtain made of vines was lifted.


    A brown snake head, big as a bucket, poked its way in.


    It stared at Lia, who was in the midst of removing her stocking, eye to eye.


    [Rock Snake], a level 30 purple Rare Magical Beast.


    Average length fifteen meters, fond of searching for birds'' nests on cliffs to Devour their eggs.


    A series of information flashed through Lia''s mind at lightning speed.


    "Hello, there are no bird eggs here."


    Lia maintained her posture, one foot raised as she was pulling off her sock, and said dryly.


    "Ssss."


    The Rock Snake flicked its tongue, its red triangular eyes fixed on Lia.


    "Hiss!"


    The battle erupted in an instant.


    The Rock Snake opened its wide mouth to bite Lia, while Lia, not bothering to continue removing her sock, gripped the Firebird Feather Sword and chopped down forcefully!


    Clang��


    A clear sound rang out, as if the Firebird Feather Sword had struck steel.


    The Rock Snake''s head was covered in hard scales, and without sufficient force, it was impossible to harm it.


    Normally, Lia could break through the Rock Snake''s defenses with one hand, but the problem was that she had gone without food for too long, and there were aftereffects from eating poisonous mushrooms; her Battle Qi had dwindled to about twenty percent.


    With multiple negative statuses afflicting her, Lia was horrified to discover that she was no match for the Rock Snake!


    She only felt a massive jolt, her hands numb, incapable of gripping the sword, which immediately fell to the ground.


    That force travelled up her arms and spread throughout her body; Lia''s head buzzed, and the scenery before her eyes shook violently.


    Thud��a blow from the Rock Snake slammed her against the wall, causing intense pain in her back.


    Lia bit her lip and staggered to her feet, her eyes on the Firebird Feather Sword lying two meters away.


    Most of the Rock Snake''s body squeezed into the cave, its ten-plus-meters-long, barrel-thick form pressing down oppressively. It pushed the Firebird Feather Sword out of the cave, sending it tumbling outside.


    The Great Sword, which Lia had bought with a hefty sum of Gold Coins, slipped away before her very eyes.


    "Is this young miss really going to fall in such a place?"


    Lia knelt on the ground, staring blankly up at the massive serpent''s head.


    From the wide-open mouth of the Rock Snake emanated a thick stench of blood, its fangs as thick as her own forearm; if bitten, she feared she would lose her life in an instant.


    Lia had imagined many scenarios where her adventures might end in failure: falling beneath a dragon''s claws, losing a fierce battle against a demon from the abyss, or enduring a noble defeat in a duel against a Demon''s adventurer on a stage watched by thousands, earning their admiration and securing a name that would live on through the ages...


    But she had never imagined...


    that she would meet her end in the mouth of a small, Level 30, purple Rare Rock Snake.


    Just like that Legendary Adventurer who had vanquished a Giant Dragon��he died, killed by a Level 10-or-so Goblin. Having exhausted all his strength battling the dragon, he was finished off by the Goblin.


    Lia felt a similar desolation in her heart. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Scenes flashed before her eyes: growing up in the slums, being picked up by The Mandalas family, running away from home, establishing the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Together they adventured, enjoyed loot, shared meals, played, argued, parted ways, and then reunited as friends again, attending the Winter Festival fireworks together...


    "This young miss, how can I fall here!"


    Lia shouted, tears of frustration in her eyes, her right hand''s fiery Battle Qi ignited, punching towards the Rock Snake that lunged at her!


    "Hiss!"


    The Rock Snake opened its maw wide, intending to devour the adventurer before it.


    But the next moment, as though it was "short" on length, it stopped about ten centimeters short of Lia.


    No matter how much effort it made, it couldn''t touch the adventurer.


    Lia''s punch also missed its mark, and unable to stop the force, she toppled to the ground, forming a large bump on her forehead.


    Huh?


    Lia, clutching her aching head, looked at the Rock Snake in confusion.


    Why had this Magical Creature suddenly stopped moving?


    Was it a good Magical Creature that understood humanity, one that wouldn''t harm adventurers?


    Soon Lia noticed something was amiss.


    The Rock Snake was bound by a vine-formed Wooden Giant Dragon, completely immobilized. Thumbs-thick vines intertwined to eventually form a vivid Wooden Giant Dragon.


    The powerful restraint caused the scales of the Rock Snake to shatter, and blood oozed from its entire body��as if an adventurer''s bones had all been broken.


    Pain showed in the Rock Snake''s triangular pupils as it opened its mouth, letting out sharp hisses.


    The vine-formed Wooden Giant Dragon carried a trace of a dragon''s aura, imposing an intense suppression on the Rock Snake.


    Had there been a Druid present, they might have discerned that the Rock Snake''s hisses were words of pleading.

 Chapter 393 316, Ali Gado Lin Yang Yang Sang

    ```"Energy Storage Storm!"


    ```


    ```


    A detached female voice rang out, and three Wind Battle Qi-formed bullets shot forth, striking the Rock Snake on the back of its head.


    ```


    ```


    Sensing the danger to its life, the Rock Snake shook desperately to and fro.


    ```


    ```


    But it was like a delicate Succubus under a Beastman''s hold; how could it contend with the power of the Epic Level Rare Technique, Forest Dragon''s Rage Fang?


    ```


    ```


    Struggling with all its might, the Rock Snake still couldn''t break free from the restraint, becoming an effortless target for the Wind Bullets.


    ```


    ```


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    ```


    ```


    The first bullet shattered the Rock Snake''s scales.


    ```


    ```


    The second one destroyed its bones.


    ```


    ```


    The third one took its life away.


    ```


    ```


    The Rock Snake was merely a level 30 purple Magical Creature, but wasn''t this defeat a bit too easy?


    ```


    ```


    Lia covered the large, swollen lump on her forehead, staring blankly.


    ```


    ```


    With her bottom pressed against the cold ground and a small stone poking into her, she remained oblivious, her eyes gleaming, gazing at the gradually fading corpse of the Rock Snake, and she couldn''t help but utter:


    ```


    ```


    "Wow, so powerful!"


    ```


    ```


    Two moves had taken out a level 30 Rock Snake.


    ```


    ```


    Even in her prime, she wouldn''t have been capable of doing that.


    ```


    ```


    Especially that Vine Dragon technique that immobilized the Rock Snake seemed very much like a Rare Technique that only a Moon rank adventurer would be able to master.


    ```


    ```


    High in damage and with a binding effect, it was extremely advantageous in the difficult task of subduing Magical Creatures.


    ```


    ```


    The person who saved her turned out to be such a powerful adventurer...


    ```


    ```


    Lia was so moved by her close call with death.


    ```


    ```


    She firmly decided in her heart that she must properly express her gratitude to the person.


    ```


    ```


    Fainting from poison mushrooms, saved once, and now from the Rock Snake, yet again.


    ```


    ```


    This person was her great benefactor.


    ```


    ```


    Adventurers are always accustomed to and adapting to new environments, and they try to make some changes in these new settings. Lia did the same. Across the unfaded corpse of the Rock Snake and with what she believed to be her most sincere gaze, she cleared her throat and squeaked out a sweet sound:


    ```


    ```


    "This sister, thank you for saving..."


    ```


    ```


    ��The reason Lia addressed the other as "sister" was simple: she had heard the words "Energy Storage Storm," which was clearly a mature female voice. It was only natural for her to respectfully call the other party sister.


    ```


    ```


    But if those people knew Lia, they''d be completely taken aback. You see, Lia had never called Dawen "brother," and in her friends'' eyes, she was an adventurer who did not know courtesy.


    ```


    ```


    Yet now, Lia, contrary to her normal state, like a well-behaved little girl, was calling the person opposite her "sister."


    ```


    ```


    It would be all right if she hadn''t called out.


    ```


    ```


    Both of the others were a bit dumbfounded.


    ```


    ```


    "Master, didn''t you say that Lia is an arrogant and capricious adventurer?"


    ```


    ```


    "This can''t be right... Weird, sister? That Lia?"


    ```


    ```


    The other mumbled to themselves, as if seeing the sun rise from the west, their faces filled with shock.


    ```


    ```


    The Rock Snake''s body turned to ash and vanished, leaving behind only a fist-sized clump of golden light.


    ```


    ```


    With the Rock Snake gone, the people on both sides finally got a clear look at each other.


    ```


    ```


    Lia hadn''t finished her thanks when the appearance of the two people on the other side came into her field of vision. Her voice and the cute smile she had fabricated to garner the favor of the unfamiliar elder sister, both abruptly ceased.


    ```


    ```


    The girl''s ruby-like eyes lost their sparkle, and she seemed to turn ashen.


    ```


    ```


    A wind from outside the cave swept in, and Lia felt as if her ashen self had been blown away by it.


    ```


    ```


    Standing opposite her, the two who had killed the Rock Snake in two moves and saved her from the poison mushroom, who she suspected might have ill intentions and treat her as a slave to vent their desires, turned out to be...


    ```


    ```


    "Lin, Lin Da!?"


    ```


    ```


    "How, how is it you?"


    ```


    ```


    Lia stammered out.


    ```


    ```


    On her bare feet, her toes curled tightly, trying to conceal her inner embarrassment. Her cute smile was quickly withdrawn as she pretended to be indifferent, whistling and looking around haphazardly, never daring to meet the eyes of the two opposite her.


    ```


    ```


    Lia appeared composed on the surface, but inside she was like a little figure in turmoil, holding her head against the wall, accompanied by strange cries of "Woo woo ah ah." After banging against the wall, she rolled back and forth on the ground, wishing she could eat another poison mushroom and fall into a stupor.


    ```


    ``` sea??h th�� NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Why was it him?


    ```


    ```


    Lia was astounded.


    ```


    ```


    While she was happy to find that her lifesaver was Lin Da, happy that Lin Da and the others hadn''t abandoned her, and felt much safer in the dangerous Great Mystery Continent with an acquaintance;


    ```


    ```


    the problem was, the pretentious expression she had on just now, the way she squeaked calling Tasya "sister", had all been seen by Lin Da and Tasya!


    ```


    ```


    Oh, poor Lia! She was just trying to tap into her survival instincts. No big sister would hate a well-behaved, petite, pretty girl, right? After all, it was deep within the unknown Dragon Forest, and Lia was ready to try out a change in her image.


    ```


    ```


    But who did she encounter? It just had to be Lin Da, who even knew where her cavities were!


    ```


    ```


    Lin Da and Tasya stared blankly at Lia. They were completely taken aback.


    ```


    ```


    Tasya: "This girl seems very flustered. Is it because of the poison mushrooms?"


    ```


    ```


    "No, I understand what''s happening. Let''s not bother with her for now. After a while, she just needs to calm down."


    ```


    ```


    The two ignored Lia''s presence, leaving her to deal with her embarrassment on her own.


    ```


    ```


    Lin Da had a water tank-sized, juvenile Giant Magic Saw Mushroom slung over his shoulder, bound firmly with the Dark Whip.


    ```


    ```


    He also had changed into an orange adventurer''s outfit, which blended in with the Mondale Trees of the forest, orange being conducive to camouflage.


    ```


    ```


    After tossing the barely alive juvenile Demon Saw Mushroom in a corner, Lin Da settled down in front of a stone bench like an adventurer returning home after a day of work. He took a cask of Wheat Beer and a bag of beef jerky from his Space Ring and began to relax.


    ```


    ```


    Tasya took out a cup and poured Wheat Beer for Lin Da, then went off to the water pool to wash Lia''s bowls and utensils.


    ```

 Chapter 394 316, Ali Gado Lin Yang Yang Sang

    This scene was extremely harmonious, resembling an old married couple who had lived together for decades.Lia stared, her eyes going wide.


    When had Lin Da gotten so close with this cold, silver-haired maid? Wasn''t she ostracized during the fireworks festival?


    "It''s very clean; just rinse it with water,"


    With Tasya''s unintentional remark, Lia snapped back to reality.


    Blushing, she said, "Wasting food isn''t good behavior."


    "Stop washing, sit down and rest, have a drink with me. You''ve earned it today, thanks to you tying up the Shadow Magic Panther, I had the chance to pick that thing."


    "Yes,"


    Tasya walked to the opposite side of the stone table, nervously holding a cup for Lin Da to pour the wheat beer. Apparently unable to handle her drink, her face quickly turned a shade of light red after downing the cup.


    "Was there any need to down it in one gulp?" Lin Da asked in surprise.


    "Because it''s from the master, I''ll swallow everything!"


    Lin Da remembered something and scratched his ear sheepishly.


    Entertainment was scarce in the sealed Great Mystery Continent, and on boring nights, he could only engage in some popular activities with his maid, like giving her a head massage.


    From the original three minutes, Lin Da had progressed to being able to finish brushing Tasya''s hair and even braiding it into twin ponytails.


    By the way, when Tasya, under Lin Da''s request, put on a stoic face to scold the small fry with her twin ponytails, he couldn''t last even three minutes. Since then, he dared not ask Tasya to wear twin ponytails anymore.


    The two chatted casually, seemingly completely ignoring a certain redhead girl.


    This effectively cured Lia''s "awkwardness cancer," and the little person inside her heart stopped tumbling about, her curled toes gradually relaxed.


    Even now, Lia''s mind was still a mess.


    She hurried to Lin Da''s side, grabbed his shoulders, and shook him, her small face confused as she spoke incoherently:


    "What in the world is going on, how come you didn''t leave the forest, didn''t I tell you to run?"


    "And that technique used to bind the Rock Snake... isn''t that a Rare Technique? Only those at Moon Rank are supposed to handle Rare Techniques! Ah, my head''s going to explode!"


    "Don''t rush, sit down and talk."


    Lin Da, without turning his gaze, coughed and said, "Actually, I think you should change your little bear underwear. Being thrifty is quite nice, but it''s rare for someone to wear the same few pieces for three years, right? You are, after all, the captain of the Quasi Steel Level adventure team, it would be embarrassing if people saw."


    Lia: ?


    She blinked, then looked down at herself.


    All that was left on her legs was a pair of torn over-knee black stockings, her skirt caught by a button at the back of her belt, exposing half a cute brown bear growing on the vibrant yellow fabric.


    Lia adjusted her skirt, her face burning hot, and sat down on a nearby stone bench a bit awkwardly.


    This was the second time Lin Da had taunted her for having outdated underwear. The type that Aiko wore felt too excessive to her; adventurers should pursue practicality, those delicate, easily torn lace trims were purely ornamental.


    She took a deep breath: "Can we talk now, what has happened? How come you seem so comfortable? Your level has also increased a lot!"


    She glanced at the cabin, observing its various pieces of furniture, the stone table with beef jerky, wheat beer.


    Tasya went to make a fire for cooking, what was probably chicken stew in the pot, with an indefinite yet wafting aroma, stirring Lia''s hunger again after she had just filled her stomach.


    She watched Lin Da''s neat clothing and his composed expression, then compared it to her smelly self, her head drooping dejectedly.


    "I did use a Rare Technique just now, but you should feel that I haven''t reached the Moon Rank, I am currently Level 32, a Star-ranked adventurer."


    "How much?"


    Lia couldn''t believe it.


    "Level 32."


    Lin Da smiled: "Lucky, had an encounter."


    By battling Magical Creatures in the sealed Great Mystery Continent, one could simultaneously gain Diamonds and Mystical Points, and the amount could be substantially increased.


    These past days looking for Dark Tree Fruit, inevitably encountering frenzied Magic Creatures.


    Lin Da and Tasya, cooperating with each other, one close-range, one long-range, being tough enough and striking hard, performed exceptionally well like fish in water. sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Excluding the Epic Level Magic Creatures, all creatures below Level 36 were within Lin Da and Tasya''s ability to defeat.


    Lin Da then used some accumulated Mystical Points to break through successfully, reaching Level 32.


    His Magic Power was greatly replenished as his level increased.


    This controllable means of leveling up was something other adventurers didn''t possess.


    All things considered, despite the dangers of the Great Mystery Continent, Lin Da and his team were doing fairly well.


    "Level 32, you?"


    Lia asked again, unwilling to accept it.


    "Yes, indeed, level 32."


    "Oh... congratulations..."


    Lia''s tone was filled with sourness.


    She had always been stronger than Lin Da, but now, Lin Da had become stronger than her.


    This made Lia feel bitter inside.


    Lin Da, holding a wheat beer, looked towards the sky behind the vine curtains and didn''t notice anything unusual about Lia.


    He slowly recounted the events of the past ten days.


    Entering the Forest Dragon''s Lair, "picking up" the skill tree of Forest Dragon''s Rage Fang...


    Dodging acid rain, digging caves, searching for Dark Tree Fruits...


    According to the agreement, he invited Lia, and her compensation for this trip was two-tenths of the total haul, which amounted to nearly 1.5 million gold coins.


    But contrary to Lin Da''s expectations, Lia, who had always been greedy, shook her head: "No need."


    "What?" Lin Da was quite surprised.


    "You saved me, so I don''t want the rewards."


    Lia said softly, "Thanks."


    In the cave, only the sound of Tasya chopping vegetables "tak tak tak" could be heard, making it seem somewhat lonely.


    Lia hung her head and did not lift it for a long time.


    Her eyes turned red, hearing that Lin Da reached level 32, earned a pile of gold coins, and even got the rare technique''s skill book; the feeling of disparity grew larger as if she could already see two adventure teams growing unfamiliar with each other, not interacting at all.


    Lia clenched her fists tighter, shouting stubbornly inside: I don''t want that kind of thing!


    If the adventure isn''t something we do together, then it''s meaningless.


    The ten days of solo adventuring in the Great Mystery Continent made Lia realize that compared to gaining strength alone, companions were indeed more important. If she didn''t even have companions, who could she show off her power to?


    Hearing Lia''s thanks, Lin Da was slightly startled and looked differently.


    He thought for a moment, then placed his big hand on Lia''s head, his voice gentle, "I need to say the same to you; if you hadn''t stopped Nacho and the others, it would have been dangerous then. Thank you."


    Lia pursed her lips and said, "Lin Da, will you ever forget me one day... no, forget the Snow Goose Adventure Team?"


    Lin Da laughed, "How could I? I won''t forget a single name of my companions."


    "So, I am one of them, right?"


    "Of course."


    "Oh..."


    Lia let Lin Da mess up her hair, much like a usually noisy cat that suddenly quiets down.


    A strange emotion overflowed in her chest, like the sunset red haws that abundantly grow on the fifth layer; tart and delicious, a piece kept in the mouth could be savored for a long time.


    It was good Tasya spoke little. If it had been Aiko, she would''ve taunted herself a few times. Lia sneakily glanced at the silver-haired maid busy in front of the pot, who seemed not interested in commenting on the scene.


    ''If Aiko were half as quiet as her, I could have become friends with her earlier,'' Lia thought.


    "All right, got all the lice out. If I''m not wrong, you''ve been running into the sawgrass bushes, right? That place is where wild boars and wolves like to go, and lice hide under the sawgrass leaves, jumping onto your head inadvertently."


    Lin Da threw three or four soybean-sized lice on the ground, stepped on them, and then pinching his nose, said with a bit of disgust, "You should take a bath; you smell awful, and it was hard carrying you back."


    Lia''s face turned bright red.


    So, Lin Da''s friendly petting wasn''t just petting, but was picking lice off her head?


    How embarrassing!

 Chapter 395 317. Overnight in the cave, sleeping together under a big blanket, Lin Das battle plan.

    Tasya served the food on the table and said with a light tone, "There''s plenty of water; I suggest you give yourself a thorough wash, I don''t want to spend the next half month with a dirty adventurer."Lia couldn''t argue and hummed an agreement, then went behind the shower curtain.


    "You''re not going to peek, are you?"


    Just to be on the safe side, she asked.


    Lin Da laughed, "Who would want to look at a flat board? I''m not interested at all."


    Lia was grinding her teeth in anger.


    She was only fifteen years old three years ago, but now... Lia squeezed her face, and bending her head down, she could see a slight gap.


    Lin Da didn''t know anything, what right did he have to call her a flat board? Lia was tempted to throw open the curtain just to prove him wrong.


    Thus, under the separation of a "banana leaf curtain," Lin Da and Tasya drank wheat beer and ate, while Lia showered.


    The sound of rushing water, mixed with a slight rustling, echoed.


    From the gap as wide as a palm on the floor, one could glimpse the girl''s snow-white calves and feet.


    Her clothes lay on the floor, a bright yellow set of bear underwear sitting in the middle. Accompanied by the rustling sound of water, it aroused some curiosity in Lin Da.


    Every now and then, he glanced sideways, wondering whether to use the Dark Whip to remove the banana leaves and see Lia''s embarrassed face.


    But thinking that Lia might break down on the spot, Lin Da dismissed the bad idea.


    Ten minutes later, Lia came out from behind the curtain.


    She wore an unusually large white shirt, which almost reached her knees, and her calves were exposed. She wore a pair of slippers woven from straw.


    The shirt was naturally lent to Lia by Lin Da. Lia''s ring had almost no daily necessities in it, just Demon Cores, Gold Coins, and equipment from monster drops. Stored in the villa''s warehouse, Lia was concerned about thieves stealing them, so she had to put them in her Space Ring to feel secure.


    This led to the already small ring having no extra space for strategy supplies, causing her miserable state over the past ten days.


    After her shower, Lia radiated heat, having heated the water with her Fire Fighting Qi. Her half-dried red hair stuck to her back, with droplets still falling.


    She hid her hands in the overly large sleeves of her shirt, only showing a bit of her fingertips, and with her dismal little face, she looked rather unintelligent.


    The only thing praiseworthy was the natural scent on Lia, which, upon stepping out from the shower, hit Lin Da immediately like a whiff of jasmine.


    On the table was a bowl of rice porridge and half a dish of uneaten beef.


    Lia rolled up her sleeves and started devouring her food.


    She conscientiously licked up every grain of rice, carefully chewed, and swallowed.


    This focused sight caught the side glances of Lin Da and Tasya.


    Lin Da thought to himself: This guy, it looks like she''s had her fair share of hardships.


    When Lia finished eating, Lin Da took a Great Sword out of his ring, "Thrown out by the Rock Snake, right? I just happened to see it and picked it up."


    After he spoke, he walked to the corner where the young Demon Saw Mushroom was tied up, took out a dagger, and started to bleed it.


    "Uh, thanks," Lia sighed in relief, putting the Phoenix Feather Sword back into the ring.


    Seeing Lin Da collecting the blood of the Demon Saw Mushroom, she asked with surprise, "The blood of the Demon Saw Mushroom is toxic, why are you collecting it?" sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It happens to be one of the most common ''water sources'' in the Great Mystery Continent."


    Lin Da put the drained blood into a basin and then added some green powder.


    In a short while, the cloudy yellow blood was filtered and gradually became clear; impurities settled at the bottom.


    This miraculous scene made Lia''s eyes widen: "What''s happening?"


    Lin Da explained, "In theory, the blood of the Demon Saw Mushroom is toxic, but if you add powder made from Green Tail Grass, let it sediment for three days, and then boil it, it turns into the clear, sweet ''water source'' we''re drinking now. This obscure knowledge is basically useless; it''s rarely mentioned in books."


    "What about the ''Rainbow Mushroom''? I remember the book said it was non-toxic, so why did it make me faint?"


    Had it not been for those Rainbow Mushrooms, Lia would not have fainted in the forest and been picked up by Lin Da; in a sense, she had to thank the toxic mushrooms.


    "Oh, that," Lin Da chuckled. "You probably didn''t cook it long enough. Rainbow Mushrooms need to be boiled in rolling water for over 30 minutes to remove the toxins."


    "Uh..."


    Lia scratched her head in dismay.


    "Let''s summarize the current situation," Lin Da suggested.


    Outside the vine curtain, the sky had completely darkened, and night was about to set in.


    Lin Da typically held a strategy meeting at this time, planning for the next day.


    "Lia, since you''re here, you''ll temporarily take command, no problem with that, right? Of course, if you insist on acting alone, I won''t stop you, but then I won''t share any food with you; you can only stay here for free," Lin Da said.


    He reasoned that if Lia followed his commands, it was only right to provide her with food. If she didn''t listen, he could only offer her a place to stay, and she''d have to manage everything else on her own.


    Lia wasn''t too proud to admit defeat; just the beef stew with potatoes had conquered her stomach. She nodded: "No problem."


    Lin Da hummed in acknowledgment. Standing up like a teacher about to give a lecture to his students, he took out a small blackboard from his ring and hung it on the wall.


    He drew a rough sketch with chalk, vaguely recognizable as some kind of fruit.


    "Given the current situation, our water, food, and shelter issues are resolved, but these alone can''t guarantee our absolute safety over the remaining 20 days.


    According to the customs of the Great Mystery Continent, as time goes on, the likelihood of severe weather increases, which can corrode adventurers'' Life Barriers, temporarily Seal some Magic Circuits, and prevent the use of Skills during a ''Thunderstorm'';

 Chapter 397 318, a night of pain and pleasure, White Cat Lolita visits White Dove City.

    If all adventurers united as one, there would be no such thing as a resurgence of magical creatures.


    Remembering the background story of the Great Mystery Continent, Lin Da let out a self-deprecating laugh.


    "Adventurers... that''s right."


    Lia recalled something, "Apart from you, I also encountered a fox..."


    "A fox? What''s its name?"


    Lin Da''s face changed.


    Tasya, who was feigning sleep, also pricked up her ears.


    If it was the one who had attacked them, the situation was going to be troublesome.


    "Moon rank adventurer, Hu Er."


    Lia roughly recounted her encounter with Hu Er.


    "Although Hu Er really likes me, praising me as a beauty and stuff��I still rejected him."


    Lia concluded with self-satisfaction.


    However, Lin Da didn''t respond to Lia''s feelings; he frowned and thought: Hu Er must have been seriously injured, not even having the confidence to take action against Lia?


    Should he say Lia was lucky, or that Hu Er was simply unlucky... If Hu Er had attacked Lia, he would never let him off. But the same went for not attacking her after all.


    ''Hu Er''s injury is a good opportunity. With the three of us combined, we might be able to make him stay in Dragon Forest forever.


    If this guy goes back to the Bear Roar Adventure Group at Sunrise Level, it would be very unfavorable for us. With Phoenix Tail Flower''s current combat abilities, we are not qualified to battle at Sunrise Level.''


    Lin Da analyzed the pros and cons in his mind.


    "Lia, did you say you know where Hu Er lives?"


    "Mhm, I remember the general direction."


    "That''s good."


    A hint of murderous intent flashed across Lin Da''s eyes.


    After collecting enough Dark Tree Fruits, filling both Lia and Tasya up... cough, restoring them to full Battle Qi,


    combined with his new Rare Technique, the binding effect of [Forest Dragon''s Rage Fang], it wouldn''t be a problem to kill an injured Moon rank.


    But if Hu Er decided to attack now... This possibility made Lin Da feel uneasy.


    His strongest trump card at the moment was a magic scroll [Super*Charge] given by the system, which could greatly increase the damage of the next attack, a great surprise weapon.


    Overall, he still preferred not to encounter Hu Er prematurely.


    Lin Da sighed inwardly. With Tasya at half strength and Lia, a sick patient by his side... the ideal situation was for them to be at their peak, while battling a weakened Hu Er.


    "Not sure if Lulu and Monica have left the Mystic Realm."


    The only good news was that Lin Da could confirm through the team panel that they were still alive.


    ...


    Two hours passed.


    In the night, the cold wave grew increasingly fierce, the howling cold wind slashing in like knives.


    Even though Lia nestled in the blankets and cuddled up to the warm, moist Tasya, with a layer of fine sweat on her back, she still felt cold.


    Her physical strength was being depleted in the cold wave. The situation was somewhat better inside the cave, but thinking back to the ten days she spent in the tree hollow nearly brought tears to her eyes.


    Her mind was a whirl of thoughts, and she couldn''t fall asleep no matter what. Lia cracked open her eyes slightly, only to be surprised to find Lin Da still sitting in front of the vine curtains.


    Wrapped in a blanket, propping his chin on his hands, Lin Da was pondering something.


    Outside, the cold wind howled like tangible ice blades, just the sight of which made one feel cold, prompting Lia to involuntarily scoot her bottom backward, leaning against the warm Tasya.


    Tasya probably had fallen asleep and didn''t react much to Lia''s movement.


    Curious about what Lin Da was doing, Lia peered through the darkness with her pale red eyes, staring intently.


    Finally, she couldn''t hold it in anymore and asked, "Why aren''t you sleeping yet?"


    "In a while,"


    Lin Da replied.


    "Is it because you''re too cold to sleep? We have sleeping bags, don''t we?" said Lia.


    Lin Da shook his head, "When you''re awake, your body temperature is higher. In two hours, when the cold wave is at its fiercest, that will pass and it will get warmer, making it easier to fall asleep." Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Oh..."


    The cave once again fell silent.


    Half an hour passed.


    "Um..."


    Lia, after watching for a long time, made a certain decision. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And if the others from Snow Goose knew about this decision, they would probably think she was crazy.


    Seeing Lin Da shivering wrapped in a blanket, a part of her actually felt uncomfortable, and she contemplated extending an invitation for Lin Da to join her for warmth!


    With her face buried in the blanket and only her eyes showing, Lia''s voice came out muffled, "Come on in, we can squeeze together. It''s possible to get some sleep."


    "This..."


    "I don''t mind, but are you sure you don''t mind either?"


    Facing the warm bedding, Lin Da hesitated.


    "If you freeze to death, there would be no one to cook," Lia remarked.


    "Well, thank you for that,"


    Lin Da chuckled, stood up, and walked boldly to the edge of the bed.


    Looking at the two girls in the bedding, one silver and one red, a wonderful ripple spread through his heart. The last time he''d shared a blanket with someone of the opposite sex was a distant memory, so far back he could barely remember it.


    "You take the middle,"


    Lia shuffled over, pulling the blanket tight, revealing her delicate shoulders and back.


    Her body was slender and delicate, seemingly lacking any strength, which made Lin Da wonder how Lia could wield the Phoenix Feather Sword.


    Could it be that while she looked skinny, she was actually the type that felt all muscular when touched? Lin Da pondered as he shed his coat and got into bed.


    A big man, his addition made the space immediately feel crowded.


    The sleeping Tasya was jostled awake and squeezed against the wall, turning from a round dumpling into a flat pancake.


    Lia complained, "Why are you so big? If I''d known, I wouldn''t have let you in."


    But Lin Da was in his own kind of trouble.


    On both sides were fragrant, soft bodies; he had nowhere to place his hands. Crossed over his chest, they resembled a corpse; laid obediently by his sides, they signaled an earnest student in class, both positions uncomfortable.


    Worst of all, he could clearly feel the soft smoothness of Lia''s back with the outside of his arm and their thighs were pressing closely together, transferring the graceful curves directly into his brain.

 Chapter 398 318, a night of pain and pleasure, White Cat Lolita visits White Dove City_2

    On the pillow, Lin Da''s cheek touched their long hair, tickling him, and he could smell the distinct fragrances of the two.


    In the dark cave, there was complete silence, the only sounds being their intense heartbeats and disheveled breathing.


    Even though they were lying still, everyone felt as though they were under the blazing sun, heating up.


    A strong impulse rose in Lin Da''s heart.


    He thought, he must do something.


    Lin Da lifted his hands, which were uncomfortable no matter how he positioned them, and reached from left to right around Tasya and Lia''s waists, pulling them into his embrace.


    In that moment, an unrivaled sense of satisfaction burst in Lin Da''s chest, holding two sweet-smelling beautiful girls made his mouth curve into a smile.


    Tasya accepted Lin Da''s embrace and even reached back to gently stroke the back of his hand with both her hands.


    The teasing touch was out of this world, befitting a Professional Maid adept at serving her master, Lin Da thought, would his body endure severe challenges after he retired?


    On the other side, a little cry of surprise erupted, "What are you doing, beast!" Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da was marveling at how petite Lia''s body was and how comfortable it was to hold her.


    Hearing this, he helplessly explained, "The space is too small, if I don''t hold you, someone will definitely fall off in the middle of the night, and secondly, I am a healthy adventurer, being with beautiful girls like you and not doing anything would mean something''s wrong with me, right?"


    "Fine, fine, just this one night though, if not, freezing to death wouldn''t be Miss''s preference for sleeping with you!"


    Lia, her face red, turned outwards and felt Lin Da''s robust and rugged body pressing against her back, leaving her mind in turmoil and making it even harder to fall asleep.


    It was a painfully blissful long night that commenced with them sleeping under the same heavy quilt.


    ...


    ...


    Outside, White Dove City.


    At the top floor of the Adventurers'' Guild in the Inner City District, inside the office of president Weylon.


    It was a fine morning, Weylon had finished his breakfast and was drinking coffee at his desk, dealing with official business while fretting over the Phoenix Tail Flower Team''s situation.


    Having learned from Lulu that Lin Da had not returned, she was anxious, and so was the president himself!


    The most promising captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, poised to rejuvenate White Dove City, how could he perish in the ten layers of the Great Mystery Continent!


    Weylon wrote an application letter to the Empire''s central Adventurers'' Guild, hoping to receive the Legendary magic item [Boundary-breaking Secret Sword*10 layers].


    With that, even if the Great Mystery Continent were closed, adventurers from the outside could still enter.


    To increase the chances of the application''s approval, Weylon detailed Lin Da''s various strengths, historical accomplishments, and professional advantages in the letter.


    But even so...


    Ten days passed, and the letter sank like a stone in the sea.


    Admittedly, Lin Da was a talented adventurer, expected to become the leader of the Sun Adventure Group.


    But that was the extent of it.


    The headquarters of the Adventurers'' Guild judged that it was not worth using Legendary items on Lin Da.


    The Royal Capital, after all, was never short of geniuses.


    Batch after batch of geniuses from various cities flooded into the Royal Capital, climbing the main trunk of the World Tree that reached the fortieth layer of the Great Mystery Continent, dreaming of earning a chance to enter the Holy Tree...


    In this process, the fierce competition weeded out many talented adventurers.


    Only a very few, a tiny fraction of adventurers, would ever get to meet the Holy Tree.


    These were the people the Empire was willing to invest Legendary items in.


    Based on the external potential that Lin Da showed, the Empire''s judgment was that he did not qualify. Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire


    If Lin Da were to showcase the knowledge in his mind and his Healing Hero''s Skill Tree, getting qualified wouldn''t be difficult, but these were his biggest secrets which, once revealed, would make him a thorn in the Demons'' side, a nail in their flesh.


    In conclusion, the situation was at an impasse; Weylon did not get the [Boundary-breaking Secret Sword], and had no way to rescue Lin Da.


    Today, a pair in black robes arrived, unexpected visitors.


    Putting on airs, they treated him, the president of White Dove City''s Adventurers'' Guild, like a lackey.


    "So, where is he, where''s the person?"


    Weylon, sitting at his desk, puzzledly scratched his blond hair.


    Only one member of the Tiger Tribe, a young girl, stood before him, taking off her hood to reveal fiery red short hair.


    His breath was quite remarkable. With Weylon''s years of experience, he judged that she must be at least at Moon Rank, and a senior one at that.


    But a Moon Rank didn''t qualify to act high and mighty in front of an Adventurers'' Guild leader!


    "Miss, where is your companion? I heard there are two of you?"


    "I''m here."


    An annoyed female voice came from ahead.


    "Hmm?"


    Weylon looked around but still couldn''t find anyone.


    The short-haired Tigerman girl chuckled, "She''s hidden behind the desk; you need to stand up to see her!"


    That made Weylon pause for a second. Upon standing, indeed, he saw a petite, silver-haired girl with cat ears in front of the desk.


    She wore a black robe, her hands crossed over her chest, eyebrows furrowed, dissatisfaction filled her violet eyes, and the corners of her mouth turned slightly downwards.


    ''Small in size, but not in temper!''


    A hint of disdain flashed in Weylon''s eyes.


    This fleeting emotion, however, was caught by the silver-haired cat-eared girl and the chill on her little face became more evident as her white cat tail flicked angrily.


    "I have candies here, chocolate-filled ones, exactly what kids your age love to eat. Come on, say thank you to grandpa."


    Weylon put on a friendly smile, pulled out a handful of exquisitely wrapped candies from a drawer, and stuffed them into the pocket of the White Cat Lolita.


    "You, you, you''re done for... Miss Bai Luo despises being treated like a child!"


    The Tigerman girl, Taige, looked on in shock at Weylon.


    Based on Miss Bai Luo''s usual temper, she would have beaten Weylon soundly with her Dual Swords, making him unrecognizable even to his own mother!


    But things were different now. Three years of retirement had greatly improved Bai Luo''s terrible temper.


    She sneered and pushed away the candies Weylon offered, "Don''t think you can bribe me with such tricks, I don''t like sweets!"


    "Oh my, what a mistake of mine. I have some red bean buns I bought this morning, my granddaughter really likes them."


    "Enough already!"


    Bai Luo, irritated, leaned forward on her tiptoes and knocked on the desk surface, speaking loudly:


    "I hate it when people treat me like a child; I''m eighteen years old! Mr. Adventurers'' Guild Leader from White Dove City, please mind your behavior. According to imperial law, subordinates must use respectful language when addressing superiors! I can totally report you to the Constitutional Group for your accountability!"


    "Respectful language?"


    Weylon blinked in confusion.


    He, a man in his fifties, was to use respectful language toward a girl not even 1.4 meters tall? Was there something wrong?


    Suddenly, Bai Luo proudly stuck out her chest, and Weylon finally saw the badge clearly.


    It featured an embossed Green Giant Dragon, with a sun rising from the horizon as the main design.


    [Badge Studies] was a subject every official had to master, so Weylon quickly understood the meaning of this badge.


    The Green Giant Dragon meant she came from the provincial capital, Cyan City, and the sun symbolized the Azure Sky Advanced Adventurers Academy.


    And the five golden stars surrounding the badge��hisss! Weylon sucked in a breath of cold air.


    This little one was an official five-star officer of the empire, the head of Azure Sky Academy?


    Compared to her, his own position as the White Dove City Adventurers'' Guild leader, merely a three-star officer, likely had no chance of ever reaching five stars.


    "I remember now; you must be the one known for... oops, who excels in Dual Swords with formidable skills, the adventurer, [White Cat Swordsman] Bai Luo!"


    Weylon grew solemnly respectful.


    Her other identity as the head of Azure Sky Academy, besides being a Light Rank, suppressed him overwhelmingly.


    "Miss Bai Luo, please forgive my disrespect; please have a seat!"


    Weylon respectfully pulled out the big sofa in front of the desk.


    Bai Luo''s expression relaxed slightly. She swished her white cat tail as she walked to the black leather sofa and, propping herself by the armrest, sat down.


    Weylon, fearing reprimand, stood beside her like a secretary and tentatively asked, "Miss Bai Luo, to what do we owe the honor of your visit to White Dove City, may I ask your instructions?"


    "I want you to mobilize the Adventurers'' Guild''s resources to find someone for me. This is crucial for the future development of Azure Sky University."


    Bai Luo stated flatly, ready to exploit her authority.

 Chapter 399 319. White Cat against Lulu, Lin Da educates Lia

    Weylon was surprised, "Who is this person, who can drive the development of an adventurer academy?"


    You should know that Azure Sky University, founded more than five hundred years ago, has cultivated hundreds of Light Rank swordsmen; some of its students have even become renowned legendary adventurers by now.


    This university is among the top institutions throughout the entire empire, among dozens of provinces.


    "He is an adventurer even more powerful than me; living with him, I am in the mood to teach students," Bailuo said indifferently.


    At present, she serves almost like a mascot at Azure Sky University, her greatest value being to showcase her skills during the Winter Festival''s assessment each year, letting the world know that Azure Sky University has incredibly strong adventurers.


    But should Dark Shadow retire and live with her, she would be delighted and might even teach the students swordsmanship.


    This would indirectly boost the development of Azure Sky University.


    "I see..."


    Weylon dared not ask more and took the Recording Stone for a look, then said hesitantly:


    "I also saw a similar Recording Stone yesterday, and I was wondering who this adventurer using the black flames was, and whether he might have come from White Dove City."


    Bailuo said, "Finding this person will merit a significant reward from the principal."


    "I really want to help you, but if such a big shot is determined to hide, where are we supposed to find him?" Weylon complained, feeling a headache coming on.


    "That''s for you to figure out," Bailuo jumped down from the chair and walked out with Taige.


    "��If you find him, what do you plan to do?" Explore stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Hm?"


    Opening the door, the sudden appearance of the girl and the incomprehensible question caught Bailuo off guard for a moment.


    Leaning on the railing of the stairs was a werewolf girl wearing a black hoodie, hands in the pockets, with short, light blue hair.


    The girl''s deep blue eyes stared at her and she slowly said, "[White Cat Swordsman] Bailuo, while you''ve changed a lot in the last three years, no longer that girl with twin ponytails, your scent can''t fool my nose."


    "Who are you?"


    Bailuo frowned slightly and cocked her head to the side.


    "Very arrogant. But you shouldn''t know me; I was kicked out by the captain before you joined," Lulu said with a self-deprecating smile, "but I''ve seen you from a distance, when the captain took your hand to enter the World Tree, and I remembered your scent."


    With that, the expressions in Bailuo and Taige''s eyes changed.


    They exchanged glances and nodded to each other.


    They confirmed, this werewolf girl, like them, had once served in "that" adventure team!


    The flustered President Velen came out to see off the guests, "Lulu, this person is from Cyan City, the principal of Azure Sky University, you mustn''t be rude!"


    "I understand," Lulu said to Bailuo, "Shall we talk someplace else?"


    "Hmph, that''s exactly what I was thinking," Bailuo replied provocatively.


    For some reason, the moment she laid eyes on this werewolf, she felt annoyed, as if she were destined to become enemies with her one day.


    Taige, on the other hand, felt a kinship with the werewolf clan and laughed heartily, "So we''re old teammates then? Next time, you''ll treat me to a meal."


    Lulu did not respond. If these two could help her find Lin Da back, she wouldn''t mind treating them to meals for a lifetime.


    A moment later, in a private room of a caf��.


    "I indeed know where the captain is," Lulu said as she sipped a terribly black, unsweetened coffee, speaking calmly.


    This composure set off alarm bells in Bailuo''s mind. Fifteen-layer-produced Enchanting Poison black coffee, which she could drink without adding sugar, was enough to make children burst into tears instantly; Bailuo, after three years of training, had only managed to reduce from ten cubes of sugar to five.


    And yet this werewolf girl drank it without a change of expression... She was a terrifyingly mature adult!


    "How can you tell me where the teacher is?" Bailuo asked warily as she stared at Lulu.


    "First answer me one question," Lulu put down her coffee cup, a look of mystery in her eyes, "Once you find the captain, what do you intend to do? Answer me honestly."


    Taige, too, was curious as to what Bailuo would do. She planned to have a fight once she found the captain, but what were Bailuo''s thoughts?


    During their time in the Primitive Adventure Team, Bailuo was always the most respectful of the captain.


    To this, Bailuo replied without hesitation:


    "Of course, it''s to make the teacher keep his promise, to retire together and become his wife."


    "Adventuring is too dangerous. If you''ve been with Primordial, you should know of those four Grand Dukes that represent the Flames, each plotting deviously. No matter which side the captain supports, he would be framed by the other three."


    "The captain is clever when dealing with Magical Creatures and navigating the Great Mystery Continent, but he''s clueless in everyday life, not skilled in handling relationships, not even in sitting down, only fighting and killing.


    "If he doesn''t retire, he''s bound to fall on the adventurer''s path."


    "You make some sense... but what''s this about becoming his wife?" S��ar?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lulu asked, surprised.


    "What''s the rush, and how is it any of your business?"


    Bailuo sat on the bar stool, her legs not even touching the ground, yet her demeanor was one of arrogance.


    �� The captain belongs to everyone, not just you alone.


    Lulu really wanted to tell Bailuo this.


    Furthermore, Lin Da''s greatest wish was to lead his teammates to the top of the World Tree; how could Lulu allow him to retire just because of Bailuo?


    To kill someone''s dream was no different from being a murderer!


    Lulu''s heart sank; she had thought she''d find a strong ally, but could it be that Bailuo was a super villain, coming to stop Lin Da from adventuring?


    Her mind was torn. Getting Bailuo''s help could expose Lin Da''s identity, but if she didn''t and Lin Da died in the sealed Mystic Realm...


    "Tell me where the teacher is, quickly!"


    Bailuo said discontentedly as she slapped the table, her voice resounding.

 Chapter 400 319. White Cat against Lulu, Lin Da educates Lia_2

    Lulu pondered for a while before finally making a decision.


    "I can help you, but on one condition: you have to enter the sealed tenth level and bring back a few people for me."


    Bailuo raised an eyebrow: S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    &"Using [Boundary-breaking Secret Sword*10th Level] should be no problem. It was a prize from last year''s assessment conference, and it happens to come in handy. However, forcibly entering the sealed Great Mystery Continent requires precise timing. We must enter when the Great Mystery Continent is in its safest state. If there is [Frost] [Acid Rain] or similar weather, the boundary breaking might fail.


    Miss Lulu, right? I hope you haven''t deceived me and indeed have a lead on the teacher''s whereabouts."


    Bailuo finished the last bit of his coffee with a grimace, glanced at Lulu, and said sternly, "Those who deceive the dean do not fare well!"


    As the White Cat Swordsman, one of Bailuo''s innate abilities was to transform into a white cat, significantly increasing his agility. Even if Lulu was from the Werewolf Clan, she couldn''t dodge his attacks.


    "Don''t worry. Once you bring back the people I specified, I''ll let you ''meet'' the captain."


    Lulu confidently said.


    ...


    ...


    The sealed tenth level of the Great Mystery Continent, Dragon Forest.


    "The burning power in my eyes, you must know what it is, right?"


    In the depths of the cave at night, as he was half-asleep, Lin Da heard Lia''s voice from under the blankets.


    He held Lia''s waist, feeling the slight vibrations her body produced as she spoke.


    The captain, who was immensely arrogant and always treated him like a beast of burden, now lay in his arms.


    With this thought, a strange feeling surfaced, and the drowsiness he had finally achieved quietly dissipated.


    How can one rest well like this?


    Alas, Lulu and Monica have not been found yet. I must make another stone bed. Otherwise, even if five people squeeze together tightly like a jigsaw puzzle, there won''t be enough space to sleep.


    Lin Da was plunged into a sweet dilemma.


    The extra weight was either due to Tasya or Lia; he could no longer tell.


    "Hey, how should I use the power in my eyes?"


    In the blanket, Lia shifted a bit, facing Lin Da, her large eyes glittering with a longing for power.


    Her breath lightly misted Lin Da''s face, making it moist; the fragrance of her hair was distinctly noticeable.


    Luckily, it was pitch dark and Lia''s body was all under the covers, with only her head exposed, which eased the awkwardness between them.


    Lin Da took a deep breath, trying to stop his mind from wandering.


    Approaching Lia in such a straightforward manner, not only would she look down on him, but he would also despise himself. As a pure love team captain, Lin Da planned to spend his first time with the team members. If anything happened with Lia and others like Lulu found out, they would surely be disappointed.


    In other words, Lin Da''s head was able to control his desires, which is a quality of a top-notch adventurer.


    He pondered Lia''s words for a moment and slowly replied, "To use that fire power, I think you should follow what your heart truly believes is the right path."


    "Find the most important thing in your heart, trust it, and protect it. Then, your fire will surely respond to your call."


    Lia hesitated: "The most important thing, is it Gold Coins?"


    "I don''t think so."


    Lin Da said helplessly.


    "Uh, is it my mother? If I become a strong adventurer, Bellini would be proud of me, right?"


    "That''s for you to decide. The most cherished and important thing in your heart. Only that can stir your fire."


    "It''s my fire, why do you understand it so well?"


    Lia looked at him, puzzled.


    "A secret."


    Lin Da closed his eyes and said, "Let''s sleep now, the night is already half over."


    "Okay."


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    Lia pondered for an hour about the matter of the fire before she fell asleep.


    What is the most important thing in her heart?


    The last time she felt that fire was when she fought the Snake People Chieftain to protect Aiko and others.


    Could it be that the most important thing to her is Aiko?!


    Lia was almost startled awake.


    ...


    Before they knew it, fifteen days had passed since the tenth sealed level of the Great Mystery Continent had been closed.


    After that night, Lin Da hurriedly made a second stone bed.


    He slept cuddled up with Tasya and Lia, which was comfortable, but it became tiring after a whole night.


    His arms were sore from being pressed all night, and he was so energetic that he wanted to find a place to vent.


    After much thought, Lin Da decided to sleep in separate beds, letting Tasya and Lia sleep together while he slept on another one.


    One night, he and Tasya played some acupressure massage games secretly while Lia was asleep, which turned out to be quite thrilling.


    The next morning, Lia had no idea.


    When Lin Da and Tasya smiled knowingly after breakfast, it confused Lia, who thought they had eaten fish without her and argued with them for a while about it.


    In addition, the weather had been quite nice over those five days.


    Apart from two days of "Acid Rain" and one scorching day that nearly roasted them, the other two days were relatively normal.


    That afternoon, a thin red fog blanketed the forest.


    Lin Da, who was scouting for traces of Magical Creatures in the tree, was instantly delighted.


    "It''s a foggy day!"


    In such weather, the perception abilities of both Magical Creatures and adventurers decreased several folds.


    This allowed them to make a move on that Serpent People camp.


    A Serpent People camp was stationed by the riverbank.


    Discovered by Lin Da two days ago.


    According to his observations, there were ten dark fruit trees growing near the riverbank, with the fruits roughly numbering over 200.


    With these fruits, they wouldn''t have to worry for the remaining half of the month; both their survival chances and safety level would greatly improve.


    The only challenge was the number of Magical Creatures in the Serpent People camp, with the lowest being level 28, including more than 10 at level 30.


    And one Epic-level 1-star, a level 31 Two-Headed Serpent Chieftain with formidable strength.


    Lin Da had been observing for several days and hadn''t found a good opportunity to strike, so he had to reluctantly keep it in mind.


    Now with the arrival of "foggy day," the Serpent People''s perception was diminished.


    He had already been hiding up in a large tree and had memorized the terrain while bird-watching.


    Even with low visibility and poorer perception abilities, the terrain was already imprinted in Lin Da''s mind.


    If not now, when? The best opportunity had already appeared!


    Returning to the cave on the cliff, the three of them met up.


    After hearing Lin Da''s analysis, all thought it was a suitable time to strike.


    After eating, they headed toward the Serpent People camp located to the south under Lin Da''s lead.


    ...


    "Like this, then like this... finally like that..."


    Along the way, Lin Da repeated the battle plan over and over.


    It was mainly for Lia''s benefit.


    Tasya was not only a Professional Maid but also a reassuring member of the adventure team.


    Tell her once and Tasya would mostly remember, like a top-performing child in class, which always brought a smile to Lin Da''s face.


    Compared to her, Lia was like the student who sits at the back of the class.


    He patiently explained the plan, forcing Lia to memorize it.


    Only after hearing Lia''s recital did Lin Da nod in satisfaction, "Not bad, you can make it if you''re willing to put in the effort."


    "Just don''t think of this miss as an idiot!" Lia said proudly.


    It took an hour and a half for the three to arrive near the riverbank.


    They stooped low, hiding in the bushes and approaching the Serpent People camp.


    Because it was "foggy day," there was pale red fog everywhere, with visibility at most three meters.


    From Lin Da''s position, he could only dimly see the campfire in the distance and the vague outlines of tents in the Serpent People camp.


    The exact name for them was "Aweis Serpent Soldiers," remnants of the ancient Aweis Dynasty.


    Their ancestors were hybrids of humans and Magical Snakes, and their impure bloodline subjected them to scorn.


    Thousands of years ago, they launched a war of aggression against adventurers and, as you can guess, it only took a month for the Aweis Dynasty to become a speck of dust in history.


    And today, they appeared in the Great Mystery Continent under the guise of trialing Magical Creatures.


    Lin Da and the others held their breath as they crawled, tiptoeing over to a Snake-man Soldier holding a torch and looking into the distance.

 Chapter 401 320. Seizing the Dark Tree Fruit, trembling Lia?

    The darker it is under the lamp, the less the snake-man soldiers expected three adventurers to be right under their feet.


    Even Lia had a single unruly tuft of hair sticking up almost touching the toes of the snake-man soldiers.


    Lin Da watched intently as the snake-man soldier, standing two meters tall with a long neck, sported simple brown leather armor, held a torch in the left hand, and a rusted great sword at his waist on the right.


    The most basic underling in the serpent camp, level 28, was not a concern. S��arch* The nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the fog ahead, a massive shadow loomed over five meters tall��that was what they needed to be wary of.


    Two-Headed Serpent Chieftain.


    Level 31, Poison Series, an Epic 1-Star Monster!


    Weakness Striking System, Light Series, Dragon Series.


    Health points as high as 400,000, with both attack and defensive power being considerable.


    In the closed state of the Great Mystery Continent, it had a berserk attribute bonus, probably pushing its health points over 500,000.


    For this, Lin Da''s strategy was to outsmart.


    To obtain the Dark Tree Fruit meant success; there was no need to defeat the Two-Headed Serpent Chieftain.


    He gave Tasya a knowing look.


    Action begins!


    Tasya understood and, her entire body wrapped in Wind Battle Qi, her dress fluttering wildly, flew out of the bush with her Magic Cannon [Shell Rush Sand] aimed at the sky.


    "Hiss hiss!"


    Her appearance immediately provoked agitation in the serpent tribe.


    The hitherto serene camp boiled like oil in a frying pan, as snake-man soldiers with torches and swords hurried towards the commotion.


    Wuuu wuuu wuuu~!


    A scout snake-man stood atop a tower of piled stones, blowing into a large brass horn.


    The towering shadow in the mist, with heavy steps, approached Tasya.


    As the distance closed, Lin Da and Lia, hiding in the bush, could clearly make out the shadow''s true form: standing over five meters tall, clad in bronze armor, with two snake heads��one blue and one red��featuring ferocious eyes and gaping maws.


    It held a curved blade in the left hand and a magic wand inlaid with sapphires in the right, with both heads targeting Tasya, issuing sharp, piercing laughs.


    According to the plan, after Tasya''s cannon had fired, she would use the agility trait of her wind-based Battle Qi to escape to the outskirts.


    The Two-Headed Serpent Chieftain let out a creepy laugh, slithering on the ground, its cold scales passing over the bush where Lin Da was hiding, sending chills down his spine.


    He also noticed a small detail, Lia, who was usually bold and liked to charge at Magical Creatures, was actually trembling slightly?


    Without time to think further, within a few seconds, more than seventy percent of the snake-man soldiers led by the chieftain went after Tasya.


    "Act now!"


    Estimating they were a safe distance away, Lin Da and Lia leaped from the bush.


    "Toxic Purple Mist!"


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    "Flame Slash!"


    Lin Da spread poison mist, enveloping the remaining dozen or so snake-man soldiers.


    Lia, on the other hand, swung her great sword wrapped in flames in a sweeping strike.


    Three snake-man soldiers were scorched on the spot, their Life Barriers shattered.


    This damage made Lin Da take a brief second glance.


    Working together, it took only a few seconds for them to repel the snake-man soldiers.


    Lin Da and Lia exchanged a look and nodded to each other, then headed for the Dark Tree Fruit.


    The tree was three meters tall, with both leaves and fruit appearing black.


    Lin Da threw out his Dark Whip to pluck the fruit.


    As it was about to reach the Dark Tree Fruit, the space around suddenly fluctuated.


    A fist-sized Illusory Snake Head appeared, biting onto the Dark Whip and refusing to let go.


    Lin Da''s face changed, and he shouted to Lia, "Careful, there''s a magic seal on the fruit!"


    Magic seals, a type of magic array, are usually used to protect treasures from being stolen.


    But he had not expected that the snake-people would place a seal on the Dark Tree Fruit.


    ''It seems this seal is the biggest challenge in the snake-people camp!''


    ''To get all the fruit, we need a direct confrontation. Although Tasya is leading away the Two-Headed Serpent Chieftain, we can''t hold on for much longer. Once she breaks free, those snake-men will return.''


    ''If we don''t pick the fruit quickly, Lia and I will be caught in a pincer attack!''


    In the plan, Tasya was to calculate the timing, fully unleash her Wind Battle Qi, and after three minutes, use her remaining strength to open up a distance and shake off the serpent people.


    By then, having lost sight of their target, the Two-Headed Serpent Chieftain would most likely return, akin to "exceeding the monster''s aggro range" in a game.


    In other words, Lin Da had three minutes to break the seal on the Dark Tree Fruit.


    "What do we do!"


    Lia''s strike only resulted in the seal and the fruit being smashed to a pulp.


    In this state, the magic power contained within the fruit would instantly dissipate.


    Lin Da said gravely, "Using brute force won''t work, apply Battle Qi bit by bit to break the seal!"


    "I''ll try!"


    Lia concentrated and extended her hand forward.


    A stream of flame wrapped around the Dark Tree Fruit.


    The flames and the emerging snake-head attacked each other, the pale purple Void Snake winding around the fruit, and with the slightest provocation, it would crush the fruit, ending with a taunting gaze at Lia.


    "Argh, this is so infuriating!"


    Lia was antsy, like an ant on a hot pan.


    Time was of the essence, and they were being blocked by this cunning seal. Continuing like this risked leaving empty-handed, without a single fruit, and they might be surrounded and killed by the returning Two-Headed Serpent Chieftain!


    "Don''t panic, calm down. Think of your Battle Qi as your third arm," Lin Da instructed.


    He focused his gaze on one of the fruits, controlling his Dark Whip to grapple with the Illusory Snake.


    In no time, sweat covered his forehead.


    But simultaneously, the Illusory Snake was firmly caught by the whip, separating from the Dark Tree Fruit.


    Seizing the chance, Lin Da reached for the fruit, plucking it off at once.


    The orange-like fruit was cool to the touch and smelled enticing.

 Chapter 402 320. Winning the Dark Tree Fruit, trembling Lia?_2

    Lin Da let out a sigh of relief and proceeded with the picking of the second Dark Tree Fruit.


    Lia also calmed down, patted her cheeks, and began her struggle against the restraints once again.


    This time, she learned from her lesson and used flames to deplete the energy of the Void Snake before catching it off guard and breaking through in one fell swoop, successfully harvesting the Dark Tree Fruit.


    "Good!"


    Lia wiped the sweat off her forehead and pressed her lips together as she looked around.


    "It must have been over a minute by now, right? I need to speed up and try to pick more fruits!"


    With the success of this attempt, Lia gradually became more adept.


    One, two, three...


    Ten...


    Lin Da''s Magic Guide Wristwatch emitted a ding-ding sound, signaling that the preset three minutes had passed.


    "It''s time to leave."


    Lin Da''s expression turned serious as he and Lia made their escape.


    On the way, the two shared their haul: he had gathered twenty-seven fruits, and Lia twenty-three, making exactly fifty when combined.


    Every twenty fruits could restore the magic power or battle qi of a Star-ranked adventurer from zero to full.


    Since Lin Da had only recently leveled up, he still had about ninety percent of his magic power remaining, Lia had twenty percent, while Tasya, who had taken on the task of distracting the Two-Headed Serpent Chieftain, likely used a great deal, probably leaving at most ten percent...


    Tonight, they''d fill their magic circuits with the Dark Tree Fruits!


    "Is it too quiet?"


    While fleeing, Lia suddenly stopped.


    Lin Da''s train of thought was interrupted, and he hesitated.


    He rubbed his chin in contemplation. Indeed, if the Snake-man soldiers returned to find the Dark Tree picked clean, they should be raging mad.


    Yet he hadn''t heard a sound, not even the footsteps of Snake-man soldiers returning to the tribe.


    "Could it be Tasya buying us time?"


    "With her rigid personality, three minutes is exactly three minutes, not a second more, not a second less."


    Lin Da furrowed his brows.


    A bad feeling started to creep into his mind.


    After a moment of thought, he took off the Space Ring from his finger and handed it to Lia:


    "I''ll go check it out. You take the supplies back to the cave first and use the Dark Tree Fruits to restore your battle qi."


    Lia''s expression changed, and she pushed the ring back, "No, I''ll come too!"


    "Tasya is also Miss''s temporary companion; I can''t just leave her behind."


    "But your battle qi condition..."


    Lin Da felt hesitant.


    "Even if there''s not much left, I can still unleash an ultimate skill," Lia ran ahead, "Don''t worry about me, saving Tasya is what''s important!"


    "You''re right."


    Lin Da clenched and unclenched his fist. Experience new stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    They quickly retraced their steps and hid in a large tree to observe.


    In the Snake People camp, only a few scattered soldiers, about fifteen, had returned, with no sign of the leader.


    It was highly probable that something had happened to Tasya.


    Lin Da pushed off the ground to jump from one large tree to another, following the direction where Tasya had lured the Snake People.


    ...


    On the western side of the Snake People camp, amidst Chaotic Stone Ridge,


    huge bizarre rocks stood tall, with the blood-red sun overhead shedding light and warmth, dispersing the mist.


    The adventurer''s and Magical Creatures'' vision, along with their perception, were slowly returning.


    Tasya was holding the Magic Cannon in both hands, gasping for breath as she looked towards the two-headed Serpent Chieftain ten meters away, who had a sinister smile at the corner of its mouth.


    Beneath it, a green snake head as thick as a human arm had unexpectedly sprouted, unleashing a poison-laden Wind Blade that injured Tasya''s right leg.


    Nobody expected the third snake head to be hidden beneath the Armor covering its loins.


    This was the level 31, Epic Two-Star rated Three-Headed Snake People Chieftain!


    More than twenty Snake-man soldiers surrounded Tasya, closing in on her.


    The Snake People Chieftain lifted his Magic Wand, chanting an obscure, raspy spell.


    Its surroundings began to glow with numerous red specks of magical power, converging above.


    The temperature in the area quickly doubled, as if under the scorching sun.


    Tasya steeled her heart, her eyes tinging with the color of the darkest shadows.


    "Forest Dragon''s Rage Fang!"


    Just then, an angry shout came from afar!


    The intention behind calling out the name of the move was to draw the Snake People Chieftain''s attention.


    And indeed, upon hearing this shout, a flicker of emotion crossed the Snake People Chieftain''s eyes, and its chanting of magic syllables faltered.


    It turned its head, and all six of its eyes revealed a look of terror.


    A vine-made wooden dragon, containing a trace of a dragon''s aura, assaulted it!


    The Snake People Chieftain''s body trembled slightly, its magic incantation completely disrupted.


    The vine wooden dragon bit the Snake People Chieftain''s neck, entwining its body as the horrifying sound of cracking bones echoed continuously.


    The Snake People Chieftain screamed in agony, trapped where it stood, unable to escape.


    A flicker of unusual color passed across Tasya''s face.


    Those two figures in the distance, weren''t they Lin Da and Lia?


    Seizing the moment when the Forest Dragon''s Rage Fang bound the Snake People Chieftain, Lia, who had finished energy charging, stepped forward quickly, raising her greatsword and preparing to unleash the Explosive Flame Slash.


    However, the Snake People Chieftain''s left red head opened its mouth wide and spewed out flames, burning the vines to ashes.


    Its right hand brandished a shining curved blade, while the left hand''s magic wand swayed, and one of the snake heads began chanting a spell.


    "Retreat!"


    Lin Da sensed a hint of danger and solemnly said, "Take Tasya and withdraw first; I''ll hold off this magical creature!"


    "What about you?"


    Lia dodged backwards to avoid the Snake People Chieftain''s attack, noticing her voice tremble as she spoke.


    Her brow furrowed, she tilted up her head, looking up at the Snake People Chieftain, five meters tall and fearsome of visage, and for a moment, felt as if she were back on the twelfth layer of the Great Mystic Realm.


    There, Lia had come close to being beheaded by a gatekeeping Snake Person, though she was lucky in the end, losing only an eye, and had managed to heal... but the adversary still appeared in her nightmares every night.


    The one before her was a Three-Headed Snake People Chieftain, possessing water, fire, and wind attributes, far surpassing the single-headed Snake People Chieftain.


    The nightmare had vividly come to life.


    No matter how many times Lia told herself she "definitely could win," to "not overthink it," to "grip the sword and focus on the battle," it was futile; her body was gripped by fear, urging her feet to flee.


    When Lin Da told her to take Tasya and run, Lia felt a shameful sense of relief deep within her.


    "You and Tasya go ahead, use the Dark Tree Fruit to recover your Battle Qi. If I''m not back by then, come find me!"


    Lin Da made a quick decision.


    Now was not the time for hesitation; the noise of battle would attract more magical creatures. Rationally, having him, with the most abundant magic power, cover the rear could not be more appropriate.


    "Verdant Shield."


    Lin Da enveloped himself in an Emerald Light Shield and, wielding the Sword of Royalty, charged forward.


    "Hiss!"


    The Snake People Chieftain had long found him displeasing, hoisting its magic wand high, and an [Ice Spear Array] appeared above its head.


    A dozen spear-like sharp ice blocks shot towards Lin Da with a swish!


    Lin Da surged his chest with a breath, focusing most of the Life Barrier''s energy to the front.


    Clang, clang, clang!


    The Verdant Shield blocked a full ten ice spears, while the remaining four hit the barrier.


    The ice spears exploded in front of him, the shards cutting into Lin Da''s lightly armored calves, making the leather boots seem like paper, slicing open the boots and stockings within.


    The burning pain was fleeting; adrenaline pumped wildly amidst intense combat.


    Battling an epic demon creature alone was a situation that made Lin Da both nervous and excited, reminiscent of gaming days where he faced a boss on the edge of defeat.


    Since arriving on Mystic Continent, he had mostly been cautious, prioritizing safety, but when it came down to a life-or-death struggle, the blood of adventure in him began to boil.


    Unaware of the wound on his left leg, he pushed off the ground with all his might, using the momentum to reach the Snake People Chieftain.


    Even when looking up, he could only see the massive body, the dense scales like armor, the large, bloody, curved blade... it made Lin Da''s heart race with thrill!


    A trace of madness unseen by others flickered across his face; the dark flames similar to those of the Dark Shadow sparked in the depths of his eyes.


    "Forest Dragon''s Rage Fang!"


    Lin Da used the rare technique once again, and with a burst of vines transformed into a giant dragon, it bit off the head of the Snake People Chieftain between its thighs. S��arch* The n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Crimson blood spurted all over, narrowly missing Lin Da''s face.

 Chapter 403 321. Flames Awaken, Starfire Airstream Slash

    "Hiss!!!"


    The only two remaining heads of the Snake People Chieftain shook violently in pain, one spitting out a Water Arrow and the other spewing Flames, burning the Vine Dragon and furiously slashing its scimitar towards Lin Da.


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    The Sword of Royalty clashed with the scimitar, forcing Lin Da back several meters, the immense size of the Snake People Chieftain granting it a clear advantage in strength, numbing his arms and causing his blood to surge violently inside him, leading to slight dizziness.


    Theoretically, a Level 31 Two-Star Epic Monster would require a complete Iron Level adventure team to subdue. Although Lin Da was Level 32, he had not updated his Star Rank Equipment, inevitably putting him at a disadvantage in a solo fight.


    But in those few exchanges, he had figured out the basics of the Snake People Chieftain.


    Harming him was easy, but thinking about instantly depleting his Life Barrier of 12,800 was wishful dreaming.


    Given enough time, he could wear down the Snake People Chieftain.


    The only problem was that the enclosed Great Mystery Continent housed too many Magical Creatures lying in wait, potentially leading to an immediate encirclement of Treants.


    At least, he had protected Lia and Tasya. Lin Da''s lips curled into a relieved smile.


    "Flame Slash!"


    As the Snake People Chieftain''s Ice Spear Array launched, a fiery red figure stood in front of Lin Da.


    The Great Sword swung impermeably, completely severing the ice spears.


    The Swordsmanship was rough, with a raw, violent beauty.


    Lin Da stared, astonished, at the redheaded girl in front of him, holding the Great Sword and facing away from him.


    Lia''s brown boots stamped the ground forcefully, each swing leaving a deep footprint; her black thigh-high socks outlined taut muscle contours like tightened springs.


    "What are you doing back here, weren''t you supposed to take Tasya and leave?"


    The response came from someone else.


    Tasya slowly walked to his side, her white Magic Cannon in hand, aiming at the tall Snake People Chieftain and saying, "Please forgive your subordinate for not being able to abandon you and run away. You said you hoped your subordinate could make choices with free will, so, I must disobey your order."


    Lin Da opened his mouth, as if struck by his own thrown boomerang, unable to utter a word.


    "What about you? Why did you come back, you''re not even one of the Phoenix Tail Flower, Aiko and the others are still waiting for you, aren''t they?"


    Lin Da looked at Lia, annoyed.


    He noticed that, compared to himself and Tasya, Lia was trembling with fear.


    Then why come back?


    If Lia came back just for the sake of some pitiful pride, not wanting to be looked down upon, he would despise her bitterly, looking down on her for the rest of his life!


    ...


    Lia was indeed trembling.


    As she approached the Three-Headed Snake People Chieftain, feeling the chilling cold radiating from the monster''s blue scales, she realized that it was much stronger than she had imagined.


    The nightmare creature that had taken her left eye and nearly ended her life was one with the Three-Headed Snake People Chieftain before her now.


    Lia''s eyes throbbed slightly in pain, and her breathing became chaotic.


    She was caught off guard by Lin Da''s question.


    Looking down at her trembling hands, tasting almost bitter fear on her tongue, Lia asked herself: why did she follow Tasya back?


    Tasya had a clear reason, to protect her "master", but what about herself? Lin Da was not her "master"!


    A hot flame choked in Lia''s chest, her mind in utter disarray.


    There seemed to be a ray of light amidst the chaos, but she couldn''t grasp it, always slipping through her fingers.


    "Hiss hiss!"


    The Snake People Chieftain, seeing her inherent vulnerability, spit out a crimson tongue, blood pouring from its severed head as it approached with a ferocious demeanor.


    The large scimitar raised in its right hand, the magic wand in its left emitted a deep blue glow.


    Controlled by the two heads, a joint assault of blade and magic!


    Lia''s legs trembled even more. Noticing this, Lin Da stepped forward to grab her shoulder, intending to toss her behind him.


    This startled Lia.


    She had a strange intuition that if she retreated here, the snake-like creatures would forever loom over her. If she feared even snakes, how could she ever challenge those Giant Dragons soaring in the skies?


    An adventurer who couldn''t challenge a Giant Dragon could never be considered "top-notch"!


    Driven by impulse and willfulness in her heart, Lia pushed away the astonished Lin Da.


    Her fiery red eyes intensely focused on the Snake People Chieftain ahead, her voice trembling but increasingly firm.


    "You once said, to master that flame, one must follow the path one believes is right, find the most important thing to oneself, and use the sword to protect it... "


    "Now, this young miss has found it."


    Whether it was protecting Aiko and Oru during the strategy of the twelve layers of the Mystic Realm or even now, Lia had only one goal.


    To protect her friends, her companions.


    Also, to overcome her own cowardice��Lia''s trembling hands gripping the Firebird Feather Sword, she charged at the Snake People Chieftain with a piercing shout: "Watch, this young miss''s fight!"


    Just like the protagonists in comic books, in a desperate situation, Lia charged at the enemy shouting a shameful slogan.


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    What bond, friends, even "because we are OO''s tail!", the kinds of inexplicable sayings that burst forth potential in one''s body and completely turn the tides...


    Such classic scenes wouldn''t happen in reality!


    Lin Da felt a chill in his heart.


    Facing the Snake People Chieftain with only twenty percent of her Battle Qi left, was Lia any different from seeking death? Don''t think that shouting loudly enough would bring about a miracle; this wasn''t the world of heroes in comic books!

 Chapter 404 321. Flames Awaken, Starfire Airstream Slash_2

    "Tasya, support that guy!"


    Lin Da gritted his teeth in anger, rapidly casting Verdant Shield in his mind.


    No matter the outcome of this battle, he had to give Lia a good talking to. As an adventurer, how could she harbor such unrealistic fantasies? The solid reality was to tumble and dodge attacks, then strike at the weaknesses of Magical Creatures with one''s sword.


    But the real "reality" was...


    Lin Da''s thoughts seemed too antiquated?


    The real Another World was filled with enough fantasy, not just a bunch of cold, hard data.


    "Aaaaah!"


    As Lia''s shouts grew higher and higher, specks of golden light fused into her Fire Fighting Qi.


    Her long, crimson hair seemed to contain stars, airstream, flames��starlight intertwined upon her great sword, magnificent and dazzling.


    The mere showing of her might already turned the Snake People Chieftain pale with terror, putting up a defensive stance.


    The wilderness vegetable porridge Lin Da had eaten yesterday nearly caused him to vomit in fear: that was the Starfire Douqi which Lia wouldn''t even begin to grasp until level 40, so how could it appear at level 31?


    No one could answer Lin Da''s question.


    At this moment, all eyes of both people and Magical Creatures at the scene were focused on the crimson-haired girl.


    Lia only felt an unprecedented heat in her Magic Circuit, as if something was about to burst forth.


    Wave after wave of new understanding sprung from that internal flame, flowing into her mind.


    Her eyes burst with strange colors.


    It was... a completely new way of using Explosive Flame Slash.


    She absorbed the warmth from the sun and stars, fully utilizing the surrounding environment to her advantage.


    The part of her Magic Circuit that corresponded to Explosive Flame Slash recombined, resembling two kinds of Lego bricks that could be shaped into something else.


    Its name was:


    "Star, Fire, Airstream, Slash!"


    Lia''s sword was crowned with three meters of firelight, and the emitting airstream interwove with scorching flames, along with a hint of the mysterious power of the sun.


    The raging flame sword struck at the Snake People Chieftain.


    Bang!


    A deafening explosion roared.


    Dust and tiny shards of rocks exploded throughout Chaotic Stone Ridge.


    Lin Da shielded his face with his arm, squinting and looking uncertainly towards the front.


    "Master, are you all right?"


    Tasya blasted away a Snake People Captain who was hiding in a corner, intending to sneak attack Lin Da.


    "I''m fine, but what about Lia?" Lin Da was concerned that Lia would collapse after using that move.


    He and Tasya rushed into the dust to search.


    They found a silhouette standing with a sword.


    "The rest is up to you." The fiery glow on Lia''s body faded, and she looked down at her own hands, seemingly deep in contemplation.


    "Alright, let''s hunt down the Snake People Chieftain!"


    Lin Da nodded his head.


    At this point, he had no intention of letting the enemy go. The damage caused by Lia''s Starfire Airstream Slash was significant, and he and Tasya, working together, were confident they could conquer it in a short time.


    Their goal had shifted from escaping safely to killing the Snake People Chieftain to obtain the Divine Gift from the World Tree Goddess!


    An Epic Two-Star Magical Creature of level 31 was sure to grant them a level increase.


    Lin Da found the Snake People Chieftain singing Water Series Recovery Magic, leaning against a giant rock.


    Having been hit by the Starfire Airstream Slash, the head of the Snake People Chieftain, which could spit flames, had vanished, leaving only one lonely head.


    "Forest Dragon''s Rage Fang!"


    Using this Rare Technique for the last time, Lin Da''s right hand opened wide, summoning a green Magic Circle.


    Hundreds of vines shot out from within, entwining mid-flight to form a Wooden Giant Dragon.


    "Roar!"


    As if a silent dragon''s roar echoed, the Snake People Chieftain shivered in fright.


    The spell it was chanting got disrupted again by Lin Da.


    The suppression of Dragon Series against Serpent Series was evident.


    The existence of Forest Dragon''s Rage Fang doubled the effectiveness of the battle, greatly reducing the difficulty.


    Tasya also went full throttle, boldly setting up her Magic Cannon on her thigh, with the barrel aimed at the Snake People Chieftain bound by Forest Dragon''s Rage Fang, now like a live target.


    The Wind Battle Qi stirred up a tempest, and Tasya''s long maid skirt fluttered noisily, revealing the white garters at her thighs now and then.


    Because of the need to brace the wild Magic Cannon, Tasya''s thigh muscles were tense as if they were powerful iron clamps.


    The Magic Cannon [Shell Rush Sand]''s mouth opened like an octopus swallowing prey, revealing an even larger dark barrel inside.


    Deep blue Battle Qi brewed within, forming a fist-sized Gale Bullet.


    ```


    It was Tasya''s ultimate skill, "Hurricane Shot"!


    The Magic Cannon''s following three attacks would receive an enormous boost in damage.


    "Hiss, hiss, hiss!"


    The scales of the Snake People Chieftain all stood on end, his pupils showing terror as he exerted all his strength to chant a defensive magic known as Water Shield.


    "Dark Whip!"


    With a snap of his whip, Lin Da managed to tie up the mouth of the Snake People Chieftain.


    Chanting?


    Chant your sister, direct physical gagging!


    Immediately after, the conical gale bullets flew one after another.


    Three dull thuds that made one''s teeth ache on hearing, and the huge body of the Snake People Chieftain was blasted away.


    Crashing into several massive boulders, he rolled away like a ball for quite a distance.


    The ground was littered with red blood and shattered scales.


    The snake-man soldiers watching from a distance had already been scared out of their wits.


    Some fled, some crouched and hugged their heads, trembling.


    The 30-level Snake People captains were somewhat better off, but those below level 30, without the protection of their leader, were immediately cowed under the might of the three Star Rank adventurers, Lin Da and his companions, and lacked the courage to fight.


    Meanwhile, Lia, who had entered a state of enlightenment, came back to life from her statuesque stance and said with excitement, "I''ve fully mastered the Starfire Airstream Slash, it''s much stronger than the Explosive Flame Slash!"


    No sooner had she spoken, than a golden glow floated to above her head.


    Lia blinked in confusion.


    This was the Divine Gift from the World Tree Goddess.


    Lin Da and the others had taken care of the Snake People Chieftain?


    This speed was indeed not slow.


    It seemed that not only had she become stronger, but Lin Da and Tasya were by no means weaker than her.


    As she was contemplating this, the golden orb descended.


    Lia grunted, tensed her body, and did not want to let out a disgraceful moan.


    Bathed in Divine Power, Lia jumped from a magic-depleted level 30 to level 32, recovering about seventy percent of her Battle Qi!


    Even Tasya, rising from level 34 to 35, was one step closer to the Moon Rank.


    Under the golden light, Lin Da felt as if nourished by spring rain, and he couldn''t help but hum in comfort.


    The system voice echoed in his ears:


    [Together with other adventurers, you have killed a level 31 Epic Two-Star Monster, the Three-Headed Snake People Chieftain, and received the Divine Gift from the World Tree Goddess, which has been transformed into 200,000 points of personal experience!]


    [You have leveled up, 32��33!]


    [Strength +100, Magic Power +100, Defense +30, Magic Defense +40, Agility +20, Hit Points +800]


    [Current Experience 24098/300000] S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da, who already had ample Magic Power, advancing to level 33, was in a state of full Magic Power, brimming with vigor.


    The only slight regret was not managing to land the last hit on the Snake People Chieftain.


    In that urgent situation, it was not the time to vie for the last hit; his burst damage was far inferior to Tasya''s.


    Now, having ascended to level 33, with Lia at 32 and Tasya at 35, and with 50 Dark Tree Fruits in hand, he felt equipped to face the harsh climates within the sealed Great Mystery Continent.


    For the first time, Lin Da felt a sense of relaxation.


    With Tasya and Lia by his side, and still in search of Lulu and Monica, he had always been on edge.


    Only now did he feel he could catch his breath.


    Lin Da pulled his thoughts together and walked toward the mound of spoils burst forth from the Snake People Chieftain.


    Lia and Tasya followed suit.


    The three of them looked over together.


    Atop the small mountain of Gold Coins were one orange and two deep purple pieces of equipment.


    The deep purple light formed into fine beams, the dazzling magic particles floating within them.


    It was only when adventurers picked them up and connected their Magic Circuits that the glow would dim.


    "Two, two pieces of Epic-level Equipment!" Lia exclaimed. "Isn''t this luck just too good?"


    Epic Monsters do not necessarily drop Epic Equipment; this is common knowledge among adventurers.


    Whether they drop and how many mostly comes down to luck.


    Yet Lin Da coolly glanced at Lia.


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    Rushing out on her own to face the Snake People Chieftain.


    Although the outcome was good, if Lia hadn''t awakened the Starfire Airstream Slash, it could have been a very different ending.


    ```

 Chapter 405 322, 2.6 million diamonds, uninvited guest

    Although the result was good, if Lia had not been able to awaken the Starfire Airstream Slash, the outcome would have been completely different.


    It was highly likely that his Verdant Shield wouldn''t have reached Lia in time, resulting in her being struck by the Snake People Chieftain''s curved blade.


    At that time, it would have been a blessing from the World Tree Goddess if she was only severely injured.


    "You charged quite fast just now," Lin Da grabbed Lia, who was about to pounce on a small mountain of spoils, and said coldly, "You don''t have a share, stay aside."


    "Ah? Why?" Lia felt annoyed.


    "Still don''t understand?" Lin Da let Lia figure it out on her own.


    He went ahead to check the equipment.


    Picking up a red ornament from the top of the pile, he scanned it.


    [Item: Snake People Chieftain''s Fiery Red Bead]


    [Level: 31]


    [Quality: Orange, Rare]


    [Attributes: Strength +1000, Fire Damage +15%]


    [Rating: 2221. The dead Snake People Chieftain''s bead, turned into an ornament by some unknown force. Staring at it, one might occasionally see it rotating, but whether that''s an illusion is unclear.]


    Good grief, a rating over 2000.


    Lin Da''s eyelids twitched.


    It was even stronger than his own Epic Two-Star weapon, the Sword of Royalty.


    Although he had anticipated it, the fierce energy emanations from the fiery red ornament still made him sigh in admiration.


    It truly was Star Rank equipment.


    For adventurers, there''s a threshold at level 30, and it''s the same for equipment.


    Breaking past level 30, the increase in attributes is incomparable.


    Three pieces of equipment burst forth, and he had already decided in his heart to give them to Lia, yet Lin Da kept a poker face and indifferently stored the ornament into his Space Ring.


    He stole a glance at Lia, only to see her pouting, lost in thought, rather than shouting about why he wasn''t giving her the equipment.


    Lin Da nodded in relief.


    Turning away, he looked at the second item:


    [Item: Snake People Chieftain''s Ice Magic Wand]


    [Level: 31]


    [Quality: Epic Two-Star]


    [Attributes: Magic Power +1400, Defense +100, Ice Type Damage +10%]


    [Rating: 2664. The Snake People Chieftain''s favorite weapon, the top of the wand shaped like a snake''s head, holding a blue bead brimming with cold mist. Gazing at it, one can feel winter.]


    "An Ice type wand... selling it would incur a transaction fee, better to give it to Monica," Lin Da thought as he put away the Ice Magic Wand, silently deciding to urgently find Monica and Lulu.


    There were 50 Dark Tree Fruits, and about 150 left to pick at the Snake People camp.


    In the coming days, as long as they avoid those level 40 and above Magical Creatures, there''s no significant danger.


    From the team panel, he could confirm that all team member icons were lit, and Lin Da felt somewhat reassured.


    The last piece of equipment was a pair of blue, snake scale crafted, slender boots. sea??h th�� nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Item: Snake People Chieftain''s Twin Legs]


    [Level: 31]


    [Quality: Epic Two-Star]


    [Attributes: Strength +500, Agility +100]


    [Rating: 2419. These seem to be a pair of boots, but also resemble legs, perhaps only those who wear them can give a fair judgement. It''s worth mentioning that the scales carry the fluctuation of breeze, which can enhance your Agility]


    Agility, a truly valuable attribute.


    Lin Da himself was a slow-moving support, adding Agility could effectively improve his combat capabilities.


    After connecting the Magic Circuit, the deep purple light on the boots subdued, turning into a surge of energy entering his body.


    Lin Da''s previous boots only added 30 points of Agility; putting on these Epic-level boots, he instantly felt nimbler on his feet.


    "Truly Epic-level equipment," he thought to himself.


    The rest of the spoils included 57 Purple Gold Coins, 10,000 regular Gold Coins, and one level 33 Epic Two-Star Fire Magic Core.


    Added to those Lin Da had acquired from slaying the Forest Dragon.


    His Space Ring now held materials worth over 10 million Gold Coins!


    Even excluding the Ice Magic Wand and the Forest Dragon''s Rage Fang Skill Book he had used.


    With these resources at his aid, awaiting the opening day of the Great Mystery Continent, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team''s breakthrough to Iron Level would be effortless.


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    The corners of Lin Da''s mouth couldn''t help but curl up.


    The first small goal he set three years ago when he joined Snow Goose was for all members to safely become Iron Level.


    It was finally about to be realized.


    The only point that felt somewhat nostalgic was that the team members had changed.


    Lin Da approached the remaining few Snake People captains, threw a Venom Magic Sphere with one hand, and charged forward with his sword, slashing wildly.


    The Snake People captains were level 30, but being just blue Rare Magical Beasts, they had 50,000 health points and their defensive power was far from matching the Snake People Chieftain''s.


    The Venom Magic Sphere rapidly thinned the Life Barrier of the Snake People captains.


    Wearing the Epic-level boots, Lin Da moved like the wind, and the captains'' long swords couldn''t even touch him.


    Even though his own swordsmanship was not very exquisite, he could still overwhelm by relying on Attribute Points.


    With Tasya''s Magic Cannon providing support from behind, Lin Da swiftly killed three Snake People captains within a minute.


    Flicking the fresh blood off his sword, Lin Da glanced at the message box in the lower right corner of his vision.


    [System Notice: Kill Snake People Captain x3, gained Mystical Points 6000, Diamonds 6000 (During the closure of the Great Mystery Continent, additional resource buff in effect)]


    [Current Balance: Mystical Points 125867, Diamonds 2630700]


    Seeing that long string of diamond balance, Lin Da smiled silently.


    The kill of the Forest Dragon, along with the slaying of Magical Creatures in the past few days, had amassed his diamond count to an alarming 2.6 million plus.


    Converting these diamonds into [Experience Guidance Tickets] was enough to fill up any team member.


    Cleaning up the remaining miscellaneous Snake People, Lin Da sheathed his sword, and glanced at the maid whose silver hair fluttered in the Breeze.


    Just 5 levels to go, and Tasya would advance to becoming a Moon Rank Adventurer.


    2.6 million plus diamonds, he wondered if that would be enough.


    No matter what, they had to wait for the Great Mystery Continent to open, then venture out.

 Chapter 406 322, 2.6 million diamonds, uninvited guest_2

    In the strictest sense, Tasya was not yet a member of his team, and she had to formally terminate her adventurer''s contract with the Scarlet Adventure Group.


    "��Sorry."


    A sudden heavy voice interrupted Lin Da''s thoughts.


    He was somewhat surprised and looked at the frowning girl in front of him, waiting for her to continue.


    Lia, not daring to meet Lin Da''s eyes, played with the hilt of the Phoenix Feather Sword and said sheepishly,


    "That old problem of mine acted up again, always thinking I can win any battle, making you worry, so... anyway, um, sorry."


    Lin Da''s expression softened slightly, and he patted Lia on the shoulder. It was not easy for Lia, who could be cooked in a pot by Magical Creatures and still remain tough, to admit this frankly.


    He handed her the level 31 orange accessory, [Snake People Chieftain''s Fiery Red Bead].


    "Although it''s only orange, this piece is very suitable for you. I''ll make up the difference in equipment cost after we leave the Great Mystery Continent."


    How could she accept this...


    Lia wanted to decline, but thinking about the Snow Goose Adventure Team''s dire financial situation, she blushed and nodded.


    Wearing the [Snake People Chieftain''s Fiery Red Bead], Lia''s Battle Qi became even hotter, sending her spirits soaring: "It feels even better than a regular epic!"


    The 15% increase in fire damage was significant.


    Lia couldn''t see the specific stats of the equipment, but she could approximately feel the powers within the accessory.


    "If only I could get a Fire Series Epic Great Sword," Lin Da murmured to himself.


    The current version 1.3 of the game still had room for enhancement for Lia.


    Having the powerful skill [Energy Charging], Lia especially benefited from Attack enhancements.


    The most significant increase in attack came from the main weapon.


    Overall, with Tasya completely equipped with level 34 orange gear and wielding an Epic Two-Star [Shell Rush Sand], it was hard to achieve further enhancements.


    And Lin Da''s own enhancement wouldn''t cause a qualitative change.


    He would just become tougher, with higher sustained damage.


    It was a linear enhancement.


    In comparison, Lia had the greatest potential for enhancement.


    Starfire Airstream Slash + Energy Charging, combined with an Epic Sword...


    The damage would be simply beautiful.


    In Lin Da''s mind, the image of an orange fox flashed by.


    Killing a Moon rank adventurer required burst damage.


    Otherwise, the opponent would deploy the Battle Qi Twin Wings and simply fly away before defeat.


    Moon ranks could fly.


    This was a crushing advantage over most Star Ranks.


    Moon ranks could advance or retreat, fight or flee.


    They completely controlled the initiative.


    Subduing Hu Er, with Lia''s talent for burst damage, was one of Lin Da''s trump cards.


    Lia still thought Lin Da was genuinely considering her interests and showed an embarrassed expression, "We''re not even in the same team anymore, and you''re still so good to me?"


    That coy demeanor, Lin Da saw through it; this guy thought he liked her.


    But early impressions are hard to change.


    Unless it''s dark, or their eyes are covered.


    Otherwise, Lin Da found it difficult to see Lia as a potential romantic interest.


    He said resignedly, "Even if you get the Epic Great Sword, it will be deducted from your pay; don''t think too much about it."


    Lia: "Huh?"


    On the way back to the Snake-man camp, the two kept bickering.


    Tasya remained silent, cautiously on guard around them.


    From time to time, she looked at them with a hint of envy on her face.


    ...


    The river water babbled, and the shores were covered in lush grass.


    A scene filled with bird songs and the fragrance of flowers.


    The only downside was that there were about a dozen injured Snake-man Soldiers lying around.


    All of their limbs had been cut off, blood was profusely flowing from the severed parts, and they were screaming while trying to crawl away using their tails on the ground.


    An orange fox hummed a tune, its fluffy tail swaying, carrying a small bamboo basket on its left hand, and wiggling its hips.


    Like those Black-skinned Orcs picking cotton, enjoying the joy that labor brings.


    When Lin Da and his team arrived, ready to pick the Dark Tree Fruits, they ran head-on into the fox.


    At noon, the scorching sunlight dispersed the last wisp of mist, even the breeze that blew was hot enough to be bothersome.


    Both groups stopped what they were doing.


    They stood about twenty meters apart, looking at each other, their expressions frozen on their faces.


    Wasn''t this too much of a coincidence?


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    Rivals meeting definitely made their eyes turn red.


    The atmosphere suddenly cooled to freezing point.


    The four people had different thoughts running through their heads.


    However, they all shared one thing in common, except for Lia, the other three had a flash of murderous intent in their eyes.


    For Tasya, Hu Er had almost gotten them eaten by the Forest Dragon, a matter of life and death, and if there was a chance to finish him off, she would not be soft-hearted.


    It was the same for Lin Da.


    Both publicly and privately, there was no reason to spare Hu Er.


    "It''s you!"


    Lia, who did not fully understand the situation, eased the tense atmosphere.


    She pointed at Hu Er and exclaimed, "It''s the lady''s lapdog!"


    Half a month ago, Hu Er had feigned pursuing Lia and was rejected.


    Lia often talked about this, and how the Moon rank adventurers were her lapdogs.


    Despite the rejection, she still bragged about it afterward.


    Seeing Lia standing with Lin Da, their unintentional intimate gestures made Hu Er furious.


    When he tried to touch Lia''s shoulder and hadn''t even made contact, the young girl fiercely warned him, ready to fight at a moment''s disagreement.


    She''d rather sleep in a tree hole than adventure with him.


    Self-considered handsome and skilled, Hu Er thought he was rejected because Lia was a Little Mossy Girl, naturally arrogant.


    But now, seeing her with Lin Da, it didn''t seem to be entirely the case.


    ''That Little Mossy Girl said a Moon rank isn''t qualified to pursue her, does Lin Da qualify then? In her eyes, am I worse than a level 26 weakling adventurer?!''


    Hu Er''s face grew colder.


    ''Hey, wait, Star Rank?''


    Suddenly, Hu Er''s perception made a discovery.


    He blinked in disbelief.


    The aura emanating from Lin Da, was it Star Rank?


    And not the kind of new Star Rank at level 30!


    Hu Er''s face greatly changed.


    From the last time he met Lin Da to now, only half a month had passed.


    During this half month, Lin Da had advanced from a level 26 adventurer by at least 4 levels��


    This [Eye of True Knowledge] Lin Da, must not be left alive!


    Inside Hu Er, his Battle Qi surged tumultuously.


    While their thoughts aligned, their outward demeanor was polite.


    Hu Er subtly shifted his body, opened his arms, and chuckled,


    "Nice to meet you, nice to meet you. Didn''t expect to meet Captain Lin Da here too, seems we are quite fated, look��we even teamed up to defeat this Snake-man camp.


    Since we both contributed, the fruits of our labor should also be shared equally.


    Or perhaps, are you planning to offer the fruits to me, a Moon rank, in exchange for protection?


    Hahaha, just kidding, miss maid and Miss Lia''s looks are quite scary, almost scared me there.


    I, Hu Er, am all about fairness, only taking my share of the rewards. I''ve taken what belonged to me, the rest is yours."


    Hu Er sat on a tree branch, rested his chin on his hand, and from a higher position, smiled at Lin Da.


    Lin Da, expressionless, pulled out a Signal Flare Scroll from his waist, tore it open, and launched it into the sky.


    It depicted the image of a blood-red Slime crying, the smoke lingered in the air for up to a minute, a universally recognized adventurer''s distress signal on the continent.


    Seeing the flare rise, Hu Er''s eyelids twitched.


    Who was Lin Da calling for help?


    It should be noted, this was the enclosed Great Mystery Continent.


    In this forest, there were likely only a few adventurers.


    Yet Lin Da''s face showed a trace of relief as he steadied his breath while holding his chest.


    The only surplus action was using his body to shield a puzzled Lia, fearing she would ruin his plan.


    "You took more than half."


    Lin Da strode towards Hu Er. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With each step he took, Hu Er felt increasingly hot under the collar.


    Hu Er anxiously thought, could Lin Da be calling for help from the White Dove Adventure Group? From the intel he gathered, the Phoenix Tail Flower and the White Dove Adventure Group were closely linked.


    That level 39 [Mind''s Eye] Abner...


    Thinking of the blue-haired long-tailed Swordsman who always kept his eyes closed, a shadow fell across Hu Er''s eyes.


    As Lin Da continued walking, his tone slow, deliberately languid, he said, "You picked the tree fruit so sparsely, leaving less than 40 pieces, and you call this an equal share?"


    The Snake-man Soldiers were the ones they distracted, and the chieftain was the one they defeated.


    Hu Er merely lucked out and thought to share equally with them?


    If it were an hour ago, Lin Da might still be a bit afraid of Hu Er.


    But now, he, Lia, and Tasya, all were in full condition.

 Chapter 407 323, Scaring away Hu Er, the ingenious use of Wind and Fire Battle Qi

    After leveling up, Lin Da and his companions were all in peak condition, as though they had had a good meal and a proper warm-up.


    In contrast, Hu Er��according to Lia, the fox wasn''t lightly injured. It must be true, or it would have attacked already.


    The reason Lin Da could be certain was due to his skill, the "Eye of Truth."


    Above Hu Er''s head, a red -1 appeared every few seconds.


    Hu Er was indeed in an injured state.


    The only uncertainty was whether, after half a month, Hu Er''s injuries had grown worse or lessened since Lia saw it.


    If it''s the former, Lin Da and his group had the upper hand.


    If it''s the latter... the danger was on their side now.


    Lin Da thought to himself that to kill a Moon rank adventurer, he was lacking a decisive trump card.


    The Battle Qi Twin Wings that allowed Moon rank to soar were too big an advantage.


    Once Hu Er realized it was losing and decided to flee, Lin Da could only watch it fly away.


    Determining Hu Er''s true physical condition was the top priority.


    Lin Da moved closer to Hu Er, partially to bluff and partially to scout at close range.


    Just as he was about to approach within a ten-meter radius.


    "Ahaha, I just remembered I have rice cooking at home that I need to check on, so I won''t stay and chat with you guys. Bye-bye, let''s have hotpot together sometime. Eating hotpot in a "Cold wave" weather is the best."


    Hu Er slapped its head as if remembering something urgent, waved at Lin Da with a laugh, and spread its Battle Qi Twin Wings to fly into the sky.


    Lin Da called out, "If you want to eat hotpot, come to our side, the more the merrier."


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    "Definitely next time!"


    Hu Er called back.


    Watching the figure disappear into the horizon, Lin Da''s eyebrows furrowed bit by bit.


    He didn''t rashly conclude that "Hu Er must be seriously injured and we''re sure to win" in case Hu Er was feigning weakness. Was it putting on a show? Perhaps it wasn''t just him...


    "Moon rank, Moon rank ah..."


    Lin Da glanced at Tasya.


    That fervent gaze made Tasya slightly embarrassed.


    In fact, what Lin Da was considering was how to infuse Tasya with Diamonds.


    But without a way out of the Great Mystery Continent, even a multitude of Diamonds was mere nonsense.


    Others might lack rice for cooking, but Lin Da had a belly full of rice and no pot.


    That was truly awkward.


    "You''re just going to let that bootlicker go? That''s not okay!"


    Lia pointed angrily at the fruit tree, which was now pockmarked and incomplete like crops gnawed by pests, and said, "Why should he take away so much without doing anything? It''s not fair!"


    Lin Da had already calmed down and shook his head, "Life is full of unfair things. I got used to it while I was with Snow Goose."


    "Huh?"


    Lia was astounded.


    How did the blame end up on her?


    Afterwards, the three of them harvested fruits together and counted their gains.


    Fifty in the ring and forty-one new ones.


    Less than expected, but barely sufficient.


    Lin Da''s concern was that Hu Er might have regained full Battle Qi after consuming the Dark Tree Fruit.


    That would be very troublesome.


    As Lin Da picked fruits, he pondered how to take down Hu Er with a startling and impressive move.


    Could they rely on Lia''s newly mastered Ultimate Skill, the Starfire Airstream Slash?


    It probably wouldn''t be enough. Moon rank adventurers were not so easy to defeat, even an injured one.


    To ensure the slow-activating "Ultimate Move" could hit Hu Er, Lin Da also had to conceal the Forest Dragon''s Rage Fang.


    Once its binding effect was revealed, it would surely make Hu Er cautious.


    The magic scroll "Super*Charge" seemed destined to be used by Lia, who had the highest burst potential.


    Were these two cards enough?


    Lin Da asked himself.


    If it were a game, he felt they would suffice.


    The rest was up to execution.


    In this vivid reality, however, he believed they still needed one more decisive card!


    Lin Da circled around Tasya and Lia with a tense brow.


    Their scrutinizing look made them feel uneasy.


    "Wind and fire could be worth a try..."


    Lin Da murmured to himself.


    After picking the fruits, they took a long walk through the forest to make sure Hu Er wasn''t following them before heading back to their dwelling.


    ...


    Five days later, at noon.


    In Lin Da''s cave, lunch had just been prepared and the three of them sat down around a stone round table.


    The main dish was a pot of pork stewed with cabbage, and each had a bowl of wild vegetable soup.


    Unlike usual, Lin Da had hurriedly ground two extra stone bowls the night before, asked Tasya to serve the dishes properly, and prepared two additional seats.


    Another stone bed was made, complete with bedding and tableware.


    Apart from the common combat training the trio undertook, Lin Da spent the rest of the time on these preparations.


    "Isn''t this a waste of food?" Lia asked from across the table, not understanding the purpose.


    Lin Da didn''t respond but asked in return, "How well did you and Tasya get along in the practice?"


    "It''s, it''s okay," Lia stopped talking.


    Tasya wore a look of apology: "Master, I really can''t get along with her."


    "Even if you don''t get along, you have to work on it. Didn''t I tell you to hold hands and sleep together at night to build rapport and break barriers? Did you do it?"


    Lin Da said, with a hint of a headache.


    Tasya remained silent.


    "We won''t be able to develop a Fusion Finishing Skill at this rate," Lin Da sighed.


    The last card missing to fight Hu Er was the Fusion Finishing Skill of wind and fire.


    Fire augmented by wind would yield a force greater than the sum of its parts.


    Combined with his magic scroll "Super*Charge," it would catch Hu Er off guard.


    But the rapport between Tasya and Lia was too weak.


    Forget about fusion, not causing a Battle Qi explosion that injures them internally would be good enough.


    For this reason, Lin Da needed to launch an "ice-breaking operation" to break down the barriers between their hearts.


    Sharing a bed, skin-to-skin contact, holding hands and falling asleep together...


    But both of them were extremely resistant to the idea.


    "Do you understand the seriousness of the situation?"


    Lin Da put down his chopsticks and looked at Lia and Tasya with a serious face. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lia said, "I really can''t do that kind of thing, but I will train hard to merge our Battle Qi with Tasya as soon as possible."


    "Me too," Tasya nodded.


    "Sigh, let''s eat first��"


    No sooner had Lin Da finished speaking than he heard a soft, ambiguous laugh.


    "Hehehe, so you''re here. You''ve given me quite the runaround."


    The camouflage curtain made of vines was lifted.


    An orange fox, with a bamboo basket full of fruits in the crook of its arm, dressed in a loose-fitting adventurer outfit, strolled into the cave with a beaming smile as if visiting a neighbor.


    The chatter abruptly stopped.


    Tasya stood up.


    Lia took out the Phoenix Feather Sword from her ring.


    The casual mealtime was instantly shattered.


    The air seemed to grow heavy.


    At this moment, Lin Da held back the two and said calmly, "If I had known Mr. Hu Er was coming, I would have prepared an extra set of tableware."


    Hu Er squinted his eyes, took a look around, and noticed the additional sets of tableware with wild vegetable soup, his heart skipping a beat.


    Was Lin Da that day not just bluffing, did he really have backup?


    "Captain Lin Da guessed that we''d have a guest today? The title of the Eye of True Knowledge is well-deserved."


    "I''m not that capable; it''s all rumors from the outside," Lin Da shook his head. "Lulu and Monica went to pick fruits and haven''t come back yet."


    "Lucky you, to be able to find all your scattered teammates in a closed Mystic Realm," Hu Er said with a half-smile, half-smirk, putting down the fruit basket. "Aren''t you going to invite me to sit, Captain Lin Da?"


    "Who do you think you are, don''t push your luck, get lost!" Lia glared furiously. "You stole over a hundred Colored Tree Fruits from us and you''re returning these ordinary fruits? Take your basket and scram!"


    "But I also put in the effort," Hu Er replied with an aggrieved look.


    With an expressionless face, Tasya pulled out a stone chair and served Hu Er some wild vegetable soup, her voice flat, "Please have a seat."


    "Thanks." Hu Er casually sat down on the stone chair, rubbing his belly with emotion, "It''s been a long time since I had food with warmth. Did Captain Lin Da make all this? If I were a girl, I''d definitely fall for you."


    Lin Da seemed to forget his hatred for Hu Er and said with a faint smile, "The native wild vegetables from the closed Mystic Realm would be worth dozens of Gold Coins outside. Come, give it a try."


    "Then I shall not stand on ceremony."


    While pretending to be relaxed, Hu Er kept a wary eye on Tasya and Lia to his sides, took a big gulp of the wild vegetable soup, took out a handkerchief to wipe his mouth, and praised, "Excellent cooking, I like Captain Lin Da even more now."


    "You''re a fraud," Lia said with a cold laugh, hands on her hips. "The last time we met, you said your favorite was me, and now it''s Lin Da?"


    "If I may be so bold," Hu Er smiled. "Miss Lia''s charm, indeed, doesn''t compare to Lin Da''s."


    "You...!"


    Lia''s face instantly heated up in anger, and she raised her Great Sword to strike at Hu Er.


    "Hold on, Mr. Hu Er is a guest," Lin Da said. "Although we had some grievances in the past, within the enclosed Great Mystery Continent, we should fight side by side and overcome difficulties together."


    "Hehe, yes, I get along with Captain Lin Da," Hu Er replied with a light tone, but a drop of cold sweat appeared on his forehead as he couldn''t help but notice the two empty sets of utensils on the table.


    If it had been just Lin Da and the other two, even if he had been injured by Witch Bai Mian, he would still be confident of gaining the upper hand, or at the very least, he could escape using Battle Qi Twin Wings.


    But with the addition of two more Star Rank on Lin Da''s side, Hu Er felt the pressure was quite intense.


    Ordinary Star Rank was one thing, but as far as he knew, whether it was Lin Da, Tasya, or Lia, they were all exceptionally outstanding adventurers among their ranks.


    Hu Er took a few sips of the wild vegetable soup, his mind growing increasingly restless.


    "I still need to collect water; I won''t bother you any longer. Lin Da, let''s get in touch some other day," Hu Er said as he stood up.


    "Is there anything more important than this meal? Hu Er, you''re not trying to disrespect me, are you?"


    Lin Da''s face darkened, and with a smack, he slapped his chopsticks on the table.


    Hu Er was taken aback, his feigned smile cracking as his eyes glared coldly at Lin Da.


    This gave Lia quite a scare.


    Hadn''t Lin Da been quite polite and seemingly afraid of Hu Er just a moment ago? How had he turned hostile in the blink of an eye?


    If they really started fighting, it would be her side that would suffer.


    Lia, who not long ago had considered slashing Hu Er with her Great Sword, calmed down and thought so.


    She secretly activated the Skills for Energy Charging, preparing for a possible instant confrontation.


    But the scene that followed made Lia''s head spin even more.


    After a moment of standoff, a smile returned to the fox''s face.


    Hu Er rubbed his hands, his expression becoming somewhat ingratiating.


    "Captain Lin Da, I truly don''t mean to disrespect you; the next time I visit, I''ll definitely hold a barrel of Wheat Beer as punishment! There is an injured adventurer at my home who needs my attention for treatment," Hu Er earnestly said.


    "Today, I''ll leave behind five Dark Tree Fruits to make my apologies to you," Hu Er continued with sincerity.


    "Is my face worth only five tree fruits?" Lin Da said resoundingly.


    He pressed Hu Er remorselessly, as if a superior punishing a subordinate who had erred.


    ''Why has Lin Da become so arrogant?'' Lia wondered, scratching her head so hard in confusion that it hurt.


    Why would Moon Rank Hu Er be scared of Lin Da?


    Lin Da wasn''t even wearing the Verdant Shield; what if Hu Er used a Finishing Skill at close range, wouldn''t that be terrible?


    And Tasya appeared even more arrogant, subtly blocking the cave''s exit, as if intending to forcibly keep Hu Er.


    So, what''s going on with you two?


    Did you acquire some kind of Ultimate Weapon unknown to this Miss?


    That''s what Lia thought...


    The more she thought about it, the more it made sense, and her eyes began to gleam.


    That''s it!


    "Wahaha! Hu Er, today is your day of reckoning; kneel down and apologize to this Miss already!"

 Chapter 408 324, The Mysterious Light Rank in the Sky

    "Hahaha! Hu Er, today is your death day, kneel down and apologize to this lady!"


    Lia laughed heartily with her hands on her hips.


    That relaxed and contemptuous expression on her face was ten times more pronounced than Lin Da''s.


    Hu Er''s pupils shrank immediately, and his heart screamed trouble.


    He had thought that Lin Da and Tasya were just putting on a show, bluffing to deceive him.


    But this Lia was so arrogant, giving off the impression "we have ultimate weapons, you little fox, just resign to your fate."


    Hissss.


    He almost fell for Lin Da''s trap.


    Hu Er sneered inwardly.


    Oh Lin Da, you should regret bringing Lia, that bumbler, as she exposed your entire plan. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In terms of intelligence, perhaps you and I are comparable.


    But as for luck, I am a notch better!


    "Lin Da, let''s chat another day!"


    Hu Er spread his Battle Qi Twin Wings and rushed frantically to the cave entrance, soaring into the sky!


    "Quick, catch him!"


    Lin Da threw the Dark Whip into the air in a fury, unwilling to accept defeat.


    Tasya also attacked with the Magic Cannon.


    However, Hu Er dodged them all.


    The Battle Qi Twin Wings were as fluid as his limbs, extremely agile.


    "Oh my, it''s infuriating, that Hu Er escaped! Lin Da, what''s wrong with you? Why didn''t you use your rare technique? That Wooden Dragon, couldn''t it have trapped Hu Er?"


    Lia said with an annoyed face.


    "Trap Hu Er?"


    Lin Da blinked his eyes, "Disgusted with an easy life, and want to taste some hardship?"


    "But don''t we have an ultimate weapon?" Lia was even more puzzled.


    Lin Da looked into the distance, waited a while, and then said, "Ultimate weapon, where does that come from?"


    "If you must say, it''s your two''s Fusion Finishing Skills."


    "What?" Lia was dumbfounded.


    "Then you dare..."


    "When you meet a savage dog on the road, the less afraid you are of it, the more it fears you, and vice versa. Your journey continues at My Virtual Library Empire


    Dogs have keen noses and can smell the scent of fear on you. Had I shown even a hint of fear just now, we''d be in a fierce battle right now.


    Do you think Hu Er is kindly bringing us fruit?"


    Lin Da glanced at the fruit basket and said, "This cave has been exposed, we need to move, the farther from here the better."


    Lia was stunned for a while before she understood Lin Da''s meaning.


    Reflecting on it now, she couldn''t help but shiver.


    With the slightest mistake, the three of them would have to face Hu Er, the Moon rank adventurer.


    The Fusion Finishing Skills of Wind and Fire hadn''t been perfected.


    If it came to a fight, they would most likely suffer a great loss.


    "Could it be, I am also part of your plan?" Lia said with surprise.


    Looking at Tasya''s calm demeanor, she seemed to have known from the beginning what Lin Da was planning.


    Only she had been kept in the dark.


    Lin Da noncommittally said, "Perhaps."


    Lia: ?


    She felt somewhat underestimated, yet could find no proof.


    After all, Lin Da''s gaze at her was quite perceptive, as if he saw a great mind in her.


    ...


    One hour later.


    Hu Er hurriedly escaped, retracted his Battle Qi Twin Wings, and landed in a secluded cave.


    He clutched his head, pondering left and right, feeling that something was amiss.


    Recalling his recent arrival at Lin Da''s side, Lin Da seemed to stand up and walk towards him, but actually used his body to block Lia.


    Only Lin Da''s movement was so natural, Hu Er hadn''t thought deeply about it.


    Sitting down now, pulling out the last cup of tea from his ring and slowly sipping, he started to sense the quirks.


    "Could it be, I''ve been played by Lin Da again..."


    "Just to be sure, I must go back and check," Hu Er''s face darkened.


    "Lin Da, I admit you have what it takes to be my rival. Unfortunately, this makes me even less likely to let you live." Hu Er spread his deep blue Battle Qi Twin Wings and flew towards Lin Da''s cave.


    Various ideas passed through his mind, and he couldn''t help but sigh with regret.


    If he had known how troublesome Lin Da was, he would not have troubled him during the Forest Dragon incident.


    At that time, Hu Er thought eliminating Lin Da would be as simple as swatting a fly.


    Looking back now, his careless action had inadvertently created a powerful enemy.


    A faint sense of regret surfaced in his heart.


    Flying in the pale red sky, weaving through the clouds.


    Hu Er cast a glance sideways.


    The forest destroyed by that mysterious Light Rank more than half a month ago had not yet been restored by the Mystic Realm''s rules.


    From the sky, it was a distressing, fan-shaped, immense ravine stretching hundreds of meters.


    "Even for a Light Rank, it had to be a top-tier Light Rank of level 59.


    I wonder which Big Shot from where came to the Great Mystery Continent?


    Another thing puzzles me, why could Lin Da break through to Star Rank in half a month?


    Why was he able to survive under the claws of the Forest Dragon?


    With the Revenge Mark, the Forest Dragon could definitely scout out and kill the murderer of the Young Dragon, which was Lin Da. Given the Dragon''s Grudge nature, it would not let him go.


    Unless the person who killed the Forest Dragon was Lin Da, then these quirks make sense!"


    Hu Er almost accidentally unraveled the true situation.


    However, Hu Er''s head ached as he entangled himself in his thoughts.


    One crucial logic did not match: If Lin Da could kill the Forest Dragon, why be afraid of him, a mere Moon rank?


    Compared to the Forest Dragon, he wasn''t even worth mentioning!


    Surely it wasn''t because Lin Da shouted, "Because I am the captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, I must protect my teammates!" and defeated the Forest Dragon, right?


    Such comic book heroics, Hu Er stopped reading them at ten.


    No matter what.


    A visit to Lin Da''s cave will clarify everything.


    Another hour passed.


    Hu Er returned near a majestic rocky cliff.


    The cave where Lin Da and his group resided was on top.

 Chapter 409 324, The Mysterious Light Rank in the Sky_2

    He immediately became fully alert.


    Hu Er slowed his breathing.


    Moving stealthily.


    His eyes searched the area. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But behind that vine curtain, there was cooking smoke curling up.


    Listening closely, there were sounds of laughter and merry voices coming from inside.


    "Eh, not afraid that I''ll make a surprise attack?"


    "It seems that even if Lin Da is not that mysterious Light Rank, he still has the confidence to deal with me."


    Hu Er shook his head, preparing to leave.


    But just then, a sudden flash of insight struck him.


    Cooking smoke?


    It doesn''t seem to be mealtime yet, does it?


    Hu Er furrowed his brow, deep in thought.


    It took an hour to escape and another to return.


    He opened the magic pocket watch and saw it was just three o''clock in the afternoon.


    Do these people eat five meals a day...


    Or rather, if I had come back later, wouldn''t it have been just in time for dinner?


    Seeing the cooking smoke, I would probably have concluded directly that Lin Da was too confident to worry, and thus I would have left with my tail between my legs.


    Hu Er squinted his eyes and hid in the canopy of a large tree, observing from a few kilometers away.


    The sun set in the west.


    A cold wave descended.


    The sky gradually turned a dark red.


    The Blood Moon hung high, and the bone-chilling cold made Hu Er shiver.


    He wrapped his arms around himself, his legs trembling.


    Even though Hu Er was at Moon Rank, facing a cold wave in the Great Mystery Continent that was comparable to a large magic, he didn''t have much of a good way to resist it.


    He relied on his Battle Qi to hold on.


    Because he kept staring at the cave on the cliff, Hu Er''s eyes were incredibly dry, and each blink felt sore and painful.


    Yet he still hadn''t seen anyone enter or leave the cave.


    Aren''t Lin Da and the others going out to gather food? Aren''t they coming out for some fresh air, just "squatting in the cave"?


    And that Lia seemed to be a very lively type; she definitely couldn''t sit still.


    Hu Er scratched his head in confusion.


    It wasn''t until the dead of night.


    That he dared to approach the cave.


    "Hehehe~"


    "Hahaha~"


    "So funny."


    Laughter and merry voices arose.


    Hu Er always felt that the conversations in the cave sounded familiar.


    He calmed himself and listened intently.


    After a while.


    He finally understood.


    The laughter and merry voices were on a ten-minute loop, constantly repeating. Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    "This is... a Recording Stone!?"


    Hu Er''s face changed dramatically.


    "Could it be... no, no way!"


    A terrible guess that made Hu Er''s face burn hot with shame and shook his body with rage sprang into his mind.


    Hu Er spread his wings and flew up into the air, entering the cave on the cliff.


    Upon lifting the vine curtain,


    "Hehehe~"


    "Hahaha~"


    "So funny."


    On the stone seats, there sat three scarecrows.


    In the middle was a square, blue Recording Stone.


    Aside from the large furniture that was inconvenient to carry, everything else in the cave had vanished, including Lin Da and his companions!


    "So funny."


    Lia''s voice came from the Recording Stone.


    Hu Er was stunned for a long while, then suddenly let out a loud "Ah" scream, frantically picking up the Recording Stone and smashing it to the ground.


    "Lin Da, Lin Da!!!"


    Hu Er, furious and humiliated, jumped around the cave, causing destruction.


    He smashed the stone bed, shattered the stone chairs, and then ran to the cave entrance and yelled.


    His anger went off the charts, completely losing his reason!


    And at that moment.


    A dark shadow streaked across the sky.


    One could vaguely make out it was an adventurer in a black robe.


    The person had light golden wings on their back, and with each flap, they darted hundreds of meters.


    That speed was more than ten times faster than Hu Er''s.


    Hu Er''s shouting caught the attention of the adventurer.


    A wave of perception swept across the sky.


    It seemed like the air around them was suddenly drained, a tremendous pressure falling upon Hu Er''s shoulders.


    Hu Er''s chest felt stuffy, his heart pounding like a drum.


    This level of oppression, eight or nine out of ten, belonged to a Light Rank adventurer!


    Hu Er''s voice trembled, "Senior, I absolutely meant no harm, the one I cursed at was someone else!"


    The black-robed adventurer in the sky glanced at him, shook his head slightly, then with a flap of his Light Wings, disappeared into the horizon.


    After the figure left, Hu Er felt drained, weakly kneeling on the ground.


    His back was soaked with cold sweat.


    This is what Light Rank is.


    They were not a Big Shot that adventurers from "lower-ranked cities" like them could come into contact with!


    Among the "Trio of Misery" in South Rock City, they were considered the strongest.


    Yet they were only ranked 109th out of the 302 cities in Cangqing Province.


    Only by squeezing into the top 100 would they be considered a mid-ranked city.


    109 and 100 seemed close, but there were several decisive factors.


    You must have a Dawn-level Adventure Group, and the World Tree strategy had to reach beyond the 25th level.


    And moreover, the team leader had to reach Light Rank!


    Looking at all the well-known adventurers in the three cities, not one dared to guarantee with certainty that they could reach Light Rank in their lifetime.


    If one were to speak of the greatest hope...


    Hu Er clicked his tongue.


    Most likely it was Abner from White Dove City, and the newly emerged Lin Da.


    The former had extraordinary talent, not advancing to the Moon Rank, but purely to break through the Nightmare Guardian on the White Dove City''s 19th floor.


    The other.


    Had risen more than four levels in half a month.


    Definitely an extraordinary encounter.


    It''s possible he could advance to Light Rank just by luck.


    And among adventurers, it''s universally acknowledged that luck is also an element of strength; all extraordinary encounters are not by chance!


    "I absolutely can''t let that Lin Da go back... Absolutely not!"


    Remembering how Lin Da had bluffed and acted arrogantly in the cave.


    How he himself had actually bowed and scraped with a forced smile.


    That memory alone infuriated Hu Er to the point of gnashing his teeth and stamping his feet in rage.


    If Lin Da were in front of him, he''d bite down without even using Battle Qi, just like the ancient magic foxes that hunted humans, to eat their flesh and blood to alleviate the hatred in Hu Er''s heart!


    At this moment, on the outskirts of Dragon Forest.


    In a cellar.


    Dug out in haste, two women and a man were exhausted enough.


    They used a Fluorescent Stone for lighting, enduring the smell of the earth and the damp air.


    Sitting on a pile of straw, each held a stone bowl.


    In it was noodles with scarce seasoning.


    Tasteless.


    "Lin Da, I want to eat beef," said a young lady.


    "There isn''t any, it''s all gone," replied Lin Da.


    "Why! I saw quite a bit left yesterday!"


    "Because you didn''t work hard to fuse with Tasya, I ate it all," Lin Da retorted.


    "Ah?!"


    Lia pounced on Lin Da like an angry cat, "Give me back my beef!"


    "Wait until you develop the Fusion Finishing Skills," he responded.


    Lin Da used the Dark Whip to push Lia to the side, frowning, "Stop messing around, you''re going to spill the noodles, and besides... even if the seasoning is little, with my cooking skills, what I cooked should still taste pretty good, right?"


    Tasya sipped her soup with a blissful expression on the side, exclaiming, "Even if it''s just boiled water noodles, as long as Master makes it, it''s delicious."


    "So what exactly is your relationship, Tasya? You''re like... uh, a fan girl would be more apt, right?" Lia grumbled as she sat back down on the straw, fluorescent lights hanging overhead making the cellar as bright as day, the worst part being that dirt particles fell from above into their noodle bowls.


    They had no choice, there was no time, Lin Da couldn''t reinforce the ceiling properly, they''d have to make do for the night.


    Tasya replied to Lia, "I am Master''s maid, and nothing more."


    Lin Da nodded, "Exactly."


    "I always feel like you''re hiding something from me. Hey, you''re not some Big Shot, are you?" teased Lia, clearly meaning to ridicule Lin Da a bit.


    After all, Lin Da had "stolen" the beef, otherwise tonight would have been beef mixed noodles.


    Lin Da ignored Lia, his gaze penetrating the ceiling covered with dry grass, looking upwards with a slight smile, "Hu Er should have realized the truth by now. What do you think, will he be so angry he spits blood?"


    Lia quickly shifted gears, not dwelling on the pervious topic, and laughed heartily, "That stupid fox got what he deserved, still owes us over a hundred tree fruits."


    "Keep it down, in case Hu Er is right outside," Lin Da reminded Lia.


    As they chatted, suddenly, everyone felt a tightness in their chest, unable to breathe.


    Some kind of invisible energy swept over them.


    Lin Da''s face changed, he held his forefinger to his lips signaling everyone to be silent.


    "Is it, a Light Rank?" Lia mouthed silently, eyes wide.


    That oppressive feeling was certainly not something a Moon Rank could achieve.


    Fortunately, it lasted only three seconds before that tremendous presence in the sky disappeared.


    Lin Da relaxed, his grip on the noodle bowl loosened, some noodles fell onto his pants, a hint of distress in his eyes.


    Lia, seemingly very hungry, glanced at his crotch and held her tongue.


    After finishing their meal, the three discussed the powerful presence they had felt in the sky just moments before.

 Chapter 410 325, Fusion Skills succeed, Lin Da and his two companions vanquish the Lunar Tier Voxel!

    In the cellar, fluorescent stones hanging overhead dispelled the darkness.


    The three of them huddled under a blanket to ward off the cold wave of the night, only their heads exposed, gathered close together.


    They initiated a discussion about the strong presence they had just felt in the sky.


    Lia was the first to speak, puzzled, "How could a Light Rank appear on the tenth floor? Should we ask that person for help? It would be great if they could defeat Voxel."


    Discover exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire


    Lin Da shook his head, "You''re thinking too much. What kind of Big Shot is a Light Rank, and why would they care about us or heed our requests? What if they are as vile as Voxel? In this enclosed Great Mystery Continent, one could commit the most twisted acts without anyone knowing."


    Tasya suggested, "Your subordinate could go and scout first, if it''s a helping hand, then return and report." sea??h th�� Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No way, I, as the team leader, won''t allow my team members to take such a huge risk," Lin Da vetoed on the spot.


    "Yes..."


    "In any case, both of you need to quickly master the Fusion Finishing Skills. Hiding in this cellar isn''t completely safe; who knows when Voxel might find us! Putting up a brave front then would be useless."


    Lin Da looked at them sternly, "Starting today, one of your hands must always be held together, try to merge your Battle Qi, and don''t separate until you succeed!"


    "Ah?"


    Lia complained, "That''s too much to ask."


    "You want to be killed by Voxel, don''t you?"


    "How could I!"


    "Then get it done properly!"


    Lin Da firmly grasped Lia''s tender hand and then grabbed Tasya''s hand, which was slightly sweaty and just as soft as Lia''s.


    He forced them to hold hands.


    "Eat and merge Battle Qi at the same time!"


    Amid Lia''s complaints, Lin Da''s devilish training began.


    ...


    Inside the enclosed Great Mystery Continent, day twenty-five.


    On the outskirts of Dragon Forest.


    After experiencing Blizzard and Acid Rain the previous days, they finally welcomed a clear day.


    At noon, under the soft red warmth of the sun, Lin Da carried a young Demon Saw Mushroom bound with a Dark Whip, returning from hunting.


    The Demon Saw Mushroom was a precious water source, and the two girls needed to bathe every day, using a lot of water, which Lin Da was reluctant to use, giving it all to them.


    Cooking, searching for food, Lin Da did it all, the only task he assigned to the two was to train fiercely, until they couldn''t move or even have the energy to speak!


    As for the consequences of disobedience...


    No need to worry about Tasya, but for Lia, Lin Da simply confiscated her food, and she obediently followed his orders.


    Since sneaking underground, it had been the tenth day.


    Lin Da processed the Demon Saw Mushroom, made two bowls of noodles, packed them into lunch boxes, and hurried to a nearby hidden cave.


    That was the practice spot he had found, where Tasya and Lia would usually stay.


    Entering the cave, passing through a dark corridor, it immediately brightened up.


    The fluorescent stones Lin Da bought were top-notch; a fist-sized one lit up the entire cave as if it were daylight.


    At a glance, Lia, wearing his white shirt and overalls, was sitting on the ground, gasping for air, sweat causing her clothes to stick tightly to her skin.


    Lin Da had no spare underwear for Lia; he coughed and pretended not to notice certain things.


    On the other side, the naturally sweaty Tasya looked even more bedraggled, her silver hair sticking to her neck and cheeks, her thick maid''s skirt soaked with sweat, almost revealing the contours of her shapely body...


    The memory of sleeping under the same thick blanket that night flashed in his mind, every curve corresponding to the sensations he felt then.


    In a moment of distraction, Lin Da almost hallucinated that this had turned into a suspiciously mature cave... With his imagination, he could completely envisage another aspect of them.


    ''I''ve been under too much stress these days, my mind is out of control.''


    Lin Da secretly complained, slapped his face vigorously, forcing himself not to wander into wild thoughts.


    Approaching the two, he put down the lunch box and said, "You''ve worked hard."


    Lia, utterly unaware of her exposure, hummed, her sweaty little face breaking into a proud smile, her bright eyes seemingly possessing a magic power that dispelled the gloom in others'' hearts.


    Seeing Lia like this, Lin Da''s mood inexplicably lightened a bit.


    Perhaps this was the charm of a fool, as if nothing could bother Lia for more than a day.


    Lia puffed out her chest, saying, "It worked."


    "What?"


    Lin Da was taken aback.


    His mind didn''t quite catch on.


    "Missy here says it worked! Fusion Finishing Skills, we managed to use them!"


    Lia proudly pointed to her nose, looked at Tasya, smiled and said, "Right?"


    Tasya nodded, "Yes, it worked."


    Hearing this, Lin Da''s suspended heart finally settled; he laughed heartily.


    He hugged the two sweaty girls, one on each side, his usual slight obsession with cleanliness long forgotten.


    "Good job, well done!"


    "Idiot, let go of Missy...!"


    "Master, your subordinate is worried about dirtying your body..."


    "Not dirty, haha, not dirty at all!"


    Lin Da almost couldn''t hold back and wanted to plant a kiss on their cheeks.


    But since Lia was an outsider, it wasn''t appropriate, so he refrained.


    That night, he took out the last piece of beef he had hidden, used up almost all the remaining seasonings, and made a stir-fry.


    Eating plain noodles every day, everyone''s taste buds had been tortured, but tonight they finally had a feast, each person''s plate clean.


    The next day.


    The Acid Rain that had fallen the previous night cleared up by noon.


    The sky cleared, and behind the clouds, the pale red sun emerged.


    It was a rare sunny day.


    In the cellar, Lin Da lifted the stone slab and climbed out from inside.

 Chapter 411 325. Fusion Skill achieved, Lin Da and two others vanquish the Lunar Tier Voxel!_2

    After a full night''s rest, everyone was in optimal condition.


    The Dark Tree Fruits were divided into three portions and placed in each person''s waist pouch, ready to replenish Battle Qi at any time.


    Before setting off, Lin Da gave his final motivational speech.


    He looked at the two of them, his expression grave:


    "Given the strength of the three of us against a Moon Rank, it will definitely be a grueling battle.


    But I hope you understand that we''ve put in a lot of sweat for this day, cooperating and training together, and even refining our new fusion finishing skill of wind and fire.


    Moon Ranks are worthy of awe, but they are not invincible, especially when the opponent is an injured Moon Rank.


    Be confident, but not arrogant.


    Disdain the opponent in your heart, but take them seriously in battle!


    This is a struggle for survival, but in the end, victory will surely be ours.


    Lia, don''t you get cocky in this battle!


    Tasya, there are things you should use when you need to, and I''ll help you with the purification afterward.


    Do you all understand?"


    Lin Da was like a stern instructor, his normally gentle face replaced with seriousness, his eyes wide like brass bells, watching them intently.


    Lia felt her spirit ignite, and she said loudly and energetically, "Understood, victory will definitely be ours!"


    Tasya nodded calmly, a trace of fighting spirit surfacing in her usually placid eyes.


    Pleased, Lin Da nodded and led the two in a leap onto a large tree.


    They moved through the trees like ninjas, heading to the place in Lia''s memory where Hu Er lived.


    ...


    Several hours later.


    The sun turned a dark red, and a chill began to spread through the forest.


    They found a wooden hut.


    Inside, dead leaves blown in by the wind littered the floor, no pots sat on the stove, and the bed was empty.


    Clearly, the owner had long since departed.


    "It''s going to be troublesome if he''s hiding."


    Lin Da rubbed his temples.


    The Lunar Tier possessed the Battle Qi Twin Wings, able to attack and retreat, so the initiative was not with them.


    What sort of plan could he come up with to lure that fox out...


    Inside the hut, Lia vented her anger by smashing furniture, cursing Hu Er without much venom��more like a primary schooler in a quarrel.


    Calling him an idiot, a fool, and the like.


    Tasya was feeling along the walls and the floor, checking for any hidden passages.


    This isn''t a solution, thought Lin Da.


    In five more days, the Great Mystery Continent would open.


    Hu Er could just spread his Battle Qi Twin Wings, fly out of Dragon Forest, and return to South Rock City using the Teleportation Stone.


    By then, the enemies Lin Da would face wouldn''t just be Hu Er, the Moon Rank.


    But also the Sun Adventure Group and the Bear Roar Adventure Group, supported by Hu Er.


    "Whatever it takes, we must find Hu Er."


    Lin Da murmured to himself.


    "What business do you three have with me?"


    A voice tinged with a cold, mocking tone suddenly sounded behind Lin Da.


    Lin Da''s skin crawled, a cold sensation rapidly covering his back.


    He turned his head and saw an orange fox leaning against the doorway with an easy smile, toying with a short dagger.


    A bright blue, crystal-clear blade that looked like it was made of crystal. Your next chapter is on My Virtual Library Empire


    This weapon revealed Hu Er''s fighting spirit attribute: Water-based Fighting Spirit, best known for healing after Recovery Magic Power and the Light Series.


    An adventurer who liked to toy with his prey, yet utilized Water-based Fighting Spirit��an ironic twist.


    Hu Er looked much healthier than the last time they met.


    Lin Da''s heart sank.


    "You damned fox, take a hit from Miss!"


    Following the tactics they''d rehearsed in advance, Lin Da cast the Verdant Shield around Lia, and she immediately launched a "Flame Slash," her great sword ablaze with large flames, swinging it towards Hu Er!


    "Miss Lia, it might be better to clear something up beforehand.


    I, Hu Er, don''t like you at all; quite the contrary, I find you disgusting��immeasurably disgusting. Just having you ''Little Mossy Girls'' appear in my sight is revolting.


    You dared to reject my advances and didn''t obediently let yourself be deceived and toyed with..."


    Hu Er completely shed his disguise, his typically affable face twisting into a snarl with sharp teeth, his forehead creasing with ugly wrinkles.


    "You three Star Ranks dare to overestimate yourselves, do you think this boss''s injury hasn''t healed? Lin Da, face? You, a mere Star Rank dare to ask me for face? Die, all of you die!"


    Dodging Lia''s Flame Slash with a sidestep, Hu Er then struck Lia in the abdomen with his elbow at an unbelievably fast speed!


    Thump!


    Intense pain caused Lia''s eyes to widen, acid rushing to her mouth as she flew backward like a sack.


    In a critical moment, Lin Da used the Dark Whip to catch Lia.


    "Are you alright?"


    Lin Da quickly chanted a healing spell, and a green array lit up above Lia''s head.


    Surging recovery magic power poured into Lia like a vast ocean.


    +4012!


    Lia, with an injury one second and flooded by Recovery Magic Power the next, was almost sent into a white-eyed faint by Lin Da''s Intermediate Healing Spell.


    "Your healing amount, it''s way too much!"


    Despite being in the midst of fierce combat, the three present were still shocked by Lin Da''s action.


    The wariness in Hu Er''s eyes grew more evident. S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The elbow strike he had just delivered, although not a skill, had used most of his Battle Qi with the intention to kill Lia in one blow.


    But the result was that the Verdant Shield absorbed at least eighty percent of the damage, and Lia was only lightly wounded.


    Hu Er had long heard of Lin Da''s thick shield, but actually witnessing it now completely redefined his concept of a shield.


    An attack that could have killed a Star Rank outright only managed to break Lin Da''s shield.


    And now, Lin Da''s dark green healing spell made Hu Er''s eyelids twitch uncontrollably.

 Chapter 412 325. Fusion Skill achieved, Lin Da and two others vanquish the Lunar Tier Voxel!_3

    If Lin Da is not eliminated today, the future me will definitely face dire consequences; the Bear Roar Adventure Group might even be annihilated because of this.


    "Stop worrying about the extent of the treatment and get up to fight!"


    Lin Da pushed Lia out of his arms, took a deep breath, and stared at Hu Er with piercing eyes.


    With a wave of his left hand, a miniature array lit up, and a second Verdant Shield was added to Lia.


    "Together." he said.


    "Yes!"


    Lia''s spirits were greatly lifted.


    She and Lin Da charged at Hu Er, one on the left and one on the right!


    She had never felt so exhilarating before.


    Charging alongside Lin Da, the "support", was something she wouldn''t even dare to imagine typically.


    Behind them, Tasya''s long skirt fluttered as she centered her Battle Qi within the Magic Cannon, releasing three Gale Bullets in a barrage.


    The bullets reached Hu Er a step before Lin Da and Lia, striking him.


    Clang clang clang!


    The bullets hit Hu Er''s Life Barrier, prompting a muffled groan from the fox.


    How can a Level 35 maid have such great attack power?


    Hu Er was shocked, his eyes fleeting towards Tasya in the back, where he noticed her eyes were shrouded with dark energy, her body emanating an evil aura eerily similar to that of Demons.


    The truth was almost out.


    Lin Da had actually taken in a Witch as his maid?


    Absolutely suicidal, seeking death!


    No matter whether the Witch''s corruption was exposed or not, Lin Da would face a catastrophic disaster.


    It wouldn''t be bad to take advantage of this and leave.


    All sorts of thoughts flashed through Hu Er''s mind.


    But at the moment, the advantage was his.


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    His wounds had already healed by half, and being a Level 43 Moon rank adventurer, there was no reason for him to lose against merely three Star Rankers.


    "Rare Technique, Waterspout Burst!"


    Hu Er swung his dagger, and a swath of water formed from thin air like woven cloth.


    It blocked Lin Da and Lia.


    Then, this cloth of water exploded violently!


    This was the first time Lin Da and his companions faced a Moon rank''s rare technique head-on.


    Lin Da''s eyes shifted, the long-prepared Dark Whip flew out, latching around Lia''s waist and casting her into the air at an angle ahead of them.


    Lia couldn''t afford to worry about Lin Da, only hearing a booming explosion from behind as the residual force of Water-based Fighting Spirit swept around.


    Behind her, it felt as if a heavy hammer had just struck, causing the Verdant Shield to oscillate violently.


    "Ohhh!"


    Lia''s eyebrows shot up in a fierce battle cry. Holding her Great Sword with both hands, she executed the Flame Waltz move.


    Hu Er defended with his dagger, but Lia''s skill was enhanced by Energy Charging, causing his wrist to numb and his body to stumble backwards.


    To be pushed back two steps by Lia, a Level 32 Swordsman.


    Meanwhile, Tasya''s barrage from the Storm followed one after another.


    As an assassin, Hu Er had a frail constitution and opted to dodge with agility.


    While he weaved in and out, the Wind Bullets continued their relentless pursuit.


    Tasya swept her Magic Cannon horizontally, and the cabin walls collapsed with a thunderous crash, the roof falling down as it lost support.


    Hu Er dodged incessantly, leaping up a large tree with a grim expression, looking down at the collapsed cabin below. S��ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His pant leg was torn by a Gale Bullet, leaving a bone-deep wound.


    Every attack from that Witch was strong enough to hurt him.


    Lia''s potential was also remarkably high; at a mere Level 32 and not being a witch, she was capable of injuring him, a Moon Rank...


    Though White Dove City lacked top-tier powerhouses, there was indeed no shortage of adventurers with high potential!


    A warning alarm sounded in Hu Er''s heart, his fingers tightening around the dagger involuntarily.


    "Not one of these three can be left alive."


    If they were all to reach the Moon Rank, the strength they would possess was unimaginable.


    If they were to be the same level, Hu Er was not even confident he could defeat any one of them.


    They must be eradicated while they''re still Star Rankers!

 Chapter 413 326, rules are meant to be broken

    "Thank goodness they underestimated us. My rare technique, Water Burst, took out Lin Da first. Without his Healing Art, the remaining two can be defeated one by one."


    The only regret is that I can''t slowly torment Lin Da and enjoy his expression.


    Hu Er sighed.


    "Venom Magic Sphere!"


    Suddenly, two deep purple Magic Orbs shot up from below.


    Hu Er, caught off guard, was hit on the Life Barrier.


    It immediately hissed, with a sensation like being pricked by needles feeding back to Hu Er''s brain.


    Hu Er''s face changed, but then he saw Lin Da emerging from the ruins of the wooden hut, holding the Sword of Royalty and sneering at him.


    Lin Da''s upper clothing was simply blown open, revealing a well-proportioned physique.


    Those faintly outlined abs seemed to silently taunt Hu Er.


    Had it been a month ago, Lin Da would certainly not have been confident in blocking a Moon Rank''s rare technique.


    Not to mention a rare technique, a simple skill from Mingli back then shattered his Verdant Shield, and he was seriously injured.


    And that was under the premise that Mingli was holding back.


    But now...


    Lin Da had ascended to Star Rank, reaching level 33, and was dressed in the Epic Two-Star armor, the Magic Dragon Soft Armor. Although it was only level 25, it was still an epic piece of armor in reality.


    His health points had almost doubled compared with when he fought against Mingli.


    That was the confidence levels had given to Lin Da.


    "You little bastard, aren''t you a support?"


    Angered and embarrassed, Hu Er leapt down from the tree branch.


    The short blade in his hand glowed with a deep blue light, as massive Battle Qi began to converge.


    The main event was coming.


    The Moon Rank''s Ultimate Skill!


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    Lin Da''s expression turned grave, he applied a new Verdant Shield to himself, took big steps forward, and shielded Lia and the others behind him.


    Only with his own 13,600 hit points was there hope of withstanding the Moon Rank''s Ultimate Skill.


    The combined health points of the two girls were hardly comparable to his own.


    "Come on!"


    Lin Da tauntingly flicked his middle finger, using Manual Taunt.


    "Heh heh, stepping forward to meet the Moon Rank''s Ultimate Skill? I, Tormentor Hu Er, am really being underestimated."


    Even though Hu Er knew Lin Da was taunting him, he still walked into the trap.


    No matter how strong Lin Da showed himself to be...


    The gap between Star Rank and Moon Rank could not be bridged.


    Why do stars surround the moon?


    There is only one answer.


    "Star Rank can never beat Moon Rank; this ironclad Law will be personally imparted to you by me, Lord Hu Er!"


    Hu Er burst out laughing and lunged with his dagger, the deep blue Battle Qi forming a swordfish.


    "Ultimate, Swordfish Kiss!"


    With all his Battle Qi concentrated into an illusory swordfish that possessed piercing and sharpness traits, it caused massive damage! S��arch* The n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With this move, Hu Er could instantly kill level 40 Magical Creatures of common white rarity.


    Do you, Lin Da, a support, think you''re tougher than a level 40 Magical Creature?


    Hu Er refused to believe it.


    The deep blue swordfish burst forth as if jumping from a tidal wave, shooting towards Lin Da.


    Given its terrifying speed, even Moon Rank of the same level as Hu Er had no chance to dodge, let alone Lin Da.


    He could only take the hit of "Swordfish Kiss" head on!


    "If you die without permission, I''ll never forgive you!" Lia shouted anxiously.


    When discussing the battle plan, the most important part was how to deal with Hu Er''s Ultimate Skill.


    Lin Da gave a very simple answer.


    "Just watch, the battle of the Captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team��"


    Behind Lin Da, white wings unfolded with a ''bang,'' the Sword of Royalty was held high, sacred white light consolidating upon it.


    He swung with all his might, sending out a huge crescent-shaped golden light.


    At the same time, the wings gently flapped, three feathers each landing on himself, Tasya, and Lia.


    They quickly turned into transparent white "Guardian Shields."


    After ascending to level 30, Lin Da''s Ultimate Skill was enhanced, and the targets enveloped by Guardian Shield would immediately recover 50% of their maximum health points.


    The moment Guardian Shield was applied, a gentle warmth spread over the three of them, forming into pure energy that fortified their Life Barriers.


    With one strike of Guardian Sword, the three of them were nearly restored to optimal condition!


    With Double Shields deployed, Lin Da''s "health points" surged over 20,000.


    This is the foundation of his resilience against the Moon Rank Ultimate Skill!


    The sword light collided with the swordfish condensed from Hu Er''s vigorous Battle Qi.


    Indeed being a Moon Rank Ultimate Skill, the sword light collapsed in less than a second, devoured by the deep blue swordfish.


    The long, sharp spike aimed at Lin Da''s brow, the sound of tearing wind incessant, as if the air was filled with countless cloths being ripped, the noise making one''s teeth feel sour.


    Before the attack even arrived, Lin Da felt a faint prickling at his forehead.


    He tensed up, using the Sword of Royalty as a shield, completely on guard!


    Behind him, Tasya and Lia couldn''t help but break into a sweat.


    When they first heard Lin Da''s battle plan, both had expressed their objections, but Lin Da was adamant, insisting that they trust him.


    ''If you just die like this, missy here will definitely not attend your funeral!'' Lia thought anxiously.


    Thump��


    In the blink of an eye, the swordfish''s spike, a meter long, struck Lin Da.


    The Verdant Shield shattered in an instant, and the Guardian Shield only lasted for a second.


    What was over 10,000 points of shield protection was easily destroyed by Hu Er''s Ultimate Skill.


    Lin Da''s chest felt as if it had been struck by a carriage, a stream of fresh blood uncontrollably surged to his throat, his mouth filling with the iron taste of blood.


    In his personal panel, the alarming red bar representing his life points drastically shrank.


    From 13,600, it dropped to 2,445!


    Accounting for the 6,120 thickness of Verdant Shield, and the 6,800 points of Guardian Shield, the damage Hu Er''s Ultimate Skill dealt...


    Was around 24,000.


    And that''s with Lin Da''s exceptionally high physical defense.


    If it hit someone like Monica, with her fragile defense, it could probably cause over 40,000 damage.

 Chapter 414 326, rules are meant to be broken

    Unless a Heavy Armored Warrior with exceptional talent, a Star Rank definitely cannot withstand this blow.


    Under the strong force, Lin Da''s feet pierced the ground, and he was shoved back more than a dozen meters like a nail.


    From the waist down, he was all buried in the cold, muddy soil.


    Blood from Lin Da''s mouth could no longer be held back and was spat out in one mouthful.


    His face also turned frighteningly pale.


    The Ultimate Skill of the Moon Rank was truly ferocious in power.


    Even Lin Da felt overwhelmed.


    Tasya and Lia rushed to his side at great speed.


    "Eat this quickly!"


    Lia took out a Dark Tree Fruit, didn''t even peel it, and forcibly stuffed it into Lin Da''s mouth.


    "I''ll hold off Hu Er, please adjust your body''s condition as quickly as possible."


    Tasya, carrying a Magic Cannon, glared at Hu Er with eyes full of hatred.


    A black thorn flower on her chest spread rampantly.


    It climbed out from the collar of her maid outfit, growing close to her neck.


    Lia, anxious to take care of Lin Da, had actually not noticed the change in Tasya.


    To deal with Hu Er, Tasya pushed her Witch Power to the limit.


    In terms of the strength of Battle Qi, she had now reached level 39!


    That is, the Peak of the Star Rank!


    Of course, the consequences were very serious.


    A normal witch would be attacked by the contamination.


    The following whole month would have to be spent in near-torturous pain and also significantly reduce her remaining lifespan.


    This was equivalent to converting life into Battle Qi.


    No witch would ever do this.


    But what Lin Da privately said to Tasya was: in this battle, the power of the witch can be used freely! No matter how much contamination, I will help you eliminate it!


    The legendary skill [Witch Purification] was just that domineering.


    As long as the witch didn''t turn dark on the spot, Lin Da could bring her back.


    "Hurricane Binding!"


    Tasya pulled the trigger, and Wind Battle Qi crazily infused into the Magic Cannon.


    Taking advantage of the moment when Hu Er launched the Ultimate Skill and was in a weakened state, Tasya didn''t hesitate to activate her own Ultimate.


    At that moment, Hu Er, holding his right waist and forehead covered in sweat.


    The use of the Ultimate Skill caused the wound to split open again.


    A thick aqua-colored beam of light came facing him, and where it passed, the ground sunk into an arc.


    The brutal Wind Battle Qi transformed into a swift blade.


    This beam was completely composed of sharp air currents.


    Hu Er felt a chill in his heart and his big tail instinctively tightened.


    Faced with Tasya''s full release of Witch Power, Hu Er panicked!


    It happened in an instant.


    The speed of the beam''s advance was so fast that Hu Er, even at Moon Rank, couldn''t avoid it.


    A scream rang out.


    The figure of Hu Er was completely swallowed by the aqua-colored light.


    Tasya''s blast pierced more than three hundred meters.


    All the big trees in its path were left with bucket-sized gaps in the middle, followed by a thunderous collapse.


    "Did I succeed?"


    Lin Da took a short rest and caught his breath.


    He cast two intermediate healing spells on himself in succession, only then did his health points fully recover. S��ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Supporting Lia''s shoulders, he slowly adjusted his breath, suppressing the turbulent blood and Qi within his body.


    Despite this, his complexion was still pale.


    Enduring a Moon Rank''s ultimate skill was akin to a small succubus being punched and kicked by three burly men.


    Even though there were no issues afterward, living through it was quite unpleasant, with pain all over the body.


    This only made Lin Da aspire even more for the Moon Rank.


    Stepping into this rank, one would truly become a pillar of the Mystic Continent.


    Ahead, dust filled the air, making it difficult to spot Hu Er''s figure.


    Lin Da focused his concentration to energy charge, silently casting a new Verdant Shield on himself.


    "You okay?" Lia asked softly.


    Lin Da nodded, "No big problem, don''t worry about me, focus on the fight."


    "Okay." Lia nodded.


    The trio traveled together, cautiously moving forward.


    Suddenly.


    Tasya''s eyes shifted, the magic cannon aimed and swept fire towards the front left.


    Ratatat!


    Gale bullets shattered a large tree.


    The figure hidden within the canopy was forced into the open, it was the blood-covered Hu Er!


    Hu Er''s breath was much weaker than at the start; the wound on his right waist split open, fresh red blood soaking through his clothes, dripping down.


    Under Tasya''s attack, Hu Er chose to retreat, widening the distance.


    Worn down in turns, even as a Moon Rank, Hu Er could not hold on any longer.


    "You guys, well done."


    Falling behind, the expression on Hu Er''s face was still composed.


    He took out a handkerchief, wiped the bloodstains, frowned at the wound on his right waist, and let out a sigh of resignation:


    "I had hoped to take you three down fair and square, seems I won''t be given the chance, huh."


    Deep blue Battle Qi Twin Wings unfolded from his back with a whoosh.


    Hu Er looked up at the sky, a trace of relief in his eyes.


    As long as he got there...


    No matter how strong Lin Da and the others were, they couldn''t do anything to him.


    Apart from wind mages, other professions couldn''t take flight at the Star Rank.


    "Lin Da, the next time we meet, I should be visiting you in the empire''s iron prison!"


    Hu Er glanced meaningfully at Tasya.


    But just then.


    Like an arrow released from a bow, Lin Da suddenly surged forward.


    He stared at Hu Er with icy eyes, his right hand reaching for the strap around his waist.


    Pulling out a fiery red magic scroll, he tore it open immediately.


    Ultra*Charge magic scroll.


    It could greatly enhance the damage of the next attack.


    As hot energy surged into his body, Lin Da felt as if even his hair was ablaze.


    His legs suddenly grew thicker, his veins bulging visibly.


    Immediately, the Sword of Royalty pointed forward, as he roared in his heart: "Forest Dragon''s Rage Fang!"


    With the amplification of [Ultra*Charge], the number of vines shot out this time was double the usual, forming a Wooden Giant Dragon vividly with twenty meters in length.


    A trace of Dragon''s Might released from within it, catching Hu Er off guard and shattering his concentrated Battle Qi Twin Wings.


    Staring at the Wooden Giant Dragon lashing out with claws and fangs, Hu Er''s mouth dropped open in astonishment, wondering how a skill with a chance to be obtained only by killing a Forest Dragon ended up in Lin Da''s hands?

 Chapter 415 326, rules are meant to be broken_3

    Lost in thought, the Wooden Giant Dragon roared forth, clamping its jaws around Hu Er.


    Its tail transformed into vines, spreading out to weave a gigantic net that firmly pinned Hu Er to the ground.


    "Ugh...!"


    Hu Er''s shoulder blades shattered instantly, and he was pressed face-first into the ground, fear flashing in his eyes for the first time.


    The Forest Dragon''s Rage Fang couldn''t kill him, but he couldn''t break free in a short time either.


    In all his previous battles, even when at a disadvantage, Hu Er had remained unbeaten.


    Like a spectator in the Arena, he felt no sense of danger, always ready to take flight with his wings.


    Until now.


    Trapped on the ground by the Forest Dragon''s Rage Fang, Hu Er truly panicked!


    "Lia, Tasya!"


    Lin Da, with eyes reddened, roared out loud. S��ar?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Understood!"


    "Yes, Master!"


    Lia''s long hair ignited with crimson Flames, speckled with condensing golden sparks.


    She crouched low and shot out like a Bullet.


    Tasya took a deep breath, and, using Witch Power, forcefully drove a second Ultimate Skill.


    As both their Battle Qi surged like a volcanic eruption, fear surfaced on Hu Er''s face, and he screamed hysterically while desperately cutting at the vine net with his dagger, trembling incessantly.


    On that redhead fool''s Great Sword, he sensed a whiff of death!


    No, as a Moon rank adventurer, a revered Big Shot, how could he die at the hands of these three brats!?


    Hu Er screamed in despair within his heart.


    "Aah aah aah!"


    Lia leaped from the ground, lifting her Great Sword high.


    At the same time, the light beam formed by Tasya''s Fusion Finishing Skills, Hurricane Binding, fell upon it.


    Starfire Airstream Slash activated!


    The two Ultimate Skills merged, and a dazzling light burst forth from the Great Sword.


    Fire Tornado Flame: a storm of Bullets rained down!


    The fiery Bullets traced a beautiful arc, plummeting towards Hu Er.


    Hu Er ultimately couldn''t escape the Forest Dragon''s Rage Fang''s bind.


    Powerlessly, he tilted his head back, his pupils reflecting the intertwined light of wind and Fire.


    Boom!


    Like a meteor crashing down, the explosion was deafening.


    Where Hu Er stood, a ten-meter diameter crater of scorched earth formed.


    Once the dust settled, Lin Da saw Hu Er lying at the bottom of the crater, charred all over.


    His fluffy tail was directly blasted off, and his Leather Armor was reduced to Fragments.


    Motionless, with no breath left.


    "We won, did we win?" Lia walked over to Lin Da, panting heavily.


    Her body swayed, and she used Lin Da''s back for support to keep from falling over.


    Tasya had reverted from her Witch State, her left hand clutching her chest, lips bitten, and her forehead was full of endurance.


    Using her Ultimate Skill twice had taken a toll on her body, and she likely wouldn''t be able to fight for the next half month.


    The three of them united in battle, barely achieving a Pyrrhic victory.


    Against a prime Hu Er, it was highly probable that they would have lost.


    "I must become stronger, as I can''t even protect a single person now," Lia murmured, gripping her Greatsword tightly.


    Seeing Lia''s dusty face, Lin Da tapped her forehead and said seriously,


    "Pride is wrong, but self-deprecation is also a mistake!


    Us three Star Rank, defeating a Moon Rank together, though it was a hard-earned victory, it is still something to be proud of.


    Throughout the empire''s history, how many instances are there of Star Rank defeating Moon Rank?


    Lia, you can certainly be proud now.


    And Tasya, both of you performed very well!"


    Lin Da praised.


    Star Rank triumphing over Moon Rank was a feat that would be worthy of inclusion in the Adventurers'' University textbooks.


    An insurmountable gap, which they overcame in unison!


    "Is, is that so?" Lia brightened up a bit.


    Tasya smiled as well, bowing slightly, "To serve the Master is my honor!"


    "��Do you know how the titles Light Rank, Moon Rank, Star Rank came about?"


    As the three let their guard down, a ghostly, chilling voice came from behind Lin Da.


    Meanwhile, the commotion from the fight also caught the attention of the surrounding Magical Creatures, as well as a petite figure in a little black robe, with pale golden Light Wings, searching the sky for something.


    A buzzing noise sounded in Lin Da''s head.

 Chapter 416 327, kill Hu Er and return to White Dove City

    ```


    "Light fills the entire space, permeating every corner. It contains the stars and the moon in the sky, which is why the Light Rank is the strongest. The name of the Dawn-level Adventure Group is also related to the Light Rank," S��arch* The N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As for the moon, there''s but one in the night sky, while stars are countless. No matter how numerous the starlight, it can''t outshine the moonlight."


    Hehehehe... This fox means to say only one thing: Moon Rank is not something the three of you at Star Rank can overcome. This iron-clad Law is one no adventurer can bypass."


    A charred figure, devoid of skin and fur, ghostly appeared behind Lin Da.


    At that instant, Lin Da and his two companions felt a chill rise from the bottom of their hearts, their bodies covered in goosebumps.


    Tasya was facing that person, and Lin Da could see the appearance of the speaker reflected in her pupils.


    Hu Er held a broken test tube-like vial in his left hand, his lips stained with a dark liquid. The liquid was highly corrosive, carving gaps into his lips and exposing his lower fangs.


    A power very similar to that of a witch rose from within Hu Er.


    His eyes were filled with roiling dark mist, his soles burned down to the bone, with only a layer of flesh remaining, stepping on the ground as if he felt no pain.


    He was practically a "living dead"!


    Lia''s eyes widened as she cried out: "Stop��"


    Hu Er, clutching a dagger, aimed for Lin Da''s heart. Explore more adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    At such a distance, Lin Da had no chance of dodging. He hadn''t even added a Verdant Shield for protection.


    If a vital point were hit, there would be only one consequence...!


    Lia felt as if something exploded in her head, her body stiffened, as though drenched in mud.


    Her eyes clearly saw Hu Er, but her hands couldn''t keep up. She could only watch helplessly as the skeletal Hu Er, with a fierce smile, stabbed Lin Da in the back with his dagger.


    That was an intense sense of powerlessness that made her nauseous. Lia couldn''t even make a sound, she just gaped.


    Lin Da, directly facing Lia, saw her panicked expression and a look of surprise flashed across his eyes.


    He quickly focused his attention on his Life Barrier, concentrating all his energy on his back to resist Hu Er''s attack as much as possible.


    But at the next moment.


    "��It ends here."


    From a kilometer high in the sky, a figure descended swiftly.


    Like a diving falcon, its speed was so fast that the clouds turned into large "smoke rings", split apart by the descending person.


    In the nick of time, this adventurer, with pale golden Light Wings and dressed in a black robe, landed between Lin Da and Hu Er.


    She descended from the sky like a catkin, touching the ground without making a sound.


    Her voice was crisp and pleasant, obviously that of a woman.


    She appeared to be no more than one meter forty, with a pure white mask covering her face. The neckline of her black robe revealed a snow-white and delicate collarbone, with silver hair reaching her hips.


    Compared to Tasya''s slightly greyish hair, that of the Little Black-Robed Person was somewhat brighter.


    She casually extended her right hand, yawning lazily. Anyone could see how slow her motion was.


    Yet, with such a nonchalant grab, she caught Hu Er''s dagger with absolute precision��rather, the dagger that Hu Er had thrust suddenly curved as if attracted by a powerful magnet, delivering itself right into the hand of the black-robed person.


    This terrifying strength made all four people present twitch their eyelids.


    Immediately after, the little hand of the black-robed person lightly clapped, and Hu Er was hit hard. He screamed "Ah", flying over ten meters away, smashing through several thick trees.


    With that blow, Hu Er spewed blood all over, his already sparse flesh fell in chunks to the ground.


    Apart from his fox head, his body was essentially reduced to a skeleton, lying on the ground barely alive.


    From Hu Er''s sudden uprising to being thrown, it only took three seconds.


    As a result, Lin Da and the others'' emotions were like a roller coaster, from the tension of life and death to shock, astonishment, bewilderment...


    They all stood frozen, unable to react.


    The despondently strong Hu Er, whom the three of them combined could not defeat, was so easily thrown away.


    It was as if swatting a fly were no different.


    "Light Rank."


    Lin Da, Lia, and Tasya all had the same thought in their heads.


    Who else but the Light Rank could throw Hu Er effortlessly with a casual hit?


    That overwhelming battle qi was tens of times stronger than Hu Er''s!


    If Hu Er gave Lin Da the feeling that there was hope to win, then the mysterious person before him, Lin Da guessed, would require the luck of all adventurers across the continent to stand a chance at winning.


    Lin Da didn''t know if the person was friend or foe, his gaze wary as he looked over.


    Despite being short in stature, shaped like a dwarf, wearing a black robe and hood, with a pure white mask that bore no pattern on her face, under the mask were a pair of dark purple eyes.


    As Lin Da observed her, she was also assessing him.


    No emotion could be discerned from behind those eyes.


    Lin Da had a nagging feeling that her mask looked familiar.


    It bore some resemblance to the mask of Dark Shadow.


    Surely she wasn''t cosplaying as Dark Shadow?


    Lin Da thought to himself in bemusement.


    At this time, not far away, Hu Er bit down on his teeth and struggled to rise, activating his Battle Qi Twin Wings to flee.


    Against the Light Rank, Hu Er had no desire to engage in battle.


    But the Little Black-Robed Person was already alert to the slightest movement around her. With a cold snort, a three-meter-long blue hand materialized from the void and slapped down, pinning Hu Er to the spot!


    It was the Hand of the Void, the unique ability of a Light Rank Adventurer!


    The Light Rank could solidify their battle qi or magic power into a controllable Hand of the Void. It used minimal energy while its lethality was quite impressive.


    ```

 Chapter 417 327, kill Hu Er and return to White Dove City_2

    To deal with Star Ranks, a casual swipe of the Hand of the Void was all it took to annihilate them.


    In front of this little black-robed person, Hu Er felt completely despair.


    The Hand of the Void pressing down on him was like a mountain peak; despite exerting all his strength, he couldn''t budge it in the slightest.


    A surge of regret inevitably spread through Hu Er''s heart, his mouth filled with bitterness.


    If it weren''t for his pride and arrogance, wanting to defeat Lin Da and the others fairly and squarely, how would he have landed in such a predicament?


    The winner was supposed to be him!


    His arrogance had led to the defeat in this battle!


    After pinning Hu Er down, the little black-robed person put him aside, as if using a mousetrap to catch a mouse, not in a hurry to kill, for he posed no threat anyway.


    Under her pure white mask, her eyes looked at Lin Da and said calmly, "Follow me out, the gap opened by the Boundary-breaking Secret Sword will close in six hours."


    "May I ask who the senior is...?"


    Lin Da asked respectfully, his head full of confusion.


    "You don''t need to know my name; I am here on someone''s behalf."


    The petite black-robed person looked up at Lin Da, feeling a slight resentment towards this tall adventurer.


    It was he who had ignored the invitation she sent, not even replying.


    "On someone''s behalf..."


    Lin Da murmured, "Is it President Velen, Abner, or Kafni?"


    "No, it''s a girl named Lulu."


    "So Lulu has already gone out, that''s great..."


    Lin Da breathed a sigh of relief.


    But on second thought, where did Lulu get the ability to mobilize a Light Rank?


    Could it be that she paid a terribly heavy price?


    Perhaps guessing what Lin Da was thinking, the black-robed person kindly explained, "You needn''t worry; indeed, I will ask Lulu for payment, but it''s merely inquiring about the whereabouts of someone."


    Only then did Lin Da relax.


    "Thank you, senior, for your assistance!"


    Furthermore... before leaving, there are two matters I would like to trouble you with..."


    Lin Da said, somewhat embarrassed.


    It was his first time encountering a Light Rank on this continent, and he couldn''t help feeling nervous.


    Perhaps this petite Light Rank senior had a fierce temper.


    If she grew tired of a couple of words, she might just abandon him. S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Simple things, I can help with,"


    the little black-robed person stated.


    Had it been three years earlier, she would have definitely refused this Lin Da.


    But now, Bailuo was striving to become a mature adult.


    Without even the patience to listen to someone speak, one was not fit to be an adult.


    Secondly,


    for some unknown reason, the moment she saw Lin Da, she felt a mysterious sense of kinship.


    If she had to give a reason, it might be because the way Lin Da''s eyes looked when he was thinking was very similar to her teacher''s.


    Bailuo''s love for her teacher extended to Lin Da, granting him an extra measure of tolerance.


    She stood with one hand on her waist, calmly saying, "I can help you with things that are not troublesome; after all, I am a mature adult."


    Upon her words, Lin Da and the others wore slightly strange expressions.


    Lia couldn''t help but criticize in her mind: Would a truly mature adult really use such a peculiar self-reference?


    Lin Da carefully eyed the dark purple eyes behind the other''s mask, tentatively saying,


    "My first request is for you to kill that evil adventurer, Hu Er. According to Adventurer''s Law Article 11, anyone who consumes Demon Race''s Forbidden Medicine, all adventurers have a duty to kill on sight."


    Yes, Demon Race''s Forbidden Medicine.


    Also known as a Magic Potion.


    Lin Da had seen it in the story props of the game.


    A substance contained in a glass vial, filled with a deep black liquid.


    The text described it as:


    [An alchemy product made from the blood of a Witch who has completely fallen, capable of greatly enhancing the user''s strength.


    Side effects include reduced rationality, risk of Magic Circuit breakdown after the effect ends, with the lightest consequence being a 10% reduction in rank.


    In severe cases, turning into a Catastrophe Puppet, indiscriminately attacking everything around. ]


    The crazed state displayed by Hu Er was extremely similar to the effects of consuming a Magic Potion.


    "Magic Potion?"


    Bailuo frowned slightly, glancing sideways at Hu Er, who was seized by the Hand of the Void.


    "As an official, I cannot turn a blind eye to a heretic who has consumed a Magic Potion."


    She clenched her right hand in the air, and a deep blue Battle Qi hand immediately mimicked the gesture.


    Hu Er let out a ghastly scream, his bones shattered throughout his body, and his internal organs squeezed out from both the top and bottom sides of his belly, spraying blood in a scene most horrifying.


    Novice adventurers witnessing this would probably be scared into retiring on the spot.


    Lin Da felt his stomach turn and experienced slight discomfort.


    In his three years as an adventurer, the most extreme thing he had done was beheading Kam with his sword.


    Yet this petite black-robed person, who could have killed Hu Er in a more straightforward and clean manner, chose such a cruel method instead.


    Could it be that she looked easy to talk to, but was actually cold-hearted?


    He needed to show her more respect.


    Lin Da thought to himself.


    Lia also found the cruel sight a bit hard to stomach and looked away.


    On the other hand, Tasya was unfazed, not affected in the slightest.


    When a bright red -10000 popped up above Hu Er''s head, Lin Da knew that the life of this Moon rank adventurer had been completely extinguished.


    That let out a long sigh of relief.


    At last, the fox was eliminated.


    Lin Da had bluffed three times, had numerous invisible clashes, every step appearing easy but in reality, was walking on the edge of a knife.


    One wrong move would have meant irreversible consequences.


    Even after mastering Fusion Finishing Skills, he still fell short by one move.


    He hadn''t expected Hu Er to have a secret magic potion.


    But such a powerful Hu Er was easily killed by this little black-robed Light Rank person, like exerting only slightly more effort than it takes to step on an ant.


    The gap between Light Rank and Moon Rank was just too vast.


    ''One day, I will also become a strong person like the little black-robed person, and even surpass her!''


    Lin Da''s blood boiled with boundless pride swelling in his heart.


    "Junior, what is your second request?"


    Bailuo stood with one hand on her hip, slightly tilting her small head, looking poised and composed.


    Lin Da, unaware that this little black-robed person had only just turned eighteen, respectfully said with the posture of a junior:


    "My second request is that I hope you can help find a teammate of mine, Monica."


    "The Guild President knows, the Werewolf Lulu asked me to find three people, you, Lia, and that Monica."


    Bailuo did not know Monica, who had been kicked out of the team early on; she shook her head and said:


    "Regrettably, Monica is not in this forest. Over the past eighteen hours, I have searched the forest several rounds without any discovery. Even if she stayed in the tenth layer of the Great Mystery Continent, she could only be even further away.


    The Boundary-breaking Secret Sword can only keep the gap open for 24 hours, and only six hours remain before it closes.


    Yet the Great Mystery Continent is as vast as the Mystic Continent.


    If we continue searching, the exit will close.


    Therefore, I cannot grant your request to find Monica."


    "You haven''t found Monica...?"


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    Lin Da was stunned for a moment.


    He quietly opened the system interface and checked Monica''s icon on the team panel.


    The icon''s background was green.


    This indicated that Monica was alive and well.


    If she wasn''t in Dragon Forest, where had she gone?


    Could it be that just like Lulu, she had already returned to White Dove City?


    If even the Light Rank little black-robed person couldn''t find Monica, there would likely be no gain for him in staying on the Great Mystery Continent.


    With that in mind, the best course of action seemed to be to return to White Dove City and use the power of the Adventurers'' Guild to issue a reward for finding Monica.


    Lin Da felt anxious inside, worried about Monica''s safety.


    In the deep quiet of the night, he wondered if Monica was suffering in the forest, gnawing at tree fruits or, like Lia, eating poisonous mushrooms.


    It was as if an old father had lost his daughter.


    But leading Lia and Tasya and as captain, Lin Da could not show his own anxiety and worry.


    Fortunately, the team panel allowed him to confirm that Monica was still alive.


    ''Now that I have an abundance of Gold Coins, I can offer a high reward; even if it means tearing up White Dove City and the tenth layer of the Great Mystery Continent, I must find Monica!''


    Having made up his mind, Lin Da bowed to the little black-robed person, "Understood, please take us out and back to White Dove City!"


    "Hmm." Bailuo nodded, her pale golden Light Wings unfurling behind her.


    They were a pair of wings over two meters in length, with feathers lifelike in gold, aesthetically beautiful.


    Lin Da and the others felt a twinge of envy.


    With those Light Wings, one could soar through the skies, avoiding most Magical Creatures on the ground.


    Moon rank adventurers were pillars of the Mystic Continent, primarily because of these convenient and fast wings, enabling quick travel between cities.

 Chapter 418 328, Cat girl and Xiaolongbao, Lin Das unintentional act

    "Are we going to ride on the wings of Lord of the Light Step? I''m a bit excited!"


    Lia shook off the fatigue from battle and excitedly approached the Little Black-Robed Person, "How do we sit?"


    "Spread your arms." Bailuo stated succinctly.


    After Lia did as she was told, Bailuo''s arms wrapped around her waist, lifting her up. Then, his gaze turned to Tasya.


    That''s right��the Light Rank could fly, but they couldn''t make Lin Da and the others fly too.


    Bailuo held Lia in one arm and Tasya in the other.


    Manual takeoff.


    "Senior, where should I go?"


    Lin Da scratched the back of his head awkwardly.


    "Behind." Bailuo said indifferently.


    "Okay."


    Lin Da squatted down, stretched out his hands, and encircled the fragile, boneless waist of the Little Black-Robed Person.


    Upon contact, he couldn''t help but marvel inwardly: What a petite girl, her waist isn''t much thicker than my thigh, quite delicate, similar to an adventurer''s primary school fifth or sixth-grader.


    Is this really the body of an adult?


    While he was reflecting on this, he suddenly heard a cute scream of "Ah!"


    Then, he was kicked in the stomach by a leg extending from the hem of the black robe.


    It was a black high-heeled shoe, with heels at least five centimeters tall, paired with white thigh-high socks. Both the shoe and the foot were tiny, Lin Da could hold them in one hand.


    The more he looked, the younger he thought the person was.


    Of course, all these thoughts were overshadowed by the pain in his abdomen.


    Lin Da coughed, rubbing his stomach as he stood up, his face confused, "Senior, didn''t you tell me to come from behind, why is this?"


    "Who let you touch the dean''s waist, up top, up top, you idiot!"


    Bailuo stomped in frustration, her face behind the mask turning into an embarrassed pink.


    Had it been three years ago, for such unclean actions, she would have put an end to him with one sword strike.


    Lin Da sincerely apologized, and with that, the matter was dropped. Continue your adventure with My Virtual Library Empire


    Approaching the Little Black-Robed Person''s tiny back again, he squatted down and wrapped his hands around the other''s neck...


    He intended to hold his own right hand with his left to avoid falling during the high-altitude flight.


    But perhaps because he was too exhausted after the fight, his right hand twitched and grabbed the wrong place.


    Memories surged.


    Lin Da recalled the Xiaolongbao he ate back in his hometown.


    The kind that had just come out of the oven, steaming hot.


    His stomach rumbled with hunger, and he couldn''t help but grab a few more Xiaolongbao.


    "So small."


    Lin Da said subconsciously.


    The next moment, he sensed the earth trembling.


    The pebbles on the ground, the grains of sand, the fallen leaves... all began to dance. sea??h th�� N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The big trees also shook wildly, their leaves scattering all around.


    It was like the precursor to a Giant Dragon''s rage.


    Tasya and Lia were both puzzled, giving the Little Black-Robed Person strange looks.


    The source of the anomaly was her.


    Then the two saw where Lin Da''s right hand was.


    They were all stunned.


    Lin Da also realized what he had done.


    Oh no.


    This wasn''t the kind of Xiaolongbao you eat!


    His face changed, and forgetting his longing for the touch of home, he quickly let go.


    "It''s a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding, senior, let me explain!"


    "Are you sick, death penalty, the dean sentences you to death!"


    Bailuo covered her chest in a mix of fury and embarrassment, quickly drew her thin sword from behind, and pointed it at Lin Da''s nose.


    That strange sensation, like an electric current passing through, made Bailuo''s heart crumble.


    She had long considered herself the fianc��e of her teacher, chaste and pure.


    Even students of the opposite sex at Azure Sky University don''t meet, to avoid improper contact.


    But to think that under this "Lin Da," who shares the same name with a teacher, I capsized in a gutter.


    Without poking a few holes in Lin Da, it''s hard for Bailuo to let off steam!


    "Sorry, I really didn''t do it on purpose."


    Lin Da felt utterly guilty, "Whatever punishment the senior wants to give, I am willing to accept."


    Bailuo glared at him furiously.


    Even though she knew it was an accident, she still couldn''t forgive Lin Da.


    Just like those Beastmen in comic books, who carelessly "get in" and then are forgiven with just a light apology?


    That would be letting them off too easily.


    Every time Bailuo saw something like that, she would angrily throw the book into the trash can and, by the way, drop a complaint letter into the mayor''s mailbox.


    The hand holding the thin sword trembled slightly from extreme anger.


    I''m about to lose control!


    At that moment,


    Tasya stepped in front of Lin Da with a resolute expression, "Senior, if anyone is to be punished, please punish me! As the maid responsible for my master, I failed to take proper care of him. It is my fault!"


    Lia also spread her arms, shielding Lin Da behind her.


    "Or else, touch mine and forgive Lin Da, he really didn''t do it on purpose."


    Lia, with a determined face, stuck out her plain chest.


    "You two, do you know that I am from the Light Rank?" Bailuo said through gritted teeth.


    "Of course, we know." Lia replied, "We are not fools; it''s easy to see."


    "And you still dare to protect that hooligan?"


    Bailuo frowned.


    If it were a vicious Light Rank, she would have slapped them away with one strike.


    Lia said matter-of-factly, "Because we are comrades!"


    Tasya nodded, agreeing with Lia''s statement.


    Behind them, Lin Da was deeply touched.


    He pushed the two away, "If someone must be responsible, then let it be me. I offended this senior and should be the one to receive punishment."


    "No, this is a subordinate''s responsibility, you have done nothing wrong."


    "That... Little Senior, Lin Da was dizzy from being hit by a fox, which led to him accidentally touching your tablet. He really didn''t do it on purpose!" Lia hurriedly explained.


    Without that explanation, it might have been better. When Bailuo heard "Little Senior" and "tablet," the rage that had subsided a bit flared back up.


    "Then I shall punish you by having you personally apologize to the teacher! If he forgives you, only then will I forgive you!"


    Bailuo said with a cold laugh.


    With Dark Shadow''s cold and overbearing personality, he might just knock these three out.


    Although I''ve not found the teacher yet, I believe that day will definitely come.


    When it does, I''ll make the three of them apologize personally!


    The kind-hearted Bailuo even thought, if the teacher hits too hard, I''ll try to dissuade him, lest he kills Lin Da. After all, it looks like Lin Da really didn''t do it on purpose.


    The red-haired girl, as well as the maid, was sincerely protecting him.


    And he, in turn, protected the two of them.


    This kind of self-sacrificing character was silently affirmed by Bailuo.


    It was their behavior that made Bailuo willing to believe, the incident was an accident.


    Lin Da, hearing the words of the Little Black-Robed Person, felt a sense of relief in his heart.


    Knowing that the other party was giving him a way out.


    "Thank you, senior, for your generosity!"


    He along with Lia and Tasya, bowed together.


    Bailuo grunted and put away the thin sword with an expressionless face.


    The self-proclaimed dean in the little black robe crossed her arms and stretched out her small, delicate feet encased in white knee-high stockings and high heels, nudging downward with her mouth at Lin Da.


    "I fly very fast as Lord of the Light Step, and later, if you can''t hold on tightly in the thousands of meters high in the sky and fall, it''s your own death, and I certainly will not save you."


    "That''s only right."


    Lin Da wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.


    Whether it''s the waist or chest, I can''t touch anywhere, how dare I let her continue to carry me...


    However, holding onto her legs is actually the best option.

 Chapter 419 329, Lin Das confusion: Who exactly is your teacher?

    Bailuo grasped the hem of the black robe with both hands and slightly lifted it, immediately revealing the small calves clad in black high heels with ribbon straps.


    The straps were tied into bows, and the thigh-high stockings were snow white, spotless.


    The light of the dim red sunset fell on them, faintly revealing a hint of flesh tone.


    They were the kind that''s very thin yet could provide warmth, made from the twentieth layer material "Velvet Feather Silk," a pair of which would cost 500 Gold Coins.


    ''The Light Rank really is extravagant.''


    Lin Da silently lamented, squatting on the ground, extending his large hands, and grasping the little black-robed person''s ankles, one in each hand.


    True to the "Velvet Feather Silk" socks, they were smooth and warm to the touch, like holding warm jade.


    The soft touch of the skin beneath the socks brought a sense of satisfaction.


    To prevent himself from falling from a high altitude, Lin Da held tightly onto the little black-robed person''s legs, pressing his cheeks firmly against them.


    Just as the sun was setting, a cold wave was coming, and the temperature dropped.


    It was like having two small hot water bottles on his face.


    The feeling was nice.


    "Senior, I''m ready, please take off."


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    Lin Da said respectfully.


    Meanwhile, Bailuo had no issue with Lin Da holding onto her feet. In this world, feet are generally considered dirty and unclean.


    A Star Rank like Lin Da holding onto her feet could be seen as a sign of repentance.


    He was willing to forgo his pride to express his guilt over the "Xiaolongbao" incident.


    Bailuo thought: This seems to be a decent fellow.


    "Hold tight, the dean is going to take off,"


    she reminded Lin Da below.


    With Lia and Tasya in her left and right arms, Bailuo''s light golden wings flapped powerfully.


    In an instant, they shot into the sky.


    Lin Da let out a shout of "Woo-hoo" in his heart.


    It was his first time taking flight in the Another World, despite having been there for three years.


    The brisk airflow smacked against his face, and his eyelids were almost too heavy to keep open.


    Wind rushed into his nose and mouth, causing a faint sensation of suffocation.


    "Awooooahhhhh��"


    Lia flapped her small hands like a bird, making a strange loud cry from her mouth.


    Tasya, on the other hand, clutched at her maid skirt to avoid exposing herself.


    It took a good ten seconds before the breathless feeling eased.


    The wind suddenly stopped.


    Lin Da opened his eyes, and through a pair of delicate calves wrapped in white socks, he saw the gigantic sunset level with him.


    The sun was a fiery red, filling his entire field of view.


    The sea of clouds lay below his feet, and the surrounding expanse was wide and empty, silent except for the sound of the flowing wind, as if the whole world belonged to him.


    Lin Da took a deep breath, feeling a hot emotion stirring in his chest.


    Arriving in the sky, free from the constraints of gravity, it was as though he was omnipotent, able to reach any corner of this vast continent!


    The mere thought of someday being as powerful as the little black-robed person made Lin Da uncontrollably excited, wishing he could take out the Sword of Royalty and swing it around in a frenzy.


    "So beautiful," Lia said dumbly. The setting sun shone on her face, making her large eyes glitter like fiery red jewels. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da lifted his head to look at Lia, feeling a slight stir in his heart.


    Oh no, the little black-robed person has to be an old-fashioned bear as well...


    The scene he glimpsed unintentionally made his heart race, and he quickly averted his gaze.


    Thankfully, Bailuo hadn''t noticed, and she spoke in a calm voice, "The gap to the Mystic Realm is near the outskirts of the Dragon Forest. With my speed, we can get there in ten minutes."


    "Ten minutes? That''s amazing! It took Lin Da and me three to four hours to travel this distance!" Lia exclaimed in awe.


    Her expression of admiration was very pleasing to Bailuo, softening her tone:


    "I''ll gradually increase the speed of flight so that a certain someone among you doesn''t lose grip and fall off."


    "Senior, please spare me," Lin Da said with a resigned smile in response to the subtle rebuke from the little black-robed person, tightening his grip on her white silk-clad small feet even more.


    It''s worth mentioning that in front of the heavy reality of the "Light Rank," Lin Da''s mind was free of any distractions.


    He even wondered to himself if the little black-robed person might be under eighteen years old. Any untoward thoughts of his could risk being thrown into the dungeon.


    So he firmly focused on his head, only thinking about what to do after getting out.


    He needed to find Monica, sell off the spoils of war, plan how to spend the 2.6 million Diamonds... Just thinking about it made Lin Da''s head spin.


    "As long as I can find Monica, everything else will be easy to handle," he thought.


    In Lin Da''s heart, his teammates always came first. He wouldn''t hesitate to give up all the spoils and Diamonds if it meant getting Monica back by his side.


    With his detailed knowledge of the World Tree, resources could be obtained sooner or later, but a lost teammate could never return.


    "Woo-hoo!"


    When Bailuo started accelerating, Lia couldn''t help but yell in exhilaration, stretching out her arms, imitating the gliding of a swallow, and she even invited Tasya to join her.


    During the days they practiced their Fusion Finishing Skills, Lia had gradually gotten to know the usually reticent Tasya and realized that she wasn''t a bad person.


    She was a maid who was dutiful and loyal to her master.


    Lia considered herself, at least tentatively, a friend of Tasya''s.


    "I''d rather not..." Faced with Lia''s invitation, Tasya declined with a polite smile.


    Such a childish act that could cause blushing was not something she could bring herself to do.


    "How about you?"


    Lia nudged Lin Da''s head below her with her foot.


    Lin Da: ?


    If he remembered correctly, there was poop on Lia''s boots.


    While searching for tunnels by digging, Lia stood aside, unwilling to work, and he ended up shoveling magical creature dung onto her boots.


    Now, the boomerang had mercilessly come back to hit him.


    "If you don''t get your foot off me right now, I''m going to give you a thorough look," Lin Da threatened.


    Lia''s face changed.


    "Fine, I see that you and that fox are both lusting after Miss myself!"


    The brown boot that was stepping on Lin Da''s face became even more aggressive.


    Like playing whack-a-mole, Lia angrily stepped around, and Lin Da dodged by shaking his head.


    "Alright, you just wait!"


    Lin Da was furious.


    Now at level 33, his health points were incredibly high.


    If it came to a one-on-one fight, Lia might not necessarily win against him.


    Tired of being perpetually ridden roughshod over by Lia, Lin Da had long wished to turn the tables and bind her with the Dark Whip and beat her up.


    "Who''s afraid!" Lia snorted, clearly unfazed by his threat.


    "Enough,"


    Bailuo said coldly, "If you keep quarreling, I''ll throw you both off. You''re interfering with my flying."


    "Oh..." Lia responded weakly, abruptly staying put.


    Lin Da was also happy to quiet down.


    The air went from lively to silent in an instant.


    It was somewhat awkward.


    It made them want to find some topic of conversation.


    Conveniently, Lin Da was curious about something.


    "Senior, I really want to know, who is this ''Teacher'' you speak of?"


    Why did he have to apologize to that Teacher after groping the Little Black-Robed Person..., and get their forgiveness?


    Shouldn''t it be enough for that person to forgive him?


    It sounded almost as if her body belonged to that mysterious "Teacher."


    Lin Da couldn''t help but let his imagination run wild.


    Could it be a case of a teacher-student relationship?


    Had the Little Black-Robed Person reached adulthood?


    Both hands and feet were small (ps: she was an adult).


    All he could say was that this world''s Light Rank players really knew how to live it up.


    Lin Da sighed to himself.

 Chapter 420 330, Lin Da offends the cat girl teacher, Phoenix Tail Flower in great danger?!

    People say girls like gossip, and it''s really true.


    Lia and Tasya both pricked up their ears.


    They pretended to look at the scenery, but were actually listening intently.


    "It''s no problem telling you,"


    Bailuo puffed out her petite chest, pride in her voice, "The teacher is my future husband."


    Upon hearing this, Lin Da and the others were all stunned simultaneously.


    Adventurers value matching social ranks, and conquering the same levels.


    Therefore, a fianc�� from the Light Rank would likely also be from the Light Rank.


    And if Lin Da accidentally touched the chest of the little black-robed person, what if her fianc�� found out? Wouldn''t that be terrible?


    That would be like suddenly having a Light Rank enemy!


    With that thought, Lin Da broke out in a cold sweat.


    "What''s the personality of that teacher like?"


    Maybe he''s an understanding good person.


    Lin Da, with a hint of hope, asked.


    "The teacher..."


    Bailuo''s face showed a nostalgic expression.


    In the girl''s mind appeared the image of a man always wearing a black trench coat, standing alone like he didn''t fit in with the entire continent.


    He was there, yet Bailuo felt he was far beyond reach.


    Apart from conquering the World Tree and killing opposing adventurers, the thing the teacher liked to do most was to daydream.


    In the yard, on the street, at the library, in front of the counter at Adventurers'' Guild...


    He could daydream anytime, anywhere.


    Once he started, it could last for hours.


    Like a statue forged from steel, not moving an inch.


    Lost in her memories, Bailuo''s pale gold wings fluttered slower behind her.


    She used her Battle Qi to create a barrier, isolating the sounds of the outside world, as if any slight noise could disturb her reminiscence of her teacher.


    "I don''t really know what his true personality is, I''ve never seen through him,"


    Bailuo said: "But what I do know is that his true heart must be..."


    "An ''Asaxi'' person," Lin Da couldn''t help but mentally finish her sentence.


    This development was quite familiar.


    He had seen it in many comic books.


    A stern teacher, yet with a gentle side.


    A person who had influenced this little black-robed person.


    It must be so.


    Lin Da secretly breathed a sigh of relief.


    If the other''s teacher was an "Asaxi", then his accidental touching of her fianc��''s chest might be forgiven.


    But just then, Bailuo spoke again.


    "But what I know is the teacher''s heart is definitely very evil, a totally selfish, utterly unforgivable big bad guy,"


    The girl said so.


    "What?"


    Lin Da''s face was blank.


    According to this, wasn''t he completely doomed?


    Bailuo, noticing Lin Da''s fear of her teacher, had an even more amused look on her little face, her voice carrying the lightness unique to young girls.


    "Anyone considered an enemy by the teacher has never survived.


    He acts without choosing means, disregards imperial laws without hesitation, enjoys using harsh methods to punish team members, kicks out the useless ones, and offers no rewards...


    Oh, right, even for the active team members, he distributes no rewards. The spoils from conquering the World Tree are divided by the team leader.


    It''s possible that a team member lounging in a villa doing nothing can end up with a significant share of the spoils.


    While a team member with great merits in the conquest might not get even a single gold coin.


    Tell me, isn''t the teacher very bad?"


    "Devil." Lin Da sighed.


    Lia angrily said, "A captain who doesn''t reward his team members is worse than scum!"


    Tasya lowered her head, deep in thought. S~ea??h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It always felt like the person Bailuo spoke of had a bit of resemblance to someone she knew.


    Bailuo said, "Yes, the teacher is indeed a devil!"


    "But it was the teacher who led me out of that ''hell''."


    He also gave me many Gold Coins and Magical Equipment, helping me become an outstanding adventurer.


    If I had to choose again, I would still leave with him."


    "Even if the teacher is a devil��" Bailuo''s eyes were filled with a gentle light, his tail under the robe nervously wagging as he softly said, "he is the devil only for me alone."


    The three of them exchanged glances.


    It was as if they had been force-fed a ton of dog food.


    The blow to the single ones was too great.


    "By the way, you mentioned that Lulu asked for a payment to tell you someone''s whereabouts, that person wouldn''t happen to be your teacher, would it?"


    Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    Lin Da suddenly realized.


    "Yes." Bailuo smiled: "The teacher had promised to marry me, retire together, and live an ordinary life."


    "Willing to retire for the other is truly a great adventurer."


    Lin Da showed admiration.


    Not everyone has the courage to enter the World Tree. And once inside the World Tree, very few can resist the desire to climb further ahead.


    Every layer holds a vast treasure that can bring adventurers enhancements in strength and status, achieving grade leaps within a day.


    The World Tree is like a raging fire, luring countless adventurers like moths to a flame.


    "Willing to brave the currents for your sake and leave the World Tree, filled with dreams and desires, your teacher is indeed an outstanding adventurer," said Lin Da in praise.


    "Indeed." A happy smile emerged on the face behind Bailuo''s mask, "He is stronger than I am, with a promising future, yet still willing to indulge my whimsical request to retire together, to live as ordinary people... So, to repay my teacher, I need to become a mature adult," he said.


    Lia enviously said, "That''s nice, I also want to have such a romance."


    "With your beauty, you must have no shortage of fine adventurers pursuing you," Bailuo politely said.


    Lia thought for a moment and said, "Hmm, I think so too."


    Lin Da grew even more worried.


    How was he supposed to explain to the Little Black-Robed Person''s teacher about accidentally touching the Xiaolongbao...


    While they were chatting, they unknowingly arrived at the exit of the Great Mystery Continent.


    It was a vertical, cleft-like black hole.


    Sliced open by the [Boundary-breaking Secret Sword * Level 10], it could last for 24 hours.


    Bailuo led the trio and plunged into it.


    ...


    The surrounding space plunged into endless darkness.


    Without any reference points, in this boundless darkness, even the fastest flight felt like standing still.


    "Hold on tight."


    Bailuo said gravely.


    The light golden Light Wings flapped vigorously!


    Lin Da and the others groaned, a strong sense of dizziness attacking their minds, making the whole world seem to spin.


    "Ugh~!"


    Lia was the first to vomit.


    Lin Da and Tasya were in slightly better condition, yet their faces were as pale as gold paper, too dizzy to tell up from down.


    After a few seconds, at last, a speck of light appeared ahead.


    ...


    ...


    Adventurers entering the Void Space for the first time often experience some form of physical discomfort.


    Passing through the light, fresh air rushed into their lungs, their bodies refreshed by the long-missed Magic Elements.


    Unlike the arid and closed Great Mystery Continent, if the latter was a dry desert, the former was an ocean bursting with life!


    Lin Da and his companions felt like fish diving into the sea, every part of their bodies screaming in excitement, celebrating their return. Especially the Magic Circuit within them, which, from being dim and lightless, suddenly lit up like a fully charged Magic Conduit Tube, shining brightly all at once.


    The only discomfort was in their heads, still reeling from the dizziness.

 Chapter 421 331. Return, All Members Star Rank, Bailuo Blocks the Carriage

    Lin Da and two others tumbled out from the bright light, unable to stand steadily, and vomited on the ground.


    The current location was the top floor of the Adventurers'' Guild, President Velen''s office.


    It was afternoon, a warm yellow glow lay on the streets and also streamed through the curtains, falling on the office desk.


    As Lin Da and the others crashed into the room, they raised a fine dust that floated in the sunlight.


    As Lin Da, his two companions, and Bailuo suddenly appeared, the two gloomy figures in the office were simultaneously stunned.


    The one dealing with documents on the leather chair was President Velen.


    On the long wooden bench for guests on one side of the wall, a girl anxiously swinging her fluffy large tail was Lulu.


    They had been waiting here for Lin Da and the others to return since last night.


    At that moment,


    a black spatial rift suddenly appeared in the office.


    Bailuo led Lin Da and his two companions, flying out from it.


    Lulu''s mouth slightly opened in shock, gazing blankly at the man who was propping himself up with both hands on the ground, his face contorted with pain as he retched.


    Tears slowly filled her eyes, blurring her vision.


    During the nearly one month that Lin Da and the others were gone, Lulu had been restless and suffering from insomnia for several nights, dark circles prominent under her eyes, and her neat and tidy light blue short hair had lost its luster like withered grass. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Lin Da...!"


    Lulu cried out excitedly, then suddenly lunged into Lin Da''s arms, holding him tightly.


    Lin Da had just come out of the black rift, still a bit groggy.


    He took deep, slow breaths to adjust his physical state, finally bringing his vision into focus.


    The warm yellow sunlight and various colors gradually converged before his eyes.


    Finally, he saw clearly the girl who had thrown herself into his arms, her wolf ears trembling gently.


    A thought crossed Lin Da''s mind. Lulu seemed to have lost a lot of weight, there was less flesh on her waist, and even her figure had shrunk a bit!


    He touched Lulu''s small head, his expression soft.


    "Sorry for worrying you."


    In the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, Lulu acted like a vice-captain, handling various miscellaneous tasks and alleviating much of Lin Da''s stress.


    She was the first team member he had found and was willing to adventure with him when he was just below level 10.


    This significant sentiment, Lin Da kept close to his heart.


    He thought, he''d find an opportunity to give the Oath Ring to Lulu.


    It would be even better if that could boost his trust level...


    "It''s okay, as long as you''re back," Lulu, hearing the friendly teasing voices around her, blushed and stepped out from Lin Da''s embrace.


    President Velen joked with a smile, "Lin Da, your little girlfriend has been running to the Adventurers'' Guild every other day, nearly driving me crazy."


    "This past month has also been troubling for the President," Lin Da said as he got up and bowed.


    Velen was suddenly taken aback, looked him up and down in disbelief, and murmured, "Something''s off with this aura, Lin Da, what level are you now?"


    Lulu also realized it.


    Her team captain''s level seemed to be higher than hers?


    Could it really be as Kafni, who was unconcerned at home, had said �� that Lin Da had continuous fortunes in the sealed Great Mystery Continent?


    With only their own people present, Lin Da confessed openly:


    "President, I am now a 33-level Star-ranked adventurer, and this here is my new maid, Tasya, a 35-level wind-based Mage Cannon Master. She''ll soon change her city of residence to join us here in White Dove City. Also... an old acquaintance, the captain of the Snow Goose, Lia, is now a 32-level Swordsman."


    Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire


    After his speech, Velen was so shocked that he sat back in his leather chair, taking a long while to recover.


    For him, as the President, the stronger the adventurers in White Dove City, the better; it was all beneficial for his political achievements and would be crucial for future promotions.


    Moreover, Velen deeply loved this city where he had been born and raised; his greatest wish was to make White Dove City flourish and, perhaps, to make it into one of the top cities of Cangqing Province.


    At this moment, the veteran adventurer, who was over fifty years old, looked at Lin Da and his companions with eyes full of excitement and relief.


    "Excellent! It looks like our White Dove City will have two more Iron Level adventure teams! And Miss Tasya, on behalf of the White Dove City Adventurers'' Guild, I welcome you!"


    Velen walked forward with a big laugh, extending his right hand.


    Tasya hesitated slightly, as her usual nature left her uninterested in dealing with Weylon. Such retired, unambitious small fry were beneath her consideration.


    However, seeing Lin Da''s encouraging gaze, Tasya extended her right hand and shared a perfunctory handshake with the other party.


    Weylon simply took this as the typical arrogance of a Senior Star Rank and didn''t think much of it, chuckling,


    "Now, your Phoenix Tail Flower has several Star-ranked ''generals.'' Breaking through the 14th floor to reach Iron Level must be imminent.


    You, Lulu, Miss Tasya, and Miss Kafni, who is recuperating at home, I''ve heard she''s also reached Star Rank.


    The only one left is Monica... Eh?"


    Weylon was about to inquire about Monica''s situation when he suddenly noticed, seemed like someone was missing?


    "Why is it just you few, where''s Monica?"


    Weylon exclaimed in surprise.


    Where was his favorite Big Lolita with brown hair?


    Monica''s crisp "Grandpa" had added major points in Weylon''s heart.


    Realizing Monica was absent, his expression tensed, "It couldn''t be, Monica, she..."


    was eaten by Magical Creatures.


    Such words, he truly couldn''t bring himself to say them!


    "President, I have a favor to ask you."


    Lin Da took this opportunity to reveal Monica''s disappearance.


    On behalf of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, he would issue a reward notice.


    The person who finds Monica will be rewarded 2 million Gold Coins!


    Anyone who provides valuable clues, 500 thousand!


    Weylon immediately agreed to this.


    When Lin Da tried to take out his Savings Card, he was stopped.


    Weylon spoke seriously,


    "Lin Da, you might not know. On the day when the Great Mystery Continent opened, tickets for your team at the viewing building sold out. There are profits to be shared from that.


    Including the subsequent sales of your strategy replay... 1.02 million Gold need to be paid to you.


    The reward of 2 million Gold Coins, less 980 thousand, will be paid by the Guild. This is our support for Phoenix Tail Flower.


    Secondly, I, as the president, am also very worried about Monica! Such a lovely child, if she falls into the hands of those with malicious intent... sigh!"


    Seeing Lin Da''s expression growing worse, Weylon hurriedly stopped talking.


    "I won''t delay your team''s reunion any longer, I''ll go issue the reward notice now."


    "Much appreciated, Mr. President."


    Lin Da said gratefully.


    Then, he bowed to the Little Black-Robed Person and, alongside Lulu, made his way outside the Guild.


    He urgently needed to rest.


    The dizziness brought about by traversing the dark Void Space still hadn''t faded.


    Due to the presence of outsiders, Lin Da, considering the etiquette, forced himself not to collapse.


    As soon as he stepped into the carriage, only Lulu and his own people were inside, Lin Da could no longer hold himself up.


    He weakly leaned into Lulu''s arms, his eyelids as heavy as if weighed down by a thousand pounds, and waves of deep sleepiness overwhelmed him.


    Lulu, lips pursed and a look of concern on her face, gently stroked Lin Da''s black hair, which was filled with dirt and sand particles.


    As part of the Werewolf Clan, Lulu had a keen sense of smell. Even though Lin Da had wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, some scent still lingered.


    From this, it wasn''t difficult to deduce that Lin Da had been through a fierce battle in the closed-off Great Mystery Continent!


    Suddenly, noticing a sharp, piercing gaze fixed on herself, Lulu turned her head to look.


    It was Bailuo, dressed in a black robe.


    "You still haven''t told me the whereabouts of the teacher," Bailuo said.

 Chapter 422 332. Tasya sees through Bailuos identity!

    "You have yet to tell me about the teacher''s whereabouts."


    Bai Luo followed closely behind the carriage, her gaze fixed intently on Lulu.


    Her tone was calm, as if she were merely stating a fact.


    However, the aura of a Light Rank Adventurer had already spread, forming an invisible giant hand that could crush the carriage at any moment.


    In the carriage, Tasya and Lia felt tense, their expressions inquiring as they looked towards Lulu.


    What exactly did you two agree upon?


    Lulu appeared calm and composed.


    Other than her wolf tail puffing up, thickening slightly, there were no other changes.


    Even though Lulu had been kicked out by Dark Shadow early on, she had seen her share of turmoil and was not scared by Bai Luo.


    She thought for a moment, casting a covert glance at Lin Da, who was asleep on her lap.


    Could it be that Lin Da''s identity had not been exposed?


    Lulu pondered.


    For the Phoenix Tail Flower, this was a good thing.


    Otherwise, if Lin Da were taken away by Bai Luo and forced into marriage,


    the members of the Phoenix Tail Flower would have nowhere to cry.


    Whether it was Lulu, Monica, Tasya, or even Lia, resting her arms in the corner of the carriage, they were all brought together because of Lin Da.


    If Lin Da were to leave, everyone would scatter, just like the Primitive Adventure Team three years ago.


    Lulu cherished her current life. The team members may not be relatives, but their relationship was even closer than that of a family.


    Where the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team was, that was her home.


    She believed Tasya and Monica felt the same.


    Therefore, Lulu would never allow Bai Luo to take Lin Da away.


    "I will tell you about the ''captain''s'' whereabouts."


    But before that, I need to organize the information about him.


    Once everything is arranged, I''ll hand it all to you.


    It won''t take long, at most until tomorrow, I will come to you.


    The place you''re staying, is it still the Sword and Woodpecker Inn?"


    "Alright then."


    Bai Luo was anxious.


    But Lulu made sense��the more precise information about the teacher was worth waiting a night for.


    She also had enough confidence to ensure that Lulu wouldn''t dare deceive her.


    ''Speaking of which, Lin Da still doesn''t know my identity. Next time we meet, I''ll tell him I am the dean of Azure Sky University and see how he explains not responding to my invitation.''


    She hadn''t minded before.


    Thinking about it now, Bai Luo''s favorable impression of Lin Da decreased.


    Subordinates must respond promptly to superiors'' messages.


    It''s common sense for adults.


    Bai Luo had been in her position for over two years and had never invited any adventurer to join Azure Sky University.


    It was one thing for Lin Da to decline, but another not to write back to her.


    Such immature adventurers like Lin Da needed to be disciplined.


    Her thoughts returned to the present.


    Bai Luo said, "Okay, see you tomorrow then."


    "Hmm,"


    Lulu responded.


    Watching Bai Luo disappear into the street, Lulu breathed a sigh of relief.


    In the carriage, Lin Da was asleep.


    He hadn''t heard the conversation between Lulu and Bai Luo.


    Otherwise, Lin Da could certainly have guessed the identity of the "Little Black-Robed Person" from their conversation.


    It was one of his favorite powerful Five-star Characters: [White Cat Swordsman]Bai Luo!


    Swimsuit Bai Luo was one of the supermodel characters in the game.


    The strategy Lin Da posted on the forum was: Swimsuit Bai Luo, recommended draw level S, consider whaling.


    Meanwhile, the original Bai Luo was also a strong Water Attribute output character, reaching the recommended draw level A.


    It is worth mentioning that the Mystic Continent game''s gacha system is a "one pool, two roles."


    "This means there are two current five-star characters with a high chance of emerging. However, there''s also a possibility of drawing other five-stars, though the probability is much lower."


    "Usually, among the two five-star characters available in the event, one is stronger than the other."


    "Which one you get depends entirely on the player''s luck." sea??h th�� N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da was quite lucky, using the diamonds provided by the game, he did a ten-pull and managed to draw both five-stars from the same pool, the [White Cat Swordsman] Bai Luo and [Bursting Tiger] Taige.


    [Bursting Tiger] Taige is a fire attribute, explosive melee character.


    He''s hot-tempered, warlike, and quite the glutton.


    Because of his poor stamina in prolonged battles, Lin Da used him for a while and then kicked him out of the team.


    On the other hand, Bai Luo, a rare water attribute swordsman, has explosive power and decent stamina in combat."


    Most importantly, he possesses [Hydrofusion], a very rare healing skill. Your next read awaits at My Virtual Library Empire


    Although it doesn''t heal much, being a self-healing swordsman, he significantly reduces the difficulty of strategizing against high-level magical creatures.


    As for why Bai Luo calls him teacher, that''s a story for later."


    In the train compartment.


    Tasya listened quietly to the conversation between Lulu and the little black-robed person, a flash of surprise crossing her eyes.


    She looked at Lulu incredulously and said, "Could it be...?"


    "Yes."


    Lulu didn''t deny, knowing she couldn''t deceive Tasya.


    "Why not reveal the identity of the captain to her? If a Light Rank Mage joined our adventure team..."


    The journey to conquer World Tree would be much easier.


    Tasya was full of confusion.


    "I''ll talk to you more about it when we get back," said Lulu.


    Lulu glanced at a certain red-haired girl who, afraid of embarrassment, pretended to sleep in the corner of the compartment.


    "There are outsiders here," Lulu said.


    Lia''s right hand, crossed in front of her chest, moved slightly.


    She was having a hard time keeping up the pretense.


    But she chose to ignore it and continued to sleep.


    Half an hour later.


    Everyone went their separate ways.


    The people of Snow Goose, upon learning that Lia and Lin Da were safe and sound, finally let go of their worries.


    The sentimental Elven archer, Klyne, even cried tears of joy.


    Klrona had not gone to the Magic Guide Gaming Center for several days, waiting at home for news.


    Aiko collapsed into a chair, her whole body going limp.


    "I''m glad you''re back," she said.


    Aiko patted her chest, relievedly exhaling.


    The people of Snow Goose intended to visit Lin Da together.


    But seeing Lin Da sleeping exhaustedly on Lulu''s lap, they quietly dropped the idea, deciding to go another day.


    What Lin Da and Lia needed most after coming out of the dangerous Great Mystery Continent was rest.


    On the way back to Snow Goose Villa.


    In the carriage, Oru spoke up, "Did you guys notice that Lin Da''s aura has changed?"


    "Changed?" Aiko blinked, tilting her head in confusion as she looked at Oru.


    As the saying goes, concern leads to chaos.


    Aiko, overjoyed that Lin Da and Lia had returned safely, hadn''t noticed any change in Lin Da''s aura.


    Oru said, "I''m not sure, but I feel that Lin Da has become much stronger, even... um, stronger than you."


    "Stronger than me?" Aiko was shocked.


    In the past few days, she had secretly used her savings to buy a Gold Level World Tree fruit and successfully advanced to level 31.


    She had even planned to show off in front of Lin Da.


    To remind Lin Da of a super skilled Light Mage right before him.


    To inquire when he would invite her to join.


    But Lin Da had become even more powerful than her?


    "He entered the 10th floor at only level 26, and it''s been at most a month; did he rise at least 5 levels?"


    Aiko blinked in confusion, "What kind of incredible luck would it take to level up so much? It couldn''t be that the person who vanquished the Forest Dragon was Lin Da, could it?"

 Chapter 423 333, Lin Da: Huh?

    "Hahaha."


    Laughter filled the carriage, kind and joyful.


    However, most people thought Aiko was joking.


    But Aiko genuinely suspected that the person who had slain the Forest Dragon was Lin Da.


    Among the Snow Goose group, only Aiko knew Lin Da''s true identity.


    The night Lin Da purified Lulu and tamed the Little Werewolf, Aiko was there too...


    "Partner''s luck has always been good, probably ate something containing the Goddess'' Blessing!" Oru speculated.


    The others nodded silently.


    That was the most likely possibility.


    Such encounters were an adventurer''s biggest secret.


    Besides their closest comrades, they wouldn''t tell anyone else.


    Lia noticed everyone in the carriage was looking at her.


    She flushed with embarrassment.


    With a snort, she said, "Don''t ask me, I don''t know either! If you want to know, go ask Tasya, she definitely knows!"


    Indeed.


    Lia didn''t know how Lin Da had leveled up so quickly.


    But she was aware that Tasya must know.


    During their practice of the Fusion Finishing Skills, she had gathered clues from Tasya''s tone and expressions.


    Lin Da''s rapid increase in level was absolutely linked to the Forest Dragon.


    As for how exactly, Lia couldn''t figure it out.


    ...


    The sun set, and night descended.


    After returning to the Phoenix Tail Flower villa, Lin Da slept for three hours before waking up.


    Upon opening his eyes, he saw the familiar ceiling above him.


    The bedding underneath him was soft and dry, smelling faintly of sunlight.


    Outside the window, darkness had completely fallen.


    He lay lethargically in bed, utterly unwilling to move.


    After the battle with Hu Er, he had been on high alert, not feeling pain or fatigue, as if injected with adrenaline, his mind solely focused on how to win.


    Now that he relaxed, he collapsed completely, even breathing felt laborious.


    "You''re awake."


    A gentle voice of a girl reached him. sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da turned to see that Lulu was sitting by the bed.


    Had she been watching over him the entire time he was unconscious?


    Lin Da, supported by Lulu''s hand on his back, propped himself against the headboard and drank a bowl of hot millet porridge.


    His body instantly felt warmer.


    And his heart, particularly comforted.


    Such a gentle Little Werewolf, every adventurer should have one.


    Lin Da mused, and couldn''t help but stretch out his arms to embrace Lulu.


    Without a word, they spent a quiet moment together.


    Afterward.


    They shared their experiences after splitting up in the Dragon Forest that day.


    "I see... In order to protect Monica, you stayed behind to cover our escape and got injured by Hulus and others from the Doomsday Sect," Lin Da murmured.


    "That Hulus is not normal." Lulu frowned, "I have a feeling that even if I had used the Witch''s power, I couldn''t have defeated Hulus. His aura is much more evil than before, having joined the Doomsday Sect has deepened his Dark attribute."


    "Maybe Hulus has taken a small amount of Magic Potion," Lin Da said with a grave expression:


    "The Doomsday Sect here in Cangqing Province is a branch of the main headquarters located in the Royal Capital, named ''Dragon''s Rest Tomb''.


    These heretics are best at using Dragon Blood and the blood of Fallen Witches to concoct enhanced versions of Magic Potions.


    Taken directly, they significantly boost one''s strength, just like what happened to Hu Er that I mentioned earlier.


    Of course, they come with endless troubles.


    Adventurers who take these enhanced Magic Potions either become magical puppets attacking everything in sight or suffer a collapse of their Magic Circuits. Very few adventurers come to a good end."


    ```


    But there''s another way to take it.


    Long-term injection in small amounts!


    The advantage is that the consequences are much lighter, at most it shortens the lifespan by several decades."


    Lin Da slowly said.


    In the world of Mystic Continent, adventurers can increase their lifespan by leveling up, but the increment is extremely limited.


    Deities have granted adventurers limitless space for progress, yet they have capped their lifespans.


    Compared to the Holy Dragon or the Deep Sea Turtle, with lifespans stretching into the thousands of years, even an adventurer who reaches Legendary Rank can only live to around one hundred and fifty years old. Stay tuned for updates on My Virtual Library Empire


    From this point of view, even taking "Magic Potion" in small amounts has serious consequences. Besides that, it can also make the user''s personality become increasingly darker.


    On the other hand, the advantages are exceptionally clear.


    With the strength of Hulus at level 35, combined with another Star Rank, it actually made Lulu feel like "even if I activated Witch State, I couldn''t win."


    Lulu is a battle-hardened Werewolf Warrior with extremely sharp combat instincts. If she says so, it''s likely that in a fight, she wouldn''t stand a chance against Hulus at all.


    "If you were at level 35..." Lin Da stopped mid-sentence.


    "Hulus wouldn''t be my match," Lulu said, with a flash of hatred in her eyes.


    Without Hulus and the Doomsday Sect, Monica wouldn''t have gone missing.


    "Right, I have another matter I need your help with."


    Lulu took out a Recording Stone and said, "It''s about that Light Rank senior."


    Lin Da blinked in confusion.


    I''ve crossed his fianc��e by touching her Xiaolongbao and made an enemy of her fianc��, what help can I offer?


    Lulu hesitated for a moment, thinking that Lin Da would find out about this sooner or later, so it might be better to tell him in advance.


    She believed Lin Da was not the kind of captain who would abandon his team members and elope with Bailuo.


    "Actually, that Light Rank senior��"


    After listening to Lulu''s account, Lin Da was dumbstruck.


    "What?"


    The fianc�� of the Little Black-Robed Person, the teacher who was "cuckolded"...


    Turned out to be me?!


    ...


    ...


    The next day at noon.


    On a bench in the commercial street, a Beastman was sunbathing with arms spread wide, propped against the backrest, a dreamy smoke from a hand-rolled cigarette from the South Seas dangling from his mouth, carelessly ignoring the resentful gazes of other adventurers who wanted to sit down.


    "Winter cotton clothing big sale, all famous brands from Elf''s Home, 30% off now!"


    "New blind boxes for a hundred Gold Coins each, can contain Epic Equipment!"


    "Official figures of various adventure teams, ''Mind''s Eye'' Abner for 30 Gold Coins each, ''Eye of True Knowledge'' Lin Da for 25 Gold, buy one get a ''Bursting Flames'' Lia for free�� All genuine, 10% of sales profit shared with the original adventurers, fans come and buy!"


    Adventurers of various races bustle up and down the main street, creating a lively atmosphere.


    Two pots of ivy placed at the entrance added a touch of vibrant green to a centrally-located caf�� on the street.


    The familiar third floor, the familiar private room.


    Lulu arrived as promised.


    "I thought you''d run away," Bailuo said, still clad in her black robe, her face covered with a pure white mask, sitting upright on the round high stool.


    "Why?" Lulu looked at her puzzled, not understanding the getup.


    Bailuo remained silent for a while.


    Ever since Weylon had dismissed her, treating her like a child, she realized how important appearances were.


    If she couldn''t grow up in the short term, better to cover up her stature and face, so no one would look down on her.


    Bailuo didn''t answer, instead she countered, "You''ve got news about the teacher''s whereabouts, right? Let''s make one thing clear before we go on��the Cat-People Race is known for their bad temper, and if I find you are deceiving me, I won''t let you off lightly."


    Lulu was silent now.


    She pulled out a chair and sat down, closing her eyes for a moment to gather her thoughts before speaking.


    "I met the captain last year."


    Bang!


    Bailuo slapped the table excitedly and stood up.


    Her face almost touched Lulu''s nose.


    "Really? Where is the teacher, tell me quickly!"


    ```

 Chapter 424 334. About the Disappearance of Dark Shadow, Snow Goose Visits

    Three years, over a thousand days and nights.


    Bailuo was ceaselessly searching for clues to the Dark Shadow.


    Even after leveraging the power of the dean, not a single trace could be found.


    It was as if they had vanished into thin air.


    So suddenly, no one from the Primitive Adventure Team noticed a thing.


    They even went back to the villa for a night''s sleep, and it wasn''t until noon the next day that someone realized.


    Isn''t the captain missing?


    It was like being trapped in an illusory bubble, which only burst when a team member voiced the question, bringing everyone back to reality.


    Incomprehensible and unexplainable.


    Right then, Bailuo learned from Lulu that the Dark Shadow was still alive.


    Out of sheer excitement, tears the size of beans fell from her eyes.


    "You care about the captain..."


    Lulu was astounded.


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    Bailuo turned around, removed her mask to wipe her eyes, then put it back on.


    She said, "Where did you see the teacher?"


    Lulu: "It happened half a year ago. By now, the captain has long since left that place. For you, the important thing isn''t the location, but the time."


    "Time, what do you mean?"


    "You''ll understand after you listen to this."


    Lulu handed Bailuo a round object resembling a pebble.


    It was a Recording Stone.


    ...


    After a moment.


    Bailuo''s hand holding the Recording Stone trembled slightly, and tears glistened as they fell from her chin to the ground.


    Tears of overwhelming joy dropped like little pearls.


    It was said that if the Mermaid Princess cried out of happiness, her tears would turn into Legendary materials.


    Too bad the one crying wasn''t a mermaid.


    Lulu felt a touch of faint envy.


    Even if the words in the Recording Stone were "lies," they might become the truth one day.


    With Lin Da''s character, he would never let go of such a loyal cat girl.


    "If you know the captain well enough, you should be able to tell whose voice is in the Recording Stone," Lulu said.


    "Mhm." Bailuo nodded, took out a handkerchief to wipe her eyes and blew her nose, then put it back in her pocket.


    "It is indeed the teacher; no one else could imitate that."


    Only the Dark Shadow, who personally taught her swordsmanship and took her out of that hellish training camp, could have a voice that was cold yet tinged with a touch of gentleness.


    Bailuo cradled the Recording Stone in her palm as though it were her teacher. sea??h th�� N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She said, "Can I keep the Recording Stone?"


    Lulu felt a bit guilty and replied, "Of course, take it."


    "Thank you."


    Bailuo left, her white cat tail raised high.


    "I didn''t expect things to be so simple."


    Lulu sipped the coffee on the table, her mind gradually relaxing.


    "��Tell Bailuo when you meet her, that I will personally come to see her in three years."


    Those were the contents of the Recording Stone.


    A delaying tactic concocted by Lin Da.


    Within three years, Lin Da was confident that he would become stronger than Bailuo, and then he would invite this cat-eared loli to join his team.


    Bailuo''s desire to monopolize him was something he and the entire Phoenix Tail Flower Team could not accept.


    Lin Da believed that he belonged to everyone, not just a specific team member.


    ...


    Lulu walked out of the caf�� and onto the street.


    The midday sun was warm, and her wolf ears twitched comfortably a few times; her tail also swayed gently.


    "Wow, it''s the emerging Star-ranked adventurer, [Frost Wolf] Lulu!"


    "Can I go up and ask for an autograph?"


    "She seems to be in a good mood! Does that mean Captain Lin Da has emerged from the Great Mystery Continent?"


    Passersby stopped and whispered among themselves.


    But no one dared to speak too loudly.


    Commenting about a Star Rank in their presence was disrespectful.


    Even during their conversations, people kept their voices down.


    "Ah, poor werewolf."


    "It''s said that Beastmen should join Beastmen''s adventure teams, but she insisted on joining a human team."


    "Look, now the captain is stuck in the Great Mystery Continent and can''t get out, he must''ve been eaten by the Magical Creatures."


    "It''s so dangerous in there, with level 30 Magical Creatures roaming everywhere; how could Lin Da and the others possibly come back alive?"


    "Ah? Does that mean the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team is done for?"


    "I don''t think so; remember, Lin Da is from the Healing Profession, which gives them an advantage in the Great Mystery Continent."


    As the crowd discussed, Lulu moved quickly, her frowned face appearing in front of a female pig-headed person.


    This woman was 1.6 meters tall and weighed at least 200 kilograms, as fat as a pear; she was the one rejoicing over the calamity, saying Lin Da and the others had died in the Great Mystery Continent.


    "Are you cursing us?"


    Lulu stared at the pig woman with icy eyes.


    "No, not at all."


    The pig woman, named Peggy, was befuddled.


    As the pressure of a Star-ranked adventurer washed over her, Peggy''s hair stood on end and sweat dripped from her forehead.


    Being only a level 12 ordinary Healer, she couldn''t withstand Lulu''s intimidation.


    Peggy was close to crying, stammering, "What I said is true, Beastmen shouldn''t join human adventure teams."


    "Not everyone looks down on Beastmen," Lulu said. "The captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team is different, understand? I can''t control what you say about others, but if you speak ill of the Phoenix Tail Flower captain, I won''t let you off."


    "And... they''ve returned."


    Only a few knew about this.


    The city was abuzz with rumors that Lin Da was dead, a genius fallen, and White Dove City had lost an outstanding captain.


    Lulu deliberately ignored those rumors.


    But now, she wanted to tell those people...


    "Lin Da is back, now a level 33 Star-ranked adventurer. That''s all I wanted to say."


    Lulu pocketed her hands and walked away.


    The crowd on the street was in disarray.


    The words of Lulu were like a bomb.


    There was a moment of stillness on the surface of the water, followed by a thunderous uproar.


    "What did that werewolf say�� they''re back? Lin Da is back from the Great Mystery Continent?"


    "I heard the Great Mystery Continent is a place of no return, how could someone come back?"


    "And to become a Star Rank?"


    Everyone was a bit confused.

 Chapter 425 334. About the Disappearance of Dark Shadow, Snow Goose Visits_2

    "Miss, you seem to be quite happy."


    A towering Minotaur donned in a black suit spoke respectfully.


    "Of course, I am the leader of the Phoenix Tail Flower Fan Club."


    The young lady smiled faintly, her gaze lingering on Lulu''s departing figure, a playful smirk outlining her lips.


    She was dressed in a Gothic black dress, her hair long, black, and neatly straight. Her complexion was a touch pale, and her right eye, seeming injured, was covered by a white eye patch. She wore black lace gloves on her hands and held a parasol, lightly resting it on her shoulder. S��arch* The N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Young Lady, the sun is about to reach its strongest. Let me take you back to your room to rest."


    The Minotaur said.


    Ever since visiting White Dove City a few months ago, the young lady had decided to settle here for a while, even establishing the bizarre Phoenix Tail Flower Fan Club, truly baffling to observe.


    But now, he was beginning to understand a bit.


    That Lin Da actually survived the closed off Great Mystery Continent and even broke through to Star Rank...


    Such achievements, even placed amongst the top adventure teams in the Royal Capital, aren''t something every team can accomplish.


    The girl in the black dress carefully stuck her head out from under the parasol, glanced at the sunlight, and said, "Mm, it''s indeed time to go back, thank you for the trouble."


    The Minotaur took out a wheelchair from the Space Ring and pushed the girl in the black dress away.


    ...


    Let''s rewind to yesterday evening.


    After finishing the millet porridge, Lin Da, holding the Recording Stone passed to him by Lulu, listened to that strange request, his eyes clouded with confusion for a moment.


    ����"I, the dean, am a mature adult."


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    ����"The teacher is my future husband!"


    ����"The teacher is cruel and evil, a big baddie!"


    Got it.


    Lin Da totally got it.


    "Good, my careful nurturing wasn''t in vain! Bailuo is truly an outstanding child, having become the dean of Azure Sky University. The good days for Phoenix Tail Flower are coming!"


    Lin Da slapped the bed and sat up straight, his fatigue vanishing.


    A Light Rank teammate would undoubtedly be a significant boost to the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    But Lulu''s next line was like a bucket of ice water being poured over his head.


    "Team, leader, you did promise Bailuo to retire together and live an ordinary life, didn''t you? Why don''t Monica, Tasya, and I know about this?"


    "Is it only your so-called ''Five-star Character'' who knows about this?"


    "Those of us with lesser talents probably don''t deserve to know, right?"


    Lulu''s face wore a gentle smile as she took a handkerchief and wiped off the grains of millet sticking to Lin Da''s mouth after he finished the porridge.


    "Cough cough cough, I was blinded by power back then, it''s better left unmentioned," Lin Da said.


    Even though he was currently one level higher than Lulu, the gentle touch of the handkerchief on his lips caused Lin Da to shudder. There was no hint of smiling in Lulu''s eyes as if in the next moment, her small mouth would open wide, revealing sharp teeth ready to bite into his head.


    Flesh is flesh, but continuous attacks were hard for Lin Da to bear.


    He coughed awkwardly.


    But then he thought about it.


    Something wasn''t right about this situation!


    He indeed promised Bailuo to retire.


    The condition was, after clearing the World Tree, defeating the Demon King, and the continent was at peace.


    Considering what Bailuo had previously said about agreeing to retire immediately,


    How could that be?


    Lin Da really liked the character Bailuo,


    but he wouldn''t abandon all other team members for Bailuo.


    "I didn''t promise her," Lin Da said.


    "No?" Lulu was taken aback.


    "There must be some misunderstanding," Lin Da said.


    Lin Da propped his chin, carefully recalling his earlier gaming experiences.


    A spark of realization flashed through his mind.


    Could it be... because of that power outage?


    The moment he clicked the option, the rented room suddenly plunged into darkness,


    and the screen went black.


    When he logged back into the game, the plot had disappeared, automatically skipped over.


    Bailuo''s favorability increased from 80 to 90.


    Perhaps this caused Bailuo to only hear the first half of the option.


    The words following "but" cut off due to a power outage in the rental apartment.


    "This really is... a huge blunder."


    Lin Da couldn''t help but cry and laugh.


    "What do you plan to do?" Lulu asked worriedly.


    "In the short term, I can''t let Bailuo discover my identity. She seems easy to talk to, but actually, she''s the type to stick to her guns. I''m worried I would be forced to go to Cyan City and get married, and that would be trouble."


    Lin Da sighed, "At least wait until everyone in Phoenix Tail Flower Team reaches Moon Rank, or until I have a Shadow of Darkness... cough, anyway, tell Bailuo that I''ll look for her in three years to keep her at bay, and we can decide the rest later."


    Without an Experience Card for Shadow of Darkness, once those veteran team members learn that his strength has greatly diminished, just thinking about the consequences makes Lin Da shiver.


    The game Mystic Continent was designed to fulfill players'' various experiences and had set up many different types of beautiful female teammates.


    Among them were yandere types, playful people, and ambitious folks who wanted to ride on the captain''s head... If Lin Da didn''t have the strength to protect himself, going to meet those teammates with a smile would definitely be more terrifying than being eaten by Magical Creatures.


    Time returns to the present.


    After spending a night restoring his energy, the dizziness from traversing Void Space completely disappeared for Lin Da.


    After eating breakfast in the morning, he was full of energy and performed a Purification on Tasya.


    As Tasya''s trust level reached 90, the strength of the Purification was unprecedented.


    Just after resolving it, he came out of the bathroom with Tasya.


    They were greeted by the day''s first visitor.


    Dawen from the Scarlet Adventure Group.


    "Lin Da, thank you for saving Lia and Tasya in the Great Mystic Realm!" Dawen bowed deeply.


    "It''s what I should do; Lia was my old captain, and Tasya has a special connection with me."


    Lin Da invited the genius Swordsman from Red Heart City into the guest room.


    Tasya served tea to the two and stood quietly behind Lin Da with a tray in her hands.


    The morning sun shone on Tasya''s silver hair, making it glisten. Next to her, Lin Da, dressed in white home clothes and wearing a gentle smile, created a painting full of life''s essence.


    Dawen could tell that the emptiness was gone from Tasya''s eyes, and she had transformed from an emotionless Magic Puppet into a normal person.


    It was the same when he had visited Lia not long ago. The moment Lin Da''s name came up, Lia became animated, cursing Lin Da as the shrimp head who threw manure on her boots.


    Dawen didn''t know whether to cry or laugh, as the women of The Mandalas family all seemed to have been swayed by the young man in front of him.


    "Whoa, you reached Star Rank?"


    Having a sip of the steaming tea, Dawen raised his eyebrows in surprise.


    "By a stroke of luck."


    Lin Da modestly smiled.


    "Luck that took you up five or six levels? No wonder Tasya chose to follow you." Admiration appeared on Dawen''s face, "Even I''m not confident about returning alive from the Great Mystic Realm."


    Lin Da shook his head, "It wasn''t just my doing; thanks also to Lia and Tasya."


    "Lia... haha, it''s pretty good that she didn''t hold you back." Dawen chuckled and said, "The second reason I''m here is to give you this."


    Dawen passed over a document.


    It was Tasya''s contract to leave the team.


    By noon, Lin Da bid farewell to a dejected Dawen.


    Then, he and Tasya went to the Adventurers'' Guild to process her team entry contract.


    Upon opening the team panel again, there was indeed an additional member''s avatar.


    Tasya, level 35.


    The avatar showed a silver-haired doll with arms crossed, a shadow over her face, looking down on others.


    It was identical to the game''s chibi style.


    Finally.


    Storm Tasya, officially joined the team!


    Lin Da''s Diamonds, now could be used on Tasya.


    No sooner had he finished the procedures with Tasya than the second wave of guests arrived at the villa.


    "Buddy, we''ve come to visit you!"


    Oru, carrying a box of milk and a bag of health supplements, laughed heartily as he pressed the doorbell.


    Leading the group was Lia, in a black suspender dress, walking briskly with the vigor of a young girl.


    Aiko was sitting in a wheelchair, her white dress fluttering and her golden hair flowing like a waterfall, smiling and waving at Lin Da.


    "Young Miss here is just paying a courtesy visit, so don''t get any wild ideas!" Lia said, hands on her hips and puffing with anger.


    "Lin Da, I was so worried about you. Hearing that you didn''t come out of the Great Mystic Continent, I couldn''t eat well, and I even lost weight... I''m relieved you''re all right." Aiko took Lin Da''s hand, squeezing out a few tears.


    Klyne and Phyllis also greeted Lin Da politely. Only Klrona kept her head down, looking distracted.


    "Don''t stand around, everyone come on in," Lin Da said with a smile.

 Chapter 426 335. Bailuo invites again, Lin Das massive spoils of war

    Lia and her team just happened not to have eaten lunch, and it had been a while since Lin Da had cooked, so he made a table full of dishes.


    Aromatic fragrances wafted from the dining table.


    During the meal, the third wave of guests arrived.


    The Ice Flower Adventure Team''s leader, Isa, and their commander, Fannis.


    "Hello, we came to see you," Fannis pushed up her black round glasses and greeted with a cheerful smile.


    Isa, seeing that Lin Da was safe and sound, breathed a sigh of relief.


    "It''s great, so great that you could come back..." Isa gave a forced smile and sat down on the sofa.


    "Did you encounter some trouble?" Lin Da asked with concern.


    Since Ice Flower had broken through to the 14th floor and advanced to Iron Level, they hadn''t seen much of each other.


    "I''m fine, it''s all in the past," Isa dodged the topic, looking at Lin Da with anticipation, "The new announcement is out. In twenty days, the 15th floor of the Great Mystery Continent will open. Are you planning to come?"


    "Twenty days, the timing is a bit tight. I''ll see how it goes," Lin Da considered, then said, "If possible, I''ll first find Monica and take her to conquer floors 11 through 14 together, so everyone can receive the Goddess'' Blessing."


    As they spoke,


    Ding-ding~


    "Hello, this is Hummingbird Express, you have a letter."


    Outside, an adventurer dressed in yellow and riding a horse handed over a letter.


    After reading the content of the letter, Lin Da tensed up.


    ��[Junior, meet the Dean at Woodpecker Inn.]


    "Woodpecker Inn... Is that Bailuo?"


    Lin Da''s eyes flickered.


    Had his identity been exposed?


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    He certainly didn''t want to be caught by a cat girl shorter than one meter forty and taken to a big bed to be humiliated.


    "Everyone, I apologize, but I must excuse myself for a moment."


    Not daring to slight this Light Rank "Little Black-Robed Person," Lin Da took the carriage to the agreed-upon location.


    ...


    On the third floor of the Woodpecker Inn, a room named "Forest and the Woodpecker."


    Lin Da pushed open the door, as if he had entered a fairytale world.


    Lush green trees and a babbling clear stream.


    Sunlight was just right overhead, and a gentle breeze caressed his face.


    Witnessing a top-tier inn''s use of Illusion Array for the first time, Lin Da expressed his admiration in his heart.


    Passing by the side of the stream, he could feel the air becoming moist, and in the crystal-clear water where he could see the bottom, there were red little fish joyfully darting about, with smooth pebbles underneath the bank.


    Lin Da squatted down, curiously scooping up a handful of river water. Although it was cool to the touch, once it left the river, the water turned into pale blue Magic Particles in a few seconds and gently dissipated.


    "Junior, is this your first time entering an Illusion Magic Circle? Although it looks very realistic, it''s all illusory," said a voice.


    Between two thick trees, there was a small bed woven of vines, and a petite girl with silver hair was sitting on it, with a round stump-like "desk" in front of her.


    The girl wore red-framed glasses and held a pen, reviewing documents in a serious manner.


    Lin Da was momentarily lost in thought.


    The difference was too great compared to the twin-tailed, indifferent White Cat Swordsman, Bailuo, he knew from the game.


    In a nutshell, she was a chilly girl whom Lin Da had dubbed "Little Dark Shadow."


    Apart from her height and chest, the transformation in other aspects was so significant that Lin Da hardly recognized her.


    Apparently, Bailuo had suffered a lot over the past three years.


    Without the protection of Dark Shadow, she might have been bullied by other team members.


    Like the Five-Star Werewolf Wolf, the Light and Dark Dual System Tina, and that little Princess from the Dragon Series...


    But that''s a story for another time.


    What Lin Da needed to do now was to hide his identity and avoid being caught by the one-meter-forty cat girl and forced into marriage in Cyan City.


    "May I ask, Lord Dean, do you have any instructions for me?" Lin Da bowed to his "student" and spoke with honorifics, suppressing the odd feeling in his heart.


    "You know my identity?" Bailuo asked with a slight smile, putting down the feather pen in her hand and removing the red-framed glasses that had no prescription and were worn just to look more adult-like.


    The girl''s pair of reddish-purple eyes calmly looked at Lin Da.


    The aura of a Light Rank hovered around Lin Da, and he felt like he was being watched by a tiger, as sweat rolled down his forehead.


    "I would like to apologize to the Dean," Lin Da said.


    "Hmm? Apologize, why should you apologize? You have no reason to apologize," Bailuo''s eyes narrowed, and her slender legs clad in snow-white stockings were crossed behind the round wooden stump, her lips curved in a playful smile as she watched Lin Da.


    The pressure around him seemed to grow even more, and a few more beads of sweat rolled down Lin Da''s forehead.


    After learning that Bailuo''s other identity was the Dean of Azure Sky University, Lin Da understood where he had offended her.


    More than a month had passed since the incident, and still, Bailuo held onto it.


    A narrow-minded cat-eared loli indeed!


    With Lin Da''s current strength, he dared only complain inwardly.


    He respectfully looked at the tiny cat girl, who was swinging on the vine-woven bed and bowed, saying:


    "I dared to ignore the invitation of the Lord Dean, which is the height of arrogance... I thought someone as big a shot as you wouldn''t care about my response. Now I realize it was my disrespect toward the Lord Dean." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing Lin Da bowing respectfully at ninety degrees, Bailuo showed a pleased expression.


    "Knowing your mistake is good, this Dean will forgive you then."


    Bailuo walked up to Lin Da, stood on tiptoes, and touched the top of Lin Da''s head.


    This action intensified the weird feeling in Lin Da''s heart.


    He was being comforted by a "child."


    And yet, it felt comforting?


    He even felt like lying down on Bailuo''s thighs, clad in snow-white socks, for a nap.


    If he could do that, perhaps any kind of tiredness would disappear.


    After Bailuo had her fill of touching Lin Da, she withdrew her hand and coughed lightly, saying:

 Chapter 427 335, Bailuo invites again, Lin Das massive spoils of war_2

    "It seems you''re an adventurer who knows how to show respect, so, the President extends an invitation to you once more."


    "Would you like to follow me to Cyan City and become a member of Azure Sky Adventurers University?"


    "During the time the Great Mystery Continent was sealed, you and two other women fought against that Moon Rank fox. Although you lost, the fact that you forced it to consume a magic potion speaks volumes about your strength."


    "At Azure Sky University, you could enter the ranks of the first-line students."


    "I believe all three of you qualify to be students at Azure Sky University."


    "What do you say, wanna come?"


    Bailuo extended her hand, looking expectantly at Lin Da.


    "Azure Sky University is indeed an excellent institution, and many adventurers dream of joining."


    Lin Da first praised the other party.


    Then he tactfully said, "But for an adventurer like me, who took the unconventional path, my fighting style is set in stone, and I''m really not cut out for joining an academic faction halfway through. I''m like a little tree that''s already grown crooked; rather than forcefully straightening it, it''s better to let it grow wild."


    "I see..." Bailuo sighed regretfully.


    She didn''t try to keep him any further.


    After all, Bailuo''s invitation was just an offhand remark.


    In her eyes, Lin Da and his companions were not quite at the level that warranted her going out of her way to invite them.


    At that moment, Lin Da had a thought and said, "There are many fun places in White Dove City, like amusement parks, the Magic Guide Gaming Center, and the like. If the President is interested, I, a local, could act as a tour guide."


    In the game, Bailuo was very conscientious. Even when she saw entertainment facilities, she would silently endure and spend all her time on cultivation.


    Lin Da, having heard from Lulu, felt pity for this cat-eared lolita who had been searching for herself for the past three years.


    If possible, he thought, they could go to the amusement park together before she left.


    "No need."


    Bailuo unequivocally refused: "The President has a busy schedule; there are many places in White Dove City that need inspection. It''s not like you adventurers who have lots of time to waste."


    "I see..."


    Lin Da felt a bit disappointed, thinking that maybe it was because he was a "stranger." In the game, Bailuo only went out to play with Dark Shadow. His sudden invitation was indeed presumptuous.


    Not being beaten up by Bailuo already showed that her three years of self-cultivation had yielded excellent results.


    Seeing Bailuo settle back at her "desk" to review various documents, Lin Da quietly walked to the door.


    But he wasn''t sure if he was seeing things. Using his height to sneak a glance, he noticed that behind Bailuo''s mountainous pile of documents was a comic book, a romance type. The hit work "What to Do When You Fall for a Wild Orc" by the popular elf author Mickey, which Lin Da had seen in Klrona''s room.


    Except Klrona used it to prop up a table leg, saying it wasn''t worth a hair from "Legendary Hero Slaying Evil Dragons."


    "I must be mistaken; three years have passed, and Bailuo has grown into a mature adult. I can''t see her through the same lens as before."


    Leaving the Woodpecker Inn, Lin Da immediately went to the Adventurers'' Guild to see if there were any news about Monica''s bounty.


    There was news.


    But scarily abundant.


    In the VIP room, a chubby female manager chuckled:


    "Currently, there are more than twenty adventurers who claim to have seen Monica. Some say in the Barren Plains, others spotted her in Lava Canyon..."


    "Everyone is tempted by the 500,000 Gold Coin reward for a sighting and wants to try their luck."


    "The president has updated the bounty notice for you. Anyone who maliciously reports false information will be thrown in prison. But with that, there hasn''t been a single new sighting."


    Lin Da''s brow furrowed deeply.


    "Add another million Gold Coins to the bounty, spread it to South Rock City and Red Heart City, and ask the guilds there to post the notice." Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire


    The female manager hesitated: "The Gold Coins needed will probably be a lot... Do you have enough...?"


    A flash of light in Lin Da''s hand, and a small pouch appeared.


    Placed on the table, the Gold Coins made a crisp sound as they collided.


    "This should be enough," Lin Da said.


    The manager opened the bag and stared intently.


    Inside were palm-sized, shiny purple, gem-like currency.


    A rich aura of Magic Power was released.


    The manager, stuck at level 5, felt her bottleneck loosening.


    "Purple Gold Coins?" Her face changed as she exclaimed in shock.


    One Purple Gold Coin is equal to 10,000 regular Gold Coins.


    This kind of currency, most people wouldn''t touch in their entire lives.


    "There are a total of 120 in there; it''s absolutely enough to post bounties in South Rock City and Red Heart City," Lin Da said calmly.


    Now he was wealthy and didn''t care about the cost.


    Apart from these 120 Purple Gold Coins, there were still 37 left in his ring.


    The vast amount of loot still hadn''t been sold.


    Fortunately, the Adventurers'' Guild offered a consignment service for selling loot.


    For the sake of convenience, Lin Da simply handed it over to the female manager.


    Her name was Penna, personally groomed by President Velen.


    Velen once told him that for any matter, he could go directly to Penna.


    Lin Da: "Please, Penna, trouble you to help sell all these things for me." S��ar?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Adventurers'' Guild has its own commercial house; it''s just that the profit cut is far higher than private auctions.


    But taking President Velen''s special channels, it was even better than giving it to an auction.


    Penna said with a smile, "Of course I can, consigning spoils of adventure for you will net me a certain percentage of Gold Coins as commission, it''s me who should be thanking you."


    By consigning items for adventurers, Penna could earn around 0.1% in commission.


    For a guild supervisor whose monthly salary wasn''t very high, that was a significant extra income.


    So, when Lin Da mentioned this, the smile on Penna''s face grew even brighter.


    Penna wanted to install a new stove at home, but big-brand ones were generally not cheap, and yesterday she had her eye on one that cost 120 Gold Coins.


    They just happened to be running a promotional event recently, and it was available for 100 Gold Coins.


    With the female supervisor watching in anticipation, Lin Da took the spoils of adventure he acquired from the tenth floor, removed them from his ring, and piled them all up on the table at once.


    In an instant, the VIP room was filled with a spectrum of colorful glows.


    A huge pile of orange materials.


    There were also two pieces of deep purple Epic-level material.


    Penna''s eyes widened.


    Wasn''t this a bit too much?


    The materials piled up on the table to the brim.


    The lowest quality among them was Purple Rare.


    In her more than ten years as a supervisor, the value of the materials Penna had consigned added up was not even close to what Lin Da had brought out.


    "Mr. Linda, please rest assured, I will definitely try my best to sell them for a high price and not let you down!" Penna exclaimed, her face flushed with excitement.


    On the table were [Demon Saw Mushrooms'' Magic Cores], twenty-one of them.


    Many fist-sized mud balls.


    This was the Dragon Ash that Lin Da had collected in the Forest Dragon Cave.


    A beautifully woven red fur carpet.


    A large Dragon Nest.


    Gems that shone and glinted...


    Without exception, they all bore the traces of the Forest Dragon.


    No wonder Penna was excited.


    These items could earn her a commission of several thousand Gold Coins, equivalent to over two years'' worth of salary.


    Lin Da did not plan to hide the fact that he had been to the Forest Dragon''s lair. He intended to sell all the spoils he had scavenged.


    However, he would keep the Forest Dragon Magic Core and Dragon Blood obtained from slaying the dragon for himself.


    In the eyes of others, he was but a 33-level Star-ranked adventurer, with no chance of successfully combating a Forest Dragon.


    He also hoped everyone would continue thinking so.


    Keeping Dark Shadow as his trump card offered more benefits than drawbacks.


    ''The Forest Dragon Magic Core is worth a baseline of 8 million Gold Coins. It''s a hot potato that would be hard to offload in a small place like White Dove City, and selling it risks exposure. Better wait until I get to a big city to find a way to sell it.''


    ''As for the Dragon Blood, it should be used within the team.''


    Lin Da kept these two most precious items for himself.


    All the rest, like the 25-level Epic Young Dragon Three-Star Magic Core and the 31-level Fire Serpent Chieftain Epic Two-Star Magic Core, he entrusted to Penna.


    He calculated the cash he had on hand.


    Harvesting resources when the Great Mystery Continent''s tenth layer opened, plus Bear Thunder''s compensation, totaled 1.75 million Gold.


    The remainder of the Purple Gold Coins was 37, equal to 370,000 Gold Coins.


    Fighting Magical Creatures had netted about 30,000 Gold Coins.


    And in the Savings Card, there was still 1.1 million Gold.


    The grand total came to... 3.25 million Gold Coins.


    Lin Da sighed inwardly.


    This amount of money was a lot for an ordinary adventurer, but when it came to purchasing Star Rank Equipment, it seemed rather tight.


    With Lin Da''s current perspective, Purple Rare equipment, he simply did not fancy.


    Orange was the starting point.


    Epic Level was the best.


    And indeed, the prices were very "delightful."


    The average price for Star Rank Equipment in orange was 500,000 per piece.


    Epic Level rose as high as 5 million.


    And for a top-notch Five-star Epic Main Weapon, you''d have to add another zero to the end.


    Above Epic, there were Legendary Level...


    Gold Coins are never too many.

 Chapter 428 336, Version 2.0 Fire on the Azure Tree, Tasya Moon Rank

    Lin Da had just signed the Consignment Contract and left the Adventurers'' Guild when it was already afternoon.


    He boarded the carriage and returned to the Phoenix Tail Flower''s villa.


    He just happened to meet Lulu returning.


    "Did you notice someone following you?"


    In the living room, Lin Da, having heard Lulu''s account, fell into deep thought.


    According to Lulu, since arriving in White Dove City, she had often felt strange stares fixed on her.


    But the onlooker only observed and seemed to have no further actions.


    "Kafni, do you have any clue?"


    Lin Da looked at the deity who was comfortably lying on a single sofa, with her legs draped over the coffee table.


    After more than a month of recovery, Kafni''s injuries had healed. She was joyfully flipping through a comic book, holding a large barrel of potato chips in her lap.


    Her fingers and mouth were greasy, and from time to time she grabbed a can of wheat beer to drink.


    "Ah? Did you call me?"


    Kafni did not even lift her head, just kept turning pages, "Who cares, as long as he dares to come over, I''ll slap him to death with one palm."


    "What if it''s a Light Rank?"


    Lin Da asked.


    Kafni''s Divine Powers were running low.


    According to her, only as much as a strand of hair.


    "That depends on how hard you try,"


    Kafni pouted, "If you reach the Moon Rank, I''ll feel confident to contend with a Light Rank for a bit."


    "Speaking of which, did you gain weight?"


    Lin Da abruptly changed the subject, causing Kafni to be taken aback.


    "No, no, don''t talk nonsense!"


    Kafni''s face turned red, she tucked her shirt into her trousers to hide any excess flesh around her waist from Lin Da.


    Lin Da thought �� after all, this beautiful girl''s body should belong to himself. Kafni indulging in gluttony, wearing out the body, made it less useful.


    Luckily, he had many team members and had already lost interest in Kafni.


    After thinking for a while, Lin Da said, "Starting today, enact a rule for at least two people to move together when going out."


    About that strange gaze Lulu mentioned, he had many guesses.


    It could be the heretics from Dragon''s Rest Tomb, his former team members, or possibly the inspectors sent from the Royal Capital.


    The inspectors would roam the cities seeking potential adventure teams to send to the underground training camps in the Royal Capital, mass-producing faithfully loyal members of the Imperial Guard.


    Such activities could only be executed in secrecy, being one of the industries owned by one of the Four Great Dukes, the Bloodflame Duke.


    Although Lin Da knew the hidden truth behind it, he dared not speak out. The interests tangled behind this industrial chain were complex, involving many of the Great Nobility and top adventure teams.


    In a nutshell, regardless of who the owner of that strange gaze was, Lin Da had only one solution.


    Get stronger!


    Strong enough to instill fear into others, deterring them from targeting the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.


    In the world of adventurers, after all the circling around, one must rely on fists in the end.


    Additionally, another concern weighed on Lin Da''s mind.


    According to the current timeline, there were only five years left until the major event of the 2.0 update, "The Fire of the Azure Tree" commences.


    In that disaster, the heretics from Dragon''s Rest Tomb teamed up with the Demons to set a trap, burning down the World Tree located in Cyan City, the Azure Tree.


    And trapping the Coldmoon Duke, one of the Four Guardian Dukes of the Empire.


    This plunged the Mystic Continent into chaos.


    At the critical moment, a team led by players descended divinely, thwarting that conspiracy. Find more adventures on My Virtual Library Empire


    They saved Coldmoon Duke, establishing preliminary trust.


    After several updates, the Coldmoon Duke inevitably joined the limited character pool, beginning a mad harvest of the players'' wallets.


    Lin Da pulled Coldmoon Duke into his team, but that was a matter for later in the update.


    The point he had transversed to was in the early stages of the update.


    In other words, in the current timeline, Coldmoon Duke was not a member of his team.


    To summarize the situation,


    If he could not lead Phoenix Tail Flower to become a Dawn-level team within five years and stop that turmoil...


    The Azure Tree would turn to ashes in the fire.


    Coldmoon Duke would also meet a tragic death.


    The death of a Grand Duke, representing one of the four guardian flames of the empire, would be a severe situation for the entire continent.


    What troubled Lin Da was, according to the information brought by Lulu, with the disappearance of Dark Shadow, Cold Moon had turned traitor, joining the Demons.


    This made the plot of the 2.0 update even more confusing and mysterious.


    To cope with the future turbulent situation, becoming a Dawn-level adventure team was the minimum requirement.


    Thinking like this, Lin Da had a specific idea regarding how to use 260 million diamonds.


    The first target was to build up the strongest team member, then lead everyone to "become rich" together.


    The chosen target was Tasya, the highest level maid of Phoenix Tail Flower.


    That night.


    During the quiet of the late night, Lin Da opened the system to complete the daily routine sign-in.


    He then entered the shop and exchanged all the diamonds for Experience Guidance Tickets.


    In the Dreamspace, he took the form of Dark Shadow and intensely instructed Tasya.


    Tasya, constantly infused with Magic Power, became somewhat foolish, shivering as she pleaded with Lin Da.


    "Master, your servant, your servant can''t take it anymore..."


    Tasya''s limp arms could no longer support her, and she thudded to the ground.


    Training in the dream consisted mainly of sports activities.


    Like push-ups, sit-ups, running...


    Similar to a game. S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Assigning an exercise to a team member leads to rapidly increasing experience after a couple of hours.


    When Lin Da used 200 million Experience Guidance Tickets all on Tasya...


    A strong wave of magic power erupted from a room on the second floor of the villa.


    An invisible ripple swept across hundreds of meters.


    The sea of Magic Elements existing in the air stirred into a storm!


    All nearby adventurers felt a jolt in their hearts, waking from their sleep.


    The Goldfinch District, where Phoenix Tail Flower resided, belonged to a wealthy area, home to many high-level adventurers.

 Chapter 429 336, Version 2.0 Fire on the Azure Tree, Tasya Moon Rank_2

    The White Dove Adventure Group''s villa is also located here.


    It''s only a few hundred meters away from Lin Da''s place.


    ...


    Last night, Abner and his companions had just returned from the 19th floor of the Mystic Realm.


    Once again, they came back empty-handed.


    They hadn''t even seen the "second phase" of the Nightmare Guardian.


    The whole team hastily used Town Portal Scrolls to escape back to White Dove City.


    Though no one died, the front-line Heavy Armored Warrior was seriously injured and couldn''t participate in the strategy for the time being.


    Because of this, even though they knew Lin Da had returned from the sealed Great Mystery Continent, they hadn''t managed to pay him a visit.


    Abner sat cross-legged on the cushion, with his deep blue katana placed beside him.


    His right arm was wrapped in bandages, his entire palm scorched by Flames, losing all sensation.


    "Without a level 39 Heavy Armored Warrior, can we really not succeed in the subjugation..." Abner muttered to himself.


    In his mind, he envisioned the five-meter-tall Giant of Fire amid the ruins.


    Magma flowed through the fissures of its Armor, wielding a deep red giant sword.


    Epic Three Stars, level 40, Flame Giant.


    A type of Magical Creatures born in the depths of volcanoes. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Its body was formed of rock and fire, with every move containing the explosive power of the fire element.


    The main army of the lost Serpentman Yavis Dynasty used to be these Flame Giants.


    The White Dove Adventure Group had a level 35 Heavy Armored Warrior who could withstand at most three hits from the Flame Giant.


    If the Flame Giant unleashed its Ultimate Skill, he might not even withstand a single blow.


    Abner was massively troubled.


    Could it be that he was truly unable to lead the White Dove Adventure Group past the 19th floor guarded by the Nightmare Guardian...


    They had enough damage output.


    What they lacked was a copper-walled, iron-bastioned front-liner.


    "That twin-tailed little girl from Snow Goose has potential, but her rank is too low, currently only at Star Rank..."


    Just as Abner was plagued with headaches.


    Suddenly, a faint ripple of Magic Power reached him.


    His closed eyes gradually opened, betraying a hint of surprise within.


    Turning his head toward the direction from which the Magic Power vibration came, Abner furrowed his brow, as if he couldn''t understand something.


    "That direction is the Phoenix Tail Flower Team. Lin Da...? Unlikely."


    "The silver-haired maid... Moon Rank?"


    A ripple passed through Abner''s usually still state of mind.


    He couldn''t have sensed it wrong.


    That was indeed the aura of a Moon Rank adventurer.


    Someone had leaped from Star Rank and reached the status of a Moon Rank adventurer!


    Once a Moon Rank, one could unfurl phantom wings and quickly shuttle between cities.


    Abner had heard that the basic requirement for an adventurer to settle in the Royal Capital was to be of Moon Rank.


    To the lifelong residents of the Royal Capital, anyone below Moon Rank from outside was seen as nothing more than a beggar.


    And at this moment.


    The Moon Rank aura from the Phoenix Tail Flower reverberated like a pebble into a lake, making him restless.


    Abner had never expected someone would reach Moon Rank before him.


    "Perhaps I should consider a trip to the sealed Great Mystery Continent as well."


    Unable to understand the reason, Abner could only attribute it to the expedition to the sealed Great Mystery Continent by Lin Da and his team.


    The more dangerous the place, the greater the opportunities.


    A wild idea sprouted in Abner''s mind: to venture into the sealed 15th floor of the Great Mystery Continent to temper himself!


    "Captain!"


    BANG! The wooden door was pushed open.


    Dressed in cartoon pajamas, with messy blond hair, Gale rushed in.


    "Moon Rank, it''s Moon Rank! Which adventure team produced a Moon Rank? I suspect they''re not from our White Dove City!"


    Gale was both shocked and delighted, but as he continued, his tone carried some worry.


    Compared to the level 39 Abner, Gale couldn''t distinguish the direction from which the Magic Power fluctuation emanated.


    Considering White Dove City''s adventurers, it was impossible for someone to advance to Moon Rank.


    It could only be someone from another city...


    Just as Gale was losing hope, Abner stated the answer plainly:


    "It''s the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    Starting today, they are on equal footing with the White Dove Adventure Group.


    Although I had anticipated this when I saw Lin Da''s Verdant Shield, but this day... um... has come too soon."


    Gale blinked.


    "Phoenix Tail Flower?"


    "You''re not referring to that maid, are you! She''s reached Moon Rank? You must be joking!"


    Gale''s voice rose in incredulity.


    The last time they met, she was only level 35.


    What kind of miracle had she consumed to rise 5 levels in just over a month?


    Abner nodded, "It should be."


    "Well... next time I see Lin Da, I need to consider clinging to his coattails," Gale said with a grave expression. Continue your journey on My Virtual Library Empire


    The strength of Phoenix Tail Flower was growing beyond imagination.


    Gale had thought his investment in Phoenix Tail Flower would take three to five years to pay off.


    But in less than half a year, the Phoenix Tail Flower team now had a Moon Rank member...


    Catching up to and even surpassing the White Dove Adventure Group was just a matter of time.


    Gale couldn''t help but worry as he looked at Abner. Conquering the 19th floor''s Nightmare Guardian, which presided over White Dove City, had always been Abner''s greatest obsession. But at this rate, would it be the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team that would break through the 19th floor instead?


    Could Abner withstand the blow that such a development would bring?


    Abner seemed not to care much about the surroundings, always calm and untroubled.


    But Gale, as a leader of the group, knew very well how proud Abner was at heart.


    If it weren''t for President Velen''s timely investment years earlier, with his talent and potential, he would have never bothered with a third-tier city like White Dove City.


    ''Hopefully, after Phoenix Tail Flower gains popularity, he won''t become arrogant like Snow Goose''s captain did when he became famous,'' Gale sighed inwardly.


    Many adventurers in Goldfinch District were woken up that night.


    But not everyone could guess the truth like Abner did.


    They only knew someone had broken through, but whether it was from Star Rank to Star Rank or some other upgrade, they couldn''t be sure.

 Chapter 430 336, Version 2.0 Fire on the Azure Tree, Tasya Moon Rank_3

    ```


    ...


    The villa of the Phoenix Tail Flower.


    The dark second floor suddenly lit up with a Magic Guide Lamp, its glaring light filling the hallway.


    Lulu and Kafni stepped outside with shocked faces.


    Lin Da feigned ignorance, scratching his head in pretend confusion, "What''s going on? Who got promoted?"


    In the hallway, Tasya was the last to appear.


    Tasya stared at her own hands in a daze, feeling as if she were in a dream.


    She couldn''t believe the vigorous Battle Qi within her belonged to herself.


    The Dark Shadow in her dreams told her it was a reward for her hard work, a secret just between the two of them.


    It wasn''t until she returned to reality that Tasya realized the Dark Shadow hadn''t lied to her.


    This was probably also one of Lin Da''s abilities...


    Tasya''s reverence for Lin Da climbed to a new level.


    Speaking without any pretense, with her current state and the power of the Witch, she was confident she could defeat Hu Er in one move if they battled again.


    Right.


    One move!


    The jump from Star Rank to Moon Rank was first and foremost seen in the glaring difference in Ability, nearly a third higher.


    Then, the Battle Qi Twin Wings.


    Under the envious gazes of Lin Da and the others, Tasya spread out her blue Wings of Wind and wobbly took off flying in the hallway.


    "Ah, Master be careful."


    Tasya lost control and plummeted straight toward Lin Da.


    Fortunately, Lin Da was quick to react, catching Tasya in a princess carry.


    "Congratulations on reaching Moon Rank!"


    Lin Da said cheerfully.


    "It''s all thanks to Master."


    Thinking of the special training by the Dark Shadow in her dream, Tasya''s face flushed with embarrassment.


    "Cough, Tasya, congratulations."


    Lulu approached the two with an expressionless face.


    Lin Da sensed a subtle chill and let go of Tasya.


    The jealousy was getting stronger.


    As more members joined the adventure team, Lulu''s mindset began to change.


    Lin Da thought to himself that he needed to find time to give out the Oath Ring.


    He hadn''t acted recklessly because he was worried that the atmosphere wasn''t right, the trust wouldn''t increase, and he would waste the perfect opportunity to give the ring. If possible, he aimed to raise the trust to 90 in one go, so at the same time Lulu would be happy, he would also get a Shadow of Darkness Experience Card.


    It just felt a bit unfair to Lulu.


    All this, Lin Da would have to explain later.


    In the living room, the three of them watched Tasya''s Wings of Wind for a long time, each taking turns riding on them, and went back to their rooms to sleep only when they had had enough.


    From now on, the villa of the Phoenix Tail Flower also had its own "pilot," so traveling speed would greatly increase.


    In the soft big bed of his bedroom, Lin Da laid with his head on his hands, gazing into the darkness of the ceiling and lost in thought.


    He was lucky, with coaching tickets worth 2 million diamonds, he had managed to boost Tasya to Moon Rank.


    Lin Da considered allocating the remaining 600,000 diamonds to Lulu and Monica.


    He decided to prioritize helping Monica break through to Star Rank.


    In his ring, he had an Epic Staff that had dropped from the Three-Headed Snake People Chieftain. He hadn''t sold it and had kept it for Monica.


    Speaking of which, Monica''s birthday was coming up.


    Lin Da wrapped the staff in a gift box and tied it with a beautiful red bow.


    He resolved to find Monica as soon as possible and deliver the gift on her birthday.


    Lin Da opened the team panel, holding onto a shred of hope, he clicked on Monica''s portrait to try the dream guidance.


    Dream guidance had three strict prerequisites.


    The team member must be asleep.


    Find adventures at My Virtual Library Empire S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Both parties must not be in the Mystic Realm.


    The distance between them must be close enough.


    No matter how many times Lin Da had clicked before, a system prompt saying [Unable to enter dream] would pop up.


    ```

 Chapter 431 337, Dragons Rest Tomb, Artificial Witch!

    This time, Lin Da casually pointed...


    System Prompt: [Detected that team member Monica''s mental space is sealed and unable to enter dreams!]


    Around three in the morning, Lin Da suddenly woke up.


    He sat up abruptly from the bed with a flounder.


    The system prompt had unexpectedly changed.


    It was because the mental space was sealed that he could not enter dreams.


    Conversely,


    doesn''t that mean the other two conditions had already been met?


    By reasoning backwards, one could conclude: Monica had come out from the Great Mystery Continent and her proximity to him had changed��at least within a hundred miles, to the extent that dream guidance was possible.


    All night, Lin Da had not slept well.


    The next day, while it was still dim outside, he woke up his three teammates and headed to the Adventurers'' Guild.


    More people make for greater strength in a search.


    Since Monica was within a hundred miles, Lin Da would dig three feet into the ground if he had to, just to unearth his "Big Lolita"!


    ''Bailuo should not have left yet, if anything happens, I will expose my identity as Dark Shadow to request Bailuo''s help!''


    Lin Da feared being caught by the cat girl and being branded with the stigma of Refined Legal Copper.


    But he feared even more for his teammates'' safety.


    He hurriedly dressed in a brown coat and pushed open the door.


    The morning light fell on his face, making him squint his eyes.


    At that moment,


    a carriage bearing the official flag stopped outside the villa.


    "Lin Da, we''ve found Monica!"


    Coming out of the carriage was President Velen.


    Hearing this, Lin Da and the others all showed expressions of surprise.


    President Velen walked briskly, delivering a letter with an urgent expression, "A letter from the Doomsday Sect!"


    "What?"


    Lin Da''s eyelid twitched.


    The smile on his face stiffened.


    Lulu and the others also looked uneasy.


    They had become separated that day in the Dragon Forest; could it be that Monica was captured by the Doomsday Sect?


    All sorts of terrible possibilities surfaced in Lin Da''s mind.


    A murderous intent suddenly surged in Lin Da''s eyes.


    The normally gentle temperament was nowhere to be found.


    His eyes, devoid of warmth, stared at the letter, his chilling gaze resembling that which sees a dead person.


    President Velen''s back broke out in goosebumps, "Lin, Lin Da, are you alright?"


    Tasya and the others also wore worried faces.


    At this moment, Lin Da was almost indistinguishable from Dark Shadow!


    "I''m fine."


    Lin Da closed his eyes and took a deep breath.


    He reminded himself internally to remain calm, lest he play right into his enemy''s hands. S��arch* The n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    One idea remained unchanged.


    Even if Monica had not been harmed, he was determined to make those who had taken her pay a heavy price!


    Lin Da slapped his own cheeks to bring himself back to his senses.


    Taking the letter Velen handed him, he looked at it intently.


    The front of the envelope was pitch black, devoid of any pattern.


    On the back where it was sealed, there was a wax seal.


    A black giant dragon curled up, bathed in bloodstains.


    It was the symbol of the Doomsday Church''s branch, Dragon''s Rest Tomb.


    The magic potion Hu Er had used was obtained from Dragon''s Rest Tomb.


    Lin Da tore open the envelope, inside was a piece of paper and a delicate magic puppet resembling Little Red Riding Hood.


    "What''s this?"


    Velen said in confusion, "Isn''t that the magic puppet game a lot of kids like? What are the people from the Doomsday Church doing sending this?"


    Only Lulu and Kafni, who knew the details, nervously looked at Lin Da.


    The Little Red Riding Hood magic puppet was a gift Lin Da had given to Monica.


    Now, appearing in the envelope, it was undoubtedly a threat!


    Lin Da crunched the letter into a ball with a snap, took several deep breaths again, put the puppet into his pocket, and then looked at the paper.


    The contents on it were brief, just a few lines.


    [Tomorrow at noon, a twisted teleportation array will be initiated in the Barren Plains. Lin Da, you must enter the teleportation array alone, otherwise, be prepared to receive your teammate''s corpse��Respectfully, Hulus from Dragon''s Rest Tomb.]


    Lin Da''s fingers clutching the envelope trembled slightly with extreme anger, his breath hot as magma.


    He roared internally, "Hulus, I won''t forgive you!"


    Lulu and the others, having read the content on the paper, also had solemn faces.


    Fearing ears behind walls, everyone entered the living room, closed the door, and convened a strategy meeting.


    "Don''t go."


    President Velen, with a grave look, earnestly said to Lin Da:


    Continue your adventure with My Virtual Library Empire


    "These heretics, since they dare let you come, clearly have no intention of letting you return.


    If you go, you can''t save Monica, and you''ll be in danger yourself.


    I know this is hard for you to accept, and I know Monica is a lovely child, but as the president of the White Dove City Adventurers'' Guild, I must be responsible for adventurers like you.


    So... Lin Da, give that child up!"


    President Velen said with heartache.


    Lulu, Tasya, and Kafni all showed distress. Velen''s words were logical; Lin Da going alone, how could those well-prepared heretics spare him? It was clear they were sending Lin Da to his death!


    They each held a selfish side in their hearts; they liked Monica, true, but what they cared more about was Lin Da, the captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower team.


    Lin Da''s expression changed unpredictably, his hands crossed on the table, his eyes flickering with thought.


    "I''ll go!" Lulu couldn''t sit still and said, "You are the captain of Phoenix Tail Flower, you absolutely mustn''t be harmed, I won''t allow you to go alone, if it comes to that, I''ll go as well."


    "Let me handle it," Tasya shook her head, stopping Lulu.


    As a Moon Rank, Tasya had the best chance.


    "No," Lin Da said, "The letter specifically asked for me. When passing through the teleportation array, the fluctuations here will transmit to the other side, Hulus will notice if the person going is not me and will surely shut down the teleportation array midway!"

 Chapter 432 Dragons Rest Tomb, Artificial Witch!_2

    ```


    "Ultimately, no matter who goes, it''s just a death sentence, right?" Lulu looked at Lin Da calmly. "If you''re insistent on going, let me go in your place."


    Kafni also said, "Lin Da, I think maybe..."


    "Enough."


    Although touched in his heart, Lin Da''s face betrayed a smile born of extreme agitation:


    "Monica is my teammate, and I will not abandon any one of them. And what makes you think that I''m heading to certain death? Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    That Hulus is merely a level 35 Star Rank, do you really think that I, a level 33 Healing Mage, cannot defeat a level 35 rat?"


    "I know, I know, but they will definitely not be alone," Lulu said anxiously.


    "There''s no need to defeat them."


    Lin Da said, "The moment I step into the Teleportation Array, the Magic Circle will produce energy fluctuations that correspond to each other.


    As long as you use a Magic Guide to detect the fluctuations, you can roughly determine the location on the other side of the Teleportation Array. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just rush over quickly to rescue me and Monica."


    "But how can you guarantee that the location on the other side of the Teleportation Array is nearby? If it''s hundreds of miles away, even using Battle Qi Twin Wings would take several hours," Lulu said through clenched teeth. "It''s too dangerous!"


    "I can indeed guarantee that Monica is nearby," Lin Da said confidently.


    One of the three essential conditions for dream guidance is that the teammate is within a hundred miles.


    Since the system prompt said "Teammate''s mental space is sealed, unable to enter dream," and not simply "unable to enter dream," it indicates that the other two conditions are met.


    Monica is definitely not in the Great Mystery Continent.


    And she is within a hundred miles.


    With the flying speed of a Moon rank adventurer, a hundred miles takes only an hour.


    If it''s the Light Rank''s Light Wings...


    Ten minutes, at most twenty minutes.


    Lin Da was confident he could hold them off for that amount of time.


    With his health points over ten thousand, below Moon Rank, no one could confidently defeat him.


    He might not be able to beat the opponent, but the opponent couldn''t kill him either.


    An Intermediate Healing Spell''s recovery amount can heal 4000 in one go, which is almost the full health points of an average Star Rank Mage.


    Lin Da was durable, and his healing amount was substantial.


    In terms of endurance, he was stronger than a Heavy Armored Warrior.


    Secondly.


    Everyone''s impression of him was still based on what he was like before entering the closed Great Mystery Continent.


    During this one month, Lin Da hunted berserk level 30 Magical Creatures, trained in battle alongside Tasya and Lia... and he had mastered a powerful Rare Technique unknown to outsiders, the Forest Dragon''s Rage Fang.


    No one could have imagined that in just a month, Lin Da''s combat power had undergone a massive change.


    If he were to don a set of powerful Star Rank Equipment...


    He wouldn''t concern himself with enemies below Moon Rank.


    Especially since he didn''t need to defeat Hulus and the others, just hold them off for a while until reinforcements arrived.


    However.


    This strategy had one essential precondition.


    The reinforcements needed to reach the other side of the Teleportation Array as quickly as possible.


    The faster, the better!


    Lin Da''s eyes pierced sharply into Weylon, "President, please tell me, is Dean Bailuo still in White Dove City?"


    "Uh, this..." Weylon hesitated, scratching his head awkwardly.


    That little Dean had warned him not to reveal to anyone the secret of her going to the amusement park...


    ...


    ...


    Meanwhile.


    Inside a dark cave.


    The lighting here was dim, with a glow lamp only every few hundred meters.


    ```


    The air was damp, and water dripped constantly from the ceiling of the cave, the relentless dripping sounds were bound to irritate anyone after a while. Even during the heaviest of nights, those droplets never ceased.


    Within a square, black iron cage that measured one meter in length and width, a frail girl with a pale complexion was confined.


    Her brown hair had lost its shine, her once charming forehead now grimy, as she huddled in the cage hugging her knees, her large eyes void of life. Wearing a thin burlap dress, exposed arms showed numerous puncture wounds from which a black viscous liquid oozed.


    The affected skin, as if corroded by strong acid, was marred with gruesome scars.


    "��Run!"


    The last thing Monica remembered was Lulu blocking Hulus to let her escape.


    But she, clumsy and slow, was caught.


    And brought to this pitch-black place.


    From the initial panic and fear to now, Monica had become numb to it all.


    In her mind, she imagined herself back with the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, enjoying steaming hot pizza with the Lord Captain, and playing the latest magic-guided game in her room with Klrona who''d come over to visit in the afternoon.


    But... just like that adventurer named Hulus had said, her value to Phoenix Tail Flower was limited to this.


    Staying here to undergo experiments at Dragon''s Rest Tomb actually helped the Phoenix Tail Flower Team more?


    Monica couldn''t help but think that compared to Kafni with her mysterious powers, the mature and stable Lulu, and the seasoned adventurer Tasya... her only role was to cause trouble for Lin Da.


    Without her, Lin Da wouldn''t have to constantly worry about shielding her during the fight against Magical Creatures.


    He could devote more energy to the teammates who were better than her.


    Her magical output was only marked by high bursts; she couldn''t compare to Swordsman in terms of sustained damage.


    The more Monica thought about it, the more useless she felt, and the last bit of moisture in her dry eyes formed into tears that silently spilled down her cheeks.


    "Hey, you''re pretty spirited, aren''t you? Looks like we can administer another injection, hehe."


    Hulus wore a white ghost mask and was cloaked in black.


    On his chest was the emblem of a giant embroidered black dragon with a dark coffin behind it, slumbering in a pool of fresh blood on the ground.


    It was the insignia of the Doomsday Sect''s branch, Dragon''s Rest Tomb.


    A gold line adorned Hulus''s hood.


    This signified his status within the Tomb''s hierarchy as a "Young Dragon," who commanded fifty cultists.


    Seeing the tear at the corner of Monica''s eye, Hulus laughed: "What a tough kid you are, having survived twenty injections without turning into a monster. Among all the test subjects, you''re of the finest quality."


    Hulus, not seen for a month, looked terrifying��beneath his robe was a withered torso, out of which grew two rows of black spider legs that moved gently with his breath, and between his eyebrows was a pair of spider-like compound eyes.


    It was a grotesque blend of man and creature, exuding an eerie aura.


    The Dragon''s Rest Tomb''s principal task was to develop magic potions which, when mixed with dragon blood and injected into an adventurer, could unleash immense power.


    The cost, however, was too high, and the higher-ups in the organization hoped they could develop a harmless magic potion that would allow them to mass-produce witches.


    The strength of witches was beyond question, but their only downside was their scarcity.


    Even signing a contract with them would exert a portion of His Majesty the Demon King''s power.


    The fundamental aim of Dragon''s Rest Tomb was to ease the burden on His Majesty the Demon King by creating Artificial Witches, a less powerful but mass-producible, systematic and scalable alternative to natural witches.


    Monica was an excellent specimen that Hulus had captured.


    She had a strong tolerance for the potion; in more than twenty days, any other girl would have turned into a twisted lump of monster several times over.


    But Monica remained somewhat dazed, yet kept her human form intact.


    Moreover, she had broken through from level 28 to 29, and was close to reaching Star Rank.


    This phenomenon greatly excited Hulus.


    The rows of spider legs on his ribs rustled and flitted like those of a real black spider.


    "Jeejeejee, I will cultivate the strongest Artificial Witch and climb straight to the upper echelons of the organization!"


    If he succeeded, it would be a monumental achievement, and the higher-ups of Dragon''s Rest Tomb would surely promote him. He would have a future of advancing to Moon Rank and maybe even Light Rank.


    "Good child, for grandpa''s sake, you must hold on."


    Hulus chuckled as he grabbed the syringe, clutching Monica''s slender arm firmly.


    He didn''t bother finding a vein as he plunged the large needle deep into Monica''s forearm.


    Based on Lin Da''s understanding of Monica, this Big Lolita would definitely cry from the pain and develop a psychological shadow from injections.


    But the current Monica, seemingly unable to feel any pain, stared dumbly as if her arm didn''t belong to her, allowing Hulus to inject the magic potion without resistance.

 Chapter 433 338, Cat girl helps, the mysterious leader of the Phoenix Tail Flower Fan Club

    In the dim yellow light of the cave, Hulus leisurely moved a chair, sat down in front of the cage, and observed. Stay updated through My Virtual Library Empire


    He held a feather pen and a notebook, recording the changes in Monica''s Magic Power through a Magic Guide device with a square, miniature screen.


    On the device, the initial curve showed a startling fluctuation, indicating that the Magic Potion was fiercely active inside Monica, its activity reaching tens of times that of an ordinary girl!


    It was at such times that the subject''s body would usually undergo demonization, with a few directly turning into twisted black masses of flesh.


    After all, the key ingredient in the Magic Potion was Epic-level Material, Dragon Blood, and Fallen Blood extracted from the bodies of completely corrupted witches.


    Just a single drop of that blood could poison and kill a large crowd of ordinary people if placed in a water tank.


    "The child''s endurance is really high, she was worth being specially brought back," he said.


    Hulus grew more pleased with Monica the more he watched her, as if she was a treasure gifted to him by the Goddess.


    In her, he saw an opportunity to rise rapidly to success.


    However,


    after half an hour of observation, the fluctuations on the device gradually normalized. The signs of pain on Monica''s face disappeared, and she sat in the cage hugging her knees, her gaze hollow as she stared ahead like a wooden sculpture.


    This injection of the Magic Potion had failed, just like the others.


    What Hulus wanted to see was a twisted humanoid life form, similar to the black spider growing on his ribcage. The main feature of an Artificial Witch was that they couldn''t maintain a human form like a normal witch could.


    He curiously looked in the direction Monica was staring at.


    There was nothing there, just an empty space.


    Hulus couldn''t help but ask, "Good child, tell grandfather, what are you looking at?"


    After a while, Monica seemed to finally react, and she said blankly, "Lord Captain, I want to see Lord Captain."


    "Oh... Lin Da... Haha, hahaha, I see, I understand completely now!"


    Hulus excitedly slapped his thigh.


    He had finally understood what was missing from the experiment, the most important element.


    The stimulation wasn''t strong enough.


    Without an intense craving for something, one could not become a witch.


    The other subjects Hulus had captured cried and screamed, turning into black masses of flesh within a week.


    Only Monica had, after recognizing that crying and shrieking made no difference, obediently begun accepting the injections of the Magic Potion.


    "Then grandfather will reward you, letting you see Lin Da once.


    But what you will see will be his corpse!


    Little Monica, you must remember, it is you who caused the death of your Lord Captain. Your originally kind grandfather wasn''t going to hold Lin Da''s fratricidal act against him and was prepared to let him go.


    It was because of you that I decided to cruelly kill Lin Da right before your eyes!"


    Hulus stroked his chin with his right hand and laughed heartily.


    Monica, locked in the cage, suddenly changed her expression and began trembling with fear, clutching her head.


    Seeing this, Hulus''s face lit up with surprise.


    He had not expected mentioning Lin Da''s name to have such a huge effect.


    With enough stimulation and another injection of the Magic Potion... it would definitely be successful!


    However, there was one thing: Hulus had deceived Monica. Even if she didn''t want to see Lin Da, Hulus had no intention of letting the captain of Phoenix Tail Flower go.


    It was to avenge his brother Kam that Hulus accepted the invitation from the Doomsday Sect and became one of the "Young Dragons" in the Dragon''s Rest Tomb. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Just wait, Kam, your brother will soon send that Lin Da to hell to meet you..."


    Hulus muttered to himself with a crazed expression.


    ��


    ��


    In the evening, at Swan Amusement Park in White Dove City, in front of a small cart selling crepes,


    a line of people stretched out like a dragon, filled with continuous laughter and voices.


    Compared to some caves shrouded in darkness, the amusement park, filled with colorful neon lights, felt like heaven.


    "Here you go, kiddo," said the burly, white-towel-draped owner with a smile.


    In front of the cart, a short person in a black robe tiptoed to accept the crepe the uncle passed over.


    This delicacy, also known as a pancake dessert with cake added, was filled with plenty of strawberry jam. Freshly made, it steamed hot, and eating a crepe on a winter''s evening was indeed a pleasure.


    The little black-robed person simply drooled with anticipation at the sight.


    "Thank you."


    Her craving for the sweet treat won over any anger at being called "kiddo," and she happily held her crepe to the side. When she saw no one familiar around, she confidently pulled back her hood, revealing waist-long silver hair and a pair of cute cat ears.


    The girl''s white cat ears twitched, their pink insides seeming very warm. The weather was a bit cold that night, and the cat ears that had just come out of the hood were emitting a faint steam.


    The crepe was a specialty of White Dove City, not found in Cyan City. The moment she saw crepes on the flyer, she secretly resolved that since it was rare for her to come to White Dove City, she must have fun for a few days before leaving.


    After all, no one knew she was the dean of Azure Sky University.


    ����Just then.


    "Dean, please grant my most important request in life!"


    Caught up in the excitement of about to enjoy the sweet, Bailuo, despite being a Light Rank, didn''t notice a tall man approaching her from behind.


    Suddenly hearing the words "Dean," Bailuo trembled, and with a gasp, the crepe she had waited in line so long to buy fell onto the ground.


    The cream and strawberry filling contacted the dirt, rendering it inedible.


    Such a pity!


    Amidst her distress, Bailuo feared something else even more. If a reporter captured this scene and published it in Adventurer''s Weekly, it would be terrible!

 Chapter 434 338. Cat Girl Helps, Mysterious Leader of the Phoenix Tail Flower Fan Club_2

    [The dean of Azure Sky University is actually a kid who loves to sneak desserts, not mature at all!]


    If this news were seen by a teacher, they might be disappointed and not come looking for her in three years.


    "The captain dislikes childish people."


    That was one of the lines Dark Shadow had said.


    At that time, Bailuo secretly decided to become a mature adult to make the teacher like her.


    "I''m just handling official duties, you know? It''s necessary for the dean to inspect this thing for the health of adventurers!"


    As Bailuo defended herself, she turned to look at the person who startled her.


    The individual was a male with broad shoulders, wearing a brown coat. He was bowing with his head down, at a ninety-degree angle, hands at his sides, torso parallel to the ground.


    In the etiquette of adventurers, this was considered a very serious gesture of respect.


    Bailuo bent down to look at his face, a hint of surprise appearing in her eyes: S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Why is it you...? Have you reconsidered, asking this dean to join Azure Sky University? That''s not possible; I have given you a chance already."


    But Lin Da was here for another matter.


    "The heretics at Dragon''s Rest Tomb have captured my team members. Dean, I beg you to help us, the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team will never forget your kindness!"


    Lin Da raised his head, speaking earnestly.


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    "Dragon''s Rest Tomb?"


    Bailuo frowned, saying, "Really? You better not be deceiving me."


    "There are many eyes and ears here, please step aside for a private word, Dean."


    Lin Da led Bailuo onto his own luxurious seven-person carriage.


    Purchasing this carriage cost one hundred thousand Gold Coins, it had fine horses, and was luxuriously decorated, equipped with a Temperature Control Magic Circle and red leather sofas.


    Members of Luanwei and President Velen were all waiting inside.


    Seeing Velen''s sheepish grin, Bailuo knew what was happening.


    This adventure guild president of White Dove City had leaked her whereabouts.


    Without time to lecture Velen, Bailuo sat on the principal sofa, her face growing stern: "Dragon''s Rest Tomb? What is going on, I will not allow heretics to misbehave under my watch."


    Seeing Bailuo''s stern expression, Lin Da felt relieved; approaching Bailuo was the right move.


    Even though Bailuo had retired from being an adventurer, Azure Sky Adventurers University was a national academy, and Bailuo was officially part of the empire.


    This meant she could not ignore the heretics.


    ...


    In the carriage, Lin Da quickly recounted the situation.


    "I see, those despicable heretics, I will not let them escape!"


    After pondering for a moment, Bailuo said, "Leave this matter to me; the device to detect the magic power fluctuations of the teleportation array can be urgently called from Cyan City by the Adventurers'' Guild tonight."


    Velen, surprised, asked, "Is one night enough time to bring it from Cyan City?"


    [Wave Detection Instrument], a magic instrument bigger than a cabinet-style refrigerator.


    It contains multiple components and dense small arrays, making it impossible to fit into a Space Ring. Each insertion or removal from the Space Ring causes slight spatial fluctuations, damaging array-based instruments, therefore they must be transported manually.


    The most important point was that this device was incredibly expensive, costing at least ten million Purple Gold Coins��that is one billion Gold!


    A Wave Detection Instrument was available in White Dove City, but was eighty years old, too old a model, with large deviations in the detection of teleportation array fluctuations.


    And precision was what Lin Da''s plan needed most.


    If they couldn''t precisely locate the other side of the teleportation array for quick support,


    Lin Da, going through the teleportation array alone, would face greatly increased risks!


    Everyone looked expectantly at Bailuo.


    "Hmm... Cyan City is quite far, one night won''t be enough."


    Bailuo scratched her cat ears, appearing troubled.


    The crowd showed disappointed expressions.


    "Is it really not possible...?" Lin Da sighed.


    Just then, Bailuo shifted her tone:


    "Indeed, Cyan City is too far for one night, but we can request it to be sent from Proclamation Wind City instead."


    Proclamation Wind City was ranked 57th in the Adventurer''s Weekly last year.


    "There''s definitely a ''Wave Detection Instrument'' there."


    "If it''s Proclamation Wind City, we definitely have time," Lin Da said, overjoyed.


    Weylon also said excitedly, "President, I will take you to the ''Magic Mirror'' right away to initiate remote communication with Proclamation Wind City!"


    The city level of Proclamation Wind City is higher than that of White Dove City.


    Weylon could only negotiate with them if he went himself.


    To bring the Wave Detection Instrument over, they needed at least one Moon rank adventurer for the escort, and even if Proclamation Wind City agreed, they might not send someone overnight.


    Each city is a separate entity, only managed by the central empire. Even if Proclamation Wind City is unwilling to help, Weylon doesn''t have many options.


    But it''s different when Bailuo, a five-star official of the empire and the president of Azure Sky University, personally intervened.


    Moreover, pleasing President Bailuo would increase the chances for adventurers from Proclamation Wind City to enter Azure Sky University in the future.


    "What a helpful cat girl, the captain is proud!"


    Lin Da watched Bailuo step forward with her chest puffed out and her fist beating in front of her, displaying a fatherly affectionate gaze.


    Who could have imagined that Bailuo, who always looked gloomy and cold as ice three years ago, could become such a just child?


    With Bailuo''s help, the issue of the Wave Detection Instrument was resolved.


    The agreed date is tomorrow at noon.


    With time pressing, Lin Da and their group split up for different tasks.


    Weylon and Bailuo went to the ''Magic Mirror'' to have Proclamation Wind City send the Wave Detection Instrument.


    Lin Da and Lulu went to the ''Imperial Credit Bank.''


    They checked how the war spoils they consigned yesterday had sold.


    All the gold coins were exchanged for equipment to arm Lin Da.


    To face the unknown risks tomorrow, the stronger Lin Da was, the better.


    Heaven knows how many heretics were waiting for him there.


    Lin Da mentally apologized to Lia. He was supposed to give her a third as a reward, but due to the urgency, he could only owe it for now.


    The group rode in a carriage to the grand entrance of the Imperial Credit Bank located on Central Street.


    This was a huge castle-like building whose radiance lit up the entire street brightly.


    Inside, the floor was covered with reflective white porcelain tiles, and the chandeliers resembled artworks, creating a magnificent and dazzling atmosphere, as if entering a small kingdom''s palace.


    Here, one could buy most of the common equipment, and the quality was highly guaranteed. If any magical equipment broke under normal use within a year, it would be replaced for free.


    The only drawback was that items in the Imperial Credit Bank were generally 10 to 20 percent more expensive than outside.


    Whether the high price was worth the quality service was a matter of opinion.


    Manager Penna from the Adventurers'' Guild accompanied Lin Da and his group.


    As soon as they met, Penna happily said, "Captain Lin Da, congratulations! An hour ago, all your war spoils were bought out by a young lady from out of town!"


    "Eh, all sold out?"


    As they took the elevator to the tenth floor to the ''High-end Magic Equipment Specialty Store,'' Lin Da looked at Manager Penna with surprise.


    The speed at which the war spoils were sold was unexpectedly fast.


    In a small place like White Dove City, it''s normal for epic-level materials to take a week or two to sell.


    This time, Lin Da even planned to use his ''Prestige'' and ''Honorary Adventurer Badge'' to run a tab.


    Knowing that the war spoils were sold, he was both shocked and delighted.


    Lulu pinpointed a suspicious detail, saying cautiously, "A young lady from out of town bought out our war spoils?"


    "Yes," Penna recalled. "She was a pretty young girl in a black dress, looking about eighteen or nineteen years old, and had a Minotaur guard with her who felt very formidable. I heard from the managers here that the guard''s aura was no less than Star Rank, probably a Moon rank adventurer."


    "Moon rank?"


    Lin Da raised an eyebrow.


    Such a formidable person appearing in White Dove City�� Could it be that the odd gaze Lulu felt was from this person?


    "Tell me more," Lin Da said, concerned that the other party might be an inspector from the Bloodflame Duke.


    If the Bloodflame Duke took an interest in the Phoenix Tail Flower, and planned to dig them out, that would be terrible.


    Although the Bloodflame Duke''s underground training camp produced strong individuals, everyone was forced to wear collars, becoming slaves, and entire teams were sold to the Great Nobility.

 Chapter 437 340. Rescue Monica, delve into the Heretics Lair

    ```


    "What is this, it''s nothing like what the newspapers said! He''s not some gentle ''Eye of True Knowledge'' at all. So rude!"


    "Exactly, to think that such a person is a distinguished adventurer from White Dove City, I don''t think this city is worth the investment from our father at all."


    "I''ll tell father to cancel the investment plans for White Dove City."


    The three young ladies were speaking very loudly, as if they intended for Lin Da to hear them.


    But Lin Da simply didn''t care. Not going back and slapping each of them was already a sign of his improved temperament.


    The Magical Elevator closed, shutting out the noisy voices.


    Finally, there was peace in Lin Da''s ears.


    Seeing the upset look on his face, Penna said with a helpless smile, "Captain Lin Da, don''t mind them, all three are just kids, they can''t influence the decisions of adults."


    "I heard them mention ''investment plans,'' what''s that about?" Lin Da asked casually.


    "It''s like this, because the Phoenix Tail Flower Team was featured in Adventurer''s Weekly, it attracted some wealthy and influential nobles.


    They are considering investing in White Dove City to build more training grounds, entertainment facilities, high-rises...


    It''s beneficial for the urban development of White Dove City.


    President Velen is so busy with this that he''s running in circles."


    "But it seems Captain Lin Da has encountered some troubles? Please don''t mind this, no matter what happens, both I and President Velen will firmly support you!"


    Penna said earnestly.


    As a confidant of Velen, he had confided in her that Phoenix Tail Flower had the potential to become a Sunrise Level adventure team and must be befriended.


    The investment from the nobility was important, but it couldn''t compare to a Sunrise Level adventure team.


    Lin Da nodded, indicating that he understood.


    Leaving the trading company, he took his team in a carriage to meet with Bailuo at the Adventurers'' Guild.


    "It''s settled, Proclamation Wind City will dispatch a Moon rank adventurer to bring the Wave Detection Instrument over here overnight."


    In the office, Bailuo was occupying President Velen''s genuine leather chair. Wearing red-framed glasses used for work, she looked like a strict female teacher as she said to Lin Da:


    "The principal commands you to have a good rest tonight. Tomorrow at noon, the heretics'' Teleportation Array will activate on the Barren Plains. You must face it in your best condition!"


    "Thank you for your concern, my Lord." Lin Da bowed solemnly to express his gratitude.


    Without Bailuo, his plan would have been difficult to execute.


    He kept this favor in his heart.


    Someday, Lin Da would go to Cyan City to repay this little cat girl.


    Afterwards, he returned to the villa to rest. Enjoy new stories from My Virtual Library Empire


    Outside the window, the night was dense.


    Lin Da tossed and turned, with thoughts of tomorrow''s matters filling his mind, unable to sleep.


    It wasn''t fear of entering the heretics'' lair that kept him awake.


    He was mainly worried about Monica''s mental state.


    Once again opening the team panel, he engaged in dream instruction, but the prompt that popped up remained unchanged:


    [Detection: Team member''s Mental Space is sealed, unable to enter the dream!]


    There were two possibilities.


    Monica hadn''t slept at all.


    Or, her inner world was closed off, and she had become thoroughly autistic, making it impossible to communicate with her in her dreams!


    Monica was already somewhat autistic, and after being captured by Hulus, she became even more withdrawn!


    Lin Da felt a surging anger, wishing he could tear Hulus to pieces.


    After washing his face with cold water, he calmed down.


    "I have 6 Skill Points left, use them all." Lin Da sat on the living room sofa, opened his panel, and started adding points furiously.


    [Expending 4 Skill Points, Guardian Sword upgraded from lv2 to lv4, dealing ''substantial'' damage, and applying a shield up to 60%��80% of the maximum Hit Points. Those under the Guardian Shield immediately recover 50% of their maximum Hit Points!]


    [Expending 2 Skill Points, Intermediate Healing Spell upgraded from lv1 to lv3, healing amount +30%!]


    To ensure he could last until reinforcements arrived, Lin Da chose to strengthen his Recovery Series Skills.


    The enhanced shield accompanying his Ultimate Skill, Guardian Sword, significantly improved his survivability.


    With his Intermediate Healing, after switching to Star Rank Equipment and applying his Skill Points, one heal could restore around 6500 health points.


    A normal level 30 warrior only has about 6500 health points.


    That means with one Intermediate Healing Spell, Lin Da could instantly refill a level 30 warrior''s health to full.


    With these two powerful guarantees, Lin Da felt much more at ease.


    The next day at noon.


    The Barren Plains.


    Even though it was midday, the sun was not visible.


    Black clouds rolled overhead, like a dark sea roaring in the sky.


    Among the shrubs of the Barren Plains, blue jelly-like Slimes emerged, jubilantly lifting their heads to watch the sky, waiting for the sweet rain to fall.


    Splat.


    Lin Da looked indifferent as he stepped on a level 3 Slime.


    He burst the Magical Creature with his foot, splattering its transparent innards on the ground and the leaves.


    The surrounding Slimes, frightened by the display, scampered away swiftly.


    Lin Da''s expression was stern, dressed in a brown coat and carrying an Epic Level Earth Dragon Longsword on his back. This sword, crafted from the scales of an Earth Dragon, was about one and a half meters long, brown in color, with a dragon twisting around the hilt.


    The strong aura of Magic Power openly radiated from Lin Da.


    All Magical Creatures of the Barren Plains, the Slimes, vampire bats, Black Armored Scorpions... instinctively felt the presence of something terrifying and fled.


    They ran as if they were beasts in migration, rushing away from Lin Da.


    The levels of Magical Creatures on the Barren Plains ranged from 1 to 10.


    For Lin Da, a level 33 Star-ranked adventurer, being there was a total mismatch.


    Yet today, he paid no attention to the Magical Creatures, allowing them to flee. S��ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Leading Lulu and the others, he went straight to the Teleportation Array.


    It was a Teleportation Array shaped like a door.


    ```

 Chapter 438 340. Rescue Monica, delve into the Heretics Lair_2

    Inside was a colorful, twisted space, much like throwing various dyes together into a vat and stirring them all around.


    No one knew where the other side of the Teleportation Array led to.


    "We are ready on this side,"


    the speaker was a male elf, unfamiliar to them.


    His ears were pointed, and he was dressed in a scholarly blue robe, with white gloves and glasses.


    Next to the elf stood the much shorter cat girl Bailuo, and the much taller President Velen.


    Velen introduced him, "Lin Da, this is the scholar from Proclamation Wind City responsible for escorting the Wave Detection Instrument, a Moon rank adventurer named Wenqi."


    "Mr. Wenqi, thank you for bringing the instrument over so late at night," Lin Da bowed.


    "It''s only right, how could we at Proclamation Wind City stand by and do nothing when White Dove City is in trouble?"


    Wenqi said, expressionless, with a slight nod of his head.


    Had Bailuo not spoken up, Proclamation Wind City likely wouldn''t have been so enthusiastic to send a Moon rank overnight.


    Lin Da inwardly sighed, ''An adventurer''s background is indeed important; if I were a native-born adventurer from the Royal Capital, Wenqi''s attitude would surely take a complete turnaround.''


    Exceptional cities receive imperial support.


    Every adventurer''s dream destination is the Royal Capital.


    Only in the Royal Capital does the Holy Tree reach above the 40th layer.


    In small places like White Dove City, the World Tree''s limit is only at the 20th layer, which does not attract outstanding adventure teams. To raise the level cap of the World Tree, one requires the Goddess''s blessing, the "World Tree Dew."


    But small places lack resources, making it difficult to cultivate high-level adventurers... creating an unsolvable vicious cycle.


    The strong cities get stronger, and the weak get weaker.


    All human and material resources are concentrated in the upper layers.


    Though Proclamation Wind City ranks 56th in Cangqing Province, in the grand scheme of the continent, it is just so-so.


    Truly top-tier adventurer cities in Cangqing Province number only three.


    Lin Da pulled himself back from his thoughts, slapped his cheeks, and walked to the front of the teleportation portal.


    Lulu said, "Be careful."


    Lin Da nodded, looked at everyone, and announced, "I''m heading out."


    The expressions on Bailuo and the others were solemn.


    "Junior, you must come back alive," Bailuo told him.


    "Hmm."


    Lin Da stepped into the teleportation portal.


    Instantly, the ground buzzed and vibrated. sea??h th�� N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Everyone nearby felt a slight dizziness.


    The elf Wenqi, with a serious expression, operated the Wave Detection Instrument.


    There was a screen displaying a chaos of magical numbers that burst forth.


    Wenqi''s fingers moved over the buttons with a speed that dazzled onlookers.


    The instrument emitted "beep beep beep" sounds.


    A moment later, both the teleportation portal and Lin Da disappeared.


    Leaving behind a small pit.


    Lulu and the others nervously crowded behind Wenqi.


    The quicker they could detect the exact location of the other side of the teleportation portal, the safer Lin Da would be.


    Boom!


    Just then, thunder boomed in the night sky.


    Seconds later, rain poured down in torrents.


    The bushes on the Barren Plains were pelted noisily, and the dry soil quickly turned dark brown.


    More and more Water Series Slimes peeked their heads out from underground, cheerfully welcoming the downpour.


    Bailuo frowned, waved her hand slightly, and a blue Water Battle Qi formed a large umbrella, covering everyone''s heads.


    "How is it looking?" she asked Wenqi.


    Wenqi wiped the sweat from his forehead and slowly said, "It''s not looking good..."


    Because of the Thunderstorm, the Wave Detection Instrument was affected.


    Minutes passed, and the detection progress on it only displayed 1%.


    If it continued like this, wouldn''t it take over an hour to pinpoint the location on the other side of the teleportation portal?


    Bailuo''s face changed, "Stupid instrument, why is it so slow!"


    She was so annoyed that she punched the device.


    All of them felt uneasy in their hearts.


    Lulu felt so weak she could barely stand.


    Tasya was the most composed, "I believe in my master, he will definitely bring Monica back safely!"


    Velen sighed, "All we can do now is pray."


    ...


    ...


    Inside the teleportation portal, a swirl of multicolored light poured into Lin Da''s eyes.


    Intense dizziness ensued; his brain felt as though it was being thoroughly stirred.


    Then came suffocation, the urge to vomit.


    Lin Da bit down hard on his tongue, knowing that he was about to face danger and must not relax.


    About ten seconds passed.


    The sensation of weightlessness from entering the portal gradually faded, and his feet firmly touched the ground.


    The whirlpool of colors disappeared, replaced by flickering, dim yellow light.


    The air was moist, as if near the sea or underground.


    Was there a similar place within a hundred miles around White Dove City?


    Lin Da thought to himself.


    Looking around, he found himself on a vast, circular stone platform, surrounded by a ring of ancient columns with torches stuck on top.


    Below the platform was a group of figures in black robes, all wearing white ghost masks revealing only their eyes, which looked at him mockingly.


    A quick count revealed there were about fifty people.


    Lin Da extended his magic power to sense his surroundings, and after a quick scan, concluded that among those heretics, there were 10 Star Rank and the rest around level 20.


    ''Troublesome.''


    Lin Da shook his head inwardly. Despite the hassle, he wasn''t very afraid; his mission was to hold out until reinforcements arrived, not to wipe out the heretics singlehandedly.


    "Clap, clap."


    A crisp clapping sound came from ahead.


    At about twenty meters up, the stone wall was hollowed out to form a viewing platform.


    A figure in a black robe was lounging in a chair, legs crossed.


    He didn''t wear a mask and was leisurely cracking open sunflower seeds, with a cup of steaming hot tea on the stone table.


    Lin Da gazed into the distance, making out the black-robed man''s features.


    "Hulus!" he bellowed with eyes reddening.


    "Didn''t expect Captain Lin Da to welcome me so warmly. Just in time, I have something to show you that you''ll definitely like," said Hulus as his voice trailed off. As he spoke, a hole opened in the ceiling above the circular stone platform.


    Accompanied by the ''clank clank clank'' of chain links, a dark and heavy iron cage was slowly lowered, hanging about twenty meters in the air. Find more chapters on My Virtual Library Empire


    Being Star Rank, Lin Da had sharp vision, and he took in everything inside the cage.


    There was a small girl with brown hair huddled up inside, clutching her knees. Her dress was filthy, and the exposed skin of her arms was full of needle holes, her eyes hollow and lifeless.


    When their eyes met, the girl seemed stunned for a moment, then showed a frightened expression, her voice hoarse, "Cap-, Captain, get out of here!"


    The instant Lin Da saw the girl, he felt disoriented and almost didn''t recognize her.


    It was only when she spoke that it suddenly dawned on him: the filthy-looking, barely breathing girl was his team member Monica!


    She was starkly different from the Monica he remembered��whose doe eyes often looked timorously from beneath her bowed head.


    Lin Da could hardly imagine what kind of torture his teammate had been subjected to in the past month.


    Monica''s aura felt alien, tainted with a wickedness on top of her pure earth system elements.


    What were those needle holes in her arm about? Could she have been injected with poison?


    The recovery magic power within Lin Da instinctively repelled Monica as if she were a child covered in filth, turned bad.


    "You''ve injected Monica with a magic potion!"


    A moment later, Lin Da came to his senses and glared at Hulus in shock.


    "As expected of Captain Lin Da, so bright. Yes, I did inject Monica with a magic potion, and did so daily, with each dose being three times that of other test subjects," said Hulus, stroking his Little Beard with a smile.


    "Monica is such an obedient child, never complaining even in pain. You know, other test subjects often killed themselves against the cage because they couldn''t handle the pain. It''s kids like Monica who are inherently perfect for my experiments, hahaha," Hulus guffawed, his joy evident as he spoke of Monica''s exemplary performance during experiments.


    "Lao Deng, die!"


    Enraged, Lin Da raised his hand and released the Dark Whip towards Hulus on the platform.


    Boom!


    Just then, a majestic figure leapt from the ground.


    Iron-like palms caught the Dark Whip, nullifying the attack with might.


    "Hmm, not bad."


    Hulus nodded in satisfaction and said nonchalantly, "Rhode, kill that boy, and I might forgive you for betraying me."


    The figure who blocked the Dark Whip and landed on the platform with a thunderous crash was none other than the leader of the Solid Rock Adventure Group, Rhode!

 Chapter 439 341, not many tricks, but a lot of numbers

    Lin Da''s eyebrows furrowed. If he remembered correctly, Rhode had long since given up on Hulus and left White Dove City. How could he appear here?


    Dressed in a white short-sleeve shirt with arms thicker than an average person''s thighs, Rhode looked like a muscle monster. A veteran leader of a Steel Level Adventure Group, he possessed a level of 34, making his combat experience far superior to that of ordinary Star Rank fighters.


    Rhode, with his shiny bald head, was glaring at him angrily.


    But that anger seemed not to be directed at himself?


    Rhode gritted his teeth and said, "Hulus, as long as I kill this kid, you''ll let my daughter go! Remember our ten-year alliance, I hope you won''t break your promise!"


    "Of course, I, Hulus, am not like you, Rhode, someone who likes to betray allies," a taunting voice rang out.


    Hearing the conversation between the two, Lin Da roughly understood the situation.


    He said in a deep voice:


    "Rhode, don''t listen to Hulus''s nonsense. If your daughter is in his hands, how could she possibly survive?


    No matter what, he won''t spare you or your daughter.


    Why don''t we join forces and take down Hulus to avenge your daughter."


    Below the platform, a group of Heretics from the Dragon''s Rest Tomb were laughing and enjoying the show.


    "This Lin Da actually wants to persuade him to defect? What an odd train of thought!"


    "But how dare Rhode oppose Lord Hulus? If his daughter were turned into a skeleton soldier, he''d probably break down."


    "Any pain and sacrifice are worth it for the eternal glory of His Majesty the Demon King!"


    Enthusiastic Heretics raised their arms high, chanting.


    Under their influence, the chanting grew louder and louder, becoming a thunderous roar.


    "Offer your pain to His Majesty the Demon King, long live His Majesty the Demon King!"


    Lin Da and Rhode on the platform, both felt an irritating pressure.


    "Shut up, shut up!"


    Rhode bellowed.


    His body enveloped in white Battle Qi, Rhode''s muscles swelled by a notch, veins popping on his forehead.


    He roared like a beast, stomping the ground fiercely, leaving a small crater as he charged towards Lin Da with a whooshing sound slicing through the air.


    ''A Fighter, huh... a natural counter to the Rock and Steel Systems, with slight resistance to the Poison Series.''


    Lin Da quickly assessed Rhode''s details. Read latest stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    In an instant, the Earth Dragon Longsword was unsheathed, and mighty Magic Power burst forth.


    Lin Da''s level of 33 was laid bare for all to see!


    This momentarily quieted the tumultuous cheers around them.


    The Heretics looked at Lin Da with confusion.


    In their minds, Lin Da was still at level 26.


    Even if he had luckily escaped the Great Mystery Continent, he would be at most level 27.


    "Under Rhode''s iron fist, even if you are a level 33 Star Rank, you have only a dead end," Hulus said with a dismissive chuckle, unbothered by this unexpected development.


    How could Lin Da, a newly promoted Star Rank, compare to Rhode, who had honed his muscles through many years?


    It was simply a matter of changing from a one-move kill to a few moves kill.


    Hulus didn''t even pay attention to the stage.


    Instead, he focused on his precious experimental subject, Monica.


    Monica, in the cage, trembled all over, as if foreseeing the dreadful scene of Lin Da''s demise, holding her head and daring not to watch.


    Such a huge emotional upheaval had never occurred in previous experiments.


    Hulus thought to himself that Lin Da must be of great importance to Monica.


    Even he, her "grandfather," couldn''t help but feel affection for Lin Da.


    "Excellent, excellent! Rhode, go torture and kill that Lin Da, and give Monica the best birthday present!" Hulus said, stroking his beard and laughing heartily.


    Upon the platform.


    Rhode''s calloused and massive fists were getting closer and closer to Lin Da.


    The intense pressure from the wind made it somewhat difficult for Lin Da to open his eyes, causing facial pain.


    But he could see the trajectory of that fist clearly.


    His mind could keep up.


    And his body could move in time! S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After equipping the full set of Star Rank Equipment, Lin Da''s ability had reached levels far beyond an ordinary Star Rank fighter.


    Even with Rhode''s fierce attack, Lin Da felt everything was under control.


    With his super-fast thinking speed, time around him seemed to slow down.


    Too slow!


    Lin Da tilted his head slightly, allowing Rhode''s punch to miss its mark.


    Immediately after, he struck with his sword toward the opponent''s neck!


    Rhode, a seasoned Star Rank fighter, raised his left arm to block, with all the energy of the Life Barrier concentrated there, solidifying his defense.


    Ripples spread across the barrier, causing only a slight wound.


    Immediately after, Rhode twisted his waist, using the momentum to throw a kick at Lin Da''s waist!


    With the Battle Qi of a level 34 Fighter, this move was deadly, capable of shattering even a rock!


    ''Bring it on, I want to test my own physical strength!''


    Lin Da did not back down, kicking out at Rhode in kind.


    With a thunderous thud, the dust from the ground was swept away by the strong wind.


    Within a ten-meter radius, the ground was as clean as a mirror.


    Both stepped back several paces.


    Rhode staggered, his face pale, swaying like a wobbly toy, performing a wide split to steady himself.


    Rhode, looking toward Lin Da with his coat fluttering lightly as he came to a halt, flashed a hint of surprise in his eyes.


    A simple exchange made the outcome clear.


    From the test, Lin Da drew an initial conclusion.


    Rhode, who once could overwhelm the entire Phoenix Tail Flower Team, causing him great trouble, was no longer a match for him.


    His strength, agility, defense, health points...except for the fighting experience that couldn''t match Rhode''s in his forties, he overshadowed Rhode in all other aspects.


    Inside the cave, the frenzied shouts of the Heretics, like a storm coming to a halt, went from a downpour to a sporadic trickle and eventually fell completely silent.


    Everyone exchanged incredulous looks, all feeling it was unbelievable.


    When it came to physical strength, the Fighter Rhode could not match Lin Da, a Healing Mage?

 Chapter 440 341, not many tricks, but a lot of numbers_2

    ```


    "What''s going on, is Rhode holding back?"


    At the stands, Hulus scratched his head, straightening his body.


    Under a sea of puzzled eyes, the battle erupted once again.


    The clashing of Lin Da''s Earth Dragon Longsword against Rhode''s iron fists sent ear-splitting noises echoing through the cave.


    The heretics at the bottom of the platform were dumbfounded.


    They realized that they couldn''t see clearly the movements of Lin Da and Rhode!


    Among the cultists, there were indeed 10 Star Ranks, but the gap between Star Ranks was huge.


    They were generally around level 32, with uneven equipment, mostly a mix of purple and orange.


    Compared with Lin Da, who started with orange equipment, they were at a completely different level.


    So much so that they doubted whether they were even in the same league as Lin Da and Rhode.


    "Once His Majesty the Demon King descends, he will surely award us Legendary Equipment!"


    "That''s right, the lead of these two is only temporary. His Majesty the Demon King will grant us everything!"


    "Rhode, quickly kill that arrogant brat!"


    The followers of Dragon''s Rest Tomb, their eyes red with envy.


    Most of them guessed that Lin Da must have Epic on him.


    And not just one piece.


    Merely relying on professional attributes, he couldn''t have been so far ahead of them.


    "Double Slash!"


    Lin Da charged suddenly, attacking the panting, sweaty Rhode.


    This move was taught to him by Lia during their seclusion in the Great Mystery Continent.


    Lin''s Earth Dragon Longsword struck down and up in a swift motion, delivering maximum output in a short time.


    Rhode crossed his arms to block, and with a loud bang, was sent retreating by Lin Da once more.


    His boots scraped the ground, emitting a grating, tooth-aching sound.


    He slid back five meters, leaving a rough black line, the soles of his boots worn flat.


    "Sss..."


    Shaking his numb arms, Rhode let out a slow exhaling sound between clenched teeth.


    If he didn''t use his trump card, he was going to die at Lin Da''s hands. Rhode recognized this cruel reality.


    Just a month ago, he could have easily played Lin Da like putty, but now, he was fighting strenuously, and a slight carelessness would lead to Lin Da slashing off his head.


    If only he had known, he would have forcibly made a move during Kam''s battle with Lin Da...


    No, in the end, he should not have tried to suppress Phoenix Tail Flower just to preserve his Iron Level status.


    But now, there was no way back.


    Rhode sighed helplessly, let out a big laugh, and spread his arms, hands reaching forward as if a hungry wolf lunging for its prey.


    Lin Da''s eyes sharpened, and he snapped his fingers, with verdant light emerging around him.


    Feeling the scent of danger, he wrapped himself with the Verdant Shield.


    He concentrated, staring intently at the front.


    Rhode was breathing heavily, like a large magic machinery operating at full power.


    From the nostrils and ears of this muscular man, white smoke billowed, turning the platform into a "foggy day" instantly.


    The fog surged, forming a lifelike white Iron Lion.


    The Iron Lion was three meters long, with the skin around its nose wrinkled.


    Its huge eyes glared furiously at Lin Da.


    Its front paws scraped the ground, producing a deep and hefty growl from its throat.


    Making one''s back go cold and throwing the mind into slight disarray.


    "To make Rhode resort to this move, he''s got some skills!"


    "But it ends here! Yesterday, a level 33 Deer-headed person challenged Rhode, and was knocked unconscious by this move. His antlers shattered all over the place, and he''s still in bed recovering."


    "What a pity for ''Shattered Rock'' Rhode, if he had accepted the injection of Magic Potion, he could have at least been a ''Young Dragon'' level officer..."


    The followers of Dragon''s Rest Tomb, pointing and commenting on the two onstage, acted like battlefield analysts, explaining the situation to the younger members around level 20.


    Upon hearing this, the crowd realized that Lin Da''s time was up.


    "Lin Da, take my strongest move, this is all ''Shattered Rock'' Rhode has got!"


    Rhode roared, stomping his right foot heavily on the ground.


    His hands, like a fierce beast striking, merged with the white Iron Lion formed of his Battle Qi, and charged towards Lin Da!


    "Iron Lion!"


    It was this Ultimate Skill that had brought Rhode into the ranks of the veteran Star-ranked adventurers, and even Hulus was wary of him.


    The white Iron Lion pounced on Lin Da, the fire torch''s light obscured, and suddenly darkness engulfed the surroundings.


    Lin Da stood his ground, using his sword as a shield, his eyes fiercely fixed on what lay ahead.


    "����Lin Da, I''ll teach you a useful trick for fighting. Remember, the more nervous you are, the less you can afford to be nervous!"


    Lia''s proud voice, strangely surfacing in his ears.


    Boom!


    The Iron Lion collided head-on with Lin Da.


    An intense explosion of Battle Qi ensued, and in an instant, a three-meter wide crater appeared on the platform!


    "Awesome! That arrogant kid is dead!"


    ```


    ```


    The heretics'' raucous celebration erupted.


    Rhode wiped the sweat from his forehead, smiled, and relaxed, showing a "mission accomplished" ease.


    But the next moment.


    "Is this all? Is this all the Shattered Rock Rhode has to offer? It''s...simply unimpressive."


    A voice filled with disdain emanated from the bottom of the pit.


    Before the stunned onlookers, Lin Da ascended step by step, emerging from the giant crater.


    His black hair remained untouched by even a speck of dust, and his brown coat was wrinkle-free.


    Lin Da rubbed his hands together, twisted his neck, and said:


    "That was quite relieving. My hands were a bit sore, but after that massage from the white kitty, they feel much better.


    Rhode, I''ll be straightforward with you. You''re no match for me.


    Whether I kill you or not is purely up to my whim.


    You might think this is just bragging, but it''s actually the truth.


    Now, I''ll give you one last chance.


    Submit to me, and let''s join forces against Hulus.


    Although you''d still die, you''d at least have a chance to avenge your daughter."


    Lin Da spoke calmly and unhurriedly.


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    The heretics were somewhat dumbfounded.


    They scrutinized Lin Da thoroughly, who appeared completely unharmed no matter how they looked.


    Unscathed by Rhode''s Ultimate Skill Iron Lion - could that be possible?


    Even a Heavy Armored Warrior wouldn''t walk away from that unharmed!


    Hulus clicked his tongue, his eyes flickering with doubt.


    Nevertheless, he continued to lounge comfortably in his chair.


    At most, he simply put away the sun-dried beef-flavored sunflower seeds back into his pocket.


    "How...are you still alive!"


    On the stage, Rhode''s expression changed, incredulously gazing towards Lin Da.


    His eyes bulged like copper bells, as though searching for evidence of Lin Da''s false bravado.


    Lin Da said, "Your Ultimate Skill does pack a decent punch."


    But with his own health points of 16,500 coupled with the Verdant Shield, he broke through the 20,000 mark.


    A normal Mage, even a warrior, struck by Rhode''s Iron Lion would either die or be crippled.


    But to Lin Da, it was rather regrettable.


    It was only enough to tickle him. S��arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da mentally recited the spell, "Oh healing sprites, become the soothing spring breeze... Intermediate Healing Spell!"


    A green +6551 popped up above his forehead.


    Lin Da''s Life Barrier was again fortified.


    This certainly made Rhode sweat profusely.


    His Ultimate Skill had no effect on Lin Da.


    The healing spell looked very potent in terms of the recovery amount.


    Even at a distance of over ten meters, it affected him, feeling a slight replenishment in his own Life Barrier.


    Rhode internally struggled intensely.


    He very much wanted to accept Lin Da''s proposal.


    But...


    Behind him was a gaze as chilling as the marrow in his bones.


    "No response, then."


    Lin Da sighed with regret, "Then let''s finish this, I need to take my team home, there''s no time to waste with you!"


    "Go, Venom Magic Sphere!"


    The Earth Dragon Longsword pointed forward, and a purple miniature Array took shape.


    The maxed-out Venom Magic Sphere could fire two spheres concurrently.


    Rhode couldn''t dodge it in time, and with a sizzling sound, the poison seeped along the Life Barrier, entering the core of Rhode''s spiritual world.


    In an instant, Rhode''s face turned purple from the poison.


    Two Venom Magic Spheres, sustaining damage for 16 seconds.


    If allowed to hit completely, they were sure to weaken at least one-third of Rhode''s Life Barrier!


    Rhode, drawing on his wealth of combat experience, immediately sensed danger and took out a green Antidote Herb, putting it in his mouth.


    "Die!"


    Lin Da wasn''t about to stand idly by; he closed in on Rhode, both hands gripping the Earth Dragon Longsword, and unleashed a broad horizontal slash towards Rhode''s chest!


    These attacks were not skills, but given Lin Da''s extraordinarily high attributes, each of his normal attacks possessed power comparable to skills!


    Rhode, unable to chew the Antidote Herb, desperately leaned back to dodge in a panic.


    But Lin Da''s offensive was relentless, like a sudden storm.


    With the Venom Magic Sphere continuously effective, Rhode''s vulnerabilities grew increasingly evident.


    Lin Da''s eyes flashed, seizing the opportunity.


    He delivered a knee strike to the wide-open lower abdomen of Rhode.


    ```

 Chapter 441 342, 1 vs 50, dont come over here!

    In the cave, a scream akin to that of slaughtering a pig rang out.


    The pitch was so high, it was unbearable to hear.


    Rhode''s face turned deathly pale as he clutched his groin and collapsed to the ground with a thud.


    "Useless!"


    Hulus, furious, grabbed a teacup and smashed it violently onto the floor!


    But Lin Da frowned, unrelaxed.


    His knee didn''t feel like it had crushed an egg.


    Although Rhode was rolling on the ground clutching his groin,


    no egg white flowed out from his trousers.


    At the last moment, Rhode had used his well-trained muscles to control his groin and sway sideways,


    dodging Lin Da''s fatal groin hit!


    Otherwise, no matter how high Rhode''s defensive power, he would have passed out on the spot.


    Facing Lin Da, who was carrying a sword and pressing in close, Rhode''s gaze flickered violently.


    As if he had made some kind of decision, he suddenly burst up with a yell,


    jumping more than five meters into the air.


    Rhode''s right fist turned metallic, bringing with it a ferocious air current, and hammered down with a thunderous crash.


    "Iron Shock!"


    Lin Da was stunned.


    Rhode''s target of attack was unexpectedly a Heretic of the Dragon''s Rest Tomb!


    The opponent''s level was around 31.


    He had been standing with arms crossed, enjoying the show.


    But he was struck by Rhode''s fist in the head, splattering red and white fluid.


    The surrounding Heretics were horrified.


    "Have you lost your mind!?"


    Hulus, both shocked and annoyed, shouted fiercely, "Rhode, even if your daughter has been made into a corpse puppet by me and desecrated by Goblins, don''t you care!?"


    The Heretics surrounded Rhode.


    "Traitor, die!"


    Their eyes filled with hatred, some pulled out large knives, others long swords, while those in the back raised their Magic Wands, chanting spells.


    Without looking back, Rhode roared with bloodshot eyes, "Lin Da, as long as you can kill this bastard Hulus, my life is yours! Go, you must avenge my daughter!"


    The person most familiar with Hulus was Rhode.


    He knew very well that even if he killed Lin Da, Hulus would not spare him or his daughter.


    From the moment Hulus captured them, they were doomed.


    But now, Rhode saw hope in Lin Da.


    It didn''t matter whether he lived or died.


    As long as he could kill Hulus!


    "Ahhh!"


    Rhode swung left and right, his fists firing like cannonballs, sending a whooshing breeze and bursting the head of a Level 30 Star Rank Swordsman!


    When dealing with Lin Da, everyone thought Rhode was ineffectual.


    It was only when they faced Rhode themselves that they realized how terrifying this adventurer, known as Shattered Rock, truly was!


    "I understand now."


    Lin Da''s gaze sharpened, as he looked up at Hulus, who was holding onto the railing of the viewing platform above, his face ashen and teeth rattling with fury.


    "Healing Elves, please soothe the patient''s pain... Intermediate Healing Spell!"


    Before that, Lin Da raised the Earth Dragon Sword, healing Rhode.


    +6501!


    Rhode, who had been weak, suddenly bristled with energy.


    "Aaah!"


    Rhode''s spirit surged, as if transformed into a heavily armored war chariot, charging wildly through the crowd.


    Heretics he touched were destroyed like fragile cream buns, Rhode''s hands grasping a Mage, his pectoral muscles flexed, and with a tearing sound like fabric being ripped apart, he actually tore the latter apart!


    Even the heretics, hardened by misdeeds from their past, were terrified by such violent scenes.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


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    Several Wind Blades struck Rhode.


    Blood streamed down Rhode''s back, but he was completely unaware.


    He glared at the Wind Mage.


    And charged furiously toward him!


    The terrifying oppressive force made the latter''s legs tremble.


    "Don''t come any closer!"


    Rhode, without a word, tore him apart with his hands again!


    The remaining forty or so heretics all turned pale with fright.


    How had Rhode, who was a complete mess just a second ago, become so powerful now?


    Only Rhode clearly understood in his heart.


    It wasn''t that he was too weak.


    It was that Lin Da''s combat power was absurdly strong!


    At that moment, having personally experienced Lin Da''s astonishing "Recovery Amount" from the Intermediate Healing, Rhode''s spirits lifted.


    If he had this guy''s help, maybe... just maybe... they could kill Hulus.


    Maybe... just maybe...


    Maybe...


    Rhode bewilderingly discovered that he was "flying."


    His perspective continuously spun.


    Upside down.


    Swinging left and right.


    Then, with a smack, he hit the ground.


    He saw a familiar body lying in a pool of blood.


    Wasn''t that himself?


    Rhode looked confused.


    He opened his mouth but could not make any sound.


    The sudden turn of events stunned all the heretics.


    Lin Da''s expression also changed.


    Hulus leaped down from midair, spewing a black, threadlike substance from the palm of his hand.


    With a casual flick, it struck Rhode''s fragile neck.


    Rhode was unprepared and was dealt a "Fatal Strike" by Hulus.


    It was then that Rhode realized: the feeling of being naked in the cold wave was akin to death.


    A look of despair, yet also a hint of relief and liberation, surfaced on his face.


    During the ten years of his alliance with Hulus, Rhode had thought about abandoning him numerous times. But this carriage had long been thundering along, and jumping off midway would only lead to a terribly tragic outcome.


    Now, at least he could rest.


    Rhode glanced at Lin Da with the corner of his eye, opened his mouth, and silently said:


    "The rest is up to you."


    The very next moment, Rhode''s head was crushed under Hulus''s foot.


    "What a waste!


    Rhode, I will let goblins violate your daughter in front of your corpse!


    Oh, by the way, I forgot to tell you something, the night I caught your daughter, I had already injected her with Magic Potion.


    Unfortunately, your daughter''s talents were too poor, and in just a few minutes, she turned into a twisted, stinking chunk of meat! Now, she''s probably even below goblins'' standards!" sea??h th�� n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hulus sneered coldly.


    In just a few seconds.


    Level 35 [Shattered Rock] Rhode, fallen!


    Even if Hulus''s attack was a sneak attack, the power he displayed was still astonishing.

 Chapter 442 342, 1 vs 50, dont come over here!_2

    "Lord Hulus is mighty!"


    "Praise to Lord Hulus!"


    "Those who defy His Majesty the Demon King''s will shall surely receive death!"


    The heretics found their backbone, flocking to Hulus''s side.


    Lin Da frowned.


    He hadn''t seen the old man in a month, and there were significant changes.


    First was his appearance.


    Hulus was skin and bones, with deep-set eyes and a row of ribs jutting out beneath his robe, each topped with a hairy spider leg.


    They trembled slightly with Hulus''s breath.


    The Level Aura emanating from his rival was also much stronger than when they had met in the Dragon Forest, at least level 37.


    Lin Da''s primary mission was to hold out until reinforcements arrived.


    He made no rash moves, instead casting a Verdant Shield on himself. Standing about ten meters away on the platform, with his hands on his sword, he watched Hulus warily.


    "Ho ho, Lin Da, are you sweating buckets yet?


    This is the power of the Magic Potion.


    Refining the blood of the Fallen Witch, combined with carefully formulated Dragon Blood.


    In comparison, what are these minor physical transformations?"


    Hulus caressed the spider legs on his stomach affectionately, as if a beastman was stroking an elven lady''s black silk stocking.


    He raised his head to look at Monica, hanging in a cage in midair, and cackled:


    "Little Monica, watch closely as your captain dies before your eyes! Remember, it''s all because of you!"


    Lin Da''s expression changed and he said, "Don''t listen to his nonsense, just hold on; your captain will bring you home in a moment! Lulu and the others have prepared the meals, waiting for you to return!"


    "But, but Monica is a useless team member," Monica whispered.


    During the past month, Hulus had continuously ingrained into her the notion that she was the most useless member of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, only holding Lin Da back.


    It would be better for her to stay at Dragon''s Rest Tomb and undergo the experiments.


    And now, it was she who had caused Lin Da to come to her rescue, only to be trapped by Hulus...


    "Dammit!"


    Seeing Monica trembling more violently in the cage, Lin Da gritted his teeth, leaped into the air, and lashed out with the Dark Whip, targeting the chains that suspended the cage.


    Boom!


    The Dark Whip was shattered by a black spear, vanishing into thin air.


    Hulus sneered, lifting his magic wand: "Dare to snatch my experimental subject, who do you think you are? Followers, attack him!"


    The forty or so heretics, albeit reluctantly, charged at Lin Da.


    Leading them were three Heavy Armored Warriors brandishing massive shields, followed by lines of Spearmen and Swordsmen, with two Mages and a Healer in the back.


    Those eight were of Star Rank; the rest of the heretics were all around level 20.


    They surrounded Lin Da, shrinking his dodging space.


    "Form Shield Wall!" S~ea??h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The three Heavy Armored Warriors roared in unison.


    Their shields were black, engraved with castle patterns.


    The bulky figures slammed their shields to the ground, and instantly, a phantom fortress appeared, barring Lin Da''s path.


    Without taking down these three Heavy Armored Warriors, Lin Da would struggle to reach the heretics'' back line.


    Hulus and other Mages seized the opportunity to chant spells.


    Wind Blades, Fireballs, along with Skeleton Soldiers summoned by Hulus, came one after another.


    To deal with Lin Da, a 33-level Healing Mage, Hulus hesitated not a moment to use overwhelming force.


    "Hee hee!


    I will torture this Lin Da bit by bit.


    Monica, just listen carefully to Lin Da''s screams, watch how he dies!"


    Hulus waved his black gem-encrusted magic wand, creating an array inside the cage, from which a skeleton with deep blue flames in its eye sockets emerged.


    It forced Monica''s face against the bars of the cage.


    Forcing Monica to keep her eyes wide open, she had to watch Lin Da surrounded by danger.


    "Wu wu wu, don''t, don''t..." Monica cried out.


    The sound of the girl''s crying delighted Hulus immensely; he pulled out a flat magic device he carried with him, its screen displaying a mountainous magic power fluctuation chart.


    The peak far exceeded the norm.


    Change, damn it, change!


    Hulus, frantic, looked closely at Monica''s form, which still retained a human shape, showing no signs of demonization.


    This meant the stimulus was still not intense enough!


    "Listen, don''t kill that Lin Da in one hit, torture him for me!" Hulus ordered.


    Thud! Thud! Thud!


    The cacophony of swords clashing against shields at the front lines was incessant.


    Lin Da''s face was icy, his magic power surging recklessly, launching one attack after another against the shield wall formed by the three Heavy Armored Warriors.


    With every attack, it was as if a gargantuan beast shook the earth, and even from behind their giant shields, the three warriors were battered by Lin Da to the point of bleeding from their mouths.


    "What kind of monster is this! Is he really only level 33?"


    "Hold on, hold on... No, we can''t hold on much longer!"


    "Damn it, where''s the Healing Art, hurry up!"


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    Pauli, the black Heavy Armored Warrior with dreadlocks, led the three, all of whom were in agony.


    They were, on average, level 31, which theoretically shouldn''t have been much different from Lin Da.


    But in combat, it was like "three infants fighting against Behemoth," with their hands clutching the shields going numb from Lin Da''s vibrations.


    Ssss~ Ssss!


    At that moment, an irritating corroding noise was heard.


    Pauli looked closely and was scared out of his wits! His thick shield had been corroded by Lin Da''s Poison Technique, leaving a hole the size of a fist!


    But that wasn''t all.


    "Toxic Purple Mist."


    With a toss of his left hand, Lin Da unleashed his new skill.


    As the purple mist covered the entire area, the poison irritated the respiratory tract, causing Pauli and the others to feel excruciating pain in their throats, as if slashed by blades.


    Their complexions turned from white to green, then from green to purple.


    In Lin Da''s view, a bunch of -800s popped up continuously, never stopping.


    "It''s poison, this guy''s poisonous!"


    "Run, if we don''t escape we''ll be poisoned to death!"


    "I need Antidote Herb, Antidote Herb!"


    The Heretics around level 20 were all poisoned so severely they threw away their helmets and armor, howling like ghosts and wolves as they ran to areas without the poison mist.


    Pauli and the other Star Rankers had thicker Life Barriers and could hold out a bit longer.


    "Healing Art!"


    The Healer from Dragon''s Rest Tomb clenched his teeth and provided Healing Art to Pauli.


    "Triple Wind Blade!"


    "Great Fireball Technique!"


    "Ice Pillar Technique!"


    The Mages raised their Magic Wands, and three different-colored spells simultaneously assaulted Lin Da.


    Clang, clang, clang!


    The Wind Blades continually struck the Emerald Light Shield.


    But other than making it slightly dimmer, the Lin Da inside remained unaffected.


    With a calm face, he focused on chopping at the giant shield.


    That extremely calm demeanor, with an unfathomable gaze, made him look like a wild beast spying on everyone through a door crack, which was horrifying.


    If Lin Da breached the Shield Wall, it would be unimaginable.


    Pauli swallowed with a gulp and yelled to bolster his own courage:


    "Don''t be afraid, everyone, this Lin Da is at the end of his rope. With three of us Heavy Armored Warriors and Mages wearing him down, how much Magic Power can he have left? Victory is waving at us!"


    The Fireballs and Ice Pillars kept smashing against Lin Da''s Verdant Shield.


    A war of attrition was indeed disadvantageous for Lin Da.


    Nearly fifty people were against him alone.


    It seemed it was time to pull out some trump cards.


    Lin Da took a deep breath, his eyes resolute, and positioned his Earth Dragon Longsword for a thrust.


    A faint Dragon''s Might emanated from him, spreading throughout the area.


    "What''s, what''s happening?"


    "This guy''s aura has changed!"


    "Careful, it might be his Ultimate Skill!"


    Perspiration formed on the foreheads of Pauli and the other two, pressing their bodies behind the giant shield.


    Lin Da thought: [Green Dragon Warrior''s Cavities] is truly Epic Two-Star Equipment. The attached [Dragon Series Skills Enhancement] can increase the power of this move by 30%.


    When using Dragon Series Skills, it came with a trace of the Giant Dragon''s oppression.


    Everyone including Hulus felt a tightness in their chests, and the circulation of Magic Power and Battle Qi in their bodies slowed by half a beat.


    They felt the Dragon''s Might coming from Lin Da???


    "Forest Dragon''s Rage Fang!"


    Lin Da silently uttered the words in his mind, and with a thrust of his sword, a green-colored Array appeared in the void.


    The roar of a dragon echoed through the cave, and a Vine Dragon, intertwined with vines and hanging with many green leaves looking vividly real, burst out from the Array.


    The Wooden Giant Dragon targeted the three Heavy Armored Warriors blocking Lin Da''s path.


    "Ahhhh!"


    Screams erupted one after another; Pauli and the other two Heavy Armored Warriors had already been severely beaten by Lin Da, and when the Forest Dragon''s Rage Fang appeared, it demolished them, smashing them into a bloody mess and breaking their giant shields in half.


    The Vine Dragon did not cease its attack and opened its jaws wide towards the Swordsmen and Spearmen of the middle rows.


    "Don''t come over, don''t come over here!" The Swordsman was a skinny man, staring with terrified eyes, screaming in panic.

 Chapter 443 343. The Demon Kings Familiar, Contract Signing

    Before he could defend himself, the Swordsman was bitten in half by Lin Da''s Forest Dragon''s Rage Fang.


    The remaining Spearman, pale as a sheet, stood frozen in place.


    His companion''s blood had splattered across his face.


    It was only thanks to his companion''s resistance that when the Vine Dragon reached him, it had just run out of magic power.


    The scene was dead silent, with only the sound of water dripping from the ceiling of the cave remaining.


    The Spearman, his throat dry, stared blankly ahead.


    Starting with Lin Da, the Vine Dragon had cleared a straight path through.


    Where it passed, no one was left.


    Pauli and three other Heavy Armored Warriors, including the Swordsman companion, were all brutally killed.


    Though of the same Star Rank, Lin Da had obliterated four people with a single move!


    "You, don''t come any closer!"


    The Spearman was a Doghead named Doug.


    Underneath his robe, his black-and-white spotted tail was nervously tucked between his legs, his voice tinged with a whimper.


    Not all Heretics were zealously devoted to the Demon King; some viewed this job merely as a high-paying gig.


    Working for the Demon King was fine.


    Dying was not!


    "Die!"


    Lin Da was not about to forgive Doug. He charged forward with reckless Triple Slash combined with a Venom Eruption, claiming the life of this Level 30 Doghead.


    Blood splashed across Lin Da''s chest; his expression remained emotionless as he approached the backline Heretics.


    The group was terrified out of their wits.


    If even the Heavy Armored Warriors couldn''t stop this demon, wouldn''t it be like a tiger entering a flock of sheep if he got closer?


    Except for a few fanatics who were moved to death by their own zeal, the rest scattered in all directions.


    Hulus''s face was stone-cold, and as he slammed his Black Gem Staff on the ground, he angrily exclaimed:


    "That''s the Forest Dragon''s technique, how does a newly appointed Star Rank have the qualifications to possess it!"


    The Forest Dragon''s Rage Fang, equivalent to a Moon Rank Rare Technique, was slightly weaker than a lethal move but had the advantage of multiple uses.


    Aside from the ability to soar in the sky, the greatest advantage of a Moon Rank was its Rare Techniques.


    A Skill Book like the Forest Dragon''s Rage Fang would cost at least twenty million Gold Coins.


    And it was priceless.


    Lin Da had only recently been promoted to Star Rank, and according to the intelligence Hulus gathered, after being kicked out by Snow Goose, Lin Da was even impoverished enough to live in a slum. How could such a person afford twenty million gold coins?


    "Could it be..."


    Hulus remembered the Great Mystery Continent of ten levels from a month ago.


    Every adventurer located in the Dragon Forest had heard the thundering roar of the dragon.


    Hulus''s heart skipped a beat.


    "Could it be that Forest Dragon was slain by you!


    Impossible, absolutely impossible!


    How could you, a Star Rank, kill a Level 49 Forest Dragon? Even a regular Light Rank would struggle to handle it!"


    Hulus was doubtful.


    Just then, Lin Da leaped into the air and with one sword strike, cut through the bars of the cage.


    "Dark Whip!"


    The whip curled around Monica''s waist and she fell directly into Lin Da''s arms!


    Having finally rescued his teammate, Lin Da genuinely breathed a sigh of relief.


    Monica trembled in his arms.


    "It''s okay now, I''ll take you home in a bit!"


    Seeing Monica''s gaunt figure, Lin Da couldn''t help but feel a pang of heartache.


    "No, we can''t!"


    Monica pushed Lin Da forcefully, but due to her lack of strength, he didn''t move, and she almost fell backwards, desperate and close to tears:


    "Lord, taking Monica is just a burden, you must escape!"


    Having been here for a month, Monica knew all too well how terrifying Hulus''s methods could be.


    Lin Da might manage on his own, but with her as a burden, defeating Hulus was out of the question, let alone escaping.


    Monica knew how important she was to Hulus, as he wouldn''t kill her before his experiment succeeded.


    She opened her arms like a frightened little hen, standing in front of Lin Da.


    Monica glared at Hulus: "If you dare harm Lord, I won''t cooperate with you anymore! Let him leave quickly!"


    Seeing Monica''s frail body shielding him, Lin Da was both amused and touched!


    "Just a mere Hulus, I hardly consider him a threat."


    Knowing he had backup, Lin Da was full of confidence.


    At this moment, he looked at Monica struggling to hold back tears, feeling a raging fire burning inside him.


    If he had been any later, Monica might have been tortured to death by Hulus''s experiments.


    "Monica, what are you doing? Get back here now!"


    Hulus, seeing Monica rescued by Lin Da, became anxious and blurted out angrily:


    "Monica, you don''t want to see your beloved captain die before your eyes, do you?


    If you don''t come back, don''t blame me for killing Lin Da personally!


    Then, it will all be your fault, and you won''t even find a place to cry!" Continue reading stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Lao Deng, shut up!"


    As Lin Da saw Monica''s bewildered face, his anger surged through his sword: "Poison Dragon''s Roar!"


    A twenty-meter purple giant dragon roared out, Hulus barely had time to dodge; his eyes widened as a loud bang sent him flying like a rag doll deep into the stone wall!


    "Oof!"


    Hulus''s mouth and nose spouted blood, his Life Barrier dimmed by half. sea??h th�� nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Lin Da, how dare you hurt me? Surrounded by dozens of my followers at Dragon''s Rest Tomb, how dare you, you madman!"


    Hulus cursed aloud.


    Encircling his head were ten purple teardrop-shaped gems, the ongoing damage from the Poison Dragon''s Roar called Dragon''s Sorrow.


    With every gem shattered, Hulus''s complexion grew even paler.


    Hulus scrambled through various pots and jars, pouring them into his mouth, and shouted to his followers: "What are you standing there for, Healing Art!"


    The followers, jolted from their stupor, began casting their spells chaotically.

 Chapter 444 343. The Demon Kings Familiar, Contract Signing_2

    "This is so annoying, let''s take out the back-row professions first!"


    Lin Da hugged Monica and whooshed into the crowd.


    "Ahhh!"


    In an instant, a chorus of screams erupted throughout the cave.


    Against these heretics, generally around level twenty, Lin Da moved as if in a deserted realm.


    Soon, his Earth Dragon Longsword turned red.


    The thick liquid slid down the blade like threads of silk.


    The scent of blood around was strong, making Lin Da feel slightly uncomfortable.


    But when he thought of the countless innocent girls these heretics had captured for their magic potion experiments, his anger flared, and he showed no mercy.


    Some had their heads chopped off, others were cut in half at the waist.


    The ground was littered with severed limbs and torsos; some heretics, still not quite dead, screamed in pain.


    Wherever Lin Da went, it was like a living hell.


    "Forest Dragon''s Rage Fang!"


    Leaping into the densest center of the heretics, Lin Da swung his longsword, unleashing the rare technique for the second time.


    Three heretic Star Tier Mages huddled together to flee but were caught by Lin Da.


    The Vine Dragon slammed their bodies brutally against the wall.


    Hulus could withstand it, but they were far from capable.


    When the Vine Dragon vanished, the three were nothing but a mixed patty of flesh.


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    "Does the captain''s appearance scare you?" Lin Da looked down at Monica, who was cradled in his arms. His clothes were drenched in red ''tomato sauce,'' the collar of his coat turning red.


    Lin Da stepped on the corpses of heretics, his gaze calm.


    He adapted to the slaughter at a bewildering pace, which even surprised himself.


    Perhaps the Dark Shadow was his true inner self.


    As Lin Da felt bewildered, struggling to distinguish himself, Monica shook her little head and said, "I''m not scared!"


    "As long as it''s Lord Captain, Monica isn''t afraid!"


    The young girl''s crisp voice cleared the haze in Lin Da''s eyes.


    He cast Dark Whip again to kill a few more heretics, cleaning up the "minor pests."


    Lin Da ruffled Monica''s head and smiled,


    "Wait here; once Captain kills that old thing, we''ll go home.


    Let Lulu prepare some delicious food, and let''s invite Snow Goose and the others as well.


    Oh, and Chloe is missing you. She''s saved up a bunch of games to play with you."


    Monica: "Okay, be careful, Captain!"


    Lin Da nodded and walked towards Hulus with his sword.


    The battle erupted in an instant.


    Lin Da turned into a melee fighter, chasing after Hulus.


    Meanwhile, Hulus continuously summoned Skeleton Soldiers to hinder Lin Da.


    A spider on his chest spit out shadowy threads, lurking in the air, waiting for a chance to strike.


    This was destined to be a prolonged battle.


    While Hulus couldn''t take down Lin Da quickly, Lin Da was surrounded by skeletons, making it hard for him to catch up to Hulus.


    After a brief thought, Lin Da decided to use the Guardian Sword to clear the minions.


    With Light Wings spread out behind him, he briefly ascended before a crescent moon-shaped sword light flew out.


    Over a hundred skeletons turned to ash within the sword light!


    But after using this move, Lin Da felt a wave of exhaustion.


    His entire body ached, and his arms trembled.


    His health points were full, but his stamina was greatly depleted.


    After killing fifty heretics named Rhode, there was still an endless army of Skeleton Soldiers ahead...


    These creatures had high poison resistance; even Lin Da''s Toxic Purple Mist had almost no effect.


    By the time he snapped back, his vision was once again filled with a vast number of Skeleton Soldiers.


    Through the gaps in their bones, he could see Hulus sneering as he raised his staff, relentlessly summoning more.


    If it were Monica, skilled in Area-of-Effect spells, just an Earthquake Technique could wipe out a legion of Skeleton Soldiers.


    But Monica had long since run out of magic power; she couldn''t even cast a minor Earth Spear Spell.


    Having long suffered from a lack of magic power, her magic circuits had dried up.


    Even if she took a Recovery Potion, it wouldn''t work quickly.


    As Lin Da pondered, more and more Skeleton Soldiers appeared, their numbers so dense he could no longer see Hulus.


    This scoundrel was hiding behind the skeletons, shaking the Black Gem Staff like a child with paralysis, crazily summoning Skeleton Soldiers.


    His fiendish movements could drive one to a stroke.


    Every time the number of skeletons reached a hundred, they would spawn a taller and more rugged skeleton general clad in ragged armor and wielding a large sword.


    Lin Da felt a sense of foreboding.


    The aura of these skeletons was at least level thirty.


    Gathering 100 skeleton generals could give birth to who knows what kind of magical creature.


    Hulus knew he couldn''t beat him in close combat, so relying on the dense number of skeletons, he hid behind and desperately "shook people," trying to overwhelm him with numbers.


    Sweat on his forehead dripped down Lin Da''s chin, drop by drop.


    If this continued, he would be exhausted to death!


    Knowing there was no solution, Lin Da could only swing his sword to eliminate the skeleton soldiers.


    It had now become a gamble.


    He was betting whether his physical strength would run out first or if reinforcements would arrive before then!


    ...


    ...


    "It''s been half an hour, isn''t it ready yet?"


    On the Barren Plains, Lulu anxiously circled around the Wave Detection Instrument.


    In the leaden sky, the downpour had yet to cease.


    The dry land turned muddy, splashing mud onto everyone''s trouser legs.


    But no one thought about dodging, each with a serious expression stared at the device''s small fluorescent screen.


    They didn''t understand those cluttered Magic Runes, but they understood one thing, the number: 29%.


    Half an hour passed, and that was the progress.


    To detect the location on the other side of the teleportation portal, at least one hour was needed.


    Even Kafni was panicking.


    She could feel that Lin Da''s life force was weakening and he was in crisis.


    The person operating the detection instrument, Wenqi, was sweating profusely, "Don''t rush me, I''m trying my best! It''s this damn rainy weather causing interference with the teleportation array''s fluctuation!"


    "Stupid machine!"


    Bailuo''s face darkened, and she punched the top of the Wave Detection Instrument.


    Sizzle~


    The display of the Wave Detection Instrument turned into multicolored patches.


    Bailuo: ?


    Wenqi was dumbfounded.


    The detector, worth ten thousand Purple Gold Coins, had it been broken by this director?


    "Is there something wrong with your device?"


    Not stopping there, Bailuo punched it two more times.


    ...


    Inside the cave.


    The light from the torches flickered, the ground was littered with corpses, and blood flowed like rivers.


    Initially, Monica could still see Lin Da''s figure.


    But as more and more skeletons appeared, turning into a white ocean, she completely lost track of where Lin Da was.


    This meant that Lin Da''s speed in eliminating the skeletons could no longer keep up with the speed of Hulus''s summoning.


    Monica was on pins and needles, her small hand aimed at the skeleton soldiers, wanting to release the Earthquake Technique.


    But her empty Magic Circuit, like a towel sun-dried for three days, could not wring out a single drop of water no matter how hard she twisted.


    Instead, the severe pain in her head nearly caused Monica to faint.


    She anxiously stomped her foot, wondering if there was any way to save Captain Lin Da��


    Monica wanted to return with Lin Da to eat hot meals, to play with Chloe, to forget the painful memories of the past month, and to think of Lulu and the others. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The girl clasped her hands together and prayed in her heart.


    Anyone, please listen to Monica''s wish.


    She was willing to pay any price to save Lin Da!


    It was Lin Da who had taken her out of her enclosed cottage in Red Heart City and had saved her from robbers when she was young.


    Now, she had been captured by heretics.


    The person who appeared like a knight was still Lin Da.


    Monica thought, no matter the cost, she was willing to accept it.


    This time, she wanted to be the one to save Lin Da!


    World Tree Goddess, please hear my plea!


    The girl''s strong obsession turned into spiritual energy, dispersing into the void.


    Drip.


    The space seemed to become a lake surface, and ripples slowly spread out.


    From within the ripples, a black rabbit emerged.


    It had wings on its back and held a piece of parchment in its hand.


    The parchment was filled with twisted blood-red letters, infused with a dense dark aura.


    "I am the Familiar Bite, following the will of His Majesty the Demon King, I ask you:


    Do you crave power?


    His Majesty the Demon King can fulfill all your wishes.


    The price is small, almost negligible.


    If you agree, just sign above.


    No need for a pen, your consent with your mind is enough to complete the signature."


    The black rabbit, calling itself Bite, handed the parchment to Monica, its button-like eyes twinkling with an unusual light.

 Chapter 445 344. Hulus loses his temper: My Magic Potion could never possibly go wrong.

    "Group Healing!"


    Lin Da raised his longsword, forming a verdant green magic circle.


    Under the influence of the healing art, the skeleton soldiers twisted in agony as if scorched by fierce flames.


    Their bones dropped one by one, gradually turning to ash and vanishing.


    This was already uncountably the nth time Lin Da had used "Group Healing."


    It was useful, indeed.


    But not extremely so.


    It was like using a spoon to remove a chunk of water from a basin.


    There was an effect, yet it was not significant.


    Skeleton soldiers filled the cave almost to bursting.


    The rustling sound of their bones grinding together merged into a continuous and relentless downpour.


    Lin Da created a gap with Group Healing, but it was filled in the blink of an eye.


    Hulus''s summoning of skeleton soldiers was like a long-overdue bowel movement��only after squatting did one realize it was going to be a torrential flow.


    The ability to summon so many skeletons indicated that Hulus had abundant supplies; he probably spent his nights digging up people''s ancestral graves when he had nothing better to do.


    These skeleton soldiers, some armed with curved blades, others wielding rusty spears, and some carrying dung forks or scythes and other such "villager skeletons" with agricultural tools.


    Their fighting ability wasn''t strong, hitting Lin Da''s life barrier for only -3.


    But their numbers were overwhelming.


    Suddenly, a cold wind struck from behind.


    Lin Da was momentarily stunned, shocked to realize that he had allowed an enemy to get close without noticing.


    Since entering the cave and the onset of battle, nearly an hour had passed.


    In that hour, Lin Da''s magic power and physical strength were severely depleted.


    The former was still manageable��Lin Da had brought a bunch of mana recovery potions and could force himself to drink them, dealing with the damage to the magic circuit later.


    But the physical exhaustion was hard to replenish quickly. The Earth Dragon Longsword in Lin Da''s hand felt as heavy as a massive column, lacking the ease he had when fighting Rhode.


    Lin Da didn''t have time to turn and swing his sword; he braced himself with the Verdant Shield.


    With a clang, the tall skeleton warrior fell backwards, its large sword shattered by the impact. sea??h th�� N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But Lin Da also staggered back a few steps.


    He supported himself on his knees, his hands and legs trembling slightly.


    Right now, Lin Da had only one feeling��exhaustion!


    If there were a soft, large bed, he could immediately sleep for three days and three nights!


    His lungs expanded to their limits with each breath, yet even so, he felt like he couldn''t breathe enough. Although his health points were still full and the Verdant Shield was thick, his body was gradually losing its combat capability.


    A group of skeleton dogs surrounded Lin Da, barking furiously. Seeing Lin Da''s indifferent reaction, the soul fire behind their eyes suddenly turned blood red. They howled and lunged at Lin Da with open mouths.


    The Verdant Shield flickered continuously, like a lake surface battered by a storm.


    Lin Da watched as the skeleton dogs attacked him, yet he did not swing his sword.


    A strange expression flickered in his eyes as he thought, "It''s been so long; if Bailuo hasn''t arrived yet, something must have happened."


    At this point, he had no choice but to resort to his last trump card.


    Boom, boom!


    The Verdant Shield, constantly struck by the skeleton dogs and warriors, emitted loud noises, changing from green to transparent.


    Lin Da looked up at the skeleton soldiers clustering outside the barrier, staring at him like hungry beasts.


    He pulled a deep red potion from his space ring.


    The potion was stored in a long crystal test tube, the liquid inside extremely viscous, bubbling and rolling like a miniature lava pool.


    It was an item Lin Da had chosen while purchasing equipment at a commercial firm.


    [Item: Rage Potion]


    [Quality: Epic]


    [Level: Suitable for adventurers below level 40]


    [Effect: Immediately restores 30% Magic Power, 30% Battle Qi, 30% stamina, and increases ability values by 10%, lasting for 3 minutes]


    A magic potion with impressive and potent effects.


    Equally, its side effects were also "impressive."


    After three minutes, the adventurer would immediately fall into a weakened state. According to those who had used it, it felt like a sensitive 11-year-old boy being assaulted by two 40-year-old Succubi.


    In other words,


    this was a wicked potion that could overdraft one''s physical strength to achieve a 30% full recovery instantly.


    But it only lasted three minutes.


    Afterward, the user would be completely devoid of fighting capacity.


    Lin Da quickly calculated in his mind: there was still one use left of the Forest Dragon''s Rage Fang, to bind Hulus, then forcefully use the second ultimate skill, the Poison Dragon''s Roar, to finish off the opponent instantly.


    This was the script if everything went smoothly.


    If he still couldn''t kill Hulus...


    The one to die would be himself!


    The Verdant Shield was being consumed continuously, and every second dragged was to his disadvantage.


    Lin Da''s gaze became fierce, and with a snap, he pulled the cork out of the Rage Potion.


    A fiery and pungent smell burst forth from the bottle.


    He frowned, held the potion to his lips, and mentally roared, "Let''s do this!"


    "Beep beep beep~~~!"


    Just as Lin Da was about to swallow the potion, a sharp noise from the magic guide instrument resonated about ten meters ahead of him.


    Hulus paused in his movement of shaking the magic wand, took out the magic power detector from his waist, and looked intently.


    Then, his aged face showed an ecstatic expression.


    The magic power fluctuation graph soared like a sharp sword straight to the top, breaking through a red line.


    This indicated that the magic potion was resonating with the test subject.


    Behind the dense skeleton soldiers, an exceptionally evil magic aura arose.


    It was like some kind of viscous filth, emitting a nauseating stench for ordinary adventurers, while also containing a chilling murderous intent, halving the temperature of the entire cave.


    The nearby skeleton soldiers instinctively moved aside.


    The soul fires behind their eye sockets flickered violently, expressing their terror.


    Divine Gift golden lights fell upon the petite girl.


    Hulus trembled with excitement all over.


    He had waited far too long for this day.


    To this end, he had sacrificed hundreds of young girls'' lives, the funding for Dragon''s Rest Tomb was exhausted, and the years of savings of the Specter Adventure Group were gone.


    But at this moment, it was all about to pay off!


    Hulus''s face turned flush, and he raised his arms high, tearing open his throat and shouting:


    "Success, I have succeeded!


    From now on, I will become a Moon Rank...


    No, a Light Rank...!"


    "No no no, I, the creator of the Artificial Witch, will become a legend whose name is passed down for a thousand generations across the continent, hahaha!"


    In just a moment, that aura broke through from level 29 to Star Rank, and then 31, 32, 33...


    With each breakthrough, Hulus grew even more exhilarated, more excited than if it were his own.


    This meant that the Magic Potion he had concocted was a tremendous success!


    There was still no sign of stopping as the surge broke through to level 34 and then stopped at 35.


    The fierce battle finally welcomed a pause.


    Both Hulus and Lin Da mutually ceased their efforts.


    They knew that the curtain had fallen on the fight with no suspense left, no point in dragging it out.


    Lin Da''s hand, holding the Rage Potion, froze at his mouth.


    His fighting spirit, like a sandcastle by the shore, was smashed to pieces by the crashing waves.


    The Artificial Witch created by the Magic Potion was transforming into a humanoid monster.


    He wasn''t sure if his Witch Purification would work on these "inferior products."


    Even if it could, he''d need to tie up the opponent first.


    Now, Monica had advanced to level 35, while he was completely drained of energy.


    The last thing Lin Da wanted to see had eventually happened.


    Hulus''s mad laughter was especially piercing:


    "It''s a success, hahaha, my Artificial Witch has succeeded!"


    "Lin Da, you are definitely going to die, the victor of this battle is me, Lord Hulus!"


    "Little Monica, your dear grandfather now commands you, kill Lin Da!"


    The Skeleton Soldiers split to either side, kneeling on one knee as if welcoming their princess.


    Lin Da looked ahead, where a strangely unfamiliar young girl stood.


    Monica had grown to about 1.7 meters tall, with brown hair flowing down to her calves, and bat-like wings unfolded behind her, lightly floating in the air.


    Her filthy burlap dress could not hide the girl''s beauty.


    On her pale neck, there was a black thorny flower, like a sharp rose etched on her delicate skin.


    At the corner of her eye, there was also a small black heart-shaped mark, emitting a fatally alluring charm.


    Lin Da was completely stunned.


    Who was this girl standing one meter seventy tall, mature in appearance, with a heart-shaped "tear mole" at the corner of her eyes, and bat wings on her back?


    She was so different from the obedient and gentle Monica he knew!


    Lin Da''s Recovery Magic Power instinctively repelled Monica, feeling that she was filthy all over, wishing he could clean her thoroughly inside and out with foam.


    The level of Monica also shocked Lin Da.


    In a few seconds, she had risen from level 29 to level 35.


    Could Hulus be a genius?


    This Magic Potion developed by Lao Deng displayed power on par with that of real witches who have signed contracts with the Demon King!


    But the Demon King can only entice witches with murmurs, unable to directly control them.


    Hulus, however, could issue direct commands to Monica...


    Does that not mean he is even more formidable than the Demon King?


    Your next journey awaits at My Virtual Library Empire


    Lin Da bizarrely thought if something was amiss.


    On the other side, Hulus''s eyes widened as he stared at Monica, like an artist admiring a once-in-an-era masterpiece, trembling as he spoke:


    "A masterpiece, a perfect masterpiece! A witch with hardly any demonization, I''ve done it!"


    He ecstatically ran over, like an old father welcoming his daughter graduating from Adventurers'' University.


    But Monica just looked at him coldly.


    The next moment.


    A brown magic circle formed in Monica''s palm.


    Earth elemental magic power furiously converged, and dust floated in the air.


    It was Monica''s signature skill: Earth Bombardment!


    A thick brown beam of light shot out.


    With a thunderous crash.


    Hulus was blown back straight into a stone wall, deeply embedded within it.


    For this carefully cultivated experiment of his, Hulus had no defense whatsoever, just as a master would not believe his own dog would bite him.


    Struck directly by Earth Bombardment, his chest instantly caved in.


    Every movement of his body felt as if it was being pierced by thousands of steel needles.


    One of his right arms also turned to ash on the spot.


    Hulus coughed continuously, the blood he spat out was extremely thick, mixed with small chunks of his internal organs.


    He stared at Monica incredulously, his voice shrill,


    "Why, why attack me?


    My command was for you to kill Lin Da!


    You useless thing, your target should have been that young man with black hair, not me!"


    Hulus shouted frantically.


    But Monica ignored him.


    Her bat-like wings fluttered as she landed on the ground and walked lightly towards Lin Da.


    This, however, gave Hulus a glimmer of hope.


    It was just a small mistake by Monica, the magic potion he had developed couldn''t possibly be flawed!


    The next Earth Bombardment would definitely hit Lin Da!


    Hulus roared ferociously, "Quick, Monica, finish off Lin Da!"


    As soon as he finished speaking.


    On the ground directly in front of him, a massive brown array with a diameter of fifty meters lit up.


    It was one of the exclusive skills of an Earth Mage, the Earthquake Technique.


    The platform collapsed in an instant.


    The ferocious earth elemental magic ravaged everything within the array, shattering the skeleton soldiers into fragments, turning them into a pile of bones.


    Just one Earthquake Technique had destroyed thousands of skeleton soldiers.


    At this rate, a maximum of three Earthquake Techniques would annihilate all the skeleton soldiers.


    Hulus''s eyes bulged, his breathing trembled.


    What was happening?


    Why did Monica attack the skeletons he had finally summoned?


    Couldn''t she hear his commands?


    In theory, once Monica had fully absorbed the magical properties of the potion, he was supposed to be Monica''s only master, Monica''s dearest grandpa.


    Could it be the dose was insufficient...


    "Monica, grandpa is coming to get you, just stand still and don''t move!"


    Hulus took out a syringe filled with an oil-like thick liquid. Facing her like a disobedient pet dog, he put on a kind and friendly smile and walked towards Monica cautiously, step by step.

 Chapter 446 345, New Witch Unlocked, Monicas Trust Level

    Facing Hulus, this beloved grandfather, Monica''s face turned cold, and her palms aimed at Hulus, "Get lost!"


    Monica, biting her lips, looked at the man who called himself "grandfather" with disgust, his face baring a nauseating smile.


    Even if she accidentally stepped on an ant on the road, Monica would feel guilty and silently apologize to Mr. Ant.


    But facing Hulus, the old man who had tormented her for over a month and who wanted to kill her beloved team captain...


    A thick, dark, negative emotion surged within Monica''s chest.


    A strong intent to kill erupted from the girl''s body.


    Under Hulus''s panicked expression, a brown beam of light appeared.


    "Earth Bombardment!"


    The overly powerful magic caused explosions to ring out through the air.


    In her witch state, Monica made the already potent Earth Bombardment even more terrifying.


    The beam swept across, like a giant earth dragon swallowing Hulus.


    "No!!!"


    In screams, Hulus was transformed into a human sandbag, flying out at a speed a hundred times faster than when he had arrived.


    Hulus turned into a blood man in the air, his skin exploding, blood spraying wildly, and the spider legs on his stomach all smashed.


    The thick stone walls were like tofu, and Hulus crashed into them.


    Stones clattered and fell, burying half of his body, leaving only his legs exposed outside.


    This arrogant and invincible "Young Dragon Level" officer, after taking two Earth Bombardments from Monica, was on the verge of death and lost his combat ability!


    ��


    Lin Da, protected by Monica at the back, was flabbergasted.


    The destructive power was almost comparable to an ordinary Star Tier Mage''s ultimate skill.


    His impression of the Four-star Rare Character, Earth Mage Monica, was that her strength was not this high.


    After entering the witch state, Monica displayed power that rivaled some Five-star characters.


    "Captain, I''m sorry," Monica said timidly as she turned around, tears dripping from her eyes like tiny pearls.


    Like a child who unwittingly spent all the family''s gold coins at the Magic Guide Gaming Center, fearing punishment from an adult, she sobbed, "Monica, Monica has become a witch."


    Initially, Lin Da was already exhausted treating Lulu and Tasya, and every time Monica saw them come out of the room, aside from the two sisters'' glowing faces, Lin Da was holding his waist, looking worn out.


    Adding herself to that would surely wear Lin Da out.


    Moreover, witches are written in the imperial laws as villains. Sear?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    All adventurers who see a witch have a duty to report her to the empire.


    When that rabbit familiar named Bite appeared, Monica, desperate to save someone, did not hesitate to sign the contract.


    Only now did she realize the fright it caused.


    Under Monica''s dress by her left chest, a throbbing pain emerged. A black thorn was growing from her heart.


    Whenever she used the witch''s power, the thorn would spread throughout her body.


    At the moment, it had grown to her neck, the tip turning into a black rose.


    Monica held her head low, feeling guilty, unsure of Lin Da''s expression.


    Her clumsiness got her captured by the heretics, putting Lin Da into a crisis, and now she had signed a contract with the Demon King, turning into a witch whom everyone wanted to strike down...


    The Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team would certainly not shelter her anymore.


    Thinking that she could only wear a black robe and join the heretics, Monica felt her life was bleak and that it might be better for Lin Da to deliver her to the Holy Light Church in exchange for a reward.


    Monica waited a long time, but did not hear Lin Da speak. There was only the sound of breathing, growing more and more rapid.


    Snap! Snap!


    The noise came.


    Monica, startled, closed her eyes, her body quivering.


    But what fell were a pair of warm, broad palms.


    "Monica... you did well!" Lin Da excitedly grabbed her shoulders.


    "Huh?"


    Monica opened her eyes in astonishment, raised her head, and cautiously looked at Lin Da.


    Had the captain just complimented her?


    But she had turned into an evil witch, her body filled with filthy magic power!


    "Captain, are you, are you comforting me?" Monica said with a trembling voice.


    "No, I mean, Monica, you did very well.


    You helped the captain out of a crisis and became a witch, indirectly weakening the Demon King''s power.


    If all the girls in the world became witches, perhaps even a Moon rank adventurer could successfully defeat the Demon King," Lin Da said jokingly.


    Treating a witch indeed consumed physical strength.


    But as his level increased, he could treat an increasing number of witches.


    At level 20, Lin Da could only treat Star Tier witches.


    Now that he had entered Star Tier, he could even treat Moon Tier witches like Tasya.


    Since Monica was of his tier, it did not drain him too much.


    In contrast, the Demon King had invested real strength to contract with Monica.


    Lin Da''s "Witch Purification" could cleanse the pollution off, effectively snatching the big gift the Demon King sent to the witch for free.


    Going back a step.


    It was thanks to Monica turning into a witch that they could defeat Hulus.


    Otherwise, even if Lin Da took a Rage Potion, he would have at best a fifty percent chance of winning.


    "Isn''t the captain going to scold me?" Monica used the back of her hand to wipe the tears from her eyes, blinking her large eyes in disbelief. Stay updated with My Virtual Library Empire


    "Of course, scolding is due.


    Those stupid heretics, utterly heartless.


    They dared to capture my Monica!


    And many innocent girls lost their lives at their hands.


    As a brave... brave adventurer, I must wipe out this bunch of scum!" Lin Da said indignantly.

 Chapter 447 345. New Witch unlocked, trust level of Monica_2

    ```


    Monica was stunned as she gazed at her tall and majestic team leader, the black fog in her eyes dissolving strand by strand until her vision cleared completely.


    She threw herself into Lin Da''s arms with a sob, choking out, "Lord, you''re the best, boo hoo, Monica never wants to leave you again."


    Initially, Monica had felt disheartened and considered escaping when she learned that Sister Lulu had become Lin Da''s Oath-bound.


    But after becoming a Witch, the dark power influenced her mind, causing the desires buried deep within her heart to swell uncontrollably.


    Monica decided she wanted to become one of the Oath-bound to her captain as well!


    She planned to confide her feelings to Lulu.


    If it were the cool-but-kind-hearted Sister Lulu, she would surely agree if Monica pleaded with her.


    Only... the current scene was somewhat eerie.


    Lin Da had slain forty or fifty Heretics, his coat soaked red with blood, while Monica clung greedily to Lin Da''s waist, her small head resting against his strong chest.


    Blood stained her cheeks, and she sniffed the familiar scent on Lin Da''s body that brought her comfort, her nostrils greedily flaring.


    The black thorn flowers spreading to her collarbone appeared like tattoos on a bad girl.


    Behind Monica, a pair of wings, both bat-like and demonic, fluttered lightly.


    The blood on her face somehow made her complexion and lips appear a vivid red, giving off a strangely seductive allure.


    But even in her Witch State, Monica was only 1.7 meters tall, still too short for Lin Da and unable to see her expression. (PS: In her normal state, she is still a 1.5-meter-tall Big Lolita)


    However, Monica''s display of affection was awkwardly felt by Lin Da.


    The Slime, flattened like a pancake, was no less extreme than Tasya...


    Such proportions were just preposterous.


    Like the protagonist of a comic book, Lin Da touched his nose to alleviate the awkwardness while discreetly shifting his legs back to avoid being too close to Monica.


    Monica in her Witch State had grown taller, her baby fat vanished, and the black heart-shaped patterns at the corners of her eyes exuded a peculiar temptation.


    In this state, Lin Da couldn''t treat Monica as a child.


    He suddenly remembered something, smacking his head and saying,


    "Oh right, Monica, take this.


    It feels out of place to say this among all these bodies and skeletons here,


    but... happy birthday."


    Lin Da took a long red gift box out of his Space Ring.


    "Eh, it''s for me?" S��ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Monica cautiously accepted the gift.


    The tears she had been barely holding back streamed down her face once more and couldn''t be wiped clean.


    She herself had forgotten that today was her birthday.


    After getting a nod and a smile from Lin Da, Monica pursed her lips and shakily began to open the gift box.


    Inside was a light blue Magic Wand.


    It was as long as the forearm of an adult, with a fierce-looking snake head at the tip, its mouth clutching a blue gem.


    Monica could not see the specific attributes of the "Snake People Chieftain''s Ice Magic Wand," but she could tell from the deep purple light emanating from it and the dominant magic aura that it was a Star Rank Epic Staff.


    And it was not a one-star�� it had to be at least Epic Two-Star!


    Such an Epic Staff would be priced around 5 million Gold Coins in a shop.


    Monica remembered her life crammed into a little house in Red Heart City half a year ago. Back then, she even skimped on water, only willing to buy Great Water for one copper coin, barely making a living by sewing dolls, with a daily wage of just a few dozen copper coins.


    And now she was able to wield an Epic Staff worth 5 million Gold...


    Lin Da smiled gently, gesturing for her to link the Magic Circuit.


    "Okay!"


    Monica hugged the Magic Wand tightly to her chest, a blissful smile spreading across her face.


    After a few seconds, the Wand''s glow subsided, and it took on the same brown hue as the standard equipment for an Earth Mage.


    Feeling the stronger magic within her, Monica''s little wings flapped excitedly, and she crisply said, "Lord, thank you for the gift!"


    Dimples appeared on the cheeks of the smiling girl.


    The sweet smile energized Lin Da, sweeping away the exhaustion of battling the Heretics as if by magic.


    At the same time, he heard a system notification in his ear:


    [The Adventure Team''s new Witch, Monica, has been automatically bound!]


    [Monica''s trust level +1, current trust level 88 points]


    [Trust Level Reward: Level 35 Earth Mage equipment pack (contains 5 Orange-quality and 1 Epic items)]


    [Received the Magic Scroll ''Triple Cast,'' which enables any ability to activate three times within ten seconds after use and only consumes one magic charge]


    [Received an Oath Ring (Magic)]


    After reading the notification, Lin Da''s eyes shone with excitement!


    Monica had transformed into a Witch just in time.


    The Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, having advanced to Star Rank, was in a period where they lacked trump cards and were caught between two stages of power.


    Monica''s initial trust level of 88 brought Lin Da a stack of rewards.


    ```


    ```


    Looking at the brown-haired girl in front of him, whose face was full of confusion, not knowing why she was smiling, Lin Da couldn''t help but pat Monica''s head again.


    Like a little kitty, Monica comfortably closed her eyes.


    Seeing her leader happy, she also started feeling cheerful.


    While rubbing his team member, Lin Da checked the trust rewards.


    Surrounded by corpses, he felt unprecedentedly elated.


    The rarest and most powerful reward among them was the magic scroll [Triple Cast].


    The quality of this item had reached Legendary One-Star!


    Its effect was nothing short of defying nature.


    After using it, any skill would be activated three times at once.


    If Lin Da used Guardian Sword, it would produce three beams of light, layering Guardian Shield three times on his designated targets.


    The thickness of the Guardian Shield was 13,200 points.


    Layered three times, that would be 39,600!


    With the threefold Guardian Shields stacked, even someone as fragile as Monica could become a tank that drives enemies to despair!


    Heavy Armored Warriors could even carry Monica as a shield and charge forward!


    Despite some exaggeration, the Triple Cast Guardian Sword was that terrifying.


    In the game, [Triple Cast] could only be obtained through a gacha draw during special events by spending money.


    And each player was limited to only one draw, and if they got it, it couldn''t be traded.


    "Monica, you did very well, and I, as your leader, have decided to reward you generously tonight!"


    Overwhelmed with excitement, Lin Da couldn''t help but hug Monica and smacked two kisses on the girl''s soft cheek.


    Earth Elemental Magic mixed with an evil aura, just like stinky tofu.


    Smells bad, tastes delicious!


    Monica''s cheeks turned bright red.


    "Cough cough!"


    At that moment, a cough caught their attention.


    "Old man, I almost forgot about you."


    Lin Da glanced over, and his expression instantly chilled.


    Some old guy was trying to sneak away while he was affectionate with his team member.


    ...


    Hulus shivered as he crawled out from the stone wall.


    His face was pale as paper, his whole body weak, and his lungs were severely injured, every breath felt like his body being sliced by a blade.


    Lacking the strength even to stand, he knelt on the ground, vomiting blood profusely.


    If it hadn''t been for him dodging the vital point at the crucial moment, Hulus would have died right then and there under Monica''s Earth Bombardment.


    Looking at the young man and woman hugging each other on the dais, his eyes bloodshot with hatred, he felt a rage he had never known, not even when he learned of his brother Kam''s death.


    Lin Da... Lin Da!


    Ah, Hulus vowed to desecrate your ancestral grave and turn your whole family into skeleton soldiers!


    Hulus roared in his heart, furious and ashamed.


    The Monica he had carefully nurtured for a month was now blushing in Lin Da''s arms.


    Hulus had completely lost his mind! Explore hidden tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    At this point, he finally understood the truth.


    That abominable Monica had bypassed the magic potion and signed a contract directly with the Demon King.


    A genuine Witch, not bound to obey anyone.


    The pollution within them was the perfect time bomb.


    All Witches, without exception, would turn into Catastrophe Beasts.


    Like maggots drawn to a scent, they were attracted to the World Tree''s essence.


    Destroying and killing along their way...


    Until they either destroyed all World Trees or were themselves destroyed.


    But what Hulus wanted was an Artificial Witch, one level below a true Witch, yet bound to obey his commands.


    In some sense, Monica was a complete failure.


    After being injected with a bunch of magic potions, she couldn''t even produce a fart.


    "Ah, curse you, die...


    No, that''s not right.


    While they haven''t noticed me, I need to escape quickly, or I will be the one dying!"


    ```

 Chapter 448 346, Lin Da light gauze Hulus,

    Hulus was about to roar in anger, baring his heart.


    But thinking of the disparity in strength between himself and Lin Da and others, it felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head, quenching his rage instantly.


    He had lost an arm, and his Life Barrier was in peril.


    In order to summon the Skeleton Army, he had also spent eighty percent of his Magic Power.


    He was no match for Monica.


    All the girls beguiled by the Demon King, when they first enter the Witch State, possess unprecedented power.


    It''s like a freshly produced soda from the Elf Forest, the gases are most abundant when the cap is first twisted open.


    It''s the same with witches.


    The first time they use the power of the witch, the bodies of the girls are pure and flawless, available for corruption and defilement.


    Although Monica was only level 35, with the power of the witch augmenting her, she had the capability to face a level 39 of the Star Rank.


    When Monica unleashed Earth Bombardment, she was barehanded without any magical equipment.


    Still, she crippled him in two moves.


    If she were equipped with a suit of Epic Equipment...


    Hulus realized the gap between them and calmed down completely.


    "Skeleton Soldiers, shield my form, pave the way for my escape!"


    Hulus gritted his teeth, enduring intense pain as he got up.


    Even with one arm gone, he still had great prospects.


    Shortly after joining Dragon''s Rest Tomb, he was nicknamed "the old inventor."


    He was one of the members most likely to succeed in creating an Artificial Witch.


    As long as he found a place to hide and continue his experiments.


    The day he succeeded, he would return to Dragon''s Rest Tomb and earn the favor of the higher-ups!


    "I am destined to reach Moon Rank, Light Rank, and even become legendary! How can I die here!"


    "As long as I can make it to that place...!"


    Hulus''s face was ferocious as he roared silently.


    Dragging his severely injured body, he headed towards a secret passage.


    There was a small teleportation array there, his backup plan.


    He hadn''t intended to use it, but now it seemed he was indeed wise!


    Twenty meters, ten meters, eight meters...


    As he got closer to the secret passage, a look of joy appeared on Hulus''s face.


    Clever you, Lin Da, wallowing in your infatuation with women.


    He was only concerned with his sweet nothings with the witch, not noticing his own stealthy escape.


    Hulus wished he could take three steps in two, spring like a starving wolf, and dive right into the teleportation array.


    Seeing that he was getting closer to the teleportation array.


    A thunderous shout like a bolt from the blue rang out from behind:


    "Lao Deng, where do you think you''re running? Monica, trap him!"


    "Yes, Captain! Earth, Prison, Art!"


    Hulus''s mind buzzed, and he turned back in panic, only to see Monica raising her magic wand, pointing in his direction.


    The ground thundered and vibrated, making the floor beneath Hulus feel like a shaky wooden bridge, causing him to lurch forward and backward.


    Immediately after, walls of earth rose all around, blocking out the already dim light in the cave.


    Hulus''s field of vision went pitch black.


    "No!!!"


    The teleportation array to escape was just ahead; Hulus couldn''t reconcile himself to his fate.


    His eyes bloodshot, he suddenly exerted force in his legs, his battered body like a shriveled tomato, squeezing out the remaining juice, blood spurting from his wounds.


    Ignoring the pain, Hulus leapt up, trying to jump through a gap at the top.


    But anticipating his move, Monica caused a thick wall of earth to grow from above.


    Hulus''s head hit it with a thud.


    His vision dimmed, and he felt dazed.


    It seemed he saw his brother Kam''s soul, smiling and beckoning to him.


    The Earth Prison Art turned into an upside-down bowl, trapping Hulus within.


    Monica said, "Captain, this is a new skill I''ve mastered!"


    "Impressive, impressive."


    Lin Da smiled as he ruffled Big Lolita''s head.


    Monica, having advanced to level 35, not only mastered the Earth Prison Art but also evolved her Ultimate Skill [Falling Rock Technique] into [Rockfall Array], causing tremendous damage.


    At that moment, Hulus''s shrill cries came from within the earth prison:


    "Monica, let me out, have you forgotten how good grandpa was to you?


    Such precious Magic Potion, grandpa used it all on you alone, grandpa loves you, oh!


    Without grandpa, how could you have transformed into a witch?


    You should be thanking grandpa, it was I who made you strong! S��ar?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So... let grandpa out quickly!"


    "You''re not my grandpa, you''re a bad man!" Monica angrily raised her eyebrows, her magic wand aimed at the earth prison.


    At a command from Lin Da, she would release Earth Bombardment and reduce Hulus to mincemeat.


    "Hahaha, you fell for it, those words were just to distract you!"


    In reality, Hulus summoned skeleton moles, which began burrowing within the earth prison. The moles quickly tunneled a passage, and Hulus stuck his head out, ecstatically crawling out.


    What he saw, however, was Lin Da with his arms crossed, looking down at him with a half-smiling, half-mocking expression.


    "Waaaah!!!"


    Hulus''s face turned pale with fear, and he hurriedly dived back into the passage.


    "Lao Deng, tell me where the ''Lord'' of Dragon''s Rest Tomb is, and the whereabouts of Demon General Si Da!"


    Lin Da grabbed Hulus''s white hair and yanked him out of the passage like pulling up a radish.


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    Seeing this repulsive old man who kept summoning skeleton soldiers, struggling in terror in his hands, Lin Da felt a deep sense of satisfaction.


    Before Hulus could respond, he roared, "Lao Deng, how dare you ignore me, you deserve a beating!"


    Thud, thud, thud!


    Lin Da''s fists, like raindrops, pounded on Hulus, making him howl in pain, blood spraying from his nose, mouth, and eyes, half of his internal organs shattered by Lin Da''s blows!


    But Lin Da was kind-hearted.


    Just as Hulus was near death, he cast a Primary Healing Spell and then continued to beat him.

 Chapter 449 346, Lin Da thin yarn Hulus,

    Hulus screamed in pain as his face swelled to the size of a pig''s head, his eyes barely slits, and his lips turned into engorged sausages, showing no semblance of a human face.


    "I confess, I confess everything!"


    Desperate, Hulus clutched his head begging for mercy.


    Lin Da: "Speak!"


    Hulus took a moment to catch his breath, spitting out the broken teeth from his mouth. Lin Da''s punches were relentless, almost making him swallow his teeth.


    Now with a chance to breathe, Hulus finally had time to spit out the teeth mixed with thick blood.


    While mourning his own battered body, Hulus hid the hatred in his eyes and with a lowered head said:


    "The whereabouts of Demon General Xilin, Lady Bai Mian mentioned once, General Xilin is planning a splendid party in Cyan City. It will be attended by high-ranking members from Dragon''s Rest Tomb.


    As for the leader of the Dragon''s Rest Tomb, the ''Tomb Master,'' how could a ''Young Dragon Level'' officer like me qualify to know his news? I don''t even know whether the Tomb Master is male or female!"


    Hulus "cried his eyes out" as he crawled to Lin Da''s side and clung to his thigh:


    "Please, let me go, I will mend my ways and start anew!


    It was only because of my brother Kam''s death that I was consumed by rage and acted against Phoenix Tail Flower!


    Lin Da, if you spare my life, I will definitely repay you well in the future!"


    If Lin Da were someone from [Asaxi] as the rumors suggested, maybe he would actually spare his life.


    In Hulus''s cold-hearted thoughts, as long as he could leave today, he would create an army of witches to take Lin Da''s dog life.


    "Xilin is planning a party in Cyan City?"


    Lin Da''s brow furrowed. What on earth did his sister have in mind?


    Cyan City was not like White Dove City; there were many Light Rank adventurers there. If not careful, his sister could get captured.


    Not all adventurers were as upright as he was.


    Now that his sister had turned into a Succubus, the consequences of her being caught by Light Rank Beastmen were unthinkable.


    He had to capture her before she caused a big trouble.


    As for the other person, the leader of the Dragon''s Rest Tomb, the one titled ''Tomb Master,'' and a ''former adventurer,'' that was not someone Lin Da could confront at this time.


    Their combat power was the ceiling of Cangqing Province, the final boss of version 2.0.


    Players would need to buy a ton of potions and forge an elite adventure team to overthrow them.


    "Tell me about the internal ranking levels of the Dragon''s Rest Tomb!"


    Lin Da stepped on Hulus''s face and said coldly.


    This information, he actually knew very well.


    But fearing that his time-traveling caused a butterfly effect, which could alter the plot of Mystic Continent.


    Now to what extent the plot of Mystic Continent had deviated, Lin Da had to clarify.


    He could compare the information from Hulus''s side.


    Even pinned under Lin Da''s foot, Hulus dared not show anger but forcibly squeezed out a smile, saying:


    "The member ranking levels of Dragon''s Rest Tomb have five tiers.


    The lowest is the Dragon Egg Level, whose members are below Star Rank.


    Then comes Dragon Egg Level, usually the newly advanced Star Ranks.


    Next is my kind, Senior Star Rank, also called Young Dragon Level.


    Above the Young Dragon Level is the Moon Rank! Referred to as Dragon Transformation Level.


    Senior Moon Rank is Giant Dragon Level!


    Above that, they are called ''Senior Officers.''


    I have never seen one. Discover stories with My Virtual Library Empire


    My direct superior, Lady Bai Mian, she is at the Dragon Transformation Level.


    Lin Da, heed my advice, be very cautious of Bai Mian.


    She managed to break through from Star Rank to Moon Rank in just a few months and become a Dragon Transformation Level officer.


    It''s because she''s not far from falling into corruption!


    The power of the Catastrophe Beast is not something you can contend with.


    Your White Dove City, the lack of a Sun Adventure Group, is very dangerous!"


    Hulus wore a smile on his face as if he were seeking credit:


    "Lin Da, I''ve told you so much valuable information, doesn''t it show my sincerity?


    My actions are no different from those of the traitors of Dragon''s Rest Tomb.


    If they find out, I''m definitely dead.


    Now, can you let me go?"


    Lin Da stroked his chin, pondering for a moment. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "A Sun Adventure Group, huh... If Abner and his group don''t climb the World Tree quickly, I''ll just have to keep changing the plot."


    In the original plot, Abner led the White Dove Adventure Group to defeat the 19th level''s Nightmare Guardian, becoming White Dove City''s first Sun Adventure Group in decades.


    This record of battle, forged Abner''s confidence like steel, supporting his fearless advancement.


    Until a later version, where he sacrificed himself in a decisive battle against the Demons.


    But Lin Da couldn''t wait any longer.


    If the White Dove Adventure Group remained stuck on the 19th floor, Lin Da wouldn''t hesitate to lead his own Phoenix Tail Flower Team to replace Abner and them in vanquishing the Nightmare Guardian.


    The Flame Giant, if killed by a certain special method, could yield Legendary weapons...


    In the original plot, the weapon belonged to Abner.


    But Lin Da really wanted it too.


    Vanquishing the Nightmare Guardian was the easiest way to obtain Legendary weapons in the early version of the game.


    His thoughts returned to the present.


    Lin Da glanced at Hulus with his hypocritical smile plastered on his old face.


    All his teeth were gone, his mouth open, bloody and raw.


    Like a laughing wild beast.


    Lin Da had a premonition that if he spared Hulus, endless trouble would come later.


    He smiled, then his gaze turned icy.


    "Killed so many innocent girls and still begging for mercy? Beg your mom, just die already!"


    "No, you can''t do this to me, I am a future legend, and you, an ant, what right or ability do you have to kill me!"


    Hulus panicked, using his chin to push against the ground, dragging his maimed body, crawling towards the dark passageway like a worm.


    But Lin Da would not give Hulus the chance, his Earth Dragon Longsword stabbed down, then he made a slicing motion.


    Hisss!


    A fine head, accompanied by a gush of warm tomato sauce, rolled away.


    The expression of fear on Hulus''s face was frozen in place.


    His eyes, staring fixedly at Lin Da, were full of rage and hatred.


    Yet, Lin Da felt a surge of intense pleasure, and his lips involuntarily curled up.


    It was as if he discovered a side of himself unknown to others.


    Torturing these detestable Heretics brought him great satisfaction, his body burning with excitement, even his arms no longer ached!


    Lin Da walked over, picked up Hulus''s head, and forcefully slammed it on the ground.


    With a smack, under his immense strength, Hulus''s head turned into a mush of red and white.


    With this, the former leader of the Specter Adventure Group, Hulus of the Young Dragon Rank, was dead.


    "T-team leader...?"


    Monica clutched her Magic Wand in fear, not daring to come closer.


    The leader was smiling as he killed Hulus.


    It was that sincere, thoroughly gratifying smile.


    Even more terrifying than Dark Shadow!


    Seeing the fear in Monica''s eyes, Lin Da was startled.


    He shook his head and took a deep breath to regain his composure.


    "I''m fine now, come over!"


    Monica looked around, confirming that Lin Da was still the same Lin Da, only then did she show a sweet smile, hummed affirmatively, and ran over.


    Lin Da thought: Although Monica''s appearance had changed a lot, her nature was much the same, still a well-behaved kid. In the future, he should avoid torturing Heretics in front of Monica.


    He held Monica''s soft, small hand and led her to Hulus''s headless corpse to clean up the loot.


    First, he found a shattered Space Ring.


    Lin Da clicked his tongue, that old Lao Deng, Hulus had smashed the ring the moment he was caught, leaving nothing for Lin Da.


    Even if the ring was left intact, without the soul imprint of the original owner, it could not be opened.


    Once the original owner died, the Magical Equipment inside would bug out, unable to be unbound.


    It was also possible to forcefully unbind it using malignant methods, but the cost was quite steep.


    This meant that apart from those extremely precious Legendary equipment, in most cases, it wasn''t worth it for adventurers to take the risk of murdering for loot.


    "But there is one item, Hulus always wore it on his person."


    Lin Da squatted down, rummaging through the corpse.


    Blood poured continuously from the cut neck of the corpse.


    Monica turned pale and turned her back, unable to watch directly.


    "Found it!"


    Persistence pays off.


    Lin Da found a black book in a hanging pouch behind Hulus''s buttocks.

 Chapter 450 347, Lin Da: Lord Dean, I really can treat the Witch!

    The book was an inch thick, roughly the size of a palm, and featured a feather totem on its cover.


    The feather was black, resembling eagle wings.


    When Lin Da infused magic power, the feather gently waved as if it were alive.


    A line of information appeared in his field of view:


    [Item: Black Eagle Wings]


    [Type: Skill Book/Universal]


    [Quality: Epic Two-Star]


    [Description: Generate Black Eagle Wings with magic power, allowing flight in the sky.


    Moon rank adventurers and above can learn, enhancing the Black Eagle Wings and increasing flight speed.]


    Lin Da smiled.


    This was exactly what he was looking for.


    A universal flying skill book!


    Hulus always carried it around but, hindered by insufficient understanding, had never been able to master it.


    Once the player completed the [Destruction of the Specter Adventure Group] side quest, they could acquire the skill from Hulus''s corpse.


    Lin Da opened the cover and touched a rune inside.


    A translucent system message box appeared before him:


    [Detected universal skill book ''Black Eagle Wings'', quality Epic Two-Star, do you wish to learn it?]


    [Yes!]


    Lin Da silently declared, and instantly, the magic rune turned into a visible white stream of energy that entered his body through his fingertips.


    A warm sensation roved throughout his body, finally concentrating in his brain.


    Suddenly, Lin Da envisioned himself unfurling black wings and awkwardly flying through the sky.


    At first, he often failed, frequently slamming into the ground and ending up bruised all over, but as time passed, he gradually became proficient.


    [Skill ''Black Eagle Wings'' learned, current proficiency level 1, flight speed ''slow'']


    Thus, the flying skill Hulus couldn''t comprehend over several years, Lin Da managed a preliminary grasp in three seconds.


    Without spare skill points, Lin Da thought, slow flight was acceptable; just being able to fly at Star Rank was satisfying enough.


    Once he and Monica, with her tiny bat wings, advanced to Moon Rank, their flying speed would surpass that of ordinary Moon Rank adventurers.


    "Including Witch State Monica, Phoenix Tail Flower has three members capable of flight; in a crisis, the whole team can evacuate. Facing anything below Moon Rank, even freshly advanced ones, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team has sufficient self-preserving ability."


    Lin Da thought secretly, determined that an incident like Monica''s capture must not happen again.


    "But merely preserving ourselves is not enough.


    I have killed so many of Dragon''s Rest Tomb''s heretics, I might be targeted, plus there''s that strange gaze Lulu mentioned��


    Instead of hiding, better to root them out and eliminate them once and for all."


    Lin Da set a goal for himself: to break through to Moon Rank and become a Sun Adventure Group!


    Suddenly, a formidable, mountain-like breath came from above the cave.


    Lin Da and Monica felt an oppressive weight on their chests.


    Before they could react, with a thunderous noise, a cobalt sword light appeared above them.


    The thick rock walls, as if made of paper, were torn open, creating a gap over thirty meters long!


    Boulders larger than water tanks crashed down from the ceiling.


    Lin Da''s expression changed, and he hugged Monica at the waist, casting Dark Whip towards the pillars around the platform.


    Pulling themselves swiftly to safety, they barely evaded the falling rocks. Explore hidden tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    The cave filled with dust and debris.


    Lin Da stared at the terrifying gap above, his expression grave.


    "I''ll protect Lord Captain!" Monica''s tiny bat wings fluttered, floating in the air, her snake-head magic wand aimed at a small figure outside the gap.


    Behind the figure were dazzling golden light wings, each hand holding a thin cobalt sword.


    Upon closer inspection, it was a young girl. She wore a white dress, cut at the back, revealing a short, smooth, white tail.


    Lin Da looked closely, turning his alarm to delight: "Bailuo... no, Lord Principal?"


    The overwhelmingly dominant figure appearing in the sky was none other than the strongest reinforcement Lin Da had planned for: [White Cat Swordsman], Bailuo!


    "Monica, lower your wand, with the Principal here, the crisis is over!"


    Seeing Bailuo appear, Lin Da finally relaxed.


    Monica retracted her tiny bat wings and shyly hid behind Lin Da, only peeking her little head out to sneak a glance at the terrifying cat girl.


    When had the Captain met such a formidable person?


    With a flutter of Bailuo''s light wings, her dainty feet in brown boots lightly touched the ground.


    Her face carried a slight apology: "Sorry, I''m late... but it''s because Wenqi''s detector wasn''t working well. Anyway, leave the rest to me."


    Perception swept out, confirming Lin Da''s safety, Bailuo held her chest and sighed in relief.


    The girl''s tense cat ears softened, and her fluffed-up white hair also calmed down.


    If Lin Da had died, she would have felt extremely guilty.


    "So, where are the heretics, did I scare them away?"


    Bailuo scanned the hall, surprised by the scene before her.


    The floor was scattered with disassembled skeletons and many bloody, robed corpses.


    From the silver thread on their hoods, they were largely members of Dragon''s Rest Tomb around the ''Dragon Egg'' level.


    Such "minions" were of no concern to Bailuo. sea??h th�� N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yet, for Lin Da, they must have seemed a formidable bunch.


    Bailuo puzzledly asked, "Do you have other reinforcements?"


    "No, just you, Principal, and you came late. Luckily, your junior can take a beating," Lin Da said helplessly.


    Bailuo''s face turned red, embarrassedly twitching her cat ears. Then recalling something, she said, "Wait a second, did you take down these heretics all by yourself?"

 Chapter 451 347, Lin Da: Lord Chancellor, I can really cure the Witch!_2

    A Star Rank, taking down forty or fifty heretics?


    According to Bailuo''s experience, among those dead heretics, at least seven were of Star Rank.


    This kind of achievement, placed in Azure Sky Adventurers University, would be considered top-ranking.


    Bailuo had some doubts.


    Being able to single-handedly take down a Dragon''s Rest Tomb nest at Lin Da''s level, there were probably no more than five people capable of that in Azure Sky University.


    As the headmaster of Azure Sky Adventurers University, even as a mascot, Bailuo felt a sense of belonging and pride. Deep down, she believed that the elites trained by the university could easily crush adventurers from small cities.


    Lin Da shook his head and said,


    "Headmaster, you''re thinking too much.


    On my own, I couldn''t have taken down so many heretics.


    There was one guy named Rhode, who I turned to our side, and he helped me kill some.


    Plus, my teammates helped, and that''s how it was done."


    "Oh, that explains it," Bailuo sighed with relief, her face regaining the composure of someone from a big city.


    Only then did it make sense.


    If Lin Da had single-handedly taken down so many heretics, wouldn''t he be comparable to Dark Shadow in his youth?


    Her invitation to Lin Da would then become a joke; such a top-tier adventurer wouldn''t give a second glance to Azure Sky Adventurers University.


    "The teammate you want to save, is it her? The headmaster recalls, her name is Monica?"


    "Eh, your appearance..."


    Bailuo''s gaze swept over, and she suddenly froze. Enjoy new tales from My Virtual Library Empire


    Monica swiftly retreated behind Lin Da.


    "You! Stick your head out and let the headmaster have a look!"


    Bailuo''s expression suddenly turned grave.


    Only then did Lin Da realize.


    Damn it!


    He had forgotten that Monica had become a witch!


    Bailuo was an official, and was implacable towards witches.


    And harboring a witch, within the empire, was a tremendous crime.


    In an instant,


    the two moved around Lin Da in a standoff.


    "Stop messing around, come over here, or the headmaster will execute you on the spot!"


    Bailuo''s gaze turned icy; the aura of a Light Rank Adventurer surged out.


    Monica, as if with a thousand pounds on a small pony''s back, grunted, her face turning deathly white as she knelt on the ground.


    With frantic flapping, her small bat wings behind her tried to escape Bailuo.


    But under the overwhelming pressure of a Light Rank Adventurer, heavy as a mountain, the flapping left only afterimages and was of no use.


    In the dimly lit cave, the sword''s edge glinted with a cold sheen.


    Bailuo held a pair of exquisitely elegant, azure blue rapiers in her hands.


    Mysterious magic runes floated within the blades, like several leaves on a lake, stirred by a breeze.


    The Legendary Weapon, [Twin Swords of the Lake Behemoth].


    One of the pieces of equipment that Lin Da had given to Bailuo in the game.


    But at this moment, one of the Dual Swords, with a faint killing intent, pointed its tip at his own throat.


    "Step aside."


    Bailuo''s voice was cold.


    On the matter of witches, Bailuo was extremely serious. She calmly looked at Lin Da and said, "The headmaster does not want to repeat herself, step aside."


    "I can''t do that," Lin Da shook his head.


    "Harboring a witch is a serious crime."


    Bailuo frowned and said in a deep voice:


    "You are an excellent adventurer with great potential. Do you wish to throw away your future for one teammate?


    I know you are in a tough position. As the headmaster, it pains me as well, but there''s no choice.


    If we don''t take down the witch, many people will die because of witches in the future.


    My friend, just..."


    As she spoke, Bailuo''s voice grew softer, nearly inaudible to anyone but herself.


    In her amethyst eyes, a hint of pain flashed. Her fingers gripping the swords unconsciously clenched tighter.


    His gaze toward Monica became even more sympathetic.


    Yet, even so, Bailuo''s sword edge remained unwavering.


    Lin Da sighed and said,


    "I can understand the headmaster''s good intentions. Indeed, witches are a very dangerous group of people; if left unchecked, they could cause massive casualties.


    Some cities'' World Trees have even been devoured by witches turned into Catastrophe Beasts.


    As you can see, my team member is now a witch.


    But it is only ''now.''"


    Bailuo said, "What exactly are you trying to say?"


    "What I mean is, the contamination within a witch''s body is not irreversible. I have a way to purify their contamination!"


    Lin Da bowed deeply and said, "I beg of you, Lord Headmaster, to keep this a secret for Monica! In no more than a year, I will have her restored to a normal adventurer!"


    Bailuo thought he was going to say something important, but upon hearing this sophistry, rage turned into laughter, the immense Battle Qi surging from her petite body.


    Causing the ground beneath Lin Da''s feet to fracture like a shattered mirror, cracks spreading in all directions!


    Lin Da felt his bones creaking and even breathing became extremely difficult.


    Beads of cold sweat broke out on his forehead in an instant.


    In the game, Bailuo was usually silent, and once enraged, only she could stop herself.


    Experiencing this little cat girl''s fury firsthand, Lin Da broke out in a cold sweat!


    "Restore a witch to normal? Junior, do you realize what you are talking about? You don''t understand witches at all!"


    Bailuo, with her eyebrows sharply furrowed, criticized in disappointment,


    "On this continent, no one understands witches better than this headmaster.


    And so, I am telling you clearly��contamination cannot be removed.


    This contamination originates from the Demon King, a monster of an absurd level of 100.


    Even the strongest Healer cannot resolve the contamination brought by the Demon King.


    You say you can, does that mean you are more impressive than the legendary Healers?"


    Bailuo''s cat tail flicked, creating a sonic boom as it whipped through the air!


    "This headmaster hates liars. Now, step aside at once, or I will take both you and that witch away!"


    "Whimper, captain, the captain didn''t lie, the captain could even cure Sister Lulu..." Monica retorted, suddenly recalling something and quickly covering her mouth.


    Luckily, Bailuo didn''t notice her last sentence.


    Bailuo''s smile became even more sarcastic, "The captain is a liar, and so are the team members. What so-called honorable adventurers, real or fake."


    Lin Da faced off against Bailuo''s sword edge, yet he refused to budge an inch.


    "I am indeed no match for the legendary Healers. Compared to such a big shot, I''m like a quack outside the tavern, healing ''plum diseases'' for Elf ladies. Whether I can fully eat depends on how hard the Beastmen brothers work."


    This crude joke did not amuse Bailuo. On the contrary, her face grew colder, and her gaze held a flicker of rage.


    Did he remember the [White Cat Swordsman]''s preference wrong...


    Lin Da rubbed his head with a headache. It seems that the one with a taste for lewd jokes was another cat girl...


    He swiftly changed the subject, "In healing, I am not legendary, but in purifying witches, the legendary ones are not my match."


    "Junior, you''re too arrogant! This headmaster does not like arrogant adventurers, you''ve significantly decreased my opinion of you!"


    Bailuo''s chest heaved violently, fueled by Lin Da''s pride and arrogance.


    She spread her small hand, conjuring with the unique ability of a Light Rank Adventurer, [Hand of the Void], a three-meter-long, pale blue hand of light that slapped Lin Da aside.


    It''s worth mentioning that although Bailuo looked angry, she controlled her strength to not cause Lin Da any real harm when striking him.


    "You, stand still." sea??h th�� N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bailuo''s expression darkened as she took out a rope, ready to bind Monica.


    At that moment, Lin Da let out a low growl, veins on his forehead bulging as he broke free from the Hand of the Void.


    "What if I could prove this to you? Please Lord Headmaster, give me one chance!"


    Bailuo said irritatedly, "You''re so annoying, don''t think just because you''ve killed some heretics and done some meritorious deeds, that you can be so presumptuous! I''m really about to start hitting you!"


    How could the contamination spread by the Demon King possibly be cleansed?


    If there truly was a way, then wouldn''t that mean... A painful memory flashed through Bailuo''s mind��the sight of herself wielding the Twin Swords of the Lake Behemoth and slaying a black mud dragon covered in tumors.


    She had tried all sorts of methods and, ultimately exhausted, chose to give up.


    Now Lin Da was telling her there was a way to purge the contamination of a witch.


    In her ears, an invisible voice seemed to blame Bailuo��had she tried harder back then, could she have found the method Lin Da was talking about?


    The childlike stubbornness within Bailuo''s heart refused to accept this cruel reality and adamantly denied Lin Da.


    ...


    (ps: Votes, please. Follow the read. Dear reader brothers, could you click on auto-subscribe for me, whine whine whine)

 Chapter 452 348, Bailuos friend, Lin Da demonstrates deep Purification

    ```


    Despite Bailuo''s inward denial, Lin Da approached with steadfast eyes, fearlessly confronting her Light Rank Adventurer''s presence with bold strides.


    Their statuses reversed abruptly, and perhaps it was an illusion, but Bailuo thought she saw a shadow of the Dark Shadow in Lin Da.


    When she had first joined the Primitive Adventure Team, the Dark Shadow had stood just as Lin Da did now, holding a stick, and sternly lectured her.


    "Don''t, don''t come any closer!"


    Recalling memories of being spanked by her teacher, Bailuo curled her cat ears in fear and staggered backward.


    A small stone, by some cruel twist of fate, found itself right under her heel.


    With a thud, Bailuo tripped and fell to the ground, her legs splayed like a frog flipped on its back.


    Underneath the white little skirt were pristine white stockings.


    But the ground was littered with broken stones and blood, dirtying her clean clothes.


    The torches around the arena had extinguished many after the fierce battle, making the cave''s light even more dim.


    Lin Da came to a stop in front of Bailuo, who, having fallen, was dizzy and disoriented, her legs perfectly aligned... with Lin Da.


    Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire


    The scene almost seemed as if Lin Da was bullying this authoritative head of the Adventure Academy.


    "I will prove to you that the Witch''s contamination can be purified. If successful, I hope that Lord Bailuo will keep our secret."


    Lin Da helped Bailuo up, squatted down, and patted the dust off the girl''s white stockings.


    Bailuo''s mind slowly steadied, and the violent rise and fall of her chest calmed down.


    She looked, with complex emotions, at Lin Da squatting on the ground, cleaning her stockings.


    Finally, she realized that this gentle-natured man, who wouldn''t give up on a team member even if she turned into a Witch, had nothing to do with her own teacher.


    If it had been her teacher, let alone having a team member turn into a Witch, he would have made them pack up and leave for far less.


    Bailuo let out a soft sigh and said, "I''ll give you one chance, no tricks. When the Imperial Knights arrive later, they won''t be as easy to talk to as I am."


    "Understood."


    Lin Da turned to look at Monica, pondering in his heart: if the purification effort was too slight, Bailuo would probably not be convinced, claiming the speed of her purification couldn''t keep up with the rate of contamination growth.


    Therefore, he had to make a grand show.


    He needed to convince Bailuo beyond any hard talk that Monica was not doomed to downfall.


    But...


    Deep purification is not suitable for others to witness.


    Lin Da frustratingly ruffled his hair, conflicted.


    About half a second later, he had resolved his conflict. Bailuo was a woman, and very likely to become one of his Oath-bound in the future; if the process of deep purification was seen, then it was seen. There would eventually come a time when it would be seen anyway.


    Lin Da, although uncomfortable with purifying one female in front of another, steeled himself to endure it.


    The remaining concern was Monica.


    Lin Da grasped Monica''s shoulders and asked with serious eyes, "Monica, do you like the captain?"


    "Eh... eh?!"


    Upon hearing this, Monica blushed crimson, her eyes darting about and her hands awkwardly clasped together.


    A few seconds later, the young girl''s head nodded almost imperceptibly.


    Lin Da smiled with relief and ruffled Monica''s hair. "That''s good because the captain likes Monica too."


    "Really?" Monica looked up incredulously, blinking her wide eyes, her smooth forehead reflecting the torchlight''s gentle glow, tempting one to play five-in-a-row on it.


    Lin Da said solemnly, "Of course it''s true. The captain never lies."


    "Yes, yes!"


    Monica hesitated for a moment and then hugged Lin Da giggling.


    Bailuo on the side was thoroughly confused, thinking you were meant to purify the Witch, not to feed your superior dog food!


    Moreover, surrounded by the bodies of Heretics and with the vigilant lord herself present, why would you confess your love in such a setting!!!


    Annoyed, Bailuo said, "Get on with purifying the contamination, and stop doing needless things!"


    "All that I am doing is for purification."


    Lin Da explained earnestly.


    Then, holding Monica''s face, he said, "Close your eyes, no matter what happens, the captain will take responsibility."


    Monica, possibly anticipating what was to come, felt her heart beat so loud in the silence of the cave that it was markedly noticeable.


    All the things Lin Da was doing were for deep purification.


    The source of contamination stemmed from the heart.


    In the past, he thought deep purification had to be physically close to the source of contamination. But when Tasya served him, despite his efforts, the results of purification did not significantly increase.


    It wasn''t until he returned from the sealed Great Mystery Continent and kissed Tasya, who had just emerged from her Witch State covered in contamination, that he had an epiphany.


    It turns out, deep purification refers to the depth of the soul.


    Only when the Witch''s heart flutters violently and opens, would the effect be stronger!


    Therefore, the effects of Lin Da kissing Tasya were much better than having her serve him.


    "Lord Bailuo, please watch closely the bond between me and my team member!"


    Lin Da took a deep breath, held Monica''s face in his hands, and, bending down, [Purified] her unreservedly!


    "Ah?!"


    A greenish-black glow erupted between the two of them. sea??h th�� N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bailuo let out a shocked cry and was dumbfounded.


    The rapier in her hand dropped to the ground with a clatter as she stared wide-eyed.


    Just as the thought, "Is this Lin Da fooling me," began to form in her head, the next scene struck like a sledgehammer, shattering that notion mercilessly.


    ```

 Chapter 453 348, Bailuos friend, Lin Da demonstrates deep Purification_2

    Bailuo stared blankly as wisps of black fog drifted away from Monica''s body.


    That fog had a profoundly evil aura, such that even a clueless infant gazing upon it would immediately conjure the first impression in their mind, "That is the ultimate bad thing."


    To an adventurer, that kind of fog was more dangerous than a giant dragon''s claws and fangs, and anyone who saw it would understand that the aura was the embodiment of evil.


    But at that moment, Bailuo watched wide-eyed as the black fog, representing evil, dissipated into white smoke under the emerald light.


    Initially, Monica had appeared to Bailuo as a filthy, person-shaped lump of coal, but as the emerald light continuously purged her body, the coal turned gradually white, revealing her true form.


    Dozens of seconds passed, and Monica gasped for breath, wailing in Lin Da''s embrace. Her 1.7-meter witch form was purified by Lin Da back into her original shape.


    Her height reverted to 1.5 meters, her bat-like little wings disappeared, and her almost floor-length brown hair retracted to her waist.


    From her witch state, the mature and enchanting young girl reverted to her true self, a shy and socially anxious loli who dared not look up at others.


    Under the purification, Monica''s pretty face was redder than a ripe apple by several degrees.


    In front of Bailuo, there was no witch. sea??h th�� NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Plainly, a 35-level, petite and adorable Earth Mage!


    So it was true: witches could be purified!


    Bailuo''s worldview was violently shaken; she held her buzzing little head, her face a picture of disbelief.


    Not much later,


    Monica was purified to the point her body was limp and could only lean on Lin Da, who supported her back with his hand.


    Lin Da withdrew his magic power and wiped the corner of his mouth, then took out a blue handkerchief from his space ring and handed it to Monica.


    "You should wipe it too, if people see this, it might lead to misunderstandings," Lin Da instructed.


    Monica nodded, too embarrassed to meet anyone''s gaze, and hid behind Lin Da with the handkerchief.


    "Lord Headmaster, now you can examine my teammate again," Lin Da confidently said, "Although one purification can''t completely remove the corruption, what about once a day? Or even, three times a day. Removing the witch''s corruption is as simple for me as brushing teeth."


    Bailuo looked at him with a complex expression, silently walking over to Monica, and stretched out her little hand to place it on Monica''s towering....


    For a moment,


    The cat girl''s face turned ghostly pale.


    In terms of height, Monica was only ten centimeters taller than her, and when she wore very high boots, they were practically the same height.


    But Monica''s... were several times larger than hers!


    While inwardly screaming that this had to be false, Bailuo scouted for the witch''s corruption.


    The Light Rank Battle Qi surged in.


    Lin Da''s eyebrows knitted, reminding her, "Lord Headmaster, be careful."


    "Oh!"


    Bailuo responded dully.


    One minute passed, the scouting finished.


    "How is it?" Lin Da asked.


    Bailuo was silent.


    Her face remained calm.


    But that was only because, as a senior, she did not wish to lose her composure in front of Lin Da, and needed to maintain the poise and grace befitting a headmaster.


    In reality...


    A tempest raged within Bailuo''s heart.


    Over the black ocean, amidst thunder and lightning, a white cat in a tiny wooden boat jumped up and down in fright, all its fur standing on end.


    The corruption had really decreased.


    It was so noticeable that she couldn''t miss it without a careful check.


    This Lin Da had not lied to her!


    Bailuo stood on her tiptoes with wide, curious eyes, staring directly at Lin Da.


    Almost writing the word "why" with large letters across her face.


    "Lord Headmaster, as you can see, this is one of my talents," Lin Da stated ambiguously.


    In this land filled with magical phenomena, there were countless miracles.


    Anything inexplicable could simply be attributed to miracles.


    Even the Mermaid Princess''s tears could turn into pearls, so it was somewhat normal for Lin Da to be able to purify witches.


    Hearing him say this, Bailuo naturally stopped probing further.


    Bailuo''s small hand propped up her chin, and her deep purple eyes glittered as she mumbled to herself in a low voice:


    "If I hand you over to the Empire... mmm, no, there are many Demons'' spies in the Empire. Once such an ability is exposed, the Demons'' Twelve Belongings and the Four Heavenly Kings would all try to assassinate you in droves."


    Indeed, Lin Da''s talent for purifying witches could significantly weaken the Demon Lord''s Army''s power.


    But this affair could only be conducted surreptitiously.


    The fewer people know, the safer it is.


    Even the high ranks of the empire, including one of the Four Guardian Dukes, Coldmoon Duke, have betrayed us.


    A considerable part of the nobility has inexplicable ties with the Doomsday Sect.


    Perhaps the only ones truly willing to lay down their lives to protect the continent are the adventurers.


    If those at the top act as dogs for the Demons, they may not enjoy riches and honor, but at least they can preserve their dog lives.


    Therefore, Bailuo vetoed the idea of handing Lin Da over to the empire.


    Once the ability of the Purifying Witch is exposed, Lin Da will definitely be assassinated by the Demon Lord''s Army.


    "I understand, your ability, as well as the matter with Monica, will be kept secret. However... I have a request, and you must agree to it,"


    Bailuo said thoughtfully, her eyes shining brightly.


    Lin Da: "As long as it is within my power, I will not refuse."


    Bailuo''s face relaxed, and with a delicate finger raised, she said, "I have a friend, hmm... how should I put it..."


    Seeing Bailuo hesitate and struggle to speak frankly, Lin Da laughed and said:


    "That friend of yours, it wouldn''t happen to be yourself, would it?"


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    "No, no, you''re overthinking it."


    Bailuo hurriedly shook her head, her face puckering as she said, "She''s a very close friend of mine, just that... she''s a witch."


    "An official of the empire with a witch for a friend?" Lin Da frowned and said, "That''s a capital offense."


    Bailuo felt somewhat embarrassed, her cat ears pinched together as she scratched her face and said, "Anyway, I hope you can help me purify her."


    "Since she''s a friend of the dean, I will definitely help. But first, let me ask, what level is your friend at?"


    "The same as the dean, Light Rank."


    "Light Rank..."


    Lin Da sighed and shook his head gently.


    "Can''t she be saved?" Bailuo asked anxiously, her small fists clenched.


    "She can be saved, but only..."


    "But?"


    "We''ll have to wait until I enhance my strength. Without trust... cough cough, without an emotional foundation, purifying a stranger is much less effective. To completely purify that witch, I estimate that at least I need to reach Senior Moon Order, or even Light Rank."


    Lin Da spread his hands.


    The intensity of the witch''s purification is related to two important factors.


    The first is trust. The higher this value, the better the effect. The second factor is the depth of the soul connection.


    For example, when he kissed Monica and Monica''s heart raced, his Recovery Magic Power could take advantage of the open door to her heart, swiftly entering and beating up the corruptions, kicking them out of Monica''s body.


    But with a strange witch...


    There''s no foundation of trust, nor a way to open her heart.


    The purification effect is much worse.


    Lin Da can only seek to raise his own level, to crudely purify by brute force.


    "I see..."


    Bailuo felt somewhat disappointed, her eyes dim as she fussed with her cat ears.


    That dejected look on her face was heartbreaking for Lin Da.


    Even if he set aside their prior relationship as team members, the fact that Bailuo was willing to come to Monica''s rescue meant he owed her a favor.


    Lin Da would not refuse to help Bailuo if he had the means.


    While Bailuo was disheartened, Lin Da covertly extended his Recovery Magic Power to give Bailuo a thorough check-up.


    He confirmed it.


    Bailuo wasn''t lying.


    That "friend" was indeed her friend.


    It wasn''t herself.


    In the game''s storyline, there was a part where he taught Bailuo not to lie.


    Maybe because of that, Bailuo was very honest.


    "Dean, how severe is the contamination of your friend, and how long can she hold on?" Lin Da asked.


    Bailuo: "She''s recently been using Illusion Butterflies from the 25th level to restrain it. Optimistically, around two years."


    "Two years, huh..."


    Lin Da muttered, "Two years is enough time for me to reach Light Rank."


    Bailuo glanced at him


    Although she thought his claim was rather conceited, she refrained from pressing the matter since she was the one asking for help.


    "Can you really save my friend? Her sister''s dying wish was for me to take care of her, and I promised. I don''t want to break that promise."


    Bailuo placed her hands on her chest, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Lin Da with anticipation.

 Chapter 454 349. Double Covenant, Reward for Slaying Heretics

    Lin Da: "I can''t guarantee that I can definitely save your friend, at most an 80% chance."


    Speaking too confidently makes it easy to set oneself up for a hard fall.


    Lin Da, who had initially wanted to claim a 99% chance, stepped back to 80% instead.


    "80%? Really?"


    That was far more than Bailuo had expected, and her eyes immediately lit up.


    If her teacher had promised to find her in three years, and Lin Da could cure her friend within two years... they could meet their teacher together.


    Two pieces of happy news overlapped, turning into an even happier event.


    The more Bailuo thought about it, the more excited she became. She turned away, secretly wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes, before turning back to face Lin Da. She bowed slightly and said, "Please, I am asking you."


    "Being able to help the president is my honor," Lin Da quickly helped Bailuo to stand.


    Bailuo, moved, said:


    "By the way, would you like to come to Azure Sky University? My invitation still stands.


    There, formidable adventurers will teach you combat skills and how to navigate the World Tree.


    The speed of improving your strength would be much faster than in a small place like White Dove City."


    Seeing Lin Da''s willingness to help, Bailuo decided to give Lin Da another chance.


    Lin Da smiled and declined:


    "I''ll visit Cyan City, but not now.


    The place I''m going won''t be Azure Sky University.


    President, like I said, someone of my humble origins isn''t suited for the Academic Faction."


    Hearing this, Bailuo rolled her eyes, still finding Lin Da too arrogant. On the surface, he seemed to be a humble and polite adventurer, but in fact, he was more arrogant than the top student at Azure Sky University.


    "If you''re not going to Azure Sky University, then where are you going? Is there another place that can attract you?" Bailuo asked, puzzled.


    Monica also looked toward Lin Da, wanting to know why Phoenix Tail Flower would go to Cyan City in the future. sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ice Abyss Training Camp," Lin Da said slowly, eyes squinted.


    Bailuo raised an eyebrow and said:


    "The training camp established by Cold Moon Duke in Cyan City? I know that place, it has a very high dropout rate and is meant to train ''beasts.''


    Many participants of the Ice Abyss Training Camp can''t handle the pressure in the first year and lose their minds, going mad.


    That place is completely inhumane!


    Going there is not better than coming to Azure Sky University; I would teach you well."


    Learning by her side was indeed much better than going to the Ice Abyss Training Camp.


    Bailuo''s words were carefully considerate of Lin Da''s situation.


    But Lin Da shook his head and said, "This is just a thought at the moment, I haven''t decided officially."


    He wasn''t very interested in the Ice Abyss Training Camp, just as Bailuo had said. The camp gathered the most elite adventurers from Cangqing Province.


    What he excelled in navigating was the World Tree, while the adventurers from Ice Abyss Training Camp were far more troublesome than the Magical Creatures inside the World Tree.


    However, the camp held the key to unlocking the main storyline of version 3.0 and had a direct connection to Cold Moon Duke.


    This was the storyline Lin Da was most familiar with.


    According to the original plot, players would enter one of the training camps under the Four Great Dukes.


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    Among them, the Ice Abyss Training Camp was located in Cyan City. The minimum eligibility to enter was being part of the Steel Level Adventure Group.


    And it required being featured in Adventurer''s Weekly at least twice or having a recommendation from a relevant person.


    With Lin Da''s knowledge of the place, a Steel Level Adventure Group would only be situated at the bottom, subjected to bullying.


    In the training camp, only the strongest adventure groups could survive and be received by Cold Moon Duke.


    Version 3.0 would then officially begin.


    The issue was that the original plot had changed drastically.


    From a gaming timeline perspective, Dark Shadow, controlled by Lin Da, entered the Ice Abyss Training Camp six years ago, stood out within a month, and left an undefeated legend.


    He was favored by Cold Moon Duke and obtained the qualification to go to the Royal Capital to meet the Holy Tree.


    Three years ago, Lin Da traveled to Mystic Continent, and at the same moment, Dark Shadow mysteriously disappeared. Cold Moon Duke, for some reason, joined the Demon Lord''s Army...


    Whether the "Ice Abyss Training Camp storyline" continues as in the game is something to be considered.


    For this, the more power Lin Da had, the better.


    At least by breaking through the 20th floor of the World Tree in White Dove City and advancing to the Sunrise Level Adventure Group.


    Only after all members reach Moon Rank would they consider setting up base in Cyan City.


    Facing Lin Da''s soft-spoken attitude, Bailuo threw a punch that didn''t land, causing her to rub her forehead in frustration.


    "Really, I can''t handle you. Anyway, when you come to Cyan City, you must visit me, President. I cook really well, and I can treat you to a meal," Bailuo said.


    "Sure, I will definitely visit."


    The two exchanged a smile and silently made a pact.


    Bailuo would keep Lin Da''s secret.


    Lin Da, in turn, had to head to Cyan City within two years to treat Bailuo''s Witch friend.


    A moment later, Velen and the others arrived.


    Two Moon Rank individuals with wings on their backs flew in through the gap Bailuo had made.


    They were Phoenix Tail Flower''s maid, Tasya, and the Moon Rank Elf scholar from Proclamation Wind City, Wenqi.


    Tasya, holding Lulu on her left and Kafni on her right, while Wenqi carried President Velen.


    "So glad you''re all right!" Velen exclaimed with a laugh as he landed.


    The three members of Phoenix Tail Flower gathered around Lin Da.


    Lin Da held Lulu in his arms and comforted her, "With so many people around, try not to cry out, okay? It''s safe now, Monica and I weren''t hurt."


    "Sister Lulu, I''m sorry," Monica said, hanging her head low.


    Lulu shook her head, "It''s okay as long as you''re safe. Welcome back, Monica."


    Tasya and Kafni also smiled.


    Despite the ordeal, everyone was safe and it was a cause for celebration.

 Chapter 455 349. Double Covenant, Reward for Slaying Heretics_2

    Wenqi looked at the chaotic scene with puzzlement and said, "With so many heretics, how did you manage to hold on for over an hour?"


    Affected by the thunderstorm weather, the detection instrument had some minor problems.


    Originally, Wenqi was so anxious that he was sweating profusely, believing that the "Eye of True Knowledge" from White Dove City was definitely doomed.


    Unexpectedly, Bailuo slapped the detection instrument a few times and fixed it.


    Even so.


    Their arrival to provide support was still several times later than planned.


    Facing the siege of forty to fifty heretics, Wenqi found it difficult to imagine how Lin Da, who was only of Star Rank, managed to survive.


    He couldn''t help but mentally picture a scene where Lin Da was begging for mercy in tears: the heretics cracking sunflower seeds as they watched the spectacle, using Lin Da to pass the time, until Bailuo arrived and slew them all.


    This was the most logical.


    Villains die due to too much talking, after all.


    Wenqi often read comic books and knew that villains liked to prattle pompously before being killed by the righteous adventurers.


    ''This Captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team can indeed bend and stretch. If I had to face the heretics, I would definitely choose death over bowing.''


    Wenqi sighed inwardly.


    This time, Wenqi openly praised Lin Da while secretly patting himself on the back.


    President Velen held a small black magic camera, recording the scene.


    Killing heretics would be rewarded by imperial officials.


    Who was slain would all be recorded and reported.


    "Chancellor Bailo, there must be about fifty heretics. Judging by their hood styles, eleven are of Star Rank.


    Calculating the rewards, it should be over three million Gold Coins.


    You''re truly worthy of being the Chancellor of Azure Sky University, capable of eliminating so many heretics in one go."


    Velen complimented, "All these Gold Coins, we will transfer every single one into your Savings Card, and offer an additional one million as a hardship fee. It''s indeed a long journey from Cyan City to White Dove City, Your Excellency, the Chancellor."


    Bailuo glanced at Velen.


    "It wasn''t me who did it, just transfer it to his Savings Card."


    Saying so, Bailuo''s little hand pointed towards Lin Da.


    Velen scratched his head, incredulous: "Chancellor, you mean... these heretics were killed by Lin Da?"


    Wenqi, who was examining the heretics'' bodies, heard this and his ears perked up, showing a look of surprise.


    "Hmm," Bailuo nodded, "By the time I arrived, the battle was already over."


    Upon Bailuo''s confirmation, everyone was momentarily stunned.


    In Lulu''s eyes, who was in Lin Da''s arms, there was an array of colors shining, proud of her captain.


    Kafni touched her nose, as if claiming credit for these achievements; she smiled and said, "Lin Da is the brave adventurer I trained; such a trifling matter is not worth mentioning."


    Lin Da shook his head: "It''s not what you think, I alone am still lacking somewhat, it was thanks to the help of my team members."


    In theory, if Hulus hadn''t taken a magic potion to significantly increase his strength...


    Lin Da really would have been able to kill all the heretics.


    Everyone caught the implication in his words. Only lacking a little means not lacking by much, right?


    Wenqi glanced at the corpses strewn all over the cave and couldn''t help being moved.


    "You truly are an outstanding adventurer from White Dove City; perhaps we will have the opportunity to meet in Cyan City." Wenqi praised.


    Within the province, only the Azure Tree of Cyan City could reach the 30th floor, truly an honor hall for adventurers.


    Wenqi''s words, while praising Lin Da, also boasted about himself on the side.


    He informed everyone, don''t look at him being just of Moon Rank, but who knows, one day he might go to Cyan City and transform into a Light Rank Adventurer.


    The Slime does not comprehend the aspirations of the Giant Dragon.


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    In many cities, adventurers who reach the Moon Rank tend to become complacent, remaining stagnant, enjoying wealth and honor, lacking the courage to face the Mystic Realm beyond the 20th floor.


    Wenqi came in front of Lin Da, extended his clean, neatly-trimmed right hand: "Let''s get acquainted. Wenqi*Rilona from Proclamation Wind City, a 46-level Moon Rank adventurer."


    This guy is level 46?


    Lin Da was slightly astonished, stealing a glance at Bailuo, who appeared unconcerned. Indeed, the Chancellor of Azure Sky University had but to say a word to have a 46-level Moon Rank from Proclamation Wind City carry a Wave Detection Instrument and travel overnight to White Dove City...


    "I appreciate your kind words." Lin Da extended both hands and politely shook Wenqi''s hand.


    At that moment, the sound of densely packed horse hooves came from above the cave.


    One after another, knights clad in Silver Armor and draped in blue capes leapt into the cave.


    The one leading them was a middle-aged man, well-proportioned, with a square face and a head of silver buzz-cut hair, his expression resolute.


    To Lin Da, the first impression was that of a very rigid, very strict official.


    Velen approached, patted the square-faced knight on the shoulder, and chuckled, "Captain Yao, thank you for making the trip. The heretics here have all been killed, please handle the aftermath."


    "All killed?" Captain Yao frowned, and while listening to Velen''s account, he glanced at Lin Da now and then.


    After a brief line of questioning.


    The aloof Captain Yao gestured that he could leave.


    "Did I ever offend Captain Yao?" Lin Da wondered to himself.


    He always felt that Yao''s gaze was hostile, almost as if he wanted to chop him...


    But upon reflection, Lin Da remembered that in his three years of diligent work, he had never done anything illegal.


    And the rumors of hosting secret silver parties were actually only a breach of morals. On Mystic Continent, as long as it was consensual, at most, it would be considered a scandal, not illegal.


    ...


    Having flown out of the cave, the sky was covered with dark clouds, showing no signs of the rainstorm abating.


    It wasn''t long before Lin Da and the others were drenched.


    Tasya spread her Battle Qi Twin Wings and opened her arms to Lin Da, "Master, please come into your servant''s embrace. With my speed, we can get back to Goldfinch District in half an hour."


    "No need," Lin Da said. "You just take Lulu and Kafni."


    "Then what about you?"


    "I''ll test my new skill."


    Lin Da closed his eyes and activated a new magic circuit inside his body.


    Gradually, he felt an itching sensation on his back as magic power gathered at the location of his shoulder blades, and then, with a pop.


    A pair of one-meter-long, lifelike black wings burst through the clothing on Lin Da''s back, unveiling themselves!


    "Wings, wings?"


    The uninformed Tasya and the others were stunned.


    Lulu was the first to react: "It''s a flying skill!"


    Such skill books were of the lowest Epic One Star quality. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Due to their rarity, they could sell for tens of millions of gold coins.


    "Lin Da, do you want a lift..."


    Wenqi had just emerged from underground and was mid-sentence when he saw Lin Da''s black wings and couldn''t help but pause.


    Wenqi clicked his tongue and said, "Nice stuff, I''ve also been thinking of buying a flying skill book to increase my airspeed."


    Bailuo, who came up last, naturally also saw Lin Da''s black wings.


    After a moment''s thought, Bailuo realized this was a skill Lin Da had just mastered. He hadn''t used flying skill both inside the Great Mystery Continent and when he rushed to the Barren Plains.


    Guessing the truth, Bailuo''s pupils dilated slightly...


    This was a spoil of war from killing the heretic?


    This meant that, within just an hour, or even a few minutes, Lin Da had mastered the flying skill.


    "The teacher could grasp it even faster, in just one second. No matter how formidable he is, he still can''t compare to the teacher," she thought.


    Bailuo subconsciously compared Lin Da to Dark Shadow.


    Coming to the conclusion that Dark Shadow was even more formidable, Bailuo smiled with satisfaction.


    Lin Da suggested, "Since everyone has wings, how about a little competition? Let''s see who can get back to White Dove City first."


    Wenqi laughed and said, "Sure, but don''t blame me for bullying you guys."


    "I, the dean, would not engage in such childish games with you."


    Bailuo helplessly waved her hand as if dealing with a group of mischievous children. Her Light Wings unfolded behind her, shining brightly.


    In every aspect��size, shape, or brightness��they were far superior to Lin Da''s nondescript little wings.


    Instantly, Bailuo flapped her Light Wings, soared into the sky, and quickly turned into a small black dot that disappeared from everyone''s sight.


    Wenqi: "I''ve always wanted to say this, but is our dean underage? It feels like both her height and her temper are like those of a child."


    Lin Da shrugged: "You better not say that in front of her, or no one will be able to save you."


    ...


    (PS: Tomorrow, the protagonist will bid farewell to his title as a single old mage. If there''s no update, I''ve probably been devoured, and I''ll fix it as soon as possible. I''m just letting you know in advance!)

 Chapter 1 - 1: 1. Teammates for three years, turned out to be just beasts of burden

    Chapter 1: 1. Teammates for three years, turned out to be just beasts of burden


    Late at night.


    The towering World Tree stood in the center of White Dove City, emitting a magic glow like fireflies, mysterious and magnificent.


    The World Tree was also known as the Golden Tree, and its existence attracted countless adventurers like moths to a flame.


    In a luxury villa on the second floor, the lights in the room were as bright as daylight.


    The floor was a mess, scattered with papers filled with strategies for battling Magical Creatures.


    Lin Da sat at the desk, rubbing his temples, feeling exhaustion coursing through his bones.


    ...


    ��A month has passed, and the Ice Flower adventure team has reached the eleventh level, yet we are still stuck on the eighth. The gap is only widening!��


    A white palm slapped down on the table.


    The displeased voice of a young girl made Lin Da��s head ache even more.


    The girl who burst into Lin Da��s room was quite beautiful, with a slender and curvy figure, fiery red hair like flames, and long slender legs encased in black over-the-knee socks.


    Like a rose with thorns, she was always the center of attention wherever she went.


    She was Lia, the captain of the Snow Goose adventure team.


    When Lin Da had first arrived in this world, he felt fortunate to have met Lia.


    Lin Da possessed knowledge about this ��game��, and Lia was a naturally talented Swordsman; together, they could have decimated various Magical Creatures in the World Tree Secret Realm and made a name for themselves.


    But now, as he looked at the girl standing with her arms crossed and an arrogant posture, all he saw in his eyes was disappointment.


    ��There��s no rush to reach the ninth level right now; we should secure our strategy first,�� Lin Da said, setting down his quill pen with a sigh of helplessness.


    ��Strategy, strategy, you��ve been repeating that word for a month now. I��ve heard other teams don��t take nearly as long to devise their strategy, right?��


    Lia frowned, her expression fraught with skepticism as she looked at him.


    ��The ninth level isn��t as simple as you think. The more thorough our strategy, the better.��


    Lin Da sighed.


    The game ��Mystic Continent�� was known for its high difficulty.


    There were fifty levels in the Mystic Realm, and the Magical Creatures on each level were much stronger than those on the previous one, so entering unprepared was akin to suicide.


    Lin Da cautiously chose a more gentle approach, ��Perhaps, our team��s strength isn��t quite up to par with that of the Ice Flower adventure team? Moreover, there��s a good chance that a Lava Giant guardian could appear on the ninth level, which doesn��t bode well for our team��s compatibility.��


    ��Are you saying we��re inferior to the Ice Flower adventure team?��


    Lia��s complexion changed, and she did not take in a word of what followed, fixating only on his previous comment.


    ��I think you��re just scared,�� she declared, slamming her hands down on the table, the front of her silk nightgown unremarkable despite her leaning forward, lacking any hint of curvature.


    ��Everyone else in the team has reached level 20, only you, the Healer, are still at level 15. Is it because your healing capabilities aren��t up to the requirements of the ninth level, so you keep making excuses to delay us?��


    Upon hearing this, Lin Da raised his head, looking at Lia in surprise.


    It was true that he was only at level 15, and his healing output as a Healer wasn��t very high.


    But the reason for his lagging level was something that Lia, as the team captain, should have been well aware of.


    Devising strategies was no simple task; it required an enormous amount of time and energy.


    And preparing strategic materials, taking responsibility for the team��s meals��all of it was on him.


    While Lia and a few other young ladies were out shopping, enjoying leisure and pleasure, Lin Da was working overnight. S~ea??h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There could be dozens of reasons, but faced with the fierce Lia, Lin Da found himself at a loss for words. With her temperament, it seemed that whatever he said would be snappily retorted.


    He attempted to speak, ��My level is low because I don��t have time to train.��


    As expected, Lia��s eyebrows rose, hands on her hips, she said arrogantly, ��So, others have the time? If you tried harder, couldn��t you at least be level 16 or 17? In a few years, when we are all level 30 and become Star-ranked adventurers, do you still want to be stuck at level 15? Don��t you have any ambition?��


    It was always the same, either he wasn��t trying hard enough or he wasn��t serious enough.


    This young lady always felt that the team��s shortcomings were his fault.


    Lin Da couldn��t help but want to ask Lia, isn��t it possible that the biggest problem lies with you?


    The relationships among members of the Snow Goose Adventure Team were not harmonious, and their coordination in battle was very poor.


    Even though each member��s talent was outstanding and their levels were high, their performance in battle was a complete mess.


    Without a precise strategy to guide them, they were completely disorganized.


    Under the sharp gaze of the young woman, Lin Da only felt a deep sense of weariness.


    He didn��t retort anymore, nor did he bother to pick up the scattered strategy papers on the floor. Instead, he picked up a cup of hot water from the table and sipped it lost in thought.


    ��I��m talking to you,�� Lia��s hand slammed on the table again.


    ��I��m tired, you go back first. We can talk about it tomorrow.��


    Lia frowned and stared at him for a while, then slowly said, ��Would it matter to you if you got replaced?��


    ��What?��


    Lin Da was a bit confused by Lia��s implication.


    After a brief silence, Lia pulled out a resume from her pocket and handed it to him.


    On it was a young man with dyed blond hair, barely handsome, with the prominent title of ��Healer�� written in his occupation column.


    Lin Da��s heart sank.


    It was like working hard in a job, earning only 1800 a month, and still being criticized for not being diligent enough, ending up sacked.


    ��This is Phyllis, a level 20 Healer, a top graduate from the Noble Academy in White Dove City. He came by this morning.��


    Lia paused, then said, ��I sent him away. You understand what I mean, right?��


    ��Lin Da, there��s more than one person in the team who is dissatisfied with you. You are only level 15 and come from a poor background. It��s Miss here who has been protecting you, persuading them to keep you. Can��t you show some spirit?��


    Lia stomped her foot in frustration, ��We��re heading to the ninth floor tomorrow. Show us what you��re worth then! Always being useless to the team, how can Miss keep you?��


    Useless?


    Lin Da stared blankly at the papers crushed under Lia��s foot, those that detailed various strategies for handling Magical Creatures.


    So in her eyes, they were as good as useless?


    Initially, it was Lia who had begged him to lead everyone, not a single one to be left behind, through the World Tree.


    Wishing for no fatalities yet demanding fast progress was typical of a troublesome client, raising ridiculous demands.


    Lin Da, filled with pent-up resentment, finally exploded today.


    ��What if I still disagree about the team advancing to the ninth floor tomorrow?��


    Lia was momentarily taken aback, but soon spoke angrily, ��Are you deliberately opposing me? Do you know how many better Healers than you want to join our team? I sent them all away! If you are still unwilling tomorrow����


    ��Unwilling then?�� Lin Da��s smile grew increasingly sarcastic.

 Chapter 2 - 2: 2. I withdraw from the team.

    Chapter 2: 2. I withdraw from the team.


    Lia felt offended.


    She gritted her teeth and said, ��If you��re unwilling, then don��t come, Young Lady will find another Healer!��


    After hearing Lia��s words, Lin Da felt a complete chill in his heart, yet he also felt relieved.


    Perhaps he had always been waiting for an opportunity like this, to give himself a reason to leave this suffocating place with perfect justification.


    ��What are you dazing off for? Remember to gather on time tomorrow, otherwise Young Lady will really find another Healer!��


    Lia said irritably, then yawned, ready to return to her bedroom to rest.


    ...


    ��I��m leaving the team.��


    Lin Da suddenly declared.


    ��What?��


    Lia��s hand, reaching for the doorknob, froze.


    She seemed to have completely not anticipated this turn of events.


    A look of astonishment flickered in the girl��s ruby-like large eyes, as if she couldn��t comprehend what Lin Da was saying.


    Lin Da stood up, towering over Lia, who was more than a head shorter, still with her mouth open and a somewhat vacant expression.


    ��There��s no need to wait until tomorrow, you can now contact that Healer named Phyllis to join the Snow Goose Adventure Team.��


    Having said that, he grabbed a brown jacket, put it on, and headed for the door.


    ��Stop right there!��


    As Lin Da stepped toward leaving the room, a piercing voice came from behind.


    One could tell that Lia was shaken; otherwise, her voice wouldn��t have sounded as shrill as a chicken being stepped on the neck.


    Expecting to hear some words of retention, Lin Da paused his steps.


    But what followed was a barrage of the girl��s complaints and incomprehension.


    ��All I asked was for you to wake up a bit earlier tomorrow and go to the ninth floor together, and now you want to leave the team? Is it necessary?��


    Lia��s face turned red with anger, her chest heaving violently.


    She really wished she could rush over and give Lin Da a harsh kick, then grab his ear and ask loudly once more: Do you even know what you��re talking about?


    The Snow Goose Adventure Team was initially established by three people, one of them being Lin Da. Lia had considered the possibility of anyone leaving the team, but she had never thought that Lin Da would be the one.


    After all, even the name of the adventure team was something she came up with alongside Lin Da; how could anyone abandon their own team and choose to leave?


    Lia took a deep breath, clenched her fists tightly, and with a voice that was cold and slow yet extremely firm, she said, ��Lin Da, if you dare leave, don��t ever come back.��


    ��Mhm.��


    Lin Da nodded.


    This casual ��mhm�� made Lia��s expression even uglier.


    She said, ��Young Lady will definitely recruit that Phyllis into the team by tomorrow.��


    ��Whatever.��


    ��There will be no place for you, you know?��


    ��Mhm.��


    Lin Da didn��t bother with Lia, who stood with a foolish expression like a pillar in his own room.


    If it had been Lia from three years earlier showing this kind of expression, Lin Da would have offered a few words of comfort, but now, he found he had neither the sentiment nor the inclination to do so; it was as though he was looking at a stranger, feeling completely indifferent.


    Lin Da thought with self-mockery, he should never have accepted Lia��s invitation to create the Snow Goose Adventure Team from the start.


    Comrades for three years, and in the end, it amounted to nothing. sea??h th�� n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thud, thud.


    The sound of footsteps descending the stairs echoed around the spacious villa, seeming somewhat cold and lonely.


    Lin Da entered the living room.


    ��It��s late at night, stop playing and go to bed.��


    ��Still reading at this hour? It��s bad for your skin.��


    As he passed through the living room, he noticed the other two Young Ladies of the team hadn��t gone to sleep yet.


    The former was a mature and seductive-looking Mage Miss from the Holy Light Church, Aiko, lounging on the sofa in a white dress that hugged her breathtaking curves, lazily flipping through a fashion magazine with the latest summer releases,


    The latter was the undersized little tyke, Klrona, with pink twin tails, serving as a Heavy Armored Warrior, and playing Whack-a-Mole with a fiercely competitive expression on her face.


    Lin Da had a rather good relationship with these two Young Ladies, certainly much better than with Bilya.


    ��So late, where are you going?�� Aiko laid down her magazine and looked quizzically at Lin Da, tilting her head.


    Klrona, on the other hand, acted as if Lin Da didn��t exist, wishing he wouldn��t come back for the night. A new board game had recently come out in the shops, and she planned to play all night long; Lin Da being home would definitely have something to say about it.


    ��Nothing much, just going out for a walk.��


    Lin Da smiled softly, not planning on telling the two about his resignation from the team.


    He was really afraid they might show a sign of happiness, just Lia alone was enough to chill his heart.


    ��Oh, come back early,�� Aiko said, sensing something was a bit off in his expression, but didn��t think much of it.


    Both of them, including Klrona who was thoroughly enjoying her game of Whack-a-Mole, were unaware that this was Lin Da��s last day with the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Lin Da walked out of the villa and blended into the dark night outside.


    This villa was located in a luxury community in White Dove City, with wide and clean roads, and the deep night of summer was very quiet, with only scarce chirping of insects to be heard.


    It was unlike the small shabby house they first rented in Sparrow District, where drunk adventurers often caused trouble nearby, creating a messy scene.


    After three years of hard work, Lin Da and the others had bought this large villa in the pricey Inner City District, occupying nearly three hundred square meters of land.


    The Snow Goose Adventure Team was wealthy and had gained enough fame to be known as a prominent team in White Dove City.


    But Lin Da was becoming increasingly suffocated, having to face Lia��s questioning every day.


    ��When will you be able to come up with the strategy?��


    ��I��m level 23 now, what about you?��


    ��There��s no level 15 Healer in the first-class adventure teams in White Dove City, you know?��


    And so on��


    Before the team became famous, Lia was not like this.


    Lin Da sighed.


    Lia used to be down-to-earth and earnest, always full of energy and, because she was pretty, he was willing to create the Snow Goose Adventure Team with her.


    But now, all Lia thought about was how to conquer the next level of the Mystic Realm, overtaking those established adventure teams and pressing them underfoot.


    Lia, wielding a small whip, was crazily squeezing Lin Da like a donkey spinning a mill, never satisfied with his extensive late-night efforts, always thinking he was slacking, not working hard enough.


    He was tired, and that was why he could only leave.


    Lin Da put his hands in his pockets and looked lonesomely toward the north,


    at that towering, verdant tree which still twinkled with magic light even in the darkness of night.


    The World Tree Secret Realm.


    Just like the game he had played in his previous life.


    Inside the World Tree, there were fifty layers of Mystic Realms, each with different Secret Realm Guardians. Defeat these bosses and you would receive the rewards of the World Tree Goddess.


    Various equipment, Skill Books, Gold Coins, Magic Potions�� the rewards became richer the higher one went.


    Like when the Snow Goose Adventure Team had recently conquered the eighth layer; the bounty from that venture was worth tens of thousands of Gold Coins, enough for an ordinary person to work from the Ancient Times until today.

 Chapter 3 - 3: 3. Deitys Invitation

    Chapter 3: 3. Deity��s Invitation


    After leaving the Snow Goose Adventure Team, what next?


    Lin Da gazed at the starry night sky, feeling a hint of bewilderment.


    It was like a prisoner who had served three years and was finally released, holding freedom but clueless about what to do.


    In the cool night breeze, he walked out of the affluent neighborhood.


    Lin Da gradually made a decision.


    He truly needed to continue being an adventurer.


    ...


    With a plethora of strategies and clearance experiences in his mind, finding a few teammates who would follow orders, reaching the top floors might be uncertain, but making it to the thirtieth or fortieth floor was possible.


    If his future team could surpass the Snow Goose Adventure Team in terms of floors��would Lia be so angry that she would bite him?


    Lin Da had never held a grudge against her nor seen her defense break.


    He found himself quite curious about it.


    Ding-dong.


    He heard a phantom sound.


    An icon resembling an email popped up in the lower right of Lin Da��s field of vision.


    ��Is this shabby system of mine starting up?��


    Lin Da��s eyes brightened, and his mood improved slightly.


    During those three years, the system had remained gray and unresponsive to clicks; he had almost lost all hope in it.


    Thinking of opening the email, a golden envelope popped up.


    A line of text appeared before Lin Da:


    Item: [Deity��s Invitation]


    Quality: Fantasy


    Content: An invitation from the Divine Realm has been sent to you, do you accept?


    Yes/No


    Lin Da unhesitatingly chose ��Yes��.


    The invitation��s quality was Fantasy Grade��it would be too wasteful not to use it.


    After clicking ��Yes��, the invitation disappeared from the system interface, transforming into a golden light that enveloped Lin Da.


    In the eerily quiet night, Lin Da��s figure vanished from the spot.


    The scenery in his field of vision changed.


    Holding his slightly dizzy head, Lin Da looked around.


    Darkness surrounded him, no stars or moon overhead.


    It was as if he had entered a black sheet of paper.


    In this eerie space, there was a stone chair placed directly in front of him.


    A man sat regally atop it.


    An authoritative voice came:


    ��Hero, you have finally arrived, I, the deity, have waited for you for millions of years!��


    Hero?


    Me?


    Lin Da blinked in confusion.


    So, after three years, the benefits of being a transgressor had finally come to fruition? S��ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��


    Meanwhile, at the Snow Goose Adventure Team��s villa, in Lin Da��s room.


    Papers filled with various data were scattered all over the floor.


    The water in the cup on the table had long since gone cold.


    Lia stood there in a daze, her fiery red hair looking somewhat disheveled.


    She had been standing with her back facing the room door for nearly half an hour, yet Lin Da had not returned.


    A wave of panic rose in her heart.


    She couldn��t help but think, was Lin Da serious?


    Had he decided to leave the team just because she had reprimanded him a few times?


    Hearing Lin Da mention quitting the team, Lia was confused for a moment and felt some discomfort in her chest, nearly turning around to pull him back.


    ��Thankfully, she restrained herself.


    Why should she bow down to that Lin Da? Clearly, it was Lin Da who couldn��t keep up with the level, so why did it feel like she was the one in the wrong?


    Besides, she hadn��t planned on kicking Lin Da out; she only brought out Phyllis��s resume to scare him, to make him agree to enter the ninth level tomorrow.


    Was such a big reaction really necessary?


    Lia looked at the scattered papers on the floor, casually picked one up, and only a moment later felt a headache coming on.


    What were all these? Was Lin Da filling up her time with this stuff every day?


    It was written with many things she couldn��t understand��something about HP, MP, STR, T, aggro, phase two�� and a mass of formulas that started to blur her vision after a while.


    Lia slammed the door irritably as she walked into the living room.


    ��What��s going on here, who has displeased our mighty team leader?��


    Aiko was applying cucumber slices to her face and glanced over to see Lia with a stern face, looking like everyone owed her eight million Gold Coins.


    It immediately filled the air with a heavy atmosphere.


    Lia didn��t speak, just sulkily sat on the couch and started flipping through a comic book of Klrona��s, clearly distracted. Her eyes weren��t even on the pages; she just kept turning them.


    Aiko, recalling Lin Da��s odd behavior just moments earlier, sensed something was amiss.


    After a while, Lia finally spoke in a casual tone, ��Lin Da is quitting the team.��


    ��What?��


    Aiko was stunned for a moment, nearly blurting out to ask what had happened in the room. But catching sight of Lia��s dark expression, she forcefully swallowed her words.


    As one of the veteran members of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, Aiko knew Lia��s personality well: willful, hot-tempered. She somewhat understood what might have happened just by thinking a little.


    Lia��s poor attitude towards Lin Da wasn��t new. Everyone thought Lin Da, with his high tolerance, wouldn��t quit over such trivial matters.


    ��Lin Da is quitting? That��s great!�� Klrona, who was busy building a monster out of blocks, suddenly cheered.


    She excitedly ran back to her room, grabbing a big box of board games with sparkling eyes, ��Let��s play this? Forget about that useless Small Fry Uncle Lin Da, it��s better if he��s gone!��


    Seeing someone supporting her, Lia��s mood eased quite a bit.


    Apart from the Snow Goose Adventure Team, no other top-tier team would take a level 15 Healer like Lin Da.


    Once that guy gets a taste of rejection outside, he will surely come crawling back.


    Right�� no need to worry.


    Lia started laughing, sitting opposite Klrona, ��What game is this? It looks fun.��


    ��Brave Fight Against the Dragon, I��ll be the Hero, and you��re the Evil Dragon,�� Klrona excitedly held a Hero figurine and pushed the Dragon figurine towards Lia.


    ��Is it okay to just forget about Lin Da?�� Aiko, dressed in a pristine white gown with her majestic blonde hair, hesitated a bit, ��At least Lin Da has contributed to the team.��


    This complaint was soft, but Lia��s ears were as sharp as a cat��s.


    Aiko highly suspected that Lia wasn��t really playing the game with Klrona; she was just using her ears like radar, checking to see if anyone would blame her for driving Lin Da away.


    ��Hmph, Lin Da quitting the team? Just watch, in a few days, he��ll come back begging me to take him back!��


    Lia deliberately raised her voice to sound justified.


    Aiko lowered her head to hide the smirk on her face, silently cursing Lia to the high heavens.


    Dream on!


    With his good-natured personality, he wouldn��t leave unless pushed to the limit.


    Usually, Aiko would indirectly tell Lia to tone it down, that Lin Da was already trying his best, that everyone should be understanding.


    Otherwise, where would she find such a useful and fun toy if Lin Da were driven away?


    His health was failing, yet Lin Da would wash her feet every night!


    Looking down at the back of Lin Da��s head, the way he diligently massaged her feet was just heavenly, both spiritually and physically.


    Lin Da also cooked, strategized, and accepted the least amount of rewards among the main members.


    Such a nice person wouldn��t be found again.


    Thus, Aiko harbored a great resentment towards Lia the Shar Pei.


    But at that moment, Lia was laughing, feeling quite justified in her statement.


    That cricket Lin Da would probably return by tomorrow night.


    Lia picked up the chess piece, swiftly capturing several of Klrona��s pawns.


    ��Ah, defeated!��


    Klrona pouted, reluctantly suggesting, ��Another round!��


    ��Sure, sure, I��ll win no matter how many times we play,�� Lia flipped her fiery red hair, her face full of confidence.

 Chapter 4 - 4: 4. The Brave Responder

    Chapter 4: 4. The Brave Responder


    On the other side.


    In a pitch-black space without stars or moon.


    ��Mortal, I am the supervisor of this world, the deity Kafni.��


    The man with golden short hair sat lazily on a stone chair, resting his chin on one hand as he looked down at Lin Da:


    ��Young man, become a hero and defeat the Demon King. Purify all the evil that shrouds the continent!��


    ��What?��


    ...


    At first, Lin Da was quite excited, thinking that his golden finger had finally arrived.


    But at the mention of ��Demon King,�� his expression collapsed in an instant.


    As everyone knows.


    The Mystic Continent is a highly challenging fantasy adventure game where the main task for players is to get through the World Tree Secret Realm, obtain the Sword of the Hero, and defeat the final Demon King.


    In the game, a level 100 Demon King is not so tough.


    Grind for a few months, level up, spend twenty thousand RMB, and defeating the Demon King wouldn��t be a big problem.


    A professional gamer like Lin Da could even pass the game without spending a penny on in-game purchases.


    But what about in reality?


    Level 100?


    In White Dove City where Lin Da lived, a large magic city with a population of a million, not even a level 40 could be found.


    The Snow Goose Adventure Team led by Lia had an average level of only 20 and was already a renowned small team in White Dove City.


    Currently, the strongest human adventurer isn��t even level 70.


    So, defeating a level 100 Demon King is completely impossible!


    Lin Da looked at the golden-haired man earnestly and said, ��Defeating the Demon King and all that, it��s better left to someone more capable, right? I��m just an ordinary person who wants to live a stable life, get married, buy a house. Why not just give me a lump sum of gold coins, and let me leave?��


    The golden-haired deity named Kafni crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head haughtily, ��That won��t do. According to the rules of the Divine Realm, anyone who enters must become a hero, or else you must stay here forever.��


    ��Isn��t this forcing someone to become a hero? If I become a hero and don��t do any real work, that would be troublesome for you too, wouldn��t it?��


    Lin Da was astonished.


    ��Do you think I want this? These are the rules set by the big shots above. Why else would I seek you out, a man? Wouldn��t it be nicer to have a beautiful girl as a hero?��


    Kafni stood up from his stone chair in a fury, his dignity and respectable aura completely dissipated:


    ��You little mortal ant, don��t you dare look down on a deity. Becoming a hero is not up for negotiation! If I don��t complete the task of saving the world, I��ll be punished. Why else would I waste my breath on a mortal like you?��


    ��So�� do you understand? Unless you��re willing to subdue the Demon King, there��s no way I��ll let you go!��


    Lin Da��s head was spinning.


    He had just escaped from Lia, ready to enjoy a life of freedom, and now he was being forced to become a hero, subdue the Demon King, and save the world?


    No chance to spend money, no chance to cheat.


    It would have been nice to have a big-breasted goddess at his side; instead, he��s stuck with the kind of ugly-faced, male cannon fodder often found in novels.


    What a mess.


    Lin Da thought and then said helplessly, ��So, if I become a hero, what��s in it for me?��


    ��Cough cough, let me see here, according to the ��Divine Realm Salvation Student Handbook�� 7th edition, there are three ways I can help you.��


    Kafni took out a small book from his robes and read aloud, ��First, the deity may grant the Chosen Hero profession, a powerful all-round enhancement template that increases growth potential.


    Second, a high-quality Legendary-grade Skill Stone. But you��ll have to wait for this one; it takes at least a day for the express delivery from the Divine Realm.


    Third, the hero may wish for a custom skill, and I will do my best to help create it.


    That��s all the help I can give you.��


    ��You��ve already changed classes when you came in, so you should check it out for yourself.��


    Kafni raised his eyebrows proudly, ready to receive Lin Da��s admiration.


    Lin Da opened his panel with a mixture of skepticism and disbelief. After changing his class to hero, he didn��t feel an increase in strength��in fact, he felt a bit weaker��


    In this world, no one can have two professions at the same time. Lin Da��s original profession was a level 15 Healer. If he changed his class to hero, his Healer level would be overridden.


    In other words, he dropped from level 15 to level 0.


    This was not good news. If Lia found out, she would probably laugh at him to death.


    But upon further thought, Lin Da felt something was amiss. After becoming level 0, he seemed to only be slightly weaker than a level 15 Healer, and there wasn��t that much of a disparity.


    It��s true that a Healer��s combat capability is incredibly subpar, but could it be almost the same as a level 0 Warrior?


    Lin Da silently commanded in his mind, ��Panel, summon.��


    A screen of light, strikingly similar to the interfaces from video games of a previous life, appeared.


    Most notably, there was a line of text shimmering like the sun after the profession column:


    Profession: [Chosen Recovery Warrior]


    ��What��s this?��


    After seeing the attributes on the panel clearly, Lin Da was utterly astounded.


    He was still a Healer. At level 0, all his attribute points were no more than 10, with pitiable strengths and defenses at a mere 5, and his only initial skill was Healing Art.


    But now, the numbers on the panel all reached double digits.


    The initial skills were also numerous, too many to fit on one page.


    Lin Da��s gaze swept over, revealing the entire panel before his eyes.


    Name: Lin Da


    Profession: Chosen Recovery Warrior


    Level: 0


    Hit Points: 200


    Magic Power: 13


    Strength: 13


    Defense: 12


    Magic Defense: 17


    Agility: 11


    Resistance: None


    Experience: 0/10 (10 experience points needed to reach the next level)


    Inherent Skills��


    Balance Conservation (Legendary): Your strength will always equal your magic power points.


    Venom in the Heart (Legendary): You will master Poison Healing Art.


    Eye of Truth (Legendary): You can see the damage numbers you and others cause.


    Hidden Skills��


    Devour Everything (Fantasy Grade): You will gain Mystical Points after killing Magical Creatures.


    Equivalent Exchange (Fantasy Grade): You can exchange Mystical Points for experience points, talent enhancement, skill proficiency, and so on.


    ��


    Recovery Warrior, turns out to be a hexagonal bucket profession?


    An initial Magic Defense of 17, even higher than a magic-resistant tank.


    Lin Da couldn��t help but feel excited.


    As a former professional player, he was acutely aware of the importance of initial attributes.


    Initial attributes indicate growth potential; their level directly determines whether an account is usable and can be considered a main player.


    At level 0, if the total of five basic attributes on one��s panel reaches 50, it��s considered exceptionally excellent.


    In the reality of Mystic Continent, it equates to genius.


    The total of Lin Da��s previous Healer template basic attributes was only 37.


    However, the Recovery Warrior��s total of five basic attributes was 66.


    Initial Hit Points, 200, twice as high as those of a Healer. S��arch* The nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da pinched the soft flesh between his thighs, afraid he was dreaming.


    The positioning of the Recovery Warrior profession was to have exceedingly high hit points and Magic Defense, while also being able to regenerate health��pretty much a tanky healer.


    No need for the front line to protect him; he was the front line!

 Chapter 5 - 5: I want a pretty girl

    Chapter 5: I want a pretty girl


    The Healing Hero��s skills were also quite outrageous.


    Usually, a starter profession that possesses a single Legendary Skill could be called a Legendary template.


    But this Hero panel came with three Legendary Skills, two Fantasy Grade Skills!


    Since the creation of the game Mystic Continent, Lin Da had never seen such an outrageous template.


    With it, clearing the top floor of the World Tree and defeating the Demon King were no longer ��impossible.��


    The first Legendary Skill of the Healing Hero was Balance Conservation: the strength value would always equal the Magic Points.


    ...


    This allowed Lin Da to easily cultivate both physical and magical skills, shedding the Healer��s disadvantage of lacking combat capability.


    Although there were traditional professions like the Paladin who could fight and defend, the Paladin��s so-called ��fighting�� wasn��t even half as good as the lousiest damage-dealing class.


    They could fight, but not much.


    Then came the second Legendary Skill, Poison at Heart.


    An extra branch appeared in the profession��s Skill Tree, called ��Poisonous Healing.��


    A Legendary-grade Skill Tree was presumably not weak at all.


    Healing one monster to death with poison was entirely possible.


    The third skill was the ��Eye of Truth.��


    It displayed damage numbers when fighting monsters.


    This skill was relatively weaker and was mainly used to observe the reality of friend and foe.


    The remaining two Fantasy Grade Skills belonged to system capabilities.


    Killing monsters gave Mystical Points, which could then be used to enhance oneself.


    The experience bar also appeared, which perfectly matched the baseline setting of the game ��Mystic Continent��: killing monsters to grow stronger.


    If everything matched the game without error, this meant that Lin Da didn��t have a cultivation bottleneck; he would eventually reach the maximum level of 100.


    Lin Da felt relieved; the pressure to become a hero wasn��t so great anymore.


    Once he reached level 100, he, a former professional player, would not fear any Demon King.


    ��Hey, mortal, how do you like this boon from the deity? Aren��t you grateful and ready to kiss my boots?��


    Kafni��s haughty voice came through.


    Lin Da snapped back to his senses.


    The disdainful tone made his eyebrows twitch.


    If these abilities were a bountiful act of goodwill from Kafni, he would have to respectfully show some gratitude.


    But Kafni was giving them to make him fight the Demon King.


    The two of them should have a partnership.


    He was responsible for exerting force, and Kafni was to provide the equipment.


    This golden-haired Deity, however, always looked down on him, speaking like a haughty Female Lady, which made one��s teeth itch with irritation.


    Lin Da kept his annoyance hidden deep inside; firstly, he had to claim all the rewards.


    ��The third aid you provide me, am I allowed to wish for any skill I want?��


    ��Of course, after all, I am a deity!��


    ��Time is precious, make up your mind quickly. I am waiting to move on to the next world!��


    Kafni��s tone contained half pride and half disdain for a bumpkin like Lin Da.


    Lin Da remained composed and started thinking.


    The skills he already had were completely sufficient.


    Another Legendary Skill would merely change the difficulty from easy to very easy.


    What he needed was some unconventional support.


    Lin Da looked intently at Kafni, who was floating in the air, elegantly popping a crystal grape into his mouth:


    ��I want you to transform into a pretty roasted chicken girl to serve as my Summoned Beast.��


    ��Summoned Beast, no problem! Let me see, there are Holy Dragon hatchlings, Amethyst Behemoth hatchlings�� wait, what did you just say?��


    The grape in Kafni��s hand dropped to the ground.


    Instead of anger, a hint of panic appeared on Kafni��s face upon hearing Lin Da��s highly offensive request.


    Lin Da smiled, showing his bright white teeth:


    ��I want you to turn into a big, white panda girl, tender skinned and fiercely beautiful, to serve as a summoned beast for this hero,��


    Lin Da said it, but he didn��t actually hold out much hope for success.


    He was just joking to express his dissatisfaction, hoping that Kafni would tone down that superior deity attitude.


    After all, which deity would be foolish enough to truly turn into a girl and become his summoned beast?


    What if he were some pervert who wanted the deity to help satisfy his physical needs?


    However, Lin Da was not from the Divine Realm and was not very clear about some rules.


    Kafni was far from as composed as he had imagined.


    As a deity guiding the hero��s transformation, Kafni couldn��t reject the hero��s wish; according to the rules of the Divine Realm, he must do his utmost to satisfy the hero, assist the hero, inspire the hero, to save another world. sea??h th�� N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At that moment,


    Bear, girl, summoned beast�� These three keywords were captured by the Divine Realm��s rules, and they heard Lin Da��s words of confirmation.


    An overwhelming power that Kafni couldn��t resist enveloped him.


    Suddenly, Kafni��s face changed.


    His expression went from confused to shocked, then to collapsing and despair, all in just few breaths.


    ��Hero, you scoundrel!��


    Kafni was about to cry.


    ��Are you cursing at me?��


    Lin Da touched his head, puzzled.


    Seeing the other��s pale face, he realized what had happened, albeit belatedly.


    Kafni, could it be that he couldn��t refuse his request?


    Lin Da was stunned.


    Then�� what was he pretending all this time?


    If he had just honestly handled his hero employment business and had been a bit nicer, Lin Da wouldn��t have thought about joking around, right?


    It turns out he��s just a clerk processing hero business.


    How could there be such a lousy deity in this world?


    ��Can I take back what I said earlier? It was just a joke; let��s choose another skill,��


    Lin Da coughed, saying awkwardly.


    But Kafni laughed.


    It was the kind of laugh that had tears streaming down his face.


    Lin Da read the answer from his tragic expression.


    The matter was settled, he could only maximize the benefits now.


    Lin Da sighed and looked up at the sky.


    Looking at Kafni being enveloped in golden light and undergoing transformation, he spoke rapidly:


    ��Please grant me a goddess with a big panda, long legs, a peach-shaped butt, a bit fuller, and a face like an older sister��! Oh, can it be pinchable? If so, I want it to be white����


    Kafni��s body twisted in the golden light, being kneaded into various shapes by the giant hand of the rules.


    Sharp cries of agony continued to sound out.


    ��Waaaaah! Stop it, stop right now, you damn hero!��


    ��How can you manipulate a deity��s body like this?! I��m going to kill you aaaaah!��


    Poof��


    The giant panda appeared.


    Snap��


    His pride and joy vanished without a trace.


    Kafni cried.


    Everything was just as Lin Da had expected.


    The woman in the golden light had a perfect, firm-bodied panda, a waist slender enough to be grasped with one hand, long smooth legs, and a perky, elastic panda butt.


    And a head of soft, sunshine-bright golden hair.

 Chapter 6 - 6: Lia Hongwen

    Chapter 6: Lia Hongwen


    ��Stop, stop now! I really don��t want to become a girl and do something as filthy and tiring as vanquishing the Demon King, which could easily cost me my life!��


    The voice of despair in the golden light had turned into a soft feminine voice.


    ��Hmm?��


    Hearing Kafni��s words, Linda��s head was filled with question marks.


    So, vanquishing the Demon King is a filthy, tiring job that risks one��s life?


    Wasn��t it guaranteed earlier that with divine help, vanquishing the Demon King would be very easy?


    ...


    It turns out it was all nonsense!


    The little sympathy Linda had felt for Kafni disappeared.


    A moment later, his attention shifted to Kafni��s body.


    Or rather, should this deity now be called ��Princess Kafni��?


    The Kafni part of the name meaning hibiscus.


    Princess Kafni��s appearance was entirely formed by Linda��s XP, featuring a teardrop mole at the corner of her eye and a beautiful, mature-looking face.


    But what attracted most attention was Princess Kafni��s hands crossed over her chest and the tearful, embarrassed look in her eyes.


    She looked like a precious princess who had fallen into a Goblin cave, both scared and unwilling to give up her dignity, shielding her front as she faced the magical creatures.


    The d��j�� vu was extremely strong.


    Linda walked over, smiled broadly, and appreciating the whiteness in front of him, nodded and said, ��Pretty good.��


    ��You��!��


    Princess Kafni��s face turned blood red, and grinding her teeth, she reached for Linda��s neck.


    Just then, a majestic voice echoed through the dark space.


    ��Hero��s induction time has ended; God��s Space is closing.��


    ��Chosen hero, with the power bestowed upon you by the deity, go and save another world!��


    Whoosh whoosh!


    Two beams of light landed on Linda and Kafni.


    Before they could react, their figures reappeared at the entrance of the World Tree Secret Realm in White Dove City.


    ��


    Due to a different flow of time, it was already the next morning in the outside world.


    The Secret Realm Square in White Dove City was bustling with noise.


    Adventurers were jostling against each other, their armor and swords clashing, producing a sobering metallic sound, as they began their new day��s journey of exploring the Secret Realm early in the morning.


    This was a gourd-shaped square covering thousands of square feet, and at the deepest part of the gourd was a sky-high tree shimmering with magical light��the World Tree Secret Realm.


    Many adventure teams were purchasing strategy materials and recruiting temporary members in the square.


    The square was packed with people.


    Yet, one team occupied a clear space on their own.


    The surrounding adventurers preferred to squeeze elsewhere rather than venture into that group��s territory.


    ��Look, it��s the Snow Goose Adventure Team; they��re preparing to conquer the ninth layer!�� Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Miss Lia��s red hair is still so stunning!��


    ��Their team seems off by one member, aren��t they?��


    There were only a few well-known squads in White Dove City and the members were relatively fixed, so someone quickly recognized:


    ��It��s the ��Eye of Wisdom�� Healer Linda who��s missing!��


    Everyone looked intently, and there stood Miss Lia with a greatsword on her back, her fiery red hair tied in a ponytail, looking strikingly heroic.


    The blond mage Miss Aiko.


    Chloe with pink twin ponytails, wearing heavy armor, and carrying a short-handled battle axe on her shoulder.


    And the dark green-haired Elf Archer Kenny and her boyfriend, Heavy Hammer Warrior Oru.


    Only Healer Linda was nowhere to be seen.


    ��Tsk.��


    Lia crossed her arms over her chest, fingers anxiously drumming on her arm, and she cast a sidelong glance at the towering clock tower in the square, which showed exactly nine o��clock.


    The usual practice for the Snow Goose Adventure Team was to gather at eight-thirty, yet now, half an hour had passed, and a certain someone still had not appeared.


    That Lin Da definitely knew that the Snow Goose Adventure Team was entering the Ninth Layer Secret Realm today.


    She had also told Lin Da that if he did not show up soon, she would really find another healer to replace his position!


    ��Perhaps, another day for the Ninth Layer?�� Aiko, observing Lia��s gloomy expression, lowered her voice.


    However, deep down, she was secretly sneering, hadn��t they agreed yesterday that no one was to sympathize with Lin Da?


    Lia had asked them to come early at eight-thirty, while she purposely arrived half an hour late, claiming she had suddenly remembered that her weapons needed maintenance.


    In reality, she wanted them to wait here first to see if Lin Da would show up.


    If he did appear, Lia would arrive ��fashionably late�� and nonchalantly say, ��They waited here for you, letting you, this lost dog, come back, but I haven��t agreed yet; I��ll have to see your performance in the secret realm.��


    Aiko saw through Lia��s brain-shrinking leadership.


    It was now past nine, and Lin Da still had not appeared, Aiko caught a glimpse of Lia��s fingers tapping faster and faster, and she couldn��t help but feel schadenfreude.


    Continue waiting for Lin Da? she would like to see what lame excuse you could come up with.


    ��Miss Lia, why aren��t we going yet? We��ve been waiting for Lin Da for half an hour and he still hasn��t come, let��s just go by ourselves.��


    Chloe, who had finished her snacks, licked the oil from her fingertips, and spoke with dissatisfaction.


    Urged by others and fearful that her thoughts might be exposed, Lia immediately blushed.


    Giving someone a chance, and yet he doesn��t take it, huh?


    Fine.


    Just go in!


    Lia sneered and said, ��Olu, go fetch that healer named Phyllis and tell him that I, Miss Lia, have agreed, and from now on, he will be the healer of the Snow Goose Adventure Team!��


    ��Ah? We��re not waiting for Lin Da anymore?��


    Olu was a burly and tall fellow with a simple appearance, serving as the team��s Heavy Hammer Warrior.


    He had a good relationship with Lin Da, and this morning, after hearing about Lin Da��s departure from the team, he had spoken highly of Lin Da in front of Lia.


    ��Just go when I tell you to, no need for so much talk.��


    Lia glanced at the dark green bobbed-haired elf girl Klyne, pointed ears showing, and said, ��Control your boyfriend, I��m the team captain, and he needs to listen to me.��


    Klyne smiled embarrassingly and gave Olu a look.


    Olu silently found a carriage and headed to Phyllis��s residence.


    Another half an hour passed, and Lin Da still hadn��t arrived.


    ��Let��s set out.�� Lia commanded, expressionless, leading the team and their new healer into the World Tree Secret Realm.


    ��


    Time flew by, and soon it was noon.


    On the Secret Realm Square, the appearance of a man and a woman drew the attention of many adventurers.


    They appeared out of nowhere on the platform outside the World Tree, somewhat like adventurers returning using a Teleportation Stone after successfully conquering the secret realm.


    The man was Lin Da, a somewhat famous healer known as ��Eye of Wisdom�� from White Dove City.


    With his handsome and rugged looks, tall stature, and membership in the renowned Snow Goose Adventure Team, Lin Da was quite popular.


    However, today, the woman by his side was even more dazzling.


    Kafni, in a pure white long dress, had golden hair that reached her waist, and her outstanding chest could thin a veil by ninety-nine percent for women.


    Added to that was a shy yet charming face, causing many men��s gazes to heat up.


    Just moments ago, a debacle happened here, as an adventurer set his sights on Kafni and planned to use a certain ��little trick�� to knock her unconscious.


    Lin Da had promptly discovered this and used his reputation as the ��Eye of Wisdom�� to frighten the aggressor into hurriedly fleeing.


    ��Um����


    Kafni coughed, speaking somewhat coyly, ��You did help me, it��s true, but the deity I am will not thank you.��


    The intervention by Lin Da had eased the tense atmosphere somewhat.


    ��It��s nothing, after all, we are ��partners��, aren��t we?��


    Lin Da remarked wistfully.


    After exiting from that God��s Space, they landed directly in the Secret Realm Square, and the time had come to noon.


    Otherwise, he might have seen Lia nearby, her face flushed with embarrassment.

 Chapter 7 - 7: 7. Ice Flower Adventure Team

    Chapter 7: 7. Ice Flower Adventure Team


    Yesterday, Lia said she would enter the World Tree Secret Realm this morning.


    Lin Da thought to himself, thankfully, he came out at noon, so he didn��t run into Lia.


    Otherwise, if they had met, he would probably have been ridiculed a lot.


    Not returning to the villa for the night, he actually went to find that blonde young lady, how disgusting!


    If Lin Da��s level 0 status were exposed, that would be even worse, Lia would definitely step on his head with her little black-stockinged foot.


    Gathering his thoughts, Lin Da looked at Kafni with a grave expression.


    ...


    ��About becoming a girl�� I��ve already apologized, since we can��t change the fact, let��s think about how to defeat the Demon King? After completing the mission, you should be able to go back to normal.��


    The two of them walked and talked, planning to find a quiet place to sort out their current situation.


    Kafni clenched her fists unwillingly, her voice trembling, ��But, but, my level has dropped to the same as yours!��


    In the game setup of Mystic Continent, a Summoned Beast��s level cannot exceed that of their master.


    Lin Da smiled awkwardly, ��But I didn��t know things would turn out like this. You��ve already scolded me several times, so we��re even, right? From now on, you just assist me well, and defeating the Demon King is what we��ll do.��


    ��Even? You��re dreaming!��


    Kafni suddenly became agitated, her eyes bulging, ��I��ve never even touched a girl��s hand, and before I could use it, it��s gone? What are you going to compensate me with?!��


    ��Uh�� when I was doing it, I called your name?��


    ��?��


    A moment later, Kafni finally understood what Lin Da meant.


    She first exploded in rage, then felt an emptiness below, and was overwhelmed with grief. Unable to hold it back, she squatted on the side of the road, shedding delicate tears.


    She just broke down.


    ��It��s okay to cry, but can you find a secluded place to cry slowly?��


    Lin Da comforted considerately.


    Kafni lifted her head, her eyes filled with a murderous look.


    ��Cough cough, let��s not talk about this. Our main task is to defeat the Demon King, right? Since you��re a Deity, what skills do you have, and what is your profession?��


    Lin Da lowered his voice, attempting to change the subject.


    But he saw Kafni hang her head low, her red lips moving slightly, uttering a mosquito-like whisper.


    ��What?��


    ��Thief����


    ��Didn��t catch that.��


    ��Thief, I��m a thief! A thief, a burden, a profession with neither attack nor defense, what, do you have a problem with that?!��


    Kafni yelled, on the verge of a breakdown.


    ��Why are you yelling so loudly?��


    Lin Da covered his ears, taking a good look at the holy and goddess-like Kafni.


    A thief class? That really sucks in the beginning.


    Before Agility is high, the success rate of the thief skill Stealing is very low.


    Once it��s high, though, you can sneak rare materials off guardians.


    ��Let it be, a thief is a thief, we��ll take it slow.�� Lin Da said with a mild smile, stroking Kafni��s smooth blonde hair as if petting a small dog.


    ��That said, we better get out of here, or the Law Enforcement Bureau might think you��re a roasted chicken and take you away for questioning.��


    Lin Da, with hands in his pockets, didn��t bother with Kafni, and just strode forward on his own.


    By the time Kafni realized that Lin Da��s reference to a roasted chicken was about her, Lin Da had already walked far ahead.


    ��Damn hero!��


    Kafni followed in anger.


    At this point, she could only accept reality.


    Transformed into a beautiful girl by a hero, her profession a thief, level zero, any adventurer she met on the road could easily dispatch her.


    Though she still had a bit of divine power left, this level-zero body was too frail; using it once might render it useless.


    She had to bear humiliation and burdens before she could regain her strength.


    ��Please wait.��


    Not far after leaving the Secret Realm Square, a crisp female voice rang out from behind them.


    Kafni thought she was the one being called and stopped to look back.


    So beautiful��


    It was a tall girl with silver hair.


    She wore exquisite light armor and had a one-handed sword hanging at her waist, her brows exuded a masculine heroism.


    The silver-haired girl first looked at Kafni in surprise, then said to Lin Da with admiration, ��As expected of the ��Eye of Wisdom,�� you always attract pretty girls.��


    ��Isa, you misunderstand, she��s just a common friend.�� S��arch* The n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da was a little surprised, not expecting to bump into this ��old acquaintance��.


    The girl named Isa smiled and did not confirm or deny it. Then, with serious expression, she said, ��I heard that you entered the World Tree this morning. Have you already conquered the ninth floor?��


    There was a hint of gunpowder in the girl��s tone.


    Lin Da knew the reason why.


    Isa was the captain of the Ice Flower Adventure Team, the greatest rival of the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Yesterday, the Ice Flower Adventure Team successfully conquered the eleventh floor, which was widely reported by major newspapers, and it also provoked Lia to storm into his room and make a scene.


    Given that it was noon, Lia and the others should have entered the World Tree Secret Realm by now.


    ������If you don��t come over tomorrow, Miss truly will find another healer!��


    Lia��s voice seemed to echo in his ears.


    ��The ninth floor? I hope they succeed,�� Lin Da said calmly.


    Isa frowned in confusion, ��Sorry, I don��t understand what you mean.��


    Could it be that the rumor this morning was true?


    Lin Da, left the Snow Goose Adventure Team?


    Isa��s face was full of gossip.


    About this matter, Lin Da did not hide anything and answered honestly, ��I��m no longer with the Snow Goose Adventure Team.��


    It really was true.


    Although she had suspected it, Isa was still somewhat surprised. That Lia, she really kicked him out of the team.


    After digesting the news, a smile appeared on Isa��s face.


    If that was the case, she would not be polite.


    As the captain of the Ice Flower Adventure Team, Isa had lost several teammates while leading the team to the eleventh floor, which had always been a knot in her heart.


    For this reason, Lin Da, who was known as the ��Eye of Wisdom�� and had helped the Snow Goose Adventure Team reach the eighth floor unscathed, came into Isa��s focus.


    The first time she noticed Lin Da was at the fifth floor in the Public Grand Secret Realm, when they were competing for the World BOSS with the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Although Lin Da as a healer was of lower level, his use of magic power was adept. Each time he healed, it landed on the person who needed it the most. As soon as a teammate got hit by a magical creature, their health dropping, a healing art would be cast right after.


    Such a method could only be achieved by someone who had an extensive understanding of magical creatures and could perform well amidst the constantly changing situations of real combat.


    Now that the Ice Flower Adventure Team was looking to expand its membership, they were in dire need of talent.


    With Lin Da having become a free agent, she had no reason not to try to recruit him.


    Without hesitation, Isa extended her right hand and said,


    ��Although I don��t know what happened between you and Lia, I regret that you left the team. And then�� Ice Flower Adventure Team, welcome aboard.��


    ��Ah?��


    Lin Da was stunned for a moment, not expecting Isa to extend him an invitation.

 Chapter 8 - 8: 8. You serve dogs better than them

    Chapter 8: 8. You serve dogs better than them


    ��Should I join the Ice Flower Adventure Team?��


    Lin Da fell into deep thought.


    Objectively speaking, the captain of Ice Flower was enthusiastic and highly capable, having led the team through eleven levels.


    During the Attacker��s conference, Lin Da had seen the members of Ice Flower a few times, and he could sense that their adventure team had a great atmosphere.


    In comparison to the Snow Goose Adventure Team, it was like heaven and earth.


    But.


    ...


    Lin Da accessed his personal panel.


    Beyond basic information, there was an option on the left called ��Squad Module.��


    Clicking it would prompt: To unlock this template, you must form your own squad.


    In the game Mystic Continent, the Squad Module provided many attribute bonuses, and lacking this module meant incomplete system functionality.


    Moreover�� Lin Da looked towards the towering lush tree in the distance.


    The person who reached the top of the World Tree would receive the strongest Brave��s Sword and a chance to make a wish to the World Tree Goddess.


    The person who obtained the Brave��s Sword was the team leader, and the person given the chance to make a wish was also the team leader.


    To vanquish the Demon King, the Brave��s Sword was indispensable.


    Lacking the ��Anti-Demon�� trait, the game��s difficulty would increase by tens of times.


    Thinking this, Lin Da shook his head and declined politely, ��Sorry, I plan to establish my own adventure team.��


    Isa frowned, thinking Lin Da was making excuses, ��You think the salary from the Ice Flower Adventure Team is too low? What does Lia give you? I guarantee to increase it by twenty percent based on that.��


    Lia only gave junk, believing that a level 15 Healer didn��t deserve good equipment.


    Lin Da didn��t have the heart to say it out loud, it was too shabby, and he feared being laughed at.


    ��It��s not about the pay.�� Lin Da smiled, ��I have certain reasons that I must create my own team, and besides�� I��ve turned back to level 0, joining the Ice Flower Adventure Team would only hold them back.��


    ��Ah, level 0?�� Isa looked at Lin Da in surprise, ��So that��s it, no wonder you were kicked out by that Lia����


    Isa completely misunderstood.


    She thought that Lin Da encountered an accident inside the World Tree, which was why Lia kicked him out of the team.


    Lin Da didn��t explain further, humbly stating, ��That��s how it is, thank you for your kindness.��


    While the invitation from the Ice Flower Adventure Team was tempting, Lin Da still wanted to create a team of his own.


    After bidding goodbye to a regretful Isa, he hadn��t walked far when Kafni curiously approached him.


    ��What��s going on with the Snow Goose Adventure Team? Who is Lia? Why does your expression change whenever she��s mentioned by Isa?��


    ��None of your business.�� Lin Da said irritably.


    But Kafni didn��t give up on getting to the bottom of things; she smelled a juicy story on Lin Da and was determined to get it clear.


    ��Aren��t we partners in fighting the Demon King? What can��t be shared?��


    ��Spill it, come on!��


    ��This Deity is asking you!��


    The more Lin Da refused to talk, the more Kafni persisted.


    Annoyed beyond tolerance, Lin Da finally briefly relayed the story about the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    A moment later.


    ��Ha? You��re totally a lickspittle, right? Doing their laundry, cooking for them, even preparing strategies for free? Dogs aren��t even as fawning as you!��


    After hearing Lin Da��s story, Kafni was dumbfounded.


    She envisioned a troublesome trio and one man playing house.


    Team leader Lia often clashed with other adventurers, rendering their lives unmanageable, all dependent on Lin Da��s mediation.


    The Mage Young Lady had leg issues that required daily massages.


    The heavy armored warrior was just an immature brat who also had a foul mouth, loving to call Lin Da a ��useless Small Fry Uncle.��


    If Lin Da didn��t cook her specified meals three times a day, she would refuse to eat, forcing Lin Da to always give in to the kid.


    I��ve seen good guys, but I��ve never seen anyone quite like Lin Da.


    Serving dogs would be easier than serving that bunch of young ladies!


    ��Lickspittle, lickspittle hero, how did I choose someone like you to be a hero? Ah, I really want to switch to a hero that respects me, is strong, and isn��t a lickspittle.��


    Kafni, with hands behind her back and chest out, glanced sideways at Lin Da��s darkening face and taunted him with a hateful expression akin to that of a Female Lady.


    ��Shut up already, will you!��


    Lin Da was somewhat annoyed, ��You don��t have OO, so of course you don��t understand men��s thoughts! Besides, when we first formed the team, Lia was normal, it was only after the team got famous that she began to change.��


    Kafni retorted unbowed:


    ��Who do you blame for me not having OO? By the way, I think the abnormal one is actually you, weren��t you the one who spoiled them like that?


    If someone cooked me meals every day for a year and then suddenly stopped one day, of course, I would curse them out.


    Why would they stop now after having done it before?


    They don��t take you seriously, purely because you are too subservient!��


    Lin Da frowned, ��Your lack of OO is none of my business. You said earlier that a deity must fulfill the hero��s wish when it��s made, why would I make such a useless wish?


    Moreover, I am not subservient; I just do what I need to do. I can��t just let them starve, can I?��


    ��That��s why I said you are a lickspittle!��


    Kafni burst into laughter.


    She thought becoming a lady was miserable enough, but Lin Da seemed to have it even worse.


    The group that Lin Da called teammates didn��t really consider him a teammate; they were just using him, knowing that if they pushed him, he would back down.


    After backing down so many times, Lin Da got used to it and felt that doing those things was his duty and responsibility.


    In other words, Lin Da got played!


    A grand hero, and yet he couldn��t figure this out!


    Kafni conveniently addressed another of Lin Da��s remarks: ��What do you mean by saying I��m useless? If I had told you earlier that I need to fulfill the hero��s wishes to the best of my ability, you, being a subservient type, would definitely wish for something even more absurd, like licking someone to gain favor or something, haha!��


    ��What? Don��t underestimate others, you damn deity!��


    Lin Da was completely infuriated, and the two of them started a big fight in the street.


    Passers-by looked on in surprise at this odd pair.


    A tall, dark-haired man angrily chasing after a gold-haired woman.


    With an aura that seemed to say he wouldn��t stop until he caught her and thrashed her thoroughly.


    The latter was not afraid at all, standing at the edge of the fountain��s pool, arms crossed, taunting the former: ��Lickspittle, lickspittle hero!��


    ��Darn it!��


    Lin Da almost burst his lungs from running, yet he couldn��t catch up to the thief-profession Kafni.


    He wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve and panted heavily.


    Despite being tired, oddly enough, after all that frantic running, he felt somewhat refreshed as if he had vented all the frustration and gloom in his chest.


    This made Lin Da recall the early days when the Snow Goose Adventure Team was first established, with members laughing and playfully chasing each other just like this.


    Indeed, it was somewhat nostalgic.


    Lin Da sighed softly.


    Leaving the team he had helped to establish over three years, it definitely felt sad.


    At that moment, he looked ahead at Kafni standing on the edge of the fountain, arms akimbo and a smug look on her face as her soft panda toy fluttered in the wind.


    It felt like a return to the carefree days three years ago. S��arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 9 - 9: 9. Bursting Flames Lia

    Chapter 9: 9. ��Bursting Flames�� Lia


    Level 0 Hero + Level 0 Deity, could only be considered the weakest among the weak, capable of slaying a Slime at best.


    Lin Da, however, felt quite at ease, without a hint of pressure.


    He pondered and gradually understood the real reason why he left the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Being forced by Lia was only a secondary concern.


    In fact, he had subconsciously realized that the current Snow Goose Adventure Team wasn��t the one he wanted to stay in. Staying there would only lead him to constantly go against his true inner thoughts.


    To form a team of his own, leisurely enjoying the scenery of the World Tree as they climbed upward.


    ...


    To not abandon any member and stand together at the highest point of the Mystic Continent.


    That was what Lin Da hoped for.


    Although this might sound like a fool��s dream, Lin Da knew the tactics to defeat every layer of Magical Creatures and could surpass the Secret Realm Guardian with the most minimal conditions.


    Therefore, it was possible.


    Having arrived in this game world, Lin Da met Lia and agreed with her perspective: ��To clear the top level of the World Tree with everyone, leaving no one behind.��


    They created the Snow Goose Adventure Team because they shared the same goal and philosophy.


    When the team��s original intentions changed, naturally, he no longer had a reason to stay.


    Now that he had left, he planned to rebuild a team, and he had to be serious about selecting its members.


    Lin Da looked ahead.


    The first member would, of course, be Kafni, who was bound to the Hero and would never betray him.


    Looking up at the vast azure sky, Lin Da tucked his hands into his pockets, with a carefree and relaxed smile on his lips.


    Everything was pretty good. Except for the pitiful seven copper coins left in his pocket.


    Starting from scratch was not easy.


    If ��she�� were still here, it would be great. The team could be directly formed with one healer, one DPS, and one tank.


    Lin Da stroked a beautifully crafted pocket watch, filled with countless emotions.


    ��


    Meanwhile, on the ninth layer of the World Tree Secret Realm, the Twisted Forest.


    The sky looked as if it was covered by a grey parchment, dulling the light.


    Gnarled, withered trees reached out like hands extending from hell, grasping towards the sky.


    ��Yah! Ha!��


    The red-haired girl clenched her greatsword with a grave expression, striking like a crimson meteor towards the Secret Realm Guardian that stood seven meters tall: a Level 23 ��Giant Carnivorous Flower.��


    The Giant Carnivorous Flower resembled a sunflower with a massive mouth full of serrated teeth at its center.


    Thick drool flowed from its gaping maw, dripping onto the ground.


    The Snow Goose Adventure Team had been battling on the ninth layer for over an hour, each team member bearing more or fewer signs of injury.


    The newly joined Level 20 Healer, the blond young man Phyllis, was hectically casting Healing Arts, drenched in sweat.


    That Lia, she was too reckless.


    She alone had consumed nearly half of Phyllis��s magic power.


    If they continued fighting like this, it wouldn��t be the Magical Creatures dying but his magic power that would run out first.


    How did the previous Level 15 Healer, who had even less magic power than himself, manage to lead the Snow Goose Adventure Team up here?


    Phyllis cursed inwardly.


    Today was his first day on the job, and he had to perform well. He had no choice but to sip on Magic Potions while he healed, which was detrimental to his health.


    ��Strength Blessing!��


    At that moment, Miss Aiko, the Mage from the Holy Light Church, raised her Magic Wand high.


    Her golden hair fluttered, magnificent and noble, like the Goddess of the Sun.


    Her Blessing of Strength buffed Lia, causing Lia��s Fire Series Battle Qi to surge, with her speed also increasing by a measure.


    ��We can do this, everyone. Keep the faith!��


    With Lin Da gone, Aiko, the oldest among them, took charge of command.


    After swallowing a Mana Potion, Aiko thought to herself: They were in luck this time, randomly entering the Twisted Forest on the ninth layer, the Mystic Realm most suitable for the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    ��`


    If the random draw had been the ��Lava Cave,�� a Mystic Realm that severely suppressed Lia��s Fire Fighting Qi, Aiko wouldn��t have hesitated to use the ��Town Portal Scroll�� hidden in her pocket and leave Lia behind.


    What a joke, she was only working for money, not blindly devoted to the team like someone else!


    Moreover, since that person had already fled, Miss Aiko��s already scarce loyalty diminished further.


    In the perilous Mystic Realm, the minds of the six members of the group were all elsewhere.


    Klrona treated battling Magical Creatures as if it were a game.


    Phyllis hesitated over whether to drink the next Magic Potion, as the magic circuits within his body swelled with pain.


    The honest couple, Kafni and Oru, prioritized survival; they hadn��t finished paying off the mortgage on their White Dove City home yet.


    The only one willing to fight desperately to clear the realm was alone.


    ��Healer, give me Healing Art!��


    Lia wiped the sweat from her forehead and shouted loudly.


    A beam of Holy Light fell upon her.


    She felt her energy replenished, and even the faint internal pain she had been feeling began to heal.


    Indeed, she was better than Bilinda, a graduate of Noble Academy!


    Lia was certain of this and took a deep breath, clutching her greatsword, the ��Flame Devourer,�� her gaze fixed intently on the Giant Carnivorous Flower.


    The team operated like a well-oiled magical machine, with everyone performing their roles.


    However, she always felt something was off, as if something wasn��t quite right.


    Even with a new and powerful Healer, she still felt restrained, unable to unleash her full potential.


    No one told her which direction to attack, when to attack, or which part of the Magical Creatures to target.


    Dealing with the Creatures�� assaults was exhausting enough, but having to think of these tactics gave Lia a headache.


    Thoughts didn��t flow freely, and a feeling of suffocation remained stuck in her chest.


    Lia remembered how she, the fool, had waited at the entrance of the World Tree Secret Realm during the day.


    She had emphasized repeatedly the night before that they would enter the World Tree at dawn.


    Lin Da had a good memory; there was no reason for him to forget.


    ��We must clear this beautifully, to show him that without him, the Snow Goose Adventure Team is even better than before!��


    Lia bit down hard on her silver teeth.


    At that moment,


    ��Captain, danger!��


    Aiko��s anxious voice jolted her.


    Lia was startled.


    For some reason, the Giant Carnivorous Flower had gone mad, pulling out thousands of roots from the ground, turning them into fierce whips launching an attack.


    The roots swept over like a net of death.


    Lia felt overwhelmed.


    Retreat?


    The moment the thought emerged, she seemed to hear someone��s mocking laughter in her ear.


    No, no need to retreat; just cut this thing down!


    Lia steeled her resolve, clenched her teeth, and charged forward with her sword.


    She was like a red fish weaving through the ocean, dodging the myriad of attacking roots with her exquisite movements. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Any Swordsman of the same level as Lia would have been astounded by her impressive skills.


    This was Lia, known as ��Bursting Flames,�� the top adventurer of the younger generation in White Dove City.


    ��She��s crazy!��


    But Aiko stomped her feet in frustration.


    Lia��s style of fighting was too risky; a single mistake would spell her doom.


    And she was advancing too fast; her teammates couldn��t keep up.


    If Lin Da were there, he��d have commented: This is like a Rock Man using flash to charge at the top lane, while asking the mid lane Yaso why he didn��t follow.

 Chapter 10 - 10: 10. Lia couldnt understand

    Chapter 10: 10. Lia couldn��t understand


    Aiko��s face was extremely pale.


    Suppressing the urge to vomit, she cast the Light Arrow Technique much faster than an average Mage, severing the Giant Carnivorous Flower��s roots and allowing Lia to initiate the skill ��Energy Charging��.


    ��Well done, Aiko!��


    Lia charged toward the Giant Carnivorous Flower, her greatsword ��Flame Devourer�� glowing red-hot as she shouted:


    ��Flame Slash!��


    A streak of red sword light descended from above, splitting the Giant Carnivorous Flower in half much like Moses parted the Red Sea.


    ...


    The Magical Creature let out a pitiful scream, staggered, and then fell to the ground with a thump.


    ��We won����


    Lia stared blankly at the corpse of the creature, her face a mixture of disbelief.


    Although they hadn��t escaped unscathed from the battle��her arm and right leg were grazed by the Giant Carnivorous Flower��s roots��they had won.


    Without Lin Da, she still led the team to conquer the ninth floor.


    Indeed, the Young Lady herself was formidable!


    Lia��s spirits soared to an unprecedented high, as if she could see the team reaching the pinnacle of the World Tree.


    A smile of pride involuntarily formed on her lips, curving into a satisfied arc.


    However, the overly excited Lia overlooked one problem.


    Being severely countered by her fire attribute, the Giant Carnivorous Flower, a plant series boss, wasn��t actually up to the standard difficulty of the ninth floor.


    Another potential boss of the ninth-floor Mystic Realm, the Lava Giant, who possessed high resistance to fire, was a nightmare for her��hellishly difficult.


    The outcome of the Snow Goose Adventure Team encountering the Lava Giant had never crossed Lia��s mind.


    The several veteran members of the team, upon seeing her proud expression, seemed like they wanted to say something but held back.


    Aiko sighed, keeping her preaching thoughts to herself.


    Only when Lia suffered a setback would she perhaps understand.


    Meanwhile, specks of light began to fall from the sky.


    Defeating the Giant Carnivorous Flower triggered a reward from the World Tree Goddess, similar to looting equipment in a game.


    Gold Coins rained down, while the lights varied in color.


    The common ones were white, slightly better ones were green for fine quality, and blue for rare quality.


    Luck was on Lia��s side; she found a beautifully purple light.


    She checked them one by one.


    ��Level 23 main weapon, the Tengman Whip��not useful, sell it.��


    ��Level 20 armor, Sunflower��s Heart�� the defense bonus is decent, might as well keep it.��


    ��Level 15 purple rare accessory, Angel��s Bracelet��isn��t this healer equipment?��


    Lia��s eyes lit up, she turned around and instinctively reached out her hand, ready to give someone a high-five.


    Clearing the ninth floor of the World Tree was a milestone, and exploding with purple rare gear had her over the moon, acting unconsciously like she did in the past.


    After defeating a boss, she used to high-five that person, then everyone would stack their hands together, shouting and cheering with joy.


    Tossing the equipment and Gold Coins from the boss into the air, enjoying the full sense of accomplishment.


    But after Lia reached out her dry hand towards Aiko and the others, she remembered that person seemed to have left the team.


    The atmosphere suddenly grew quiet.


    Aiko and the others didn��t come forward to ease Lia��s embarrassment because nobody knew what was really going through Lia��s head. If someone casually went over to take that person��s place, it could upset her, which wouldn��t be good.


    So, nobody moved, leaving Lia��s right hand awkwardly raised in the air.


    ��Hmph.��


    Lia withdrew her hand, stuffing it into the pocket of her skirt armor, her fingers anxiously fumbling with the fabric inside.


    The smile on her face slowly faded into an icy, poker face.


    ��Haha, who would have thought it��d be so easy to take down the Giant Carnivorous Flower? Captain, it��s all thanks to you.��


    The newly-promoted healer with blonde hair, Phyllis, walked up to Lia with a triumphant smile that was as warm as a spring breeze.


    ��Where are we going for tonight��s celebration dinner? How about the Michelin Three-Star Restaurant on Elf Street? The food there is not bad. I��ll treat everyone to a good meal tonight!��


    Phyllis tried hard to hide the covetous glint in his eyes, putting on a suave and generous expression as he invited the beautiful redhead girl.


    With his impressive results as the tenth-ranked student in his healer class, Phyllis had graduated from the White Dove City Noble Academy and was fully capable of joining an adventure team like the Ice Flower Adventure Team, which was above the tenth level.


    But he had chosen the Snow Goose Adventure Team, which was below the tenth level.


    He had only one target in mind.


    The beautiful and noble-born team leader, Lia.


    Behind this young lady was a father known as the ��Bloody Baron,�� who was said to be a promising candidate for reaching level 40 and becoming a Moon rank adventurer.


    Whoever married Lia could essentially soar to great heights in the second half of his life.


    Phyllis grinned, fully expecting Lia to agree to his invitation.


    However, to his surprise, Lia frowned irritably and said, ��You guys go ahead, I��m not going.��


    ��Ah? How can that be, you are the team leader.�� Phyllis felt his mentality explode.


    ��If this young lady says she doesn��t want to go, then she doesn��t go. If you want to go, then go by yourselves, I��m tired.��


    Lia snorted coldly, ignoring Phyllis who was left dumbstruck, and said to Aiko, ��You are responsible for cleaning up the battle loot and distributing the rewards.��


    Aiko rolled her eyes.


    Distributing rewards was a thankless job; it was impossible to always divide everything perfectly evenly, leaving some unavoidably dissatisfied in the shadows.


    Previously, the task was done by Lin Da, and everyone was satisfied, because whenever there was a dispute involving interests, Lin Da would take less of his share.


    ��It��s such a headache. If only that dog was still here.��


    Aiko muttered, resigned.


    She noticed a ��Healer��s Angel Bracelet�� among the pile of treasures that had burst out and, after thinking for a bit, asked Lia, ��This piece of equipment����


    ��Sell it. No need to keep it,�� Lia immediately knew which item Aiko was referring to and said in an indifferent tone.


    After conquering the ninth level, the Light Gate to the tenth level appeared beside the corpses of the magical creatures.


    The tenth level belonged to the Public Grand Secret Realm, where there were teleportation points that allowed for free passage without the need to clear the level.


    Lia stepped into the Light Gate and took out a cylindrical blue crystal from her skirt pocket, infusing the Teleportation Stone with Battle Qi.


    A bright light flashed, accompanied by a magic circle beneath her feet, and Lia disappeared from the spot.


    ��


    In the Inner City District, the luxurious mansion of the Snow Goose Adventure Team. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With a loud ��bang.��


    ��What the hell, told him to leave, and he really left!��


    A pink cat plushie was thrown by Lia into the trash bin with a grim expression on her face.


    Lia was alone in the mansion and finally could not hold back and burst out.


    When she returned, Lia did not see the scene she had imagined: Lin Da waiting at the door to apologize and humbly acknowledging his mistake.


    They had adventured together, conquered so many mystic realms, sweated profusely, drank beer in big gulps�� She had so many shared memories with him, yet he had abandoned the team they��d been part of for three years, just like that.


    It was too heartless.


    And there she had been, thinking about giving that level 15 ��Healer��s Angel Bracelet�� to Lin Da.


    Lia, fuming, stomped around in cotton slippers with a giant carrot pattern, went to the fridge, opened the top compartment, and took out a can of beer.


    The beer can depicted a fire-breathing dragon, with text that read ��Spicy Flavor,�� ��Extra high malt concentration!��


    She took the beer and gloomily entered the bathroom.


    Taking off her clothes, she threw her sweat-soaked black stockings and her close-fitting shorts to the side, stood in front of a life-sized mirror, and zoned out looking at her body.


    Aside from being a bit flat-chested, the rest of her was not bad. Especially her elastic, powerful long legs which often attracted unconscious glances from Lin Da.


    Being so beautiful and excellent, why did Lin Da leave the team?


    Lia just couldn��t understand it.

 Chapter 11 - 11: What? I, the young lady, like that Lin Da?

    Chapter 11: What? I, the young lady, like that Lin Da?


    A while later, the large bathtub was filled with hot water, and steam was rising.


    Lia leaned on the wall, extended a delicate foot, and dipped her toes to check the temperature before slowly lowering herself into the bathtub.


    She used a floating wooden board as a table to rest her beer, curled up, hugged her knees, and her head was half submerged, blowing bubbles.


    Having cleared the Ninth Layer Secret Realm, she felt somewhat surreal and didn��t want to attend the celebration feast.


    Lia couldn��t figure out what was wrong with herself, feeling only irritation and confusion.


    ��Time for a bath~��


    ...


    Shortly after, Klrona��s noisy voice came from the hall.


    The bathroom door burst open, and a nude little girl cheerfully jumped into the bathtub, splashing water everywhere, nearly knocking over the beer on the small table.


    ����so really, can you be a bit more serious? You��re not a child anymore!�� Lia steadied her beer, already in a bad mood, and felt like cursing.


    ��There are no men in the villa now, I��m just happy,�� Klrona, a bit afraid of Lia, the hot-tempered team leader, shrugged her shoulders and muttered quietly without Da Lin to protect her.


    Lia frowned, put one hand on her hip, ready to scold Klrona.


    At that moment, another person entered.


    The adventure team��s mage, Aiko.


    Aiko sat in a wheelchair, wearing a loose yellow dress, smiling gently with a mature aura, akin to a married woman.


    Regrettably, the mage��s abundant, long legs lay soft and powerless on the wheelchair��s footrest.


    One couldn��t help but sigh in frustration, wondering why the Deity was so cruel to this woman, granting her a broad and ample bosom yet robbing her of the ability to walk freely.


    Unlike her healthy appearance in the Secret Realm, Aiko��s legs were afflicted by a strange disease in reality, devoid of any sensation. Only in the Secret Realm could she stand on her own by using the realm-specific skill ��Healthy Body.��


    The well-endowed mage, resting her cheek in her hand, grinned and cooed like soothing a child, ��Lia, it��s better not to be angry, or your chest might shrink.��


    ��Huh? It would be better if they did shrink, cumbersome things only hinder my sword-swinging speed!��


    ��But who was the one secretly measuring in front of the mirror, clearly caring so much?��


    ��Miss me didn��t care at all, okay!��


    Lia��s face turned red as if a cat whose tail had been stepped on.


    ��Take this!�� The mage suddenly reached out with a groping hand.


    ��Ah, no pinching, Aiko, you��ve annoyed me no end!��


    ��I want to join in too!��


    Klrona grabbed Aiko from behind.


    ��Ahhhh?!��


    After a while of frolicking in the bathtub, the girls�� relationship seemed much relaxed.


    Aiko leaned on the edge of the bathtub, holding the petite Klrona, who had her soft pink hair full of bubbles and gently scrubbed it with a brush.


    Klrona��s face was filled with bliss.


    ��That����


    Feeling that the atmosphere was right, maybe it was time to bring something up, Aiko glanced at Lia and hesitated, ��Is it okay not to call Da Lin back?��


    The air suddenly fell silent.


    The seemingly taped-up harmonious facade was torn apart.


    Aiko had a different opinion about driving Da Lin away.


    ��Why should I call him back? I didn��t do anything wrong,�� Lia��s voice suddenly rose by an octave and with a cold glare at Aiko, said, ��Da Lin left on his own, didn��t he? How is it my fault?��


    ��What does it have to do with you, are you kidding?��


    Wasn��t it you who drove him away?


    Aiko questioned silently.


    When she returned, she had heard rumors that Isa, the silver-haired beauty, had invited Da Lin to join her.


    Next to Da Lin, there was also a golden-haired beauty whose bust was no smaller than hers.


    If not for Lia��s silliness, Da Lin would already be massaging her feet and preparing her post-battle desserts!


    Dread filled Aiko; she tilted her head and feigned confusion:


    ��But don��t you like him?��


    No matter how Lia responded, Aiko had won.


    If Lia denied it, she would be ruthless.


    You didn��t want him yourself, so there��s definitely no problem if I take Da Lin, right?


    As for admitting��


    that would make me a total Joker!


    At these words, Chloe, held in Aiko��s arms, shrank into a small pill bug.


    The bathroom seemed to be filled with a thick smell of gunpowder.


    ��Huh?��


    ��Huh?��


    ��Huh?!��


    First, three exclamations of shock, annoyance, and disbelief, each uttered in a very high-pitched tone.


    Lia immediately turned red.


    ��Aiko, what are you talking about? Me liking that utterly ordinary fool? Stop joking!��


    ��It��s him who likes me, I��ve never liked him!��


    Lia suddenly stood up from the bathtub.


    The fierce Fire Series Battle Qi made Lia��s long hair shimmer with a fiery glow, lightly dancing in the air.


    At that moment, Lia looked like a pissed-off, bristling cat.


    Now she was really getting agitated!


    Aiko was laughing so hard inside.


    Since Lia said so, she wouldn��t hold back in the future.


    Just wait until Da becomes her little puppy, Lia better not regret it.


    And as if to prove her point, Lia, with a stern face, cited an example: Sear?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��At first, Da gave all the rewards to me, even blood brothers don��t do that, do they? Every month when he received his salary, he first bought me new clothes and snacks, and he never talked back when I scolded him. Isn��t that liking me?��


    Aiko raised an eyebrow:


    ��Is it possible that Da is like this with all the girls?��


    ��It��s just his promise to ��that girl,�� right? A promise not to make other girls in the team sad again. It��s just to keep his word to ��that girl,�� so he��s nice to everyone.��


    Aiko directly mocked Lia.


    Only nice to you? Purely delusional!


    Lia probably doesn��t even know about Da massaging her feet every night.


    It��s the same for everyone, just that Lia gets a bit more attention.


    These few sentences were like a bucket of cold water poured over Lia��s head, she clenched her teeth, her mouth opening several times to say something, then stopping herself.


    Lia looked down on Da, but held utmost respect for that girl.


    She forcefully suppressed her anger and sat back down in the bathtub.


    Picking up a beer, she guzzled down half of it, seemingly talking to herself but actually warning Aiko:


    ��From now on, I don��t want to hear any news about Da, otherwise, don��t blame me for not being nice!��


    Aiko wisely didn��t continue to provoke Lia.


    Glancing at her iron-blue face, it seemed she had hit a nerve, infuriated and drinking sullenly.


    Aiko was relieved.


    All about saving face, right?


    She deserves it!


    Then, she absentmindedly brushed Chloe��s hair, her thoughts wandering.


    Really, Lia was becoming more and more annoying.


    Even her patience was wearing thin.


    A desire to leave crossed her mind.


    Unlike Da and the others, Aiko hadn��t joined the Snow Goose Adventure Team for some elusive dream of conquering the World Tree.


    The compensation Lia provided was high enough, and moreover, the team had many girls and none of the men she despised the most.


    That��s why she joined the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    She wondered where Da, driven out by Lia, had gone and what he was up to.


    Whether he had been bewitched by Isa, that Bitch.


    Aiko squinted her eyes.


    ��Da, oh Da, I haven��t settled the grudge from three years ago yet, how could I easily let you go.��

 Chapter 12 - 12: Do not move, this hero will go make some money.

    Chapter 12: Do not move, this hero will go make some money.


    Dusk.


    White Dove City, the Sparrow District, where commoners and impoverished adventurers abound.


    ��Just let this deity pee first, then you��ll understand whether I am a real man or not.��


    Kafni felt the need to prove something, otherwise there might be danger tonight: she noticed Lin Da stealing glances at her with a sleazy look.


    If she were a true woman, she would have felt disgusted, but Kafni only felt a chill down below, at risk of being attacked.


    She was still a virgin, and she absolutely couldn��t be screwed over by some lousy hero!


    ...


    Lin Da fiddled with the seven copper coins in his hand, worrying about where to stay for the night.


    ��What do you mean?��


    Hearing that, he looked at Kafni, puzzled.


    Kafni smiled and said, ��Think about it, a real girl wouldn��t just pee behind the holly bushes on the street, right? But this deity doesn��t care, I don��t have any psychological burden about it, so I��m a man, a real man.��


    ��Hey, don��t boast about peeing on the roadside like that! Think about the sanitation workers!��


    Lin Da helplessly put his hand to his forehead.


    Is this guy really a deity?


    Being a deity doesn��t mean you don��t have to take tests, right?


    All I saw was Kafni crossing over the holly, finding a tree for double insurance, and hiding behind it.


    ��Hm hm hm hm~��


    Humming a strange tune, Kafni let out a grunt, shamelessly starting to take care of business.


    As a deity, her adaptability was strong.


    What��s the old saying, ��When in Rome, do as the Romans do.��


    Swish swish��


    The sweet sound of water rang out, and Kafni had no psychological burden whatsoever.


    ��Whoa!��


    Suddenly, Kafni got so frightened she almost peed her pants.


    She glared at Lin Da angrily, ��What are you looking at? Scram, get lost, what the hell are you staring at?��


    Quite a sweet mouth.


    ��I��m just curious,�� Lin Da said.


    He was puzzled, pointing at Kafni, who was squatting on the ground, having rolled up the hem of her dress and holding it in her arms: ��Aren��t men supposed to take care of this standing up?��


    ��You have no freaking idea, standing up it��s easy to get it on yourself.��


    Kafni shifted her angle, circling around the large tree to avoid Lin Da��s gaze.


    She suffered from pee-shyness, getting stage fright if someone stared, unable to let it out.


    Lin Da, with his hand on his chin, pondered, ��Even though you��re a man, you actually got used to a girl��s body very quickly. Maybe, you actually want to be a girl? Have the heart of a girl?��


    ��What?!��


    Kafni pulled down her dress, ready to have a big fight with Lin Da.


    But both of them noticed that outside the holly, without knowing when, a crowd of onlookers had gathered, along with a cleaning lady, angrily hurrying over with a broom.


    ��How shameless, peeing right on the street, I��ll beat you to death, you sly wench!��


    Alas, the deity was mistaken for a fried chicken again!


    Kafni, ashamed and angry, grabbed the hero��s wrist and whispered, ��Let��s go, or we��ll be arrested by the Law Enforcement Bureau!��


    ��They��re catching you, what��s it got to do with me����


    Lin Da complained, being dragged by Kafni, running a good distance away.


    Kafni barely stopped to catch her breath when she saw Lin Da clap his hands, his face brightening with delight, ��I��ve just thought of a way to make money!��


    ��Oh? So we don��t have to sleep on the streets tonight?�� Kafni��s eyes lit up.


    Lin Da nodded, grinning as he pointed at Kafni, ��When we were running just now, I noticed that your dress is made of fine Ice Silk, it could sell for at least one gold coin.��


    ������


    Kafni stood frozen, her head trembling as she looked down at her thin dress.


    Inside, other than a set of light blue underwear, there was nothing left.


    The family in the Divine Realm, who would understand?


    On the verge of mental collapse, Kafni had finally summoned a hero, but instead of fighting the Demon King, he was eyeing her clothes to sell.


    Otherwise, she��d have to sleep on the streets.


    Was saving the world really this hard?


    All those predecessors who had saved dozens of worlds, how did they manage it?


    ��You damned hero, don��t you dare strip off a deity��s clothes!!!��


    Kafni��s cry of despair echoed through the streets.


    ��


    ��Don��t move from there, I��m going to sell your clothes.��


    Lin Da held a warm white dress with a faint fragrance in his right hand, nodding with satisfaction.


    Behind the holly on both sides of the street, there was a girl wearing only light blue undergarments.


    Kafni, her face filled with both shame and anger, hugged her head to hide herself and turned her back to Lin Da; only the straps of her underwear were visible.


    This deity��s skin, it looked so white, so soft.


    Lin Da��s mind was filled with wild thoughts.


    Even Kafni�� was probably warm too.


    This was no different from a normal girl.


    Hiding behind the holly, Kafni, her face full of shame, said, ��You damned hero, why must you sell my things? Don��t you have things you could sell?��


    She was referring to the magic potions in the form of transparent test tubes hanging from Lin Da��s belt.


    Small-sized Mana Recovery Potion, nicknamed Little Blue.


    Small-sized Life Recovery Potion, nicknamed Little Red.


    Aside from a few Magic Pharmacists who could concoct them, most of these potions came as rewards from the World Tree Secret Realm, a scarce necessity in high demand and short supply.


    On Lin Da��s belt, each magic potion was placed in an individual long, brown pouch specially made for carrying them.


    Kafni counted them, ten each of Little Red and Little Blue. S��ar?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With the market value in White Dove City, they were worth approximately 2000 gold coins.


    ��Sell my magic potions? Absolutely not!��


    Lin Da��s eyes widened in refusal, his hands protectively clutching his magic potions like a stingy miser.


    With his understanding of the World Tree, having sufficient potions meant that he could slowly whittle down monsters without taking on challenges beyond his level, securing an unbeatable position.


    Ten bottles each of Little Red and Little Blue was the minimum number he had precisely calculated. Losing even one would make him anxious.


    In other words, these potions were Lin Da��s nest egg, not to be used lightly except in the most dire circumstances.


    Lin Da caressed the potions on his belt fondly, mumbling to himself:


    ��Jack, you��re my first Life Recovery Potion. I remember it clearly��you dropped from a Lava Monster on the first layer of the World Tree. For you, I spent six hours grinding��


    And there��s Lucy, you��re from the third layer of the World Tree. I casually killed a minor creature and it dropped the most precious reward it could offer��Lucy, the Small-sized Life Recovery Potion. The day I got you was undoubtedly a miracle!


    Then there��s Osland�� you��re from the fifth layer of the World Tree.


    Carby, I bought you with a hefty sum from Black Uncle. The cork was so large, it must have hurt a lot. Thankfully, I prepared a cork of the right size for you.��


    Lin Da knew the names and origins of each of the twenty bottles of Little Red and Little Blue like treasured possessions.


    He described his stories with them to Kafni, his expression rapt with enthusiasm and his eyes sparkling with excitement.


    Magic potions? No, they were Lin Da��s family!


    ��Ugh, disgusting,�� Kafni said, looking at Lin Da as if seeing him for the first time, her face filled with revulsion, ��How could there be someone who is romantically attached to potions, disgusting, perverted, just go die already.��

 Chapter 13 - 13: 13. Three Types of Mystic Realms

    Chapter 13: 13. Three Types of Mystic Realms


    ��In summary,��


    Lin Da coughed, looking serious, ��I will not betray any of them, so don��t even think about getting your hands on my potions!��


    ��Fine, not selling them, okay?�� Kafni pouted, then pointed to a pocket on Lin Da��s chest, ��What about that one? Selling it shouldn��t be a problem, right?��


    What Kafni was referring to was a pocket watch, whose chain looked like it was made of platinum, so it must be worth some money.


    But to her surprise, Lin Da refused even more quickly: ��This can��t be sold either.��


    ��Huh?! Why can we only sell my stuff? Show a little sincerity yourself!�� Kafni said annoyed.


    ...


    Lin Da awkwardly touched his head, ��Didn��t I contribute seven copper coins?��


    Seeing Kafni��s face growing increasingly unhappy, he finally stopped joking around: ��Sorry, an ordinary pocket watch is one thing, but this one really can��t be sold.��


    With that, Lin Da took the pocket watch out of his pocket.


    It was round, the size of a baby��s palm, with a golden matte finish on the outside, and soft music sounded as soon as it was opened.


    Kafni leaned in to see that a photo was embedded inside the watch case, featuring two people, Lin Da and a black-haired young girl.


    Her skin was pale, and her body extremely frail, but her eyes, black as onyx and full of life, sparkled with activity. She was smiling mischievously, hugging Lin Da��s arm and making a ��yeah�� sign with scissors fingers next to her eye. S��ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Who is this person?�� Kafni noticed that Lin Da��s eyes became very tender when he looked at the pocket watch, as if spring breezes were brushing across a radiant lake.


    So even the reckless hero had such a side?


    Lin Da was silent for a moment, then said, ��My sister.��


    ��Sister?��


    ��Yeah. She went missing at the World Tree two years ago, and we still haven��t found her.��


    Lin Da looked at the towering tree in the center of White Dove City, falling silent, as if reluctant to talk about it.


    Many memories surfaced in his mind.


    Three years ago, Lin Da came to the game world of the Mystic Continent, not alone, though.


    He had been pushing his sister, Lin Xi, in a wheelchair when a dump truck had struck them.


    The siblings, along with Lia, formed the Snow Goose Adventure Team together.


    Things went smoothly at first.


    However, on the fourth level of the World Tree, Lin Xi disappeared, as if she had evaporated from the world, leaving no trace behind.


    When Lin Da returned to the adventure team��s base, heartbroken, he strangely found Lin Xi��s ever-present pocket watch on his desk.


    Lin Da still couldn��t make sense of what had happened that day. Did Lin Xi return to White Dove City before him, leaving her pocket watch there?


    Or had Lin Xi already died, and someone else had placed the watch on his desk?


    Either scenario had many unexplainable aspects.


    One of the big reasons Lin Da entered the World Tree was to look for Lin Xi.


    ��Don��t worry, we will definitely find her, and I will help you once my power is restored,�� Kafni reassured him, seeing Lin Da looking a bit downcast.


    ��But there��s something I find strange, why are you so sure she��s missing, rather than having been eaten by Magical Creatures or something?�� Kafni changed the subject, ��The space inside Mystic Realms isn��t that big, right? If you search diligently, you should always find some clues.��


    Lin Da shook his head: ��It��s like that for combat-type Mystic Realms, where the space isn��t large and the layout is simple; you mainly encounter Magical Creatures. But story-type Mystic Realms are different.��


    In the game ��Mystic Continent,�� some instances have players going straight to battle. Others set several tasks across a vast map, letting players explore and fight monsters until they encounter the final boss.


    Story-type Mystic Realms belong to the latter.


    Kafni, confused, said, ��Combat-type, story-type, what do these mean?��


    ��That��s what we locals call them.��


    Lin Da explained: ��Around here, there are generally three types of Mystic Realms. The first type is the one you just mentioned, the most common combat-type.��


    ��Combat-type Mystic Realms are similar to playing an instance in a game, killing minor creeps, finding the Secret Realm Guardian, taking them down, and then you��ve cleared it. These kinds of Mystic Realms are generally not big; you could walk through them in a few hours.��


    ��Oh, what about the second type?��


    ��The second type is story-type.��


    ��Created by the World Tree Goddess, each world has a different background: science, wasteland, magic, etc�� The space of these Mystic Realms is thousands to millions of times larger than the former, so looking for one person is like finding a needle in a haystack.��


    Lin Da put the pocket watch back in his inner pocket, took a deep breath, and gradually adjusted his mindset.


    Now, he had long emerged from the despondency of Lin Xi��s disappearance and was determined to reach the top of the World Tree one step at a time.


    He indulged in his sentimentality for a moment and then recovered.


    Making Kafni, the new team member, aware of the types of Mystic Realms was now the most important thing.


    Kafni thought for a moment and said, ��Story-type Mystic Realms sound a bit like Illusionary Training? What��s the third type then?��


    ��The last one is Public Grand Mystic Realms.��


    This time, Lin Da��s tone was a bit lighter.


    ��Public Grand Mystic Realms are what adventurers like the most. There are no mandatory missions, essentially a free-exploration open world. All adventurers who reach this level appear on the same map and can meet each other.


    In the Great Mystery Continent, there are numerous elite monsters and wild bosses. Killing them can earn a wealth of rewards as well as abundant mineral resources, truly making it a beneficial Mystic Realm.


    A Great Mystery Continent appears every five levels, and adventurers can enter once a month, but not at any other times.��


    Lin Da thought that this setup was different from the one in the game, where it could be refreshed once a week and unlimited times with money.


    In the real version of the Mystic Continent, for the same tier of Great Mystery Continent, whether noble or commoner, everyone can only enter once a month.


    Due to the strict limitations on the number of entries, adventurers aimed to climb higher to obtain more resources.


    Lin Da held up a finger and said:


    ��Each Great Mystery Continent appears every five levels and also determines the naming convention for adventure teams:


    Below 5th level, not even classed.


    5th level, novice adventure team.


    10th level, rock level adventure team.


    15th level, Steel Level Adventure Group.


    20th level, dawn adventure team.


    25th level, radiant adventure team.


    30th level, honor adventure team.


    35th level, Legendary Adventure Group.


    40th level, mythical adventure team.


    No one has conquered levels beyond that.��


    After speaking so much, Lin Da felt much better.

 Chapter 14 - 14: 14. Live Attacker of the Ice Flower Adventure Team

    Chapter 14: 14. Live Attacker of the Ice Flower Adventure Team


    ��So what you��re saying is, the adventure team you were with before, which is just a common rock-level adventure team? Isn��t that just bottom-tier riffraff?��


    Kafni said disdainfully, her lips curling into a sneer after hearing Lin Da��s story.


    Lin Da snapped back to reality and said helplessly, ��In White Dove City, rock-level adventure teams are already strong, totaling maybe just over a dozen.��


    ��Hmph, aside from mythical-level adventure teams, I look down on all the others.��


    ��With your attitude, mythical-level adventure teams wouldn��t want you as a Star Fury, not even if you begged. There��s only one mythical-level adventure team in the entire Southern Fire Empire, you know!��


    ��Star Fury? What do you think I am?��


    ...


    Enraged, Kafni stood up, only to realize she was down to her underwear and quickly squatted back into the bushes with embarrassment.


    Lin Da coughed and waved the Ice Silk Dress in his hand, ��Now that we��ve got a lowdown on the types of secret realms, uh�� you stay hidden. I��ll be right back.��


    ��Hurry back!��


    Kafni looked around frantically, terrified of being seen by passersby.


    ��


    ��Sigh, only got 9 silver coins after all. It really must be because you stink so bad, even the pawnshop owner was reluctant to take it,�� Lin Da complained as they headed to the cheapest rental in Sparrow District.


    Kafni, now wearing a different set of clothes��the cheapest brown linen dress bought with 50 copper coins��walked beside him.


    It was full of loose threads and rough in texture. Kafni felt like her skin was about to be rubbed raw.


    ��You sell my stuff for 9 silver coins but only spend 50 copper coins on clothes for me?�� Kafni frowned and said with dissatisfaction, ��Keep this up and I might just find myself another hero!��


    ��Suit yourself,�� Lin Da snorted. If he could, he would have traded her long ago.


    Kafni was speechless, teeth itching with hatred, yet she had no way to get back at Lin Da.


    She couldn��t beat him, and complaining might just make things worse.


    She would just have to endure the humiliation.


    ��If the clothes are not up to par, then the place we live should at least be luxurious, right?��


    Smiling, Kafni extended a delicate, snow-white finger, ��A standalone luxury villa shouldn��t be a problem, should it?��


    ��What are you thinking, we only have 9 silver coins!�� Lin Da massaged his temples in distress.


    As a silver-level magical city, White Dove City was expensive. Renting a place typically required a deposit for three months plus the first month��s rent upfront.


    Even in a poor place like Sparrow District, the monthly rent was at least 3 silver coins, with a three-month deposit.


    That��s a total of 12 silver coins.


    The currency system of the Southern Fire Empire: 1 Gold Coin = 10 Silver Coins = 1000 Copper Coins.


    The purchasing power of 1 Gold Coin was roughly equivalent to 1000 yuan in Hua country.


    In that sense, a monthly rent of 3 silver coins didn��t seem too expensive.


    But the problem was, Lin Da, who had slaved away for three years at the Snow Goose Adventure Team, had only 9 silver coins to his name, all obtained from selling Kafni��s possessions.


    They were far from meeting the deposit and upfront payment!


    ��Or you could go to Paradise Foam to work as a lady�� er, forget I said that.��


    Seeing Kafni��s murder-ready expression, Lin Da quickly stopped himself.


    ��But Paradise Foam����


    ��Are you asking to be murdered by me while you sleep?��


    ��Cough, cough, well, I was just saying. The truth is, I have another plan,�� Lin Da muttered, ��We��ll have to go ��to that place��. They��re all familiar faces; it should be fine to pay a little less for the deposit.��


    ��


    The two walked on the streets of Sparrow District.


    The roads here were narrow and dirty, flanked by low makeshift shacks with laundry lines strung with cheap hemp clothes.


    At night on these streets, one could often see drunken adventurers, leading to countless brawls, making for quite poor public safety.


    Thankfully, the darkness obscured vision, preventing those drunks from noticing that Kafni was a beautiful bear girl.


    Passing by an Adventurer��s Guild, the entrance was filled with people, bustling and noisy.


    Just like watching a soccer match in my previous life, the Adventurer��s Guild always gathered a group of vibrant, adventure-enthusiastic youths.


    Lin Da glanced in that direction. sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the crystal screen embedded in the exterior wall of the Adventurer��s Guild, the Ice Flower Adventure Team appeared.


    ��Live strategy broadcast?��


    Lin Da stopped in his tracks, slightly surprised.


    The so-called live strategy broadcast involves using magical creatures called sensor ladybugs to transmit the live situation of conquering the Secret Realm to pre-set crystal screens, achieving an effect similar to live streaming.


    Lin Da frowned, recalling how Lia from the Snow Goose Adventure Team had also thought of initiating a live strategy broadcast, but he had adamantly refused.


    The advantages and disadvantages of this approach were quite clear.


    The advantage was that the live strategy broadcast could bring a lot of popularity to the cooperating Adventurer��s Guild, the empire��s officials would also give subsidies to the team, and besides, it could showcase the team��s strengths and increase fame.


    However, it also exposed the team��s tactics and weaknesses.


    On this continent, competition among adventure teams was fierce, often erupting in conflicts in the Public Grand Secret Realm.


    Fighting over equipment, world BOSSes, and various magical resources.


    Once the weaknesses were mastered by rivals, it was equivalent to fighting naked.


    Generally speaking, unless a team was seriously short of money, it wouldn��t choose to initiate a live strategy broadcast, as it was a last resort.


    Captain Isa was too impulsive.


    She seemed mature on the surface, but was she, like Lia, a hot-headed person?


    Lin Da withdrew his thoughts and looked at the image on the crystal screen.


    The Ice Flower Adventure Team was strategizing the twelfth floor and had randomly entered the ��Silent Cavern,�� a large, gloomy underground cave.


    The World Tree Secret Realm contained several maps on each floor, and adventurers were randomly placed into one.


    Because each map��s boss had different weaknesses and resistances, it put a significant test on a team��s comprehensive ability.


    Teams that were single-minded often couldn��t last long.


    ��Level 25, Armored Turtle Snake, earth system, skilled in defense, with a health pool among the highest in its level.��


    ��The Ice Flower Adventure Team doesn��t have any greatsword users, which is going to be a thorny issue.��


    Lin Da glanced and guessed the answer immediately.


    Even if Ice Flower managed to pass, the cost would be incredibly high.


    But the scene on the screen was even worse than Lin Da had anticipated.


    The six members of Ice Flower were exhausted from the prolonged battle, and the front-line Heavy Armored Warriors were severely injured. Isa, as the main attacker, was also sweating profusely, her hand holding the Ice Crystal One-Handed Sword trembling non-stop, obviously lacking strength, barely able to hold onto her sword.


    The watching adventurers couldn��t help but feel nervous for the Ice Flower Adventure Team.


    Captain Isa, being an extremely beautiful silver-haired Swordsman, was very popular among the adventurers, and no one wanted to see such a young girl perish in the World Tree.


    ��Come on, Ice Flower Adventure Team, don��t give up! You can do it!��


    ��That Armored Turtle Snake is so hard to beat; the Fierce Tiger Adventure Team from the city next door were wiped out on this level just last month!��


    ��The Ice Flower Adventure Team��s reckless move to the twelfth floor was a bit rash.��


    The adventurers stepped up to the crystal screen, one by one, placing the energy crystals, the Demon Cores that burst out of the Magical Creatures, into a recess on a stone platform.


    Then, with a flash of light, the Demon Cores vanished as if sacrificed, and the words they spoke appeared as floating text on the crystal screen.


    Each time Lin Da saw this scene, he felt a bit tongue-tied. Yes, it��s ��live streaming,�� and through donating Demon Cores, they could send ��suggestions�� known as barrages to the Ice Flower Adventure Team!


    The vanishing Demon Cores were sacrificed to the World Tree Goddess, or the ��World Will�� of this world.


    The goddess required a minimum of a level 5 Demon Core for the sacrifice. Upon receiving the Demon Core, she would translate the adventurer��s words into text and convey it to the sensor ladybug��s belly, which was square like a small screen.


    As long as the members of Ice Flower looked at it, they could find those suggestions on it.


    However, the Ice Flower Adventure Team was currently in a crisis, clearly having no time to look at the sensor ladybug.


    In the image on the crystal screen, the huge Armored Turtle Snake rampaged wildly, rocks tumbled in the cavern, and two Heavy Armored Warriors were sent flying while coughing up blood.

 Chapter 15 - 15: 15. Vibrating Ladybug

    Chapter 15: 15. Vibrating Ladybug


    ��We��ve failed����


    Ice Flower��s captain, Isa, had silver hair covered in dust, her forehead cut by debris, blood profusely flowing from the wound, a hint of regret showing on her face.


    She shouldn��t have pushed for the twelfth floor in one go after Lia cleared the ninth, aiming to widen the gap.


    Now, the heavy armored warrior was seriously injured, the healer��s magic power was exhausted, and the mage had already fallen into a coma. S��arch* The ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They had to give up.


    The Ice Flower Adventure Team could not allow any more members to die.


    ...


    After much thought, Isa finally made up her mind, biting her lip as she issued the order to her team members, ��Everyone, retreat, use the ��Town Portal Scroll��!��


    The Town Portal Scroll allowed adventurers to forcefully return from the Mystic Realm, but such scrolls were extremely expensive, comparable to a full set of magical equipment.


    The biggest drawback of the Ice Flower Adventure Team was the poor quality of their equipment, the reason being Isa demanded that every team member must have a ��Town Portal Scroll.��


    Since Isa couldn��t obtain a healer like Linda who could assist the team without injury, she took a different approach, ensuring everyone had a Town Portal Scroll.


    Just as she was about to channel her Battle Qi into the scroll and leave the twelfth floor, suddenly, the sensor ladybug number 3 tied to the pouch on her thigh buzzed its wings, stinging her skin.


    The ladybug emitted a glow like gold.


    ��Golden Advice? Could it be Lia mocking me?��


    Isa��s face darkened, her grip tightening unconsciously on the ladybug, nearly crushing it.


    As for advice, it was divided into regular and golden. Regular advice wouldn��t cause the sensor ladybug to react; if team members didn��t watch it in time, it would pass like flowing water.


    Golden Advice, however, required the sacrifice of a high-level demon core. This advice would cause the sensor ladybug to vibrate and release a golden light, alerting adventurers that someone had given a Golden Advice.


    Isa turned the ladybug over, looking at its belly:


    [Mediocre Adventurer: In the center of the Armored Turtle Snake��s carapace, there is a darker plate, attack it with your ��Ultimate Skill��]


    Mediocre Adventurer, who was this person?


    Attacking the carapace of the Armored Turtle Snake, was this person trying to trap her, sending her to her death?


    Isa��s eyebrows furrowed in anger.


    The carapace was the part of the creature with the highest defensive power; even hitting its head was difficult, let alone its carapace.


    This person specifically asked her to use her magic-draining ��Ultimate Skill�� to attack, making it hard not to suspect the person��s intentions were malicious.


    Sparrow District, outside the Adventurer��s Guild.


    ��Mr. Linda, are you serious? Just for this phrase, you use a level 20 demon core?��


    Jeban, a short blonde member of the Ice Flower Adventure Team��s logistical staff, said incomprehensibly.


    Linda nodded, ��Give me another level 20 demon core.��


    Jeban hesitated, but recalling Isa��s opinion of Linda, he gritted his teeth and took one out from his bag.


    If this former healer of the Snow Goose Adventure Team could help Ice Flower conquer the twelfth floor, Jeban thought it was worth it, even if it took twenty level 20 demon cores, not just one.


    The quail egg-sized, fiery red gem-like demon core was placed by Linda in a groove on the stone platform.


    Then, a light flickered, successfully sacrificed to the World Tree Goddess.


    Linda��s ��Golden Advice�� was just one sentence.


    ��Captain Isa, it��s me, Linda.��


    If Isa had truly admired him when they first met at the Secret Realm Square, she should have trusted him.


    As for why he helped out, Lin Da didn��t have a specific reason; he was happy to lend a hand if it could save a young girl��s life.


    In the crystal screen, he only saw the sensor ladybug in Isa��s hand emit a golden glow again. Isa glanced at the text on the belly of the ladybug, holding her chin, her face contemplative.


    A moment later, Isa made a decision.


    She bit off the cork of a purple potion with her mouth and gulped it down, instantly boosting her depleted battle qi.


    ��Gluttony Potion? Is she really going all out?��


    Lin Da raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised. The Gluttony Potion was an expensive potion that could instantly restore the user��s battle qi and magic power but had significant side effects. It caused excruciating pain after a while and was usually kept as a last resort.


    That a girl who was barely an acquaintance, let alone a close friend, was so willing to take his advice was beyond Lin Da��s expectations.


    Inside the crystal screen, Isa bent forward like a sprinting snow leopard, her silver hair and the ice crystal longsword in her hand creating a beautiful arc of light.


    The girl dodged the rocky fragments thrown by the Armored Turtle Snake like a blade dancer, her agile legs powerfully pushing off the ground, leaping straight onto the back of the Armored Turtle Snake.


    Her actions flowed smoothly, leaving the crowd of watching adventurers dumbstruck.


    Lin Da thought to himself, not bad at all compared to Lia, the talented Ice Swordsman. It was indeed not easy for Isa to lead the Ice Flower up to the twelfth layer.


    Once Isa landed on the shell of the Armored Turtle Snake, she leaped into the air again, performing a graceful 360-degree somersault, resembling an ice ring hanging in the sky.


    The silver-haired Swordswoman took a deep breath, channeled her icy battle qi into her one-handed sword, and white frost spread across the cave, creating a thick fog.


    ��Ice Blade Waltz!��


    Isa shouted forcefully, unleashing the Level 20 ultimate skill of the Ice Swordsman.


    Tatatata!


    Icicle after icicle, shaped like diamonds, fell like a torrential downpour, fiercely targeting a dark-colored, bucket-sized carapace in the middle of the Armored Turtle Snake��s shell.


    The members of Ice Flower, as well as the people outside the Adventurer��s Guild, couldn��t help but sweat.


    If the attack proved ineffective, Isa could be hit by the huge tail of the Armored Turtle Snake.


    Such an impact could cause serious injuries to Isa, or even death!


    Unlike the anxious onlookers with their hearts in their throats, Lin Da was not the least bit panicked.


    The weak spot of the Armored Turtle Snake had long been no secret among gamers in his past life.


    In the current reality of Mystic Continent, very few adventure teams tried a direct attack on the carapace, and even if someone knew about this weakness, they kept it tightly under wraps or sold the information for a high price.


    At least among the adventure teams in White Dove City, no one knew the secret of the Armored Turtle Snake.


    As the icicles continuously struck that carapace, the crystal screen showed the Armored Turtle Snake suddenly screaming in agony, thrashing its heavy limbs.


    The cave filled with dust and the ground shook.


    The piece of shell right at the center of the monster��s carapace was surprisingly fragile, and when the first piece was destroyed, the entire shell crumbled like a castle of sand.


    Even Isa did not expect such good results, her mouth agape in shock.


    The members of Ice Flower finally snapped to their senses, their spirits lifting from despair to fierce determination, as if invigorated.


    ��Kill this Magical Creature!��


    ��Captain Isa, we��re here to help you!��


    ��Healer, quick, cast a Healing Art on the captain!��

 Chapter 16 - 16: 16. Isas Gratitude

    Chapter 16: 16. Isa��s Gratitude


    The Armored Turtle Snake, without its heavy carapace, was already a tiger that had its teeth pulled out.


    The Ice Flower Adventure Team pursued their victory, and in just a few minutes, they had dealt with this massive magical creature.


    On the side of the Adventurer��s Guild, the spectating crowd also let out a cheer.


    Gazes of admiration or surprise fell upon Lin Da.


    Although they did not know how Lin Da had learned of the Armored Turtle Snake��s weakness, his willingness to share this secret publicly was a great boon to all adventurers.


    Without Lin Da��s Golden Advice, the members of the Ice Flower Adventure Team would have used their Town Portal Scrolls by now, retreating from the twelfth floor in disgrace.


    ...


    Jeban, a logistics member of Ice Flower, had his face turn red, almost kneeling down in excitement.


    Had Lin Da not helped today, not only would everyone have lost a Town Portal Scroll, but it would have been a severe blow to the morale of the Ice Flower Adventure Team.


    ��Mr. Lin Da, please do visit the Ice Flower Adventure Team, oh no, another day our captain will surely visit you!��


    ��No need to be polite, let��s help each other out in the future,�� Lin Da said with a light smile.


    Next to him, Kafni was constantly pulling at his sleeve, hinting with ��we strongly need money�� eyes.


    Lin Da pretended not to see.


    In the crystal screen, Isa bowed deeply, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and smiled, ��Lin Da, you��re still there, right? I��ve changed my mind now, I will definitely make you a member of Ice Flower.��


    Upon hearing this, a wave of jeers spread through the crowd, and the way people looked at Lin Da started to change.


    Many did not know that Lin Da had left the Snow Goose Adventure Team, and now with Ice Flower��s captain extending a cordial invitation, in their eyes, it was nothing short of poaching from the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Given the poor relationship between Snow Goose and the Ice Flower Captain, it wouldn��t be surprising if that red-haired girl showed up on their doorstep any moment.


    The crowd also grew curious on how Lin Da managed to catch the attention of two adventure team captains who couldn��t stand each other.


    The Golden Advice earlier, if it had been anyone else, Isa probably wouldn��t have trusted them.


    Because it was Lin Da, Isa trusted enough to consume the Gluttony Potion, using the massively draining ��Ice Blade Waltz��.


    Realizing this, many adventurers felt as if they had a lemon in their mouths, incredibly sour.


    Only Lin Da felt it very troublesome.


    He wouldn��t join any team, even if Isa��s invitation was very sincere.


    ��Right�� those two level 20 Demon Cores,�� he said to Jeban.


    ��No need to return them, of course not!�� Jeban said with a laugh, ��I��d gladly give you two more level 20 Demon Cores.��


    But, compared to Lin Da��s favor, level 20 Demon Cores were hardly enough!


    How to properly thank Lin Da, would have to be decided after Isa returned.


    ��Oh.


    Lin Da waited for a while, but didn��t see Jeban reach into his bag.


    Not quite the sharpest tool in the shed, this guy.


    After leaving under Jeban��s respectful escort, Kafni could not hold back anymore: ��Ask for money, are you stupid, why didn��t you ask that guy for gold coins?��


    Lin Da shook his head, ��If they don��t proffer it and you have to ask, you use up at least half the goodwill. Besides, Isa has a good reputation; she won��t forget today��s events. We all are in White Dove City, seeing each other often; who knows when we might need Isa��s help again. Keeping this goodwill is far better than asking for some gold coins.��


    Besides, they still had nine silver coins. They weren��t at the end of their resources yet.


    After hearing this, Kafni pondered, ��You really know a lot.��


    It was, after all, Lin Da��s thorn-in-the-neck technique.


    Lin Da thought. sea??h th�� N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��


    An hour later, in the Inner City District at ��Tequila��s Home�� tavern.


    In the luxurious private room on the third floor, the Ice Flower Adventure Team was having a celebration banquet.


    Isa, dressed casually with her silver hair tied back with an orange headband into a ponytail, sat at the head of the round table and spoke to Jeban, who had just rushed over:


    ��Did you find out why Lin Da left the Snow Goose Adventure Team?��


    At the mention of Lin Da, the members of the Ice Flower team all got a bit excited, talking over one another:


    ��Captain, we must recruit him, I��ve been wanting to test my Healing Art against that ��Eye of Wisdom�� for a while now.��


    ��Yes, even though he dropped to level 0, which is quite tragic, catching up later, he can quickly become a major asset to the team, worth cultivating.��


    ��Just because he was once part of the Snow Goose Adventure Team and is willing to help us, he deserves exceptional inclusion.��


    The members of the Ice Flower, both men and women, unanimously praised Lin Da.


    Logistics officer Jeban, panting, said, ��Captain, I got it from Chloe with just some snacks, I bought her off!��


    ��Chloe said that Lin Da was kicked out by Lia for being too weak, and Lia also declared that if Lin Da ever comes back, no one is allowed to sympathize with him.��


    ��Looks like, Lin Da definitely won��t be returning to the Snow Goose Adventure Team.��


    Jeban couldn��t help but smile, ��This is a great opportunity.��


    Isa nodded.


    She was thinking, no matter what, she had to find a way to get Lin Da to join Ice Flower, a talented Healer is worth training from scratch.


    But, how would she repay today��s favor? Someone like Lin Da probably doesn��t lack Gold Coins; he must have saved quite a lot in the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Besides, offering Gold Coins would seem vulgar and might lower her impression in Lin Da��s eyes.


    Concerned about how to return the favor, Isa who always disliked owing anyone anything, fell into a dilemma.


    The team��s close confidante, and fellow Healer, Fannis suddenly leaned in, a sly twinkle in her eye, ��Lord Captain, at your age, shouldn��t you consider finding a boyfriend? Dating that Lin Da would surely make him happy! After all, Lord Captain is so beautiful!��


    ��A date?��


    Isa��s face flushed as she slammed her large wooden mug full of Wheat Beer onto the table, annoyed, ��I��m still young, not yet at the age to need a boyfriend!��


    ��Hahahahaha.��


    Laughter and cheerful voices filled the room.


    ��


    ��At the next meeting, we should congratulate Isa on breaking through the 12th floor and entering the list of top teams in White Dove City.��


    Under the night sky, Lin Da, with Kafni in tow, hurried towards the rental housing area.


    In his mind, he replayed the scene on the crystal screen of the Ice Flower Adventure Team working in perfect harmony, jointly attacking the Armored Turtle Snake, and he felt a pang of envy.


    Every member of Ice Flower genuinely trusted Isa, and Isa reciprocated that trust with her team members.


    When Isa charged at the Armored Turtle Snake, all the members followed her forward, entering the attack range of the Armored Turtle Snake.


    Even though the team members internally questioned the correctness of Isa��s actions.


    Lin Da thought back to his time with the Snow Goose Adventure Team and immediately got a headache.


    In terms of individual skills, the members of Snow Goose were much more powerful than those of Ice Flower, but they acted like a disconnected group when combined.


    He too wished to form a team like Ice Flower.


    But creating a team required registration at the Adventurer��s Guild.


    Only the jobless ��freelancers�� have the qualifications to form a team.


    Lin Da frowned as he scratched his head.


    Currently, he was, in a strict sense, still part of the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    To become a ��freelancer��, he would need the captain��s signature on a resignation form and a stamp from the Adventurer��s Guild.


    Then he needed to pray in front of the World Tree Goddess�� statue to fully revoke his Snow Goose member status.

 Chapter 17 - 17: 17. The rental house three years ago

    Chapter 17: 17. The rental house three years ago


    ��`


    Getting the team withdrawal certificate shouldn��t be difficult.


    Lin Da thought for a moment and then let go, that Lia wouldn��t let him stay.


    Deliberately holding him up was also unlikely.


    According to the Empire��s Adventurer��s Law Article Thirty-Five: if Lia stalled him, he could apply to the Adventurer��s Guild for a forced withdrawal.


    Although it might drag on for a few days, just to be annoying, but based on Lin Da��s understanding of Lia, she disdained such petty tricks.


    ...


    Just like her Fire Series Battle Qi, she was as fiery and impetuous as flames.


    He figured as soon as he went over, without needing to speak, she would throw the withdrawal certificate in his face.


    ��That��s good, saves the hassle of arguing.��


    Lin Da, with hands in pockets, and Kafni headed towards their rental destination.


    ��


    ��Where��s my grand villa, my big swimming pool? You��re making me live in a place like this?��


    In the middle of a decrepit old neighborhood, Kafni wailed.


    What met the eyes was a row of tube buildings with yellowing walls, as old and shaky as an eighty-year-old man on his last legs in the wind.


    Kafni learned from Lin Da and that old landlady��s conversation that the apartment was only 50 square meters, without a private bathroom, communal, shared by the whole floor.


    Bathing with others, no thanks!


    Kafni still wanted to hide her big embarrassing bear.


    She had never lived in such a rubbish place in her life.


    Lin Da, however, didn��t care at all and haggled with the landlady: ��2 silver coins a month, I plan to stay long-term!��


    ��Oh dear, if it weren��t for ��Eye of Wisdom�� sir, I definitely wouldn��t agree.��


    The gossipy rent-collecting landlady looked at Lin Da: ��What happened to those girls? Back in the day, you were the only one who could make four girls willingly live in a place like this.��


    Three years ago, Lin Da was seen every day with four beautiful girls, and it was rumored they partied every day in the house.


    Living in a rundown house but still managing to bewitch four girls left a deep impression on the landlady.


    ��Cough, cough, I came alone.�� Noticing that the landlady was peeking at Kafni and giving him a knowing smile, Lin Da quickly cleared his throat: ��So is 8 silver coins enough? Let��s get on with the check-in.��


    ��For ��Eye of Wisdom��s�� sake, auntie will take one off, 6 coins.��


    ��Really? Thank you so much!��


    Lin Da quickly signed the rental contract and, with a dejected Kafni, went to the third floor, hearing her mutter ��don��t want to live here��, ��too shabby��, ��how can a worthless hero treat a deity like this�� and other complaints.


    ��That��s enough, not sleeping on the streets is already pretty good; having a house in Sparrow District means you don��t have to worry about safety. Look on the bright side, you won��t be targeted by Black Uncle.��


    Lin Da tried to cheer Kafni up optimistically.


    ��Heh, someone else should have been the hero,�� Kafni retorted sarcastically.


    Ignoring the sullen deity with golden hair, Lin Da took a key from his pocket. It had a worn sticker with unclear handwriting, barely making out ��305��.


    Huh?


    Lin Da blinked in surprise.


    Wasn��t this the room he and the others lived in three years ago?


    The Snow Goose Adventure Team was extremely poor in the early days, and although the girls like Lia came from distinguished backgrounds, each seemed to have their own difficulties. Together, they managed to scrape up a single gold coin.


    Now, three years later, coming to rent again, it was the same room.


    Coincidence, or was it the landlady��s deliberate arrangement��?


    Fighting alongside someone new at the place where he once battled might seem quite thrilling to that landlady.


    ��`


    ��`


    But the reality was not like that at all. In the early days of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, they spent all day fighting monsters, training, then coming back to eat before crashing into bed. Their minds were solely on the World Tree Secret Realm; there was no time for other activities.


    Lin Da couldn��t help but frown. Living in this kind of house would only remind him of the old Snow Goose Adventure Team, inevitably making him feel uncomfortable.


    ��What are you dazing out for? Hurry up and go in!��


    Kafni, both tired and hungry, was already displeased, and with Lin Da stupidly daydreaming, she grabbed the key from him in frustration.


    With a click, the door opened, and Kafni pushed her way in.


    Apparently, the place had not been aired out for too long; a damp and musty smell assaulted their senses as they entered.


    Kafni immediately pinched her nose, her face turning bitter.


    As for Lin Da, the sight of the familiar old furniture in the small rental room was like overturning a jar of mixed emotions. Many scenes that had been sealed in the corners of his memory seemed to be unlocked by this rusty key, coming at him thick and fast.


    ��What��s wrong with you?��


    ��It��s nothing.��


    ��Oh.��


    Kafni didn��t bother with him anymore and started to look around the room.


    One bedroom, one living room, with a separate bathroom.


    When the light was turned on, its dim yellow glow made the narrow space feel even more constricting, almost suffocating.


    Kafni continued to complain.


    Lin Da, as if he hadn��t heard, wandered through the dust-covered living room.


    He looked at the mahogany round table, which had lost much of its paint and was pocked with dents, and felt a tinge of emotion. Sear?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Those dents were made by Klrona, who used an iron ladle to serve food.


    With no toys to play with while waiting for dinner, she would bang the spoon on the table. Each time Klrona did that, she��d puff out her little chest with an excuse, ��It��s because our team is so poor we can��t even afford toys, so I have to play with this!��


    Across from the door, where the round table faced, was Lia��s seat. Lin Da sat opposite, with Lin Xi right next to him, and Aiko and Klrona to each side.


    Seeing the objects brought back a flood of memories, vividly coming to life in Lin Da��s mind.


    He sat down in his own seat.


    That moment, it was as if something had come alive. In a daze, he seemed to return to the scene from three years ago, stored in his memory.


    ��What are you looking at? Aren��t we toasting?��


    The voice that sounded like an illusion echoed in his ears. Lin Da looked up incredulously.


    Across the round table, a girl with fiery red hair and a fresh, youthful face was holding a large oak cup, tilting her head and looking at him oddly.


    ��Eh? Lin Da, are you tired already? You��re such small fry!��


    Klrona held the cup with both hands, her snow-white feet stretched out under the table, swinging back and forth like a swing, laughing mischievously.


    ��Shall I cook next time?�� Aiko��s tone was a bit worried, as if she felt bad that Lin Da always had to cook.


    ��Brother?�� Lin Xi, a delicate girl with soft black hair, was also looking at him with concern.


    Lin Da��s gaze lingered on her for a long time.


    But the protagonist today was not Lin Xi.


    Lin Da thought for a moment about what had happened at that time��


    If he remembered correctly, today was the day they failed on the second layer of the World Tree. Luck was terrible; they were randomly sent to a Mystic Realm that was highly incompatible with the Snow Goose Adventure Team. Someone didn��t follow orders and broke away from the group, rushing into the midst of the magical creatures. If not for a Town Portal Scroll, the Snow Goose Adventure Team would have been wiped out.


    It was from this painful lesson of the second layer that Lin Da started the habit of collecting Magic Potions.


    Under his adamant request, from then on the team had to exceed the level recommended by the Adventurer��s Guild for the corresponding layer, be skilled in the boss strategies of every random map, capable of a hundred percent success rate before agreeing to attempt a strategy.

 Chapter 18 - 18: Request of Lia

    Chapter 18: Request of Lia


    Watching the expressions of the young girls in his memory, some worried, some laughing, Lin Da felt a warm current flow through his heart.


    This was the Snow Goose Adventure Team he was willing to stay with.


    The gentle and considerate Aiko, the quirky Klrona who also called him brother.


    Biting her lip as if she was preparing to apologize for rashly entering the heartland of the Magical Creatures, it was Lia.


    His own sister, Lin Xi, was still there as well.


    The members of the adventure team really felt like family.


    ...


    Back then, Lin Da deeply believed that establishing the Snow Goose Adventure Team was the right choice.


    If only the team hadn��t become famous, it would have been fine for it to remain ordinary.


    This thought flashed through Lin Da��s mind.


    Suddenly, ��Lia�� across the round table stood up.


    With pursed lips, head slightly bowed, and fists clenched tight, it seemed she was ready to say something.


    Everyone looked over in surprise.


    Lin Da��s expression hardened; it was here that Lia entrusted herself to him.


    ��Today��s failure was my fault. I shouldn��t have risked going into the Giant Water Serpent��s heartland. Because everyone tried to save me, it nearly led to our team��s annihilation!��


    Aiko hugged the trembling Lia and whispered softly, ��Captain, don��t blame yourself, we are teammates, and we still need you to lead us to overcome higher levels.��


    ��But, but!��


    ��Sister Lia, neither brother nor I will blame you, okay?��


    ��No, I know you��re all just trying to comfort me!��


    Lia wiped her swollen eyes and looked at the silent Lin Da sitting across the round table. She bit her lip and said, ��If we had just listened to Lin Da and retreated, it wouldn��t have����


    ��Take this as a lesson. From now on, be more cautious. Only venture into the World Tree when certain of victory.��


    Hearing Lin Da say this, the self-reproach on Lia��s face visibly lessened.


    But she didn��t sit down and suddenly bowed deeply.


    Her voice was loud as she earnestly requested, ��Lin Da, please help the Snow Goose Adventure Team take everyone, without a single person left behind, through the World Tree Secret Realm!��


    Lin Da remembered clearly, from that day onward, the level of detail in his strategy planning had multiplied many times, and so had the time spent. sea??h th�� NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He envisioned all sorts of scenarios in defeating Magical Creatures, and as long as the adventurers met the level requirements and adhered strictly to the strategy, they could pass without injury.


    ��This kettle is broken, but it still works��really bails us out.��


    An incongruous voice suddenly emerged within the memory illusion.


    The scenes around him shattered like glass, and Lin Da dumbly returned to the musty, cold rental space.


    The round table was much shabbier than in his memories, and the straightforward, red-haired girl who had sat across from him had disappeared.


    Lin Da looked at the person who had pulled him out of his memories, Kafni, who used an old kettle to boil water and placed it with a clatter on the table, ��Want some?��


    ��Hmm.��


    Lin Da opened the cup he carried along with the Magic Potion and filled it with hot water.


    He saw that Kafni was using a pink mug with a Fire Dragon pattern.


    ��This cup is still here, surprisingly not thrown out by the landlady.��


    Lin Da was a bit surprised; this was the cup Lia used to use when they lived here.


    He walked over to the small washroom to check, in front of a mirror held together with tape was a wooden basket for washing items, and several differently colored cups were covered with a thick layer of dust.


    Lin Da then turned towards the wall to the right of the mirror, where the crooked lettering was indeed still there.


    Time had passed too long, the letters were yellowed, some too blurry to make out, looking like random scribbles.


    ��Become the number one adventure team in White Dove City.��


    ��Cure the legs and open a lingerie store in Imperial Capital.��


    ��Buy all the toys, order rabbit armor!��


    ��Stay with brother forever!��


    And at the bottom, squeezed into the corner with gigantic fonts, was a line written in minuscule letters like a mosquito��s buzz: ��Hope to safely reach the top of the World Tree.��


    Seeing these words, Lin Da rubbed his brow and sighed.


    Of the original five members who established the Snow Goose Adventure Team, two had already left, which inevitably brought a sense of change and loss.


    Lia��s dream hadn��t changed at all, but she herself had changed too much.


    Entering the living room, Lin Da sat on a couch with cotton showing through, staring blankly at the dark ceiling.


    ��What about dinner?�� Kafni asked, clutching her belly and looking distressed.


    ��Let��s just go to bed early and eat tomorrow,�� Lin Da said.


    ��Huh?�� Kafni��s face was full of astonishment.


    Lin Da, however, had no appetite. Kafni had taken a silver coin from him and when she asked if he was going to eat while leaving, he declined.


    His mind was in disarray; after recalling those memories, he felt a strange sense of anticipation about meeting Lia tomorrow.


    How could the ��Bursting Flames�� Lia from the game have turned into what she is now?


    When Lin Da agreed to form the team, it wasn��t solely because of a common purpose.


    It was also because, at first glance at that red-haired girl, he recognized her.


    She was a popular NPC from the Mystic Continent game, ��Bursting Flames�� Lia!


    In the version 1.1 Blood Moon event, Lia was level 40 and the leader of the Sunrise Level Adventure Group.


    Mature and steady, with a strong sense of responsibility, her greatsword wrapped in flames had captured the hearts of many players.


    But the Lia Lin Da met was completely different in character from the ��Bursting Flames�� Lia of the game, despite their identical looks.


    The latter was mature and steady, beloved by people.


    The other was willful and petulant, only good at shifting the blame.


    ��Is it that reality differs from the game, or has my arrival caused a ��butterfly effect,�� altering the story?��


    Upon careful consideration, Lin Da realized that ever since he joined the Snow Goose Adventure Team, he had been assigned to cook, strategize for the Mystic Realm, prepare supplies, calculate the value of the spoils, distribute rewards��everything was done by him��


    These tasks, which should have been mostly the responsibility of the team leader Lia, were taken on by Lin Da to let Lia focus on her training and leveling up, after accepting her request.


    ��Could it be��that I caused the mature and steady Lia from the game to disappear?��


    Lin Da was stunned at his own thoughts.


    Kafni had mentioned before that he was spoiling the members of the Snow Goose Adventure Team too much, and he hadn��t taken it seriously. But now, he thought there might be some truth to it.


    Lin Da could not help but sigh.


    To think of remedying the situation now was pointless.


    He had already become a hero, accompanied by a useless Goddess, and was destined to establish his own team.


    So even if Lia truly reverted to her original personality, he couldn��t possibly rejoin the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    With the moonlight shining through the window, Lin Da took out paper and ink and began drafting his resignation from the team at the table.


    The room echoed with the sound of the quill scratching against the paper.


    After a moment.


    Lin Da set down his pen, tucking the completed document into his chest.


    When he finished writing the resignation, the uncomfortable feeling that had faintly troubled him vanished, leaving him completely calm.


    He took one last look back and truly had no regrets.


    Although he hadn��t yet registered his official departure with the Adventurer��s Guild, Lin Da felt in his heart that he was already a ��free man,�� unaffiliated with any team.

 Chapter 19 - 19: 19. Useless Team Captain

    Chapter 19: 19. Useless Team Captain


    At a little past eight in the evening, the Sparrow District on the city��s edge had already fallen into silence, while the affluent White Dove District was still brightly lit.


    The bustling shopping streets glowed with various magic lantern signs, and there were many stylishly dressed men and women. Occasionally, one could also see the unusual sight of beastmen and elf couples walking hand in hand.


    Since a divine decree from the World Tree Goddess three hundred years earlier, the wars across the continent had ended, ushering in an era of peaceful coexistence among multiple races.


    As indicated by the divine decree, the ��Demon King Satan,�� sealed by the previous generation of heroes, was about to return from the Bottom of the Demon Realm. To select a new hero, the World Tree Goddess had placed the strongest weapon, ��Hero��s Sword��, at the top level of the World Tree Secret Realm.


    This further elevated the status of adventurers, and all intelligent beings living on the Mystic Continent aimed to reach the top of the World Tree and pull out the Hero��s Sword.


    At that moment, in a luxurious mansion in the Inner City District.


    ...


    In a lavishly decorated living room, a young girl wearing a loose, orange long dress had fallen asleep on the couch.


    Her red hair, as smooth as satin, spread out like a waterfall touching the floor.


    Lia, having just come out of the bath, was relaxed and had planned to rest on the couch for a while but had unexpectedly drifted into deep sleep.


    ����Without a doubt, the continent flourished because of the World Tree!��


    Lia dreamt of ten years ago, hiding outside the windows of the Noble Academy, eavesdropping on a teacher��s lecture.


    ��But what I need to clarify is, the World Tree we see is not its main trunk.��


    Is it not? Lia thought to herself.


    She leaned in closer.


    ��The World Tree��s roots spread across the continent. Those roots that break through the ground become smaller World Trees, which are what we see. Each World Tree has a different maximum number of levels, some only 5, some 20, but only the sacred World Tree in the center of the continent, in the Sanctuary, reaches the top level!��


    ��With each World Tree as a nucleus, the original adventurers gathered, multiplied, established villages, and as the population grew, these places gradually turned into towns and cities.��


    ��That is the origin of our Red Heart City!��


    ��Do not dishonor the legacy of your city��s founders. Strive to become adventurers, aiming to reach the top level of the World Tree!��


    ��Oh oh oh oh oh!��


    The exhilarating shouts of children burst through the window.


    The descendants of the founders are so great?


    Beneath the window, Lia, dressed in grubby commoner��s clothes, clutched her straight wooden stick tightly, her eyes filled with resentment for her own circumstances.


    She thought, one day she would become a top-level adventurer, a person respected by all, not someone hiding under someone else��s classroom to learn.


    Time seemed to accelerate by tens of thousands of times, and after a dizzying spin, Lia realized she had left Red Heart City and arrived in a dirty, rundown rental in White Dove City.


    A pitted redwood round table, and a persistent musty smell that never dissipated.


    A bunch of people squeezed together, the air so thin it seemed one had to struggle with each breath.


    Those poor memories prickled at Lia��s nerves every time she recalled them.


    ��Please take everyone with you, without exception, and conquer the top level of the World Tree!��


    The sudden sound of a familiar voice made Lia��s eyelids twitch; she saw, not far in front of her, among five people gathered around the round table, a red-haired girl, noticeably younger than herself, suddenly stood up and bent over to plead with the Healer in their team.


    Lia��s face darkened instantly; why did it have to be that day?


    She woke up from the nightmare.


    Groggily sitting up from the couch, she touched her forehead, which was covered in sweat.


    ��Take everyone with you, without exception, and conquer the top level of the World Tree?��


    How naive she had been back then, and Lin Da had actually agreed with a serious face.


    Lia found it a bit funny, anyone in the adventure team knew that it was impossible not to have personnel changes when summiting the World Tree.


    With a total of fifty layers in the Mystic Realm, each layer had several random maps, populated by various types of Guardians.


    Relying on just a few fixed team members wasn��t feasible to handle all the Guardians.


    Personnel changes were too normal, the main members of the Snow Goose Adventure Team had not changed for three years, which in the eyes of other adventurers was ��abnormal��.


    As the leader of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, Lia should have kicked out Lin Da, a 15th-level member, a long time ago, but out of old loyalty, she had kept him, paying him the salary of a main team member.


    After returning from the World Tree, Lia thought about it all afternoon but still couldn��t understand the reason Lin Da had quit the team.


    She sulkily took out a bottle of juice from the refrigerator and began to sip from it with both hands held around it.


    Lia recalled that before she had asked Lin Da to lead everyone to the top of the World Tree while in the rental house, Lin Da had been amazing, capable of guiding the team through higher levels with lower ranks.


    But since she had asked him, although the team��s level had already surpassed the recommended strategy level of the Adventurer��s Guild, he still refused to progress, insisting that everyone master the level to handle all bosses without getting injured.


    If Lin Da had used his previous capabilities, they could have easily moved on, right?


    The more Lia thought about it, the angrier she got.


    ��Is dinner not ready yet?��


    Having finished her juice, she banged the table in frustration.


    When no response came after waiting for a long while, it was the first time this had ever happened.


    Lia was stunned for a moment, then looked around and realized that the living room was empty, just her alone.


    Aiko and Klrona were probably in their rooms, Klyne and Oru, the couple, had bought a house in installments and didn��t live here.


    ��Where��s the food, the food!�� S��arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lia bit her lip in frustration.


    Normally at this time, Lin Da would have already prepared dinner, and all they had to do was eat, but Lin Da had suddenly left the team, and she hadn��t had the time to hire a new cook.


    With her stomach growling non-stop, Lia, full of resentment, went to the fridge to look for something to eat.


    From the storage level equipped with a freezing array below, she dug out a few bags of dumplings.


    ��We��ll just eat this tonight.��


    Lia saw the hand-written label on the packaging, which was pork and chive filling, and felt a bit calmed.


    This strange delicacy, wrapped in dough, she often used as a midnight snack.


    It��s just that before, she only had to yell and someone would boil the dumplings; now, she had to cook them herself.


    Lia found it quite fresh and entered the kitchen, full of zest, with the dumplings in hand.


    It was her first time doing this, giving her the thrill of an adventurer entering a new Mystic Realm.


    After some fiddling, she finally managed to light the stove; a pale blue flame rose up, next was to pour water into the pot�� Although she had never seen Lin Da do it, she could guess how it was done.


    After pouring in the water, Lia poured a big bag of dumplings into it with a splash.


    This much was enough for three people to eat.


    Lia tied on an apron, crossed her arms over her chest, and smugly imagined the scene where Aiko and Klrona would be in disbelief, praising her.


    Gurgle, gurgle, not long after, the cold water heated up to boiling and started to bubble.


    Lia stared with wide eyes in confusion. What happened? The dumplings had all burst open, and the filling was spilling everywhere!


    ��Aiko, Aiko, come here, there��s a problem!��

 Chapter 20 - 20: 20. Aiko is jealous

    Chapter 20: 20. Aiko is jealous


    Lia shouted as she clumsily tried to salvage the dumplings in the pot.


    A while later, Aiko, with her face covered in cucumber slices, came downstairs from the second-floor bedroom in a huff.


    Her wheelchair, a custom model from the Alchemist Guild powered by a Demon Core, had no trouble with stairs.


    ��What��s wrong?�� Aiko arrived at the kitchen.


    ��The dumplings�� skins have all burst.�� Lia said in frustration, ��Why must they give me such a hard time too!��


    Aiko glanced at them and immediately understood the problem, somewhat speechless, ��Did you boil them in cold water?��


    ...


    Aside from fighting, the captain was truly useless at everything.


    Aiko thought indignantly, even unable to cook properly, she really didn��t know where Lia found the confidence to agree to Lin Da��s departure from the team.


    Fortunately, the girl wasn��t stupid enough to throw the resignation letter directly at Lin Da. Until she formally cancels the contract at the Adventurer��s Guild, Lin Da was still technically a member of the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    This was an opportunity to seize, and Aiko needed to take the chance to properly persuade Lin Da to stay.


    Aiko pushed back her thoughts, looked up at Lia, and said with a pretended smile, ��Of course they would burst, you have to use boiling water, don��t you know even this?��


    ��I��ve never made dumplings before, how was I supposed to know that? What right do you have to criticize me?�� Lia threw her spoon onto the stove and retorted forcefully.


    Aiko grew even more frustrated to the point that she felt her patience was wearing thin.


    It was always like this; nothing was ever Lia��s fault. If a mistake was made, she always shifted the blame onto the team members.


    Taking a deep breath and suppressing the veins jumping on her forehead, Aiko said through clenched teeth, ��Go rest, throw these out, I��ll make a new batch.��


    ��That won��t do, wasting food is not a good habit.�� Lia refused.


    Aiko wanted to swear.


    That was typical stingy adventurer logic, able to be swindled out of a hundred Gold Coins for gear but so frugal over small expenses like clothing and food, unwilling to lose even a single copper coin.


    She forcibly contained her anger, ushered Lia into the living room, and dished out the dumplings to bring them to the table.


    ��Pig feed?�� Klrona, who had been starving waiting at the table since she came down from the second floor, scratched her head in confusion at the sight of the ragged dumplings in the plate.


    ��I made them,�� Lia narrowed her eyes.


    Klrona didn��t dare to say another word.


    With a pained expression, she swallowed a half-cooked dumpling and couldn��t help but ask, ��Miss Aiko, when is Lin Da coming back?��


    In Klrona��s eyes, the concept of Lin Da leaving the team wasn��t quite clear.


    It probably meant he would return by evening.


    ��Uh, well���� Aiko glanced at Lia.


    Lia said nothing, furiously stuffing dumplings into her mouth as if trying to prove to the two of them that they were in fact edible.


    ��He��ll be back tomorrow, right?�� Klrona looked at Aiko hopefully.


    ��It��ll take a few days, Lin Da went out to clear his head,�� Aiko said as she patted Klrona��s head. While she spoke to Klrona, she cast a sidelong glance at Lia, clearly noticing that the moment Lin Da was mentioned, Lia��s dumpling-packing hand stiffened unnaturally.


    Aiko sneered inwardly.


    She really didn��t want to clean up after Lia.


    But the Snow Goose Adventure Team indeed needed Lin Da, even if his level was a bit low. Having him at home developing strategies or cooking would be beneficial.


    She needed to persuade Lin Da properly and convince him to come back as her own�� oh no, that��s not right, as a teammate.


    A faint blush crept over Aiko��s cheeks as she seemed to think about something.


    All three of them were preoccupied, and silence ensued at the table, leaving only the sound of eating.


    This quietness seemed to make Lia quite uncomfortable; her right foot kept tapping the ground beneath her, an irritating sound.


    Aiko always had the feeling that it wouldn��t be surprising if this powder keg exploded at any moment.


    Why didn��t she use her own skills to beg Lin Da to return?


    She was only good at giving team members dirty looks, wasn��t she?


    Aiko couldn��t take it anymore and coughed lightly, confronting the issue head-on, ��I will find a chance to talk to Lin Da.��


    Lia, sipping her juice with her head lowered, did not respond, but the tip of her foot that had been tapping stopped.


    Noticing this detail, Aiko��s disdain for Lia was almost overflowing like a sea. She tried her best not to let this expression show on her face and said calmly, ��I��ll go ask him if he��s realized his ��mistake��.��


    Before she had finished speaking, she heard Lia snort coldly.


    ��Anyway, I won��t let him rejoin the team.��


    Aiko smiled, wanting to smack the bowl down on Lia��s head.


    ��It��s Aiko and the others who want you back. I didn��t agree! If you really want to come back, then work hard and don��t slack off!�� Aiko could completely imagine the scene when Lin Da returned.


    Thump thump thump!


    Just then, there was a knock at the door.


    All three turned to look.


    Aiko thought to herself, ��I��ll go take a look.��


    What if it was Lin Da outside?


    She couldn��t let that little bitch Lia have alone time with Lin Da, not late at night with just the two of them, too dangerous.


    Aiko opened the door, holding a sliver of hope as she stepped outside.


    But it wasn��t Lin Da.


    A group of young men were gathered at the villa��s entrance.


    The leader was a neatly dressed, lean young man, with a band around his head that read ��Ice Flower Adventure Team Support Group Leader��.


    Aiko��s face twitched, these people, they��re what you call ��homebodies��, right? Ones who don��t dare venture into the Mystic Realm, but idolize adventures so much that they make someone else��s adventure team their spiritual pillar.


    What disgusted her even more was that this group was the Support Group for the Ice Flower Adventure Team.


    Ever since she heard that Isa had invited Lin Da to join the team, she hadn��t felt good about Isa at all.


    ��This is the Snow Goose Adventure Team. Haven��t you arrived at the wrong place?��


    Aiko smiled warmly, like a mature big sister, perfectly concealing her true inner thoughts.


    ��So elegant! You truly deserve the title of ��Holy Mage�� Aiko!��


    ��So gentle, we won��t get scolded even for disturbing her in the middle of the night.��


    ��From today on, Miss Aiko will be my second spiritual pillar.��


    The crowd cheered and hollered excitedly. S��arch* The ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Aiko caressed her cheek, casually revealing a strand of snowy white at her shoulder, smiling radiantly, ��So, why have you all come to the Snow Goose Adventure Team? Is there something you need, or are you lost?��


    The group was so mesmerized they found their mouths going dry, but thankfully the leader Dawen was resolute, pinching his thigh hard as he said, ��Actually, we��re here to see Mr. Lin Da.��


    Lin Da?


    Aiko��s expression changed.


    The matter of Lin Da leaving the team was currently only being whispered among a few adventurers; ordinary people like Dawen were still unaware.


    She didn��t mention the fact that Lin Da had left the team and asked indifferently, ��What do you want with Lin Da?��


    ��It��s like this����


    Dawen retold the events of the afternoon, when Lin Da had helped the Ice Flower Adventure Team out of a crisis, clearing the twelfth floor.


    ��We wanted to find Lin Da to thank him, to express our gratitude for his help with the Ice Flower Adventure Team!��


    ��Also, to warn Lin Da not to lay a hand on our Captain Isa!��


    ��Captain Isa belongs to our Support Group!��


    Facing this group of nerds, seriously uttering revolting words, Aiko could barely keep the smile on her face from faltering.


    Lin Da�� he helped Isa clear the twelfth floor?


    How could he do that, what right did he have?


    Aiko felt a faint jealousy.


    And it was lucky that it was her who came to the door; if it had been Lia, she probably would have had a stroke on the spot.


    The Snow Goose Adventure Team struggled and fumbled through nine floors, yet once outside, a few sentences from Lin Da helped Ice Flower clear the twelfth.

 Chapter 21 - 21: 21. Getting Started with Classic Skills

    Chapter 21: 21. Getting Started with Classic Skills


    Originally, Aiko was relieved when she heard that Lin Da had turned down Isa��s invitation and didn��t join the Ice Flower Adventure Team.


    But the arrival of Dawen and others made her heart leap to her throat again.


    To Isa, there was a big difference between a well-reputed level 15 Healer and one who could lead the Ice Flower Adventure Team through the twelfth layer.


    Leadership was generally a responsibility of the captain, but since Isa played a front-line role, multitasking took a considerable toll on her energy. That was why, when a front-line player was the captain, this task was usually delegated to someone in a supportive role in the back, just as Snow Goose Adventure Team did.


    Lin Da��s withdrawal was akin to a stroke of luck for Isa.


    Once she lowered herself to ask, Lin Da might actually join.


    ...


    It was mainly because Lia was too vile. By comparison, Lin Da stood a good chance of being swept away by Isa.


    All of them were equable�� Aiko nearly let her disgust show on her face.


    ��Sorry, Lin Da is not at home, so you made the trip here in vain.��


    After Aiko sent away Dawen and the others, the smile gradually faded from her face, and she stared icily at another mansion in the neighborhood, unable to resist punching the wall with a bang.


    Being a Mage, her frail fists split open and bled.


    Yet she herself seemed almost unaware, her expression stony as she bit her lip. S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Not pampering himself, going to someone from Ice Flower instead?


    Why?


    Aiko was so furious she felt like exploding.


    The dog she had painstakingly nurtured for three years hadn��t even reaped rewards yet; why should Isa hijack it midway?


    Lin Da wandered outside like a stray dog��that was fine. But if someone intended to take the stray dog home, Aiko would never agree.


    ��My things, no one else should even think about taking them����


    Aiko bit her thumb, her eyes shadowy. Her teeth grated against her nail, producing a chilling, crackling sound.


    Just then, a stray cat passed by; seeing this monstrous figure with two large protrusions on her chest, it couldn��t help but screech and flee in terror.


    ��What��s the noise about, Aiko?��


    Lia walked out with a frown on her face.


    ��Nothing, just some flies. I shooed them away.��


    Instantaneously, Aiko��s smile returned, and she hid her injured hand behind her back, her voice utterly genial.


    ��Is that so?�� Lia was absent-minded and didn��t suspect anything. She went back inside the mansion.


    Aiko purposefully didn��t tell Lia about Lin Da helping Isa.


    What if Lia suddenly realized and tried to bring Lin Da back?


    Although it was unlikely, what if something happened between them? It could ruin her plan.


    Aiko saw right through Lia, but Lin Da�� He might have felt something three years ago, but now, Aiko couldn��t tell.


    ��It��s the same whether it��s Lia or Isa: if you must compete with me, don��t blame me for not being nice.��


    The light from the mansion��s open door spilled out, casting a shadow over Aiko��s face under the eaves.


    In the place hidden from Lia��s view, Aiko squinted, her cheeks flushed, and a twisted smile stretched across her lips.


    It was as if a monstrous beast, hidden in the darkness, drooled thick saliva from its jagged, gaping maw.


    Aiko operated her magic-powered wheelchair, following Lia into the mansion. From start to finish, Lia didn��t notice anything unusual about Aiko.


    ��


    At the same time.


    In the Sparrow District, an old residential building, rental room 303.


    Creak~


    The wooden door swung open, and Kafni returned carrying food.


    ��Here, this is yours.�� Kafni placed a steaming hot pork chop rice in front of Lin Da.


    Lin Da looked up in surprise, ��Thanks?��


    ��Heh, even I, as a deity, wouldn��t let a hero starve. After all, we must rely on the hero to defeat the Demon King.��


    Kafni opened her own luxurious eel rice, standing tall and proud, speaking as if she were above everyone else.


    Seeing the eel rice in her hands, Lin Da twitched, sensing a bad premonition. The pork chop rice was 20 copper coins, while the luxurious eel rice was at least 50�� Doing the math, he and Kafni had less than 1 silver coin left.


    Simply put�� A deity that wastes money!


    Lin Da helplessly rubbed his forehead.


    Although he didn��t want to, he would need to borrow some gold coins from old friends tomorrow.


    With Kafni��s spending habits, they would be starving the day after tomorrow.


    ��But why isn��t it two portions of luxurious eel rice?��


    He suddenly found it strange. If Kafni knew nothing about money, why hadn��t she brought the same for him? Why had she opted for a cheaper pork chop rice for him, but a pricey one for herself?


    ��Wouldn��t two portions cost a silver coin?�� Kafni replied as if it were obvious, ��The hero is supposed to serve the deity, right? Not bringing plain rice is already being considerate on my part.��


    ��That does sound somewhat reasonable.�� Lin Da gave a wry smile, moving his arms slightly, ��I think we need to clarify who exactly is the ��master�� here.��


    Kafni��s face changed slightly, clearly aware that she was no match for Lin Da.


    Lin Da��s hero occupation boasted extremely high initial attributes.


    Although only level 0, his attributes were already comparable to a level 3 warrior, far beyond her capabilities as a level 0 thief.


    ��Wait��! Actually, I was just joking. I splurged on eel rice because something good happened!��


    Kafni, sweating profusely, frantically explained: ��The ��Legendary Skill Stone�� that I ordered has been delivered! I spent all my Contribution Points on it, so treating myself to eel rice isn��t too much, right?��


    She hastily pulled out a golden, round stone from her chest.


    Under the stone��s emitted light, the dim rental room was instantly lit up, the surroundings filled with a thick magic power.


    ��Legendary Skill Stone?��


    Lin Da, having forgotten his resentment towards the eel rice, curiously took it from her.


    The stone was small, about the size of a quail egg, and warm to the touch.


    When it came into contact with his palm, the Skill Stone buzzed and trembled, a surge of golden light flooding into his body.


    A personal panel popped up in front of him.


    System Notification: You have acquired the Legendary Skill [Witch Purification]!


    You can view the specific effects by clicking on the skill in the skill panel.


    Witch Purification: Through physical contact with any part of the body, purify the contractual erosion within a witch��s body. After complete purification, a Witch Series Skill Tree will be unlocked.


    Note: The higher the witch��s trust level, the more thorough the purification.


    What the heck?


    Lin Da frowned, feeling like he hit the jackpot with a ten-pull but ended up with an off-target product. The Legendary skill seemed good, capable of unlocking a Witch Series Skill Tree �� a type that��s usually pretty solid when unlocked under special conditions.


    However, the issue was that unlocking the skill tree required fully purifying a witch.


    That would make it considerably difficult.


    Regarding the occupation of witch, in the game it was manageable; paying 1688 as a ��price�� to sign a contract and convert to [Witch].


    Subsequent monthly payments of 648 allowed continuous use of the witch occupation. However, if one stopped paying, the witch would suffer contract backlash and become consumed by the shadow.


    This setting was trivial in the game; one could simply curse the planners to death and that would be the end of it.


    But placed in the reality of the Mystic Continent, when this setting becomes real life, the situation becomes��


    In any city, merely mentioning the word ��witch�� would result in arrest by the Law Enforcement Bureau.


    There was a rumor that if you mention a witch, then a witch might indeed appear at your side, bringing calamity.

 Chapter 22 - 22: Lin Das Three Major Skill Trees

    Chapter 22: Lin Da��s Three Major Skill Trees


    When Lin Da first arrived in White Dove City, he often spent time at the library and had a general understanding of witches. The contracts from the game, when applied to reality, became ��A young girl with a strong, specific wish, seduced by the whispers of the Demon King, signs a soul-binding contract��.


    In other words, witches are minions of the Demon King, cursed beings.


    Wherever they went, cities were destroyed, and corpses littered the streets.


    Witches at the end of their lives would even transform into ��Fallen Beasts��, causing disasters of unprecedented horror.


    For Lin Da, who was at Level 0, purifying such monsters was truly no easy task.


    ��What skill did you get?�� Kafni asked with trepidation, seeing the look on his face.


    ...


    Lin Da reported honestly.


    ��What, Witch Purification? What��s the use of that? It��s not even as good as the most common Legendary skills like Mana Blessing.��


    Kafni was stupefied. She had spent all her Divine Contribution Points and only drew such a lousy skill.


    She heard from her seniors that some heroes were so lucky they could instantly obtain ��Tenfold Attack��, ��Mana Consumption Halved��, or other heaven-defying Legendary skills.


    How could it be that her own hero was so unlucky��


    Kafni fell into pessimism once again regarding how to save the Mystic Continent.


    ��Actually, this skill isn��t that bad.��


    After contemplating for a while, Lin Da opened the steaming plate of pork chop rice and said, ��Maybe we can use this skill to try and turn the witches.��


    ��Turn them?�� Kafni listlessly prodded her eel rice, feeling as though the luxurious taste in her mouth was like chewing wax.


    ��Right,�� Lin Da said. ��Think about it, witches serve as the Demon King��s servants because they are coerced, right? Unlike those who voluntarily swear allegiance and are brainwashed from birth in the Demon Lord��s Army, witches submit to the Demon King out of compulsion. So it is certain that they are not as loyal to the Demon King as the magical creatures are.��


    ��That��s true,�� Kafni agreed with a nod.


    Lin Da snapped his fingers, ��This is where the Legendary skill, Witch Purification comes into play. If we could forcibly break the contract between the witches and the Demon King, wouldn��t that be the same as saving their lives? By then, they would naturally have no reason to serve the Demon King anymore. Maybe they would even join the hero��s camp as a result.��


    ��Eh, that does make sense.�� Kafni��s eyes lit up, and she stopped eating. ��With this give and take, even if the Demon King breaks the seal and awakens, he��ll be a weakling! In that case, we should not delay and go look for witches to purify right away!��


    Luckily, she had a trace of Divine Power within her. She could sense witches, who had the Demon Lord��s Power within them, from a certain distance, effectively a human radar.


    She would be in charge of searching, and Lin Da in charge of purification. After accumulating ten cartloads of witches, they could go directly to challenge the Demon King!


    Kafni, fantasizing about the glorious future, couldn��t help but laugh heartily as she placed her hands on her hips.


    Lin Da, however, sat steadily on the sofa without moving. He glanced at the enthusiastic Kafni and said,


    ��What are you thinking? Witches are wanted by the empire, hiding who knows where. How could we just find them? And even if we did, it��s not certain they would trust me to open up and let me purify them.��


    The prerequisite for Witch Purification was a high level of trust, followed by physical contact. The higher the trust level, and the deeper the contact, the more thorough the purification.


    But these days, merely touching a girl��s hand could get you sued by the Law Enforcement Bureau, let alone touching a witch��surely the risk must be even greater?


    Witches, able to hear the Demon King��s whispers and be enchanted by them, are often psychologically unstable. It would be a light outcome if they sued you at the Law Enforcement Bureau, but one could fear for their very life.


    Before raising his level, Lin Da definitely did not want to meet the witches of this world.


    After hearing all of that, Kafni��s enthusiasm deflated: ��After all this, isn��t it just a useless skill?��


    ��There will always be a way. If all else fails, we could just subdue them, tie them up, and purify them.��


    Lin Da shrugged his shoulders.


    He bowed his head to enjoy his pork chop rice, while concurrently opening the Skill Tree page on his personal panel.


    At the moment, this Skill Tree had three main branches: the Recovery Series, the Poison Technique Series, and the dark, somewhat blurry Witch Series.


    The effects of the Witch Series Skills were still unknown, but the Poison Technique Series Skills were known for their high sustained damage.


    The first level of the Poison Technique Series Skill Tree already attained the Purple Rare quality, and further up there was a string of orange, red, and several golden Legendary Skills.


    In contrast to the common profession of a Healer, whose Skill Tree��s first-level skills are all of ordinary white quality.


    The Level 20 Ultimate Skill ��Healing Rain�� was barely a Purple Rare Level skill.


    Although Lin Da had started over from Level 0, by the time he returned to Level 15, his combat power would flip over a dozen times.


    ��After getting the team withdrawal certificate, I should go out and farm some Slimes. My level is too low now, and I don��t have a single Skill Point,�� Lin Da thought to himself.


    Earning Skills required Skill Points, and at the moment, at Level 0, he had zero Skill Points.


    The only Active Skill he possessed was the attack-less ��Witch Purification,�� which relied on his initial high strength attribute of 15 for hand-to-hand combat.


    Swallowing the last bite of his pork chop rice, Lin Da said contentedly, ��Dinner��s finished, time to start cleaning the house.��


    He grabbed Kafni, who was trying to go to sleep, with a warm smile on his face.


    By the time he finished his chores, it was already late at night.


    The house, once covered with dust, looked brand new.


    When it was time to rest, since the rental house had only one bedroom and one bed, Lin Da and Kafni had an argument about who should sleep on the bed.


    ��Damn Hero, you��re such a damned nuisance, sooner or later, one day, I will�� sooner or later����


    Kafni, with several bumps on her head, curled up on the sofa in pain, her body draped in a blanket, tears of frustration leaking from her eyes.


    Lin Da��s fists were too big, too hard, and it only took a couple of hits to leave her critically injured.


    Humbled and humiliated, Kafni had no choice but to reluctantly give up the bed.


    In the bedroom. sea??h th�� N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da lay with the back of his head resting on his arm, staring blankly at the ceiling above, feeling a bit unreal.


    He had actually fulfilled his wish to ��sleep on the bed in the rental house�� once. Back when he lived there, as the only male in the team, he was naturally relegated to the sofa.


    At that time, he often wondered how comfortable it must be to lie in the bed in the bedroom.


    Now that this unfinished dream was realized, it wasn��t as exciting as he initially thought.


    Indeed, time and circumstances greatly affect a person��s mindset. After his sister disappeared, Lin Da��s personal desires became quite faint, apart from his research on the World Tree, he had little interest in anything else.


    He remembered Lin Xi liked to sleep in the innermost spot. He involuntarily moved closer to that side, sniffing as if he could catch a trace of his sister��s scent.


    In the darkness, Lin Da fumbled and pulled out a pocket watch, opened it, and the white jade-like dial emitted a faint glow, illuminating the combined photo of the two inside the case.


    How could Lin Xi have disappeared inside the World Tree, and who had secretly placed her pocket watch on his desk? This was something Lin Da often thought about when he couldn��t sleep at night, but even after three years, he had no clue.

 Chapter 23 - 23: 23. Truly delicious

    Chapter 23: 23. Truly delicious


    Lin Xi disappeared on the fourth level of the World Tree.


    According to the rules of the World Tree Secret Realm, except for the Great Mystery Continent that appears every five levels, other realms can only be entered once.


    After coming out from the fourth level, Lin Da could not re-enter it; to farm monsters, he could only go to the Great Mystery Continent and other ordinary secret realms outside the World Tree.


    However, there was one method that could allow him to return to the fourth level.


    That was to change his profession.


    After changing professions, both his level and his strategy records for the World Tree were reset to zero.


    ...


    When Lin Da re-entered the World Tree, he would start from the first level, and he could replay the fourth level mystery again.


    ��Lin Xi now should be level 30, becoming a Star-ranked adventurer, right?��


    Before disappearing, Lin Xi was already level 15, half higher than the other members of the team.


    Such a speed of leveling up was like cheating.


    ��Sleep.��


    The time shown on his pocket watch had reached two in the morning, and Lin Da felt a wave of tiredness strike him. There had been too much happening today�� He had left the team, then became a hero, and resolved to create his own team.


    It was a single day that brought him as much fatigue as a usual month.


    Lin Da closed his pocket watch and drifted off into sleep.


    The next morning.


    In a simple breakfast restaurant.


    Lin Da and Kafni sat at the table, struggling to gnaw on the rock-hard bread in their hands.


    When Kafni walked into this shop, she immediately drew fiery stares from everyone else, making Lin Da a bit uncomfortable.


    Great Panda is indeed impressive.


    It��s a universal truth, regardless of the world!


    At the small wooden table, Lin Da sipped on the milk in his bowl. He glanced sideways, only to see the early morning sun streaming through the window, casting a gentle light on the face of a blonde deity.


    Kafni��s eyelashes were long, and her blue eyes resembled pure gems, reflecting the sunlight, giving them a saintly beauty at first glance.


    A thought crossed Lin Da��s mind.


    Dressing such a Kafni in humble hemp skirts seemed rather wasteful.


    Lia would likely mock and scoff at her if she saw.


    And since he had left the team, visiting the Snow Goose Adventure Team today as a guest, he was supposed to dress formally.


    He also wanted to see how pretty a dressed-up Kafni could be, wondering if she could overshadow those young ladies.


    So, he made a request to Kafni.


    Thud.


    The bread in Kafni��s hand dropped to the floor, her face full of disbelief.


    ��You want me, a deity, to wear revealing clothes and play your female teammate?��


    ��Impossible, absolutely impossible!��


    Kafni��s neck flushed red with anger.


    She already detested Lin Da, so how could she possibly pretend to be good teammates with him?


    Moreover, calling it dressing up was merely making her into a roasted chicken!


    Those skirts barely reaching the thighs, and off-shoulder dresses��how could she, the manly Kafni, ever wear them?!


    A moment later.


    In front of a second-hand clothing store.


    ��It��s settled then, I get the bed for the next month.��


    Kafni had already transformed herself from a destitute street woman of Sparrow District into a vibrant and pretty woman of the Inner City District.


    ��This����


    Lin Da was somewhat astonished.


    At this moment, Kafni wore a tight black sleeveless top, covered with a small white jacket, but her massive shoulders almost seemed to slip free from its grasp, invoking the obsessive compulsion in anyone to pull them up properly for her.


    She was wearing hot pants on her lower body, her legs white and plump like jade pillars, stepping in sneakers from the Otherworld, decorated with little wing patterns.


    Kafni was tall and slim, standing with one hand on her hip like a model, her earlobes adorned with sparkling crystal earrings.


    She cocked her head slightly, looking at Lin Da with confusion, ��What��s wrong?��


    ��You look good,�� Lin Da said.


    ��Wha-what?��


    Kafni��s face turned red, unexpectedly feeling a subtle joy after Lin Da��s compliment.


    This discovery made her panic. Why would she be happy about a man saying she looks good? That wasn��t normal!


    ��Don��t think that just because compliments are free, I would forgive your reprehensible actions!��


    Kafni tightened her white jacket, suddenly feeling too exposed and uncomfortable all over.


    ��No, I mean, you really do look good.��


    Lin Da had always had high regard for women as ambitious as pandas.


    ��Stop talking,�� Kafni muttered, her voice softer than a mosquito��s.


    Just then, the carriage arrived, and Lin Da called the squirmy Kafni to get inside.


    ��To the Inner City District.��


    Lin Da handed over the last of his copper coins to the coachman.


    The road from the Sparrow District to the Inner City District was uneven, full of bumps that made the carriage vibrate.


    On the red velvet sofa, Kafni, sitting next to Lin Da with her legs pressed together, almost fell on him several times as the carriage tilted.


    Lin Da didn��t mind, back when Snow Goose Adventure Team was poor, five people would squeeze into a carriage, piling up in layers.


    Rubbing shoulders and legs with Kafni was nothing unusual for him.


    But he didn��t know what was wrong with Kafni today. Since leaving the clothing store, she��d been acting weird, none of her usual arrogance.


    Lin Da saw her hands as if having nowhere to rest, one moment on her knees, the next under her butt, her head hanging low, her gaze drifting.


    The carriage passed over a large pothole and jolted sharply, Kafni��s arm accidentally brushed against Lin Da, and she quickly withdrew it as if electrocuted.


    What the heck is wrong with her?


    Lin Da was utterly baffled.


    ��We��ve reached the Inner City District.��


    A moment later, the carriage stopped, and Lin Da saw Kafni was still daydreaming.


    ��Oh�� oh! Thank you,�� Kafni snapped out of it, hurriedly opened the door of the carriage, and stepped out almost as if escaping.


    First, she moved out a dazzlingly white long leg, then Kafni slowly straightened her waist, lifted her messy golden hair with her hand, and gradually opened her cold, aloof eyes to adjust to the bright sunlight outside.


    Her posture made Lin Da sense a subtle femininity.


    The two of them walked one after the other on the broad, tidy street, heading toward the villa of Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Lin Da noticed something odd, it seemed he was turning quite a few heads, attracting many passersby to pause and look.


    Although being a former healer of Snow Goose Adventure Team made him somewhat famous, it couldn��t be to this extent, could it?


    Perplexed, he looked around and suddenly realized that within Kafni��s tight black top, there were a pair of bouncing big guys, like a Slime casting the skill ��Taunt.��


    No wonder!


    These were so big; any adventurer would want to tackle them, right? S��ar?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��What��s wrong?�� Kafni frowned and asked.


    ��It��s nothing,�� Lin Da replied, turning his head away.


    Seeing his somewhat awkward expression, Kafni belatedly realized something.


    Kafni stared straight at her own chest, her cheeks quickly heating up.


    She swiftly turned her head to the side.


    On the street, Lin Da looked embarrassedly to the left, Kafni bit her lip and looked to the right�� even she didn��t know why she did that, but her heart felt like it was pounding out of her throat!

 Chapter 24 - 24: 24. Encounter with Snow Goose Adventure Team

    Chapter 24: 24. Encounter with Snow Goose Adventure Team


    Lin Da cleared his throat and said, ��You�� bear.��


    ��What about the bear?��


    ��Can you make it stop moving?��


    ��I wish I could! But with it being so big, who do you think is to blame?��


    Kafni got angry whenever she thought about it.


    She viciously stepped on Lin Da��s foot and rubbed it, ��I agreed to your request to wear such indecent clothing, didn��t I? If it were a looser dress, this would never have happened!��


    ... S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her argument made sense, and Lin Da couldn��t think of a rebuttal.


    He resolved to make sure that Kafni wore less revealing clothes in the future.


    The two of them walked on in silence.


    As they reached the Adventurer��s Guild in the Inner City District, Lin Da stopped in his tracks, attracted by the notice board at the entrance.


    On it was a poster that took up half of the board, with the title:


    [Famous Team, Snow Goose Adventure Team��s World Tree 9th Floor Attacker Release Conference, in full swing!]


    [Time: New Tree Calendar July 25, Morning 9:00-11:00]


    The poster featured an image of Lia with her arms crossed and a proud stance at the center, with her greatsword ��Flame Devourer�� behind her.


    On the left and right sides were Aiko and Klrona, followed by a clipped tall humanoid shadow. At the very edge were the elf girl Klyne and Hammer Warrior Oru.


    They cropped it quite hastily.


    Lin Da looked at the humanoid shadow that represented him and didn��t know whether to laugh or cry.


    ��New Tree Calendar July 25, isn��t that today?��


    He looked up at the round clock on the top of the Adventurer��s Guild, which showed it was 10 o��clock. Which meant that Lia and the others were still in this Adventurer��s Guild.


    Holding an attacker release conference seemed to indicate that Lia had successfully passed the 9th floor.


    Lin Da frowned slightly, feeling somewhat worried.


    For the current Snow Goose Adventure Team, taking a fall on the 9th floor would actually be beneficial for the team��s long-term development.


    Otherwise, with Lia��s character, she would definitely think that it��s quite simple to just rush through without strategizing, right?


    Lin Da hoped that Lia would suffer a setback, but he didn��t want to see her perish in the World Tree.


    ��Is this your old team?��


    Kafni leaned in close to the poster, her face full of mockery, ��The conference ends at 11, are they still inside? We��re waiting anyway, let��s go have a look.��


    Their purpose for this trip was to retrieve their belongings from the Snow Goose Adventure Team and to have Lia sign the team-leaving certificate. By all accounts, they had to wait for the conference to end.


    But Lin Da wasn��t keen on going inside. If Lia saw him in a public setting, there��s no telling what kind of drastic actions she might take.


    It was better to find Lia in private for the team-leaving certificate, so both parties could save face.


    ��Shall we go?�� Kafni, seeing him not moving, taunted, ��You��re not scared of seeing your old teammates, are you?��


    Lin Da hesitated for a moment.


    Feeling a hint of hesitation in his heart, he shook his head and thought to himself, there would be a lot of people at the attacker release conference, so it was unlikely that Lia would spot him. Besides, even if she did notice him, so what? Since when did he become so timid?


    With this thought, he said, ��Let��s go, let��s head inside.��


    The two entered the Adventurer��s Guild.


    A refreshing coolness hit them, making the heat outside feel like a different world.


    The white ceiling above sparkled with snowflake-shaped Cooling Magic Arrays, bringing an immediate boost to one��s spirits with their chill.


    The hall was bustling with people, all surrounding a stage at the front.


    Lin Da pushed forward slightly and, with his height of one meter eighty, caught sight of the scene on the platform.


    The host of the attacker release conference, Lia, was explaining the process of battling through the 9th floor.


    Such conferences were important for raising a team��s fame.


    In this world where ��all is inferior, only adventure is supreme,�� top adventurers are stars, idols, and all the major trading houses were eager to have them endorse their Magical Equipment.


    The city hall warmly welcomed high-level adventurers; a live strategy presentation by a high-level adventure team could attract countless people to come visit, greatly promoting the city��s prosperity.


    In the Mystic Continent, as long as you conquered a high enough level, gold coins, fame, magical equipment�� everything was within reach.


    Usually, the Snow Goose Adventure Team��s press conference was a duo act, with Lia acting as a mascot, just needing to put her pretty face forward, while Lin Da took care of explaining the strategy.


    This time, however, Lia hosted the entire press conference.


    Lin Da looked towards the redhead girl on the stage.


    Lia was dressed quite formally today, in a black hip-hugging skirt and those light, thin black stockings that only mature women usually wore, and on her feet were high heels that she clearly wasn��t comfortable in, making her seem like a young girl trying hard to act grown-up.


    Facing the audience��s gaze and a bunch of journalists with notepads ready to take notes, Lia��s speech was stiff, as if reciting lines, and with her hand, she made a sword swinging gesture:


    ��So it��s just like that, right? Energy charging, Flame Slash, I dodge the attack, then energy charging again, Flame Slash��!��


    ��Ten times, at most twenty times, and the Giant Carnivorous Flower is guaranteed to be taken down!��


    The journalists from the press scratched their heads and stopped their pens, dumbfounded as they watched Lia��s little hands flailing in the air.


    Many adventurers also let out a chorus of jeers.


    This way, it just wasn��t working.


    Beneath the stage, Lin Da sighed.


    As a strategy guide, what Lia explained had no reference value whatsoever.


    The adventurers who had come specially to ��attend the lecture�� were dumbstruck.


    It was like listening to a talk that was just talk.


    Apart from wasting time, it was utterly useless!


    The dissatisfaction in the hall grew louder and louder.


    Lia became excessively nervous, her speech starting to stammer.


    In order to avoid embarrassment, she tried her best to compensate for her lack of words, but she still couldn��t articulate much.


    It felt like she really wanted to be someone else��s teacher, yet lacked the wisdom to be one.


    Finally, it was Aiko who couldn��t bear to watch and took over Lia��s hosting role with a gentle and elegant demeanor.


    Only after she detailed the strategy for taking down the Giant Carnivorous Flower did Aiko mitigate the audience��s disgruntlement.


    The strategy presentation finally ended and they reached the part Lia was good at, she immediately snatched back the control from Aiko, introducing the loot with great enthusiasm.


    She was no good when it came to using her brain, her talent seemed to only emerge when showing off.


    Aiko hummed with disdain in her heart.


    She shouldn��t have helped Lia, it would have been right to just let her be hung out to dry on stage.


    But after all, he had also come.


    In front of Lin Da, Aiko had to be a reasonable and empathetic excellent teammate.


    Lia? She was just someone who let Lin Da realize how good of a stepping stone she was.


    On a long wooden table, the head of the Giant Carnivorous Flower, Magic Melon Seeds, the weapon Tengman Whip, and various other magical items were displayed.


    With every item that Lia introduced, her rather ordinary chest puffed out just a little more.


    The Snow Goose Adventure Team did have its supporters, after all, the team included four beautiful girls.


    When Lia heard someone in the audience praise her swordsmanship and combat ability, she lifted her head high, almost looking down on others through her nostrils.


    This girl was way too arrogant, wasn��t she?


    Lin Da couldn��t help but frown. Looking at Lia��s arms and legs wrapped in bandages, it was clear that she had been injured by the Giant Carnivorous Flower.


    Back when he was still in the team, the members of the Snow Goose Adventure Team had never suffered such ��serious�� injuries.


    And yet, Lia seemed to have learned nothing from it.


    Listening to her triumphant tone, it was as if defeating the Giant Carnivorous Flower was such an incredible feat.


    She couldn��t possibly be unaware that the only reason she could clear the ninth level was because her Fire Series Battle Qi just happened to counter the Plant Series Giant Carnivorous Flower, could she?


    To put it bluntly, it was nothing but good luck.

 Chapter 25 - 25: 25. The Arrogant Lia

    Chapter 25: 25. The Arrogant Lia


    ��`


    The Ninth Layer Secret Realm has three random maps: the Giant Carnivorous Flower of the Twisted Forest, the Lava Giant of the Lava Cave, and the Blue Scaled Armor Snake of the Muddy Swamp.


    The latter two maps are extremely incompatible with the Snow Goose Adventure Team; Lia��s Fire Series can��t even unleash half its power.


    In such a state of arrogance, problems will arise sooner or later.


    Linda did not want to see the Snow Goose Adventure Team fall into crisis because of Lia��s recklessness.


    He sighed, thinking that he had to find an opportunity to remind Lia.


    ...


    As a former teammate, that��s all he could do to help.


    Meanwhile, on the stage of the press conference.


    Aiko quietly tugged at Klyne��s skirt and whispered, ��He��s here.��


    ��Mr. Linda?�� Klyne followed Aiko��s gaze, and indeed found Linda, smiling and waving her hand.


    Klyne and others sitting together all noticed Linda and greeted him.


    But actually, the first to spot him was a certain red-haired girl standing in front of the stage.


    At one meter eighty tall and with a calm demeanor, Linda was too conspicuous among those chattering adventurers.


    Lia had spotted Linda as soon as he entered the hall.


    However, she had been pretending not to see him, focusing all her energy on how to successfully hold the press conference.


    Or rather, Lia had originally planned to simply say a few words before moving on to the sale of the spoils of war.


    It was Linda��s appearance that changed her mind.


    She decided to deliver an ��exciting�� speech, to show Linda that her eloquence was not inferior to his.


    Despite presenting a ��nutrient-free�� strategy of ��accumulate power, Flame Slash, then accumulate power again��, Lia still felt quite pleased with herself.


    Half an hour later, the Attacker��s press conference came to an end.


    The Snow Goose Adventure Team��s spoils from the Ninth Layer sold out, and Lia even landed the spokesperson role for the Greatsword Main Weapon seller, ��Furious Wolf Fang��.


    She walked with a swagger, filled with unrestrained pride.


    As soon as the press conference was over, she made a beeline for someone.


    Like a loosed arrow, she aimed at her target with a murderous look.


    Gradually, everyone noticed a man of proportionate build, dressed in a refined white shirt, with a ring of Magic Potions on his belt, looking very steady.


    ��The Healer Linda from the Snow Goose Adventure Team? Why didn��t he go on stage?��


    ��I thought he was sick.��


    ��Didn��t you hear the rumor from yesterday? Linda seems to have left the Snow Goose Adventure Team.��


    This news spread through the hall of the Adventurer��s Guild with the speed of the plague.


    The crowd was instantly restless.


    Was the team leader Lia heading straight for the old teammate who had left the team, possibly to start a fight?


    It��s well-known in White Dove City that the captain of the Snow Goose team has a fiery temper.


    Pretty, flat-chested, and hotheaded; she perfectly fits the adventurers�� image of a noble Young Lady.


    Those people were all envious of Linda.


    After hearing the news of Linda��s departure, they were baffled.


    Now that Lia was charging straight at Linda, they all grew excited, eager to see this genius Swordsman in action.


    Journalists from various agencies were also thrilled, as they turned their Magic Cameras towards Linda, taking photos.


    The crowd parted like water, clearing an unobstructed path for Lia.


    Linda could not avoid it.


    Hands in his pockets, he watched the approaching girl with a mild expression.


    ��Good afternoon, Lia.��


    ��


    ��Oh no.��


    Aiko on the stage was anxious.


    With Lia��s temperament, who knew what unpleasant words she would say.


    Linda didn��t want to come back in the first place, and to be insulted on top of that?


    It would be the end of him.


    ��Quick, go stop Lia.��


    ��`


    Aiko spoke anxiously.


    Seated in a wheelchair, with limited mobility in her legs and feet, she could only pin her hopes on her teammates.


    Klyne and Oru exchanged looks.


    The two of them chuckled awkwardly, indicating that they wouldn��t dare to interfere.


    Compared to the original five members who created the Snow Goose Adventure Team, they were, after all, just ��employees��; the relationship wasn��t as close.


    ��Why block big sister Lia? Doesn��t she plan on letting that small fry Lin Da come back?�� Klrona asked innocently.


    Of course, Lia wanted Lin Da to come back.


    But now, she was just acting proud. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Aiko sighed, closed her eyes, and didn��t want to look anymore.


    Tap tap tap!


    The heels of black high-heeled shoes clacked on the polished floor, sharp and clear.


    Lia, like a fiery horse, approached Lin Da with an unmatched, fierce momentum.


    The three-centimeter heels barely brought Lia��s head up to Lin Da��s neck as she lifted her chin proudly, her face alive with spirit.


    Seeing this, everyone in the hall couldn��t help but hold their breath, feeling that something big was about to happen.


    ��Out gallivanting all day, and now you know you��re wrong and are ready to come back and beg this young lady to take you back?��


    With hands on her hips, Lia arrogantly kicked Lin Da��s shin with her high-heeled shoe.


    ��Seeing us clear the Ninth Layer Secret Realm, you come back like a groveling dog, wagging your tail? The rock level adventure team is not something you can just return to whenever you wish.��


    Actually�� he was only here to get his proof of withdrawal from the team.


    Lin Da felt somewhat embarrassed.


    As for rejoining the team, he hadn��t entertained even the slightest thought of it from the beginning to the end.


    But he gave Lia the courtesy of not mentioning his withdrawal in front of the reporters from various newspapers.


    If Lia exploded on the spot, she might not sign the document.


    Although there are other ways to leave the team, they would certainly waste time.


    ��Let��s talk about this when there��s no one around,�� Lin Da said calmly, avoiding a direct response to Lia��s question.


    What does it mean to talk when there��s no one around?


    Lia��s spirits lifted.


    ��Captain, there were too many people outside just now, but now I apologize to you.��


    The image of Lin Da bowing his head and admitting his mistake appeared in Lia��s mind.


    Her chest puffed out even higher.


    ��


    Possibly because his mindset had changed, Lin Da was now able to objectively observe Lia.


    As long as Lia kept her mouth shut, she was actually not bad looking.


    Today��s Lia was dressed like a mature, black-stockinged female secretary, combining the innocence of a young girl with the hint of allure in the disobedience of her attire.


    ��Pretty cute.��


    Lin Da exclaimed.


    The old him would never have said such a thing.


    Just being annoyed by Lia would have been enough to drive him to fury, with the urge to make her cry with a punch.


    But after leaving the team, no matter how annoying Lia was, she had nothing to do with him, so he could appreciate the girl��s appearance with a simple heart.


    ��What, what?!�� Lia exclaimed, her mouth hanging open in surprise.


    In her expectations, Lin Da might be full of regret or obstinately unrepentant.


    But she had never imagined that Lin Da, who was only ever focused on strategizing and seemed reclusive, would actually call her ��cute.��


    This was unprecedented, like the sun rising in the west!


    ��Don��t think that by flattering this young lady with a couple of sentences, you��ll get back on the team,�� Lia��s face turned red in an instant, and her pink toes wriggled inside her high heels like tiny worms burrowing.


    She pushed Lin Da away, ��Don��t stand in the way, what are you, a pillar?��


    Lia walked off with a tap, tap, tap, but due to being unaccustomed to the high heels, she stumbled, nearly falling over.

 Chapter 26 - 26: 26. Aiko Makes a Move (Please follow and read!)

    Chapter 26: 26. Aiko Makes a Move (Please follow and read!)


    As he was about to leave the Adventurers�� Guild, Lia seemed to remember something and loudly muttered to herself, ��Today I switched to a new Twin-Winged Blackblood Horse; it runs so fast. Buying this horse only cost a mere three thousand Gold Coins.��


    Having said that, she then strode away.


    Lin Da was left utterly speechless.


    The Twin-Winged Blackblood Horse was quite good, but it wasn��t enough to make him envious.


    He was just about to step away when a strong right hand landed on his shoulder.


    ��Lin Da, our team��s carriage is outside, want to come with us?��


    ...


    Turning around, he saw Oru with his blonde hair cut short and a face that betrayed a simple honesty.


    As a frontliner in the Snow Goose Adventure Team, Oru, whose level and skills were inferior to Klrona��s, often needed Lin Da��s Healing Art for support.


    Having fought side by side for a long time, they had naturally become friends.


    ��Mr. Lin Da, good afternoon.��


    Klyne emerged from behind Oru, smiling and greeting him.


    ��Good afternoon.��


    After exchanging greetings, Lin Da shook his head at Oru and said, ��You guys go back in the carriage; I don��t need it.��


    Oru lowered his voice, ��It��s okay, the captain is in a good mood today, just say a few nice words, and she��ll let you come back. Klyne, Miss Aiko, and I all support you.��


    Lin Da smiled but did not explain.


    He had already decided to establish his own team.


    Though he regretted no longer being able to fight alongside Oru and the others, it could not shake his determination.


    ��Mr. Lin Da, the adventure team really can��t afford to lose you,�� Klyne also tried to persuade.


    Lin Da still shook his head.


    ��Lin Da�� ��


    ��You don��t care about Lia, do you also not care about me?��


    A soft voice came through.


    ��Aiko.��


    Lin Da stopped in his tracks, surprised, looking at the Mage Miss sitting in a wheelchair.


    Her appearance was wan, her brilliant blonde hair had lost its luster, and her eyes flickered vulnerably.


    Was she really that concerned about him?


    Lin Da had thought a few words of retention would suffice, but seeing Aiko��s condition, he felt somewhat guilty.


    Klyne and Oru also looked at him with hopeful eyes.


    Lin Da��s heart was filled with many emotions.


    It seemed that aside from Lia and that naive youngster, the others in the team recognized his efforts in the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Three years was not entirely wasted.


    ��Lin Da, aside from Lia, everyone else wants you back; can you really bear to leave us?��


    Aiko said pitifully.


    She was dressed in a pristine white dress, her left hand tightly grasping at her chest.


    The neckline of her clothing was pulled low, her delicate collarbone barely visible, and her nearly pale skin evoked pity.


    Coupled with Aiko��s furrowed brows and tearful look, her weak, pleading voice was like a brush softly stroking at the depths of one��s heart, swaying even those with the firmest resolve.


    Moreover, Aiko��s words had another layer of meaning.


    Aside from Lia, no one else has offended you; by not returning, you are abandoning your old teammates, that��s neither benevolent nor righteous.


    In a few short sentences, she had positioned herself on a moral high ground pressuring Lin Da.


    Seeing Lin Da looking troubled, a little devil in Aiko��s heart seemed to be wagging its tail.


    Lia was incompetent, so it had to be her stepping in.


    ��Lin Da, come back; don��t you miss everyone? I haven��t been able to sleep well since you left,�� Aiko said, her large eyes brimming with tears, both hands placed over her chest as if in prayer.


    A surprising sight suddenly unfolded in front of her, causing Lin Da��s eyelids to twitch.


    ��Mind your image, Aiko.��


    Lin Da coughed and stepped in front of Aiko.


    Yet, he was utterly oblivious that his actions had completely fallen into Aiko��s trap.


    As soon as he approached, Aiko conveniently threw herself into his arms, pressing her frail body against his.


    The fragrance was overwhelming.


    Aiko��s body was soft as if boneless, and even a touch through the clothing was a delight.


    But Lin Da was entirely numb.


    Flashes from Magic Cameras flickered all around.


    His hands stretched out, uncertain whether to embrace or not to embrace.


    Tomorrow��s newspapers would definitely feature this photo.


    Being single was one thing, but wasn��t Aiko afraid of being misunderstood to be in that kind of relationship with him?


    If those reporters from the press maliciously misinterpreted this, it would damage Aiko��s reputation.


    Lin Da gazed at his hands suspended in the air, then at the delicate back under Aiko��s dress, his face turning into a bitter gourd.


    What Aiko was thinking, however, was:


    ��How does it feel to touch the places you haven��t been allowed to for three years?


    You really got lucky.��


    She brewed her emotions, letting her voice sound as if she were crying.


    ��Woo woo woo, Lin Da, have you forgotten? When we were in the team, I was the one who brought you hot coffee to your room every night.��


    ��When you were tired, I would massage your shoulders�� Sometimes when you were hungry, I personally cooked midnight snacks����


    Whether it was delivering coffee or massaging, it was all to help Lin Da stay up late and speed up the strategy development.


    Cooking was also a pretense, just reheating leftovers to pass as midnight snacks. Though the taste might have altered, she was not the one eating it.


    ��When Lia was harsh on you, I always stood by your side!��


    This was because Aiko hoped Lin Da would rely on her, becoming a toy she could manipulate at will.


    So, whenever Lia argued with Lin Da, Aiko was thrilled to appear before him like a timely help, garnering vast amounts of goodwill.


    At this moment, Aiko��s hands tightly held Lin Da��s waist, her eyes reddening, emitting feeble, whimpering sounds.


    She distinctly felt something crushed.


    If she hadn��t worn it, it would have been a knockout blow.


    Such a pity.


    Aiko thought regretfully.


    ��All that you��ve said, I know.��


    Lin Da sighed deeply, finally letting his hands drop, giving this pitiful mage a ceremonial comforting hug.


    His intention was to quickly soothe Aiko��s emotions, allowing her mind to clear.


    That was what Lin Da thought. sea??h th�� n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But unexpectedly, the moment he reached out, Aiko clung to his arm as if glued, beginning to drop tiny pearls all over it.


    ��Lin Da, the person in the team who truly cares about you is actually me, don��t you understand? Woo woo woo!��


    The girl��s fragile cry echoed through the hall.


    Pain visible in the eyes, wounds deep in the heart.


    The crowd fell silent, involuntarily moved by Aiko��s outpouring of genuine emotion.


    They even fantasized about the scene where a once amicable Lia and Lin Da, while Aiko stood outside the door, quietly heartbroken.


    Now that Lia was ousted, this mage dared to reveal her feelings.


    All that she did was for the sake of ��friendship�� with Lia, not wanting to hurt Lia by stepping in.


    Not until today.


    After Lia gave up, she courageously and humbly wept in Lin Da��s arms.


    Such a tender and kind-hearted girl!


    Some adventurers, moved to tears, looked up at the ceiling, as if there were sand in their eyes.


    ��


    (PS: Please fol

 Chapter 27 - 27: 27. Kafni discovered an anomaly

    Chapter 27: 27. Kafni discovered an anomaly


    Ninety-nine percent of the people present were deceived by Aiko, clapping earnestly for the emotions of the young girl.


    But one person noticed something was off.


    Kafni frowned with suspicion, even forgetting to crack the sunflower seeds in her hand.


    She distinctly saw the corner of Aiko��s mouth hidden under Lin Da��s arm hook up for an instant!


    It was just that it happened so quickly that Kafni thought she was seeing things.


    But her eyes were sharp; it was impossible for her to be mistaken.


    ...


    The other person had indeed smiled just now.


    Kafni lost all interest in watching the excitement and felt a chill run down her spine.


    She was almost fooled by Aiko��s superb acting skills.


    Even if those two went to a hotel to get cozy with each other, it wouldn��t surprise her.


    But now, Kafni wanted to say that wasn��t a hole to vent desires, but a bottomless, man-eating abyss!


    It seemed that Lin Da was comforting Aiko, who was like a weeping pear blossom.


    In reality, it was like a giant python coiled around Lin Da, flicking its crimson tongue to lick its prey.


    Kafni didn��t act rashly, staring intently at Aiko with piercing eyes.


    If Aiko harmed Lin Da, she would use up the last trace of her divine power.


    Without the hero, no one would challenge the Demon King.


    Little did they know, the person who was most uncomfortable at this moment was Lin Da himself.


    Dozens of ��long spears and short cannons�� were aimed at him, and with the precise magic circle technology, even the pores on his face were clearly visible.


    To stand straight or not was a big problem.


    Although Lin Da wasn��t a person with weak willpower, his instincts were hard to suppress.


    Aiko��s body was soft, smelled nice, and she was plump all over, quite voluptuous.


    If he had such a large pillow at night, he probably wouldn��t be able to sleep.


    Lin Da didn��t dislike holding a girl like that.


    The problem was there were too many people around, and he was being watched by pairs of jealous eyes.


    ��Aiko, I know everything you��re saying, but let��s talk another time, there are too many people here.��


    Lin Da tried to push Aiko away, but he was afraid of hurting the mage miss��s feelings and making her cry louder, so he didn��t use much force.


    Fortunately, Aiko was essentially a mature girl, and after crying, she seemed to come to her senses. She rubbed her swollen eyes and reluctantly came out of Lin Da��s embrace, muttering, ��You must come back today, I will wait for you.��


    Lin Da nodded. sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He would return, but not in the way Aiko was thinking.


    At the same time, outside the Adventurer��s Guild.


    Lia, waiting inside the carriage, was growing impatient.


    What were Aiko and the others doing; it had been so long and they still hadn��t come out!


    Shouldn��t the team members obediently follow the captain?


    To think that she had to wait in the carriage for half an hour.


    It was utterly disrespectful.


    Lia thought about going back to check, but felt it wasn��t right. She had walked out with such chutzpah, turning back now would probably lead those tabloid reporters to misunderstand.


    ��We��ll talk about this when nobody��s around.��


    That sentence of Lin Da echoed in her head.


    What exactly did Lin Da want to say?


    By nobody, did he mean no strangers, or just the two of them in private?


    In the confined carriage, Lia��s thoughts were influenced by the surroundings.


    Earlier, she just thought Lin Da was envious of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, but now she suddenly wondered if there was another meaning?


    Lia��s heart skipped a beat, and her eyes unusually revealed a hint of panic.


    If that situation really occurred��


    She pondered anxiously for a moment, then shook her head; if it really happened, she could only reject.


    Lin Da was too low-level, timid, and dared not enter the World Tree Secret Realm. Such a person��s ��confession�� was not yet qualified for her acceptance.


    After deciding on her answer, Lia tensed up, readying herself for that ��moment when nobody��s around.��


    After a while, the door of the carriage was pulled open.


    She coughed once, her face set in a serious expression as she looked on.


    But the person who came in was Oru.


    ��Captain?��


    Oru was confused, not understanding why Lia was looking at him with such a terrifying gaze.


    ��It��s nothing, have a seat,�� Lia said coldly.


    Afterward, the trio of young girls arrived.


    ��Lord Captain, what��s the matter, in a bad mood? The press conference went very well today, didn��t it?��


    Aiko said with a smile.


    She had already returned to her normal demeanor, the traces of tears around her eyes had been dried by Light Magic and vanished without a trace.


    The members of the Snow Goose Adventure Team had agreed to keep the incident in the hall a secret from Lia.


    They would wait until Lia, the Powder Keg, had calmed down before discussing Lin Da rejoining the team.


    ��I��m fine,�� Lia said, looking at the carriage door that Aiko had closed, her face expressionless, ��Where is he?��


    ��Lin Da said there was no need for a carriage,�� Oru replied sheepishly.


    ��Oh, then let��s go.��


    Lia��s face grew even colder as she ordered the coachman, ��Let��s set off!��


    With a flick of the reins, the Twin-Winged Blackblood Horse neighed loudly and disappeared at the end of the long street.


    ��


    ��Finally got away.��


    Lin Da and Kafni, both out of breath, peeked out from a narrow alley.


    Looking around cautiously and making sure no reporters from the press were following, he finally breathed a sigh of relief, dusted off his clothes, and walked out of the alley.


    It seemed that those newspaper reporters had a huge misunderstanding about his relationship with the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    He and Lia, along with the others, were just former teammates, yet those people believed he had cheated on Ice Flower��s Isa, causing Lia��s fury. Then Aiko intervened, and even the youngest, Klrona, was imagined as a new addition to his harem, to be targeted once she grew up.


    Some even said he had set his sights on Oru��s girlfriend, Klyne��


    Lin Da had been cautious and anxious in planning strategies for the past three years, not even touching a girl panda, but through their distortions, he had been turned into some ��Ultimate Pervert.��


    It was just ridiculous.


    The worst part was that Aiko had made him quite embarrassed.


    His resolve was too strong, and he didn��t cower, allowing the reporters to capture the moment.


    There might even be a close-up shot.


    ��It��s going to be even harder now to recruit for the team��who would dare to join the ��Ultimate Pervert��s�� team?��


    Lin Da felt disheartened.


    ��Can you help me out?��


    The embarrassed voice of Kafni came from behind him.


    Lin Da turned around, puzzled.


    He saw that Kafni was stuck.


    Strictly speaking, this alley was a gap between two buildings, about twenty centimeters wide. Lin Da had no problem passing, but Kafni, weighed down with two burdens, had squeezed in when pursued by the reporters and now had trouble coming out.


    Lin Da looked at Kafni��s awkward, immovable posture and fell silent.


    After analyzing the situation, he said, ��Spreading to the sides can reduce the length on the X-axis.��


    In layman��s terms, it meant that two elevens side by side become one when pulled apart, allowing for escape.


    Of course, this was useless for someone too small, but since Kafni was both large and round, this method was definitely effective.


    After helping ��pull�� Kafni out, Lin Da stared at his own hands in a daze.


    Just now, the title of [The Man Who Touched No Panda] had disappeared.


    Kafni��s face inexplicably turned a bit red as she said, ��Don��t expect me, the Deity, to thank you.��


    ��No, we��re even,�� Lin Da replied.


    He clenched his hands, the warmth on them feeling a little strange.


    The first time, and it was brought about by Kafni.


    This sense of incongruity left him feeling oddly unsettled.


    Kafni was becoming more and more like a young girl.

 Chapter 28 - 28: 28. Lin Da returns to the villa for a confrontation.

    Chapter 28: 28. Lin Da returns to the villa for a confrontation.


    The two of them walked on foot toward the villa of the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    On the way, Kafni suddenly said, ��Be careful with that Aiko.��


    ��What do you mean?��


    Lin Da was stunned for a moment.


    He and Aiko, even though he had left the team, were still friends.


    The one to be wary of, should be Lia, right?


    ...


    Kafni shared what she had heard and seen within the Adventurer��s Guild.


    ��


    ��Aiko was sneering?��


    Lin Da found it unbelievable.


    He imagined Aiko weeping in his arms with a bizarre expression of smiling while crying, and he couldn��t help but shudder.


    ��You saw it wrongly?��


    ��No! My eyesight is fine.��


    Kafni said, ��In my opinion, that Aiko is definitely no good.��


    ��How so?�� Lin Da reflected.


    Stiffening a finger and with a serious face, Kafni continued, ��Think about it, if she really cared about you, why didn��t she stop that Lia when you were still in the team? She knows all about Lia always giving you a hard time, right? Otherwise, why would she say ��always standing by your side��?��


    Lin Da reevaluated and found it to be true.


    Aiko rarely stood up for him during his arguments with Lia; it always seemed coincidental, appearing only after Lia had left.


    For instance:


    Suddenly remembering that her hair clip was left in his bedroom;


    The cooling magic array in her room not working, asking him to check it out;


    The new clothes she bought didn��t fit�� always very normal reasons.


    There��s a saying, follow one cockroach, and you��ll find a whole nest at home.


    After learning this minor doubt from Kafni��s mouth, Lin Da delved deeper and uncovered more suspicions about Aiko.


    Aiko had volunteered to join the Snow Goose Adventure Team three years ago, but for someone with her background as a Light Mage trained at the Holy Light Church, tremendously talented, there was no reason for her to choose the still-developing Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Lin Da secretly inquired about her background and learned she was from the neighboring city, from the prestigious Thornbush family, her father being a level 30 Star-ranked adventurer, with many Iron Level teams within the family.


    Why would someone like Aiko leave the Holy Light Church to join a poor and struggling Snow Goose Adventure Team?


    Lin Da had initially pondered these suspicious points as well.


    But after numerous adventures together, becoming real teammates, he no longer doubted her.


    Having a common goal of reaching the top of the World Tree was enough.


    After being reminded by Kafni, Lin Da then became alert.


    ��Thanks for letting me know,��


    he said to Kafni.


    He would be more cautious around Aiko in the future.


    If possible, he did not want to be enemies with Aiko.


    Afterward, Lin Da straightened his clothes and set off for the Snow Goose Adventure Team with the youthful and beautiful Kafni, with her long, white legs.


    If everything went smoothly, he would be able to get his leave certificate before nightfall.


    ��The moment has finally come,��


    Lin Da thought, feeling somewhat excited.


    A team truly his own, teammates truly his own, without the likes of the annoying Lia��


    Just thinking about it made him feel thrilled.


    ��


    The location was a tranquil and wealthy neighborhood, inside the living room of the large villa belonging to the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    A pair of clumsy, highly inflexible high heels were casually tossed behind the door.


    Like a toy bought for play once and then discarded due to boredom.


    Lia sat on the sofa, her feet wrapped in thin black stockings, aching and exhausted.


    She took out a palm-sized strawberry cake she bought on the way and began eating with an air of satisfaction.


    After returning to the villa, for some reason, the others had all left to attend to matters, and Aiko was taken away by Klyne to go clothes shopping.


    Only Lia was left, and she instantly stopped pretending, devouring the strawberry cake with a smug expression all over her face.


    Did you see her perfect performance at the Attacker��s press conference, Lin Da?


    Without him, the Snow Goose Adventure Team is still top-tier!


    Lia scooped up a bite of the sweet and sour cake covered in strawberry jam and thought delightfully as she popped it into her mouth: By next month��s strategy for the eleventh layer, and the twelfth the month after that, we��ll catch up to the Ice Flower Adventure Team. By year��s end, we��ll be the strongest adventure team in White Dove City!


    Her haughty gaze drifted occasionally toward the mansion��s door.


    This was the time when ��no one was around��.


    In a little while, Lin Da should be coming over. Sear?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lia figured he was most likely coming to apologize.


    There might be a chance he��d talk about other stuff, but she would definitely reject him anyway.


    After wiping the cake from her lips, Lia walked over to a full-length mirror to straighten herself up.


    Then she sat upright on the sofa and pulled out a book thick as a brick.


    It would be perfect if Lin Da pushed open the door just as she was earnestly turning a page.


    At that thought, Lia��s lips almost curled up to the heavens.


    The book was filled with knowledge about Magical Creatures��how to fight them, their weak points, the environments they prefer�� the text was dense and detailed.


    Five minutes later.


    Lia��s eyes were sore.


    Studying was just too exhausting.


    She��d study some more after resting a bit.


    She always found anything with words quite vexing.


    Right then, the door chimed.


    And then, it was pushed open!


    Lia quickly picked up the book again.


    She arched her eyebrow slightly, feigning indifference as she looked in that direction.


    As expected, it was Lin Da who walked in from outside.


    But, there was someone else with him.


    Seeing that person, Lia��s face instantly changed.


    The big-bear woman from the Adventurer��s Guild, why was she still with Lin Da?


    Lin Da brought an outsider, blatantly, to the Snow Goose Adventure Team��s mansion?


    Certainly not to beg her to add that person to the team!


    Enraged, Lia gritted her teeth, her fingers leaving deep indentations on the book.


    Her sideways glance fell on Kafni��s face.


    She saw a mature and seductive woman, with a tear mole near her eye emitting a fatally alluring charm.


    Her chest could be dubbed grandmaster level; moving like water bags, jiggling back and forth.


    Ten times hers.


    Lia��s eyes narrowed, her face cold as frost.


    While Lia was looking at Kafni with full hostility, Kafni was curiously observing the redhead girl.


    Being stared at with such a murderous glare right from the start, Kafni was extremely annoyed.


    What the hell are you looking at!


    Through others�� eyes, Lia was a Young Lady.


    But in Kafni��s eyes, there were only two types of people in this world: hero workers fighting the Demon King and the rest were just a bunch of ants waiting to be rescued.


    In honor of a certain hero who gave up his bed for a month, she��d help him this once.


    Kafni scornfully glanced at Lia��s flat chest, then reached out her hands and hooked Lin Da��s arm.


    It was her first time doing something like this, and Kafni was clearly uncomfortable.


    She endured the heat in her cheeks, hooked the corners of her mouth at Lia, revealing a provocative expression.


    Your unwanted former teammate, I��ll straightforwardly clamp them with my breasts!


    ��

 Chapter 29 - 29: 29. Want to leave? As you please!

    Chapter 29: 29. Want to leave? As you please!


    Lia saw Kafni��s bold move and was utterly stunned.


    ��What are you doing in someone else��s home!��


    ��So indecent, vulgar, disgraceful!��


    Sourness swelled in Lia��s heart, and she felt like vomiting up the strawberry cake she had just eaten.


    Unable to suppress her anger, she slammed her hand on the table and shouted, ��Lin Da, have you gone mad? Make her leave right now!��


    Lin Da was also surprised; he hadn��t expected Kafni to cling to his arm.


    ...


    But he didn��t deny, calmly stating, ��It is quite normal among friends.��


    Friends?


    Normal��?


    Lia��s expression turned exceedingly bleak.


    Normal friends don��t hug and cling to each other!


    Only the filthy women in the taverns who would attach themselves to anyone for a gold coin would behave like that.


    To bring a woman he met barely two days back to the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    And what, make indecent noises upstairs next?


    Complete disregard for her as the team leader!


    Lia��s face was somber, her finger pointed rigidly towards the door, she said coldly, ��You��re off the team already. What are you doing here? You��re not welcome, get out.��


    Actually, Lia wanted to ask Lin Da what he was doing here and why he brought back some tall woman when he was supposed to rejoin the team.


    But as soon as she opened her mouth, it turned into an expulsion order.


    She didn��t feel much regret about it in her heart.


    If Lin Da couldn��t withstand even this slight reproach, he couldn��t be the healer of the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    ��I am sorry to be unwelcome, but I won��t leave until my business here is finished,�� Lin Da spoke slowly but his tone was decidedly firm.


    ��Moreover, I am entitled to a part of this villa. I am just returning to my place, I don��t need your permission.��


    Lia was speechless, feeling only an increasing irritation.


    She stamped her foot and said, ��Then what is the business you came for? Just hurry it up!��


    It should have been about rejoining the team.


    At a time like this, why was Aiko not here?


    Lia��s mind was a mess, somewhat unsure of how to handle the situation.


    Although she had the slightest desire to have Lin Da return, it was only because of his skill as a cook, not because the team couldn��t do without him. Seeing Lin Da��s arrogant demeanor with no hint of apology, as the leader, she couldn��t tolerate such a team member coming and going freely.


    ��First, you need to give me a proper apology!��


    Lia said angrily.


    Apology?


    Why should he apologize?


    Lin Da was confused.


    He explained reluctantly to the young woman, ��Lia, you misunderstood.��


    ��I��m just here to pick up some things.��


    ��And this document, please sign it, it shouldn��t take too long.��


    Lin Da took out the resignation document from his chest and handed over a prepared quill pen to Lia.


    ��What document?��


    Lia instinctively reached out to take it.


    She glanced at Lin Da, then lowered her head to look at the so-called ��document��.


    The air in the living room seemed to freeze for a few seconds.


    Lia��s eyes gradually widened, and her breathing became rapid.


    Finally, there was a snapping sound.


    Her fingers, squeezing too hard, tore through the fragile paper,


    creating a hole in it.


    Lia had thought this document was Lin Da��s letter of apology.


    But upon closer inspection, she saw the four large, bold characters: Resignation Document!


    This was absolutely not the ��answer�� she wanted to hear!


    Lia��s chest heaved violently, battle Qi surged within her, and her fiery red hair glowed with a bright red light.


    Seeing Lin Da��s unwavering appearance, her blood whooshed to her head.


    This guy, he still dares to mess with her!


    Even though the resignation document was right in front of her, Lia still believed that Lin Da could not possibly leave the team. They had been teammates for three years and had not yet achieved their goal of reaching the summit of the World Tree, a dream they had often discussed together.


    Lia could feel that among the team, the ones who most wanted to reach the summit were her and Lin Da. Lin Xi, Aiko, and Klrona did not share the same intense desire to reach the top of the World Tree.


    Only she and Lin Da were true adventurers.


    The Snow Goose Adventure Team had now passed the ninth level and officially become a rock level adventure team. In White Dove City, and indeed the entire province, there was no other team at the same level that would take in an ordinary Healer like Lin Da.


    So, how could Lin Da, who hoped to reach the summit of the World Tree, possibly quit the team?


    Lia took a deep breath, a cold smile appearing on her lips.


    Reading too many comic books, using this resignation as a ��Coquettish Stratagem��, huh?


    Even if he signed it, without going to the Adventurer��s Guild to formally cancel the contract, the resignation paper was just a piece of waste.


    Lia grabbed the quill and hastily signed her name on it. sea??h th�� novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then, with one hand on her hip and harboring a proud attitude, she held the resignation with two fingers and handed it to Lin Da, waiting to see his frustrated and regretful face after his failed attempt.


    ��Thanks.��


    However, things didn��t go quite as Lia had expected.


    Lin Da nodded lightly, a smile appearing on his face.


    ��You��ve matured as well. It��s good to keep things civil, I��m relieved as a former teammate.��


    Lia scratched her head, looking very confused.


    Why is he praising her maturity?


    Is he trying to disgust her?


    Seeing Lin Da��s deliberate, nonchalant smile, Lia could not help but become furious.


    ��What are you even talking about?��


    Lia aimed a kick at Lin Da��s shin.


    As a Swordsman, her strength was not small, and the pain made Lin Da frown.


    But Lin Da did not retaliate.


    In the villa��s second-floor bedroom, there were still many of his personal belongings.


    It wouldn��t be good if Lia kicked him out rashly.


    After taking the resignation document and confirming that the signature was correct, Lin Da felt a sense of relief in his heart.


    The purpose of his visit had been half achieved.


    He walked past Lia and headed upstairs.


    ��What are you doing?��


    ��Getting my clothes. And my Healer gear too, they��re all in the room, right?��


    Halfway up, Lin Da suddenly realized why Lia was staring intensely at him from behind:


    ��Worried I��ll steal something from the Snow Goose Adventure Team? No need, if you really don��t trust me, just come with me.��


    ��Ha, no need! I doubt you��d dare take anything from ��our�� Snow Goose Adventure Team!��


    Lia gritted her teeth.


    This was a psychological battle.


    She thought, Lin Da was still using his not-so-clever ��Coquettish Stratagem��!


    Before Lin Da stepped out of the villa��s threshold, this competition was not over.


    Lia, being very ��smart��, had seen through this, and showing any weakness now would let Lin Da succeed.


    As the team leader, Lia would never allow insubordination.


    This was the bottom line.


    After a while, Lin Da came down from the second floor.


    He was dragging a black suitcase, frowning at Lia, ��Where did my gear go?��


    ��Oh, that level 15 junk of yours?��


    Lia sat on the sofa sipping orange juice and pretending to read a book, not even looking up as she spoke:


    ��According to the team contract, members who leave the team prematurely have to pay a huge penalty. The share you put in for the house and those gears combined aren��t enough.��


    ��But since you haven��t done any meritorious deeds, and only had hard labor, I��ll let the rest slide. If you want to go, just go.��


    Lia turned to the next page of her book, her face indifferent.

 Chapter 30 - 30: 30, I told you to leave, and you really left.

    Chapter 30: 30, I told you to leave, and you really left.


    ��So, thanks a lot, Captain.�� Lin Da taunted with a smirk.


    No credit, just hard work.


    It turned out that in Lia��s eyes, he was utterly useless.


    Those all-nighters spent on strategies, probably meant as much to Lia as wastepaper.


    Lin Da felt again that leaving the team was the right decision.


    As he thought about it, he said to Kafni, ��Everything��s done, let��s go.��


    ...


    ��Oh.�� Kafni yawned, rose from the sofa, and with a teasing glance at the restless Lia, said, ��Former Captain of the Snow Goose, we��re leaving now, okay?��


    ��Wait.��


    Lia snapped her book shut.


    Her face darkened as she looked at Lin Da:


    ��Is that all you have to say?��


    ��Uh, what else?��


    ��Still playing dumb? Miss has seen right through you.��


    Lia clenched her teeth and stormed over with a menacing presence.


    She was genuinely angry.


    Usually, Lin Da said a lot, and she would respond with a sentence or two.


    Now, he was ignoring her love.


    Only responding with ��mm-hmm,�� ��uh,�� ��what else.��


    Are these words appropriate to use with your direct superior, the captain?


    Lia thought it was time to make things clear.


    With a stomach full of resentment, she stomped up to Lin Da, stood on her toes, and furiously grabbed his ear.


    ��How long are you going to be stubborn? If you don��t come back, Miss will really kick you out of the team!��


    Hearing this unreasonable tantrum, Kafni couldn��t help but laugh, regretting that she had finished her sunflower seeds.


    Lin Da had pampered her for three years, she got used to it, and only when Lin Da was about to leave did she start to panic.


    With Lin Da��s determination to form a team, there was no possibility of turning back.


    She had cut off the last thread of hope herself.


    ��Let go.��


    Lin Da��s calm voice contained a trace of coldness.


    Like a bucket of ice water in the summer.


    The shock made Lia shiver, and the hot blood in her head cooled significantly.


    ��Last time I��m saying this, let go.��


    ��Huh? It��s just pulling your ear, that��s all?��


    Lia said incredulously.


    She thought it was a sign of esteem and affection for Lin Da.


    It��s not like she would pull just anyone��s ear?


    Outside, a bunch of peculiar adventurers begged her to lift a finger, she disdained it.


    She thought she was quite familiar with Lin Da, but it seemed she was just being presumptuous?


    Was it as Aiko said, that Lin Da really didn��t like her, and his special treatment was just because she was the captain of the Snow Goose Adventure Team?


    Lia��s heart skipped a beat.


    All these jumbled thoughts turned her face paler by the moment.


    The two stood at an impasse, the atmosphere in the living room reaching an excruciating level of awkwardness.


    Lia thought letting go would be losing face. But if she didn��t, Lin Da��s expression grew more and more terrifying.


    At that moment, all of Lia��s attention was on Lin Da, and she failed to notice Kafni slowly approaching.


    When she sensed something was off, what she saw from the corner of her eye was Kafni, smirking as she raised her hand.


    Suddenly, a crisp slap sound!


    Kafni��s hand hurt from the slap, and she grimaced, shaking it off.


    The body of a thief class, not really up to par, huh?


    She watched as Lia��s right cheek swelled rapidly, her face dazed as if she had been stunned by the slap. She taunted sarcastically,


    ��The former leader of the Snow Goose adventure team, could you let go of someone else��s teammate? We��re actually in a hurry to get dinner.��


    Kafni couldn��t stand it anymore.


    Just how well had Da treated Little Red in the past to spoil her to this extent?


    Even though Da had left the team, he was still polite to Lia.


    At the Adventurer��s Guild, Kafni would have flung the resignation certificate in Lia��s face right in front of all the press reporters, infuriating her completely.


    Since coming to the Snow Goose Adventure Team, she endured various taunts and never retaliated against Lia, considering it best to ��endure a moment of calm.��


    But Da��s philosophy of life did not work for Kafni.


    Only by stepping forward did one really know how exhilarating it felt!


    Kafni saw how dazed Little Red looked after being slapped and almost lost her composure from excitement.


    In the Divine Realm, Kafni was meek and compliant, but upon coming to Another World, she acted on her own will!


    This slap was unexpected by Da, and even more so by Lia.


    She released her grip on Da��s arm, dumbfoundedly covering her right cheek, her mind buzzing, slightly unclear about what had just happened.


    She just felt her cheek burning painfully.


    Lia glanced at Da, surprised for merely a second, then quickly appeared indifferent, a mix of sour, bitter emotions bursting from her chest.


    What an irony it was.


    At the same time Kafni slapped her, the mansion��s main door was opened from the outside.


    Aiko and the others, who had gone out shopping, just happened to witness this sight.


    Aiko, Klyne, and Chloe all stood dumbstruck, unable to believe their eyes.


    Lia got slapped?


    Crazy, right? Someone dared to slap the Powder Keg!


    And why was Da still standing unmoved? Wasn��t he always the one who dealt with the aftermath and mediates the leader��s mood in the past?


    A very bad premonition arose in the hearts of Aiko and the others.


    Lia, already furious and embarrassed, became even more enraged when she realized Aiko and the others had seen everything, her face immediately turning red. She clenched her fists and stormed towards Kafni, ��You dare hit me, you piece of trash?��


    Kafni, with no hesitations and relying on a trace of Divine Power within as her trump card, held onto her own against Lia��s profanity,


    ��Little Red, don��t think everyone is like Da, trying to please you, fawning over you!��


    ��You drive away team members and still expect others to return? Maybe you should go back to sleep if you haven��t woken up yet.��


    ��Incensed over what you can��t have? Sorry, in my eyes, you��re just a selfish brat! That such a person can be a leader is purely the Adventurer��s Guild��s oversight!��


    Each of Kafni��s words was like a steel needle piercing Lia��s chest.


    Lia��s face grew redder, and she gritted her teeth, like a fiery red arrow that rushed up in front of Kafni, lifted her hand for a slap�� S~ea??h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Stop!��


    Aiko and the others panicked. Lia didn��t know her own strength, and if she injured someone, it would be a huge blow to the reputation of the Snow Goose Adventure Team!


    Klyne was the first to step forward, trying to stop Lia, but she was too far away to catch up.


    Just as everyone felt helpless, there was a click.


    The wrist Lia had raised was grabbed by a hand as strong as iron tongs.


    ��Huh?��


    Lia made a confused noise.


    She found it unbelievable what was happening before her eyes.


    It was like seeing the sun rise from the west, or the World Tree collapsing.


    So much so that her beautiful ruby-like eyes revealed a look of bewilderment.


    Why would Da stop her?


    One side was a barmaid he had met less than two days ago, the other a captain he had worked alongside for three years, battling over a hundred times.


    Such an overly simple multiple-choice question, why would Da get it wrong?


    Lia pursed her lips, stubbornly lifting her head to meet Da��s eyes, her voice slightly hoarse as she spoke,


    ��You��re taking her side?��

 Chapter 31 - 31: 31. Go separate ways.

    Chapter 31: 31. Go separate ways.


    Aiko and the others were also frightened by Lin Da��s actions. S��ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After all, no one really cared about the stranger, Kafni.


    Even Aiko, who despised Lia the most, thought that Lia��s position was definitely much higher than Kafni��s to Lin Da.


    And Lin Da��s actions at this moment clearly showed that he was truly disappointed in Lia.


    Aiko saw the resignation letter Lin Da held, enclosed in a transparent folder.


    Lia��s name was clearly written on it.


    ...


    This idiot, he really signed it.


    Aiko was nearly driven mad by anger.


    Lia wouldn��t think that Lin Da could be summoned and dismissed so easily, would she?


    With her attitude?


    She was confident that she needed only a little time to pull Lin Da back into the team.


    Now it was all ruined by Lia.


    Aiko wanted to slap her.


    And Lin Da, without pondering Lia��s question, replied, ��Isn��t it natural to stand by your own teammate?��


    At this, everyone in the hall was dumbfounded.


    Isn��t your teammate, us?


    Even Klyne, an ordinary team member, felt a faint discomfort.


    Although it might not be the right description, she felt similar when she saw Oru talking and laughing with another girl.


    Just yesterday, they were teammates, and today, in front of them, he claimed to have new teammates.


    To say it wasn��t painful would be a lie.


    If Klyne felt this way, not to mention those who founded the Snow Goose Adventure Team in the beginning.


    At this moment, Lia��s head was buzzing.


    She glanced at Kafni, who wore a look of disdain.


    Then she realized.


    Lin Da was really quitting the team!


    Between her and that big blonde woman, he didn��t hesitate to choose the other!


    ��Heh, I see now,�� Lia said, disappointed, retracting her hands and looking at Lin Da.


    ��Lin Da, this isn��t like you. Didn��t you think, who among the rock-level adventure teams would want you after you left Snow Goose? You��re only level 15, with average talent. Besides me, who would let you join their team?��


    ��I��m giving you one last chance. Leave that big bear woman and come back, or leave Snow Goose and we sever all ties.��


    ��Leaving means severing all ties��?�� Lin Da mused, ��Actually, quitting teams is pretty common. Many people leave because they don��t fit well with the team, there��s no need to be so upset, right?��


    Lia shook her head.


    With a cold expression, she said, ��You only have two choices, come back, or sever all ties with Snow Goose.��


    At that moment, everyone��s eyes were fixed on Lin Da.


    ��Lin Da, don��t listen to Lia, she��s spouting nonsense,�� Aiko came over, appearing meek and gentle.


    ��Lia made you angry, but we didn��t, did we? Come back,�� she said.


    ��Aiko, don��t interrupt, this matter concerns the bottom line of the Snow Goose Adventure Team.�� Lia, with an expressionless face, crossed her arms and said coldly, ��Lin Da, have you decided?��


    ��Yes, I have,��


    Lin Da, facing the girl��s emotionless red eyes, replied calmly, ��If that��s the case, then let��s sever all ties.��


    ��Is that so,��


    Lia took a deep breath and pointed towards the door with her left hand.


    ��Klyne, see him out!��


    ��Captain�� is this really a good idea?��


    ��See them out!��


    Lia said each word forcefully, with a loud voice full of indignation.


    Klyne, not daring to offend the fiery-tempered one, looked helplessly towards Lin Da.


    ��No worries, I understand your difficulty.�� Lin Da smiled, and walked outside with a triumphant Kafni.


    Just then, Lia seemed to remember something, suddenly she said, ��Oh, and just a reminder��in whichever team you join, you better hope you don��t run into me in the Great Mystery Continent.��


    Typically, local adventure teams encountering each other in the Great Mystery Continent would keep a respectful distance.


    The real enemies were the magical creatures and adventure teams from other cities.


    ��What happens if we do meet?�� Lin Da stopped in his tracks.


    ��I��ll attack your team. Make a mess of you until you��re black and blue and too scared to ever enter the World Tree again!��


    ��Oh, I see.��


    Lin Da nodded, ��Then if I come across the Snow Goose Adventure Team, I won��t be courteous either.��


    ��With you, a half-baked healer?!��


    Lia, like a wildly furious cat, was all claws and teeth ready to pounce.


    Klyne and Aiko quickly held her back, continuously giving Lin Da glances, signaling him to leave.


    Ignoring the fuming Lia, Lin Da walked straight to the door.


    Chloe was standing there.


    ��You��re really leaving the team, and not coming back?��


    Chloe fiddled with a palm-sized Rubik��s Cube, her voice tinged with a bit of loss.


    ��We��re all in White Dove City, we��ll see each other often.�� The only thing Lin Da worried about was Chloe, who was still a minor.


    He tousled her hair and sighed, ��Even though I��m not in the team anymore, you have to remember to eat more vegetables, otherwise you won��t grow tall.��


    ��Tch, better off without Uncle Small Fry around to nag, nobody to boss me around.�� Chloe disdainfully removed Lin Da��s hand from her head, ��I��m not a child anymore, can you stop touching my head?��


    Lin Da withdrew his hand, teasing, ��Next time we meet in the Great Mystery Continent, you��d better go easy, don��t hit Uncle Small Fry too hard.��


    ��Depends on my mood.�� Chloe snorted.


    Lin Da said, ��Then I��m off.��


    ��Hmm.�� Chloe didn��t look up, continuing to fiddle with the Rubik��s Cube in her hands.


    As he was about to step out the door, Lin Da had a thought.


    Glancing towards Lia who was with her back towards him in the living room, he advised, ��Snow Goose Adventure Team is too rash, it will lead to trouble sooner or later. Don��t rush into the next level, make sure you��re fully prepared.��


    ��Why should I listen to an ��outsider�� like you?��


    Lia scoffed, ��You should worry about yourself. Without a dime to your name, you can��t even afford a team vehicle, and you don��t have proper equipment. You��ll probably end up in a beginner��s adventure team, scraping by.��


    Lin Da shook his head, looking at Aiko: ��It��s up to you now.��


    ��Don��t worry, I know.�� Aiko started to say something but then hesitated. Perhaps she felt now wasn��t the right moment to persuade Lin Da, she instead said, ��I��ll come and see you often. You��re staying ��there,�� right?��


    ��Yeah.�� Lin Da waved his hand, striding out of the villa.


    Looking up at the clear blue sky, he took a deep breath.


    With the team withdrawal paperwork in hand, he could finally remove the label of belonging to the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    At last, he had gained his freedom.


    Lin Da felt the air seemed especially sweet.


    As they walked out, he said to Kafni, ��That slap earlier, thanks. If you hadn��t, I might have had to do it, and in that case, we probably wouldn��t have made it out of the Snow Goose Adventure Team��s villa.��


    If Lin Da had been the one to intervene, no one could have restrained Lia.


    So Lin Da thanked Kafni. That slap was what he had wanted to deliver himself.


    ��No big deal, heroes are meant to fight magical creatures, not waste time on that sort of trash.�� Kafni looked proud, ��Actually, I wanted to slap her one more time.��


    ��Good thing you didn��t, otherwise she would have exploded.�� Lin Da couldn��t help but laugh.

 Chapter 32 - 32: 32. Blessing of the World Tree Goddess

    Chapter 32: 32. Blessing of the World Tree Goddess


    As the two were about to leave the neighborhood, they encountered a tall and burly man.


    ��Oru?��


    ��Lin Da?��


    Oru was seen carrying various exquisite large and small packages; it seemed Klyne and the others had dragged him out shopping and made him act as a human suitcase.


    ��Lin Da, have you decided to come back?�� Oru, unaware of what had happened, said happily, ��Don��t take the captain��s words to heart; she has that kind of temperament, but she��s definitely worried about you in her heart.��


    Worried? Her?


    ...


    Lin Da laughed.


    Even if what Oru said was true, he didn��t need that kind of person to worry about him.


    ��I��m here today for this.��


    He showed the document bag in his hand, which contained proof of his departure from the team.


    Seeing this, Oru was momentarily stunned; one of the packages he was holding accidentally dropped to the ground.


    Lin Da went over to pick it up.


    ��Thanks.�� Oru, with a look of regret, sighed and knew that at this point, Lin Da was unlikely to return to the team: ��Lin Da, even if you leave the team, we are still friends. If you��re ever in any trouble, look for me anytime.��


    Trouble, he had that right now.


    Lin Da hesitated a moment before saying, ��I��m a bit short on����


    He was too embarrassed to borrow money.


    ��Hey, big guy, got any cash? Hand some over for us to use.��


    Kafni was utterly unabashed and said straightforwardly.


    Oru was somewhat confused, ��Ah? Money?��


    Adventurers above level 15 typically never lacked money for daily living.


    If they said they were short on money, did that mean a large sum? For buying new magical equipment or something of the sort?


    Oru chuckled awkwardly: ��That, Lin Da, I��m sorry, but the savings card is with Klyne. Just a moment, I��ll go and ask her for it.��


    ��Uh, that won��t be necessary.��


    ��Whatever you have on you is fine; we can��t even afford a meal!��


    Kafni, righteous and unashamed, completely drowned out Lin Da��s voice.


    Can��t afford a meal?


    Oru looked at Lin Da in surprise.


    Without asking much, he searched through his belongings and took out fifteen gold coins.


    Lin Da gratefully accepted them.


    ��These few gold coins, they won��t buy many pieces of equipment, will they?�� Kafni frowned: ��There��s a World Tree Bank nearby, if not enough just go withdraw some money.��


    ��Ah? That���� Oru��s face turned bitter.


    ��Don��t listen to her, her brain��s not functioning properly.�� Lin Da glowered viciously at Kafni.


    He knew that Oru and Klyne had taken out a loan to buy a house in the Inner City District, under great pressure, and their earnings from adventuring were all spent with trepidation on repaying the loan; they didn��t have a large amount of gold coins to lend them.


    After bidding farewell to Oru, the two took a carriage straight to the Adventurer��s Guild.


    The blonde receptionist at the counter took the departure proof and verified Lia��s signature in a magic device.


    A green light shone, indicating a successful verification.


    ��Are you sure you want to leave the team? I see that the Snow Goose Adventure Team is a rock level team.�� The blonde receptionist, named Alice, asked once more.


    ��Positive.�� Lin Da nodded.


    Alice stamped the departure proof, then directed him to pray in front of a statue of the World Tree Goddess in the center of the hall, to convey his will to depart to the World Tree Goddess. sea??h th�� n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The statue of the World Tree Goddess stood at the center of the hall, a beautiful woman in light veils, with a generous chest, and long hair flowing to the ground.


    A garland crowned her head, and her compassionate eyes seemed to hold boundless love for all creatures, commanding the respect of all adventurers who saw her.


    Kafni, however, sneered disdainfully: ��Such a useless woman, in the end, it��s still this deity who has to save the day.��


    ��Watch your words, if someone hears, we��re done for.�� Lin Da wished he could give Kafni a couple of punches.


    The World Tree Sanctum, which worships the World Tree Goddess as its deity, is the largest power in this world, ranking above the royal family of the empire.


    There is only one outcome for those who offend the World Tree Sanctum: they are ruthlessly slain by the warriors of the Court of Judgment.


    Lin Da stood in front of the statue, with his hands together in prayer, silently apologizing for Kafni��s irreverence, and then conveyed his desire to leave the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    At that moment, a voice as tender as spring water, that of a female, appeared in his mind:


    ��Brave one chosen by the deities of the Upper World, you need not express any apologies. Please make haste to ascend to the top of the World Tree and draw forth the sword of the brave����


    In the darkness with his eyes closed, Lin Da ��saw�� a giant woman, standing five meters tall.


    Her emerald-green hair cascaded loosely down her back, her face radiated with maternal glory, and she extended her snow-white arms, embracing him into a soft ocean.


    The towering female deity kissed Lin Da��s forehead, like an enlightening revelation. A cool sensation traveled throughout his body, and the system panel popped up a notice:


    You have obtained the Legendary passive skill ��Blessing of the World Tree Goddess��!


    ��Blessing of the World Tree Goddess��: Luck increases threefold, and you will be more likely to obtain rare magical equipment and resources in the Mystic Realm.


    This skill was genuinely useful.


    Lin Da hurriedly thanked the World Tree Goddess in his mind.


    A motherly chuckle arose by his ear.


    When Lin Da opened his eyes, the vision had already vanished.


    He had become a ��free man,�� his contract with the Snow Goose Adventure Team terminated.


    The two were completely severed from one another.


    ��How does it feel to leave the team?�� Kafni asked.


    ��Comfortable.��


    Lin Da laughed heartily.


    Leaving the team was complete, and he had also received the blessing of the World Tree Goddess.


    The kidney deficiency he had suffered during several dozen nights with the Snow Goose was swept away, leaving him much more vibrant and full of energy.


    ��


    The two returned to the counter.


    ��I��d like to form a team.��


    Alice looked at them puzzled, ��Just the two of you as members?��


    ��Yes.��


    ��That won��t do.��


    ��Why not?��


    ��Don��t you know the rules for someone who was a member of a rock level adventurer party like you?��


    Alice, speechless, slapped the notice board behind her: ��You need at least three people to form a team, and there must be one Healer, one Damage Dealer, and one Defender. If you don��t meet these criteria, you cannot create an adventure team.��


    ��The fee for team registration is one hundred Gold Coins, but for an adventurer like you, one hundred shouldn��t be a problem, right?��


    Alice assumed.


    Lin Da felt embarrassed.


    When it came to the rules of team creation, he really wasn��t aware; originally, it was Lia who dealt with that. The guild saw that their conditions met the requirements, so naturally, they wouldn��t remind them further.


    Now Lin Da knew that a team must be composed of three people.


    And the fee for forming a team wasn��t cheap at all��one hundred Gold Coins.


    ��Are you still going to form a team?�� Alice inquired.


    ��Let��s leave it for now����


    Lin Da stepped out of the Adventurer��s Guild.


    Currently, they only had two members in the party; he was a Healer, and Kafni��s thief barely counted as a Damage Dealer.


    They were still lacking a front-line warrior to absorb damage.


    He pondered in his mind where to find a front-line warrior with excellent talent and an acceptable level to join his team.

 Chapter 33 - 33: 33. Isas Reward

    Chapter 33: 33. Isa��s Reward


    In terms of recruitment, priority was given to those warriors with exceptional talent and good levels.


    But Lin Da thought it over, and with the current conditions, let alone recruiting a genius warrior, even an average one was difficult.


    A level 0 captain and a level 0 thief, anyone with a bit of ambition wouldn��t join such a novice adventure team.


    Indeed, it seemed he had to go out into the wild to grind on small monsters and level up first.


    Lin Da silently considered.


    As for the World Tree Secret Realm, he couldn��t enter it for the time being. Not to mention the danger, the Empire strictly investigated adventurers who entered the Mystic Realm without forming a team.


    ...


    One reason was for safety, and the other was for the team formation fee.


    Gurgle~


    Just as they walked out of the hall, Lin Da��s and Kafni��s stomachs called out in unison.


    It was already noon, and they had not yet eaten.


    Lin Da was about to look for a restaurant when he was stopped by an acquaintance.


    ��Mr. Lin Da!��


    A cordial voice came through.


    The person who appeared was none other than Jeban, the logistics member of the Ice Flower Adventure Team.


    ��What are you doing here?��


    ��You left the team, right?�� Jeban didn��t answer but counterasked with a chuckle, ��Captain Isa guessed you would come to process your departure today. Last time you left in a hurry, and we couldn��t ask where you were staying, so she arranged for me to stop you here.��


    Lin Da nodded in understanding. sea??h th�� ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jeban hurriedly said, ��This is the thing, our team captain has invited you to lunch and requests the honor of your presence.��


    ��How can I let you spend such an expense,�� Lin Da said out of politeness.


    ��No, the captain has already made reservations, I��ll definitely be scolded if I go back empty-handed,�� Jeban said helplessly.


    Unable to refuse the enthusiastic invitation, Lin Da and the others boarded the Ice Flower Adventure Team��s carriage and headed to a high-end restaurant on Elf Street.


    Riding the same breed of Twin-Winged Blackblood Horse as the Snow Goose Adventure Team, it only took a few minutes to reach the destination.


    The breed of horse, with the bloodline of Magical Creatures, was indeed fast. Lin Da pondered that he should also equip his own team with one in the future.


    The group disembarked from the carriage in a single file and looked up to see the restaurant��s facade resembling a moon-shaped vessel, uniquely styled, with surrounding Magic Circles twinkling with white light, as if stars were clustering around it, making it wonderfully beautiful.


    Kafni licked her lips with some excitement, ��We must have a good meal.��


    ��Why do you act like you��ve never seen the world, aren��t you a ��Deity��?�� Lin Da said in a lowered voice.


    ��It was tough over there, nothing but studying and training, no time to enjoy,�� Kafni recalled some unpleasant memories and shivered.


    Under Jeban��s lead, the two entered the restaurant and took a magic-power-driven elevator to the thirteenth floor.


    Jeban ushered them to the front of a private room then left them there.


    Lin Da pushed the door open and entered.


    Seeing the silver-haired girl already waiting inside, his eyes lit up with a touch of amazement.


    Behind a square table on an elegant black bar stool sat a girl in a deep blue gown.


    Isa��s silver-white hair was done up with a hairpin decorated with a leaf from the World Tree, her neck slender and pale, the off-shoulder dress perfectly displaying a vast expanse of soft skin.


    A slight gap formed by the dress��s front, modest yet alluring, drew the eye.


    The gown��s lower part featured a high thigh split, revealing a pair of prideful long legs wrapped in black stockings, and underneath, a pair of golden high heels.


    Isa��s face was lightly made up, lessening her usual coldness and adding a touch of girlish charm.


    Her ice-blue eyes held a trace of a smile as she lifted her glass with two fingers. ��Welcome,�� Isa said to Lin Da.


    This elegant display of nobility compelled Lin Da to straighten his back and courteously reply, ��Miss Isa, thank you for the lunch invitation.��


    ��There��s no need for that,�� Isa chuckled. ��We��re friends now, call me Isa.��


    ��Then�� Isa,�� Lin Da nodded and sat down opposite her.


    Noticing Isa��s curious glance toward Kafni at his side, Lin Da introduced, ��This is my prospective teammate, Kafni.��


    Prospective teammate?


    The smile on Isa��s face disappeared.


    Originally, seeing the beautiful Kafni, she felt a spark of competitiveness. Upon hearing that she was Lin Da��s prospective teammate, her mood soured even further��the real purpose of this lunch was to invite Lin Da to join the Ice Flower Adventure Team!


    ��Lin Da, won��t you really consider my team?��


    Isa set down her wine glass, looking earnestly at him, ��I can offer you the remuneration of a main team member, even though you��re only at level 0 right now. Depending on your performance later on, the remuneration can still increase.��


    ��It��s not about the remuneration,�� Lin Da smiled, ��I have certain reasons, that I must create my own team.��


    ��But didn��t you leave because of Lia? Creating your own team is just an excuse, right����


    Isa grew a bit impatient, her tone unintentionally becoming aggressive.


    She genuinely wanted to pull Lin Da into her team.


    ��Lia was merely a catalyst. Without her pressure, I would have left Snow Goose sooner or later.��


    Lin Da took a sip of the red wine in front of him and, after a slight pause, said:


    ��I��m flattered by your invitation but, sorry, I won��t join anyone��s team. It��s not just about the Ice Flower Adventure Team�� I would also refuse an invitation from the White Dove Adventure Group, even though they have crossed the 15th floor.��


    The White Dove Adventure Group was the strongest team in White Dove City, with twelve main members. At the beginning of the year, they had passed the 15th floor of the World Tree, becoming a Steel Level Adventure Group.


    Perhaps sensing his unwavering determination, Isa��s head sagged in dejection.


    But as the captain who had led Ice Flower to the 12th floor, Isa soon recovered, shifting the topic with a smile:


    ��Let��s not talk about this today, let��s discuss how to repay you for yesterday��s events instead.��


    ��As fellow adventure teams in White Dove City, we should support each other,�� Lin Da declined tactfully.


    ��That won��t do.��


    Isa shook her head, ��Support is a given, but we need to settle scores properly. I thought about it, and since you��re currently at level 0, what you need most is probably this.��


    She took two palm-sized scrolls out of a small white bag beside her.


    The scrolls were a lush green, with the intricate design of a leafy tree.


    Isa placed her hand on a scroll and infused magic power. Instantly, a line of magic runes emerged, translating as: [Town Portal Scroll (10th Tier)].


    ��This�� is a bit too valuable,�� Lin Da��s expression changed slightly upon seeing the magic runes.


    Town Portal Scrolls were incredibly expensive magic items.


    Their price hovered around ten thousand gold coins, and they were difficult to find on the market; once available, they would be swiftly purchased.


    These items were akin to ��Moutai�� wine from Lin Da��s previous world��goods that held more value than gold.


    The reason was simple: an extra Town Portal Scroll was equivalent to an extra life; if outmatched, one could instantly escape.


    Without a Town Portal Scroll, one could only wait for death.


    Even the Snow Goose Adventure Team didn��t manage to equip every member with a Town Portal Scroll.


    Lin Da felt this form of repayment was a bit excessive.


    He even suspected that Isa had originally prepared only one scroll for him but, seeing that he brought his prospective teammate Kafni, she increased it to two on the spot.


    Such generosity and grand gestures made Lin Da take note.


    Kafni, on the other hand, cherished the two scrolls, playing with them for a while before pocketing them securely and holding onto them tightly, embodying the epitome of a miser.

 Chapter 34 - 34: 34. The loser joins the team.

    Chapter 34: 34. The loser joins the team.


    When Isa saw that Lin Da was still reluctant to accept, she said in a forceful tone:


    ��Take it. This is the unanimous decision of our Ice Flower team members after discussion. The Town Portal Scroll is the most suitable for you right now.��


    ��Besides, I have a little additional request.��


    Isa blinked and, in a rare display of coquetry, said, ��Mr. Linda, you won��t refuse, will you?��


    ��That��s cheating,�� Lin Da moved his gaze away from her slight smile, cleared his throat, and said.


    Isa smiled and said, ��Of course, I won��t ask you to do it for free, there will be a corresponding reward.��


    ...


    ��What is the request you��re talking about?�� Lin Da was curious.


    From what Isa was saying, it sounded like she wanted to hire him.


    ��I hope that when the Ice Flower adventure team challenges the thirteenth floor, you can take on the role of remote commander just once through the sensor ladybug,�� Isa said earnestly.


    Commander?


    Lin Da frowned and thought for a moment before shaking his head: ��I��m an outsider, that wouldn��t be appropriate.��


    ��It��s fine. I guarantee that everyone in Ice Flower will follow your commands to the letter,�� Isa said with a smirk. ��My team members are not like a certain red-headed fool; if I tell them to trust you, they will.��


    ��If the thirteenth floor is successfully cleared, the Demon Core of the Secret Realm Guardian is yours.��


    Isa extended her hand, ��This condition should be quite generous.��


    Remote command with no risk involved, and clearing the floor would mean earning a Boss Demon Core for free.


    No matter how Lin Da thought about it, it was all to his benefit and none to his detriment.


    This cooperation would also deepen the friendship with the Ice Flower adventure team, which would be greatly beneficial for the future development of his own team.


    ��Deal.��


    Lin Da nodded and shook Isa��s hand.


    The lunch ended in a cheerful atmosphere.


    The only downside was that the portions at the upscale restaurant were too small, and both he and Kafni had not had their fill.


    As they parted ways, Isa said, ��The Ice Flower team��s assault on the thirteenth floor is scheduled for next month, I will notify you in advance.��


    ��No problem.�� Just as Lin Da was about to leave, he suddenly remembered something.


    ��Right, could you help me scout for a front-line professional? Preferably one with high potential.��


    Lin Da mentioned that his team was one member short.


    Isa pondered and said, ��Front-line professions are easy to find, but ones with talent���� She shrugged her shoulders, making a helpless gesture.


    If Lin Da were the leader of a known team, it would be a different story, but right now he was level 0 and starting from scratch.


    Truly talented warriors wouldn��t opt for such a small team.


    ��I can only do my best to help, but I can��t guarantee we��ll recruit anyone,�� Isa said.


    ��That��s enough,�� Lin Da nodded in gratitude.


    The group took the elevator down together.


    On Lin Da��s left was Kafni and on his right, Isa dressed in an evening gown.


    She seemed to have sprayed some perfume, a scent like peach blossoms that was somewhat addictive. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da glanced out of the corner of his eye at the mature and stable silver-haired girl and sighed inwardly, wishing he had met someone like Isa when he first came to this world.


    In the Ice Flower adventure team, he might have reached much higher levels.


    Just then, Isa suddenly looked up, somewhat unwillingly and said, ��Are you sure you won��t consider it? My team is really good, you know?��


    Lin Da was about to refuse, but then a thought struck him, and he said, ��How about we make a promise?��


    ��What promise?��


    ��Within three years, if my team surpasses the Ice Flower adventure team in the number of levels ascended in the World Tree���� Lin Da looked straight into Isa��s eyes, speaking slowly, ��you will join my team.��


    Isa was stunned.


    Immediately, she laughed so hard that her body shook, clutching her stomach, wanting to stop but again amused by Lin Da��s fantastical bet.


    It took a while for Isa to calm down. She wiped the tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes and said, ��Fine. But likewise, if you can��t catch up in three years, you��ll have to join Ice Flower.��


    ��It��s a deal.��


    Lin Da extended his pinky finger.


    Isa, understanding the gesture, hooked her pinky finger with his.


    While Isa��s fingers seemed delicate and slender, Lin Da felt many callouses from sword training when he touched them, hard, yet strong and powerful.


    A sense of reliability rushed over him.


    After they released hands, Lin Da looked at Isa, brimming with confidence as if she��d already won, and he couldn��t help but want to laugh inside.


    With an experience bar, three years would be more than enough time to catch up to the Ice Flower Adventure Team.


    It was like reserving a swordsman in advance.


    Isa��s talent was no less than Lia��s, and unlike Bilya who needed convincing, Isa was also a silver-haired beauty that Lin Da quite fancied.


    Just as Isa wanted to poach him, he also wanted to pull Isa into his own team.


    ��


    Leaving the restaurant, Lin Da and Isa waved goodbye.


    He rubbed his stomach, planning to continue looking for a place to eat.


    After changing classes to a Healing Hero, both his physique and appetite had greatly increased; the food he��d just eaten was barely enough to fill the gaps between his teeth.


    He remembered there was a barbecue stall he used to frequent in Sparrow District, generous in serving and good in taste.


    ��Let��s go have a good meal.��


    Lin Da patted the gold coins in his pocket, the jingling sound a satisfying feeling truly like no other.


    Kafni rolled her eyes and said, ��Should we sell off the town portal scroll?��


    ��Once sold, it��s not easy to buy back. Let��s keep it, just in case we flip over in the gutter and need a quick escape,�� Lin Da shook his head.


    With his magic potions and two town portal scrolls, he could face unexpected events with composure.


    Catching a carriage, he and Kafni headed back to Sparrow District.


    ��


    Time moved on to dusk.


    Inner City District.


    Aiko couldn��t stand the atmosphere in the villa and escaped.


    After Lin Da left, Lia had turned into a personified icebox.


    Wherever she went, she had a sour expression, exuding an ice-cold pressure that made breathing feel difficult.


    Thanks to Toria��s influence, the Snow Goose Adventure Team became unstable.


    The strategy planning was temporarily handed over to the new Healer, Phyllis.


    But was he trustworthy? One wrong strategy could lead the team to the abyss, and Aiko found it hard to place her trust in a newcomer.


    Wheeling herself out of the neighborhood, many adventurers who knew her greeted her kindly, and adoration shone subtly in their eyes.


    Aiko responded with a composed smile, nodding and waving, occasionally asking what they had for lunch.


    Seeing their delighted expressions from merely conversing with her filled her with contempt, and an involuntary pride swelled in her chest.


    No adventurer could resist her beauty.


    With just a little tease, they would all blush, pathetically trying to stand tall, as if they were creatures even more lowly than insects.


    But, there was one person�� who trampled on her pride without even realizing it.


    Aiko bit her lip in irritation, a flash of resentment passing through her eyes.


    It was because of that incident that she set her sights on Lin Da, intending to turn him into a mindless, obedient dog, desperate for her attention.

 Chapter 35 - 35: Aikos Love Bento

    Chapter 35: Aiko��s Love Bento


    Because of that incident, Aiko had set her sights on Lin Da, intending to turn him into a mindless dog that would only obey her commands and crave her affection incessantly.


    Three years ago.


    She arrived at the Snow Goose Adventure Team in a wheelchair, with her frail body.


    She extended her hand to Lin Da in friendship, showing her broad-mindedness and disregard for Lin Da��s ordinary talent and cheaply dressed commoner status��


    Yet, Lin Da, not knowing what was good for him, pushed her away in one fell swoop.


    That only cold, hard hand brushed past her shoulder, pressing against her chest.


    ...


    How dare this lowly commoner touch her body without her permission!


    Even worse, Lin Da didn��t even glance at her and pushed her away like she was a piece of bulky trash blocking his path and just walked away!


    For a young girl who had just come of age, that push was undeniably a huge blow to her dignity.


    Especially given that Aiko was almost never rejected.


    With her considerable family background, striking appearance, and flawlessly gentle personality�� Lin Da should have been dizzy with bewilderment, greeting her shyly with eyes that both wanted and dared not gaze upon her chest.


    But Aiko had never imagined that Lin Da would dismiss her outright


    As if the preciousness of the young girl meant nothing more to him than a lump of rotten cotton. S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This insult was more egregious than a mere adventurer being mocked by a succubus for only lasting three seconds!


    Even though Lin Da later explained the reason��it was because his sister, Lin Xi, was having health issues��


    still, Aiko could not forgive him.


    A lowly commoner should grovel like an insect beneath the feet of nobility!


    She must make Lin Da kneel and lick her toes, deeply understanding the vast chasm between commoners and nobility.


    Aiko lowered her head, her face revealing a demon-like twisted smile.


    Now, Lia��s foolishness came in handy for her.


    It would let Lin Da understand that as a teammate, her excellence was a hundred times superior to Lia��s.


    A tearfully grateful Lin Da might submit to her both physically and mentally.


    Unconsciously, Aiko��s breathing became a bit rapid, her cheeks flushed like a ripe peach.


    After a light rain, droplets sparkled on the leaves and branches.


    One by one, they fell to the ground, soaking the parched earth.


    The people on the street weren��t aware of what was happening.


    They looked at that beautiful figure and were deeply moved:


    ��Miss Aiko looks stunning today too.��


    ��Seeing her smile, I feel like I��m in love.��


    ��Wake up, the lunch box she��s holding is surely for the ��Ultimate Pervert��, right? Oh, I really don��t know what��s with them, Lin Da is juggling five at once, and yet they flock to him.��


    ��Maybe it��s because of Lin Da��s strong fighting abilities.��


    ��Stop, my heart aches����


    Many adventurers paused, their gazes either admiring or resentful as they followed Aiko��s figure.


    Their attention focused on the white flower-wrapped, rectangular lunch box held in Aiko��s arms.


    It was clear she was bringing someone a homemade meal.


    Among adventurers, to be given a homemade lunch box by an unmarried girl was a proof of one��s charm.


    Many had died at the World Tree without ever receiving such a meal.


    Noticing that bystanders were sneaking peeks at the lunch box in her arms, Aiko blushed a bit, tightened her legs, infused her wheelchair with magic power, and swiftly left.


    The contents, however, were far from gourmet.


    It was just mushroom soup and pizza she had casually made.


    To get back at Da for quitting the team, she hadn��t washed her hands during cooking and added the seasoning haphazardly.


    The taste was bound to be atrocious.


    But with Da��s eternally good-natured personality, even if the pizza was burnt, he would still chuckle and say it��s delicious, right?


    Aiko stood tall and proud, bearing the mentality of a superior, as she moved from the Inner City District to the filthy, dilapidated Sparrow District.


    The adventurers here were much bolder than those in the Inner City District, each of them staring unabashedly with revolting eyes at her.


    ��Keep staring, and I��ll gouge your eyes out, okay?��


    Aiko smiled gently as she greeted the group of raggedly dressed adventurers who couldn��t even afford decent leather armor.


    As a 23rd level high-level light mage, she was not even in the same dimension as these poor adventurers who could only huddle in the Sparrow District, who couldn��t afford houses in the Inner City District, and who starved for two days out of three.


    All ten of them together weren��t worth one of her hairs.


    Aiko released a hint of her level 23 magic power, immediately scaring those people into dispersing.


    ��Trash.��


    From her soft, enticing red lips came two words filled with contempt and coldness.


    That was a demeanor truly noble, filled with honor and pride, a heartfelt scorn for the lower classes,


    possessing an elevated manner and a tone that was muted yet deeply humiliating.


    Having driven away those ��trash,�� Aiko rubbed her cheeks and put back on her mask of vulnerability.


    The wheelchair moved forward.


    She arrived at a familiar street.


    On her right, there was a sign covered in grease and smoke stains, ��Tyrannosaurus Barbecue��.


    As she was about to leave, she heard a hearty female voice from inside the barbecue shop: ��Boss, bring out your best meat, cook it all!��


    ��That��s too much, she won��t finish it. Ask for more if she finishes it! Boss, please ignore what she just said.��


    A male voice followed, not loud, but Aiko knew it too well.


    She immediately recognized it amidst the noise of the barbecue shop��it was Da��s voice!


    Perfect, now there��s no need to go to Da��s rundown rental!


    Aiko felt a surge of joy, pulled out a small mirror from her bosom, tidied up her bangs, pursed her lips a bit to make her expression seem frail and pitiful.


    Then she turned the wheelchair around, holding the lunchbox in her lap, and slowly entered the Tyrannosaurus Barbecue Restaurant.


    The restaurant was small, with only six tables at most. Each table was greasy, the floor littered with bones, napkins, and barrels, a complete mess.


    Bare-chested adventurers were yelling in the restaurant, telling the crudest jokes and boasting the most outrageous claims, their large wooden mugs clashing, splashing drink everywhere.


    The dingy walls were plastered with old newspapers; the ceiling blackened by smoke. In the night, a dim, yellow magic light bulb flickered, attracting swarms of flying insects.


    Even pigs wouldn��t come to such a place.


    Aiko suppressed the urge to vomit, holding her smile as best as she could. Whatever her prey liked, she would pretend to enjoy it, even against her will.


    As Aiko entered the establishment, the Tyrannosaurus Barbecue immediately fell silent.


    Everyone stopped what they were doing, their curious and puzzled eyes all turning towards Aiko.


    It was indeed because Aiko��s attire suggested she was an upper-class individual from the Inner City District, clearly out of place here.


    An Ice Silk dress, a magic wheelchair from the Alchemist Guild, the clean and sanitary homemade lunchbox she held��and that stunningly beautiful face that could never belong to someone from the Sparrow District.


    Everything indicated that the woman who walked in came from another world, vastly different from theirs.

 Chapter 36 - 36: 36. Lin Da: Dont come anymore.

    Chapter 36: 36. Lin Da: Don��t come anymore.


    ��I recognize her, she��s like the Mage from the Snow Goose Adventure Team, named Aiko, over level 20,��


    a man with a goatee said in surprise.


    As soon as these words were spoken, everyone hastily retracted their covetous gazes.


    Most of these adventurers from the Sparrow District were below level 10; they were the bottom dwellers of White Dove City.


    Strapped with loans for their Magical Equipment purchases, none dared cause any trouble.


    One could say that even a dog could trample over them with impunity.


    ...


    But that didn��t stop them from enjoying the spectacle.


    What business could someone like Aiko have in a dingy, fly-ridden tavern in the Sparrow District?


    At the farthest table at that moment,


    Kafni, facing the entrance, immediately noticed the elegant Aiko, dressed in a white gown, pure as a white lotus.


    She took a sip from her cup with interest.


    ��Over there,�� she nudged Lin Da with her mouth.


    Lin Da was enjoying a spicy skewered fire lizard, bones cracking audibly, the spiciness hitting the spot in all the right ways.


    Turning his head, he was somewhat surprised.


    ��Aiko, what brings you here?��


    Lin Da asked in astonishment.


    He had quit the team at noon, and by evening, Aiko had already come to see him.


    If it hadn��t been for Kafni��s prior warning, he would have been overjoyed.


    But Aiko��s arrival came ��after his argument with Lia��.


    Too coincidental.


    On the surface, Lin Da remained unflustered, but inside, he was on alert.


    ��I thought you might not have eaten yet, so I made something myself. As I was passing by this place, I just happened to hear your voice����


    Aiko approached, holding a boxed meal, pouting pitifully.


    ��Oh right, about the incident at noon.�� Aiko made her stance clear, adopting a resentful demeanour on Lin Da��s behalf, ��Lia really went too far, how could she speak so rudely to an old teammate of three years?��


    ��It��s nothing, it��s all in the past,�� Lin Da waved his hand, pulled up a stool from the side, placed it on the right of the table, and said, ��Want to join me?��


    Aiko didn��t answer, and her gaze lingered intently on Lin Da.


    ��It��s in the past����what did that mean?


    You��re still in the mood to grill meat? Could it be you no longer care even about me?


    Aiko had come specially to bring food, hoping to see Lin Da looking dejected.


    Lia, Chloe, Klyne, Oru��they were one thing, but how could Lin Da dismiss her, the one he was closest to, with just a casual ��it��s past��?


    To trap Lin Da, Aiko had not hesitated to stoop to trading on her looks at the Adventurer��s Guild, even releasing a Panda Beast to capture him.


    But now, Lin Da��s nonchalant demeanor once again wounded her pride.


    If it were her who had touched Lin Da��s OO, she definitely wouldn��t be this calm! Don��t tell me he��s been secretly touching Kafni, who knows how many times already?!


    She took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to unleash the Light Arrow Technique on Kafni, who was brazenly devouring meat, and said with a forced laugh, ��No thanks, I��ve actually been dieting recently.��


    ��Oh, no wonder, you do seem a bit fatter than usual,�� Lin Da realized.


    The smile on Aiko��s face froze.


    You actually believed that random excuse?


    Are you blind?


    Aiko cursed inwardly.


    She found the grilled meats disgusting, suspecting they might be tainted with the sweat of lower-class hands.


    ��Well�� the boxed meal I made is healthier, maybe you should stop eating the grilled meat?��


    With no trace of anger visible on her face, Aiko perfectly mimicked the appearance of a caring girlfriend, and handed Lin Da the rice box wrapped in a white floral cloth.


    This scene turned the adventurers in the tavern green with envy, suddenly finding the grilled meat in their mouths tasteless.


    To their astonishment, Lin Da shook his head and pushed Aiko��s rice box back to her.


    No!


    Not only were the adventurers in the store dumbfounded, but Aiko��s pale fingers clutching the lunchbox also trembled, her mouth agape in disbelief as she looked toward Lin Da.


    ��Huh?��


    She voiced her confusion.


    This guy, he actually dared to reject the lunchbox she made herself?


    ��Aiko, don��t come around here so often.��


    ��I left the team, but you��re still with Snow Goose. If Lia finds out about this, she��ll ostracize you,�� Lin Da said seriously. ��I��m fine for now, you don��t need to worry.��


    His words sounded nice, but the meaning was actually very simple.


    Don��t come anymore.


    Aiko instantly understood what those words implied.


    Her eyelids twitched uncontrollably, and she suddenly felt a strong sense of unease.


    Why did Lin Da change so much in just one day?


    That always kind-hearted Lin Da, shouldn��t he be grateful for her lovingly prepared lunchbox?


    Aiko found it hard to believe that Lin Da could say such words of rejection.


    Her long eyelashes quivered, and she touched her dry eye corners with her small hands, speaking in a slightly sobbing voice,


    ��Lin Da, why are you being like this? The one who offended you was Lia, not me, right? Isn��t it okay for me to come and visit you?��


    The sound of whimpering began to resonate within the store.


    Many adventurers did not understand the details and believed only what they saw before their eyes. They immediately assumed that Lin Da was cheating with another blonde woman and stared at Lin Da with accusatory glances.


    When the barbecue restaurant owner brought over two servings of char-grilled steaks, he burst into hearty laughter, ��Ah, to be young! Back in my day, I also���� Mid-sentence, the bald owner stopped abruptly, realizing he had never had a beauty chasing after him.


    After the restaurant owner awkwardly exited the scene, Aiko��s performance was still not over.


    ��Lin Da, do you no longer consider me a friend?�� Aiko squeezed out a few tears, biting her lip, delicate as a frail animal.


    ��You��re misunderstanding,�� Lin Da sighed. ��I have no other intentions, I just purely think that Lia will ostracize you. You should know her pettiness.��


    ��But I don��t care. Visiting friends is normal, right?�� Aiko said stubbornly.


    ��Then����


    Lin Da shockingly proposed, ��Why not join my team?��


    ��Your team?��


    ��You created a team?��


    ��Didn��t you join the Ice Flower Adventure Team?��


    Aiko��s eyes widened, suddenly having an extremely ominous premonition. Anxious, she fired off questions with rapid speed.


    She originally thought that Lin Da left the team to join a rock-level squad with a better atmosphere. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In such a case, there were many ways for her to bring Lin Da back.


    After all, Lin Da was looking for a better chance to conquer World Tree, which was the ��benefit�� that led him to switch teams.


    But Lin Da creating his own team had a completely different implication.


    To come back to Snow Goose, he would have to first disband his own team�� The difficulty of bringing him back just multiplied many times over.


    For the first time, Aiko felt like the rope in her hands was slipping away, and her dog was about to run off, leaving her panicked.


    When talking about creating a team, Lin Da��s face was full of bright expectations for the future, and his black pupils sparkled brightly.


    It turned out that Lin Da, having left the Snow Goose Adventure Team, truly had no lingering attachment to her��


    She couldn��t accept it.


    Aiko gripped the lunchbox tightly, gritted her teeth, and felt extremely unwilling to let go.


    Lin Da joined because of Lia and also left because of her.


    And he didn��t even inform her before creating his team.


    She was just a stranger!


    Aiko silently squeezed out a few tears, whining, ��Lin Da, I����

 Chapter 37 - 37: 37、Healing Mage

    Chapter 37: 37��Healing Mage


    ����Joining Lin Da��s team, of course I can.


    Aiko had practically no sense of belonging to the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    That��s what she thought, but she put on a face of great difficulty, intentionally making Lin Da feel guilty for his hasty invitation.


    Every team member was bound by contract, and quitting without permission required paying a hefty penalty.


    To Aiko, that wasn��t a problem at all.


    Her financial reserve was quite substantial.


    ...


    She could agree to Lin Da��s request and join the team,


    but she couldn��t just join casually.


    The way a boy treasures a room he could enter with a single Gold Coin versus one he fought hard and spent countless Gold Coins to get into, surely would be different, right?


    Aiko intended to make Lin Da go and ask Lia, to be rejected when she refused to sign the contract for a team transfer, making him lose face, and only after he thought it impossible to get her, would she pay a high price and quietly join his side.


    Then Lin Da would realize just how outstanding she was.


    She bowed her head, seemingly in great distress, ��Sorry, I need to think it over before joining your team.��


    ��No rush, after all, setting up a team isn��t something that can be done hastily.��


    Lin Da said helplessly, ��We haven��t even recruited a front-line warrior yet.��


    Aiko was puzzled, ��With the reputation you��ve built in the Snow Goose Adventure Team, recruiting a warrior shouldn��t be difficult, should it?��


    ��In theory, yes.�� Lin Da took a big gulp of Wheat Beer, shook his head, and said, ��I��ve changed professions, so currently our team��s strategy progress is at the zeroth layer.��


    The hidden implication of changing professions was that his level had also been reset to zero. This was not something he needed to conceal; if Aiko were earnest, she could make inquiries at the Adventurer��s Guild and find out.


    ��Changing professions after level 10 is a big risk, why were you so reckless, without even discussing it with me!�� Aiko said, her eyes starting to redden, ��You really, didn��t think of me as a friend.��


    ��Don��t cry.�� Lin Da awkwardly offered her a tissue, never realizing before how fragile Aiko��s temperament was.


    He had been covertly watching for any signs of irregularity since she arrived.


    But he couldn��t find any.


    Aiko��s genuine emotion, even if partially driven by an agenda, was probably not all an act.


    Although he sometimes sensed Aiko��s subtle air of superiority and a hint of her Young Lady attitude, he believed that within Snow Goose��s group of five, his relationship with Aiko could be ranked at least fourth, quite a bit higher than Bilya��s��


    Aiko took the tissue and dabbed at the corner of her eyes: ��What profession did you change to? You��re not planning to keep even this from me, are you?��


    Lin Da pondered for a moment and said, ��A Healing Mage.��


    ��Healing Mage? I��ve never heard of it. Is it any good?��


    Aiko blinked her eyes in confusion.


    In her heart, however, she was jubilant.


    A profession nobody has even heard of must be terrible.


    Lin Da thought for a moment and said, ��It��s probably a bit stronger than a Healer. The advantage of a Healing Mage lies in having Poisonous Healing, giving them a fighting chance against Magical Creatures.��


    ��Oh, it��s sort of like a Poison Doctor then,�� Aiko confirmed in her mind.


    A Poison Doctor is stronger than a Healer, but only marginally so.


    It sounded like this Healing Mage was a combination healer and attacker, supposedly good at both.


    But jack of all trades, master of none.


    That was Aiko��s first impression of a Healing Mage.


    ��Must be tough recruiting for your team, need me to help you scout around?��


    ��Yeah, that would be great.��


    Aiko saw the sincere expression on Lin Da��s face. On the outside, she smiled and agreed readily, but inside, she scoffed in disdain and even spat in contempt.


    Helping you recruit people? You can��t be serious!


    I wish you��d never find anyone, and come begging me to join, that would be the best!


    Aiko��s questions were circuitous and seemingly worried about Lin Da, yet every bit of Lin Da��s plight she learned of secretly delighted her.


    The worse Lin Da fared, the happier she became.


    After chatting for a while longer, Aiko prepared to take her leave, not wanting to give Lin Da the cheap satisfaction of her being at his beck and call.


    On her way out, she took out ten gold coins from her bag and gave them to Lin Da.


    Creating a team required a hundred gold, and even if Lin Da had the dumb luck to recruit new team members, he still wouldn��t have the money to create the team.


    He could only come and beg her.


    The little abacus in Aiko��s mind clacked away merrily.


    ��Lin Da, remember to come find me if you encounter any troubles, okay? Although we��re not teammates anymore, we��re still friends.��


    Outside the Tyrannosaurus Barbecue Restaurant, Aiko sat in her wheelchair, waving goodbye reluctantly.


    Lin Da stepped out to see her off, holding the little bag full of personable gold coins and couldn��t help but sigh: Aiko was indeed much stronger compared to Lia.


    Behind him, envious and jealous stares were cast his way, with some drunken adventurers wailing bitterly out of sheer envy.


    ��I want a beautiful girl to visit me too, and give me gold coins!��


    ��Ten gold coins! I risked my life in the Mystic Realm today, and I only earned three!��


    ��This guy seems to have changed his profession to level 0, right? Should we beat him up?��


    The last remark was made by a lean adventurer with a Mohican haircut, grinning mischievously.


    To his surprise, as soon as Mohican finished speaking, a light arrow whizzed in from outside, grazing his scalp and leaving a small pit in the wall.


    Mohican touched the patch of missing hair on his head, his face turning deathly pale.


    A little lower, and his head would have had an extra bloody hole!


    This incident had everyone quiet as mice, promptly zipping their lips.


    At the entrance of the barbecue restaurant, Aiko waved her delicate white magic wand with a smile, saying, ��Whoever bullies Lin Da, don��t blame me for bullying them back, okay? Also, my level isn��t the 23rd level that��s rumored outside��in fact, I just reached level 24 yesterday.��


    Level 24, absolutely a top figure in White Dove City. Sear?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The adventure team members felt a chill run up the backs of their necks and forced laughter, saying:


    ��Who would be so short-sighted as to provoke Lin Da, eh? We��re lucky he doesn��t bully us, hahaha����


    ��Exactly, exactly.��


    ��A level 24 beauty coming to Sparrow District to visit teammates? I��m damn near turning into a ��lemon spirit�� magical creature!��


    Lin Da watched the group��s feigned performance and couldn��t help but chuckle, ��Aiko, you should stop bullying adventurers of level five or six; it��ll become a joke if word gets out.��


    ��Well, they were the ones who said they wanted to beat up my old teammate,�� Aiko puffed her cheeks, and her attempt at looking cute froze all the adventurers secretly watching inside, turning them into a collective group of ��lemon spirits,�� with jealousy flowing everywhere.


    ��I��m off then,�� Aiko waved her hand.


    ��Take care on your way back, although I think others might need to be more careful around you���� Lin Da joked.


    A High-Level Light Mage from Holy Light Church at level 24, respected and awe-inspiring anywhere in White Dove City.


    Lin Da turned and re-entered the Tyrannosaurus Barbecue Restaurant.


    Little did he know that no sooner had Aiko left than the drunk Mohican, driven by his drunkenness and feeling mortified, began to clench his fists with an annoyed expression as he tried to stand up: ��You little�� You made me lose face����


    ��Sit down.��


    Lin Da��s hand was on Mohican��s shoulder.


    The latter obediently sat back down.


    He didn��t get up again even as Lin Da brushed past him.

 Chapter 38 - 38: 38, but he is very fast.

    Chapter 38: 38, but he is very fast.


    The adventurers sitting at the same table, caught up in the excitement, curiously asked, ��What��s wrong, weren��t you going to teach that ��Eye of Wisdom�� a lesson?��


    ��He��s so strong,�� Mohican��s voice trembled.


    ��What��s strong?��


    His companions grew even more puzzled.


    ��His strength�� it��s so damn strong!��


    Mohican��s eyes bulged, his voice cracking like a drake��s: ��I��m a Level 4 warrior, yeah, I might have lost some strength from the booze, that��s true, but I shouldn��t be overpowered and forced back to my seat by a Level 0 recovery class, should I?��


    ...


    When they heard the reason, they all froze, staring in astonishment at Lin Da sitting at the innermost table. A Level 0 healer stronger than a Level 4 warrior, what kind of top-tier class was that?


    Mohican shook his head and approached Lin Da��s table, holding a large mug and snickering with a sycophantic smile.


    ��I overheard your conversation with that lady earlier. You��re forming a team, and it seems you��re recruiting, right? How about me?��


    His attitude had improved significantly, and he spoke with considerable respect.


    Lin Da glanced at him and shook his head.


    ��No way, you��re too weak.��


    The simple and direct reason left Mohican dispirited and downcast.


    Lin Da indeed needed people, but he wasn��t going to take just any Tom, Dick, or Harry.


    He intended to recruit those with potential, companions to reach the summit of the World Tree with him.


    On the surface, Lin Da was polite, but his pride was greater than anyone else��s.


    After shooing Mohican away, he and Kafni devoured the barbecue on the table like a whirlwind.


    At 10 p.m., the two left the restaurant.


    On the way, they stopped at an equipment shop and spent 3 Gold Coins to buy a Level 0 longsword and a short sword each.


    As for why a ��Healing Mage�� like him used a longsword instead of a magic wand, the reason was simple.


    In the early stages of a healer class, there are no attack skills; the damage from a Normal Attack with a magic wand is much lower than that from a longsword.


    ��Slimes, goblins, little lava creatures, all await to be turned into my experience points!��


    Lin Da patted his round belly, and he and Kafni wobbled their way back to their rental.


    After a night of resting and building up energy, tomorrow he would go out into the wild to farm slimes and level up.


    This feeling, akin to pioneering a new account in a game, excited Lin Da.


    In his three years on the Mystic Continent, his Otherworld journey was finally about to begin in earnest.


    ��


    Late at night, at the Snow Goose Adventure Team��s villa.


    Aiko had just returned from the Sparrow District.


    As soon as she pushed open the door, she saw the living room bright as daylight, with a red-haired girl sitting there sipping coffee with a stern face.


    She held a thick book, scratching her head, stomping her foot, her eyes bulging like brass bells.


    This one, she couldn��t possibly struggle to recognize each character, could she? S��ar?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A faint look of disdain flashed through Aiko��s eyes.


    ��Where did you go?�� Lia threw her book aside, lifted her head, saw the food box in Aiko��s arms, furrowed her brows, and asked in a bad tone.


    Aiko had considered brushing it off.


    But seeing the other��s nauseating demeanor, she snorted coldly inside, her face smiling while she calmly said, ��I went to see how Lin Da was doing.��


    The coffee Lia was bringing to her mouth sprayed out.


    ��You�� never mind, it��s none of my business, go if you want to.��


    Lia looked indifferent, picked up the book again, and continued to flip through it.


    ��Don��t you want to know what happened?��


    Aiko raised an eyebrow: ��Don��t want to know how Lin Da��s been since he left the team?��


    ��I don��t����


    ��Speak.��


    Lia was about to deny interest, but suddenly changed her mind and coldly said, ��Don��t misunderstand, ��know the enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles without disaster,�� now that Lin Da is an enemy of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, as the captain, it��s necessary to know the enemy��s information.��


    As if your brain could even take inspiration from a famous quote.


    When Lin Da was part of the team, he often spoke about knowing the enemy and oneself. But now, in Lia��s words, Lin Da had somehow become that ��Magical Creature.��


    It was rather amusing.


    Aiko hummed sarcastically to herself.


    She didn��t rush to answer Lia, just leaving her hanging on purpose.


    Aiko went to the opposite side of the table, put down the food box, opened it, and scooped a bit of mushroom soup into her mouth.


    So salty, too much salt added.


    Aiko��s face showed bitterness.


    ��Hey, why are you not talking anymore? Does Lin Da feel regretful?��


    Unable to hold back, Lia asked anxiously.


    She looked ridiculous, like a clown. Aiko covered her mouth and snickered.


    Bowing her head until she had her fill of laughter, Aiko then coughed and recounted what happened at the Tyrannosaurus Barbecue Restaurant.


    After hearing the story, a hint of disdain appeared on Lia��s face.


    ��Street stall barbecue for the poor? That��s what they eat?��


    On the table, there were lunch boxes delivered from a high-end restaurant.


    Any single dish inside cost ten times what Lin Da spent on a meal at the barbecue shop.


    A spoonful of caviar alone cost a Gold Coin.


    The wealth disparity was crystal clear.


    She also heard from Aiko that Lin Da had become level 0, switching to a class she had never heard of before.


    ��No wonder I felt his presence weakened. Daring to leave the team at level 0, he��s truly arrogant.��


    ��Mixing it up with women from the tavern, hiding in Sparrow District eating lower-class people��s barbecue, heh, Lin Da has really fallen.��


    Lia seemed to regain her confidence.


    She was the genius Swordsman of the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Even without a Healer, she could still lead the team to become the strongest adventure squad in White Dove City.


    That meant she would trample Lin Da��s team underfoot.


    ��I��ve decided,�� Lia said to Aiko, ��we��re going to reach the 15th floor in three months and become an ��Iron Level�� adventure team.��


    Once you reach the 15th floor, you can be called an Iron adventure team and get more privileges from the Adventurer��s Guild.


    Priority purchase of Magical Equipment, resources, exploration of newly discovered wild Mystic Realms, and various discounts��


    But Aiko voiced her concern, ��Reaching the 15th floor in three months? Isn��t that too rushed?��


    The recommended strategy level for the 15th floor is 30.


    In contrast, the levels of the Snow Goose Adventure Team members:


    23rd level Blazing Swordsman, Lia.


    24th level High-Level Light Mage, Aiko.


    21st level Heavy Armored Warrior, Klrona.


    20th level Wind Archer, Klyne.


    20th level Hammer Warrior, Oru.


    20th level new Healer, Phyllis.


    The average level was around 22.


    With these people, pass the 15th floor recommended at strategy level 30?


    Has their brain malfunctioned?


    Aiko said sternly, ��I think the current strength of the Snow Goose Adventure Team is not enough to clear the 15th floor.��


    ��I know, but we can level up as we clear the floors,�� Lia confidently replied.


    ��I feel like I��m about to grasp a new ��Ultimate Skill.�� As long as everyone follows my lead, with your ��Rain of Light,�� and my ��Energy Charging�� and ��Flame Slash,�� no Guardian can withstand our team��s damage. We��ll definitely clear the 15th floor.��


    Aiko was left silently worried.


    The idea seemed beautiful.


    But Magical Creatures won��t just stand still and let you hit them, right?


    Charging ahead? More like heading to their doom?


    The way Phyllis casts her Healing Art, slow as molasses, she couldn��t be relied upon in a crisis.


    Aiko had clearly noticed during their time in the Twisted Forest at level 9, that the skillful new Healer chanted her Healing Art as slow as a snail, not even half as fast as Lin Da.


    It��s nice to have a high healing capacity, but if the healing is too slow, the frequency is also slow.


    Phyllis would move once, and Lin Da would have already moved many times.


    So, the total amount of healing is similar, right?


    Under this premise, the faster the frequency, the better.


    However, Lia couldn��t seem to grasp this.


    But Aiko thought, even if that person figured it out, they��d probably be too stubborn to admit it.

 Chapter 39 - 39: 39, Announcement from the World Tree Sanctum

    Chapter 39: 39, Announcement from the World Tree Sanctum


    Aiko sighed.


    Let��s not talk about the gap between healers for now.


    Lia, being a swordsman, rushing headlong into things is one thing.


    But as a frail mage, not even standing in the back is safe, so how could she possibly join the charge?


    Seeing Lia��s spirited expression, Aiko knew talking her out of it was futile.


    Anyway, she has no plans to stay long in Snow Goose, so whatever happens later is none of her business.


    ...


    She thus adopted the stance of a bystander, waiting to see how Lia would trip up.


    ��But speaking of which, why must it be three months to reach the 15th level?��


    Aiko wondered aloud.


    Four months, five months, wouldn��t they do?


    Could that day hold some special significance for Lia?


    ��You haven��t seen this yet, here, someone from the Adventurer��s Guild just brought this over.��


    Lia, excited, handed a flyer to Aiko.


    She didn��t know what was on it that could have revived Lia from her dejection.


    Curious, Aiko took the flyer and saw a lush, towering World Tree in the background, with a small World Tree totem in the upper right corner.


    Her face changed instantly, and she couldn��t help but exclaim, ��An announcement from the World Tree Sanctum?�� sea??h th�� N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The World Tree Sanctum, the most mysterious and significant power across the Mystic Continent!


    All its members were personally appointed by the Goddess, their most loyal followers, usually unseen and elusive.


    The last time they appeared to the public eye was a thousand years ago.


    Upon their emergence, they issued the Divine Decree of the World Tree Goddess: ��The seal of the Demon Realm is about to break; to encourage adventurers to march forth, we will increase the rewards within the World Tree Secret Realm.��


    One could say, when the World Tree Sanctum makes a move, they bring news that shakes the entire continent.


    Seeing Aiko��s increasingly serious expression, Lia confidently puffed out her chest, ��This time, the World Tree Sanctum brings another Divine Decree from the Goddess! In three months, one hundred thousand stones of the brave will descend into the World Tree Secret Realm, the higher the layer, the higher the chance of obtaining the stones of the brave!��


    ��Those who obtain these stones will become heroes, led by the Chosen Heroes of the Divine Realm, together to save the world and defeat the Demon King!��


    ��This is true adventure, fighting for the common people, earning powerful equipment, the respect of everyone, even nobles will have to give way to us!��


    Lia, thrilled, stood up, grabbed the Heavy Sword Flame Devourer that was leaning against the sofa, and swung it around the hall.


    Red Fire Series Battle Qi, like a blazing stream of light, circled around the girl, giving her an especially dashing look.


    Simply put, she was so excited that she swung her weapon wildly.


    Lia placed the greatsword back in front of the sofa and, wiping the sweat from her forehead, her face broke into a smile:


    ��One hundred thousand stones of the brave, though these brave ones seem slightly inferior to the Chosen Heroes, there are more of them, increasing our chances to become heroes. Me, you, Klyne, and everyone, we all have to become part of the Hero Team!��


    ��I think it��s not that simple,��


    Contrasting with Lia��s overflowing confidence, Aiko felt a tinge of unease.


    She put down the flyer and said heavily, ��Are the stones of the brave so easy to obtain? If they exist in the Public Grand Secret Realm and happen to be discovered by two teams simultaneously����


    Usually, given that they are from the same city��s adventure teams, they would try to resolve it peacefully.


    But with the stones of the brave at stake, could everyone still uphold their morals?


    Lia thought the stones of the brave were opportunities given by the World Tree Goddess.


    Aiko didn��t see it that way.


    This was purely a cruel game of Venomous Insects, only the strongest adventurers who survived could obtain the stone of the brave and qualify to challenge the Demon King!


    According to this flyer, three months later, one hundred thousand Hero Stones will descend, with every fifth level in the Great Mystery Continent being a cut-off point, the higher you go, the higher the chances.


    No wonder Lia wants to reach the fifteenth level within three months, as she wants to increase her chances of obtaining a Hero Stone.


    ��The person who becomes a hero will gain many privileges.��


    Lia had taken the flyer back and, looking at the small print at the bottom, said eagerly,


    ��Even the most ordinary hero can be granted the title of Honorary Baron and even become a VIP of the World Tree Sanctum! The requests of a hero will be fulfilled once by the World Tree Sanctum, depending on the hero��s level! That��s what it says, impressive, right?��


    ��What did you say? They will fulfill a hero��s request as much as possible?��


    Aiko��s attention was suddenly caught.


    She didn��t have any special thoughts about becoming a hero and subduing the Demon King.


    But to become a hero and then be able to make a request to the World Tree Sanctum?


    That was very tempting.


    Given the scale and power of the World Tree Sanctum, they could fulfill most of an adventurer��s wishes.


    It felt like there was a cat clawing at Aiko��s heart; she couldn��t help but wonder if she could request the World Tree Sanctum to make a certain adventurer her personal pet.


    Slavery had been abolished a thousand years ago, but the pet system still existed; no one had ruled that pets couldn��t be human.


    Heroes must play with their pets every day to have the strength to subdue Magical Creatures.


    Aiko, who initially had no particular thoughts about becoming a hero, suddenly had sparkling eyes and unconsciously squeezed her legs together.


    In her mind, she imagined Da kneeling on the ground, wearing brown dog ears, eagerly barking and pleading, and touching her toes with his tongue, begging for rewards.


    ��Teehee, teeheeheeheeheehee����


    A slightly spine-chilling laughter uncontrollably erupted from Aiko��s throat.


    Lia was startled and looked at her unexpectedly, ��You want to become a hero that badly?��


    ��Not really,��


    Aiko quickly changed the subject, ��What about you? If you become a hero, what would you ask from the World Tree Sanctum?��


    ��Me?��


    When it came to this topic, Lia��s expression suddenly turned cold, and she snorted, saying, ��Need you ask.��


    ��Da owes this young lady an apology.��


    Lia had already planned how she would use the hero��s privileges once she became one.


    First, to have Da publicly apologize to her.


    Rumors had spread that she was an unqualified team leader, prompting Da, who was a Healer, to leave.


    Because of this, several merchants who collaborated with the Snow Goose Adventure Team stopped seeking their endorsements.


    The second is the blonde woman; she must return the slap she received.


    Lia looked at the flyer in her hand, her lips involuntarily curling.


    Once she became a hero, Da would definitely regret leaving the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    No matter what kind of teammates Da had, she would be infinitely stronger than any of them.


    ��You were given the chance to become a future mythical-level adventure group member, and you didn��t cherish it. Don��t blame this young lady for being merciless.��


    Lia thought to herself darkly.


    She envisioned herself decades later, bathed in glory, having slain the Demon King, and cheered on by thousands.


    And in the crowd, hiding an unsuccessful adventurer.


    That adventurer would be none other than the regretful Da!

 Chapter 40 - 40: 40. Mid-version, a major autumn event is coming!

    Chapter 40: 40. Mid-version, a major autumn event is coming!


    Last night, Lia, who was excited about the prospect of becoming a Hero, practiced her swordsmanship until the early morning, not resting until she was utterly exhausted.


    What she didn��t know was that Aiko, in the room next door, was also practicing through meditation.


    And she stayed up even later than Lia.


    They weren��t the only ones.


    Following the announcement from the World Tree Sanctum, the entire continent and all its races were in an uproar.


    To become a Hero, to gain the favor of the World Tree Sanctum.


    ...


    This opportunity could even affect entire races.


    Humans had always been the strongest race on the Mystic Continent, with the Beastmen and Elves ranking below them.


    The one hundred thousand Hero Stones gave the Beastmen and Elves a glimmer of hope.


    They had to obtain more Hero Stones, surpass the humans!


    Adventurers from all races were eager to try their luck.


    The number of visits to the World Tree had doubled since that day.


    Everything was in preparation to climb higher up the World Tree before the Hero Stones descended, increasing the chances of receiving one.


    ��


    Meanwhile.


    On a dirt road in the Sparrow District.


    The dilapidated houses under the cover of night were like unsightly bulges.


    The road was littered with trash of daily life, and occasionally, there were piles of excrement, releasing an unpleasant stench in the heat of the summer.


    But the adventurers here were accustomed to it.


    The Sparrow District might be a bit rundown, but at least it was within White Dove City, just a three or four-hour walk from the Secret Realm Square.


    In contrast, outside the high walls of White Dove City lay a barren wilderness.


    Even if there were towns to stay in, they weren��t safe; one had to always be wary of Magical Creatures attacking from the wilderness, and even more so of their own kind. S��arch* The ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Within White Dove City, the safety, along with the proximity to the World Tree, made the Sparrow District seem not so bad after all.


    In the darkness of the night, a drunk man and woman approached.


    Lin Da was supporting the unsteady Kafni, and couldn��t help but cover his nose with a look of disgust on his face.


    This Deity was too weak.


    After just three big cups of Wheat Beer, she was stumbling and even vomited on his clothes.


    Luckily they had set out together; had Kafni gone out alone, she most likely would have passed out at the entrance of the barbecue joint, becoming easy prey for opportunistic adventurers.


    The large white panda bear would have been thoroughly plundered.


    ��Slow, slow down a bit.��


    ��I��m going to throw up again.��


    Weak complaints from Kafni could be heard emanating from her throat.


    Lin Da helplessly stopped, waiting for Kafni to catch her breath before moving on.


    When they passed the Adventurer��s Guild in the Sparrow District, he went inside. A bit of cool air in the lobby and some free hot water should make Kafni feel better.


    The Adventurer��s Guild was not very crowded late at night; the lobby was lined with rows of chairs like a bank from Lin Da��s previous life, and at the far end were several windows for attending to various adventurer affairs.


    Lin Da made Kafni comfortable in a chair and went to get a paper cup of water.


    At the water dispenser, there was a large wooden board next to it, and in the center was a notice containing a trace of Magic Power.


    As background, there was the verdant World Tree, emanating a firefly-like glow. Around the edges of the notice were gilt lines for decoration, clearly setting it apart from the other ordinary notices.


    ��An announcement from the World Tree Sanctum?��


    Lin Da glanced over the content and had an epiphany.


    Unbeknownst to him, the large autumn event, ��Hero��s Descent,�� had already begun in the mid-phase of the ��Mystic Continent�� game version 1.0.


    Put simply, this was an event concocted by game planners to boost performance by draining the wallets of players.


    Ten thousand Hero Stones were to be placed into the World Tree, with higher floors offering an increased chance of a Hero Stone drop when opening treasure chests.


    In order to tackle higher floors, players could only open their wallets and let themselves be harvested like plump cash cows by the planners.


    Within the game, the obtained Hero Stones could be traded, and their use was to obtain the ��Chosen Hero�� title, boosting all attributes by a percentage.


    Such percentage-increasing items have always been the favorites of big spenders.


    Lin Da had once ground away a whole month to gain two Hero Stones.


    However, reality and the game were dissimilar; in the Mystic Continent of reality, Hero Stones that were dropped enabled career advancement for the user, earning them the suffix ��World Tree Brave,�� and they were bound to individuals, making them non-tradable.


    Already chosen by Kafni as the Chosen Hero, what would happen if he gained another Hero Stone?


    It couldn��t just go to waste, could it?


    To figure out the effect of the Hero Stone on him, Lin Da went to the World Tree Goddess statue in the hall.


    He wished to see that grand and beautiful female.


    Besides inquiring about the use of the Hero Stone, he had another significant matter and hoped to get answers directly from the World Tree Goddess.


    As for the water he was supposed to retrieve for Kafni, Lin Da had forgotten it aside.


    Drinking it later wouldn��t be a problem, right?


    Little did he know, at that very moment, Kafni was parched, dizzy, and drowsily waiting while leaning on a chair.


    Upon closer inspection, she saw not only had Lin Da failed to fetch the water, but he had also gone to the World Tree Goddess statue and was praying with hands clasped and a solemn expression.


    ��Huh?��


    Kafni��s eyes bulged in surprise.


    As a Deity herself, she felt a strong sense of betrayal toward Lin Da��s immoral act.


    You are the hero chosen by me, so why are you getting so close to another god?


    Lin Da had confided in her about the legendary skill ��World Tree Goddess��s Blessing.��


    It seemed the other party took quite a fancy to the hero she had chosen!


    ��Damn Goddess, don��t steal someone else��s hero!�� Kafni shouted in her heart, unable to accept this.


    Meanwhile, back to Lin Da.


    He closed his eyes and prayed sincerely to the statue.


    In the call of the late night, would the World Tree Goddess respond?


    Lin Da prayed silently with a sliver of hope.


    But it only took three seconds.


    In a dark vision, the World Tree Goddess with luscious emerald hair, appeared, motherly and affectionate!


    This time, perhaps to accommodate Lin Da��s race, the World Tree Goddess had reduced her towering height from over five meters to around one meter seventy.


    The World Tree Goddess had a slender figure with curvy assets. Her long emerald dress, made of leaves, snugly wrapped her exaggerated physique, and her bare, tender feet floated slightly in the air, untouched by any filth.


    Her soft face shone with a motherly glow, her ample bosom swaying gently with each breath, like the heavily laden fruits of maturity.


    Facing this goddess, an incarnation of the world��s will, Lin Da dared not cast an improper glance.


    He sensed this place to be akin to a spiritual realm and controlled his conscience to bow his head, his right hand on his chest, slightly bending forward to perform a common adventurer��s greeting.


    Lin Da respectfully said, ��Great World Tree Goddess, please forgive my late-night intrusion. I have come with questions and hope to receive your answers.��


    ��Not at all, please speak your mind, and I will answer your questions as best as I can,�� said the World Tree Goddess with a smile. Her fingers, as delicate as young shoots, gently lifted, and a soothing breeze helped Lin Da straighten himself.


    ��Also, dear hero, you may call me Tricia, that is my name.��

 Chapter 41 - 41: 41. Lin Das Problem

    Chapter 41: 41. Lin Da��s Problem


    ��`


    Chosen Hero?


    Lin Da felt a very strange sensation deep inside when the World Tree Goddess referred to him in such a manner. To be addressed as a superior by the Mother of All Things, the will of the world, seemed incredibly thrilling.


    He boldly lifted his head, gazing directly at the mature woman with lush green hair before him.


    The World Tree Goddess, named Tricia, was barefoot with her pure and pretty feet, her hands elegantly intertwined in front of her like a noble and dignified lady.


    Her bosom, seemingly capable of nurturing all living beings, was adorned with a faint smile, exuding a sacred and inviolable noble aura.


    ...


    A thousand words coalesced into three in Lin Da��s heart.


    So big!


    They were like two ripe grapefruits hanging from a delicate fruit tree.


    If this were reality, one glance would scream fake, absolutely filled with silicone.


    But this is another world, where it��s quite normal for things to be oversized.


    Lin Da diverted his gaze, worried his body might act indecently.


    He coughed once and got to the point.


    ��Lady Tricia, I have a question I hope you can answer.��


    ��As a Chosen Hero selected by the beings of the Divine Realm, what would happen if I obtained another Hero��s Stone within the World Tree Secret Realm?��


    ��Please don��t worry,�� Tricia did not become angry due to his disrespectful gaze, but said with a light smile, ��The Hero��s Stone cannot override your class, but it will transform into magic power and enter your body. Please try to obtain as many Hero��s Stones as possible to strengthen yourself.��


    ��I see.��


    Lin Da nodded his head and then somewhat sheepishly said, ��Is it possible for you to lend me more assistance? As a Chosen Hero, my current power feels quite inadequate to confront the Demon King.��


    ��Chosen Hero�� are you, asking me for help?��


    Tricia��s surprise was evident as her mouth opened slightly; she hadn��t expected this Hero to be so greedy.


    Having received a skill of exceptional caliber like ��Blessing of the World Tree Goddess�� and still not satisfied, he was asking for more from her.


    ��I am sorry, Chosen Hero, but I cannot grant you any more power.��


    ��According to the rules between planes, the predetermined ten thousand Hero��s Stones are already the greatest assistance I can offer to this world. All I can do is watch silently and bless you as you seek to reach the deepest part of the World Tree.��


    ��Is that so.��


    Lin Da felt a tinge of regret and after thinking for a moment, said, ��How about this? I happen to have a Goddess on my side, could I trade her with you?��


    ��I believe that your assistance in the battle against the Demon King would be greater than hers.��


    ��Eh��?��


    Tricia blinked, remaining speechless for a while, emitting an embarrassed sound from her throat.


    ��Chosen Hero, that won��t do.��


    For the first time in millennia, Tricia, as the will of the world, felt a disturbance in her calm emotions.


    ��I can��t trade?�� Lin Da said with disappointment, ��Then, I have another question I hope to have answered.��


    Lin Da��s expression grew serious.


    ��Could you tell me the whereabouts of my sister, Lin Xi?��


    This was his true objective.


    With his sister Lin Xi missing inside the World Tree, it seemed only logical that Tricia, as the World Tree Goddess, would know something.


    However, the other party fell silent for a moment.


    ��Although I cannot answer your question, what I can tell you is that on the fourth layer of the World Tree, you will find the answer you seek.��


    ��Please show your abilities and conquer the World Tree Secret Realm as soon as possible.��


    The figure and voice of Tricia became more and more faint, eventually disappearing with a breeze.


    Lin Da��s consciousness also returned to his body located in the halls of the Adventurer��s Guild.


    The voice of the World Tree Goddess echoed in his mind, his heart pounding wildly.


    Just as he suspected, the fourth layer of the Secret Realm indeed held clues about his sister��s disappearance.


    The long-sought answer, seemingly within reach after three years of painstaking search, stirred excitement in Lin Da.


    Having learned both his sister��s possible location and the purpose of the Hero��s Stone from this conversation, Lin Da��s goal had been achieved.


    ��`


    His spirits lifted considerably, he was full of anticipation to form a team and return to the day when they would revisit the World Tree.


    Just as he was about to leave the statue, Tricia��s voice rang out in his ear again:


    [Chosen Hero, there is one thing I forgot to remind you. Remember, do not let anyone know the identity of the Chosen Hero, otherwise, it will be detrimental to you.]


    ��I understand,��


    Lin Da replied in his mind.


    Among those Magical Creatures from the Demon Realm, there were many skilled in hypnosis and interrogating souls with evil methods.


    Even if the secret of the Chosen Hero were told only to those he trusted the most, there was still a risk of exposure.


    Therefore, concealing his identity was the safest option for him.


    After waiting for a moment, Tricia��s voice did not sound again��she must have left.


    Lin Da returned to Kafni��s side with the hot water.


    The other gazed at him with a deep look: ��Where did you go?��


    ��Fetching hot water,�� Lin Da panicked for no reason, feeling a chill at the back of his neck.


    ��You��re hiding something from me; you met with that guy, didn��t you?�� Kafni pointed at the World Tree Goddess��s statue and said indignantly, ��Have you made clear your stance, why does the hero I chose go to pray to another? You should be praying to this Goddess!��


    Thankfully, it was late at night with few people around, and even if someone heard, they took Kafni��s words for drunken ramblings.


    Lin Da hurriedly poured the hot water down her throat, to stop Kafni��s mouth.


    Spilled liquid trickled down Kafni��s pure white neck and into her cleavage. Drunk as she was, she remained completely oblivious to her disheveled appearance and partly exposed snowy white shoulder.


    ��Pray, pray at home. What if spies from the Demon Realm spot us here?��


    Lin Da, sweating profusely, hoisted the tipsy Kafni onto his back.


    ��


    By the time they returned to the rental house, it was 1 AM.


    Lin Da dumped Kafni, who was limp as mud, onto the couch.


    This girl, she should recover after a night��s sleep, he thought.


    He hoped she wouldn��t drag him down during tomorrow��s fight against Magical Creatures.


    Lin Da sighed softly.


    When he got to bed, he found his mind active and alert, unable to sleep.


    Perhaps it was too much anticipation for the morrow,


    he simply sat up and began his meditation.


    He��d claim his ��guaranteed Experience Points�� for the day first.


    Come to think of it, this was his first time cultivating since leaving the group��


    Having experienced leveling up the Healer to level 15, Lin Da found this time easier.


    Knowledge about cultivation flashed through his mind:


    Absorb the Magic Energy Group from the air into the body, refine it, and then channel it into the core within the spiritual world, bit by bit strengthening its power.


    This was the foundation of all adventurers, whether Battle Qi or Magic Power, both were carried by the core.


    Lin Da closed his eyes, focussing inward. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gradually, he arrived in a pitch-black spiritual world.


    Looking up, he saw a lonely, diamond-shaped verdant core hanging in the sky.


    Using the core as an ��eye,�� a monstrous ouroboros, colossal as mountains and beasts, was coiled in phantom.


    As Lin Da��s body operated the Meditation Method, a dim star lit up around the core��the ��eye�� of the ouroboros.


    This was Lin Da��s Class Totem.


    A behemoth symbolizing strength and wisdom, Ouroboros.


    In the Mystic Continent, every profession has its own symbolic totem and a corresponding Star Map within the spiritual world.


    When an adventurer gains a level, an additional star lights up around the core.

 Chapter 42 - 42: 42. Setting Out, Magical Creatures Subjugation

    Chapter 42: 42. Setting Out, Magical Creatures Subjugation


    All one hundred stars light up, and the Class Totem will break through the dark starry sky, granting the adventurer their full strength.


    Lin Da continuously absorbed the Magic Energy Group into his body for refinement, and his Experience Points slowly crawled up the progress bar like a snail.


    Half an hour passed, and a sense of fatigue set in. Lin Da��s body had reached its limit for today and could not refine any more Magic Power.


    He opened his eyes and checked his personal panel.


    There was a system message: [Diligently cultivated for half an hour, Experience Points +1].


    From level 0 to level 1, a total of 10 Experience Points are needed.


    ...


    At this rate, even without farming monsters, reaching level 1 in just 10 days is possible.


    According to Lin Da��s understanding of this world, it takes a normal adventurer one month to go from level 0 to level 1.


    His talent, after switching to the Healing Hero class, had also been elevated.


    Lin Da closed his personal panel, satisfied.


    Lying on the bed, he closed his eyes, conserving energy for tomorrow��s subjugation of the Magical Creatures.


    ��


    Early morning.


    ��Ouch, ouch, ouch��!��


    Kafni fell off the sofa with a thud.


    She hit her head and burst into tears from the pain.


    It seemed that last night��s Wheat Beer hadn��t fully digested.


    With a pallid complexion, she made her way to the bathroom and saw her disheveled blonde hair and lifeless eyes in the mirror, with a bruise on her thigh.


    ��What happened last night?


    Her memory was fragmented, with a bit of pain. There was a bruise on her thigh, seemingly pinched.


    Her heart skipped a beat, as if falling into an abyss!


    Terrible, awful images flashed through Kafni��s mind.


    A hero with an evil smile, leaving bruises on her body!


    ��Damn it!��


    Kafni��s face turned pale, and she quickly examined herself.


    After ensuring everything was intact, she slumped down on the toilet seat.


    ��What are you doing?��


    Lin Da had also awoken and, rubbing his sleepy eyes, came to the bathroom.


    Kafni gave a dry laugh: ��Nothing. Oh, right, my leg bruise, what happened?��


    ��I had to carry you all the way back last night, how could I move you without holding on tight?��


    ��I see����


    Kafni awkwardly scratched her head, thinking she had misunderstood Lin Da��s noble character. If Lin Da had had any ill-intentions, it would have happened on the first day when she was dead asleep, not now.


    She glanced at Lin Da and noticed the dark circles under his eyes, curiously asking, ��Insomnia? Can��t you sleep well even in a bed? Wait, wasn��t it agreed that I, the Deity, would sleep in the bed for the next month? Why was I on the sofa?��


    ��Uh, definitely next time.��


    After Lin Da finished washing up, he hurried out of the bathroom, only to hear Kafni loudly complaining inside about wanting to change her hero.


    He sat on the living room sofa, rubbing his aching temples.


    Kafni��s noisy voice echoed in his ears.


    In his head still lingered last night��s nightmare.


    Lin Da hadn��t slept well because he dreamed a bizarre yet vivid dream.


    He dreamed that the game characters he had discarded as trash because they were not needed for the endgame of Mystic Continent had jumped out of the screen and tormented him, their former leader, in his dreams.


    Werewolves, Snake Women, a big-hearted big sister, a shy introverted girl with pure black tights��


    This terrible dream woke him up and kept him from getting a good night��s sleep.


    Lin Da had been worried about encountering his own created video game characters when he first arrived in this world.


    However, after making inquiries, he found no trace of a team called ��Rookie Adventurer Team.��


    So he let the matter rest.


    Lin Da opened the window, slapped his cheeks, and fastened his belt hung with Magic Potions, ready to face the day anew.


    ��


    After Kafni finished washing up, the two went downstairs for breakfast, then to the general store to buy a set of Leather Armor.


    Combined with the weapons purchased last night, a total of five Gold Coins were spent.


    Lin Da��s attributes received a certain boost after equipping the armor.


    He opened his personal interface.


    In the equipment section of the page, there was a human-shaped silhouette.


    On the Mystic Continent, all characters are equipped with six equipment slots: head, chest, legs, weapon, and two pieces of jewelry.


    Equipment qualities vary, which accordingly leads to different attribute boosts, ranging from low to high as follows:


    Grey low-quality.


    White common.


    Green fine.


    Blue rare.


    Purple rare.


    Orange precious.


    Red epic.


    Gold legendary.


    Even the strongest adventurer can��t do without powerful equipment for support.


    Lin Da only had two pieces of equipment at the moment. He clicked on the chest part of the human silhouette, and a rectangular interface popped up, displaying:


    [Name: Boringly Crafted Leather Armor]


    [Type: Equipment �C Chest]


    [Quality: White Common]


    [Level: 0]


    [Attribute Points: Defensive Power +1, Hit Points +80, Agility -1]


    [Equipment Score: 10, just barely usable scrap leather armor]


    It really was a piece of junk that even reduced Agility by 1.


    Lin Da thought helplessly.


    That��s how common-quality equipment is, its only saving grace being its cheap price.


    Don��t even think about attributes.


    The second piece of equipment was the long sword he bought last night.


    [Name: Rusty Long Sword Fit Only to Prop up a Table]


    [Type: Equipment �C Weapon �C One-Handed Sword] sea??h th�� novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Quality: White Common]


    [Level: 0]


    [Attribute Points: Strength +10, Agility -1]


    [Equipment Score: 7, it��s rusty, but more than enough to cut through cotton]


    Lin Da��s face twitched, and he immediately closed his personal panel.


    Once he earned some Gold Coins, he��d have to buy at least a blue rare-quality piece of equipment.


    The only consolation was that with this ��Rusty Long Sword for Cutting Cotton��, his Strength attribute when attacking reached 23, and considering that the Hit Points of an equal-level Slime were around 20, he could basically take them down with one stroke.


    ��How are your attribute points?�� Lin Da glanced at Kafni, whose face was a shade of bitter, and inquired.


    Kafni did not have a personal panel, but as a deity, she could assess the strength of the Magic Power within her body and summarize it numerically.


    ��With the short sword equipped, my Strength is roughly 13���� Kafni said in a weak voice.


    ��Isn��t that too low?��


    Lin Da held his forehead in a headache and gave up on counting on Kafni for offensive output.


    The thief class was truly weak in the early stages.


    ��


    Before hunting Magical Creatures, the two made a trip to the Adventurer��s Guild first.


    If there was a suitable task, they could tackle it together while grinding monsters.


    Lin Da squeezed his way through the throng outside and looked at the huge bulletin board plastered with various task scrolls.


    [Rock Level Task: A three-headed lizard has appeared in the northwest at Yotan Town, estimated level 20-25, slay it, dead or alive, reward 3000 Gold]


    [Novice Level Task: Harvest 100 Breeze Mushrooms from Gentle Breeze Wetland, reward 500 Gold]


    [Apprentice Level Task: Capture a Thunder Slime and compensation will be given according to its vitality, 1-100 Gold.]


    The level of all tasks corresponds to adventure teams of the same level, rock level tasks are generally recommended for members of a rock-level adventure team to take on.


    Lin Da rested his chin on his hand, his gaze ponderous as he looked toward the bottom. Considering his and Kafni��s current strength, the most suitable task for them was the Apprentice Level task, capturing a Thunder Slime.

 Chapter 43 - 43: 43. Slay a family of three Magical Creatures

    Chapter 43: 43. Slay a family of three Magical Creatures


    Ordinary slimes appear blue, a water series, and it is only when they are struck by lightning on a rainy day that they might transform into Thunder Slimes, a rare sight in the wilderness.


    ��May the World Tree Goddess��s blessings protect me in reality as well,�� Lin Da thought to himself.


    He took the Thunder Slime��s task scroll off the notice board.


    It is worth mentioning that this task was of a ��public�� type. Even if Lin Da accepted it, other adventurers could still accept it too. Whoever completed it first would receive the reward from the employer.


    It depended on both luck and speed, making it one of the less favorable types of missions.


    The advantage, however, was the high reward, which could go up to 100 Gold Coins.


    ...


    Lin Da took the scroll to register the task.


    During the process, he saw a stack of leaflets next to the counter, picked them up for a look, and curiously asked the staff, ��Can anyone register for this?��


    ��Mhm, but only single adventurers.��


    ��Then please register me for it.��


    ��


    Kafni had been waiting outside for quite a while before she saw Lin Da come out.


    ��How can registering for a task take longer than taking a shit?�� Kafni complained. S��arch* The n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da smiled without explaining.


    He had accepted a total of two tasks, and the other, if luck was on his side, could net him an easy 300 Gold Coins.


    But he didn��t hold out much hope; it was just something he did on the side. His main objective for the day was still to hunt slimes.


    Lin Da hailed a carriage on the street, paid one silver coin as the fare, and set off with Kafni to the wilderness of White Dove City.


    Half an hour later, the majestic city walls gradually came into view.


    Like an endless earth dragon, they encircled White Dove City, which was centered around the World Tree, forming a circle.


    The walls stood fifty meters high, and the brown, mottled walls were filled with the weight of the years. Huge Magic Circles operated day and night, the terrifying aura they emitted enough to deter most Magical Creatures.


    Looking at those giant walls that stood tall like giants, Lin Da couldn��t help but think of the background setting for the Mystic Continent.


    Starting a thousand years ago, the seal on the Demon Realm began to loosen, and an increasing number of Magical Creatures came to the Mystic Continent through the cracks.


    They adapted to the environment here at an unbelievable speed and reproduced wildly.


    Before the adventurers could react, the creatures had already taken over half of the continent.


    Even after numerous large-scale expeditions, the Magical Creatures always found ways to hide like flies and mosquitoes.


    Just when the adventurers had a chance to breathe and looked back, they were horrified to find that, like crops that could not be fully harvested, a new batch of creatures had sprung up!


    The terrifying rate of reproduction and ever-growing strength added increasing pressure on the adventurers.


    Luckily, as a starting point for new players in the game, White Dove City was considered a relatively safe area.


    Lin Da spread out a prepared map in the carriage.


    Their destination was the Barren Plains to the south of the Scorching Gorge.


    The area was primarily inhabited by slimes and blood-sucking mosquitoes, all low-level Magical Beasts ranging from levels 0 to 3, perfect for practice.


    Near the city gate, many adventurers lined up, exiting the city one after another.


    A burly coachman greeted Lin Da, ��Young man, care for a ride? First ride of the day, I��ll give you a 20% discount!��


    The carriage Lin Da was currently in only provided service within the city, and coachmen with the ability to drive in the wilderness were all high-level adventurers.


    ��To the Barren Plains, what��s the price?��


    ��Flat rate, two Gold Coins!�� the coachman said cheerfully.


    Two Gold Coins was enough for an ordinary person��s everyday expenses for two months.


    Although it pained Lin Da, he said nothing.


    Such is the life of an adventurer; money flows like water.


    As soon as you venture into the wilderness or Mystic Realms, everything costs more than ten times as much.


    ��


    An hour later, the carriage arrived at its destination.


    The wind blew across the wilderness, causing the bushes to sway gently.


    Before their eyes was a world of earthy yellow, indescribably desolate.


    ��Good luck to you!��


    The coachman set Lin Da and his companion down from the carriage, and then drove away.


    ��Is this the Barren Plains? Why don��t I see any Magical Creatures?��


    Kafni looked around, only to see the uneven ground everywhere, with an occasional bush or a drought-resistant tree that was still stubbornly growing.


    ��Observe carefully. Slimes are a very timid type of Magical Creatures. When adventurers enter their territory, they��ll hide immediately.��


    Lin Da gripped his one-handed sword, his gaze fixed behind a drought-resistant tree.


    He moved stealthily, holding his breath, and approached step by step.


    When he got within one meter, he clearly saw it, the blue gelatinous mass hiding behind the drought-resistant tree.


    Lin Da dashed forward, raising his one-handed sword fiercely towards a round, basin-sized blue sphere!


    Slash!


    A strength of 23 points fell upon the fragile body of the Slime.


    ��Ying ying!��


    A cry of anguish emanated from the body of the Slime, and before it could feel more pain, its body was already torn apart by Lin Da��s sword.


    A prompt appeared in the system��s message bar:


    [You��ve slain a Level 0 water series Slime, obtaining 1 Mystical Point!]


    With the help of system abilities, Lin Da could obtain Mystical Points after killing creatures.


    And Mystical Points could be exchanged for Experience Points at an equal ratio, or used to improve personal cultivation talents, skills proficiency, and more.


    Lin Da did not hesitate to convert it to Experience Points.


    [You��ve used 1 Mystical Point, obtaining 1 Experience Point!]


    The original 1/10 of the experience bar quickly became 2/10.


    At the same time, in the Star Map of his spiritual world, there seemed to be an increase in the luminescence of the Stars surrounding the core.


    A slight smile appeared on Lin Da��s lips, the experience point system was indeed powerful, he had practiced to the point of saturation last night and just added 1 point of experience, and now a casual swing of his sword netted him 1 experience point.


    The speed of leveling, sky and earth apart.


    Ying ying, ying ying ying!


    At his feet, two palm-sized blue Slimes scattered and fled, the larger Slime he just killed seemed to be their parent.


    ��Magical Creatures, die, mighty warrior!��


    Lin Da showed no mercy.


    This tiny Slime, disrupting crops and gnawing at the mud under houses, would even jump onto ordinary people��s heads, smothering them to death �C it was a pest like locusts and a despicable Magical Creature.


    A flash of silver, the rusted one-handed sword, the sword moved like a dragon!


    [You��ve slain 2 juvenile Slimes, obtaining 1 Mystical Point!]


    After dealing with them, Lin Da��s gaze, sharp as a hawk��s, caught more shapes of Slimes among the bushes.


    Where these creatures passed, they were bound to leave behind faint damp traces.


    He shared this key clue with Kafni, asking her to help him look for them.


    Once found, she was to immediately notify him.


    It was his responsibility to slay them, to gain Experience Points!


    In other words, Kafni��s greatest use was to help him find Slimes. As a Summoned Beast, this Deity��s level was linked to his, no need for training. As long as he levelled up, Kafni would level up too.

 Chapter 44 - 44: Attack Skill: Venom Magic Sphere

    Chapter 44: Attack Skill: Venom Magic Sphere


    This annoyed Lin Da, yet he felt fortunate about it as well, otherwise, given the deity��s lazy nature, Da himself might have reached level 100 while Kafni was still loitering at level 10.


    ��Lin Da, come quick, this slime, it��s huge!��


    Kafni��s excited cry came from behind.


    Lin Da hurried over.


    In a small pit half a meter deep, there lay a blue, chubby slime as big as a calf!


    Its eyes, small like grains of rice, were tightly shut, deep in sleep.


    ...


    Within its nearly transparent body, Lin Da saw a blue stone.


    He rejoiced in his heart��it was a demon core!


    Demon cores, only present in stronger magical creatures, are organs that store magic power.


    Demon cores are extremely useful; the day-to-day training of adventurers, crafting magical equipment, career advancement, constructing arrays, and so forth, all require demon cores.


    This item could even be used as currency.


    Lin Da thought to himself: A slime possessing a demon core must be at least level 3, while he was currently only level 0; he needed to be extra cautious.


    The elite slime slept soundly, completely unaware.


    Lin Da descended into the pit and approached successfully.


    He held his one-handed sword in a reverse grip, aiming right at the center of the slime.


    His waist and abdomen tensed and he thrust the fierce sword towards the slime!


    Just then��


    ��Ying!!!��


    The elite slime instinctively sensed the danger and suddenly opened its eyes.


    Seeing Lin Da with the sword, the creature erupted in anger, its round body split gelatinous tentacles from both sides.


    The slime��s exclusive skill: Slime Whip!


    Upon being attacked, a red number appeared above Lin Da��s head: -50.


    His arms were whipped by the slime, causing some pain, but not much.


    Lin Da��s initial defense attributes were as high as 12, with an additional 1 point from leather armor.


    After withstanding the slime��s whip, his hit points remained at 230, which was quite healthy.


    Lin Da knew he was an anomaly in terms of stats, which is why he chose to approach the elite slime directly. However, if it were a typical level 0 adventurer today, this one strike of the slime��s whip could have taken away half of their hit points!


    Engaging any magical creature always involves some risk!


    He endured the slime��s whip and thrust his one-handed sword relentlessly, penetrating the slime thoroughly.


    The legendary skill ��Eye of Truth�� activated, allowing him to see all the damage numbers.


    A bright red -300 popped up from the top of the elite slime��s head!


    Because it was a fatal wound, a fatal strike was dealt!


    The system popped up a message: [You have killed a level 3 water series elite slime and earned 10 mystical points.]


    Lin Da managed the kill without much danger, excitedly glanced at the system message, and saw killing a level 3 slime had directly earned him 10 mystical points, enough to level up on the spot.


    He extracted the slime��s demon core and placed it on the hooked belt at his waist then opened the system panel, converting all 11 mystical points into experience points.


    With a bang,


    a beam of golden light descended from the sky, landing on Lin Da��s head.


    Within his spiritual world��s star map, the first star was fully lit, standing guard like a sentry around the core source.


    Lin Da clearly felt his strength and various attributes improve!


    The system message area scrolled continuously as his level rose in an instant.


    [Your level has been increased to 1]


    [Strength+13, Magic Power+13, Defense+2, Magic Defense+3, Agility+2, Hit Points+200]


    [Next Level Experience Points: 0/20]


    As Lin Da looked at the vast number of attribute enhancement numbers, he couldn��t help but feel excited. Except for the rarest dual defense attributes, the rest had nearly doubled the panel of a level 0 Healing Hero.


    This showed the importance of initial attributes.


    An initial strength of 3, when moving from level 0 to level 1, would at most increase by 2-4, not possibly reaching a +13 strength.


    Lin Da had merely killed a few slimes, and his combat power had doubled.


    With boundless motivation, he clenched his fists, thinking that today he must kill 100 slimes to drastically increase his level!


    On the other side, Kafni seeing the golden light of leveling up fall upon his head, was a bit incredulous, ��You��re leveling up this fast?��


    After being stunned for a while, Kafni seemed to realize something and laughed heartily with hands on hips, ��As expected of the hero chosen by this Deity, well done hahaha!��


    As it turned out, as Lin Da leveled up, Kafni, who was attached as an accessory, also upgraded from a level 0 thief to level 1.


    This feeling of effortless gains was very comfortable for Kafni.


    After leveling up, Lin Da did not rush to hunt the next slime.


    ��Keep an eye on the surroundings, I need to rest for a while.��


    Lin Da used resting as a pretext to sit down cross-legged on the spot.


    In the system prompt, he had gained 1 skill point.


    Finally, he could have attack skills and not rely on normal attacks!


    Lin Da opened the system panel �C Skill Tree page.


    There were three skill trees, with the green Recovery Series as the main one.


    The right side was pitch black, the Witch Series yet to be unlocked.


    The left side was the purple Poison Technique Series.


    Lin Da was interested in the Poison Technique Series.


    He mentally clicked on the first layer��s skill slot.


    Initially sealed with two X-shaped chains, as the skill point was injected, it seemed like he could hear chains rattling and the sound of sealed gates opening.


    Purple light illuminated on the skill slot.


    It depicted a pale hand with the palm facing forward, releasing a purple magic sphere from its center.


    A message popped up: [You have mastered the Poison Technique Skill: Venom Magic Sphere!]


    [Skill: Venom Magic Sphere]


    [Quality: Purple Rare]


    [Type: Common Skill]


    [Consumption: Minor]


    [Proficiency: lv1, Beginner]


    [Effect: Fires a Venom Magic Sphere straight ahead, moderate flight speed, inflicts high damage per second to the hit target, duration five seconds, stackable for 0 layers]


    A new skill appeared in his personal panel. After reading the description of the skill, Lin Da showed great delight.


    The skill description of this [Venom Magic Sphere] mentioned ��high damage��, which generally means 2-4 times the adventurer��s magic attributes.


    Its strength lies in the fact that once it hits the target, it can deal damage every second for five seconds!


    Compared to the Mage��s [Fireball Technique], which also described as high damage, the single shot damage of Fireball Technique might be slightly higher, but the Venom Magic Sphere can damage over five seconds, making the total output far surpass that of the Fireball Technique.


    The magic consumption of Venom Magic Sphere was also very good, classified as ��minor consumption��. This type of spell could be cast about ten times in full magic power.


    The third powerful aspect of this skill is that it can ��stack 0 layers�� as described. The current description might sound a bit funny, as 0 layers doesn��t differentiate it from not stacking at all.


    But it��s important to note that the current proficiency of Venom Magic Sphere is just lv1 beginner.


    Once Lin Da increases the proficiency, the layers it can stack will definitely not be zero.


    By then, he could almost just throw one Venom Magic Sphere and then do nothing but wait for the Magical Creatures to continuously lose hit points until they die.


    Its main feature is not a high initial burst, but altogether a disgustingly high total output! Sear?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 45 - 45: Venom Magic Sphere, the Initial Demonstration of Divine Power

    Chapter 45: Venom Magic Sphere, the Initial Demonstration of Divine Power


    Lin Da felt as if he had returned to the happiest days of pioneering in his previous life��s game.


    He held the warm new skill in his arms, eager to find a Magical Creature to try it out on.


    ��Kafni, I��m ready��let��s find our next target!��


    Lin Da had just stood up when he heard a buzzing wing flapping sound approaching from behind.


    A Magical Creature? Perfect, he was worried he wouldn��t find something to test his skill on!


    Lin Da reacted swiftly, turning around with his swords in both hands, assuming a battle stance.


    ...


    What flew towards him was a giant mosquito the size of a washbasin, its sharp mouthparts like steel needles, and its body gray.


    A Magical Creature, a Blood-sucking Mosquito!


    Their levels ranged from 0-4, with an adult body length of up to twenty centimeters, fearing the Fire and Grass Systems.


    They were timid in nature, preferring to sneak up on adventurers and stab their necks with their mouthparts.


    A stream of information flashed through Lin Da��s mind.


    Given the huge size of this Blood-sucking Mosquito, it was probably an elite among its species, having reached the highest level of 4!


    ��Stealing, Stealing, Stealing!��


    Kafni hid behind Lin Da, continuously releasing skills with her right hand.


    But the level gap with the Blood-sucking Mosquito was too big, and every attempt ended in failure.


    Fear flashed in Kafni��s eyes, and she tugged at Lin Da��s clothes, saying, ��Even a hero knows when it��s time to retreat.��


    ��Retreat?��


    This giant Blood-sucking Mosquito was clearly not something the two of them at level 1 could handle.


    Once its sharp mouthparts pierced into their bodies, it would cause them to lose too much blood in an instant, falling unconscious, leaving them at its mercy.


    Handling that Elite Slime had required a sneak attack by Lin Da, not to mention this ��Racial Attribute Value�� crushing Slime reaching level 4 Elite Blood-sucking Mosquito.


    ��If it had been one minute ago, indeed it would have been so.��


    ��But now it��s different�� Go, Venom Magic Sphere!��


    Lin Da did not panic; he stretched out his hand forward.


    The magic circuit inside his body operated, and a purple glow rapidly converged in the palm of his hand.


    The next moment, a fist-sized, purple, ominous aura radiating magic sphere shot out and struck the head of the Elite Blood-sucking Mosquito!


    It reacted violently as if hot oil had hit a pan. The creature began to thrash and twist around, flying in circles like a headless fly, emitting a harsh, strident noise from its mouthpart.


    A purple -42 popped up above the head of the Blood-sucking Mosquito.


    After a second, another -45, -47, -40, -49��


    After five seconds, the Blood-sucking Mosquito had lost a total of over 200 health points!


    For a Magical Creature of this level, the health points were around 400.


    Lin Da timed it perfectly, hitting it with another Venom Magic Sphere, then he and Kafni waited at a safe distance of five meters.


    The poisoned Blood-sucking Mosquito went from energetically bumping around to limply rolling on the ground.


    As the last damage number popped up, the large mosquito��s wings flickered weakly a couple of times before it went silent.


    Level 4 Magical Creature, Blood-sucking Mosquito.


    Kill successful!


    Kafni was dumbfounded, looking back and forth between the corpse of the Blood-sucking Mosquito and the composed Lin Da: ��When did you become so powerful?��


    ��I��m a bit surprised myself,��


    Lin Da exclaimed.


    A Venom Magic Sphere dealt over 200 total damage.


    Here he was at level 1, and it only took him two hits to kill a level 4 Magical Creature.


    Even Aiko from the Holy Light Church, at this level, would need to cast four Light Arrow Techniques to manage the same.


    It just goes to show that skills from a Legendary skill tree are incredibly handy.


    Lin Da speculated in his mind that if he were to use Fireball Technique, which was at the same level as Venom Magic Sphere, on the Blood-sucking Mosquito without the factor of a Fire Series weakness, it would probably deal around 70 damage.


    The magic power consumption of Fireball Technique was not less than that of Venom Magic Sphere, but the total damage of the latter was three times that of the former.


    If both spells were improved to the fully proficient level 5, the gap would continue to widen, reaching 10 times, 20 times, potentially even more.


    If there was a downside, it was that it was slow; it took 10 seconds to deplete the Blood-sucking Mosquito��s health points. If using Fireball Technique or Light Arrow Technique with fast enough casting speed, it could be done in 1 second per cast, resolving the situation in 4 seconds.


    However, that kind of magic power consumption was quite significant, similar to putting all one��s effort into a dash, which quickly weakened them, while the slow collision of the Venom Magic Sphere could be maintained for a long time.


    This drawback could be left to a teammate with explosive skills to handle, Lin Da could throw a poison without care, which was perfect to free his mind to direct his teammates, and the compatibility with his skills was extremely high.


    Afterwards, he opened the system and found the following notification in the message bar:


    [Killed a level 4 Elite Blood-sucking Mosquito, earned 20 Mystical Points]


    ��I can level up again����


    Lin Da��s eyes lit up with joy.


    He clicked on the personal interface and exchanged all the Mystical Points for Experience Points.


    [Your level has been raised to 2!]


    [Strength +14, Magic Power +14, Defense +2, Magic Defense +4, Agility +2, Hit Points +200]


    [Next level Experience Points: 0/50]


    [You have earned 1 Skill Point]


    Having received a new Skill Point, Lin Da eagerly opened the Poison Technique Series Skill Tree. In the first row, there were two skills. Skills in the second row required reaching level 5 before they could be learned.


    The existing Skill Points could be used to upgrade [Venom Magic Sphere], raising its proficiency from lv1 to lv2.


    But at that moment, he was more eager to learn a new skill.


    Lin Da clicked to learn, Skill Points -1, the lock on the new skill loosened.


    A purple light shone brightly!


    The icon on this skill slot showed a Mage in a black robe stretching out both hands forward, a purple array glowing, and from it, a jet of water like that from a firefighter��s hose was shooting out.


    In the background, a group of green-skinned Goblins were frantically running away, one of which was hit by the jet, its beast-hide pants corroded away by most, comically revealing its green buttocks.


    [System Notification: You have mastered the Poison Technique Series Skill ��Venom Eruption��!]


    [Skill Name: Venom Eruption]


    [Quality: Purple Rare]


    [Type: Common Skill]


    [Consumption: Medium]


    [Proficiency: lv1 Beginner]


    [Effect: Sprays a fan-shaped area of venom straight ahead, causing ��higher damage�� to those hit, then inflicts a poison status, dealing ��slight damage�� every second, lasting for three seconds]


    After reading the skill description, Lin Da nodded in satisfaction. It was a large-area attack skill, perfectly complementing the single-target Venom Magic Sphere.


    Now he had means to deal with groups of monsters.


    With [Venom Eruption], he now had a total of four active skills.


    They were:


    [Primary Healing Spell]


    [Witch Purification]


    [Venom Magic Sphere]


    [Venom Eruption]


    For a level 2 adventurer, that was quite a few skills.


    Lin Da closed the system interface and walked over to the Blood-sucking Mosquito to collect the spoils of battle.


    The most valuable parts of the Blood-sucking Mosquito were the Demon Core, and its needle-like mouthpiece.


    Glancing at the corpse, the method of dissecting a Blood-sucking Mosquito emerged in Lin Da��s mind.


    The correct cutting technique was time-efficient and labor-saving, allowing him to completely extract the Magical Creature��s organs.


    Collecting the spoils was akin to a precise small-scale surgery.


    Kafni handed him the knife and squatted on the side, curiously watching. S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yet she also found the Blood-sucking Mosquito too smelly and covered her nose.


    She didn��t look the least bit like an adventurer; to the unaware, she might seem as if she was out on a picnic.


    Lin Da couldn��t help but recall his past self and the Young Ladies of the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    When they came into the wild to subdue Magical Creatures, it was basically him working alone while the others chatted on the side.


    If he continued this way, it might not be good, fearing that he might end up cultivating Kafni into a Young Lady as well?

 Chapter 46 - 46: 46. Lin Das Horrific Injury

    Chapter 46: 46. Lin Da��s Horrific Injury


    ��Hey, get over here,�� Lin Da said with a cold face, ��The mouthparts and demon core of the blood-sucking mosquito are valuable items, dig them out for me intact.��


    Kafni was taken aback, and annoyed, she said, ��Why should I listen to you, a deity? Shouldn��t this dirty and tiring job be done by a brave one? It was out of great kindness that I deigned to descend and assist the adventurer.��


    ��You won��t do it, huh? Fine.��


    ��Venom Magic Sphere, go!��


    Lin Da fired a purplish magic sphere that landed right between Kafni��s legs.


    The nearby weeds instantly dissolved into liquid.


    ...


    Kafni turned deathly pale.


    If the magic sphere had been just a bit higher, it would have been her end.


    ��Will you do it?�� Lin Da asked with a benevolent smile.


    ��I will,�� Kafni gritted her teeth.


    With a face full of reluctance, she stood up, covered her nose, took the dagger from Lin Da��s hand, and �C under his instructions �C performed ��dissection surgery�� on the blood-sucking mosquito, managing to extract its mouthparts.


    While searching for the demon core in the mosquito��s head, Kafni almost vomited due to the sticky mess. She looked to Lin Da for help several times with a bitter expression, but he rejected her with a cold glare every time.


    ��I should just find another adventurer, sigh!��


    Kafni complained to herself as she fiddled with the dagger and extracted a dull gray crystal, which looked like a seed, from the mosquito��s head.


    ��The blood-sucking mosquito, a poison magic core, is slightly more expensive than those from the ordinary series.��


    Lin Da took the magic core, rolled it on the ground to wipe away the unidentified substance, and pocketed it.


    The level 3 Slime water elemental magic core they had obtained earlier could sell for 3 silver coins, whereas this level 4 Poison blood-sucking mosquito demon core was worth around 1 Gold Coin.


    For comparison, a commoner��s monthly income for labor in the city was also about 1 Gold Coin.


    This goes to show that adventurers really do make quick money.


    After dealing with the blood-sucking mosquito, Lin Da and Kafni continued to search for Magical Creatures.


    In a cave on a small hillside, they found four Black Armored Scorpions about twenty centimeters long.


    Raising their large claws and tail stingers that flashed with cold light, the Black Armored Scorpions lined up as if they were cavalry advancing with lances raised!


    They charged at the two with an overwhelming, breath-stopping pressure!


    Facing the rapidly charging Black Armored Scorpions, Lin Da was calm and collected. His experiences as a level 15 Healer made him well-accustomed to battle. Adventurers who became more nervous facing a Magical Creatures�� charge were the likeliest to perish.


    He connected with the source kernel via his mind; two stars in the night sky suddenly brightened, transmitting magic power into his body.


    Lin Da��s internal magic circuits whirred into action, and with his right hand extended forward, a small purple Magic Circle formed in the blink of an eye.


    As a transmigrator whose aptitude for cultivation was nothing extraordinary, Lin Da seemed to have all his talent points invested in chant speed.


    The speed at which he cast spells could even rival Aiko, who came from the Holy Light Church.


    ��Venom Eruption!��


    Hisss!


    From within the Magic Circle, a purple fan-shaped burst jetted out!


    The cave was very narrow, leaving no room for the Black Armored Scorpions to dodge; they were hit full on by the Venom Eruption.


    ��Hiss hiss hiss!��


    Instantly, a ��-71�� popped up above the heads of the Black Armored Scorpions.


    Their carapaces corroded, and their movement speed was severely slowed.


    Every second, a ��-20�� appeared above them, visibly occurring three times, for a total loss of 60 hit points.


    Adding that to the initial 71, each Black Armored Scorpion suffered around 130 damage.


    In other words, a single Venom Eruption dealt a total damage of 520!


    The average damage was slightly less than that of the Venom Magic Sphere, but its wide range made it effective for clearing out small fry Magical Creatures.


    Lin Da rapidly calculated in his heart, the Black Armored Scorpions were level 4, he estimated their health points to be between 400 to 500, a single Venom Eruption wouldn��t be able to kill them.


    So, he blocked the entrance, waiting for the five Black Armored Scorpions to rally. Just as they were about to reach him, the purple Magic Circle lit up again, ��Venom Eruption!��


    Under the powerful impact, the Black Armored Scorpions were sent tumbling back to the deepest part of the cave as if hit by a massive force.


    Wherever the Venom Eruption passed, not a blade of grass remained; the rock walls corroded as if splashed with sulfuric acid, a sight too ghastly to endure!


    Despite being severely injured, the Black Armored Scorpions did not flee. These magical creatures were notorious for their violent temper, attacking any adventurer they saw.


    After regaining their footing on the ground, they collectively launched an attack on Lin Da.


    ��Venom Eruption!��


    Lin Da switched into repeat mode!


    After the third Venom Eruption, the carapace of the Black Armored Scorpions was corroded beyond recognition, their large pincers dropping onto the ground.


    -20, -21, -19��


    The cumulative damage exceeded 400, the Black Armored Scorpions�� health points drained completely; their insides turned burnt black and they stiffened in place, utterly reduced to corpses.


    [Kill level 4 Black Armored Scorpion x4, acquiring 80 Mystical Points]


    Lin Da glanced at the system message bar, his mouth curling upwards slightly.


    The three Venom Eruptions left him somewhat fatigued, but in exchange, he earned enough Experience Points to advance to the next level.


    Having killed the Black Armored Scorpions, he sat to Add Points while casually recovering his Magic Power.


    The task of extracting the Demon Core was handed over to Kafni.


    Despite Kafni��s extreme reluctance, Lin Da couldn��t keep around a Deity who was good for nothing.


    ��If you can��t extract the Demon Core, you might as well stay inside.��


    Lin Da stood guard at the entrance, supervising Kafni��s work.


    Ignoring Kafni��s incessant complaints, Lin Da took out a Blood-sucking Mosquito��s Poison Magic Core from his pocket, crushed it in his palm, and slowly absorbed the Magic Power within.


    The Poison Magic Core was like a tonic for him, making it easier for him to absorb Magic Power compared to cores of the Fire Series or Water Series.


    The skills description for Venom Eruption was ��Magic Points consumption: medium��. Such Spells, when cast at full strength, could be used continuously 5-6 times.


    In order to kill the Black Armored Scorpions, Lin Da had used Venom Eruption three times consecutively. Half of his Magic Points were depleted, and he needed to replenish them quickly.


    The Magic Power from the Blood-sucking Mosquito Demon Core flowed into him continuously, and Lin Da closed his eyes in comfort.


    Using Demon Cores to recover Magic Power was a slow process, not as quick as using Potions for direct recovery, but the former was cheaper.


    A system message popped up: [Recover Magic Power, temper oneself, gain 1 Experience Point]


    Lin Da then spent 49 Mystical Points to make up a total of 50 Experience Points.


    Suddenly, a ray of golden light descended upon him.


    He leveled up. S��ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His depleted Magic Power was replenished significantly, and his arm muscles became stronger.


    In the spiritual world��s night sky, the third star also lit up, allowing him to store more Magic Power.


    System prompt:


    [You have risen to level 3]


    [Strength +13, Magic Power +13, Defense +3, Magic Defense +2, Agility +1, Hit Points +200]


    [Next level Experience Points: 0/100]


    At this point, Lin Da��s total attributes reached a high degree for his level, especially Hit Points, which were at 800. Adding the 80 augmented by Leather Armor, it was 880 Hit Points.


    The health points of ordinary magical creatures at the same level were around 300.


    Not only did Lin Da have a high health reserve, but he could also use Healing Art to recover his own Hit Points.


    The difficulty of magical creatures hitting him was almost on par with fighting a BOSS.

 Chapter 47 - 47: 47, upgrade with a bang, inventory gains

    Chapter 47: 47, upgrade with a bang, inventory gains


    Lin Da thought to himself, the Healing Hero should really be called the Blood Ox Brave, which would be more fitting.


    With high defense, thick health points, plus Healing Art, as long as he didn��t recklessly charge into piles of Magical Creatures, it was almost impossible to die.


    After resting for half an hour, Kafni, all covered in filth, came out of the cave holding Demon Cores.


    Lin Da��s Magic Power had also fully recovered.


    The next wave of monster hunting began anew.


    ��


    ...


    On the Barren Plains, Lin Da transformed into a BOSS, madly sweeping through the surrounding Magical Creatures with Kafni.


    One Slime after another burst as he smashed them.


    The Blood-sucking Mosquito had its proboscis plucked out.


    The Black Armored Scorpion had its carapace pulled off��


    Lin Da couldn��t be bothered to check the system message bar anymore, which was filled with a string of notifications.


    From morning till dusk, he did only one thing: fire out Venom Magic Spheres, unleash Venom Eruption, then rest, meditate.


    With the newly acquired Demon Cores, he slowly recovered Magic Points, and once they were restored, he��d continue firing until he was out of energy.


    The setting sun��s blood-red light enveloped the land.


    Lin Da and the others sat on the ground, panting, counting the day��s loot.


    Kafni, turned into a money-grubber, stacked the Demon Cores like a small hill on the ground and counted them one by one.


    ��75 level two Demon Cores, 23 level three Demon Cores, 15 level four Demon Cores�� Ha, hahaha, no more sleeping on the sofa, hahahaha!��


    Kafni quickly calculated in her mind, the value of a level two Demon Core was one silver coin, three level three Demon Cores was worth three silver coins, and one level four Demon Core was worth one Gold Coin.


    In other words, these Demon Cores altogether were worth around twenty-four Gold Coins.


    When it came to buying Magical Equipment, it wasn��t much, but for daily life expenses, it was a significant amount of money.


    They could live in a big villa with a swimming pool!


    ��Great, this is just fantastic!��


    Kafni wiped her dirty face with the corner of her clothing, tears of joy running down her cheeks.


    Having been a Goddess for a lifetime, she had never done such dirty and tiring work, but as she held the hill-like pile of Demon Cores, she felt it was all worth it.


    But for Lin Da, the Gold Coins were just a secondary gain.


    The main prize was Mystical Points.


    He handed the Demon Cores to Kafni for safekeeping and sat down cross-legged himself, opening his personal panel.


    After an afternoon of hunting Magical Creatures, he amassed a total of 1217 Mystical Points.


    Through continuous bouts of hunting, Lin Da surmised some patterns.


    The acquisition of Mystical Points was not fixed.


    The more times he killed the same kind of Magical Creature, the fewer Points he received.


    At first, a Black Armored Scorpion was worth 40 Points.


    Towards the end, it only gave 20.


    Lin Da delayed leveling up in order to amass more Points.


    It also involved an over-level kill reward: the more levels he surpassed the creature and the higher his output towards that creature, the more Points he would get.


    Conversely, if level three Lin Da killed level zero juvenile scorpions, he��d gain not a single Mystical Point.


    This setting was the same as the games in the Mystic Continent. Killing higher-level Magical Creatures gave more Experience Points; killing lower-level ones, fewer.


    If the Magical Creatures�� level was too much lower than one��s own, it wouldn��t contribute any Experience Points at all.


    ��We��ve farmed the Barren Plains fairly thoroughly; let��s call it a day here,�� Lin Da mused.


    Immediately, he opened the Mystical Points exchange page.


    Without a second thought, he converted 1000 Experience Points.


    There was no need to hold back on leveling up now.


    Being at a higher level would make it easier for Lin Da to move to higher-level maps to hunt creatures.


    A level four Blood-sucking Mosquito��s Demon Core was worth one Gold Coin, but a level ten Black Skin Leech from the Painful Swamp could sell for three Gold Coins.


    If it was an Elite Black Skin Leech, it might be worth ten Gold Coins.


    The rate at which high-level adventurers earned money was nearly like using a sack to collect Gold Coins.


    Lin Da needed a lot of money to recruit team members with exceptional talent.


    Digging up an adventurer of the caliber of Lia and Aiko, don��t even think about it without a hundred thousand Gold Coins.


    ��System, level me up!��


    Lin Da silently chanted in his heart. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A thousand Experience Points surged into his personal panel.


    In an instant, Lin Da only felt countless soft little hands massaging him, the joy of leveling up sweeping through his body, and streams of golden light continually falling on his head, leaving him so comfortable that he almost fainted.


    [System notification: You have risen to level 4!]


    [System notification: You have risen to level 5!]


    [System notification: You have risen to level 6!]


    [System notification: You have risen to level 7!]


    [Total: Strength +50, Magic Power +50, Defense +8, Magic Defense +11, Agility +7, Hit Points +800!]


    A tremendous Magic Power surged within Lin Da��s body, in the Star Map of his spiritual world, seven Stars were revolving around the core, shining brightly!


    When Lin Da first came to the Barren Plains, his Magic Points were only 13.


    But now, his panel, not counting equipment, already shows��


    Name: Lin Da


    Occupation: Chosen Healing Hero


    Level: 7


    Magic Power: 90


    Strength: 90


    Defense: 24


    Magic Defense: 35


    Agility: 22


    Resistance: None


    Experience Points: 0/700


    With a Dual Attack as high as 90, almost nine times what it was at level 0.


    Such a tremendous increase allowed Lin Da to burst all the Magical Creatures on the Barren Plains with merely a One-Handed Sword, without using a Spell.


    His one Venom Eruption was an instant kill, no Magical Creature could withstand his enormous damage.


    Besides attributes, he also gained four Skill Points.


    But as to which Skill to add, Lin Da needed to make a detailed plan after going back.


    He had two Skill Trees and one unlocked Witch Series Skill Tree; all use of Skill Points must be careful to avoid spreading them too thin and ending up with mediocre Skills.


    On the other hand, Kafni leveled up along with him, but she was so engrossed in counting Demon Cores that she wasn��t prepared for the influx of golden light on her head. The comfort and happiness directly stupefied Kafni.


    For a moment, Kafni��s eyes rolled back, her mouth wide open drooling, her body shivering��


    ��Are you okay?�� Lin Da kindly cast a Healing Art.


    Kafni sobered up considerably, wiped her drool, and pinched the soft flesh between her thighs as she said in a daze, ��This isn��t a dream, right? How did I suddenly get to level 7?��


    ��Because I leveled up,�� Lin Da explained.


    ��How did you level up? Is there something you��re hiding from me?!�� Kafni, thinking of something, became furiously angry, ��You didn��t pledge allegiance to the World Tree Goddess, did you? Did she give you a new Skill?��


    A strong feeling of betrayal rose in Kafni��s heart.


    Lin Da did not expect such a big reaction from Kafni and explained helplessly, ��It��s my inherent ability, gaining strength from killing monsters, then saving up that strength for a breakthrough in one go.��


    ��There��s such an outrageous Skill?�� Kafni sat down, half convinced.


    Lin Da did not intend to tell anyone about the existence of the system and said smilingly, ��Isn��t it good to level up quickly? Raise our levels as soon as possible, defeat the Demon King, and you can return to the Divine Realm.��


    Considering it, Kafni thought that made some sense.


    ��As a hero, you��re somewhat useful,�� Kafni unexpectedly encouraged Lin Da a bit.


    The two of them packed the Demon Cores into small bags, with Kafni responsible for holding them, then slapped the mud off their bottoms and planned to return to White Dove City before it got dark.


    Just then, Kafni suddenly stopped and furrowed her brows, looking suspiciously toward the north.


    There lay a vast red gorge, Red Rocks releasing heat that made one sweat profusely even from a great distance.


    Seeing Kafni motionless, Lin Da inquired, ��What��s wrong?��


    Glancing in the direction of Kafni��s gaze, the place was called ��Scorching Gorge,�� Lin Da had a recollection of it, as he often went there to level up in his previous life playing the game.


    It was full of Little Lava Creatures, ranging in levels from 3 to 7, with earth system and Fire Series attributes, which gave them resistance to his Poison Series, not a suitable map for leveling up.

 Chapter 48 - 48: 48, Beastmen, Witch!

    Chapter 48: 48, Beastmen, Witch!


    ��There��s nothing good that way, we need to prioritize places where the magical creatures�� weakness is poison,�� said Lin Da.


    Kafni was still unmoved, like a wooden stake driven into the ground, staring blankly at the Scorching Gorge, her body trembling slightly.


    ��Hmm?��


    Gradually, Lin Da sensed something too.


    A bloody scent drifted in the hot wind blowing in their faces.


    The Scorching Gorge was at least two thousand meters away from here.


    ...


    To smell blood from so far away?


    How many lives had perished in the Scorching Gorge?


    Lin Da��s expression changed.


    Only some exceedingly terrifying magical creatures could cause slaughter of such magnitude!


    He grabbed the still-dazed Kafni, urging, ��Don��t just stand there, let��s leave quickly, the sooner the better!��


    Only then did Kafni snap out of her trance, becoming alert again.


    Unbeknownst to her, a layer of fine sweat beads had formed on her forehead.


    The malevolent and intense aura emanating from the gorge was nothing like the slimes could emit.


    It was like a pitch-black fog, devouring everything around it.


    Unlike ordinary magical creatures. Moreover, that evil aura was mixed with a hint of human presence.


    Such a unique aura�� it was, a witch!


    Kafni shivered uncontrollably.


    The day before yesterday, when Lin Da acquired the ��Witch Purification�� skill, she was brimming with confidence to hunt and purify all witches.


    Now, she realized how foolish that idea was.


    The terrifying magic power scent from the gorge was probably close to level 25.


    A monster that she and Lin Da couldn��t handle today!


    ��


    At this moment, within the Scorching Gorge.


    The steep rock walls on both sides were like swords thrusting into the sky.


    The twilight rays fell on the red rocks, casting a blood-colored veil all around.


    The pungent smell of blood permeated the atmosphere, and in view were numerous human bodies.


    There were about twenty bodies, all clad in the silver armor of the Holy Light Church, with capes bearing a totem, a cross enveloped in holy light.


    The Holy Light Totem was the knights�� faith, but these capes, deemed their pride and honor, were now tattered and torn, including the hard armor on their bodies, which bore deep marks as though they were slashed by beast claws.


    Many knights had their fatal wounds on their necks, their throats directly torn open. Their faces were frozen in expressions of agony, their bodies still warm, and blood flowed freely, staining the earth red.


    ��Let me go, please spare my life!��


    A knight with a golden ponytail, threw her sword aside in fear.


    This knight, named Tanya, had completely lost her will to fight, including her faith in the Holy Light Church, which crumbled together.


    Anyone who saw nearly twenty level-20 paladins slaughtered like chopping vegetables by that beast girl would feel devastated!


    Tanya had received a guarantee from her captain before setting off, saying it would be easy to capture a level-20 beastman and earn a lot of merit.


    In fact, they were wrong. The captain was killed by the beastman in an encounter, and what Tanya saw was blood and gore, with her teammates clutching their torn throats, writhing on the ground like maggots in their agony.


    A witch�� undoubtedly, this beastman was the Catastrophe Girl, said to be capable of destroying a city!


    Tanya looked fearfully straight ahead.


    There stood a girl with light blue short hair.


    Her slanting bangs covered one eye, she wore a black crop top, revealing a slender waist with clear muscle lines, covered by a white sunshirt, while her lower body sported navy-blue combat shorts, her long legs powerful, and her brown short boots stepping in the blood stains.


    Behind her trailed a fuzzy white wolf tail.


    At this moment, the girl��s hands transformed into beast claws, her nails as sharp as long blades.


    Her claws dripped with the paladins�� blood, her tail hung low, its movement minimal even as she walked.


    This was a combat stance, ready to pounce on her prey at any moment.


    The most hair-raising aspect was, amidst the carnage around her, this beast girl chewed expressionlessly on a piece of gum made from Slime gel.


    She tried hard to blow a huge bubble, but each attempt ended in failure.


    The repeated failures made her mood extremely foul, the expression on her beautiful face cold enough to cool down the entire Scorching Gorge.


    ��Please spare me, I will definitely quit the Holy Light Church and never dare to go after witches again, I promise��!�� Tanya, trembling, bowed her head low, her hands supporting her on the ground, not daring to look up at the other party.


    ��Why should I spare you?��


    The beast girl examined the bodies on the ground and spoke indifferently, ��If you can get me a local adventurer��s ID from White Dove City, I might consider it.��


    ��Uh�� that�� I belong to the Holy Light Church of Red Heart City, but, give me some time, I can get it for you!��


    Tanya said anxiously.


    ��I need it now,�� the beast girl��s voice was utterly flat.


    ��Please, please have mercy on me?�� Tanya resorted to pleading emotionally, wiping her tears as she spoke, ��My husband and children are waiting for me to come home. If I can��t make it back�� They will be heartbroken too! Please have some sympathy, give me a chance.��


    The beast girl with light blue short hair stopped, her tail, which had been hanging, stood erect.


    She narrowed her eyes at Tanya, ��Husband? Children?��


    As a young beastman in her early twenties, she hadn��t yet experienced those things.


    ��For their sake, is it worth giving up the honor of a knight to beg for mercy?�� said the beast girl. S��arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tanya nodded eagerly, ��If it were before I was married, never! But now, for their sakes, I would do anything.��


    ��Then I cannot possibly let you go. If you return, your husband and children will just keep causing me trouble,��


    the beast girl sneered.


    ��Remove weeds thoroughly; that was a lesson her old team captain had taught her.��


    Beast claws flashed.


    In an instant, blood spurted!


    Tanya, a level 20 Paladin, couldn��t withstand even a single blow.


    After killing everyone, the girl stood still.


    Her eyebrows slightly furrowed, a hint of pain flashing across her face.


    Because of Tanya, she was reminded of her days as an adventurer, and the captain of that adventure team.


    A silent, odd man wearing a mask.


    Once hailed as the man from the Southern Fire Empire with the most potential to reach the top of the World Tree.


    ����Lulu, you��ve been kicked out of the team,�� he said.


    Three years later,


    those cold words, spoken by the captain who was like a magical automaton, still cut through the Beastman girl��s heart like a knife.


    Before she could take her revenge on that heartless captain, he mysteriously disappeared shortly after kicking her out of the team, leaving no trace behind.


    It had been three years since that day.


    Remembering the days in that adventure team, Lulu felt only confusion


    and resentment towards that captain.


    In the World Tree Secret Realm, despite her meticulous execution of his orders, setting off traps just as directed, she was still ruthlessly kicked out of the team in the end.


    No matter how much she contributed to the team, he dismissed her as a ��useless early-game character��. Though the team members were all living beings, in the captain��s eyes, everyone seemed to become mere data on paper.


    Strange not only in personality, the captain��s name was also very weird.


    It was ��Dai Lian * Zhaowo * 15729570347.��


    Lulu truly began to pay attention to this odd person when he inadvertently stroked her head in the Back House, revealing her real name.


    A name only she knew.


    ��Captain Lin Da.��


    The captain of the Primordial Adventure Team, Lin Da.


    He had rescued her from slave traders, made her into an adventurer, then stripped her of her equipment and kicked her out of the team with a single gesture!


    This Captain Lin Da had vanished into thin air three years ago!


    Recently, Lulu received news that in White Dove City, a somewhat famous adventurer from the Snow Goose Adventure Team, who served as a Healer, was named Lin Da.


    Although she felt it was highly unlikely that he was her former captain, she still came.


    Arriving just as White Dove City had an important mission assigned by the higher-ups and with a suspected former captain present, Lulu had high expectations for this trip.


    ��Surprise, isn��t it? Three years have passed, and the trash you kicked out has transformed into this,�� she said.


    Lulu looked self-mockingly at her bloodstained beast claws.


    As a witch, the magic power flowed through her veins, bringing tremendous strength along with its binding contract.


    This power, obtained at a cost, made Lulu feel ashamed yet also drove her to hide the fact that she had become a witch, wanting to confront him with pride.


    Even as a witch, even as a lapdog of the Demon Realm.


    The ��useless�� team member he had once kicked out had also become a formidable figure.


    ��Could that ��Eye of Wisdom�� from the Snow Goose Adventure Team be you?�� she wondered.


    Lulu gazed towards White Dove City to the south, appearing as a mere speck, her icy, dead heart seemingly beginning to beat again.


    ��


    South of Scorching Gorge, on the sparsely covered Barren Plains, two adventurers were racing towards White Dove City.


    ��A witch?�� Lin Da asked, eyes wide in disbelief as he ran, hearing Kafni��s explanation.


    ��Are you sure you��re not mistaken? Witches aren��t cabbages in the field that you see whenever you want!��


    Having been on Mystic Continent for three years, Lin Da had only heard of witches in drunken tales from adventurers at the tavern.


    Lin Da looked back, the massive Scorching Gorge stood like a giant on the plain. Despite their desperate efforts to distance themselves, they could still see the threatening gorge.


    It seemed like the gorge itself was the witch.


    ��I��m never mistaken!�� Kafni snapped, annoyed by Lin Da��s disbelief, ��I am a Deity, after all. Show some faith in your Deity!��


    ��Yet you don��t even know how to extract a Demon Core.��


    ��Hmph, would you study the dining etiquette of ants?�� Kafni taunted. She opened her mouth to belittle Lin Da further, but suddenly, her expression changed dramatically.


    ��This is bad����


    ��What is it?��


    Lin Da asked, feeling a bad premonition himself.


    Despite the scorching sun overhead, a chill seemed to envelop him.


    It was as if a huge, icy fog was rapidly approaching from behind.


    Kafni��s face turned pale: ��She��s coming�� that witch, she��s found us! And she��s getting closer!��


    ��What?��


    Lin Da frowned deeply, turning his head. About a thousand meters away on the plain, a small black dot was hurtling towards them like an arrow.


    The wild dust surged up, resembling an out-of-control mud dragon.


    ��


    (PS: Please keep following the story!)

 Chapter 49 - 49: 49, Captain, long time no see for three years

    Chapter 49: 49, Captain, long time no see for three years


    ��Deity, can��t you think of something? I can��t purify this kind of witch at the moment!��


    Lin Da��s head was filled with knowledge of dealing with Magical Creatures, but he was at a loss when it came to witches.


    Kafni bit her teeth and said, ��There is a way!��


    ��What is it?�� Lin Da asked, surprised.


    He hadn��t been expecting much from this Scrap God, it was just a casual question, but the unexpected response was a pleasant surprise.


    Kafni��s expression became serious, ��Inside me, there is A Trace of Divine Power, enough to deal with that witch! But this body of mine is too weak, and the cost of using Divine Power will most likely ruin it.��


    ...


    Lin Da was astonished, ��What exactly is the cost?��


    ��I told you, it will ruin me!��


    ��But you��re already a scrap, aren��t you? Such a cost is like no cost at all, right?��


    ��What?! You think I can��t find another hero?��


    Kafni was so angry her voice trembled, and she wanted to unleash her Divine Power on Lin Da��s head.


    Just then, the intense pressure from behind them grew closer, and the two had no time to bicker as their hearts raced.


    ��It��s coming!��


    Lin Da��s gaze hardened, he whispered, ��Let��s not rush to use Divine Power. I have a plan that might scare the other party off.��


    ��Oh? Let��s hear it!�� Kafni said excitedly.


    �� Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After cleaning up the corpses in the canyon, the Beastmen girl Lulu went out and, using her excellent vision, spotted the two humans running away in the distance.


    Eradicate them root and branch.


    This teaching from her captain flashed through Lulu��s mind.


    She had intended to crush the escaping ants with a simple strike, but upon catching up, she found the situation different from what she had expected.


    The two ants didn��t give up and beg for mercy.


    They didn��t draw their swords in a battle posture either.


    A tall man stood while another, a blonde adventurer with bent waist, was grabbed by her hands from behind, appearing to be in the midst of doing something.


    Such a scene, Lulu had seen many times in the rooms of inns during her missions.


    But it was the first time she had seen adventurers daring to do such shameless acts in the face of crisis!


    Although the two were facing away from her and the details were unclear.


    In any case, Lulu felt a hint of insult to her dignity!


    Five-centimeter-long, blade-like claws suddenly protruded from her beastly paws, and she walked towards the two with an icy demeanor.


    ��This witch wasn��t embarrassed away? Instead, it��s my face that��s about to be lost!��


    Kafni, whose hands were grabbed as if she was being pushed in a cart, felt her cheeks burning with shame and irritation.


    Despite being properly dressed in trousers, she couldn��t help but feel annoyed.


    ��I��ve seen some artistic works where similar methods were used to get past crises,�� Lin Da lamented.


    In his mind, if the witch had been innocent, she might have been scared off by such a scene. Of course, even if she didn��t leave, there was no loss for him; trying was always better than not.


    With the strategy failing, it was time to trouble Kafni to use her Divine Power.


    Lin Da released Kafni��s wrists and turned to face the witch.


    He wanted to see what the Catastrophe Girls looked like before the witch perished.


    He stared intently.


    In front of him was a girl about one meter sixty, with light blue short hair, walking towards him at a slow pace.


    The girl hung her head low with a hood on, wearing a form-fitting battle suit with a white sun-shading coat over it, revealing only her tight waist with a beautiful mermaid line.


    Her long legs were a healthy wheat color, clad in brown short boots, with clearly defined muscle lines, and each step she took was filled with strength.


    However, the most captivating features were the girl��s ferocious, blood-stained beast claws and the floppy, fluffy white tail trailing behind her.


    Beastmen, of the werewolf race?


    Lin Da thought to himself.


    In White Dove City, Beastmen only made up about one-tenth of the total population, and famous ones were even fewer; Lin Da mostly knew them all.


    In his memory, there was no such girl, it seemed she came from another city.


    Although he really wanted to purify her, seeing the girl��s murderous look, it was impossible to let her obediently be touched and purified by him.


    Lin Da felt the enormous Divine Power coming from behind him, from Kafni, and couldn��t help but look at the Beastman girl with a tinge of regret.


    A witch who cannot be purified by him and help the side of the heroes must be eradicated.


    ��Die.��


    Lin Da thought coldly to himself.


    And at that moment,


    a gust of wind swept across the Barren Plains.


    The hood the Beastman girl wore on her head fell off.


    Her light blue short hair danced in the wind.


    The girl��s deep blue eyes were like frozen lakes, and inside her slightly open cherry lips, two sets of especially sharp, wild canine teeth were visible.


    She seemed to feel the threat from Kafni and let out a wolf-like growl from her throat.


    But the moment Lin Da saw the Beastman girl��s face clearly, he was somewhat stunned.


    She looked familiar.


    No, he needed another look.


    Then, Lin Da found that the more he looked, the more familiar she became!


    Memories from his previous life began to gradually emerge before his eyes.


    The computer screen dimmed to its darkest in the night, the licking of beast claws wanting to be petted, the 3D girl model that yearned for head pats, and the cold yet faintly warm ��Lord����


    Familiar, very familiar.


    She had accompanied Lin Da through many overnight sessions.


    The blue-haired witch before him was none other than a member of his squad from three years ago, back when Lin Da was on Blue Star playing the game ��Mystic Continent��!


    A Frost Wolf Warrior by profession, possessing the bloodline skill ��Berserk,�� she was a powerful early-game character very suitable for being thrown into a pile of Magical Creatures to grind levels without care, a four-star SR card, Lulu!


    As Lin Da��s and the Beastman girl��s gazes met and collided, the fierce growl from her throat suddenly ceased,


    as if she had discovered something unbelievable, the girl��s eyes slowly widened, her little mouth opened unconsciously, and her expression turned blank.


    Lin Da, under the girl��s gaze, felt as if he was on pins and needles.


    She shouldn��t recognize him, should she?


    In the game, Lin Da��s character wore a mask; theoretically, this Lulu had never even seen his face and shouldn��t know what he looked like!


    Even assuming for a second that Lin Da��s transmigration involved his soul entering a random lucky bystander, could it be that said lucky person just happened to be his game character?


    But his game character��s initial profession wasn��t a Healer.


    Too many things didn��t make sense.


    So, Lin Da rationally speculated that his body could not possibly be related to her.


    That��s what theory would suggest.


    Yet the sweat on Lin Da��s forehead grew more abundant, soon to become a small waterfall.


    The Beastman girl named Lulu, with light blue hair and a fluffy tail, was staring at him with an incredibly complex gaze.


    Admiration, hatred, resentment�� and a trace of faint murderous intent.


    That was certainly not the rich expression one would have when looking at a stranger��it was almost like a pie chart!


    The negative emotions took up at least seventy percent.


    ��Captain, it��s been three years, don��t tell me you don��t recognize me?��


    ��In the wilderness, doing that kind of thing with a girl; it seems that you, who were like a magic machine without emotions, have also fallen.��


    A voice tinged with mockery wafted from the girl��s pale pink lips.


    Lulu retracted her beast claw, turning it into a normal girl��s palm, and imitating Lin Da��s stance with hands in pockets, her long legs beneath the shorts straight as jade pillars, her beautiful and handsome face slightly lifted, her mouth with a hint of an inexplicable smile, looking proudly towards Lin Da.

 Chapter 50 - 50: 50. Witch, join my team! (Please follow)

    Chapter 50: 50. Witch, join my team! (Please follow)


    This shout of ��captain�� dumbfounded Lin Da.


    It seemed that the lucky NPC he soul-traveled into was really his game��s main character!


    But he never showed his face in the game, he was a masked man. All that was revealed were a pair of eyes, and just with that, they recognized him?


    And to be mistaken for a lust demon who loved the outdoors��


    Lin Da felt the situation was very bad.


    ��Huh? You know each other?��


    ...


    Kafni, seeing the Beastmen girl withhold her hand and look at Lin Da with a gaze filled with the resentment of being abandoned, couldn��t help but touch her head in confusion.


    ��No, I don��t know her,�� Lin Da hastily denied.


    Given his actions as a player in the game, even being attacked with a firewood knife a hundred times wouldn��t be too much if it were in reality.


    Not just Lulu, but at least a dozen early characters whom he had maxed out in favor and enhanced stats, and then kicked out of the team, stripping their equipment to sell, when they were no longer needed!


    In their hearts, Lin Da was probably seen as not much different from Lia, or perhaps even worse.


    ��Don��t know each other? Hehehe�� but it��s enough that I know you,��


    Lulu��s Beastman claw extended one finger, directly pointing at Lin Da��s nose tip: ��You disappeared for three years, why are you hiding here? And�� you��ve gotten weaker? Using your own words, you��re now like a useless small fry, only good for stepping on traps.��


    The girl��s words were filled with cold irony.


    Lin Da really wanted to explain that those words were just character lines set in the game, and they didn��t have much to do with him. But Lulu seemed convinced that he was that ��captain��.


    ��You��ve got the wrong person, I��m just a passing adventurer.�� Lin Da pretended not to understand, grabbed Kafni beside him, and said, ��The clothes out to dry haven��t been collected, and it��s getting late. We really need to hurry back.��


    Lulu should have noticed that Kafni had an ace up her sleeve, and probably wouldn��t keep pestering? Lin Da tentatively turned his back and, with a face full of confusion, not understanding what was going on, took steps toward the direction of White Dove City with Kafni.


    ��Wait!��


    A stern voice came from behind.


    The Beastmen girl behind them leaped into the air, her body spinning in a circle, her fluffy white wolf tail elegantly dancing, and she landed firmly, blocking their way.


    Lulu frowned and said, ��What do you mean, you��re not the captain?��


    ��I think you have the wrong person,�� Lin Da said awkwardly.


    If he hadn��t been recognized, there was still hope that he could rely on Kafni, his secret weapon, to safely extract himself.


    If he was recognized, it was a different story.


    In the game, he stripped Lulu of her equipment and directly threw it into the great furnace to disintegrate into diamonds for strengthening other characters.


    When that action was translated into reality, Lin Da was unsure of what exactly it would become, but surely Lulu would not be happy to recognize him as her captain.


    Therefore, he must hide the fact that he was Lulu��s captain!


    ��Aren��t you Captain Dai Lian?��


    Lulu coldly walked up to him and peered closely at his face with raised foot.


    ��Dai Lian, who is that?�� Lin Da asked, puzzled.


    ��Dai Lian * Zhao Wo����


    ������


    Lin Da suddenly realized.


    No wonder he couldn��t find the ��Rookie Adventurer Team�� after coming to this world. Just like the ID ��Power leveling * Look for me,�� it had all been automatically translated by this world into names that aligned with this world��s viewpoint and could be understood by normal people!


    Power leveling was translated into Dai Lian. And the two characters for rookie had also been translated into something else, more in line with this world��s viewpoint.


    ��I am not your Captain Dai Lian, you must have the wrong person,�� said Lin Da.


    ��You��re not the captain of the Primitive Adventure Team?��


    ��Primitive Adventure Team? What��s that, I��ve never heard of it!��


    Lin Da��s mouth was muddled, but his heart understood everything. The words ��rookie�� had been translated into ��Primordial,�� so he couldn��t find the existence of the Rookie Adventurer Team at all!


    ��That��s your alias, I know your real name is Lin Da.�� Lulu stared into his eyes, ��You��re not Lin Da?��


    ��Uh, actually my name is ��Li Cha������


    Lin Da chuckled dryly.


    He was a little frazzled, how could his name be known by a game character?


    At that moment, he saw Lulu show a thoughtful expression and mutter to herself in a low voice, ��That night, you clearly wanted me to call you ��Lin Da,�� did I really recognize the wrong person��?��


    This statement pried open the locked doors of Lin Da��s dusty memories,


    He remembered why Lulu knew his name; it was due to a special scenario triggered after maxing out the affection level in the game.


    On a small hillside filled with birdsong and the scent of flowers, there was a proposal to use a special nickname to privately address the player who was the team leader.


    This would bring up an input box where players could type any text.


    What Lin Da had entered was his real name!


    ��Aren��t you called���� Kafni looked confused, about to blurt out Lin Da��s name unconsciously.


    ��Shh!��


    Lin Da gave her a meaningful look in time, and Kafni, after a moment��s pause, said, ��Right, Li, Li Cha? We still have to go home to collect the laundry.��


    The two of them took the opportunity to attempt an escape while Lulu seemed to be lost in thought.


    But they had barely taken a step before being blocked again.


    ��I can��t possibly let you leave.�� Lulu��s hands turned back into beast claws as she said coldly, ��Since you��re not the team leader, just go to your death.��


    ��What if I am?��


    ��Then go die as well.��


    ��Isn��t that the same thing? Then why did you even ask if I was or not?�� Lin Da said, frustrated.


    ��Of course it��s different.�� Lulu shook her head, ��If you��re the team leader, you��ll die even more horribly.��


    Well, thank you very much.


    Lin Da sighed.


    Seeing Lulu approaching menacingly, with murderous intent, Lin Da��s mind raced,


    If possible, it would be best to preserve Kafni��s Divine Power and settle this matter peacefully.


    Suddenly, he had an idea and asked, ��Are you targeting us because you��re worried we��ll reveal your secret?��


    Lin Da did not know what had happened in Scorching Gorge, but judging from the stench of blood that had wafted over, a gruesome battle must have occurred, and Lulu did not want word to get out, which is why she had set out to kill them.


    Lulu didn��t answer his question, which was as good as an affirmation.


    Knowing the demands of this Beastmen girl, Lin Da now had a solution.


    Lin Da extended his right hand, looking intently at the Beastmen girl:


    ��I won��t reveal your whereabouts. If you don��t trust me, you can join my squad; this way, you can monitor us at all times. Or, do you want to start a fight with the possibility of both sides suffering? That would benefit neither of us!�� Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kafni cooperated by revealing a trace of Divine Power.


    It wasn��t much in quantity, but the sheer terror of its ��quality�� instinctively made Lulu retreat a few steps back.


    She crouched down on all fours like a wild beast, her wolf tail tucked under her body, her expression wary as she watched Kafni.


    Lin Da said, ��We don��t want to fight with you either. Joining my squad is the best choice, right?��


    If a regular person invited this Beastmen Witch to join their team, it would be a sure road to death; one might end up with their neck bitten off one night.


    But Lin Da was different; he possessed a key skill, Witch Purification!


    Once a preliminary trust was established and Lulu experienced the sweetness of Purification, becoming addicted to it, she might truly become a member of the squad.

 Chapter 51 - 51: 51, Favorability Module

    Chapter 51: 51, Favorability Module


    ��`


    Lin Da��s team was in need of members at the moment.


    Just with him and Kafni, once they encountered the Snow Goose Adventure Team led by Lia in the Great Mystery Continent, they had to retreat.


    But with Lulu added, it was different.


    Lin Da fully believed that Lulu, once her ��berserk�� skill was activated, was no weaker than Lia, or perhaps even stronger.


    After considering for a while, Lulu slowly stood up from the ground.


    ...


    ��Are you a local adventurer from White Dove City?�� she asked.


    ��Yes.��


    Lin Da nodded.


    Hearing this answer, Lulu��s expression relaxed, seemingly attaching great importance to whether it was a local team from White Dove City.


    She glanced at Lin Da��s extended right hand and, without taking it, said indifferently, ��If you leak anything about me, I won��t let you off.��


    Did that mean�� she agreed to join the team?


    Lin Da��s heart relaxed somewhat and he said, ��I never betray my teammates.��


    Lulu put away her beast claws and once again stuck her hands in her coat pockets, her face expressionless.


    The wild wind tousled her light blue short hair and her fluffy tail swayed slightly with each step she took.


    She pulled her hood up again and her figure, somewhat aloof, moved in the direction of White Dove City.


    Lin Da and Kafni exchanged glances.


    ��Lin�� Li Cha, do you really plan to recruit her into the team?��


    ��Your matter, she could just casually inquire about it in the city and it would be exposed, right? You can��t hide it for long!��


    ��Come to think of it, what exactly is your relationship with that Beastman? What will you do in the future? I don��t want to be accompanied by a killer every day!�� Kafni��s voice was as low as possible, her complexion extremely unsightly.


    ��There��s always a way,�� Lin Da said.


    ��What kind of solution is ��there��s always a way������


    ��It means there��s always a way!��


    Lin Da quickly caught up.


    A powerful oppressive force hung over him, a sign that Lulu was hurrying the two of them.


    Catching up to walk parallel with the Beastman girl, Lin Da said, ��Go into the city, to register the team?��


    ��You don��t have a team?�� Lulu looked at him unfavorably.


    ��We were short on people before.��


    Despite Lulu��s dissatisfaction, Lin Da seemed not to notice as he stared straight ahead and spoke calmly.


    Lulu, choosing to ignore him, was silent for a while before saying, ��Register as soon as possible.��


    ��Okay,�� Lin Da nodded.


    In fact, his mind wasn��t on her at the moment,


    a system prompt had just come through.


    Ordinary prompts were usually displayed in white font, but this time, it was in bold gold letters, clearly an important message.


    Lin Da clicked to view it.


    Beyond the three major sections ��Personal Interface,�� ��Equipment Column,�� and ��Skill Tree,�� there was now an additional section named ��Witch.��


    This section seemed to be related to the skill ��Witch Purification.�� Lin Da clicked on this module with a thought, prompting another system message:


    [Detection of 1 recognized Witch, would you like to bind? Current number of bindings: 0/1]


    What was the use of binding a Witch?


    Lin Da entered his question into the system��s Q&A sprite.


    Beep beep beep.


    After a series of mechanical sounds, a system message popped up:


    [After binding a Witch, by increasing the depth of Purification, different rewards can be obtained. These include, but are not limited to, Mystical Points, Skill Points, equipment, Experience Points, etc.]


    Purification�� wouldn��t be easy, would it?


    Lin Da glanced at the Beastman girl beside him, her face cold and indifferent.


    Although those little hands were in her pockets, not taken out, he certainly wouldn��t forget how sharp a pair of beast claws could be.


    To rashly Purify her would likely endanger his life.


    In his mind, Lin Da questioned: What does ��depth of Purification�� mean? It��s not something lewd, is it?


    The system replied: [Whether it becomes lewd depends on the host��s method of Purification; however, from an efficiency standpoint, deep Purification is recommended��meaning, high-trust Purification.]


    Lin Da: High-trust Purification? What��s that?


    More mechanical buzzing sounds.


    System text materialized: [The higher the Witch��s trust in the host, the more open her heart��s door will become, and the better the Purification effect.


    Below are the different levels of trust:]


    ��`


    ��`


    0 Stranger


    10 Acquaintance


    20 Nodding Acquaintance


    30 Courtesy Greeting


    40 Superficial Friend Sear?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    50 Ordinary Friend


    60 Good Friend


    70 Deep Affection


    80 Best Friends/Sworn Brothers


    90 Wholehearted


    100 Till Death Do Us Part]


    Lin Da had spotted a blind spot.


    He asked, ��What does ��Sworn Brothers�� mean?��


    System: #@%#����#��.


    Lin Da understood.


    That is, forced Purification, disregarding the witch��s personal will, and pulling it up from trust level 0 like a radish, all the way to 80.


    After browsing the user manual for a while, Lin Da gained a preliminary understanding.


    This Witch Purification skill would exert different levels of power depending on the witch��s level of trust in him. If the trust was too low, then high frequency of contact would be necessary to enhance the effect of Purification.


    In summary: Trust Level + Contact Frequency = Purification Degree.


    Among these, a trust value of 80 is a rather special tier, attainable by two methods: one is to slowly build trust from 0 to 80.


    The second is simple and violent.


    Objectively speaking, the latter is a shortcut.


    But correspondingly, the price of taking shortcuts is terrifying, possibly forever locking at 80, unable to advance further.


    Lin Da figured out the essence of the Witch Purification section, which, put plainly, was somewhat similar to the Favorability System.


    Each time a new level of favorability was reached, a reward would be granted.


    In the reality of the Great Mystery Continent, this could mean Mystical Points, Skill Points, gear��


    Lin Da silently commanded, ��Activate!��


    System notification:


    [Current number of witches recognized: 1, now bound, Witch Lulu]


    [Current trust level: -10, Slight Disgust]


    [Reward received: 100 Mystical Points]


    Lin Da was stupefied.


    There are negative trust levels?


    Not only are there negative numbers, but rewards were given for them, too.


    Lin Da felt like he had received alms from the system.


    ��I don��t even know your name yet. If we��re forming a small team, we should at least know each other��s names, right?��


    Lin Da spoke to Lulu.


    In theory, he ��didn��t know�� Lulu��s name, so he asked and tried to establish a preliminary friendly contact with this cold Beastman girl through conversation.


    Exchanging names was undoubtedly the first step in building trust.


    Lulu glanced at him sidelong and, probably figuring the request made sense, said indifferently, ��Lulu*Fenard.��


    The name was real, the surname was made up.


    Lin Da thought to himself.


    ��I��m Li Cha, and she is Kafni.��


    Lin Da did some introductions.


    [System Notification: Witch Lulu��s trust level towards you +1, current trust level, -9, Slight Disgust]


    Seeing this message, Lin Da felt relieved.


    Once he raises the trust level to the 30-point ��Courtesy Greeting��, he should be able to propose Purification.


    30 points, it doesn��t seem like much,


    But upon reflection, it is actually quite hard.


    Given the current situation, Lin Da was worried that Lulu might sever his and Kafni��s throats in the middle of the night, silencing them forever.


    And Lulu was also afraid of the mysterious ��golden light�� inside Kafni, worried that if she wasn��t careful enough, Kafni might kill her.


    Joining the team was merely a temporary measure; fundamentally, they were still on guard against each other.

 Chapter 52 - 52: 52. Lin Da through the Eyes of a Video Game Character

    Chapter 52: 52. Lin Da through the Eyes of a Video Game Character


    When Lulu was planning to leave White Dove City, she definitely wouldn��t let him and Kafni go.


    Lin Da had to raise his trust level above 30 points before that day arrived.


    On the way back, they encountered some adventurers who were also returning from the wilds.


    All of them had hunted Magical Creatures for a day, looking travel-worn, with their boots covered in dust.


    Many adventurers carried oversized backpacks that contained valuable parts of Magical Creatures�� corpses.


    Although the Demon Core was the most valuable, and everything else was a small profit, lower-tier adventurers still had to cut those things out and sell them back in White Dove City to make a living.


    ...


    Lin Da and Kafni had gained dozens of Demon Cores on this trip, which was something adventurers of the same level wouldn��t even dare to dream of.


    ��It��s ��Eye of Wisdom�� sir!��


    ��Are you also here to hunt Magical Creatures?��


    ��I heard you��re planning to establish a new adventure team, can I join?��


    Many adventurers greeted Lin Da, and he smiled back in response.


    Some wanted to join his squad, but they seemed quite average in strength and were politely declined by him.


    [System Prompt: Witch Lulu��s trust towards you has increased by 3, current trust level: -6, slight disgust]


    Huh, it went up?


    Lin Da looked at the sudden notification with some surprise and turned towards the short-haired girl who seemed indifferent to the surroundings.


    He thought that the enthusiastic attitude of those adventurers towards him might have made Lulu believe he was a good person.


    Just then.


    The adventurers walking away whispered amongst themselves:


    ��White Dove Morning News reported he became the ��Ultimate Pervert��; I didn��t quite believe it, but now I do.��


    ��Yeah, how come all the beauties in the city are flocking to him? That Beastman will probably get deceived and taken advantage, too!��


    ��Sigh, first the three from the Snow Goose Adventure Team, and then the two beside him, he truly lives up to being the Ultimate Pervert, never repeating the same woman.��


    Yesterday��s event in the Inner City District Adventurer��s Guild, where Lin Da embraced Aiko, was already common knowledge throughout the city.


    Team leader Lia of Snow Goose was depicted by unscrupulous reporters as someone who ��left in anger�� upon finding out her teammate Aiko had cheated with Lin Da. Not only that, the underage Klrona might have also fallen prey, and now Lin Da had set his sights on a new target, Isa, preparing to turn her into his Star Fury.


    Overnight, Lin Da��s title of ��Eye of Wisdom�� had been replaced by ��Ultimate Pervert��.


    [System Prompt: Witch Lulu��s trust towards you has decreased by 15, current trust level: -21, dislike]


    Lin Da was speechless.


    What Ultimate Pervert��those were all lies!


    Lulu seemed to be giving off an increasingly colder vibe, and the distance between them inadvertently grew by half a meter.


    ��That��s not the case,�� Lin Da said.


    ��There��s no need for explanations,�� Lulu frowned, ��When I caught up earlier, you and that blonde, you were planning on doing that sort of thing, right? Figures, given you��re the Ultimate Pervert.��


    ��Actually, that can be explained, too.��


    ��It��s not necessary.��


    ������


    Lin Da looked at the slightly decreased trust level and was somewhat worried.


    He decided to shift the topic away from the Ultimate Pervert and took the opportunity to try and get some answers from Lulu.


    ��Could you tell me about your team leader? I seem to bear a strong resemblance to him?��


    Lin Da coughed and said.


    He wanted to know what his game character looked like in the eyes of his team members.


    ��Captain?�� Lulu��s head lifted slightly, drawn to the topic.


    Taking advantage of the momentum, Lin Da feigned great interest, ��Right. You seem to really despise him, what did he do?��


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    Lulu let out a taunting laugh, unclear whether it was directed at the captain or at herself.


    Seeing that he got no answer, Lin Da changed his approach, ��What kind of person is your captain? Having such a powerful team member like you, he must be proud.��


    He intentionally used reverse psychology to provoke her into revealing the truth.


    In the game��s backstory, this was a rather impulsive Beastmen girl.


    She had been caught and sold to the slave market for talking back to nobles in defense of a friend, and the player��s character, cheered on by the crowd, happily forked out fifty Gold Coins to buy her freedom.


    ��Proud? Hmph�� Of that kind of person? In his eyes, all team members are nothing but tools.��


    Lulu��s voice carried a heavy resentment.


    ��Ah? Isn��t your captain supposed to be a very good person?�� Lin Da pretended to be surprised.


    Lulu sneered, ��He��s nothing but a magic-operated machine, utterly inhuman!��


    ��Doesn��t everyone have their oddities?��


    Lin Da looked at the girl with a slightly questioning expression.


    ��He��s different!��


    Lulu, reminded of the past, angrily kicked a stone on the ground, sending it flying hundreds of meters away and hitting a small mound, kicking up a cloud of dust.


    Lin Da wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.


    After cooling down for a while, Lulu continued, ��That man can��t be described as normally strange. ��Weird�� would be more accurate!��


    ��I bet he��s definitely not as weird as my old captain.��


    ��Heh, no matter how strange your old captain might be in your eyes, everyone else seems normal compared to that man.��


    Lulu, riled up by Lin Da, finally opened up, furrowing her brows and speaking with simmering anger:


    ��He acts like a magical machine, using his team members as expendable tools, never seen him eating, nor does he ��sit down��, he��s always standing!��


    Doesn��t sit down?


    Lin Da scratched his head; it wasn��t his fault since the Mystic Continent game chairs didn��t have a sitting function��


    ��But the strangest thing about him is when he sleeps!��


    ��That guy, he sleeps so deeply that hitting him elicits no response.��


    ��The team even jokes that the captain, when asleep, is invincible. Even the Mage��s Fire Blast can��t hurt him.��


    Lulu��s voice carried a mix of hatred and amusement as she spoke of the incident with the Fire Blast, the frost on her face thawing slightly.


    In contrast, Lin Da couldn��t help but think: Once the character logs off, they��re in an invincible state; not just Fire Blast, but even the Forbidden Curse like Meteorite Technique can��t harm an offline character in the slightest.


    Through their conversation, he learned quite a bit from Lulu��s words. The experiences of the game character he controlled in the game world had turned into reality, even his character��s meaningless action of spinning in circles had actually taken place.


    In his team members�� eyes, his character was like a robot; it didn��t eat, couldn��t sit down, ��slept�� like it was dead, and was impervious to attacks, a veritable oddball.


    It��s worth mentioning that ��Mystic Continent�� is a wholesome game suitable for teenagers, with its affection points more appropriately described as bonding events, lacking any salacious fan service scenes.


    Lin Da transferred his soul into his game character three years ago, but why he became a level 0 Healer and appeared in White Dove City, the starting map for beginners, was something he still couldn��t understand.

 Chapter 53 - 53: 53. When pollution occurs, the hero takes action

    Chapter 53: 53. When pollution occurs, the hero takes action


    Perhaps after I beat this game, I��ll find the answer.


    Withdrawing his thoughts, Lin Da said to Lulu with a sympathetic face, ��It seems that your old team captain was indeed a strange character! But don��t worry, I��m different from your old captain, I will cherish every member of our team.��


    [System Prompt: Witch Lulu��s trust levels +11, current trust level, -10, slight aversion]


    Lin Da accepted this unexpected gift without batting an eyelid.


    The three headed in the direction of White Dove City, with Lulu leading the way, and Lin Da slightly behind,


    On his left was a nervous Kafni, constantly tensing with divine power, on guard for any strange behavior from Lulu.


    ... S��ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��You go ahead.��


    Suddenly, Lulu furrowed her brow and touched the corner of her mouth.


    After discovering a bit of black blood on her finger, she paused for a moment, then said in a cold voice, looking down.


    ��What��s wrong?�� Lin Da asked.


    ��I have some matters to deal with,�� Lulu said expressionlessly, ��You go ahead, I��ll catch up soon.��


    Lin Da found it strange, but Kafni grabbed his wrist and gave a meaningful look, eager to get as far away from the witch as possible.


    ��


    Lulu waited on the spot for a while, making sure Lin Da and Kafni had gone far, then she slowly knelt on the ground.


    Her little face turned deathly white, beads of sweat the size of soybeans poured down her forehead, and her tail curled up in severe pain.


    Black blood, like sewage, flowed from Lulu��s mouth and nose.


    The veins under her skin became thick like live earthworms, twisting and wriggling grotesquely!


    Lulu��s eyes widened, bloodshot, as she clutched her chest, her mouth wide open, but because the pain exceeded her tolerance, no sound came from her throat.


    A terrible thought flashed through her mind: it was the backlash from overusing the witch��s powers when killing those paladins!


    But the backlash came on too quickly this time, and Lulu had thought it wouldn��t start until the evening.


    She was relieved she had sent ��Li Cha�� and Kafni away earlier, otherwise if the two discovered her weakness, she would be in danger.


    There was something very dangerous inside Kafni, Lulu couldn��t say what it was, but the consequences of getting hit by it were definitely bad.


    ��I won��t die easily before I meet that ��Lin Da�� from the Snow Goose Adventure Team,�� she said.


    Lulu was driven by a complex sense of resentment to stay alive.


    She lay on the ground and crawled like a worm, using her hands, feet, and tail, and hid behind a small hill.


    Usually, such backlash would last for about three minutes.


    What was strange, however,


    was that this time the pain was much worse than before, and the black blood flowing from her mouth and nose was also much more than in the past.


    Lulu took out a bunch of bottles and jars of liquid from the pouch on her belt and poured them clumsily into her mouth.


    A potion that could relieve the symptoms.


    But it had a severe side effect, it would exacerbate the corruption inside her body after a while.


    She had no choice now but to take it.


    Lulu gritted her teeth in secret, thinking that no matter what, she wouldn��t die before she met that Lin Da from White Dove City and confirmed if he was that machinelike captain of the adventure team!


    For three years,


    she had found dozens of adventurers named Lin Da.


    Without exception, none of them were the right person.


    But this time, Lulu had a strong hunch.


    As if guided by the hands of fate,


    it was very likely that Lin Da from White Dove City was the one she was looking for!


    ��


    ��You want to go back and check? Are you crazy?��


    ��Why should you care about that Beastman? Your XP is acting weird!��


    ��By the way, you��re keeping something from me, aren��t you?��


    Having just walked out of the Barren Plains, Lin Da and Kafni got into an argument.


    The cause was simple.


    Lin Da suddenly suggested that he wanted to go back and check why the Beastman Witch hadn��t caught up with them.


    Kafni objected. It would be best to shake her off and never see her again��that would be for the best!


    A Witch above level 25 was not something they could handle!


    Lin Da said, ��She��s essentially part of our team now; we can��t just abandon her.��


    ��Teammate? She only joined to monitor us, to kill us! And it seems she knows you? What��s going on here, and why don��t I know about it? You have a history with a witch?�� Kafni exclaimed, frustrated.


    Lin Da did not answer. The matters of ��Mystic Continent,�� this game, he would tell no one.


    His plan to double back and look for Lulu was not about increasing trust or anything of the sort; it was purely out of concern.


    When Lin Da saw Lulu talk about her days with the Primitive Adventure Team with a face full of warmth and nostalgia, he couldn��t help but feel a myriad of emotions.


    If Lulu, as a game character, were just a bunch of cold data written by people, then whatever the player did wouldn��t be excessive, and there would be no psychological burden. But when Lin Da entered the game world of ��Mystic Continent,�� where all characters, NPCs, became real, the things he did to Lulu seemed somewhat cruel.


    To the point where she even became a Witch after three years!


    In this world, the prerequisite for becoming a Witch was ��a girl harboring a strong desire, who hears the whispers of the Demon King and is willing to pay a huge price to make a contract with him.��


    Lin Da didn��t know what Lulu specifically desired, but it was very likely related to him.


    It was him, as a player, who rescued Lulu from the slavers about to sell her to human nobles, trained her as an adventurer, and gave the girl hope,


    but after level 15, the attacks from the Magical Creatures were too strong, making Lulu, a fragile warrior, useless. He stripped her of her gear, sold it, enhanced other characters, and kicked Lulu directly out of the team.


    Anyone would probably question their life, and end it all in despair.


    Was she seeking revenge against him, the unfeeling team leader, or aiming to become a powerful ��Five-star Character�� to gain his approval?


    Either way, it was related to Lin Da.


    As they say, the one who tied the knot must be the one to untie it.


    Lin Da, having come to the game world, felt it his responsibility as a player to save those characters he had abandoned!


    So, Lin Da had to go back to see, and to invite Lulu to join the team again.


    This time it was not a cunning invitation made to prevent combat. It was an invitation from an adventure team captain, asking Lulu to become his teammate and advance with him towards the top of the World Tree.


    ��Kafni, I must go!��


    Lin Da threw off Kafni��s hand.


    The wind over the wilderness was bracing.


    Lin Da left behind the blonde deity and headed toward the Barren Plains in search of the Witch!


    He was truly the model of a hero.


    Kafni, eyes practically sparking with anger, fidgeted awkwardly for a while then hurriedly followed.


    With her Trace of Divine Power there, she could at least ensure the Witch wouldn��t act rashly.


    Lin Da didn��t expect Kafni to follow him, and was surprised, ��Thank you?��


    ��Who made me a Deity? It��s a Deity��s duty to help a hero,�� sighed Kafni.


    The two retraced their steps and arrived at the Barren Plains.


    Looking around, however, they could not find Lulu.


    Where is she?


    Lin Da felt puzzled.

 Chapter 54 - 54: 54. Relax, the brave hero is about to start operating!

    Chapter 54: 54. Relax, the brave hero is about to start operating!


    In the eyes of Lulu, Kafni and I must be eliminated to silence witnesses and destroy evidence. How could she simply leave us and flee?


    Lin Da��s mind raced through various possibilities, such as Lulu being chased by enemies or having a stomachache that required her to�� get to a toilet. Or perhaps Aunt Flo had arrived.


    ��Look over there!��


    Kafni made a discovery and pointed in surprise at a sticky black substance on the ground.


    Originally buried in the sand, Kafni could feel a strong evil aura emanating from it.


    Just like a dog that had caught the scent of poop, she quickly pinpointed it.


    ...


    Lin Da approached and prodded the black substance with a stick.


    The stick hissed and smoked, a piece eaten away by the corrosive substance!


    ��Yikes, what is this?�� Lin Da��s eyes narrowed.


    Kafni said, ��There is a strong evil aura inside, belonging to the demons. I guess�� it��s the blood of a witch.��


    ��What?��


    Lin Da frowned.


    Seeing this bloodstain, he immediately understood why Lulu had told them to go ahead.


    Using her powers was not without cost for a witch.


    Combining this with the bloody scent that wafted from Scorching Gorge earlier, some things were not hard to deduce.


    Lulu was in a bad state, worried that in her weakness, she might be attacked by Kafni.


    Lin Da��s mind worked rapidly,


    he had Kafni use divine power to sense Lulu��s location, while he carefully reached out his hand to touch the black pool of blood on the ground.


    If he wasn��t mistaken, his skill ��Witch Purification�� should have an effect on this black blood.


    If this attempt succeeded, Lin Da would be much more confident about handling what came next.


    ��What are you doing, are you crazy?��


    Seeing him reach towards the ominous black blood, Kafni was startled and rushed over to stop him.


    By then, ��Witch Purification�� had already been activated.


    Lin Da��s palm turned a life-giving shade of emerald green.


    The soft glow fell upon the surface of the black blood, and a miracle occurred��the filthy black bloodstain was washed away as if by clean water, revealing its true form as regular red blood just like that of any other person!


    Witch Purification was indeed miraculous!


    Lin Da��s confidence surged, and he looked at Kafni seriously, ��Find the witch��s location quickly, I�� need to purify her!��


    Kafni realized Lin Da��s intentions and a hint of joy flashed across her face.


    The two set to work.


    Lin Da couldn��t sense the witch��s aura and could only rely on his eyes, while Kafni sniffed around like a hunting dog, sniffing left and right.


    About a minute later, Kafni lived up to expectations and made a discovery: ��Over here!��


    Hearing the shout, Lin Da quickly ran over.


    ��Right here.�� Kafni pointed to a small mound.


    But isn��t this place empty?


    Lin Da wondered, puzzled.


    As he observed carefully, he spotted an anomaly.


    Right in the center of the mound, there was evidence of digging by claws of a beast and then covering it back up; the soil there was noticeably looser.


    Quite cautious.


    No different from a beast, even when licking its wounds, it seeks a secluded spot.


    But, sorry, Lin Da would dig her out.


    Lin Da approached the mound, and with a fierce swipe of his hands, he pushed all the loose earth to one side.


    And then, he saw it��a fluffy wolf tail.


    But at this moment, the wolf tail wasn��t as bushy and relaxed as usual, looking soft to the touch; instead, it was shrunk and tucked between the legs.


    Lulu herself was curled up like a pill bug, her whole body trembling violently.


    Lin Da bent down and peered into the depths of the crude cave.


    With the faint light coming in from the entrance, he could see that Lulu��s face was devoid of color.


    The beast-man girl was biting her lip tightly, with black traces of blood seeping from her mouth and nose. She recognized Lin Da��s arrival, but couldn��t react; the intense pain left her only capable of lying in the cave, shivering.


    -100, -104, -109��


    Dark purple numbers indicating damage continuously popped up above Lulu��s head.


    Lin Da��s expression grew much graver.


    At this rate, Lulu might very well bleed out to death!


    He reached out with his palm and cast a Healing Art towards her.


    A green +280 appeared above Lulu��s head.


    Admittedly, this amount of healing was high for a Level 7 Recovery Series adventurer,


    but the problem was, with Lulu losing 100 Hit Points every second, Lin Da��s healing of 280 Hit Points was as good as scratching an itch that couldn��t be reached.


    [System Notification: Witch Lulu��s trust in you +5]


    This message steadied Lin Da��s heart.


    ��Relax, let me look at your body, I��m here to help you,�� he said.


    To avoid any misunderstanding, Lin Da gave a verbal warning before touching Lulu.


    [System Notification: Witch Lulu��s trust in you -6]


    How could it decrease more than it increased? sea??h th�� N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the urgent situation, Lin Da didn��t realize his phrasing was a mistake but instead grasped Lulu��s waist to lay her flat on her back, making it easier for the subsequent procedures.


    ��Huff, huff.��


    Heavy breathing sounds became especially noticeable in the cramped cave. Lulu symbolically kicked at Lin Da��s touch and then ran out of strength.


    Lin Da didn��t mind it at all and examined the girl��s body carefully.


    He noticed that her hands were firmly clutching the position of her heart, and it dawned on him: The witch��s setup was exactly the same as in the game!


    In the game, players had to pay the gaming company 648 Yuan monthly to continue using the class of the witch, and if they stopped paying, the witch would succumb to shadows, leaving behind only a corrupted pet beast egg.


    This setting, once turned into reality, would be ��automatically translated�� to fit the world��s current view.


    Lin Da had read in a miscellaneous book that witches were described thus: The source of corruption came from the Fallen Insect that the Demon King Satan planted in the girls�� hearts at the time of contract formation.


    The Fallen Insect would grow with the witch, the higher the witch��s level, the faster the Fallen Insect would grow.


    To hasten the day it would hatch, the insect would desperately grant power to the witch.


    When the Fallen Insect matured, it would devour the witch, turning into a Fallen Beast capable of destroying an entire human city.


    Utterly vicious and cruel!


    The Demon King lured the unknowing witches with soothing murmurs, turning them into human bombs ready to explode at any moment!


    In the game, one might simply lament the loss of a character, but in reality, Lin Da truly disapproved of the Demon King��s actions �C heartless and deserving of relentless retribution.


    ��Lulu, relax your body, open your heart, I��m coming!�� Lin Da took a deep breath and loudly warned her near her ear.


    Despite suffering from the torment of the Fallen Insect, this earth-shattering statement still startled her back to a brief moment of lucid consciousness, her complexion changed drastically, and she kicked her foot at Lin Da��s head.


    ��Get away, you sneaky human who takes advantage of others�� perils!��


    Lulu��s voice was extremely weak, and her kicking leg didn��t have much strength,


    Lin Da directly hugged the nimble and well-shaped right leg in his arms, pressed it to the ground, and used his knee to pin it down, preventing any movement during the purification that might wound him unintentionally.

 Chapter 55 - 55: 55, grab my handlebars!

    Chapter 55: 55, grab my handlebars!


    ��You��!�� Lulu propped herself up with difficulty, taking deep breaths, her face full of rage as she glared at Lin Da. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She resembled a girl with a 40-degree fever, putting up a feeble resistance.


    Lin Da didn��t pay her any mind and said to Kafni behind him, ��Keep watch; don��t let the other adventurers come this way. I��m about to start.��


    ��Oh.�� Kafni glanced at Lin Da with a worried look. ��If that beastman girl bites you to death, remember to scream for help in advance.��


    Having said this, Kafni sat on a small mound to keep guard,


    while Lin Da thrust forward abruptly, diving into the cave like a swordfish.


    ...


    The land of the Barren Plains was dry and blistering hot,


    and Lin Da felt as if he were next to a piece of human-shaped charcoal.


    The worsening pollution had caused Lulu��s body temperature to rise.


    At this rate, it was very likely to burn up her blood vessels, and even her Magic Circuit!


    The beastman girl didn��t know what Lin Da climbing up was intended to do and stabbed her beast claws toward Lin Da��s throat in panic.


    But at that moment, she was too weak, and Lin Da easily caught one of her hands and pinned it to the ground.


    ��Don��t move; I��m trying to help you!��


    Lin Da uttered sternly, his gaze fixed seriously on Lulu as he searched for the entry point for Purification.


    Lulu��s body, however, trembled with embarrassment and anger. Her struggle was futile, and the pollution within her intensified,


    The Fallen Insect in her heart, sensing its host��s impending demise, began to throb with excitement, preparing to break free from its shell.


    Everything was going terribly wrong!


    But, that was also good.


    Lulu thought bitterly, let this insidious human intending to defile her be devoured by the Fallen Beast, serving as her funeral accompaniment!


    At this moment, Lin Da finally found the most suitable entry point.


    He said, ��Only by having something on you will you not trust me and sincerely join my team, right?��


    What was this guy talking about?


    Lulu couldn��t understand at all and was confused. Didn��t he realize she wasn��t an ordinary beastman but a witch beastman with Witch Power, known as ��Catastrophe Girl��?


    Sincerely join his team? What a joke!


    Lulu only wanted to slit his and Kafni��s throats when they weren��t paying attention!


    ��So, I will expose my own vulnerability,�� Lin Da said calmly.


    What on earth was he talking about?


    Lulu was even more confused.


    She saw Lin Da extend his right hand towards her slowly.


    This human��s voice was deep and resonant, carrying a strange Magic Power that made her involuntarily think of another person��his gaze was just like the merciless team leader who had used her up and kicked her out of the team with a cold boot.


    Before Lulu could ponder any further, a growl came from above her.


    ��Witch, grab onto my vulnerability!��


    ��This power will lead you to a bright future!��


    Lin Da, without hesitation, pried open Lulu��s mouth and stuffed his fingers in!


    ��Ugh!!!��


    Lulu was shocked, furious, and flustered, the intensity of her emotions stronger than the pain brought on by the pollution flare-up!


    What was this human doing?


    This was his ��vulnerability��?


    To grab a bright future by holding his finger in her mouth?


    Lulu thought to herself that if she survived today, she would never let this treacherous human go unpunished!


    And of course, Lin Da wasn��t making an indecorous advance.


    Putting his finger in was a well-considered decision.


    The degree of Witch Purification equaled trust plus contact.


    Lulu��s trust in him was negative; the Purification effect was too weak.


    So the only option was to increase the contact.


    The Fallen Insect was located in the witch��s heart.


    The closer to the heart, the better the Purification effect.


    All things considered, aside from the unusable eleventh finger, Lin Da��s approach was the best choice.


    ��It just looks easily misunderstood, that��s all.��


    The sensation from his fingers was incredibly peculiar.


    Lin Da felt as if he had entered a warm, wet and slippery waterpark, where a cute little beast was resisting him.


    But with his formidable strength, he easily subdued it.


    Suddenly, a sharp pain struck.


    Tears of humiliation welled up in Lulu��s deep blue eyes as she glared at him with a look that could kill,


    her mouth biting down sharply on her own palm.


    Her teeth pierced the skin, and blood, rich in color, began to flow, trickling into Lulu��s mouth.


    Lin Da felt an agonizing pain.


    But he couldn��t afford to explain himself to Lulu, who probably wouldn��t listen to his explanation anyway.


    Only personal action could prove that he hadn��t meant any disrespect to her.


    Lin Da��s mind focused on the core of his spirit world.


    All seven stars that hung like sentinels in the night sky lit up at once.


    Channeling all his magic power into his body.


    ��Purification, activate!��


    Lin Da silently called out.


    The magic circuit glowed, and as it operated at full capacity, his entire right arm turned into a lively green color.


    It was the purest essence of life, like the rain of spring or the dew of summer.


    The moment this light appeared, Lulu, beneath him, twitched, and


    a sudden lightness in her body brought an incredulous expression to her face.


    Despite being slight, Lulu distinctly felt some of the tainted blood in her body��blackened by Fallen Insect pollution��being purified!


    The Fallen Insect in her heart seemed to sense danger, frantically still like an insect facing a bird, cautiously hiding away.


    The pain was lessening, and her strength was gradually returning��


    What kind of magical power was this?


    The damned insects within the witch were familiars of Demon King Satan! To purify Satan��s familiars, wasn��t that proof that this human��s purification power was even greater than the Demon King��s?


    Lulu looked at Lin Da in shock,


    seeing the man drenched in sweat, his entire focus apparently on casting the spell.


    The hand pushed inside her mouth was a vibrant green; warmth kept flowing into her body, like a weary traveler sitting in front of a hearth during a great snow, with a cup of piping hot coffee in hand, comfort seeping into the very bones.


    Undoubtedly, the improvement in her condition came from his help!


    But why did this human have such miraculous power, and why help her?


    Not long ago, Lulu had meant to kill him.


    It was Kafni��s presence that made her abandon the thought.


    Yet, deep down, she was still planning to seize an opportunity to dispose of the two of them, to avoid future troubles.


    Lulu couldn��t understand the reason behind his help.


    She hesitated for a moment, then released the bite on Lin Da��s palm.


    The blood from the wound, with a hint of sweetness amidst the metallic taste, fell into her mouth.


    As a werewolf, Lulu couldn��t help but swallow, consuming the blood that had flowed.


    A twinge of guilt flickered within her.


    Her teeth were rather sharp, after all.


    Time ticked by, second by second.


    The emerald glow from the Witch Purification illuminated the cave.


    This hastily dug-out cave was both small and crude; two people crammed inside left hardly any room to spare.


    Inevitably, they clung together like two damp cloths.


    Mostly, it was the uncomfortable heat of sweat.


    For Lulu, this adventurer, after fighting Magical Creatures all day, reeked of sweat, an unbearable stench.


    With her slight obsession with cleanliness, she could do nothing but endure.


    Lulu could almost sense the breathing from above, Lin Da��s fingers still in her mouth, her pair of deep blue eyes unsure where to look, simply closed them.

 Chapter 56 - 56: 56. Purify the Witch, reap the rewards!

    Chapter 56: 56. Purify the Witch, reap the rewards!


    Long eyelashes swayed with the girl��s breathing, her light blue short hair spread on the ground like tender petals of a blossom.


    Her white forehead, cheeks, and neck were all covered in sweat.


    Intermingled with her body scent, it intertwined with Lin Da��s breath.


    Creating a strangely stimulating, addictive scent.


    Lin Da examined the girl with her eyes closed and couldn��t help but silently exclaim, ��She is much prettier in person than in the game��s 3D models! The charm and cuteness of the werewolf race are subtly blended together!��


    But he knew, now was not the time to daydream.


    ...


    If Lulu noticed anything unusual about him, his hand in the wolf��s mouth might not be safe.


    During the purification process, Lin Da��s system messages flooded his screen.


    [Witch Lulu��s Trust +10, Current Trust 0, Stranger]


    [Trust +10]


    [Trust +6]


    [Trust +15]


    [Current Trust, 31, Courtesy Greeting!]


    As trust increased, so did the strength of the purification, forming a positive cycle.


    Not only that, but with three major increases in trust, Lin Da received system rewards.


    [System Alert: Trust increased to 0 Stranger, reward 100 Mystical Points!]


    [System Alert: Trust increased to 10 Acquaintance, reward Purple Rare equipment ��Walnut Wood Magic Sword��!]


    [System Alert: Trust increased to 20 Nod of Acquaintance, reward Purple Rare item ��Large Explosion Stone��!]


    [System Alert: Trust increased to 30 Courtesy Greeting, reward 1000 Experience Points!]


    The 1000 Experience Points felt like an enlightening infusion, entering Lin Da��s body as a ray of golden light struck his head.


    Thus, Lin Da who was on Lulu��s body leveled up under her stupefied gaze.


    The werewolf girl, probably having never seen nor heard of an adventurer leveling up on someone��s belly, stared at Lin Da with a bewildered look.


    Meanwhile, Lin Da checked the system rewards.


    1000 Experience Points allowed him to level up from 7 to 8, and he was left with 300 Experience Points.


    [System Alert: Strength +13, Magic Power +13, Defense +2, Magic Defense +3, Agility +2, Hit Points +200]


    [Skill Points +1]


    [Next Level Experience: 300/1500]


    Farming a witch was even faster than grinding monsters.


    Lin Da thought to himself.


    Half a minute later, his Magic Power was nearly spent, and he stopped the purification.


    The green hue of his arm also returned to normal.


    Lulu lay calmly on the ground.


    Her wolf tail, like a sweeping broom, moved swiftly side to side, scraping a curved pit on the ground.


    Lin Da��s heart rate increased as he carefully withdrew his fingers.


    They brought with them strands of glittering liquid.


    Just at the moment they passed over Lulu��s chest, they broke.


    They fell with a plop�� in between.


    Lin Da was drenched in sweat!


    But surprisingly, Lulu was not annoyed and looked at him calmly,


    ��I am grateful for your help, and also, can you move off quickly?��


    As Lin Da heard the sound of a wolf��s tail sweeping in the cave, growing louder and stirring up dust, he knew Lulu was not as calm as she appeared. If he didn��t get up soon, there might indeed be a risk.


    Leaving the warm body behind, Lin Da felt an inexplicable reluctance. Although Lulu seemed cold, her body was actually very soft and petite, just the right size for him to hold.


    The feel of the beastman��s fuzzy tail must also be great.


    Yet this pleasant thought made Lin Da sigh, knowing that once Lulu reached White Dove City, it wouldn��t take long for her to find out he was ��Lin Da.��


    By then, friendly hugs would be the least of his worries, fearing that those beastly claws might mercilessly attack his throat.


    The current trust level is 30 points, courtesy greeting.


    Hopefully, these 30 points of trust would make Lulu give up on attacking.


    While thinking this, Lin Da crawled out of the cave.


    After a while, Lulu tidied up her disheveled clothes and followed suit.


    Kafni sat on a small hill, curiously propping her chin with her hands as she looked toward them.


    The atmosphere had changed.


    Even if Lin Da told her about the sounds from the small hill, that he was fighting the witch, she would believe him.


    This hero seemed to be quite capable!


    ��I think we need to find a place to talk,�� Lulu said, hands in her pockets, chewing on a piece of gum, and glancing at Lin Da with an uneasy expression. ��Why do you have that kind of power, and�� what is your purpose in helping me?��


    Those were indeed not topics suitable for discussion outdoors, as it would be bad if someone overheard.


    Lin Da vaguely responded, ��You must have caught on to my vulnerability, right?��


    Lulu was startled.


    After a moment of thought, she understood what the ��vulnerability�� referred to.


    The miraculous power to purify witches was indeed a powerful vulnerability. Once the news got out, Lin Da would face an unprecedented brutal manhunt from the Demon Realm. How could the Demon Realm allow their human bombs to be purified one by one?


    Taking the Demon King��s power without doing the right thing is like freeloading!


    Lin Da was like a large eraser, able to wipe out the contract bindings inside the witches.


    The consequences of the exposure would put Lin Da in danger.


    But Lulu still couldn��t grasp the reason for his actions.


    What was he plotting?


    The three of them, each preoccupied with their thoughts, hurried back to White Dove City.


    ��


    Sparrow District, a certain hotel.


    This was probably the most upscale hotel in Sparrow District: the living room was spacious and brightly lit by magic lamps.


    Lin Da and Kafni checked whether there were any recording stones or anything of the sort.


    Certain despicable adventurers, to eavesdrop on others, would set up recording stones in hidden places in small hotels.


    They truly deserved death and should be thrown into the Goblin Cave for severe punishment!


    As Lin Da and his companion checked, the sound of splashing water came from the adjacent bathroom.


    Lulu, who had been pinned to the ground in the cave for quite a while, and whose body bore contaminated black blood and dirt, consequently went to bathe��the first thing she did upon renting the hotel room.


    A cold voice came from the bathroom: ��If you dare to peep, I won��t let you off.��


    ��I��m not interested in flat surfaces,�� Lin Da said helplessly as he sat on the sofa to rest after finishing the inspection.


    In the bathroom.


    A bundle of chest-binding bandages lay discarded in a wooden basket full of clothes. S��arch* The N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A short-haired girl with a furry tail propped her right hand against the wall, covering her freed ample chest, and pursed her lips as she stared at her reflection in the life-sized mirror.


    Her wheat-colored skin was healthy and vibrant, her waist full of explosive power, devoid of any excess fat.


    Lulu weighed her front and her expression darkened.


    Flat��? She wished it were so; too large was actually a hindrance in battle!


    But she didn��t rebut, nor did she understand Lin Da��s disdain for flat surfaces.


    At that moment, the warm water of the shower wet Lulu��s hair, which clung damply to her cheeks.


    She absentmindedly cleaned the stains on her skin while lightly touching her lips with her other hand.


    They seemed to still retain the salty taste of Lin Da��s sweat, along with a strong sensation of the unusual.


    The bad act he committed was actually just to save her.


    The ability to purify pollution inside a witch was called something Lin Da alone knew, and why he possessed it, Lulu was completely unaware.


    And why he exposed this ability to save her, was also a mystery.

 Chapter 57 - 57: 57. Purple Equipment: Walnut Wood Magic Sword

    Chapter 57: 57. Purple Equipment: Walnut Wood Magic Sword


    The other party knew she had been to Scorching Gorge,


    wait a few more days, and when the news of the Paladin��s death reached White Dove City, it would be easy to connect it to her.


    Once this got out��!


    Lulu��s eyes flashed coldly, she bared her fangs, and looked towards the white wall opposite the bathroom. That was the living room, where she could make a sudden move while the other two were off guard. She was fifty percent confident.


    Only�� Lulu hesitated at this thought. After all, ��Li Cha�� had saved her, and she wasn��t heartless or ungrateful; she knew how to repay favors.


    But she really couldn��t understand why the other party had saved her.


    ...


    To notify the Holy Light Church in secret, to capture her alive and claim the bounty?


    The reward for her capture wasn��t small at all��


    ��Roar~!��


    The girl��s throat let out a wolf-like growl of annoyance that she couldn��t suppress, and she gently pounded her fist against the fog-covered wall.


    The ample fruits shook with the movement.


    She couldn��t see through that detestable human��s thoughts!


    It felt like she had walked into a trap, yet she couldn��t find any evidence, a frustration that made her feel defeated!


    Was ��Li Cha�� hiding something, was he really the ��Lin Da�� she was looking for?


    When Lulu was pinned down in the cave by that person, she had originally intended to bite off his fingers with all her might, but it was a look he inadvertently gave that frightened her.


    It was the same look as the captain of the Primordial Adventure Team, the cold and cruel look of ��Lin Da�� who treated his members like a machine, liking to weed out the useless members batch by batch!


    This fear was etched deep into Lulu��s bones, and all members of the Primordial Adventure Team feared their captain.


    On one hand, Lulu admired the other��s rational decisiveness, able to issue various commands in the face of an imminent attack from Magical Creatures. S��ar?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But on the other hand, this ��Lin Da,�� the captain��s attitude towards team members, was almost like a master towards slaves!


    Anyone falling behind even slightly would be kicked into the logistics team!


    If their second performance still wasn��t up to the mark, they��d be directly driven away with their equipment confiscated.


    Some were simply transferred to other teams!


    Lulu had been scared by that look so reminiscent of ��Lin Da,�� so when her phobia kicked in and she felt the contamination in her body being purified, she gave up resisting,


    and let that large hand, like a dentist, move around in her mouth unchecked.


    Now that she reflected on it, Lulu harbored some doubt about whether ��Li Cha�� was ��Lin Da.��


    She planned to first pay a visit to the Snow Goose Adventure Team in the Inner City District to see if the Snow Goose��s Lin Da was the ��Lin Da�� she was searching for.


    If he was, it would mean ��Li Cha�� hadn��t lied to her.


    If not, she would have to thoroughly investigate ��Li Cha.��


    Five minutes later, Lulu had finished her bath.


    Born into a poor Beastmen family, she had the good virtue of thriftiness and had cleaned herself efficiently in just five minutes.


    Picking up the bands of bandages from the floor, she rewrapped the useless excess fat around her, and as Lulu put on her clothes, she thought to herself that she would stay in that person��s squad to hide until she had finished her business in White Dove City.


    ��


    While Lulu was washing up in the bathroom, Lin Da and Kafni had already sat down to rest.


    The two of them were eating grapes bought along the way, drinking hot water, and lying in a soft, large sofa, suddenly feeling much less exhausted from hunting Magical Creatures.


    Lin Da was checking the rewards he had received for raising Lulu��s trust level, while Kafni was holding several shiny Demon Cores, her mouth not stopping for a moment, the grapes bought along the way quickly consumed by the handfuls.


    If not for some Divine Power in that Deity, it really would have turned into a Scrap God.


    Lin Da sighed.


    His attention was focused on the personal interface of the system.


    At the bottom, there was a section called ��Warehouse,�� where he could store the rewards given by the system.


    In the warehouse, there were two items.


    He clicked to inspect the first item.


    [Name: Walnut Wood Magic Sword]


    [Type: Weapon �C Sword/Magic Wand]


    [Quality: Purple Rare]


    [Level: 10]


    [Attribute Points: Strength +160, Magic Power +160, 10% increase in Chanting Speed, Agility +10]


    [Equipment Score: 207, An excellent magic and melee dual-purpose weapon that wouldn��t break even if used to bash a Heavy Armored Warrior��s head]


    Seeing the terrifying attributes of the Walnut Wood Magic Sword, Lin Da jolted upright on the couch.


    A dual attack boost of 160 was outrageous!


    His current ��Rusty One-Handed Sword�� only added 10 points to strength!


    His personal Basic Attributes currently were dual attack 103.


    Wearing this Walnut Wood Magic Sword would more than double his combat prowess.


    ��High-quality equipment is truly formidable. When I worked as a Healer, I always used blue rare gear; I��ve never used purple.��


    Lin Da sighed internally.


    The Snow Goose Adventure Team��s common funds gave priority to Lia, Aiko, and Klrona, with their main weapons all being of purple rare quality, depleting the common funds and causing Lin Da to use only blue equipment.


    ��What��s gotten into you?�� Kafni, seeing his sudden surprise, said annoyedly.


    ��Just thought of something exciting.��


    Lin Da planned to wait until he was away from the witch in the bathroom, and then tell Kafni about the Walnut Wood Magic Sword, pretending it was his innate skill.


    Even Kafni was not to know about the system��s existence.


    This secret, like being a transmigrator, Lin Da didn��t plan to tell anyone.


    ��The Walnut Wood Magic Sword is level 10; I have to be at level 10 to wear it, and I��m only level 8. I��ll just store it in the warehouse for now.��


    Lin Da thought privately as he inspected the second loyalty reward.


    [Name: Large Explosion Stone]


    [Type: Item �C Attack Class �C Magic]


    [Quality: Purple Rare]


    [Item Level: 20 (Items differ from equipment; adventurers of any level can use them)]


    [Description: Causes a large explosion with a twenty-meter radius, based on the adventurer��s Magic Power, inflicting ��greatly increased�� damage with a maximum equivalent to a level 20 ��Ultimate Skill��]


    Two keywords in the item��s description stood out to Lin Da: ��greatly increased�� and ��Ultimate Skill��.


    In his mind, Lin Da recalled the basic function introduction from the ��Mystic Continent�� game, where damage was described in various terms:


    Minor Damage, based on the adventurer��s strength or Magic Power, causing 0-100% damage.


    Moderate Damage, 1-2 times the adventurer��s strength or Magic Power.


    Fairly High, 2-4 times.


    High, 4-6 times.


    The damage from the Large Explosion Stone was classified as ��greatly increased,�� which was 6-10 times Lin Da��s Magic Power value.


    The Large Explosion Stone had an upper damage limit, equivalent to a level 20 adventurer��s ��Ultimate Skill��.


    All of an adventurer��s Skills are divided into two categories: ��Common Skills�� and ��Ultimate Skills��. The former can be used multiple times, like Lin Da��s Venom Magic Sphere, which has a low consumption and can be used ten times in full force.


    But Ultimate Skills often consume a lot, causing the Magic Circuit to overheat after being activated. An Ultimate Skill can usually be used only once in a battle, and very rarely twice.


    When the description of the Skills is the same, the ��high damage�� from an Ultimate Skill greatly surpasses that of a ��high damage�� Common Skill.


    Therefore, the power of Lin Da��s Large Explosion Stone was roughly equivalent to Ice Flower Adventure Team��s Isa using her level 20 Ultimate Skill ��Ice Blade Waltz�� to kill the Armored Turtle Snake during a live Strategy session.

 Chapter 58 - 58: 58. Lulu: What is your purpose?

    Chapter 58: 58. Lulu: What is your purpose?


    Lin Da nodded silently; this item was indeed what he needed.


    A high-powered, burst-damage, area-of-effect trump card!


    Although he had Kafni, the behemoth of destruction, at his side, Kafni��s Divine Power could only be used once, and who knows how long it would take to recharge.


    During the recharging period, Kafni would become a useless invalid.


    The cost was a bit high.


    The Large Explosion Stone could serve as Lin Da��s regular trump card, without any negative effects.


    ...


    He quietly clicked on the system inventory and materialized the Large Explosion Stone into the palm of his hand.


    It was a dice-sized, red cube-shaped crystal.


    Touching it, he could feel the terrifying temperature contained within; all Lin Da had to do was channel Magic Power into it and throw it to cause a powerful explosion.


    ��Good stuff.��


    Lin Da carefully placed it into a special pouch on his belt, secured the button, and prevented accidental activation.


    Then, he opened the Skill Tree page.


    He had reached level 8 and had 6 unused Skill Points.


    He left 2 Skill Points just in case.


    It was like playing League of Legends where you don��t add a point at level 2, waiting to see which skill would be needed before adding it.


    There were 4 Skill Points available for use.


    Lin Da��s gaze turned to the Poison Technique Series Skill Tree.


    The second layer of skills had been unlocked at level 5: [Spiky Thorn Armor] and [Poison Resistance].


    Lin Da clicked to view them.


    [Spiky Thorn Armor: Covers the body with spike-like Magic Power, increasing physical defense by 30% and reflecting 10% of damage.]


    [Poison Resistance: Reduces damage received from Poison Series by 30%.]


    Both were very practical skills.


    The former reminded Lin Da of Thorn Armor in League of Legends, where tanky characters could wear Thorn Armor, stand still, and reflect the enemy carry��s damage back to them.


    A Healing Hero was a tank-type character, suitable for this ��Thorn Armor�� skill.


    The second skill, [Poison Resistance], was also extremely useful. A 30% damage reduction was significant, and he estimated it could reach 50% when fully upgraded.


    Lin Da spent two Skill Points to learn the skills.


    [System Notification: You have acquired new skills ��Spiky Thorn Armor�� and ��Poison Resistance��!] S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With the remaining two available Skill Points, Lin Da invested them in the Recovery Series Skill Tree.


    The first layer��s two skills were: [Intermediate Healing Spell] and [Self-Healing].


    Lin Da learned [Self-Healing].


    The skill description was: [Envelop oneself with Magic Power, recovering a ��small�� amount of Hit Points every three seconds for thirty seconds.]


    Regenerating health paired with Thorn Armor was a perfect match.


    He looked upward, reaching the second layer of the Recovery Series Skill Tree.


    There was only one skill: [Mass Minor Healing Spell].


    The Recovery Series Skill Tree seemed geared towards the later stages, lacking any strong skills in the early game, Lin Da thought.


    He didn��t need the Mass Minor Healing Spell for now and could add it when necessary. He invested the one remaining available Skill Point into the offensive skill [Venom Magic Sphere].


    After adding points, the icon for the Venom Magic Sphere deepened in color.


    The description also changed accordingly.


    [Skill: Venom Magic Sphere]


    [Current Proficiency: lv2 Proficiency]


    [Effect: Fires a Venom Magic Sphere straight ahead, with medium travel speed, causing high damage to the target, inflicting damage once per second, lasting ��6�� seconds, and can be stacked up to ��1�� layer]


    The duration increased from 5 seconds to 6 seconds, and the stackable layers went from 0 to 1.


    Lin Da nodded with satisfaction. The Venom Magic Sphere had reached a 2nd level proficiency, a qualitative improvement.


    He had just thrown out two Venom Magic Spheres and was able to hang back and wait for the Magical Creatures to bleed out and die.


    Leaving two skill points in reserve, Lin Da closed the system interface.


    He saw Kafni looking delighted.


    ��What good thing happened?��


    Kafni proudly puffed out her ample chest, ��Me, a level 8 thief, has mastered a powerful attack skill.��


    ��What?��


    ��Poison Explosion Dagger, attacks poisoned enemies and deals double damage. There��s also Dagger Scatter, throwing out three daggers to inflict area damage!��


    Kafni laughed, ��This deity has the ability to take down Magical Creatures on her own now.��


    ��At last, I don��t have to carry dead weight anymore,�� Lin Da sighed.


    ��Dead weight? All the Demon Cores were dug out by me, you know!�� Kafni, irritated, rolled up her sleeves ready to scuffle with Lin Da.


    At that moment, the bathroom door swung open,


    Sparing Kafni, who was overestimating her strength.


    The two of them put away their teasing demeanor and watched the Beastmen girl warily.


    No one could be certain about what she was thinking at the moment.


    After seeing the ability of Witch Purification, was she planning to become friends with them or continue to be an enemy?


    Lin Da looked over and saw Lulu, with beads of water on her short hair after bathing, and steam rising from her supple skin.


    He caught a whiff of a faint scent that drifted over


    The girl chewed on a Slime chewing gum, hands in her pockets, tail drooping at a spot slightly higher than her ankles, calmly walking to the other side of the table and pulling up a chair to sit down.


    ��Why did you save me?��


    Lulu scrutinized them with questioning eyes and asked straightforwardly.


    Kafni stood by as if facing a formidable enemy, fine threads of golden light emerging in her eyes, ready to use Divine Power at any moment.


    Lin Da put his hand on Kafni��s shoulder and shook his head.


    ��But����


    Kafni wasn��t reassured.


    However, unable to withstand Lin Da��s firm attitude, she reluctantly retracted her Divine Power.


    ��If things go south, I��m not responsible,�� Kafni stepped back to a safer distance, ready to step in if something happened.


    But Lin Da��s move was not reckless.


    In the game, Lulu��s personal profile described her as a Beastmen girl who valued loyalty and friendship; she wouldn��t have stood up against nobility to protect her friend and ended up as a slave otherwise.


    He had saved her life, and with Kafni, the powerhouse, by his side, both sentimentally and logically, Lulu wouldn��t lay a hand on him.


    Of course, understanding this and achieving it were two different things.


    Lin Da��s composure caused Lulu some surprise and also earned Lin Da a system prompt:


    [Witch Lulu��s trust level +3, current trust level: 33, Courtesy Greeting]


    Lin Da casually replied, ��No particular reason, just felt like it, so I happened to save you.��


    Lulu shook her head, gazing into his eyes, ��I don��t believe you.��


    If it were himself, he wouldn��t believe it either.


    Lin Da thought to himself, revealing the power of Witch Purification just to save a ��stranger�� Witch�� If he were Lulu, he would suspect the other party was either lusting after his body or had an ulterior motive.


    Anyway, there had to be a reason; it wasn��t likely for someone to be so benevolent as to ��just happen to save you��.


    But Lin Da couldn��t possibly tell Lulu that it was to make up for what had happened to her in his past life��s game,


    And that saving her would grant him a trust level bonus from the system��


    So, he chose not to answer and instead took the initiative to ask, ��So, what have you decided to do? Thank me or, to keep your tracks hidden, take the two of us out?��


    Lulu had long lost the idea of fighting and killing. The hands hidden in her pockets never turned into beast claws.


    ��


    (ps: Whimper whimper whimper, asking for recommendation votes and for followers)

 Chapter 59 - 59: 59. Lin Da treats Witch

    Chapter 59: 59. Lin Da treats Witch


    ��I will leave White Dove City after some time.��


    Lulu said, ��If you truly have no ill intent and have not leaked my whereabouts, the day I leave White Dove City, we��ll be even. I won��t trouble you after that, as if we had never met.��


    ��Even?��


    Lin Da frowned, ��I saved you once, how does that make us even?��


    Even if it meant using his favor to secure her loyalty, Lin Da had to keep Lulu with him.


    Witches generally don��t live long, and during the purification, he could feel the mess inside Lulu,


    ...


    his right hand felt like it was plunged into a sludge, devoid of any clean soil.


    A witch on the brink of falling, Lin Da, as a hero, and as Lulu��s former team leader, had a duty to purify her. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Then what do you want?�� Lulu��s voice was cold as she stopped chewing her gum.


    Lin Da said, ��Stay in the team, become one of my team members.��


    ��Impossible.�� Lulu looked at him indifferently, ��I won��t join you in entering the World Tree. I joined the team to monitor you from leaking my secrets.��


    Lin Da pondered, ��Forget about the Minor Secret Realm of the World Tree, the levels are too low, you wouldn��t even be able to enter. But for the Great Mystery Continent, you must participate as a team member under my command.��


    In the World Tree Secret Realm, apart from every fifth level in the Public Grand Secret Realm, adventurers could only enter other Minor Secret Realms once. Unless one were like Lin Da, changing professions, starting from zero, to re-enter.


    However, changing professions after level 10 carried great risks, and one careless move could lead to an inability to cultivate.


    Lulu faced his demand with a stern face, ��I won��t take orders from anyone. Once my business is done, I will leave White Dove City!��


    Lin Da sighed, ��Fine, so you��re an ungrateful Beastman.��


    Lulu glared at him furiously.


    Beastmen, never ungrateful!


    Lin Da changed his tone, noticing Lulu��s still somewhat pale face, ��The pollution inside you, it��s getting worse, isn��t it?��


    ��What are you trying to say?�� Lulu clenched her fists.


    Beastmen, don��t respond to threats!


    Lin Da raised his eyebrow, ��With your current condition, you��ll fall within a year.��


    This was a fact, and Lulu did not refute.


    ��But I can save you.�� Lin Da smiled, placing his right hand on the table, ��This hand has the power to purify the pollution inside a witch. If the purification is thorough, killing the Fallen Insect within you and breaking the contract with the Demon King is also within reach.��


    This time, Lulu remained silent.


    A pair of azure eyes sparkling with a troubled light.


    No one wants to die young and turn into an ugly Fallen Beast.


    She looked at Lin Da indecisively, her pink lips parted, hesitating to speak.


    ��What, don��t you want to be saved?�� Lin Da asked.


    ����I do.��


    ��Then show some humility.��


    Lin Da kept a straight face, determined to break down this cold Beastman girl,


    Only by smoothing out her edges could he command smoothly in the Secret Realm.


    ��First, sit up straight and put away your claws.��


    This command, akin to taming a beast, made Lulu��s nose wrinkle like a wolf, her eyes shining with icy light.


    Lin Da ignored her ��bared teeth and grimace��.


    Beastmen were really like wild beasts sometimes; once you show fear, they��ll take advantage of you.


    If you want to dominate a Beastman, you cannot back down at all.


    ��Being purified by me is a privilege for you,�� Lin Da sneered, ��There are many witches stronger than you, queuing up for my purification! Yet, I kindly use this power on you.��


    ��Just because you resemble a Beastman friend of mine, and out of compassion, I saved your life.��


    ��And yet you suspect me of ulterior motives? What do you have that��s worth my scheming?��


    Lin Da stood up, looking down disdainfully at the pale-faced Beastman girl, ��No looks, no figure, when I saved you before, my hand was almost bitten off. Is this how the Beastman race treats its lifesaver?��


    His scathing words made Lulu bite her teeth in shame, her head drooping, and her tail limp.


    When you think about it, it��s really so.


    With his ability, he should be on good terms with many witches.


    Those witches, there were definitely some that were more formidable than her.


    Could it really have been just a casual act to save her?


    Lulu��s head was in a whirl, a complete mess.


    In the cave, while she was suffering from contamination and feeling weak, the other could have easily taken her life.


    But he did not do so.


    For a moment, confusion and shame surged in Lulu��s heart.


    ��Thank you����


    Words slightly awkward, Lulu uttered.


    She struggled for a long time, seemingly exerting a lot of effort just to say that sentence.


    Lin Da nodded, accepting the thanks.


    Lulu took the chewing gum out of her mouth, threw it into the trash can, and sat properly on the chair, taking on an earnest demeanour for the conversation.


    ��Will you really help me?��


    She took a deep breath, trying to speak in a calm voice.


    ��It depends on how you behave,�� Lin Da replied, while looking down from above and stretching out his finger: ��Hold this.��


    Lulu��s face changed.


    This gesture was so demeaning,


    as if it was not a finger but something else!


    He was completely looking down on her!


    Gratitude was thrown to the back of her mind; a low growl rose from her throat, and her sharp canine teeth were bared, just like an enraged wild wolf!


    But Lin Da��s expression was blank, just calmly looking at her.


    Just like an ordinary priest ready to treat the girls.


    Did the patient feel ashamed, but as a ��priest,�� Lin Da, who had already treated many witches, was no longer interested in the mouths of witches?


    Lulu could not tell if this man was provoking her or simply treating her.


    ��Does it have to be the finger?��


    Her breathing unsteady, she asked through clenched teeth.


    ��This is the most effective way,�� Lin Da said, his gaze clear, free of any distractions.


    Hesitating for a moment, Lulu looked at Lin Da��s stretched out index and middle finger and said softly, ��It seems I misunderstood you.��


    If his actions harbored no intent to insult her, she was willing to apologize.


    It may not look graceful during the process, but for treatment, it was a necessary measure.


    Lulu pressed her lips together, trembling slightly as she reached out her hand, closed her eyes, her thick pale blue eyelashes trembled slightly, and she struggled to slightly part her lips to accept Lin Da��s treatment.


    Hiss.


    Lin Da��s eyes widened, and the sudden sense of comfort made him draw in a breath of cool air.


    It reminded him of the feeling of a kitten licking his palm,


    but ten times more pleasurable.


    The girl, with her eyes closed, sat in the chair holding his right hand.


    The remarkable sensation at his fingertips felt like several soft brushes massaging his heart.


    In front of him, at the distance of an arm, the delightful scent of the girl just after a bath wafted towards him, light yet elegant, seemingly mixed with a whiff of arctic breeze.


    What Lin Da��s fingers felt, however, was warmth and slickness.


    Looking down at Lulu holding his right hand, seeking treatment, a strange impulse surged in Lin Da��s heart.


    He couldn��t help but place his other hand on Lulu��s head!


    The pale blue short hair was very smooth, and the fluffy ears were hidden underneath.


    Extremely comfortable.


    A strong sense of accomplishment filled Lin Da��s chest, as if a hunter had conquered a wild and untamed arctic wolf.


    If he could grab a pair of wolf ears and gallop across the tundra, how splendid that would be.

 Chapter 60 - 60: 60. Snow Goose Adventure Team Defeated

    Chapter 60: 60. Snow Goose Adventure Team Defeated


    Lin Da��s right hand lit up with the emerald glow of magic power, while Lulu, immersed in the relaxation of purification, focused all her attention on observing the contamination within her body, and thus she didn��t notice Lin Da placing his hand on her head.


    At that moment, Lulu could clearly feel the pollution black blood, caused by the Fallen Insect, diminishing within her body.


    Her body also became lighter and more relaxed.


    She had originally estimated she could hold on for at most one more year, but after receiving treatment from this man, she had gained at least an additional month of life.


    It had been a long time since she had experienced such a comfortable feeling.


    A lazy hum, full of youthful femininity, involuntarily escaped from Lulu��s throat.


    ...


    Could you not make a sound that could be so easily misunderstood?


    Lin Da, with sweat on his brow, quickly withdrew his left hand while Lulu was unaware.


    Moments later, a wave of fatigue washed over him. Witch Purification had consumed quite a bit of Lin Da��s magic power, and he stopped the spell.


    Lulu also opened her eyes.


    ��How do you feel?�� Lin Da asked.


    ��Much better,�� Lulu nodded, speaking candidly.


    ��But�� it wasn��t as effective as the last time.��


    ��That��s normal, I��m tired and need to rest and recover,�� Lin Da said.


    Lulu did not doubt his words.


    Through this purification, Lin Da gained 10 more trust points.


    [System Prompt: Witch Lulu��s trust increased by +10, current trust level 43, surface friends!]


    [Trust Reward Earned: 1000 Mystical Points!]


    With the bonus of 1000 points, Lin Da��s total Mystical Points reached 1317.


    As for experience points, he now had 300/1500 at level 8.


    He could level up again.


    Lin Da planned to avoid Lulu and wait until he was alone to upgrade.


    On the other hand, a trust value of 43 would allow him to purify deeper within Lulu next time.


    According to the Witch section, to fully purify a witch required a trust value of 100.


    Lin Da��s ��little hand�� at a trust value of 30 could only clean 30 centimeters of the filthy pipes.


    Beyond that distance, his hand wasn��t long enough, and no amount of extra purification would help.


    That��s why Lulu felt that it wasn��t as effective as the first purification.


    Lin Da needed to make his ��purifying hand�� reach 100 centimeters, to stretch all the way inside and grasp the heart of the witch where the Fallen Insect, the source of the pollution, resided, and crush it in one fell swoop.


    The Fallen Insect, a bond between the witch and the Demon King.


    By killing the Fallen Insect, the contract could be annulled!


    The witch would then absorb the remains of the Fallen Insect completely, S~ea??h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    and thereafter, when she used this power, she would not have to pay a price anymore.


    At that moment, Lulu, with a keen gaze, said to him, ��I��ve felt your ability, and I will keep it a secret. I hope�� you can help me.��


    Lin Da nodded, ��But in return, before you leave White Dove City, you��ll have to be a member of my team and follow my commands.��


    He didn��t demand that Lulu stay with him for the long term right away. Take one step forward first, and then there will be a second step, a third.


    After thinking for a while, Lulu said, ��Normal team leader orders are fine. But if I think you��re being abnormal, or giving some perverted order, I won��t hesitate to act. That Kafni won��t be able to stay by your side all the time.��


    ��Deal,�� Lin Da extended his left hand, ��From now on, you are a member of my team.��


    He had reached out to Lulu twice in the Barren Plains and been ignored both times.


    This time, Lulu looked at the hand in silence for a moment.


    She stood up and took hold of his palm.


    Even though it was merely a verbal contract, Lulu would be a member of his team during her time in White Dove City.


    Lin Da smiled inwardly.


    Once the trust value reached 100, he figured she wouldn��t be easy to chase away.


    In his previous life, he had kicked Lulu out of the team. So in this life, he would take her to the top of the World Tree.


    Looking out the window, it was not yet dark.


    Lin Da suggested, ��The Adventurer��s Guild is very close by. Let��s go register our team now.��


    ��No objections,�� Lulu withdrew her hand, putting it back in her pocket, and pulled out a new piece of Slime chewing gum to chew on.


    Kafni secretly gave Lin Da a thumbs up.


    Not only did he put his hand into that beastman��s mouth, but he also managed to tame the creature and add it to the team.


    This hero was more capable than she had imagined!


    Lin Da responded with a smile.


    Lulu was just the beginning, from now on, more and more witches would be purified and join the ranks of the heroes!


    After the three reached a consensus, they left the inn.


    Lin Da took a detour into a blacksmith shop, selling all the demon cores he had collected that day.


    In total, they brought in 25 gold coins.


    With the 20 he already had, that made for a total of 45 coins.


    That was enough for ordinary food and drink for several years, but he was still 55 coins short of the starting capital needed to register a team.


    Lin Da looked towards Lulu.


    The latter took out a level 20 demon core and said, ��Consider it repayment for earlier.��


    With this demon core, Lin Da had a lot more breathing room financially.


    This water series core, coming from a flat-beaked duck beast, belonged to the more common magical creatures.


    When the owner of the blacksmith shop saw the level 20 demon core, his attitude became much more respectful.


    In White Dove City, the only ones who had the ability to sell demon cores of this caliber were those few rock-level adventure teams!


    The level 20 demon core was sold for 500 gold coins, bringing Lin Da��s total assets to 545 gold.


    With that amount, registering a team was more than manageable.


    He couldn��t help but sneak a peek at the pouch hanging from Lulu��s belt.


    Looking quite bulky, it seemed to contain at least 40 coins or so.


    In the future, when short on money, he could think of ways to ��squeeze�� this ��rich�� teammate.


    ��What are you looking at?�� Lulu frowned, feeling that there was something off about Lin Da��s gaze.


    Lin Da coughed, ��Let��s go, to the Adventurer��s Guild.��


    ��


    Not long before, in the Sparrow District��s Adventurer��s Guild.


    In the hall, a screen made of crystal stone was surrounded by numerous adventurers, with no space left unoccupied.


    All around, there was silence, a sea of eyes glued to the screen, captivated by the intense battle, not daring to even breathe too loudly.


    The scene displayed on the screen was none other than the Snow Goose Adventure Team��s live coverage of their eleventh-floor strategy!


    Last night, the leader of Snow Goose, Lia, announced that to showcase the strength of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, they would collaborate with the entire Adventurer��s Guild of White Dove City to provide a public, free broadcast of their battle!


    This move was intended to both increase their fame and recruit excellent teammates.


    They hoped that a splendid strategic battle would catch the attention of those genius adventurers.


    Thirdly, it was also a warning to everyone that should any adventurer be foolish enough to join forces with Lin Da, they would be making an enemy of the powerful Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    However, reality was somewhat cruel.


    The big screen displayed a spacious underground cave.


    The red-haired girl was covered in blood, gripping her greatsword with a lost and despondent look.


    Her teammates were also suffering from various degrees of injury.


    Heavy Hammer Warrior Oru had the worst of it, with one arm broken outward at a ninety-degree angle, the stark white bone exposed.


    A healer, looking dirty and disheveled, was casting a healing spell.


    The archer, Klyne, was in tears, blaming Oru for charging too far ahead.


    Klrona, clutching a short-handled battle axe, was panting and resting against a rock wall.


    Aiko��s pristine white dress was tattered, and at her feet lay a pile of empty magic potion bottles.


    The underground cave battle had ended with the victory of the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    But the price they paid was steep, causing any adventurer who watched this battle to wince in sympathy.


    Putting aside the injuries of the team members, the precious magic potions and scrolls were thrown out as if they cost nothing, just to forcefully make it through the eleventh floor.


    Even a rock-level adventure team like Snow Goose couldn��t sustain such extravagant spending.

 Chapter 61 - 61: 61, Not as good as Lin Da

    Chapter 61: 61, Not as good as Lin Da


    ��Didn��t that Lia charge too far ahead? The Healer had to enter the range of the Magical Creatures�� attacks just to heal her.��


    ��Is the Noble Academy��s Phyllis the one commanding? The vanguard under his command just can��t hold the aggro of the Magical Creatures, they keep chasing after the Mage.��


    ��Tsk tsk, as expected of the ��Holy Mage,�� Aiko from the Holy Light Church! Dodging the Magical Creatures�� attacks while casting magic, two of the three lizard monsters were killed by Aiko!��


    The adventurers had mixed feelings regarding this live strategy session.


    The praise was for the individual strength of the Snow Goose Adventure Team; Mage Aiko had an exceptionally fast chanting speed and her high-powered Light Arrow Technique, leaving everyone in awe.


    Klrona, as a Heavy Armored Warrior in the vanguard, also performed exceptionally well. No matter how fierce the Magical Creatures attacked, they couldn��t harm Klrona at all.


    ...


    Team leader Lia was a bit reckless, but her ability to single-handedly slay a lizard was not to be underestimated. Among Swordsmen of the same level, no one dared to claim they could beat her with certainty.


    As for the criticisms, they were quite obvious.


    The command of the Snow Goose Adventure Team and the cooperation among its members were terrible.


    Once the formation was disrupted by the Magical Creatures, it turned into everyone for themselves, with no one able to look after each other.


    Which side needed support, which lizard creature to focus fire on was all up to individuals�� judgments.


    Healer Phyllis, who was in command, could only shout out a few commands at the beginning, but later on, he was run ragged just healing Lia.


    Heavy Hammer Warrior Olu was also severely injured.


    An adventurer sighed, ��It��s pretty good that no one died.��


    ��By the way, when that ��Eye of Wisdom�� Lin Da was with Snow Goose, I heard Snow Goose made it to the eighth floor without injuries, right? Why did Snow Goose replace the original commander with Phyllis?��


    Indeed.


    Many adventurers were puzzled. Command is the most crucial position in a team; without significant issues, a change would not occur.


    Especially a commander who had been with the team from the first floor, the members were already accustomed to them.


    Suddenly changing commanders would require an adaptation period.


    A refined male Elf adventurer said, ��You probably don��t know, but Lin Da was kicked out because he was caught having a secret affair with the Mage in the team by the team leader.��


    ��Eh, how come what I heard is different? Lin Da arranged a date in the inn on Elf Street with Ice Flower��s leader Isa, and that��s why he was kicked out of the team����


    ��Isn��t it because Lin Da was throwing a party without inviting the leader?��


    Under the reporting of some unscrupulous tabloid journalists, the story about Lin Da got more and more far-fetched.


    Just then, in the screen, the sensor ladybug hanging from Lia��s waist suddenly vibrated, releasing a golden light.


    This was someone offering a Demon Core sacrifice to the World Tree Goddess, sending a ��Golden Advice�� to the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Lia pressed her lips together and looked at the belly of the sensor ladybug, and in the hall of the Adventurer��s Guild, everyone else followed her gaze.


    The Golden Advice read: Seeing Snow Goose��s poor performance, I��m even more resolute about my decision to take Lin Da into Ice Flower Adventure Team (laugh).


    ��Isa��you��re shameless!��


    The redhead girl on the screen shouted angrily, threw the ladybug on the ground, and the pained ladybug flapped its wings wildly.


    It was clear to everyone that this Golden Advice was sent by Isa, the leader of the Ice Flower Adventure Team.


    That silver-haired Swordsman was taunting her old rival, Lia!


    And Isa��s recognition of Lin Da in her Golden Advice made everyone feel even more sorry for Lia. If the ��Eye of Wisdom�� had not been kicked out of the team by her, Snow Goose, who had reached the eleventh floor, might have seen a different outcome?


    Lia��s face turned red with anger, she threw down the ladybug, didn��t even bother to collect the spoils of victory, and teleported out of the World Tree using the Teleportation Stone.


    The adventurers all sighed.


    ��


    The sun set, and the magic street lamps of the aging Sparrow District flickered with their dim and intermittent light.


    When Lin Da and his group rushed over, they just happened to encounter the adventurers leaving the scene.


    They could hear their conversation even before getting close. S��ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Snow Goose Adventure Team?


    Lin Da and Lulu both paused at the same time.


    Lulu was thinking that the ��Lin Da�� she was looking for was with the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    When Lin Da heard about Olu��s injury, his heart skipped a beat.


    Olu was the teammate he got along with the best.


    ��What��s the matter with Lia? I warned her last time not to rashly advance to the next level.��


    Lin Da felt a surge of anger toward Lia. It was one thing if Lia didn��t care about her own life, but as a team leader, she had a responsibility for the lives of her team members.


    Leading everyone, without a single loss, to the summit of the World Tree.


    Her dream, the original intention of forming the team, must have been long forgotten.


    As an outsider, Lin Da could only sigh at the Snow Goose Adventure Team��s defeat.


    He hoped this lesson would make Lia understand.


    The overall strength of the Snow Goose was really not strong!


    What they needed to do was to let go of their pride and learn to work as a team!


    Up ahead, adventurers were approaching, and to avoid having his name called out and Lulu realizing he had lied to her,


    he covered his face and tucked himself into a corner, pretending to be an unscrupulous adventurer taking a leak.


    ��Hmph.��


    Lulu��s face flashed with disgust, turned her back to Lin Da.


    It was only after that group of adventurers had moved far away did Lin Da return to the road.


    He could hear the diminishing sound of the adventurers�� discussions.


    Oru��s injuries seemed to be quite serious; as an old teammate, he��d have to find an opportunity to visit him.


    Lin Da thought silently.


    And Aiko, how was she considering joining his own team?


    His move might suggest poaching, but Lia��s reckless advance into the 11th level had dispelled his last hesitation.


    If Lia planned to lead her team to their doom, wasn��t it a good deed to poach them instead?


    While thinking, Lin Da arrived at the Adventurer��s Guild.


    A line of people filed in.


    It was around six in the evening, a quiet time.


    A long, snaking line sprawled in front of the service counters.


    Lin Da and his group joined the queue.


    But after a long wait, the line barely moved forward, instead, a quarreling noise came from ahead.


    ��Cutting in line! This is discrimination against Beastmen, everyone look, someone is discriminating against Beastmen! If that��s the case, once the humans get the most Hero Stones, won��t they drive us Beastmen out of the city!��


    The voice of a human girl: ��Huh? Weren��t you the one cutting in line who I caught and dragged out, how did it become me cutting in line?��


    ��I don��t care, you discriminated against Beastmen, you must apologize!��


    A dark-skinned Minotaur with several rings around his lips, wearing a black jacket spiked with iron on the outside.


    He was furiously berating a brown-haired girl adventurer with freckles on her face.


    The crowd was noisy.


    Some were defending the girl, while others, upon hearing the four words ��discrimination against Beastmen,�� reluctantly maintained neutrality.


    Since the various races decided to join forces against a common enemy a thousand years ago, discrimination between humans and Elves against Beastmen was strictly forbidden, reaching a level of almost political correctness.


    And the Beastmen in the Adventurer��s Guild, they all stood with the Minotaur.


    ��You are discriminating, believe it or not, I��ll make sure you��re fined until you��re broke!��


    ��Hurry up and apologize to us Beastmen!��


    ��Beastmen must not be humiliated, pay up!��


    Hearing the commotion ahead, Lin Da frowned.


    No wonder the queue wasn��t moving; once ��discrimination�� became involved, even the staff of the Adventurer��s Guild would hesitate to intervene.


    Lin Da thought: Since the announcement of the Hero Stones, conflicts between Beastmen and humans seemed to be increasing.


    Was it really out of fear that humans gaining the most Hero Stones would increase the gap with the Beastmen?


    Just that day, on the road, Lin Da had witnessed several conflicts between Beastmen and humans.


    He glanced at Lulu, curious what the girl from the Werewolf Clan thought of it all.

 Chapter 62 - 62: 62, Registered Squad

    Chapter 62: 62, Registered Squad


    Lulu stepped out of the line, walking expressionlessly toward that direction.


    Lin Da wanted to call out to her, but after thinking it over, he withdrew his hand.


    Was the real Lulu the same as the righteous and kind Lulu in the game?


    Three years had passed, and she had become a witch, had anything changed?


    Lin Da chose to stand aside and watch.


    As Lulu walked over, she exuded an iceberg-like aura.


    ...


    A trace of her high-level strength seeped out, drawing the attention of everyone around.


    Many who sympathized with the young female adventurer who had been cut in line felt a hint of retreat at Lulu��s arrival.


    The Minotaur named Mali laughed cheerfully, with a flattering smile, ��Miss Werewolf, that human discriminated against us beastmen, you must help me!��


    Mali, who thought he had obtained a strong ally, was all smiles.


    But in the next moment,


    a slap struck Mali��s face with the speed of lightning.


    It resounded with a smack in the hall!


    The slap sent Mali spinning in the air, but he landed firmly back in place, his right cheek swelling up considerably.


    ��Get out,�� Lulu said indifferently.


    ��Huh?�� Mali, holding his face, hadn��t caught on yet.


    Being both beastmen, why wouldn��t this werewolf help him?


    ��Don��t disturb me in line, get out.��


    Lulu repeated coldly, her gaze icy.


    The Minotaur Mali, under Lulu��s glare, felt as if he were back in the days when his ancestors were hunted by wolf packs.


    The fear in his bloodline made Mali tremble, and he scurried out of the Adventurer��s Guild without looking back.


    A group of onlooking beastmen felt enraged.


    ��Hey, aren��t you a beastman? Why are you helping the humans!��


    The speaker was a Black Bear Beastman, whose bloodline rank was high among the beastmen.


    However, after being glanced at by Lulu, the Black Bear Beastman was so frightened that he immediately shut his mouth, sweating profusely down his back.


    This werewolf�� was definitely not an ordinary wild wolf!


    With her level also being high, none of the beastmen present likely surpassed her in might.


    The Black Bear and the other beastmen reluctantly lowered their heads.


    Lin Da looked at Lulu, who had walked back to the line as if nothing had happened, and gave her a thumbs up, ��Well done.��


    ��I just can��t stand bullying,�� Lulu replied calmly.


    In contrast to the group of beastmen who walked away muttering under their breath, there was a chorus of cheers from the humans.


    ��A beastman miss with upright values, love it.��


    ��High-born werewolves are different, indeed. What about Minotaur, Boarhead��they are just not fully evolved!��


    ��If only all the beastmen on the continent were like this werewolf.��


    Lulu felt uncomfortable with being the subject of discussion, her eyebrows knitting together as she coldly scanned the crowd, ��Can you shut up?��


    Her slightly angry tone silenced the group of adventurers.


    This werewolf was beautiful, but she seemed difficult to get along with.


    An adventurer noticed Lin Da standing next to Lulu.


    After several newspapers�� promotions, Lin Da, known as ��Ultimate Pervert,�� had become widely known.


    Why were they walking together?


    A man with a beard smiled familiarly in greeting, ��Yo, Lin����


    ��Ahem, ahem, quite nice weather we��re having today, huh?��


    Lin Da smiled amicably, his eyes filled with a threatening glint.


    ��Uh, it is nice,�� replied the bearded man, swallowing his saliva and looking at Lulu beside him, curious, ��Are you here to��?��


    ��Form a team,�� Lin Da responded.


    A stir went through the crowd.


    Many were speculating whether Lin Da would join the Ice Flower Adventure Team after leaving his team.


    Isa had expressed her admiration for Lin Da on multiple occasions.


    She had declared she would eventually bring him into Ice Flower.


    But he was planning to form his own team?


    The whiskered man looked towards Lin Da and the two beautiful girls by his side, one tall and one short, one big and one small, and said admiringly, ��Impressive!��


    Impressive my ass, one has no deity, the other is a killing machine as a beastman.


    Lin Da muttered in his heart.


    The surrounding adventurers looked at him with strange gazes, probably misunderstanding, thinking that Kafni and Lulu were his new ��harem��.


    Lulu��s expression visibly turned sour.


    Some adventurers whispered filthy topics, grinning lewdly, letting their imagination run wild about her unspeakable relationship with Lin Da.


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    A wolf howl echoed through the hall, making everyone shudder.


    When Lulu released the aura of magic power inside her, the area around her quieted down a lot, and those discussing vulgar topics dared not speak anymore.


    A pair of eyes, filled with a bit of shock.


    This beastman girl must be at least level 20!


    A level 20 adventurer, wherever they go in White Dove City, would be met with awe from everyone.


    Those adventurers discussing vulgar topics were terrified and quietly withdrew from the group, planning to come back tomorrow to re-queue.


    The crowd also tacitly moved apart, giving Lin Da and his company about half a meter of space.


    It would be terrible if one accidentally touched that beastman girl who was as cold as ice.


    Seeing the others, it seemed she only allowed Lin Da to approach.


    Other adventurers, especially the men, had barely approached when they received a silent glare of warning from the girl.


    Everyone couldn��t help but exclaim internally: Worthy of the one known as the Ultimate Pervert, Lin Da!


    ��


    Half an hour passed, and Lin Da and his group reached the counter.


    As per procedure, the staff handed each of three of them a form.


    They needed to fill in their names, levels, and professions.


    Lin Da wrote ��Healing Mage�� for the profession and filled in a ��Lin�� for the name.


    The staff didn��t say much about this, as the Adventurer��s Guild��s main criteria for determining a person��s identity relied on the signature and palm print.


    He wanted to sneak a peek at Lulu��s form, but she covered it tightly. After noticing him trying to look, she frowned and glared at him.


    Lin Da shook his head helplessly.


    After filling in the forms, the staff member brought out a white Treasure Bead to test their levels, instructing the three of them to touch it in turn.


    The first was Lin Da; upon his touch, the bead turned emerald green.


    This indicated that his profession was of the Recovery Series.


    Mist swirled within the bead, gradually forming an ancient magic rune.


    Its meaning was the number ��8��.


    The staff member checked the form.


    Profession, Healing Mage, Recovery Series, Level, 8, no mistakes.


    So, they stamped it.


    Next was Kafni.


    Thief, Damage Dealer, level, also at 8.


    Stamped and approved!


    Some onlooking adventurers heard Lin Da had changed professions and managed to go from level 0 to level 8 so quickly, they were somewhat surprised.


    To those people��s doubts, Lin Da smiled modestly and didn��t explain.


    The adventurers, however, seemed to realize that Lin Da must have had some extraordinary encounter in the wilderness, and they looked at him with envy.


    Upon hearing this, Lulu unexpectedly turned to look at Lin Da.


    This human, he changed profession? He was a level 15 Healer before?


    It��s well-known that the higher the level, the greater the risk of changing professions. Above level 20, the failure rate is over 99%.


    Lulu felt some respect for Lin Da��s courage; not everyone dare make the decision to change professions at level 15.


    ��Next,�� the flat, urging voice of the staff member sounded.


    Lulu hesitated for a moment, then placed her hand on the Treasure Bead.


    The white bead quickly turned to the ��red�� of the warrior-series, the color much deeper than when Lin Da and Kafni took the test.


    The mist swirled, shaping into two magic runes.


    The number, 25!


    Lulu��s level reached the exceedingly lofty 25, far surpassing the average level of the Rock Squad!


    Just 5 levels short of being called a Star-ranked adventurer, and becoming a true member of the upper echelons.

 Chapter 63 - 63: 63. Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team and small team section

    Chapter 63: 63. Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team and small team section


    Even though Lin Da had anticipated it, he couldn��t help but give a sidelong glance.


    Lulu��s face remained calm, and she quickly withdrew her hand after the test, seemingly not wanting too many people to see her level.


    Lin Da thought to himself: he had kicked Lulu out of the team three years ago, and Lulu had changed her profession to Witch, starting from scratch, and had reached level 25 in just three years. This speed was bewildering!


    His rapid leveling was due to cheats, but Lulu as a pure local, reaching level 25 in three years was almost like forcing the growth of a Fallen Insect.


    The repeated outbreaks of pollution had also caused the young girl considerable pain.


    Lin Da silently thought he must completely purify Lulu and rescue her from the abyss.


    ...


    Meanwhile, as everyone saw the number 25 on the Treasure Bead, their eyes widened in disbelief.


    Snow Goose��s captain, Lia, level 23,


    Ice Flower��s captain, Isa, level 25.


    This unfamiliar Werewolf girl had actually reached the same level as the captains of Rock-level Squads!


    The Beastmen who had previously blamed Lulu sweated profusely from their foreheads, touching their chests, still feeling the aftermath.


    The adventurer with the full beard who had been talking with Lin Da exclaimed, ��She could have joined a Rock-level Squad, but instead, she chose his team, what kind of Magic Potion has she been fed!��


    ��No wonder he��s called the Ultimate Pervert, charm that kills across all races.��


    ��If I had half his charm, I wouldn��t still be a single dog!��


    A series of jealous voices arose in Lin Da��s ears.


    But actually, he and those people were the same, single dogs,


    it��s just that the teammates around him happened to all be beautiful girls.


    Gradually, the team-forming process came to its final step.


    Naming the squad.


    Lin Da looked to the two women beside him and asked, ��Do you have any ideas?��


    ��I don��t mind,�� Kafni said indifferently.


    Lulu nodded, agreeing with Kafni��s statement.


    This left the naming entirely up to Lin Da.


    He held the feather pen and thought seriously for a while.


    The tip of the pen traced over the paper, writing down a line of neatly scripted common language of the continent.


    Kafni leaned over to look, puzzled by the name.


    Lulu glanced sideways, slightly surprised, a hint of warmth melting into her usually cold expression.


    Written on the paper was ��Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team�� in six large characters.


    ��Why is it called Phoenix Tail Flower?�� Kafni asked, puzzled.


    The one who answered was Lulu, her expression somewhat complex, ��Phoenix Tail Flower is a common purple flower in the lands of the Beastmen, symbolizing friendship and companions.��


    Lin Da had thought it through before naming it the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.


    Phoenix Tail Flower itself, served as a ��gift�� in the game, and was the most cost-effective. It was cheap, and many game characters liked it. The language of the flower also symbolized companionship and friendship, fitting Lin Da��s intention of ��leading all team members, without leaving anyone behind, to reach the top of the World Tree.��


    Thus, naming it Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team could not be more appropriate.


    [System Notification: Witch Lulu��s trust level towards you +3, current trust level, 44 points.]


    Lin Da received an unexpected benefit.


    He handed the registration form to the staff member, who stamped it a moment later, took the form, and then presented three ��Apprentice Level�� adventure team badges.


    The badges were the size of a baby��s fist, circular, made of bronze, and depicted a massive World Tree.


    Under the World Tree was a Treasure Chest, and crossed Sword and Shield.


    And a string of faintly glowing magical numbers: 15439539563.


    Lin Da reverently received the badge from the staff member, took them out of the black box, and handed them to Kafni and Lulu.


    The three of them each wore their badges on their chests.


    An odd bond seemed to connect them abruptly, and even though Lulu hadn��t sincerely joined the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Group, wearing their badge made her feel something unusual.


    On her chest, she had only ever worn two. One was from the Primitive Adventure Team, and the other, now, was from the Phoenix Tail Flower.


    The group left the counter, and Lin Da stroked the badge on his chest, overwhelmed with emotion.


    Three years had passed,


    and he had finally established his own team.


    No longer the former Healer of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, ��Eye of Wisdom�� Lin Da.


    But the captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Group, Lin Da!


    Just three bronze badges, yet they granted Lin Da the feeling of a traveler returning home, finding his place.


    No longer alone, he now had a goal to strive for.


    Lin Da grabbed Kafni��s hand on his right, then took Lulu��s cold little hand on his left.


    Ignoring the gloomy expression on the face of the Beastmen girl, Lin Da interlaced their hands and placed his own on top.


    ��The Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Group, established!��


    ��Established!�� Kafni chimed in, causing a stir.


    Perhaps feeling that they were one step closer to defeating the Demon King.


    Lulu, not quite used to the ��happy friends�� atmosphere, snorted and withdrew her hand to stuff it into her pocket.


    [System Prompt: Trust level of Witch Lulu +3, current trust, 47 points]


    Lin Da glanced at the girl��s petulant profile, slightly amused.


    This was just like in the game, always indifferent to the player until the trust level reached 80.


    At that moment, he received another system prompt:


    [Missing one member to activate the squad module]


    In the game Mystic Continent, three make a team, ten make a group. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da wondered; his squad already had three people, but the system indicated one was lacking.


    Was it because Lulu wasn��t considered an official member, or because Kafni, a Summoned Beast, wasn��t classified as a ��person��?


    Lin Da closed the system and stepped out of the hall with Kafni and Lulu, pondering whether the squad module functioned the same as in the game?


    In the game, the primary use of the squad module was to pat the teammates�� heads, colloquially known as ��head pats,�� which upon touching, could increase team members�� attribute points.


    It also allowed spending a currency known as ��Diamonds�� to buy various trial events for team members.


    To enhance attributes, potential, or even to realize skills.


    But the most powerful was the passive skill ��Captain��s Aura.��


    Within the aura��s range, all team members would receive a boost!


    Lin Da pondered that once the squad module was activated and their strength enhanced, he could go to the fourth level of the World Tree to find clues about his sister.


    The current priority was to find another member and activate the squad module.


    His level also needed to be raised to 10, and he needed to equip a Purple Rare quality Walnut Wood Magic Sword.


    Coming out of the Adventurer��s Guild and onto the street,


    Lin Da said to the two girls, ��To celebrate the formation of our team, how about a big meal?��


    ��This is a good suggestion.�� Kafni promptly nodded.


    Lulu said, ��I��m not going.��


    Lin Da shook his head, ��Everyone must go, this is a captain��s order.��


    Gurgle~


    Lulu��s stomach rumbled inopportunely.


    Her expression hardly changed, yet she nodded slightly, ��Alright then.��


    Half an hour later, the sky had completely darkened.

 Chapter 64 - 64: 64. Lulu Goes to the Snow Goose Adventure Team

    Chapter 64: 64. Lulu Goes to the Snow Goose Adventure Team


    The three of them moved into a Beastmen restaurant in the Inner City District.


    The cuisine here was meat-centric, and it was said that the chef had once served as a logistician in a Steel Level Adventure Group, with culinary skills famous throughout White Dove City.


    For today��s meal, Lin Da had spent ten Gold Coins.


    Charcoal-grilled bear paws, pork knuckles, the tail of a giant lizard�� all topped with a layer of red chili peppers and cooked with oil rendered from farm-raised Slimes.


    Additionally, with various spices from the World Tree Secret Realm, the dishes were a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate, stirring everyone��s appetite.


    After a day of hunger, Lin Da and his companions instantly switched into a mode of wolfing down their food.


    ...


    Lulu, as a Beastman, showed her wild side during the meal, using her sharp tiger teeth to effortlessly bite through the pork knuckle, breaking both meat and bone.


    Every bite from her small mouth devoured a substantial amount of food, like a wind sweeping through leaves. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To Lin Da and Kafni��s surprise, they together didn��t eat as much as Lulu, the smallest of them all.


    ��Cheers.��


    Lin Da took a napkin and wiped the oil from his hands, then raised a gigantic oak beer mug filled with Wheat Beer.


    Wheat Beer was a favorite among nearly all adventurers, and Lulu was no exception. Each person raised their mug, clinking them together.


    A short while later, all were satisfied with food and drink.


    The three of them sat with bulging bellies, drinking water and resting.


    Lulu suddenly brought up, ��Is your team made up of just these people?��


    A Minor Secret Realm with too low levels wouldn��t allow Lulu to enter, and if the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team went into the World Tree Secret Realm, there would be only two of them.


    It was manageable at the lower levels where the danger was minimal. But at the third or fourth level, missing a front-line class was less than ideal.


    Lin Da said helplessly, ��I��m still considering recruiting, but it��s hard to find good members.��


    ��I know someone,�� Lulu said, her head bowed as she trimmed her claw-like nails with a small dagger, sharpening them even further while speaking, ��If you need someone, I could recommend her to you.��


    ��Oh? What kind of person is she?�� asked Lin Da.


    ��She�� doesn��t like strangers much. But if it��s you, she might consider joining your team,�� Lulu replied.


    ��What about her talent and profession?�� Lin Da was particularly interested in this point.


    If the person was just an ordinary adventurer being forced to level up, the stress would be too great for them, and they would be a burden to the team as well.


    Lin Da believed in quality over quantity.


    Lulu��s voice brimmed with confidence, ��Don��t worry, that kid��s talent has attracted invitations from several Steel Level Adventure Groups.��


    ��Steel Level Adventure Groups? She didn��t join any?�� Lin Da asked.


    ��Hmm. The kid is a bit shy, but I think she��d be okay with you,�� Lulu nodded and then gave him a meaningful glance, ��She��s a Mage, around level 15. If you can bring her in, it��s your team that should feel honored.��


    After hearing this, Lin Da became inwardly alarmed. Could Lulu really be so benevolent to think of the team��s welfare having just joined herself?


    ��Where can I find this person you��re talking about?�� he asked, keeping his composure.


    ��Red Heart City,�� Lulu answered.


    Lin Da raised an eyebrow.


    Red Heart City?


    That was Lia��s hometown.


    In Lin Da��s mind surfaced the image of an elegant red-haired lady.


    Lia��s mother, Lady Bellini.


    Two years ago,


    Lin Da had a private meeting with Lady Bellini, who had come from far away Red Heart City.


    This lady spoke in a soft and delicate tone, requesting him to take care of her disobedient daughter, Lia.


    Back then, Lia was still quite normal, and Lin Da readily agreed.


    Now, having parted ways with Snow Goose Adventure Team, meeting that lady again would inevitably be awkward.


    But��


    With Red Heart City being so large, it wouldn��t be too likely to encounter her by chance, right?


    Lin Da thought it over and silently noted the address Lulu had mentioned.


    After finishing their meal, the group left the restaurant.


    Lin Da and Lulu exchanged their residential addresses to facilitate future contact before returning to their respective rented houses.


    Under the crooked, dim yellow street lamps,


    Lulu��s gaze flickered as she stared at Lin Da��s retreating figure.


    If he could summon the child from Red Heart City, he must undoubtedly be the captain.


    Aside from the captain, that child wouldn��t accept anyone else��s invitation.


    Lulu had her own matters to attend to.


    She easily found a passerby and inquired about the whereabouts of the well-known Snow Goose Adventure Team��s residential area.


    Located in the Inner City District��s first ring, it was a famous, affluent area and quite easy to find.


    Lulu prepared to meet the ��Lin Da�� from the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    One ��Lin Da��, one ��Li Cha��.


    Surely one of them must be the person she was looking for.


    Ever since Lulu became a witch, the search for the mysteriously vanished captain had nearly reached three years.


    Before receiving an apology, Lulu wouldn��t give up her search.


    In these three years,


    Why had he disappeared, what had he been doing, and during those three years, did he feel a slight sense of guilt towards his team members?


    Lulu was grateful to that captain for rescuing her from the slavers, yet she resented him for treating her as just a tool.


    Taking her to the high floors of the World Tree only to then kick her out of the team with one swift motion.


    She had fought tooth and nail for the team, yet not a single trace of her ever remained.


    Lulu wasn��t willing to settle for that!


    Becoming a witch was just so she could make him apologize, for he shouldn��t have kicked her out of the team.


    Perhaps one apology wasn��t that significant.


    However, it had become the pillar of strength that allowed Lulu to endure when the Witch��s Corruption flared up.


    With that apology, she would have no regrets.


    The late summer breeze carried a hint of coolness, stirring the pale blue strands of hair on the young girl��s forehead.


    Lulu��s hands, tucked in her pockets, stealthily transformed into beastly claws as she hailed a carriage, heading towards the Snow Goose Adventure Team��s residential area.


    ��


    Night.


    The Snow Goose Adventure Team��s villa.


    In the second-floor conference room, morale was low, and the atmosphere was oppressive.


    Members of the team sat around a long table, each one with fatigue etched on their faces.


    Aiko sat restlessly in a wheelchair, only able to hear the breathing of others and the severe scolding from a certain red-haired girl.


    ��Why did we suffer such heavy losses? The front line should have held back the Magical Creatures�� attacks properly, but I was constrained, and couldn��t even successfully activate my ��accumulate power�� skill!��


    ��And the Healer as well, the Healing Arts are cast so slowly every time they��re not timely!��


    ��The Mage too! Be careful not to attract the hatred of the Magical Creatures!��


    Lia, her face the color of iron, pointed at everyone in turn, stomping her foot in anger.


    Aiko, one of those named, hung her head, biting her lip and rubbing her temples, struggling to restrain the impulse to flip the table.


    Aiko admitted that she had issues with this strategy.


    Always miscalculating the Magical Creatures�� hatred value, using skills to inflict damage, only to end up being targeted by the creatures.


    She acknowledged this fault.


    But Lia��s problem seemed to be even bigger, right?


    Charging into a group of Magical Creatures recklessly, the team had to waste so much magic power and magic scrolls to save Lia.


    Objectively, Lia��s total damage to the creatures was the highest among the team members, but that premise was based on dragging everyone along to support her!


    Yet, Lia thought all that damage was solely her own doing?


    Aiko had even killed a Swift Rock Lizard and was accused by Lia of kill-stealing.

 Chapter 65 - 65: 65. Distressed Aiko

    Chapter 65: 65. Distressed Aiko


    This time Snow Goose went to the 11th floor, encountering 3 Swift Rock Lizards, 4 meters in length, comparable to Earth Dragons.


    Aiko and Lia��s output was too high, causing the front line to fail at holding the Magical Creatures�� aggro, frequently chasing after the squishies.


    But why were the front lines able to hold aggro before?


    In battle, Aiko held her breath for a long time, finally rid herself of the Swift Rock Lizard��s aggro, only to have the lizard chase her the moment she fired off a Light Arrow Technique.


    It doesn��t make sense!


    Klrona fought for ages, shouldn��t the lizard chase Klrona first?


    ...


    To clear the 11th floor, Oru��s arm was broken, and even with the assistance of Regeneration Art, it would take half a month to heal.


    The adventure team��s inventory of magic scrolls was also depleted. Each scroll was a pile of Gold Coins.


    Snow Goose couldn��t figure out the right strategy against the Swift Rock Lizards, so they had to forcefully use magic items,


    Lia downed 16 Life Potions, Aiko��s head hurt from overconsuming mana.


    Everyone came back with soot on their faces, too little joy in clearing the level.


    There was no victory banquet, but a criticism meeting instead.


    More than an hour and it still wasn��t over.


    Aiko looked displeasedly at the downcast Healer Phyllis across from her.


    This blond noble was full of arrogance when he first joined the team, but since coming out from the 11th floor of the Mystic Realm, he had been hanging his head like a deflated ball. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In this attempt to clear the level, Phyllis, who took on the command, had major issues.


    There must be some kind of mechanism on the Swift Rock Lizards that Phyllis failed to recognize.


    Aiko couldn��t help but miss the days when Lin Da was still part of the team.


    Celebratory feasts were filled with joy, there were Lin Da��s late-night ��hometown cuisine��, followed by a foot massage, then sleeping comfortably.


    Those days of adventure, almost like indulgence!


    When Lin Da commanded, there wasn��t a single instance of such serious mistakes as Phyllis��s.


    The front line could always keep a tight hold on the Monsters�� aggro, while the back line safely dealt damage, those creatures seemed blind, not seeing them at all.


    Thinking back carefully, it seems like there was a certain knack to hitting Magical Creatures, a number of times��?


    But back then, Aiko never imagined Lin Da would leave the team. Lin Da was supposed to stay in the team forever, as a trembling servant, then one day realize she, the Mage, was the most excellent one in the team, fall deeply in love with her, hopelessly, becoming a loyal dog��


    But the reality was before her, Lin Da not only left the team but also formed his own!


    The more Aiko thought about it, the more irritable she became. Damn Lin Da, why hasn��t he come to beg her to join?


    Aside from her, were there any other excellent adventurers who would join his group?


    Could it be he was spending every day and night cuddling with that big Bear woman?


    The mere thought made Aiko��s eyes turn red; she hadn��t even slept with Lin Da yet, how could she let an outsider get ahead of her!


    In the background, Lia��s voice scolded Phyllis.


    This short redheaded girl, not much bigger than a panda, only had a fierce temper.


    Lia, dressed in a white top and a black skirt, had numerous bandages wrapped around her thighs and arms, and an oversized pain-relieving patch stuck to her head. She was fuming with annoyance, her eyebrows arched as she pointed a finger unabashedly at the new Healer, Phyllis��s nose:


    ��What the hell is wrong with you? Your strategy is completely unqualified!��


    ��The front line is stupid, too, unable to attract the ire of the Magical Creatures. I��m constantly being targeted!��


    ��Or it��s Aiko who draws the Magical Creatures�� attention, leaving everyone weary from holding them off, fighting in a way that makes no sense! Who��s supposed to do what, when, and use which skills? Spell it out! Why is your guide only one page, when that traitor Lin Da��s guide is as thick as a book?��


    Lia��s voice was crisp and sharp, like a sword slashing through the meeting room, piercing everyone��s eardrums.


    Phyllis slowly lifted his head, even as a new Healer who had joined Snow Goose to cling to Lia��s coattails, he couldn��t help feeling a bit angry now.


    He had seen the strategy guide Lin Da had left in the room.


    It was full of dense, incomprehensible data, many terms Phyllis had never heard of��clearly, the other party wasn��t from a conventional Academic Faction background. Initially, Phyllis looked down on it, but as he read on, he discovered that Lin Da had actually marked out all the attack ranges and aggro values of the Magical Creatures on that level,


    and analyzed their vocal sounds to determine their condition, pinpointing which part to strike for maximum damage and aggro,


    That wasn��t just a strategy guide��it was an encyclopedia dissecting and thoroughly researching the Magical Creatures!


    Not just Phyllis, Phyllis thought even his teacher, a level 25 seasoned adventurer from the Noble Academy of White Dove City, couldn��t produce a better strategy than Lin Da.


    Lia demanded that he, a mere outstanding graduate, do better than Lin Da��she was blatantly making things difficult for him!


    Moreover, he had tried hard�� To cast Healing Arts on his teammates, he had consumed seven or eight Magic Potions, his magical circuits swollen and throbbing with pain, to the point it felt impossible even to urinate.


    All these efforts, why couldn��t Lia see them?


    Plus, after being sternly rebuked by Lia, Phyllis finally felt a twinge of impatience and said in annoyance, ��Well�� Why don��t you go find Lin Da?��


    His words abruptly caught Lia off guard, her face turning crimson.


    Aiko and the other members looked at Phyllis with eyes full of admiration.


    They thought he was just a new bootlicker, but it turned out he had some backbone.


    ��Huh?! Why bring up that traitor? Are you sick or what?�� Lia questioned, staring skeptically at Phyllis: ��And aren��t you a top graduate? Can��t you even outperform a nobody like Lin Da who came up through the ranks? What use do I have for you then?��


    But hell, I just can��t match up to Lin Da, Phyllis thought furiously.


    Right then, Phyllis really wanted to overturn the table and tell Lia that kicking Lin Da out was purely blind; such a person could be immediately appointed as an honorary professor if he showed up at the Academy!


    Being part of a rock-level adventure team like hers was simply Lia and the others�� dumb luck.


    Phyllis worshipped Lin Da, who could produce such a detailed strategy, as if it were a flowing river.


    But the problem was, he also wanted to cozy up to Lia��s family, to expand his own family��s business into Red Heart City��


    Phyllis sulkily bowed his head: ��I understand, I will seriously consider the strategy for the next level.��


    ��Hmph,�� Lia, seeming victorious, sat down.


    At this moment, Aiko suggested, ��Maybe we shouldn��t go to the 12th floor for now.��


    ��The Ice Flower Adventure Team will be entering the 13th floor next month,�� Lia said with a grim look, ��If we delay any further, the gap will only widen.��


    Aiko sighed. Was it possible that the Ice Flower Adventure Team was simply better than Snow Goose?


    Their team members coordinated seamlessly, led by a veteran adventurer with vast experience, and then there was Isa, whose style of conduct commanded respect, earning her the unconditional trust of all her teammates.


    Unlike the Snowflake Adventure Team, where Lia would get caught up in her own attacks mid-fight, completely forgetting her teammates couldn��t keep up.

 Chapter 66 - 66: 66. Lia and Lulu

    Chapter 66: 66. Lia and Lulu


    Even Aiko thought that in a one-on-one duel, Lia was still inferior to Isa. The reason was simple: Lia wasn��t exactly the brightest.


    Normally, it was Lin Da��s job to persuade her in these situations, a thankless task that Aiko was glad to avoid. Aiko sighed again, put on a congenial expression, and said to the visibly irritated Lia:


    ��Captain, why don��t we head to a Minor Secret Realm or hunt some Magical Creatures first? Our resources were depleted during the last strategy for the 11th floor, we need to restock. Potions, Magic Scrolls, the front line��s Armor, all damaged��and the spoils from the 11th floor don��t even cover a fifth of our losses.��


    Her methodical analysis left Lia in silence.


    Suddenly, it dawned on her. The Snow Goose Adventure Team was out of money!


    Supplies needed replenishing, front-line gear needed replacing.


    ...


    Oru was also injured.


    Even with the help of Regeneration Art, it would take half a month to recover.


    The pressure of strategizing from the 10th floor onward was mounting.


    Lia was also aware of it, and she considered equipping her team with Town Portal Scrolls.


    But the scrolls for levels 10-20 were much more expensive than those for levels 0-10.


    Buying Town Portal Scrolls required Gold Coins, and so did other magic items.


    Lia felt somewhat embarrassed.


    The main members�� weapons were Purple Rare, and her own gear, all Purple Rare, had nearly depleted their adventure funds!


    It seemed Aiko was right; proceeding to the 12th floor in this state wasn��t wise, was it?


    ��Uh, Captain, I have something to say.��


    Oru��s one hand, wrapped like a mummy, hung in white cloth in front of him, while he raised his healthy left hand hesitantly and said.


    ��What is it?�� Lia asked.


    ��Should we hire Lin Da to strategize for the 12th floor?��


    ��Absolutely not!��


    Lia��s face changed instantly, and she slammed the table in refusal!


    ��But����


    ��There��s no ��but.�� Hiring him for strategy would mean admitting that our Snow Goose Adventure Team is incompetent,�� Lia interrupted Oru.


    Everyone fell silent.


    After the strategy session for the eleventh floor, most had gradually come to a harsh conclusion; Snow Goose��s strength did not come from the genius Swordsman Lia.


    It was Lin Da.


    Yet no one could convince this fiery-eyed redhead.


    Phyllis sneaked a glance at Oru, thinking that perhaps the team members all approved of Lin Da��s strategy.


    The latter, noticing Phyllis��s look, said gruffly, ��It would be great if Brother Lin Da were here; with him, I��d get off lightly.��


    Phyllis detected a faint Taunt in Oru��s words.


    He smiled and said nothing.


    He secretly thought that after Lin Da left the team, breaching his contract, he must be broke, unable to even afford decent equipment.


    Since that is the case, why not use Gold Coins to hire Lin Da for strategy? Although Lia disagreed, he could just keep it from Lia and secretly approach Lin Da.


    Phyllis��s admiration for Lin Da��s strategic abilities surpassed even his own mentor; he had long wanted to meet him!


    Lia and Lin Da might not get along, but that didn��t mean the team members had to be on bad terms with Lin Da, right?


    ��Um,��


    Lia suddenly fidgeted, sitting at the end of the conference table, twirling her fiery red hair nonchalantly, and asked, ��Does anyone know what that traitor is doing now?��


    ��Lin Da?�� Klyne asked.


    ��Mm.��


    Lia felt uncomfortable the moment she heard the name, and picked up the Cooling Magic Array controller in the conference room, setting it to blow forcefully.


    Klrona, who had been intensely focused on solving a puzzle cube, looked up, raising her little hand: ��I know, I know! When I went to buy a new Magic Puppet toy on the street, I heard that Big Uncle Lin Da has formed a team!��


    ��Formed a team?�� Lia laughed and shook her head: ��He found teammates to form a team with him? He must have just picked someone randomly.��


    ��Not at all.��


    The voice was Aiko��s.


    Although she sat in a wheelchair, she actually was the Snow Goose Adventure Team��s information conduit and often liked to stroll around, enjoying the gazes of admiration from a group of adventurers.


    Aiko said with a hint of jealousy, ��I heard it��s a beastmen girl, an adventurer who took the level test and has level 25.��


    Level 25?


    Lia fell silent.


    The highest in the Snow Goose Adventure Team was only level 24,


    and that was Aiko.


    As the team leader, she was only level 23.


    ��Why would that kind of person join Lin Da��s team?�� Sear?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Don��t know,�� Aiko replied.


    ��Definitely tricked and conned into it.��


    Lia felt a blockage in her chest, unable to swallow it down.


    Why did Lin Da, who had left the Snow Goose Adventure Team, seem to be doing so well?


    There was a busty blonde who liked him, and now a high-level beastmen girl had shown up.


    Hearing about other girls by Lin Da��s side, as well as the ��Aiko hugs Lin Da�� incident mentioned in the White Dove Morning News the day before yesterday, made Lia feel inexplicably uneasy.


    Aiko, to actually like that traitor��


    Luckily they had had an open and honest talk; Aiko stated that it was all the newspaper��s nonsense and that like Lia, she was furious with Lin Da and vowed to punish that traitor.


    Lia gathered her thoughts and asked again, ��What��s Lin Da��s team called?��


    Aiko said, ��It seems to be the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.��


    ��Such a weak name,�� Lia snorted coldly.


    ��Phoenix Tail Flower is a common flower in the beastmen territories, you know? It represents friendship, companionship,�� Aiko said, tilting her head playfully, ��Isn��t Lin Da possibly taunting us?��


    Lia fell silent again.


    Once upon a time, I too considered him a companion!


    It was his own lack of effort��who else could be blamed!


    ��If you see someone from the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, beat them up for me,�� Lia said coldly.


    The team members looked at each other in confusion.


    Was it really only the captain herself who wanted to fight Lin Da?


    Phyllis was the first to snap to attention, raising her fist furiously: ��Lord Captain, I will never let that guy off. When I see him, I��m going to give him a good ��teaching���� no, a beating!��


    ��Hmm,�� Lia nodded, ��We must beat him into a pulp.��


    ����Ding-dong.


    Right after the meeting ended, as Lia and her team were heading downstairs, they heard the doorbell ringing at the front door.


    Outside, a girl dressed in a white coat, her light blue short hair and beast ears covered by a hood, was lazily blowing a large bubble with her bubble gum.


    Pop.


    As the front door swung open, the bubble burst as well.


    At the villa entrance, a blue-haired and a red-haired girl met.


    Although it was their first meeting, Lia inside felt an inexplicable, strong threat.


    The other girl��s eyes were calm, yet they gave Lia the eerie sensation of being stalked by a wolf, that beastman had a strong aura of aggression!


    Behind Lia, a bunch of team members craned their necks to look over.


    ��Who is it?��


    ��A beastman, seems to be high-level, haven��t seen them before, not a local adventurer from White Dove City?��


    ��A werewolf, light blue hair, seems familiar somehow?��


    Aiko pondered thoughtfully.

 Chapter 67 - 67: 67. Lin Da? Shes long been kicked out by this young lady.

    Chapter 67: 67. Lin Da? She��s long been kicked out by this young lady.


    ��What are you doing here?�� Lia, with her fiery temper, squared up to the Beastkin girl of similar height, her arms crossed, and asked sharply.


    Lulu simply ignored the walking powder keg and glanced over her shoulder,


    upon seeing the bulky Oru, with his square face and short blond hair exuding a simple and honest aura, she couldn��t hide her disappointment: ��Are you Lin Da?��


    ��Huh? Looking for Lin Da?��


    Lia was getting angry before Oru could even respond.


    Lin Da had long been kicked out of the team, a fact known throughout the city. Was this Beastkin here to provoke her on purpose by asking for him?


    ...


    At that moment, nobody knew Lulu was a member of the Phoenix Tail Flower. Aiko had only heard that Lin Da had taken a girl as a team member, but wasn��t sure of her appearance.


    ��I��m looking for Lin Da, what��s it to you?�� Lulu glanced at Lia, frowning slightly.


    ��Lin Da is����


    Lia opened her mouth but seemed to hesitate.


    As of now, Lin Da really had no connection to her.


    She had no reason to be angry if a stranger was looking for Lin Da.


    Finally, Oru saw an opportunity to butt in: ��I��m not Lin Da.��


    Lulu, confused: ��Not��? Then where is Lin Da? Please, call him out.��


    ��You��ve got the wrong place,�� Lia interrupted irritably. ��Lin Da was kicked out of the team by yours truly ages ago!��


    ��Then where is he now?�� Lulu asked.


    ��How would I know!�� Lia said annoyedly. ��You knock on someone��s door in the middle of the night, ask a bunch of nonsense �C aren��t you annoying?��


    ������


    ��Sorry.��


    Lulu bowed to apologize, feeling that what Lia said made sense.


    ��But why are you looking for Lin Da?�� Aiko asked, puzzled. ��Are you his friend?��


    ��Friend�� not exactly,�� Lulu replied. ��I just have something to ask him.��


    ��Let me give you a heads up,�� Lia warned with a menacing look. ��Lin Da is my enemy.��


    The implication was clear.


    If Lulu dared to be friends with Lin Da, she would become the enemy of Lia, the captain of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, known as Bursting Flames Lia. sea??h th�� Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon hearing Lia��s words, Aiko became so agitated that steam could practically be seen coming out of her head.


    What nonsense was she spouting?


    Confronting an obviously capable ��guest�� with such brazen declarations of war �C her emotional intelligence was off the charts.


    Aiko tried to smooth things over with a smile: ��Our captain isn��t the sharpest tool in the shed, so don��t take her words to heart.��


    Lulu, unfazed, said: ��If that Lin Da is the one I��m looking for, then he��s my enemy too.��


    Lia extended her hand, ��Then we are friends.��


    ��I don��t need friends.��


    Lulu kept her hands in her pockets, utterly indifferent.


    Lia��s face immediately darkened.


    Lulu, having not found Lin Da nor obtained his whereabouts, left the Snow Goose Adventure Team disappointed.


    The door closed.


    A burst of discussion erupted among the Snow Goose members.


    Oru said, ��That Beastman, she seemed to know Lin Da? Do you guys know what��s going on?��


    ��I haven��t heard Small Fry Uncle mention anything about knowing such a pretty Beastkin lady,�� Klrona remarked, holding a bag of chips, licking her fingers as she spoke.


    Lia��s face was as black as coal as she continued staring at her own right hand. She had extended it, only to be ignored by that Beastkin; her pride felt as if it were being roasted over a fire, and it was excruciating.


    ��That werewolf girl��s looks, aren��t they just as rumored?��


    Aiko slowly figured it out, ��A werewolf, with light blue hair, high level�� Could it be, she��s the new teammate Lin Da recently recruited?��


    Lia��s eyes widened.


    The beastman, who gave her a sense of great strength and whom she was unsure of defeating, was Lin Da��s new teammate?


    What could Lin Da possibly have that would attract a beastman of that caliber to join him?


    ��Dumb luck, it must be just dumb luck!��


    Lia gnawed on her lip in frustration, feeling that she wouldn��t be able to sleep tonight.


    ��


    In the neighborhood where the Snow Goose Adventure Team resided, there was a large magic fountain in the center, twinkling with colorful lights in the night, especially dazzling.


    Many adventurers rested on the platforms around the fountain, and there were couples, whispering sweet nothings to each other.


    On a bench, there sat a silver-haired girl dressed in casual sportswear, revealing her pale long legs.


    She bowed her head, carefully checking the thick stack of information in her hands.


    ��All the information about the team members, handing it to Lin Da, should be fine, right?��


    ��My judgement of people can��t be wrong. It��s only by doing this that I can show him the sincerity of Ice Flower.��


    ��Lin Da, I will definitely make you join my team.��


    A charming smile appeared on the silver-haired girl��s face as she packed the information into a black shoulder bag and slung it over her shoulder.


    Her full hips lifted from the bench, her silver hair falling over it, and her long legs created a striking scene in front of the fountain, attracting the gazes of many adventurers.


    This girl was none other than Isa, captain of the Ice Flower Adventure Team and a genius swordsman, just like Lia.


    She had organized the members�� information in detail, including skills, equipment, and personality traits, with the intention of handing it all over to Lin Da so he could start working on the strategy for the 13th floor.


    And Lin Da��s address had been given to her during their last lunchtime meeting.


    Isa was about to take Ice Flower��s private carriage when, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a girl from the Werewolf Clan walking from the direction of Snow Goose Villa.


    Those who are strong can sense each other��s presence.


    Isa��s expression turned stern, her face taking on a serious look.


    The other��s aura made her feel like she was facing a gigantic polar wolf, every inch of her body radiating a cold and dangerous air!


    What would such a person be doing coming from Snow Goose��s side?


    Isa��s mind raced as she approach Lulu with a polite smile.


    She extended her hand, greeting, ��Are you an adventurer from another place? Hello, I��m Isa, captain of the Ice Flower Adventure Team.��


    Lulu glanced at Isa��s extended right hand and said indifferently, ��I��m not particularly interested in humans.��


    Unruffled, Isa retained her composure, withdrew her hand, and said, ��I saw you coming from the Snow Goose Adventure Team, are you applying? Snow Goose has been recruiting recently.��


    ��No.�� Lulu was in a bad mood for not finding Lin Da and didn��t feel like dealing with Isa. She murmured under her breath, ��That Lin Da, where could he be����


    Isa heard Lulu��s muttering and raised an eyebrow, ��Are you looking for Lin Da? Is there something you need from him?��


    Lulu countered, ��Do you know him?��


    ��Yes. I also know where he is,�� Isa responded with a smile. ��Would you mind telling me why you are looking for him?��


    ��He might be�� an acquaintance,�� Lulu replied hesitantly and vaguely.


    An acquaintance?


    Isa quietly sized up Lulu.


    Why did this little orc seem a bit resentful? Could Lin Da have done something to her?


    ��I happen to be on my way to see him. Shall we go together?�� Isa gestured toward the carriage.


    Lulu paused for a second and then said softly, ��Thank you.��


    ��No problem, we��re all adventurers from White Dove City, bound to help each other out sooner or later,�� Isa said, taking Lulu��s hand and leading her into the carriage.


    Lulu felt the warmth in Isa��s palm and her tense body slowly relaxed. This woman was not quite like the treacherous and filthy humans she had encountered before.

 Chapter 68 - 68: 68. Lulu discovers the truth.

    Chapter 68: 68. Lulu discovers the truth.


    The carriage left the affluent neighborhood.


    The curtains were drawn, and Lulu, sitting inside the carriage, didn��t see Lin Da and Kafni passing by with several boxes of consolation gifts.


    After reconsidering, Lin Da had bought some milk and magical beast meat to visit the injured Oru.


    Meanwhile, Isa took Lulu,


    to the Sparrow District, to the small cottage that Lin Da had rented.


    When they arrived here, Lulu��s expression became very strange.


    ...


    ��Sparrow District, Harvest Road, Adventurer��s Shortcut District Building 3, Room 305?��


    Lulu silently recited the address ��Li Cha�� had given her.


    This was Harvest Road.


    This was the Adventurer��s Shortcut District.


    Then, Isa brought her to the third floor, to Room 305.


    Lulu was stunned.


    So, that ��Li Cha�� and Snow Goose from the Snow Goose Adventure Team were the same person?!


    Lulu was confused��why would ��Li Cha�� purposely deceive her?


    ��Seems like there��s no one home,�� Isa knocked on the door, but there was no response inside.


    Lulu silently walked up to the front.


    With a swipe of a beast claw.


    The chain broke, and with a click, the simple wooden door opened.


    Isa looked at her in surprise: ��Miss Lulu, what are you doing?��


    Lulu did not answer, her azure eyes filled with a coldness.


    She remembered the look in the cave, that fleeting gaze reminiscent of the captain��s.


    Li Cha was likely the person she was looking for.


    Lulu couldn��t help but laugh bitterly to herself.


    Three years had passed, and the leader who was known as a genius adventurer had become so weak, not even having the courage to face her?


    His personality change was also significant, from a lifeless magic machinery operator into a living person.


    What had happened over these three years?


    Lulu had a belly full of doubts.


    But she also realized amid her full-blown doubts and anger, there was a flame-like fragile joy. She might have understood why Lin Da would expose something like the Witch Purification ability just to save her.


    The ��Beastman friend�� Lin Da knew must be her.


    Did he feel guilty about kicking her out of the team, so he decided to extend a helping hand?


    Avoiding, hiding, not daring to face��


    ��Lord Captain, this really isn��t like you!��


    Lulu stepped into the rental house, surveying every corner. It was dilapidated and stifling hot inside, apparently not even having a Cooling Magic Array.


    Disappeared for three years, just to hide in such a broken place��


    But, she had finally found it.


    Lulu lifted the corners of her mouth.


    Even if she had to press Lin Da��s head down, she would make him properly apologize!


    ��May I ask, what exactly is the relationship between you and Lin Da?��


    Isa, who had followed behind her into the room, asked tentatively.


    Lulu thought for a moment and said, ��Former teammate.��


    That was a relief.


    Isa breathed a sigh of relief.


    But then she heard Lulu add, ��Now�� also a teammate.��


    Isa: ��???��


    Indeed, there must be some unspeakable connection between Lin Da and this beastman girl!


    Why would an adventurer of nearly the same level as her be willing to join Lin Da��s team?


    Isa��s hand clenched the strap of her shoulder bag involuntarily,


    and her heart skipped a beat with a wildly improbable thought��could it be that Lin Da really had a chance of catching up to the Ice Flower Adventure Team in the strategy layers?


    According to their agreement, once Lin Da surpassed her, she would have to join Lin Da��s team.


    That sort of thing,


    Please, no!


    Isa��s heart raced with anxiety, feeling a bit regretful for agreeing to Lin Da��s terms.


    Meanwhile, Lulu wandered into the rented house��s washroom and noticed several lines of twisted and crooked handwriting on the wall next to the mirror.


    Front and foremost was ��Become the number one adventure team in White Dove City.��


    She continued reading down the wall.


    The line at the bottom, neat like it had been printed by a magic device, was all too familiar to Lulu.


    It was the captain��s handwriting.


    ��I hope to safely reach the summit of the World Tree.��


    Was this the captain��s goal?


    Were the ones above written by his former team members, the members of the Snow Goose?


    Just from reading the words, Lulu could sense the joyful atmosphere that surrounded that team.


    In contrast to the Primordial Adventure Team Lulu had been a part of, where the ��Lin Da�� she received was always a cold, pressure machine; with the captain around, the members had to be cautious even with their breathing.


    She didn��t want to be criticized, didn��t want to be kicked out of the team, stripped of her equipment��


    But the Lin Da that the Snow Geese got was a kind-hearted captain who quietly wrote an inconspicuous line in the corner, wishing for his members�� safe ascent to the summit?


    Lost in thought, Lulu touched the top-most, worn yet brazenly confident line ��Become the number one adventure team in White Dove City,�� feeling a sharp bitterness well up in her chest.


    If only that captain had shown her one-tenth of the affection he had for this writer, she wouldn��t have ended up becoming a witch.


    It was from lessons learnt from the ��former former teammates�� like her that were cast aside, which allowed the later Snow Goose Adventure Teams to benefit.


    Clenching her teeth, Lulu��s beastly claws left several vicious marks on the wall writings!


    Although she didn��t have much conflict with the Snow Goose Adventure Team, for the first time, Lulu felt a strong repulsion towards an unknown adventure team!


    Just then, Isa��s voice came from the living room, ��There��s a note left by Lin Da; it seems he won��t be back for a few days.��


    ��What?��


    Lulu quickly stepped out, frowning as she took the note to read it. sea??h th�� N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It read: I��m going to visit an old teammate and then make a trip to Red Heart City, returning in about three days.


    ��Tch.��


    Lulu gnashed her teeth with frustration, feeling like she had lifted a rock only to drop it on her own foot.


    She had sent Lin Da to Red Heart City to recruit that kid,


    purely to test if Lin Da was the captain or not.


    Only the captain of the Primitive Adventure Team could persuade the other party to join the team.


    ��Three days�� Alright, I��ll wait for you to come back,�� Lulu scanned the rental house, planning to stay there.


    If Lin Da actually brings that kid back, it will be ironclad proof of his captaincy, and she would not believe anything else he says, no matter how many lies he tells.


    ��You��aren��t leaving?��


    Isa looked surprised at Lulu, who sat cross-legged on the living room table, rather impolitely.


    Lulu shook her head, ��I��m waiting for Lin Da to come back.��


    ��I see,�� a hint of disappointment flashed in Isa��s eyes.


    Isa wanted to try talking to Lin Da as well, to see if they were compatible. She had a good impression of this intelligent, handsome adventurer known as ��Eye of Wisdom.��


    But there were just too many competitors.


    Isa could think of at least three or four off the top of her head.


    ��


    ��Achoo.��


    Lin Da, carrying a box full of milk and magical beast meat gift boxes, sneezed without reason.


    ��What��s wrong?�� Kafni, with a candy in her mouth and a bag of skewers in her arms, walked and ate at the same time.


    Kafni, who claimed digging up Demon Cores was a great contribution, naturally took half of the 25 gold coins.


    That rounds up to 13 gold coins.


    The Inner City District had many snack stalls at night, and Kafni bought whatever she saw, boasting wildly.


    Lin Da, on the other hand, had spent ten gold coins on milk and the meat of a level 3 Magical Creature, the Great White Dove.


    Combined, they would promote healing of injuries.

 Chapter 69 - 69: 69. Lin Da encounters Lia at night

    Chapter 69: 69. Lin Da encounters Lia at night


    ��I bet someone��s cursing me behind my back.��


    Lin Da wiped his nose, slightly confused.


    Looking ahead at several large buildings,


    aside from the detached luxury villas, there were also regular apartment buildings, which were much cheaper than the former.


    Klyne and Oru had taken out a loan to buy an apartment here.


    Entering the neighborhood, not far ahead, there was a huge magic fountain, its colorful glow particularly captivating. sea??h th�� N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    Beside it, there were many benches where adventurers gathered in groups of twos and threes, mostly couples.


    Adventurers jogging past Lin Da, and on the square, a group of elderly adventurers were dancing to exercise routines, while a bunch of kids played noisily with wooden swords.


    This scene from another world was quite similar to reality.


    Lin Da walked straight on.


    ��Hey,�� Kafni seemed to have noticed something and nudged Lin Da with her elbow, pointing forward with her chin.


    Following the direction Kafni indicated, Lin Da paused for a moment.


    On a bench beside the magic fountain sat a girl with fiery red hair.


    It was the captain of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, Lia.


    She was alone, without her teammates by her side��perhaps she had come out to clear her mind?


    The light and shadows of the fountain fell on Lia��s face, fluctuating between light and dark, her small face staring blankly up at the night sky, looking somewhat desolate.


    As Lin Da and Kafni, an attractive pair, passed by Lia, she indeed noticed them.


    Lin Da pretended not to see her and walked on as usual.


    But he could feel a sharp gaze sticking to him like someone had aimed a sword at him.


    Lia, seeing the comfort gifts in Lin Da��s hand, initially relaxed her expression, thinking about how to refuse them.


    But unexpectedly,


    Lin Da treated her like air and just breezed past her!


    The comfort gifts, after all that trouble, were not for her!


    Lia was already frustrated from her defeat on the 11th floor; Lin Da��s disregard was about to make her explode with anger.


    Meanwhile, Lin Da had almost walked away when he heard someone calmly say behind him:


    ��I didn��t lose, Missy.��


    ��?��


    He hadn��t said anything, had he?


    Having been addressed, Lin Da had no choice but to stop. Walking away now would seem too deliberate.


    He turned to Lia.


    Lia��s face was lifted, stubborn, like a disheveled but still proud peacock.


    Thick bandages were wrapped around the girl��s arms, a large pain-relief patch on her forehead, her left hand lay casually by her side, her right hand on her hip, slightly tilted in a carefree manner.


    ��If it hurts, you don��t have to tough it out,�� Lin Da quickly saw through Lia��s facade of strength.


    It was exactly people like her who would suffer for the sake of pride and never admit that even a decapitation hurt.


    Lia��s face twitched; she moved her hands, ��It��s just a minor injury, it��ll heal in a few days.��


    That gesture seemed like she was trying to prove something.


    Only her eyebrows furrowed noticeably.


    Lin Da pointed to the pain-relief patch on her forehead: ��The blood��s seeping through.��


    Lia��s expression collapsed.


    No wonder her head felt fuzzy.


    She casually said, ��Such a minor wound, it doesn��t matter.��


    ��Oh,�� Lin Da nodded, glanced around to see that Kafni had sidled off��who knows when��perhaps afraid Lia might lash out at her?


    This deity was sometimes pretty smart.


    Lin Da left Lia behind and stepped forward.


    ��`


    ��I heard you��ve set up a small team called the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team?��


    For some reason, Lia was especially chatty that day,


    Lin Da was a bit annoyed and hummed an acknowledgment.


    The double non-committal hums caused the bleeding on Lia��s head to surge.


    She glared at Lin Da and said word by word, ��Your adventure team will never, ever be able to match up to my Snow Goose.��


    ��I wasn��t trying to compete with you,�� Lin Da said, puzzled, ��What exactly are you trying so hard to prove?��


    ��But�� if we were to compete, the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team wouldn��t lose to any team,�� he said.


    ��What, you��re way too arrogant!��


    Lia, driven to laughter by her fury, pointed at Lin Da, ��You��ve changed, you��re not the Lin Da you used to be!��


    The Lin Da of the past would have shown her warm concern.


    He would have stayed by her side when she was unhappy and assisted the team perfectly to clear the next level.


    Lin Da said, ��You��ve changed too.��


    Lia��s eyes were firm, ��I haven��t.��


    Lin Da shook his head, unwilling to continue the argument with the young girl, and walked away with the gift.


    In the square, many adventurers were sneaking peeks at them.


    Lia shot a warning glare at the crowd, then stormed back to the villa, fists clenched in frustration.


    She had come out to clear her mind, but after meeting Lin Da, her mood had only worsened.


    When she got back to the villa, she saw Aiko sitting on the couch with slices of cucumber covering her face, her head tilted back, emanating a faint white Magic Power glow, immersed in meditation.


    Lia poured herself a cup of coffee, cupped it with both hands, and held it to her chest, her thoughts in turmoil, ��Aiko, do you think I��ve changed?��


    ��Huh?��


    Aiko opened her eyes, surprised, and leaned to look at Lia, wondering what had upset the hot-tempered girl this time.


    She glanced around and said, ��Nope, Lia is always Lia, she never changes.��


    On hearing this, Lia breathed a sigh of relief.


    ��Aiko, you really understand me.��


    Lia felt much better.


    With a grimace, she finished her unsweetened coffee, went upstairs to her bedroom to change the pain relief patch on her forehead, and then grabbed the Greatsword Sun Eater, practicing with grunts and effort.


    The wound throbbed with searing pain, but Lia gritted her teeth, letting her Fire Series Battle Qi circulate throughout her body.


    The defeat on the eleventh level was only temporary,


    On the twelfth level of the World Tree, she was determined to lead the Snow Goose Adventure Team to a Perfect Clear!


    ��


    Behind the villa area lay a cluster of residential buildings.


    In a four-story building, Lin Da was warmly received by his old teammates.


    ��I was just saying we should get Klyne to buy some pigeon meat, and here you are, bringing over gifts,�� said Oru, laughing as he opened the door and saw Lin Da and Kafni standing outside with the gifts.


    ��Welcome.�� The Elf Girl Klyne smiled politely, took the gifts from Lin Da��s hands, and invited them into the living room.


    The two old teammates didn��t seem to be in great shape.


    Lin Da noticed a trace of exhaustion deep in Klyne��s eyes and that Oru��s right arm was bandaged up like a mummy, with the heavy scent of ��Golden Sunflower�� emanating from it��a Magical Herb known to promote bone healing.


    The four sat down at the living room table, exchanged courtesies, and talked about their recent experiences.


    When the conversation turned to Snow Goose Adventure Team��s conquest of the eleventh level, Klyne, who had been silent until then, suddenly clenched her fist and said in a low voice:


    ��Lia went too far. She didn��t mention a word about Oru��s injury, just kept blaming him.��


    Oru was straightforward and honest; he felt that being scolded by Lia was no big deal,


    But his girlfriend Klyne could not stand it. Even when Oru��s shield arm was broken, he didn��t back down. The reason for the team��s heavy losses was all due to Lia and Aiko always drawing away the Magical Creatures�� aggro,


    In the end, it was Oru who was blamed for not being able to keep the creatures at bay.


    Klyne, a regular Elf Girl without a particularly forgiving heart, complained incessantly.

 Chapter 70 - 70: 70, Lin Da and Big Lolita

    Chapter 70: 70, Lin Da and Big Lolita


    Lin Da listened to Snow Goose��s strategy and couldn��t help but feel speechless, ��So, why can��t you just take on the three Swift Rock Lizards separately?��


    ��Have Oru and Klrona each lure one away and then have Lia and Aiko team up to take down another?��


    ��Is that even possible?�� Oru asked, scratching his head in confusion.


    ��Actually, there��s a simpler method. Just coat the damage dealers with Dragon Dung��the Swift Rock Lizards are afraid of that smell.��


    Lin Da sighed:


    ��However, the best approach would still be for you and Klrona to concentrate on attacking the Swift Rock Lizards�� tails as that is their weak point, which generates the most aggro.


    ...


    Debilitate them all, and then finish them off with Aiko��s area of effect Magic, ��Rain of Light,�� to take down all three Swift Rock Lizards at once,


    which will trigger the eleventh level��s hidden condition, and the quality of the Treasure Chest dropped by the Magical Creatures will be one tier higher.��


    When Oru and Klyne heard his detailed analysis, they were a bit stunned, exchanging glances, wondering why the eleventh level seemed so simple?


    If they strictly followed Lin Da��s method, would it be another no-damage fight?


    Confused, Klyne asked, ��Lin Da, can I ask, how do you know so much? You haven��t been to the eleventh level, have you?��


    ��I haven��t been, but I��ve watched others�� strategy live broadcasts.��


    Lin Da had already thought about how to address these kinds of questions and said:


    ��Apart from spending Gold Coins to watch the famous adventure teams�� live strategy broadcasts, there are also adventurers�� diaries and records, which contain a lot of important information.


    Like the fact that Swift Rock Lizards are afraid of Dragon Dung, I found that in a book called ��Matos��s Elderly Pig Farming Life��,


    One day, Matos was hit on the head by Dragon Dung from the sky, and on his way home, he didn��t encounter any Swift Lizards.


    After testing it, I found it was useful, so there��s a high probability that Dragon Dung also works on Swift Rock Lizards of the same species.��


    Listening to this, Oru was dumbfounded: ��Out of a hundred books of that sort, aren��t ninety-nine of them useless? You immerse yourself in the library just to read these things?��


    Lin Da shook his head, ��They may seem useless, but if you dig deep, you can find some valuable information.��


    In the first year after coming to Another World, Lin Da moved back and forth between the library and his rental house.


    The number of miscellaneous books in the library was immense, enough to form mountains. Finding valuable things from them was like panning gold from dirt.


    Moreover, most of them consisted of adventurers boasting about themselves, making it difficult to distinguish the real information, much less apply it to strategies for the World Tree��


    Thinking about this, Oru could only admit complete admiration.


    Previously, like Lia and the others, he had comfortably enjoyed the benefits brought by Lin Da��s strategies, knowing Lin Da was good at devising strategies, but he had never imagined he would be this impressive,


    compared to Phyllis from the Noble Academy, he was really something!


    ��Brother Lin Da, look, can we join your team?�� Oru, caught up in the excitement, blurted out.


    Seeing the troubled look on Lin Da��s face, Klyne sternly scolded Oru, ��Stop talking nonsense, our contract with Snow Goose is still valid for two more years, can you afford the penalty fee?��


    Clearly, they didn��t have that kind of money. If they wanted to switch teams, it would have to be paid by Lin Da, the captain of Phoenix Tail Flower.


    But clearly, Lin Da, just starting out, did not have ample funds.


    A while later.


    ��No need to see us out, take care and heal your injuries as soon as possible.��


    At the entrance, Lin Da and Kafni said goodbye.


    As Oru and Klyne watched them leave, staring at Lin Da��s silhouette, Oru couldn��t help but lament:


    ��Ah, it would be nice if Brother Lin Da could return to the team. Klyne, do you want to try persuading the captain again?��


    ��Her? I get annoyed just seeing her now.�� Klyne��s face turned sallow, ��That kind of captain doesn��t treat team members as human beings.��


    ��Moreover, Lin Da won��t come back.�� Klyne sighed, ��He has his own team now, how could he possibly come back?��


    ��Right.�� Oru scratched his head awkwardly, ��Then let��s just get through these two years, wait out our contract, and then join Brother Lin Da.��


    ��But I��m really scared.�� Klyne shivered and nestled in Oru��s arms, a worried look in her eyes, ��The higher floors of the World Tree are becoming increasingly dangerous. Lia still needs to reach the 15th floor in three months. Is our team really okay? I��m afraid that one day I will lose you.��


    Death is commonplace for adventurers in the World Tree.


    The population of White Dove City was around a million decades ago, and it has only decreased over time, making it hard to find anyone over fifty years old in the city.


    Adventurers gain everything in the World Tree and lose everything in the World Tree.


    ��Don��t worry, I, Oru, will definitely protect you!��


    Oru promised emphatically, thumping his chest with his left hand.


    ��Mhm.�� Klyne��s cheeks flushed red, and then Oru picked her up, closed the doors and windows, and slowly, strange noises began to emanate from the room.


    ��


    After leaving the wealthy neighborhood, Lin Da and Kafni boarded a carriage bound for Red Heart City.


    Both were eager to find the next team member and officially start their adventure in the World Tree.


    Though Lulu is strong, the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team��s current level is zero. Lulu can only enter the Public Grand Secret Realm, and such minor secret realms, having been visited once, are of no help to them.


    On a modest small bed inside the carriage, Lin Da laid down, resting his arm as a pillow, looking up at the dark canvas above, thinking to himself:


    The moment he had kicked Lulu out of the team was in the early versions when the World Tree reached the 15th floor. That means, only after reaching the 15th floor, could Lulu officially join the minor secret realm��s adventure.


    Before then, they still needed to find another team member.


    Thinking back to the information Lulu had provided about the 15th-level Mage, who resided in Red Heart City and was somewhat shy, he realized he needed to be more cordial when inviting him.


    Lin Da had also learned that this person, like him, had changed professions. Three years ago, he was a 20th-level warrior who took massive risks to switch to the Mage profession.


    Attaining level 15 again in three years, Lin Da respected his talent.


    The carriage left White Dove City and entered the wilderness.


    Red Heart City wasn��t far away; they could get there overnight.


    For this journey, Lin Da had spent a hundred gold coins on carriage fare.


    The roads in the wilderness were rough, and the carriage jolted vigorously. Next to Lin Da, Kafni��s sleeping posture was poor, as a long leg or arm would frequently invade his space.


    Though Kafni was a Scrap God, she indeed had plump, soft arms and legs. As an Old Mage who had never been indulgent, Lin Da��s self-control was severely tested.


    He reminded himself sternly not to lose control, for if he accidentally wet his pants due to a dream, and Kafni found out, that would truly be embarrassing. sea??h th�� N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On another note, should he also consider getting a girlfriend? Lin Da remembered the visit to Oru��s place, where Klyne clung to Oru like a little bird, and he felt a bit envious.


    If the person with him today was not Kafni but a girlfriend, then they could really spice things up in the carriage.


    That night, Lin Da slept restlessly, his dreams intermittent.


    He dreamt a girl crawled into his blankets, her face unclear. At first, he thought it was Aiko, who placed his hand atop something soft,


    just as he was about to make a move, the figure turned into Lulu, her icy eyes staring at him, which scared him so much that he immediately lost all inappropriate thoughts.


    But upon closer inspection, the girl��s appearance in his arms changed again, this time to a brown-haired Big Lolita, wrapping around him like an octopus in distress, timidly whispering:


    ��Lord Captain, please don��t abandon me����

 Chapter 71 - 71: 71. Red Heart City and The Mandalas

    Chapter 71: 71. Red Heart City and The Mandalas


    ��Ugh!��


    Lin Da woke with a start from a nightmare, his forehead drenched in cold sweat.


    The air inside the carriage was a bit stuffy, making it hard for him to breathe.


    As his consciousness gradually cleared, he realized the real culprit lay elsewhere,


    Lin Da focused his eyes and to his surprise, there really was a ��beautiful girl�� in his arms.


    But it wasn��t the familiar brown-haired Big Lolita from his dreams, instead, it was Kafni, sound asleep and drooling from the corner of her mouth!


    ...


    A pair of annoying big ones were suffocating him and that was why he had been having nightmares time after time!


    ��Scrap God, roll over to the side for me!��


    Lin Da kicked Kafni away in annoyance.


    ��Ah, what��s going on, are there Magical Creatures attacking?�� Kafni blinked her eyes open, still drowsy, and fumbled around for her weapon.


    ��Sigh.�� Lin Da sighed and wiped off the deity��s drool from his face.


    Outside the carriage window, the night was still deep; he lay back down,


    plugged his ears, ignoring Kafni��s complaints.


    In his head, the image of that shy, brown-haired Big Lolita still lingered.


    Her petite frame, her big, soft panda companion, who also liked to sneak peeks at naughty comic books behind the team leader��s back��


    In the ��Mystic Continent�� popularity rankings for four-star SR cards, that social-anxious Big Lolita always ranked high up.


    Only, she became too weak later on; as a warrior, her passive skill was ��Glass Cannon��, with reduced defense and increased damage. Against the fierce bosses in the higher levels, she wouldn��t last many rounds before she��d turn into a greyscale avatar.


    Therefore, that Big Lolita was kicked out of Lin Da��s main team early on and, as a mascot, she was relegated to dusting in the storage room, where tapping on her once a day would net him a thousand Gold Coins.


    It was only today that he suddenly remembered he had such a team member, a panda no smaller than Kafni or Aiko.


    ��The person that Lulu asked me to find in Red Heart City is a Mage, not a warrior, so I must have been overthinking it.��


    Lin Da laughed at himself.


    The Mystic Continent was so vast; how could he possibly run into a former team member by such a coincidence?


    It was just his exuberant energy, with nowhere to channel it, creating those mixed-up dreams, that��s all.


    Once he got a girlfriend, those dreams of grapes he could not eat and longed for would never occur again.


    The carriage sped through the wilderness, beneath the stars and the moon.


    For the latter half of the night, Lin Da managed to sleep, after a fashion.


    The next day.


    Lin Da and his companion got off the carriage on the outskirts of Red Heart City and immediately found some Magical Creatures to subdue. If there were monsters, they cut them down; if there weren��t, they hastened along the road, killing seven or eight level 7 Bald Eagles and a couple dozen trash Slimes, totaling 100 Mystical Points earned.


    By noon, they officially entered the city.


    As foreigners, each person paid a Gold Coin to enter the city.


    Upon entry, the World Tree towering over the center of Red Heart City was immediately in sight.


    The branches of this World Tree were twisted, forming a heart shape much like a red peach, which gave Red Heart City its renown.


    ��Peach-filled pancakes, hot off the grill��get them here~ Speciality of Red Heart City, adventurers passing by, don��t miss out!��


    ��Plenty Water Inn, grand opening celebration��special discount for foreign adventurers, stay for a 30% discount! Check out the new Elves missy!��


    ��Iron Cage Armor, trustworthy��Red Heart��s products are always top-notch!��


    The lively voices came flooding in, with all kinds of shops and stalls on the street enthusiastically calling out to the adventurers entering the city.


    Eating, drinking, playing, and enjoying life��these were the four favorite pastimes of adventurers outside the World Tree.


    When that pimping Minotaur shouted the words ��Elven maiden,�� a large group of drooling adventurers immediately flocked to patronize the establishment.


    When Lin Da approached to ask for directions, the Minotaur glared at him:


    ��Humans, don��t bother our miss. We only serve Beastmen!��


    Upon closer observation, Lin Da noticed that among the clients surrounding the Minotaur, there were those with dog heads, pig heads, and crocodile heads, as well as many Subspecies Orcs like Lulu with only animal ears and tails��but not a single human was seen.


    ��Racial discrimination?�� Lin Da wondered aloud in confusion.


    ��Discrimination my ass, only humans discriminate against Beastmen, no Beastmen discriminate against humans, get it? If you disturb my business again, that��s discrimination against Beastmen!��


    The Minotaur, with a nose ring, pushed Lin Da aside and walked towards Kafni with a smile, ��Adventurer, would you like to come to our place and be a roast chicken�� ahem ahem, I mean, a princess? You��ll earn at least ten Gold Coins a day, far easier than the toil of adventuring.��


    Upon hearing this, Kafni flew into a rage, ��What?! You looking down on me, huh? I��m not finished with you today!��


    ��Then Old Bull shall truly have a lesson!��


    The Minotaur snorted and reached out for Kafni, glancing around to ensure no one from the Law Enforcement Bureau was around, his mouth curved into a sly grin, harboring a dark thought.


    But at that moment, a hand as strong as iron pincers grabbed the Minotaur��s wrist and lightly twisted it outwards, causing a crack��the Minotaur��s wrist broke right there and then!


    How could this human��s strength be greater than Old Bull��s?


    The Minotaur, ignoring the pain, stared at Lin Da in astonishment. He was a level 7 ��Bull Warrior�� focused on strength, yet with his wrist in the human��s grip, he was unable to make the slightest movement!


    ��You��re done for, my boss is from The Mandalas, you��re in for it now!�� The Minotaur desperately clutched his wrist, ��Have the guts to wait here for me!��


    With that, he took off running like a shot.


    Are all Beastmen such bullies when they have the upper hand but cowards otherwise?


    Lin Da shrugged helplessly and looked at the displeased Kafni, ��Are you alright?��


    ��Once I regain my power, I��ll wipe out the Minotaur from this world first,�� Kafni said vehemently.


    The two did not wait foolishly for their adversary to return for revenge. Following the address given by Lulu, they hailed a carriage and made their way to the Inner City District of Red Heart City.


    On the way, Lin Da thought of what the Minotaur had said about The Mandalas, and he couldn��t help but chuckle bitterly��that family was Lia��s!


    The Mandalas were one of the biggest families in Red Heart City, mainly dealing with mining and some grey-area businesses on the edge of imperial law, involved in gambling and more, making them the true local heavyweights of Red Heart City.


    However, due to his connection with Lia, Lin Da was somewhat friendly with Lady Bellini of The Mandalas.


    Sometimes, when preparing strategy materials in Red Heart City, he would visit the lady, leveraging The Mandalas�� connections for his material collection.


    But for some reason, Lia never returned to Red Heart City, seemingly having severe conflicts with her family. Lady Bellini would look heartbroken every time she mentioned Lia, asking Lin Da to take good care of her. Sear?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Now that he and Lia had gone their separate ways, Lin Da naturally felt awkward visiting Lady Bellini. He intended to enter the city quietly, invite this ��kid�� that Lulu talked about into the team, and then quietly leave.


    From the pouch on his belt, he took out a pre-written note with the address he remembered, which read: Inner City District of Red Heart City, Seventh Ring, 75 Red Rock Avenue.


    As for the other person��s name, Lulu had not told him, only that she was an 18-year-old girl who was shy.


    Gentle, remember to be gentle�� Lin Da rubbed his face, practicing a sunny smile.


    Kafni watched from the side and sneered, ��Disgusting.��


    About half an hour later, the two arrived at 75 Red Rock Avenue.

 Chapter 72 - 72: 72, Waste Girl

    Chapter 72: 72, Waste Girl


    This was a western-style house with a white dome roof, occupying about a hundred square meters, and had a small garden outside.


    However, the area was overrun with weeds that enveloped the house, leaving just a barely passable path leading to the front door.


    After getting off the carriage, Kafni saw the desolate scene and her face fell, ��The address the Beastman gave isn��t wrong, is it? It doesn��t look like anyone lives here at all?��


    ��That��s not possible, if there was no one, even this path would be overgrown with weeds.�� Lin Da walked up to the door, knocked, and said loudly, ��Hello, is anyone there? I��m an adventurer recommended by Lulu!��


    Thump, thump, thump thump thump!


    He knocked a dozen times in a row without any response.


    ...


    Not at home?


    Lin Da frowned and looked around, noticing all the windows of the house had their curtains tightly drawn.


    On such a hot day, he pressed his ear to the wall but couldn��t hear any sounds of the Cooling Magic Array running inside.


    It seemed no one was home.


    They had no choice but to temporarily rent a room at an inn and decide to come back in the afternoon to check again.


    About ten minutes after they left, a rustling of footsteps sounded inside the house.


    The person, timid as a frightened hamster, moved closer to the front door, peered out through the peephole with utmost caution, and after confirming that the two strange adventurers calling her had left, she clutched her chest and let out a long sigh of relief, murmuring in a timid voice, sea??h th�� nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��No, didn��t turn on the Cooling Magic Array, that��s really good����


    The young girl inside the house wore only a loose-fitting white shirt with an orange cat pattern drawn on it. Sticky sweat covered her pale skin, and despite the stifling heat inside the room, she was still clinging to a large, fuzzy caterpillar doll.


    It seemed she didn��t have a single point in hand, not even daring to approach the door to look.


    Soon after, the girl went to the living room to check the food in the fridge, which was filled with boxes of chopped cabbage. With her and the cat��s modest appetite, it was enough to last half a month.


    She took out a box of chocolate ice cream from the bottom freezer and held it in her palm with a relieved smile.


    ��Hee hee, hee hee hee�� Being useless, is really great.��


    After eating one-fifth of the ice cream, she licked her lips and reluctantly put it back in the freezer. She returned to the bedroom, lay back on the bed, holding a red and blue Magic Puppet console in her hand, propped against a tall panda doll,


    That way, her arms weren��t strained at all, the distance was good, so she didn��t have to worry about her eyesight getting worse.


    Using her waist to control the Magic Puppet inside, about the size of a fingernail, she made it jump, attack, beating one Slime after another.


    The sun quickly set, and dusk arrived in the blink of an eye.


    Thump thump thump!


    Thump thump thump thump!


    Another round of urgent knocking sounded.


    ��Excuse me, is anyone home? I��m an adventurer recommended by Lulu, I��d like to invite you to join our team!��


    The clear male voice outside scared the girl inside so much that her face turned pale with fright, she buried her head in the blanket, and her bare feet stuck out trembling.


    Who on earth was outside! Don��t come in; she no longer wanted to be an adventurer ever again!


    She begged the person outside to spare her, a useless wretch like herself!


    ��


    ��Still not at home?��


    Lin Da withdrew his hand in disappointment and walked over to the window, looking for a crack to peer inside through.


    If it turned out to be a house that hadn��t been inhabited for a long time, he would have to consider the trip a waste and return to White Dove City.


    The problem was, the curtains were drawn so tightly that not a single gap was left.


    From the path outside that had no weeds, it was most likely that someone lived there.


    Today was a coincidence, and the owner of the house was out on an adventure and hadn��t come back yet?


    ��I��ll come back tomorrow to check again.��


    Lin Da helplessly departed with Kafni.


    The next day arrived.


    It was still the same.


    The house��s Cooling Magic Array wasn��t active, and there were no signs the door had been opened.


    Lin Da had intentionally stuffed a blade of grass in the door; when he checked back, it hadn��t fallen.


    He and Kafni had no choice but to go to the wilderness to hunt Magical Creatures, spending the day that way.


    Red Heart City��s surrounding areas didn��t have any great leveling spots: either the Magical Creatures were too high-level or too low. After a whole day, Lin Da only managed to collect 24 level 5 Demon Cores.


    Selling them, he earned 50 Gold Coins, and his Mystical Points increased by 240.


    The third day.


    This was supposed to be the day he returned to White Dove City with the ��new team member��.


    But after three days, he hadn��t even seen the person.


    He couldn��t help but worry whether they had encountered something on their adventure and couldn��t make it back��


    He arrived at 75 Red Rock Avenue as usual, but this time the scene before him was different from the previous two days, lifting Lin Da��s despondent spirits.


    A short middle-aged man, carrying a large bundle of dolls, was walking from the house towards here.


    There was a dilapidated cart on the road, its carriage filled with bags stuffed with dolls. From the corners that peeked out, one could see they were mostly chibi plush Magical Creature dolls.


    But that wasn��t the focus. The ��child�� Lulu mentioned was a man who looked to be at least forty years old?


    Lin Da��s mouth hung open in shock.


    ��Who are you, and what brings you here?�� asked the uncle warily, scrutinizing them both.


    ��Actually, we��re adventurers recommended by Lulu����


    ��Lulu? Who��s that, I don��t know her. Anyway, I got your point. You also want to take on the doll-sewing work, huh?��


    Hearing Lin Da say so, a hint of scorn surfaced on the uncle��s face as he looked him up and down��such a big adventurer, yet making a living sewing dolls like a little girl.


    ��Dolls, what are you talking about?�� Lin Da was totally confused.


    ��Sewing handmade dolls, right?��


    The uncle threw the big bag of dolls he was carrying onto the cart and made a few checks at random, muttering in admiration:


    ��Worthy of being sewn by a former elite adventurer, not a single loose thread, this joint, as seamless as it gets, tsk tsk! Paying that kid a copper coin per doll seems a bit little.��


    As he spoke, the uncle opened a box in the cart, which was filled with lots of cotton and shriveled plush doll skins, and said to Lin Da, who seemed to have understood something:


    ��Here, it��s for sewing these dolls, one copper coin each. It might be slow at first, but once you get the hang of it, sixty a day is no problem.��


    ��One copper coin each?�� Lin Da��s expression changed.


    Sewing such a doll would take at least twenty minutes.


    The pay was only one copper coin�� Not even enough to buy a loaf of hard, sawdust-filled black bread.


    ��What, not enough for you? She��s been doing it for two and a half years, very skillful, and I��m still paying her one copper coin each. You, a newcomer, aim for the sky too?��


    The uncle pointed to the overgrown house and said with irritation.


    ��First of all, one copper coin is indeed too low, you��re truly black-hearted.�� Lin Da��s gaze became stern as he looked at the man: ��Secondly, I��ll give you a Gold Coin, and I want to ask, is there someone in that house?��


    Lin Da pulled out a shiny round Gold Coin from his chest, engraved with the emblem of the World Tree.


    The uncle��s eyes immediately brightened: ��You aren��t planning to sew dolls?��


    ��Of course not!�� Lin Da shook his head, ��I came to find the owner of this house, having tried for three days without luck in meeting her.��

 Chapter 73 - 73: 73. Lin Da seduces an ignorant young girl

    Chapter 73: 73. Lin Da seduces an ignorant young girl


    After taking the Gold Coin, the other party��s attitude warmed up considerably, eyes squinting into slits with a smile as they carefully put the coin into their pocket.


    This person claimed his name was Mingde and that he was a retired adventurer who now worked as a doll merchant.


    Mainly ��pit,�� well, mainly peddling to out-of-town adventurers.


    In response to Lin Da��s question, Uncle Mingde laughed, ��It��s right that you can��t see her! I��ve known that kid for two and a half years and have never seen her once!��


    ��Then how did you get those dolls?�� Lin Da pointed to the big bags inside the carriage, looking bewildered.


    ��We conduct transactions based on trust.��


    ...


    Uncle Mingde said, ��The kid would leave the dolls outside in advance, I��d take them, and then leave the corresponding copper coins at the door. She would come out and collect them on her own.��


    ��You��ve never seen her?�� Lin Da was astonished.


    ��Hmm, I��ve only heard her voice, very soft and delicate, it��s definitely a girl. One time I got curious about how the kid looked, so after placing the reward properly, I hid outside, waiting for her to come out. But, after waiting half an hour, some ruffian adventurers passing by took the copper coins, and she didn��t come out!��


    ��There was nothing I could do. I just had to get the copper coins back and put them at the door again. As soon as I left, I came back a few minutes later to check, and the copper coins were gone. There was a note left behind, though, thanking Uncle me for helping her recover the copper coins.��


    Uncle Mingde beamed, ��She��s still a polite and good kid, geez, she��s just a bit shy and unwilling to show her face.��


    This is ��a bit��? It��s practically extreme social anxiety!


    Lin Da secretly scoffed in his heart.


    He looked towards the white western-style house with complex feelings. He had been here for three days, thinking the other party was not at home, but all this time, were they deliberately hiding from him?


    Not using the Cooling Magic Array, aren��t they bothered by the heat?


    Or is it to save money?


    Lin Da was slightly annoyed and determined to see what kind of ��turtle�� was hiding inside, treating him and Kafni like salted meat hung out to dry.


    ��Thank you for the information, Uncle,�� Lin Da thanked with a cup of his hands.


    However, Uncle Mingde warned him and Kafni, ��You two, you��re not planning to do something to that kid, are you? If you dare to forcefully intrude into a private residence, I can notify the Law Enforcement Bureau.��


    ��Uh, don��t worry about that, we won��t. We are bona fide adventurers,�� Lin Da quickly explained. ��I was referred by the kid��s friend Lulu.��


    ��I hope so,�� Mingde huffed as he drove the carriage away, still not forgetting to admonish, ��Don��t get any crooked ideas!��


    ��I really won��t,�� Lin Da said helplessly.


    Watching the carriage slowly drive away, Lin Da murmured to himself, sorry, but today, even if it meant breaking into a private residence, he needed to see the other party. S~ea??h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da and Kafni strode up to the door and knocked loudly.


    ��Hello there, I��m really not a bad person, could you please open the door so we can meet?��


    ��Why won��t you come out? I know you��re home.��


    ��If you don��t open the door, I��m going to keep knocking,�� Lin Da insisted.


    ��


    Inside the house, a girl with brown long hair curled up tensely under the blankets, covering her head.


    Someone��s voice penetrated through the blanket into her ears.


    Right now, the girl felt very scared, afraid that the person would break in and drag her out to punish her, stinking and filthy as she was.


    Her mother got punished by robbers just for opening the door without permission,


    Since then, except for the ��most caring�� Lord Captain, she would never open the door to anyone else!


    The person outside this time was clever, pretending to be Lulu��s friend.


    But someone like Lulu could never have friends.


    That meant, the man outside was deceiving her!


    She absolutely couldn��t open the door.


    The girl kept her eyes tightly closed, covering her ears, praying that the person outside would leave quickly.


    After shouting for a while, the person outside went slightly quiet.


    Just when she was about to feel relieved, the voice started up again, this time with a different approach.


    ��Little sister, the uncle likes your doll and is willing to pay a high price for it. Could you come out and discuss a business deal?��


    ��Sell it to me for 5 silver coins each?��


    A few seconds passed.


    ��10 silver coins, no, 2 Gold Coins each! I really like your handmade dolls!��


    The girl slightly opened the quilt, her heart pounding fiercely.


    2�� 2 Gold Coins each?


    With that much money, she wouldn��t have to worry about food for the next year!


    And there would still be lots left over to buy new magic puppet games!


    The girl was very tempted, but the rationale that remained warned her that this was definitely a trick to lure her out, and once she opened the door, terrible things would happen to her.


    ��You who skulk in your room like a musty, moldy mess, you don��t deserve to live in this world!��


    ��To be an adventurer and yet be too afraid to adventure in the World Tree, you��re truly a waste!��


    ��Let this lord punish you harshly with a stick!��


    Recalling certain scenes from comic books, the girl shuddered violently, her buttocks aching as if an invisible hand was dragging her into a pit of depravity��


    ��No, I don��t want to be punished. Captain, why haven��t you come to save Monica yet?��


    The girl named Monica was yelping and sobbing under the quilt.


    More than three years ago,


    the captain called ��Lin Da�� assigned her to dust the warehouse, and it turned out to be a long task.


    In that warehouse, Monica felt an unprecedented sense of security.


    All the dust was swept by her own hands, and apart from the captain coming to check for cleanliness, no one else would come, creating a haven that belonged solely to her.


    But then one day, the captain disappeared, Monica��s little warehouse was sold by other team members,


    and Monica, with nowhere else to go, bought this house with the help of kind-hearted Lulu.


    She dared not meet people or adventure in the World Tree, her only option was to make handmade dolls to supplement the household income.


    As a result, last year, because she got obsessed with drawing limited magic puppets, she signed her name on a loan flyer from The Mandalas, and the next day someone delivered 10 Gold Coins,


    but when Monica finally managed to gather the Gold Coins and was ready to pay back, she found the 10 Gold Coins had turned into 50. No matter how she paid, the debt was never-ending!


    Knowing how ruthless The Mandalas were, they would surely catch her for failing to repay the money and throw her into a tavern to be played with by the Beastmen at will!


    Just thinking about it was enough to make Monica nearly faint with fear.


    The person outside now might just be tricking her into opening the door and then binding her to serve in the tavern.


    So, no matter what, she would cling tightly in her quilt and never open the door for them!


    ��


    ��Should we break down the door?��


    Kafni, from the overgrown garden, found a large, sharp stone and rolled up her sleeves, approaching the door like a soldier ready with a battering ram.


    Lin Da was actually in favor of the idea.


    But as a law-abiding adventurer, he chose to decline. If he broke the door and scared the girl inside, what if she didn��t join his adventure team?


    They had come for ��Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage,�� not to abduct someone like bandits.


    Lin Da decided to win her over with sincerity.


    Moments later, the two of them pulled up the grass in the garden, built a Fire on the ground, and began cooking delicious magical beast barbecue.


    Fat and juicy volcanic beef steak, outside crispy and inside tender giant rabbit, sizzling fatty lamb leg��


    Kafni, with a fan in hand, was responsible for blowing the aroma into the small house.


    Lin Da had a snow-white towel slung over his neck and a trace of composed smile at the corner of his mouth as he flipped the magical beast meat in front of the grill.

 Chapter 74 - 74: 74. Beastmen thug comes to collect a debt

    Chapter 74: 74. Beastmen thug comes to collect a debt


    From the available information, it was known that the owner of the small Western-style house was a severe social phobic and a poor person who scraped by making handcrafted dolls. The food they could afford to eat was probably nothing more than rotten cabbage.


    And this meat feast, which even adventurers envied, could she reject it?


    Eating meat fulfilled the need for sustenance in real life, while selling her dolls at a high price was her blueprint for the future.


    While grilling the meat, Lin Da loudly extolled the benefits of joining his adventure team:


    ��Join Phoenix Tail Flower, and you��ll be escorted to the tenth floor of the World Tree. In three years, you��ll be stable at thirty floors, with high salary and benefits. The base pay is one hundred Gold Coins, with extra for entering the Mystic Realm;


    ��Equipment, accommodation, and meals are all inclusive, plus you��ll get a Town Portal Scroll. You��re only required to follow the team leader��s orders;


    ...


    ��Join the team now and you get ten days of luxurious feasts, sleep on a luxury bed, and ride in a luxury coach!��


    Wave after wave of tempting voices, like whispers of a demon, mixed with the mouthwatering aroma of grilled meat, wafted through the cracks of the window to Monica��s nose and ears.


    Having not eaten a proper meal for over a month, she was drawn to the scent like an Elf Lady hypnotized by Beastmen, drooling foolishly as she walked over to the window.


    ��Eat, Monica wants to eat grilled meat.��


    A pair of excessively pale and small hands pressed against the window latch.


    Just as Monica was about to be lured out,


    an untimely harsh shout resounded: ��You little brat, when are you going to pay back the debt you owe to Mandala Gold Firm?!��


    ��Eh, big brother, what a coincidence, the one who hit my ox is that guy! You��ve got to let him taste some good juice!��


    ��He bullied my little brother? Fuck, today I, Luke, will let him know what it means to mess with the wrong person!��


    Outside the small Western-style house.


    Three Beastmen dressed in black leather jackets, carrying wooden sticks on their shoulders and with ruffian-like faces arrived.


    The leader was Luke, a Wild Boar Person with large tusks, his small eyes filled with brutality, as he crudely weighed his wooden stick in his hand, staring at Lin Da in front of the grill with a vicious gaze.


    Then, seeing Kafni, the Wild Boar Person Luke, was stunned.


    Kafni, squatting in front of the window fanning herself with a palm-leaf fan, her large buttocks perched up, her long legs under her shorts white and flawless, her luscious thighs softly resting on her knees, nearly brought the three Beastmen brothers to tears!


    On the spot, Wild Boar Person Luke entered a combat state! Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Old Ox, Old Donkey, surround them, don��t let them escape!��


    Luke sneered as he approached Lin Da, who looked utterly calm, and mockingly said, ��You humans are quite bold. Seeing me, the ��Debt King�� Luke, and you don��t kneel and beg for mercy?��


    Lin Da finally glanced at Luke.


    Just now, Kafni told him that this Wild Boar Person had a Level Aura of about 8, only one level higher than him.


    But as a Healing Hero, Lin Da��s Basic Attributes were twice that of the average Beastman��s, and it wasn��t certain that a carriage-load of Wild Boars would be a match for him, let alone a single Wild Boar Luke.


    ��Before I beat you up, let��s ask what you want with the owner of this house,�� Lin Da said politely, not forgetting to keep flipping the meat of Magical Creatures.


    Luke��s forehead bulged with veins as he laughed in anger: ��Fine, today I��ll make sure you die understanding. The owner of this house owes our Mandala Gold Firm 10 Gold Coins. With interest compounded, by the end of the year, she still owes us 97 Gold Coins. If she doesn��t pay up today, the house will belong to our Mandala Gold Firm.��


    ��The Empire��s statutory rate is a maximum of 24%, right? Anything above that is considered usury and needn��t be paid back,�� Lin Da said.


    ��Then you��re mistaken,�� Luke sneered. ��We loaned her that ��leaflet,�� the leaflet��s initial value was 10 Gold Coins, and now it has increased in value. It��s a total of 127 Gold Coins now, and not a copper less will suffice!��


    ��Oh, I see. The Mandalas are quite the scumbags, always skirting around the laws of the Empire,�� Lin Da said.


    Lin Da placed the grilled meat of magical beasts onto a plate, stretching his aching shoulders as he produced cracking sounds from his bones. With a smile, he looked at Wild Boar Person Luke: ��I��m ready. Let��s start.��


    ��Arrogant! ��Skills, Boar Charge!''��


    Luke��s expression changed drastically. In Red Heart City, which adventurer would dare to disrespect him, ��Debt King�� Luke?


    A pair of Wild Boar tusks aimed straight at Lin Da as the Wild Boar Person charged in a beeline!


    Lin Da, with arms crossed over his chest, stood still while his body emitted a purplish magic glow.


    This glow formed a set of half-real, half-illusory Spiky Thorn Armor around him, like a sea urchin.


    Poison Technique Series Skills, Spiky Thorn Armor, increases defensive power by 30%, and reflects 10% damage back onto the attacker!


    Among the major attributes, defensive power and Magic Defense are the rarest. If the defensive attribute exceeds the opponent��s attack, then apart from being hit in a fatal weak spot, at most you would lose 1 Hit Point.


    Lin Da��s basic defense is 24, his Leather Armor under his clothes adds another 1, and after the boost from Spiky Thorn Armor, his defensive power is 32.


    As for the level 8 Wild Boar Luke, his basic attack was at most 50, and his equipped gear seemed rather shabby, probably a big thug from The Mandalas, let��s estimate an attack of 60.


    When Luke rammed into him, his feet were rooted like a great tree, unmovable, feeling as if a swiftly running cat had nudged against his belly.


    To say it didn��t hurt was an overstatement, but to say it did seemed a tad too delicate.


    Above Lin Da��s head, a faint red -40 floated up, while his total Hit Points were 1880.


    It was as if a long red health bar had lost a sliver as thin as a strand of noodles.


    ��Aiya!��


    Luke, dizzy from the blow, was also hit by the rebounded damage, clutching his head in a daze.


    In front of him, Lin Da wore a slight, disdainful smile and crooked his finger in a beckoning gesture.


    This left Luke��s henchmen, Old Cow and Old Donkey, completely dumbfounded.


    How could that human withstand their boss Luke��s Wild Boar Rush and remain unscathed?


    Their boss Luke was a level 8 adventurer; taken head-on by a Wild Boar Rush, even someone of level 9 would be sent flying several meters and seriously injured!


    But what was with this guy?


    No injuries whatsoever, and he even sent their boss flying back?


    The two Beastmen exchanged a stealthy glance, each seeing a hint of bad omen in the other��s eyes.


    ��Aaaaah!��


    Luke, not giving up, his face red with exertion, charged again with another Wild Boar Rush.


    Bang bang!


    Bang bang bang!


    After three or four times, the result was the same each time; the human before him was like an iron tower, impossible to budge, whereas it was Luke��s head that was nearly dazed from the collisions.


    He didn��t even see the man wearing any impressive Magical Equipment, how could his skin be so thick?


    Luke was sweating profusely, panting and bending over, hands on his knees; the man he was attacking wasn��t losing any blood, and Luke was the one tiring himself out.


    ��No, can��t do it, brothers. I need a breather, you two go.��


    ��Eh�� boss Luke, I just remembered I forgot to take a dump, so I��ll be off.��


    ��Same here.��


    Luke was overjoyed: ��My gosh, I feel the same actually!��


    This good juice, afraid it can��t be given to that human now.


    The debt collection would have to be postponed too, for Luke knew well that today he had kicked an iron plate!


    The other party had taken his four Wild Boar Rushes without a hitch; he must be at least level 13 or 14.


    The three of them tiptoed back to the main road, as if making even a slightly louder noise would draw Lin Da��s attention.


    But it was just deluding themselves.


    ��You��re leaving, did you ask my permission?��


    Lin Da��s expression darkened as he raised his hand and threw a dusky purple Venom Magic Sphere.


    Luke felt that the Magic Sphere didn��t seem to be very imposing, and if hit by it, he figured it probably wouldn��t be too serious.

 Chapter 75 - 75: 75

    Chapter 75: 75


    Luke��s eyes saw it, but his body couldn��t react in time.


    The purple Magic Sphere hit Luke��s stomach with unerring accuracy.


    This thing didn��t look as formidable as the grand and sun-like Fireball Technique,


    but the moment it struck Luke, it poisoned his guts until they turned green.


    ��Aaahhh!��


    A squeal like that of a pig being slaughtered came from Luke��s throat.


    ...


    This Wild Boar Person, known for his tough skin and flesh, was brought to his knees by the unassuming purple Magic Sphere, doubled over in pain and curling up like a cooked shrimp!


    Luke only felt an unbearable heat where the Magic Sphere had hit him, as if his flesh was rotting away, his Life Force slowly draining from his body, his consciousness fading.


    The Wild Boar People were naturally durable, and Luke, at level 8, had about 1000 Hit Points, a fact he took great pride in,


    but after being hit by that ominous purple Magic Sphere, Luke felt that in no more than five seconds, his Life Force would be gone, and he��d die from the poison.


    He was not someone Luke could afford to offend!


    With this realization, Luke��s face went pale, and, forgetting all dignity in the face of life-threatening danger, he scrambled to Lin Da��s legs, clutching them and crying bitterly:


    ��Grandpa, please spare me, I was blind not to recognize a legend, I have the old at the top and the young at the bottom to look after, please, let me go as easily as you would a fart!��


    Lin Da was surprised, not expecting this Beastman to lack backbone.


    After a brief consideration, pointing to the little white house, he said, ��Cancel that girl��s debt, and I��ll consider it.��


    At the same time, Monica, who was eavesdropping by the window, covered her small mouth in disbelief, her big eyes brimming with tears.


    The last person to treat her this kindly was the team leader!


    Luke nodded frantically like a pecking chicken, ��Cancel it, definitely cancel it! The remaining Gold Coins, I, Luke, will repay!��


    ��Alright,�� Lin Da didn��t want to kill someone in Red Heart City and attract the attention of the Law Enforcement Bureau.


    Watching Luke��s lips turn blue from the poison along with his blank stare, he was on the verge of death.


    Too few Hit Points, can��t even handle the dosage of a Venom Magic Sphere?


    Lin Da shook his head, truly feeling the dilemma of ��throwing a punch at someone and then begging them not to die.�� Killing in the city brought too many complications, so he waved his hand and sent over a Primary Healing Spell.


    A green +300 popped up over Luke��s head.


    ��This Recovery Amount?��


    Luke��s lips immediately regained color, and his head cleared up a lot.


    With the help of the Primary Healing Spell, Luke��s excruciatingly painful body felt a warm flow pour into it, so comfortable he nearly wet himself.


    ��Continuous Healing.��


    A green circle of light fell upon Luke.


    +75, +70, +73��


    Thanks to the dual assistance of the Primary Healing Spell and Continuous Healing, the blood loss from the Venom Magic Sphere was barely stemmed.


    Lin Da felt relieved he didn��t throw a second Magic Sphere at Luke, or he truly wouldn��t have been able to save him.


    But even with his Hit Points fully restored, the external wounds couldn��t be healed with Healing Art, as Hit Points were only one indicator of health.


    On Luke��s stomach, there was a hole the size of a baby��s fist, surrounded by flesh that was corroded and emitting a foul smell.


    Luke, holding his stomach, looked at Lin Da with a trembling fear and didn��t dare show the slightest resentment, saying with a forced smile, ��Can I go now?��


    ��Get lost.��


    With Lin Da��s consent, Luke was tremblingly helped away by two of his subordinates.


    ��Owner of the little white house, now you should understand, I meant no harm, right?��


    Lin Da shouted toward the people inside:


    ��I��ve managed to offend the Mandalas, and, though it doesn��t sound nice to say, they��ve taken a grudge against you too now. Sooner or later, they��ll seek their revenge.


    Leaving Red Heart City and joining my adventure team to make a fresh start in White Dove City is the best choice!


    Your friend, Lulu, is also there as a member of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.��


    ��Really��?��


    A feeble voice, fainter than the flapping of a mosquito��s wings, seeped through a crack in the door.


    Upon hearing the homeowner��s voice, Lin Da��s face lit up with joy. His three days of effort had not been wasted!


    Only, something struck him as slightly odd��the voice sounded eerily familiar, as though he had heard it somewhere before.


    He just couldn��t pinpoint where.


    ��Can you open the door so we can have a proper talk? Rest assured, I, Lin Da, captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, am not a bad person.�� Lin Da spoke with the gentle tone one might use to coax a child.


    ��Lin�� Did you say your name is, Lin Da?��


    A timid voice, soft as a kitten��s, squeezed itself through the gap in the door.


    ��Yes, I am Lin Da.��


    ��Good child, open the door and let uncle have a look.�� S��ar?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da wondered if the girl on the other side of the door, whose mental and physical age seemed mismatched at 18, could really be so shy��surely even a five-year-old child wouldn��t be this timid?


    Squeak~


    Under his eager gaze, the white door that had remained tightly shut, feigning an empty house, slowly opened a crack.


    He lifted his foot, ready to walk in, but�� as soon as the door opened a crack as wide as a little finger, it was forcefully held in place by someone from the inside.


    ��How am I supposed to come in if you don��t open it a bit more, uncle can��t get through here?��


    Lin Da was completely confused.


    ��Come closer����


    ��What?��


    ��Your face, come closer so I can see�� if you��re really Lin Da.��


    The voice on the other side grew softer and softer, almost inaudible if Lin Da hadn��t been an adventurer.


    He couldn��t help but exchange a glance with Kafni.


    Both of them began to have second thoughts. Was it really a good idea to recruit someone like this into their team?


    Even if the other party was level 15 and had excellent talent, such a personality didn��t seem fit for cooperation with the rest of the team.


    Yet, having come all this way, Lin Da couldn��t bear to walk away without meeting the person, felt reluctant to leave just yet.


    He put on a gentle, sunny smile and leaned in close to the gap in the door: ��See, doesn��t uncle look like a nice guy?��


    Peering through the gap, he saw nothing but darkness.


    There was no magic light on in the room, and the curtains were drawn, leaving it pitch-black and impossible to make out the person��s features.


    All he knew was that a delicate figure with an oddly shaped head kept staring into his eyes.


    Being one of the rare individuals in Another World with black hair and eyes, Lin Da often attracted attention.


    Had the girl inside been drawn to him?


    He speculated wildly.


    A moment passed, two moments, three moments��


    ��It��s��it��s Lord Captain!��


    A cry laden with inarticulate sobs and excitement burst from behind the door, and the door in front of Lin Da flew open. A brown figure suddenly flung itself into his arms.


    ��What��s going on, what��s happening?��

 Chapter 76 - 76: 76, new team member on board!

    Chapter 76: 76, new team member on board!


    Kafni was also stunned.


    The girl who had suddenly run out of the house and thrown herself into Lin Da��s arms was dressed so strangely!


    A square cardboard box adorned her head, with a caricatured portrait of a turnip painted on it, a chibi version of the turnip character smiling and holding up a knife and fork, with the words beside it: ��The more you eat, the bigger and healthier you get!��


    Was the turnip taking charge like this? That��s ��healthy�� to an excessive degree, isn��t it?


    Kafni watched the girl clinging tightly to Lin Da��s waist with a trembling heart, feeling an inexplicable sourness inside.


    ��Uh�� do you agree to join the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team?��


    ...


    Lin Da awkwardly raised his hands, not knowing why the other party was hugging him so tightly, but it seemed inappropriate to hug back at random, right? What if she was a simpleton, and he ended up bullying her? The Law Enforcement Bureau would hand him a pair of silver bracelets on the spot.


    The girl��s sobs came from the box, whimpering without a response, only the words ��Lord Captain�� repeated over and over.


    Under the cardboard headgear was a loose white top with its hem covering the upper thighs, the girl��s bare feet were on the ground, her skin pale and delicate, the unhealthy white of someone not exposed to sunlight for a long time.


    Lin Da felt as if he was handling a fragile, delicate toy that would break with just a couple of touches.


    The girl was barely one meter sixty tall; even with the box on her head, she only reached his chin; a large panda with a small body�� seemed slightly familiar?


    ��What��s your name? Can you take off the headgear so uncle can see your face?�� Lin Da asked in a gentle, hushed tone.


    The girl glanced at Kafni beside her, then quickly drew back into Lin Da��s embrace, as if afraid that the brief look would draw Kafni��s attention, she said in a timid voice, ��Only, only for Lord Captain to see.��


    Kafni was irritated, ��Huh? I��m not going to eat you, what are you so afraid of?��


    As she spoke, she reached out to pull off the girl��s headgear.


    ��Wu wu wu!�� A cry like that of a young beast erupted from the box, the girl moved behind Lin Da, her small hands anxiously clutching the corner of Lin Da��s clothes.


    Lin Da sighed, stopping Kafni, ��I��ll talk to her first; you wait outside for a while.��


    ��That won��t do, she��s been here for three days, always hiding and refusing to meet. This kind of ingratitude needs to be hung up and whipped for all to see!�� Kafni said firmly.


    When the cardboard-boxed girl heard ��whipped for all to see,�� she trembled with fear, her legs shaking like a sieve, and a trickling sound followed,


    At first, Lin Da thought the water pipes in the house weren��t closed tightly, but when he turned around, both he and Kafni were dumbfounded.


    Right in front of them, the cardboard-boxed girl, whose name they didn��t even know, had been scared into wetting herself!


    ��Ah?��


    Kafni was thunderstruck, watching the girl��s trembling body, slowly feeling a twist of guilt in her heart. She thought the girl was faking it, but it turned out she was genuinely timid, even more so than a mouse!


    ��Don��t worry; you won��t be whipped, she was just kidding,�� Lin Da said softly, caressing the cardboard and holding the girl��s feeble hand, leading her into the house.


    This time, Kafni didn��t say more, waiting outside speechlessly.


    Both tactfully pretended not to hear the sound of water, so as not to hurt the girl��s pride.


    Upon reaching the entryway, Lin Da smelled a stench.


    The hallway on both sides was filled with round, white trash bags, containing many disposable chopsticks, food containers, heaps of toilet paper, and filthy, smelly clothes�� sea??h th�� N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jackets, skirts, underwear, a complete mess of dirty items that seemed to have been tossed aside after becoming filthy, too lazy to be washed.


    They say the scene of a room can reveal the character of its owner. Lin Da��s small rental, though a bit worn, was impeccably clean otherwise; not even the slightest trace of dust could be found on the dining table after wiping it for a long time,


    And the room before his eyes��


    Lin Da glanced at the cardboard box girl, who sat clasping her legs and trembling, her head hung low, and quickly labeled her in his mind, social anxiety, lazybones, and a poor soul who can��t even afford clothes!


    He had thought the girl��s loose top was an attempt at emulating the ��trendy outfits�� of the Elf race, but now he was sure��the person in the cardboard box dressed that way because she couldn��t afford trousers!


    Sewing dolls all day wasn��t enough to earn even one silver coin, and she had a substantial debt with the Mandalas in Gold Coins,


    Simply not being dragged out of her house and sold into a chicken coop to serve the Beastmen was pure luck.


    If he hadn��t happened to come by today, Luke would definitely have smashed the door in and stormed inside�� the consequences would have been unthinkable.


    Lin Da sighed and, taking the girl with him, sat down in the living room.


    The living room was just as messy, the table was coated in dust, and the floor was littered with meticulously cleaned ice cream boxes and many haphazard bottles of ��Great Water��, a necessity for down-and-out adventurers at one copper coin a bottle.


    A huge question loomed before Lin Da, ��You��re a Level 15 adventurer, right? Why is everything, well, how do I put it, so Spartan? Your living conditions are excessively Spartan?��


    A Level 15 adventurer could easily take on a quest to subdue Magical Creatures and bring in at least 10 Gold Coins.


    ��Poor���� the cardboard-box-wearing girl mumbled hesitantly.


    ��I know you��re poor, but I��m asking, why are you so poor?��


    The girl shook her head, ��All adventurers, except for the Lord captain, they�� they would harm me, definitely use Monica as bait to attract Magical Creatures����


    Monica?


    Lin Da was momentarily taken aback; the name sounded somewhat familiar to him.


    His gaze intensively focused on the girl, ��No one��s here now. Can uncle take off your head cover?��


    Once he saw her face, he would definitely remember.


    ��Mm-hmm.�� The girl who claimed to be Monica nodded her little head gently and shyly clutched the hem of her oversized top, covering her tightly clenched thighs.


    This tense posture quickened Lin Da��s heartbeat slightly,


    It was merely removing her head cover, so why did he feel so nervous?


    ��So, uncle is going to start now, okay?��


    Lin Da shook his head, dispelling any improper thoughts. As an adventurer who knew and understood the law, he must not take undue actions just because someone seemed easy to bully.


    With a serious expression, he held down the cardboard box on Monica��s head and grasped the edges, slowly lifting it up��


    Rustle��


    In an instant, the girl��s silky brown hair cascaded out of the box like a waterfall.


    Disheveled in appearance, yet possessing beautiful, smooth long hair!


    Gradually, her delicate chin came into view, followed by her pursed pink lips, her refined nose, and her shy, batting eyes looking timidly at her toes.


    Lin Da continued lifting the cardboard box upward, revealing her significantly large and adorable forehead, bright and shining, with long hair on the right side braided into a plait, passing across her high forehead and being nervously fiddled with in her palm.


    Now fully exposed to the air, the girl instinctively curled up as she cautiously lifted her head to look at Lin Da and said timidly,


    ��Lord captain, you haven��t�� you haven��t abandoned Monica, have you?��

 Chapter 77 - 77: 77. Monicas Favorability Plot

    Chapter 77: 77. Monica��s Favorability Plot


    ��Team�� Team Leader, you haven��t, like, abandoned Monica or anything?��


    ��What do you mean, she��s left?!��


    ��Without the Team Leader, they, like, all pick on Monica.��


    As she spoke, Monica��s eyes grew redder and little pearls of tears started falling one by one.


    When Lin Da saw the girl��s face, that familiar broad forehead, the brown long hair, and the thin, delicate braid, the socially anxious and frustratingly helpless facade of hers, it all came back to him.


    ��Glass Cannon�� Monica, Four-star SR, the consolation prize in some Five-star SSR powerful character pool.


    ...


    Deal damage as high as the sky, as flimsy as paper, the early-phase war god of the World Tree Secret Realm, and sundered in later stages!


    Lin Da once recommended in the strategy guide created for the player community to use Monica for the first fifteen floors, and then you could stash her in the warehouse to gather dust.


    Over time, he almost forgot about this Four-star character.


    The girl��s face, wet with tears like a pear blossom in the rain, and her continuous, grievous whimpers, couldn��t help but make Lin Da feel a sense of guilt.


    In the game, Monica��s affinity had three events:


    1. A Glimmer of Light in the Darkness.


    2. I want to become an excellent adventurer.


    3. For the Team Leader, Monica can do anything.


    In the first event, Monica was sunny and cheerful, with a harmonious family. However, due to her mother��s misguided sympathy for a beggar Beastman, an incident of extreme malice transpired.


    It was then the player, taking the role of an adventurer, appeared, slaying the Beastman and taking in Monica, who had become an orphan.


    In the second event, the player trained Monica��s body and forged her spirit, helping her step out of the shadows to become a proficient warrior.


    Then came the third event, when the affinity gauge was full.


    Under the starry night, the player stroked Monica��s head, and with her face turning red, she shyly smiled, saying, ��For the Team Leader, Monica can do anything.��


    Monica hopes to use a special nickname for you in private; please input ____


    Lin Da.


    That was the text Lin Da entered.


    So Monica had previously asked if he was ��Lin Da��, not the game ID ��Dai Lian��.


    With a heavy sigh, Lin Da glanced over the filthy house and Monica, trembling and uneasy like a young animal, feeling a surge of paternal protectiveness well up inside him.


    It was he, as the player, who had rescued Monica, but then ��mysteriously�� disappeared three years ago. With the personalities of the other team members, they were definitely not going to treat Monica kindly.


    Which led to three years passing, and her reverting to the reclusive girl she had been at the start.


    ��From now on, as your Team Leader, I will once again fill you with sunlight and shatter the darkness in your soul!��


    Overcome with emotion, Lin Da embraced the sobbing Monica, his large hands warmly holding the young girl.


    Suddenly, he was struck by a thought,


    How fragile this body was, like a trembling tower of Jenga blocks that could collapse with the slightest carelessness!


    Living in a dimly-lit little house, making a living from sewing handmade dolls, with meals that were hit or miss and nutrition supplemented only by turnips�� and so thin, with nothing left but dark circles under the eyes.


    Determined, Lin Da whispered in Monica��s ear: ��Join the Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team. As your Team Leader, I will never let you go hungry again.��


    ��Team, Team Leader Lord����


    Monica stammered as she looked into his eyes.


    Originally, Monica had already given up on being an adventurer, but when Lin Da��s voice rang out, a scene emerged in her mind,


    A black-clad swordsman wearing a mask, revealing only a pair of cold eyes, entered the room, slaying beastmen thugs and rescuing the girl from despair.


    All adventurers might harm him, but Monica believed, only Team Leader Lin Da would not!


    ��Yeah.�� Monica nodded her head vigorously, wiping away the tiny pearls at the corner of her eyes, ��If it��s Team Leader Lord, then it��s okay.��


    The girl��s soft voice was like honey to Lin Da��s ears. He knew this affection was nothing more than the pure bond between comrades, but as he held Monica��s frail, willowy waist, he, the ��Old Mage��, was almost losing control.


    A complaisant ��okay�� led Lin Da��s thoughts straying into dangerous territory.


    He gazed at Monica��s delicate, petite face, and the scent of her sweat exuded a strange fragrance, standing out in the filthy, dingy house��only the girl��s skin shone dazzlingly white.


    Even a ripe peach could not seem to be one percent as tempting as the sight before him��


    ��Why isn��t it done yet!��


    Suddenly, Kafni��s disgruntled complaint sounded from outside.


    Lin Da snapped awake.


    He opened his eyes wide, with a sense of horror, he almost couldn��t resist doing something inappropriate to his own teammate!


    ��Team Leader Lord?�� Monica looked at him puzzledly, not at all aware she had just skirted ��The Gate of Hell��, blinking her big eyes in confusion.


    ��Cough, cough, we need to pack up and leave this place,��


    Lin Da turned around subtly, pulling up his trousers, and said with a serious expression, ��I��ve scared away those debt-collecting beastmen, but they might come back.��


    Talking about beastmen, Monica��s little face turned pale, and with a whimper, she threw herself into Lin Da��s arms.


    I don��t remember Monica having a Bear Charge skill?


    ��We��re all adults here, no hugging or clinging to the Team Leader!�� Lin Da said sternly, ��What my team needs are adventurers with independent characters, and you, as you are now, clearly don��t qualify. You still need more training!��


    Reluctantly, Monica let go of her hold, her voice weak, ��Monica will work hard not to be left behind by Team Leader Lord.��


    Talking about this, Lin Da felt guilty once again.


    He sighed and asked, ��How have you spent these three years? I remember you were a warrior profession, so why did Lulu tell me you��ve become a mage?��


    ��It��s like this���� Monica remembered those awful days, her gaze turning dim and lifeless.


    Through the girl��s recounting, Lin Da learned what had happened to the Primordial Adventure Team after his mysterious disappearance, and the reason for Monica��s current condition.


    Firstly, the Primordial Adventure Team had once been the Southern Fire Empire��s premier young team, famed for being the most promising to reach the top. sea??h th�� N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unfortunately, three years ago, the team leader known as ��Dark Shadow��, Dai Lian * Zhaowo vanished as if evaporated from the world, without a trace to be found.


    The self-proclaimed proud members, leaderless, couldn��t agree on a new leader.


    So, they vented their frustrations by smashing the team leader��s bedroom to pieces and divided all the adventure team��s assets among themselves, each going their own way.


    These were all five-star SSR level members of the Primordial Adventure Team, whom Lin Da had spent a fortune to recruit through 648 draws. As for those four-star SR characters he had kicked out, Monica wasn��t too clear on that.


    Monica, who had been oblivious to the outside world while staying in the warehouse, content with food and drink, was thrown out when the team disbanded.


    Penniless and desperate, having lost the shelter of her team leader and feeling like any adventurer could harm her, she decided to use ��change profession�� to end it all.

 Chapter 78 - 78: 78, The Disappearing Five-star Characters

    Chapter 78: 78, The Disappearing Five-star Characters


    The chance for Monica, a level 20 warrior class, to fail at changing her class was over 99%.


    But she was lucky and successfully became a mage, it seemed Heaven thought her time had not yet come.


    After that, Monica met Lulu, who helped her acquire this house located in Red Heart City.


    ��Smashing my bedroom�� splitting the team��s wealth?��


    ��Is there no one who feels sad about the captain��s disappearance?��


    Lin Da was stunned.


    ...


    No matter what, he had led them to the higher levels of the World Tree.


    He could understand the four-star characters he kicked out of the team holding grudges against him.


    But what about the core team members who stayed? Why were they all ungrateful?


    ��There is someone,�� Monica thought for a moment, raised a snow-white index finger, and said, ��Sister Tina took all the cucumbers from the captain��s room and cried a lot last night.��


    Cucumbers? The ones from the blue furniture ��Strong Vegetable Cabinet�� that were there only to be seen and not touched?


    What did Tina want those for?


    Before Lin Da��s eyes, he pictured a nun with pink hair and a sickly smile, the five-star SSR ��Hell��s Judgment�� Tina, a melee mage, whose character��s third act event was ��Wishing to Turn the Captain into a Pretty Specimen��.


    ��Aside from Tina, isn��t there anyone else who is sad about the captain��s disappearance?��


    Lin Da shivered.


    His intuition told him that he must hide the fact that he was the former leader of the Primitive Adventure Team.


    In the game, Tina could at most threaten the player through the screen, but in reality, Lin Da feared he��d be drained dry and end up hanging on the wall of Tina��s bedroom!


    ��Maybe there is, but Monica doesn��t know,�� Monica said, puffing out her proud chest, hitting it with her little fist, which wobbled like jelly, ��Monica has been waiting for the captain to come back all this time!��


    ��Monica really is a good child,�� Lin Da said, touching Monica��s little head with emotion. Five-star characters were all ingrates, to advance in the World Tree Secret Realm, you had to rely on the loyal four-star characters.


    The young girl squinted her eyes like a cat, a look of enjoyment on her face.


    Lin Da thought to himself that Monica, even as a four-star, was actually quite weak. Now that she had changed to a mage, a back-row class, she had maximally reduced the side effects of the ��Glass Cannon�� passive skill.


    Staying with him, a Healing Hero, he would protect Monica from the nasty magical creatures preying on her.


    ��


    Half an hour later, after packing their luggage, the two walked out of the house.


    Monica wore a bright yellow miniskirt that Lin Da had Kafni buy, her long legs wrapped in pure white stockings, her feet in round-toed leather shoes, she was no longer a poor girl without clothes to wear.


    But the moment she stepped outside, Monica still cautiously put on her cardboard box and carried a bundle as disproportionately large as a dung beetle��s ball of dung.


    The bundle was wrapped in a very old-fashioned pattern of loud, vibrant colors, usually only worn by older generations of adventurers.


    ��This ordinary pattern won��t attract attention!�� Monica claimed, carrying the huge bundle on her back, in response to Lin Da��s puzzled question.


    ��No�� what I mean is, doesn��t this actually make you stand out more?��


    Lin Da said awkwardly.


    Looking towards the main road, all the pedestrians were staring at Monica, who wore a cardboard box on her head, white stockings, and carried an oversized, old-fashioned bundle.


    It was like when an adventurer from the south hesitantly entered a public bath in the north, striding in without any undergarments with complete confidence, no one would glance at you, not even if it was embarrassingly small. But if you wore underwear to cover up, no matter how big, it would attract the attention of everyone in the room.


    Right now, Monica��s approach was the latter.


    Just the cardboard box on her head was eye-catching enough, but couple that with a bundle as big as a great water tank, and she resembled a dung beetle pushing a ball of dung, except she was a beautiful girl.


    All the passersby stopped in their tracks, their faces a picture of surprise as they looked at her!


    ��T-team leader, Monica is so scared,�� whined Monica like a timid mouse, hiding behind Lin Da and trembling slightly as she clutched at the hem of his clothes.


    For someone who had hidden away at home for three years, stepping out of the door and into the sunlight undoubtedly required a lot of courage.


    ��Take off the cardboard box, Monica. You are so pretty, and everyone would be happy to see you,�� Lin Da advised.


    But Monica��s little head shook like a rattle-drum, and through the peepholes of the cardboard box, her big eyes revealed a determined look as she stubbornly said, ��Without the cardboard box, Monica can��t survive!��


    It seemed there was still a long way to go before she could overcome her social anxiety.


    Lin Da sighed heavily from within.


    He glanced at the large bundle Monica was carrying, wondering where this Big Lolita had acquired so much luggage.


    Inside were various figurines resembling magic puppets, comic books, storybooks, and they must have weighed quite a bit.


    He offered to help Monica with her luggage, but she solemnly declined�� ��Monica cannot trouble the team leader, definitely not adding to his burdens!��


    Was it because he had locked her in the storage room and hadn��t visited? Lin Da felt that Monica seemed uneasy, as if afraid that he would abandon her again.


    ��This time, whether it��s Monica or Lulu, I will take them both to the top of the World Tree, to see that breathtakingly beautiful view.�� S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da thought to himself silently.


    The trio reached the main road and hailed a carriage.


    Lin Da planned to take Monica to complete her team registration first, lest this Big Lolita get cold feet halfway and no longer want to be an adventurer, which would be a real hassle.


    Better to get her into the team and sign a hundred-year contract��


    The penalty for breaching the contract should be one million Gold Coins to prevent Monica from backing out.


    It wasn��t that Lin Da was heartless; in Monica��s personal storyline, there had been instances where she was too scared to venture into the Mystic Realm.


    In the comparatively spacious carriage, the back seat was covered with a cool bamboo cushion. Monica sat in the corner on the left, her little hand tightly clutching Lin Da��s clothes, resolutely preventing the stranger Kafni from sitting beside her.


    Kafni swept a glance toward Monica and said quietly, ��Did that child wash��?��


    Lin Da immediately understood. Monica had recently been frightened to the point of wetting herself by a whipping sound, but as far as Lin Da knew, she seemed to have only wiped with some paper, and her water bill hadn��t been paid for two months.


    Even though Monica lived in a rather sloppy manner, her arms and legs that were exposed outside seemed quite clean.


    ��Team leader, Monica isn��t dirty,�� she said faintly through the cardboard box and suddenly lifted the hem of her clothes to reveal her flat belly, spotless and without an ounce of excess fat. Monica said timidly,


    ��Team leader can check Monica.��


    A question mark appeared above Lin Da��s head.


    Could it be that three years of isolation had stupefied Monica, leaving her without any hint of caution around an ��Old Mage��?


    Even so, Lin Da��s eyes uncontrollably drifted upwards, noticing Monica��s round and cute belly button on her belly. Moving past her belly, further up, there was only a glimpse of something protruding,

 Chapter 79 - 79: 79, Profession: Earth Mage

    Chapter 79: 79, Profession: Earth Mage


    The glimpse of the tip of the iceberg that was revealed had a terrifying initial diameter, such that it could not be seen anywhere except in Another World, where girls with such explosively attractive figures existed.


    Lin Da found it fascinating, but he had to straighten out Monica��s thinking:


    ��Flaunting your belly in a public place, aren��t you afraid of being targeted by passing Beastmen? Falling into the hands of Beastmen can lead to all sorts of incidents!��


    He knocked on the cardboard box.


    ��Monica understands,�� the girl, clutching the head in the box, said softly, ��It��s not a public place when I��m with the captain, so, it should be okay, right?��


    Lin Da frowned and pondered for a long while.


    ...


    ��Well, there shouldn��t be any issues.��


    ��


    Half an hour later, Adventurer��s Guild in the Inner City District of Red Heart City.


    The place was bustling, with people brushing shoulders constantly.


    As a city larger than White Dove City, Red Heart City had many more adventurers.


    Even in the sweltering heat of noon, the area around the notice board at the entrance was still crowded with people, the noise akin to a bustling discounted market.


    A group of inked Arm Beastmen, clearly up to no good, were squatting by the roadside, whistling at the attractive female adventurers, and even approaching those who were alone to chat them up.


    ��Hey, pretty girl, ol�� Donkey Grandpa here is really something. Wanna grab lunch together?��


    Monica saw an elf girl with pointed ears surrounded by five or six Beastmen looking distressed and immediately imagined her own situation, causing her legs to tremble, unable to walk.


    She tugged at the hem of Lin Da��s clothes and said weakly:


    ��Lo��Lord Captain, Monica doesn��t want to be an adventurer anymore, perhaps I should just go to your room and dust?��


    The ambitions she had a minute ago had vanished completely.


    Lin Da, who had anticipated this, put on a stern face: ��Captain I do not appreciate team members who give up halfway; keep this up, and I might just leave you behind.��


    ��Wuwuwu, Lord Captain, don��t leave Monica behind. Monica, Monica wants to be an adventurer again,�� the girl in the box said in a panic.


    ��That��s my excellent team member,�� Lin Da said with a smile.


    The group entered the hall of the Adventurer��s Guild.


    As they queued, many people looked curiously at the peculiar girl wearing a cardboard box on her head.


    A Beastman with a hound��s head mocked, ��Where��s this fool from? Probably too ugly to show her face, eh?��


    Laughter erupted amongst the crowd.


    Monica��s attire was indeed bizarre, carrying an old-fashioned large bundle and wearing a cardboard box. The Hound Man, with his keen sense of smell, could even detect a faint urine odor on her.


    ��Still wetting your pants at this age, hahaha!�� the Hound Man laughed aloud.


    Already insecure, Monica couldn��t raise her head upon hearing these words.


    Lin Da narrowed his eyes and gripped Monica��s trembling hand tightly, his gaze coolly fixed on the Beastman: ��Either shut your mouth or never venture outdoors again.��


    The corners of the Hound Man��s mouth twitched, originally intent on provoking further, but upon seeing Lin Da��s cold gaze that seemed to stare at a dead man, an inexplicable chill ran through him, and goosebumps rose on his arms.


    ��Mos, don��t cause unnecessary trouble,�� said a half-Beastman with thick eyebrows and rhinoceros horns, frowning.


    ��Tsk,��


    The Hound Man named Mos glared at Lin Da, crossed his arms, and queued without further comments.


    Lin Da also withdrew his gaze. His experiences after leaving Snow Goose had taught him many lessons, the main one being: Retreating sometimes completely useless, especially when facing Beastmen who prey on the weak but fear the strong.


    ��Lord Captain, thank you,�� Monica said as she stretched her hand into the box and wiped the corner of her eye.


    ��Don��t worry about what others think of you, as long as the captain thinks you��re a good teammate, that��s enough.�� Lin Da patted her shoulder.


    Monica broke into a smile and nodded vigorously, ��Yes!�� Sear?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After queueing for about half an hour, it was finally the turn for Lin Da and the others.


    While Monica was filling out the form, Lin Da watched silently.


    The neat and tidy small print on the form was clear at a glance.


    Name: Monica * Laidi


    Level: 15


    Occupation: Earth Mage


    Earth Mage, one of the popular occupations on Mystic Continent, possessed a large number of area attack type skills.


    Combined with Monica��s inherent skill ��Glass Cannon��, she was exceptional at clearing minor monsters.


    Lin Da pondered, his Venom Magic Sphere was a strong single-target output, suitable for fighting bosses, and with Monica clearing the minor monsters on the path�� With this, the outline of an adventure squad had formed!


    A ding-dong sound echoed in his mind and a system prompt appeared:


    [Squad module loading, current progress 1%, estimated remaining time 12 hours until activation]


    In 12 hours, it would be deep into the night.


    Lin Da estimated that by then, he would have returned to White Dove City.


    ��You, the Beastman, don��t you watch where you��re walking?��


    ��I��m, I��m sorry, sir!��


    As Lin Da and his group were heading outside, there was a disturbance at the door.


    A Hound Man named Mos had bumped into a tall middle-aged elf with golden hair.


    The elf��s face was covered with frost, and he disdainfully wiped his clothes while his eyes openly showed contempt for the Beastman.


    ��Hey, this Beastman is in big trouble now. Not a good idea to mess with Elf Kao. I heard his team just passed the 11th floor of the World Tree yesterday, their levels reached 22!��


    ��Kao has firmly established himself in the rock level squad now.��


    ��When can I become a level 20 adventurer����


    The surrounding buzzed with chatter.


    Lin Da looked at the elf named Kao; in every city, there were some well-known adventurers. Like ��Eye of Wisdom��, ��Bursting Flames��, and ��Frost Swordsman�� in White Dove City�� anyone who reached level 20 could make a certain name for themselves among adventurers.


    Against the timid Monica, Mos was arrogantly invincible, but facing Kao, a level 22, he was as meek as a cowed dog, with his tail trembling between his legs.


    Lin Da looked at Mos��s humble demeanor, his mind filled with thoughts. He had never found level 20 adventurers intimidating because the circles he had been in were basically of this level, and he was also on good terms with Aiko.


    Thus, after his downfall, no one had bothered him.


    It wouldn��t work in Red Heart City, though, as no one there knew him.


    In his three days in Red Heart City, Lin Da had already faced three challenges: the Minotaur, Luke, and just now, Mos�� If he were just an ordinary level 8 adventurer, he couldn��t have possibly smoothly stood here with Monica and the others.


    The worst outcome would have been Kafni being kidnapped by the Minotaur upon entering the city and Monica ending up in a tavern through Luke.


    ��I must reach level 20 quickly and advance in occupation.��


    The scene of the survival of the fittest unfolding before him made Lin Da realize the importance of levels. His teammates were beautiful girls; only with a strong enough captain could he protect them!


    As he was deep in thought, the surrounding chatter suddenly ceased.


    The level 22 elf Kao, upon seeing someone walking towards the Adventurer��s Guild, changed his face drastically, immediately forgave the Beastman Mos, and panic-strickenly retreated to one side.

 Chapter 80 - 80: Lias Mothers Invitation

    Chapter 80: Lia��s Mother��s Invitation S��ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In no time, the crowded hall had cleared to make a straight, wide path.


    Tap, tap, tap!


    This was the sound of heavy iron-plated boots striking the ground.


    The approaching footsteps were steady and forceful, creating a sense of oppression in the air that felt almost tangible, bearing down upon those present.


    This behavior was undoubtedly extremely arrogant, recklessly releasing an aura that seemed to say to the adventurers: I am here, make way!


    But it has to be said, the newcomer had the confidence to act this way.


    ...


    Lin Da and his group were among the crowd when Kafni, shocked, exclaimed, ��Impressive, must be Level 30.��


    Level 30, Star-ranked adventurer!


    In White Dove City, perhaps only members of the White Dove Adventure Group possessed this rank.


    Lin Da looked toward the entrance of the hall with a solemn expression.


    The entrant was a young man with fiery red hair tied in a ponytail, his eyes as sharp as daggers, and a thin sword hanging at his waist.


    The thin sword��s hilt was like golden craftsmanship, embedded in the center with a blood-red Demon Core, its strong magical fluctuations palpable to Lin Da even from ten meters away.


    A short adventurer beside them muttered, ��The Second Young Master of The Mandalas, Dawen, what��s he doing here? The Scarlet Adventure Group should have someone designated to liaise, right? The guild members are ready at his house at all times.��


    The Scarlet Adventure Group?


    Lin Da raised his eyebrows in surprise.


    Lia��s father, known as the Bloody Baron, led that very team, the Scarlet Adventure Group.


    The last he had heard of this adventure group was two years ago.


    Back then, the Scarlet Adventure Group had already reached the 17th floor and was rated as Steel Level. Now, after two years, they might be very close to reaching the 20th floor Sunrise Level Adventure Group.


    As the Second Young Master of The Mandalas and a member of the Scarlet Adventure Group, Dawen��s strength and status were unmatched in Red Heart City.


    The red-haired Star-ranked adventurer entered the hall, glancing around with furrowed brows, suddenly as if he had spotted something. He strode with purpose toward Lin Da��s side.


    Lin Da could feel that as soon as their eyes met, the other had an ��I found it�� expression!


    What did the Second Young Master of The Mandalas want with him?


    Could it be��because of Lia?


    Lin Da��s expression shifted slightly.


    He remembered that Lia��s relationship with her family was not good, often speaking of her half-brother with a hostile attitude.


    The surrounding crowd instantly dispersed.


    ��You, you��re Lin Da, right?��


    Dawen��s expression was indifferent, his tone carrying an innate arrogance as he got straight to the point,


    ��The Third Lady of The Mandalas invites you to visit.��


    ��The Third Lady?�� Lin Da puzzled.


    ��You should know her, Lady Bellini, Lia��s mother.��


    A flicker of impatience flashed across Dawen��s face as he grudgingly explained, ��The Third Lady heard you were in Red Heart City; at her request, I am to bring you to The Mandalas for a visit. If you understand, follow me.��


    An invitation to visit with such an attitude?


    Lin Da remained expressionless. ��Did Lady Bellini ask you to forcibly take guests away?��


    Dawen pondered before replying, ��She did not say that. The Third Lady merely mentioned that if you have time, please come over, she wants to see you.��


    ��Well, sorry, I don��t have time right now,�� Lin Da shrugged, ��as you can see, I need to return to White Dove City with the new team members.��


    The phrase ��new team members�� conveyed a vast amount of information.


    He clearly saw Dawen��s expression change.


    It seemed that The Mandalas did not yet know that he and Lia had parted ways.


    Dawen snorted, muttering to himself, ��That little sister of mine, truly useless, can��t even keep people.��


    Then, looking at Lin Da, he continued,


    ��Whatever your relation with Lia, it��s none of my business. Such a useless family waste might as well die in White Dove City. But the Third Lady wishes for you to visit. So, even if you don��t have ��leisure time��, you must find some!��


    The carriage is outside; it won��t delay you for long. Since your title is ��Eye of Wisdom,�� you should know what to do, right?��


    ��Lead the way.��


    Lin Da followed him.


    Opposing The Mandalas in Red Heart City was clearly not wise.


    ��Team Leader, are you alright�� That man, he seemed fierce,�� Monica said, her petite frame trembling slightly.


    Lin Da thought for a moment and said, ��It��s nothing serious.��


    Their invite came from Lady Bellini, who was knowledgeable and sensible, much stronger than the capricious Young Lady Bilya.


    The three followed Dawen and got into the carriage.


    About ten minutes later, they arrived at a sprawling estate.


    In front of them was a huge wrought-iron gate with delicate carvings, flanked by two warriors in gleaming armor, holding spears.


    Dawen nodded at them, and the two warriors pushed the gates open.


    A clean white stone path led directly to the mansion ahead.


    ��When you meet the Third Lady later, don��t mention your and Lia��s matter for now.��


    Walking in front, Dawen suddenly spoke up.


    ��Why?�� Lin Da didn��t agree immediately, his brows furrowing as he countered.


    Dawen shook his head. ��The Third Lady was displaced in her early years and unfortunately encountered a witch who harmed her, weakening her body progressively. She doesn��t have many days left. The Lord��s intention is to fulfill her requests as much as possible.��


    With an implied look at Lin Da, he added, ��That��s why you were invited. Lia�� never mind; you coming here is a small favor The Mandalas owe you, and the matter with Luke is settled.��


    A small favor�� clearly calculated.


    Lin Da mused internally.


    Thinking back,


    No wonder he always felt this lady was weak and frail during their previous encounters.


    So there was this hidden story.


    Lin Da considered his Purifying Power and sighed inwardly.


    His own hands could only purify a witch; for those harmed by a witch, it probably wouldn��t work.


    Of course, this was just a guess.


    After all, he couldn��t exactly shove his hand into Lady Bellini to see if it could touch the contamination.


    Willing, but powerless.


    ��I��ll stay here; you go in,�� Dawen led them into the mansion and to a room on the second floor.


    ��Excuse me,�� Lin Da knocked on the door.


    ��Come in.��


    A gentle and mature female voice came from inside the room.


    Just by hearing the voice, you could tell she was a very voluptuous and lovely lady.


    Before entering, Lin Da took the oversized backpack off Monica��s back, or else entering wouldn��t have been easy.


    Pushing open the door, the three entered single file.


    The enticing aroma of food wafted over as Kafni and Monica��s eyes lit up; turning a corner, they saw a long table laden with delicious dishes.


    At the head of the table, on a wicker chair, sat a lady with golden curly hair.


    This lady wore a gracious and elegant smile, her large eyes seemed to contain pools of spring water, her plump lips were coated with lipstick, and her cheeks sported a touch of pink blush.


    It appeared she had dressed up meticulously to welcome Lin Da, their guest.


    Such formality��


    The displeasure Lin Da felt at being coerced to come dissipated somewhat.


    A lady married to the leader of a Steel Level Adventure Group, who dressed up elaborately for him, a poor Adventure Team Leader from White Dove City, indeed touched the mark with her gesture.

 Chapter 81 - 81: 81, Madam, I do not accept your apology

    Chapter 81: 81, Madam, I do not accept your apology


    Lady Bellini wore a low-cut white dress and had a pearl necklace around her fair neck, standing tall and proud in front of her.


    A delicate pale blue coat rested on her shoulders, as white as jade.


    Every time Lin Da saw this lady, he would think to himself: Lia wasn��t malnourished as a child, causing incomplete brain development, was she? Never mind a pair; just one would be enough to feed a baby.


    ��I��ve been waiting for you, come sit down. You must keep your aunt company and have a good drink today, okay?��


    Lin Da chuckled, ��Lady, you are frail, you should rest well. How could you drink?��


    ��I��m only drinking because you came, Lin Da��


    ...


    Lady Bellini pulled out a wicker chair next to her, ��Come sit, let aunt take a look at you, have you lost weight? And introduce your two friends here as well?�� S��arch* The N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing Kafni next to Lin Da, looking beautiful with a bust several sizes larger than Bilya��s, the lady��s eyebrows slightly furrowed.


    ��They are my friends.�� Lin Da said politely, ��It��s been a while, you seem even more beautiful.��


    He sat down on the wicker chair to his right, with Kafni and Monica beside him, one on the left and one on the right.


    Kafni unabashedly picked up a chicken leg and started eating. All the barbecue earlier went into Kafni��s stomach, but she seemed insatiable.


    Monica wanted to eat but didn��t dare, blinking her big eyes toward Lin Da.


    ��Go ahead.��


    Lin Da wrapped the bottom of a chicken leg with a napkin on the table and handed it to Monica.


    ��Thank you, captain.�� Monica crisply thanked him as she tucked into the chicken leg in the paper box.


    As Lady Bellini saw them enjoying themselves, her face filled with concern.


    What is Lia doing, allowing Lin Da to be with other girls?


    ��Lady�� your face, what happened?��


    Lin Da suddenly noticed that the lady��s right cheek was slightly swollen, and her eyes a bit red.


    Lady Bellini paused for a moment, her fingers gently touching her cheek, she sighed:


    ��Don��t laugh at me, but I was hit by the lord. Sigh, I��ve been in the Mandala family for ten years, other than giving birth to Lia, the lord has never visited my room, not once. A useless woman like me probably can��t produce a great adventurer.��


    Lin Da stayed silent.


    Such family matters should be shared with other noble ladies, and even discussing which lord is superior is fairly normal. He wasn��t a suitable confidante for these complaints.


    Lady Bellini mentioning these seemed like an implicit pressure on him��look, I��m so pitiful, you have to be considerate toward me, right?


    Objectively speaking, Lin Da knew what he should say: ��No, your daughter Lia, is indeed an excellent adventurer.��


    But he wouldn��t say that, not even as a kind lie.


    Lady Bellini looked sorrowful, waiting for him to continue the conversation.


    Lin Da pretended not to notice, he cut a juicy piece of steak, placed it on a fork and handed it to Monica.


    Seeing this, Lady Bellini sighed deeply and took out an item from a jewelry box.


    ��Ah~ For a useless woman like me, there��s no hope. But, you and Lia, surely you can. However�� well, she is too young, 18 is the best age for an adventurer, you should be careful. Here, take this.��


    ��What is this?��


    Lin Da looked puzzled at the item in his hands.


    It was a small square box with a cartoonish blue Slime on it, being squished under a large object turning into a steep mountain peak.


    The Slime was crying and the bubble next to it read: ��Adventurer��s Wolf Fang Club, it��s too big!��


    Sigh.


    This is�� a gel sleeve necessary for the inn!


    Lady Bellini, seeing his stunned expression, her lips curled up slightly: ��It��s been three years, please don��t tell your aunt that you two haven��t gone that far yet? It��s the largest size, it should fit, right?��


    Although it could be used, still,


    for a mother, to prepare these things for herself rather than for her daughter, is that really appropriate?


    Lin Da was dumbstruck.


    Facing Lady Bellini��s smiling gaze, he, as an ��Old Mage,�� felt a bit embarrassed but, more than that, annoyed!


    Her eyes sparkled with mockery and disregard; in her view, he must have seemed like a harmless child,


    and Lady Bellini felt a sense of superiority, as if she had experiences he lacked!


    Lin Da did not receive the respect a man deserves; the smile on Lady Bellini��s face was an insult to him.


    Smack!


    ��My lady, I think you misunderstand,��


    Lin Da coldly placed the slime gel sleeve on the table: ��I am no longer Lia��s teammate, and I have no relation with her! You should use these yourself!��


    Lady Bellini��s smile froze on her face.


    Then a trace of terror appeared.


    ��How, how could this be? What did that child do wrong?��


    ��Nothing, I just got tired of it,��


    Lin Da, recalling Lia��s complaints time and again, shook his head and said calmly.


    ��That child��sigh!�� Lady Bellini suddenly understood. As a mother, she well knew Lia��s fiery temper; once faced with insurmountable difficulty, she would become terribly anxious and cause trouble for those around her as well.


    ��Lin Da, auntie understands your difficulties. You are in charge of the team��s command and also have to look after Lia, you must have suffered a lot,��


    Lady Bellini grasped Lin Da��s hand, her mature figure suddenly drawing close, bringing a fragrance with her.


    This lady, with pitifully knitted brows, whispered softly: ��Could you forgive Lia this once, give her another chance, please?��


    Chances, too many had been given already.


    Lin Da remained unmoved and withdrew his hand.


    He said, ��Even if there are apologies, Lia should come in person. What good is it to have a mother apologize? Is this apology your idea, or Lia��s?��


    ��It��s my own doing,�� Lady Bellini sighed, ��Maybe Lia just expresses herself the wrong way. That child, she does not have bad intentions, I am her mother, I understand her����


    ��It��s exactly because you are her mother that you don��t understand her at all.��


    Lin Da slowly shook his head: ��In Lia��s eyes, there��s only the World Tree, she doesn��t care about her teammates at all.��


    ��No, it��s not like that!��


    Lady Bellini��s tone grew a bit higher, and due to her agitation, her face became unnaturally flushed, followed by several coughs.


    She wiped with a handkerchief, noticing a few black spots on it, her eyes momentarily flickered.


    Lady Bellini discreetly returned the handkerchief to her pocket, then continued with a sorrowful expression that evoked sympathy:


    ��Whenever that child writes home, she always mentions you. Before she met you, she never talked about anyone else.��


    ��That��s probably because the earlier me was simply more ��useful,''�� Lin Da said dispassionately.


    The night he left the team, Lia had even threatened him using Phyllis��s resume.


    The moment he left, she immediately had Phyllis join the team, the cut was made incredibly quickly.


    Lia truly thought he was incompetent,


    And he didn��t have any fond feelings for Lia either.


    Now, it��s quite alright this way.

 Chapter 82 - 82: 82. Poor Lia, going home to borrow money

    Chapter 82: 82. Poor Lia, going home to borrow money


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


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


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


    ��Auntie�� is willing to compensate you for that child.��


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


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


    ...


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


    ��It��s not about conditions.��


    Lin Da felt irritated.


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


    Lulu, Monica, and there was also Isa in the plans, and it seemed Aiko wanted to come too�� They were all much better than Lia.


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


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


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


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


    ��What��s happening?��


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


    The feel was indeed pleasant, but strangely,


    the lady was feeble and boneless, light as a piece of paper, definitely not the weight an adult should have. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her limbs also lacked strength, completely relying on his support.


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


    Kafni��s nose twitched, ��The smell of contamination?��


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


    Lin Da frowned.


    It seemed to be no act.


    He laid Bellini on the couch.


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


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


    But a few seconds later, she entered a semi-comatose state.


    -7, -10, -18��


    Black numbers jumped out one after another above Bellini��s head.


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


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


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


    At this rate, she would die within a minute.


    It was troublesome!


    Lin Da��s heart sank.


    If anything happened to her, even if unrelated to him, he wouldn��t be able to leave The Mandalas ��residence�� anytime soon until the investigation was clear.


    And Lulu was still in White Dove City; their trust hadn��t reached a stable level. His prolonged absence could easily be construed as betrayal, abandoning her to run away.


    Call over Dawen, the second young master of The Mandalas, to explain the situation?


    Or��


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


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


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


    Suddenly, there was a sizzling sound.


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


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


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


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


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


    Lin Da looked at the majestic object that he shouldn��t be touching and hesitated.


    He cast a glance at the door; surely Dawen wouldn��t suddenly come in, right?


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


    She wouldn��t last much longer.


    Lin Da gritted his teeth.


    He silently apologized to the Bloody Baron in his mind.


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


    So�� here I come!


    ��Child, don��t look,�� Lin Da had Monica turn around first.


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


    He placed his own there.


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


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


    There was no more time to wait.


    ��Purification!��


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


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


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


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


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


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


    Purify, purify fiercely!


    Lin Da shouted joyfully in his heart.


    ��


    At the same time.


    A carriage drawn by a Twin-Winged Blackblood Horse came to a dusty halt in front of The Mandalas�� estate.


    Click.


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


    All these required Gold Coins.


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


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


    Lia couldn��t come up with such a large sum of money on short notice, so she thought of her mother and hurried back to Red Heart City in disgrace.


    ��Third�� Third Lady?��


    The guardian warrior was almost unrecognizable when he saw Lia.


    ��Step aside, don��t block the way!��


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


    ��


    ��Hmm~��


    A seductive moan escaped from the throat of Lady Bellini.


    The lady felt completely powerless, like an adventurer who had fought a gigantic battle with Magical Creatures and was too weak to even stand.


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


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

 Chapter 83 - 83: 83. A Small Punishment

    Chapter 83: 83. A Small Punishment


    It wasn��t just that, Lady Bellini also felt stupefied in front of her, as if grasped by a pair of pliers.


    She timidly raised her head a little.


    The sight that met her eyes almost made her faint again.


    Someone was sitting on her waist!


    ��Lin Da�� you, what are you doing, get off, I really misjudged you!��


    Lady Bellini��s eyebrows were turned upside down with anger and annoyance,


    ...


    She tried to get up but was weak all over, unable to muster any strength, and tears started to well up in her desperate eyes.


    She had always had a good impression of Lin Da, a gentleman of refined taste.


    That��s why she invited Lin Da into her room without arranging for any guard.


    But she had never expected Lin Da to commit such an outrage!


    She collapsedly raised her hand to hit Lin Da, wanting to severely punish this scoundrel.


    But her hand was caught by Lin Da in response.


    A frail noble lady was no different from a chick in front of a robust adventurer like Lin Da.


    ��Ugh! Let go!��


    Tears formed in Lady Bellini��s eyes.


    They stubbornly guarded the rims of her eyes, refusing to fall,


    preserving Lady Bellini��s last shred of dignity as a noble lady.


    ��Chief, Chief, you��re bullying auntie����


    Monica crouched in a corner, her small hands covering the holes in a cardboard box, her fingers apart in a wide gap, peeping at Lin Da.


    ��Don��t talk nonsense, the chief is not bullying her!��


    Lin Da replied helplessly and amusedly, then seriously looked at Lady Bellini on the couch, ��How about now, do you feel a bit better?��


    ��Feel better�� you mean, under these circumstances, I, I should feel comfortable��!��


    Lady Bellini��s chest was heaving violently, her skin blushing with shame and anger.


    ��Er, I didn��t mean comfort for your mind, but for your body, it should feel a lot better now, right?��


    ��Body�� you, Lin Da, you are too insulting! To think you want both my body and mind to feel comforted, how arrogant and presumptuous!��


    Lady Bellini��s cheeks turned beet red,


    Not only had he taken liberties with her, he also wanted to force her to admit she felt pleasure�� How dreadful was this young man��s character?!


    ��Let me go, you little rogue!��


    ��The lord will not forgive you!��


    ��Please, don��t do this����


    No matter how Lady Bellini cursed or begged for mercy, Lin Da was like a cold statue, silent.


    He seemed to face some difficulty, focusing intently on his right hand.


    Pouring all his magic power into it, making the green light grow brighter and brighter.


    Gradually, Lady Bellini noticed something.


    Her chest felt very warm.


    Like a shivering traveler in the cold winter wrapped in a thick quilt.


    A sense of relief spread throughout her body.


    ��What��s going on?


    Lady Bellini��s curses halted, her hands stopped struggling, and she frowned in confusion.


    She calmed down and tuned into the sensation.


    The stabbing pain in her heart, was it lessening?


    The witch��s corruption that troubled her every day, preventing her sleep,


    was it disappearing under Lin Da��s right hand that emitted a green glow? Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After feeling it for a while, confident it wasn��t an illusion,


    Lady Bellini��s attractive lips slowly parted, her eyes widened in shock.


    Only four words remained in her mind: How is this possible?


    Even a level 30 Healer couldn��t cure her illness.


    The respected old Bishop from the local Holy Light Church had examined her and said there was no cure, that she had at most a few years left.


    This year would be the last.


    And at this moment, the verdant glow on the youth��s palm enveloped her in front of him.


    It wasn��t the malicious kneading she had imagined.


    It was simply resting on top, releasing a gentle magic power.


    Does it feel better now?


    Now?


    Better��


    Lin Da��s words seemed to echo in Lady Bellini��s ears, resonating over and over again.


    Finally, Lady Bellini understood what Lin Da was doing.


    So this was his intention.


    She had wronged Lin Da!


    This youth was using magic power to heal her!


    Looking at Lin Da��s handsome face, Lady Bellini��s amber-like beautiful eyes became moist.


    It does feel better, indeed, it does.


    Auntie�� it feels really good!


    She could almost see the day when the winter jasmine that her servants had planted in the yard would bloom!


    ��Madam, perhaps you find my method of healing strange, but it is necessary. The closer to the source of contamination, the more effective it is. That��s why I held on to�� please forgive me,�� Lin Da said, feeling embarrassed under the heated gaze of the beautiful woman and involuntarily looking up at the sky.


    The two of them were too close.


    He was sitting above her, able to smell the perfume the Noble Lady was wearing, an intense and mature fragrance that was initially overpowering.


    At first, it was almost too much, a strong scent that singed the nostrils,


    but once accustomed to it, one couldn��t help but become intoxicated, lost within its depths.


    Glancing down stealthily, the mole below Lady Bellini��s collarbone was very enticing; her skin, as delicate as milk, was in no way inferior to that of a young girl.


    The choice of purple was also very fitting; the material extraordinarily soft.


    She truly was a Noble Lady.


    Beauty, temperament, figure��all were impeccable.


    ��Lin Da, thank you,�� she said.


    ��Although you were saving me, Auntie said so many excessive things to you���� Lady Bellini��s lips quivered as she closed her eyes.


    ��I will repay you, but please, keep this matter a secret,�� she said with trembling lips, looking fragile and pitiable.


    ��Of course, I don��t want to be hunted down by the Bloody Baron either,�� Lin Da nodded.


    ��Our little secret, the two of us���� Lady Bellini��s face turned red, glancing at Lin Da with implication. A pair of warm palms gently pressed on Lin Da��s large hands.


    With this, Lin Da��s healing efforts intensified.


    It was as if Mei Yangyang were actively helping Xi Yangyang by pushing.


    But on Lin Da��s forehead, a trace of cold sweat broke out!


    At first glance, it was alluring, but in fact, it was a threat.


    Lady Bellini had indirectly grasped the secret that he could eliminate the Witch��s Corruption and reminded him not to disclose it carelessly.


    Standing from Lady Bellini��s perspective, there was no issue. But Lin Da, as someone actively providing aid, naturally felt uncomfortable with this kind of suggestive threat from Lady Bellini.


    ��It turns out, you and your daughter are both unpleasant women!�� Lin Da scoffed and forcefully began the Purification!


    ��Wuu~��


    Lady Bellini, with only a level 4 magic power, couldn��t withstand Lin Da��s overwhelming strength of 100 and immediately winced in pain, tears welling up in her eyes.


    Yet her hands did not stop Lin Da; instead, they continued to caress the back of his hand, bearing the pain, like a flower being ravaged in a torrential downpour.


    ��If it eases your anger, please punish me as you see fit; I am willing to make amends to you on behalf of Lia,�� Lady Bellini said faintly.


    Lin Da found this amusing, ��Madam, what happens between you and Lia is a different matter! No matter what you do, I have no intention of returning to the Snow Goose Adventure Team. It��s better to make that clear in advance.��


    ��Why is that?�� Lady Bellini��s face fell.


    ��Never mind Lia for now; you should focus on yourself first.��


    Lin Da sensed the contamination within Lady Bellini.

 Chapter 84 - 84: 84, stop it right now.

    Chapter 84: 84, stop it right now.


    Because the lady had been injured for too long without effective treatment, the Witch��s Corruption had already spread to her heart.


    With this ordinary method of purification, at most it could extend Lady Bellini��s life by half a year.


    [System Notification: Absorbed Masterless Witch��s Corruption, gained 100 Mystical Points]


    Another system notification appeared.


    Adding the points he had accumulated before, Lin Da had harvested a total of 340 Mystical Points.


    If he absorbed all of Bellini��s corruption, he could probably rise one level.


    ...


    Lin Da was currently at level 8, with 1657 Mystical Points, and adding the 340 points obtained from Bellini, that made a total of 1997 points.


    He could break through to level 9 at any time.


    If he completely absorbed Bellini��s corruption, reaching the rank of level 10 would result in a substantial increase in Attribute Points.


    As he was pondering this, Lady Bellini, lying beneath Lin Da, easily laughed at his words of concern,


    Her face bore a breezy sadness:


    ��To die or such, auntie has long been prepared for that, dragging on to today is already beyond what The Mandalas owe to mother and daughter.


    If treating me is too strenuous, you may stop; I am already very grateful to you. Your affairs, auntie will keep within her belly, taking them to the grave, only hoping that thereafter, you could take care of my daughter.


    Lia, she is my only treasure.��


    The lady stretched out her trembling hand and touched Lin Da��s extraordinary handsome cheek.


    Those black eyes were like the mysterious night sky, stirring one��s soul.


    She couldn��t help but pass a hint of fascination in her eyes, murmuring, ��Even better than the master. Lia, letting such a boy leave, mother feels sorry for you.��


    ��Lady, please do not speak such misleading words!��


    Lin Da took a deep breath and said, ��There is a method that exists to thoroughly eradicate the corruption within your body.��


    ��But the local bishop of Red Heart City��s Holy Light Church also said it could only be delayed, not completely cured.��


    Lady Bellini hadn��t realized that Lin Da��s Purifying Power was a force of an entirely different level.


    ��It can be eradicated, but, it requires your cooperation,�� Lin Da firmly stated.


    ��Really��?��


    Seeing his confident demeanor, hope slowly stirred in Bellini��s heart.


    Even if there was only a sliver of hope to eradicate the Witch��s Corruption, Bellini was willing to try.


    This terrible toxin had tormented her for so long that she felt life was worse than death.


    Now knowing that there was a way to eradicate the Witch��s Corruption and live normally, Bellini��s heart began to beat vehemently, as if injected with fresh blood, and she felt revitalized!


    ��Mr. Lin Da, please, save me!��


    For the first time, Bellini had used honorific language.


    She was earnest in her expression and no longer treated Lin Da like a child of a younger generation.


    ��The method of treatment, I��m afraid you won��t be able to accept it,�� Lin Da said.


    His system could only bind Witches, increasing purification strength by enhancing trust.


    But since Bellini was not a Witch, there was no trust to speak of.


    Therefore, the only method left to increase purification strength was another way.


    He glanced at the door, speaking gravely, ��Can you guarantee that you will not make any sound? That door, it will never be opened by anyone? Once an outsider discovers us, both of us will become enemies of the Bloody Baron!��


    ��Dawen? Don��t worry, that child, he never enters a room without permission,�� Lady Bellini said puzzledly, ��What kind of treatment is it that must not make a sound or be seen by others?��


    Lin Da answered Bellini with his actions.


    He grabbed the oversized Slime gel sleeve that lay on the table.


    ��What, no! Absolutely not!��


    Lady Bellini��s complexion changed drastically, and she waved her hands back and forth in front of her, ��Such a thing can��t be done, the master would tear me to pieces!��


    ��It��s not what you think,�� Lin Da said with a smile, leaning in close to Lady Bellini��s ear to whisper his plan for purification.


    Lady Bellini breathed a sigh of relief.


    But her heart soon tightened again.


    ��That, that still wouldn��t be right, it would be disrespectful to Lia and the master.��


    Lady Bellini was torn.


    Lin Da showed understanding, ��If you refuse, I won��t force you, let��s pretend I never mentioned it.��


    ��No!��


    Watching Lin Da about to retract his offer, the lady pursed her lips, her big eyes glistening like two tempting fruits.


    ��Mr. Lin Da, after all, please give it a try. Whether it works or not, you are my benefactor!��


    The resolve on Lady Bellini��s face moved Lin Da.


    ��Okay, I understand. I will do my best to help you.��


    He nodded solemnly.


    Glancing at Kafni with her face flushed red and Monica hiding in the corner, covering the holes in the cardboard box with her small hands:


    ��I��m going to take Lady to the bedroom for treatment. Could you two please keep watch? If anything unusual happens, alert us immediately.��


    ��Oh�� Oh! Three minutes should be enough, right!�� Kafni felt a fiery heat all over her body, with wild thoughts racing through her mind.


    ��Three minutes�� I��m not sure, it��s my first time!�� Lin Da pondered.


    He came up from the couch, and with a grunt, he lifted the fragile frame of Lady Bellini into his arms.


    The sensation was peculiarly wonderful��although she was the wife of the Crimson Baron, she was now in his arms�� S��ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da looked down to see Lady Bellini blushing, as if too embarrassed to face anyone, burying her head in front of him.


    ��It��s just a treatment, no need to be so nervous,�� Lin Da said with a smile, trying to lighten the mood.


    ��Mm,�� Lady Bellini replied in an almost inaudible whisper.


    Holding this delicate body, Lin Da inwardly sighed: He had to be careful not to indulge in absorbing the corruption and inadvertently harm Lady Bellini.


    As the two of them entered the bedroom, Kafni��s and Monica��s imaginations ran wild��


    All sorts of terrible images appeared before their eyes!


    The lonely Lady Bellini, who had been alone for ten years, and the green young man Lin Da, together in a room��


    Kafni, as an old Deity who had been single for some time, found her right hand trembling uncontrollably


    She widened her eyes, shook her head vigorously, and muttered to herself like a chant, ��You are a man of your word, Kafni. You mustn��t do anything shameful!��


    Having witnessed Lin Da��s heroic posture while battling Magical Creatures during the last few days, Kafni often found Lin Da in her dreams late at night.


    Waking up to find herself drooling over the blanket, craving Lin Da��s body��


    This horrified her so much that she lost all desire to sleep!


    ��Don��t think nonsense��treatment, it��s just normal treatment! As a Deity, even if it means losing my virginity, I must get ahead of those trashy heroes!��


    Kafni anxiously clutched her head.


    Monica meanwhile thought of many scenes from comic books.


    Scenes like Beastmen punishing the Elf Lady, a naughty girl being tutored by an older man, a young boy accidentally entering a room with three older sisters��


    Monica bit her index finger, stealing glances at the bedroom door, a hint of jealousy flickering in her eyes.


    If this was an inevitable event in her dark life, it would indeed have to be with the captain!


    While Monica and Kafni were blushing with their own musings, suddenly, a noise came from the entrance hall.


    Click~ clack~


    The core of the lock on the door turned, opened by someone.

 Chapter 85 - 85: 85, actually, the bedroom is full.

    Chapter 85: 85, actually, the bedroom is full.


    Click��clack��


    The core of the room��s lock turned, opened by someone.


    All the messy images in Kafni��s mind disappeared.


    Her right hand ceased its restlessness as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her head, dispelling the heat entirely.


    Her heart raced with the sound of the lock turning, rising to her throat.


    ��Mom, I��m back.��


    ...


    A crisp voice of a young girl rang out.


    Boots tread upon the entrance hall��s passageway.


    Tap tap tap.


    The footsteps drew closer and closer.


    ��This is bad.


    Kafni felt a chill creeping up her ankles and rapidly ascending.


    In no time, her entire back was ice-cold.


    Someone pushed open the door and entered the room that was absolutely ��off-limits��.


    Moreover, Kafni recognized who the owner of that voice was.


    A red-haired girl.


    The captain of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, Lia!


    If Lia entered the room and found the team member she loathed the most was also there, and in the bedroom, ��treating�� her mother��


    Hisss.


    Kafni drew a sharp breath.


    The scenario was too horrifying even to contemplate.


    Without a second word, she snatched Monica from under the table and dashed for the balcony.


    Deity��s rule number one: when facing danger, prioritize strategic retreat!


    Just before jumping down, Kafni��s mind suddenly flashed with Lin Da��s tall figure in battle����I won��t leave any teammate behind!��


    She seemed to hear someone��s resounding voice beside her ear.


    Ah ah ah!


    Kafni inwardly cursed in frustration.


    Why did she have to think of Lin Da��s cool side at a time like this!


    It made it impossible for her to abandon Lin Da and escape by herself!


    Footsteps from the entrance hall were getting nearer.


    She could already see just the tip of a brown boot.


    In no more than a second, Lia would spot her.


    Quick, she had to act fast.


    Kafni was so anxious she was sweating.


    She held Monica tucked under her arm, the socially anxious girl��s pale legs flailing about.


    With the Agility attribute of a thief maximized, Kafni swiftly arrived in front of the bedroom door.


    She didn��t care what the two inside were doing anymore, she just pushed the door open:


    ��You two, stop right there, Lia, Lia is here!��


    At this moment,


    Lin Da was just about to start the treatment.


    ��Lady, I��m going to start now, okay?��


    From Kafni��s angle, she could only see Lin standing with his back to her atop the bed, and on the other side, Lady Bellini, sitting in a duck-like position, looking up at Lin.


    Lin had his left hand on her head to maintain balance.


    Since Bellini was completely blocked by Lin, whatever they were doing was not at all clear to see.


    But, they definitely were not helping Lin stitch his trousers.


    Kafni and Monica, who had never eaten pork but had read plenty of comic books and seen countless pigs run, both misunderstood, blushing furiously!


    ��Stop it, you jerk, now��s not the time for this!��


    ��Uh-uh, Lord Captain, it��s a pervert!��


    One was panicking, and the other blurted out, ashamed.


    ��Huh?��


    Lin shook his body in shock, turning around in confusion.


    On his hand was a Slime gel sleeve.


    And Lady Bellini shyly opened her red lips, like a patient waiting for the dentist��s treatment.


    ��What are you thinking!��


    Lin was half crying, half laughing.


    How could he bear to use such a method on Lady Bellini?


    Wasn��t that just blatantly asking for trouble and standing against The Mandalas?


    He had come to the bedroom with Bellini and closed the door precisely to avoid misunderstanding.


    Little did he expect Kafni would peek.


    ��Wait, what did you just say in the last sentence?��


    Lin Da discovered a blind spot.


    Just as Kafni heaved a sigh of relief, her nerves tensed up again, ��Quick, hide! Lia is coming!��


    ��Lia?!��


    The two people on the bed exclaimed in unison.


    Lin Da was surprised.


    Lady Bellini was a mix of shock and fear.


    If her daughter found out she and Lin Da were in the bedroom together, and they had taken apart the Slime gel sleeve��


    Oh my God! Lady Bellini��s vision went dark, and she almost fainted on the bed!


    ��Where is Lia now?�� Lin Da asked calmly.


    ��Uh����


    Lin Da didn��t need Kafni to answer, as he got his answer.


    The sound of footsteps approached the bedroom.


    The situation wasn��t looking good, was it?


    ��


    With a click, the bedroom door was pushed open.


    ��Mom, it��s almost afternoon, are you still not awake? Your letter sounded nice, but your health has deteriorated again!��


    Lia frowned in reproach as she turned on the magic lamp by the door.


    As the light came on, the darkness in the bedroom completely disappeared.


    The sight before her made a hint of suspicion appear on Lia��s face.


    Why did her mother seem different today compared to usual?


    Lady Bellini��s face was flushed, as if she had been sweating after vigorous exercise.


    She couldn��t even look at her daughter, as if she had done something wrong.


    Lady Bellini lay slantingly on the bed, leaning against the wall, covered with a large blanket.


    In her arms, she held a very long hammerhead shark stuffed animal,


    to her left and right were stuffed animals of a cat and a hush puppy.


    All were long, the kind of best-selling sleep companions you find in stores, and Lia had one herself.


    But did Lady Bellini need to hold three to fall asleep?


    The bed was stuffed so full it bulged.


    Didn��t that feel uncomfortable? sea??h th�� N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The more Lia thought about it, the stranger it seemed.


    Lady Bellini smiled gently and said, ��Mom has been obsessed with pillows these past few days, without them I just can��t calm down����


    ��Are you feeling very poorly? Why is your voice trembling when you talk?��


    Lia walked worriedly to the side of the bed.


    ��No, not at all, ah, um~ just a bit of a fever, that��s all.��


    Lady Bellini stuttered, her complexion changed, she bit her lip as if holding back something.


    ��Are you okay, mom? You look like you have a bad fever!�� Lia pouted, rummaging through the cabinet for fever-reducing pills.


    Taking advantage of her daughter��s back being turned, Lady Bellini solemnly touched the head of the hammerhead shark pillow and whispered a complaint:


    ��Please, don��t move around, Lia will find out!��


    Hammerhead Shark: ��Got it.��


    Yes.


    Inside this one-and-a-half-meter-long, oversized hammerhead shark, a man was hiding.


    In the nick of time before Lia entered the room, Lin Da and the others took the cotton out of the pillows and jumped inside.


    Even though Lin Da didn��t mind making a grand entrance,


    he couldn��t stand Lady Bellini��s earnest pleading.


    Lin Da, soft-hearted, agreed.


    At this moment, the hammerhead shark lying on top of Lady Bellini was him.


    The innermost cat pillow was Monica.


    The outer hush puppy was Kafni.


    That is to say, this small bed was, in fact, crammed with four people��


    Lia had no idea about the truth, thinking that only she and her mother were in the room. Murmuring ��idiot, can��t even take care of your own health,�� she brewed a fever-reducing potion for Lady Bellini.


    ��Lord Captain, Monica, Monica��s hot, I��m going to suffocate.��


    The cat stuffed animal nudged the hammerhead shark, and a faint voice came out from inside.


    The face-down Kafni also muttered, ��I��m exploding, the bear is going to crush me����


    ��Can you keep it down? If we��re found out, it��ll cause trouble for Lady Bellini,�� Lin Da said exasperatedly.


    Lady Bellini heard the others talking under the covers and was so anxious she nearly cried. Couldn��t they consider someone else��s feelings for once?


    ��Stop talking, all of you!��


    The lady twisted the ear of the hammerhead shark, puckered her lips, and reproachfully said.


    The three pillows finally stopped talking.

 Chapter 86 - 86: My daughter turned out to be a little fairy!

    Chapter 86: My daughter turned out to be a little fairy!


    Lia brewed the fever-reducing potion, handed it to Bellini with a stern face, and said, ��Drink this! You really are a foolish mother, if you��re unwell, then don��t activate such a powerful cooling magic array!��


    ��But it was really hot, mom,�� Bellini explained awkwardly with a wry smile.


    ��I saw a huge table filled with food outside.�� Lia pulled over a stool and sat in front of the bed, changing the topic curiously, ��Did you know I was coming home today?��


    ��Er, not really, your return home gave mom a fright, cough, I mean, a surprise!��


    ��As for those dishes, they weren��t meant to be shared with strangers. I was supposed to have lunch with your father, but then I was beaten.��


    Bellini covered her face, her expression somber as she spoke about the recent argument.


    ...


    Lia, angered, clenched her small fist and slammed it down hard on the table beside her!


    ��That��s why, why would you like that smelly old man! I will surpass the Crimson Adventure Team and teach him a lesson for you!��


    ��You also need to diligently take your medicine and wait for that day!��


    ��The higher levels of the World Tree must have a way to heal your body!��


    Bracing with pride, Lia resembled a fiery red rooster.


    Bellini, with a gentle look, touched her head and said, ��Thank you, dear, for caring so much about mom.��


    ��Not at all��I��m just going to the top of the World Tree to fetch some herbs for you,�� Lia retorted with her face flushing as she pushed Bellini��s hand away, fixing a steady glare on Bellini��s swollen face, ��That bastard old man, I will never forgive him!��


    ��Don��t hold a grudge against the old master. Without him, we would have starved on the streets long ago.�� Bellini sighed and said, ��Lia, there must be something you need this time you��ve come home, right?��


    Three years ago,


    Lia and her husband had a fallout, and in a fit of anger, she left Red Heart City, vowing she wouldn��t return unless her adventure team surpassed the Scarlet Adventure Group.


    Her sudden return definitely meant there was something important.


    Nestled in bed, Linda perked up her ears with keen interest.


    ��Give me money.��


    Lia, stretching out her small hand, said in distress, ��The Snow Goose Adventure Team is out of money, I can��t pay Aiko and the others their wages!��


    Failing to pay could lead to sanctions under the ��Adventurer��s Law�� by the Empire, with lighter consequences being the sale of equipment or fines, and severe penalties including imprisonment.


    So Lia hurried home to borrow money.


    ��How come? You wrote a letter to mom a few days ago saying everything was going well,�� said Bellini, surprised.


    ��The 11th level of the Mystic Realm was tougher than I thought, and the commanding healer wasn��t up to par; the strategy was poorly executed too!��


    Lia argued, her face red.


    ��Is it really the healer��s fault? Is there some issue within your team?�� Bellini asked patiently.


    Bellini still hadn��t thoroughly understood why the former healer Linda had left the team. Linda said it was because Lia had become increasingly annoying, but she wanted to hear her daughter��s side of the story.


    From a personal perspective, Bellini naturally sided with her daughter.


    She hoped to help her daughter, to persuade Linda together, to have Linda return to Snow Goose.


    ��Actually, Linda left the team,��


    Lia said sulkily, pursing her lips.


    Bellini already knew about it not long ago�� Sear?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bellini feigned a surprised expression: ��Ah, how could you kick him out of the team? Linda is such a fine lad��handsome, capable, good at caring for others. With such a great member, how could you not keep him?��


    Linda lay against Bellini, silently listening to the mother and daughter converse.


    Both Mrs. Bellini and Lia were wrong about one thing.


    The essence of his departure was that the initial intent of the Snow Goose Adventure Team had changed; Lia��s annoying behavior was just a contributing factor.


    ��It wasn��t me who kicked him out!��


    Lia��s defensive voice rang out, ��He left the team on his own, it had nothing to do with me!��


    ��?��


    Under the covers, question marks simultaneously appeared above the heads of Healer Linda and Kafni.


    Back in White Dove City, no matter who asked Lia, she would say that he was incompetent, that he was too slow in strategizing, and didn��t deserve to be a part of Snow Goose Adventure Team, so she kicked him out.


    But here, in front of her mother, she changed her story to say it wasn��t her doing, that his leaving the team had nothing to do with her?


    Linda had thought that after their failures on the ninth and eleventh levels, Lia would have at least reflected a little, realized the downside of her arrogance, and started to think of her teammates.


    It seemed she hadn��t realized her mistakes at all.


    Lady Bellini was also uncertain whether Lia was telling the truth, her face filled with worry as she said, ��Think carefully, does Linda��s departure really have nothing to do with you?��


    ��No!�� Lia responded immediately.


    Seeing her daughter��s neck flush red with urgency, Lady Bellini shook her head internally, convinced there must be a connection.


    ��It really wasn��t my fault.��


    Lia started counting on her fingers, listing grievances:


    ��After the fifth level, Linda took more than half a month each time to strategize, always off battling Monster Grandma in the wild, never participating in team building,


    either staying in his bedroom or going to the library, other adventure teams laughed, calling Snow Goose��s healer a reclusive fool!


    Such a person, he was too embarrassing for me!��


    The simulation training before strategizing was exhausting, and his commands needed to be followed within half a second, making him seem like the leader!


    His attitude also turned poor; he��d snap back whenever criticized, only responding with hesitant nods, what kind of team member does that?��


    The more Lia spoke, the more frustrated she became, she clenched her hands together, fiddling with her nails and mumbling to herself, ��He wasn��t like this before����


    Lady Bellini sighed.


    It seemed her daughter just didn��t understand.


    Was it possible that what Linda did was all for the team?


    Whether it was strategizing or training, it was all to help the team advance to higher levels.


    Lia was the leader of Snow Goose Adventure Team; no matter what Linda did, she was the one who benefited the most.


    It was because Linda did so well,


    that Lady Bellini felt confident giving him the Slime gel sleeve, trusting Linda to be highly beneficial to her daughter!


    ��Think about it, was what Linda did really for the team?��


    Lia opened her mouth to retort, but Lady Bellini gently tapped her on the head, ��Listen to Mom first.��


    ����Oh.��


    ��Mom is asking you, when you say Linda stays in the bedroom and library and doesn��t come out, isn��t it to help the team better strategize the next level? Your father��s Crimson Adventure Group also takes a long time to create their strategies, right?��


    ��Crimson Adventure Group has reached the 19th level; of course, their strategy creation takes a long time! And Snow Goose only just reached the 8th level a few days ago!��


    Lia assertively said, ��It��s just Linda being lazy; with his previous pace, he could have created the strategy much faster!��


    A vein throbbed on Lady Bellini��s forehead, even her good nature was tested to the point of laughter by Lia.


    From the letters Lia sent back, it was known that Snow Goose Adventure Team��s strategies for the first eight levels were flawless.


    She shared this with the leader of Crimson Adventure Group, her husband known as ��Bloody Baron��.

 Chapter 87 - 87: 87. Sorry, I cant bear it anymore.

    Chapter 87: 87. Sorry, I can��t bear it anymore.


    ��A talent not easily found,�� that was the Bloody Baron��s assessment of Lin Da.


    Many skilled commanders could easily pass through the initial eight levels of the Strategy.


    But to pass through easily and to emerge unscathed are two entirely different concepts.


    If not for Lin Da��s lower level, the Crimson Baron would have planned on recruiting him.


    Yet Lia felt that Lin Da was skiving off?


    Even if Lady Bellini was her mother, on this matter, she stood with Lin Da.


    ...


    What had her daughter experienced during the three years away from home that turned the once naive and warm-hearted Lia into someone with such an arrogant and haughty character?


    Lady Bellini couldn��t help but feel puzzled.


    Suddenly,


    she noticed that the clothes Lia was wearing seemed a bit too large. The sleeves were rolled up twice, and the black stocking didn��t fit well �� slightly too loose, slipping from the upper thighs to the middle.


    Noticing Lady Bellini��s unusual gaze, Lia explained, ��I bought the wrong size, but it doesn��t matter; I��ll grow into them soon.�� She frowned, as if unsatisfied with her height and certain other areas.


    ��But how can someone get the size wrong for their entire outfit?�� Lady Bellini realized something, her face changing as she was filled with helplessness. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Back when Lia was at home, it was always her who helped choose the clothes. Lia had enjoyed swordsmanship since she was young, showing a talent that was no less than her second brother, Dawen, but her ability to look after herself was even worse than a child��s.


    Lia frowned and said matter-of-factly, ��Buying clothes is just a minor thing; it��s the logistics member of the team who goes to make the purchases. All I need to do is to practice my swordsmanship.��


    ��Uh�� So how do you guys handle your meals?��


    ��There��s a logistics member; there��s no need to do it myself.��


    ��May I ask who this logistics member is��?��


    ��It��s Lin Da, of course.��


    Lia pursed her lips. ��He knows he can��t keep up with us because his level is low. When we��re out conquering the Mystic Realm, we contribute the effort, so naturally, he should take care of these miscellaneous tasks.��


    Lady Bellini held her forehead, feeling a sense of doom inside.


    Her original intent was, by gentle persuasion, to let Lin Da, hidden under the covers, hear that her daughter realized her errors and had repented.


    However, her plan backfired, and she ended up ��lifting a rock only to drop it on her own feet!��


    Why couldn��t her daughter see the efforts of others?


    Which adventurer would willingly take on the task of purchasing clothes for teammates and cook three meals a day!


    Lady Bellini��s husband, the Bloody Baron, wouldn��t even consider cooking �� if Lady Bellini herself prepared a large table of dishes, dressed up with care, ready to give it away for free, she would be met with a slap from the Bloody Baron!


    An excellent adventurer has the right to be proud, this is the common understanding of the world. With Lin Da��s standard in Strategy, even the Bloody Baron considered recruiting him, yet he still worked timidly, for the Snow Goose adventure team��


    Lady Bellini had thought that Lia had used personal charm or something of that nature, perhaps even flirtation, to keep Lin Da around.


    But it turned out that�� her daughter gave him nothing, yet demanded he work like an ox, putting his life in his work.


    Your bear may be small, but it��s still usable!


    Lady Bellini felt frustrated with her daughter��s stubborn refusal to see reason, staring at her as she stood there with her neck out and a defiant look, and couldn��t help wanting to slap her twice. Didn��t she see the two beautiful girls beside Lin Da? If you don��t make a move, your teammate might just become someone else��s!


    Lady Bellini felt so angry that she was dizzy, and the Witch��s Corruption that she had struggled to keep down nearly erupted again.


    Schooled into dizziness by her own daughter!


    And just then, Lia changed the topic.


    Which made Lady Bellini see a glimmer of hope.


    Lia said, ��After Lin Da left the team, I actually found a Healer who graduated from White Dove City��s Noble Academy to command the team. But after reaching the 11th level, it seemed�� he wasn��t as good as Lin Da.��


    Remembering Phyllis��s terrible command ability and comparing it with Lin Da, Lia spoke with hesitation in her tone, ��Could it be that Lin Da, that country bumpkin, is better than a graduate of Noble Academy?��


    Lady Bellini started smiling.


    That��s right, heap praises on Lin Da, that��s the only way he might have a change of heart!


    Whatever you said, Lin Da was in mom��s bed, listening!


    Lady Bellini thought of the comic books she had read, where things like affection points exist. Perhaps right now above Lin Da��s head, affection points +1 were popping up.


    ��Daughter, since you understand, why don��t you go and apologize to Lin Da, and ask him to come back?��


    Lady Bellini smiled as she stroked the hammerhead shark��s head.


    This teammate, mom has got to secure for you.


    But to her surprise, as soon as she said this, Lia stood up anxiously, like a cat with its tail on fire, and fury appeared in her eyes:


    ��It��s Lin Da who quit the Snow Goose Adventure Team on his own, isn��t that right? As the captain, why should I apologize to him!��


    It was over.


    Affection points -100!


    Lady Bellini was so angry she rubbed her temples and glared at Lia, her face bearing a trace of a mother��s authority:


    ��Have you thought about what the Snow Goose Adventure Team will do next? The losses on the 11th floor were great, weren��t they? Why don��t you go home? The lord won��t blame you.��


    ��Impossible!�� Lia said firmly, ��The mistake on the 11th floor is temporary, Phyllis guarantees to come up with a better strategy.��


    Talking about the defeat on the 11th floor, Lia found an outlet for her emotions, pouring out all the grievances and inconveniences she had encountered these days.


    Most of them were directed at the issue of Lin Da leaving the team:


    ��He��s like an old mother in the team, meddling in everything!��


    ��We are all trying hard, but he��s the one slacking off. He says he��s working on the strategy, but he��s probably worried about rushing through the levels too quickly, being left behind!��


    ��The team is full of girls, and he��s the only guy. The clothes that I��ve lost are probably stolen by him!��


    With every mean word from her daughter, Lady Bellini��s expression turned uglier.


    She came to realize that Lia��s dissatisfaction stemmed from Lin Da being too good; he was once a perfect 100, and now that he��d dropped to 90, Lia began to feel like Lin Da��s attitude had worsened��


    When in fact, most people who could score 70 were already considered competent team members.


    But Lia was holding Lin Da to the standard of a perfect score!


    At the root of it, it was because Lin Da had been too good to her daughter, making her accustomed to it; everything he did was taken for granted.


    Not only did she take Lin Da��s efforts for granted, she even went so far as to chastise him when he didn��t perform well��


    Her daughter was really terrible!


    Lady Bellini didn��t want to admit at all that this arrogant girl was her daughter!


    Just then, the hammerhead shark in her arms moved.


    Someone inside the pillow couldn��t listen to the girl��s unreasonable complaints any longer.


    One or two smear attempts he endured, pretending not to hear, for the sake of Lady Bellini��s face, letting Lia rant.


    But this litany of complaints, long and stinky like a Magic Academy opening ceremony speech, Lin Da couldn��t bear it!


    If he didn��t stop Lia, he feared she could go on for half an hour.


    His teammates Monica was nearly suffocated from the heat, Kafni the bear faced downward, afraid to turn over, breathing more and more difficult.


    Even for the sake of his own teammates, he had to stop this farce.


    ��No!�� Lady Bellini noticed the hammerhead shark trying to wriggle out from under the blanket, her expression dramatically changed, she pleaded desperately, ��Please, don��t come out, just endure a little longer����


    ��Sorry, I can��t bear it.��


    The hammerhead shark��s voice was icy cold.

 Chapter 88 - 88: 88, Red-skinned Duck Lia

    Chapter 88: 88, Red-skinned Duck Lia


    Mighty thighs, bursting through the belly of a fish.


    Both hands too ripped through the pillow, emerging from within.


    The Hammerhead Shark Monster.


    Makes a grand entrance!


    Lia��s incessant talking came to an abrupt stop.


    Dumbfounded, she watched the hammerhead shark crawl out of her mother��s bed.


    ...


    What is this thing?


    Are pillows this advanced nowadays?


    With hands and feet, and it moves?


    Under Lia��s stunned expression, the hammerhead shark took off its headgear.


    A tall man, standing about six feet tall, stepped out from the pillow.


    The sweltering heat caused sweat to roll down Lin Da��s chin, dripping onto the bed, soaking the sheets drop by drop.


    Sitting in the chair, the red-haired girl opened her mouth in shock, her slim fingers trembling as she pointed at him.


    Due to Lia��s intense emotions, she held her breath in her chest, like a magic machine jamming, unable to utter a word.


    Lin Da looked down calmly at her:


    ��It��s only you trying? Lia, don��t joke, when I work late into the night, what are you doing? Shopping, playing games with Klrona? Or sneaking out to buy snacks?��


    Lia didn��t take in any of the content of Lin Da��s words. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In her head, buzzing sounds rang out, her eyes reflecting Lin Da��s towering figure standing on the bed, and behind him, Bellini was covering her face, too ashamed to show herself��


    A bolt from the blue exploded in Lia��s heart, How could this be happening!


    Why was Lin Da in Red Heart City, staying at her home, living with her mother!


    Lia felt as if her brain was about to melt, she clenched her teeth tightly, turning her head to look at Bellini.


    ��Lia, listen to Mommy��s explanation, it��s definitely not what you think!��


    Bellini��s face was pale.


    At that moment, the pillows on either side also ��climbed�� up.


    They took off their headgear, revealing Kafni��s smirking face, and another girl, wearing a cardboard box, cowering in fear.


    One, two, three�� four!


    On this small bed, other than her mother, there were actually three more people hiding!


    Lia��s vision darkened, her voice hoarse, ��You all, were hiding from me�� doing that sort of thing?��


    ��The food outside wasn��t prepared for father. It was you guys, you all ate it, then in the bedroom��!��


    ��No wonder when I came back, mother looked odd, because I caught you! Before I came in, you were all here!!!��


    Lia��s face turned livid.


    She furiously glared at Lin Da, ��You can��t fight me, so you go after my mother, you��re despicable, shameless!��


    Lin Da shrugged his shoulders, offering no explanation.


    He got off the bed and passed by Lia, heading to a small cabinet to pour himself a glass of cold water.


    ��Say something!�� Lia went to grab his shoulder.


    ��Stop!�� A stern shout came from the side, Lia glanced sideways, it was her mother with a frosty face.


    In her entire life, she had never seen Bellini so furious, and she was startled momentarily.


    Then, Lia grew even more irritable, ��You��re going to cover for him? Despite doing something so disgraceful, you still dare to protect Lin Da!��


    ��You guys�� when did you become lovers! Why didn��t I know anything about this!��


    ��We��re not lovers!��


    Bellini couldn��t help but laugh, If someone from the family heard this, she would definitely be beaten to death as a wanton woman.


    ��Then what exactly is your relationship, explain!�� Lia looked at Lin Da, then back at her mother, her emotions in turmoil, desperately wanting to destroy something!


    Meanwhile, Lin Da coughed softly, gently shaking his head at Bellini.


    The Purifying Witch��s ability to cleanse the Witch��s Corruption, he didn��t want more people to know about it.


    It was a secret between him and Bellini, unrelated to Lia.


    But Bellini was having a hard time.


    How was she supposed to explain to the furious Lia why Lin Da was in her bed?


    ��Lia, you might not believe this, but it��s really true����


    ��Even though Lin Da was hiding in the pillow and was on the same bed as Mom, really, nothing happened between us.��


    ��Hah?! Are you saying those men who go to disreputable hotels are just having tea? Don��t treat me like a kid!��


    Lia laughed sarcastically, feeling her intelligence insulted.


    ��Don��t get worked up, calm down, Mom will prove it to you! Look, everyone is properly dressed. Mom is your father��s woman, and wouldn��t do what you��re thinking, Lia, please, let��s not make a big fuss, trust Mom����


    Bellini, tears streaming down her face, unsuccessfully grabbed Lia��s hand.


    If Dawen outside noticed and reported this to the Lord, she��d be doomed!


    ��I don��t want this either�� but you guys��!��


    Lia, pale, bit her lip continuously and took deep breaths to suppress her anger.


    Once her daughter had calmed down a bit, Bellini started to explain.


    She also concocted a perfect lie in her mind.


    Besides the part where Lin Da used his ability to heal, Bellini told Lia everything.


    ��So, it was Mom��s illness acting up, she fainted, Lin Da and others just happened to arrive, and they carried you into the bedroom, looking after you.��


    ��And to avoid suspicion, so as not to upset me, you came up with them crawling into a doll?��


    Lia was flabbergasted.


    Lin Da, with his arms crossed, nodded and said, ��Exactly, that��s the truth.��


    ��Really?�� Lia looked suspiciously at her mother.


    Bellini nodded repeatedly, ��Lin Da is indeed a savior. If it hadn��t been for him, Mom lying on the cold living room floor would have been dangerous.��


    Lia��s mind was in chaos.


    She lifted the bedcovers and found them very neat��any strange happenings would have left a trace.


    This was knowledge she had learned from Aiko.


    Her gaze carefully scoured the place, the bedsheet clean and tidy.


    Bellini and Lin Da��s clothes were also properly worn.


    So, was Lin Da�� really her mother��s savior?


    Had she misunderstood them all?


    Lia awkwardly touched her cheek.


    Though she was still somewhat disbelieving, the evidence was right before her eyes.


    ��Th-Thank you.��


    Even her thanks were barely louder than a mosquito buzzing.


    ��I saved your mother, it had nothing to do with you.��


    Lin Da seemed indifferent, ��Let��s get back to the earlier topic. You seemed to imply you��re the only one trying? Then I��d like to ask, what exactly are you, the team captain, doing in the dead of night?��


    ��Uh, I, Miss, am also trying hard!��


    Lia hesitated for a moment, then realized. Late at night, she��d usually be asleep already. If awake, she��d mostly hang out with Chloe or go to the Magic Shadow Theater, munching on popcorn and watching adventure-themed Magic Shadows.


    Lately, she had been practicing more diligently, as in just over two months, the Stone of the Brave would descend.


    But during the times Lin Da was around, her nighttime schedule was either sleeping or having fun. Lin Da��s question had caught her throat, and she couldn��t answer.


    Trying hard at what?


    Embarrassed, she couldn��t answer.

 Chapter 89 - 89: 89. He no longer belongs to Snow Goose (Asking for initial subscription)

    Chapter 89: 89. He no longer belongs to Snow Goose (Asking for initial subscription)


    Lin Da shook his head and continued, ��So the second question, as a team leader, you should be very familiar with the knowledge of various Magical Creatures, right? Any qualified team leader��s room had an entire bookshelf of materials!��


    ��That, that��s of course. I know all about Magical Creatures!�� Lia shifted her gaze away somewhat guiltily.


    ��Let me ask you, what is the weakness of the Gale Wolf? It��s a seventh-floor Magical Creature; don��t tell me you don��t know,�� Lin Da asked emotionlessly.


    The other three people in the room all knew the answer.


    Even Monica, who tended to keep to herself, had studied the Magical Creatures thoroughly.


    Lady Bellini, being unwell and confined at home, liked to read miscellaneous books in her spare time and knew the weakness of the Gale Wolf as well.


    ...


    ��This really wasn��t a difficult question.


    However, Lia��s face turned red as she racked her brain, seemingly vaguely remembering some information about the Gale Wolf, as if seeing flowers through the fog.


    She remembered, but not completely.


    Regardless of the Magical Creature, her swordsmanship skills always brought her to victory.


    There had always been a way, never an exception.


    Even with the most fearsome Magical Creature, with her talent, there was always a way to handle it!


    Suddenly, a spark of inspiration flashed in Lia��s mind, and she remembered the phrase ��iron head, tofu waist.��


    Her eyes lit up, and she confidently patted her chest, ��Isn��t it just the Gale Wolf? It can��t stump me; its weakness is its waist, the ��iron head, tofu waist,�� which refers to the Gale Wolf!��


    Having made this declaration, Lia held her head high, hands on her hips, her face full of pride. Not only did she answer the weakness of the Gale Wolf, but she also sounded well-read.


    However.


    Lady Bellini and the others all shook their heads.


    Ah?


    ��The wolf��s weakness is its waist, right?�� Lia said in a panic.


    Lady Bellini gently patted her head, sighed gently, her expression soft yet filled with helplessness:


    ��You are right, but the Gale Wolf is a very special Magical Creature.��


    ��Its weakness lies in the tail that controls its balance.��


    ��A Gale Wolf with an injured tail will see a significant reduction in speed, and its attacks will be weaker than other wolf Magical Creatures. Any adventurer will know this, right?��


    ��Everyone knows?��


    Lia blinked blankly, but she didn��t know?


    Lin Da was not surprised by this scene.


    Yes, this was Lia.


    A swordsman with top-notch combat talent, but a terrible memory, forgetting what she learned just a couple of days later.


    ��If you had studied seriously, even if you hadn��t learned it well, I would have thought highly of you,�� Lin Da said.


    ��I am the team leader, after all; that sort of thing can be handled by someone else! I just need to fulfill my duties as a leader!��


    Lia��s face burned hot with embarrassment, thinking that there must be other team leaders who were worse than her.


    Lin Da: ��The responsibilities of a team leader��? Okay, the final question is about the ��responsibilities of a team leader.�� You can surely answer it, right?��


    ��Bring it on!�� Lia stepped up, trying to look down at Lin Da.


    ��The final question is about the Snow Goose Adventure Team��s total output per second,�� Lin Da glanced at Lia, who looked like a dwarf, saying, ��You should know this, right?��


    ������


    Lia was speechless, unable to utter a word.


    Knowing the total output required remembering each team member��s skill damage.


    In the specific training grounds of the Adventurer��s Guild, using the level 1 warrior��s skill ��Shield Strike�� as a benchmark, the damage figures for each team member were obtained to calculate the maximum burst and lowest damage, and then an average to arrive at the total output per second.


    The most hair-raising part was that any change in the team members�� equipment or level upgrade would change the output total.


    One must always remember!


    Lia was already exhausted just from practicing swordsmanship, how could she possibly remember those complex numbers?


    ��So, do you know? The total output or something, it��s fine just to know roughly, right? No one would bother to remember such things!��


    Lia��s voice was initially soft, but as she talked, she felt quite justified and subsequently raised her head and chest, her voice growing louder.


    ��Okay, then let me tell you.��


    ��If Snow Goose��s equipment and level had stayed the same as the moment I left the team, expressed in ��Adventurer��s Basic Studies�� damage unit ��white value��, then����


    Lin Da envisioned a string of numbers in his mind and said slowly:


    ��Aiko��s maximum output white value, level 20 Ultimate Skill Rain of Light, 10720.


    The lowest output Light Ray Technique, 1005, considering that the Ultimate Skill could only be released once, and taking into account the chant speed of various Spells and the consumption of Magic Points��


    Averaged over one minute of total output, damage per second is 1560.


    Klyne��s maximum output, level 20 Ultimate Skill Storm Arrow, maximum output 6540, lowest output Sniping Arrow, 690�� average damage per second 958.


    Oru��damage per second 372.


    Klrona��580.


    You, with the combination of Energy Charging and Flame Slash, although the damage is high, the cost is also high, your damage per second is still less than Aiko, only 1404.��


    The data flowed methodically from Lin Da��s mouth. From the team members�� Common Skills to the Ultimate Skills, everything was firmly etched in his mind.


    Only with precise damage calculation can one accurately determine the boss��s phase changes; it is one of the fundamental skills of a commander.


    Lia��s complexion changed, ��That��s nonsense, how could one possibly remember all those numbers����


    ��Whether you believe it or not is up to you,�� Lin Da spread his hands.


    ��Hmm����


    A strange sound came from Lia��s throat.


    In fact, she had already believed.


    She didn��t remember others�� damage per second, but she knew her own.


    After leveling up to 24, she had tested it at the Adventurer��s Guild, and Lin Da��s data for her at level 23 was almost exact.


    ��But, but as good as theory is, it��s useless if no one implements those theories. The team still needs to rely on me, Miss!��


    ��You��re right.��


    Lin Da��s expression was calm, ��So I left the team to find other people.��


    Other people��?


    Instantly, the image of a Beastman with short pale blue hair floated before Lia��s eyes.


    Was Lin Da, who had worked for Snow Goose, now revolving around someone else? sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Was he cooking for a bunch of strangers, creating strategies?


    Lia clenched her fists, feeling inexplicably distressed.


    She had never considered this before. It seemed as if everyone revolved around her, and Lin Da was like a Magic Puppet who only moved when by her side, standing like a stone statue when away.


    Someday when Snow Goose became powerful, they would come back to admit their mistake, turning from a motionless Magic Puppet back to a living person.


    In fact, she was mistaken. Even if Lin Da left Snow Goose, he was still a living person, now striving alongside new teammates.


    Lia��s complexion turned pale.


    So, Lin Da no longer belonged to Snow Goose Adventure Team?


    She belatedly realized.


    Looking back, all she saw was a tall figure, laughing and talking as he walked away with his new teammates.


    Lia only felt as if there was a hole in the wall of her stomach, bitterly uncomfortable.

 Chapter 90 - 90: 90. Equipment: Blazing Bracelet (requesting first subscription)

    Chapter 90: 90. Equipment: Blazing Bracelet (requesting first subscription)


    She vigorously rubbed her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket and, with a stiff neck, said, ��So what, I��m better than you, and that��s enough!��


    Lin Da shook his head, ��In terms of strength, you��re not better than me either.��


    ��What? You��re too arrogant!��


    Lia angrily said, ��If you disagree, let��s fight it out!��


    Lin Da said, ��If it��s arm wrestling without using magic power, I��ll win.��


    ��Really, then bring it on! If you lose, you owe me an apology!��


    ...


    ��And if I win?��


    ��There��s no way Miss here could lose!��


    ��If you lose, I want one of your magical equipment.��


    Lin Da glanced at Lia��s wrist, where there was a fiery red bracelet.


    Magical Equipment ��Blazing Bracelet,�� a level 20 accessory.


    It was the most precious item Lia owned, other than the Heavy Sword Flame Devourer, worth over twenty thousand gold coins in the market.


    Unfortunately, she didn��t bring that greatsword, which would sell for at least thirty thousand.


    ��All right,�� Lia agreed readily.


    A few of them went to the living room and found an empty table.


    Kafni worriedly said, ��Can you handle it? Lia, that girl, has very high strength attributes, right?��


    ��Without using magic or battle qi, just physical strength, I won��t lose,�� Lin Da intentionally provoked Lia.


    In fact, even without using those, an adventurer��s basic attributes still enhance their physique.


    Normally speaking, Lin Da couldn��t possibly win.


    Otherwise, Lia wouldn��t have agreed to this wager so easily.


    Both Kafni and Bellini felt uneasy for Lin Da. Lia was already like a powder keg about to explode; if Lin Da lost to her, she would definitely taunt him mercilessly,


    and might even go so far as to push Lin Da��s head down and force him to apologize publicly in front of everyone in White Dove City��


    When Lin Da was a solo adventurer, it didn��t matter, but now, Lin Da was the captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team and at a crucial early stage of development.


    If he had to publicly apologize to Lia, he would completely lose face, and the reputation of Phoenix Tail Flower would plummet.


    Kafni frowned and looked around; Lin Da��s face showed no hint of panic, stable as an eighty-year-old magical beast old dog.


    ��The damned hero��s this side of him isn��t unlikable���� Kafni thought, feeling a subtle sense of pride within herself.


    Compared to her distrust of Lin Da, Monica��s faith was as solid as Bedrock.


    She believed that there was nothing Lin Da couldn��t handle once he got involved.


    At that moment.


    Lin Da and Lia��s wrists crossed as they grasped each other��s hands. S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��My Blazing Swordsman profession leans towards strength attributes, how could I possibly not win against the ��Healing Mage�� Lin Da?��


    Lia looked down on Lin Da, seemingly certain of her victory.


    She heard from Aiko that Lin Da had changed to Healing Mage, a profession that combined healing and poison techniques��a half-baked profession.


    How could such a lousy profession compare to her high-level advanced profession, Blazing Swordsman?


    Lady Bellini acted as the referee, ��Start!��


    ��Watch Miss here win in one go!��


    Lia��s wrist was about to exert force,


    At that moment, Lin Da suddenly threw something.


    She glanced at it instinctively.


    A small blue box.


    The pattern on it was a slime being squished into a steep mountain peak, and the bubble text read: ��Adventurer��s Wolf Fang Club, too big!��


    Was this a gel sleeve?


    And�� the largest size?


    Lia instinctively looked down towards Lin Da.


    She heard from Klyne that even Oru, such a big guy, used the smallest size.


    Given that Lin Da was about as tall as Oru, how could he possibly use the largest size��?


    This box of gel sleeves was also opened.


    Had Lin Da used it before? It couldn��t have been for her mother, right?


    A flood of information surged in.


    Just as Lia was distracted, Lin Da exerted force on his arm.


    While she was off guard,


    with a snap.


    Lia��s hand was pressed down on the table.


    The sound was crisp and powerful, reddening the back of Lia��s hand.


    Lia hadn��t even realized what happened.


    Only when she felt the pain did she cry out in surprise,


    Focusing her gaze, she saw her right hand touching the table and Lin Da��s composed expression.


    ��Not even slightly guarded, and you call yourself the captain of an adventure team?�� Lin Da said lightly.


    ����You!��


    Finally snapping back to her senses, Lia stood up in anger and embarrassment, ��Cheating, this is cheating! It doesn��t count!��


    ��Is there a rule that says no cheating? Would you ask your enemy to follow rules?��


    Lin Da sneered, ��It was your own carelessness that led to your loss.��


    Lia��s face turned red and white.


    She wanted to refute Lin Da with her knowledge.


    But even racking her brain, she couldn��t find a way to argue.


    It seemed like Lin Da made a lot of sense!


    The others present had various thoughts.


    Kafni was all smiles, thinking about where to sell Lia��s magical equipment to improve the team��s living conditions.


    Monica muttered softly, ��Monica knew it, our captain will definitely win, our captain is the best.��


    Lady Bellini was mixed with joy and concern.


    She wanted to teach her daughter a lesson, but she didn��t want her daughter to get hurt.


    Seeing Lia��s face, it was uncertain how many punches she would throw at her doll to vent when no one was around.


    Lady Bellini stroked Lia��s head and said, ��You need to be an adventurer who keeps promises, otherwise everyone will look down on you.��


    ��But I��ve used this equipment for a long time,�� Lia reluctantly guarded the red bracelet on her wrist.


    ��That��s still not acceptable,�� Lady Bellini said seriously.


    ��Can��t we swap it for something else?�� Lia glared at Lin Da.


    ��If you ask me, I might consider it,�� Lin Da said.


    ��Who would ask you!�� Lia��s eyes widened, she bit her lip and said, ��Give you equivalent gold coins, that should be enough, right?��


    ��That would do, bring them,�� he replied.


    ��Eh����


    Lia suddenly remembered, she had no money.


    She couldn��t even pay her teammates�� salaries.


    Lin Da hummed, ��The captain of the Snow Goose, can��t afford to lose?��


    This comment made Lia reboot in anger, she furiously took off the bracelet from her wrist and threw it at him:


    ��Here, it��s just a purple equipment, what��s there to not afford to lose, with the strength of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, we can get a new one soon.��


    ��Perhaps you should settle the Snow Goose��s financial crisis first,��


    Lin Da remarked blandly.


    Ignoring Lia��s angry gaze, he caught the bracelet and began to toy with it.


    This bracelet was entirely red, like finely cut crystal with dense fire elements flowing inside, as if it was encapsulating magma.


    Lin Da��s gaze shifted, and a transparent information box popped up before him:


    [Name: Blazing Bracelet]


    [Type: Equipment �C Accessory]


    [Quality: Purple Rare]


    [Level: 20]


    [Attribute Points: Fire fighting spirit damage +10%, Strength +300]


    [Equipment Score: 570]


    Lin Da��s eyelids twitched.


    The attributes of this Blazing Bracelet were almost twice as high as those of his level 10 Walnut Wood Magic Sword.


    The attributes didn��t surprise Lin Da, as magical equipment naturally grants more attributes with higher levels.


    What really surprised him was that the attributes of the Blazing Bracelet were all added in the right direction.

 Chapter 92 - 92: 92. Item: Metal Destroyer

    Chapter 92: 92. Item: Metal Destroyer


    The two walked down the hallway leading to the treasury, idly chatting:


    ��Lady, you��re bringing me in here, but won��t the Bloody Baron get angry if he finds out?��


    ��It��s alright. Actually, this is just the outer treasury, which stores equipment and magic items below level 30. Only the master holds the key to the core treasury����


    Lin Da nodded, ��I can understand that. Equipment above level 30 is too precious.��


    When he had his own core treasury in the future, he would also keep the key to himself. He didn��t quite trust people like Kafni and Monica, let alone the sickly Third Lady Bellini.


    ��Can I take anything I want from the outer treasury?��


    ...


    ��Yes, anything at all, but only one item, that��s the most I can do.��


    Lady Bellini said gloomily, ��Among the three wives of the master, I am the least favored. It��s been ten years, and the master has only been intimate with me once����


    Lin Da stumbled, his face turning somewhat embarrassed.


    Does this lady lack common sense, or is she just a big dork��


    Why does she always talk to him��a young man in the prime of life��about her affairs with the Bloody Baron!


    Lin Da changed the topic: ��Since the Baron has only touched you once in ten years, why is Lia eighteen years old?��


    ��Well�� Lia is the master��s illegitimate daughter. She was brought home when she was eight years old,�� Bellini responded.


    Lady Bellini��s countenance darkened as she remembered the days of poverty, ��The master provided us, mother and daughter, with comfortable conditions, but Lia doesn��t show him any respect. She believes it was because he left us outside all the time that I ended up hurt by a witch, resulting in my weak constitution����


    ��No wonder Lia sometimes seems rather unsophisticated,�� Lin Da muttered internally.


    Compared to the genuine young lady Aiko, Lia, besides her temper, was a total mess in every other aspect; she knew nothing of noble etiquette.


    Arriving at the treasury hall, Lin Da focused his mind and began to seriously select.


    Since he could choose only one item, he had to be cautious.


    At first glance, the rack directly in front was full of weapons.


    From the Mage��s long and short wands, to the Swordsman��s greatswords and one-handed swords, the Warrior��s shields, axes, armor,


    as well as the Rogue��s daggers and some odd weapons for other occupations, it was a vast and splendid array.


    Each item radiated a pale blue glow, with some even shining a purple light.


    Lin Da couldn��t help but gasp.


    The total value of everything in the treasury was probably close to a hundred million Gold Coins!


    Magical equipment lined an entire wall, with magic items on both the left and right sides, including some rare Skill Stones.


    Lin Da walked and looked around, using the system to assess the value of each item.


    [Equipment: Shining Staff]


    [Level: 15]


    [Quality: Purple Rare]


    ��


    [Equipment: Lightweight Chainmail of Rage]


    [Level: 19]


    [Quality: Purple Rare]


    ��


    [Equipment: Gloomy Serrated Dagger]


    [Level: 27]


    [Quality: Purple Rare]


    ��


    Lin Da looked at many items and was plagued by indecision.


    There were just too many excellent Purple Equipment items, and it was hard to say which one was definitively better than the others.


    ��Take your time, no rush,�� Lady Bellini said as she saw his furrowed brow and smiled gently.


    And just then, something on the right rack flashed.


    Lin Da glanced subconsciously.


    In one compartment, there was a silver, transparent test tube shaped potion.


    ��Eh, what is this��?��


    His expression changed slightly as he hurried over.


    Upon getting closer, he focused his spiritual power on the silver potion.


    A system message popped up:


    [Item: Metal Destroyer]


    [Effect: Greatly increases hit rate against Metal Series magical creatures for a duration of 10 minutes]


    Increasing hit rate��


    At first glance, there was nothing special about this potion.


    While hit rate is important, most Metal Series magical creatures are cumbersome and cannot dodge the attacks of adventurers.


    But Lin Da knew of a Metal magical creature with smooth skin that could nearly dodge all attacks.


    Unless you were dozens of levels above it, crushing it, adventurers of the same level could only watch helplessly as the creatures ran away!


    The reason they ��let them run away�� instead of fleeing themselves was because these creatures had no attack power, were naturally timid, and their only purpose was to be killed by adventurers, dropping massive rewards.


    This was a creature that did not exist in reality, only encountered within the World Tree Secret Realm.


    It was a gift from the World Tree Goddess to those lucky adventurers.


    Its name was: Metal Slime!


    A special mutation, suspected to be a rare Slime plucked straight from a certain Dragon Battle game.


    Lin Da had grinded for Metal Slimes many times in the game, but most of the time, the Metal Slimes escaped.


    Only with incredibly good luck could he possibly kill one.


    Back then, Lin Da��s adventure team had reached an average level of 50, while the Metal Slimes they encountered were only level 20.


    At level 50 battling a level 20, it was still not certain they could kill a Metal Slime; after several missed attacks in a row, the creature would simply run away.


    That��s why Lin Da didn��t unlock the secret level and search for Metal Slimes when he led Snow Goose through the first layer.


    However, using this potion named [Metal Destroyer], the hit rate could be greatly increased.


    Metal Slimes didn��t have much health, but the tricky part was their annoyingly high evasion rate.


    Once successfully killed, the adventurers�� party members would gain a massive amount of experience points, and rare magical equipment!


    The Metal Destroyer potion was extremely rare but, due to its niche use, few merchants went out of their way to collect it. Even if adventurers produced a bottle, they would use it carelessly, never realizing the value of the Metal Destroyer.


    Finding this potion in the treasury of the Scarlet Adventure Group was an unexpected delight for Lin Da. S��ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He concealed the excitement in his heart and said, ��My lady, the item I want is this one.��


    ��Huh, are you sure? This thing seems pretty ordinary, doesn��t it?�� Lady Bellini looked surprised.


    Even she knew that a potion with such a limited use, only targeting Metal Series magical creatures, was not very valuable. Nearly any piece of Purple Equipment would be stronger than it.


    Lin Da politely refused, ��I��m quite interested in this item, that��s the one for me. Please help me get it out, my lady.��


    Looking over the treasures in the vault, the most precious thing was without question the Metal Destroyer potion.


    It signified a chance for a first kill on a hidden boss, and its value was far beyond that of Purple Equipment.


    ��Are you sure, you want just this one?�� Bellini asked again and again. It was apparent she truly had his interests at heart, fearing he wouldn��t take full advantage of her husband��s generosity.


    ��My lady, I��m sure, it��s this one!�� Lin Da nodded seriously.


    ��Alright���� Lady Bellini sighed softly, unlocked the glass seal of the compartment with a key, took out the test tube shaped Metal Destroyer potion, and handed it to him.


    Lin Da��s gaze swept over:


    [Item Name: Metal Destroyer]


    [Category: Magic items]


    [Effect: Greatly increases hit rate against Metal Series magical creatures, duration ten minutes]

 Chapter 93 - 93: 93, Basement Treatment (Subscribe Please)

    Chapter 93: 93, Basement Treatment (Subscribe Please)


    The silver potion felt slightly cool to the touch, its interior sparkling with star-like lights��utterly captivating.


    Lin Da placed the Metal Destroyer in his pouch, sandwiched between the small Life Potion and the Magic Potion.


    The more potions he had, the safer Lin Da felt.


    With the Large Explosion Stone as his ace card, he had no fear to challenge the World Tree Secret Realm.


    ��If I delve deeper, the higher the level the better. I need to absorb Bellini��s contamination and gain more Mystical Points!��


    Lin Da carefully stored the potion and looked down at Bellini, who was considerably shorter than him.


    ...


    He smiled, hinting at something. ��Ma��am, it seems quite safe here, with no outsiders to disturb us.��


    As if a switch had been triggered, Bellini��s fingers trembled slightly. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Now, it indeed is a good opportunity����


    ��


    ��


    ��Purification.


    A verdant glow of life blossomed from Lin Da��s right hand.


    The source of contamination troubling Bellini was continuously purified, and her previously pale complexion gradually turned rosy.


    It was as if time had reversed, transforming her from a woman in her thirties back into a young girl.


    Bellini opened her eyes wide in surprise.


    She felt much lighter, and her head no longer felt heavy.


    Her sense of smell and hearing became acuter.


    Similarly, Lin Da also reaped substantial gains.


    System notifications popped up one after another:


    [Absorbing Masterless Witch��s contamination; Mystical Points +100]


    [Absorbing Masterless Witch��s contamination; Mystical Points +230]


    [Absorbing Masterless Witch��s contamination; Mystical Points +370]


    [��]


    Five minutes later, Lin Da felt tired.


    His Magic Power was nearly depleted, and the contamination absorbed was also dwindling.


    This meant that most of the contamination at this depth had been eliminated by him.


    He checked his gains: a total of 2300 Mystical Points, counting the previous ones, making for a total of 4267 points.


    If the Experience Points worked just like in a game, Lin Da, at level 8 with 300/1500 Experience Points, would only need 4200 Mystical Points to reach level 10.


    From level 8 to 9 required 1500 Experience.


    From 9 to 10, it doubled to 3000 Experience.


    Reaching level 10 was a milestone for adventurers, significantly increasing Attribute Points, mastering new skills, and meaning a departure from the lower tiers into a relatively decent life.


    If he desired, Lin Da could use the 4267 Mystical Points to boost himself to level 10 at any time.


    But now clearly wasn��t the right time, as the golden glow of leveling up would blossom from him and attract Bellini��s attention.


    At this moment, Bellini hesitantly said, ��Although I feel much better now�� it seems it didn��t cure me completely, did it?��


    ��About that, I must apologize to you,�� Lin Da bowed solemnly. ��I underestimated the Witch��s Corruption. The witch who hurt you is stronger than I expected!��


    If Lulu were the standard, the contamination in Bellini��s body would typically be eliminated with just one purification.


    What Lin Da hadn��t anticipated was how stubborn the source of contamination was!


    After a moment��s hesitation, he decided to reveal the ultimate treatment method to Bellini.


    ��What, what?!��


    ��I��m not ready for this!��


    Bellini backed away from Lin Da in a flurry, her hands guarding her front like a frightened deer.


    Lin Da chuckled, ��Ma��am, you needn��t be like this. I won��t force you! Whether to treat it or not is entirely up to you. Besides, I��ve run out of Magic Power today, so I couldn��t treat you even if I wanted to.��


    ��


    (P.S. Dear reviewer, please approve!


    Missed a thousand words; sorry, will add another chapter tonight, yikes!


    Also, continuing to ask for subscriptions, thanks for the support!)

 Chapter 94 - 94: 94. Small Event: Murderous Crab Frenzy

    Chapter 94: 94. Small Event: Murderous Crab Frenzy


    However, it seemed that Lady Bellini did not refuse?


    She said she wasn��t yet mentally prepared.


    Once ready, could the treatment begin?


    A flicker of surprise passed over Lin Da��s face,


    he had thought that Bellini would sternly refuse, preserving her dignity as a lady.


    It can only be said that Bellini really had her daughter��s best interests at heart.


    ...


    Otherwise, her downfall was sure to strike Lia hard.


    ��Um, if we proceed with the treatment, wouldn��t it trouble you?�� Lady Bellini frowned, and said, ��Your two girlfriends, would they get angry?��


    ��Are you referring to Kafni and Monica?�� Lin Da waved his hand: ��They aren��t in a romantic relationship with me.��


    ��And you, personally, it doesn��t matter to you?�� Bellini, holding back her shame, summoned the courage to look at this tall young man.


    Lin Da said seriously, ��Of course it doesn��t. As a single, old Healing Mage, if I could receive your guidance on my first attempt, it would be an honor.��


    ��Ah, it��s your first time?��


    Bellini was stunned.


    ��Yes, but I believe even for my first time, I��m still stronger than most,�� Lin Da said confidently.


    ��I�� understand. Please allow me to think it over, after all, this isn��t a decision I can make immediately.��


    Bellini was still scared of the Bloody Baron.


    ��Understood.�� Lin Da nodded, took a pen and paper from his pouch, scribbled down an address, and handed it to Bellini.


    ��Once you��ve decided, you can contact me here.��


    ��Okay,�� Bellini said timidly as she took it.


    As if this piece of paper were an invitation from a demon, leading to a fall into the abyss.


    Lin Da joked, ��Remember to keep it from the Bloody Baron.��


    ��Of course,�� Bellini rolled her eyes, inadvertently oozing the charm of a mature woman.


    ��If you can successfully cure me���� Bellini thought carefully for a while, then said earnestly, ��I��ll secretly take you to the master��s core treasury!��


    ��It��s a deal,�� Lin Da smiled and nodded.


    ��


    The door to the outer treasury was finally opened.


    Kafni had been waiting impatiently and complained, ��What were you doing inside, picking equipment is so troublesome.��


    Upon seeing Lin Da, Monica immediately clung to him like a tail, timidly grabbing the hem of his clothes.


    Ruffling Monica��s paper box, Lin Da, with a piercing gaze, said, ��We should take our leave, back to White Dove City.��


    This trip to Red Heart City had been very rewarding for him.


    A new member of the team, a bottle of Metal Destroyer Potion, and Lia��s level 20 Magical Equipment, the Blazing Bracelet.


    Both manpower and resources were ample.


    It was time to conquer the World Tree Secret Realm.


    Having been away from White Dove City for three days, he wondered how Lulu was doing.


    Had she gone looking for him?


    If she found him gone, would she think he had fled with her secret?


    Thinking of that beast-eared girl, Lin Da felt exceptionally troubled.


    Being high level was all well and good, but not as obedient as Monica!


    ��


    As they emerged from underground, Lin Da heard the sound of fierce fighting.


    The group looked ahead in surprise to see two figures in the courtyard, one red and one golden.


    They intermingled, their Battle Qi fiercely colliding, each strike like thunder, causing painful ringing in the ears!


    ��Dawen and Lia, why are they fighting?��


    Lin Da wondered.


    The red figure, like an enraged leopardess, aggressively attacked. Although Lia was of a lower rank than the latter, she was on the offensive.


    Between each punch and kick, she produced trails of afterimages, her movements fluid without a hint of stiffness, her fiery red hair swirling behind her like a cape, forcing Dawen to retreat.


    But this was only on the surface.


    Lin Da��s expression gradually turned serious.


    At a glance, it seemed Lia had the upper hand, but Dawen, using Thunder Fighting Spirit, remained cold and unflustered, obviously testing Lia��s strength.


    ��Don��t underestimate me, my Snow Goose will someday surpass the Crimson Adventure Group!�� Lia roared, her right fist enveloped in exploding fiery Battle Qi, smashing towards Dawen��s head.


    This punch was extremely fast and Lia had secretly added the Skill ��Energy Charging.��


    Dawen��s expression changed, his previously effortless state finally breaking. Even he, a Star-ranked adventurer, hadn��t seen when Lia had charged up. Those punches and kicks were merely a smokescreen.


    The fist grazed Dawen��s cheek, like a swift blade, slicing a small cut in the Battle Qi shield on his body, spraying blood everywhere.


    -1000!


    In Lin Da��s vision, a red number popped above Dawen��s head.


    However, since the opponent was high-level, his health points were frighteningly high.


    Even after losing 1000 hit points, it was still just a minor injury.


    But this strike enraged Dawen, Thunder Fighting Spirit circulated through his body, his muscles swelling explosively as he counter-grabbed Lia��s attacking right arm, and threw her over his shoulder!


    With a loud thud, the white flagstones in the yard shattered, a small crater formed by the impact.


    ��Lia!�� As a mother, Bellini rushed forward anxiously to intervene.


    ��Don��t go over there, be careful not to get caught in it.��


    Lin Da grabbed Bellini and squinted towards the center of the battle engulfed in dust, where he could vaguely see the number -500 popping up above Lia��s head.


    If that over-the-shoulder throw had landed properly, she would have lost about 2000 Hit Points.


    ��She��s fine,�� Lin Da said calmly.


    As the saying goes, where there��s smoke, there��s no injury.


    Lia, who was thrown over the shoulder, landed steadily on her feet and suddenly released flames from her hands, forcing Dawen to step back.


    Dawen wiped the wound on his cheek with his thumb, and seeing the streak of crimson, he smiled, ��Three years no see, and you��ve upgraded from trash to deadwood level, not bad.��


    Lia��s gaze fixed dead on Dawen, her body��s Fire Battle Qi burning like fierce flames, ��Energy Charging!��


    ��Stop fighting, you two!��


    ��As siblings, you should get along!��


    Bellini stood angrily between them, ��If you keep this up, I��ll have to tell the old man!��


    At the mention of ��old man,�� Dawen frowned, dispersed his Battle Qi, and looked toward Lia not far away, snorting coldly, ��You��re lucky this time. If I run into you next time you come back, I��ll continue to teach you a lesson.��


    ��Who��s afraid of whom, I��ll trample you underfoot sooner or later!�� Lia scoffed.


    ��Enough!�� Bellini grabbed her daughter��s hand and bowed apologetically to Lin Da, ��I��m really sorry, I need to discipline my daughter a bit more, so I won��t see you off.��


    ��Madam, you��re weakened, please go back and rest,�� Lin Da said understandingly, nodding.


    ��So you haven��t left yet,�� Lia glared at him fiercely, and then was pushed by Bellini into the mansion.


    In the manor, only Lin Da, his group, and Dawen were left.


    Dawen spoke first.


    Compared to the cold demeanor when they first met, Dawen��s attitude was inexplicably friendlier. The second young master of the Mandala Family seemed to be in a much better mood after Lia drew blood with a punch:


    ��That fool is not fit for exploring the Mystic Realm; I hope you can wake her up and make her roll back here.��


    Lin Da was curious, ��But I��m just a level 8 adventurer; how could I possibly do that?��


    ��You can��t, but I think your team can,�� Dawen said, appreciation showing in his eyes. ��Lia left home at level 7, and you��ve helped her adventure team reach the eighth layer in three years. Such ability is top-notch even in Red Heart City.��


    Lin Da shook his head, ��But I��m not interested in meddling in your family affairs; managing my own team is already enough work.��


    ��No need for modesty, if I say you can do it, then you can,�� Dawen said proudly. ��You��ve looked after Lia for three years in Snow Goose; consider it a favor the Mandala Family owes you. If you face difficulties in Red Heart City, feel free to use my name.��


    ��Thanks for that.��


    Lin Da was naturally happy to accept the benefits.


    He performed a courteous adventurer��s bow, commonly used, and prepared to leave.


    ��Oh, right.��


    Dawen slapped his head as if remembering something and cautioned, ��Be careful around the Breeze River Beach area when you head back to White Dove City. Our adventure team��s scouts have found that the magical creatures there are not normal; there might be mutated high-level Magical Beasts appearing.��


    ��Those creatures are not something your team can handle. Maybe you��ll see our Crimson Adventure Group in action�� heh, speaking of which, it��s been a long time since we��ve clashed with your city��s White Dove Adventure Group.��


    White Dove Adventure Group?


    Lin Da paused in his steps.


    He had almost gotten calluses on his ears from hearing these five words so often.


    Everyone in White Dove City was familiar with this adventure group.


    The strongest Iron Level Adventure Group in the city, a benchmark for all.


    ��Right, you just mentioned Breeze River Beach?�� he asked seriously.


    Dawen hummed an affirmation, ��Recently, Murderous Crabs have migrated there; it��s estimated a mutated leader exists. When you go back to White Dove City, remember to avoid it.��


    ��Thanks for the heads up.�� This time, Lin Da genuinely performed an adventurer��s salute.


    The mention of Murderous Crabs and Breeze River Beach triggered a memory:


    It was a small event, ��Murderous Crab Tide�� about to start.


    By his calculations, it would start in about ten days.


    This was a major summer event, ��Hero��s Stone Descendance,�� a warm-up event.


    Intended to help adventurers quickly level up and increase the chance of obtaining Hero��s Stones.


    Breeze River Beach would be the epicenter of the Murderous Crab Tide.


    Players eliminating Murderous Crabs during the event period would receive an Experience Points boost.


    In real life, such reward schemes would definitely vary, which Lin Da needed to watch out for.


    ��


    The trio bid farewell to Dawen, went to the Adventurer��s Guild, and hired a carriage specifically for long off-road journeys, heading back to White Dove City. sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the carriage, Kafni excitedly held a red-and-blue handheld console she had pilfered from someone��s bag, controlling the magic puppet inside to farm monsters, occasionally exclaiming how exhilarating it was, looking like someone who had never seen the world.


    Meanwhile, Monica slept on Lin Da��s lap, her breathing calm and steady.


    Lin Da quietly picked up the girl��s paper box to ventilate it, his fingers stroking her rosy cheeks, somewhat lost in thought.


    If handled well, the Murderous Crab Tide event could fatten up his team in one go.


    These creatures were weak to Weak Earth Series Magic and Striking Series damage.


    Once the tide erupted, two types of equipment were sure to rise in price:


    Earth Series Magic Wands, Magic Scrolls.


    Striking Series hammers, axes.


    Prices would rise by at least 20%.


    Lin Da massaged his chin, pondering: Stock up on goods now, and he could make a killing.


    He needed to secure more Gold Coins before everyone realized the Murderous Crab Tide was about to start.


    With his foresight, the more he hoarded, the more he would earn.

 Chapter 95 - 95: 95, Squad Module Activation

    Chapter 95: 95, Squad Module Activation


    ��It��s just a pity that I have so few gold coins, even selling Lia��s Blazing Bracelet would only make about 30,000 gold coins.��


    In the carriage, Lin Da pondered for a moment and decided to use the World Tree Secret Realm as a breakthrough point.


    The hidden bosses on the first and third levels had not yet been discovered by anyone.


    Not sure about other provinces, but in Cangqing Province, where White Dove City is located, no adventure team had killed a hidden boss yet.


    According to the settings in the game, the team that first kills in each area will get a ��guaranteed magical equipment drop�� BUFF.


    For those who kill the hidden boss afterwards, the drop rate will be smaller and smaller.


    ...


    Until it becomes ��need to rely on lottery-level luck to drop a piece of magical equipment.��


    There��s only one reason for the low drop rate.


    The equipment dropped by the hidden boss is of high rarity, at least of purple quality!


    If Lin Da could be the first to kill two hidden bosses, the problem of low gold coins would be effortlessly resolved.


    Then by hoarding during the Murderous Crab onslaught�� he might save up hundreds of thousands of gold coins.


    Lin Da took out paper and pen from the hanger bag and began to craft a strategy for the hidden bosses during his journey back to White Dove City.


    ��


    In the blink of an eye, the outside was already dotted with stars.


    A beam of bright moonlight, passing through the carriage window, landed on Lin Da��s feather pen.


    He paused for a moment, feeling how quickly time had flown.


    Stretching lazily and rubbing his sore eyes, he folded the strategy paper and placed it back in the hanger bag.


    Kafni was already asleep, sprawled in the middle of the carriage, drooling and mumbling ��so big, I can��t eat anymore����.


    Not knowing what terrible dream she was having, her right hand kept rubbing her chest back and forth.


    This is really not suitable for children!


    Lin Da��s mouth twitched.


    Glancing to the side, the Magic Conductor Handheld Console was emitting a faint light; Monica, focused and intent, was controlling a mage Magic Puppet with a little red cap, fighting against a Shadow Wolf.


    An idea struck him, and he murmured, ��Klrona seems to play this too, right?��


    Upon hearing his voice, Monica put down the handheld console, her eyes lighting up excited, ��This Magic Puppet game is really fun, Captain, would you like to try it?��


    ��Eh, I��ll pass,�� Lin Da declined, ��By the way, these game-specific magic puppets must be expensive, right? With your former income�� um, how could you afford it?��


    In Lin Da��s memory, those exquisite little dollies inside the magic handheld console were at least 10 gold coins each, like in Klrona��s room, which had several walls�� worth, some limited editions even reached up to a thousand gold coins.


    ��That��s why those Beastmen came to collect debts,�� Monica said disheartenedly, clutching the console, ��Monica only has one Magic Puppet.��


    Looking at Monica, who appeared like a poor child, Lin Da couldn��t help but sigh. Although both were lolis, Klrona was clearly much richer than Monica, boasting piles of toys and not just magic puppets!


    ��When we get to White Dove City, I��ll buy a new one for you,�� Lin Da promised, caressing Monica��s little head with a grave expression.


    ��No need, this one Magic Puppet is enough for Monica,�� Monica said confidently, ��In this Magic Puppet game, Monica is invincible; I can beat a level 17 Shadow Evil Wolf without taking any damage!��


    Playing with Monica for a while, Lin Da realized this girl indeed had extraordinary potential in the Magic Puppet game; even after learning how to control the Magic Puppet, he was still repeatedly defeated by the Shadow Evil Wolf.


    In Monica��s hands, the Little Red Cap Magic Puppet slithered like a slippery mudfish, the Shadow Evil Wolf couldn��t even touch it once.


    ��If Klrona played with her, they would probably have a lot of fun together.��


    Lin Da imagined the scene of a big and a small loli, both wearing white stocking, sitting side by side on a small sofa, playing the Magic Puppet game, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.


    Klrona, one of the veterans of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, profession: Heavy Armored Warrior, innate skill ��Guardian��s Heart��.


    Sacrificing agility, significantly increases physical defense.


    After the second awakening, comparable to a Five-Star SSR Character!


    Unfortunately, Klrona did not like him, considering him a useless ��Small Fry��.


    ��Unless I can beat her with my own hands, I can��t shake off this title,�� Lin Da thought helplessly.


    Late into the night.


    The carriage traveled over the rugged wilderness.


    It took Lin Da a long time to fall into a troubled sleep.


    [System Notification: Squad module loading, 98%��99%��100%]


    [Squad module has been activated]


    After roughly three to four hours of sleep, the mechanical voice by his ear woke Lin Da up.


    He opened his bleary eyes and pulled back the curtain, looking outside.


    The night was still deep, stars speckled abundantly, around midnight.


    In the bottom right of his field of view, a little envelope was flashing.


    Upon opening it, he found out that the squad module had been activated.


    Lin Da��s spirits lifted slightly, and his drowsiness diminished a lot.


    He simply sat up to study the functions of the squad module.


    The background of the squad interface was a shade of bronze, with five big characters at the top: Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.


    Below was a list displaying the avatars and basic information of the squad members.


    Scanning the list, there were only three names:


    Captain: Lin Da, Healing Hero, level 8.


    Member: Monica, Earth Mage, level 15.


    Teammate: Lulu, Frost Wolf Warrior*Witch, Level 25.


    Seeing this list, Lin Da understood why his previous invitation for Lulu to join the team didn��t meet the team-building conditions.


    Kafni, that guy, isn��t human at all!


    She is a summoned beast, one with me!


    It was only with Monica that the team was successfully formed.


    Lin Da glanced at a deity who was drooling in their sleep and shook his head speechlessly, refocusing on the team module.


    In the upper right corner of the interface, there was a passive skill called Captain��s Aura, which could be clicked to view the specific attributes:


    [Captain��s Aura: Within a 10-meter radius, all member of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team gain a 10% increase in damage, and this skill elevates based on the combined levels of team members]


    10%, not too bad.


    According to the game��s setup, as the levels of team members increase in the future, this skill can eventually boost damage up to 30%, which is like having an extra powerful piece of equipment compared to others.


    Then came the second feature: [Back House]


    In the Back House, the chibi versions of team members would cultivate and produce a currency called diamonds.


    From the system��s FAQ sprite, Lin Da learned that diamonds could be collected once a day and could be used to refurbish the Back House, enhancing daily diamond production.


    They could also be used to purchase various coaching vouchers to improve the team members�� attributes, potential values, and skills.


    After reading the introduction, Lin Da understood.


    This was akin to ��in-game purchasing�� in the game!


    As long as enough diamonds were invested, a four-star character could perform at the level of a five-star character!


    He clicked on an icon of a small cabin and entered the Back House.


    The inside was quite shabby.


    Broken windows, a leaking ceiling, and mice scurrying on the floor, which scared a chibi version of Monica that looked very like a big-headed doll sitting on the ground crying, with a line of text above her head:


    Mood -30%, diamond production efficiency decreased.


    There was another, lying on the ground sound asleep, letting mice crawl over him without waking, a chibi version of Kafni as a pet beast appeared in the Back House. Above its head, it read: Mood good +20%, production efficiency increased.


    And in the corner of the room, there was a cool-looking short-haired Beastman chibi blowing bubble gum, hands in pockets, with the text above his head: Mood average, production efficiency unchanged.


    These three�� indeed were Lin Da��s team members and summoned beast!


    From the information interface, it could be seen that the current base speed of diamond production was 100, Monica��s mood -30%, Kafni +20%, one subtracted, one added, equating to only 90 diamonds harvested today!


    ��How can we eliminate those mice and stop Monica from crying? The ceiling and windows also need to be fixed!��


    Feeling the heavy weight of the tasks, Lin Da scratched his head in annoyance, then clicked on the mouse, and a system prompt popped up:


    [Would you like to spend 100 diamonds to kill 1 mouse? Current remaining mice: 15]


    Clicking on the ceiling, the prompt read:


    [Would you like to spend 1000 diamonds to repair the leaking ceiling?]


    [Would you like to spend 2000 diamonds to repair the broken window?]


    Clicking on the house:


    [Would you like to spend 20000 diamonds to switch from a log cabin to a small western-style house?]


    How exactly are diamonds obtained? I didn��t see an entry for recharge.


    Lin Da wondered.


    After checking the system��s FAQ sprite, he found out that there were mainly two ways to obtain diamonds.


    The first was through exchanging Mystical Points, and the second was by sending these chibi team members into the [Hell Rift], where they would earn rewards for each tier they passed through.


    ��Diving into the Hell Rift for diamonds? They turned the web mini-game of Mystic Continent into a system feature.��


    Lin Da realized.


    He clicked on a red and black deep pit, and the screen switched to a top-down view of an automatic combat scene, where his three characters: Lulu, Monica, and the pet beast Kafni, jumped in. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They landed in a dimly lit area, surrounded by torches, resembling an arena.


    Three black magical wolves walked out from an opened gate.


    ��Earthquake Crack!��


    A line of exclamation-filled skill text popped up over chibi Monica��s head as she raised her magic wand high, and a brownish light lit up from above.


    The ground around her trembled violently, and the soil turned into sharp spears, piercing the three black magical wolves.


    [Victory]


    The golden, huge text popped up.


    In the settlement interface, Monica smiled shyly, looking both proud and embarrassed.


    Meanwhile, Kafni lay on the ground asleep, and Lulu kicked stones, looking gloomy.


    After passing the first tier of the Hell Rift, Lin Da earned 500 diamonds.


    [System Prompt: Would you like to explore automatically?]


    Lin Da clicked: Yes!


    During the exploration, he returned to the Back House interface��here, the chibi versions were still present, unaffected by the exploration of the Hell Rift, working diligently like paper people, producing diamonds for the player.


    Lin Da noticed that Monica��s chibi mood had worsened from -30% to -35% in just a short while, and she was scared into a crouch by the scampering mice.


    Damn mice, daring to bully my team member!


    Lin Da clicked on the mice angrily, spending 500 diamonds to kill five.


    As Monica noticed the reduction in mice, she cautiously stood up, touched her chest, and sighed with relief, her mood also improving by 5%.


    With 10 mice remaining, eliminating them all should normalize Monica��s mood.

 Chapter 96 - 96: 96. Guided Dream, with Lin Da starring as the main character

    Chapter 96: 96. Guided Dream, with Lin Da starring as the main character


    Lin Da once again entered the Hell Rift interface.


    The three chibi characters advanced rapidly through the map. In a short time, they reached the 13th level, facing a level 13 Blade Mantis.


    With Lulu and Monica as the main pillars, the low-level Magical Creatures were easily chopped up as if slicing through vegetables.


    A pile of system messages had accumulated. Lin Da clicked on [Collect], and the rewards amassed, leaping to his sight all at once.


    [System Prompt: Your team has passed the 2nd level, the 3rd level�� up to the 13th level, earning a total of 13,500 Diamonds!]


    With so many Diamonds, Lin Da instantly became wealthy!


    ...


    He entered the Back House, killed the rats, and fixed all the windows and the leaking ceiling.


    Wiping the nonexistent sweat from his forehead, Lin Da rested his hands on his hips, let out a sigh of relief, and felt the illusion of having been busy for a while.


    The wooden cabin looked new again, Monica hopped around in joy, her mood boosted by a green +20%.


    Kafni, who was lying on the floor asleep, stood up in surprise, as if she couldn��t believe this was the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team��s house.


    Kafni picked a different spot to sleep in deep slumber, her mood increasing from +30% to +40%.


    Lulu stood by the fixed window, looking out at the scenery, blowing bubbles that were somewhat bigger than before, her mood a green +10%.


    Lin Da nodded in satisfaction, the mood of all three team members improved, the daily Diamond earnings increased from 90 to 170, the effect was noticeable.


    [System Prompt: You have repaired the wooden cabin, furniture mall unlocked]


    In the mall interface, a dazzling array of furniture was on display.


    Lin Da bought three iron beds and a fireplace, placing them in the Back House.


    The daily Diamond earnings immediately soared to 340!


    With the remaining Diamonds, Lin Da went to the props section of the mall��s interface. The items here were just like in the game, they could be used to ��Add Points�� to the team members, boosting their attributes.


    [Small Strength Guidance Ticket: 1,000 Diamonds]


    [Small Magic Guidance Ticket: 1,000 Diamonds]


    [Small Defense Guidance Ticket: 1,000 Diamonds]


    [��]


    [Small Potential Guidance Coupon: 10,000 Diamonds]


    At Hell Rift, the chibi adventure team, led by Lulu, delved into the 27th level, once again bringing Lin Da another 22,000 Diamonds.


    He made a grand gesture and bought two Potential Guidance Coupons.


    In the game, the first guidance of a character would result in a substantial effect increase, so choosing the costly Potential Guidance Coupon was most suitable.


    [Detection: Team member Lulu has fallen asleep, choose: Dream Guidance/Automatic Training]


    Lin Da questioned in his mind: What��s the difference between the two? S��arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Dream Guidance will improve the member��s training results. During guidance, you will become the dominator, possessing the power to change the dream, to guide the team member comprehensively.]


    Lin Da nodded in understanding, which is to say, become a god in the dream, all-powerful.


    ��I understand, choose Dream Guidance!��


    He murmured in his heart.


    Suddenly, drowsiness overcame him.


    Lin Da closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.


    ��


    Half an hour earlier.


    Moonlight as white as snow fell on a small rental house in White Dove City.


    At 11 p.m., Lulu still hadn��t gone to sleep.


    Holding a cup of cooled water, she stood on the third-floor balcony, resting her hands on the railing, staring blankly to the north.


    Including today, it��s been four days since Lin Da went to Red Heart City and hadn��t come back.


    And the note he left said he would return in no more than three days.


    Did something unexpected happen, or did he know he was exposed and, afraid of facing her, ran away?


    Either way, Lulu felt disappointed.


    Even if Lin Da��s abilities weakened, she hoped he would be as cold and arrogant as before. To beat such a captain into the ground was her greatest desire.


    But the reality was,


    The Primordial Adventure Team��s captain, Lin Da, known as ��Dark Shadow,�� making adventure teams from the Royal Capital tremble with fear, became someone who feared meeting her, tail tucked, fleeing like a scaredy-cat?


    Was the promise on the note to return in three days just a ruse to buy time and keep her in White Dove City to facilitate his escape?


    Lulu��s eyes grew cold.


    Such a cowardly captain wasn��t worthy of her respect!


    Pulling out the note she had looked at countless times from her pocket, her hand involuntary clenched, crumpling it into a ball of paper.


    Time and time again, he deceived her.


    If she could catch Lin Da next time, she would not be polite!


    Returning to her room, Lulu went to her only bed and lay down to sleep.


    The Witch��s Corruption often acted up at night.


    Thankfully, someone helped her Purify some of it, so it wasn��t as excruciating as before.


    Lulu��s toes curled tightly, her brows creased in distress as she clutched her chest, her body tense as if it was cramping. After about half an hour of agony and exhaustion, she finally fell into a troubled sleep.


    ��Wake up.��


    ��It��s not time to rest yet.��


    ��Let��s see�� the first Dream Guidance task, 1,000 push-ups?��


    Lulu��s beast ears, sensitive beyond compare, twitched and she heard someone speaking nearby.


    Was an intruder inside the house?


    She immediately woke up and leaped to her feet.


    Baring her teeth and extending her claws, she looked toward the other person, murder in her eyes.


    But the shadowy figure before her, dressed in black and carrying a long sword with a white mask hiding his face, caused Lulu��s gaze to become frozen, a chill rising from the bottom of her heart!


    Why was ��he�� here?


    Lulu��s eyes widened in fear, unable to distinguish whether this place was reality or a dream.


    The person before her, dressed in a dark coat, long sword at his back, wore a white, faceless mask. His presence was unfathomable, seemingly idly tapping in the air with his fingers, his stance slack, but to Lulu, he felt like a Sword Mountain, filled with violent and sharp Battle Qi everywhere.


    Daring to approach him would mean being torn to shreds!

 Chapter 97 - 97: 96. Dream Entry Guidance, with Lin Da Appearing as the Main Character_2

    Chapter 97: 96. Dream Entry Guidance, with Lin Da Appearing as the Main Character_2


    This man was none other than the terrifying captain of the Primitive Adventure Team, Dark Shadow, Lin Da, whom Lulu remembered!


    ��Uh, what exactly is going on? I was clearly on the bed in my rental house, so why did I end up here when I opened my eyes, and even met the captain?��


    Lulu��s brain was in complete chaos.


    She looked around incredulously, even the sky had changed, shifting from deep night to daylight.


    The place she was in was the peak of a mountain, with the top leveled to create a platform as smooth as a mirror��s surface, forming a circle with a diameter of about 100 meters.


    Ten steps in front of her stood the man known by the title Dark Shadow.


    ...


    ��Why did you bring me here? Are you really�� Lin����


    Lulu intended to irreverently call out the other person��s name, but the deep-seated fear in her heart for that person had long since entered her veins,


    The moment Dark Shadow glanced at her indifferently, she felt a chill in her heart and her limbs shake, swallowing the words ��Lin Da�� and bitterly switching to a title of respect:


    ��Are you really�� Lord Captain?��


    Dark Shadow pondered for a moment before finally answering, ��Yes and no.��


    ��You can consider me a shadow of your subconscious, appearing to abide by your desire to grow stronger and guiding you to become more powerful in your dreams.��


    Lulu exclaimed in shock, ��So, it wasn��t you who brought me here, everything here is my dream, a figment of my subconscious?��


    ��That��s one way to understand it.��


    Dark Shadow said, ��Let��s begin, the first training exercise, 1,000 push-ups!��


    ��Push-ups? Can this kind of training really make me stronger�� uh!��


    Lulu had not yet finished her retort when she felt an immense force press upon her, as if an invisible giant hand controlled her to lie down in the starting position for a perfect push-up.


    ��In the dream, I am omnipotent. I advise you to abandon those rebellious thoughts and obediently follow my commands.��


    Dark Shadow conjured a comfortable red sofa out of thin air, sitting in front of Lulu with his legs crossed and a steaming cup of coffee in hand, ��Begin.��


    Although Lulu was unwilling in her heart, it seemed that she couldn��t stand up without following his commands.


    While doing push-ups, she was surprised to find that it felt as if she was bearing the weight of a thousand catties, with every bend of her arms being unbearably sore.


    If it were ordinary push-ups, with her physique, she could easily do 1,000 of them.


    But what about with a weight of a thousand catties?


    Lulu��s expression changed.


    Time slowly passed, and atop the dream mountain peak, only the labored breathing of the girl and the sound of Dark Shadow finishing his coffee and then munching on sunflower seeds could be heard.


    Sweat had already drenched the ground beneath Lulu, outlining a girl��s silhouette.


    Under the burden of a thousand catties, Lulu showed signs of fatigue.


    As she reached the 500th push-up, she couldn��t help but stick out her tongue like a canine, panting heavily.


    At that moment, Lulu still had the strength to manage her expression; she stuck out her tongue but not too much, and deliberately kept her breathing subdued, not letting the man lounging on the sofa look down on her.


    But by the 900th, her strength was depleted, leaving her gasping for air, unable to care about how she looked.


    Lulu breathed heavily, her body shaking like a sieve, letting her tongue hang out, her eyes rolling back slightly.


    She hadn��t experienced such intense exercise in three years, and she was so exhausted she almost fainted!


    ��I can��t�� I can��t keep going, let me stop,�� Lulu said, her voice trembling.


    ��Continue,�� came Dark Shadow��s terse reply.


    At the 950th push-up, exhausted Lulu even employed her wolf tail for assistance, stretching it out from behind her to prop herself against the ground for support.


    ��I can��t go on����


    ��Continue.��


    The 970th.


    ��I really can��t go on����


    ��Continue.��


    No matter how much she begged, she received nothing but cold replies like those from a magic-powered machine.


    This Dark Shadow of her dreams was exactly like the captain she remembered!


    Cruel, merciless, eliminating any team members who couldn��t make it.


    ��I must not be looked down upon!�� Lulu thought, fuelled by a complex emotion of defiance mixed with resentment, and finally completed the 1,000 push-ups.


    The moment she finished, the girl collapsed on the ground with a thud.


    Every ounce of strength in her body had been drained!


    ��Not bad,�� Dark Shadow stood up and, as if rewarding a puppy, patted Lulu��s fluffy ears.


    ��What are you doing!�� Lulu��s eyes widened, defensively extending her claws as if facing a great threat.


    ��Just reminding you, the next training is about to begin.��


    Dark Shadow said with a smile, his finger hooking, ��Come, defeat me.��


    A question mark emerged above Lulu��s head.


    If defeating him was possible, members of the Primitive Adventure Team would have done it long ago.


    It was precisely because Dark Shadow was an invincible entity that nobody dared to defy his autocratic actions.


    After weakening, Lin Da, she was able to easily defeat him.


    But the Dark Shadow at his peak?


    Lulu, feeling troubled, retracted her claws and said with her head down, ��How could I possibly win against you, forget it, I should go back, how can I wake myself from this dream?��


    She pinched the soft flesh on the inside of her thigh hard, but other than the pain that made her frown, it was of no use.


    The Dark Shadow shrugged, ��You��ve got to stay here until I say you can go.��


    ��


    Half an hour later.


    Bang!


    A pale blue figure, like a beaten sack, was sent flying.


    Lulu took a punch to the abdomen, and without the other party exerting much effort, but when she touched it with her hand, she found a huge black hole had appeared on her belly!


    She was back.


    Being harshly taught by the captain in the Illusion Technique space, the days she was trampled underfoot.


    She was back!


    Lulu��s body trembled, as her fear relapsed.


    Originally thinking that becoming a Witch would wash away her shame, but facing this shadow in her heart, even in her dreams, she was still humiliated by the other party!


    Lulu lay on the ground, dazed, her gaze fixed on the sky, vacant, her consciousness also gradually drifting away.


    ��Resurrection Technique.��


    The Dark Shadow used a game-exclusive skill, a golden Magic Circle of holiness, falling onto Lulu��s ��corpse��.


    In just a moment, Lulu opened her eyes in confusion, clenched her fists, feeling the Battle Qi replenished, and her life energy extremely vigorous.


    ��Continue.��


    She hadn��t even reacted yet when a dark figure suddenly appeared by her side.


    Not even using the ��Destruction Magic Sword�� on his back, he just punched her in the head.


    -99999.


    Lulu was dead again.


    Actually, Lin Da didn��t want to treat her so cruelly.


    But to fully utilize the Potential Guidance Coupon, he had to instruct with all his might. A single moment of leniency would result in 10,000 Diamonds wasted.


    So, every move was for Lulu��s benefit��


    Another half hour passed.


    Lulu died 56 times.


    Almost twice a minute.


    Once dead, the Resurrection Technique would be applied, waking her up at full health to continue being hit.


    Even with a will as firm as Bedrock, Lulu was baffled by the beatings from the Dark Shadow.


    On the 57th time, she angrily wiped away the tear that almost fell from her eye, took a deep breath, and intensely focused on the movements of the Dark Shadow.


    The punch came, Lulu dodged by swerving to the side, and delivered a fierce spinning kick at the Dark Shadow. S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, the opponent scoffed disdainfully, grabbed her ankle, and slammed her on the ground as if swinging a sack!


    Lulu��s field of vision plunged into darkness.


    Before her consciousness faded, she heard the voice of the Dark Shadow by her ear:


    ��Holding on for two moves counts as progress, that��s enough guidance for today.��


    Guidance for today?


    Could there be more after this!


    Lulu screamed inwardly, distraught. Through today��s training, she had a deep realization of her arrogance, that even as a Witch, she could never be an opponent for the Dark Shadow!


    The girl let out a terrified ��ah�� as she opened her eyes on the small bed in the rental room.


    ��Eh? Gone, gone?��


    Looking around, this was Lin Da��s small rental room.


    She sat up, sweating profusely, touched the bedsheets, which felt as though soaked by the Great Water.


    The events in the dream were too real��


    Back again?


    Lulu touched her neck in confusion; it wasn��t broken, and then she looked at her abdomen, which also didn��t have the terrifying hole.


    The old Magic Hanging Clock on the wall showed it was 1 a.m., while she had gone to bed at about 0:50 a.m.


    The flow of time in the dream was slower than in reality!


    ��Could those trainings in the dream really help me get stronger?��


    Lulu murmured to herself. After she spoke, she froze suddenly, clenched her fist, feeling the surge in her Battle Qi, and was dumbstruck.


    It seemed�� she really had gotten stronger.

 Chapter 98 - 98: Level up to 97, acquire new skills.

    Chapter 98: Level up to 97, acquire new skills.


    ��`


    Lulu stared blankly at her hands.


    She could clearly feel that the strength of her body had increased.


    This kind of improvement in talent usually only happened when opening an extremely rare treasure chest in the World Tree Secret Realm or by using epic-level items.


    Yet, she had only had a dream, been taught a lesson by that detestable captain dozens of times, and her talent had increased?


    Did she actually possess such a miraculous gift?


    ...


    With her mouth agape in surprise, Lulu felt for the first time in her life that she was a genius.


    She lay back on the bed, hoping to dream again and encounter the Dark Shadow.


    As long as she could become stronger, being tormented was no big deal.


    But no matter what, she couldn��t dream about the other party anymore.


    ��Will it happen tomorrow?��


    Lulu tossed and turned on the bed, too excited to sleep.


    She secretly thought that the next time she battled the Dark Shadow, she would try to block the third move before going down!


    ��


    [System Prompt: Dream guidance successful, team member Lulu��s basic attributes have increased: Strength +100, Defense +20, Agility +10!]


    Inside the carriage, Lin Da slowly opened his eyes.


    ��Strength increased by 100? This guidance session was very successful.�� S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He opened the main interface of the squad module and clicked on Lulu��s avatar, bringing up a simplified attribute bar.


    In this attribute bar, he could see the basic attribute values of the team members without their equipment.


    Member: Lulu


    Profession: Frost Wolf Warrior*Mage


    Level: 25


    Hit Points: 3000


    Magic Power: 90


    Strength: 750


    Defense: 100


    Magic Defense: 95


    Agility: 99


    Lin Da memorized the data and thought to himself that perhaps after Lulu became a mage, her strength attribute growth had significantly increased. Together with the 100 strength from his dream guidance, she had reached a terrifying 750.


    A typical warrior profession at this level would only have around 400 strength.


    And calculating his own Healing Hero panel, after crossing the two major thresholds at levels 10 and 20 and reaching level 25, the magic power was estimated to be around 650.


    Healing professions naturally had lower magic attributes; for a Healing Hero to reach this value was already considered very high.


    The greatest strengths of this profession were still the dual defense and health points.


    Lin Da, currently at level 8, had a basic health point total of 1800. Lulu at level 25 had only 3000.


    In contrast, Lulu��s burst output was very high.


    ��After going berserk, Lulu can be cultivated as the core of the offense.��


    ��In the future, spend more Diamonds on purchasing Strength Guidance Tickets to use on Lulu.��


    Lin Da planned to develop this Beastman girl into an existence that surpassed that of a five-star level character.


    He then opened up another team member, Monica��s, attributes to take a look.


    Member: Monica


    Profession: Earth Mage


    Level: 15


    Hit Points: 1300


    Magic Power: 370


    Strength: 5


    Defense: 15


    Magic Defense: 15


    Agility: 10


    After looking, Lin Da massaged his temples, feeling a headache coming on.


    The magic power value for Monica was as high as 370, high enough to be considered an extraordinary talent at a glance.


    But her hit points and all other attributes�� were too low.


    Scratched by a Magical Creature of the same level, she would immediately become a black and white icon.


    ��Since hit points growth is so low, instead of increasing health, it��s better to play to strengths and continue increasing magic power, turning her into a human-shaped Magic Cannon.��


    ��As a backline position, Monica has the protection of me as a Healing Hero, which can ensure her safety to the greatest extent.��


    Lin Da made future training plans for these two team members.


    As for Kafni, let��s leave it to fate.


    This guy, not being included in the list of team members, is more like a mascot��


    Half an hour later.


    ��Phew, Monica��s dream guidance has also ended.��


    Lin Da let out a sigh.


    This time, the dream guidance primarily enhanced Monica��s magic attributes and changed her introverted nature.


    He set the dreamscape to a lively festival, holding the shy Monica��s hand and wandering through the crowd, training until she could walk under the daylight without a cardboard box, even without the Dark Shadow character scaring her to tears several times.


    But overall, the guidance was successful. When it was time to go to White Dove City, Monica probably wouldn��t need the cardboard box anymore.


    A system prompt appeared: [Dream guidance successful, team member Monica��s basic attributes have increased: Magic Power +100, Hit Points +100]


    ��Not bad.��


    Lin Da smiled as he stroked Monica in her sleep.


    The girl restlessly clutched her blanket, mumbling ��where has the captain gone�� in her sleep.


    With the outbreak of the Murderous Crab frenzy, Monica, the Earth Mage, would demonstrate great advantages.


    Murderous Crabs were weak against earth system magic, exactly what Monica could counter.


    Although team member kills did not give Lin Da any experience points, the Demon Cores from the Murderous Crabs could be exchanged for gold coins, boosting the overall strength of the team.


    [System Prompt: Today��s sign-in has been refreshed]


    The system time in the upper right corner showed 0:20.


    Lin Da entered the Back House.


    Inside, three chibi team members snored away.


    In the middle of the little cabin, a golden Cornucopia was filled with sparkling and translucent diamonds.


    ��`


    Lin Da clicked to collect.


    [System Prompt: You��ve obtained 340 diamonds!]


    [Current Balance: 2840 diamonds!]


    Lin Da used 2000 diamonds to buy a teddy bear furniture, for the chibi version of Monica to hold.


    The mood value above Monica��s head changed from a green +20% to a +30%.


    The daily sign-in could now yield a diamond amount that, with the mood boost from the teddy bear and Monica, increased by 380.


    Then, Lin Da clicked on Hell Rift, entering a dark arena page.


    [System Prompt: Your adventure team has passed level 28, obtaining 4000 diamonds!]


    A mail icon on the bottom right corner was flashing, and Lin Da collected 4000 diamonds from within.


    The chibi version of the adventure team, which was originally stuck at level 28, defeated the three-headed fire-breathing dogs and advanced to level 29, with Lulu and Monica each boosting their attributes.


    The round arena turned into a withered yellow grassland, and a centaur whose eyes were blood-red and clad in armor stepped out from the magic circle.


    Lulu was beaten so hard that she fell off her horse.


    After the team got wiped out, it would automatically restart, like in an idle game that kept playing itself.


    Lin Da watched for a while and realized that the main reasons for failure were insufficient levels and too few team members, lacking a front-row member with a taunting skill to attract the enmity of the magical creatures.


    Monica, at level 15, faced the level 29 centaur and was instantly reduced to zero health points by its large sword, becoming a soul floating on the battlefield.


    Lulu managed to kill one centaur in a one-on-one fight, but there were still three left.


    She was overwhelmed, fought until exhaust, and perished.


    The red ��Failed�� sign appeared on the interface, and after waiting three seconds, the mini-game automatically restarted.


    Every attempt ended the same way; even Lulu as a witch had a hard time defeating four level 29 centaurs.


    ��We��re stuck,�� Lin Da concluded.


    It had nothing to do with the team members�� skills; they were simply crushed by the numbers.


    He shook his head and exited the system interface.


    Too bad he couldn��t join the team and enter the battlefield himself.


    All he could do was allocate skill points to his team members and then set their combat modes to things like [Offense Oriented], [Defense Oriented], [Adaptability], etc.


    After pondering for a while, Lin Da decided to level up.


    He was now preparing to challenge the hidden boss, and the Murderous Crab frenzy was also going to erupt in ten days; leveling up was urgent.


    Adventurers reach a minor turning point at level 10, which was something he needed right now.


    ��Mystical Points, level me up!��


    Lin Da silently uttered, transforming 4200 Mystical Points into Experience Points.


    Two streaks of golden light consecutively fell upon him.


    A sense of abundant power emerged within him, and in the night sky of his spiritual world, two stars were illuminated, perfectly encircling the core.


    [System Prompt: You have reached level 9, strength +13, magic power +13, defense +2, magic defense +3, agility +2, hit points +200]


    [System Prompt: Congratulations, you have reached level 10!]


    [Strength +50, magic power +50, defense +20, magic defense +30, agility +20, hit points +600!]


    [You have acquired two skill points]


    [Poison Technique Series and Recovery Series have unlocked new skills: Toxin Mastery, Verdant Shield]


    Upon reaching level 10, Lin Da��s attribute points more than doubled, with his dual attack increasing from 103 to 166, and his hit points added by 600, amounting to 2400 in total.


    This base hit point count was almost higher than all frontline professions of the same level.


    Lin Da thought of Monica��s pitiful 1300 hit points and wished he could lend her some of his own��


    He clicked on the personal page and went to the skill tree.


    Adventurers unlock stronger profession skills at level 10.


    At level 20, they unlock ultimate skills with explosive outputs.


    It was because of these features that levels 10 and 20 became thresholds dividing adventurers.


    Lin Da had two skill trees and unlocked two skills by reaching level 10.


    The Poison Technique Series called Toxin Mastery.


    The effect was simple and overbearing, directly enhancing the damage of Poison Technique Series skills.


    Lin Da had 4 skill points at hand and invested 2 into it.


    [Toxin Mastery lv2: Increases poison damage by 20%]


    The base damage of the Venom Magic Sphere was now roughly around 320, ticking once every second for a total of 6 ticks, and with the boost from Toxin Mastery, the single-damage reached 384.


    The total damage of one Venom Magic Sphere was equivalent to four Fireball Techniques at the same level!


    Monica, being such a fragile caster, would be gone with just one hit from a Venom Magic Sphere��


    The second skill was Verdant Shield from the Recovery Series.


    As Lin Da read the skill description, his heart gradually grew hot.


    He immediately clicked to add points!


    [System Prompt: You have learned the skill: Verdant Shield!]


    [Skill: Verdant Shield]


    [Quality: Purple Rare]


    [Type: Common Skill]


    [Consumption: Low]


    [Proficiency: lv1 Basic]


    [Effect: Grants a magic shield equal to 30% of the user��s maximum hit points to a target]


    The power of Verdant Shield was to apply a shield to someone else.


    However, the thickness of this shield was determined by Lin Da��s maximum hit points.


    And the greatest strength of a Healing Hero was having a large amount of hit points!


    Without wearing any magical equipment, Lin Da already had 2400 hit points.


    One Verdant Shield could provide 720 points of shield.


    For a fragile mage like Monica with only 1300 total hit points, this was substantial.


    Once Lin Da equipped a full set of level 10 gear, his hit points would further increase, as would the shield��s thickness!


    This was the true strength of a Healing Hero, with exaggerated survivability and being very tanky himself.


    With Lin Da present, the survival rate of fragile backline members greatly increased.


    He continued to study for a while.


    Verdant Shield had two caveats: the shield lasted for 10 minutes, and it couldn��t be stacked.


    Lin Da saved the remaining skill point and lay down satisfied to sleep.

 Chapter 99 - 99: 98. Secret Realm Square, sweep for equipment

    Chapter 99: 98. Secret Realm Square, sweep for equipment


    The team��s defense had the Verdant Shield, and on the offense, there was Monica and her Venom Magic Sphere.


    He was confident that with the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, they could clear all hidden bosses of the first three layers in one go!


    During his time with Snow Goose, his main focus was on safely assisting the team through the challenges.


    But now with the new profession Healing Hero, and the system for cultivating team members in the Back House, their potential had already surpassed that of the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Lin Da planned to lead the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team to wipe out all hidden bosses within the World Tree Secret Realm!


    ��


    ...


    The next day at noon.


    The carriage came to a halt before a river beach.


    Breeze River Beach.


    In sight was a dragon-like blue river, surrounded by many aquatic plants, with some wild Magical Creatures standing at the edge of the riverbank, cautiously collecting water.


    ��Sir, we��ve arrived at your designated location,�� the coachman Jeban pulled back the curtain and called to the person inside.


    ��Hmm, thank you. Wait here for a moment, I��ll be right back.��


    Lin Da stepped out of the carriage, stretched his limbs, and breathed in the fresh air.


    There were ten days left until the outbreak of the Murderous Crab frenzy.


    Lin Da had come early to observe the situation.


    Reality was not like a game; Murderous Crabs wouldn��t just spawn out of thin air.


    He wanted to see how the event from the game would manifest itself in reality.


    Not too far ahead, Lin Da found an adventure team.


    Composed of three men and a woman, they had just killed a level 9 Wind Blade Giant Deer and were excitedly extracting its Demon Core. S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    One of them noticed his arrival and immediately changed expression, whispering into the ear of a freckled, golden-haired young man.


    ��How goes the loot? Are there many Magical Creatures around Breeze River Beach recently?�� Lin Da asked while showing his adventure team badge.


    Each city��s badges were unique, and adventurers from the same city would generally treat each other courteously in the wilderness.


    The freckled young man relaxed a bit when he saw Lin Da��s badge from White Dove City and, as Lin Da approached, exclaimed in surprise, ��Ultimate Pervert�� cough, Mr. Eye of Wisdom?��


    ��That��s me,�� Lin Da nodded.


    A well-known figure��s face in the city was like an effective pass.


    If he had encountered a team from Red Heart City and approached them rashly, they might have thought he had bad intentions, potentially leading to a fight.


    However, with the title ��Eye of Wisdom��, he easily avoided such confrontations.


    ��I still prefer the title Phoenix Tail Flower Team Captain,�� Lin Da said with a smile, pointing to the badge on his chest.


    ��Sorry, I didn��t know you had formed a team,�� the freckled young man said sheepishly, scratching his head, then he added, ��There seem to be more Magical Creatures around Breeze River Beach recently; our adventure team often comes by, and these past few days, we��ve made a good haul.��


    ��Have you encountered any Murderous Crabs?�� Lin Da inquired.


    ��About that���� The freckled young man��s eyes shifted.


    The ponytailed female adventurer next to him whispered urgently, ��Bob, don��t tell this guy! There are too few Murderous Crabs, we can��t let him compete with us for business����


    Bob nodded discreetly, thinking to himself that an 8th-level Murderous Crab could be sold for at least 10 Gold Coins, whereas other level 8 Magical Creatures generally fetched around 5 Gold Coins.


    The carapace of the Murderous Crab could be used as material for making Armor or ground into powder to enhance male performance, making their body parts far more valuable than those of ordinary Magical Creatures.


    Bob��s team members were only at level 9 on average. It was most cost-effective and safest for the four of them to hunt an 8th-level Murderous Crab together. They had already made over 100 Gold Coins through hunting in the past few days, which was twice the income of a team at the same level.


    If this Eye of Wisdom got involved, their adventure team certainly couldn��t compete with him, leading to a drastic drop in income.


    ��We haven��t encountered any Murderous Crabs,�� Bob said with a forced chuckle, scratching his head.


    Seeing the other��s evasive expression, Lin Da understood.


    He nodded and cautioned, ��Murderous Crabs range from level 7 to 17, so be careful if you come across one.��


    ��Uh, thanks?�� Bob looked up awkwardly.


    Lin Da fully understood the actions of this team.


    He also indirectly acquired the information he wanted.


    The number of Murderous Crabs was very limited; they wouldn��t have deliberately concealed it from him if there had been a large influx.


    His foresight still held an advantage.


    With ten days left until the Murderous Crab frenzy, he planned to gather as many Gold Coins as possible in that time.


    Lin Da returned to the carriage, deep in thought.


    In the morning, the three of them returned to White Dove City.


    The first thing he did was raid the equipment at Secret Realm Square.


    To conquer the hidden bosses of the World Tree Secret Realm, equipment was essential.


    The current Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team was too poorly equipped.


    As the captain, Lin Da only had a Rusty One-Handed Sword and worn Leather Armor.


    Monica was even poorer; when he first met her, the Big Lolita couldn��t even afford pants.


    Her skirt and white shoes were bought with Lin Da��s money.


    The other team member, Kafni, wasn��t much better off.


    She only had a small dagger, nothing else.


    Lin Da needed to buy two sets of level 10 equipment and one set of level 15 equipment for Monica.


    The three of them first sold Lia��s Blazing Bracelet at the nearby trading post. After some haggling, they got 32,000 Gold Coins for it.


    This startup capital greatly alleviated the financial pressure of Phoenix Tail Flower.


    Lin Da stored the Gold Coins into a Savings Card, which was accepted across the continent, and then went to Secret Realm Square to buy some fresh equipment.


    Returning to Secret Realm Square, the bustling atmosphere was immediate.


    Adventurers were coming and going in droves to enter the World Tree. There were also stalls everywhere, hawking the equipment they had obtained from the Secret Realm.

 Chapter 100 - 100: 98. Secret Realm Square, sweep for equipment_2

    Chapter 100: 98. Secret Realm Square, sweep for equipment_2


    Lin Da held Monica��s hand, his voice gentle, ��You��ve gotten used to not wearing the box, right? With the captain here, no one will hurt you.��


    ��Yes, yes!�� Monica��s sleek and cute forehead shone slightly under the sun as she nervously responded.


    The girl, like a sheep entering a wolf pack, leaned close to Lin Da, looking down, her big eyes daring only to glance at her toes, twisting inside her round-toed leather shoes.


    Monica, mustering her courage, looked up, only to find herself surrounded by a bunch of curious adventurers, which frightened her into hugging Lin Da��s back and burying her small face into it. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da, looking at Monica, who was buried in him like an ostrich, sighed helplessly in his heart.


    Helping Monica overcome her social anxiety would still be a long journey.


    ...


    As they reached the center of the Secret Realm Square, he transferred ten thousand gold coins from his Savings Card to Kafni; they split up to scour the Secret Realm Square for equipment.


    Not just for the three of them, everything was within their shopping scope, including earth system Magic Staves, Magic Scrolls, and Striking Series weapons.


    The earlier they were from the Murderous Crab surge, the more stable the prices of such equipment. Once the big merchants noticed and began buying crazily, market prices would also fluctuate.


    ��A Level 10 Mage cloak, this is a rare quality item, just exploded out yesterday, the latest model, both stylish and practical, 500 gold coins, can��t go any lower!��


    At a small stall, Lin Da haggled with a golden-haired elf adventurer.


    What he was interested in was a cloak that could enhance Magic Attributes; it was lighter than cumbersome armor, could increase agility, and could slightly improve casting speed.


    ��Captain, that����


    Suddenly, Monica tugged his sleeve, and he looked over in confusion, only to see Monica timidly pointing at a belt hanging from the elf stallholder��s waist, under which dangled a bottle of silver-glittering Magic Potion.


    Before coming to the Secret Realm Square to shop, Lin Da had instructed the two teammates that besides buying equipment, if they found any Metal Destroyer Potion, they must secure it!


    Once he killed the hidden BOSS, many adventure teams would realize the benefits of this potion and the price would skyrocket.


    Making use of the current unawareness of the true uses of Metal Destroyer Potion, Lin Da would scoop up any he saw!


    He casually asked, ��That Magic Potion, are you selling it?��


    ��Ah, Life Potion? That��s not for sale, I still need it,�� the elf stallholder shook his head.


    ��No, I mean that silver one.��


    ��Metal Destroyer? You want this thing?��


    The elf stallholder, surprised, took the potion out of his pouch and muttered, ��What��s the use of this thing? It��s not like it needs to improve accuracy when fighting metal monsters.��


    The way the stallholder casually fiddled with it, it seemed he wouldn��t mind if it broke.


    In fact, his team had exploded this potion last month on the fifth floor of the Great Mystery Continent, during a battle against Magical Creatures; it hadn��t sold for days, and even at one gold coin, people thought it was too expensive.


    Yet, this potion had exploded after a fierce battle with Rare Magical Beasts!


    ��How many gold coins will you give?�� asked the stallholder, named Klay, squinting at Lin Da.


    If this human showed any obsession with the potion, he was ready to jack up the price without hesitation.


    Lin Da stroked his chin and observed for a while, grinding Klay��s patience almost thin, before finally making an offer:


    ��Give it to me.��


    Klay: ��?��


    You lil�� rascal, not even willing to part with a single gold coin, huh?


    Lin Da pointed to a pile of equipment in front of him, ��I plan to buy all these, throwing in one potion isn��t too much, right?��


    ��All of it?�� Klay was shocked.


    With many small vendors in the square, Klay, fearing Lin Da would turn to another stall, quickly passed over the silver potion: ��Fine, I can��t use it anyway, it��s yours!��


    ��What��s the total price for these equipments?�� Lin Da casually took the potion and put it into his pouch.


    ��A total of seven items, 3000 gold. I��ll give you a discount, let��s make it 2700 gold coins!��


    Lin Da shook his head, ��Let��s stick to 3000 gold, I feel like, as adventurers, we all have it tough.��


    He worried that in a few days, the stallholder would be heartbroken enough to jump off a building.


    Once the true value of Metal Destroyer Potion was revealed, it could easily sell for a hundred thousand gold coins��


    Lin Da did not haggle and directly paid the full price of 3000 gold using his savings card as Klay had stated.


    Klay, moved, grasped his hand, ��You are quite the nice person!��


    ��Not to deceive you, but for these equipments, our adventure team has suffered great losses. With everyone having lost limbs, they are all waiting for me to bring back the gold!��


    Lin Da: ������


    After thinking it over, he swiped another thousand gold and said solemnly, ��When entering the Mystic Realm, safety must come first!��


    Klay was so touched that he nearly cried��apparently, there were still kind-hearted adventurers around!


    ��


    Carying the equipment he had purchased in a large bag, Lin Da could faintly smell the lingering stench of blood on it.


    The crowded square was full of disabled adventurers setting up their stalls.


    He couldn��t help but sigh, ��Low-level adventurers have it so tough.��


    The higher-level adventurers were relatively wealthy, with powerful equipment and town portal scrolls, hence they faced a lower rate of casualties. Even if they couldn��t defeat the higher-level magical creatures, they still had many ways to retreat.


    But it was different for low-level adventurers.


    Town Portal Scrolls, those for floors 1-10, cost over 10,000 gold coins��unaffordable for them!


    Each piece of equipment was obtained through sweat and blood, and even life.


    During the purchasing process, Lin Da met one low-level adventurer after another.


    Their lives were generally very tough. The materials and Demon Cores from low-level magical creatures were too cheap, barely making any money.


    Magical creatures of the same level were no weaker than adventurers, and often required several adventurers working together to kill one.


    A slight carelessness could lead to casualties.


    When Lin Da arrived at the Mystic Continent three years ago, despite being a Healer with average talents, having a wealth of strategies, and an excellent magic chanting speed, coupled with Lia and others�� he hadn��t experienced the harshness of adventuring.


    In fact, casualties among low-level adventurers were all too common.


    One afternoon, Lin Da saw many adventurers walking out of the World Tree looking distraught.


    They carried white body bags, their shoulders stained with fresh blood. Inside were teammates who had been joking together just hours before.


    The heavy atmosphere plunged the Secret Realm Square into silence.


    Every adventurer sighed and mourned silently. No one knew who might be the next to be carried out or left behind in the World Tree forever.


    All the more experienced adventurers had been through the heart-wrenching experience of carrying out the bodies of their comrades.


    Lin Da, holding Monica��s hand, both paid silent respects.


    Looking at that adventure team with vacant stares, as if drained of all their blood and sweat, a bold idea suddenly sprang to his mind��could he do something for these low-level adventurers?


    The first ten floors were where the mortality rate of adventurers was highest.


    These ten floors were not more dangerous than those beyond, yet they were a huge challenge for rookie adventurers.


    They lacked the experience to handle the magical creatures in the Mystic Realm, and their mindset could easily falter. Performing well outside, they would become excited and nervous once inside the Mystic Realm, failing to perform even seventy percent of their ability.


    But according to Lin Da��s unorthodox tactics, for the first ten floors of the Mystic Realm, if the adventurer��s level was sufficient, they could pass through easily, even without injury.


    The adventurers shouldn��t die in the World Tree Secret Realm. The future war against the Demon Lord��s Army needed everyone to contribute their strength.


    The more adventurers that reached the higher levels, the easier Lin Da��s journey to conquer the Demon King became.


    With this, he made a decision.


    The strategy for the first ten floors at Phoenix Tail Flower will be shared with adventurers from all cities!


    He would teach them hand by hand how to defeat the magical creatures in the Mystic Realm.


    Every adventurer who survives because of his strategy might become a key force in the future battle against the Demon Lord��s Army.


    The Demon King would be dealt with by the heroes, but the Demon Generals, numerous foot soldiers, magical creatures�� these were up to the adventurers to handle.

 Chapter 101 - 101: 99. Damage test, accidentally met Klrona

    Chapter 101: 99. Damage test, accidentally met Klrona


    �� S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As night fell, Lin Da finally spent all 30,000 gold coins, exchanging them for magical equipment.


    The three of them met at the entrance of the Secret Realm Square.


    After a discussion, excluding the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team��s own gear, they purchased 15 earth staffs, 7 hammers, 8 axes, and 10 one-handed swords with earth attribute attacks.


    These pieces of equipment were all around levels 8 to 12, making them the most popular range.


    The 40 items cost a total of 20,000 gold coins.


    ...


    Lin Da then spent another 5,000 gold to buy sets of blue-quality equipment for himself and Kafni.


    A set of level 15 earth mage equipment for Monica, blue in color, cost 5,000 gold.


    At that moment, Lin Da strapped a purple weapon, a walnut wood magic sword, to his waist.


    This main weapon alone added 100 points to his dual attack.


    Cloaked in a mage��s cloak, wearing two magic amplifying rings on his hands, and donned in a pair of black combat pants.


    After being enhanced by magical equipment, Lin Da��s attributes reached a new height.


    He silently invoked his quest bar.


    A light screen appeared out of thin air.


    Name: Lin Da


    Level: 10


    Hit Points: 3000 (2400+600/the first number is the basic attribute, the second is the equipment-added attribute)


    Magic Power: 346 (166+180)


    Strength: 346 (166+180)


    Defense: 66 (46+20)


    Magic Defense: 88 (68+20)


    Agility: 54 (44+10)


    Resistance: Poison Resistance 30%


    Experience Points: 0/6000


    Skill Points remaining: 1


    Mystical Points: 67


    ��


    After equipment amplification, Lin Da��s magic power reached 346.


    His attributes were almost on par with Monica at level 15, who had the Glass Cannon skill.


    However, once Monica donned her equipment, she was out of his league.


    The role of Healing Hero wasn��t known for high Magic Points, but its advantages lay in health points and magic defense.


    With a total of 3000 health points, Lin Da��s Verdant Shield could provide Monica with a protective layer of 900 points.


    Meanwhile, a healer of his same level could only restore about 200 health with a single healing spell.


    With both a shield and healing, plus a belt full of potions�� even if Lin Da didn��t want to set any flags, he felt confident about the upcoming strategy.


    Clearing the level shouldn��t be a problem.


    The main challenge would come from the hidden boss.


    Aim for a perfect kill to increase the chances of obtaining high-quality equipment drops.


    Upon leaving the Secret Realm Square, Lin Da spent 20 gold coins on a horse-drawn cart for hauling.


    He placed the equipment in the wagon and, along with Monica and Kafni, headed towards the Adventurers�� Guild.


    The time to launch the Attacker live stream in the World Tree Secret Realm was set for three days later.


    In these three days, Lin Da would post commissions in various cities seeking Metal Destroyer Potions.


    Then he would train Kafni and Monica.


    Getting them familiar with the hidden boss��s moves.


    After completing his registration at the Adventurers�� Guild, Lin Da received a one-time reward of 10 gold coins.


    Any adventure team that offered to live stream their attack without compensation would receive subsidies from the local Adventurers�� Guild and the official empire.


    However, since there were so many live streams of the first three levels, the reward was only 10 gold.


    Immediately, Lin Da took his two teammates to the third floor of the Adventurers�� Guild to test the output of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.


    This data was the most important aspect of the strategy.


    Without a clear understanding of one��s and teammates�� damage, there��s no point in discussing strategies.


    ��


    On the third floor.


    In a neat and smooth hall, practice dummies stood upright.


    Made from an extremely resilient gel material, when adventurers struck the dummies, the damage ��white value�� would appear on the adjacent square magic stone.


    The so-called ��white value�� is the theoretical maximum damage output without accounting for any defenses of the target.


    This discipline, after thousands of years of research by adventurers, had become very rigorous. The ��white value�� can directly determine the output level of an adventure team.


    In the evening hall, adventurers were scattered here and there.


    ��Yah!��


    A crisp scream of a young girl echoed.


    Pink twin-tails swayed back and forth.


    White socks in short boots stamped firmly on the ground, making a cheerful sound.


    Chloe, dressed in heavy armor, revealed only a pair of bright eyes and the twin-tails sticking out from her helmet.


    With her little axe in hand, she fiercely chopped at the gel dummy��s head, shouting, ��Skull Smashing Strike!��


    The number on the square magic stone rapidly changed.


    2005!


    For a Heavy Armored Warrior, this was a very high number.


    Another warrior in the hall had been practicing for a long time and peaked at only slightly over 1000.


    However, Chloe was still not satisfied.


    The magic stone��s number changed again, calculating her average output per minute:


    560.


    That was down by 20 compared to before entering the 11th level.


    Chloe frowned, feeling that the little axe in her hand was very uncomfortable to use.


    When attacking the 11th level, her original weapon had been bitten off by a Swift Rock Lizard��


    Lia said she would equip her with a new one.


    But the team leader had disappeared for a day and hadn��t returned.


    Aiko was in the villa practicing, and Oru and Klyne had gone off to celebrate.


    Today was an adventurers�� holiday, White Thanksgiving.


    For the first time, Chloe was spending Thanksgiving alone.


    Dispirited, she put away her little axe.


    Somehow, she felt that being in the Snow Goose Adventure Team wasn��t fun anymore.


    There were six of them in the Snow Goose, but why did it feel so different with just one person missing?


    Chloe couldn��t specify what exactly it was, but she sensed something had changed.


    At first, she was thrilled.


    The moment Lin Da left, no one was there to tell her what to do anymore.


    No matter if she ate snacks in the middle of the night or played with magic puppets until dawn, no one would care.


    She no longer had to listen for footsteps outside, hurriedly turn off the light, and wait to turn it back on once Lin Da was gone.


    Chloe played wildly for two whole days.

 Chapter 102 - 102: 99, Damage Testing, Encountered Klrona_2

    Chapter 102: 99, Damage Testing, Encountered Klrona_2


    Then, she felt something was off.


    The Magic Puppet game wasn��t as appealing anymore, and the comic books weren��t that interesting either.


    It seemed more fun to avoid Lin Da and secretly watch, secretly play.


    Aiko and Lia, even if she was engrossed in playing all day without eating, couldn��t bother with her.


    ��Hungry? There is prepared food from the restaurant in the fridge, heat it up yourself.��


    ��Ah, not eating?��


    ...


    ��If you don��t eat, then go hungry.��


    ��Lia, don��t talk like that to her��Klrona, if you��re hungry, go to a restaurant outside? I need to beautify myself, so I won��t accompany you.��


    Lia directly ignored her.


    Aiko only scolded her with words, never took action.


    Klrona found it quite hard. If it had been Lin Da, as soon as she was hungry, he would get up even in the middle of the night to cook.


    She had been practicing in the hall for half a day.


    Her body was sweaty, and her throat was parched. If she had come with Lin Da, he would have probably prepared water already��


    She took off her armor, and a petite girl crawled out from inside.


    Klrona was dressed in a little black skirt paired with white stockings up to her waist, and her top was a white blouse with lace detailing.


    She looked like the adored young daughter of a noble family.


    She sat gloomily on the bench to rest, taking out a Magic Conductor Handheld Console from a backpack with a giant rabbit pattern on it.


    The Magic Puppet inside was a limited-edition Swordsman she had bought for 5000 gold, but playing it wasn��t satisfying at all.


    Klrona absentmindedly fiddled with the joystick, her mind still replaying the scenes from the strategy of the 11th floor.


    There was a problem she had been unable to figure out for days.


    Why couldn��t she hold onto the Magical Creatures anymore?


    When Lin Da was in charge of commanding, those Magical Creatures kept attacking her, and her innate skill ��Guardian��s Heart��, could create a defense as solid as a wall of iron and copper, protecting her teammates from any damage!


    Every time they completed a strategy, Lin Da and Aiko would praise her for being capable.


    Klrona particularly enjoyed this feeling of being needed.


    But under Phyllis��s command on the 11th floor strategy, no matter how hard she attacked the Magical Creatures, she couldn��t draw their aggro.


    It created a rather comical scene: the Magical Creatures chasing after Aiko and Klyne in the back, but Klrona, weighed down by her heavy armor, was trailing behind with a small ax, unable to catch up.


    The result was that Klrona couldn��t deal output damage or withstand damage, she could only watch the Magical Creatures helplessly.


    Lia��s criticism still echoed in her ears.


    Klrona feared this team leader, who she had lost to in a one-on-one duel, which is why she had joined the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    ��Criticism or whatever, I don��t want it���� Klrona hugged her little head, her delicate body trembling slightly.


    ��As a Heavy Armored Warrior, not protecting teammates and even causing them to die!


    The angry shouts of former teammates seemed to resound in her head, and Klrona instantly turned pale, the Magic Conductor Handheld Console falling to the ground with a snap.


    ��Be careful, isn��t that thing quite expensive?��


    A calm and steady voice came.


    Klrona blankly looked up, and what met her eyes was a face that was all too familiar.


    ��Lin Da.�� she said dazedly.


    It had been a week since they last met, and Lin Da appeared quite different to her.


    He no longer always furrowed his brow, looking burdened with heavy thoughts.


    He seemed much more cheerful.


    He was happy after leaving the Snow Goose Adventure Team, just like that Small Fry Uncle?


    As she took the handheld console, she noticed a strange girl behind Lin Da that she didn��t recognize. The girl had long brown hair and timidly hid behind Lin Da, peeking at her Magic Conductor Handheld Console.


    When their eyes met, the girl immediately hid behind Lin Da in fright.


    ��Monica, it��s okay, this is my former teammate, she won��t hurt you.�� Lin Da said affectionately, ruffling the girl��s small head, gently pushing her forward, ��Go and make a friend.��


    ��I�� I am Monica.�� the girl said weakly.


    ��Your new teammate?��


    Klrona looked resentfully at Monica.


    ��Yes.�� Lin Da chatted, ��How have you been recently, have you been eating well?��


    Klrona shook her head, ��Since this morning, I haven��t eaten yet!��


    Lin Da was stunned for a moment and said, ��Remember to eat when you go back.��


    ��Oh����


    Just like that?


    Klrona clenched her small fists uncomfortably. It seemed like Lin Da no longer cared about her!


    She glanced at the shy Monica and couldn��t help but feel infuriated. Every team had its favorite member, she was the favorite in the Snow Goose Adventure Team, and in Lin Da��s team, it was this girl named Monica, this girl who sneaked looks at her Magic Conductor Handheld Console, and had ��overlapping roles�� with her!


    What a coward, not even daring to meet her eyes, and her magic power also wasn��t as good as hers!


    How could such a person get the attention of Small Fry Uncle!


    Klrona��s eyes blazed as if on fire, feeling that Monica had stolen Lin Da from Snow Goose.


    Her angry demeanor made Monica, who mustered the courage to step forward and make friends, shrink back behind Lin Da.


    Lin Da helplessly said, ��It��s not often you find someone who plays the same games as you, don��t you want to make a friend? The captain and Kafni will go first to test the damage, and we��ll call you when it��s your turn.��


    Monica, buried in Lin Da��s embrace, shook her head rapidly.


    Scared!


    That girl, who was a bit shorter than her, seemed like she would eat her alive!


    ��Your new teammate doesn��t seem all that great.�� Sear?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Klrona proudly stood on the chair, hands on hips, corners of her mouth lifted, taunting, ��She can��t even look someone in the face; what a big-time small fry! That blond behemoth of a girl must be even weaker, right? Small Fry Captain and his small fry teammates, hilarious!��


    ��Stepping on the bench with shoes will get you chased out by the staff of the Adventurers�� Guild.�� Lin Da pointed at her shoes.


    ��Huh. I��m a member of the Rock-level Squad, from Snow Goose; they won��t care even if they see it!�� Klrona declared smugly.


    The cleaning staff nearby passed by, indeed turning a blind eye to Klrona��s low-quality behavior.


    Rock-level Squad indeed had its privileges.


    Lin Da sighed. If he were still with Snow Goose, he would have definitely reasoned with Klrona to make her come down, but now, it no longer had anything to do with him; he hadn��t even gotten his own Big Lolita over her social fears, let alone concern himself with someone else��s.


    ��We��re going over there.�� He nodded politely to Klrona and led Monica by the hand towards the Gel Mannequin.


    As for Kafni, she had already started playing over there.


    A white dagger made of condensed magic power furiously struck into the Gel Mannequin, only to mark a damage of 500.


    Normal Attack was even lower at just 250.


    Lin Da knew thieves were subpar, but was this too subpar?


    Just as he was thinking this, a series of footsteps caught up from behind.


    ��What is this?��


    ��Let��s see how much output your small fry teammates have.�� Klrona snorted, puffing out her underdeveloped chest, ��Even though I am a Heavy Armored Warrior, a role with no damage, my instant damage is 700!��


    She deliberately exaggerated a bit.


    In reality, Lin Da was quite aware of her damage, but he didn��t bother to point it out.


    Even if Klrona exaggerated, it wouldn��t affect his strategy in the slightest.


    As long as Monica and Kafni��s damage was accurate, it was fine.


    ��Start, Monica.��


    Lin Da, pretending Klrona didn��t exist, gently pushed Monica forward and pointed at the Gel Mannequin: ��Go all out and attack it for one minute.��


    The floor and walls of the training hall were made of special materials, costly but able to withstand magic below level 20.


    So, it was fine even if Monica went all out.


    The brown-haired girl cautiously held the magic wand in front, her body slightly trembling.


    Many adventurers around, including Klrona, were watching her.


    Monica was naturally beautiful and had a pitiful baby face that made people couldn��t resist bullying her a bit.


    Her healthy figure also drew much attention��


    Especially when she was next to Lin Da, infamously known as ��Ultimate Pervert��.


    ��Don��t be afraid, give it your best, let the captain see your strength!��


    Lin Da supported her from the side.


    ��She can��t be worse than me, can she?�� Klrona pursed her lips, not thinking much of this Big Lolita.


    Are you mocking me again?


    Tears swirled in Monica��s eyes.


    She was actually used to being despised. Back in the Primordial Adventure Team, even rats would stomp on her,


    What really made her uneasy was that she was embarrassing Lin Da! What if Lin Da suddenly left her behind like he did three years ago?

 Chapter 103 - 103: 100, Little Devil Defense Break, Bullying Big Lolita (Please Subscribe, 100)

    Chapter 103: 100, Little Devil Defense Break, Bullying Big Lolita (Please Subscribe, Chapter 100)


    ��Monica is a useful team member!��


    Monica muttered the spell in a low voice, her brown magic wand, adorned with a fist-sized treasure bead, aimed at the gel mannequin in front of her.


    With a grunt, the girl stumbled backward, unable to withstand the recoil of the magic and fell into Lin Da��s arms.


    ��Earth Bombardment!��


    As she gave a weak shout, a beam of light shot out from Monica��s magic wand.


    The thick aura of magic power immediately caused the complexions of the adventurers watching to change.


    ...


    Klrona was also taken aback for a moment.


    As a level 21 Heavy Armored Warrior, she could probably sense that Monica��s aura was only at level 15.


    A mage of that level would have a normal maximum damage white value of 2000; when Aiko was at level 15, she could hit 3800 damage on a gel mannequin, which was considered very impressive.


    Yet, Klrona felt a surge of magical oscillation from Monica��s spell that was even stronger than Aiko��s at that time?


    The moment the earth-colored beam appeared, no adventurer on the scene dared to underestimate Monica, who looked so easy to bully.


    How much damage white value could this girl produce?


    4000, 4100?


    Everyone secretly speculated in their hearts.


    All they heard was a bang.


    The beam hit the chest of the gel mannequin, and it shook violently, its chest turning black and sunken, emitting thick smoke.


    Mannequins of this specification were generally only damaged by level 20 adventurers.


    Monica, at merely level 15, had made a dent in the chest of the mannequin.


    On the square magic stone, numbers started rapidly rolling from 0, swiftly breaking through 3800, the record left by Aiko at level 15.


    Then, it broke through 4000, and under the disbelieving gazes of the crowd, it easily surpassed 4500��


    Finally, it settled above 5800!


    Outrageous!


    All adventurers were shocked and widened their eyes, the same thought emerging in everyone��s hearts!


    A level 15 mage dealing 5800 damage, had she taken some powerful magic potion?


    Otherwise, it must be some kind of self-damaging spell.


    Klrona��s face was full of surprise; this good-for-nothing looking big bear girl, she was better than Aiko?


    In Klrona��s heart, the person she feared the most was Lia, and the person she respected the most was Aiko.


    As a mage, Aiko��s performance in the Mystic Realm was impeccable, with high output and fast incantation. With Aiko and a certain Healer behind her, Klrona felt like she was an invincible presence.


    But��


    That good-for-nothing girl, she was better than Aiko?


    Klrona��s mind couldn��t quite grasp it.


    No, there had to be something wrong!


    Klrona unwillingly gritted her teeth, her eyes intently fixed on Monica, looking for something amiss on her.


    In fact, Monica was indeed not as powerful as Klrona thought.


    But she hadn��t resorted to low-level techniques like doping either.


    ��Has the magic circuit cooled down? You need to cast one quickly, or the damage per second will become lower and lower,�� Lin Da rubbed Monica��s head, chuckling.


    Monica pursed her lips, brewing for a while before raising her magic wand to cast another ��Earth Bombardment.��


    Now everyone understood.


    The output was very high, but she could not use it continuously.


    Klrona felt much more balanced in her heart.


    But�� she was still a bit sour.


    No matter how that 5800 output was achieved, at least it was achieved. Let other level 15 mages try, even with a potion they couldn��t do it.


    Besides Earth Bombardment, Monica could also cast other minor spells, like Earth Spike, Earth Shard, Earth Spear Spell, using them over and over.


    What they had in common was their extremely high single-hit power, but slow incantation and large recoil. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After releasing a spell, Monica had to rest with her face flushed and panting for a good while.


    One minute passed, and the resulting damage per second was 640.


    This number was much more regular.


    Lin Da recalled in his mind that the average damage per second of a level 15 mage was around 400.


    This profession couldn��t achieve seamless spell casting in the early stages and required rest, hence their damage per second was significantly lower than physical professions like the Swordsman.


    But Monica��s real advantage was her explosive output; facing Magical Creatures that entered a ��second phase��, an enraged state, she could quickly ��extinguish�� the enemy, holding significant strategic value.


    At the same time, Kafni on the other side also received her damage per second data.


    This blonde Deity had an embarrassed expression, squatting in front of the number-displaying magic stone scratching an itch, waiting for the numbers above to disappear before whistling leisurely over.


    Klrona pointed at her with pride: ��No use hiding, I saw it, 250 damage per second Small Fry!��


    ��Uh�� You little rascal, who are you calling Small Fry? Believe it or not, I��ll steal all your clothes clean!�� Kafni threatened menacingly, making Stealing gestures.


    ��Gross!�� Klrona retreated a step, squealing, ��Whatever, turns out they��re all Small Fry.��


    At that moment, Lin Da��s damage per second had also been calculated.


    Many didn��t see when he tested it.


    Everyone��s attention had just been on Monica, whose presence was overwhelming.


    Actually, Lin Da didn��t test sneakily; he had been diligently dealing damage.


    The Venom Magic Sphere bounced six times for damage, and the poison damage could stack one layer.


    After two Magic Spheres were cast, it added up to twelve instances of damage.


    In other words, Lin Da only needed to cast two Venom Magic Spheres every 12 seconds.


    The numbers on the magic stone moved steadily.


    +700


    +695


    +711


    ��


    The final average damage was 701!


    When Klrona noticed the number on that magic stone, she was dumbfounded.


    When did Lin Da deal that damage?


    Without a sound and now 701?


    She herself only has a little over 500!


    Even though she is a Heavy Armored Warrior and supposed to be a meat shield, how come her damage is lower than Lin Da��s?


    Isn��t Lin Da just a Healer?


    A Healer��s damage higher than hers, a level 21 Heavy Armored Warrior?


    Klrona��s expression changed.


    Suddenly, she felt like she was the Small Fry?!


    ��Captain Lord, when did you deal out damage?�� Monica was also very curious.


    ��When I was helping you, so you wouldn��t fall to the ground,�� Lin Da chuckled.


    ��What��s Captain Lord��s maximum damage like? Monica has 5800, and yet her per-second damage is only this little����


    Monica��s eyes were filled with admiring stars.


    Per-second damage of 700, maximum damage must be around 7000, right?


    Klrona and the others pricked up their ears to eavesdrop.


    Lin Da said, ��About 700, I guess.��


    A neat row of question marks popped up above the heads of the adventurers.


    They were asking about your maximum damage output.


    And there you are, with the title ��Eye of Wisdom,�� mixing up maximum damage output and average per-second damage?


    ��Oh, oh.�� What was even more infuriating was that Monica believed it, without delving any deeper, whatever Lin Da said, she believed.


    This made everyone��s curiosity itch like cat claws, unbearably uncomfortable!


    ��They��re asking you about your maximum damage output!�� Klrona, as an old team member, asked on behalf of everyone.


    Lin Da looked puzzled: ��That��s right, I answered that question.��


    ��But your per-second damage is 700.��


    ��Right.��


    ��And your maximum damage output is the same?��


    ��Uh-huh.��


    Klrona furrowed her brows, ��You��re lying!��


    How could there be an adventurer whose average per-second damage and maximum output are the same?


    Even a Small Fry just out of the water will still thrash a bit before slowly running out of energy.


    Lin Da definitely had some secret he was deliberately hiding from her!


    This was treating her like an outsider!


    This strong sense of alienation was what made Klrona the most upset.


    ��I��m not lying to you; that��s the truth.��


    Regarding his own damage, Lin Da felt pretty helpless.


    It��s just the occupational feature of a Healing Hero.


    Total damage higher than Monica��s, who is at level 15.


    But as for burst damage��


    What��s that? Never heard of it!


    There was no need for Lin Da to continue testing his damage. Kafni and Monica, on the other hand, needed to test their minimum damage.


    Klrona just saw Lin Da directing members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team and no longer paying attention to her.


    It seemed there wasn��t much difference between her and those bystanders over there.


    Therefore, Klrona secretly wondered the same thing as Lia: How had Lin Da changed?


    During Phoenix Tail Flower Team��s damage testing, Klrona took out a jumbo bag of chips and a bottle of soda from her shoulder bag and loudly said, ��I��m going to start eating junk food now!��


    Crunch crunch crunch, munch munch munch!


    A wild display.


    But Lin Da, there, was teaching Monica the positioning and angles for casting spells, not looking at her at all?


    Hey, I��m eating junk food over here!


    Klrona��s mouth was covered with chip crumbs and grease; her unnamed black beverage was fizzing with lava-like bubbles.


    She used to indulge in these things at most once a week and always found them delicious. But after eating them every day, they started to grow tiresome.


    Once Lin Da got back, she��d have to play the Magic Conductor Handheld Console every night, scoffing at Lin Da��s Small Fry appearance as he failed to keep her under control��


    Those fun scenes, wouldn��t they happen again?


    Klrona put down the chips.


    When her cherished little axe was ruined by the Swift Rock Lizard on the 11th floor, she didn��t feel this bad; her heart felt empty, as if something was missing.


    ��Um, that��is it okay, to be friends with you?�� A soft and mushy voice arose.


    Klrona came to her senses and looked forward angrily.


    It was Monica, holding the Magic Conductor Handheld Console, her eyes darting everywhere.


    Behind Monica, Lin Da was watching from afar, with a smile of paternal affection on his lips.


    But that concern and affection, was it for this big forehead?


    Inside Klrona��s stomach, it felt as if something was about to surge up. She bit down hard on her teeth and sniffed; she didn��t want the Small Fry Uncle to see her shedding precious tears.


    For Monica, making friends was her first step out of social anxiety.


    This Big Lolita had never battled with Magic Puppets before, and seeing Klrona play sparked the idea of approaching her.


    If she could successfully make a friend, the Captain Lord would surely praise her!


    ��Can we�� play together?�� Monica asked timidly.


    ��Sure, I guess.�� Klrona wiped her eyes with her sleeve and said, ��Just don��t blame me for bullying you!��


    ��Mhm, mm-hmm!�� Monica sat down happily beside her.


    Both girls were seriously lowering their heads, turning on their Magic Conductor Handheld Consoles.


    What was different was that Monica genuinely wanted to make friends.


    While Klrona had mischief on her mind.


    Lin Da was nice to Monica; she would bully Monica!


    Connecting through the Array on their handheld consoles, they controlled the Magic Puppets that appeared on the screen.


    ��


    (ps: Wailing�� Ever since the book became paid, I��ve been losing subscribers. If you can, please support the official version! Thank you!)

 Chapter 104 - 104: 101, Lin Da made Klrona cry, White Thanksgiving

    Chapter 104: 101, Lin Da made Klrona cry, White Thanksgiving


    Three minutes later.


    ��Watch my Four-winged Unicorn Impact!��


    Klrona confidently controlled her pay-to-win character, attacking Monica. Her Swordsman avatar had been knocked into the air by Monica and had not come down for a long time, finally giving her the chance to counterattack,


    Only to see that Monica��s character had to hit Klrona��s several times just to deal half damage, whereas Klrona��s Swordsman avatar merely touched Monica��s character, and her Little Red Hood avatar instantly dropped dead.


    This was the ��Four-winged Unicorn Impact��.


    The meaning was roughly equivalent to ��Lamborghini Collision�� or ��Rolls-Royce Slam��.


    ...


    Klrona��s Magic Puppet was valued at five thousand Gold Coins, and in terms of both health points and attack, it was far more powerful than the Little Red Hood Monica had scrimped and saved up to buy.


    After Klrona defeated Monica��s Little Red Hood, she did not stop but continued to control the Magic Puppet, stepping on the latter��s head with one foot.


    With a crackling sound,


    Monica��s cheap Magic Puppet broke down directly!


    ��Ah!��


    Monica cried out in horror.


    Little Red Hood��s head was crushed flat, the Array inside the Magic Puppet was damaged, equivalent to being scrapped.


    No matter how she moved the joystick, Little Red Hood lay lifeless on the ground, silent.


    Monica��s big eyes were brimming with moistness, biting her lower lip hard, feeling like she would burst into tears the next second.


    Although Little Red Hood was a very cheap doll, it had been her companion for a long time.


    Lin Da had offered to buy her a more powerful Magic Puppet, but she had refused.


    ��Small fry, really bad at this, defeated foe!�� Klrona arrogantly curled her lips upwards.


    ��I��m not, not bad!��


    Monica��s face turned red as she argued.


    If her Little Red Hood and Klrona��s Swordsman avatar had the same attack power, she would have won several times by now.


    She had been hitting Klrona��s character for a long time without any effect.


    Accidentally touched once, Little Red Hood was done for!


    Klrona snorted, ��Crying after losing, how shameful!��


    ��Big bear is also vulgar! Like a lantern, must be for seducing people, vulgar small fry, disgusting!��


    She looked at Monica��s overly healthy figure, thought of her own, and shook with jealousy.


    ��Monica�� is not vulgar at all!��


    Defeated by Klrona��s pay-to-win character, Monica already felt it was unfair, and now being unjustly attacked about her figure, she curled up, burying her small head in the pristine white stockings, her tears falling like pearls,


    Klrona stood up with pleasure, ��Both bad and dirty, someone like you should just stay in the dark room and not come out!��


    This sentence directly dealt a blow to Monica��s heart, her shoulders shaking more intensely.


    ��Might as well let the Beastmen����


    Before she could finish her sentence, the triumphant Klrona suddenly screamed.


    At one meter fifty in height, she was picked up like a chicken by someone.


    Then came a strong hand, fiercely landing on Klrona��s small buttocks clothed in white stockings!


    Slap, slap!


    Two crisp sounds echoed through the hall.


    Klrona��s face blushed blood red. Caught off guard before she could use her Battle Qi to protect herself, her buttocks were burning, as if they had swelled from the spanks.


    Who is daring enough to strike her ��Pink Battle Axe�� Klrona!


    She angrily turned her head to look.


    What she saw was Lin Da��s sullen face.


    Klrona was taken aback for a moment.


    She had never seen Lin Da like this before.


    In Snow Goose��s time, Lin Da was toyed with by her, and even if caught, he wouldn��t hit her. Because of that Monica, Lin Da actually spanked her?


    As Klrona was lost in thought, there came another two slaps!


    Caught off guard, she couldn��t use her Battle Qi to defend in time, and with two slaps, tears sprang to her eyes!


    Lin Da had not had enough with those two slaps just now, he had to slap her two more times!


    At that moment, Lin Da was indeed angry.


    His intentions had been good.


    Klrona and Monica shared similar interests, and if they could become friends, it would have been great for Monica to come out of her shell.


    But Klrona was bullying Monica?


    Even taunting Monica, telling her to stay in her little house.


    Monica, who had finally stepped out, was already sensitive at heart, a time when she needed encouragement.


    The seemingly ordinary mockery from Klrona inflicted huge damage on a girl with social withdrawal!


    Lin Da had never hit Klrona before because this little rascal was just mischievous without actually harming anyone.


    This time was different; she bullied someone, right onto his team member.


    As the team leader, it was one of his responsibilities to protect his team members.


    Therefore, Lin Da would spare no mercy in disciplining Klrona!


    He slapped her several times in quick succession.


    The people in the hall nodded silently in agreement, fully endorsing his actions.


    After all, Klrona had provoked others first.


    ��Snow Goose��s Pink Battle Axe has such low standards, to make someone��s teammate cry!��


    ��What��s the use of having high strength if you lack manners? You might even get your resources stolen in the Mystic Realm.��


    ��I��ve long heard that Snow Goose��s Pink Battle Axe is a lawless little girl; it seems to be true. Her parents didn��t discipline her enough.��


    One after another, the voices of accusation entered Klrona��s ears.


    The heart of the young girl shivered with fear.


    And Lin Da��s cold and ruthless hand landed on her bottom again.


    It was like being attacked from both inside and out.


    Before long, Klrona was cried.


    Even though she was at level 21, her essence was still that of an undeveloped little girl.


    The disregard from Lin Da, the pressure from the surrounding crowd, the moral self-recrimination�� made Klrona, who realized her mistake, feel aggrieved and remorseful.


    Tears poured out in an instant.


    And Monica, seeing Klrona cry even harder, stopped her own tears in shock.


    This kind-hearted Big Lolita tugged at Lin Da��s clothes, hoping he would stop.


    Lin Da put Klrona back on the ground, suppressing his anger, ��If you dare to bully anyone again, I��ll continue to discipline you!��


    ��Whimper, whimper,�� Klrona only cared about wiping her tears. The big bag of chips beside her had spilled everywhere, and the drink had been knocked over, spreading all over the ground, making the cleaning staff shake their heads.


    Lin Da��s expression remained unchanged. If he showed the slightest bit of weakness, Klrona would never learn her lesson.


    He had thought about pulling the heavy-armored loli into his team, but with Klrona��s current personality, he would rather not.


    ��Still dare to bully others?�� he asked with a stern face.


    Klrona pouted, her eyes swollen red.


    A crowd had gathered around, all watching the spectacle.


    ��No, I don��t dare anymore,�� Klrona said in humiliation, lowering her head while wiping her tears and speaking.


    Only then did Lin Da��s expression soften.


    He launched a Healing Art, landing it on Klrona��s bottom.


    +300.


    However, external injuries couldn��t be healed immediately; she would probably be red for a few days.


    Consider it a lesson.


    Surrounded by onlookers, Lin Da lost interest in staying any longer.


    The damage test was complete, and he could move on to the final step of making the strategy.


    He left with Monica and Kafni, the three of them walking downstairs.


    Without the commotion to watch, the crowd quickly dispersed.


    The Guild��s cleaning staff carefully approached Klrona to clean up the chips and beverage spilled all over the ground.


    Klrona picked up the half-empty bag of chips with a pitiful look and hugged it to her chest.


    Lin Da and his group departed.


    None of the adventurers in the hall dared to approach for a conversation.


    They were all too afraid of angering the petite pink-haired girl.


    Klrona looked toward the stairs, unable to find a trace of Lin Da and the others.


    He not only didn��t care about her but also hit her in public.


    That timid and cowardly Monica, clearly not as good as her in anything.


    Monica was only around level 15, while she was level 21, younger and with greater potential.


    Monica was also poor, using a cheap magic puppet worth 10 gold coins, while hers was a limited edition worth 5,000 gold coins.


    She was a heavy-armored warrior and could protect Lin Da at the back. That Monica, on the other hand, needed to be protected by Lin Da instead.


    She was stronger than Monica in everything and had much more than her.


    But�� Monica had Lin Da!


    Just with this point alone, Klrona felt she had lost. S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What were so-called teammates, an adventure team, all about?


    She felt that what Lin Da and the others had seemed to be an adventure team, while Snow Goose lacked that essence.


    Klrona, with her tears dried, began to think seriously for once.


    The difficulty of this problem clearly surpassed Klrona��s expectations.


    With her young mind, she couldn��t come up with an answer.


    The only thing she could articulate was that the old Snow Goose felt more like an adventure team. It felt like home, where teammates cared for each other; even though they were not related by blood, they were closer than family.


    Aiko would take her out to play, Lin Da would manage her daily routine, Lia would spar and instruct her on how to be an outstanding heavy-armored warrior��


    The existence of teammates gave Klrona the motivation to become an adventurer.


    But now,


    What was her goal as an adventurer?


    Klrona was lost.


    It seemed, she couldn��t find the reason to continue climbing the World Tree.


    ��


    Outside the Adventurer��s Guild, on the spacious street.


    Lin Da consoled Monica: ��Don��t worry, Monica is not small fry, and her figure is natural, not at all vulgar.��


    ��Hmm.��


    Monica was listless.


    Lin Da sighed and glanced sidelong at the Magic Conductor Handheld Console the girl was hugging closely, an idea forming in his mind.


    He went to a nearby shop, spent a thousand gold coins, and bought a mage-type magic puppet.


    It was the size of a fingertip��s belly, and once inserted into the Magic Conductor Handheld Console and connected to magic power, it could be used.


    ��The captain is giving this to you, take it,�� Lin Da said, stuffing the small magic puppet into Monica��s arms.


    ��But it��s so expensive,�� Monica said, wiping the tear stains from the corner of her eyes, with a face that wanted it yet felt too embarrassed to accept.


    When Lin Da protected her and went to punish Klrona,


    Monica felt that was enough.


    ��Take it, this is a festival gift from the captain,�� Lin Da said with a smile.


    Today was a special day.


    White Thanksgiving.


    Adventurers give gifts to their comrades who have fought by their side as a token of gratitude.


    Lin Da had been busy all day and hadn��t had time to prepare gifts for the new team members.


    ��Thank you, Captain,�� Monica said, her face turning red as she accepted the gift.


    She rummaged through her pocket and pulled out a palm-sized orange cat plushie, hesitatingly handing it to Lin Da: ��This is, for Captain.��


    A few days earlier, Monica had been making a living by sewing handmade plushies.


    Lin Da chuckled, accepting the orange cat plushie, ��Thanks, Monica.��


    ��Hehe,�� Monica giggled shyly with her head down.


    Kafni, with a face full of anticipation, pointed to her own face: ��What about mine?��


    Lin Da was startled for a moment.


    ��I didn��t prepare one.��


    Kafni: ��?��


    The three casually purchased some gifts in a storehouse and exchanged with one another.


    They were all small trinkets of little value,


    But having them in their pockets warmed their hearts.


    Gifts exchanged during Thanksgiving are said to receive the Goddess��s blessing, protecting adventurers on their safe return.


    The orange cat plushie Lin Da received, along with the brown pouch Kafni gave him, would become his protective charms.

 Chapter 105 - 105: 102, Aikos Kirin Arm, Lulus contamination occurs again.

    Chapter 105: 102, Aiko��s Kirin Arm, Lulu��s contamination occurs again.


    Walking on the main street, Magic Lantern Signs twinkled with multifarious glows, enchanting and splendid.


    Members of various adventure teams walked arm in arm, chatting and laughing.


    The taverns were packed to the brim today.


    So were the inns.


    All of a sudden, Lin Da remembered Lulu.


    He had left White Dove City for four days, and wondered how Lulu was doing?


    ...


    Taking advantage of the fact it wasn��t too late, Lin Da hurried to the inn where Lulu stayed to say hello.


    His expression was extremely serious.


    One thing was for certain. His identity had been exposed.


    Apart from the ��Lin Da�� from the Snow Goose Adventure Team, probably no one else could have dragged Monica out of the little western house in Red Heart City.


    Lulu had been suspecting him all along.


    His real name was ��Lin Da��, not ��Li Cha��.


    This point, he feared, had also been discovered. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On top of that, bringing Monica back with him��


    Lin Da worriedly massaged the bridge of his nose.


    Lulu, as the biggest leg of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, was also the biggest trouble!


    ��Monica, your relationship with Lulu is good, right?��


    ��Yes. Sister Lulu is a good person.�� Monica, the newly improved Magic Puppet, was playing with the Magic Conductor Handheld Console even as they walked.


    Lin Da, who had intended to criticize her, considered that Monica had been bullied today and decided to let it go this once.


    He cautioned her, ��When we see Lulu later, if she does anything to the captain, you must protect the captain.��


    Monica tilted her little head.


    ��Got it.��


    The girl crisply promised, ��Monica will definitely protect Lord Captain!��


    ��Monica is such a good girl.�� Lin Da couldn��t help but pick up the Big Lolita and plant a kiss on her cheek.


    Neither of them thought anything of it, as it was only an interaction between family members of the team,


    However, Kafni and the passersby around them were completely dumbfounded.


    Public displays of affection in broad daylight?


    Although Monica was over eighteen, her baby face could easily lead to misunderstandings.


    ��


    White Thanksgiving was a busy day for most people.


    In the upscale neighborhood where the Snow Goose Adventure Team��s villa was located, the square was brightly lit, and couples were paired up, cooing and cuddling.


    Some couldn��t control themselves and started to share their affection in the bushes.


    Aiko was very fond of lively scenes.


    She would make time to join in whenever there was a festival.


    But White Thanksgiving was different.


    To put it nicely, it was a holiday for the team members.


    Put bluntly, it was the damned couples�� battle day!


    The villa was particularly deserted that evening.


    Aiko meditated for a while and found it boring.


    The noise from the couples outside the window annoyed her, so she simply closed and bolted it shut.


    The vast villa was empty but for her alone.


    It shouldn��t have been like this.


    Nostalgia flickered in Aiko��s eyes.


    Past White Thanksgivings had been so lively.


    During the day, everyone would go out eating and drinking, winning prizes by slaying monsters in the amusement park��s Illusion House, riding roller coasters, and getting massages at hot springs at night��


    When they came back, the three of them plus Klyne would sit around the table and talk about girls�� topics.


    Oru and Lin Da would be in the kitchen, making late-night snacks together.


    Now, the villa was dimly lit, silent and still, with her alone.


    Aiko forlornly fiddled around.


    In a bedroom themed in pure white and gold, the blonde Mage lady had a pair of blue boxers over her head, sniffing vigorously.


    Not having seen Lin Da for a few days, Aiko��s Kirin Arm acted up again.


    As for where the boxers came from��? Of course, Aiko had stolen them, Lin Da would never suspect her.


    After all, she was the only bona fide noble Young Lady in the team.


    Her father��s title was even higher than Bilya��s own father.


    Such an elegant Young Lady wouldn��t possibly steal Lin Da��s clothes to put on her head to smell the vanilla scent, right?


    Aiko did this once every three days.


    But ever since Lin Da left, it had become twice a day.


    That day, Chloe wasn��t around, as she had gone out on her own.


    Lia was off somewhere trying to make money.


    Sniffing the scent of the boxers, Aiko blissfully closed her eyes.


    In her mind, she picturized Lin Da wearing a brown dog suit, humbly submitting under her pomegranate skirt.


    ��Yes, just like that.


    As a doggy, it was not right not to serve properly!


    Aiko lay face down on the bed, her soft feet waving in the air like a fish tail swimming on the bed.


    With no one else in the villa, she kicked her wheelchair aside.


    Tired of pretending to be a frail Young Lady every day, Aiko had had enough.


    If Lin Da hadn��t insisted on massaging her ��insensate�� feet, she wouldn��t have bothered with the act!


    Imagination peaking towards the climax,


    Almost there,


    Any moment now!


    Aiko awaited that moment.


    But suddenly, the scent in the boxers cut off abruptly.


    The illusion in her mind disappeared as well.


    No smell anymore?


    Aiko retracted her had in confusion.


    Forcing it would be bad for the body,


    Like being stuck halfway through a bowel movement, agonizing.


    Aiko got up and washed her face.


    The cold water jolted her awake and she quickly realized something. Was Lia really out looking for money?


    On this White Thanksgiving preferred by lovers, that Powder Keg wouldn��t have�� gone to find Lin Da, right?


    And it wasn��t just Lia.


    Isa that little bitch too, nearly thirty and still aiming for younger men.


    Kafni as well.


    The light blue-haired Beastman too.


    Aiko broke out in a cold sweat. Now was not the time for a delicate operation; she had to hurry and check, lest the�� cough, the prey was snatched away by someone else!


    Hurriedly dressed and made up, Aiko piloted her Magic Wheelchair out the door.


    Summer was gradually passing, and the nights were growing cool.

 Chapter 106 - 106: 102、Aikos Kirin Arm, Lulus Pollution Recurrence_2

    Chapter 106: 102��Aiko��s Kirin Arm, Lulu��s Pollution Recurrence_2


    Aiko slipped on a small white jacket with a very wide neckline, but it was modest enough to reveal no gaps. A fine crystal necklace adorned her neck, shining against her fair skin, and a noble young lady��s temperament emerged naturally.


    Beneath that, she wore a skirt paired with translucent black tights and stepped in blue lace-up high heels. The tights were sheer, and the high heels were spotless.


    She looked absolutely delectable.


    Adventurers passing by on the street couldn��t help but swallow their saliva. Some were dragged away by their girlfriends, yet they couldn��t take their eyes off her, continuously staring.


    In terms of beauty, Aiko and Lulu were not too different, but she was the one most skilled in dressing up.


    Aiko carried a black shoulder bag with a thin strap, which contained the Slime gel sleeve she had prepared for Lin Da.


    ...


    She had indeed prepared to spend a fortune tonight!


    With Big Bear out, Little Male Chef Cricket was in for an easy grab!


    It took her an hour, but Aiko finally arrived at the cottage Lin Da was renting.


    Although Lia didn��t know Lin Da lived here, she certainly did.


    With no one around, the robust Mage Miss carried her Magic Wheelchair upstairs with a clatter, which made things easier.


    Arriving at the door of room 303, Aiko then feigned the demeanor of a fragile young lady and resettled herself properly.


    Lin Da probably hadn��t received a single Thanksgiving gift today.


    Giggle, giggle, giggle.


    ��The young lady is here to deliver!��


    Aiko knocked on the door with a sly smile.


    The door swung open as she touched it.


    Unlocked?


    ��Lin Da, are you there?��


    She called tentatively, but there was no response.


    Aiko blinked in confusion. Given Lin Da��s stable character, it was unlikely that he went out without locking the door.


    ��I��m coming in.��


    She greeted quietly and politely as she pushed open the door.


    The inside was pitch-dark, the lights off.


    There was an unfinished pizza on the table.


    She touched it, and it was warm.


    ��Hmm����


    Just then, a pained moan echoed from the bedroom.


    The sudden call startled Aiko, almost making her jump out of the wheelchair.


    Then the realization hit her.


    Were they�� slicing watermelon?


    Aiko��s face drained of color!


    Someone had beaten her to it.


    Were Lin Da and the others sharing intimate feelings?


    Should she peek?


    With complex emotions, Aiko approached the bedroom and nudged the door open a crack.


    There was only one person inside.


    And she recognized her.


    The Beastman from a few days ago who had gone to the Snow Goose Adventure Team��s villa to find Lin Da.


    Was her name Lulu?


    So it wasn��t a 1v1, but rather the same type of craftsmanship as hers?


    Likely, Lin Da��s bed was reeking.


    Aiko rushed in anxiously, ready to stop the shameless Lulu!


    The moment she stepped in, Aiko felt her eyelids twitch, and goosebumps broke out all over her back! sea??h th�� N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    An evil Magic Power filled the air!


    She turned in horror to the Lulu on the bed.


    This Beastman wasn��t engaging in craftsmanship, but instead was unconscious, groaning in pain, her body twitching, and black blood seeping from her mouth and nose��


    The blood hit the sheets, acting like a strongly corrosive liquid, eating holes through the sheets, quilt, and even the bed frame!


    Aiko��s brows furrowed deeply as she carefully took a white Magic wand from her bag.


    As a Mage from the Holy Light Church, she immediately recognized Lulu��s identity.


    This character, only rumored about, was now before her��


    The Catastrophe Girl��the Witch��bound by a contract with the Demon King!


    Aiko had studied many ways to deal with Witches.


    From the coma-like state of this Beastman, it was a severe contract backlash, and the time before she degenerated into a Catastrophe Beast was probably not far off.


    Aiko��s eyes sharpened, her left hand over her chest, the right hand holding the Magic wand aimed at Lulu, chanting a Spell.


    ��Holy Light, please transform into the blade of judgement, Purify the filth before me!��


    ��Holy Light Judgement����


    ��Ah!��


    Aiko was halfway through when someone suddenly appeared behind her and covered her mouth, forcibly interrupting her casting!


    ��Don��t attack her,�� a familiar voice whispered in her ear.


    ��Lin Da?�� Aiko��s face, previously marked with shock, quickly relaxed into delight as she turned her head.


    ��I missed you so much�� No, that��s not right, now��s not the time for this!��


    ��Why is there a witch in your room? Do you know how serious a crime harboring a witch is?��


    Aiko shook her head vigorously, a rare stern look on her face, and said:


    ��Hand her over to the Holy Light Church immediately. My family has some connections that can ensure you won��t be implicated. Look at her, she��s almost fallen. If we wait any longer, who knows, she might�� next second����


    ��Get out first.��


    Lin Da��s gaze was fixed directly on the unconscious Lulu.


    Behind him were Kafni and Monica, who also felt uneasy.


    The three had drawn a blank at Lulu��s inn and had headed back home.


    Only to see that the door to their home was open.


    Upon entering, they discovered Aiko ready to unleash a spell, attacking Lulu.


    ��You��re going to protect her?�� Aiko asked, disbelief written all over her face.


    Lin Da nodded, ��Yes.��


    ��No! The Holy Light Church will find out sooner or later, and you will be punished!��


    Aiko was so angry she ground her teeth, ��Wake up, don��t be fooled by that Beastman.��


    Punished?


    Lin Da scoffed inwardly, the mere Holy Light Church, what right did they have to sanction a hero?


    Purifying the witch was to save this land!


    ��If everyone present keeps their mouths shut, no one will know Lulu is a witch.�� Lin Da gazed at Aiko: ��Can you keep a secret for me?��


    ��Ah, this���� Aiko hesitated.


    She wanted to say, yes, but only if you become my dog.


    Lin Da looked at her earnestly, sincerely saying, ��I know this puts you in a difficult position, but I don��t want to be your enemy.��


    Aiko��s heart skipped a beat, enemy?


    To protect that Lulu, Lin Da would even consider her an enemy?


    ��Nope, I wasn��t thinking about using this to threaten you or anything? After all, I am Lin Da��s friend forever.��


    Aiko forced a smile.


    ��As a friend, I am on your side, it��s just, I��m worried about your safety. What if that witch turns into a Catastrophe Beast����


    Aiko wasn��t lying about worrying about Lin Da.


    In White Dove City, with a population of a million, Aiko only worried about herself and her dog, the lives or deaths of others didn��t concern her.


    Lin Da felt Aiko��s sincerity too.


    ��It��s okay, not all witches are bad, Lulu is a teammate I approve of.��


    ��Moreover, I have the ��Special Medicine�� to save witches.��


    Lin Da smiled mysteriously, pushed Aiko out the door, and said apologetically: ��My treatment process cannot be seen by others, please step outside for a moment.��


    Even me?


    This push made Aiko feel a bit hurt.


    ��Um, then I��ll leave, I won��t disturb you.�� Aiko didn��t know how she managed to smile.


    With Snow Goose, Lin Da had cared most about Lia.


    After creating the Phoenix Tail Flower, his focus shifted to that Beastman, Lulu.


    Aiko felt stifled inside; she was never the one Lin Da cared about most from the start!


    ��


    Lin Da closed the bedroom door, his expression grave as he approached the bedside.


    ��Can you hear my voice?��


    He grabbed Lulu��s shoulders and shook them slightly.


    The situation of the Beastman girl was dire.


    Contamination backlash had occurred.


    Her forehead was burning hot, and her entire body seemed to be emitting smoke.


    The veins beneath her skin looked like ugly bugs, rampantly climbing, twisting, and trying to bore out of Lulu��s body.


    ��Damn Fallen Beast�� I��ll purify you sooner or later!��


    Lin Da took a deep breath, his hands cradling Lulu��s small face.


    His palm got sticky from the sweat on Lulu��s face.


    ��Hmmm���� Feeling the touch, Lulu instinctively growled low in her throat.


    ��It��s me.�� Lin Da, unable to bear it, picked up a towel, wiped the sweat from Lulu��s face, and said: ��Hang in there, I��m going to save you!��


    ��Team�� captain?�� Lulu miraculously regained a trace of consciousness. She struggled to open her eyes, saw Lin Da��s face full of concern, and smiled ambiguously.


    ��Completely different from in my dreams�� Everyone ran away, why�� did you come back?��


    Lulu��s expression was pained, her voice extremely weak.


    ��Don��t talk now.�� Lin Da cradled the Beastman girl��s small face, drawing closer.


    ��As the team captain, I��m giving you your first task.��


    ��Open your mouth, accept the captain��s purification.��


    The voice stopped there.

 Chapter 107 - 107: 103. Lulu: Are you all protecting him?

    Chapter 107: 103. Lulu: Are you all protecting him?


    ��Purification.��


    Lin Da mumbled indistinctly.


    A warm emerald light blossomed between the two.


    No matter the sweat or the foul-smelling black blood, anything else�� Lin Da devoured it all.


    Like rain after a long drought, under the irrigation of the emerald green life magic power, Snow Goose��s physical condition rapidly improved.


    In contrast, Lin Da��s magic power was consumed at a terrifying rate!


    ...


    In no time at all, his head began to ache, and his body felt as though it had been wrung dry.


    It was only now that Lin Da felt a chilling fear. Pollution was not something that followed a regular pattern of occurrence. A few days prior, Snow Goose was stable, but at this moment, had he returned even a little later, Snow Goose would have transformed into the Catastrophe Beast.


    ��Let go, you stink�� you, didn��t brush your teeth!�� Snow Goose had regained quite a bit of consciousness and tried to push Lin Da away.


    But she was too weak, her strength no more than that of a child.


    Lin Da responded hazily, ��You��re not any better. The pollution is foul!��


    ��Then why�� are you trying so hard?�� Snow Goose gasped for breath.


    ��No choice.��


    Lin Da pressed against the young girl��s cheek, looking into those restless, frail eyes.


    He absorbed the pollution, along with the heat and sweetness, swallowing it in one gulp as he said, ��It��s all for my teammates.��


    ��


    The bedroom door cracked open, and three heads peeked through in a vertical row.


    When Lin Da covered Snow Goose��s mouth, their eyes widened in shock.


    ��Leader Lord, a pervert.��


    ��How dare he��! He��ll be torn apart by that witch!��


    ��Why, when I was here first?��


    Aiko, at the bottom, clenched her teeth in frustration, her pupils shaking.


    Even though she knew Lin Da was administering a ��special medicine�� to Snow Goose, she still felt intense jealousy!


    She, too, wanted to do such things with Lin Da!


    Watching from behind the door as Lin Da embraced another girl, the heart-wrenching pain twisted Aiko��s expression.


    She had read many similar plots in titillating stories but never imagined that one day she would become the main character outside the door!


    The dim light in the rental room fell on Aiko��s face, making her look even more ferocious.


    Like a demon choosing its prey, any adventurer who saw her would be scared witless.


    Only that the other two were also spying, not paying attention to Aiko


    ��If they��re really doing something proper, it��ll be bad if we keep watching.�� Kafni coughed and closed the door.


    Doing something proper?


    When Aiko heard this, she bit her fingertip sourly.


    A wild little orc, a blonde bear whose physique wasn��t inferior to hers, Kafni with a body just as imposing, and that big lolita with a timid face who dared not lift her head��


    Aiko had a terrible feeling: Could it be, everyone was playing without her?


    Don��t they want to include her?


    She was the one who had known Lin Da for the longest time!


    Originally, Aiko��s only rival was Lia, whose brain and body were both underdeveloped��she felt no sense of crisis. Proudly relying on her bear, she waited for Lin Da to come to her.


    If Lin Da showed her favor, she might even bestow some benefits on him�� but now, Lin Da had too many beautiful girls around him, he clearly didn��t lack for benefits.


    Unless she took the initiative to throw herself at him for free, otherwise, there would be no opportunity?


    At this thought, Aiko��s face turned pale.


    For her, the young lady, to court favor with Lin Da, a dog��? Wouldn��t that mean Lin Da was the master?


    ��If I don��t take drastic action, Lin Da will really be bewitched by those cheap women!��


    Aiko��s inner alarm bells rang as she brooded with a dark expression, evil thoughts arising in her head.


    ��


    Ten minutes after the purification.


    In the bedroom, Snow Goose��s pollution had been temporarily suppressed.


    Her cheeks were covered in sweat, and her light blue hair stuck to them strand by strand, while exhaustion was evident in her eyes. Supporting herself with the bed frame, she struggled to sit up.


    Lin Da was also gasping for breath, his magic power completely depleted.


    During the purification process, Snow Goose��s trust went up and down like a roller coaster.


    It plummeted at first, then climbed.


    From 47 points, it rose to the level of a ��friend�� at 60 points.


    Two system notifications silently lingered in the message bar:


    [Snow Goose��s trust level has risen to 50 points, you have earned a Town Portal Scroll (Tier 10) *1!]


    [Snow Goose��s trust level has risen to 60 points, you have earned 3000 Mystical Points!]


    Lin Da had no interest in checking the rewards.


    The atmosphere in the bedroom was tense, and even though Snow Goose��s trust level reached that of a friend, her gaze towards him was like that of an enemy, barely containing her hatred, as if she could lash out at any second.


    ��Did you bring Monica back?�� Snow Goose didn��t care about her own physical condition or ask why Lin Da was there but instead asked a seemingly unrelated question.


    ��Yeah, she��s right outside.�� Lin Da didn��t hide it.


    ��Not pretending anymore?�� Snow Goose scoffed.


    Lin Da shrugged his shoulders, ��No point in pretending anymore when it��s all out in the open.��


    Lulu was taken aback; she hadn��t expected Lin Da to admit it so readily.


    Her expression was complex as she looked at the man before her.


    No matter what, she couldn��t associate Lin Da with the team leader from three years ago.


    The change was just too great. What had Lin Da gone through during the time he vanished?


    Not only had he removed his mask, but he also changed his profession, starting from scratch, playing house in the top ten floors with Snow Goose and those people��


    Such an act, within the Primitive Adventure Team, seemed as fanciful and absurd as a tall tale.


    Perhaps it was all done with an arrogant attitude, looking down upon those lowly insects? With self-deprecating laughter, Lulu said,


    ��Seeing a member who was kicked out fall into depravity and become a witch, you must be scoffing at me, huh?��


    Lin Da didn��t deny it, and with a deep look in his eyes, he said,


    ��Yes, it��s the useless ones who hear the whispers of the Demon King, who get tempted.��


    ��That��s why you��re not like Wolf and the others, are you? Being kicked out of the team was only natural.��


    This merciless taunt caused Lulu��s eyebrows to furiously twitch, her eyes brimming with unabashed hatred!


    The werewolf girl named ��Wolf�� had taken her place as the superior replacement.


    With Wolf��s arrival, Lulu was thoroughly outclassed and suffered all kinds of humiliation. And Lin Da, as the Primal Team Leader, not only did nothing to prevent it but instead confiscated all of Lulu��s resources and used them on Wolf.


    Mentioning Wolf��s name now was undoubtedly a humiliation��after becoming a witch, she was still inferior to Wolf!


    Lin Da was still that ��Lin Da,�� with immense arrogance in his heart, looking down on her without a single regret even after three years!


    Lulu glared at Lin Da furiously. The more indifferent his expression, the angrier she became, her chest heaving violently, nearly breaking the carefully wrapped breastplate.


    She remembered the injustices she suffered in the Primitive Adventure Team, risking her life for the team, yet the resources she received didn��t even amount to a tenth of Wolf��s, and her equipment was confiscated and sold to the merchants to create a ring for Wolf��


    The night she left the Primitive Adventure Team, Wolf showed off the jade ring on her finger, stepping on Lulu and taunting her,


    ��You orc trash don��t deserve to stay by the Lord��s side!��


    All of her efforts could not even garner a trace of attention from the team leader�� Inside Lulu��s heart, respect gradually turned to resentment.


    Now, she looked at Lin Da before her, apparently weak but with a calm demeanor, and couldn��t help but growl low, thrusting out her sharp beastly claws!


    You��re no longer the leader of the Primordial team; you��re just a level 10 adventurer!


    A twisted sense of pleasure arose within Lulu��s heart, hoping to see Lin Da frightened and begging, apologizing to her!


    But faced with the incoming beastly claws, Lin Da��s eyes were as calm as an ancient well, like a statue standing erect. S��arch* The nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If it were the Five-star Character Wolf, he would have run away by now. But Lulu��s personal background revealed that she would dare to offend a noble to save a comrade,


    The second act was called [For the team leader and everyone, willing to endure pain],


    A Beastwoman who excels at considering her teammates, valuing loyalty and righteousness.


    And a bit tsundere.


    Lin Da knew all too well that if he backed down here, Lulu would never be able to become his teammate again.


    In front of Monica, he was a kind and gentle team leader. But facing Lulu, he couldn��t show the slightest weakness.


    As Lulu showed signs of aggression, the three listeners outside couldn��t stay put any longer.


    Although they had different intentions, Aiko and the others were all worried about Lin Da��s safety.


    The bedroom door was abruptly pushed open; Monica rushed towards Lin Da with panic, eyes closed as she yelled, ��Sister Lulu, don��t hurt Lord Leader!��


    Kafni anxiously used a trace of divine power within her, her eyes releasing a faint golden light, her aura becoming holy and formidable.


    This greatly shocked Aiko, who almost thought the Goddess of Holy Light had descended.


    While Aiko was unclear about the situation, she too pointed her magic wand at Lulu.


    In an instant, the three of them guarded Lin Da behind them.


    ��You all plan to protect him? This demon leader?��


    Lulu was incredulous.


    What sorcery had he used to bewitch these three into protecting him?


    ��Monica, you��re blocking me too? You should know his true nature best,�� Lulu said, suppressing her anger.


    ��Lord Leader�� has always been very gentle and kind. Monica, must protect the leader!��


    Monica shook her head resolutely, her hands trembling as she spread her arms open like the wings of a fledgling bird, shielding Lin Da in front of her.


    Lulu emotionlessly said, ��Move aside.��


    ��No!�� Monica��s voice trembled, but she didn��t back down a step.


    Monica, intimidated by Lulu, was shaking severely, obviously putting on a brave front.


    ��That��s enough. You��ve done well already,��


    Lin Da said gently as he pulled Big Lolita behind him.


    This socially anxious Lolita had bravely stepped forward to protect him, warming his heart as if an elderly father witnessed his daughter grow up.


    ��The rest is up to the leader.��


    Lin Da looked at Lulu calmly.


    Glancing at her nails, sharp as blades, he said, ��So you��re willing to attack the one who saved your life?��


    ��Once on the Barren Plains, and just now�� And even further back, on that slave-trading ship, there was another time.��


    To counter this reason-driven Beastwoman, Lin Da resorted to moral coercion.


    The last statement stirred Lulu��s memories.


    Slaves, merchant ship��


    A long-lost memory.


    A masked figure in black, just as she was about to be defiled by a gross, ugly noble, chopped off the noble��s head with a sword, calmly extending his hand, inviting her to join the Primordial Adventure Team.


    This was their first encounter.

 Chapter 108 - 108: 104. Primordial Women

    Chapter 108: 104. Primordial Women


    Dark Shadow had provided her with food and shelter and taught her how to fight.


    Sister Lulu did not disappoint this trust, she trained rigorously and soon became a key member of the adventure team. She executed Dark Shadow��s commands in the Mystic Realm battles meticulously, even if it meant entering the center of Magical Creatures or stepping into traps.


    Even though Dark Shadow��s methods were ruthless and cruel, they indeed saved her from the nobles.


    Sister Lulu��s emotions gradually calmed down.


    She said, ��I can forgive you, but you need to apologize to those who were kicked out of the team. They�� all tried hard!��


    Lin Da purposely showed a perplexed expression.


    ...


    Once Sister Lulu got what she wanted, she no longer had any attachment to the Phoenix Tail Flower.


    How could Lin Da let her leave when he was still planning to take her to the top of the World Tree?


    ��I refuse.��


    ��You were kicked out of the team because you were useless, right?��


    ��The goal of the Primitive Adventure Team is to clear the top floor. Keeping an average talent like you as a burden, why not kick you out?��


    The tone was flat, the voice without any fluctuations, like the calm surface of a lake, merely stating the facts.


    Yet, it revealed a kind of disdainful arrogance, like an emperor high above, casually reviewing a kneeling subject.


    Sister Lulu��s eyes gradually widened, her breathing grew more rapid.


    The Beastman girl unwillingly gritted her teeth and glared angrily at Lin Da!


    Watching the two argue with such intensity, Aiko felt something was off.


    The more she listened to their conversation, the more confused she became.


    Had Lin Da known this Little Orc long ago, and was she his teammate?


    Lin Da had created a team called the Primitive Adventure Team?


    But why hadn��t he ever mentioned it to everyone at Snow Goose��


    Aiko was really confused, as if she started watching a ��Magic Shadow�� movie in the middle, two hours in.


    What happened earlier, she completely couldn��t figure out.


    After all, the way Lin Da and Sister Lulu were acting, they didn��t seem like enemies, more like�� uh, a couple arguing?


    The primary thought of the Little Orc was: You don��t want me anymore? Apologize right now!


    Lin Da, on the other hand, thought: Have had enough of you, what��s the use of keeping you? Definitely time for a change.


    What��s going on here?


    Lin Da��s personal history was so rich?


    Wasn��t he just a little chef?


    The Primitive Adventure Team, Aiko also found it familiar.


    Seemed like she had seen it in a newspaper a long time ago.


    But too much time had passed, and she couldn��t clearly recall.


    The only thing Aiko could be sure of was, the Little Orc looked ferocious, but probably, even if Lin Da leaned in close, she wouldn��t touch him at all.


    This type of deadly tsundere, Snow Goose Adventure Team had one too, but much more severe than the Little Orc.


    Coming here tonight seemed a big win, discovering a past of Lin Da unknown to others.


    Aiko��s eyes shifted, continuing to listen inconspicuously.


    The two were still arguing like a couple�� oh, wrong, like mortal enemies in a fierce battle!


    Lin Da sighed and said, ��But now it��s different. Having been kicked out of the team myself, I can understand your feelings. My goal has now changed to leading the team members, without any exceptions, to clear the top floor.��


    ��Even if we try our hardest and still fail, all our efforts being denied, being kicked out of the team, that must feel terrible.��


    Lin Da��s expression softened, and he slowly reached out his right hand toward Sister Lulu.


    A standard action to raise a team member��s affection in games, the head pat.


    Once he patted, there was no character whose affection wouldn��t rise.


    While Sister Lulu pursed her lips, her hands clenched tightly into fists, she glanced from the corner of her eye at that large hand reaching down from above; the beast ears under her short hair couldn��t help but tremble repeatedly.


    Despite her desire to resist this touch, there seemed to be a voice in the depths of Sister Lulu��s heart shouting: Dark Shadow, finally, treated her like he did Wolf!


    The members of the Primitive Adventure Team had an unwritten rule.


    Whoever received the most head pats from Dark Shadow was the strongest in the team.


    Only when approved by Dark Shadow would he pat your head!


    Sister Lulu knew once she accepted this touch, any subsequent anger would be seen as a bashful member��s coquetry, and she could no longer pose any threat to Lin Da.


    But�� she couldn��t resist the touch.


    Moreover, Lin Da had acknowledged his mistake and recognized her feelings of being kicked out of the team!


    The large hand gradually approached, as if transmitting its warmth.


    Sister Lulu��s heart raced nervously, and she subconsciously closed her eyes, like a child who had been grievously wronged, finally waiting for an adult��s comfort.


    The onlookers from Aiko��s group were all dumbfounded.


    Don��t lose your nerve so quickly!


    Weren��t you here to kill Lin Da?


    Lin Da��s hand seemed to possess some sort of magic as he pressed down on Sister Lulu��s fluffy little head, rubbing back and forth.


    Sister Lulu obediently remained still, biting her lip, her large tail swinging back and forth behind her like a swing.


    It was obvious she was enjoying it tremendously!


    After a moment, Lin Da removed his hand from Sister Lulu��s head. sea??h th�� N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sister Lulu still appeared somewhat reluctant, but she kept a stern face, showing a defiant demeanor.


    The only regret was, her attention was focused on maintaining her expression, forgetting the active large tail behind her.


    Aiko and her group had grasped the essence of this Beastman girl.


    Monica whispered, ��Sister Lulu, if you like the captain, you should just say it����


    Hearing this, Sister Lulu��s expression nearly broke.


    No, she had come for revenge!


    In her dreams too, that Dark Shadow had defeated her dozens of times.

 Chapter 109 - 109: 104. Primordial Women_2

    Chapter 109: 104. Primordial Women_2


    ��This hatred can only be washed away with fresh blood!��


    Lulu glanced at Lin Da, bitterly withdrew her power, and walked past everyone toward the door.


    ��Where are you going?�� Lin Da furrowed his brows.


    ��I��ve found my own answer, there��s no need to stay and continue playing house with you guys. As for the Witch��s matter, say what you want to say, I don��t care.�� Lulu said as she found her coat in the living room, draped it on, and with hands in her pockets, spoke coldly.


    Revenge could wait for another day.


    Lin Da followed her outside, stopping a meter away from the Beastwoman girl, with a serious expression, ��Join my team. This time, I will take you to the top of the World Tree.��


    ...


    Lulu mocked with a twist of her lip, ��You say that to everyone.��


    That��s the game��s scripted line, unchangeable�� Lin Da complained inwardly.


    He straightened his expression, ��I��ve changed from before, you can consider me a completely new leader.��


    ��I am both ��Lin Da�� of the Former Original Adventure Team and the Lin Da of the Phoenix Tail Flower.��


    ��I invite you again to become my teammate, to climb to the top of the World Tree together!��


    Bright moonlight streamed through the window, landing on Lin Da��s outstretched right hand.


    Every powerful word was like a battering ram, causing Lulu��s heart��s doors to violently shake.


    In her dim life, there had only been two bright moments, and both were from the same person.


    If she had not harbored any hopes initially, she wouldn��t have ended up where she was today.


    The hands in Lulu��s pockets clenched bit by bit, her thoughts of retreat intensifying.


    ��Big talk. What if you can��t do it?��


    Her head hung low, her voice as light as paper.


    ��I can,��


    Lin Da declared, ��based on my past experience as the leader of the Former Original Adventure Team.��


    ��Not just you, those who were kicked out, I will invite them back into the team too.��


    ��I will take them to see the view from the top of the World Tree that they haven��t seen yet!��


    Lulu��s eyes wavered.


    The view from the top of the World Tree��


    Probably no adventurer could refuse it.


    However, Lulu��s real wish wasn��t just to reach the top.


    As long as she received that person��s acknowledgment and could help the team, she would be satisfied.


    Monica, standing beside her, whispered encouragement, ��Sister Lulu, come back, we��re all going on an adventure to the World Tree with the captain! Everyone will be back!��


    Everyone��?


    Monica��s words seemed to infuse fresh blood into Lulu��s heart, silent for three years.


    A beautiful and harmonious image slowly unfolded before her:


    The abandoned original members of the Primordial Adventure Team, surrounded by a tall man in black, like a group of students following a trustworthy teacher, joyfully approaching the majestic World Tree.


    Their shadows stretched long at sunset, each one closely linked to the tallest Dark Shadow.


    It seemed that as long as the Dark Shadow was there, it was a haven where everyone could anchor their souls.


    In the first Primordial Adventure Team, there were no so-called ��Five-star Characters��; everyone in the team equally enjoyed the captain��s attention.


    Lin Da grabbed Lulu��s trembling small hand from her pocket.


    The Beastwoman girl��s shoulders shook slightly.


    Lin Da remembered those four-star characters that gathered dust in the warehouse until they were eventually scrapped, sighing inwardly.


    As a captain, this time, I will make good use of you!


    Lin Da held Lulu��s chilly, trembling hand.


    Then, the hands of Monica and Kafni also joined.


    The three spoke in unison, ��Welcome to the team.��


    ��Mm���� Lulu nodded, her wolf tail bashfully tucked between her legs.


    In that beautiful image, one person seemed out of place.


    That one.


    Am I superfluous? S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Aiko also wanted to join in.


    But Kafni glared at her and shoved her aside.


    Directly causing 100 points of psychological damage!


    Everyone else was a member of the Phoenix Tail Flower, and her being from Snow Goose here, seemed indeed superfluous?


    But even if she went back, there would be no one at the villa��


    Aiko felt a bitter ache in her heart and really wanted to blurt out, ��I want to join Phoenix Tail Flower too!��


    But that would seem too desperate.


    After all, she was a ��Holy Mage��, and her strength ranked among the top Mages in White Dove City.


    Things given away for free are always worthless, cherished by no one.


    Aiko understood this principle very well.


    She was just waiting for Lin Da to come and beg her to join the team.


    But��


    It seemed like through the conversations between Lin Da and the others, she had uncovered an earth-shattering secret.


    In comparison, the fact that Lulu was a Witch seemed trivial.


    After pondering for a long time, Aiko finally remembered where she had heard the words ��Primitive Adventure Team��.


    More than three years ago,


    it was on the front page of a daily from the Southern Fire Empire, the ��Fire God Summit Competition��.


    A million young adventure teams from the empire competed against each other to select the ten strongest teams for the summit held in the Royal Capital.


    The winners would receive significant support from the empire, cultivated as the seed team to reach the summit of the World Tree.


    The winners of that competition were the Primitive Adventure Team!


    Team leader, Dark Shadow, Dai Lian!


    A name so distant that Aiko thought it had nothing to do with her, that she would never cross paths with in her life.


    She glanced at the newspaper twice, then tossed it aside.


    Caring about this was less important than checking out the latest fashion, or deciding what to have for dinner.


    And now they were telling her�� that legendary person from three years ago was actually Snow Goose��s common servant, the good-natured Lin Da?


    The legendary character suddenly appearing close by, and moreover, as a former teammate, having lived together for three years�� Aiko felt more shocked than if she had heard that her own mother was still a virgin, her heart was unable to calm down for a long time.


    Although she was very reluctant to believe it was true, if Lin Da was that Dark Shadow, then many mysteries could be explained.


    Why did Lin Da know Magical Creatures like the back of his hand, always able to devise strategies for a flawless victory?


    Could this be achieved just by studying in the library?


    There were many diligent people, some even more so than Lin Da.


    But not everyone could create a flawless strategy.


    Such abilities can be explained as a unique talent. What truly amazed Aiko was that Lin Da seemed never to worry about failing to devise the next level��s strategy; as long as he cleared a level, he would begin working on the next. Once that was cleared, he would devise the strategy for the subsequent level.


    Aiko didn��t know how much he had in his head, seeming inexhaustible.


    Not just anyone could be chosen by Aiko as the canine of her dreams.


    Her standards were exceedingly high.


    Did she casually pick a giant in hiding, the former leader of the Original Adventure Team?


    How much more was Lin Da hiding from her, his old teammate?


    Aiko��s pout became more pronounced as she felt wronged.


    Under the moonlight, those four people whose palms were joined seemed out of reach.


    They all knew Lin Da��s true identity.


    Only the people from Snow Goose were unaware.


    ��Lin Da����


    The Mage lady, like a wounded kitten, quietly called out with her hands folded in front of her, pressing the beautiful contours more distinctly.


    ��Uh�� sorry, I forgot you were still here,�� Lin Da embarrassedly chuckled.


    ��Can I ask you something?��


    Aiko, fearing he might refuse, hurriedly said, ��Primitive Adventure Team�� more than three years ago, the adventure team that won the Fire God Summit Competition, and the leader, Dark Shadow, was that you?��


    ��Wow, you were that cool back then?�� Kafni caught on. It seemed like Monica and Lulu both referred to Lin Da as the leader of the Primitive Adventure Team.


    Monica proudly puffed out her chest.


    Lulu didn��t speak, but there was a touch of pride in her expression. If she didn��t admire that team, she wouldn��t resent the leader who had kicked her out.


    Lin Da nodded and said, ��Sorry, I��ve been keeping it from you.��


    ��Why�� couldn��t you tell me? Even just me would have been fine!�� Aiko, her heart in disarray, wiped the corners of her eyes, seemingly about to cry, ��Obviously, I was the only one who thought of you as a friend�� I prepared a gift only for you for this Thanksgiving.��


    Saying this, Aiko pulled out a heart-shaped chocolate tied with a red ribbon from her bag and hugged it absentmindedly.


    ��It��s not what you think,�� Lin Da helplessly explained, ��I only recently remembered my own identity and origins. Why I appeared in White Dove City, why I changed my profession to Healer�� I completely can��t remember. Joining Snow Goose, and becoming teammates with you and Lia, were all from my genuine feelings; there was absolutely no intention of hiding anything from you.��

 Chapter 110 - 110: 105, Guest, Oath Ring

    Chapter 110: 105, Guest, Oath Ring


    Aiko frowned, ��Amnesia?��


    ��When I woke up, I was already in White Dove City,�� Da said, ��I want to know what happened in between!��


    Lulu��s eyes flickered, ��Lorna and the others might know something.��


    Even though Lulu was kicked out of the team, she still kept an eye on every move of the Primitive Adventure Team.


    The night Da disappeared, he entered the 30th floor of the World Tree with Lorna and other team members.


    There, perhaps, lay all the answers.


    ...


    ��Lorna, huh���� Da pondered in his heart.


    A crazy woman who must not be seen.


    ��Let��s not talk about them, today is the White Thanksgiving.��


    Da looked at the others, ��Since we��re all together, let��s have a party. You all must be hungry, right?��


    There was no need to mention Lulu, who, contaminated and faint, had lain down for most of the day, not to mention being quite hungry.


    Da and the others, after returning to White Dove City and busying themselves with this and that, hadn��t had much to eat.


    ��I haven��t eaten either.�� Aiko��s eyes lit up, ��Can I join your party?��


    In the villa of Snow Goose, there was definitely no one, and Aiko didn��t want to go back.


    ��Of course you can,�� Da said with a smile, ��I��ve bought a lot of ingredients, having one more person is completely fine. ��


    ��Then I won��t stand on ceremony.�� Aiko agreed gleefully.


    The group went downstairs together and moved the food ingredients and a big pile of equipment from the carriage into the house.


    Da busied himself in front of a simple stove, Monica came over dutifully to help, washing vegetables, passing seasonings, and looking forward eagerly with her little hands behind her back, blinking her eyes. When Da rubbed her little head, she couldn��t help but giggle foolishly.


    At the old small round table, Aiko, with her superb social skills, quickly hit it off with Kafni and Lulu.


    At least on the surface.


    Lulu was taciturn, usually Aiko asking and Lulu answering.


    ��How many years have you known Da?��


    ��Are you in a romantic relationship?��


    ��Your figure is so good, and your hair is so pretty, it must make boys unable to resist, right?��


    Aiko insinuated to probe the relationship between Lulu and Da, whether they were lovers, whether they had done it or not.


    Lulu��s expression remained unchanged, although her cheeks felt a bit hot.


    Thinking back to Da��s treatment process just now.


    She subconsciously touched her lips.


    Seemingly still lingering on, the captain��s taste?


    Seeing this, Aiko understood everything.


    Phew, good thing, she didn��t use the other one.


    A stroke of luck amid misfortune.


    Aiko even scoffed at Lulu in her mind, living together and still not scoring, if it were her, she��d already have a bunch of kids.


    At that moment, Aiko completely forgot, the three years Da had been with Snow Goose, he had only hugged her a few times, and that too as a teammate. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In terms of progress, not even close to ��mouth-to-mouth�� Lulu.


    With Aiko, the social butterfly, leading them, the three of them were actually having a good time chatting.


    Aiko introduced Kafni to the specialty dishes of White Dove City, teaching Lulu how to pick out pretty clothes.


    Occasionally glancing at Da, who was cooking in the distance.


    The scent of the food drifted over.


    It was a familiar scene.


    They too had left behind laughter in this cheap rental house.


    Suddenly, an idea popped into Aiko��s head: when the Snow Goose Adventure Team was just formed, did she also treat Da as a servant?


    Perhaps there was also an instant when she thought of Da, Lia, and Chloe as family.


    But where were they now?


    A trace of sadness flickered in Aiko��s eyes.


    Looking towards the bright moon outside the window.


    At this time, Lia and the others were probably also looking at the same moon.


    On Thanksgiving Day, it was the first time the members of Snow Goose spent it separately.


    In Red Heart City, Lia was wearing a black crop top and sweating heavily doing sit-ups in her room.


    ��I won��t lose, Snow Goose, definitely not��.!��


    She muttered something, gritting her teeth, each rise as if she was battling a magical creature.


    Under the moonlight, Lia had completely forgotten about Thanksgiving, immersing herself fully in her training.


    In White Dove City, in a large commercial arcade.


    Lorna was all alone with a helmet equipped with an Illusion Magic Circle, immersed in the fake subjugation of magical creatures.


    The illusion simulated a night-time prairie.


    After defeating the last Goblin, Lorna lifted her head, her gaze lonely, looking towards the cold round moon overhead.


    Thinking, let��s go home and find Aiko.


    It��s dull being alone.


    ��


    In the small rental house in Sparrow District, bursts of laughter and joy could be heard.


    Aiko, somewhat tipsy, raised her cup of wheat beer, her voice a bit coarser than usual, ��The next person who loses at rock-paper-scissors has to say who they like!��


    ��I, the mighty one�� oops, I don��t have anyone I like! But if I have to say, any woman would do!�� Kafni, intoxicated, had a flushed face.


    Monica sipped her drink in small gulps, sticking close to Da.


    Lulu also drank quite a bit, whispering to Da.


    ��Thanks for earlier.��


    Referring to his purification of her contamination.


    Da: ��I��m the captain of Phoenix Tail Flower, isn��t helping a teammate what I should do?��


    ������


    ��Hmph, you��re just putting on an act.�� Lulu dazedly held her cup of wheat beer and muttered softly, ��Maybe when we go to the higher levels, you won��t need us anymore.��


    ��That won��t happen; haven��t I assured you once already?�� Da grasped Lulu��s small hand and pulled it under the table.


    The touch was very smooth, but cold without any warmth.


    ��What are you doing, let go!�� Lulu glared at him with a faint anger.


    ��This is also for ��Purification��.�� Da smiled and released a faint green glow from his palm.


    [System Prompt: Witch Lulu��s trust level has reached 70 points, the bond deepens, reward obtained: Magic Equipment Oath Ring!]

 Chapter 111 - 111: 105, Guest, Oath Ring_2

    Chapter 111: 105, Guest, Oath Ring_2


    Oath Ring?


    Lin Da curiously opened his personal storage and found a small silver ring.


    [Name: Lulu��s Oath Ring]


    [Type: Equipment �C Jewelry (Female Only)]


    [Quality: Oath]


    [Level: 0]


    ...


    [Attribute: Strength +30%]


    [Description: A ring that witnesses the formation of an oath, can only be given to female team members. The member who wears this ring will permanently receive a +100% mood boost in the Back House system.]


    Hiss.


    Lin Da gasped.


    This Oath Ring really had something special.


    The attribute points were the most cost-effective, usable till old age ��Strength +30%�� and also increased the mood of the team members by 100%.


    Lin Da glanced at Lulu��s profile with conflict. Perhaps it was the effect of the wheat beer, the beastwoman��s cheeks were slightly flushed. Sensing his gaze, Lulu pulled her hand back, holding the mug of beer, her fingers tapping irregularly on the glass, her mood seeming rather agitated.


    The favorability still wasn��t enough.


    Giving out the Oath Ring rashly at this time might lead to misunderstandings.


    If Lulu thought he invited her into the team because he desired her body, that would be terrible.


    Lin Da placed the Oath Ring back in the storage, planning to wait for a more formal day to give it away.


    The rental house was filled with a warm atmosphere.


    The temperature inside the house was just right as summer turned cool, and the dim magic light made everything look especially peaceful, soothing one��s heart.


    The whole scene was like a vividly historic photograph, everyone unknowingly becoming a part of it.


    Enjoying the present, while also basking in the memories of the past.


    Lin Da and Lulu spoke softly.


    Monica leaned against him, her arms wrapping around his arm, seeming a bit sleepy.


    Kafni��s tolerance for alcohol improved, playfully bickering with Aiko.


    The beer in their cups was the kind with the lowest alcohol content, almost similar to soda.


    ��I like big, secure men!�� Kafni, having lost at rock-paper-scissors, slurred with a numbed tongue, unclear in her speech.


    ��Oru type? Shall I introduce you?�� Aiko asked with a mischievous smile.


    ��That big guy��? That that that that kind won��t do, must be���� Kafni struggled to find the right words, pondering.


    ��Which kind?��


    ��Um�� maybe, like Lin Da?�� Kafni blurted out. Lin Da could be quite an asshole at times, but sometimes, he was rather handsome.


    Lin Da: ��?��


    If he had no other choice before, he might have settled for Kafni.


    But now, with more and more beautiful female team members around him, Kafni simply couldn��t compete.


    There��s a saying, ��first come, first served�� near the water tower. If Lin Da were willing to be a scumbag, he probably could easily have any member��s body. However, doing so would inevitably lead to the destruction of team dynamics, and his current goal was still to reach the top of the World Tree.


    Looking at the old wall clock, it showed two o��clock deep in the night.


    Had it gotten this late?


    Lin Da frowned at the oblivious Kafni and the enthusiastic Aiko.


    He coughed and said, ��If we keep drinking, it��ll be daylight. We need to send the guest back.��


    ��Guest, what guest?�� A drunk Aiko leaned forward, almost standing up from her wheelchair, joining Lin Da in searching for the guest.


    All four of them looked at her.


    Oh.


    The guest turned out to be me?


    Aiko half sobered up.


    She pouted, not really wanting to leave.


    Even if she couldn��t win over Lin Da, she wanted him to at least ask when she would go to Phoenix Tail Flower.


    If Lin Da never asked, Aiko would be very upset.


    Luckily, Lin Da didn��t disappoint her, he remembered.


    ��Aiko, will you�� join our team?��


    ��Oh, actually Lia disagrees, the contract pressure is too high, the penalty is one million Gold Coins.��


    ��I see, sorry to make you uncomfortable, let��s pretend I never brought it up, don��t be anxious about this.�� Lin Da said guiltily.


    A huge question mark appeared over Aiko��s head.


    Is that it, you��re giving up?


    That shouldn��t be, I��m a 25-level ��Holy Mage�� genius!


    I��m rich, I have money!


    Aiko was so anxious she almost wanted to jump up!


    For a penalty of one million, I can earn it with you, I��ll put up 999999 Gold Coins, you just put in 1 Gold Coin, isn��t that enough?


    Right now, Aiko greatly regretted having asked that one extra question!


    Now, if she wants to join, she��d have to initiate the conversation herself.


    That��s the same as shaking your butt at a dog,


    begging��ugh, begging to join the team!


    As cheap as toilet paper from a trash can!


    Lin Da and his group escorted her to the door.


    They didn��t even use that broken carriage and brought her back to Snow Goose��s villa!


    Aiko miserably watched Lin Da and the others return to the rental house.


    The pretty girl by Lin Da��s side wasn��t bad-looking at all.


    To give herself away for free would be such a waste.


    She had to make Lin Da notice that she was a special existence.


    Aiko maneuvered her wheelchair back, all the while pondering over this matter.


    As she passed by a bookstore, she bought a culinary teaching book.


    As the old saying goes, to capture a man��s heart, first capture his stomach.


    Aiko��s culinary skills were lacking, but that didn��t mean, after seriously studying, it would still be as bad.


    Her ability to study was a hundred times better than Bilya��s.


    Before being driven out by the Holy Light Church, Aiko was an excellent model student, a role model for a group of Paladins to learn from.


    ��Just a little chef boy, sooner or later, I��ll make you my skirt-licking dog.��


    Humming a tune that predicted victory, Aiko went home to practice her cooking skills.


    ��


    The next day, on one side of the Adventurer��s Guild��s notice wall, a notification about the real-life strategies of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team was posted.


    This wall gathered the real-life strategies of all teams that were unfolding recently.


    The notice was pyramid-shaped, divided into three layers.


    At the very top were Iron Level adventure teams.


    This layer was displayed as blank.


    The second layer was the Rock Level adventure teams.


    There were sparsely three or four teams.


    The Rock Level corresponds to layers 10-15, usually hyping up a month in advance.


    This kind of real-life strategy was not free.


    Usually, they would charge adventurers for admission or collaborate with a branch of the Adventurer��s Guild to collect a one-time buyout fee.


    In the real-life strategies of the Rock Level teams, one could find the names of the Ice Flower Adventure Team and the Snow Goose Adventure Team. sea??h th�� N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Both were scheduled for next month, Ice Flower the 13th floor, Snow Goose the 12th.


    Both adventure teams were highly anticipated, and tickets were sold out within a day of release.


    Then, there was the third tier of the Apprentice Level teams.


    There were more of them.


    Brave Adventure Team, Sunny and Cheerful Adventure Team, Let��s Get Rich Adventure Team�� the names were diverse.


    The strategies were concentrated in the first three layers.


    There were too many real-life strategies on this level.


    It was hardly interesting, and nobody would watch even if it was free.


    Setting up such real-life strategies was purely for the empire��s subsidy.


    ��Isn��t there a higher-level strategy? I don��t mind if the ticket is a bit more expensive.��


    A handsome elf in a white suit scanned the team list discontentedly.


    His gaze moved to the bottom of the pyramid, and he noticed a name he had seen in the newspaper.


    [Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team]


    [Level: Apprentice]


    [Strategy Target: Floors 1-3]


    [Start Date: X month X day, two days later]


    ��Hey, look at this!�� the elf said unexpectedly, ��The leader of the Phoenix Tail Flower, isn��t that the Ultimate Pervert?��


    ��Lin Da? His team is starting a real-life strategy?��


    ��Tsk, the first three floors, really not interesting.��


    The adventurers were indifferent.


    Teams strategizing the first three floors were too many, all too similar, unable to produce any new tricks.


    ��Unexpected that Phoenix Tail Flower is so poor, real-life strategies subsidies for the first three floors are just around ten gold coins, right?�� the elf who first noticed sighed, ��The beautiful Miss Aiko actually likes such a poor man, I am truly disappointed.��


    ��Who I like is none of your business,�� a soft, gentle voice with a smile sounded.


    ��Miss Aiko?!�� The elf turned, and there, was a mage lady sitting in a wheelchair, with blonde hair and dressed in white.


    The elf��s voice trembled with excitement: ��Actually, I am your fan!��


    Miss Aiko today also looked very beautiful, the elf sighed internally.


    Who wouldn��t like a sickly, noble-born young lady with golden locks?


    She also smelled wonderfully, definitely the legendary ��body scent.��

 Chapter 112 - 112: Lia, the new idol, Phoenix Tail Flower is ready to launch

    Chapter 112: Lia, the new idol, Phoenix Tail Flower is ready to launch


    ��Oh. Then please support the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, and remember to attend their strategy livestream,�� Aiko said with a smile.


    ��Absolutely!�� The elf nodded hastily.


    Aiko��s appearance immediately became the focus of the hall.


    Rock-level Squad member, titled Holy Mage, a young prodigy adventurer.


    With various accolades under her belt, Aiko garnered a group of loyal fans.


    She came to the Adventurer��s Guild to promote the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team��s strategy livestream.


    ...


    Aiko worried that there wouldn��t be a single viewer on the day of the livestream.


    After all, the first three floors were too easy, nothing worth watching.


    It was from a drunk Kafni that Aiko learned about the Phoenix Tail Flower��s livestream event yesterday.


    Although Aiko didn��t think much of it�� if Lin Da wanted to do it, then just do it. She��d help him wholeheartedly so that Lin Da could see her enthusiasm.


    Thanks to her personal promotion, the news of the Phoenix Tail Flower��s livestream starting in two days was quickly known by everyone.


    ��Miss Aiko, we will definitely watch it!��


    A group of adoring fans shouted excitedly, with hearts in their eyes.


    ��Thank you all~��


    Aiko waved her little hand and left the Adventurer��s Guild contentedly.


    When she returned to the villa, she happened to run into Lia.


    ��Where have you been, taking so long to come back?��


    ��Got the money, and the equipment too.��


    Lia tossed a snake-skin bag onto the ground.


    The contents clanked inside.


    Two sets of front-row armor, new magic scrolls, jewelry, weapons��


    These items had cost Lia 200,000 Gold Coins.


    Under her persistent cajoling, Bellini agreed to lend the money,


    but it was all the Bloody Baron��s money, and Bellini required Lia to repay it within two months.


    Therefore, the next floor��s strategy was critical.


    Lia clenched her fist with a determined look in her eyes.


    If the Snow Goose Adventure Team successfully cleared the 12th floor, they would be able to repay the borrowed money from the family, boost Snow Goose��s fame again, and she would also prove her capability as a team leader.


    ��No matter what, we have to clear the 12th floor.��


    Lia murmured to herself.


    Aiko suddenly spoke up, ��The day after tomorrow, the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team will start their strategy livestream. Are you going?��


    ��No,�� Lia paused for a second, then shook her head and said, ��I have to train hard to reach level 25 as soon as possible.��


    ��Oh, I see.��


    Aiko saw Lia��s furrowed brow and swallowed back the words she wanted to say.


    Actually�� the other members of Snow Goose had all agreed to go and support them.


    Even Chloe had agreed, and quite readily at that.


    Aiko wanted to organize everyone to go together, to boost rapport,


    being the lead organizer would give her the greatest credit.


    But it��s fine if Lia doesn��t go��


    That woman shouldn��t be there anyway.


    ��What about Chloe?�� Lia looked around and didn��t see her.


    ��Holed up in her room, no idea what she��s doing. Why don��t you go check?�� Aiko suggested.


    ��Not necessary, if you need comforting for everything, how can you become a mature Heavy Armored Warrior? The defeat on the 11th floor is temporary, we��ll soon wash away this disgrace.��


    Lia flipped her fiery red hair confidently and strode towards her room. As she opened the door, she abruptly said, ��Aiko, have you heard of the Fire God Summit competition?��


    ��How could I not? It��s the biggest adventuring event in the Southern Fire Empire.��


    Aiko added silently to herself, the Lin Da you drove away had participated in that competition.


    Lia declared, ��Our ultimate goal is to go to that grand stage and win!��


    Aiko chuckled internally.


    It��s good for young people to have dreams.


    But don��t take it too seriously.


    Lia was full of enthusiasm.


    She went to her room and attached the Fire God Summit��s promotional poster to her wall, motivating herself at all times.


    During her two days in Red Heart City, Bellini had told her an inspiring story. There was once an ordinary adventure team called ��Primordial�� with no special backing. Through hard work and sweat, they emerged from the crowd, became famous step by step, attracted countless talents to join, and even won the Fire God Summit competition.


    The rise of the Primordial Adventure Team was a motivational legend.


    Lia took out an old newspaper from her luggage and looked at the news from over three years ago, feeling greatly inspired.


    [At the Fire God Summit, it��s a decisive victory: Primordial Adventure Team wins the championship with an overwhelming advantage, with a God-level adventurer, a promising future!]


    On the front page of the old newspaper, there was a group photo of the adventure team members.


    In the center was a man shrouded in a dark cloak, wearing a white mask, his demeanor cold and aloof.


    Behind the man was a group of diverse female adventurers.


    These young women were beautiful, powerful, from various races, and their eyes were full of vigor.


    ��I also want to become an inspirational figure like him!��


    Lia found a new idol.


    That vanished legend, the captain of the Primordial Adventure Team, Dai Lian!


    ��


    ��Achoo!��


    Lin Da almost sneezed out his snot.


    He rubbed his nose, puzzled, thinking whether someone was talking about him.


    It was noon outside.


    At this moment, they were busy preparing for their strategy livestream.


    They had rented a training room, Lin Da at the front, focused on controlling an Illusion Puppet.


    He had spent 1000 Gold Coins to have an Illusionist customize it. Controlling the puppet with a joystick, he simulated the attack patterns of the hidden boss.


    ��Attack.��


    ��Stop, once you see the Magical Creature lift its hand, immediately run to the left.��


    ��It��s the second phase now, be careful to dodge; don��t attack at all.��


    Command after command left no room for hesitation.


    Kafni and Monica were nearly exhausted to the point of collapsing.


    Once training began, Lin Da was like a different person, strictly correcting every little error they made.


    Up until the night before the strategy kicked off, Lin Da spent it with them in the training room.


    That night, at 10 o��clock, they were finally deemed qualified.


    ��Hard work,��


    Lin Da passed them water.


    ��Damn tiring,�� Kafni grumbled, clutching the water bottle and guzzling it down.


    Monica politely said thank you and then began to sip.


    When the group left the training room, they ran into Lulu who had hurried over.


    Lulu��s boots were covered in dust, and she looked weary.


    ��I��ve got what you wanted; it was hard to find. I searched all over the stores in Red Heart City and South Rock City, and only found these,��


    she said, handing over three silver potions.


    Metal Destroyer.


    Lin Da had entrusted Lulu to find them in other cities for him.


    Meanwhile, he had also posted purchase notices in White Dove City but only managed to acquire one bottle. S��arch* The ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because the potions were rare and adventurers didn��t cherish them, often using them carelessly, even though Lin Da offered a high price of 1000 gold coins, they were still hard to purchase.


    ��Thanks. How about a drink at the tavern?��


    ��No thanks, I still have things to do,�� Lulu said as she walked away with her hands in her pockets. Her voice floated back, ��Be safe tomorrow.��


    ��Why doesn��t Sister Lulu stay with us?�� Monica asked, puzzled.


    ��She has her own business to attend to. When she��s done, she��ll come over to stay with us,��


    Lin Da said on the surface, but deep down, he also wondered �C what was Lulu��s purpose for coming to White Dove City?


    When he first met Lulu, she seemed particularly concerned about whether Phoenix Tail Flower was a local adventure team in White Dove City.


    It seemed there could only be one reason for this requirement.


    After spending half a year with a local adventurer��s team, one could apply for an identity card from White Dove City.


    What did she want with that?


    Even when Lin Da asked Lulu, the beastwoman girl refused to answer.


    In the end, she hadn��t completely trusted him.


    Lin Da pondered that after completing the first three levels, he would buy a big house in the Inner City District and invite Lulu to live with them.


    Living together for a long time would inevitably increase the chances to gain trust.


    Once the trust level reached 100, Lulu probably wouldn��t keep things from him.


    ��


    After having dinner with the team members, Lin Da and his group returned to their rented house to rest.


    Tomorrow, it was Phoenix Tail Flower��s first live strategy broadcast.


    It would also be their debut performance.


    Lin Da, as the team captain, was deeply concerned.


    The more successful this strategy, the higher Phoenix Tail Flower��s prestige would be.


    The level of prestige directly determined whether the empire would notify you when a wild Mystic Realm was discovered.


    Adventure teams with high strength and high prestige had priority.


    Making a name would also better promote his strategies, helping those lower-level adventurers.


    Therefore, this ��debut�� needed to be flawless for Lin Da.


    Standing at the bedroom door, he watched Monica fall asleep.


    ��Let��s sleep, too,��


    Lin Da looked toward Kafni lying on the couch, who was still engrossed in comic books.


    ��It��s finally starting,�� Kafni said, putting down the comic books with deep emotion.


    She said, ��The first step on the road back to being a deity feels like it��s about to start.��


    ��Actually, I��ve had a question for a while,�� Lin Da turned off the lights, made a bed on the floor, and lying with his head on his arm, looked up at the ceiling and spoke lightly, ��You were a woman originally, weren��t you?��


    Kafni was a bit annoyed, ��You insulting me?��


    ��No. The other night, Aiko asked you who your favorite person was, and your answer was�� a muscular man, right?�� Lin Da glanced curiously at a deity whose complexion had turned pale, and said, ��Do deities have genders like that? Once the power reaches a certain level, you wouldn��t need to procreate, right?��


    ��Sleep, sleep! We have to attack the World Tree tomorrow!��


    Kafni, ashamed, covered her face, having no recollection of being drunk the previous night.


    Could it be that deep down, she was into muscular men, hoping for a wild bout?


    No way!


    Kafni stealthily glanced at Lin Da��s face in the darkness, feeling her heart inexplicably quicken. She had to admit, the pesky hero had good looks!


    If Snow Goose��s Oru could rate a ten, Lin Da easily topped a hundred!


    ��I��m starting to have improper thoughts again,��


    Kafni shivered, shook her head to clear it forcefully, and forced herself to go to sleep.


    On the other side, Lin Da quietly opened the system��s Back House function to sign in.


    [Signed in successfully, you have won 400 diamonds]


    In the wooden hut, the chibi version of Monica, laughing silly with a toy bear, mood +60%.


    Lulu sat obediently on the bed, her mood rising from +10% to +30%. It seemed that people in reality do influence their chibi counterparts in the Back House?


    Kafni was fast asleep, with her mood value showing virtually no change.


    After three consecutive days of signing in, plus the remaining diamonds, Lin Da��s balance had reached 7040.


    He spent 4000 diamonds to purchase two Magic Guidance Tickets and two Strength Guidance Tickets to train Monica and Lulu automatically.


    The two chibi characters in the Back House started doing push-ups on the floor.


    [System Notice: Lulu��s strength +5, Monica��s magic power +4!]


    ��Without the extra bonuses of the first training, the attribute points gained indeed seemed fewer,��


    Lin Da mused in his heart. This, too, was identical to the games.


    To raise Lulu and Monica to Five-star Character standards, it would still require a large number of diamonds.


    He spent another 2000 diamonds to buy a Gray Wolf plushie for Lulu to cuddle, raising the daily diamond income from 400 to 440.


    Then he closed the system and reviewed the details of the strategy in his mind, scrutinizing and simulating.


    Only after ensuring that there were no flaws in the plan three times did Lin Da feel relieved enough to fall asleep.


    The first exploration of the Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team was about to begin.


    Even for someone with Lin Da��s temperament, it was hard not to feel excited.

 Chapter 113 - 113: 107, Snow Goose, Ice Flower, and Star-ranked adventurer

    Chapter 113: 107, Snow Goose, Ice Flower, and Star-ranked adventurer


    At the dawn of the next day, in the Adventurer��s Guild of the White Dove District,


    the spacious hall was bustling and overcrowded.


    ��It��s eight o��clock, hasn��t it started yet?��


    ��It seems that the strategy broadcast won��t start until nine.��


    ��What��s so interesting about that Ultimate Pervert? I came here for Miss Aiko, where is she?��


    The broadcast station for the Attacker��s live broadcast was surrounded by three huge magic screens, with adventurers densely packed around it.


    ...


    They craned their necks in anticipation, searching for members of the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Some of the crowd were fans of Aiko.


    Others were simply there for the excitement��to see the Snow Goose Adventure Team clash with the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.


    Lin Da, who broke away from Snow Goose, founded the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team�� This undeniably put Lia, the leader of Snow Goose, in an awkward position.


    Those familiar with Snow Goose knew that Lin Da was one of the founding members.


    The significance behind a founder leaving to start anew was thought-provoking.


    Due to this incident, Lia��s character was questioned, and the reputation of the Snow Goose Adventure Team declined.


    If the Phoenix Tail Flower performed poorly today, that would be one thing.


    The narrative that ��Lia kicked Lin Da out because he was weak�� would be accepted by the public.


    It wasn��t her fault that Lin Da left the team; it was indeed Lin Da who wasn��t up to par��she had no choice but to let him go.


    The reputation of the Snow Goose Adventure Team would see some improvement.


    But conversely, if Phoenix Tail Flower was unstoppable and Lin Da shone as the commander��


    Lia��s lies would unravel on their own.


    It wouldn��t be ��Lin Da was subpar and got kicked out by her.��


    People would instinctively think, ��It was internal issues within Snow Goose that drove Lin Da to leave.��


    When considering Lia��s widely known fiery temper, the reason for Lin Da��s departure seemed self-evident.


    The reporters present excitedly gripped their pens tighter.


    Those in their line of work loved a good commotion.


    They feared nothing more than a dull story.


    They all waited for Lia to show up, ready to interview her.


    However, it seems Lia had learned to be savvy.


    She knew her presence would complicate matters.


    When the Snow Goose Adventure Team walked in from a distance, the reporters did not spot Lia among them.


    The crowd quickly parted to either side, respectfully clearing the way.


    Leading the Snow Goose Adventure Team was Aiko, followed by Klrona, Klyne, Oru�� Each of them wore a gleaming Rock-level badge on their chests and the confidence of seasoned adventurers on their faces as they approached the front of the live broadcast station with imposing auras.


    ��As expected of a Rock-level Squad, that imposing presence�� it��s making my scalp tingle!��


    ��Holy Mage Aiko, Pink Battle Axe Klrona, Wind Archer Klyne, Black Heavy Hammer Oru�� all are seasoned level 20 adventurers!��


    ��Hearing you say that, why do I feel like Snow Goose did the right thing by kicking out Lin Da? Wasn��t he only level 15 before?��


    ��Heh, on the surface it��s Aiko promoting the strategy broadcast, but could it be that Snow Goose��s people want to embarrass the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team in front of a larger audience?��


    Various discussions arose in the hall.


    Some said Aiko had an ulterior motive, hoping to see Lin Da make a fool of himself.


    Others believed that Aiko had good intentions.


    Reporters surged forward with their ��big guns and small cannons,�� asking questions, and the dark microphones aimed at Aiko resembled a celebrity interview scene.


    Aiko had a smile on her face, and her pleasant-sounding voice, accompanied by a voice amplification array within the microphone, spread throughout the hall.


    She said, ��Please don��t misunderstand, even though Lin Da has left Snow Goose, we��re still his best friends. We have come here today with a heart full of blessings, hoping that the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team will pass successfully and obtain many high-quality Magical Equipment.��


    ��May I ask, why isn��t team leader Lia here?��


    A square-faced reporter from a newspaper asked with ill-intent.


    ��The thing is, today is a critical day for Lia to break through to level 25, so regrettably, she couldn��t make it here to support Lin Da. In fact, she��s also silently wishing the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team the best, hoping they��ll reach even greater heights.��


    Aiko��s smile was impeccable.


    Yet the reporters inwardly sighed.


    Interviewing such a clever woman was too uninteresting; if Lia were here, their notebooks would fill with pages of material.


    That��s why Lia was so popular among the press.


    Wherever Lia was, they always reaped a bountiful harvest.


    Just as Snow Goose��s arrival had seemingly brought the atmosphere to a peak, to the surprise of many adventurers, there was another commotion near the entrance.


    The crowd parted, and an adventure team with an aura that was in no way inferior to Snow Goose��s��in fact, even stronger��walked through.


    A venerable Rock-level Adventure Team with profound strength, Ice Flower!


    Isa, clad in a white coat and carrying a thin sword at her waist with her silver hair cascading behind her,


    released a potent Ice Douqi around her, dropping the temperature wherever she went. Adventurers nearby couldn��t help but shiver.


    They felt as if the silver-haired maiden was like a blade thrust into a cliff of ice and snow, emitting a chilling radiance that made it impossible to look directly at her.


    Behind Isa, there were six members whose auras were equally strong.


    A girl with light green bobbed hair, wearing glasses, said with a smile, ��I want to see just how capable the person our captain trusts is at commanding.��


    The Ice Flower Adventure Team headed to the foremost position, standing on a slightly raised white platform.


    Even though many spots within the inner circle of the live broadcast array were empty, no adventurer dared to set foot there without permission.


    That was the privilege of the Rock-level Squad, given by the Guild.


    Including, but not limited to: priority invitations to auctions, information on Mystic Realms and rare Magical Creatures, advance notices, low-interest high-amount loans��


    In the Adventurer��s Guild, the squad��s level is everything.


    With the arrival of Ice Flower, a wave of lively discussion ensued:


    ��The rumors seem to be true, Isa really is fooling around with Lin Da! Otherwise, why would she come to such a low-level strategy live broadcast?��


    ��Heh heh, it��s obviously to support Lin Da.��


    ��Boo hoo hoo, I��m so jealous. Lin Da, hurry up and get married, and distribute the remaining beauties among us!�� sea??h th�� N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��I think even if he was to choose, it wouldn��t be your turn.��


    ��?��


    On the platform in the inner circle, Isa nodded to Aiko not far away, greeting her, ��Long time no see.��


    ��You too. You seem to have become even more beautiful, such smooth silver hair.��


    In Aiko��s heart, she detested this silver-haired sow who was seducing Lin Da, itching with hatred.


    But the upbringing of an outstanding young lady allowed her to maintain a smile at all times, to speak pleasantly, and to establish good relationships with everyone around her.


    Meanwhile, at the railing on the second floor of the Adventurer��s Guild.


    There was a young man with fiery red hair tied in a ponytail, and a dark-skinned female Beastman with explosive curves, wearing only hotpants and a black tube top.


    They looked down below and chatted casually.


    While most adventurers were attracted to Snow Goose and Ice Flower, only a very few noticed their presence.


    And then, they were shocked and their eyes widened.


    The redhead was the Thunder Swordmaster, Dawen from Red Heart City!


    The other, the deputy head of the White Dove Adventure Group, ��Mad Panther�� Jite!


    What they had in common was that both were famous Star-ranked adventurers who had reached level 30 and above.


    The prestige of such adventurers was capable of breaking through the confines of their respective cities and spreading to nearby areas.


    Even though Dawen was from Red Heart City, there were still many who recognized him.


    The appearance of Dawen and Jite led some people to new thoughts about this Attacker live broadcast: Did that Lin Da really have something special about him?


    Or did he have connections that were so influential he could garner the support of Ice Flower, Snow Goose, and even two Star-ranked adventurers?


    Actually, it was all a misunderstanding.


    The arrival of Dawen was purely by chance.


    The fiery-haired, cool Swordsman rested his hands on the railing and spoke in a calm tone, ��It��s confirmed, there��s a mutation of high-level Magical Beasts at Breeze River Beach. Will the White Dove Adventure Group take action?��


    ��Of course. With several large mines nearby, we, as the local adventure team, will not stand by if the mines are in trouble.��


    The Beastman Jite, drinking from a bottle of Wheat Beer, with thick arms and well-defined abs, glanced at Dawen and asked, ��But is the information accurate? We��ve investigated too, and only found a few immature Murderous Crabs.��


    ��Believe it or not,�� Dawen replied. ��I��m actually quite looking forward to sharing the battlefield with the White Dove Adventure Group.��


    ��Hmph.��


    Jite raised an eyebrow and pointed towards the strategy broadcast below, ��You didn��t go straight back to Red Heart City, did you come here because of that Lin Da?��


    ��Half and half. The other half is to see how Lia is doing.�� Dawen squinted his eyes and said, ��If things go well, that kid might have the potential to become a future Steel Level Adventure Group leader.��


    ��Haha.�� Jite laughed, finished her Wheat Beer in one gulp, crumpled the bottle into the size of a thumb, and threw it into the trash bin.


    She crossed her arms, looking down disdainfully and said, ��Combined, Red Heart City and White Dove City have a million adventurers, and there are only six Steel Level teams. How does a team with unremarkable achievements like Phoenix Tail Flower get such high praise from you? Dawen, I remember you being quite prideful. You��re not getting old and losing your judgment, are you?��


    Dawen snorted with laughter and responded, ��Based on his ability to lead Lia, that fool, to the eighth level unscathed, he deserves my opinion.��


    ��Eighth level�� heh, anything below the tenth level is all low levels, what��s the use? You know how terrifying the Magical Creatures are in the higher levels.��


    Jite was dismissive, ��There are plenty of genius adventurers below the tenth level. Once they get to the tenth level and beyond, they all turn into mediocrities!��


    As they spoke, the previously black screen of the strategy broadcast lit up.


    The image of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team appeared on the screen.


    Dawen watched the display and remarked, ��Personally, I have high hopes for him.��


    ��For these garbage low levels, the first three?�� Jite pouted.


    ��Yes.�� Dawen nodded.


    Although he had only had brief contact with Lin Da, he could tell that the latter was a person with a steady character. In such simplistic levels as the first three, one would not open a strategy live broadcast without full confidence.


    With the empire��s subsidy being a mere ten Gold Coins, an adventurer like Lin Da would not be short of such a small amount of money.


    All these reasons were why Dawen had confidence in Lin Da.


    ��It��s starting, it��s starting!��


    The hall buzzed with excitement.


    Pairs of curious eyes now turned to the magic screen.

 Chapter 114 - 114: 108. Arid Corridor, Lin Da foresees the future?

    Chapter 114: 108. Arid Corridor, Lin Da ��foresees�� the future?


    Dawen, Jite, Isa, and others�� appearance brought a sliver of hope to the numerous adventurers regarding the strategies for conquering the Phoenix Tail Flower.


    Could it be that even such low levels as the first three have something new to offer?


    ��I hope Lin Da passes safely.��


    Oru silently gazed at the large screen, one hand bandaged, the other holding Klyne��s delicate palm.


    The couple was praying for Lin Da.


    Klrona looked up at the familiar yet unfamiliar tall figure on the screen, her expression somewhat dazed.


    ...


    She had been in a daze these past three days.


    Realizing one thing: even if she suffocated in her room, no one would care.


    Seeing Lin Da on the screen, holding Monica��s hand, Klrona��s eyes were slightly red.


    All he cares about is that Monica, not her!


    Aiko, perhaps sensing her emotional turmoil, sighed and said in a low voice, ��Shall we bring some gifts and visit him after Lin Da��s team has finished strategizing?��


    ��Okay,�� Klrona nodded silently.


    Meanwhile.


    At the entrance to the World Tree Secret Realm in Secret Realm Square, White Dove City. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da looked seriously at his two teammates, ��You remember everything I taught you, right?��


    ��We remember.��


    ��No problem.��


    Monica and Kafni each nodded.


    As for the fourth member of the team, Lulu, she couldn��t come due to the lower initial levels and was currently at the Adventurer��s Guild in Sparrow District, watching them.


    ��Then, let��s move out.��


    Lin Da took the lead, walking ahead with the two others towards the lush World Tree reaching up to the sky.


    At the base of the tree, there was a tree hole, inside which were stairs leading upward.


    Made of wood as well, these old, creaking steps seemed to carry the weight of history.


    The stairs led to a teleportation array, and Lin Da and his companions entered together. In the next instant, the light flashed, and when they opened their eyes, they found themselves in a desolate brown canyon.


    Like an endless corridor stretching into the distance, sharp, biting winds blew straight at them,


    and before them lay a land of cracked, withered yellow soil, where pairs and groups of Black Magic Dogs wandered like soldiers guarding a treasure in the canyon.


    Once adventurers entered their territory, these Black Magic Dogs would fiercely launch an attack without fear of death.


    ��Scared?�� Lin Da bent over, steadying himself on his knees, and chuckled as he encouraged Monica.


    ��With the captain here, Monica isn��t scared!�� the girl said firmly.


    Lin Da nodded and then looked up at a ladybug flying high in the sky.


    Magical Creature, sensor ladybug.


    The view from this ladybug��s eyes would be transmitted back to the Adventurer��s Guild in White Dove City.


    He also didn��t know how many people would watch this livestream of them tackling these very low levels.


    One could guess that there weren��t many.


    Lin Da, adopting an air of dealing with thin air, gave a perfunctory smile and greeted everyone: ��Hello, adventurers, good afternoon.��


    ��Next, I will suppress my own level to demonstrate to everyone how to tackle the first floor of the World Tree Secret Realm, the Arid Corridor, with a minimum level of 5.��


    Just as he was about to set off, a sensor ladybug strapped to his thigh began to buzz.


    It was receiving a ��Golden Advice��.


    Adventurers are this wealthy now, to casually offer the World Tree Goddess demon cores, sending expensive ��Golden Advice��?


    This act was akin to sending rockets to a streamer.


    But the streamer got no cut; it all went to the World Tree.


    Lin Da plucked the ladybug from the bag on his thigh, looked beneath it, the square belly like a little screen:


    [Lin Da, keep it up! Brother me, Klyne, and Aiko and the girls, we are all watching you!]


    [Lin Da, you haven��t forgotten your promise with Ice Flower, have you? I left the teammates�� information in your room.]


    [Hmph, traitor of Snow Goose, you dare to start a livestream?]


    [��]


    [Ultimate Pervert, I freaking dislike you!]


    All at once, he received over ten Golden Advices.


    Were there so many people watching the Phoenix Tail Flower��s strategizing livestream? Had nearly all from Snow Goose shown up?


    Lin Da was momentarily stunned, then suddenly remembered that night Kafni, drunk, had told Aiko about their plans to tackle the World Tree using Phoenix Tail Flower.


    It seemed he found the reason for such a large turnout.


    His appreciation for Aiko grew a bit.


    If there was a chance, he would return the favor.


    Then, Lin Da read through the Golden Advice messages one by one.


    The first two were clearly sent by Oru and Isa.


    As for the third one�� it was rather abrasive.


    It made Lin Da involuntarily think of Lia.


    At any rate, the number of viewers for this livestream was much higher than he had expected.


    Monica also held a sensor ladybug, looking at the screen filled with ordinary suggestions, frightened into silence.


    ��Captain, so many adventurers are watching us!��


    ��Don��t be scared, face it with a normal mindset.��


    Lin Da bowed to the sensor ladybug in the sky: ��Although I don��t know what��s going on, thanks everyone for showing up!��


    He first suppressed his power to fit a level 5 standard, making it easier for ordinary adventurers to ��copy the homework��.


    His gaze swept forward.


    A row of Black Magic Dogs bared their teeth, drooling profusely.


    ��Black Magic Dogs, level 5 magical creatures, high attack power, extremely agile. I bet many adventurers initially entering the World Tree found these creatures troublesome, getting hurt, and even having teammates killed.��


    Lin Da, holding a small white round shield in his left hand and a sword in his right, simulated himself as an ordinary warrior.


    This was the most common profession in Mystic Continent, also jokingly referred to as the poor man��s profession.


    Broke adventurers would go upfront to take damage and face the hits.


    The lowest level warriors have the highest casualty rate among all professions.

 Chapter 115 - 115: 108, Arid Corridor, Lin Da Predicts the Future?_2

    Chapter 115: 108, Arid Corridor, Lin Da ��Predicts�� the Future?_2


    ��Next, I will demonstrate to everyone how to safely and harmlessly take down this kind of magical beast,��


    The sensor ladybug lowered its altitude to reach Lin Da��s shoulder, providing a first-person view of the Black Magic Dog��s posture.


    When this notorious creature, nicknamed the ��newcomer killer��, appeared on the magic display, many adventurers�� unpleasant memories were awakened.


    Whether they are low-rank adventurers or not, everyone has experienced tackling the first layer.


    The Arid Corridor, as one of the trials in the Mystic Realm with the highest occurrence and difficulty, has caused countless new adventurers to fail miserably.


    What the audience didn��t know was that Lin Da had prepared up to nine strategies, covering the first three layers�� nine random maps.


    ...


    The ones he didn��t encounter would later be released in text and picture form.


    In the hall, Isa, watching the fearsome appearance of the Black Magic Dog on the screen, murmured, ��Ice Flower went to the first layer, and two of our members were bitten.��


    The Black Magic Dog is only a level 5 magical creature, but its agility reaches near that of a level 7.


    Its steel-like teeth carry poison, and if adventurers are accidentally injured, their combat effectiveness will rapidly decline, slowly dying in this long monster corridor. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At the railing on the second floor, Dawen sighed, ��Our adventure team has been taking on the first layer�� must be about twenty years now. I recall the imperial announcement showing that the casualty rate for adventurers on this layer reached 30 percent.��


    Jite hummed in agreement, ��For new adventurers, the Black Magic Dog is indeed quite a challenge.��


    Meanwhile, in the strategy live broadcast, Lin Da claimed he would keep his level at 5.


    This left the audience somewhat puzzled, ��Isn��t Lin Da here to ��clear�� the trial, but rather do a strategy teaching?��


    The intention is good.


    But, there are too many strategies for the first three layers, including some from well-known adventure teams.


    Iron Level, Sunrise Level, they all exist.


    Lin Da��s Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team is merely Apprentice Level.


    Could the strategies they produce actually be stronger than those from a Sunrise Level adventure team?


    Plain white suggestions scrolled rapidly on the underbelly of the sensor ladybug, mostly cold mockery and ridicule.


    But Lin Da��s attention had already focused on the Black Magic Dog.


    He chose to demonstrate with actual action.


    From the display, it could be seen that Lin Da stepped into the territory of the Black Magic Dog.


    The Black Magic Dog, which had been aimlessly wandering about like a ghost, suddenly noticed him and approached with a low growl.


    The Black Magic Dog was one meter long and half a meter tall, with long and strong limbs and a fierce face, resembling a bully.


    ��Awoo!��


    With a vicious roar, the Black Magic Dog leaped up high, aiming a bite at Lin Da��s neck!


    The attacks of this creature are incredibly fast; if you��re not careful, you could be bitten!


    In the hall, many low-level adventurers watching the display felt a strong sense of immersion.


    They were either adventurers who had just finished the first layer or those about to face it, studying the Black Magic Dog day and night.


    At this moment, when the Black Magic Dog launched a sudden attack, they felt as if they were there, subconsciously tensing up.


    Those adventurers who had not yet entered the World Tree, were sweating profusely, feeling even with thorough preparation, there was no absolute certainty of evading the Black Magic Dog��s attack!


    And without entering the World Tree, it��s difficult to advance in levels.


    Without levels, life becomes even harder��


    This unsolvable cycle drove many new adventurers to destitution, struggling on the brink of subsistence.


    The Elf who had taunted Lin Da two days ago was among these low-level individuals, a mere level 7 Archer.


    The Elf, named Finnlay, was a twenty-year-old.


    Watching the Black Magic Dog on the display lunging at Lin Da with its gaping jaws, Finnlay couldn��t help but recall the terrifying sight of his companion��s shoulder being crushed by the Black Magic Dog.


    His companion was also level 7, a warrior, and had thoroughly researched the Black Magic Dog before entering the first layer.


    Yet, he was still bitten, and all the rewards for clearing the first layer went to medical expenses. To this day, he is unable to venture out and even has developed a psychological shadow from the magical creatures, losing the courage to wield a sword for battle.


    If that Lin Da really suppressed his level to 5 and based it on the physical abilities of an ��average adventurer����


    He absolutely wouldn��t have dodged the Black Magic Dog��s attack.


    Everyone silently reached this consensus in their hearts.


    If Lin Da were attacked by the Black Magic Dog at such close quarters, he would certainly be injured!


    Theoretically, that is the case.


    However, Lin Da��s theory was above that.


    ��`


    The sensor ladybug gave him a close-up as he faced the Black Magic Dog.


    His fine short hair fluttering slightly in the wind and eyes as resolute as iron, Lin Da��s expression showed not the slightest hint of panic. His body, in concert with his footsteps, shifted to the left as if he was drunk. Before the Black Magic Dog could attack, he ��accidentally�� stumbled to the side.


    This abnormal movement was something the low-level Magical Beast, the Black Magic Dog, could not have anticipated.


    After a series of coincidences, the result was the Black Magic Dog flying past Lin Da��s shoulder, failing to touch even a hair on Lin Da!


    The Black Magic Dog did not think, only knew to land quickly and launch the next attack.


    When its four limbs hit the dry, cracked earth, preparing for its next move, a Rusty One-Handed Sword chopped at its neck.


    ��Awooo~!��


    A sharp howl burst from the throat of the Black Magic Dog.


    The Rusty One-Handed Sword was stained with fresh blood.


    Lin Da handed the corpse off to his teammates to deal with and walked towards the next Black Magic Dog without pause.


    ��For those who didn��t see clearly, don��t worry, I��ll demonstrate a few more times.��


    With that said, Lin Da continued to encroach upon the territory of the Black Magic Dogs.


    Still with the same appearance of a drunkard��s accidental fall.


    But always narrowly avoiding the attacks of the Black Magic Dogs.


    The adventurers in the hall were a bit flabbergasted.


    Some suspected Lin Da to be a child of luck.


    Why did he always have such explosive luck and narrowly avoid the Black Magic Dog��s attacks?


    Is this so-called strategy just to show everyone how lucky you are?


    If one is unlucky, should they simply not adventure?


    ��What in the world is going on!��


    Elf Finnlay voiced the question that was on everyone��s mind.


    Why couldn��t the Black Magic Dog touch Lin Da?


    Simplistic adventurers thought it was Lin Da��s good fortune, but there were also some clever people closely watching Lin Da��s actions, lost in thought.


    Though Lin Da��s movements seemed like those of a ��drunkard��, strangely enough.


    A careful observation might reveal some patterns.


    ��Why can��t the Black Magic Dog touch Lin Da?�� Klrona stopped sucking on her lollipop, with a look of amazement on her little face.


    Oru and Klyne also found the scene bizarre. They vaguely understood something but found it difficult to explain in words.


    Aiko, being the most powerful among them, noticed some clues.


    ��It��s ��prediction��.��


    ��Prediction?�� Klrona asked blankly.


    As Aiko was about to answer Klrona, the nearby crowd of ordinary adventurers also perked up their ears out of curiosity.


    The insights of a level 25 Mage definitely surpassed their own.


    Aiko, not entirely sure herself, said cautiously, ��It��s not that Lin Da relies on luck to narrowly avoid the Black Magic Dog��s attacks, but rather, he predicts every move of the Black Magic Dog.��


    ��Before the Black Magic Dog attacks, at that moment, he��s already dodging.��


    ��Taking the standard physical ability of a level 5 adventurer as a benchmark, it��s not possible to dodge an attack once seen with the naked eye.��


    ��But Lin Da sees right through the Black Magic Dog, which is why he avoids all the attacks.��


    The crowd was taken aback, feeling it sounded mystical.


    Could one really predict all the movements of the Black Magic Dog?


    Aiko smiled modestly, ��I am just speculating. What the real answer is, one would have to ask Lin Da directly to find out.��


    Even members of the Rock-level Squad couldn��t see through Lin Da��s secret, which puzzled the onlookers even more.


    Just then, a robust and forceful male voice came from the second floor, ��It��s not prediction, it��s anticipation.��


    A slightly coarse female voice added, ��A hundred percent accurate anticipation, so it looks like prediction. But the two are completely different. Only the World Tree Goddess can predict every action of a magical beast.��


    ��However�� anticipation of such high accuracy is indeed very interesting.��


    The speaker was a tall and sturdy Beastman with wheat-colored skin.


    She had grey long hair, a pair of furry beast ears, and a leopard��s tail wrapped around her waist, showing interest as she propped her chin with her hand, looking toward the Strategy broadcast station.

 Chapter 116 - 116: 109. On the stage is the Joker adventure team

    Chapter 116: 109. On the stage is the ��Joker�� adventure team


    ��It��s Wild Panther Gite and Thunder Swordmaster Dawen!��


    ��Two Star-ranked adventurers? Such big shots are also here to check out the strategy for the first three floors?��


    ��Lord Gite, I am your fan!��


    When the adventurers saw the two distinctively dressed individuals standing in front of the second-floor railing, the atmosphere instantly boiled over, turning into a fan meet-and-greet.


    The muscular, attractively shaped female named Wild Panther Gite had once torn apart a ��Wilderness Guardian,�� a level-32 Vine Giant, within the fifteenth floor of the Great Mystery Continent.


    When she dropped the Orange Magic Equipment ��Angry Death Claw,�� she had made the front page of White Dove Morning News, and her strength was acknowledged by adventurers far and wide.


    ...


    The man with the fiery red ponytail and aloof expression, Thunder Swordmaster Dawen, held even greater prestige than Gite.


    He was the second son of the Mandala family from Red Heart City and had been a Star-ranked adventurer five years ago, matching hands with the leader of the White Dove Adventure Group within the Great Mystery Continent.


    He was renowned as the potential future leader of the Scarlet Adventure Group, tasked with taking his family to greater heights.


    Their arrival immediately caused a sensation.


    ��Why has Dawen come here?�� Aiko��s expression changed.


    She knew well that Lia and Dawen didn��t get along.


    Besides Linda, the person Lia most wanted to defeat was Dawen. Once they met, a fight was inevitable.


    Suppressing a certain unease in her heart, Aiko nodded in greeting to Dawen on the second floor.


    Isa, leading the Ice Flower team members, also saluted the two Star-ranked adventurers.


    Dawen casually nodded back and, facing the curious gaze of the crowd below, explained Gite��s earlier words.


    ��Gite was right, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team leader precisely predicted the attack of the Magical Creatures, not some ��future-seeing�� precognition.��


    ��I guess he must have watched enough attacker��s live streams to summarize a set of behaviors specific to Black Magic Dogs.��


    ��But I don��t know how he managed to be 100% accurate��each adventurer can only enter the first floor once with no room for errors. Even if they change their class, they can only do it twice. The third time they change their class is almost a suicidal act.��


    ��If he had cleared the first floor hundreds, even thousands of times, knowing Black Magic Dogs inside out, I would believe he could achieve this precise ��precognition.�� But no one could clear the first floor thousands of times; it��s a floor the top adventurers dismiss, and more energy should be spent on higher floors.��


    ��Ten thousand adventurers passing the first floor isn��t as significant as one adventurer who has cleared thirty floors in the upcoming war against the Demon Lord��s Army.��


    Dawen��s expression gradually became severe, his voice also carrying a trace of faint respect:


    ��I don��t know how he summarized the behavior logic of Black Magic Dogs, but it must have taken a great deal of time and effort. In other words, this attackers�� live stream was prepared for newcomers who have not yet entered the first floor, though it does not help the Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team��s upper-level strategies, they still did it.��


    ��Such a person is not smart, but he deserves my high regard.��


    As Dawen carefully analyzed, the adventurers in the hall fell into silence from their initial excitement.


    They spent so much time and effort just to help beginners who hadn��t entered the first floor?


    Had they invested the same effort in higher floors and set the live stream as a paid entry, the Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team would be making a fortune.


    Yet they did not do so.


    A free, completely beginner-focused, nanny-level strategy live stream.


    In an environment where everyone is vying to reach the summit and competing against each other, the approach of the Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team was like a breath of fresh air.


    As Dawen said:


    This strategy might not be clever, but it deserves respect.


    Many adventurers couldn��t help but hold them in high esteem, their expressions solemn as they looked towards the young man on the screen.


    ��


    ��Lord Captain, the ladybug seems like it��s going to die, there are so many suggestions!��


    Monica nervously gripped the ladybug, shouting from behind.


    The white standard suggestions covered the ladybug��s belly, and another ladybug was dizzy from the golden suggestions.


    At a glance, it was a dense sea of text.


    ��Eye of Wisdom, please accept my apology, I actually thought you were after the empire��s subsidy of 10 gold coins, damn it!��


    ��From now on, even if everyone calls you the Ultimate Pervert, you are still the best adventurer in my heart! Tomorrow, I��m heading to the first floor of the World Tree, this strategy live stream, I, Jack, am fixed on it!��


    ��Big shot, please explain, exactly how did you predict it? Could I kill the Black Magic Dog without getting injured just like you?��


    ��Pfft, it��s no big deal, anyone can beat a Magical Creature like a Black Magic Dog with just fighting instinct, right?��


    Among the many friendly suggestions, there were also a few discordant ones.


    Kafni, seeing that sour suggestion, puzzled in her heart, the tone of that speech, didn��t it sound a bit like a certain red-haired young lady?


    ��Everyone, don��t rush, I will start breaking down the movements immediately. If you learn attentively, everyone can kill the Black Magic Dog without getting injured.��


    Linda had cleared the surrounding Black Magic Dogs, finally giving him time to look at the sensor ladybug. sea??h th�� N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There were so many suggestions it was dizzying.


    Thirty percent were various praises, the rest were mostly requests for him to start teaching.


    As Dawen had said, Linda didn��t predict the future.


    He judged based on the Black Magic Dog��s specific pre-attack movements, changes in barking, and the distance and positioning between the adventurer and the Black Magic Dog, predicting which skill the Magical Creature would use.


    The Black Magic Dog had just four moves: Normal Attack, Bite, Fierce Headbutt, and Frenzied Pursuit.


    All these skills had precursory movements, giving adventurers time to react.


    This was the game developers�� mercy to adventurers.


    Of course, if the level was high, there was no need for a strategy to pass.


    Linda��s strategy was mainly for those with lesser ability and those with good talent, who, due to their first time entering the World Tree, were too nervous to perform.


    He found a lone Black Magic Dog, explaining as he commenced the battle.


    ��We can judge its next move by the sound of the Black Magic Dog��s howl and the movement and distance of its limbs.��


    ��Now I am in front of it. Watch closely�� if it lowers its body, it��s about to pounce from above with a bite. Just dodge to the left.��


    ��If the Black Magic Dog backs away, it��s initiating a Frenzied Pursuit, focus on defending the front then.��


    ��When the Black Magic Dog moves its forelimbs, it will launch a Fierce Headbutt.��


    ��Conversely, if it doesn��t move, you can try taking a small step forward to enter the next cycle, observing its sound and movements.��


    This includes many details.


    It��s hard to remember all at once.


    But Linda had compiled thick sheets of strategy paper, placed in front of the sensor ladybugs, for all adventurers to copy.


    The attack patterns of the Black Magic Dog were just a few sets.


    Once familiar, even if one couldn��t perform as fluidly as he did, passing the first level with minor injuries was still very feasible.


    The hall of the Adventurer��s Guild was silent.


    Only the rustling sound of paper and pen could be heard.


    Elf Finnlay was thoroughly convinced.


    Even though he had already crossed the first level, he was still astounded by the strategy.


    If he had entered the first level later, his teammate wouldn��t have suffered a crushed shoulder from the Black Magic Dog.


    The adventurers who had not entered the World Tree were ultimately in the minority.


    Finnlay couldn��t help but think: it would be great if there were detailed strategies for the second and third levels.


    At that moment, as if reading his mind, Linda said, ��There will also be detailed strategies for the second and third levels later. After everyone reads them, you should gain something.��


    As soon as he said this, the silent hall erupted into an uproar once again.


    Finnlay doubted his ears; were there such ridiculously detailed strategies for the second and third levels as well?


    The magical creatures on the first level are at level 5, while the second and third levels range from 6-9.


    This level range matched the largest batch of adventurers.


    Nearly eighty percent of the people in the hall were between levels 6-9.


    That meant Linda��s strategies would benefit the largest group of adventurers among them.


    They were poor, living precariously, constantly facing the risk of teammates being injured or killed.


    Talented and well-off adventurers might not need such lower-level strategies.


    But for the poor and less capable adventurers, this strategy guide was nothing short of a lifesaver, greatly improving their chances of survival.


    The benefits were substantial and real.


    The most important point�� it was all free.


    This incredibly detailed strategy guide was available to any adventurer without charge.


    With his voice quivering with excitement, Finnlay shouted: ��Linda is awesome!��


    ��Eye of Wisdom is awesome!��


    ��Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team will achieve great things!��


    ��I think Linda should be called the ��Eye of True Knowledge��. ��Eye of Wisdom�� was his nickname during the Snow Goose Era.��


    ��Eye of True Knowledge, Linda!��


    For a moment, the hall was a thunderous maelstrom of shouts.


    This spectacle made Snow Goose��s members a bit panicked.


    Aiko was completely stunned.


    Shouldn��t I be the only one who knew how formidable Linda was?


    Now that you all know, isn��t my advantage of being prescient gone?


    Oru was exhilarated as he suggested, ��How about we all propose to let the captain bring Linda back? That Phyllis, just doesn��t cut it.��


    ��Impossible, he already has his own team,�� Aiko sighed.


    As the only one who had witnessed the harmonious atmosphere of the Phoenix Tail Flower, she dared to say, even a million gold coins wouldn��t bring him back.


    With Linda��s reputation as the ��Eye of True Knowledge�� established, regardless of why the Snow Goose Adventure Team had driven Linda away,


    at that moment, their noses might as well have turned into bright red balls.


    Standing before the strategy broadcast station, Aiko and her group became complete clowns amidst the tumultuous shouting.


    Even though the main reason for Linda leaving the team was related to Lia, none of them had truly tried to keep him.


    If there were any attempts, they were mere words and no real actions were taken.


    Perhaps subconsciously, they all sided with Lia: a level 15 Healer Linda just wasn��t good enough.


    Replacing him with a level 20, graduate from a prestigious college like Phyllis, would supposedly improve the team.


    Deep down, all team members harbored such thoughts.


    If they truly considered Linda indispensable, they would have sought him out together the day before Linda was to sign his departure agreement with Lia.


    In reality, none of them took action.


    Even Aiko, who outwardly cared the most about Linda, only felt a twinge of unease after Linda had signed his departure agreement.

 Chapter 117 - 117: 110, Hidden Magical Creatures Appear, Metal Destroyer Achieves Merit

    Chapter 117: 110, Hidden Magical Creatures Appear, Metal Destroyer Achieves Merit


    Until today, they had seen Lin Da��s completely unreserved live attacker status.


    Only when comparing it to Phyllis��s poor command on the 11th floor did they suddenly realize.


    Who is the real pillar of support for the Snow Goose Adventure Team!


    At this moment, the few of them still couldn��t explain to everyone that Lin Da��s departure had nothing to do with them.


    It would turn into ��You��re saying you want to explain and redeem yourselves only after seeing Lin Da��s excellence? What were you doing earlier?��


    The more they explained, the more they looked like a joke!


    ...


    Oru and Klyne, this couple awkwardly lowered their heads. They kept saying they cared about Lin Da, but they did nothing, merely sighing: It would have been better if Lin Da hadn��t left.


    Klrona didn��t quite understand.


    This pink twin-tailed loli had always thought Lin Da��s departure was temporary. It was only a few days ago, upon seeing Lin Da��s new members, that she realized Lin Da would not be returning.


    It was like a child seeing their beloved father leave home, and in a blink, having several new women, with new children. The old child was no longer of any concern to him.


    Klrona felt like a dusty little stone by the roadside, no longer getting any attention.


    She hung her head low, no longer interested in her lollipop.


    But the hardest to bear was Aiko.


    As the team leader, Aiko helplessly endured the gloating looks.


    She hated that Lia wasn��t there.


    It was that powder keg who had driven Lin Da away.


    Yet she ended up playing the fool for Lia.


    Lin Da��s departure, even if related to her�� was just a tiny bit!


    Wasn��t it just asking Lin Da to help with massages every day, enjoying the gourmet food Lin Da cooked, and the strategies Lin Da made? But did they act blind?


    Klrona, Oru�� everyone was the same!


    Compared to them, she was the one who hurt Lin Da the least.


    So, I shouldn��t be the joke.


    Aiko looked indignantly at Klrona and the others.


    Especially Klrona �� the night Lin Da left, she had been dragged by Klrona to play a few games, causing her cucumber beauty treatment to be delayed by half an hour.


    If it weren��t for Klrona, she could have completed her beauty routine on time and had the chance to stop Lin Da and ask where he was going in the middle of the night.


    At that time, a tearful plea for him to stay might have made a difference.


    If Lin Da hadn��t left, with the birth of this strategy, Snow Goose would have propelled its prestige to a whole new level.


    Doubtlessly, Lin Da, hiding his identity as the Primal Team Leader, would have taken them to the higher ranks.


    Becoming the strongest adventure team in White Dove City, and even advancing to the Royal Capital, was highly likely.


    If only she had retained Lin Da then��


    Aiko bit her lip, her face devoid of any color.


    So, you mean to tell me, there was a chance in front of me to turn the tides, and I missed it because of cucumbers?!


    Cucumbers�� damn it!


    As Aiko considered cucumbers her arch nemesis inwardly,


    Lin Da and his group had already reached the end of the Arid Corridor.


    ��


    Lin Da suddenly stopped.


    He found a vine in the canyon, lifted it, revealing a narrow passage.


    ��You know about this place too?�� Dawen raised his eyebrows in surprise from the second floor of the hall.


    Behind the vine, there was a hidden cabin.


    Next to the cabin was a well, whose magic spring water could replenish an adventurer��s Battle Qi and magic power.


    But Lin Da��s goal was not the well.


    In game settings, the well could only produce a handful of magic spring water, which most people would drink, rest up, and then leave.


    The real hidden spot was actually inside the nearby cabin.


    Lin Da had Kafni hold the spring water and led the way, opening the cabin door.


    Finding the right spot, he knocked on the ground seven times.


    Three long and four short.


    Everyone was confused, wondering what he was doing.


    Dawen and Jite didn��t understand either.


    Buzzing��


    About a minute later, the spot Lin Da had knocked on began to vibrate and gradually swelled into a mound of earth.


    A pangolin as big as a calf leaped out from the mound!


    Speaking human language, the pangolin said, ��Kind adventurers, there��s magic spring water in the well outside. Can you draw the water and feed it to this thirsty old pangolin grandfather?��


    Everyone, including Dawen, was stunned.


    There was a magical being inside the cabin?


    Normal people, after drinking the spring water, cooled off in the cabin for a while and then resumed their journey.


    Who would knock the ground seven times, especially in a three long, four short pattern?


    Even if someone accidentally got it right, it would take over a minute for the pangolin to emerge.


    By that time, the magic spring water would have been drunk by the adventurers.


    The condition to summon the pangolin was incredibly harsh. It was as if it was deliberately making it difficult for adventurers to discover!


    Dawen cursed inwardly.


    After finishing his cursing, he became curious again.


    The Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team still had the spring water held by Kafni, unused.


    What would happen if they fed the pangolin the spring water?


    Dawen asked for a can of wheat beer from the waiter and watched with interest.


    What secret was hidden inside the cabin?


    Not just Dawen was curious.


    Jite, Isa, Aiko, and the others were as well.


    Including a girl in a black robe, whose red hair was concealed under a hood.


    The girl��s heart was a mix of emotions.


    A rich bitterness and sourness overflowed in her mouth.


    No one there wanted Lin Da��s live strategy session to fail more than she did.


    ��Why didn��t you bring everyone inside when you were with Snow Goose?��


    ��In your heart, were we not there from the start?��


    ��Am I not as good as that Kafni?��


    The hooded girl clenched her fists, feeling a bit devastated.


    ��


    Sparrow District, Adventurer��s Guild hall. S��arch* The N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The live broadcasting station here only had one huge hanging screen, unlike in the Inner City District, which had three, allowing adventurers to watch from any angle.

 Chapter 118 - 118: 110, Hidden Magical Creatures Appear, Metal Destroyer Achieves Merit - Part 2

    Chapter 118: 110, Hidden Magical Creatures Appear, Metal Destroyer Achieves Merit �C Part 2


    The people in the hall were far more numerous than those in the Inner City District.


    The impoverished Sparrow District was home to the largest number of bottom-tier adventurers.


    Lulu had arrived early.


    She wore a hood, blending into the crowd, hands in her pockets, staring blankly at the huge screen.


    When the screen lit up and the figures of Lin Da and his companions appeared, a ripple of excitement stirred in her otherwise calm heart.


    From the strategy discussion of the Black Magic Dog, to the explanation, and then the announcement that the upcoming floors�� strategies would be similarly detailed and freely shared with all adventurers��


    ...


    Lulu took all this in, her expression softening unconsciously.


    These days, she often found herself recalling that evening of the White Thanksgiving. Was Lin Da, who had assured her with a resolute expression and yet tender gaze that he would take her to the top of the World Tree, putting on an act?


    The recent events in her life felt like a beautiful dream within a bubble. Lulu, who had become accustomed to hardship and had accepted her miserable fate over the last three years, felt afraid.


    As the Catastrophe Girl who had hit rock bottom, there was hardly any light in Lulu��s life until Lin Da reached out to her once again.


    Lulu tried climbing back up, but if that hand were to let go halfway, she would fall back to the bottom of the valley with a hard crash.


    The pain from such an abrupt fall would surely cause her to collapse!


    At this moment, seeing Lin Da earnestly explaining the strategy to the lower-tier adventurers on the screen, Lulu was certain that this Primordial team captain had indeed changed.


    Towards the former team captain, Lulu had felt a mix of reverence and resentment, but now facing Lin Da, she experienced a strange wave of emotion.


    Lin Da��s image flashed through her mind occasionally, and whenever she heard something about him, she couldn��t help but pay attention.


    The adventurers in the hall excitedly chanted Lin Da��s name, their gazes full of respect directed toward the floating screen.


    The corners of Lulu��s lips curled up without her noticing.


    Standing still with her hands in her pockets, she did nothing, yet she was perhaps the most elated person present.


    She, too, was a member of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.


    ��Looks like there��s no need to worry anymore,�� Lulu murmured to herself, lifting her head to look at the dome of the Adventurer��s Guild.


    In the eyes of the Beastwoman girl flashed an indiscernible color.


    With a single motion, Lulu had already disappeared from the hall.


    ��


    ��What? Jite wants me to watch a live feed of an Apprentice Level adventure team? Has she lost her mind?��


    A blond young man with a monocle was flirting with a healthily built Bunny Girl in the tavern.


    Swirling the crimson liquid in his wine glass, he shook his head disdainfully and said, ��You can go back. Tell Jite I��m busy with something important!��


    ��Mr. Gale, Miss Jite��s exact words were: ��Tell that bastard Gale who��s always messing around with women to get his ass over here immediately, or I��ll claw him into shape myself,''�� said a bald adventurer, tasked with delivering the message, as he wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and nervously glanced at the blond young man in the black tailcoat.


    Gale the Observer.


    The commander of the White Dove Adventure Group, a Star-ranked adventurer with a special ability to scout the aura of Magical Creatures, hence the nickname Observer.


    Such a Big Shot was not someone a minor adventurer like Baldy could afford to offend!


    Baldy imitated Jite��s rough tone vividly but, fearful of Gale��s wrath, he stood there nervous and tense.


    Fortunately, Gale was understanding and did not make things difficult for him.


    ��What can I do, maybe Jite has a thing for me?�� Gale arrogantly tossed his smooth blond hair, kissed the Bunny Girl on her cheek, and leaving behind a Purple Gold Coin worth 100 Gold Coins, said nonchalantly:


    ��My dear, let��s continue this battle later tonight. I have to go on a date with Jite, otherwise she��ll get jealous.��


    ��Mr. Gale, I��ll be waiting for you~�� The Bunny Girl��s eyes lit up at the sight of the Purple Gold Coin.


    A while later, Gale arrived at the Adventurer��s Hall.


    ��Jite, you missed me after just a few hours? Oh? It seems the Thunder Swordmaster Dawen is also here; I am truly sorry for my rudeness.��


    Gale greeted them both, only to realize they didn��t even pay him any mind.


    Jite, her eyes fixed on the screen below, said, ��You claim to know everything. How did you miss the hidden trial on the first floor?��


    ��Hidden? You mean that little cabin?�� Gale chuckled and said, ��Didn��t I take you there already?��


    ��No, it��s not a little cottage,�� Jite squinted his eyes, ��A brand new, hidden trial that we don��t know about.��


    A heated discussion erupted in the hall:


    ��Gosh, what kind of magical creature is that, how come I��ve never seen it before?��


    ��Although it��s small, it seems pretty powerful! Can Phoenix Tail Flower handle it?��


    ��That metallic skin looks so slick, it��s hard to hit.��


    The noise was unbearable, like a bustling discount market.


    Gale was struck with a thought, wondering, why were there so many people in the hall?


    The live coverage of the first three levels usually drew a sparse crowd of about a dozen people, which was quite a lot.


    Looking down from the second floor, the place was packed with at least a thousand people.


    ��A hidden trial on the first level with an unheard-of magical creature? How is that possible, the first level has been trampled over by adventurers, they��re so familiar with it that they might as well know the number of freckles on a Bunny Girl��s butt,�� said Gale.


    Gale turned his gaze to the screen.


    The sensor ladybug flew in the sky, giving a top-down view.


    One could see a male and two female adventurers enveloping a silvery globe the size of a bucket.


    Not long ago, the Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team exchanged magic spring water for the pangolin��s treasure bead, and with the bead, they activated the teleportation array to enter the first level��s hidden trial!


    It was clear to Gale at a glance, that globe was Slime, the most common type of magical creature.


    There were many kinds of Slimes, like Fire Slime, Thunder Slime, Rock Slime�� and so on.


    But he had never heard of a metal form of Slime.


    Gale��s interest was piqued, and he joked, ��For an apprentice level adventure team, discovering a new kind of low-level magical creature is indeed quite good. But it��s not enough to call me, a Star-ranked adventurer, over, right? My time is precious, every minute should be spent on lovely girls.��


    ��Gale, shut up. Take a good look, that��s no low-level magical creature.��


    Jite punched Gale irritably, causing Gale to cup his waist in pain, his eyes bulging out, nearly losing half his life.


    ��Slime, and it��s not a low-level magical creature?�� Gale grimaced but didn��t dare to retaliate. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Dawen said, ��I��m afraid, it may not even be considered a high-level magical creature, but a unique one that doesn��t exist in reality, exclusive to the World Tree Secret Realm.��


    ��A special magical creature?�� Gale rubbed his waist, steadied his mind, and looked at the screen again.


    This time, he noticed what was abnormal.


    No matter how the members of the Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team attacked, they were dodged by the Metal Slime��s smooth surface.


    Both sword and magic alike, everything slid off to the side, without harming the Metal Slime in the slightest!


    Lin Da��s voice came from the screen: ��You all have seen the characteristics of this Metal Slime, even when my team member Monica, who has reached level 15, attacked it, the hit rate was zero percent. And the level of this Metal Slime is only 10, lower than Monica��s.��


    To dodge spells from a level 15 adventurer?


    Gale��s expression turned serious, finally realizing why Jite had summoned him.


    Killing this special hidden magical creature would undoubtedly come with a reward from the World Tree Goddess.


    The Metal Slime was level 10, yet it appeared on the first level with an average level of 5.


    Clearly, it was not meant to be hunted by clueless novices.


    Gale considered himself omniscient within the first 20 levels of the Mystic Realm, and this unheard-of new magical creature fired up his strong desire for knowledge.


    What would he get by killing this Metal Slime?


    How should he kill it?


    He couldn��t let it get away at all costs.


    A name of an item flickered through Gale��s mind.


    With that, he should be able to kill the Metal Slime.


    The only problem was, such an item wasn��t something anyone would go out of their way to collect.


    ��Last month, the White Dove Adventure Group exploded one of those bottles, that worthless trash was thrown away by me directly. A Gold Coin wouldn��t even insult White Dove Adventure Group,�� he thought.


    Now, Gale felt a slight regret.


    The item he had discarded was none other than the Metal Destroyer.

 Chapter 119 - 119: 111, three purple, one orange, forty thousand experience

    Chapter 119: 111, three purple, one orange, forty thousand experience


    Gale wasn��t the only one to realize the function of the Metal Destroyer.


    Some sharp-nosed merchants and well-informed adventurers also thought of the Metal Destroyer.


    If this magic potion could be used to kill the hidden Magical Creatures on the first layer, its value would quickly skyrocket.


    From 1 Gold Coin to 200, 300 Gold Coins, it was all possible.


    How much it would increase specifically depended on the rewards the Metal Slime dropped.


    Lin Da��s voice came from the screen.


    ...


    ��I guess everyone has figured it out, by using a magic potion named Metal Destroyer, we can deal with this creature.��


    ��Coincidentally, Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team was lucky enough to obtain some.��


    Lin Da took out a silver potion from the pouch on his waist.


    He handed the potion over to Kafni, nodded, and said, ��You use it.��


    The Metal Slime was a very special Magical Creature, with a total of only 10 Hit Points.


    But it had a high evasion rate, and even if adventurers hit the Metal Slime, no matter how much damage they dealt, they could only inflict a maximum of 1 point of damage.


    This prevented adventurers from relying solely on luck to kill the Metal Slime.


    Kafni��s Dagger Scatter, attacking three times instantly, was better suited to kill the Metal Slime than her one-second-interval Venom Magic Sphere.


    Since the Experience Points from killing the Metal Slime were team-based, Lin Da wasn��t worried about missing out on Mystical Points.


    The appearance of the Metal Destroyer Potion invigorated everyone in the hall.


    The merchants ready to buy were eagerly eyeing Lin Da.


    If one didn��t know how much the reward for killing the Metal Slime was, the exact price of the potion would be a guess in the dark, based entirely on personal judgment. When Lin Da killed the Metal Slime and displayed the rewards in front of everyone, the price of the potion became relatively transparent.


    Merchants recognized the value of such Magical Creatures as the Metal Slime and dared to spend a fortune to purchase potions.


    Most of the other people hadn��t thought that much about it.


    They were simply curious.


    As a hidden creature, how much reward could the Metal Slime bring?


    A small number of people were adventurers who hadn��t entered the World Tree yet and had a bit of money in hand.


    They wondered if they could buy a bottle of Metal Destroyer Potion and copy Lin Da��s ��strategy homework�� to attempt to kill the Metal Slime?


    A pair of eyes turned towards the screen.


    There, the blonde Kafni activated her skill Dagger Scatter.


    Under the effect of the Metal Destroyer Potion, the three Qi-condensed daggers weren��t repelled by the Slime��s smooth silver skin but hit successfully.


    ��Chii-chii!��


    The Metal Slime made a strange cry, agonizingly bouncing on the ground.


    Three -1s popped up above the creature��s head in Lin Da��s view.


    ��Kafni, keep attacking!�� he called out sternly.


    Once an attack hit, if the Metal Slime wasn��t quickly killed, it would burrow underground and flee.


    ��Take my Dagger Scatter!�� Kafni threw three glowing daggers with a deft hand, and immediately three -1s popped up above the Metal Slime��s head.


    The Slime was on its last breath, crawling much slower.


    Poeple both inside and outside the venue realized that the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team was about to score the first kill on a hidden creature. They held their breath and stared wide-eyed at the screen, afraid to miss any detail.


    Even a Star-ranked adventurer like Dawen was slightly stirred. No one disliked the sensation of killing Magical Creatures and the harvest of seeing Magical Equipment burst forth with light.


    -1, -1, -1��


    Numbers indicating damage kept leaping from the Metal Slime.


    Lin Da��s heart rate increased with them.


    Kafni leaped above the Metal Slime��s head and plunged her dagger into it.


    The final -1 leaped out! S��arch* The nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then, with a bang!


    The body of the Metal Slime transformed into a ball of dazzling silver light, rising instantly to midair.


    The creature split into four bundles of light, three of which fell towards Lin Da and the others, while the largest bundle faintly revealed the silhouette of Magical Equipment inside.


    ��It dropped Magical Equipment.��


    Dawen said in a low voice, a touch of envy in his tone.


    His Scarlet Adventure Group had also experienced killing hidden creatures. But they had never burst Magical Equipment from a hidden creature.


    Unlike the Secret Realm Guardian, which guaranteed equipment drops, the chance of getting equipment from hidden creatures was very small.


    In contrast, once equipment appeared, it was of at least Purple Rare quality.


    They were exclusive to hidden creatures and not obtainable from any other, adding to their collectible value and making them favorites among the Great Nobility and famous adventurers.


    If sold on the market, the price would never be low.


    However�� why were there four bundles of light?


    Everyone was puzzled.


    Apart from the bundle enclosing the Magical Equipment, the other three bundles of light each fell upon the members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    The next moment, people understood what that was.


    Divine Light, signifying a level up, fell upon the heads of Lin Da and his team!


    Dawen realized, ��Killing that hidden creature comes with an additional ��Divine Reward��!��


    Divine Reward appeared when killing the Secret Realm Guardian of the current level.


    The World Tree Goddess would bless the adventurers who passed the trial with increased Magic Power/Battle Qi.


    This was one of the main level-up channels for adventurers, besides their own training.


    And as it turned out, the Metal Slime as a hidden creature, shared the same feature as the Secret Realm Guardian; upon its death, would receive the blessing of the World Tree Goddess��s Divine Gift!


    At that moment, multiple system prompts appeared in Lin Da��s view:


    [Killed a level 10 hidden Magical Creature, Metal Slime, and obtained a Divine Gift from the World Tree Goddess!]


    [Experience Points +40000!]


    [Consuming 6000 Experience Points, you have leveled up to 11!]


    [Consuming 10000 Experience Points, you have leveled up to 12!]


    [Consuming 15000 Experience Points, you have leveled up to 13!]


    The amount of Experience Points required for leveling up increased massively afterward, but the rewards were too lavish to resist.


    The infusion of 40000 Experience Points catapulted Lin Da straight from level 10 to level 13.


    His Experience Points bar reached 9000/20000, not far from the next level.


    After level 10, each level-up results in a significant increase in Attribute Points, incomparable to levels prior.


    The system notification indicated that Lin Da��s 3-level increase resulted in the following accumulative boost in attributes:


    Strength 82, Magic Power 82, Defense 12, Magic Defense 18, Agility 12, Hit Points 900.


    His Hit Points maximum soared from 3000 to 3900, the attribute with the largest increase.


    The other attributes also improved by a quarter on average.


    The higher the level, the more Experience Points it requires.


    Similarly, the improvement of attributes is exceedingly terrifying!


    Having reached level 13, Lin Da felt more at ease with the strategic aspects ahead.


    He casually opened the team page in the system to check Monica��s level.


    Monica had only leveled up once, reaching level 16.


    But her Magic Power had gone up by an impressive 50!


    All three of them gained massive increases, their faces lit with excitement, eyes sparkling.


    Afterward, they moved towards the largest orb of light.


    The real loot had yet to be inspected.


    Lin Da placed the sensor ladybug on his shoulder and switched to a first-person view.


    To allow the audience outside the screen to join in the thrill of claiming the dropped equipment.


    But in reality, many were seething with jealousy.


    Within that glowing orb laid visibly three Purple Rare equipments�� a total of three!


    ��This kid��s so lucky,�� Dawen said with a wry smile. He knew about the rule that first-timers killing hidden Magical Creatures will certainly drop Magical Equipment, but getting three at once was indeed excessive.


    Gale shrugged and said, ��I��ve seen live streams of the Royal Capital��s adventure teams making their first kills on hidden Magical Creatures, and they got just two pieces.��


    Many envied Lin Da��s team, but most low-level adventurers felt the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team deserved it.


    An influencer who openly and gratuitously shared detailed strategies deserved a little extra loot, it only seemed fair!


    The Snow Goose Adventure Team members, however, harbored the most mixed feelings.


    They felt the typical dichotomy: dreading to see their brother in hardship yet envious when he moved into a mansion.


    Aiko stared at Lin Da approaching the orb of light on the screen, her expression somewhat strange.


    She would have preferred the Phoenix Tail Flower��s success to be more modest.


    In such cases, her value would become more conspicuous!


    She��d then lead the Snow Goose members to ��sincerely�� console Lin Da, showing him that when the tide recedes, they��d be the ones to help him, even if it meant baring it all.


    Aiko��s plan of offering timely help fell through spectacularly!


    ��Eh, Aiko, look at that. What is that sparkling thing emitting an orange light?��


    Klrona blinked her eyes, pointing at a certain spot.


    There lay a very small object, emitting a faint orange glow.


    Aiko, who had been daydreaming, snapped to attention upon hearing this.


    She rubbed her eyes vigorously, her facial muscles twitching.


    What, an orange light?


    Could it be one of those Orange Rare equipment that are even rarer than the Purple Rare quality?


    Jumping up a quality tier meant that the price could differ by five or even ten times.


    The Snow Goose Adventure Team hadn��t come across any Orange Equipment thus far.


    Was Lin Da��s luck really that extraordinary?


    ��


    One after another, suggestions crowded onto the screen like schools of fish.


    They all were urging Lin Da to bring the Magical Equipment in front of the ladybug, so everyone could have a good look.


    [Three Purple, one Orange, the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team hit the jackpot!]


    [That��s definitely the kindness of a leader who shares strategies for free, touching the World Tree Goddess, and rewarding our hero!]


    [No more words, brothers, I��m off to stock up on Metal Destroyer Potions. When I return as a War God, I��ll burst an Orange Equipment too!]


    [Cut the crap, it��s just Orange Equipment, what��s the big deal, it��s nothing compared to level 20 Purple Equipment.]


    [What was that last comment talking baloney? Why don��t you compare it to level 50 equipment then? I think you are just green with envy.]


    [What, jealous? I��m not!]


    [If you��re not jealous, why are you making a fuss?]


    At the bottom of the giant display, there was a row of stone platforms specially designed to sacrifice Demon Cores to the World Tree Goddess and send suggestions.


    The Phoenix Tail Flower team��s strategies were for level 1, so the required Demon Cores were on the lower side, and most adventurers could afford to send them. A crowd had gathered around the stone platform.


    A round-faced young adventurer, vying with the jealous critic, rapidly sacrificed Demon Cores into the platform, cursing the other party.


    The young man��s eyes were also scouring around �C those who sent suggestions were mostly in the hall.


    This young adventurer was stuck on the second level, just waiting for Lin Da��s subsequent strategies to learn and take on the Mystic Realm once more.


    Yet someone, green with envy, spoke ill, how could he tolerate that!

 Chapter 120 - 120: 112, Lias eyes turned red, Ultimate Clear

    Chapter 120: 112, Lia��s eyes turned red, Ultimate Clear


    [Orange equipment isn��t necessarily useful, and the items dropped by level 10 hidden magical creatures would be around level 10 as well. So what if it��s orange? How much is it worth in gold coins? If I wanted, I could get a level 20 orange equipment!]


    Huddled in a corner with a hood over her head, a girl sent her suggestion to the screen with a sullen expression.


    She refused to admit that Lin Da, who left Snow Goose, was getting better and better.


    ��Orange equipment, what��s so great about that����


    The girl bit her lip, thinking to herself silently.


    However, Lin Da on the screen couldn��t see her suggestion at all.


    ...


    Not to mention that there were too many suggestions, it would be hard to pinpoint this single one.


    Lin Da��s attention was all on the spoils of war.


    The sphere of light dissipated gradually, revealing the items inside.


    A pile of gold coins, about half a meter tall, shone dazzlingly under the sun overhead.


    Mixed in were several Metal Series magic cores and three pieces of equipment emitting purple light, half-buried in the pile of gold coins.


    A shield peeked out, along with the hilt of a sword, and the upper part of a silver chainmail.


    Lin Da, with a sensor ladybug in tow, approached the spoils.


    First, he took out the three purple equipment from the pile of gold coins.


    All of them featured a simple metal design, with white gems embedded in the center, conveying a sense of icy reliability.


    Lin Da��s gaze shifted.


    The system interface popped up from the equipment:


    [Name: Lively Metal Slime Chainmail]


    [Type: Equipment �C Chest]


    [Quality: Purple Rare]


    [Level: 10]


    [Attribute Points: Defense +14, Agility +5, Hit Points +1000]


    [Equipment Rating: 195. Lightweight chainmail that provides intimate protection for the adventurer.]


    ��


    [Name: Sturdy Metal Slime Round Shield]


    [Type: Equipment �C Offhand]


    [Quality: Purple Rare]


    [Level: 10]


    [Attribute Points: Defense +25, Strength +50]


    [Equipment Rating: 177. Light, flexible, and powerful!]


    ��


    [Name: Cunning Metal Slime One-Handed Sword]


    [Type: Equipment �C Main Weapon]


    [Quality: Purple Rare]


    [Level: 10]


    [Attribute Points: Agility +10, Magic Defense +10, Strength +70]


    [Equipment Rating: 182. Only a cunning person can survive on the battlefield.]


    ��


    Lin Da, seeing the attributes of the three pieces of equipment, beamed even more.


    Having seen plenty of purple equipment in the game, he had never actually used any in reality.


    Touching them with his hand, he could feel the powerful magic power fluctuations contained within.


    His set of blue equipment was no match for them.


    After some thought,


    the Metal Slime Sword and Shield, being warrior-type equipment, were something he couldn��t use right now; he could consider selling or collecting them.


    A regular level 10 purple equipment would be priced around 5,000 gold coins.


    But Metal Slime Series equipment were only dropped by hidden magical creatures.


    As collectibles, they are worth much more than their practical use.


    Factoring this in, they could likely be sold for between 10,000-20,000 gold coins each.


    The remaining Slime Chainmail, having the best attributes and fitting Lin Da��s class,


    increased his Hit Points by a full 1000.


    Without a second thought, Lin Da took off his Inner Armor and put on the lightweight chainmail.


    The ��Life Barrier�� that flowed on his body, that is, the ��Hit Points,�� became even more robust, able to withstand more damage.


    This barrier, generated by the core��s power, acted like a soft protective membrane, greatly reducing the actual damage adventurers would receive.


    In return, each hit would weaken the Life Barrier, indirectly harming the core in the spiritual world, thus resulting in ��blood loss.��


    If the Life Barrier completely shattered, the adventurer��s crucial core would be damaged as well.


    From Lin Da��s perspective as a ��player,�� this meant his Hit Points were emptied. In this state, even if adventurers didn��t exhibit obvious external injuries, they would still die.


    With the Metal Slime Chainmail��s boost, his maximum Hit Points reached a total of 4,300 (basic Hit Points of 3,300, plus 1,000 from equipment).


    The skill Verdant Shield could apply a shield worth 30% of his Hit Points to the target, which with 4,300 Hit Points would make the shield��s thickness reach 1,290!


    This number was almost equal to Monica��s basic Hit Points.


    At that moment, as Lin Da was checking his equipment, Kafni laughed heartily while scattering gold coins all over Gold Mountain, Monica held the little shield, smiling radiantly.


    With such plentiful spoils, everyone had beaming faces, feeling overjoyed.


    [Hello, Captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, I��m the owner of Vanilla Firm, a collector who is very interested in your Metal Slime Series equipment. I wonder if you��re willing to sell it?]


    A Golden Advice flashed across the ladybug��s belly.


    Lin Da thought for a moment and said, ��This is the first set of equipment that Phoenix Tail Flower has obtained from clearing the level; it is of special significance. I think I��d rather keep it for myself as a collection.��


    The Metal Slime Sword and Shield set was quite nice and could be hung on the wall to decorate the team��s house.


    In the future, when the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team acquired a villa, they would display the spoils in the reception hall on the first floor.


    It was a tradition among adventure teams of various races to showcase their strength in this way.


    The collector in the hall felt somewhat disappointed upon hearing Lin Da��s refusal to sell. S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Another Golden Advice flashed by: [And don��t forget to pick up that orange equipment too!]


    Naturally, Lin Da wouldn��t forget.


    The orange equipment emitted an exceptionally strong magic aura; even though the item was small and buried by gold coins, it was impossible to ignore.


    ��I rarely got orange equipment when repetitively farming Metal Slime in the game; my luck today is really good, three purple and one orange, it��s absolutely god-tier level.��


    Lin Da inwardly exclaimed.


    Having such good fortune was probably thanks to his legendary skill: [Blessings of the World Tree Goddess].

 Chapter 121 - 121: 112, Lia is jealous, Ultimate Clear_2

    Chapter 121: 112, Lia is jealous, Ultimate Clear_2


    As a chosen hero of the Divine Realm by Kafni, he was equivalent to a distinguished guest of the World Tree Goddess; his treatment was certainly different from that of ordinary adventurers.


    Receiving a small blessing from the Goddess was also normal.


    Lin Da dug through a small mountain of gold coins and found that piece of orange equipment.


    It was a main weapon.


    About 20cm long, a silver crescent dagger!


    Kafni was overjoyed and clamored to see it.


    ...


    ��I��m the team captain, I��ll look at it first.�� Lin Da flatly refused.


    An orange dagger could add some combat power to Kafni�� Lin Da secretly thought.


    The attributes of the orange dagger popped up:


    [Name: Crescent Dagger]


    [Type: Equipment-Main Weapon]


    [Quality: Orange Rarity]


    [Level: 10]


    [Attribute Points: Agility+30, Strength+150]


    [Equipment Score: 255. Can you hear their wails? Under the crescent, countless souls perished.]


    Lin Da internally praised, 150 strength and 30 agility, truly worthy of an orange piece of equipment, it felt almost a waste to give it to Kafni!


    But after all, she was also a member of the Phoenix Tail Flower, and Lin Da, as the team leader, arming a team member was equivalent to enhancing himself; there was no difference.


    ��It��s yours.�� Lin Da handed the Crescent Dagger to Kafni.


    ��Hahaha, now I��m also a damage dealer!��


    The moment Kafni grasped the dagger, she felt as if it was a bomb filled with magic power, any attack made with the Crescent Dagger would get greatly amplified!


    ��An orange main weapon, my luck is unmatched.��


    Gale sighed, ��Main weapons and accessories are the hardest to come by.��


    Wild Panther Gite took a more cynical approach, ��A team leader with ordinary equipment, willing to give such a dagger to a team member, that��s generous.��


    ��Maybe that��s his woman?�� Gale countered, ��I��d also be willing to spend a lot of gold coins on a woman!��


    As they joked around, there was not much envy.


    It was like a group of adults watching children play a game of marbles, though it was a rare marble, it was just that.


    Equipment dropped at the levels where Star-ranked adventurers were, was all above level 30.


    Even the lesser valuable purple equipment was worth more than a level 10 orange dagger.


    Dawen said, ��The merchants are going to be busy.��


    Hearing his implied meaning, Jite disdainfully nodded, saying, ��They��re just a bunch of despicable bastards who speculate and manipulate.��


    The Metal Slime burst out three purple and one orange, successfully proving its value.


    Consequently, it indirectly caused the price of Metal Destroyer Potion to spike!


    With Lin Da bursting out so many equipment pieces, it was clearly the first kill.


    The adventure teams following closely who killed the Metal Slime also had a high probability of dropping magical equipment.


    As more teams killed the Metal Slime, the drop rate of equipment would only decrease.


    Now was the best time to buy Metal Destroyer Potion.


    In fact, as soon as they saw that Metal Slime, merchants had already started buying them from all around.


    Their guards had run around the market, and the results were the same: none.


    Metal Destroyer Potion was damn hard to purchase.


    It was already in short supply and not very effective.


    Many adventurers either used it carelessly or simply threw it away.


    A money-losing item that couldn��t even be sold for one gold coin and just took up space!


    It wasn��t until the appearance of the Metal Slime that this potion began to shine.


    Only those who had watched the live strategy session of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team understood the value of the Metal Destroyer Potion.


    Apart from White Dove City, adventurers in other places would take at least a day later to get this news.


    Nearby were Red Heart City and South Rock City.


    The present merchants immediately instructed their subordinates to use long-range communication arrays and have their staff in those two cities make purchases.


    Metal Destroyer Potion, buy as much as available!


    Unfortunately.


    Their plans were doomed to fail.


    Three days ago, Lin Da had already commissioned Lulu to go to Red Heart City and South Rock City to purchase Metal Destroyer.


    The few potions in those cities, just five bottles, all ended up in Lin Da��s hands.


    There might be some leftovers hidden away, but certainly not many.


    World Tree Secret Realm, first level, Arid Corridor.


    Lin Da glanced at the suggestions scrolling across the belly of the sensor ladybug. Many people were debating the value of the Metal Destroyer Potion. S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Some said ten thousand Gold Coins, others said twenty thousand, thirty thousand.


    But Lin Da didn��t immediately take out the remaining four bottles he had to sell.


    Now was not the time.


    Only when the event had fermented, and the group of merchants had failed, disheveled and dejected, would the price reach its peak.


    Lin Da gathered his thoughts and joined his teammates in cleaning up the other spoils of war.


    There were a total of 9856 Gold Coins and 11 Level 10 Metal Series Magic Cores.


    Lin Da pulled out the burlap sacks he had prepared in advance and had Kafni carry them.


    Large adventure teams have Space Rings. Snow Goose had a small one, which he had bought at an auction for 200,000 Gold Coins.


    Lin Da pondered that in the future, he should equip one too, to spare his teammates from having to carry large sacks that could hinder their combat abilities.


    ��


    Shortly thereafter, the party arrived at the endpoint of the Arid Corridor.


    A Black Magic Dog, one and a half meters long with three heads, guarded the Teleportation Array that led to the clearance point.


    In Lin Da��s mind flashed information from the game:


    BOSS, Three-headed Black Magic Dog, High-level Magical Beast.


    Level 6, health points 3000!


    As a BOSS of the High-level Magical Beast species, it naturally had extremely high health points, making it a king among Magical Creatures.


    How to subdue it was a serious challenge that adventurers must carefully consider.


    Lin Da, as usual, held his Rusty One-Handed Sword, presenting himself as a regular Level 5 warrior, teaching the adventurers how to kill the Three-headed Black Magic Dog.


    Just by firmly remembering the prelude to each of the BOSS��s skill attacks, passing without injury was an easy task.


    Lin Da dodged and weaved like a greased eel.


    No matter how fierce the attack the Three-headed Black Magic Dog launched, he always managed to dodge at the last moment and then used his Rusty One-Handed Sword to scrape against it.


    If he really wanted to kill this BOSS, Lin Da would just throw two Venom Magic Spheres and go AFK.


    But this was a strategy prepared for lower-level adventurers, so he purposely slowed his actions, attacking the tri-headed dog while explaining.


    The audience outside of the screen was a bit baffled.


    Was this really the ferocious beast known as the ��Apprentice Terminator,�� the Three-headed Dog?


    In Lin Da��s hands, it seemed no different from a domesticated pet!


    Ten minutes later.


    The Three-headed Black Magic Dog collapsed with a thud, dying humiliatingly under Lin Da��s Rusty One-Handed Sword.


    3000 health points, painstakingly scraped to death by him.


    The Secret Realm Guardian collapsed with a thunderous fall, its body transforming into a golden light, splitting into three small orbs that fell above the heads of the Phoenix Tail Flower team members.


    Lin Da received a system prompt:


    [Team successfully cleared the first level of the trial, received the World Tree Goddess��s Divine Gift!]


    [Experience Points +1000!]


    [You delivered the final blow to the Level 6 Secret Realm Guardian, Three-headed Black Magic Dog, and received 1000 Diamonds!]


    The last hit that killed the Secret Realm Guardian yielded Diamonds for Lin Da, not Mystical Points.


    He entered his query into the system��s Q&A sprite and received an answer:


    Killing real wild Magical Creatures outside the Mystic Realm would add Mystical Points to Lin Da, while trial Magical Creatures conjured by the Divine Power of the World Tree Goddess inside the Mystic Realm would yield Diamonds.


    In addition, whether killing a BOSS who was a Secret Realm Guardian or a hidden BOSS would earn the entire team the World Tree Goddess��s Divine Gift, which meant ��Experience Reward.��


    This allowed Lin Da to farm Mystical Points outside to enhance himself and to reap Diamonds in the Mystic Realm to increase points for his team members.


    ��It��s just that the reward for the Three-headed Black Magic Dog is a bit meager, only 1000 experience points,��


    Lin Da thought helplessly.


    At Level 13, killing a Level 6 BOSS yielded experience points that were almost negligible.


    As he thought about it, a settlement page popped up before his eyes.


    Just like in the game, after killing a BOSS, depending on the clearance evaluation, the quality of the loot would accordingly increase.


    [Clear without taking more than 10 hits: Completed. +2 Stars]


    [Kill more than 30 Black Magic Dogs: Completed. +1 Star]


    [Burst at least two pieces of Purple Equipment: Completed. +2 Stars]


    [No injuries in the second phase of the Three-headed Black Magic Dog: Completed. +2 Stars]


    [Kill the hidden Magical Creature, Metal Slime: Completed. +2 Stars]


    [Kill the Metal Slime within one skill: Not completed. +0 Stars]


    [Total: 9 Stars]


    [Ultimate Clear Achieved]


    [Gold Coin acquisition increased by 90%, high-quality equipment drop rate increased by 90%!]

 Chapter 122 - 122: 113. Mystic Realm third layer, hidden Trial

    Chapter 122: 113. Mystic Realm third layer, hidden Trial


    Under the Ultimate Clear bonus, the three Black Magic Dogs exploded into another pile of loot.


    Lin Da glanced over and saw within it five Level 6 equipment emitting purple light and one piece of rare equipment glowing orange.


    The only pity was the level was too low, all Level 6, not worth much.


    A Mountain of Gold Coins, 1200 in total, which was not too shabby.


    Along with the equipment, everything was stuffed into the bag Kafni was carrying on his back.


    These low-level pieces of equipment weren��t worth collecting, so Lin Da planned to sell them to a shop once they got out.


    ...


    Suggestions kept flooding the chat.


    [5 purple, 1 orange? What��s really going on, guys, I��m not trying to be sour, but I seriously doubt there��s something fishy between the World Tree Goddess and Lin Da!]


    [It must be because the trial completion rate was high. The method to clear the Phoenix Tail Flower level satisfied multiple hidden trial rules, which is why so many rare equipments could be obtained.]


    [Is that orange earring for sale? I��ll offer 1000 Gold.]


    As Lin Da looked at the sensor ladybug, he thought to himself: Other adventure teams are not aware of the method to achieve a high rating for clearing the levels.


    Each level has numerous hidden conditions that have to be met in order to achieve [Ultimate Clear], and even [Perfect Clear].


    But the requirements for a Perfect Clear are too stringent, an adventure team on their first attempt wouldn��t be able to accomplish it.


    Take the first floor��s Arid Corridor, for instance, where you��re tasked with killing a Metal Slime, and it��s stipulated to be done ��within a single skill��.


    The Metal Slime has 10 hit points, so to kill it with one skill, you would need an ability that deals multi-stage damage of over 10 hits, and it all has to burst instantly. It won��t work with something like a Venom Magic Sphere that deals damage every second, as it will scare the Metal Slime away.


    What Lin Da achieved was an [Ultimate Clear].


    In the game, to reach the top floor and pull out the Sword of the Brave, one must complete a severely difficult prerequisite. Otherwise, even if you reach the 50th floor, you can only stare at the Sword of the Brave.


    That condition is: to achieve an Ultimate Clear on 90% of the levels!


    Under this prerequisite, aside from Lin Da, no adventurer on this continent can pull out the Sword of the Brave.


    The strength of the adventure groups from the Royal Capital is greater than the current Luanwei, but they don��t know how to achieve an Ultimate Clear.


    Thus, even if an adventure team got to the 50th floor ahead of Lin Da, they still wouldn��t be able to pull the sword out.


    Lin Da��s opponents were never the other adventurers; he didn��t need to participate in a rat race with his own kind.


    His enemy has always been one: the King of the Demon Realm, the ultimate BOSS Satan.


    ��


    The second floor of the World Tree is named [Leaf-drop Forest].


    On this floor, there are no hidden Magical Creatures.


    Lin Da gave the lower-level adventurers some strategy tips and breezed through the level.


    The challenge lay in the hidden trial of the third floor.


    For that one level, Lin Da rigorously drilled his team for three days to perfect their strategy.


    Through his serious demeanor, the audience outside the screen could sense something was up.


    A pair of nervous eyes stared at Lin Da: Could it be that the third floor also has a hidden trial?


    Jite glanced at Gale��s darkened face and taunted, ��So the so-called all-knowing fellow missed quite a few things, huh?��


    ��Who knows where he got this information from! I bet even the Sun Adventure Group has no idea about the undiscovered hidden trials on the first and third floors!��


    Grinding his teeth, Gale said, ��That kid is either damn lucky or�� he��s an undercover big shot, the kind that��s even tougher than the Sun Adventure Groups!��


    ��Haha.�� Both Jite and Dawen laughed at his words.


    A big shot tougher than a Sun Adventure Group, how could one possibly stay in White Dove City?


    Different cities have maximum levels on their World Trees, which are determined by the size of the World Tree and accordingly decide the scale of the city.


    Why is the Royal Capital flourishing? Because it has one of the largest World Trees in the entire continent at its back.


    If you want to go above the 40th floor, you must head to the Royal Capital!


    White Dove City��s World Tree is small scale, with an upper limit of 20 floors.


    The one in Red Heart City is slightly higher, capped at 25 floors.


    If Lin Da were a hidden big shot, he��d be in the Royal Capital making his mark, not in the ��small place�� of White Dove City.


    ��Let��s see what hidden trial the third floor has in store.�� Laid back, Jite leaned on the railing, a giant panda pad beneath him attracting Gale��s envious gaze.


    At this moment, Lin Da was completely ignoring the chat suggestions, all his focus was on tackling the hidden trial.


    World Tree Secret Realm��s third floor: Silent Plains.


    The team walked out from the Teleportation Array into an endless plain covered in lush green grass.


    The sky above was a clear blue, with birds flying by.


    At first glance, it seemed quite peaceful.


    But beneath the grass, there were many venomous snakes ready to attack at any moment.


    In the green brush of the plains, one might also encounter a creature known as Goblin, which the locals called ��Lao Liu��.


    Once an adventurer let their guard down, these Lao Lius would leap out of the brush with a snarl, attacking unsuspecting victims from behind with a Wolf Fang Club.


    Adventurers that slipped up on the third level met a grisly fate.


    No matter their gender, they would first be violated by Goblins, then killed!


    This is a malevolent low-ranking species that is as lustful as it is alive, able to wield its club anywhere there is a hole!


    Lin Da and his companions cautiously observed their surroundings, using a magic compass to continuously discern their bearings, and then found a piece of turf, which the three of them pulled aside with combined effort.


    What looked like turf was actually a lifelike carpet, deceptively realistic and difficult for anyone to distinguish.


    Even after finding this spot, there was still another step needed to unlock the hidden trial. S��arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Otherwise, it was merely a discovery of a den where one could hide and rest temporarily.


    More suggestions flew across the belly of the sensor ladybug:


    ��I know this place; I stumbled upon it while passing through the third layer. But it was pitch-dark below, with nothing in it. My team and I turned everything upside down and found nothing!��


    ��Let��s see how the pro handles this.��


    ��Eye of True Knowledge pro, can you share what the hidden trial on the third layer is, and the recommended level for the strategy? My team just so happens to have not entered the third layer yet.��


    Lin Da took out a torch he had prepared in advance, lit it, and led the way into the cavern, glancing at the suggestions on the ladybug and said, ��The hidden trial on the third layer is not recommended for everyone to take lightly, clearing the level normally is fine.��


    ��If you must try�� I recommend level 15 and above.��


    ��Level 15??? The average level of Magic Creatures on the third layer is only 8.��


    ��Your team doesn��t seem to have an average level of 15, do they?��


    ��Please, don��t let anything happen to you!��


    The members of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, hearing that Lin Da recommended a strategy level of 15, all had a change in their expressions.


    ��Why didn��t you tell me about such a dangerous thing that night?��


    Aiko felt a bit of pain in her heart. If Lin Da didn��t make it out of the World Tree Secret Realm, she feared she wouldn��t have any sexual interest in other men.


    It was not until Lin Da left the team that Aiko realized how outstanding this dog was. Compared to others, it was truly the difference between a purebred and a mixed-breed.


    ��Don��t let anything happen to you, Small Fry Uncle!�� Klrona��s lips pursed as she put down her chips and said softly.


    Oru and Klyne were also looking worriedly at the glowing screen, not understanding why Lin Da was so reckless, rashly taking on a hidden trial with a recommendation level of 15.


    In the corner, a red-haired girl with a hood on, paused, murmuring to herself: ��You can��t die in the hands of Magical Creatures before you��re defeated by this missy.��


    ��


    Lin Da, holding a torch, lit up the cavern below the turf.


    Descending the moss-covered stone steps, they arrived one by one at a vast, dark space.


    The place was filled with the smell of damp earth and had plenty of bizarre shapes of underground fungi growing around.


    Lin Da walked around inside with the light of the fire, seemingly finding nothing.


    ��Hand it over,�� he nodded at Kafni.


    The latter understood and took out a black bottle from her pocket.


    Lin Da took it over and opened the bottle.


    From the sensor ladybug��s view, one could see that the bottle contained a green colored liquor.


    Highly concentrated, known as ��Green Nightmare,�� a glass of it can let an adventurer comfortably spend the night.


    ��Are they going to drink liquor in there? When they are about to face the hidden Magic Creatures?��


    ��That��s too rash!��


    ��Everyone calm down, I guess that glass of Green Nightmare is the key prop.��


    ��But I really can��t imagine how a glass of liquor can start the hidden trial.��


    All they saw was Lin Da placing the glass on the ground, and then doing nothing, quietly waiting.


    One minute, two minutes�� Five minutes passed.


    Everyone grew impatient, thinking perhaps there was an error in Lin Da��s method.


    ��Lin Da wouldn��t act without being sure,�� Aiko��s eyes sparkled with worry, believing there was reason behind his actions.


    But she was concerned that Lin Da might encounter unexpected dangers during the hidden trial��with the unreliable Kafni and a soft and silly young girl, how could Luanwei succeed in a level 15 hidden trial?


    A layer of sticky sweat emerged on the palm of Aiko��s hand; even if they didn��t start the hidden trial, it didn��t matter. She just hoped Lin Da could return from the World Tree safely. After all, no girl who likes pets wants to see them hurt!


    Another minute passed, and the silent image on the screen broke.


    ��Huff huff! What delicious wine aroma, the old fellow can��t hold back anymore!��


    An elderly but excited voice came from the wall.


    The earthy wall started to undulate like an illusion, and a gray-bearded Dwarf about one meter and thirty centimeters tall, with a round cylindrical body, appeared in everyone��s view.


    ��This is�� the Dwarf Race? No wonder they used the strong liquor, Green Nightmare!��


    ��So the strong liquor is the key prop to unlock the hidden trial?��


    ��No wonder when my team accidentally entered this cavern, no matter what, we couldn��t find anything unusual, it was hiding behind that wall����


    Unlike in the outside world, in the World Tree Secret Realm, one must rigidly meet the conditions to initiate the hidden trial. Just like the Dwarf behind the wall, he wouldn��t have been discovered by the Sun Adventure Group, even if they had come here, without the lure of strong liquor.


    Lin Da performed the standard adventurer��s salute with a smile, ��If you don��t mind, sir, please accept this glass of strong liquor as a gift from me.��


    The Dwarf in front of them had a long beard braided into five thick plaits, dressed in dark green cloth clothes, with a large round red nose like a wine barrel, his eyes unblinkingly staring at the strong liquor in the glass, his mouth unconsciously open, drooling already.

 Chapter 123 - 123: 114. Dwarf commission, Monica annihilates the enemy with one shot

    Chapter 123: 114. Dwarf commission, Monica annihilates the enemy with one shot


    In the Dwarf tribe, status was determined by the number of twists in their beards: three for an adult, four for those highly respected, and this dwarf emerging from the wall had five braids, signifying he was the chief of a small community.


    ��My heavens, kind adventurer, I, Kanto, am very pleased to accept your gift! In fact, I haven��t had a drink in a month!��


    The Dwarf Chief, Kanto, excitedly grabbed the cup and downed the Green Nightmare in one gulp.


    A drink potent enough to immediately intoxicate an adventurer merely caused Kanto��s face to flush slightly red, he burped, licked his lips, and said wistfully:


    ��What a delicious strong drink! Adventurer, since you are so kind, may I ask if you would accept my commission to escort my tribe across the Silent Plains?��


    ��Of course, I won��t let you go unrewarded; in my treasury, I have a treasured item that I will give to you as payment.��


    ...


    A system message popped up in front of Lin Da:


    [You have triggered the hidden trial: Dwarf Chief Kanto��s Commission]


    Lin Da said righteously, ��As an adventurer eager to help, I am very willing to accept your commission!��


    ��Excellent!�� Kanto exclaimed excitedly to the wall, ��Everyone, come out! This adventurer will protect us across the Silent Plains!��


    The illusory wall vanished, and a crowd of about forty dwarfs streamed out.


    ��This is our entire tribe.�� Kanto said solemnly, ��Among them, there are fifteen adult dwarfs capable of combat, they are level 12 elites. Adventurer, please feel free to command them as their leader.��


    ��But I must remind you, the Goblin Chieftain has been eyeing my tribe covetously and has secretly assembled a group of elites; it is impossible for us to cross the Silent Plains by ourselves. I hope you can protect every one of my people from death and injury as much as possible.��


    Dwarf Chief Kanto looked at his uneasy tribe members and sighed, ��The fewer my people are harmed, the more valuable the reward I will give you!��


    Lin Da: ��I will give it my all.��


    To achieve the ultimate clear on this level, one must successfully escort the Dwarf Tribe across the Silent Plains, and the number of deaths must not exceed ten.


    This is quite difficult.


    A normal adventure team, even if they initiated this hidden trial, would struggle to clear it with fewer than ten dwarf casualties.


    Many in the dwarfs were unable to fight, including the weak and elderly, women, and children; even a slight scrape from a Goblin��s attack would mean instant death.


    ��Warriors, take the outer layer, protect the elderly, women, and children, let��s set out!��


    Lin Da and Monica walked at the forefront, with Kafni covering the rear, they emerged from the cave.


    Outside, the sky was nearing twilight.


    A cool breeze blew, and the grassy plains stretched endlessly devoid of any life.


    Every dwarf was on edge.


    No one knew if the bushes below harbored any malicious Goblins.


    An icy, deadly atmosphere descended.


    [It��s making me nervous just watching. The Dwarf Tribe has 15 level 12 warriors, and they still need an adventurer��s escort; how many Goblins must there be?]


    [This hidden trial isn��t meant for ordinary adventure teams!]


    [If it��s too much, Eye of True Knowledge, you should give up; safety first!]


    [Don��t overestimate yourself, if you��re a recovery role, better to leave those dwarfs behind and find another way to clear.]


    A red-haired girl, wearing a hood, placed a Demon Core on the sacrificial altar and quietly input Golden Advice.


    ��Thank you all for your concern.��


    Lin Da glanced at the sensor ladybug and said, ��if we were dealing with level 15 high-level Magical Beasts, we would have given up, but since they are low-level Goblins, we can take the challenge.��


    The escort of the Dwarf Tribe progressed quietly.


    Occasionally, they encountered a few prairie wolves, which Lin Da let Monica practice on. sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Initially, Monica was a bit nervous, her chanting speed was half slower than usual.


    After slowly killing a few prairie wolves, she began to adapt.


    However, observers outside noticed something odd: the Earth Mage��s spell was the very common Earth Spear Spell, and prairie wolves, being rare Magical Beasts of the third layer with a high level of 12,


    even though Monica was a bit higher level, at level 15, it would normally take two Earth Spear Spells to kill a prairie wolf.


    How did a casual wave take down a prairie wolf?


    [That girl is so cute, isn��t she the one Captain Lin Da called Monica? It seems her damage is quite high!]


    [Her magic wand is from the Earth Tiger series, and her bracelet is from the tough fruit series��I didn��t see any impressive equipment on her?]


    [She must have a high base magic power. Killing fragile Magical Beasts like prairie wolves doesn��t show her real damage.]


    Among the audience were some elite adventurers and merchants familiar with all kinds of equipment series.


    They immediately discerned that Monica was a poor Mage, entirely in blue gear. The fact that she could use Earth Spear Spell, the most basic spell, to kill prairie wolves, strongly suggested her inherent magic points were high.


    Exactly how high, would need a somewhat tougher Magical Beast to test.


    In Lin Da��s view, however, it was all very clear.


    The health points of level 12 prairie wolves varied individually between 1100 and 1300.


    With Monica��s magic attributes, wearing a full set of blue gear, reaching over 800,


    plus the passive skills [Glass Cannon] and Lin Da��s [Captain��s Aura] contributing an additional 10% damage��when multiplied together, even a basic spell like Earth Spear Spell could produce a blood-red -1553 above the prairie wolf��s head.

 Chapter 124 - 124: 114, Dwarf commissioned, Monica annihilates the enemy with one shot_2

    Chapter 124: 114, Dwarf commissioned, Monica annihilates the enemy with one shot_2


    In the realm of mages under level 20, she ranked among the top in terms of damage output.


    By comparison, although Lin Da��s Venom Magic Sphere caused significant total damage, it was not as high in single-shot output as the Big Lolita.


    ��Ah heh, hehehe���� Monica giggled foolishly, hugging her Magic Wand, blushing as Lin Da stroked her head.


    Once she relaxed, her chanting speed also increased.


    Kanto exclaimed in surprise, ��This little adventurer is more powerful than any mage I��ve ever seen!��


    The heavy atmosphere seemed to have dissipated somewhat.


    ...


    And just then.


    ��Ah!��


    A Dwarf Warrior��s scream came from the rear.


    A sharp arrow pierced through his eye socket, causing a fatal wound!


    Lin Da received a system prompt: [Current Dwarf dead: 1]


    Even with strong protective skills like the Verdant Shield, Lin Da couldn��t foresee which Dwarf the Goblins would attack.


    For the three members of the Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team, ensuring not a single Dwarf died, a perfect clear, was too difficult.


    Lin Da decided to settle for an ultimate clear instead.


    ��Everybody, form up to face the enemy!��


    Ling Da took a resolute stance, directing the elderly, women, and children to retreat behind them, using their luggage as shields for protection.


    The Dwarf Warriors split into two rows to meet the enemy��under Kafni��s keen perception, they noticed the Goblins were concentrated in the front.


    ��Here they come.��


    Lin Da took Monica��s trembling hand and stood behind the Dwarf Warriors�� shields, looking towards the end of the plains.


    On the horizon, a cluster of small black dots began to materialize.


    The vanguard consisted of a dozen or so green Goblins wearing Leather Armor, riding the wolves of the plains.


    Brandishing broadswords, the ugly green faces of the Goblins bore arrogant grins as they shouted loudly, charging at Lin Da and the others like a band of marauders!


    ��It��s, it��s the Goblin Wolf Riders, no, we can��t win!��


    A shield-bearing Dwarf Warrior turned pale with panic, on the verge of dropping his Sword and Shield and begging for mercy.


    The remaining Dwarves, though braver, couldn��t stop trembling.


    Those riding the plains wolves, strong green-skinned monsters nearly 1.8 meters tall, were not something this group of level 12 Dwarves could defeat.


    ��Do not fear, everyone, we adventurers, will protect you!��


    Lin Da shouted, but to little avail; the Dwarves were terrified.


    No wonder, with Goblin Knights averaging level 15 considered mid-tier Magical Creatures, they had hefty health pools.


    When mounted, their health points and those of the plains wolves combined, reaching up to 4000.


    Magical Creatures naturally had stronger constitutions than adventurers, and starting from mid-tier, their health points soared.


    This posed a great challenge to the adventure team��s attackers.


    Without sufficient output, they could forget about conquering the higher levels!


    Thinking of this, Kanto also worried for the few from the Phoenix Tail Flower; the menace of the Goblin Knights weighed on everyone like a nightmare.


    Adventurers who had narrowly escaped death under the clubs of such Magical Creatures clutched their backsides with pale faces.


    That memory was unbearably painful.


    What Lin Da did was to grab onto Monica��s pair of pure, unblemished white silk legs.


    ��Are you ready? Just like we practiced before.��


    ��Mon, Monica��s fine!�� The Big Lolita nodded her head vigorously, steadied Lin Da��s head, and got hoisted up.


    Lin Da, already quite tall, now hoisting Monica, turned into a makeshift ranged turret!


    The Goblin Knights laughed maniacally as they closed in, the distance quickly shrinking to a hundred meters.


    Cocky and arrogant, they advanced in a straight line, utterly devoid of any intention to dodge.


    The Goblin Chieftain had already scrutinized the area; the impoverished Dwarf Tribe couldn��t afford bows and arrows, and those few shield-bearing Dwarf Warriors would crumble under a single charge from the Goblin Knights!


    Male Dwarves bent over, female Dwarves useful for breeding��


    The Goblin Knights�� lust surged as they cackled and brandished their broadswords.


    Suddenly, the vanguard Goblin Knight Captain sensed something was amiss.


    The braided Goblin Captain looked suspiciously ahead, sensing an extremely rich concentration of Earth Elemental Magic gathering among those pathetic Dwarves.


    Mages are much more valuable than warriors; where would the impoverished Dwarf Tribe get a Mage?


    The level of the magic aura doesn��t seem to be low either!


    On the plains, more than a dozen Goblin Knights charged towards Lin Da with great ferocity, the wolf hooves shaking the earth and kicking up dust.


    Adventurers outside the screen held their breath, tense to the point of forgetting to breathe.


    The health points of the Goblin Cavalry were obviously not comparable to those of the plain wolves. If they could not be weakened as much as possible before they closed in, the group of Dwarves would be utterly slaughtered one-sidedly.


    If the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team were to be defeated, the evil Goblins wouldn��t just kill their prey outright. Whether it was Kafni or the pitifully lovable Monica, they would face terrible fates!


    Just as everyone was feeling worried, a dull brown Array about one meter in diameter lit up at the tip of Monica��s Magic Wand.


    ��Heh��!��


    The cute voice of the girl, somewhat strained, came from the screen.


    What followed was a thick, brown beam of light.


    It roared like an Earth Dragon sweeping away everything, aimed straight at the leading Goblin Knight.


    The heavy recoil of the massive spell almost caused Monica to fall off Lin Da��s shoulder; her face flushed, she hugged Lin Da��s head, her small white silk legs wrapped tightly around him to prevent herself from the shame of falling.


    Lin Da also held on to Monica tightly, gripping so hard that the soft flesh on Monica��s legs indented slightly. S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even though he was blushing, Lin Da refused to let go!


    The end lag from the skill Earth Bombardment was just too great!


    The bombardment was deafening, and the earth elemental magic around seemed to converge on this one attack.


    The Dwarf Warriors were so frightened they almost dropped their armor and fled; Chief Kanto was stunned, with eyes wide open, only to see the earthen beam hit the Goblin Knight Captain��s chest,


    For a moment, the Goblins�� screams and the plain wolves�� wails were all buried in the light beam.


    Equipped with her gear and at full fire power, Monica��s base Magic Points were 800; the skill Earth Bombardment marked ��consumes a medium amount��, ��high damage�� with a minimum of 8x damage multiplier.


    Add Monica��s skill [Glass Cannon] and Lin Da��s [Captain��s Aura] on top of it��


    Even if that Goblin was a Knight Captain, a medium-level Magical Creature, though a hundred meters away which weakened the Earth Bombardment��s power, Monica still dealt a terrifying 6460 damage.


    The level 15 Goblin Knight Captain�� was instantly killed by Monica!


    After the Earth Bombardment pierced through the Goblin, it hit the ground, resulting in an explosion of soil and grass, digging a sloped hole downwards.


    The nearby ground was scorched black, giving off a thick scent of burnt magic.


    This attack had stupefied the Goblin Knights.


    All the Magical Creatures looked at each other in bewilderment, not understanding why their Captain vanished in the blink of an eye.


    ��Awoo! Awoo! Awoo!��


    In stark contrast, the Dwarves�� morale soared; they raised their One-Handed Swords excitedly!


    Who could have thought that even the demonically strong Goblin Knights couldn��t withstand even one attack from the petite adventurer?


    With the help of the adventurers, defeating the Goblin Chieftain was no longer impossible!


    Monica��s outrageous damage also stunned the adventurers outside the screen; they saw the girl riding on Lin Da��s shoulders, shyly giggling with an embarrassed laugh, as if awkwardly trying to take credit��


    At this, Snow Goose and the others felt a complex mix of emotions, witnessing how powerful Lin Da��s current teammates were, they couldn��t help feeling a bit upstaged.


    They genuinely hoped Lin Da would clear the level safely, but they didn��t want to see Lin Da��s teammates outclassing them, his old teammates.


    Lin Da could do well.


    But better than them, it felt like a second helping that was hard to swallow. It wasn��t jealousy or annoyance, just a slightly awkward feeling.


    The one feeling this the most was Aiko, who, like Monica, was also a Mage.


    No wonder�� Lin Da didn��t care about her joining the team.


    They had Monica, and that was enough.


    ��


    ������Woo woo~!��


    At this moment, a long horn sound came from the screen.


    All attention was drawn to it as on the distant grassland, an exceptionally robust Goblin appeared.


    It stood three meters tall, wearing a beast skirt, carrying a huge Wolf Fang Club, and was blowing on a curved horn.


    [A Goblin Chieftain? The third level actually has such a high-level Magical Beast?]


    [Isn��t it that Goblin Chieftains only appear above the seventh level?]


    [Hiss, this one doesn��t seem to be the ordinary kind; the Goblin Chieftains I��ve seen are at most two meters tall, but this one is actually three meters!]

 Chapter 125 - 125: 115, Extremely high healing output, protecting the Dwarf

    Chapter 125: 115, Extremely high healing output, protecting the Dwarf


    Fear permeated through the suggestions �� goblins were weak magical creatures, but the goblin chieftain was not.


    With tough skin and powerful attacks, capable of imparting a ��frenzy�� state on regular goblins, it was a particularly troublesome high-level magical beast.


    As the horn sounded, the goblin knights, as if injected with adrenaline, their eyes bursting with bloodthirsty red light, roared and charged forward.


    ��Kill the damned dwarves, kill the adventurers! Spare no one!��


    ��The desire to breed, is burning fiercely!��


    ��Eat my goblin charge!��


    ...


    Fifteen goblin knights charged together, their hooves thundering across the plain, and behind them, ten goblin soldiers wielding swords and shields rushed toward the dwarves like hungry beasts.


    A total of 25 magical creatures of average level 15, this force was enough to terrify any ordinary adventurer squad!


    Lin Da��s eyes narrowed as he commanded the dwarf warriors, ��Everyone, move forward, protect the elderly, women, and children. We must not let the goblin knights get close!��


    The leader, Kanto, pulled out a pair of hammers from behind and roared, ��Warriors, charge with me!��


    With their leader taking the lead, the dwarf warriors finally mustered the courage to charge toward the towering goblin knights.


    Lin Da was not idle either; together with Monica, they provided magic support, bombarding the numerous goblins like mobile artillery.


    Kafni��s Dagger Scatter was a long-range skill, and with the Crescent Dagger enhancement, this scrap deity��s output was greatly supplemented,


    Each dagger could deal about 400 damage, and three daggers hitting the same target amounted to 1200 damage.


    ��Venom Magic Sphere, Venom Magic Sphere, Venom Magic Sphere!��


    Lin Da pulled out his walnut wood magic sword from his waist, silently reciting the spell.


    Three ominous purple magic spheres flew toward the goblin knights.


    This spell, weak as it seemed, was not taken seriously by the goblin knights, who focused on avoiding Monica��s Earth Spear Spell��the earth mana-formed spears were the real threat, each capable of inflicting substantial damage on them!


    However, when the goblin knights were hit by the venom magic spheres, they immediately regretted it.


    Their life barriers on their bodies hissed as they were corroded by the venom magic spheres; goblins didn��t have a source core but had a demon core instead, these transparent life barriers connected to the demon cores, and as the barriers corroded, it also inflicted damage on their demon cores.


    In Lin Da��s field of view, three numbers popped out above the goblin knights�� heads:


    -705, -702, -707!


    The venom magic spheres dealt damage six times in total.


    The goblin knights had 4000 health points, meaning Lin Da��s mere venom magic sphere could completely kill a goblin knight.


    When initially hit, those goblin knights could still hop around energetically, swinging their broadswords and causing the dwarf warriors to retreat steadily.


    But from the third second, the toxins began to seep into their life barriers, turning these green-skinned creatures�� lips purple.


    By the fifth second, their health was nearly drained, their eyes darkened, and their broadswords flailed aimlessly.


    By the sixth second, the last -700 popped up.


    Three arrogant goblins fell off their grassland wolves and died completely from the venom magic spheres.


    ��Captain, such high damage!��


    Monica looked at Lin Da in astonishment; she had to use Earth Bombardment, which took significant effort, to kill a single goblin knight.


    Yet the captain easily killed three goblins.


    ��Monica is also performing very well. In terms of burst ability, the captain is far behind you,�� Lin Da said as he launched three more venom magic spheres.


    His damage was indeed high, but it took six seconds for the goblin knights to die.


    Unlike Monica, whose Earth Bombardment instantly vaporized a goblin knight.


    After killing another three, Lin Da��s system messages popped up continuously:


    [Kill Goblin Knight x6, Gain Diamonds 6000!]


    Monica also reaped substantial gains.


    Alternating between Earth Spear Spell and Earth Bombardment, she eliminated four goblin knights.


    Kafni was less impressive, managing to kill only one. However, she successfully used the Stealing Skill to snatch the broadsword from a goblin knight��s hand!


    The two unfortunate goblin knights suddenly found themselves weaponless, slightly bewildered.


    What met them were the dwarves�� swords.


    With the aid of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, within a short half-minute, the goblin knights were reduced by thirteen, leaving only two.


    At that moment, the goblin soldiers arrived, roaring as they clashed blades with the dwarves.


    Being of a higher average level than the dwarves, it wasn��t long before two dwarves were decapitated, and several others were wounded!


    Dwarf Foka was also among the warriors.


    At only twenty-eight years old, he was an ordinary level 12 warrior. When he felt the chilling wind behind him and caught a glimpse of the fierce broadsword of the goblin in his peripheral vision, it was already too late.


    Foka closed his eyes in despair, gave up resisting, and silently murmured his mother��s name��


    ��Emerald Light Shield!��


    Suddenly, a green light sphere fell on Foka.


    Outside his fragile life barrier, an emerald-colored light shield appeared.


    The goblin soldier��s broadsword struck it but not only failed to break through, the hardness of the light shield also caused a tingling pain in his hand, causing him to step back in fear.


    What was this shield?


    Foka was also stunned for a moment.


    He had a hunch that this shield was perhaps even thicker than his life barrier.


    Thoughts flashed through his mind in a split second, and Foka gritted his teeth, bravely charging toward the Goblin Soldiers.


    Each of his swords steadily struck the Life Barrier of the Goblin Soldiers, shaking their Demon Cores, while the Goblin Soldiers could only helplessly hack at that emerald Light Shield,


    Just as the Light Shield was about to shatter, Foka��s sword had already pierced through the Goblin Soldier��s Life Barrier, stabbing into the latter��s chest.


    The Level 12 Foka, with the aid of a Light Shield, successfully killed a Level 15 Goblin Soldier!


    On the chaotic battlefield, streaks of emerald light fell upon the Dwarf Warriors.


    With the enhancement of the Light Shield, the Dwarf Warriors were as if granted an extra life, becoming fearless, and although lower in level than the Goblin Soldiers, they gained the upper hand in the battle!


    [Is the Light Shield one of Lin Da��s protective skills? It took several hits from a Level 15 Goblin Soldier and didn��t break?]


    [How thick is this shield exactly?]


    [I heard that the Healing Mage is a crappy half-baked profession, but why does it seem so powerful?]


    A wave of suggestions flew across the belly of the sensor ladybug.


    However, Lin Da didn��t have time to look; he needed to ensure the survival of the Dwarf Warriors as much as possible.


    Scanning the battlefield, various damage numbers sprung up, dense and disorderly.


    Lin Da took out one Skill Point and on the Recovery Series Skill Tree, he chose [Group Healing].


    The Walnut Wood Magic Sword, like the conductor of an orchestra, pointed forward, and immediately, white droplets rained down on the Dwarf Warriors.


    Group Healing lv1, maximum healing diameter five meters, maximum number of people healed five.


    Green numbers sprang from the tops of the Dwarf Warriors�� heads:


    +400, +401, +405, +398, +402.


    Despite the low Recovery Amount of the Group Healing, Lin Da��s Magic Points were high.


    Together with his Primary Healing Spell, which could recover 600 in one go, this number was almost half the total health points of a Dwarf Warrior.


    600 + 400, which equals an instant recovery of 1000.


    This resulted in Lin Da being able to keep any focused Dwarf Warrior from dying.


    Goblin Soldiers are a type of Magical Creature with relatively high sustained damage, but lacking in burst damage.


    As long as the Goblins couldn��t instantly break the Verdant Shield and shatter the Dwarf��s Life Barrier, Lin Da could always bring the Dwarf back from the brink.


    It could be said that under Lin Da��s watch, it was hard for the Dwarf Warriors to die!


    ��Adventurer, the chieftain acknowledges your strength,��


    Suddenly, a rough and hoarse voice came from a distance.


    Even separated by a hundred meters, it still caused all present, including Lin Da, to feel pain in their eardrums.


    The remaining Goblin Soldiers all retreated, kneeling on the ground in reverence.


    Thump thump.


    Heavy footsteps approached.


    The Goblin Chieftain had a necklace of human skulls around his neck, neatly arranged eight-pack abs at his waist, and his thighs were thick and muscular.


    With each step, like a giant beast shaking the ground, a terrifying aura along with a nauseating body odor rushed forward.


    Under this frightening pressure, many Dwarf Warriors turned pale and trembled, unable to even hold their swords.


    Lin Da shouted sternly, ��All Dwarves, fall back!��


    Even with the support of the Verdant Shield, the Dwarves would be killed by a swing of the Goblin Chieftain��s Wolf Fang Club.


    The Goblin Chieftain was only Level 15, the same level as the common Goblin Soldiers, but��Magical Creatures have a hierarchy within their race.


    The attributes of the Goblin Chieftain completely crushed the latter��s.


    Goblin Soldiers and Goblin Knights generally fall into the category of mid-level Magical Beasts, corresponding to Blue Rare equipment quality. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They can also be referred to as Rare Magical Beasts.


    As for the Goblin Chieftain, he belongs to the Purple Rare Level, coupled with the bonus of being a hidden and boss Magical Creature��


    In Lin Da��s mind, he recalled the disgusting health points of the Autumn Goblin Chieftain: 30,000 points.


    The combined health points of ten Goblin Soldiers were not even as much as that of the Goblin Chieftain!


    The pressure exerted by this Magical Creature made even adventurers outside the screen shudder, and Aiko, along with others close to Lin Da, all showed nervous expressions.


    The three members of the Phoenix Tail Flower took the forefront.


    In front of the three-meter-tall Goblin Chieftain, they appeared tiny like ants, having to look up at the Magical Creature.


    The Goblin Chieftain��s arms were even bigger than Monica��s entire person!


    A fishy stench hit their faces, and within the large green mouth, sharp teeth held remnants of some meaty bits.


    Monica, frightened, hid behind Lin Da.


    But this time, Lin Da��s gaze was stern as he scolded, ��Don��t be afraid, remember what you trained for, a mere Goblin Chieftain is no match for Phoenix Tail Flower!��


    ��Yes, Captain Lord��!�� Even though Monica was extremely frightened, she still timidly came out from behind Lin Da.


    The girl took a deep breath, clenched her Magic Wand tightly, and aimed it at the Goblin Chieftain.


    ��Adventurers, the chieftain has a proposal,��


    ��If you leave now, the chieftain will gift you a rare item.��


    With a sinister smile, the Goblin Chieftain pulled out the massive Wolf Fang Club from behind and swung it, the air pressure stunning, ��This deal should be quite worthwhile, right?��

 Chapter 126 - 126: 116. Kill Goblin Chieftain, Hidden Equipment

    Chapter 126: 116. Kill Goblin Chieftain, Hidden Equipment


    [System Prompt: Do you accept the Goblin Chieftain��s gift and give up protecting the Dwarf Tribe?]


    Lin Da did not hesitate for a moment and flatly refused.


    Once he killed the Goblin Chieftain, he could still loot items from the corpse of this Magical Creature.


    ��Filthy Magical Creature, your end is the same, death at the hands of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team!��


    Lin Da swung his Walnut Wood Magic Sword fiercely, shooting out a Venom Magic Sphere that hit the Goblin Chieftain��s abdomen.


    A purple -550 popped up.


    ...


    As expected, the Goblin Chieftain��s skin was much thicker than that of minor monsters!


    Lin Da had anticipated this and looked towards Kafni and Monica on either side, without much words, he placed a Verdant Shield over both his teammates.


    Without a shield, besides himself, the two teammates couldn��t withstand a blow from the Goblin Chieftain.


    ��Despicable adventurers, you have angered the chief, I will punish you!��


    The Goblin Chieftain touched his wounded abdomen, charged towards Lin Da furiously, the massive Wolf Fang Club swinging like a tree directly at Lin Da��s head!


    As if they had agreed upon it earlier, the three of them dispersed in unison.


    Lin Da, as the Healing Hero plus tank, drew the Goblin Chieftain��s enmity head-on, throwing the second Venom Magic Sphere with an uplifted hand.


    Kafni, with the agility of a rogue, quickly circled to the Goblin Chieftain��s back, the light of Battle Qi transforming into a thrown dagger��the Poison Explosion Dagger, dealing double the damage on poisoned units!


    -1000!


    Monica, panting heavily, ran far away, waiting until Kafni��s hit drew some of the Goblin Chieftain��s enmity before starting to chant a spell:


    ��Sprites of the earth, lend me your strength, to vanquish the evil Magical Creature before me����


    ��Earth Bombardment!�� S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With a bang, a column of earthy yellow light shot out, striking the Goblin Chieftain��s back, as a massive -4870 number instantly appeared.


    The Goblin Chieftain��s sturdy back was scorched with large black marks!


    That was the Glass Cannon Monica, an Earth Mage whose single attack was as powerful as three attacks from others!


    ��Aargh ah ah ah!��


    The Goblin Chieftain bellowed furiously, pounding his chest, then fixed his gaze on Monica,


    The recent Earth Bombardment made the chief painfully aware of the hurt!


    ��Fearless Charge!��


    The Goblin Chieftain��s speed surged, crashing into Monica like a giant beast.


    But, this was also within Lin Da��s calculations.


    The Goblin Chieftain��s green foot kicked Monica away like a soccer ball, a white -1290 popping over her head.


    That number represented the thickness of the Verdant Shield; the shield shattered first, followed by a drop of 500 from Monica��s Hit Points.


    Having delivered the blow, the Goblin Chieftain��s ��enmity�� towards Monica was wiped clean.


    Lin Da took the lead without hesitation, throwing out a Venom Magic Sphere: -570!


    ��Wretched ant, I will squash you!��


    The Goblin Chieftain, in a fit of rage, used ��Fearless Charge�� once again, and the Wolf Fang Club, bigger than Lin Da himself, smashed towards Lin Da��s head.


    The gleam of cold light on the Wolf Fang Club��s spikes, each as thick as a normal person��s forearm, and the strong air pressure forced the nearby wild grass to bend aside��no one would doubt the power of this strike, an adventurer hit by the Wolf Fang Club would instantly turn into a meat patty!


    ��Frenzied Smash!�� the Goblin Chieftain laughed cruelly, his green, ugly face contorted like a demon, sending shivers down one��s spine.


    At this moment, adventurers both inside and outside the field were anxious for Lin Da, knowing that under such a strike, a normal Level 13 adventurer would have no chance at all!


    But Lin Da was anything but normal.


    The Metal Slime Chainmail had added 1000 Hit Points, and his total Hit Points reached 4300, along with the Verdant Shield he had put on himself, the final number soared to 5590.


    Frankly, the combined Hit Points of five Level 10 Mages would hardly match Lin Da��s.


    He was the only one on the plains who could withstand a frontal blow from the Goblin Chieftain��s Wolf Fang Club.


    And only after the Goblin Chieftain had used one ��Frenzied Smash��, would he kick with his foot instead of the Wolf Fang Club when he used ��Fearless Charge�� to pursue Monica next.


    Lin Da��s feet rooted into the ground like trees, as his gaze fixed on the looming Wolf Fang Club, using his Walnut Wood Magic Sword to brace horizontally.


    A thunderous boom as if to rupture the eardrums followed!


    -1290.


    The Verdant Shield on Lin Da burst explosively.


    That wasn��t the end, as another red -1500 appeared above his head.


    After withstanding the hit, his arm seemed to lose feeling, going numb, his palm rigidly holding the Walnut Wood Magic Sword to prevent it from falling.


    The impact from the Goblin Chieftain��s strike caused Lin Da��s Hit Points to plunge to 2800.


    Yet he indeed survived, and rather healthily at that. The remaining 2800 Hit Points were more than many adventurers had at full status.


    Outside the screen, Aiko and the others were puzzled as they looked at Lin Da, their faces showing different expressions,


    Even front-line fighters at the same level would struggle to withstand such a hit, yet Lin Da, as a back-line class specializing in recovery, was taking it so well?


    Meanwhile, Monica and Kafni, who already anticipated it, were among the few who knew of Lin Da��s high defensive power.


    ��Primary Healing Spell, Continuous Healing!��


    Lin Da rolled to the left, escaping beneath the Wolf Fang Club while chanting a spell, two green lights descended upon himself.


    +600.


    +470,+455,+468��


    In a short time, Lin Da had recovered around 1900 Hit Points, then raised his hand to shield himself, almost topping up his Hit Points.


    That was the Healing Hero.


    As long as he wasn��t instantly killed, he could always recover to full status the next second.


    The Goblin Chieftain, holding the Wolf Fang Club, stared wide-eyed in shock.


    After such an effort to hit this human, why did it feel almost the same as if he hadn��t hit him at all?


    ��Venom Magic Sphere.��

 Chapter 127 - 127: 116. Kill the Goblin Chieftain, Hidden Equipment_2

    Chapter 127: 116. Kill the Goblin Chieftain, Hidden Equipment_2


    During the moment when this huge green-skinned brute was dazed, Lin Da greeted it with a purple magic sphere.


    -565.


    Kafni��s Poison Explosion Dagger also shot into the Goblin Chieftain��s back.


    Double damage: -1052!


    ��Augh, augh, augh!�� The Goblin Chieftain flew into a rage out of humiliation, jumping around on the spot, with patterns emerging on its skin and a red glow emanating from its body.


    Lin Da shouted, ��Be careful, it��s entering the second phase!��


    ...


    In the second phase, the Goblin Chieftain would release ��Hunting Dance��, increasing agility and strength by 20%, while reducing defense by 30%.


    Lin Da quickly calculated the hit points in his mind��so long as he could withstand all the attacks from the Wolf Fang Club, Kafni and Monica would be in no real danger.


    Entering the second phase, the Goblin Chieftain, with weakened defense, was most susceptible to fierce output damage.


    ��Hey��!��


    A yellow-brown beam of light hit the Goblin Chieftain��s head, causing the magical creature to stagger on the spot and barely avoid falling by propping itself up with the Wolf Fang Club.


    Bright red blood flowed from the wound on the Goblin Chieftain��s forehead.


    Monica��s Earth Bombardment dealt a terrifying 7150 damage!


    The members of the Phoenix Tail Flower positioned themselves in a perfect triangle, kiting the furiously impotent chieftain back and forth within it.


    With Lin Da��s high recovery amount and the protection of the Verdant Shield, although the Goblin Chieftain frequently brought Monica and Kafni to near-death, it couldn��t land the final killing blow.


    This reminded the Goblin Chieftain of the frustration and helplessness it felt when summoned by the Goblin King to the cave, forced to watch the King toy with the Wild Boar Princess, unable to do anything but stare.


    Three frail adventurers were right before its eyes, yet it couldn��t kill any of them!


    Even with the Goblin Chieftain��s 30000 hit points, it couldn��t withstand the insane output from the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.


    In less than five minutes, the Goblin Chieftain was at death��s door.


    ��Curse you adventurers��prepare to face the chieftain��s fury!��


    The Goblin Chieftain��s eyes bulged like copper bells, its teeth clenched tightly, veins near its neck bulging suddenly.


    Lin Da was fully focused.


    This was the Goblin Chieftain��s final stage.


    Once the Goblin Chieftain��s hit points dropped below 3000, it would initiate ��Blood Locking��.


    Unless it received a single hit of over 10000 damage, one couldn��t bypass this stage and directly kill the Goblin Chieftain.


    The duration of Blood Locking was 30 seconds, a span of time that was a death sentence for the adventure team, as the Goblin Chieftain would target the person with the highest total damage output and launch an all-out suicidal attack!


    This was the biggest difficulty in conquering the Goblin Chieftain: to make the most durable adventurer in the team deliver the highest output, to cope with this 30-second death sentence.


    Lin Da dared to trigger this hidden phase, relying on the Healing Hero��s job traits.


    He didn��t need to worry about how to make the front line deliver the highest total damage; he could easily accomplish this as the ��front line��.


    ��Adventurer, die!��


    The Goblin Chieftain, with blood-red eyes fixed on Lin Da, swung the Wolf Fang Club like a whirlwind, rotating it in a deadly attack!


    Facing the Goblin Chieftain��s deathly whirlwind of attacks, Lin Da took a deep breath, applied Continuous Healing to himself, and took out three Life Recovery Potions from the pouch on his belt.


    He focused all his attention on defense, using the Walnut Wood Magic Sword as a shield. His body radiated a pale white glow from the Life Barrier sourced from his core, reinforced by an additional layer of the Verdant Shield��


    -500, -571, -620!


    In a few breaths, the Verdant Shield shattered, and Lin Da��s Life Barrier vibrated intensely!


    Anxious suggestions fluttered across the belly of the sensor ladybug.


    On the outside, Aiko and others watched the screen with anxious eyes:


    The Goblin Chieftain��s deadly spin kicked up a cloud of dust, obscuring Lin Da��s figure in the imagery, completely covered by the Wolf Fang Club.


    -670.


    -599.


    +600, +455.


    Red damage numbers and green recovery numbers, like warriors of opposing elements, battled above Lin Da��s head.


    While desperately defending, Lin Da also chanted spells, applying Primary Healing Art and Continuous Healing to himself.


    Taking on this hidden trial with just three people was indeed quite the challenge.


    As he struggled to defend against the Goblin Chieftain��s onslaught, Lin Da sighed inwardly.


    To reduce the difficulty, one would need to enter the instance according to its maximum party limit.


    The third level allows up to six people.


    With just one more front-line fighter and two more damage dealers, conquering the Goblin Chieftain would be a breeze.


    At that moment, he muttered the spell in his heart, ��Pure Life Magic Power, transform into a shield of protection, ward off all harm�� Verdant Shield!��


    An emerald light shield enveloped the surroundings, but after a few thuds, it lasted only two seconds before the Verdant Shield was shattered by the Goblin Chieftain��s deathly windmill attack.


    But at the same time, the 30-second death timer had ended!


    The Goblin Chieftain��s breath quickly withered, exhausted after the windmill attack, it came to a halt, panting with its tongue lolling out.


    ��Venom Magic Sphere!��


    ��Dagger Scatter!��


    ��Earth Spear Spell!��


    The three had long plotted their move, unleashing their skills simultaneously, bombarding the Goblin Chieftain!


    ��Ughhhhh!��


    The Goblin Chieftain��s eyes were punctured by daggers, its chest pierced by a spear formed of earth magic,


    while the Venom Magic Sphere, cunningly fired into the Goblin Chieftain��s wide-open mouth, caused the large green-skinned monster to fall to the ground with a thud, rolling and clutching its head in agony!


    Lin Da kept his eyes on the numbers popping up above the Goblin Chieftain��s head, quickly doing the mental math: 30,000 hit points should be down to about 190 or so.


    ��Now��s the time!��


    Seizing the moment, he swung his walnut wood magic sword at the Goblin Chieftain��s neck!


    -211.


    Fearing the approach of death, the Goblin Chieftain let out a terrified scream, but the severe pain in its body prevented it from putting up any effective defense.


    The next moment, all sounds ceased abruptly.


    A massive head was chopped off by Lin Da.


    The hidden magical creature, a level 15 Goblin Chieftain, was dead!


    On the belly of the sensor ladybug, pressed by the tense battle to the point of suffocation, people finally had the chance to send their suggestions,


    and for a moment, the text scrolled furiously:


    [Congratulations to the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team for conquering the third floor��s hidden trial!]


    [That was too hard, to defeat this Goblin Chieftain, the entire team has to hold off until level 15, even level 20, before entering the third floor, it��s not meant for normal people at all��]


    [Didn��t you realize, except for the one named Kafni, all the members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team are abnormal?]


    [Lin Da��s recovery amount, and that white-stockinged Big Lolita��s output, are both quite high.]


    Outside the screen, the adventurers watched eagerly as the Goblin Chieftain��s corpse lay there.


    A second later, the corpse turned into a burst of light, which shot towards the three members of the Phoenix Tail Flower.


    By completing the hidden trial, they received the Divine Gift from the World Tree Goddess.


    Monica bathed in the Divine Light, her face flushing red, her legs twisting in comfort.


    After killing the Metal Slime, Monica leveled up again, this time becoming an 18th-level Earth Mage.


    As for Lin Da, it was a case of over-leveled killing, and his higher evaluation was reflected in the three streaks of golden light that fell upon his head.


    In front of Lin Da, system notifications popped up one after another:


    [Your team has killed a level 15 hidden magical creature, the Goblin Chieftain, and you have received the Divine Gift of the World Tree Goddess, gaining 50,000 experience points!]


    [You have advanced to level 14]


    [You have advanced to level 15]


    [You have advanced to level 16]


    [Attributes increase: Strength +85, Magic Power +85, Defense +15, Magic Defense +25, Agility +14, Hit Points +900!]


    [You have earned 3 Skill Points]


    [For delivering the final blow to the Goblin Chieftain, you have obtained 40,000 diamonds!]


    Lin Da��s eyes blur with the barrage of messages, murmuring softly, ��It��s too much, it really is�� too much!��


    Not only did he gain 50,000 experience points, but he also leapt from level 13 to 16.


    The system also awarded him 40,000 diamonds, which he could use to��ahem��thoroughly guide Lulu and Monica.


    The cottage in the Back House system could also be upgraded, potentially unlocking new functions.


    These gains alone left Lin Da feeling brimful and exceedingly content.


    Yet, the major event was still to come��the loot dropped by the Goblin Chieftain.


    Lin Da glanced at the walnut wood magic sword in his hand; this level 10 purple weapon, which he had used as a shield, was now riddled with cracks after being bashed by the Goblin Chieftain��s Wolf Fang Club.


    Now that he was level 16, it was time to change to a new main weapon.


    Lin Da called over the sensor ladybug from the sky and invited those outside the screen to share in the joy of slaying the hidden magical creature with the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    The Goblin Chieftain��s body dissipated into light and vanished, but one item remained where it was.


    It was none other than the massive Wolf Fang Club it held, as thick as a tree. S��arch* The N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 128 - 128: 117, Wolf Fang Club, key item Goblin Ring

    Chapter 128: 117, Wolf Fang Club, key item Goblin Ring


    Just like in most games, when a weapon from a big boss fell into the hands of the players, it shrank to suit the race of the player.


    ��To have this weapon drop, that��s some good luck.��


    Lin Da unexpectedly raised his eyebrows, his expression somewhat wistful.


    He remembered that in his past life when he completed the first kill in the game, the Wolf Fang Club and the Goblin Chieftain��s body had vanished together.


    Subsequent massive instance testing by players revealed that there was only a 1% chance of the Wolf Fang Club dropping in non-first kill scenarios.


    Besides the Wolf Fang Club, there was a Little Gold Coin Mountain with a palm-sized Treasure Chest lying askew on top.


    ...


    The Treasure Chest was red and rimmed with gold, looking quite valuable.


    The lid was slightly ajar, revealing a glimpse of purple and orange glows emitting from inside.


    Moreover, the Wolf Fang Club was also emanating an orange glow!


    The suggestions on the sensor ladybug exploded once again:


    [Did my eyes deceive me, two pieces of Orange Equipment?]


    [This luck is too outrageous, I know I shouldn��t envy the big shots, but I still do!]


    [What happened to that case of red-eye before? Level 10 Orange Equipment is nothing, what about those at level 15? And to have two!]


    [I��m the owner of the Giant Wolf Corporation, and I��m willing to offer a generous price to purchase these equipment pieces, please do consider selling them.]


    Chloe stared intensely at the Wolf Fang Club; that piece of equipment was clearly meant for front-line warriors, and it was certainly much stronger than the blue hatchet she was making do with.


    Orange weapon�� She had never used one in all her life.


    She tugged on Aiko��s sleeve, her face turning red, her voice a bit excited, ��Will Lin Da give me that piece of equipment?��


    Aiko: ������


    Sister, you��re purely wishful thinking there!


    When Lin Da was still in the team, there might have been a chance. But now, there��s only one way to get that equipment��buy it!


    Negotiate a deal with the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, and only if they are willing to sell it, can you get your hands on that Goblin Chieftain��s Wolf Fang Club.


    Aiko looked at Chloe��s eager expression, finding it both amusing and a bit sad. She thought to herself, might as well try; after all, even if Lin Da doesn��t give it, it��s not her face that would be lost. In case he does, scoring a piece of Orange Equipment for free would be a nice thing.


    ��Hahaha, damn green-skin monster, you��re damn well dead now!��


    On the screen, Kafni laughed heartily with her hands on her hips; having been chased by the Goblin Chieftain in a panic, she was all dusty like a panda, wiped the sweat off her forehead, and jumped right into the Mountain of Gold Coins to swim.


    After obtaining Lin Da��s permission, Monica also came over, carefully taking out the small red Treasure Chest to see what was inside.


    ��Wow, Lord Captain, there are two pieces of jewelry here!��


    Monica happily held up a ring and a Bonetooth Pendant with her little hands.


    Lin Da smiled and nodded, letting Monica hold onto the two pieces of jewelry while he went to check the attributes of the Wolf Fang Club.


    He had seen these two pieces of jewelry equipment drop in the game before, so he knew them well, but it was his first time getting his hands on the Wolf Fang Club.


    Lin Da walked over and saw the Wolf Fang Club lying quietly on the ground, transformed to one meter in length, its entire surface silver with densely packed, thick spikes, the handle wrapped in deep purple fabric that looked as if it was dyed in too much blood to achieve its color.


    He held the Wolf Fang Club in his hands, and the equipment��s attribute page popped up in front of his eyes:


    [Name: Goblin Chieftain��s Bloodthirsty Wolf Fang Club]


    [Type: Equipment��Main Weapon (Front-line profession restricted)]


    [Quality: Rare Orange]


    [Level: 20]


    [Attribute Points: Strength +800, Defense +50, Agility -50]


    [Equipment Rating: 877. The Goblin Chieftain��s favorite club, each of its spikes has smashed at least three Dwarves�� heads, no Dwarf could withstand this club, and if there was, then they��d get two hits.]


    After checking the attributes, the corners of Lin Da��s mouth twitched slightly; this piece of equipment�� was too extreme, making it hard to evaluate!


    With the equipment being as high as level 20, it brought a high evaluation kill, leading to an equipment upgrade. The strength attribute boost of +800 was outrageous, considering that Lia��s level 20 Purple Blazing Bracelet only added +300 strength.


    Though naturally, the attack added by jewelry is less than that of the main weapon, but +800 compared to +300, nearly three times more, was almost the attributes of a level 30 Purple main weapon! S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Not only that, the Wolf Fang Club also added 50 points to defense, greatly enhancing the adventurer��s survival ability.


    However, there��s no gain without a loss.


    Such a tremendous increase came with two disadvantages: the profession being restricted to the bulky front-line, plus a negative effect of -50 agility�� that was hard to deal with.


    The increase per level for agility is not much, even less for front-line professions.


    Reducing it by 50 points, the speed becomes that of a snail.


    But there was one person who was quite suited for this Wolf Fang Club.


    Lin Da suddenly thought, Chloe��s agility was already low, lowering it a bit more wouldn��t make much difference.


    That pink-haired loli would gain a powerful Taunting Skill after level 30, becoming even less in need of agility, making her very suitable for the Wolf Fang Club.


    For others, it��s regular Orange Equipment, but for Chloe, it is premium Orange Equipment.


    The only problem was,


    Lin Da didn��t really want to recruit Chloe anymore.


    If Chloe kept making Monica cry, bullying her until Monica became introverted, then he could only choose to protect Monica and give up on the former.


    Compared to the team members�� exceptional talents, Lin Da valued compatibility more.


    If the team members got along well, they could all perform their best in adventures, and even perform beyond their usual abilities.


    He spoke to the sensor ladybug, sharing the magic aura of the ��Goblin Chieftain��s Bloodthirsty Wolf Fang Club�� with everyone.

 Chapter 129 - 129: 117, Wolf Fang Club, key item Goblin Ring_2

    Chapter 129: 117, Wolf Fang Club, key item Goblin Ring_2


    The general idea is that the weapon significantly increases strength, but it��s too heavy, and most front-line warriors simply can��t use it.


    Many merchants who were prepared to purchase it were caught in a dilemma when they heard this.


    [Front-line professions need agility the most, this piece of equipment is a bit off��]


    [As a collectible, its value is still good. Cough cough, if only it hadn��t come from a despicable race like goblins.]


    [Not necessarily, some front-line warriors have the ability to increase agility, and can handle this Wolf Fang Club.]


    All in all, this Wolf Fang Club might not sell for a top price, but as a limited item only dropped by hidden magical creatures, coupled with its collector��s value, selling it for a decent high price wouldn��t be an issue.


    ...


    Lin Da planned to sell it if someone offered a fair price; if the offers were too low, he��d keep it for his own collection.


    Afterward, he came over to Monica, smiled, and ruffled the big lolita��s head: ��Good job, once we��re back, the captain will make you some grilled chicken wings.��


    ��Mm-hmm!�� Monica lifted her little face, beaming with joy. Only the three members of the Phoenix Tail Flower were nearby, so her introverted nature was hidden for the moment.


    Little did they know, the sensor ladybug on Lin Da��s shoulder projected the heartwarming smile of the big lolita, the epitome of healing, on the big screen.


    [I think I��m only now realizing what the real treasure of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team is.]


    [Sigh, if only my daughter, who runs an inn with that no-good blonde adventurer every day, could be as sweet as this Monica!]


    [Captain Lin Da, are any of your team members single? I��ve got a bold idea.]


    Upstairs, Gale, known as the Observer, was also feeling sour, not envious of Lin Da��s big Wolf Fang Club, but jealous that the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team had a pretty girl!


    Gale��s eyes were glued to Monica��s imposing figure, his gaze seemingly emitting red peach hearts.


    Seeing his useless look, Jite sneered: ��If you dare to covet other people��s team member, don��t blame me for twisting your neck!��


    ��Wha, what do you mean? I��m just admiring, admiring!�� Gale coughed, looking serious: ��Any girl from Brother Bear deserves my serious appreciation! Even a statue of the World Tree Goddess, I wouldn��t neglect!��


    Jite: ����I hope the Goddess didn��t hear that.��


    In the screen, Lin Da received a warm and fragrant small Treasure Chest from Monica��s arms.


    He glanced at a certain big lolita��s healthy figure, holding the chest, feeling a ripple in his heart, as if it were Monica��s panda. S��arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��As a captain, how can you fantasize about your own team member?��


    Lin Da cursed himself in his mind, took a deep breath, and focused on the small chest.


    The first item was a Bonetooth Pendant that emitted a purple glow. The bone tooth, about the size of a thumb, resembled the fang of a Goblin Chieftain, and the string it was tied to was pitch-black and looked a bit dirty.


    [Name: Goblin Chieftain��s Bonetooth Pendant]


    [Type: Equipment �C Jewelry]


    [Quality: Purple Rare]


    [Level: 15]


    [Attribute Points: Magic Power +120, Magic Defense +20, Casting Speed +10%]


    [Equipment Rating: 289, as a great Goblin Chieftain, not only am I strong, but I also possess the wisdom to match it!]


    Judging from the attributes, this is a piece of equipment very suitable for mages.


    Lin Da caught a glimpse of Monica��s earnestly watching the Bonetooth Pendant, yet too shy to speak up, and with an understanding smile, he said: ��The captain and Kafni both got new gear, so this one is for you.��


    ��But, but Monica can��t use such powerful equipment.�� Monica hastily waved her little hands and said pitifully: ��Monica is fine just wearing white gear and sweeping the warehouse.��


    In the mid-game, Lin Da did treat Monica this way, but there was a slight difference: in the game, he stripped Monica of all her gear and left it gathering dust in the warehouse, not even leaving her the white gear. It seems that Another World would automatically censor some uncivilized behaviors.


    ��Turn around, the captain will put it on for you.�� Lin Da said sternly, with a commanding tone.


    Monica shivered, turned around fearfully, her small hands clenched nervously in front of her.


    A pair of strong hands reached around from behind the girl��s neck, opened the clasp of the Bonetooth Pendant, and put it on.


    The Bonetooth hung on Monica��s healthy figure and wouldn��t fall off at all, leaving Lin Da somewhat embarrassed. Thankfully, the Bonetooth wasn��t too heavy, so it wouldn��t weigh Monica down.


    ��Monica�� has become stronger!�� The big lolita spoke crisply: ��Thank you, Captain!��


    ��As a member of Phoenix Tail Flower, it��s the captain��s responsibility to equip you.�� Lin Da replied with a smile.


    After speaking, he turned his attention to the last [item] in the small chest.


    Yes �C an item, not equipment.


    ��`


    Killing the Goblin Chieftain has a 5% chance of a drop, but on the first kill, the drop rate is 100%.


    Those outside the screen, along with the sensor ladybug, all looked on: in Lin Da��s palm lay a round bracelet, seemingly woven from green grass roots.


    An orange glow radiated from it.


    In fact, it was a ring, it��s just that the Goblin Chieftain��s fingers were so thick that in the eyes of an adventurer, it looked almost like a bracelet.


    Lin Da��s gaze scanned it, and a details page popped up:


    [Name: Goblin Chieftain��s Identity Ring]


    [Type: Magic Items]


    [Quality: Orange Rare]


    [Level: 0]


    [Description: Only the Goblin Chieftain could possess this proof of identity, with it, you may be invited to the Goblin King��s lair at a special time, in a special place.]


    Lin Da��s eyes gradually sharpened.


    This ring was the most valuable thing on the Goblin Chieftain.


    A key to unlock the trials hidden within the mid-tier Mystic Realm!


    Only by wearing the Goblin Chieftain��s Identity Ring could one qualify to subjugate the Goblin King.


    That is an extremely vicious BOSS in the mid-tier Mystic Realm, and once killed, it would yield the ��Goblin King�� series of equipment.


    In this series, even the worst items are Orange Equipment, not to mention there��s Epic Equipment beyond that!


    Suggestions were skeptical about this item, Lin Da chuckled without explaining. When he would lead the team to subdue the Goblin King, he would broadcast the strategy live, teaching everyone how to defeat him.


    As for now�� he had his own private desires, let Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team have the honor of the first kill on a hidden magical creature.


    The allure of Epic Equipment for adventurers was significant, and even a seasoned multiple-run player like Lin Da couldn��t resist it.


    Next, Lin Da pulled out his second pocket, stuffing the new Mountain of Gold Coins into it.


    The system message informed that the Goblin Chieftain��s death had yielded 17,560 Gold Coins, and a level 15 Demon Core.


    The Demon Core was green, spherical, with a pockmarked surface, about the size of a bowl.


    This was a core equivalent to a Secret Realm Guardian, much coveted by smiths and merchants alike.


    While Lin Da and his team were collecting the spoils of war, the Dwarf Warriors began a rout against the remaining Goblins, and when the last Goblin died, the system message popped up:


    [Dwarf Death Toll: 3]


    [You have completed the commission of Dwarf Chief Kanto!]


    ��My goodness, you truly are a brave, powerful, benevolent, and passionate adventurer!�� Kanto, along with all the Dwarves, bowed to the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.


    ��Please, you must accept this gift.��


    The old chief respectfully took out a wooden box from his chest and handed it to Lin Da.


    Lin Da already knew what was inside.


    Orange jewelry that suited him perfectly.


    He didn��t display the jewelry, for Phoenix Tail Flower had already gained enough today; he feared any more, and some people might become envious and uneasy.


    ��Thank you for your gift,�� Lin Da responded to Kanto with gratitude.


    After dealing with the Goblin Chieftain, the next subjugations became much simpler.


    The third-layer��s gatekeeping BOSS was the Rash Forest Python, a fifteen-meter long snake as thick as a bucket at its head.


    Lin Da recommended to the average adventurers to challenge this layer at an average of level 8 and demonstrated how to slay the Python.


    It was still that familiar Rusty One-Handed Sword, but this time Lin Da disguised himself as a level 8 warrior.


    The One-Handed Sword scraped again and again, and after about ten minutes, the Python was covered in cuts and bled to death from excessive blood loss.


    The death of the level 8 Python brought Lin Da 2,000 Experience Points and 2,000 Diamonds.


    The clearance evaluation popped up in the void:


    ��`

 Chapter 130 - 130: 118. Lia: A potion for 100,000 gold? Have you lost your mind due to poverty?

    Chapter 130: 118. Lia: A potion for 100,000 gold? Have you lost your mind due to poverty?


    [Instantly kill a Goblin Knight: Completed, +2 stars]


    [Clear the level with fewer than twenty hits received: Completed, +2 stars]


    [Vanquish the Goblin Chieftain: Completed, +2 stars]


    [Extraordinary luck, obtained the Wolf Fang Club from the Goblin Chieftain: Completed, +2 stars]


    [Kill the Rash Forest Python with a longsword: Completed, +1 star]


    [Thunder series damage taking the first place in the team��s total output: Incomplete, +0 stars]


    ...


    [Total: 9 stars]


    [Ultimate Clear achieved]


    [Gold Coin acquisition increased by 90%, high-quality equipment drop rate increased by 90%!]


    Five pieces of level 8 Purple Gear, a small Mountain of Gold Coins, and the Demon Core of the Rash Forest Python burst forth from the light.


    Lin Da opened his bag and collected them all.


    The clearance evaluation was still the familiar Ultimate Clear.


    In his heart, Lin Da actually really wanted to achieve a 10-star Perfect Clear.


    That would grant him a piece of random, powerfully guaranteed equipment.


    But the conditions for a Perfect Clear were just too stringent, requiring a very high diversity among the adventure team members.


    For example, for a Perfect Clear on the third level, if there wasn��t a member in the team mainly dealing Thunder series damage, it would be virtually impossible to achieve.


    Fortunately, the prerequisite for pulling out the Sword of the Brave was a 90% level clear rate, and an Ultimate Clear would suffice.


    Otherwise, Lin Da would have also felt troubled. After all, in Another World, one couldn��t merely pay to get characters, each team member was a living person he had to personally find.


    ��


    In the guild hall, Aiko and the others could hardly sit still.


    It felt like there was a fire under their butts, making it uncomfortable no matter how they stood.


    Seeing their former teammate shining so brightly in the Secret Realm, reaping great rewards,


    And standing high above all, with them purportedly here to support the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, their faces began to feel hot.


    Although Lin Da still treated them as friends,


    The adventurers present wouldn��t think the same.


    These people benefited from Lin Da��s strategies and naturally sided with him. Coupled with the fact that Lin Da was willing to share his strategies for free, the kindhearted person who left the team was probably forced out by inadequate teammates, right?


    On the promotional posters of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, it��s always Lia and the others standing in the center, with Lin Da at the very back. From this, one could tell he wasn��t valued.


    Aiko pretended not to hear, but the dissonant voices were too numerous, forcibly invading her ears:


    ��To kick out such a major support they got for free from the Snow Goose Adventure Team, I really don��t know what��s going through their heads!��


    ��It��s actually good that he left the team. Someone as magnanimous as Eye of True Knowledge was completely wasted in the Snow Goose.��


    ��I��d just like to know what that leader of Snow Goose thinks when she sees this live strategy demonstration. Alas, it��s a pity she didn��t come; does she have the self-awareness of being a jokester?��


    Listening to those voices taking pleasure in their misfortune, Aiko��s face alternated between hot and cold as she reassured herself:


    The blame for Lin Da leaving the team lies entirely on Lia, and it has nothing to do with me. If you want to mock, go mock Lia; just leave me out of it!


    ��


    In a corner of the hall, a red-haired girl shrouded beneath a hood silently took a Demon Core and walked to the altar where Golden Advice was offered.


    She had thought of many things to write in the advice, such as how to belittle Lin Da and make his strategies and equipment seem worthless, among other things��


    But then, her mother��s teachings flashed through her mind: Only those with a great spirit are cherished by all. S��ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Congratulations]


    Thus, the girl insincerely sent out this piece of Golden Advice.


    The two words ��go with the flow�� slotted into a screen full of advice, hardly noticeable.


    This gave her a sense of growth, as if this magnanimous act had triumphed over the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, showcasing the breadth of her chest.


    However, it was all just an act.


    In the screen, Lin Da��s calm face irritated her no matter how she looked at it.


    To finally burst out an Orange Equipment piece and then react like a na?ve country bumpkin brimming with glee! Could it be that just a few days after leaving the Snow Goose, he��d become so arrogant that he wouldn��t even care for Orange Equipment?


    The hooded girl stared straight at Lin Da on the screen as if trying to see through his smug heart��everything about you is just a show for me, right?


    You want me to see how much you��re pretending not to care, secretly hoping I would see it, wishing for my envy�� But I refuse!


    Orange Equipment��Not envious at all!


    Her eyes turned red, although she��d never burst Orange Gear herself, she had seen it in The Mandalas�� treasury.


    There, she saw many more powerful Magical Equipment than what Lin Da had!


    ��


    On the third layer of the World Tree Secret Realm, Silent Plains.


    Lin Da had killed the BOSS and escorted the Dwarf Warriors away, and the Teleportation Array for the next layer appeared before him.


    This Teleportation Array was different from the previous layers; the normal ones were green, indicating the next layer would be a vanquish-type Secret Realm,


    White ones were for the Public Grand Secret Realm,


    But this time, the Teleportation Array was the mysterious purple color: a narrative-type Secret Realm.


    Lin Da estimated the time��if he wanted to enter the narrative-type Secret Realm where his sister Lin Xi disappeared, it would be best to enter next month.


    The maps within the Secret Realm change randomly but also follow certain patterns. Entering at different times can increase the probability of entering a specific map.


    Lin Xi disappeared in the narrative-type Secret Realm of the ��Dark Night City�� on the fourth layer, a Western horror-themed Secret Realm.


    This type of Secret Realm was the most difficult to navigate.


    The reason behind all this was that in the games Lin Da had played, this should have been a haphazard, pigeon-like Mystic Realm!


    In other words, a completely random realm without a set process, where every entry would randomly pick from numerous material libraries to generate an unpredictable Mystic Realm.


    However, after Lin Da��s trans-dimensional travel, the characteristics of these pigeon-type games were automatically ��localized,�� turning into meticulously crafted original storyline Mystic Realms.


    This type of Mystic Realm formed its own small world, and even with Lin Da��s knowledge of this game, he could only vaguely guess what Magical Creatures might be inside.


    Luckily, he had entered the fourth layer once before and knew a bit about [Dark Night City].


    Just clearing it typically was not a big deal. But his goal was to find clues to Lin Xi��s disappearance, which meant he had to delve deeper into Dark Night City.


    From Lin Da��s previous experience of clearing Dark Night City, he knew that the Mystic Realm, which on the surface suggested a recommended strategy level of 10, was only showing the tip of the iceberg.


    To reach the core of this realm, adventurers would need to be at least around level 19.


    Facing this unknown realm, Lin Da chose a cautious approach, preferring to level up before entering the fourth layer.


    Moreover, after connecting three layers, he and his teammates were indeed in poor shape, each of them feeling exhausted and in need of a good rest.


    Next to the purple Teleportation Array, there was a blue Array to return to the Secret Realm Square, which would activate once the level was cleared.


    Before heading back, Lin Da had one more announcement to make.


    He took out four bottles of Metal Destroyer Potions, kept one for himself, and while looking at the ��Camera Head�� of the sensor ladybug, said:


    ��If anyone wants this kind of potion, they can come to room 303 at the Adventure Fast Travel Inn in the Sparrow District later.��


    ��


    About three hours had passed since the Metal Destroyer Potion made its first appearance.


    The servants sent by merchants to purchase the potions had all sent back the same message: The potion couldn��t be bought!


    Even with high bounties offered, there were still none available!


    This result couldn��t help but cause everyone to sigh in disappointment.


    If they had started buying a few days earlier, back then a bottle of Metal Destroyer Potion would at most cost 1 Gold Coin.


    But now, as a powerful potion capable of killing Metal Slimes, a rare Magical Creature, the price had soared. It was like a tavern girl who had been coveted by a prince, her value had increased exponentially, from 1 Gold to 1000 Gold!


    However, the value of the Metal Destroyer Potion had risen not just a thousandfold, but by at least ten thousand times.


    The heads of the trading companies did some calculations and roughly estimated the price of the Metal Destroyer Potion:


    Metal Slimes could drop Level 10 Purple Gear, with a small chance for Orange Equipment. The first kill went to Phoenix Tail Flower, making it hard for others to get Orange Gear, but those who fought quickly might, while the drop rate was still high, manage to get one or two pieces of Purple Gear.


    What mattered most was the Divine Reward. The Divine Reward from Metal Slimes was visibly generous, with the average member of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team gaining 2 levels.


    All things considered, within the next few days, the price of the potion would peak, estimated to be around 10,000 to 20,000 Gold Coins.


    Later, as everyone became aware of the news and specifically started to kill monsters that could drop Metal Destroyer Potions, the price would gradually decrease.


    But it wouldn��t fall too much; the merchants estimated it would still be above 5000 Gold.


    However, the words that Lin Da spoke on the screen made everyone��s eyelids twitch:


    ��My asking price for this potion is one hundred thousand Gold Coins.��


    One hundred thousand?


    The multitude of adventurers in the hall, along with several merchants, all showed peculiar expressions on their faces.


    This was not just ��a bit expensive,�� it was ��outrageously expensive.��


    Did the leader of Phoenix Tail Flower not understand the market?


    Or was he trying to capitalize on the fame brought by this strategy to start scamming newbies?


    If the latter were true, Lin Da��s title would no longer be Eye of True Knowledge but instead the despised ��Da the Rip-off.��


    While the price was absurd, one person in the crowd started to feel delighted.


    Aiko displayed a puzzled look just like everyone else, but inside she was overjoyed; the more the other adventurers doubted Lin Da, the more she wanted to support him, even if she knew she would take a loss in buying his potions!


    Then, when Lin Da saw: everyone else looks down on my potion, but you, Aiko, appreciate it; you��re such a good person!


    After that, she could legitimately invite Lin Da to dinner and start the enjoyable things!


    On the screen, a sour piece of Golden Advice scrolled by:


    [��One hundred thousand Gold? I think you��ve gone mad with poverty after leaving Snow Goose. Only idiots would buy that.��]


    When Aiko saw this comment, her first reaction was: Damn it, who��s pretending to be a member of Snow Goose and framing us?


    If Lin Da saw that message, wouldn��t it reduce his favorable impression of the Snow Goose members again?


    Aiko, seething with anger, turned her sinister gaze toward the Demon Core sacrifice area, her chest heaving with rage.


    She swore to herself that if she found the ��imposter�� posing as a Snow Goose member, she would pick a dark and windy night, dress in a black robe, and go bash the impersonator into a pig��s head!


    However, her mood changed to silence when she saw a strand of red hair peeking out from the hood of a petite girl.


    Her mouth twitched.


    All the words she wanted to say died in her womb.


    The truth became crystal clear.


    That pretender who said she ��wouldn��t go to see the Phoenix Tail Flower strategy live broadcast�� �C Powder Keg �C had she secretly put on a hood and come to the site?


    And she was extraordinarily sour, saying Lin Da was crazy for asking one hundred thousand Gold, only an idiot would buy it?


    Sorry, but I plan to buy it!


    Indirectly called an idiot by Lia, Aiko��s molars ground against each other in fury.


    ��It seems like there��s some controversy over the pricing of the Metal Destroyer Potion,�� Lin Da said, checking the belly of another sensor ladybug on the screen, realizing that his price of one hundred thousand Gold had provoked some murmurs.


    ��


    (ps: Wuu wuu wuu, we��re nearly at an average of 500 subscriptions, dear readers, please give it a push and subscribe, thank you for your support!)

 Chapter 131 - 131: 119, Potion popular, Snow Goose looking to buy

    Chapter 131: 119, Potion popular, Snow Goose looking to buy


    ��That��s right,��


    ��If only the first level had Metal Slime, indeed it wouldn��t be worth the price of one hundred thousand gold. But�� all three random trial Mystic Realms on the thirteenth level have Metal Slimes.��


    Lin Da calmly stated this fact.


    In his head, he held the information on hidden Magical Creatures for every level, and he didn��t mind giving away a few common hidden ones to secure the first bucket of gold for his team.


    As Lin Da��s words spread throughout the hall, all the noisy chatter instantly disappeared, leaving a quiet stillness.


    An Elf Merchant with white hair and a monocle on his face changed expression��the thirteenth level also has Metal Slimes?


    ...


    A level 10 Metal Slime from the first level was enough to raise the level of the Phoenix Tail Flower team��s captain by two. Then what about the Metal Slimes on the thirteenth level?


    Helping each member of a rock-level squad gain one level effortlessly?


    This sudden piece of news sent everyone into a brainstorm.


    No one knew where Lin Da had gotten his information from, but even if they asked, such secrets wouldn��t be shared with them. Inquiring rashly could easily make them appear to have ulterior motives, leading to enmity.


    In this Another World, where Mystic Realm rewards varied widely, it was not impossible for low-ranked adventurers to possess valuable information, although the chances were small.


    Everyone subconsciously regarded Lin Da as a lucky fellow.


    If Lin Da wasn��t lying, then�� the price of one hundred thousand gold was not only fair but outrageously so.


    [How can you prove that this is true? You��ve only been to the eighth level, right? Your word alone is not proof!]


    Seeing this Golden Advice, Lin Da thought to himself that the sender seemed to know him quite well, aware that he had only been to the eighth level.


    ��The way to prove it is very simple.��


    He said, ��The captain of the Ice Flower Adventure Team, Isa should be here, right?��


    [Frost Swordsman: I am here.]


    Lin Da nodded and said, ��I will act as the off-field commander for the Ice Flower Adventure Team, assisting them in conquering the thirteenth level. At that time, I will also guide them to find the hidden Magical Creatures of the thirteenth level, the Metal Slimes.�� Sear?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Off-field commanding and personal guidance.


    These two key phrases conveyed Lin Da��s strong confidence.


    With his solemn public promise, adventurers and merchants almost entirely believed him. Considering the reputation Lin Da had from his strategies, he wouldn��t ruin his credibility for a few potions.


    That is to say, it was very likely that there really were Metal Slimes on the thirteenth level!


    In front of the strategy broadcast podium, Isa looked utterly incredulous, somewhat disbelieving that Lin Da would give her such a generous gift,


    So much so that it made her wonder: Could it be that Lin Da was showing affection for her?


    The members of the Ice Flower team screamed excitedly. Under Lin Da��s command, the Ice Flower Adventure Team would seize the first kill of the hidden Magical Creatures on the thirteenth level!


    This pie from the sky directly made everyone on Ice Flower dizzy with disbelief.


    ��Captain, I think Lin Da has taken a fancy to you, this is him pursuing you indirectly.��


    ��Captain, just reward him with your body that��s been kept for more than twenty years, there��s nothing else we can offer.��


    ��The Eye of True Knowledge is awesome!��


    Amidst the teasing of her teammates, Isa��s face turned red with embarrassment and she coughed sternly, ��Stop talking nonsense. With so many girls around Lin Da, how could he have feelings for me?��


    Her teammates laughed good-naturedly.


    The proud female commander of Ice Flower said, ��Well, that��s not necessarily true. Some boys just like conquering a frosty beauty like our captain!��


    ��Hahahaha����


    Compared to the lively atmosphere at Ice Flower, the people of Snow Goose could only be described as clowns.


    Lin Da had given the opportunity for the first kill of the hidden Magical Creatures to Ice Flower, not his old employer, Snow Goose.


    When you think about it, it made sense��with that annoying Lia around, how could Lin Da possibly give such an opportunity to Snow Goose? Aiko sighed deeply as she looked at the somewhat sad expressions on Klrona and the others.


    She glanced surreptitiously towards a corner, where a pale girl sat, and couldn��t help but sneer inwardly: What��s the use of regretting now? If you hadn��t driven him away, the thirteenth level��s hidden Magical Creatures would definitely have belonged to Snow Goose.


    Since the first kill was no longer possible, Snow Goose could only settle for the next best thing, the second kill.


    ��If Lia truly has the responsibility of a captain, she would calmly negotiate and ask Lin Da to sell her the Metal Destroyer Potion. Anyway, I am not about to play the fool for her anymore,�� Aiko thought coldly.


    The crowd in the hall buzzed with discussion:


    ��Lin Da��s potions are limited to three bottles, and Ice Flower will definitely get one, leaving only two bottles remaining, right?��


    ��There are over a dozen rock-level squads in White Dove City, more than half haven��t conquered the thirteenth level yet, two bottles of potion are clearly not enough to go around.��


    ��The decision of to whom he sells is ultimately Lin Da��s, isn��t it?��


    On the second floor, Jite looked surprised, ��The hidden Magical Creatures on the thirteenth level�� Gale, hasn��t the White Dove��s second team only reached the twelfth level?��


    ��Hmm. I think we can secure a bottle for the brothers in the second team.��


    Gale, putting aside his usual nonchalance, spoke seriously, ��The ��Divine Gift�� provided by such hidden creatures is even more abundant than the treasures of the Secret Realm Guardian of the same level. Selling it for one hundred thousand gold a bottle is indeed not expensive.��


    Gale recalled the Metal Destroyer he thrown away as trash, feeling somewhat uneasy.


    Fortunately, only he knew about it; if Jite found out, his head would surely be in for a beating.


    The conversation on the second floor was not hidden from the others; rather, it reached the ears of every person with the reinforcement of Jite��s and Gale��s power.


    The implication was clear.


    Lin Da��s Metal Destroyer belonged to White Dove Adventure Group��they wanted a bottle.


    As the strongest adventure group in the city, there wouldn��t be any objections from others, would there?


    Under this silent threat, people could only reluctantly accept it.


    The White Dove Adventure Group��s defense of resources in the Great Mystery Continent and their prevention of invasions from neighboring cities was a well-acknowledged feat.


    Moreover, their strength was indeed formidable, being an all Star-ranked adventurer team, they were not ones ordinary adventurers dared to offend.


    In this way�� Ice Flower took one bottle, White Dove Adventure Group took one, leaving only one bottle remaining.


    Many eyes turned toward the Snow Goose Adventure Team on the platform.


    The relationship between Aiko and Lin Da seemed rather good, didn��t it?


    This way, the three potions would all be booked, nearly irrelevant to outsiders.


    ��But you never know. What if, just what if Lin Da sells the potion to me? Taking a chance to ask doesn��t cost anything, right?��


    Many people held onto the idea of trying their luck.


    In the stream, Lin Da bowed slightly and said:


    ��The live strategy session ends here, and it��s time for Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team to pack up our spoils and leave the Mystic Realm. Those interested in purchasing can go to the address I mentioned earlier tonight. So, I hope everyone has a happy day, see you next time!��


    With a snap, the screen plunged into darkness.


    The live strategy broadcast was over, and numerous adventurers were still passionately discussing it, immersed in the aftermath of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team��s strategy session, reluctant to move on.


    Tutorial-level guidance for the first three layers,


    Defeating the hidden Magical Creature Metal Slime,


    The fierce battle with the Goblin Chieftain,


    One after another, Orange Equipment was looted��


    Without a doubt, the front page of tomorrow��s White Dove City morning papers would be dominated by Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.


    Everyone was joyfully talking about the strategy session as they left the hall in groups.


    The members of Snow Goose did as well.


    However, the enthusiastic reporters from the press were not about to let them leave easily.


    Magic Cameras were snapping away at Aiko and the others.


    It was clearly noticeable that the well-known adventurers of Snow Goose all seemed a bit downcast, lacking the radiant luster they had upon arrival.


    Kami, a female reporter with short brown hair, eagerly blocked Aiko��s path and handed her the magic microphone:


    ��Miss Aiko, may I ask what it��s like being the Joker�� Oh no, I mean, as Lin Da��s rumored girlfriend and a former teammate, what do you think of this live strategy event?��


    ��What do I think? I watch with my eyes.��


    Aiko��s calm and smiling face throbbed with bulging veins.


    For crying out loud, it��s not over, is it?


    I��ve said before that the Joker is Lia, not me!


    Kami seemed even more excited��she��s perturbed! Nothing attracted more attention than seeing a pampered young lady lose her composure, and Kami hurriedly threw out a second question:


    ��Snow Goose team leader Lia claims Lin Da was too weak and got kicked out of the adventure team, do you agree with this?��


    ��Actually, everyone misunderstood.��


    Aiko took a slow, deep breath and put up a falsely cheerful smile:


    ��Snow Goose Adventure Team had a small misunderstanding with Lin Da, and with our team leader��s temper�� well, everyone knows��give her a little stimulus, and she starts talking nonsense. But I believe the day will come when Snow Goose gets back on good terms with Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team and fights side by side.��


    ��Oh, is that so? But I don��t think so!�� Kami��s reply almost made Aiko reveal her true self��a disguise smeared all over this Shar Pei reporter��s head!


    Kami still didn��t realize the danger; with a reporter��s fearless dedication to the truth, she continued to ask:


    ��Is it true that Lia missed out on today��s event because she was working on a breakthrough in her level? Knowing about today��s live event, does she regret her decision to kick out Lin Da?��


    Regret? Aiko almost burst into laughter; the powder keg had actually regretted it the day after Lin Da left, only her mouth was harder than her skull!


    That kind of person, even if smacked on the buttocks with the Goblin Chieftain��s Wolf Fang Club, wouldn��t admit to her regret.


    ��Sorry, I��m in a rush, I haven��t done my beauty treatment this afternoon, and my skin is getting worse~��


    Aiko pushed past Kami, her expression dark as she operated her wheelchair like a defeated commander, leading Klrona and the others away.


    A group of reporters from the press felt as satisfied as bears with honey, shouting in delight, and began scribbling fervently in their notebooks.


    Major newspapers like the White Dove Morning News still knew restraint, but it was anyone��s guess how some smaller papers might exaggerate and sensationalize the scene.


    ��


    Upstairs, as Dawen was about to leave, he spotted a familiar figure.


    Slim figure, red long hair peeking out from beneath a hood.


    Head bent low, biting her teeth together, her face pale.


    ��Dawen, where are you going? Won��t you come and sit with the White Dove Adventure Group?�� Jite asked in surprise.


    ��Next time, got some family matters, gotta go.��


    Dawen disappeared like a bolt of lightning, leaving only traces of electricity in the air.


    Jite narrowed his eyes and muttered: ��That guy, he��s gotten stronger.��


    The Crimson adventure team would always be a massive rock looming over the heads of White Dove Adventure Group.


    ��


    In an alley near the Adventurer��s Guild.


    ��If you apologize, Snow Goose might still have a chance at reconciliation.��


    In the flicker of electric sparks, Dawen��s figure appeared before a red-haired girl wearing a hood.


    ��Get out of my way.�� The girl hung her head, and today, it seemed she had no intention of picking a fight with Dawen.

 Chapter 132 - 132: 120. Lia regretted: What if I let Lin Da come back?

    Chapter 132: 120. Lia regretted: What if I let Lin Da come back?


    ��That won��t do. A loser should just roll back to the Scarlet Adventure Group, start from the bottom, work for a few years, then if father is in a good mood, maybe he��ll let you join the main team.��


    Dawen��s expression was cold and merciless as he said, ��I��ve seen your 11th-floor strategy video. With the way you��re fighting now, Snow Goose will sooner or later be left behind in the World Tree Secret Realm, becoming one of the nameless on the monument.��


    ��Are you cursing us to die at the World Tree?�� S~ea??h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The young girl, furious, yanked off her hood, her long hair cascading down like a waterfall.


    She glared at Dawen, face full of murderous intent, the fiery red Battle Qi around her body like a dazzling shroud.


    With such momentum, she indeed had broken through to become a level 25 adventurer.


    ...


    A trace of admiration flickered in Dawen��s eyes, but he then dismissively nodded, ��Yes, without a top commander, the Snow Goose Adventure Team is bound to capsized sooner or later. Maybe on the next floor or the one after�� Lia, how long can your luck last?��


    ��Luck? You��re saying that I led Snow Goose to become a well-known team, a rock-level squad, by luck?��


    The girl was none other than Lia.


    Her face was filled with surprise and anger from her efforts being denied.


    To lead Snow Goose to this day, she had also paid so much.


    In every adventure, she was always the one charging at the forefront.


    ��Yes, luck,�� Dawen sneered. ��It��s sheer luck that you stumbled upon Lin Da in the street and somehow managed to recruit Aiko and Klrona. Without them, your adventure team wouldn��t have made it past the eighth floor.��


    Lia clenched her fists, ��But I will defeat the Phoenix Tail Flower and prove myself.��


    ��Prove? What��s the point?��


    Dawen snorted, ��Have you ever thought, Phoenix Tail Flower doesn��t need to fight you at all? As long as they methodically reach beyond the 12th floor, your Snow Goose Adventure Team����


    He looked deep into Lia��s eyes and said, ��Your Snow Goose will become the biggest joke in White Dove City.��


    Lia��s face paled, her body swayed. The cold words of her elder brother sent her reeling��Phoenix Tail Flower surpassing Snow Goose��s floor? That couldn��t be possible.


    Phoenix Tail Flower had only cleared the third floor while Snow Goose had already reached the 11th floor.


    What could Lin Da use to catch up with her?


    To widen the gap further�� yes, she had to keep climbing the World Tree, throwing Lin Da far behind. Lin Da said he would guide them in the Ice Flower��s live strategy, pointing out hidden Magical Creatures.


    All she had to do was sneakily learn from them and follow Ice Flower to the 13th floor, claiming the secondary kill on the hidden creature would do!


    At this thought, Lia felt somewhat uncomfortable, a sour sensation creeping up her esophagus, making it hard for her to breathe.


    This opportunity for the first kill, it was hers to begin with��


    When Lin Da was with Snow Goose, he was quite a decent person. How had he become so heartless and petty after leaving the team?


    Was he purposefully giving the chance to Ice Flower, silently provoking her?


    In fact, when Lin Da agreed to Isa��s off-field direction, he hadn��t thought of anything like that.


    The most down-and-out moment after he left the team, it was Isa who brought two Town Portal Scrolls and agreed to give him the Demon Core of a Guardian as payment and believed in his potential as a commander.


    That was the real reason Lin Da agreed to Isa��s request.


    As for targeting Lia like this, Lin Da wasn��t so petty as to hold a grudge against a young girl.


    Everyone could see it very clearly.


    Aiko did, Dawen did, only Lia herself was kept in the dark.


    ��Dawen, can you help me get a Metal Destroyer Potion? I��ll give you a reward,�� said Lia, her gaze intense.


    She was still contemplating how to secure the secondary kill on the Metal Slime.


    ��We have a bottle in the family, but I��ve already planned to give it to the members of the second team,�� Dawen shook his head, ��If you want it, you��ll have to collect it yourself.��


    ��Now, I��ll give you one last reminder,�� Dawen said, a touch of faint concern in his eyes as he looked at his runaway little sister, helplessly saying:


    ��If you do not realize the real reason Lin Da left the team, there will be no opportunities left. As Phoenix Tail Flower��s members increase, he will truly forget you. Is that alright with you?��


    At these words, Lia was somewhat astonished.


    Not to surpass her, but to forget?


    If Dawen had praised Lin Da for being amazing, stronger than her, Lia would not have been defense broken. But ��forget��? That��s something that applies to insignificant people, right?


    Just as she couldn��t remember how many Slimes she had fought, once Phoenix Tail Flower��s members increased, would Lin Da forget her��?


    The three years with Snow Goose couldn��t possibly just be forgotten.


    She regarded Lin Da as her archenemy, surely Lin Da must feel the same, right?


    Lia pursed her lips, silent.


    For the first time, the usually fiery and passionate girl showed a sign of fatigue on her face.


    She uttered words she would have never said before.


    Almost whispering, Lia mumbled to herself, ��What if I get him to come back?��


    Dawen shrugged, ��What do you think?��


    ��I don��t know,�� she said.


    Feeling dejected, Lia sidestepped Dawen, her red hair��s luster seemingly much dimmer than usual.


    In the narrow alley, a sliver of light squeezed in but failed to illuminate the path ahead for the young girl. She stepped tentatively on the shadows cast by the houses, returning to Snow Goose��s villa.


    Watching the small figure from behind, Dawen sighed with a feeling that talent was wasted��


    ��


    Upon reaching the main road, adventurers recognized Lia.


    At that moment, Lin Da��s live strategy broadcast was spreading fast.


    Besides the ridiculously detailed strategies for the first three floors, there was also the high healing output of Lin Da and the absurd damage dealt by Monica when confronting the hidden creature Goblin Chieftain��

 Chapter 133 - 133: 120. Lia regretted: What if I let Lin Da come back?_2

    Chapter 133: 120. Lia regretted: What if I let Lin Da come back?_2


    The Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team is already considered by everyone to be a surefire future Rock-level Squad.


    As for Lia, who kicked Lin Da out, the thought of most onlookers was only one, ��She got what she deserved!��


    Due to her fiery temper, Lia had offended many adventure teams in the Great Mystery Continent and didn��t have a good reputation.


    When Lin Da was with them, Snow Goose was known for its harm-free strategies and was thriving, no one dared to offend them lightly, and they tolerated Lia.


    But once Lin Da left, the embarrassing defeat of Snow Goose on the eleventh floor was witnessed by everyone.


    They all realized that this attention-grabbing adventure team was on a downward spiral.


    ...


    When the walls fall, everyone pushes; when the drum is broken, everyone strikes.


    Now, Lia had become that broken drum.


    Adventurers passing by, though saying nothing, had a hint of mockery in their eyes when they saw her.


    Lia��s ears were sharp enough to hear those adventurers whispering behind her back:


    ��Isn��t that the ��Clown Captain�� Lia? What was going through her mind to kick the pillar of the team out?��


    ��I heard that when Lin Da was with Snow Goose, his compensation was the lowest of all the members.��


    ��What a blind leader, seems her brains are as small as her chest!��


    What��s wrong with being as small as a bear, none of your damn business!


    Lia forcefully suppressed her anger. In the past, she would have immediately started a fight with those adventurers making snide remarks.


    But today, she just wanted to go back and rest.


    ��


    At the same moment, at Secret Realm Square.


    A blue light flashed.


    Lin Da and his two companions appeared on the circular platform beside the World Tree.


    ��We��re back,��


    Lin Da looked at the crowded Secret Realm Square with a sense of emotion.


    Every time he returned from the World Tree, he would utter a similar exclamation: once again, they had all come back safely.


    He held Monica��s little hand, and beside him was Kafni with a big bag on her back brimming with Gold Coins and Magical Equipment.


    The adventurers in the square looked at them with envy.


    Teams coming out from the World Tree were either triumphant and jubilant or downcast and dispirited.


    Lin Da��s team was clearly the former.


    Departing the platform, they planned to find a nearby trading house to sell off the unnecessary items.


    A big bag of spoils had worn Kafni out.


    In his mind, Lin Da tallied the gains from this strategy,


    Firstly, in terms of levels, both he and Kafni had reached level 16, while Monica was at 18.


    Once the team��s average level reached 20 and they made it to the tenth floor, they could become a Rock-level Squad.


    ��Let��s hurry up and reach level 20,�� Lin Da thought to himself.


    The second gain was in Gold Coins and Demon Cores.


    From the first, second, and third floors, along with two hidden Magical Creatures, a total of 30,140 Gold Coins burst forth.


    Among them, 35 level 5 Black Magic Dog Demon Cores, and 11 level 10 Metal Series Magic Cores.


    33 level 7 Aquatic Demon Demon Cores from the Withered Leaf Forest of the second floor.


    On the third floor, 25 level 15 Goblin Demon Cores.


    And 2 Demon Cores from hidden Magical Creatures, one from the Metal Slime and the other from the Goblin Chieftain.


    Their Demon Cores were much larger in size, contained much more concentrated Magic Power, and were much more valuable than ordinary Demon Cores.


    The third gain was equipment, again a big pile.


    Included:


    5 level 6 Purple Gear pieces, 1 Orange Gear piece.


    A level 10 Metal Slime Sword and Shield, a level 10 Metal Slime Chainmail, and a level 10 Orange level Crescent Dagger.


    6 level 7 Purple Gear pieces exploded from the second floor Withered Leaf Forest.


    On the third floor, the Silent Plains, 5 level 8 Purple Gear pieces.


    The Goblin Chieftain��s Bloodthirsty Wolf Fang Club, Bonetooth Pendant, and key item Goblin Ring.


    And the last item��


    A small box tucked into Lin Da��s pocket, a gift from Dwarf Chief Kanto.


    An Orange accessory, Ferocious Fang.


    The attributes of this equipment were:


    [Level: 15]


    [Attribute Points: Strength +150, Agility +20]


    [Special Effect: Comes with the skill ��Fatal Strike��]


    [Fatal Strike: Smash forward with the Main Weapon, causing ��high damage��, can be used twice, recharge time 24 hours]


    [Equipment Score: 471. This tooth belonged to the great Dwarf Warrior Okama * Liqiu.]


    An accessory with a strong active attack Skill and great attributes!


    While the attribute added is strength, Lin Da has the legendary Skill [Balance of the Scales], making his Magic Power always equal to his strength, so he could also make use of this accessory.


    The skill ��Fatal Strike�� that comes with Ferocious Fang is a very useful physical Skill for the early stages,


    Featuring a ��blunt�� characteristic, it deals 50% bonus damage to shell-armored and rock-type magical creatures due to their vulnerability. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In another week, a murderous crab frenzy will break out in the wilds of White Dove City. The attributes of the murderous crab are [Water] [Carapace], with weaknesses being [earth system magic] [blunt impact].


    The skills that come with the Ferocious Fang are quite suitable for dealing with murderous crabs.


    Remembering this minor event, Lin Da��s expression gradually became more solemn.


    In the game, his adventure team had seven members, but now there were only four. As a witch, Lulu wasn��t convenient to show up, making this event much more difficult than it was in the game.


    The magical creature hidden beneath Breeze River Beach had reached level 23 and was of the Rare Orange Level, much stronger than the Goblin Chieftain. Lin Da estimated that two of the crab��s pincers could ��Blood Lock�� the Goblin Chieftain��


    Lin Da��s target wasn��t that creature, however; there��s a significant gap below and above level 20.


    Being an Orange Level creature, a hidden magical creature + a mutated being�� The White Dove Adventure Group would be the ones to deal with it.


    Lin Da��s team still fell short of facing such a level of magical creature.


    His true target lay beneath that hidden creature, a few of the Purple Rare Level magical creatures: the Black Shell Crab General.


    The pair of large pincers of the Black Shell Crab General were precious magical materials; its Demon Core could be used to craft a Magic Wand. Killing it would also yield a significant amount of Mystical Points.


    ��System, activate.��


    Lin Da silently muttered to himself, opening up his personal attribute page.


    To subdue the Black Shell Crab General, he needed to increase his attack to at least 500, otherwise it would be difficult to penetrate its defense.


    Lin Da donned the Ferocious Fang ornament��so long as it was connected to his magic power, even if it was kept in an inner pocket, it counted as equipped.


    His attributes now read as follows:


    Level: 16


    Occupation: Chosen Healing Hero


    Hit Points: 5200 (4200+1000)


    Magic Power: 563 (333+230)


    Strength: 563 (333+230)


    Defense: 83 (63+20)


    Magic Defense: 131 (111+20)


    Agility: 100 (70+30)


    Resistance: 30% Poison Series reduction


    Experience Points: 1000/40000


    Remaining Skill Points: 6


    Mystical Points: 3067


    Diamonds: 44040


    ��


    Lin Da��s Dual Attack had risen from 366 when he first entered the Mystic Realm to 563, nearly double, meeting the minimum standard to break through the Black Shell Crab General��s defense.


    However, this was not his full capacity, as his Main Weapon, the Walnut Wood Magic Sword, was full of cracks and unusable, leaving him down one piece of equipment.


    ��Now that I��ve got money, sticking with blue gear won��t do. Moreover, creatures like murderous crabs with their carapace armor have resistance to poison, requiring even higher equipment standards,�� Lin Da thought to himself.


    The shell of the murderous crab is akin to human nails, which are naturally resistant to poison.


    He needed to consider purchasing equipment with attributes like [Aquatic Monster Special Attack] [Spell Penetration], to mitigate the disadvantage of the murderous crab��s poison resistance.


    While pondering this, Lin Da cast a glance at Monica.


    As a damage dealer, Monica��s earth system magic is the perfect counter to murderous crabs.


    He remembered the suggestions made in jest that Monica was a poor loli in tattered blue gear�� Lin Da patted Monica��s head generously and said, ��Come on, the captain will take you shopping for equipment!��


    ��What about me?�� Kafni came up excitedly, panting and carrying a large bag.


    Lin Da was surprised, ��Don��t you already have a Crescent Dagger?��


    ��Not enough, get me a full set of Purple Gear so I can steal from the magical creatures until even their underpants are gone,�� Kafni boasted, pulling out two large swords from her bag.


    Lin Da glanced at them, and his attribute page popped up in front of his eyes:


    [Name: Slightly Blunt Ordinary Greatsword]


    [Type: Equipment �C Main Weapon]


    [Quality: Green Fine]


    [Level: 15]


    [Attribute Points: Strength +35, Magic Power +10]


    [Equipment Score: 47. A weapon favored by Goblin Soldiers, but it might smell a bit stinky]


    Lin Da and Monica both held their noses.


    ��You managed to steal two of the Goblin��s weapons, which is indeed commendable, but these are only of green quality, right?�� Lin Da spread his hands, ��At best, I can buy you a pair of Purple Boots.��


    ��What? I want the full set!�� Kafni complained dejectedly, her voice echoing across the square,


    People nearby cast them odd looks.


    Shouting for Purple Gear like it was nothing, just how much had this team gained?


    That blonde big bear of a woman actually dared to demand a full set of Purple Equipment��


    Looking around at the adventurers in the square, only one in ten would have a piece of Purple Gear.


    Being fully equipped in Purple Gear usually indicated membership in a Rock-level Adventure Team.

 Chapter 134 - 134: 121. The fallen old man, the awakened hero

    Chapter 134: 121. The fallen old man, the awakened hero


    At the moment, not many people knew about Lin Da��s strategy, just those two thousand or so people in the hall of the Adventurer��s Guild in White Dove City.


    It would take a few days for his strategy video to spread.


    Thus, the adventurers in the square were unaware of how many rare treasures were stuffed in the big pocket of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.


    Lin Da and his team arrived at a firm called ��Chilang.��


    In a small private room, Lin Da spilled all the equipment and Demon Cores he planned to sell onto the table in one go.


    Seeing the small mountain of spoils, the brown-haired elf manager tasked with receiving them was dumbfounded.


    ...


    Glowing with both purple and orange light, it was dazzling and heart-stoppingly beautiful.


    Other adventure teams would sell one purple gear at a time, which was already quite a lot.


    But this Mr. Lin Da, he brought along 13 purple pieces of gear, and 1 orange!


    This big transaction could easily make this elf manager the procurement champion of the month!


    The elf��s name was Queci, and her voice trembled with excitement, her eyes gleaming watery at Lin Da, sticky as glue.


    In order to facilitate this deal, Queci would not hesitate to kneel in front of Lin Da�� The competition to purchase magical equipment was fierce, and various firms offered numerous benefits.


    Lin Da gazed thoughtfully at the elf Queci��s black body-hugging skirt and the smooth shiny black stockings that clung to her slender legs below.


    ��Monica, Kafni, could you two wait for me in the hall for a bit? I need to discuss something important with Miss Queci.��


    If this service was incidental, Lin Da, a weary adventurer just out of the Mystic Realm, might as well rest a bit.


    Kafni chuckled, flicking her waist-length golden hair, and walked out of the private room holding Monica��s hand.


    That chuckle, Lin Da always felt it had a deeper meaning, but it seemed unlikely. Kafni had been covering her backside at night when she first came to this world, wary of his attacks��


    ��Mr. Lin Da, I am starting now~�� Queci smiled and turned off the magic lamp, squatting down like a servant.


    This beautiful elf manager tucked her brown hair behind her ears and began what was called a ��healing�� magic.


    Lin Da��s expression relaxed, like a weary traveler stepping into a hot spring.


    All the fatigue and hunger disappeared in the enveloping warmth of the spring water.


    ��


    Both parties also bargained during this process.


    Shrewd merchants would take advantage of adventurers�� weaknesses, relentlessly driving down prices to extract the maximum profit.


    Appear to be extra benefits? Actually, a big mistake��the amount deducted from the gold coins could easily enable adventurers to seek out many more Elf Misses!


    ��Ugh ugh, level 6 purple gear, one piece for 200 gold coins�� Orange gear��800 gold coins����


    Queci looked at Lin Da with a seductive expression, pushing the prices to their lowest.


    However, as soon as the word ��gold coins�� was mentioned, Lin Da��s previously blank mind was instantly filled with various figures!


    His attention shifted from Queci, the pretty elf, to the equipment prices��level 6 purple gear for 200 gold coins a piece, did Queci take him for a fool?


    ��You cunning elf.��


    Lin Da spoke displeased,


    ��Ugh ahh, Mr., Queci made a mistake!��


    It did not take long for Queci to lose the battle.


    She found it funny yet helpless to realize that Lin Da was unlike all her previous clients; he was meticulous about the price and very familiar with the market conditions.


    Her efforts could not even lower the price by half a gold coin.


    This even caused Lin Da��s focus to shift, and what originally took Queci ten minutes to bestow benefits, now took twenty, even thirty minutes.


    That infuriating Lin Da, he completely exhausted her!


    After a lengthy discussion, they finally settled on a price.


    Queci sat on the small sofa across from him, holding a cup of tea to rinse her mouth, gulping it down, with the priced list in her hand:


    Level 6 Purple Gear, 5 pieces, purchase price 1500 gold.


    Level 6 Orange Gear, 1 piece, 1200 gold.


    Level 7 Purple Gear, 6 pieces, 2200 gold,


    Level 8 Purple Gear, 5 pieces, 2000 gold.


    A bunch of various levels of ordinary Demon Cores, 1700 gold.


    Level 1, 2 and 3 Secret Realm Guardian Demon Cores, 1600 gold.


    The remaining Metal Slime Sword and Shield, hidden Magical Creatures Metal Slime and Goblin Chieftain Demon Cores, Wolf Fang Club, Lin Da kept for himself.


    He planned to collect the first two, and for the last he would find personal buyers to avoid the firm taking a cut. The ordinary Demon Cores and purple gear, he preferred to sell in one go for convenience.


    Queci wiped her lips, and despite feeling bitter, her face still wore a professional smile: S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Sir, your total selling price is 11400 gold coins, and together with your 30140 gold coins, all will be stored onto the Savings Card through our firm�� Our firm has transferred a total of 41540 gold coins into your account, please check.��


    Lin Da took the white statement, reviewed it for correctness.


    He pressed his large hand on it, magic stirred, leaving a magic fingerprint.


    He took out a red Savings Card from the Southern Fire Empire and handed it to Queci.


    Queci placed the Savings Card in a square black box, operated it for a while, and the gold coins were transferred in.


    When Lin Da checked it, he found the balance was much more than he expected, reaching 141540 gold coins!


    Where did the extra 100000 come from?


    Lin Da had Queci display the detailed bill and finally realized, it was from the Ice Flower Adventure Team��s public account, transferring 100000 gold coins to him.


    This was for a pre-order of Metal Destroyer Potion.


    Previously, when Isa invited Lin Da for lunch, she had asked for his Savings Card number. Perhaps at that time, Isa had envisioned one day entering into a partnership with him.

 Chapter 135 - 135: 121, The Downfall of the Old, The Awakening of the Brave_2

    Chapter 135: 121, The Downfall of the Old, The Awakening of the Brave_2


    Having received that money, Lin Da��s purse was much fuller.


    He came to the hall with a clear mind and met up with his team members.


    ��Team leader, what were you doing in the private room?��


    Monica approached, pursing her lips and wearing a sulky, bun-like face.


    ��We were just discussing the selling price of the equipment,�� Lin Da said with a chuckle, bending over to pet Monica��s head.


    But this time, Monica didn��t feel happy about it, hanging her head like a little jar of vinegar and muttering, ��Team leader is a big pervert��!��


    ...


    Lin Da��s head popped up a question mark, confused as he glanced towards Kafni, who was lounging on the couch, freeloaders the shop��s fruit plate.


    Could it be that this guy had led Monica astray?


    ��


    It was already three in the afternoon when they left Chilang Commerce.


    Lin Da and the others had bought many things, each carrying large and small bags. Lin Da��s main haul consisted of various ingredients rich in magic power, not only delicious but also beneficial for cultivation and considered noble ingredients.


    A pound of broccoli from the Great Mystery Continent was priced at two gold coins, which was roughly equivalent to 2000 RMB per pound in his previous life.


    Before entering the World Tree Secret Realm, Lin Da would never have afforded such expensive ingredients.


    Apart from vegetables, there was also a lot of fresh wild magical creature meat, which was beneficial for adventurers�� cultivation.


    Kafni��s purchases were more varied, ranging from snacks and comic books to underwear, dresses, toothbrushes, cups, and other household items�� each endorsed by a famous adventure team.


    The piece housed in a beautiful gift box, a purple ribboned underwear, from the brand ��Dreamland��, had a magic circle that automatically cleaned all sorts of dirt.


    It was said that in emergency battles, even if one urinated, there was no need to worry about it affecting one��s movement, as the magic circle would quickly evaporate the filth��but Lin Da suspected that Kafni��s skills were quite diverse, as he was occasionally woken up in the middle of the night.


    Monica, being a well-behaved member, didn��t get up to those antics. This Big Lolita bought simple, practical items��a few new magic puppets, a home delivery freezer filled to the brim with ice cream.


    The total cost of all these items was 4500 gold coins.


    Regarding equipment, Lin Da had heard that a large auction would be held in a few days. Items that made it to the auction were generally of exceptional quality, and there might even be equipment with rare attributes like ��spell penetration��.


    Lin Da also needed to purchase a space ring so that he wouldn��t have to carry a big bag every time he went into the World Tree.


    The three walked out of the shop in a cheerful mood.


    People were coming and going around them; many adventure teams, having returned from the World Tree, headed here to sell their unneeded items in bulk.


    Some adventure team members were chatting and laughing arm in arm. Yet others had a morose and heavy atmosphere that was hard to ignore.


    Lin Da noticed such a glaring sight: a male adventurer in his thirties with golden short hair. He was slumped against a glass wall of the shop, looking dejected, sitting like a vagrant.


    His legs weakly spread open, a broken sword propped between them, his expression dull, he weakly held a savings card in his hand, staring blankly at himself.


    ��Finch?��


    Lin Da recognized the adventurer��s identity.


    Back when he was still with Snow Goose, he had briefly met Finch. On the fifth layer of the Great Mystery Continent, their two adventure teams had joined forces to fight against a ��Wilderness Guardian��, commonly known as a regional boss level magical creature.


    But Finch��s team had less potential, and while Snow Goose had reached the eighth layer, they had still not broken through the sixth.


    At that time, as a team leader, Finch had even provoked Lia, betting on who would enter the sixth layer first.


    More than a year had passed, and Lin Da had forgotten about Finch, and Lia had completely forgotten him.


    Adventurers meet many people during their journeys, but except for teammates, most others are just passersby.


    ��Lin Da, I heard you left the team.��


    Finch��s golden hair looked like wilted wildgrass, his face weathered. He remained seated, showing no intention to stand, and waved to Lin Da.


    ��Uh��what��s happened to you?�� Lin Da hesitated for a moment before he and his team members approached.


    Finch chuckled and said, ��Buying such things, it seems you��ve had a good haul. Me? Haha�� the ��Hunter Adventure Team�� disbanded today.��


    ��Disbanded? Why, I thought you all got along well,�� Lin Da began, but suddenly realizing something, his face darkened, ��Sorry.��


    ��No need��everyone has their day, everyone.��


    Finch had never believed that such a thing could happen to him, but when it actually did, he believed it, viewing every adventure team with a pessimistic attitude. Perhaps that was the only way he could feel somewhat better.


    Clearly, Finch��s adventure team had been forced to disband.


    He was the only member left in his team.


    ��The sixth floor was really tricky; had I known, I would have stayed on the fifth floor all my life.��


    Finch gave a sorrowful chuckle, pointing at the two girls from the Phoenix Tail Flower: ��You must protect them well, don��t make my mistakes!��


    Lin Da nodded.


    To him, Finch was ultimately a passerby. However, this incident made him realize once again that merely covering three floors in a strategy broadcast was far from sufficient.


    Most adventurers were not geniuses like Lia and Aiko, who could use their talent to escape danger. Most adventurers were just ordinary beings, the background wildflowers and rocks in the game.


    And transported to another world, these backgrounds all turned into real people, each with their own dreams and ambitions, truly living in this world.


    If the Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team��s strategies could help those people, Lin Da wouldn��t mind making an effort.


    He would forge ahead, clearing thorns and paving a smooth and broad road for ordinary adventurers.


    Perhaps it was because he could do such things that he was chosen to be the hero in a mysterious way.


    For the first time, Lin Da felt the heavy weight of the words ��saving the world.��


    ��


    After resting for a while, Finch, leaning on his sword, headed to the Adventurer��s Guild with a faltering gait.


    As the leader of the Hunter Adventure Team, Finch still had one thing left undone: he needed to unregister his team members�� information.


    Arriving at the guild hall, Finch found it unusually crowded today, with everyone gathered around a big screen.


    That screen usually showed free replays of strategy broadcasts from lower floors, but since it was free, the levels certainly weren��t high.


    As an adventurer who had reached the fifth floor, Finch had little interest in lower floors.


    However, the voice coming from the screen was very familiar, making him stop.


    Intending to take a casual glance, Finch paused but became deeply engrossed in the images on the screen.


    Like a brown bear savoring honey, he was absorbed, half an hour passing unnoticed.


    It was only when that fearsome Goblin Chieftain fell and cheers from surrounding adventurers erupted,


    that Finch, caught up in the thrilling battle, snapped back to reality.


    Finch��s first thought wasn��t about how strong Phoenix Tail Flower was, or how high Lin Da��s healing was. Lin Da claimed in the screen that Phoenix Tail Flower would continue to make strategies.


    Lin Da��s former team, Snow Goose, had been to the eighth floor, which meant that this strategy could reach at least the eighth floor��


    Finch couldn��t help but think, if he had entered the sixth floor a few months later, could he have seen the live strategy broadcast of Phoenix Tail Flower?


    Could he have avoided his teammates�� deaths?


    Finch��s face changed gradually, and then he became somewhat frantic, despairing! At this moment, he desperately wished for the skill named ��Rebirth�� from comic books, for another chance to prevent his teammates�� deaths!


    Like Finch, there were actually many people with similar thoughts, most of whom had similar experiences: losing teammates in the World Tree due to various accidents.


    If they had entered later, after seeing this strategy, they would enter the World Tree Secret Realm, and the outcome would be vastly different.


    Some adventurers, reminded of their deceased teammates, mourned silently. Meanwhile, novices who had not yet entered the World Tree secretly felt relieved. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They bought Magic Recording Devices, recorded the strategy, and went back to watch it repeatedly.

 Chapter 136 - 136: 122, Lia: I really dont know anything, you know?

    Chapter 136: 122, Lia: I really don��t know anything, you know?


    No matter the type, on this day, a new adventure team��s name firmly imprinted itself in everyone��s minds.


    This team was neither a well-known squad nor at the Iron Level or Rock Level, but merely a team that had just reached the first three levels, ordinary in every sense.


    Yet, for adventurers of the lower levels, this team��s contributions were far greater than those of any Sunrise Level adventure group.


    Its name was the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.


    In just one afternoon, the deeds of Phoenix Tail Flower were passed from mouth to mouth, and Lin Da��s title of Eye of True Knowledge completely replaced Ultimate Pervert.


    The matter even startled the Mayor of White Dove City, who, upon seeing the free detailed strategy guide, immediately decided to award Lin Da an Honorary Adventurer Badge!


    ...


    This strategy guide would greatly increase the survival rates of novice adventurers, and as Lin Da was a native adventurer of White Dove City, his fame was also the city��s fame, which the mayor could use to gain merit for his promotion.


    After several years, the Honorary Adventurer Badge was once again retrieved by the Mayor of White Dove City.


    The news spread rapidly, with various newspapers learning of it beforehand through various channels.


    Every reporter was writing extensively:


    Glorious Adventurer Badge.


    An extremely detailed strategy guide for the first three levels, almost as if predicting the future.


    The first kills of the hidden Magical Creatures, Metal Slime, and Goblin Chieftain.


    New orange equipment, Crescent Dagger, and Goblin Chieftain��s Bloodthirsty Wolf Fang Club��


    On a regular day, each of these pieces of news would be worthy of the front page of the White Dove Morning News.


    But this time, all the newspapers were overwhelmed, as a flood of attention-grabbing news from the same adventure team converged upon them.


    After today, the ranks of well-known teams in White Dove City would decidedly need to include one more name:


    Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team!


    In Secret Realm Square, where the largest number of adventurers gathered, news spread as swift as lightning.


    ��Insider news, there are hidden Magical Creatures on the first and third levels!��


    ��Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, hopeful for Iron Level in the future!��


    ��What, you don��t know who the Eye of True Knowledge is? It��s obviously Phoenix Tail Flower��s team leader, Lin Da.��


    ��And ��Earth Bombardment�� Monica, ��Great Bear Thief�� Kafni, they are all famous upcoming adventurers.��


    ��Ah? Metal Slime, you can level up several times by defeating it?��


    ��Where can I buy a Metal Destroyer Potion, I��ll pay 100 Gold Coins!��


    ��Fuck, I watched the live guide of the Goblin Chieftain��s raid. Such a beast set on the third level? World Tree Goddess, that��s so ruthless!��


    People who had watched the Phoenix Tail Flower live relay vividly recounted the events in the hall as if they were skilled bards, gathering a circle of adventurers who listened with keen interest:


    ��You don��t know, that Star-ranked adventurer Dawen, and White Dove Adventure Group��s Jite and Gale were also there. The three gasped in unison when they saw Lin Da kill the Goblin Chieftain, loudly stating, ��This adventurer has the potential for Iron Level!''��


    ��Reporters stopped Lin Da��s former teammates for an interview, guess what �� ��


    ��Come on, spit it out, don��t leave us hanging!��


    The crowd of adventurers jeered.


    The man laughed and said, ��The so-called Holy Mage, Miss Aiko, got flustered! She pushed the reporters away and ran away in a puff of smoke!��


    ��Ah? That Aiko can also lose her composure?��


    The scene buzzed with murmurs.


    Aiko had always impressed everyone with her calm and elegant demeanor, a true model of a noble young lady, and a dream object for many adventurers. Yet their goddess apparently lost her composure because of Lin Da?


    ��My heart is broken, the goddess really likes Lin Da. I��ve been jilted!��


    ��Wuuu~��


    ��I swear enmity against Lin Da, he made Miss Aiko feel embarrassed!��


    Adventurers like Mei Yangyang were seething with anger. What they didn��t realize was that even if they approached aggressively, they would be scorned by Mei Yangyang and blown away with the Light Arrow Technique.


    ��


    ��


    At this time, at the villa of the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    In the living room on the first floor, everyone around the long table looked worried.


    After returning from the live showing of Phoenix Tail Flower��s strategy, the Snow Goose team members had become mute, not uttering a single word.


    ��Congratulations, Lin Da?��


    As they chewed on this phrase, they couldn��t taste how much genuine congratulation was in their hearts, mostly just sourness. They regretted not trying to bring him back on the night Lin Da left.


    Otherwise, Lin Da��s fame would also have been theirs.


    Many corporations would want Snow Goose as their endorsers, and every team member would gain a lot of Gold Coins and new equipment.


    ��I��ve completely lost face,�� Aiko said irritably, placing her teacup on the table and looking at the others:


    ��You��ve also heard. Lin Da still has three vials of Metal Destroyer Potion. Isa, that stinking bitch�� that pretty girl got one bottle, White Dove Adventure Group��s smart guy Dasha�� cough, cough, Gale got another one, leaving just one bottle.��


    ��We haven��t yet tackled the 13th level. If we get our hands on that last bottle of the Metal Destroyer Potion, we have a great chance of killing the Metal Slime on our next try, and our strength will see a significant boost!��


    ��Two and a half months to go until the Stone of Bravery arrives. Everyone wants to be a hero, right? A noble title, powerful strength, and even a chance to make a request from the World Tree Sanctum�� no one can resist the temptation to become a hero.��


    ��Aiko, what exactly are you trying to say?�� Klyne asked, confused, furrowing her brows.


    ��We must get the remaining bottle of potion from Lin Da.��


    ��But it can��t be me, I��ve embarrassed myself enough today, those reporters will paint me black, I can��t go and lose face at Lin Da��s place again,��


    Aiko said sternly, cutting straight to the chase.


    Her true thoughts were��whoever goes to ask Lin Da will use up their old team��s camaraderie with him.


    She wanted Lin Da to owe her a favor, so how could she go and ask Lin Da for potions?


    However, if she were to do it, it would definitely be easy. Aiko thought proudly to herself.


    ��It��s inconvenient for us too.�� Klyne quickly grasped the underlying meaning, holding Oru��s hand tightly and whispering, ��I still have to take care of him, so I can��t go.��


    Although Klrona didn��t know what was going on, she was a bit scared to see Lin Da alone after he had spanked her.


    Plus�� she wanted Lin Da��s Wolf Fang Club.


    Going by herself, she didn��t know how to start.


    Klrona looked eagerly toward Aiko.


    Aiko pretended not to see her, seemingly decided not to go.


    If they must send someone, and none of the four of them were going, then the only option left was��


    Tap tap tap.


    The sound of footsteps coming downstairs.


    Lia, covering up her guilt, draped a white towel around her neck pretending to wipe her face wet with ��sweat�� from ��long hours of exercise.��


    The redhead noticed everyone��s eyes turn to her in unison, blinked nervously, and said:


    ��Ah? I��ve been exercising since morning and haven��t stopped, so I don��t know anything, okay?��


    Aiko: ��I know you don��t know anything, but once I tell you, you will know.��


    ��Oh.��


    Lia felt everyone��s expressions were a bit strange, making it awkward for her to either stand or sit; she didn��t know where to put her hands or feet.


    This is her team��s villa, yet she felt the constraint like she was visiting a stranger��s home for the first time.


    ��Lia, take a seat,�� Aiko said with a smile.


    ��Oh���� Lia awkwardly sat down on the far-right end of the sofa.


    ��You know about the Metal Destroyer thing, don��t you?��


    ��Know�� cough, what��s that?��


    Faced with Lia��s feigned naivety, Aiko unsmilingly explained the whole situation regarding the Phoenix Tail Flower��s strategy today.


    ��I see, Lin Da��s adventure team seems to have performed quite well then, I should congratulate him then,��


    Lia calmly poured herself a cup of tea, her fingers steady, her demeanor composed.


    She had obviously practiced this many times.


    Aiko said, ��We need someone to go buy the Metal Destroyer Potion.��


    As everyone��s eyes turned toward Lia, even she, as naive as she was, understood the silent pressure from her teammates.


    ��What about you guys? You��re not going?��


    Why should I go alone?


    Lia was a bit panicked, the thought of going to the Phoenix Tail Flower��s base alone stirred her insides like a little spoon swirling around, making her restless.


    She had already experienced Lin Da��s sharp tongue in Red Heart City; she knew she couldn��t outtalk Lin Da by herself��she needed to bring someone smart with her!


    ��We can��t go,�� Aiko decisively shook her head.


    The biggest conflict between Snow Goose and Phoenix Tail Lay on Lia. Only Lia herself could resolve this conflict.


    Seeing Lia hesitant and not quite daring, Aiko puffed out her chest slightly, her voice tinged with sarcasm:


    ��You are the famous leader of the Iron Level adventure team Snow Goose, can��t you handle even this little matter? Lin Da, being the nice guy he is, will surely hand over the potions over to you with tears of gratitude if you ask him in person, right?��


    ��Or are you saying�� you can��t handle even this little thing?��


    ��No way, no way, Bursting Flames Lia is actually afraid to go and buy a bottle of potion from an old teammate?��


    Aiko said this in a teasing tone.


    ��Wh, what��Young Lady here, can definitely do it!��


    Lia��s face turned red all of a sudden, she spilled a little bit of her tea on the table, defiantly puffing out her chest, her lips trembling slightly as she tried to form a smile:


    ��Not just one potion, even if it��s three potions, Young Lady here can easily buy them, ha, hahaha����


    Aiko, impressed, said, ��Wow, true to the leader of Snow Goose. But if you can��t bring them back, it would be so embarrassing, If it were me, I��d rather hang myself on a tree.��


    Lia: ����..��


    ��


    ��


    While Snow Goose was discussing who to send to buy the potion, Lin Da and his companions were already riding a carriage back to Sparrow District.


    Number 303 rental house.


    The door was unlocked, pushing it open, he was greeted with the enticing aroma of food.


    Lin Da looked with surprise inside, a girl with pale blue hair wearing a white apron was busy at a simple stovetop.


    The air in the rental unit was not well ventilated, and the steam from cooking covered the girl��s fair neck with sweat.


    The evening light filtered in, casting a golden glow, and the ordinary sweat seemed like divine nectar. Lin Da was unsure if it was the smell of the food or the girl��s body fragrance that was making his mouth water��


    sea??h th�� Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 137 - 137: 123, Upgrade wooden house, double guidance

    Chapter 137: 123, Upgrade wooden house, double guidance


    The brightest moment for Lin Da was coming home after an adventure to find that someone had already prepared a meal at home.


    This warm scene gave each team member a comforting sense of being home.


    The old redwood round table was filled with dishes, presenting a dazzling array of food: salt-baked snails, charcoal-grilled steak, cream of mushroom soup, truffle foie gras, fruit pizza, fried lizard tails, shrimp platter, and freshly baked bread as the main staple.


    The bread was bought from a famous Mary Bakery in the Inner City District. Lin Da had heard that one had to queue up from noon and wait more than an hour to make a purchase.


    Passing by, he often saw long queues at the place.


    ��It smells so good!�� Kafni squeezed into the rental house.


    ...


    The lazy, golden-haired deity saw the table full of food and drooled, unable to wait to sit down and start eating.


    Monica cheerfully said, ��The food that Sister Lulu makes is delicious!��


    The game settings indeed included a keyword that Lulu was skilled at cooking.


    In reality, it was Lin Da��s first time eating it.


    Having a Four-Star Character cook for him was like something out of a dream��


    Lin Da was inwardly amazed.


    ��Welcome back,�� Lulu said calmly, placing tofu fried to a golden crisp from the skillet onto a plate and bringing it to the table.


    She took a handkerchief from her apron pocket, wiped her hands, then pulled back the ��chief�� chair opposite the door, like a dutiful wife, for Lin Da.


    The girl calmly said, ��You��ve worked hard conquering the Mystic Realm.��


    Even before Lin Da had ascended the stairs, Lulu had heard their voices and started practicing in her mind how to calmly say ��Welcome back�� and ��You��ve worked hard.��


    She believed she did well, yet failed to notice her fingers trembling slightly, betraying the unease in her heart.


    Lulu had watched the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team live stream taking on the Goblin Chieftain, and when that damned green-skinned Magical Creature spun towards Lin Da like a whirlwind of death, Lulu��s heart clenched as if in a vise.


    If Lin Da had died in front of her, she seriously feared she would lose her composure, unable to suppress the Witch��s Corruption, and transform into a Catastrophe Beast right in the guild hall.


    Facing such a terrifying creature, yet he hadn��t mentioned a word about it.


    ��Come here,�� Lin Da sharply noticed something, his gaze becoming as fierce as the Dark Shadow, and commanded Lulu in an undeniable tone.


    This seemed to touch a nerve of fear in Lulu, and she subconsciously obeyed, walking over.


    Lin Da��s large hand landed on Lulu��s head, gently caressing it.


    Emerald light of Purification shone from his palm.


    Gently healing Lulu��s spirit.


    A deep sense of comfort welled up inside her, making Lulu involuntarily hum.


    The warm hand seemed to pass through her body, soothing her heart.


    Despite noticing the surprised looks from Monica and the others, Lulu couldn��t help but revel in Lin Da��s head pat��she actually yearned for Lin Da to caress her chin like the wolf Beastmen would, but it was too difficult to mention.


    The Purification continued for a minute before ending, and Lin Da held Lulu��s petite body in his arms, gently patting the girl��s back.


    ��Sorry for making my team worry,�� he said.


    Biting her lip, Lulu leaned her small head against Lin Da��s sturdy chest and said softly, ��Idiot.��


    A faint sourness neutralized the greasiness of the kitchen fumes in the room.


    Lin Da inexplicably received a system notification:


    [Witch Lulu��s Trust +5 points. Current Trust Level: 75. Only 5 points away from next level: Close Companion.]


    The trust increased this fast?


    Could hugging a girl really boost trust so rapidly?


    ��


    Lin Da tried it again,


    Apparently not only.


    Confused, he then received a punch to the stomach.


    ��Ouch!��


    Lulu walked away from his embrace and sat down at the right side of the round table, scoffing, ��All this ��Eye of True Knowledge,�� but you��re still just the ultimate pervert.��


    ��The Captain, such a pervert�� even when we were at the market����


    ��Eek!��


    Monica was about to say something else when she suddenly let out a small scream, her mouth covered by Lin Da.


    Lin Da smiled like warm sunshine, stroking Monica��s little head, ��Next time we go to the auction, the Captain will buy you the newly released limited edition Magic Puppet, so don��t say a word, okay?�� S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Hmm���� Monica hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement.


    Lulu looked at them suspiciously. Curious as she was, her aloof nature wasn��t supposed to inquire.


    ��Cheers!��


    Three beer mugs clinked together with Monica��s juice cup, the crisp ringing sound lively and cheerful like a silver bell.


    With a gulp of wheat beer, Lin Da contentedly slammed the cup onto the table, the flavor seemingly enhanced by the company of three beautiful girls.


    The ones who returned from the Mystic Realm were already famished, devouring the dishes like wolves.


    Amidst laughter and chatter, the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team��s dinner party drew to a close.


    Well-fed and watered, Lin Da and his companions went to the small beds, too exhausted to care about propriety as they lay down haphazardly.


    Lin Da held the fragrant fragrant Big Lolita, Kafni tucked behind clutching his leg,


    It looked like a scene straight out of a sloppy night of drinking.


    The weary companions each succumbed to sleep.


    Seeing them like this, Lulu couldn��t help but laugh,


    Who would have thought that the person who got along so well with the team could actually be the Dark Shadow?


    If the old team members of Primordial saw this, they��d probably drop their jaws.


    After a busy day, Lulu too was tired; she closed the door and lay down on the sofa for a nap.


    ��


    About an hour had passed when Lin Da opened his eyes in bed.


    Looking around, Monica was sleeping soundly in his arms, resting on his arm with her unguarded little face.


    Her clean forehead was tempting to kiss, and her white, curled-up legs in a secure, baby-like pose.


    Lin Da gently pinched Monica��s cheek, soft and slippery, full of collagen, it must feel great to kiss it�� But Lin Da didn��t do so; he had woken up early, preoccupied with a pile of unused diamonds.


    Taking advantage of the sleeping team members, he decided to upgrade the Back House and, well, ��guide�� Monica and Lulu.


    ��Back House, open.��


    With a command in his mind, a shabby wooden hut, resembling a mobile game interface, appeared before him.


    It had been a while since he last checked inside, and it had attracted cockroaches,


    Five cockroaches, as big as the heads of chibi characters, scurried around the hut, terrifying Monica into staying on the iron bed, her mood plummeting to a red -30%.


    Lulu was chasing the cockroaches, but they moved too fast, throwing her off a great distance while they stopped and covered their mouths with their forelimbs, making a sneaky laughing expression.


    The only one with a green mood value was Kafni.


    This guy was curled up in a corner, up to something, with a mood value reaching a terrifying +100%.


    You truly are a Scrap God!


    Lin Da thought, amazed, that even if Magical Creatures invaded, Kafni could maintain his composure.


    He first spent 500 diamonds to exterminate all the cockroaches, then clicked on the house upgrade button:


    [System Prompt: Do you wish to spend 20,000 diamonds to upgrade the wooden hut to a small bungalow?]


    Yes!


    Lin Da��s total diamond count was 44,040, spending a mere 20,000 was nothing.


    As the diamond count dropped to 24,040, a golden light enveloped the hut,


    Among the cheers of the chibi team members, the wooden hut transformed into a small bungalow with a concrete floor!


    The inside was unadorned, a simple unfinished building, but at least it wouldn��t attract mice and bugs anymore.


    With the house upgraded, the Back House system unlocked new features:


    [Your daily basic diamond earnings increase by 1000!]


    [New in the shop: white painted walls, tall goblets, silver chandeliers, noble red carpets�� team member experience vouchers!]


    Lin Da��s attention quickly shifted to the latter: team member experience vouchers?


    It looked as if he could indeed imbibe Monica and the others with distilled wisdom, cramming Experience Points into them?


    Clicking into the Back House shop, the first items were various furnishings, dazzling to the eyes.


    The second section was for voucher sales, and at the very bottom, there were blue and white ��team member experience vouchers��.


    [Item: Team Member Experience Voucher]


    [Price: 1 diamond/1 voucher]


    [Effect: Increases a team member��s experience points by 1, only usable while the team member is asleep]


    He truly could imbue his team members with knowledge!


    Apart from the ��Experience Points�� the team members gained through daily practice, Lin Da could also actively transmit ��Experience Points�� to them in their dreams.


    It was akin to transferring martial skills, instantaneously enhancing the team members�� abilities, achieving level breakthroughs.


    Lin Da pondered for a moment: for Monica and Lulu, the former was suitable for being imbued with experience points as Monica had a lower level, easier to enhance. As for Lulu, a Potential Guidance Coupon was more appropriate to boost her attributes.


    He spent 10,000 diamonds bought one Potential Guidance Coupon, and spent another 10,000 diamonds to buy an equal number of team member experience vouchers.


    [Please select Dream Guidance/Automatic Training?]


    The former occasionally resulted in an ��Enhanced Guidance Effect��, improving the quality of training.


    Without hesitation, Lin Da chose Dream Guidance.


    ��I want to guide simultaneously: Team Member Lulu, Team Member Monica.��


    [Simultaneous Guidance Confirmation�� can guide simultaneously�� entering team member��s dreams��]


    ��


    ��Hehe, hehehe�� Captain��s shoulders, so broad.��


    In the dream, Monica had Lin Da carry her on his shoulders, no longer socially shy, basking under the envious gazes of many adventurers as they walked down the street.


    Just then, with a whoosh, the dream plunged into a ��black screen��.


    When the colors restored, the surrounding scene had changed to the top of a high-rise under the moonlit night.


    Monica was being pressed down by an irresistible force in the air, her hands supporting her shoulders and heavy chest, legs straight and tense�� astonishingly in a push-up position?

 Chapter 138 - 138: 124. People come to the door to buy potions.

    Chapter 138: 124. People come to the door to buy potions.


    ��81, 82, 83.��


    Lulu��s muttering voice came from one side.


    Monica was agape with shock, ��Lulu, Sister Lulu, what are you doing here?��


    ��No time to talk, start moving, or Dark Shadow will punish you.��


    A flicker of residual fear passed through Lulu��s eyes as she rubbed her bottom with her wolf tail. Just before, when she had provoked Dark Shadow, she had been severely whipped by him with a vine, and it still hurt.


    ��Eh? Is the captain here too?��


    ...


    Before Monica could understand what was happening, a whooshing sound suddenly rang out,


    a man wearing a faceless mask and a black coat swung a slim vine, hitting Monica��s plump bottom.


    ��Ouch!��


    Monica cried out like a little duck, one hand covering her bottom, her big eyes shimmering with tears, looking aggrieved as she faced Dark Shadow.


    ��Don��t stop. Monica, 500 push-ups, Lulu 1500, anyone who stops will be beaten.��


    Dark Shadow coldly swung the vine through the air, creating a sharp sound.


    Each strike would leave a fiery red mark on the bodies of the two girls!


    Despite his inner reluctance to strike his team members, not doing so would greatly diminish the quality of the training.


    20,000 Diamonds was not a small amount; he had to maximize the use of every single Diamond.


    Smack, smack, smack!


    In no time, Monica��s bottom had swollen from the strikes, and she tearfully continued her push-ups.


    In the dream, time seemed to stop; Monica felt each second stretched out endlessly, using all her strength to barely complete over 200 before collapsing to the ground.


    This time, Dark Shadow did not scold her but crouched down, gently stroking the girl��s head, his tone still cold, ��Try to keep going a little longer.��


    Having seen Monica receive a pat on the head from the captain, Lulu hesitated for a while, then also stopped, her fluffy ears twitching as her face turned red, ��I�� I want that too�� ��


    In the dream world, even if she acted capriciously, no one would find out.


    Dark Shadow grinned knowingly, ��Such a greedy teammate.��


    Thereupon, his other hand rested on Lulu��s head.


    The fluffy beast ears felt very pleasant to the touch; Lin Da�� no, he was now the strict Dark Shadow.


    It had to be said, playing with beast ears felt amazing!


    Lin Da, touching one girl��s head and seeing both quite happy, also felt a deep sense of achievement.


    ��Don��t stop; if you crave more, then continue, the faster you do it, the happier the captain will be!��


    Lin Da looked at them with an encouraging gaze, ��Yes, go faster, the faster your movements, the quicker you��ll finish!��


    Only after completing the training content would Lin Da allow the two teammates to leave the dream world.


    ��


    Monica completed her 500 push-ups almost simultaneously with Lulu.


    The 10,000 Experience Points Coupon and Potential Guidance Coupon took effect.


    After emerging from the World Tree, Monica vaguely felt she was on the verge of a breakthrough; the 19th Star in her spirit world was faint yet almost energized by just a bit more Magic Power.


    In reality, the sleeping Monica��s body twitched.


    Golden light landed on her body, also appearing in the dream world.


    Monica, broke through to level 19 Earth Mage!


    Only one step away from becoming a level 20 adventurer and mastering a terrifying Ultimate Skill!


    Lulu also reaped significant gains, as seen from Lin Da��s team interface, Lulu��s base strength increased by 20 points, and her Hit Points increased by 100 points.


    ��We, have we become stronger?��


    The two girls sat exhausted on the ground.


    Their cheeks damp with sweat, their messy hair stuck to the corners of their mouths, S��arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    looking disheveled but their eyes sparkling, both girls exclaimed in unison.


    Lin Da, beaming, seeing his team members happy, felt a pleasant mood as their captain.


    ��Yes, you��ve become stronger, and this strength will carry over into reality.��


    Dark Shadow��s cold voice emanated from behind the white mask:


    ��Remember, this is your greatest secret, do not tell anyone. My existence is your cheat key, named ��Heaven Rewards the Diligent System��! The flow of time in the dream is much slower than in reality. A moment in the dream is a minute in reality, you can continue to train and level up extensively in the dream world!��


    System?


    Monica and Lulu were dumbfounded, such fantastical things only found in comic books were now a reality for them?


    ��I have�� the Heaven Rewards the Diligent System���� Monica��s face showed a mischievous joy, hanging her head and quietly reveling in her secret.


    But disbelief lingered in Lulu��s eyes. Comic books were for children; being a mature adventurer, how could she believe in such naivety?


    However��


    This was her second encounter with Dark Shadow in the dream, and she had previously experienced an increase in strength.


    ��Heaven Rewards the Diligent�� is this my special talent?��


    A trace of gloom lifted from Lulu��s face.


    Dark Shadow spoke faintly, ��Yes, you are all chosen by the system, but remember��not to tell anyone, this is your greatest secret. Understood?��


    ��Understood!��


    ��Hmm.��


    Monica and Lulu nodded in agreement.


    ��Good. But let me be clear, anyone who leaks this secret, my vine will burst their bottom!��


    Dark Shadow waved a large hand, and the surrounding scene melted away like ink.


    The dream vanished.


    In the rental house��s small bed, Lin Da opened his eyes once again.


    Monica was still deep in sleep, a joyous smile hanging on her face.


    ��As your captain, I will make you into top-level adventurers.��

 Chapter 139 - 139: 124. Everyone comes to the door asking to buy Potion_2

    Chapter 139: 124. Everyone comes to the door asking to buy Potion_2


    Lin Da thought to himself that one day, the four-star Monica and Lulu would possess the strength of top-tier five-star characters.


    He opened the Back House interface and clicked on the daily sign-in.


    The original profit was 440 diamonds, but upgrading the small flat added a base profit of 1000, and with the team members�� 120% mood boost��


    [System Prompt: Sign-in successful, 2200 diamonds received!]


    Lin Da��s balance instantly increased from 4040 to 6240.


    In the lower left corner of the Back House interface, an icon with blood-red flames of a black pit, the entrance to the Hell Rift, was flashing golden.


    ...


    This indicated that there was a new change inside.


    ��When I came back from Red Heart City, the chibi adventure team reached the 27th level and couldn��t move forward, blocked by four centaurs,�� he said.


    ��Did Monica and Kafni level up and conquer the 28th level?��


    Lin Da, curious, clicked on the Hell Rift.


    The World Tree was climbed upward, with fifty floors, while the chibi team went downward, the Hell Rift had a hundred floors. The deepest part corresponds to the 100th level mysterious BOSS.


    In reality, this web event only lasted seven days. At that time, the highest level among players was around fifty. What lay in the deeper 100th level remained unknown.


    As he entered the Hell Rift, the bright Back House interface became somber and dark, and the background music also carried a bizarre and unpredictable feeling.


    Black circular stone platforms floated, surrounded by blue light orbs like soul fires, and piles of white bones on the ground outlined the horror of the Hell Rift.


    ��Frost Wolf��s Bite!��


    The skill text jumped out from chibi Lulu��s head, and the light blue figure leaped up, landing on the face of a centaur clad in black armor.


    Behind her, Kafni threw out Dagger Scatter, and Monica released Earth Bombardment.


    The centaur neighed softly, slowly knelt on the ground, and turned to dust.


    [System Prompt: Your team has conquered the 27th level and received 10000 diamonds!]


    The previously insurmountable 27th level was finally conquered after Monica leveled up to 19 and Kafni to 16.


    The magical creature on the 28th level was a giant caterpillar named Heart Eater Worm, shown on the screen as a huge lump, making Lulu and the others look like ants in comparison.


    Facing this creature, the entire chibi team was eaten, and the team was stuck again.


    ��I��ll check back later,�� Lin Da said.


    Lin Da shook his head, closed the system, and got up from the bed.


    Looking at the ancient magical clock on the wall, it was already past six in the evening.


    The person who wanted to buy the Metal Destroyer Potion should be arriving soon?


    At that moment, Lin Da did not know that just beyond the wall, outside the plain door, a group of adventurers had gathered while he was asleep.


    These people did not rashly knock, all quietly waiting for the ��later�� time Lin Da had mentioned.


    There were about twenty purchasers, mostly members of Rock-level squads, the other half being adventurers from well-off families.


    As the night fell, a girl with her red hair concealed under a hood, not wanting to be recognized, slowly approached.


    ��Huh�� who is she?��


    ��Oh no, Snow Goose sent her. Do we still have a shot at competing for the last bottle?��


    ��Bursting Flames, Lia! Her Battle Qi aura seems to have deepened,�� they murmured.


    The adventurers all turned their surprised gazes towards the hooded girl.


    Possibly out of respect for her level, or perhaps considering her relationship with the Phoenix Tail Flower Team��s captain, they instinctively made room for the girl to come to the front.


    The girl took off her hood.


    Gleaming red hair like flowing flames, her beautiful face bearing a trace of melancholy, she looked at the familiar door lock with dim eyes.


    ��This is the place we lived for a year,�� she thought silently.


    The door lock bore an old sword mark, made when she once lost her keys and chopped at it.


    Lin Da reminded her the keys were not lost but hanging behind her belt��


    Aside from Lin Da, Aiko and the others, everyone laughed out loud. Lia felt a bit embarrassed, vividly remembering the incident.


    She touched her pocket.


    The key, somehow, she had brought it along.


    ��Observer Gale has also come!��


    A murmur rose from the crowd as Lia turned, and there he was, dressed in a flashy white tuxedo with golden hair combed back, it was Gale.


    ��Good evening, ladies,�� he said.


    Gale bowed politely, his right hand producing many roses, which he handed out to the women present.


    Given Gale��s status as a Star-ranked adventurer, even those who didn��t want them reluctantly accepted the roses,


    When it was Lia��s turn, Gale received a cold reply, ��No need.��


    The rose was slapped away by Lia, fell to the ground, and was crushed underfoot, petals scattering.


    Gale didn��t get angry but touched his forehead helplessly, ��Ah, truly worthy of being Thunder Swordmaster Dawen��s sister, you have exactly the same temperament as he did when he was young.��


    ��


    In the rental house, Lulu, who had been sleeping on the sofa, woke up.


    She had been awakened by the noise.


    Outside, there were many disordered voices, each aura strong.


    Among them, two auras of Battle Qi, one of ice and one of fire, even made her feel slightly threatened.


    The most profound was a wind-based Magic Power, far surpassing everyone else, reaching the level of 30. sea??h th�� novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lulu narrowed her eyes, her expression turning serious.


    As a witch, she always had to be cautious of being hunted by the Holy Light Church. Could it be that her whereabouts had been leaked, and these people outside had come to deal with her?


    Seeing Lin Da walk out of the bedroom, Lulu��s heart unexplainably steadied, seeming not so nervous anymore.


    She walked up to Lin Da, tiptoed, and whispered the situation into his ear.


    ��Being hunted? Many auras above level 20?��


    Upon hearing this, Lin Da understood what was happening.


    He chuckled, ��You��ve misunderstood, these are adventurers here to buy Magic Potions.��


    Thinking it over, it would be inconvenient for Lulu to appear, in case someone recognized her and it caused issues.


    Lin Da had Lulu hide and then woke up Kafni and Monica to greet the guests outside.


    Opening the door, Lin Da was taken aback by the nearly thirty people crowded in the narrow corridor,


    The number of people was far more than he had anticipated!


    It��s worth mentioning that the moment Lin Da opened the door, a red-haired girl reflexively hid, pulled her hood tight, and blended into the crowd.


    It was unclear whether she didn��t want to see Lin Da or wasn��t mentally prepared.


    The first thing Lin Da noticed was the conspicuous pack from Gale.


    Gale knelt on one knee, holding a silver-haired girl��s pristine hand, planning to kiss her hand back deeply.


    The identity of the silver-haired girl was naturally Captain Isa of the Ice Flower Adventure Team.


    Isa, greatly troubled, furrowed her brows and pushed Gale away, appearing ungallant. A kiss on the hand was a normal greeting.


    But Gale was notoriously flirtatious, and being honored with such a greeting by Gale was not something to be pleased about. Almost any adventurer of similar attractiveness would receive a kiss from him.


    This dilemma of whether to push Gale away dissipated the moment the rental��s door opened, revealing Lin Da��s handsome face.


    Isa hastily withdrew her hand.


    Gale, kissing the air, nearly fell flat on his face.


    ��Ah, still can��t compete with the Ultimate Pervert,�� Gale sighed deeply, enviously looking at Lin Da, who was somewhat surprised.


    ��


    ����Lin Da giving the first chance to kill a Magical Creature to the captain must mean he has feelings for her.��


    Isa��s heart raced as her teammates teased her in her ear.


    In adventures, Isa was an experienced professional, but when it came to love, she was clueless, unsure how to approach Lin Da.


    ��Thank you for giving the opportunity to the Ice Flower Adventure Team.��


    After she spoke, Isa slightly regretted it, as her tone was too polite, almost like a formality. Yet she truly didn��t know how else to face Lin Da; she certainly couldn��t just bend over and present herself like her teammates suggested��


    ��Mutual help, those were Captain Isa��s own words, weren��t they?��


    Lin Da smiled, stepped aside from the doorway, and made a gesture inviting everyone in: ��It��s a bit small inside, I hope you all won��t mind.��


    At a glance, many adventurers present were from Rock-level Squads:


    Earth Wolf Adventure Team,


    Valiant Adventure Team,


    Sword Light Adventure Team,


    And even�� a Star-ranked adventurer from the White Dove Adventure Group.

 Chapter 140 - 140: 125, the protagonist of this adventure story is not me.

    Chapter 140: 125, the protagonist of this adventure story is not me.


    ��Mr. Gale, welcome.��


    Lin Da greeted him with a smile.


    Even knowing the negative reputation of the other party, he still needed to greet the star-ranked adventurer individually.


    ��Lin Da, I have high expectations for you! You could be the next leader of a Steel Level Adventure Group!��


    Gale warmly clapped him on the shoulder, winked, and said, ��You know what I mean by coming here, right? White Dove Adventure Group won��t let you lose out: 100,000 Gold Coins for a potion, plus I personally owe you a favor. How about that?��


    The favor of a star-ranked adventurer�� Lin Da had no reason to refuse. If he had to sell, why not sell to the White Dove Adventure Group?


    ...


    Before everyone��s eyes, Lin Da took out three silver Magic Potions and handed one to Gale and one to Isa.


    ��Hey, thanks!�� Gale raised his eyebrows, placing the potion before a white ring on his finger.


    On the ring, there was a transparent Space Magic Gem. The potion disappeared with a flash of light, absorbed into the ring.


    Lin Da��s gaze heated slightly.


    A Space Ring, the ��Rolex�� of Another World, the cheapest cost at least 100,000 Gold Coins.


    Afterward, both men took out their Savings Cards, touched them together, and Gale operated on a small magic screen.


    ��100,000 Gold Coins transferred. I won��t bother you further. There��s one potion left, take your time to compete, no rush, huh.��


    Gale looked over the male adventurers with a superior expression, a stark contrast to how he treated the females.


    He wanted to greet Dawen��s younger sister, but after scanning the room without finding her, Gale shook his head, waved his hand, and left the rental house.


    Isa also received a potion, whispered her thanks, and stood quietly to the side.


    Now, with only one vial of Metal Destroyer left, all the adventurers in the room tensed up.


    No one knew to whom Lin Da would sell the last potion.


    ��


    The rental house was far too cramped; it was hard even to stand. Lia used this as a reason to escape from the living room to the bathroom.


    She knew the layout of every room here well and could even recount the origins of each piece of old furniture.


    Walking in this place full of memories, Lia seemed to transform into a different person, like a quiet girl, her flames significantly quenched.


    Her fingertips brushed the somewhat yellowed washstand, and she couldn��t help recalling the scenes where she and Lin Da��s sister, Lin Xi, fought over spots.


    Both warriors, they often played and frolicked. Among all the team members, she had the best relationship with Lin Xi.


    Lia stared blankly at the mirror in front of the washstand, glued together with glue, reflecting a girl with a hood, frowning and with a lingering gloom on her face.


    Returning from Red Heart City, Lia had been training obliviously for days without looking in a mirror. Suddenly seeing her reflection startled her: Was this dusty-faced person really herself?


    How had she become like this?


    Lia slapped her face vigorously, massaging her cheeks and muttered to herself, ��It��ll get better; once Snow Goose Adventure Team rises, they��ll all be speechless.��


    As the Phoenix Tail Flower came into prominence, the Clown Captain seemed to have taken over her title of Bursting Flames.


    Lia urgently needed to prove herself.


    If everyone around her, including herself, doubted her, her mentality would probably break. Not to mention continuing as an adventurer, she wouldn��t even have the courage to continue living.


    Born as an illegitimate daughter and raised in the slums, Lia had gotten to where she was today purely through stubbornness. She believed herself to be like a sharp sword, able to cut through all hardships and obstacles.


    After washing her face, Lia felt her complexion improved somewhat.


    About to leave the place to make a deal with Lin Da, from the corner of her eye, she accidentally caught sight of several lines of large letters engraved under the dust on the yellowing wall.


    The handwriting was crooked, like that of a primary school student.


    It was from three years ago when the Snow Goose members playfully gathered and wrote down their dreams on the wall.


    The top line read: ��To become the strongest adventure team in White Dove City!��


    Lia stared blankly for a long time.


    She looked at the bottom row: ��To safely reach the top of the World Tree.��


    Suddenly, she understood a bit more,


    Neither she nor Lin Da had changed; perhaps from the beginning, they never truly understood each other.


    Her beliefs and battle Qi were as fiery as flames, while Lin Da was always reserved, as still as dead water.


    ��


    ��The last Magic Potion belongs to me, Bursting Flames.��


    After Gale left, a new prominent package appeared.


    Lia removed the hood she used to hide herself, proudly raised her head, her youthful cheeks supple and fair, her large eyes gleaming like red jewels.


    Before she emerged, people were discussing deciding the buyer of the last vial of Metal Destroyer by drawing lots.


    Lia��s assertive proclamation offended everyone present.


    Mindy, captain of the Earth Wolf Adventure Team, a 24-level Swordsman adventurer, stared at Lia unfavorably. First, he glanced at Lin Da and, upon seeing Lin Da��s lack of stance, swallowed his harsh words.


    Despite rumors of a falling out between Lin Da and Lia, no one could be sure of the truth.


    If there was still some old affection between the two, anyone who openly insulted Lia would be offending Lin Da.


    As captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, a rising future star, even many adventurers present who were above level 20 didn��t dare to offend him lightly.


    Everyone silently waited for Lin Da to take a stance.


    ��You��re here too? Why didn��t I see you earlier?��


    Lin Da looked surprised.


    ��I borrowed your bathroom.�� When she mentioned borrowing it, Lia��s demeanor was a bit unnatural, her tone cold and rigid.


    Lin Da nodded, ��I��ll prepare an extra lot.��


    There were 27 buyers in the living room, and he, along with Monica and Kafni, made 27 simple paper slips. Since there was one extra, they had to add another paper slip.


    ��Did you not understand what I meant?��


    Lia took a deep breath and said, ��I want you to sell me that potion.��


    ��Why?�� Lin Da frowned in confusion, as it seemed to have no benefit.


    Lia clenched her teeth and took out her Savings Card: ��There are 200,000 Gold Coins in here.��


    Before leaving, Lia had already anticipated this predicament and had borrowed 50,000 coins from each team member in advance.


    ��Hey, this is unfair competition!��


    The captain of the Earth Wolf Adventure Team, Mindy, couldn��t sit still any longer. His face darkened as he said:


    ��200,000 gold coins, the Earth Wolf Adventure Team can also bring it out. Miss Lia, if you want to, you might as well draw lots like everyone else. It��s fair for everyone.��


    Fair?


    Lia clenched her fists. She used to be Lin Da��s team leader; wasn��t it normal for her to receive some preferential treatment?


    Lin Da did not answer, but Kafni snorted, ��You don��t even have the attitude of asking for a favor. Shouldn��t you bring out the panda to see first? Isn��t that common sense?��


    Lately, Kafni had been reading a lot, and his head was muddled.


    ��Are you insulting me?��


    ��Enough, both of you.��


    Lin Da placed a cardboard box as a drawing box on the table: ��Whoever draws it gets it.��


    This gesture won the favor of those present.


    If Lin Da really sold the potion to Lia, they might not say it, but they would inevitably bear some resentment.


    When Lin Da took a stand, the many adventurers in the room no longer held back their disapproval of Lia, which they visibly showed on their faces.


    Kicking Lin Da out and then coming to monopolize the potion, aren��t you shameless?


    The people did not say it, but everything they wanted to say was apparent on their faces.


    Lia had a belly full of fire, and this silent cold treatment was the most discomforting.


    She wanted to pick a fight but didn��t even know whom to fight.


    Moreover, standing opposite her were a group of Rock-level adventurers!


    Lia only felt as though these people were like annoying goblins, all pressuring her, the only ��human�� being Lin Da, not on her side but blending in with the goblins. Especially the biggest, leader-level stubborn goblin.


    In plain terms, Lia was isolated, like the one who doesn��t fit in the class.


    She frowned, joined the long line, and became just an ordinary member in the small cabin, indistinguishable from the other adventurers who had come to make a purchase.


    At Lin Da��s place now, she got no special treatment.


    When it was Lia��s turn to draw, she looked up at Lin Da.


    Lia herself didn��t know what she was waiting for, perhaps subconsciously, she wanted some proof that she was different from the others. S��ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That she was not like those ordinary adventurers.


    Even if Lin Da despised and loathed her, it would be okay.


    However,


    Lin Da didn��t say anything, just calmly looked at her.


    Dawen��s voice suddenly emerged in Lia��s ear:


    Is it okay even if you��re forgotten?


    Under the gaze of many eyes, Lia��s mouth twitched.


    ��I��ll kick Phyllis out, and you come back.��


    The conciliatory words she wanted to say paused, turning into a faint scoff.


    She took out the paper slip from the drawing box and walked aside.


    The hand clenching the paper slip trembled a bit. Lia didn��t know whether she was relieved she hadn��t said something stupid or disappointed in herself for not having the courage to speak up.


    ��Everyone open theirs,�� Lin Da said.


    ����Yes! I won!��


    A young elf with short hair jumped up excitedly.


    Lia stared at the person in dismay.


    She hadn��t even opened her paper slip yet.


    Luck��s goddess was not on her side.


    She was not the protagonist of this adventuring story.


    Lia slowly clenched the paper slip and put it in her pocket.


    The lucky elf boy named Wenlai, a level 20 Archer.


    Wenlai paid 100,000 gold coins and obtained the last Magic Potion.


    Wenlai left happily with the Magic Potion, and the others sighed in resignation, gradually dispersing.


    Adventurers passed by Lia, like the downstream flow of a tide while she stood there like a stake, bewildered.


    As the adventurers brushed past Lia, inevitably bumping shoulders, Lia though stationary, was jostled around, and some showed clear annoyance, as they disliked her blocking the way.


    Across the crowd, Lia looked towards Lin Da inside the house.


    The girl pursed her lips, her gaze fragile, as if seeking help.

 Chapter 141 - 141: 126. Scrap God and the Reward Girl

    Chapter 141: 126. Scrap God and the Reward Girl


    ��`


    But Lin Da didn��t notice her gaze, he was discussing something with Isa, laughing and jovial.


    Lin Da wouldn��t help her anymore. Lia��s face turned pale as she faced this harsh reality.


    As she stepped outside, Lia felt her steps were floating, her body seemingly weightless, stumbling to and fro.


    ��Sigh.�� A figure in robes sitting in a wheelchair beside her heaved a sigh.


    ��I had guessed you wouldn��t make it, so I secretly followed you.��


    ...


    Lia, her mind elsewhere, looked up in surprise: ��Ai�� Aiko, what are you doing here?��


    ��I feared the captain might hang himself from a tree.��


    The cloaked figure revealed blond hair, indeed it was Aiko, looking none too pleased.


    Though Aiko often mocked Lia, after three years of companionship, she had developed a certain fondness for the red-haired dwarf. Besides, Snow Goose genuinely needed that potion.


    ��I messed up, I didn��t get the potion.�� Today Lia was somewhat vulnerable, not as tough-talking as usual.


    ��There��s still a chance.�� Aiko said with a mysterious smile.


    On a deserted street, Aiko and Lia suddenly appeared, blocking the luck-struck elven young boy Wenlai.


    ��Little brother, your sister here has something she wants to discuss with you.�� Aiko said with a soft, gentle smile. However, under the dark, windy night sky, dressed in a black robe, that smile seemed chilling.


    ��What do you want to do? I am just a kitchen boy!�� Wenlai stepped back in terror.


    ��Don��t worry, sister isn��t interested in you, all right?�� Aiko said, eyes smiling: ��You have the potion in your possession, right? I��ll buy it for twice the price.�� sea??h th�� N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��You��re from ��Stargrave Adventurers��, right? The average level of your team members is 21, you haven��t even cleared the 11th floor yet. By the time you reach the 13th floor, the first kill of the hidden Magical Creatures would have already been claimed by Ice Flower.��


    ��You won��t even get the subsequent kills��not any of them. Now, I��m offering 200,000 gold for your potion, it��s a guaranteed profit for you.��


    Wenlai��s expression shifted again and again.


    This big sister made some very compelling points.


    Plus, if he didn��t sell, something terrible might happen.


    Wenlai grumbled and reluctantly pulled out the silver potion.


    ��Aiko, thank you.��


    Having obtained the potion, the two were on their way back to Snow Goose when Lia suddenly spoke out.


    Aiko gave her a surprised look.


    This powder keg was actually being open with her gratitude?


    If you had been like this earlier�� how could Lin Da have left Snow Goose?


    On second thought, it��s also thanks to Lia not being too clever.


    Otherwise�� Aiko had a myriad of emotions in her heart, probably nobody else would have had a chance.


    ��


    ��


    Meanwhile, at a nearby coffee shop.


    This coffee shop, located in Sparrow District, is quite luxurious, with clean floors, neat round tables, and a pianist playing soothing music.


    A girl with silver waterfall-like hair sat by the window, her stunningly beautiful profile captivating attention from patrons all around.


    The girl was transfixed, staring at the young man opposite her: Lin Da was doing a final review of Ice Flower team members�� information.


    After all the adventurers had left, Lin Da was invited by Isa to this coffee shop to discuss strategies for the 13th floor.


    Since returning from Red Heart City, Lin Da would intermittently work on strategizing.


    Isa��s requirement was to avoid any deaths or serious injuries, so he didn��t have to spend as much time strategizing as he did while with Snow Goose.


    Of course, the main reason was that Ice Flower��s members worked harmoniously together, their number was greater, and their overall strength exceeded that of Snow Goose.


    ��We can start the day after tomorrow at the earliest, is that okay with you?��


    Lin Da packed the materials, rubbed his slightly sore brow, and sipped the coffee on the table.


    Not hearing a response, Lin Da spoke in surprise: ��Miss Isa?��


    ��Ah.��


    As if she had been startled awake, Isa said somewhat flustered: ��No problem, we��ve always been preparing for the 13th floor, I��ve watched quite a few strategy videos too.��


    ��Are you feeling hot? Why is your face red?�� Lin Da thought it was strange, recalling the last time they dined together, the Ice Flower Captain had been very composed. How had she suddenly turned into a shy girl this time?


    ��Yes, it��s a bit hot.�� Isa drank her coffee to cover her embarrassment, feeling uneasy at the thought that the man before her might like her.


    She pretended to casually gaze out the window and nonchalantly asked: ��Lin Da, do you have a girlfriend?��


    ��Why sudden asking about that?�� Lin Da, puzzled, replied: ��No, I��m a perennial bachelor Mage.��


    ��What a coincidence, so am I.�� Isa��s pretty face showed a slight smile.


    Under the cafe��s warm yellow light at night, the girl in the white coat sitting opposite, her silver hair with a hint of graceful fragrance drifting over.


    Lin Da��s heart stirred: Everyone seems quite nice.


    Whether it��s Isa, Monica, Lulu, Aiko�� Lin Da thought they were all exceptional girls.


    ��If possible, I��d like you to join my team and become part of the family.��


    Lin Da joked.


    There was a bet between them; if Phoenix Tail Flower climbed higher than Ice Flower, Isa would have to join his team. If he failed in three years, he would honor the agreement.


    Getting back to the subject, Isa was confident, once again the beautiful and composed Ice Flower Captain, almost like she was proclaiming victory: ��Lin Da, I will make sure you become a member of Ice Flower.��


    ��I return that sentence to you, exactly as is.�� Lin Da spread his hands.


    Half an hour later, they settled on a start date for the strategy: noon, two days from now.


    When they stepped out of the coffee shop to settle the bill, Lin Da reached for his Savings Card but found Isa had already paid.


    Waving goodbye at the door, he thought to himself: She really is a mature girl. Compared to her, Lia seems to be aging in reverse.

 Chapter 142 - 142: 126. Scrap God and Reward Girl_2

    Chapter 142: 126. Scrap God and Reward Girl_2


    The petite figure with red hair, in recent days, had been fading more and more from Lin Da��s mind.


    In the initial days after leaving the team, he would often recall the moments spent with Lia, Snow Goose, and the others, but as new team members arrived one after another, his empty heart seemed to be filled, making it hard to remember those past events.


    Time indeed erases everything.


    Lin Da thought quietly to himself.


    Whether happy or sad, as time passed, everything seemed to smooth over like wind over sand, erasing all traces.


    ��Popcorn~ Fresh popcorn, 5 copper coins a cup~�� a street food cart attracted Lin Da��s attention, he fished in his pocket, the smallest denomination was a gold coin. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    The popcorn seller was an old man missing a leg, mostly those are retired adventurers who got injured in the Mystic Realm.


    Lin Da handed over a gold coin, ��Three buckets of original flavor; keep the change.��


    The old man looked up, a hint of surprise in his cloudy eyes, sized up Lin Da, and placed his right hand on his chest praying: ��May the World Tree Goddess bless you.��


    ��


    Click.


    Back at the rental, Lin Da dropped the bag on the ground.


    Sounds of water were coming from the washroom, probably Lulu taking a shower; Kafni had claimed the small bed early, and her snoring reached the outside.


    Meanwhile, Monica stood anxiously in front of him, holding a strangely shaped gold coin suspended by a string, swinging it back and forth like a pendulum, whispering softly:


    ��Dark Elf, help me hypnotize Lord Captain into a puppet that can be controlled at will����


    Lin Da��s facial muscles grew more and more relaxed as if he were truly ��hypnotized��.


    That odd-looking gold coin was clearly a fake, who knows where Monica had gotten it from.


    But Lin Da was quite curious to see what Monica would do with his hypnotized self.


    Seeing him completely relaxed, Monica blinked in surprise and commanded, ��Touch your left cheek, bend over, stand up.��


    The girl tentatively issued a series of orders, and Lin Da actually did all of them; this made Monica��s cheeks flush red, and her heart beat faster, pointing at the living room couch: ��Do, do push-ups!��


    Was it to retaliate against the self in her dreams?


    Although puzzled, Lin Da still did as he was told.


    But the next scene almost made him have a nosebleed!


    When he set himself up on the sofa, ready to go down, Monica, the little clever ghost, shakily crawled into his arms,


    The girl��s big eyes looked up in fear and longing, her small hands clasped in front of her in prayer, her two white silk legs tightly clamped together, nervous as a small animal targeted by a hunter.


    What was this all about?


    Lin Da was quite shocked inside, his memory of Monica had her as a very proper and well-behaved team member; why hypnotize him to do such a misleading act?


    An idea suddenly lit up in his mind:


    In the game, Monica was 15 years old, but three years passed since he traveled here, Monica had fully matured, and no one knew what she had gone through during these three years. Recalling the entrance to that small western-style house, the garbage bags full of tissues, and the strange smell��


    Lin Da��s face paled, his heart felt as if ten thousand horses were stampeding through it.


    Could it be that Monica had turned into a useless prize girl?!


    Sweat trickled down Lin Da��s forehead; this push-up was somehow impossible to continue.


    The girl��s warm breath less than 20 centimeters from his cheek reached him, her healthy figure catching attention, and her face growing redder.


    Perhaps thinking he was still ��hypnotized,�� unable to remember anything,


    Monica bravely reached out her small hands, encircling his neck, her eyes sparkling like stars, and from her rosy lips, she uttered a few trembling words:


    ��Monica feels for Lord Captain����


    No, she couldn��t say more!


    A demon inside Lin Da writhed, ready to break free at any moment!


    At the same time, the door to the washroom opened; it was Lulu, having finished her shower, walking out,


    This situation was extremely bad,


    Lin Da tensed up internally; if Lulu saw this scene, she would most likely think he had initiated something with Monica, which was not beneficial for raising trust to 100.


    ��Huh, where is this, wasn��t I just at the door?��


    Lin Da pretended to wake from his hypnosis, seeing Monica below him, he stood up ��in disbelief��: ��What exactly happened?��


    ��Ah, Lord Captain���� Monica was startled and quickly hid the hypnotizing gold coin behind her.


    Big Lolita ran into the bedroom, covered her head with a blanket, played ostrich, and ignored all of Lin Da��s questions.


    The next moment, the washroom door opened.


    Lulu was dressed in a pair of tight black shorts and a white sporty tube top, wiping her steaming hair with a towel draped around her neck.


    Upon seeing Lin Da, she paused for a moment, then nodded lightly, ��You��re back, how did it go over there?��


    ��I��ll be assisting Ice Flower in conquering the thirteenth floor the day after tomorrow,�� Lin Da stretched lazily, pretending nothing happened and asked, ��It��s so late, will you stay or go to the inn?��


    ��This place is too small,�� Lulu frowned. It suggested that if the house were bigger, she wouldn��t mind staying over, especially since she was also a member of the Phoenix Tail Flower.


    A house, huh�� I��ll go to the Inner City District tomorrow to see if there are any affordable ones.


    Lin Da��s current rental cabin was indeed too cramped, with only one bed and a pitifully small living room.


    As the number of people in his squad increased, he would definitely need a larger house.


    He counted the gold coins in his hand: selling three bottles of Metal Destroyer earned 300,000 gold, plus the winnings from the World Tree Secret Realm��he had a total of 341,540 gold coins on his savings card.


    A villa in the central area was definitely unaffordable, but the prices were cheaper at the edges.


    While pondering this, Lin Da escorted Lulu downstairs.


    ��Oh, there��s something I need to tell you,�� Lulu hesitated, then suddenly turned around and called out to him.


    ��What is it?��


    At night, the dim light of a street lamp fell between them, enveloping the surroundings in a strange solemn atmosphere.


    Lulu, ��Do you know about the ��Heaven Rewards the Diligent System��?��


    Lin Da, ������


    Didn��t I tell you to keep it a secret and not to tell anyone!


    ��What is that? I have no idea,�� Lin Da shook his head ��cluelessly.��


    ��Is that so?�� Lulu looked skeptical.


    Lin Da watched as Lulu left, and only then did he breathe a sigh of relief and return to the rented cabin.


    The disobedient Beastmen girl still needed to be guided tonight.


    Night.


    [System notification: 1 Potential Guidance Coupon consumed, team member Lulu��s strength increased by 30!]


    Collapsed in sweat atop the rooftop in her dream, Lulu fell once again.


    ��


    Lin Da did not sleep very soundly that night.


    He slept on the living room couch, awakened in the middle of the night by the noise of Kafni��s craft, and buried his head in distress under the blanket, wondering whether to remind Kafni.


    It is said that a girl��s joy is more than ten times that of a boy, and it lasts longer.


    If this continues, Kafni will truly become a Scrap God!


    He awoke for the second time in the late night.


    While going to the restroom, Lin Da heard a faint hum.


    It was soft, so unlike Kafni��s typically loud and bold voice that considered others as if they were in a deep sleep��


    Lin Da��s heart suspended, as if he had become the protagonist of ��O��s Void,�� treading on thin ice as he pushed the bedroom door open a crack.


    The girl��s voice came intermittently:


    ��Lord�� ying ying����


    Lin Da silently closed the door.


    He sat on the couch, pensively massaging his temples.


    In the cold and lonely night, he once again recalled the scene when Monica shyly wrapped her arms around his neck while doing push-ups.


    He was right.


    Three years had passed, and Monica had come of age.


    One should not treat her as a little girl just because she looks young.


    Adult adventurers have their own needs, an inevitable impulse brought on to ensure the survival of their race.


    ��But I can��t bring myself to do it����


    Lin Da sighed deeply.


    The guilt of touching those white, slender legs was too much for him.


    He preferred someone more mature over a Lolita.

 Chapter 143 - 143: 127, Glorious Adventurer Badge, a reward from the committee

    Chapter 143: 127, Glorious Adventurer Badge, a reward from the committee S��ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da was woken up for the third time at seven in the morning.


    Thud thud thud!


    Thud thud!


    The intense knocking continued incessantly.


    Lin Da sat up from the sofa with annoyance, who would disturb him so early in the morning?


    Opening the door, the scene outside was unexpected, with dozens of dark magic guide microphones striking at him like goblin swords.


    ...


    The faces of reporters from various newspapers were filled with frenzy, eagerly throwing out questions:


    ��Eye of True Knowledge sir, how do you view the acquisition of the Honorary Adventurer Badge?��


    ��What is your motive for releasing this strategy for free? Are you planning to ��sell products�� once your fame reaches a certain level, shearing the adventurer��s leek?��


    ��Having killed the Goblin Chieftain, your strength is evident for all to see, yet the leader of Snow Goose claims you were too weak and that��s why you were kicked out of the team, how do you explain this?��


    Lin Da was bombarded by these reporters right off the bat, somewhat ruffled, while behind him, Kafni and Monica were also woken up, groggily dressed in their pajamas, side by side emerging from the bedroom.


    Reporter Kami��s face suddenly flushed with excitement, the kind that comes with catching big news: ��Is this��is this��triangulation? The leader of Phoenix Tail Flower has this kind of interest?��


    Click click click!


    The shutters of the Magic Guide Camera were pressed nonstop, frenziedly capturing the clueless faces of the two team members.


    The drool at the corner of Kafni��s mouth and Monica��s partially exposed delicate shoulder seemed to testify to last night��s revelry.


    Lin Da shouted in frustration, which temporarily made the crowd of reporters settle down a bit.


    He first took a sip of water, moistened his throat, and allowed his thoughts to return to normal��clearly, the strategy had spread.


    This was a good thing as it could reduce adventurer casualties. However, inevitably, as the leader of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, becoming a ��celebrity�� had its advantages and disadvantages��


    The advantage was quite clear: he had gained prestige, an intangible asset that could bring convenience in many areas.


    The downside was�� he worried that some high-ranking four-star or even five-star characters, bearing grudges and wandering outside, might recognize him and come knocking on his door.


    Lin Da, helplessly faced with the microphones of the reporters, dug into his mind for a standard and proper statement to avoid becoming a noticeable target like Gale,


    He cleared his throat and said:


    ��The first question, about the adventurer badge. As an adventurer who has only reached the third level, I am flattered and will continue to produce strategies with an even firmer, more solid, diligent, upright, and reflective attitude.��


    ��For this, I thank the vast number of adventurers, the recognition from White Pigeon City Hall, the help of my team members����


    ��I must also thank����


    ��Continuing to thank����


    ��In order to make better strategies, I need to��%��&��%&%��&��


    Blah blah blah.


    Lin Da rattled off a standard civil servant exam template, so dull it could put a baby to sleep.


    Anyone could see, there was not a bit of sincerity in his rote, perfunctory statement.


    But Lin Da ultimately overlooked one thing.


    The ��empty talk culture�� in Another World was far behind compared to his previous world!


    Upon hearing it, the reporters�� expressions changed.


    Not only to be ��firm and steady��, but also ��diligent and upright��?


    To produce such an exquisite strategy, Lin Da wasn��t thinking about promoting products or harvesting adventurers�� leeks,


    but instead ��reflecting�� on where he could improve?


    His words of thanks, firstly to the broad mass of adventurers, then to the White Pigeon City Hall, and putting his own team members last�� this was both humility and a significant appreciation for his team members!


    No wonder the Lord Mayor decided to award Lin Da the Glorious Adventurer Badge��it was well-deserved!


    The many reporters all showed their respect.


    ��Ahem, moving on to the last question.�� Lin Da hadn��t realized where the problem lay, only feeling that the reporters�� expressions were a bit odd.


    He said, ��Regarding the departure from the Snow Goose team, it was just a regular exit, there��s not as much intrigue as you all think.��


    Kami passed over the microphone: ��What��s the current relationship between Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose? If you meet them in the Great Mystery Continent, would you fight over their resources?��


    Under the rules set by the World Tree, each adventure team��s quantity of resources they can gather is fixed; to want more, one would have to take from other teams.


    But adventure teams from the same city tend to have an alliance relationship in the Great Mystery Continent, and would not act against each other unless it��s extremely severe.


    Facing Kami��s question, Lin Da replied, ��There should�� hopefully be no issues.��


    Potentially?


    People sensed something unusual.


    On the day the Great Mystery Continent opens, perhaps, more explosive news could be unearthed.


    ��


    It took a whole hour for Lin Da to finally send the group of reporters away.


    Early in the morning, without having done anything yet, Lin Da already felt drained, as if he��d just conquered a Mystic Realm.


    And Kafni and Monica seemed quite drained as well��


    Lin Da sighed internally, choosing to turn a blind eye.


    ��Team leader, what exactly is the Glorious Adventurer Badge?�� Monica curiously asked.


    Kafni was also quite concerned: ��Can it be sold for money?��


    ��Less than ten adventurer badges have been issued by White Pigeon City, such a precious thing, how could it possibly be sold for money?�� Lin Da said.


    Having an adventurer badge at the Adventurer��s Guild brings VIP-level treatment, with personal handlers for various affairs and priority processing.


    The most impressive thing is the attainment of the title of Lord of Glory, becoming a lifetime noble!


    The Lord of Glory has no actual power; its main function is to grant adventurers noble status.


    Upon encountering nobles below a Marquis, no need to salute, and one can receive a hundred gold coins as imperial stipend every month.


    These coins may not seem like much, but they are enough to comfortably retire an adventurer who encounters an accident and can no longer continue adventuring.

 Chapter 144 - 144: 127, Glorious Adventurer Badge, a reward from the committee_2

    Chapter 144: 127, Glorious Adventurer Badge, a reward from the committee_2


    It meant that a major concern had been taken care of by the empire.


    Upon hearing this, Monica waved her little fist with pride: ��Lord Captain is so amazing.��


    Lin Da smiled and said, ��This badge belongs to the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.��


    After the three had washed up and were ready to leave, a messenger from the city hall arrived.


    The other party was a civil servant dressed in navy blue suit and tie, respectfully handing over an invitation with a White Dove totem to Lin Da.


    ��Please make sure to attend. In the afternoon, Mayor Adel eagerly awaits your arrival!��


    ...


    ��I will go.��


    Lin Da nodded solemnly.


    ��


    After breakfast, they took a carriage to the Inner City District.


    ��The house is nice, but it��s too expensive.��


    Lin Da came out of Clear Spring Community somewhat regretfully.


    They had just viewed a two-story villa covering 200 square meters of land.


    The area was decent, only a 20-minute walk from the World Tree, but the price had accordingly shot up, costing a total of 500,000 gold if paid in full.


    They then visited a more secluded area, but the prices were still quite steep, with the cheapest being around 200,000 gold.


    This put Lin Da in a dilemma; buying a house meant no money for equipment.


    He was short of a main weapon with ��Spell Penetration�� or ��Aquatic Monster Special Attack,�� any of which would cost at least several tens of thousands of gold, not to mention the equipment for Kafni and Monica��


    ��We��ll buy it later, priority should be given to the squad��s strength for now.��


    Lin Da thought helplessly.


    Afternoon.


    He and his team members arrived at the city hall to participate in the award ceremony.


    The ceremony took place on the first floor of the hall, with many officials standing on both sides to welcome them.


    The mayor was a blond old man around fifty, his beard meticulously groomed, dressed in a white suit, leaning on his ceremonial staff. Despite smiling, his square face emitted an awe-inspiring dignity that made one��s heart tremble.


    Looking at him, Lin Da felt as though he was looking up at a towering mountain.


    A retired adventurer of at least Star Rank, and above level 35.


    ��Lin Da, in recognition of your contributions to the larger community of adventurers, after committee deliberation, the unanimous decision was made to award you the Glorious Adventurer Badge.��


    Mayor Adel, with a beaming smile, took a gold circular badge from a tray held by his assistant.


    The background pattern was a dove with spread wings, featuring a raised relief of an armored adventurer with a thin sword held upright in front of him, like a warrior ready to sacrifice himself for the empire at any moment.


    ��I thank the committee and Lord Mayor,�� Lin Da saluted, and then, with the affable assistance of Mayor Adel, he pinned on the Glorious Adventurer Badge.


    He shook hands with Adel, both men wearing courteous smiles, a scene eagerly captured by the snapping photographers.


    ��In addition to this badge, the committee has another gift for the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.��


    Adel handed over a transparent document bag to Lin Da.


    ��This is��?��


    Lin Da took it with surprise and looked inside the bag.


    ��Wow!�� Kafni exclaimed without any image-conscious restraint, her face beaming with joy as she gave Adel a thumbs-up: ��Old guy, you��ve got good judgment, this present is absolutely divine�� cough, cough, I��m keeping it, Your Grace!��


    Adel laughed heartily, ��This young lady is interesting. The members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team are all formidable indeed.��


    ��That��s right,�� Kafni arrogantly accepted Adel��s praise.


    And about that folder �� inside it were a deed for a villa in Goldfinch District and a set of keys!


    Goldfinch District, located at the very center of White Dove City, is a prime location where every inch of land is worth its weight in gold.


    Those who live there are either wealthy or noble, including rock-level squads and nobles, and the residence of the White Dove Adventure Group is also located there.


    Written on the deed, the villa covered an area of 330 square meters�� considering the Goldfinch District��s location, buying this villa would cost around 1 million gold.


    No wonder Kafni was so excited.


    Such a large villa could not only accommodate three or four team members but three or four dozen!


    Once the award ceremony ended, Lin Da and his team members set off for their new home without delay.


    Goldfinch District.


    The three of them gazed up in astonishment at the white villa before them.


    The villa had three floors and resembled a castle, with a wooden plaque in the shape of a goldfinch at the pinnacle. Stirred by the wind, the plaque rotated, emitting the clear sound of birds chirping.


    The exterior features a garden, with a neatly manicured lawn.


    Lin Da thought that planting some holly along the sides of the corridor would look nice. The empty spaces inside could be used to grow cucumbers, tomatoes, and the like, available to pick and eat at any time.


    Opening the door, the three of them crossed the hallway and filed into the spacious living room.


    The interior of the villa was quite empty, furnished only with basic magical furnishings like magic chandeliers.


    Lin Da took a walk around and found that on the first floor there were two washrooms and two training rooms, the material of which was a special magic-resistant material that could withstand the impact of Battle Qi magic power below level 30.


    There was also a study and a lounge��


    The second floor contained the bedrooms for the team members, eight in total.


    Each one was equipped with magic amplification arrays of different attributes. Inserting a Demon Core would activate the array, speeding up the adventurer��s training.


    Monica and Kafni excitedly chose their favorite rooms, running up and down the hallway like two little explorers.


    Lin Da went up to the third floor, where there was a spacious activity hall with a podium-like area in front where team meetings could be held, or parties thrown.


    Standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling glass wall, looking out at the clear blue sky and white clouds, a sense of comfort surged in Lin Da��s heart.


    That such a large house actually belonged to the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team��


    The huge change in environment left Lin Da feeling somewhat dazed. Everything in front of him seemed like a dream, unreal; just a day before they had been living in a rundown shack, but now they were firmly standing in their own million-dollar mansion, feeling a bit surreal.


    Speaking of which, this was Lin Da��s second time buying a villa.


    But his mood was the complete opposite of the last time; instead of excitement, he felt a great sense of relief, as if his previously uncertain life had finally settled down.


    It was the sound of Monica and Kafni upstairs that snapped him out of it.


    Kafni said, ��This is way too empty, we need to buy some furniture, decorate a bit!��


    Lin Da came back to his senses and smiled, ��Yeah.��


    He looked around the empty activity hall and quietly thought to himself, take it slow, new things would gradually fill this void in the villa.


    Kafni was in charge of purchasing furniture and household supplies from the market.


    Lin Da went with Monica back to their small rental, to pack up their belongings.


    From today, they would settle in the Inner City District.


    By the time they took a carriage back to the small rental, it was already dark.


    The streetlights in the community were glowing a dim yellow, flickering on and off, attracting swarms of insects that circled beneath them like headless flies.


    Lin Da held Monica��s small hand and arrived downstairs.


    Upon looking up, he discovered someone standing at their doorstep.


    From the silhouette, it looked like a man of around 1.7 meters tall, clad in a black robe, looking around suspiciously.


    A thief?


    ��What are you doing?�� Lin Da abruptly went upstairs and put his hand on the shoulder of the sneaky person in the black robe.


    From a distance, Monica anxiously drew her magic wand, brewing an Earth Bombardment spell aimed at the figure in the black robe.


    If this guy dared make a move, she would blast him straight away. S��arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Ah!��


    The person in the black robe was startled, nearly jumping on the spot, and when he turned around and saw Lin Da��s face, he finally let out a breath of relief and took off his hat.


    ��Teacher Lin Da, please hear my plea for help!��


    The black-robed person said excitedly and then knelt on the ground with a thud!


    Lin Da and Monica were both a bit confused; so�� not a thief?


    The person spoke at breakneck speed, ��Please, you must help me, or else I��ll be kicked out of the team by that devil Lia!��


    Lia?


    Lin Da frowned, ��First, lift your head up.��


    ��Yes, yes.�� The person in the black robe smiled sheepishly and stood up.


    It was then that Lin Da recognized him.


    Their last ��encounter�� had been on the night he left the team, when Lia had handed over a resume.


    ��Being replaced doesn��t matter to you?��


    With those words, Lia slapped the resume in front of Lin Da.


    This black-robed person, showing no dignity and kneeling to ask for help, was none other than Snow Goose, the current Healer and graduate of the White Dove Noble Academy, Phyllis!


    ��Why have you come to me?�� Lin Da asked in surprise. Since Phyllis didn��t want to be kicked out by Lia, he should have been even less likely to seek him out.

 Chapter 145 - 145: 128. Phyllis: Lia is just a Shar Pei

    Chapter 145: 128. Phyllis: Lia is just a Shar Pei


    ��`


    This scene, if witnessed by Lia, would certainly result in her kicking Phyllis out on the spot��the young lady had high hopes for Phyllis, and now he was coming to ask for my help. Wouldn��t that be akin to saying Lia has poor judgment and indirectly slapping her face?


    Phyllis��s expression hardened, as he made his stance clear, ��Forgive my blunt words, but Lia is a Shar Pei.��


    Lin Da: ������


    Silenced in an instant.


    However, Phyllis lacked the awareness that ��it��s wrong to talk about others behind their backs,�� and as soon as he started talking, it was like a dam bursting, endlessly beginning to complain:


    ...


    ��Brother, as Snow Goose��s Healer, I truly understand you. Lia, that jerk, is a capitalist demon!��


    ��I stayed up for several nights in a row to create a strategy, only for her to trash it, calling it worse than dogshit. Just out of the Mystic Realm, didn��t even have time to rest, and she��s making me come up with a 12th-floor strategy, or else I��m kicked off the team. I haven��t seen a single Gold Coin of adventure bonuses this month, and still, every damn day I have to hustle because of that red-headed dwarf�� Even a donkey grinding at the mill would have it easier, right?��


    Hearing Phyllis��s complaints, Lin Da actually felt a sense of ��fellow sufferers commiserate.�� The person who understood him best wasn��t his old teammate of three years, but his yellow-haired replacement��


    The three entered the rented apartment and sat down at the round table.


    Lin Da only had instant red tea available, so he brewed a cup for Phyllis.


    Monica, shy by nature, sat beside him like a kitten in a strange new place. When Phyllis greeted her friendly, Monica nervously buried her head in Lin Da��s chest.


    ��She��s a bit introverted, please don��t mind it,�� Lin Da said, holding Monica��s small hand, smiling.


    Is this introversion? More like ultimate social anxiety.


    Phyllis thought with a puzzled expression.


    He took a sip of the red tea, instant, not very tasty.


    As the son of a noble, Phyllis was used to drinking red tea hand-brewed by lovely maids with their delicate hands. But since he was the one asking for help, he took a sip and exclaimed with feigned admiration,


    ��It truly befits red tea brewed by Mr. Eye of True Knowledge��mature, sophisticated flavor, simply marvelous~��


    If you can��t compliment sincerely, better not to bother at all.


    Lin Da��s face twitched a little, and he asked, ��So, since you hate Lia so much, why are you still with Snow Goose?��


    ��I have no choice, it��s a task my father has given me,�� Phyllis sighed, ��The family has been wanting to expand business into Red Heart City, and we can��t overlook the help of the local heavyweights, The Mandalas! Lia is the young lady of The Mandalas. If I became her teammate, perhaps I could get The Mandalas�� support.��


    Phyllis��s expression became serious as he revealed his true intentions. He took out a Savings Card from his chest, his eyes intensely focused on Lin Da, and said,


    ��Please, you must help me. I need the 12th-floor strategy to prove myself to Lia, or she��ll really kick me out! There��s 30,000 Gold in this card, just for a strategy for the 12th floor. It doesn��t have to be detailed, just enough to get by!��


    Lin Da questioned with suspicion, ��I��ve never been to the 12th floor. You trust me that much?��


    ��Ha, just kidding, anyone willing to coach Ice Flower from outside on the 13th floor, how could they be stumped by the 12th?��


    As Phyllis spoke, his expression grew serious: ��Actually, I��ve seen some of those strategies you made before.��


    ��Uh, not that I meant to snoop, but Lia threw them in the trash, and I happened to see it,�� Phyllis explained.


    Lin Da��s expression remained unchanged. Just mentioning Lia no longer stirred any emotions.


    He hummed in acknowledgment, ��It��s fine that she threw them away. They��ve already cleared the ninth floor, so they don��t need that strategy anymore.��


    ��No, what I mean to say is����


    Phyllis took a deep breath, spread his arms wide, and made a grand gesture, ��Incredibly awesome, absolutely stunning, it��s practically a textbook-level strategy!��


    ��Although there were many terms, T, AP, ADC, and the like that I didn��t understand, still, I could somewhat guess their meanings. It��s hard to imagine someone understanding Magical Creatures to such an extent, almost like they��ve been living with them since childhood�� In any case, you are my idol!��


    Phyllis, filled with excitement, stood up, taking out pen and paper he had prepared in advance: ��Please, I must have your autograph!��


    ��Um����


    Lin Da scratched his head in distress.


    Phyllis grinned, pocketed the autograph, and then looked towards the Savings Card on the table. It seemed that Lin Da had no intention of accepting it.


    ��About the strategy����


    ��I must refuse.��


    Lin Da shook his head, ��I need to prepare strategies for the Ice Flower Adventure Team and train my own teammates. I don��t have time to produce a strategy for you.��


    Phyllis��s face changed, and he clenched his teeth, ��I understand, the reward was too little, huh�� Right, a solid strategy for the 12th floor, how could anyone accept 30,000 Gold Coins for it.��


    With a slap, another Savings Card was laid on the table. Phyllis��s eyes were red, ��60,000 Gold, please, you must agree!��


    In a show of sincerity, Phyllis knelt on the floor again, as if he would stay there until Lin Da agreed.


    Monica, startled by this scene, didn��t know what to do and timidly hid behind Lin Da,


    And Lin Da also found the situation tricky, trying to persuade kindly,


    ��Give me some other time, I could help you, but right now, it��s a bit tight.��


    ��You don��t have to start right now, three days, just within three days! That��s the last deadline Lia gave me!��


    Phyllis agonized, clutching his head, ��If I get kicked out of Snow Goose, my father will definitely kill me! Please, be kind. The strategy doesn��t have to be very detailed, even severe injuries to teammates are fine, as long as no one dies, just making it through!��


    Phyllis was a typical Academic Faction commander, whose baseline for successfully passing was for the team to have no casualties. Injuries like those sustained by Oru, arm-breaking ones, were not even taken into account by Phyllis.


    His only mission was to ensure the adventure team made it through.


    If someone died, it was considered normal,


    And if no one did, it was all the better.


    By contrast, Lin Da aimed for the safety of all team members, which made his approach seem somewhat unconventional.


    ��`


    Phyllis, seeing that Lin Da still didn��t plan to agree, grudgingly took out the last savings card, ��With everything added together, it��s a total of one hundred thousand Gold Coins. Please!��


    Lin Da sighed.


    Seeing the sincerity in the Gold Coins��cough, seeing Phyllis��s sincerity, he accepted the three savings cards.


    ��Let��s get this straight beforehand, it��s just a basic strategy guide, which might be quite rough, and forget about it being damage-free,�� he said.


    Phyllis was overjoyed, ��As long as you agree! Then, I��ll come to pick it up in three days.��


    ��Don��t come here at that time, go to Villa No. 003 in the Goldfinch District.��


    ��Goldfinch District?��


    Phyllis was taken aback, ��The one in the city center?��


    ��Correct,�� Lin Da nodded.


    Phyllis struggled to find the words for a long while before finally uttering two, ��Awesome.��


    You couldn��t get a villa in the Goldfinch District for less than a million Gold Coins.


    Those who lived there were primarily business owners.


    Plus, the three Steel Level Adventure Groups of White Dove City were also located in the Goldfinch District.


    Having secured Lin Da��s promise, Phyllis returned to the Inner City District feeling relieved.


    Lia had been pestering him these past few days, and it felt like he had a huge stone weighing on his heart. Now that he had obtained Lin Da��s agreement, the stone had finally fallen, and he could sleep peacefully at last.


    On Lin Da��s side, he moved all his furniture onto the cart and returned to the villa.


    They were busy until late into the night before finally stopping to rest.


    The living room of the villa was still empty, but with tables and chairs set up and decorative paintings hung on the walls, it had become more lively and no longer seemed cold and sterile.


    In the bedrooms, everyone spread out their chosen bedding and put up some wallpaper. Looking at their bedrooms, which had been transformed anew, a sense of achievement naturally arose. S��ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da��s room was in the very center, with Monica right next to him, and Kafni heading to the far end of the hallway.


    After a simple dinner, the three of them said goodnight to each other in the hallway and entered their new bedrooms.


    Lying on the soft big bed, the Magic Circle on the ceiling activated, resembling a transparent skylight, displaying a view of the galaxy��beautiful, dazzling, and breathtaking!


    This environment, these facilities, were worlds apart from the rented shack.


    Feeling the softness of the big bed, Lin Da was filled with mixed emotions.


    He turned over to find a more comfortable position and opened the back house interface of the system.


    [System Prompt: Check-in successful, you have received 2200 Diamonds!]


    He casually checked the Hell Rift,


    Opening it, he saw three chibi-style team members being eaten by the Heart-Devouring Demonic Worm, with their little legs comically sticking out of the worm��s mouth.


    Then, with a gulp, the demonic worm swallowed the team members whole.


    [Challenge Failed]


    The red bold letters appeared on the interface. After waiting for a moment, the game restarted, and the team members tirelessly continued their efforts to challenge the demonic worm��


    ��If I could join the battlefield, I should be able to clear this obstacle,�� Lin Da thought to himself. His healing output and super-high hit points could buy Lulu time to deal damage, and with his passive skill, [Captain��s Aura], increasing the damage of all team members by 10% within a ten-meter radius, it would significantly increase the success rate of passing the challenge.


    But with this Hell Rift, there was almost nothing he could do but ��watch��.


    Suddenly, he noticed a small red door appearing above the circular arena. Clicking on it, a list sprang up:


    [Free Challenge]


    [Earth Wolf Adventure Team, Challenge Difficulty: High]


    [Valiant Adventure Team, Challenge Difficulty: High]


    [Ice Flower Adventure Team, Challenge Difficulty: Difficult]


    [White Dove Adventure Group, Challenge Difficulty: Hell]


    [Today��s Refresh Count: 1]


    ��Is this��an additional activity?��


    Lin Da blinked in surprise, the teams appearing in the challenge list were all groups he had encountered in reality.


    He tried clicking on the White Dove Adventure Group, and the scene abruptly shifted to a dojo-like open space.


    [Battle Starts]


    The three chibi-style members of Phoenix Tail Flower Team descended from the sky onto the left side of the dojo, while on the right, a magic array opened up, and a chibi-style male Swordsman with blue ponytail and white robe, squinting his eyes, stepped out.


    On either side were ��Mad Panther�� Jite and ��Observer�� Gale, with seven other distinctively featured team members behind them.


    Lin Da��s expression changed; the squint-eyed swordsman was none other than the Captain of the White Dove Adventure Group, ��Mind��s Eye�� Abner, a veteran Star-ranked adventurer!


    In the blink of an eye, as Mind��s Eye Abner drew and sheathed his sword, a light of slaughter erupted among the three members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    Kafni and Monica turned into black and white icons instantly, and Lulu entered a critical state, roaring as her Battle Qi turned jet black and her eyes flamed with red!


    This was��she was triggered into the second phase, Lulu was entering her Witch form!

 Chapter 146 - 146: 129, Four-Star Character: [Storm] Tasya

    Chapter 146: 129, Four-Star Character: [Storm] Tasya


    Lulu, in her witch form, greatly increased in strength and managed to dodge the attacks of Heart��s Eye Abner consecutively.


    The Q-version tiny figure flickered back and forth in the dojo, like something out of an action blockbuster.


    However, the power of the White Dove Adventure Group was too overwhelming, and their numbers too great.


    Lulu didn��t last long before she too became a black and white avatar.


    Lin Da shook his head and returned to the free challenge page.


    Above were the rock-level adventure teams. With the current Phoenix Tail Flower team, there was a certain gap compared to the rock-level. To start with, they were significantly lacking in member count.


    ...


    Looking at any rock-level team, there were at least five members.


    His Phoenix Tail Flower team, fully tallied, had only four people, including Kafni the Summoned Beast.


    Noticing the [Today��s Remaining Refreshes: 1] below the challenge page, Lin Da clicked it.


    He was in luck this time; the challenge page refreshed, and there was one marked ��Easy��.


    [Panda Adventure Team]


    ��This is the one.��


    Lin Da clicked to confirm the challenge. The adventurers walking out of the teleportation array on the right side of the screen were all dressed in matching Panda team uniforms.


    The young leader of the group, seeing the healthy physiques of the Phoenix Tail Flower team members, seemed to lose his way.


    He was blown away by a direct hit from Monica��s Earth Bombardment.


    ��This weak? They probably average below level 15; couldn��t even withstand a single Earth Bombardment.��


    After dealing with the Panda Adventure Team, a system prompt popped up in front of Lin Da:


    [Challenge Success, you��ve received Defense Guidance Coupons x10, Strength Guidance Coupons x15, and a Furniture Little Bear Pattern Cup x1]


    ��Not a bad reward.��


    Lin Da nodded and placed the little bear cup in the Back House, thereby increasing the base diamond earnings by 100.


    The challenge page, now grey, could no longer be clicked. It seems there were only two challenge chances per day.


    At the very bottom of the page, there was a very familiar adventure team.


    [Snow Goose Adventure Team, Challenge Difficulty: Difficult]


    Looking at the name of this adventure team, Lin Da slightly lost his focus.


    To challenge his former team with the current team he led was a mix of complex emotions.


    ��After passing the fourth level of the Mystic Realm, comes the fifth level, the Public Grand Secret Realm. To prevent Lia from pulling any tricks, it��s best to recruit some more members and improve Phoenix Tail Flower��s strength,�� Lin Da murmured to himself, with the images of several Four-Star Characters flickering through his mind.


    He had previously asked Lulu if she knew where the other Primordial team members were. Lulu��s answer was that she was not sure; she had only happened to encounter Monica.


    Those Four-Star Characters were each kicked out by Lin Da, leading them to leave the team individually, basically cutting off contact with each other. Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da wanted to take them to the top floor, but how to find them, to resolve their grudges against him�� Just the mere thought gave him a headache.


    ��


    In South Rock City, a large entertainment facility.


    At night, colorful lights flickered wildly. Exotic dancers flaunted their moves on stage, music blasted loud from magic devices, deafening to the ears.


    The adventurers below laughed and frolicked, waving flower tickets bought with gold coins, throwing them in heaps towards the stage.


    The place was filled with people of all races, though mostly males.


    Returning from the World Tree Secret Realm, they came here to release stress, indulging in beauty and alcohol��


    What could be seen around was a scene of unrestrained chaos.


    The night club owner would arrange beauties to attend to the adventurers. As long as the night��s entry fee was paid, one became a top-level guest here.


    However, in this chaotic paradise of desire, there was one maid who stood out as out of place.


    She didn��t belong to this club, but rather, she was a ��guest��.


    She wasn��t there for enjoyment, but rather to ��find someone��.


    ��Are you Lin Da?��


    The voice, as mechanical as it was calm and without fluctuation, emerged from the cherry-colored lips of the maid.


    Her long silver hair, her tan healthy skin, slender in stature, she carried a large black suitcase which faintly smelled of magic stone gunpowder smoke, perhaps holding a rarely seen weapon: a Magic Cannon.


    The Magic Cannon had greater power than bows and arrows, the main weapon for a rare profession. However, the people in the club did not notice this, the strong scent of perfume and wheat beer masking the odor of magic stone gunpowder from the case.


    What garnered more attention was the woman��s appearance; her cold, forbidding beauty. She wore a black and white maid outfit, her long legs covered by white garter stockings, a seductive lace ribbon delving into the long skirt, wrapping around her waist.


    The flawless ivory further highlighted the enchantment of her tanned skin, giving off an exotic and mysterious vibe.


    Her eyes, serene as a lake, made the surrounding revelry seem like mere noise. Even when she saw several Beastmen ganging up to punish a blonde Elf, she remained indifferent, showing none of the shyness or fear of a normal woman.


    ��What, Lin Da? What do you want with me?��


    A big man called out impatiently, turning around.


    The mysterious maid was immediately disappointed.


    What she saw was an ugly pig-headed face with a large black mole at the corner of his mouth.


    Could the face behind that ��master��s�� mask truly shine brighter than the stars, and not be this disgusting pig��s head?


    A thick disapproval showed uncompromisingly on the face of the mysterious woman, as if seeing a lump of excrement buzzing with green flies, sickened by the pig-headed man.


    She withdrew her gaze, picking up the large black case and walked toward the exit of the club.


    Her search for the ��Lin Da�� in South Rock City had once again proved fruitless.


    Since leaving the Scarlet Adventure Group, half a year had passed, and she still hadn��t found her ��master��. According to the agreement, she was to return to Red Heart City for a while, to fulfill her adventurer��s duty of exploring Mystic Realms.

 Chapter 147 - 147: 129, Four-Star Character: [Storm] Tasya_2

    Chapter 147: 129, Four-Star Character: [Storm] Tasya_2


    Only upon entering the Mystic Realm could one grow stronger and gain recognition from that person.


    If Lin Da were here, he would immediately recognize the identity of the brown-skinned, silver-haired maid.


    Four-Star Character, [Storm] Tasya!


    Like Lulu and Monica, Tasya, as an early game character, had strong advantages and disadvantages.


    Her advantage was her stable wind-based physical output; her Magic Cannon dealt more instantaneous damage than a bow. When fighting against Magical Creatures weak to ��wind,�� her output was explosive, comparable to a five-star level character.


    However, her disadvantages were significant as well. Tasya��s Ultimate Skill at level 20 did not deal high damage, except against Magical Creatures weak to wind. At other times, she was far inferior to five-star characters.


    ...


    Of course, this was from Lin Da��s harsh perspective, and he compared her to five-star level characters.


    In Another World, Tasya��s talent was no less than Bilya��s.


    ��Hey, girl, you think you can just touch Pig Grandpa��s shoulder and walk away? It��s not that easy.��


    The pig-headed man lecherously reached out to grab Tasya��s waist.


    This mysterious brown-skinned maid piqued the interest of the pig-headed man, who, stimulated by wheat beer, completely failed to sense the deep Battle Qi radiating from her.


    ��Trash, do you want to die?��


    The pig-headed man didn��t even see what happened, only hearing a chilling reprimand by his ear, like a bitter cold winter while wearing a thick coat, with an Ice Cone falling down the back of his neck, chilling him to the bone.


    Immediately after, his pig head was pressed to the ground with a bang, a black round-toed leather shoe wrapped around a white silk-stockinged foot stepping on his face, rubbing hard as if it was being used to wipe off dog poop!


    ��Aaargh!��


    The pig-headed man grimaced in pain, nearly crying!


    As an adventurer of up to level 25, he didn��t even get a chance to resist and was trampled on the ground by the opponent like trash!


    ��Fuck, it��s a Star-ranked adventurer!��


    ��Where did she come from? She seems unfamiliar.��


    ��Old pig, don��t blame the brothers for not being righteous. Got to go, see you!��


    Seeing that the situation was not good, several Beastmen companions scrambled away, leaving only the pig-headed man named ��Lin Da�� in tears.


    He strained to raise his head and along the pristine thigh-high stockings he looked upwards��


    ��Wah!��


    The pig-headed man screamed as the round-toed leather shoe plunged into his eye, plunging his vision into darkness!


    ��Disgusting, worthless, trash�� either die or change your name, you don��t deserve to be called ��Lin Da��.��


    Tasya looked down on the pig-headed man with utter contempt.


    In her heart, only one person was worthy of that name.


    The captain of the Primitive Adventure Team, Dai Lian * Zhao Wo!


    And Dai Lian��s real name was what he told her in private when he called her into his room to clean up coffee spilled on the table.


    His name was��Lin Da.


    Remembering that powerful, arrogant man who was like a Demon God, Tasya��s heart was filled with endless admiration.


    Even after being kicked out of the team, Tasya still regarded Lin Da as her only master, striving hard to become stronger and become a Star-ranked adventurer, all to be able to serve Lin Da once again.


    The pig-headed man only felt the strength in that beautiful leg growing stronger, his eyeballs nearly bursting, as he miserably shouted, ��I��ll change it, I��ll change it right now, I won��t dare call myself Lin Da ever again!��


    ��Hmph.��


    Only then did Tasya lift her foot. sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She bowed slowly to the surrounding shocked crowd, picked up her suitcase, and left the nightclub.


    On the silent streets, the silver-haired maid looked at the night sky, her expression lost, unsure of where to go.


    Since Lin Da had disappeared, it had been three years, during which she searched for more than a hundred Lin Das, but without exception, none were the person she was searching for.


    ��White Dove City�� although the chances are slim, I��ll still look for him.��


    Tasya boarded the carriage returning home.


    ��


    ��


    The next day, in the Goldfinch District.


    Lin Da��s villa had its doors broken through again.


    His original plan for today was to finalize the strategy for Phyllis and to continue perfecting Isa��s, but as soon as he got up, he was awakened by messengers from various companies.


    A famous adventure team will have many people eager to offer money.


    Lin Da carefully selected a few suitable companies, ensuring their quality was without error, he then accepted the endorsement deals.


    But he only took on three, to prevent the ��Eye of True Knowledge�� from degrading into an ��influencer�� who endorses products.


    Three endorsements, with a contract term of one year, earned Lin Da an income of 100,000 gold.


    The effort he exerted was merely taking photos with the team members holding the endorsed products, spending just two to three hours to complete it all.


    ��Earning money is really easy,�� Kafni remarked.


    For this endorsement event, Lin Da had called Lulu over from the inn.


    Lulu hesitated, but after Lin Da grabbed her wrist and pulled her into the villa, she agreed to stay, choosing a room next to Lin Da��s on the right.


    After a busy afternoon, the merchants left one by one.


    Though physically tired, Lin Da and his teammates excitedly headed to the third-floor activity hall.


    He stepped on a chair below, while Kafni took charge of directing:


    ��A bit to the left, the left! It��s all crooked!��


    What they were hanging on the wall was a huge poster.


    The poster featured a ��family photo�� of the four members of the Phoenix Tail Flower.


    ��I��ll help you.�� Lulu frowned at Kafni, who was all talk and no action, brought over a chair, and hung it up beside Lin Da, one on each side.


    Lin Da gratefully said, ��Thanks, you��ve been a big help.��


    ��It��s nothing,�� Lulu whispered. ��We are teammates, after all.��


    ��Isn��t that obvious?�� Lin Da shrugged, jumped down from the chair after hanging it, and walked over to Lulu. He extended his hand to the girl, ��Be careful.��


    ��Mm���� As a Beastman, Lulu had great balance and physical fitness, but her face turned red when Lin Da reached out his right hand, and she placed her small hand in his.


    ��Eh~�� Kafni seemed to realize something, wearing a meaningful smile.


    Lulu felt a bit guilty and quickly let go of Lin Da��s hand: ��I don��t need your help.��


    ��Ah?��


    Lin Da scratched his head in confusion.


    It was fine a moment ago; how did it become awkward so quickly?


    ��By the way, this poster is really well made.��


    He crossed his arms and looked forward. In the center of the giant poster was himself holding a decorative magic book, deep in thought.


    Kafni stood next to him holding three daggers, striking a cool pose.


    Monica clutched timidly at his sleeve, not daring to look at the camera. However, under the photographer��s instruction, she reluctantly managed to smile.


    She looked as though a robber was threatening her with a large knife on the side, making Monica��s left hand tremble as she formed a scissors gesture with her fingers, as if one could sense the trembling in that ��yeah�� word as well.


    It would be some time before Monica could overcome her social anxiety�� Perhaps when Monica became a normal girl, Lin Da might be able to let go of his guilt and engage in actions common among adult adventurers.


    The team��s fourth member, Lulu, was in her classic ��none-of-my-business�� pose with hands in her pockets.


    Aside from Lin Da, the three teammates all looked rather eccentric in front of the camera.


    But together, they strangely harmonized.


    Snapping her fingers, Kafni said, ��Shall we do it too?��


    ��Do what?�� Lin Da asked.


    ��Of course, that thing you did with them when you were in Snow Goose!�� Kafni said mysteriously.


    ��Hmm?�� Lulu��s beast ears twitched, her expression turning dark.


    ��Don��t talk nonsense,�� Lin Da, noticing Monica was also looking at him with a ��so the captain is that kind of person�� shocked expression, hurriedly explained, ��I��m still a single Old Mage.��


    Upon hearing this, both Lulu and Monica relaxed.


    Kafni laughed heartily, saying, ��What are you thinking? I meant, our adventure goals! You didn��t think of something else, did you?��


    ��Adventure goals?��


    Upon hearing this, Lulu and the others were somewhat moved. This sort of thing felt very ��team��-like, like youthful episodes from comic books and storybooks.


    ��Then let��s do it,�� Lin Da naturally had no reason to refuse.


    He took out a feather pen he carried with him, and walked with his teammates to the bottom of the poster: ��Who��s first?��


    Lulu said, ��You go first.��


    Kafni also nodded, ��Yeah, the captain should set an example. It would be awkward to let others write first.��

 Chapter 148 - 148: 130, New Home, and Their Dreams

    Chapter 148: 130, New Home, and Their Dreams


    Lin Da originally felt nothing, but when several team members stared at him with eager eyes, he inexplicably felt a bit nervous.


    Writing an overly sentimental adventure goal, it really was embarrassing.


    But his goal remained unchanged.


    It was still the same as it had been three years ago.


    Even with new team members and a new villa, Lin Da��s goal, or rather his dream, remained unchanged.


    He wrote neatly under the poster: ��Safely reach the summit of World Tree.��


    ...


    ��Oh~ still the one from the rental house? You��re not too shy to write the real one, are you?�� Kafni teased as she took the feather pen.


    ��Not at all��adults have long passed the stage of being shy,�� Lin Da shrugged.


    Lulu��s gaze became even softer, like a tranquil spring water, silently watching Lin Da��s side face.


    The three team members took turns writing their adventure goals.


    Kafni: ��Defeat the Demon King, save the world!��


    Monica wrote: ��Adventure with the captain.��


    Lulu held the pen hesitantly for a long time, torn between writing casually or stating her true dream. That was what Kafni had said��it was a bit shy, awkward.


    ��Go ahead, no one will laugh at you,�� Lin Da seriously said.


    With his encouragement, Lulu finally nodded her little head and bravely started writing after Monica��s words.


    ��Become someone whom everyone can trust.��


    Lin Da and the others looked at Lulu in surprise. Although their gazes were not malicious, they still made Lulu embarrassingly blush and she said with a feigned cold tone, ��What, is there a problem?��


    ��No problem.�� Lin Da thought for a moment, then said, ��I think it��s a very great dream.��


    ��Monica thinks so too, Sister Lulu, very cool!��


    ��Tch, adults here, embarrassing to death�� uh oh!��


    Kafni had wanted to taunt a bit more, but was immediately chopped on the forehead by Lin Da��s palm knife, causing her to cry out in pain.


    ��Damn it, playing favorites, aren��t you!��


    ��In my team, you are at the bottom position, get that clear!�� Lin Da said.


    ��What?! I��m gonna make sure you��re left with not even a pair of stolen underwear aaaah!��


    ��Pfft.�� Lulu saw them bickering with each other and couldn��t help but laugh out loud. This small laughter drew everyone��s attention, and the innocent Monica said, ��Sister Lulu just laughed.��


    ��I did not.�� Lulu kept a straight face.


    ��Definitely laughed.�� Lin Da also said.


    ��I said no.�� Lulu��s face turned red.


    ��


    2 AM, the study.


    The magic lamp was on, and Lin Da stretched lazily at his desk, rubbing his sore eyes.


    On the desk, there were two stacks of strategies.


    One was from Isa, and the other was a simple strategy made for Phyllis.


    Looking up at the palm-sized exquisite magic clock, Lin Da sighed, ��Up late again.��


    Coming out from the three-story hall, the team members went off to wash up and sleep, while he had to finish making the strategy.


    Knock Knock. S��arch* The n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The sound of knocking echoed.


    Late at night, the room bright as daylight, a head throbbing�� all these gave Lin Da a familiar feeling.


    ��Come in,�� he said.


    The person who walked in was Lulu, sporting a pale blue short hair. Her cheeks glistened with sweat from exercise, wearing a black crop top and showing a slender waist but explosive power, the contours of a six-pack visible.


    Lulu, the one who came in, was carrying a round black tray, on which was a cup of hot milk.


    ��It��s good for your health.�� Lulu placed the milk on the table.


    Lin Da held the cup, the temperature just right, not too hot, nor too cold.


    The other two team members were asleep, the silence of the deep night, his own bedroom, Lin Da stared blankly at the petite Beastmen girl in front of him, feeling a strong primal urge erupt within him, almost desperate to shed the title of perennial single old mage tonight.


    ��You��re not about to go wild, are you?�� Lulu glanced at him lightly, dousing the blazing flames.


    Right, she was his team member, still the kind who keeps herself clean, not likely to just do it.


    Lin Da, aware of his own lapse, coughed and adjusted his trousers to cover it up. He finished the milk, wiped his mouth and said, ��I have something I want to ask you.��


    ��Tasya�� do you know where Tasya is?��


    Lulu frowned, ��Why ask about her?��


    ��If I remember correctly, after you left Primordial, the next one to leave the team was Tasya. Didn��t she contact you?��


    Lin Da needed to increase the Phoenix Tail Flower��s personnel, and the most likely old team member he could recruit was Tasya.


    ��I��m taking the cup; you should go to sleep soon too,�� she said.


    Lulu picked up the milk cup, calmly closed the door, and left.


    The hallway was unlit and dim.


    Clutching the cup, Lulu��s heart suddenly quickened as she slowly brought it to her lips.


    On the rim of the cup, there remained warmth and a trace of saliva.


    Lulu glanced at the tightly closed door behind her, pretending nothing had happened, and took the cup back to her own bedroom.


    ��


    At the same moment, in Red Heart City, at the estate of The Mandalas.


    ��Welcome back.��


    Dawen, clad in a white coat, rustled in the night wind.


    He stood firm like an unsheathed sword, his eyes flashing with a lightning-like brilliance that was startling.


    Then, Dawen moved, vanishing like a bolt of lightning, his sword thrusting straight toward the neck of the silver-haired maid!


    Composed, the maid opened her black suitcase, and the equipment inside quickly assembled into a dark magic cannon with a meter-long honeycomb-shaped barrel.


    She lifted it with a handle on top, channeled her power, and the cannon��s honeycomb launcher spun rapidly. Battle Qi entered, turning into a barrage of green wind bullets that rained down on Dawen as he charged forward!


    Da da da��


    Dawen��s long sword swung out shadows, like a solid umbrella that blocked all incoming bullets. With a sudden acceleration in his step, it was almost as if he teleported behind the maid.


    When a long-range shooter is approached by a swordsman�� the outcome is decided!


    But then, black energy flickered in the maid��s azure eyes. With the help of this dark energy, her Battle Qi surged, enhancing her reaction and attack speed. Her long legs, clad in white lace stockings, crashed down on Dawen like a whip!


    With a thud,


    Dawen was forced back several meters, his feet digging into the ground and plowing a small trench about three centimeters deep.


    Feeling the turbulence of blood within and the numbness in his hands, Dawen couldn��t help but reveal a satisfying grin.


    ��After a year, I thought you had gotten weaker. Tasya, you always inspire me to become stronger!��


    Dawen sheathed his sword, his face slightly flushed with excitement, his eyes filled with a light affection as he looked at the impassive silver-haired maid before him.


    Tasya��s demeanor made it clear to Dawen once again that before her master, he was utterly defeated.


    Not even qualified to compete in the arena against her.


    Tasya just stood quietly, making no response.


    ��Still haven��t found him?�� Dawen walked ahead, leading Tasya into the estate.


    ��Yes.��


    ��It would be good to find him soon.��


    ��Do you really hope so?��


    A slight change appeared on Tasya��s usually unchanging poker face. ��Finding the master means I will leave the Scarlet Adventure Group.��


    ��I know. The contract won��t make it difficult for you. Your contributions to the Scarlet Adventure Group are plenty; I hope you can fulfill your wish.��


    Dawen laughed carelessly, still confident and proud despite being a loser, ��By the way, who exactly is your master? I��m quite free lately; maybe I could help you look.��


    ��Dai Lian * Zhao Wo.�� Tasya softly pronounced the name, her demeanor tender as if caring for a newly born chick.


    Walking beside the silver-haired maid, Dawen was somewhat enthralled. Coming back to his senses, he chuckled bitterly. ��Among the adventurers I know, there��s no one by that name.��


    ��He has another name.�� Tasya said, ��Lin Da.��


    ��What?��


    Dawen stopped in his tracks.


    He thought of Lin Da from White Dove City.


    But�� that Lin Da couldn��t possibly be the person Tasya was looking for. To command the loyalty of a woman like Tasya, one must be a formidable figure.


    Lin Da had potential, but as it stood, he couldn��t possibly command Tasya��s loyalty as her master.


    Besides, considering his little sister��s complicated situation,


    Dawen sighed with a headache.


    ��Breeze River Beach�� Phoenix Tail Flower should also be going; whether he is the one Tasya is looking for will be clear then,��


    Dawen muttered to himself.


    ��


    ��


    The next morning in White Dove City.


    ��White Dove Morning News, get your fresh White Dove Morning News, one copper coin a copy��exciting news, a new hidden Magical Creature, a future Iron Level adventurer team, hurry and buy~��


    The newsboy roamed the streets, a dark green large bag on his back filled with stacks of newspapers and a magic-guided megaphone hung over his shoulder. His crisp, loud voice, like morning rooster calls, awakened the still-slumbering city.


    ��Give me a copy.��


    ��Me too.��


    ��Here��s a silver coin for you; keep the change!��


    Adventurers bought their copies of the White Dove Morning News.


    Some, sipping milk, began reading it right on the street,


    while others found a bench, comfortably sitting down, enjoying the fresh morning air.


    They read the newspaper to see what interesting events had happened recently.

 Chapter 149 - 149: Lias growth, learning from idols

    Chapter 149: Lia��s growth, learning from idols


    The front page of the newspaper featured a group photo of four adventurers.


    Usually, this spot was reserved for articles about rock-level adventure teams, which floors they had conquered, and what kind of equipment they had looted��


    Or about some teams who had reached level 20, but fell short in layer count, just a step away from promotion to the rock level.


    However, the group photo this time featured four unfamiliar faces. The one in the middle named Lin Da was relatively more known, while the adventurers named Monica, Kafni, and Lulu had never been heard of before.


    With curiosity piqued, the adventurers eagerly read on.


    Seeing the White Dove reporter��s unreserved praise for Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team��s strategy guide, everyone��s expressions gradually changed.


    ...


    Hidden Magical Creatures, Orange Equipment, strategies detailed to the extreme��


    Each was enough to make that Lin Da a sought-after top-tier adventurer.


    But in the interview with the reporter, Lin Da expressed his intention to create more strategies for everyone with a firm, steady, serious, honest, and reflective attitude.


    This show of humility conjured up an image in everyone��s mind of a towering figure for the greater adventurer community, carrying the weight of responsibility, earning their utmost admiration.


    Lin Da��s story spread like wildfire throughout White Dove City.


    ��Hey, have you heard about Phoenix Tail Flower��s Lin Da����


    ��I know, the Eye of True Knowledge. The tenth person to receive the Glorious Adventurer Badge personally awarded by the mayor!��


    ��Tsk tsk, the last one to get the badge was the captain of the White Dove Adventure Group, Mind��s Eye Abner, right?��


    ��I��ve heard that besides the badge, the city hall has rewarded Phoenix Tail Flower with a grand villa in the Goldfinch District.��


    ��Goldfinch District? Those villas must be worth a million Gold Coins each.��


    In the market, on Secret Realm Square, inside taverns, adventurers were discussing the matters of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team with relish.


    Some were full of admiration, others green with envy.


    But one thing they all agreed on was that when it came to Phoenix Tail Flower��s old adventure team, Snow Goose, everyone had the same opinion: Now, Lia truly became the ��Clown Captain��.


    If Lin Da had not left the team, Snow Goose would have been the next most likely to become an Iron-level Adventure Team.


    In front of a bakery, an adventurer suddenly remembered: ��Right, today there seems to be a live strategy guide from the Ice Flower Adventure Team. I remember Lin Da mentioned he would be giving remote instructions, right?��


    Simultaneously.


    At the headquarters of the Ice Flower Adventure Team, outside the main gate, a silver-haired lady Swordsman stood imposingly, giving a speech to her team members.


    ��Our motto is����


    Isa cast a stern gaze over the seven team members before her.


    The Armor shone brightly, the Magic robes emitted a faint glow, and even the weakest member was level 23.


    ��Help each other and progress together!��


    ��Work hand in hand to defeat Magical Creatures!��


    Their voices rose in unison, revealing an unstoppable momentum.


    ��Very good,�� Isa nodded seriously, cleared her throat, and said, ��Next, I would like to introduce someone familiar. He will be assisting Ice Flower with off-site support as they navigate the 13th floor. Everyone, be sure to follow his orders!��


    With that, Isa took a step back, allowing Lin Da to step forward.


    Lin Da wore a practical adventurer��s outfit, with white trousers and a brown jacket full of pockets.


    He was tall and straight, a Mage by definition, but with a build akin to that of a warrior, standing there like a stable mountain peak.


    Just by looking at Lin Da, the members of Ice Flower had an inkling: This strategy guide was going to be rock-solid!


    ��I only have one thing to say. Pay attention to safety in the Mystic Realm and follow instructions. Everyone must return safely,�� Lin Da said earnestly.


    ��Yes!��


    A chorus of uniform affirmations rose.


    ��


    Lia was awakened by a cacophony of noise coming from outside.


    Her villa was not far from Ice Flower��s, and their shouting had roused her from her slumber.


    Lia sat up from her white princess bed, her red hair slightly frizzled, sticking up here and there in disarray, her expression somewhat dazed.


    She had dreamed of another ��Snow Goose Adventure Team,�� where everyone was harmonious and friendly, and a certain someone was still with them.


    ��True strength always stands alone,�� Lia silently murmured to herself, recalling the phrase her idol had once said. She clenched her fist, looking resolutely at the wall in front of her, where a newspaper clipping of the Primitive Adventure Team, with their captain Dai Lian at the forefront, was displayed.


    The power of Primitive was like a beacon to Lia.


    Dai Lian * Zhao Wo showed her through their actions that the strength of a captain was the most crucial element in building a top-tier adventure team; as long as the captain was strong, they would inevitably attract more talented members.


    All her failures, the reason she was referred to as the ��Clown Captain,�� was only one: not strong enough!


    Lia took a deep breath, her gaze sharp as she entered the washroom. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she whispered to herself, ��Lia, you don��t need companions. You yourself are the most formidable!��


    The cold treatment she received from Lin Da the previous day made the young girl keenly aware that without strength, one didn��t even have the right to make their voice heard in a crowd.


    A bunch of rock-level adventurers had sided with Lin Da, treating her coldly, but she had no power to respond.


    In the end, power was everything.


    With power�� she could even make Lin Da apologize to her by pressing his head down.


    Lia grabbed the Greatsword ��Flame Devourer�� leaning against the wall, taking her beautiful red hair in her left hand. With an easy swing of the sword��*snip*!


    The long hair she had kept for years was sliced off.


    With no expression, Lia took the cut lock of fiery hair and tossed it into the trash can.


    Discarded there were her timidity and her past.


    Lia took out an elastic band and tied her short hair into a ponytail.


    In the mirror, she looked much fresher, and her always furrowed brow also smoothed out.


    Move forward,


    To a place they couldn��t reach!


    After washing up, Lia simply ate some bread, drank a nutritional beverage, and threw her favorite strawberry cake from the fridge into the trash can��she had no need for such useless sweets anymore.


    She also cleared away the Magic Puppet game console on the sofa and many unfinished comic books, packing up several bags of useless items.


    Then Lia began frantically watching level 12 strategy videos, gripping her greatsword and imagining Magical Creatures before her, she embarked on an intense sweating training regimen.


    ��The Ice Flower Adventure Team��s level 13 strategy live broadcast is about to start, aren��t you coming?��


    Aiko pushed open the door and walked in.


    The sight that greeted her was startling��what was with all these huge trash bags? They seemed to be filled with Lia��s favorite things!


    ��I won��t go. Record it for me, I��ll watch it later.��


    Lia turned her back to her, the Flame Devourer in her hand glowed red-hot under the surging infusion of Fire Fighting Qi.


    ��You, your hair�� Are you crazy?��


    Aiko��s face wore an expression of disbelief. Lia, that vain little dwarf, cherished her red hair so much��who had cut it off�� could it have been Dawen sneaking around?


    ��I cut it myself,�� said Lia, pausing her movements and speaking indifferently: ��It��s more comfortable this way.��


    Aiko was even more shocked. The sudden change in Lia felt as unreal as if the sun had risen from the west��what sort of blow had driven Lia to the decision to cut her hair?


    Speaking of which, when Lia returned from Lin Da the other night, she wasn��t obstinate and actually thanked her, which she found quite incredible at the time.


    Had Lia broken down that day?


    A damaged powder keg would not explode but instead fall silent?


    Aiko found it hard to calm her feelings for a long time.


    She looked at Lia��s small ponytail with complex eyes and said, ��Lin Da likes long hair, right? Did you grow it out for him? You����


    ��Lin Da? What does he have to do with it? I just thought it was bothersome and cut it off,�� Lia glanced at her and said: ��You should also focus on your training. Don��t get lost in cooking and fall behind in your spell proficiency.��


    ��Oru is almost recovered from his injuries, and the materials for the level 12 strategy are also ready. Phyllis said that the strategy can be handed over to us the day after tomorrow at the latest. This time, Snow Goose cannot afford any mistakes.��


    ��How do you know Oru is healed?��


    Aiko felt even weirder. Who was this composed powder keg, unrecognizable?


    A fool would speak foolish words, jump around in a fit of rage, and say ��You haven��t passed level 12 because you��re not trying hard enough��!


    Lia took a bottled water from the table, drank it, wiped the sweat with a towel, and said somewhat strangely, ��Of course I went to visit him, didn��t I?��


    ��Oru and Phyllis?��


    ��Hmm.��


    ��Are you sick?��


    ��What are you talking about! Even I would visit my teammates!�� Lia said, clearly annoyed.


    Bless me,


    Aiko couldn��t help but exclaim it.


    It seemed that Lin Da��s departure had indeed struck the red-haired dwarf hard��so much so that she had completely changed.


    Lia then said, ��Right, tell everyone that the person who performs the worst in the level 12 Mystic Realm will get no reward.��


    ��What?�� Aiko was taken aback, ��No reward, what do you mean?�� sea??h th�� N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��The reward of the useless person will be given to other members who perform well,�� Lia mentioned it as if it were a trivial matter.


    Aiko frowned, ��That��s not very fair, is it?��


    ��What do you know, this is called a wolfish competition.��


    Lia huffed and said, ��If you don��t want your ��food�� stolen, then become stronger and instill fear in the others!��


    ��What if the person who performs the worst is you?��


    ��How could it be me.��


    ��But what if?��


    ��Then�� I��ll step down as team leader,�� Lia pondered for a moment and said slowly.


    ��That��s not necessary,�� Aiko��s eyebrows rose in surprise.


    The person who loved the adventure team the most was Lia. Asking her to give up the position of team leader was like asking for her life, wasn��t it?


    Just how much pressure was this little dwarf willing to put on herself?


    In the past,


    Aiko was a top student,


    Then she figured it out, gave up, and came to White Dove City to live a happy life.


    Now looking at Lia��s determined expression, she really wanted to say: ahead lies hell!


    After thinking about it, ever since Lin Da left, Lia indeed faced a lot of pressure, even though the pressure was deservedly self-inflicted.


    But this person seemed not to think she had done anything wrong, which meant that in Lia��s eyes�� she truly believed, from the bottom of her heart, that she had done right by Lin Da!

 Chapter 150 - 150: Auction invitation, poor Lia borrows money again

    Chapter 150: Auction invitation, poor Lia borrows money again


    At this rate, you will only lose more horribly.


    No one cares about you anymore.


    Aiko sighed.


    At her and Lin Da��s wedding in the future,


    she should give Lia a few more wedding candies.


    Otherwise, Lia is really too miserable.


    ...


    ��Come here, let me give you a hug.��


    ��Ah, what are you doing��let go of me!��


    ��


    World Tree Secret Realm, thirteenth floor, Mist Barrier Forest.


    In the thick fog where you couldn��t see your fingers, the members of the Ice Flower Adventure Team entirely relied on ��smell�� to determine the direction of the magical creatures.


    ��Ice Blade Waltz!��


    Isa, like a dancer gliding on ice, sent blades of ice filled with lethal intent towards the front.


    The thick fog momentarily parted, revealing a three-meter-tall Treant composed of dead wood.


    Secret Realm Guardian, Indestructible Tree Demon.


    Level 27, 100,000 health points.


    Following Lin Da��s instructions, Ice Flower��s members splashed a highly pungent liquid on the Indestructible Tree Demon to determine the monster��s position.


    After five minutes of intense battle, a very eerie scream emitted from the hollow of the Indestructible Tree Demon��s tree trunk. Its wooden body instantly regained vitality, sprouting fresh branches and leaves��


    At Ice Flower��s villa, Lin Da sat in front of a small broadcast screen, intently staring at the footage.


    When the scream sounded, he immediately realized: It was the second phase.


    When the Indestructible Tree Demon��s health dropped below 50,000, it would wildly grow new branches and leaves until its health recovered to 70,000 before stopping.


    The adventurers had to deplete the Indestructible Tree Demon��s health within one minute; otherwise, the creature would repeatedly regain health�� with a maximum regeneration count of 15!


    Ninety-nine percent of adventure teams would be drained by the Indestructible Tree Demon and perish in the Mist Barrier Forest.


    ��Now is the time!��


    ��Bard and Scholar, use your level 20 ultimate skills, Isa and the other teammates, also get ready, don��t hold back, attack the creature with all your might!�� S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da��s Golden Advice was sent to the sensor ladybug in a pouch on Isa��s thigh.


    ��Go!��


    Isa shouted.


    The team��s two support professionals, the Bard holding a harp, sang like a nightingale:


    ��Great God of the Forest, please lend me your strength, play the song of agility and ferocity~!��


    The Scholar girl waved her magic wand, and a red light fell on Isa: ��Battle Fury!��


    These two level 20 ultimate skills were powerful support skills. Stacked together, they significantly improved the output ability of the Ice Flower team members by at least thirty percent.


    The team swarmed up, attacking the Indestructible Tree Demon.


    Isa took the lead, her rapier like an arrow tearing through space, accurately stabbing the Indestructible Tree Demon��s eye!


    On the screen, a series of damage numbers jumped out.


    Just as Lin Da had calculated, with Ice Flower��s output capacity, it was more than enough to deplete all the health of the Indestructible Tree Demon in one minute.


    The Tree Demon fell with a thunderous crash, its body transformed into orbs of light, shooting towards the members of Ice Flower.


    Upon clearing the thirteenth floor, Ice Flower received a Divine Gift from the World Tree Goddess, with all team members leveling up!


    The largest orb of light burst open in a shower of Gold Coins, containing seven streaks of blue light and three streaks of purple light.


    Lin Da thought, Ice Flower was quite lucky.


    Even at a ��Five-star�� clearance, to explode three pieces of Purple Gear��he considered that any other adventure team would be lucky to get two.


    He again sent a suggestion: [The Indestructible Tree Demon will leave behind a green leaf, that leaf will guide you to find the Metal Slime.]


    ��Is this it?��


    In Mist Barrier Forest, Isa and her teammates, immersed in the excitement of acquiring several pieces of Purple Gear, remembered the greatest loot upon seeing this suggestion.


    Under Lin Da��s command, the group returned to the center of Mist Barrier Forest, following the leaf��s direction, and successfully opened a dead-end tree wall.


    Behind the tree wall on the clearing, a bucket-sized Metal Slime was sound asleep!


    With the appearance of this rare magical beast, suggestions instantly flooded the communication.


    Watching Ice Flower��s live action were not only Lin Da but also people from Inner City District and Sparrow District in the Adventurer��s Guild Hall.


    [The thirteenth floor really has a Metal Slime!]


    [Ah��my squad just passed the thirteenth floor not long ago.]


    [Maybe it could drop Orange Gear.]


    The Metal Destroyer Potion was consumed by an Archer of Ice Flower who directly unleashed the ultimate skill ��Barrage of Arrows��, striking the Metal Slime more than twenty times in an instant.


    In Lin Da��s view, a sea of -1s.


    In one second, before the Metal Slime even had a chance to react, it exploded into a burst of light.


    Among that burst of light, there were unmistakably two pieces of gear shining with an orange glow!


    Isa glanced at them and quickly made a decision: she would keep the long sword for herself, and the other piece, an Earth Attribute accessory only requiring level 20 to wear, along with the Metal Slime��s Demon Core, she would give to Lin Da.


    When she voiced her thoughts, she encountered opposition from her teammates,


    ��Captain, isn��t this a bit too much?��


    The team��s leader, the green bob-haired Fannis wearing large glasses looked somewhat reluctant.


    A level 20 Orange Equipment starts from 100,000 Gold Coins.


    Ice Flower had already spent 100,000 Gold Coin on the Metal Destroyer, and now to give this accessory to Lin Da�� Fannis was reluctant.


    Isa knocked Fannis on the head: ��The hidden magical beast allowed all of us to level up by 1; even if we gave all the equipment to Lin Da, Ice Flower still got the better deal.��


    ��Besides�� there��s still an Orange long sword.��


    Isa felt the power within the long sword, a trace of joy appeared on her serious face.


    This weapon was at least thirty percent stronger than the one she was currently using.


    ��Ow���� Fannis covered her head, a bit jealously saying, ��I think you, Captain, could even give away yourself, so of course, you wouldn��t care about one piece of Orange Gear.��

 Chapter 151 - 151: Auction invitation, poor Lia borrows money again_2

    Chapter 151: Auction invitation, poor Lia borrows money again_2


    ��Don��t talk nonsense, Lin Da�� He��s still watching!�� Isa stared at Fannis with a look of embarrassment and a hint of reproach, snapping her fingers against Fannis��s forehead, turning the girl��s skin bright red.


    ��


    In the afternoon, Lin Da, accompanied by the members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team and Snow Goose, held a celebration banquet in the most expensive restaurant in the Inner City District.


    ��To our success!��


    Around the huge circular table, more than a dozen people raised their glasses of wheat beer.


    The banquet lasted until the evening.


    ...


    In a bit of a disheveled state, Lin Da made his escape; a drunken Isa was a bit too much to handle. He felt that if he stayed any longer, they might not be able to interact as just friends the next day.


    Behind him, Monica looked on with jealousy like a little vinegar pot, muttering under her breath, ��The captain is such a lecher����


    Kafni teased, ��You seemed to be having quite some fun playing ��Bai Qi��, didn��t you?��


    ��Bai Qi�� is a kind of long chocolate biscuit from Another World where a man and a woman each take an end and eat forward. If one stops, they lose��the tipsy Isa apparently intended to eat Lin Da as well, and although he wanted to refuse, the wicked Ice Flower team members acted like a gang of bad ��drink pushers��, egging him on to accept.


    It was as if to say, ��Eat as much as your face allows��; and it wasn��t because he found Isa��s lips enticing that he agreed to play!


    ��It��s all a misunderstanding,�� Lin Da said gravely, ��it��s just that the biscuits are really tasty.��


    ��Here��s more���� Monica pulled out a box from her pocket, placed a piece of chocolate biscuit in her mouth, and looked at Lin Da with a shy, twinkling gaze.


    Maybe it was the alcohol speaking, but Lin Da didn��t refuse. He wanted to taste what the biscuit on his teammate��s lips was really like.


    ��Lin Da, Mr. Lin Da, you forgot something����


    Fannis rushed out, holding jewelry and a fist-sized metal Demon Core in her hand: ��The captain said you must accept it!��


    By this time, Lin Da had already finished the biscuit.


    Monica��s face was flushed red, hiding behind him like a shy little kitten, as he licked his lips which seemed to retain the girl��s fragrance: jelly-like, sweet and delicious!


    ��Monica��s lips are different from Lulu��s.��


    Lin Da thought about how Lulu��s lips were more like cool mint, more suited for hot nights.


    Hearing Fannis��s voice in front, he came back to reality.


    ��Orange jewelry, this is really too much.��


    ��The captain said you can��t refuse!��


    Even knowing it was just politeness, Fannis still greatly appreciated the gesture. Not everyone could face receiving orange jewelry and still offer refusals.


    ��I can understand a bit why the captain values you so much.�� Fannis giggled and shoved the jewelry and the Demon Core into Lin Da��s hand, waving, ��I��ll head back first; everyone said they want to drink until dawn.��


    ��Tell your captain to drink less; her capacity for alcohol is�� really quite small.��


    Lin Da watched as Fannis left and then turned his attention to the jewelry in his hand.


    It was a silver bracelet with a pattern of slimes living happily on the grasslands.


    [Name: Joyful Earth Bracelet]


    [Type: Equipment �C Jewelry]


    [Quality: Rare Orange]


    [Level: 20]


    [Attribute Points: Magic Power +450, Earth Magic damage increased by 10%]


    [Equipment Rating: 685. Wearing it, you can feel the call of the earth.]


    A very standard piece of jewelry suitable for an Earth Mage.


    Lin Da made a mental note.


    The equipment required level 20, and his teammate Monica was currently level 19, just shy of being able to wear this orange equipment.


    Carefully putting the bracelet into his pocket, Lin Da and his teammates took the carriage back to the villa.


    Each villa had a red mailbox at the front, and when Lin Da returned, he saw an invitation in the mailbox.


    In White Dove City, rock-level adventure teams were always prioritized for invitations to various events.


    Although the Phoenix Tail Flower Team had not reached rock level, Lin Da, with his Honorary Adventurer Badge and the potential shown by the team, had garnered acknowledgment from the White Dove Adventure Group and received the same treatment even without being rock level.


    Taking out the invitation from the mailbox, it was a gold-embossed magic paper with elegant script:


    ��Respected Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team:


    The 36th auction held by Chilang Commerce, Golden Fruit Commerce, and Dreamy Mist Commerce will commence tomorrow night at 9 pm. We hereby extend our sincere invitation and look forward to your esteemed presence.


    Location: XXX Road, XXX number, Underground Theater.��


    Here it was.


    Lin Da��s lips curled into a smirk; he had been raking in gold coins until his hands were numb these past few days. His savings card now boasted a total of 541,540 gold; he had been waiting exactly for this auction.


    His main weapon still hadn��t found a place, and both Monica and Kafni needed a set of purple gear�� In addition, he still needed to buy a space ring.


    ��


    Returning to the villa, Lin Da created a strategy guide for Phyllis in his study.


    By 1 a.m., he finished everything.


    He drank a cup of hot milk and leisurely opened the Back House system while lying on a recliner:


    [Sign-in successful, obtained 2440 diamonds!]


    The challenge page refreshed, showcasing a small fry team; the cute Phoenix Tail Flower Team easily defeated their opponents, earning 10 Defense Guidance Coupons.


    There was no change inside the Hell Rift; still stuck on the 28th level with the Heart-eating Demon Worm, it seemed impossible to advance without leveling up.


    It was as if Lin Da had completed a set of ��daily tasks��; he washed up and went to bed.


    ��


    At the same moment, in Snow Goose��s villa.


    Oru, Klyne, Phyllis, and others were summoned by Lia to the second-floor conference hall.


    ��What, you��re selling your Flame Devourer?��


    Aiko��s mouth dropped open in shock.


    The rest of the team gazed incredulously at the short-haired Lia who sat at the head of the long table.


    The same thought crossed everyone��s minds:


    What major illness had befallen Lia? She had cut her beautiful long hair and was now selling her favorite weapon?


    ��What are you thinking? I��m not giving up on myself.��


    Lia snorted, crossing her arms in front of her modest chest. With her short hair tied into a ponytail, she exuded a smart and refreshingly beautiful vibe as she spoke with pride:


    ��On the contrary, my fighting spirit has surged. I��ve already broken through to level 25, making me the strongest person in Snow Goose.��


    Aiko, also at level 25 and equal in rank to her, subconsciously felt that he was no match for Lia.


    Lia said, ��I need a new main weapon. There��s an auction coming up, and I��ll sell this Flame Devourer to get a new one.��


    ��So that��s it����


    Aiko stroked his proud chest and breathed a sigh of relief.


    If Lia had thrown in the towel, every team member would find themselves in an awkward situation. Leaving the team would breach their contracts, and staying would be unbearable��


    Moreover, the stronger Snow Goose became, the higher their value as team members, and the easier it would be for Aiko to catch Lin Da��s attention.


    If Snow Goose turned out to be rotten to the core, what if Lin Da thought Aiko just wasn��t up to par?


    In that case, Aiko��s chances of capturing Lin Da��s heart would be slim to none!


    So, Lia, you need to perk up��the sweet life is still ahead!


    At this moment, Aiko was undoubtedly Lia��s biggest fan.


    ��So, I��m saying you all need to lend me money to buy equipment.��


    Lia stretched out her pristine little hand, speaking as if it were a matter of course.


    ��?��


    Five question marks popped up above the heads of Snow Goose��s team members.


    Lend money?


    Again?


    You just borrowed 50,000 from each of us yesterday and haven��t paid it back!


    Lia furrowed her brow, saying, ��This is for everyone��s sake, okay?��


    ��If I become stronger, it means we all get stronger. I only have over a thousand gold coins in my hand, and even if I sell the Flame Devourer, it won��t be enough to buy a decent level 25 main weapon. You have to lend me the money!��


    ��Don��t worry, right after we conquer the 12th floor, I��ll pay you back immediately.��


    Seeing Lia��s self-assured demeanor, Aiko and the others were simultaneously frustrated and relieved.


    Lia was still that Lia; arrogant, egotistical, and dismissive, which, paradoxically, provided a sense of security. S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If Lia had really become calm, humble, mature, and steady, the team would have found it harder to adapt.


    Such a Lia wouldn��t be Lia anymore.

 Chapter 152 - 152: 133. Top-tier Orange Weapon [Azure Sword]

    Chapter 152: 133. Top-tier Orange Weapon [Azure Sword]


    ��`


    ��But we��re out of money now, and the mortgage on the house isn��t even paid off yet,�� Klyne glared at Oru, who wanted to say something, and was the first to express her refusal.


    Following Lia around, not only did we not make a single Gold Coin, but we also had to pay out of our own pockets for the work.


    The day before yesterday we borrowed 50,000, and today we��re borrowing again.


    Klyne��s resentment towards the team leader had reached its boiling point.


    Klrona, who had more savings, took out 20,000 Gold Coins to give to Lia.


    ...


    Phyllis painfully forked out 30,000.


    ��Ah, really can��t do anything about you.��


    Aiko pinched a Savings Card between two fingers, ��There��s 100,000 in here, after the strategy on the 12th floor, you must pay me back immediately.��


    ��Oh!��


    Lia calculated with her fingers: 3 plus 2 is 5, add Aiko��s 10, makes 150,000.


    That��s enough for buying a Main Weapon.


    She took the Savings Cards from her three teammates, thought for a moment, and said, ��Thanks.��


    Watching Lia bow slightly, everyone was taken aback with shock, their eyes widened dramatically.


    Is this still that Powder Keg?


    The sky hasn��t fallen, has it?


    Under their odd gazes, Lia took the Savings Cards and went back to her room to continue her cultivation.


    She had borrowed 200,000 from her family, and a total of 350,000 from the team members, but in her hands, she only had 150,000 left��


    The pressure of repayment hung over her head like a sharp blade, leaving her gasping for breath.


    ��But a real powerhouse can break the cauldrons and sink the boats.��


    Lia looked longingly at the wall where a picture of the Primordial Adventure Team��s captain hung, feeling an unstoppable surge of power in her heart.


    When there are enough lice, one doesn��t itch as much.


    The current Lia didn��t even feel the burden of another ten or twenty thousand in debt.


    ��


    The next day.


    As the sun rose and set, nightfall enveloped White Dove City.


    A white barrier was erected at the entrance of the underground theater.


    Warriors with remarkable Battle Qi guarded the entrance, their eyes sharp as they scanned every adventurer attempting to approach.


    No past auctions had seen mishaps, but the organizers were still very cautious.


    Today, a large amount of precious Magic items, weapons, and materials would be transported to the auction site, with a total value approaching twenty million Gold Coins.


    One after another, invited guests got off their carriages.


    They were all dressed in black robes, wearing special masks.


    These masks could not only change one��s voice but also block scouting Magic, ensuring maximum personal information security.


    ��Please show your invitation.��


    The guard looked at a tall figure in a black robe and said coldly.


    After producing a Magic card, the person in the black robe handed it to the warrior.


    After inspection, the guard nodded, ��You may enter.��


    ��Thank you.��


    The distorted voice from behind the mask came through.


    Thinking to himself, the man in the black robe mused: This mask is pretty useful, buying one would cost at least a thousand Gold Coins.


    As expected of an auction co-hosted by the three major commercial firms, they��re really loaded.


    The man under the black robe was Lin Da.


    He had gone out with his team to farm some minor creatures in the morning, earning 2,000 Mystical Points.


    By nightfall, he had donned the black robe and come to the auction.


    ��Creatures above level 15 are not cabbages that you see everywhere. To harvest Mystical Points, it seems I still have to wait for the Murderous Crab frenzy.��


    Walking down the dark corridor, Lin Da sighed to himself.


    Higher-level creatures have their own territories; within these territories, you might search for half a day to find a single level 15 creature, while the rest are just lackeys.


    Killing lower-level creatures is also an option, but the Mystical Points gained are too few. After much consideration, participating in the Murderous Crab event is still the best bet for leveling up.


    Looking ahead at the dark auction house, Lin Da fondled the Savings Card in his pocket, which had 500,000 Gold Coins, and strode forward with confidence, resembling a newly-rich man unconcerned about money.


    His purpose was clear: to bid on a weapon with either [Spell Penetration] or [Aquatic Monster Special Attack] characteristics in order to maximize the reduction of the Murderous Crab��s carapace resistance to his Poison Series.


    He also intended to get a set of Purple Gear for Monica.


    For Kafni��s thief series equipment, if there were suitable pieces, he would bid on a few; if not, he wouldn��t bother.


    As he pondered this,


    the sound of footsteps approached, and someone walked directly towards him from behind, bumping into his shoulder without any concern.


    Lin Da frowned, watching the person in displeasure.


    It was a woman about 1.6 meters tall, with a curvaceous figure and a chest that seemed to fill out the wide black robe. Sear?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She wore a Flower Cat mask, and her eyes beneath it were cold and intimidating, much like a ruthless predator.


    Lin Da tentatively reached for the blue sword he had brought at his side, alarmed by the woman��s scrutinizing gaze; he felt as though his body had been tinged with an ominous chill.


    Although he knew that the auction was strictly regulated and that no one was allowed to start a fight, he still felt the dangerous sensation of being targeted by a venomous snake.


    The woman chuckled lowly, withdrew her gaze, and continued on her way, vanishing into the depths of the corridor.


    The oppressive sensation that had made one��s chest feel heavy also dissipated with her departure.


    Lin Da touched his forehead and found a sheen of fine sweat.


    Star-ranked adventurer?


    He sensed a familiarity in her presence as if he had encountered her before.


    Yet thinking back on the Star-ranked adventurers he knew, there were no women among them.


    And that chuckle, what did it mean�� Lin Da felt bewildered, his mind alert to the fullest.


    Those invited to this auction were no simple characters.


    Not limited to White Dove City, adventurers from nearby Red Heart City and South Rock City could also be present.


    A 16th-level adventurer like Lin Da could be considered outstanding, but at this auction, one could easily encounter adventurers of level 20.


    In such a setting, his abilities were just ordinary.


    He glanced at the number on his invitation, 412, which was the twelfth seat in the fourth row.


    Lin Da continued his descent, arriving at a dimly lit auction house.


    ��`

 Chapter 153 - 153: 133. Top-tier Orange Weapon [Azure Sword]_2

    Chapter 153: 133. Top-tier Orange Weapon [Azure Sword]_2


    Independent couches formed an arch, surrounding the auction stage.


    There were five rows in total.


    The position of each row was meticulous.


    Those sitting at the very front were not to be underestimated.


    Lin Da, in the first row, noticed the lady with the Flower Cat mask who had bumped into him earlier.


    She was looking straight ahead, seemingly unaware of his arrival.


    ...


    Every person in the venue was cloaked in black robes, donning various masks, quiet and still.


    In front of Lin Da, at seat number 311, a small figure wearing a Joker mask had been staring at him for a while.


    When he looked back, the person immediately averted their gaze.


    ��An acquaintance?�� Lin Da wondered curiously.


    ��


    The auction officially began.


    The auctioneer on the stage was a voluptuous woman in a golden off-the-shoulder gown.


    She wore a mask that covered only half of her face, her bright red lips releasing a strong allure under the dim lights.


    One after another, auction items took the stage.


    Lin Da kept bidding.


    He won an 18th-level Earth Staff, a 19th-level chest piece, and 18th-level pants.


    All were Purple Rare quality, costing a total of 50,000 Gold Coins.


    These were prepared for Monica; wearing them, her Magic Attack was estimated to surpass 900.


    And the standard for breaking through the defense of the rare boss, the Black Shell Crab General, was 500 attack; Monica had greatly surpassed that.


    Lin Da��s own attack without his Main Weapon was 563, just barely breaking the defense threshold.


    Considering the resistance of creatures like the Murderous Crab to the Poison Series, his attack would ideally reach 700.


    ��Next up, we have our 168th lot, also identified by our appraisers as ��extremely precious��. Prepare your Gold Coins, everyone~��


    The enchanting auctioneer named Meisi, swaying her hips, took a golden scabbard from a servant��s hand.


    The scabbard opened to reveal a Magic Longsword, wrapped in white, soft silk.


    Dazzling orange light emitted from within.


    The blade was two fingers wide, engraved with complex Magic Runes, one edge plain and the other serrated, about 1.2 meters long, with a black handle embedded with a cat��s eye sapphire.


    As the longsword was drawn from the scabbard, everyone in the room seemed to hear the sound of ocean waves, and schools of fish swimming past!


    At that moment, even the lowliest Beastmen shifted their gaze from Meisi��s figure to the longsword.


    Some were ready with their bidding paddles in hand.


    An Orange Weapon that was among the top even among Orange Equipment!


    Every adventurer��s eyes gleamed with an intense heat, as if a starving beggar were gazing at a feast, or a beast in heat holding the slender hand of an Elf Lady�� eager to make a bid!


    Lin Da and number 311 in front of him were also captivated by the blue Magic Longsword.


    The beautifully slender blade with its rugged serrated edge was seamlessly integrated.


    The mere appearance of this weapon held significant collectible value.


    Add to that its potent magical aura, and without a doubt, a storm of bloody bidding was about to unfold.


    Miss Meisi was pleased with the passionate gazes, her fingers caressing the blade of the Magic Longsword as if touching a lover��s chest.


    Many adventurers were so mesmerized that they were swallowing hard and salivating.


    ��The weapon, [Azure Sword], appraised to be level 15, Orange Rare Quality, increases damage to Aquatic Demons by 40%, and enhances strength by 300 points.��


    After saying this, Meisi smiled coyly at the crowd below.


    They were no strangers to the worth of such equipment.


    Ordinary level 15 Orange Equipment typically provided around a 20% increase in damage against specific demons, and the price soared for every percentage increase above that.


    But the increase in damage against Aquatic Demons by the Azure Sword was an astonishing 40%!


    For such a weapon, all other words were superfluous.


    All other descriptions were a defilement.


    Simply conveying the power contained within the Azure Sword was the best representation.


    Indeed, as Meisi had anticipated, the adventurers were collectively excited!


    Lin Da��s breathing became rapid with excitement��40% increased damage to Aquatic Demons and an additional 300 Attribute Points.


    Under his legendary passive skill [Balance Conservation], this would also increase his Magic Power by 300 points.


    For a level 15 weapon, these attributes were near perfect.


    The associated high percentage of increased damage would keep it from becoming obsolete for a long time.


    Even if Lin Da were to reach level 30 or even 40 in the future, the Azure Sword with its 40% increase against Aquatic Demons could still be used as a strategic weapon.


    From an attribute standpoint, the Azure Sword had no flaws.


    If there had to be one, its only flaw was its price!


    Lin Da still had 450,000 Gold Coins��one could easily buy other level 15 Orange Equipment with that amount.


    But such a high-percentage damage-increasing weapon, viable even for Star-ranked adventurers�� he wasn��t completely certain he could win it.


    Among the VIPs in the first row, it was clear that some were interested, eyeing the Azure Sword, ready to leap into action.


    Facing these potential Star Rank competitors, Lin Da��s palms started to sweat.


    His financial resources paled in comparison to established Star-ranked adventurers.


    His only hope was that they were not particularly enamored with the weapon, so he might stand a chance of winning it.


    ��The Azure Sword, starting bid at 100,000 Gold, each increase must be no less than 10,000 Gold Coins.��


    Meisi struck the gavel, ��Let the auction begin!�� sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��150,000.��


    ��170,000.��


    ��200,000!��


    Bids were called out one after another, in rapid succession.


    Number 311 was anxiously looking at the Azure Sword, lacking enough Gold Coins, desperately tapping her small feet on the ground��


    ��400,000.��


    From behind her, number 412 raised their paddle and calmly called out an incredibly daunting number.


    Jumping from the previous bid of 200,000 Gold, they had doubled it!

 Chapter 154 - 154: 133. Top-tier Orange Weapon [Azure Sword]_3

    Chapter 154: 133. Top-tier Orange Weapon [Azure Sword]_3


    Moreover, judging from the composure of number 412, bringing out 400,000 Gold Coins seemed like a trifle to him.


    A hint of confusion flashed across the face behind the young girl��s mask.


    When number 412 left the team, he was penniless, how had he become so rich?


    Even though the other party donned a mask, those eyes were too familiar, and she quickly recognized his true identity.


    The very person responsible for making her become the ��Clown Captain,�� someone she would never forget even in her dreams.


    ��400,000 for a level 15 weapon is definitely a rip-off.��


    ...


    As the young girl bitterly cursed,


    ��410,000.��


    A distinguished guest in the front row, number 009, raised his card to bid.


    It seemed there was more than one person who valued the weapon over 400,000.


    Lin Da furrowed his brows and raised his placard, his tone calm and soothing, concealing his emotions, ��420,000.��


    ��430,000.��


    ��440,000.��


    ��450,000.��


    In the heart of the bidding battlefield, it had come down to just the two of them. sea??h th�� ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As he called out 450,000, Lin Da��s heart raced, filled with nervousness; this was his entire fortune.


    If this were in a game, he would have already opened the blue software to take a loan, as this sword could bring him greater profit.


    But the loan process in Another World was quite complicated.


    Distant waters can��t quench immediate thirst, and Lin Da hadn��t expected that bringing so much Gold Coins would still be insufficient.


    ��500,000.��


    Number 009 raised his card.


    This figure chilled Lin Da��s ardent heart.


    Compared to those Star-ranked adventurers in the first row, the difference in financial power was still too large.


    High-level Mystic Realm items could burst forth a Purple Gear whose price matched ordinary Orange Equipment.


    Accumulated slowly, each Star-ranked adventurer had a substantial base.


    And just then,


    The woman wearing the Flower Cat mask with number 004 glanced at him.


    A voice, almost hallucinatory, rang by his ear: ��Leave.��


    What?


    Lin Da frowned in confusion.


    A peculiar sensation emerged from the depths of his heart.


    An unknown cold breeze blew, causing him to shudder forcefully.


    In the silent air around, a trace of murderous intent seemed to lurk.


    The reminder from the woman in the Flower Cat mask was like igniting the fuse of a bomb, letting Lin Da hear a hissing burning sound.


    A strong premonition of doom grew in his heart.


    The next moment, a deafening explosion erupted.


    The ceiling above crumbled outright,


    Massive stones along with a cloud of dust cascaded down!


    Dozens of powerful auras, like lights ignited in the darkness, suddenly appeared.


    Lin Da looked up in surprise.


    These were people in black robes, wearing black devil masks with a horn about the length of a thumb on the right side of their foreheads, their weapons drawn.


    ��Doomsday Sect?��


    The characteristic mask made Lin Da��s expression shift.


    An evil cult that worshipped the Demon God, intending to bring doomsday upon this land.


    The members inside were either madmen or psychopaths!


    The auction hall was in complete disarray.


    The sound of rolling stones, exclamations, curses, complaints�� all jumbled together.


    Fortunately, most were experienced adventurers who, after the initial panic, quickly calmed themselves.


    Everyone began to activate their Magic Circuits, readying for combat.


    Lin Da, recalling the earlier reminder from number 004 with the Flower Cat mask, gazed forward with a trace of doubt.


    The spot in the first row where number 004 had been was now empty.


    Suddenly, a scream drew everyone��s attention.


    On the auction stage, the lady with long golden hair in a flowing gown, Ms. Meisi, covered her front in disbelief.


    A bloody sword tip pierced through her chest.


    The assassin, a Doomsday Sect member as small as a monkey, chuckled weirdly as he grabbed the Azure Sword behind him.


    The sight of this powerful weapon being snatched incited a mix of shock and anger among the crowd.


    A weapon worth over 500,000 Gold Coins, falling into the hands of the Doomsday Sect was a huge loss, and who knows how many adventurers could lose their lives in the future because of it.


    Against such a cult, it��s better to destroy weapons and resources rather than let them fall into their hands!

 Chapter 155 - 155: 134. Adventurers join forces, your shield is really useful

    Chapter 155: 134. Adventurers join forces, your shield is really useful


    ��Damn it, this is my item!��


    No. 009 flew into a rage, tearing off his mask to reveal a head of spiky blonde hair.


    Someone recognized his identity, Gana the ��Hedgehog�� from South Rock City, a Star-ranked adventurer!


    Gana, who wielded Water-based Fighting Spirit, was determined to obtain the Azure Sword, and just as it was within his grasp, the Doomsday Sect had to meddle, how could he not be furious?


    The Water-based Fighting Spirit enveloped him in a pale blue radiance as cold murderous intent flashed in Gana��s eyes, he charged toward the sect member,


    At that moment, a figure in a black robe with a blue Oni Horn Mask chuckled and stepped forward, blocking Gana with a great sword.


    ...


    Their fighting spirits collided, exploding with a boom and forcing them apart.


    Both retreated a few steps, evenly matched.


    Clearly, this sect member was also a Star-ranked adventurer!


    ��Monkey, don��t steal it, I had already reserved that weapon!��


    The man turned back frantically, looking at the sect member who had grabbed the Azure Sword.


    ��First come, first served!�� the monkey boasted while brandishing his twin blades, his eyes behind the mask gleaming with a bloody light, ��Wonder whose soul shall I sacrifice to our Demon God����


    ��Doomsday Sect rats, daring to show up in White Dove City!?��


    A VIP wearing a leopard mask burst out of her robe and mask, revealing a head of brown hair and an explosive figure.


    Powerful Battle Qi gushed from the woman as she gripped her clawed weapon. She vanished with a swoosh and landed a punch on the Star-ranked sect member��s head!


    In Lin Da��s view, a blood-red ��-9999�� appeared,


    The Life Barrier on the latter��s head was pierced, unable to dodge in time, he was smashed directly in the skull by the clawed woman, shattering his head.


    A fatal strike, instant death!


    The crowd suddenly became spirited.


    ��It��s Wild Panther Gite!��


    ��With so many Star-ranked adventurers here, have the Doomsday Sect��s brains been caught in a door, attacking the auction?��


    ��Everyone, the situation is urgent, let��s join forces first!��


    The adventurers quickly united.


    Because of the Doomsday Sect��s raid, several had met their untimely death.


    The target of these cultists was the treasure of the auction, which ironically placed Lin Da, seated at the back row, in a relatively safe position.


    ��Group Healing.��


    As his voice fell, he cast a large green Array above the heads of the crowd.


    The warm healing light descended, dispersing the chill in the hall.


    ��A Grand Healer? Thanks!��


    The Elf Swordsman with tag number 231 happily touched the wound on her arm, which had stopped bleeding.


    Lin Da��s healing output was far above that of a regular Healer, leading those who were treated to believe he was a Grand Healer who had reached level 20 and advanced.


    Lin Da did not explain but nodded, ��Anyone injured, call for aid immediately, and I will provide healing as quickly as possible!��


    The crowd arranged their formation, with non-frontline professions retreating to the rear while Swordsmen and Heavy Armored Warriors took the forefront.


    At that moment, the most intense fighting was happening in the front row, where magic and Battle Qi were going off wildly, leaving no opportunity for adventurers under level 30 to intervene.


    Gite was caught in a hard fight, with many Star-ranked members among the Doomsday Sect.


    The leader, a woman wearing a Flower Cat mask, known to the other cult members as ��Lady Bai Mian.��


    This Lady Bai Mian had deep magic power, seemingly at a higher level than Gite, her weapon a black dagger imbued with malevolent corrupting power that seemed to threaten life with the slightest touch.


    Gite fought with difficulty, restrained, unable to exert her full strength.


    ��Is this person their leader?��


    Confusion marred Lin Da��s features as he grew even more puzzled about the reason the other party had warned him to leave.


    The goal of the Doomsday Sect was to kill all adventurers, paving the way for the Demon King��s arrival. And Lin Da was clearly one of these adventurers, so why would Lady Bai Mian show him leniency?


    Recalling the familiar aura from that person, Lin Da felt a sense of d��j�� vu mixed with much strangeness, unable to pinpoint where he had encountered it before.


    His thoughts were abruptly interrupted as thirty to forty Doomsday Sect members launched an attack,


    The horns on their ghost masks were all green.


    According to the game settings, green Oni Horns corresponded to level 20, while blue denoted the Star Rank of level 30.


    Among the attacking sect members was the twin-bladed monkey. sea??h th�� N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da��s eyes flashed with a cold light, and he raised his hand to throw a Venom Magic Sphere!


    Someone was even faster than him and had also set sights on the monkey.


    It was the Joker-masked No. 311.


    ��Evildoer, die!��


    311, wielding an ordinary sword of blue quality, had Flames Sword Qi swirling around it, launching a vicious slash at the monkey.


    The monkey, however, let out a weird laugh, blocking 311��s attack, and his other blade aimed at 311��s head,


    At that moment, the Venom Magic Sphere arrived. Sensing the threat within, the monkey had to withdraw his attack, and his long blade merely grazed the mask on 311��s face.


    Crack!


    311��s mask fell off and the hood on her head tumbled aside.


    Vibrant red hair cascaded down, dancing in the fierce wind.


    Lin Da found her somewhat familiar, such a hair color was quite rare in White Dove City.


    However, the person he knew had waist-length hair, whereas this one had tied it into a small ponytail.


    311 drew in a deep breath, her gaze fierce and focused on the twin-bladed monkey.


    Thinking to herself, none of these cultist scum from the evil sect shall be spared!


    But on her own, she would struggle to kill that ape which was at least level 28. She hesitated for a moment and, taking advantage of a pause for breath, she turned to look at number 412.


    She knew who was beneath that mask. She yelled, ��Help me, I��m going to kill that bastard!��


    When the girl��s face came into his view, Lin Da was slightly taken aback.


    The face filled with stubbornness and rage belonged to none other than the leader of the Snow Goose team, Lia!


    She didn��t issue a capricious order but instead made a request.


    Having not seen her for several days, Lia seemed to have undergone some kind of change.


    ��This is something I also want to do.��


    ��Verdant Shield!��


    With a formidable enemy before him, Lin Da didn��t hesitate and raised his hand to release his skill.


    The Light Shield that had once appeared on the screen now enveloped him, and Lia couldn��t help but feel incredibly complex emotions.


    She could roughly feel how terrifying the thickness of this shield was; blocking a level 20 Swordsman��s strike wouldn��t be an issue.


    But Lin Da��s Level Aura�� was only around 16.


    Lia put aside the slight envy in her heart and applied the ��Energy Charging�� skill, then with the Light Shield, she darted toward the ape like a bullet!


    ��The young mistress of the Mandala family?�� The ape recognized Lia��s identity and became even more excited, charging at her without dodging, ��Rock-Smashing Strike!��


    ��Flame Slash!��


    Blades clashed and the ripples from the colliding Battle Qi swept across the surroundings.


    Lin Da narrowed his eyes towards the front where a red -1800 appeared above the ape��s head, while Lia only had the outer layer of her Verdant Shield broken.


    Frustrated curses erupted beneath the ape��s mask, as one hand reached towards its back for the ��Azure Sword��.


    This weapon possessed the Water Series trait, which could suppress the Fire Fighting Qi effectively.


    ��Don��t even think about it!��


    Lia��s eyebrows shot up as she launched an attack with her long sword like a fierce storm.


    Forced to fight, the ape��s dual blades slashed toward her shoulders.


    But at that moment, a second Emerald Light Shield descended!


    With the Verdant Shield powered by Lin Da��s 5200 Hit Points maximum, the thickness reached 1560, almost able to withstand all attacks excluding Ultimate Skills.


    This resulted in the ape being unable to reduce Lia��s Hit Points, while Lia��s sword could chop half of the ape��s life away with each strike.


    Lia internally whooped in delight.


    With this uninterrupted Light Shield, she could completely forsake defense and focus purely on output!


    Whenever Doomsday Sect members from other directions attacked her, Lin Da would use a simplified version of his unique terminology to alert her.


    Three years earlier, Lia had been made by Lin Da to memorize this set of terminology by rote.


    Therefore, in battle, she didn��t have to think at all; she could leave everything to Lin Da and maximize her combat effectiveness to the fullest.


    The long-missed feeling of exhilaration returned to Lia; in the fight for her life against members of the Doomsday Sect, she became more and more excited as if she were playing the ��obstacle carriage�� game, facing the sprint straightaway that served as a bonus round with not a single obstacle in sight.


    She didn��t have to wait for Phyllis��s nagging and always late-in-coming commands. The steady voice behind her could always predict the enemy��s movements.


    As long as Lia followed Lin Da��s instructions, she became like a Witch who had learned foresight, easily dodging all of the enemy��s attacks!


    For a moment, she even felt the illusion that the two of them were ��comrades��.


    Her body was willing to be controlled by the person behind her!


    ��Explosive Flame Slash.��


    Lin Da shouted out.


    ��Ohhhh!��


    Lia screamed out, like the protagonist in a hot-blooded novel, raising her long sword high above her head.


    The Flames burned ferociously, turning into a massive three-meter-long Sword of Light, the level 20 Ultimate Skill �C Explosive Flame Slash!


    ��Fuck!��


    The ape turned white with fear.


    It couldn��t understand how this woman, after taking commands from number 412, had risen several levels in combat effectiveness, leaving no flaws in her movements!


    ��Charge!��


    At that moment, Lin Da was like a Pok��mon trainer, his right hand pointing at the ape as he issued the attack order.


    Lia transformed into a fiery beast, as the Explosive Flame Slash ruthlessly struck the ape!


    ��Waaaahhh!��


    The ape let out a long, drawn-out shriek, as if a baseball had been hit and flew, crashing through the ceiling to expose the bright night sky above.


    It turned into a falling star, vanishing into the heavens.


    Just shy of saying ��I��ll be back!��


    Defeating this terrorist from the Doomsday Sect was certainly satisfying, but Lin Da did not forget that the Azure Sword was on the body of the ape.


    Without a second thought, he sprung up with a ��hey�� and followed through the hole in the ceiling to the outside, looking for where the ape had landed.


    ��Haha, I won!��


    Lia wiped the sweat from her forehead with her little hand, her face beaming with a radiant smile as she turned to look at Lin Da.


    That green Light Shield had piqued Lia��s interest.


    If someone in her team could master this move, she was confident they could surpass the White Dove Adventure Group and ascend to even higher floors within a year!


    The Energy Charging��s biggest concern for Lia was being interrupted, but with the Emerald Light Shield, she could maximize the power of every move.


    Having personally experienced the thickness of the Light Shield, even if Lia was reluctant, she had to admit in her heart: Lin Da was no longer a hindrance to her.


    ��


    (ps: Added character cards, folks, go ahead and give it a red heart!)

 Chapter 156 - 156: 135, Golden Cicada Shedding, the man behind

    Chapter 156: 135, Golden Cicada Shedding, the man behind


    Lin Da��s power value had reached 563 points, and with a powerful leap, he jumped directly up several meters, and within a few moves, he had reached the outside.


    He had been ready to be pursued by other members of the Doomsday Sect, but to Lin Da��s surprise, the robed figures seemed as if they could not see him at all, allowing him to leave freely.


    The other adventurers wanted to follow suit, but were stopped by the Doomsday Sect.


    A thought flashed through Lin Da��s mind: Was it because of the woman with the Flower Cat mask?


    In the game, the Doomsday Sect was a power that spanned the continent, and the names of lowly followers were never mentioned. Lin Da had also never heard of this ��Lady Bai Mian.��


    ��Finding the monkey��s corpse is crucial.��


    ...


    Lin Da shook his head, remembering the Orange Equipment, the Azure Sword, that the monkey had snatched, feeling a slight heat in his heart.


    His ultimate goal was to subdue the Demon King and save the world, and borrowing a weapon from the merchants, the ��capitalists,�� was something that could be forgiven, right��?


    Like a nimble orange cat, Lin Da jumped onto the roofs and flew around, searching for the monkey��s corpse.


    One minute, ten minutes passed��


    Cold sweat gradually emerged from Lin Da��s back.


    Nothing found.


    To not mention a corpse, he couldn��t even find a trace of the monkey��s Battle Qi!


    Lin Da��s brows furrowed into a frown.


    Something was fishy.


    Lia��s Explosive Flame Slash had sent the monkey flying, but even if it had flown far, it should still be within a hundred meters radius.


    He had expanded his search to a two hundred meter radius, yet he still couldn��t find any clue.


    Had that heretic really died under the Explosive Flame Slash?


    As this question arose in Lin Da��s mind, a sinister feeling grew, like thorns spreading from his ankles to his chest.


    He suddenly realized: It was a Golden Cicada Shedding!


    The damnable monkey hadn��t died, it wanted to escape with the Azure Sword!


    If it stayed, the higher-ups in the Doomsday Sect might not allocate the Azure Sword to the monkey, even though it was the one who had snatched the sword, at best they would just grant it some privileges.


    For such a highly valuable weapon, surely the Star-ranked members would have priority.


    The monkey wanted to monopolize the weapon, only by escaping far away from the Doomsday Sect.


    Lia��s Explosive Flame Slash indeed damaged the monkey, but it also ironically helped it achieve its goal of escape!


    As Lin Da was pondering, suddenly, a cold breeze approached from behind.


    It was moving very fast, and he barely had time to react before a hand was already reaching towards his neck!


    ��


    ��


    Now, in a dirty alleyway.


    ��Hahaha, hit the jackpot, one Orange Equipment weapon, one piece of Orange Equipment jewelry, and three purple�� oh la la, spending a lifetime as a heretic is totally worth it!��


    A short member of the Doomsday Sect, unable to restrain the corners of his mouth from lifting due to the rich haul, chuckled quietly.


    He took off a ghost face mask, revealing a face with shifty eyes and brows.


    An appearance of a thirty-something young man, with protruding buck teeth, he cradled the Azure-colored Magic Sword in his hands, his eyes filled with obsession as if he was looking at an artwork, even a slight force by his fingers made him feel heartache.


    This sect member was none other than ��Mikaa,�� the code-named ��Monkey,�� a level 28 Dual-Blade Fighter.


    Faced with the fearsome Explosive Flame Slash from the Young Lady of the Mandala family, Mikaa had used a magic scroll, the ��Thick Earth Spell,�� at the critical moment.


    The soft magic energy wrapped around Mikaa��s entire body, greatly weakening the power of the Explosive Flame Slash, which allowed him to survive and feign death to escape.


    Mikaa had come from a poor family; his parents had died early on exploring the Mystic Realm, and when invited by the Doomsday Sect, he had joined without hesitation.


    But what he thought of was how to survive, to live better!


    Now, with both the [Azure Sword] and the [Cruel Biting Shark Ring], two pieces of Orange Equipment, if sold, would be enough for Mikaa to live a lavish life for the rest of his days.


    ��To hell with the Doomsday Sect, to hell with the adventurers, die, all of you die, I will trample over your corpses and laugh my way to survival!��


    Mikaa roared excitedly in his heart, his eyes blazing as he looked northward; once he left the city gate and entered the boundless wilds, even the Doomsday Sect wouldn��t be able to track him.


    A beautiful new life was beckoning to him!


    Like a nimble great ape, Mikaa in his black robe ran and leaped across the rooftops, heading for the wilderness.


    ��


    When Lin Da felt the cold wind closing in from behind, his hair stood on end.


    He pinned his hopes on his 5300 hit points and the Verdant Shield.


    Together, they totaled over 7000. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Only a Star-ranked adventurer��s ultimate skill could kill him instantly!


    As long as the opponent couldn��t wipe out his health points in a flash, he would always have ways to recover quickly.


    However�� if the newcomer was Lady Bai Mian, his situation would be quite dire.


    A snap.


    The person who appeared behind him seemed to have no intention of attacking; that small hand merely patted his shoulder.


    In a crisp girl��s voice tinged with indignance, ��Why can you, an adventurer not even level 20, enter the auction? You must have sneaked in, right?��


    It was her��?


    Lin Da unnecessarily tensed up. Suddenly relaxed, his body went somewhat limp, and a surge of irritation rose toward the young lady behind him, who do you think you are, sneaking up like that?


    ��Don��t you know to say thank you first?��


    He turned around, frowning down at the petite redhead girl before him.


    In the heated battle just earlier, he had conjured numerous Emerald Shields for her, and added to that his command�� any normal adventurer would first give thanks, not fiercely question.


    The girl��s haughty tone made her seem like nobility who had spotted a pauper at a banquet, hands on hips, questioning why the poor dare to appear there, making one wish to tie her up tightly and give her a harsh lesson.


    This one��s character is truly deteriorating, even the 11th level hasn��t changed her. Lin Da felt even more disappointed in Lia.


    ��Thank you for your shield���� Lia glanced aside, barely whispering.


    ��What?��


    Lin Da thought he was dreaming.


    Thank-you? That Lia?


    ��I said, thank you for your shield, alright?��


    Lia yelled, frustrated.


    ��Are you freaking crazy!�� Lin Da burst out angrily. He had sneaked out to goof off and, by shouting so loudly, Lia risked exposing his intentions to others!


    ��Let��s talk about something important.��


    Lin Da asked, ��How did you get out?��


    Unlike the others inside, Lia had not been stopped by the members of the Doomsday Sect.


    Either Lady Bai Mian had let her out, or the Doomsday Sect was not interested in fighting, having snagged the treasures of the auction and preparing to leave.


    Either way, Lin Da didn��t have much time left for goofing off.


    Lia, completely misunderstanding his insinuation, said perplexedly, ��I used my feet to get out.��


    ��You�� never mind, asking is useless,�� Lin Da sighed and said, ��So, how about a partnership?��


    ��What do you mean?��


    ��Chase down that ��ape�� from the Doomsday Sect.��


    ��Ah? He didn��t die?��


    ������

 Chapter 157 - 157: 136, Youre not a mage at all!

    Chapter 157: 136, You��re not a mage at all!


    ��`


    Lin Da voiced his speculation.


    ��Apart from the Azure Sword, the opponent probably has many other pieces of Magical Equipment. If we could get them����


    Lia��s complexion changed, ��This, isn��t that bad?��


    ��We��re not going after the magical monkeys, the equipment will definitely be lost. But if we take it, we can use it to fight the Magical Creatures.��


    ��You are a similar level to that sect member,�� Lin Da continued indifferently, ��you can sense his lingering aura, can��t you?��


    ...


    The magic monkeys are estimated to be around level 28, and one can only sense the opponent��s aura if their levels are close, or if a higher-level faces someone of a lower level.


    Lin Da needed Lia to help find the magic monkey.


    At this crucial moment, Lia was hesitant, like a perfectly law-abiding citizen, ��But, everyone will recognize that equipment.��


    ��We just need to disguise their appearance, and unless someone takes them in for appraisal, they won��t be recognized,�� Lin Da explained patiently.


    Eventually, persuaded, Lia clenched her teeth and said, ��Just this once, okay? We��ll cooperate.��


    ��That��s what I was thinking too,��


    Lin Da said.


    ��


    To the south of White Dove City, the wilderness.


    ��Ha, hahaha, freedom, I��m free!��


    On the boundless plain, Mikaa shouted excitedly to the sky.


    Once he reached Red Heart City and changed his identity, no one would recognize that he was a heretic.


    The Azure Sword would sell for at least 500,000 Gold, and the various other odds and ends of equipment would fetch another 500,000��


    With a fortune of 1 million Gold Coins, many Star-ranked adventurers don��t even have that much on them.


    Whoosh!


    Suddenly, a dark purple Magic Sphere landed on Mikaa��s leather armor at the small of his back.


    The sound of sizzling corrosion was heard, and Mikaa turned his head to see a hole the size of a fist in the armor beneath him.


    ��Is it that bastard from Unit 412?��


    Mikaa recalled the recent melee.


    If it weren��t for that Unit 412 getting in the way with all sorts of spells and support, he would have had a chance to kill the young lady of The Mandalas!


    The purple Magic Sphere, as well as the Emerald Light Shield, had both left a profound impression on Mikaa.


    To him, Unit 412 was even more troublesome than Bilya.


    Especially the Light Shield, hacking away one after another, simply inexhaustible, as if he was fighting against someone with dozens of lives, so disgusting he felt like vomiting!


    ��Boy, you miscalculated, I��m not seriously injured.��


    Mikaa squinted his eyes, a cold smile forming on his lips.


    In the pitch-black wilderness, only Unit 412 appeared alone.


    Although the opponent was troublesome, that was under the premise of having protection from others.


    In a one-on-one duel, no matter how strong Unit 412 was, he would still only be level 16.


    ��Rock Splitting Strike!��


    Mikaa sneered, his footsteps leaving afterimages as he rushed to Unit 412��s side within a few breaths. It would only take one swing of his sword to send this ignorant fool to hell!


    However, Unit 412 calmly extended his right hand and murmured the incantation ��Dark Whip.��


    Once Lin Da reached level 16, his Poison Technique Series Skill Tree unlocked two new skills.


    Dark Whip, moderate energy consumption, high power.


    It formed a two-meter-long Energy Whip that could strike up to four times.


    Lin Da, like controlling a Flying Sword in the void, with a mental command, wrapped the pitch-black Energy Whip around Mikaa��s wrist, and instantly, he drew his One-Handed Sword from his waist, applying his second new skill: Sear?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Toxic Enchantment!


    The ordinary longsword of blue quality shimmered with an ominous purple glow.


    With Toxic Enchantment imbued, for five minutes, all of Lin Da��s attacks would convert to Magic Damage, and Normal Attack damage increased by 50%!


    Even the Normal Attack output of a Healing Hero should not be underestimated!


    When he swung his sword, Mikaa was a bit stunned. A Support Mage engaging in close combat with a Dual-Blade Fighter?


    Are you out of your mind?


    Mikaa��s right hand was entangled by the Dark Whip, leaving him only his left hand to attack.


    Thud! Mikaa��s longsword struck the Emerald Shield, carrying the skill ��Rock Splitting Strike,�� which instantly destroyed the Emerald Shield.


    But that was all.


    Facing Lin Da��s longsword, Mikaa confidently tried to withstand it with his Life Barrier.


    But unexpectedly, the barrier fluctuated, and his spiritual core, as if scorched by toxic flames, throbbed with agony. Mikaa grimaced, his face reddening and then paling, as if a giant centipede had bitten his kidneys!


    Damn it, you��re not a Mage at all!


    Mikaa was shocked.


    A normal attack from a level 16 Mage shouldn��t cause his core to feel pain, at most it was like being punched playfully by a young girl.


    But this attack from Unit 412 made him so painfully nauseated that he felt like vomiting blood. With his Life Barrier already weakened by Lia, he feared a few more hits would spell his doom.


    As a level 28 Dual-Blade Fighter, if Mikaa were to be solo-killed by a level 16�� That humiliation would be worse than death!


    Mikaa shouted with fierce desperation, ��Weak, too weak, barely a scratch!��


    Unit 412��s damned Light Shield was gone, and Mikaa was confident that with the next strike, he would finish off this infuriating adversary.


    Without this guy�� without him, Mikaa could even have killed the runt from The Mandalas. It was the accursed Unit 412 that shattered his dream of taking the life of a noble��s daughter!


    ��You may make your move now.��


    Lin Da suddenly stepped back, holding the Dark Whip taut on Mikaa��s right foot.


    What does that mean?


    Mikaa was taken aback.


    Suddenly, he felt a burning sensation surging from behind him.


    Only then did Mikaa realize that Unit 412 had a partner!


    While Mikaa��s right foot was caught by the Dark Whip, a petite shadow circled behind him, activated ��Energy Charging,�� leaped into the air, and used the level 20 Ultimate Skill, Explosive Flame Slash, for the second time!


    Lia��s personal talent [Ultimate] allowed her to comprehend Ultimate Skills to such an extent that she could use it a second time in short succession.


    Mikaa turned in horror, his pupils reflecting the three-meter-long fiery energy greatsword in Lia��s hands, and couldn��t help but feel his soul escaping as he cried out trembling:


    ��`


    ��Spare me, let��s talk this through, I can give you all my equipment!��


    ��When you killed others, why didn��t you spare them?�� Lia refused to listen to Mikaa��s excuses as her giant sword descended.


    With a loud boom, Mikaa��s Life Barrier shattered instantly, and amidst his screams, he was cleaved in two, his body charred black by the fiery Battle Qi.


    Lia sheathed her sword, her face turning slightly pale.


    She had killed many Magical Creatures before, but this was her first time killing one of her own kind.


    ��He got what he deserved,�� Lin Da said calmly.


    Despite the discomfort of taking a life, he felt that relative to the innocent souls fallen by the other��s hand, he had been merciful.


    Bearing the nausea, Lin Da rummaged through the charred corpse.


    The Azure Sword was unscathed, the elegant blade seeming to flow with the ocean, unharmed by the Explosive Flame Slash.


    The second piece of equipment was the Biting Shark Ring, emitting a faint orange glow.


    An orange piece of Equipment at level 20, with decent attributes. He estimated it could fetch around 150,000 Gold Coins.


    Besides that, there were three purple accessories in the monkey��s pocket.


    Glancing at Lia who was dry heaving not far away, he quietly stashed the accessories into his own pocket.


    Lia soon realized it was time to ��split the loot��. Looking around fearfully and seeing no one, she came over to the corpse and extended a clean little hand without any reservations:


    ��The Azure Sword, give it to me.��


    You sure are thinking ahead, aren��t you?


    Lin Da laughed in fury. Even a fool knew the value of the Azure Sword far exceeded all other equipment combined.


    ��Sorry.��


    Lin Da shook his head regretfully, ��I have already bound it to my magic circuit.��


    Once bound, unless the owner actively unbinds it, erasing their spiritual mark, it��s just scrap metal to anyone else.


    This Law was mainly to ensure the safety of adventurers; even if one were to kill and loot, they wouldn��t be able to take the other��s equipment.


    ��What?!��


    Lia��s face reddened, her eyes filled with disbelief.


    The Lin Da of the past wasn��t so greedy.


    It was because she trusted Lin Da��s character that she didn��t rush over to take the equipment first!


    ��How can you be so shameless?�� Lia yelled in anger.


    ��This is the normal way adventurers interact,�� Lin Da retorted, tossing over the Biting Shark Ring, ��This is yours.��


    The Biting Shark Ring was decent equipment too, but it paled in comparison to the Azure Sword.


    Lia glared at Lin Da with pursed lips, unwilling to concede, ��Give me another 200,000 Gold Coins then.��


    ��Not possible.��


    Lin Da acted as if he hadn��t heard her, dusted off his clothes, ��Let��s bury the body and leave this place quickly. Otherwise, if the auction house people find out, you��ll have to return even the ring.��


    As he walked away under Lia��s envious gaze, he caressed the Azure Sword.


    The touch under his fingers was like running water, as if the sword was truly made of water.


    An attribute frame popped up in front of his eyes:


    [Name: Azure Sword]


    [Type: Equipment �C Main Weapon]


    [Quality: Rare Orange]


    [Level: 15]


    [Attributes: Strength +300, Damage to Aquatic Demons increased by 40%]


    [Equipment Rating: 1014. Born of the sea, destined to the sea, its body turned into a keen sword, harboring the roar of waves]


    With only a level 15, the rating of the Azure Sword was quite high, passing 1000.


    The 40% special damage against Aquatic Demons was a huge bonus, raising its score significantly.


    Equipping the Azure Sword pushed Lin Da��s Dual Attack to 863.


    When attacking Aquatic Demons, that would be 1208 Dual Attack.


    However, considering the Murderous Crab��s 50% resistance to Poison damage, Lin Da��s effective Poison Technique attack would be at around 776 after deducting.


    But if he did not use Poison Techniques and instead used the skill ��Lethal Strike�� attached to the Ferocious Fang, he could wield a genuine, full-force 1208 attack.


    After handling Mikaa��s body, Lin Da was ready to leave, but Lia stopped him.


    ��The strategy for the 12th floor of Snow Goose����


    Lia paused before asking, ��Will you look at it?��


    ��I might not have time,�� Lin Da pondered for a moment.


    With the onset of the Murderous Crab crisis drawing near, he shook his head, ��I need to hunt Magical Creatures in the wild to sync up with the team.��


    ��It��s ��my�� live strategy feed. You��re not going to watch it?��


    Lia clenched her fists, feeling even more upset than when Lin Da had taken the Azure Sword.


    ��If I have some spare time, I might,�� he replied.


    As Lin Da walked away,


    The Emerald Light Shield that enveloped her gradually dissipated.


    The night wind blew through the wilderness, and without her beautiful long hair to shield her neck, Lia shivered with cold.


    After this brief cooperation, Lia realized that Lin Da wasn��t that weak after all.


    Working with Lin Da felt very comfortable, allowing her to fully unleash her combat potential.


    Possibly, her body had already grown accustomed to Lin Da��s command.


    What was most significant was the sense of dependence she couldn��t deny.


    This made Lia feel incredibly frustrated.


    She thought that without Lin Da, the team would be better off.


    But after replacing him with Phyllis, she realized that Lin Da was somewhat better.


    If she personally asked, would Lin Da�� return to the team?


    A distracted Lia kicked a small stone on the wilderness with a heavy stomp.

 Chapter 158 - 158: 137. Breeze River Beach, Giant Murderous Crab

    Chapter 158: 137. Breeze River Beach, Giant Murderous Crab


    The next day.


    The attack on the auction caused a huge uproar.


    According to the White Dove Morning News, the Doomsday Sect had almost swept away all the auction treasures, resulting in direct losses of nearly twenty million Gold Coins for the three major trading companies.


    The most precious item was the Azure Sword, a orange weapon, conservatively estimated at five hundred thousand Gold Coins.


    Adventurers also managed to recover a small portion of the auction items, but the Azure Sword was still missing.


    At noon, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team boarded a carriage and headed to the wilderness.


    ...


    Lin Da had a dusty long sword hanging from his waist that looked like a common item found by the roadside.


    Only he knew that it was the Azure Sword disguised with ��Illusion Iron.��


    Since returning from that auction, Lin Da had freeloaded this main weapon, along with three pieces of Purple Gear.


    Originally supposed to be broke and in debt, he ended up not spending a single Gold Coin and took all the equipment back��


    But compared to falling into the hands of cult members, being with him, a hero, was considered a stroke of luck among misfortunes.


    This saved Lin Da five hundred thousand Gold Coins, providing him with enough funds to buy equipment for his team members.


    Now, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team was transformed, with all members equipped with at least Purple Gear.


    In terms of Attribute Points, Monica��s Magic Attack exceeded a thousand.


    The Earth Mage had a weakness towards creatures like the Murderous Crab, providing a 50% damage boost.


    This, along with Lin Da��s ��Captain��s Aura�� and other amplifications��


    Monica, at level 19, surpassed many mages fully equipped in level-20 Purple Gear in terms of damage output alone.


    Even Kafni, a Scrap God, now possessed six hundred points of strength.


    Lin Da��s team, though only three members, had the overall power of a ��pseudo-rock level�� team.


    If it were a three-on-three, Lin Da believed the Phoenix Tail Flower Team had a chance of victory, assuming the opponents were level 20 common adventurers.


    Purchasing equipment for his team members totaled one hundred and fifty thousand Gold Coins.


    He then spent two hundred thousand for a Space Ring.


    The inside possessed a cubic space of 3X3X3 meters.


    With this ring, they no longer needed to carry cumbersome bags when hunting Magical Creatures.


    With the remaining one hundred and fifty thousand Gold Coins, Lin Da took out one hundred thousand to purchase a large quantity of earth system and blunt attack gear, waiting for the prices to rise.


    The carriage moved forward.


    Passing by the Adventurer��s Guild, a banner could be seen with the words ��Snow Goose Adventure Team��s 12th Level Strategy Live in Progress��.


    Kafni jokingly said, ��Shall we go take a look?��


    ��No need.��


    Lin Da shook his head.


    The strategy he created had already been given to Phyllis, and as long as Phyllis followed the strategy faithfully, the Snow Goose Team would have no problem getting past the 12th level.


    Their destination this trip was the Breeze River Beach.


    ��


    ��


    Thanks to the Murderous Crabs, Bob had been quite successful these past few days.


    This blond, freckled young man was worried when he met Lin Da a few days ago that Lin Da would compete with him for the business of hunting Murderous Crabs.


    But all was calm.


    It seems he overthought it.


    Adventurers of that level wouldn��t care about killing just two or three Murderous Crabs.


    To make money, Bob and his team had camped at the Breeze River Beach and hadn��t returned for several days.


    Recently, he clearly noticed an increase in the number of Murderous Crabs.


    Before, Bob could only encounter one or two a day, but today, just past noon, his team had already killed three Murderous Crabs!


    These blue-carapaced magical creatures, two meters long, hid in the mud near the river beach.


    If an adventurer carelessly passed by, they would be instantly snapped in half by its massive pincers!


    Bob and his teammates cautiously walked along the edge of the river beach.


    During these days of hunting, they had several close encounters with death.


    Thankfully, they had a scholar in the team skilled in Scouting Spells, who could detect the positions of Murderous Crabs in advance.


    ��After killing the last one, let��s head back to the city!��


    Bob turned back to look at his exhausted teammates.


    He tried to show a hearty smile and spoke of the wonderful scene after returning to the city:


    ��We have already hunted down 15 Murderous Crabs, and with the Demon Cores and materials, we can sell them for 300 gold. We won��t have to worry about living expenses for the next year!��


    Hearing this, the teammates all smiled, wiped the sweat from their faces, and felt less tired.


    This adventure team, known as ��Earth Tiger,�� consisted of four members, all of average level 9.


    At their level, a few dozen gold could buy a piece of blue gear, a night out at the tavern would only cost a gold coin, and the only scholarly girl��s eye-catching designer skirt could be bought for three gold coins��


    From this hunt of Magical Creatures, the Earth Tiger adventure team had earned about 300 gold, which was indeed a reason for their excitement.


    Even though the members had expended a lot of Battle Qi and Magic Power, they still wanted to kill one more Murderous Crab��as soon as the Murderous Crabs became abundant, the merchants�� purchase price would inevitably drop. If they wanted to make money, they had to seize the moment.


    Suffer today, enjoy greater fortune tomorrow.


    Everyone understood this principle.


    Murderous Crabs equated to double the wages, and if they missed this opportunity, they didn��t know when the next one would come.


    ��Lisa, have you found anything?�� Bob spit excitedly into his hand and tightly gripped his one-handed sword.


    Lisa was the scholar in the team, a girl who wore a golden ponytail and had a demure appearance.


    She held a white magic book, intensely focused as she used her Scouting Spell, her spiritual power spreading out like a spiderweb in all directions.


    As Bob stood there eyeing Lisa��s graceful figure, Lisa suddenly said in panic:


    ��Bob, below you, directly below! It��s moving too fast!��


    The Murderous Crabs the Earth Tiger adventure team had encountered before, even though capable of moving underground, were very slow, giving them time to react.


    Today, however, Lisa felt the Murderous Crabs were much stronger.


    Not only had their average level increased from 8 to 9, but they could also glide smoothly under the soil.


    They could have handled all these factors, until this unusual one��


    At Lisa��s cry, Bob scratched his head, full of confusion.


    With a Scouting Spell in place, how could a Murderous Crab hide directly below them without being detected?


    Yet, the fact was, the Murderous Crab, with terrifying speed, had moved from outside the range of Lisa��s Scouting Spell and swiftly positioned itself directly beneath them, by the time Lisa detected its presence, it was too late!


    With a plop.


    Mud exploded in all directions.


    Like a mud dragon emerging, half of the Murderous Crab��s body crawled out.


    And its body was three meters long, its carapace was greenish in color, and one of its large claws was thicker than an adult��s body.


    This greenish carapaced Murderous Crab suddenly appeared behind Bob,


    causing Lisa and the other team members to drastically change their expressions and step back in horror.


    ��What?��


    Seeing the expressions of Lisa and the others, Bob seemed to realize something as his eyes gradually widened.


    Like in slow motion, he turned around in terror.


    Crack!


    A fiery-red crab claw clamped around Bob��s head.


    The captain of the Earth Tiger adventure team��s field of view plunged into darkness.


    The last thought Bob had before he died was that he should have given up and returned to the city sooner.


    Merely because of the greed to hunt one more Murderous Crab, he would never again see the succulent Succubi of Dreamy Paradise.


    ��Ahhhhhh!��


    Scholar girl Lisa, holding her head, screamed in terror.


    Red blood and an unidentified white substance oozed out of the crab claw.


    It sprayed all over Lisa��s face, turning it crimson as if she had sat on a bottle of ketchup that then burst out.


    ��How could this be, a Murderous Crab of at least level 15! Why would there be a level 15 Magical Creature around the outskirts of Breeze River Beach!��


    The remaining two male members were also pale-faced, at a loss.


    In front of this viciously murderous giant Murderous Crab, their legs trembled as if they had no strength even to run.


    But even if they had the strength to run, given the Murderous Crab��s rapid movement in the mud, they would quickly be caught.


    Chopped by the crab��s claw, becoming delicious food for this creature. sea??h th�� novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Facing a Murderous Crab, the only way to survive was to hunt it down!

 Chapter 159 - 159: 138, Monster Tide Approaching, Snow Goose on 12th Floor Crisis

    Chapter 159: 138, Monster Tide Approaching, Snow Goose on 12th Floor Crisis


    But�� two level 9 warriors, and one overly panicked scholar who had completely lost her ability to fight, subduing a level 15 Murderous Crab, is it really possible?


    As they pinned their hopes on a miracle, two loud bangs sounded under their feet,


    like two Demon Gods crawling out of hell, two Murderous Crabs appeared that were no smaller than the first.


    One of them even had a stronger aura, reaching level 16!


    At that moment, the miracle in the hearts of the Earth Tiger Adventure Team members disappeared.


    Lisa knelt on the ground, shivering and closing her eyes.


    ...


    She recalled her short life, her sick mother was still waiting for her return from adventure, the promise to buy her brother a shield also could not be fulfilled.


    Just like the vast majority of adventurers, Lisa would end her ordinary and common life here.


    ��Dark Whip!��


    Suddenly, an explosion rang beside her ear.


    Then came the Murderous Crab��s hissing strange cry.


    What��s going on?


    Lisa opened her eyes, trembling with fear.


    What she saw was a black energy whip, coiled around the giant crab claw.


    The whip pulled to the side, and a crab claw fell off directly, landing on the ground with a thump.


    The second whip, threw the Murderous Crab ��heels over head��, exposing its white underbelly.


    The third whip, the whip tightened, striking like a steel rod, smashing the creature��s underbelly inward.


    The Murderous Crab��s several pairs of claws trembled once, then curled up, motionless.


    All in just three seconds.


    A level 15 Murderous Crab, just died?


    Lisa first was stunned, then her eyes moistened, immediately realizing, she was saved.


    A high-level adventurer had come to their rescue!


    ��Earth Spear Spell!��


    Following that, two sharp earth spears shot out, precisely embedding themselves into the mouths of the two Murderous Crabs.


    Lisa and her companions looked shocked, seeing that this basic Earth Mage technique instantly killed two level 15 Murderous Crabs!


    Earth system indeed suppresses Shell-type Magical Creatures, but not to such an unbelievable extent.


    ��I understand.��


    ��It��s a veteran Rock-level Squad!��


    Kodo, the warrior, excitedly looked towards the petite Mage who was casting the Earth Spear Spell.


    She was slightly over one and a half meters tall, wearing a large pointed Mage Hat, and below her cloak, she had pure white silk stockings trimmed with gold.


    This seemingly harmless young girl, however, effortlessly killed two terrifying Murderous Crabs with a simple gesture��


    Earth Tiger Adventure Team had exerted all their might and still could not kill one, but in this young girl��s hands, just a wave of her Magic Wand, casually casting two Earth Spear Spells, finished off the Murderous Crabs.


    As simple as swatting two mosquitoes.


    The prowess of the Rock-level Squad staggeringly impacted Kodo��s mind.


    It also made him doubt the purpose of their recent painstaking efforts at Breeze River Beach fighting Magical Creatures.


    The team��s all-out efforts were no match for someone else��s casual swing of a Magic Wand.


    Even their team leader Bob had lost his life.


    Kodo clenched his teeth, his face filled with reluctance.


    ��Thank the World Tree Goddess����


    Lisa��s body suddenly went weak, and she collapsed onto the muddy ground.


    ��Why haven��t you left yet?��


    The three-member group, suspected to be the Rock-level Squad, approached.


    It was indeed the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.


    Lin Da frowned as he looked at Lisa��s group and a headless body on the ground, sighing.


    All they could do was silently pray.


    ��It was you.��


    Lisa��s mind cleared up a bit.


    The ones who had intervened and saved them were acquaintances.


    Back then, Captain Bob was worried that the ��Eye of Wisdom�� was stealing their business.


    But he didn��t expect that when they met again, Bob would be lying on the ground, never to open his eyes again.


    Lisa sobbed quietly, ��If we had returned earlier, there would have been no trouble����


    Lin Da offered simple words of comfort.


    He then inquired and learned that recently the number of Murderous Crabs had increased, and their level was rising.


    His expression grew serious, warning the few members of the Earth Tiger Adventure Team, ��You all hurry back, inform the Adventurer��s Guild, say����


    ��Breeze River Beach is very likely to experience a Monster Tide!��


    A Monster Tide, a term that lingers in the memory of most adventurers.


    Lisa and the others last saw this word in their school textbooks.


    ��Monster Tide?��


    The three members of Earth Tiger exchanged glances, all looking somewhat bewildered.


    As White Dove City being a safe inland city, adventurers there had never witnessed a Monster Tide.


    Suddenly hearing this term, they felt an unreal sense of confusion.


    Since Lin Da had said it, even if just to save face, Lisa and her friends felt compelled to suppress their doubts and nodded in agreement.


    The Earth Tiger Adventure Team returned to White Dove City.


    Meanwhile, Lin Da and his group stayed at Breeze River Beach, continuing to fight the Murderous Crabs.


    In just one hour, they had encountered over a dozen.


    The lowest level was 15.


    Level 15 magical creatures weren��t considered formidable.


    But for Breeze River Beach, an area with an average level of 9, this was highly unusual.


    ��The Monster Tide is coming soon.��


    Lin Da collected the spoils of war with a solemn expression.


    The system��s notification bar had accumulated quite a few messages:


    [Killed level 15 Murderous Crab and earned 150 Mystical Points (triggered event bonus, an additional 150 Mystical Points)].


    [Killed��]


    Lin Da thought: During the event period, the Mystical Points from Murderous Crabs were doubled.


    In just a little while, he had gathered 4200 Mystical Points.


    There were three days left until the outbreak of the Murderous Crab frenzy, yet signs of their mass emergence were already apparent.


    Recalling the most thriving scene in the game: The screen filled with Murderous Crabs, freezing frame by frame, every player happily grinding away, dying meant simply respawning in the city and continuing through a teleport��


    But adventurers in Another World couldn��t resurrect!


    Murderous Crabs, a type of magical creature that reproduced very quickly, if not dealt with swiftly, they would occupy all surrounding areas.


    One life turns into two, two into four, proliferating across the land��


    Under the massive base number of magical creatures, Leader Level Rare Magical Beasts could be born.


    Even if White Dove City had walls for protection, they might not hold.


    This kind of wildfire must be extinguished from its source.


    Lin Da looked ahead at the turbid ��Qingfeng River�� resembling the Yellow River.


    There were still three days until the outbreak of the Monster Tide.


    If the Adventurer��s Guild and City Hall issued a joint order to mobilize adventurers fully, extinguishing this Monster Tide would not be out of the question.


    However.


    Until nightfall, Lin Da had seen no one come to investigate.


    He wondered, had Lisa not notified the Adventurer��s Guild, or had something happened on the way?


    The outbreak of a Monster Tide was no trivial matter, Lin Da and his group headed back, toward the Adventurer��s Guild.


    ��


    Two hours earlier.


    ��Breeze River Beach might erupt in a Monster Tide? Miss, you must be joking, it��s been many years since the last Tide; it��s impossible, absolutely impossible!��


    An Adventurer��s Guild, a male staff member with brown short hair, laughed heartily and waved dismissively at the anxious-faced Lisa:


    ��I just had adventurers from Breeze River Beach this morning completing missions, and they mentioned no Monster Tide.��


    ��It might, it might happen!��


    Lisa was also somewhat unsure.


    The appearance of high-level Murderous Crabs at Breeze River Beach was true, but to decide based on this that a Monster Tide would erupt was indeed premature.


    Any other adventurer would at most suspect that something unusual was happening at Breeze River Beach.


    The only person who would assertively predict a Monster Tide would probably be Lin Da alone.


    ��Then you all should at least send someone to check it out.��


    Lisa said with less confidence, ��The Breeze River Beach, marked as a low-risk area on the map, yet having level 15 large Murderous Crabs, isn��t that strange! It could cost many unaware adventurers their lives!��


    ��Alright, alright, got it, I will ask the superiors and arrange for the investigation department to check, results can be delivered within thirty working days.��


    The man yawned lazily, ��For now, I��ll issue a notice that high-level Murderous Crabs might be spotted at Breeze River Beach, would that be alright?��


    ��Thirty working days?�� Lisa was stunned, ��How can that be acceptable, why can��t you send someone to check it out right away, what if there really is a Monster Tide?��


    ��Everything has to go through procedures, abide by the rules. If signs of a Monster Tide are confirmed, the Adventurer��s Guild will rapidly organize manpower to suppress it!��


    Impatient, the man tapped his pen, ��Next.��


    ��But thirty working days is too late����


    Lisa wanted to argue further, but a burly scar-faced adventurer pushed forward behind her, saying gruffly, ��A Monster Tide, are you serious? Believing in a Monster Tide might happen is less believable than betting I��d get Epic-level Equipment!��


    The surrounding adventurers burst into laughter.


    The last Monster Tide was centuries ago.


    Back then, the area around White Dove City was teeming with fierce magical creatures.


    The pioneering adventurers had swept through them time and again, and now only the weak ones remained.


    A Monster Tide��s outbreak required Leader Level magical creatures.


    The current wilderness near White Dove City couldn��t produce such high-level creatures!


    Amid the teasing laughter, Lisa hung her head and withdrew from the service window line.


    ��I think I messed up,�� Lisa approached two comrades leaning against the door, dejectedly stating, ��The Guild isn��t willing to send anyone over.��


    ��Ah, there��s nothing we can do, we tried our best.��


    ��We still have to take care of our captain��s affairs, let��s focus on that first,�� Kodo patted Lisa��s shoulder, consoling her. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lisa hesitated a moment, then nodded and left the Adventurer��s Guild.


    Fundamentally, she didn��t quite believe Lin Da��s words herself.


    Coming here was entirely in gratitude for Lin Da saving her life.


    The message had been relayed to the Adventurer��s Guild.


    If they didn��t believe it, there was nothing she could do.


    Being optimistic, handling it within thirty working days, and tomorrow being within those thirty days, it shouldn��t cause a delay, should it?


    Currently, the guild hall wasn��t paying any mind to the abnormalities at Breeze River Beach.


    All their attention was captured by a live strategy display on the big screen in the hall.


    Inside was a dark, gloomy swamp where a red-haired girl was battling a group of ugly half serpent-people.


    On the screen, Battle Qi and magic intermingled, each second teeming with tension, making it hard to breathe.

 Chapter 160 - 160: 139, just watch, this young ladys battle

    Chapter 160: 139, just watch, this young lady��s battle


    World Tree Secret Realm, 12th level, gloomy swamp.


    ��No, this isn��t right. I only changed a little bit, just the size of a pinky finger, how could it become like this����


    Phyllis held the magic wand in panic, as the speed of chanting the Healing Art slowed down by more than half.


    ��What did you say?��


    Klyne, exhausted, drew her bow, and the green Fighting Spirit Arrows pierced through the head of a Serpent-person, casting a doubtful glance at Phyllis, who seemed somewhat abnormal.


    ��Ha, nothing, we��ll win!�� S~ea??h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    Phyllis said with a guilty conscience.


    But the truth was, to prevent everyone from realizing that the strategy came from Lin Da, Phyllis had made some ��improvements�� to it.


    He was from a prestigious school, and since Lin Da had labeled the strategy ��rough,�� Phyllis thought that a little improvement and adding a personal touch to present it as his own would surely be fine, right?


    Now, Phyllis was regretting it so much that his guts turned green.


    The ��improvement�� made by Phyllis led to a significant change in the situation of the battle.


    The number of Serpent-people creatures was twice as many as the strategy had anticipated, and the Serpent Leader, that should have died in the previous attack, still had some life force left.


    Perhaps Lia could kill the Serpent Leader with a single Flame Slash, but the difficulty in slaying this Magical Creature was exactly how to get close to it.


    Rows of Serpent-man Soldiers formed an impregnable wall of flesh, using their lives to stop the adventurers.


    The three-meter-tall blue Serpent Leader swung the Trident Scepter frequently, summoning new Serpent-people��


    The swamp creatures multiplied, surrounding Snow Goose and the others.


    Every one of them was on edge, a trace of unease spreading across their faces.


    Aiko inwardly puzzled: how could Lin Da��s strategy be wrong?


    Others might not notice, but the sharp Aiko realized the true author of the strategy as soon as she reviewed Phyllis��s version.


    Every strategy creator has a different style.


    Some are Offense Oriented, some are Defense Oriented.


    And what one feels from Lin Da��s strategy is its precision!


    If followed perfectly, Lin Da��s strategy could even predict at 11 minutes and 37 seconds what spell the Magical Creatures would use.


    Therefore, Aiko came confidently.


    But the result turned out like this?


    She glanced at Phyllis, whose face was ashen, and thought strangely, couldn��t it be that this graduate from a prestigious university ��optimized�� Lin Da��s strategy��?


    It��s like a delicate tower of blocks, each piece meticulously calculated. Move just one block and the whole structure could collapse.


    ��If Lin Da were here, even in this situation, there would be many ways to handle it, right?��


    Aiko sighed wearily.


    Now with Phyllis mentally collapsed, he was utterly incapable of giving commands, and the other team members either lacked strategic thinking or were brainless.


    The heavy burden of Snow Goose fell onto her shoulders.


    ��Listen up, I��m going to use Rain of Light to cleanse those Serpent-man minions and open up a path to the Leader. Lia�� you okay? There��s only one chance at this.��


    Aiko said seriously.


    The red-haired girl with the greatsword looked resolutely ahead��at the three-meter-tall blue Serpent Leader, adorned with gold and silver on its neck and wrists, like a king.


    She nodded slightly and said decisively, ��I can do it.��


    ��Good.��


    Aiko waved her magic wand, her white magic robe fluttering with the movement.


    As the spell was chanted, Light Magic Power gathered swiftly over the swamp, forming a huge circular Magic Array with a radius of twenty meters.


    The terrifying power changed the color of the sky, as if from night to day in the blink of an eye.


    The Serpent-people looked blankly at the sky, their bodies instinctively trembling under the unknown terror of a threat,


    Within the huge circular Array, it seemed to contain a Law known as death.


    ��Become the sword of punishment, cleanse all!��


    Level 20 ultimate skill, Rain of Light!


    Aiko��s golden hair fluttered, her voice beautiful and melodious. Bathed in the glow, she was as holy as a Goddess.


    As the final syllable of the chant fell, the Magic Circle unleashed destructive arrows of light, so numerous they were like a torrential rain, purging every ��impurity�� within the marsh!


    In the desperate screams of the Serpent-people, a path had been opened.


    The dense corpses of the Magical Creatures turned into black mist and dissipated, leaving no Serpent-person survivor within the twenty-meter radius.


    Seeing this, the viewers outside the screen couldn��t help but gasp, even just this wide-ranging, high-damage spell was enough to make Aiko one of the top adventurers in White Dove City.


    Among mages of the same level as Aiko, none had an ultimate skill as powerful or wide-reaching, and their casting speeds could not compare.


    Under Aiko��s Rain of Light, the path to the Serpent Leader opened.


    With a whistling sound, a red blaze shot out.


    From the high-altitude view of the sensor ladybug, what was seen was a streak of red flash.


    Sensing the approaching crisis, the Serpent Leader frantically waved his Trident Scepter, summoning many Snake-man Soldiers on the path of the advancing girl.


    Many Triple Forks, flashing with a cold gleam, thrust toward the girl.


    But her speed did not slow in the slightest, dodging each attack by a hair��s breadth like a fish swimming through water.


    The closer she got to the Serpent Leader, the more Serpent-people there were protecting the creature.


    Lia watched the Triple Forks coming at her impassively, allowing these icy weapons to graze her arms and thighs��as long as they were not life-threatening.


    Even as fresh blood streamed and the sensation of pain tormented her nerves like a sharp knife, she clenched her teeth and endured��it was time to no longer be underestimated.


    Lia needed to grow and break free from her dependence on Lin Da.


    Everyone thought she fought to beat the game, but only she knew that she wanted someone to see that without him, she, the team leader, could still lead Snow Goose to hold their heads high.


    Leaving the team led by someone as strong as her was definitely a mistake!


    Even though she had asked Lin Da the night before, and he had said he didn��t have time to watch Snow Goose��s live strategy feed,


    Maybe, like her, he said he wouldn��t watch, but when the live strategy feed started, he cared so much that he couldn��t control his legs and rushed over.


    ��Damn Lin Da, watch this, Miss��s battle!��


    Lia charged in front of the Serpent Leader, staring at the tall blue monster. The Fire Fighting Qi on her sword surged, and she shouted with all her strength:


    ��Burst! Flame! Slash!��


    ��Waaaah!��


    The Serpent Leader, in fear, drew a curved blade from his waist and slashed at Lia��s head, this cunning creature actually trying to force Lia back with a life-for-life tactic!


    ��Be careful������


    Aiko cried out in shock, and Chloe, Klyne, they too showed panic on their faces.


    Including the people watching from outside the screen, everyone thought the same: Abandon this attack, look for another opportunity.


    Or simply use a Town Portal Scroll to exit the Mystic Realm.


    The dark swamp was one of the most challenging Mystic Realms among the twelve layers.


    Failing once was normal.


    However, the team leader of Snow Goose was Lia.


    A Swordsman desperately wanting to prove herself.


    In her list of options, there was no retreat.

 Chapter 161 - 161: 140、Lia: Lin Da, will you return to the team?

    Chapter 161: 140��Lia: Lin Da, will you return to the team?


    Lia resolutely faced the Serpent Leader��s curved blade without dodging and executed the Blazing Swordsman��s level 20 Ultimate Skill, Explosive Flame Slash.


    Crimson blood bloomed like flowers, even more vivid than the girl��s red hair.


    The Serpent Leader let out a piercing scream as its body was cleaved in two by the Explosive Flame Slash.


    Blue, foul-smelling blood sprayed across the sky.


    The Trident Scepter in its hand dropped to the ground.


    Orbs of light burst forth from the Serpent Leader��s body, showering upon Snow Goose and the others.


    ...


    They cleared the twelfth level of the Mystic Realm and received the Divine Gift from the World Tree Goddess.


    Each person gained a level and three pieces of Purple Gear burst forth. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But Aiko and the others felt not a speck of excitement.


    Each team member��s heart was in their throat, anxiously looking towards the short-haired girl who stood in place, the greatsword bloodied in her hand.


    ��Lia, are you�� alright?��


    Aiko��s voice trembled slightly.


    No matter how one looked at Lia, it seemed she was in big trouble.


    But aside from this dry remark, Aiko couldn��t find any other words of comfort.


    ��Captain���� Klyne covered her mouth, her eyes filled with a hint of distress.


    Klrona was dazed, for the first time realizing that adventure wasn��t a ��game��, it involved real-life death-threatening risks.


    Oru was blaming himself for not convincing Klyne that night to lend money to Lia.


    Otherwise, perhaps the Serpent Leader would have already fallen.


    ��Oh, this lady is fine, it��s just a minor injury.��


    Lia touched her left eye, where the blood was thick, warm, and had clotted over her vision, rendering her momentarily unable to see clearly.


    Her mouth uttered carefree words but, in reality, she was a bit scared. What if she were to lose her sight permanently?


    But the sensor ladybug was directly facing her, and outside the display screen were many adventurers, likely Lin Da was watching too. She must not show any sign of weakness.


    ��I��m sorry!�� Phyllis quickly ran over, casting Healing Arts on Lia��s face.


    Lia didn��t know the current situation, but the others could see clearly.


    A three-centimeter-long, bone-deep gash slanted across Lia��s left eye, blood gushing like a fountain.


    Ordinary Healing Arts could only stop bleeding, accelerate wound healing, and restore the thickness of the Life Barrier.


    But for organs that were already damaged, they could do nothing.


    Phyllis slapped herself twice, filled with guilt.


    Had she not tried to be clever and altered Lin Da��s Strategy�� Lia wouldn��t have ended up like this.


    Ah?


    Lia, seeing everyone��s hesitant and troubled expressions, felt a tinge of panic appear on her small face.


    Even with Healing Arts stopping the bleeding, her left eye still throbbed painfully.


    Forcing it open, she saw only darkness.


    On the belly of the sensor ladybug, torrents of suggestions came flooding in:


    [Congratulations to the Snow Goose Adventure Team for conquering the twelfth level of the World Tree!]


    [Impressive, I couldn��t pull off that last sword move.]


    [Seems like three pieces of Purple Gear burst out? Snow Goose is quite lucky.]


    There were also some concerned about Lia��s eye, wondering if she would go blind.


    But to most adventurers, injuries like Lia��s were commonplace.


    Six people dive into the Mystic Realm; it��s expected that someone would leave with injuries.


    Broken legs and arms were too common.


    Losing an eye, on the other hand, was considered a ��minor injury��.


    But Snow Goose was different.


    They were a group of privileged young ladies, who had scarcely been injured before.


    The most severe injury Lia ever suffered was a cut on her arm on the ninth level.


    ��Can��t see anymore? Will this eye never work again?��


    Lia, feeling out of her depth, touched her left eye, biting her lips hard, not wanting to show her weakness.


    ��It��s just an eye.��


    She shook the blood off her hand, wiped it trembling on her pants, and said with feigned indifference, ��It��s no big deal.��


    Any member of Snow Goose could tell that Lia was putting on a brave face, being stubborn. The tears in her eyes had already swollen to the size of beans.


    This time, no one had the heart to scold her openly.


    ��Silly captain.�� Aiko sighed and pulled Lia into her embrace.


    Klyne disconnected the sensor ladybug from the display screen.


    Snow Goose Adventure Team needed a moment to themselves.


    ��


    ��


    When Lin Da and the others returned from Breeze River Beach, it was already night.


    A full six hours had passed, and still, no one from the Guild or the Imperial Knights had come to investigate.


    The only consolation was that there were still two days before the Monster Tide erupted.


    They still had plenty of time.


    The Inner City District was brightly lit at night, with Magic Guided Streetlamps spaced at regular intervals along the street.


    But in the distance, the scene resembled a faltering flame, making out only the vague silhouette of an adventure team of about half a dozen.


    Lin Da was immersed in his own thoughts.


    How to persuade the Adventurers�� Guild to organize a large number of adventurers to station at Breeze River Beach.


    He held his chin in his hand, his head slightly drooping, his gaze toward the ground.


    The night streets were not very crowded, even without paying full attention to what was ahead there would be no issue.


    However, Lin Da��s footsteps came to a halt.


    Before him lay a pair of brown boots caked in mud.


    The black stockings were torn, revealing large patches of bruised skin, topped with a red miniskirt, with many battle Magic Potions hanging from the belt.


    He came back to his senses and looked up in surprise.


    Standing in front of him was a girl with fiery red hair, her left eye covered with a white patch, her lips pressed together, looking at him with a slightly hostile gaze.


    She wore a brown turtleneck coat that wrapped her petite body, with her hands stuck in her pockets.


    Lin Da paused for a moment before looking towards the girl��s companions:


    Aiko was smiling at him, but her face looked very tired. Klyne gave a reserved nod, Oru waved his recovered arm in greeting.


    Klrona looked down, poking the ground with the toe of her boot as if she were crushing ants.


    Phyllis, clutching her fists and shivering, looked as if she had done something wrong.


    At first glance, the Snow Goose Adventure Team gave off a most disheveled impression. Each member was dirty and dispirited, no different from those teams defeated and returning from the Mystic Realm.


    However, the strategy Lin Da had given Phyllis was sure to guarantee their success.


    What moved him most was that facing his old teammates, in just over half a month, there was already a subtle sense of estrangement.


    Behind him stood Kafni and Monica. This chance encounter was also between two different adventure teams.


    The streetlamps between them cast a clear line of light.


    Each leader, with their team members, met each other.


    ��I��ve cleared the 12th level,�� Lia said, lifting her small head and speaking first. ��Did you see, did you see this young lady��s performance?��


    Aiko blinked vigorously, as if signaling something.


    Lin Da, of course, understood what Aiko meant, but today�� he didn��t want to ��understand.��


    ��No,�� he shook his head and said, ��I��ve just returned from the field.��


    Lia stared at him, astonished.


    ��Your eyes���� Hesitating for a moment, Lin Da inquired.


    ��Oh.��


    ��It��s nothing serious, quite normal for an adventurer.��


    ��Just blindness.��


    Lia spoke nonchalantly, as though discussing someone else��s problems.


    ��Blindness?��


    Lin Da frowned.


    Lia expected him to panic immediately, to start thinking of a solution,


    but after a pause, Lin Da thought to himself: the game seemed to be back on track.


    In the game, he knew Lia as a one-eyed Swordswoman with red hair.


    Mature and steady, a top-tier Swordswoman leading The Mandalas to the peak.


    But the Lia he met after crossing over was much weaker.


    He had also reflected on whether it was his own fault, taking on too many responsibilities that should have belonged to the team leader, turning Lia into a giant baby who constantly complained about others.


    After he left the team, the game seemed to return to normal.


    This way, there was still hope for Lia to become the respected ��Bursting Flames.��


    People do not stay the same forever.


    The intersection where their paths crossed had been passed, and from here, each would walk their own path��perhaps that was a good thing.


    He would lead his own team, with the ultimate goal of defeating the Demon King.


    And Lia, too, would transform from being a giant baby into the reliable swordsman from the game.


    ��If you don��t rejoin,��


    Unexpectedly, Lia seemed to be trying to salvage something, articulating each word: ��More people will get hurt.��


    ��Perhaps even die.��


    Something hot surged in Lia��s chest.


    She bet that Lin Da couldn��t let go of the Snow Goose.


    She didn��t believe Lin Da could forget the three years of shared adventures.


    If Lin Da didn��t care about her, why had he spent so much more energy on her than on Aiko and the others?


    Now, Lia gave Lin Da a chance.


    The young lady lifted her head, pride in her expression.


    ��I��m in a hurry, though.��


    Lin Da didn��t look at her but said to Aiko, ��Snow Goose, it��s up to you now. You can become an excellent adventure team.��


    A polite comment, but it drained the color from both girls�� faces.


    ��Let��s get together when there��s time,�� Lin Da said. ��I have some unfinished business over here.��


    Getting together when there��s time,


    the biggest lie of the adult adventurers.


    A complete deflection.


    Aiko, tasting the bitterness in her mouth, awkwardly responded, ��Okay.��


    As Lin Da walked past with his team members, seeming to head towards a place unreachable by an outstretched hand,


    an impulse suddenly surged in Lia��s heart, and she bit her lip and grabbed Lin Da��s wrist.


    Aiko and the others looked at Lia in astonishment.


    Could it be,


    she��s going to say it?


    That powder keg?


    Lia, who had been slashed by the Serpent Leader, perhaps had a more active brain now.


    But Aiko felt sympathetic.


    It was already too late, and she could even guess Lin Da��s response.


    ��If I invite you back���� Lia said slowly.


    ��Would you, would you return to Snow Goose?��


    Lin Da��s footsteps halted.


    Monica nervously clutched the hem of his clothes, and Kafni also looked at him with narrowed eyes.


    Without any hesitation, Lin Da shook his head: ��My teammates are with Phoenix Tail Flower.��


    Lia��s eyelid twitched, and she took a half step back.


    ��Lia, I��ve thought about it.��


    Lin Da looked at the great tree standing at the city center and said, ��Taking everyone from Snow Goose to the top of the World Tree.��


    ��Then why did you leave the team?��


    Lia was brimming with confusion.


    The original members of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, too, had, on a night just like this, on the curb of a dilapidated street, looked up at the World Tree under the starry sky and shared their dreams.


    Since Lin Da had promised to take them to the top of the World Tree, why leave the team?


    Upon further thought, they never actually sat down calmly to discuss.


    ��The original intent of Snow Goose has changed,�� Lin Da said.


    ��


    ��


    (P.S.: Subscription growth has stalled; please don��t just keep the book. I beg for a wave of automatic subscriptions, ying ying ying,


    And by the way, to explain how to turn on automatic subscriptions, it��s not the button in the top-right corner. It��s on the personal bookshelf page, where you click to cast recommendation tickets. That��s where the toggle for automatic subscription is, thank you!)

 Chapter 162 - 162: 141. Ways to Win Back

    Chapter 162: 141. Ways to Win Back


    All together, everyone joined hands and ascended to the top of the World Tree.


    This was originally Lia��s dream.


    Lin Da agreed with her, recalling his past life��s gaming experience, which was extremely utilitarian, and he strongly felt that it was true.


    It was this red-haired girl who had saved him from numbness, making him realize that clearing the game was not everything.


    The teammates fighting alongside him were even more worth cherishing.


    Moreover, since Lia was naturally clumsier than Aiko and the others, Lin Da put most of his energy into helping Lia.


    ...


    But it seemed that she had misunderstood something.


    She treated these goodwill efforts as something she could use to order others around.


    Even oxen that plow the fields have their day of collapse.


    ��Because the original intention has changed, that��s why I left the team,�� he said.


    ��No,��


    Lia said firmly, ��If you come back, I can lead us to become the strongest adventure team in White Dove City.��


    Lin Da chuckled, ��Snow Goose��s original intention was not that.��


    ��You mean�� teammates are more important?�� Lia frowned.


    ��Yes.��


    ��Then you are utterly wrong,��


    Lia decisively refuted him: ��Do you know of a team called the Primitive Adventure Team? They were the team most likely to clear the World Tree��s top level.��


    ��The captain of the Primordial didn��t have any friends.��


    ��But that team was still powerful.��


    ��So��you are wrong, power is the only thing that matters,��


    Lia��s youthful face shimmered with the glow of wisdom.


    ��Are you going to refute what the captain of the Primordial, the ��Dark Shadow�� Dai Lian, said?��


    It was as if she was using the sayings of great men to educate the unenlightened weak��unless Lin Da himself was stronger than Dark Shadow, no matter what he said,


    Lia could always rebut Lin Da with, ��What right do you, a mere captain of a common adventure team, have to deny the Primordial Adventure Team?��


    However, upon saying this, Lin Da��s expression became somewhat strange.


    That included Kafni, Monica,


    and even Aiko, who was standing behind Lia.


    They weren��t sure whether to remind her.


    That the captain of the strongest adventure team she believed in was right in front of her!


    Aiko ranted in her mind.


    Now ��Dai Lian�� had realized that teammates are more important than personal strength.


    He had told Lia to her face, but she was still holding onto the outdated ��bible�� as if it were the truth.


    Lin Da also helplessly held his forehead.


    ��If you don��t understand this, you will never become an excellent team captain.��


    ��


    Passersby all looked in surprise at the red-haired girl standing on the street, wondering if she had been abandoned, like a stray cat thrown into a box and not wanted anymore.


    In the end, Lia was still unable to convince Lin Da.


    Watching the members of Phoenix Tail Flower disappear at the end of the long street, her expression became blank.


    She couldn��t help but whisper, ��Why did it turn out this way?��


    The members of Snow Goose understood what she meant.


    Why did Lin Da, who had always been the kindest to her, become cold like a stranger?


    Indeed, Lia could be annoying, but she was naturally slow-witted, something Lin Da would certainly understand. According to the other members�� understanding of Lin Da, he wouldn��t be so unfeeling.


    Of course, if they knew the later game plot like Lin Da, they would understand.


    Whether Lin Da returned to Snow Goose or continued to help Lia, it would prevent her from growing into a true mature and steady Swordsman, a ��Bursting Flames��.


    Seeing Lia looking dispirited, Aiko found it somewhat amusing, but when the cool breeze blew by, bringing a chill to her heart, she also felt a pitiable coldness.


    Compared to Lia, she wasn��t much stronger.


    She probably was just a slightly better friend in Lin Da��s heart!


    Aiko thoughtfully said, ��It turning out this way might have been inevitable.��


    ��Inevitable?�� Lia didn��t understand.


    As if reflecting on herself, Aiko pondered and slowly said,


    ��Affection is mutual. If only one side gives, they will soon become an empty shell, hollow, with nothing left. Only when there is mutual giving can affection remain stable.��


    For three years, it was Lin Da who had helped them, but they had never considered reciprocating to Lin Da.


    Even their own parents expected these unfilial daughters who ran away from home to care for them in their old age,


    so what was Lin Da hoping to get from them?


    Just as Lin Da said, since the original intention of Snow Goose had changed, and even the last bit of sentiment worth lingering for had been lost, there was no need to stay.


    During the three years with Snow Goose, Lin Da had been drained completely dry, his affection for them exhausted by daily trifles and complaints.


    ��I��ve done a lot for him too!��


    Lia��s eyes reddened as she retorted, ��In the Mystic Realm, I was always at the front, protecting everyone. He was the lowest level, but I never really planned to kick him out.��


    Aiko��s mouth twitched, feeling that the twelve-layer Serpent Leader needed a few more chops; this little dwarf had still not come to her senses.


    What you��ve done is simply fulfilling the responsibility that comes with being a Swordsman, a team captain,


    just like a business owner who works overtime but thinks they��re doing a huge favor for all their employees, self-indulgently moved by their own actions.


    ��There is a way to make amends, it��s not impossible.��


    ��What?��


    ��You, go and lick Lin Da��s boots.��


    Aiko gazed at Lia��s astonished little face and said, word by word.


    ��Me, lick the boots of a commoner born of a wild chicken? Impossible.��


    Lia��s face flushed with indignation, and she refused without even thinking about it.


    Aiko said, ��Not a commoner, he��s now a lord with the Badge of Honor as an adventurer.��


    ��Still impossible.��


    Lia shook her head anyway.


    She touched her eyepatch.


    Thinking to herself,


    If Lin Da no longer cares about his old teammates, then she need not care about Lin Da anymore either.


    Lia spoke her mind,


    She would defeat Lin Da��s teammates to show Lin Da that teammates weren��t important, and that personal strength was the only thing that mattered.


    Lin Da was too weak when he was a healer, so she kicked him out.


    If Lin Da had been as strong as he is now, she wouldn��t have kicked him out.


    Aiko watched her obstinate behavior with a headache.


    If Lia really did that, not to mention Lin Da rejoining the team, it��d be good if they didn��t become enemies.


    Aiko thought the most appropriate course of action was for Lia to offer up her behind, but this method was flawed because, firstly, Lia would never do it, and secondly, Aiko wouldn��t allow such a thing to happen.


    Being outdone by the Phoenix Tail Flower��s members, Aiko could console herself by thinking that it was just because those little birds were closer to the water and got to the moon first.


    But if Lia got ahead��


    It would mean that a distinguished graduate from the Magic Academy was beaten by a dropout who only knew basic arithmetic.


    Such an insult would haunt Aiko for life! S��arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As for Lia, who had strayed from the right path, all Aiko could offer was her sympathy and silently add one more to the future wedding candy gift for Lia.


    ��Honestly, I think you shouldn��t put all your eggs in one basket. You��re so outstanding; in the future, you��re bound to find teammates more suitable than Lin Da, like joining Snow Goose.��


    Aiko needed to apply some ointment to Lia��s eyes.


    She couldn��t let this shorty keep pining for Lin Da and avoid the possibility of a turnabout.


    ��You understand me the best,�� Lia felt slightly better.


    ��Let��s go back.�� Aiko took Lia��s small hand and discovered, to her surprise, that it was terribly cold and even shaking a bit.


    Sigh.


    Looks like the wedding candy count was going up again.


    ��


    ��


    ��I am sorry, I didn��t catch that. Could you please repeat?��


    Lin Da, with a stern face, set down his cup of tea and looked incredulously at the manager sitting across from him on the sofa.


    They were currently in the VIP room on the third floor of the Adventurer��s Guild.


    Any team reaching rock level was entitled to a private audience with the manager.


    With the Badge of Honor issued by the Mayor of White Dove City, Lin Da was entitled to the same treatment as at rock level.


    Everything was quite nice before entering the VIP room.


    They were provided personal guidance, unlimited tea, and snacks, and the manager was very polite.


    But when he put forward the request for the Adventurer��s Guild to investigate Breeze River Beach, the response he got left him speechless:


    ��Mr. Linda, we��ll provide the investigation results within three working days.��


    ��However, based on my assessment, there��s a high probability that a monster tide will erupt in no more than three days.��


    ��We can��t help it. If you were a regular adventurer, we would only provide a resolution within thirty working days.��


    The manager, named Klay, a forty-year-old fat man with a big belly, forced a hypocritical smile on his chubby face and wiped the sweat off his forehead with a handkerchief, saying:


    ��Mr. Linda, you must also consider our difficulties. The guild��s Investigation Department is short-staffed, and you are making such�� well, ��strange�� requests.��


    ��As far as I know, there are clear signs before a monster tide erupts, like the migration and concentration of a large number of magical creatures. It��s not something that happens without noise. A few level-15 Murderous Crabs don��t mean much. Should we interpret the stray wandering of an Earth-Traversing Dragon into the Barren Plains as the revival of the Dragon Race?��


    ��Heh, the last monster tide happened over a hundred years ago, Mr. Linda forgive me for being blunt, but aren��t you being a bit�� paranoid?��


    Klay said with a sneer veiled in a smile.


    He wasn��t impressed by this newly minted Glorious Adventurer. Lin Da was only level 16, and his claim to the badge was a strategy guide for the first three levels of the World Tree�� From a standpoint of magnanimity, Klay praised Lin Da, but deep down, he wasn��t convinced.


    Look at the other Glorious Adventurers!


    The last one, Abner with the Mind��s Eye, killed a frenzied Earth-Traversing Dragon of level 37 in the wild. If they had let that terrifying creature get near White Dove City, the city walls might have collapsed, and city finances would be squandered!


    Klay��s disdain was well hidden in his eyes, but Lin Da still noticed it.


    The matter of the monster tide was too crucial. Lin Da patiently said, ��There are always exceptions. It��s true that the last monster tide was a century ago, but can you guarantee there won��t be any in the future? Perhaps that future is just a few days away.��


    ��There are no exceptions,�� Klay, an excellent graduate, was very familiar with the habits of the magical creatures. The current state of peace in White Dove City signified there was no possibility of a monster tide.


    ��Even if there were an exception���� Klay smiled confidently: ��The Adventurer��s Guild would eliminate the unforeseen.��


    Kafni had been holding back her anger, and suddenly slammed the table: ��Can you bear the responsibility if a monster tide erupts?��


    Klay, still wearing a pleasant face, said, ��Please sit down, Miss. It is prohibited to raise your voice in the Adventurer��s Guild.��


    ��Besides, I haven��t refused your request. According to the process, the investigation results of Qingfeng River Beach will be handed over to you within three working days.��

 Chapter 163 - 163: 142. Events twist, Earth Wolf Adventure Team delves into Qingfeng River

    Chapter 163: 142. Events twist, Earth Wolf Adventure Team delves into Qingfeng River


    This unyielding attitude frustrated the three members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team to no end.


    ��Have your president come and speak to us,�� Lin Da said coldly.


    ��I��m sorry, but the president has gone out of town. If you wish to meet him, you can schedule an appointment.��


    ��The president is not here, then I demand a different manager to receive us��surely that shouldn��t be a problem?��


    ��Are you sure you want to do this? You should know that changing the reception manager will affect my performance assessment,�� Klay said, his face darkening.


    ��Then I have even more reason to request a change of manager,�� Lin Da replied calmly. ��I am honored to have an impact on your performance assessment.��


    ...


    ��Fine, I understand,�� Klay gritted his teeth yet managed to conjure up a professional fake smile. ��I will arrange for a ��suitable�� manager for you.��


    Following this, two people successively came to receive Lin Da, but their attitude was the same: They would respond within three working days.


    Even when Lin Da pulled out a video tape showing the appearance of the Murderous Crab on Breeze River Beach, the managers still insisted:


    They could not determine from this that a Monster Tide had erupted, but in light of the Glorious Adventurer Badge, they would send someone to Breeze River Beach within three working days.


    ��Are these people numbskulls? Is it really that hard to send someone to Breeze River Beach for a quick check?��


    Upon leaving the Adventurer��s Guild, Kafni cursed angrily.


    Lin Da also felt an overwhelming sense of powerlessness, like punching into cotton. According to the Empire��s laws, the Adventurers�� Guild��s actions were not at fault,


    but the problem was that this ��game event�� was unlike the usual Monster Tides��it didn��t progress in an orderly fashion.


    In the game, the Murderous Crabs appeared out of thin air, spawning directly from the air without any rationale whatsoever.


    In Another World, this event had been twisted into ��normalcy,�� with the number of Murderous Crabs slowly increasing, offering a faint hint.


    The problem was, this hint was insufficient for the Adventurers�� Guild to judge it as the onset of a Monster Tide.


    That group of rigid middle-aged men had an unshakable belief in textbook knowledge, where one plus one must equal two, without any exceptions.


    Yet clearly, one Beastman plus one Elf Lady equates to several hundred million. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sometimes, common sense ends up harming them!


    Having no other option, Lin Da and his group headed to the city hall to meet with Mayor Adel.


    Compared to the Adventurers�� Guild, Mayor Adel��s attitude was much warmer.


    He handed Lin Da a sealed envelope which, with its contents, could compel the Adventurers�� Guild to immediately dispatch someone for investigation.


    However, from Mayor Adel��s expression, Lin Da sensed a similar indifference.


    Apparently, even in Mayor Adel��s heart, he did not believe that a Monster Tide would erupt.


    Neither the mayor nor the managers of the Adventurers�� Guild realized that a crisis was looming.


    Reflecting on it, the Murderous Crab crisis in the game was resolved with the help of players.


    Upon seeing the game announcement, players rushed to Breeze River Beach in anticipation of the spawn, obviating the need for NPC intervention as the Murderous Crabs were wiped out.


    This time, Lin Da was the only player.


    It was crucial to make the multitude of ��NPCs�� realize that a crisis was imminent.


    He placed his hopes on the president of the White Dove City Adventurers�� Guild.


    If he could convince him to organize a large number of adventurers to station in Breeze River Beach, the issue would be resolved successfully.


    The adventurers would harvest a vast amount of magical creature materials, and he himself could load up bags full of Mystical Points.


    This achievement would count as a merit for both the Guild President and the Mayor.


    A win-win-win situation.


    Returning to the Adventurers�� Guild overnight, Lin Da presented the Mayor��s envelope.


    Klay��s face looked exceedingly bad, he didn��t even pretend to hide his disgust and perfunctorily led him to the Investigation Department.


    They dispatched a Level 15 scholar to accompany him to Breeze River Beach.


    The next day at noon, Lin Da received a message from a messenger of the Adventurers�� Guild:


    After investigation, the anomaly at Breeze River Beach had been identified, and the conclusion was��a suspected appearance of mutated magical creatures.


    From today, Breeze River Beach would be marked as a high-risk area, prohibiting adventurers below Level 15 from entering.


    The guild also commissioned three rock-level Squads to deeply explore Breeze River Beach and eliminate any hidden mutated magical creatures as soon as possible.


    For this, they also expressed their gratitude towards Lin Da, the discoverer.


    Yet, this wasn��t enough.


    ����I need to see your president.��


    Lin Da returned to the Adventurers�� Guild once more.


    The receptionist was one of the three managers from the day before.


    A middle-aged woman flashy with jewels, wearing a black bodycon dress, her face carried a feigned, faint smile.


    ��We��ve fulfilled your request, marking Breeze River Beach as a high-risk area, and your suggestion has protected many lower-level adventurers. Are you still unsatisfied?��


    The manager named JieLi spoke courteously, but her eyes held a hint of disapproval.


    ��Say it again��I need to see your president,�� Lin Da stated firmly.


    ��Mr. Linda, I��ve reminded you several times that meeting with the Lord President requires an appointment, and besides, he truly cannot make it back in time as he is attending a meeting in Golden City.��


    Golden City referred to the provincial capital of Cangqing Province.


    JieLi continued smiling, ��When the president returns, we will notify you.��


    The real reason she and Klay did not want Lin Da to meet the president was their fear of Lin Da filing another complaint.


    With the Mayor��s letter previously, and the potential reprimand from the president following that, the three of them might very well lose their managerial positions.


    But if they just waited until the day after tomorrow, and Breeze River Beach remained quiet without any changes, this stubborn Lin Da would finally shut up.


    A Monster Tide is not something you say erupts when it simply erupts.


    Even an ant disaster has a build-up process.


    Unless the magical creatures fall from the sky one by one, a monster tide is set to erupt the day after tomorrow.


    How could a swarm of Murderous Crabs, each two meters long, gather without being noticed?


    JieLi��s smile was impeccable, as cold as a sculpture, all her thoughts hidden behind a mask: no one likes an adventurer who speaks without proof and is full of themself.


    The desire to save everyone might be a good one.


    But just having a good heart doesn��t mean everyone will accept it.


    At least the three managers whose interests were harmed by Lin Da did not have a good impression of him.


    ��


    After repeated setbacks, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team returned to Breeze River Beach.


    They carried magic video recorders and installed them in various locations to monitor changes in the area.


    Lin Da was making the worst-case plans.


    By understanding the terrain and the habits of the Murderous Crabs, he tried to predict where they would swarm.


    In the game, this event ��sacrificed�� a large number of players.


    Lin Da had hoped to profit from the Murderous Crabs at the minimum cost, but it seemed that the wheel of history could not be stopped.


    The Murderous Crabs were destined to dye the land red with their crimson claws.


    In the past, it was players, who could respawn indefinitely, who died.


    Now, it had turned into living ��NPCs��.


    Lin Da could only do what was within his power.


    He visited various rock-level squads, requesting everyone to be on standby in the city.


    Telling them not to climb the World Tree or to venture too far to fight magical creatures.


    To most adventurers, Lin Da��s proposal seemed unbelievable.


    Very few people believed that a monster tide would erupt.


    Some, more petty-minded, even suspected that Lin Da was deliberately slowing their progress in climbing the World Tree.


    Among the numerous rock-level squads, seventy percent, respecting Lin Da��s reputation as the ��Eye of True Knowledge,�� agreed.


    Twenty percent of the teams said it depended on the plans for that day.


    Of the remaining ten percent, half outright refused, not giving Lin Da any face.


    The rest readily agreed.


    The fastest to agree was Lin Da��s old friend��s team, the Ice Flower Adventure Team.


    Isa trusted Lin Da��s judgment and took it upon herself to remind many adventurers: ��Signs of a monster tide eruption are apparent at Breeze River Beach; prepare for battle!��


    Support from Ice Flower revitalized Lin Da.


    The second team that readily agreed was the White Dove Adventure Group.


    Originally, Gale also felt that something was off about Breeze River Beach but didn��t dare to conclude it was a monster tide eruption.


    Lin Da��s arrival solidified Gale��s thoughts.


    Gale personally went to the Adventurers�� Guild to seek an audience with the Guild Master.


    ��Unfortunately, this time, the Guild Master had really gone out of town for a meeting!


    Yesterday was the last day Lin Da visited White Dove City.


    But JieLi and several other managers collectively suppressed Lin Da��s request, thinking to drag it out until the day after tomorrow, letting Lin Da��s ��lie�� unravel on its own.


    The current highest authority in the city, Mayor Adel, didn��t believe that a monster tide would erupt either.


    This retired old adventurer, a rationalist from the Academic Faction, believed strictly in rules.


    And the anomalies at Breeze River Beach, according to him, merely indicated the emergence of mutant magical creatures, far from a monster tide��sending a few adventure teams for a routine elimination would suffice.


    Despite all his efforts, Lin Da still wasn��t able to raise alarm among the upper echelons.


    In the blink of an eye, it was the deep night of the day after tomorrow.


    The clock tower in the Secret Realm Square of White Dove City pointed its giant minute hand at 23:50.


    Breeze River Beach.


    A majestic river, black as mud, situated there like a roaring mud dragon.


    Recently, adventurers�� visits to Breeze River Beach had significantly decreased.


    After being classified as a high-risk area, only a few rock-level squads came to explore, hoping to find hidden mutant magical creatures to defeat them and earn a substantial amount.


    News of the Murderous Crabs spread far and wide.


    As one of the more ferocious magical creatures within the same level, the materials from a Murderous Crab were far more valuable than those from other creatures of the same level.


    A level-15 Murderous Crab��s claw, carapace, and demon core could bring profits almost equivalent to those from a level-18 magical creature.


    This led adventure teams, who couldn��t defeat level-18 magical creatures, to opt for the simpler level-15 Murderous Crabs instead.


    But the profits were the same!


    Many adventure teams sniffed the scent of gold coins.


    The Earth Wolf Adventure Team was one of them.


    They were greedier: aiming for a presumably highly valuable rare magical creature lurking deep within Breeze River Beach.


    The team leader, Mindy, with dirty brown dreadlocks, complained as they walked:


    ��Damn it, why wasn��t I the one who got the purchasing rights for the Metal Destroyer? I could have gained at least one level!��


    ��Listen up, we must find the hidden magical creature in Breeze River Beach this time, and burst its materials! Upgrade to powerful equipment and strive to enter the next layer sooner!��

 Chapter 164 - 164: 143. Doomsday Sect, Witch Ritual

    Chapter 164: 143. Doomsday Sect, Witch Ritual


    Earth Wolf adventure team, progress level 12, seven members, average level 21.


    ��Hey, Captain, it looks like there��s someone ahead. Could it be an official adventure team commissioned by the Adventurer��s Guild?��


    One of the bald members�� expressions changed.


    ��No worries, we��re all rock-level squads from the same city, easy to talk to. Watch me go over and exchange pleasantries.��


    Mindy shrugged indifferently and stepped forward, shouting, ��Hey�� which adventure team are you��?��


    A sharp, piercing noise suddenly rose in the air.


    ...


    It was as if an extremely thin silk thread had been stretched tight, turning into a swift blade slicing toward a person��s body.


    Mindy��s expression froze, and the Life Barrier crumbled like tofu. His body disintegrated into blocks, collapsing under a sky of scarlet liquid.


    ��Ah?��


    The members of the Earth Wolf adventure team stared, dumbfounded as Mindy was instantly reduced to dozens of pieces.


    Three people from the river beach came forward.


    They wore black robes and their faces were covered with sinister demon masks, smiling yet crying; the masks had a short horn on the right side of the forehead, painted blue.


    They were not an adventurer squad from White Dove City.


    That signature mask��


    ��It��s the Doomsday Sect! Be careful, everyone prepare for battle!��


    Baldy shouted in terror.


    Splat!


    Splutter splutter splutter!


    Invisible sharp threads chaotically danced through the air.


    In just a few breaths


    , the seven members of the Earth Wolf adventure team were reduced to unrecognizable chunks of flesh.


    ��Lady Bai Mian, the bothersome ants have been taken care of.��


    The three sect members returned to the riverbank, kneeling on one knee with their shaking heads hung low.


    In front of them, whom they referred to as ��Lady Bai Mian,�� stood a woman clad in a black dress with golden hair.


    Lady Bai Mian was around one meter sixty, with an impressive bust and wearing a smiling Flower Cat mask.


    Her nails painted in tempting red, she delicately took out an item from her Space Ring and tossed it into the center of Breeze River Beach.


    ��Moon Grass of 100 years.��


    ��A Water Series Magic Core level 35.��


    ������


    ��Lastly, the blood of a witch.��


    Lady Bai Mian chuckled softly, slicing her wrist open to let out jet-black blood, which she mixed with more than a dozen other ingredients, sprinkling them into the murky river before her.


    She completely ignored her three subordinates, opening her arms wide with a pilgrim��s frenzy and began chanting, and from her exalted voice, one could easily imagine an excited, flushed cheek.


    ��Abyss Gate, open now~!��


    A deep red light lit up under the Qingfeng River, as the contour of a massive Array appeared, faint and fluctuating.


    A horrific magical creature��s aura emanated from the Array, like a pale hand grasping at the cliff��s edge, as those creatures, desperate to escape from the abyss, pushed forward.


    Click click click��


    The dense sound of carapace rubbing together blended into a single terrifying noise that made one��s skin crawl.


    One Murderous Crab after another emerged from the ground beneath the Qingfeng River. Even the smallest was three meters in length.


    Among each group of Murderous Crabs, there was always one that was five meters long with a dark carapace.


    They opened their pincers, covering the sky and the sun.


    The pressure was immense!


    These magical creatures, as if they had been imprisoned for hundreds of years, climbed out of Breeze River Beach and excitedly looked upon the vast expanse of the world.


    ��Hiss hiss.��


    The black-shelled giant Murderous Crab issued commands to its kin with strange sounds.


    The message was clear: Exterminate all life other than themselves.


    The Murderous Crabs spread in a frenzy, engulfing every direction!


    A member of the blue Oni Horn Sect fawned, ��Congratulations on the successful ritual, my lord. Once the World Tree in White Dove City is destroyed, you are certain to win the general��s favor!��


    A coy laugh emanated from beneath the Flower Cat mask.


    ��Just wait and see.��


    Witch Bai Mian, gazing at the overwhelming swarm of Murderous Crabs, spoke reverently, ��The great Demon King will bestow destruction and death equally upon every ant beneath the World Tree.��


    The three subordinates chimed in unison, ��And we shall become the masters of the new world.��


    Moments later, the figures of the four disappeared from Breeze River Beach.


    The corpses of the Earth Wolf Adventure Team became a feast for the Murderous Crabs.


    ��


    00:01 at night.


    ��Good evening to all the adventurers in White Dove City, though by the time you see this footage, it will probably be morning!��


    ��This is Kami, reporter for White Dove Morning News, here to uncover the secrets of Qingfeng River Beach~��


    A short-haired, freckled girl tied in a ponytail, full of vigor, laughed in front of the recording camera:


    ��What secrets lie beneath Qingfeng River Beach, which has suddenly been classified from low-risk to high-risk? Reporter Kami, together with a Rock-level Squad and the Valiant Adventure Team, will reveal them to you!��


    ��Could you keep it down, please? If there are hidden Magical Creatures here, you��ll attract them. It��s very unsafe,�� complained Robert, captain of the Valiant Adventure Team, with a spiky blonde hairdo.


    ��Ha-ha, what does it matter? Even if some hidden Magical Creatures do appear, ��Quick Blade�� Robert can take care of them, right~�� Kami teased, with no sense of danger whatsoever.


    Robert hummed proudly in response, ��Naturally, what kind of powerful Magical Creatures could there be at a place like Qingfeng River Beach?��


    It was at that moment that the ground began to buzz and tremble inexplicably.


    It seemed like an earthquake yet was akin to the thunderous charge of ten thousand horses.


    An indescribable unease crawled up Robert��s ankles along with the earth��s trembling.


    ��Damn it, what is this feeling���� Robert cursed under his breath.


    ��What��s that?�� Kami, perched on the cameraman��s shoulders, gazed curiously ahead.


    A mass of black�� crabs?


    The vibration grew increasingly close and intense.


    They finally saw clearly.


    At the end of the dark horizon, large pincers shining with the luster of steel illuminated the night.


    They marched in unison, like an advancing army, and the dense Magical Creatures�� aura, like a mountain that had risen from the ground, weighed heavily on everyone��s hearts.


    Including Captain Robert, everyone��s faces turned exceedingly grim.


    Not the delicious edible crabs.


    But a seemingly endless horde, numbering tens or even hundreds of thousands, forming a black wall of Murderous Crabs!


    Within this moving ��wall,�� every so often appeared an even larger Black Shell Man-Eating Crab, exuding an intimidating aura strong enough to make one��s scalp tingle.


    Such Magical Creatures were at least level 20!


    Any adventure team would seem insignificant before the sheer number of these Magical Creatures.


    Compared to the rest, who were weak at the knees, reporter Kami excitedly shouted, ��Ha-ha-ha~ Huge news, massive news! White Dove City in great crisis, a spectacle seen once in centuries: The Monster Tide has erupted~!��


    Is now really the time for this? S��arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Robert glared at Kami with anger, scooped her under his arm, and started running frantically.


    He had to get this message back to White Dove City as quickly as possible!


    ��


    In just a short amount of time, the Murderous Crab Tide had attacked two nearby mining camps and spread toward the Barren Plains and Man-Eating Swamp.


    Like a clumsy, long-neglected machine, White Dove City only started to lumber into action three hours after the various departments received news of the Monster Tide outbreak, with everything thrown into chaos.

 Chapter 165 - 165: 144. Monster Tide outbreak, Rock-level Squad assemble!

    Chapter 165: 144. Monster Tide outbreak, Rock-level Squad assemble!


    In the Inner City District, lights twinkled charmingly in a mansion where the chief, Klay, was dedicating himself to the birth of his third child.


    ��Deadbeat, don��t even know to take it slow~��


    Minutes later, JieLi lay on Klay��s greasy, bulging belly, her face showing she still hadn��t had her fill.


    But Klay, holding his wife, turned the conversation to another man.


    He couldn��t help but laugh and said, ��It��s past midnight, all is well in White Dove City, that ��Glorious Adventurer�� sir should have nothing to complain about now, right?��


    ��Hmph, why talk about him, Klay, let��s do it again, I��m still energetic.��


    ...


    JieLi��s eyes burned with desire.


    Just as Klay��s legs turned jelly, caught between advancing and retreating, a mournful blast from the Magic Conch outside saved him.


    ��What��s going on, a citywide alert?��


    JieLi felt it strange, ��When was the last time there was a citywide alert?��


    ��I��ve never experienced it,�� Klay said as he opened the window to look out.


    The magic lamps on the city center��s bell tower had turned into a glaring red.


    The light flickered, accompanied by the shrill sound of the horn.


    ��I��m Kami, reporter from White Dove Morning News����I repeat, I��m Kami, reporter from White Dove Morning News����


    ��Damn it, stop flaunting your name at a time like this!��


    An irritated male voice came from the horn, resonating throughout the city.


    It seemed as if the man had snatched the communicator from Kami��s hands, and said solemnly,


    ��Adventurers of White Dove City, I have a terrible announcement to make. All adventurers above level 10, grab your weapons and assemble north of White Dove City, a blood battle for survival is about to begin.��


    ��What the hell is going on?��


    Klay scratched his head in confusion, thinking the matter had nothing to do with him. He closed the window, planning to go back to rest, when


    a heavy male voice came through the Magic Conch������A Monster Tide has erupted at Breeze River Beach!��


    As the words dropped, Klay and his wife JieLi both froze in their steps, their hearts skipping a beat.


    The two exchanged glances, their faces filled with disbelief.


    The Monster Tide�� had it really erupted?


    In the middle of the night, at the Adventurer��s Guild in the Inner City District.


    ��That, President Velen, Breeze River Beach, uh�� seems like, a Monster Tide has erupted����


    In front of a Magic Mirror for long-distance communication, Klay ceaselessly wiped his sweaty face with a handkerchief.


    Behind him stood his equally anxious wife, JieLi.


    When news of the Monster Tide breakout came, both of them nearly passed out with darkness clouding their vision.


    Lin Da had twice requested to meet with the president, and they had suppressed those requests. For this, the couple was unquestionably to blame.


    If exposed, the lightest outcome would be the Kreivs being ousted from their positions.


    If matters were more severe, they would be taken to court, facing a grave trial!


    The use of this Magic Mirror was costly, starting at hundreds of thousands of Gold Coins depending on the distance.


    Klay had concealed the news before due to concerns about the cost of the Magic Mirror and the president��s punishment,


    but today, the distance between the president and White Dove City was even greater, the use of a Magic Mirror would cost at least a million Gold Coins.


    But Klay, to mitigate his own punishment, would bear all the coins necessary to contact President Velen immediately!


    ��What? ��Seems like�� it erupted? Klay, clear this up for me, is there a Monster Tide or not?��


    In the twenty-centimeter radius Magic Mirror, the image of a man with sharp-cheekboned middle-aged man appeared.


    President Velen, with a square face, golden short hair, and a fuzzy beard on his chin, spoke with a face full of rage,


    ��Describing something as serious as a Monster Tide with ��seems like��? Klay, is there one or not?��


    ��Uh�� yes, there is! And, it will approach beneath White Dove City in no more than a day.��


    Klay forced out a smile uglier than a cry, with sweat streaming down his forehead, drenching his handkerchief.


    ��Go inform Mayor Adel, I will return as soon as possible! Listen well, you must keep the Monster Tide at least ten kilometers outside of White Dove City, the city walls must not be damaged! Otherwise, you, me�� all of management, will end up in prison!��


    Velen roared as he donned his coat.


    ��Yes��!��


    Before Klay and JieLi could even catch their breath, a staff member banged on the door, saying loudly,


    ��Chief, a message from the city hall, Mayor Adel is on his way, he��ll take over command of the Adventurer��s Guild!��


    Sss����


    Klay and JieLi both shuddered at once.


    About the matter with Lin Da, Adel was in the know.


    When the blame came down, the first to suffer would be them.


    The two descended the stairs with their hearts in their throats.


    Most of the guild��s staff had gathered in the hall, waiting for Mayor Adel��s command.


    Seeing Klay and his wife, who looked like frost-bitten eggplants, everyone couldn��t help but wonder �� were this couple really such responsible people?


    The Monster Tide had erupted, and those most concerned should have been the higher-ups and the adventurers; these back-office staff were the safest.


    Facing inquiries from colleagues, Klay could not even muster a forced smile.


    The couple walked to the front like death-row inmates entering the execution ground, shivering all over.


    While others were considering how to dispatch adventurers, only the Kreivs�� minds were a blank, thinking only of how to plead with the mayor.


    Soon, a carriage from the city hall arrived at the doors of the guild.


    It was followed closely by a dozen more.


    Two people stepped out from the leading carriage adorned with White Dove City��s emblem.


    One of them was Mayor Adel.


    The elderly man��s face was grave, his hand resting on a ceremonial staff, emanating an aura of authority that demanded respect without anger.


    The person by his side was not the Mayor��s assistant.


    But rather, a young man in his twenties.


    The young man was tall and clad in a dirty brown explorer��s outfit; his boots were caked with mud. Frowning, he murmured to Mayor Adel.


    And the Lord Mayor, as if he had become the young man��s assistant, nodded continuously, uttering ��Understood,�� ��Will have it done immediately.��


    The identity of the young man was not unfamiliar; some who didn��t recognize his face knew the emblem on his chest signified the Glorious Adventurer.


    In White Dove City, there was only one person of that age with that emblem.


    Eye of True Knowledge: Lin Da!


    The young man discussing strategies to manage the Monster Tide and devising plans with the mayor was none other than Lin Da.


    In the days prior, Lin Da had stationed himself at Breeze River Beach to observe the terrain, study the habits of the Murderous Crabs, and predict the potential scenarios after the Monster Tide erupted.


    According to the messages brought back by the Valiant Adventure Team, the number of Murderous Crabs was around what he had estimated, between 50,000 to 100,000, spreading towards the Barren Plains and the Man-Eating Swamp.


    Lin Da, holding a map, was in a rush; he discussed with Mayor Adel while they walked:


    ��These locations require the largest number of adventurers to defend. If the Murderous Crabs find a large number of lower-level Magical Creatures to feed on, they will reproduce rapidly�� in three days at most, the number of creatures in the Monster Tide could double.��


    ��Double?�� Mayor Adel��s expression shifted, his fist clenching in regret: ��If only I had heeded your advice earlier and organized adventurers to station at Breeze River Beach����


    ��Lord Mayor, let��s focus on resolving this crisis first. It��s not too late yet; we have a good chance,�� Lin Da said, shaking his head; what was needed now was to steady people��s hearts. S��ar?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the two passed by the managers lined up in wait, no one noticed the trembling Kreivs.


    Klay was so panicked that he almost couldn��t stand on his feet, barely resisting the urge to throw himself to his knees and cling to Lin Da��s legs, begging for mercy!


    Klay truly hadn��t known that a Monster Tide would erupt!


    Had he known this would happen, not for a hundred Gold Coins would he dare obstruct Lin Da��s meeting with President Velen.


    Klay had only felt that Lin Da hadn��t shown him the respect due to a Guild official, so he gave him a little bit of trouble��! Heaven be his witness, Klay could never have imagined such a small hindrance would lead to such catastrophic consequences.


    ��No�� It wasn��t on purpose!�� Klay screamed hysterically in his heart, his face ashen with panic.


    Heavy and resolute footsteps passed before him, and he numbly looked up, his eyelids twitching violently at the sight��those were the captains of several Rock-level Squads.


    With grave expressions, they followed Lin Da and Mayor Adel up to the temporary war room on the fifth floor.


    ��Damn it, you��ll be dealt with after this is over. Until then, work to the bone!��


    Kafni, too, was among the crowd, landing a fierce kick into Klay��s stomach, causing a sour taste to rise in his mouth and bending over in agony on his knees.


    Under the astonished gazes of those present, Klay did not resist, tremblingly lowering his head: ��I�� I will work as hard as I can. Please, you must plead with the mayor on my behalf!��


    ��Dream on!�� Kafni retorted disdainfully, turning her mouth away and headed straight to the fifth floor with Monica.


    Now, the ones who could turn the tide and extinguish this Monster Tide were the Phoenix Tail Flower Team!


    For three days, Lin Da��s efforts were all seen by Kafni.


    He delved into the muck, studying the crawling speed of the Murderous Crabs, and testing the combat data between different individual crabs�� His usually neat appearance was obliterated, having completely forgotten to wash and groom in these three days.


    While such behavior indeed fitted a hero, as far as Kafni knew, not all heroes devoted themselves so thoroughly.


    She had heard from her seniors in the Divine Realm that many heroes would rob ordinary people��s homes to amass top-tier equipment, committing all kinds of evil without caring even about the life or death of the Princess they were smitten with.


    How could they be, like Lin Da, concerned about the welfare of the average citizens and adventurers of White Dove City?


    Kafni could tell that Lin Da genuinely wanted to resolve this disaster and save the common people and adventurers of White Dove City!


    ��It seems, I didn��t choose the wrong person.��


    Kafni muttered inwardly, her eyes following the tall figure heading up the stairs, feeling a strong sense of pride welling up within her.


    Fortunate for choosing Lin Da as the hero and proud to be a member of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    ��


    On the fifth floor, in the war room.


    At the very front, there was a large Magic screen.


    It displayed a bird��s-eye view map of the area around the Breeze River Beach, with red circular icons representing the Murderous Crabs.


    Lin Da stood on the platform, a long rod in hand, tapping the screen, adding red circular icons.


    ��This is the current layout of the Murderous Crab Tide.��


    Lin Da��s eyes were sharp as he looked at the dozens of adventurers below.


    These were the strongest adventurers in White Dove City, and they were key to resolving this crisis.

 Chapter 166 - 166: 145, she is a fool.

    Chapter 166: 145, she is a fool.


    Lin Da��s gaze swept over the crowd.


    Standing at the very front, closest to him, were the leaders of three Steel Level Adventure Groups.


    Leading them was Abner, the chief of the White Dove Adventure Group, known as ��Mind��s Eye.��


    This was a swordsman with blue, long hair tied into a ponytail, who always kept their eyes closed.


    Abner��s Sword Intent was like a huge Sword Mountain, with wild Battle Qi raging atop it, like a fierce wind, seemingly tearing into shreds anyone who even slightly approached.


    This was not something that Abner did on purpose, but rather a ��momentum�� built from years of training.


    ...


    Without using any force, a strong individual could just with a glance cause an ordinary adventurer to be scared out of their wits.


    This was ��momentum.��


    The high-level Battle Qi and Magic Power, infused in every drop of blood of the adventurer, brought pressure with every gesture.


    There were several other Star-ranked adventurers present, but they paled in comparison to Abner.


    Lin Da could only roughly guess Abner��s level: at least 37.


    He silently thought that to deal with the creatures deep in the Breeze River Beach, one must rely on top-tier adventurers like Abner.


    Looking towards the back, Lin Da saw many familiar faces.


    Isa of Ice Flower, Valiant Robert, Sword Light Adventure Team��


    A girl with short red hair was also among the crowd.


    The girl wore a white eyepatch and carried a greatsword taller than herself on her back at a slant.


    When Lin Da swept his gaze over to count the numbers, the girl seemed to take it personally and snorted coldly.


    By her side, Isa whispered, ��I know you two have your differences, but now is the time to put them aside. Let��s all work together.��


    ��Mhm,�� the girl responded.


    The girl was Lia.


    Lia felt that Lin Da on the stage was insufferably arrogant, even daring to command so many people more powerful than he was without showing the proper respect of a lower-level adventurer.


    Plainly put, his emotional intelligence was too low!


    Had someone else been speaking, Lia might have listened seriously, but the person above was all too familiar to her, a former teammate.


    And she, as the captain, had to listen from below,


    The awkwardness made Lia tap her foot nonstop, feeling annoyed and unable to listen attentively.


    However, this strategy meeting wasn��t held for her. As Lin Da��s view swept by and saw her fiery red hair, his main thought was ��Rock Level Team count +1��.


    On the stage, Lin Da held a long rod, tapping the light screen with a serious face:


    ��Immediately issue a notice from the Guild: adventurers above level 10 are to assemble outside the city, to be allocated and commanded by the officers of the Imperial Knights. Those below level 10, stand by within the city.��


    ��Additionally, send messengers to seek aid from South Rock City and Red Heart City.��


    ��And the most crucial point��distribute recording rings to ensure that every adventurer who kills a Murderous Crab gets the corresponding reward after the battle, preventing anyone from taking advantage during the chaos by collecting corpses of Magical Creatures.��


    Without the recording rings, there would definitely be a lot of adventurers with dishonorable intentions.


    ��Dispatch all sensor ladybugs to oversee the battlefield from above, monitoring the Monster Tide��s movement!��


    Each directive was issued in an organized and unflustered manner.


    Lin Da, facing the crisis, didn��t show a trace of panic in the face of the Monster Tide, giving the impression of a veteran who had experienced countless Monster Tides.


    Mayor Adel stood by Lin Da��s side, feeling incredibly ashamed upon hearing this, as he felt completely superfluous.


    White Dove City had been at peace for many years, and the city hall had long lost the mindset of preparing for danger in times of safety.


    The Adventurer��s Guild��s Investigation Department, even more so, existed in name only.


    Adel secretly decided that after surviving this crisis, he would definitely reorganize with great effort, and all the officials would have to reflect on their lazy and perfunctory behavior!


    Many captains of the Rock-level Squads were nodding to themselves as well, seeing the merit in each of Lin Da��s commands, which were extremely useful and well-thought-out.


    Although the Phoenix Tail Flower was an Apprentice Squad, and its captain was only Level 16, the power it demonstrated during this crisis was no less than that of a Steel Level Adventure Group.


    When Isa looked up at Lin Da on the stage, a faint look of admiration appeared on her face. She had realized long before, when Lin Da was just an ordinary Healer, that he would never be a common adventurer.


    The only regret was that it was the lucky Lia who had picked Lin Da up and recruited him into her team. sea??h th�� nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this moment, however, Lia��s feelings were the complete opposite of Isa��s.


    The more others praised Lin Da, the more uncomfortable Lia felt.


    ��Commanding, I can do that too.��


    She thought resentfully, utterly failing to see the uniqueness of these commands and believed that it would be better to gather the Rock-level Squads and charge directly at the Breeze River Beach.


    ����Excuse me for being blunt.��


    ��I believe Mr. Abner would be more suitable as the overall commander.��


    A gloomy man with green curly hair, tall and thin with a hooked nose, raised his gaunt right hand.


    The Specter Adventure Group��s Hulus?


    This sudden statement by the gloomy man brought a silence to the war room.


    Some were surprised, while others understood something and showed thoughtfulness on their faces.


    Abner, named by Hulus, opened his eyes slightly.


    ��I am not good at command.��


    Abner��s voice was calm as water, but it clearly reached everyone��s ears.


    Jite became angry, bristling with killing intent as he said, ��Hulus, are you asking for trouble?��


    ��No, I just think, given that Abner is also a Glorious Adventurer and is highly prestigious, why should we let a kid who has just started out, and hasn��t even hit Level 20, command everyone?��


    Hulus sneered, his green curls like venomous snakes exuding a sinister vibe as he spread his skeletal hands and said:


    ��Anyway, I am not convinced. Perhaps there are some who feel the same as I do?��


    The crowd was silent.


    Some people��s eyes flickered as they whispered among themselves.


    Hulus, cloaked in black with a steel skeleton badge on his chest, emitted a bizarre magic aura that made people uneasy, even causing a slight dizziness when one directly looked at him.


    With his remarks, the hall was enveloped by an indescribable atmosphere.


    Lia mumbled in confusion, ��What��s going on, isn��t Hulus supporting Abner, so why does Abner look unhappy?��


    ����Miss Lia, did you ever attend school?�� Isa��s face twitched, and she suddenly understood why Lin Da had left the Snow Goose.


    The captain of a team might not be the smartest person, but at the very least, shouldn��t be a fool!


    ��A bit,�� Lia frowned. ��But adventurers don��t need to go to school, being able to fight is enough.��


    Isa sighed inwardly, looking at the eyepatch-wearing short-haired girl with some sympathy.


    Taking pity on her for being so foolish, Isa explained:


    ��That Hulus is the leader of the ��Specter Adventure Group,�� a powerful Star-ranked adventurer. Hulus and his teammates specialize in Dark Magic Power and Battle Qi, you know that, right?��


    ��I know.��


    ��The Specter Adventure Group was forced out of the core resource area in the fifteenth layer of the Great Mystery Continent by Abner, you know that too, right?��


    ��I know, yeah.��

 Chapter 167 - 167: 146, Steel Level Adventure Group, Beheading Plan

    Chapter 167: 146, Steel Level Adventure Group, Beheading Plan


    ��So��Hulus is trying to set up Abner, forcing Abner into an opposition with Lin Da, inciting conflict between the two!��


    ��Ah, can it really be like that?�� Lia exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise.


    ��But this move has already been neutralized by Jite.��


    Isa praised, ��Jite may seem boorish, but he made his stance clear, telling everyone that Hulus has ulterior motives and the White Dove Adventure Group has no intention of competing with Lin Da for the position of commander. Hulus��s attempt to sow discord has backfired, not only failing but also strengthening the relationship between White Dove Adventure Group and Phoenix Tail Flower.��


    ��So that��s how it is����


    Lia muttered, feeling a bit confused.


    ...


    On stage, Lin Da had not expected this kind of complication.


    He seemed to have thought everything was going too smoothly��in the game, when players triggered the [Attack] command, all members would attack recklessly, even at the cost of their lives. However, the biggest difference between reality and games is that everyone has different thoughts and will fight for their interests.


    Even with a monster tide imminent, some were scheming for their own benefit.


    For example, to irritate the White Dove Adventure Group and ruin their relationship with Abner.


    He inadvertently became the stone caught in the middle of the fight between White Dove Adventure Group and Specter Adventure Group, damaged by the residual effects of the battle.


    ��I support Hulus��s command of the battlefield, such a young kid shouldn��t be in charge.��


    ��Me too.��


    ��Agreed.��


    One after another, five or six captains of Rock-level Squads sided with Hulus.


    Among them was another Iron Level leader: [Shattered Rock] Rhode.


    A two-and-a-half-meter-tall fighter who fought with his fists.


    Now, even Mayor Adel was in a dilemma.


    The protest from two Iron Level Adventure Groups could not be ignored by anyone.


    ��Was this premeditated?�� Lin Da thought clearly. Perhaps, Hulus and Rhode had collaborated more than once against White Dove Adventure Group. After all, there were rumors that the core resource area of the fifteenth layer of the Great Mystery Continent was monopolized by White Dove, naturally irritating the other two Iron Level groups.


    Seconds and minutes passed.


    Every while, the Murderous Crab tide would expand by an inch.


    Lin Da truly wished he could kick such a troublemaker as Hulus out of the war room.


    But his seniority was less than these veteran teams, and Mayor Adel also needed Iron Level Adventure Groups stationed in the city.


    In other words, Lin Da now needed a compromise, one that would silence Hulus without angering these people and still use them to fight the Murderous Crab.


    Just as Mayor Adel was feeling the headache, Lin Da suddenly said:


    ��Lord Hulus, in my opinion, you are actually better suited to be the commander.��


    ��Me?�� Hulus was taken aback, seemingly not expecting Lin Da to kick the ball back to his court.


    ��Yes.�� Lin Da smiled insincerely, ��The Specter Adventure Group has a well-known reputation. With your command, adventurers in White Dove City will surely fight as if they��ve been imbued by a ��song of bravery,�� their combat power doubling.��


    ��Your feats commanding adventurers in battle will also be talked about in major cities, becoming the most famous Iron Level Adventure Group.��


    Hearing this, Hulus began to sweat slightly on his forehead.


    The most famous?


    Indeed, if the command was impressive, his title as Soul Reaper would become widely known.


    But likewise, if it failed, if held accountable by those above, kicked out of White Dove City��


    This infamy would spread throughout the empire.


    No city would welcome them, and they might even be banned from entering the World Tree by the empire.


    This consequence was tantamount to crippling their adventure group!


    ��Why did Lin Da compliment Hulus and yet Hulus looks so unhappy?�� Lia couldn��t understand.


    Isa patiently explained it once more.


    ��What, this is ��killing with kindness�� for Hulus?�� Lia said in shock, ��Lin Da is too devious, isn��t he? I didn��t know he was like that before.��


    Isa smiled awkwardly.


    She thought to herself, this should be called ��wisdom,�� shouldn��t it? If they didn��t quickly resolve the nuisance that was Hulus, the monster tide would come even closer to White Dove City.


    As for Lia not having noticed before, that was because Hu Linda��s ��cunning�� had always been directed at Magical Creatures and those adventure teams targeting Snow Goose.


    He never targeted Lia, so of course, she couldn��t feel it.


    ��It turns out my biggest rival is a fool,�� Isa thought with mixed feelings.


    Meanwhile, Hulus chuckled, waved his hand, and said, ��Someone like me is only suitable for dealing with the corpses of Magical Creatures. I��d rather not command.��


    Abner said, ��I nominate Lin Da for the command.��


    ��Me too,�� Mayor Adel followed immediately.


    This made Hulus��s expression grow even darker, forcing a smile with seeming goodwill as he nodded, ��I agree as well. Although he��s a junior, perhaps he can bring out something eye-catching, hehehe.��


    With Hulus, the thorn, silent, [Shattered Rock] Rhode and the other Rock-level captains had no choice but to give in reluctantly.


    Their attempt to set up Abner had unexpectedly brought Lin Da and Abner closer together.


    A silent confrontation had inadvertently pushed the Specter Adventure Group and Solid Rock Adventure Group into an opposition against White Dove and Phoenix Tail Flower.


    Lin Da was very clear about how awkward and helpless this situation was.


    If he sided with Hulus, he would be targeted by White Dove Adventure Group and vice versa. Caught between the Iron Level groups, like a small boat in the waves, he could only move by borrowing force.


    ��If Phoenix Tail Flower were also Iron Level, would Hulus dare to cause trouble publicly? Just one of Monica��s Earth Bombardments would clear his health bar instantly!�� Lin Da thought, hiding his displeasure, while still maintaining a cordial exterior.


    ��No more nonsense, let��s move on to the next step.��


    ��I call it: the Decapitation Strike.��


    ��Surely, everyone understands that there��s only one swiftest way to extinguish this Monster Tide.��


    ��That is�� to vanquish all the Leader Level creatures within the Murderous Crabs, leaving the lesser Magical Creatures headless!��


    Lin Da��s voice resounded assertively through the hall, redirecting everyone��s thoughts back to the Monster Tide.


    Within this wave of the Monster Tide, there must inevitably be leaders.


    The presence of the leaders would bestow a sort of calming buff upon the Magical Creatures.


    This would make the lesser Magical Creatures fearless and aggressive, daring to attack even the most formidable adventurers.


    Once the leaders were dead, the calming buff no longer bestowed, those level ten-odd Murderous Crabs would crumble in disarray from merely the aura of a Star-ranked adventurer, significantly reducing their combat effectiveness.


    Nobody objected to the Decapitation Strike.


    Lin Da pointed out several black dots on a glowing screen with a long pole����Roughly one in every thousand Murderous Crabs will be a level 20 Black Armored Crab General. With the Monster Tide estimated at about one hundred thousand, that means there are nearly one hundred Black Armored Crab Generals.��


    ��There are a total of sixty-six Rock-level Squads, and currently, the number that can be mobilized within the city is fifty-one.��


    ��On average, each team will have to kill two Black Armored Crab Generals.��


    Lin Da��s long pole pointed directly at the center of Breeze River Beach.


    Everyone��s gazes sharpened.


    Undoubtedly, that was the most dangerous location.


    Until now, no one knew where the Murderous Crabs were coming from.


    To uncover the mystery, one had to venture deep into Breeze River Beach.


    ��The strongest leader is ninety percent likely to be found there,�� Lin Da said.


    In his heart, he knew the likelihood was a hundred percent.


    A ��Regional Level BOSS��.


    In games, players would go mad over such an entity, all vying for the last hit.


    The carapace of this BOSS could be used to forge top-quality Orange Equipment.


    Its Demon Core, rich in Magic Power, could increase an adventurer��s training speed by a hundredfold.


    If one were lucky enough to encounter ��that kind�� of BOSS, the materials could even be used to forge Epic-level Equipment!


    Correspondingly, the difficulty of subjugating it was extraordinarily high.


    It would be pure suicide for a Rock-level Squad to face it.


    Lin Da looked solemnly at the map of Breeze River Beach, saying:


    ��This place will be investigated by the White Dove Adventure Group. The Barren Plains and the Man-Eating Swamp are also teeming with Magical Creatures, so Specter Adventure Group and Solid Rock Adventure Group will each lead ten Rock-level Teams to subjugate them. After clearing out the Leader Level Magical Creatures there, they��ll immediately proceed to support White Dove Adventure Group.��


    Hulus frowned slightly but did not voice any objections.


    The rare Magical Creatures deep within Breeze River Beach were indeed very appealing.


    However�� Hulus was worried about failing to subjugate them.


    In terms of combat power, Specter Adventure Group was weaker than White Dove Adventure Group.


    Looking at the map on the light screen, Breeze River Beach was located straight to the north, with the Man-Eating Swamp and Barren Plains on either side.


    Lin Da quickly assigned the other teams their subjugation areas.


    With every touch of the long pole on the magical light screen, a piece representing an adventure team was left behind.


    To the astonishment of many, Lin Da seemed to remember the names of all teams present without referring to any list.


    When allocating subjugation areas, Lin Da took into account the strength of each team.


    The more formidable the team, the deeper and larger the area they were assigned.


    ��Chestnut Dragon Adventure Team, this area.��


    ��Ice Flower Adventure Team, here.�� sea??h th�� nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Snow Goose Adventure Team����


    Lin Da displayed a rare moment of hesitation; after some thought, he assigned Snow Goose to a relatively safe area. When he met Snow Goose the day before, Aiko and the others were not in great shape, so he took extra care of them.


    Some astute adventurers noticed Lin Da��s favoritism but didn��t comment further.


    It was understandable that those with ability had some special privileges.


    Besides, among the Rock-level Squads, Snow Goose wasn��t particularly strong, their coordination was poor, and their overall combat capability was below average.


    Placing them in a safer zone was comprehensible.


    On the other hand, Ice Flower Adventure Team was placed in a comparatively inner area.


    Lin Da trusted Isa very much.


    Then he placed the last piece, ��Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.��


    Phoenix Tail Flower was in charge of a mid-layer area.


    The other ��pieces�� in that area were Rock-level Squads.


    Although those teams were the weakest echelon that had just entered the Rock Level,


    Rock Level was still Rock Level, indicating teams that had successfully cleared more than ten layers.


    Lin Da��s decision to place Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team in such a hazardous area immediately prompted reminders from some well-intentioned individuals.


    Gale, with his silky blond hair, smiled amicably and said,


    ��Lin Da, perhaps you��ve put the Phoenix Tail Flower piece in the wrong place? I know you��re eager to attract the girls�� attention, but being able to step back when necessary is also a quality of excellence. Leave the limelight to us at White Dove Adventure Group.��


    Lin Da smiled, his expression resolute, ��Rest assured, if I place Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team in this area, it��s because I have confidence in their capabilities. Phoenix Tail Flower��s member, Monica, is an Earth Mage, and as you all know, Earth Mages have an attribute advantage over Murderous Crabs. Monica might only be level 19, but her damage output won��t be any less than that of a level 20 Mage!��

 Chapter 168 - 168: 147. Monster Tide? Seafood Wave!

    Chapter 168: 147. Monster Tide? Seafood Wave!


    ��That little girl is not a problem,�� Hulus said teasingly, ��but you seem to be a Poison Series Mage? Poison magic against Murderous Crab carapaces, hehehe�� to put it bluntly, isn��t that just tickling over the boots?��


    Poison magic was indeed restrained by the Murderous Crab, but in Lin Da��s Space Ring, there lay the Azure Sword, specifically designed against Aquatic Demons.


    Yet, this was not something he would share with Hulus.


    With a faint smile, Lin Da said, ��Mr. Hulus, you��ve remembered one thing wrong. I��m not any kind of Poison Series Mage.��


    He shrugged his shoulders, with an expression of helplessness, ��My true profession is a Healing Mage, a healing support profession.��


    ��Healing Mage?��


    ... S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hulus seemed to recall the verdant Light Shield from the Phoenix Tail Flower strategy broadcast, his complexion subtly changing.


    Capable of dealing damage as well as supporting, and strong in both aspects.


    As he grew, he could become a formidable competitor.


    ��Hehehe, then you have to be careful about your safety; support professions are quite frail. Don��t let the Murderous Crabs hurt you,�� Hulus��s gloomy face squeezed out a trace of insincere concern.


    ��Thanks for the reminder.��


    Lin Da��s face was expressionless, but he was secretly on alert.


    In White Dove City, adventurers were clearly divided into two camps, and once reaching or nearing rock level, one would be roped in, and even compelled to take sides, by those in power.


    In the eyes of outsiders, the Phoenix Tail Flower was already leaning towards the White Dove Adventure Group.


    The sale of the Metal Destroyer Potion to Gale was further proof of this, naturally drawing the hostility of the Specter Adventure Group.


    Lin Da disliked taking sides; he did not wish for his team to be constrained by anyone.


    But faced with a veteran force like the Specter Adventure Group, the Phoenix Tail Flower could only seek shade under the big tree that was the White Dove Adventure Group.


    Fortunately for him, his impression of Gale and Jite was positive.


    The public opinion regarding Mind��s Eye Abner was also reassuring.


    At least it was some comfort.


    Standing with the White Dove Adventure Group was not a bad deal.


    Before long, the territorial distribution for the campaign was completed.


    Lin Da handed over command to Mayor Adel. This included various data on Murderous Crabs he had calculated these past few days, now printed into handbooks, distributed to every Rock-level Squad Captain.


    There was no time to delay.


    Mounted on war horses, everyone hurried to the depths of the Monster Tide.


    ��Don��t die.��


    On the street, a double-winged black horse raced past Lin Da like a bolt of lightning.


    Sitting atop it was a girl with a single red ponytail fluttering in the wind.


    After saying that coldly, the girl on the double-winged black horse vanished ahead.


    ��You either.��


    Lin Da responded.


    The battle against the Monster Tide was exceptionally perilous; a great number of adventurers would die.


    He had a selfish wish: he hoped everyone he knew would survive.


    But on the battlefield, where countless changes could happen, no one could say for certain what would occur.


    All Lin Da could do was protect the teammates around him.


    Kafni��s war horse ran beside him.


    Behind him, Monica rode the same horse with him.


    This socially awkward Big Lolita was on the battlefield for the first time. With so many adventurers around her like a sea, her face turned white with tension, and she was unable to speak.


    A pair of small hands tightly hugged Lin Da��s waist from behind, her entire body pressed up against his.


    Once out of the city,


    The bumpy ride of the war horse made Lin Da feel the intense oddness coming from behind.


    That trembling�� it showed just how scared Monica was!


    ��The captain will protect you, Monica. Unleash your magic freely and take down those damned beasts!��


    With his left hand holding the reins and his right hand caressing the delicate little hand from behind, Lin Da��s voice was steady and powerful.


    ��Monica�� will try her best!�� The girl mustered her courage, peeking her little head from behind Lin Da��s back to look forward at the endless black tide.


    Targeting ahead with her magic wand, she whispered softly, ��Earth Bombardment!��


    A thick brown column of light soared into the sky.


    In just a breath��s time, the bodies of over a dozen Murderous Crabs were pierced by the column of light, left with bucket-sized holes!


    The members of the Rock-level Squads on the horses ahead all cast surprised glances back.


    Many mages of higher levels than this Monica were unable to kill so many Murderous Crabs in one go.


    The offensive capability of an Earth Mage was indeed formidable.


    ��Leader, didn��t I tell you? Phoenix Tail Flower has the potential to reach Steel Level!��


    At the very front, Gale boasted with a triumphant smile, speaking to the blue ponytail Swordsman.


    ��The potential is decent,�� replied Abner, White Dove City��s strongest adventurer, as he nodded slightly.


    Then, he drew his sword.


    The white light of death flickered.


    A whole square area of Murderous Crabs, about three hundred in number, was turned into a bloody mire on the spot!


    With the Steel Level Adventure Group as the sword��s edge and Rock Level as the blade, this fierce dagger plunged deep into the depths of the Monster Tide!


    ��


    ��


    In the midst of the Monster Tide��s middle zone,


    Swordsman Finch faced the Murderous Crabs, each over two meters in length, with deadly pincers nearly reaching three meters, and he couldn��t help but turn pale, his body going limp.


    The hand holding his One-Handed Sword was also shaking violently, and the only thought in his mind was: It��s over, I��m going to die in this cursed place.


    This Finch was the same disheveled adventurer Lin Da had encountered previously at the entrance of the Chilang Commerce.


    At this moment, Finch looked around �C everywhere were dark masses of giant crabs and blood-soaked adventurers fighting for their lives.


    Driven by the supervising Imperial Knights, before he knew it, he had ventured into the middle zone of the Monster Tide.


    The battle had not gone on for twenty minutes before Finch was drenched in red.


    Luckily or unluckily, not a single drop of that blood was his �C his fellow adventurers, like blood bags, were cracked open by the Murderous Crabs, their crimson liquid spraying over his face!


    ��Ah, ah, ah!��


    Finch screamed in despair as he swung his sword with all his might, chopping down on the Murderous Crab��s head.


    However, aside from numbing his hand and leaving a faint white mark on the Murderous Crab, it did nothing significant.


    ��Hiss, hiss.��


    The Murderous Crab��s eyes peeked out from its carapace, looking disdainfully at Finch with an almost human-like scorn.


    Its huge pincers clacked in the air, making a creepy, bone-chilling sound.


    A blow from those pincers would mean certain death or crippling injury.


    This vast battlefield resembled an execution ground for beheading, with the halves of adventurers�� bodies strewn everywhere!


    ��I, I want to go back to the city.��


    ��I can no longer fight!��


    Finch, who had lost his will to fight, looked utterly defeated as his one-handed sword fell from his palm to the ground.


    Chop, but could not cut through.


    Get hit, and at the very least it��d be severe injury.


    How could one possibly defeat such a monster?


    Finch thought to flee, but behind him stood Imperial Knights in shining armor, supervising the battle.


    The knights surveyed each adventurer with cold, emotionless eyes.


    There was a cruel law in the empire: when Magical Creatures attacked, adventurers were obligated to fight.


    Those who avoided battle would have their city residency revoked, becoming undocumented, and under the empire��s control, they would never be allowed near the World Tree again.


    Those who fled the battlefield could be executed on the spot!


    So even if Finch lost the will to fight and couldn��t even hold onto his sword, he was forced to face the terrifying tide of Magical Creatures.


    ��Jiji, jiji.��


    The eerie laugh-like chirping of the Murderous Crab echoed as it raised its massive pincers, attacking the stunned Finch who had already given up any resistance and was just standing there.


    ��Verdant Shield.��


    Just as disaster was about to strike, a burst of emerald light fell upon Finch, forming a circular light shield around him.


    The Murderous Crab��s pincers, which should have cleaved Finch in two, seemed to hit a steel wall, and the recoil was so strong that the Magical Creature stumbled backward, its carapace cracking slightly.


    ��What?�� Finch stared dazedly at the light shield before him, finding it vaguely familiar.


    At that moment, a warhorse thundered past him.


    The rider was carrying a petite girl.


    The knight threw a purple whip, and with a sharp crack, the Murderous Crab��s gigantic pincer was dented, causing it to shriek in pain.


    Then the knight leaped from the horse.


    He drew a dusty long sword from his waist and chopped at the Murderous Crab.


    The carapace, thick as armor and upon which Finch had chopped several times, leaving at most a faint white mark,


    Was effortlessly sliced open by the knight who had just jumped from his horse.


    Finch watched, wide-eyed, as the Murderous Crab was cleaved in half like a piece of rag!


    Not even cutting through butter would be this smooth, would it?


    Like a chef in a high-end restaurant, the knight performed a series of Triple Slashes with his long sword, sectioning the massive Murderous Crab into pieces.


    The tough carapace seemed to have been treated with some magic, becoming softer than tofu.


    It gave Finch the impression that while to him it was a ��Murderous Crab��, to the knight, the two-meter-long creature was nothing more than oversized seafood!


    ��Hiss, hiss!��


    The three nearby Murderous Crabs noticed the knight and charged towards him, hissing.


    Their massive bodies and flailing claws rushed at him from three directions, nearly blocking out the sunlight.


    ��Be careful!��


    Finch yelled out nervously, warning the knight!


    But the next moment, Finch only saw streaks of sword light, imbued with the power of the Water Series, passing through the Murderous Crabs.


    This delicate energy, upon meeting the solid carapaces of the Murderous Crabs, became exceptionally sharp.


    A cross-shaped cut appeared behind each Murderous Crab.


    Immediately, with a snap,


    The Murderous Crabs were diced into chunks of flesh, raining down like droplets!


    This power �� could it be a high-leveled swordsman?


    Finch was dumbfounded.


    Using no skills, the young man simply wielded his sword in ordinary slashes.


    A mere two or three slashes and a level 15 Murderous Crab was downed.


    As Finch was distracted, two huge Murderous Crabs approached him from both sides.


    The petite mage on the horse noticed what was happening and waved her magic wand.


    An Earth Spear Spell was cast.


    Pur, pur!


    Meter-long earth spears pierced through the Murderous Crabs�� heads, and the creatures fell to the ground with a thud.


    Finch belatedly realized he had narrowly escaped a brush with death at Hell��s Gate once more.


    He numbly watched the two Murderous Crabs with earth spears deeply embedded in their skulls, his mind in disarray: were Murderous Crabs this weak, easily killed at will?


    Yet why could his forceful sword strike only leave a white mark,


    While the mage and the knight could slice through Murderous Crabs like chopping vegetables, effortlessly taking them down?


    Sometimes the matter of levels was just so unfair.


    If skills weren��t used, a top-level swordsman��s attacks wouldn��t look much more spectacular than an ordinary swordsman��s.


    But high Attribute Points brought the power to cut through everything.


    The battle prowess of this squad deeply shocked Finch.


    Yet Finch didn��t become disheartened because of this.


    It was as if he saw a light awaiting him at the end of this dark tunnel.


    Finch regained the courage to wield his sword again, hoping that one day he too could become such a powerful adventurer!

 Chapter 169 - 169: 148. Crazy monster farming, Leader Level Magical Creatures appear

    Chapter 169: 148. Crazy monster farming, Leader Level Magical Creatures appear


    ��`


    ��The rock-level squad has finally arrived.��


    The overseeing Imperial Knight breathed a sigh of relief as his hanging heart finally settled down.


    ��But, which rock-level squad is this, and why haven��t I seen them before?��


    ��It��s the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.�� Finch wiped the blood from his face and said, ��I recognize their captain, the Eye of True Knowledge, Lin Da!��


    ��The newly emerged Glorious Adventurer?�� The Imperial Knight was startled, as if something dawned on him, suddenly enlightened.


    ...


    But he was still puzzled; to his knowledge, the captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower hadn��t yet reached level 20.


    Why did their combat strength seem no different from someone at level 20?


    Finch was also curious about this.


    He stared intently at the unremarkable long sword in Lin Da��s hand.


    When it struck the Murderous Crab��s carapace, it sliced through like a hot knife through butter, making one wonder if Lin Da could slice the creature in half with a casual throw of the sword without even trying hard.


    The magic power radiating from it was exceptionally strong!


    ��Probably because of an extremely good weapon combined with Lin Da��s high ability points. That��s why the Murderous Crabs seem like weaklings that he can kill in a few strokes!��


    Finch secretly pondered.


    Lin Da��s reason for dealing high damage was almost what Finch had thought.


    First, Lin Da��s own attributes were high. S��ar?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    863 Dual Attack points, which is about the same as a normal level 20 Swordsman.


    Secondly, the Azure Sword��s 40% additional damage against aquatic demons was too handy.


    In front of this sword, a level 15 Murderous Crab was no different from being made of paper.


    Shortly after the Phoenix Tail Flower Team joined the battlefield, they completely reversed the situation in this area.


    The Murderous Crabs retreated steadily, buying time for the adventurers to regroup.


    ��Phoenix Tail Flower, awesome!��


    Many people noticed Lin Da and called out excitedly.


    The appearance of a powerful adventure team brought hope of victory to everyone.


    The Murderous Crabs also noticed the three thorns of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team and dispatched dozens to surround them.


    Lin Da and his teammates stood back to back against the enemy, silently calculating the hit points of the Murderous Crabs:


    Level 15 Murderous Crabs generally had around 3000 health. With a little more than two normal attacks, he could slay one.


    If he used the skill Venom Eruption��


    This skill dealt quadruple damage.


    Even after reducing the Murderous Crabs�� 50% slaughter resistance, the damage could still reach 3000.


    Lin Da and Monica exchanged glances, nodding in understanding without words.


    ��Venom Eruption!��


    ��Earthquake Technique!��


    The Venom Eruption hit the Murderous Crabs�� carapace as if pouring a pot of hot oil on them, and the creatures let out an extremely piercing hissing noise.


    Their carapaces corroded, darkening their flesh.


    Lin Da��s strike instantly killed six Murderous Crabs.


    On the other side, Monica��s output was even more terrifying.


    This Big Lolita had higher Magic Attack than Lin Da, plus, earth system was the weakness of the Murderous Crabs, adding 50% more damage.


    Plus the 10% from Lin Da��s Captain��s Aura.


    Monica��s innate skill Glass Cannon further increased the damage.


    Essentially, whatever skill Monica released, if it even grazed a Murderous Crab, its health points would immediately drop to zero.


    As the Earthquake Technique was launched, the ground in a huge fan-shaped area right in front of Monica began to shake violently. From the cracks that opened up, a large spread of earth spikes emerged.


    Pupupu!


    In Lin Da��s field of view, there were dense red -5000s everywhere.


    The ��screen full�� of damage numbers was truly exhilarating.


    Lin Da even felt like he was still a player, controlling Monica.


    Under one Earthquake Technique, more than thirty Murderous Crabs perished.


    Half an hour later.


    The corpses of Murderous Crabs piled up like mountains.


    The adventurers, excited, raised their bloodied swords in victory cheers.


    In their hands, they all wore the recording rings distributed by the Imperial Knights Order to keep track of the number of Murderous Crabs they had killed.


    Before the Phoenix Tail Flower Team arrived, the total number of adventurers in this area was over three hundred, and combined, they had only killed about two hundred Murderous Crabs.


    After the arrival of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, this number tripled.


    ��`


    Monica alone took down three hundred Murderous Crabs!


    The girl��s pale, delicate fingers were adorned with a recording ring, with the number displayed reaching 302!


    With one Earthquake Technique, Monica could wipe out twenty or thirty Murderous Crabs.


    Even a minor skill like the Earth Spear Spell could take out one at a time.


    It was like a large mower entering a field of leeks, effortlessly harvesting swathes with eyes closed.


    Lin Da was not far behind.


    The number displayed on his recording ring was 107.


    Most of the Murderous Crabs had fallen to his Normal Attacks.


    The greatest advantage of Magic and Martial Dual Cultivation was enduring strength, Normal Attacks saved a considerable amount of Magic Power.


    Lin Da, gripping the Azure Sword, could slice a Murderous Crab in half with a casual swing.


    This wave alone caused his Mystical Points to skyrocket.


    A string of system notifications piled up in his panel.


    Slaying Murderous Crabs could earn 150 Mystical Points.


    However, during the event, there was a double points bonus.


    Therefore, the total Mystical Points Lin Da reaped amounted to a massive 32,100!


    Adding to his accumulated 9,267 points, the total was 41,367.


    The experience bar for a level 16 Healing Hero was 1,000/40,000, just 39,000 shy of leveling up.


    It meant he had earned enough Mystical Points to go up a level in just half an hour!


    This rate of leveling was even faster than climbing the World Tree Secret Realm.


    ��Continue the hunt!��


    Lin Da excitedly gripped the Azure Sword, charging at the next Murderous Crab.


    ��


    With the inclusion of Phoenix Tail Flower, the pressure on the adventurers in the area dramatically lightened.


    The number of Murderous Crabs dwindled rapidly, with every five adventurers ganging up on one.


    Finch stayed amidst the crowd, envying Lin Da��s silhouette in the distance.


    A year ago, they were adventurers on the same level.


    In such a short time, he could only look up to Lin Da.


    As for the big shots in the distance, Finch didn��t feel much, but witnessing someone who had been at the same level as himself suddenly grow to unreachable heights caused a mix of emotions in his heart.


    ��The captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, I know him, we��ve fought side by side before!��


    While fighting, Finch bragged about his past experiences to the adventurers around him.


    This earned him envious looks from the others, and the favoritism of the Overseeing Knight: allowing him, a Swordsman, to rest in the rear for the time being.


    By then, Finch was content.


    Perhaps one day in the future, he and Lin Da��s team would have the chance to fight alongside each other again.


    The story of Lin Da��s rise from an ordinary Healer to prominence deeply inspired Finch.


    The sword in his hand felt lighter!


    ��Aooo!��


    Finch yelled in his heart, cheering for the Swordsmen fighting ahead of him.


    He needed a good rest, his Battle Qi was nearly exhausted.


    Suddenly, a powerful magical creature��s aura appeared from the front.


    The retreating Murderous Crabs, as if injected with adrenaline, now had red eyes, fearlessly charging at the adventurers again.


    Everyone��s faces turned pale.


    It was a Leader Level skill: ��Inspiration��!


    Under the Influence of Inspiration, magical creatures of the same species would fight to the death, carrying out the leader��s orders unquestionably.


    ��Phoenix Tail Flower Team, we��re counting on you!��


    The Imperial Knight shouted earnestly.


    Capture the king first.


    The Leader Level magical creature had to be eliminated first!


    Lin Da nodded in acknowledgment.


    Defeating the Leader Level magical creature in this area was precisely the Phoenix Tail Flower Team��s goal.


    He, along with two teammates, headed towards the source of the aura!

 Chapter 170 - 170: 149, Rock-level Squad cant penetrate the Carapace?

    Chapter 170: 149, Rock-level Squad can��t penetrate the Carapace?


    ��`


    After advancing for about six hundred meters, an exceptionally large black crab came into view.


    Compared to the ordinary murderous crabs with a body length of three meters, this black armored giant crab measured a full five meters.


    Its carapace was dark and glossy, like a small hill clad in heavy armor, radiating a steel-like sheen all over.


    Beneath the black armored giant crab were a pile of adventurer corpses, mangled and trampled beyond recognition.


    The evil aura of the magical creature was like a cluster of vigorously burning black flames, impossible to ignore.


    ...


    Lin Da gripped the trembling hand of Monica and said, ��Don��t be nervous, you can do this!��


    The black armored crab general, level 20.


    A purple rare level magical creature.


    Its combat power was higher than the goblin chieftain, with an astonishing health point total of 50,000!


    But Lin Da��s heart was calm, lacking the tension he had faced when confronting the goblin chieftain.


    Back then, he was only level 13, hadn��t exchanged his equipment, yet he had managed to kill the goblin chieftain with 30,000 health points.


    Now with the Phoenix Tail Flower Bird Gun switched out for a cannon, and he himself wielding the Azure Sword, having also suited Monica up in full purple gear��


    The overall combat strength of the team had increased by more than double.


    Monica also had a 50% damage increase against shell-type creatures, and the damage from each of Big Lolita��s shots would easily exceed ten thousand.


    No matter how powerful the black armored crab general was, it wouldn��t withstand five shots from Monica.


    It simply wouldn��t be enough!


    Lin Da confidently led his team members closer, only to discover that a rock-level squad was already there.


    But when he had been commanding in the operations hall, he hadn��t dispatched any other teams here.


    This ��rock-level�� area should only have the Phoenix Tail Flower team.


    Lin Da thought doubtfully.


    Looking closely ahead.


    It was a squad comprised entirely of beastmen.


    The badge they wore on their chests had a red heart as the background symbol, not a dove.


    A supporting adventure team from Red Heart City?


    Lin Da was somewhat surprised.


    The team had a total of seven members.


    Two front-liners, responsible for drawing the black armored crab general��s fury.


    Four ranged attackers, dealing damage.


    And one dedicated support, a healer.


    Although the opposing team was also at rock level, the pressure Lin Da felt from them wasn��t intense; the highest level among them was estimated to be around 20.


    Some team members�� level auras were only slightly higher than his own, probably around levels 18 or 19.


    The situation on the battlefield was extremely tense.


    This adventure team was struggling to deal effective damage to the black armored crab general.


    Their team members had terribly poor compatibility with this magical creature!


    The two archers couldn��t penetrate the hard carapace of the black armored crab general.


    The archers�� ��penetration series�� was resisted by the murderous crabs, just as Lin Da��s poison series had been.


    The other two mages were fire mages.


    Fire attacking water was a self-inflicted struggle.


    They, too, faced a reduction of 50% in damage.


    The strength of the murderous crabs lay just there, in their ability to resist various types of damage.


    Lin Da saw pitiful numbers rising above the head of the black armored crab general: -300, -400, -370��


    And a single frenzied strike from the creature could cause the frontline warrior to spit blood, their faces reddening and veins on their foreheads nearly bursting.


    Lin Da took a quick glance and immediately understood the battle situation.


    Just relying on this team, even if they could defeat the black armored crab general, the casualties would be heavy.


    On the battlefield, the greater situation took precedence; he didn��t mind leading the Phoenix Tail Flower, cooperating with this team from Red Heart City.


    ��I��ll help����


    Before he could finish his sentence, a ��thump����an arrow landed right before Lin Da.


    If he had taken half a step further, the arrow would have hit his boot!


    ��What do you mean by this?��


    Lin Da furrowed his brow, anger evident in his eyes.


    Monica and Kafni��s expressions changed as well, becoming alert.


    ��Sorry, this is the prey of our ��Giant Rhino Adventure Team��.��


    A beastman with a hound��s head, holding a crossbow, sneered and gestured somewhere else: ��Please leave.��


    ��Was it you?��


    Lin Da felt the houndman looked familiar.


    A memory suddenly surfaced; he remembered, ��Mos?��


    The houndman called Mos hesitated for a moment, then looked carefully at Lin Da: ��It��s you?��


    The two had met once before at the Adventurer��s Guild in Red Heart City.


    At that time, Monica was wearing a cardboard box, and Mos mocked her to simply roll back home and stay there.


    The two had a somewhat unpleasant conflict.


    Recognizing Lin Da, Mos��s attitude grew even worse. He raised the crossbow in his hand and bellowed, ��If you want to defeat such a black armored giant crab, find your own; don��t covet ours. Leave at once!��


    ��`


    Lin Da kindly offered help, only to be met with suspicion, which led to his expression turning cold. S��ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Let��s go.��


    Without another word, Lin Da, holding Monica��s hand, hurried forward, towards the presence of Leader Level Magical Creatures.


    Kafni viciously flipped the middle finger: ��Shar Pei Beastmen, I hope the magical creatures fuck you to death!��


    Mos sneered, ��Our Rock-level Squad would never lose to a Level 20 magical creature. Just don��t be jealous, that��s all!��


    ��Jealous my ass!��


    Kafni spat out a mouthful of saliva in contempt.


    The Giant Rhino Adventure Team was obviously among the weaker Rock-level teams. Kafni��s Divine Power could sense that Mos was only Level 17. Those who were fighting ahead? Only four were Level 20, the rest around Level 18.


    They were clearly the lucky dogs that passed the 10th floor of the World Tree, yet they believed it was their own strength that got them through.


    That kind of thing happening to the muscle-brained Beastmen was pretty normal.


    ��Two Archers and two Fire Mages fighting aquatic Shell-type Magical Creatures, seriously, I��m lost for words. They can��t even break the shells, what a joke. Are they crazy for materials or what?��


    Kafni caught up to Lin Da, complaining non-stop.


    This deity was someone who couldn��t stand the slightest loss and was vengeful by nature.


    Lin Da also felt quite helpless: ��There��s nothing we can do about it. The materials from a Black Shell Crab General are worth about 200,000 gold. Even established Rock-level Squads only earn that much in a year.��


    The Giant Rhino Adventure Team thought it was a huge loss to yield the creature and share it with Phoenix Tail Flower.


    But after all the Giant Rhino Adventure Team��s efforts, they hadn��t even triggered the second stage of the Black Shell Crab General. Over here at Phoenix Tail Flower, it would only take three shots from Monica.


    Joining forces to fight the Black Shell Crab General, the real losers were actually Lin Da and his team.


    They didn��t need the Giant Rhino Adventure Team at all, and could easily kill the Black Shell Crab General by themselves.


    They were willing to share the spoils because they saw the others as reinforcements.


    ��


    Mos, smug as ever, returned to the edge of the battlefield and stood with the Mages in the back.


    ��Captain, I drove them off. It was an Apprentice Squad. They ran scared when they saw our Giant Rhino��s Rock-level badge, haha!��


    Mos, trying to look cool, wiped his chin with his thumb, then spread his hands: ��This Rock-level badge is really useful. If this were a few days ago, I��d have to argue with those people.��


    ��Well done. You keep watch, don��t let other adventure teams take advantage of the chaos to steal our gains,�� the captain of the Giant Rhino Adventure Team said. He was a Rhinoceros-man Mage named Lai Xi.


    Lai Xi glanced at the Rock-level badge on his chest, his stern face softened, revealing a proud smile.


    ��Captain, are you sure everything��s fine?��


    Mos hesitated for a moment and looked towards the center of the battlefield: a five-meter-long giant crab was hammering its claws down on the Heavy Armored Warrior��s Tower Shield. The size difference between the two was like that of a cat and a mouse. With each hit from the giant crab, the ground beneath the Heavy Armored Warrior caved in.


    Even from several dozen meters away, the vibration of the earth reached under Mos�� feet.


    Just one pinch from those claws, and he guessed he��d crap himself.


    ��Can we, actually kill that magical creature?�� Mos had his doubts.


    ��No big deal,�� Lai Xi��s voice was calm and powerful, ��Although this Black Crab is trickier than the Giant Carnivorous Flower on the ninth floor, we can wear it down. How can the intelligence of magical creatures compare to us Beastmen?��


    ��Exactly, no matter how fierce the magical creatures are, they are just a bunch of brainless things.�� Mos nodded deeply in agreement, feeling a lot more relaxed in his heart.


    In this Beastman-constituted adventure team, there was also a member from the dolphin race of demi-humans, with a small black fishtail growing behind her head, just like a ponytail.


    The girl hesitated before saying, ��Lai Xi, I think we could cooperate with that team.��


    ��Feiny, are you scared?��


    Lai Xi said with amusement, ��Even though you are the smartest in our adventure team, we absolutely must not let this Black Armored Crab General go. If we take it down, everyone in our adventure team can upgrade to more powerful equipment.��


    ��I know this magical creature is valuable�� It��s just that the Giant Carnivorous Flower we subdued last time was actually suppressed by our two Fire Mages, right?��


    Feiny, with a headache, pointed to the Black Armored Crab General ahead, ��Such aquatic demons are not easy to kill, their carapace is too thick, we can��t blast through.��


    Lai Xi shook his head, speaking with a tranquil voice, ��No problem, with precision we can break through. We just need to keep attacking the same spot, and we will eventually break through.��


    The focus of the Giant Rhino Adventure Team��s attack was the carapace near the head of the Black Shell Crab General, where a large number of white marks had been made.


    It was presumably quite fragile; a few more hits and the ��crab roe�� would burst.


    ��Roaring Charge!��


    The front-line Heavy Armored Warrior holding a battle axe suddenly jumped up, striking the whitened part of the carapace.


    ��Good, it��s about to break,�� Lai Xi said, clenching his fist in excitement.


    Then, the next second, everyone was stunned.


    Mos jumped around anxiously, ��Brother Four, why did you wipe the white marks clean, what are you doing?��


    It turned out that the Bull-headed Warrior, Brother Four, charged at the Black Shell Crab General��s carapace covered with white marks only to�� wipe it clean!


    It was as if one polished dirty leather shoes with shoe polish, making them shine brightly!


    Lai Xi��s head buzzed, murmuring, ��The white marks we finally produced were just�� wiped away by Brother Four?��


    The other members of the team were also somewhat dumbfounded, looking at each other, grasping their weapons, unsure if the fight was still on.


    ��Damn it!��


    ��Complete waste of effort, everybody, use your ultimate skills!��


    Team leader Lai Xi, burning with a mix of anger and embarrassment, took the lead with the Flame Mage��s level 20 ultimate skill, Fire Tornado.


    It burned fiercely, and indeed had some effect.


    The Black Shell Crab General, enraged, lifted its giant pincers and swung them like scissors, ��snip snip��, before forcefully snapping them shut, the two pincers turning into two massive, sharp blades amidst the glow!


    If Lin Da were here, he would realize: it was moving into stage two.


    In its second stage, the Black Armored Crab General entered a berserk state, with increased attack power and faster movement speed.


    Healers had to conserve their magic power, frantically healing the front line, or else it would be easy to lose members.


    Unfortunately, the Giant Rhino Adventure Team didn��t have the experience of subduing the Black Armored Crab General.


    The huge ��blade pincer��, with a momentum as if it could split heaven and earth, struck the Bull-headed Warrior.

 Chapter 171 - 171: 150, Omnipotent Shot, True Damage

    Chapter 171: 150, Omnipotent Shot, True Damage


    Hiss.


    The Minotaur was cleaved in two on the spot!


    It was not until this moment that Lai Xi realized something was terribly wrong.


    With only two front-liners in the Giant Rhino Adventure Team, and now just one left, they certainly couldn��t withstand the frenzied attacks of the Magical Creatures.


    Lai Xi immediately turned to Mos, ��No good, we need to cooperate. We can��t handle this creature on our own!��


    ��Give up half of the reward, hurry, that team hasn��t gone far, get them to join forces!��


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    ��What?��


    Mos scratched his scalp, awkwardly doodling small western-style houses with his toes inside his shoes.


    ��Me, go and talk to them? Isn��t that a bit�� inappropriate?��


    ��Get moving!��


    Lai Xi, annoyed, gave a hefty kick to Mos��s rear.


    You think I��ll go, the team leader?


    Anything can be lost,


    but face cannot!


    ��


    At this time, about a kilometer to the north of the Giant Rhino Adventure Team,


    ��Attention, it��s entering the second phase, everyone back off!��


    Lin Da��s gaze was stern as he watched the Black Armored Crab General transform into something resembling a pair of scissors under the glow, its momentum soaring, and he loudly warned his teammates.


    ��Understood, Lord Captain!��


    Monica carefully retreated about fifty meters away, chanting the Spell for Earth Bombardment from a distance.


    Meanwhile, Lin Da, wielding the Azure Sword, took advantage of the Black Armored Crab General��s ��Transformation��, and delivered a Triple Strike with loud clangs.


    The carapace of the Black Armored Crab General was covered with sword marks, looking like a sieve from being chopped so heavily.


    When Lin Da attacked with the Azure Sword, the blade released a flow of luminescence, concentrating on the edge.


    With each strike, the light turned into tiny hissing sawteeth, causing tremendous damage to the Murderous Crab��s carapace.


    As a result, Lin Da��s Normal Attacks dealt almost as much damage as the insusceptible True Damage.


    His Dual Attack was 863, with damage fluctuating between 840-863.


    The Triple Strike inflicted about 2500 damage in total.


    Lin Da was quite satisfied with it.


    Of course, if he knew that Lai Xi��s level 20 Ultimate Skill, Fire Tornado, only totaled 3500, he would have been even more pleased.


    Wielding a Supreme Orange Weapon, Lin Da could slowly whittle down the Black Armored Crab General!


    Boom, from behind.


    A thick, brown column of light flew over his head and struck right in the center of the Black Armored Crab General��s carapace, which was still mid-��Transformation��.


    ��Hiss! Hiss hiss!��


    A bucket-sized hole was blasted through the carapace of the Black Armored Crab General, with white, transparent blood flowing out.


    Alarmingly, a five-digit number, -10874, popped up above the creature��s head.


    A genuine cannon blast worth ten thousand!


    If Monica were to disregard the consequences, she could eliminate the Black Armored Crab General in a minute.


    But considering the heavy toll that Earth Bombardment took on the Magic Circuit, Lin Da asked Monica to use it only if it wouldn��t affect her well-being.


    He estimated the Magical Creature��s remaining hit points in his mind: It would enter the second phase with 25000 hit points, and now the giant crab had only 13000 left.


    ��Venom Magic Sphere.��


    Lin Da first delivered a Triple Strike and then released a Spell with his left hand to fill the gap of the recovery period after the combo.


    -963!


    -945!


    -960!


    Although the carapace resisted the Venom Magic Sphere, it still managed to inflict around 950 damage each time.


    A single Magic Sphere jumping six times roughly amounted to a total of around 6000 damage.


    Lin Da threw another Venom Magic Sphere, stacking the poison damage to one layer, then he stepped aside, patiently waiting for the Black Armored Crab General to succumb to the poison.


    ��Don��t just stand around, if there��s an opening, clear out the minions to relieve the pressure on adventurers in this area.��


    Lin Da glanced at Kafni, who had been continuously attempting to use Stealing on the Black Armored Crab General, hoping to pilfer one of its claws.


    This remark was primarily meant for Kafni to hear, but Monica��s little face turned red, thinking Lin Da was scolding her for not putting enough effort into using Earth Bombardment.


    ��Captain, I��m shooting now,�� she said.


    Monica hurriedly raised her magic wand.


    ��I wasn��t talking about you,�� he said.


    Lin Da smiled, held down the girl��s magic wand, and pointed at Kafni, who was still diligently ��stealing,�� ��I was referring to her.��


    ��Oh���� Monica relaxed at that.


    The two stood shoulder to shoulder, clearing out the lesser Magical Creatures.


    Lin Da protected Monica from the front, mainly using Normal Attacks to conserve Magic Power.


    [System Notification: Defeated level 15 Murderous Crab, received 150 Mystical Points (activity bonus, an additional 150 points)]


    [Notification��]


    [Notification X87]


    Adding to the Murderous Crabs defeated before encountering the Black Shell Crab General, Lin Da amassed 26,100 Mystical Points.


    On his recording ring, the total count of Murderous Crabs he had defeated reached 194.


    Total Mystical Points: 67,467!


    Lin Da stroked his chin, thinking that if he grinded a bit longer, he should be able to level up twice in a row.


    Upon leveling up, he would receive Divine Light, restoring a certain amount of Magic Power and Hit Points.


    In intense combat, this is a very handy means of healing.


    When he played games, he used to enter dungeons with the experience bar at 90%, fighting until halfway and leveling up for a cost-effective heal.


    ��The Black Shell Crab General should be about to die,�� Lin Da muttered to himself.


    As Lin Da pondered, suddenly, a huge shadow loomed over him.


    Turning his head, he saw the Black Shell Crab General holding on to its last breath, its eyes revealing a ferocious glint.


    The claws tinged with the breath of death struck at him.


    Lin Da made no attempt to avoid it, sword in one hand, he thrust at the creature.


    He silently chanted in his mind: ��Verdant Shield.��


    With the shield��s blessing, his total Hit Points reached 6,760.


    Lin Da then applied the skill ��Thorns Armor,�� boosting his defensive power and causing Reflective Damage.


    He suspected that he could defeat this critically damaged Magical Creature just by standing still.


    Calmly looking up at the Black Shell Crab General, Lin Da was filled with a flood of emotions. When fighting the level 15 Goblin Chieftain, he had to chug Life Potions, barely scraping by with calculated Hit Points.


    The Black Shell Crab General, stronger than the Goblin Chieftain, was easily subdued by him and the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    The rise in the Phoenix Tail Flower Team��s combat strength was evident to the naked eye.


    Perhaps it was time to consider using the Goblin Chieftain��s ring to take on their Royal Family.


    As far as Lin Da knew, there was a relatively weak Goblin King��s lair in the fifth layer of the Great Mystery Continent.


    ��


    With a grimy face, Mos dodged the Murderous Crab��s attacks and searched through the Monster Tide for Lin Da.


    Damn it,


    It was Lai Xi who told him to drive the other party away and Lai Xi who asked him to seek cooperation.


    It damn well should have been Lai Xi himself coming over!


    As a Hound Man, Mos had his dignity.


    To do such a thing made his heart feel like a Protean Monster, twisting and contorting inside his chest no matter how he settled it, never sitting quite right.


    He might as well think about how to begin the conversation.


    ��Brat, our Rock-level Squad, the Giant Rhino Adventure Team, in our great magnanimity, allow you to partake in the slaying of level 20 Magical Creatures!��


    Or maybe a more humble approach: ��Damn human, I acknowledge your strength, so hurry up and cooperate with the Giant Rhino Adventure Team!��


    Mos scratched his head in annoyance.


    He felt unless he sent Dolphin Girl over for them to enjoy for a night for free, those people would never agree to cooperate!


    There was a sound of battle up ahead.


    Mos tensed up, he had found them.


    His mind in turmoil, he drew closer, figuring if all else failed, he��d bring Dolphin Girl over to seek cooperation.


    Talk about a coincidence.


    Just as Mos arrived, he witnessed the face-off between Lin Da and the Black Shell Crab General, the moment their sword and pincers collided.

 Chapter 172 - 172: 151, Mos was stunned after killing the Black Crab

    Chapter 172: 151, Mos was stunned after killing the Black Crab


    ��Fuck, that kid is done for.��


    When the insignificant human charged at the massive crab, it was like a mayfly shaking a tree.


    Mos could tell at a glance that the human in front of him was merely a swordsman.


    A swordsman��s physique might be tougher than a mage��s, but not by much.


    Among the various professions, it was a slightly above average standard.


    Their Giant Rhino Adventure Team��s heavy armored warrior had been snipped away by this black crab in one pinch.


    ...


    How could this human, whose level was even lower than their heavy armored warrior, possibly withstand the attack of a magical creature?


    However,


    The next moment, Mos��s train of thought paused.


    Azure sword light flickered in the air.


    The human ��swordsman�� unleashed a Cross Slash. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A horizontal cut severed the oncoming claw pincers into two pieces.


    A vertical cut chopped off the other large claw.


    Then with a kick, he flipped over the Black Armored Giant Crab that was five meters long and weighed over a ton.


    The monster lay with its white belly facing upward.


    The remaining eight legs struggled a few times and then curled up quickly like dead seafood.


    ��Hmm�� this must be a juvenile creature.��


    ��Otherwise, how could it have died like an oversized small fry?��


    Mos desperately tried to reassure himself.


    The scene before him was too shocking.


    Their captain Lai Xi��s Ultimate Skill, the Fire Tornado, hadn��t even hurt the Black Shell Crab General.


    But this human killed it with two slashes?


    Water System Swordsman?


    Elemental advantage over the black crabs?


    Yes, that must be it!


    It wasn��t that the Giant Rhino Adventure Team was weak.


    It was just that this kid had an attribute advantage!


    Mos felt these excuses were like a rickety tower of building blocks, ready to collapse at the slightest breeze.


    But he had to convince himself.


    He would never admit that the Giant Rhino Adventure Team was inferior to this Apprentice Level human team!


    Mos forced a dry laugh as he approached, his heart unconvinced, yet his body already submitting. Recalling his action of shooting crossbow bolts as a warning, his legs turned weak; he had unknowingly skirted the edge of the Gate of Hell.


    To show that he meant no harm and would not attempt to steal the Phoenix Tail Flower��s spoils, the Hound Man raised his hands and slowly moved closer:


    ��Um�� may I say something?��


    The three members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team were in the midst of their excitement, completely ignoring Mos.


    Mos felt quite awkward, but he couldn��t say much since he was the one asking for a favor.


    Kafni hopped onto the corpse of the Black Shell Crab General and started to extract the Demon Core with her dagger.


    Multiple encounters with magical creatures had turned Kafni from a novice to an extremely skilled master.


    With her keen sense of perception, she could easily locate the position of the Demon Core.


    Otherwise, even a minor damage to the Demon Core would diminish its value.


    Kafni could be called a master of loot collection.


    Monica curiously squatted on the ground, prodding the sharp claw pincers with her small hand.


    When a Leader Level creature of the region died, the most notable change was that the murderous crabs were thrown into disarray.


    They dared not approach adventurers of higher level than themselves!


    They no longer possessed the demeanor of zombies, recklessly fearless of death.


    The instinct of beasts to seek fortune and avoid harm returned to these creatures.


    Facing the mightier Phoenix Tail Flower Team, they felt fear, worried about getting hurt, and would turn tail and flee.


    Lin Da did not pursue.


    There were plenty of murderous crabs, too many to clear out.


    His goal was to slay Leader Level magical creatures to lessen the burden on ordinary adventurers.


    He then opened the system message to check briefly.


    [Defeated a Level 20 Purple Rare Magical Creature, Black Shell Crab General, and obtained 15,000 Mystical Points (During the event, an additional 15,000 points were awarded)!]


    Once again harvesting 30,000 points, even Lin Da, with his great composure, couldn��t help but let his lips curl into a smile.


    With a few more Black Shell Crab Generals slain, he could potentially level up three times.


    If luck was on his side, even grazing the edge of Level 20 wasn��t out of the question.


    Lin Da closed the system interface and joined Kafni in dismembering the corpse of the Black Shell Crab General.


    The most valuable parts of such a creature were four in number, each fetching a handsome price.


    They were:


    The pincers, with every four capable of forging an orange ��Crab General�� series weapon.


    The carapace, used for crafting Purple Rare armors.


    The four pairs of small legs, which were top-tier ingredients that had miraculous effects on enhancing an adventurer��s strength.


    And the crab roe, which could be used to brew strong liquor to improve the combat prowess of male adventurers.


    Plus a deep blue Demon Core the size of a cantaloupe��


    Lin Da waved his right hand, and his Space Ring released a mystical white light, enveloping and absorbing all the materials.


    ��What a great haul,�� Kafni clicked her tongue.


    The one who was most delighted with the Space Ring was her; otherwise, that dreadful Lin Da would have definitely made her carry sacks.


    Meanwhile, Lin Da calculated that these materials could sell for about 200,000 Gold Coins on the market.


    Money, after all, is never unwelcome.


    His goal was to equip all his team members with Orange Equipment and their main weapons with Epic Level gear.


    A carriage also needed to be added to the shopping list.


    Traveling on foot was slow, unable to compare with the speed of a magical beast-level warhorse.


    ��Speaking of which, the Giant Rhino Adventure Team from Red Heart City has already reached Breeze River Beach, so the Scarlet Adventure Group must be there as well,��


    Lin Da mused.


    Dawen of the Scarlet Adventure Group had detected the presence of mutated magical creatures at Qingfeng River Beach half a month ago.


    Right now, Dawen was probably leading his team into battle somewhere.


    After a bit of thought, it wasn��t hard to guess that they��d be deep within Breeze River Beach.


    Lin Da looked north with a hint of yearning and curiosity, towards the heart of the Monster Tide: a certain BOSS was waiting there.


    But only adventure teams who reached Level 30 were qualified to challenge such a foe.


    Upon reaching level 30, both equipment attributes and personal attributes would greatly increase, with a frontliner��s health points over ten thousand as the baseline.


    Only then could they withstand the attacks of that BOSS.


    The Level 30 Rare Orange Magical Creature: Red Armored Crab King!


    ��Level 20 Black Crabs are too easy, but not being able to beat the Level 30 Crab King is frustrating,��


    Lin Da muttered to himself.


    Visualizing the fierce battles deep in the beach, his blood surged with excitement.


    Eight out of ten times, both the White Dove Adventure Group and Scarlet Adventure Group would be there!


    They were the targets that the Phoenix Tail Flower Team needed to surpass.


    Lin Da thought that one day, Phoenix Tail Flower would outpace those adventure groups and even the former Primordial, once again standing at the pinnacle of the World Tree.


    How would those grand scenes in the game physically manifest in Another World�� Thinking of this, Lin Da felt waves of emotion that took a long while to subside.


    ��Um, could I have a word with you?��


    Mos chuckled with a sly grin, rubbing his hands together and stooping, exuding a sense of low-grade sycophancy.


    ��You?��


    Lin Da had noticed Mos quite a while ago.


    His awkward expression was a dead giveaway that he needed a favor.


    Beastmen as a race would only bow when they��re underfoot.


    Stand toe to toe with them and they��re fiercely impudent.


    Lin Da had a rough idea of what was happening.


    And sure enough.


    With an embarrassed laugh and scratching the back of his head, Mos said, ��Brother, how about we cooperate?��


    ��Cooperate, what kind of cooperation?�� Lin Da feigned ignorance.


    ��Well, that is�� um�� let��s team up to take down the Black Armored Giant Crab,�� Mos stammered, looking distinctly uncomfortable.


    ��But your team can handle it by yourselves, can��t you?�� Lin Da remarked with a half-smile.

 Chapter 173 - 173: 152. Like a War God

    Chapter 173: 152. Like a War God


    Lin Da didn��t particularly like Beastmen, except for Lulu and a few others on the team.


    This race was mostly brainless with muscles, and in the later stages of the game, they would be misled by the Doomsday Sect, standing against the adventurers.


    Mos��s face fluctuated between shades of pale and flushed as he gritted his teeth and said, ��The battle situation is dire, if this continues, the Giant Rhino adventure team will suffer more losses! Please have mercy and save us!��


    Lin Da said, ��So, you mean ��requesting aid��, not ��cooperation��, right?��


    ��Uh, well����


    A difference of two words, but the meaning vastly differed.


    ...


    Seeing Mos��s dilemma, Lin Da shook his head and said, ��Forget it then, we��ll find another Leader Level Magical Creature and subdue it ourselves.��


    ��Wait��wait a moment! Yes, it��s ��requesting aid��!��


    As Lin Da turned to leave, Mos looked like he was about to cry.


    He understood what Lin Da meant.


    If it was cooperation, the spoils would be split evenly.


    But if it was a request for aid, the Giant Rhino adventure team wouldn��t get any of the loot!


    You expect spoils even when someone else is saving your life?


    Although Beastmen had thick skins, they weren��t that shameless.


    ��Phoenix Tail Flower agrees to support you, quickly lead the way,�� Lin Da turned back and said.


    ��No way,�� Kafni blocked Lin Da, sneering at Mos, ��Do you really think we, the Phoenix Tail Flower, are like elvish barmaids, at your beck and call? One hundred thousand Gold Coins, or no deal!��


    ��What, that��s too much!��


    Mos��s face turned beet red as he exclaimed angrily, ��With the Monster Tide upon us, we are all adventurers. You disregard the greater good and still dare to ask my Giant Rhino adventure team for money? Do you even understand what ��the greater good�� means?��


    ��Ha!?��


    Kafni kicked Mos in the stomach with a thud,


    Mos was furious but, like a worker begging for assistance, he had to grit his teeth and swallow his pride: ��How can you hit people like this?��


    ��To hell with your greater good!��


    Kafni rolled up her sleeves, ready to hit a few more times, ��Stupid Beastman, if you knew the importance of the greater good from the start, why did you try to scare me with a crossbow just now? Either pay up one hundred thousand or buzz off!��


    ��You��!��


    Mos��s eyes nearly popped out of his sockets, his fists whitening as he clenched them.


    But thinking of his teammates still in danger behind him, Mos��s fists reluctantly unclenched. He looked at team leader Lin Da, feeling this human was easier to talk with:


    ��What about you? You just agreed earlier. Even without the Gold Coins, you��d help, right?��


    Lin Da thought for a moment and said, ��No, I��ve changed my mind. My teammate is right, one hundred thousand Gold Coins, or no deal.��


    Mos eventually compromised.


    Frankly, this Beastman had no bargaining power at all.


    The only team nearby capable of subduing the Black Armored Crab General was Phoenix Tail Flower.


    ��One hundred thousand Gold Coins�� I��ll pay!�� Mos said resentfully: ��But let me be clear, I don��t have that much on me; the team��s adventure funds are with team leader Lai Xi!��


    ��No time to waste, lead the way.��


    Lin Da nodded.


    Shortly thereafter.


    The group found the rampaging Black Armored Crab General.


    The scene was a mess, with crimson liquid everywhere.


    Two of the frontline members of the Giant Rhino adventure team had fallen, their bodies chopped into several pieces.


    Lai Xi, Feiny, and three other teammates were exhausted from running.


    It was fortunate that the Healer had learned the ��Agility Wind�� spell; otherwise, they��d have been caught by the Black Armored Crab General already.


    ��Mos, you finally made it!��


    Lai Xi saw the reinforcements and his tense face relaxed slightly.


    However, noticing that Lin Da and his two teammates were only three people, and their Level Aura wasn��t high, Lai Xi��s heart sank again.


    ��Are you the team leader?�� Lin Da said calmly, ��Let me remind you in advance, this is a paid rescue, one hundred thousand Gold, and we��ll handle the Magical Creature. Of course, all the loot will be ours.��


    ��As long as you can do it, no problem.��


    Lai Xi, breathless from being chased, came up to Phoenix Tail Flower and eyed Lin Da with deep skepticism.


    He glanced questioningly at Mos, as if to say: What��s going on?


    Mos nodded vigorously, replying with his eyes: Team leader, don��t worry, these people are reliable!


    ��Let��s go.�� Lin Da said without another word, leading his two teammates toward the Black Armored Crab General, which moved like a tank rumbling towards them.


    Their composure contrasted starkly with the disheveled Giant Rhino adventure team.


    Especially since Phoenix Tail Flower��s levels were much lower!


    Dolphin Girl Feiny watched Lin Da with interest.


    The members of the Giant Rhino adventure team seemed not too saddened by the loss of their two front-line warriors, and Feiny��s attention, even more so, focused on Lin Da��s lower half��by nature, dolphins were even worse than foxes and snakes; they were quite a lecherous species.


    Feiny secretly decided that if this Apprentice level team really could defeat the Black Armored Crab General, she wouldn��t mind rewarding them with her body.


    But Lin Da held his sword at the forefront, flanked by Kafni and Monica.


    Phoenix Tail Flower and the Black Armored Crab General distance grew closer and closer.


    When they entered a distance of twenty meters, Lin Da charged forward.


    He rapidly chanted a spell, launching a purple Magic Sphere.


    Kafni used the Thief��s level 15 skill ��Assassinate��.


    Her form became concealed, her presence nearly vanishing as she quietly slipped behind the Black Armored Crab General.


    Monica chanted the Earth Bombardment spell, a brown Array phantom emerging in the air.


    The battle was on the brink of erupting!


    The Venom Magic Sphere was the first to strike, hitting the Black Armored Crab General.


    It was like a bucket of ice in summer, instantly dousing the Magical Creature, corroding a hole in its tough Carapace, making it hiss in pain.


    This sudden development caused Lai Xi to blink in confusion, wondering: Poison Series should be similar to Fire Series and be restrained as well. Why then, when he as a Level 20 didn��t scratch it, could this human, merely Level 16, pierce the carapace in one strike?


    Lai Xi was puzzled, and so were Dolphin Girl Feiny and Mos, who had watched the whole thing twice.


    If Mos had told them that Lin Da��s sword damage was incredibly high beside his spells, Lai Xi probably wouldn��t have been able to sleep that night.


    A mighty Level 20 Fire Mage, outmatched by a Level 16 human?


    The reason for this scenario, objectively speaking, was Lai Xi��s poor equipment.


    As a team that had just advanced to rock level, Lai Xi only had one piece of Level 20 Purple Gear, and his Fire Series was countered by the Murderous Crab. This was an external factor.


    But the internal reason was Lin Da��s abilities, which were significantly superior to normal people, coupled with that unimpressive, dusty longsword in his hand!


    Wielding the Azure Sword, all of Lin Da��s damage would include an extra 40% damage to Aquatic Demons.


    Plus the Venom Magic Sphere, originating from a Legendary Skill Tree.


    Lin Da had also carefully studied the Black Shell Crab General, knowing which parts of its carapace were relatively weak.


    The combination of these internal factors and the external factors presented results that made Lin Da several times stronger than Lai Xi, the Level 20 Fire Mage!


    ��Triple Slash!��


    Lin Da swung the Azure Sword, executing a Triple Strike.


    Water transformed into saw teeth, hissing on the blade as if it were an electric saw.


    Upon initial contact with the carapace, sparks flew!


    The thick carapace held up for less than a second before Lin Da��s sword cut deep into the flesh.


    Lin Da��s Triple Slash directly caused the Black Shell Crab General to lose nearly 2500 health points.


    The carapace was covered in sword marks.


    Its two small legs were also chopped off by Lin Da.


    The Azure Sword cut through like a knife through butter, Lin Da felt no backlash at all.


    Using this sword to kill aquatic demons was pure enjoyment!


    Then, the skills of his teammates arrived.


    Kafni initiated Assassinate, swooping over the Black Shell Crab General.


    The Orange Weapon ��Crescent Dagger�� in her hand drew a deep white line on the monster��s carapace.


    Like a mischievous child using a sharp stone to ruin the paint on someone else��s luxury carriage.


    The carriage wasn��t damaged, but it was certainly heart-wrenching to see.


    A number popped up: -3000!


    The Rogue��s skill Assassinate had an extremely high damage multiplier!


    Following that, a brown beam of light!


    With a loud bang��


    The Black Shell Crab General was bombarded, stumbling and rolling, one of its claws falling off.


    Its body damaged, its combat effectiveness greatly reduced!


    Lin Da estimated that this demon��s health points were at most 15000 left.


    ��Monica, use Earth Spear Spell, remember to save magic power!��


    Lin Da recalled his days playing games; if there was a team member who recklessly used their ultimate moves in ��auto-battle��, he would hate it bitterly and lock such unmanageable team members in the warehouse.


    But in reality, facing a cute white-stockinged Big Lolita, Lin Da, moved by affection and reason, could not speak harshly.


    ��Yes, Captain Lord!�� Monica quickly abandoned the idea of using Earth Bombardment and switched to the minor skill, Earth Spear Spell.


    This scene left the Giant Rhino Adventure Team dumbfounded.


    Holding back powerful spells and only using basic minor skills?


    Didn��t they underestimate the Black Shell Crab General too much?


    And that Lin Da, whatever bizarre profession he had, threw spells one moment, slashed the next, staying in the front like a War God.


    He was 1.8 meters tall, weighing less than 200 pounds, yet he fought the 2000-pound, five-meter-long Black Armored Crab back and forth, with attacks exchanging fiercely!


    Moreover, Lin Da kept advancing.


    Forcing the Black Shell Crab General to frequently retreat, its eight legs drilled into the ground, plowing little furrows.


    The situation was clear at a glance.


    This demon that had driven the Giant Rhino Adventure Team to despair wasn��t enough for the Phoenix Tail Flower Team to handle!


    ��Normal Attack, Dodge, Normal Attack, Defend, Normal Attack, Normal Attack����


    Lin Da muttered as if chanting.


    With the Verdant Shield opened on his body, he felt completely secure.


    Protected by the Light Shield, his mind became even more clear, allowing him to precisely predict the Black Shell Crab General��s attacks and respond perfectly.


    Offense had the Azure Sword, defense had the Verdant Shield.


    The Level 16 Healing Hero, his combat capabilities freshly established.


    If there was a major flaw, it was still the lack of burst damage. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da had to pull the monster��s hatred, allowing his teammates to output damage from behind.


    He thought to himself: Monica, although high in damage, was weak in sustained damage; Kafni had Divine Power as a trump card and could scout the demon��s aura, but she was usually very clumsy, needing at least Level 30 to output significantly.


    The fourth member of the team, Lulu, was nowhere to be found, which was worrying��


    The Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, all told, only had four people, which really wasn��t enough.


    From the tenth layer of the World Tree onward, bosses had frighteningly high health points; they needed to add an output player to the team.


    While Lin Da was thinking, the Black Shell Crab General turned into critically low health.


    He thrust his sword into its head, ending its life.


    The Black Armored Crab let out a reluctant screech, its body thudding to the ground.


    The surrounding frenzied Murderous Crabs, as if doused with a bucket of cold water, immediately calmed down.


    With their underdeveloped brains, they thought: if even their leader was killed by this human, wouldn��t they be going to their deaths?


    Having realized this, they scattered in terror under Lin Da��s blood-stained Azure Sword.

 Chapter 174 - 174: 153, Small Fry Crab About to Die

    Chapter 174: 153, Small Fry Crab About to Die


    ��No escape, Venom Eruption!��


    Lin Da stretched out his left hand forward.


    A palm-sized purple array rapidly formed. S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Like a squid squirting ink, a hiss sound followed, as venomous liquid spewed from the array, scattering onto the fleeing Murderous Crabs and killing a large number instantly.


    [System Message: 8 level 15 Murderous Crabs have been defeated, accumulating 2400 Mystical Points!]


    [System Message: Level 20 Black Armored Crab General has been defeated, accumulating 30000 Mystical Points!]


    ...


    These two messages brought joy to Lin Da��s face, as he realized that during the event, the Mystical Points from killing Murderous Crabs did not diminish.


    Normally, having defeated over two hundred Murderous Crabs, the points would have halved.


    Thus, his total count of points had reached an astonishing 129867!


    According to Lin Da��s memory, the experience required for player levels were:


    To reach level 17, 40,000.


    Level 18, 60,000.


    Level 19, 80,000.


    Level 20, 100,000.


    Lin Da��s current Mystical Points were enough to level up twice consecutively.


    With a few more Black Armored Crab Generals, advancing three levels wouldn��t be difficult.


    As for level 20, which required more experience, it was one of the greatest thresholds for adventurers in the early stages.


    Reaching level 20 would grant access to an Ultimate Skill and the capability to wear level 20 gear with much higher Attribute Points compared to level 19 gear.


    If pursued normally, just progressing from level 16 to 19 would take at least three years even for a talented adventurer.


    Yet, Lin Da could achieve it in a single day thanks to his diligent efforts.


    This made him genuinely feel that the day when Luanwei would become a Rock-level Adventure Team was not far off.


    While feeling sentimental, Lin Da chopped up the carcasses of the Magical Creatures, storing them in his Space Ring.


    Glancing at the members of the Giant Rhino Adventure Team trying to sneak away in the distance, he frowned and launched a Venom Magic Sphere.


    With a swoosh, the sphere landed just in front of Lai Xi, corroding a pit into the muddy ground.


    Lai Xi��s eyelids twitched, and he laughed it off, ��Brother, what��s this for, the ground over there is cleaner, let��s move over there.��


    ��That would be best,�� Lin Da replied expressionlessly, ��One hundred thousand gold, please settle the bill.��


    ��


    In White Dove City, the Adventurer��s Guild��s fifth-floor operation hall.


    Screens of light projected on the walls, each manned by personnel anxiously monitoring them: these were high-angle shots transmitted by sensor ladybugs.


    Based on the real-time battle situation, messages were sent out to advise adventurers where support was needed and where to attack and so forth.


    Mayor Adel paced back and forth in the hall, drenched in sweat, his face clouded with concern.


    A glance at any of the screens revealed a gruesome scene of adventurers being viciously slaughtered by the giant claws of Murderous Crabs.


    Each dead adventurer felt like a slap in Mayor Adel��s face!


    The battle status of the Rock-level Squads was closely monitored within the screens.


    The success of their decapitation strategy greatly influenced the outcome of the battle.


    A bespectacled civilian staff member rapidly recorded the casualties in a notebook, and Adel moved beside him to check:


    Current number of Leader Level Magical Creatures defeated: 27, casualties among the Rock-level Squad members, 8!


    ��Eight people��equivalent to the loss of an entire squad!��


    Adel felt as though his heart were being cut!


    Each Rock-level Squad was a treasure of the city.


    The loss of eight lives to kill just 27 Black Armored Crab Generals��adventurers deployed in squads to hunt a single Black Armored Crab General.


    Still, eight had fallen.


    From the list, those who died were all front-line professionals around level 21.


    They had just advanced to Rock-level and hadn��t had the chance to adapt to their new powers or upgrade their equipment, like fledgling birds trying to soar but devoured by despicable vultures before they could ascend.


    Adel��s heart was in agony!


    ��Mayor, Luanwei is engaging the second Black Armored Crab General!�� an employee exclaimed excitedly, ��This team seems even stronger than some Rock-level teams.��


    ��What?�� Hearing the words ��Luanwei��, Adel quickly approached.


    When Luanwei was dispatched, Adel had invited Lin Da to stay and command, but was sternly refused by Lin Da.


    ����A true adventurer must fight on the battlefield!��


    Leaving behind these awe-inspiring words, Lin Da rode his warhorse, leading his teammates toward the city outskirts.


    This intense eagerness to confront the Magical Creatures deeply moved Adel.


    Adel had never seen an adventurer who hated Magical Creatures so intensely, as if Lin Da was born to be at odds with them!


    This noble spirit earned Adel��s respect.


    Awarding the Badge of Honor to Lin Da was undoubtedly the right decision.


    Adel��s tense face relaxed into a slight smile after watching Luanwei��s pleasing battle scene on the screen.


    ��Magic and Martial Dual Cultivation��once successful, level 20 could acquire two ��Ultimate Skills��, far surpassing ordinary Rock-level team members in strength,�� he mused.


    Decades ago, Magic and Martial Dual Cultivation was very popular.


    But the difficulty was high, the leveling slow, and the risk of conflicts between the two professions leading to damaged Magic Circuits, with few succeeding, causing this trend to gradually fade.


    Nowadays, mentioning Magic and Martial Dual Cultivation brought a sense of nostalgia.


    ��Mayor!��


    ��This Rock-level Squad seems to be in danger!��


    An employee cried out urgently.


    ��


    Monster Tide, middle zone.


    A thirty-meter radius circular gap appeared on the black ��carpet�� made up of Murderous Crabs.


    Inside the gap, a six-member squad was attacking a Black Armored Crab General.


    Their faces were relaxed, as though this powerful level 20 Magical Creature was hardly worth mentioning to them.


    ��Shield Bash!��


    The small-framed girl, cloaked in steel armor and wearing a full-face helmet with bull horns, only her pink ponytails visible at the back of her head.


    She smashed her thick tower shield onto the Black Armored Giant Crab��s pincers with her left hand.


    Skill: Shield Bash.


    The heavier one��s weight, the greater the damage inflicted!


    The tower shield collided with the giant crab making a loud thud that hurt people��s eardrums!


    Although the girl was small, the force of her shield strike was immense, sinking the huge Black Armored Crab General half a meter into the mud.


    As a Heavy Armored Warrior with an axe and tower shield, the attacks made with the shield inflicted 50% additional damage on shell-type Magical Creatures.


    Therefore, even though the girl��s primary role was as a cumbersome frontline, she was still able to deal notable damage in the war against the Murderous Crabs.


    ��Die already, you pathetic crabs, haha!��


    The taunting voice came from beneath the full-face bovine helmet, shrill with a thick hint of childlike mischief, reminding one of a mischievous child who had turned a house upside down.


    The petite girl lifted her face shield, revealing her face dripping with beads of sweat from the heat.


    She grinned triumphantly, stomping on the Black Armored Crab General��s pincers with her combat boots, ��Get up you weakling, or I��ll bully you!��


    ��Klrona, Magical Creatures don��t understand what you��re saying, you know? Just kill it and let��s move on to the next one,�� Aiko said.


    Aiko, holding a delicate white magic wand adorned with angel wings, with a shiny white gem emitting a holy light.


    Meanwhile, Aiko was multitasking, chanting the spell ��Light Bomb.��


    A watermelon-sized sphere of light followed a beautiful parabola and exploded on top of the Murderous Crab��s head.


    Boom��


    The explosion sounded, utterly ruining the Black Armored Crab General��s carapace, exposing the white flesh beneath.


    ��It��s my turn now!��


    The red-haired girl leaped, having stored up energy for a while.


    ��Flame Slash!��


    She brought down the greatsword.


    Although it was a Fire Series attack, which the Murderous Crab resisted, the greatsword��s blunt attribute increased damage by 50%, thus nullifying the fire weakness.


    Furthermore, this girl��s Strength greatly surpassed that of other Swordsmen at her level.


    The blaze turned into a sharp sword light, and a ferocious strike cleaved the giant crab into two!


    ��Hiss hiss hiss!��


    ��Hiss hiss����


    The creature��s agonized shrieks gradually ceased.


    Lia wiped the sweat off her forehead, posed with one hand on her hip, confidently holding up her greatsword, ��Snow Goose, invincible!��


    ��That��s great, now the captain can pay off her debt.�� Klyne, panting, put away her bow and arrow, a smile appearing on her face.


    Unlike the older members of Snow Goose, who were not in a rush to have Lia repay her debt, Klyne and Oru, being somewhat distant from Lia,


    and burdened with loans themselves, had grown quite discontent with Lia��s failure to repay.


    The World Tree��s 12th floor might have been conquered, but most of the money went to The Mandalas.


    This Monster Tide, Klyne was eagerly awaiting Lia��s repayment.


    ��Phyllis, Oru, what are you standing around for? Go collect the Magical Creature��s materials,�� Lia commanded, pointing at the dirty corpse of the Black Armored Crab General, herself unwilling to move.


    Aiko and Klrona, too, had no intention of doing such filthy work.


    In the Snow Goose Adventure Team, this was always a job for the boys.


    Oru was used to it and promptly responded, starting to cut the Magical Creature��s materials with a short knife.


    Phyllis, of noble heritage, reluctantly approached, covering his nose and clumsily assisting Oru.


    ��You��re so slow at this, not like Lin Da at all,�� Lia commented offhandedly as she killed more regular Murderous Crabs.


    The members of Snow Goose Adventure Team fell into an awkward silence.


    Only the red-haired girl didn��t seem to recognize that her words sounded just like those of a defeated person,


    seemingly spoken impulsively without any thought.


    It made Aiko even more reluctant to submit her resignation.


    Yes, although Aiko fought alongside Lia and the others, her heart had already flown to the Phoenix Tail Flower, pondering how to get Lin Da to invite her to join.


    Even though Aiko considered Lia a reluctant friend, she wouldn��t compromise her own preferences to remain in Snow Goose.


    Her real target was Lin Da, who had insulted her dignity.


    Until Lin Da was brought to his knees before her charm, she could not swallow this affront.


    ��Lia, the Great Mystery Continent is opening soon, isn��t it? What are your thoughts?�� Aiko asked absentmindedly as she fired the Light Arrow Technique, piercing through a Murderous Crab��s head.


    ��What thoughts?�� Lia asked in confusion.


    ��Are you really planning to go against Lin Da��s team?�� Aiko sneakily glanced at Lia, slightly nervous.


    If such an event occurred, her lackluster contribution might be noticed by Lia.


    ��If my team encounters him, surely he won��t have an easy time,�� Lia snorted, ��With just those few members in his team, dreaming of surpassing Snow Goose? Ridiculous.��

 Chapter 175 - 175: 154. Snow Goose seeks help from Phoenix Tail Flower?

    Chapter 175: 154. Snow Goose seeks help from Phoenix Tail Flower?


    ��No�� I never said that from the start, did I?��


    Aiko thought anxiously, fearing that nothing short of a thorough beating from Phoenix Tail Flower Team would wake Lia up.


    But to have Lia��s mentality completely shattered by such a beating, Aiko felt this was too cruel for the little dwarf. Previously protected in the palm of Lin Da��s hand, now she��d be hammered by him. Not everyone could accept such a drastic change.


    Especially since Lia herself had low tolerance, constantly having her defenses broken.


    Objectively speaking, Lia had a higher level and stronger combat abilities than Lin Da, but Aiko believed that once Lin Da reached level 20, the victor would be Lin Da.


    The reason was very simple.


    ...


    Lia��s attack pattern was monotonous, while Lin Da, as Snow Goose��s original commander, knew every team member��s combat style clearly.


    Fearing that Lia��s privacy was thoroughly exposed by Lin Da, plus�� with Lin Da offering his head for Lia to chop, would Lia bring herself to strike?


    Before Aiko��s eyes, an image of Lia being awkwardly stuck surfaced.


    ��Captain, all the materials have been gathered.��


    Oru grinned, wiping the blood of Magical Creatures off his hands, and neatly placed the two claws, carapace, Demon Core, and so on, in front of Lia.


    ��That��s not bad,�� Lia nodded, slightly satisfied.


    Thump, thump, thump��


    Suddenly, the sound of heavy objects stomping on the ground came from afar.


    In everyone��s spiritual perception, they could sense three strong presences of Magical Creatures.


    Aiko��s face changed, ��Black Shell Crab General, three of them?��


    Lia fell silent too.


    The team members looked at each other, and came to a unanimous conclusion: they were outmatched.


    Snow Goose only had two front-liners. They couldn��t withstand the attacks of three Black Shell Crab Generals.


    Aiko glanced at Lia, who was torn between fighting and retreating, and solemnly reminded her,


    ��Three level 20 leader Magical Creatures. Even if Snow Goose could win, the loss would be severe. It��s better to seek collaboration with another adventure team. There are sounds of battle to our east, probably a rock-level squad.


    ��With their addition, our numbers will exceed ten, and we��ll have at least three front-liners. Handling three Black Shell Crab Generals then wouldn��t be too difficult.��


    Calm and reasoned analysis.


    Several members nodded inwardly, feeling Aiko more fitting as the team��s leader.


    Lia, given a way out, relaxed her expression, ��It��s not that Snow Goose is scared, cooperation is just better. Let��s take down those three Magical Creatures together.��


    Aiko, looking at Lia��s stubborn demeanor, felt both irritated and helpless.


    There are no outsiders here, why are you still putting on a tough front?


    That mouth looks quite soft; why does it always talk nonsense?


    ��Let��s go, if we don��t hurry, we��ll be caught up.��


    Aiko secretly rolled her eyes and added a level 20 Demon Core to her Magic Wheelchair. The power surged, and she rushed to the east, leading the way.


    ��


    Clang!


    A Murderous Crab sneak-attacked Lin Da from behind, its large claws striking the Emerald Light Shield.


    The shield didn��t break, but the Murderous Crab was shaken back repeatedly, swinging its claws as if it had burned its hands.


    ��You got a problem?��


    Lin Da turned around and cleaved the Murderous Crab in half with his sword.


    [Defeated a level 15 Murderous Crab, gained 300 Mystical Points!]


    ��Lin Da, this isn��t good,��


    Kafni suddenly came over, holding two stolen claws and stuffing them into Lin Da��s Space Ring while her eyes fixed westward, ��There��s the presence of a level 20 Magical Creature.��


    ��Just defeat it,��


    Lin Da said nonchalantly, having been looking for leader-level Magical Creatures.


    After killing the one from Giant Rhino Adventure Team, and taking their 100,000 Gold Coins, it seemed there were no more leader-level Magical Creatures in this area.


    Phoenix Tail Flower Team planned to clear some minor monsters and then go help elsewhere.


    Now, a monster had come to deliver itself to its death, Lin Da happily accepted.


    ��Uh, actually, there are three���� Kafni said awkwardly.


    Lin Da fell silent.


    He had high health and didn��t fear being hit, but his teammates did.


    ��Let��s find another adventure team and collaborate.��


    As Lin Da thought this, he suddenly saw, in the distance, a group of crabs flung into the air as if struck by an Earth-Traversing Dragon charging headlong.


    Under the fiery red glow of Battle Qi, the Murderous Crabs were smashed into chaotic flight, accompanied by a familiar voice:


    ��Ora ora ora ora!��


    Was it her?


    Lin Da hesitated a moment and, using his height, looked ahead.


    Charging in the forefront was a short-haired girl swishing her Greatsword about, wearing a white eyepatch.


    When they were less than twenty meters apart, she noticed him.


    A look of surprise clearly appeared on the pretty, petite face of the girl.


    It was all probably too unexpected that, on this vast battlefield, just by searching for a nearby adventure team to collaborate with, they��d run into Lin Da��s squad.


    Lia, with a stern face, suddenly changed her mind and turned back.


    She planned to rely on her own strength, Snow Goose, to fight off the three Black Shell Crab Generals.


    A bit further away, roughly forty meters behind Snow Goose, were three enormous creatures.


    They held their claws, stained with the blood of adventurers, aloft, their eyes containing a trace of human-like mockery.


    Like hunters chasing their prey, they slowly exhausted the adventurers�� strength.


    Aiko saw Lia rashly rushing toward the magical creatures and, her forehead vein popping, reached out a hand and, like catching a rabbit, yanked Lia back.


    The force of her pull left Oru, the Hammer Warrior, dumbfounded!


    Lia was a bit stunned, sitting in Aiko��s lap in the Magic Wheelchair, twisting her head and unwillingly ending up in front of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    ��Lin Da, are you guys okay?�� Aiko pushed Lia off, tossing her aside like large-scale trash, and asked with worried expression.


    ��We��re fine, we��ve already taken down the second Black Shell Crab General.��


    Lin Da grasped the Azure Sword, focusing intently on the magical creatures that were about to attack.


    With a simple sentence, he threw out several pieces of information, quickly answering Aiko��s questions.


    First, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team had the qualifications to collaborate with Snow Goose; their combat strength was sufficient to take down a Black Shell Crab General.


    Second, there��s no need to worry about this side, focus all attention on dealing with the magical creatures!


    Upon hearing this, a strange light flashed in Aiko��s eyes. S��arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��It��s all because of that sword of yours,�� she said.


    Lia, holding a grudge, stared at the gray sword in Lin Da��s hand, disguised by Illusion Iron.


    She was trying to tell the member of Snow Goose��s team that although the Phoenix Tail Flower Team had killed many Black Crabs, it wasn��t because they were formidable.


    If Lin Da gave her the Azure Sword, she��d have already killed three Leader Level creatures.


    That evening��s profit distribution, Lia only got a level 20 Biting Shark Ring, the best Azure Sword was snatched by Lin Da.


    ��Cut the chatter, you don��t want to get into trouble, do you?��


    Lin Da speechlessly reached out to knock on Lia��s head, but she dodged away vigilantly.


    Lia aimed her fiery red Greatsword at him: ��What are you trying to do!��


    ��Right, we��re ��enemies�� after all.��


    Lin Da felt somewhat headache and pointed toward the approaching creatures, ��Fighting against Phoenix Tail Flower, both sides suffer losses, everyone gets eaten by the magical creatures. How about we cooperate for now and take down these three magical creatures?��


    ��As a team leader, you should know how to choose, right?��

 Chapter 176 - 176: 155. Aiko doesnt want to slack off!

    Chapter 176: 155. Aiko doesn��t want to slack off!


    ��Uh����


    Lia��s eyebrows were tightly knotted. She looked at the three massive Black Crabs approaching and then at Lin Da��s detestable face. After struggling internally for a while, she gripped her Greatsword tightly and said fiercely,


    ��This is the last time, the last time we cooperate! Don��t even think about working with Snow Goose after this!��


    Upon hearing this, everyone except Lin Da looked at Lia with confusion��they had never cooperated before, so why did it sound like this wasn��t their first time from what Lia said?


    A sudden realization flashed through Aiko��s mind as she remembered the strange expression Lia had when she returned from the auction that day.


    Could it be that something had secretly happened between the Powder Keg and Lin Da!


    ...


    ��Now is not the time to doubt each other,�� Lin Da said, placing his hands on Aiko��s shoulders.


    Even amidst the blood-drenched battlefield, Aiko��s golden hair remained smooth and beautiful. The Holy series Magic Power seemed to coat her with a faint golden glow, like a goddess descended to earth.


    ��Alright�� I understand.�� Aiko thought determinedly to herself, planning to show her true strength in this battle.


    Make Lin Da realize that such a powerful Mage shouldn��t be stuck in Lia��s team.


    The Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, that��s where she truly belongs!


    Klrona stepped on Lin Da��s foot, pointing at his nose with her little finger, ��Make sure you support me properly, don��t stop using Healing Art!��


    Lin Da knocked forcefully on the girl��s Bull Horn Helmet, ��You should be asking for support from the Healer in your own team instead of me.��


    ��I don��t want Phyllis��s Healing Art, it��s too slow and always late,�� Klrona said, unconcerned about Phyllis��s ashen-faced expression.


    ��Just keep replenishing me, okay? Anyway, you guys don��t have a front line. I��ll even protect those two Small Fry,�� she added.


    ��No�� we do have a front line.��


    The three terrifying Black Crabs had already charged towards them.


    As 20-level bosses, the Magical Creatures possessed a certain intelligence. Seeing their prey laughing nonchalantly instead of running, they raised their giant pincers in anger and attacked the two adventure teams!


    ��Immovable Barrier!��


    Klrona reacted quickly, slamming her Tower Shield into the ground and creating a square steel-colored Shield Wall that radiated from the shield��s center.


    She huddled behind it, her feet dug into the ground, a trace of pride on her small face.


    She planned to take on the Black Armored Crab Generals�� attacks and show Lin Da her strength.


    ��Sigh.��


    What Lin Da could only let out was a helpless sigh.


    Indeed, with the Immovable Barrier skill, Klrona was strong enough to withstand the Magical Creatures�� coordinated attacks, but the cost was huge!


    Wearing an Emerald Light Shield, Lin Da charged towards the Black Armored Crab General on the left.


    ��Partner, let me handle it!��


    A dull male voice rang out from behind him.


    Lin Da glanced sideways and saw Oru, wearing heavy armor, each hand holding a black iron hammer.


    In the heat of battle, Oru habitually called Lin Da ��partner,�� a sign of their tacit understanding from past cooperation.


    ��Thanks! You take on another one. I��m enough for this side!��


    Lin Da smiled knowingly.


    Under his confident expression, Oru hesitated for a moment but decided to obey Lin Da��s command as usual. After all, Lin Da had never made a mistake as a commander.


    Thus, Lin Da faced off against the Black Armored Crab General on the left.


    Klrona protected everyone, facing the one in the middle.


    Oru roared as he charged towards the right one.


    Lia and Aiko, under the protection of Klrona��s Light Shield Wall, all looked unanimously towards Lin Da.


    The latter two were definitely capable of withstanding the Magical Creatures�� attacks; there was no need to worry.


    Although Lin Da had performed admirably in the first three floors, those were only level-15 Magical Creatures.


    The strength of a Black Armored Crab General was much greater!


    ��What an arrogant fool.��


    Lia rolled up her sleeves, ready to rush out of the shield wall to take on the one on the left.


    ��You must not�� You must not call the captain a fool!��


    A faint rebuttal caught Lia��s attention.


    Lia narrowed her eyes with a displeased expression as she looked towards the white-ribboned Lolita with the terrifying chest.


    Although they had no conflicts, that one look from Lia made it clear that they were enemies.


    ��Captain can handle it himself, he doesn��t need your help,�� Monica said timidly, hiding behind Kafni, mustering up the courage to sneak a glance at Lia before quickly retreating.


    ��What��For a Mage like you, Miss here could take down one with a single sword strike!��


    While Lia and Monica were arguing, the three frontline members in front each faced a Black Armored Crab General.


    Klrona was immovable as a mountain, the Light Shield Wall barely fluctuated, not retreating a single step.


    Though small in size, her defensive power was far ahead of others of the same level.


    Lin Da��s assessment of Klrona was a defense-specialized front liner; 1 point of her health could withstand 1.5 times more than other front liners.


    On the other hand, Oru was considered a Three-Star-Level NPC in the game, not the best, yet far from the worst.


    With a pair of giant hammers, he clashed directly with the pincers of the Black Armored Crab General, looking like a small giant, his muscles bulging, wrestling with the Black Armored Crab General, holding his ground!


    Finally, it was Lin Da��s turn.


    He did not use the sword as a shield for defense, nor did he wrestle with the giant crab, but chose�� to ignore the opponent!


    Lin Da swung the Azure Sword, striking down!


    With a clang.


    The Black Shell Crab General��s large pincer arrived first, striking the Emerald Light Shield and barely shattering it, but the substantial recoil numbed its pincer.


    Lin Da seized the opportunity to hack at the eyes of the Black Shell Crab General with his sword, cutting off an eye the size of a fist as easily as slicing through mud!


    ��Hiss, hiss, hiss!��


    In pain, the Black Shell Crab General wildly swung its pincers, while Lin Da had already retreated to a safe distance and reapplied the Verdant Shield skill to himself.


    ��What a thick shield.��


    A gleam of fascination burst in Aiko��s eyes as she murmured.


    Klyne and the others were also experiencing the thickness of the Verdant Shield up close for the first time, each showing an indescribable expression.


    They could not help but steal glances at Lia, who had the highest compatibility with this skill.


    After energy charging, Lia��s damage output was extremely high, but she was most afraid of being interrupted. With the green light shield, Lia��s pressure was greatly reduced, and she could even stand amongst the crowd of creatures and slowly charge.


    ��What are you looking at, everyone get on for your lady here.��


    As the front line drew the ire of the Black Shell Crab General, Lia leapt from behind the Light Shield Wall and charged at the one in the middle.


    ��This raid is in the bag,�� Aiko observed the battlefield discreetly and quickly concluded that killing three Black Shell Crab Generals wouldn��t be a problem.


    Once the survival crisis was resolved, Aiko immediately started scheming.


    ��Little sister, as the only Mage of the Phoenix Tail Flower, you must be quite impressive, right? How about competing with your sister to see who kills the Magical Creatures first?��


    Aiko approached Kafni from behind with a giggly smile, her gentle aura radiating from within, like a caring older sister.


    Monica shyly said, ��I, I am very weak.��


    ��That��s okay, your sister will let you. I only win if I kill the giant crab first and am ahead by more than twenty seconds; otherwise, you win, is that okay?��


    Aiko enticingly said, ��You want to show off your strength in front of your team leader, right?��


    Monica was indeed tempted, but remembering Lin Da��s instructions not to use Earth Bombardment carelessly, she quickly shook her head.


    ��Let��s just consider it a friendly bout, okay? I choose the one on the far left,�� seeing that persuasion was ineffective, Aiko unilaterally decided. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Black Shell Crab General she selected was the one Lin Da was dealing with.


    Aiko wanted Lin Da to truly feel how blessed it was to have such a powerful and reliable Light Mage standing behind him!


    Aiko used to slack off every day, but today, she had no plans to slack!


    Monica sensed something was off, but before she could say anything, Aiko had already claimed Lin Da��s crab.


    ��Hammer of Destruction!��


    Aiko placed her left hand over her ample chest, her expression solemn and sacred, chanting the spell at an unbelievably fast rate, and pointed forward with her angel wing-bearing magic wand.


    Instantly, a three-meter-long Light Giant Hammer embedded with golden runes, formed by level 25 magic power, smashed down on the carapace of the Black Shell Crab General!


    The impact was tremendous, directly smashing the Black Shell Crab General into the mud, causing it to wail in pain.


    The rear ranks all turned their heads in surprise.


    Even an old teammate like Klyne was a bit taken aback, feeling that Aiko was in an unusually good form today, chanting spells much faster than usual.


    Aiko swung her magic wand repeatedly, like a magic gatling gun, bombarding the Black Shell Crab General with various spells.


    ��Hammer of Destruction,�� ��Light Arrow Technique,�� ��Holy Bomb,�� ��Cage of Light��!


    The dazzling spell light was mesmerizing.


    In front of him, Lin Da comfortably watched as the Black Shell Crab General rapidly lost health and soon entered the second phase.


    The most horrifying part was that Aiko used relatively low-magic-cost spells, but the cumulative damage they inflicted surpassed Monica��s Earth Bombardment.


    The two had completely opposite fighting styles; Monica had slow attack speed but high damage per hit.


    In contrast, each of Aiko��s skills dealt above-average damage, but with fast firing rates, the total damage was astonishing.


    During the second phase, the Black Shell Crab General raised its blade pincers, but was restrained in place by Aiko��s inverted square Cage of Light.


    It thrashed about inside, like an enraged bull, unable to escape anytime soon.


    Lin Da silently chanted a spell, releasing two Venom Magic Spheres.


    After that, there was no need to watch anymore; once poisoned by him, the Black Shell Crab General was doomed.


    As he turned toward the next one, Lin Da saw Chloe behind the Shield Wall, waving her small hand and smiling sweetly at him.


    Her graceful and beautiful posture was a pleasure to the eyes.


    If it had been another male adventurer, he might have been too smitten to move on.


    But Lin Da��s biggest feeling was ��dissonance.��


    ��Previously, Aiko hadn��t been very nice to him, had she?


    Even though Aiko also contributed during raids against Magical Creatures, she gave him this impression:


    Aiko wouldn��t put in any more effort than necessary.


    If a pass mark was 70, then it was 70. She wouldn��t use the strength for 71 just to make it easier for other squad members.


    About this, Lin Da felt rather helpless, as even private reminders to Aiko would be superficially dismissed with pathetic excuses.


    Yet, since she left the team, Aiko��s attitude towards him had done a complete 180, overly nice in fact.

 Chapter 177 - 177: 156. That BOSS is coming?

    Chapter 177: 156. ��That�� BOSS is coming?


    The saying ��No good deed goes unpunished�� resonated in Lin Da��s mind, suggesting a plot brewing behind Aiko��s kindness.


    Lin Da pondered for a moment and responded with a smile.


    He then looked towards the other sides of the battlefield and cast Verdant Shield on Klrona and Oru first.


    As Lin Da��s level increased, the number of times he could use Verdant Shield also increased. Initially, he could use it continuously only five times in a short period, but now it had increased to seven times.


    In Mystic Continent, each skill had its usage limits, corresponding to a Magic Circuit within the body.


    Using them in rapid succession could cause the circuit to overheat, resulting in physical damage.


    ...


    Lin Da watched Lia, who was holding a flame greatsword and making a Black Armored Crab General keep retreating. Likely due to her reduced intelligence, Lia��s Magic Circuit was naturally more durable than others��.


    As the Crab General��s pincers struck, Lia ducked low to avoid them, then scanned her surroundings. Both Klrona and Oru had Lin Da��s Light Shield, but she did not.


    Lia turned around angrily and glared at Lin Da, who was consuming a Mana Potion to recuperate, ��Give this lady a shield!��


    Lin Da shook his head, ��Just focus on the fight; I��m not going to shield you.��


    ��Huh? What do you mean by that? Are you targeting me?��


    Lia was stunned, her desire to fight crabs waned.


    If Oru had a shield, why didn��t she have one?


    Lin Da��s thoughts were straightforward: To prevent Lia from continuing to act like a spoiled child, he needed to distance himself as much as possible. Only by not intervening could Lia��s ��personal line�� return to the proper course of the game, allowing her to become a respected Bursting Flames.


    ��I��ll help you out.��


    Ignoring Lia, Lin Da joined Oru��s side of the fight.


    ��Alright, partner!�� Oru laughed joyously.


    Together, with support from the rear, they quickly defeated the second Black Armored Giant Crab.


    The system announced two accomplishments:


    [Killed a level 20 Black Armored Crab General, earned 30000 Mystical Points!]


    [Killed a level 20 Black Armored Crab General, damage too low, earned 10000 Mystical Points!]


    For the first creature, Lin Da dealt substantial damage and consequently earned more points.


    For the second, he arrived when it was nearly dead and managed a last-hit kill, earning 10000 points.


    It was better than nothing.


    Lin Da and Oru walked side by side toward the last Black Armored Crab General.


    Lia��s battle was the slowest, with only Klyne supporting her.


    Aiko and Monica were both aiding Lin Da, leaving Lia somewhat isolated.


    The proud redhead captain, the more she thought, the angrier she got, taking it out on the Crab General.


    With every strike, she muttered curses such as ��damned Lin Da��, ��just die��, ��beat you to death��.


    All this resentment over not receiving a shield?


    Lin Da remembered those parents killed by their children just because they refused to buy Magic Puppets with money. A chill ran down his spine.


    If he had not left Snow Goose and had continued to indulge Lia, the day he refused one of her whimsical requests would have been disastrous.


    In no time, together they took down the last Black Armored Crab General.


    The materials were split evenly, each extracting their share of Demon Cores.


    ��


    ��Hm?��


    Kafni paused with her dagger mid-extraction of a Demon Core, suddenly frowning and looking suspiciously ahead.


    Daring the chaotic battlefield, an extremely faint noise arose from beneath the ground.


    Apart from Kafni, Lia also sensed something off.


    She didn��t hear the slight sound, but rather felt it through ��intuition.��


    Lia inexplicably got goosebumps and felt uneasy, sensing that something was about to happen.


    She quickly jumped back to take cover behind Klrona��s Shield Wall.


    ��Everyone fall back a bit, something isn��t right,�� Kafni sternly warned everyone.


    Members from both Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose retreated behind Klrona.


    Klrona took on the role of defense and bait.


    Lin Da tightened his grip on the Healing Art in his hand.


    After calming his mind, he too noticed that strange sound.


    It came from deep underground.


    From afar to near, like a mud dragon speeding through.


    Lin Da recalled for a moment and didn��t remember any Magical Creatures like this from the game activities. The most powerful one should be deep in Breeze River Beach, currently engaging with the White Dove Adventure Group.


    In other areas, it would just be the Black Shell Crab General.


    ��Level 23�� its aura is strong!�� Kafni��s perception became clearer, her golden pupils seemingly seeing through everything underground.


    Upon hearing the level 23, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.


    Lia and Aiko had reached level 25, and Klrona had also broken through to level 23 the day before.


    Two squads joining forces to fight a level 23 Magical Creature felt like no problem.


    Lin Da thought a little deeper. S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A regular level 23 Magical Creature, making Kafni, someone who feared neither heaven nor earth, show such a solemn expression?


    Could it be ��that�� BOSS?


    Lin Da��s brow furrowed tightly.


    For every thousand Black Shell Crab Generals, only one would mutate.


    From Purple Rare Level, it transformed to an orange rarity.


    An extremely rare hidden Magical Creature!


    The top-tier orange jewelry with set attributes needed for forging came from this kind of creature.


    But right now, he truly didn��t want to encounter that creature!


    The teamwork between Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose wasn��t even up to a last-minute preparation.


    Up against that creature, Lin Da was confident of victory, but not sure they could all avoid injury.


    The dynamics of battle constantly shifted; every adventurer had their own thoughts, and it couldn��t go exactly like in the game, where clicking on the ground 5.79 meters away would make teammates walk precisely there, to the exact spot.


    The tremors from underground became more distinct, and everyone sensed the terrible aura of the creature.


    ��What is that?�� Klyne, uneasy, leaned close to Oru, her body trembling slightly.


    Lia and Aiko, with serious faces, focused their gaze on the ground ahead.


    ��L-Lord Captain���� Monica��s small hand urgently clutched at Lin Da��s clothes, her pair of white silk legs trembling like sieves.


    All the Murderous Crabs around them backed away in panic, burying their heads in the ground like ostriches.


    As if to show submission to an unknown existence.


    A tense, oppressive atmosphere loomed in the air, akin to the calm before a storm.


    ��Small Fry Magical Creatures, come out!��


    Klrona��s pale face showed she couldn��t withstand the immense pressure; she took the initiative to attack first.


    Her right foot stamped heavily on the ground, transmitting the force to dozens of meters below.


    The signature skill of the Heavy Armored Warrior, Frenzied Trample!


    ��Hiss����


    A sharp cry of a Magical Creature rapidly approached from below.


    The ground beneath Klrona suddenly collapsed.


    A monster clad in crimson carapace, resembling both a crab and a lobster, with a long torso like it was dressed in crimson armor, burst forth from the ground.


    Its pair of crab pincers were as large as two people embracing a tree.


    Like a carp leaping over the dragon gate, it burst forth from the mud.


    Its form obscured the sky, roaring as it attacked Klrona!


    ��


    (ps: Regarding the progress of the plot, efforts will be made to speed up, hoping for your subscription support)

 Chapter 178 - 178: 157, Ill take on this Magical Creature.

    Chapter 178: 157, I��ll take on this Magical Creature.


    Klrona had never encountered such powerful Magical Creatures in her adventuring career thus far.


    Looking at the sharp and heavy crab pincers, she felt as if her Tower Shield were as fragile as a potato chip, ready to shatter with just a light touch!


    The group had been happily collecting their spoils of war when the giant creature suddenly burrowed out from the ground, as if a comedy had abruptly turned into a horror movie, scaring everyone silly.


    Lin Da had been mentally prepared and was the first to regain his composure.


    He used the Dark Whip to entwine around Klrona��s waist, pulling the heavily armored Klrona over to him.


    Despite being terribly frightened, Klrona kicked up a fuss with stubborn defiance on her face, ��I still need to hold off the Magical Creatures, let me go.��


    ...


    While the two were arguing, the giant Red Crab landed.


    Its pincers slammed down with a dull, thunderous crash that made the ground tremble.


    The girls panicked, stumbling over each other hectically.


    ��You can��t withstand this ��Red Armored Crab King��!�� Lin Da glared at Klrona seriously, ��Get back there and be good!��


    At that moment, Klrona felt a strange sensation; being scolded harshly by Lin Da didn��t actually make her that angry.


    She huffed deliberately, ��Fine, I��ll go. Oru, that stupid small fry, certainly can��t withstand the Magical Creatures�� attack, only I can do it.��


    Lin Da shook his head: ��No, you can��t either.��


    ��Are you saying I can��t hold up?�� Klrona immediately took umbrage.


    Her toughness was one of the best among those of her level in White Dove City, and that big red crab was at her level; why couldn��t she hold it off?


    ��For other Magical Creatures that are approximately as challenging to subdue as the Red Armored Crab King, you could handle them. But not this one,�� Lin Da said.


    Lin Da was resolute.


    The most troublesome aspect of the Red Armored Crab King was its skill ��Death Crab Pincer,�� which dealt True Damage.


    True Damage ignores defense.


    And Klrona was a defensive tank.


    In terms of standard toughness, Lin Da at level 16 was not as hardy as Klrona at level 23.


    But in terms of Health Points, Klrona couldn��t compare to him.


    Lin Da gazed at the enormous crab drawing near, holding the Azure Sword, advancing steadily.


    ��What are you doing?�� Kafni��s face changed, reaching out to grab Lin Da.


    As a Deity, Kafni didn��t want to see the hero risking his life to protect a few thick-faced ��Little Mossy Girls��!


    The group of girls, along with Oru and even Phyllis, all stepped forward to stop him.


    When crisis struck, the members of Snow Goose stopped pretending, each wearing a worried expression, gathering around Lin Da.


    As if Lin Da were their leader!


    No one noticed that Lia in the corner was biting her lip, her right hand hesitantly reaching out before quickly retracting.


    ��You don��t have to stop me.��


    ��I��m not going over there to die.��


    Lin Da said helplessly.


    The crimson Magical Creature in front of him, half-lobster, half-crab, stood three meters tall and seven meters long, its aura of death feeling like a foul stench blowing directly in his face.


    His body trembled, but his blood only boiled hotter.


    Being a player, a former ��Dark Shadow,�� Lin Da��s bones were filled with blood that thrived on adventure.


    Of course, what made him decide to face the Red Armored Crab King was the latter��s ��size.��


    A mature Red Armored Crab King was at least level 30 and ten meters long.


    But the one before him was seven meters long, level 23, a juvenile.


    Lin Da��s brain whirred like a high-speed machine, quickly calculating the Health Points, Defense, and Attack of a level 23 Red Armored Crab King.


    Then combining the damage output, healing abilities of his own team members, and those from Snow Goose��


    ��Lord Captain, your head��s smoking!�� Monica pointed at Lin Da��s head, which seemed to be emitting smoke, tears welling up in her big eyes.


    This was actually sweat evaporating due to fervent thinking.


    ����In the blink of an eye, Lin Da understood everything.


    The level 23 Red Armored Crab King��s Health Points were estimated at 103,000.


    Its most troublesome skill, Death Crab Pincer, dealt True Damage and couldn��t be withstood with less than 6000 health points.


    Once he deployed the Verdant Shield skill, he could withstand up to 6760 damage.


    Very close to the limit.


    But indeed capable.


    Lin Da accessed the system panel, the Skill Tree page.


    The remaining 4 Skill Points were meant for use at such critical moments.


    ��System, Add Points!��


    Lin Da silently recited in his heart, investing the Skill Points into the Verdant Shield of the Recovery Series.


    The Verdant Shield is currently at level lv1, allowing the release of a shield worth 30% of one��s maximum Hit Points.


    [Invest 1 Skill Point, and the Verdant Shield is upgraded to lv2, increasing the shield value to ��35%�� of maximum Hit Points!]


    [The Verdant Shield is upgraded to lv3, increasing to 40% of maximum Hit Points!]


    [The Verdant Shield is upgraded to lv4, increasing to 45% of maximum Hit Points!]


    [To advance to lv5 Master Level, you require a Golden Skill Point, and thus cannot upgrade further at the moment!]


    System messages kept popping up.


    Lin Da upgraded the Verdant Shield to lv4.


    Shield value rose from 30% to 45%.


    That meant an increase of half!


    Waves of power flooded in like a sudden enlightenment.


    The magic circuits within Lin Da related to the Verdant Shield were instantly strengthened.


    The number of times Skills could be released increased.


    The thickness of the shield value increased.


    He also gained much insight into this skill out of thin air.


    The casting speed increased.


    All these changes occurred within Lin Da.


    The others only saw him shudder and thought nothing more of it.


    By now, the thickness of Lin Da��s Verdant Shield had risen from 1560 points to 2340 points.


    With this high-value shield, Lin Da��s confidence grew substantially.


    He had intended to upgrade the Verdant Shield to the full 5 levels, but the last level required a Golden Skill Point.


    The source of which was not yet clear.


    For now, Lin Da could only upgrade the Verdant Shield to lv4.


    Muttering spells silently, he waved his left hand, and a green Light Shield enveloped his body.


    ��Venom Magic Sphere!��


    Lin Da led the attack, drawing the ire of the Red Armored Crab King.


    The small Magic Sphere hit the massive creature, causing -560 damage.


    Compared to the Black Shell Crab General, the Red Armored Crab King��s defense was much higher!


    But the main damage dealer this time was not him.


    It was the Earth Mage, Monica!


    And Aiko, the level 25 Light Mage!


    As well as another one, whose individual output exceeds Aiko��Lia, if only she would follow orders.


    With these three, even if the Red Armored Crab King had 103000 Hit Points, he was confident they could bring it down!


    As soon as Lin Da released the Venom Magic Sphere, everyone was startled.


    They were really going for it!


    Lin Da commenced the attack on the Red Armored Crab King!


    Aiko was the quickest to regain her composure.


    She was one of the few who trusted Lin Da.


    Because Lin Da was Dark Shadow.


    And because Lin Da had once been their Snow Goose��s Lin Da.


    ��Everyone, coordinate with Lin Da��s attacks!�� Aiko chanted a spell, casting [Blessing of Holy Light] over Lin Da��s head.


    Klyne, the Wind Archer, unleashed [Agility Wind].


    Phyllis chanted [Continuous Healing].


    One by one, supportive Skills were applied to Lin Da.


    The Blessing of Holy Light gave Lin Da an extra 1000 health points.


    Agility Wind increased his Agility by 30 points.


    Phyllis��s Continuous Healing would allow him to slowly recover health.


    Chloe, the Heavy Armored Warrior, also used her only support skill on him.


    [Armor Enhancement].


    At a ��high�� cost, it could be used only once in a short period, increasing Lin Da��s defense by 50 points.


    Although the increase in defense might seem small, Lin Da��s total defense was only 83.


    Defense, being an extremely valuable attribute, can reduce damage by percentage, like in the game LOL��the higher the defense, the more damage is reduced.


    This [Armor Enhancement] almost meant Lin Da had an extra 1000 health.


    S��ar?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 179 - 179: 158. Only after letting go can you move forward!

    Chapter 179: 158. Only after letting go can you move forward!


    Lin Da was bedecked with various buffs, radiating different lights over his body.


    His combined combat power had increased by at least thirty percent.


    Agility Wind made him light as a feather.


    Armor Enhancement toughened his skin and flesh.


    Lin Da charged towards the massive Red Armored Crab King.


    Behind him, Klyne opened up her Shield Wall to protect all members.


    ...


    Everyone held their breath, waiting for Lin Da to draw the rage of the Red Armored Crab King, creating an opportunity to strike.


    Boom! Boom!


    The sound of impacts burst forth.


    The heavy crab pincers of the Red Armored Crab King struck Lin Da, each blow embedding his feet deeper into the ground.


    His Verdant Shield was shattered by a blow, and then he intoned again, releasing his skill.


    And then it was shattered again.


    Ultimately, Lin Da could not manage a seamless skill release.


    The remaining damage, he took on directly with his Life Barrier.


    -1430!


    -1350!


    -1700!


    Four-digit damage numbers sprang from Lin Da��s head.


    His Life Barrier continuously took heavy hits, the connected core suffered, causing internal pain like a headache splitting open, with a trace of crimson blood leaking from the corner of his mouth.


    But Lin Da��s eyes were still fixed firmly on the massive Red Armored Crab King, not relaxing for a moment.


    He chanted the spell for the Healing Art in his mouth, frantically recovering health.


    The last Skill Point was uncompromisingly assigned to the Primary Healing Spell.


    Plus Phyllis was helping from behind.


    Lin Da��s health points maintained a delicate balance.


    Rapidly falling, then quickly recovered.


    Like walking a tightrope high in the air, a slight misstep could send him plummeting into the abyss!


    ��Ok now, start attacking!��


    When the timing was right, Lin Da shouted loudly.


    The rage of the Red Armored Crab King was all focused on him.


    The team members could launch an assured attack, no need to worry about being chased by the Red Armored Crab King!


    At this moment, the mood of Aiko and others was like a rollercoaster, up and down.


    The Healing Art landed on Lin Da, the Life Barrier recovered, and they breathed a sigh of relief. sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But then it was shattered once again by the Red Armored Crab King into a thin layer, their hearts plunged into the abyss.


    Some more timid members, like Monica and Klyne, did not dare to watch.


    Fearing the next scene would be Lin Da��s Life Barrier shattering.


    ��You pathetic crab, I will definitely not spare you���� Chloe clasped her own small axe tightly.


    As Lin Da issued the attack command, in an instant, the team member��s fury burst forth, eyes reddened, as if they wanted to devour the crab alive.


    ��Rain of Light!��


    ��Barrage of Arrows!��


    ��Earth Bombardment!��


    ��Dagger Scatter!��


    A myriad of colorful skills bombarded the Red Armored Crab King.


    In Lin Da��s vision, a bunch of damage numbers popped up.


    In just a few seconds, the Red Armored Crab King lost over twenty thousand hitpoints, a quarter of its health!


    Just then, a fiery-red figure shot out like an arrow, passing by Lin Da, a voice of a young girl mumbling angrily could faintly be heard:


    ��Idiots, each and every one of you, idiots��!��


    Lia was in an unprecedented state of rage.


    She couldn��t understand how Aiko had become so careless, actually letting Lin Da take on the Red Armored Crab King head-on.


    ��Before you��re defeated by me, dying at the hands of magical creatures is unacceptable!��


    Hot blood surged in Lia��s chest, her Battle Qi shone bright and crimson, like the sun.


    She hated feeling protected by Lin Da,


    At such times, she felt like she was the idiot.


    Lia always charged to the forefront when fighting magical creatures.


    That way, she would be the one injured, not her teammates.


    Lia was also carrying out her role as a qualified team captain in her own way.


    Under the process of Energy Charging, the blade glow of Lia��s greatsword grew to three meters.


    ��Explode! Flame! Strike!��


    The young girl dragged out the tones, furiously screaming as she struck down on the top of the Red Armored Crab King with her sword.


    The Blazing Swordsman of level 25 applied her Energy Charging plus her Ultimate Skill, dealing terrifyingly high damage numbers.


    This number, was beyond even Lin Da��s estimate. Perhaps it was Lia surpassing her usual performance, or maybe her training had paid off, this one strike landed a five-digit number.


    -15789!


    Instantly, it knocked off one-seventh of the Red Armored Crab King��s health points!


    Lin Da was invigorated.


    At this rate, defeating these magical creatures would be much faster than he had anticipated.


    ��Now, everyone hold back, don��t draw too much rage from the magical creature!��


    It was Lin Da��s turn to attack.


    Relying on the powerful total damage of the Venom Magic Sphere, he pulled the anger of the Red Armored Crab King back to him.


    Once there was enough hostility, it would create a new opportunity for the back line to strike.


    Repeat three times, and this magical creature would be thoroughly defeated at their hands!


    As Aiko and the others heard the command, they immediately held back.


    But one, however, did not leave.


    The fiery-red greatsword continued to weave a net of sword light, still attacking the Red Armored Crab King.


    Even hearing Lin Da��s words, there was no intent to move.


    This scene was familiar.


    When they were on the second tier, Lin Da had almost caused a team wipe because Lia disregarded his command and ventured deep into the swamp on her own.


    The unpleasant memory suddenly flashed before his eyes.


    Since then, Lin Da had tried his best to produce a detailed strategy to avoid repeating the same mistake.


    But this time, Lia actually disobeyed orders again!


    ��Step aside, now is not your time to attack!��


    Lin Da yelled angrily.


    ��I�� refuse!��


    Lia didn��t even turn back, her face stubborn, as she swung her greatsword, leaving charred marks on the crab pincer.


    ��What did you say?��


    ��This young miss said�� I refuse! I will not back down!��


    Lia glanced at Lin Da, her eyes filled with urgency, ��What are you standing there for, hurry up and restore your life barrier!��


    Just now at the back, Lia had been watching closely.


    Even though Lin Da��s recovery amount was high, and Phyllis helped, they could make the thickness of the life barrier increase.


    But, each time, it was not as thick as the last, nowhere near the full strength it was at the start of the fight.


    Simply put, Lin Da��s health points were constantly decreasing.


    At the beginning, with the Blessing of Holy Light, it was 6200.


    After being hit and losing health, he recovered, but could only get back to 6000.


    The second time, it went up again.


    But it was only 5800.


    This was a vicious cycle.


    When Lin Da��s life barrier fell to a certain limit, perhaps he would be killed by the Red Armored Crab King.


    Therefore, Lia labeled Lin Da and Aiko as fools. What she could figure out, those two couldn��t grasp.


    ��Red Flame Strike!��


    Lia cried out, her greatsword cleaving a streak of light that slashed across the head of the Red Armored Crab King.


    The immense force forced the creature to back down.


    Lin Da was slow to react, could it be that Lia was showing concern for someone else?


    This was indeed, a first.


    But did this person not understand, if she could think of it, how could others not?


    The fact was, Lin Da��s hit points had indeed dropped.


    But still, the shield was thick.


    Much thicker than the one he had given Lia during the auction!


    ��Small Fry, I��m coming to help you!��


    An arrogant girl��s voice came from behind.


    Klrona, wearing a Bull Horn Helmet, her small axe glowing with strong Battle Qi, opened her Tower Shield to protect Lin Da.


    Seeing two girls, one pink and one red, speaking clumsy words but still protecting him, Lin Da felt especially complicated.


    What exactly Lia thought of him, he didn��t know.


    But Klrona, he understood.


    Just a little brat who hadn��t grown up, wilful and always pushing boundaries.


    Lin Da, a grown man, surely wouldn��t quarrel with Klrona.


    As for Lia, he couldn��t exactly say he hated her. Three years of time had profoundly impacted everyone, those initially pleasant memories, even though now paths diverged, hadn��t changed the past.


    If Lia would give up troubling him about Phoenix Tail Flower and coexist peacefully, Lin Da might still be able to become her friend.


    Someday at a tavern, drinking together as two team leaders.


    Letting go of those past times, both could stride forward.


    But who couldn��t let go? Lin Da wasn��t sure he could throw those three years away like rubbish into a trash can.


    Suddenly, a loud noise erupted in front.


    The Red Armored Crab King swept its tail, launching the skill ��Thousand Army Scatter��, attacking Lia!


    This hit was significant.


    If it really hit, the Swordsman, Lia, would be severely injured at the least, and in the worst case, she could be instantly killed on the spot.


    A trace of panic appeared on Lia��s face; she clenched her teeth, trying to leap up to dodge the attack of the Red Armored Crab King.


    However, the creature was simply too big.


    By the time Lia prepared to dodge, it was already too late.


    Just at that instant.


    Lin Da chanted a spell, releasing Verdant Shield!


    A green glow turned into a shield, settling on the young girl.


    Lia��s eyes shimmered with light, looking up at the death-filled crab tail, but her lips curled upward.


    Wasn��t this him putting a shield on her?


    Lin Da was still Lin Da.


    When she faced danger, he still wouldn��t ignore it.


    However, even with the enhancement of Verdant Shield, Lia couldn��t remain unharmed.


    Verdant Shield shattered, dissipating most of the force.


    The crab tail struck Lia��s abdomen.


    The girl��s face turned pale, she spat out a mouthful of blood, and like a baseball, was flung into the sky.


    This is bad.


    Lia thought as she felt intense pain in her stomach; she couldn��t land on her own!


    Falling from a high place, crashing to the ground, she would inevitably be severely injured!


    Frantically looking downwards, Lia saw Oru running around with his arms outstretched, ready to catch her.


    Her skirt fluttering in the air, Lia covered it with her hands, and the thought of falling into Klyne��s boyfriend��s arms was both embarrassing and infuriating.


    She really didn��t want to fall into Oru��s burly arms!


    ��Dark Whip!��


    Suddenly, a black energy whip twined around Lia��s waist.


    Lia cried out in shock, then the whip pulled her toward Lin Da on the ground.


    Lia bit her lip, her emotions in turmoil, thinking that Lin Da, that guy, better not try an inappropriate princess carry or something��


    Then apologize for improperly quitting the team and other such things�� Lia��s head was full of happy thoughts, actually feeling getting hit by the Red Armored Crab King wasn��t so bad.


    In fact, she was overthinking.


    Lin Da pulled her over and, like a porter handling a bag of rice, thumped her onto his shoulder.


    Lucky for Lia who exercised often, her body was resilient.


    If it were Aiko, the Mage who usually sat in a wheelchair, that would have instantly broken his back.


    But even with Lia��s strong physique, being smashed onto Lin Da��s shoulder from high above was painful enough to make her eyebrows knit together, tears instinctively forming little pearls.


    This was worse than falling into Oru��s burly arms!

 Chapter 180 - 180: 159. Do you want to repeat the same mistake?

    Chapter 180: 159. Do you want to repeat the same mistake?


    ��You, are you sick? Trying to murder the young lady here!?�� Lia��s head threw back, her small legs clad in black knee-high socks kicking wildly like a grasshopper impotently raging on a stick.


    Lin Da took the flailing young lady to the back row, and said to Klrona, ��Hold off the magical creatures until I get back!�� Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Klrona��s eyes lit up, and she proudly patted her steel armor, which clanked in response, ��Leave it to me!��


    This feeling of being entrusted by Lin Da was like a potent healing art, instantly invigorating Klrona.


    Lin Da, meanwhile, had his own plan. Once the Red Armored Crab King used ��Thousand Army Scatter,�� it wouldn��t use ��Death Crab Pincer�� for a while. Klrona could handle the creature��s regular attacks.


    He needed this precious time to recuperate.


    ...


    Deep in thought, Lin Da suddenly felt a gust of wind and a soft piece of clothing snapped over his face, plunging his vision into darkness.


    In the back lines, Oru and Phyllis sheepishly turned their looks toward the Red Armored Crab King, while the girls showed looks of surprise.


    It turned out, covering Lin Da��s face, was Lia��s skirt lifted by the wind!


    ��Uh, that kindergarten kid��s bear-patterned underwear, that��s Lia��s? I always thought it belonged to Klrona����


    Aiko thought speechlessly.


    ��What��s going on?��


    Lia suddenly felt a chill down below. Being carried on Lin Da��s shoulder, she tried hard to turn her head only to see her own face flush red like a monkey��s butt.


    ��Let go, put the young lady down!��


    After a fierce struggle, Lia successfully landed on the ground, covering her skirt in shame, ��You, you saw?��


    Lin Da nodded, ��My eyes aren��t bad.��


    Classic brown bear pattern.


    Lin Da had no interest in such juvenile stuff. Glancing at Klrona who was still resisting the Red Armored Crab King, he took a life potion, and applied healing art and verdant shield on himself.


    Then, he walked toward the monster with his sword.


    His voice drifted back to Lia, ��Do you want to repeat what happened on the second level of the World Tree?��


    Lia��s expression stiffened, her fists clenched, she said, ��No��ah, I just, wanted to help you.��


    ��But you��ll only make things worse,�� Lin Da said bluntly.


    ��What? Can��t you see how high my output is? The biggest gap on that Red Armored Crab King came from me!��


    Lia was nearly driven mad by Lin Da.


    All her effort and contributions were significant, so why couldn��t Lin Da see them, and still treated her like a fool who only dragged others down?


    Lin Da said indifferently, ��The Flailing that can��t even withstand a single skill from the Red Armored Crab King shouldn��t crowd the front line, Klrona and I are enough.��


    Lia, unconvinced, still wanted to talk it over with Lin Da, but Aiko grabbed her hand and frowned disapprovingly:


    ��Don��t be impulsive, you��ll only mess up Lin Da��s battle plan.��


    ��You think I��m a hindrance too?��


    ��Not at all.��


    Aiko knew how to soothe the firecracker, ��But everyone doesn��t want to see the captain get hurt, and maybe Lin Da thinks so too. He wants you to stay back and follow orders to protect you, you know?��


    ��Lin Da�� protecting me?��


    Lia was shocked.


    She bowed her head low, lost in thought.


    Aiko hooked her lips, thinking: What a simple and straightforward elementary school kid.


    But Lin Da had indeed changed.


    To actually call Lia a flailer.


    Aiko always felt that Lin Da was up to something.


    ��Could it be that he wants to cultivate her independent abilities as a captain?��


    Aiko pondered.


    ��


    Meanwhile, Lin Da finished chanting his spell.


    He opened his left hand and threw out a Venom Magic Sphere, hitting the Red Armored Crab King in the face.


    With Klrona fully on defense, as soon as he caused damage, the Red Armored Crab King immediately shifted its attention to him.


    As a high-level magical creature, the Red Armored Crab King��s intelligence wasn��t inferior to that of human children; it could discern who the core of the adventurers was.


    Only Lin Da could withstand all its attacks.


    His recovery amount was also high.


    ��Get rid of this one first, and the rest pose no threat.��


    Although Lin Da didn��t have a taunting skill to pull the creature��s aggression, he successfully attracted the Red Armored Crab King with his high health and recovery amount.


    This battle, under Lin Da��s meticulous control, entered a loop.


    He drew enough aggression, letting his teammates deal damage, reducing the Red Armored Crab King��s health points.


    Then his teammates ceased fire, and he continued to pull aggression with the Venom Magic Sphere and healing art.


    After several cycles, the Red Armored Crab King��s health dropped to 40,000, pushing it into phase two.


    Lin Da, seeing the light of victory ahead, excitedly called out, ��Everyone, follow the plan I just laid out!��


    In its second phase, the Red Armored Crab King would summon Murderous Crabs, augmenting them.


    Elevating them to the attributes of a level 20, rare blue magical creature.


    Lin Da needed to gather these small creatures and wipe them out in one go!


    The Red Armored Crab King released a powerful shockwave, forcing both teams back thirty meters.


    Then, the Red Armored Crab King, tilting its head back, let out a strange screech.


    From the bulging ground, Murderous Crabs emerged.


    Their eyes emitted a crimson glow, their pincers expanded several sizes with a bang, and their aura wildly surged.


    Kafni, with her high agility, and Lia, nimble in her movements, were the top performers.


    Under Lin Da��s command, they grouped the Murderous Crabs together.


    Monica and Aiko, two mages, simultaneously chanted spells.


    Earthen spikes, and arrows of light descended on the crowd of creatures.


    ��Such tough shells.�� Aiko was having a tough time, ��It��s hard to deal with them immediately without using ��Rain of Light��.��


    Even Aiko could make mistakes. During the first wave of attack on the Red Armored Crab King, irked that the creature had attacked Lin Da, she unleashed her Ultimate Skill right away.


    Now she and Monica couldn��t eliminate these minor creatures quickly.


    ��Hiss����


    The Red Armored Crab King made a strange sound, commanding the swarm of crabs to disperse.


    The expressions on everyone��s faces weren��t too good.


    The twelve Enhanced Murderous Crabs, once scattered, would require too much Magic Power to eliminate.


    Fifteen Area-of-Effect Spells would suffice to wipe them out.


    Single-target Spells might only need ten, but facing twelve Murderous Crabs amounted to a total of one hundred twenty times.


    This consumption was much greater than that of Area-of-Effect Skills!


    Lin Da naturally wouldn��t make such a rookie mistake.


    He directed his teammates to gather the swarm of crabs, confident in eliminating them all at once.


    Driven by a bit of greed, he aimed to secure the Last Hit on the entire swarm to collect Mystical Points.


    ��Aiko, Monica, you��ve done well.��


    ��Now, leave it to me.��


    Lin Da looked at Oru, ��Throw me into the air, the higher, the better.��


    ��Sure thing, partner!�� Oru slapped his chest, walking over full of confidence.


    ��You can��t handle it, let me do it.��


    Lia stepped forward before anyone else could.


    Don��t be fooled by her slender arms; her Ability scores were genuinely high.


    Possibly harboring a blend of public and private grievances, Lia coldly said, ��Don��t blame me, Young Lady, if I throw you too high and you fall to your death.��


    ��That would be beyond the stars,�� Lin Da said with an unchanged expression.


    ��Wait, what are you going to do in the sky?�� Aiko asked, puzzled.


    Twelve Enhanced Murderous Crabs, judging by the current thickness of their Life Barrier, still retained half their health points.


    With Lin Da��s damage, it wouldn��t be possible to annihilate them instantly.


    What exactly was Lin Da planning?


    Aiko found herself increasingly unable to see through him, feeling the anxiety of having a rope in her hands that Lin Da had already wriggled free from.


    She could no longer control Lin Da as she used to, doing whatever she desired.


    Before Lin Da could reply, Lia lifted him mightily.


    Like a javelin, he was thrown into the sky above the swarm!


    All eyes followed Lin Da as he moved.


    He took a fiery red stone out from his Space Ring.


    The stone contained a massive amount of volatile Magic Power, causing the space around Lin Da to lightly twist as if scorched by intense fire!


    Feeling threatened, the swarm of crabs looked up in panic, issuing uneasy hisses.


    The stone in Lin Da��s hand was a reward from increasing Lulu��s trust��a ��Large Explosion Stone.��


    He had kept this item in hand until today, when there was a scene to showcase its tremendous power.


    ��The power of the Explosive Stone is equivalent to a level 20 Ultimate Skill.��


    ��My Magic Attack might be lower than a level 20 Mage, but the swarm��s health points have been halved by Monica and the others.��


    Lin Da had already calculated the health points.


    Above in the sky, he resembled a bomber, dropping the Large Explosion Stone!


    Its vertical fall was extremely fast, giving the swarm no time to react.


    The Large Explosion Stone hit the ground.


    Then there was a thunderous boom!


    A mini mushroom cloud rose!


    Waves of flames formed, sweeping across the area, engulfing all the Murderous Crabs.


    The immense power of the Large Explosion Stone inflicted a five-digit Area Damage.


    -10321!


    The hot wind caressed Lin Da��s face.


    Below, amidst billowing smoke, only the damage numbers could be seen bursting out.


    Standing in the air, he shielded his face with his arm, a bittersweet thrill in his heart.


    With one Explosive Stone, the swarm of Enhanced Murderous Crabs was wholly eradicated.


    He also received a substantial sum of Mystical Points.


    [System Notification: For slaying the Red Armored Crab King��s kin, 20 Level Enhanced Murderous Crabs, you have gained 1500 Mystical Points]


    By wiping out 12, Lin Da earned a total of 18000 Mystical Points in one go.


    This brought his total Mystical Points to a terrifying 187867.


    Enough for a three-level promotion.


    These three levels were his powerful trump card for handling the final stage of the Red Armored Crab King.


    The enraged Red Armored Crab King raised its Crab Pincer, pounding the ground with its lobster-like tail like a wild beast roaring.


    Under a white light, all its legs and large pincers transformed into terrifying crimson blades.


    ��Stage three.��


    Lin Da used his Dark Whip to buffer his landing, his eyes slightly intense now.


    The third phase of the Red Armored Crab King meant all attacks were True Damage, and it would frequently launch the highly damaging ��Death Crab Pincer.��


    A level 23 Red Armored Crab King using ��Death Crab Pincer�� could deal 6000 points of True Damage!


    As the people in the back cheered for the crab swarm��s demise, the next moment, the Red Armored Crab King entered phase three, its four sets of blade-like legs stabbing into the muddy ground, ferociously charging towards Lin Da!


    Chloe��s face tightened, she hurried to assist.


    But Lin Da shouted her back sharply.


    ��Everyone, do not act recklessly, wait for the right moment!��

 Chapter 181 - 181: 160. Slaying the Crab King, the adventurer beloved by the Goddess

    Chapter 181: 160. Slaying the Crab King, the adventurer beloved by the Goddess


    The cold wind swept through, and Lin Da��s heart beat wildly as he watched the crimson blade grow larger in his field of vision.


    The oppressive feel of the magical creatures was more than double that in the game.


    The massive size and claws resembling scimitars made one want to run away involuntarily.


    Lin Da did not retreat, he bellowed and struck out with the Azure Sword with all his might, meeting the Death Crab Pincer that was bigger than his entire body.


    The two forces collided fiercely.


    Even though the Azure Sword was a supreme orange weapon, Lin Da still felt strained when facing this magical creature.


    ...


    The intense recoil tore his palms, numbed his arms, and brought fiery pain.


    The Verdant Shield shattered, and his hit points dropped by 4300!


    Having blocked the massive creature��s attack with one sword strike, Lin Da took out three life potions from his belt, uncorked them, and chugged them down like oral liquid.


    In his heart, he silently chanted, blessing a new Verdant Shield and Healing Art.


    +1134


    +570


    +561


    On the other side, Phyllis was perspiring heavily and casting Healing Art on Lin Da.


    But Lin Da��s maximum health points were too high.


    With just their two Primary Healing Spells, they could not restore full health in a short period.


    The Red Armored Crab King wouldn��t wait for them, its sharp pincers furiously attacking Lin Da.


    The light from the Verdant Shield gradually dimmed.


    If things continued like this, when the next Death Crab Pincer came, Lin Da, in such a poor state, definitely would not be able to resist.


    Everyone became anxious.


    Monica clutched her magic wand in terror, tears welling up in her eyes, while Kafni bit her lip and stepped forward as if determined to sink the ship.


    Golden divine power brewed within her, ready to take the risk of becoming a cripple to attempt a rescue.


    ��He won��t�� die at the hands of a magical creature, will he��?�� Lia looked anxious, her fists clenched in agitation, her mind completely blank.


    The tail of the Red Armored Crab King struck Lin Da, and the Verdant Shield broke.


    Then, a pair of scissor-like pincers crossed and cut down.


    The chilly wind of death blew against Lin Da��s frail Life Barrier!


    ���� System, add points.��


    In his heart, Lin Da calmly spoke these four words.


    Mystical Points depleted by 40,000.


    Injected into the Experience Points bar.


    In the blink of an eye, the Experience Points bar burst and shattered.


    The energy within surged into Lin Da��s body.


    In the night sky of his spiritual world, the 17th star lit up.


    In a single breath, Lin Da stepped into level 17!


    Divine Light descended, Lin Da bathed in the golden glow, his magic power and hit points rapidly recovering, like a withered tree greeting the warm spring rain, new branches and green leaves starting to grow vigorously!


    His Life Barrier solidified once more.


    Steadily, it withstood the Death Crab Pincer.


    The Red Armored Crab King gazed at the insignificant human, its eyes revealing a look of disbelief.


    The opponent was on the brink of death just moments ago.


    How could he suddenly be bursting with life again, like nothing had happened?


    Be that as it may,


    the advantage was still on the side of the magical creature.


    Aiko and the others tensed up, subconsciously thinking: Lin Da could luckily breakthrough once in battle, relying on the leveling up Divine Light to block the Red Armored Crab King��s attack.


    But what about next time?


    It can��t be that someone could comprehend and break through twice consecutively in battle, can it?


    ��Lin Da�� take my last bit of magic power!��


    Phyllis, like a background figure with both hands raised becoming light power, drained the last trace of her magic power to cast Healing Art on Lin Da.


    However, this ��light�� was too little, merely a drop in the bucket.


    Phyllis��s healing of just over 500 each time was pitiful compared to Lin Da��s hit points in excess of 5000.


    With all its strength, the Red Armored Crab King furiously executed a second Death Crab Pincer!


    Like a giant wielding a sky-cleaving giant axe.


    Chopping down at an undaunted tiny ant on the ground.


    Lin Da��s response was a single motion.


    And a calm phrase in his heart.


    He attacked the mountainous magical creature with the Azure Sword.


    Mouthing silently, ��System, give me points!��


    60,000 Mystical Points poured in.


    The empty Experience Points bar, like a clueless child seized by a Goblin, was filled by Mystical Points as if by a giant club.


    The moment it was filled, the translucent, glass-like Experience Points bar turned into a dazzling glow stick.


    Accompanied by a crisp sound, it shattered and overflowed.


    Fresh power entered Lin Da��s body.


    And the night sky of his spiritual world!


    The 18th star lit up.


    Lin Da stepped into level 18 at his second breath!


    Divine Light descended, filling the emptied hit points with the terrifying speed of torrential rain pouring into a water tank, instantly restoring them to 5000 points.


    Plus, a Primary Healing Spell added another 1200.


    Overlay the Verdant Shield��


    It took less than a second.


    Lin Da was back to full strength!


    In the eyes of the Red Armored Crab King, a human-like shock emerged, and its mouthparts chewed in hate, as if a human was grinding their teeth in frustration!


    Why!


    Each time, it managed to reduce this ant to the brink of death.


    But it was just a little short.


    This human always managed to become vibrant and lively before its second attack could be launched.


    Once or twice could be overlooked.


    But since the battle began, it launched numerous skills, yet at most could only maim the opponent.


    Just a bit more, and it could have ended this human��s life.


    Yet that bit was like a chasm without seeable shores.


    The Red Armored Crab King, despite its full might, couldn��t reach it.


    As a king among the crabs, it wouldn��t allow itself to be defeated.


    The Red Armored Crab King issued a piercing screech and, with all its strength, launched a third Death Crab Pincer.


    At that moment, time and space seemed to freeze.


    The sensor ladybug in the sky was also frozen in place.


    Behind the connected light screen, Mayor Adel and a group of staff, all held their breaths.


    The members of Snow Goose Squad and Phoenix Tail Flower prayed nervously.


    Kafni clenched her teeth, divine power surging to her palm.


    In someone��s heart, where no one else could hear, a calm whisper resounded:


    ��Add Points.�� S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da struck with his sword, repelling the Red Armored Crab King with his frail body.


    Then, he closed his eyes, as if comprehending some natural law.


    Under incredulous stares, Divine Light descended upon Lin Da for the third time.


    In less than six seconds, between three rounds of combat,


    Lin Da leveled up three times, advancing to level 19!


    As an adventurer, he was just one step away from level 20!


    Whether it was the Snow Goose Squad or the operation hall of White Dove City, all was silent.


    To perceive and break through during battle, three times in a row!


    If people said the World Tree Goddess didn��t favor this adventurer, no one would believe it.


    Legend has it that the Goddess would bestow her luck on very few adventurers, hoping they would become worthy warriors to challenge the Demon King.


    Could it be that Lin Da was one of those cherished by the World Tree Goddess?


    ��The Magical Creatures are at the end of their rope, everyone, focus fire!��


    Lin Da��s calm shout awakened everyone.


    The Red Armored Crab King, after using high-consumption skills, was in a weakened state.


    It was the perfect moment to finish off this Magical Creature!


    Aiko and others snapped out of their shock.


    Without the need to think more, they hastily cast spells or charged forward.


    Skills bombarded wildly.


    -15702!


    -10845!


    -5703!


    The numbers indicating damage kept popping up.


    Lin Da, seizing the opportunity, touched a piece of jewelry inside his pocket.


    Equipped the Ferocious Fang.


    It came with the skill: Lethal Strike.


    Pure strength output, unaffected by the Murderous Crab��s 50% damage resistance, usable twice every 24 hours.


    The moment Lin Da activated the skill, a powerful force surged within him.


    He leapt up, and the Azure Sword slashed down.


    ��Lethal Strike!��


    The azure sword radiance violently flashed.


    The long sword split the Red Armored Crab King in two from top to bottom!


    As Lin Da landed, the massive Magical Creature split in half, crashing down.


    The corpse of the Magical Creature, like a small hill; Lin Da, sword in hand, facing away from the crowd, fresh blood streamed from his split palm, trickling down the hilt and blade, drip by drip onto the ground.


    Then, he raised his sword and issued an exhilarated roar.


    The Red Armored Crab King was successfully vanquished!


    ��


    ��


    (ps: Updated in advance, asking for subscriptions; if we get more, there��s a chance for a small feature, and I��ll add more chapters! Thank you for the support!)

 Chapter 182 - 182: 161. Lia Cries (Two in One, Subscribe Please!)

    Chapter 182: 161. Lia Cries (Two in One, Subscribe Please!)


    At that moment, the excited crowd completely forgot that they were from two different adventure teams.


    Defeating such a terrifying Magical Creature would become a vivid highlight in each of their adventure careers.


    This honor might one day turn into a legend, forever circulating within White Dove City.


    Even the stubborn Lia, raised her Greatsword in exhilaration and cheered.


    All rivalry with the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, enemies, all were forgotten behind their minds as they gathered around Lin Da with Aiko and others.


    Without a second thought, everyone reached out and joyously flung Lin Da into the air!


    ...


    ��Red Armored Crab King, defeated successfully!��


    ��Glory to the Snow Goose and Phoenix Tail Flower Teams!��


    ��Hmph, today I won��t call you Small Fry!��


    Lin Da, surrounded by stars, felt somewhat uncomfortable. He used to be the one tossing others in the air, quietly working hard in unseen places.


    But seeing the overflowing smiles on everyone��s faces, he couldn��t help but reveal a slight smile.


    The feeling of everyone jubilantly cheering together, united in defeating the Magical Creature, was indeed great.


    And for the people of Snow Goose, this battle held extraordinary significance.


    Like a spring rain washing away the gloom in their hearts, releasing all the accumulated frustrations��the challenges Snow Goose faced since Lin Da��s departure had cost them dearly; even achieving victory left the team members with little joy.


    One could only say that the weight on their chest had lessened a bit.


    The pressure still existed, and everyone was still unclear about the future.


    Just one person less, and yet the change was so significant.


    But today��s cooperative battle made the people of Snow Goose feel as if they had reclaimed the old times.


    It all came back, everything!


    In a daze, Lin Da was still with the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    In the team, Aiko took extra care of Lin Da, Klrona no longer called him Small Fry, and fought alongside Lin Da.


    Even Lia rushed to Lin Da��s side, thinking about sharing the burden.


    Although Aiko and everyone knew these times could not be returned to.


    But silently, they chose to temporarily forget that fact, soaking in the past times during the celebration.


    At some point, Lia had disappeared from the group.


    Only Aiko saw her, a lonely figure with her Greatsword, heading in a different direction.


    The normally greedy Lia didn��t inquire about the spoils of war, didn��t even glance at them, and quietly left amidst everyone��s laughter.


    Undoubtedly, the captain, had made a certain decision: Snow Goose would give up all materials from the Red Armored Crab King.


    From a team member��s perspective, Aiko felt that Lia��s action was capricious. How could Klyne, Oru, and the new member Phyllis, willingly give up the spoils?


    But as a friend, Aiko felt relieved. It indicated that Lia was starting to realize her neglect of duty as the captain of Snow Goose, this action silently expressing her apology to Lin Da.


    ��Lin Da, thank you.��


    As the celebration drew to a close, Aiko, on behalf of Snow Goose, said slowly with a sincere smile on her face.


    ��What?�� Lin Da didn��t understand what Aiko meant.


    But the other members of Snow Goose smiled knowingly, fully aware of the true meaning behind Aiko��s words.


    It was Lin Da who once again made them realize the meaning of being an adventurer. Through thrilling challenges and acquiring spoils of war, they could gain fame and even leave their own legend.


    In such a journey, even if one dies young, there wouldn��t be as much regret. S��ar?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��I will become the mage you want me to be.��


    Aiko��s lips curled into a confident smile, gazing at Monica behind Lin Da, and said softly, ��And until then, don��t let any other mages join Phoenix Tail Flower, okay? With the two of us, the magical output is enough.��


    Lin Da and Monica were both taken aback.


    Chloe raised her head, ��Huh? Aiko, you��!��


    You, you��re not thinking of betraying Snow Goose, are you?


    Klyne also looked at Aiko in surprise, which was almost like openly stating her wish to join Lin Da��s Phoenix Tail Flower Team!


    Lin Da thought for a moment, ��If I invite you, would you join?��


    ��Holy Mage Aiko doesn��t come that cheap.��


    Aiko shook her head lightly, ��Only if you genuinely ask me to join will I consider it. After all, Lia is my friend, and who would trust someone who easily abandons their friend as a teammate?��


    Lin Da reflected seriously and said, ��That��s true.��


    ��And me.�� Chloe hesitated, hands behind her back, ��If, I mean if, would you invite me to your adventure team?��


    ��Snow Goose needs you.�� Lin Da rubbed Chloe��s head and said with a gentle smile, ��Go protect your team��s captain, that��s what you should do as a Heavy Armored Warrior.��


    ��Oh����


    Chloe looked down, lost in thought.


    When it came to distributing the spoils of war, Aiko and the others casually waved their hands, showing no attachment to the corpse of the Red Armored Crab King.


    ��Partner, this is what you deserve.��


    Oru��s large hand patted Lin Da��s shoulder, smiling and showing his white teeth: ��Without you taking the hits upfront, we couldn��t even escape. Snow Goose gaining the reputation of ��defeating the Red Armored Crab King�� is enough.��


    Those who doubted Snow Goose will be silent after today, and the major businesses will resume cooperation with Snow Goose.


    Together with Phoenix Tail Flower, they are the adventure teams that defeated the Red Armored Crab King!


    Such strength and potential are enough to place it among the top in the Rock-level Squad.


    Sometimes reputation is more valuable than immediate profits.


    Klyne also smiled tactfully, ��Lin Da, we have never reciprocated the help you provided to Snow Goose in the early years, this Red Armored Crab King��s material, you keep it. Phoenix Tail Flower Team, needs to break into the rock level, right? Upgrading to level 20 equipment is quite an expense.��

 Chapter 183 - 183: 161. Lia Cries Bitterly (Two in One, Please Subscribe!)_2

    Chapter 183: 161. Lia Cries Bitterly (Two in One, Please Subscribe!)_2


    Phyllis nodded deeply, ��Indeed, the Red Armored Crab King should rightfully belong to the teacher�� ahem, to Lin Da!��


    Even Phyllis, an ��outsider,�� had no complaints.


    With the old teammates being so modest, Lin Da couldn��t possibly accept everything. He handed over the four pairs of blade legs from the Red Armored Crab King, which could be used to craft Level 20 Purple Equipment, to Snow Goose.


    Lin Da solemnly said, ��The Monster Tide has not ended yet, everyone be careful.��


    ��You too.�� Aiko nodded with a smile, and along with the members of Snow Goose, hurried towards Lia��s location.


    ��Everyone has grown.�� Watching the disappearing backs of the Snow Goose members, Lin Da couldn��t help but feel emotional.


    ...


    Lia had learned to be modest and did not vie with him for the spoils of battle.


    Aiko seemed to have understood as well, no longer slacking off, and her attitude became much more sincere.


    Klyne always gave him the impression of a simple, ordinary girl who was good at daily life but also resisted the temptation of the Red Armored Crab King, giving up this spoil to mend the gradually estranging relationship between them.


    Klrona no longer incessantly called him Small Fry��


    Each member of Snow Goose had their own growth.


    ��


    The sounds of laughter gradually faded behind him.


    Lia looked back and saw Lin Da, previously tossed into the air by everyone, now being set down, with Aiko chattering away happily to him.


    Each member of Snow Goose seemed to have a good relationship with Lin Da, like that of very ordinary, sincere old teammates.


    Only she felt out of place there.


    Unable to sincerely utter the simple and honest words, ��It��s really great to adventure with you.��


    Lia walked with measured steps, her boots kicking a small stone, sending it rolling forward continuously, as if her mind was also following that small stone.


    The joy of successfully defeating the Red Armored Crab King was palpable in her chest, making her so happy she felt like jumping around �C a feeling she hadn��t experienced in so long that the memory had begun to blur. Lia couldn��t recall the last time she felt this way.


    ��What, really, is the meaning of adventure?��


    ��Becoming increasingly weary, is that what adventure means?��


    Lia couldn��t help but question herself.


    Just like Aiko had said, she seemed to have misunderstood something. Lin Da had never treated her as an enemy. Defeating the Phoenix Tail Flower, proving Snow Goose��s strength �C these ��meanings�� were just her own wishful thinking.


    Lia recalled the first time she held a sword.


    Before she was picked up by The Mandalas, sneaking into Noble Academy, hiding under a windowsill gripping a straight stick, imagining it was a sharp sword, using it to defeat Magical Creatures, to become a respected adventurer.


    Ascending to higher floors, defeating powerful monsters, acquiring stronger equipment, and becoming a famous adventurer.


    Lia suddenly realized.


    It wasn��t about proving a point to anyone; she simply wanted to become stronger.


    Did defeating Lin Da prove she was an outstanding adventurer?


    Yet, what measured an adventurer was the World Tree.


    Even if she defeated Lin Da, she would not be more respected than someone who had cleared the top floor.


    Lia��s expression darkened.


    Deep down, she understood, she just did not want to admit it.


    The reason she wanted to defeat Lin Da was probably just because she was upset about Lin Da leaving the team.


    Like a petulant elementary school student, things weren��t going her way, so she threw a tantrum.


    Defeating Lin Da, proving herself, was perhaps just a way to make Lin Da notice her, like before, when just a fuss from her would make Lin Da yield to her.


    This time, however, Lia encountered unprecedented resistance.


    She thought it was because her tantrum wasn��t big enough.


    Until today��s cooperative battle, where Lin Da, bearing no grudges, helped her.


    Lia then realized how childish her behavior had been.


    Lin Da was a true adventurer.


    That was probably why he joined the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Yet she had veered off the path of an adventurer, obsessed with clearing levels and the speed of strategy, indistinguishable from those profit-driven merchants.


    When Lia suddenly looked back, she realized only Lin Da was still supporting her.


    Aiko, Klrona, and the others had long since drifted away from her.


    ��At this rate, Lin Da will only look down on me more,�� she thought.


    Lia��s face turned pale, her small hands clenched so tightly that her knuckles ached.


    Without Lin Da, could she no longer move forward?


    The young girl��s body swayed amid the Monster Tide, feeling her greatsword in hand as heavy as a mountain.


    Just then. S��ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Captain.��


    ��Captain, slow down!��


    ��Lia, are you throwing a tantrum again?��


    The members of Snow Goose caught up.


    Klyne, like a formal team member, called her captain, a title unchanged for two years.


    Oru grinned stupidly, obviously slow-witted.


    Aiko was incredibly annoying, showing a resigned face as if placating a child, coaxing her along.


    Kruna strutted ahead like a proud little rooster, carrying her axe at the front.


    Phyllis�� his fawning face made Lia feel a bit sick.


    But no one had given up on her.


    The five of them hurried up, surrounding Lia.


    The members of the Snow Goose Adventure Team moved forward side by side amid the swarm of crabs.


    Lia sobbed softly.


    Aiko asked with confusion, ��What��s the matter? Did the tail of the Red Armored Crab King hit you silly?��


    ��Thank you all for being with me until now,�� Lia said, dabbing at her eyes and turning her head to speak softly.


    The members of Snow Goose were dumbfounded.


    More incredulous than a goblin paying an Elf Miss after a visit.


    ��When we get back��,�� Lia said, ��let��s practice our combat coordination.��


    Everyone was stunned.

 Chapter 184 - 184: 161. Lia Cries (Two-in-One, Subscribe Please!)_3

    Chapter 184: 161. Lia Cries (Two-in-One, Subscribe Please!)_3


    Lia suspected that a Soul-snatching Monster had possessed her, turning her into someone else.


    Klyne and the others were happy, thinking that Snow Goose might be back on track.


    However, Aiko was worried. In this state, Lia was a strong competitor and posed a risk of taking Lin Da away from her.


    After all, what Lin Da cared about most initially was the powder keg.


    ��Damn it, even if I lose to the Little Werewolf, I can��t lose to someone like Lia who flutters about, her underwear no different from that of a grade schooler. Lin Da couldn��t possibly like that, could he?��


    Aiko��s vigilance greatly increased.


    ... Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She needed to make Lin Da notice her soon, that she was the outstanding Mage that Phoenix Tail Flower needed!


    ��


    Unknowingly, Snow Goose and his group approached the depths of the Monster Tide.


    Ahead was a small hill, and just beyond it, they could see Breeze River Beach.


    Lia frowned as she saw, on the small hill, a tall woman.


    Her silver hair sparkled with a cold sheen under the sun.


    The tightly covered maid��s long skirt fluttered like a peacock��s tail at the slightest wind.


    Conservative, but equally beautiful.


    Most importantly, Lia knew her.


    Her presence here, could it mean Dawen was here too?


    At that thought, Lia reacted like a cat on edge, instantly bristling.


    Between her and the Scarlet Adventure Group, a battle was inevitable!


    The Crimson Baron, that old fool, treated her mother like a toy.


    The people of The Mandalas looked down on her and her mother for their commoner origins.


    Angry, Lia had run away from home.


    Her relations with The Mandalas were not good, and both Dawen and the Crimson Baron wanted to teach her a lesson.


    The woman on the hill was Dawen��s capable officer.


    The current Snow Goose together were not enough to take on that woman!


    A dark Magic Cannon was pointed straight at Lia, without any regard for her being a member of the Mandala family.


    The silver-haired maid��s face was cool and impassive.


    ��This is not a place for you, step back.��


    ��


    On the other side.


    The Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team was collecting their spoils of war.


    ��Captain, sir.��


    Monica��s face lit up with a flicker of excitement as she pointed at the body of the Red Armored Crab King, ��Are all those ours?��


    ��Yes,�� Lin Da nodded with a smile.


    He took out a short knife for cutting materials and said to Kafni, ��Come on, get to work!��


    Besides the tangible materials from the Magical Creatures, Lin Da had also gained a substantial amount of Mystical Points by killing the Red Armored Crab King.


    [System Message: Successfully killed a level 23, Rare Orange Level Magical Creature, Red Armored Crab King, and obtained 60000 Mystical Points!]


    And a long list of attributes Lin Da had gained when he leveled up just now.


    His panel was completely renewed.


    Name: Lin Da


    Level: 19


    Profession: Chosen Healing Hero


    Hit Points: 6100 (5100+1000)


    Magic Power: 953 (423+530)


    Strength: 953


    Defense: 98 (78+20)


    Magic Defense: 149 (129+20)


    Agility: 110 (80+30)


    Resistance: Poison Resistance 30%


    Experience Points: 1000/100000


    Skill Points Remaining: 3


    Mystical Points: 67867


    ��


    Reaching level 19, Lin Da��s Dual Attack neared 1000.


    Hit Points reached a terrifying 6100.


    3 new Skill Points were available for emergencies.


    They allowed him to enhance crucial skills in a certain battle.


    Aside from system gains, Lin Da also obtained the corpse of a Red Armored Crab King.


    This was a huge treasure!


    A high-level Magical Beast, its entire body was precious.


    It took three people half an hour to completely dissect the corpse.


    The most attractive parts were the two fire-red, sword-sharp claws of the Red Armored Crab King.


    He could commission an adventurer with the [Blacksmith] profession to forge them into a pair of top-quality, orange accessories with set attributes!


    The so-called set attributes meant that when an adventurer collected all the equipment in the set, new power would burst forth.


    Aside from the increase in attributes, Lin Da clearly remembered that these two orange accessories also came with a powerful skill: Death Crab Pincer!


    A powerful skill of the same type as the Red Armored Crab King!


    As long as the opponent��s level was not more than 10 levels above Lin Da��s, Death Crab Pincer could inflict True Damage.


    No matter how high the opponent��s defense, under Death Crab Pincer, all were equal.


    Especially against someone like Chloe, a defense-specialized tank.


    If Lin Da suddenly used Death Crab Pincer, it was estimated it would scare Chloe so much that her little face would turn pale and she would burst into tears.


    Aside from the pair of claws of the Red Armored Crab King, its carapace and magical beast meat were also valuable materials.


    With a flash of light from the Space Ring, Lin Da collected these materials inside it.


    Looking inside the space with his spiritual power, it was nearly full.


    These materials in the ring could sell for at least 700,000 Gold Coins!


    Lin Da��s level also rose from 16 to 19.


    It was quite a lucrative gain.


    ��The Monster Tide seems to be retreating,�� Kafni observed distantly.


    The ferocious swarm of crabs seemed to become stray dogs, retreating deep into Breeze River Beach.


    It wasn��t just because the Red Armored Crab King had died.


    Crab swarms from various areas were all retreating.


    The trumpets of victory seemed to have already sounded.


    ��Let��s go,�� Lin Da, after drinking several Magic Potions and resting briefly, said to the two team members.


    ��Going to hunt other area bosses?�� Kafni asked curiously.


    ��No,�� Lin Da said seriously, pointing towards the deepest part of Breeze River Beach, ��We need to go there and meet up with the White Dove Adventure Group!��


    ��What?�� Kafni��s face changed, ��Have you lost your mind? The creatures over there are at least level 30. How can we get involved? This isn��t the way to pick up leftovers!��


    ��Picking up leftovers?�� Lin Da��s expression grew even more solemn.


    ��If I��m not wrong, the White Dove Adventure Group is about to be destroyed.��


    ��


    White Dove City, battle hall.


    The staff members were jubilant, their faces brimming with joy.


    ��Lord Mayor, 71 Black Shell Crab Generals have been subdued, the Rock-level Squads are unstoppable and have completely suppressed the Monster Tide!��


    ��Well done!��


    Mayor Adel, looking drained, stood in front of a holographic screen, his back drenched in cold sweat.


    It was not until the Red Armored Crab King fell and Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose achieved their final victory that he finally let out a long sigh of relief.


    These two teams had great potential, both likely to become new Iron Levels.


    Adel��s mood was exhilarated.


    Then, he heard more good news from the staff.


    ��Great!��


    Adel chuckled loudly.


    His gaze shifted to the central screen, where two adventure teams were displayed.


    They were jointly battling a giant Red Armored Crab King.


    Compared to the one Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose had subdued, this one, located deep in Breeze River Beach commanding the entire Monster Tide, was larger, measuring ten meters.


    Its level also reached an impressive 35.


    But for some reason, as everyone looked at the giant Red Armored Crab King on the screen, there was a subtle feeling of disharmony.


    It was as if this decades-old giant crab had just been born and was learning to walk for the first time.


    Its battle stance was very clumsy.

 Chapter 185 - 185: 162. Lin Da encounters the third veteran member: [Storm] Tasya

    Chapter 185: 162. Lin Da encounters the third veteran member: [Storm] Tasya


    Then, in a short time, the Red Armored Crab King adapted to its body, and its strength surged dramatically.


    The White Dove Adventure Group, embroiled in a bitter fight.


    Fortunately, the Scarlet Adventure Group from Red Heart City arrived swiftly upon hearing the news and joined the battlefield. sea??h th�� nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With the cooperation of the two top-tier adventure groups, the tide of battle quickly turned, putting the Red Armored Crab King in jeopardy.


    According to the experience of Mayor Adel, within twenty more minutes, the monster presiding over Breeze River Beach would be vanquished.


    Although there were some irregularities��


    ...


    But, the scales of victory were indeed tilting towards the adventurers.


    By noon, this battle could probably draw to a close.


    At this moment, on the banks of Breeze River Beach.


    Battle Qi flickered, and magic roared.


    The earth-shaking roar of the monster manifested as a physical shockwave, sweeping across the vicinity.


    The soil, like the surface of water, was lifted in waves.


    More than twenty high-level Star-ranked adventurers were besieging the massive Red Armored Crab King.


    ��I never thought we��d cooperate one day.��


    The leader of White Dove, Mind��s Eye Abner, was slightly panting.


    He thrust forward, moving behind the Red Armored Crab King, leaving a deep sword mark, and arrived beside Dawen from the Scarlet Adventure Group.


    The deputy leader Dawen had led the team to Breeze River Beach.


    ��This monster is ours, no one else should come close, right?�� Dawen��s excitement was unmasked.


    A level 35 high-level Magical Beast, he hadn��t encountered such a strong opponent in a long while, feeling his blood boil with eagerness to fight.


    Abner understood what Dawen implied, referring to the Specter Adventure Group and the Solid Rock Adventure Group.


    ��No one can snatch this monster from our grasp.�� Abner��s tone was calm, radiating an indisputable confidence.


    Dawen nodded in satisfaction, ��Good, one of my team members is not in the best state, I��ve sent her nearby to keep watch.��


    ��Not in the best state?�� A flash of a silver-haired maid crossed Abner��s mind. A few years ago, in a fight in the Great Mystery Continent, she had made a lasting impression on him.


    If he remembered correctly, the maid��s name was Tasya.


    An adventurer whose strength was not inferior to his and Dawen��s.


    ��Mhm. Tasya has some heart issues.��


    Remembering Tasya��s ��condition,�� a trace of melancholy flickered through Dawen��s eyes.


    The fervor of battle seemed as if doused by a bucket of cold water.


    They had planned to join forces today and fight a fierce battle against the monster.


    But Tasya��s old ailment had flared up again, preventing her from participating in such intense combat.


    Dawen could only arrange her at the perimeter of the battlefield, as a scout.


    If other Steel Level Adventure Teams appeared, she was to come inform them immediately.


    And to stop certain overconfident Rock-level Squads �� like his sister Lia, that fool.


    Indeed, just as Dawen thought, Snow Goose was actually stopped by Tasya and then sent away.


    At that moment, Lia was leading her team to fight the Black Shell Crab General in another area, honing their combat teamwork.


    If Dawen saw that scene, he would probably feel relieved.


    ��


    ��


    ��What do you mean by saying the White Dove Adventure Group will be annihilated?��


    Kafni followed Lin Da, who was sprinting, her face full of confusion.


    ��With Abner��s strength, even fighting a fully-grown Red Armored Crab King shouldn��t be a problem, right?��


    ��Indeed so,�� Lin Da nodded.


    ��Then why��?��


    ��In the same territory, only one monster ruler appears.��


    Lin Da��s eyes turned cold, ��If the Red Armored Crab King appears here, then what is the monster that the White Dove Adventure Group is fighting?��


    Kafni was stunned, her mouth dry, ��An Epic Demon Creature?��


    ��That��s the only possibility,��


    Lin Da said.


    In the game, a Murderous Crab frenzy erupts at every server��s Qingfeng River Beach.


    In a very few servers, the final boss is not the Red Armored Crab King.


    But rather an Epic Demon Creature known as the ��Thousand-Change Demon�� from the Demon Lord��s Army.


    The Thousand-Change Demon is among the upper ranks of the Demon Lord��s Army.


    Its most distinctive feature: constant transformation.


    It can disguise as any monster it devours.


    The Red Armored Crab King Lin Da encountered was just a seven-meter-long juvenile.


    The adult Crab King has likely already been devoured by the Thousand-Change Demon.


    It disguised as a regular high-level Magical Beast luring Steel Level Adventure Groups to their doom.


    As Kafni said, for the White Dove Adventure Group, eliminating a fully-grown Red Armored Crab King is no issue.


    Everyone was so sure of that.


    But, what if the assumed Red Armored Crab King was actually the Epic Demon Creature, the Thousand-Change Demon, in disguise?


    The Thousand-Change Demon��s strength among Epic Demon Creatures isn��t the strongest, primarily relying on cunning tactics. The most nauseating aspect about it is its innate skill ��Resurgence.��


    Resurgence: Activated when health points drop below 20%; if not killed within 10 seconds, it enters a cocoon state, untargetable during this period, and after 10 seconds, it resurrects with 100% health.


    Simply put, it��s like a phoenix turning into an egg.


    For example, in a game, when you tower dive Anivia, she turns into an egg while you get severely damaged by the tower and Anivia revives at full health.


    If you are not aware that the Magical Creature you are fighting is the Thousand-Change Demon, nearly all adventure teams of the same level will be overturned by this annoying skill!


    When [Resurgence] is triggered, there are no special effects; by the time adventurers see the Thousand-Change Demon cocoon and turn into an unselectable state, it��s already too late.


    The Thousand-Change Demon fully revives, while the adventurer team is substantially drained.


    When gaming, Lin Da had once been defeated by the Thousand-Change Demon.


    However, once you know the characteristics of the Thousand-Change Demon, you can easily handle it.


    Every member holds on to their Ultimate Move; within 10 seconds of the Thousand-Change Demon activating its innate skill [Resurgence], they just need to finish it off in one go.


    The biggest challenge lies in how to determine when the Thousand-Change Demon��s health drops below 20% and activates [Resurgence].


    This skill shows no signs or external effects; whether adventurers use their naked eye or spiritual power, they cannot detect anything amiss.


    But Lin Da��s skill [Eye of Truth] allows him to see both damage and recovery numbers.


    When Resurgence activates, the Thousand-Change Demon slowly regenerates health.


    Once green numbers appear above its head, it��s time for everyone to unleash their Ultimate Moves and focus their attacks!


    Lin Da knew time was pressing.


    If the White Dove Adventure Group acted too swiftly and pushed the health of the Thousand-Change Demon to 20%�� it would be too late.


    He charged through, arriving at a raised hill.


    Beyond there, another five thousand meters ahead, was the midsection of Breeze River Beach.


    He was about to cross the hill.


    Suddenly, a powerful aura of Battle Qi forced Lin Da to stop in his tracks.


    The Wind Battle Qi transformed into energy bullets, which with a series of clicks, lined up in front of Lin Da, marking a straight line like a dead zone.


    On the hill, a silver-haired maid stood indifferently.


    Her long maid��s dress fluttered in the wind, revealing only a glimpse of slim legs wrapped in white stockings.


    Her skin was a rare tan color, filled with an exotic sense of mystery, and she held a magic cannon reminiscent of a Gatling gun.


    The woman��s features were as delicate as a game CG, with faint, thin eyebrows and a pair of cold, indifferent eyes, thin lips as sharp as a knife, looking like a foreign Snow Lotus growing amongst thorns.


    Beautiful, but surrounded by dangers; any closer approach would turn you into a meat sieve under the magic cannon, like the riddled ground.


    Lin Da looked at the silver-haired maid on the hill, feeling a surreal blur as fantasy seemed to step into reality.


    When a two-dimensional paper person materializes into a real person, it��s almost a 100% restoration!


    Whether it��s the mean look like someone who despises trash, or the indifferent yet irresistibly alluring charisma, it��s all exactly like in the game.


    [Storm] Tasya.


    One of the first four-star characters that Lin Da had kicked out of the team!


    ��Madam, what is the meaning of this?��


    Lin Da looked ahead at the straight line formed by the magic cannon and asked calmly.


    Now, he was equivalent to leaving the Original Adventure Team without a word, mysteriously disappearing for three years, only to become the leader of another adventure team.


    His strength was also much weaker than during his Dark Shadow period.


    What would the higher-leveled Tasya think now? She wouldn��t, like Lulu, have turned her good feelings into hatred, preparing to mutilate him��


    Thinking this, cold sweat beaded on Lin Da��s forehead.


    ��Captain?�� Monica, who recognized Tasya as the socially awkward Big Lolita who always stayed in the warehouse, knew not many team members realized she was part of them.


    Kafni also felt Lin Da was a bit off, seemingly familiar with that imposing maid?


    ��A Star-ranked adventurer��s support must be really sweet! I didn��t realize you had such connections!�� Kafni teased, patting Lin Da��s shoulder a bit too forcefully.


    Click, click, click!


    Suddenly, magic-guided bullets came their way again, and Lin Da and his companions dodged the bullets clumsily as if dancing.


    Luckily, Tasya was just threatening and didn��t really intend to harm them.


    Still, Lin Da and his team were quite embarrassed.


    The clumsy Monica, like a sloth, clung to Lin Da��s back, while Kafni, furious, jumped about, cursing vociferously:


    ��You damn woman, are you out of your mind? Can��t you see our White Dove City adventurer��s badge on our chests?��


    Tasya��s gaze remained cold: ��Any team is the same. Leave, or die.��


    Only then did everyone notice on Tasya��s prominent chest a Steel Level Adventure Group badge against a red heart background.


    ��Red Heart City��s adventure team?�� Kafni realized and said hastily: ��With the Monster Tide approaching, aren��t all city adventure teams supposed to be allies? We have urgent business, so please let us through!��


    Tasya remained unmoved, holding the magic cannon with emotionless eyes.


    ��Dawen entrusted me with preventing anyone from crossing the hill,�� she said indifferently.


    During her year away, Dawen had still sent her full compensation without fussing over the breach of contract.


    Tasya remembered this kindness.


    Even if the Specter Adventure Group arrived here, she would stop them with all her might.


    ��We have important news that needs to get through,�� Lin Da said gravely. ��Alternatively, you can take the message there yourself.��


    Tasya stood still.


    ��My duty is to stop anyone, that��s all.��


    Having said that, she turned back into a statue. It seemed that as long as the members of Luanwei didn��t cross that line, whatever they did didn��t concern her.


    Kafni, eyes red with urgency, exclaimed: ��I see you really are sick! The Thousand-Change Demon, that Red Armored Crab King, it��s a Thousand-Change Demon! Both the White Dove Adventure Group and your teammates will be overturned!��


    Expecting these words to grab the attention of the silver-haired maid enough to change her attitude by one hundred and eighty degrees, and honor them as distinguished guests,


    Kafni couldn��t believe that Tasya��s facial expression turned into a chilling indifference, her thin lips parting slightly, the tone and wording as if she was discussing people she completely detached from:


    ����If everyone died, what does it have to do with me?��


    ��


    (ps: Still short by ten words to reach 2200 words, yeeyee, no free-riding allowed)

 Chapter 186 - 186: 163. Dark Shadow, no friends!

    Chapter 186: 163. Dark Shadow, no friends!


    Tasya had repaid Dawen��s favor. She would stay here, even if the entire Specter Adventure Group arrived, to fulfill Dawen��s entrustment.


    This ��gift�� was substantial enough to repay Dawen��s favor.


    To Tasya, the Scarlet Adventure Group and the White Dove Adventure Group were no different from weeds on the roadside in her mind.


    It wasn��t that their strength was weak.


    Rather, they were irrelevant to her.


    Tasya only ever followed one person, besides him, other things were no different from weeds.


    ...


    ��Look at the badge, are you a member of the Scarlet Adventure Group?�� Lin Da frowned, ��I know your vice-commander Dawen, consider us acquaintances, he owes me a favor. Can I trade this favor for a chance to pass through?��


    Tasya treated his words like background noise.


    The same as the wind around her and the hissing of Murderous Crabs in the distance.


    Lin Da, seeing her emotionless demeanor, sighed inwardly.


    This was going to be tricky, Tasya was just like in the game, a rigid-minded, strictly obedient maid.


    There was a minor plot where the player asked Tasya to wait outside the trading post for him, but due to some accidents, he left through the back door and forgot to go back for Tasya.


    The next day, during a thunderstorm in the afternoon, the player went out for errands, passed by the trading post entrance, and found Tasya still there, sopping wet, waiting in place for the player��s command.


    Although her face was expressionless, under the gloomy light and pouring rain, the tall, mature-looking, silver-haired maid resembled an abandoned stray cat, eliciting a sense of pity.


    The reason for Tasya��s strange character was her background.


    She was raised from childhood to be an assassin, her emotions erased, like a magic puppet only capable of following commands.


    Lin Da recalled Tasya��s storyline, trying to find a way to break through.


    Tasya��s first act of the story: ��The Assassin Who Never Missed.��


    The cold-hearted Tasya received a commission from the Doomsday Sect, hidden among the crowd, to assassinate the player.


    But the player uncovered her, knocked her out with two hits, and tied her up back to the villa.


    As punishment, he decided to make her his personal maid.


    The second act of the story: ��99 Failures.��


    Tasya��s traitorous heart unfading, failed to assassinate 99 times.


    Each failure resulted in punishment from the player.


    Through this process, Tasya gradually acknowledged the player��s terrifying strength.


    Upon triggering this story, Tasya��s favorability reached 90 points.


    The final act of the story: ��Under the Moon.��


    Tasya, submissive to the player, made a promise under the beautiful moonlit CG.


    If her 100th assassination attempt failed, she would abandon her past and devote herself completely to the player, becoming his lifelong maid.


    This scene ended with her favorability reaching 99 points.


    The final point, Lin Da, in his haste for results, pulled Tasya��s higher-ranked five-star character, stripped all her equipment for resale, and swapped it for new equipment for the five-star character.


    The character was also thrown into the great furnace, transformed into essence to strengthen the five-star character.


    The good news was, characters thrown into the great furnace didn��t die but were removed from the team as if expelled.


    The bad news was, Lin Da felt revealing his true identity might not be so wise!


    Tasya��s primary reason for admiring the player was being overpowered by him.


    It��s just that this game wasn��t rated 18+, otherwise, after failing 99 attempts, Tasya might have already become just a fluffy pastry.


    Lin Da looked down, contemplating; the only way to persuade Tasya to let him and his companions pass seemed to be just one.


    The trust Dawen placed in Tasya indeed had a very high priority.


    But when Lin Da pulled out the ��Dark Shadow,�� what would Tasya do?


    Lin Da smiled faintly, clapping his hands.


    ��Not bad.��


    ��Just as Brother Dai Lian said, ��Storm�� Tasya is an exceptionally beautiful woman with a somewhat odd personality.��


    As soon as this statement was uttered, Monica, Kafni, and Tasya were all stunned simultaneously.


    The first two realized the relationship between Lin Da and Tasya.


    So, she was another old teammate of Lin Da!


    Seeing Lin Da not daring to easily acknowledge his identity, it seemed likely that he had also committed various despicable acts toward Tasya!


    ��Dai Lian?�� Tasya��s icy expression rapidly melted away, revealing deep anxiety and eagerness in her tea-colored eyes.


    In a flash, she disappeared from the hillside and reappeared in front of Lin Da.


    This maid smelled delightful, her brown skin smooth as if oiled, her face without makeup yet radiating a seduction not inferior to that of a succubus, her eyelashes thick and lush like small brushes, gazing intently at Lin Da:


    ��Say his full name.��


    ��Dai Lian * Zhao Wo, one four����


    Lin Da uttered a string of names that made no sense.


    But Tasya��s eyes grew brighter and gradually teary. Her slender body trembled uncontrollably with excitement beneath her thick maid��s skirt, her face in disbelief, her left hand covering her mouth, her eyes nearly spilling tiny pearls.


    Such a drastic change startled Lin Da inwardly. Was this the terror of a 99-point fondness?


    ��Tasya, these three years have been hard for you, your captain I����


    Lin Da happily began, but the next moment, a sudden chill struck as if his body was packed with ice, making him shiver all over.


    He suddenly fell silent because a massive Magic Cannon barrel had been thrust into his mouth.


    The gun barrel had a faint sulfur smell similar to gunpowder, a reaction produced by the mingling of Battle Qi and steel.


    The barrel was cold and carried a hint of the stench of Murderous Crab.


    If roles were reversed, given Lin Da��s gender, it would have already turned into a banned film.


    A cyan Wind Battle Qi floated around Tasya, the silver-haired maid watching him coldly, her right index finger on the trigger of the Magic Cannon.


    ��What are you doing!��


    ��Whimper, Lord Captain, I didn��t lie, he really is����


    Kafni and Monica, panicked, moved forward to stop her.


    ��Get lost.��


    Though a backline profession, Tasya was unexpectedly skilled in physical combat, bending over to kick sideways, her long maid��s skirt blooming like a huge flower bud.


    Her long, strong legs were clad in white garter belts.


    The point of attachment was a combination of lace edges and a cold metal round buckle, beautiful yet menacing!


    Tasya whipped out a kick, sending Kafni and the others flying!


    ��If you plan on insulting your master���� Tasya sneered, ��then be prepared to be hunted down to death by me.��


    ��Hold on, we didn��t have that kind of intention, did we?�� Lin Da stepped back, raising his hands awkwardly, ��I was just saying, that Dark Shadow you��re looking for, actually����


    ��Pretending to be Dark Shadow, then issuing all sorts of strange commands to me?�� Tasya seemed to see through the nature of men.


    Born an assassin, she was used to all sorts of filthy affairs. If not for her talents, she would have ended up like those miserable colleagues, becoming the lowest assassin who uses beauty and her body for assassinations.


    The weak adventurer before her, however, dared to pretend to be the great Dark Shadow. To Tasya, this felt like a weak goblin brandishing a tiny stick, claiming it was the Holy Dragon!


    Lin Da��s appearance did indeed closely resemble Dark Shadow, which was why Tasya hadn��t truly harmed him.


    But there was a fundamental difference between the two.


    Dark Shadow, a man who seemed to be without friends.


    Yet the man before her, astonishingly, was dearly loved by his team members.


    The two girls, disregarding their own safety, had come forward to protect him. S��arch* The nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This kind of good person, could never be Dark Shadow!

 Chapter 187 - 187: 164. Witch, who isnt one these days?

    Chapter 187: 164. Witch, who isn��t one these days?


    ��Dark Shadow knows ��Mystery Spiral��, do you?��


    ��Dark Shadow can stand motionless in the courtyard all night long, contemplating the ultimate secrets of the Laws of Heaven and Earth. Even the top adventurers can��t detect the slightest movement in his body, not even his organs or blood circulation. Can you?��


    ��When Dark Shadow releases his ultimate skill in the villa, he can kill a giant dragon without damaging the furniture in the slightest.��


    ��Can you?��


    The words of Tasya fell like hailstones, hitting Lin Da in the chest one after another.


    And Lin Da��s face began to take on an increasingly strange expression.


    ...


    These things didn��t seem all that impressive.


    The so-called ��Mystery Spiral�� simply referred to a game character spinning in place.


    It was generally just Lin Da being bored, clicking around on the map.


    Standing in the courtyard all night, with not even the blood flow observable.


    That was because Lin Da had logged off in the courtyard.


    To release an ultimate skill within the villa and not damage any furniture seemed like a transcendent control of magic power.


    But in reality, that was just how the game settings were.


    Lin Da could kill level 100 Magical Creatures, but couldn��t destroy a bench inside the villa or a tree blocking the path in town.


    The game developers had set these things to be indestructible.


    Releasing his ultimate skill in the villa was just Lin Da being extremely bored, pressing a key casually, and that was it!


    Of course, he definitely wouldn��t say this at a time like this.


    In Tasya��s eyes, which twinkled like stars, filled with reverence, it seemed Dark Shadow performing these deeds was greater than the deities themselves.


    If Lin Da were to say that all those actions were born from his boredom, he would likely face Tasya��s stern backlash.


    ��Mystery Spiral�� indeed. sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She really has quite the imagination!


    In any case.


    Given Tasya��s adoration for Dark Shadow, she probably would find it hard to believe that her level 19 self was in fact the master she had been searching for so eagerly.


    Lin Da changed his tone and said, ��That��s right, I and Dai Lian, had the fortune to meet once. It was from him that I learned of your existence. He also told me that if I met Tasya, and was in trouble, I could ask her for help.��


    ��You��ve met the master? Where? When?��


    Tasya put away her magic cannon, and her gaze eagerly shook Lin Da��s shoulder.


    ��Stop, stop shaking.��


    Lin Da felt dizzy, as a level 19 back-row profession, how could he endure the shaking of a Star-ranked adventurer.


    ��Cough, my apologies.��


    Tasya let go of him, took a deep breath, and with her hands lifting her skirt, she made an elegant curtsy.


    ��Since you are a friend of the master, then you are also a friend of mine, Tasya. Please forgive my disrespect just now.��


    ��May I ask you to tell me about the master?��


    The excitement in Tasya��s heart was unmistakable.


    After three long years of searching fruitlessly for the master, she finally saw a glimmer of hope today.


    ��It��s like this����


    Lin Da concocted a vague lie to brush Tasya off.


    ��The Great Mystery Continent on level 10��? The master appeared there?��


    Tasya pondered.


    ��Yes. If you have a chance, you can go to the 10th level to investigate; perhaps you can find traces of Dai Lian.�� Lin Da raised an eyebrow, ��As a friend of Dai Lian, can you let me pass? I��m sure this would not be a bad thing for the Scarlet Adventure Group.��


    ��No.��


    ��You are lying.��


    Tasya��s expression suddenly turned cold.


    The cyan Wind Battle Qi surged to the surface of her skin, emitting a feeling of extreme danger.


    ��I��m telling the truth in every word,�� Lin Da replied with a calm demeanor.


    Tasya laughed.


    It was a laugh cold enough to chill one��s bones.


    ��I admit, you do know some information about the master. But that doesn��t mean you have seen the master, or even that you��re a friend of the master.��


    ��Why?�� Lin Da still remained composed.


    Tasya said, ��The answer is actually very simple. Your eyes, tone, and demeanor, lack respect for the master.��


    Lin Da was stunned.


    Seeing his ��panicked�� expression, Tasya��s eyes gleamed with growing confidence.


    ��How can someone who has met the master, who is greater than the deities, consider him as an equal, a friend?��


    ��Even the Turtle Race, proud of their ability to procreate for 24 hours, doesn��t have one ten-thousandth of your arrogance.��


    Tasya crossed her arms in front of her proud chest, her gaze sharp and venomous, with bone-chilling coldness, as if she were looking at a big foolish Small Fry who didn��t know its place.


    The intense pressure of the Battle Qi and the aggression in her eyes forced Lin Da to involuntarily step back.


    It��s as if his clothes were being ripped apart by the wind, leaving him naked in the coldest of winters.


    At a time like this, what��s most terrifying is not the cold, but under the scrutinizing eyes of this ill-tempered brown-skinned maid, should his body react in any way, it would be an eternal shame he could never live down.


    Lin Da used to enjoy Tasya��s contemptuous CG images in the game and found them quite attractive, but without the screen as a barrier and with the real person appearing right before him,


    Her frosty, scornful gaze put a significant amount of pressure on Lin Da, causing the magic circuits within his body to feel as if they had frozen over, unable to function.


    ��Indeed.�� Tasya curled her lips into a smirk, ��If you can��t even withstand my aura, how could you stand before the master? Even I, in the presence of that great adventurer, would involuntarily tremble and be overwhelmed by his power and mystery.��


    ��I will tie you up, punish you severely, and make you confess all the true information about the master,�� she declared.


    Tasya took out a small black whip from the large pocket of her maid dress.


    This is bad.


    Lin Da��s face changed.


    Wasn��t that whip a gift he had given to Tasya?


    Purple quality, adding 10 points of favorability, and it cost him 6 dollars.


    And Kafni and Monica, who couldn��t just watch their leader be tied up, hurried over to rescue him.


    ��Ugh!��


    ��Eeek!��


    As a result, both of them were whipped on their buttocks, wailing in pain.


    On the whip, there was a ��Double the Pain�� skill, making a single strike excruciating for the already delicate teammates, completely robbing them of their combat strength.


    ��Of all the stratagems, fleeing is the best!��


    Lin Da silently recited in his mind, grabbed a teammate with each hand, and tucked them under his arms as he charged toward the small hill.


    As long as he got close to the Breeze River Beach and Dawen saw him, stopping Tasya would be manageable.


    Lin Da wished he could take two steps at once, his calf muscles pronounced and twisted like evil Giant Dragons.


    With each step he took, soil flew in all directions.


    One would think he was a Heavy Armored Warrior if they didn��t know any better.


    ��Where do you think you��re going?��


    The honeycomb launcher on Tasya��s Magic Cannon whirled, and a barrage of energy bullets poured out.


    Lin Da twisted his body into various shapes as if playing the most difficult dance machine level.


    The Magic-guided Bullets outlined his figure, somehow missing him completely.


    Tasya let out a surprised yelp, her eyes taking on a more serious look.


    The next shot aimed for Lin Da��s ankles.


    Feeling a chill running up his spine, Lin Da hurriedly applied the Verdant Shield to himself.


    Looking back, he judged from the ��Skill Special Effects�� emerging from Tasya��s Magic Cannon��the green Battle Qi turned into threads and was sucked into the barrel; it was Tasya��s second skill, Gathering Energy Shot.


    The consumption was ��medium,�� and the next three normal attacks would increase damage by 300%.


    Troublesome.


    Lin Da thought with a headache that his current health points were 6100 and his shield thickness was 2745, adding up to 8845. Withstanding an attack from Tasya, a Star-ranked adventurer, once wouldn��t be a problem, but what about a Triple Cast?


    Tasya��s innate skill ��Storm of Death�� would cause additional Magic Damage for every three hits on the same target.


    If he was hit by Tasya in three rounds, he definitely wouldn��t be able to hold on.


    The green energy gradually gathered in the barrel of the Magic Cannon.


    Bang.


    A pebble, from nowhere, hit Tasya��s index finger and prevented the Magic Cannon from firing.


    Tasya��s gaze darkened, looking in the direction of the pebble.


    Amidst the distant crab horde, a girl cloaked in a robe and hood could be seen.


    Her body low to the ground, her fluffy, light blue tail swung gracefully with her vigorous running.


    The hundred-meter distance was crossed in the blink of an eye.


    The girl jumped, her hood blown off by the strong current of air.


    Her light blue short hair fluttered wildly.


    Her furry ears stood straight up.


    Coldness and anger filled the girl��s face; she wrinkled her nose, and her open mouth revealed sharp canine teeth, like a vicious wolf leaping at its prey!


    Tasya was momentarily distracted.


    ��Lulu?��


    Clearly, Tasya recognized the Werewolf girl.


    A reunion of old teammates, yet Tasya felt far from joy, with hardly any emotional fluctuation,


    Even when both were part of the Primitive Adventure Team, they wouldn��t greet each other in the corridors, their acquaintance limited to merely knowing of the other��s existence.


    However��as someone who had once been under her master��s command, it suggested that Lulu must have some merit. Why would she protect the impostor claiming to be Dark Shadow?


    Tasya frowned in confusion.


    Lin Da, from a distance, also noticed this scene.


    A figure in a black robe appeared from nowhere, attacking Tasya.


    The fight erupted in an instant.


    Beast claws crossed for a slash.


    Turning into a blue cross-shaped radiance.


    Tasya used her Magic Cannon as a shield to block laterally.


    Boom!


    With the power of the cross-shaped light so formidable, even Tasya, a Star Rank, was forced to retreat several meters.


    Mud stained her white stocking.


    Tasya��s gaze turned colder.


    These stockings were also a gift from her master.


    Holding the Magic Cannon with both hands, she aimed at Lulu, ��Don��t meddle in others�� affairs, or else, I won��t hesitate to take you down.��


    Lulu��s claws extended three centimeters, fierce as those of a lion or tiger.


    ��If you think you can, go ahead and try.��


    Lulu said calmly, a black mist rising in her pale blue eyes.


    A beautiful black Flower of the Heart emerged on the skin near her heart.


    This flower, wrapped in thorns,


    The spiky thorns grew along the surface of the skin, spreading towards her limbs and throughout.


    That is the Witch Power.


    Activating the Flower of the Heart, she temporarily boosted her strength to the maximum.


    Normally, Lulu would never act so rashly.


    Activating the Flower of the Heart always led to significant erosion of her body by the Fallen Insects within, and the pain would be doubled when the contamination flared up later.


    But now was different.


    She had Lin Da, who could help her clear the contamination every day.


    The Witch Power, reserved for life-and-death crises and only used as a last resort, became a minor skill that could be used at any time.


    If the contamination accumulated too much, then she would simply have Lin Da clean it up�� Lulu, with some ulterior motives, activated the Flower of the Heart to the greatest extent.


    Once this fight was over, Lin Da would have to deep-clean her contamination.

 Chapter 188 - 188: 165. If his name is Lin Da...

    Chapter 188: 165. If his name is Lin Da��


    ��Why is Lulu here?��


    Lin Da recognized the robed figure and felt a mix of shock and delight.


    He had not found Lulu since the Monster Tide erupted.


    It turned out she was also on this battlefield.


    Actually, Lulu had arrived in the middle of it all.


    She had toured around another area, finding no opportunity to complete her task.


    ...


    Then on the road, she heard that Lin Da had led the Phoenix Tail Flower into the heart of the Monster Tide.


    Anxious, Lulu abandoned her task and hurried over.


    In the overwhelming Monster Tide, searching for a specific person was extremely difficult.


    Fortunately, being from the Werewolf Clan, Lulu had an acute sense of smell.


    She had barely caught up in the nick of time.


    ��You go ahead, I��ll hold off this crazy woman,�� Lulu shouted.


    Lin Da nodded solemnly, ��Be careful yourself, prioritize your safety.��


    The three members of the Phoenix Tail Flower crossed the small hill and rushed towards the deeper part of the battlefield at Breeze River Beach. S��arch* The N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Don��t think of escaping.�� Tasya moved her agile long legs, and despite wearing a tight maid��s dress and being a ranged class, her movements were nimble, like a swordsman.


    ��Same goes for you,�� Lulu taunted, her beast claw enveloped in dark aura, striking through the air.


    A string of Battle Qi shot towards Tasya.


    The latter could only distract herself to defend.


    One round from the Magic Cannon had countered Lulu��s Battle Qi string, but Tasya also furrowed her brow, a flash of surprise in her eyes.


    ��Witch?��


    She thought to herself.


    Tasya was all too familiar with this power.


    Since being kicked out of the team and taking that as an experience, Tasya realized her own lack of strength.


    Then, she heard the whispers of the Demon King.


    ��Sign a contract with the Demon Realm, become a witch~ All your wishes can be fulfilled, you know?��


    Under the temptation of that flying white rabbit Familiar, Tasya blood-signed the contract and pressed her handprint.


    Tasya, turned into a witch!


    But she never expected, the familiar person before her, the werewolf Lulu, was also the same.


    A witch.


    Tasya concentrated her gaze on Lulu, a werewolf girl in Witch State, who seemed colder and more mysterious, her pale blue short hair wildly growing into shoulder-length, her tail also significantly thicker.


    From below the neckline of her dress, black thorn-like tattoos surfaced, a sign of Witch Power running at its peak.


    ��A novice? Using so much Witch Power, aren��t you afraid of the backlash afterward?��


    Tasya immediately discerned that Lulu hadn��t been a witch for long.


    Only novice witches would use Witch Power so recklessly, without any hesitation.


    When the backlash becomes severe, they��ll have nowhere to cry.


    The contrast between Tasya and Lulu was like that between a decrepit old person and a lively young girl.


    During her journey to find her master, Tasya faced numerous dangers and frequently used Witch Power.


    The contamination inside her body had already reached a very severe level.


    Today, there were even signs of a flare-up.


    Thus, even though Tasya was at a higher level than Lulu, she had to dedicate a significant amount of her power to suppress the Witch��s Corruption.


    The power she could spare was only enough to match Lulu, who had activated her Witch State, evenly.


    In her contemplation, Lulu rushed forward.


    A vicious knee strike aimed at Tasya��s face.


    Frost Wolf Warrior��s skill: [Frost Wolf��s Bite].


    Blue and black interwoven Battle Qi energy formed a huge wolf head in front of Lulu��s knee.


    The wolf head opened its bloodied maw, its fangs gleaming coldly, aiming for Tasya��s head.


    Tasya used her Magic Cannon as a hammer, colliding it with Lulu��s Frost Wolf��s Bite.


    Streams of Battle Qi erupted.


    The muddy ground between the two seemed like a carpet that had been violently lifted.


    The girls�� hair blew backward.


    Blue and brown eyes met, neither willing to back down in the slightest.


    From the close distance, Tasya could see the small team badge on Lulu��s chest, initially hidden but now exposed by the gust of wind.


    It was identical to that charlatan��s badge!


    Tasya had thought Lulu acted out of some other motive to rescue that man.


    But unbelievably, Lulu was his team member.


    How could this be! Tasya found it impossible to believe. With the pride of the Werewolf Clan, how could she favor any other inferior team after having been in the Primitive Adventure Team?


    ��What��s your captain��s name?��


    Tasya, harboring a sentiment she couldn��t quite explain herself, asked with a trembling voice.


    That arrogant charlatan, when mentioning his master, showed no respect yet seemed to know a lot about her and her master.


    Was there a possibility that he was Dark Shadow, the captain of the Primitive Adventure Team?


    Tasya��s mind was in chaos. If this were true, wouldn��t it mean she had taunted her master as a big-sized Small Fry?


    The thought made Tasya so regretful that she wanted to point a Magic Cannon at her own head and pull the trigger.


    At that moment, Lulu seemed to understand something and said sternly, ��You��re overthinking, he is not your master.��


    ����Li Cha. His name is Li Cha.��


    Tasya was stunned, unsure whether to feel disappointed or relieved.


    At least, she didn��t have to commit suicide by gun for insulting her master. Not only had she taunted that charlatan, but she also shoved her Magic Cannon into his mouth��


    Such a thing, Tasya could only dare to imagine in her dreams.


    ��Thank goodness��if his name had been Lin Da, wouldn��t that mean he was indeed Dark Shadow? Only such a great master can tame a werewolf like Lulu, who is weak but possesses pride.��


    Tasya regained her composure, her lips curving upward in a sacred, oath-like expression as she spoke:


    ��Lulu, I don��t know how you became a Witch, but even if you exert all this power, you can��t defeat me. I carry the duty to serve the master on my shoulders, and until I find him, I cannot fall.��


    ��No, please do fall,�� Lulu said coldly. ��I will take good care of him, and I have no need of you.��


    ��Arrogant! Do you know our master better than I, his personal maid? Only I can take good care of him!��


    Tasya, angered, kicked towards Lulu��s stomach with force as if her leg was a whip:


    ��I even know the count of the master��s hair, what right do you have to claim you know him better than I do?��


    With a thud, Lulu blocked the strike with her forearms, curling in mid-air and landing solidly on the ground.


    Tap, tap, tap!


    A stream of energy bullets followed, tilting towards her, but Lulu was fast, instantly closing the gap to Tasya��s front.


    ��Exactly. I understand the captain better than you.��


    Lulu��s beast claws emitted a cold gleam, striking Tasya and sending her flying several meters away.


    She even knew the taste of Lin Da��s lips very well.


    How could Tasya, who only cleaned, possibly understand Lin Da better than her?


    ��Stubborn.��


    Tasya said coldly, ��Then tell me, how much do you know about the master��s strengths? And just so you know, no matter how much you know, it can��t compare to me.��


    ��If I know more about the captain than you do, then please give up on returning to his side.��


    ��Is that the stake�� Fine, the cost of your failure is the same. This jousting battle against the ugly goblins, a fight with zero chance of loss, I, Tasya, accept it.��


    Tasya, her expression proud, stretched her right hand forward, her index finger pointing straight at Lulu who was half a head shorter:


    ��Let me take the first move. One of the countless strengths of our master: using extra-large gel sleeves, he displays more male elegance than any reckless Beastman!��


    Lulu was shocked, stuttering, ��Why��Why do you know about this?��


    Wasn��t a personal maid��s job just to clean?


    Tasya gracefully lifted her skirt, a proud smile on her face:


    ��As a maid, it��s natural to know this. I can deduce it from the degree of bulging in the swimming shorts he wears in summer.��


    If Lin Da were here, he would understand that Tasya was referring to the summer events. Players bring their teams, all in swimsuits, to fight against mutated watermelon monsters on the beach.


    Including the size of the body, which Lin Da had adjusted when creating the character, strictly according to his real-world appearance, to perfectly resemble Dark Shadow at a 1:1 scale.


    ��Hmm��So it can be deduced like that?�� Lulu��s face flushed slightly, not knowing what to think.


    ��It��s your turn to make a move,�� Tasya said.

 Chapter 189 - 189: 166. Kill the Epic Demon Creature, distribute the materials! (Large Chapter)

    Chapter 189: 166. Kill the Epic Demon Creature, distribute the materials! (Large Chapter)


    Lulu pondered for a moment, then responded, ��Captain, he��s a gentle person.��


    Tasya nodded deeply in agreement.


    ��Indeed.��


    Each time the master won against her, he would offer guidance.


    Their subsequent battles could be described as a flurry of blades, a razor-thin line between life and death.


    The girls were positioned on opposite slopes of a hill.


    ...


    Tasya: ��The master��s scent is very pleasant, never tiring of it!��


    Lulu: ��He has great leadership skills and is also very meticulous!��


    Tasya: ��Powerful and invincible!��


    Lulu: ��Handsome!��


    The two exchanged remarks, with surprise flashing across their faces, not expecting the other to be so tough.


    ��The mask looks cool!��


    ��Tall and well-built!��


    ��Unbeatable in swordsmanship!��


    ��Calm and reliable!��


    ��Neat and clean, his clothes remain unsoiled even in fierce battles!��


    Lulu, straining, clutched her chest, bit her silver teeth, and delivered the ultimate blow, a secret not known to all team members: ��The captain is only outwardly indifferent, but actually, he��s very kind to his teammates!��


    Tasya raised her eyebrows in surprise.


    She thought she was the only one who knew this secret.


    Had it not been for a gentle master, why would he still allow her to become his personal maid after she failed to assassinate him 99 times?


    ��You��re right�� but you don��t understand fully.��


    ��The master is only kind to useful teammates.��


    Coming from you, that statement lacks credibility. Therefore, Lulu, you��re lying!��


    Tasya smiled and flicked her silvery hair, waving it through the air like a victorious cape wearer.


    ��Lulu, exit the stage, I��ll protect our master.��


    ��


    ��


    While the two girls engaged in a ��praise battle�� over Lin Da, he was completely unaware, even sneezing a few times.


    Perhaps, in the eyes of his teammates, even a casual click of his mouse held deep meaning.


    At that moment, the most pressing issue for Lin Da was rushing to the depths of Breeze River Beach to remind Dawen and the others.


    They must save their ultimate skills.


    Wait until the Thousand-Change Demon activates its resurgence skill, then focus fire on that disgusting Lao Liu.


    He sprinted all the way, quickly arriving at the shore of Breeze River Beach.


    The first thing he saw was a huge Red Armored Crab King.


    About twenty adventurers were attacking it.


    The strongest among them were the redhead Dawen, and the swordsman Abner with blue hair tied in a ponytail.


    Their attributes were thunder and water respectively, neither constrained by the Red Armored Crab King, outputting massive damage.


    Within a five hundred-meter radius centered on the battleground, energy turbulence enveloped the area. S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da could only feel a gale force wind blowing head-on, and had to exert strength from his lower body, digging his toes into the ground, to keep from being overturned.


    The distant battle was completely out of reach for Luanwei flower at the moment.


    Luckily, someone in the back line of the White Dove Adventure Group noticed him.


    A male Mage, wearing a long robe and a large hat, approached.


    ��Luanwei Flower? What are you doing here?��


    ��The Red Armored Crab King�� is a disguise by the Thousand-Change Demon.��


    Lin Da��s eyes narrowed as he straightforwardly said, ��Everyone needs to conserve their strength, waiting for the right opportunity to kill that demon creature in one fell swoop.��


    ��Thousand-Change Demon?�� The male Mage frowned, ��What is that?��


    Lin Da explained briefly.


    During the conversation, he also learned the other��s name.


    Qilie, a level 32 Nature-based Mage.


    Qilie��s expression became bizarre: ��Does such a strange demon really exist? Battling the Red Armored Crab King is already tough, to save strength as well�� I can��t make that decision. Moreover, both the White Dove and Scarlet Adventure Groups are here, and it��s unlikely that both would agree.��


    ��Could you please let the two captains hear me out?�� Lin Da��s heart sank as he pointed toward the center of the battlefield.


    ��I��m afraid that��s difficult, they are the main force in the battle and can��t be distracted.�� Qilie shook his head.


    Just based on Lin Da��s guess, having two adventure groups change their combat policy, redraft tactics, and still conserve strength amid dangerous demon subjugation�� this decision wasn��t something Qilie, a mere regular member, could make.


    ��I understand you came with good intentions, but please leave, it��s too dangerous here.�� Qilie said helplessly, ��Captain Abner has a good impression of you, if you were injured, he would definitely blame me.��


    ��Step aside.��


    The situation was urgent, Lin Da could no longer afford to observe the formalities between adventurers.


    He pushed past Qilie, the Mage, with his physical strength and magic power surging, resisting the strong winds blowing against him, heading toward the White Dove Adventure Group.


    Qilie��s expression slightly changed, he chanted a spell, preparing to conjure a magic spell to stop Lin Da.


    ��Wait a second.�� Suddenly, Gale from the back line noticed the commotion.


    Upon seeing that it was Lin Da, Gale hesitated for a moment, temporarily put down his command duties, accompanied by a breeze, and came over.


    ��Gale, it��s handed over to you, I need to go back and support.�� Qilie felt like a mess was being taken off his hands. Gale, as the commander of the White Dove Adventure Group, held a higher rank than him, and it was more appropriate for Gale to hear what Lin Da had to say.


    Gale chanted a spell, and in an instant, an invisible Wind Barrier enveloped Lin Da.


    The battling gusts bothering Lin Da disappeared with the barrier��s interception.


    ��Level 30 skills are truly extraordinary.��


    Lin Da inwardly remarked to himself.


    He gave a signal to the two teammates behind him to wait in the distance, then turned his smiling gaze toward Gale.


    It was fortunate that he knew the commander of the White Dove Adventure Group, otherwise, delivering the news about the Thousand-Change Demon would have been impossible. In the game, higher levels had distinct advantages, and this hierarchical world became even more apparent after personally traversing it.


    If it weren��t for his status as an honored adventurer at level 19, he probably wouldn��t even have the qualification to speak with Star-ranked adventurers, let alone convince them.


    In the end, it still came down to leveraging personal connections.

 Chapter 190 - 190: 166. Kill the Epic Demon Creature, distribute the materials! (Large Chapter)_2

    Chapter 190: 166. Kill the Epic Demon Creature, distribute the materials! (Large Chapter)_2


    ��Thousand-Change Demon?��


    After hearing the narration, Gale fell into deep thought.


    At that moment, Gale was quite hesitant.


    However, he thought about Lin Da��s precise prediction of the Monster Tide and his inexplicable actions during the Mystic Realm strategy��


    Gale gritted his teeth and asked, ��Are you sure you can predict when the Thousand-Change Demon will activate its Resurgence Skill?��


    ��Sure.��


    ...


    Lin Da nodded and pointed towards his eyes, ��I have some special skills.��


    ��Alright!�� Gale was the type of person who, once convinced, went all out.


    This matter being of great importance, he no longer had the frivolous demeanor of wandering through flower bushes; his face was serious as he led Lin Da to the back row of the White Dove Adventure Group.


    There were five people here.


    Including Qilie, everyone was surprised to see Lin Da.


    Only Qilie understood that Gale had been persuaded by Lin Da.


    ��I��m going to call Captain Abner and Dawen over. You do realize the consequences of doing this, right?�� Gale cautioned Lin Da in advance, ��If your judgment is wrong, no one will blame you, but the impression of the two Steel Level Adventure Group captains will undoubtedly be lowered, which could affect your future resource allocation when entering the fifteenth level of the Mystic Realm.��


    Plainly speaking, it was still about connections. Sear?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The better the impression Abner had of Lin Da, the more he would favor Lin Da��s team when entering the fifteenth level, supporting the Phoenix Tail Flower Team with a good location in the adventurer��s vote.


    Gale himself was optimistic about Lin Da and naturally hoped Lin Da would win Captain Abner��s favor.


    Of course, Gale had another, unknown reason: the girls in the Phoenix Tail Flower Team were all very pretty, and he couldn��t help wanting to be a simp.


    ��Hmm, please notify the two captains.�� Lin Da said earnestly.


    Gale nodded, muttered a spell, and swung his magic wand forward.


    Two clusters of cyan light transformed into messenger pigeons and flew towards the heart of the fierce battle.


    The pigeons each stopped in front of Abner and Dawen.


    Gale��s lips moved silently, saying something.


    The two captains showed surprise, sheathed their swords, and teleported to the back row at incredible speed.


    ��Lin Da, long time no see.�� Dawen nodded politely.


    Abner stood still with his eyes closed.


    It wasn��t coldness.


    As far as Lin Da knew, this captain was practicing the ��Mind��s Eye,�� and he only opened his eyes to look at people on rare occasions.


    ��You know each other?�� Gale looked at Dawen, surprised.


    ��My worthless little sister��s old teammate, how could I not know him?��


    Dawen said lightly, ��Lin Da, are you sure about the Thousand-Change Demon?��


    Lin Da patiently explained for the third time.


    ��Who agrees, who opposes?�� Dawen looked around, ��Let��s vote by show of hands. Those who think that the Red Armored Crab King is disguised as the Thousand-Change Demon and, despite the difficulty, are willing to risk reduced numbers to conserve strength, raise your hands.��


    In the back row, there were ten people total.


    Four hands were raised.


    Dawen laughed softly and raised his hand.


    ��I trust Lin Da, now it��s 5:5. Abner, what about you?��


    Abner��s eyes opened a sliver, he glanced at Lin Da,


    and raised his hand as well.


    ��Then, it��s decided,�� Dawen said, ��Everyone, conserve your Level 30 Ultimate Skills and thirty percent of your strength until Lin Da believes the Thousand-Change Demon has activated ��Resurgence,�� then go all out.��


    With both group captains making a stand, even those who opposed, albeit reluctantly, adhered to the fine qualities of an adventurer, wholeheartedly obeying the commands.


    ��Yes!��


    Gale said with a smile, ��Lin Da, it��s all on you now.��


    ��As it should be, this benefits me as well.�� Lin Da shook his head. He wasn��t so noble; he too was acting in his own interest, not entirely for all adventurers.


    If he successfully exposed the Thousand-Change Demon��s disguise and killed this Old Six, the Phoenix Tail Flower would gain the friendship of two Steel Level Adventure Groups.


    This relationship would help him smooth over many difficulties in the future.


    The battle resumed.


    Lin Da��s eyes were fixed on the distant giant crab, and about ten minutes later, a green +1 emerged from the top of the giant crab��s head.


    The green was a glowing, emerald green.


    Even as smoke and magic light filled the center of the battle, this streak of emerald stood out above all other ��layers,�� clearly captured by Lin Da.


    The green +1 was just the beginning.


    Soon after, a frenzy of green +1s appeared.


    ��Now!��


    Lin Da shouted, ��Full power!��


    Under Gale��s amplification spell, everyone on the battlefield heard Lin Da��s voice.


    Suddenly, the direction of the wind changed around them.


    The magic power in the area seemed to be sucked dry as large, intricate arrays appeared next to the back row professions.


    Clusters of magic formed into light spots and flowed into the arrays.


    The light grew increasingly bright, forcing everyone to squint their eyes.


    The two Adventure Groups, ten from the back row, simultaneously used their Level 30 Ultimate Skills!


    Even space itself seemed to tremble!


    ��Aeolus Judgment!��


    ��Ice Snow Magic Arrow!��


    ��Earthstorm!��


    ����!��


    Various powerful magics struck the giant Red Armored Crab King!


    The creature screamed in pain, its carapace riddled with cracks.


    Its Life Barrier also fluctuated violently.


    The final blows, the two biggest weights on the camel, were Dawen and Abner��s Ultimate Skills.


    Thunder Swordmaster Dawen, Level 30 Ultimate Skill, ��Thunderclap.��


    His form turned into a bolt of lightning, zigzagging through the air like a Z-shaped lightning bolt.


    In an instant, he darted behind the giant Red Armored Crab King, and then a bolt of lightning, thick as a thigh, struck the creature.


    -97850!


    Then came the ��Shadowless Warrior�� Abner, Level 30 Ultimate Skill, ��One Flash.��


    After drawing his sword, all that could be seen was a chilling flash of the sword.


    -100007!


    Just these two struck almost 200,000 damage.


    The giant Red Armored Crab King was first scorched by the lightning, its carapace softening.

 Chapter 191 - 191: 166. Kill the Epic Demon Creature, Material Distribution! (Large Chapter)_3

    Chapter 191: 166. Kill the Epic Demon Creature, Material Distribution! (Large Chapter)_3


    Abner��s swift strike cleaved it in two, right through the middle.


    The massive Red Armored Crab King was dead,


    but everyone held their breaths, focused intently, not daring to be careless.


    According to Lin Da, the Thousand-Change Demon would hide inside, using the corpse of the Red Armored Crab King to deceive everyone.


    It would seize the chaos to execute its ��Golden Cicada Shedding�� maneuver.


    Abner used ��Mind��s Eye�� to perceive his surroundings.


    ...


    His spiritual power spread out like a vast spider web, capable of capturing even the movements of the air.


    ��Here.��


    Suddenly, Abner opened his eyes.


    His pupils were a beautiful deep blue, like gems filled with clear lake water.


    In the reflection of his eyes, there was a bat-shaped shadow.


    This strange Magical Creature, moving close to the ground, had a color similar to the murky earth, and coupled with its special ability to hide��


    If it weren��t for Abner��s ��Mind��s Eye,�� it would have been very difficult to find it.


    The Thousand-Change Demon truly existed.


    Abner��s emotions, slightly stirred.


    Shadowless Warrior, level 20 Ultimate Skill: ��Traceless.��


    The katana in Abner��s hands slashed out, a blade light invisible to the eye, piercing through the body of the Thousand-Change Demon.


    ��Woooooah!��


    A sharp scream erupted suddenly.


    Now, everyone had located the position of the Thousand-Change Demon.


    Since the massive Red Armored Crab King had been slain, the Thousand-Change Demon didn��t have much health left.


    Although it was an Epic Demon Creature, the Thousand-Change Demon was renowned for trickery, and its frontline combat ability was the weakest among those of its level.


    The twenty or so Star-ranked adventurers pressed forward to greet it.


    There was a flurry of punches and kicks.


    The bat-like Thousand-Change Demon, one meter in length, died a humiliating death.


    ��We won!��


    While everyone cheered, they also realized that this Thousand-Change Demon had a high status among Magical Creatures and was sure to be full of treasures.


    Capable of devouring the Red Armored Crab King to camouflage itself�� According to Lin Da, had the Thousand-Change Demon successfully triggered its innate ability ��Resurgence,�� it would have completely returned to its prime state.


    The difficulty level of subduing this Magical Creature was, in fact, extremely high.


    Their apparent easy victory was thanks to Lin Da��s intervention halfway through, providing them with pivotal information.


    Otherwise�� there was the potential for complete annihilation!


    The materials from such a hard-to-subdue Magical Creature were bound to be highly valuable.


    Members from both adventure teams were active-minded, their eyes burning hotly as they stared at the corpse of the Thousand-Change Demon.


    If the Thousand-Change Demon��s intestines contained feces, they would probably scramble over it as well.


    The feces of an Epic Demon Creature were also extremely valuable!


    Gale took out a booklet from his Space Ring, flipped through it for a while, then smiled and said:


    ��Found it, found it, High-Level Magical Creatures Compendium, page 271, Thousand-Change Demon, level 30-39, Epic Demon Creature, materials are as follows:


    The skin, a Rare Orange Level material. Can be used to craft Soft armor or create magic items for invisibility.


    The teeth, also a Rare Orange Level material, can be used to create four orange accessories.


    The claws, the same, can be ground into powder and added to sharpness-enhancing weapons to increase power.


    And finally�� the Demon Core.


    The Thousand-Change Demon��s Demon Core is one of the core materials for crafting Epic Level Soft Armor, ��Dragon Demon Soft Armor��!��


    As Gale mentioned each material, everyone��s eyes brightened, pondering how to distribute them, wondering if their team leader would allocate one to them.


    The first three items were easier to divide; they could simply be shared equally between the teams.


    But the most precious part of the Thousand-Change Demon, the Demon Core from which Epic Level Soft Armor could be crafted, there was only one.


    The atmosphere between the two adventure teams suddenly turned tense.


    All the team members were unwilling to give up that single Epic Level Demon Core!


    The two team leaders, however, appeared quite calm.


    It seemed they had already made a decision on how to distribute the Demon Core.


    Dawen drew his sword.


    Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.


    The Thousand-Change Demon was chopped into even halves.


    ��You choose, which side do you want?�� Dawen declared with generous indifference, waving his hand dismissively.


    Abner said, ��Doesn��t matter.��


    The Scarlet Adventure Group was generous, so the White Dove couldn��t show any less magnanimity.


    Afterward, all the members�� gazes turned toward the Demon Core.


    ��Where��s Lin Da?�� suddenly asked Abner.


    At that point, everyone came back to their senses, having been preoccupied with collecting the spoils of battle, forgetting that an Apprentice Adventure Team captain was present here.


    Even though he was an apprentice�� everyone had to admit, without Lin Da, let alone subduing the Thousand-Change Demon, they might have met their doom right here on Breeze River Beach.


    Abner raising Lin Da��s name at this moment had a very clear intention.


    The deputy leader Jite, usually arrogant and unrestrained, nodded slightly at this moment: ��Indeed, we could give it to him.��


    Gale shrugged, ��You know, Lin Da and I are good friends. Don��t ask for my opinion, I don��t want to be accused of bias.��


    Everyone from the White Dove Adventure Group agreed.


    Since the Phoenix Tail Flower was an adventure team from White Dove City to begin with, giving them the Demon Core was akin to strengthening the overall combat capability.


    In the grand scheme of things, it was like the left hand passing something to the right, not much of a difference.


    But how would the Scarlet Adventure Group see it?


    White Dove City, Red Heart City, and South Rock City maintained a tripartite balance of power.


    Competing against each other in the Great Mystery Continent, occasionally engaging in challenges, invading each other��s resource areas, was a common occurrence.


    The empire also encouraged competition; only then would adventurers become stronger more swiftly.


    These ��challenges�� meant to hone combat skills often escalated into real fights.


    The adventurers from the three cities were not enemies, but they were certainly not friends either.


    ��I disagree,�� said the Scarlet Adventure Group��s commander, a blonde braided female scholar holding a book, speaking coldly:


    ��Giving the Epic level Demon Core to that level 19 adventurer would be a complete waste. Only Lord Dawen can bring out its full potential.�� S��arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Lina, shut up,�� Dawen promptly tapped Lina on the head with the hilt of his sword and, with a calm demeanor despite the puzzled looks of his team members, said: ��I owe Lin Da a favor from the time in Red Heart City.��


    ��It��s time to repay that debt.��


    ��The Thousand-Change Demon��s Demon Core, the Scarlet Adventure Group agrees to hand it over to Lin Da.��

 Chapter 192 - 192: 167. I am Dark Shadow, and I am also Lin Da.

    Chapter 192: 167. I am Dark Shadow, and I am also Lin Da.


    Since Dawen had already spoken, Lina could only reluctantly whimper and obediently lower her head.


    The members on either side raised no further objections.


    ��By the way, where is Lin Da?��


    Gale suddenly remembered that he hadn��t seen Lin Da since the beginning.


    Everyone looked around and then noticed that where Lin Da had been standing, there was a trail of departing footprints.


    After killing the Thousand-Change Demon, Lin Da had not coveted the spoils of war but had silently left, concealing his achievements and fame.


    ...


    Even Lina, who had disagreed with giving the Demon Core to Lin Da, felt a bit guilty now.


    It was like jokingly saying someone had no father, only to realize that person indeed didn��t have one, making her feel guilty even in the middle of the night. Lina thought it over carefully. An adventurer under level 20 had taken great risks just to warn them, hadn��t asked for any spoils, and had quietly left, yet she had felt Lin Da didn��t deserve the Demon Core��


    Lina felt that she wouldn��t be able to sleep tonight.


    After thinking for a moment, Dawen said, ��I��ll deliver it to him, and I have some things to tell Lin Da.��


    Abner nodded, ��The White Dove Adventure Group still needs to investigate the depths of the Qingfeng River.��


    They needed to figure out where the Monster Tide was coming from.


    ��


    ��


    About 5000 meters away from the Breeze River Beach, on a small hill.


    ��Let go of me, my body belongs to my master; how can you, this dirty bug, touch me!��


    Tasya gasped, her eyes filled with unbearable pain.


    In the fight with Lulu, her Battle Qi had been depleted too much, leading to pollution backlash, almost robbing her of all combat ability.


    The result was that Lulu had thoroughly tied her up and brought her before Lin Da.


    Lulu��s tying method was meticulous, binding Tasya��s hands behind her back, spreading her calves so she couldn��t exert force, and considering Tasya��s incomplete figure, avoided tying the front of the chest, tightly binding her arms instead.


    This resulted in a prominent protrusion, as if intentionally made so.


    Lin Da and the others watched Tasya with strange expressions, feeling somewhat awkward, not knowing where to look.


    ��To save or not to save, you choose.��


    Lulu said coldly.


    In the ��bragging battle��, she was slightly inferior, as Tasya knew too much.


    But as Tasya��s pollution acted up midway, it was like a skilled female adventurer discussing passionately at an emergency meeting and suddenly needed to urinate, barely able to stand, trembling with humiliation, with no place around to relieve herself��


    With pollution, one could only endure as it wasn��t something she could simply expel, like urine.


    In contrast, Lulu had her internal pollution controlled by Lin Da; even if it accumulated, Lin Da could help her expel it.


    It was like a robust, young witch fighting an aged one.


    Lulu leveraged her physical advantage to win!


    But this Werewolf Clan girl was ultimately tender-hearted, unable to bear finishing Tasya off. With the level of pollution inside Tasya, in at most one year, she would degenerate into a Catastrophe Beast that only knew slaughter.


    Being of the same witch origin, Lulu could understand the pain Tasya was experiencing.


    She tied Tasya up and brought her to Lin Da.


    Her heart was in turmoil; she hoped Lin Da would save Tasya, who was also a witch, yet she did not want them to have close contact.


    Afflicted with indecision, Lulu left the decision to Lin Da.


    ��


    ��This is a big trouble now,�� Lin Da said.


    As he looked down at Tasya, who was tightly bound on the ground, the rope tightly constricting the soft flesh of her thighs,


    he had an illusion as if this were the setting of an unhealthy filming site.


    Tasya��s expression was no different from a knight captured by the ��Goblin Squad�� of Phoenix Tail Flower, her face bearing the torment of disgrace.


    He was either to kill the female knight or be killed by her, finding himself in such an awkward situation.


    Once the rope was released, Tasya would probably fight Phoenix Tail Flower to the death.


    ��Gulp!��


    Tasya was kicked in the stomach by Lulu, her face turning pale, her red lips parted, expelling a bit of acidic water.


    ��As the maid of a master, to be insulted by you bugs�� I, Tasya, do not deserve to live!��


    Having said that, she even attempted to bite her own tongue to commit suicide.


    Tasya��s loyalty made everyone look sideways, and Lin Da grew even more troubled about how to tell her the truth.


    Lulu was quick, striking Tasya on the neck with her palm, knocking out the hard-headed woman.


    ��What should we do?�� asked Lulu.


    Facing this unconscious, unresisting silver-haired maid, Lin Da fell into contemplation.


    The pattern on her thigh-high stockings was also identical to the one in the game.


    The transition from game to reality was too realistic.


    Lin Da thought.


    No, now was not the time to consider patterns.


    Ultimately, the reason for this situation was unclear; who exactly was the ��master�� Tasya was loyal to? The game character ��Dark Shadow��, or the player controlling ��Dark Shadow��?


    In a Galgame Lin Da had played, there was a similar plot: the main character with pink hair liked the game character, but the main character with long black hair liked the player controlling the game character.


    Combining Tasya��s personal storyline in the game, Lin Da speculated that Tasya was loyal to the one who could defeat her 99 times, probably the Primal Team Leader.


    The Dark Shadow in Tasya��s heart was overly idealized, rather than a person, it was more like the faith she followed.


    Perhaps one day, when Lin Da could defeat Tasya like the Dark Shadow did, this maid might believe that he truly was the master she was looking for.


    But without sufficient strength before, even if he presented evidence that he was the Dark Shadow, Tasya would have doubted him.


    Of course, there was another possibility: Tasya was so deeply ingrained in her mind that even if Dark Shadow weakened, knowing Lin Da��s true identity, she would still remain loyal and continue to serve.


    However, Lin Da hoped to attract team members to join by using his true identity, strength, and personal charisma, rather than using the old team leader��s alias, Dark Shadow, to bind members to him.


    Just like when Lulu joined the team, Lulu acknowledged him as the Phoenix Tail Flower Team leader before joining.


    Lin Da also hoped that including Tasya, all other Four-Star Character members joined because they loved him, Lin Da, and the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, not because of Dark Shadow.


    Not because of Dark Shadow.


    Today, as an adventurer who had reformed and loved life, he would use his own hands to help Tasya and other Four-Star Characters onto the right path.


    This was Lin Da��s redemption.


    All Four-Star Character members could go to his villa and live there for free.


    ��Lulu.��


    ��Monica.��


    ��Kafni.��


    ��Could you form a ��human tent�� to block the view for me? There��s no time to lose, I need to heal Tasya.��


    Lin Da��s expression turned solemn as he reached out and touched Tasya��s forehead, finding it hotter than boiling water.


    After falling into a coma, Tasya��s resistance further weakened, breathing heavily like a broken bellows, her chest spasming from time to time.


    This sight was frightening as if Tasya would collapse at any moment!


    ��Wait, what��s a human tent?�� Kafni asked, perplexed.


    ��It��s just you all standing back-to-back, holding hands, so even if someone comes by, they won��t notice what I��m doing,�� Lin Da explained earnestly.


    Kafni gave an okay, thinking the method was passable.


    But Lulu and Monica weren��t willing!


    The captain was conducting a dicey treatment, and they had to help block people�� How was that different from being cheated?


    Lulu occasionally read some adult comic books about Minotaurs, but that didn��t mean she liked being cheated! Especially by such a formidable enemy as Tasya!


    ��Hurry up, Tasya��s condition is getting worse,�� Lin Da said, his mind on Tasya, not noticing the unusual behavior of his teammates.


    The system popped a notification:


    [Recognizing Witch Tasya��s presence, would you like to bind?]


    [Witch Lulu trust level -1, current trust level 74]


    A question mark appeared in Lin Da��s mind.


    What had he done that caused Lulu to lower her favorability?


    Perhaps it was killing too many Murderous Crabs, becoming stinkingly stinky��


    He could not focus on these trivial details now, Lin Da silently commanded: ��Bind!��


    [Witch Tasya, bound successfully!]


    [Current trust level: 99 (Sealed)]


    [Note: When Tasya acknowledges you as ��master,�� 99 points of trust level will unlock, along with the rewards from 0-99 trust level]


    ��Tss.��


    Lin Da inhaled sharply.


    Kicking Tasya out of the team and disappearing for three years, and yet the trust level hadn��t dropped at all.


    What a terrifyingly persistent woman!


    Lin Da sighed with mixed emotions. He supported Tasya��s back with his left hand and cushioned her head with his right, slowly leaning closer.


    The pleasant scent of jasmine wafted from her body.


    Lin Da��s heart rate inevitably quickened somewhat.


    Tasya��s skin was translucent and smooth, a healthy wheat-brown color. With silver hair, closed eyes, and silenced words, she looked as beautiful as a game CG. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her thin lips were moist and glossy, as if touched by some lipstick, tempting one to taste them.


    ��Lord captain, nooo,�� Monica clutched at his shirt from behind.


    Lulu also looked at him with a hesitating, conflicted expression.


    ��What are you guys doing?�� Lin Da laughed and cried, only Kafni had become the human tent, helping to block the view.


    But this comment caught Lulu off guard.


    Lulu, a young girl with her hands in her pockets, deliberately acted nonchalant, but her fingers, hidden in her pockets, involuntarily clenched tightly.


    They were just teammates.


    As a team member, what reason did she have to stop Lin Da from performing the dicey treatment?


    If Lin Da kissed Tasya, it seemingly had nothing to do with her, Lulu!


    It was like when a Beastman paid to play with an Elf Miss, and a team member suddenly jumped out saying, ��You can��t do this with her!��


    Not doing it with her, then shall he do it with you?


    Wouldn��t that imply that she was actually longing for Lin Da��s treatment, like a little roasted chicken craving attention?


    Lulu��s face flushed red immediately.


    For all practical purposes, stopping Lin Da��s dicey treatment equaled admitting she was a little roasted chicken!


    ��Cough, cough, cough!��


    Suddenly, Tasya, who was unconscious, coughed violently, and dark blood flowed from the corner of her mouth, landing on the ground.


    The nearby soil and pebbles hissed, corroding into debris!


    Tasya��s contamination was exceptionally dark.


    The corrosive power was also strong.

 Chapter 193 - 193: 168. Tasya Witchs Corruption flares up, Lin Da steps in

    Chapter 193: 168. Tasya Witch��s Corruption flares up, Lin Da steps in


    Lulu��s eyelid twitched, Tasya��s contamination was more severe than before she had met Lin Da.


    Heaven knows how Tasya managed to endure the nights when the pollution flared up��


    ��It��s okay, saving people is what matters, Lin Da and I are just teammates, I shouldn��t care about such things.��


    Lulu tried hard to convince herself, holding hands with Monica, shielding Lin Da from the view of others in the wilderness.


    In fact, there was no one else in this area; their actions were just a precaution.


    If someone saw Lin Da tending to an unconscious member of the Scarlet Adventure Group, his hard-won freedom from the title of the Ultimate Pervert would probably be reclaimed.


    ...


    In short, with the help of his teammates, Lin Da began his wholehearted and tender treatment inside the tent the three beautiful girls had set up.


    The strange rustling noise made Lulu grow even more impatient on the inside.


    She bit her lip, her face filled with the anger of someone itching to beat up Magical Creatures.


    Why couldn��t it be quieter!


    With her back turned to them, Lulu couldn��t see with her eyes, and her mind wandered wildly.


    Fortunately, there were no ��bang bang�� sounds, otherwise Lulu would have definitely stopped Lin Da.


    The first of the original team members to return was her, the first Witch Lin Da treated was also her.


    Even her first kiss�� was taken by Lin Da while she was half-conscious and half-awake.


    But why was she now watching over Lin Da as he performed the delicate treatment on Tasya, and even helping Lin Da remain undiscovered?


    This was not right!


    Lulu felt her brain was about to break.


    It was like a beautiful wolf helping the team leader, the lustful wolf, push from behind to attack the warm wolf.


    Such a storyline only appeared in the most wicked comic books!


    ��


    Five minutes later.


    Lin Da breathed deeply, filling his oxygen-starved lungs with fresh air.


    Even though he didn��t want to, his taste buds sent a message to his brain:


    Completely different from Lulu, Tasya��s flavor was intense and full-bodied, like a strong spirit on ice, burning like magma when swallowed but incredibly comfortable.


    Each had their advantages, and neither was superior.


    ��The fever has stopped,��


    Lin Da sighed with relief.


    He touched Tasya��s forehead again; it was still about 38 degrees Celsius.


    Still high, but much lighter than before.


    Tasya��s face gradually regained some color, and her breathing became steady.


    ��Everyone, turn around, I��m done here,��


    Lin Da said.


    ��Eh, the looks in your eyes are very strange?��


    ��Lord Captain�� your pants,�� Monica said, covering her face with her small hands in embarrassment.


    Lulu��s eyelids jumped wildly, feeling that losing to Tasya in the ��bragging battle�� was not unjust.


    Turns out, as a healthy adult male, Lin Da, in the process of the close-contact treatment of Tasya,


    experienced what those in the know would understand.


    Bound up like a brown-skinned maid in Dragon Skin and unable to resist, even Lin Da��s strong will faltered.


    Luckily, Tasya was still unconscious; otherwise, seeing Lin Da��s condition, it would definitely have been impossible for him to go home today.


    Under the embarrassed gazes of his team members, Lin Da calmly adjusted his pants, and everything was back to normal.


    ��Eh, isn��t that shadow in the distance Dawen?��


    Kafni, with her keen senses, spotted a small black dot far away.


    ��We need to untie Tasya quickly,�� Lin Da thought with a sense of urgency.


    If Dawen, the vice-captain, saw him with his teammate all tied up and his mouth still wet, he��d naturally get the wrong idea.


    The Azure Sword waved with a click-click sound.


    The hemp ropes were all severed.


    Lin Da cradled Tasya in his arms and walked toward Dawen.


    As they approached each other.


    ��Tasya!?��


    Dawen��s usually calm expression changed completely, as no one had ever seen the proud Swordsman look so anxious.


    It gave off the strange contrast of a rich young master seemingly becoming a lickspittle��


    Dawen took Tasya from Lin Da��s hands, furrowed his brow as he reached out with his spiritual power to sense her condition, and found that her breathing was normal before wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.


    ��Lin Da, thank you for rescuing my teammate. Otherwise, Tasya falling into a coma and being targeted by the Murderous Crab would have been dangerous,�� Dawen sincerely bowed deeply.


    Lin Da felt undeserving.


    In some ways, Tasya had been knocked unconscious by Lulu.


    ��It was no effort at all, no effort at all, heh heh heh,�� Lin Da laughed awkwardly.


    ��However, how did you find Tasya?��


    At that question, Dawen squinted his eyes, scrutinizing the members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    Lin Da��s heart tightened as he sensed a faint trace of killing intent from Dawen.


    His mind raced with thoughts.


    Then it dawned on him.


    Could it be that Dawen knew Tasya was a Witch?


    Worried that the Phoenix Tail Flower Team had stumbled upon Tasya��s secret, was he planning to attack them?


    This was truly�� devotion that touched the heavens and moved the earth.


    Tasya adored her master, a fact Dawen was surely aware of. Even so, he did not hesitate to conceal the secret of the Witch, taking on the risk of punishment from the Holy Light Church��


    Even while Tasya was in a coma, Dawen carried her with gentlemanly care, supporting her legs and head without taking any undue advantage.


    If Tasya were not his own longtime teammate, that would be one thing, but Lin Da would not give up on this struggle; he was determined to lure Tasya away from the Scarlet Adventure Group.


    As for Dawen, Lin Da could only offer his apologies inwardly.


    Lin Da replied, ��We found her on a nearby hillside. What happened to her? It looks like there��s an issue with her magic circuit?��


    ��Hmm�� indeed, you��re right,�� Dawen covertly watched Lin Da��s expression, found nothing amiss, and went along with Lin Da��s assumption, ��taking the opportunity to dismount from the donkey��.


    ��I thought I had repaid the favor I owed you, but it seems I��m in your debt once again,�� Dawen said after some thought.


    ��This time, let��s consider it a ��huge�� favor,�� said Dawen.


    Upon hearing this, Kafni and the other teammates simultaneously thought: What ingratiating behavior!


    Back in Red Heart City, Lin Da helped Lia for three years, and Dawen owed him a medium favor. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just by picking up an unconscious Tasya, he now owed a huge favor.


    Who would have thought that the second son of The Mandalas was such an ardent pleaser?


    Lin Da chuckled and accepted the favor.


    He looked at the unconscious Tasya.


    Once she woke up and found her contamination reduced, she should realize that his side meant no harm.


    Saying more would be less effective than taking action; establishing a friendly basis first would make it easier for Lin Da to persuade Tasya to join the team.


    This Witch Purification was to be considered a gift.


    Even if Tasya was reluctant, she would have to seek him out for further Purification.


    Lin Da��s methods weren��t entirely honorable, but they were effective.


    ��By the way, Dawen, what did you mean when you said that medium favor you owed me had been repaid?�� Lin Da brought his attention back to the present, speaking with confusion.


    ��I came to deliver this to you,�� said Dawen.


    With a flicker of light from his Space Ring, Dawen took out a dark, spiky sphere that was a Demon Core.


    It was the size of an orange, filled with sinister and malicious magic power, almost like he had pulled out a baked durian.


    The color drained from the faces of Lin Da and his companions.


    Lulu, who had seen much and knew much, exclaimed in surprise, ��An Epic Level Demon Core?��


    ��What, Epic Level?�� Upon hearing this, Kafni leaped up in joy.


    Before Lin Da could speak, Kafni snatched the Demon Core from Dawen��s hand, holding it close like a precious treasure.


    ��I must look ridiculous,�� Lin Da felt a sense of embarrassment; Kafni was too obsessed with wealth.


    Even so, receiving this Epic Level Demon Core was truly exhilarating.


    Lin Da had suspected that he might receive something in return like a piece of the Thousand-Change Demon��s claws or skin from Dawen and his group.


    But he hadn��t anticipated their magnanimity in handing over the most precious Demon Core.


    The Demon Core was the only material from the Thousand-Change Demon that reached Epic Level.


    Combining the Demon Core with Dragon Skin, along with 10 ordinary Level 20 Demon Cores, it was possible to craft the Epic Equipment ��Magic Dragon Soft Armor��!


    The Magic Dragon Soft Armor granted a significant health points increase.


    Lin Da, with his unique class where more blood meant a thicker shield, was very compatible with the Magic Dragon Soft Armor.


    Obtaining the Thousand-Change Demon��s Demon Core, Lin Da was beyond delighted.

 Chapter 194 - 194: 169, The Mastermind Behind the Monster Tide: Demon General [Gluttony]

    Chapter 194: 169, The Mastermind Behind the Monster Tide: Demon General [Gluttony]


    Lin Da: ��Thank you.��


    ��It��s what you deserve.��


    With indifference, Dawen waved his hand, ��Without your warning, both Abner and I would have been mired in a tough battle.��


    Lin Da formally accepted the Demon Core of the Thousand-Change Demon.


    As they parted, Dawen advised, ��When you have time, visit the Mandalas. Lady Bellini misses you.��


    ��Okay.��


    ...


    Lin Da��s heart stirred, it seemed Lady Bellini��s corruption had flared up again and required his treatment.


    But these days he was rather busy, there were some follow-up matters to deal with the Monster Tide, including assessing acts of valor��


    The month was also drawing to a close, and the Mystic Realm ��Dark Night City�� on the fourth floor of the World Tree would open next month.


    Lin Da had waited a long time and would not miss it.


    Once these matters were dealt with, he could make a trip to Red Heart City.


    ��


    Elsewhere, the White Dove Adventure Group delved into Qingfeng River, finding remnants of a large ritual Array at the bottom.


    Gale looked serious, scooping up some powdered residue from above the river sand and sealing it in a bottle.


    On reaching the shore, Gale shared his findings with the crowd.


    ��A Doomsday Sect ritual suspected?��


    ��Has the World Tree in White Dove City been targeted?��


    Vice-leader Jite clenched her fists in anger, her leopard tail whipped forcefully, ��Most likely, it��s that woman from the auction. Next time she��s caught by me, I��ll tear her apart alive!��


    ��You��ve seen that person?�� Abner asked, his eyes narrowing.


    ��Uh-huh, she��s strong, but we didn��t really come to blows that day; she just came to rob the auction,�� Jite said frustratedly.


    ��This matter, we need to report to the president,�� Abner said, a glint of sharp light and a cold killing intent burst forth from within him.


    Abner came from a distant city, where the World Tree had been destroyed by the monsters summoned by the Doomsday Sect.


    The adventurers, displaced, all became wanderers.


    And now,


    looking at the surrounding region, there were three major cities.


    Among them, White Dove City was the weakest.


    It was only natural that it had been targeted by the Doomsday Sect.


    ��


    Meanwhile, within a dark palace,


    ��General, I am terribly sorry!��


    ��The action to attack White Dove City with a Monster Tide failed.��


    Wearing a Flower Cat mask, Witch Bai Mian, fear evident in her gaze, kneeled on one knee before the young girl on the stone chair.


    The other direct subordinates of Bai Mian, all prostrated on the ground, shivering, overwhelmed by the General��s imposing aura.


    Some even, fearing they would be killed, were so frightened that they soiled themselves��


    Everyone knew this General was brutal in her actions, favoring using Illusion Technique to confine those who offended her into a hell where they begged for death but couldn��t die.


    Bai Mian also trembled; she kept her head low, daring only to look towards the General��s toes.


    Those were beautifully arched jade feet with polished red toenails and fair skin.


    A peculiar type of black stockings, passing between the big toe and the second, tightly clinging to the thighs and extending upwards.


    They resembled the kind of sensual stockings worn by Bunny Girls, although a pink miniskirt hid the shameful areas.


    From behind the General��s skirt extended a shiny black Peach Heart tail.


    Higher up, Bai Mian dared not raise her head to see.


    Looking up at a superior was an act of provocation, and she was not yet ready to die.


    ��Ah, it failed? Why did it fail?��


    General played with her spade-shaped tail, her voice fine, somewhat like a petulant whine.


    It sounded quite amiable.


    But nobody knew her true expression.


    If a subordinate dared to peek, they would be executed on the spot.


    Lady Bai Mian pressed her head even lower and said with a trembling voice, ��According to what I know, the failure was due to a captain of an Apprentice Level adventure team.��


    ��Apprentice Level? Oh dear, how could someone so weak obstruct our plans?��


    ��Reporting to General, although that human is weak, his potential is extremely high, suspected to be ��an adventurer beloved by the World Tree Goddess��.��


    ��That powerful?��


    General tilted her head in confusion, her long pink hair hanging over her perky buttocks, her legs crossed. Her playful toes, painted red, moved about, looking very agile.


    ��Yes!�� Lady Bai Mian quickly boasted about the adventurer.


    The more formidable the opponent, the more justifiable her own failure.


    ��General, you might not know, but that adventurer not only broke through in combat, rising 3 levels, but also saw through our plot to attack White Dove City. He helped the city deploy troops and directed various Rock-level Squads!��


    ��Without him, when the crab horde approached the city walls, it would probably be too late for White Dove City��s corrupt and incompetent officials to realize.��


    ��It can be said that because of that person��s outstanding performance, the plan was a complete failure!��


    The implication in Lady Bai Mian��s words was clear: It wasn��t that she was incompetent, but that the opponent was too powerful, and it had nothing to do with her!


    ��So, what��s the name of that adventurer?��


    General��s tone was smiling but already filled with chill.


    Lady Bai Mian hurriedly said, ��We��ve already looked into it. It��s Lin Da from the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team!��


    Upon hearing this, General fell silent.


    The atmosphere around became even stranger, as if the air had also become stagnant.


    Lady Bai Mian was anxious inside, unsure of what was happening.


    Could it be that the next moment, General would drag her into an illusion, subjecting her to endless torment?


    ��That Lin Da�� is it the Lin Da who was once with Snow Goose Adventure Team?�� General suddenly asked.


    Lady Bai Mian paused, then said, ��Indeed.��


    ��Oh~ he left the team, probably couldn��t stand Lia that dimwit, hee hee hee.��


    General��s attitude made Lady Bai Mian puzzled.


    She hesitated and asked, ��My lord, do you need me to take action?��


    ��No need. That kind-hearted man will definitely return to the fourth level, where I have left a ��gift�� for him.��


    This Demon Realm General, inexplicably in a better mood, waved her hand, saying, ��Dismissed. This time we��ve forgiven you for the failure of the Monster Tide.��


    ��Please punish us��eh!? No punishment for us?��


    Lady Bai Mian was shocked. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just moments ago, she felt she was about to die, and suddenly, this General, one of the Seven Demon Generals known by the title ��Gluttony�� and feared for her evil, had forgiven them?


    Thinking back to their conversation, it seemed that everything changed from the moment she mentioned Lin Da��s name.


    Lady Bai Mian and her companions walked out of the palace in a daze.


    They couldn��t figure out how Lin Da, an adventurer full of righteousness, got involved with the evil ��Gluttony��.


    As Gluttony was left alone in the palace, she bit her spade-shaped tail, her cheeks flushed with emotion, as she lovingly gazed at an old, yellowed photograph in her hands.


    It was a group photo.


    Except everyone else had been removed, except for one person.


    ��Lin Da, Lin Da, hee hee, hee hee hee����


    Gluttony��s twisted, evil laughter, along with the sound of dripping water, echoed in the vast hall.

 Chapter 195 - 195: 170. Celebration banquet, Lia toasts to Lin Da

    Chapter 195: 170. Celebration banquet, Lia toasts to Lin Da


    Night.


    In White Dove City, at the headquarters of the Adventurers�� Guild.


    ��Cheers!��


    In the grand hall on the fifth floor, glasses clinked, the fragrance of fine wine and delicious dishes filled the air.


    The staff acted as waiters, enthusiastically serving the heroes of White Dove City.


    The crusade against the Monster Tide had come to a pause, its remaining major forces had either returned to the Demon Realm through summoning arrays or flooded into the wilderness surrounding White Dove City.


    ...


    They were just defeated troops; a slow extermination would do.


    The horn of victory had thoroughly sounded.


    The grand victory celebration had thus begun.


    Those who could come to the fifth floor of the Adventurers�� Guild were Rock-level Squads.


    They had performed remarkably throughout the Monster Tide.


    Without them annihilating the leaders in various areas, the casualties among the adventurers would have at least tripled.


    Ordinary adventurers crowded every tavern in the city, with the city hall and guild sponsoring today��s food, drink, and entertainment��free of charge��a festival for adventurers!


    Lin Da��s team was not Rock Level, but due to their special contribution, the guild had arranged for them to be on the fifth floor. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Whether intentional or not, they were even placed in the second row of seats.


    It��s worth noting that in front of him were only three Steel Level Adventure Groups.


    In the third row were the Ice Flower Adventure Team, Snow Goose Adventure Team, and several other veteran teams.


    Sitting here, Captain Lia of Snow Goose seemed quite pleased.


    At such gatherings, Snow Goose usually sat in the fourth row.


    Lia held a wine glass and shared with the Rock-level captains around her how she had led Snow Goose and the Phoenix Tail Flower to kill the Level 23 Red Armored Crab King.


    Lin Da listened for a while and discovered Lia had indeed changed; she didn��t claim all the credit, saying she killed the Red Armored Crab King all by herself.


    Instead, she attributed a substantial part of the credit to herself.


    Lia had said, ��That fellow Lin Da has quite decent combat strength, he��s likely to become a Rock-level Squad, you shouldn��t feel jealous about him sitting in the second row.��


    ��Wow, so that��s it, Captain Lia truly has an insightful eye, no wonder Lin Da is in the second row��he has the potential to be a Rock-level team!��


    ��That��s brilliant, truly brilliant.��


    ��Did you coordinate with the captain of Phoenix Tail Flower? I heard there were some serious conflicts between you and Lin Da?��


    In fact, almost everyone understood the real reason Lin Da was sitting in the second row.


    Anticipating the monster tide in advance, excellent command, killing the Red Armored Crab King��


    There were even rumors that Lin Da had risked his life to enter Breeze River Beach and brought crucial information to the White Dove Adventure Group that turned the tide of battle.


    Nobody envied Lin Da sitting in the second row.


    Some even thought it wouldn��t be a problem for him to sit in the front row.


    Lia thought: Are you jealous of him? Alright, let me explain the reasons, and then you won��t feel jealous.


    This was probably Lia��s way of thanking and apologizing to Lin Da for the past three years.


    But like scratching an itch indirectly, it only resulted in embarrassment for everyone else, who could only play along awkwardly.


    ��I do have conflicts with him, but they��re not serious conflicts,��


    Lia took a sip of red wine, like a mature adult and spoke lightly, ��Just some minor adult conflicts.��


    While speaking, she suddenly noticed someone��s gaze which made her feel uncomfortable, as if her fa?ade had been seen through.


    She raised her glass to that person and downed all the wine in it. Riding the rush of intoxication, she politely nodded her small head, as a form of greeting.


    This surprised Lin Da; Lia��s gesture of raising her glass to him��could it possibly be�� a toast?


    That arrogant Lia?


    And without keeping any wine back, she chugged it down; that red wine was not low in alcohol content.


    It was like the sun rising from the west.


    Lin Da thought incredulously as he raised his glass and took a small sip.


    Lia was quite dissatisfied; she had downed her drink while Lin Da had consumed so little.


    Yet she did not make a scene.


    Knowing that Lin Da would not drink much in public,


    ��Congratulations to us for being unharmed,��


    At that moment, Isa came up next to Lin Da with a tired expression, lifting her wine glass.


    Lin Da��s attention returned to the present.


    This was a victory celebration but also socializing among adventure team captains.


    But for an old friend like Ice Flower, he could afford to be sincere.


    ��Yes, this day has felt as long as a month,�� Lin Da remarked.


    ��Hey, Lin Da.��


    Fannis, the tactical officer of Ice Flower with her green bobbed hair and glasses, waved cheerily at him.


    Then, pointing at their very anxious-looking captain:


    ��Someone was all over the place, her Battle Qi wasted as she frantically searched where Phoenix Tail Flower was, not even listening to my commands.��


    Fannis shrugged, humorously watching Isa.


    ��Shut up,�� Isa��s face turned red as she knocked Fannis��s head, ��We��re all adventure teams from the same city; it��s right to help each other.��


    ��Then why didn��t you help other adventure teams? Like Snow Goose, Valiant, and so on?��


    ��Hmm����


    Seeing that Isa was about to clash with Fannis, Lin Da quickly stepped in to mediate.


    He didn��t want these two women to fight over him. Isa was thin-skinned, and Fannis was revealing her secrets; her personality was really terrible.


    ��Isa, thanks for your concern,�� Lin Da raised his glass, ��I hope the World Tree Goddess continues to keep us safe.��


    Isa and Fannis corrected their expression and raised their glasses.


    Shortly after, the members of the Steel Level Adventure Groups came down from upstairs.


    It seemed they were being summoned by President Velen to discuss matters.


    As the leader of the Specter Adventure Group, Helus walked past Lin Da and sneered softly, ��Well done. Too bad you went to the White Dove Adventure Group.��


    Around Helus were nine members dressed in black.


    All possessed dark attributes, and the air chilled several degrees wherever they went.


    Lin Da��s face remained expressionless. ��Captain Helus, what do you mean by this? If you want to threaten Phoenix Tail Flower, just say it outright.��


    ��Threaten? No, no, no, I��m just expressing regret. If you had joined the Specter Adventure Group, you could have had the ��Poison Dragon��s Skin,�� an epic-level material.��


    Helus clearly knew that Lin Da possessed the ��Thousand-Change Demon��s Demon Core.�� Together, these two materials could forge epic-level inner armor.


    But it seemed he had no intention of seizing it from Lin Da, otherwise, he wouldn��t have pointed out such things in a public setting.


    In reality, Helus was extending an invitation, cackling weirdly, ��What do you say? How about coming to our side? I could even offer you a slave almost at the star rank.��


    A withered palm rested on a brown-haired female team member, causing her to tremble as Helus added, ��Level 28, I haven��t touched her yet. I could give her to you along with the ��Poison Dragon��s Skin.��


    A slave?


    Lin Da, Isa, and their team members all changed color, a feeling of disgust welling up within them.


    Helus��s title was Soul Reaper, capable of imposing slave contracts on adventurers of lower levels than him, manipulating them like puppets.


    ��Lin Da, don��t be deceived by him. He just wants to turn you into a slave!��


    Gale was the last to enter the hall; seeing the scene, he took a protective stance in front of Lin Da, his face cold and his smile forced, ��If you lay a hand on Phoenix Tail Flower, I assure you, the White Dove Adventure Group won��t let you off.��


    ��Oh? A commander with such authority?�� Helus said dismissively.


    ��What Gale means, is what I mean as well,�� Abner, who had his eyes closed, suddenly spoke.


    When this leader spoke, Helus��s expression immediately darkened, taking a deep look at Lin Da:


    ��My offer remains valid anytime. The White Dove Adventure Group is just a bunch of hypocrites, but I, I would sincerely consider you a friend. When you��ve thought it through, you can come to the Specter Adventure Group��s base.��


    Yet Lin Da was not the least bit tempted.


    In the game, the Specter Adventure Group wasn��t exactly saints, and there was even a side mission to eliminate them.


    Lin Da wasn��t in a hurry to confront the Specter Adventure Group, subtly nodding his head to maintain a superficial rapport.


    Gale sighed in relief, waiting for Helus to take a seat at the front and then whispered, ��That old fart is disgusting. If you encounter them in the Great Mystery Continent, be careful. Speaking of which, Dawen gave you the Demon Core, right?��


    ��Mhm.��


    ��That��s good. If Dawen had run off with the Demon Core, our White Dove City would really have to confront Red Heart City. Also, regarding the forging of inner armor, the piece of dragon skin you��re missing, the White Dove Adventure Group will help you inquire about it.��


    Gale slapped Lin Da on the shoulder with a chuckling, ��As friends, that��s a pretty high commitment, right? So, when will you arrange for your team member Monica to have dinner with me?��


    Upon hearing this, Monica��s face turned pale as she shook her head frantically, clearly indicating her disinclination to Lin Da.


    ��If that is the cost of the White Dove Adventure Group��s help in finding materials, please forgive my refusal.��


    Lin Da smiled, knowing Gale was joking to lighten the mood: ��But another member of my team might join you for dinner.��


    ��Oh? This werewolf lady wouldn��t be too bad either!�� Gale��s eyes lit up.


    ��No�� not her.�� Lin Da pointed towards Kafni who was feasting voraciously on the side.


    ��What?�� Kafni, holding a chicken leg and dripping with grease, was oblivious to what was happening.


    ��This Miss Kafni is quite beautiful too,�� Gale wasn��t choosy.


    A while later, President Velen arrived, and Gale finally took his seat reluctantly at the front.


    As Jite, the deputy leader of White Dove, passed by Lin Da, he said, ��Well done.��


    It wasn��t clear if he was referring to Lin Da��s rejection of Helus or his performance in the Monster Tide.


    ��Thank you.��


    Lin Da sincerely accepted Jite��s praise.


    Being overly humble would only lead others to look down upon you.


    Abner also passed by, nodding slightly.


    This scene was seen by all the adventurers.


    Clearly, the White Dove Adventure Group was conveying a message to everyone: Phoenix Tail Flower is their friend.


    If anyone from the Specter Adventure Group thought of striking, they��d better weigh whether they could withstand the fury of the White Dove Adventure Group.


    This episode indeed made several teams with ulterior motives much more behaved.


    Once everyone was seated,


    President Velen began an impassioned speech.


    First, he praised the bravery of the adventurers.


    Finally,


    ��We have won this battle, but at a great cost.��


    With a thick list in his hands and a sad face, Velen announced, ��Eighteen members of Rock-level Squads and over three thousand adventurers above level 10 were sacrificed in the Monster Tide.��


    ��In defense of our city, in defense of the World Tree, they gave their lives.��


    ��They will never see the upper sights of the World Tree again, and many wishes will remain unfulfilled.��


    ��Let us mourn these valiant warriors.��


    With a heavy voice, President Velen closed his eyes, praying silently alongside everyone else.


    He hoped that the souls of the fallen would be guided to the World Tree and, with the help of the Goddess, attain reincarnation.


    As the mourning ended, President Velen spoke again, ��There��s another matter that I��m sure concerns everyone here.��


    ��The rewards!��


    ��The Murderous Crabs slain on the battlefield have been recorded in the guild��s bracelets, and no one will be shortchanged.��


    ��The guild and the city hall have already commissioned lower-level adventurers to collect the magical creature materials, which will be all converted into market value, distributed according to the counts on the bracelets.��


    Upon hearing this, a hint of relief appeared on everyone��s faces.


    In this battle, some teams had lost members, others had damaged equipment.


    All needed a sum of gold coins to replenish their team��s strength.

 Chapter 196 - 196: 171. Cheers to the loser group, Aiko wants...

    Chapter 196: 171. Cheers to the loser group, Aiko wants��


    The rewards from the Guild were substantial: a Level 15 Murderous Crab fetched 100 gold coins, while a Black Shell Crab General fetched 20,000 gold coins.


    Every team present had defeated at least a thousand Murderous Crabs, and one Black Shell Crab General each.


    A few teams, like Snow Goose, Ice Flower, and Phoenix Tail Flower, had defeated more than one Black Shell Crab General.


    Especially the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, who defeated two by themselves and collaborated with Snow Goose to defeat three.


    That��s three and a half Black Shell Crab Generals.


    Lin Da suddenly felt his purse was significantly heavier.


    ...


    Distributing gold coins was a joyful affair, considerably lightening the somber mood in the hall.


    Adventurers must always look forward.


    ��There��s one more matter to discuss,��


    President Velen coughed, his expression turning much more serious, ��regarding the punishment of Guild managers Klay and JieLi.��


    ��Klay, JieLi?��


    The adventurers were puzzled upon hearing these names.


    Could this Monster Tide be related to them?


    President Velen recounted the whole story.


    ��Preventing Lin Da from reporting the Monster Tide to the president?��


    ��Out of fear of demotion, hiding the truth time and again?��


    ��Had it been organized earlier, perhaps half as many adventurers would have died����


    Anger appeared on most faces. The remaining few, taking delight in others�� misfortune, stared at Klay and JieLi, cornered.


    This time, not to mention keeping their managerial positions, it was uncertain if they could even walk out of the iron prison for the rest of their lives!


    After listening to Velen��s account, some sighed, others were furious.


    And some blinked in confusion: Was Lin Da really that clever?


    The gloom on Lia��s little face became more pronounced.


    And Aiko was no exception.


    Though no one around looked at them, they both felt uneasy inside. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thoughts like ��what if we had kept Lin Da,�� kept emerging.


    But this time, Lia didn��t cause a scene; she quietly watched Lin Da��s retreating figure.


    If she wanted to restore their past relationship, relying on foolish antics was indeed impossible. Lia thought to herself that she��d first be a mature adventurer, then become a captain worthy of Lin Da��s recognition.


    Maybe one day, they could share a toast at the same round table. Lia patted her face, raised her glass, and murmured to Aiko, ��Let��s drink!��


    Aiko��s mouth tasted bitter, to think she had fallen so low as to drink desperation wine with this dwarf.


    At Lin Da��s wedding in the end, would it also be her and Lia eating the wedding candy?


    This toast belonged to the group of those bitterly defeated.


    On the stage, President Velen announced the judgment for the Kreivs, holding a document from the Imperial Supervision Bureau and declared:


    ��According to the law section 172, an official��s significant error resulting in adventurer��s rights damage is punishable with a minimum of 30 years in iron prison! If they fail to compensate for the adventurers�� losses, they will spend the remainder of their lives in prison without the possibility of parole or bail!��


    As if the grim reaper himself had swung his cold scythe, the color drained from the faces of Klay and JieLi as they were being escourted by the empire��s guards.


    JieLi even fainted on the spot.


    ��No��please let me explain. I didn��t intend to harm the many adventurers; it was just a minor error, this shouldn��t be happening!��


    Klay hysterically rushed forward to Lin Da, frenziedly kowtowing with a series of crisp sounds that grated on the nerves, his forehead quickly bloodied.


    However, even the most compassionate adventurer present couldn��t forgive Klay.


    Had Klay not been arrogantly shortsighted, completely dismissing the possibility of a Monster Tide and instead taken Lin Da to see President Velen�� perhaps a thousand lives could have been spared.


    ��Lin Da, please forgive us. We are willing to start from the bottom, earnestly serve the adventurers, and never look down on them with bureaucratic arrogance again!��


    Klay screamed in terror, only realizing his mistake under the weight of the law.


    Many officials looked down on adventurers, a common occurrence across the continent.


    Even a rock level captain could sometimes be treated with disdain by Guild managers.


    The reason was simple: the Adventurer��s Guild is a direct institution of the Imperial Federation, the largest official force.


    Working here comes with a high salary and social status.


    Some people would become arrogant, looking down on the adventurers who fought at the frontlines.


    The regret in Klay��s words was not only his; other Guild managers who narrowly skirted disaster were quietly reflecting on their behavior over the years.


    Under Klay��s desperate gaze, Lin Da shook his head: ��Go and accept your punishment; it��s the price you deserve to pay.��


    President Velen grabbed Klay and handed him over to the imperial guards, ��When you reform, at your death, perhaps your spirit can return to the World Tree and be successfully reborn!��


    Klay, hollow and defeated, was half-dragged away by the guards. He suddenly burst into crazed laughter, followed by woeful crying, in such a dramatic breakdown that he ultimately lost his sanity.


    ��The parasite of the Adventurer��s Guild really needs to be cleaned out,�� President Velen said meaningfully, scaring the many staff members who collectively shuddered.


    Then turning to Lin Da, President Velen bowed deeply, ��For this error, I, on behalf of the Guild, offer you an apology.��


    Lin Da helped President Velen to his feet.


    The celebration thereafter proceeded in a relaxed and cheerful atmosphere.


    Only then did many realize the existence of the Red Armored Crab King and the Thousand-Change Demon.


    Listening to Gale recount that intense battle, how Lin Da hurriedly sent the message to the frontline, then how Abner, like a Sword God, killed the Thousand-Change Demon�� Gale, an eloquent speaker, vividly retold the story, as if he was bringing everyone onto that tense battlefield to experience the fight firsthand.


    When Gale finished, a chorus of applause erupted, with Lin Da also receiving praise, the looks he received filled with a new respect.


    Being able to devise strategies, smart and willing to risk his life to aid the White Dove Adventure Group at Breeze River Beach, he was commendable for his bravery.


    Suddenly, Lin Da caught the fancy of many female adventurers.


    However, when those people came to offer him a toast, Lulu, with a stern face, stood in front of Lin Da, her nose wrinkled, growling like a defensive snow wolf warning off enemies.


    Lin Da thought Lulu was blocking the drinks for him and felt grateful.


    Actually, that wasn��t the case; the male adventurer getting closer didn��t receive any warning from Lulu.


    Isa nearby, as well as Aiko in the distance, saw this scene, all understanding clearly and nervously sweating.


    Luckily, the Werewolf Clan is quite proud and doesn��t initiate attacks.


    For a short time, they were still on the same starting line.


    ��Eye of True Knowledge, truly deserves the praise of being proficient in both arts and arms. Lin Da, here��s a toast to you.��


    The valiant team leader, Robert, with his brown explosive hairstyle, raised a large wheat beer mug and drained it in one go.


    Lin Da chuckled, ��Captain Robert is also magnificent, truly admirable.��


    ��Captain Lin Da, I��ll toast to you too!��


    ��Me too.��


    ��Drink!��


    The crowd gathered enthusiastically, Lin Da was overwhelmed and simply raised his glass together with them.


    ��Miss here, to you too,�� Lia, accompanied by the members of Phoenix Tail Flower Team, came up close.


    The girl��s cheeks were flushed with the glow of drunkenness, her eyes bright as she looked at Lin Da, her mug filled to the brim with wheat beer.


    Lin Da nodded: ��Cheers.��


    ��Cheers,�� Lia said seriously, as if it were some kind of ritual.


    As the leader of the Snow Goose, she acknowledged Lin Da��s status as the captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    They were now equals.


    She no longer saw Lin Da as the incompetent old team member who dragged down the Snow Goose.


    Amidst laughter and cheers, the celebration banquet came to a close late into the night.


    The adventurers gradually left.


    On the main street.


    ��Ugh~ um����


    Aiko, who couldn��t handle her liquor, threw up directly on Lia��s back.


    ��Why hasn��t your tolerance improved at all in three years!��


    Lia didn��t angrily throw Aiko off, but pinched her nose and frowned, ��You��re messed up after just one wheat beer, that��s pathetic!��


    ��You�� haven��t grown in three years either, right?��


    ��Ha!? Believe it or not, I��ll throw you out!��


    Lia flew into a rage out of humiliation.


    She also wondered why Aiko had grown up so fast while she seemed frozen in time, not even matching a wheat beer mug.


    Aiko rested her cheek on Lia��s shoulder. The noisy voices of the girl and the cluttered conversation of adventurers on the street intertwined, forming a not-so-pleasant lullaby. Aiko��s thoughts began to drift away.


    She remembered at the celebration banquet Lin Da was surrounded by Isa and many other adventurer teams�� girls, like a bunch of eager sows.


    Such a bunch of shameless temptresses!


    ��Zhuo Ai, I really miss Zhuo Ai��Why haven��t I ��zhued ai�� in my twenties����


    Drunk Aiko, tears emerging, uttered such scandalous words that shocked her team members into stunned silence.


    Lia shuddered almost dropping Aiko on the ground.


    ��What what what are you talking about!��


    ��That��s just shameless!��


    ��Wait a minute��don��t tell me you��re fantasizing about Lin Da?��


    Lia��s face went through several changes, both embarrassed and shocked. Aiko had said before that she didn��t feel that way about Lin Da, so why would she think about��with Lin Da?


    As a swordsman focused entirely on getting stronger, Lia had always prioritized her practice and had never considered such things,


    Hearing Aiko��s vulgar words made her face turn red as a monkey��s butt, her toes curling inside her boots in embarrassment.


    Klyne, the only girl in the team with experience, shyly approached Lia under Oru��s embarrassed gaze, leaned in close to her ear, and whispered something with a giggle.


    Lia��s head seemed to turn into a whistling kettle, suddenly boiling over, her eyes spinning as she stammered:


    ��Very, very comfy��? Impossible, absolutely impossible!��


    Klyne mysteriously smiled, ��You��ll know once you experience it.��


    ��


    Most adventurers returned to their homes to rest and recuperate.


    The Imperial Knights organized lower-level adventurers to go outside the city to gather materials as well as to tally each adventure team��s achievements.


    Mayor Adel had ordered: everything must be tallied by tomorrow afternoon. We can��t let the adventurers feel that after a hard fight, they received nothing.


    Those who went to the battlefield were adventurers above level 10, while below level 10, the numbers were notably more.


    All were deployed, and sensor ladybugs in the night sky ensured that no adventurer pocketed materials for themselves.


    Adel believed he had an unavoidable responsibility in this Monster Tide. When Lin Da sought his help, he had not paid enough attention.


    The upcoming achievement commendation ceremony must be conducted flawlessly.


    Adel even used his personal connections to apply for a subsidy of three hundred thousand gold coins for the Phoenix Tail Flower Team!


    Riding a high-headed steed, Adel surveyed the battlefield.


    ��Everyone work hard. Tonight, all adventurers who come to collect materials will be paid triple rewards!��


    ��Oh oh!��


    The adventurers let out excited shouts.

 Chapter 197 - 197: 172. Tasya awakens: Pollution reduced?

    Chapter 197: 172. Tasya awakens: Pollution reduced?


    Three carriages reinforced with golden iron sped across the wilderness.


    A powerful aura emanated from within the carriages, causing all the magical creatures along the road to flee in panic, as if they couldn��t get away fast enough.


    A flag fluttered in the breeze.


    It had a red Mandala flower in the background and a blood-stained sword on the front, like a knight slumbering amongst the blooms.


    This convoy belonged to the Scarlet Adventure Group.


    After the Monster Tide ended, Dawen led his team members back to Red Heart City.


    ...


    ��Ugh, my head hurts so much.��


    ��What happened?��


    On the soft bed within the carriage, Tasya rubbed her throbbing brow and opened her eyes.


    Her throat was parched, and her tongue also hurt as if it had been constricted by a python.


    Oh right�� and also her limbs, below her chest, she felt the pain of being bound by ropes.


    If she observed her body in front of a full-length mirror, Tasya would find that it was marked with a ring of red marks, like a piece of art.


    ��You passed out. Lin Da found you and handed you over to me.��


    The person driving ahead was the deputy leader of the group, Dawen.


    Dawen didn��t trust the original coachman. Too much jolting would make Tasya��s condition, who was still unconscious, even worse. To be on the safe side, Dawen decided to drive himself.


    This kindness, which could be described as of the sun level, however, did not reach Tasya��s heart in the slightest.


    Her heart was not large, and it was already completely filled by an adventurer named ��Lin Da.��


    So, when Tasya heard Dawen say ��It was Lin Da who found you,�� no matter how much Dawen did for her, even if he would go to great lengths, Tasya wouldn��t feel the slightest bit touched.


    Her mind had long shifted elsewhere.


    ��Lin Da! Where is he? I want to see him!��


    Tasya got up anxiously, bracing herself against the carriage, seemingly forgetting even the pain in her head.


    This was the 100th Lin Da she was looking for.


    This time, Tasya had a profound sense of fate that it wouldn��t be in vain�� This time, it must be the master she had been longingly thinking about.


    Tasya had such a strong premonition.


    ��Really?��


    ��Another one of your ��masters��? If possible, I��d really like to meet him.��


    Dawen forced a bitter smile, ��But the Lin Da I mentioned is probably not the one you��re looking for. His level is only 19.��


    ��19����


    Tasya muttered the number.


    Her master, Dark Shadow, had reached the level of a Heavenly Rank Adventurer at level 50 three years ago, and by now, three years later, Tasya believed it was plausible for him to have reached level 70 given his astonishing talents.


    Level 19 was indeed too low. However�� Suddenly, a figure flashed before Tasya��s eyes. That detestable fraudster who was called ��Li Cha�� by Lulu was also level 19.


    Could there be some connection between Li Cha and Lin Da?


    That Li Cha did indeed know some information about Dark Shadow.


    In this manner, Li Cha, Lin Da, Dark Shadow��


    Between the three of them, there seemed to form a trail.


    As Tasya was pondering this matter with a frown, she was unaware of how uncomfortable Dawen felt inside, as if he had swallowed a bitter herb.


    It was he who took care of Tasya.


    He provided her with accommodation, and despite wandering outside for a year, ensured her compensation was never missed.


    He even helped Tasya look for her master.


    ��Once you meet, it will certainly be a grand affair.��


    These things, Dawen with his broad mind, could endure.


    As long as Tasya was happy, it didn��t matter if he had to suffer a bit.


    The only thing he couldn��t stand was that Tasya was completely blind to all he had done.


    As the second young master of The Mandalas, Dawen had never faced setbacks, except for a major stumble with Tasya. It really felt as if she had a serious problem in her head, unable to accommodate anything besides her master.


    And yet, it was this exact dedication that made Dawen admire her exceptionally.


    Perhaps it��s those things we can��t have that we cherish the most.


    ��Ugh.��


    Suddenly, Tasya groaned with a headache.


    This sound made all of Dawen��s resentment dissipate.


    ��Are you alright? There��s hot water in the carriage, drink more.��


    Dawen still had to drive, so he could only express his concern with words.


    That��s the ultimate behavior of a fawning sycophant.


    ��I�� I��m fine.��


    Tasya slowly massaged her forehead, closed her eyes, and used her spiritual power to feel her body��s condition.


    Then, shock flashed in her eyes.


    A huge question burst forth in her mind: What��s going on?


    The Witch��s Corruption that plagued her body constantly had diminished.


    It was like an adventurer burdened with five thousand pounds lightening their load by five hundred.


    In an instant, Tasya realized that her physical condition had improved.


    Why?


    What had happened during the time she was unconscious?


    After all�� could Witch��s Corruption even be eliminated?


    That was a power tied to a pact with the Demon King.


    What kind of force could possibly dispel the contamination!


    Tasya stood gaping with her lips parted, her heart a tumultuous sea.


    She ignored Dawen��s concerned voice and began to comb through the clues from the beginning.


    First, she fought with Lulu, and the contamination inside her acted up.


    She was defeated by Lulu and tied up.


    After that, she met Li Cha.


    That arrogant scammer seemed intent on defiling her.


    Tasya, unable to bear the humiliation, decided to bite her tongue and commit suicide, to preserve her chastity.


    Yet she was knocked out by Lulu with a slap.


    Tasya��s complexion changed abruptly, and she quickly checked herself over.


    Still there��


    This indicated that the other party had not done anything vile while she was unconscious.


    The reason for the decrease in her body��s corruption could only be sought by finding Lulu and others to inquire.


    At least Tasya understood one thing, that the adventure team bore her no ill will.


    They not only tolerated her various actions but even helped eliminate part of the corruption��


    Why do this?


    This act of repaying evil with kindness left Tasya deeply puzzled.


    [These three years, you��ve had it hard, captain ah��]


    The first sentence from a certain scammer suddenly echoed in her ears.


    Tasya��s heart skipped a beat, and her complexion turned pale.


    She held the black small whip in her maid dress pocket, a gift from Dark Shadow.


    If it were Dark Shadow, not to mention eliminating the Witch��s Corruption, even killing the source of the corruption��the Demon King��Tasya would believe it.


    ��Li Cha is Li Cha, Lin Da is Lin Da, Dark Shadow is Dark Shadow�� how could they be confused with one another?��


    Tasya��s heart pounded, and if it weren��t for Lulu��s intervention, her little whip would probably have already exploded Li Cha��s backside.


    Until the truth is clear, it seems she ought to be thankful to Lulu.


    ��Dawen, can I ask you for a favor?��


    ��Go ahead.��


    ��Introduce me to Lin Da from White Dove City.��


    Tasya still held onto a glimmer of hope, ��Even if he isn��t the person I��m looking for, I want to meet him in person to confirm it.��


    ����Fine, but you better not get your hopes up.��


    The two conversed across channels, with Tasya thinking Li Cha had abandoned her to be found by Lin Da, and Dawen assuming Tasya had never met Lin Da.


    Dawen sighed and said, ��I know Lin Da; he joined my sister��s team three years ago. He comes from an ordinary background, with no particular connections; he couldn��t possibly be that powerful ��master�� you��re looking for.�� S��arch* The nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Three years ago?��


    A thought stirred in Tasya��s heart.


    The time of Dark Shadow��s disappearance was exactly three years ago.


    Along with Tina from Hell��s Judgment and several core members, they entered the higher levels of the World Tree.


    And then, Dark Shadow mysteriously vanished.


    ��If the master disappeared because of a trap set by Tina and her group�� I will never forgive them,�� Tasya��s eyes filled with a cold light. Even if the group was called powerful ��Five-star Characters�� by the master, she held not a trace of fear.

 Chapter 198 - 198: 173. Monica wants to become a Witch

    Chapter 198: 173. Monica wants to become a Witch


    ��`


    A carriage returning to Luanwei Flower Villa.


    Inside the compartment, something was happening that made cheeks flush and hearts race.


    ��Humph.�� Monica, not content, sneakily glanced at the two people in the back seat.


    They occasionally made peculiar smacking sounds, which rubbed Monica the wrong way, as if a cat��s paw with its soft pad was scratching inside her heart, making her whole body itch uncomfortably.


    If she were also a witch, she would have received the Lord��s treatment by now��


    ...


    Monica thought jealously.


    Kafni had already drunk herself into a stupor, and was currently snoring away on the blanket. In the back seat, Lin Da cupped Lulu��s small face. The beast girl��s pale blue eyelashes fluttered like a startled animal, and her tightly closed lips parted invitingly.


    Even Lin Da, as dull as he was, knew this meant ��okay.��


    It meant ��okay to proceed with the treatment.��


    ��Lulu, I��m going to start now; just bear with it and try not to make any strange noises,��


    Lin Da gently instructed.


    He remembered that both Monica and Kafni were quite vocal.


    Although Lulu usually kept her composure, if she were to suddenly let out a sound at an intense moment, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team��s reputation could be ruined:


    Right after the victory banquet, someone couldn��t wait to hold an unspeakable party in the carriage with three beautiful female teammates!


    The title Eye of True Knowledge for Lin Da would be replaced once more by that of Ultimate Pervert.


    ��So, you absolutely mustn��t make any noise; otherwise, we��ll wait until we get home for the treatment,��


    Lulu hummed in response, her cheeks blushing faintly.


    The lighting in the compartment wasn��t great, and it was somewhat dim, but that made the girl��s collagen-rich skin even more tempting, like a tasty cake that anyone would want to bite into.


    After a round of treatments.


    Lin Da received a system notification: [Witch Lulu��s trust +2, current trust level 76 points]


    Finally, the one point of trust Lulu had dropped while treating Tasya in the wilderness had been recovered. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although today��s treatment was over, Lin Da, looking at Lulu��s charmingly shy demeanor, couldn��t help but test a thought in his mind: Could it be that Lulu didn��t just like the results of the treatment, but enjoyed the process of being treated?


    Could this be a way to increase trust?


    A trust level of 80 points is classified as [Close Friends/Sworn Comrades]. Compared with the 70 points for [Deep Affection], it is a significant jump. Lin Da wondered what kind of reward the system would provide.


    Lulu, a bit short on oxygen and feeling dizzy, prepared to rest for a while, but didn��t expect Lin Da to initiate another treatment��


    The girl let out a small exclamation as she completely lost any ability to resist under Lin Da��s increasingly skilled treatment.


    [Trust +1]


    [Trust +1]


    Her trust went up two points in succession but could no longer rise.


    ��Sister Lulu is cheating; you��re not really treating!�� Monica, who had been peeping, finally noticed something amiss.


    There were no green lights representing treatment emanating from the Lord.


    In other words, the two of them were simply getting intimate!


    Even though Monica had a meek personality, she did not wish to be outdone by Lulu.


    It was Lin Da who had saved her from the robbers, given her the dark little warehouse, and spared her from facing those dreadful Primordial teammates.


    Having ended up in Red Heart City with debts and narrowly escaping the fate of being sold into a tavern by beastmen, it was Lin Da who appeared again to take her into the outside world, helping her bit by bit to overcome her introverted nature��


    Monica could say without hesitation that the one she liked the most was the Lord!


    Therefore, even though she greatly respected Lulu, she would not easily hand Lin Da over.


    ��Lord�� Monica also wants to receive treatment!��


    Monica, looking indignant, sat down beside Lin Da��s left side and snuggled up close to him.


    That made Lin Da feel embarrassed.


    On his right, a blushing Lulu; on his left, Monica, who also wanted to be treated.


    Being an adventure team leader really is tough!


    ��Monica, stop it. You��re not a witch; you don��t need to be treated,�� Lin Da said amusingly, stroking Monica��s head.


    ��Then I also want to become a witch!�� Monica firmly held Lin Da��s arm, pouting with a vigilant look towards Lulu.


    In an instant, Lulu understood something.


    This Monica�� felt the same as her?


    ��Wishing to become a witch is not something to be said lightly!�� Lin Da scolded lightly by tapping Monica��s forehead, causing the girl to cover her head with her hands, her eyes tearing up like she��d received a great injustice.


    Monica felt that Lin Da was playing favorites, treating Lulu the best!


    ��If I become a witch, then I can get treatment from the Lord,�� Monica said, playing with her fingers and her head bowed, looking very downcast.


    Lulu pursed her lips, troubled, not knowing how to comfort Monica.


    Indeed, she wished Lin Da only had eyes for her, but Monica was also a member of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team. Lin Da couldn��t possibly neglect her.


    A leader who didn��t care for his teammates would be no better than the ruthless Dark Shadow.


    Lin Da embraced Monica in his arms and softly comforted her: ��Monica likes magic puppets most, right? Our adventure team is wealthy now, after conquering the Magical Creatures. How about I buy you two limited Magic Puppets from Moon Goddess Palace?��


    ��Two�� two?�� Monica wiped her eyes, tentatively asking, ��Can it be three?��


    Sure enough, she was still a child. The same thought arose in both Lin Da and Lulu��s minds.


    Even though Monica was an adult, she was not a mature adventurer in spirit.


    Monica being held in Lin Da��s embrace didn��t notice Lin Da and Lulu exchanging glances, silently agreeing: from now on, they would initiate treatments where no one else was around.


    The scene was reminiscent of when parents deliberately keep certain activities secret from their child, not wanting Monica to find out.


    After pacifying Monica for a while, she too became tired and fell asleep on the blanket.


    Lin Da and Lulu sat together side by side.


    They pulled back the curtain, and outside, the night sky was sprinkled with stars, while the moonlight poured down on them, serene and peaceful.

 Chapter 199 - 199: 174. Lulus favorability rating is 80, obtained a magical item.

    Chapter 199: 174. Lulu��s favorability rating is 80, obtained a magical item.


    As a Beastmen, Lulu��s fuzzy ears stood erect like those of a fox, occasionally listening to the sounds around her, tilting at various angles, which looked quite amusing.


    Lin Da couldn��t resist it and touched Lulu��s ears with his hand.


    ��Eek!��


    Caught off guard, the vulnerable spot attacked, Lulu couldn��t help but let out a cat-like adorable noise.


    Lulu looked up, embarrassed, and indeed saw Lin Da��s surprised expression, which made her even more embarrassed. She huffed and said,


    ��Who told you to touch my ears, Eye of True Knowledge�� haha, more like Ultimate Pervert!��


    ...


    No�� maybe Lulu was also feeling shy? Lin Da thought, realizing that even though the healing had ended, she was still willing to continue the ��treatment��.


    Linda wisely didn��t point it out. Instead, he smiled lightly and reached out to grab Lulu��s ears again.


    The naughty Beastmen needed to continue the treatment!


    Lulu was completely flustered, as the fuzzy ears and tail were a Werewolf��s no-go zone.


    In her vague memory, her parents had never touched them, but Lin Da had grabbed them mercilessly and even moved closer�� to administer treatment!


    At this point, Lulu��s brain seemed to malfunction, her eyes glazed over, letting Lin Da take control.


    ��Wuu�� let�� let go����


    Despite Lulu��s ��full-force�� resistance, even thumping Lin Da��s shoulders with her little fists, strangely enough, the system sent several notifications:


    [Trust Level +1]


    [Trust Level +1]


    [Trust Level +1]


    [Current Trust Level: 80 points, Bosom friends]


    [Reward Obtained: Magical Jelly Set!]


    [Name: Magical Jelly Set]


    [Type: Item (can be used 9999999 times)]


    [Quality: Legendary]


    [Description: Thin as air, seemingly nonexistent yet still functions like a normal gel sleeve, an essential item for top adventurers!]


    Lin Da got excited and accidentally materialized the Magical Jelly Set in his palm from his inventory. To Lulu, it looked like he was pulling something out of his Space Ring.


    ��What��?�� Lulu, barely able to breathe, pushed Lin Da away, bewildered as she looked at the item in his hand.


    Lin Da was also puzzled. A trust level of 80 had rewarded him with a gel sleeve, was the system implying something?


    The quality of the gel sleeve was extraordinarily legendary.


    Mysteriously, it consisted only of a white elastic band, with no corresponding ��bag��, and was utterly intangible on touch.


    But according to the item description, as long as you wear this band, there��s no need to worry about conceiving offspring.


    Lulu clearly did not understand the purpose of this item, she took it from Lin Da��s palm like a curious baby and fiddled with it on her finger.


    That made Lin Da quite awkward.


    Should he tell Lulu the truth?


    Wait, that��s wrong. Maybe Lulu actually understood, was this some kind of hint?


    With this thought, Lin Da perked up.


    The girl��s fair skin emitted a faintly alluring glow under the moonlight.


    Her pink lips were so tempting that just for a moment, Lin Da couldn��t remember the taste from before.


    He earnestly looked into Lulu��s eyes and asked, ��Is it okay?��


    ��?��


    Lulu was stunned for a while, staring blankly at the item in her hand and then at Lin Da��s fervent gaze, before she finally realized!


    She thought it was a magic item, but the reality was that it was specifically designed as a ��weapon�� to target girls!?


    ��Of course not!��


    Lulu��s face turned red instantly, her tail almost bristled, and she threw it forcefully back at Lin Da: ��We��re just teammates, you know!��


    ��Really, it��s not okay?�� Lin Da asked.


    ��Anyway�� today is not possible,�� Lulu hesitated for a moment, mumbling.


    ��What about tomorrow?��


    ��Tomorrow is also not possible! We are teammates, after all!��


    ��If it were Tasya, she probably would agree,�� Lin Da remarked with a sigh and then received a system notification of Trust Points -1.


    ��Hmph, then you go find her,�� Lulu coldly retorted, her arms crossed as she sat to the far right, seemingly upset.


    ��Uh, sorry.��


    Lin Da realized that some jokes should not be made.


    Although a witch��s trust level is not the same as fondness, it is conceivable that a high trust necessarily corresponds to high fondness for those trusted.


    ��Are you planning to invite Tasya to join the Phoenix Tail Flower Team?�� With Lin Da��s apology, Lulu��s expression relaxed, and she gently asked. sea??h th�� NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The matter was serious, and Lin Da nodded earnestly in agreement.


    He and Lulu had made a pact.


    To find those missing teammates and once again climb to the top of the World Tree together.


    ��Silly captain,�� Lulu pursed her lips, fully aware that Lin Da would always act this way, yet she couldn��t help but want to stay in the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    If Lin Da truly gave up on all other teammates, that version of Lin Da wouldn��t be the one she respected.


    ��There are many teammates, stronger than us,�� Lulu looked at the sleeping Monica and whispered, ��Will you forget about us?��


    Just like the last time.


    Lin Da knew what Lulu was referring to. The version of himself who had drawn a five-star card and unhesitatingly discarded the four-star cards.


    ��This time, absolutely not.��


    Lin Da said with determination.


    ��Hmph, I hope so.��


    For the first time, Lulu bit her lip, and extended her pale arm to embrace Lin Da��s head.


    [Trust Points +1+1+1+1��]


    [Current Trust Points: 83]


    ��


    Returning to the villa, Lin Da and Lulu took the other two, who were asleep, back to their rooms.


    Then, the two of them started inventorying the gains from the Monster Tide in the third-floor hall.


    Lulu watched Lin Da with a tender expression as he removed various materials from the space ring, feeling a deep sense of trust.


    Each of these materials was very valuable, forming the foundation of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    For Lin Da to ask her to help count them, if not trust, then what?


    Compared to Monica and Kafni, she was undoubtedly a step ahead.


    The materials were piled up throughout the room.


    The three most conspicuous items were:


    Four pairs of claws from the Black Shell Crab General, which could be crafted into two orange weapons.


    The carcass of the Red Armored Crab King, valued around 600,000 gold.


    The claws of the Red Armored Crab King, which could be crafted into two exceptional orange jewelry pieces with set attributes.


    ��Sorry,�� Lulu suddenly gripped her fists in self-reproach, saying, ��I couldn��t be of help to the team during the Monster Tide.��


    Considering the numerous valuable materials, it was clear the Phoenix Tail Flower had encountered a fierce battle.


    But she, due to carrying a certain mission and the fear of exposing her identity as a witch, had not been able to join the Phoenix Tail Flower in battle.


    ��Stopping Tasya? You did well with that.�� Lin Da ruffled Lulu��s hair gently. ��Don��t worry about the exposure of your identity; with another week of treatment, unless encountered by very high-level adventurers, no one will be able to detect your witch identity.��


    Lin Da said earnestly, ��If you are feeling guilty for not contributing to the team, you needn��t. On the fifth layer of the Great Mystery Continent, there is a nest of an epic level demon creature; your help as a Frost Wolf Warrior will be crucial then.��

 Chapter 200 - 200: 175, White Dove Morning News: The four most promising Iron Level teams

    Chapter 200: 175, White Dove Morning News: The four most promising Iron Level teams


    ��Mm.�� Lulu��s face revealed a faint smile, and Lin Da dispelled her unease with just a few words.


    After inventorying the materials, Lin Da took advantage of his light drowsiness and spent an hour visiting the blacksmith shop.


    He commissioned the blacksmith to craft equipment from the Magical Creatures�� materials.


    For four pairs of Black Shell Crab General materials, the cost was 100,000 Gold Coins, and they could craft two 20-level orange main weapons.


    The claws of the Red Armored Crab King would cost 200,000 Gold Coins to craft a pair of orange set jewelry.


    Lin Da didn��t have much cash on hand, so he sold the materials from his ring.


    ...


    The prices were very fair, and with his Glorious Adventurer Badge displayed, no merchant dared to cheat him on price; otherwise, the shop��s reputation would be ruined the next day if word got out.


    From the miscellaneous materials, Lin Da sold them for a total of 900,000 Gold Coins.


    With the 100,000 Gold Coins from Lai Xi, he had amassed�� one million Gold Coins!


    Even for the once Snow Goose, this was a substantial amount.


    Earning a million Gold in just one day�� Lin Da clutched the ��weighty�� Savings Card, his mind filled with countless emotions.


    Indeed, adventurers make money fast.


    Of course, they also spend quickly. Lin Da spent 300,000 Gold just on forging costs.


    He inquired with the owner of the blacksmith shop, a retired Star-ranked adventurer, ��Do you have any Epic-level Dragon Skin for sale here?��


    ��Dragon Skin? That��s a rare commodity; haven��t seen it in a long time,�� the owner shook his head, ��Even if it were available, the starting price would be two million Gold Coins, not something just anyone can afford.��


    This figure was even higher than Lin Da had anticipated.


    It seemed that there were fewer adventurers hunting dragons this year, making the rare even more valuable.


    He had a Thousand-Change Demon��s Demon Core, and with a piece of Dragon Skin, he could craft the Epic-level Equipment ��Magic Dragon Soft Armor.��


    ��The price is too high; I��ll wait for another opportunity,�� Lin Da said.


    He wasn��t in a rush. If he crafted the Magic Dragon Soft Armor now, he wouldn��t be able to wear it at his current level of 19 anyway.


    When he reached the appropriate level, he would have the Gold Coins to craft the Magic Dragon Soft Armor.


    The crafting of the Murderous Crab series equipment would take seven days. Lin Da paid a deposit and returned to the villa,


    Late at night, after washing up and lying in bed, he routinely opened the system to sign in.


    [System Notification: Today��s sign-in rewards 2,440 Diamonds; total Diamond count is 13,320.]


    ��Monica must be close to level 20 by now. I��ll save up some more Diamonds and give her a hand.��


    As Lin Da pondered his future plans, sleepiness gradually overtook him.


    The next morning, the Phoenix Tail Flower trio set out toward the wilderness, hunting the remaining Murderous Crabs.


    The monsters were too scattered. When Lin Da returned in the afternoon, he had only hunted 40, gaining 12,000 Mystical Points.


    With his remaining points, the total was 79,867, about 20,000 short of reaching level 20.


    He took a carriage to the Adventurer��s Guild, where a long queue of people formed, a lively scene.


    After tallying their achievements, the adventurers all came to collect their bounties.


    As a Glorious Adventurer, Lin Da could go directly to the VIP room on the third floor to receive priority service from the manager.


    In just a few short minutes, he exited the crowded Adventurer��s Guild.


    His Savings Card was once again credited with 500,000 Gold Coins, of which 300,000 was an extra subsidy applied for by Mayor Adel!


    With that, Lin Da��s Savings Card now held a total of 1.2 million Gold.


    Once every member of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team reached level 20, these Gold Coins could buy quite a few orange pieces of equipment.


    Just one level short, the combat power of Lin Da and his team would rise to a new tier.


    ��Look, it��s the Eye of True Knowledge!��


    As he walked out of the guild hall, some queued adventurers recognized him.


    Many pretty little fans greeted him as if they were actual fans.


    Thanks to reporter Kami��s coverage, any team that performed well during the Monster Tide had seen their fame increase significantly.


    Out of these, four dark horses were acknowledged by Kami as having the potential to advance to the Iron Level.


    They were: Ice Flower Adventure Team, Valiant Adventure Team, Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, and Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    The first, naturally, needs no explanation; under Lin Da��s off-field direction, Ice Flower conquered the 13th floor. They just needed to pass the 14th floor to qualify for the Great Mystery Continent��s 15th floor and officially become an Iron Level adventure team.


    The Ice Flower, just one step away from the Iron Level, attracted much attention.


    While going to collect his reward, Lin Da had a casual chat with the manager and learned that both the White Dove Adventure Group and the Specter Adventure Group had hosted banquets for Ice Flower individually.


    It was unclear which side Ice Flower chose.


    Lin Da guessed, based on Isa��s and his united front against Hulus the day before, that Ice Flower probably chose the White Dove Adventure Group.


    That was for the best, as Lin Da had no desire to become enemies with Isa.


    Smiling and nodding in response to the warm greetings from those around him, Lin Da purchased a newspaper from a newsboy and, feeling somewhat tired, climbed into the carriage.


    He could hear his fans outside:


    ��Eye of True Knowledge, I want to be your girlfriend~��


    ��I��m a fan of Abner, thank you for relaying the message to White Dove Adventure Group; from now on, I support both of your teams!��


    ��Hey, hey~ The loli��s cannon, looks tasty�� hehehe����


    After this battle, Phoenix Tail Flower gained a lot more fans, some even formed a Support Group on their own.


    Lin Da and the others might face problems when traveling in the future. Especially the timid Monica, who even attracted the attention of a pervert who wanted to ��eat�� her Earth Bombardment.


    ��Why don��t I have as many fans as you do?�� Kafni wondered as she listened to the noise outside.


    Among the supporters of Phoenix Tail Flower, those yelling the name of Eye of True Knowledge were the most numerous, followed by Monica, and only occasionally were there a few who called out her title.


    Moreover, her title was really lame, being called ��Great Bear Thief,�� it sounded like a total loser.


    Kafni��s face turned livid with anger.


    ��Maybe you��re just weaker,�� Lin Da shrugged.


    In the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, Kafni was like a mascot, usually sensing the presence of Magical Creatures and stealing some not-so-valuable materials; that was about it.


    The rogue profession didn��t really start to show its power until level 30 and beyond.


    After a whole day of fighting Magical Creatures, Lin Da sat in the rear seat of the carriage, leisurely crossing his legs.


    He unfolded the newspaper to see how the Monster Tide was being reported.


    He was also a bit curious about what the White Dove Morning News had to say about Phoenix Tail Flower.


    The black and white newspaper unfolded, the front page was a large photo taken by a sensor ladybug: a tall man holding a longsword, turning his back on everyone, with fresh blood spilling from the torn flesh of his palms, dripping along the hilt of the sword.


    The surrounding scene was in disarray, with pits everywhere smashed by the giant crab��s claws. This man, leading two adventure teams, with five young girls, had defeated a level 23 Rare Orange Level Monster, the Red Armored Crab King.


    The carcass of the Crab King lay like a small hill, split in two by a single sword strike.


    From the high vantage point of the sensor ladybug, the man and the girls appeared tiny as ants. But with their united efforts, they took down the king of the Murderous Crabs, the Red Armored Crab King.


    Beneath the image was a comment from a guest invited by the White Dove Morning News, Mayor Adel:


    ��Such an achievement is simply mind-boggling.


    The Eye of True Knowledge with its powerful defensive power firmly blocked every attack from the Red Armored Crab King, and amidst the fierce battle, had an enlightening experience, leveling up three times and receiving the Goddess�� Blessing.


    The quaint coincidence, plus the exquisite cooperation of the two adventure teams, made the defeat of the Red Armored Crab King possible. I would call this a miracle!��


    The journalist Kami, who wrote this report, concluded firmly: Following the Ice Flower Adventure Team, we believe that Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose, these two teams, are also strong candidates for the Iron Level.


    President Velen commented: The 14th floor is the threshold for adventure teams; White Dove City has had too many long-established Rock Level Teams fall at this hurdle. I sincerely hope they can break the curse of ��a decade without an Iron Level�� in White Dove City and bring us some relief from this frustration.


    Even Lin Da, who had a strong will, couldn��t help but smile when he saw this well-founded praise for Phoenix Tail Flower.


    Watching his own team rise step by step was like a father watching his son grow up; the sense of achievement was ineffable.


    Even Monica, who wasn��t that interested in adventuring, started smiling.


    Kafni became downright smug, arrogantly declaring that from now on the adventurers would address her as ��Lady Kafni��!


    ��Speaking of which, it��s pretty sad that White Dove City hasn��t produced an Iron Level in ten years.��


    Lin Da sighed; he could feel the bitterness in President Velen��s words.


    Every time an adventure team got close to the 14th floor, it stirred President Velen��s hopes. The more Iron Levels that emerged, the greater the achievements accredited to President Velen, and it was a badge of honor belonging only to the President.


    But alas, in almost ten years, not a single adventure team had broken through the curse of the 14th floor.


    Now, Ice Flower was on the 13th floor, Snow Goose on the 12th, both gradually approaching the curse, preparing to make a push for it.


    ��Ice and Fire����


    Lin Da murmured to himself, thinking of something.


    Without a doubt, these two adventure teams would break the curse of White Dove City not producing an Iron Level for a decade.


    Isa was solid as ever, Snow Goose was growing, with Aiko and Klrona as strong supporters helping Lia, reaching Iron Level wouldn��t be difficult.


    His own team had to catch up quickly too.


    After conquering the fourth floor, Lin Da planned to rush all the way to the tenth floor and officially become a Rock-level Squad.


    Currently, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team was: Lulu at level 27, he and Kafni, Monica, all at level 19; passing the fourth floor, they would most likely reach level 20.


    In terms of the strength of the team members, they fully qualified as a Rock-level Squad.


    The only thing missing was the number of floors.


    ��The fourth floor, Dark Night City; at zero o��clock on the first of every month, there��s the highest chance to enter this Mystic Realm.��


    Lin Da took out a pocket watch from his Space Ring, left to him by his sister.


    Finally back to where everything started.


    As the pocket watch opened, the melody of the music inside rang out, a tune very familiar from home.


    Inside the lid was a small photo; Lin Xi with a lively face hugging his arm, making a ��ye�� victory sign with her fingers.


    A very lively girl.


    After crossing over, Lin Xi went from a sickly child to healthy, and additionally, her talent for adventure was strong, her combat power not weaker than Lia��s, plus she was smarter than Lia.


    The sibling relationship between the two did not fade due to their crossing and the supposed loss of blood relations but rather intensified; they were not only family but also teammates who put their lives on the line together.


    Lin Xi��s disappearance on the fourth floor was a heavy blow to all members of Snow Goose.


    Lin Da was somber for a while, and Lia became more and more a believer in personal power, seeking speed in strategy.


    Perhaps it was the departure of Lin Xi, the high-output warrior, that made everyone feel the pressure. S��arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If Lin Xi had remained with Snow Goose, the present situation would have been much different.

 Chapter 201 - 201: 176. Preparation for Departing to the Fourth Level, News Brought by Lia

    Chapter 201: 176. Preparation for Departing to the Fourth Level, News Brought by Lia


    Lin Da thought to himself that with Lin Xi accompanying Lia, she might not become annoying��everyone continuously climbing upwards happily and joyfully.


    There would then be no need for him to leave the team and start the Phoenix Tail Flower.


    All one could say is that fate is unpredictable.


    Lin Da couldn��t tell which scenario was better, all he could do was to try his best to press forward.


    Staring absentmindedly at the pocket watch, Lin Da silently said to the beaming black-haired girl in the photograph:


    ��I will definitely find the clue to my sister��s disappearance on the fourth floor. Even if Lin Xi falls, I will pull her out of the abyss.��


    ...


    That��s right,


    Lin Da was worried about the worst possibility.


    The power Lin Xi gained from the mid-stage onward was eerily similar to that of a Witch!


    The only difference was, the stronger Lin Xi��s powers became, the frailer her body seemed.


    She also didn��t have nocturnal contamination fits, being tormented by backlash unto death.


    It was somewhat like a Witch, yet not quite so.


    But if�� if she really did turn into a Witch, Lin Da would cure Lin Xi, even if it required force.


    Three days remained until the 1st of the next month.


    For the first two days, Lin Da fought monsters in the wilderness as usual.


    On the third day, in the evening,


    About four hours were left until midnight.


    Lin Da held a combat planning meeting in the room for two teammates, instructing them on matters to heed when entering Dark Night City.


    It was a city set in a medieval western world with scarce magic, where most people were ordinary beings without any strength, and neither magic nor Battle Qi existed.


    However, by contrast, some Transcendents could use magic gems to temporarily exhibit powers beyond ordinary humans.


    Overall, the difference between them and adventurers was as vast as that between strong men and infants.


    But Lin Da and his two teammates could still find it very troublesome if they were to be surrounded.


    In Dark Night City, there were firearms; Lin Da��s Life Barrier could withstand a few thousand bullets without any issue.


    But Monica was a Mage, frail and delicate, able to withstand only a few hundred bullets, so being enemies with a large force in Dark Night City was not worthwhile.


    Lin Da��s strategy was to act covertly and start the investigation from the place where Lin Xi vanished.


    In the room, Kafni sat duck-style on a cushion, raising her hand to ask, ��What if some nasty ruffian covets my body? I can��t stand that.�� sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Then take them down,�� Lin Da replied, but his gaze was on Monica, rubbing Big Lolita��s head, saying, ��When necessary, don��t hold back. Use the magic whenever needed, at most we��ll use the Town Portal Scroll and retry.��


    ��Mhm, got it,�� Monica nodded in reassurance.


    Investigating clues about his sister was critical, but Lin Da would prioritize the safety of his teammates first.


    According to the World Tree rules, each floor allowed for one use of the Town Portal Scroll.


    Lin Da had exactly three scrolls, enough for the entire team, and with Phoenix Tail Flower��s power comparable to rock level�� delving deeper into the fourth floor wasn��t a problem.


    The hidden mysterious forces within might even trigger rewards from the World Tree Goddess.


    Lin Da was quite interested.


    ��With Lin Xi��s restless nature, if she came into contact with the mysterious forces, she would definitely investigate deeply.��


    Lin Da speculated that uncovering the mysterious forces in Dark Night City might be the first step to getting closer to his sister.


    Click.


    The meeting was in progress when a small pebble struck the window from outside.


    Lin Da opened the window and frowned as he looked out.


    In the darkness of the night, a short-haired girl��s silhouette could vaguely be made out. She wore an eye mask, her small hands clasped behind her back, awkwardly prodding at a pebble with the tip of her foot.


    ��Lia?��


    Descending the stairs, Lin Da looked at her, puzzled.


    This short-haired girl was none other than the leader of Snow Goose, the same Lia who would bicker with him upon each meeting.


    Yet today, Lia was very calm, cutting straight to the point, ��Phoenix Tail Flower is going to the fourth layer, isn��t she?��


    ��How did you know that?��


    ��I heard it from Isa,�� Lia said, her expression complex. Now to get news about Lin Da, she had to inquire from her rival, Isa.


    ��Oh, I ran into her yesterday and brought it up,�� Lin Da didn��t deny it.


    ��Are you here to�� wish us luck?��


    ��Don��t, don��t make it sound so weird, okay! Wishing luck or whatever, it��s only natural for you to pass the fourth layer!�� Lia couldn��t stand such corny talk��wishes, bonds; she found it childish and unbecoming of her mature adventurer persona.


    ��Then what are you here for?�� Lin Da was baffled.


    ��Lin Xi.��


    Suddenly, Lia said, ��You��re going to investigate Lin Xi��s disappearance, right? Having finally succeeded in changing your profession and starting World Tree anew�� you��d surely go to Dark Night City.��


    ��Yes,�� Lin Da nodded, ��I believe Lin Xi isn��t dead; she��s somewhere on this continent.��


    Lia shook her head: ��I don��t think so. Lin Xi�� might really be dead.��


    Seeing Lin Da��s expression suddenly turn awful, Lia��s heart tightened, and she hurriedly explained,


    ��I��m not just making this up, ah. I suddenly remembered yesterday, more than two years ago, the night before we entered the fourth layer, Lin Xi came to me alone����


    ��What!?�� Lin Da glared at Lia in anger, ��Why are you only remembering this now?��


    ��I, I didn��t do it on purpose,�� Lia had never seen Lin Da genuinely angry before. Her face turned pale, and she took a step back, but she quickly realized how shameful it was to be intimidated by Lin Da, considering her status as a 26-level adventurer. She puffed out her small chest in defiance,


    ��Lin Xi merely said to take good care of you for her, after all, as team leader, that��s what I am supposed to do, right? I naturally wouldn��t take such a matter to heart.��


    Lin Da thought about it and sighed reluctantly. He couldn��t really blame Lia; with her careless personality, she would hardly notice Lin Xi��s subtle changes.


    He himself was also partly to blame. Before entering the fourth layer, Lin Xi had said things like ��adventure is meaningless�� and ��it��s better to give up climbing the World Tree.��


    Lin Da merely took it as a worsening of Lin Xi��s condition and offered a few words of soft comfort without giving it much thought.


    Perhaps at that time, Lin Xi had already gone through some significant psychological change, leading to her disappearance on the fourth layer.


    ��Lia, thanks for specially coming to tell me this.�� Lin Da��s large hand rested on Lia��s head.


    Her red hair was very smooth, feeling no worse than Monica��s.


    ��What are you doing, I��m not a child!�� Lia��s face changed color, she slapped his hand away and said irritably, ��Make it back alive from the fourth layer! Before you get beaten by me, you better not lose to the World Tree!��


    Lia stomped off, her ponytail from the short haircut swinging. It seemed to have grown longer.


    Wasn��t this just her way of sending her blessings? Lin Da shook his head with a wry smile.


    There were still two hours until midnight. Lin Da, Monica, and Kafni took a carriage ride to the World Tree.


    When the time on the pocket watch reached zero, they entered the World Tree and took out their respective Teleportation Stones.


    ��Fourth layer, teleport.��


    Lin Da thought to himself. He and the two members of his team turned into a pale blue light and disappeared within the World Tree.

 Chapter 202 - 202: 177、World Tree 4th Layer, Dark Night City

    Chapter 202: 177��World Tree 4th Layer, Dark Night City


    Level Four, Dark Night City.


    The sky was pitch black, with clouds churning, brewing a storm.


    On a highway in the wild outskirts, a carriage raced toward the city ahead.


    Inside the spacious carriage,


    Lin Da felt terrible.


    He had iron shackles on his hands, and his damp clothes clung to his back, with the carriage floor beneath his feet soggy and wet.


    ...


    Mud and disordered footprints were everywhere, a mess that was frustrating to look at.


    The surrounding people, wearing the same gray short sleeves as him, hadn��t bathed for a long time and emitted an unpleasant body odor.


    Meanwhile, Lin Da and his teammates, probably taken care under the care of the World Tree Goddess, were relatively clean, with Monica smelling of milk as usual right beside him.


    In such a gloomy environment, one would long to hug Big Lolita and sleep blissfully in a warm bed.


    Lin Da looked around,


    their starting point in this plot-driven Mystic Realm was a moving carriage.


    The roles they played were�� prisoners? Slaves? Anyway, their status seemed quite low.


    They had lost their equipment, but their Attribute Points remained. Lin Da opened the panel and glanced over it, and his Dual Attack was still 953.


    A normal adult would have a strength value fluctuating between 8-10, while top warriors could reach 30.


    In this low-magic world, without accessing hidden mystical forces, the strength of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team was overwhelming.


    A cold wind blew in from above, and Lin Da looked up. The black canvas of the carriage was torn in several places, and through these holes, one could see the dark sky and thick clouds outside, with flashes of lightning twinkling among them.


    The storm was about to hit.


    This shabby carriage would surely turn into a drenched chicken.


    Both Monica and he looked at each other with inquiring eyes.


    Lin Da shook his head, signaling everyone to hold off on any rash actions for now.


    A flash of light in his hand revealed a palm-sized leaf.


    It would appear as long as he called for it with magic power.


    Lin Da instructed his teammates to call forth their leaves as well, which detailed the adventure objectives set by the World Tree Goddess.


    ��Damn it, I don��t want to be attacked by werewolves. Let��s hurry and try to reach the city before midnight!��


    A burly man with a red armband and a goatee popped his head out from the carriage and yelled at the coachman.


    Immediately afterward, the burly man, with a gloomy face, returned to the carriage, glancing at the people sitting on two long benches who looked ashen and wore tattered clothes.


    Those were the slaves purchased by the organization; they included men, women, the elderly, and children, all wearing iron shackles, trembling under the rubber baton at his waist.


    ��Listen up, my name is Reis, the officer in charge of overseeing you!��


    ��All of you must obey me as if I were a god! Otherwise, I��ll let you taste the stick!��


    ��We��ll start roll call now!��


    ��Jack, Amy����


    ��Present.��


    ��Lin Da! Monica! Kafni!��


    Reis was pleased with everyone��s performance. When he shouted the names of these lowly slaves, they responded in fear, as if rabbits terrified of being preyed on by eagles.


    So, Reis liked escorting slaves; it made him feel like a god of Dark Night City, allowing him to catch a breather from the deadly oppressive atmosphere.


    However, Reis had encountered tough nuts to crack this time.


    Three individuals, not only did they not respond ��Present,�� but they also ignored him, busying themselves with looking at something in their hands.


    A vein popped on Reis��s forehead in an instant.


    He swore to give these people just ten seconds; if they didn��t respond ��Present�� within ten seconds, he would let them taste what it was like to be beaten by a stick!


    All the slaves in the carriage wore looks of astonishment.


    Officer Reis had already spoken of punishment, yet why weren��t they fearfully begging for mercy?


    This Officer Reis was a retired warrior who could break hard cow bones with a baton.


    If those three got injured now, during the ��feast�� later, they would definitely be brutally torn apart by fighting beasts!


    So what exactly were Lin Da and the others doing?


    The answer was, they were looking at the ��Leaf of the World Tree�� in their hands.


    A palm-sized leaf, resembling a maple leaf.


    Formed by the Divine Power of the World Tree Goddess, only adventurers could see it.


    On the Leaf of the World Tree were written Lin Da and his team��s identities, and the adventure objectives. If completed, they could return to White Dove City within seven days.


    In the fourth layer of this role-playing Mystic Realm, the identities of the members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team were�� slaves.


    They were bought by an organization known as Dawn of Hell and sent to a cruel arena to fight wild beasts.


    [Adventure Objective: Identify and kill the instigator behind multiple homicides in Dark Night City, the werewolf, within seven days.]


    [Additional Objective: Kill 5 hidden magical beings/transcendents.]


    [Extra Objective: Kill a ��god��]


    These were all the texts on the Leaf of the World Tree.


    It was identical to Lin Da��s last entry into the fourth level. The only difference was that the role he played had changed, from an ordinary passerby last time to a slave sold to Dawn of Hell.


    The start might have been poor, but it was exactly to Lin Da��s liking.


    Last time, when the Snow Goose Squad entered the fourth level to search for the werewolf in Dawn of Hell, it was Lin Xi who did it.


    Lin Xi had made a discovery there; she killed the werewolf and helped the Snow Goose Squad complete their mission.


    Lin Da and the others also found a few. Together, they barely completed the first two objectives.


    The final one, ��Goddess,�� was considered the hidden boss of this level, which Snow Goose failed to uncover.


    After achieving their main adventure objectives, they waited for Lin Xi to join them, but after seven days had passed, the Snow Goose Squad was forcibly transported back to White Dove City.


    Lin Xi disappeared from then on.


    ��Dawn of Hell, there must certainly be clues about Lin Xi there.��


    Lin Da thought excitedly.


    ��Dammit, don��t you hear, the officer is calling your name!��


    A roar exploded beside his ears.


    Lin Da glanced sideways and saw a burly man with a beard, his eyes wide with anger, smashing a rubber club onto his own shoulder.


    Lin Da instinctively defended with his forearm.


    He forgot that he still had handcuffs on, and almost broke them with the nearly 1000 points of strength difference.


    Startled for a moment, having been accustomed to staying in the Mystic Continent, coming to this low-magic world felt somewhat uncomfortable. It��s all iron, but the iron from Mystic Continent is much harder.


    Handcuffs? They are almost like being made of paper.


    If it wasn��t that Lin Da still needed to sneak into Dawn of Hell on this carriage to investigate, he would have kicked the bearded man flying with one kick.


    Excitement twisted in Officer Reis��s eyes as the rubber club fell with a thump, eagerly anticipating the sight of Lin Da��s forearm breaking.


    However, Reis felt as if he had hit steel. The rubber club bent from the tremendous force, and the man called Lin Da was unscathed, calmly retracting his arm.


    ��Here.��


    ��Here.�� Kafni and Monica, having finished with the leaf of the World Tree, called out following Lin Da��s lead.


    When they raised their heads, the fury in Reis��s eyes suddenly dissipated.


    How could there be such pretty girls in the world?


    They shone like stars!


    The other people in the carriage were also dumbfounded; how could such beautiful girls have gone unnoticed until now?


    These slightly illogical aspects were all corrected under the rule power of the World Tree Goddess.


    Everyone briefly felt dizzy and then accepted the presence of Kafni and the others.


    Kafni glanced at Reis, who was gaping, and sneered: ��Ant, what are you looking at, believe it or not, I��ll take you down!��


    Reis snapped back to his senses, his first feeling not anger, but dejection. What was the deal with these three? Didn��t they realize they were about to enter hell?


    As an officer, he should be someone whom these people desperately need to please; a little bit of planning could greatly increase their survival rate in the upcoming ��feast.��


    ��You three, very well, I��ll arrange a wonderful spot for you.��


    Reis sneered maliciously.


    Hearing this, everyone showed a schadenfreude expression.


    The few kind-hearted individuals sighed and shook their heads unwillingly.


    Lin Da observed the reactions of those around him, pondering: It seems the first challenge of the Mystic Realm trial is to get through the ��feast�� mentioned by Reis.


    After calling the names, Reis went outside to smoke a cigar, chatting with the coachman.


    Taking this opportunity, Lin Da needed to find someone to learn about the details of this ��feast.��


    Last time he hadn��t explored this place in the Mystic Realm, and once ordinary adventurers leave the scenario-based Mystic Realm, the memories of their experiences there are blurred by the World Tree Goddess, leaving no detailed strategies.


    In this aspect, Lin Da was an exception; he vividly remembered the last exploration of the fourth level. But those areas he hadn��t explored could not be understood through other adventurers�� strategies.


    Lin Da was pondering whom to talk to when a skinny man uninvitedly nudged him with his knee and whispered, ��Buddy, want to cooperate?��


    ��Cooperate?��


    Lin Da looked at the man.


    He had a horse face with protruding buck teeth and curly brown hair.


    ��All lambs to the slaughter, you still want to go it alone?�� The skinny man disdainfully looked at Lin Da��s physique, muscular but not big enough.


    If this were the adventurer��s world, such an idea would be laughable��muscles and strength are not equivalent.


    But the people here had no Fighting Spirit Magic Power, and naturally, Lin Da wouldn��t clarify but simply smiled reservedly and asked, ��Excuse me, what are ��lambs��?��


    ��You don��t even know that? Weren��t you one of the tribesmen caught in the wilderness?��


    The skinny man regretted scratching his head but, having started, decided to spill everything:


    ��I��m Mark, a warrior from Serpent��s Tail Gang. Most people here are losers in gang conflicts, captured to be slaves, and lambs are����


    ��Haha, it refers to us poor souls who are about to be fed to the beasts.��


    Mark said bitterly, ��We will be thrown by the bastards of Dawn of Hell into the arena, where the VIPs buy tickets to watch various beasts tear us apart! Buddy, your group offended Reis; that guy will definitely arrange you closest to the beasts.��


    Lin Da: ��So, what do you mean by cooperating?��


    ��Pushing others forward, letting those poor devils satisfy the beasts. Once the number of survivors is down to one-tenth, this feast will end, and we will become ��fighters,�� fighting three rounds in the arena to regain freedom.�� Mark sneered sinisterly.


    This type of person made Lin Da uncomfortable, and he frowned, ��I refuse.��


    With the strength of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, there was no need to cooperate.


    Mark��s expression changed: ��You��ll regret this; no one can survive on their own.��


    The assumption was, you were not an adventurer. Lin Da added in his mind. S��arch* The n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 203 - 203: 178. Through screening, the adventurers strength

    Chapter 203: 178. Through screening, the adventurer��s strength


    At that moment, Reis returned to the carriage, and everyone stopped whispering. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After a short while, the carriage entered Dark Night City.


    Within a massive cylindrical building.


    Lin Da and his companions were escorted through a long, dark passage. As they neared its end, the light suddenly brightened, and a wave of cheers flooded in, along with the thick scent of blood from the Arena��


    Around an amphitheater reminiscent of the Roman Colosseum, men and women excitedly clutched some kind of tickets, shouting loudly:


    ��Number 174, you��ve got to survive, I bet 1000 pounds on you!��


    ...


    ��Girl of number 35, try to last thirty seconds, okay!��


    ��Number 36 is pretty too, what a pity.��


    Numbers had been affixed to Lin Da and his team members; they were 34, 35, and 36, respectively.


    Right in the middle of the Arena, a rectangular scoreboard was suspended in the air, displaying the current number of people at 100,


    When only 10 people remained, the festivity would end, and those who survived would become warriors.


    A hundred people stood in formation under the direction of the security staff, and the three members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team were all at the very front.


    Up in the stands, Reis��s face bore a cold smile, as if to say that this was the consequence of offending him.


    Three cages were wheeled out, inside them were tigers that had gone several days without food, massive in size, with powerful majestic roars.


    The cages opened, and they revealed their fangs, walking slowly this way.


    Everyone��s faces changed color.


    Even the strongest gang warriors couldn��t possibly defeat a tiger with their bare hands!


    These beasts, tainted by the miasma of the wild, weighed a thousand pounds, and a single swipe of their paw could knock a warrior��s head askew.


    But Monica��s eyes lit up: just as the captain said, the beasts of this Mystic Realm had no ��Magic Power��.


    To the ordinary person, the fearsome and terrifying tiger seemed cute to Monica, fluffy and making her want to bury her face in it and rub against it.


    The three tigers walked leisurely this way, their tiger eyes scanning the crowd, pondering which one to eat first.


    At that moment, Monica suddenly cried out in surprise, having been pushed to the forefront by Mark, who was beside her!


    The spectators immediately laughed:


    ��Great, great, I love seeing the bullying of the Big Lolita!��


    ��I bet on number 35, sigh!��


    ��I want to see ketchup splatter!��


    Sentence after sentence of bloodthirsty words made one��s scalp tingle.


    Lin Da narrowed his eyes at the smug Mark. He dared to bully a member of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team; he had just sentenced himself to death.


    As for Monica, she stumbled and fell clumsily to the ground, and accidentally knocked her head against one of the tigers.


    The crowd tittered with laughter.


    However, the next moment, the lofty scoffing came to an abrupt stop.


    Somehow, the tiger that had been starved for days lay down, trembling with fear.


    To the tiger kind, lying down and exposing the neck was an act of submission!


    The most baffling part was that the tiger extended its front paw, padding its flesh on the ground to cushion Monica��s forehead.


    It was like�� a giant, lick-happy tiger!


    Monica herself was somewhat surprised, hugging the tiger��s head and trying to rub against it. The tiger didn��t resist at all; in fact, it trembled even more violently��


    The instincts of a beast far outweighed those of humans.


    The tiger keenly sensed that this petite human before it was a top predator.


    More powerful than anyone it had ever seen!


    This adorable scene, amid the bloody and brutal Arena, was jarringly out of place.


    What the audience wanted to see was tigers devouring humans, not Big Lolita petting the cats!


    Some people were furious, while others showed thoughtful expressions.


    The three tigers just stood there, dumbfounded, as if turned to stone.


    The Beast Tamer came up to calm them, but to his headache, nothing worked.


    ��Scared after being locked up with that Bear King last night?��


    The Beast Tamer muttered, puzzled.


    He injected the red liquid from the syringe into the tigers�� bodies.


    ��Owww~!��


    In an instant, the tigers roared in pain; their eyes reddened, muscles swelled, and thick saliva dripped from their bloodied maws.


    Under the influence of that strange potion, the tigers became ferociously aggressive.


    Several unlucky ones in the front row soon met their demise at the jaws of the tigers.


    Lin Da ran away with Monica.


    90% of this Mystic Realm remained unknown; the Phoenix Tail Flower Team had to hide their strength as much as possible to avoid startling the snake by hitting the grass.


    From the adventure goals on the leaves of the World Tree, there was a ��god�� within the Mystic Realm. Although it was in quotes, if it could be called a god, it must at least be a hidden BOSS.


    It won��t be any lower level than a 15th-level Goblin Chieftain, maybe even 20.


    The entire Phoenix Tail Flower Team was at level 19; to face such a BOSS, they needed to be cautious.


    On the Arena, blood splattered everywhere.


    Just a few minutes went by, and only ten people remained on the Arena.


    The bastard who shoved Monica was killed by a tiger due to Lin Da��s covert operation.


    After a selection process, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team became part of the Dawn of Hell��s fighters, and Lin Da and the team members were placed in separate dormitories for males and females.


    ��I��ll leave Monica in your care. Remember not to alarm anyone when looking for the Werewolf.��


    Lin Da placed Monica��s little hand into Kafni��s palm.


    ��Leave it to me. You��re well aware of my scouting ability,�� Kafni replied confidently. ��As long as the Werewolf is on the girls�� dormitory side, I��ll just pluck her right out.��


    Monica looked back at Lin Da, reluctant to part, until the fierce and imposing security personnel came to urge them on, and they separated.


    Shortly after reaching the dormitory, once the security officer left, the newcomers such as Lin Da were ��warmly welcomed�� by the veterans.


    This was a large communal dormitory converted from an abandoned factory, with two rows of iron beds lined up in a row, housing at least a hundred people.


    Those who survived the Arena were formidable, each tall and muscular, with faces full of fierce flesh.


    Lin Da felt as if he had entered a room gathering bullies; among them, he was the only one who looked refined and out of place.


    ��Haha, newbies have arrived!��


    ��Six of them this time�� not bad, we��ve got six people to shed ��singlehood��!��


    ��Hehehe, it��s my turn to pick first, right?��


    A group of men, all over six feet tall, surrounded Lin Da and the other six newbies. Seeing the newbies�� puzzled expressions, one burly man with a pink mohawk laughed and said:


    ��Here, every newbie needs to find a ��husband�� to rely on, you know? Otherwise, with your puny strength, you��ll soon be bullied to death by everyone. It��s better to be bullied by just one ��husband�� than by everyone�� my lovelies, you know how to choose, right?��


    ��You bastard, dare you insult a ��Blood Flower Gang�� warrior!��


    One lean and vicious newbie stepped forward and elbowed the pink mohawk man��s head.


    However, the latter dodged swiftly with a dip, followed by a wrestling slam�� Bang! The newbie��s spine was broken, leaving him paralyzed!


    The other newbies, except for Lin Da, all changed their expressions.


    Indeed, those who survived the tiger��s jaws were among the best, experts in fighting.


    But let��s not forget, those people in the dormitory were all ��fighters,�� having survived countless bloody battles, they could be called champions of brawling!

 Chapter 204 - 204: 179, Ranked 7th, Bloodthirsty Wolf

    Chapter 204: 179, Ranked 7th, Bloodthirsty Wolf


    With the previous examples before them, the newcomers had no choice but to pinch their noses and accept their fate, each grimly choosing their ��husbands.��


    Dragged into the filthy public restroom amidst the fighters�� laughter, unspeakable things occurred.


    ��Number 34, how about choosing me?��


    The big guy named Mika, with a pink crest, came up to Lin Da with a smile, showing off his bulging arm muscles, ��If you choose me, most people wouldn��t dare to bully you.��


    ��Get lost.��


    Lin Da frowned, his voice cold.


    ...


    He controlled the magic circuit within his body, releasing about one-twentieth of his power.


    At this moment, Lin Da directly transitioned from a normal person to a ��Transcendent.��


    Although he couldn��t release ��pressure�� like a Star-ranked adventurer, adventurers inherently possess an oppressive force over normal people.


    Just like a lion and a mouse, even if it��s their first meeting, the mouse would run away screaming.


    Having faced many life-and-death battles in the amphitheater, Mika��s instincts were as sharp as any wild animal��s.


    When Lin Da released a bit of his power, Mika��s eyebrows twitched, and he instinctively retreated several steps, with cold sweat on his forehead.


    ��What��s going on?��


    The other fighters in the barracks were all somewhat perplexed by Mika��s strange behavior.


    Among more than two hundred fighters in Dawn of Hell, Mika was ranked ninety-seventh, which was not low; yet, he was intimidated by a newcomer?


    Every fighter who had survived thus far was no easy opponent, each possessing a relatively sharp mind.


    They immediately realized that the newcomer with the number 34 was not to be trifled with.


    At least those ranked below Mika gave up the idea of troubling number 34.


    Lin Da swept a calm glance over everyone, and lay down on his bed with his hands behind his head, legs crossed.


    This time, no one stopped him.


    With power, anywhere can be heaven.


    As for those miserable sounds from the toilet, Lin Da could only say this instance was made quite realistically, unbearable to hear, evoking some sympathy��


    Lin Da feigned interest in what was happening in the toilet, surveying the other fighters until they trembled, their hands covering their behinds,


    but in reality, his attention was entirely focused on a certain fighter in the corner.


    He hadn��t released his power just to intimidate Mika.


    Lin Da��s magic power was the kind that belonged to the Transcendent.


    The werewolf in the shadows was also a Transcendent, and sensed something when Lin Da used his power.


    The moment Lin Da unleashed his power, aside from the terrified Mika, one other person showed a clear look of astonishment.


    Target located.


    Lin Da��s lips curled into a smile.


    Considering the werewolf, as a common monster on the fourth level, was around level 10, Lin Da carefully controlled his magic circuit, releasing an aura of level 6, just enough not to threaten the werewolf.


    Otherwise, Lin Da, unleashing all of his level 19 strength in this low-magic world, would be akin to a Demon God descending.


    The werewolf, if present, would have been scared away.


    His primary goal was not to kill the werewolf, but to uncover the mysterious force hidden beneath the surface from the werewolf.


    Time for a late-night snack.


    In the large cafeteria, Mika, despondently wearing a new pair of trousers, faced mockery from the familiar fighters around him:


    ��Hahaha, Mika, you��re so pathetic, a newcomer scared you into wetting your pants?��


    ��This unimaginable newcomer came in by ��feast,�� not by joining on his own, which is absolutely absurd.��


    ��I bet his ranking will quickly rise to around 70, right? Without the strength of a rank 70, how could he have scared our ��Peach Heart�� Mika into wetting himself? Hahaha.��


    Mika��s face turned beet red as he slapped the table, ��Stop it, you little devils. If it had been any of you, you would have leaked too! That newcomer��s strength is definitely not just rank 70, I guarantee it!��


    Several fighters snorted disdainfully, their faces showing disbelief.


    And just then.


    A lean man with grey short hair covered in knife scars passed by the table, coldly remarking, ��If you don��t want to die, stay away from number 34.��


    ��Sss��Lord Ruf!��


    ��Lord Ruf, greetings!��


    ��You��ve worked hard!��


    Mika and a few fighters stood up in terror and bowed.


    For this man with grey short hair wore a pure gold button with the number 7 at his collar.


    One of the strongest fighters in Dawn of Hell.


    Ranked seventh, the Bloodthirsty Wolf, Ruf.


    Ruf��s fighting style was as fierce as a vicious wolf��s, relentless until his prey was dead.


    With a record of 79 fights and 78 wins, any fighter defeated by Ruf either died or was severely injured!


    In this amphitheater, he was nothing short of a legend.


    Since that battle that had nearly killed Ruf, he miraculously recovered and his combat power dramatically increased.


    From rank 143, he soared to rank number 7 in just six months.


    Ruf was thin and taciturn.


    He carried his tray to a table in the corner.


    He threw chunks of bone-in steak into his mouth, crunching them with two bites, shattering them completely.


    Like a wild animal devouring its meat, he gulped it down whole.


    No one dared approach Ruf recklessly.


    This table was Ruf��s territory.


    To approach rashly was to be seen as challenging the Bloodthirsty Wolf.


    Mika admired the strong and couldn��t help but steal glances with eager eyes.


    In her field of view, a familiar newcomer appeared. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The newcomer held a tray in his left hand and a cup of orange juice in his right, yawning as if he had just woken up.


    Then, he calmly sat down opposite Ruf.


    Clatter.


    The steak in Mika��s hand dropped onto the table.


    The fighters accompanying Mika were also stunned.


    Holy shit.


    Who is this ruthless person?


    Coming up and provoking the seventh-ranked Bloodthirsty Wolf?


    In the cafeteria, where around fifty fighters were dining, noises were a jumble of utensils clanging, chewing, and swallowing, all blending together.


    However, when the newcomer number 34 took a seat opposite Ruf, all that noise disappeared.


    Shock, confusion�� and then, a thick interest appeared on everyone��s faces!


    It had been a long time since someone had challenged one of the fighters ranked in the top ten.


    And the challenger was a newcomer!


    ��Number 34, Lin Da, a refugee caught from the wilderness,�� explained a fighter who was good with information.


    Lin Da.


    Everyone noted this name.


    No matter the outcome today, these two words were deeply imprinted in their minds.


    Just when everyone thought Ruf would use his sharp Palm Knife to cut through Lin Da��s neck,


    Ruf, deviating from his normal state, lifted a bottle of chili sauce next to him, ��Want some? It��s a specialty from my hometown.��


    ��Thank you, but I don��t eat spicy food,�� Lin Da replied with a polite smile.


    ��Is that so, what a pity.��


    Ruf expressed some regret, then continued enjoying his beef on his own.


    Lin Da also leisurely ate his veggie and shrimp meal, occasionally sipping his orange juice.


    The two caused no trouble to each other.


    It was as if the dining tables were insufficient and they were reluctantly sharing a table.


    After exchanging courtesies, they each focused on their own meal.


    What exactly is going on here?


    Was the street thug Ru, of such high caliber?


    Mika and several others felt their brains couldn��t quite comprehend what was happening.


    Why didn��t Ruf tear open the newcomer��s throat?


    It couldn��t possibly be that he acknowledged the newcomer��s worthiness to dine with him��


    Thinking this, Mika��s cheeks twitched.


    He had merely been glanced at by number 34, and it seemed he was lucky for it.


    The newcomer��s strength wasn��t around 70 at all.


    It had to be close to Ruf, who was ranked seventh.


    ��Shall we talk outside?��


    Lin Da and Ruf finished their meals at the same time.


    He glanced at the numbers above the ��Bloodthirsty Wolf��s�� head��- a red ��-1�� kept dropping.


    The other seemed normal, but was actually injured and continuously losing blood.


    As a Healing Hero, healing was Lin Da��s forte.


    This might be a breakthrough to uncover mysterious powers.


    ��Now?�� Ruf raised his eyebrows, a wary look flashing through his eyes.


    ��Is there a problem?�� Lin Da asked.

 Chapter 205 - 205: 180. Find the Werewolf, Lias Key Memory

    Chapter 205: 180. Find the Werewolf, Lia��s Key Memory


    ��Of course there��s a problem,�� Ruf said with an icy face, pulling a mocking smile. ��During nighttime, all movements must be approved by a senior officer. If you want to go out, you have to wait until after tomorrow��s competition is over.��


    ��That��s just the rule for ordinary people, right?��


    ��It doesn��t apply to ��us��.��


    Lin Da crossed his arms and placed them on the table, smiling faintly at Ruf. ��You would agree, right, Mr. Werewolf?��


    Ruf��s expression changed.


    A chilling murderous aura burst out in an instant.


    ...


    Ruf couldn��t fathom how this Number 34 had seen through his identity.


    The mysterious abilities, the undisguised provocative smile, and that damned sense of superiority all made Ruf��s blood boil with restlessness.


    He wished he could open his huge mouth and devour the human before him!


    From the aura that Number 34 had revealed in the dormitory, Ruf concluded that the other party was just an ordinary B-level Transcendent.


    As for himself, he had already mastered Transcendent Power and reached Level A, standing above the other.


    How dare he provoke me like this�� he must be tired of living��


    ��Fine, let��s talk outside.��


    Ruf stood up with a cold laugh and took the lead out of the dining hall.


    ��That��s more like it.�� Lin Da followed closely behind.


    Security personnel spotted them, annoyed. ��You fools, it��s nighttime now. Do you want to have your necks snapped by werewolves����


    ��Ugh!��


    Ruf suddenly made his move, his palm knife glinting with cold light.


    In an instant, the security personnel��s head was severed!


    Making this move, Ruf secretly observed Lin Da, hoping to see fear on Lin Da��s face.


    But Lin Da maintained a poker face.


    This kind of thing, even the Mage of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team could do.


    Ruf��s power level was indeed not low among humans, reaching a level of 50 points, about the human body��s limit.


    It��s just a pity that this is a low-magic world.


    50 points is only equivalent to the level of a Level 5 adventurer.


    Seeing Lin Da��s expressionless face, Ruf grew even more cautious.


    In contrast, Lin Da casually took in the building��s layout, as if his thoughts were not on Ruf at all.


    The more Lin Da acted like this, the more Ruf��s heart raced, and he dared not act rashly.


    The two came to an empty small warehouse.


    ��What��s your purpose?��


    Ruf stood ten meters away from Lin Da, his gaze ice cold.


    ��I mean no harm, just want to ask a few simple questions,�� Lin Da shrugged. ��Try this first, and then you��ll understand that we��re friends.��


    Murmuring a silent spell, Lin Da stretched out his right hand.


    This action made Ruf��s hair stand on end, as he assumed a defensive stance!


    What fell was a warm green light.


    This strange glow enveloped Ruf.


    The wounds under Ruf��s clothes stopped bleeding at an astonishing rate, and his weak body turned vigorous within a few breaths.


    A Primary Healing Spell directly refilled Ruf��s blood to full.


    ��This is����


    Ruf incredulously touched his waist, where a wound left by a Hunter��s firearm had been troubling him for days.


    Even with a Transcendent��s formidable physical abilities, he couldn��t recover back to prime condition in a short period.


    But under the mystical spell of Number 34, the wound healed rapidly.


    Now Ruf only felt himself full of vigor, in peak condition!


    ��A Healing Transcendent?�� The coldness on Ruf��s face melted away.


    In this Dark Night City, werewolves constituted the majority of Transcendents.


    And Healing Transcendents, with their noble status, were highly sought after by the public.


    Even the most terrible diseases posed no challenge to the Healing Transcendents.


    One could say, ten werewolves together wouldn��t compare to a single Healing Transcendent.


    Ruf��s wariness significantly subsided, warmed by just that Healing Spell the other had cast.


    ��Ask whatever questions you have. But I advise you, don��t easily reveal yourself, especially your identity as a non-combat Healing Transcendent!��


    Not skilled in combat, huh�� Lin Da smiled but did not explain.


    He cut straight to the chase, ��How would I make contact with the mysterious forces of Dark Night City?��


    ��What, you��re a self-awakened? No injection of potion?�� Ruf��s eyes widened in surprise.


    ��Uh��right. I hope someone could introduce me.�� Lin Da said, ��What about you? How did you become a Transcendent?��


    ��I don��t mind telling you, I come from the Dawn Church; eighty percent of Transcendents come from this organization.��


    Ruf didn��t mind sharing this basic information about Transcendents with Lin Da.


    ��Becoming a Transcendent was straightforward for me; an envoy from the Dawn Church picked me, I had the Transcendent Potion injected, and awakened my werewolf abilities. Your self-awakening is rare, sought after by the higher-ups of the church.��


    ��Can you help me get in touch with the church?��


    ��That��s difficult. We��re contacted only one way; only people from the church come to see me, I don��t know where they are.��


    ��Is that so����


    Lin Da pondered, resting his chin on his hand:


    He had at most seven days to stay in the Mystic Realm. If the church didn��t contact Ruf within these seven days, his purpose would be unachievable.


    ��Why did the people from the church choose you?�� Lin Da decided to try another angle.


    Ruf gave a cruel smile, ��Maybe, because I��m strong enough. I defeated a warrior ranked 100 when I was ranked 143.��


    ��So if you��re strong enough, you can attract the church��s attention?��


    ��Theoretically, yes.��


    ��I understand.��


    Lin Da nodded, looking at the gold button on Ruf��s collar.


    There was the number 7.


    He asked, ��Does being ranked seventh make you strong among warriors?��


    Ruf was stunned for a moment, anger flashing in his eyes, ��What do you mean?��


    Lin Da countered without answering, ��Do you know why I helped you with your healing?��


    ��Why?��


    ��Because�� I want to blow you away when you��re at your best.��


    Lin Da smiled modestly.


    ��Haha, hahaha! Interesting!��


    A vein throbbed near Ruf��s temple.


    He stepped from the shadows into the moonlight streaming through the window.


    His clothes burst open, revealing gray fur as sharp as steel needles.


    Ruf��s arms were as thick as a man��s thigh, and his hands had turned into fearsome beast claws, with long nails shining with a cold, icy light.


    His identity was now beyond doubt.


    A Transcendent of Dark Night City, a warrior with power far above ordinary people, a werewolf!


    Lin Da nodded with satisfaction.


    Just as he had expected, Ruf had reached the level of 10, just right to be qualified for the ��Common Monster�� rank of the fourth layer.


    ��Considering you��re a Healing Transcendent, I��ll give you a chance to apologize.��


    Ruf��s expression was ferocious, his voice hoarse and deep, like a piece of iron scraping in his throat.


    On his furry face, the wolf��s mouth protruded, and his fangs were sharp.


    ��Are you deaf?��


    Lin Da scratched his head in confusion, ��Then let me say it again.��


    He said with a smile, ��I want to blow you away.��


    ��


    ��


    At the same moment.


    In the wilderness outside White Dove City, the Barren Plains.


    The Snow Goose Adventure Team was nearby, hunting Murderous Crabs.


    They had only caught about twenty or so for the entire day.


    As the numbers dwindled, Captain Lia considered moving to a Mystic Realm.


    After several days of teamwork, Lia felt that Snow Goose��s combat strength had significantly increased, and her relationship with the team members was warming up again.


    Although the smiles were still less frequent than when Lin Da was around, they were much more common than right after Lin Da had left the team.


    As dusk fell in the outside world, the girls, tired from the day��s battle, spread blankets on the ground for a picnic. Aiko proudly placed her hands on her hips as she took out various snacks from her Space Ring:


    ��These are the latest creations of the great Aiko herself, enjoy them with gratitude!��


    Fruit cake, egg tarts, potato chips, sugar-baked biscuits, handmade ice cream�� the picnic blanket was covered, and Klrona called out with delight, savoring the feast.


    Klyne smiled politely, her movements and posture very ladylike.


    Lia hesitated for a while, her mouth watering as she eyed the tempting fruit cake.


    She had been foregoing sweets for many days for better training results.


    ��It shouldn��t hurt to break the rule just once, right?�� Aiko pushed the cake towards her.


    ��Well then�� I won��t be shy!��


    Lia couldn��t resist the temptation of the cake, took a bite, and her eyes lit up, ��Aiko, when did your cooking skills get so good? I remember you could only make poison!��


    That��s because I didn��t want to try hard before��


    To become a good bride, Aiko had seriously practiced, and now her cooking skills were top-notch.


    The girls enjoyed the delicious food under the cool autumn breeze, discussing recent amusing events. Meanwhile, Oru and Phyllis, looking rather glum, were collecting Murderous Crab materials and tidying up the spoils, occasionally getting a piece of cake to eat.


    At that moment, Lia suddenly thought of something and said out of the blue, ��Do you all still remember the things from the fourth layer?��


    ��The fourth layer? That story-like Mystic Realm called Dark Night City?��


    Aiko tilted her head, ��Other than the name Dark Night City, I��ve forgotten everything that happened inside. It��s the rule set by the World Tree Goddess, isn��t it? Lia, can you remember what happened there?��


    ��Hmm�� a little bit, but not very clearly. But Lin Xi�� Phoenix Tail Flower was heading for the fourth layer, right? I vaguely remember, inside the fourth layer Mystic Realm, Lin Xi seemed to have said something to me.��


    Lia grabbed her hair in frustration, mumbling, ��What was it that she said? I just can��t remember, but it feels important.��


    ��Oh, Aiko, I��m so sorry, I dropped your cake on the ground,�� Klyne said apologetically.


    ��No worries, I can just make more. Why not let Oru and Phyllis have it?��


    Aiko was saying this when Lia suddenly stood up as if struck by lightning, ��Yes, that��s it!��


    ��What��s what?�� Aiko was completely lost.


    ��I mean what Klyne just said!�� Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lia was certain, ��Sorry. What Lin Xi told me on the fourth layer was the three words ��I��m sorry.�� She wanted me to convey it to everyone!��


    At these words, the members of Snow Goose showed confused expressions.


    Why would Lin Xi need to apologize to them?


    Could it be related to her disappearance?


    The words ��I��m sorry�� were actually her way of saying goodbye��


    She hadn��t left without saying a word.


    It��s just that the memories within the story-like Mystic Realm were erased by the rules of the World Tree.


    Aiko sighed, ��Lin Da said he was going to investigate her clues, but without the memory of the last exploration, what��s there to investigate? When Lin Da comes back, let��s all go visit him. Let��s not make him too sad.��


    ��I�� I��m not going,�� protested Lia.


    ��If you don��t go, it just shows you��re a pretentious fool!��

 Chapter 206 - 206: 181, Surfacing, Mysterious Notebook

    Chapter 206: 181, Surfacing, Mysterious Notebook


    World Tree fourth layer, Dark Night City Arena.


    At this point, it had already reached the afternoon of the second day, and the stands were filled with people.


    Crazy screams and shouts, ten times noisier than a vegetable market.


    The reason was simple, Dawn of Hell��s rookie fighter, ranked 203, Lin Da, was challenging the veteran ranked 7th, the Bloodthirsty Wolf Ruf.


    This was Ruf��s first appearance of the month, and the audience wanted to see this wolf-like fighter brutally tear the newcomer apart, showcasing Ruf��s classic scene: devouring the loser alive!


    In the top-level VIP box, there was a mysterious figure wearing a duckbill mask and clad in a black robe.


    ...


    He rested his cheek in his right hand with interest, lazily leaning on the sofa, looking down at the two tiny fighters in the arena.


    ��


    ��What has Lin Da found?��


    In the fighters�� special section of the stands, Kafni held a bag of popcorn, eating together with Monica.


    Many around them looked at them with awe.


    The day before, Kafni had knocked down rank 37��s ��Hyena�� Karin, becoming a minor leader, taking over Karin��s subordinates.


    While others found the match in the arena extremely interesting, Kafni lazily yawned and stuffed the remaining popcorn to Monica, ��I��ll take a nap first, wake me up when Lin Da wins.��


    Ding��


    A crisp ring from the bell on the stage cut through the roaring shouts as the Bloodthirsty Wolf Ruf launched the first attack.


    His gaze brutally fixed on Lin Da, a healer-type magician not adept at fighting, only needed ten moves�� no, five moves, at most five moves to finish this guy, any more would be disrespectful to his own immense power!


    Bang!


    As expected��


    Ruf was sent flying out!


    Lin Da calmly delivered a right straight punch, landing it on Ruf��s face.


    Ruf��s features twisted grotesquely from the impact, and then, like a broken wheel, he tumbled out over ten meters.


    Dead silence.


    In the amphitheater that could hold ten thousand people, there wasn��t a single sound.


    In front of the newcomer, Ruf was as vulnerable as a baby.


    A mischievous baby with a stick, yelling as it rushed towards the robust Lin Da, who then kicked the baby flying for over ten meters.


    That was the approximate feeling!


    ��Deity above, how did such a newcomer become a slave and get caught by Officer Reis?�� Mika was downright stunned.


    After this match, the top ranking position was likely going to change hands.


    In the top-level VIP box, the duckbill-masked mystery man also expressed doubt, staring fixedly at Lin Da: ��This physical strength should have reached grade A����


    On the stage, Lin Da was just about to leave.


    ��Wait, it��s not over yet.��


    A deep, hoarse voice, holding back endless fury, resounded behind him.


    A huge shadow blocked the light, completely enveloping Lin Da.


    ��Werewolf!��


    ��There��s such a wanted monster among the fighters?��


    ��The recent string of murders, could they have been done by this werewolf?��


    While some audience members were terrified, others grew even more excited, ��Ruf, tear number 34 apart, I bet everything I own on you!��


    Ruf underwent a massive transformation��three meters tall, his arms bulging with muscles, his body covered in gray, steel-needle like fur, a protruding wolf��s muzzle, speaking human words:


    ��Number 34, only by tearing you into a hundred pieces can I quench my rage.��


    Lin Da looked up and down at his opponent and nodded indifferently, ��Now you look a bit like a common monster. Come on, I��m in a hurry.��


    ��Arrogant!��


    Ruf roared furiously, applying force to his feet, shattering the stone tiles on the arena with a gust of foul wind as he charged towards Lin Da.


    His speed was so fast that the security personnel holding firearms were completely bewildered and unable to lock onto Ruf��s position.


    Frankly speaking, they weren��t enough for Ruf to bother killing.


    In the stands, Kafni was woken by the noise of the fight, lazily opening her eyes to see and thought to herself: this werewolf isn��t even as fierce as a level 15 Murderous Crab.


    Lin Da didn��t seem to have any special plans, only displaying strength typical of a level 12 adventurer and not using any skills, relying solely on standard attacks.


    The bangs of fists and kicks were incessant.


    The more Ruf fought, the more shocked he became; he found he couldn��t touch the slick-as-an-eel Lin Da at all, whereas every strike from his opponent hit him.


    After multiple heavy hits to the chest, Ruf felt a sweetness in his throat, and blood flowed from the corners of his mouth.


    ��It��s time to end this.��


    Lin Da said calmly.


    His perception caught a fiery gaze from above.


    His goal had been achieved.


    He had successfully caught the attention of the mysterious forces.


    Lin Da grabbed hold of Ruf��s werewolf ear, leapt up with a knee strike, hitting Ruf directly in the forehead.


    Those close enough could hear a crisp crack.


    Ruf��s skull was directly smashed!


    After swaying for a moment, Ruf collapsed on the ground with a thud.


    The werewolf traits rapidly faded, returning him to his human form.


    At the same time, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team heard a gentle female voice in their heads:


    [Adventure completed, Teleportation Stone activated, you may choose to finalize the trial and leave the fourth layer of the Mystic Realm within seven days.]


    Besides this, Lin Da received another system notification:


    [Killed level 10 Magical Being Werewolf, obtained 100 diamonds.]


    100 diamonds�� trivial.


    What Lin Da truly cared about were the forces behind the werewolf.


    The match ended, and the senior members of Dawn of Hell came over to meet him with fear and trepidation.


    A refined middle-aged man bowed deeply and apologized, ��Mr. Linda, we have prepared a top-tier luxury room for you, with one million in cash. Please do not take offense at Dawn of Hell��s negligence����


    After killing the werewolf Ruf, Mr. Linda��s identity was on the verge of being revealed.


    Like Ruf, he was a Transcendent.


    Such individuals were not ones that Dawn of Hell could afford to offend.


    Mr. Linda nodded, ��Bring over girls number 35 and 36 as well.��


    A moment later.


    ��Wow! What a big room, such a soft bed, and a shower!��


    ��Lord Captain, may I take a bath?��


    Kafni and Monica, entering this luxurious room akin to a top-class hotel, were both excited.


    ��Of course you can,�� Mr. Linda said casually while sipping tea at the round table, pointing at Kafni, ��But you will have to wait until Monica is done.��


    ��Why can��t I go first? You��re looking down on women, aren��t you!�� Kafni burst into anger, feeling up to the challenge after not fighting with Mr. Linda for a few days, frantically using Stealing on him.


    ��Uh, aren��t you a tough guy����


    When there��s a risk of getting slapped, play the tough guy; when it��s time to bathe, pull out the female card�� Mr. Linda was utterly speechless, this Kafni, truly a super fairy!


    Whoosh whoosh whoosh!


    In the midst of their conversation, Mr. Linda��s shirt suddenly flashed with light and landed in Kafni��s right hand.


    This revealed Mr. Linda��s strong body with its eight-pack abs.


    He also exercised regularly and took some Magic Potions to promote muscle growth; one could say he looked slim in clothes but muscular without.


    It was the first time Kafni and the others had seen Mr. Linda shirtless, and they were momentarily stunned.


    In this hotel-like room, with a large white bed to the front and a hot shower to the right, a handsome man sat at the round table, drinking water and waiting��


    It clearly looked like��


    An unspeakable deal was taking place!


    Monica blushed, gripping Mr. Linda��s large hand, ��Lord Captain, shall we bathe together?��


    ��You two, don��t mess around! I��m still here!�� Kafni said, her face flushed with anger.


    ��Monica, be good, go take a bath by yourself. The captain will wait till the end,�� Mr. Linda said helplessly, rubbing Monica��s little head.


    He needed to guide Monica onto the right path; once an adventurer became addicted to sensuality, they would lose the motivation to continue climbing, opting instead to stay home and raise children.


    ��Um.�� Monica pouted and went to the bathroom sullenly.


    Ding-dong.


    At that moment, the doorbell rang.


    Mr. Linda had already instructed that middle-aged man not to disturb him unless it was something important.


    Looks like�� the fish had bitten the hook.


    He and Kafni exchanged a knowing look.


    Walking to the entrance, he opened the door.


    ��Hello, Mr. Linda, I am an envoy from the Dawn Church, you can call me Black Crow.�� S��ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��I sincerely invite you now to join the church and become one of us.��


    Wearing a beak mask, the black-robed man self-professed as ��Black Crow�� gave a slight bow to Mr. Linda.


    ��Come in and talk.��


    Mr. Linda concealed the excitement in his eyes.


    Finally getting close to this mysterious force.


    The three of them sat down at the round table.


    Black Crow, satisfied with his understanding, got straight to the point, ��Mr. Linda, you are surely aware of the strength of the Dawn Church. More than eighty percent of Transcendents are here. Of course, we do not absorb useless individuals; you need to show a little loyalty to the church.��


    ��How should I show it?��


    ��Quite simple, just inject this potion.��


    Black Crow took out a wooden long box from his coat, opened it, and inside was a syringe filled with a blue liquid.


    The liquid bubbled like magma, giving off an ominous feeling.


    ��What is this?�� Mr. Linda asked nonchalantly.


    ��A harmless potion that ensures loyalty to the church,�� Black Crow said with a light and dismissive tone, smiling, ��As long as you earnestly fulfill the church��s commands and perform excellently, you will receive the antidote after a year and be absorbed as a core member of the church.��


    ��Of course, we won��t give you overly challenging commands, and we might not even issue any commands within the year. Come on, Mr. Linda, inject the potion, show your loyalty to the church����


    Bang!


    A wine bottle crashed onto the back of Black Crow��s head.


    The church envoy, excitedly halfway through his speech, rolled his eyes and stuck out his tongue, his head hitting the table.


    ��Well done, Kafni, I was itching to slap him myself,��


    Mr. Linda angrily slammed the table, cursing about the supposed harmless potion; it was nothing but poison forcing compliance like a dog.


    He preached righteousness, but Mr. Linda doubted Black Crow would have turned hostile right away if he refused to inject the potion.


    He and Kafni removed Black Crow��s mask and searched his possessions.


    The Black Crow beneath the mask was a thirty-year-old man with wide-set eyes and a little mustache, resembling a catfish.


    His looks just disgusted Mr. Linda and the others for a moment.


    The most important discovery was a notebook, small enough to fit in a palm, bound in black leather.


    This item was stashed in an inner layer of Black Crow��s clothing, and had Mr. Linda not been thorough, it would have been missed.


    He opened the notebook and flipped through a few pages.


    Lines of text came into view.


    Seeing these, Mr. Linda��s breathing changed from calm to rapid, his hands trembling slightly��


    He had actually found several familiar names in the notebook!

 Chapter 207 - 207: 182. Dark Shadow and the Clue to His Sisters Disappearance!

    Chapter 207: 182. Dark Shadow and the Clue to His Sister��s Disappearance!


    ��Transcendent Test Subject 73, Tina, summoned the Dawn Goddess, wish granted.��


    ��Transcendent Test Subject 74, ��failure.��


    ��Transcendent Test Subject 79, Lin Xi, summoned the Dawn Goddess, wish granted.��


    There might be a possibility of names being common, but Lin Da believed that this probability was very slim; he leaned more towards the latter:


    His own sister, Lin Xi, as well as the original team member, Five-star Character, ��Hell��s Judgment�� Tina, had both been to the fourth layer and triggered the hidden storyline here!


    Theoretically, each Mystic Realm would reset after an adventurer cleared it, and Black Crow��s notebook, like a ��Trophy,��


    ...


    recorded the names of all adventurers who had completed the hidden storyline and made a wish to that something Dawn Goddess.


    What was the Dawn Goddess?


    What did Tina and Lin Xi wish for on the fourth layer?


    The disappearance of Lin Xi, as well as the disappearance of Dark Shadow, could it be related to this wish��


    Lin Da felt as if he was in the midst of a thick fog, excited to be close to the truth yet shivering at the face of the unknown.


    ��Have you ever heard of the Dawn Goddess?�� he asked Kafni.


    ��What bullshit Dawn Goddess. There are only two deities on this continent, one is the Native God, World Tree Goddess Tricia, and the other is yours truly.��


    Kafni spoke dismissively, ��Let me see, this Dawn Goddess must also be a Magical Creature that can be conquered, concocted by Tricia.��


    Lin Da thought about it and figured Kafni was probably right; the Dawn Goddess was merely a setting in this narrative-type Secret Realm.


    But, did she possess some kind of magical power capable of fulfilling the wishes of adventurers?


    Lin Da continued to flip through the notebook:


    ��After centuries of research, we have finally figured out the ritual to summon the Dawn Goddess.


    We need an Array, then the heart of an S-rank or above Transcendent as the main sacrifice, supplemented with 1705 grams of Fragrant Pork, 2034 milliliters of apple-flavored strong liquor, the head of a three-year-old boy��


    Wait,


    then at midnight, chant a specific spell, and the Dawn Goddess can be called upon.��


    The more Lin Da read, the more unsettling it felt.


    What kind of Goddess fancied the hearts of Transcendents and heads of little boys?


    This was clearly some kind of yandere!


    Lin Da was almost certain that his sister��s disappearance was definitely related to the Dawn Goddess.


    ��We��ll have to meet this fellow,�� Lin Da said.


    ��That��s what I was thinking,�� Kafni sneered. ��Some nobody popping up and calling herself a Goddess? Does she even have a diploma? Even Tricia, in my eyes, is just a country bumpkin!��


    After Monica came out from her shower, the three discussed and unanimously decided to delve deeper into the Dawn Church and perform that summoning ritual.


    ��Wake up.��


    Lin Da used the Dark Whip to tie up Black Crow and had Kafni pour a bucket of cold water on his head.


    ��Sss.��


    Black Crow shivered.


    Although a Transcendent, he seemed to have a very weak physique.


    Lin Da found some gems similar to Demon Cores on this man.


    Normal Transcendents, not in Werewolf form, used such external forces to cast spells.


    In other words, confiscate the gems, and they��re completely ordinary people.


    ��You��re attacking a Church Envoy? Are you mad? Do you have any idea what you are doing?��


    Black Crow yelled with a frightening tone but inward trepidation.


    He looked at his stripped clothes and Lin Da��s purple Energy Whip, both shocked and afraid: He��d misjudged the situation; based on the strength of this Energy Whip alone, at least an S-rank Transcendent, not someone he could handle!


    ��Not quite clear on the situation yet? Kafni, slap him,�� Lin Da snorted coldly.


    ��Alright.��


    Kafni picked up the slippers and with two crisp slaps, made Black Crow��s mouth bleed, eliciting his compliance.


    ��I ask, you answer. Answer well, and I might consider letting you off the hook.��


    Lin Da took a sip of red tea and said, ��First question, what were the wish contents for these Transcendent Test Subjects? What were the wishes made by Number 73, Tina, and Number 79, Lin Xi?��


    ��That sort of classified information�� only the Bishop knows, I really don��t know�� ah! Stop hitting me, I truly don��t know!��


    Black Crow��s face was swollen from Kafni��s slapping, turning him into a fat panda head.


    ��Fine, I��ll take your word for now. Second question, what is the Dawn Goddess?��


    ��A deity that can grant any wish.��


    ��Be more specific.��


    ��Uh�� that��s what the Bishop says.��


    ��You believe whatever the Bishop says? Kafni, hit him!��


    Lin Da was infuriated; this was a completely brainwashed good-for-nothing. There was no way to interrogate any valuable information out of him!


    Black Crow was beaten into unconsciousness.


    Lin Da paced in the room with furrowed brows; it seemed that to find out the wish contents of Lin Xi and the others, he would need to meet this Bishop face to face.


    No matter what, he had to infiltrate the Dawn Church.


    He looked at his team members: ��Town Portal Scrolls, have them at the ready. If anything unexpected happens, leave immediately.��


    ��Understood.�� Kafni and the others nodded seriously.


    With only seven days to stay in the Mystic Realm, Lin Da chose the most direct approach to get close to the Bishop.


    ��


    A day later.


    Black Crow, brimming with confidence, drove back to the Church residence. His face was still bruised, but his spirits were too excited to care, and he was almost ready to burst into song.


    He glanced back disdainfully at the three people bound head to toe in the carriage: ��You think a few ropes can hold me, Black Crow?��


    Taking advantage of the three people sleeping, Black Crow escaped from the rope bindings and laid claim to their ��Magic Stones�� used for casting spells.


    With this, the Transcendents became toothless tigers, while Black Crow himself donned the Magic Stones to cast a Grass-type Spell: ��Blue Entanglement��, tying Lin Da and the others up.


    ��I wanted to assimilate you into the Church. Well, you brought this on yourselves. The Bishop has been looking for S-tier Transcendents recently, so your three hearts will make a fine sacrifice to the Goddess!��


    ��I, Black Crow, an A-tier Transcendent, have actually captured three S-tiers. The Bishop was right; strength isn��t everything, wisdom is!��


    Black Crow, looking smug, glanced at the three ��unconscious�� losers in the carriage, humming a cheerful tune, he snapped the whip and drove out of Dark Night City, onto a path leading to the deep mountains and ancient forests.


    ��Lin Da, my stomach is itchy, scratch it for me.��


    Kafni��s arms were tied behind her, and she was afraid of breaking the ropes if she used too much force, so she had to ask Lin Da for help.


    ��Keep it down. If we get heard, the plan will fail.��


    Lin Da��s eyelids twitched with annoyance, wishing he could throw Kafni out of the carriage.


    Look at how well Monica was playing her part, nestled in his arms like an obedient big kitty.


    Kafni was nothing but trouble; one moment it was an uncomfortable position, and the next, an itch here or there. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The floor of the carriage was indeed damp, and Lin Da was also feeling uncomfortable.


    But enduring hardship is one of the essential qualities of an adventurer.


    If you��re afraid of everything, you might as well go home and raise kids!


    Lin Da gave Kafni a silent warning with his eyes.


    Alright, alright.


    Kafni replied with the shape of her mouth.

 Chapter 208 - 208: 183, Legendary Item: Dawn Churchs Wish Diary

    Chapter 208: 183, Legendary Item: Dawn Church��s Wish Diary


    The carriage followed a winding path into the deep forest, entering an old castle.


    Inside, there was dust everywhere, spider webs, and all the furniture had long since rotted away, looking uninhabited.


    Black Crow bound Lin Da and the other two together, dragging them with a rope into a tunnel leading underground.


    In front of a steel gate, there were two warriors responsible for guarding.


    ��The dawn shall guide us.��


    Black Crow and the two warriors saluted each other with solemn expressions.


    ...


    Then, the three from Phoenix Tail Flower were brought inside and locked in a small room with white walls on all sides.


    Lin Da closed his eyes, listening to the sounds around him:


    ��These people are S-level Transcendents, Black Crow, are you certain?��


    ��Yes, the ritual can be conducted now. Please inform Bishop Marshall immediately, we can��t afford to wait another year.��


    ��Okay! Black Crow, you��ve made a great contribution, once this is successful, you��ll be promoted at least three ranks.��


    ��Hahahahaha.��


    The sound of chatter and footsteps gradually faded away.


    Lin Da��s plan was going smoothly.


    About six hours passed, and in the afternoon of the same day, Bishop Marshall couldn��t wait to arrive.


    Through a clear glass wall, Bishop Marshall��s face lit up with joy as he looked at the three Phoenix Tail Flower members bound inside.


    Bishop Marshall was a short, bald, white-bearded old man dressed in a white ceremonial robe.


    He couldn��t help but stroke his beard and laugh loudly, ��Black Crow, you have done well. The hearts of these three will make the finest material for the ritual!��


    ��You flatter me, Bishop,�� said Black Crow, with a smirk more difficult to press down than a firearm��s trigger. Clapping his hands, he summoned two attendants, ��Go, dissect the three inside, but remember not to damage their hearts.��


    ��Yes.��


    The attendants, holding knives, entered the room.


    This was a solemn and ceremonial occasion. Apart from the high-ranking members of the Dawn Church, 20 A-level Transcendents and 5 S-level Transcendents also arrived on the scene to ensure the ritual��s success without fail.


    These Transcendents usually appeared no different from ordinary people, often disguising themselves in various identities and lurking within Dark Night City.


    But today, they gathered together in high spirits, waiting for the moment to behold the Dawn Goddess.


    Bishop Marshall looked at the Transcendents with a satisfied heart.


    It took the church decades to accumulate these elites.


    Even if the Inspection Bureau were to intervene today, they would not be able to stop the ritual.


    So many Transcendents gathered together could be considered the strongest force in Dark Night City.


    The success of the ritual was within reach!


    ��Bishop, please be careful, those three�� seem to have woken up.��


    S-level Transcendent, ��Steel Shield�� Jel, with his towering stature, stepped forward to protect Bishop Marshall.


    ��They��re awake?��


    Everyone clicked their tongues in wonder.


    The three captives had been injected with a large amount of sedatives.


    Even an elephant wouldn��t be able to wake up.


    Yet they had managed to stand up and even snapped the ropes binding their bodies.


    ��Physical-type Transcendents, eh? Hehehe, I really want to see what the heart of such a person looks like.��


    ��No matter how strong the flesh, it can��t withstand a blade. In front of me, S-level Transcendent ��Claw�� Mao, they��re as weak as rabbits.��


    ��So young, they could have had the chance to aim for SS-level in the future, what a shame.��


    The core members of the Dawn Church, some with smiles and some with pity, looked on as if viewing animals in a cage.


    The pitiful sacrifices, whether they roared in anger or meowed in protest, could only provide cheap emotional value to them.


    Bishop Marshall smiled, ��Jel, you��re being too cautious. This glass wall is made from Transcendent material; even ten mammoths charging simultaneously couldn��t damage it. Once Transcendents are locked inside, they can only wait to die.��


    ��Since these three little ones refuse to comply, we will have to inject poison gas,�� said Bishop Marshall with regret.


    No one cared about the two attendants who walked into the small room; they were destined to accompany Lin Da and the others in death.


    However��


    Click.


    Lin Da took out the Azure Sword from the Space Ring and gently swung it forward.


    The glass wall, which had given the members of the Dawn Church endless confidence and was boasted to be indestructible, split in two under Lin Da��s single strike.


    The shattering of the wall, to the church��s people, was like the collapse of their worldview.


    ��What!��


    The wrinkles on Bishop Marshall��s old face tensed, his mouth gaping in disbelief as he pointed shakily at Lin Da, ��Stop�� stop him! Quick!��


    ��Protect the Bishop!��


    Steel Shield Jel shouted as he raised his arm, crushing a white magic gem.


    Strength instantly filled his body.


    Jel cast the spell ��Steel Armor.��


    An exquisite set of armor conformed to Jel��s body.


    The armor was extraordinarily hard against enemies but soft as cloth to Jel, weightless, not hindering movement in the slightest.


    With this layer of armor, Jel could defeat the strongest land beast with his bare hands: the over two-thousand-pound king, the Arctic Berserk Bear!


    ��Die!�� S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jel sneered and pounced towards Lin Da like a giant.


    ��Get lost.��


    Lin Da kicked out irritably as though kicking a sandbag.


    With a boom, Jel��s steel armor burst open, exposing the flesh beneath.


    His entire body curled like a shrimp, and the terrifying impact caused his eyeballs to bulge out, covered in bloodshot veins, looking as if they were about to explode.


    Jel was sent flying back to where he came from, tumbling away for dozens of meters.


    ��`


    He finally crashed into the wall cabinet, causing bottles and jars to fall with a clatter, the sound chaotic.


    At this, everyone was dumbfounded.


    S-class, Steel Shield Jel known for his defense�� was taken out in one strike?


    ��Monster, it��s a monster!��


    A female Transcendent clad in black tights screamed in panic, the first to flee.


    She realized that the man in front of them may look human, but at his core, he was a monster��all Transcendents need magic gems to exert their powers, but that man, he didn��t need any gems; he could wield power directly.


    ��Stop hesitating, just do it; your captain doesn��t have any area-of-effect spells, you know.�� Kafni scratched her belly vigorously, finally relieving the itch she��d been holding in for so long, almost moaning in satisfaction from the comfort.


    Monica was muttering to herself: This is all fake, none of this is the real world.


    Then, she extended her hands forward, conjuring a Magic Circle that horrified the other Transcendents:


    ��Earthquake Technique!��


    Boom!


    The ground collapsed, and spires of earth jutted out like long spears.


    Screams were unending.


    The Transcendents, regardless of being A-class or S-class, were equal under the Earthquake Technique.


    All were gutted, bleeding profusely.


    ��Help���� Bishop Marshall��s face was deathly pale as he trembled in the air.


    Lin Da decided to keep this man useful.


    Just before Monica activated the Earthquake Technique, he had used the Dark Whip to wrap around Marshall and hold him aloft.


    With a snap, he threw Marshall to the ground, slowly dusted off the dirt on his clothes, and joined his team members in surrounding the man.


    ��Who exactly are you! Only the Goddess�� can wield power without the aid of gems!��


    ��Shar Pei, we are adventurers, my Lord!�� Kafni declared proudly, puffing out her chest. ��You Transcendents are quite rubbish, really; what��s this about S-class? It��s about the level of a level 15 Murderous Crab, I��d say.��


    For the NPCs, these words were undoubtedly a dimensional strike.


    Bishop Marshall looked utterly perplexed: ��Adventurers? Murderous Crabs? I don��t understand at all!��


    ��You don��t need to worry about who we are, just answer the questions.��


    Lin Da organized his thoughts and started with the most important question: ��Transcendent Test Subject Number 73, Tina, and Number 79, Lin Xi, what did they wish for in the ceremony to summon the Dawn Goddess?��


    Bishop Marshall showed hesitation.


    ��Ahhhh!��


    At the next moment, Lin Da unleashed the Dark Whip without any mercy, breaking one of Marshall��s fingers.


    ��For every second I count, I will break one finger, then the toes, and lastly, the neck.��


    By the time the fourth finger was broken, Bishop Marshall, in tears and snot, confessed.


    ��The experiment logs are in the safe, I��ll get them for you!��


    ��That��s more like it.��


    Lin Da, like escorting a prisoner, followed Marshall deeper into the premises.


    Into a grand hall.


    Ghostly blue torches were inserted all around, their light dim, the atmosphere eerie.


    Inside, it was so quiet that only their footsteps could be heard.


    The most conspicuous object in the hall was a clear and transparent pool.


    It was circular, surrounded by a complex and dense array, enveloping the pool at its center.


    Lin Da glanced around and spotted ritual offerings at various points around the array.


    Among them were items mentioned in the Black Crow��s notes, including the head of a boy!


    Despite the pain from his broken fingers, Bishop Marshall managed to open the safe and retrieve an old, time-worn notebook from within.


    The pages inside were yellowed and brittle, as if they would crumble at the slightest touch.


    Lin Da took it and carefully opened it:


    [Transcendent Test Subject Number 70, Obeka, wished for an epic weapon. Wishing failed, obtained an Epic-level Dragon Scale.]


    [Number 71, wished for strength. He became a ��wall�� forever, standing to this day on the first floor of the castle.]


    [Number 72, wished to resurrect a teammate. Failed, the corpse was devoured by the Dawn Goddess.]


    Lin Da turned the pages, and the text that met his eyes made his scalp tingle.


    Not a single adventurer who made a wish to the Dawn Goddess had succeeded!


    Number 70 was somewhat lucky, acquiring an Epic-level material.


    Number 71 became a wall.


    Number 72 went straight to hell, reuniting with his teammate.


    With these precedents, why did Tina and Lin Xi dare to make a wish?


    ��Did you�� discover anything?��


    Kafni looked at Lin Da curiously.


    ��The contents of the wishes, isn��t it strange?��


    ��Uh�� the strange one is you! There��s nothing on this!��


    Kafni touched her head in confusion, turning to Monica and asking, ��Can you see the wishes of these test subjects?��


    ��I can��t,�� Monica shook her head. ��They��re just black squares.��


    Hearing his teammates�� words, Lin Da was taken aback.


    Could it be that only a real ��player�� like himself could see the text in the logs?


    ��System, open!��


    Lin Da silently called out to the system in his mind, and as he looked at the diary with the help of the system��s view, a window popped up:


    [Name: The Dawn Church��s Wish Diary]


    [Quality: Legendary]


    [Description: Records all the wishes made by adventurers when they triggered this hidden level.]


    [Note: This item cannot be damaged by non-players.]


    ��`

 Chapter 209 - 209: 184. Sisters Wish

    Chapter 209: 184. Sister��s Wish


    ��So that��s how it is����


    Lin Da thought to himself, because Lin Xi and her team couldn��t see the records of other adventurers�� failed wishes, they boldly summoned the Dawn Goddess.


    After they made their wishes, since they were not ��players,�� even if they destroyed this diary or took it away, everything would reset when other adventurers entered Dark Night City.


    Until his arrival.


    Lin Da had a premonition that if he took the diary away, adventurers who came after him would never see this item again.


    ��Although I don��t know the specific uses, take everything that can be taken.��


    ...


    Lin Da thought as he turned to the next page.


    ��It��s Sister Tina!�� Monica said.


    She could only see the name of the wisher, Tina.


    This team member was well-known in the Primitive Adventure Team and was one of Lin Da��s right-hand men.


    She served as the vice-captain of the Primitive Adventure Team.


    Even though Monica spent years in the warehouse, she knew Tina��s reputation well.


    A beautiful girl from the Angel Race.


    What struck Monica the most were Tina��s black wings and her terrifying large scythe.


    The day the Primitive Adventure Team disbanded, Lin Da��s cucumbers were stolen by Tina from his room, for reasons unknown.


    ��What wish did Sister Tina make?�� Monica asked with interest, leaning close to Lin Da.


    ����It��s unclear.��


    ��Huh?��


    ��The content is unclear.��


    Lin Da narrowed his eyes, and what appeared in his vision was a system prompt:


    [Wish number 73, erased three years ago]


    Three years ago was precisely when Dark Shadow disappeared and Lin Da crossed over to this world.


    Lin Da dared not say for sure that Dark Shadow��s disappearance was related to Tina, but there was at least a ninety percent chance.


    If it weren��t for a terrible wish, why would someone deliberately erase it?


    Moreover, Lin Da found something odd: how did Tina return to the fourth layer?


    Unless she changed her profession and reset all levels.


    Otherwise, a second climb up the World Tree was impossible.


    And the higher the level, the riskier the reset becomes.


    Dispersing all the Fighting Spirit Magic Power wasn��t an easy task.


    After level 20, the failure rate is 99%.


    After level 50, a failure is nearly 100% inevitable. sea??h th�� N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da��s impression of Tina as a team member was that she was the kind who was obsessed with strength, who would never reset her levels just to return to the fourth layer.


    The mystery deepened.


    Lin Da thought to himself that he might only wait until the day he returned to the Royal Capital to personally ask Tina.


    Without strength, Lin Da would not approach her lightly. Who knows if those Five-star team members, seeing him become so weak, might seek revenge.


    ��Mystic Continent,�� as a computer game featuring many beautiful girl team members, had characters who could satisfy various player experiences, like Tasya who enjoyed despising others as big shot small fries or Tina with a strong possessive desire��


    In Tina��s personal storyline, there was a scene called [Wanting to turn the team leader into a toy belonging only to her].


    If Lin Da revealed his identity, it probably wouldn��t end well.


    ��I came here to investigate Lin Xi��s disappearance, Tina is still too far away from the current me, no need to worry about her for now.��


    Lin Da took a deep breath and turned the next page.


    What wish had his sister made that caused her to mysteriously disappear?


    ��


    Something was not right.


    This ��instance�� was very strange.


    ��Tricia, you��re there, aren��t you? I need to see you!��


    Lin Da��s face was ashen as he closed the journal, shouting in his heart toward the pitch-black ceiling above.


    As the World Tree Goddess and the will of this continent, Tricia should be able to hear his voice.


    What Lin Da wanted to know more than anything was: was this fourth layer truly created by Tricia using her divine power? Or was it that even Tricia herself could not control the content within the Mystic Realm?


    The fourth layer, within the game, was a chaotic and disordered Mystic Realm of flesh pigeons, where even the game developers didn��t know what it would look like the next time someone entered.


    The Dark Night City Mystic Realm was twisted and evil, featuring an incomprehensible Dawn Goddess who granted wishes.


    All these things were likely beyond Tricia��s expectations.


    The ritual to summon the Dawn Goddess required a transcendent��s heart, a boy��s skull�� no matter how he thought about it, these were playthings preferred by an evil god.


    As a loving and nurturing goddess, this wasn��t Tricia��s style.


    Lin Da called out to the void again and again.


    It was as futile as a child fantasizing, raising both hands and executing ��Divine Conquest��; no matter how hard he fantasized, it was pointless.


    ��Can��t I send a private message to Tricia without the help of a goddess statue?��


    Lin Da clicked his tongue in frustration.


    It seemed that to find out the truth, he would have to beat the fourth layer and go to the Adventurer��s Guild to ask the goddess statue.


    ��What did you find in the journal?�� Kafni asked as she saw him pacing around, scratching his head in curiosity.


    ��I have come to two conclusions.��


    ��The first is about the Dawn Goddess. In this hidden storyline, adventurers can make wishes to her. The simpler the wish, the more likely it is to succeed.��


    ��For instance, if I wish for a Level One Magic Core, then it will definitely succeed,�� Lin Da analyzed gradually.


    ��What about complex wishes?�� Monica blinked, asking.


    ��I guess, they will fail,�� Kafni said calmly.


    ��Exactly.��


    Lin Da nodded, ��If you wish for a beautiful young girl as a wife, you might end up turning into a beautiful young girl yourself.��


    ��The more complex, the more difficult the wish, the more likely it is to be twisted and fulfilled in another way. Look, you got a wife and a beautiful young girl, but it��s yourself. There��s also gaining strength but turning into a wall, wanting to resurrect a teammate but ending up meeting in hell�� nine out of ten fail.��


    Kafni said, ��This is because the Dawn Goddess��s power isn��t strong enough. If she were truly a deity, she could grant legendary skills as wishes.��


    Then she thought to herself, much like a true deity, not only did she grant the hero a bunch of legendary skills, but she also gave him a strong, beautiful, and wise female teammate.


    Kafni��s attitude could be described in two words: proud.


    ��What was Sister Lin Xi��s wish?�� Monica feebly said, ��Captain, you look so glum.��


    ��Ah.��


    Lin Da sighed.


    Fortunately, Lin Xi��s wish was not erased from the journal and remained on it.


    Unfortunately, Lin Xi��s desire was terribly complicated.


    Among all the wishers, it ranked among the most complicated, most difficult to fulfill!


    Even Lin Da didn��t know what that so-called ��Dawn Goddess�� would twist it into!


    As he was about to answer Monica,


    ��Hehehe, hehehehehe�� you madmen, you three mentally disturbed madmen, just die!��


    Bishop Marshall flipped a switch within a safe and hysterically laughed.


    ��Go die, all of you! Demon, kill these three madmen!��


    The silence in the underground hall was shattered by Bishop Marshall��s manic laughter.


    Lin Da frowned, ��I know you��re anxious, but hold on a second.��


    He activated the skill Dark Whip, ready to calm Bishop Marshall down.


    At that moment, he heard the sound of rushing water.


    Something seemed to have floated up in the pool below the hall.

 Chapter 210 - 210: 185. The content of the sisters wishes, Lin Da totally smashes sister

    Chapter 210: 185. The content of the sister��s wishes, Lin Da totally smashes ��sister


    Something is being kept under the pool?


    Lin Da and the other two looked at each other, all feeling a chill down their spines.


    Kafni closed her eyes, reaching out with her divine power to sense her surroundings.


    She seemed to discover something, and her expression gradually changed, ��It has the strength of level 20, be careful.��


    ��Level 20�� a hidden boss?��


    Lin Da tied up Bishop Marshall, ��Is that what you call the Dawn Goddess? Kept in a pool?��


    ...


    ��Goddess? Hahaha, ignorant fools, that is the church��s strongest weapon, the Ma����


    While speaking, Marshall��s pupils suddenly contracted.


    He opened his mouth, an expression of extreme terror on his face.


    But he couldn��t make a sound.


    His entire head burst open like a firework!


    With a bang.


    Ketchup splattered everywhere, covering Lin Da and the others�� faces.


    Monica, pale as a ghost, sat on the ground, letting out a crying scream.


    She probably wouldn��t dare to sleep alone for a month!


    Lin Da and Kafni were strong mentally, but their faces were equally ugly.


    The thing in the pool, did it kill Marshall?


    Wasn��t that the weapon Marshall kept?


    No wonder it was sealed beneath the pool.


    It must be some crazed entity, not even Marshall had confidence to control it.


    Releasing it must have been meant to give the Phoenix Tail Flower Team a joint burial!


    ��Don��t underestimate it, everyone get ready for battle!��


    Lin Da pulled the panicking Monica to her feet, his voice stern, his gaze icy, as if he had transformed into the Dark Shadow he once was.


    This triggered the deeply planted fear of abandonment in Monica��s soul.


    Those who disobeyed the orders of the Dark Shadow would be brutally kicked out of the team!


    Lin Da used poison to fight poison, scaring Monica with the Dark Shadow into regaining her composure.


    The brown array lit up again, and a miserable Monica charged up an Earth Bombardment.


    ��Heehee, heeheehee����


    Different from the explosive battle they expected.


    Spine-chilling giggles eclipsed from beneath the pool.


    In the vast and silent hall, besides the breathing of the three members of the adventure team, there was only this eerie laughter.


    Lin Da didn��t find this laughter endearing at all, but rather like a damp tendril, entwining around his heart.


    Splash.


    With a rush of water sounds, the thing from the pool came onto the surface.


    Lin Da and the others were all on high alert.


    But what appeared before them was��


    A girl.


    A naked girl.


    Her wet black hair clung to her back, with the strands in front modestly covering her private parts.


    The girl��s pale, jade-like feet touched the ground, leaving damp traces as she walked.


    Kafni gripped her dagger tightly, ��Monica, isn��t your spell ready yet? Shoot that thing, quick!��


    ��Ah, okay, right!��


    Monica��s face was white with fear, her chanting speed half of the usual. In her haste and confusion, tears welled in her eyes, but she couldn��t fire her spell.


    Both women readied themselves for combat, but only Lin Da, dropping Marshal��s headless body, stared dumbfounded at the girl before him.


    Wild-haired, like a wraith.


    From her, Lin Da could not sense the slightest hint of humanity.


    Lin Da couldn��t believe what was happening before his eyes.


    No matter what, the wish Lin Xi had made should not have come true in this way!


    ��


    Before the Snow Goose Adventure Team entered the fourth floor, Lin Xi had mentioned ��not wanting to adventure anymore��.


    Perhaps Lin Xi had already discovered something at that time but did not tell the others.


    Back then, Lin Da was still an ordinary Healer.


    Perhaps even if he had been told, he would have been powerless.


    As far as Lin Da knew, Lin Xi��s magic power was increasing faster and faster, like a balloon that kept expanding without the ability to turn off the inflating valve. One day, it would burst with a loud bang, completely exploding.


    In the end�� Lin Xi chose to come to a place like this, pinning her hopes on the unreliable Dawn Goddess.


    The contents of the diary surfaced in Lin Da��s mind.


    Lin Xi��s wish was, ��To abandon adventuring with my brother Lin Da and obtain eternal life, to live a simple life.��


    Although it was just one sentence, it contained multiple wishes.


    It was as if the Magic Lamp said you could make one wish, and then you say your wish is to pick three more wishes.


    Such insatiable greed would cause the one to be devoured by the Magic Lamp, never to see the light of day again!


    So when Lin Da saw his sister��s wish, he felt somewhat disheartened.


    From the wishes of other people in the diary, it seemed the more straightforward and simple the wish, the greater the chance of success.


    Lin Xi��s wish was abstract and complex.


    Eternal life is something most adventurers would not pursue. With the Demon King about to awaken, only by gaining strength and defeating the Demon King could one survive.


    Giving up adventuring was something Lin Da would never do. Lin Xi��s wish certainly couldn��t change his mind.


    To live a mundane life�� it��s impossible without destroying the Demon King.


    Lin Da could say with certainty that Lin Xi��s wish would not be fulfilled in a normal way.


    What form it would take to come true, that answer seemed to be laid out before him.


    Usually sealed beneath the pool, becoming the hidden boss of Dark Night City. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Whenever new adventurers entered, the instance would refresh.


    To gain ��eternal life�� in such an alternative way��?


    ��Brother, I miss you so much, please come to me,��


    In Lin Xi��s eyes, there was the innocence and cuteness of a young girl.


    Clean, neat, fair.


    Like a flawless little flower.


    And at this moment, the sister who crawled out of the pool reached out with her pitiful hands.


    ��It��s cold, I��m so cold, brother, can you lend me a piece of clothing to wear?��


    Lin Xi staggered like a toddler learning to walk, trying hard to maintain her balance on her feet.


    ��Idiot, don��t go over there!��


    Kafni watched in frustration as Lin Da unhesitatingly embraced that ��Magical Creature��!


    Ordinary people couldn��t see the difference, but Kafni��s perception was clear that the aura of that thing was no different from a Magical Creature!


    Approaching it was definitely dangerous.


    This, in fact, Lin Da had also realized.


    If for a brave hero the witch was a piece of black, sooty coal that dirtied upon touch, then the ��sister�� before him was petroleum.


    After embracing the ��sister��, it felt as if a sticky, disgusting liquid wrapped around Lin Da��s entire body.


    They turned into tiny black tentacles, touching everywhere, and causing goosebumps to rise on Lin Da��s back.


    This Lin Xi indeed had a trace of the witch��s aura within her but very faint.


    More than that was the stench of Magical Creatures!


    On the surface, Lin Da showed concern, but inside, his rage was sky-high.


    This Magical Creature��s actions were akin to adding a heap of hated coriander to the soup of an adventurer who detested it.


    He came to find his sister, but the Magical Creature turned into the naked form of his sister, disgusting him.


    ��Die!��


    Lin Da roared, grabbing the Magical Creature ��Lin Xi�� around the waist and lifting her high, before slamming her down onto the ground.


    Crack!


    Under his 952 points of strength, ��Lin Xi��s�� neck was broken on the spot!


    Kafni was stunned along with the others.


    They thought Lin Da was going to recognize his kin.


    Then he turned and gave her a body slam.


    Such a hero was approachable!


    Kafni thought to herself, if Lin Da had been charmed by the Magical Creature and become weepy, she would have totally lost respect for him!


    ��Ying ying ying, it hurts, it hurts so much brother, why are you hitting me?��


    ��Lin Xi�� sobbed, her broken neck stretching like rubber, hovering in front of Lin Da, her face covered in sadness: ��Didn��t brother always like me the most? It hurts, it hurts to death.��


    ��Don��t f***ing disgust me, Magical Creature, reveal yourself!��

 Chapter 211 - 211: 186, Lin Da presides over the ceremony, summoning the Dawn Goddess.

    Chapter 211: 186, Lin Da presides over the ceremony, summoning the Dawn Goddess.


    Lin Da��s hand flashed with light as he drew the Azure Sword from his Space Ring and immediately activated the skill of the Ferocious Fang accessory: Lethal Strike!


    The Azure Sword transformed into something akin to a giant hammer, and with a thud, it plunged ��Lin Xi�� into the ground, her flesh a blurred mess, too gruesome to behold.


    -4750!


    ��Ahhh, why are you hitting me, you jerk brother, I��m going to eat you up!��


    Lin Xi��s corpse turned into a puddle of black liquid, which then congealed into the shape of a bat standing on two legs.


    Lin Da sneered, ��Just as I thought, an ��Anthropomorphic Demon.�� How could my sister run into her brother��s arms stark naked?��


    ...


    What appeared before the Phoenix Tail Flower Team was, in fact, a young Thousand-Change Demon, a Rare Orange Level Magical Creature, the Anthropomorphic Demon.


    The Anthropomorphic Demon, level 20, could mimic any human it had seen before.


    In the later stages of the game, these Anthropomorphic Demon spies disguised as adventurers brought great disaster to the empire.


    They were creatures of not a high level, but exceedingly annoying to deal with.


    ��Dark Whip!��


    ��Assassinate!��


    ��Earth Bombardment!��


    The Phoenix Tail Flower Team launched a round of attacks, dealing twenty thousand damage directly to the Anthropomorphic Demon.


    Lin Da equipped the Verdant Shield, ��total health points�� 8845.


    He then activated the skill [Spiky Thorn Armor], boosting his defensive power.


    [Toxic Enchantment], turning his Normal Attacks into Magic Damage, increasing damage by 50%.


    Lin Da, buffed to the hilt, charged like a brown bear, unfazed by the Anthropomorphic Demon��s various skills, and launched an attack!


    The Azure Sword slashed and cleaved.


    His big feet kicked at faces.


    A string of damage numbers appeared.


    Admittedly, Lin Da��s swordsmanship and combat skills were mediocre.


    But his attributes were high.


    A Normal Attack from him dealt about 1300 damage.


    Fueled with rage, Lin Da swung the Azure Sword in his hand, leaving afterimages as he hit, causing the Anthropomorphic Demon to howl in pain.


    Anyone watching would have thought him a Berserker, nowhere near being thought of as a healer!


    ��You like mimicking, huh? Well then, mimic me one more time, I dare you!��


    Lin Da raised the Azure Sword high above his head and executed the New Year��s Swordsmanship.


    -1700!


    The wrathful strike landed a critical hit!


    The Anthropomorphic Demon was like a torn rag under Lin Da��s blade, cleaved in two.


    A somewhat abnormal system prompt rang in Lin Da��s ears:


    [You have defeated a level 20 Rare Orange Level Magical Creature, the Anthropomorphic Demon, and have obtained 45000 Mystical Points!]


    [Current Mystical Points 124867]


    Breaking the hundred thousand mark was undoubtedly good news.


    It meant that Lin Da could level up to 20 at any time, transitioning from the status of adventurer to that of Adventurer.


    Becoming a pillar of White Dove City, ranked alongside many Rock-level Squads.


    But�� something was not right.


    Lin Da found it puzzling that killing Magical Creatures in the World Tree should have rewarded them with diamonds, shouldn��t it?


    The World Tree Goddess hadn��t awarded their team with any experience points either.


    In theory, a burst of golden light should fall upon them, and all would rise to level 20. That would be the normal outcome.


    Yet the current situation seemed indistinguishable from hunting Magical Creatures outside.


    Lin Da landed the last hit, earning Mystical Points.


    Kafni also noticed something amiss, ��Where is the Divine Gift from the World Tree Goddess?��


    ��Seems like there��s none,�� Monica tilted her head, feeling around but not sensing any increase in magic power.


    ��This isn��t a creature from the trial.��


    Lin Da��s expression turned solemn as he pointed at the corpse of the Anthropomorphic Demon, ��This�� is a genuine Magical Creature.��


    The forces of the Demon Realm had penetrated into the World Tree.


    This situation was not unfamiliar to Lin Da, as similar settings were present in the upper levels of the World Tree.


    However, such conditions shouldn��t occur below the twentieth floor.


    The only way to find out the truth was to ask the World Tree Goddess directly.


    ��What do we do now? Leave the Mystic Realm? Our main objective is complete,�� said Kafni.


    ��Lord Captain, let��s go,�� Monica urged nervously.


    The Dark Night City was exuding an eerie vibe from every corner.


    ��Hold on, we haven��t completed the final adventure target yet,�� Lin Da said.


    He took out a maple-leaf-shaped leaf from the World Tree, and the text on it read:


    [Adventure Goal: Find and kill the Werewolf within seven days (completed)]


    [Extra Goal: Kill 5 Magical Beings/Transcendents (completed)]


    [Bonus Goal: Kill a ��Deity�� (incomplete)]


    ��This ��deity�� probably refers to the Dawn Goddess,�� Lin Da said.


    ��The ��Goddess�� that lured my sister away and made her disappear, I really want to see what it looks like!��


    The materials for summoning the Dawn Goddess had been prepared by Bishop Marshall.


    The one thing missing, the heart of an S-level Transcendent, they had several of.


    When Lin Da escaped his predicament, he had killed a bunch.


    The specific summoning method was recorded in the journal.


    Everything was ready.


    ��Hmm, I��m also quite curious about this ��Goddess���� Heh, I bet she��s not even worth one of my hairs,�� Kafni said, totally fearless and full of enthusiasm.


    Monica, the more timid member of the team, trembled slightly, clinging to Lin Da like a little tail.


    ��If it can be killed, this ��deity�� is at most level 20. The hidden boss of the fourth layer can��t be that much more powerful,�� Lin Da said with a smile, his warm hand caressing Monica��s soft brown hair.


    It wasn��t that he was overconfident; even the most outrageous boss of the fourth layer couldn��t possibly be at the level of the Red Armored Crab King.


    He himself had over 120,000 Mystical Points, and in a moment of crisis, he could level up directly to 20 and activate his double fatality skills.


    Ultimate Skills, either having extremely high damage multipliers or powerful supportive effects, significantly boost the strength of adventurers with such skills.


    Plus, upon reaching level 20, one would receive a one-time substantial increase in attributes.


    All this was what gave Lin Da the confidence to confront the Dawn Goddess.


    The trio first cleared the battlefield for loot, gathering the materials from the Anthropomorphic Demon.


    Organs and flesh are not precious, to be sold to restaurants.


    Teeth, skin, Demon Core�� these are valuable items. sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da sliced open the Anthropomorphic Demon��s heart, inside was a shiny object that caught his eye.


    ��Gold Coin?��


    He frowned and extracted the coin, the size of a fingernail, from the heart.


    Gold Coins growing inside an Anthropomorphic Demon��s heart?


    This is totally a capitalist��s dream! Raise a bunch and harvest them slowly.


    ��There seems to be writing on the back.�� Monica, being short, pointed at the coin curiously with her small hand.


    Lin Da turned it over and indeed, there was.


    The writing was special, more complex than the common language of adventurers, with many strokes to each character.


    Neither Monica nor Kafni could recognize what was written on it.


    Probably no one throughout the entire Mystic Continent could recognize the writing on the Gold Coin, except for Lin Da.


    It was�� Chinese characters.


    Lin Da��s eyes hardened.


    ��Save me��.


    Two simple and easy-to-understand characters, yet they contained many profound meanings.


    Lin Da��s heart instantly grew fervent.


    Without a doubt, this was a distress signal left for him by Lin Xi!


    Lin Xi was indeed missing.


    At this moment, alive somewhere on the continent.


    A weight lifted from Lin Da��s heart.


    Although he steadfastly claimed Lin Xi was missing, deep inside, he couldn��t help but feel unease.


    The appearance of this Gold Coin made the direction of his journey more apparent.


    No matter if his sister was in the abyss or in heaven, he would rescue her.


    ��Dawn Goddess, hehe�� You can make my sister disappear and reappear, so there shouldn��t be a problem, right?��


    After preparing, Lin Da stood at the summoning spot of the Array to oversee the ritual.


    Two team members, one excited, one nervous, were ready with their attack Skills.


    As they had discussed, Lin Da would make a wish first; if successful, they would then kill the Dawn Goddess.


    If the wish failed�� they��d start killing immediately.


    Lin Da held a diary, looking solemnly at the Spell written within, like a friar preaching sermons.


    He cleared his throat and began to chant:


    ��O greatest and most sacred one;


    The crystallization of beauty and wisdom;


    O evil and cunning Magical Beings;


    Magic Mirror, Magic Mirror, tell me who is the fairest of them all;


    Dawn Goddess!


    I have prepared a lavish sacrifice for you.


    Please respond to my call and descend here.


    Summon!��


    Lin Da bit open his thumb, splattering the blood into the unfathomable pool in front of him.


    Hum hum hum��


    The ground beneath began to tremble, as if an earthquake was imminent.


    Around the pool, the vast Array��s lines emanated a dark purple glow.


    Like the tubes of a giant energy furnace, they heated up and all pointed towards that pool.


    The water within bubbled like magma, the clear liquid turning into an ominous deep red, a shock to the senses.


    A trace of sweat seeped from Lin Da��s forehead; he cast the Verdant Shield on himself, his Magic Circuit operating at full power as he readied a Dark Whip Skill in secret.


    The scene before him didn��t look like a ritual to summon a Goddess at all.


    It was more apt for summoning an Evil God.


    ��Whimper, whimper���� Monica��s hands trembled.


    A divine golden light flickered through Kafni��s eyes.


    As a true Deity and a member of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, Kafni would never allow the hero to be harmed.


    ��Dare to hurt the hero, then let this counterfeit god taste the might of a distinguished Deity graduate!�� she thought fiercely.


    The trembling of the ground continued for ten seconds before gradually ceasing.


    The pool ceased boiling as well.


    Everything seemed to return to normal.


    A soft and pleasant female voice came from the depths of the pool:


    ��My followers, I have felt your sincerity.��


    ��Now, speak your wishes.��


    From beneath the pool, tentacles covered with flesh bumps stretched out, grabbing the Array��s offered sacrifice��the Transcendent��s heart, the boy��s head, strong spirits�� and then retracted back into the pool.


    With the adventurers�� Level 19 hearing, they could make out faint crunching and chewing sounds from beneath the pool.


    In Lin Da��s mind, the image of a beast that hadn��t eaten in days devouring a boy��s head arose.


    The feeding sounds were rough, yet the Dawn Goddess��s own voice was so delicate, reminiscent of a compassionate Priest in church, adept at listening to the troubles of the faithful and offering comfort.


    Those of weak willpower would��ve directly called out to the Dawn Goddess as ��Mother��.


    Even Lin Da felt a strong alluring power.


    As if something he greatly desired was in the pool, urging him to jump in and embrace the Dawn Goddess.


    He stumbled forward as though dazed, his inner self shouting to stop, to not move any further, but it was as if he��d lost control over his body, his internal cries useless.


    He was just one meter from the Blood Pool ahead.


    Lin Da��s heart suddenly pounded.


    From the chewing sounds that had emanated from the pool, he surmised that jumping in would lead to dire consequences!


    Luckily, when only one meter remained, Lin Da found he could no longer move forward.


    As the pool turned into an ominous deep red, he had already prepared for the worst.


    Tied around Lin Da��s waist was an energy whip.


    The other end of the whip was attached to the load-bearing pillar of the underground hall!


    From the Poison Technique Series, the Skill: [Dark Whip]!

 Chapter 212 - 212: 187. The True Form of the Dawn Goddess?

    Chapter 212: 187. The True Form of the Dawn Goddess?


    The whip had thorns and barbs, and when Lin Da forcefully moved forward, the barbs pierced through his clothes and into his skin.


    Each painful sting was like a slap waking someone from slumber, snapping Lin Da��s consciousness awake.


    Lin Da shuddered and suddenly came to his senses.


    ��Kafni, Monica?��


    The first thing he did was look around, searching for his teammates.


    Since Kafni was a deity herself, she had high resistance to spiritual attacks and stood her ground, though pain was evident on her face. Kafni was alright herself but had no extra strength to aid others.


    ...


    Lin Da looked to the front side and was shocked. S��arch* The N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Monica, trembling like a marionette, was already at the edge of the pool.


    With half a foot hanging in the air, she was about to fall in!


    The pool boiled again.


    The thing beneath seemed very excited, ready to devour Monica as a new sacrifice.


    ��Go!��


    In the nick of time, Lin Da unleashed his Dark Whip.


    Crack!


    The Dark Whip coiled around Monica��s waist and yanked her back forcefully.


    Lin Da held Monica in his arms.


    Away from the pool, Monica��s hollow eyes gradually regained clarity.


    ��Huh? How��how did I end up in the Captain��s arms?��


    ��It was a spiritual attack.��


    Lin Da, with a grave expression, set Monica down and stared intensely at the pool, ��What exactly are you, come out!��


    ��I didn��t do anything, you know? Mortals worship deities, seeking to be embraced by them��it��s an instinct. It seems your little girlfriend doesn��t have a very firm will,�� the Dawn Goddess said in her pleasing voice. ��Come, answer me instead, what is your wish?��


    ��Lin Xi�� what have you done to her?��


    ��I��m sorry, I can��t answer concerning other wish-makers. That��s a rule,�� the Dawn Goddess said regrettably. ��Please, make another wish.��


    ��Then��bring Lin Xi in front of me.��


    Lin Da clenched his Azure Sword.


    If the Dawn Goddess twisted his wish, he was ready to attack immediately.


    The fact that the opponent stayed under the pool and didn��t come out suggested that its combat power was mediocre.


    Just a four-level hidden BOSS, at most level 20.


    With 120,000 Mystical Points unused, he could directly go to level 20 and give it a taste of his Double Fatality.


    Lin Da was ready to fight at a moment��s notice.


    ����Your wish has been granted.��


    Suddenly, the array��s light extinguished.


    The pool became clear again.


    The Dawn Goddess seemed to have vanished.


    Was the wish granted just like that?


    There seemed to be no change.


    Confused, Lin Da turned around to look, but in the hall, there were only the three members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team; Lin Xi was nowhere to be seen.


    Splashing��


    At that moment, the sound of water echoed in his ears.


    Lin Da��s gaze sharpened, he secured the Dark Whip at his waist, and had his teammates cover him as he cautiously approached the edge of the pool to look down.


    A dark shadow was rapidly surfacing.


    ��What is that?��


    Lin Da��s Azure Sword, ready to strike,


    but then he considered, what if this shadow was his sister?


    The Dawn Goddess had said his wish was granted. From other people��s logs, something always happened as long as a wish was made; it couldn��t be without any event.


    As he pondered, the shadow broke the water surface and, like a seal, leaped into the hall.


    Lin Da was astounded.


    Kafni frowned in disgust.


    Monica screamed and escaped far away.


    What appeared before them was not Lin Da��s sister.


    Instead, it was a�� gigantic white flesh worm.


    The flesh worm was one meter long and as thick as a bucket.


    Its feet beneath its body were short and numerous, just like those of a silkworm.


    Two rows, nearly a hundred in total, slowly writhed and crawled on the ground.


    In front of the flesh worm��s head was a spiral-shaped huge mouthpart, inside which were densely packed tiny teeth, glinting with sharpness.


    If you threw a chunk of meat and bone in there, it would probably be instantly shredded by this mouthpart.


    ��What monstrosity is this?��


    Lin Da��s expression changed dramatically.


    Could this massive flesh worm be his sister?


    Was he going to live his whole life with this flesh worm?


    Such a sister would not be desirable to any adventurer for marriage!


    Kafni said expressionlessly, ��Don��t think too much, this is a Magical Creature, I can clearly feel the Magical Creature aura from it!��


    After speaking, Kafni rubbed her hands together, preparing to kill the large flesh worm.


    ��Wait,�� Lin Da shook his head, ��What if this thing�� really is Lin Xi?��


    The chances were slim, but he couldn��t be too cautious.


    Even if he killed the flesh worm, he had to investigate afterward.


    In the diary, among the wishes Lin Xi had made, there was the word ��eternal life.��


    As far as Lin Da knew, some simple-structured Magical Creatures deep in the ocean could almost achieve eternal life.


    They had no heads and only fed on instinct.


    But this indeed was a form of eternal life.


    In other words, the possibility that this ugly flesh worm was Lin Xi was not ��zero.��


    ��Meow meow.��


    The flesh worm made a pleasing sound, rubbing its head against Lin Da��s shoes like a small cat.


    That terrifying spiral-shaped mouth had no intention of attacking Lin Da.


    Even the dog he had raised for years was not this well-behaved!


    The sense of eeriness in Lin Da��s heart grew stronger.


    He wished the flesh worm would attack him and a major battle would ensue.


    This way, it would clarify that the flesh worm was not his sister, and he could kill it with ease.


    But the flesh worm��s affectionate actions and its unguarded behavior made Lin Da inevitably suspect: could it really be Lin Xi?


    After rubbing his shoes for a while, the flesh worm coquettishly opened its bloody mouth wide, somewhat like it was begging for food.


    ��You two watch it; I��ll go upstairs to find some food,�� Lin Da said as he touched his stomach, having not eaten all day, and he was a bit hungry too.


    ��Are we keeping this thing?�� Kafni scrutinized the flesh worm warily: ��We might as well kill it directly. I always feel that this thing is not normal, it might be highly intelligent, deceiving us.��


    ��Meow meow meow!��


    The flesh worm seemed to guess something from Kafni��s stern expression and screamed in fear, wriggling to Lin Da��s side.


    The small feet in front clung to Lin Da��s leg.


    Though it was an ugly, large flesh worm with no ��face��, it somehow evoked the image of a delicate and pitiful girl.


    Lin Da sighed helplessly.


    ��Kafni, I understand what you��re saying. However, as long as there��s a slight possibility that it is Lin Xi����


    ��Let��s bring it to White Dove City and ask high-level Beast Tamers and Druids to see the true nature of this flesh worm.��


    ��Anyway, I��m going to get some food first, you guys keep a close watch.��


    Lin Da asked two team members to monitor the flesh worm.


    He himself went upstairs to look for food.


    The church personnel had long evacuated from the castle, and in such a large place, Lin Da was the only person left.


    It took him quite a while to find the cafeteria, where he stuffed large amounts of bread and dried meat into his Space Ring and returned to the underground hall.


    As soon as he entered, he saw Monica sitting on the ground with a painful expression.


    She was clutching her calf, which was bleeding profusely.


    Kafni blocked the flesh worm and shouted angrily, ��You damn Magical Creature, showing your true nature now, huh!��

 Chapter 213 - 213: 188, Monica: Shes fake!

    Chapter 213: 188, Monica: She��s fake!


    ��What��s going on?��


    Lin Da��s heart skipped a beat, and he hurried over.


    When Kafni saw him, she breathed a sigh of relief and said, ��Not long after you left, that Flesh Worm started acting up and suddenly attacked Monica! Its speed�� faster than a rabbit, by the time I reacted, Monica��s calf had already been bitten!��


    ��We need to stop the bleeding first.��


    Lin Da said gravely, casting Healing Art on Monica before frowning at the ��panicked�� Flesh Worm.


    The Flesh Worm saw him and appeared to find its savior.


    ...


    Like a scared little animal, it squirmed and crawled towards them.


    Still pretending?


    No matter how he thought about it, his sister couldn��t have attacked Monica without reason.


    Lin Da��s gaze was icy as he resolved to eliminate the Magical Creature.


    ��The repulsiveness of ants fills me with a killing rage!��


    Suddenly, a furious shout erupted beside Lin Da.


    Monica pounced towards the Flesh Worm, her small fists pounding relentlessly on its head.


    The Flesh Worm, in pain, whimpered continuously, thrashing like a bull to shake Monica off its back.


    Monica clung to the Flesh Worm, refusing to let go.


    This scene was particularly eerie.


    The cute Big Lolita perched on the back of the ugly insect, punching and biting, but not using her most proficient Magic.


    The words Monica had spoken earlier were also strange, even the syntax of the adventurers�� common language was all mixed up.


    Lin Da and Kafni exchanged glances, their eyes filled with confusion: what on earth was wrong with Monica?


    ��Get away from it quickly!��


    Lin Da embraced Monica��s petite body in his arms.


    On the other hand, the Flesh Worm, beaten until green pus flowed everywhere, sounded weak: ��Ying�� ying����


    This Magical Creature seemed to have low health points.


    Was it almost beaten to death by Monica, a Mage by profession, bare-handed?


    Lin Da looked at Monica with suspicion.


    ��Captain, Lord, it makes my heart fearful! We can��t keep it!��


    Monica, filled with righteous indignation, pointed at the Flesh Worm: ��It bit me, kill, it must die!��


    ��Could it be an infected wound, poisoned?�� Lin Da wondered anxiously.


    The current Monica was like someone with rabies, from a timid Lolita to becoming super aggressive.


    ��Lord Captain, quick, kill it!��


    Monica��s small hand aimed at the Flesh Worm, ready to cast a Spell.


    But perhaps due to the emotional agitation, she failed her spell chanting multiple times.


    ��I��ll do it.�� Kafni rolled up her sleeves and walked toward the Flesh Worm.


    ��Ying�� ying ying!��


    The Flesh Worm, scared, kept backing away, turning its head towards Lin Da as if begging for help.


    Seeing the Flesh Worm about to be killed, a gleam of satisfaction flashed in Monica��s eyes, her smile widening to a terrifying extent, devoid of her usual cuteness.


    ��Hehe, hehehe�� kill, kill it,�� Monica said excitedly.


    Seeing Monica like this gave Lin Da the creeps.


    ��Hold on,�� he said.


    ��What��s the matter?�� Kafni turned her head in confusion.


    And Monica at Lin Da��s side, anxious, her face even changed color: ��You idiot Captain, just kill it, kill it! Otherwise, we��re all going to die!��


    A hidden gleam flashed in Lin Da��s eyes as he said calmly, ��There��s no rush to kill the Flesh Worm. What if it really is my sister? Let��s investigate further and see if we can find any new clues.��


    Monica, frustrated, snorted and headed towards the exit of the underground hall.


    ��Where are you going?�� Lin Da frowned.


    ��To clear my head,�� Monica said.


    Watching the girl��s retreating figure, Kafni seemed to realize something.


    She shivered, looking at Lin Da with lingering fear: ��The one with the problem seems to be Monica.��


    ��Let��s observe for a while.��


    Lin Da��s gaze returned to the trembling Flesh Worm.


    As he approached, the Flesh Worm, which had been affectionate towards him, fled in terror.


    ��Dark Whip!��


    A purple Energy Whip shot into the air, binding the Flesh Worm.


    Lin Da found a sack and stuffed the Flesh Worm into it.


    He patted the bag; inside, the body of the Flesh Worm was greasy and disgusting, like a lump of rotting meat.


    ��I won��t harm you until I figure out the truth. Stay calm in there and don��t make a fuss,�� Lin Da said.


    Whether the Flesh Worm understood him was uncertain, but after he finished speaking, it indeed became quiet and ceased its struggles.


    Six hours later.


    Lin Da, dressed in a black trench coat commonly seen in Dark Night City, wearing a hat, left the castle with two teammates in a car.


    Everything that needed to be investigated had been investigated.


    The Flesh Worm was packed in the sack and then locked in an iron cage, posing no threat.


    Lin Da observed that this Flesh Worm had very low combat power, only at the level of a level five or six adventurer.


    Concerned about the Church��s people making a comeback, they drove off in a carriage and checked into a hotel in Dark Night City.


    It was already late, Lin Da and his three companions had a simple meal and prepared to rest.


    It was worth noting that Monica��s appetite had increased dramatically, eating almost as much as three robust men needed.


    The hotel was a suite with three rooms, just enough for one each.


    Lin Da placed the cage containing the Flesh Worm in the living room.


    After bidding his teammates goodnight, he turned off the lights and went back to his room.


    Monica��s eyes remained fixed on the cage holding the Flesh Worm, unblinking and unmoved.


    The door closed, blocking the girl��s view.


    Night.


    The clock in the living room ticked away.


    All three bedrooms were silent.


    Only the Flesh Worm in the cage made a crying sound.


    Squeak~ Creak~


    It was an extremely soft door-opening sound,


    as if afraid of being overheard by anyone.


    Monica squinted her eyes and stealthily opened the bedroom door, walking out.


    Her gaze, filled with bloodlust, briefly scanned the Flesh Worm in the cage before she crept up to Kafni��s room and peeped in to check if Kafni was asleep.


    Compared to Lin Da, Kafni was the one she truly dreaded.


    Although Lin Da seemed to have the upper hand in surface combat power,


    there would occasionally flash an aura about Kafni that struck terror into her heart.


    ��If possible, I��ll get rid of this one first, then kill Lin Da,��


    ��Monica�� muttered under her breath, eyes shifting toward the inside of the bedroom.


    Kafni was lying on her back, sleeping like a dead pig, occasionally snoring.


    ��Stupid humans,�� she said scornfully, opening the second bedroom door.


    Lin Da was also sleeping peacefully.


    His hands were folded in front of his chest, his breathing steady.


    ��Eeeng eeeng eeeng����


    ��Monica�� let out a sinister giggle from her throat. She closed the door and, holding a fruit knife taken from the kitchen, made her way to the iron cage with a chilling look in her eyes.


    No one understood better than she did how fragile this Flesh Worm was,


    With one strike, she could kill it and take over the body known as ��Monica��!


    Crack!


    But just then, the lights in the living room came on.


    The sudden brightness frightened ��Monica�� immensely.


    She spun around, her eyes widening in surprise.


    ��How�� how could you be here, weren��t you asleep?��


    ��It��s time for the captain��s interrogation,�� Lin Da said in a cold tone, ��Now tell me, what are you doing?��


    ��Monica�� thought for a moment and suddenly burst into tears, ��Captain, I��m scared! Eeeng eeeng, keeping this worm will definitely bring harm to us. After I was bitten, I feel so abnormal����


    ��That��s right, abnormal,�� Kafni said in a teasing tone. ��I couldn��t even detect your strangeness. A level 20 hidden BOSS, yet your combat power is so weak. Your true strength lies in mental attacks, doesn��t it? Your real body is about that of a level 5-6 Magical Creature��s, right?��


    ��Eeeng eeeng, what are you talking about, I don��t understand, Monica!��


    ��Monica�� looked anxiously at Lin Da, ��Captain, please help me!��


    The reply she got was a purple Energy Whip,


    Amidst screams, Lin Da tied up Monica.


    Even now, Lin Da could hardly believe that the truth of the matter was like this��


    If he hadn��t stopped ��Monica�� back in the underground hall, Monica might truly have been lost forever.


    This fourth-layer hidden boss of the Mystic Realm was too cunning!


    ��By biting Monica and swapping bodies with her, once your own body died, you could take over this new one.��


    ��Am I right, ��Dawn Goddess��?��


    The killing intent in Lin Da��s eyes flashed, and he tightened the Dark Whip, making the fake Monica whimper incessantly.


    Her cries were indistinguishable from those of the Flesh Worm!


    ��Captain, eeeng�� wuwu, you��ve got it wrong! I��m Monica, your teammate!��


    ��Then answer me, what is my other identity?��


    ��Uh�� eh, Captain, it��s just the captain.��


    ��Monica�� panicked, unable to answer properly.


    Just as he thought. Lin Da nodded to himself.


    This Dawn Goddess lacked the ability to read memories.


    She knew only that there was a team, he was the captain, named Lin Da,


    and she couldn��t articulate anything more than that.


    ��At first, I didn��t believe it. I thought the Flesh Worm was deceiving us.��


    Lin Da took out a piece of paper.


    On it, in a greenish liquid, was scrawled a row of shaky letters:


    [Captain, I am the real Monica!]


    ��Monica�� saw these words, and her expression instantly twisted, ��Where did this come from, why don��t I know about it?��


    ��While you went out to ��clear your mind�� and ��feed�� on the corpses of the Transcendents.��


    Lin Da opened the iron cage and gently lifted the Flesh Worm out,


    his expression tender.


    ��It was Monica who bit herself and left this message with her blood. In the beginning, I didn��t believe it. I suspected the Flesh Worm of possessing the ability to read team members�� memories, using these words to deceive me.��


    ��Until now.��


    ��Seeing your abnormal behavior and your inability to restrain yourself from attacking Monica, I finally became convinced. When the Flesh Worm��s body died, you would become the real Monica!��


    The Flesh Worm Monica in Lin Da��s arms kept nodding.


    If she had eyes, they would surely be brimming with tears of grievance.


    If not for the astute captain, she would already have been replaced by the Dawn Goddess!


    ��Hehehe�� What of it? Now that you know the truth, can you kill me?��


    The fake Monica laughed loudly, no longer bothering to pretend.


    ��Killing me won��t restore that idiot human. Do you want to procreate with an ugly, disgusting worm?��


    It seemed to be an insoluble dilemma. S��arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even though Lin Da saw through the fake Monica��s identity, he was still powerless against her.


    That was the source of her confidence.


    ��You might have misunderstood a little,��


    Lin Da said with a wry smile, ��Who said we were going to kill you? Don��t underestimate the methods humans have devised over thousands of years to torture their own kind.��


    In the world of Flesh Worms, death simply meant being eaten by a predator, suffering for a few minutes before it was over.


    But in the human world, there were countless forms of excruciating torture.


    Methods that could make the victim suffer for months, years, or even for a lifetime.


    Lin Da and Kafni chuckled evilly, like two villains committing an atrocity, as they tied the fake Monica to the bed with ropes.


    Big Lolita was bound on the bed.


    A man, a woman, and a giant Flesh Worm surrounded her with strange laughter.


    Fear appeared in the eyes of the fake Monica.


    Disgusting humans, they wouldn��t pair with her, would they!?

 Chapter 214 - 214: 189. Lin Da captures the Flesh Worm, ruthlessly exploits it.

    Chapter 214: 189. Lin Da captures the Flesh Worm, ruthlessly exploits it.


    ��What are you doing, ying ying! Let me go at once!��


    Under the sinister gaze of Lin Da and the others, the fake Monica panicked, flailing her small hands and feet vigorously. It certainly didn��t want to be shoved back and forth by humans until its buttocks turned bright red!


    But the strength of the Dark Whip was clearly not something it could escape from.


    The bed shook chaotically, and the delicate limbs were also marked with red welts.


    Lin Da remained indifferent and took out a candle to light it.


    The thing that the Flesh Worms feared the most, Monica had told him through text.


    ...


    Anything burning�� They were very afraid of it!


    Just seeing the flame was enough to make them tremble with fear.


    Previously, in the underground hall, the fake Monica went outside to ��feed��, and it wasn��t without reason that there were too many blue torches in the hall.


    Otherwise, it wouldn��t have let its true form out of sight.


    ��Ying ying, what are you doing! Keep that thing away from me!��


    The fake Monica tied to the bed was terrified and struggling fiercely.


    As Lin Da approached with the candle in hand, the fake Monica��s eyes almost dropped pearls, and its delicate body trembled, ��Don��t be scared, I��m no longer part of the ��Wish Bug�� family, this thing can��t hurt me����


    Lin Da snorted and lifted the fake Monica��s garments, exposing her white belly.


    Although the soul inside was a Magical Creature, the body was after all a teammate��s, and the soft tender belly made Lin Da feel somewhat reluctant��


    His fingers gently stroked, eliciting a scream from the fake Monica. The sensitivity of a girl��s body was probably much higher than that of the ugly skin of a Flesh Worm, a peculiar sensation the Flesh Worm had never experienced before.


    ��It��s a Magical Creature, I must not be soft-hearted!��


    Lin Da took a deep breath and tilted the candle with an indifferent expression.


    The liquid candle wax collected drop by drop, falling toward the waist of the fake Monica.


    During this time, Monica transformed into a Flesh Worm, emitting bashful ying ying sounds.


    Lin Da focused his gaze, trying not to look at the impressive terrain nearby.


    All his teammates had developed too well.


    Drip drop.


    The slightly hot candle wax fell onto the fake Monica��s belly.


    In Lin Da��s view, a red -1 popped up.


    The scalded area turned slightly red.


    All things considered, it was not a lethal attack.


    Was this method effective?


    Just as Lin Da was wondering, the fake Monica��s body tensed up, her little face showing extreme terror as she let out a high-pitched scream, ��Ying ying!!!��


    The wail was akin to a pampered little Princess being forcefully stuffed into a puff pastry by a Goblin.


    It was so loud it could drown out the cries of a hundred wailing babies!


    To the Flesh Worms of the ��Wish Bug�� family, dripping wax, which is an ordinary, even pleasurable torture for some adventurers, seemed like a more terrifying punishment than death itself.


    ��I don��t want this at all!��


    The fake Monica cried out in despair, her body convulsed briefly, and then her expression gradually returned to calm as she blinked in confusion, ��Lord Captain? I feel like I��ve come back.��


    Meanwhile.


    The Flesh Worm, as quick as a rabbit, scurried off toward the door.


    Lin Da was prepared, ��Dark Whip, go!��


    A purple energy whip shot out from his palm, like a venomous snake hunting its prey, opening its maw wide and biting onto the Flesh Worm.


    ��Ying ying! No!��


    A soft, adult female��s voice came from within the Flesh Worm.


    Lin Da certainly wasn��t one to ��Cherish Fragility��. He yanked the Flesh Worm over, stomped on it, and with a sneer, poured the entire candle wax onto the head of the Magical Creature.


    ��Ying ying! Ying ying ying!��


    The Flesh Worm twisted and writhed as if scalded by boiling water.


    From full of life, in just a few minutes, it was on its last breath.


    ��Ying����


    If the Flesh Worm had been human, by now Lin Da��s wax dripping would have it rolling its eyes and drooling.


    Kafni untied Monica, who with tearful eyes, burst into tears and threw herself into Lin Da��s arms.


    ��`


    ��Becoming a bug, how terrifying! Wuuwuuwuu����


    The experiences of just one day were unforgettable for Monica!


    Lin Da could only hold Monica, gently stroking the young girl��s head.


    ��Wait, Captain will avenge you.��


    Lin Da lit the second candle, taking a two-pronged approach.


    ��No, stop�� I was wrong, I shouldn��t have offended you all!�� The Flesh Worm��s voice was tearful, ��I��ll fulfill all your wishes, just don��t treat me this way, ying ying����


    Kafni was furious, ��You wretched bug, trying to trick us again, huh!��


    Bang Bang Bang!


    Kafni kicked the Flesh Worm wildly, causing its head to swell.


    ��No, that��s not it, my real body is in your hands, how dare I trick you.�� The Flesh Worm said in pain, ��I was hiding under the pool earlier, that��s why I dared to play tricks, but now with my real body exposed, I truly don��t dare to offend you all.��


    ��There��s some logic to that, but not much. Who knows what you��re planning.�� Kafni huffed.


    After pondering for a moment, Lin Da said, ��Let��s do this, start with something minor and work our way up. At the first sign of anything fishy, we��ll kill this thing right away.��


    ��Good.�� Kafni cracked her knuckles, ��Lord myself here, especially loves to bully Magical Creatures.��


    The Flesh Worm trembled with fear.


    It said, ��Ahem, I should remind you that my power is limited. If you make too many wishes, I might break, so����


    ��So just pray then,�� Kafni sneered. ��Pray you don��t break!�� S��ar?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Ying ying����


    ��The wishing starts now.�� Lin Da thought for a moment, holding up a finger, ��Give me one Level 1 Demon Core.��


    Slurp.


    The Flesh Worm spit out a fingernail-sized blue stone from its mouth.


    Lin Da picked it up to inspect, and sure enough, it was a Level 1 Demon Core.


    ��One Level 2 Demon Core.��


    ��One Level 3.��


    ��Level 4����


    Ten minutes into the experiment.


    In front of Lin Da lay 20 Demon Cores, Levels 1 through 20.


    His wishes had indeed come true.


    Correspondingly, the Flesh Worm had shrunk in size, its plump body now shriveled.


    ��Helped you lose weight, be grateful.�� Kafni kicked the Flesh Worm once more.


    ��Ying!�� The Flesh Worm let out a furious cry, but upon seeing Kafni pick up the candle, it was frightened into drooping its head.


    ��Bad bug.�� Monica, holding a grudge, hid behind Lin Da and attacked the Flesh Worm with her gaze.


    ��Hmph.�� The Flesh Worm was disdainful, afraid of Lin Da and Kafni, but not at all of Big Lolita.


    If it had the chance, it still planned to seize Monica��s body!


    ��Next is the 21st wish.��


    Lin Da calmly stated, ��An Epic-level Material, Golden Dragon Skin.��


    In Lin Da��s Space Ring, there was the Thousand-Change Demon��s Demon Core, just lacking a piece of Dragon Skin to craft the Epic Equipment, Magic Dragon Soft Armor.


    The Flesh Worm spoke hastily, ��No, no way! Give me another wish! You��ve already taken so many magic gems, asking for Dragon Skin now will greatly injure me!��


    Lin Da was expressionless, ��So? Impoverished and desperate adventurers injure themselves every time they go on a date with Elves at the tavern. And you, a defeated underling, should be thinking about how to save your life, yet you expect to remain unscathed?��


    ��Ugh.��


    The Flesh Worm was left speechless.


    It had held sway at the Dawn Church, able to utter a sound and send out ��Divine Decrees,�� and everyone held it in awe.


    But falling into Lin Da��s hands�� it only wanted to return to its own pool!


    ��Can��t produce Golden Dragon Skin, is that it?��


    Lin Da shook his head regretfully, ��Kafni, do it.��


    ��Eh, wait a second!��


    Seeing the danger it was in, the Flesh Worm cried out in a panic and under Lin Da��s satisfied gaze, its body emitted a white light. After that, it exerted force and spat something out.


    ��`

 Chapter 215 - 215: 190. My sister cant possibly be a succubus!

    Chapter 215: 190. My sister can��t possibly be a succubus!


    Thud.


    A square piece of brown dragon skin, about 30 centimeters on each side, was spat out.


    This seemed to have used up a tremendous amount of the Flesh Worm��s strength, as its body shrank to half its original size and its voice became weak, ��Can I be spared now?��


    ��Let me check first.��


    Lin Da opened the system and eyed the brown dragon skin:


    [Name: Earth Dragon Skin]


    ...


    [Quality: Epic]


    [Description: A precious material imbued with magical power]


    ��What I wanted was Golden Dragon Skin, right?��


    Lin Da smiled falsely.


    ��But, Golden Dragons are so rare, even if you kill me, I can��t transform into one!��


    The Flesh Worm was on the verge of tears from the bullying.


    ��Fine. I didn��t expect you to be able to conjure Golden Dragon Skin, anyway.��


    Lin Da was somewhat satisfied and stored the Earth Dragon Skin into the Space Ring.


    By combining different types of dragon skin with the Chameleon Demon Core, Magic Dragon Soft armor with various attributes can be crafted.


    The Earth Dragon leans towards defense, which suits him best among the various basic dragon series.


    ��There��s only one wish left. After it��s fulfilled, you��ll be free. Adventurers never lie.��


    Lin Da saw the Flesh Worm recoil and emphatically emphasized that the wish was ��the last one�� as he patted his chest earnestly.


    ��So�� it��s really the last one?��


    ��I promise.��


    Lin Da said, ��Bring my sister, Lin Xi�� back.��


    The atmosphere suddenly became tense.


    If the Flesh Worm could fulfill this wish, Lin Da��s purpose for accessing the fourth level would be perfectly achieved.


    ��Impossible.��


    The Flesh Worm answered bluntly.


    ��To bring a human, whose location is unknown, right before you by tearing through space, only the most supreme Deities can accomplish that!��


    ��For an ant that pretends to be a deity like me, it��s impossible, as expected!��


    The Flesh Worm brashly straightened its body.


    Kafni didn��t taunt it this time but nodded deeply, ��Indeed.��


    Lin Da thought for a moment and said, ��How about this? Tell me how you fulfilled Lin Xi��s wish.��


    Flesh Worm: ��Who is that? I don��t know them.��


    ��Alright, you��re lying again, huh.��


    Lin Da picked up a candle and dripped wax on it.


    ��Ow, ow, ow! I really don��t know, I honestly don��t!��


    The Flesh Worm was almost fainted after a while and still insisted it hadn��t lied.


    ��Does the Mystic Realm reset also reset the memories of NPC magical creatures?��


    Lin Da observed the Flesh Worm for a long time, feeling that it didn��t seem to be lying.


    He cleared his throat and said, ��Then change the wish.��


    ��Tell me Lin Xi��s whereabouts.��


    ��This simpler wish shouldn��t be rejected, right?��


    Lin Da took out several pink candles prepared by the inn and asked with a smile.


    The Flesh Worm broke into a sweat.


    ��I�� will try. This is the last wish, right? Don��t trick me!��


    ��Adventurers never lie.��


    Lin Da nodded, ��After you finish, I��ll let you go immediately, I swear by the Deity.��


    On this matter, Kafni indicated that she wouldn��t interfere.


    The Flesh Worm muttered, ��I don��t know if I can succeed.��


    ��Relax, you��ll be forgiven even if you fail.��


    Lin Da��s expression was benevolent, showing no trace of bloodlust.


    The Flesh Worm gave him a suspicious look, then with effort, spat out a white orb of light.


    The orb of light floated in air, forming a large circular mirror.


    Within the mirror, dense fog swirled, gradually gaining color.


    Yet it was extremely blurry. He could only barely make out that it was a forest.


    His own sister, was she inside that forest?


    Lin Da��s spirits lifted, and he encouraged, ��Put some more effort, once you fulfill this wish, you will be free.��


    ��Whimper!��


    Possibly motivated, the Flesh Worm exerted itself even more.


    It became increasingly shriveled, as if a balloon had been punctured.


    Its weight dropped from about 100 pounds to 30, the skin clinging to its internal organs, a frightful sight.


    But its effort was remarkably effective; the image in the mirror became clear.


    It was a forest bathed in brilliant sunshine.


    The grass was lush, birds sang amongst the fragrant flowers, and the sky was a cloudless deep blue.


    The beautiful surroundings brought peace to the mind.


    If you went on an outing there with your team, it would surely make for some wonderful memories.


    Lin Da identified the types of wild grasses and flowers in the forest, determining that this was the 20th layer of the Great Mystery Continent: Endless Great Plains.


    The location was ��Harmony Forest��.


    Entering from the World Tree in White Dove City and traveling south for about a month would get you there.


    ��Chirp chirp!��


    Suddenly, the sound of birds chirping echoed from the mirror.


    From the treetops, a large flock of birds flew away in panic.


    On the ground, rabbits, foxes, and even wild wolves were all sprinting for their lives.


    Lin Da and his companions all tensed up, their expressions growing more serious.


    Thump, thump.


    The heavy footsteps seemed to cross through the mirror and reach them.


    A group of Magical Creatures of varying heights appeared in view.


    A five-meter-tall Lava Giant, with lava flowing over its body.


    A blue-colored Six-armed Giant.


    Ice Three-headed Dog.


    A Goblin General wielding double axes.


    Red Armored Crab King.


    Plus a dozen other Magical Creatures. S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The lowest were Rare Orange Level.


    Some of them had even reached Epic Level!


    Lin Da��s eyelid twitched.


    With so many Magical Creatures, the adventurers�� resource zone was likely doomed.


    Those who could reach the 20th layer were above the Iron Level teams, known as Sunrise Level.


    The presence of so many creatures required at least three Sunrise Level adventure groups to contend with them.


    Moreover, these might not be trial Magical Creatures spawned by the World Tree but real ones from the Demon Realm.


    From the 20th layer of the Great Mystery Continent onwards, all future continents would encounter adventurers from the Demons.


    The higher the resource zone, the richer the collectable materials, and the fiercer the competition!


    The 20th layer was just the beginning.


    By the time you reached the Great Mystery Continent of the 40th layer, it was almost like purgatory.


    There, countless treasures drove adventurers insane.


    Lin Da looked at the scene in the mirror, puzzled. Could it be that Lin Xi was among these Magical Creatures?


    They all came to a halt and split into two rows, each standing to one side.


    It was as if they were greeting some Big Shot.


    Lin Da��s heart thumped wildly. It couldn��t be��


    A pink figure approached from the distance.


    In a breath, she arrived in the middle of the Magical Creatures.


    Immediately, the various creatures followed behind the pink figure like lackeys.


    Lin Da��s eyes were fixed on her.


    Light black silk stockings paired with white boots, underneath the girl��s purple lacy battle armor which revealed a large expanse of skin.


    A faint transparent black veil draped over her delicate body, outlining her beautiful figure and adding a hint of mysterious allure.


    From the delicate waist upwards was a perfectly proportioned chest, between the gaps of the armor, her enticingly pale skin provoked deep thoughts.


    The girl��s pink hair fell to her back, and a smooth, leather-like black spade-shaped tail happily curled up in the air.


    Her charming little face bore a gentle smile, bewitchingly capturing souls.


    If an ordinary adventurer appeared before this girl, they��d likely be instantly beguiled, their eyes turning into peach hearts, losing their ability to fight.


    Most conspicuously, at the girl��s waist was a particularly ominous red heart-shape motif��


    A hollowed-out red heart, signifying that the girl still maintained her purity,


    and indirectly revealed her species.


    Skilled in Dark Magic, a Fallen Angel, a master at manipulating adventurers�� minds�� a Succubus!


    But in theory, a Succubus should have weak combat abilities, meant only for tempting.


    Kafni scratched her head, puzzled, ��Who is this big fried chicken, and how can she command so many powerful Magical Creatures?��


    ��That��s so lewd!�� Monica��s cheeks turned bright red, finding the girl��s attire in the mirror incredibly indecent.


    Yet, Captain Lin Da, looking almost foolish, stared intently at it.


    Could it be that Lord Captain likes revealing clothes?


    Thinking this made Monica��s face burn even hotter.


    ��No! I absolutely refuse to accept this!�� Lin Da��s vision blackened, and he collapsed to the ground.


    His sister could absolutely never be a Succubus!

 Chapter 216 - 216: 191. Succubus General, baptism failed?

    Chapter 216: 191. Succubus General, baptism failed?


    World Tree, 20th Floor, Harmony Forest.


    ��General Xilin, here is an adventurer I��ve captured,��


    the Six-Armed Demon said in a muffled voice, throwing a female adventurer, bound like a rice dumpling, to the ground.


    The woman��s face was filled with panic; her mouth was gagged with cloth, and she made ��mmph mmph�� noises.


    Looking up at the stunning pink-haired Succubus General, she trembled, and something, either urine or something else, began to trickle down between her thighs��


    ��What are you trying to say?��


    ...


    The Succubus called General Xilin, curious, squatted down.


    Like a mischievous child poking an ant, she prodded the female adventurer��s cheek and giggled, ��It would be a pity to be eaten by magical creatures.��


    Xilin removed the cloth from the female adventurer��s mouth, and the latter immediately started to cry out in terror, ��Please, don��t eat me, my brother is waiting for me at home, wuwuwu����


    Just as Xilin was considering giving the female adventurer a painless rebirth, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her head.


    She bit her lip and pressed her hand to her forehead.


    Fragments of memory, like scraps of paper fluttering in the air, kept flashing before her eyes.


    Each scrap bearing a memory showed the same person.


    ��Lin Xi, time for your medication.��


    ��I�� seem to be a Healer, what about you?��


    ��How many times have I told you, don��t get too close to demons.��


    ��If you and Lia fell into the water, whom would you save? Of course, I would save both.��


    ��


    ��General Xilin?��


    The Six-Armed Demon scratched its head in confusion, it had heard that the new general was capricious, and it seemed to be true.


    One moment it felt like General Xilin would send the human adventurer to hell, but the next, she was patting the person��s head like a kitten, softly saying,


    ��Don��t worry, I won��t kill you.


    Peach hearts glimmered in Xilin��s eyes, casting a light onto the female adventurer, who began to feel heavier and heavier, and soon, she fell asleep with a snore.


    ��Throw her outside of Harmony Forest, the further the better.��


    ��But, General, she is just a common human adventurer, why not just eat her?�� the Six-Armed Demon asked, puzzled.


    ��Are you questioning me?��


    Xilin revealed a cold smile, her spade-tipped tail, which had been perked up, completely drooped down.


    The dark magic power around her seemed to transform into a ferocious beast, the mountainous heaviness of its pressure making all demons present shiver in their core.


    One of His Majesty the Demon King��s Twelve Belongings, indeed powerful, such terrible magic power, it must be at least of level 40!


    ��We will follow General��s orders!�� the Six-Armed Demon quickly lowered its head.


    Among the group of demons, there was also a Witch wearing a Flower Cat mask.


    As she bowed her head, she pondered secretly, ��General Xilin seemed to change her mind when that adventurer mentioned her brother. Could it be that General Xilin has a brother too?��


    Most Witches were originally human adventurers, and Lady Bai Mian was no exception.


    But all Witches, upon meeting His Majesty the Demon King and receiving the baptism of the skill ��Light of the Demon God,�� would let go of their human past and willingly become a proud Demon.


    Even if Xilin had a brother, that would have been during her time as a human adventurer, it couldn��t affect her now.


    Lady Bai Mian, too, had been baptized with ��Light of the Demon God,�� and still recalls that feeling vividly:


    It was as if standing at the end of a long scale of memories, indifferently watching the memories at the starting point�� The playfulness of her adventurer days could no longer cause any emotional ripples, just like watching someone else��s memories.


    Only such Witches can ensure they serve His Majesty the Demon King effectively.


    Filled with doubt, Lady Bai Mian wondered, could it be that His Majesty the Demon King��s baptism on General Xilin was not successful?


    But such a matter, Lady Bai Mian dared not ask, nor dared to make known, for fear of being eliminated by General Xilin.


    This Demon General, in her acts, was cruel; many demons who did not obey commands had been brutally killed by her.


    For Xilin personally, she felt the ��Light of the Demon God�� baptism was very successful.


    Only, what she let go of were other adventurers, such as those from the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Lia, Aiko, and Klrona.


    To her, influenced by the baptism, they had become ordinary friends who were dispensable.


    She hadn��t forgotten Lin Xi��s past, either.


    It��s just that the frail and incompetent girl had been locked away.


    ��


    Two years ago.


    In the washroom of a rental place in White Dove City.


    ��Don��t you need my help?��


    Sitting in front of the mirror, Lia tilted her head in surprise as she watched Lin Xi help dry her red hair. ��Isn��t it troublesome to wash your hair by yourself?��


    Another girl was reflected in the mirror.


    Black hair, a classic oval face, and when she smiled, shallow dimples appeared on her cheeks.


    She tapped Lia��s head lightly with a palm knife, ��I��m not dummy Lia, I can obviously handle it on my own!��


    ��Calling me a dummy again!�� Lia stood up annoyed, chasing after Lin Xi playfully.


    The washroom was small, just large enough for the span of a hand, and as they chased each other around, they knocked over a wooden basket filled with dirty clothes; the mud from their boots also dirtied the floor.


    ��You two, stop it now, or the neighbors downstairs are going to come up and scold us!��


    The door to the washroom was pushed open, and Lin Da entered with a thick Demon Beast Compendium in his hands, rubbing his forehead and shaking his head, helplessly amused by the two girls.


    Stopping Lin Xi and Lia��s playful fights had become a daily routine for the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    ��She called me dummy first.�� Lia said with a dissatisfied face, pointing at Lin Xi who was making faces. S��ar?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��That��s because Lia is a dummy, one day she might anger brother to death.��


    Lin Xi hummed, searching through a basket of laundry, she found a pair of shorts with a teddy bear pattern, ��Look brother, Lia is actually wearing this. I always thought it belonged to Klrona.��


    ��Aaaah!�� Lia, with flushed cheeks, chased after Lin Xi, and their battlefield moved from the washroom to the living room, running circles around Lin Da as if he were a pillar.


    ��Enough! Quiet down, both of you!��


    A vein popped on Lin Da��s forehead as he precisely caught them with both hands:


    ��Lia, don��t lower yourself to Lin Xi��s level; the more you chase her, the happier she gets!��


    ��Lin Xi, you should stop bullying Lia too!��


    Lia huffed and glared at Lin Xi as if to say, ��Did you hear that? Behave from now on!��


    Whereas Lin Xi made a funny face and sauntered proudly into the washroom, ��I��m going to take a bath now, Lia, you better not sneak attack me!��


    ��I have my cultivation to attend to, and I can��t be bothered with you!��


    ��Brother, you too, no entering, okay?��


    The previously closed door suddenly opened, and Lin Xi popped her head out, laughing mischievously.


    Lin Da��s face darkened, but he didn��t respond, returning to the sofa to study the Demon Beast Compendium.


    Klrona lay on his thighs, facing up, engrossed in an old second-hand Magic Conductor Handheld Console.


    Aiko was slicing cucumbers for a face mask, frowning at herself in the mirror with a white pimple at the corner of her mouth.


    Seeing the joyful atmosphere in the living room, Lin Xi��s smile deepened.


    She closed the door to the washroom, took off her clothes, and approached the mirror.


    ��Everyone is so happy, I have to cheer up too.��


    In the mirror, a black thorn pattern emerged on the girl��s chest.


    They wound through the flesh like living things, their sharp barbs growing with the thorns, tearing the flesh and tormenting the soul as they spread.


    Hidden under Lin Xi��s smile was a pain that the others of Snow Goose could not imagine.


    But Lin Xi, who had always been weak from birth, was used to this, and no one noticed anything odd about her.


    Through her private investigations over the last few days, Lin Xi had finally understood what these black thorns were.


    ��Witch��s Corruption��.

 Chapter 217 - 217: 192. Little Sisters Witchs Corruption

    Chapter 217: 192. Little Sister��s Witch��s Corruption


    With great power comes an accelerated journey towards doom.


    From the growth of these black thorns, Lin Xi deduced that in at most three years, she would completely fall into corruption, becoming a Catastrophe Beast that has lost all reason and destroys everything around her.


    ��Are you all right?��


    One evening while Lin Xi was enjoying the night breeze on the balcony, Lin Da came over, concern in his eyes as he draped a jacket over her shoulders.


    Indeed, the person most familiar with her, Lia didn��t notice anything amiss, but Lin Da seemed to have sensed something.


    Lin Xi hesitated whether to speak up.


    ...


    However, seeing Lin Da��s tired face, she pressed her lips together and shook her head, ��I��m fine. It��s just that we��re about to go to the fourth level, and I��m somewhat worried.��


    ��We will be safe, I promise,�� Lin Da said, patting her head. ��Snow Goose will become the strongest adventurer team. This difficulty is nothing to us.��


    ��Actually, giving up on adventuring is also an option, isn��t it?��


    Lin Xi whispered.


    She was keenly aware of how much Lin Da had invested in Snow Goose.


    This was only the fourth level, and Lin Da was already exhausted. Reality, after all, is no game. Things that could be achieved with a click in a game might take days, even tens of days in real life.


    As the brain of the team, Lin Da was living a life more arduous than a 996 schedule. Maybe one day, he would just collapse.


    ��Give up adventuring? Lin Xi, you��re tired. How about you take a rest? For the fourth level, Lia and the others can go by themselves.��


    ��No�� I want to go too.��


    Without her as one of the main attackers, passing the challenges would become even more difficult.


    Lin Xi was only trying to persuade Lin Da; deep down she knew he would not give up climbing the World Tree.


    After arriving on the Mystic Continent, Lin Da had taken good care of her. Even in reality, to take care of his sickly sister, Lin Da quit his job to become a game leveling service provider for the Mystic Continent.


    She absolutely could not cause more trouble for Lin Da. Lin Xi thought, even if she were to fall into corruption, she must keep away from White Dove City to avoid affecting Lin Da and the others.


    On the day before entering the fourth level.


    Lin Xi encountered a ��noble person�� in a tavern.


    She introduced herself as Tina.


    A wandering adventurer who recognized Lin Xi as a Witch. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But Tina didn��t report this to the Holy Light Church; instead, she told Lin Xi, ��In the Dark Night City of the fourth level, there is a way to save you.����


    Afterward, Lin Xi��s luck improved markedly.


    Together with Lin Da and the others, they randomly arrived at the Mystic Realm of Dark Night City, making their way to that castle to make a wish to the Dawn Goddess.


    A dark shadow with a gigantic demonic horn descended in front of Lin Xi.


    The evil magic power that seemed to fill the entire space forced Lin Xi to her knees, unable to utter a single word.


    ��Become one of my Twelve Belongings, and thy wish shall be granted.��


    That was the tempting voice of the Demon King.


    ��


    The fourth level, a small inn in Dark Night City.


    ��What��s wrong with you?��


    ��Team leader?��


    Kafni and Monica looked at Lin Da in astonishment.


    The pink-haired Succubus appeared, and Lin Da fell to the ground without warning.


    Luckily, they reacted quickly, catching Lin Da in their arms.


    ��Sorry, I lost my composure,�� Lin Da said with a helpless smile.


    He opened his mouth and took a deep breath.


    How did things turn out this way?


    His sister, pure and lively, was adored by everyone.


    Whether in real-life academics or adventurer exams, she always emerged at the top.


    She was the envy of other families�� children.


    Yet now, such an outstanding girl had fallen to such a state��


    The hollowed battle armor, the thin, sheer black dress, left Lin Da��s eyes unsure where to look!


    Kafni��s, he loved to look at. Lulu��s, he also enjoyed looking at.


    But this pink-haired Succubus�� made him ��have nowhere to lay his eyes��!


    Wherever he looked, it felt like a sin.


    Facing the puzzled gaze of Kafni and the others, Lin Da reached out a weak hand, pointing at the Succubus leading the horde of Magical Creatures, his voice hoarse:


    ��That girl who��s even worse than the serving Elves in the tavern, she seems like, seems like����


    Kafni was stunned.


    ��No way? Didn��t you say your sister was pure and adorable��?��


    Privately, Lin Da had talked about his own sister with Kafni.


    He spoke so highly of her it felt like there was no better girl in the world than his sister.


    But now.


    Kafni carefully observed the pink-haired succubus in the mirror.


    The young girl��s demeanor and actions were seductive, and even other females might become infatuated with her!


    And this was just through a mirror.


    If they were standing before her��


    Kafni shivered.


    It��s possible that both she and Monica could be kindled by the flames in their hearts, their minds go haywire on the spot, turning into spellbound girls!


    ��General Xilin, I sense spying spells.��


    In the mirror, a woman wearing a Flower Cat mask spoke solemnly.


    ��This general has been aware of it for quite some time.��


    ��Maybe it��s my dear brother, teeheehee.��


    ��Hey, can you see me?��


    The pink-haired girl referred to as General Xilin cheerfully greeted in the direction of the mirror.


    ������


    Lin Da��s fantasies were shattered.


    He would rather the Flesh Worm��s spell messed up and got the wrong person than to accept that this pink-haired big fire chicken was his sister.


    Even though they no longer shared blood ties, even if his sister turned into a witch, Lin Da would dare to purify her.


    But�� she shouldn��t be this thoroughly corrupted!


    It had been more than two years, how could she have changed so much?


    Through the mirror, Lin Da angrily thought: such a fallen sister must be strictly disciplined!


    Now he understood, the wish Lin Xi had made was realized in such a distorted way.


    In the game, if the Demon King ruled both worlds, the Demon King��s twelve subordinates would be granted ��eternal life.��


    This was one of the Demon King��s major means to seduce people.


    The way the Dawn Goddess fulfilled Lin Xi��s wish probably was: Lin Xi was seduced by the Demon King, signing the contract of the Twelve Belongings, becoming a fallen succubus!


    ��If big brother is watching, I bet you��re thinking about disciplining me, right?��


    The reflection of Xilin in the mirror laughed innocently, her voice also filled with laughter.


    Clearly a degenerate succubus, yet she exuded the clean appeal of a pure young girl.


    She said, ��But Lin Xi will not awake again, I am now General Xilin, the Demon General.��


    ��When you realize that His Majesty the Demon King is invincible and are willing to pledge loyalty to him, you can come to the 20th floor of the ��Land of Dead Bones.��


    ��Brother�� no, Lin Da. Pledge your loyalty to His Majesty the Demon King together with me!��


    Hisss��


    The mirror distorted for a moment.


    The figures of Xilin and the Magical Creatures vanished from the mirror, turning back into thick fog.


    Lin Da angrily grabbed the Flesh Worm: ��Make contact with her again! I want to talk to her directly!��


    Lin Da refused to accept that this libidinous succubus was his sister.


    She even changed her name on her own, calling herself ��General Xilin.��


    She even had the audacity to persuade him to defect and become a traitor.


    When talking about the Demon King, Xilin��s face showed longing, clearly heavily brainwashed.


    Lin Da thought furiously, if he saw Lin Xi, he would have to tie her up and use the Witch Purification skill on her, thoroughly cleansing her without leaving a speck of corruption.


    ��I can��t do it, I��m already�� not capable.��


    The Flesh Worm spoke like a feeble old man, even speaking was an effort.


    Its flesh had all gone, leaving only a layer of dry skin wrapping its organs.


    Kafni and Monica looked at Lin Da with concern.


    The long-sought sister turning into a succubus who had defected to the Demon King�� that��s a hard pill for anyone to swallow.


    Lin Da was also blinded by rage.


    Concern leads to chaos.


    It was as if he saw his excellent sister suddenly turn into a little sister who messed with bad boys.


    Lin Da��s club had to strike not only at his sister but also at those Magical Creatures known as bad boys.

 Chapter 218 - 218: 193, Two Witches Travel Together to White Dove City

    Chapter 218: 193, Two Witches Travel Together to White Dove City


    ��Let��s use these hands, capable of purifying all contamination, to save the fallen Lin Xi!��


    Lin Da recalled the details he had just seen in the mirror, the 20th floor of the Great Mystery Continent, Harmony Forest.


    Those who reach there can be called the Sun Adventure Group.


    Merely the 20th floor, Lin Da was confident he could get there within half a year.


    Now, he had obtained clues about his sister.


    All that remained was to keep moving forward and accumulate the strength needed to punish his sister.


    ...


    If those Magical Creatures in the mirror were his sister��s subordinates, then he would lead a team stronger than those Magical Creatures, defeat his sister��s army of Magical Creatures, and make her admit defeat wholeheartedly.


    ��


    Meanwhile.


    The 20th floor of the World Tree, Harmony Forest.


    Lin Xi was surrounded by Magical Creatures like stars around the moon, like a leader inspecting a school, with a group of nodding and bowing lackeys behind her.


    She held a slightly greenish apple-like Fruit of the World Tree in her hand, chewing it bit by bit.


    Then, with a bitter face, she spat out the pulp, ��Why isn��t it ripe yet, even after waiting for so long����


    ��General, there are about eight months left until the ��Harvest Festival��. By then, all the Fruits of the World Tree will be ripe,��


    Lady Bai Mian said with a smile, ��With your strength, you can definitely capture all the adventurers who come here in one fell swoop.��


    ��Lin Da might come too,�� Lin Xi said, hands behind her back, hopping along the forest path.


    That black spade-shaped tail was swishing back and forth.


    Clearly, she was in a good mood.


    After more than two years of training in the Demon King��s castle, Lin Xi was finally entrusted with an important task, becoming the Demon General stationed on the 20th floor.


    She could also return to White Dove City to visit old friends.


    ��Given Lin Da��s preachy nature, he��s definitely going to hit me once he sees me like this,��


    Lin Xi thought self-awarely, her slender fingers with red-painted nails resting on her delicate chin.


    She knew she had ��fallen.��


    But she didn��t resist this sense of pleasure.


    Powerful magic power, the long life of a Demon General, the promises made to her by His Majesty the Demon King��


    If Lin Da willingly submitted to the Demons, he too would be awarded a seat among the Demon Generals.


    His Majesty the Demon King told Lin Xi: this matter, he would never lie about.


    After the Demons rule over the continent, both siblings would gain eternal life.


    So, why not fall into corruption and become one of the Demons instead of a sorrowful adventurer?


    Lin Xi made the choice for Lin Da.


    She wanted to bring Lin Da along with her into corruption!


    And after all, it was Lin Da��s fault she turned out this way!


    Lin Da, a mere Healer, together with the fool Lia and green-tea Aiko, aimed for the top level.


    If her teammates were those five-star level characters that Lin Da talked about, she might have seen hope.


    But the fool Lia, never!


    Sooner or later, she would fall at the World Tree, becoming just another nameless tomb.


    Lin Xi didn��t have many desires.


    To live a simple life with Lin Da was enough for her.


    And when she initially made a wish to the Dawn Goddess, adding eternal life to her request was just to aim high, so she could bargain better.


    Lin Xi, unable to see the wish content of others in the log, didn��t understand the specifics of wishing logic, just thought that more was better, and if the Dawn Goddess disagreed, she��d ask for less.


    Looking at the outcome now�� adding the term ��eternal life�� had been the right choice.


    Lin Xi proudly puffed out her chest. Without the term ��eternal life,�� she wouldn��t have been able to meet His Majesty the Demon King and become one of the Twelve Belongings.


    The Twelve Belongings can be understood as a contract with a High-Level Witch.


    What sets them apart from ordinary witches is that the Twelve Belongings have the Demon King��s Blood within them, significantly increasing their lifespan, and preventing them from turning into Catastrophe Beasts.


    Lia was precisely the twelfth of these Belongings.


    To put it nicely, she is called General Gluttony; to put it harshly, she is the weakest among the Twelve Belongings.


    But dealing with a level 40 Moon rank adventurer, Lia believed she was still up to the task.


    From the spying spell she had just felt, she feared that Lin Da had successfully reached the fourth level.


    By making a wish to the Dawn Goddess, she found his location.


    Lia conjured an image of Lin Da��s smiling face in her mind.


    She had almost finished dealing with all the matters at hand.


    She could consider meeting her brother now.


    With a flash of light from the Space Ring on her hand, her entire appearance transformed.


    The hollowed-out armor disappeared


    and was replaced by a black overall dress.


    The upper half was a white lace blouse.


    On her legs, she wore thick stockings suitable for the cooler autumn weather, and she donned a pair of big black-framed glasses on her face, holding a copy of the must-read for adventurers, ��Compendium of Demon Knowledge.��


    Lia stood prettily, showing not a hint of corruption, perfectly resembling a pure college beauty from some renowned adventure university.


    ��Lady Bai Mian, look, Lin Da won��t recognize me now, right?��


    Lia did not want to be recognized by Lin Da and lectured harshly.


    Given His Majesty the Demon King��s terrifying power, it was only a matter of time before Lin Da would surrender; she was not in a rush to get her hands on him just yet.


    Every moment she waited would, in the future, transform into a blazing fire.


    Lady Bai Mian looked at her disguise in surprise and applauded, ��Incredible! As expected of Lady Lia, even I think you look like an adventurer, not a demon!��


    Smack smack.


    A group of Magical Creatures also clapped along.


    ��But, Lady Lia���� Lady Bai Mian hesitated, ��With your status, it might be dangerous if you were discovered entering White Dove City, right?��


    ��I won��t stay too long, just long enough to meet Lin Da.��


    Lia glared at Lady Bai Mian, dissatisfied, ��Why do you keep interfering, are you trying to steal my brother from me?��


    ��I wouldn��t dare����


    ��That��s right, you come too!��


    Lia giggled, ��I��ll be a passing noble family��s adventurer miss and you��ll be my attendant. Together, we��ll be much more convincing!��


    ��Eh�� eh?! I��m also going? What if my identity gets exposed���� Lady Bai Mian waved frantically.


    ��It won��t! There were many guests at Lin Da��s house that day; we��ll just blend in,�� Lia assured.


    ��Guests��?��


    ��It��s an adventurer��s custom,�� Lia said proudly, hands on hips. ��The newspapers said my brother is already level 19, and after passing the fourth level, he��s definitely reached level 20.��


    ��And as per the adventurer��s custom, once you reach level 20, you throw a party at your home, inviting other Rock-level Squads as a social etiquette!�� S��ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Reflecting on this, Lia spoke with slight regret, ��I originally thought Lin Da would be around level 10 when entering the fourth level, but he turned out to be level 20����


    She had sent the Anthropomorphic Demon to intimidate Lin Da and let him experience the terror of the Demon Lord��s Army; unexpectedly, she had ended up aiding him instead.


    However, Lia didn��t dwell on it much. The more outstanding Lin Da was, the more the Demon King would acknowledge his potential. In that case, not just a spot among the Demon Generals, but even among the Four Kings could be possible.


    Then, hand in hand with Lady Bai Mian, she used the Teleportation Stone and left the twentieth level.


    Emerging from the World Tree in a certain city, they boarded a carriage and headed for White Dove City.


    Outside, the sunlight was just perfect.


    The pink-haired girl swayed her little feet wrapped in black stockings in the carriage, looking through the window at the clear blue sky.


    Thinking that she would see her brother in a few days, a beautiful smile with shallow dimples appeared on the young girl��s face.

 Chapter 219 - 219: 194, Fourth Layer of Dark Night City, Cleared!

    Chapter 219: 194, Fourth Layer of Dark Night City, Cleared!


    World Tree Level Four, Dark Night City Inn.


    ��As promised, I have fulfilled your wish, now you must keep your promise and let me go,�� the flesh worm said weakly, even crawling was a problem.


    Fortunately, Lin Da had vowed to release it.


    Once it found a place to hide, it could slowly recover by eating some roots and tree bark.


    It could then look for the next ��Marshall�� Bishop to hide and continue to deceive��


    A beautiful worm life was waiting for it!


    ...


    However.


    ��Sorry, I refuse.��


    Lin Da��s face was full of apologies, ��I��m in a bad mood right now, so I can only kill you.��


    Lin Da would not miss any opportunity to become stronger in order to defeat his sister.


    The flesh worm was the ��god�� in the adventure objectives, and by vanquishing it, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team could achieve all three major objectives.


    Lin Da took out the Azure Sword.


    The cold light of the sword reflected the terrified and trembling figure of the flesh worm.


    ��You��!��


    ��You��re not keeping the promise!��


    ��Whimper!��


    A flash of azure sword light.


    The pitiful screams of the flesh worm ceased abruptly.


    As the flesh worm was cut into two pieces, World Tree leaves appeared in front of Lin Da and his companions.


    The leaves were glowing. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It showed that the last adventure objective: Kill ��god��, complete!


    It took three days.


    Lin Da and his colleagues had perfectly completed all the objectives set by the World Tree Goddess!


    The Divine Gift of the World Tree Goddess appeared.


    Three rays of light descended from the heavens, falling upon the members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    Lines of text popped up in Lin Da��s vision.


    [System Notification: You have vanquished the level 20 epic monster ��Wish Bug��!]


    [Team Experience Points gained: 200,000!]


    [Last Hit Kill, Diamond gained: 200,000!]


    [You have cleared the World Tree��s fourth level]


    [Main adventure objective completed, killing the Werewolf, Team Experience Points gained: 100,000]


    [Additional objective completed, killing 5 Magical Beings/Transcendents, Team Experience Points gained: 100,000]


    [Supplementary objective completed, killing ��god��, Team Experience Points gained: 200,000]


    400,000 Experience Points, divided evenly, would give each person 133,000.


    Of course, ordinary adventurers like Monica don��t have an experience point panel. For Monica, Experience Points are like being blessed by the divine power of the World Tree Goddess, forcibly stuffed with magic power.


    Monica was thoroughly infused with it!


    Under the deluge of team experience, every member of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team was bathed in two streaks of golden light.


    Lin Da, Kafni, Monica��


    Directly advanced from level 19, up two levels, to 21!


    In Lin Da��s spiritual night sky, the 20th and 21st stars lit up.


    The star representing level 20 was especially large, shining brilliantly.


    Compared to the other stars, it was like the difference between the moon and stars.


    Even the star for level 21 could not surpass it.


    When this star lit up, a warm current swept through Lin Da��s entire body.


    As if soaking in a hot spring, all the fatigue in Lin Da��s body, the pain in his magic circuit, was washed away.


    His magic power was also rapidly increasing.


    The Recovery Series and Poison Technique Series skill trees bore new ��fruit��.


    A profound understanding entered Lin Da��s mind.


    He instantly realized that he could master the Ultimate Skills that every adventurer dreams of.


    And he had two of them.


    [System Notification: You have leveled up to lv20!]


    [Attribute Increase: Strength +40, Magic Power +40, Defense +10, Magic Defense +18, Agility +10, Hit Points +400]


    [Upon reaching level 20, gain additional attributes: All Attributes +200, Hit Points +1000]


    [You have leveled up to lv21!]


    [Attribute Increase: Strength +42, Magic Power +42, Defense +11, Magic Defense +20, Agility +10, Hit Points +400]


    [You have received 2 Skill Points and 1 Golden Skill Point]


    The golden light of leveling up was gradually absorbed by Lin Da and the two others, who emerged from a golden waterfall like Cultivators, each with their own gains. They exchanged glances, their smiles so wide they could hardly be contained even by three horse-drawn carriages.


    Breaking through to level 20 represented a significant boost in strength for adventurers.


    Each of them had gained a new Ultimate Skill.


    Excitedly, Kafni said, ��My level 20 Ultimate Skill is ��Super Theft,�� which guarantees me to randomly steal one item as long as the target is no more than 5 levels above me!��


    Lin Da was startled upon hearing that; ��Super Theft�� was a skill that only powerful five-star level characters had a chance to learn in the game.


    Many Magical Creatures had a low chance of dropping rare materials.


    But with Kafni��s ��Super Theft,�� it was like having an additional chance to obtain rare materials.


    Even�� if she could steal the weapons of the Magical Creatures, it would be a great advantage in combat.


    It could be even more powerful than some high-damage Ultimate Skills.


    ��You��re finally useful,�� Lin Da remarked wistfully.


    Of course, Lin Da was joking. Kafni could detect the presence of Magical Creatures and had Divine Power as a trump card, making her essentially the strongest team member.


    It was just that her usual damage output seemed rather lackluster.


    Upon hearing this, Kafni kicked Lin Da��s shin, unconvinced: ��I, the great Lady Kafni, have always been useful!��


    ��Yes, yes, yes���� Lin Da laughed.


    Meanwhile, Monica had also fully digested her Ultimate Skill with a cheerful smile spread across her face.


    She stood in front of Lin Da, hands clasped behind her back like an eager elementary school student who did well on a test, longing for praise from a parent.


    ��Lord Captain, my Ultimate Skill is ��Falling Rock Technique,�� which can deal high damage to a large area of Magical Creatures!��


    ��Oh?�� Lin Da��s eyes brightened as he stroked Monica��s head, praising her, ��Well done, ��Falling Rock Technique�� can be upgraded to ��Meteorite Technique�� after level 40, which has explosive damage and is one of the most powerful earth system Ultimate Skills.��


    ��Hehehe���� Monica giggled coyly, closing her eyes to enjoy the captain��s petting.


    This kind of treatment was only reserved for the powerful members back in the Primitive Adventure Team.


    Monica never dreamt that she, quite the lackluster member, could be petted by the Lord Captain.


    ��By the way, what about yours?�� Kafni looked at Lin Da curiously, ��It��s not the least impressive one, is it?��


    ��I have several Ultimate Skills to comprehend, so it takes a bit longer,�� Lin Da replied, closing his eyes as if to meditate upon his Ultimate Skills.


    In reality, within his darkened vision, he was opening the system panel, flipping to the Skill Tree page.


    At the moment, he had 5 Skill Points and 1 Golden Skill Point.


    He had been wondering where that Golden Skill Point had come from, but now he knew: It can be obtained upon leveling up to a high level.


    Regular skills beyond lv4 could only be further improved using a Golden Skill Point.


    Lin Da thought for a moment that his two Ultimate Skills had to be selected.


    They could not be spared.


    He opened the Poison Technique Series Skill Tree.


    On this tree hung a golden fruit, glittering and shiny.


    It seemed to be enticing Lin Da to hurry up and learn the skill.


    The icon for this Ultimate Skill was a purple energy Giant Dragon.


    The Giant Dragon roared, charging towards a mountain in the distance.


    Wherever it passed, rocks shattered and the sky changed color.


    It looked incredibly majestic, seemingly an output-oriented skill.


    [System Notification: Do you want to spend 1 Skill Point to learn the Ultimate Skill ��Poison Dragon��s Roar��?]


    [Yes!]

 Chapter 220 - 220: 195, all members at level 21, Lin Da masters Double Fatality Ultimate Skill

    Chapter 220: 195, all members at level 21, Lin Da masters Double Fatality Ultimate Skill


    As Lin Da clicked to add points, the skill icon, entwined with locking chains, gradually unlocked amidst a rustling noise.


    This skill also released a dazzling purple glow.


    Lin Da stared intently.


    [System Prompt: You have learned the ultimate skill ��Poison Dragon��s Roar��!]


    [Skill Name: Poison Dragon��s Roar]


    [Quality: Orange Rare]


    ...


    [Type: Ultimate Skill]


    [Consumption: High]


    [Proficiency: lv1 Beginner]


    [Effect: Concentrates the magic power of poison into an energy dragon that devours everything before it, causing ��Considerable�� damage and afflicts the target with 10 layers of ��Dragon��s Sorrow��, each layer causing ��High Damage��]


    In the game Mystic Continent, skills described as ��Considerable�� have a damage multiplier fluctuating between 600%-1000% depending on whether the skill affects a single target or an area.


    This means that Lin Da��s ultimate skill ��Poison Dragon��s Roar�� has at least a 6x damage increase, up to 10x.


    That aside,


    the main capability is to stack up to 10 layers of ��Dragon��s Sorrow��.


    Each layer of Dragon��s Sorrow causes high damage, with a rate around 300%.


    10 layers�� that��s 3000%.


    Total damage adds up to a minimum of 3600%!


    Even though Lin Da had predicted that his ultimate skill might be very powerful, this level of strength was still beyond his imagination.


    Candidly speaking, if facing a level 20 Black Shell Crab General, Lin Da could send his opponent off with just one Poison Dragon��s Roar.


    This ultimate skill, when used against a Black Shell Crab General, could approximately inflict a total damage of 30,000.


    What used to require a full round of collective output from the Phoenix Tail Flower Team to beat, now at Lin Da��s current level 21, only needed one move.


    This is the terrifying increase in an adventurer��s strength upon crossing the level 20 threshold.


    An overall increase of 200 in all attributes significantly enhanced Lin Da��s dual defenses.


    Now, his durability allowed him to withstand attacks from the Red Armored Crab King without needing the Verdant Shield!


    It��s worth mentioning that while adventurers output dreadfully high damage against demon creatures, they cannot inflict such high damage in internal conflicts.


    Whether they are demon adventurers or adventurers from Mystic Continent, fundamentally their abilities are operated through a magic circuit that transforms into skills.


    And the power of their life barriers also stems from the same core, resulting in a considerable reduction in skill effectiveness when similar energies collide.


    Lin Da��s Poison Dragon��s Roar, able to deal 30,000 damage to a Black Shell Crab General, is regarded as monstrous, but it wouldn��t be nearly as much against another adventurer.


    Post-transition in the game, there evolved a rule that ��attack and defense originate from the same source, hence damage is reduced.��


    Otherwise, with everyone��s frailty, many star-ranked adventurers wouldn��t even have 30,000 health points��


    That said, with Lin Da��s current damage output, it was enough to threaten star-ranked adventurers.


    After acquiring ��Poison Dragon��s Roar��, he cast his gaze onto the recovery series skill tree.


    There lay a gleaming golden fruit.


    The fruit displayed a skill icon.


    Above it was a sage with a white beard, facing Lin Da, holding a long sword vertically in front of him.


    The sage��s eyes were closed, and behind him spread wings of light.


    In the background, the light transformed into feathers fluttering across the sky. S��arch* The ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A crowd of devotees held up their hands in frenzy.


    They were all enveloped in golden light shields.


    Lin Da raised an eyebrow; such a cool icon suggested this ultimate skill might be incredibly powerful, possibly even stronger than Poison Dragon��s Roar!


    Without a second thought, he clicked to learn the skill.


    [You have learned the skill: Guardian Sword!]


    [Skill Name: Guardian Sword]


    [Quality: Orange Rare]


    [Type: Ultimate Skill]


    [Consumption: High]


    [Proficiency: lv1 Beginner]


    [Effect: Conjures the Guardian Sword with magic power to attack a small area target, causing ��Considerable�� damage, and provides a Guard Shield equal to 50% of your maximum health to allied units within range (currently up to 3 people)]


    At first glance, the damage doesn��t seem high, unlike Poison Dragon��s Roar which can stack ten layers of Dragon��s Sorrow.


    Among the ultimate skills of various classes, this one, solely in terms of damage, is mediocre.


    But its strength lies in its auxiliary effect.


    Lin Da quickly analyzed the truly potent aspect of this skill.


    The accompanying Guardian Shield could layer on top of the Verdant Shield.


    Facing increasingly fierce higher-level demon creatures, a single Verdant Shield was not enough to effectively soften the pressure on the back-row.


    Like Monica, a fragile caster, even with the Verdant Shield, could be slapped in the face by an epic-level demon creature and taken away by a double hit.


    Other mages were the same.


    They didn��t have substantially more health points than Monica.


    In the game, how to ensure the survival of the back-row so that they could continue dealing damage to creatures was a significant challenge for players.


    But now, Lin Da had the Guardian Sword, which, while causing area damage, also provided his teammates with an additional shield.


    The initial thickness of the Guardian Shield was formidable, reaching 50% of Lin Da��s maximum health.


    In comparison, the Verdant Shield, leveled to lv4, only amounted to 45% of the maximum health.


    Lin Da could fully believe that once the Guardian Sword is fully leveled, the shield thickness could reach an astonishing 100%.


    At the moment, he still had three skill points left and one golden skill point.


    Lin Da gritted his teeth and clicked on the Guardian Sword.


    [Would you like to spend 2 skill points to increase the proficiency of Guardian Sword to lv2?]


    Two skill points?


    A big question mark appeared in Lin Da��s mind.


    The system assistant textually responded: [The comprehension difficulty of ultimate skills is higher than ordinary skills; it requires 2 skill points for advancement]


    ��Too expensive, better save the skill points,��


    Lin Da thought to himself.


    While ultimate skills are strong, his minor skills, once their proficiency is elevated, are also not weak.


    Like the Dark Whip, this become his most frequently used skill.


    It could attack, assist, and even be used to save people.


    It can be considered as a ��Demon Binding Rope��.


    The most important thing was that upgrading minor skills only required 1 skill point.


    ��These three, I��ll keep for now, and add points when needed.��


    Besides learning two new ultimate skills, Lin Da��s personal attribute panel had also undergone a complete transformation.


    Name: Lin Da


    Level: 21


    Occupation: Chosen Healing Hero


    Hit Points: 7900 (6900+1000)


    Magic Power: 1235(705+530)


    Strength: 1235


    Defense: 319(299+20)


    Magic Defense: 387(367+20)


    Agility: 330(300+30)


    Resistance: Poison Resistance 30%


    Experience Points: 115782/130000


    Skill Points remaining: 3 regular, 1 golden


    Mystical Points: 124867


    Diamonds: 213320


    ��


    Upon reaching level 20, Lin Da��s several basic attributes had all been increased by 200 points.


    Among them, dual defense was the most valuable.


    These defenses, when facing the high multiplier attacks of adventurers, combined with a Life Barrier, could effectively block damage.


    Now that Lin Da was using the Verdant Shield + Guardian Sword, he could even withstand attacks from Star-ranked adventurers for a while!


    In terms of dual attack, it broke a thousand, reaching 1235.


    For a support class occupation, this number was quite exaggerated.


    As far as Lin Da knew, Healers at his same level would only have about 700 Magic Power.


    Which meant, he was nearly twice as high.


    This was still with him wearing level 10 equipment, without having upgraded them.


    Lin Da had 1.2 million gold in savings; completely buying level 20 equipment for replacements, plus the Murderous Crab series equipment being forged at the Blacksmith Shop��


    Once he updated, his panel would reach an extremely terrifying level.


    Lin Da casually opened the team panel and checked Monica and Lulu��s current personal basic attributes.


    Monica��s basic Magic Power: 901 points.


    Lulu��s basic Strength: 998 points.


    These were their basic numbers without wearing Magical Equipment.


    Through Lin Da��s dream-inducing guidance, in addition to Lulu and other team members�� already significant talents, just speaking of output on the panel, it surpassed his.


    The positioning of Lin Da��s occupation was not as an output role.


    Even as he stood at the front looking like a Berserker, in essence, he still belonged in the support category at the back.


    Staying in the back to heal his teammates and shield them was his appropriate role.


    ��Monica��s basic Magic Power is indeed high; Lulu is at level 27 and barely 100 points higher than her,�� Lin Da thought.


    Considering Lulu��s talent skill ��Berserk,�� the lower her health, the higher the damage, in terms of burst damage per second, Lulu was far above Monica.


    However, in terms of burst capabilities, both Lin Da and Lulu did not match Monica.


    Especially since Monica had mastered an ultimate skill with a very high multiplier, ��Rockfall.��


    It could instantly kill the Black Shell Crab General.


    Lin Da closed the system and, smiling, shared his ultimate skills with his teammates.


    ��Poison Dragon��s Roar?��


    ��Guardian Sword?��


    Kafni and Monica each mentioned the name of an ultimate skill.


    If it were a stranger, they would probably envy Lin Da for not only mastering powerful ultimate skills but having two��


    But in the Phoenix Tail Flower, Lin Da was their team leader.


    The team leader and members were one entity; an individual��s strength was the team��s strength.


    ��Team leader, you��re amazing!�� Monica��s eyes were filled with admiring stars, completely becoming a fan of Lin Da.


    Kafni snorted, ��As the adventure team leader dedicated to the demon extermination, such a level of improvement is to be expected; I won��t allow you to become complacent!��


    Actually, Kafni was a bit upset inside; she thought that with her ��Super Theft,�� she would become a core of the team, but the major core was still Lin Da.


    The effect of the Guardian Sword was extremely powerful.


    Kafni, a rogue occupation with a relatively frail body, could now confidently go to the front of magical creatures to perform Super Theft with Lin Da��s Guardian Sword.


    ��Everything that needed to be done has been done; let��s leave the Mystic Realm.��


    Lin Da glanced at the spot where the flesh worm had disappeared.


    It hadn��t burst out any equipment. Its energy was probably already squeezed dry by Lin Da.


    In the space ring, lay 20 demon cores wished for, plus [Earth Dragon��s Dragon Skin].


    With it, Lin Da could craft the Epic-level armor, [Magic Dragon Soft Armor].


    This was the first time Lin Da had gotten his hands on Epic-level equipment since coming to this world, and he couldn��t help but feel excited.


    He was level 21 now and was still wearing level 10 [Metal Slime Chainmail]; he had wanted to upgrade for a long time.


    The Magic Dragon Soft Armor, once crafted, would be around level 20.


    Being crafted from the defense-oriented Earth Dragon��s dragon skin, the added defense and health points would definitely not be low.


    This would further strengthen Lin Da��s ��Verdant Shield�� and ��Guardian Sword.��


    With these enhancements, regular magical creatures would no longer pose a threat to Phoenix Tail Flower Team before the tenth floor.


    Lin Da and his team took out the World Tree leaf and silently commanded to return.

 Chapter 222 - 222: 197. Inquiry to the World Tree Goddess about forging the Magic Dragon Soft Armor

    Chapter 222: 197. Inquiry to the World Tree Goddess about forging the Magic Dragon Soft Armor


    The hall supervisor rushed over when he spotted Lin Da, all smiles with a bowed head.


    Lin Da shook his head, as his visit was for the statue of the World Tree Goddess, not to conduct business.


    The supervisor tactfully stepped aside but kept his eyes on the trio from the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, ready to come forward and serve at a moment��s notice.


    Ever since the Kreivs�� incident, the staff at the White Dove City Adventure Guild had become much more agreeable.


    For someone like Lin Da, who was above level 20 and carried the title of Glorious Adventurer, they offered the most cordial and enthusiastic service!


    At the Adventurers�� Guild, as long as Lin Da didn��t snap at the staff, most reasonable requests would be fulfilled.


    ...


    At that moment, Lin Da stood before the statue with his eyes closed, praying silently in his heart.


    ��Tricia, I need to see you!��


    ��As a hero, I have important matters that require your answers!��


    When he opened his eyes, the scene had already changed.


    On a vibrant meadow, stood a mature woman with a proud chest, vibrant green hair reaching the ground, looking at him with a gentle expression.


    ��Honored hero, please state your doubts,�� Tricia��s voice was like a breath of spring.


    Under the Goddess��s delightful smile, the impatience in Lin Da��s heart vanished.


    He originally wanted to question Tricia harshly, but upon seeing the Goddess herself, he felt like an internet troll caught in real life, and his demeanor improved significantly.


    Lin Da placed his right hand over his chest, bowed slightly, and performed a standard Adventurer��s courtesy.


    ��Goddess, my question is, why do Anthropomorphic Demons, creatures that are indeed magical, appear in the fourth layer of Dark Night City?��


    Theoretically, it was only above the 20th layer of the Great Mystery Continent that one would encounter the Demon Lord��s Army.


    Tricia replied, ��Honored hero, this is because the seal of the Demon King is gradually weakening, and our worlds are drawing closer. It��s like two spheres being squished together.��


    ��Where they overlap, spatial passages emerge. Magical Creatures can reach the Mystic Continent, and adventurers can also enter the Demon Realm through these channels.��


    ��Story-driven secret realms and the Great Mystery Continent are the most unstable and prone to overlapping. Combat secret realms are stable and will not encounter such conditions.��


    Tricia elegantly placed her hands over her abdomen, made a bow, ��Honored hero, please strengthen yourself, and prepare to face more powerful Magical Creatures.��


    ��I see.��


    Lin Da nodded, musing that the awakening of the Demon King was happening sooner than in the game.


    According to the original timeline, the Demon King would awaken in a hundred years.


    Now it might be accelerated to about seventy or sixty years.


    Lin Da didn��t feel too pressured, as based on his understanding of the World Tree, he could reach the summit in twenty or thirty years, and pull out the Sword of the Hero.


    ��I have a second question,�� said Lin Da.


    ��What��s the deal with Dark Night City? Why would such a strange secret realm appear within the World Tree?��


    Tricia looked apologetic, ��The secret realms within the World Tree are beyond my control; all I can do is silently watch over this continent.��


    Lin Da finally understood. Tricia served much like the official maintenance personnel for the game, not responsible for ��creating the game��.


    No matter what the adventurers did, she wouldn��t interfere unless the game��s overarching framework was under attack, threatening to fundamentally destroy the Mystic Continent. Otherwise, Tricia remained a bystander.


    ��Thank you, Goddess, for enlightening me.��


    Lin Da bowed once more.


    When he looked up, he was back in the hall of the Adventurers�� Guild.


    Kafni was already getting impatient, ��By the way, when are you, our leader, going to upgrade my equipment? I��m still using a level 10 Crescent Dagger at level 21!��


    As thieves heavily rely on their equipment, it was a grudge for Kafni that Lin Da still hadn��t upgraded her equipment.


    Lin Da said, ��Don��t worry, the Crescent Dagger series equipment is almost forged, and I��ll give you one when it��s ready.��


    As he spoke, a glimmer of light flashed in his hand, and he handed over a piece of ready equipment to Monica.


    It was a thank you gift from Isa for helping the Ice Flower Adventure Team get through the 13th floor.


    The ��Joyful Earth Bracelet��.


    A level 20 Orange accessory, Magic Power +450, earth magic damage increased by 10%.


    A perfectly suitable piece of equipment for Monica. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On the market, it could sell for at least 300,000 gold coins.


    Although Monica was a homebound ultimate social anxiety sufferer, it didn��t mean she was unaware of the equipment��s value, and she felt somewhat overwhelmed as Lin Da smilingly slipped the bracelet onto her delicate wrist.


    ��Team leader, this, this is too expensive!��


    ��Someone like me, Monica, who��s a huge flutter, doesn��t deserve to use such good equipment.��


    Monica hurriedly waved her tiny hands in refusal.


    Not only was she socially anxious, but she also had low self-esteem.


    The reason for this kind of personality lay heavily in her early experiences with the Dark Shadow.


    Calling Monica a ��worthless four-star�� and locking her in a warehouse, she compared herself with those formidable team members, and over time, she came to view herself as useless.


    ��No.�� Lin Da now shook his head, cradling Monica��s timid little face, and said seriously in front of the other adventurers who were full of envy, ��Monica, you are the best earth mage. Don��t talk about Orange accessories; when the time comes, even Legendary accessories, I will help you get.��


    ��Lege, Legendary?�� Monica��s eyes widened in shock, ��Such precious equipment, I����


    ��If the captain says you��re worthy, then you are,�� Lin Da tapped Monica��s little head. ��You must never look down on yourself again.��


    This affectionate tap made Monica��s face turn red, and she hummed softly, trailing after Lin Da.


    Feeling as if her small body was filled with happiness.


    The crowd who were watching the scene of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team flaunting their affection had their faces twisted with envy.


    Some adventurers coveted the Orange accessory Lin Da had presented, and others thought Monica was adorable and wanted to adopt one for themselves.


    ��Sigh, unlike me, who has followed the team through life and death for years, I��ve never been given an Orange accessory.��


    A female adventurer carrying a longsword gave a cold look to her bashful mage boyfriend beside her.


    ��That��s the Phoenix Tail Flower Team,�� said the mage boyfriend in a low murmur. ��Even President Velen said they have the potential to advance to the Iron Level. What do we have to compare with them?��


    ��If my teammates were as strong as Monica, blasting magical creatures with a single shot, I��d sell everything I own just to buy her an Orange accessory.��


    ��Ha!? You��re looking down on me, aren��t you?��


    ��


    At this moment, Lin Da and the two others stepped out of the hall.


    ��Yo, Lin Da, you��ve cleared the fourth floor? Congratulations,�� came the voice of a conspicuous figure approaching, a man with a golden pompadour and a rose tucked into his shirt pocket, Gale.


    Lin Da smiled, ��Hello, Mr. Gale, I was just looking for you on some matters.��


    In his Space Ring, there were two materials, [��Thousand-Change Demon��s Demon Core��][��Earth Dragon��s Dragon Skin��], which could be used to craft the ��Magic Dragon Soft Armor��.


    Epic-level materials were too precious; Lin Da did not trust them in the hands of a regular blacksmith, so he wanted to ask Gale to find a more reliable blacksmith to do the job.


    As Lin Da made his request, Gale blinked in disbelief:


    ��You got dragon skin? I just got word for you that someone in South Rock City is selling it, asking for 2.3 million gold coins����

 Chapter 223 - 223: 198, Gales importance, Snow Goose members cooperation

    Chapter 223: 198, Gale��s importance, Snow Goose members�� cooperation


    ��Luck.��


    Lin Da humbly smiled, ��On the fourth floor, I found a piece of dragon skin.��


    ��To find something like that�� I��m impressed,�� Gale scratched his head, enviously saying, ��Even among Star-ranked adventurers, dragon skin is a rare treasure. I read in the newspaper that you��re described as an ��adventurer favored by the Goddess,�� and that must be true!��


    In fact, that was the truth��


    Lin Da thought amusedly to himself, remembering his recent meeting with Tricia.


    He said, ��Could I ask you to help me find a blacksmith?��


    ...


    ��That��s easy,�� Gale nodded, ��Our White Dove Adventure Group often collaborates with a master blacksmith, it��s just that the crafting fee is a bit expensive.��


    ��For Epic-level equipment, it starts at 500,000 Gold Coins. But rest assured, with me, Gale, here, 400,000 Gold Coins will definitely be enough.��


    ��Thank you, Mr. Gale.�� Lin Da took out a level 20 Demon Core from his Space Ring: ��This type of attribute is quite rare, and knowing that you have an interest in collecting various Demon Cores, I specifically kept this one.��


    It was exactly the Demon Core he received from the Flesh Worm��s wish.


    Its attribute was ��Mental,�� highly collectible, starting at 50,000 Gold Coins and moreover, very difficult to obtain.


    This level 20 Mental Series Demon Core displayed a deep pink hue, the size of a quail egg, extremely exquisite.


    Gale��s eyes lit up immediately. He took the Demon Core, turning it over in his hands, obviously cherishing it.


    ��Brother Lin Da, I won��t beat around the bush with you. Aside from beautiful girls, my favorite thing is Demon Cores.��


    Gale stored it in his Space Ring, lightly pressing his fist against Lin Da��s chest: ��When you have time, come to the White Dove Adventure Group for a drink.��


    ��Speaking of which�� the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team is planning to host a party,�� Lin Da laughed. ��I was planning to personally notify the White Dove Adventure Group, but it��s a fortunate coincidence to have run into you.��


    Gale��s attention, which had been focused on the Demon Core, only then noticed that all three members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team had reached level 21!


    It had only been three days since he last saw them.


    Weren��t they level 19 at that time?


    Gale was slightly taken aback.


    The expression of this Star-ranked adventurer, usually calm and collected, now took on a hint of seriousness.


    Before Lin Da reached level 20, Gale��s interest in him was solely in recognition of Lin Da��s potential. But there were too many adventurers with potential, and countless had met their demise at the World Tree.


    At level 20, one could grasp an Ultimate Skill and equip gear much stronger than that available at level 19.


    Even if Lin Da��s talent were to dry up in the future, hitting a wall, unable to advance to the next floor, at the very least he would be a level 21 adventurer, holding a sturdy position within White Dove City.


    Moreover, Gale didn��t believe Lin Da��s potential would end there.


    Improving to level 21 in such a short period suggested that Lin Da��s chances of becoming a captain of an Iron Level adventure team were all the more likely.


    As the commander of the White Dove Adventure Group, Gale was smarter than most and had made the early decision to befriend Lin Da, considering it beneficial for the group.


    Now that Lin Da had stepped into level 21, Gale truly recognized the worth of Phoenix Tail Flower.


    These thoughts and changes happened in an instant.


    Gale still appeared casual, as if chatting with a friend; however, his heart held much more sincerity.


    ��Level 20, indeed you should throw a party! When will it be? You must notify us.��


    ��As for the time����


    Lin Da thought about it. In a few days, the Great Mystery Continent would open, so he decided: ��Better early than late, I plan to send out the invitations to various adventure teams tomorrow and hold the event the day after.��


    ��The day after�� Good, that day Captain Abner happens to be free, he can come!�� Gale patted Lin Da��s shoulder: ��Make sure to invite more girls to the party and have good alcohol available!��


    ��Captain Abner can come?�� Lin Da was somewhat surprised.


    For an ordinary level 20 team��s promotion party, it was already an honor for the White Dove Adventure Group to send someone over.


    With Captain Abner, the leader of an Iron Level Adventure Group, making an appearance, it would undoubtedly help Phoenix Tail Flower rapidly establish a reputation among the adventurers of White Dove City.


    Lin Da, feeling moved, said, ��Tomorrow, Phoenix Tail Flower will surely prepare fine wine to welcome you all!��


    Mr. Gale sighed, ��It��s okay, it was a good opportunity to pull Abner out to breathe some fresh air. All that constant training has made him almost grow fur. With a captain like that, he��s definitely not going to be liked by girls!��


    ��Moreover, it��s been several months since a new team advanced to level 20, so it��s a good chance for everyone to gather.��


    Gale looked around and leaned in to whisper in Lin Da��s ear:


    ��A little birdie told me that a new Guardian might appear on the tenth floor, much more formidable than the previous ones! Once the tenth floor opens up, you guys should be able to catch up, and our rock-level squads in White Dove City will surely defeat this Guardian.��


    Lin Da��s expression changed, and he said with implication, ��We��ll see�� For Phoenix Tail Flower, it��s still best to make steady progress.��


    That ��World Boss�� on the tenth floor �C Lin Da knew about it and knew that Phoenix Tail Flower, as they were now, was not up to the task of defeating it.


    He still mainly focused on the Goblin Nest on the fifth floor, trying to get an epic-level main weapon to boost the team��s output.


    ��As for crafting the Magic Dragon Soft Armor, I��m counting on you.�� Lin Da solemnly took out the Dragon Skin and Demon Core and handed them to Gale.


    This trust made Gale��s expression turn solemn.


    ��Leave it to me. In no more than seven days, I��ll definitely bring you the Magic Dragon Soft Armor!��


    �� S��arch* The ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the afternoon.


    The wilds of White Dove City, the rocky lands.


    ��Flame Burst!��


    The girl with short red hair shouted loudly, swinging her greatsword at the Ironclad Land Turtle in front of her that was seven meters long and resembled a small hill.


    Under the formidable power of the skill ��Energy Charging,�� the Land Turtle let out a mournful cry, and its hard carapace was split by the girl��s blade.


    ��Cast your spells now!��


    Phyllis noticed the turtle��s defenses were broken and quickly issued a command.


    You don��t need to tell me, I already know.


    Aiko hummed to herself indignantly.


    A small fry like that, always directing her around.


    Only Lin Da��s commands didn��t annoy her when she heard them.


    In terms of judgment on the battlefield, Aiko was even stronger than Phyllis. She had already predicted the Land Turtle��s defenses would break and was precasting the ��Hammer of Destruction�� spell.


    ��Transform into the force of destruction, annihilate the Magical Creatures in front of me!��


    Aiko��s blonde hair fluttered, her chest proudly puffed, and she pointed the pristine, dainty magic wand forward, as a huge hammer formed from light in the void.


    Following the gap Lia had created, Aiko slammed the hammer down on the Land Turtle.


    Thud!


    The turtle��s Life Barrier violently fluctuated.


    Then, a green Spiral Arrow came tearing through the sky.


    The ��Wind Archer�� Klyne��s skill ��Spiral Piercing Arrow��!


    The Fighting Spirit Arrows became the last straw that broke the camel��s back.


    From the turtle��s wounds gushed a copious amount of fresh blood.


    Soon after, its head drooped, and its limbs went from taut to relaxed.


    It fell to the ground, lifeless.


    Klrona wiped the sweat from her forehead, raised her little axe riddled with notches, and her pink twin ponytails happily swung back and forth:


    ��Yay! We��ve defeated a level 28 Magical Creature!��

 Chapter 224 - 224: 199. Lias important friend, Lulu, welcomes Lin Das return.

    Chapter 224: 199. Lia��s important friend, Lulu, welcomes Lin Da��s return.


    Ironclad Land Turtle, level 28, Purple Rare Level Magical Creature.


    Materials from its body can be sold for a total of 200,000 Gold Coins.


    In this battle against the creature, the Snow Goose Adventure Team��s days of coordination began to yield results.


    In the past, when they fought this level 28 Ironclad Land Turtle, it was an ordeal that often resulted in injuries.


    But this time, with everyone working together, the front liners Oru and Klrona were responsible for fending off the Ironclad Land Turtle��s attacks while Lia took the opportunity to deal damage, and Aiko provided support��


    The Snow Goose Adventure Team succeeded in defeating this strong level 28 Magical Creature with only minor losses.


    ...


    Aiko curved her lips into a smile and wheeled over to Lia.


    Lia was looking down at her hands, seemingly puzzled by something.


    ��Have you gotten stronger?�� Aiko asked curiously.


    ��I don��t know why, but the Battle Qi is flowing more smoothly,�� Lia murmured, excitement in her eyes.


    Ever since she resolved her issues and stopped viewing Lin Da as an enemy she had to defeat, she felt lighter and even found more pleasure in eating.


    The happiest moment of her day nowadays was before going to sleep when she looked at the ��Dark Shadow�� poster in her room.


    She trained with all her might, hoping someday to be part of a team as strong as the Primitive Adventure Team.


    As Lia��s mindset improved, her Battle Qi became smoother and more responsive, reaching a twelvefold efficiency.


    Her level had not changed, nor her equipment, but Lia could clearly feel her damage output had increased.


    Gently touching her left eye beneath the eyepatch, she felt a faint sense of burning.


    Streams of pure Fire Fighting Qi seemed to emanate from there.


    ��I remember Lin Da saying that wounds scar over and grow even tougher skin. Could it be my wound is healing and becoming more powerful?��


    Lia couldn��t help but be proud, placing her hands on her hips and saying, ��If Lin Da knew how strong Snow Goose is now, maybe he would regret leaving the team.��


    Aiko secretly rolled her eyes and said, ��When we came to the wilderness, I heard adventurers discussing that Lin Da and his team have all reached level 21.��


    ��Level 21? So quickly?��


    Lia was stunned for a moment.


    She spent half a year going from level 19 to 20.


    Going from level 19 to 20 was even more challenging than from 26 to 27.


    Adventurers lacking in talent, even with the Divine Gift from the World Tree Goddess, couldn��t break through and were stuck at level 19.


    Upon hearing that, Oru laughed and said, ��Lin Da made the right choice in changing his profession. He made a mistake choosing to be a Healer before, but this Healing Mage role suits him best.��


    Klyne packed away her beautifully crafted green bow and, with a charming smile, said: ��Lin Da is catching up with us. Next time in the Great Mystery Continent, maybe we can fight Magical Creatures together.��


    Lia��s little face drooped and she fell quiet.


    The other team members perhaps didn��t mean anything by it and were just reflecting.


    But Lia always felt it was a dig at her for letting Lin Da leave the team.


    ��Enough, Snow Goose will never collaborate with Phoenix Tail Flower, even if Lin Da isn��t an enemy, he��s still a competitor. Losing to Phoenix Tail Flower would be too shameful for Snow Goose!��


    Lia scanned her team members; current levels in Snow Goose were:


    herself at 27, Aiko at 28, Klrona at 25, Phyllis at 24, and both Klyne and Oru at 23.


    They had the advantage over Phoenix Tail Flower.


    But the advantage was rapidly shrinking.


    Lia was actually a bit afraid of Lin Da mocking her to her face.


    After all, if it were her, she would definitely taunt Lin Da��


    ��It��s not that I want to check up on Phoenix Tail Flower; I��m only thinking of finding him because of Lin Xi!��


    Lia made up her mind and said to everyone, ��Lin Da has returned from the fourth layer; we should ask if he found any trace of Lin Xi.��


    ��Lin Xi����


    At the mention of this name, the three veteran members of Snow Goose all had a gloomy expression.


    The person most affected by Lin Xi��s disappearance, aside from Lin Da, was Lia.


    Lia and Lin Xi, both frontline damage dealers and Swordsmen of similar age, quickly became friends.


    They had a much closer relationship than with Aiko or Klrona.


    Lia regarded Lin Xi as her best friend, as well as her strongest rival.


    Even Isa, in Lia��s heart, wasn��t quite on par with Lin Xi.


    Their current duel record stood at 99 wins and 99 losses.


    The vital 100th victory was pending, and they agreed that whoever secured it could issue one command to the other.


    Lia had long decided on her command for Lin Xi; she would tell her to stop teasing her!


    Putting cockroaches in her clothes, stealing her cake, showing her risqu�� comic books, trying to corrupt her��


    Lia was annoyed with Lin Xi.


    But it wasn��t until Lin Xi left that she realized something was amiss.


    There was no one to bicker with anymore.


    She couldn��t get along with Aiko, Klrona was too young for her to play with, and Lin Da was a steady type of adventurer, preferring to bury himself in thick tomes.


    So�� If there was a clue about Lin Xi, Lia would help Lin Da search for her.


    Definitely not for Lin Da,


    Lia just wanted to find her friend.


    Meanwhile, the male members of Snow Goose had finished collecting the Magical Creature materials.


    The group boarded the carriage and headed back to White Dove City.


    Regarding Lia��s suggestion to go to ��Goldfinch District�� to look for Lin Da, Aiko, however, declined.


    ��Why?��


    Lia asked, puzzled.


    She always felt that Aiko cared a lot about Lin Da.


    Even practicing cooking in secret.


    If it weren��t for Aiko telling her that she was just an ordinary former teammate of Lin Da, Lia might have suspected that Aiko had other feelings for him.


    ��Let��s wait a bit, the invitation from Phoenix Tail Flower should arrive soon.��


    Aiko touched her rosy lips with her finger and after some thought, said, ��Lin Da is busy right now, probably busy making invitations; if we go over now, we��ll only be in the way.��


    Lia came to a sudden realization. S��arch* The ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Right, Lin Da and his teammates had reached level 21��


    ��Will they invite us?�� Lia said softly, clutching her little fist.


    ��Who knows?��


    Aiko tilted her head and asked back with a mischievous smile in her heart, deliberately irritating the powder keg.


    ��


    At the same moment, in the living room of a white mansion in Goldfinch District.


    ��Welcome back.��


    With damp hands wiped on her pale yellow apron, Lulu received them with a cool expression.


    But upon closer inspection, one could see her fluffy wolf tail perk up happily.


    It somewhat reminded Lin Da of a pet dog he used to own.


    When coming home, it would also approach and wag its tail.


    Upon entering the living room, the dining table was already laden with delicious food.


    The appetizing aroma quickly captured Lin Da��s nose.


    In Dark Night City, all they had eaten were barely satisfying, far from enjoyable.


    This table full of sumptuous dishes was not only delicious but was also cooked with the warmth of his teammates�� hearts.


    Lin Da��s expression lightened considerably as he took off his coat and placed it on the sofa before giving Lulu, whom he hadn��t seen for days, a friendly hug.


    He also applied the Purifying Witch��s ability to his arms, removing the pollution from Lulu��s body.


    With his hand against Lulu��s back and his eyes closed, Lin Da felt the pollution near her heart.


    Compared to when they first met, it was about five times less.


    The higher the trust, the more efficient the Purifying Witch��s ability.


    Now, even a 40-level Moon rank adventurer standing in front of Lulu wouldn��t be able to detect her witch��s aura.


    ��Let��s stop purifying here for now, and continue later.��


    When Lin Da came back to his senses, he noticed Lulu��s cheeks were pink, and only her fluffy tail was still wagging high.


    Lin Da was slightly startled and couldn��t help but laugh.


    Turns out, the great comfort he felt just now was from Lulu��


    Now, his ��tail�� wasn��t wagging, but Lulu��s was.


    Indeed, she was a shrewd and shy Beastman!


    Noticing Lin Da��s teasing gaze, Lulu��s wolf ears shook embarrassingly, and she huffed.


    ��Let��s eat first.��


    Lin Da sat at the head of the table with Kafni and Monica to his left and right, and Lulu opposite him.


    ��Is the strategy still going smoothly?�� Lulu asked.


    ��With some thrills but no dangers, it was just tough on Monica.��


    Lin Da thought back to all that had happened in Dark Night City, filled with emotion.


    Perhaps because of his unique identity, his teammates retain clear memories after exiting the Emotion Secret Realm, and nobody forgets.


    As Lin Da recounted the events, Lulu gradually learned about the incidents in Dark Night City.


    The Werewolf girl��s emotions fluctuated accordingly.


    When Lin Da spoke about being tempted by the ��Dawn Goddess�� and nearly falling into the pool, Lulu stopped eating, nervously clutching her fork in both hands.


    When Lin Da revealed the true identity of the ��Dawn Goddess�� and enslaved the Flesh Worm, Lulu smiled appreciatively.


    The short-haired girl with light blue hair sat quietly, gazing at Lin Da across the dining table.


    Her clear eyes shimmered, like a warm lake under the sunlight.


    Lin Da��s voice was calm and steady, carrying a sincere warmth, akin to a spring breeze.


    This reminded Lulu of her childhood, when she would be held in her grandmother��s arms listening to stories, equally captivating.


    But this time, it was as though she was personally embedded in the story, with the hatred for the Flesh Worm, the unease in Lin Da��s situation�� It was like a large hand playing with the girl��s emotions.


    Occasionally, Monica and Kafni would interject, sharing their own adventure insights or adding details they had noticed.


    Time seemed to slow down.


    The pale golden sunlight of noon streamed through the windows, bathing the four at the table in a serene and beautiful ambiance.


    Lunch passed leisurely.


    Lin Da��s mood, too, relaxed.


    Delicious food nourished the stomach, and his own teammates were even more pleasing to the eye.


    The beauties from Another World, if placed in reality, would simply be an overwhelming force.


    Lin Da did not doubt that this was the reason he wanted to protect his teammates. If they were bulky Minotaurs, he might halve the meticulousness of his strategies.


    ��So�� Lin Xi turned into a Succubus?��


    Hearing the end, Lulu expressed her concern, ��Don��t think too much about it, even among Succubi, there are good ones.��


    Lin Da smiled helplessly, ��I do hope to meet her. If I could persuade her to come to Phoenix Tail Flower, that would be great.��


    Lulu shook her head, ��A contract with a Witch of the Twelve Belongings level, I have heard some about it, it controls the witch mentally, making them fully trust the Demon King. You have to purify the pollution from Lin Xi first to have a chance of convincing her.��


    The mention of this gave Lin Da a headache.


    Purifying pollution wasn��t an overnight task; he would need to bind his sister and purify her daily to restore her from the fall.


    ��Luckily, she won��t be coming to White Dove City anytime soon.��


    Lin Da internally breathed a sigh of relief.


    Given the strength that General Xilin displayed, Phoenix Tail Flower was really no match for her just yet.


    But there must be some reason why Xilin wouldn��t act against him.


    Otherwise, he would have been kidnapped by his sister during the Monster Tide.


    When Lulu finished clearing the table, Lin Da took out a stack of invitations from his ring.


    He waved them in his hand, ��Let��s make these together and get the party started as soon as possible.��


    The leveling-up party was a very important tradition among adventurers.


    Although Lin Da hadn��t fully integrated into the culture here, he knew not to neglect the event.

 Chapter 225 - 225: 200, Hidden Rich Lady Aiko, Klronas Album

    Chapter 225: 200, Hidden Rich Lady Aiko, Klrona��s Album


    ��My handwritting? Just�� forget it?�� Lulu said with a bit of embarrassment, ��My writing is really ugly.��


    As a Beastmen born into poverty, Lulu had good cooking skills and was talented in combat, but when it came to learning, she was in a cultural desert.


    Her handwriting was barely legible.


    ��Lord Kavne is off to drink heavily at the tavern, I heard the Tyrannosaurus Tavern got new brews.��


    Kavne chose to slip away: ��Tyrannosaurus Tavern, here I come, Your Lordship!��


    ��I��ll help our captain.��


    ...


    Monica, full of energy, raised her hand, striking a muscular pose, her face beaming with a reassuring confident smile.


    Social matters were not Monica��s strong suit, but she excelled at almost everything else.


    ��Then it��ll be Monica and me,�� Lin Da thought to himself, appreciating Monica��s compliance. Kavne was usually just a freeloader.


    He sighed helplessly, but with a smile, took Monica to his bedroom, where they both sat at the table, writing furiously.


    Time flew by.


    The night sky was filled with stars.


    By night��s end, the two had finally finished.


    Monica was exhausted, lying asleep in Lin Da��s arms, her rosy cheeks resembling a delectable apple.


    Lin Da carried her back to her room, then Lulu took over and walked in.


    The girl��s damp light blue hair wafted the warm steam of a bath.


    ��Cure���� Lulu murmured shyly, blushing.


    ��Indeed, it��s been three days without removing the impurities, we really need a good treatment.��


    Lin Da gave a knowing smile, cupped Lulu��s face, and performed ��Witch Purification.��


    ��


    The following morning.


    Lin Da handed the invitations to a courier, to be distributed among the rock-level squads.


    Meanwhile, in the villa of the Ice Flower Adventure Team.


    A silver-haired girl was in her bedroom doing a plank, sweating profusely.


    The magical clock showed it had been 1 hour and 27 minutes, and astonishingly, there was a 1000-kilogram block of Snowflake Ore on the girl��s back.


    Her body was straight, with beautifully curved buttocks, her chest impressively prominent, and clear droplets of sweat trickled down her pale chin to the mat.


    Because she practiced Ice Douqi, her sweat was clear and clean, emitting a tempting fragrance, despite her sweaty body��


    A small blackboard on the wall listed the upcoming adventure goals set by Isa:


    ��Break through the 14th level to become the fourth Steel Level Adventure Team in White Dove City.��


    As a team already at the 13th level, Ice Flower was under much scrutiny, and all the newspapers were closely watching.


    A few days ago, the White Dove Adventure Group, the Specter Adventure Group, and President Velen had all issued dinner invitations.


    Isa declined all of them, explaining that her team needed to be fully prepared for the 14th level.


    Of course, she did reply to White Dove because she didn��t want to work with the folks from Specter. Besides, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team was also part of the White Dove Adventure Group.


    Thinking of the always composed young man with black hair, Isa was on the plank for over an hour and nearly collapsed.


    ��Captain, there��s an invitation!��


    Fannis, with her green hair, burst into the room with a mischievous grin: ��Guess who it��s from?��


    ��From Specter? Could you respond for me? Be tactful, don��t anger them,�� Isa sighed. ��After all, they are a Steel Level, and Ice Flower cannot afford to offend them.��


    ��It��s not from Specter.��


    Fannis squatted down, placing a card decorated with a purple Phoenix Tail Flower before Isa.


    It had bold, stable handwriting:


    Hello, Captain of the Ice Flower Adventure Team.


    I am Lin Da, captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At exactly noon tomorrow, you are invited to the No. 3 villa in Goldfinch District for the Phoenix Tail Flower��s Level 20 promotion party.


    Sincerely, Lin Da.


    ��


    ��Ah, I know you��re busy, captain, so I already declined it,�� Fannis saw Isa��s smile and swiftly took back the invitation.


    ��Fannis, what are you doing? It��s really impolite not to attend!�� Isa said, flustered, and grabbed the back of Fannis��s shirt.


    ��You said to decline it. Actually, I��ve already declined it and am just informing you now.��


    ��What!?��


    ��Hehe, just kidding!��


    ��What?��


    A moment later, Isa, with a face full of frustration, carried a lump-ridden Fannis to the villa��s main hall.


    She clapped her hands to get everyone��s attention.


    ��Those who are free tomorrow, come with me to the Phoenix Tail Flower��s Level 20 promotion party.��


    ��Yes.��


    ��No problem.��


    ��Eh, I don��t feel like going out. You all go.��


    In theory, having one representative from the team attend the party would have been sufficient.


    Fannis, nursing the bumps on her head, mumbled: ��It��s just because you fancy Lin Da��s physique, and yet you don��t let people mention it, really����


    Thump!


    Fannis yelped as another bump formed on her head.


    Isa said with a smile that didn��t reach her eyes, ��The other team members can stay behind, Fannis, but you must come with me!��


    ��Ying ying.��


    At level 20, expenses for food and drink were no longer a concern, and the number of people attending wouldn��t financially pressure the Phoenix Tail Flower Team. In fact, the more people who attended, the more importance it showed towards the Phoenix Tail Flower party.


    Except for a few who wanted to stay home and rest, Isa��s side was mobilizing the entire team.


    On the other hand, inside a mansion of a dark style akin to a vampire��s abode.


    The leader of the Specter Adventure Group, Hulus, yelled furiously, ��Well done, Phoenix Tail Flower, Ice Flower, Snow Goose, you ignore my invitation and all stand with the White Dove Adventure Group?!��


    Under Hulus��s roar, the team members trembled, not daring to lift their heads.


    The leader of the Bedrock, ��Shattered Rock�� Rhode, a tower-like giant man, spoke more calmly, ��Hulus, what��s the rush? As long as they can��t reach Star Rank, they will never be able to contend with us.��


    Specter had fewer Rock-level squads, but their top combat power included two Steel Level adventure teams.


    ��I hope so,�� Hulus said with a somber expression.


    ��


    Knock knock.


    ��Klrona, aren��t you coming for breakfast?��


    At Snow Goose��s villa.


    Aiko knocked for a while without response and pushed the door open suspiciously.


    She only saw Klrona lying on the bed with a picture book and crayons, acting sneaky but in a good mood.


    Her pink twin-tails swayed back and forth, and her pale little feet kicked up and down like a fish swimming on the bed.


    Upon noticing Aiko��s arrival, Klrona tensed up and quickly hid the picture book under a pillow, ��I��ll come eat right now!��


    ��What is that?��


    Aiko entered the room, intrigued by the sight under the pillow.


    Could it be an risqu�� picture book?


    Was Klrona at that age already?


    ��No way!�� Klrona nervously pressed her little hands on the pillow, earnestly saying, ��This is for Lin Da to see first, after he��s seen it, then you can.��


    Aiko mentally snorted, what great stuff that Lin Da has to see it first. Phoenix Tail Flower has obedient lolita-type members too, and they��re legal adults, at Lin Da��s side, you Klrona have no chance!


    Lin Da might even disdain to look at it!


    Of course, these were thoughts that Aiko would never articulate. She smiled like a gentle big sister and said, ��Lin Da will surely be happy after seeing it, right? Keep it up, Klrona.��


    ��Hee hee, I like Sister Aiko the best.�� Klrona hugged Aiko affectionately, and at that moment, Aiko seized the opportunity to use Light Magic Power to move the pillow telekinetically and peek at the cover of the book.


    The title was written in crooked letters: ��The Young Lady Becomes the Strongest Adventurer Starting from Quitting the Team��.


    Aiko: ?


    This little one, she��s not thinking about betraying us, is she?


    After Lin Da left the team, Klrona was the happiest.


    She started living a boundless, free life in the villa.


    Reading comic books till midnight, and no one scolded her anymore.


    ��By the way, has Lin Da��s invitation arrived yet?�� Klrona suddenly raised her little head, her expression somewhat anxious, seemingly afraid that Lin Da would invite other teams but not Snow Goose.


    ��No news yet,�� Aiko shook her head.


    ��Ah? He��s not inviting us?��


    ��What are you thinking, Lin Da is not as petty as Lia.��


    Aiko said with a smile, ��Don��t worry, it will definitely arrive before evening.��


    ��Oh!�� Klrona visibly brightened up.


    This made Aiko inwardly vigilant.


    Lucky Klrona was still a minor, otherwise she��d be yet another competitor.


    ��The vampishly cheap women eyeing Lin Da are too many, if I don��t make a move soon, I might end up having to eat someone else��s wedding candy!��


    Aiko was internally anxious, so anxious that she had sores in her mouth.


    Originally, her plan was perfect: to completely capture Lin Da, making him her servant.


    From then on, Aiko planned to live off Lin Da��s, stay at Lin Da��s place, use Lin Da��s gold coins to buy Magical Equipment, fulfil her physical needs with Lin Da��s OO, and have Lin Da serve her forever, to severely retaliate against Lin Da.


    She wanted Lin Da to know how terrifying it is to affront the dignity of a young girl!


    But!


    The celebration banquet hosted by the Adventurers�� Guild last time made Aiko sense a crisis.


    Firstly, Lia, this short person, had a change of heart and stopped viewing Lin Da as an arch-enemy, rejoining the competitors. Although Lia��s chances of a successful stealth attack were low, she was currently ranked at the very end, but it��s unpredictable what the future holds!


    Then there were the members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, all having unwelcome thoughts about Lin Da!


    Plus Ice Flower��s Isa and other women from various Rock-level adventure teams also felt highly of Lin Da.


    No one could resist an adventurer who was smart, tall, handsome, and had huge potential.


    Aiko immediately realized: if she didn��t act soon, she might miss out entirely.


    Fearing even a peck would yield nothing.


    She might be left out, cleaned out by others!


    So, Aiko decided to strike first.


    She chuckled wickedly to herself, caressing the space ring on her hand��it was a 10X10 meter large space ring, five times more expensive than the 3X3 meter one Lin Da bought for 200,000 gold coins.


    Everyone in Snow Goose only knew Aiko came from a young lady from some family in South Rock City, but they had never really thought about how wealthy she actually was.


    Aiko had specifically requested: she did not want her teammates to investigate her identity.


    In fact, just in terms of wealth, all other members of Snow Goose combined couldn��t match up to Aiko.


    In her space ring, besides a mountain of gold coins, there was also well-cooked delicious chicken soup.

 Chapter 226 - 226: 201, The gift from Lia to Lin Da,

    Chapter 226: 201, The gift from Lia to Lin Da, ��The First Encounter of a Maiden with Celine


    In the chicken soup was a special ingredient prepared by Aiko for Lin Da: the pollen of the Chunyang Flower!


    This pollen had a potent astringent effect, colorless and tasteless, and even a Sage who consumed it would transform into a raging beast.


    Aiko planned to make Lin Da submit under her pomegranate skirt!


    No adventurer would want to have a girl they were close to mingle in another adventure team, right?


    By doing so, Lin Da would surely beg her to join the Phoenix Tail Flower.


    She��d have him completely under her thumb!


    ...


    Everyone envied Lin Da, but he could only be a lapdog under her skirt�� Thinking of this, Aiko��s face flushed red, her legs fidgeted restlessly, and she let out a creepy giggle with a ��hehehe��.


    She was like an evil big sister about to gobble up a little child, her thoughts so sinister that even a Succubus would feel ashamed.


    ��What��s going on, it��s so cold.��


    Klrona emerged from Aiko��s embrace, feeling that the air around her had suddenly turned as cold as if she were in a haunted house.


    When she looked up, Aiko��s expression had reverted to her sunny and gentle smile.


    ��That, Aiko, aren��t you a cripple? Wasn��t your leg just moving?��


    Klrona spoke in a daze.


    Because Aiko had been twisting and turning just now, thinking about amusing things, she inadvertently let Klrona see.


    ��Klrona, you��re tired.��


    ��Eh?��


    ��You��re having hallucinations. You need to rest these next few days!��


    ��Wuwu, only Aiko is good to me, Lia doesn��t care about me at all!��


    Klrona was touched.


    Today was a rare and pleasant breakfast for Snow Goose.


    Klrona had a good appetite and devoured a whole steak. She wiped her mouth and said excitedly, ��I��m going back to my room!��


    She had many things to do.


    The comic books were almost finished�� Aside from showing them to Lin Da, Klrona��s other main purpose was to apologize to Monica.


    She shouldn��t have taunted Monica for being poor.


    Emphasizing the truth over and over again was not the behavior of the strong.


    This time, Klrona planned to defeat Monica with her abilities.


    To show her apology for last time, she specifically bought Monica a limited White Cat Mage Puppet worth ten thousand Gold Coins.


    That day, all three members of Snow Goose were busy.


    Klrona was holed up in her room, working overtime on her drawings.


    Aiko was improving her ��delicious chicken soup��. After sipping just a little to test its effectiveness, she instantly turned into a senseless dork, nearly ruining herself��


    ��The effect is so strong, better use less of it.��


    Aiko shivered.


    If she used too much of the Chunyang Flower��s pollen, she��d be the one who suffered in the end!


    As for Lia�� she was restless, unsure of how to treat Lin Da and the others.


    The one who��d called Lin Da the enemy was her.


    The one prepared to fight Lin Da every time they met was still her.


    The one who had cooperated with Lin Da twice was again her.


    Lia had a sudden realization; her face was already swollen like a ��bee-stung dog��!


    The embarrassment became something she grew accustomed to without realizing it.


    Being mocked by the members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team was the least of it.


    The real trouble troubling Lia, making her heart flip-flop and food seem to well up in her throat, was what kind of gift to pick for Lin Da.


    Anyone invited to attend the Phoenix Tail Flower��s level 20 promotion party had to bring a gift.


    It was a matter of serious etiquette.


    Even if it was a cheap trinket, it still had to be brought along.


    If she didn��t send a gift, she would be considered provocative, and other adventurers would see her as a Dancing Team Captain who lacked manners and had an extremely low EQ.


    Therefore, the task of choosing a gift for Lin Da stumped Lia.


    Over the years, she had never seriously given Lin Da a gift.


    In the afternoon, Lia wandered down the commercial street, feeling miserable, pausing in front of various shops.


    ��Miss, do you have any troubles?��


    A crisp, pleasant female voice like a silver bell rang out in front of Lia.


    Lia lowered her head, her hand supporting her chin, tangled in thoughts about the gift.


    She hadn��t noticed someone in front of her and almost bumped into them.


    ��You��re in my way.��


    Lia snapped back to reality, her eyebrows shooting up. She had no intention of apologizing; she was already walking close to the edge of the path, it must have been deliberate on the woman��s part to block her!


    Like an aggressive honey badger, Lia glared at the other with rising anger.


    However, upon seeing the pink-haired girl in front of her clearly, Lia couldn��t help but feel a fleeting sense of familiarity.


    She felt she had seen the person before but couldn��t place where.


    Lia sized up the other: thick black-framed glasses, a black suspender dress with lace-trimmed white blouse, beautiful with a quiet demeanor, completely opposite to her own nature.


    The girl��s pink hair was tied into a thick braid, set off by the black-framed glasses�� she was exactly the intellectual-type Lia detested.


    Whenever she saw such people, Lia would feel inferior because of her poor background and her primary school-level adventurer education. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Behind this pink-haired girl stood a golden-haired woman in her thirties, dressed in a black housekeeper��s uniform, captivating in appearance but with undisguised indifference in her eyes.


    ��Who are you?��


    Lia instinctively sensed something off about the two, so she stepped back, her expression wary.


    ��We��re just passing adventurers,�� said the pink-haired girl with a shy smile, adding, ��I saw you looked troubled, so I wanted to ask what happened?��


    ��Just the matter of selecting a gift���� Lia blurted out, then immediately wondered why she was discussing this with a stranger. Her expression darkened, and her tone grew colder, ��What��s it to you!��


    ��Selecting a gift?��


    The pink-haired girl��s mind clicked, instantly understanding the source of Lia��s concern.


    It must be the party that Lin Da was about to throw.


    And that dummy Lia hadn��t decided what gift to bring!


    ��I think that store over there is quite nice.��


    The girl pointed to a luxury brand store, speaking like a conniving sales attendant, giggling, ��Items like the brands ��Great Sea Clear Sky,�� ��Sexy Elves,�� ��Old Adventurer�� magic guide watches; boys always like them. It��s just that their price�� is slightly expensive, but for a rock level team captain, it should be nothing.��


    Lia��s face changed.


    She herself lived frugally, saving gold coins to buy magical equipment, and had no expensive accessories on her.


    Was she expected to buy one of those magic guide watches for Lin Da, which cost tens of thousands?


    Expensive, too expensive!


    ��Bye-bye then, I have other things to do, I��m off!��


    As Lia was stuck in her dilemma, the pink-haired girl and the housekeeper disappeared at the end of the commercial street.


    ��Such quick speed, Star Rank��?��


    Lia blinked in astonishment, murmuring to herself.


    Why did she feel this familiar sensation about such a character?


    She scratched her head, deep in thought, but just couldn��t recall where she had seen that person.


    ��Lin Xi looks somewhat similar, but Lin Xi has black hair,�� Lia mumbled to herself. ��I wonder if Lin Da has found any clues about Lin Xi. I��m not going to the party just for the sake of it; I��m only bringing a gift to ask about Lin Xi!��


    With such thoughts, Lia felt somewhat guilty as she stepped into the shop specializing in men��s luxury goods.

 Chapter 228 - 228: 203, all rock level captains: Go, we must go!

    Chapter 228: 203, all rock level captains: Go, we must go!


    ��`


    Lin Da��s Poison Dragon��s Roar indeed dealt 10,983 points of damage.


    But Lin Da didn��t signal his teammates to finish off the target. Instead, he raised his hand, signaling everyone to stop attacking.


    This action made everyone, including Folie, question what was happening.


    Shouldn��t they attack fiercely when the White-Maned Lion is weakened and burst its equipment?


    Why did Lin Da instead tell his teammates to stop?


    ...


    ��Eh, what��s that?��


    Folie noticed something unusual.


    Around the White-Maned Lion, a group of purple teardrops circled.


    Each teardrop was fist-sized, with a poison dragon totem carved on them. Every second, the poison dragon totem released a dense purple light, and the teardrops shattered in response.


    The White-Maned Lion howled miserably, as if its eggs had been crushed, and its Life Barrier quickly weakened.


    These mysterious purple teardrops totaled ten. If all of them were to shatter��


    Folie suddenly realized: it was Lin Da��s Ultimate Skill inflicting continuous damage.


    The total damage of this Ultimate Skill could cause 40,000 damage to the White-Maned Lion, completely annihilating the magical creature!


    That��s why Lin Da asked his teammates to hold back.


    The remaining attacks were completely unnecessary because the White-Maned Lion, though seemingly alive, was already dead!


    As a result, there were even more question marks in Folie��s head.


    An Ultimate Skill from a level 21 adventurer inflicting 40,000 damage on a level 20 Rare Orange Level magical creature known for its tough hide?


    Isn��t that a bit unreasonable?


    Folie��s class was Jungle Hunter, adept with bows and daggers, serving as a mid-range damage dealer. His Ultimate Skill, Dark Stab, could only deal 20,000 damage to the White-Maned Lion.


    If he remembered correctly, Lin Da��s class was Healing Mage, a backline support.


    Yet, Lin Da��s damage was twice as high as his, a mid-range damage dealer?


    Folie stared blankly at the broadcast screen: Could it be because this captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team had high ability points?


    No, it probably wasn��t that simple,


    Folie thought, shaking his head internally.


    Aside from ability points, there were two other factors.


    Lin Da��s Ultimate Skill was extremely powerful in itself, and��equipment!


    Under the close view of the sensor ladybug, Folie could clearly see a pair of sparkling earrings on Lin Da��s earlobes.


    They were red and crescent-shaped.


    Even with the naked eye, one could feel the powerful Magic Power flowing within the earrings. sea??h th�� Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Folie had read about them in books; they were jewelry crafted from the pincers of the Red Armored Crab King, the ��King Crab Set��!


    Lin Da��s Ability Points, the rarity of his Ultimate Skill, combined with the King Crab Set, resulted in damage that was downright double Folie��s!


    Of course, at this moment, Folie didn��t know that Lin Da��s weapon was the level 15 Azure Sword. Otherwise, Lin Da��s damage could be further increased.


    Professionals understand the intricacies, amateurs enjoy the show.


    The majority in the hall were level 10 adventurers who just felt that Lin Da was awesome, but couldn��t explain why.


    ��The damage from the Eye of True Knowledge is a bit high, huh!��


    ��They just entered level 20?��


    ��That pair of magic earrings looks familiar����


    At this time, the ��Dragon��s Sorrow�� encircling the White-Maned Lion shattered to the ninth teardrop.


    The magical creature let out a mournful wail, like an old general who longed to die in frontal combat with the enemy but was shot in the back, unwillingly falling to the ground.


    The lion transformed into white light and burst out one orange and four purple equipments.


    Upon the successful monster hunt inside the World Tree, Divine Light appeared.


    It fell atop the heads of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    At this moment, Lin Da and the others�� levels rose from 21 to 23!


    Folie��s face grew serious.


    He needed to hurry back.


    To tell his captain, Robert.


    Forget the flawed strategy.


    Joining the Phoenix Tail Flower Team��s promotion party was the priority!


    Understanding human relationships was very important!


    The hall was filled with the cheers of adventurers.


    Lin and her prideful little hands akimbo said to Lady Bai Mian, ��Impressive, isn��t it? That��s my brother!��


    ��Impressive����


    ��Of course, because he��s the brother of the great Lady Lin!��


    ��


    On the eighth floor of the World Tree, the grey plains.


    Lin Da silently felt the Magic Power within him growing stronger.


    Having broken through three levels to reach level 23, his Dual Attack increased by over 100, and his health points by 800.


    From the crafted Murderous Crab series equipments, he took a pair of earrings for himself and distributed the rest to his teammates.


    Kafni and Monica, now equipped with the level 20 orange quality ��Crab General�� weapons, saw further increases in their output.


    Lin Da��s growth was the most voracious.


    The pair of earrings on his earlobes had the following attributes:


    [Name: Sharp King Crab Earrings]


    [Type: Equipment �C Jewelry]


    [Quality: Rare Orange Level]


    [Level: 20]


    [Attribute Points: Magic Power +500, Agility +30]


    [Set: 2/2 (Achieved)]


    [Set Attributes: Magic Power +300, Casting Speed +10%]


    [Set Skill: Death Crab Pincer (Slash directly in front, when the opponent��s level is not more than 10 levels higher than yours, deals ��high�� True Damage, usable once every 24 hours)]


    [Equipment Rating: 1445]


    The other earring was named [Dull King Crab Earrings], with similar attributes, adding 480 Magic Power.


    Just these two pieces of jewelry added 1,280 points to Lin Da��s Magic Attack.


    His original Magic Attack was only 1,250 points��


    From this, one can see just how significant the upgrades equipment provide to an adventurer.


    If Lin Da had only 1,250 points of Magic Attack, his Poison Dragon��s Roar could not have inflicted a total of 40,000 damage on the thick-skinned White-Maned Lion.


    It was precisely because he was wearing a pair of King Crab Earrings that his Dual Attack doubled, providing him such confidence.


    ��`


    With his original Magic Attack, hitting that Rare Orange Level white-maned lion would only deal around 20,000 points of damage.


    If he were to use an Epic Weapon, that damage�� it could only be described as too beautiful.


    Beyond the tremendous increase in Attribute Points, Lin Da also gained the precious modifier of [Casting Speed +10%], further enhancing his combat ability.


    And the most precious of all, the set skill, [Death Crab Pincer].


    The same as the Red Armored Crab King.


    As long as the target wasn��t more than 10 levels higher than him, he could directly ignore their defense and deal True Damage.


    Now, at level 23, Lin Da could affect all targets at level 33 and below.


    This move was more suitable for inter-clan battles, targeting the frontline of adventurers rather than Magical Creatures.


    Below level 33, all beings were equal.


    After confirming his own Attribute enhancement, Lin Da and his team members approached the mountain of Gold Coins.


    Acquisition of spoils of war:


    A Rare Orange Level spear of level 20.


    Two Purple Equipment hammers of level 20.


    A Purple Equipment breastplate of level 20.


    A pair of Purple Equipment boots of level 20.


    Lin Da allocated the breastplate and boots to Kafni and displayed the rest as spoils of war at the party.


    If anyone wanted them, they would simply sell them directly, avoiding the middleman markups of a merchant.


    Then, they easily killed the guardian BOSS of the eighth floor, the Silverback Great Ape.


    System notifications popped up in front of Lin Da:


    [Cleared by taking less than 10 hits: Completed. +2 Stars]


    [Killed the hidden Magical Creature, the white-maned lion: Completed. +2 Stars]


    [Single skill damage above 30,000: Completed. +3 Stars]


    [Completed with a team of four or fewer: Completed. +2 Stars]


    [Dark attribute accounts for the highest damage in the team: Not Complete]


    [Total: 9 Stars]


    [Ultimate Clear achieved!]


    Lin Da nodded silently, it was just as he expected, an Ultimate Clear with nine stars.


    For a Perfect Clear with ten stars, he��d have to increase his box�� um, in this context, it should be called the diversity of his team members.


    He needed members of all attributes.


    Like in the third floor challenge, which required the highest Thunder Attribute output.


    If Lin Da had a member of each, Thunder and Dark Attributes, he could overcome this challenge.


    ��For Thunder Attribute, I could recruit that short one, and there are quite a few with Dark Attributes, Lin Xi, Tina, they all have Dark Attributes.��


    ��Tina, as a character with human rights, even has Light and Dark Dual Attributes.��


    Lin Da pondered to himself.


    One day, his team would reach a point where they had all attributes covered.


    This triple clear made his level reach 23, with an experience bar of 100,000/150,000.


    He could break through to level 24 with Mystical Points.


    But Lin Da held back, saving them for a crucial moment when leveling up would replenish health points.


    At this rate, by the day they break through the fourteenth floor, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team could all be Star Rank.


    Lin Da was full of determination.


    A bright future was beckoning to him!


    ��That��s all for today��s strategy session, and I hope everyone has gained something.��


    ��Also, if you��re free tomorrow, please do attend the Phoenix Tail Flower Team��s party. We have prepared drinks and fine food, waiting for you to grace us with your presence.��


    The Lin Da on the screen beamed with a friendly smile.


    However, several Rock Level Team captains in the hall were sweating bullets��


    Just a short while ago, they considered sending team members to make a perfunctory appearance, thinking it would suffice.


    Meanwhile, Folie hurried back to the Valiant Adventure Team��s villa, burst into Robert��s room, and said excitedly, ��Robert, we must go to the Phoenix Tail Flower Team��s party tomorrow!��


    Robert was discussing the strategy for the fourteenth floor with the team commander, deeply engrossed.


    ��No time, we��re busy here.��


    ��I said it��s enough if you go alone. The vice-captain��s presence should be sufficient. Lin Da represents the new generation, he wouldn��t care for such outdated and useless formalities, would he?��


    ��Uh, captain, I don��t think so.��


    ��What? Weren��t you of the same opinion this morning?��


    Robert looked up, puzzled, at the sheepish Folie.


    Folie explained: ��Lin Da has reached the eighth floor.��


    Robert: ��?��


    Folie: ��The Phoenix Tail Flower Team is now all at level 23.��


    The team commander, a young woman, also looked up in surprise.


    Just yesterday, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team was only at level 21.


    Folie grimaced as he said: ��That�� Lin Da��s Ultimate Skill can deal around 40,000 points of damage.��


    ��What?!��


    Robert and the team commander both stood up with a thud!


    ��It��s at noon tomorrow, right? Go, we must go!��


    ��Tell the team members, we��re not going for field training tomorrow. Everyone gets a day off to attend the Phoenix Tail Flower Team��s promotion party!��


    Robert spoke with spit flying everywhere.


    He initially didn��t want to go, as he thought Lin Da was not the kind to hold onto old customs.


    But what if he was?


    Robert didn��t want to risk being resented by the Phoenix Tail Flower Team for his absence.


    Maybe Lin Da was magnanimous.


    But what if he wasn��t?


    Considering the potential Lin Da had shown, Robert decided it was worth it to give the whole team a day off to attend the Phoenix Tail Flower Team��s promotion party.


    Similar scenarios were occurring in other adventure teams as well.


    The Light Adventure Team, Slay the Evil Dragon Adventure Team, Black Bear Adventure Team��


    The captains of these older, Rock Level adventure teams uniformly changed their decisions: They had to go, and the whole team had to go, to show their regard for the Phoenix Tail Flower Team!


    ��


    (ps: Please subscribe! If you could set up automatic subscriptions, that would be great, ying ying ying~)

 Chapter 229 - 229: 204, [Door] and [Nightmare Guardian]

    Chapter 229: 204, [Door] and [Nightmare Guardian]


    ��`


    At that moment,


    Gale had just returned from the master blacksmith and heard the news that Lin Da had connected the three layers.


    With a hint of curiosity in his eyes, he hurried back to the villa and turned on the special magic replay device in his room.


    A pale blue tablet stone projected the live strategy of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team on the eighth layer.


    Poison Dragon��s Roar.


    ...


    Falling Rock Technique.


    Super Theft.


    Each member of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team displayed their ultimate skill, making Gale��s eyes brighten.


    The first thing was that they were special.


    Their ultimate skills were different from most people��s.


    Adventurers of the same profession would comprehend essentially the same ultimate skill by level 20.


    Like the Swordsman��s ��Radiant Cross Slash.��


    The healing profession��s ��Dedicated Healing.��


    The thief��s ��Triple Assassination.��


    They were common as dirt.


    But the Phoenix Tail Flower Team��s ultimate skills were unique and had wonderful uses, possessing a strong irreplaceability in their adventures.


    Especially Lin Da��s Poison Dragon��s Roar, its damage so high that Gale took a while to recover his senses.


    ��This Lin Da always surprises me,�� said Gale, unable to help but chuckle.


    He went to the dojo on the top floor of the villa and spoke to Abner, who was in loose white practice clothes, meditating, ��Leader, there��s something I think you should be notified of.��


    Abner still had his eyes closed, his breathing steady, as if he were asleep.


    The vital aura of his entire being blended in with the surroundings.


    If Gale closed his eyes and used his magic power to sense around him, he would find the dojo empty except for himself, unable to detect Abner at all.


    Gale knew that Abner was listening.


    ��I previously thought that the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team had the potential to challenge the Iron Level, and that was a misjudgment,�� Gale said with a sigh.


    ��?��


    Abner��s eyes opened a sliver, revealing a hint of confusion. The commander from White Dove was very competent and hardly made wrong judgments.


    During the victory celebration, Abner publicly showed friendship with the Phoenix Tail Flower, a gesture suggested by Gale.


    And now he was telling him�� a misjudgment?


    ��Yes, a misjudgment, a colossal one,�� Gale said with a smile. ��I now believe they have a chance to break the second magic curse of White Dove City. It��s been thirty years since White Dove City has seen a Sun Adventure Group.��


    Sunrise Level.


    These three words fiercely tugged at Abner��s heart.


    Abner��s rhythm of breathing became erratic.


    The Sunrise Level was the goal that White Dove Adventure Group had been striving for nearly ten years. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To be called a ��Sun Adventure Group,�� one had to enter the 20th layer of the Great Mystery Continent, and the group needed to have at least one Moon rank adventurer who had reached level 40.


    Just as their name implied, such adventure teams were like the sunrise for a city.


    The White Dove Adventure Group had been stuck before the 19th layer for three years.


    A wall too high to surmount was blocking them.


    Because of the ��Door.��


    Starting from the 19th layer, each city��s World Tree contained different nightmare magical creatures.


    They were the gatekeepers to the door leading to the next layer, respawning timelessly within the various World Trees.


    If an adventure team could kill the nightmare magical creatures and destroy the ��Door,�� then the teams following could face just the ordinary 19th-layer magical creatures until the nightmare magical creatures respawned.


    The nightmare magical creatures acted like an openly hidden BOSS, with the task of their subjugation falling to the powerful adventure teams.


    If no one fought them, they just kept existing.


    Actually, the White Dove Adventure Group already had the qualifications to become a Sunrise Level adventure group. If they transferred their adventurer registers to other cities currently without a ��Door�� in their World Tree and fought the ordinary 19th layer, it would be a near certainty.


    But Abner was unwilling to settle for that.


    ��`


    ��`


    All adventure teams that made it further have destroyed the ��Gate�� and killed the Nightmare Creatures.


    This is the inevitable path for the strong.


    Moreover, President Velen has been of great help to the White Dove Adventure Group.


    Abner is also in a semi-official status and will join the Imperial Knights in the future, becoming an official force.


    Therefore, destroying the existence of the ��Gate,�� to pave the way for other adventurers in White Dove City to reach Sunrise Level, is the responsibility of Abner and the White Dove Adventure Group.


    Without a Sun Adventure Group, the adventurers of White Dove City cannot hold their heads high in the Great Mystery Continent.


    When facing teams with adventurers of level 40 Moon Rank, Abner and his comrades have to repeatedly give way.


    Abner longs to see that teleportation array leading to the 20th floor.


    They might succeed, but sooner or later they will leave White Dove City. When a new ��Gate�� appears, which adventure team will take on the responsibility to pave the way for the adventurers of White Dove City?


    Will they directly transfer their adventurer registration and go to another city?


    Abner was worried about this.


    He took the magic replay device from Gale and watched the entire strategy of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team in silence.


    After a while.


    ��How is it?�� Gale asked.


    ��It��s indeed a huge miscalculation.��


    A flicker of surprise and fighting spirit shone in Abner��s usually calm eyes.


    ��If the Phoenix Tail Flower one day catches up, I do hope to have a battle with them.��


    After pondering for a moment, Abner added, ��Inform the other teams, unless they have something particularly urgent, everyone will go to the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team tomorrow.


    Initially, the White Dove Adventure Group only planned to send two people.


    But after seeing this strategy replay, Abner changed his mind.


    The entire White Dove Adventure Group will pay a visit to Lin Da.


    Abner intends to nurture the Phoenix Tail Flower to become the next pillar of White Dove City.


    ��


    The next morning.


    In front of the villa of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, the streets were bustling with traffic and crowded with people.


    One after another, luxurious carriages entered the Goldfinch District.


    The male adventurers were in proper tailcoats and suits, while the ladies were in full bloom.


    When the girls from various adventure teams took off their armor and donned dresses and gowns, showing off their graceful figures, even their teammates who were with them day and night were amazed.


    So that violent woman who wields big hammers, she��s got such big bears and buttocks?


    When you put your hair up and dress up, you can even get a reaction from your own brother?


    Why does that careless swordsman girl look like a young lady from a high-class family when she wears a formal dress?


    To those unaware, it looked like a masquerade party.


    Pairs of stunning men and women entered the Phoenix Tail Flower��s villa, led by waiters.


    They were chatting and laughing, greeting each other.


    ��Robert, you��re here so early? Geez, the whole team? I thought I would only see Folie, buddy.��


    ��Pick, look who��s talking, didn��t your whole team come too?��


    ��Heard the Black Bear Adventure Team made it to level 13, looking like a sure shot for Iron Level.��


    ��Hey, don��t damn jinx it, every year is supposedly our most hopeful year!��


    ��Drink up!��


    The sound of conversation, clinking glasses, and laughter were endless.


    Passing adventurers wondered, whose party was it that even put tables out in the street?


    Aren��t you afraid I��ll go complain to City Hall?


    But this adventurer had not walked far when he saw an official black carriage with White Dove City Council��s emblem on it.


    It was Mayor Adel��s carriage.


    A question mark popped up over the head of the wandering adventurer A.


    Visiting adventurer B said bewilderedly, ��Whose adventure team��s party is this? It��s too grand!��


    Local adventurer C said proudly, ��You don��t know, man. It��s the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team. The captain just reached level 20 and they��re throwing a promotion party!��


    Visiting B said in surprise, ��The Eye of True Knowledge?��

 Chapter 230 - 230: 205. Party starts, Lin Da official announcement?

    Chapter 230: 205. Party starts, Lin Da official announcement?


    ��Huh, you know?��


    ��Yeah, it��s even spread to our South Rock City.��


    The local adventurer��s face lit up with pride as he heard this, ��Adventurers from White Dove City are just that awesome.��


    ��Heh, maybe once you guys can put together a Sun Adventure Group, we��ll talk.��


    ��What, looking for a fight, are you?��


    ��


    ...


    The small brawl in the distance failed to catch Lin Da��s attention.


    He was quite disheartened today.


    His party planning had been a big failure!


    Lin Da had thought his villa was big enough; he cleared out the first and third floors, set up twenty tables, thinking to accommodate one or two hundred people wouldn��t be a problem.


    After all, there were only around fifty Rock-level Adventure Teams in White Dove City altogether. Excluding those from the Specter Adventure Group, which he didn��t invite, the rest would average two or three people each��


    Logically considering, some adventure teams were too busy and would just make an appearance, drop off their gifts, and leave. Lin Da felt that the third floor was unnecessary; the first floor alone would suffice to welcome the guests.


    But in reality?


    A rough estimate suggested that today he would have over three hundred guests!


    Lin Da was completely overwhelmed and had to hire a batch of temporary servers on an emergency basis.


    He and Lulu ran up and down, arranging guests�� seats, sweating buckets from the busyness.


    Monica was shy, so she stayed in her room to play, but that damn Kafni, seeing there was too much work, immediately went into hiding, and nobody knew where she��d gone.


    All the work fell on Lin Da and Lulu.


    ��Mr. Robert, welcome.��


    ��Mr. Pick, good morning.��


    ��Lin Da, hello.��


    ��Good morning!��


    They exchanged pleasantries with a smile.


    Robert and Pick, each leading eight members, handed over their gift boxes to Lin Da.


    Lin Da didn��t stand on ceremony and accepted the gifts; it was an adventurer��s custom.


    Hosting one promotion party must earn at least a few tens of thousands of Gold Coins, right?


    It��s quite worth it, no wonder everyone does it.


    ��Everyone, please come this way.��


    Lin Da neatly directed the guests to their respective seats.


    Fighting magical creatures was nothing, but after running around all morning, he started to feel a pain in his back, and his face was covered in sweat.


    ��Rest a bit if you��re tired; I��ll take over welcoming them.��


    A voice, cool but with a touch of concern, sounded next to Lin Da.


    He caught a faint whiff of fragrance as soothing as a spring breeze.


    Turning his head, he saw a Beastman girl in a shoulder-baring blue dress standing before him.


    Lulu��s chest was now unbound by bandages and stood proudly, her small face lightly made up, her lips a tender pink, like cherries wet with morning dew.


    Her fluffy tail extended from an opening in her dress, hanging a little wearily behind her.


    At this moment, Lulu, standing on tiptoe, took out a white handkerchief and dabbed at Lin Da��s sweaty cheeks.


    With her pale blue short hair, her pristine bare shoulders, and the strange, alluring scent of perfume and natural girlhood mingling from her body�� Lin Da stared at Lulu, finding it hard to reconcile this image with the wary, biting Lulu he first met.


    The other guests, seeing this scene, started to tease them.


    Some joked about Lin Da getting cozy with a teammate, while envious single men turned sour as lemons, guzzling down drinks; some were already drunk though the party had not officially started.


    Lin Da ignored the background noise, his eyes only had room for the beautiful short-haired girl before him. A strong impulse made him reach out and take hold of Lulu��s right hand.


    This public act undeniably suggested a deeper meaning in the eyes of the guests!


    Lulu wasn��t foolish; how could she not know the impression this would give others about Lin Da��s action?


    If guests arrived to see Lin Da holding hands with a girl as he greeted them, they would certainly assume: this girl had a special relationship with Lin Da.


    This kind of treatment��


    Only Tina and those strongest members had ever enjoyed it.


    Lulu thought back to when the Primordial Adventure Team held its promotion party.


    It was also packed with guests.


    The girls beside ��Dark Shadow�� included Tina, Wolf, and so on�� seven or eight uniquely beautiful female team members.


    And Lulu could only be a tea-serving maid, watching their backs with complex emotions amidst the crowd.


    Even in her dreams, Lulu never imagined that she would be the one standing beside Lin Da today.


    Moreover, it was only her, her hand held by Lin Da as if she were the mistress of the grand house, coming to the yard together to welcome the guests.


    Lulu��s mind buzzed, her usual quick wit abandoned in the trash can, as she dumbly let Lin Da lead her forward by the hand.


    Reflected in her eyes was Lin Da��s tall and sturdy silhouette as they entered the yard. Sunrise ascended, and a beam of light fell upon Lin Da.


    In Lulu��s eyes, he was like ��the Shadow bathed in the morning glow.��


    Years of bitterness surged forth, and without her noticing, a glistening pearl of tear escaped from Lulu��s eyes, slowly tracing her cheek. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When Lin Da brought Lulu out, the chattering guests in the yard fell into an abrupt silence.


    They had been speaking softly out of respect for the captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, but seeing the two of them, hand in hand, emerging from the villa, the implications of that silenced them, sparking astonishment and gossip in their eyes.


    Regarding the rumors outside, there were plenty of whispers about Lin Da��s flirtatious affairs.


    The one who received the most attention was Aiko from the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    ��`


    And then there was Kafni, rumors also said that things with Lia might be rekindling.


    As for the Eye of True Knowledge, it was a copper refining oddity, which had long had Monica and Klrona in the palm of its hand.


    Thus, when Lin Da arrived with Lulu under the gaze of everyone, this act was like a sharp sword, cutting through the false rumors.


    The one who had the greatest hope of forming an Oath with the Eye of True Knowledge was none other than the overlooked Werewolf Clan girl, Lulu!


    In the courtyard, everyone laughed and applauded.


    Lin Da blinked, a little confused.


    Since when had he become so popular?


    He led Lulu by the hand into the courtyard out of spontaneity, with no intent of ��declaration.�� Among the team members, only Lulu had the proper demeanor to take on the responsibility of hosting guests. If he didn��t bring Lulu out, should he bring Kafni?


    That one was probably off somewhere drinking.


    She wasn��t a heavy drinker* but forced it* just for fun*Kafni.


    ��Eh, Captain Lin Da, is one of your team members feeling unwell? Why are they crying?��


    The captain of the Gao Ge Adventure Team, Ouke, with a red cockscomb of hair, scratched his ear and asked, puzzled.


    Lin Da paused for a moment, then looked to his side and indeed saw a bean-sized pearl fall from Lulu��s eyes.


    He asked in surprise, ��What��s wrong?��


    ��Nothing.��


    Lulu wiped her eyes and smiled faintly, ��Don��t mind me, focus on hosting the guests.��


    Lin Da furrowed his brow as he stared at Lulu, and after a moment, he roughly understood the reason.


    Sigh.


    This time, he would not leave them behind.


    Lulu��s tears were surely tears of joy, finally able to see the scenery at the top of the World Tree in the future.


    Lin Da��s thoughts were correct, but not entirely.


    They were only half right.


    At this moment, he was blissfully unaware that today would turn into a ��river of blood.��


    Two other carriages were hurrying in this direction.


    One carriage carried the ��traveler�� Silin and the ��housekeeper�� Lady Bai Mian.


    The girl with the big pink braid held a black gift box with a butterfly bow ribbon, giggly anticipating Lin Da��s flustered reaction when he opened it.


    ��Lady Bai Mian, do you think I should claim Lin Da as my trophy now?��


    Silin propped her chin in her hands, humming rhythmically, as her legs, clad in stockings beneath her black suspender dress, jittered nonstop. The feeling of not being scolded for shaking her legs was too good!


    The thrill of one day pinning Lin Da to the bed like prey and devouring him sent shivers of excitement straight to the top of her head, making Silin��s breathing turn rapid.


    ��Hmm�� Subordinate thinks that whenever you wish to indulge, you may, since Lord Lin Da has long been a prize within your grasp.��


    Lady Bai Mian seemed to have figured out this Succubus General well.


    She couldn��t answer Silin with either ��should�� or ��should not,�� as both posed the risk of stepping on a landmine.


    But this answer was clever, implying that whether sooner or later, Lin Da was Silin��s!


    In fact, that��s how Silin operated; if Silin wanted to turn Lin Da into a trophy sooner, she wouldn��t have waited until now.


    This had to do with the constitution of a High-Class Succubus.


    The higher her level, the longer she could hold out. When enjoying her first trophy and filling up the Holy Pattern on her belly, it would be based on the level and talent of the trophy, granting her a brand-new Ultimate Skill.


    The formula was: Succubus own level X (Trophy talent + level).


    Therefore, Lady Bai Mian guessed that Silin was reluctant to consume Lin Da at once, likely waiting for a big catch.


    To let Lin Da grow stronger over time.


    Then, when reaching Star Rank or Moon Rank, if Lin Da still couldn��t defeat Silin, he would be tragically bound to the big bed and become the pitiable trophy!


    Silin suddenly sighed, ��Alas, although I don��t have much hope anymore, I guess it would be better if it��s less than a thousand times.��


    ��What��s a thousand times?�� Lady Bai Mian asked, full of question marks.


    ��The number of times Lin Da and other girls have been together!��


    Silin, annoyed, clenched her fist: ��There��s Lia, Aiko, and that Lulu, Kafni�� Lin Da must be far more experienced than me by now!��


    Lady Bai Mian speechless: ��Subordinate thinks, not necessarily.��


    Possibly, Lin Da was still a pure youth.


    Just the chances were a bit slim, haha��


    ��


    On the other side, at Snow Goose��s villa.


    ��What��s taking you so long, we��ll be late at this rate!��


    Klrona, dressed in a brown dress, stood in the living room with her bag on her back, pouting and looking discontentedly at Lia��s room.


    An hour ago, Lia mysteriously dragged Aiko into her room, and they had been up to who knows what since then.


    ��The small fry captain makes everyone wait for her.��


    Klrona could only mutter under her breath about Lia.


    The painful memory of being soundly defeated in a one-on-one with Lia was deeply etched in her mind.


    At the moment, Klrona had a white rabbit head backpack, containing her Magic Conductor Handheld Console and the limited-edition White Cat Mage Puppet she was planning to gift Monica.


    For the other members of Snow Goose, this was their first formal meeting with the Phoenix Tail Flower Team and required much attention to etiquette.


    For Klrona, however, it was just a fun outing �� she hoped to earn Monica��s forgiveness and show Lin Da that she had changed from the past, now a mature ��adult.��


    The magic clock��s hands pointed to 11 o��clock, almost at the prearranged time on the invitation.

 Chapter 231 - 231: 206, Snow Goose Adventure Team, move out!

    Chapter 231: 206, Snow Goose Adventure Team, move out!


    The Snow Goose Adventure Team members all gathered in the villa.


    On the living room sofa, Oru and Klyne chatted while laughing. One wore a crisp suit with muscles popping out, and the other wore a simple and proper turquoise casual dress.


    Sitting together, they resembled a combo of beauty and the beast, an atmosphere so sweet and full of affection that it was envy-inducing.


    Only Phyllis was feeling sour.


    Today, Phyllis sported a meticulous tailsuit, wore a Magic Guide Wristwatch, and his golden hair was carefully styled with ��Slime Gel�� into a middle-parted intellectual hairstyle.


    He looked decent enough, and with the identity as a Baron��s son, it was not surprising that he attracted some girls.


    ...


    But within the Snow Goose Adventure Team, no one gave Phyllis a formal look.


    The brain-underdeveloped team captain was always behaving petulantly, the Mage Aiko was always smiling creepily, making Phyllis shiver.


    And then there was Klrona, the little demon who called everyone else small fry�� The stupid lovebird couple didn��t bother with him.


    Thinking about the hardships of joining the team, Phyllis was in tears.


    Dammit, how did Lin Da manage to stay with this team for three years��


    He had only been there for a bit over a month and already wanted to run away.


    Bang.


    The door of the room was suddenly pushed open, and Aiko��s tired but excited voice came out, ��Done, our Powder Keg has become pretty too!��


    A somewhat unfamiliar redhead girl was pushed out of the room by Aiko.


    That should, probably�� be Lia.


    Lia had changed into a red shoulder-baring dress and a delicate little crystal necklace adorned her neck. She held a timid and bashful expression, seemingly not quite accustomed to her current attire.


    Her shoulder-length well-groomed hair flowed neatly down her back, pinned with a silver butterfly hair clip. The continuous practice of her Swordsman profession blessed Lia with a pair of flawless long legs that shone like ivory under the sunshine.


    Her tiny feet were encased in red laced high heels, and a brighter red sash around her waist would fly about like a general��s cape if a breeze blew by.


    The outfit combined a woman��s soft beauty with the uninhibited spirit of a Swordsman.


    Lia bit her lip and looked towards everyone, her heart pounding. Although she had been very pleased when she looked in the mirror, what mattered most was everyone else��s opinion.


    How, for instance, did Lin Da, Oru, and Isa view her?


    ��How, how does it look?�� Lia spoke in a harsh tone, hand on her hip, saying, ��Not that I care, but you all can give your opinions.��


    With those words, Oru��s expression turned very strange.


    Any normal person could tell that Lia was all ears for compliments.


    Aiko thought to herself oddly: If the Little Werewolf from Phoenix Tail Flower was tsundere, then Snow Goose��s Powder Keg was just outright ��tsun-tsun.��


    Nobody liked that kind of personality nowadays. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If she were to write Snow Goose��s story as a biography later, readers might think, what era the author is living in to be writing such character settings.


    But it couldn��t be helped, that is just how reality is. Even, Aiko was thankful for Lia��s presence, without Lia, how could she highlight her own excellence?


    After all, a genius needs a fool for contrast, Aiko laughed inwardly.


    She touched the Space Ring on her finger, the specially-added chicken soup stirring within a thermos.


    Aiko grimly thought, it was time to turn back and show no mercy, letting the Powder Keg suffer a crushing defeat!


    Snow Goose, she had been done with it a long time ago.


    From today onward, Aiko planned to continuously win and reach the pinnacle of her life!


    ��So, how does it look really, no one is speaking?��


    Lia was getting a bit panicky, barely maintaining her posture.


    ��Pretty,�� Klrona simply nodded her little head.


    Lia sighed in relief.


    Oru also said, ��Pretty.��


    ��Really?�� Lia��s mouth curled into a slight arch upwards.


    Following that, Klyne and Phyllis also showered her with praise.


    ��Ahem, ahem, ahem, it��s the chili that��s making my mouth turn up, don��t get any ideas, it��s definitely not because I��m feeling good after your compliments!��


    Lia seized the chance before she could restrain her smile and was the first to rush out of the villa to the carriage in the yard.


    The others exchanged looks.


    Then they started laughing.


    They were all used to this kind of team leader.


    As long as Lia didn��t mess up on the battlefield, the members were quite tolerant of her at other times.


    ��Snow Goose Adventure Team, move out!��


    With the clear call of the young girl, six people boarded the carriage and headed for the Goldfinch District.


    ��


    In the villa of the Phoenix Tail Flower, within the courtyard.


    It was filled with round tables and had turned into an open-air restaurant.


    There were too many guests, so the less distinguished rock-level squads could only sit in the yard.


    Most of them were adventure teams of about levels 20-25.


    Since yesterday, when the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team first demonstrated their combat prowess, everyone suddenly realized, though Phoenix Tail Flower had only just passed level 20, their overall combat strength had reached the level of veterans, something these ordinary rock-level teams couldn��t match.


    The first and third floors inside were for veteran teams, they naturally wouldn��t scramble for places.


    The team leader of the ��Defeat the Evil Dragon�� adventure team was a cute girl named Minnie, a 25-level lance fighter with two green buns on her head.


    Minnie was leading her team members on a tour of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team��s exhibition room.


    The exhibition room was located on the far right of the living room, set up like an art exhibit with freestanding glass cabinets and barriers made of red fabric ringing the trophies.


    In front of each glass cabinet stood a golden card, detailing the origin and story of the trophy and, if for sale, listing an expected price.


    Gazing at the numerous trophies, Minnie��s beautiful eyes sparkled continuously, featuring:


    Metal Slime Sword and Shield, Anthropomorphic Demon��s Demon Core, Goblin Chieftain��s Wolf Fang Club, a set of levels 1-19 pink Mental Series Demon Cores, along with many other hidden Magical Creatures�� Demon Cores��


    The value of these trophies summed up amounted to a million gold coins!


    Minnie stopped in front of a lance with white bristles, staring unblinkingly, muttering to herself, ��Level 20 orange-quality lance, priced at 200,000 gold, I want it!��


    It was exactly the trophy Lin Da had dropped the day before.


    All excited, Minnie went to the yard to find Lin Da, ready to acquire this lance.


    And it was at that moment.


    Minnie smelled a hint of gossip.


    She instinctively stopped her steps and joined the crowd of onlookers��in front of the yard, a carriage bearing a white goose flag pulled up.


    The old owner of Phoenix Tail Flower, Snow Goose Adventure Team, had arrived!


    Most adventurers didn��t believe Lia��s claim that there was ��just a minor dispute�� between her and Lin Da.


    If Lia thought it was a minor dispute, then what did the leader of Phoenix Tail Flower think?


    Sending an invitation to Snow Goose might just be a way to bring disgrace upon them.


    Thirty years on the east bank, thirty years on the west bank, don��t bully the young and poor!


    Thoroughly embarrass Lia!


    Minnie giggled, grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds, and squatted by the wall with her team members to watch the drama unfold.


    ��Everyone, please come inside.��

 Chapter 232 - 232: 207, Snow Goose Adventure Team, collective defense break

    Chapter 232: 207, Snow Goose Adventure Team, collective defense break


    In the courtyard, Lin Da was responsible for greeting the guests, while Lulu took the gifts they brought.


    Although it was their first time collaborating, they exhibited a seamless understanding.


    Lulu��s beauty was striking, and her blue gown resembled a layer of icy battle armor, beautiful yet possessing a sharpness that was almost intimidating to behold. Only when she looked at Lin Da standing beside her did her gaze soften slightly, turning into tender, spring-like water��


    Gurgle gurgle!


    A series of bitter swallowing sounds erupted from the throats of the single adventurers.


    This scene was naturally also seen by the members of the Snow Goose Adventure Team in the carriage.


    ...


    Aiko and Lia��s faces turned pale instantaneously.


    ��Oh no! Has Lin Da already been completely devoured?��


    As Aiko clenched her teeth in annoyance, her cheeks trembled with regret for having behaved like she only had a brain in the past three years, not making a move and constantly taunting Lin Da.


    If she had made a move on Lin Da earlier, what would Lulu have to do with this?


    The lady of this luxurious villa in the Goldfinch District should have been her!


    Compared to Aiko��s regret, Lia��s feelings were far more complicated.


    So complicated that even Lia herself didn��t understand why her chest felt so tight.


    Seeing the person who used to treat her the best staying next to another girl�� this made Lia��s hands tremble and a flood of strange emotions overwhelmed her. If she were in the restroom, she might have thrown up.


    Lia stared blankly at Lin Da in the courtyard, who naturally took hold of Lulu��s hand with one of his own.


    The affectionate atmosphere subtly exceeded that between teammates.


    Lia had never considered such matters before.


    She only regarded Lin Da as a team member and never thought that him having a girlfriend would affect her. Or rather, Lia had never contemplated the possibility of Lin Da having a girlfriend.


    As if adventuring were the eternal theme, Snow Goose raced headlong until reaching the top level before considering other matters.


    Even though Lin Da was already no relation to her, and he could find a hundred girlfriends, it shouldn��t concern her, yet at this moment, watching Lin Da and Lulu holding hands, a dull little saw seemed to slowly cut through her heart.


    That slight pain spread throughout her body with each breath Lia took. Gradually, her body grew cold, and she tightly clenched the exquisite little gift box in her hand.


    Dents and fingerprints appeared on it, becoming crumpled.


    Oru remarked in surprise, ��Is that Lin Da��s girlfriend? I had long advised him to find one. It��s good to have someone by your side on the journey of adventure, haha.��


    These words inflicted an additional attack on both Aiko and Lia, who trembled and looked disheveled, resembling two disheartened dogs with drooping ears.


    Klyne pinched Oru��s thigh and glanced at him with a warning look, continuously shaking her head.


    Oru: ��?��


    He was just stating the facts, wasn��t he?


    Klrona, also clueless, dressed in a lovely brown dress with a bunny head backpack, was the first to jump down from the carriage:


    ��Let��s go, why aren��t you moving?��


    Aiko forced a laugh and looked at her Space Ring, quietly consoling herself. There was still hope, the last one remaining is the winner, Lulu was just a step ahead.


    As for Lia, she said in a low voice with her head down, ��You go ahead. I have a stomachache and don��t want to go.��


    ��Stage fright?��


    Aiko curled her lip: ��You��re not scared, are you?��


    ��I�� how could I, a lady like me, be scared!��


    Lia��s eyebrows shot up, and she gritted her teeth, stepping down from the carriage, ��What��s there to be afraid of Lin Da, whether we fight or not.��


    No�� nobody is going to fight with you on such an occasion, right?


    Aiko couldn��t help but cry and laugh. If a fight started, that would mean wreaking havoc.


    The Snow Goose crowd walked over.


    ��Welcome.��


    Lin Da had spotted the carriage parked outside the courtyard long ago.


    The banner of the Snow Goose Adventure Team fluttered in the breeze.


    A pure white goose, spreading its wings high.


    Symbolizing dauntlessness, one day they would achieve their goal.


    The banner was decided upon by Lin Da, his sister Lin Xi, and Lia.


    Lia walked in briskly, her fiery red gown and hair like a vibrant rose.


    Rather than coming for a party, she seemed more like a swordsman entering the battlefield?


    The surrounding guests consciously lowered their voices, sneaking glances this way.


    With melon seeds and drinks ready to enjoy the show.


    As the Snow Goose group approached, it seemed to trigger the werewolf blood in Lulu, instinctively guarding her territory.


    Lulu stepped forward with a face full of frost, looking coldly at Lia without a trace of warmth in her voice: ��Welcome.��


    Lia stopped in front of Linda and Lulu, without responding.


    This was unlike Lia��s usual style.


    The irritation in her heart surged.


    She looked up at Lin Da, who was not giving her the sharp, taunting looks she imagined, but merely gazed at her tranquilly.


    No different from how he treated the other guests.


    Lia pursed her lips.


    Perhaps, she had only overestimated her own importance.


    In Lin Da��s world, he had a new villa, new teammates, and even the White Dove Adventure Group was on good terms with him; he had almost forgotten about the Snow Goose.


    Only she stayed in those three years, unwilling to step out.


    ��Congratulations on breaking through the level 20 threshold.��


    Lia brought out the crumpled, long gift box with a [Great Sea Clear Sky] brand logo, featuring simple gilded patterns depicting the sea and the sky.


    A well-known brand with chains spread throughout the empire.


    ��Here, a gift,�� Lia said.


    Seeing Lin Da��s surprised expression, Lia hesitated for a moment and added, ��When we first established the adventure team, I remember you staring at the showcase window for a long while.��


    ��May I open it?��


    ��Sure.��


    Lin Da unwrapped the gift box, inside which lay a Magic Guide Wristwatch.


    It was silver overall, with a deep blue face. Special magic stones depicted the scene of ocean waves, with schools of fish swimming through them.


    Such a small wristwatch seemed to transport one into the ocean.


    ��This must have been expensive, wasn��t it?��


    Of course it was expensive, very expensive indeed.


    Lia remembered the price and still felt a pinch.


    But in this situation, she would not, even at her death, utter the word ��expensive.��


    Lia calmly said, ��It��s only seventy thousand Gold Coins, for Snow Goose, that��s just enough for one expedition against the Magical Creatures in the wild.��


    Lin Da didn��t immediately wear it, but instead packed the Magic Guide Wristwatch back into the gift box.


    ��Thank you,�� Lin Da said.


    ��Are we at a point where we need to say thank you to each other?��


    Lia, seeing that Lin Da hadn��t wore the wristwatch and wasn��t as moved as she had imagined, couldn��t help but turn pale.


    Being thanked by Lin Da only added to her irritation. The previously dull saw in her chest had sharpened considerably, as if diligent dwarves were sawing at her chest.


    What she wanted was not Lin Da��s gratitude.


    Or perhaps, Lia didn��t know what she wanted to get from Lin Da. Anyway, if Lin Da had joked like before and said, ��So even you, such a miser, are willing to give such an expensive gift?�� she would probably have been happier.


    Instead of a stiff thank you.


    It was the heaviest and yet most perfunctory phrase.


    Lin Da was taken aback for a moment, looking at Lia whose eyes were slightly red, and said, ��Is it the enemy then? Apologizing really was an insult to you.��


    Lia shook her head.


    ��Snow Goose will not target you anymore.��


    She said, ��But this still won��t change my determination to defeat you. If you want to concede, now is the time.��


    Aiko, hearing Lia��s words, almost lost his cool.


    Something��s off.


    We came here to attend the Phoenix Tail Flower promotion party and incidentally to raise some good feelings.


    Why are you declaring war here?


    The guests present were whispering:


    ��Isn��t this different from what Captain Lia said? Is her relationship with Phoenix Tail Flower really that bad?��


    ��Did she eat gunpowder before coming here?��


    ��I hope Phoenix Tail Flower��s captain can give that Lia a good beating and make her realize the reality. I��m a die-hard fan of the Phoenix Tail Flower��s captain; I��ve disliked that red-haired dwarf for a while.��


    ��Shush, be careful she might hear you.��


    Most people thought Lia was here to pick a fight.


    But Lin Da could only think, he��s used to it.


    Lia was like this, especially when being watched by a crowd, her need to maintain face increased tenfold.


    With his understanding of Lia, Lin Da could almost translate her words to:


    ��I apologize for the previous incidents.��


    Everything else was just bluster and nonsense.


    It was that simple a meaning.


    However, Lin Da was not about to reconcile with Lia over this.


    He pretended he didn��t understand and replied, ��I wouldn��t recommend that, because Phoenix Tail Flower won��t lose to any team.��


    Lia fell silent for a while, then said, ��You��ve become confident after meeting them. You wouldn��t have said such arrogant words before.��


    ��Perhaps,�� Lin Da sighed.


    ��Is it us who are not as good as them?��


    Lia��s voice turned husky as she dragged the other members of Snow Goose into this.


    Aiko and Oru, among others, looked at Lin Da somewhat anxiously.


    This feeling of ��not being good enough�� was much like being cuckolded.


    But Lin Da didn��t deny those three years of time together.


    ��No.��


    ��Then why?��


    ��Perhaps it��s because����


    Lin Da looked towards Lulu standing by his side, thought about the obedient Monica, and the usually unreliable but dependable in crucial moments, Kafni.


    He slowly said, ��Perhaps it��s because they trust me.��


    ��Because of their ample trust, the strategies I created came into use.��


    Those simple few sentences made Lia and the rest of Snow Goose break down. S��ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Indeed, they didn��t trust Lin Da fully.


    If they truly believed Lin Da was a capable leader, and an irreplaceable team member, today��s creation of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team wouldn��t have been possible.


    On the contrary, Lin Da��s current teammates had no doubt about him whatsoever.


    Even if Lin Da said a pit of fire ahead was formed by an illusion of the Magical Creatures, his teammates would jump into it without hesitation.


    This was the reason Phoenix Tail Flower was powerful.


    Lia��s eyelashes trembled slightly; she turned pale and opened her mouth to say, ��That night, if I hadn��t pulled out that resume����


    ��I would still have left the team,�� Lin Da said. ��Just later.��


    This response hit Lia like a punch in the gut, causing her to stagger, supported by Klyne beside her.

 Chapter 233 - 233: 208, Aiko: Im the bootlicker myself!?

    Chapter 233: 208, Aiko: I��m the bootlicker myself!?


    Aiko had been worried about herself. After seeing Lulu and Lin Da��s intimate behavior, she couldn��t remain as composed as usual, causing her ��soup of wisdom plan�� to be exposed,


    but now, she was even more worried about Lia.


    The biggest Defense Break ever!


    The powder keg that was about to explode was doused with a bucket of cold water and simply couldn��t be ignited!


    Lia clenched her small fists, and if it hadn��t been for Klyne supporting her, she might not have been able to stand at all.


    Aiko quietly observed her teammates and soon realized that Lia wasn��t the only one who had her defenses broken.


    ...


    Oru, who prided himself on being Lin Da��s most in-sync ��partner��, the diligent and ordinary elf girl Klyne, the puzzled Klrona��


    They were all reflecting on themselves, wondering if they had been too harsh on Lin Da over the past three years.


    It seemed that from beginning to end, they never thanked the commander who had sweated so much for Snow Goose.


    Not being reused or valued, leaving the team was only natural, wasn��t it?


    Aiko looked around, then checked herself, only to realize that she was also a bit broken!


    Lin Da��s ��attack�� had splash damage, piercing through Lia and splashing onto the entire Snow Goose Adventure Team!


    Aiko thought carefully �� was she not responsible for Lin Da��s departure?


    Indeed, she wasn��t like Lia, who complained about Lin Da at every issue.


    Her choice was to conceal her skills, give only 60 percent of her effort, and regard Lin Da��s fatigue as irrelevant to her��she took these as punishment for the insult to her dignity when she first met Lin Da.


    But speaking of which, perhaps such punishment was enough after one or two years. By the third year, Aiko guessed she would still treat Lin Da the same way if there were a fourth or fifth year.


    Getting close to Lin Da as a friend, unintentionally showing off her cleavage, making Lin Da feel painfully awkward while she left modestly and giggled in her room.


    Lia thought Lin Da was useless, and it was not without Aiko fanning the flames.


    The root cause was Aiko joining the Snow Goose Adventure Team, shaking hands with Lin Da, but worried about his sister at the door, Lin Da pushed her aside and walked out.


    In Aiko��s eyes at the time, this was unforgivable. She was the young lady of South Rock City, unlike Lin Da who wore commoner��s clothes and was of much lower status compared to her.


    Aiko was furious and decided to take harsh revenge on Lin Da.


    But if she had known Lin Da��s real identity from the beginning, the captain of the Former Original Adventure Team, she probably wouldn��t have seen his actions as an insult to her dignity.


    Plainly, it was her arrogance, looking down on Lin Da in his commoner��s clothes!


    After working together for three years, Aiko gradually realized that Lin Da��s abilities were much stronger than she had imagined.


    After Lin Da left the team, Aiko even got closer to him under the guise of revenge, fearing Lin Da would disappear from her life.


    Aiko thought with a pale face, wasn��t this behavior similar to foolish Lia?


    Lia also shouted about ��enemies,�� ��finding friend Lin Xi,�� ��obtaining the combat capability of the Phoenix Tail Flower,�� and other reasons to be near Lin Da�� Aiko thought Lia doing so was foolish.


    And her, always treating Lin Da as her loyal follower, but objectively looking at her actions��


    Aiko felt a chill in her heart.


    The ground seemed to collapse, and she lost her balance, falling into an abyss filled with goblins��the real loyal follower, was herself!?


    She, Aiko, a 28-level Holy Mage, the young lady of South Rock City, with a Sun Adventure Group background, was actually Lin Da��s adorer!?


    ��Wu wu wu, Lin Da, I am different from the others, I have always really trusted you,��


    Said Aiko, wiping her eyes, showcasing the skill ��Fake Cry.��


    She knew Lin Da held the moral high ground and eagerly showed weakness.


    Putting aside the facts.


    Letting a beautiful girl cry woefully, Lin Da, you have some responsibility, right?


    If you have responsibility, then shoulder it!


    Aiko squeezed out a few tears, and in just a few seconds, thought about the saddest thing in her life.


    Tearfully, she looked at Lin Da and said, ��Not just me, Lia trusts you too, we just haven��t communicated well, everything can still be salvaged, right?��


    The members of Snow Goose were all reenergized.


    They still didn��t know how Lin Da viewed them.


    Lia, too, perked up her ears.


    The onlookers in the yard shouted happily, munching through handfuls of sunflower seeds.


    But Lin Da sighed softly, took the decorative handkerchief from his suit pocket, and handed it to Aiko.


    He said, ��Even if we��re not on the same team anymore, we��re still old teammates, aren��t we?��


    The people of Snow Goose all breathed a sigh of relief.


    They feared that they thought they had a good relationship with Lin Da, but he was irritated by them.


    That would be too clownish.


    ��Thank you, Lin Da, I will cherish your handkerchief,��


    Aiko wiped away her tears and managed a smile.


    Her fake crying was meant to draw Lin Da��s attention and sympathy, and she had achieved her goal.


    This would make Lin Da realize, compared to Lia, Klrona, and the others, she, Aiko, was the teammate who cared about him the most!


    With clear insight, Aiko didn��t plan to disrupt Lulu��s position right away, but at least she aimed to knock Lia out of the contention first, stepping over Lia to climb higher.


    And Lia�� became silent and if there was no one around, probably tears would have fallen. Her eyes were red, as she forcefully held back.


    Aiko thought sympathetically, hoping that once Lin Da was conquered and became a true adorer, Lia could also hold back her tears.


    Once Aiko got Lin Da, she would not allow Lia to get close to him anymore.


    ashes either do not ignite, or when they do, they blaze mightily.


    The thing Aiko feared the most was Lia awakening.


    Realizing why she had been clinging to Lin Da like this stupid redhead!


    ��Lin Da, congratulations!��


    At that moment, an imposing carriage rushed from the distance.


    The members of the White Dove Adventure Group alighted from their vehicle and approached.


    Lin Da, Lia, and the many guests in the yard all turned their heads to look, expressions of surprise flickering across their faces.


    Seven Star Rank members from the White Dove Adventure Group had arrived!


    Aiko was the first to regain her composure. S��arch* The ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Knowing Lin Da��s true identity and the high likelihood that he would lead a Legendary adventure team in the future, she understood that the White Dove Adventure Group��s show of friendship towards the Phoenix Tail Flower meant they were on a path of widening opportunities.


    Lia, however, was astonished, her mouth gaping slightly more with melancholy.


    As a team leader, Lia could deeply appreciate the honor of having many attendees at a promotion party. On the day Snow Goose reached level 20, only about forty to fifty people showed up, many of whom symbolically left a gift and departed.


    The night before the promotion party, Lia had been so excited she couldn��t sleep, imagining the White Dove Adventure Group coming to offer their congratulations.


    Indeed, they had come.


    But it was for her former team member, Lin Da��s promotion party.


    Leading the White Dove was their group leader, Abner, with his blue hair tied back into a ponytail, a bamboo sword at his waist, eyes closed, dressed in a suit. His refined demeanor seamlessly merged with his sharp sword intent, causing screams among the female guests.


    In terms of fan numbers, Abner, known as Mind��s Eye, far surpassed Lin Da, called the Eye of True Knowledge.


    Standing slightly behind Abner to the left was the commander, Gale.


    Gale, with his slicked-back golden hair, whistled at the sight of the Snow Goose��s beautiful girls: ��Such a feast for the eyes!��


    Upon their arrival, the members of the White Dove immediately became the focus of the yard.


    Lin Da caught Lulu��s eye and then said to Lia, ��Let��s sit upstairs, Lulu will show you the way.��


    ��Let��s go.�� Lulu pulled at the distraught Lia��s wrist with a cold expression and dragged her upstairs.


    The last thing they wanted was to embarrass themselves at Lin Da��s promotion party.


    Lulu was well aware that the White Dove Adventure Group was the most important guest of the party and that nothing should mess it up on behalf of Snow Goose.


    With Lulu��s urging, the Snow Goose members ascended the stairs with mixed feelings.


    ��


    ��Welcome, we��ve been expecting you.��


    Lin Da smiled as he accepted the gift from Gale.


    It was a wreath encased in a glass box.


    Magical equipment?


    His gaze shifted, and the properties of the equipment became apparent.


    [Name: Forest Wreath of Elan]


    [Type: Equipment-Headgear]


    [Quality: Orange Rare]


    [Level: 23]


    [Attribute Points: Magic Power +100, Magic Defense +30, Hit Points +1000]


    [Equipment Score: 872]


    An incredibly valuable piece of equipment, and at just the right level, 23.


    Lin Da couldn��t help but think, had the White Dove sourced his level information and prepared this level 23 helmet especially for him?


    That was truly considerate.


    Such orange-quality equipment would fetch no less than 300,000 gold on the market.


    Among all the gifts today, the ��Forest Wreath of Elan�� was the most precious.


    ��It��s too valuable,�� Lin Da remarked.


    Gale just smiled, ��No worries, just a little gift. It��s nothing compared to the friendship between the White Dove Adventure Group and the Phoenix Tail Flower.��


    Lin Da led Abner and the others into the villa.


    ��


    From the moment Abner and his group entered the yard, until they moved to the top level, the guests were abuzz with heated discussions.


    ��The leader of the White Dove Adventure Group came personally?��


    ��The vice leader, Jite, is also here.��


    ��And Commander Gale too�� No adventure team has ever received such treatment before!��


    The crowd was amazed.


    At the Ice Flower Adventure Team��s promotion party, only the vice leader Jite had attended.


    Now at the Phoenix Tail Flower��s party, not only did all three top leaders attend, but they also brought four other key members.


    This level of regard left much to the imagination.


    The valiant captain, Robert, squinted his eyes, reflecting: Luckily they came. Abner seems to be grooming the Phoenix Tail Flower as their successors!


    It seemed that once the White Dove Adventure Group left, the next to guard White Dove City and shield its adventurers might well be the Phoenix Tail Flower.


    Lin Da led Abner and the others to the central table on the top floor, exchanged some pleasantries, and then went downstairs.


    This time to greet an acquaintance.


    ��Lin Da, congratulations on breaking through level 20.��


    Isa presented a gift.


    Was it�� a Magic Guide Wristwatch?


    Also branded ��Great Sea Clear Sky,�� but a different model.


    Lin Da was surprised, wondering how Isa and Lia knew he wanted a wristwatch.


    Today, Isa, dressed in casual long pants and wearing a black cap with artistic elf script, her silver hair cascading down her back, looked youthful and beautiful, almost like a college beauty queen.


    Fannis blinked and said, ��Captain, you really are full of surprises.��


    She had thought Isa might be shy when handing over the wristwatch, but to her surprise, Isa had been completely professional in the formal setting, flawlessly diplomatic, exuding the air of a skilled diplomat.

 Chapter 234 - 234: 209, you guys cant throw a party for my sisters gift!

    Chapter 234: 209, you guys can��t throw a party for my sister��s gift!


    ��`


    Of course, as Isa��s old teammate, Fannis still caught a glimpse of sadness in Isa��s eyes.


    Because by Lin Da��s side, there was Lulu.


    ��Then let��s head upstairs,�� Isa said with a forced smile, joining the other team members to go upstairs.


    Fannis took Isa��s hand, comfortingly telling the captain not to be sad.


    Good adventurers are a dime a dozen.


    ...


    Someone better than Lin Da? If you really tried in White Dove City, there might�� be one, right?


    ��


    The guests had all but arrived.


    Lin Da was about to head back upstairs when he encountered a pair of unfamiliar guests.


    ��Who are you?��


    Lin Da looked at the two women before him with curiosity.


    A quiet girl with pink braids and thick, black-rimmed glasses.


    And a mature woman with golden hair, dressed in a housekeeper��s uniform.


    ��Congratulations on your promotion, this is my gift, please make sure to accept it!��


    The energetic pink-haired girl held out two gifts with both hands to Lin Da.


    The one on top was a Demon Core encased in a crystal box, polished into the shape of a droplet.


    Judging by the rich fluctuations of Magic Power within, it turned out to be a level 30 Demon Core from a rare orange Magical Creature!


    Its value was around 350,000 Gold Coins.


    Lin Da��s expression changed.


    Who is this person, even more generous than the White Dove Adventure Group?


    ��May I ask, who are you?��


    Lin Da did not accept the gift hastily.


    ��I��m Lin, and she��s my housekeeper, Flower Cat,��


    Lia giggled, pushing the gift box into Lin Da��s arms, ��We��re adventurers on a journey. We��ve heard that the Phoenix Tail Flower Team is quite famous around here and wanted to come and offer our congratulations.��


    ��Adventurers on a journey��?��


    Lin Da looked at them with suspicion.


    His sixth sense told him that something was off about these two.


    But on the surface, they seemed like ordinary adventurers; nothing unusual was detected.


    And after all, they had come to offer their congratulations.


    As the saying goes, don��t slap a smiling face; driving them away would be rude.


    ��Then, I thank Miss Lin for her gift,��


    Lin Da accepted it.


    He looked at the black gift box beneath the level 30 Demon Core, curiously asking, ��What is this?��


    ��Oh, that��s a local specialty from our place. You must only open it at night; otherwise, it will rot immediately,�� Lia advised gravely, ��You absolutely cannot open it during the day.��


    ��I understand,�� Lin Da nodded, ��I��ll show you to the third floor.��


    ��Yay!�� Lia cheered, following Lin Da upstairs.


    ��


    ��General, is this really okay? If we��re discovered, it could cause big trouble!��


    Witch Bai Mian kept an eye on their surroundings while secretly communicating with Lia using a Secret Technique.


    ��My disguise Skills are very strong, don��t worry,��


    Lia confidently communicated back, hands behind her back, taking an interested look around the villa��s interior.


    Everywhere here bore Lin Da��s scent.


    Watching the tall figure in front of her, within arm��s reach, the Holy Pattern in Lia��s lower abdomen emitted a fiery sensation, as if compelling her to prey upon the man before her.


    The first hunt of a High-Class Succubus would grant considerable power to both parties.


    But Lin Da��s current level was too low; Lia worried that he could not withstand the feedback of Magic Power.


    It was likely that only she would grow stronger, and Lin Da��s Magic Circuit would simply be ruined.


    ��`


    Forget about cultivation, you won��t even be able to pee in the future!


    ��We can browse around by ourselves, you should rest.�� Xiaoling saw a trace of fatigue on Lin Da��s face and felt a bit of heartache, probably because he had been entertaining guests all morning and was tired.


    ��Alright, then have fun on your own.��


    Lin Da said with a smile.


    At Snow Goose��s table, it seemed like Klrona had something to say to him, carrying a bunny-head purse, she stared at him from a distance.


    If he didn��t go over, she��d probably keep staring until the end of the banquet.


    ��I��m leaving now.��


    ��Yes.��


    Xiaoling and Lady Bai Mian took turns carrying on the conversation.


    ��That��s also good, after all, it��s Lin Da, staying too close to him for too long might reveal us.��


    Xiaoling, like a diligent little bee, flitted about the buffet in the hall, sampling a little here, a little there, eating cake, drinking orange juice, observing every kind of object in the villa, like a curious baby.


    As was only to be expected, her attention was captured by a huge promotional poster on the wall ahead.


    The people on it were Lin Da and the Phoenix Tail Flower Team members.


    Aside from Xiaoling, there was another girl, standing dazed in front of the poster, looking at the line of text below it.


    ��What? Let me see too.��


    With familiarity, Xiaoling sidled up to the red-haired girl, approaching silently as she had done two years before, suddenly placing her hands on the other��s shoulders.


    She let out a ��wow��.


    ��Ah!�� Lia instantly snapped back to reality, turning around to face Xiaoling as if ready for battle, just about to get angry when she paused, ��Is that you?��


    They had met on the commercial street the day before.


    ��What are you looking at, Bursting Flames, Miss Lia?�� Xiaoling joked.


    This kind of familiar manner of speaking, a bit annoyingly presumptuous�� it all made Lia think of someone.


    But looking up and down, Lia couldn��t associate the person in front of her with that other person she thought of.


    The difference in appearance was too great.


    ��Look on your own time, don��t disturb me.�� Lia reverted to her cold demeanor, contemplating her own matters �� she hadn��t yet asked Lin Da if he had found Lin Xi��s whereabouts.


    With the atmosphere in the courtyard earlier, she couldn��t bring herself to ask, too many eyes watching.


    Xiaoling, out of curiosity, went over and discovered several lines of small text beneath the poster.


    They were the Phoenix Tail Flower Team��s adventuring goals.


    This strangely familiar scene made Xiaoling��s eyes widen slightly.


    Her head ached for a moment.


    The memories deep underwater, as if separated by a thin membrane, suddenly surfaced.


    It was like someone was grabbing them with a big hand and forcefully stuffing them into her head.


    These were the emotions Xiaoling had sealed away after undergoing the ��Light of the Demon God�� baptism. The memories had always been there, but the emotions felt during those events had been worn away by the baptism.


    Xiaoling��s most vivid memories were only of Lin Da, who had stayed, and the great and mighty Demon King.


    But now, the adventuring goals of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team triggered Xiaoling��s ancient memories.


    A narrow and cramped, yet very clean rental house.


    Five poor but zestful adventurers.


    They held paintbrushes and wrote down their dreams on the wall.


    Today, aside from Lin Da, all had been replaced with new members.


    She, Xiaoling, had no right to take up the pen and write on the poster.


    ��With Lin Da��s charm, maybe in a few years he��ll own a carriage full of Phoenix Tail Flower Team members, all with bulging bellies!�� S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��With so many wives by then, would he still care for his non-blood related little sister?��


    Xiaoling thought about it until she broke her own defenses.


    She was supposed to be the person closest to Lin Da, yet to be forgotten in the end�� She didn��t want that to happen!


    When Xiaoling looked at Lia again, the joy of reuniting with an old friend was gone, completely replaced by jealousy: during the two years she was absent, Lia might have been carousing night after night with Lin Da, only sleeping exhaustedly, and sometimes, when in the mood, even including Aiko��


    ��You guys can��t have a silver party every day!��


    Xiaoling, on the verge of a breakdown, grasped Lia��s shoulders, ��In those two years, how many times have you done it!��

 Chapter 235 - 235: 210, Lolita reconciliation, an uninvited guest

    Chapter 235: 210, Lolita reconciliation, an uninvited guest


    Lia: ?


    She had no idea what the pink-haired girl was talking about.


    ��If it��s about training, I do it every day,�� Lia frowned, pushing Celin��s hand away.


    ��Wait a minute.��


    Celin noticed something strange.


    Through contact, her succubus abilities told her that Lia was still a virgin?


    ...


    Three years under the same roof.


    Still a virgin?


    What on earth was Lin Da doing!


    Celin was shocked and said with disbelief, ��Don��t tell me it��s with someone outside�� Lia, have you ever played with a boy��s that thing?��


    ��Of course not!�� Lia��s voice rose several degrees, her eyes wide with astonishment: ��What are you saying to someone you��ve just met, that��s so rude!�� S��arch* The ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��So, you guys didn��t do anything?��


    Celin was taken aback.


    It was truly like a pocketknife pulling at a butt cheek, a real eye-opener.


    Could it be that Lin Da, who is surrounded by beautiful girls��


    ��was still a bachelor Old Mage?


    Celin had always been ready to wear the ��green hat��, but reality told her that there wasn��t a single blade of green grass on her head. Lin Da hadn��t touched a single girl and was still a chaste Old Mage!?


    One was a single dog who had lived with a bunch of beautiful girls for three years, and the other was a virgin succubus��


    Celin was completely flabbergasted by the situation.


    Doesn��t this mean that if she now turns Lin Da into her prize�� she could have Lin Da��s first time?


    Celin��s heart throbbed at the thought.


    Just thinking about overthrowing Lin Da, who had taken care of her for a long time, the shocked expression that Lin Da might show, his resistance, and yet being subdued by her, devoured in one gulp��


    A certain indescribable rush of intense stimulation made Celin��s head a little dizzy.


    At that time, they would gain the strongest bond that transcended their original relationship, something Lia as an old teammate could not compare with.


    Celin was so excited by her fantasies that her spade-shaped tail hidden at her waist swelled up, turning from a flat spade into a balloon filled with air.


    She immediately made a decision��if Lin Da was really a single dog, she had to make a move. If possible, she still didn��t want to be wearing a ��green hat��;


    But if Lin Da wasn��t single, she would wait. Just like a mop tainted with excrement is only terrifying at the first strike. After being hit once, the mop poses no threat at all. Similarly, once Celin got her first ��green blade�� on her head, bearing a ��green meadow�� thereafter wouldn��t be so hard to accept.


    As a pure love succubus, Celin firmly believed that the one who remains till the end is the winner!


    The life force of the Demons is much stronger than that of the adventurers; she could outlast Lin Da��s team members!


    ��


    While Celin was smugly pleased with herself, within the villa��s second floor.


    ��Achoo!��


    Lin Da had sent Klrona to Monica��s room for the two of them to play with the Magic Conductor Handheld Console together.


    As soon as he stepped out, he sneezed loudly.


    Could it be someone talking about him behind his back?


    Lin Da shook his head, puzzled.


    A few steps out in the corridor, he doubled back, cracked open a door, and peeked inside: Two lolitas in white knee socks sitting primly on the small bed.


    Klrona turned her face away, took out an apology gift��a limited edition White Cat Mage Puppet. Monica was initially afraid, but realizing Klrona had no ill intentions, cautiously accepted the puppet.


    ��Thank you, Klrona.��


    ��I��m being awfully kind to come and make friends with you, so you better remember it!�� Klrona pulled out her pink Magic Conductor handheld game console: ��Let��s battle, this time I��ll defeat you with my true strength.��


    ��Sure, sure,�� said Monica, enthusiastic about the game, and she didn��t seem introverted at all.


    Lin Da quietly closed the door.


    The scene of the two lolitas playing games together was very healing and made him smile like a proud father.


    Lin Da had always been worried about Monica��s introverted personality and the lack of friends her age around her. With Klrona coming along, she could help Monica ease her introversion and come out of her social anxiety.


    Klrona herself was not bad by nature; she just had a foul mouth and too strong a desire for attention. During battles, she would protect the rear very responsibly.


    If he had been strict with Klrona from the start, she would probably be a good girl by now.


    Lin Da sighed, hoping that Klrona and Monica would grow together.


    ��Where have you been? I��ve been looking for you,�� Lulu said, rushing downstairs, her eyes catching sight of Lin Da. She walked over quickly, holding up the hem of her blue dress, her expression grave.


    ��What��s the matter?�� Lin Da��s brow furrowed, sensing something wrong from Lulu��s flustered demeanor.


    Today was the Phoenix Tail Flower promotion party; there couldn��t be any glitches.


    ��We have trouble,�� Lulu��s voice contained a hint of anger, saying, ��The Specter Adventure Group and the Solid Rock Adventure Group are here.��


    ��Specter, Solid Rock?��


    ��Come on, let��s go take a look!��


    Lin Da��s eyes narrowed, a chill appearing on his face.


    He didn��t invite the people from Specter, so their uninvited presence�� this was asking for trouble.


    ��


    In the third-floor hall, Xilin was playing Beast Chess with Lia, utterly outclassing her.


    She won every game, as effortlessly as eating and drinking.


    Weak, so weak, Lia. With such intelligence, it��s no wonder you��re still a moronic virgin! And to think you were the only harem member I truly acknowledged!


    Before becoming a Demon, Xilin wasn��t interested in Lin Da, and if she was, that interest was quickly snuffed out. At that time, she was selectively picking through Snow Goose��s people and thought Lia was passable, certainly much better than the green tea Aiko and the little demon Klrona.


    But the reality was that Lia wasn��t up to the task when given the chance!


    Thus, Xilin could only apologize to Lia in her heart.


    At most, she would plead for Lia to be taken in as her own lackey when the Demon King arrived.


    ��General.��


    A voice echoed in her head, Xilin glanced behind her to see Lady Bai Mian:


    ��Subordinate senses two Star Rank presences approaching; your highness��s brother may be in trouble.��


    ��No problem,�� Xilin replied while mockingly relishing Lia��s distressed look, responding telepathically: ��Aren��t the people from the White Dove Adventure Group here? Besides, it��s better to let Lin Da experience the deceit among adventurers. Within our Demon Realm, everyone is united, faithfully serving His Majesty the Demon King.��


    The two presences outside were also detected by the members of the White Dove Adventure Group.


    In the middle of the hall, Abner slightly opened his eyes.


    He was about to move when the deputy head, Jite, stopped him.


    Jite gently shook his head and said, ��We need to see if Phoenix Tail Flower is worth cultivating.��


    What the White Dove Adventure Group wanted was a steadfast ally, the kind you could trust with your life.


    Not the kind who wavers like a reed in the wind.


    Abner thought for a moment and sat back down.


    He wasn��t very good at these brainy tasks; usually, he just followed his team members�� lead.


    At that moment, in the courtyard.


    ��Hahaha, please continue to enjoy yourselves, everyone. Hulus and I didn��t come to disrupt your refined gathering. On the contrary, we brought gifts to congratulate Luanwei!��


    Rhode, carrying a blood-drenched wild boar, stood over two meters tall with golden, steel-needle-like short hair, much like a hedgehog, reeking of the stench of blood from killing Magical Creatures.


    Once Rhode stood in the courtyard, his 34-level Star Rank��s ��demeanor�� swept out like an invisible tide, washing over everyone!


    Suddenly, all guests�� complexions changed. Someone holding a wine glass was shaking like chaff under the ��demeanor��s pressure, spilling wine all over their pants��


    The Star Rank��s ��demeanor�� is a kind of Higher order energy��s oppression over the lower order, its most evident trait causing tremors in the lower rank, making the body incoherent and significantly reducing combat capabilities.


    This has nothing to do with bravery; it��s like a fist forcefully pressing a goose��s head to the ground, a sheer force crushing.


    The captain of the Slay the Evil Dragon Adventure Team, Minnie, peeked timidly at the wild boar on Rhode��s shoulder��a Level 30 purple Magical Creature, the Steel Armored Wild Boar King.


    Its skin was covered with bruises, likely from Rhode beating it to death with his bare knuckles without using a weapon.


    The black-robed old man by Rhode��s side was Hulus, resembling a withered tree.


    Hulus chuckled and said, ��Captain of Luanwei, won��t you invite us two to sit upstairs?��


    Lin Da came downstairs, looking at them expressionlessly.


    Allowing these two upstairs would be like letting Brother Crow flip the table during an upgrade party. If it��s too difficult to conduct, then don��t bother!


    The reputation of Luanwei would be completely tarnished!


    But to refuse Hulus and Rhode would mean offending two Steel Level adventure teams.


    All eyes were on Lin Da, waiting for his response.


    The potential of Luanwei was clear for all to see; they were destined to advance to the Steel Level.


    Whomever could win over Luanwei would essentially gain a future Steel Level adventure team.


    If Lin Da turned to Specter, Specter would have three Steel Level teams, overtaking the White Dove Adventure Group in numbers.


    Therefore�� Specter was getting anxious.


    Hulus and Rhode came together to exert their influence on Lin Da��just by Lin Da being cowardly today and inviting them up, would surely cause dissatisfaction within the White Dove Adventure Group; their little boat of friendship would start to wobble. They would then deploy a mixture of hard and soft tactics on Lin Da, tempting him with gifts��Hulus knew that Lin Da needed Dragon Skin, and had brought with him a Poison Dragon skin worth two million Gold Coins.


    As long as Lin Da agreed to invite him and Rhode upstairs, he would present this exceptionally valuable gift to Lin Da in front of everyone.


    This hot potato of a gift, once accepted by Lin Da, would completely capsize his little boat of friendship with the White Dove Adventure Group!


    Hulus planned to lure Lin Da over forcefully with a combination of the carrot and the stick!


    ��Hehehe, Captain of Luanwei, go ahead and show your fearful and weak side to let everyone down.��


    ��I, Hulus, will train you well, turning you into a puppet captain of an adventure team!��


    Hulus cackled inwardly, joined by Rhode as they released their Star Rank��s ��demeanor,�� pressing down on Lin Da!


    Lin Da stood in the midst of a sea tide, enduring the ceaseless waves capable of shattering rocks.


    This ��demeanor�� was about rank suppression, only resistible through sheer force of will.


    Lin Da��s legs trembled slightly, the crushing pressure made it hard to breathe, each breath felt like nostrils clogged with snot, no matter how hard he tried, he could only suck in a tiny bit of fresh air, feeling suffocated in his chest.


    If Hulus thought that bullying would make Lin Da submit, he was sorely mistaken.


    Hulus��s approach only made him more determined to side with the White Dove Adventure Group!


    It��s worth mentioning that Xilin, fully aware of Lin Da��s personality and owing to her High-Class Succubus physique, refrained from making a move on Lin Da. Forcing him would only reduce his fondness for her.


    Therefore, Xilin planned to pursue him gently, slowly winning over Lin Da.

 Chapter 236 - 236: 211. Lin toasting: Your adventurous goal, cannot be achieved.

    Chapter 236: 211. Lin toasting: Your adventurous goal, cannot be achieved.


    Speaking of the present moment,


    Lin Da��s legs were in severe pain, his bones making cracking sounds.


    Yet, his facial expression remained calm.


    Even though his legs shook like a sieve, he calmly looked at Hulus and his companion.


    ��The Phoenix Tail Flower party�� does not welcome you.��


    Lin Da��s voice was icy as he upheld an enormous weight with his arm and pointed outside the courtyard, ��No escort needed.��


    ...


    ��?��


    Hulus��s face was filled with astonishment.


    He exchanged glances with Rhode, feeling it somewhat absurd.


    Two Star Rank ��presences�� couldn��t suppress a level 23 adventurer?


    The higher the Ability, the greater the resistance to ��presence��, that was true.


    But an adventurer��s willpower was also a major factor.


    Hulus had always thought that Lin Da was a kind and gentle adventurer with no backbone, easy to manipulate.


    Now, it seemed, perhaps he had misjudged?


    ��Well said! Two useless adventure groups daring to cause trouble?��


    A hearty laugh rang out from the building.


    Jite leaped down from the third floor and landed with a thud.


    His furry panther tail maintained balance, whipping fiercely against the floor.


    The shrill sound made everyone shiver.


    Vice Captain of White Dove, [Mad Panther] Jite!


    White Dove Commander, [Observer] Gale, also flew down using the Wind Control Skill.


    The two positioned themselves in front of Lin Da, blocking Hulus and his partner��s ��presence��.


    Lin Da��s body relaxed, and he was clumsily caught by Lulu.


    ��Are you alright?�� Lulu asked with concern, her eyes glancing at Hulus and his group as her eyes filled with murderous intent, her hands stealthily shifting into beast claws��


    Lin Da could clearly see through Lulu��s intentions and shook his head. After a short rest, he stood up, patted Lulu��s head gently, and said softly, ��No need for you to intervene. Once the Phoenix Tail Flower reaches Star Rank, I will have my own methods.��


    Specter��s people won��t be arrogant for much longer.


    Once the Phoenix Tail Flower stepped into Iron Level, Lin Da would complete the [Annihilate Specter Adventure Group] sub-quest.


    Meanwhile, inside the courtyard, the arrival of Jite and Gale made the atmosphere tense and charged.


    Hulus clearly hadn��t expected that White Dove Adventure Group would have ��two people�� here.


    In their estimation, having Gale alone attend the party was already a great honor for Phoenix Tail Flower.


    Adding Jite made the situation balanced, 2v2; both Hulus and Rhode, being group leaders, weren��t intimidated by them.


    But Hulus cast a startled glance upward and was terrified to notice that person standing by the window, whose presence was utterly imperceptible��Abner!


    [Mind��s Eye] Abner, level 38.


    The strongest adventurer in White Dove City!


    Hulus��s heart skipped a beat, and he put on a smile, ��Everyone, please don��t misunderstand. We merely came to deliver a congratulatory gift to the Phoenix Tail Flower. We��ll leave immediately after setting it down.��


    He gave Rhode a meaningful look, suggesting they leave the Steel Wild Boar King behind.


    But Lin Da scoffed coldly, ��No need. Take it back with you. My warehouse is too small to accommodate anything else.��


    Some favors also depend on the circumstances.


    In full view of everyone, even if Hulus offered him a million Gold Coins, he wouldn��t accept.


    Once tagged with the label of a fence-sitter, it��s hard to ever shake it off.


    Gale raised an eyebrow, a twinge of satisfaction in his eyes, and said, ��Hulus, if you don��t want to get beaten, scram!��


    Hulus��s old face turned red, knowing that he was outmatched, and he and Rhode skulked away. Sear?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once they were completely gone, the Rock-level guests, who had been holding their breath, began to breathe again and started discussing animatedly.


    ��Hulus really has lost his edge, crashing someone else��s party like that is pure provocation!��


    ��Lucky for us, the White Dove folks were here, or today could have been dangerous.��


    ��The captain of Phoenix Tail Flower is tough, actually daring to send Hulus packing.��


    Minnie lamented, ��If it were me, I��d probably have caved first and dealt with the rest later.��


    Gale, feeling a bit awkward, patted Lin Da on the shoulder and took out a magic scroll, saying, ��Here��s a Locating Technique in here. If this happens again, just tear open the scroll and our White Dove Adventure Group will come as fast as we can.��


    ��Alright,�� Lin Da accepted without demur.


    He thought to himself, The Locating Technique is merely a last resort. The main thing is still to improve myself.


    The ��Death Crab Pincer�� he obtained from the King Crab Set can inflict true damage on anyone not more than ten levels above himself. According to Lin Da��s inquiries, Hulus is around level 35, meaning, as long as he reaches level 25, he would have a fighting chance against Hulus.


    ��The fifth floor��s Goblin Prince is a two-star Epic Demon Creature. Killing it would be enough to boost our entire team to 25.��


    ��Lulu, at levels 28 or 29, has a chance. ��


    ��By using Diamonds to buy some Experience Guidance Tickets for Lulu and coaching her well, there��s a good chance to boost her to Star Rank first!��


    Lin Da held Lulu��s cold little hand, his gaze intense as he thought: Having a Star Rank would ensure the safety of Phoenix Tail Flower, and a Star Rank in Witch State is not something ordinary Star Ranks can compare with.


    The matter involving the Specter Adventure Group quickly spread at the party.


    People were filled with righteous indignation. Everyone at the Great Mystery Continent had been annoyed by the Specter people at some point, as they stole their resources and outright denied it, utterly lacking in decency.


    They wouldn��t commit crimes violating the empire��s laws, but every petty act on the fringes was their forte without Specter��s people abstaining.


    Even President Velen couldn��t handle them since Specter and Bedrock were still Steel Level Adventure Groups.


    Without such elite teams, the Great Mystery Continent resource areas allocated to White Dove City by the empire would shrink, along with the monthly supplies given to the Rock Level Teams.


    President Velen wanted to eliminate these two cancers but couldn��t afford the heavy cost it would entail.


    If White Dove City were to be personified, it would be considered too poor to cure its own tumors, merely allowing them to grow unchecked.


    After this small episode, Lin Da and Abner went off to talk in the study.


    Abner expressed that the White Dove Adventure Group would do its utmost to protect the Phoenix Tail Flower team from ��external forces�� until all its members reached Star Rank.


    However, he hoped that Phoenix Tail Flower would stay determined and not defect to the enemy.


    Lin Da immediately swore to the Goddess��Phoenix Tail Flower��s conflict with Specter and Bedrock was irreconcilable!


    The bond between the two teams deepened once again.


    If Hulus knew his visit would lead to this outcome, he would have been kicking himself.


    By noon, the party officially began.


    Lin Da, on the third-floor podium, gave a brief thank you speech, followed by everyone raising a toast to celebrate.


    ��Congratulations to Phoenix Tail Flower for breaking through level 20!��


    The crowd��s cheers, loud and clear, were like a sword piercing into the skies.


    In this lively atmosphere, Lin Da��s previous discomfort faded away, and his smile returned.


    Captains from various Rock-level Squads came forward to toast, and though Lin Da was a good drinker, his face grew a bit flushed.


    Eventually, he had to switch to fruit juice in place of alcohol.


    ��Captain Lin Da sure is a stubborn one.��


    A young lady with pink hair, holding a glass of orange juice, adjusted her thick black glasses and looking under a poster, said:


    ��The adventure goal of Phoenix Tail Flower, everyone safely reaching the summit��do you think it��s possible? It��s quite funny, like something a child would dream of.��


    Si Lin was trying to use her rhetoric to persuade Lin Da.


    To simply defect, swear loyalty to the Demon King.


    Being an adventurer really isn��t worth it.

 Chapter 237 - 237: 212, Lin failed to trash talk, but ended up being trash talked by Lin Da

    Chapter 237: 212, Lin failed to trash talk, but ended up being trash talked by Lin Da


    ��Uh�� Miss Lin, right?�� Lin Da gave the pink-haired girl before him a strange look.


    She seemed a bit too familiar.


    There��s a saying, ��Do not speak deeply when the friendship is shallow.�� Talking about one��s adventure goals is generally reserved only for teammates or extremely close friends.


    Who would confide such things to a stranger?


    Xilin didn��t mind Lin Da��s wariness and, like an imperceptive and unreasonable adventurer, continued to press on: ��Have you ever considered that you might fail at a certain level and thus lose an important companion?��


    ��Such things happen every day.��


    ...


    ��Captain Lin Da, you��re quite accomplished now. If you retire directly, no one would have to take risks, right?��


    Indeed, stop adventuring.


    Just join the Demons.


    Xilin thought to herself.


    Of course, she was also worried that Phoenix Tail Flower might capsize in the World Tree��s canals.


    To others, Xilin seemed lively, an optimist, but deep down, pessimistic blood flowed in her veins.


    Other people adventure for Gold Coins.


    When Xilin adventures, she worries about capsizing.


    Lin Da joked, ��Miss, are you here to lecture me?��


    ��You could say that,�� Xilin said with a smile: ��I did give you a Demon Core from a Rare Orange Level Magical Creature. Getting a lecture for such a profit should be worth it, right?��


    Lin Da was startled.


    This miss had a knack for finding reasons.


    He pondered for a moment and said, ��Miss Lin, your question in itself is flawed.��


    Xilin tilted her head, ��What do you mean?��


    ��We are all connected by adventure. It��s the adventures first that make us important companions. Without the adventures, we��d likely still be strangers,�� Lin Da said slowly.


    Xilin thought about her encounters with Lin Da and others like Lia.


    Indeed, it was the adventure that brought everyone together.


    Without adventuring together, she��d be just a civilian, gradually drifting away from Lin Da, and even if they once had blood ties, this distance would eventually dilute them.


    It was because she had experienced adventures with Lin Da, seen first-hand his contributions for the team, for her, that she came to value him more.


    And it was not just for Lia, Aiko, Klrona�� all because of adventuring, they came together.


    Xilin��s expression subtly changed.


    Lin Da��s voice was soft, as if he were thinking of his teammates. sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He said, ��Our bond also strengthens through the adventures. There are definitely risks, but I��ll do my best to minimize them.��


    ��Looking further ahead, if no one reaches the peak, draws the Sword of the Brave, who will go to challenge the Demon King? When His Majesty the Demon King descends, all adventurers, will die.��


    ��Only by adventuring, only by continuing to adventure, can I protect my teammates and companions.��


    Xilin��s face was indifferent: ��You speak well, but, the Demon King is invincible.��


    ��You have not seen the Demon King with your own eyes. If you had, you would fear, despair, lose the courage to wield a sword.��


    After saying this, Xilin lowered her head, and a dense black fog surged in her eyes.


    It was as if a force were controlling her soul, continuously warning her: the Demon King is invincible, and to realize His Majesty the Demon King��s grand aspiration of conquering the Mystic Continent, she ought to become the sword of the Demon King and eliminate all enemies!


    But Lin Da��s answer was: ��Nothing is absolute, you��ll only know if you try.��


    ��Moreover, I have another reason I must continue to adventure.��


    Xilin: ��What is it?��


    Lin Da turned to look out the window.


    From this position, one could see the towering verdant tree to the east.


    Lin Da��s expression was somewhat melancholic, but his black eyes twinkled with unwavering determination.


    His plain words seemed to carry the power to chisel through rock, ��Because there��s an important family member waiting for me on the 20th floor.��


    In Si Lin��s eyes, the black fog churned violently, and she said with reluctance, ��But, you have new family members now, and you��ve set new adventurous goals with them.��


    You must have forgotten about yourself.


    Just paying lip service!


    Lin Da smiled, ��My family members are irreplaceable. How could I forget her just because I have new teammates? Moreover, I still need to go to the 20th floor to bring her back. Adventure�� is definitely something I can��t give up.��


    This time, Si Lin��s defenses were shattered.


    Feeling a sting in her nose, she almost turned into a whining creature.


    So, Lin Da had never forgotten her after all.


    Even with the Little Werewolf and the Big Lolita�� to Lin Da, she was still the irreplaceable one!


    The Holy Pattern on Si Lin��s lower abdomen cooled rapidly, in respect of this pure and flawless emotion.


    From now on, unless Si Lin actively preys on Lin Da, the Holy Pattern would not flare up.


    ��You��re still the same stubborn mule as before,�� Si Lin said, wiping her eyes with her sleeve in a reproachful tone.


    Though she was scolding Lin Da, the girl��s lips curled up in a faint smile, and the dark fog in her eyes quickly retreated.


    Lin Da hadn��t done anything special, just voiced what was in his heart.


    But unbeknownst to him, this unintentional act built an impregnable wall around the girl��s heart, one that not even the corrupting power of the Demon King could destroy.


    ��Miss, if I may be so bold to ask one question.��


    ��Do we�� know each other?��


    Lin Da asked, puzzled.


    Si Lin��s expression returned to normal, raising the glass of orange juice, ��Here��s to your adventure progressing smoothly.��


    The worried Si Lin giggled and quickly made her escape, fearing that Lin Da would recognize her identity.


    Leaving Lin Da with nothing but a cloud of confusion.


    ��What a strange person.��


    Lin Da chuckled.


    Even though it was a senseless conversation, he found he didn��t dislike this pink-haired girl.


    If they met in the Great Mystery Continent, perhaps they could become comrades fighting side by side.


    After Si Lin left, other adventurers came over to toast.


    Some were adventure team leaders eager to form a friendly bond with Phoenix Tail Flower, others were female adventurers curious about Lin Da.


    After Lin Da used the ��Poison Dragon��s Roar�� Ultimate Skill, the number of his fans doubled.


    The members of Snow Goose approached, too, holding their glasses; Aiko was at the forefront, while Lia drank sullenly by herself in a corner.


    Aiko wore a white spaghetti strap dress, elegant and modest, epitomizing the demure beauty of a lady.


    ��Lin Da, congratulations on reaching level 23.��


    Aiko smiled, raising her glass of orange juice.


    ��Your levels have increased quite a bit too.�� Lin Da looked at everyone with mixed emotions.


    After the collaboration during the Monster Tide, the gap created by his leaving the team had quietly closed; although things couldn��t return to how they once were, they were now normal old teammates.


    Klyne said, ��We��re about to challenge the 13th floor soon, feeling a bit anxious.��


    Lin Da smiled, ��I believe Phyllis can do it.��


    The future strategies for Snow Goose would still have to rely on them.


    ��Yes, yes,�� Phyllis laughed awkwardly, ��I probably can do it?��


    While Lin Da and the members of Snow Goose were making small talk, reminiscing about the past, Lia sat in a corner with a sullen face, downing glasses of wheat beer one after another.

 Chapter 238 - 238: 213, Lia: This time, I wont let go (begging for monthly passes, ying ying ying!)

    Chapter 238: 213, Lia: This time, I won��t let go (begging for monthly passes, ying ying ying!)


    But no matter how much she drank, Lia didn��t feel the drunken stupor she sought.


    When the gifts were presented, the courteous image of Lin Da kept replaying in front of her eyes.


    Also, the scene where Lin Da and Lulu held hands to greet them��


    Gurgle, gurgle!


    Lia gulped down the large glass of wheat beer, a blush creeping onto her cheeks.


    Beneath the influence of alcohol, her vision blurred as she looked towards Lin Da, surrounded by Snow Goose��s people in the middle of the room.


    ...


    The party was attended by many important figures, all coming for Lin Da. Lia envied him; Lin Da had achieved what she wanted but could not.


    And that glory should have included a share for her.


    ��It��s probably because they trust me,��


    Lin Da��s words echoed in her ears once again. sea??h th�� novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lia��s grip on her beer mug slowly tightened. She couldn��t help but wonder, if she could trust Lin Da as the members of the Phoenix Tail Flower did, would Lin Da have had no reason to leave the team?


    After careful consideration, Lia turned pale as she arrived at the answer: apparently not!


    The members of Snow Goose were no worse than those of Phoenix Tail Flower, plus they had the foundation of three years of shared adventures with Lin Da. Why would Lin Da leave the team for no reason?


    All the adverse outcomes were brewed by her and Aiko, together.


    Assuming Lin Da would never leave the team, they thought they could use him however they wanted.


    When troubles arose, they complained about Lin Da first.


    Among them, it was she who complained the most.


    Lia��s complexion grew paler as she suddenly realized that in the process of fostering this misfortune, she had watered it the most, contributing the most effort!


    Dingling~


    A crisp bell rang, and the handsome blond elf who was the host of Phoenix Tail Flower announced with a smile:


    ��Now it��s time to enter the second part of the party, the social dance. If anyone draws the lucky Number 1 ticket, they will become the host of today��s party and Lin Da��s dance partner!��


    These words set off a small wave of surprise among the crowd.


    Social dancing was a routine part of the party.


    In Mystic Continent, being skilled at social dancing signified knowledge, cultivation, and the embodiment of the upper class.


    Many of the single female adventurers in the hall had a sparkle in their eyes, looking at Lin Da with heated gazes.


    The fitted suit enhanced Lin Da��s stature, making him appear even more upright.


    Lia heard the female adventurers whispering nearby:


    ��I really wish I could be Lin Da��s dance partner and be poached by Phoenix Tail Flower Team.��


    ��Keep it down! It would be bad if our Captain heard you!��


    ��Watch me impress with my outstanding dance skills and snatch up the Eye of True Knowledge!��


    Only Lia was not enthusiastic.


    She didn��t even plan to go and draw a ticket.


    With her horrendously bad social dancing skills, she was more likely to mistake her partner��s feet for the floor.


    The embarrassing scene from Snow Goose��s last promotion party was still vivid in her mind.


    Lia almost fell over with Lin Da, her terrible dancing skills had been mockingly discussed for a long time by the adventurers who attended that party, and even made it into a small section of the White Dove Morning News.


    The elf host brought out the large raffle barrel, and the single adventurers lined up excitedly, all looking forward to encountering romance.


    Lia was indifferent, still drinking her wheat beer.


    ��Could you do me a favor?��


    An uninvited guest interrupted her.


    Lia looked up.


    It was the pink-haired idiot.


    With her hands pressed together pleadingly, Celine said with an air of helplessness, ��If you draw the Number 1 ticket, swap with me, I��ll give you ten thousand Gold Coins.��


    ��Ten�� thousand?��


    Lia��s eyelids twitched.


    She was in dire need of money, especially after giving Lin Da an expensive Magic Guide Wristwatch.


    Ambivalent for a while, Lia said, ��Okay.��


    She went up to draw not because she was desperate for money, not like those vulgar female adventurers.


    If she drew ticket Number 1, she��d sell it to the pink-haired girl. If she didn��t, she would turn down the dance. Her social dancing was still as terrible as a year ago; she didn��t want to embarrass herself in the middle of the hall.


    Passing by Aiko, Lia noticed that Aiko was biting her handkerchief, almost crying with envy.


    Oh�� because of her limp, she couldn��t draw a ticket.


    Come to think of it, did Aiko really want to shed her single status so badly? It was just a social dance, after all.


    Lia thought it strange.


    ��Miss, please draw your ticket,�� the elf host courteously tilted the barrel towards her.


    Lia reached inside and pulled out a wooden ticket resembling an ice cream stick, wrapped at the end with white paper which she then tore open.


    Many around her, who weren��t lucky enough to get the Number 1 ticket, leaned in to see.


    As Lia tore open the paper and revealed the number on it, a murmur of surprise rose:


    ��Your luck is just too good!��


    ��Captain Lia, do you want to swap with me? I have Number 37, that famous Star-ranked adventurer Gale.��


    ��Swap with me! I��m Number 28, Robert, a veteran rock-level team captain!��


    A bunch of female adventurers surrounded Lia.


    ��Er����


    Lia was also stunned. She thought it would be great to get ticket Number 1, but she didn��t hold much hope. With over a hundred tickets, how could she possibly draw Number 1?


    But, as fate would have it�� she did.


    The wooden ticket in her hand was the coveted Number 1 that many desired!


    ��Make way, make way, Lia had already made a deal with me.�� Celine pushed her way through the crowd, exclaiming, ��You really did draw it�� here, give it to me, this Savings Card has ten thousand Gold in it.��


    Xi Lin held a Savings Card and handed it to Lia.


    However, Lia didn��t reach out to take it.


    ��?��


    Xi Lin looked at her, puzzled.


    ��Didn��t we agree?��


    ��You dislike Lin Da, right? For you, number 1 wooden sign is a waste; exchanging it for 10,000 Gold Coins would be great, wouldn��t it?��


    ��You��re not thinking of going back on your word, are you?��


    Under Xi Lin��s repeated questioning, Lia only gripped the wooden sign tighter and tighter.


    The curious gazes of those around made her flush with heat, and her heart started to pound fiercely.


    Lia had an intuition that if she sold the wooden sign to Xi Lin, she would become a stranger to Lin Da forever.


    Lia couldn��t figure out what her feelings towards Lin Da were: enemy, old teammate, friend, competitor�� Each one fit, yet none felt entirely right.


    The one thing she was sure of was that she didn��t want to become a stranger to Lin Da, growing further and further apart.


    Even if she was hated, Lia hoped that Lin Da would remember her.


    ��It��s just a social dance, making a fool of yourself, right? You��ve already made a fool of yourself once, what��s there to fear if you do it again?��


    ��You can even take the opportunity to embarrass Lin Da with your awful dance skills and kill two birds with one stone!�� Lia��s mind seemed to be tempted by a little devil holding a pitchfork.


    Then, a little angel with a halo above its head emerged, saying anxiously:


    ��Lia, you mustn��t listen to it! Instead of being hated by Lin Da, isn��t it better to earn his recognition?��


    ��Even if you can��t be teammates anymore, you can still be friends, right? Don��t you want to fight alongside Lin Da in the Great Mystery Continent in the future? You know how strong his shield is, don��t you? With Lin Da supporting you from behind, you can charge your energy without any pressure!��


    In her head, the two little figures, one black and one white, argued fiercely.


    Lia covered her ears and yelled in irritation, ��Enough, both of you, stop it!��


    There was a hush in the room as everyone fell silent.


    The female adventurers who wanted to exchange wooden signs with Lia seemed to understand something, looking at her with surprised expressions.


    They showed embarrassed faces and awkwardly retreated.


    Xi Lin was also somewhat surprised.


    Well, not exactly surprised. Xi Lin had long noticed Lia��s attitude towards Lin Da, but Lia was too proud to admit it.


    What surprised Xi Lin was Lia shouting loudly to drive people away.


    If any other seductive vixen got close to Lin Da, Xi Lin would definitely stop it.


    But Lia was her only close friend. Even though it was uncomfortable to see her head turning green with envy, Xi Lin, considering the long lifespan of a High-Class Succubus, and the promise of the Demon King granting her and Lin Da eternal life, could just about accept letting Lia have Lin Da for the time being.


    She had no choice but to think of it as Lin Da improving his skills!


    ��I hope you seize this opportunity,�� Xi Lin said with a teasing smile, patting Lia on the shoulder, ��After all, you are my close friend, and it��s better to have you win than to let Aiko steal the spotlight.��


    ��What?��


    Lia, hearing Xi Lin��s incomprehensible words, was somewhat stunned.


    Close friend? Who are you?


    I have no idea who you are!


    No matter what,


    the ball began beneath the melodious jazz music.


    Handsome men and beautiful women walked into the center of the great hall with elegant steps, hand in hand.


    There was the trembling Robert, who looked like he was being held hostage by robbers��his dance partner was Wild Panther Gite, a Star-ranked adventurer with exploding muscles.


    And there was Gale, brimming with pride, and Minnie, captain of the Slay the Evil Dragon Adventure Team, with a face full of bitterness.


    Of course, the most eye-catching was the host of the party, Lin Da.


    Dressed in a tailored suit, he danced in the jazz music, hand in hand with a red-haired girl.


    On the seats to both sides, Aiko��s eyes were filled with envy.


    She had prayed to the World Tree Goddess that anyone but Lia should pull the number 1 tag��


    So much for prayers being useful!


    Aiko felt a bit panicked inside; anyone could win, but she couldn��t endure seeing the redhead win! She could tolerate others far away having a good life, but she absolutely couldn��t stand someone beside her living better than her!


    Especially when that person was just a powder keg ready to explode in her eyes!


    ��With Lia��s dance skills, she dares to go up there? Make a complete fool of yourself, embarrass yourself, and drop Lin Da��s good impression of you by a ton!�� Aiko wore a forced smile, but inside, her fury twisted her facial features as she cursed Lia��s misfortune manically.


    At that moment, the guests were all looking forward to Lin Da��s dance performance.


    Ballroom dancing was an upper-class social activity, costly and difficult to learn; men admired and women aspired those who could dance well.


    But clearly, Lin Da was lacking in this area.


    It didn��t take long for everyone to notice: Lin Da��s dance skills were mediocre, and among the dozens of couples in the hall, they ranked towards the back.


    And Lin Da��s dance partner, Lia, had even worse skills.


    The two looked less like they were dancing and more like they were fighting.


    You shove me, I shove you; stumbling around, they almost bumped into others.


    Before long, Lia had left footprints all over Lin Da��s dress shoes.


    ��Shall we just stop?��


    Lin Da, looking helpless, conveyed his thoughts through his eyes.


    Let��s stop embarrassing ourselves and just rest.


    But Lia stubbornly shook her head.


    Upon closer inspection, one could see that Lia had put on makeup today.


    It was subtle, nearly imperceptible.


    But Lin Da, holding her hand at this intimate distance, could even spot the faint eyeshadow and lipstick on the girl��s face.


    Her fiery red hair fluttered as they danced, her gaze stubborn, and her hands clinging to him as if they were wrestling.


    Lia made it clear: Letting go was not an option!

 Chapter 239 - 238: 213, Lia: This time, I wont let go (begging for monthly passes, ying ying ying!)

    Chapter 238: 213, Lia: This time, I won��t let go (begging for monthly passes, ying ying ying!)


    But no matter how much she drank, Lia didn��t feel the drunken stupor she sought.


    When the gifts were presented, the courteous image of Lin Da kept replaying in front of her eyes.


    Also, the scene where Lin Da and Lulu held hands to greet them��


    Gurgle, gurgle!


    Lia gulped down the large glass of wheat beer, a blush creeping onto her cheeks.


    Beneath the influence of alcohol, her vision blurred as she looked towards Lin Da, surrounded by Snow Goose��s people in the middle of the room.


    ...


    The party was attended by many important figures, all coming for Lin Da. Lia envied him; Lin Da had achieved what she wanted but could not.


    And that glory should have included a share for her.


    ��It��s probably because they trust me,��


    Lin Da��s words echoed in her ears once again.


    Lia��s grip on her beer mug slowly tightened. She couldn��t help but wonder, if she could trust Lin Da as the members of the Phoenix Tail Flower did, would Lin Da have had no reason to leave the team?


    After careful consideration, Lia turned pale as she arrived at the answer: apparently not!


    The members of Snow Goose were no worse than those of Phoenix Tail Flower, plus they had the foundation of three years of shared adventures with Lin Da. Why would Lin Da leave the team for no reason?


    All the adverse outcomes were brewed by her and Aiko, together.


    Assuming Lin Da would never leave the team, they thought they could use him however they wanted.


    When troubles arose, they complained about Lin Da first.


    Among them, it was she who complained the most.


    Lia��s complexion grew paler as she suddenly realized that in the process of fostering this misfortune, she had watered it the most, contributing the most effort!


    Dingling~


    A crisp bell rang, and the handsome blond elf who was the host of Phoenix Tail Flower announced with a smile: S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Now it��s time to enter the second part of the party, the social dance. If anyone draws the lucky Number 1 ticket, they will become the host of today��s party and Lin Da��s dance partner!��


    These words set off a small wave of surprise among the crowd.


    Social dancing was a routine part of the party.


    In Mystic Continent, being skilled at social dancing signified knowledge, cultivation, and the embodiment of the upper class.


    Many of the single female adventurers in the hall had a sparkle in their eyes, looking at Lin Da with heated gazes.


    The fitted suit enhanced Lin Da��s stature, making him appear even more upright.


    Lia heard the female adventurers whispering nearby:


    ��I really wish I could be Lin Da��s dance partner and be poached by Phoenix Tail Flower Team.��


    ��Keep it down! It would be bad if our Captain heard you!��


    ��Watch me impress with my outstanding dance skills and snatch up the Eye of True Knowledge!��


    Only Lia was not enthusiastic.


    She didn��t even plan to go and draw a ticket.


    With her horrendously bad social dancing skills, she was more likely to mistake her partner��s feet for the floor.


    The embarrassing scene from Snow Goose��s last promotion party was still vivid in her mind.


    Lia almost fell over with Lin Da, her terrible dancing skills had been mockingly discussed for a long time by the adventurers who attended that party, and even made it into a small section of the White Dove Morning News.


    The elf host brought out the large raffle barrel, and the single adventurers lined up excitedly, all looking forward to encountering romance.


    Lia was indifferent, still drinking her wheat beer.


    ��Could you do me a favor?��


    An uninvited guest interrupted her.


    Lia looked up.


    It was the pink-haired idiot.


    With her hands pressed together pleadingly, Celine said with an air of helplessness, ��If you draw the Number 1 ticket, swap with me, I��ll give you ten thousand Gold Coins.��


    ��Ten�� thousand?��


    Lia��s eyelids twitched.


    She was in dire need of money, especially after giving Lin Da an expensive Magic Guide Wristwatch.


    Ambivalent for a while, Lia said, ��Okay.��


    She went up to draw not because she was desperate for money, not like those vulgar female adventurers.


    If she drew ticket Number 1, she��d sell it to the pink-haired girl. If she didn��t, she would turn down the dance. Her social dancing was still as terrible as a year ago; she didn��t want to embarrass herself in the middle of the hall.


    Passing by Aiko, Lia noticed that Aiko was biting her handkerchief, almost crying with envy.


    Oh�� because of her limp, she couldn��t draw a ticket.


    Come to think of it, did Aiko really want to shed her single status so badly? It was just a social dance, after all.


    Lia thought it strange.


    ��Miss, please draw your ticket,�� the elf host courteously tilted the barrel towards her.


    Lia reached inside and pulled out a wooden ticket resembling an ice cream stick, wrapped at the end with white paper which she then tore open.


    Many around her, who weren��t lucky enough to get the Number 1 ticket, leaned in to see.


    As Lia tore open the paper and revealed the number on it, a murmur of surprise rose:


    ��Your luck is just too good!��


    ��Captain Lia, do you want to swap with me? I have Number 37, that famous Star-ranked adventurer Gale.��


    ��Swap with me! I��m Number 28, Robert, a veteran rock-level team captain!��


    A bunch of female adventurers surrounded Lia.


    ��Er����


    Lia was also stunned. She thought it would be great to get ticket Number 1, but she didn��t hold much hope. With over a hundred tickets, how could she possibly draw Number 1?


    But, as fate would have it�� she did.


    The wooden ticket in her hand was the coveted Number 1 that many desired!


    ��Make way, make way, Lia had already made a deal with me.�� Celine pushed her way through the crowd, exclaiming, ��You really did draw it�� here, give it to me, this Savings Card has ten thousand Gold in it.��


    Xi Lin held a Savings Card and handed it to Lia.


    However, Lia didn��t reach out to take it.


    ��?��


    Xi Lin looked at her, puzzled.


    ��Didn��t we agree?��


    ��You dislike Lin Da, right? For you, number 1 wooden sign is a waste; exchanging it for 10,000 Gold Coins would be great, wouldn��t it?��


    ��You��re not thinking of going back on your word, are you?��


    Under Xi Lin��s repeated questioning, Lia only gripped the wooden sign tighter and tighter.


    The curious gazes of those around made her flush with heat, and her heart started to pound fiercely.


    Lia had an intuition that if she sold the wooden sign to Xi Lin, she would become a stranger to Lin Da forever.


    Lia couldn��t figure out what her feelings towards Lin Da were: enemy, old teammate, friend, competitor�� Each one fit, yet none felt entirely right.


    The one thing she was sure of was that she didn��t want to become a stranger to Lin Da, growing further and further apart.


    Even if she was hated, Lia hoped that Lin Da would remember her.


    ��It��s just a social dance, making a fool of yourself, right? You��ve already made a fool of yourself once, what��s there to fear if you do it again?��


    ��You can even take the opportunity to embarrass Lin Da with your awful dance skills and kill two birds with one stone!�� Lia��s mind seemed to be tempted by a little devil holding a pitchfork.


    Then, a little angel with a halo above its head emerged, saying anxiously:


    ��Lia, you mustn��t listen to it! Instead of being hated by Lin Da, isn��t it better to earn his recognition?��


    ��Even if you can��t be teammates anymore, you can still be friends, right? Don��t you want to fight alongside Lin Da in the Great Mystery Continent in the future? You know how strong his shield is, don��t you? With Lin Da supporting you from behind, you can charge your energy without any pressure!��


    In her head, the two little figures, one black and one white, argued fiercely.


    Lia covered her ears and yelled in irritation, ��Enough, both of you, stop it!��


    There was a hush in the room as everyone fell silent.


    The female adventurers who wanted to exchange wooden signs with Lia seemed to understand something, looking at her with surprised expressions.


    They showed embarrassed faces and awkwardly retreated.


    Xi Lin was also somewhat surprised.


    Well, not exactly surprised. Xi Lin had long noticed Lia��s attitude towards Lin Da, but Lia was too proud to admit it.


    What surprised Xi Lin was Lia shouting loudly to drive people away.


    If any other seductive vixen got close to Lin Da, Xi Lin would definitely stop it.


    But Lia was her only close friend. Even though it was uncomfortable to see her head turning green with envy, Xi Lin, considering the long lifespan of a High-Class Succubus, and the promise of the Demon King granting her and Lin Da eternal life, could just about accept letting Lia have Lin Da for the time being.


    She had no choice but to think of it as Lin Da improving his skills!


    ��I hope you seize this opportunity,�� Xi Lin said with a teasing smile, patting Lia on the shoulder, ��After all, you are my close friend, and it��s better to have you win than to let Aiko steal the spotlight.��


    ��What?��


    Lia, hearing Xi Lin��s incomprehensible words, was somewhat stunned.


    Close friend? Who are you?


    I have no idea who you are!


    No matter what,


    the ball began beneath the melodious jazz music.


    Handsome men and beautiful women walked into the center of the great hall with elegant steps, hand in hand.


    There was the trembling Robert, who looked like he was being held hostage by robbers��his dance partner was Wild Panther Gite, a Star-ranked adventurer with exploding muscles.


    And there was Gale, brimming with pride, and Minnie, captain of the Slay the Evil Dragon Adventure Team, with a face full of bitterness.


    Of course, the most eye-catching was the host of the party, Lin Da.


    Dressed in a tailored suit, he danced in the jazz music, hand in hand with a red-haired girl.


    On the seats to both sides, Aiko��s eyes were filled with envy.


    She had prayed to the World Tree Goddess that anyone but Lia should pull the number 1 tag��


    So much for prayers being useful!


    Aiko felt a bit panicked inside; anyone could win, but she couldn��t endure seeing the redhead win! She could tolerate others far away having a good life, but she absolutely couldn��t stand someone beside her living better than her!


    Especially when that person was just a powder keg ready to explode in her eyes!


    ��With Lia��s dance skills, she dares to go up there? Make a complete fool of yourself, embarrass yourself, and drop Lin Da��s good impression of you by a ton!�� Aiko wore a forced smile, but inside, her fury twisted her facial features as she cursed Lia��s misfortune manically.


    At that moment, the guests were all looking forward to Lin Da��s dance performance.


    Ballroom dancing was an upper-class social activity, costly and difficult to learn; men admired and women aspired those who could dance well.


    But clearly, Lin Da was lacking in this area.


    It didn��t take long for everyone to notice: Lin Da��s dance skills were mediocre, and among the dozens of couples in the hall, they ranked towards the back.


    And Lin Da��s dance partner, Lia, had even worse skills.


    The two looked less like they were dancing and more like they were fighting.


    You shove me, I shove you; stumbling around, they almost bumped into others.


    Before long, Lia had left footprints all over Lin Da��s dress shoes.


    ��Shall we just stop?��


    Lin Da, looking helpless, conveyed his thoughts through his eyes.


    Let��s stop embarrassing ourselves and just rest.


    But Lia stubbornly shook her head.


    Upon closer inspection, one could see that Lia had put on makeup today.


    It was subtle, nearly imperceptible.


    But Lin Da, holding her hand at this intimate distance, could even spot the faint eyeshadow and lipstick on the girl��s face.


    Her fiery red hair fluttered as they danced, her gaze stubborn, and her hands clinging to him as if they were wrestling.


    Lia made it clear: Letting go was not an option!

 Chapter 240 - 240: 215, Lias thanks, and apology

    Chapter 240: 215, Lia��s thanks, and apology Sear?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The dress was backless to begin with, and the front was obscured by Lin Da.


    But this state could last at most seven seconds.


    After seven seconds, it was the part where the man would spin the woman out, and the woman, facing forward, would perform a move that showcased the curves of her body.


    By then, if Lia hadn��t thought of a solution, the result would be��


    She would have to stand there, showing off her white underwear and steel plate to everyone.


    ��Shocking, Captain Snow Goose suspected of being male!��


    ...


    ��I��ve never seen such a small bear.��


    ��Is Captain Snow Goose really an adult, with zero charm!��


    In her mind, Lia couldn��t help but envision tomorrow��s White Dove Morning News.


    That unscrupulous reporter Kami would definitely put the worst comments on display, making her the laughingstock of adventurers once again.


    Anything but that�� please no!


    Lia��s voice trembled as she looked at Lin Da with gritted teeth, ��You, hurry up and help!��


    ��Is that the attitude you ask for help with?�� Lin Da teased.


    Lin Da was not about to help Lia for free, especially since she had stepped all over his shoes leaving footprints.


    ��Hurry up, hurry!�� Lia still didn��t understand why Lin Da wouldn��t help her.


    Three years, enough time for a person to develop all sorts of bad habits.


    When dealing with others, Lia knew that she must have the right attitude when asking for help. But with Lin Da, she really felt it was only right for Lin Da to help her.


    As time ticked by, they were about to reach the ��steel plate display�� part, and seeing Lin Da��s indifferent demeanor, Lia finally bit the bullet and conceded.


    ��Lin, Lin Da, please, help me.��


    ��I��ll give you a reward of fifty Gold Coins.��


    Lia, like a poor soul caught with her underwear showing, made an offer that was quite generous for her.


    It��s true that Snow Goose had earned two hundred thousand Gold Coins from subduing the Ironclad Land Turtle, but Lia had debts to pay and needed to distribute Gold Coins to Aiko and the rest, leaving her with very little in hand.


    Even the Magic Guide Wristwatch she had stubbornly given to Lin Da as a face-saving measure was bought on an installment plan.


    Now, Lia was in debt up to her ears.


    The cash she had on hand was only a little more than a hundred Gold Coins.


    ��What did you just say?�� Lin Da asked with a trace of confusion in his eyes.


    ��The reward�� fifty�� Gold.��


    ��The sentence before that.��


    ��Uh, asking you to help me.��


    Lin Da shook his head, ��That��s not quite how you said it, is it?��


    Lia��s face turned red and she stammered, ��Please do me a favor, help me out.��


    Who would have thought Lia would see the day she softened.


    Lin Da truly saw something new.


    The female supervisor who had been a thorn in his side for three years, now humbly bending over to ask for a favor�� Lin Da felt oddly satisfied inside.


    ��For the sake of an old team member, I��ll help you,�� Lin Da said.


    ��But forget about the fifty Gold Coins. The finances of Phoenix Tail Flower are doing well, we have over seven hundred thousand in cash.��


    ��How much��? Seven hundred thousand?�� Lia was a bit stunned.


    Yes.


    After spending four hundred thousand Gold Coins to commission Gale to forge the Magic Dragon Soft Armor and fifty thousand Gold Coins to host a party, Lin Da still had over seven hundred and fifty thousand Gold Coins in his Savings Card, belonging to the team��s communal adventure wealth.


    Adding to that, the items in the trophy display room could fetch a million if sold.


    In total, Lin Da��s disposable assets reached one million seven hundred and fifty thousand Gold Coins!


    Of course, he had no interest in Lia��s fifty Gold Coins now.


    ��Alright then.��


    Lia didn��t argue.


    She needed to repay her debts first.


    If she lived frugally, fifty Gold was enough to last a long time.


    Once again, Lin Da��s hand grabbed onto the back of the girl, caught the broken shoulder strap, and pulled it up.


    But wearing it or not seemed to make no difference.


    Lin Da thought it odd to himself, when Lia pressed against him just now, it wasn��t as if he felt nothing, but it was nearly nothing.


    Take his teammates, Lulu and Monica; getting close to them was like being hit with a nuclear blast.


    Lia with her steel plate just didn��t pique his interest.


    The dance ended without incident.


    In the saluting part, Lin Da became the epitome of a courteous gentleman, supporting Lia��s back.


    In reality, his fingers clung to the strap while bowing to the guests.


    Applause thundered like roaring waves.


    Everybody thought that the two captains had thawed their previous animosities, which seemed quite the story.


    Only Aiko sensed something was amiss.


    Why did Lia seem so flustered?


    With Lia��s temperament, if her relationship with Lin Da had improved, she��d be barely able to hold back a smirk, unable to suppress the corners of her mouth.


    Could there be more to the story?


    Aiko rubbed her chin, pondering.


    The Elf host smiled and said, ��Ladies and gentlemen, please take a short break. There will be a second dance in a bit, but there��s no need to draw lots this time, everyone is free to choose their desired dance partners.��


    Pair after pair of eager eyes turned toward Lin Da.


    Lin Da declined politely, ��I won��t join in, I��ll rest for a bit. I hope everyone has fun.��


    Many of the single female adventurers felt disappointed, losing interest in participating in the dance party.


    Lia nudged Lin Da with her elbow and asked, ��Are you going to the restroom?��


    Her real goal was to find someone to fix the strap on her dress.


    Not wanting a third person to discover it, Lia had no choice but to shamelessly ask Lin Da for help.


    She carefully held on to the back of her dress with her hand and ran toward the exit of the hall.


    Reaching the corridor, she stopped to look back, to see if Lin Da was following.


    Lin Da nodded but didn��t follow; instead, he headed toward the stairs leading to the second floor.


    What was he doing?


    He couldn��t possibly think she was going to take a dump and had forgotten to bring toilet paper, so he went downstairs to get some, could he?


    Lia, whose thoughts ran wild, blushed at the idea. With such a large villa, wouldn��t the restrooms have paper? Could Lin Da��s wealth be just for show?


    ��Lia, what are you looking at?�� Aiko questioned suspiciously as she approached in her magic wheelchair.


    ��Nothing, nothing at all!��


    Lia certainly did not want her teammates to know of her embarrassment.


    She dashed to the restroom and hid inside, waiting for Lin Da to come ��deliver the paper��, at which point she��d ask him to fix her dress as well.


    If it got ruined, not only would she be embarrassed, but Lia would also have to pay for it.


    The rent wasn��t much, only a mere thousand gold coins, but given Lia��s current financial situation, she couldn��t afford it��


    Seeing Lin Da who seemingly had money��an astonishing idea struck Lia. Perhaps she could borrow gold coins from Lin Da!


    Lia, now level 27, desperately needed to upgrade to an orange main weapon. But the problem was clear��she was broke!


    ��No, I can borrow from anyone, but I can��t ask Lin Da.��


    Lia shook her head vigorously, dismissing the ridiculous thought. It would be too embarrassing if Lin Da refused��how could she, a proud former team leader, ask a teammate who had left the team for money��


    The corridor was eerily quiet, far from the lively noises of the hall.


    Once calmed, Lia realized: if Lin Da came by, wouldn��t it mean the two of them would be alone together!


    Her heart skipped a beat, and it felt like ants were crawling on her back.


    Their situation was undoubtedly awkward, still caught between past teammates and enemies.


    ��No, that��s not right!��


    On second thought, it was also a rare opportunity!


    Words Lia couldn��t say in the presence of a crowd at the hall, if there were no onlookers, perhaps�� she could speak her mind.


    Lia was gradually coming to understand the reasons behind Lin Da��s departure from the team.


    If the mistake could be divided into ten parts, one part belonged to Lin Da, two to Aiko, two to other teammates��the rest, all on her, the captain.


    In the quiet corridor, Lia leaned against the wall, taking care not to let the dress slip.


    She pursed her lips, gripping her right arm tightly with her left hand, her complexion somewhat pale.


    While drinking in silence at the hall, she had been reminiscing over the past three years. It seemed that ever since Snow Goose��s second-level failure, she had become impatient for success, and it was from that time that Lin Da��s strategy papers became thicker and his work slower.


    On every holiday, Lia never gave Lin Da a gift. She did receive many gifts from him, though��nothing very expensive, just some clothes or dolls that she carelessly piled in a cabinet, collecting dust.


    She had assumed these were things Lin Da bought in bulk and didn��t take it to heart.


    But recently Lia came to understand that the gifts they each received were always different, each carefully selected by Lin Da.


    Every sharp new reality she recognized after Lin Da left the team felt like a swordsman��s strike cutting into Lia.


    With her intelligence, she completely lost measure, as if she was watching her own villa crumble before her eyes, yet all she could do was stand there dumbfounded, unable to think of any solutions.


    Lia��s knuckles turned white from the grip. Why had she, consumed with the desire to reach the higher ranks and blinded by ambition, not paid attention to the teammates around her?


    Snow Goose was like a heavy chariot that needed pushing from behind to move forward.


    And those pushing were precisely Lin Da and the other teammates.


    This realization had escaped the former Lia, who arrogantly believed that all the credit for their success was due to her and that replacing any teammate would not make much difference.


    Only now did she understand that the credit belonged to everyone; without any one of them, Snow Goose wouldn��t have made it this far.


    ��Why couldn��t I have been nicer to him back then?��


    Lia drooped her head, like a wilted little flower.


    If that night she had not burst into Lin Da��s room, knocking over his meticulously prepared strategy papers, trampling them underfoot, if she had not pulled out that resume, if instead, she had calmly talked with Lin Da, in an attempt to understand each other��things wouldn��t have turned out this way.


    Although she couldn��t change the outcome, Lia hoped to do something to clear her conscience.


    There was something she had to say to Lin Da.


    And it had to be in private. Lia knew her own nature; as long as there was one other person watching, she wouldn��t be able to mouth the words.


    Now was the perfect opportunity.


    After waiting for about three minutes, footsteps could be heard coming upstairs from the other end of the corridor.


    It was Lin Da who appeared.


    Lia, feeling inexplicably nervous, stammered, ��Why, why did it take you so long, what were you doing?��


    Lin Da lifted up the needle and thread in his hand, ��I went to borrow them from Monica. Chloe seems to be having a great time with her.��


    ��Oh��well, that��s good.��


    Lia mentally braced herself, resolving to speak up once her dress was fixed.


    She was the ��Blazing Swordsman��; no challenge could stop her.


    Yes,


    Lia prepared to summon the courage to thank Lin Da for his three years of dedication to Snow Goose, and also��to apologize.


    ��


    (ps: Continuing to ask for monthly tickets, recommendation tickets, and subscriptions, ying ying ying)

 Chapter 241 - 241: 216. Lia drops a small pearl, Lin Da refuses to return to Snow Goose (two-in-one)

    Chapter 241: 216. Lia drops a small pearl, Lin Da refuses to return to Snow Goose (two-in-one)


    Even if she couldn��t make up for anything.


    This was just Lia��s one-sided wish: Since this young lady has made a mistake, then she should apologize to you, otherwise, thinking about this matter at night and getting no sleep would be terrible.


    ��Turn around.�� Lin Da raised the needle and thread in his hand.


    ��Oh����


    Lia turned around and leaned against the wall.


    Lin Da began to work behind her.


    ...


    It had to be said, Lia��s skin was quite fair, and she was quite slim, her evening gown revealed most of her back, allowing Lin Da to have a very clear view of the girl��s slender figure.


    Another World was really too magical.


    Lin Da sighed in his heart, such a small person could swing a greatsword, and a high-output one at that; in reality, she probably couldn��t even twist off a bottle cap. S��arch* The ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Hurry up, isn��t it done yet?��


    Lia looked anxiously to the left and right, only after Lin Da began did she realize this posture could easily be misunderstood.


    In the corridor, there were voice-activated Magic Guide Lamps, and when no one passed by, the light was dim. If the guests from the main hall came out and looked this way��


    They would see, vaguely, Lin Da leaning close behind her, moving.


    It would definitely be misunderstood as something indecent!


    ��This is my first time too, so my technique might be a bit clumsy,�� Lin Da said irritably from behind.


    ��Wait, it seems like someone is coming!��


    Lia, who seemed to have the ears of a large-eared cat, was aware of any slight rustle around her. She peered toward the entrance of the main hall, her muscles tensed, her voice trembled, ��Oh no, oh no, someone��s coming this way!��


    ��What do we do, we��re finished if we��re seen!��


    Stuttering, Lia subconsciously took out her greatsword from the Space Ring, ready to knock out any witnesses.


    ��Come here.��


    Lin Da, unwilling to let Lia hurt someone at the party, grabbed her wrist and, with a swift move�� entered the men��s restroom.


    Inside were a series of stall-like partitions, the restroom on this third floor was mainly for the use of guests and was made public.


    The space inside was cramped, and with two people, it felt a bit crowded.


    Lin Da sat Lia down on the toilet, covered her mouth, and listened to the noise outside:


    ��Lord Abner is so handsome!��


    ��Yeah, yeah, I even toasted him, but he seems to only drink juice.��


    ��Gale isn��t bad either, right? His personality may be problematic, but after all, he��s Star Rank.��


    The voices of a pair of female adventurers entered the women��s restroom next door, then faded away.


    Lia��s eyes, however, were as wide as copper bells: hiding here would only make the situation worse, won��t it?


    Noticing what Lia was thinking, Lin Da slowly let go of her and said, ��It��s no big deal, wait until no one��s outside, then you can sneak out.��


    ��What if we are discovered?��


    ��You can say you��re an idiot who mistook the men��s restroom for the women��s.��


    ������


    Speechless, Lia said, ��Only you see me as an idiot; actually, I��m not dumb at all.��


    Lin Da didn��t argue about this, he pressed on Lia��s neck, ��Lean down a bit, it��s hard to sew like this.��


    ����Oh.��


    Lia hesitated slightly, then leaned forward to make it easier for Lin Da to work behind her.


    In such a cramped space, Lia was worried about being discovered by others on one hand, but on the other hand, she felt the familiar breath behind her, her heartbeat quickened considerably, and her clenched fist was slightly sweaty.


    If it were another man, Lia certainly wouldn��t have followed him into such a place, let alone trust him with her back, who knows if he might become lascivious and do something terrible to her!


    But as for Lin Da, Lia was quite at ease. Whether it was fighting Magical Creatures or now, she trusted that Lin Da would not harm her, even after her repulsive behavior caused Lin Da to leave the team.


    This trust was far greater than for Oru and Phyllis. Lia thought to herself, if it were those two, daring to pull her into the men��s restroom, she probably would have taken out her greatsword and sent those two flying long ago.


    After the two adventurers in the women��s restroom next door left, the surroundings fell completely quiet, so quiet that Lia could only hear her heartbeat and the sound of Lin Da mending clothes.


    The scene felt familiar. Lia was in a daze but remembered the rustling sound of turning pages��she was striving hard in her practice, while Lin Da flipped through books thicker than bricks. Whether in that small rented room, or in Snow Goose��s villa, the two did their own things with little communication.


    Even if there was, it was just uninformative talk like ��It��s time to eat�� or ��Go pay the magic energy cost for the room.��


    That kind of peaceful time when they each did their own thing, and the times when Lin Xi played tricks on her, Lia used to disregard or find annoying��


    But now she realized, without those moments, the colorful life of adventure turned black and white.


    Lia always focused on moving forward, grasping every second to enhance her Battle Qi, without ever paying attention to the present.


    By the time she came to her senses, those things were already gone like bubbles.


    Lia��s fists slowly clenched tighter, her voice very soft, as if worried about breaking the rare silence, ��How did it become like this?��


    The two who had once created the Snow Goose Adventure Team had become so estranged that they needed to bring gifts to each other��s promotion parties, receiving only a stiff thanks.


    If she had another chance��


    She would never let that Lin Da of that night go.


    Biting her teeth, Lia closed her eyes and said with a resignation, ��Lin Da, do you realize, that night, I never intended to make you leave the team.��


    ��Even then, when you were just a 15-level Healer, I had no intention of kicking you out.��


    ��Phyllis��s profile�� was just to scare you!��


    Lia��s eyes were reddish. But after speaking out, she breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that the burden she carried on her back had lessened a little.

 Chapter 244 - 244: 217. Lin Da disciplines Klrona

    Chapter 244: 217. Lin Da disciplines Klrona


    From the moment Lia hurriedly rushed out of the hall, Aiko sensed that something was amiss.


    And when Lia returned, her face was unnaturally flushed.


    Aiko asked what had happened, and Lia replied in a flustered panic, ��I definitely did not do anything shady with Lin Da in the bathroom!��


    What!


    Aiko was shocked, and it felt like the wheelchair beneath her might just collapse.


    If she was outpaced by Lulu, Aiko could still console herself, citing the advantage of proximity as inevitable.


    ...


    But Lia, starting at the very back of the starting line, was in last place��


    Being bested by anyone else was something Aiko could accept.


    But losing to Lia was out of the question.


    If she lost to Lia, Aiko would rather find a rope and hang herself!


    That would be too damn embarrassing!


    Aiko panicked.


    She was ready to make her move.


    Today, she was going to win Lin Da over once and for all.


    She planned to make a comeback on the inside track, and firmly secure her position above Lia and the Little Werewolf!


    ��


    A little while later, Aiko and Lin Da arrived at Monica��s room.


    The two people inside were playing a board game brought over by Klrona.


    Lin Da glanced over the situation and saw that Monica��s red pieces were at a great advantage, just one move away from defeating Klrona.


    In terms of gaming, Monica��s talent was extraordinary, trouncing Klrona completely.


    This clearly wasn��t what Klrona had expected; her eyes were welling up with tears and she was about to cry!


    Klrona had come to show off, boasting years of gaming expertise, but when facing Monica, she simply got the wool pulled over her eyes.


    In the Magic Puppet battles, her puppet was sent sky-high by Monica��s, unable to come down, and what Klrona thought would be an exhilarating match turned out to be a one-sided beatdown.


    The end of a Magic Puppet match was dependent solely on how much health Klrona��s puppet had left��


    Not willing to accept defeat, Klrona took out her favorite board game, ��Brave X Evil Dragon�� from her bunny-head bag, intending to turn the tables and show Monica what she was made of!


    But!


    Klrona was reduced to tears again.


    She just couldn��t win, it was impossible; it wasn��t a game, but sheer one-sided cruelty!


    Compared with this, playing with Lia was much more fun�� Klrona thought sulkily.


    ��That��s enough, I don��t want to play with you anymore.�� Klrona��s face darkened as she packed up the board game, effectively conceding defeat.


    Monica, being timid, didn��t dare say anything, but she actually felt happy to have someone to play with.


    ��Lord Captain.�� Monica saw Lin Da and a smile spread across her face. She went over, took Lin Da��s hand, and they both sat down on the couch together.


    Klrona��s eyebrows shot up, and she stood up with a bang, glaring at Monica. That spot was her place, where she��d always lie with Lin Da��s legs as her pillow, watching comic books!


    Aiko coughed, giving Klrona a meaningful look.


    Before coming over, Aiko had already warned her: if she didn��t want Lin Da to keep disliking her, she needed to rein in her capriciousness.


    Reminded by Aiko, Klrona held back.


    She took out a picture album, walked over to Lin Da with arrogant strides, her pink twin ponytails swinging, and said,


    ��This is my masterpiece! Today, I��ll benevolently let you have a look!��


    ��Cough cough.�� Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Aiko coughed again, reminding Klrona to watch her tone.


    If she wanted to regain Lin Da��s favor, she didn��t need to be stronger than Monica, but at the very least, she couldn��t be too much worse.


    Look at Monica, the model child! Obedient and polite, also demonstrates her care for the leader:


    After Lin Da sat down, Monica noticed that his shoulders were stiff and took the initiative to give a vigorous massage from behind. Her soft little hands and gentle strength made Lin Da squint his eyes in pleasure.


    Now, look at Klrona, aside from causing trouble for Lin Da, she��s of no other use!


    Although as a Heavy Armored Warrior she is quite useful when fighting Magical Creatures, Monica��s cannon isn��t just for show either.


    Comparing the two, Monica wins hands down!


    The air of arrogance surrounding Klrona extinguished instantly as she walked up to Lin Da with a hesitant gait, handing over her sketchbook, ��Lin Da, please look at my masterpiece.��


    A barely noticeable smile flickered in Lin Da��s eyes as he took the sketchbook.


    The sketchbook��s cover was crude, featuring a stick figure drawn with crayons, roughly depicting a little girl with pink pigtails.


    Lin Da glanced at Klrona, who stood nervously, her small hands fidgeting as she scratched her cheeks and played with her hair, reminiscent of a primary student waiting for her exam results.


    Was the girl on the cover modeled after herself? Lin Da thought as he turned back to the sketchbook, whose title read ��The Mightiest Adventurer Begins from Being Kicked Out��.


    The story tells of the protagonist ��Klena�� who leaves her team due to conflicts and, after leveling up an impressive ten times within the World Tree, triumphantly returns.


    The leader begs Klena to come back, but she retorts with ��Small Fry leader, get lost��.


    After a series of adventures, Klena gradually realizes her own faults, that she shouldn��t insult others recklessly, and sometimes the leader��s strict lessons were correct and should be heeded.


    Eventually, Klena rejoins the team, with the leader becoming her servant, as they resume their joyful adventures.


    Lin Da: ��


    Pretty speechless.


    Was Klrona showing this to him to flaunt her growth?


    The ��leader�� in the sketchbook was likely himself.


    In the end, he is humbled by the protagonist ��Klena��s powerful abilities and becomes Klena��s worthless servant, at her beck and call, washing her clothes, cooking, and helping to buy various toys and comic books��


    There is no growth at all!


    Lin Da couldn��t help but laugh and cry.


    ��How is it?�� Klrona asked with her hands clasped behind her back, her eyes filled with anticipation, her face eager for praise.


    But Lin Da��s expression darkened, and he set the sketchbook down.


    ��Have you been practicing diligently these days? Sneaking peeks at comic books and playing with the Magic Conductor Handheld Console late at night again, huh?��


    ��Just over a month gone and you��re already out of control.��


    ��This sketchbook�� is very bad, extremely bad!�� Lin Da critiqued without mercy.


    Klrona was immediately stunned.


    Who would have thought that Lin Da, always a softie, would utter such icy words?


    Klrona��s nose twitched as tears began to well up in her eyes like pearls.


    She had stayed up late for so long creating something, only for Lin Da to criticize it as worthless!


    Klrona had worked hard for half a month for this day!


    Lin Da let Klrona��s tears fall, his expression stern and unmoved.


    His earlier indulgence and pampering toward Klrona had caused her to grow like a crooked tree.


    Luckily, this tree still had a chance to be straightened.


    But it required a firm hand, to cut off all the parts that had grown crooked.


    Lin Da��s firmness, even reluctantly, had to fall upon Klrona��s backside.


    The first lesson he taught Klrona was ��effort doesn��t always yield results.��


    Klrona��s laboriously created sketchbook received no praise from him.


    ��Oh, Lord leader, you��re so fierce.�� Monica, shaken and careful not to move her little hands haphazardly, stopped massaging Lin Da��s shoulders.


    With her, Lin Da had always been a gentle leader.

 Chapter 245 - 245: 218. Faced with Lin Das Great Sword, Aikos choice is...

    Chapter 245: 218. Faced with Lin Da��s Great Sword, Aiko��s choice is��


    But in dealing with Klrona, Lin Da was like a strict father, which even scared Monica!


    Klrona��s nose twitched, and small pearls of tears suddenly fell out as she wiped them with her sleeve, making a whimpering sound.


    It was just like a teacher scolding a mischievous elementary student!


    The proud and sharp-tongued Klrona in front of Monica, was reduced to tears by Lin Da in just a few words!


    Aiko was somewhat flustered.


    Though she didn��t take Klrona seriously, seeing Klrona cry stirred Aiko like an ��awakened mother,�� who softly consoled her:


    ...


    ��Don��t cry, let Monica see, how embarrassing.��


    Lin Da, however, snorted coldly.


    ��Don��t mind her, only this way will she understand that crying solves nothing!��


    Lin Da knew that Klrona, being an orphan, had probably come to see him and Aiko, the older figures, as sort of ��parents,�� who thought crying could solve everything.


    Out of sympathy for Klrona��s background, Lin Da had been overly indulgent in the early years. But now, Lin Da had to take responsibility, to make Klrona a mature adventurer.


    ��Adventurers bleed, they do not cry.��


    ��Crying solves nothing.��


    ��Look at Lia, Aiko, Isa�� have they cried? No. Facing reality squarely and taking firm steps forward is what an adventurer should do.��


    Lin Da, arms crossed, watched Klrona indifferently: ��If you keep crying, you��ll only disappoint.��


    Upon hearing this, Klrona forcefully wiped her face and held back the tears.


    Monica, standing behind Lin Da, waved her little fists, cheering Klrona on.


    Through spending time together, Monica could feel that Klrona wasn��t inherently bad.


    Just a bit foul-mouthed and a sore loser at games�� but putting those aside, she was actually quite nice.


    Klrona had given her a limited-edition white cat Magic Puppet, and her small bag also had lots of snacks which she would share generously, giving half to her.


    The two even made plans to visit the Magic Guide Gaming Center together when they had time.


    Such places were too crowded for Monica to dare go alone.


    But Klrona, bold as ever, declared it her turf and promised to take Monica there to play and cover any expenses.


    Recognizing Klrona��s good nature, Monica hoped Lin Da would forgive her.


    ��I�� won��t cry anymore.�� At this point, Klrona took the handkerchief Aiko handed her and twisted her nose. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da��s expression softened slightly.


    ��By the way,��


    he picked up the sketchbook again and said, ��Though there��s not much significant progress, this ��Klena�� is much stronger than at the beginning.��


    ��I personally like this sketchbook quite a bit.��


    Lin Da smiled faintly, reaching out and ruffling Klrona��s head, ��When you go back, listen more to Aiko and Lia, no more staying up late, you understand?��


    The tears Klrona had held back fell once more.


    Only Lin Da would scold her; Aiko and Lia practically let her do whatever she wanted without even calling her for meals sometimes!


    Klrona nodded slightly and hummed in agreement.


    ��That��s great, the captain has forgiven you,�� Monica said, smiling coyly and grasping Klrona��s hand.


    Klrona burst into laughter, ��Yeah!��


    Seeing this heartwarming scene, Aiko��s expression relaxed, and she too felt a bit of happiness.


    Realizing this, Aiko was startled: Strange, why did she care so much for Klrona?


    Just a capricious little devil after all, none of her business!


    Sure enough, stupidity is contagious.


    She and Lia, having spent too much time with Klrona, also became part of Snow Goose��s den of fools.


    ��I can��t continue in Snow Goose, the chicken soup plan must succeed, today I��ll take Lin Da down!��


    Aiko��s eyes darted around, patting her stomach, murmuring to herself: ��Ah, I��m feeling a bit hungry, does anyone want to eat something?��


    ��I happened to have made a stomach-warming chicken soup, it��s good for the body to have some after a drink.��


    Of the four, only Lin Da had been drinking.


    Lin Da, wary of Aiko��s cooking skills, said, ��Or�� let��s not, I��m not very hungry.��


    ��Not anymore,�� Aiko insisted aggressively, grabbing Lin Da��s wrist, ��You really must try it, the chicken soup��s made from a level 15 Black-Bone Chicken King, it��s very rare, this one alone costs a thousand gold coins!��


    ��I want some!�� Klrona raised her little hand.


    Monica��s mouth watered too, but being unfamiliar with Aiko, she felt shy about saying she wanted to eat and awkwardly stood aside.


    ��Then let��s have some,�� Lin Da said with a resigned smile, pulling Monica to sit down on the sofa.


    Great!


    Aiko mentally gave two thumbs up to the pair of little girls.


    She took out the lunch box she had prepared earlier.


    It was a box divided into four parts by partitions.


    Only the portion facing Lin Da was laced with the bitterly effective Chunyang Flower.


    Her own, and those of Klrona and others, were just normal chicken soup.


    The Black-Bone Chicken King soup looked beautifully white and smelled tempting.


    Everyone at the table was impressed.


    Lin Da looked at Aiko with surprise, noting her culinary skills had improved significantly within just a month.


    She used to be such a lazy dog��


    ��I��ll serve you,�� Aiko acted like a gentle, virtuous wife, tucking her blonde hair behind her ear to prevent it from falling into the soup.


    She took a soup bowl out of the Space Ring, ladled it full of chicken soup, and placed it in front of Lin Da.


    ��Then I won��t be shy.��


    The aroma of the chicken soup was rich, and Lin Da drank it eagerly.


    ��How is it?�� Aiko looked at him eagerly.


    ��The flavor is rich, the chicken is soft and falls off the bone, it melts in your mouth. Good!��


    Lin Da gave a thumbs up, jokingly said, ��Whoever marries Aiko in the future will be in for a treat.��


    ��Hehehe���� Aiko��s face turned red with embarrassment, she blinked her eyes and said with burning gaze, ��Are there any�� other feelings?��


    ��Other? My body feels warm, this chicken soup really warms the stomach.�� Lin Da quickly finished a bowl.


    ��I��ll serve you some more!�� Aiko said with a smile.


    About ten minutes passed and Lin Da gradually realized something was amiss.


    Warming the stomach with chicken soup, he could understand that.


    But why was the warmth spreading��


    to other parts of the body?


    His whole body started feeling hot and restless.


    Lin Da felt like a wild beast that couldn��t release its energy, eager to cause a huge commotion.


    The Aiko before his eyes became even prettier.


    The golden hair, delicate and soft skin, the subtle curves under the white dress, and her gentle and beautiful face, all were incredibly enticing.


    ��Come on, keep drinking.�� Aiko served him bowl after bowl of chicken soup.


    As the chicken soup entered his stomach, Lin Da��s vision began to distort, his consciousness blurred, and his body��s control was taken over by instinct.


    Very good.


    Aiko saw Lin Da��s abnormal condition and chuckled to herself.


    The Chunyang Flower was taking effect.


    Lin Da would soon become an animal driven by instinct.


    When Lin Da sobered up and saw her tear-streaked face next to him, along with the bed sheets adorned with bright red ��Oath Flowers,�� he would be utterly unable to explain himself and would have to take responsibility.


    Depriving an innocent girl of her purity is a serious crime under imperial law, punishable by a minimum of ten years!


    There were only two ways to avoid punishment: the first was to pave the way with gold coins, settling between the two parties;


    Aiko wasn��t short of money, she definitely wouldn��t agree.


    That left only the second option: the two parties becoming legally Oath-bound, agreeing to protect each other for life until their adventures ended.


    Simply put, being ��Oath-bound�� is more than friendship, less than lovers.


    A legal, high-level friends-with-benefits relationship, but more pure and sacred.


    Many Oath-bound partners retire from adventuring and become spouses.


    Thus, Aiko��s first step in capturing Lin Da as her servant was to become Oath-bound with him.


    This bowl of chicken soup contained infinite possibilities.


    She, Aiko, was about to rise to power today!


    Just as Aiko was feeling triumphant, a drastic change occurred in Lin Da.


    As if a Berserk skill had been cast, Lin Da��s chest muscles bulged, his arms thickened, and veins popped on his forehead.


    His entire body grew larger under the stimulus of the Chunyang Flower!


    Aiko, getting carried away with herself, had given Lin Da too much chicken soup, and the result was�� Lin Da became twice as fierce, transforming into an irrational beast, roaring suddenly.


    Like a hungry wolf pouncing on its prey, he pushed over Aiko, who was fantasizing about ten years later and giggling in her wheelchair!


    ��Wah!��


    Aiko let out a scream, unable to resist before her arms and legs were firmly pinned down by Lin Da.


    Lin Da��s knee pressed against her abdomen, as if a cannibal was securing his prey, ready to feast!


    The two Lolis were also frightened by Lin Da, their mouths agape in astonishment: Lin Da looked terrifying, his eyes seemed to be spitting fire, saliva dripping from his mouth.


    Then, with a swing of Lin Da��s mighty hand, there was a ripping sound��!


    Aiko��s white dress, health points -100!


    Directly revealing the spoils of battle: [White stockings that reach the thighs]!


    The stockings were thin, almost transparent, and one could vaguely see Aiko��s crystal-clear skin through them.


    Her thighs were elastic, the lace rim of the soft stockings digging slightly into the flesh, making one wonder just how soft they would feel to the touch.


    ��Wah wah wah!��


    Inside, Aiko was terrified, her face completely drained of color��what was this situation, how was it completely different from what she had imagined?


    Lin Da, with blood-red eyes and a fierce expression, drooled on her�� One hand grasped the tear in the white dress, seemingly preparing to continue tearing.


    Could it be that Lin Da, in front of the two trembling Lolis��


    She was going to be ��stripped alive��!


    Aiko panicked to no end!


    This wasn��t the gentle and beautiful treatment she had imagined a Knight would show to a Princess, but rather like a Princess captured and tied up in a Goblin Cave.


    The strongest Goblin Chief holding her down, ready to tear her apart!


    In that moment, Aiko felt like a student who discussed military strategies on paper, elegantly and confidently in the academy, suddenly brought to the battlefield.


    The harsh reality that hit her face made Aiko��s pupils shrink, her legs tremble, and she inwardly screamed to go home, vowing never to boast again!


    As a Mage, she was no match for Lin Da in terms of strength, the hands gripping her wrists felt like iron clamps.


    But even now, it was too late for Aiko to regret.

 Chapter 246 - 246: 219, Holy Sword and Reinforcements

    Chapter 246: 219, ��Holy Sword�� and Reinforcements


    Aiko gurgled a swallow of saliva, feeling an icy sensation below, as if someone had cleaved her there with a blade, causing unbearable pain.


    ��No, why be scared, this lady watched a bunch of ��Saucy Albums,�� I am an experienced ��Zhuoai Warrior.�� Lin Da is nothing, I can make him submit even with my eyes closed!��


    Aiko cheered herself up inwardly, took a deep breath, and tremblingly looked up at Lin Da.


    Even though she was prepared for the worst, when Aiko saw�� her face turned deathly white, and she stared in disbelief.


    It turned out that she was the ��Goblin,�� facing a Paladin who held the Holy Sword, towering up to the sky!


    Lin Da didn��t even need to vanquish her, this ��Goblin.�� The mere presence of the Holy Sword had her scared out of her wits.


    ...


    At that moment, various phrases flashed through Aiko��s mind: ��Split apart,�� ��What the hell is this thing,�� ��Lin Da? Lin Great!��


    As Lin Da approached closer, with hands frantically searching, Aiko��s heart pounded like a drum, daring not to breathe.


    The force of Lin Da��s grip left bright red handprints on her body.


    This was by no means the romantic, beautiful ��Oath-bound;�� it was a ��Sacrificial Ceremony�� that a maiden offered to a tyrant!


    Then, Lin Da grabbed her hipbone.


    Aiko: !!!


    The pants weren��t even off, and he was starting to unleash power?


    She immediately blacked out, scared faint by the barrage of emotions!


    She resigned herself to fate.


    The last thought Aiko had before fainting was to hope that when she opened her eyes, she would still be alive and everything would be over.


    Monica and Klrona charged over from both sides.


    ��Captain, what happened to you?��


    ��Lin Da, you wouldn��t be trying to attack Aiko, would you?��


    Two unsuspecting lasses, each grabbing one of Lin Da��s hands.


    Lin Da glanced over, instantly captivated by Monica��s impressive front.


    ��Wuuu!��


    Monica shivered violently, her face pale with fright.


    Little did she know, this show of weakness only sparked greater interest in the predator.


    Lin Da, under the overwhelming influence, almost lost his sanity, acting purely on instinct.


    He vaguely felt that if he did nothing, he would combust internally, causing deep injuries, making his weapon useless henceforth.


    Now, it didn��t matter who his weapon was used on.


    It simply had to be used.


    Lin Da pinned Monica down all at once.


    ��Help, somebody help!�� Monica screamed in terror.


    Klrona by the side was flustered, her voice trembling, ��I, I��ll go get help! Lin Da has gone mad!��


    She burst out the door to call for reinforcements.


    In the room, only the pitiful, terrified Monica and the unconscious, useless mage Aiko were left.


    ��Wuuu wuuu, if it��s the Captain, then, then maybe it��s okay,�� Monica cried as she closed her eyes.


    But her voice awoke the little sense Lin Da had left.


    Like someone drowning suddenly breaking the surface, Lin Da saw the scene before him clearly.


    Monica, why is she sobbing?


    Is it because of me?


    Why did I grab Monica?


    Lin Da was stunned for a moment.


    Then, the effects of the Chunyang Flower surged again.


    He realized that he had been set up.


    He didn��t bother to think about who it was.


    The most important thing right now was that he must not hurt Monica.


    Lin Da bit his tongue fiercely, growled lowly, threw Monica aside, and staggered to the corridor.


    He kept applying ��Healing Art�� to himself.


    It was useful, but not much.


    His body was still extremely hot.


    Under these circumstances, Lin Da needed cold water on his body.


    He rushed into a small, empty room at the end of the corridor, panting heavily, closed the door behind him, and grabbed a roll of paper��as if it were a life-saving straw, no one should bother him here. He was confident that he could handle it with his Healing Art, cold water, and willpower.


    Lin Da silently prayed in his heart that no one would come over.


    Under the effect of the Chunyang Flower, he was like standing on the edge of a cliff, about to fall off. He could barely maintain his balance, but if a breeze blew, even a slight one, it would send him into the abyss.


    Now, all Lin Da could do was pray.


    Please, let no one come over!


    ��


    Meanwhile, in the grand hall on the third floor.


    Bodies of the drunk sprawled all over. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Ice Flower Adventure Team and Snow Goose had launched into a fierce battle, Oru taking on three by himself, drinking enough to knock down three members of Ice Flower, while Klyne, usually unremarkable, also had a surprisingly high tolerance, besting Oru and knocking down four members of Ice Flower.


    The rest were easily handled by Lia.


    The real ��Wine King�� was none other than the captain of Snow Goose, Lia.


    Her Fire Series Battle Qi could quickly evaporate the alcohol, allowing her to drink far more than the average person.


    ��Isa the Cricket, you dare to compare yourself to me?��


    Lia belched loudly, standing with her hands on her hips, looking down on Isa slumped over the table.


    She raised her glass of Wheat Beer and looked around, the only one left standing.


    Even Oru and Klyne had drunk too much and were asleep on the sofa.


    The petite Klyne nestled in Oru��s arms.


    Even asleep, Oru��s broad hand protectively held Klyne, guarding his girlfriend.


    Lia stared blankly, feeling a faint sense of envy.


    This couple was ��Oath-bound��.


    They had made a vow in the church to protect each other for life as adventurers.


    Lia had grown up without even having many male friends, let alone an Oath-bound.


    She couldn��t help but wonder what it felt like to be protected by an Oath-bound.


    ��No, no, I��m a Blazing Swordsman, even if I had an Oath-bound, I��d be the one protecting him.��


    ��Boyfriends? Not envious at all!��


    Lia poured Wheat Beer into her mouth, the beverage spilling from the corners and onto the floor.


    Just then.


    ��It��s terrible, Lin Da has gone mad, someone come quick!��


    Klrona rushed into the hall, glanced around and saw only Lia standing, she quickly said, ��Lia, you need to check on Lin Da, he��s gone mad!��


    ��Ah? What do you mean?��


    Lia was confused.


    That Lin Da, as calm as a rock, how could he go mad?


    ��Really, you should go take a look, it��s terrifying, Monica was devoured by him!��


    Klrona, recalling the scene of Lin Da ��preying�� on Monica, spoke with lingering fear.


    He was like a hungry beast that had caught a plump prey and was ready to feast!


    Thankfully, she was thin enough to escape that fate.


    ��Alright, I��ll go take a look.��


    Lia coughed, ��But don��t get me wrong, I��m not concerned about Lin Da��s safety, just curious to see what happened.��


    Klrona looked at Lia with a strange expression on her face.


    ��Let��s go, let��s go.��


    Lia took Klrona��s hand and they went upstairs.


    ��No one here? Looks like they went to the furthest room?��


    ��Not sure.��


    ��Let��s go check it out.��


    The two of them walked over together.


    What appeared in front of them was a normal white door.


    Lia turned the doorknob.


    Click, click, it wouldn��t turn, it was locked.


    But a door couldn��t possibly stop a level 27 Blazing Swordsman.


    ��Open up for me!��


    Lia exerted her wrist, and with a crisp snap, the door latch broke off.


    ��See, it was easy.��


    At that moment, Lia was somewhat proud.


    While still talking to Klrona, she stepped into the pitch-dark room.


    ��Swoosh!


    Suddenly, a thorn-covered energy whip struck.


    It was like a venomous snake striking an unsuspecting prey, or an antlion hidden under the sand capturing a careless ant marching by.


    Whichever it was, the unfortunate Lia had no time to react.


    After all, she subconsciously believed that there was no danger here, and Lin Da could not possibly hurt her.


    The consequence of such carelessness was that Lia got bound by the Dark Whip and whisked into the ��nest��s depths.��


    There, the predator gazed at her with fiery eyes.


    ��You, what��s wrong with you?��


    Lia had never seen Lin Da like this before, her mind was somewhat clouded.


    The most terrifying part was��


    As soon as she arrived, like peeling a banana, the straps of her neatly repaired dress broke, both snapping simultaneously.


    ��Help, help me!��


    Lia let out a disheveled cry for help.


    Outside, Klrona stepped back in panic.


    The room��s door, pushed by the Dark Whip, closed, and only faint cries for help from Lia could be heard inside.


    Even Lia had been ��devoured�� by Lin Da!


    Klrona thought anxiously: No, I have to go call for more people.


    Just the two of them could not subdue Lin Da!


    Klrona dropped Lia and ran off like a streak of smoke.


    Inside the room.


    On a large white bed, Lia sat dazed, not understanding what was happening.


    Lia imagined the most extreme scenario to be just holding hands with someone of the opposite sex.


    But how did she end up underneath Lin Da?


    She felt utterly unclean!


    Lia��s body and voice trembled as she fiercely yelled, ��Lin Da, are you sick! What do you want to do to me!��


    Lia��s dress skirt slid to the side.


    Her round shoulders and milk-white skin glittered in the dimly lit room.


    Upon closer inspection, it was not as if they were made of steel.


    As an eighteen-year-old young woman, Lia naturally had some attributes.


    At that moment, Lin Da��s rough hand caressed her cheek, feeling the breath close at hand, hotter than magma, and her mind went blank.


    Her legs fearfully curled together, and her level 27 Battle Qi was like a jammed magical machine, unable to operate at all��


    Lin Da did not answer her question. His eyes were bloodshot, like a rampaging beast.


    ��What in the world is happening?��


    Lia thought, trembling with fear.


    If she were ten meters away, holding a Greatsword facing Lin Da like this, she wouldn��t be scared at all. But being under him, facing Lin Da��s terrifying gaze, she couldn��t help but tremble like a little rabbit, unable to muster any strength.


    In a brief glimpse, Lia saw something.


    Her mind instantly buzzed: Weapon!


    Lin Da was carrying a weapon.


    This was a matter of life and death!


    ��Lin Da, I really misjudged you. You must have been coveting my body for a long time!��


    Lia, filled with shame and anger, pounded her fists on Lin Da��s chest.


    But first, she couldn��t muster much Battle Qi, and second, Lin Da��s health points were too high.


    This attack not only was useless but also spurred Lin Da��s ferocity.


    The already slipping dress��


    Lia: ��!!!��


    She felt dizzy and her mind shut down completely.


    Although Lia was usually bold and assertive, she performed even worse than an ordinary person in such situations.


    Tears welled up in her eyes, she bit her lip, and her face looked pitifully like she was about to cry but was desperately holding back.


    Interestingly,


    the rational part of Lin Da, struggling hard against innate instincts, gained a slight upper hand, and the blood-red in his eyes somewhat receded.


    Lin Da looked intently and gasped in surprise: What��s going on, why is Lia here, and under me?


    Could something have already happened?

 Chapter 247 - 247: 220, Paratrooper Number Two, Aiko reporting!

    Chapter 247: 220, Paratrooper Number Two, Aiko reporting!


    Lin Da struggled to speak, ��Run, I might have been tricked!��


    Who exactly is framing him?


    If he loses control at the party and starts chasing Isa and other beauties to devour�� a well-going promotion party would completely turn into a mess!


    As the Adventure Team Leader, Lin Da��s reputation would be utterly ruined.


    ��Damn culprit, once I catch you, I��ll never let you off!��


    Lin Da hastily urged Lia, ��What are you waiting for, run! You don��t want to get hurt, do you?��


    ...


    ��I, I want to!��


    ��But I have no strength!��


    Lia, on the verge of tears, said, ��I don��t know why, but I feel so weak, unable to muster any strength.��


    Lin Da��s expression turned to one of pain, ��Not good�� the toxin��s effects are too strong, I��m about to lose my sanity again!��


    ��Don��t just lose your sanity so easily!��


    Lia shrieked pitifully, just as Lin Da��s eyes turned red again, entering a beast-like state.


    She had never had a romance, never enjoyed the youth that a young girl deserves, yet was she to fall into Lin Da��s hands in such a confused state?


    The worst part was, it was Lin Da without sanity, in his beast-like state.


    Just when Lia was about to lose her precious pearls����Lin Da, I��m taking responsibility now!��


    Aiko burst through the door, her face full of fearless valor.


    Aiko, having awakened from her faint, realized how embarrassing and cowardly she had been.


    Everything had been going according to plan, yet she had been scared off by Lin Da��s frightening appearance just at the crucial moment.


    With just a bit of grit and endurance, Lin Da would have become her captive.


    Thus, Aiko gathered her courage and came to this room.


    With a swish.


    The Dark Whip flew out, capturing Aiko onto the large bed as well.


    Thud.


    The two girls�� heads collided, producing a crisp sound.


    ��Ouch.��


    ��Who is it!?��


    Aiko and Lia found themselves side by side, both rubbing their sore heads and turning to look at each other.


    Then they were stupefied.


    Aiko: ��You, how did you end up here?��


    Lia: ��What do you mean? Aiko, it seems like you know what��s going on with Lin Da?��


    Both were a bit bewildered.


    Lia was prepared for a do-or-die situation, and Aiko was no less determined, ready to take on the risk of blood and tears to take responsibility.


    Lin Da had gone berserk because of her, and she would personally purify him.


    Now to be told�� there was also a Lia here?!


    How was this supposed to work?


    Aiko��s face turned green with fury.


    She was a Pure Love Mage and could not tolerate anyone watching!


    Especially Lia, if she couldn��t control herself and pearls fell, she��d be mocked by Lia for a lifetime!


    ��Right, you guys�� are done?�� Aiko stammered, recalling something.


    Lia was stunned for a moment before realizing what Aiko was referring to.


    ��Of course not! How could I possibly with Lin Da, what are you thinking!��


    Lia��s neck flushed with urgency.


    ��Then you leave, I��ll handle this,�� Aiko said with a forced smile.


    ��I would love to, but I can��t move,��


    Lia replied, both anxious and annoyed, pointing at Lin Da��s hand pressing on her: ��I can��t move.��


    Drip, drip.


    Lin Da��s saliva fell on both of them, a precursor to a beast feeding.


    Lia panicked, ��What do we do, one of us must be sacrificed!��


    ��Let me do it!��


    Aiko stepped forward, her expression resolute, saying to Lia, ��You know, I was once with the Holy Light Church, and the church��s mission is to save the weak and let the warm Holy Light shine upon the earth. As a former mage of the Holy Light Church, I should take action to save Lin Da.��


    ��This is a sacred act, I hope you don��t overthink it or spread rumors.��


    Lia hesitated, frowning, not knowing why she felt uncomfortable.


    ��Alright, alright, you do it.��


    ��Then I��m going in!��


    Aiko closed her eyes, like a knight bravely facing sacrifice.


    Ka-ka!


    Two large hands grabbed Aiko��s shoulders.


    Lin Da slowly approached��


    Aiko��s body trembled involuntarily, and ludicrous weapons floated into her mind��


    This was definitely not the normal Lin Da.


    It was chicken soup!


    Chicken soup had enhanced Lin Da��s strength!


    ��Ahaha, hahaha, Lia, should I check first, or do you want to?�� Aiko said with a dry laugh.


    Just one step away, Aiko chickened out again!


    She pondered, letting Lia go first and learning from the experience herself.


    According to incomplete statistics from the Adventurers�� Guild, seventy percent of first loves don��t last. That meant, whoever went first had a seventy percent chance of ending up losing.


    For victory, Aiko absolutely must not go first!


    But at this moment, Lia also lost her initial bravery.


    A surge of courage, followed by decline, and then exhaustion.


    Now, Lia was ��declining��.


    The two of them politely deferred to each other, like old friends who hadn��t seen each other in years. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Lia, you go first; I��ll learn,�� Aiko offered.


    ��No way, this miss is not just anybody; I can��t let that stinky Lin Da take advantage of me.��


    ��You go first����


    ��No, you go first����


    The two pushed and shoved each other, and just as sparks of anger were being kindled, the ��savior�� arrived.


    Klrona shouted happily in the corridor, ��Reinforcements are here!��


    ��Werewolf sister, Lin Da is inside!��


    Hearing Klrona��s voice, cold sweat streamed down the foreheads of Lia and Aiko on the big bed.


    Werewolf�� was she referring to Lulu from the Phoenix Tail Flower Team?


    Aiko and Lia both knew that Lulu and Lin Da had a close relationship.


    If the situation here was exposed, the consequences would be terrible.


    The two pure young girls from outside teams, lying on the bed of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team Leader�� If word got out, their reputations would be ruined.


    If Lulu was ruthless, she could also take this chance to ��eliminate�� them.


    Or use the situation as leverage, blackmail them, and treat them like slaves.


    Either scenario would be awful.


    Aiko and Lia exchanged glances, both seeing the panic in each other��s eyes.


    Squeak~ya~


    The sound of the door opening was like the fall of a guillotine��s blade.


    Facing this, the two made their choice��


    Aiko resigned to her fate, closed her eyes, and pretended to be an ostrich;


    Lia gathered her strength to struggle, trying to escape Lin Da��s constraint.


    But somehow, Lin Da��s fiery gaze and body heat, like an emperor of flames, completely overpowered her. Lia went limp, her Fire Series Battle Qi becoming like a doddering old man, not only disobeying commands but also lazily munching on seeds and watching the spectacle��


    You damn Battle Qi, watch out, or this miss will chop you all up!!!


    No matter how furious Lia became, time would not stop.


    They lost their chance to escape.


    Outside, the werewolf girl��s fluffy tail drooped behind her; she had changed out of her ill-fitting gown into trousers and a black jacket.


    The person who arrived was Lulu.


    Lulu walked into the room with her hands in her pockets, calm and collected.


    Whoosh!


    The sound of something tearing through the air came.


    An enemy?


    Lulu��s expression changed, her beast claws sprung out, readying for battle.


    What struck at her was a black Thorn Whip.


    She knew this whip, it was Lin Da��s Dark Whip.


    But why was Lin Da attacking her?


    Lulu used her beast claws to fend off the Dark Whip, perplexedly looking toward the depths of the room and the big bed.

 Chapter 248 - 248: 221, Aiko was beaten by everyone: Because, I like Lin Da...

    Chapter 248: 221, Aiko was beaten by everyone: Because, I like Lin Da��


    In the darkness, the werewolf��s eyes emitted a faint green glow, their night vision was extremely outstanding.


    Hence, Lulu instantly saw Lin Da and the two overpowered girls.


    ��Lia, Aiko? How could you be here!��


    ��Wait, what are you doing!?��


    Lulu felt dizzy and almost collapsed to the ground.


    On that big bed, there were actually three people lying there! sea??h th�� n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    Why would Lin Da, Lia, and Aiko be together?


    Were they piled up together, whispering to each other?


    This�� no matter how you think about it, it��s impossible!


    Lulu was first shocked, then felt a strong surge of anger.


    Could it be that Lin Da had been deceiving her all along?


    On the surface, a perfect captain, but behind the scenes, lusting after the bodies of his team members.


    Even behind her back, bringing Lia and Aiko to his room��


    ��Shameless!��


    Lulu��s expression turned icy, from the kind and gentle little werewolf, she reverted to the aloof werewolf warrior she was when she first met Lin Da.


    ��Wait, wait, it��s not what you think, I didn��t do anything!�� exclaimed Lia in a panic, scared that Lulu might misunderstand.


    Aiko explained dryly: ��Don��t rush, let us explain����


    ��Hm?��


    Lulu noticed something off about their expressions.


    She knitted her brows and observed closely, finally noticing something strange.


    She saw Lin Da��s eyes turn red, his forehead veins protruding, looking like a humanoid beast.


    Lulu sniffed, detecting a strange scent on Lin Da.


    ��Is this�� Chunyang Flower?��


    ��Who fed Lin Da this stuff?��


    Her face changed, and she exclaimed in shock.


    Lia: ��I came over because I heard Lin Da had gone mad.��


    Aiko chuckled dryly: ��Me, too.��


    ��Humph, when I catch the perpetrator, they won��t be spared,�� Lulu��s eyes flashed with killing intent, and she took big strides over.


    She observed Lin Da with a heavy heart��Chunyang Flower was a magical herb with terrifying effects; without aid, Lin Da would suffer severe internal injuries and might never be able to stand again.


    Objectively, this had little to do with Lulu; she was not Lin Da��s Oath-bound.


    But!


    Lulu remembered the many times Lin Da purified her.


    Aside from letting her join the team, Lin Da did not ask for any other reward.


    Now, it was her turn to repay the favor�� to purify Lin Da��s ��contamination��!


    ��You two, get out, or I��ll report your shameless behavior to the White Dove Morning News,�� Lulu commanded with a stern face.


    Lia said huffily: ��Do you think I don��t want to? It��s this Lin Da, heavy as a corpse, pinning us down.��


    Two Dark Whips tightly bound Lia and Aiko.


    They were like prey wrapped up by a spider, unable to run even if they wanted to.


    Lulu tried to help but was met with a fierce counterattack from Lin Da.


    Like a beast guarding its food, anyone daring to snatch Lin Da��s ��trophies�� would face ruthless attacks!


    ��If I force my way, I��ll definitely hurt Lin Da.��


    Lulu��s expression showed her unwillingness to cause him harm.


    She glanced at the two ��trophies�� and thought she had no choice but to act, otherwise Lin Da would explode.


    Sshrraack.


    Lulu tore the bedsheet into two long strips and blindfolded Aiko and Lia.


    ��You two, dare to peek and you��re dead,�� Lulu threatened fiercely.


    Then, she sat on the edge of the bed and took out an album from the Space Ring.


    The album was titled: [Elf Sister Firth��s Eighteen Skills]


    Just as there were over a dozen ways for Lin Da to purify Lulu��s contamination, the reverse was also true.


    This album recorded eighteen methods to rescue Lin Da!


    Lulu opened it to page seven.


    Skill: Swallow Mountains and Rivers, Bind the Wicked Dragon.


    A look of hesitation crossed Lulu��s face.


    But seeing the pain on Lin Da��s face, she bit her lip and extended her hands��


    Time ticked away, second by second.


    Lia had a question: What exactly were these two doing?


    It sounded like eating jelly.


    Could it be that the werewolf had a cure to treat Lin Da��s condition, and eating it would lead to recovery?


    If so, why blindfold them?


    While Lia was bewildered, Aiko cried.


    Cried because of her own stupidity.


    She gathered Holy Light in her eyes, and through the fabric barrier, she could see what Lulu was doing.


    Aiko was slow on the uptake.


    Right.


    Other methods could work too.


    But she was terrified by Lin Da��s ferocity and lost her composure, believing that bloodletting was necessary.


    ��No wonder the little werewolf rose to power, no hesitation, just doing it when needed, so brave.��


    Aiko was dumbstruck.


    This scene was like a hamster stuffing its cheeks full of corn.


    Wolves and dogs are cousins; what was happening was a true display of ��dog-licking��!


    Thanks to Lulu��s aid, Lin Da��s rationality began to slowly return.


    Originally, Lin Da felt as though soaked in fiery lava, unable to release his pain and anger.


    Suddenly, the Stairway to Light appeared before him.


    At the top of the stairs was an angel in a pure white dress with wings, reaching out to him with tenderness.


    Lin Da looked carefully and realized the angel was not Aiko or Lia.


    But his own teammate, Lulu!


    Lin Da climbed the steps.


    In reality, the bloodshot in his eyes gradually faded, returning to clarity,


    Hazy memories followed the soup he drank.


    Lin Da looked around, puzzled. This should be a bedroom on the second floor, dark with the lights off.


    Two girls were tied up by Dark Whips on the big bed, blindfolded with fabric.


    He stood on the ground while Lulu sat on the edge of the bed.


    His hands instinctively reached for Lulu��s head, clutching a pair of fuzzy beast ears.


    The warm and comfortable sensation of caressing those beast ears was quite nice.

 Chapter 249 - 249: 221, Aiko was tortured by everyone: Because, I like Lin Da..._2

    Chapter 249: 221, Aiko was tortured by everyone: Because, I like Lin Da��_2


    But�� it��s not just that. If the happiness derived from petting beast ears is 10, then Lin Da��s happiness right now, must be at least 90.


    Where did the extra 80 come from?


    Lin Da looked on, puzzled.


    Then, his mouth opened so wide, a goose egg could fit in.


    He finally understood why he recovered from the ��poisoned�� state.


    It was Lulu who had helped him.


    ...


    A wave of ��tears�� of emotion surged up in Lin Da��s heart.


    Not everyone would be willing to do this kind of thing.


    He was almost fooled by Lia and Aiko.


    Anger rose from the depths of Lin Da��s heart, who was the culprit after all?


    Although he didn��t want to suspect a certain old teammate, after calming down and thinking it over, besides her, it seemed that no one else had the opportunity to poison him��


    At this moment.


    Bang!


    The door was opened once again.


    Lin, hands behind her back, hopped in with a giggle, ��Lia, I gave you a chance, oh, if Lin Da is still single, then I won��t be polite�� huh?��


    As she spoke, Lin��s voice stopped abruptly.


    She blinked, looking inside the room.


    One, two, three, four.


    In total, there were four people.


    Lin Da had his back to this side, and sitting in front of him was the Little Werewolf, seemingly repairing the zipper on his pants.


    Such lies could only deceive Lia.


    As a High-Class Succubus, Lin could detect the lewd scent.


    The Holy Pattern on her lower abdomen was slightly warm.


    Telling her: these people were not only frisky but extremely frisky!


    ��You guys were indeed throwing a silver party!��


    ��Stupid Lin Da, only obsessed with Paper Person, moron!��


    Lin cried out in despair, wailing and rushing out the window, jumping from the second floor.


    ��General, wait for your subordinate!��


    Lady Bai Mian followed behind and leaped down as well.


    ��Who are you?��


    Lin Da��s heart skipped a beat, how many years had it been since he had heard the term ��Paper Person��?


    Theoretically, only two people on this continent knew this term.


    ��Lulu, thanks for your help! We��ll talk about what happened here later, I need to chase those two first!��


    Lin Da straightened his clothes, gathered his strength, and sprung like a released coil, following the pink-haired girl by jumping from the second floor.


    What he saw was the pink-haired girl unfolding bat-like black wings in mid-air, flapping them twice, and soaring into the sky. S��arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Flying?


    Lin Da gazed in amazement at the girl turning into a speck in the sky, muttering to himself, ��She has Magic Wings.��


    Most races, after reaching level 40, were able to gain the ability known as [Magic Wings] or [Fighting Spirit Wings].


    They could fly freely in the blue sky with minimal consumption, greatly increasing their travel speed.


    Before reaching level 40, adventurers who wanted to fly had to rely on Wind Mage��s ��Imperial Air Technique,�� which consumed a lot of magic and couldn��t last very long.


    The age of that young girl seemed to be around his, and she had already reached the Moon Rank of level 40��


    Lin Da wondered who she was. She claimed to be a traveling adventurer and even presented him with two gifts�� one was a level 30 orange Demon Core of Magical Creatures, and the other a black gift box, advising him to open it only at night.


    Could it be, inside the black gift box lies some secret?


    Lin Da made his way back to the villa to find the ��gift�� given to him by the young girl in the place where gifts were stored on the first floor.


    ��


    In the room, Lulu calmly wiped her mouth.


    Although she seemed unharmed on the surface, Lulu��s tail curled up with tension.


    Thinking back to all that had happened just now, her body felt hot and restless, she wouldn��t be able to sleep well tonight!


    If someone had told Lulu three years ago that she would help someone do such shameless, dirty, and disgusting things, she would never have believed it to death.


    But now, not only had she done it, but she did it willingly��


    Lulu felt her head must be broken. The cause of everything was that morning when Lin Da was greeting the guests, he grabbed her hand.


    Otherwise, Lulu might have given this opportunity to Aiko and the others.


    Now, Lia and Aiko were free, removing the cloth from their faces.


    Lia: ��Where is Lin Da?��


    Lulu: ��He went out to chase a pink-haired girl.��


    ��Oh����


    The two of them didn��t get along very well and fell silent after exchanging these few words.


    But actually, Lia was very curious about certain things, such as what was the ��smacking�� sound all about.


    Aiko, with her golden hair puffing up, looked disheveled, pale, and sat on the edge of the bed.


    After a while, Lin Da came back.


    He brought a gift box tied with a black bow that was slightly larger than the palm of his hand.


    All three women looked over.


    Lulu asked, ��What is that?��


    ��Something Miss Lin left behind,�� Lin Da said solemnly, ��You must have felt it just now, that strong presence.��


    Lulu nodded: ��It felt like Moon Rank.��


    ��Exactly, I saw her unfold her Magic Wings.�� Lin Da rubbed his temples, ��If Phoenix Tail Flower is targeted by a Moon Rank enemy, that would be troublesome.��


    ��I don��t think it��s a big problem,�� Lulu said calmly. ��If that person had ill intentions, why would she come bearing gifts? And she left without troubling us.��


    ��That��s exactly what puzzles me,�� Lin Da placed the gift box on the bed, mumbling to himself, ��Who could it be����


    Aiko suggested, ��Should we�� excuse ourselves?��


    To Phoenix Tail Flower, they were outsiders.


    Mainly, Aiko wanted to leave, fearing that the chicken soup incident would be exposed.


    But Lia opposed it stubbornly, saying, ��No, we��re also involved in this matter.��


    Lin Da: ��Why?��


    ��I may know the identity of that person,�� Lia said with piercing eyes, ��From the start of the party, she kept coming to chat with me! The feeling she gave me was very familiar, like someone!��

 Chapter 250 - 250: 221, Aiko was tortured by everyone: Because, I like Lin Da..._3

    Chapter 250: 221, Aiko was tortured by everyone: Because, I like Lin Da��_3


    ��Could it be����


    Lin Da raised an eyebrow and said, ��You all stay behind, let��s see together what this gift really is.��


    ��Uh, okay, sure.�� Aiko��s smile was somewhat forced.


    The four of them formed a circle.


    Lin Da slowly untied the ribbon bow on top of the gift box.


    Bang!


    ...


    A thick cloud of smoke burst out from inside, causing Lin Da and the others to cough profusely.


    ��Everyone, be careful, it would be bad if it were poisonous!��


    As Lin Da said this, a stone from within the gift box projected a three-dimensional holographic figure.


    It was a pink-haired girl wearing black hollowed-out battle armor, with a spade-shaped tail raised proudly.


    The girl was lazily seated on a stone throne with her legs crossed, her full, fair thighs and bare feet were visible, with her toes painted an enticing red.


    ��Be careful of poison�� that��s what Lin Da would probably say, right? But unfortunately, there��s no poison, just smoke to scare people!��


    Selin��s annoyingly coy laughter rang out.


    Lin Da and his party were stunned, feeling both annoyed and bemused.


    This kind of personality, that enjoyed playing pranks on others, was indeed very much like Lin Xi.


    ��It��s really her!�� Lia exclaimed, pointing at the holographic Selin: ��The one with glasses was disguised! If I had known, I would have finished her off and defeated her!��


    Lulu snorted, ��Level 27, fighting against a Moon Rank?��


    ��Um���� Lia wanted to argue, but was left speechless.


    ��How could Lin Xi��s little sister have turned out like this?�� Aiko asked in surprise, looking at Lin Da, ��Did you know about this already?��


    ��Yes. But that Miss Lin was Lin Xi, I only just found out too.��


    This visit from his sister had left Lin Da both angry and somewhat happy. Angry that his sister was disrespecting her elder brother, but happy that she had not completely fallen from grace.


    If she had already succumbed to the Demon King, a Moon Rank coming to the promotion party would definitely have slaughtered the adventurers en masse.


    But she didn��t do that.


    The holographic Selin lazily propped her chin with her hand, issuing a command like an arrogant queen to her subjects:


    ��Lin Da, Lia, and the other members of Snow Goose, if you surrender, I can ensure you won��t be destroyed by His Majesty the Demon King. I advise you to think it over before you reach the 20th floor, whether to become corpses or pledge allegiance to His Majesty the Demon King�� hehehehe.��


    As Selin��s proud laughter faded, the hologram disappeared.


    Lia said blankly, ��Lin Xi has gone bad.��


    ��Yes,�� Lin Da sighed, ��I must defeat her and bring her back to her old self.��


    ��Don��t worry, this miss will help you,�� Lia said confidently.


    ��Thank you very much for that.��


    Lin Da did not refuse. If Snow Goose could reach the 20th floor, their strength would be of great help to him.


    ��I��ll be leaving first, you guys take your time to chat.�� Aiko tried to sneak away quietly.


    ��Wait a minute.��


    As Aiko was about to get away, a hand was placed on her shoulder.


    ��What, what��s up? There should be nothing to do with me now, right?��


    Aiko��s forehead broke out in a sweat, running down like a small waterfall.


    ��I mean no offense, I just wanted to ask���� Lin Da stared intently at Aiko, ��why did you ��poison�� the chicken soup?��


    ��No, there��s no such thing,�� Aiko said in panic, ��it could have been someone from the Specter Adventure Group framing you.��


    ��Impossible,�� Lin Da shook his head, ��Considering the speed at which the Chunyang Flower took effect�� If it had been someone from Specters who poisoned me, I would have shown symptoms at the party. Since then, there��s only been one thing I��ve eaten.��


    ��That is, the chicken soup you cooked.��


    ��Aiko, there��s no point in denying it. All we need to do is check your lunch box, and the truth will be revealed.��


    Lin Da said calmly.


    ��What? You poisoned Lin Da? Why would you do such a thing?�� Lia looked at Aiko in shock.


    Lulu also wore an unfriendly expression; her beast claw flicked out in a flash. If it hadn��t been for Lin Da holding her back, letting Aiko have the chance to explain, that claw would have been scratching at Aiko��s face.


    ��Wuuu, don��t look at me with those eyes. I��m not your enemy,�� Aiko said again, launching into her fake crying skills, wiping away tears.


    Lin Da was not softened, ��If you can��t provide a reasonable explanation, Aiko, even you will not be forgiven. What if Lulu hadn��t come? What if, in Monica��s room, I had not been able to hold on to that last shred of sanity����


    He didn��t finish the rest.


    But everyone knew what the consequences would be.


    Monica, Lia, Aiko, all three of them, would be torn apart by Lin Da!


    Aiko reaping what she sowed was one thing.


    But the other two were victims.


    Although Lulu had helped Lin Da through tough times, this did not mean that Aiko��s wrongdoing could be excused.


    Lin Da needed Aiko to give a convincing reason.


    ��I believe in Aiko,�� Lia said, exceptionally taking Aiko��s side and speaking out for her, ��Although she��s not always great, I know she��s not a bad person. Aiko, quickly tell Lin Da the real reason you did this!��


    Faced with Lia��s trusting gaze, Aiko felt a wave of shame.


    This powder keg�� was really too naive!


    Aiko had always treated Lia as a simple stepping stone


    But unexpectedly, Lia trusted her so much.


    Aiko felt a bit moved.


    But how could she explain to Lin Da?


    She had wanted to use the chicken soup to defeat Lin Da and make him her captive.


    This ��real reason�� definitely could not be revealed.


    If she spoke the truth, Lin Da, Lulu, and Lia would not let her go.


    So, she had to resort to a ��lie.��


    A lie that was most logical and would certainly not be seen through. sea??h th�� n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Supporting herself at her chest, Aiko put on the expression of someone on the verge of tears; two drops of tears fell from her eyes as she said with a whimper:


    ��Lin Da, don��t you understand why I did this?��


    Lin Da shook his head, ��I wouldn��t be asking you if I understood.��


    ��Do I have to say it out loud?��


    ��Yes. Otherwise, I will not forgive you.��


    Hearing Lin Da��s almost heartless words, Aiko��s face grew even paler.


    She clenched her fists, the nails painfully digging into her palms.


    Facing Lin Da��s perplexed gaze, Aiko��s mouth felt dry, her throat as if blocked by a foreign object.


    Normally glib with lies, she was, at this moment, somewhat disconcerted.


    Aiko took a deep breath and slowly said:


    ��Because����


    ��I like you.��

 Chapter 251 - 251: 222, Lin Das response to Aiko, the power behind Lulu

    Chapter 251: 222, Lin Da��s response to Aiko, the power behind Lulu


    Aiko��s voice was very soft.


    But to everyone��s ears, it sounded like a thunderbolt from the blue.


    The room fell into silence, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.


    Lin Da and the others were all stunned.


    It seemed impossible.


    After all, Aiko had proclaimed many times in public that she only saw Lin Da as a close friend.


    ...


    Lia had also asked Aiko what she thought of Lin Da, and Aiko had replied that it was a relationship between ordinary old teammates.


    ��What, what are you talking about!�� Lia was dumbfounded, ��You must be lying, right? If you liked Lin Da, why didn��t you say a word when I kicked him?��


    Lulu��s face was full of vigilance, and she grabbed Lin Da��s hand as a warning.


    Lin Da�� was the most shocked.


    He hadn��t felt that Aiko��s attitude towards him was anything special; they hadn��t even touched hands in three years.


    Every man has a special ability: to sense whether or not girls like them. When the thought ��does she like me?�� occurs, nine out of ten times it��s accurate.


    But up till now, aside from his own teammates, Lin Da had never had such an intuition from anyone else.


    Especially Aiko, least of all!


    ��It��s true, I didn��t lie to you!��


    Aiko��s face turned as red as a monkey��s butt.


    On one hand, she felt the shame of being executed in public, and on the other, Aiko worried that her ��lie�� would be exposed and she felt compelled to embellish details of this emotion to make Lin Da and the others believe her.


    ��I didn��t realize it until Lin Da left the team, but it was precisely because he left that I understood!��


    Aiko reasoned, ��You see, my cooking skills, they were all practiced for Lin Da!��


    ��Adding Chunyang Flower pollen to the chicken soup, I just hoped to take my relationship with Lin Da a step further. You all blaming me, waaaah, it��s so heartbreaking!��


    Aiko bowed her head again to fake cry. But for some reason, the teardrops in her eyes began to flow down without her needing to think about sad things.


    Lia was the first to believe her, hesitantly saying, ��You�� you�� this isn��t right, you��re a member of Snow Goose, and as the team leader, I forbid you from dating.��


    You��re overstepping your bounds, aren��t you!?


    In her heart, Aiko bitterly cursed Lia as a ��love loser,�� someone who failed in love yet wished to drag others down with her.


    Lulu said, ��I object.��


    Aiko: ?


    Who asked you?


    So what if you have a tail and more ways to play? What can you really do?


    Lulu��s face turned icy, ��Lin Da has no interest in dealing with women; his energy will be devoted to adventuring.��


    That��s nonsense.


    Aiko was indignant in her heart, looking at her own big white thigh-highs, thinking they��d have Lin Da all confused with desire; how could anyone be indifferent to the opposite sex and focus solely on adventuring?


    Lin Da��s Holy Sword spoke of someone definitely interested in the opposite sex! Once he became her slave, he might well beg six or seven times a night and not let his master sleep.


    But Lin Da��s voice shattered Aiko��s fantasy.


    ��Lulu is right.��


    Lin Da slowly said, ��With the Demon King about to break the Seal, and my own sister has turned into a lackey for the Demons, with such a formidable enemy at hand, I can��t afford to focus on other matters.��


    ��Aiko, I know you��re a good person, and I hope you will concentrate on the right things in the future and earnestly assist Snow Goose.��


    After listening, Aiko felt a sudden pang in her heart: What did he mean, her ��confession�� just got rejected by Lin Da?


    Although it was a fake ��confession,�� Lin Da��s response to her was real.


    That is to say, even if Aiko had confessed her feelings honestly, she would still have been rejected by Lin Da!


    The cheek of Lin Da to actually reject her!


    Aiko��s face went pale as snow.


    As a genius Mage, she had never experienced such a painful defeat in her life.


    She said resentfully, ��Fine, I understand your mind is on adventuring right now. But what about after the adventuring is over? Once you��ve dealt with the Demon King and Lin Xi, you��ll have to find your own Oath-bound, won��t you?�� S��ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da thought for a moment, then nodded, ��Yes.��


    Aiko said, ��By then, I can barely qualify as your Oath-bound.��


    This left Lia dumbfounded once again.


    Lin Da shook his head, ��Oath-bound are usually found within one��s own team, companions who have been through life and death together. There��s no one more trustworthy than them.��


    Aiko: ��


    It made her feel like offering to lower her status and join the Phoenix Tail Flower!


    ��But I suggest, don��t limit your options to your own team,�� Lia said, straining to get the words out all at once.


    Lin Da, puzzled: ��Why not?��


    ��Because�� there might be better ones outside, more impressive or something���� Lia didn��t even understand what she was babbling.


    Looking at Lia, Lin Da suddenly remembered something, ��When I was ��poisoned,�� it seemed like����


    If Aiko and Lulu hadn��t arrived on the scene, the situation might have ended up with Lia mustering the Snow Goose crew with great pomp, forcing him to take responsibility.


    Lia��s ears turned a bit red as she stubbornly said, ��Don��t overthink it, actually, nothing happened.��


    Lin Da breathed a sigh of relief, ��That��s good then.��


    He felt as if he��d avoided some troublesome matter and instantly relaxed.


    Seeing Lin Da��s reaction, Lia inexplicably became angry.


    It was like dealing with a sticky piece of gum on her shoe, something to be wary of stepping on.


    No one asked if Aiko was hurt, even Lia, who stood by Aiko��s side, felt that it was a bed of Aiko��s own making.


    To everyone else, Lin Da was just a regular teammate, yet she actually thought to use such deceitful methods to gain Lin Da��s favor.


    How was that any different from the despicable Elves in the tavern who targeted patrons�� money?


    Lia crossed her arms and put on her captain��s airs: ��Aiko, you��d better apologize. If this gets reported to the Law Enforcement Bureau, you could be locked up for several months, which would delay Snow Goose��s strategy progress.��

 Chapter 252 - 252: 222, Lin Das response to Aiko, the power behind Lulu_2

    Chapter 252: 222, Lin Da��s response to Aiko, the power behind Lulu_2


    This remark was very astute, pushing Lia��s intelligence to its limit. Lia seemed to be threatening Aiko, but in fact, she was conversing with Lin Da: ��Don��t let the Law Enforcement Bureau take Aiko away, Snow Goose still needs to conquer the World Tree.��


    Upon knowing Aiko��s reasoning, Lin Da couldn��t help but laugh and cry at the same time.


    The blonde, beautiful young mage seemed pitiful as she rubbed her tears, appearing delicate and remorseful for her mistakes.


    ��Considering the old team��s sake, we can let bygones be bygones today, but Aiko, I hope you will be honest from now on. Don��t think about these improper methods, and earnestly support Snow Goose, fulfilling your responsibilities as an adventurer,�� Lin Da said sternly.


    Aiko hung her head and weakly hummed in acknowledgment. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The chicken soup plan had completely failed.


    ...


    She, who should have been winning and rising to the top, had hit rock bottom, becoming the most defeated among them!


    Even Lia had made progress, and Klrona had been forgiven by Lin Da, but her likability not only had not increased, but it had also decreased.


    How could Aiko willingly accept defeat?


    Since Lin Da asked her to earnestly pursue her adventurer duties, she decided to do exactly the opposite, beginning to plan her next strategy to capture Lin Da��s heart.


    Using the crafty tricks she learned from risqu�� comics, she could gauge from the stance of Lin Da��s Holy Sword whether it was genuine, and obviously, the answer was ��yes��!


    This meant, Lulu was only a small step ahead; the gap wasn��t insurmountable.


    Aiko secretly resolved that next time, she would definitely overtake on a curve, trampling both Lulu and Lia beneath her feet!


    ��


    After Snow Goose left, only Lin Da and Lulu remained in the room.


    ��Everyone else has almost left, right? Need to clean up����


    Before he could finish, Lin Da was about to step forward when his wrist was grabbed.


    Surprised, he turned his head, only to meet a light blue-haired girl standing on tiptoe��


    Something soft blocked Lin Da��s mouth.


    Lin Da: ��!!!��


    Lulu looked nervous, her hands tightly grasping Lin Da��s back.


    After a while, they separated, taking deep breaths.


    ��Before this adventure is over, you can��t let either of them become your Oath-bound,�� Lulu stared intently at Lin Da.


    Lin Da was even more confused, ��Isn��t that expected?��


    Lulu��s expression relaxed a bit.


    ��Then that��s good.��


    She walked to the room��s door, ��Should we start cleaning up the third floor now?��


    For some reason, Lin Da felt Lulu��s mood had improved again.


    Even with temporary servants hired to help, Lin Da and the others cleaned until the evening before they managed to clear the first and third floors.


    For dinner, they reheated some leftovers to fill their stomachs.


    The Phoenix Tail Flower Team of four headed to the trophy room �� inside, gifts piled up like a small mountain.


    Lin Da and the team hadn��t yet counted how many gifts they received or their total value in gold coins.


    Currently, not all members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team were equipped with level 20 gear, some mixed with level 10 and other outdated equipment.


    Lin Da��s goal of fully equipping them with Orange Equipment was still far off.


    He planned to sell the gifts for gold coins to arm the Phoenix Tail Flower Team as soon as possible.


    As everyone knows, each adventurer has six equipment slots.


    They are:


    Head.


    Chest.


    Legs.


    Main Weapon.


    Jewelry X2.


    Lin Da��s chest plate, boots, and main weapon had not reached level 20.


    Monica and Kafni were in a similar situation, only half of their gear was level 20.


    And there was Lulu, a level 28 Frost Wolf Warrior.


    ��Is this all of your equipment?��


    Lin Da looked at the neatly arranged warm clothes on the table.


    Looking at Lulu, who wore a wide black robe concealing her delicate body, he couldn��t help but think that just seconds ago, all these were on Lulu��s body.


    No wonder they smelled so good.


    As Kafni, just awakened from her drunken stupor, swam in the pile of gifts, her eyes gleamed, ��Hehehe, good, very good, so we��ve received so many nice things, I��m going to buy a personal carriage.��


    After days of interaction, Lin Da recognized Kafni��s true nature: a money-loving and lazy Scrap God.


    He first checked Lulu��s equipment:


    Main Weapon at level 25, Orange Equipment.


    Head, chest plate, boots at level 23, purple.


    Two pieces of jewelry at level 25, one purple, one orange.


    Lin Da let out a ��huh,�� impressed by Lulu��s quite decent equipment.


    ��Saved from before,�� Lulu said somewhat awkwardly, ��Can I put them on now?��


    ��Oh, of course.��


    Lin Da returned the equipment to Lulu.


    It��s worth mentioning that as long as equipment is connected to the user��s magic circuit, it can exert power. It doesn��t need to be more than ten meters away from the user.


    Some awkward-looking equipment, once connected to the magic circuit, can be placed in a space ring and still be effective.


    This is how Lin Da usually did things.


    He and Lulu also joined in the phase of assessing the gifts.


    They each brought a small stool, opened gifts, and chatted casually.


    Lin Da asked, ��Can you tell me now about the mission you��ve come to White Dove City for?��


    The trust level system showed 84 points. After Lulu helped him clean the pollution, and he, in turn, purified Lulu, it rose from 82 to 84.


    As trust increased, it became more challenging to raise it further.


    But 84 points was not low, equivalent to close friends.


    Lin Da thought, with the current trust level, perhaps Lulu might open up to him.


    When she heard his question, Lulu trembled, her hands pausing on the gift box, her face revealing her inner conflict.


    ��Can��t you even tell me?�� Lin Da gently said.


    Lulu, feeling provoked, shivered.


    Too cunning, she thought. If she didn��t confide in Lin Da, wouldn��t she imply that he wasn��t trustworthy?


    She knew Lin Da was concerned about her, and this prevented her from getting upset.

 Chapter 253 - 253: 222, Lin Das response to Aiko, the power behind Lulu_3

    Chapter 253: 222, Lin Da��s response to Aiko, the power behind Lulu_3


    ��I can��t disclose the specifics due to the contract, but I can tell you about the power behind me,��


    Lulu narrowed her eyes, ��who sent me to this city, and their purpose.��


    ��Can we listen too?�� Kafni asked, pulling Monica close and pointing to her own nose.


    Lulu looked at Lin Da.


    Lin Da nodded, ��There are no strangers here, go ahead.��


    Only then did Lulu speak, ��You should still remember the Duke of Cold Moon.��


    ...


    It was a name well-known to players from the game��s storyline.


    ��Cold Moon Fire, one of the four guardian flames of the Southern Fire Empire.��


    ��The head of the Cold Moon Clan in each generation is called the Duke of Cold Moon, and he is one of the top adventurers on the continent today.��


    Lin Da, recalling the game��s storyline, said, ��The Cold Moon Clan is also the biggest sponsor of the Primitive Adventure Team.��


    Every top adventure team stationed at the Royal Capital is favored by one of the four great clans.


    As a player, after making a name for themselves in the Royal Capital, they would encounter the choice: pledge allegiance to one of the clans.


    Lin Da��s choice was the Cold Moon Clan.


    What��s special about Cold Moon is that it encourages PK (Player Killing).


    Defeat the adventure team specified in Cold Moon��s power tasks, and a player can get a lot of money.


    Lin Da chose the Cold Moon Clan precisely for this reason.


    Kafni and Monica both sensed that Lulu was about to reveal some important information and pricked up their ears.


    ��After you disappeared, there was a drastic change within the Cold Moon Clan.��


    ��These things I only learned after I became a witch, was saved by the Cold Moon Clan, and signed a loyalty contract. On the surface, the Cold Moon Clan is still one of the Empire��s four guardian flames.��


    Lulu��s words were startling, ��The Duke of Cold Moon has defected and has ties to the Demons.��


    ��What!��


    Lin Da��s face changed.


    The four great clans were the Empire��s strongest pillars; the defection of one was unthinkable!


    Such an event never happened in the game��s storyline.


    ��I guess, the reason for the Duke of Cold Moon��s betrayal is because of you,�� Lulu said, staring at Lin Da with a serious expression.


    ��Me?��


    ��Yes.��


    Lulu nodded. Her hands resumed the action of unwrapping the gift box as she thoughtfully spoke.


    ��Although the members of the Primitive Adventure Team weren��t very high level when they were in the Royal Capital, their potential was recognized by the Duke of Cold Moon, who believed they had the most potential to reach the top.��


    ��With the Primitive Adventure Team around, even if the Demon King resurrected, he would be sealed again��the Duke of Cold Moon was convinced of this.��


    ��But because he trusted the Primitive Adventure Team too much, after the leader, Dark Shadow, disappeared, the Duke of Cold Moon was completely disappointed. Vice-captain Tina and the rest disbanded; some joined other adventure groups, some started new teams�� the Duke of Cold Moon thought none of them had potential.��


    ��Rather than waiting for the Demon King��s resurgence and face destruction, it��s better to defect to the enemy and ensure the family��s safety.��


    Lulu sighed softly, ��The mission that brought me to White Dove City was to find someone for the Duke of Cold Moon. I can��t tell you who it is specifically, as it involves the contents of the contract. Once I find that person, my contract with the Cold Moon Clan will be finished.��


    Lin Da rubbed his chin, ��If you tell me who you��re looking for, then I could help you.��


    ��I already have some leads, I��ll definitely find them,��


    Lulu shook her head, ��Lin Da, you need to focus on yourself. If Tina, the Duke of Cold Moon, or others discover your existence, you will be in danger.��


    Tina was a mature and strong team member, usually seemingly nice to people. However, sometimes she would act crazily, and no one knew what she might do upon catching Lin Da.


    And now that the Duke of Cold Moon had defected, if he caught Lin Da, he would certainly offer Lin Da to the Demons.


    Fortunately, Dark Shadow had always worn a mask, so no one knew what Lin Da��s face looked like underneath. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da pondered for a moment.


    With the current situation, there wasn��t a good way to deal with either the Duke of Cold Moon or Tina.


    If anything had to be said, the only option was to increase his own level.


    ��First, aim to become an Iron-level Adventure Team,��


    Lin Da thought to himself.


    The immediate concern was to obtain an Epic Weapon to increase the team��s overall damage and meet the criteria for the ninth floor��s ��Ten Second Quick Kill�� hidden demon.


    Looking over the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, the one with the weakest main weapon was Lin Da.


    Monica and Kafni had level 20 purple Crab General series weapons, and Lulu had bought herself an orange weapon at level 25.


    Only Lin Da, at level 23, was still using the level 15 Azure Sword.


    ��Increase damage done to aquatic demons�� was a good trait, but was limited only to aquatic demons.


    Against other creatures, it was just an orange weapon with higher attributes.


    If they can��t find an Epic Weapon he can use in the Great Mystery Continent��s Goblin Nest on the fifth floor, they��ll have to consider buying an orange weapon at the shop.


    Let��s hope that the ��Blessing of the World Tree Goddess�� skill can make him an ��Euro lord�� for once.


    Thinking too much about luck is useless; Lin Da rolled up his sleeves, speeding up the pace of unwrapping gift boxes.


    An hour passed, and they tallied the total value of the gifts.


    Today, a total of 31 Rock-level Squads came, and the gifts together were worth�� around 900,000 Gold Coins!


    This number made Lin Da suck in a breath of cold air.


    When he was Snow Goose, the gifts for his promotion party amounted to only 30,000 Gold Coins total.


    The reason for receiving so many valuable gifts�� Lin Da thought, was probably due to the strategies for the 6th, 7th, and 8th floors.


    The Ultimate Skills of the three members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team impressed many other adventurers.


    They upgraded the quality of the gifts they originally intended to give.


    Secondly, there were four gifts especially precious, which increased the total value significantly.


    Top of the list was a level 30 orange Demon Core from his sister.


    Valued at 300,000 Gold Coins.


    The White Dove Adventure Group gave him an ��Inspiring Forest Wreath�� with really nice attributes; among the helmets of the same level, it stood out and was valued at 300,000.


    Then there were wristwatches from the ��Great Sea Clear Sky�� brand given by Lia and Isa.


    One was azure blue, the other deep blue.


    Together they add up to around 150,000.


    That makes 750,000.


    The gifts from others amounted to about 150,000.

 Chapter 254 - 254: 223, Preparations for the Attack, Lin Das Plan of One Guard Five

    Chapter 254: 223, Preparations for the Attack, Lin Da��s Plan of One Guard Five


    Lin Da connected the ��Invigorating Forest Wreath�� to the magic circuit and then placed it in the space ring. He kept the wristwatch, and sold the rest to a merchant in exchange for equipment.


    Apart from the income from gifts, a substantial amount of the Phoenix Tail Flower��s spoils of war were also sold.


    Klrona bought the Wolf Fang Club from the Goblin Chieftain.


    Out of respect for an old teammate, Lin Da gave a 10% discount, only charging Klrona 180,000 gold.


    He sold the orange long spear to Minnie for 200,000 gold.


    Gale bought the levels 1-19 Mental Series Demon Core for his collection for 50,000 gold.


    ...


    Equipment dropped by hidden magical creatures on the 678th floor was also sold, bringing in 190,000 gold.


    With the gifts and spoils added to Lin Da��s savings card balance, he currently had a total disposable ��cash�� amount of: 1,520,000!


    This substantial amount of cash was something many Rock-level Squads did not possess.


    The next morning, Lin Da took his teammates to sell the gifts and exchange them for gold coins, which they spent at the merchant��s.


    Lin Da kept 500,000 gold in reserve and purchased two level 20 orange gear pieces and seven purple gears, arming his teammates.


    The entire Phoenix Tail Flower Team��s combat strength had once again increased!


    Back at the villa on the third floor, in the war room.


    Lin Da held a long stick, pointing at a white board depicting a Goblin in a red cloak, his voice firm and resolute:


    ��The one with the blonde hair, don��t fall asleep! Look at the whiteboard!��


    ��This is our next target, the Goblin Prince!��


    ��There are three days left until the Great Mystery Continent opens, and we need to expedite our training to adapt to the various skills of the Goblin Prince.��


    ��But before that�� as a captain, I need to check your physical stats!��


    Hearing this, Monica��s face immediately turned red, somewhat flustered, ��Eh, eh, eh?��


    Lulu was the first to stand up and said, ��My strength is about 3600, and the thickness of my Life Barrier is 5000.��


    ��Very good, sit down.��


    A touch of surprise flashed in Lin Da��s eyes.


    Lulu��s output capability was higher than he had expected.


    Lulu��s strength reached 3600, while he only had 2515.


    Although there were differences in professional roles, the biggest gap came from the main weapon.


    If Lin Da could switch to a level 23 epic main weapon, his dual attack could potentially increase by 1000.


    Lin Da had no intentions of competing with Lulu; he was accustomed to using his own abilities as a baseline to assess the output capability of his teammates.


    Next, it was Monica��s turn to report her numbers.


    ��So it��s just this.��


    Monica sighed in relief.


    She thought Lin Da was going to check her development.


    Monica often felt self-conscious about her physique, attracting strange glances wherever she went, as if she were a freak.


    Only Lin Da didn��t look at her that way, treating her like a normal girl.


    Monica raised her hand and said, ��My magic power is about 2900, and the Life Barrier is 3000.��


    Kafni reported, ��Strength 2000, Life Barrier 4000.��


    2000��


    Lin Da felt a headache coming on.


    He rubbed his brow, considering the impracticality of expecting Kafni to output damage against the Goblin Prince.


    But considering Kafni��s ��Super Theft�� and ��Magical Creature Aura Perception,�� along with the Phoenix Tail Flower��s strongest card ��A Trace of Divine Power,�� even if Kafni had no output, Lin Da still needed to include her.


    Lin Da��s current attributes were:


    Level: 23


    Profession: Chosen Recovery Warrior


    Hit Points: 9700 (6900+2800) S��arch* The n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Magic Power: 2615 (705+1910)


    Strength: 2615


    Defense: 319 (299+40)


    Magic Defense: 447 (367+80)


    Agility: 380 (300+80)


    Extra Bonus: Skill cast speed +10%


    Resistance: Poison Resistance 30%


    Experience Points: 50000/150000


    Skill Points remaining: 5 regular, 1 gold


    Mystical Points: 124867


    ��


    After equipping the orange helmet gifted by the White Dove Adventure Group, Lin Da��s hit points reached an impressive 9700.


    This meant his Verdant Shield��s thickness could go up to 4365 points, higher than a whole tube of Monica��s blood.


    Yet, even with such strength, Monica��s fragile defenses could not handle direct attacks from epic magical creatures.


    As the level of magical creatures increased, so did their damage. Even the strongest adventure group could have their boat capsized in a gutter.


    Fortunately, Lin Da had an ultimate skill ��Guardian Sword.��


    While causing a small range of output, it also applied ��Guardian Shield�� to a maximum of three people around him, the thickness being 50% of the maximum hit points, amounting to 4850.


    The Guardian Shield��s stack on the Verdant Shield meant that even if Monica were targeted by an epic magical creature, she could withstand it.


    There wouldn��t be a scenario where the back row was annihilated before everyone else could react.


    Lin Da convened this tactical meeting specifically to gather detailed information from his team members and devise a plan to subdue the Goblin Prince.


    Shh, shh, shh.


    His brush in hand, he scrawled a line of graceful Continental Common Script on the whiteboard, naming the plan: ��Defend One, Wipe Out Five: The Magical Creature Assault Strategy.��


    The team members looked puzzled.


    They had heard of ��Defend Five, Wipe Out One,�� like Snow Goose was.


    Aside from team leader Lia, everyone else was support.


    But what was this ��Defend One, Wipe Out Five��?


    Moreover, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team only had four people in total.


    Under the probing gazes of everyone, Lin Da smiled serenely and tapped the Goblin Prince��s head on the whiteboard with a long stick, saying,


    ��This creature��s characteristics are quite clear, high damage and a large amount of hit points, but it only has two phases, and most attacks are targeted at a single individual.��


    ��As long as one person can hold the Goblin Prince��s attention, everyone else is safe.��


    ��With my 9700-hit point life barrier, coupled with the Verdant Shield and Guardian Shield�� the Goblin Prince will need at least three full attacks to take me down.��


    Lin Da shrugged, ��But I also have Healing Art, so as long as I can hold the Goblin King��s animosity and keep him attacking me�� this subjugation is a sure win.��


    ��I see,�� Lulu realized with a flash of enlightenment in her eyes.


    At the same time, she was also somewhat surprised; the old Lin Da used to be very frail, but after his class change, he had transformed into a Blood Ox.


    A life barrier of 9700, almost on par with Star Rank.


    ��But can you maintain the enmity?��


    Kafni looked less optimistic, ��High-level magical creatures, even those conjured by the World Tree Goddess, possess a certain level of intelligence. If it realizes it can��t hit you hard enough, it will definitely attack someone else, and you don��t have the compulsory ��Taunt�� skill.��


    Taunting Skill, a powerful skill that forces magical creatures to attack oneself, is something only tank-class warriors like Chloe possess,


    Chloe, who can match the strength of a Five-star Character in the later stages, has a supremely dominant Taunting Skill dubbed ��Small Fry, Small Fry,�� which can infuriate a magical creature into cerebral hemorrhage, causing it to lose its senses.


    ��Yeah,�� Lin Da replied helplessly with a smile, ��The Taunting Skill is exclusive to front-line professions. My toughness is no less than that of a front-liner, but the Taunting Skill is challenging to learn. Therefore, we need to decide this battle quickly, before I lose the enmity and defeat the creature.��


    Monica timidly raised her hand, ��Captain, I read in a book that the Goblin Prince has a barrier of 400,000 hit points, can we really do it?��


    ��Yes, 400,000, Monica is correct.��


    Lin Da praised Monica, who had been brave enough to speak up; this made her cheeks flush slightly with pleasure.


    ��To deal with this creature in the shortest time possible, we need to hire two temporary members to join us on the fifth level.��


    ��The Goblin Prince��s nest can accommodate up to six adventurers; any more would trigger its three-phase berserk state, which is counterproductive. Six is the optimal number of people for the subjugation.��


    ��I already have someone in mind.��


    Lin Da said, ��The 500,000 Gold we saved when buying equipment is to hire them.��


    ��Who are they?�� Lulu asked cautiously, her wolf ears perking up.


    ��You��ll find out tomorrow.�� Lin Da clapped his hands, ��This half-day is your last time to rest, starting tomorrow, we��ll begin the training specific to the Goblin Prince. Anything you need to do, get it done today.��


    ��Ugh,�� Kafni pouted, her face lacking enthusiasm, ��There��s a new ale at Tyrannosaurus Tavern tomorrow.��


    Lin Da, with a half-smirk, stated, ��Kafni, others might complain, but you shouldn��t, right?��


    As a deity come to save this world, Kafni thinking of slacking off to drink was utterly preposterous!


    ��Fine, fine.�� Kafni yawned, ��I��m not well-rested, need to go back to catch up on some sleep.��


    Lin Da: ��


    Monica said, ��Captain, Chloe is coming over today, can she take me out for the day?��


    ��Of course,�� Lin Da answered as he took a hundred Gold Coins out of his space ring and handed them to Monica.


    His face showed a trace of reassurance.


    Monica actually had friends and could step out of the villa to have fun.


    ��Just make sure not to come back too late,�� Lin Da said.


    ��Yes!��


    The tactical meeting concluded, and Lin Da next went to the Magic Puppet shop to pick up the previously ordered ��Goblin Prince Illusion Puppet.��


    Enhanced by a magic circle, Lin Da could use a joystick to manipulate a faux Goblin Prince, simulating various skills allowing the team members to quickly familiarize themselves with this creature.


    Compared to the real Goblin Prince, the difference was still significant, but it was sufficient for learning skill mechanisms.


    It transformed armchair strategizing into practical simulation.


    A magic circle carved on a circular carpet, a joystick, and a Goblin Prince ��figure,�� this was all that Lin Da had custom-ordered.


    ��One hundred thousand Gold Coins, thank you!��


    The puppeteer, a pretty single pony-tailed elf, packed the items in a handheld gift box and handed it to Lin Da.


    After paying the Gold Coins, Lin Da rode a horse-drawn carriage to his next destination.


    He needed to go hire those two adventurers.


    On the carriage, Lin Da remembered the rigid condition for an ultimate clear on the ninth layer: Slay the hidden magical creature within 10 seconds.


    In games, one could brute-force their way through levels with microtransactions, but in reality, without an epic-grade main weapon, achieving a 10-second kill was difficult.


    ��If only Kafni��s Super Theft could steal the Goblin Prince��s ��Sword of Royalty��.�� Lin Da chuckled at his own ludicrous thought.


    The Sword of Royalty was an epic-grade main weapon; if it could be stolen, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team could breeze through levels undermining the enemy.


    These luck-dependent strategies were never something Lin Da considered seriously; it was just a fleeting thought.


    As he pondered, the carriage arrived at the first stop of the day.


    Ice Flower Adventure Team��s villa.


    ��


    In a neat and modest bedroom.


    The furnishings were simple, focusing on practicality, belying the fact that the room belonged to a well-known beautiful girl of White Dove City.

 Chapter 255 - 255: 224, Isa doesnt want to be a mistress!

    Chapter 255: 224, Isa doesn��t want to be a mistress!


    Isa sat on the edge of her bed, massaging her temples with a headache.


    The hangover from last night still hadn��t subsided.


    Her memory was also fuzzy, only vaguely recalling competing in a drinking contest with Lia, and then��


    she��d forgotten everything else.


    Isa��s complexion changed, worried that she might have done something terrible at the party.


    As for the reason she got drunk, it was mostly because she saw Lulu by Lin Da��s side.


    ...


    This made Isa, who had very traditional values and couldn��t accept the chaos of multiple partners, feel somewhat disheartened.


    She hadn��t even started, and she��d already lost!


    Isa sighed softly, cradling a cup of hot water and sitting at the desk lost in thought, she reflected on her life��born into an average well-to-do family, her parents were also ordinary adventurers. She grew up normal, was ordinarily outstanding, doing okay in every aspect but never reaching the top. Similarly, she hadn��t had an ordinary relationship, never had her own Oath-bound.


    At 25 years old and level 28, Isa was considered to be of a higher age among adventurers.


    Watching her teammates pair up, showing affection for each other, running off to inns during holidays to frolic�� Isa didn��t mention it, but she felt envious.


    Even if she had good relationships with her teammates, it was not the same compared to having an Oath-bound to entrust her life to.


    Isa just wanted an ordinary outstanding male.


    But after looking around, she found that everyone had their own strengths, as well as their own flaws!


    Even those excellent traits didn��t catch her eye.


    Especially now that the Ice Flower was on the 13th floor, breaking through one more would bring them to the Iron Level adventure team.


    Under these circumstances, Isa��s standards inevitably rose again.


    Fortunately, there was one person who always satisfied her.


    When that person left the team, she immediately sent out an invitation.


    Only at that time, that person��s level had reset to zero, which made it difficult for her to be certain of his future.


    Due to realistic considerations, Isa didn��t rush to make a decision.


    From that day to the present, it had been just under two months.


    In two months�� time, by the time Isa came to her senses, she found that that person was about to reach the same level of progress as her.


    Now, it was no longer about whether he could catch her eye, but the other way around!


    But even so, Isa still held considerable confidence.


    She might not have reached the pinnacle in every aspect, but she also lacked any obvious shortcomings.


    Isa was ready to lay her cards on the table at the Phoenix Tail Flower promotion party.


    But what she hadn��t expected was�� sea??h th�� N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As soon as she entered the yard, she saw Lin Da gripping the hand of a werewolf girl tightly.


    Isa felt like a deflated balloon, suddenly drained of energy.


    Apart from the werewolf girl, by Lin Da��s side were also Kafni, Monica, Aiko, Lia��


    Each one was unique, their looks by no means inferior to her own beauty.


    Isa grew fearful.


    She really didn��t have the courage to join this smog-filled battle.


    Most importantly, her joining would mean becoming the third party, intruding on Lin Da and Lulu��s relationship.


    Put bluntly, she��d be the ��mistress��!


    Isa��s principles didn��t allow her to tolerate the existence of something as despicable as a ��mistress,�� and even less to bear the thought of ruining someone else��s relationship.


    Therefore, the drunkenness at the party was Isa��s farewell to a young girl��s love affair that had never begun and had already ended.


    She had to forget about the Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team and avoid any contact with Lin Da.


    But upon waking up��


    Isa��s chest felt unbearably tight, and she couldn��t help but recall Lin Da holding hands with Lulu, followed by various extreme scenarios.


    One part of her was filled with unwillingness sprouting from within her heart, while another part was her rational self-admonition, telling her that staying away from Lin Da was the right thing to do. Drawing closer would be nothing but a moth flirting with flames, only increasing her own pain.


    She, Isa��the captain of the highly esteemed Ice Flower Adventure Team��must not play the role of the mistress.


    ��Starting today, forget about Lin Da and focus solely on climbing the World Tree.��


    Isa clenched her fists, bit her teeth tightly, and muttered to her reflection in the mirror.


    Knock, knock.


    The sound of knocking came.


    ��Fannis? I told you, I��m not in a good mood, don��t bother me today,�� Isa replied, rubbing her somewhat moist eyes, feeling downcast.


    ��Um, Isa��? What��s wrong? Fannis sent me up to check on you.��


    The voice from outside was a warm male voice.


    Isa��s eyelids twitched as she jumped to her feet.


    What��s going on?


    Lin Da was at Ice Flower��s villa?!


    Why did Fannis let him come up? Shouldn��t he be waiting for her in the drawing room?


    Isa looked at herself in the mirror in a panic: her silver hair was a bit frizzy, her face weary, yesterday��s makeup had long smudged, and her pajama buttons were misaligned with the third button fastened in the second hole��


    She sniffed herself, and her complexion turned even paler, reeking of alcohol. After coming back last night, she had slept till now without taking a bath!


    Outside, Fannis��s murmurs could be heard egging on, ��Lin Da, just go in, Isa has been awake for a while pretending not to hear. If it was someone else, we wouldn��t let him into the captain��s bedroom, you know? You might even see some perks.��


    ��Isn��t that a bit inappropriate?�� Lin Da hesitated: ��If Captain Isa��s boyfriend finds out, I��m in big trouble.��


    ��What are you talking about? As if Isa could have a boyfriend��she dreams of having one every day. Lin Da, if you��re still lacking, we��ll just give Isa to you, hehehe.��


    As Isa hurriedly washed her face and changed her clothes in the bathroom, she kept her ears perked up, listening to the conversation outside.


    When she heard Fannis urging Lin Da to come in quickly, she was furious, wishing she could spin Fannis around by her ears like a windmill!


    But when Fannis mentioned giving her, the captain, to Lin Da, Isa oddly calmed down, biting her lip nervously, attentive to the noise outside.


    Indeed, she held no hope of forming an oath-bound relationship with Lin Da and settled for being just friends. But she wanted to know, what did Lin Da think?


    If she received a rejection, Isa could put Lin Da and Phoenix Tail Flower out of her mind and devote all her energy to climbing the World Tree.


    So�� reject her. Isa allowed the faucet to run, her hands restlessly gripping the edge of the basin.


    She held her breath, silently praying, Lin Da, you must reject me!


    Only then could she completely forget about Lin Da, letting him become just a passing figure in her adventure.


    The two outside continued to chat casually.


    They had no idea that, just a door away, a silver-haired girl was closing her eyes as if awaiting the judgment of fate.


    If Lin Da had known beforehand, perhaps he would have rejected Fannis��s suggestion.


    But for Lin Da at this moment, it was just polite conversation with Fannis, and Fannis��s comment about giving Isa to him was simply a joke.


    Lin Da couldn��t help but laugh: ��To have a girlfriend like Captain Isa would truly be a great fortune in three lifetimes. Everyone would be envious, hehe.��


    ��Right? Our captain is second to none!�� Fannis proudly stated.


    ��


    ��


    (ps: The protagonist is not going to be left alone; I guess many people want to see Aiko get taken in during this scene, but doing so hastily feels meaningless; Aiko hasn��t been enlightened yet. The chicken soup incident is a setup, the next time will be the real deal.)

 Chapter 256 - 256: 225, Lin Da Offers a Reward: Fusion Finishing Skills

    Chapter 256: 225, Lin Da Offers a Reward: Fusion Finishing Skills


    The two chatted idly by the door for about three minutes, but the door in front of them remained closed.


    Could it be that Isa really hadn��t woken up yet? Fannis blinked suspiciously; she was sure Isa had been awake when she came up earlier. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fannis didn��t know that Isa, in the bathroom, had covered her mouth in disbelief and clenched the edge of the basin tighter upon hearing Lin Da��s response.


    That Lin Da had said having her as a girlfriend was a fortune for three lifetimes, something others would envy��


    Isa wiped her eyes and couldn��t help but laugh.


    But it was a laugh provoked by Lin Da!


    ...


    After saying that, how could she willingly bow out?


    She still felt there was some hope.


    Like Lin Da, Isa was a steady person who didn��t like gambling on low odds.


    This flicker of hope only made Isa��s hesitation and conflict more painful.


    But now�� Isa had abandoned her plans to give up.


    She decided to observe a little longer.


    She hoped Lin Da wouldn��t show any flaws, would stay devoted to Lulu, making her accept their ��rightful�� relationship.


    As long as Lin Da truly loved Lulu, Isa would never be shameless enough to intrude upon them.


    She would silently depart, carrying the seed of an embryonic love that had never been revealed.


    In a way, Isa was the ultimate pure love warrior.


    She only acknowledged one-on-one relationships.


    She wouldn��t accept one-to-many, nor would she shamelessly be one of the ��many.��


    Another two minutes passed.


    The door opened.


    ��Isa, are you okay?��


    Lin Da looked concerned.


    The silver-haired girl before him looked fatigued, her usually smooth silver hair now somewhat frizzy, sticking out here and there.


    Her blue house dress was very wrinkled, completely at odds with Lin Da��s memories of the poised, elegant Frost Swordsman.


    ��I drank too much last night, Captain Lin Da, I made a fool of myself,�� Isa said reservedly, pressing her lips together and stepping aside to let Lin Da in. ��The room is a bit messy, please don��t mind it.��


    Lin Da frowned slightly, ��Why do you call me Captain Lin Da?��


    ��Because�� you are the captain of Phoenix Tail Flower,�� Isa said, her eyes slightly panicky. She intentionally tried to distance herself from Lin Da, hoping to become mere acquaintances.


    Fannis was quick-witted and immediately guessed Isa��s intentions. She stared in surprise, her eyes filled with anger towards her own captain, frustrated at his obtuseness.


    You won��t know if you��ll fail unless you fight for it!


    If Ice Flower could marry into Phoenix Tail, everyone could freeload off Lin Da��s strategy!


    With her outstanding command and Lin Da��s strategies, not just the Steel Level Adventure Group but even the Sunrise Level seemed possible.


    So Fannis was angry.


    Her captain was usually decisive, but he was incredibly weak in these matters.


    ��Ha, I think Lin Da should just call you ��Miss Isa�� then!�� Fannis said sarcastically.


    ��Uh���� Isa felt uncomfortable.


    ��Just call me Lin Da like before,�� Lin Da smiled. ��Remember how harshly you criticized me when I called you Miss Isa before.��


    ��Well, okay then,�� Isa nodded, feeling somewhat defeated. She should have set clear boundaries with Lin Da right there, but she couldn��t harden her heart to take that step.


    The three entered the room and sat at the round table.


    ��Lin Da, what brings you to me?�� Isa picked up a cup from the table, took a sip of red tea, and masked her nervousness.


    ��Here��s the thing, I want to hire you. The price, 200,000 Gold Coins, plus a guaranteed Level 20 Orange Equipment.��


    Lin Da said directly.


    ��Hire?��


    Isa��s expression became serious.


    It was as if she had a switch inside her that perfectly separated personal matters from official business.


    When Lin Da mentioned matters between adventure teams, the usually calm Isa was back.


    ��The offer is good, but I need to know the details,�� Isa said with a hint of confidence in her eyes, ��Hiring the Ice Flower Captain isn��t cheap, and depending on your requirements, these conditions might not suffice.��


    ��I understand.��


    Lin Da said solemnly, ��But the Orange Equipment I��m offering you is absolutely the best in its category. If an Epic Weapon is discovered, the agreed 200,000 Gold Coins can rise to 400,000.��


    ��Epic Weapon?��


    Both Isa and Fannis changed their expressions.


    To every adventurer, an Epic Weapon was the ��dream lover��.


    It��s a bit less for support professions, but for damage-dealing professions�� no one doesn��t want an Epic Weapon.


    When the quality reaches epic, the attributes of the weapon become extremely terrifying, and some even come with skills.


    If there��s anything that can level the playing field of differences brought by levels and skills, then it surely must be an Epic Weapon.


    Isa felt puzzled, ��For an Epic Weapon to appear, it must at least be from a Rare Orange Level epic creature, right? You��re currently on the eighth layer; if it��s the ninth layer, I can��t enter.��


    Fannis also nodded, ��The Ice Flower Adventure Team has already reached the thirteenth layer.��


    ��Right, you can��t enter the ninth layer,�� Lin Da smiled, ��but the fifth layer��s Public Grand Secret Realm is accessible repeatedly to all adventurers.��


    ��You��re saying there��s an Epic Demon Creature on the fifth layer?��


    Isa was even more puzzled, ��The Green Plains on the fifth layer have been almost completely scavenged by everyone. How could there possibly be an Epic Demon Creature?��


    ��Theoretically, you are correct,�� Lin Da said. ��But I have the ��key�� to unlock a hidden area.��


    By relying on the Goblin Ring, at specific times and places, one can travel to the nest of the Goblin Prince.


    ��I believe you aren��t lying, but isn��t the number inadequate for fighting an Epic Demon Creature?�� Isa pondered, ��Your team has four people, and with me, it��s only five. Is that enough output to defeat an Epic Demon Creature?��


    ��I��m about to invite the sixth person,�� Lin Da said, rubbing his chin, ��If you think the reward isn��t enough, I can give you a skill.��


    ��Skill?��


    ��Have you ever heard of Fusion Finishing Skills?��


    Isa and Fannis looked at each other.


    Fusion Finishing Skills were something that appeared only in books.


    Not only do these skills have specific requirements, but they also depend on the compatibility of the two people involved. If the compatibility is not right, even if the skills meet the criteria, they cannot merge.


    Lin Da confidently stated, ��Apart from the Gold Coins and equipment as your reward, I can assure you, you will learn a Fusion Finishing Skill. With this, I should be able to enlist you as the Ice Flower Captain, right?��


    ��I���� Isa was about to agree because the value of a Fusion Finishing Skill was extremely high, effectively enhancing the combat power of the adventure team.


    Compared to that, Gold Coins and equipment were just extras.


    But Fannis stopped her �C this resourceful lady from Ice Flower, her eyes gleaming cunningly:


    ��Lin Da, it��s not that I don��t trust you, but how can you be so sure Isa can learn a Fusion Finishing Skill? What kind of ��fusion�� is it? If it��s one of those rare ones, like a fusion of Ice and Dark, we don��t want it. In White Dove City, only the people from the Ghosts have Dark Series.��

 Chapter 257 - 257: 226, the fourth Four-Star Character: [Black Scissors] Mingli

    Chapter 257: 226, the fourth Four-Star Character: [Black Scissors] Mingli


    ��Don��t worry, it��s a common ice and fire fusion,�� Lin Da said with a mysterious smile. ��If she doesn��t learn it in three days, I��ll ��return�� your team leader and pay you three hundred thousand Gold Coins as compensation.��


    Fannis was stunned for a moment. ��You��re not just finding a roundabout way to give Ice Flower money, are you?��


    ��I��m not that generous,�� Lin Da said calmly, sipping his red tea.


    Seeing his confidence, Fannis agreed as well.


    ��Leave the resource gathering in the fifth layer of the Great Mystery Continent to me and the other members, you just follow Lin Da and go hunt Epic Demon Creatures!��


    Fannis, looking every bit the big boss, slapped Isa on the back with a face full of generosity and said to Lin Da, ��You��d better take good care of our Ice Flower��s treasure. The way you take her must be the way you bring her back. Don��t let her lose her virtue.��


    ...


    Isa��s face turned red in an instant: ��Fannis, are you asking for a beating?��


    Lin Da was speechless: ��Who would dare to do such a thing to a level 28 Frost Swordsman?��


    In a cheerful atmosphere, Lin Da settled things with Ice Flower.


    He got on a carriage and headed to another villa.


    To hire the other person for Isa��s ��ice and fire fusion.��


    The reason Lin Da was sure he could teach Isa Fusion Finishing Skills in three days was due to a game plot.


    In the 1.1 version map of White Dove City, there was a side quest called [Ice and Fire Combined].


    The players, Isa, and another Fire Series adventure team leader, by coincidence, joined forces to hunt a formidable Magical Creature.


    At the critical moment, Isa and the other used their Ultimate Skills at the same time, triggering a fusion that dealt a key blow with overwhelming power.


    White Dove City was in version 1.1 at the time, and Lin Da had just completed this side quest.


    ��


    ��


    Thousands of miles north of White Dove City lies a place named Black Mamba City.


    The World Tree there twisted like the coils of a black mamba snake, and the city drew its name from this.


    On a riverside in the wilderness, a girl with dark green curly hair wearing a black dress was hunting the Red Armored Crab King.


    The girl wielded a weapon peculiarly large, almost like oversized scissors.


    ��Cut off, cut off����


    The girl��s face was gloomy, and she muttered incomprehensible phrases repetitively.


    Her teeth were jagged like a shark��s, dripping with thick saliva, and her emerald eyes bounced around in their sockets like rubber balls.


    She would sometimes talk to herself, sometimes let out inexplicable laughter; she seemed mentally unstable.


    The Red Armored Crab King in front of her, even larger than the one Luanwei hunted, was also at an astonishing level 30.


    However, in the hands of the girl with dark green curly hair, the Red Armored Crab King was as weak as an ant.


    Black wings of Magic Power sprouted from the girl��s back, and with a whoosh, she soared into the sky, diving back and forth. Amidst the flashing cold light, the Red Armored Crab King let out pained cries as its huge body fell apart like collapsing building blocks, its legs all severed.


    Just a few seconds passed, and it turned into an extra-large plate of seafood sashimi!


    ��Heh, hehe��cut off, it��s cut off.�� The girl danced with joy and stammered, ��Under, underestimate me, all get, get cut off����


    Despite her words, not a single adventurer in Black Mamba City dared to underestimate the girl, for on her chest hung a badge with a black sun.


    The badge was made of gold, signifying that the girl was part of a Sun Adventure Group.


    ��Mingli, so you were here. Look what I��ve found for you?��


    A carriage approached from a distance, its lively voice carried over.


    A brown-haired girl hopped off the carriage and handed over a newspaper.


    It was the Adventurer��s Weekly from Cangqing Province, listing cities with active, promising adventurers.


    An obscure little city, White Dove City, appeared in a corner of the newspaper.


    Although just a corner��White Dove City hadn��t made it onto the paper in years.


    The last time was when [Mind��s Eye] Abner hunted an Earth Dragon.


    Abner was rated by the Adventurer��s Weekly as one of the most outstanding adventurers of White Dove City, with the potential to be stationed in the provincial capital and become one of the few adventure teams that stands out from a small place.


    Compared to White Dove City, which would only make it to the paper every few years, Black Mamba City appeared every year.


    The brown-haired girl, named Liqi, excitedly patted the newspaper in her hand, ��Mingli, look, another one named Lin Da, Lin Da, the Eye of True Knowledge from White Dove City! I wonder if it��s the person you��re looking for.��


    ��Lin, Lin Lin Lin Da?��


    The girl known as Mingli, upon hearing the name, had an immediate change in her expression.


    The ecstatic expression on Mingli��s face after successfully hunting the Red Armored Crab King disappeared without a trace.


    Her long dark green hair coiled like snakes, making a ��sasa�� sound, swinging in the wind, resembling venomous snakes flicking their tongues, ready to pounce on their prey at any moment.


    ��I hate, hate hate hate hate, those who look down on, on me, call me useless, kick me out, Lin Da��cannot, cannot, cannot forgive!��


    Mingli��s face twisted as she stuck out her long tongue, swishing the gigantic scissors in her hand, thinking to herself: That Lin Da, not only did he kick her out of the team with a foot, he also betrayed his promise to her.


    ��That, the scum, the scumbag that promised to take care of me, I will, surely, surely cut off his magic sword!��


    ��Ha, hahahaha! Hee hee hee hee hee!��


    Mingli waved the giant scissors in the sky, her throat emitting a sharp and eerie laugh that sent shivers down anyone��s spine just by hearing it.


    Seeing this, Liqi sighed.


    She hoped that this time Mingli would find the real Lin Da.


    The previous impostors had all been cut down by Mingli with those scissors, losing their ability to have children.


    Liqi didn��t know exactly what had happened between Mingli and that ��Lin Da��, only vaguely guessing that Mingli seemed to have been betrayed and had turned from a gentle and shy beauty into someone completely unhinged.


    ��What exactly did that Lin Da do to Mingli? He didn��t push her down, did he?��


    The flames of gossip in Liqi��s heart blazed fiercely.


    Just the thought of the dark and twisted Mingli having once been shy in someone��s arms made Liqi��s heart race with excitement.


    In Black Mamba City, Mingli was like a huge, unstable magic guided bomb, someone whose mere presence on the streets frightened everyone. Girls might be spared somewhat, but men had it rough, often getting beaten up by Mingli for no reason at all. sea??h th�� N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    All of this was related to that ��Lin Da��.


    Suddenly, magic wings sprouted from Mingli��s back and she took to the air: ��Liqi, you, you, you, tell the team leader that I, I will be away for a few days!��


    ��White Dove City is quite far. Don��t rush and use up all your magic power, okay?��


    Liqi cautioned.


    Mingli didn��t reply, her black magic wings flapping as she flew toward White Dove City.


    At this speed, she would likely arrive in about three days.


    ��


    The next morning.


    A luxurious hotel in White Dove City.


    ��General, stop being petulant, you haven��t lost yet. It��s just that those three got there before you,�� Lady Bai Mian said with a headache, looking towards the pink-haired girl rolling on the large bed. Ever since she returned from the Phoenix Tail Flower villa, General Xilin had been in a petulant mood, shouting things like ��I��ve been cuckolded, my head is so heavy, I might as well have three World Trees growing out of it�� and such.


    ��I can accept one person, but they were throwing a silver party! You know what a silver party is, right!�� Xilin pouted pitifully, ��He also said he wouldn��t forget about me, but right after saying that, he went downstairs to join the silver party! Won��t you be angry?!��


    ��General, don��t forget that you are one of the Twelve Belongings, capable of eternal life. In a hundred or two hundred years, when they are all dead of old age, you will still be forever young,�� Lady Bai Mian said respectfully.


    ��Is that so?�� Xilin perked up immediately, the tantrum from before seeming utterly feigned. Her moods swung quickly from bad to good.


    ��General, should we leave White Dove City now?�� Upon seeing Xilin��s recovery, Lady Bai Mian breathed a sigh of relief and quickly suggested they leave.


    They had exposed their identities, and if Lin Da reported this matter and they were confronted by a powerful adventurer, things could get messy.


    ��I know what you��re afraid of, but don��t worry,�� Xilin said with a smile. ��Even if Lin Da wanted to defeat me, he would definitely come in person.��


    ��As a general, I have reasons I must remain in White Dove City.��


    Xilin��s eyes glittered, ��The world of adventurers is very dirty. Now that Lin Da has appeared in Adventurer��s Weekly, I wonder if the two ��good brothers�� from Red Heart City and South Rock City will feel upset and want to get rid of the rising star of White Dove City?��


    ��Although adventurers are more united than ever under the shadow of His Majesty the Demon King��s imminent resurgence, people are filthy at heart. What if a high-rank adventurer turns against Lin Da?��


    Xilin didn��t believe in the good side of adventurers.


    She appeared to be laughing and optimistic, but that was only because she had prepared for the worst.


    ��So, General, what you mean is����


    Lady Bai Mian was a bit confused.


    It almost felt like one of His Majesty the Demon King��s Twelve Belongings was becoming a bodyguard for the adventurer Lin Da.


    In Lady Bai Mian��s eyes, the reason for Xilin��s reluctance to leave was purely to protect Lin Da in secret.


    To look for those who would dare to make a move against Lin Da.


    As one of the Twelve Belongings, Xilin was no low ranking figure, reaching the Moon Rank.


    In the area surrounding White Dove City, the highest-ranking adventurers were only at Moon Rank.


    Moreover, they were all from Red Heart City and South Rock City; White Dove City itself had no Moon rank adventurers.


    Frankly, Lady Bai Mian didn��t think that the adventurers would be foolish enough to engage in internal conflicts at such a critical time.


    But Xilin stubbornly refused to believe it and insisted on staying in White Dove City to see if anyone dared to provoke her brother.


    Lady Bai Mian inwardly complained: This was no ordinary protective sibling; this was extreme sibling obsession!


    You weren��t even invited to Lin Da��s silver party, yet you still think about secretly protecting him �C no wonder you deserve green hair growing on your head!


    But of course, Lady Bai Mian couldn��t say such things out loud.


    She laughed dryly, ��As expected of the General, such thorough consideration. I am in awe.��


    ��Of course,�� Xilin said proudly, her lips curling up, ��Whoever dares to touch my brother, I will kill!��


    Lady Bai Mian shuddered.


    It was a good thing she had slipped away before the Monster Tide.


    Otherwise, had she seen Lin Da��s outstanding performance, who knows, she might have made a move against him!


    The consequences of that, unthinkable.

 Chapter 258 - 258: 227. Lin Da helps them understand each others intentions.

    Chapter 258: 227. Lin Da helps them understand each other��s intentions. S��arch* The N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Adventurers�� Guild fourth floor, a training field reserved for VIP squads.


    On the mirror-like faux wooden floor, the boots of the girls echoed crisply as they stepped.


    ��Ahhhhhh����


    ��Stop messing up, Lia!��


    Isa, holding a rapier, had a stern look on her face.


    She and another girl with short red hair crossed their swords as they attacked a test dummy ahead of them.


    ...


    Isa��s old rival in the Fusion Finishing Skills�� ��Fire�� element was none other than Lia.


    Isa thought Lin Da was joking.


    Only those with excellent compatibility could trigger the Fusion Finishing Skills.


    Their compatibility?


    If it weren��t negative, that alone would have been pretty good.


    ��We keep failing, and it��s clearly your fault! If it weren��t for the need to hunt that Epic Demon Creature, I wouldn��t be teaming up with you!��


    Lia glared back at Isa, unwilling to appear weaker.


    Lured by Lin Da with 200,000 Gold Coin and a guaranteed level 20 Orange Equipment, Lia was attracted.


    But with Lia��s personality, hearing Lin Da challenge an Epic Demon Creature, she would have likely come running even without a reward.


    Killing an Epic Demon Creature was a matter of honor, something to boast about for a lifetime.


    Lia herself also liked challenging strong opponents.


    So, the moment Lin Da spoke, she didn��t even pay close attention to the reward amount, just patted her chest and showed up.


    ��Quick.��


    ��Now is the time, merge your Magic Power in harmony!��


    Lin Da stood aside, arms crossed, observing.


    Feeling the moment was just right, he hurriedly spoke up to remind them.


    The two girls, one silver-haired and one red-haired, released the light of Battle Qi from their swords.


    Their hair began to flutter.


    A powerful aura rose slowly like a beast lifting its head.


    Just when they were about to reach the final step of ��launching,�� but with a loud bang, the Battle Qi in their swords��water and fire��were incompatible, causing an explosion!


    Isa and Lia fell to the ground.


    From Lin Da��s perspective, he could see red -500 appearing above their heads.


    This was the result of a fusion failure, triggering internal injuries��


    Lia, in pain, was rubbing her stomach, while Isa was rubbing her wrist.


    ��What the hell are you doing! We always fail! Isa, are you doing this on purpose to annoy me?�� Lia, reverting to her usual habits, Scolded while hands on her hips, glaring at Isa, convinced that the problem was entirely someone else��s.


    Isa frowned and said, ��I��m giving those words right back to you. Don��t think you can do whatever you want just because you��re with your old teammate.��


    For Isa, this training session was like ��fighting on away ground.��


    The relationship between Lia and Lin Da was clearly not something she could compare with.


    She felt a notch lower in morale than Lia.


    ��You want to fight, is that it?��


    ��Lia, I��m not afraid of you!��


    ��Bring it on, let��s fight.��


    Kafni watched the drama unfold, holding a bag of roasted cookies.


    The training field was a mess.


    Lin Da had his hands full.


    ��Stop it, both of you. If we can��t master the Fusion Finishing Skills in three days, this hunt will have to wait until next month.��


    Lin Da walked over and knocked on Lia��s head, then gave Isa an apologetic smile.


    ��Why hit me and not her?��


    ��Not fair, how dare you hit me, Lin Da!��


    Lia, holding her aching head, suddenly realized��a usually honest Lin Da dared to be so unrestrained as to hit her!


    Lin Da frowned: ��Lia, are you here to play, or to learn the Fusion Finishing Skills and hunt the Epic Demon Creature?��


    ��Erm�� of course, I am not here to play.��


    ��Then focus and practice,�� Lin Da sighed. ��Only when your intentions are in harmony can you merge the two completely different types of Battle Qi.��


    ��If you can��t smoothly hold hands for ��Twin Sword Harmony,�� then let me act as the mediator.��


    Lin Da grabbed Isa��s hand with his left and Lia��s with his right.


    ��I��m from the Recovery Series, compatible with all but the Dark attribute, so feel free to use me as a stepping-stone, placing all your focus on merging your Battle Qi.��


    Lin Da guessed, having these two rivals hold hands to perform a Finishing Skill would be challenging, so he simply decided to grasp their hands himself.


    This scene stunned the three members of the Phoenix Tail Flower squad who were training in the distance.


    Sometimes, Lin Da��s thought processes were indeed peculiar.


    Lulu��s face instantly turned dark.


    Initially, Lulu was on a nearby yoga mat doing weighted sit-ups.


    Today the werewolf girl was dressed in a black crop top and shorts, wrapping her plump buttocks, and her tail wagging cheerfully. However, upon seeing Lin Da holding the hands of the two girls, Lulu��s tail abruptly stopped wagging, and her eyes glared icily at Lin Da��s back.


    Lin Da did not notice the chill coming from behind him.


    All his attention was focused on the fusion finishing skills.


    When Lin Da unexpectedly grabbed the hands of the two girls, they were momentarily stunned, a flicker of panic crossing their eyes.


    Isa��s heart pounded as she thought, ��Is this what holding hands with the opposite sex feels like? Warm and comfortable! Does Lulu get to do this with Lin Da every day?��


    ��No, I mustn��t think about it anymore! Lin Da already has a girlfriend, and I absolutely must not disgrace myself by interfering with them!��


    ��Isa, remember the real reason you��re here!��


    Isa bit her tongue secretly to maintain clarity through the pain.


    She was here because of her ��disappointment�� in Lin Da.


    During this tough battle against an epic demon creature, she had hoped to see Lin Da��s flustered side, shattering the image of the all-capable commander she held in her heart.


    She couldn��t let being led by the hand by Lin Da weaken her resolve.


    Lin Da was just a casual friend, even less than a ��friend.��


    Even now, they were only holding hands for the sake of training.


    Having realized this, Isa��s mood gradually stabilized.


    She gripped Lin Da��s hand a little harder, channeling her Ice Douqi into Lin Da��s body.


    Like a hook, using Lin Da as a springboard to provoke Lia��s Fire Fighting Qi.


    Compared to Isa��s composure, Lia was much more unsettled.


    ��Wh-what are you doing!�� Lia��s eyes widened, ��Who allowed you to hold my hand!��


    ��But you two can��t sync up to trigger the Battle Qi fusion, can you?�� Lin Da sighed in frustration. ��I could clearly see how both of you were competing through the angle of your grips, turning your knuckles red.��


    ��Uh�� it was her who started it,�� Lia pointed at Isa, trying to deflect the blame.


    Lin Da��s eyelids twitched, and he couldn��t help but lament internally: Lia��s temper, still not completely improved, when could she genuinely grow up to become the respected Bursting Flames from the game��


    ��Stop wasting time, start practicing now.��


    Lin Da urged the two to hold the swords.


    After trying for a while, not only did they not succeed, but they failed even faster, unable to circulate their Battle Qi at all!


    What��s going on?


    Lin Da scratched his head in confusion, his gaze noting that both their earlobes were a bit red, looking like fresh, delicious cherries.


    But the training hall had a temperature control magic circle, it was neither too cold nor too hot, always maintaining a comfortable temperature.


    A beat too slow, Lin Da suddenly realized, could it be because of being led by hand, they couldn��t concentrate?


    Lin Da could feel Isa��s delicate and slender fingers, the pads of her fingertips soft, her palm slightly sweaty.


    From a health perspective, this was somewhat weak.


    The small hand on the right, however, curled up like a shivering little animal, without any strength, relying entirely on his grip.


    ��Why are you all so nervous, have you never held hands with the opposite sex before?�� Lin Da asked, puzzled.


    As someone with a sister, Lin Da had this experience from early on. Even when holding the hands of the two girls, his mindset remained normal.


    ��What, are you looking down on someone!�� Lia reacted fiercely, her eyebrows fiercely furrowed and her small fangs bared like a threatening wild animal.


    Isa calmly flicked her silver long hair with her hand, ��As a mature adventurer, I��ve definitely been through this before.��


    Only it was when she was a child, being led by her father while shopping, Isa secretly thought.


    Lia, on the other hand, simply pretended to be tough.


    Coming from the slums, not favored by Baron Augutuo of the Mandala family, Lia had never even touched her father��s hand from childhood to this day, being singly all her life.


    Although Lin Da��s inquiry was just a casual question, it nonetheless broke through the defenses of both girls.


    ��Alright, I��ll help them then,�� Lulu said.


    With a white towel draped around her neck for wiping sweat, Lulu approached with a fragrant breeze.


    With an expressionless face, she snatched the hands of the two girls from Lin Da and sneered, ��If you don��t improve, I��ll kick you out of the raid team.��


    ��Of c-course we can do it,�� Lia still really wanted to combat the epic demon creature.


    Isa nodded slightly, ��I��ll take it seriously.��


    Strangely, once Lin Da left, the two of them got on the right track, and their Battle Qi fusion progress gradually increased.


    Lin Da, confused, pondered whether Lulu was actually a great teacher skilled at guiding others.


    By the end of the morning, Isa and Lia were drenched in sweat.


    According to this fusion progress, they should catch up before the Great Mystery Continent opens.


    In the afternoon, after everyone had eaten, they started the simulated training to combat the Goblin Prince.


    Lin Da, stationed at the forefront of the training ground, set up the array, generating an illusionary Goblin Prince.


    Using a specially made magic controller, Lin Da manipulated the Goblin Prince to attack everyone, refining their teamwork.


    But no matter how familiar Lin Da was with the Goblin Prince, the illusion spawned, and the actual magical creature still had some disparities.


    Lin Da��s goal was to let them get accustomed to the various attacks of the Goblin Prince.


    In this simulation training, Lin Da took on the role of a strict teacher.


    ��Lia, you��re charging too far forward; if it was the real Goblin Prince, that ��Royal Assassination�� just now would have penetrated your chest.��


    ��Isa, you��re playing it too safe; you can trust the Phoenix Tail Flower team a bit more.��


    ��Kafni, no slacking off; keep slacking and I��ll dock your entire month��s pay!��


    Lin Da��s stern voice struck like a series of whips, causing the members to complain incessantly.


    But there was one person who performed very well.


    Every two hours, they would only get criticized by Lin Da once.


    And the mistakes this team member made were relatively minor ones.

 Chapter 259 - 259: 228, Fusion successful, Ice and Fire Symphony

    Chapter 259: 228, Fusion successful, Ice and Fire Symphony


    This team member was none other than the Frost Wolf Warrior, Lulu.


    When Lulu entered combat mode, her ears grew larger, her tail became thicker, and her gaze turned cold and detached, just like a lone wolf of the icy plains.


    Lulu��s combat skills were quite seasoned, devoid of flashy moves, she aimed every strike at the magical creatures�� weak points.


    At dinner that evening, Lin Da personally cooked and singled out Lulu for praise for her performance that day.


    Lulu��s expression remained calm, as she skillfully sliced her steak with knife and fork and placed a piece in her mouth.


    But everyone saw her tail wagging rapidly back and forth, sweeping the ground so clean that not a speck of dust remained, even the fur on her tail became dirty.


    ...


    Lia felt somewhat discontent, she buried her head in her meal, pondering over mastering her Fusion Finishing Skills quickly so that she could impress Lin Da.


    In the blink of an eye, it was the morning of the third day of the training camp.


    It was also the last day before the opening of the Great Mystery Continent.


    Just yesterday, the World Tree Divine Court had made an announcement.


    A notice edged with gold, featuring the lush green World Tree as its background, was posted in the most conspicuous place on the Adventurers�� Guild��s notice board.


    [At exactly 12:00 PM on the 27th of September, the fifth floor of the Great Mystery Continent will open for 3 days. This opening will bring down a ��Small Space Blessing��, increasing the capacity of all adventure teams�� Material Bracelets by 50%.]


    In Lin Da��s room, he woke up early, sitting at his desk with the notice in his hand.


    ��The fifth floor of the Great Mystery Continent is about to open, I hope Isa and Lia can complete their Fusion Finishing Skills today.��


    As he pondered, Lin Da tapped his fingers on the desk, his eyes once again scanning the text on the notice.


    There were two keywords inside,[Small Space Blessing]and[Material Bracelet].


    The so-called Material Bracelet is a special piece of equipment formed en masse by the divine power of the World Tree Goddess, which adventurers can receive from their local Adventurers�� Guild after passing through the fourth floor.


    The function of the Material Bracelet is to store materials gathered within the Great Mystery Continent.


    The materials must be placed into this bracelet in order to be successfully taken out; otherwise, no matter how many precious materials one has on their person, when adventurers use the Teleportation Stone to return, the materials will stay behind within the World Tree.


    Depending on the floor the adventurers are on, the ��Point Limit�� of the Material Bracelet also differs.


    For example, the white jade-like Material Bracelet Lin Da held in his hand had a point limit of 100, and picking a most common white-quality Fruit of the World Tree would consume 10 points.


    In other words, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team could bring back at most 10 Fruits of the World Tree at one time.


    That was under the assumption of incredibly good luck.


    The fifth floor is the most basic Public Grand Secret Realm where magic power is sparse, not many Fruits of the World Tree could grow, and on top of that, there��s the highest number of adventurers. If any fruit appeared, it would be quickly picked.


    Without strength and luck, the 100 Material Points are basically impossible to use up.


    Lin Da silently thought that from the 10th floor onwards, there would start to appear trees that consistently refreshed the Fruits of the World Tree.


    And regarding the ordinary materials in the fifth floor of the Great Mystery Continent, their value wasn��t that great, so he didn��t need to rush to gather them and should focus on subjugating the Goblin Prince first.


    At seven o��clock in the morning, Lin Da finished breakfast and went to the Adventurers�� Guild��s training room.


    Tap, tap, tap.


    As soon as he pushed the door open, he heard footsteps inside.


    Who was so diligent as to start training before him?


    Entering Lin Da��s view were the backs of two young girls, one silver and one red.


    The one in red jumped up excitedly, raising her greatsword and cheering, ��Success, finally success! I��m truly exceptional, hahaha!��


    The silver-haired girl wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand, her lips curled up with excitement.


    In front of the two girls, the training dummy was devastated, completely battered and charred, covered in gashes as if sliced by icy blades before being scorched by fierce flames.


    Within a five-meter radius centered on the dummy, the ground was pitch-black.


    The training room��s defense was substantial, with the floor made of [Basalt] and the dummy crafted from [Occam��s Resin]. Ordinary level 20 adventurers�� ultimate skills could hardly leave a mark on the facility, much less damage it.]


    But the power of their fusion finishing skills was comparable to that of a Star-ranked adventurer.


    Under the ravaging of the Fire Tornado and Ice Storm, the dummy was almost completely destroyed.


    They had also thought of a name for their fusion finishing skills.


    At the moment this skill was born, an epiphany struck both of them, and they exclaimed the name in unison:


    ����Ice and Fire Symphony!


    Lin Da was a step too late and didn��t get to witness this fusion finishing move in person.


    But he had seen it through the screen while playing the game scenario.


    A skill with an extremely high multiplier and area of effect damage.


    Next to the dummy was a damage display, and the numbers were slightly higher than Lin Da had anticipated.


    The fusion finishing move��s total damage by 27th level Flame Swordsman Lia and 28th level Frost Swordsman Isa was: 143,000.


    This number was very close to the finishing moves of some adventur*rs who had just reached Star Rank.


    Lin Da thought to himself: Considering the dummy��s defensive power was zero, and the full damage was true damage, if this Ice and Fire Symphony were used on the white-maned male lion that the Phoenix Tail Flower Team had previously hunted, it would probably deal a total damage of around 120,000.


    That��s more than half the health of the white-maned male lion.


    Now that Lia and Isa had mastered their fusion finishing skills, they were poised to unleash a force greater than the sum of their individual strengths.


    ��Congratulations.��


    Lin Da approached the two jubilant young girls and said with a smile.


    ��Aren��t you going to ask what the fusion finishing skill is?�� Lia proudly puffed out her chest.


    ��Since I was confident in your ability to succeed in the fusion, how could I not know what the finishing skill would be afterward?�� Lin Da patted Lia��s shoulder, ��Remember to follow my instructions during the hunt; don��t use it recklessly.��


    ��Okay.�� Lia nodded in agreement.


    However, a trace of doubt crossed Isa��s mind.


    She had been wondering why Lin Da knew they could use a fusion finishing skill and even knew about the Epic Demon Creatures hidden in the fifth level of the Great Mystery Continent?


    Could it be that Lin Da used to be a formidable adventurer?


    Otherwise, where did he get such valuable information from?


    A flame of curiosity blazed within Isa��s heart. She blinked her big eyes at Lin Da, itching to ask about his past.


    ��Isa, what��s wrong?�� Lin Da asked, puzzled.


    ��Uh, nothing, I��m just a bit tired from practicing all morning,�� Isa quickly waved her hand, brushing it off.


    She hadn��t forgotten her real purpose.


    No matter what kind of past Lin Da had, it was irrelevant to her.


    After all�� Lin Da was someone who had a ��current girlfriend�� and a host of ��hidden girlfriends��!


    Isa would never allow herself to become a despicable person meddling in someone else��s emotions.


    This was a transaction between adventure teams.


    Lin Da helped her master the fusion finishing skills, and she would help Lin Da in hunting magical creatures.


    ��That��s all there is to it.��


    Isa murmured to herself, her head lowered.


    Dusk.


    After today, it would be the day the fifth level of the Great Mystery Continent opened.


    At the notice board of the Adventurers�� Guild��s live strategy feed, there were several new broadcast reminders from Rock-level Squads. S��ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 260 - 260: 229, Tasya longs for a touch

    Chapter 260: 229, Tasya longs for a touch


    [9.27, Slay the Evil Dragon Adventure Team: Beautiful Captain Minnie live playing with plants, teaching you how to identify useful magical materials (Paid/admission 20 gold per person)]


    [9.27, Valiant Adventure Team Robert: A strong contender for the Iron Level Adventure Team, tries to find the Fruit of the World Tree. Whether found or not, three lucky viewers will win a giveaway (Paid/admission 50 gold per person)]


    [9.27, Snow Goose Adventure Team Aiko: Beautiful girl��s picnic, come and watch! Five lucky viewers will win chicken soup! Rest assured, this live broadcast won��t be troubled by annoying Polia! (Paid/admission 10 gold per person)]


    In front of the notice board, the crowd surged.


    ��It��s a live show by Holy Mage Miss Aiko! I missed it last time, but this time I must watch it. 10 gold coins is such a bargain, you have to buy a ticket to see it!��


    ��Tsk tsk, Valiant Adventure Team really knows how to impress, putting up the Fruit of the World Tree for 50 gold coins. Even the poorest quality white Fruit of the World Tree would cost 1000 gold.��


    ...


    ��I want to learn about magical materials from Captain Minnie!��


    A group of people hurried to the counter to buy tickets.


    By tomorrow, they could enter a specific room with their tickets to watch the respective adventure teams�� live broadcasts.


    ��Isn��t there a live show from the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team?��


    The speaker was a swordsman with golden curly hair.


    He stood in front of the notice board with a lively spirit, wearing neat clothes and shiny boots.


    Many who knew him almost didn��t recognize him.


    Half a month ago, this man had the look of a half-dead vagrant who had given up hope on adventuring and was ready to just drift along.


    This man was indeed Finch, the adventurer who had failed in the World Tree and lost the courage to wield his sword.


    Finch had been saved by Lin Da twice.


    Once in spirit, and once in body.


    During the Monster Tide, Finch was nearly killed by the giant pincers of a Murderous Crab, and it was Lin Da who arrived just in time.


    And in spirit�� Lin Da��s strategy live broadcasts gave Finch the courage to grasp the sword again.


    Finch, who had been stuck on the 6th floor, recruited new team members, reached the 8th floor by using Lin Da��s methods, and no one was left behind.


    Now, Finch was a level 16 adventurer.


    Finch��s impression of Lin Da had undergone changes in three stages.


    From a nearly equal competitor at the beginning, to an enviable lucky guy, and then, after seeing Lin Da��s strategy broadcasts and reaching the 8th floor using Lin Da��s methods, Finch had become a complete fan of Lin Da.


    In the Support Group for the Eye of True Knowledge, Finch took the position of vice-captain.


    The Great Mystic Realm on the fifth floor was Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team��s first entry, and Finch had long been expecting whether Lin Da would start a strategy broadcast to teach everyone how to fight the magical creatures of the fifth floor Mystic Realm.


    But after looking around, he did not find the Phoenix Tail Flower��s name.


    Finch sighed.


    He was about to leave when he saw a guild worker run over with several notices.


    ��Excuse me.��


    The guild staff brought over a small ladder, climbed to the top, and put up the new notices.


    Finch��s curiosity made him stop in his tracks. S��arch* The n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That spot was the kind of treatment reserved for Iron Level adventure teams.


    However, the announcement was not about an Iron Level adventure team.


    Because the captain of that team was a Glorious Adventurer.


    He had special privileges at the guild.


    The onlookers near the notice board, upon seeing the contents above, had expressions that instantly became extremely exaggerated.


    Some rubbed their eyes, fearing they had read it wrong, while others stood dumbfounded, questioning the authenticity of the notice.


    The content of the notice was:


    [9.27, Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team: Captain Lin Da joins hands with Snow Goose Captain Lia and Ice Flower Captain Isa to subdue the hidden Epic Demon Creature in the fifth floor Great Mystery Realm! (Free/limited to 1000 people)]


    Three highly anticipated teams joining forces to conquer an Epic Demon Creature!


    This was like dropping a huge rock into a calm pond, causing the fish within to boil over in an instant.


    Such explosive news should have been hyped up months in advance, so why has it been tossed out so casually?


    The most outrageous part was that it was free.


    A live broadcast of subduing a hidden Epic Demon Creature, and it��s free to watch?


    The crowd looked at each other in disbelief, unable to make heads or tails of it.


    The captain of this Phoenix Tail Flower was being way too generous, right?


    The absurdity was like walking in a filthy alley and being dragged into a room by an scantily clad elf miss. After all is said and done, not only do you not owe any money, but you are also given 10 gold coins as a thank you��making you suspect whether something shady is going on in that room, like catching a disease or something!


    ��If it were the Specter Adventure Group, they might be conning everyone into showing up�� But this is the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team. I think it��s reasonable!��


    Finch said aloud, ��The captain of Phoenix Tail Flower really wants to teach us how to subdue an Epic Demon Creature!��


    ��Wait, this live broadcast is free, but it seems to be limited to 1000 people?��


    ��Just 1000, that��s not nearly enough!��


    ��I��m a staff member, just to let you know, those who can��t see the live broadcast on the day can purchase the replay video. If we don��t set a limit, all our halls will be filled with people watching the Phoenix Tail Flower broadcasts.��


    That being said.


    But watching a video, how could that be as thrilling as the live experience?


    People rushed towards the counter desperately.


    ��A Phoenix Tail Flower ticket for me, please, thank you!��


    ��I want one too!��


    ��Don��t push!��


    Within just a few minutes,


    the thousand live-view tickets for Phoenix Tail Flower were sold out.


    While they were free factors certainly played a part, the truth was, even if not for free, just for the reputation of the three captains joining hands to hunt an Epic Level Demon Creature, plenty of people would buy them even for a hundred gold coins each.


    Many adventurers who failed to grab a ticket simply squatted at the entrance in wait.


    ��Do you have a Phoenix Tail Flower ticket? I��ll pay three hundred gold coins for it.��


    ��Three hundred? I��ll give five hundred! It��s the hunt for an Epic Demon Creature, wouldn��t it usually sell for a thousand gold?��


    ��Then I sell it for nine hundred.��


    ��You little����


    The live-view tickets of Phoenix Tail Flower caused quite a stir at the Adventurers�� Guild.


    That evening, some even got into fights and were hauled off by knights from the Law Enforcement Bureau.


    Besides issuing the 1,000 free tickets for Phoenix Tail Flower, the Adventurers�� Guild also created several VIP tickets and distributed them among various Steel Level Adventure Teams and some veteran Rock Level Teams.


    What the common folk did not know was that, although the live-view seemed to be free, President Velen had, in the name of White Dove City Adventure Guild, paid Lin Da 1 million gold coins when they negotiated.


    Lin Da was willing to treat the adventurers of White Dove City well, and as an official of White Dove City, President Velen naturally wouldn��t fall short in his duties.


    To freeload off Lin Da once or twice was acceptable, but too often could lead to Lin Da being poached by neighboring Red Heart City or South Rock City.


    Even though White Dove City Adventure Guild paid Lin Da one million gold, from a long-term perspective, these million were more than worth it.


    The adventurers attracted by Lin Da��s reputation would continuously join White Dove City, expanding the city��s size.


    The more adventurers there were, the more prosperous the city, and the higher the house prices could be.


    But that was a story for another time.


    In short, within an afternoon, the news of Phoenix Tail Flower��s hunt for an Epic Demon Creature the next day spread throughout White Dove City.


    White Dove Adventure Team��s quarters.


    Leopard Princess Jiete received the VIP ticket sent over by the Adventurers�� Guild.


    In the spacious armchair, Leopard Princess Jiete lounged with one leg crossed over the other.


    Her thighs were plump and smooth, yet not lacking in muscle tone, filled with explosive power.


    Jiete glanced at the contents of the notice and handed it over to Gale, ��For free? Is this Phoenix Tail Flower trying to curry favor with President Velen?��


    A free strategy could attract adventurers from other cities to settle down and also bring some fame to White Dove City.


    ��Too trivial, the scope is too trivial.��


    Gale took the notice, read it, then shook his head with a light smile, ��The one Lin Da probably wants to please is not President Velen, but�� the adventuring community itself.��


    ��What do you mean?�� Jiete frowned.


    ��The most numerous in this world are the lower-level adventurers; they are the poor who can��t afford equipment or spare the gold coins to watch expensive live-view events. But being lower-level doesn��t mean they will stay that way in the future. Family circumstances, financial status, various external factors may hold them back from advancing.��


    Gale��s eyes shimmered with a keen light, ��If those people are given enough opportunities, it��s not impossible that a batch of geniuses might emerge, stronger even than you or me.��


    ��The weak are just that, weak, with no other reason behind it,�� Jiete dismissed the idea. ��You mean to say Lin Da wants to use a free strategy to help the useless low-level adventurers progress?��


    ��That��s only part of the reason.��


    ��There��s more?��


    ��What Lin Da is plotting is probably much bigger than we assume,�� Gale sighed. ��I thought Lin Da��s biggest aim was to reach Sunrise Level Adventure Teams, but it seems that��s not the case.��


    ��Stop beating around the bush,�� Jiete, almost dizzy with confusion, slapped her thick leopard tail in irritation.


    Gale shrank his neck and explained, ��To qualify to enter the Royal Sanctuary and the main World Tree that reaches the 50th floor, a team that carries the hopes of all adventurers�� must possess either extreme strength or reputation. With that said, do you understand now?��


    Jiete paused, her expression changing, ��You mean, Lin Da is laying the groundwork for later entering the Sanctuary��s World Tree? How could that be? They haven��t even reached Iron Level yet and they are scheming about the top of the World Tree?��


    ��It��s just my intuition,�� shrugged Gale. ��It might just be that there are not so many complex reasons, and Lin Da is simply too kind to want to make money. It depends on which one you��re more willing to believe.��


    ��


    Meanwhile, in The Mandalas family estate in White Dove City,


    in an elegant small room,


    Tasya, dressed in a black and white maid��s outfit, stood statue-like by a desk.


    The window was open, letting in the cool breeze of the twilight.


    The white curtains fluttered gently, like a caring hand caressing Tasya��s cheeks.


    In a daze, Tasya saw him again, the quiet man in black sitting at the desk.


    As usual, she waited for his orders.


    To close the window, to brew a cup of ��White Striped Cat Coffee�� from the 20th floor of the World Tree, extra bitter with no sugar.


    After doing these tasks, she had a one-in-four chance of receiving ��a pat on the head�� from Dark Shadow.


    As for why there was a one-in-four chance, it was a result Tasya had calculated after meticulous tallying.


    She did not know when Dark Shadow would pat her head and when he would not. But with each preparation, she waited expectantly, ready to crouch down like an obedient kitten before her master.

 Chapter 262 - 262: 231, Tasya arrives, Aikos older brother appears

    Chapter 262: 231, Tasya arrives, Aiko��s older brother appears


    At the same moment, in the Inner City District Adventurers�� Guild.


    The live coverage of the Phoenix Tail Flower��s strategy was set up in the large hall on the second floor.


    Adventurers crowded around, gathering in front of a huge suspended magic screen.


    The live feed hadn��t started yet; the screen remained dark. S��ar?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    During this waiting period, adventurers ordered some wheat beer and dried meat, eating and drinking as they waited.


    ��This is my first time watching the subjugation of an Epic Demon Creature.��


    ...


    ��It seems like many big shots are here today. I��ve seen more than a dozen Rock-level Adventure Teams alone.��


    ��People from the White Dove Adventure Group are here too!��


    In the hall, there were distinctly two groups of people; one group, who entered with free tickets, stood in front of the screen, were ordinary adventurers.


    The other group had VIP tickets from the Adventurers�� Guild and sat on sofas, enjoying free food and drinks, were veteran teams.


    This privilege was reserved for only seven or eight Rock-level Adventure Teams.


    All three Steel Level Adventure Groups were present.


    The White Dove Adventure Group was seated at the center of the VIP area.


    The long table was laden with various fresh fruits, branded drinks, and snacks.


    Gale lay languidly on a sofa, with a charming Elf Miss massaging his shoulders.


    ��Daring to subjugate an Epic Demon Creature, Phoenix Tail Flower has more cards up their sleeve than I imagined.��


    Gale was curious��relying solely on the battle strength Phoenix Tail Flower had shown publicly wasn��t enough to subjugate an Epic Demon Creature.


    But considering Lin Da��s prudent character, Gale didn��t think this was a reckless subjugation action.


    So, how would Lin Da kill the Epic Demon Creature?


    Or rather, where is the fifth floor��s Epic Demon Creature?


    Once the Great Mystery Continent opens again and the creatures are refreshed, the White Dove Adventure Group could also go for a subjugation.


    People from Ghost and Bedrock probably harbored the same plans.


    Gale glanced sideways toward the left side of the VIP area.


    Hulus and Rhode were also there.


    And�� that girl with pink hair.


    Gale somewhat remembered her from the Phoenix Tail Flower��s promotion party.


    She wasn��t a local adventurer from White Dove City, yet she was sitting in the VIP area.


    This indicated that the girl��s rank wasn��t low, at least a Star Rank.


    The Adventurers�� Guild in White Dove City, aiming to attract Star-ranked adventurers from other places, offered many privileges, including free viewing of all the strategy live feeds in White Dove City.


    ��You noticed that girl too?�� Abner��s eyes opened a sliver.


    ��Yeah. An unfamiliar Star Rank, a friend of Lin Da?�� Gale asked with interest.


    Abner slightly shook his head, ��Not just that, I��m not sure I could win against her.��


    Gale had just popped a grape into his mouth when he heard this and nearly dropped it.


    If even Abner wasn��t sure of winning, could she be�� Moon Rank?


    Was that pink-haired girl from the Sun Adventure Group?


    Jite next to him suddenly showed intense fighting spirit, his eyes fiercely fixed on the girl who was leaning on the table drinking orange juice, murmuring, ��Moon Rank, huh? I really want to test my skills against hers.��


    ��You better not,�� Gale said, holding back Jite. ��She has Magic Wings; what could you use to fight when she flies? The whole team together might stand a chance.��


    ��A Moon Rank coming to White Dove City without even greeting us, isn��t that a challenge?�� Jite said defiantly.


    Even a mighty dragon should yield to the local snake.


    Gale helplessly held his head, ��That depends on the situation. If you went to a city where the highest adventure team rank was Rock Level, would you greet them?��


    ��No,�� Jite admitted.


    ��Well, there you have it.��


    Gale shrugged, ��They really don��t need to recognize you.��


    Jite was left speechless by the retort.


    At another table, Celine was forcefully sucking on her straw.


    The pulp of the orange had blocked it, she pulled with a grave expression, sucking until her cheeks hurt, as if she had encountered an unprecedented enemy.


    Having appeared at the Adventurers�� Guild, Celine had disguised herself again.


    She wore a thick brown hat, her pink hair pinned up inside, and a pair of black-framed glasses on her face.


    If it weren��t for Gale observing carefully, he really would have missed her.


    Lady Bai Mian whispered on the side, ��General, a few Star-ranked adventurers seem to have noticed us.��


    ��It doesn��t matter, they don��t know our true identities anyway.��


    Celine waved her hand indifferently, and while sipping her orange juice, she mumbled vaguely, ��Has Lin Da not gotten ready yet? It��s been over an hour since 12 o��clock.��


    Having cleared the fruit pulp stuck in the straw, Celine began to feel idle, the screen remained dark, giving her the urge to throw a tantrum.


    Lady Bai Mian was sweating profusely, pondering how to please Celine, when her eyes lit up, and her lips curled into a smile.


    Looking through the window towards the outside of the hall, Celine chuckled, ��Some interesting fellows have arrived.��


    The sound of footsteps climbing the stairs could be heard.


    It was a swordsman with fiery red hair and a silver-haired woman with light brown skin dressed in a maid��s outfit.


    ��Thunder Swordmaster Dawen, and Storm Tasya!��


    ��What brings people from the Scarlet Adventure Group here?��


    ��It must be Dawen visiting his sister, after all, Lia also participated in the hunt for the Epic Demon Creature.��


    The hall erupted into discussion.


    Abner and others greeted Dawen briefly.


    ��What brings you here��?�� Gale asked curiously, looking at Tasya.


    Dawen replied, ��My friend here wanted to meet Lin Da, but unfortunately, the timing was bad, and we missed him.��


    Standing by the sofa, Tasya positioned her hands stacked in the large pockets of her maid��s dress, her body straight, her demeanor and posture flawless.


    ��Always Lin Da���� Gale chuckled dryly, ��Why is it that all the beautiful girls flock to Lin Da��s side?��


    By Gale��s standards, he could easily give Tasya a score of 99. Besides Tasya, that pink-haired girl, suspected to be a Moon Rank, was also here for Lin Da.


    It truly was a case of envy killing a person.


    Gale picked up his mug of wheat beer, downing it in frustration.


    ��Are those two the ��interesting people�� the General was talking about?��


    Lady Bai Mian discreetly looked Dawen and Tasya over.


    ��Them?�� Celine thought for a moment and said, ��They��re somewhat interesting, but the ones I just mentioned weren��t them.��


    ��Who was it��?��


    Lady Bai Mian blinked in confusion.


    In the midst of their conversation, a cold breeze swept through the hall.


    The windows on the second floor were closed, and there was a Temperature Control Magic Circle on the ceiling, but Lady Bai Mian still shivered.


    Only Celine, Abner, and Dawen remained calm.


    Even someone like Hulus, a veteran leader of the Steel Level Adventure Group, had his face change color.


    ��My, my, it��s been a long time since I��ve been to White Dove City, and it��s changed so much; even the floors are tiled and can afford a Temperature Control Magic Circle.��


    A soft male voice came through, clearly reaching everyone��s ears.


    The hall was noisy, but this visitor��s voice dominated over all the noise, flowing like a clear spring.


    Gale��s expression was one of utter amazement: What��s happening? In past years, even a Moon Rank was rarely seen, and today, there are two at once?


    Everyone was guessing who this unexpected guest might be, but one person shuddered, shocked: Why would he come here?

 Chapter 263 - 263: 232. Xi Lin takes action, saving the face of White Dove City!

    Chapter 263: 232. Xi Lin takes action, saving the face of White Dove City!


    Aiko, who should have appeared on the fifth floor of the Great Mystery Continent, heard that Lin Da was starting a live stream, so she secretly donned a black robe and came to observe the battle.


    Having learnt from her failure in the last ��Chicken Soup Plan,�� Aiko bought a bunch of racy booklets to learn from experience, determined to take down Lin Da next time.


    However, she didn��t get to wait for the strategy live stream to begin when an unexpected person appeared.


    After leaving South Rock City, it had been three years since Aiko had last seen that person.


    Aiko tightened her hood and cautiously glanced sideways, stealthily watching the direction of the stairs from the corner of her eye.


    A fear so deep it chilled her bones caused her hands to shake uncontrollably.


    ...


    To Aiko, that person was a strict mentor, a brother, and also a demon!


    From her childhood, Aiko had always lived in the shadow of that man.


    Leaving South Rock City, at least half the reason was because of him.


    A man dressed in white Swordsman Uniform, with soft, golden hair, walked into the hall.


    This man had a handsome face with a gentle smile on his lips and a pair of smiling, squinting eyes.


    One��s first impression of this squint-eyed Swordsman was that he was very approachable and would easily become a friend.


    But upon seeing him, Aiko only felt a chill in her limbs.


    She adjusted the collar of her robe beneath the hood, trying to cover up as much skin as possible; otherwise, that man would surely ask her with a kindly smile,


    ��Aiko, are you trying to tempt the opposite sex? I simply can��t let my only little sister behave so immodestly. As a punishment, recite the Light Arrow Technique a thousand times, and until you��re done, you��re forbidden from sleeping.��


    It was always like that��speaking terrifying words that would chill any Mage to the core until they fainted, all with the kindest of expressions.


    Aiko was not a genius; her achievements came from her early years of hard work, the kind where she put her life on the line.


    That��s why she cast spells so quickly, praised by all as if she were a naturally gifted adventurer.


    But the truth was not like that at all.


    Aiko was driven by a certain ��demon.��


    That ��demon,�� was none other than her big brother,


    South Rock City��s genius Swordsman, the vice-captain of the Holy Rock Adventure Team, Bervis!


    ��Is Bervis here to teach me a lesson? But that��s not right, it��s been three years, the impact of that incident has long gone.��


    Aiko wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. She instinctively held her breath as if the slightest movement would alert Bervis to her presence.


    She couldn��t figure out what Bervis was here for.


    She only knew one thing for certain, she absolutely couldn��t let Bervis find her here!


    After three years, she was only a 28th-level Mage, and if Bervis found out, he would surely teach her a lesson.


    He might even taunt her in public, ruining her good reputation in White Dove City in an instant.


    To put it bluntly, Aiko��s most detested person was this big brother!


    In the hall, Bervis, with hands clasped behind his back, casually surveyed his surroundings as if it was his own living room. S��ar?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bervis shook his head and said, ��There are more than five hundred people in the hall, with an average level of only 11, and this is the Adventurers�� Guild in the Inner City District. The Outer City District��s is even lower.��


    ��The floor tiles of White Dove City have been replaced, and the ceiling has a Temperature Control Magic Circle, but the adventurers are still as lousy as ever; it��s a wonder you all survived the Monster Tide.��


    ��If I had one-tenth of your luck, I wouldn��t have a worthless younger sister who ran away for three years and refused to come back.��


    Bervis spoke in a gentle tone, his standard imperial accent carried a gentlemanly dignity.


    Only the upper class nobility could master such pronunciation which, compared to the adventurers of White Dove City, was as distinct as the difference between standard Mandarin and dialect.


    In another context, just his fluent imperial accent would earn Bervis the favor of many Noble Ladies.


    But, this was the White Dove City Adventure Guild, and Bervis��s words had angered all the adventurers present!


    Bervis was virtually insulting them to their faces, saying that the adventurers of White Dove City were too weak.


    Their low levels, they admitted, were a fact.


    But White Dove City had not resisted the Monster Tide by mere luck.


    White Dove City had ��Mind��s Eye�� Abner, ��Eye of True Knowledge�� Lin Da, Ice Flower, Snow Goose�� and so on; adventure teams had shone brightly during the Monster Tide.


    Many adventurers worked together with great sacrifice to resolve the Monster Tide.


    A battle so grave and a source of pride for the people of White Dove City was dismissed by Bervis with a light ��luck��; how could the spirited adventurers bear it?


    Suddenly, angry curses erupted from the crowd.


    ��Who the hell are you, hanging around other people��s cities showing off? Why don��t you go to Royal Capital and show off there?��


    ��Talking about luck, why don��t you handle the Monster Tide with luck?��


    ��It looks to me like you��re only good with your mouth.��


    Faced with the tidal wave of shouting and abuse from the crowd, Bervis didn��t get angry, the corners of his mouth still adorned with a faint smile:


    ��Ah, that��s why you are bottom-dwellers, rubbish who can��t even see the situation clearly. It��s no surprise that you can��t make it into the Sun Adventure Group.��


    ��What did you say? Have the guts to hit me, I��m ready to lie down and pick out a funeral carriage.��


    ��No problem, your wish is granted.��


    A tremendous force caused the man who had spoken out to cry out in agony as his lower leg broke, and he knelt on the ground.


    Bervis calmly walked over and tossed a bag of gold coins in front of the howling adventurer.


    ��Inside are ten purple gold coins, enough to buy two carriages.��


    ��Anyone else want to try their luck?��


    ��But be warned, next time I won��t be so gentle. You might end up paralyzed from the waist down, unable to ever leave your bed.��


    With an elegant imperial accent that never failed to reveal his composure, Bervis��s eyes, narrowed in mirth, surveyed the crowd around him, causing everyone he gazed upon to shrink back a little.


    ��Heh.��


    Bervis let out a light, indifferent chuckle.


    ��Hey, outsider, don��t get too carried away!��


    Jite stood up.


    But Gale��s expression changed, and he covered Jite��s mouth.


    ��What are you doing?�� Jite said angrily.


    Gale��s face was grave, ��Be careful, that��s the ��Smiling Swordsman�� Bervis from South Rock City, Deputy Head of the Sun Adventure Group!��


    Bervis, pleased with Gale��s explanation, smiled and said, ��Beastmen lady, do you still have any objections?��


    Jite clenched her teeth, sat down as Gale pulled her, and said in humiliation, ��No.��


    ��Mm, a wise choice,�� Bervis nodded. ��I detest beastmen, but I��m in a good mood today and won��t bully you.��


    ����You��re really annoying, what��s so bad about beastmen?��


    The sudden complaint stopped Bervis in his tracks.


    Everyone, including Jite and Gale, turned in surprise to the person who had spoken.


    Before Bervis��s identity was revealed, it could be said that ignorance was bliss. But now that he had announced his title as the ��Smiling Swordsman,�� a challenge from anyone took on a completely different meaning.


    It could be seen as a direct challenge!


    All Gale could do was silently pray, hoping that Bervis would be merciful and forgive the ignorant fool.


    However, Bervis for the first time dropped his smile and adopted a serious expression.


    This Moon rank adventurer opened his mouth slightly in surprise, scrutinizing the pink-haired girl at the corner table.


    ��I beg your pardon, miss. May I ask where you are from, which city��s adventurer are you?��


    Bervis placed his right hand on his chest and bowed elegantly.


    If the young lady was an adventurer from White Dove City, he would need to reassess his attitude.


    Of the three neighboring cities, Red Heart City and South Rock City both had their own Sun Adventure Groups, but White Dove City did not.


    This gave adventurers from the other two cities a natural sense of superiority.


    Xi Lin slammed her empty glass of orange juice on the table and said angrily, ��You don��t need to worry about who I am. You��re too loud, can you keep it down?��


    The girl��s blunt reprimand caused Bervis��s eyebrows to jump wildly, a chill flashing in his squinted eyes.


    After a moment of standoff.


    Bervis nodded lightly, ��Disturbing a lady indeed isn��t gentlemanly, I apologize for my behavior.��


    ��That��s more like it.��


    Xi Lin huffed.


    She ordered another glass of orange juice from the staff and sipped it on her own.


    Everyone in the hall was a bit dumbfounded, their minds struggling to comprehend.


    Who was that pink-haired girl?


    She scolded the deputy head of a Sun Adventure Group to his face, and he didn��t dare to retort, even apologizing to her?


    Doesn��t that mean that the ��Smiling Swordsman�� Bervis acknowledged he is not as skilled, bowing to the young girl?


    ��Who is she? Also a Moon rank adventurer?��


    ��Very likely so.��


    ��Why are beautiful girls always so powerful, the world is so unfair!��


    A burst of discussion erupted among the crowd, all curious about Xi Lin��s identity.


    Gale nodded gratefully at Xi Lin and held up his mug of wheat beer, downing it in one go.


    Without this miss stepping in, White Dove City��s face would have been badly lost, unable to find a single adventurer to stop Bervis.


    Xi Lin smiled and raised her glass of orange juice in response.


    After all, she was an adventurer from White Dove City.


    Just a ��former adventurer��.


    Only one person in the room recognized Xi Lin��s true identity.


    Aiko��s face showed confusion.


    If she wasn��t mistaken��


    That pink-haired girl in disguise, wearing a brown hat, was Lin Da��s sister?


    =

 Chapter 264 - 264: 233, this adventure team has quite a few beautiful girls.

    Chapter 264: 233, this adventure team has quite a few beautiful girls.


    A Demon stayed in the adventurer��s city and nonchalantly came to watch Lin Da��s Strategy live��


    Aiko admired Xilin to the point of total veneration.


    This sister��s guts were at least ten times bigger than her brother��s.


    The part about being calm and cautious must have been completely endowed upon Lin Da.


    ��Ah, had I known she was so formidable, I would have forged a good relationship with her back in Snow Goose.��


    ��Lin Da��s sister is very clever. She was the only one who could see my true nature. To prevent exposing more, I intentionally distanced myself from her, but now it seems that was a clever move executed poorly.��


    ...


    Aiko regretfully thought that if her relationship with Lin Xi were as good as that between Lia and Lin Xi, she could now cling to the other��s coattails and escape from Bervis.


    She wanted to escape the hall and stay away from Bervis, but the staircase was deserted��not a single person around. Walking there would be like a crab sticking its head out, definitely attracting Bervis��s attention.


    Should she continue hiding, or find a chance to slip away,


    Aiko was in a dilemma.


    ��Come to think of it, what is Bervis actually here for?��


    ��It��s not possible that it took him three years just to remember his sister is still out there, right?��


    Aiko��s face darkened.


    She felt no fondness for Bervis whatsoever.


    On the road, if she had to choose a foul, fat otaku for a brother, she would never pick Bervis.


    Aiko spied on the squint-eyed Swordsman, but saw him sit down on the couch, thoroughly enjoying some pastries while his eyes were fixed on the Magic screen, seemingly waiting for Phoenix Tail Flower��s Strategy live.


    Aiko: ?


    Bervis came for the Phoenix Tail Flower?


    Although Aiko did not want to be discovered by Bervis, if this dog brother came out of a sense of conscience to check on his little sister, she could give Bervis a +1 in her regard.


    But Bervis came for the Phoenix Tail Flower?


    This sister was doomed!


    Aiko crazily ridiculed in her mind, using various expletives on Bervis when,


    a gentle voice rose behind her shoulder, ��Aiko, not seeing you for three years, did you miss your big brother?��


    Aiko��s body trembled, and she turned her head dryly.


    ��Uh, Lord Brother����


    Facing the Smiling, blond-haired Swordsman, Aiko steeled herself and, in her wheelchair, performed a noble greeting gesture that was awkward to the extreme and hadn��t been done in three years.


    This scene drew many people��s attention.


    Was Aiko, the Holy Mage of White Dove City, and Bervis, the Smiling Swordsman of South Rock City, siblings?


    The crowd finally knew why Bervis had come to White Dove City.


    Just like Dawen, Bervis too had come to visit his sister.


    Gale thought deeper: if Aiko had no small relations with Lin Da, to speak further�� wouldn��t Bervis essentially be Lin Da��s uncle through marriage!?


    That pink-haired girl, presumably of Moon Rank, was also a friend of Lin Da.


    Gale��s expression shifted several times, reaching an unbelievable conclusion��Lin Da had brought two powerful supports to White Dove City.


    Originally, Gale was very envious of Lin Da, surrounded by beautiful girls and hoping Lin Da would slip and lose them all.


    But now, from the bottom of his heart, Gale genuinely wished Lin Da could secure Aiko. This meant whether White Dove City could secure an ally in the form of the Sun Adventure Group!


    ��That��s probably why my sister doesn��t like Aiko,�� Dawen saw the moment of recognition between the Aiko siblings but couldn��t help a wry smile.


    Tasya looked puzzled.


    Dawen said, ��That Aiko comes from a real noble family. Her big brother is stronger than Bilya��s. Given Bilya��s temperament, she��d probably compete with Aiko openly and covertly, but Bilya can��t win Aiko in any aspect. It��s probably embarrassing for Bilya that I, her big brother, am too weak.��


    ��No,�� Tasya��s tone softened slightly, ��if placed in your master��s former team, you would at least rank third from the bottom.��


    ��Are you praising me?�� Dawen was astonished, ��Although I��m not as good as that Bervis, but being of the same Star Rank, I��ve never been afraid of anyone. To be ranked third from the bottom in your master��s team, with only two people weaker than me?��


    ��Yes, and both of them are mages who aren��t good at dealing with High-Speed Swordsmen,�� Tasya nodded, ��You don��t need to feel inferior, my master��s team is far stronger than you think.��


    ��I��m even more curious about him now.��


    ��If I can find him, I��ll introduce you,�� she said.


    Tasya paused for a moment, then said softly, ��This Lin Da from White Dove City seems quite popular.��


    It wasn��t hard to tell from the discussions among the crowd that Bervis��s sister and Dawen��s sister both thought highly of Lin Da.


    Extremely high personal charm, fitting the characteristics of Dark Shadow.


    Tasya��s expectations for the ��Eye of True Knowledge�� increased a bit more.


    From a 1% chance of being Dark Shadow, it rose to 2%.


    The Magic Screen was still dark.


    This lack of punctuality was unlike Dark Shadow.


    Just as Tasya was thinking this.


    A point of light appeared on the huge suspended Magic Screen.


    The point quickly expanded, filling the entire screen.


    A group of one man and five women appeared on it.


    The man was tall and handsome, wearing a black adventure jacket with many magic potions hanging from the belt around his waist.


    He had a pair of King Crab Set earrings hanging from his earlobes and wore a ��Great Sea Clear Sky�� brand Magic Guide Wristwatch on his wrist.


    These accessories further accentuated the man��s handsomeness and success. Only people with no Gold Coins couldn��t afford a King Crab Set and a wristwatch worth over seventy thousand Gold Coins.


    Behind the man stood five exceptionally beautiful girls, each with distinctly colored hair.


    From left to right was; blonde Kafni, brown-haired Monica, blue-haired Lulu, silver-haired Isa, and red-haired Lia.


    They might as well have been renamed the Rainbow Adventure Team.


    ��Eye of True Knowledge fans are here!��


    ��Here��s to your upcoming victory against the Epic Demon Creatures!��


    ��Unprecedented, three potential Iron Level adventure team leaders teaming up, looking forward to it!��


    ��Sneaking out for a quick secret poop, eh? Nobody noticed, right?��


    The adventurers were making a commotion, sending their suggestions to the Magic Screen.


    In the image, Lin Da, holding a sensor ladybug, couldn��t help but secretly chuckle, ��Everyone, don��t waste your Demon Cores. Next up, I��m going to show you how to unlock the hidden Demon Creature cave in the five-layer Great Mystery Continent.��


    ��Alright, alright, alright, Eye of True Knowledge rocks!��


    ��Be careful out there!��


    ��Great Bear Thief cute, hey, hehehehe����


    The Phoenix Tail Flower Team��s fan base was growing faster than any other adventure team.


    Part of this was undoubtedly due to Lin Da��s strategies, but more so because the Phoenix Tail Flower Team had too many beautiful girls. S��ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And they each had their own style!


    The socially awkward Monica, the languid beauty Kafni, the aloof, abstinent werewolf Lulu�� and this time there were two special guests, the well-known rivals from White Dove City, Isa and Lia.


    When these five beautiful girls stood together, people were thrilled.


    Meanwhile, they were even more envious of Lin Da, who was surrounded by a bevy of beauties in the center of it all.


    Gale��s mouth was practically watering; the prettiest elf lady he had encountered in the tavern didn��t compare to any one of the girls by Lin Da��s side.

 Chapter 265 - 265: 234. Tasya: Lin Da might not want me anymore.

    Chapter 265: 234. Tasya: Lin Da might not want me anymore.


    No one would ever think that Lin Da had a normal relationship with them. They even assumed Lin Da was favored daily, and even the soup he ate was from the 10th floor��s ��Goji Berry King.��


    Others haven��t started using their kidneys but Lin Da��s were nearly worn out!


    ��This guy Lin Da, he really doesn��t see me at all,�� Dawen complained about Lin Da, but a smile appeared on his face.


    In the Monster Tide, Lin Da didn��t care for credit, risking his life to bring valuable information about the Thousand-Change Demon. Just for this, Dawen recognized Lin Da.


    Entrusting a willful spirit like Lia to someone else, Dawen wouldn��t be at ease, but giving her to Lin Da, Dawen would be completely reassured.


    If Dawen were to fall at the World Tree one day, he wouldn��t have to worry about Lia being left uncared for.


    ...


    ��Wait a minute.��


    ��Where is this Lin Da you speak of?��


    Tasya��s face turned slightly pale.


    The ��Eye of True Knowledge�� Lin Da couldn��t be found.


    Only�� that ��Li Cha�� who tied her up, did who knows what, and helped purify part of the Witch��s Corruption in her.


    Could it be that Lin Da was a woman? The one standing in the middle was Li Cha, and amongst those few girls, there was one named Lin Da?


    Tasya almost suffocated, a strong intuition that left her panicking surged within her.


    Dawen glanced at her strangely, ��That one wearing the Magic Guide Wristwatch is the captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, the Eye of True Knowledge, Lin Da.��


    ��No, he is, Li Cha,�� Tasya said with difficulty.


    A few weeks ago, she had aimed a Magic Cannon at someone, wanting to break their ankle and interrogate them with a little whip about the whereabouts of the Dark Shadow.


    And the most outrageous thing the primordial Tasya had ever done to the Dark Shadow was secretly smell the scent on their bed sheets!


    ��No, it��s impossible, he is Li Cha, he��s Li Cha����


    Tasya, a mature older-sister type of adventurer, was biting her lip, showing a fragile and delicate demeanor.


    Like a pitiful maid who accidentally spilled soup on her master��s cherished trousers and was scolded to tears.


    This left Dawen completely dumbfounded.


    Tasya��s vulnerability was such a stark contrast to her usual cool demeanor, exceptionally adorable!


    But that expression was caused by someone else!


    Dawen picked up his wheat beer and took a big gulp.


    But he was shocked to find the beer seemed to have gone off, bitter and sour, impossible to swallow.


    At that moment, Dawen envied Tasya��s master deeply.


    How powerful must one be, to capture the heart of Tasya?


    A beat too late, Dawen caught on. Tasya had only reacted so strongly after seeing Lin Da appear on the screen.


    So, did it mean that the captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, Lin Da, was the person Tasya had been searching for?


    This�� isn��t right!


    How could someone capable of conquering a woman like Tasya be just over level 20?


    In Dawen��s estimation, Tasya��s master had to be at least Moon Rank, most likely a level 50 Heavenly Rank Adventurer.


    Dawen was in disbelief, ��Be sure to confirm it properly, is Lin Da really your master? Don��t get it wrong.


    Look behind Lin Da, there are so many girls.��


    Dawen had thought that Tasya and her master were a pure love pairing, 1 on 1.


    This is damn��


    A super huge brawl!


    And Dawen��s sister Lia was also in there.


    Now, Tasya, whom Dawen secretly admired, was also going to Lin Da��s side��


    This led Dawen to feel the illusion of a verdant World Tree sprouting from his head.


    ��I��m not sure myself,��


    Tasya said distractedly.


    He had helped her cleanse a portion of the pollution, falsely claiming to be ��Li Cha�� of the Dark Shadow, yet he and Lin Da, the Eye of True Knowledge, were the same person.


    What was going on?


    She stared intently at Lin Da on the screen, her emerald eyes sparkling with stubborn light.


    Tasya was like a professional maid determined to wash a stubborn stain out of her master��s underwear, determined to see it sparkling clean again��Tasya was determined to see through Lin Da��s ��lie�� through this campaign!


    The true command abilities of the Dark Shadow were divine and flawless; he would never make a mistake.


    If Lin Da couldn��t command perfectly, then Lin Da was not the Dark Shadow.


    As long as Lin Da wasn��t the Dark Shadow, then Tasya, who had committed the two grave sins of binding her master and attempting to punish him with a little whip, still had a chance to return to her master��s side.


    In the midst of tension and excitement, the silver-haired maid��s body, wrapped beneath her thick maid��s skirt, was dripping with sweat, soaking her undergarments and clinging to her smooth, light brown skin.


    On one hand was Tasya��s excitement at the prospect of seeing her master, on the other, the worry that Lin Da would mercilessly abandon her.


    In the screen, Lin Da stood in front of a rock wall, raising a bronze Goblin Ring.


    Lin Da��s action made Tasya pause.


    A familiar scene flashed through her mind.


    In the fifth layer of the Great Mystery Continent, the Dark Shadow had led her and Lulu, among a few other teammates, holding up the Goblin Ring. The sunlight shone through the ring, falling on the rock wall, and the hidden challenge appeared.


    Only a handful of people from the Primitive Adventure Team knew about this hidden challenge.


    ��Dawen, I might have found it,�� Tasya whispered.


    The icy facade on Tasya��s face dissolved, glowing with a golden radiance like the surface of a lake.


    The silver-haired maid��s emerald eyes reflected Lin Da��s figure, her pink lips slightly parted, whispering as if in a dream.


    Dawen was astounded, tasting bitterness in his mouth, ��Congratulations.��


    ��No.��


    ��This just got worse,�� Tasya said, a shadow crossing her face, her lips pressed tightly together, her palms clenched anxiously, ��Lin Da might not want me anymore.��


    A question mark popped above Dawen��s head.


    The pearl of the Scarlet Adventure Group, a noted beauty from Red Heart City, being offered to Lin Da for free, and Lin Da wouldn��t want her?


    Was that possible?


    Dawen said, ��Don��t worry, I��m at least the deputy leader of the Scarlet Adventure Group. If Lin Da dares to refuse you, that would mean he��s making an enemy of the Scarlet Adventure Group!��


    Dawen was determined to personally deliver Tasya to Lin Da��s side!


    Meanwhile, within the magic screen. S��ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da raised the Goblin Ring high.


    The sunlight passed through it, landing on the rock wall.


    In an instant, the rock wall seemed to burn like paper, revealing a black hole.


    It was the entrance to the Goblin Cave.


    Three meters high, one meter wide, the inside was pitch-black, the ground littered with bones, and even through the screen, an ominous aura seeped through.


    ��A Goblin Series of Epic Level, it must be that one,�� Bervis squinted, his clever gaze lighting up as he immediately guessed the magical creature Lin Da was out to conquer.


    Coincidentally, Bervis had also once conquered the same creature.


    Back then, he was level 29, and with the guidance of a Star Rank senior, he had resolved it effortlessly.


    In contrast, looking at the Phoenix Tail Flower Team��


    Team leader Lin Da was level 23. The others averaged about 25.


    The levels were a bit low.


    ��Aiko, is this the man who has bewitched you?�� Bervis asked, his eyes tinged with slight disdain, gently stroking his sister Aiko��s golden hair with his palm.

 Chapter 266 - 266: 235. Aikos Bet with Big Brother, Lin Das Battle with the Goblin Prince

    Chapter 266: 235. Aiko��s Bet with Big Brother, Lin Da��s Battle with the Goblin Prince


    Facing Bervis, Aiko seemed extremely constrained, like a mouse caught and toyed with by a tiger, motionless and not daring to breathe.


    Bervis patted Aiko on the head and sighed,


    ��You are the daughter of the leader of the Holy Rock Adventure Team, my sister. How can you devalue yourself like this? Don��t tell me that staying in a small place for three years has eroded your ambition, and you just want to loaf around day by day?��


    Hearing this,


    sweat dripped profusely from Aiko��s forehead.


    Yes.


    ...


    Correct in every way.


    Fed up with so-called ��elite education��, she came to White Dove City and completely indulged herself, falling into depravity.


    She would study magic spells whenever there was time, or else she would pamper her skin and do beauty treatments if there wasn��t.


    With Lin Da and the hot-blooded fool Lia dealing with the World Tree, she could slide by doing the bare minimum.


    So Aiko found out�� life could indeed be this wonderful!


    Now, Aiko just wanted to swoop Lin Da under her wing, root herself in the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team like a borer, and live a carefree, loafing existence.


    But this was completely contrary to the ��elite education�� Bervis envisioned for her.


    If Bervis were to take her back home, she would definitely be locked in a small room, receiving endless elite education and turning back into the foolish Mage who, three years ago, had an empty head and knew only of training.


    Aiko gave a forced laugh, setting her hands down casually,


    ��Then you are mistaken. It��s not me who is utterly mesmerized by Lin Da. It��s the other way around. Lin Da is almost my obedient lapdog!�� S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Really?�� Bervis arched an eyebrow, ��The nickname ��Eye of True Knowledge�� has even spread to South Rock City. They say you��re one of Lin Da��s harem members. Is that true?��


    Aiko:��


    Bervis didn��t linger on this topic. He turned his gaze to the magic screen, where new developments were unfolding.


    The attention of everyone was captured.


    The members of the Phoenix Tail Flower passed through the dark tunnel and entered a brightly lit stone hall with torches lit on the walls.


    At the forefront of the hall was a throne.


    On it sat a three-meter-tall Goblin.


    The Goblin��s ears were sharp and its gaze fierce, with a mouth full of saw-toothed, sharp teeth.


    It wore a golden crown, with a bright red cape hanging behind and clutched a sword in its right hand.


    On the hilt of the sword, there was a ruby as large as an egg.


    The blade gleamed coldly, engraved with a string of magic runes.


    Powerful fluctuations of force gathered on this sword, as if there was nothing it couldn��t cleave through.


    Seeing this creature, Bervis said with a smile, ��Aiko, how about a bet?��


    Aiko: ��What?��


    Bervis said, ��If Lin Da can successfully subdue the Goblin Prince, I��ll let you all off the hook. But if Lin Da uses a Town Portal Scroll or dies in the cave, then you will obediently come back with me to undergo the training I��ve prepared for you. How about it?��


    ��Sure, Lin Da will never lose!�� Aiko said confidently.


    Bervis shook his head, ��It��s not as simple as you think. Epic monsters have five star levels. If it��s a regular one-star epic monster like the Slime King or King Frog, this squad might possibly succeed.��


    ��But the Goblin Prince is a two-star epic monster, whose overall combat strength is far superior to the former, possessing high strength and agility, a true nightmare for regular Mages and weaker damage dealers.��


    ��When I was at level 29, without the aid of my seniors, I would have been severely wounded.��


    ��After hearing this, are you still confident that Lin Da will win?��


    ��So what?�� Aiko countered, flaunting a provocative smile, ��Even you could make a wrong judgment.��


    ��What?�� Bervis was puzzled.


    ��Lin Da will definitely, most surely win. The foolish one is you, Bervis!��


    ��Lin Da is the prey I, Aiko, have set my sights on. How could a mere Goblin trouble him! Bervis, you��re going to lose the bet and slink back to South Rock City to reflect on your stupidity!��


    Aiko declared angrily.


    Bervis could chastise her all he wanted, as she��d been reprimanded countless times as a child and was accustomed to it.


    But insulting Lin Da was out of the question!


    Seeing Bervis��s livid expression, Aiko felt light as a feather, as if she had grown tiny wings on her back, soaring with delight!


    ��Aiko, you��ve grown bolder, haven��t you?�� Bervis clenched his fists.


    ��What, you��re scared before the Phoenix Tail Flower��s attack even starts?�� Aiko mustered her courage and glared at Bervis.


    ��Alright then, I��ll wait until the Phoenix Tail Flower��s defeat before I teach you a lesson.��


    Bervis said, ��The terms of the bet are that if Phoenix Tail Flower wins, I��ll leave, and you all can do whatever you like. I won��t report anything about you to father. But if Phoenix Tail Flower loses, you must come back with me and receive strict education to rid yourself of that provincial adventurer stench!��


    ��It��s a deal.�� Aiko held her head high.


    The siblings both turned their gaze to the magic screen.


    ��


    World Tree fifth layer, Goblin Cave.


    Lin Da, facing an overwhelming pressure upfront, held the Azure Sword as if he were a Shield Wall protecting the team, pushing forward step by step.


    ��Everyone, scatter and position yourselves as we trained!��


    Lin Da commanded.


    Lulu moved to the side of the Goblin Prince, while Lia and Isa were on the other side.


    Monica positioned herself at the far back, beginning to chant the spell for ��Earth Bombardment��.


    Kafni, meanwhile, moved next to Lin Da.


    ��Verdant Shield.��


    Lin Da waved his left hand, and a greenish light fell on Kafni, forming a layer of light membrane.


    His health points were as high as 9700, and the thickness of the Verdant Shield reached a staggering 4365 points. With the protection of the Light Shield, Kafni had practically gained a second life.

 Chapter 267 - 267: 235. Aikos Bet with Big Brother, Lin Das Battle with the Goblin Prince_2

    Chapter 267: 235. Aiko��s Bet with Big Brother, Lin Da��s Battle with the Goblin Prince_2


    ��`


    ��Go, Great Bear Thief, give us a good start to this punishment mission.��


    Lin Da stroked Kafni��s head with his ��Hand of the European King��.


    ��Damn it, Lin Da, I warned you not to just touch my head, I��m not like those brainless bimbos you can compare to!�� Kafni complained loudly, jumping up and down.


    ��Ow!��


    But her voice had awoken the Goblin Prince.


    ...


    The Magical Creature stood up, wearing a Crimson cloak behind it, gripping an Epic Weapon, the Sword of Royalty, spewing stench from its gaping maw that enveloped the cave.


    ��Damn it, trying to disgust me, are you? Eat shit!��


    ��Super! Thief! Steal!��


    Kafni, with one hand on her hip, shouted the embarrassing skill name like a Magical Girl undergoing a Transformation, spun around beautifully, and stretched out her right hand towards the Goblin Prince.


    A grey Magic Circle appeared in front of Kafni.


    Then, with a flash of light, the cloak on the Goblin Prince��s back vanished into thin air!


    The garment, seeped with the putrid stench of the Magical Creature, appeared in Kafni��s right hand.


    ��?��


    The Goblin Prince groped at his back in confusion, not understanding what had happened.


    One of its most treasured possessions, the Crimson Goblin Cloak, why had it ended up in the hands of that blond human?


    ��Ow! Ow!��


    In an instant, the Goblin Prince was furious, roaring and thumping his chest like a child who had lost its beloved toy!


    ��Ugh~ Erk!��


    While Kafni, who had acquired the cloak, couldn��t feel happy, but covered her throat, retching.


    This thick coat-like red cloak emitted an odor that was both funky and foul, as if it had been soaked in a cesspool for seven times seven, forty-nine days, thoroughly marinated.


    Lin Da and the others, however, were overjoyed.


    ��Kafni, well done!��


    Lin Da laughed.


    The Goblin Prince��s defense capabilities had decreased with the loss of its cloak, indirectly reducing its Life Barrier.


    Another point.


    Although the cloak was on the Goblin Prince, whether it would drop after its death was based on luck. By stealing the cloak, Kafni had secured a piece of high-quality Magical Equipment.


    Lin Da glanced at it; it was a level 25 Orange Equipment with quite nice attributes.


    He decided to use it as a reward for Lia. Lia, an adventurer who cared a lot about equipment attributes, probably wouldn��t mind the stench.


    Lin Da took the cloak and put it into his Space Ring.


    ��Sil�� ver, strike�� sss!��


    At this moment, the Goblin Prince uttered garbled human words, his steps suddenly swift as lightning.


    It was one of his signature skills: Royal Assassination!


    During the training session with Phoenix Tail Flower, Lin Da had emphasized the importance of avoiding being hit by Royal Assassination.


    If it weren��t for the Verdant Shield, someone like Monica or Kafni, the squishy types, would be gone in one hit.


    But among the six, Lin Da was an exception.


    His Agility wasn��t very high, whereas the Goblin Prince was a strength and Agility type Magical Creature; moreover, Royal Assassination was particularly fast. If Lin Da were to be attacked, even if his eyes saw it and his brain was aware, he wouldn��t be fast enough to avoid it and would still be hit.


    Therefore, Lin Da didn��t need to pay special attention to Royal Assassination.


    Whether he dodged or not, he couldn��t dodge it anyway.


    He had already resigned himself to that fact.


    A foul wind assaulted him, causing Lin Da��s hair to lean back and his eyelids to sting, while the strong wind made his eyes water.


    But he did not stop.


    Royal Assassination would definitely come from the front, so as long as he initiated an attack towards the front, he would definitely hit!


    ��Dark Whip!��


    Lin Da threw out a black Thorn Whip, lashing out fiercely in front of him!


    This skill was a burst of single-hit damage and was fast. Lin Da heard a crisp ��snap�� and a red -6320 popped up.


    At the same time, Lin Da was hit by a violent force that pushed him back seven or eight steps.


    A glint of cold light drew near, hitting his Verdant Shield, and a ghostly -4000 popped up.


    The Verdant Shield became dim as if it would be destroyed if it was hit once more.


    Small indentations were plowed into the ground beneath Lin Da��s feet.


    The Goblin Prince, with blood-red eyes staring at Lin Da and green ears twitching, seemed puzzled as to why this human wasn��t injured.


    One [Royal Assassination], unable to break even Lin Da��s shield.


    ��Just as I expected, the first stage Goblin Prince poses no threat to me,�� Lin Da muttered to himself.


    A move that was extremely threatening to ordinary adventurers could not break through his defense!


    ��`


    Then, let��s move into the second stage as soon as possible.


    Under the bewildered gaze of the Goblin Prince, Lin Da chanted the spell of Verdant Shield again.


    The flimsy green Light Shield became thick once more.


    And that wasn��t all; Lin Da ��wasted magic power�� by casting a Healing Art right in front of the Goblin Prince.


    Attacking the Goblin Prince would draw its enmity. Healing Art could do the same, and even more so than attacking.


    No enemy would let the healer of the opposition live. The first thing to do when taking down an adventure team was always to kill the healer!


    Lin Da��s public act of ��drinking milk,�� which is what they called healing, was nothing short of a provocation to the Goblin Prince!


    This human must die!


    The Goblin Prince roared and launched his Wind Sword Spell.


    A dense rain of sword lights aimed at Lin Da.


    ��Now is the moment!��


    Lin Da charged head-on, letting out a loud roar.


    He was signaling to his teammates, now they could attack the Goblin.


    This magical creature��s enmity had been firmly grasped by him!


    ��Hmph, like I needed you to tell me that,�� Lia, who had been charging her energy prematurely, grunted. Her face was flushed red, the veins on her forehead bulging. If she didn��t release soon, it would damage her magic circuits.


    Hearing Lin Da��s command, she and Isa rushed up from the left and the right, their red and silver Battle Qi streaking through the air like long rainbows, aiming for the Goblin Prince��s back. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Flame Slash!��


    ��Silver Frost Sword Qi!��


    They each unleashed their signature skills.


    Flames scorched the Goblin Prince��s back, and Lia��s Greatsword landed a solid hit.


    Meanwhile, Isa��s silver rapier penetrated five centimeters deep, with the Silver Frost Sword Qi expanding and frostbiting the Goblin Prince��s skin.


    -12200!


    -3100, -2700, -2200!


    The former was Lia��s burst damage after Energy Charging, extremely powerful, delivering over ten thousand damage in one go.


    Isa was a Swordsman with high attack speed, stabbing several holes into the Goblin Prince��s back in quick succession.


    At the same time, Lulu��s attack arrived.


    Lulu, like a giant bird soaring through the air, swung her wolf tail and crossed her claws, with a shimmer of crossed cold light flashing.


    Skill: Sharp Claw Strike!


    -4400, -4700!


    She also dealt significant damage to the Goblin Prince.


    But Lia could tell that among the three of them, her damage was the highest.


    The young girl��s lips curved in pride, her old habit of wanting to outshine her teammates threatening to surface again.


    Fortunately, Lin Da noticed Lia��s action and sharply ordered her to stop, preventing a bad situation from occurring.


    As Lia and Lulu passed by each other, Lia boasted, ��My damage is higher than yours.��


    Lulu replied coolly, ��Everyone has their role to play; we just have different positions. Besides, I��m only using half of my strength right now.��


    ��Half? You must be bragging,�� Lia��s face was full of disbelief.


    ��You��ll see when Lin Da lets me use ��that�� skill,�� Lulu said with aloof confidence.


    As the three girls outputted a round of damage, Lin Da easily withstood the Goblin Prince��s Wind Sword Spell.


    Before Verdant Shield could break, he��d already chanted the next Verdant Shield spell.


    No matter how the Goblin Prince attacked, he couldn��t break through Lin Da��s defense.


    Then Monica attacked.


    Lin Da continued to draw aggro with Healing Art.


    The Goblin Prince was almost driven to a brain hemorrhage with anger.


    What was up with this Healer, his skin tougher than a turtle��s!


    Weren��t Healers supposed to be the most fragile among adventurers?


    Every Magical Creature has instincts, even if it was their first encounter with a Healer, they knew that this was their priority target.


    But in Lin Da��s case, this didn��t apply.


    Lin Da might just be the tankiest Healer in history.


    ��Venom Magic Sphere, Dark Whip!��


    ��Cross Slash!��


    Lin Da used a set of skills and a basic attack to take away ten thousand of the Goblin Prince��s health points.


    Lulu and the others also initiated their crazy output mode.

 Chapter 268 - 268: 236, Ultimate Skill: Guardian Sword, First Appearance

    Chapter 268: 236, Ultimate Skill: Guardian Sword, First Appearance


    Surveying the three girls, each one was a seasoned adventurer.


    Lulu and Isa needed no introduction, one having endured the trials of the Dark Shadow period, the other being a highly regarded Adventure Team Leader.


    As for Lia, her reputation suffered due to her arrogance and pride.


    However, such people possess one advantage, strong individual combat capabilities.


    Under the rain of the Goblin Prince��s swords, Lia fluttered like a nimble hummingbird, dodging all attacks.


    Then, Lia��s great sword came crashing down, and with a dull thud, the massive body of the Goblin Prince staggered backward.


    ...


    ��Lin Da, when will you use ��that one��? Your lady��s great sword can hardly wait!��


    Lia rubbed her hands together eagerly, her face full of impatience.


    ��Don��t rush, there will be a chance for you to use it.��


    Lin Da moved closer to Lia��s side, draping a Verdant Shield over the rash Swordsman girl.


    He didn��t overlook Lulu and Isa either, bestowing a shield upon each one in turn.


    With the protection of the Verdant Shields, the three of them fought unrestrained.


    Five minutes passed, and Lin Da surmised that the Goblin Prince was about to enter the second phase.


    At that time, aggro would reset, and the Goblin Prince would unleash a powerful skill.


    ��All-out attack, reduce its Life Barrier!��


    Lin Da cried out, and the six members of the team were all enveloped within the green ��turtle shells�� as the front-liners faced the Goblin��s sword rain, charging collectively without concern.


    This gave the Goblin Prince the illusion, wondering who the real Magical Creatures were.


    The most formidable aspect of top-tier Magical Creatures was their thick Life Barrier, but facing these adventurers, the Goblin Prince discovered something outrageous��the thickness of their Life Barriers seemed to surpass his own!


    ��Earth Bombardment!��


    ��Frost Wolf��s Bite!��


    ��Flame Slash!��


    A plethora of colorful lights burst forth all at once, like a fireworks display.


    The Goblin Prince, at the center of this pyrotechnic display, screamed in agony, instantly turning into a bloodied mess.


    In Lin Da��s eyes, damage numbers popped up one after another.


    From the beginning of the battle until now, they had inflicted damage around 200,000.


    It was time for the second phase.


    As Lin Da thought this, the Goblin Prince sneered, lifting his arms high:


    ��A king must not be insulted; let you insects witness the power of Royalty!��


    This signature line signified the start of the second phase!


    A ferocious suction emanated from the Goblin Prince��s palms.


    Lin Da lost his balance, lurching forward as the debris beneath his feet cascaded towards the center of the Goblin Prince��s palms.


    Under this suction force, except for Monica, who was quite distant, and Kafni, whose build was relatively fragile, everyone else entered the Goblin Prince��s attack range!


    Lin Da looked up.


    More and more debris gathered in the center of the Goblin Prince��s palm, forming a giant sphere.


    A terrifying aura rose from the Goblin Prince, as oppressive as a mountain, weighing on the chests of all Phoenix Tail Flower Team members.


    The oppressive force of an Epic Demon Creature was so strong that even the adventurers outside the magic screen felt it as if it were physical, struggling to breathe.


    The majority in the hall were adventurers below level 10 who had never witnessed an Epic Level Magical Creature.


    This live strategy broadcast was a feast for their eyes, as if they were on the scene, joining Phoenix Tail Flower Team in the battle against the Goblin Prince!


    At the same time, they were on tenterhooks, watching Lin Da and the others being sucked ever closer to the Goblin Prince on the screen, becoming increasingly worried.


    Could Lin Da withstand the Goblin Prince��s powerful strike?


    Bervis, as if sure of his victory, chuckled, ��Aiko, it��s about time you admitted your defeat, isn��t it? The Goblin Prince��s second form will summon a horde of Bone Goblins to charge, followed by a Stone Throw that can pierce through the Armor of the front-line warriors.��


    ��The correct approach to deal with this Magical Creature is to move back beyond twenty meters before it releases the suction, with everyone hiding behind the Heavy Armored Warrior��s large shield.��


    Bervis shook his head in regret, ��If I were Lin Da, I would order everyone to use the Town Portal Scroll and give up on this Magical Creature.��


    ��It seems you haven��t done enough homework on Lin Da.��


    Hearing Bervis��s well-founded analysis, Aiko still had a calm look on her face.


    ��What do you mean? Do I still need to do homework on a Level 20 adventurer?�� Bervis��s eyes flashed with a hint of disdain.


    ��Exactly. It��s because you don��t do your homework that you��ve lost this wager,�� Aiko said, straightening her back and with a hint of a smile in her eyes. ��Because Lin Da never does anything unless he��s sure of it!��


    As the siblings were arguing, the Goblin Prince activated his skills.


    The creature��s shrill cry echoed through the hall; with a swing of its long sword, it summoned a row of phantom Bone Goblins wielding long spears.


    They resembled a surging wall of steel, attacking Lin Da and the leading Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    A chilly wind blew towards them, and as Lin Da looked at the cold spear tips coming at him, he took a deep breath, raised the Azure Sword in his hands high, closed his eyes, and silently circulated his magic power.


    The Bone Goblin��s spear formation was drawing closer, and it seemed as if everyone would be pierced in the next second.


    But the few girls remained composed, looking towards Lin Da full of trust.


    Lin Da��s long sword released a flash of white light in his hand, gathering into an even larger Light Sword.


    A pair of ethereal white wings sprouted from his back.


    At this moment, Lin Da was like an angel.


    He floated up from the ground, gazing down at the Bone Goblins below, with the Light Sword in his hand slashing down as he called out, ��Guardian Sword!��


    A massive white sword aura cleaved forth.


    It struck the Bone Goblin��s spear formation.


    -10820!


    -10234!


    -10002!


    A flurry of damage numbers crazily popped up.


    In an instant,


    The Goblin spear formation was utterly decimated under Lin Da��s Guardian Sword!


    But the audience outside the screen was still holding their breath, their hearts hanging in suspense.


    The Goblin Prince��s true killer move was yet to come.


    Those palms releasing a fierce suction gathered into a tremendous boulder, over ten meters in diameter, composed of compressed rubble.


    This was a seemingly ludicrous but terrifyingly deadly area-of-effect skill: ��Stone Rain.��


    Lin Da��s Guardian Sword was powerful indeed, making Bervis nod in approval, but even if Lin Da had dealt with those Bone Goblins, it wouldn��t have changed the outcome of their impending defeat.


    Facing ��Stone Rain,�� they had to use the Town Portal Scroll to flee or suffer heavy injuries as a group.


    Whether Lin Da used the Town Portal Scroll or not, in Bervis��s eyes, their defeat was certain.


    ��Aiko, now you can obediently go home with your big brother����


    He had only gotten halfway through his sentence when Bervis��s mouth stopped moving.


    He furrowed his brows, his eyes filled with confusion.


    On the screen, the white wings on Lin Da��s back gently fluttered.


    Three feathers fell on top of the girls�� heads.


    They transformed into a layer of white Light Shields, stacking on top of the existing Verdant Shields.


    Lin Da did the same for himself.


    The next moment, the Goblin Prince hurled the boulder.


    In mid-air, the boulder turned into countless small pebbles, flying all over the sky. S��ar?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    These pebbles contained power compressed to the extreme, each one a threat to a Level 20 adventurer.


    But the number of Stone Rain pebbles was overwhelming, reaching into the thousands, even tens of thousands!

 Chapter 269 - 269: 237, Double Shields deployed, scorning the Goblin Prince

    Chapter 269: 237, Double Shields deployed, scorning the Goblin Prince


    ��`


    When heavily hit, the fragile Mage class would die instantly, and even the Heavy Armored Warrior, adept at defense, had to take cover behind shields.


    The Goblin Prince��s Stone Rain aimed for what��s called a ��First Encounter Kill��.


    The first adventure team to battle this Magical Creature paid in blood to leave a strategy for future generations.


    Like Bervis, who had battled the Goblin Prince on the tenth floor and knew of the existence of this Stone Rain technique.


    If he were in Lin Da��s shoes, becoming a level 23 adventurer, he would have had no confidence in surviving this barrage of Stone Rain.


    ...


    The only option would have been to rip open a Town Portal Scroll and escape the Magical Creature.


    But what really happened?


    Bervis seemed to understand why Aiko claimed he hadn��t done his homework on Lin Da.


    Stone Rain came head-on.


    All that could be heard was the ��clang, clang, clang�� of impacts.


    In addition to the Emerald Light Shields, the Phoenix Tail Flower members had another layer of pale golden Light Shields on them.


    The pebbles struck against it, completely blocked by the Light Shields.


    With Lin Da in the lead, not only did the four at the front not retreat, but they also advanced step by step.


    The quantity of stones was immense, depleting the first layer of Light Shields.


    But beneath it was another almost equally thick Verdant Shield.


    The ��Stone Rain,�� which should have inflicted severe injuries on the adventurers, left the whole team unscathed under Lin Da��s Double Shields!


    ��Dark Whip!��


    Lin Da threw out the energy whip, and with a snap, it struck the Goblin Prince��s face.


    Visibly, a gash was torn across the Goblin Prince��s cheek.


    ��Aow, aow-aow!��


    The Goblin Prince froze for a moment, and seeing none of Lin Da��s team injured, he jumped around in frustration and rage.


    ��All-out attack!��


    Lin Da seized the Goblin Prince��s moment of confusion to leap forward, his Azure Sword slashing down.


    Lulu and the others followed close behind.


    The three girls showed their prowess.


    Beast claws, rapier, Greatsword, they descended in quick succession.


    They battered the Goblin Prince, causing him to bleed profusely and howl in pain.


    ��A Two-Star Epic Monster is just like this!��


    As Lia passed by the sensor ladybug, her face was brimming with confidence, and she made a point to say this phrase deliberately.


    ��Lia, your arrogance is really annoying, and maybe that��s why we don��t get along,�� Isa said as she elegantly passed Lia, her silver hair fluttering.


    ��But what I said is the truth!�� Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��You��re wrong. Without Lin Da��s shield, a casual hit from the Goblin Prince would have severely wounded us,�� Isa said calmly. ��A strong support can reduce the difficulty of a battle. Lin Da��s shield can almost be termed miraculous; it��s not that we are incredible, it��s that Lin Da��s shield is too useful.��


    With the Double Shields in place, even the Goblin Prince��s ��Stone Rain�� could be withstood.


    They ought to have been thrice careful, taking cover behind the Heavy Armored Warrior��s shields, but instead, they could advance under the barrage of the Stone Rain.


    This was Isa��s first time shielded by Lin Da.


    The sense of security, almost like having an extra life, was hard not to become addicted to.


    Usually, when battling Magical Creatures, Isa was cautious to the point of restricting herself for the sake of safety, giving up many opportunities to attack.


    She never overreached. When it was time to roll, she rolled, when it was time to retreat, she retreated, only seizing those 100% safe opportunities to attack.


    This was why Isa��s damage output was relatively low.


    But against a training dummy, she was no worse than Lia. One was sustained damage, the other burst damage; the total was similar.


    Now with Lin Da��s shield, Isa felt as though she��d shed a heavy burden, her steps lightened by a factor of two!


    Thinking of this, Isa��s regret only grew deeper��why hadn��t she made a greater effort to recruit Lin Da when he had just left Snow Goose?


    Back then, Lin Da had not yet formed the Phoenix Tail Flower and was a solo adventurer.


    If she had made the ��Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage,�� she might have truly taken him under her wing.


    Lia, hearing Isa��s words, scratched her ear and looked dark.


    The force with which she swung her Greatsword at the Goblin Prince increased several-fold.


    ��


    The hall of the Adventurers�� Guild.


    ��`


    Seeing Phoenix Tail Flower walk through the Stone Rain unscathed, Bervis fell silent.


    The face of this Moon rank adventurer felt somewhat hot.


    It turned out that in addition to its notable damage, the ��Guardian Sword�� could also stack an extremely thick shield for Lin Da and the other three.


    It could be described as the perfect ultimate skill that integrated offense and defense.


    If Bervis could still accept these facts, the fact that the light shield from the Guardian Sword and the Verdant Shield could stack with each other left him utterly speechless.


    There are not many professions that can enhance shields in the first place.


    Skills of the same nature can easily clash.


    For instance, the Mage��s ��Magic Amplification�� and the Bard��s ��Song of Mana�� could not be stacked.


    Defensive skills were even more strict, and shield skills were among the most valuable.


    Among the professions that could enhance shields was the Druid, with its signature skill ��Nature��s Shield.��


    According to Bervis��s estimate, the thickness of the ��Nature��s Shield�� was not even half that of Lin Da��s ��Verdant Shield.��


    What Bervis found most unacceptable was that not only was Lin Da��s shield thick, but he also used double shields.


    The twin shields could perfectly protect the back line.


    The safety of the front line would also be greatly secured.


    Putting it on a Heavy Armored Warrior was like creating a wall that drove Magical Creatures to despair.


    Bervis now understood why Aiko was fascinated by Lin Da.


    Not just Aiko, Bervis felt that if he were a woman, he too would be attracted by Lin Da��s thick and heavy double shields and find himself unable to move on.


    Any adventure team that could get Lin Da would see their combat power increase by at least thirty percent!


    Aiko looked at Bervis with a smile.


    That meant, you should acknowledge Lin Da��s prowess now, right?


    The wager, you��ve lost!


    Bervis chuckled weakly, ��Your judgement is indeed not bad.��


    ��But if you think Lin Da has won, that��s quite premature.��


    ��What do you mean?��


    ��Simple.��


    Bervis pointed at the Goblin Prince on the screen who was being beaten into a dire retreat, seemingly powerless to resist, and said:


    ��This magical creature has not used its ultimate skill yet.��


    Bervis��s words were like a prophecy.


    The Goblin Prince roared angrily, swung the greatsword wildly, and forced the Phoenix Tail Flower Group to retreat.


    Lin Da also realized what was about to happen.


    He nodded at Isa.


    Isa then looked at Lia.


    The six people present immediately split into two groups.


    The Isalia Group.


    And the Phoenix Tail Flower Group led by Lin Da.


    The Goblin Prince, panting and leaning on his knees, had his belly swelling up, round and bulging like a pregnant woman.


    Suddenly, the Goblin Prince opened his mouth wide and spat out two green oval eggs.


    The eggshells cracked and broke apart.


    Two goblins, each one and a half meters tall, lean and muscular, crawled out from the eggshells with a sinister laugh.


    They were armed with a bone knife in hand.


    Though small in stature, their aura was impressive.


    Their level was the same as the Goblin Prince��s, reaching level 25.


    A string of information flashed through Lin Da��s mind: the Goblin Prince��s ultimate skill, ��Call for Help.��


    It was triggered when the Goblin Prince��s Hit Points dropped to 25%.


    The two Goblin Guards had considerable Hit Points, equivalent to the Goblin Prince��s current health.


    If the guards were not killed within three minutes, the Goblin Prince would use ��Devour�� to consume the guards, recovering a large amount of health and increasing All Attributes.


    This situation must be avoided!


    Therefore, Lin Da had instructed his teammates to hold back their ultimate skills.


    So far, he was the only one who had used the Guardian Sword in order to counter the Stone Rain.

 Chapter 270 - 270: Fusion Finishing Skills: Ice and Fire Symphony!

    Chapter 270: Fusion Finishing Skills: Ice and Fire Symphony!


    ��Let��s begin!��


    Lin Da charged ahead, targeting the one on the left.


    Poison Magic Power surged into his sword.


    With a swing of his sword, he slashed out a purple Poison Dragon!


    With fangs and claws flashing, the Poison Dragon lunged at the Goblin Guard, biting and blasting him several meters away.


    A vast wound tore open on the Goblin Guard��s shoulder, blood gushing profusely.


    ...


    Surrounding him were 10 purple teardrops.


    The Goblin Guard, both shocked and furious, was clueless about what these were.


    They were named: Dragon��s Sorrow.


    Each teardrop would cause three times the damage of Lin Da��s Magic Power.


    Following Lin Da��s Poison Dragon��s Roar, Monica chanted a spell from the rear.


    Trembling with fear, Monica raised her Magic Wand, her timid large eyes daring not to meet the fierce gaze of the Goblin Guard but focusing on its green feet to pinpoint the position. S��ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although Monica strove to shout the name of her Ultimate Skill, it came out as a faint whimper instead.


    ��Falling�� Falling Rock Technique!��


    The Magic Wand burst into light, and a brown Array with a diameter of six meters appeared above the Goblin Guard��s head.


    A massive rock fell from the Array.


    Boom!


    The Goblin Guard was smashed into a deep pit, wailing in agony!


    -30590!


    Immediately after, a blue phantom rushed forward.


    Lulu��s ears had grown much longer, and her tail was unusually thick.


    Crouching on all fours, her eyes filled with blood, she growled like a true wolf.


    The Frost Wolf Warrior��s Ultimate Skill: ��Berserk.��


    Upon activating ��Berserk,�� Lulu��s output increased for 30 seconds.


    The lesser her health points, the greater the increase in output.


    In a near-death state, the increase could be up to 100%!


    This meant that the perfect match for Lin Da��s Double Shields wasn��t Lia, who excelled in ��Energy Charging,�� but rather Lulu.


    Lin Da could allow Lulu��s health to drop to half or even a sliver before encasing her in Double Shields��


    Such offensive capability could only be described as terrifying!


    However, in subduing the Goblin Prince, Lin Da was confident enough to proceed steadily, not requiring Lulu to injure herself to lose health.


    Back among his own ranks, Lin Da would not permit Lulu to harm herself unless absolutely necessary.


    Lulu, at full health, had her damage increased by 30% through ��Berserk,�� which was sufficient.


    Lulu pounced forward, her beast claws shimmering coldly, frantically attacking the Goblin Guard.


    A series of damage numbers popped up: -3521, -3901, -3728��


    And these were merely the damages from normal attacks.


    With ��Berserk�� lasting 30 seconds, Lulu could achieve nearly 100,000 in output.


    Lin Da, along with his three companions, one of whom was the drag Kafni, rapidly brought the Goblin Guard to the brink of death.


    A couple more strikes, and it would be over.


    On the other side, Isalia��s group was having a much harder time.


    After all, they only had two people.


    The sensor ladybug��s suggestions displayed concern for them too.


    Isa��s fans questioned the fairness of Lin Da��s distribution of tasks.


    The dirtiest, toughest jobs were all thrown to the outer team��s adventurers.


    These criticisms, even if seen by Lin Da, would be ignored.


    Those people would soon understand the reason for his decisions.


    ��Ice Wall.��


    With a graceful lift of her rapier, Isa conjured an ice wall that blocked the Goblin Guard��s attacks.


    ��I��m ready!��


    Lia, having completed her ��Energy Charging,�� her Greatsword shimmered with a dazzling red glow.


    The two exchanged glances and nodded to each other.


    Isa extended her hand to Lia.


    Lia grasped it.


    The two stunningly beautiful girls, hand in hand, approached the towering Magical Creature.


    Unbeknownst to them, this scene caused an uproar in the Adventurer��s Guild hall.


    Inconceivable as it was that the duo, known for being like fire and ice, would walk hand in hand like close girlfriends towards the Goblin Guard.


    Their steps were initially chaotic, but gradually they synchronized.


    Isa��s rapier, wrapped in frosty mist, and Lia��s Greatsword, ablaze with flames, crossed each other.


    Both simultaneously engaged their Battle Qi.


    Fire and ice intertwined and overlapped.


    Forming a dazzling ribbon of red and silver, it clung to their swords.


    The Goblin Guard instinctively sensed a threat.


    He backed away step by step, assuming a defensive posture.


    At that moment, Isa and Lia joined hands and leaped into the air!


    Both swords struck down simultaneously.


    They shouted in unison,


    ��Ice and Fire Symphony!��


    The silver and red sword lights transformed into an Ice Storm and a Fire Tornado, enveloping the terrified Goblin Guard.


    The cave turned into a realm of both ice and fire.


    The storm sliced, frostbiting the Goblin Guard��s skin.


    Then the flames scorched him into charcoal.


    Rocks tumbled, and dust filled the air.


    A silver and red storm connected heaven and earth!


    ��Ooowaaahhh!��


    The Goblin Guard let out a miserable cry.


    -37560!


    -38811!


    -40002!


    The Fusion Finishing Skills triggered three times, totaling nearly 120,000 damage.


    The energy storm dissipated.


    The Goblin Guard had already turned into a pile of minced meat!


    Lia said excitedly, ��We did it!��


    She quickly took out a sensor ladybug from the strap on her thigh to see if there were any praising suggestions.


    After using the Ice and Fire Symphony, the number of suggestions surged.


    [Is this a Fusion Finishing Skill? Such powerful force, truly worthy of Bursting Flames Lia, one of the strongest swordsmen in White Dove City!]


    [The Goblin Guard got instantly killed? How high must the damage be, it almost feels like it��s close to a Star-ranked adventurer.]


    [Even Lia and Isa can use Fusion Finishing Skills, why can��t my Oath-bound girlfriend and I pull it off after two years of practice?]


    Dawen also stared at the screen unexpectedly, the wheat beer glass in his hand hanging in the air for quite a while.


    His expression gradually softened, and he smiled contentedly.


    It felt as if his little sister had grown up a bit.


    She was even willing to cooperate with others and had mastered a Fusion Finishing Skill.


    Even he, the big brother, and his team members had been practicing for over a year without finding a clue.


    ��If something were to happen to my father and me during a Magical Creatures�� hunt, I could leave the Scarlet Adventure Group in Lia��s hands with peace of mind,�� Dawen thought silently.


    Inside the cave.


    Lia, seeing so many praising suggestions, could barely keep her lips from curling up.


    Thirty years by the east of the river, thirty years by the west.


    Never underestimate a young girl��s plight!


    Lucky for them, Lia wasn��t a Beastman.


    Otherwise, her tail might have spun circles in the air.


    At this moment, Lin Da dealt with another Goblin Guard.


    The six of them pressed forward step by step, forming an encirclement around the Goblin Prince.


    After using [Call for Help], the Goblin Prince was overly exhausted and became weak.


    He sat down on the ground, clumsily swinging his long sword back and forth, shaking his head in fear, looking extremely cowardly.


    It seemed that he had completely lost his will to fight.


    But that ugly big mouth suddenly curled into a cunning smile.


    What��s going on?


    Suspicion appeared in Lin Da��s eyes.


    The Goblin Prince, had he just smiled?


    Something was off.


    The Goblin Prince is a type of Magical Creature known for its cruelty and cunning.


    This obvious show of weakness seemed like a lure to draw them closer.


    But this creature had already used up its Ultimate Skill, it should have been at its wits�� end.


    An unusual seed sprouted and grew in Lin Da��s mind.


    This abnormal situation gave him a slight chill up his spine.


    Lin Da chose to trust his instincts.


    He shouted, ��Everyone, stop, stay away from that creature!��

 Chapter 271 - 271: 239, Lin Da cuts off the live broadcast and launches the Ultimate Move!

    Chapter 271: 239, Lin Da cuts off the live broadcast and launches the Ultimate Move!


    Lia, who was at the forefront, looked back at Lin Da.


    ��Why is that?��


    Just as Lia felt puzzled,


    the expression of the Goblin Prince, cowardly a moment before, suddenly changed.


    This Magical Creature stood up with a nasty smile, the Sword of Royalty thrusting forward!


    It was clear to see the veins on the Goblin Prince��s body bulging out, like an overinflated balloon, his body rapidly swelling from three to four meters in height.


    ...


    His eyes turned a blood red.


    The Sword of Royalty in his hand turned an ominous deep black, as if infused with some kind of power.


    A terrifying aura emanated from the Goblin Prince!


    ��What��s happening?��


    Lia and the others stopped in their tracks.


    Lin Da��s strategy did not mention this part, did it?


    Only Lin Da realized what the situation was now.


    Lin Da��s eyes narrowed.


    A chill rose up his back


    It was the third phase of the Goblin Prince, the Furious Form.


    The optimal number of people to take on this cave was six.


    Once that number was exceeded, the Goblin Prince would enter the third phase, activating the Furious Form.


    All Attributes increased, embarking on a frenzied slaughter of the adventurers, and the difficulty of the challenge rose by a level.


    This unexpected turn was not too troublesome for Lin Da.


    Even in the Goblin Prince��s rage, Lin Da could hold his own with his toughness.


    What truly sent a chill down Lin Da��s spine was when he surveyed the dim cave and counted the number of people in his field of view, exactly six including himself.


    Where was the seventh person who had triggered the Goblin Prince��s third phase fury hiding? S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even Kafni couldn��t detect the presence of this person��Kafni, as a Deity, had the most sensitive grasp on the aura of the evil side, such as Witches and Magical Creatures.


    But if the opponent was an adventurer with a higher level than Kafni��s, then without being on guard, it would be difficult for Kafni to notice them.


    Following all the way into the Goblin Cave, secretly observing the Phoenix Tail Flower��s battles�� it was hard to say there wasn��t malice involved.


    Lin Da��s brain worked rapidly.


    At the same time, he quickly chanted a Verdant Shield, bestowing it upon Lia who was at the vanguard.


    Two attacks came at the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    On one side was the Goblin Prince, who was obviously thrusting the Sword of Royalty at Lia.


    On the other side��


    The space in the shadow of the cave rippled like water.


    A person in a black robe, holding a dagger, walked out from it.


    The black-robed individual��s gaze was icy, his eyes firmly fixed on the Phoenix Tail Flower member closest to him: the Mage Monica, who had no idea what was happening behind her, wand in hand!


    ��


    On the second floor of the Adventurers�� Guild.


    The crowd looked at the screen with uncertainty and confusion.


    What on earth was happening?


    Why did the Goblin Prince, who was at death��s door just a moment ago, suddenly become as powerful as if he had drunk three large bowls of chicken soup and made a full recovery?


    Only a few people guessed the reason.


    Bervis thought with astonishment, it seemed someone was setting up the Phoenix Tail Flower.


    White Dove City appeared peaceful on the surface, but beneath there were dark undercurrents stirring.


    In the hall, only Hulus knew the whole truth.


    Why would the Goblin Prince go into a rage?


    The hidden person, where exactly were they?


    Hulus knew all these things!


    Three days ago, Hulus had sent out a team member adept at concealment to follow Phoenix Tail Flower.


    After the incident of the ranking party, Hulus��s Specter Adventure Group and Phoenix Tail Flower had a complete fallout.


    Like two hunters in the Dark Forest, since they couldn��t guess whether Phoenix Tail Flower would make a move, it was better to strike first!


    While Monica and Chloe went to the Magic Guide Gaming Center to play with the Illusion Helmet, Hulus��s member took the chance to leave a mark on Monica.


    Then, they followed Lin Da and the others into the Goblin Cave.


    To avoid detection by Lin Da, all three of Hulus��s team members were proficient in the Dark Series skill Turtle Breath, which was hard to sense unless someone was much higher in level.


    ��If the Epic Demon Creature can��t take you down, then I, the group leader, will see you off!��


    A venomous laugh echoed in Hulus��s heart.


    On the outside, he looked ��surprised�� towards the magic screen.


    It seemed that even he did not know why the Phoenix Tail Flower Team had encountered such a situation.


    ��


    ��Ugh!��


    Lia blocked the Goblin Prince��s thrust with her greatsword, and the Verdant Shield in front of her vibrated violently until it shattered in an instant.


    Fortunately, most of the attack��s force was absorbed, and Lia only grunted, sent flying a dozen meters away.


    More than a light injury, but not quite severe.


    But without the Verdant Shield��


    Lia��s face turned pale.


    Just now, she would have been gone!


    ��Lin Da����


    Lia scratched her cheek, wanting to say thanks.


    But then she was startled to see, behind Lin Da, two figures in black robes emerged from the shadows, holding gleaming scimitars and shooting toward Lin Da like arrows leaving their bows!


    The aura emitted by these robed figures was nothing to scoff at, about level 26 each.


    Lin Da seemed completely unaware, his entire focus on Monica in the distance.


    This is bad.


    Monica, she��s bait!


    A chill went through Lia��s heart.


    Lin Da chanted the spell for Verdant Shield, preparing to protect Monica.


    But in reality, the real targets of those figures were Lin Da himself!


    The shield brought by the Guardian Sword had been exhausted in the ��Stone Rain��.


    Verdant Shield had also become a thin layer after Lin Da��s clash with the Goblin Guards.


    The shield Lin Da was chanting for Monica, if given to her, wouldn��t be able to protect him!


    Lia did not know the exact thickness of Lin Da��s Life Barrier.


    She just felt that Lin Da, at level 23, would definitely die if attacked by two level 26 figures in black robes.


    So, a strange scene unfolded in the area.


    Lia ran toward Lin Da, while Lin Da, due to the distance needed for casting, ran toward Monica in the far back.


    Everyone realized that crisis had arrived, each making their move.


    But all of this happened too abruptly.


    Lulu knew she had to confront the two figures in black robes, but her position was too spread out from Lin Da to offer assistance in time.


    Lin Da, rushing toward Monica, was also looking for a way to cope.


    The killing intent from behind, Lin Da felt it.


    But he didn��t attend to it!


    With a Life Barrier of 9700 points, those two figures in black robes wouldn��t be able to break through!


    Lin Da ran with all his might, his blood boiling, his heart pounding like a drum.


    What he was most concerned about was whether a single Verdant Shield could keep Monica safe.


    The same shield, according to the defensive power of the one it was cast on, varied in ��quality��.


    Lin Da could give Monica a Verdant Shield of 4350 points, but how much damage this shield could actually withstand, depended on Monica herself.


    Monica was one of the more fragile mages, not necessarily able to block that black-robed figure��s attack!


    ��Kafni!��


    Lin Da��s eyebrows shot up, and he let out a loud yell.


    It was time, to use ��that��!


    Meanwhile, he retracted his sensor ladybug, cutting off the live strategy feed.


    All the connected magic screens blacked out.


    The Adventurers�� Guilds in various parts of White Dove City were in an uproar.


    Everyone was confused, not understanding what was happening.


    Why had the Goblin Prince gone into a rage?


    Where did those assassins come from?


    Who was targeting Phoenix Tail Flower?


    And why did Lin Da cut off the live strategy feed?


    This was precisely what the assassins wanted.


    They could now use some of their signature skills without restraint, not caring about exposing their identities.


    With the strategy feed live, even if Phoenix Tail Flower encountered an accident, there were videos as evidence, and both the Adventurers�� Guild and the Imperial Knights would help Phoenix Tail Flower capture the murderer.


    The current situation left everyone in doubt.


    Aiko, Celin, and the fans of Phoenix Tail Flower had tense sweat on their foreheads, as if a heavy stone pressed against their chests.


    What was happening behind that blacked-out magic screen?

 Chapter 272 - 272: 240, Goddess status Kafni

    Chapter 272: 240, Goddess status Kafni


    Inside the cave.


    Kafni nodded solemnly, her eyes meeting Lin Da��s as they shared an unspoken understanding.


    ��I don��t need you to tell me, I was ready to use it anyway!��


    Kafni bit her teeth fiercely, her voice resolute.


    The scant divine power was channeled into her body.


    A terrifying golden light shone in her eyes as her waist-length hair fluttered in the violent magic power.


    ...


    Kafni extended her right hand forward, aiming at the black-robed figure attacking Monica.


    Everyone in the cave felt a heavy pressure on their backs, their footsteps becoming much slower, as a vast force swept across the space.


    Lulu, Isa, and Lia were all stunned by Kafni��s sacred and commanding aura.


    What kind of power was this?


    Under Kafni��s oppression, their calves trembled.


    This thief who usually seemed so unreliable, was she actually an incredibly strong adventurer?


    The black-robed figure targeted by Kafni only felt a heaviness in his chest and struggled to breathe. He was horrified to find that his feet seemed stuck in the mud, and no matter how much power he used, he couldn��t lift them!


    The other two black-robed figures also stopped in their tracks with uncertain surprise, not daring to make any rash moves.


    ��C-captain!�� Monica flew into Lin Da��s arms like a bird returning to its nest.


    ��It��s okay, it��s safe now.�� Lin Da stroked Monica��s head and slowly let out a sigh of relief.


    When his gaze turned forward, it became cold and detached.


    Anyone threatening the safety of his team, not a single one would be spared!


    ��Kafni, do it!��


    Lin Da said coldly.


    Kafni stretched out her fair palm, gently gripping the empty air.


    In everyone��s ears, they heard the sound of something shattering.


    It was like a liver being smashed into a pulp underfoot.


    In fact, it was the heart of the black-robed man Revika.


    Revika��s eyes bulged as he spat out a shower of blood.


    In the spiritual world, the core that shone bright as stars quickly dimmed.


    The life barrier that had been connected to Revika��s body also disappeared.


    Along with it, the signs of Revika��s life.


    Just like a blade of grass withering within three seconds, Revika��s pupils dilated, and he collapsed to the ground, limp.


    ��What happened? Is Revika dead?��


    The other two black-robed figures were shocked.


    They couldn��t see through Kafni��s true abilities.


    Logically, adventurers of each rank should have distinct ��auras,�� and one could generally determine another��s rank by the strength of that aura.


    But they couldn��t detect anything from Kafni.


    ��Outmatched, use the Town Portal Scroll, retreat!��


    ��Big Brother, I understand!��


    The two black-robed figures frantically took out their Town Portal Scrolls.


    If they tore these scrolls and channeled power into them, they could return to White Dove City from the fifth floor.


    If one assassination attempt failed, then they would try twice, three times! sea??h th�� N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But Kafni snorted coldly.


    ��Insects, where do you think you��re running!��


    Kafni stretched out both hands, clenching them into fists.


    Bang! Bang!


    Two explosive sounds.


    The two black-robed figures turned ashen, spewing out a jet of blood.


    The Town Portal Scrolls slipped from their hands, falling to the ground.


    Kafni had already anticipated their escape plan.


    After killing Revika, Kafni had been brewing another ��Invisible Hand.��


    The moment they took out their scrolls, she crushed their hearts!


    ��Well done.��


    Lin Da cheered up.


    If these two had escaped, revealing the existence of Kafni��s divine power would have surely drawn the attention of the Demons.


    Kafni reacted quickly, exterminating them before they could escape!


    ��For this time��s non-epic-level equipment, Kafni, you can choose any two pieces, plus an additional reward of 100,000 gold.��


    Lin Da was clear about rewards and punishments and decided to reward Kafni.


    After a thorough check, there were no other hidden assassins in the cave.


    Lin Da pointed to the Goblin Prince who was shivering in the corner trying to run away and said:


    ��While you still have strength, cripple that creature for me, but remember to leave it some breath so I can practice my hand.��


    ��You��re always thinking of good things for yourself.��


    Kafni rolled her eyes and unleashed a wave of divine power, striking the Goblin Prince.


    But the force was clearly not as strong as at the beginning.


    After killing the three men in black robes, Kafni had become extremely weak.


    Lin Da clearly saw the number -97802 appear above the Goblin Prince��s head.


    He mentally calculated the health points��


    About 10,000 left.


    That would do, he was able to solo it.


    After Kafni had done these things, she fell from the sky with a thud.


    All the golden light, the majestic aura, and various special effects disappeared.


    From a beautiful and holy Goddess, she reverted to a Scrap God.


    Lin Da was quick to react.


    ��Dark Whip!��


    He wrapped his whip around Kafni��s waist and cradled her in his arms.


    Not to mention, she was quite soft, and there was a faint scent of alcohol.


    The Scrap God had sneakily drunk some Wheat Beer before the expedition started.


    Considering Kafni��s contribution, Lin Da held back his lecturing mindset.


    ��Just don��t take advantage of your lord here.��


    After Kafni spoke, she tilted her head wearily and fell asleep in Lin Da��s arms.


    Lin Da could feel that Kafni��s body was like a lump of mud.


    During the Transformation, Kafni was consistently ��losing health��.


    The powerful divine power wasn��t something her frail body could sustain.


    While she looked unharmed on the outside, inside Kafni was battered and ��as good as new��.


    Lin Da remembered Kafni mentioning that using divine power once would turn her into a scrap, and she would need a long time to recover.


    Considering Kafni��s injury was work-related, Lin Da decided to pamper her with food and drink and let her rest in the villa as much as she wanted.


    Perhaps this was also what Kafni had hoped for. To eat, drink, and be merry in the villa while the hero climbed the World Tree��


    Plus, since Kafni was a ��Summoned Being��, whenever Lin Da leveled up, she would level up too.


    Without lifting a finger, she could get stronger just by lying down.


    Lin Da smiled helplessly.


    He would let the Scrap God rest for a while.


    He handed the sleeping Kafni over to Lulu and then, gripping the Azure Sword, he approached the Goblin Prince.


    ��Lin Da!��


    Isa and Lia came over.


    Lia: ��Who were those men in black robes, and what��s going on with Kafni?��


    Everyone looked at Lin Da with curiosity.


    Considering the Goblin Prince had only a sliver of health left and was paralyzed by Kafni��s divine power, Lin Da decided to first explain to the others.


    He described Kafni��s divine power vaguely as a kind of ��Forbidden Move�� and glossed it over for the time being.


    As for the men in black robes, they might be from Specter Adventure Group.


    ��Those bastards!?��


    Upon hearing this, Lia stamped her foot angrily, ��When I get past the 14th floor, I��ll be Star Rank, and I��ll take them down first!��


    Isa shook her head, ��Lia, you��re not strong enough yet.��


    Lia: ��Who are you looking down on?��


    ��What I mean is,�� Isa paused, her gaze turning cold as she said, ��add Ice Flower.��


    ��Eh? You want to help Lin Da?��


    ��Idiot,�� Isa sighed, ��We��re no different from the Phoenix Tail Flower. We��re both on Specter��s hit list. As a few of the most promising Rock-level Adventure Teams in White Dove City, once we grow to Iron Level and join forces with White Dove Adventure Group�� What good days would Specter have left?��

 Chapter 273 - 273: 241. Kill a Two-Star Epic Monster, the Goblin Prince!

    Chapter 273: 241. Kill a Two-Star Epic Monster, the Goblin Prince!


    ��Right����


    ��So, the Specter is a common enemy of our three adventure teams,�� Isa summarized the pros and cons succinctly in just a few words.


    For the first time, Lia felt that Isa might indeed be smarter than her.


    ��Isa is right,�� Lin Da nodded, ��The Specter is our common enemy. To fight against this veterans�� Steel Level Adventure Group, we need at least one Star Rank.��


    Only the influence of a Star Rank could counteract each other.


    Below level 30, one would be affected by this special ability, and the combat power would at least be halved.


    ...


    Among the three adventure teams, three people had the most hope of reaching Star Rank.


    Lulu and Isa at level 28, and Lia at level 27.


    Lin Da thought to himself that tonight, he would try to use all his savings to help Lulu break through to level 30 and become Star Rank.


    ��The diamonds I have probably aren��t enough. I must get the last hit on this Goblin Prince!��


    Lin Da showered Lia with kind words, giving the last hit to himself and paying Lia an extra ten thousand gold.


    This convinced the red-haired girl, who was eager to ��show off��.


    ��Goblin Prince, it��s a one-on-one duel, draw your sword, at least die like a member of the royal family.��


    Draped with the Verdant Shield and flanked by four eager young girls, Lin Da surrounded the Goblin Prince.


    The Goblin shrieked, like a desperate criminal, and charged at Lin Da.


    ��Dark Whip!��


    Lin Da snared the Goblin Prince��s right foot with a whip, tripped him, then hurled a Venom Magic Sphere!


    ��Toxic Enchantment.��


    He caressed his Azure Sword with his left hand, coating it with a layer of purple light.


    Man and Goblin tangled in the fray.


    Lin Da was unskilled in swordsmanship.


    He had sought instruction from Isa, but after all, the time was too short, and he only learned the basics.


    However, Lin Da had one great advantage: his hit points combined with the shield neared 15,000.


    He was now truly a man with more health points than a BOSS.


    When the Goblin Prince struck Lin Da, Lin Da was unmoved.


    Only the Verdant Shield lost some of its brightness.


    Lin Da��s slashes at the Goblin Prince caused blood to flow with each hit!


    Every strike reliably weakened the life force of the Goblin Prince.


    ��3000 left.��


    ��2000.��


    ��1000����


    ��The last 100 points.��


    Lin Da habitually tallied in his mind.


    When the Goblin Prince was left with only a sliver of health, the creature was thoroughly scared. S~ea??h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Frantically, it threw down its weapon, knelt on the ground, whimpering and licking Lin Da��s boots, begging for his mercy.


    Not an ounce of royal dignity remained!


    Lin Da looked down at the trembling head of the Goblin Prince with no sympathy, and his Azure Sword descended.


    ��Awooooo!��


    The Goblin Prince let out a piercing scream.


    A large green head rolled to Lin Da��s feet.


    The Goblin Prince��s eyes filled with blood, glaring at Lin Da, as if cursing him in silence.


    ��Green-skinned freak, disgusting!��


    Lin Da kicked, sending the Goblin Prince��s head flying like a ball.


    It hit the wall with a splat, bursting upon impact.


    Disgusting green blood splattered everywhere.


    The Goblin Prince��s hit points ran out, its body turned to ash, and slowly dissipated.


    Immediately after, a golden sphere representing the passage of the trial floated up from where the body had been.


    Seeing this sphere, Lin Da, Isa�� everyone��s spirits lifted, their faces full of anticipation.


    Having cleared the secret trial and killed a Two-Star Epic Monster, they would receive a Divine Gift from the World Tree Goddess!


    Everyone present was killing an Epic Monster for the first time.


    No one knew how generous the reward would be.


    Lia clasped her hands in excitement, praying inwardly, ��Goddess, please let me reach Star Rank.��


    Isa��s heart was also pounding; if she could reach Star Rank, she was confident she could lead the Ice Flower through the 14th level and become a Steel Level Adventure Group.


    Their eyes unblinking, a burning gaze followed the golden sphere as it moved.


    After hovering for a few seconds in the air, the sphere split into six parts.


    Like shooting stars, they plunged into everyone��s bodies.


    Boom, boom, boom!


    The Level-Up Radiance of Divine Light fell one after another.


    The girls felt their power within continuously surge, their complexions turning rosy.


    Thank goodness the live stream wasn��t on.


    Like Monica and Lia, the two who weren��t particularly enduring, actually made embarrassing moans, so comfortable that they couldn��t even control their mouths!


    Lulu and Isa, the two girls with colder demeanors, managed to hold it in.


    But just the same, they moaned in their hearts.


    The two of them broke through to level 29, and under the infusion of Divine Light, they were only three or four steps away from the 30th level��the Star Rank.


    With their talent, they could confidently step into the Star Rank within a month.


    If they used the Fruit of the World Tree, a week at most.


    On Lin Da��s side, he received a system prompt:


    [Last Hit on a 25-level two-star Epic Monster, the Goblin Prince, yielding 300,000 Diamonds!]


    [You have gained 1.8 million team experience!]


    [You have ascended to level 25!]


    [Attribute increase: Strength +88, Magic Power +88, Defense +22, Magic Defense +40, Agility +20, Hit Points +800]


    [You have acquired 2 Skill Points!]


    Bathed in the Level-Up Radiance, Lin Da, overcome with joy at his Hit Points breaking ten thousand, couldn��t help but let out moans as embarrassing as Lia��s.


    Fortunately, there were no outsiders here; otherwise, their intermittent odd noises might be mistaken for something strange happening within the golden glow.


    The joy of leveling up combined with that awkward delight, when exploding together, were truly��terrifying!


    Lin Da dared only to entertain the thought.


    Actually doing it might break through the limits of joy and fry his brain on the spot.


    ��Team experience of 1.8 million, beyond expectations, directly took me from level 23 to level 25.��


    ��Hit Points broke ten thousand, and I��ve also accumulated 7 Skill Points.��


    Lin Da��s previously barren inventory suddenly became bountiful.


    He used to hesitate to add points to his Ultimate Skill, but now with seven points, he could afford to add some.


    And there��s that one Golden Skill Point, Lin Da considered maxing out either the Dark Whip or the Venom Magic Sphere to increase his output.


    Healing Profession classes don��t have Taunting Skills, so Lin Da, as the ��frontliner,�� had to rely on high output and a large Recovery Amount to attract the Magical Creatures�� aggro.


    The golden glow gradually dispersed.


    Kafni��s condition improved a bit after being infused by the golden light.


    She still hadn��t woken up, but her face gained much more color.


    Lin Da��s heart eased slightly.


    When Monica was attacked, Kafni��s anxiety was no less than his own.


    This Scrap God might seem indifferent to others, but she had already acknowledged the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    Even before Lin Da reminded her, she had begun to use her Divine Power.


    ��Even if you keep pretending to be sick for half a year after waking up, your captain here will keep you!��


    Lin Da thought to himself.


    Splash.


    The sound of ��rain�� drew everyone��s attention.


    The last cluster of Divine Gold Light from the sky transformed into a rain of Gold Coins, cascading down with a swoosh.


    The dazzling golden glow was captivating.


    In a blink, it formed a small mountain of Gold Coins as tall as a person.


    Buried inside were necklaces, jewels, longswords�� and other Magical Equipment.


    Even the least valuable ones emitted a purple glow.


    Among them, there were several beams of orange.


    Great Sword, Armor, boots, and a fine sword��all emitting orange light��were stabbing out from the little mountain.


    Typically, having even one piece of Orange Equipment drop was considered lucky, but after killing the Goblin King, four pieces burst forth!


    And yet, these weren��t even the most eye-catching.


    Members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, Lia, Isa, were all stunned.


    Especially Lia.


    Her eyes reddened with greed, transforming into those of a red-eyed monster.


    Within the mountain of Gold Coins, two pieces of equipment radiated a deep purple hue, their glow intense.


    They created slender light columns that reached straight to the sky.


    Even the typically composed Lin Da widened his eyes, his heart pounding rapidly.


    Epic-level Equipment.


    And there were two pieces!


    It��s well known.


    An Epic Monster doesn��t necessarily drop Epic-level Equipment; those with poor luck might just get an Epic-level Material.


    Just like how some people get a guaranteed Five-star character from gacha draws, while others end up with trash.


    Epic Equipment and Epic-level Materials, only two words apart, but their values differ by several times.

 Chapter 275 - 275: 243. Sword of Royalty, Lin Da lets Lia touch it

    Chapter 275: 243. Sword of Royalty, Lin Da lets Lia touch it


    ��`


    The most eye-catching item in the pile was the Epic Weapon, the Sword of Royalty.


    Its blade shimmered like pristine moonlight, with the glow of magic circulating on it.


    The sharp edge sparkled with a cold light, as if it could cleave through anything.


    In the middle of the hilt was a round and smooth ruby.


    When Lin Da touched it, a surge of fiery power flowed into his body and connected with his magic circuit.


    ...


    He slowly drew the Sword of Royalty and held it up high.


    The magical runes engraved on the blade lit up one after another, and the Sword of Royalty shone brilliantly.


    The majesty of this sword was several times stronger than that of the Azure Sword.


    Lin Da swung it in the air effortlessly, without using any power.


    But when the Sword of Royalty struck the pile of Gold Coins among the spoils, it was like a knife cutting through a beautiful girl��s black silk, effortlessly slicing it apart.


    The process was smooth, and Lin Da felt no resistance in his hand.


    The sharpness of the Sword of Royalty was truly impressive!


    ��What a great sword.��


    Lin Da smiled with satisfaction.


    In front of him, a property panel that only he could see appeared out of thin air.


    [Name: Sword of Royalty]


    [Type: Equipment-Main Weapon]


    [Quality: Epic Level (Two Stars)]


    [Level: 25]


    [Attribute Points: Strength+1200, Fire Damage+10%]


    [Equipment Score: 1923. A sword cherished by a certain warrior, and for some reason, it ended up in the hands of the Goblin Prince. The cold light flowing on the blade speaks of its sharpness, and even the foolish Goblin could see its extraordinariness.]


    1200 points of strength were worthy of an epic quality.


    With the Sword of Royalty, Lin Da��s Dual Attack broke through the 3000 mark, reaching 3603.


    After he maxed out the Venom Magic Sphere, the conditions for ��killing the 9th level��s hidden Magical Creature in 10 seconds�� were within reach.


    ��Lin Da, let me have a look at your sword.��


    A voice filled with envy reached them.


    Lia had been eyeing Lin Da��s Sword of Royalty for quite some time.


    She was itching to touch it, feeling that she wouldn��t be able to sleep for days if she didn��t.


    ��Just a peek.��


    Lin Da handed over the Sword of Royalty.


    Lia held it in her arms, feeling the powerful force within. Not only did this not satisfy her craving to handle it, but it made her feel even more envious.


    ��That��s enough.�� Seeing that Lia had no intention of letting go, Lulu firmly grabbed the hilt, took it back, and gave it to Lin Da.


    ��What are you doing? I haven��t finished looking!�� Lia exclaimed, reaching out to snatch it back.


    Lulu sneered, ��Keep looking and it still won��t be yours. Keep away from our Phoenix Tail Flower��s equipment!��


    ��You�� fine then, you��re so stingy, not even letting me have a look?��


    Lia gritted her teeth, ��Give it here, I don��t even want to look anymore. Epic-level Equipment, I��ll get my own someday!��


    ��Let��s hope so,�� Lulu replied indifferently.


    Of all the members in the Snow Goose Adventure Team, Lulu liked Lia the least.


    Lia was immature and always trying to get close to Lin Da.


    Lulu was worried Lin Da might soften and end up giving equipment to Lia for free.


    Lin Da put the Sword of Royalty into his Space Ring, ending the dispute.


    He then turned his attention to the second piece of Epic Equipment.


    [Name: Agile Silver Ring]


    [Type: Equipment-Helmet]


    [Quality: Epic Level (Two Stars)]


    [Level: 25]


    [Attribute Points: Agility+100, Defense+100, Attack Speed+30%]


    [Equipment Score: 1955. Its elegant form contains a savage power. How it ended up in the collection of the Goblin Prince is unknown.]


    ��A piece of functional equipment?��


    Lin Da was surprised to think.


    An increase of 30% in Attack Speed, surely it was not meant for Mages.


    It also wasn��t a great fit for him.


    ��`


    The warrior gained the most in terms of attack speed increase.


    Additionally, with agility 100 and defense 100, it significantly improved survivability.


    Wearing this equipment, along with his Verdant Shield, could make a glass-cannon warrior turn into a semi-tank.


    After a moment of thought, Lin Da placed the agility-increasing Silver Ring on Lulu��s head.


    ��Huh?�� Lulu was startled, not quite understanding Lin Da��s intentions.


    ��The person it suits best is you.��


    Lin Da smiled, ��Take it.��


    Lulu looked at him for a moment, then nodded her little head vigorously, ��I understand.��


    Under all eyes, Lulu connected the Silver Ring to her magic circuit.


    This piece of Epic Equipment officially became Lulu��s.


    The two girls from other teams looked on enviously once more.


    To be willing to give team members Epic Equipment.


    Such a generous team leader was rare.


    Granted, the Silver Ring wasn��t the best match for Lin Da, but using it himself wouldn��t be a problem either, it was a notch above Orange Equipment.


    However, Lin Da was considering the overall combat strength of the team.


    With Lulu wearing the Silver Ring, her output could increase by around 15%.


    Furthermore, via the team��s panel in the system, Lin Da learned that Lulu had reached level 29.


    Just a bit more, and she could advance to Star-ranked adventurer status.


    Facing the threat of the Specter, Lin Da��s side not having a Star Rank was always at a disadvantage.


    He decided that tonight, he would use diamonds to help Lulu take that last step!


    Only with a Star-ranked adventurer would the Phoenix Tail Flower have the confidence to face the Specter.


    Lin Da himself had also reached level 25.


    Teamed with the Death Crab Pincer, he could deal true damage to any life form not more than 10 levels above him.


    Even when facing Hulus, Lin Da could fight relying on the Death Crab Pincer.


    Looking at the three robed corpses inside the cave, a surge of killing intent bubbled up in Lin Da��s heart.


    For the time being, he had no power to utterly destroy the Specter Adventure Group.


    Yet, he didn��t mind taking a piece of flesh from Specter first.


    Lin Da��s thoughts raced: the three assassins in black robes bore no evidence to prove their Specter origin; only he and Hulus knew the truth for certain.


    First, he needed to make this matter public. With some luck, if they could find evidence that the black-robed individuals were from Specter, Lin Da could use the Imperial Knights to sanction Hulus.


    Even if luck wasn��t on his side, letting everyone know about the conflict between Phoenix Tail Flower and Specter would mean that any similar incidents that disadvantaged Phoenix Tail Flower would immediately cast suspicion on Specter.


    Hulus, for fear of damaging his own group, would likely be wary of taking any reckless actions.


    In this time, it would be enough for all members of the Phoenix Tail Flower to reach Star Rank.


    Lin Da coldly thought that when Specter sent the assassins, the conflict between them had become irreconcilable.


    There was only one path before him: destroy the Specter Adventure Group or be destroyed.


    Lin Da��s gaze returned to the small mountain of spoils of war.


    The two pieces of Epic Equipment stood out; all other equipment seemed dull in comparison.


    After counting, they acquired more specifics.


    This time, the Phoenix Tail Flower gained:


    2 pieces of Epic Equipment.


    4 pieces of Orange Equipment.


    7 pieces of Purple Equipment.


    An estimated pile of over 150,000 Gold Coins.


    The two pieces of Epic Equipment and two of the Orange Equipment would be used by Phoenix Tail Flower.


    The other two would be paid as compensation to Isa and Lia.


    The rest, Lin Da planned to sell.


    He considered buying some Fruit of the World Tree to see if they could yield any Golden Skill Points. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To raise skills to full level, Golden Skill Points were indispensable.


    Relying on natural progression alone simply wasn��t sufficient.


    But whether or not eating Fruit of the World Tree could yield them was down to luck.


    All the spoils of war were meticulously collected.


    Lin Da then brewed over his plans against the Specter.


    A glint of cold light flashed in his eyes as he took out the sensor ladybug, ready to resume broadcasting the strategy.

 Chapter 276 - 276: 244, Live recovery, all members unharmed

    Chapter 276: 244, Live recovery, all members unharmed


    Adventurers�� Guild, second-floor hall.


    The magic screen suddenly plunged into darkness.


    Just a second ago, the roaring Goblin Prince and the unidentified assassin clad in black robes.


    had everyone so tense they dare not breathe.


    But the next second, the magic screen went black.


    No one knew what was happening with the Phoenix Tail Flower Team now.


    ...


    ��Where��s the staff, what happened, did you cut off the magic energy source?��


    ��Damn, what��s happening with the Phoenix Tail Flower Team? Where did those black-robed people come from?��


    ��With Epic Demon Creatures in front and assassins behind, this is clearly a trap aimed at the Phoenix Tail Flower Team! Lin Da and the others are in danger!��


    Everyone was speculating about how the situation would develop.


    One by one, they were frantic, scratching their heads and occasionally looking up at the magic screen, hoping it would light up again soon.


    The staff was also a bit stunned.


    The magic devices and arrays had been checked, and everything was normal.


    This meant that the cause of the magic screen going dark was not on their end.


    The guild sent out the cutest Elf Miss to temporarily appease everyone.


    Another staff member went to urgently notify President Velen.


    The Phoenix Tail Flower Team, highly anticipated in White Dove City, undergoing an attack was definitely a major event.


    The staff member did not hesitate and immediately chose to report it.


    In the hall, Aiko anxiously bit her lip, thinking, Lin Da��s shield is very thick, he should be fine, right?


    But the level of those assassins was unknown, and there was also the watchful Goblin Prince��


    No matter how one thought about it, it was going to be a tough battle!


    ��Idiot Lia, why didn��t you protect Lin Da properly? Did you have to stand so far from him?��


    ��Lin Da is an idiot too, why hire Lia and not me, a Level 28 Mage.��


    ��If it were me, I could chant the Light Arrow Technique and support Lin Da from a distance, unlike Lia, that close-combat fool who has to run over to hit anyone.��


    Aiko stared at the pitch-black magic screen, her eyes showing a desperate longing, wishing she could jump in and help the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    ��Don��t worry, Lin Da will be okay.��


    Seeing Aiko��s restless demeanor, Bervis spoke in a calm voice, ��With his Double Shields, no one below Star Rank can kill him.��


    ��What if those black-robed people are Star Rank?��


    ��He can still escape using a Town Portal Scroll.��


    ��What if that group catches the members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team and threatens Lin Da not to use the Town Portal Scroll?��


    ��Where do you come up with all these what-ifs?��


    Bervis tapped Aiko on the head, ��Since when have you cared so much about others?��


    Aiko: ��I don��t! It��s just that Lin Da is my prey. I can��t let any accidents happen to him before I catch him!��


    ��Yeah right����


    Bervis sighed, ��Normally, even the driest firewood can be picked up and still be used for burning, but I see you��re completely soaked through, not even any use as waste.��


    ��What do you care!?�� Aiko snapped, a faint black aura flickering in her eyes.


    If that black-robed person killed Lin Da, no matter which organization they were from, she would retaliate against them with ��Holy Rainstorm��!


    ��Lin Xi must be thinking the same, right?��


    Aiko glanced with the corner of her eye toward a certain sofa.


    There, a pink-haired girl with a livid expression had her cup crushed into pieces, and orange juice spilled across the table.


    ��


    ��Tasya, aren��t you worried about Lin Da?��


    Dawen glanced at the silver-haired maid with an indifferent expression.


    Sometimes Dawen had the illusion that this maid was just an emotionless magic-driven machine, showing facial expressions only on rare occasions.


    As the magic screen suddenly went dark and the hall erupted into chaos, Tasya remained composed, seemingly unconcerned about Lin Da.


    Tasya��s answer was unexpected to Dawen.


    As if stating a certain fact, Tasya said in a steady tone, ��With the master��s strength, how could mere goblins and a few bugs possibly harm him?��


    At the crucial moment, Lin Da would surely tear off his current mask and transform back into the enormously powerful Dark Shadow, capable of intimidating the madmen of the Primordial Adventure Team!


    In Tasya��s eyes, ��Lin Da�� was just a mask over the face of Dark Shadow.


    Severing the connection between the sensor ladybug and the screen, he was definitely preparing to ��Transform.��


    From a level 20 ordinary adventurer Lin Da, he would transform back into the awe-inspiring, astonishingly talented black Swordsman. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thus, worrying about Lin Da was an insult to him.


    As a Professional Maid, Tasya naturally wouldn��t make such a rookie mistake.


    During their conversation, a speck of light appeared on the huge floating screen.


    The noisy hall instantly fell silent.


    A pair of curious, worried, and puzzled eyes looked towards the screen.


    The tiny light rapidly expanded.


    The scene on the screen was the Goblin Cave!


    The figure of Lin Da appeared in the center of the screen.


    Behind him stood his team members.


    Lia and Isa were also there.


    This scene was like a stabilizing magic needle.


    Those concerned about the Phoenix Tail Flower Team felt a weight lift from their chests, as if a heavy stone had finally fallen to the ground.


    A faint trace of black mist in Aiko��s eyes gradually dissipated.


    ��Thank goodness, Lin Da and the others are unharmed!�� Aiko thought to himself.


    Xilin, the fans of the Phoenix Tail Flower, also felt their moods stabilize.


    Suggestions flashed across the screen.


    ��Captain Lin Da, what happened? Why did you cut off the live strategy feed?��


    ��Where did the Goblin Prince go? I didn��t see him.��


    ��Is the Great Bear Thief unconscious?��


    ��Wuuuuh, I��m so relieved Monica is okay, I was really worried.��


    The crowd began to voice their own queries.


    Lin Da looked at the belly of the sensor ladybug, closed his eyes, and thought for a moment.


    He cleared his throat and said, ��Let��s first address the question that everyone is most concerned about.��


    ��The Goblin Prince has been subdued by us.��


    ��All members are safe, not one person is injured!��


    His resounding voice echoed through the hall.


    After a moment of silence, cheers erupted among the crowd.


    The Epic Demon Creature, Goblin Prince, had been successfully subdued by the Phoenix Tail Flower Team!


    This achievement had a high probability of making it to the Adventurer��s Weekly issued by Cangqing Province, the province��s largest newspaper with a weekly circulation of over ten million copies.


    Being featured in the Adventurer��s Weekly was an honor.


    It was akin to a primary student being praised by a teacher, or an Elf Miss��s massage skills being recognized by a client, leading to her photo being placed in the foremost position on the display wall.


    If lucky, being noticed by the big shots above could also increase financial allocations to White Dove city, funding more facilities beneficial for adventurers.


    This matter could bring benefits, either directly or indirectly, to everyone locally.


    Many adventurers watching the live feed immediately switched their support to the Phoenix Tail Flower, loudly calling Lin Da by his title, Eye of True Knowledge.


    A flurry of congratulatory suggestions appeared on the screen.


    Lin Da couldn��t help but smile.


    He earnestly looked at the belly of the sensor ladybug; the second most frequent question in the suggestions was what kind of equipment the Phoenix Tail Flower had exploded.


    ��I can��t say specifically, but there definitely was Epic-level Equipment.��


    The Sword of Royalty would eventually be used, and Lin Da had no plans to conceal it.

 Chapter 277 - 277: 245, Hulus is soaked with sweat, President Velen is furious!

    Chapter 277: 245, Hulus is soaked with sweat, President Velen is furious!


    [Awesome!]


    [It feels like Captain Lin Da is pretty lucky, managing to burst out good equipment every time he kills Magical Creatures.]


    [I��m so jealous, our White Dove Adventure Group��s Epic Equipment mostly comes from purchases. We��ve hunted three magical creatures of this level and only burst out one piece. Gale, your luck really has no match.]


    Suggestions were all dripping with envy.


    Upon seeing this, Lin Da felt even more embarrassed to admit that he had burst out two pieces of Epic-level Equipment.


    It was a bit too much of a blow to others.


    ...


    The Silver Ring was stored into the Space Ring by Lulu, and since no one knew about it, he figured it was better left unsaid.


    ��


    In the hall, Aiko raised her eyebrows with a proud smile on her face.


    ��Bervis, the Phoenix Tail Flower has successfully hunted an Epic Demon Creature, I won. Now you have nothing to say, right? Hurry back to your old home in South Rock City and cry your eyes out in your room!��


    Aiko thought Bervis would stubbornly retort, but surprisingly, Bervis just nodded sincerely.


    ��This Lin Da is indeed an excellent adventurer.��


    ��If he is willing to join the Holy Rock Adventure Team���� Bervis said with a smiling face, ��I can help you convince father to arrange for you to be with him.��


    ��But Lin Da won��t join another adventure group.��


    Aiko said, then suddenly realized something was off about her statement��it sounded as though she was willing, but it just wasn��t possible?


    In a panic, Aiko quickly added, ��Don��t get it wrong, Bervis, I don��t want to marry Lin Da. My aim is to make Lin Da become my servant!��


    Bervis rolled his eyes, too lazy to deal with his sister��s attitude.


    ��Anyway, you won the bet, and I��ll help you keep the news from father.��


    ��But don��t get too happy yet.��


    Seeing the joy on Aiko��s face, Bervis poured cold water on it with a meaningful tone, ��Delay can bring change, I suggest you take down Lin Da as soon as possible.��


    Aiko: ��I know, no need to rush me!��


    ��If you can do it, it��ll be a great achievement, and father might make an exception to let you come home.��


    ��Ha, I wouldn��t go back even if you invited me with eight horse-drawn carriages.��


    Aiko scoffed.


    If Bervis is a demon, then that stubborn old man is the Demon Lord!


    Bervis noticed Aiko��s disrespect, but he did not correct her behavior.


    The siblings seemed to reach a consensus on certain matters.


    For instance, they both felt disgruntled towards their father.


    ��


    In the far-left of the VIP area.


    Hulus��s face was ghastly pale.


    Bedrock��s leader, Rhode, was drinking wheat beer one cup after another with a solemn face. The cups had several deep finger imprints pinched by Rhode.


    ��This Lin Da, not bad at all, hehehe����


    Hulus stared at Lin Da��s smiling face on the magic screen, grinding his teeth in hatred.


    A few minutes ago, all three Soul Stones in his possession had shattered.


    The three assassins he had sent to assassinate Lin Da were gone without a trace, no longer connected to their Soul Stones.


    Three level 26 Dark Series assassins striking together, Lin Da should have stood no chance at all!


    What was he seeing now, though?


    Lin Da was alive. S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Revika and the others were all dead.


    The Goblin Prince had been dealt with by Lin Da as well.


    This�� defied logic!


    No matter how hard Hulus racked his brain, he couldn��t understand how Lin Da had done it.


    Revika and the others were slaves he had meticulously trained from a young age, investing a significant amount of time and effort.


    They had solved countless problems for him.


    Yet they had all fallen at Lin Da��s hands!


    That was secondary, however.


    Thinking about what was coming, Hulus felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles, as if his seat were on fire.


    Even though there was nothing on Revika and the others to indicate any involvement with the Specter Adventure Group, if Lin Da was smart, he could easily make the connection.


    ��`


    So what would Lin Da do?


    Would he hold back or erupt with fury?


    If it were the latter, faced with an adventurer who had lost his reason, Hulus had dozens of ways to deal with it.


    But on the screen, Lin Da, with a smile on his face, answered everyone��s questions calmly.


    He had encountered an assassination attempt and yet remained composed.


    To Hulus, it felt like dealing with a poisonous snake.


    His original plan was to strike a fatal blow to Lin Da, but now it had backfired, exposing himself instead.


    Once the Phoenix Tail Flower became a Steel Level Adventure Group and joined forces with White Dove�� Thinking of this, a shadow crossed Hulus��s face, and his head throbbed as if it would split open!


    He stole a glance at Aiko, Bervis��s sister, and her expression. If this little girl knew he was the mastermind behind the scenes, she��d probably grab a fruit knife and charge at him.


    Admittedly, Hulus wasn��t afraid of Aiko.


    But if he made a move against Aiko, Bervis, no matter how much he disliked his sister, probably wouldn��t stand by and watch her get hurt.


    To offend Bervis was like an old man chewing hallucinogenic herbs��tired of living!


    ��By the way, there��s another matter that everyone is concerned about.��


    On the screen, the relaxed look on Lin Da��s face disappeared.


    ��I believe everyone is wondering what happened to the assassin that suddenly appeared in the footage.��


    The number of suggestions surged again.


    [Yeah, Captain Lin Da, why did you cut off the live strategy broadcast?]


    [Who is the assassin, where do they come from? Red Heart City, South Rock City? Can��t stand to see others do well?]


    [It��s so great that everyone is safe��]


    At this moment, President Velen also rushed to the hall.


    Upon hearing that Phoenix Tail Flower had been attacked, Velen, who was in a meeting at the city hall, put aside his affairs and hurried over.


    The president��s face was ashen, and anger seethed in his eyes.


    He took a deep breath forcefully to stop himself from cursing out loud on the spot.


    Which dimwit dared to target the up-and-coming talent of White Dove City?


    He was determined to drag out the mastermind and throw them into the Imperial dungeons!


    Fortunately, as soon as he arrived in the hall, the screen lit up.


    Lin Da and the others were all unharmed.


    Velen exhaled a sigh of relief.


    Then, he listened as Lin Da started to recount the attack.


    President Velen��s gaze was serious, more so than when he attended meetings in the provincial capital.


    On the screen, Lin Da gathered his thoughts and slowly said:


    ��First off, there��s the matter everyone��s first doubt, why did I cut off the live strategy broadcast?��


    ��What I want to say is, could it be possible that it wasn��t by my will, but rather the detestable assassin, in order to conceal their signature skills, from being recognized, used some secret technique to sever the connection between the sensor ladybug and the screen?��


    So that was it!


    It suddenly became clear to everyone.


    Indeed, the assassin had deviously intended to avoid exposing their identity!


    ��The three assassins have been completely eliminated.��


    Lin Da said regretfully, ��These are their corpses, as you can see, they��re very clean, with nothing on them that could prove their identity, clearly a group of professional assassins.��


    ��Another point, before the assassins died, they shouted the name of some ��big shot,�� saying something like they were deceived, Phoenix Tail Flower is not that weak, Lao Deng, how dare you trick us����


    Of course, this was a lie fabricated by Lin Da.


    But with the principals dead, the truth depended solely on Lin Da��s word.


    The only pity was that the three assassins�� bodies were too clean, devoid of anything that could be used to smear.


    To plant fake evidence was too risky and could expose one��s own deceit.


    But the words of a dead person could not be checked, allowing Lin Da to freely invent.


    Lin Da clutched his chest, his face a picture of grief, showing an expression of ��how could this happen, I just can��t believe it.��


    [Captain Lin Da, I know you��re very upset, but what exactly was the name the assassin cried out before dying? Please tell us!]


    [Justice may be late, but it will never be absent! The Imperial Enforcement Department will punish all evil!]


    [Captain Lin Da is truly too kind-hearted; looking at his expression, it feels like the mastermind might be someone he knows, maybe even from White Dove City.]]

 Chapter 278 - 278: 246, Hulus was taken away

    Chapter 278: 246, Hulus was taken away


    Lin Da held his breath for a moment, stealing glances at Jianyan.


    After sufficiently arousing everyone��s curiosity, he finally spoke up.


    ��I never expected the name uttered by the assassin before he died would be the leader of the Steel Level Adventure Group of White Dove City, the Specter Adventure Group����


    ��Helus!��


    As soon as these words were out,


    the hall burst into uproar!


    ...


    Ordinary people were not aware of the affairs at the top adventure teams.


    They naively assumed that adventurers from the same city should support each other and unite against external enemies.


    ��Why would the leader of the Specters send someone to assassinate Lin Da?��


    ��I did hear from a friend that there were conflicts between the Specters and Phoenix Tail Flower. But I didn��t expect the conflict to be this severe!��


    ��Even if the Specters are Steel Level, shouldn��t they pay a price for doing such things?��


    The voices of discussion rose all around.


    Most ordinary adventurers wore faces of shock and disbelief.


    If what Lin Da said was true, then the Specter Adventure Group would have to disband on the spot.


    On the sofa in the VIP section, Helus��s eyes flashed with panic.


    He had not expected Lin Da��s ��attack�� to come so suddenly.


    It was as if his rear end were on fire and he couldn��t sit still.


    ��Wait��listen to my explanation!��


    Helus stood up in a flurry, raising both hands high to attract everyone��s attention.


    All eyes turned toward the leader of the Specters.


    Among the gazes, two were particularly striking.


    One came from Aiko.


    The other, from that pink-haired girl who had stopped Bervis and seemed even stronger than him.


    Helus��s heart thumped wildly, continuously wiping sweat from his forehead with a tissue.


    Something was off.


    How could Lin Da have connections with two Moon Rank adventurers?


    Bervis was one thing, but Aiko was his sister.


    Helus admitted defeat.


    But who was this pink-haired girl who suddenly appeared?


    What was her relationship with Lin Da?


    With the intelligence network of the Specters, they hadn��t found anything about her.


    All Helus knew now was one thing: the Specter Adventure Group was in great crisis!


    If not handled well, they might be finished today!


    ��Cough, cough, listen to my explanation.��


    ��Think about it, everyone, Lin Da claimed that the assassin shouted out my name, Helus, before he died. Now, I��d like to ask Lin Da, what evidence does he have?��


    ��Is it that you, Lin Da, received Gold Coins from the White Dove Adventure Group, spouting nonsense to frame my Specter Adventure Group!��


    At this point, Helus was also making a last-ditch effort, shamelessly revealing embarrassing details.


    This skinny old man, under the astonished gaze of many eyes, gritted his teeth and said:


    ��What you don��t know is that in the core resource area of the 15th level Great Mystery Continent, there��s a valley where over twenty Ginkgo trees are planted. Each time the Great Mystery Continent opens, they reliably produce about a thousand Fruits of the World Tree, worth a million Gold Coins!��


    ��Such rich resources should be shared among the three major Steel Level Adventure Groups of White Dove City, but what happened? They were monopolized by the White Dove Adventure Group!��


    ��The Specters and the Bedrock, as brothers in hardship, supported each other, never expected that the White Dove Adventure Group would go too far, bribing the Phoenix Tail Flower with Gold Coins to slander us! I strongly suspect, this so-called assassination is a self-directed act by Phoenix Tail Flower and the White Dove Adventure Group to frame my Specter Adventure Group!��


    Helus��s eyes were bloodshot, his words fierce.


    Not only did he dodge the ��dirty water�� splashed by Lin Da, but he also splashed it back.


    Just like Lin Da, Helus was also talking nonsense.


    As for the true story, only a few knew.


    Most ordinary adventurers were in the dark about this.


    Whoever sounded reasonable would gain the upper hand in public opinion.


    Gale joined the battlefield, clashing fiercely with Captain Helus.


    Both of them were gasping for breath, neither outdoing the other.


    At that moment, Lin Da spoke from the magic screen.


    Even through the ��internet��, Lin Da wanted to be part of the battle!


    He had learned through suggestions what Helus had said.


    ��Captain Helus, you ask me for evidence, yet I must ask you, how do you propose I prove it? Bring the dead back to life?��


    Lin Da��s expression was cold. ��I am merely stating what happened in the cave. What I saw and heard, that��s all.��


    Both Lin Da and Helus knew exactly who the mastermind behind the scenes was.


    Lin Da knew that the assassin was Helus��s subordinate.


    Helus knew that Lin Da knew.


    But since the matter was out in the open, it had to be dealt with according to the rules.


    The bodies of the three men in black robes were clean, carrying nothing but their robes for concealment.


    Even their faces were false.


    They were masks made from a magical material.


    Their real faces had long been ��shaved�� off.


    This discovery firmed Lin Da��s resolve to eliminate the Specter Adventure Group.


    Helus, ruthless and merciless, must not be spared.


    At that moment, President Velen pressed Helus��s shoulder, his voice deep, ��I have already contacted the constables from the Law Enforcement Department. Please cooperate and allow yourself to be investigated. If you are innocent, you will not be troubled.��


    Helus��s expression shifted slightly. ��You want me, a Steel Level captain, to undergo investigation based on the wild accusations of a mere boy?��


    Velen shook his head coldly.


    ��Helus, mind your words. Lin Da is a Glorious Adventurer of White Dove City!��


    If a Glorious Adventurer were to be assassinated and the local authority did nothing, it wouldn��t only disappoint Lin Da but all adventurers would lose faith in the officials.


    If the matter were not handled well, President Velen might be held accountable.


    Shortly after, a squad of constables in shining silver armor arrived.


    Their white cloaks displayed the Southern Fire Empire��s totem: four differently-colored Flames surrounding a golden crown in the middle.


    These constables weren��t high-ranking, with the leader only at level 15.


    But facing the official power, Helus dare not resist.


    With a sullen face, he honestly extended his hands, put on the magic-restraining handcuffs, and was escorted into an iron-barred carriage by the constables.


    Bedrock��s team leader, Rhode, had veins pulsating on his forehead, repeatedly standing up wanting to stop the constables.


    But President Velen watched him with a cold gaze.


    If Rhode dared to act, it would mean defying the empire, leading directly to the guillotine.


    Rhode sat back down, continuously downing mug after mug of Wheat Beer, his chin dripping with spilled beer.


    Switching to powerless reckless drinking mode. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Facing an Adventurers�� Guild obviously covering for Lin Da, Rhode felt helpless and could only drown his sorrows in alcohol.


    The current Lin Da seemed to have the backing of two Moon Rank adventurers.


    They had no direct relation to Lin Da and might not intervene on his behalf. But just the possibility was enough to make both the Specter and Solid Rock Adventure Groups apprehensive.


    The hall buzzed with various opinions.


    ��Who��s really telling the truth? Was it truly Helus who sent out the assassins? As fellow adventurers of White Dove City, that��s far too extreme.��


    ��You can��t rule it out; the presence of the Phoenix Tail Flower threatens the interests of the Specter!��


    ��You��re talking nonsense; our brother Helus is kind and gentle, he would never do such a thing!��


    A pockmarked old woman, wielding a spatula, smacked the adventurer who badmouthed Helus on the head.


    ��Dare hit your dad, go to hell!��


    The beaten adventurer was no weakling, and with a heavy punch, he smashed it into the old woman��s face and fled in the confusion.


    The old woman fell backward, her head hitting the ground, and she lay motionless in a pool of blood.


    ��Murder, there��s been a murder!��


    The scene descended into chaos.

 Chapter 279 - 279: 247. Girls line up to receive rewards

    Chapter 279: 247. Girls line up to receive rewards


    Inside the cave.


    Through suggestions, Lin Da had a rough understanding of the situation at the scene.


    Hulus was captured.


    Rhode dared not say a word.


    For the time being, both adventure teams would definitely behave themselves.


    If they dared to make another move, it wouldn��t require Lin Da��s intervention, as President Velen would handle Hulus.


    ...


    If they were lucky, and could uncover a connection between Hulus and the assassin, Hulus would soon meet the guillotine.


    Lin Da thought, in the game, by completing the side quest ��Annihilate the Specter Adventure Group,�� a decent-quality skill book would drop. If he killed Hulus, would it ��drop�� in some way as well?


    That skill book, in the late game, was quite ordinary.


    But in the early to mid-game, before level 40, it was quite useful.


    Instead of Hulus mounting the guillotine, Lin Da would rather he ��dropped�� gold coins.


    Moreover, he wasn��t planning on simply letting the Specter go; Hulus being captured wasn��t enough. Kafni had turned into a real Scrap God and it was unknown how long she would need to recover.


    Lin Da couldn��t eliminate the Specter just yet, but he could still make them lose a chunk of their strength.


    This time, when he subdued the Goblin Prince, he advanced to level 25 and acquired the epic weapon, Sword of Royalty.


    Outside, there was also the forging of the epic armor ��Magic Dragon Soft Armor.��


    With two pieces of epic equipment and his secret trump card, the ��Death Crab Pincer,�� he might stand a chance against ordinary Star Rank opponents.


    Lin Da was brewing a cold and calculated plan against the Specter.


    He had heard that Hulus had a younger brother named Kam, who had just reached level 30.


    Before the Phoenix Tail Flower promotion party, Hulus had thrown a celebration party for Kam��s Star Rank.


    Now, with Hulus behind bars, the Specter was like a dragon without a head.


    Lin Da didn��t mind taking this opportunity to do some things that would make Hulus ��happy.��


    Outwardly, the Phoenix Tail Flower hadn��t achieved Star Rank yet, and didn��t pose a threat to the Specter.


    But the truth was, Lin Da had a bunch of diamonds and could promote Lulu to Star Rank at any moment!


    Returning from his thoughts.


    Lin Da slapped his head, remembering something.


    ��Right, I haven��t done ��that�� yet.��


    He looked toward the eager-faced young girls and smiled as he stretched out his hand.


    Every adventure team did something similar after successfully subduing magical creatures.


    Lia was the first to understand.


    She was ready to stack her small hand on top of Lin Da��s.


    Making the ��oh, oh, yay�� cheering gesture.


    As a mature adventurer, Lia seldom did such elementary school actions anymore.


    But today was different.


    The first time subduing an epic-level magical creature.


    It would definitely make it to the renowned ��Adventurer��s Weekly.��


    Millions of adventurers across the province would see her valor!


    Lia was certain that this cheering gesture would be caught by the photographers and make it into the newspapers.


    So, despite it not suiting her mature adventurer��s image, she still joined Lin Da in making the gesture.


    ��It��s not your turn yet.�� Lulu furrowed her brows and pushed Lia away, being the second to stack her hand on top.


    Lia: ?


    It��s directed at me, right?


    Isa whispered, ��We��re from the external team, by the rules, we have to wait for the Phoenix Tail Flower Team to place their hands first before it��s our turn.��


    Well��


    Lia hadn��t done this for a while and almost forgot about it.


    Previously, she was always the first to reach out, without needing to consider such rules.


    After Lulu and Monica successively placed their hands, Lia weirdly stretched out her hand.


    She felt that the barrier was getting thicker.


    Through the thick layer, Lin Da��s face seemed blurred.


    When Isa also placed her hand.


    Five of them pressed down together twice.


    ��Oh! Oh! Yay!��


    Their hands shot up, just like birds taking flight.


    ��The Epic Demon Creature, successfully vanquished!��


    Lin Da said with a smile.


    Hearing this exhilarating statement, everyone else also started to laugh.


    The displeasure on Lia��s face disappeared.


    She thought about how to handle the reporters coming to interview them.


    Not only was she honored with the ��Vanquish of the Epic Demon Creature�� title, she was also able to use Lin Da��s money to pay off all her debts.


    As agreed, Lin Da would give her 300,000 Gold Coins and add an orange weapon.


    They returned fully loaded.


    She guessed that Aiko and the others would now respect her as a competent leader.


    Lin Da then looked towards the circle of girls.


    He was too tall, making Lia and the others seem shorter.


    It was like a teacher leading a group of elementary school students on an outing, now getting ready to call roll for the trip home.


    Monica tilted her little head up, her big eyes sparkling brightly.


    Lulu��s face showed no emotion, but her swinging large tail gave her away. Like Monica, she was longing for something.


    It was a custom of the Primitive Adventure Team.


    At the end of each expedition, the leader would pat the members�� heads as a form of encouragement.


    When Lulu and Monica were with Primitive, the times their heads were patted were few.


    Now there were only three people in the team, and Kafni was still unconscious.


    Lulu and Monica eagerly anticipated a pat.


    This, of course, was something Lin Da would not refuse.


    In the game, ��Head Patting�� involved touching a cold mouse.


    But now, in front of Lin Da, were two genuinely beautiful girls.


    Whether it was the shy Big Lolita Monica or the cool-faced Werewolf Lulu, both were extremely pleasing to the eye, filling Lin Da with delight.


    Who could resist a werewolf��s furry big ears! He could touch them all day and not get bored.


    Lin Da��s eyes twinkled with amusement as he reached out towards Monica and Lulu.


    He placed his hands on the girls�� heads, gently stroking them, and accompanied by encouraging words, ��You two did well, I��m proud of both of you!��


    ��Hehehe.�� Monica hugged her Magic Wand, comfortably squinting her eyes and letting out a cute and silly laugh.


    Lulu��s face blushed slightly, and her beast ears twitched as she was openly patted on the head, seemingly a bit embarrassed.


    But the more Lulu reacted like this, the more Lin Da found it amusing, vigorously patting her head.


    The light blue fuzz of Lulu��s beast ears rubbed against his palm.


    Soft, silky, and still carrying a hint of a young girl��s warmth.


    Even a cold little face has warm ears on top.


    If it weren��t for the crowd, Lin Da would have grabbed Lulu��s beast ears and teased her.


    Until Lulu could hardly stand, her body going weak, and she glared fiercely at Lin Da, did he sheepishly withdraw his hand.


    Somewhat inexplicably.


    Patting heads privately, and patting in public�� the latter was much more enjoyable.


    The drawback was that he could pat freely in private, but could only pat briefly in public.


    Lin Da looked at his right hand, feeling conflicted.


    Little did he know, the suggestions had already turned into a lemon plantation.


    Even through the sensor ladybug, one could smell the sourness.


    A certain silver-haired maid saw Lin Da��s signature move, and her eyes fluctuated violently.


    ��I want����


    Tasya gazed stiffly at the screen displaying the two being patted, like a dog lured by barbecue on the roadside, unable to move. S��ar?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her hands, covered in white silk gloves, clutched tightly at the big pocket in front of her maid��s dress.


    Her rosy lips parted slightly, uttering an unconscious mutter.


    A strong wave of jealousy surged up in Tasya��s heart.


    She too wanted to be by Lin Da��s side, to be ��Head Pat�� and enjoy the reassuring warmth of Lin Da��s hands!

 Chapter 280 - 280: Isa also wants to be touched

    Chapter 280: Isa also wants to be touched


    In the cave.


    Behind Lulu, Isa, lined up a bit shyly, held her breath and closed her eyes in anticipation.


    The silver-haired Swordsman girl stood with closed eyes, her pretty face blushed pink.


    A delightful sight.


    It completely dumbfounded Lin Da.


    What��s going on?


    ...


    He didn��t plan to touch Isa, did he?


    Could it be that Isa, seeing him touch a member of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, subconsciously thought that everyone would get touched?


    It��s as if Lin Da holding a bag of ��Little Magic Dragon Crispy Noodles�� prompted the girls to stretch out their little hands for some, and although he planned to give none to the members of other teams, seeing Isa stretch out her hand��


    Lin Da, who originally did not intend to share ��Little Magic Dragon Crispy Noodles�� with members from other teams, couldn��t help but show his worldly-wise side.


    Isa closed her eyes, ready.


    Not to touch her would seem so socially inept!


    Lin Da paused slightly, then placed his hand on top of Isa��s head.


    Isa��s body shuddered a bit, seemingly unaccustomed to being touched by someone else.


    The girl��s silver hair was very smooth and soft.


    There was also a faint fresh fragrance emanating from her, somewhat like the scent of Gardenia flowers.


    ��Not yet�� okay?��


    Isa, with flushed face, squeezed the embarrassed words from her throat.


    ��Could I touch a little longer?�� Lin Da smiled, ��Captain Isa, your current expression is really very cute.��


    Isa��s face reddened even more.


    Others always praised her Swordsmanship as good and cool, but Lin Da complimented her on being ��cute��.


    In others�� eyes, she was a mature Adventure Team Leader.


    But in Lin Da��s eyes, did he see her as just a girl?


    Isa��s head was filled with wild thoughts.


    Having touched enough, Lin Da satisfyingly withdrew his hand, looking towards the last person.


    ��Little Magic Dragon Crispy Noodles�� had reached the last outstretched palm, and although the owner of that hand wasn��t particularly close to Lin Da, for the sake of courtesy, he still had to give a bit.


    But the owner of that hand seemed not too eager to have some.


    Lia glared at Lin Da with wariness, her small fangs bared: ��Lin Da, I��m warning you, don��t touch me!��


    So elementary school-like.


    Are there really any adventurers who would be happy being touched on the head?


    ��No need to be polite.��


    Lin Da unarguably reached out his large hand and pressed it on Lia��s small head, messing up the girl��s red hair into a tangled mess.


    Compared to how he treated Isa, Lin Da was much rougher with Lia.


    With a mixture of three parts jest and three parts ��retaliation�� towards Lia.


    He had expected Lia to resist, but as soon as his hand touched her, Lia immediately calmed down, huffed annoyedly, her eyes slantingly looking at the ground, her profile slightly blushing, allowing him to stroke her.


    ��Eh, do I have a hidden skill [Hand of God], where touching a girl��s head could increase favorability?��


    ��Was this setting from the game retained?��


    The odd reactions from Lia and Isa sparked curious thoughts in Lin Da��s mind.


    It was as if the OO of an anime protagonist were smeared with poison, making all girls touched by him madly fall for him; now Lin Da wondered if his hands had the same function as that anime protagonist��s OO.


    ��Lin Da����


    At that moment, Isa, as if she had resolved on something, took a deep breath and looked intently at him.


    Lin Da had a bad premonition.


    ��Lin Da, actually, I����


    Isa took a step forward.


    The girl clenched her silver teeth, her face determined as if she were going to sink her boats.


    She planned to tell Lin Da what she really thought.


    Then to be rejected and completely give up��however, quite coincidentally, a small pebble appeared beneath her foot.


    Isa, whose entire attention was on Lin Da, did not notice the cursed pebble.


    Her boot caught on it perfectly, and she fell forward stiffly!


    ��Be careful!��


    Lin Da reached out to catch Isa.


    However, Isa, with her face in a panic, completely thrown off balance by the pebble, pressed her hands against Lin Da��s chest, her head tilting forward, and her lips lightly touching Lin Da��s cheek!


    Right next to Lin Da was Lia, her face a picture of befuddlement.


    Lia stared dumbfounded as Isa and Lin Da both tilted toward her.


    Caught off guard, her lips stamped onto the other cheek of Lin Da!


    At first glance, it looked like the two girls, one red and one silver, were both planting kisses on Lin Da��s face!


    ��Uh-oh.��


    Lin Da was a bit stunned.


    On the left, there was a coldness mixed with a trace of warmth and a heart-soothing fragrance of gardenia.


    On the right, it was like flame, painfully hot. The scent of the girl��s body mixed with the sweat from intense battle against Magical Creatures created a bizarre, nose-stinging aroma.


    It wasn��t particularly nice, but it wasn��t unpleasant, and somehow made you want to keep smelling.


    Before Lin Da could thoroughly enjoy the moment, the two recovering girls leaped away.


    Isa, her earlobes red, frantically waved her hands, ��Lin Lin Lin Da, I didn��t mean to do this, I definitely wasn��t trying to steal you from Lulu, this was an accident, purely an accident!��


    Lulu looked at them with an unfriendly gaze, and Monica covered her mouth, her face full of surprise, seemingly even a bit envious of Isa��


    Lia, meanwhile, had a blank mind, staring wide-eyed and dumbly. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It took about three seconds for Lia to react.


    ��Lin Da, you scoundrel, you owe me a first kiss!!!��


    Lia yelled, her face pale.


    Her lips had only brushed against Lin Da��s face, but in the knowledge-deficient eyes of Lia, it was as serious as having ��done it��, and she suddenly felt her body was no longer pure.


    At the last Phoenix Tail Flower party, she had only been touched on the shoulder by Lin Da, who was in a poisoned state without memory at the time.


    But this time, her ��first kiss�� was confused away!


    Lia glared at Lin Da, pushed him with her little hand, and shoved Lin Da down.


    Lin Da, who was being helped up from the ground by Isa,


    faltered with Lia��s push, swayed, and grabbed around wildly��


    bringing all four girls down with him!


    Even after the fact, Lin Da couldn��t figure out how they ended up in that arrangement: him lying at the bottom, Monica sitting on his face, Lulu on his waist, and Lia and Isa, each hugging one of his legs.


    Like a newlywed with four delicate wives, equally divided among them.


    The Adventurers�� Guild hall seemed like it had reached the harvest season of lemons.


    ��Lin Da, you should really change your title back to ��Ultimate Pervert��, it suits you better!��


    ��I want to be sat on by Monica too, why can��t I replace Lin Da.��


    ��Are they playing like this privately too? Both Captain Isa and Captain Lia together? No wonder they can develop Fusion Finishing Skills, they must have been touched on the head by Lin Da while practicing!��


    The live silver party scene turned the Adventurers�� Guild into a bustling marketplace.


    Lin Da��s voice, muffled and unclear, transmitted through the screen, ��It was an accident, I have to cut the live feed now.��


    The screen went black, a crowd internally bellowed, what followed was probably premium content!


    Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team hosts daily silver parties, now it��s confirmed!

 Chapter 282 - 282: 250, Large Scissors and Cat Girl

    Chapter 282: 250, Large Scissors and Cat Girl


    Such a girl, with her unkempt clothing and sinister gaze, was naturally given a wide berth by passersby.


    Mingli, holding a copy of Adventurer��s Weekly and pointing at Lin Da��s photo, stumbled over to a passerby for help:


    ��Heh heh heh, heh heh heh�� You, you, you, take a look for me�� Where, where, where is this person?��


    ��Are you damn crazy, stay away from me!��


    The one addressed was a handsome man, holding his girlfriend��s hand, just coming out of a jewelry store.


    The man, startled by Mingli, cursed out loud and walked away with his girlfriend, both looking annoyed.


    ...


    ��Why, why, why do they, they, they all look down on me!��


    Mingli furrowed her brows, muttering painfully to herself, her arms wrapped around her body as she saw her own reflection in a puddle on the ground, the inferiority in her eyes growing even more evident:


    Such an ugly girl, disliked by everyone, deserves to be abandoned by Dark Shadow!


    The joy that Dark Shadow finds in those pretty girls is a hundred times what she could offer!


    Mingli, with her dark history of being bullied, had extremely low confidence in her appearance.


    When everyone else was taunting her for being ugly, only Dark Shadow had stood up for her.


    In the sunlight, Dark Shadow had reached out a hand and told her:


    [Option A: You are the most beautiful girl in the world. Join my team.]


    Although she didn��t know what Option A was about, it was�� indeed a lie from Dark Shadow!


    Mingli had been in the team for only two months before she was driven out of the villa by Dark Shadow, with all her luggage thrown out.


    When other team members saw her lingering near the villa, they warned her:


    ��Don��t let us see you on Chaoyang Boulevard, or we��ll beat you every time we do!�� S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Just to let you know, if you don��t want a good thrashing, you��d better scram!��


    Mingli, shunned by everyone, became more and more unkempt, often wearing the same underwear for months, only changing it when the odor became noticeable to others.


    After all, trash is trash. Even in pretty clothes, she would still be the trash that Dark Shadow discarded. It made no difference whether she changed her clothes or not. Mingli��s confidence had nearly hit rock bottom the moment Dark Shadow kicked her out.


    Even with a level of 41, facing those attractive, smartly dressed female adventurers on the street, she still felt inferior and dared not even look them in the eye.


    Mingli kept muttering to herself that ��she was not a bug�� as she walked forward, her head bowed and trembling.


    As a result, she accidentally bumped into an adventurer.


    This adventurer was a cat girl, just coming out of the Adventurers�� Guild after watching a livestream strategy for Phoenix Tail Flower.


    She was attractive, with a fashionable outfit. Her shoes were the latest model from Estelle, a gorgeous pearly white that reminded one of pearls. Her bare thighs led up to a pair of tight shorts and a fit, wild waist marked with the contours of her abs.


    In the cool breeze of late autumn, she presented a strikingly beautiful, chilling sight.


    ��Are you blind meow, a filthy beggar from out of town, you dirtied my shoes meow!��


    The cat girl was imperious, hands on hips, scolding fiercely.


    By looking at Mingli, dirty and lacking in self-confidence, she knew that this girl was a filthy bottom-tier adventurer from out of town who couldn��t make it and had ended up in White Dove City.


    The argument drew the attention of the passersby, who stopped with interest to watch the commotion.


    Though White Dove City was impoverished, its residents were much stronger than the wandering adventurers.


    Usually downtrodden by Red Heart City and South Rock City, now faced with a filthy beggar, some of the low-class adventurers who were used to repression couldn��t help but show Schadenfreude, even wanting to spit on the girl and curse:


    ��A filthy out-of-towner, even coming to our White Dove City to beg?!��


    They saw the girl with dark green hair trembling, the ground nearby buzzing and vibrating, making them wonder: Was there an earthquake?


    Mingli��s dark green curls cascaded wildly, her eyes flickering manically as she glared at the cat girl: ��You, you, you, you, level 11, how dare, dare you taunt me!��


    The cat girl was taken aback, not realizing the nearby abnormalities were related to the girl in front of her, arrogantly retorted, ��I��m taunting you alright, ugly and poor beggar!��


    ��Aaaahhhhhhh!��


    Mingli held her head, screaming piercingly, as she whirled out a black pair of scissors as tall as a person from her hand with a flash of light.


    This scene immediately stunned the cat girl and the onlookers.


    From the black scissors, a strong Dark Series energy pulse emanated, clearly a weapon of extraordinary quality.


    How could a filthy beggar possess such luxurious equipment?


    ��Meow, I was wrong meow, I apologize meow.��


    The cat girl, frightened, turned pale and retreated.


    But it was too late.


    Mingli snickered as she swung the large scissors towards the cat girl��s head!


    Snip!


    Snip snip snip!


    The cat girl thought she was as good as dead.


    Bystanders also screamed in panic, shouting, ��Murder, the Knights Order, come quickly!��


    What was cut off, however, was not the cat girl��s head.


    It was her beautiful brown short hair.


    In just a few seconds, Mingli had shaved the cat girl bald, the kind that could reflect light in the sunlight.


    ��Eek!!!��


    The cat girl held her face in horror as she looked at the glass display of a shop next door, her once prideful brown short hair had vanished in the blink of an eye.


    For a woman who loves beauty, hair is undoubtedly a second life.


    Mingli didn��t kill her but took half her life.


    ��Heh, hehehe, ugly, ugly, so ugly! Even more than me me me me! Heeheeheehee����


    Mingli covered her mouth, her sinister laughter leaking out between her fingers.


    This person must have a problem with their head, right?


    The bystanders wore strange expressions.


    They felt that the person must have a fault in their magic circuit inside their head, turning into a mental case.


    A mentally ill person committing murder wouldn��t be sentenced to death.


    Realizing this, the bystanders all became afraid, not daring to approach this strange girl.


    Mingli grabbed a copy of Adventurer��s Weekly, showing it to the cat girl, ��This person, where where where is he!?��


    ��Don��t you come near me!��


    The cat girl cried out in fright.


    Just then, an astonished voice rang out.


    ��Mingli?��


    ��What are you doing here?��


    Suddenly called by her name, Mingli paused for a moment.


    She let go of the cat girl, her eyes warily looking ahead.


    Where she was standing was right near the Adventurers�� Guild.


    The live show of Phoenix Tail Flower ended, and the audience began to disperse, heading downstairs.


    Tasya and Dawen were planning to go to Secret Realm Square to meet Lin Da.


    There was also Aiko, Bervis, Lin who was in hiding, the members of the White Dove Adventure Group, the fans of Phoenix Tail Flower��


    They all intended to go to Secret Realm Square to congratulate Phoenix Tail Flower on the successful subjugation of the Epic Monster.


    And so, Mingli ran into them.


    The one who recognized Mingli and voiced her suspicion was Mingli��s former teammate: Tasya.


    Even though they didn��t spend a lot of time together, they indeed had an old teammates�� relationship.


    A flicker of confusion crossed Tasya��s cool face.


    She remembered that after Mingli was kicked out of the team, she went to Black Mamba City thousands of miles away.


    Why would she suddenly appear here?


    The last time the two met was about three years ago.


    Unlike normal former teammates, there was no joy of reunion on their faces.


    To be precise, the members of the Primordial Adventure Team were more like competitors.


    Only those who performed well would receive praise from Dark Shadow and be kept on.

 Chapter 283 - 283: 251. Moon Rank Adventurer? Aiko requests Bervis to help Lin Da

    Chapter 283: 251. Moon Rank Adventurer? Aiko requests Bervis to help Lin Da


    Mingli��s eyes, peering through the sea of dark green, curly hair, gazed at Tasya��s cold, beautiful features.


    She bit her finger enviously and said, ��Tasya, you, you, you came to kill him too, didn��t you?��


    ��You��re here too, so tell me, this time, is it, is it for real!?��


    Tasya frowned, ��I don��t know what you��re talking about, but if the ��he�� you��re referring to is the master, I will stop you with all my might.��


    What does that mean?


    Dawen and the rest of the confused spectators.


    ...


    This dirty girl with dark green hair, does she know Tasya?


    Who is the ��he�� they are talking about? It seems there is a deep bond between the three of them.


    However, that bond, for some reason, had shattered.


    Mingli came to kill ��him��?


    Hiding in the crowd, Celin clapped her little fists into her palm, a light bulb going off in her head as she thought: I��ve figured it out!


    That girl, she��s another paper person raised by Captain Lin Da.


    The paper person has leapt from the screen, seeking revenge!


    Lucky she stayed in White Dove City and didn��t leave, otherwise Lin Da facing that girl alone would be dangerous.


    Celin could tell, the girl��s level wasn��t low.


    Lesser than hers, but much higher than Lin Da and his team members.


    When Mingli heard Tasya��s response, a murderous glance flashed across her face as she snipped the large scissors several times, ��Dare, dare, dare block me, I��ll take you down too!��


    The aura of Battle Qi of a level 41 swept out like an invisible shockwave.


    The color drained from the faces of Tasya and her companions, as the ground beneath their feet caved in by one centimeter.


    ��A Moon rank adventurer?��


    Everyone realized this troublesome fact.


    Surprise flickered in Tasya��s eyes.


    Mingli from three years ago was not her match.


    Suddenly, Tasya noticed something familiar in Mingli��s Battle Qi.


    Mingli��s Battle Qi was Dark Series.


    Tasya vaguely understood why Mingli��s level was so high.


    Dark Series, having the highest compatibility with a witch��s power, was naturally suited to be a candidate for a witch.


    ��This place is White Dove City, miss. Please retract your Battle Qi.��


    Abner, the leader of the White Dove Adventure Group, opened his eyes and came to Tasya��s side.


    Tasya was somewhat surprised.


    She knew who Abner was.


    The strongest adventurer in White Dove City.


    Also the longstanding rival of the Scarlet Adventure Group.


    She didn��t expect him to help her.


    Of course, Abner wasn��t doing it for Tasya.


    The leader had his own considerations.


    If they allowed Mingli, a foreign adventurer, to cause trouble in White Dove City, the most embarrassed would be the local power, White Dove Adventure Group.


    This type of adventurer ��code��, normally handled privately, always settles itself.


    To seek official help, a ��if you can��t beat them, tell on them�� action is frowned upon by adventurers and utilized only as a last resort.


    Eventually, three members from the White Dove Adventure Group, Abner, Jite, and Gale, gathered around Tasya.


    Dawen was not left behind.


    Five powerful Star Rank.


    Barely resisting the level 41 Mingli.


    ��Eh, could the person that girl is looking for be Captain Lin Da? The Captain should have just emerged from the World Tree.��


    A sharp-eyed bald man, noticing the newspaper in Mingli��s hand, wondered aloud, ��What business does a foreign adventurer have with Lin Da?��


    Mingli, mentioned three times in succession, couldn��t help but notice.


    Has he emerged from the World Tree?


    Mingli gazed ahead.


    The World Tree towered into the sky.


    Behind her, black Magic Wings unfolded.


    With a whizz, she flew towards the Secret Realm Square!


    The crowd, no longer confused, understood that the ��he�� in Mingli��s words was indeed the Eye of True Knowledge, Lin Da.


    From Mingli��s previous words, once she finds Lin Da�� the girl plans to kill him!


    Abner��s eyes turned icy as if vanishing in an instant, he dashed towards the World Tree.


    Not long before, Abner had promised to ensure the safety of the Phoenix Tail Flower.


    If Mingli dared harm Lin Da, Abner, even at the risk of his life, would draw his sword!


    Without hesitation, Gale and Jite quickly followed.


    Tasya, Dawen, Celin, Aiko.


    And Aiko��s elder brother Bervis, along with a group of adventurers bursting with curiosity��


    They all rushed en masse to the Secret Realm Square.


    A moment later,


    The square in front of the World Tree was completely cleared.


    Mingli��s expression was gloomy as she stood there, clutching large scissors.


    She waited for Lin Da to emerge.


    If Lin Da could not offer her a satisfactory explanation, she would use the large scissors to cut off Lin Da��s evil ��Magic Sword��!


    The weapon that was supposed to be used only by her, Lin Da had turned on others.


    Mingli��s hair hadn��t been so green before.


    It was only after Lin Da kicked her out that the color began to darken, becoming deeper and greener.


    She could only shrink in the corner, imagining loving scenes between Lin Da and other teammates to console herself.


    She cried her eyes out herself.


    It was the kind where tears came from both above and below.


    As time went on, Mingli��s body became weaker, and she grew more insecure.


    But today, she could finally meet Lin Da, who had abandoned her.


    For some reason, Lin Da was described as a low-level adventurer in the Adventurer��s Weekly.


    This was better.


    If Lin Da were the Dark Shadow of his peak period, she wouldn��t dare to come and demand answers.


    ��Scum, scum, cut it off, must cut it off!��


    Mingli��s eyes were bloodshot, staring unwaveringly at the entrance beneath the World Tree. S��arch* The nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��


    ��Things seem to have gotten worse, huh. Aiko, who exactly is Lin Da? How does he know so many Moon rank?��


    Bervis supported his chin with his hand, a peculiar smile emerging on his effeminate face.


    ��You��re not a boy, are you? Why so concerned about Lin Da!��


    Aiko��s expression tightened.


    Big brother and little sister fighting over the same man? That��s a bit too avant-garde!


    ��What are you thinking? I admire him.�� Bervis chuckled, ��Compared to my useless sister, it��d be great if Lin Da could become my brother. Together, we could definitely take the Holy Rock Adventure Team to the next level.��


    Aiko said sternly, ��Stop! Don��t fantasize about Lin Da joining Holy Rock, Bervis, I have something to ask of you!��


    ��I know.��


    ��You know?��


    ��Yes.�� Bervis smiled without a word, glancing at Mingli and then towards the unattended entrance of the World Tree, intelligence glinting in his eyes.


    ��You want me to help Lin Da stop that girl, don��t you?��


    Aiko did not deny it, ��Yes.��


    ��This is how you ask for a favor?�� Bervis smiled lightly, ��When you were little and couldn��t finish your homework, you��d be punished, wearing puppy ears and barking. It was quite adorable.��


    Aiko��s face darkened immediately.


    That was a dark past she��d rather forget.


    But for Lin Da��


    Aiko humiliated herself by barking softly.


    ��No way, are you serious?��


    Bervis was stunned.


    Aiko froze.


    Bervis, ��Even if you hadn��t done that, I would have helped. An adventurer with Lin Da��s potential, I don��t mind lending a hand.��


    ��Bervis, I hate you!��


    Aiko was so angry her blonde hair bristled.


    Throughout her life, she had never beaten her big brother.


    In daily life or in battle, Bervis always stood like a mountain before her.


    Normally, Aiko was quite clever, but whenever it involved Bervis and Lin Da, her intelligence seemed to halve.


    For example, Aiko never considered why the Holy Rock Adventure Team had left her to flounder in White Dove City for three years without looking for her even once.


    Was Bervis really just passing through White Dove City and checking on his sister by chance?


    Moreover, Bervis said he didn��t mind helping ��an adventurer with potential�� like Lin Da. This ��help,�� however, meant opposing an unknown Moon rank adventurer.


    The girl with dark green hair might also have a Sunrise Level Adventure Team backing her.


    The risk Bervis was taking had already gone beyond mere assistance.


    But Aiko��s poor impression of Bervis was deeply ingrained; she always felt Bervis harbored nefarious schemes to harm her.


    ��Hahaha, rare that the poker-faced Aiko would ask for my help. I��ll seriously help out this time, and stop that girl with the large scissors.��


    ��Isn��t that right, Miss with pink hair?��


    Bervis bowed elegantly to someone.


    Perhaps this was the real reason Bervis was willing to help.


    The Miss with pink hair was much stronger than him, even more than the girl named Mingli.


    As an experienced adventurer who had fought thousands of Magical Creatures, Bervis could be certain of this.

 Chapter 284 - 284: 252. Tasyas Lap Pillow, Lin Da Comes to the Fore (Two in One)

    Chapter 284: 252. Tasya��s Lap Pillow, Lin Da Comes to the Fore (Two in One)


    World Tree Fifth Layer.


    ��Captain, for you!�� S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Monica, with a sprightly charm, held out a flower crown that she had woven and approached Lin Da.


    ��Thank you, it��s a beautiful flower crown.��


    Lin Da squatted down to let Monica place it on his head.


    Smiles blossomed on both of their faces.


    ...


    After exiting the cave, they didn��t rush to return but took a detour through the Green Plains in search of the Fruit of the World Tree.


    But the outcome was as one would expect.


    The Mystic Realm of the fifth layer had too many adventurers and sparse magic power, making it the most difficult place for a Bronze Fruit Tree to spawn.


    Where there��s a Bronze Fruit Tree, there lies the Fruit of the World Tree.


    The higher the layer of the Mystic Realm, the richer the resources. By the 20th layer, Bronze Fruit Trees had become quite common.


    The Mystic Realm of the fifth layer was indeed a blessed place for adventurers around level 10.


    But for Lin Da and his companions, who were at least level 25, the resources here were somewhat insufficient.


    Lin Da didn��t find any Fruit of the World Tree, but he wasn��t disappointed, it was to be expected. He thought that after returning, he could buy some with Gold Coins, since the Mystic Realm of the fifth layer had just opened and the Fruit of the World Tree would experience a small surge in production, making the prices relatively cheaper.


    Normally 1,000 Gold Coins each, now he could buy them for a little over 900.


    First, he��d get 100 of them to test the effects.


    Luckily, Lin Da had more than enough cash on hand.


    The original 500,000 Gold, plus the 1,000,000 paid by President Velen, and the 150,000 burst from the Goblin Prince��


    Minus the 600,000 paid as compensation to Lia and Isa.


    The remaining amount was 1,050,000 Gold Coins.


    Buying 100 Fruits of the World Tree was a mere trifle.


    Lin Da looked around at everyone, ��There��s nothing more to see on the fifth layer, let��s go back.��


    Isa nodded, ��We need to prepare a strategy against the specter.��


    ��The specter won��t be bouncing back anytime soon.��


    Lin Da chuckled and said, ��From the suggestions I��ve seen, Hulus has been taken away for investigation and won��t be out for a while. At this critical moment, even if the members of Dark Shadow are dissatisfied, they wouldn��t dare to act against us.��


    ��What we need to do is to become a Steel Level Adventure Group as quickly as possible.��


    Lin Da turned to Isa and Lia, ��Let��s all do our best.��


    Everyone took out their Teleportation Stones.


    ��Return.��


    They held hands and silently uttered the word in their hearts.


    A blue light enveloped them all.


    When they reappeared, they were back at the entrance to the World Tree in White Dove City.


    ��Huh, why are there so few people in the square?��


    ��Yeah, is there some event today?��


    ��Where are the reporters from the press? Where are Snow Goose��s fans? Why aren��t they here to welcome us?��


    Lin Da, Isa, and Lia were all somewhat puzzled.


    The crowd that they had imagined welcoming them was nonexistent.


    The vast square was cool and clear.


    Only a girl with black dress and dark green hair stood in the distance.


    The girl��s hair was a mess, resembling seaweed, her eyes hidden behind it, making her expression indiscernible.


    But Lin Da and the others had a strong premonition that this girl was here for them.


    She held a massive pair of scissors, muttering something to herself.


    She didn��t seem to be a fan of theirs.


    Isa said with uncertainty, ��Who is this person, Lin Da? Someone you know?��


    ��I don��t know her.��


    Lin Da shook his head.


    The girl before them differed too much from the character portraits in the game.


    Combined with her messy, dark green hair, Lin Da failed to recognize her at first.


    He led his teammates forward.


    As they got closer, the girl��s mutterings became clear.


    She spoke of ��cutting off��.


    The sight of those large, dark scissors inexplicably sent a chill down Lin Da��s spine.


    The girl lifted her head, her green eyes solemnly fixated on Lin Da.


    When their gazes met, both were struck!


    Lin Da had an excellent memory.


    He recognized who the girl was.


    And he understood why she was here, blocking his path with large scissors.


    No wonder the sight of her was familiar at first glance.


    It was late at night, just after midnight, when the game��s daily free draw refreshed.


    Lin Da was there on time to draw a card.


    A flash of purple light.


    Lin Da drew a Four-star Dark Series character: [Black Scissors] Mingli!


    In the game, Mingli was a very special four-star team member.


    Her strength was questionable.


    Her lower limit was abysmally low, worse than a three-star.


    Yet her upper limit was terrifyingly high, stronger than an ordinary five-star when bolstered by powerful gear.


    Mingli��s feature was her extremely fast attack speed and growth in attack power that couldn��t match a mage��s.


    With powerful equipment, her Normal Attack damage was explosive.


    Without it, it was as ineffective as giving a massage to magical creatures.


    A toy for the elite to show off damage, an omen of bad luck to the commoners who drew her.


    Mingli��s three acts were:


    [The Ugly Duckling Plucked Bare]


    [You Are the Child I Favor]


    [The Dazzling Black Rose at the Center of the Ball]


    In the final act, Mingli hoped to enter into an Oath with the player.


    Lin Da chose to agree, but said it would have to wait until after reaching the top of the World Tree.


    Unexpectedly, the day after that plot line, he drew a five-star Dark Series character, replacing Mingli��s spot.


    To the real-world Mingli, it probably felt like the Captain promised to marry her yesterday, only to tell her to pack her bags and leave the next day.


    Now, Lin Da understood where that chill came from.


    ��So you do know each other?��


    Seeing his strange expression, Isa asked curiously.


    ��Why is that Seaweed Head looking at you so weird?�� Lia frowned.


    Lulu, however, recognized Mingli.


    She had a brief encounter with her in the Primitive Adventure Team.


    Mingli had been kicked out even earlier than her.


    The two looked at each other.


    Mingli��s pupils shook.


    ��So, so many?��


    A bunch of stunning young ladies, any of which would attract attention in any city, were surrounding Lin Da.


    Lulu, and a silver-haired Swordsman, their looks towards Lin Da were affectionate, not like mere friends.


    Although Mingli hadn��t seen the face under Lin Da��s mask, the soul aura of the man before her was exactly the same as that of the Dark Shadow.

 Chapter 285 - 285: 252. Tasyas Lap Pillow, Lin Da Comes to the Fore (Two in One)_2

    Chapter 285: 252. Tasya��s Lap Pillow, Lin Da Comes to the Fore (Two in One)_2


    After three years of searching, she finally found Dark Shadow!


    ��Lin Da, be careful, that woman is very dangerous!��


    A loud shout came from afar.


    It was Gale.


    And Abner, Jite.


    The trio from the White Dove Adventure Group, were racing towards Lin Da.


    ...


    ��Heartless, heartless man, you kicked me out and even sold my equipment!��


    ��Dieeeee����


    Mingli screamed, her dark green hair wildly thrashing, a mouth full of jagged teeth gleaming with a cold light as she charged straight at Lin Da.


    ��What��s with this Seaweed Head?��


    Lia, wielding her great sword, positioned it in front, and without turning back she said, ��Quick, get behind me, Miss. She��s coming to kill you!��


    Isa and Lulu moved forward as well.


    ��No good, you can��t stop her.��


    Lin Da��s expression was grave.


    The oppressive feeling bearing down on him was certainly not something a level 30 could achieve.


    Eight or nine out of ten, she was a Moon rank adventurer.


    In the present company, only he, the support with health points over ten thousand, could withstand a blow from a Moon rank.


    ��Verdant Shield.��


    An emerald light shield enveloped him, and Lin Da grabbed Isa and Lia by the shoulders, pulling them behind him.


    ��Leave it to me.��


    The resentment from Mingli had arisen because of him, and he would personally resolve it.


    Cold wind blew fiercely in front, Mingli��s twisted visage resembling a ghost or demon.


    The blades of that giant pair of scissors shone with a chilling radiance.


    Even before the clash, Lin Da already began to faintly feel pain at the base of his legs.


    Even if he could withstand a hit from Mingli, he would likely not escape without serious injury.


    Lin Da clenched his teeth tightly, drawing out the Sword of Royalty.


    And at that moment,


    A fragrant breeze suddenly swept in from the side.


    It was a brown Phantom.


    Her long maid��s dress fluttered like a huge blooming flower in the wind, and when her black heels screeched to a halt against the ground, they sparked.


    In a brief glance, Lin Da saw beneath the voluminous dress, white garter stockings edged with hollow-out lace borders like exquisite works of art.


    The silver metal buckles connecting the garters shone with a cold luster, and beneath that cover lay a pair of long, sturdy legs, sleek and well-proportioned, with muscular curves full of aesthetic beauty.


    The woman��s height reached one meter seventy, and with her black high heels, she almost stood level with Lin Da.


    ��Tasya, how come you are here?��


    Lin Da recognized the other��s identity.


    It was the Four-Star Character, ��Storm�� Tasya.


    ��Master, please leave this to your subordinate.��


    A black briefcase suddenly appeared in Tasya��s hand. Infusing it with battle Qi, the briefcase swiftly transformed into a magic cannon with a honeycomb shooting disk.


    ��Rain of Bullets.��


    With a cool, low command from Tasya, lines of blue energy circuits, the ��blood vessels�� of the magic device, lit up on the magic cannon. As battle Qi was injected, the honeycomb disk began to spin, unleashing a deluge of battle Qi bullets.


    The aura Tasya released was not to be underestimated, she had reached level 34!


    And the leader of the Solid Rock Adventure Group, Rhode, was only at level 34 too.


    ��Useless, useless, useless, useless!��


    Mingli laughed maniacally as she brandished her scissors, snipping all approaching battle Qi bullets in half the moment they neared her.


    Three years ago, Tasya was stronger than Mingli, but now, it seemed to be the reverse.


    Mingli, having attained level 41 as a Moon rank adventurer, was clearly not someone Tasya could stop.


    The bullet rain was cleanly split into two, not a single one hitting Mingli��s Life Barrier.


    Despite the considerable power of those magic-guided bullets, which could easily seriously injure an ordinary Star-ranked adventurer, they were almost ineffective against Mingli, of the Moon rank.


    As a ranged fighter, once Mingli closed in, Tasya knew the consequences were unimaginable.


    She must not let this madwoman get close to Lin Da!


    Tasya��s heart sank, and a sharp chill flashed through her eyes. Indeed, she was not worried that Lin Da would lose to Mingli, but Mingli��s attack would definitely break Lin Da��s ��disguise��.


    It was not easy for Lin Da to keep his identity as Dark Shadow hidden. Although he was unaware of Lin Da��s schemes, these matters were not for a maid to question. Tasya��s duty was to take care of her master��s daily life, and during adventures, to transform into a sharp sword, clearing the way for her master!


    Therefore, no matter what, Tasya would not allow Mingli to ruin Lin Da��s disguise.


    Black mist appeared in her eyes, and her delicate body under her thick maid��s skirt began to transform. With her heart as the origin, black thorns and vines seemed to come to life, crawling across her skin.


    Sharp thorns cut through Tasya��s skin, and the pain went straight to her soul. Her face remained expressionless, but her forehead was covered in dense sweat, and her body couldn��t stop twitching.


    The contamination of Tasya��s body was much more severe than Lulu��s.


    Compared to the latter, who was almost purified by Lin Da, Tasya was like a stinky sewer, with black Witch Power clogging the flow through her limbs and body.


    ��What is this?��


    Abner and the others who had just arrived sensed a faint and subtle evil presence.


    They stared at Tasya with suspicious eyes.


    Now was Tasya��s chance to back down.


    Once she fully transformed into a witch, there would be no excuses.


    Even if Tasya could fend off Mingli, being wanted by the empire for her identity as a witch would force her onto a grueling journey of escape.


    But at this moment, Tasya had only one thought in her mind: to stand against Mingli, this lunatic, and to not let her get anywhere near Lin Da!


    ��Heeheeheehee!��


    A sick, sharp laugh came from ahead.


    Mingli had black Magic Wings spread out behind her, and with a crazed expression, she held a large pair of scissors. The open blades were aimed at Tasya��s delicate neck, as if they could sever it in the next second.


    ��Enough,�� whispered a light sigh that arose from behind Tasya.


    Strong hands grabbed the back of Tasya��s maid��s skirt and yanked her away.


    Lin Da, shielded by an emerald Light Shield and wielding the Sword of Royalty, had eyes that shone with an unshakeable bedrock-like brilliance.


    Like a tall wall, he stood in front of Tasya!


    Mingli hadn��t expected Lin Da to do this, and her face showed a flash of panic. But remembering all Lin Da��s scoundrel behaviors, her hate-filled green pupils intensified: ��Die, die, dieeee!��


    The massive scissors clenched onto Lin Da��s emerald Light Shield, and an invisible shockwave burst forth.


    The airwave flung both individuals, with Lin Da being sent flying backwards by the tremendous force.


    At the crucial moment, Tasya caught Lin Da from behind. The silver-haired maid cushioned him with her soft body, wrapping herself around Lin Da as they landed to reduce some of the impact.


    Still, Lin Da lost ten thousand health points.


    With a shield strength of 4725 and health points of 10500, after blocking Mingli��s great scissors, he was left with 5225 points.


    Tasya, acting as his cushion, also lost more than 300 health points.


    The usually composed and proper Tasya paid no attention to the dust on her maid��s dress, holding Lin Da in her arms with a pained expression.


    She took out a handkerchief to wipe the blood from the corner of Lin Da��s mouth.


    Taking a hit from a Moon rank adventurer, even a regular attack, Lin Da couldn��t have been unscathed.


    ��Why?�� Tasya bit her lip, her body trembling slightly, silver hair falling over Lin Da��s face, tickling his cheek.


    Tasya��s point was clear.


    Even during the Monster Tide, when she had taken action against her master, something utterly unforgivable, why did Lin Da still choose to protect her? With the way Dark Shadow behaved, the best outcome would have been for her to be dismissed, and even being killed was not impossible.


    Originally, Tasya was recruited by Lin Da as a personal maid. When her organization, Whispers Under the Moon, came to request her return, Lin Da stood up to them and told them to get lost.


    That was the first time Lin Da protected Tasya. S��arch* The n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And now, Lin Da had protected her once again.


    ��Lin Da!��


    ��Lin Da, are you okay?��


    ��This Seaweed Head is crazy!��


    Lulu, Isa, Lia, and the others gathered around.


    Abner and his two companions also arrived in time.


    The three seasoned Star-ranked adventurers from White Dove were at the front, followed by members of Phoenix Tail Flower, Snow Goose, and Ice Flower,


    At the back, Tasya, with her thighs clad in white thigh-high stockings, knelt on the cold ground, providing Lin Da with a comforting knee-pillow. With hands clad in white gloves, she cradled Lin Da��s head. Tasya pursed her lips, looking as if she were about to cry.


    But for Lin Da, protecting his team members was a matter of course.


    All he knew now was that he needed to stop Mingli himself. The strength of a Moon rank adventurer was not something that could be countered by numbers.


    Mingli seemed to understand this as well.


    She staggered forward, dragging the large scissors behind her, with the blade grating on the ground producing a grating sound. The scissors were so sharp that being merely dragged by the girl was enough to leave clear white marks on the stone bricks.


    ��By all your powers combined, you��re unworthy, unworthy to stop me!��


    ��Hand over Lin Da to mee!��

 Chapter 286 - 286: 253, Sliding on Knees in Mingli

    Chapter 286: 253, Sliding on Knees in Mingli


    Whoosh.


    Mingli transformed into a speeding dark Phantom.


    The tiles on the square were violently lifted to the sides by the fierce airflow, and an ominous bloody light emanated from Mingli��s large scissors, as if it even cut through the midday sunlight.


    The oppressive feeling it gave everyone had intensified several times compared to before.


    This was no longer a normal attack.


    This time, Mingli used his skills.


    ...


    When a Moon Rank adventurer went all out, a Star Rank simply had no way to block it!


    Even so, Abner did not retreat.


    Abner was a level 39, top-tier Star-ranked adventurer, just half a step away from stepping into the Moon Rank.


    He closed his eyes and assumed the stance of drawing his sword for an Iaido Slash.


    A force several times stronger than a normal Star Rank condensed on Abner��s sword.


    From a distance, Bervis raised his eyebrows and thought in surprise,


    ��Mind��s Eye Abner, no wonder he made it onto the Adventurer��s Weekly, becoming a Moon Rank is just a matter of time. It seems that White Dove City with Abner and Lin Da doesn��t seem so weak.��


    At this moment, Lin Da applied a Healing Art to himself and stood up.


    Tasya��s eyes flickered as she grasped Lin Da��s hand, not wanting to let him go forward. Mingli, let Abner handle it. Whether Abner lives or dies didn��t matter to Tasya, as long as Lin Da was safe.


    However, Lin Da did not think the same way.


    If Abner were seriously injured because of this, he would feel guilty for the rest of his life.


    ��Lin Da, what are you doing? Retreat, leave this to us!��


    Gale, seeing Lin Da recklessly coming to the front, was both angry and annoyed, and hurried to pull Lin Da back.


    ��No need, I��m confident.��


    Lin Da shook his head, his expression calmly moving to the center of the area.


    This time, he didn��t even bring the Verdant Shield with him.


    Mingli rushed forward with a crazy laugh.


    With his current state, the least serious consequence of directly facing a Moon Rank adventurer��s skill was severe injury.


    What on earth was Lin Da thinking?


    Everyone couldn��t help but feel puzzled.


    The Lin Da they knew wouldn��t do something so impulsive.


    In other words�� was Lin Da confident he could stop that maniac?


    Facing Mingli��s hate-filled face, Lin Da offered no explanation or words of comfort,


    his gaze was cold as he stared at the girl with dark green hair, his voice like a chilling wind from hell����Sit down.��


    Just like training a dog.


    Not only did Lin Da not comfort the frenzied Mingli, but he also used extremely humiliating words to publicly shame her!


    Gale and the others�� heads buzzed, all thinking the same thing: It��s over!


    Even if Lin Da were to kneel and beg for mercy, everyone could understand. Losing face in front of a Moon Rank wasn��t a big issue.


    But Lin Da went on to insult the other party.


    What the hell.


    Fearing that things weren��t bad enough!


    He wouldn��t have triggered that maniac to launch a Super Kill, would he!


    While Star Rank adventurers could learn an ability called ��Force��, Moon Ranks, in addition to unfolding wings behind them, would also comprehend a power greater than an Ultimate Skill��a ��Super Kill��.


    With Mingli activating his skills, Abner was confident enough to risk his life to block it.


    But with Mingli launching a Super Kill, there was no solution!


    Even if Abner was level 39, with exceptional talent and extraordinary fight capabilities,


    he couldn��t possibly block a Moon Rank adventurer��s Super Kill.


    Lin Da, what are you really up to!


    This was completely unlike his usual cautious self!


    Everyone was so anxious they were pulling their hair out.


    Only Lin Da understood what he was doing.


    He deliberately cast aside all emotions.


    Like a cold, magical automaton, he stared indifferently at Mingli.


    ��Sit down.��


    Once again, he repeated.


    In Lin Da��s flat tone, there were strands of murderous intent.


    It seemed that if Mingli dared not to obey, he would instantly put on the mask and transform into the ��Dark Shadow��.


    By then�� the consequences of offending the Dark Shadow were well known!


    Even a team member entering with his left foot first would be kicked out of the team.


    Daring to attack the Dark Shadow, dying ten times would not be too much.


    Mingli, hearing Lin Da��s harsh, cold command, shivered, her pupils revealing panic as if a PTSD symptom had been triggered, and she sat down on the ground in fright.


    The forward momentum not yet dissipated, she indeed slid to Lin Da��s feet in a ��kowtow�� position!


    Mingli looked up at Lin Da tremblingly, her eyes clearing up.


    Like a fiercely barking wild dog being slapped across the face, she immediately behaved.


    The girl, her venomous snake-like eyes hidden behind dark green hair, turned into clear, watery lakes.


    In the scene of the ��Feather Plucked Ugly Duckling��, Mingli, bullied by the orphans, had her beautiful long hair cut off, being ridiculed as a bald ugly duckling.


    The Dark Shadow appeared, spanked those children with a belt, and told Mingli: Become my captain��s dog, and no one will bully you again.


    For a weird girl like Mingli, who is self-abasing, cowardly, and has a vengeful personality, ordinary teachings could hardly help her step out of the shadows.


    Lin Da chose to fight poison with poison.


    He tamed Mingli with a big stick.


    If disobedient, she would be beaten!


    His single command, ��sit down��, awakened memories buried in Mingli��s mind.


    ��Lin Lin Lin Da����


    Mingli shakily lifted her head, her right hand raised like a small dog lifting its paw, reaching out to Lin Da.


    Lin Da too extended his palm, waiting for Mingli to place hers in it.


    At this moment, everyone in the arena was stunned.


    What the hell, what��s going on?


    What happened to the prestige of a Moon rank adventurer all of a sudden?


    Could it be that the seaweed head girl didn��t come to kill Lin Da but to recognize him as her master?


    Abner had been ready to fight for his life.


    With eyes that could never be fully opened, widened more than brass bells, Abner was dumbfounded, staring at Lin Da ��training the dog��.


    Lia scratched her head, ��Am I seeing things?��


    Isa gave a dry laugh, ��I might be seeing things too.��


    Lulu pondered for a moment and said, ��I kind of understand Mingli��s approach.��


    If it could be confirmed that Lin Da was the Dark Shadow, probably no member of Primordial would dare to act rashly.


    If Lin Da were to pull out the big treasure (mask) from his trousers and chuckle coldly:


    ��Little team member, you dare to strike against me, the Dark Shadow?��


    Who could endure that?


    The Dark Shadow in his peak state could easily beat any team member.


    Seeing Mingli trembling and extremely scared, Lin Da secretly breathed a sigh of relief inside.


    Only he knew he was bluffing.


    Unless he acted, no one would know his real strength.


    Mingli had just been bluffed.


    This team member is special, as though she can ascertain through other means that he is indeed the Dark Shadow.


    Compared with Lulu who was tricked at first sight, and Tasya who was half-incredulous, it was fundamentally different.


    If the two of them could confirm that he was indeed the Dark Shadow, they would probably also hesitate to attack easily.


    In any case, was this crisis too simply resolved this time?


    Compared to Lulu��s distrust towards him, Monica��s being shut-in refusing to leave the house, Tasya��s adamant disbelief that he was the Dark Shadow��


    When it came to Mingli, the process of winning her over went surprisingly smoothly. S��ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So smoothly that Lin Da felt uneasy.


    Defeating a bunch of Magical Creatures, facing countless hardships on the throne, opening a Treasure Chest, no adventurer suspected it to be a Treasure Chest Monster. But a Treasure Chest found casually in roadside bushes is almost certainly a disguised Treasure Chest Monster.


    Once an adventurer happily goes to open it, the Treasure Chest Monster would open its big mouth and swallow the adventurer.


    Therefore, when Mingli��s small hand tremulously reached out to place in his palm, he sweated nervously.

 Chapter 287 - 287: 254, Xi Lin: Believe me or her!

    Chapter 287: 254, Xi Lin: Believe me or her!


    ��`


    Quick, let her in!


    I feel if we��re even a second late, there will be a reversal!


    To make Mingli hurry up, Lin Da even bent down and reached out his hand towards her.


    But unexpectedly, Mingli recoiled like a startled animal with a ��eek�� and a look of terror on her face.


    ��Hand.��


    ...


    Lin Da had no choice but to keep a straight face and tell Mingli he was not reaching out to hit her.


    Mingli cautiously glanced at Lin Da, swallowed, and then started to smile foolishly like an infatuated girl, slowly reaching out her hand again.


    This time, it looked like there was finally hope.


    Five centimeters, four centimeters, three, two��


    Just one centimeter away, and Lin Da would be able to grasp that pale, cold little hand.


    But as it turned out, his premonition was right.


    Mingli suddenly furrowed her brows and groaned in pain, her outstretched hand freezing in the air.


    She looked down in disbelief at the black spear tip stained with fresh blood piercing through her.


    A black long spear had come from behind Mingli, penetrating her lower abdomen.


    ��Freak, who gave you permission to approach Lin Da?��


    A voice devoid of emotion rang out.


    The scene seemed to freeze in place.


    The girl��s brown hat fell to the ground, her long pink hair cascading like a waterfall, fluttered by the gentle breeze.


    Her small, gorgeous face radiated murderous intent as Selena looked down at Mingli on the ground; her black long spear, wrapped in black magic power, was piercing through Mingli��s abdomen.


    Blood drops were falling from the tip of the spear like a curtain.


    This twist was even bigger than Lin Da had imagined. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    An -8000 red number appeared above Mingli��s head.


    Mingli��s face turned deathly pale as she grasped the tip of the black long spear with both hands.


    Her eyes were full of confusion and incomprehension.


    The scent of blood spread through the wind.


    She wasn��t dead, but she was seriously injured.


    The surrounding onlookers were somewhat dumbfounded, with question marks practically growing over their heads.


    The situation had reversed too quickly, too outrageously.


    So much so that their brains couldn��t process it in time.


    First, the adventurer from another place, Mingli of Moon rank, attacked Lin Da, only to end up being tamed by Lin Da like a pet dog.


    Outrageous enough, right?


    Then, another pink-haired girl of Moon rank strikes from behind, ambushing Mingli, forbidding Mingli from getting close to Lin Da��


    ��I��ve got it!��


    Reporter Kami was also at the scene.


    As the top reporter for the White Dove Morning News, wherever there was news, there was Kami.


    This lively girl with brown hair tied in a single ponytail and freckles on her face drew everyone��s attention with her loud voice.


    Carrying a magic guided camera that looked like a cannon barrel on her shoulder, Kami excitedly pointed it at Lin Da and the others while exclaiming, ��The adventurer circles are really in chaos, huh? It feels like they��ve almost surpassed the nobility in the last few years.��


    ��That dark green-haired girl is obviously a dog trained by Lin Da, but unfortunately for some reason, she was abandoned by Lin Da, and now she��s come back to her owner, but too bad�� the current girlfriend with pink hair says, ��Stay away from my Lin Da!''��


    Listening to this, the people felt it made no sense, yet it also made some sense.


    It was barely a coherent explanation.


    The vice president of the Phoenix Tail Flower Fan Club, Finch, was also there, scratching his nose awkwardly:


    ��Miss Kami, your dog is of Moon rank? According to that, Lin Da��s past must be quite remarkable, right? How could such a big shot end up in our small White Dove City?��


    ��You don��t get it! Lin Da must have stepped on some dog shit luck, and probably was training her when she was still a lousy chick.��


    Kami spoke confidently, ��I suspect that Lin Da��s original title ��Ultimate Pervert�� suits him best, there must be poison smeared on his OO; any girl he touches will become crazily fond of him. Otherwise, why would someone of Moon rank still come all this way just to be Lin Da��s dog?��


    A Minotaur adventurer had a sudden realization: ��Whoa, according to Miss Kami, this battle is Lin Da��s family affair, it��s not proper for outsiders to interfere.��


    ��`


    ��Exactly, we just enjoy the spectacle.��


    Kami carried the Magic Guided Camera, snapping away like crazy.


    If anyone was completely bewildered at the scene, it was Mingli.


    Who the hell are you, pink hair?


    Just love stabbing people in the belly, don��t you!


    ��Ouchhhhhhhh!!!��


    Mingli��s eyes turned blood red, blood flowed profusely from her mouth, and she screamed insanely.


    Her body dissolved into a black mist and reappeared three meters away, clutching her stomach, her gaze venomous as she stared at Xilin, ��You, you, who are you? Are you another pathetic soul abandoned by Lin Da?��


    Xilin casually tossed her pink hair, her black Great Sword resting on the ground, her petite and delicate chin lifted in a haughty manner:


    ��Don��t get me wrong, Lin Da might abandon you Paper People, but he won��t abandon me.��


    ��Right, Lin Da?��


    Caught off guard by his sister��s sudden question, Lin Da couldn��t help but be startled.


    He looked at his sister, then at the severely injured Mingli, and felt a headache coming on. He felt that no matter which side he supported, the other would be at risk of exploding on the spot.


    ��Stop fighting, both of you.��


    ��Continuing this fight is of no benefit to anyone!��


    Lin Da��s expression darkened, and he stood between the two to stop the clash.


    But Xilin frowned unhappily.


    Xilin could sense that Mingli��s mental state was extremely unstable, like a mad dog.


    Docile one moment, potentially rabid and biting the next.


    Such a ticking time bomb could not be allowed to stay by Lin Da��s side��it was too dangerous.


    Xilin knew Lin Da felt guilty towards those Paper People he had abandoned, he couldn��t bear to kick them away again. So she would do it for him.


    Eliminating Mingli, this ��risk��.


    The moment that thought crossed her mind, Xilin moved.


    She teleported in front of Mingli, her Phantom Demon Spear thrusting towards Mingli��s vulnerable throat!


    ��Stop it!��


    A black energy whip lashed out, coiling around Xilin��s Phantom Magic Spear.


    ��Lin Da, she will harm you.��


    Xilin gazed at Lin Da and said slowly, ��Do you trust me or her?��


    With the Phantom Demon Spear positioned at Mingli��s throat,


    Xilin decided that if Lin Da��s response did not satisfy her, she would kill Mingli to remove the threat once and for all!


    This scene had everyone present on edge.


    But since no one understood the exact relationship among the three, they could only quietly watch the situation unfold.


    ��Miss advises you to stop, attacking the weak is very unbecoming!��


    Lia recognized Xilin��s identity, and her Great Sword ignited with fire as she stepped forward.


    ��This is a conversation between me and Lin Da, Lia, even if it��s you, if you dare to interfere, I will kill you just the same!��


    Xilin snorted coldly, her pupils glowing with pink Peach Hearts.


    Under her gaze, Lia��s body stiffened, becoming like a puppet on strings.


    Go back where you came from.


    Lia felt humiliated, her little face reddening like a liver.


    Three years ago, the two were nearly matched in strength.


    But now, having been granted power by the Demon King and becoming one of the Twelve Belongings, Xilin was clearly far stronger than Lia.


    This harsh reality made Lia��s heart sink into the abyss.


    Lin Da frowned slightly and looked straight at Xilin, saying, ��You��re not the kind to ask such childish questions.��


    Xilin: ��No, I am. Answer me now! Do you trust me, or this Seaweed Head!��

 Chapter 288 - 288: 255, Shadow of Darkness Experience Card

    Chapter 288: 255, Shadow of Darkness Experience Card


    ��`


    Seaweed Head��


    In some ways, my sister did have a rapport with Lia, as they both came up with the eerily consistent nickname for Mingli.


    Looking at my sister, who had turned into a pink-haired girl, and Mingli, with her dark green curly hair and deathly pale complexion, Lin Da felt torn.


    If I had to say, among my numerous team members, I just liked Mingli, she wasn��t quite my favorite.


    She was a bit behind Lulu, Monica, and Tasya.


    ...


    After all, Mingli��s character strongly relied on her gear.


    Without spending real money, I simply couldn��t afford to maintain her.


    But there��s only one sister.


    Even though she turned into a demon and liked to cause trouble, scaring me with gift boxes full of smoke�� she was still my family.


    This bond naturally placed her above Mingli.


    Moreover, Lin Da seriously suspected that if his answer here was ��Mingli,�� the Magic Spear in his sister��s hands would instantly pierce through Mingli��s throat.


    The classic dilemma of ��If your mother and I were drowning, who would you save first?��


    It seemed like she was asking, but in reality, she was forcing Lin Da to give the answer she wanted to hear.


    Just then, a system notification rang in Lin Da��s ear:


    [You have recognized the Witch Lin and Witch Mingli, would you like to bind them?] S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Well, well.


    Lin Da��s heart jolted.


    Just as he had guessed, the strange aura on Mingli was that of a witch, too.


    In the small Secret Realm Square of White Dove City, within a ten-meter radius centered around him, there were actually four witches��


    Lulu, Tasya, my sister, and now Mingli.


    He didn��t know whether he was lucky or cursed.


    ��Bind, bind them all!�� Lin Da said inwardly.


    [System Prompt: Current binding slots remaining: 1. Only 1 individual can be bound.]


    You could bind one initially, and then one more every 10 levels increased.


    At level 25, Lin Da could bind a maximum of 3 people.


    He pondered for a moment.


    ��Bind my sister! I want to see her trustworthiness in detail!�� Lin Da thought.


    If the system showed a low level of trust, it meant that this pink-haired succubus had some sort of poison hiding in her belly, luring him to partake.


    Lin Da wanted to uncover the true face of the Succubus General Lin.


    [System Prompt: Binding in progress��]


    [Witch Lin has been bound.]


    [Lin: Current trustworthiness is 95, devoted. (Status: Contaminated by the Demon Lord��s Power, reward under seal)]


    What, 95 points?


    Lin Da��s vision darkened.


    What was the deal with this sister of mine! Lin Da thought she would��ve been doing well to score a trustworthiness of fifty or sixty, but 95 points?


    Typically, a score of 80 points of trust is expected between spouses or best friends.


    Reaching 90 would qualify you to be featured on the show ��Top Ten Heartwarming Stories of White Dove City.��


    Only then did Lin Da realize what a dependable figure he was in his sister��s eyes.


    In the past, he felt his sister showed little respect for him, often bold and mischievous, always roping him into her pranks.


    After consulting the system��s Q&A sprite, Lin Da learned that for characters whose trustworthiness was under a special seal, upon breaking the seal, he could claim all accumulated system rewards corresponding to the trust level at that time.


    For every 10-point increase in trustworthiness, there was one reward.


    That meant if Lin Da could break the seal on Lin, he could receive at least 9 system rewards.


    Underneath my sister��s avatar was a long progress bar, resembling a mobile game��s paid ��pass,�� with sealed rewards linked by chains spaced at intervals along it.


    [Mystical Points], [Diamond], [Equipment]��


    ��`


    There were also many strange and quirky little props.


    What attracted Lin Da the most was the reward for reaching 90 trust points, ��Utter Devotion��.


    A black card with gold plating.


    The card floated in the mist, occasionally flashing crimson light.


    It gave off a mysterious and powerful vibe.


    Lin Da clicked to preview the reward content ahead of time.


    Just like an unscrupulous game operator, tempting players to spend money.


    [Item: Shadow of Darkness Experience Card]


    [Effect: Details available upon unlocking]


    Lin Da��s eyes widened, and a storm surged in his heart!


    It was forcing him to increase the witch��s trust level.


    If he could transform into the peak state of Dark Shadow, Lin Da could single-handedly take on the Demon King with a sword.


    Now he faced two issues, first, which period��s Dark Shadow would he transform into? A level 0 Dark Shadow was still a Dark Shadow.


    Second, how could he unlock his sister��s trust level bar to receive the rewards?


    Lin Da double-clicked on his sister��s chibi avatar with his thoughts, and a prompt appeared:


    [Unlock Seal Condition: Remove at least 50% of the pollution from the target��s body]


    Besides his sister, he remembered that Tasya also had the 90-point ��Utter Devotion�� trust level.


    Under Tasya��s ��pass��, the ninth reward was indeed a floating black card.


    Lulu had one too.


    It seemed, for every witch who reached 90 trust points, Lin Da would receive an Experience Card.


    But getting to 90 points was difficult, only his sister and Tasya had special circumstances that allowed reaching 90 points. For ordinary people, they might be subservient to a girl their whole life and not even reach 70 trust points.


    Lin Da clicked on the silver-haired maid��s chibi avatar, and a prompt appeared:


    [Unlock Seal Condition: Acknowledge that the real you is indeed the Dark Shadow]


    Lin Da thought to himself, So that��s it, the current Tasya thinks she is just a mask of the Dark Shadow. What Tasya follows is that cold and emotionless game character that he himself control.


    Getting the Shadow of Darkness Experience Card immediately seemed impossible. Whether it��s educating Tasya to change her perception or purifying Celine��s pollution, it was not something that could be done overnight.


    Lin Da still needed to directly address Celine��s questions.


    Time slowly passed.


    The pink-haired girl��s magic spear inched toward Mingli��s neck.


    The tip of the spear broke the skin, and crimson blood flowed out.


    Mingli was essentially a bully when facing the weak and cowardly when faced with the strong. Realizing the absolute difference in strength with Celine, she became a quivering ostrich, hands raised, not daring to resist Celine at all.


    Sometimes, his sister would show a very tough side.


    Lin Da had a headache; facing this demonized sister, he sighed and said, ��If I really have to choose����


    ��Of course, I trust you.��


    With Lin Da��s answer, the tense atmosphere in the room eased a lot.


    Celine��s face brightened with a smile as radiant as a flower, ��That��s right. Listen to me, stay away from that Seaweed Head lunatic; she��s the kind of mad dog that bites without warning.��


    Seemingly in a good mood, the black magic spear in Celine��s hand moved slightly away from Mingli��s throat.


    Lin Da breathed a sigh of relief.


    ��But before that, I have a few words to say to her.��


    Lin Da��s expression became serious, his tone emphatic.


    Celine hesitated for a moment and said, ��Just a few words, okay? Don��t get too close to her, it would be troublesome if you get bitten.��


    Under a sea of curious eyes, Lin Da walked up to the pale-faced Mingli.


    In Mingli��s eyes, Lin Da might be some ferocious beast, making her clutch her head and continuously back away in fear.


    She looked�� rather pitiful.


    Like a little girl accustomed to domestic violence, trembling like a sieve in front of a father holding a beer bottle.


    Yet her level was clearly much higher than Lin Da��s.

 Chapter 289 - 289: 256. Siblings fall out, Tasya wants to join the team.

    Chapter 289: 256. Siblings fall out, Tasya wants to join the team.


    No one knew what Lin Da had done to Mingli in the past to leave such a strong psychological shadow.


    Furthermore, no one could grasp the relationship between Lin Da and this Moon rank adventurer from Black Mamba City.


    Apart from Lin Da and a few other parties involved, the only ones who knew the details were Lulu and Tasya.


    They were in the same situation as Mingli and could empathize with her slightly.


    After finally finding Lin Da, to be abandoned again must not have been easy to take.


    Compared to Lulu, who as a current member of the Phoenix Tail Flower, could sympathize with ease, Tasya felt more nervous.


    ...


    What was happening was akin to killing the chicken to warn the monkeys.


    Mingli was that chicken.


    If Lin Da did not accept Mingli, then there was probably no hope for her either.


    Sticky sweat had formed in Tasya��s palms.


    Lin Da walked over to Mingli.


    The girl with dark green hair covered her belly, her pale face trembling as she looked up at him.


    ��Are you going to kill me?��


    ��No.��


    Lin Da shook his head, ��I just want to tell you, the person you��re looking for is already ��dead��.��


    ��However, I will fulfill his promise and take you to the summit of the World Tree. If you wish, you can join my adventure team.��


    ��What did you say?�� When Mingli heard of Dark Shadow��s death, a buzzing noise filled her head, and her speech lost its stammer.


    She widened her eyes in disbelief, her expression confused.


    She looked closely at Lin Da, seemingly feeling that he was lying.


    ��Stop joking, the captain is so strong, he couldn��t possibly be dead.��


    ��And you, a captain who��s not even at rock level, think you can have me, a Moon Rank, join your team? You��re just trying to ride on coattails!��


    ��You��re not worthy of a noble member like me, hee hee hee.��


    Mingli��s pupils wildly darted around her eye sockets like bouncing balls, her face showing a strange smile as she pointed at everyone around her:


    ��Liar, you��ve deceived that pink-haired one, and Tasya, and Lulu, and�� and everyone!��


    ��Still so defiant? Seems like one lesson isn��t enough.��


    Xilin��s figure moved abruptly as the Phantom Demon Spear stabbed towards Mingli.


    ��I��ll get my revenge on all of you liars, banding together to deceive me!��


    Mingli let out a hysterical laugh, taking out a magic scroll from her bosom, tearing it open, and disappearing in a black mist.


    Bang!


    Stones shattered in every direction.


    Xilin��s Magic Spear hit nothing but air, creating a dent in the ground.


    At the very last moment, Mingli escaped.


    With the main source of disturbance on the square gone, it suddenly became quiet.


    Ran away?


    Lin Da massaged his temples, feeling somewhat drained. He had barely had time to clarify things with Tasya, and now Mingli had come along.


    He was now faced with another huge problem.


    Lin Da looked sternly ahead, where Xilin, with a blood-stained black Magic Spear in hand, had her back turned to him and seemed to be planning a sneaky escape.


    ��Stop right there!��


    ��Why betray Snow Goose and everyone else?��


    Lin Da had never asked his sister face to face.


    Even if she had become a Witch early on and there weren��t good solutions, speaking up would have at least let everyone think of a strategy together.


    What angered Lin Da most was that his sister took matters into her own hands and defected without a word.


    Xilin conveyed her words in a unique secret technique, sending her voice to Lin Da��s mind.


    ��Would you prefer to fall into becoming a Catastrophe Beast and destroy White Dove City?��


    Xilin turned around, her brows and eyes colder than Lin Da had ever seen.


    ��I would have found a way before that,�� Lin Da replied using Xilin��s secret technique, ensuring no one else knew their true identities.


    ��I don��t want to be a burden to everyone.�� Xilin smiled faintly: ��Seeing brother, Lia, and the others all working hard for their adventures, how could I have the heart to slow them down?��


    This was precisely what infuriated Lin Da.


    Being overly sentimental and considering others in one��s own way��if her condition were known, Lin Da believed even Lia would be willing to help her.


    Lia might not be all about grand gestures, but she had a sense of righteousness and wouldn��t back down when it mattered.


    Pooling the strength of several people, they would definitely have found a way to protect his sister.


    But her betrayal had complicated a journey that should have been straightforward.


    Xilin: ��It��s only after coming to His Majesty the Demon King that I realized this is where I belong. No strife, eternal life, the supreme power bestowed by His Majesty the Demon King����


    ��So, Lin Da, I no longer wish to be human!��


    ��Demons are so much stronger than humans!��


    Xilin��s outrageous words nearly gave Lin Da high blood pressure.


    This was complete brainwashing, unable to distinguish between reality and illusion.


    Xilin released her grasp, and the black magic spear turned into a streak of purple light and vanished. With her hands behind her back, she sashayed toward Lin Da with a mesmerizing gait, her bee waist and lifted hips swaying.


    The adventurers who were watching from a distance were weak-willed, their eyes turning into pink peach hearts, losing the ability to fight.


    Lin Da too felt a strong temptation. But fortunately, he lived daily with the prettiest girls of White Dove City and had a high tolerance; even Xilin��s powerful charm could not shake his will.


    On the contrary, while his will could withstand Xilin��s enchantment, his body could not.


    He stood as if petrified, frozen in place.


    Xilin approached Lin Da, smiling, and raised her foot to caress his face.


    The girl��s tender little hand brushed against Lin Da��s cheek.


    Cold, without a hint of warmth.


    Xilin: ��Will you join me? I can help you achieve the same level as me, or even stronger, in a short time.��


    Lin Da was unmoved, ��What I want is Lin Xi, not a despicable Succubus.�� S��arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xilin tilted her head, ��But I��m still Lin Xi, essentially no different.��


    Lin Da: ��Forget it, I would never side with the Demons.��


    He couldn��t persuade his sister, and she couldn��t persuade him.


    There was no room for turning back.


    They could only resolve it with fists now.


    Seeing his resolute expression, Xilin understood.


    The girl heaved a light sigh.


    ��One day, you��ll be completely disillusioned with adventurers. Lin Da, I��m leaving, and now there��s no capable person to continue protecting you. Also�� Mingli has been seriously injured by me; it won��t return for a while, that��s the last I can do for you.��


    Lin Da: ��Next time we meet, I��ll take you down myself.��


    A long-awaited reunion concluded in such an outcome. Lin Da watched as if his sister slowly descended into the abyss of corruption, while his own body was bound by chains, unable to reach out.


    Xilin was too stubborn; he couldn��t make her come to her senses unless he had her pinned down.


    Verbal confrontations worked well on Lulu and Monica, but not on his sister; she was someone who only responded to force, not pleas.


    Xilin��s figure vanished.


    The power of charm dissipated along with her, and Lin Da and the others regained their freedom.


    The ordinary adventurers on the Secret Realm Square were completely confused.


    With no memory of the period they were charmed, they had no clue what had happened. Coming back to their senses, the pink-haired girl was gone.


    Abner and others came over, their eyes filled with concern.


    Gale: ��I have to ask, are you really a ��playa��? Those two girls, have you really wronged them?��


    Lin Da was speechless: ��What are you thinking? I��m still a decent, single old Mage.��


    Hearing this, even the usually unflappable Abner opened his eyes wide in surprise, looked Lin Da up and down, and said, ��Don��t believe it.��


    Jite nodded, ��Feels like you��re an old hand at this.��


    Several girls were all ears, secretly listening in.


    Lin Da helplessly said, ��How am I supposed to prove it, strip down for you to see?��


    After some idle talk.


    Lin Da thanked the three from the White Dove Adventure Group.


    When Mingli attacked, they stood by his side without hesitation.


    Keep in mind, the White Dove Adventure Group did not know the relationship between Xilin and himself. Even so, they were willing to help him fend off Mingli, the suspected hostile Moon Rank.


    This favor, Lin Da kept in his heart.


    Gale laughed, ��That��s it? We��re all from the same city��s adventure team; it��s only right that we help each other and fend off external enemies.��


    At that moment, President Velen arrived.


    After understanding the situation,


    ��A Moon Rank from Black Mamba City?��


    ��In that case, I��ll write to Black Mamba City and ask what��s going on, telling the local Adventurers�� Guild to keep their adventurers in check.��


    President Velen said angrily, ��Just because they��ve been mentioned a few more times in the Adventurer��s Weekly? Damn them for looking down on us!��


    Raising a Sunrise Level adventure group belonging to White Dove City was Velen��s obsession; he would not allow the Phoenix Tail Flower to be nipped in the bud by outside forces.


    Lin Da glossed over the incident with his sister and Mingli and then took three assassin corpses out of his Space Ring and handed them over to President Velen.


    The bodies would be sent to the Imperial Enforcement Department for an investigation into the assassins�� identities.


    After dealing with these matters,


    Lin Da finally had time to look at the silver-haired maid standing anxiously beside him.


    Noticing Lin Da��s gaze upon her, Tasya became even more nervous. Her hands were neatly folded in front of her, her legs encased in white suspenders standing tall and straight, as if waiting for her master��s command.

 Chapter 290 - 290: 257. Tasya Joins the Team (Major Chapter)

    Chapter 290: 257. Tasya Joins the Team (Major Chapter)


    The intense noon sunlight draped over the silver-haired maid.


    Wrapped in black high heels were her pristine white stockings, yet her long skirt reached down to her ankles, unwilling to reveal even a slightly nicer place.


    Lin Da conjured a question mark in his heart: Why would a maid wear high heels that impeded movement?


    After a thought, he realized this was a Spike Monkey game; alright, then it was no problem.


    ��You also heard what I said to Mingli,�� Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da said indifferently.


    ...


    The condition to unlock Tasya��s trust reward was: to make Tasya admit that Dark Shadow was a part of herself, not just an attachment of herself to Dark Shadow.


    It was about an incident that seemingly involved a Minotaur factor.


    The person that Tasya must follow had to be him, not the game character he controlled.


    Lin Da: ��The person you are looking for has ��died��; what remains is Lin Da of the Eye of True Knowledge.��


    ��If you still wish to join my adventure team, I will fulfill the promise to take you and everyone else to the top of the World Tree.��


    Upon hearing Lin Da mention summiting the World Tree, both Abner and Dawen��s expressions became subtly complex.


    You really dare to say it��


    But for some reason, coming from Lin Da, it didn��t sound arrogant.


    Lin Da seemed very serious about wanting to take Tasya to the top layer.


    ��I�� cannot accept that.��


    Tasya said with pursed lips and a hoarse voice, ��You, you obviously are�� why deny it?��


    Lin Da shook his head.


    ��You no longer need that person; I want you to live freely, without depending on anyone else.��


    ��Whose order is this?��


    ��It��s not an order, just a suggestion from an ordinary Adventure Team Leader.��


    The atmosphere became a bit stiff.


    Struggle flickered in Tasya��s eyes.


    Joining Lin Da��s adventure team would mean acknowledging him as her master, that the once Dark Shadow was just a mask worn by Lin Da. And Lin Da no longer wanted to use that mask.


    It was as good as the death of Dark Shadow himself.


    ��It seems this is your answer then.��


    Seeing Tasya unmoved, Lin Da said regretfully.


    Panic spread across Tasya��s face: ��No, that��s not it����


    ��Lin Da, just take her!��


    Dawen approached and sighed, ��Though I don��t know what happened in your past, but Tasya has reflected on it now. As the deputy leader of the Scarlet Adventure Group, I earnestly request that you take her in.��


    Tasya looked longingly at Lin Da.


    So did Lulu and Monica.


    Whether Lin Da accepted Tasya or not, the two of them would accept the decision.


    Lin Da had already mentioned to them before, welcoming all former team members to join.


    But this time, Lin Da shook his head.


    ��I cannot take her.��


    At this response, Tasya��s face went pale, and her eyes welled up with tears.


    It looked like she was about to drop tiny pearls.


    Indeed, bullying a mature brown-skinned maid felt nice.


    But that wasn��t Lin Da��s goal.


    Lin Da needed Tasya to follow him, not the former Dark Shadow.


    ��If you want to join the Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team, that��s fine, but you must say it yourself.��


    ��To become a ��Lin Da�� team member and adventure together with Phoenix Tail Flower.��


    ��Otherwise, I won��t accept you.��


    Lin Da��s words were final.


    Even if Dawen stepped in to plead, it was of no use.


    Unless Tasya was truly convinced.


    Otherwise, even if she were handed to Lin Da on a silver platter, he would not take her.


    Tasya, with a raspy voice, strained to speak: ��If you give the order in ��that�� capacity, I am willing to join Phoenix Tail Flower and serve you.��


    A hint of disappointment appeared in Lin Da��s eyes.


    Tasya became even more panicked inside.


    She didn��t understand why Lin Da would not give the order.


    The former Lin Da had told her to stop thinking, just to follow orders.


    And now he was telling her that she no longer needed orders, to live freely.


    Tasya, coming from an Assassin Organization upbringing, which from a young age inculcated the idea that ��the command of a superior is everything��, couldn��t make her own decision.


    Tasya��s mind was thrown into chaos.


    The conversation was on the brink of collapse.


    Dawen stepped forward once more.


    This proud red-haired swordsman bowed deeply to Lin Da, nearly parallel to the ground.


    ��Lin Da, no matter what, please take Tasya in!��


    ��On behalf of the Mandala family, I owe you a favor!��


    Everyone looked at Dawen in surprise.


    To plead on behalf of a team member, was the deputy leader of Crimson begging Lin Da?


    It would be fine if he asked for something good,


    but what Dawen requested was for Lin Da to take away his own strong Star Rank team member, offering her to Lin Da for free.


    Either Dawen was a Sage Level leader,


    or a super bootlicker!


    Abner, who had known Dawen for a long time, wore a face full of surprise.


    Lia was also stunned.


    It seemed Dawen cared more about Tasya than he did about his own sister.


    Lin Da quickly helped Dawen to his feet.


    He sighed lightly, ��I never said I didn��t want her. As long as she speaks up herself, willing to follow me, I am very happy to welcome a Star Rank member.��


    Others misunderstood his conflict with Tasya, thinking that Tasya was the one begging to join and he was refusing.


    She was on the verge of crying, and he still maintained his stance, not letting her join.


    But having said all that, Tasya still hesitated, confused, unable to make a decision.


    Lin Da: ��Then I��m sorry.��


    He strode forward.


    ��Wait, Lin Da!��


    Dawen stopped him once again.


    ��I understand how much Tasya yearns to see you! In the three years with the Scarlet Adventure Group, she��s been looking for you continuously. If you reject Tasya today, her illness will surely flare up. Please, have mercy, and keep her here!��


    Dawen bowed once more, bending even lower, his head almost touching the ground.

 Chapter 291 - 291: 257. Tasya Joins the Team (Major Chapter)_2

    Chapter 291: 257. Tasya Joins the Team (Major Chapter)_2


    Gale also said, ��Lin Da, just take in Miss Tasya. It��s not gentlemanly to make a lady sad.��


    Jite, with his arms crossed, added, ��Weakening the Crimson Adventure Group��s combat power is beneficial for White Dove City. Having a powerful Star Rank is worth it.��


    The three took turns persuading him.


    Standing to the side, Tasya��s beautiful emerald pupils shimmered, making her look like a puppy trapped in a box and abandoned. Although she didn��t speak, she stared at Lin Da with a heart-wrenchingly vulnerable gaze, fearing he would leave.


    This reminded Lin Da of that rainy CG in the game.


    Tasya, who was ordered to stand by at the door of a merchant��s shop, stood in the rain for three days, ignoring the surprised glances of passersby as she waited for him.


    ...


    The story had a continuation. If Tasya��s favorability was below 80, the only option was to ��Pat her head.�� If it was above 80, the second option, ��Hug the girl,�� would appear.


    Lin Da had chosen the latter.


    Seeing Tasya now, Lin Da was reminded of that CG.


    It was said that this plot had a hidden ending. If the player didn��t choose any options within a minute, it would trigger a bad end where Tasya would leave the player��s team and return to the Assassin Organization to resume her cold, monotonous, and perilous assassin life.


    In a few months, she would fail in a mission, and her last wish before dying was to see the player once more.


    In terms of loyalty, Tasya was among the top tier of all characters.


    As Lin Da was in a dilemma, Lulu took his hand and said, ��Please take in Tasya.��


    ��Even you?��


    ��Yes. But I��m not asking for Tasya��s sake,�� Lulu whispered, ��Specter Adventure Group and the severely injured Mingli are both potential threats. Having Tasya join could strengthen the Phoenix Tail Flower Team��s combat power.��


    Indeed, this objective factor was undeniable to Lin Da.


    A 34-level veteran Star Rank, Tasya could probably handle Hulus on her own without any problems.


    People repeatedly asked Lin Da.


    Tasya was somewhat confused, clearly not expecting everyone to help her.


    Lin Da looked at the crowd with a headache.


    Three Star Rank members of the White Dove Adventure Group, Dawen of the Scarlet Adventure Group, and his own Lulu were all pleading with him to take in Tasya.


    He was beholden to Abner and the others, Dawen was a top-tier Star Rank, and Lulu��s analysis made sense.


    Taking all these factors into account��


    ��Sigh.��


    Lin Da rubbed his temples reluctantly, ��For everyone��s sake, I��ll keep her by my side.��


    The gloom on Tasya��s face vanished instantly, and a hint of a smile appeared on her cool, beautiful face.


    Everyone else smiled as well.


    It was a happy outcome for all.


    Phoenix Tail Flower gained a Star Rank, White Dove City��s combat power increased, and Tasya��s wish was fulfilled.


    Apart from Dawen, who was somewhat bitter, everyone else got a satisfying outcome.


    With small, excited steps, Tasya moved closer to Lin Da.


    ��However,��


    Lin Da��s next words were like a bucket of cold water thrown on Tasya.


    ��You can serve as a maid cleaning the house, temporarily living in my villa,�� he said.


    ��I��ll have a look at the atmosphere of the Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team first. If you find it suitable, I welcome you to join. If you can��t accept it here, feel free to return to the Crimson Adventure Group.��


    ��Until you��ve made up your mind and are willing to follow me, I won��t acknowledge you as a member of Phoenix Tail Flower.��


    In other words, there was an evaluation period for Tasya.


    If she passed the evaluation, Lin Da would take her to the Adventurers�� Guild to register as one of his team members.


    Tasya said, ��I understand���� Sear?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Dawen nodded, ��That��s fine. Let��s do as Lin Da suggests. Tasya is a professional when it comes to cleaning; she��s really good at it.��


    ��I��m looking forward to it.�� Lin Da, accompanied by the members of his team, Lia, Isa, and others, headed to the street to hail a carriage.


    They were going back to the villa for a celebration party to properly rejoice over the success of the Epic Monster subjugation.


    Tasya stood there woodenly until Dawen patted her on the shoulder, snapping her out of it.


    ��Don��t just stare, hurry up and follow. You��re now Lin Da��s maid, and a maid should be by her master��s side, right?��


    Dawen��s face showed an unseemly smile, ��Maybe when we meet in the Great Mystery Continent, we��ll be competitors.��


    ��Dawen, thank you,�� Tasya said.


    Dawen waved it off, ��Don��t mention it, hurry up and catch up to Lin Da or they��ll leave on the carriage.��


    Tasya nodded gently, lifted her skirt, and hurried after the man surrounded by girls at the front.


    ��


    Once she got close, Tasya didn��t quite know what to do.


    The members of Phoenix Tail Flower crowded around Lin Da too closely, and she couldn��t find a place for herself.


    The arrangement implicitly revealed certain rules.


    The closest to him were Monica and Lulu.


    Lin Da��s large hand held Monica��s, like a father taking his daughter out.


    On the other side was Lulu, carrying the unconscious Kafni.


    Only further out were Isa and Lia.


    Quietly trailing behind them was Tasya.


    She was like a new employee who was unfamiliar with everything and felt awkward with the established staff members.


    Tasya��s heart ached as she looked at the two spots next to Lin Da that Monica and Lulu occupied.


    Just how hard would she have to work to reach that place?


    They soon stopped a carriage.


    It was a small one, and due to the crowd, Tasya, who was at the end of the line, was left without a seat.


    Tasya didn��t mind, as she was used to standing.


    However, Lin Da placed Big Lolita on his lap and patted the space beside him, ��Take a seat. Standing in the carriage, what kind of image does that present? If the press gets a photo, they might spread news that the Phoenix Tail Flower Team leader is mistreating his team members.��


    ��Can I really?�� Tasya couldn��t quite believe it; sitting next to Lin Da was a privilege rarely afforded even to the main members of the Primordial Adventure Team.

 Chapter 292 - 292: 257. Tasya Joins the Team (Major Chapter)_3

    Chapter 292: 257. Tasya Joins the Team (Major Chapter)_3


    ��Of course you may. The maid of Phoenix Tail Flower is also considered half of my team member, so you don��t have to be so formal, take a seat.��


    ��Your subordinate obeys.��


    Tasya lifted her substantial skirt hem and smoothed the area over her bottom, immediately highlighting its contours, and cautiously sat down beside Lin Da.


    The journey back to the villa wasn��t far, and for Lin Da, it was over in a moment.


    But Tasya was tense, her body rigid with nervousness, afraid that she might accidentally touch Lin Da.


    A Professional Maid, without permission, must not touch her master��s body; this is the most important rule in the ��Maid��s Code of Conduct!��


    ...


    In the circles of nobility, many young masters�� first experiences often happened with maids, which Noble Ladies detested deeply. Maids who tried to insinuate themselves into higher positions through bodily temptations on their sons would face severe punishments!


    Although Lin Da was no longer a ��young master��, Tasya still adhered to this rule, not wanting to be seen by Lin Da as one of those maids with ulterior motives.


    This ride was as long as years, with each jolt and turn of the carriage being a significant challenge for Tasya.


    She concentrated her Battle Qi in her bottom, sticking to the seat cushion, thereby firmly securing her position and avoiding the indecent accident of suddenly falling onto Lin Da, becoming a lowly maid trying to tempt him with a bear hug.


    A mere ten minutes�� ride turned out to be more exhausting than fighting Magical Creatures.


    Beneath Tasya��s maid skirt, her body was drenched in sweat, marking the shape of a peach on the cushion below.


    When the carriage stopped, Lin Da looked curiously at Tasya��s cushion and said, ��You��re sweating quite a bit. Are you feeling unwell?��


    ��Master, your subordinate has a constitution that sweats easily, please pay it no mind.�� Tasya tried to keep her face cool and detached.


    ��Stop dilly-dallying, I don��t care what kind of Big Shot you are, hurry up and settle the bill!�� The coachman was a cranky old man with a large, hairy mole at the corner of his mouth, impatiently reaching out for money.


    ��Old Small Fry, mind your manners when speaking to the master!��


    Tasya��s gaze turned icy as a black suitcase appeared out of thin air, instantaneously assembling into a thick, black Magic Cannon.


    The honeycombed barrel pressed against the old coachman��s face, distorting his features.


    The old man was so frightened he nearly suffered a stroke, and shivered as he said, ��War, warn you, if you dare skip out on the fare, I��ll make sure to report you to the Law Enforcement Department. Even the leader of a Steel Level Adventure Group has to pay me.��


    ��We have no intention of skipping out on the fare.�� Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da frowned slightly and told Tasya, ��In the city, don��t resort to violence rashly.��


    ��Yes, Master.�� Tasya released the Magic Cannon, and with a flash of light, the weapon returned to the Space Ring.


    ��Old Small Fry, consider yourself lucky to be alive.��


    Tasya sneered as she wiped her hands with a handkerchief, as if the old man��s ugliness had sullied even her gloved hands.


    Despite Tasya being a very disciplined maid in Lin Da��s presence, she spared no mercy for others, frequently calling them Small Fry and bugs, always ready to stir up enough anger to induce hypertension.


    To compensate the frightened old man, Lin Da took the initiative to pay a Gold Coin, which was dozens of times higher than the original fare.


    The old man beamed with joy, completely forgetting about reporting to the Law Enforcement Department.


    ��Indeed, nothing but a vulgar bug.�� Tasya��s contemptuous expression became even more pronounced.


    Looking at the silver-haired maid��s condescending stance, Lin Da found it somewhat amusing. In the game, when he first made Tasya his personal maid, she would look down on him with similar disdain, scolding him as a ��Big Mixed Fish�� who didn��t dare to kill, and the assassination-failed Tasya wished for nothing but death.


    However, after being thoroughly defeated by him ninety-nine times, Tasya completely submitted, never daring to call him a Small Fry again.


    Lin Da nostalgically thought he found the pre-tamed Tasya quite charming, regretting that he couldn��t punish the Female Lady maid anymore, feeling a sense of loss.


    ��Master?�� Tasya looked at him puzzled, ��Is there something wrong with your subordinate��s behavior? If it��s the Master��s command, I can treat that elder as a guest of honor.��


    ��No, there��s no need. I just think you should revert to being like the first time we met during the Monster Tide, that version of you had more class, I prefer that kind of maid,�� Lin Da said seriously.


    Tasya was stunned for a moment.


    What did he mean?


    Did the master like being called a Small Fry by her?


    Tasya��s face stiffened, her eyebrows slightly furrowed, and her gaze as cold as tangible frost: ��Your subordinate understands, Small Fry Master.��


    ��


    ��


    (ps: It��s the end of the month, collecting any unwanted monthly tickets!)

 Chapter 293 - 293: 258. Celebration Banquet and the Soul of the Maid

    Chapter 293: 258. Celebration Banquet and the Soul of the Maid


    Lulu and the others looked at Lin Da with strange eyes. On this continent, no one would be excited about being called a small fry, right?


    No way, right?


    In fact, Lin Da just wanted to teach Tasya a lesson with his big stick.


    However, considering the huge difference in strength between them, he dismissed the idea.


    ��You misunderstood me,�� Lin Da mused. ��I think you just need to keep your cool demeanor, no need to call me a small fry.��


    ��I see, please forgive my rudeness,�� Tasya bowed slightly.


    ...


    ��Alright, let��s go inside, I��ll show you around the villa.��


    Lin Da opened the door, and everyone entered in single file.


    They hadn��t had lunch since coming out of the World Tree.


    Four girls went to the kitchen to prepare food, while Lin Da took Tasya on a tour around the villa.


    ��This is the trophy room, where items acquired during adventures by the Phoenix Tail Flower are displayed. Remember to dust regularly, and don��t let them get covered in dust.��


    ��This is the bathroom.��


    ��This is my private study. Knock before you enter.��


    ��The second floor has bedrooms. There are many empty rooms, choose one as you see fit.��


    Lin Da introduced Tasya to each room one by one.


    The quiet hallway echoed with their footsteps.


    Tasya silently followed behind Lin Da, her green eyes shimmering with a serene and peaceful light. Though it was her first time in this villa, Tasya felt a sense of coming home.


    In the past, even though she stayed with the Scarlet Adventure Group and was a member there, she always felt like a rootless duckweed.


    Until she came to this villa.


    Tasya��s spirit as a professional maid burned fiercely; as soon as Lin Da��s introduction was over, she quickly headed to the washroom with a bucket and mop to start cleaning the hallway.


    Since Lin Da hadn��t hired any servants, the cleanliness inside the villa was just passable, with the hallway being a trouble area riddled with footprints.


    Each footprint felt like a stomp on Tasya��s face.


    As a professional maid, these footprints were as provocative to her as the challenges from magical creatures.


    Tasya rolled up her sleeves and began a thorough cleaning in the hallway.


    Lin Da felt that she was quite enthusiastic about cleaning, so he didn��t stop her.


    ��It seems like every member of the team in the game is a bit unusual.��


    Lin Da chuckled and shook his head, then went to the kitchen to help the teammates prepare the food.


    Before they knew it, it was afternoon.


    The orange rays of the setting sun bathed the earth.


    On a long table in the living room, an array of delicious dishes was displayed, and their fragrance wafted out the windows, making a bunch of bachelors below howl with desire.


    Everyone in Goldfinch District knew that Lin Da and a group of beautiful girls lived in this large villa.


    They couldn��t even begin to imagine what was happening inside.


    Otherwise, they��d be so jealous they wouldn��t eat for three days.


    ��Mission accomplished.��


    Lin Da sat on a round stool at the head of the table, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and looked at the feast:


    Rack of lamb from the 5th level, bear paw soup from the 10th level, fish-flavored shredded pork, braised pork, kung pao chicken, spicy diced chicken, lamb and radish dumplings�� all made with ingredients rich in magic power and were delicacies from Lin Da��s hometown.


    Compared to this world��s mushroom soup and pizza, the girls preferred Chinese cuisine.


    A whole table of dishes was not solely prepared by Lin Da; some were made under his guidance by chef Monica and Lulu.


    Speaking of which, Lin Da looked at the other two with a somewhat helpless expression.


    Lia was a disaster in the kitchen, only capable of producing burnt dark cuisine, a fact that Lin Da had accepted; he never expected Lia to cook.


    But Isa��s cooking was just as disastrous as Lia��s; both were equally competent in their inability to cook�� the kind that would get kicked out of a restaurant after just one day of work!


    ��My energy is all spent on practice,�� Lia declared emphatically, grabbing a knife and fork ready to dig in.


    Isa was somewhat embarrassed: ��Me too����


    She had wanted to show off her cooking skills in front of Lin Da.


    It was a total mess.


    ��Master, please allow me to handle such matters,�� Tasya stood behind Lin Da, proudly puffing out her chest, ��Culinary skills are a fundamental part of a maid��s training.��


    Lin Da nodded, ��I��ll leave the meals to you.��


    ��Thank you for your trust, Master,�� said Tasya, standing even straighter, her gaze sweeping contemptuously over Isa and Lia, the ��cooking scraps,�� with a provocative smile playing at the corner of her mouth. S��ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��This chick really gets on my nerves,�� Lia said irritably.


    Isa comforted herself inside, ��It��s fine this way; after all, I have no interest in Lin Da, so it��s none of my business what these people fight over.��


    Lin Da raised his glass.


    ��To celebrate the successful extermination of the Epic Monster.��


    ��Cheers!��


    ��CheersX4!��


    The crisp clinking of glasses and the aroma of the wheat beer caused a certain Scrap God, lying unconscious on the second floor, to twitch his nose and dribble a viscous drool from the corner of his mouth.


    ��Hey, hey hey, wheat beer, tasty, hehehe����


    The celebration started off harmoniously.


    Everyone was talking, laughing, passing dishes, raising glasses, chatting.


    Until Isa, cheeks flushed and slightly drunk, accidentally said, ��Although Lia is quite dense, I think she��s a nice person.��


    Essentially, she was praising Lia.


    On hearing this, Lia thought, Oh, you think I��m dense?


    Using her Fire Fighting Qi, which kept her from getting too drunk, Lia quickly knocked Isa out in just a few moments.


    Lulu joined the fray too.


    Tasya shook her head inwardly at their lack of manners.


    ��Master, may I go clean your room? I really can��t stand the smell of alcohol here.��


    Tasya wanted to seize this opportunity to show off.


    While Lulu and Lia were childishly bickering over drinks, she was diligently cleaning Lin Da��s room.


    Her competence was immediately apparent.


    Tasya also harbored a secret desire: to monopolize Lin Da��s big bed!


    The thought of it being where Lin Da rested each night excited her, and her body grew warm.


    ��My room is�� a bit messy. I��ve been too focused on devising strategies for fighting the Goblin Prince and haven��t tidied up,�� Lin Da said.


    Lin Da nodded, ��Go ahead, my sheets are a bit dirty too, change them for new ones.��


    ��Yes.��


    Tasya bowed gracefully and proceeded toward the upstairs staircase.


    When she was out of sight of everyone, Tasya��s speed increased instantly, appearing like the wind outside Lin Da��s room.


    ��This is the master��s room��


    Tasya��s heart raced, feeling the thrill of a thief on their first heist, afraid of getting caught.


    With trembling hands, she pushed open the door.


    The interior was decorated in a very simple style.


    A white, large bed, a desk, shelves filled with various books, a wardrobe, with hardly any decorations.


    Tasya carefully examined each piece of furniture.


    Her gaze settled on the white, large bed.


    This was where Lin Da had slept.


    Lin Da changed clothes, cultivated, and crafted strategies on this bed��


    Tasya��s heartbeat suddenly tripled in speed!


    ��


    (ps: If you don��t see the next chapter, it was swallowed. I will fix it as soon as possible.)

 Chapter 294 - 294: 259. Tasya, behind the door gap, was caught red-handed by Lin Da.

    Chapter 294: 259. Tasya, behind the door gap, was caught red-handed by Lin Da.


    Tasya sat on the edge of the bed, clutching a white pillow, burying her head into it.


    Lin Da��s scent was everywhere.


    It smelled so good.


    Unconsciously, Tasya parted her red lips and beads of sweat formed on her forehead.


    She took off her shoes; her perfect feet, enveloped in white silk stockings, stepped onto Lin Da��s bedsheets.


    An astonishing thought burst into her mind: since Lin Da was going to change the sheets anyway, why not make the most of his scent while it was still there?


    ...


    In the depths of Tasya��s heart, there was always a rebellious idea.


    Cleaning for her master was also an important duty of a maid.


    In the world of nobility, a personal maid is even a master��s tutor, teaching them the correct ways.


    Not having cleaned Lin Da��s body was Tasya��s greatest regret.


    ��Even if it��s just in my fantasies����


    Tasya murmured softly. She bit her lip, her gaze was misty, and she hugged the pillow, sitting on the large bed in a tuck-sitting position.


    Her plump thighs under the white silk, the soft flesh on the inside, gently touched the bedsheets filled with Lin Da��s scent.


    In a daze, it seemed to turn into Lin Da.


    ��This is utterly��rebellious����


    ��But why can��t I stop.��


    Tasya had rigorously trained her waist, and mastering close combat skills for ranged professions was mandatory. But normally, her proudly flawless waist was out of control now, completely�� unable to stop!


    Just like a skylark landing at the window, chirping constantly.


    The bird��s chirping was clear and touching, like a beautiful piece of music.


    ��


    Downstairs.


    ��We��re out of wheat beer.��


    Lia, drunken, glanced at the oak barrel, which was completely empty. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lulu��s capacity for alcohol was surprisingly high; aside from a slightly red face, she sat upright on the chair, untroubled.


    ��I��ll go upstairs and get some.��


    Lin Da stood up, ��Kafni has kept the good stuff under the bed, since she needs to recover, we might as well help her drink it.��


    If Kafni heard this, she would surely thank Lin Da.


    When Lin Da got up, his head was a bit dizzy, and his cheeks felt hot; he thought he had also drunk too much.


    But today was after all a celebration, so he made an exception.


    A tipsy Lin Da climbed the stairs, making his way up to the second-floor corridor.


    Kafni��s room was at the very end.


    As he walked towards it, he would have to pass by his own room.


    He wondered how Tasya was doing with the cleaning.


    With this thought in mind, as he passed by his own room, he glanced inside.


    It was this fleeting glance that unsettled him.


    The door wasn��t properly closed, revealing a small gap.


    Lin Da moved forward, and his view shifted from the gap from front to back, revealing the full interior.


    A silver-haired maid was sitting in a tuck-sitting position, her back towards him, on his bed.


    Moving about.


    Huh?


    Was there a strange sound?


    It was completely different from Tasya��s usually aloof voice.


    Seductive, fragile.


    Quite pleasant to the ears.


    Lin Da gave it a 92-point rating.


    But just after rating it, he realized something was off.


    Wait, could this be��!


    A thunderclap seemed to explode in Lin Da��s mind.


    It couldn��t be��


    The Tasya he knew was definitely not this kind of maid!


    He must be overthinking it.


    To confirm his guess,


    Lin Da slowed his pace, holding his breath.


    He closed one eye and with the other, he discreetly moved closer to the gap in the door, peering inside.


    The first thing he saw was Tasya��s black high heels under the bed. Lin Da��s gaze moved up to Tasya��s back, with a white apron tied around her waist, forming a large bow at the back.


    With her back to him, Tasya sat on the bed, clutching his pillow.


    Was she mending a tear in the pillow?


    Lin Da��s confusion deepened when, because Tasya was sitting in a duck posture, her feet facing towards him, with his level 25 adventurer eyesight, he could clearly see Tasya��s toes, enclosed in white silk, curling up.


    Just like someone clenching their fists and tensing their bodies in pain.


    Was she enduring something?


    Speaking of which, Tasya��s Witch��s Corruption was quite severe. After returning to the villa, Lin Da got busy with the celebration party and forgot to cleanse Tasya.


    Had Tasya made the excuse to clean his room actually to hide away and silently endure the pain brought by the Witch��s Corruption?


    Thinking about this, Lin Da felt a deep respect.


    What a profession as a maid.


    Rather hiding and licking her wounds than letting her master see her abject side.


    Since it was so�� did Lin Da have any reason not to go in and purify Tasya?


    ��Tasya, you don��t have to worry anymore, because I��ve come,�� Lin Da said.


    Lin Da, feeling it was his undeniable duty, pushed open the door and strode in.


    Tasya: !!!


    The silver-haired maid��s body shook violently.


    Lin Da barging in unexpectedly nearly scared the life out of Tasya.


    It was like singing ��La La La�� thinking no one was home, only for a friend to walk out of the bathroom, giving one a puzzled look. Multiply that embarrassment by one hundred, and that was probably Tasya��s current mental state.


    Entering her master��s room and sniffing her master��s scent, Tasya was so overwhelmed with joy that she even forgot to lock the door.


    And she was caught red-handed by her master!


    ��Not good, I��m losing balance; I��m going to fall down,��


    Under Lin Da��s confused gaze, Tasya emitted a mechanical tone and laid out on the bed like a blanket, covering up the problematic spot.


    ��What are you doing, how can you even fall while sitting on the bed?��


    Lin Da looked at Tasya strangely.


    He always felt that the maid was deliberately covering something.


    He scanned the room.


    ��It��s not cleaned at all! What have you been doing all this time?��


    Lin Da blinked curiously.


    Tasya, who prided herself on being a professional maid, didn��t clean a speck in her room for nearly half an hour?


    ��I��m very sorry. The cleaning at noon exhausted much of my strength, and I was resting,��


    Tasya said, with her face down and voice neutral, making it hard to gauge her thoughts.


    ��Why are you deliberately lying in this place?��


    Like a cat scratched inside, Lin Da said, ��Get up.��


    Tasya remained silent.


    This made Lin Da even more curious.


    Normally, a maid shouldn��t refuse her master��s command.


    ��Get up.��


    Lin Da repeated the command a second time, slightly intensifying his tone.


    Tasya trembled, gritted her teeth, and climbed off the bed. She maintained a stony expression and stood by the bed, blocking Lin Da��s line of sight.


    Lin Da walked around Tasya.


    The more she didn��t want him to see, the more he wanted to look.


    He must see what Tasya was hiding.


    As Lin Da circled around, panic was evident in Tasya��s eyes.


    ��What��s this?��


    In the spot where Tasya had lain��


    The bedsheets were steaming.


    Lin Da puzzledly scratched his head.


    Tasya��s expression unchanging, ��I��m clumsy; I accidentally spilled some water on it,�� she said.


    ��Is that so?�� Lin Da, supporting his chin, resembled a detective investigating a case.


    He reached out and touched that spot.


    He grew even more bemused.


    Your family��s water, does it thread?


    It was just that, Lin Da believed in Tasya��s loyalty to him and thought she wouldn��t lie.


    He put his finger in his mouth and smacked it a bit.


    To see if it was ��Water Slime.��


    Water Slime was also a type of water.


    It tasted unique, and upon soaking, it turned gluey.


    It was a convenient source of water for outdoors adventurers to carry.


    However�� after trying it, Lin Da found it somewhat salty.

 Chapter 295 - 295: 260. Lin Da punishes Tasya

    Chapter 295: 260. Lin Da punishes Tasya


    ��This isn��t Water Slime either?��


    Lin Da tasted the strange, indescribable flavor on his tongue, his face filled with confusion.


    ��It��s salt.��


    Tasya said, ��I added some table salt to the hot water.��


    ��Salt helps replenish the body��s needed energy, after completing the cleaning work, I like to enjoy a cup. I recommend you do the same, Master.��


    Tasya kept a straight face.


    ...


    Actually, her heart was racing, almost bursting through the sky.


    When Lin Da tasted it, Tasya almost blacked out and collapsed to the ground.


    The truth of the matter, dead or alive, must not be revealed!


    Tasya planned to carry this as her life��s biggest secret to her grave.


    Unfortunately, Lin Da was not so easily fooled.


    A single Old Mage also has dignity!


    ��I��ve tasted saltwater, it doesn��t taste like this.��


    Lin Da��s gaze was sharp, ��What exactly are you hiding?��


    ��I am not hiding anything.��


    Tasya��s expression was cool, her eyes clear, she looked like the kind of capable maid who would never lie to her master.


    Only�� in this world, ��gravity�� exists.


    A sticky, glittering water droplet, from Tasya��, it slid down her white stockings to her ankle.


    Just like a mischievous child riding a roller coaster.


    ��Here I come!��


    Shouting the slogan, it slid all the way to their feet.


    Lin Da and Tasya stared blankly at the water droplet.


    Silence.


    The atmosphere in the room was as quiet as death.


    Tasya��s eyelid twitched.


    She took a handkerchief out of her pocket, intending to wipe it away.


    Unfortunately, it was too late.


    Lin Da abruptly grabbed her ankle.


    Tasya��s complexion changed.


    She was filled with despair!


    She had been startled by Lin Da just a moment ago��


    And it had dropped out!


    Whimpering, what to do now.


    Lin Da hadn��t even accepted her into the team yet, and she had already made such a huge mistake.


    Doomed.


    If things go wrong, she might be kicked out again!


    As Tasya��s mental state was collapsing, Lin Da touched the droplet with his finger and sniffed it near his nose.


    Suddenly, Lin Da turned to look at Tasya, whose face was full of abnormality.


    He was stunned for a moment.


    A flash of inspiration crossed his mind.


    And then he finally realized.


    Idiotic.


    Lin Da was completely dumbfounded.


    No wonder there was a faint salty taste.


    What had he consumed!


    Ptooey, ptooey!


    He spat several times into the trash bin.


    Sigh.


    Lin Da��s mental state crumbled.


    That bedsheet.


    It was his favorite one with the panda munching on bamboo pattern.


    Turned into a complete mess.


    Lin Da was shaking with cold anger.


    If this were caught by reporters, the reputation he had worked so hard to build would be ruined in an instant, and he would once more be labeled as the ��Ultimate Pervert.��


    ��You�� how dare you!��


    Lin Da was both angry and annoyed.


    He glared at the silver-haired maid, who looked injustibly wronged and knew she had made a mistake, and raised his hand.


    If Tasya were really just an ordinary maid who dared to do such a heaven-defying thing behind her master��s back and got caught, she would undoubtedly be beaten severely.


    After a brutal beating, she would be fired and thrown out of the villa.


    But Tasya, after all, was a former member of his team.


    No credit for hard work, but credit for bitter labor.


    Coming to this world, Lin Da hoped to educate Tasya, to make Tasya a qualified team member.


    He wouldn��t fire her, but Lin Da also wouldn��t easily forgive this audacious maid.


    ��Please don��t kick your servant away, Master. Your servant is willing to accept any punishment other than that.��


    Tasya lowered her head in shame.


    The heat on her body had already turned to a chilling cold because of fear.


    She regretted not closing the door.


    She was careless.


    Caught red-handed by Lin Da.


    If given another chance, she would definitely close the door properly to avoid Lin Da��s inspection!


    ��You do need to be punished.��


    ��Otherwise, wouldn��t it be lawlessness? Maybe one day, you��d dare to use your sheer-stockinged feet to step on the team leader��s head!��


    Lin Da angrily crossed his arms and circled around Tasya.


    Tasya was like a little schoolgirl who had been called to the office for a mistake, standing stiffly with aggrievement, her blue eyes fixed on her toes, her usual cold aloofness completely gone.


    Lin Da felt that if he asked Tasya to kiss his shoes, she would do so.


    This maid was really afraid of being kicked out by him.


    How should he punish her?


    Lin Da rubbed his chin, thinking with interest: the punishment must make Tasya scared and serve its purpose without really harming her.


    There was one thing that met his requirements.


    It definitely had to be ��that��.


    Lin Da cleared his throat, ��A maid who has erred must accept punishment.��


    ��Please give your orders.�� Tasya closed her eyes, her eyelashes trembling slightly.


    ��Do you remember the first gift I gave you?��


    Lin Da stood with his hands behind his back, walking to the window.


    Starry sky outside, the moon was bright, the night sky was clear and cloudless, giving a refreshingly calm feeling.


    Lin Da carefully drew the curtains.


    ��The first gift���� Tasya seemed to realize something, her eyes brightened, and her breathing became a bit heavy.


    ��The first gift the Master gave, of course your servant remembers it.��


    ��Epic Weapon, the ��Whip of Pain��.��


    Tasya carefully took out a small black leather whip from the large pocket on the front of her maid dress.


    The whip, made from the mane of a Demon Flame Horse, had a handle decorated with gold and engraved with Magic Runes, which could double the pain felt by the punished without causing any actual injuries.


    Lin Da planned to use the Whip of Pain to punish Tasya.


    The funniest thing was, Tasya had to respectfully hold the whip with both hands and place it into his hands.


    It made Lin Da experience the grand feeling of superiority. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He glanced at Tasya��s white gloves and said indifferently, ��Take them off.��


    Tasya��s body shivered.


    ��Yes, Master.��


    The maid with silver hair, cheeks flushed, looked like a just-ripened water peach, tender and juicy, irresistible to taste.


    One could see Tasya leaning against the bed��s edge�� biting her silver teeth, ready for the whipping.


    Her smooth brown skin reflected the glory of the setting sun.


    Just like a high-quality mirror.


    It also reflected Lin Da��s confused expression.


    Lin Da: ?


    What do you mean?


    I told you to take off those white gloves!


    For a maid who has made a mistake, one must spank the palm severely, make the hands red and sore, so she wouldn��t dare to err again.


    But Tasya��


    What are you implying?


    Sigh.


    Seriously an improper maid!


    Lin Da was a bit flustered.


    His reputation as an old kitchen man was exposed.


    Although Tasya was a newbie, she seemed quite experienced and not embarrassed at all.


    Naturally, Lin Da could not show weakness.


    He had to maintain the aura of a dignified team leader.


    Now if he were to say, ��I��m too shy, this old kitchen man doesn��t dare to do it, please extend your hand for me to hit�� �� his image as the team leader would collapse.


    So, Lin Da had no choice but to indulge Tasya��s wish.


    Lin Da��s expression turned cold as he held the Whip of Pain, walking behind Tasya.


    He gripped the whip in his right hand, and his left hand gently caressed it. Just like a doctor applying a potion to a child��s buttocks before giving an injection, dabbing it with a cotton swab.


    Whether it detoxified, he didn��t know. But it certainly was intimidating.

 Chapter 296 - 296: 261,

    Chapter 296: 261, ��Small Fry owner is really funny


    Warm, smooth.


    And elastic.


    Lin Da was shocked to see��


    ��his five fingers enveloping it.


    Such warmth and loveliness, spreading from his fingertips, wrists, and arms, all the way to the core of his heart.


    A kind of joy that made one��s heart leap, longing to dance with joy.


    ...


    It felt so good!


    Little did he know,


    Tasya��s face had long turned so red it was almost unrecognizable.


    It was only because she buried her head in the pillow, much like an ostrich.


    Otherwise, the image of a professional maid would have certainly collapsed.


    No wonder he is a master who has ��endured countless battles.��


    Tasya thought to herself that even upon seeing her like this, Lin Da remained calm, coolly searching for the weakest spot in her Life Barrier with his large hand.


    She didn��t know if she could satisfy Lin Da when fantasy turned into reality.


    This was a psychological battle between a small fry maid and a small fry master.


    Both thought highly of the other��s technique, considering each other skilled.


    ��Right here,�� Lin Da said excitedly, staring��


    ��Your servant is ready,�� Tasya said, clutching the pillow tightly.


    Crack!


    The black leather whip came down.


    The Whip of Pain, an epic weapon.


    With an attack power of 1, its effect was to deal True Damage and double the pain!


    Even Tasya, who hailed from an assassin organization and had a resilient nature, couldn��t help but whimper.


    Where Lin Da struck, a clear red mark appeared.


    It looked as if it had been scratched by a cat.


    He really didn��t want to continue such harsh punishment.


    Lin Da thought this, yet his hand couldn��t stop.


    Punishing a disobedient maid, the duty of the captain is unquestionable!


    ��The first whip is for your grave dereliction of duty as a maid in your master��s room!��


    ��The second whip is for eradicating your bad habits!��


    ��The third whip is for your reckless boldness!��


    Crack crack!


    Crack crack crack!


    After more than a dozen lashes, Tasya��s eyes brimmed with tears like tiny pearls, she twisted and turned, each time trying to dodge Lin Da��s whipping. But Tasya knew that avoidance would only intensify the punishment, so she clenched her teeth and endured.


    With each strike, Tasya shook violently!


    But the good thing about the Whip of Pain was that with an attack of 1, it didn��t cause too much damage.


    Lin Da��s large hand soothed over the affected area, activating the Healing Art, and in one go, he restored 2000 health to Tasya.


    Tasya even had to thank him.


    ��Thank you for the punishment, master. Your servant will definitely improve in the future,�� she said.


    Tasya turned around, regaining her aloof poker face.


    Staggering, she pulled down the bedsheet, planning to wash it.


    ��Wait,�� Lin Da said with a smile that wasn��t quite a smile, looking at his maid, ��After doing such a thing, you want to run away from your master?��


    Tasya paused, her cheeks once again blushing a fiery red: ��Do you mean����


    ��Show me,�� Lin Da said.


    ��Let��s see the cleaning skills of a professional maid.��


    Tasya never imagined that one of her dreams could be realized so quickly.


    She always believed that compared to her other teammates, she had no attractiveness whatsoever.


    This time, Lin Da��s words brought tears of gratitude to Tasya��s eyes.


    The tall, bronze-skinned maid revealed a sweet smile that took one��s breath away; she brushed her silver hair behind her ears and placed her hands gracefully in front of her maid��s skirt, bowing elegantly: ��Master, my apologies.��


    ��


    ��


    The events that transpired afterwards were indescribable for Lin Da.


    Last time he visited the Chilang Commerce to sell equipment, it was the bonus service from the elf Queci.


    But to be fair, Queci��s attractiveness wasn��t even one-tenth that of Tasya��s.


    Moreover, Tasya is a powerful 34-level Star-ranked adventurer!


    To have a Star-ranked adventurer serve you, even a hundred thousand Gold Coins wouldn��t be enough!


    Coming and going, it was as if Lin Da had earned a hundred thousand.


    He felt as though he was riding a griffin, with the gentle wind brushing against his cheeks, soaring through the clouds, dancing in the sunlight, and becoming friends with the Light Spirits.


    Three minutes passed.


    Lin Da had a benevolent smile on his face.


    Holy Light enveloped him.


    Who am I?


    Where am I?


    Why am I doing this? What��s the point? What have I gained?


    ��Master, the cleaning is complete. What would you like to do next?��


    Tasya knelt on the red mat, wiped her mouth, and a trace of a smug smile flickered in her eyes. With slightly upturned corners of her mouth, it was as if she were taunting Lin Da:


    ��Small Fry Master, only lasted three minutes? How amusing.��


    Lin Da had his own difficulties to express about this.


    He looked down at Tasya before him, his heart still unsettled. What masterful skill�� no, grandmaster level!


    Compared to the elf manager Queci, the skill was the difference between 70 and 700 points.


    Lin Da had no power to resist.


    He was easily toyed with by Tasya.


    ��Where did you learn this?��


    Lin Da touched his nose, masking his awkwardness.


    ��Self-taught.��


    Tasya proudly puffed up her chest, speaking in a standard Imperial Language that was in no way inferior to Bervis��s, displaying the elegance and composure of a Professional Maid. Compared to the ��old rustic speech�� of Lin Da and others, it was like the difference between a city dweller and a country bumpkin.


    Tasya said, ��In the book ��How to Become a Master��s Excellent Maid�� by the Goddess of Maids, Omel, there are teachings on how to clean a master��s body. Omel can carve a lifelike magical dragon Titian on a banana with the tip of her tongue. I am ashamed to say, I can only carve an ugly Earth-Traversing Dragon, and I can��t even recreate their scales.��


    Lin Da: ��


    No no no, being able to carve out an Earth-Traversing Dragon is amazing, isn��t it?


    No wonder he was so quickly defeated by Tasya, it turns out she��s a master, so there��s no shame in losing.


    ��Very well, I��ll allow you to occasionally help clean.��


    ��I am greatly honored to clean for the master,�� she said.


    ��By the way, did you have some ��magical�� feelings? S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da asked with a smile.


    He had sneakily used Witch Purification while Tasya was helping him clean.


    Even though Tasya��s trust bar wasn��t visible yet and he couldn��t muster strong Purification, it didn��t mean he couldn��t purify at all.


    Trust level means the depth of the Purification, and Tasya was heavily plagued by the Witch��s Corruption. Just the surface alone was a lot, like falling into a cesspool, where cleaning just the outside would use up quite a bit of water.


    Lin Da��s Witch Purification was like a bathroom showerhead, giving Tasya a rinse.


    Tasya, who had long been troubled by the corruption of the Magical Creatures, would certainly feel more at ease.


    ��A magical feeling?��


    Tasya frowned, tilted her head adorably, and looked at Lin Da with a dumbfounded expression: ��Master�� very big?��


    Lin Da��s face turned red.


    ��Not that.��


    ��Then, it��s�� very fast.��


    Lin Da��s blush disappeared, and his face turned as black as charcoal.


    ��You want to be kicked out of the team, is that it!�� he said emphatically.


    ��That��s not what I meant����


    Tasya bowed her head in a wronged manner.


    ��No other feelings at all?��


    ��Let me think���� she said.


    About half a minute passed.


    Tasya��s eyes lit up and she said, ��For a moment, you were green.��


    Lin Da was of the yellow-skinned race.


    Yet for a moment, he turned green.


    At that moment, Tasya was devoted to serving Lin Da wholeheartedly and overlooked this ��minor�� abnormality.


    ��Sigh, I��ll just spell it out.��


    Lin Da was amused. Should he say that Tasya was too serious or too plain, to get so immersed and overlook the pain brought by the Witch��s Corruption?


    He sighed in resignation and said, ��Check the Witch��s Corruption inside you. You��re a Witch, right?��

 Chapter 297 - 297: 262. Strange fishy smell

    Chapter 297: 262. Strange fishy smell


    The Witch��s identity was revealed, and Tasya was not surprised.


    Upon reflection, Lin Da must have known during the Monster Tide.


    Tasya responded with a hum and closed her eyes.


    She immersed her mind into her body, checking the black contamination flowing in her blood.


    Then, she was startled.


    It had decreased.


    ...


    Just like when she fainted during the Monster Tide.


    The Witch��s Corruption had inexplicably lessened!


    Although the amount decreased was only about one-tenth, under the premise of a sufficient base number, one-tenth was not an insignificant figure.


    Theoretically, the Witch��s Corruption should only increase, never decrease.


    This was a contract forged with the Demon King.


    No power was able to break it.


    But the undeniable fact before Tasya was that the contamination certainly had decreased.


    If the instance during the Monster Tide was a coincidence, what about this time?


    She looked up at Lin Da��s face, his confident smile.


    It became clear.


    This master had a way to eliminate the Witch��s Corruption!


    ��So this is the deep intent behind the master asking me to clean �C the method to purify the Witch��s Corruption is actually����


    Tasya was completely moved.


    She even thought about cleaning for Lin Da 24 hours a day.


    Lin Da��s ��Magic Sword�� was able to purify the Witch��s Corruption, breaking the contract with the Demon King��


    What a powerful force it was.


    Tasya thought to herself that she indeed had not misjudged him, Lin Da was still the invincible Dark Shadow.


    ��Master, can you tell me why you don��t transform back into the Dark Shadow?�� Tasya seized the moment after she had finished cleaning and Lin Da was in a good mood to ask her question.


    Lin Da��s face changed.


    He tapped Tasya on the head.


    ��I��ve said, the Dark Shadow is dead, it no longer exists, that was just an identity from when I was in my chuunibyou phase.��


    ��What you need to follow is the Eye of True Knowledge, Lin Da.��


    Lin Da said with a stern face, educating Tasya.


    ��Yes����


    Tasya��s reply was very reluctant.


    Lin Da checked Tasya��s trust bar in the system.


    It was still sealed.


    It seemed that deep down, Tasya still hoped he would revert to being the Dark Shadow.


    The educational journey was long indeed.


    Lin Da sighed.


    It was all because he had boosted Tasya��s affection level too high while playing the game; lower affection would have made it easier for her to accept his current self.


    A Tasya with an affection level of 90 was already so outrageous, the sister at 95 points would probably be even more so.


    Once he fell into his sister��s hands, there would certainly be no good outcome.


    And then there were those he had not yet met in the game, the team members who had an affection level of 100��


    Lin Da was drenched in sweat.


    It couldn��t be that they were all super big yanderes who wanted to drain him dry!


    One can only tackle problems as they come.


    Moreover, Lin Da was not without the power to resist.


    The Shadow of Darkness Experience Card with a Witch trust level of 90.


    Once he had triggered the Experience Cards of Tasya and Lulu, even if team members came knocking, he wouldn��t be afraid.


    Lin Da pulled up his trousers and walked towards the door.


    Lia and the others in the living room were still waiting for him to bring back the wheat beer.


    After such a long time, they must be getting impatient.


    Lin Da left Tasya in the room to clean up the traces.


    He exited the room and under the bed in Kafni��s corner, he found an oak barrel painted with a Fire Dragon.


    Tyrannosaurus Tavern produces finely brewed wheat beer, World-Ending Fire Dragon King!


    The alcohol index is 10 stars, with a malt intensity of 23 stars.


    Even without opening the oak barrel, one can smell the tempting citrus and floral scents.


    Lin Da glanced at Kafni, who was in a deep sleep.


    Her breathing was steady, and her face had regained some color.


    There was no need to worry about her physical condition anymore.


    ��Your treasure, we��ve taken care of it for you.��


    With a smirk, Lin Da carried the oak barrel back to the living room.


    ��What did you do, why are you so slow!��


    The alcohol made Lia��s face turn red, and her speech was somewhat slurred.


    Her eyes were languid, her top skewed to one side, exposing her fair and delicate shoulder and an orange strap.


    In his sage state, Lin Da had no interest in Lia at all.


    Actually, given the size of Lia��s chest, there might be no difference whether she wears anything or not.


    Lin Da thought to himself with an odd chuckle.


    ��Here it is, the World-Ending Fire Dragon King, enough to quench your thirst.��


    He placed the oak barrel on the table.


    Lulu said, ��Maybe we shouldn��t let Lia drink anymore. Snow Goose��s people might blame us.��


    When she left, she was a perfectly good captain, but if she returned dead drunk��


    A typical adventure team would place the blame on the Phoenix Tail Flower.


    But Snow Goose was different.


    In the hearts of her team members, Lia was a not-so-reliable captain, though there had been some improvement now.


    ��Go ahead and drink.�� Lin Da chuckled. ��We deserve to celebrate after defeating an Epic Monster.��


    Lulu nodded and said no more.


    At that moment, Lulu twitched her nose and looked suspiciously at Lin Da��s mouth.


    This keenly intuitive Werewolf girl suddenly leaned in close to Lin Da, almost bumping her face against his.


    Lulu sniffed at Lin Da��s mouth like a puppy, vigorously.


    ��What are you doing! Don��t get disorderly when you��re drunk�� don��t do that thing!�� Lia caught a glimpse and thought that Lulu was taking advantage of the alcohol to devour Lin Da!


    ��You redheaded idiot, shut up. I��m smelling a strange scent in Lin Da��s mouth,�� Lulu frowned and muttered. ��A fishy smell�� but there was no fish in today��s meals.��


    Lin Da let out a chuckle: ��Even the Werewolf Clan can be wrong sometimes, huh? I brush my teeth every day; there shouldn��t be any fishy smell in my mouth�� hmm?��


    As he spoke, Lin Da��s expression slowly changed.


    Indeed, he hadn��t eaten fish, but he had consumed something else.


    It was Tasya��s ��saltwater��!


    Lin Da inwardly cursed his bad luck.


    If Lulu found out he had done that sort of thing with Tasya while fetching the drink�� the relationship between Lulu and Tasya might completely fall apart.


    Lin Da hoped that all his team members would get along and fight side by side in their adventures.


    This incident must not become the spark that triggers a rupture in team relations.


    ��Ha, haha�� actually, I sneaked off to the upstairs and snacked on some treasured dried fish.��


    Lin Da scratched his head and forced a laugh, sweat pouring down his back.


    ��Lord Captain, you pervert.��


    A soft murmur reached Lin Da��s ears.


    Monica was curled up on the sofa with her Magic Conductor Handheld Console, her little pink and lovely feet wrapped in white stockings peeking out. The color of her skin showed through the sheer fabric, perfectly harmonizing even if placed beside a cake.


    In the dark, gloomy room in Red Heart City where Monica had lived, her only company had been the Magic Conductor Handheld Console and various comic books, including some meant only for adults.


    Hence, Monica recognized the smell coming from Lin Da��s mouth all too well.


    It was a scent only found on a girl��s body!


    It was either Kafni or Tasya. sea??h th�� N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Monica��s face flushed red, she hid behind the Magic Conductor Handheld Console, only her large, timid eyes showing, tinged with a bit of grievance.


    Lulu and Lia both looked puzzledly at Monica.


    What did the fishy smell in Lin Da��s mouth have to do with him being a major pervert?


    ��Cough cough, you shouldn��t talk nonsense!��


    Lin Da shivered and walked over to Monica, grinning as he ruffled Big Lolita��s hair. In a low voice, he said:


    ��This matter is a secret between you and the captain, understand? The captain likes a child who behaves.��

 Chapter 298 - 298: 263, Aiko: How to Ride a Legendary Mount

    Chapter 298: 263, Aiko: How to Ride a Legendary Mount


    ��Hmm.�� Monica nodded gloomily.


    Lin Da hesitated for a moment, looking at Monica��s soft and adorable appearance, and added, ��It��s not that the captain doesn��t like you, you are just too young. When you grow up, you can do those things too.��


    Even though Monica was already eighteen, her appearance and mentality were not mature enough, and Lin Da felt guilty.


    ��Really?��


    ��Absolutely certain.��


    Yay!


    ...


    Upon hearing this, Monica��s eyes happily curved into crescents, and her little white feet swung joyfully.


    But in her mind, she thought that if Klrona could also become Lin Da��s sworn partner, they could always be together. The innocent and kind-hearted Monica did not forget her newly made friend at such a time.


    ��It would be nice to become Lin Da��s bride along with Klrona,�� Monica innocently thought.


    Lin Da brushed off the young girls and managed to get through the ordeal without any real danger.


    Sigh.


    Having a group of team members who like him was really troublesome.


    Lin Da shook his head inwardly, hands on his hips, full of helplessness.


    ��


    It was deep into the night before the celebration ended.


    Lia, who prided herself on her drinking capacity, was finally knocked out by Lulu, her eyes dizzy, her head seeming to have a spinning yellow duck on top.


    Lia had wanted to challenge Lin Da alone�Cbut Lulu helped Lin Da ward off the drinks like an iron wall, and Lia, despite her efforts, failed and fell at the foot of the fortress.


    ��I heard that all beastmen have a high tolerance for alcohol, but this is something else. Although wheat beer is low in alcohol content, the quantity makes up for it; it would equate to three kilograms if it were liquor,�� Lin Da thought to himself in amazement while he looked at Lulu, who seemed completely unaffected.


    Then Tasya came downstairs, verifying that the celebration had ended, and began cleaning up.


    ��I��ll take her home.��


    Lin Da rose and hoisted the heavily intoxicated Lia over his shoulder.


    Lulu watched him and hesitated for a moment, but did not stop him.


    Outside the villa, all was silent, under a sky full of stars.


    Lin Da drove the carriage, the wind blowing against him sobered up much of his intoxication.


    He glanced back at the girl��s terrible sleeping posture in the carriage, the fallen orange shoulder strap, the vast expanse of white skin��His heart was filled with mixed emotions.


    He had thought that leaving Snow Goose was the end of their relationship.


    But unexpectedly, there was still a day when they drank together.


    ��I hope you can become a mature and excellent adventurer,�� Lin Da said, touching Lia��s face. Not to mention, it was quite soft, a stark contrast to Lia��s mouth that was unbearable when she spoke, typically a beauty when silent but intolerable when talking.


    Elsewhere, at Snow Goose��s villa.


    The hall was brightly lit.


    At times like this in the past, only Klrona��s room would be lit.


    The pink-haired loli claimed she couldn��t end her day without gaming for a while, feeling as if she had wasted the day otherwise.


    But today, Aiko hadn��t slept, revisiting her role as cram student after a long time.


    It was out of necessity.


    Bervis looked at Aiko, who was deeply engrossed in her studies, with a gentle yet chilling tone:


    ��Can��t you even solve such a simple magic problem? With your current level, you��d barely score 115 in the Magic Knowledge Class, only enough for a first-tier university. The empire��s most famous academies require a perfect score of 120, Aiko. You could have achieved that before, couldn��t you?��


    ��Not only have you fallen behind in knowledge classes, but you��re also failing in noble etiquette, and your casting speed for the Light Arrow Technique isn��t as fast as when you were seventeen�� Aiko, be glad you won the wager, otherwise I would only give you one hour of rest a day and make you study until you bled.��


    Don��t be fooled by Bervis��s laugh; the veins on his forehead were nearly bursting.


    Who wouldn��t be smoked with fury to see their academically brilliant, genius sister turn into a lazy, limping, second-rate adventurer?


    Bervis was sure, if their father saw Aiko looking like such a waste now, he��d definitely chop her up.


    ��Studying�� haha, is studying useful? Can studying make me ride a legendary mount?��


    Aiko couldn��t take it anymore and slammed her feather pen into the trash can, her eyebrows furrowing in anger:


    ��Bervis, you study every day, but have you ridden a legendary mount? Let me tell you, if you weren��t born with that, you��d never have it! Studying only makes me suffer!��


    ��What nonsense are you spouting? Without studying, how can you become an elite?��


    Bervis was about to use his elite theory to refute Aiko, but Aiko stood up swiftly, sneering as she looked into his eyes, ��But I have a way, even without hard work, to ride a legendary mount.��


    ��What way?�� Bervis��s curiosity piqued.


    ��First, cooking, mastering master-level cooking skills.��


    Aiko raised a second finger, ��Second, exercise regularly to maintain a good figure. Third, take care of your skin daily to always look like an eighteen-year-old young girl.��


    ��Fourth, have exquisite makeup skills and a sense of fashion. Even the elf princess, famed as the most beautiful on the continent, can��t do without cosmetics and fancy clothes. She appears every time with well-thought-out light makeup, and those muscled-brain dead adventurers still think it��s her bare face. Truly hilarious.��


    ��Stop!��


    Bervis interrupted Aiko��s speech, utterly baffled, ��Can all these things really allow you to ride a legendary mount?��


    ��Yeah.��


    Aiko said matter-of-factly, ��Without mastering these, how can you make outstanding men like you?��


    Bervis��s face stiffened.


    ��You mean����


    ��As long as Lin Da becomes my captive, I can ride a legendary mount.��


    Aiko proudly puffed out her chest, ��Don��t be arrogant, Bervis. I��m telling you, Lin Da is already diligently gathering fragments for a legendary mount!��


    Bervis was dumbfounded.


    Lin Da is working hard, what does that have to do with you?


    Maybe he��s out having fun with a bunch of beautiful girls and not even thinking about you!


    It��s over.


    This sister of his was beyond saving!


    To think she��d given up on hard work and was counting on marrying someone else for a turnaround.


    ��But��I think you��re quite smart.��


    Bervis gave it a serious thought.


    It seems Aiko��s approach wasn��t completely wrong.


    If Aiko could capture Lin Da and turn him into her servant, it would be a huge win for the Holy Rock Adventure Team.


    Only fearing that stubborn old-fashioned father�� Bervis narrowed his eyes significantly as he looked at Aiko, ��Then you��d better hurry, before you know it, Lin Da will be swept up by someone else.��


    ��Too many wolves for the little meat.�� Bervis sighed, ��According to the 195th Adventurers�� Census, women outnumber men by 20%, which means there will be 20% female bachelors. Excellent male adventurers are highly sought-after, grab them while you can, or you��ll have nowhere to cry when it��s too late.��


    Aiko slumped back into her wheelchair, her face drooping melancholy, ��I know, no need to rush me. Lin Da will definitely be captured by me.��


    ��The last one standing�� should definitely be me.��


    The last sentence, Aiko muttered softly to herself.


    Ding-dong��


    The doorbell rang. S~ea??h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��It��s me, Lin Da, I��ve brought your Lia back.��

 Chapter 299 - 299: 264, Aiko beats Lia

    Chapter 299: 264, Aiko beats Lia


    Returning to this familiar villa, but only as a guest.


    Lin Da felt a subtle mood.


    After pressing the doorbell several times, the door opened a few seconds later.


    ��In person, you��re even more handsome than on the screen,�� said the blond, squint-eyed swordsman, sizing him up with an appreciative gaze.


    Lin Da felt a chill run down his spine.


    Where did this boy come from?


    ...


    Why was he at Snow Goose��s villa?


    ��I won��t disturb you any longer.�� The blond swordsman stepped out of the entrance hall, brushing past Lin Da, and headed towards an armored luxury carriage by the door.


    The horse was a Green-Faced Ghost Horse worth half a million in gold, a level 25 Magical Creature. Lin Da had wondered whose ��The Treasure Horse�� was when he arrived, and here was its owner.


    Aiko arrived late in her Magic Wheelchair.


    Gazing at the carriage disappearing into the night, Lin Da asked with confusion, ��Aiko, who was that?��


    ��My elder brother, a bit off in the head. He looks like a boy but is really a ��demon�� of an elder brother,�� Aiko said resentfully.


    Lin Da nodded and did not ask further.


    ��Lia has been returned to you.��


    He entered the living room and laid the unconscious Lia on the sofa.


    ��I watched your adventure team��s live strategy session,�� Aiko said with a smile, ��Congratulations on the Phoenix Tail Flower��s successful conquest of the Epic Monster.��


    Lin Da: ��Thank you.��


    ��Oh, I made some chicken soup and snacks, take them with you to eat,�� Aiko walked towards the kitchen.


    ��No, I dare not drink your chicken soup anymore,�� Lin Da said awkwardly.


    ��This time I didn��t add anything, it��s really tasty!�� Aiko pouted pitifully, ��You don��t trust me anymore.��


    ��That��s not what I meant,�� Lin Da pondered, ��Aiko, we��re just old teammates, don��t think too much into it.��


    After Lin Da rejected Aiko��s confession, their relationship became somewhat awkward.


    Lin Da thought it was best to stay away from Aiko, to avoid more confusion.


    At home, he had a jealous werewolf.


    Getting too close to girls from outside the team could easily lead to disharmony within.


    It was better to make it clear to Aiko.


    They were just ordinary old teammates and nothing more would come of it.


    Aiko was silent for a while.


    ��I know,�� the girl said, her eyes brimming with tears, ��Why would you misunderstand me? I just thought you must be tired after fighting those Magical Creatures; having some chicken soup would be replenishing. Isn��t that allowed?��


    ��But I really don��t lack chicken soup at home,�� Lin Da sighed, ��Aiko, don��t set your heart on me. You should focus on helping Lia and work together to make Snow Goose an excellent adventure team.��


    Lia��


    Again with Lia.


    Aiko clenched her teeth, her cheeks trembling with anger.


    After exchanging a few pleasantries, Lin Da hurriedly took his leave and drove the carriage out of the neighborhood.


    The door of the villa was left open, and Aiko stood by the shoe rack in the entrance hall, staring blankly at Lin Da��s figure as it disappeared into the night.


    The pearls in the girl��s eyes could no longer be held back, and they fell, drip by drip.


    ��Why, oh why? Lin Da is just my prey; how can prey make me cry?�� Aiko sobbed, rubbing her eyes with her sleeve.


    If the lights in Klrona��s upstairs room hadn��t been on, Aiko would have burst into loud sobs.


    Even she didn��t know if this was an act.


    When Lin Da said his home didn��t lack chicken soup, Aiko felt as if there was a hole in her chest, sour and acrid, so uncomfortable she wanted to vomit out the bread she ate at noon.


    Aiko stood lost in thought at the entrance.


    The girl under the light and the darkness outside the villa seemed to be separated by a line.


    But, at some point, this boundary blurred rapidly. The darkness outside seemed to come alive, transforming into a viscous mire that climbed the steps, entered the hallway, and slowly crawled to Aiko��s feet, grabbing her ankle.


    The same black fog that once disappeared at the Adventurers�� Guild surfaced again in Aiko��s eyes. Like dye into a lake, it eroded every inch of clean space.


    A seductive whisper rang in Aiko��s ear: ��What you can��t have, let no one else have!��


    Aiko��s gaze was hollow as she stared blankly at Lia, who lay on the sofa, drunk and unconscious. More specifically, at Lia��s vulnerable neck.


    The black fog in her eyes churned, which seemed to affect Aiko��s sanity, igniting a fierce jealousy within her:


    Why is it always Lia who gets the attention, this red-haired dwarf, how is she better than me?


    In Lin Da��s eyes, it was always Lia, never her.


    Damn it, damn it all.


    Aiko bit her own index finger, her bones cracking audibly. Fingers connected to the heart, but she felt none of the drilling pain; the black fog in her eyes spread like an enveloping cloud.


    She threw down her Magic Wheelchair, propped up her weak legs, and staggered toward Lia. She reached out her hand, slowly grasping towards Lia��s defenseless, pale, fragile neck��


    Aiko didn��t know what she was doing, a voice booming in her head: Get rid of the nuisance Lia, and Lin Da will notice you!


    Lin Da will transfer all the affection he gives to Lia onto you.


    If only there were no Lia��!


    A twisted smile appeared on Aiko��s face, devoid of any gentleness or kindness associated with a Holy Mage, her visage resembling that of a demon capable of terrifying adults.


    ��Just at that moment.


    Lia, in her drunken slumber, muttered softly, ��We will all become the strongest adventure team together.��


    ��Don��t leave�� nobody is allowed to leave.��


    Gleaming tears trickled from the corner of Lia��s eyes.


    Leaving a clear streak on the girl��s face.


    This slight change dissipated the black fog in Aiko��s eyes.


    Wait�� what am I doing?


    Aiko looked at her hands, confused. Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Was she about to strangle Lia just now?


    That��s insane.


    Aiko��s expression changed.


    She hated Lia, sure.


    But not to the extent of wanting to kill her.


    At most, she would sneak out the cake Lia had hidden away and bring it to the team meeting table for an early reveal, making Lia die of embarrassment.


    Killing Lia was something Aiko knew she absolutely couldn��t do, upon deep reflection.


    Probably because Bervis had forced her to study all day, her mind was muddled.


    Aiko sighed.


    She looked at Lia on the sofa, her gaze flickering.


    The drunken Lia presented a good opportunity��


    Aiko leaned in close to Lia��s ear and asked in a gentle tone, ��Tell me, what��s your Savings Card password?��


    Lia: ��123456.��


    Aiko tried it, and the password was correct.


    ��Now tell me, how would you rate Holy Mage Aiko?��


    She planned to take advantage of Lia��s sleep to give her a fierce interrogation.


    To make this stubborn oddball spill the truth!


    Lia, slurring: ��I think Aiko�� uh, is sly, I don��t like it.��


    So that��s how you see me.


    Aiko thought angrily.


    ��But,��


    Lia continued:


    ��Aiko is my friend.��


    ��I, the young miss, will protect her.��


    Even in her dreams, Lia��s tone was firm.

 Chapter 300 - 300: 265, The most important person

    Chapter 300: 265, ��The most important person


    Aiko��s angry expression froze on her face.


    Some surprise.


    And some embarrassment.


    Her feelings were quite complicated.


    Is that so.


    So, you really do consider me a ��friend��.


    ...


    In my eyes, you were just a Shar Pei��


    Aiko experienced a strange emotion that was indescribable and inexplicable.


    Overall, she found herself looking at Lia more favorably.


    But this stupid team captain simply didn��t understand that it was the team members protecting her, not her protecting the team members.


    The only thing that could be commended was Lia��s bravery in charging ahead to confront the Magical Creatures.


    Remembering Lia��s various foolish actions, Aiko couldn��t help but laugh.


    The black fog in her eyes quietly dissipated.


    ��There is one last question.��


    Aiko whispered in Lia��s ear, ��What is your opinion of Lin Da with the ��Eye of True Knowledge��?��


    I was just really curious.


    Wondering how this Powder Keg would view Lin Da.


    Aiko rubbed her hands together in anticipation.


    She took out a Video Recording Magic Stone and held it close to Lia��s mouth.


    No matter what, she had won. If Lia said she liked Lin Da, she could threaten the thin-skinned Lia with the Video Recording Magic Stone. If you don��t stay away from Lin Da, I��ll give this stone to the White Dove Morning News, and let the whole city know that you, Lia, are a stubborn tsundere freak.


    And if Lia considered Lin Da as a rival, an enemy, that would be even better.


    Aiko could rest easy, never having to feel jealous of Lia again.


    But��


    She waited for a long time.


    The sleeping Lia didn��t say a thing.


    Passed out in sleep?


    Aiko slapped Lia��s face.


    No response.


    This dead pig��


    Aiko shook her head and went to find a blanket to cover Lia with.


    When she reached the second floor stairs, suddenly, Lia��s dreamy mumbling began.


    She said something.


    Aiko��s pupils contracted.


    Her expression went from shock, to disbelief, to contemplation, and finally to acceptance.


    Right.


    If one day Lia became candid, with Lia��s character, she would indeed give such a concise answer.


    Only five words.


    But Aiko understood everything.


    Her biggest rival in the future was indeed this person.


    Aiko put away the Video Recording Magic Stone.


    She no longer wanted to threaten Lia with that thing.


    It was too despicable.


    Aiko covered Lia with the blanket.


    Then she tied her blonde hair back with a headband, returned to her room, and pulled out a white suitcase from under the bed that she had never opened in nearly three years.


    The suitcase was covered with dust; after patting it twice, Aiko coughed heavily.


    She opened the suitcase and took out a book that was thicker than a brick, ��Advanced Knowledge and Application of Light-based Magic (Volume I)��


    Aiko took a deep breath, rubbed her cheeks, her gaze firmed and she sat down at the desk with the thick book, ready to read by lamplight into the night.


    No one knew that Aiko was also a bookworm in the past.


    She was determined to be the first among Snow Goose and the others to step into the Star Rank!


    ��


    ��


    Under the starlight, Lin Da drove the carriage back to the villa.


    ��`


    ��That��s fine.��


    Remembering Aiko��s tearful expression, Lin Da sighed and quietly said to himself.


    Aiko indeed made a good impression on him, beautiful and a powerful mage.


    But he couldn��t keep biting off more than he could chew, with already four people in his current team.


    Lin Da had a thin face.


    Where others formed oaths on a 1v1 basis, him going 1v4 was already outrageous enough, hands couldn��t even connect, and to put rings symbolizing the Oath of Protection on the girls required them to line up.


    But at least they were his teammates, and outsiders could kind of understand that. Forming an Oath with someone from another team, on the other hand, was quite playful.


    The content of the Oath was to protect each other for a lifetime as adventurers. Many teammates with good relationships formed such Oaths, man and man, woman and woman, man and woman, all combinations existed, essentially a pure and holy relationship.


    But to form an Oath with an adventurer from another team�� was basically either for money or for the body.


    Public opinion would not let Lin Da off the hook, and his teammates would be angry too!


    Even he only regarded Aiko as a somewhat closer former teammate, not to the extent of going all out to form an Oath with her.


    So, this was quite good.


    As his reason concluded the answer.


    Within Lin Da��s heart, however, he was anxious, and while driving the carriage, he was somewhat distracted and almost forgot to turn the corner.


    ��I��m back.��


    Ten minutes later, Lin Da arrived at the villa in the Goldfinch District.


    The temperature control Array made the villa��s temperature comfortable, he took off his coat, and placed it on the rack by the entrance.


    Walking into the living room, Lin Da paused.


    Everything was cleaned spotlessly, not a speck of dust, he almost thought he had entered someone else��s home.


    ��Impressive.��


    From when he left to when he returned, it had only been half an hour. To clean to this extent in such a short amount of time was nothing short of miraculous.


    Lulu glanced at Tasya with a touch of faint admiration in her tone, ��Most of it was done by her.��


    ��Indeed.�� Tasya proudly puffed up her chest.


    ��Very commendable, Tasya, you are an excellent maid,�� Lin Da praised as he nodded.


    A smile appeared on Tasya��s face.


    She elegantly bowed, ��Master��s praise is the maid��s greatest honor.��


    ��It��s getting late, everyone should go to sleep.��


    Lin Da thought for a moment and said, ��We��ll clear the ninth level tomorrow and officially become a Rock-level Squad.��


    Clearing the ninth level would allow him another upgrade, almost.


    Then, the Teleportation Array to the Great Mystery Continent on the tenth level would open up to the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    With Lulu as a ��Sub-Star Level�� and the seasoned Star Rank Tasya, perhaps they could aim for that thing.


    The three said their goodbyes in the living room.


    Lin Da returned to his room and doubted his eyesight.


    This room, as tidy and clean as a five-star luxury hotel, was his own?


    Admittedly, Lin Da had a hint of a cleanliness obsession, but it was only slight. Sometimes, engrossed in strategizing, he would forget to eat or sleep, even forget to wash his face.


    But what about this room?


    The floor that could mirror a person, the bedsheet whiter than swan feathers, and the small magical chandelier on the ceiling which had some dust on it before, now shone like new after being wiped clean.


    The entire room seemed to glow, dazzling Lin Da��s eyes!


    A pleasant fragrance of flowers filled the room, a type of magic material air freshener.


    Lin Da had the illusion of stepping into a green meadow filled with birds singing and flowers blooming. In such a room, his mood became relaxed, and his entire being unwound.


    On the nightstand, several new items appeared. Lin Da walked over curiously. They were black bells with different words on each, respectively:


    [Food][Changing][Cleaning][Service][Other]. S��arch* The ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��What do these bells mean? What will happen if I press them?��


    With a hint of curiosity, Lin Da pressed the one labeled [Service].


    Dong dong.


    In less than ten seconds, there was a knock at the door.


    Tasya��s voice came through, ��Master, did you call me?��


    ��Oh, it��s like room service, I was just playing with it, never mind,�� Lin Da said awkwardly.


    ��If you need anything else, please feel free to call me. I will arrive as quickly as possible.��


    The voice came through the door.


    Therefore, Lin Da didn��t know what Tasya looked like on the outside.

 Chapter 301 - 301: 266. Skills maxed out, guiding Lulu in the dream

    Chapter 301: 266. Skills maxed out, guiding Lulu in the dream


    The maid��s skirt had long been set aside by Tasya, and in the dimly lit corridor, the maid��s smooth brown skin became even more enticing.


    A long silver hair draped behind her hips, the suspenders of her white stockings connecting to the garter belt around her waist, where many hollowed-out butterfly patterns were just revealing her cheeky, cute navel.


    The blush on Tasya��s face slowly faded as she looked at the closed door with disappointment.


    ��Twice a day, is it really too tiring for the master?��


    ��If it��s just once, the competition becomes much greater.��


    Tasya felt heavy-hearted.


    ...


    If she couldn��t gain Lin Da��s favor, she might not get a turn even once a week.


    She must become Lin Da��s most outstanding team member!


    Tasya clenched her fist tightly in determination.


    Back in her room, Tasya didn��t rest but exercised on a black yoga mat. As a professional maid, she was a powerful force not only in daily life but also in adventures.


    Having experienced the brutal elimination process of the Primitive Adventure Team, Tasya knew the importance of strength. Without strength, no matter how skillful at service or cleaning, one couldn��t gain Lin Da��s favor.


    Those three members who were the strongest and were called ��Five-star�� by Lin Da, just they alone occupied half of Lin Da. The time they spent with Lin Da and the number of times they were patted on the head were more than everyone else combined.


    Now, those three must also be living somewhere on this continent.


    To prevent Lin Da from being taken away by them again, Tasya trained even harder.


    Only when the wooden bird from the magic clock jumped out from the house below, shouting with its unpleasant voice, ��It��s 3 o��clock, rest, rest!�� did Tasya finally head to the bathroom to shower off the sweat and crawl into bed.


    Before sleep, Tasya thought to herself: Lin Da doesn��t seem to like women who sweat a lot; she had embarrassed herself sweating profusely in the carriage. Being caught by Lin Da too, if she were the type to sweat less, she wouldn��t have left so many traces.


    Is there any magic that can change one��s constitution and reduce sweating��


    With a smile on her lips, Tasya nestled into bed, clamping the sheets between her legs and fell soundly asleep.


    ��


    Elsewhere.


    In Lin Da��s room.


    He leaned on the bed, his gaze intense as he stared into the void.


    ��Seven skill points and one golden skill point, which to add to?��


    After a moment of thought, Lin Da opened his personal panel and controlled the ��mouse�� with his mind, clicking the plus sign on the purple skill icon.


    That was an image of a mage stretching out their hand and firing a purple magic sphere.


    The Venom Magic Sphere, Lin Da��s strongest single-target skill.


    To meet the killing condition for the ninth layer��s Magical Creatures, Lin Da temporarily gave up the Verdant Shield, opting to max out the Venom Magic Sphere first.


    A frenzy of clicking.


    The system notifications popped up one after another:


    [Venom Magic Sphere has been upgraded: lv2 to lv3, poison damage duration increases by an additional 1 second!]


    [Venom Magic Sphere has been upgraded: lv3 to lv4, poison damage duration increases by an additional 1 second!]


    [You have used a golden skill point.]


    [Venom Magic Sphere upgraded to lv5, poison damage can stack +1 layer, you will fire two magic spheres simultaneously!]


    Seeing the skill effect, Lin Da��s mouth curled into a smile.


    From level 4 to level 5, the Venom Magic Sphere underwent a qualitative change!


    Originally he could only shoot one sphere at a time, but now it was two.


    The skill description was updated to: [Fire two venom magic spheres straight ahead, medium flight speed, inflicting substantial damage per second on the target, lasting for 8 seconds, stackable up to 2 layers]


    In other words, using the Venom Magic Sphere once, Lin Da could inflict continuous damage on the Magical Creatures for 16 seconds.


    He would be free to cast other skills, greatly increasing his damage output efficiency.


    Maxing out the Venom Magic Sphere took two skill points and one golden skill point.


    Then, he directed his attention to the ultimate skill[Guardian Sword].


    To face the fierce Magical Creatures on higher levels, the shield��s thickness had to be sufficient.


    Lin Da clicked to add points.


    [System Prompt: Consumed 2 Skill Points, Guardian Sword upgraded to lv2]


    [Guardian Sword lv2 effect: Uses Magic Power to conjure a Guardian Sword to attack a small area target, causing ��substantial�� damage, and provides an area ally shield (current up to 3��4 people) worth 50%��60% of your maximum Hit Points]


    The enhancement was quite noticeable.


    Originally, it could only give shields to 3 people besides Lin Da, which has now increased to 4.


    The shield thickness also increased from 50% of maximum Hit Points to 60%.


    Since Lin Da had exactly four teammates, one use of Guardian Sword would equip everyone with a ��turtle shell.��


    After this, Lin Da still had 3 Skill Points left.


    Seeing as he was about to reach level 30, not knowing what Skills would unlock, Lin Da decided to save these Skill Points to use after level 30.


    After enhancing his personal strength, Lin Da didn��t forget about his teammates.


    He went to the Back House to check in and collected 2,440 Diamonds.


    Lots of messages popped up from the Hell Rift.


    After the Phoenix Tail Flower Team��s strength increased, the members burst forth with power and pushed through to the 30th Star Rank.


    Lin Da received a reward: 80,000 Diamonds.


    With these Diamonds, plus the savings, the total amount of Diamonds reached a staggering 672,070. sea??h th�� nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was more than enough to upgrade Lulu to Star Rank, and even quite sufficient to further develop Monica.


    Before exiting the Hell Rift, Lin Da took one last look:


    On the dark, circular arena, the 30th Star Rank BOSS was a brown, lizard-like terrain dragon with spear-like horns on its head.


    Terrain Dragon, Level 31, thick-skinned.


    All the members were below level 30, and they were getting beaten senseless by the terrain dragon.


    Constant GAME OVER followed by restarts.


    Lin Da shook his head, exited the interface of the Hell Rift, and went to the system mall to exchange 600,000 Diamonds for 600,000 Experience Guidance Tickets.


    ��Select teammate Lulu.��


    ��Dream Guidance!��


    Lin Da lay down on the bed, his consciousness sinking into slumber.


    ��


    In the dream.


    The werewolf girl ran carefree on the snowy mountains, climbing to the peak to howl loudly into the distance.


    On the verge of breaking through to the Star Rank, the normally calm Lulu couldn��t help feeling excited.


    Seeing more and more girls joining Lin Da��s side, insecurities inevitably arose in Lulu��s heart.


    Before Tasya joined, she was the strongest member of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    But following Tasya��s arrival, it became her whom Lin Da relied on more��the Professional Maid.


    Whether it was combating the Specter Adventure Group or being on guard against the wounded fugitive Mingli, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team needed to enhance their strength.


    ��When will I be able to enter the Star Rank?��


    ��This last small step, for some it only takes a week, for others, it could be half a year�� Those with less talent might even get stuck here.��


    A hint of worry appeared on Lulu��s face, and her fluffy tail drooped down.


    She didn��t know whether her talent was good enough.


    Compared to Lin Da��s ��Five-star�� teammates, at least, she felt inferior.


    As Lulu was worrying, the surroundings began to change.


    From the clear skies of the open snowy mountains, it transformed into the top of a dark, high-rise building.


    ��Lift your head.��


    A voice cold and devoid of any emotion carried on the wind from ahead.

 Chapter 302 - 302: 267. Lulus Star Rank and the Incident with Lin Da

    Chapter 302: 267. Lulu��s Star Rank and the Incident with Lin Da


    Lulu was stunned briefly.


    It was still the familiar rooftop, a tall man dressed in familiar black clothes, wearing a mask.


    He had appeared again.


    ��[��Dark Shadow��] Lin Da.


    In the dream, time seemed to stretch indefinitely.


    Lulu felt as if she had been trained by Lin Da for eight or nine hours, but the sky remained pitch dark, without a hint of light.


    ...


    ��This is it? Get up, continue attacking me.��


    Lin Da walked up to the exhausted Lulu, his black combat boots stepping on the werewolf girl��s palm, a cold mocking laugh emanating from beneath the mask, as if toying with a weak ant.


    The training had to be rigorous.


    Only then, the ��Experience Guidance Ticket�� could take effect.


    Lulu��s face was covered in sweat, her short hair sticking together as she gasped for breath.


    ��If you want to become Star Rank, stand up.��


    ��Defeat me�� no, even if you injure me slightly, you win,�� Lin Da said calmly.


    Lulu propped herself up from the ground, trembling as she climbed to her feet.


    The fight erupted again.


    As expected, Lin Da sent Lulu flying.


    Then he would use the Healing Art, restore Lulu to health, and continue the bout.


    In this life-or-death ordeal, Lulu��s combat skills rapidly improved.


    Once again, Lulu attacked.


    Like a pale blue lightning bolt, she darted back and forth through the night sky.


    Suddenly, Lin Da felt a chill behind him.


    Without a thought, he threw a punch.


    The punch hit Lulu in the abdomen.


    In terms of dream damage, Lulu was ��dead.��


    But just as he hit Lulu, her beast claw swung fiercely��Lin Da, of course, dodged it, but then realized that Lulu��s target was not him. His pure white mask was sliced into several pieces and fell off.


    ��I won.��


    Lulu saw Lin Da��s dazed expression and her lips curled up, ��The mask is part of you too, you said that as long as I injured you, I win.�� S��ar?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Then I��ll reward you����


    Before he could finish his sentence, Lulu suddenly collapsed toward him.


    Lin Da caught Lulu, a streak of green light flashed, and her injuries were fully healed.


    But Lulu did not get up; instead, she pushed Lin Da down, sitting on his waist, her tail gently swaying.


    The werewolf girl��s beast claws transformed back into delicate hands, boldly cupping Lin Da��s face.


    ��Not enough,�� Lulu murmured softly, ��I want to choose the reward myself. This is my dream, after all, why should I listen to you?��


    Actually, it��s my dream��


    Lin Da thought to himself.


    ��The content of the contract to join the team isn��t like this,�� he emphasized.


    After a spirited battle, Lulu, all sweaty and enticingly fragrant, had a different kind of allure.


    Sweat dripped from the girl��s snowy chin, plinking onto Lin Da��s chest.


    The slight impact, the warmth of the sweat, an incomparable sense of reality.


    Constantly challenging Lin Da��s fragile nerves.


    ��I know, the most important part of the contract content is that the team member must obey the captain��s orders, follow the captain��s arrangements,��


    Lulu��s lips hooked up in a provocative smile, ��But this is my dream, unrelated to reality, and now you are my defeated subordinate.��


    ��Wait����


    Lin Da��s voice abruptly stopped.


    Blocked by a pair of soft lips.


    Under the moonlight.


    The werewolf transformed into a pure white lamb.


    Lin Da was struck dumb.


    The scene before him was indescribable.


    Forget it.


    It was just a dream, after all.


    Lin Da sighed.


    He grabbed Lulu��s small hands.


    They began to move.


    ��


    ��


    With a boom,


    Level-Up Radiance descended.


    Lin Da��s 300,000 Experience Guidance Tickets were all used on Lulu.


    The werewolf girl threw her head back and let out a howl.


    A powerful aura burst from the core source, forming a mini energy storm around the two.


    Lin Da, who was pinned underneath, laughed.


    300,000 Experience Guidance Tickets allowed Lulu to level up twice.


    She became a 31st-level Star-ranked Adventurer!


    Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team now officially had its own Star-ranked member.


    Everything was quite good.


    Except for Lulu��s leveling-up posture, which was somewhat indecorous.


    Other adventurers leveled up in training rooms, at the World Tree, or in the wilderness after conquering Magical Creatures�� Alone Lulu, inexplicably, sat on him to level up.


    Lin Da felt someone else��s Level-Up Radiance for the first time.


    It was warm.


    And it got even hotter inside��


    Stimulated by the Level-Up Radiance, Lin Da shuddered.


    He wore a sage-like smile, free of desires and wants.


    Dream guidance concluded, Lin Da slowly woke up.


    The scenes from before still hovered before his eyes.


    The werewolf girl��s bashful expression, her handsome howl, her wild attacks�� completely different from the usual cold Lulu, as if she had become a different person, which scared Lin Da stiff.


    ��But����


    ��It was quite fun though.��


    Lin Da burst into laughter.


    He got up to wash up.


    Looking at his own trousers.


    No way��


    Lin Da was stunned.


    It was all a dream, so why did his body in the real world also manifest anomalies?


    He felt sticky all over, uncomfortable.


    He had no choice but to take a bath and change into fresh underwear.


    Then, Lin Da looked at his bed with some worry. If he let Tasya wash the sheets he��d taken off, his dignified image as team leader would surely be ruined. If he washed them himself, it would seem too deliberate and could easily lead people to speculate what might have happened on those sheets.


    After some thought, Lin Da decided to let things take their course.


    A healthy adult male occasionally getting his sheets dirty was normal. Even if he gave them to Tasya, she wouldn��t overthink it.


    As for Lulu��


    Was she in the same situation?


    Recalling the lovely scenes in the dream, Lin Da��s cheeks grew hot.


    Thinking from a realistic standpoint, he had to congratulate Lulu on breaking through to Star Rank��there was no way he couldn��t have felt the energy fluctuations from her leveling up.


    Lin Da slapped his head, pushing aside the memory of Lulu��s bad dream persona, and opened the door to the corridor.


    Dong dong.


    ��It��s me,��


    Lin Da knocked and called out softly.


    The door opened quickly.


    A distinct scent of bathing water and the warm fragrance of a girl just out of the bath enveloped him.


    Lin Da��s spirit revived, and his blood flow sped up.


    The door before him swung wide open to reveal a girl in a bath towel, her pale blue short hair wet.


    Her fluffy beast ears were also wet, drooping on her head and sometimes shaking instinctively, splashing droplets everywhere.


    It was�� sort of cute.


    Seeing Lulu in a bath towel and watching him with a strange expression, Lin Da panicked for a moment, fearing that the dream had been revealed.


    He scratched his head and said, ��If it��s not convenient for you, you can get dressed first; I��ll come back later.��


    ��It��s okay,�� Lulu stepped aside and whispered, ��I don��t mind if it��s you.��


    ��Then I��m coming in.��


    Walking into a girl��s room in the middle of the night for the first time, Lin Da felt uneasy and nervous.


    Inside was a very plain girl��s bedroom.


    The bed had several chibi werewolf dolls, adding a touch of girlishness, but the other furniture was minimalist. The only doll was a gift from Monica to Lulu.


    Lulu sat on the white bed while Lin Da sat in front of the desk.


    The atmosphere was delicate.


    Lulu hung her head low, one hand clutching the top of the bath towel, the other on her snow-white thighs, her face still slightly flushed.


    It was somewhat like what had happened in the dream, now in reality.


    Lin Da coughed, breaking the ambiguous atmosphere, and said, ��Congratulations on reaching Star Rank.��

 Chapter 305 - 305: 269, start with a finishing move as a sign of respect.

    Chapter 305: 269, start with a finishing move as a sign of respect.


    No wonder these adventurers were surprised. Objectively speaking, Lin Da at level 25 should have no problem hunting level 20 Wetland Worms, but it shouldn��t have been this easy.


    He simply held his sword in the air, and when a Wetland Worm crashed into it, it died.


    At this moment, Lin Da on the screen made a new move.


    His eyes narrowed, and the Sword of Royalty in his hand spun like a large windmill.


    The sword light traced a chilling arc, and then, a torrent of blood rained down.


    A bunch of Wetland Worms that burst out from the ground were cut into halves like chopping chives as Lin Da spun around.


    ...


    The Sword of Royalty slicing into the worms�� bodies felt as smooth as a beastman��s nail cutting through an elf lady��s tearable black silk stockings, without encountering any resistance.


    ��Epic Weapon, truly extraordinary.��


    Lin Da sighed to himself, shook the blood off the Sword of Royalty, and sheathed it.


    [System prompt: Defeated 20 level Wetland Worms x10, acquired 5000 diamonds!]


    Lin Da didn��t even use magic power, a casual swing was enough to kill the Wetland Worms that troubled ordinary adventure teams so much.


    The disparity in personal profession, talent, and equipment added up, creating a chasm between individuals�� strengths.


    If it were an ordinary level 25 adventurer, they would have had to use at least 3 small skills to kill a Wetland Worm.


    Just now, 9 worms buried underground ambushed Lin Da. If it were an ordinary adventure team, they would have been thrown into disarray, exerting a lot of effort, and if not handled well, there could even be severe injuries.


    This was the reason behind everyone��s shock outside the screen.


    [One sword strike to kill 9 Wetland Worms? You��re telling me this is a support?]


    An adventurer passing through South Rock City stared dazedly at the screen, feeling a giant question mark forming in his mind.


    ��Brother, you just don��t get it. Lin Da himself is very powerful, and with that exceptional weapon, it��s normal for him to kill 9 level 20 Wetland Worms with one sword strike,�� said Finch, the vice president of the Phoenix Tail Flower Fan Club and a blond Swordsman, as he patted the former��s shoulder and laughed heartily.


    Since Lin Da conquered the sixth, seventh, and eighth floors, Finch, along with his adventure team, crazily copied his strategies and successfully cleared the levels by following Lin Da��s techniques.


    Of course, Finch didn��t dare to face the hidden magical creatures; his clearance was just standard. Still, it was exciting enough, and Finch felt he had a chance to become the captain of a Rock-level Adventure Team.


    Today, Lin Da��s ninth-floor strategy arrived just in time.


    Clearing the ninth floor meant becoming a Rock-level Adventure Team, which would allow for monthly resource allocations from the empire.


    With the standards of White Dove City, at least 3 Bronze-level Fruits of the World Tree.


    Everyone��s gaze focused on the screen.


    The ninth floor, muddy wetlands.


    Lin Da killed the worms and stood with his sword sheathed.


    He wasn��t feeling as relaxed as everyone thought.


    Seeing Monica trembling by his side, her little face pale, Lin Da sighed in his heart.


    ��Don��t be afraid, with the captain��s shield, these worms won��t be able to bite you.��


    Monica, in a state of fear, was completely unable to fight.


    It was similar to the [Fear] DEBUFF in games.


    When team members used skills, there was a fifty percent chance of failure. sea??h th�� N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This wouldn��t do.


    Lin Da was counting on Monica��s cannon for output.


    He put on a stern face, took Monica��s small hand off his clothing, and pointed to the corpses of the Wetland Worms cut in half on the ground:


    ��As an adventurer, how can you be afraid of magical creatures? Monica, I want you to touch these worms, get used to their presence!��


    The hidden boss of the ninth floor was much more disgusting than the Wetland Worms.


    Lin Da worried that Monica would be scared to the point of passing out, unable to cast a single spell.


    ��Wuu wuu, Lord Captain, I don��t want to touch them,�� Monica��s little head shook like a rattle-drum.


    Her petite white legs clamped tightly together, trembling like a sieve, her cute brown round-toed shoes covered with mud.


    This damp environment made Monica��s little face bitter, and she really wanted to go back to the villa for a hot bath.


    ��If you don��t overcome this difficulty, you won��t be able to proceed,�� Lin Da��s tone softened a bit as he bent down to pat Monica on the head, ��The captain believes you can do it. Go ahead.��


    ��Wuu wuu, if it��s an order from Lord Captain����


    Obediently, Monica walked up to the carcass of the Wetland Worm and crouched down, her little hand trembling as she reached out to touch the dark, slimy, stench-ridden skin of the worm��s corpse��


    Little did they know, Lin Da��s teaching method with Monica was causing the number of suggestions to skyrocket again.


    Some adventurers thought letting the pure Big Lolita touch such dirty things was very thrilling, satisfying a dark desire in their hearts.


    Another group of diehard fans of Monica believed that Lin Da was maliciously making things difficult for her.


    [You turned out to be this kind of Eye of True Knowledge. We misjudged you. You must only want to have Monica, who has touched the big black worm, throw herself into your arms with tears in her eyes, fulfilling your perverted desires!]


    [You mustn��t let our Monica touch something so dirty!]


    [Stop your perverted behavior!]


    [Hey, hey, hehehe�� The Big Lolita is touching the big, black Flesh Worm��]


    Lin Da couldn��t be bothered to read those suggestions.


    No matter what those people said, Monica was his teammate, and it was none of their business.


    Monica, squatting on the ground, appeared to be wearing a ��Mask of Pain,�� forcibly closing her eyes, her tiny white hands fumbling clumsily over the worm��s body.


    Soon, her fingertips were covered in green, stinking blood. The soft, slimy, and cold touch of the worm��s skin was about to bring tears to Monica��s eyes.


    ��Lord Captain, I did it.��


    Monica wiped her eyes with her elbow.


    Lin Da smiled and said, ��Well done, worthy of being my teammate.��


    As a reward, Lin Da took an orange gummy candy from his pocket and placed it into Monica��s mouth.


    After a few more training sessions, Monica gradually became desensitized to the Wetland Worms.


    Although still somewhat resistant, overall, she was able to release magic calmly when faced with worm attacks.


    Lin Da��s education of Monica was a complete success.


    In the blink of an eye, the two arrived at the hiding place of the Magical Creatures.


    From the pit filled with black stinky water, an enormous Flesh Worm crawled out.


    Its body was like a small hill, 10 meters long and 3 meters high, with dozens of caterpillar-like legs wriggling and crawling through the mud, slowly advancing towards Lin Da and Monica, who seemed as tiny as ants.


    This Flesh Worm��s body was covered in yellow mucus that could effectively resist Battle Qi and magic attacks, and its body odor, like fermented faeces for 10 days, was an extremely pungent stench that could knock out unprepared adventurers on the spot.


    Fortunately, Lin Da and his group had already put on their poison masks.


    Gazing at this mountain of flesh, Lin Da stood with the Verdant Shield above his head and the Sword of Royalty in his hand, protecting Monica behind him.


    ��Ten Second Quick Kill�� let��s begin.��


    Lin Da��s first move, Ultimate Skill: Poison Dragon��s Roar!


    ��


    ��


    It��s over?


    The Adventurers�� Guild hall in White Dove City, people watched dumbfounded as the giant Magical Creature flipped onto its back on the screen.


    It felt absurd and unbelievable.


    Lin Da initiated with Poison Dragon��s Roar as Monica cast the Falling Rock Technique at the same time.


    The moment they unleashed two Ultimate Skills, they hammered the Flesh Mountain Magic Worm, making it wail miserably.

 Chapter 306 - 306: 270, cleared nine floors, lacking Light Series

    Chapter 306: 270, cleared nine floors, lacking Light Series


    Following that, Lin Da released two purple Magic Spheres.


    The spots where the Flesh Mountain Magic Worm was hit turned an ominous black.


    The toxin quickly entered its bloodstream and spread throughout its body.


    In addition to the ten Dragon��s Sorrows left by the Poison Dragon��s Roar, the sustained damage from Dragon��s Sorrow, and the poisoning damage from the Venom Magic Sphere, the worm��s health points dropped drastically, making it wish for death.


    It swallowed Lin Da in one gulp, but unfortunately for it, Lin Da was protected by a Verdant Shield above his head, acting like an indestructible iron ball.


    Not only did the Magical Creature fail to devour Lin Da, but it also ended up breaking its teeth.


    ...


    Lin Da made a successful escape and immediately after, Monica��s Earth Bombardment hit its mark, accurately bombarding the Flesh Mountain Magic Worm��s mouth, striking its most vulnerable spot.


    The Phoenix Tail Flower Team, with only two members, created an overwhelming force against the Magical Creature.


    By the eighth second.


    Lin Da leaped up, holding the Sword of Royalty vertically above the Flesh Mountain Magic Worm��s head, chopping out a handle-deep wound.


    This was in line with the adventurers�� joke, ��Give it to you, and you��ll wish you could even stick your hand in.��


    ����Because chopping a Slime felt just that satisfying.


    The one-meter long Sword of Royalty, in comparison to the massive body of the Flesh Mountain Magic Worm, seemed a bit short.


    He pushed it in forcefully, with both hands holding the sword sinking in as well.


    The sensation was disgusting, enough to make one queasy.


    But the results were significant.


    Lin Da��s incredibly strong normal attack dealt a critical hit of 7000 damage.


    At this point.


    The Flesh Mountain Magic Worm, a level 20 Orange Equipment rarity Magical Creature with 100,000 health points.


    Was killed by Lin Da in eight seconds.


    [Is this something an ��Apprentice�� adventure team can do? I suspect Phoenix Tail Flower has had Rock-level strength all along and just held back from climbing up!]


    [Isn��t Lin Da a Healing Mage? Why didn��t he use his Healing Art even once?]


    [This is even higher damage than a Swordsman!]


    Suggestions flashed by swiftly.


    A powerful level 20 Orange Equipment Magical Creature was slain by Lin Da and his partner in 8 seconds.


    After today��s hunt, Phoenix Tail Flower is bound to gain a batch of new fans.


    Half a month ago, the report by journalist Kami, ��The Four Teams Most Likely to Reach Iron Level,�� seems to be becoming a prophecy.


    The 13th floor��s Ice Flower, the 12th floor��s Snow Goose and Valiant, as well as Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team which officially broke through the 9th floor and advanced to Rock-level.


    All are racing towards the Iron Level.


    In White Dove City, this year is the most promising yet!


    Adventurers all felt an inspiring force.


    The ninth floor.


    The Flesh Mountain Magic Worm, flipped onto its back, gradually turned into dust and disappeared.


    At the location of the corpse, a golden light sphere appeared.


    The sphere divided into three.


    One of them transformed into a rain of Gold Coins, mixed with several pieces of Magical Equipment of different colors.


    The ��raindrops�� sound was crisp and pleasant, filled with the scent of gold.


    The other two light spheres followed a rainbow-like trajectory, falling on Lin Da and Monica.


    In an instant, the Level-Up Radiance descended upon their heads!


    Lin Da squinted his eyes in intense pleasure.


    He temporarily cut off the ��audio output�� from the sensor ladybug and the Magic Screen, to prevent the sounds of Monica, with her extremely weak defensive power, from being heard by everyone.


    ��Mmm~ Ah�� so comfortable����


    Monica��s face was flushed red, like a laborer with stiff shoulders receiving a professional massage, then stepping into a hot spring, her entire body relaxed, and she couldn��t help but moan.


    Lin Da revealed a satisfied smile.


    His teammate was just too adorable.


    The system notification sounded in his ear:


    [Killing the level 20 hidden Flesh Mountain Magic Worm, the team has received the Divine Gift from the World Tree Goddess, gaining 200,000 team experience points!]


    [Last Hit kills, obtaining 100,000 Diamonds!]


    200,000 experience points, split between Lin Da and his companions, each receiving 100,000.


    His previous experience bar was at 100,000/200,000, and with these points, he just leveled up to 26.


    [System Notification: You have leveled up, receiving 1 Skill Point.]


    [Strength +85, Magic Power +85, Defense +15, Magic Defense +25, Agility +14, Hit Points +900!]


    [Current Experience Points 0/250,000]


    Lin Da nodded to himself, having reached level 26 after clearing the 9th floor, and took a step closer to the Star Rank.


    The Phoenix Tail Flower Team was officially promoted to Rock-level, with the 10th floor of the Great Mystery Continent now unlocked for them.


    The resources there were much richer than on the 5th floor.


    ��With the standing of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team in White Dove City, securing a few [Bronze Fruit Trees] shouldn��t be difficult, thus ensuring a steady supply of the Fruit of the World Tree.��


    Eating the fruit not only accelerates one��s training speed, but its most critical feature is the chance to increase Attribute Points and Skill Points.


    Equivalent to an [Enhancement of Constitution] and [Sudden Insight].


    Lin Da planned to pay out of his own pocket first, purchasing 1,000 fruits from the Bronze Fruit Trees to test the effects.


    Should they grant even 1 Skill Point, it would be a massive gain.


    As more Skills become necessary in the later phases, the Skill Points obtained from leveling up are entirely insufficient.


    So far, Lin Da��s Ultimate Skill, Guardian Sword, was only at level 2, and Poison Dragon��s Roar was still at level 1.


    The one downside to the Fruit of the World Tree is that you cannot exceed the daily consumption limit; otherwise, it results in magic intoxication, which can be life-threatening.


    ��1,000 fruits from the Bronze Tree should be enough for the team to last a month.��


    Lin Da collected the equipment exploded from the Flesh Mountain Magic Worm, took it to the trade house to sell for money and purchased a batch of Bronze-Level Fruit of the World Tree. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Within the small mountain of spoils, there were two beams of orange light and three of purple.


    This once again sparked envy among everyone.


    At first, they thought Lin Da was just lucky, but now they were convinced�� Lin Da truly had great luck!


    Guaranteed Orange Equipment every time.


    The number of times the Phoenix Tail Flower hunted magical beasts wasn��t high, but their accumulated wealth was comparable to some of the established Rock-level squads.


    [Congratulations to Phoenix Tail Flower for advancing to Rock-level Squad!]


    [Captain Lin Da, when will you broadcast the live run of the 11th floor? Your brothers are all waiting.]


    [With the strength of Phoenix Tail Flower, it feels like they have a chance to reach Iron Level in the short term.]


    [Indeed, Lin Da and Monica are level 26, and Lulu will be level 29 after hunting the Epic Monster. Perhaps Phoenix Tail Flower will become the fourth Iron-level adventure team in White Dove City.]


    After finishing the hunt, Lin Da had time to look at the suggestions.


    He first thanked everyone for their congratulations and then said, ��The timing for the 11th floor assault is uncertain, probably after we get a feel for the 10th floor of the Great Mystery Continent.��


    If Lulu could participate in the assault on the Minor Secret Realm, this process wouldn��t be necessary at all.


    With Lulu, who is level 31, leading them, they could directly push through to the 15th floor.


    But the current situation of Phoenix Tail Flower was complicated, to say the least.


    Lin Da sighed inwardly.


    Kafni needed to recuperate, Lulu couldn��t come, and Tasya was also��


    They could only rely on himself and Monica, a duo.


    Lin Da was confident about the 11th and 12th floors.


    But the 13th floor��


    The hidden magical creatures there required a strong Light Series output to achieve a [Perfect Clear].


    The other requirement was to clear the floor strictly with Light and Dark Series members.


    The difficulty was too high and not practical. Lin Da had no choice but to opt for the former, use Light Series output, and continue with [Ultimate Clear].


    The reason for his continuous high-quality equipment drop, apart from the blessing from the World Tree Goddess, was also largely related to Ultimate Clears.


    Additionally, as a prerequisite to drawing the Sword of Royalty from its pinnacle status, Lin Da aimed to go for Ultimate Clears whenever possible or Perfect Clears if the conditions allowed.


    Without relying on the Light Series to restrain magical creatures by attribute, the level requirements for Lin Da and Monica would be extremely high.


    After much consideration, Lin Da thought the best method would be to hire a temporary team member at a high cost to help them get through the 13th floor.

 Chapter 307 - 307: 271, Unexpected Encounter

    Chapter 307: 271, Unexpected Encounter


    After saying farewell to the audience beyond the screen, Lin Da closed the live stream, took out the Teleportation Stone, and returned to the Secret Realm Square with Monica.


    The noon sun fell on Lin Da��s face as he held Monica��s hand, a contemplative look crossing his features.


    The cost of hiring someone to challenge a Minor Secret Realm and the endlessly repeatable Great Mystery Continent varied drastically.


    If someone helped the Phoenix Tail Flower clear the 13th level and then went back to their original team, they couldn��t enter the 13th level again and would have to wait until the 14th level to rejoin.


    Fortunately, Lin Da was not too short on money.


    The first person he thought of hiring was the Holy Mage Aiko.


    ...


    With Aiko��s help, clearing the 13th level��s hidden problems wouldn��t be too big of an issue.


    However, he had only recently refused Aiko, deciding in his heart to distance himself from her.


    And then there was the question�� would Lia let her go?


    Since Snow Goose was stuck on the 13th level without passing, borrowing Aiko would mean Snow Goose��s team would lose their magical output, making it even harder to get past the 13th level.


    Thinking about this, Lin Da began to feel a headache coming on.


    ��Forget it. We��re not at the 13th level yet, I��ll think about it when we��re close,�� Lin Da thought to himself.


    Rather than the yet-to-be-reached 13th level, the immediate challenge was the 10th level of the Great Mystery Continent.


    According to the announcement from the World Tree Sanctum, there was still half a month left until the opening of the 10th level of the Great Mystery Continent. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Originally, Lin Da had no intention of aiming for ��that item.��


    But Tasya��s arrival was an unexpected pleasure.


    Plus the newly-promoted Star Rank Lulu.


    Phoenix Tail Flower was no longer the weakling that had to walk around Star Ranks; they now qualified to compete at the 10th level.


    ��Before the Great Mystery Continent opens, try to improve strength as much as possible. The 300,000 Experience Guidance Tickets haven��t been used yet, I wonder if I can push Monica to Star Rank before then.��


    As Lin Da pondered this, he took Monica��s hand and walked toward the Chilang Commerce near the square.


    Just then, there was a commotion in the crowd ahead, interrupting Lin Da��s train of thought.


    Approaching them was an adventure group of twelve people.


    The leader was about fifty years old, with silver-grey hair parted in the middle, a grim face, wearing a black robe, and carrying a pair of twin swords on his back.


    This adventurer exuded an impressive aura, which gave Lin Da a sense of pressure, though much less compared to the pressure he felt from Tasya or Lulu, probably a level 30 Star Rank.


    Combining that with the somewhat familiar face and the ghost-patterned badge on his chest��


    Lin Da realized it was the deputy head of Magic Shadow, Kam, Hulus��s brother!


    ��Captain����


    Monica gripped Lin Da��s clothes nervously with her small hands.


    Seeing the deputy head of Magic Shadow, Kam, approaching with a strange smile, the onlookers sensed a whiff of gunpowder.


    To retreat or not to retreat?


    Lin Da only had one choice in mind.


    Being seen as the successor to the White Dove Adventure Group, retreating here would mean Lin Da would lose face so badly that he wouldn��t sleep well for a month.


    ��Kid, my big brother Hulus has been well taken care of by you,�� Kam said, as he walked up to Lin Da with the Magic Shadow group, his smile hiding a non-smile, ��I hope you don��t give me a chance.��


    ��What do you mean?�� Lin Da looked straight at him, feigning ignorance.


    A murderous intent crossed Kam��s face, ��My big brother Hulus is a kind person. The matter of sending an assassin to attack you is definitely not his doing. Lin Da, you have framed him!��


    Hulus is kind?


    Lin Da was taken aback and closely observed Kam��s serious expression, feeling that he did not seem to be joking.


    ��Have you watched the Magic Shadow film ��Elf Miss Emimi and the Logger��s Summer Romance��?��


    ��I��ve seen it, what about it?�� Kam frowned, not understanding Lin Da��s intention.


    ��You are just as naive and adorable as the noble elf Miss Emimi in the story, gullibly following the woodcutter who can��t walk the path straight, rejecting a prince to choose a woodcutter with nothing in his house but a big axe��an incredibly pure, silly, sweet girl.��


    Lin Da patted his head as if he remembered something and added, ��Oh right, I��m not complimenting you; I mean to say that your brainstem is rather underdeveloped, not reaching the level of a normal person even in your forties or fifties.��


    ��What? Are you insulting me?��


    Kam��s face turned red, his voice sharp.


    Even with his slow wits, he could tell that Lin Da was taunting him.


    It was a scholarly taunt, fitting for a man of letters, comparing him��a man in his forties��to the feeble elf Miss Aimmi.


    Kam, feeling humiliated and furious, drew the twin blades from his back!


    His Star Rank ��Presence�� burst forth, a force of gravity pressing down on Lin Da.


    The onlookers panicked and began to back away.


    ��Is the vice-captain of Magic Shadow about to kill someone in public?��


    ��Knights Order, do something!��


    ��How dare this old fart lay a hand on my brother Lin Da? I��m going to the Law Enforcement Department to lodge a serious complaint!��


    Everyone there stood on Lin Da��s side.


    It was because Lin Da��s reputation was so good��free strategy guides, amiable demeanor, no airs of a top adventurer�� he had gained a large following of casual fans.


    If Kam dared to make a move on Lin Da in public, the Adventurers�� Guild would receive a cartload of complaints against Magic Shadow the next day.


    The crowd��s murmurs were like a bucket of cold water, sobering Kam up considerably.


    A bead of cold sweat trickled down Kam��s forehead.


    ��What, not planning to make a move? Turns out you��re just a good-for-nothing coward.��


    Lin Da, with the Verdant Shield hovering over his head, curled his lip.


    ��You little bastard����


    Kam��s expression darkened.


    ��Vice-captain, sir, this is not good.��


    A blonde woman in a black robe with freckles on her face pulled at Kam.


    ��If you strike now, even if you kill Lin Da, you won��t escape the Knights Order��s pursuit,�� the blonde woman whispered.


    Kam clicked his tongue in annoyance.


    ��You brat, better watch your back at night, or you might just find a flowerpot falling from the sky and crushing you dead!��


    Kam led the Magic Shadow members toward the World Tree.


    The square fell silent for a moment, until the people from Magic Shadow disappeared in the blue teleportation light, and then erupted into discussion.


    ��Based on the vice-captain of Magic Shadow��s reaction, could the rumor that Hulus sent someone to assassinate Phoenix Tail Flower be true? Why else would he be so anxious?��


    ��It��s not certain, maybe Hulus was indeed framed by Lin Da. Otherwise, how stupid would Kam have to be, picking a fight with Lin Da at this time? This shows Kam is confident and knows Lin Da is lying.��


    ��I believe in Lin Da ��Potpot��.��


    ��Exactly, my Potpot would never lie!��


    A pair of twin lolita sisters stared fiercely at the person who spoke ill of Lin Da.


    ��


    After Lin Da left Secret Realm Square, his face turned utterly cold.


    He had planned to give Magic Shadow a few days of peace before making his move, but Kam brought his face to the punch, so Lin Da had no choice but to strike.


    When he returned to the villa, Lin Da found Gale there, too.


    In the living room, the scent of black tea lingered.


    The silver-haired maid served the guest from White Dove Adventure Group with a wooden tray.


    Seeing Lin Da return, Gale stood up and took out a piece of Magical Equipment from his Space Ring.


    ��The equipment you commissioned, the ��Magic Dragon Soft Armor��, is ready. Have a look and see if you��re satisfied.��


    Lin Da��s eyes lit up.


    He had been waiting for over a week, and finally, it was made.

 Chapter 308 - 308: 272, provoked the wrong person?

    Chapter 308: 272, provoked the wrong person?


    He quickened his pace and took the ��Magic Dragon Soft Armor.��


    The soft armor was brown with firm dragon scales, and at the center was a fist-sized, diamond-shaped earth system gem.


    A hexagram magic array was engraved around the gem.


    Lin Da could feel the powerful magic power fluctuations from the gem; it must be a Level 30 Secret Realm Guardian��s Demon Core.


    And the materials he provided to Gale were only the Earth Dragon��s skin and the Thousand-Change Demon��s core.


    This Level 30 Secret Realm Guardian Core was obviously out of Gale��s own pocket.


    ...


    ��Thanks,�� Lin Da said earnestly.


    ��Hey, it was the team leader��s idea; he��s not short of cores. Rather than wasting them, better to use them on this armor,�� Gale chuckled.


    Lin Da nodded, knowing that the other party said this just to make it easier for him to accept. A Level 30 Secret Realm Guardian Core, more valuable than gold coins��how could anyone think it too many?


    Lin Da��s gaze moved to the equipment in his hands, and the attribute panel popped up:


    [Name: Magic Dragon Soft Armor]


    [Type: Equipment-Chest]


    [Quality: Epic Three Stars]


    [Level: 25]


    [Attribute Points: health+3000, earth damage reduction 20%, defense+100]


    [Equipment score: 2780. Reliable soft armor crafted from the skin of an Earth Dragon. Perhaps you can wear it and tell the young Earth Dragon how warm it is inside its mother.]


    After reading the equipment description, Lin Da inwardly exclaimed at how impressive it was.


    3000 points of health, plus 100 points of defense, and 20% reduction in earth damage.


    The score of the Sword of Royalty was only 1923, whereas the soft armor crafted from Earth Dragon��s skin scored an impressive 2780.


    Indeed, equipment crafted from Dragon Series materials was exceptional.


    In this world, anything related to dragons, even a sub-dragon species like a large lizard or Earth Dragon, was powerful.


    Without a word, Lin Da took off his purple equipment and donned the Magic Dragon Soft Armor.


    The health points skyrocketed.


    They soared to the terrifying number of 12800!


    If Lin Da were to spread the word, it would probably shock the entire empire.


    A fragile support class at Level 26 with 12800 health points?


    Even a Heavy Armored Warrior didn��t have such high numbers!


    And the real fragile class, Monica at Level 26, only had about 3200.


    Lin Da had four times more than Monica.


    And that was without calculating defense. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With defense included, Lin Da��s durability would be more than ten times that of Monica.


    Wearing the Magic Dragon Soft Armor, Lin Da felt more confident about the plans ahead.


    ��About Kam from the Specter����


    He talked about the situation in the Secret Realm Square.


    Gale widened his eyes in disbelief. ��He almost attacked you in public? Does Kam�� have a tumor in his brain? Maybe the priest should find a hammer and give it a tap.��


    Then, Gale stroked his chin and pondered, ��Seeing it this way, Kam is impulsive and might pose a danger to the Phoenix Tail Flower. These days, you might want to move to the White Dove Adventure Group��s villa for safety.��


    ��No, my idea is to solve it once and for all.��


    Lin Da smiled amiably and explained his plan in detail.


    After listening, Gale��s expression turned grave, and he pondered for a while.


    Lin Da was not in a hurry; his plan indeed carried certain risks. Gale might seem frivolous, but he was actually a very cautious adventurer, which was why he was fit to command the White Dove Adventure Group.


    A few minutes later, Gale��s eyes hardened as he made up his mind.


    ��Lin Da, I support your approach; there��s at least a 70% chance of success, and even if it fails, the White Dove Adventure Group will back you up.��


    ��But�� are you really confident about dealing with Kam? He is Star Rank, even at just Level 30, the weakest Star Rank, but a Star Rank nonetheless,�� Gale said gravely.


    ��Once the bow is drawn, there��s no turning back. Think it over,�� he added sternly.


    ��Master will certainly not miss,�� Tasya, standing behind Lin Da, said proudly. ��Anyone targeted by Master only has one fate, to fall into an abyss of unfathomable depth and die in agony!��


    ��I believe in our captain,�� Monica added.


    Lin Da shrugged, ��You see, I can��t let down the trust of my team members.��


    Gale nodded, ��Then it��s decided. I��ll go prepare a bit, so things will go smoothly when the time comes.��


    ��That would be helpful,�� Lin Da said as he rose and escorted Gale to the carriage.


    ��


    Night.


    In the suburbs of White Dove City, Building 4 of the prison.


    In a spacious study, two adults wearing imperial official uniforms were conversing.


    ��Hulus has been thoroughly investigated, and there is no connection with the three assassins. According to the imperial law, he is presumed innocent and we cannot convict him.��


    The warden, named Rucci, was a tall Caucasian with messy dreadlocks.


    Rucci sipped his coffee and handed a stack of paper documents to the imperial knight sitting opposite him, who was draped in a cloak with four flames.


    Lemy, a level 30 Star-ranked adventurer.


    The other also held another position, the head of the Imperial Enforcement Department of White Dove City.


    His status was only below that of the mayor and the head of the Adventurers�� Guild but much higher than that of the warden, Rucci.


    In the presence of Lemy, Rucci always maintained a respectful demeanor.


    ��When will he be released?�� Lemy didn��t look at the stack of documents representing Hulus��s ��innocence��, his attitude ambiguous.


    Rucci, who had been immersed in bureaucratic circles for many years, immediately understood.


    He said, ����Theoretically�� today.��


    ��But the investigation into Hulus is insufficient. I have decided to keep Hulus locked up for another month.��


    Hearing this, Lemy frowned.


    Isn��t that enough?


    Rucci muttered in his heart, quickly adding, ��Three years ago, Specter Adventure Group was found smuggling unnamed magic potions, resulting in the deaths of several adventurers.��


    ��At that time, due to White Dove City having only two Iron Level groups, the significance of Specter Adventure Group was extremely high, and the matter was dropped. Now, I believe that was a mistake and we should hold responsible for the deceased adventurers by sentencing Hulus to six months in prison and fining Specter Adventure Group three million Gold Coins.��


    ��Hmm.��


    Lemy��s brow relaxed.


    The head of the Enforcement Department added, ��Three million Gold Coins is too little, I reckon five million would be more appropriate.��


    Rucci: ����You��re right.��


    ��Then draft a document.�� Lemy patted Rucci��s shoulder, ��Do a good job, and with the personnel changes next year, you might just get promoted to a big city.��


    Rucci had been waiting for these words and replied with a smile, ��The matter will be handled properly.��


    Faking evidence to get Hulus on the chopping block was too risky, Rucci didn��t dare to do it, but keeping Hulus locked up for an extra six months in exchange for a chance to climb up the ranks was a risk Rucci was willing to take.


    If there was anyone to blame, it was only Hulus for provoking the wrong person.


    Three years ago, White Dove City could tolerate Hulus with only two Iron Level teams, but now, with the emerging potential of Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, having just one Iron Level group like Young Specter was acceptable to White Dove City.


    Rucci didn��t mind taking a bit of a risk to make connections with Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.


    In the study, the two men looked at each other and smiled, shaking hands.


    The next day at noon.


    Hulus��s good brother, Rhode, the leader of the Solid Rock Adventure Group, went to visit the prison.


    This tower-like robust man, touching his bare head, looked awkward and hesitant, unable to speak.


    Behind the iron bars, Hulus looked anxious, ��What, weren��t you supposed to be picking me up? The investigation by the Enforcement Department should have ended.��


    ��Erm�� You might have to stay locked up for another six months,�� sighed Rhode.


    ��What?!��


    Hulus��s eyes widened.


    ��There��s a second matter,�� hesitated Rhode, revealing the almost conflict between Kam and Lin Da in the Secret Realm Square the day before.


    Upon hearing this, Hulus was stunned, then immediately burst into curses.


    ��That idiot! With so many eyes watching Specter Adventure Group, he still dares to provoke Lin Da?��


    Weylon was waiting for a mistake from Specter Adventure Group, and Kam offending Lin Da at this critical juncture was tantamount to suicide.


    Had it been anyone else, Hulus would have ruthlessly eliminated such a liability.


    But Kam was different.


    He was Hulus��s only blood younger brother.


    Remembering the dying wish of their parents, Hulus sighed helplessly.


    ��Tell Kam to keep calm and wait till I��m out of prison,�� he said.


    ��Luanwei must die, but Kam doesn��t have the strength to do it. Tell him to hold off for now!��


    ��Okay,�� nodded Rhode.


    The two men cut off their Secret Technique transmission.


    Rhode climbed into his carriage, heading towards the villa of Specter Adventure Group.

 Chapter 309 - 309: 273, the ghost takes the bait, Lin Da almost settled down in Bengbu.

    Chapter 309: 273, the ghost takes the bait, Lin Da almost settled down in Bengbu.


    Specter Adventure Group Villa.


    In the meeting hall, black curtains were drawn tight to block the noon sunlight.


    Under the dim indoor lighting, there were shelves displaying various Magical Creatures�� skulls, a fish tank breeding pink tentacles that were wriggling in the water, which was somewhat nauseating to watch.


    The oil paintings on the walls depicted black devils sinisterly using various torture devices on humans�� Each item showcased the proprietor��s unique taste.


    ��Aaaaaaah! Lin Da, you bastard!��


    A roar shattered the silence in the hall.


    ...


    As Kam reviewed the results of the court trial in his hands, his face turned ashen; he tore the document in two.


    He had prepared a feast for his elder brother Hulus, having brought in ten incredibly beautiful Elves from the tavern, ready to enjoy the meal together in celebration of Hulus�� release from prison.


    But this document shattered Kam��s beautiful plans. sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Furthermore, the Law Enforcement Department reopened past grievances, alleging that the Specter Adventure Team had sold inferior Magic Potions three years ago, causing the death of several adventurers.


    A fine of five million Gold Coins and an extension of Hulus�� sentence by six months.


    Five million Gold Coins��it was an enormous sum even for a Steel Level Adventure Group!


    Kam could endure all this.


    But why was Hulus�� sentence extended by six months?


    The gentle, kind elder brother, who always let his younger brother have the most beautiful women, now had to spend more time in prison because of Lin Da.


    He would also miss this year��s grandest festival, the Winter Festival.


    For adventurers in this world, the Winter Festival was almost equivalent to the Chinese New Year.


    On that day, Hulus could only shed tears behind iron bars.


    The two brothers would not be able to watch the fireworks display of the Winter Festival together.


    Just when, for more than 40 years, his elder brother had never missed it once.


    Thinking about this, Kam was seething with hatred.


    All this just for assassinating one insignificant Lin Da, daring to imprison my elder brother?


    A mere level 20-something adventurer, killing you is doing you a favor!


    Kam��s mouth twisted in fury.


    He looked at Rhode crazily and said, ��We can��t just let it go, I want Lin Da dead!��


    ��Indeed, we can��t let it go, but not now,��


    Rhode calmly said, ��Phoenix Tail Flower was able to kill Revika and his two companions without a scratch, they definitely have unknown tricks up their sleeves. We��ve been careless once, we cannot afford to make the same mistake again.��


    ��Right now, our advantage is that Phoenix Tail Flower has not reached Star Rank yet, posing no threat to us.��


    ��When the recent attention dies down, we can completely ambush Phoenix Tail Flower in the Great Mystery Continent, making them pay a bloody price!��


    ��Meanwhile, the most important thing is to get Hulus out of prison first.��


    Rhode analyzed methodically.


    His muscular physique gave others the impression of a brute, but in reality, he was meticulous and adept at planning, a requirement for a leader of the Steel Level Adventure Group.


    After listening, Kam gradually came to his senses.


    ��But how can we get my brother out?�� Kam frowned.


    ��You like this�� again like this����


    That same afternoon.


    Under Rhode��s arrangement, Kam held a press conference in the villa��s main hall.


    This grey-haired co-leader of the Specter, righteously claimed:


    ��Lin Da abused the rights of the Glorious Adventurers without any evidence, causing Hulus to be unjustly imprisoned, which is complete slander! We demand a public apology from Lin Da, otherwise, we��ll see Phoenix Tail Flower in court!��


    Rows of Magic Guided Cameras snapped photos of Kam voraciously.


    Rhode stood in the background, his face breaking into a cold sneer.


    With the Law Enforcement Department unable to find evidence of Hulus assassinating Lin Da and under the pressure of public opinion, they would have to release Hulus soon.


    Ironically, that day, the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team also held a press conference.


    ��Having heard of the formidable strength of the Specter Adventure Group, I, Lin Da, captain of Phoenix Tail Flower, am eager to experience it firsthand.��


    ��After battling an Epic Monster, one of my teammates was injured and has yet to recover.��


    ��Ouch, it hurts����


    ��As you can see the condition of my teammate, I am deeply pained and must vent my anger.��


    ��The Arena seems like a good place, and I hope the Specters can extend their gracious teaching to us, a newbie adventure team that has just advanced to the rock level!��


    At the Phoenix Tail Flower Villa��s third floor, Lin Da stood at the podium with bloodshot eyes, his speech fierce.


    Next to him, Kafni was wrapped in bandages, appearing so feeble as if she might die at any moment.


    An assassin had attacked the day Kafni seemed unharmed but had suffered severe ��internal injuries.�� By condemning the Specters, Lin Da did not directly name Hulus as the perpetrator, but his actions already told everyone the answer.


    Click, click, click! The Magic Guided Cameras�� flashes flickered constantly.


    Lin Da looked down at the twenty or so reporters below the podium and smiled:


    ��Why not choose today? I think today should be the day we all accompany each other to witness Phoenix Tail Flower issuing a challenge to the Specters. With the Steel Level Adventure Group��s strength, I believe they will not mind our challenge.��


    The reporters�� eyes lit up, sensing a hot news story.


    Lin Da, along with Tasya, Lulu, Monica, and a group of reporters, marched mightily towards the residence of the Specter Adventure Group.


    Upon arriving at the scene.


    Both groups of reporters were momentarily stunned.


    Why are you guys here too?


    As they say, ��fellow workers are worst enemies.�� They had secretly come to interview Lin Da/Kam, aiming to scoop an internal scoop by surprise, decisively clinching the end-of-month bonus.


    But, looking closely, they saw their colleagues interviewing the other side.


    There was an awkward sense of having their sneaky move exposed.


    Both parties laughed it off and turned their ��big guns�� towards the parties involved.

 Chapter 310 - 310: 273, The Wraith Took the Bait, Lin Da nearly fell for it in Bengbu_2

    Chapter 310: 273, The Wraith Took the Bait, Lin Da nearly fell for it in Bengbu_2


    ��She��s here too?��


    Upon seeing Tasya from the Scarlet Adventure Group following behind Lin Da, Kami��s heart skipped a beat, and the relaxed expression on his face vanished completely.


    This veteran Star-ranked adventurer was known to Kami.


    The strength of the Scarlet Adventure Group was not inferior to that of the White Dove Adventure Group, and Tasya was one of its main forces.


    It could be said that, apart from Hulus, the Specter side really had no confidence in dealing with Tasya.


    Moreover, Kami realized that the Phoenix Tail Flower team also had a second Star-ranked adventurer.


    ...


    The aura of the werewolf Lulu was even more profound than his!


    The information was wrong!


    Kami glared at Rhode in anger, silently questioning: Wasn��t the Phoenix Tail Flower team supposed to be without a Star-ranked adventurer?


    Rhode was also very surprised.


    The growth rate of the Phoenix Tail Flower team was far too fast.


    Rhode discreetly shook his head at Kami.


    Kami understood.


    ��The Phoenix Tail Flower team is not qualified to challenge the Specter Adventure Group,�� Kami said with a solemn face, amid the cameras of magic guided cameras.


    He glanced, without changing his expression, at the silver-haired maid standing expressionlessly behind Lin Da.


    Who knows what kind of challenge Phoenix Tail Flower was thinking of?


    If it came to a one-on-one fight, probably no one from Specter would be a match for Tasya.


    The reporters from both sides pointed their cameras at Kami.


    Kami��s face began to show embarrassment, fearing that others might see his lack of confidence.


    Lin Da laughed and said, ��I just wanted to challenge one of your level 29 members, while I am only level 26. As an Iron Level group, you are afraid to accept this challenge?��


    Kami��s eyes turned bloodshot as he glared at Lin Da. He was not blind, and judging by the thickness of the shield Lin Da displayed while fighting an Epic Monster, Specter��s level 29 member would stand no chance against Lin Da and would only be humiliated if he stepped up!


    ��He is unwell, not fit for battle,�� Kami said, his face turning purple.


    ��Then, let��s switch to another,�� Lin Da suggested.


    ��He��s planning to travel far with his wife soon and cannot accept your challenge,�� Kami replied.


    ��How about the blonde lady then?��


    ��She��s carrying my child, how dare you challenge a pregnant woman?�� Kami exclaimed.


    ��Then let��s switch to pockmarked-face.��


    ��He��s suffering from unbearable hemorrhoid pain and is not suited for combat,�� Kami stated.


    Their exchange made the expressions of the reporters quite bizarre.


    Lin Da pointed out that all the adventurers below level 30 from Specter either had stomach aches or headaches.


    Some even had ��battle phobia�� after coming out from the World Tree yesterday, feeling nauseous whenever they held a sword, needing a long time for psychological treatment.


    In any case, they just wouldn��t fight Lin Da.


    But don��t get it wrong, Specter wasn��t scared of you, Lin Da; all their members just happened to be unwell!


    ��Sigh,�� Lin Da sighed, looking at Kami with a bit of amusement, ��I never thought that the deputy leader of Specter would be such a tsundere old man, acting tough even though he��s clearly terrified, making one unable to resist the urge to teach him a lesson.��


    ��Tsu, tsundere!?�� Kami��s eyes bulged as if they were copper bells, and the blood vessels near his temples swelled.


    He too liked to ��educate�� tsundere elves, making them cry and say ��I like Uncle Kami the most,�� but this damn Lin Da actually dared to call him tsundere!


    What made Kami even more furious came next, as Lin Da pointed lazily at his nose:


    ��Since the members below Star-ranked from the Specter Adventure Group are all unwell, then let me challenge you, the old tsundere. Mr. Kami, a Star-ranked adventurer, you surely wouldn��t refuse this challenge, right?��


    ��After all, you look so spirited, turning purple one moment and red the next, even young girls don��t change so much.��


    ��Ha ha, hahaha!�� Kami burst into laughter, finding the concept absurd. ��You, a level 26 adventurer, challenging a Star-ranked adventurer like myself?��


    Kami covered his forehead, laughing loudly.


    Courting death.


    This Lin Da was recklessly arrogant, seeking his own doom!


    Even though in the Arena, the duels were just sparring sessions, they were fought until yielding. Sear?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But Magic Power and Battle Qi were blind.


    Many who went up there arrogant and aggressive, came down missing limbs and more dispirited than weeds dried up by the roadside.


    Doomed to a second half of life in defeat, in the form of waste.


    Lin Da oh Lin Da, there are paths to heaven you didn��t take, to hell you rush without a door!


    Kami struggled to contain his amusement, barely able to keep a straight face, with a smile that was about to break through.


    ��`


    The reporters were anxious, all wanting to move a large rock to press down on Kam��s mouth corner.


    Your true colors are fully exposed!


    ��What��s the deal with Lin Da, challenging a Star Rank at level 26 against level 30, has excessive praise gone to his head?��


    Kami, the ace reporter of White Dove Morning News, holding a little notebook and a feather pen, looked curiously at Lin Da.


    There were not a few who shared Kami��s thoughts.


    The gap between Star Rank and those below it was too vast.


    There had yet been any Star Rank who had lost in a head-on confrontation.


    Rhode, however, felt somewhat puzzled.


    From his investigation, Lin Da��s character was steady, and the details in his adventure strategies were numerous, showing his caution everywhere��the kind of person you suspect of ulterior motives even when he picks up droppings and puts them in his mouth.


    To challenge the Star Rank at level 26, did Lin Da really have confidence?


    Rhode had just decided to thicken his face and refuse Lin Da��s challenge.


    Unfortunately, he was a step too late.


    With a loud laugh, Kam said, ��Well, then I��ll teach you a lesson, you ignorant brat!��


    ��Once you enter the Arena, you are responsible for your own life and death, that��s the unwritten rule among adventurers, you should know that, right?��


    Lin Da��s body shook, and he bit his lip, ��But, but why won��t you refuse me! Star-ranked adventurers are much stronger than me, it��s, it��s unfair!��


    Facing the Star Rank, Lin Da suddenly lost his confidence, and everyone present could see the panic in his heart.


    Kam��s mouth corner twitched upward, feeling even more smug in his heart.


    From Lin Da��s performance, he was clearly scared.


    As the deputy head of Specter Adventure Group, Kam was naturally not foolish, always wary of Lin Da playing dirty tricks.


    But at this moment, Lin Da��s fear made Kam realize in an instant: Lin Da had no confidence in beating him, he was just shooting his mouth off earlier, and now that Kam had really accepted Lin Da��s challenge, Lin Da was the one who was scared!


    Kam observed carefully; Lin Da��s surface appeared relaxed, but cold sweat was seeping out of his forehead, and he was deliberately pursing his lips and making odd movements to mask his unease.


    ��Lord Captain, no.��


    ��Master, you��re being impulsive.��


    ��Lin Da, turn him down.��


    Monica, Tasya, and Lulu, the three members of the team, surrounded Lin Da, each looking anxious and speaking in hushed tones, trying to persuade him.


    They didn��t want to be overheard, but unfortunately for them, Kam was Star Rank, his hearing was far beyond that of an ordinary person.


    He overheard every word said by the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    With that, Kam��s heart felt like a heavy stone had finally settled.


    At level 30 Star Rank, against the mere level 26 Lin Da, the advantage was his!


    Kam couldn��t think of any way he could lose.


    ��I�� I refuse this chal�� ��


    Lin Da��s forehead beaded with sweat, his gaze darting around.


    But why would Kam miss out on this great opportunity?


    Played right, he could rid himself of Lin Da, a chronic headache.


    With a sneer, Kam said, ��I know you��re scared, so let��s do this, I won��t bully the weak by holding back my Star Rank ��presence�� and will even give you a handicap of one arm, that should be fair, right?��


    ��Things have come this far, and you, the team leader of Phoenix Tail Flower, came here with such pomp, issuing the challenge yourself, you wouldn��t refuse, would you?��


    ��No way, no way, could it be that you, Lin Da, are the ��tsundere�� who says one thing and means another? Hehehe�� If word of this gets out, the whole city will look down on you, Lin Da.��


    ��And the so-called ��Eye of True Knowledge? I��d say ��Eye of Cowardice�� suits you better!��


    Kam��s words were sharp, pushing aggressively.


    It seemed as though if Lin Da refused the challenge, he would be utterly disgraced!


    The atmosphere was tense, with Kam pushing Lin Da to the edge of a cliff.


    Lin Da either had to cower and accept losing face,


    Or steel himself and agree to the duel with Kam.


    All reporters were sweating bullets for Lin Da.


    They liked hot news, this was true, but in their hearts, they held more affection for the honorable adventurer Lin Da than for Kam.


    ��Sometimes, you have to know when to back down,�� a female reporter murmured a reminder.


    Regrettably, Lin Da��s face was beet red, scratching his ears and cheeks, and he breathed heavily, with a pronounced rise and fall of his chest, appearing to have lost all reason.


    ��I am an honorable adventurer, how can I go back on my word.��


    ��Alright, Kam, I accept this duel!��


    Having said that, Lin Da seemed drained, cupping his face with his hands, not wanting others to see his annoyed expression.


    If Kam��s mouth corner could be pressed down with a large rock, then Lin Da��s would require moving a whole mountain.


    So much so that he had to cover his face with his hands.

 Chapter 311 - 311: 274, Life and Death Contract

    Chapter 311: 274, Life and Death Contract


    Originally, Lin Da��s objective was considered successful if Kam could restrain his ��momentum�� without using it.


    He had not anticipated that Kam would be so flamboyant, even allowing himself to use just one hand.


    Lin Da could only accept the situation with a smile.


    The reporters, seeing Lin Da being coerced into agreement, caused a stir.


    Kami sighed inwardly, ��I hope Captain Lin Da can safely step off the arena. My rise to the position of chief editor at the White Dove Morning News is all thanks to the news provided by Lin Da.��


    Headlines like ��Lin Da��s Crab Battle,�� ��The Elusive Shadow, Suspected to be Lin Da Throwing a Silver Party,�� ��The Man Who��s More Handsome than the Goblin Prince,�� ��Panda Enthusiast Lin Da,�� and so on, were all written by Kami��s hand.


    ...


    With Lin Da around, Kami never worried about hot news.


    The members of the Phoenix Tail Flower were terribly anxious and wanted to persuade Lin Da, but they were stopped by the members of Ghost.


    Kam laughed heartily, rubbing his hands eagerly: ��The amphitheater is a five-minute carriage ride from here. Captain Lin Da, if you please?��


    Kam, overly excited, even used honorifics with Lin Da.


    After all, this might be their last conversation.


    Thinking of this, the smile on Kam��s face grew even broader.


    ��Let��s go, let��s go,�� Lin Da��s voice sounded unconfident.


    Rhode had been observing Lin Da all along.


    The robust man muttered to himself: ��Am I overthinking? Fame and wealth are the easiest things to cloud one��s judgment. Even if Lin Da behaves well and has a stable temperament, he��s ultimately just a young man. Layer upon layer of glory has blinded him to reality, making him truly believe he is stronger than a Star Rank.��


    ��It would be nice to get rid of Lin Da, but I actually feel a bit of regret. Such talent should not be wasted on us.��


    Seeing Lin Da covering his face, his shoulders trembling slightly, Rhode let out a sigh, feeling a sense of regret for the talent that might be lost.


    In a blink of an eye, everyone moved into the amphitheater.


    The sky was dyed with twilight, and the orange sunset spilled over the arena��s mottled stone bricks.


    There were many cracks, chips, and indelible deep purple ��paint�� stains.


    Every adventurer who set foot on the arena had left their own mark.


    It was said that at midnight, one could hear sharp cries coming from the amphitheater.


    The amphitheater was managed by the Adventurers�� Guild, and the staff, with serious expressions, took out the documents for Lin Da and Kam to sign.


    ��You still have a chance to refuse now.��


    The staff member was a sweet-looking lady with purple hair.


    ��I would really like to refuse, but I��m an adventurer, and adventurers don��t speak of retreat,�� Lin Da said, signing the Life and Death Contract with his trembling hand.


    The two handed the contract back to the staff member.


    This meant there was no turning back.


    Under the watchful eyes of many, Lin Da walked up the stone steps to the circular arena.


    The arena was one meter high with a diameter of thirty meters.


    Just standing on it, one could feel an oppressive, deadly atmosphere.


    Lin Da and Kam each took a position on opposite sides.


    The Magic Guided Cameras below focused on them.


    Many reporters secretly prayed, hoping that Kam would show the restraint of an elder and stop at an appropriate point, not to harm the future talent of White Dove City.


    ��Eh, the White Dove Adventure Group and President Velen are here?��


    Reporter Kami shrewdly noticed that before the battle even started, some had already come following the news.


    The speed at which the news spread was perhaps too fast.


    It was almost as if it was anticipated.


    The ones from the White Dove Adventure Group who arrived were a trio: Abner, Jite, and Gale.


    Seeing Lin Da on the arena, facing the Star Rank Kam, they did not seem worried. sea??h th�� ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gale even took out a reclining chair from his space ring, crossed his legs, fetched a cup and a straw, and contentedly sipped on peach juice.


    President Velen��s face was expressionless, he wore a brown trench coat, and his golden braids fluttered in the wind. The scar on his forehead made the lines of his cheeks appear even more rigid.


    Seeing this setup, Rhode felt a sense of foreboding.


    He was just about to warn Kam when the staff member rang a brass bell. Following the piercing ��ding�� sound, the battle officially began!


    ��Lin Da, I��ll make your death a quick one!��


    Kam, who couldn��t hold back any longer, laughed loudly.


    As per the agreement, he didn��t use his Star Rank ��Strength�� and even gave Lin Da the advantage of only using his left hand.


    ��Shadow Enchantment.��


    Kam uttered lowly, black flames ignited on his longsword, slightly distorting even the air around it as it seared.


    ��Dual Blade Warrior, level 30, main weapon the ��Dream Demon�� series, probably possesses over 3500 points of strength.��


    Jite immediately spotted Kam��s details, and his complexion didn��t look too good. ��Wasn��t Lin Da a bit reckless?��


    Even with Kam��s concessions, the foundational powers of a Star Rank were still far too superior to Lin Da��s.


    Gale merely shrugged his shoulders, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.


    ��Just watch, what they call a ��turtle shell.''��


    On the arena, Kam��s mouth split into a smile, and as he charged swiftly forward, his center-parted grey hair flew to the sides, an expression of sweet revenge plastered across his aged face.


    If Kam could share just one-tenth of the joy in his heart with others, it might instantly heal sufferers of melancholia!


    Only ten meters, eight meters�� three meters, and he would eliminate the bane of the Phantom��s existence!


    Once his elder brother Hulus got out of prison, how would he praise him? Since the death of their parents, Kam had always relied on Hulus. Someone in the team had privately called him ��Brother��s Boy,�� angering him so much that he burned that person to ash and scattered them in the urinal.


    Now, Kam wanted to prove to Hulus that he, too, was an excellent adventurer, capable of solving troubles even Hulus couldn��t handle!


    ��Die!��


    Kam laughed maniacally as he charged in front of Lin Da, the longsword ablaze with black flames, aimed at Lin Da��s neck.


    He intended to behead him with one blow, to witness the troubling thorn in his side��s head flying through the air!


    ��Poison Fang Slash!��


    Kam announced his technique, shouting the name of the move out loud!


    The hearts of the spectators rose to their throats. Those who were closer to the amphitheater worried about getting splashed with blood hastily moved a bit farther away.


    When a Star Rank deployed a skill, its might was tremendous.


    Even though the members of the Phoenix Tail Flower were mentally prepared, they couldn��t help feeling tense.


    Tasya and Lulu were somewhat better, one regarded Lin Da as a deity, and the other had enough trust in Lin Da.


    Monica was more timid, unable to help herself, she covered her eyes with her small hands, silently praying for Lin Da��s safety.


    ��Verdant Shield.��


    Lin Da chanted a spell at the start, ensuring he was well protected with his ��turtle shell.��


    He purposely acted very apprehensive, exerting himself to tremble with apparent overwhelming fear.


    The goal was to lower Kam��s guard and provoke him into attacking openly and broadly.


    For ��that move�� could only strike directly ahead.


    If Kam relied on the high agility attribute of the Star Rank to fight a guerrilla war, Lin Da would indeed have difficulty coping.


    Luckily, Kam was foolish enough to be a ��Brother��s Boy.��


    Under Hulus��s protection, Kam��s brain had devolved to the level of a baby.


    When Kam grinned and rushed forward, Lin Da��s trembling and facial fear had vanished without a trace.


    On his lips, a hint of a mocking smile curled up.

 Chapter 312 - 312: 275, hand, my hand

    Chapter 312: 275, hand, my hand


    Kam��s heart skipped a beat.


    What was up with Lin Da��s expression?


    Kam faintly felt a hint of unease.


    But he clenched his teeth and chose to trust the long sword in his hands, ��Dream of Slumber.��


    It was a superior orange weapon.


    A Star Rank gift prepared by Hulus for him.


    ...


    ��Die!��


    Kam��s eyes turned blood-red as the ��Dream of Slumber,�� ablaze with Black Flame, slashed down.


    Those in the audience who were faint of heart instinctively shut their eyes.


    ���� Clang!


    What everyone heard, however, was the sound of the longsword chopping on the hard rock.


    The blade recoiled.


    A powerful recoil turned Kam��s face pale, and his hands went numb, losing sensation for a moment.


    He stared at Lin Da incredulously.


    As the black flame longsword came within one centimeter of Lin Da��s neck, a verdant green light shield lit up.


    Firmly blocking the attack.


    Then came a crisp shattering sound.


    This marked Kam��s greatest accomplishment.


    He broke Lin Da��s shield with one move.


    A Star Rank, after all, still had its attack power.


    But no one knew that beneath the shield, Lin Da had a staggering 12,800 hit points.


    The outcome of this battle had been set from the moment Kam stepped onto the arena.


    Lin Da knew everything about Kam.


    Unless Kam was a witch, even considering Kam��s strength at the top of level 30 Star Rank, he couldn��t kill him in one blow.


    The tactic Lin Da devised was to exploit the stiffness after Kam��s all-out attack.


    The more force Kam used in his swing, the larger the recovery delay from his follow-through would be.


    This set of gaming theory applied just as well in reality.


    Lin Da lured Kam step by step into the trap with his superb acting skills.


    Next, it was his turn.


    ��Death Crab Pincer.��


    Lin Da muttered to himself.


    The skill granted by the equipment resonated with the magic circuit within him.


    The original white circuit turned red, matching the Red Armored Crab King.


    A semi-transparent phantom of the magical creature emerged behind Lin Da.


    It was distinctly a downsized Red Armored Crab King, two meters tall with a five-meter wingspan!


    As the magical creature phantom appeared, Kam immediately felt a chill over his head.


    ��Not good,�� Rhode��s expression changed as he recognized Lin Da��s skill.


    Death Crab Pincer ignored defenses and dealt true damage to an adventurer��s life barrier.


    Even if Lin Da��s attack was low, having the Death Crab Pincer skill still posed a threat to Kam.


    The thoughts of the crowd flashed momentarily.


    On the arena.


    The crimson crab pincers slashed horizontally forward.


    A soul-chilling burst of cold light shone.


    Kam��s sword-wielding right hand flew into the air.


    At the site of the wound, broken bones and muscle fibers could be seen.


    Blood spurted out, adding a touch of murderous aura to the arena.


    Kam stared blankly at his severed arm, his expression frozen.


    Pain shot through his brain, yet it failed to pull Kam back to reality.


    Wait, what happened?


    Where is my hand?


    Kam was a bit dazed, as if he were in a dream.


    He tried to control his right hand to wield the sword and continue attacking Lin Da.


    But no matter how his brain issued the command, he could not find the presence of his right hand.


    The old buddy who had been with Kam for decades was suddenly gone.


    That sense of discord kept Kam out of his senses for a long while.


    ��Venom Magic Sphere, Dark Whip, Venom Eruption!��


    Lin Da would not wait for Kam to adjust his mentality.


    While Kam was spacing out, he chanted a spell, unleashing all his attack skills at once.


    ��Ahhhh!�� sea??h th�� novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kam was hit by all of it, screaming in pain.


    The Life Barrier fluctuated violently, and the Venom Magic Sphere corroded it, emitting wisps of white smoke.


    Every inch of the barrier was connected to the core of his spiritual world, more connected than fingertips to a heart.


    Kam rolled on the ground in agony, his face streaming with tears and mucus, covered in dust.


    Everyone was stunned.


    Strong endurance is an essential quality of an excellent adventurer. How could Kam, placed in his situation, perform worse than a third-rate adventurer of a wild team?


    At that moment, Rhode��s face completely darkened. How could that cruel and cunning Hulus have such a useless brother?


    It was unimaginable how much resources Hulus had invested in Kam to push him to Star Rank!


    Jite��s thick leopard tail swayed back and forth, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes as he muttered to himself, ��No wonder Gale agreed, the thickness of this shield is unbelievable����


    In fact, that afternoon, Lin Da and Gale had tested it.


    Verdant Shield could withstand the skills of the 34th level Gale.


    That was why Gale had agreed to Lin Da��s plan.


    ��Venom Magic Sphere.��


    On the arena, Lin Da kicked a man while he was down, waving his hand to release two deep purple magic spheres.


    Kam jumped up frantically, dodging in severe pain.


    After all, as a Star-ranked adventurer, his speed far exceeded that of ordinary people.


    However, what happened next dumbfounded everyone.


    Kam accidentally stepped on his right hand that had fallen to the ground.


    As a result, he tripped over his own hand and fell flat on his face, hitting his forehead hard on the ground.


    Next, Lin Da��s two Venom Magic Spheres hit Kam squarely on the buttocks.


    ��Ahhhhhh!��


    A scream, unbearable to hear as if a pig was being slaughtered, erupted in the arena.


    A reporter, quite inappropriately, laughed out loud.


    Despite the tragic scene.


    But Kam was tripped up by his own hand that had fallen on the ground.


    ��Now I can scratch that itch on my back,�� Kami murmured.


    ��Don��t come over here, don��t come over here!!!��


    ��Big brother save me!��


    Kam looked at Lin Da in panic.


    On Lin Da, the green shell was put back on.


    A full-force strike with Kam��s right hand was needed to break through Lin Da��s defense.


    Now, the right hand was gone.


    No chance of fighting back!


    The battle was decisively concluded!


    Lin Da heaved a sigh of regret, ��Mr. Kam, I am sorry. I cannot forgive you; you and your brother both wanted to put me to death. If I let you go, wouldn��t I be crossing myself?��


    ��Upon entering the arena, as brave adventurers, we signed a Life and Death Contract. I hope you can maintain the honorable side of an adventurer and die with a smile.��


    ��No, I surrender���� Kam, grasping at straws, remembered that surrender was allowed in the arena.


    Only it was too embarrassing. Many adventurers would rather fight until the last moment than to surrender humiliatingly.


    Seeing Kam preparing to surrender, Lin Da quickly released the Dark Whip.


    Whoosh.


    The Dark Whip and a shadow below the stage charged towards Kam simultaneously.


    ��Dare!��


    The shadow��s hand lit up, revealing a huge double-bladed axe.


    This man had dark red hair, a scar-covered face, and bulging muscles on his arms, appearing to be about thirty years old.


    With a swing of his axe, he chopped Lin Da��s Dark Whip!


    This strong man, named Nacho, a 33rd-level Berserker, had been previously schemed against by Hulus and signed into a slave contract.


    If Kam were to die, Nacho would undoubtedly be held accountable, tormented to a fate worse than death.


    Even if it meant breaking the rules of the arena, Nacho had to save Kam!


    The sudden turn of events stunned everyone.


    Nacho��s eyes gleamed coldly, his Dark Series Battle Qi gathering on the double-bladed axe, like a beast ready to pounce on its target.

 Chapter 313 - 313: 276. After killing the deputy leader of the ghost, Lin Da demands compensation.

    Chapter 313: 276. After killing the deputy leader of the ghost, Lin Da demands compensation.


    This 33-level Berserker put a lot more pressure on Lin Da than Kam, who was strong on the outside but weak on the inside, like a paper tiger.


    The Star Rank [Force] swept across, and the gravity around suddenly increased by hundreds of times.


    The tip of the Sword of Royalty in Lin Da��s hand thudded to the ground, and his feet sank into the bluestone tiles of the Arena.


    He didn��t dare to be careless and quickly replenished himself with a new Verdant Shield.


    These old Lao Deng really had no martial values, sending a 33-level Berserker to ambush him, a 26-level support!


    The crowd below quickly reacted.


    ...


    The two Star Rank members of the Phoenix Tail Flower burst out in anger on the spot!


    Tasya��s face was covered with frost, and killing intent swirled in her green eyes.


    A black suitcase appeared out of thin air, quickly assembling into a Magic Cannon resembling a Gatling gun.


    Wind Battle Qi followed the precise Array inside, Tasya held the Magic Cannon, the honeycomb-like barrel lit up, and a barrage of Battle Qi rained down!


    Lulu��s hands transformed into fiercely savage beast claws, shooting towards the Arena like arrows, and she launched the ��Frost Wolf Iron Claw�� at Nacho!


    Nacho could hardly imagine that the people from Phoenix Tail Flower would react so quickly; he barely caught Lulu��s attack with his double-bladed axe, scraping the ground and being pushed back eight meters.


    The Berserker couldn��t help but feel shocked: from sensing the aura, the werewolf girl seemed much weaker than him, around level 31. But her strength was almost comparable to his.


    Before he could think further, the barrage from the Magic Cannon fell down, Nacho hardened himself with a Life Barrier, the continuous barrage rattling against it, Nacho��s mouth spouting nonstop blood.


    The Barrier was connected to the adventurer��s critical source core; each hit inflicted damage upon Nacho.


    Lulu seized the opportunity to launch a follow-up attack; her cold eyes reflected Nacho��s horrified expression, her beast claw raised toward Nacho��s neck.


    At this moment, Nacho was both shocked and angry, shocked by the formidable strength of the two Star Rank adventurers, none of which he was confident to defeat, and yet he was angry because�� Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had only looked at Lin Da once, but both Lulu and Tasya seemed intent on killing him!


    This, this wasn��t necessary!


    The staff of the Adventurers�� Guild seemed like ��blind men with open eyes,�� not stopping Lulu and her attacks on Nacho.


    Since Nacho was the first to break the rules, it served him right to be counter-attacked by the people from Phoenix Tail Flower.


    In just a few seconds, Tasya and Lulu had pushed Nacho into constant retreat; the robust man��s chest was covered in blood he had spat out, his eyes filled with terror.


    Clearly, the strength of both Tasya and Lulu was beyond Nacho��s imagination!


    From Lin Da��s perspective, this Berserker had almost lost 8000 health.


    He still looked quite spirited, worthy of being level 33.


    ��Stop!��


    The leader of Bedrock, Rhode, couldn��t stand it anymore; with a low roar, his nearly 300-pound body shot into the center of the Arena like a cannonball.


    ��This duel is over, I request a stop!��


    Rhode truly lived up to his identity as the leader of the Steel Level Adventure Group, his aggressive combat power directly blocked Lulu��s attack, and with a fierce swing of his right arm, Lulu spun several times in the air with her knees curled before dissipating the impact and landing on the ground.


    ��This person, stronger than me.��


    A trace of solemnity flashed in Lulu��s eyes.


    Members from Soulghost and Bedrock also stepped onto the stage in succession.


    Abner frowned, taking Gale and Jite onto the stage.


    The Arena was permeated with the smell of gunpowder, and what seemed to be an ordinary duel had escalated into a contest between three major Steel Level Adventure Groups!


    The staff differentiated between severity; an internal conflict at the Iron Level was definitely something the officials of White Dove City did not want to see, she coughed and said:


    ��Conceding requires the person himself to shout it out. Also, regarding Soulghost��s interference in the duel, appropriate penalties will be imposed.��


    After listening, Lin Da��s eyes darkened; how could he let Kam concede?


    His plan was to kill Kam!


    He wouldn��t spare anyone who laid hands on Phoenix Tail Flower.


    Showing mercy to the enemy was being cruel to oneself.


    His mind raced, searching for ways to kill Kam.


    Rhode saw Lin Da��s indifferent expression and shouted inwardly that something was wrong.


    This young adventurer was only level 26, yet he posed a threat to Rhode, much higher than many Star Rank adventurers.


    ��Kam, quick, admit defeat!��


    Don��t give Lin Da a chance.


    Rhode thought anxiously.


    He turned his head to urge Kam.


    The sight before him, however, made Rhode��s expression change.


    Kam��s eyes were full of loathing, and his facial flesh trembled crazily with fury.


    ��A mere ant, daring to harm me, damn it, damn it��!��


    ��Lin Da, I want you dead!��


    Kam��s eyes were filled with fury as he charged at Lin Da. At that moment, Kam no longer held back; his 30-level Star Rank momentum fully erupted, his left hand gripped the long sword, the Magic Circuit inside his body ran at full speed, and his entire body ignited with Black Flame.


    Rhode stared at Kam astonished; that was Kam��s Ultimate Skill, [Demon Man Slash].


    By imperial law, duelists among adventurers were prohibited from using Ultimate Skills, which were extremely damaging. Once used, it was either death or severe injury, and all Ultimate Skills should be applied to Magical Creatures.


    Releasing an Ultimate Skill in the city under everyone��s eyes was akin to despising imperial law.


    Even a Moon Rank or Light Rank adventurer couldn��t save the completely mad Kam!


    ��This idiot!��


    Rhode, frantic, reached out to stop Kam.


    But unexpectedly, Gale was one step ahead.


    A gust of wind magic blew Rhode away, forcing the irrational Kam to attack Lin Da.


    Actually, when Kam had charged out, he immediately regretted it.


    He was blocked by Rhode��s group and hadn��t seen how many Star Rank adventurers were standing by Lin Da.


    Among them was Abner, the top combatant of White Dove City, a 39-level [Mind��s Eye].

 Chapter 315 - 315: 277, Two Five-star Characters

    Chapter 315: 277, Two Five-star Characters


    ��I want Lord Captain to feed me too!��


    ��Sigh, there��s really no way to deal with Monica.��


    ��Crunch! Crunch!��


    Lulu sat in the corner of the carriage, her face cold as her sharp canine teeth easily bit the fruit in half.


    It was then that Lin Da remembered something.


    ��Lulu, you have some too.��


    ...


    He placed the fruit in the palm of his hand, cut it into small pieces with a fruit knife, took a toothpick out of his space ring, and handed a piece to Lulu.


    Lulu��s bushy tail gently swayed as she opened her mouth and contentedly ate the fruit piece Lin Da handed her.


    Lin Da felt somewhat embarrassed.


    It seems that having too many team members isn��t necessarily a good thing.


    The next day.


    Although there was no festival, it was the day when the Bluebird Press, the biggest newspaper in Cangqing Province, released its ��Adventurer��s Weekly��.


    There was a section in the Adventurer��s Weekly called ��Gathering of Heroes�� which introduced some adventurers who had made a name for themselves in different cities over the past week.


    Being featured in the Adventurer��s Weekly was like gilding one��s resume.


    The most famous adventure academies in the Southern Fire Empire require their students to appear at least once in their local provincial weekly.


    Abner, who had such an experience, had received an invitation from Azure Sky University located in Cyan City, the capital of Cangqing Province.


    The university��s dean was a retired adventurer of high rank.


    At his peak, he was well-known throughout the entire empire.


    It was said he had served in an adventure team that was ��most likely to reach the top of the World Tree��.


    The dean��s involvement further enhanced the reputation of Azure Sky University.


    Upon entering Azure Sky University, adventurers would receive professional combat training and scholarly education.


    Graduates from this university were highly sought after by countless adventure teams.


    The most popular among them were pure damage-dealing roles and scholars.


    Adventure teams below the Iron Level didn��t even qualify to invite them to join.


    And today, someone else received an invitation from Azure Sky University.


    The invitee was from an unnamed small city.


    So much so that people had to check the map for a while to learn that this city belonged to Cangqing Province.


    The person was titled ��Eye of True Knowledge��, named Lin Da.


    He was currently the leader of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, at the Rock level.


    What��s noteworthy is that this time the invitation from Azure Sky University was not sent by the admissions department but by the beautiful and aloof dean herself!


    This made many people wonder, especially the adventurers from Cyan City.


    They considered themselves ��lords�� within the province, and even across the entire empire, Cyan City was well-regarded. In their eyes, a place like White Dove City was comparable to a backward rural area.


    An adventurer from a small village could only jump so high, no matter how capable.


    Being invited by the admissions department of Azure Sky University was something to rejoice for over eight generations.


    But it was White Dove City.


    About this city, adventurers from other places didn��t have much memory, but the locals in Cyan City had almost all heard of it.


    The reason was that the admissions department of Azure Sky University had once invited Abner, the leader of the White Dove Adventure Group.


    And he had refused.


    The mentality of the adventurers from Cyan City was: How dare you?


    The chance to reach the heavens was in front of you, and you rejected it?


    Adventurers joked among themselves: Now White Dove City will be blacklisted by Azure Sky University, and no one from there should even dream of getting in.


    Yet��


    Azure Sky University sent out another invitation.


    But this time, it was the dean herself who issued the invitation!


    Ever since she took up the position, she had been indifferent to admissions, leaving everything to the admissions department.


    But unexpectedly, because of an adventurer named Lin Da from White Dove City, she made an exception and extended an invitation.


    Everyone was curious about who Lin Da was to have the dean personally invite him?


    The Adventurer��s Weekly thoughtfully included Lin Da��s portrait at the bottom and recounted his deeds.


    Everyone featured in ��Gathering of Heroes�� surely had some outstanding achievements. Without such records, even if someone offered a lot of Gold Coins, Adventurer��s Weekly wouldn��t publish their story.


    In the tavern, a red-haired Tigress with round beast ears and a black and white patterned tail was gnawing on a succulent pork leg while glancing at the newspaper in her hand. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Having been out for over a month now, Mingli and the others should be okay, right?��


    The red-haired Tigress only wore a leather bustier and shorts, revealing her healthy wheat-colored skin. With a slender and flexible waist, the contours of her abs were faintly visible.


    She sat on the chair with her legs splayed out carelessly, unconcerned about the lecherous stares from around her.


    Her name was Taige, the leader of the Dark Flame Adventure Team, at the Sunrise Level.


    Originally, Taige came to ask the dean of Azure Sky University some questions, but she got attracted by the rich atmosphere of adventure here and decided to stay for a few months before returning to Black Mamba City.


    Her fluffy tigertail wrapped around her waist as she savored a bite of roasted pork leg and spread out the newspaper, looking at it intently.


    [��Adventurer Lin Da, 23 years old, current captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team. Mature and steady, gentle to people, with an excellent reputation, possesses outstanding Shield Skills, and a very high level of Life Barrier thickness, adept at standing in the front lines, fending off Magical Creatures.��]


    [��Occupation: Healing Mage. Role: Support.��]


    Taige: ?


    The girl blinked in confusion.


    She even forgot to take another bite of her favourite roasted pork leg.


    If I��m not mistaken, this Lin Da is support?


    And yet his strongest suit is fighting Magical Creatures at the forefront?


    Well, why not just claim that the Elf race is never promiscuous?


    Guess even the Adventurer��s Weekly makes typographical errors��

 Chapter 316 - 316: 277, Two Five-star Characters_2

    Chapter 316: 277, Two Five-star Characters_2


    Taige chuckled and took a bite of the roasted pork leg, continuing to read.


    The reporter for the Adventurer��s Weekly had written about Lin Da��s achievements.


    [First: Skilled in creating detailed strategies, effectively reducing casualties among lower-level adventurers.]


    [Second: Performed exceptionally during Monster Tide in White Dove City, killing a Level 20 Orange Magical Creature, the Red Armored Crab King, with a squad with an average level in the teens.]


    [Third: Recently, he defeated a Two-Star Epic Monster, the Goblin Prince! At that time, Lin Da��s team��s average level was only 24.]


    [Fourth: Became the first in the history of Cangqing Province to kill a Star-ranked adventurer in a face-to-face duel with a strength level below 30!


    ...


    (Note: According to reports from the White Dove City reporter, the duel employed many tricks, but Lin Da��s formidable personal strength cannot be denied!)]


    Based on these four points, Adventurer��s Weekly decided to feature Lin Da on the cover of this week��s Hall of Heroes section.


    The cover image was provided by Kami, the editor-in-chief of White Dove Press.


    It was a picture of Lin Da holding a blood-soaked longsword, silhouetted against the backdrop of him killing the Red Armored Crab King during the Monster Tide.


    Taige nodded thoughtfully, thinking that these achievements were indeed fierce. White Dove City was considered one of the poorer cities in Cangqing Province, yet it managed to produce such a talent, truly a stroke of luck.


    ��Shield skills, quite rare, would be great to have them join my Dark Flame adventure team.��


    ��But with Azure Sky University stepping forward, there probably won��t be a chance.��


    ��Lin Da�� that old lady must have issued an invitation to White Dove City because of this name, right? I heard that White Dove City is blacklisted by Azure Sky University.��


    Taige recalled a recent encounter with a petite girl with silver hair and a lazy, noble demeanor, feeling a pang of curiosity.


    She didn��t think that this person would be interested in men other than from Dark Shadow.


    After all, one of Dark Shadow��s most favored members was that person.


    Although Taige was also called a Five-star Character by Dark Shadow, there were strengths and weaknesses among the Five-stars, and despite being from the Tiger Tribe and possessing courage, Taige doubted he could defeat that person.


    ��It would be fun if this Lin Da were from Dark Shadow.��


    ��Unfortunately, terms like ��gentle and highly praised�� could never apply to Dark Shadow.��


    ��Cold, ruthless, cruel, and vicious, that is what Dark Shadow is.��


    Taige finished reading the Adventurer��s Weekly and casually tossed it into the trash can at his feet.


    He wasn��t in a hurry to return to Black Mamba City.


    The adventurous atmosphere in Cyan City was so strong that Taige even considered working there, saving enough money to buy a villa and move the entire Dark Flame adventure team over.


    ��Where to get the money����


    Taige��s mind wasn��t the brightest, the only thing he could think of was fighting.


    ��Miss, would you like to collaborate with me?��


    A young lady with pink hair approached Taige.


    The girl wore thick black-rimmed glasses and held a book, looking quite literary.


    ��Who are you?�� Taige sensed a hint of threat from this person.


    ��Just an ordinary traveling adventurer passing by.��


    Selin tilted her head slightly, smiling charmingly.


    ��


    In the evening, under the starlit sky.


    The reception room of the White Dove Adventure Group villa hosted a celebration banquet.


    The main characters of this celebration banquet were the Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team.


    Under the warm lighting, the aroma of fine wines and delicious food was heartwarming, with constant laughter and chatter.


    At the large crystal round table, President Velen sat at the head, his cheeks glowing redder from the drinks.


    To his left and right respectively were Lin Da and Abner.


    Opposite them sat Mayor Adel, with the members of the Phoenix Tail Flower and White Dove on either side.


    This seating arrangement left Lin Da feeling somewhat overwhelmed.


    Being seated to the immediate left and right of President Velen, a place for the most honored guests, was something a rock level captain like him rarely experienced.


    Lin Da, not an adventurer who normally sought the spotlight, found sitting there uncomfortably hot.


    Seeing his discomfort, President Velen raised his copy of Adventurer��s Weekly and laughed:


    ��Lin Da, you are truly White Dove City��s pride, and you should rightfully be sitting here!��


    ��Besides Abner��s time, it has been many years since White Dove City made it onto the Adventurer��s Weekly! Look, even Azure Sky University, renowned within the province, has sent you an invitation, and it was the president himself who invited you!��


    Abner raised his glass and said succinctly, ��Lin Da, congratulations.��


    Lin Da didn��t delay; he deeply respected the White Dove Leader who had helped him on numerous occasions.


    He raised his wheat beer glass with both hands and drained it in one gulp.


    Tasya stood behind Lin Da pouring wine, while Lulu furrowed her brow and whispered, ��Drink less; didn��t we agree to go pick out yukatas?��


    Lin Da shuddered.


    He had almost forgotten about that.


    The Winter Festival was just around the corner.


    According to the customs of the Southern Fire Empire, adventurers would don yukatas and watch the fireworks.


    The essence of changing into yukatas was to wash away the bloodshed accumulated over the year, watch the fireworks with companions in a state of purity, and receive the blessings of the World Tree Goddess.


    Lin Da and his companions didn��t have yukatas, so they had agreed to go and buy some tonight.


    He nodded subtly at Lulu to show that he understood.


    But President Velen was offering such warm hospitality that Lin Da really couldn��t bring himself to ask Lulu to help him ward off the drinks.


    Mayor Adel sighed, ��The news of Phoenix Tail Flower making the headline of Adventurer��s Weekly has already reached the Cyan City Adventure Committee. We received a notice an hour ago that from this month onwards, the monthly subsidies for each Rock-level squad will be increased from three Bronze-Level World Tree Fruits to five, and for Iron Level, from three Silver-Level to five.�� Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A Silver Tree Fruit was valued at ten thousand Gold Coins, adding two more made this subsidy quite significant.


    Gale joked, ��Lin Da, even the Specter Adventure Group ought to thank you.��


    ��It��d be good enough if they don��t curse me, let alone thank me,�� Lin Da smiled.


    Right now, Hulus was probably in prison, mourning over Kam.


    During the Winter Festival, he could only watch the fireworks through an iron-barred window.


    ��Lin Da, regarding that invitation from Azure Sky University, have you thought about it?�� Velen asked, his eyes filled with expectation.


    Lin Da didn��t answer immediately, looking first towards Abner, curious, ��Captain Abner, why did you refuse the invitation from Azure Sky University at that time?��


    Objectively speaking, accepting the invitation from Azure Sky University would be a very advantageous move.


    The best adventuring resources within the province, personal training by famous masters, professional knowledge�� Azure Sky University is akin to a renowned 985 university; one acceptance brightens the entire family��s face.


    Everyone looked at Abner, their minds itching with curiosity.


    Yes, why did Abner refuse Azure Sky University at that time?


    Under these questioning gazes, Abner slightly opened his eyes.


    This quiet adventurer with pale blue hair tied in a ponytail, silently looked towards the floor-to-ceiling window ahead. Through the window, the World Tree twinkled beneath the night sky with emerald light.


    ��Because of the existence of the 19th floor ��Gate�� in White Dove City. As long as the gate remains, White Dove City might never produce a Sunrise Level adventure group,��


    ��I want to personally break through that gate,�� said Abner.


    Abner��s voice was calm, but his tone carried a firm resolve and determination that commanded respect.


    With Abner��s capabilities, if he were by another city��s World Tree, he would have already reached level 40 and become a Moon Rank adventurer.


    Abner��s decision to stay was to challenge the Nightmare Guardian located on the 19th floor of the White Dove City World Tree, known as the ��Gate.��


    The strength of the Nightmare Guardian surpassed that of hidden Magical Creatures.


    It is a trial randomly bestowed by the World Tree Goddess at unpredictable times.


    Before this trial is surpassed, all adventure teams that enter the 19th floor of the White Dove City World Tree will encounter the Nightmare Guardian.


    If the gate remains, it will significantly affect the prospects of the adventurers in White Dove City.


    In the future, many adventure teams that reach the 19th floor might choose to change their adventure origins and settle in Red Heart City or South Rock City, leading to a continuous loss of strong adventurers from White Dove City.


    Of course, there��s another approach: the officials could spend a large amount of money to hire excellent adventure teams from other cities to subdue the Nightmare Guardian for their own city.


    But in doing so, both the adventurers and officials of White Dove City would be despised by the entire empire �� a city that can��t even cultivate an adventure team to subdue the Nightmare Guardian surely doesn��t need the empire to prioritize its resources, does it?


    Your local officials can forget about promotions in this lifetime!


    The general atmosphere of the Mystic Continent is survival of the fittest.


    The strong get stronger, and the weak weaker.


    The reasons Abner refused Azure Sky University were two-fold: one was to challenge the Nightmare Guardian, and second, to repay President Velen for his asylum.


    Abner, once a wandering adventurer due to the Monster Tide, was accepted by President Velen, who allowed him to lead the White Dove Adventure Group.


    Thus, Abner would rather forgo the tempting offer from Azure Sky University and stay in White Dove City.


    ��So, what about you, Lin Da? I think you should accept the invitation from Azure Sky University.��

 Chapter 317 - 317: 278. Lin Da selects yukatas for the team members.

    Chapter 317: 278. Lin Da selects yukatas for the team members.


    Abner took a sip of wheat beer from his cup and looked at Lin Da, ��The principal of this university, it is said, was a Light Rank Adventurer before retiring, and his rank is probably even higher now.��


    Above the Moon Rank is the 50th level of Light Rank.


    At that level, even in the populous Cangqing Province with its billions of people, one could be considered a powerhouse.


    President Velen sighed, ��If White Dove City could produce a Light Rank Adventurer, I��d say it��s worth it even if I get my head chewed off by Magical Creatures tomorrow.��


    ��Hahaha, I believe that Phoenix Tail Flower and the White Dove Adventure Group both have hope,�� Mayor Adel laughed.


    Then, everyone turned their eyes to Lin Da: the invitation from Azure Sky University, would he go or not?


    ...


    Lin Da had his answer ready in his heart.


    He pondered for a moment before speaking, ��The biggest goal of Phoenix Tail Flower at present is to advance to the Iron Level, with all members reaching Star Rank. And the invitation from Azure Sky University, it only invited me alone. I cannot abandon my teammates and go there to enjoy it all by myself.��


    As Lin Da said this, the expressions of Lulu, Monica, and Tasya became particularly gentle.


    This was nothing less than Lin Da��s promise to them that he would not leave them behind again, like during the Dark Shadow period.


    It was just a pity that when Lin Da sneaked a look at the Witch��s panel, Lulu��s trust level was still at 88 and did not increase, and Tasya��s trust meter at 90 was sealed.


    The higher the trust level, the harder it is to increase.


    Getting a ��Shadow of Darkness Experience Card�� seemed not so easy after all.


    When Velen and the others heard Lin Da��s response, they were all a bit surprised.


    The reason for not accepting the invitation from Azure Sky University was that he couldn��t leave his teammates behind?


    From a personal interest perspective, Lin Da��s decision no doubt seemed rather foolish. Graduating from Azure Sky University was tantamount to a golden signboard, which would make recruiting teammates or planning adventure strategies twice as effective with half the effort.


    However, from the perspective of White Dove City or Lin Da��s friends, a team leader who valued loyalty and friendship was someone you could feel secure to befriend.


    Nothing like Specter Adventure Group, where President Velen��s early investments were like throwing meat buns to a dog��gone for good.


    ��Lin Da, you��re really to my liking, young man. When I was an adventurer, I treated my teammates just as well as you do!��


    Velen burst into laughter, touching the scar on his face as if recalling something, his expression darkening for a moment, then lifting his glass of wheat beer:


    ��One last drink, and let��s not delay Lin Da��s romantic date! I heard it, you��re going together to buy yukatas?��


    A round of good-natured laughter erupted from the table.


    Lin Da��s expression remained unchanged, graciously accepting President Velen��s teasing.


    However, Lulu��s face turned red, and she almost buried her head under the table.


    ��Sister Lulu, congratulations,�� Monica said without a hint of jealousy, sweetly smiling. She held only blessings in her heart for Lulu, who had been as a great benefactor in helping her buy a house in Red Heart City.


    Tasya, however, kept a poker face, feeling far from calm inside.


    ��


    That evening, in the visitors�� room of Suburban Prison No. 4.


    Rhode sighed, handing over a copy of Adventurer��s Weekly and Kam��s black-and-white obituary photo to Hulus behind the iron bars.


    ��What does this mean? Shouldn��t this be Lin Da��s obituary? Why Kam��s?�� sea??h th�� N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hulus��s mind already knew what had happened, but his heart refused to accept it, and with trembling hands, he took Kam��s obituary.


    Although Kam was a stupid, worthless, good-for-nothing brother�� he was still the only blood kin Hulus had.


    ��Big brother, that Elf is so beautiful, I want her!��


    ��Good little brother, tonight I��ll capture her for you.��


    ��Big brother, that adventurer dared to stare at me, it��s infuriating!��


    ��Don��t worry, tonight I��ll send someone to assassinate him.��


    ��Big brother, big brother~��


    ��Big brother, help, I don��t want to die����


    Suddenly, Hulus��s mind was filled with the terrified expression of his brother Kam before his death.


    ��No!�� Hulus��s eyes bulged out as blood spurted from his mouth, and he fainted on the spot.


    ��Hulus, Hulus!��


    Rhode immediately called for the guards.


    After the Healer��s emergency treatment, Hulus finally came around slowly.


    This time, his mood was much calmer. Holding Kam��s obituary, he stared silently for a long time without speaking.


    Rhode had a bad premonition.


    This kind of Hulus, he had never seen before.


    ��I think, about this Lin Da����


    Rhode cautiously organized his words, trying to persuade Hulus to give up.


    At least, to give up for now.


    If they were to mess with Lin Da now, they would become the enemies of the whole White Dove City!


    Phoenix Tail Flower made a name for White Dove City in the province and increased the subsidies for the Rock-level Adventure Team, gaining a lot of support.


    Conversely, Specter had acquired a reputation for a suspected assassination attempt on Lin Da, becoming reviled like a rat crossing the street, everyone calling for its demise.


    Rhode even considered parting ways with Hulus and switching to an honest path.


    If Hulus remained delusional�� a cold light flashed in Rhode��s eyes.


    He would have to betray his old companion.


    ��I was wrong.��


    Suddenly, Hulus said this out of the blue.


    Rhode looked puzzled.


    Hulus continued, ��I shouldn��t have provoked Lin Da. I was momentarily blinded, mistaking a tiger and a leopard for a puppy.��


    ��Kam��s death, he had it coming. It was a blow to my face, woke me up.��


    ��Rhode, go tell the members of Specter not to mess with Lin Da anymore, and to wait for my release from prison before making any plans.��


    After hearing this, Rhode was flabbergasted.


    But after thinking about it, it indeed fit Hulus��s style. For the sake of interest, he could even bear the revenge for his blood brother Kam.


    ��Then I��m relieved,�� Rhode exhaled and smiled, ��Hulus, once you��re out, we��ll have a good drink together.��


    ��Sure,�� Hulus nodded.


    After Rhode left the visiting room, Hulus was taken back to his cell.

 Chapter 318 - 318: 278. Lin Da selects yukatas for the team members_2

    Chapter 318: 278. Lin Da selects yukatas for the team members_2


    His eyes had just revealed a twisted flame of hatred.


    Let Lin Da go?


    How could that be possible!


    Having killed his own younger brother, he wanted Lin Da to pay with his life!


    But there was one thing, Hulus hadn��t lied to Rhode.


    Before his release from prison, he indeed wouldn��t lay a hand on Lin Da.


    ...


    Kam had already startled the snake by hitting the grass, surely alerting Lin Da to be cautious.


    With just the remaining fools of Dark Shadow, there was no chance they could assassinate Lin Da successfully.


    Hulus planned to train madly in prison, to personally end Lin Da��s life!


    Of course.


    Even if Lin Da knew about this, he probably wouldn��t take it to heart.


    There were too many people who wanted ��revenge�� on him, one more Hulus wouldn��t make a difference.


    Not to mention distant threats.


    There was a level 40 Mingli in Black Mamba City, far stronger than Hulus.


    By the time Hulus got out of prison, that wouldn��t be until half a year later.


    By then, Lin Da would at least be a Moon Rank adventurer.


    If Hulus still dared to come after him, it would only bring him shame.


    At this moment, Lin Da was leisurely strolling through a mall with his team members, picking out yukatas.


    ��


    The night market was brightly lit, neon signs of various shops casting the street in a multitude of colors.


    In a large chain clothing store run by Elves named Verdant Abundance.


    Silver chandeliers made the interior as bright as day, the floor was shiny and smooth, making crisp tapping sounds as one walked on it.


    On the matte black shelves, hung Winter Festival yukatas of various styles.


    Lin Da stroked his chin, musing that the yukatas, in broad terms, followed a Japanese style.


    As for why adventurers in Another World with a Western background converse in Chinese phrases and wear Japanese yukatas��


    That was something Lin Da couldn��t figure out either.


    Maybe that��s just how Another World is.


    ��Team, Team Lord, does it look good?��


    A soft and gentle voice brought Lin Da back to his senses.


    In front of Lin Da, the white curtain of the fitting room slid open, revealing Monica in an orange yukata.


    Monica��s brown hair cascaded down her back, and the fringe in front of her forehead was fastened with a black clip, showing off her shiny and adorable forehead.


    Coupled with that somewhat timid expression, Lin Da couldn��t help but want to hold her in his arms and soothe her.


    Besides being beautiful, Monica also had a great figure, her small hands shyly clutching the matching handbag for the yukata, a large white belt around her waist, tied in the back with a small pillow, lightly accentuating the delicate and slender waist of a young girl.


    In white silk, Monica��s little feet were in wooden clogs, the hem of the yukata covering her calves. Her upper body��s curves were astonishing, and despite the conservative style of the yukata, it still revealed a slight gap.


    A yukata was being worn by Monica with a sensual appeal that even a Bunny Girl outfit couldn��t match.


    Of course, if Monica really did wear a Bunny Girl costume, Lin Da would be the one thrown into prison.


    Looking at Monica��s shy demeanor, Lin Da was taken aback for a moment, realizing once again that although Monica��s spirit was that of a child, her body was very much adult, much more ��grown-up�� than Lulu or Tasya!


    Moments of Monica��s awkward expressions flashed through Lin Da��s mind.


    He couldn��t help but curse himself silently for being perverted.


    Had he not agreed to make a move when Monica was mentally mature? Was he now so impatient that he couldn��t wait? With such willpower, what kind of adventurer was he?


    Seriously, knock it off!


    If it weren��t for Monica��s bashful gaze, Lin Da would have liked to slap that disobedient thing twice.


    Lin Da took a deep breath and smiled, ��Monica��s yukata is very suitable indeed.��


    ��Really?�� Monica blinked her big eyes in delight, ��Then I��ll buy this set.��


    ��Tonight��s expenses are on the Team Lord,�� Lin Da declared generously.


    ��Lin Da, what do you think of this set on me?��


    The curtain of another fitting room also slid open. sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was Lulu in a blue yukata embroidered with little white flowers.


    Lulu��s ears on her head were slightly drooping forward, and she looked uneasy, her hands awkwardly clutching the handbag tightly.


    Lulu, who came from a poor Beastmen background, had never worn a yukata or attended a fireworks festival.


    Such clothing was not affordable for ordinary people, and moreover, during the time with the Primitive Adventure Team, Lin Da had never invited her.


    Lulu felt a bit nervous the first time she put on the yukata, worrying that something might look off.


    Lin Da stroked his chin, with a serious look in his eyes as he stared at Lulu.


    This only made Lulu feel even more unsettled and lose her confidence.


    Her ears pressed hard against her head, and her fluffy tail drooped down.


    ��Someone like me surely isn��t suitable for pretty clothes,�� she muttered softly, sounding a bit sullen.


    ��I should just wear a black robe to the fireworks festival.��


    As Lulu spoke in a low voice, she seemed somewhat gloomy.


    ��Why?��


    Lin Da scratched his head, puzzled.


    ��I find Lulu��s yukata very beautiful; it completely mesmerized me.��


    ��Wh-what?��


    Lulu��s cheeks turned red, and she spat out, ��You must be lying.��


    ��No, the yukata really suits you.�� Lin Da walked over and touched the wolf girl��s big ears, helping to straighten them so that they stood up instead of lying flat.


    ��Any other captain with a team member as beautiful as Lulu would wake up laughing from their dreams.�� Lin Da took Lulu��s cool little hand, ��Come on, let��s go see how Tasya��s choice turned out.��


    ��Okay�� okay.�� Lulu nodded bashfully, following Lin Da step by step.


    Monica also said, ��Sister Lulu really looks great!��


    ��Thank you, Monica.��


    So it was that Lin Da, holding Lulu with his left hand and Monica with his right, weaved between garments on the rack.


    They found Tasya, standing in front of a black yukata, indecisive.


    Lin Da: ��What are you doing?��


    Approaching closer, the three of them looked at Tasya with curiosity.


    Lulu said, ��Are you struggling to choose a yukata design? I think this one would suit you well.��


    It was a mature yukata in black, embroidered with peonies.


    The yukata itself, a garment that had come from a foreign land in ancient times, matched Tasya��s rare brown skin without any sense of incongruity, but rather made onlookers take notice.


    Lin Da couldn��t wait to see Tasya dressed in the yukata.


    Following Lulu��s remark, he said, ��That really is a nice one.��


    But Tasya still seemed troubled.


    ��Do I have to wear a yukata?��


    ��Not everyone will. But if you do, it��s better, more festive.��


    Lin Da replied.


    Tasya looked at the yukata, then looked at her maid outfit adorned with large black and white ruffles that she was wearing, caught in a dilemma.


    The maid dress given to her by Dark Shadow was something she hadn��t changed out of since she put it on.


    ��Is putting on a yukata an order?��


    Tasya��s eyes held a glint of hope.


    If Lin Da ordered her to take off the maid dress, she could do so without any stress.


    Only then did Lin Da understand the deeper meaning behind the issue of ��changing into a yukata��.


    If Tasya changed into the yukata by her own will, it would be a step forward, allowing her to gradually escape from the influence Dark Shadow once had on her.


    What Lin Da needed was not a docile puppet, but a living person, an adventurer named Tasya.


    Only then would Lin Da truly become Tasya��s master and unlock the trust gauge for Tasya.


    Realizing the importance of this, Lin Da��s expression became serious as he said earnestly, ��It��s not an order, just a suggestion between friends.��


    ��Friends?�� The unfamiliar term seemed to baffle Tasya.


    ��Yes, friends. In adventure, you��re my team member; in the villa, you��re my employed maid; but in everyday life, I hope you can be my friend.��


    Lin Da��s gentle hand rested lightly on Tasya��s head as he spoke soothingly:


    ��This is just a friend��s suggestion; I��d like to see you in a yukata.��


    Tasya��s eyes darted away, hesitant to meet Lin Da��s tender gaze.


    This reduced her reverence for Dark Shadow in her heart, to the point where she dared to long for things she had never even dared to dream of.


    Tasya took the black yukata off the rack, held it to her chest, and hummed in agreement.


    In the witch panel previously, Tasya��s trust gauge was completely locked in gray.


    Lin Da found that, after his efforts, the gray had lightened a bit.


    A glimmer of golden light could faintly be seen on the trust gauge.


    Lin Da couldn��t help but smile.

 Chapter 319 - 319: 279, Winter Festival and the Knights Daughter

    Chapter 319: 279, Winter Festival and the Knight��s Daughter


    Lin Da led the three of them to the counter to pay.


    ��One thousand and forty-five Gold Coins? That expensive?��


    Hearing the price, Lin Da��s expression was one of astonishment.


    It wasn��t that he couldn��t afford it, but that he pursued cost-effectiveness.


    A thousand Gold Coin Fruit of the World Tree, Lin Da would eat without the slightest pain.


    But for a few bathrobes devoid of Magic Power, the price was so exorbitant. S��ar?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    ��Sir, our bathrobes are all made of top-quality Ice Silk, blah blah blah����


    ��Master, please allow me to pay.��


    Tasya took out a tree-patterned savings card with a silver base, adorned with the image of the World Tree, and handed it to the lady at the counter.


    ��How can I accept this?��


    Lin Da��s eyelid twitched; what Tasya had was a tree-patterned savings card commonly used across the continent, issued by the World Tree Sanctum, also known as the Savings Card.


    Only those with savings of over 5 million were entitled to the silver-level Savings Card.


    He hadn��t expected this maid to be a concealed rich lady, even wealthier than himself!?


    Lin Da felt a bit sour for no reason. As the Adventure Team Leader, he didn��t expect to be outdone by his maid in wealth.


    Tasya gave him a strange look: ��Master, do you wish to manage the subordinate��s Savings Card?��


    ��Man��age? For me?�� Lin Da was surprised.


    Their conversation attracted the attention of many passersby waiting in line behind them.


    Whispers reached Lin Da��s ears:


    ��Isn��t that Lin Da, the Adventure Team Leader who was on the cover of Adventurer��s Weekly, hailed as the star of tomorrow in White Dove City? Why is he using his maid��s money?��


    ��Impossible, would Lin Da lack money?��


    ��With Captain Lin Da��s style, he would only give his maid a raise, not spend her money.��


    The whispers lashed at Lin Da��s pride, making his hand, which had stretched out to receive the Savings Card, stiffen in his pocket.


    Lin Da��s face reddened as he said, ��No need, keep it for yourself. As your master, I am supposed to pay you.��


    Tasya bowed slightly: ��I shall obey the master��s orders.��


    Of course, if the day came when the finances of Phoenix Tail Flower were in dire straits, Lin Da would still borrow it.


    It would stay with Tasya for now.


    ��


    The group left the shop, carrying bags with the bathrobes.


    It was growing late, but the commercial street was still brightly lit.


    This was the busiest street in White Dove City, where major businesses, brand-name stores, and Elf race-run gold diggers�� dens were located.


    On the road there were throngs of pedestrians, Elves, Beastmen, humans with various colored hair, and horse-drawn carriages passing by�� weaving a lively tapestry.


    There were only three days left until the annual Winter Festival.


    Even though it hadn��t started, you could already feel the festive atmosphere on the street.


    Every storefront was adorned with a ��harvest tree��, and it was decorated with fairy lights. It was a decorative piece modeled on the World Tree but scaled down.


    The harvest trees were embellished with many candies, jerky, and children under ten could freely pick food from them, but they had to eat it on the spot.


    Seasonal specialties were also on sale, such as cream bear jerky, cheese rice cakes, and sugar apples��


    People put on new clothes en masse, extravagantly spending the Gold Coins they had saved up all year round.


    Businesses made as much in the week before and after the Winter Festival as they usually did in two months.


    Many adventurers not seen all year returned from the wilds or other cities to boast in taverns about the exotic Magical Equipment they brought back and the outlandish tales that were hard to verify as true or false.


    These included Magic that could turn cats into beauties, forests filled with golden trees, tamed purebred Succubi, and even taking advantage of one��s good looks to get free services��


    The listeners in the tavern turned green with envy, coveting the tales intensely.


    Only the wise noticed that those boasting often wore sweaters unraveling at the seams and boots that were merely of a blue rare-level Magical Equipment.


    Everyone was preparing for the upcoming Winter Festival in their own way.


    In the blink of an eye, it was the night before the festival.


    ��Eek!��


    In her dream, Monica was sobbing and holding her butt, completely drained of strength and clumsily collapsed on the floor.


    But Monica��s figure was too good, her stomach didn��t make contact with the ground at all.


    Because she failed to complete the 1000 push-ups demanded by Dark Shadow, Monica��s butt was nearly swollen from being spanked.


    ��No effort, and you still want to become an excellent adventurer?��


    ��Continue doing it!��


    ��Move your waist! Don��t stop your hands! Put in effort and move!��


    Lin Da suppressed his reluctance, and a Whip of Pain materialized in his hand, which snapped sharply on Monica��s petite behind.


    ��Wu wu wu.�� Monica whimpered in pain, tears streaked across her little face, and under Lin Da��s intimidation, she fearfully propped herself up again, her behind trembling like a sieve.


    ��998��999��1100!��


    Finally, Monica completed the last push-up.


    ��Well done.��


    ��Fitting for an excellent member of my team.��


    Lin Da squat down and performed a head pat on Monica.


    Monica, wary of the Dark Shadow��s version of Lin Da, said timidly, ��Th-thank you, Lord Captain.��


    ��I��m looking forward to Monica��s yukata at tomorrow��s fireworks festival.��


    ��Eh? Does the captain in the dream also know what��s happening in reality?��


    ��Cough cough cough, because I am omnipotent.��


    Lin Da realized his slip-up and hurriedly ended the dream instruction.


    After 1000 push-ups, an experience voucher worth 300,000 had completely absorbed into Monica��s body.


    A beam of golden light fell upon Monica.


    ��Wow����


    The girl whispered in astonishment, and before she could ask Lin Da what was happening, she was sent out of the dream.


    In a bright yellow, cozy boudoir, Monica woke up, clutching her large yellow duck pillow, still dazed.


    She closed her eyes to feel the Magic Strength inside her body and, incredulously, thought: She had leveled up from level 26 to level 28.

 Chapter 320 - 320: 279, Winter Festival and the Knights Daughter_2

    Chapter 320: 279, Winter Festival and the Knight��s Daughter_2


    ��Captain, you��re just too amazing!��


    Monica��s admiration for Lin Da grew even more.


    That night, only Lin Da slept soundly.


    If you��re looking for the reason, it��s probably because Lin Da, having consumed a Bronze Level Fruit of the World Tree, had incredibly good luck and gained 2 Skill Points.


    Usually, it would take leveling up twice to acquire 2 Skill Points, but now he got them so easily that he couldn��t help but wonder if he was a favored one by fortune.


    With that, he had a total of 6 remaining Skill Points.


    ...


    His Experience Points also surged by thirty thousand in three days, thanks to consuming the Fruits of the World Tree.


    Plus, venturing out to defeat some Magical Creatures and fitting in some training whenever he thought of it��


    Lin Da��s experience bar at level 26 came to 33,301/250,000.


    His Mystical Points were over 120 thousand.


    One more step closer to Star Rank.


    When he heard at the victory banquet that Abner was stuck at the 19th level ��gate��, Lin Da had some other ideas.


    Like having the Phoenix Tail Flowers break the gate.


    Like helping the White Dove Adventure Team.


    But in the end, Lin Da gave up on these ideas.


    In the game storyline, the potential of the White Dove Adventure Team was enormous; they would settle in the Royal Capital in the future, and their strength would become renowned throughout the empire.


    It��s best for him not to interfere and let them develop freely.


    Otherwise, it could end up like Lia.


    Under Lin Da��s meticulous strategy, she might turn into a mindless, arrogant spirit.


    Totally different from the mature and beautiful ��Bursting Flames�� in the game.


    ��Speaking of which, Lia hasn��t forgotten, right?��


    ��We agreed when we came out from the Epic Monster expedition, that we would all go to the fireworks festival together.��


    Lin Da thought silently to himself as he looked out the night sky from his window.


    Deep into the night.


    The full moon hung high in the sky.


    That night, apart from Lin Da, none of the others slept well.


    Lulu was nervous about tomorrow��s fireworks festival; even though Lin Da had complimented how lovely she looked in a yukata, she still worried about wearing it incorrectly��the yukata was difficult to put on with its numerous accessories, and it had been dressed by the shop assistants when she bought it.


    And Monica, thinking of the teeming crowds at the Winter Festival, had her social anxiety flare up, curling up and trembling in her bed.


    Tasya tossed and turned in her room all night.


    When it finally came time to take off her maid outfit that had self-cleaning features and had been worn for three years, Tasya hesitated again.


    The cold and ruthless Dark Shadow, or Lin Da who treated his team members well and was stable and gentle�� Who was truly her master?


    As for the last member of Phoenix Tail, Kafni was not going to the fireworks festival.


    Kafni told Lin Da that she needed to rest.


    But Lin Da always felt that Kafni had been sneaking around lately, zigzagging through the alleys, disappearing into odd places, and returning only in the dead of night.


    Once he found out that there was a ��Muscle Frenzy Bar�� nearby.


    Apparently, a lot of gay men liked to go there.


    It probably had nothing to do with Kafni.


    After all, before Kafni became a girl, she claimed to be all man.


    ��


    Aside from Phoenix Tail, in the rooms of Snow Goose and Ice Flower, two girls also had trouble sleeping.


    Lin Da had yet to realize that his invitation the other day had led to a misunderstanding by the two girls.


    He had invited the ��Ice Flower�� and ��Snow Goose�� teams.


    Not Isa and Lia individually!


    They had all misunderstood.


    Thinking that Lin Da had some ��sort of intention��.


    Winter Festival was also a couple��s holiday.


    It was said that the hookup rate on that day could reach 90%!


    Although Isa and Lia were inexperienced, they were aware of this kind of common knowledge.


    They worried Lin Da might have unscrupulous intentions, lusting after their bodies!


    Even so.


    Even so�� they still accepted Lin Da��s invitation.


    In a room all white, clean and simple��a girl��s boudoir��


    Isa looked dazedly at the yukata on the table, silently deciding that this time she had to set clear boundaries with Lin Da. sea??h th�� Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She would express her feelings to Lin Da, get rejected harshly, and cut off these unrealistic hopes.


    Isa believed that, with Lin Da��s reputation and the level of affection he showed Lulu, he would surely reject her.


    Then she could finally give up, focusing all her energy on the adventure team.


    Isa thought that she might never meet an adventurer like Lin Da again.


    Ever since kindergarten, Isa knew people were making sly comments that she would never get married.


    Those people thought that she, always at the top of her class every year, was too outstanding, too ambitious, and that she would surely be unable to marry when she grew up!


    I never expected they��d be right.


    At 25 years old�� and soon to be 26 after the Winter Festival, Isa was still a pitifully single woman!


    Isa pursed her lips, picked up the carefully chosen bathrobe, and looked toward the trash can with a surge of impulse inside her��she was bound to be rejected by Lin Da one day or another, so what was the point of wearing such things?


    Lin Da��s gaze was always fixed on Lulu, Lia, and the others anyway. With so many girls around, he wouldn��t even notice her, whether she wore the bathrobe or not.


    Besides, Isa was what Fannis called a ��flat-chested captain.�� She really didn��t have much to show off. Wearing a loose bathrobe would only make it more of a magnifying glass moment!


    Isa bit her lip, her right hand clutching the bathrobe, and with all her might, she threw it away.


    Such things were completely unnecessary!


    Yet.


    Images that could only seemingly appear if a miracle happened floated through Isa��s mind.


    It was Lin Da praising her, saying she looked very cute in the bathrobe.


    Even though she was flat-chested��


    Isa slumped down in her chair.


    She realized her right hand was still clutching the bathrobe tightly, not having let go at all.


    Even Isa herself wasn��t clear if she could calmly accept Lin Da��s rejection tomorrow.


    ��If I cry, I��ll bring shame upon the Ice Flower Adventure Team. I��m about to become the captain of an Iron Level adventure team, so I cannot afford to lose face like that.��


    Isa wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and showed a smile full of propriety in the mirror.


    As the daughter of a knight, she couldn��t lose her composure on any occasion.


    Calm, confident, composed.


    That was the daughter of a knight, the captain of the Ice Flower Adventure Team, Isa.


    ��


    Late at night, in the villa of the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Lia had a nightmare in her room, her small face twisted in agony, forehead slicked with sweat.


    ����Lia, these are my wives, you should stop contacting me from now on, I��ll be busy making babies with them.��


    ��Making babies, won��t you go on adventures anymore?��


    ��What��s the fun in adventuring? I��ve already earned enough gold coins, from now on I��ll enjoy life with them. Goodbye, Lia, I��m off to settle down in a rich city.��


    ��Lin Da, Lin Da, come back, I haven��t defeated you yet!��


    ��Come back, come back quickly!��


    Lia chased the carriage, stumbling and tottering.


    Ugh!


    Gasping as if she were suffocating underwater, Lia opened her eyes and sat up with a start.


    Only then did she realize that everything that just happened was a dream.


    She��d dreamt that Lin Da married all the members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    He cut ties with her and left White Dove City to live elsewhere.


    Wiping the cold sweat from her forehead, Lia was still shaken.


    The unfamiliar expression on Lin Da��s face in the dream loomed before her eyes.


    Kissing his wives one by one right in front of her!


    Lia seemed to understand where her anxiety these past few days was coming from.


    She couldn��t bear to imagine Lin Da being taken by someone else, severing all ties with her.


    ��I should confirm it,�� Lia murmured to herself, clutching at her chest, ��whether Lin Da still likes me or not.��


    At least while Lin Da hadn��t left Snow Goose, Lia could almost certainly, or at least ninety percent sure, determine that Lin Da had some feelings for her.


    But now, she couldn��t quite see through Lin Da.


    This night seemed especially long.


    The girls spent it immersed in their respective sorrows.


    Finally, came the next day at noon.


    The agreed time to meet.


    ��Happy Winter Festival.��


    ��Wishing you all Epic loot in the new year!��


    ��Happy holidays!��


    There was cheerfulness in every street and alley.


    It wasn��t even evening yet, but some children had already started setting off miniature handheld fireworks.


    The spacious commercial streets of the Inner City District were incredibly congested today.


    Everyone swapped their everyday clothes for bathrobes and wished each other happy holidays.


    Women carried handbags and were dressed to the nines.


    ��Candied apples, fresh out of the pot, 10 copper coins each!��


    ��Cheese chocolate bananas, get them before they��re gone!��


    ��Roasted sweet potatoes, mommy, I want a big roasted sweet potato, eat, eat the big one!��


    Adventurers attracted by the savory smells crowded in front of each stall.


    The shops were also packed to the brim.


    Whether it was a clothing, equipment, or jewelry stores, all held sales events today, bustling with activity.

 Chapter 321 - 321: 280, Amusement Park and Gifts

    Chapter 321: 280, Amusement Park and Gifts


    Noon, the sun hung high above, providing a hint of warmth to everyone in the cold winter.


    In a private room at a cafe.


    Lin Da had changed into a dark cyan yukata, wearing the ��Great Sea Clear Sky�� brand watch gifted by Isa on his wrist, wooden clogs on his feet, and his hands tucked into his sleeves, giving off a relaxed and comfortable vibe.


    He had managed to reserve this private room a month in advance.


    The hall downstairs was bustling with people, so it was rare to have some tranquility in a private room.


    This was the prearranged meeting spot for them.


    ...


    Lin Da, wearing a smile, turned to his team members sitting on the couch.


    Monica wore an orange yukata with a huge white bow-shaped hair clip in her brown hair; she was shyly clutching her purse with both hands.


    She looked so pure and lovely that Lin Da felt a surge of protectiveness.


    Then there was Lulu, in a mature blue yukata decorated with small white flowers that added a touch of charm, quietly sipping her coffee.


    Kafni needed rest and hadn��t come. But Tasya, why was there no sign of her?


    Lin Da wondered to himself.


    That morning, he had seen Tasya dressed in her maid uniform.


    Had his first lesson been a failure?


    Lin Da glanced at the watch on his wrist, with only about 10 minutes left to the agreed 12 o��clock.


    Ice Flower and Snow Goose were still nowhere to be seen.


    The latter he could understand, but Isa was usually punctual.


    ��Let��s not wait for them, let��s go on our own,�� Lulu suggested.


    Lin Da shook his head, ��Let��s wait a bit longer, the roads must have been too congested.��


    With one minute to go until 12 o��clock, the door to the private room was abruptly pushed open.


    ��Huff, huff��I��m not late, right����


    ��Made it, just in time!��


    Two girls, one silver and one red, each leaned against a wall, panting heavily.


    They were drenched in sweat, with their yukatas wrinkled as though they had been through a battle on their way to the cafe.


    ��What happened to you?��


    Lin Da asked in surprise.


    ��Sorry, the traffic was worse than expected. After running into Lia, she insisted on seeing who could get here first, so we competed a bit��looks like it��s a tie,�� Isa said with an embarrassed smile, looking at her somewhat dirty white yukata, and added sheepishly, ��Lin Da, I��ve made a fool of myself.��


    Lia��s little face was stern: ��I wasn��t late. Let��s get going!��


    ��No rush, wait a moment,�� Lin Da said.


    The members of Ice Flower and Snow Goose hadn��t arrived yet.


    Of course, Lin Da was unaware that Lia and Isa hadn��t notified their team members at all.


    At that moment, Lin Da��s attention was on the two girls�� attire.


    Isa wore a white yukata, like a pure blossom unmarred by mud, while Lia��s yukata was fiery red, adorned with many flame embroideries, her red hair pinned up, with a jade peony hairpin.


    The girls revealed their snow-white necks, their faces lightly made up, pink lipstick shining with a jelly-like luster, and paired with that peony hairpin, they unexpectedly exuded a delicate charm.


    Lin Da suddenly realized that Lia had grown into a fresh and vivacious young girl.


    ��You both look very pretty,�� Lin Da commented simply and sincerely.


    Isa smiled graciously: ��Thank you for the compliment.��


    But a flicker of panic crossed Lia��s eyes, not expecting Lin Da to be so blunt.


    She had intended to respond with a hard retort, but when the words reached her lips, it turned into a soft ��Hmm,�� as her black-stockinged feet fidgeted.


    Suddenly, Lia felt that today��s sun seemed a lot brighter and even the bitter smell of coffee carried a hint of richness.


    ��That hairpin���� Lin Da hesitated, ��looks familiar.��


    ��It��s one you gave me before,�� Lia said, ��I figured I should use it instead of throwing it away.��


    The other three people in the private room turned in surprise toward the hairpin in Lia��s hair.


    It was a gift from Lin Da?


    Aside from Monica, who had received a Magic Puppet, neither Lulu nor Isa had ever received a gift from Lin Da.


    A wave of jealousy permeated the private room.


    Lin Da, sensing the atmosphere was amiss, quickly added, ��Actually, it didn��t cost much, just 10 Gold Coins.��


    ��Monica wants one too.��


    ��So do I,�� Lulu looked at Lin Da with lingering dissatisfaction.


    Isa, seeing her teammates from Phoenix Tail Flower Team having such an intimate moment, opened her mouth to speak but then swallowed her words back down.


    ��Then I want one as well,�� Lia bravely joined the ranks demanding gifts.


    Seeing Lia��s boldness, or rather ��shamelessness��, in asking an ousted team member for gifts, Isa was astonished and felt a tinge of envy.


    Sometimes, it��s good not to be too well-mannered.


    At least one doesn��t have to be overly concerned.


    If she had even a tenth of Lia��s courage, she wouldn��t be so conflicted.


    ��Buy, I��ll buy them for everyone,�� Lin Da massaged his temples and turned to Isa, who stood somewhat out of place, jokingly adding, ��Captain Isa, you��re included as well.�� S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was the [Snack Theorem]��if you give to most people and only one person is excluded, even without any malice, it leaves a negative memory with the person left out.


    And Lin Da certainly didn��t dislike Isa.


    Of course, everyone was to get a share.


    Isa bowed her head shyly: ��Thank, thank you,�� she said.


    Seeing Isa��s uncomfortable expression, everyone was puzzled. It seemed that the captain of Ice Flower was a bit off.


    ��By the way, where are your team members? Why haven��t they come over yet?�� Lin Da looked at the time; it was already several minutes past the hour.


    ��Team members?�� Lia was confused for a moment, then said hesitantly, ��You, you didn��t just invite the two of us?��


    ��Huh?�� Lin Da was startled.


    This left Lia and Isa feeling extremely awkward.


    So Lin Da had invited their entire adventure team.

 Chapter 322 - 322: 280, Amusement Park and Gift_2

    Chapter 322: 280, Amusement Park and Gift_2


    ��So, where are they now?��


    ��They��re at Snow Goose��s villa, having fun.��


    ��Fannis and the others went to South Rock City for a trip.��


    Both of them responded separately.


    ��Well, can��t be helped, let��s go, just us, we won��t call them.��


    Lin Da shook his head helplessly, grabbed Monica��s soft little hand, ��Let��s set off.��


    ...


    A few people filed out of the caf��.


    When Lin Da and a group of girls appeared on the street, they immediately became the focus of the crowd.


    Envious glances were cast towards Lin Da.


    ��Who��s that guy, how can he be leading a group of such cute beauties?��


    ��Ha, you��re such a country bumpkin. That��s Lin Da from White Dove City, ��The Eye of True Knowledge.�� Who doesn��t know him now? He��s a top adventurer who��s been on the cover of Adventurer��s Weekly!��


    ��Hiss, so that��s Captain Lin Da. I��ve heard the rumors, but it��s my first time seeing him in person, and he��s way handsomer than in the newspaper photos.��


    ��If it��s Captain Lin Da surrounded by beauties, then it makes sense.��


    The crowd��s jealousy turned into admiration and respect.


    Others with beauties, no good.


    Lin Da with beauties, all good!


    However, Lin Da was still feeling uncomfortable, as every move he made in the crowd was specially noticed. It seemed he even spotted the journalist Kami hiding behind a trash can?


    Lin Da thought, all those scandalous headlines, silver-party news were spread by Kami. If he caught Kami, he��d have to teach him a lesson to stop the journalist from making up stories every day.


    Silver parties, he��d never thrown even one!


    All fake news!


    While adjusting to the attention of the crowd, Lin Da selected gifts at a small jewelry stall.


    He bought Monica a panda munching on bamboo stuffed toy and got Lulu a blue ice jade bracelet.


    For Isa and Lia, he chose a hat for each.


    Don��t misunderstand, not green hats, but the fashionable berets that are popular this year.


    Designed by Bellini, a master designer from the Elf race, the new autumn and winter model premiers warmth and fashion, along with lavishly designed fonts, at first glance they look a bit like Elvish in English, and they quickly became a hot-selling style.


    ��The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence,�� this saying also holds true in Another World. Apparently, having clothes inscribed with Elvish script that most people don��t recognize seems to make them appear higher-end. After all, only the rich have the luxury to learn Elvish, and the prevailing trend in White Dove City is the genuine local dialect.


    Lin Da placed the black beret on Lia��s head, and the white one he helped Isa put on.


    It��s just that it didn��t quite match the yukata. S��ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It also messed up Lia��s hair, and she glared at him grumpily. But at least she didn��t draw her sword on him, and instead, Lia put the hat into her Space Ring.


    ��Thank you for the gift.�� Isa��s expression was serious, ��I will cherish it.��


    This made Lin Da a bit embarrassed, ��It��s just a hat, in the future, I��ll give you even more.��


    ��What do you mean by that?!��


    ��Don��t people exchange gifts with friends every White Gratitude Festival, like chocolates and things? Don��t tell me I��m the only one who sees Isa as a friend?��


    ��That��s not it, we are�� indeed friends.��


    By the end of her words, Isa��s eyes dimmed slightly.


    She took the hat off, carefully placed it in a paper bag, and only then put it into her Space Ring, treating it as if it were a very precious piece of Magical Equipment.


    But Lin Da had only spent 5 silver coins on the hat.


    Lin Da thought it was just Isa��s nature.


    No matter who gave Isa a gift, she would treat it seriously.


    However, nobody knew the real reason.


    Isa treated the beret as a farewell gift from Lin Da.


    Future White Gratitude Festivals would have nothing to do with her, as she would try to stay away from Lin Da and focus on the Ice Flower Adventure Team.


    ��Hey, are you ill?�� Lia frowned at Isa, showing concern in her own way for this old rival.


    ��I might have caught a cold,�� Isa said with a dismissive smile.


    ��Is that so����


    After buying gifts, the group wandered around the shopping district, munching on various snacks.


    Before they knew it, dusk had arrived.


    Lia, licking her candied apple, suggested, ��Let��s go to Swan Amusement Park. There��s a hill there with a great view, I heard it��s the best spot to watch the fireworks display.��


    Lulu nodded too, ��I read in the newspaper that there are a lot of interesting shops in the park.��


    She didn��t finish the sentence.


    Those shops were basically geared towards couples.


    ��Then let��s go to Swan Amusement Park.��


    Lin Da hailed a carriage and boarded it with the girls, heading towards the Swan Amusement Park in the suburbs.


    ��Eh, is that����


    Sitting by the window, Lulu caught sight of a silver-haired maid in a black kimono, looking flustered and seemingly searching for something behind the carriage.


    No.


    She could no longer be called a maid.


    Tasya had changed out of her bulky maid outfit and into the black kimono chosen by Lin Da.


    Her striking face was full of urgency as she bit her lip, standing amidst the crowd, scanning her surroundings for the sight of someone.


    Tasya was holding a handbag, within which the corner of a blue scarf was faintly visible.


    There was a chibi embroidery on it.


    It was Lin Da and Dark Shadow leaning back to back; one bathed in light while the other held a magic sword, concealed in the shadows.


    It certainly wasn��t bought from a store.


    It was handmade!


    Lulu immediately realized that this was a scarf Tasya had knitted for Lin Da herself!


    ��What��s wrong?�� Lin Da, seeing Lulu continuously looking outside, couldn��t help but ask.


    Lulu closed the curtain and said, ��Nothing, just saw a turtle, that��s all.��


    ��A turtle?��


    Lin Da curiously looked outside.


    But by then, Tasya had already been swallowed up by the dense crowd behind them.


    ��


    After a full hour, they finally reached the Swan Amusement Park in the suburbs.


    ��It��s so congested, usually it would only take twenty minutes,�� Lin Da remarked.


    ��It��s been a long time since I��ve been out to play,�� Lia said as she hopped down from the carriage, looking up at the park ahead.


    There was a huge arch with a white swan carved on it, its wings spread as if about to take flight.


    As the sky darkened, the array inside the swan activated, releasing a gleaming white light, enchantingly beautiful, as if it would soar into the sky at any moment.


    Behind the arch in the park were couples, families with kids, laughter and joyful sounds echoing around.


    Ferris wheel, merry-go-round, musical fountain, roller coaster��


    Lia had never experienced any of them.


    The young girl, standing in front of the arch, reflected the colorful lights of the amusement park in her eyes, her figure stretched long, her shoulders drooping slightly.


    In her childhood, Lia and Bellini depended on each other in the slums, until they were picked up by the Bloody Baron. Lia, to avoid the disdain of The Mandalas, immersed herself in training, practicing her swordsmanship diligently.


    Her only pleasures were eating sweets and occasionally drinking wheat beer.


    These amusements, which were common sights for the kids in the city, were totally alien to Lia.


    Although she was not particularly short of money after becoming an adventurer, Lia never thought about wasting time in such places.


    As Lia looked up at the amusement park, with an inexplicable mist forming in her eyes, she felt rather pitiful: how had she never enjoyed these, the very captain of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, yet a genuine bumpkin.


    ��Yeah, it��s been a long time since we��ve been out to play,�� Lin Da walked up beside Lia, looking at the dazzling lights in the amusement park with a rush of mixed emotions.


    Lia��s face drooped, ��Aren��t I just a country bumpkin for never having been to an amusement park before?��


    ��So what if you are,�� Lin Da said, amused, ��If that��s the case, we��re all country bumpkins.��


    Monica and Lulu also nodded in agreement.


    ��What do you mean?�� Lia looked at them incredulously.


    Lin Da: ��This place, I haven��t been here either.��


    ��You��re lying.��


    ��There��s no need to lie to you.��


    ��If you��ve never gone before, then we��ll go now.��


    Lin Da grabbed Lia��s wrist.


    The girl was momentarily taken aback.


    She looked down at the spot where Lin Da��s grasp was, slightly distracted.


    Was Lin Da holding her hand?


    She couldn��t remember the last time that happened�� or the time before.


    Lulu and the others quickly followed.


    Together, they entered the amusement park.


    Lia thought, from now on, no one could call her a country bumpkin anymore.

 Chapter 323 - 323: 281, Lia confesses, but I like everyone.

    Chapter 323: 281, Lia confesses, but I like everyone.


    That night, they rode every single attraction in the amusement park.


    But Lia didn��t seem very excited. There are some things that once missed, even if you try to make up for later, can never be retained. Roller coasters, Ferris wheels�� The young Lia who could have ridden these would probably have been so happy she couldn��t sleep all night. But now, having grown into a Level 28 adventurer, the leader of the Snow Goose team, Lia, sitting on them, only felt ��Oh, so this is it.��


    After getting off the Ferris wheel, Lia noticed that there were very few children among the visitors; most were couples in pairs.


    Only then did Lia realize that she had the wrong idea. The amusement park on a winter festival evening is not a place for children to have fun; it��s actually a dating hotspot!


    Looking at the night view of White Dove City through the glass on the Ferris wheel, silently enjoying a space all to themselves, that was the real joy of the amusement park.


    Lia glanced at Lin Da without showing any emotion. Since they entered the amusement park, Lin Da had been holding Monica��s hand the whole time.


    ...


    Some inexplicable impulse compelled Lia to reach out her hand and touch Lin Da��s free left hand.


    Just at that moment. S��ar?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Lord, we haven��t tried that one yet!��


    Monica, pointing at a pumpkin-shaped building ahead, said expectantly, ��It��s the Haunted House, Lord. Shouldn��t we go and play there?��


    A giant pumpkin with a wide bloody mouth and eyes flickering with green ghastly light, with a swarm of bats flying out of it.


    A twisted and bloody sign hung above the big mouth of the pumpkin: [Evil Pumpkin Castle]!


    There were a lot of people in line; it looked quite popular.


    ��Let��s go have a look.��


    Lin Da and the others walked over.


    Half an hour later, they finally arrived at the entrance.


    ��Please draw lots to decide the order of entry, it��s in pairs.��


    A young lady dressed like a wizard, wearing a huge black hat, handed over a sweet smile with the draw box to Lin Da and the others.


    They each drew a sphere from inside.


    The result was that Isa and Monica were a pair.


    Lin Da and Lia were a pair.


    Lulu, unfortunately, got a bye and was alone.


    ��I didn��t get paired with the leader.�� Monica murmured softly.


    All four girls present, except Lia, showed a flash of disappointment in their eyes.


    Isa quickly composed herself, bent over and reached out to Monica, ��Big sis will protect you, let��s go in together.��


    ��Mhm.�� Monica blinked and was led into the Evil Pumpkin Castle by Isa.


    After waiting a moment, it was Lulu��s turn.


    Lulu noticed Lin Da��s worried gaze and said, ��Don��t worry about me, this kind of Haunted House can only scare three-year-olds.��


    As Lulu also entered the Pumpkin Castle, after waiting a short while, the young lady reminded Lin Da, ��It��s your turn now.��


    ��Let��s go.�� Lin Da said to Lia.


    ��Ah�� right.�� Lia absentmindedly replied, her head bowed in thought.


    ��Please wait a moment.��


    The young lady tapped on the blackboard reluctantly, ��The rules are there, right? To enter the Evil Pumpkin Castle in pairs, you must hold hands. There are many Illusion Magic Circles inside, and if you don��t do this, you can easily lose each other, lost within!��


    ��If you get too scared, just open this magic scroll, and the staff will come to rescue you.��


    The lady handed over a scroll the size of a thumb to Lin Da and Lia.


    ��Thank you.��


    Lin Da looked at Lia and hesitated, ��If you don��t want to, we don��t have to go.��


    ��We��re already here.�� Lia shook her head and reached out her hand.


    Delicate fingers, nails painted pink and tender, it was hard to imagine they belonged to a swordsman.


    Lin Da held Lia��s hand in his.


    Tiny and exquisite, with a faint warmth, he could clearly feel the softness of her fingertips pressing into his palm.


    The noise around them seemed to disappear, the area grew exceptionally quiet, and only Lia��s small hand remained.


    Lin Da��s mindset when leading Monica was primarily that of protecting a team member, but what was this tingling sensation now? Lin Da looked at Lia in surprise, and after staring for too long, Lia sensed it and lifted her head to meet his gaze. Her face was flushed, a stark contrast to her normally tough demeanor, giving her an unexpectedly cute look.


    What, he found Lia cute? There must be something wrong with his head!


    Lin Da noticed the working lady covering her mouth and giggling. He coughed, ��Let��s go in, don��t keep the people behind us waiting.��


    ��Right.��


    Lia nodded.


    Inside was a pitch-black gallery, as if entering the depths of a cave.


    There was water at their feet, and droplets fell from above, sometimes catching them by surprise as they landed on their necks, chilly to the bone.


    The Illusion Magic Circles were done very realistically.


    Above their heads were many round green Fluorescent Stones, whose faint light barely illuminated the path. Even with them so close to each other, they could only see one another��s blurry profiles.


    Walking in the cave, a sense of tranquility emerged.


    There was no better opportunity than now.


    Lia thought to herself.


    So, Lin Da heard Lia��s apology.


    ��I��m sorry.��


    ��Huh? What?��


    ��What thing is not straight? Or is it the Specter Adventure Group that can��t rise up?��


    Lin Da was left with three question marks above his head.


    The cave was only lit by the glow worm-like weak green light, Lia��s profile was vague, and the only thing Lin Da could distinctly feel was the strangeness in the palm of his hand.


    Lia��s hand was very tense, her heartbeat transmitted through her vessels to Lin Da, making him nervous as well.


    Could it be that what Lia had just said was those three words?


    Lia took a deep breath and repeated, ��I mean, I��m sorry for kicking you out of the team.��

 Chapter 324 - 324: 281, Lia confesses, but I like everyone_2

    Chapter 324: 281, Lia confesses, but I like everyone_2


    Lin Da remained silent for a long time.


    Drops of water from the cave ceiling dripped down continuously, their echoes lingering.


    ��Hmm.��


    After a series of events, Lin Da had long harbored no resentment towards Lia. It was Lia, the ��failure,�� who had taught him how to interact with his team members.


    Lin Da had learned many lessons about being an adventure team leader from Lia.


    Lessons in failure.


    ...


    He could avoid the pitfalls Lia had stumbled into.


    ��Having spent three years with Snow Goose, I have no regrets,�� Lin Da said.


    ��What? You��re not angry?�� Lia looked up, surprised.


    ��Of course I was angry,�� Lin Da chuckled wryly, ��Worrying too much, fearing the team leader might fall under the claws of Magical Creatures. Reckless, proud, arrogant, and flat-chested����


    Lia��s face darkened, and she huffed, ��Then why did you stay for three years before you quit?��


    ��Despite all the flaws�� she might become a great adventure team leader in the future.��


    ��And it��s not all flaws, she protects her teammates in her own way.��


    In the cave, Lin Da��s voice flowed like a clear spring.


    A bitter feeling welled up in Lia��s chest, her eyes burning.


    She hadn��t expected Lin Da to see her this way.


    Despite everything she had done to him, Lin Da could still speak of her strengths.


    All she had thought about was how to defeat Lin Da, humiliate him, and she almost wished the whole continent knew leaving the team was a wrong decision by Lin Da.


    Her magnanimity paled in comparison to Lin Da��s!


    Lia sucked in a breath through her stifled nose, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.


    As they left the cave.


    In a corner, Isa and Monica appeared.


    Isa, holding Monica��s hand, silently watched the backs of Lin Da and his companion.


    ��Is the Lord going to be with Lia��?��


    Monica��s heart tightened.


    She spread her fingers, counting for Lin Da.


    Fortunately, people have two hands.


    Otherwise, she wouldn��t have been able to count it!


    Monica looked at the dazed Isa, then at the distant Lia, saying, ��Isa, sister, I support you!��


    ��Huh?�� Isa snapped back to reality, blinking.


    What did that mean?


    In another place.


    Lin Da and his companion walked out smoothly.


    The Evil Pumpkin Castle, which could scare regular adventurers witless, was nothing more than child��s play to them.


    In terms of courage, the two were quite alike.


    Passing through a jungle simulated by an Array, a glowing sign appeared ahead, with the word [EXIT] written on it.


    At the exit, two clown-like automata pulled open sprays of confetti, ribbons falling on Lin Da and his companion as the automata shouted, ��Congratulations to the two brave warriors for passing through Evil Pumpkin Castle!��


    ��Not scary.��


    Lin Da commented.


    Lia hummed, ��It��s less interesting than hunting Magical Creatures.��


    Upon leaving the Pumpkin Castle, outside was a tranquil little grove, with night lamps placed not too far apart, and many couples sitting on the benches beside them.


    Lin Da realized it was time to let go of the hand, now that the haunted house adventure was over.


    But when he tried to pull away, he couldn��t.


    He reminded, ��You don��t have to follow the rules now that we��re out of the haunted house.��


    ��Just a little longer����


    Lia lowered her head and nudged a pebble on the ground with her toe, her voice tiny, like the whine of a mosquito.


    This was a far cry from her usual clear, loud voice.


    ��What, you��re in debt again?�� Lin Da questioned without a hint of mockery, ��After hunting the Epic Monster, I already gave you the reward of 310,000 Gold Coins, plus a level 25 orange-quality Great Sword. That should have covered your debts, right?��


    ��Still a bit short,�� Lia mumbled unclearly.


    ��I��ve been meaning to ask since the last party���� Lia��s voice trembled slightly, ��Lin Da, have you ever, liked me?��


    The two had just walked into the deeper part of the grove, a profoundly dark place, devoid of people.


    Only the bright moonlight pierced through the canopy, scattering patches of light on the ground.


    Lin Da pondered seriously.


    ��Yes.��


    ��What?��


    Snow Goose gasped.


    ��It��s not just you.��


    Lin Da laughed and said, ��Lin Xi, Aiko, Klrona, Klyne, Oru�� I like them all.��


    Lia��s eyes widened, she shook her head and said, ��Not that kind of like.��


    She tilted her head upward, looking at Lin Da.


    The peony flower hairpin in her red hair added a touch of maturity to her, her kimono neckline had unknowingly loosened slightly, revealing a clavicle as exquisite as art.


    The girl��s other hand trembled as she clutched her handbag, from which Lin Da caught a glimpse of makeup completely unrelated to Lia��s personality, and a fine ��Great Sea Clear Sky�� brand wristwatch that seemed to match the one she had gifted him.


    But today, Lin Da was wearing the one given by Isa, or maybe for that reason, Lia had put it into her handbag.


    A flicker of realization crossed Lin Da��s mind.


    So that was it.


    Lia��s whims were based on her assumption that he liked her, that he was her devoted admirer!


    When he first joined the team, Lin Da probably did have some feelings for this young girl.


    The valiant figure she cut while battling with a great sword, the splashing glow of her fire-red Battle Qi, was very dashing and cool.


    Not to mention Lin Da��s favorite feature: her black silk long legs.


    But now��


    It��s complicated.


    Some people, the more you hang out with them, the more they become just a teammate. S��ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da seriously pondered the image of him overpowering Lia, only to find it embarrassingly unfeasible.


    It was simply too familiar, and he couldn��t go through with it.


    ��Wuwuwu, Team Leader is so scary inside the Haunted House.��


    A rustling sound came from the bushes, and Monica and Isa emerged.


    ��Lin Da, what are you guys doing?��


    Isa clenched her fists and asked in a ��surprised�� voice.


    Lin Da and Lia, like people caught secretly trading Dream Herb by the Knights Order, instinctively jumped apart.


    Although nothing had happened, it was better not to be misunderstood.


    The ambiguous atmosphere instantly dissipated.


    Lia discreetly glanced at Lin Da, noticing that he was not planning to respond to the earlier topic, and a flash of disappointment crossed her face.


    ��Let��s go, we haven��t found Lulu yet.�� Isa looked at them with complex eyes.


    Eventually, the four waited outside Pumpkin Castle for half an hour before a pale, weak-legged Lulu appeared.


    ��Spiders, inside, so many spiders.��


    Lulu wiped the cold sweat from her forehead, still terrified.


    It turns out she was afraid of spiders.


    Lin Da and the others found this quite amusing.


    There was still some time before the fireworks show officially started.


    They strolled around the amusement park and discovered a shop with a unique design.


    It was a huge green turtle shell topped with a crystal ball, inside which glowing, floating letters read:


    ��Heartbeat Cottage~choo��, and a picture of a Succubus with horns on her head, sticking out her buttocks and blowing a kiss.


    Driven by curiosity, Lin Da and his companions approached.


    Near the cottage, there wasn��t a single visitor.


    Quite rare in a bustling amusement park.


    At the entrance of the turtle shell, a blackboard stood displaying an introduction and rules for entering the shop.


    [Heartbeat Cottage: Want to know his/her heartbeat level for you?


    Still worried that you are a devoted admirer?


    Perhaps he/she is only after your Gold Coins?


    Once you enter this cottage, all will be revealed!


    The cottage is fully self-service, equipped with an ��Heartbeat Test�� Array developed personally by the Elf Love Master Aimmi, costing 10 Gold Coins per person.


    Note: Devoted admirers and weak adventurers, do not enter!]


    Damn.


    Lin Da stiffened, understanding why there was no one inside.


    First off, the fee of 10 Gold Coins per person; not every adventurer was wealthy like him.


    Ordinary level-10 Magical Creatures�� Demon Cores also sell for 10 Gold Coins. Excluding those with extraordinary personal strength, this required at least a three-person, well-coordinated adventure team for successful subjugation.


    It was equivalent to spending an entire day��s salary for the whole team on an entertainment that might hit too close to home; just thinking about it seemed very uneconomical.


    Furthermore, Gold Coins aside, realizing that one is a devoted admirer could ruin their entire Winter Festival.


    Lin Da decided to name this Heartbeat Cottage the ��Devoted Admirer Breakdown Cottage.��

 Chapter 325 - 325: 282. Heartbeat index, multiple Defense Breaks (Subscribe, please subscribe!)

    Chapter 325: 282. Heartbeat index, multiple Defense Breaks (Subscribe, please subscribe!)


    Lin Da always felt that this cottage emitted a dangerous aura. He wouldn��t suffer a Defense Break by entering, but he feared that certain people would.


    He had to leave quickly.


    However, Lulu grabbed hold of him.


    The Werewolf Girl��s eyes turned toward Heartbeat Cottage, as if igniting a competitive flame, ��Since there��s still some time before the fireworks festival, why not give it a try?��


    Monica also said, ��Monica hopes to make Lord Captain��s heart race!��


    Lia coughed, ��This young lady will deign to play along.��


    ...


    ��Since everyone is saying so���� Isa bit her lip, ��I want to play, too.��


    ��Ah?��


    Lin Da looked at everyone in surprise.


    ��But, whose heart rate are we testing? The rules say we can only test one at a time.��


    Someone needed to enter the turtle-shell-shaped Heartbeat Cottage, and then the tester would make various acts, while the Array recorded the heart rate changes of the person being tested.


    The higher the heartbeat count, the higher the score received.


    All the women chimed in unison, ��Of course it��s you!��


    ��Ah, this����


    Lin Da felt a tad reluctant.


    If his heart rate for the girls from other teams was higher than that for his own teammates, wouldn��t that imply that he, as the captain, was coveting others while still enjoying his own? Sear?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No doubt it would lower his own appraisal.


    Lin Da had also promised Lulu an Oath-bound ticket.


    If his heart rate for Lulu wasn��t the highest, things seemed quite ominous.


    The biggest problem came from Monica.


    Lin Da thought that the most astringent person in Phoenix Tail Flower wasn��t the Brown-Skinned Maid, but instead the innocent and cute, yet with colossal panda, legal loli Monica!


    If Lin Da��s heart rate for Monica skyrocketed, Lulu would be disappointed in him, and Isa would look down on him.


    And Lia, that megaphone, would probably broadcast this incident throughout the city within a few days.


    This turn of events made Lin Da break out in a cold sweat!


    ��I think, let��s not go. This Heartbeat Cottage, it��s all fake. The designer, Aimmi, you all know her, just an Elf Shadow actress who��s only good-looking and nothing else.��


    Lin Da logically declined.


    ��It��s getting cold; let��s go warm up in the hall.�� He chuckled, taking Monica��s hand, hoping to leave the turtle cottage quickly.


    ��Lord Captain, play for a while,�� Monica pleaded pitifully, her voice whiny, giving Lin Da a jolt.


    No captain could resist his team��s loli member��s coquetry!


    ��Fine, let��s test. What��s there to be afraid of in the Heartbeat Cottage!��


    Lin Da impulsively agreed.


    ��Yay!��


    Monica smiled as she pushed Lin Da in.


    The other three gave Monica a thumbs-up.


    Lia thought to herself: She must make Lin Da��s heart race and fall under her pomegranate skirt.


    Considering Lin Da��s performance in the woods, he probably still liked her a lot�� eight out of ten, if not nine or ten chances!


    Perhaps Lin Da��s heart rate for her would be the highest among everyone.


    Lia, thinking of the happy possibilities, couldn��t help but put her hands on her hips and laugh proudly.


    ��Shall I go first?��


    Lia looked at the others.


    Lulu and the rest were worried about who should go first and felt a bit nervous.


    Since Lia volunteered eagerly, it was perfect for her to be the ice breaker.


    ��Hmm.�� Lulu nodded, ��We��ll let you.��


    ��Then, I won��t stand on ceremony.��


    Lia proudly walked into the turtle shell.


    ��


    ��So this is what it looks like inside.��


    Lin Da observed the interior with interest.


    The floor of Heartbeat Cottage was covered with a pink blanket depicting a somewhat ominous heart-shaped Array, which reminded Lin Da of a Succubus��s lower abdomen.


    The Holy Pattern on the stomach of a Succubus and the Array on the blanket bore some resemblance.


    The designer, Aimmi, was a star Elf actress. Lin Da had seen several of her Magic Shadows, a cute Elf Girl with golden short hair and silly sweetness.


    ��Come to think of it, Aimmi��s hometown is Cyan City in Cangqing Province. Maybe I��ll have the chance to meet her someday.��


    ��In the game, Aimmi is a character with a contrasting personality, deceitful, and would scam players who chose unhealthy options out of a large sum of money. Hopefully, her designed Array won��t lead me to crash.��


    The cottage was quiet, without outside interference, calming Lin Da��s thoughts.


    He was starting to regret it. He shouldn��t have been impulsively swayed by Monica��s act of coquetry to take the test.


    This matter was all harm to him and no good!


    Lin Da could only control his own heart rate, preferably having the heart rate for Lulu to be the highest, Monica the second, Isa third, and Lia as the caboose�� that would fit his persona best.


    Lin Da sat with a worried face on a chair that resembled a torture device.


    Next to it was a small blackboard: Test participants, please take a seat here, it��s very safe (heart).


    As Lin Da sat down, the chair sprang out four metal chains with a snap, crisscrossing and binding him to it.


    Not far from the ground, a platform with a key protruded out. After the test ended, the girls could help him unlock it.


    It was good Lin Da had many people around him.


    If it were just an ordinary couple entering the cottage, and the test subject��s heart rate was too low, they might end up stranded on the chair, crying without tears.


    ��Luckily, I have Monica. Even if the other three aren��t satisfied, Monica would still unlock the chains for me.��


    After Lin Da settled, the cabin lit up with mood lighting, the same ambiguous pink found in couple��s hotels.


    At this moment, the wooden door of the small cottage squeaked open, and a girl wearing a red yukata walked in.


    Lia closed the door, propped her chin in her hand, and coughed, ��Don��t get the wrong idea. This is just for the test. It��s fine even if your heart doesn��t race for me. After all, I don��t care.��

 Chapter 326 - 326: 282. Heartbeat Index, Multiple Defense Breaks (Subscribe, please subscribe!)_2

    Chapter 326: 282. Heartbeat Index, Multiple Defense Breaks (Subscribe, please subscribe!)_2


    ��But since it��s a competition, *cough* I naturally want to come first.��


    Under the soft pink light, Lia walked up to Lin Da and extended a hand. A trace of embarrassment appeared in her eyes, ��I allow you to hold my hand.��


    What? Just a handshake?


    Lin Da breathed a sigh of relief.


    The heart-shaped array on the blanket began to flicker, and numerals appeared on the cabin ceiling.


    Starting from zero, it probably represented Lin Da��s heartbeat index for Lia.


    ...


    Lia nervously looked up as the numbers quickly rose from 0 to 50, then 70, and finally to 90.


    Eventually, it settled on 95!


    That high?


    Lia was dumbstruck, both proud and shy. She had no idea Lin Da liked her so much!


    No wonder he was willing to be her assistant for three years!


    Phyllis, who was hired less than three months ago, had just recently submitted her resignation, which she rejected and symbolically increased Phyllis��s monthly salary by 1000 Gold Coins.


    ��Lin Da, I didn��t know you felt so�� about me.��


    Lia was too embarrassed.


    But somehow,


    she noticed Lin Da��s expression was quite plain, not surprised at all.


    Could it be that Lin Da already knew his heartbeat index for her would be high, which is why he was so resistant when Lulu dragged him into the cabin?


    With that thought, Lia felt even more embarrassed.


    95 points, just 5 points shy of 100.


    She couldn��t imagine how important she was in Lin Da��s heart.


    ��What are you thinking about?��


    Lin Da looked amused, ��You don��t think 95 is very high, do you?��


    ��95 isn��t high?��


    ��Lin Da, you��re just shy!��


    Lia frowned slightly, a bit annoyed.


    Why couldn��t Lin Da just admit it? While she wouldn��t say it out loud, Lia was very concerned about her charm. When on the streets, she would secretly compare who turned more heads, her or Aiko.


    ��Look over there.��


    Lin Da pointed toward a blackboard by the door.


    Apparently, the heartbeat index was related to the number of heartbeats.


    80-100, calm as still water.


    100-150, heart fluttering like a little deer.


    150-200, heart throbbing.


    200-250, comparable to a Beastman.


    A normal person��s heart rate, in a calm state, is 60-100 beats per minute.


    After reading the explanation on the blackboard, Lia was completely dumbfounded, her scalp tingling from the awkwardness.


    She had thought Lin Da was captivated by her charms, that she was the most important person to him.


    A heartbeat of 95��


    That��s practically indifferent!


    Lia was stunned, her eyes nearly popping out!


    In a calm state, it��s 60-100.


    Meaning, Lin Da could have a heartbeat of 95 while eating, reading, or even during a bowel movement.


    So, Lin Da holding her hand has no more emotional impact than him taking a dump!


    Not a bit of throbbing!


    The harsh reality caused Lia��s face to turn pale, deeply stricken.


    Seeing Lin Da��s slightly curled lips, Lia felt so embarrassed she wanted to hide her head in her trousers, nearly collapsing on the spot.


    But there was one thing Lin Da hadn��t told her.


    In his usual calm state, Lin Da��s heart rate was about 80.


    This means when holding Lia��s soft little hand, Lin Da actually did feel something. Just not much.


    ��Lin Da, do you think I have no feminine charm at all?��


    ��Some things are better said straight, I�� prefer bigger ones.��


    ��Ah?��


    Lia looked down at her chest.


    Instantly deflated.


    There was a knock at the door.


    ��It��s someone else��s turn.�� It was Lulu��s dissatisfied voice.


    Lia walked out looking disheveled.


    The heartbeat index was also displayed outside. The original intent of Aimmi, the Elf who designed the heartbeat array, was public execution, allowing the spectators to mock the infatuated.


    This only shows how nasty this Elf��s character was.


    Everyone outside knew that Lia scored a pitiful 95 points.


    In other words, Lin Da felt no throb at all!


    Lia, as a potential romantic interest, was a total failure!


    Only her old rival Isa comforted Lia a little. S��ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But Lia was so immersed in her sadness that she didn��t absorb a word.


    The next person to be tested was Lulu.


    Lulu pushed open the door and entered the cabin.


    Feeling quite nervous.


    Everyone thought that Lin Da��s heart-throbbing index for her would be very high.


    Lulu hoped so too.


    If it was only higher than Bilya��s by a little, that would still be a failure.


    It had to be a lot higher.


    A moment later.


    Isa and the others standing outside watched as the numbers on the display screen rapidly changed.


    It soared from 0 to 100, then to 170!


    It far surpassed Lia��s 95, reaching the ��Heart Throbbing�� level.


    ��Sister Lulu, amazing. I have to work hard too, to make the Lord��s heart throb.�� Monica clenched her little fists secretly, cheering for herself.


    Seeing Lulu score 170, Lia became even more ��jade.��


    Sitting on a bench next to the cabin, she stared blankly at the night sky.


    ��As expected, it��s high.��


    For Isa, even the last sliver of a miracle disappeared under the astonishing score of 170.


    Just look at Lia. A black silk bathrobe beauty, who had been Lin Da��s team captain for three years, yet she got a pathetic score of 95.


    Not to mention her as a mere friend?


    Getting a score of 60 or 70 would probably make others laugh behind her back.


    Flat-chested captain, rigid, boring��


    Isa��s hands trembled a bit, even more than when they hunted Epic Demon Creatures.


    The third tester was Monica.


    ��Lord, please help Monica wipe the sweat inside, it��s sticky and uncomfortable!��


    Inside the cabin, Monica used the technique she had seen in Comic Books��


    Lin Da��s pupils constricted.


    ��Captain�� it��s inconvenient, I��ll help you����


    Lin Da replied with great difficulty.


    The heart-shaped array on the blanket twinkled intensely.


    It seemed to see through Lin Da��s pretense.


    The numbers on the ceiling, like a carriage pulled by an Earth Dragon, left everything behind in a flash.


    Within a breath, it broke 100.


    In the second breath, it surpassed Lulu��s previous high record of 170.


    In the third breath, it reached 210, the level ��Comparable to Beastmen��!


    Monica was scared, shivering as she said, ��What��s going on, why is it even higher than Sister Lulu����


    Lin Da��s face turned dark.


    He simply had no face to face Lulu and the others anymore.


    ��Lin Da was a pervert all along!?��


    Even with the door closed, Lia��s surprised voice could still be heard.


    Outside, all three were stunned.


    They had thought Lin Da treated Monica as a younger sister or a daughter.


    Did not expect this, did you Lin Da?


    If Monica wasn��t young-looking, he probably would have taken her down long ago, devouring her completely.


    Lia recalled Lin Da telling her he liked ��big ones.��


    Now it seemed understandable why Lin Da��s heart-throbbing index for Monica was so high.


    The bigger, the higher!


    Poor Monica��s starting line was next to the finish line.


    Lia dumbfoundedly looked down, clearly seeing her own toes.


    Even multiplied by ten, she couldn��t match Monica!


    ��Hehehe���� Monica, who walked out of the cabin, had a naively sweet smile on her face.


    Lulu gently patted Monica��s head: ��The captain really likes you.��


    ��Sister Lulu, you, you��re not angry, are you?��


    ��Not at all, we are teammates who fight side by side.��


    There was no conflict between the two.


    But when Lulu looked toward the cabin, her eyes turned icy.


    She wasn��t angry at Monica, but that did not mean she wasn��t angry at Lin Da!


    Why was the heart-throbbing index for the outwardly young Monica so high?


    That��s not normal!


    Lulu definitely did not want her captain to be a sophisticated brute who secretly liked little girls.


    She must give Lin Da a severe beating to make him explain himself.


    ��Isa, it��s your turn.�� Lia gestured toward the cabin with her mouth, trying to find a scapegoat.


    At least she couldn��t be the weakest among the four.


    ��Oh��!��


    Distracted, Isa walked stiffly towards the cabin after Lia��s reminder.


    Was she scared?


    But what was there for her to fear, she was just a friend to Lin Da, right?


    Lia blinked, utterly confused.


    ��


    ps: (Hurry up and subscribe, auto-subscribe is the best, dear brothers just click subscribe, rolling on the floor begging for subscriptions, ying ying ying!)

 Chapter 327 - 327: 283. Fireworks Festival and Isa

    Chapter 327: 283. Fireworks Festival and Isa


    The turtle shell under the veil of night emitted a glowing green light, making everyone��s face around it appear greenish.


    Isa couldn��t figure out whether a high or low Heartbeat Index was better.


    She thought, it at least shouldn��t be below 70.


    Despite being flat-chested and having a rigid personality which wasn��t much liked by others, she had once been heralded by the White Dove Morning News as one of the rare beauties in the city. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Getting Lin Da��s heart to flutter a little should be possible, right?


    Isa clenched her fists, took a deep breath, and pushed the door open.


    ...


    ��Ah?!��


    When she entered, an incredibly coincidental thing happened.


    There was a mop in the room, whose handle hooked onto the sash of Isa��s bathrobe.


    The loose bathrobe was secured only by a single sash.


    Isa felt an icy chill at the bottom of her heart, as if plunging into an abyss, with a whooshing cold wind continuously blowing at her back.


    This wasn��t just figurative; it was a literal coolness.


    The bathrobe slid from Isa��s body, and the winter wind, icy and biting, struck her back.


    Isa��s brain crashed, standing in the wind, disheveled.


    And so, Lin Da saw it.


    He involuntarily held his breath.


    His heart felt like an aging adventurer whose butt was burned by fire, leaping three meters high.


    That was��


    Whiter than a sheep,


    More tender than a peach,


    A very healthy Swordsman��s body.


    The heart-shaped formation at her feet flickered frantically.


    100, 150��


    In a blink, it surpassed the 200 mark.


    Drip, drip, drip!


    An alarming alert sound blared, the room��s suggestive pink lights switched to a startling red.


    ��What��s happening?��


    Outside, Lulu and others were dumbfounded.


    The number on the magic display screen broke 250.


    What on earth happened inside the room?


    What had Isa done to make Lin Da��s Heartbeat Index go off the charts?


    Monica��s face turned pale: ��Could it be, did it go in��?��


    This directly scared Lulu and Lia speechless!


    No, that couldn��t be possible.


    That was Isa, the leader of the Ice Flower team.


    Shameless as she might be, she couldn��t possibly do that.


    ��I need to check it out.�� Lulu strode to the door, her right hand glowing with Battle Qi, covered in fluff over her delicate palm.


    Lulu raised her right paw and struck the tightly shut wooden door.


    Bang!


    Just then, the door opened.


    Isa walked out with a face flushed with embarrassment.


    Behind her, stood Lin Da, who had just escaped from a torturous chair.


    Lin Da��s expression was awkward.


    Neither of them spoke.


    This atmosphere��


    Lulu��s head spun.


    They did it, didn��t they.


    Within just that short minute, the two did something extremely unfortunate inside the cabin!


    ��Lust Demon Team Leader, I really misjudged you.��


    Lulu scoffed coldly and started to walk away.


    ��Listen to my explanation.��


    Lin Da immediately snapped to his senses and grabbed Lulu��s wrist.


    ��You don��t need to explain anymore. If it wasn��t that�� why would the Heartbeat Index be so high?�� Lulu pushed Lin Da��s hand away, her little face bearing a trace of grievance, ��I only scored 170, so why does Isa score 270!��


    Faced with the undeniable facts before him, Lin Da was left with no defense.


    ��But, it��s not what you think, we really didn��t do it.��


    ��It was all an accident!��


    ��You agree, right, Isa?��


    Lin Da gave her a pleading look.


    Why not help with the explanation?


    Isa, known in White Dove City for her excellent reputation and propriety as an adventure team leader, surely wouldn��t want to be misunderstood, right?


    If Isa were linked to him, it would absolutely break the hearts of Ice Flower��s fans, thinking Isa had also joined his ��silver party��.��


    Yet Isa��s face turned red, and she couldn��t lift her head to face Lulu, saying, ��Mm, mm, we really didn��t do it.��


    This appearance stupefied Lin Da right there and then.


    Anyone would think Isa was lying, right?


    ��You two are ganging up to deceive me?�� Lulu��s chest heaved up and down.


    Monica and Lia also looked at Lin Da with suspicion.


    ��Really, we didn��t.��


    Lin Da explained the incident from beginning to end.


    ��What? Isa got tripped by a mop, her yukata accidentally fell off, you helped her open the stool with a key, and then you helped her wear her complicated yukata afterward?��


    Lulu laughed in anger, ��Do you think anyone would believe that?��


    ��Lulu, you know, I wouldn��t lie to you.��


    Lin Da decided to use his last resort.


    ��Hmph.��


    Lulu swatted Lin Da��s hand aside, disrupting him from casting his spell.


    Awkward.


    Lin Da had no choice but to seek help from Monica and Lia.


    Monica is really kind-hearted after all.


    ��Monica thinks, Sister Isa isn��t that kind of a vulgar person.��


    Lia nodded too, ��I know Isa better; her father would break her legs if she did something like that. Moreover, Isa doesn��t like Lin Da, why would she do such a thing? It doesn��t make sense, right Isa?��


    ��Uh�� yes, exactly!�� Isa said in panic, ��I really have no feelings for Lin Da at all.��


    Lin Da breathed a sigh of relief, ��Lulu, see, everyone is saying this, you should trust me now.��


    ��Really didn��t do it?��


    ��Of course, it was all an accident.��


    Lin Da patted Lulu��s little head, ��Team Leader here loves his team members the most.��


    Everyone finally believed Lin Da��s explanation.


    After all, the design of this Heartbeat Cottage��s magic array is quite unreasonable; the Heartbeat Index is related to the heartbeat rate, imagine if someone held a knife to Lin Da��s neck, the ��Heartbeat Index�� would probably skyrocket.


    This way, both Lulu and Lia felt relieved.


    The scores obtained are at best taken as a reference, not to be completely believed as true.


    ��The fireworks festival is about to start, let��s go and secure a good spot.��


    Just as Lin Da and the others were about to step away, they felt the ground rumbling and saw a crowd sprinting towards them.


    Their expressions were fanatical, their eyes glinting; mostly males, with ��Aimmi Fan Support Group�� bands tied around their heads, wearing jackets featuring the elf Aimmi��s graphics, carrying backpacks with Aimmi��s scroll paintings, figurines, photo books, and other related items.

 Chapter 328 - 328: 283rd Fireworks Festival and Isa_2

    Chapter 328: 283rd Fireworks Festival and Isa_2


    ��Quick, brothers, charge! Aimmi, the top idol of Cyan City, is performing at Swan Amusement Park��I must get to hold Aimmi��s delicate hand and then never wash it again for the rest of my life!��


    ��I��m going to shake hands with my Own OO and Aimmi!��


    ��Aimmi, my goddess!��


    A horde of rotund fans charged towards Lin Da, kicking up dust as they ran.


    To the unknowing, it would seem as if a Monster Tide had arrived.


    A sense of alarm struck Lin Da��s heart, ��The top idol of Cangqing Province, Aimmi, is performing here? I kind of want to see�� No, that��s not right! What��s most important now is not to get scattered by these frenzied fans. The fireworks display is about to start, and I need to stay with everyone.��


    ...


    Regrettably, the people at the front of the fat crowd turned out to be quite strong, many reaching level 20. Faced with these fans who had lost their reason in their eagerness to see their idol, Lin Da had no choice but to dodge them.


    ��Wuu wuu, my captain,�� Monica said, getting so frightened that she hugged her head and squatted down right there.


    ��Hand, hand to me!�� Lin Da desperately tried to grab Monica.


    ��Woo hoo hoo, Aimmi, here I come!��


    A man in a white suit and with blond slicked-back hair, his eyes alight with peach hearts, pushed through between Lin Da and Monica, shoving away the hand Lin Da had stretched out.


    The next moment, the crowd surged closer and Lin Da could no longer see Monica.


    At the last glimpse, he saw Lulu grabbing Monica��s hand. There shouldn��t be anything to worry about��despite Lulu seeming rather indifferent, she was actually very good at taking care of others.


    The detestable man who had interrupted Lin Da, the blond with the slicked-back hair, turned out to be the commander of the White Dove Adventure Group, a level 34 wind-based Mage named Gale!


    Choosing to chase stars over participating in a perfectly good fireworks display, Gale��s leadership was certainly exemplifying misconduct.


    Having no other choice, Lin Da looked for someone else nearby. His gaze fortunately met with Isa, who looked spiritless and was being jostled about in the crowd.


    Ever since Lin Da had seen Isa��s naked body, Isa hadn��t been feeling right.


    Understandable, as Isa��s father was a highly principled Knight who was strict at home. He surely expected his daughter to remain chaste. Lin Da, having seen what he should and shouldn��t have, certainly made Isa uncomfortable.


    Lin Da hesitated a moment but still decided to reach out his hand.


    ��Isa, over here!��


    He grabbed Isa��s wrist.


    A moment later.


    ��Whew, whew, that was terrifying. Frenzied fans are just too scary,�� he gasped as he sat under a large pine tree at the summit, wiping the sweat from his forehead and recalling the Aimmi fans who had charged over like starving wolves, shuddering at the thought.


    ��It seems we can��t find Lulu and the others,�� Isa mentioned, her mind on other matters as she glanced around. The peak was filled with couples and adventure teams watching the fireworks display��a crowd of more than a thousand people.


    Finding Lulu and the others among so many would be tough.


    Down below, a light bullet shot up with a tail like a shooting star into the night sky and then exploded with a bang.


    The fireworks display had begun!


    Looking for someone now was clearly futile.


    Lin Da adjusted his emotions and said, ��As long as we are under the same night sky, watching the same fireworks, I believe the World Tree Goddess will bless us.��


    ��Mhm,�� Isa gently nodded her head.


    The two of them simply sat down by the large pine tree and looked up at the night sky.


    As the first light bullet rose, several more followed in quick succession, turning the sky into a brilliant rain of light.


    Everyone on the summit silently closed their eyes, placed their right hands over their hearts, and made wishes for the new year.


    Lin Da silently mused, ��In the new year, I hope the team remains harmonious, purifies Little Sister, and safely adventures together.��


    After a short while.


    Lin Da opened his eyes.


    He wanted to ask what wish Isa had made.


    But when he turned his head, he saw Isa staring intently at him.


    Lin Da asked in puzzlement, ��What��s wrong?��


    ��Lin Da, I����


    As the fireworks bloomed in the night sky, the colorful dazzling lights were reflected on Isa��s face.


    Suddenly, a gust of wind blew, causing the girl��s silver hair to flutter.


    Isa��s lips moved, and she said something.


    Her voice was drowned out by the rain of light from the fireworks.


    Lin Da��s eyes widened slightly.


    This was why Isa had always been so nice to him.


    Inviting him to join the team, giving him a Town Portal Scroll, agreeing to defeat Epic Monsters together��


    It was all because of this.


    Although Isa was well-regarded, it didn��t mean she treated everyone the way she treated him.


    Only then did Lin Da understand the special place he held in Isa��s heart.


    The real moment that Lin Da caught Isa��s attention was probably on the fifth level at the Green Plains. It was the first conflict between Ice Flower and Snow Goose, both sides fighting over a gigantic Slime, the ��Wilderness Guardian.��


    That was the beginning of Lia and Isa��s feud.


    It also brought a healer whose level wasn��t very high, but who could cast healing arts very quickly and commanded brilliantly, into Isa��s view.


    Isa thought it was time to put an end to this matter.


    Just as she planned.


    ��Sorry.��


    Lin Da��s face was filled with apology.


    No miracle occurred.


    It perfectly matched Isa��s plan.


    This was just fine.


    It was enough.


    Isa stared blankly at Lin Da.


    At least let herself be selfish in the end.


    Suddenly, Isa moved close to Lin Da, and under his shocked expression, with the peak Battle Qi of level 29, she held his face in her hands, nervously closed her eyes, and their lips met.


    Lin Da was greatly shocked.


    ��


    Due to the nature of her Ice Douqi, Isa��s lips were very cold, like ice blocks.


    Only upon close inspection could one find a trace of a young girl��s warmth.


    Isa was also very clumsy, like two leaves coming together, barely touching before disappearing in a flash.


    When that sweet sensation faded, Lin Da saw Isa clutching her handbag, wiping her eyes as she ran off.


    ��Wait����


    When Lin Da stepped forward, his heart suddenly jolted. S��ar?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It seemed as if a little angel with wings and a halo above its head flew out of his head, questioning him with a piercing gaze:


    ��Why are you chasing after her? Do you want to disappoint Lulu too?��


    ��Your team already has four members, isn��t that enough? Are you still targeting girls from other teams? You truly don��t deserve the title ��Eye of True Knowledge��; you��re just an ��Ultimate Pervert��!��


    ��This����


    Lin Da��s face burned with heat.


    It was a bit much.


    A man can be shameless, but not too shameless.


    Watching Isa running off into the night, about to disappear into the crowd, he felt uncomfortable. Perhaps he had unknowingly been attracted to this elegant silver-haired swordsman, but since Isa had always appeared as a friend and he was not lacking in beautiful girls, he never realized it.


    In the game, Isa was an NPC, a non-playable character, and Lin Da, who had traveled to this world, subconsciously thought that it was impossible to develop a romantic storyline.


    But he was wrong.


    Every ��NPC�� here was a living person.


    The Beastmen wanting to impregnate the Elves wasn��t just a game setting, but a true expression of a lecherous old lech lusting after bodies.


    The cause of Kam��s cerebral palsy was Hulus��s overprotectiveness.


    Isa wasn��t just a background in Novice Village to appear in players�� landscape photos.


    If being a pervert means being a pervert, even if it��s rumored that I host silver parties every day, I don��t care anymore,�� he decided.


    He would figure something out with Lulu.


    A hero tasked with the duty of saving the world having a few more beautiful girls than an average person should be understandable to his brothers.


    Lin Da��s conviction turned into a blade, and with a snap, he cut the small angel advising him to be good in half.


    ��You, you will not end up well���� the little angel wailed as it died.


    Lin Da��s magic circuit within him spun rapidly. He took two steps in place of three, dexterously maneuvering through the crowd.


    Then, with a snap, he caught the silver-haired girl who was wiping away tears and trying to flee!

 Chapter 329 - 329: 284. Isa declared war on Lia: Im going to steal Lin Da away!

    Chapter 329: 284. Isa declared war on Lia: I��m going to steal Lin Da away!


    Isa��s body trembled, and she bit her teeth, wondering why Lin Da had caught up.


    ��While the fireworks festival isn��t over yet, you should go find Lulu. And Lia, Monica, they��re waiting for you too.��


    ��What about Isa?�� Lin Da asked.


    ��I�� I will go back to the Ice Flower villa.��


    ��But didn��t Fannis and the others go to South Rock City? It��s the rare Winter Festival; do you want to spend it alone in the empty mansion?��


    ��Otherwise, what else?�� Isa��s composure started to crack, her voice wailed, ��It can only be this way.��


    ...


    She had been rejected by Lin Da and couldn��t bring herself to do what Lia did, acting shamelessly, kicking Lin Da and still clinging to his side.


    A gloomy exit was the best outcome.


    ��Remember that bet?��


    Lin Da said, ��If the Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team��s strategy ranks catch up to Ice Flower��s within three years, you��ll join my team, and vice versa.��


    Isa nodded.


    In less than three months, Lin Da��s Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team had already reached the 10th floor.


    Catching up to the 13th floor where Ice Flower was, was merely a matter of time.


    Isa had never thought she would lose.


    The Ice Flower Adventure Team she had trained with her own hands, every member was a dear friend with deep emotional ties.


    Leaving these people to join Lin Da��s team was something she couldn��t do.


    Yet she also couldn��t go against the bet she had personally agreed to.


    Just as Isa was at a loss, Lin Da spoke up.


    ��Thinking about it now, that bet was a mistake.��


    ��A mistake��?��


    ��Yes,�� Lin Da said.


    Lin Da steadied Isa��s shoulders.


    He looked sincerely at the silver-haired girl with swollen eyes, ��Because you are an excellent captain, rather than forcing you to join Phoenix Tail Flower, I��d prefer to see Ice Flower and Phoenix Tail Flower, side by side, fighting together at the 20th, 30th floor, or even the top floor in the future.��


    ��So, I want to change the agreement.��


    ��Change it?��


    ��Yes. As captains of our respective teams, let��s advance towards the World Tree together until we��re unable to wield our swords any longer, until the day we retire,�� Lin Da proposed.


    After saying all this, Isa was completely dumbfounded.


    When she had made that bet with Lin Da, she had impure intentions.


    She was offering a little favor to make Lin Da grateful, absolutely determined to win him over to her team.


    Now, the Ice Flower Adventure Team was closely followed by Phoenix Tail Flower, which could surpass them at any time.


    Isa had noticed that Lulu had advanced to Star Rank. Lin Da and Monica��s potential were also extraordinarily remarkable. Within at most half a year, Phoenix Tail Flower was very likely to overtake the Ice Flower Adventure Team.


    If Lin Da brought up the bet by then and forced Isa to join��


    Asking herself honestly, with her character, even if she couldn��t bear to leave Ice Flower, she would disband the team and enter Lin Da��s adventure team.


    But this crisis was easily resolved.


    Lin Da voluntarily suggested giving up.


    Thus allowing Isa to keep the Ice Flower Adventure Team.


    In that moment, Lin Da seemed to radiate a warm Holy Light, shining on Isa��s face.


    Warm.


    So warm.


    With strength, talent, good looks, and empathy��


    Isa rubbed the corners of her eyes vigorously.


    More tiny pearls spilled out in a stream.


    ��How can I refuse you when you look like this,�� Isa murmured.


    Steal a girl��s heart, yet unwilling to bear any responsibility.


    Too cunning. Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da thought seriously for a moment.


    ��After I convince my team members, I can respond to you once more,�� he said.


    Lin Da��s own household was not even in order; attracting trouble from the outside, he might end up with his head gnawed off by a werewolf girl in the middle of the night.


    ��I understand,�� Isa said softly.


    She did not feel that Lin Da��s actions were inappropriate.


    An excellent adventurer is meant to be competed for.


    Having multiple potential Oath-bound of the opposite sex is nothing new.


    Isa had not understood this before.


    Not giving up on Lin Da would result in pain, but giving him up meant she would spend her entire life in agony.


    Moreover, Lin Da made her heart flutter the most.


    Maybe one day, she could become Lin Da��s sole Oath-bound.


    Isa wiped her eyes with a handkerchief, her cheeks blushing as she said, ��Then, could you call me by my nickname? Sasha.��


    ��Uh����


    Lin Da was embarrassed and felt that if Lulu heard this, she might explode.


    Isa: ��Sorry, I might be a bit greedy.��


    ��On the day we make the Oath, I will call you that,�� Lin Da promised.


    With their relationship improved, they noticed the strange looks from the crowd around them.


    ��Isn��t that Captain Isa and Lin Da? Why are they together watching the fireworks? Where are their team members?��


    ��Sss, could it be a secret rendezvous?��


    ��I remember Captain Lin Da��s favorite was the Holy Mage, could the White Dove Morning News be deceiving us?��


    Lin Da sighed.


    Tomorrow there would probably be gossip about him throwing silver parties again.


    But when you��re covered in lice, you don��t itch.


    Let those people talk.


    As Lin Da held Isa��s hand, looking for a quiet place to watch the fireworks�� they ran into Lulu and the others who were searching for them.


    The fireworks soared into the sky; with a loud bang, they burst open, casting splendid light onto every face.


    Amidst the noisy crowd, Lin Da felt a silence as profound as death.


    Sweat beads rolled down his forehead uncontrollably, his clothes seemed soaked through.


    ��Let��s go somewhere less crowded to explain, there are too many people here,�� Lin Da sighed.


    The amusement park at the foot of the mountain was deserted; everyone had gone to the mountaintop to watch the fireworks.


    Lin Da sat wearily on a bench, with Isa beside him.


    Three girls glared at them fiercely, encircling them as if they were conducting a strident interrogation following a scandal.


    Isa hung her head in embarrassment, shivering slightly from intense shame, unable to raise her head under Lulu��s icy stare.


    Monica hid timidly behind Lulu: ��Lord Captain, this is awkward!��


    Lulu cast a sidelong glance at Isa, and then frowned at Lin Da, her face remaining calm.

 Chapter 330 - 330: 284. Isa declared war on Lia: Im going to steal Lin Da away!_2

    Chapter 330: 284. Isa declared war on Lia: I��m going to steal Lin Da away!_2


    This was very tricky for Lin Da.


    Lia��s eyes bulged, and she chuckled nervously, ��You, how did you two end up together, what happened? When was this, how did I not know����


    ��There are some things I want to say.�� Isa clenched her fists, took a deep breath, and looked firmly at Lia:


    ��Even though Lin Da was once your teammate, and your bond deeper, I won��t lose to you. Lia, I will snatch Lin Da away from you!��


    Led by Lia, everyone was struck by a bolt from the blue, their heads buzzing.


    At first, they were guessing if it was a misunderstanding.


    ...


    Now it was confirmed.


    Isa actually declared war on Lia in public!


    Monica covered her mouth, too scared to come out from behind Lulu.


    Lia��s eyes went dark.


    How could Isa also become involved with Lin Da?


    And she was claiming to snatch Lin Da away from her?


    It seemed Isa suddenly remembered something: ��Right, Lia, you and Lin Da are just former teammates, not even a couple. My declaration of war against you is meaningless.��


    Upon hearing this, Lia��s face turned even blacker than coal.


    Then, Isa��s gaze shifted to Lulu.


    This werewolf girl was the toughest one to handle.


    Since Isa had decided to join the battle to fight for Lin Da, she would move forward bravely, like the knight��s sword in hand.


    Only when she lost could she willingly leave the stage.


    Before the outcome was decided, Isa planned to give it her all.


    Even if it meant facing Star Rank Lulu.


    ��If it��s a challenge you want, I welcome it at any time.��


    Lulu sneered with a cold laugh, ��But just one thing, I want to make it clear, the captaincy of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team won��t be given to just anyone.��


    ��Lulu����


    Just as Lin Da was about to say some words of comfort, he saw Lulu take a big step towards him, close her eyes, and lean in fiercely!


    The light scent emanating from the girl, and the softness of her lips, left Lin Da petrified on the spot.


    Watching Lulu kiss Lin Da in public, everyone was stunned.


    No wonder Lulu was so confident.


    She was on a whole different level from them.


    Isa gritted her teeth: ��I, I��ll do it too.��


    ��All of you shut up!��


    Lia��s earlobes flushed red, her hands flailing desperately as if she were a fly that couldn��t take off, ��Messing around with relationships, I��m reporting you all!��


    It was akin to flipping the chessboard when losing the game.


    Messing around on the amusement park benches, huh?


    Just wait and see if I don��t report you!


    Right when Lulu had just released her mouth, Lia with a grim face, walked over quickly.


    Lin Da was on guard, ��What are you doing?��


    Lia didn��t give Lin Da a chance to move further.


    She reached out, took hold of Lin Da��s head, and fiercely opened her mouth.


    The other three were all dumbstruck.


    Complain about others, then go ahead and do it yourself, huh?


    How can someone be so shameless!


    Monica covered her face with her hands, only her large eyes peeping out from between her fingers.


    Far more thrilling than the scenes in the comic books!


    Is this what kissing is like, so impressive!


    Monica thought in shock.


    Lin Da��s eyes widened slightly.


    He could only see Lia��s pristine forehead.


    Pressed against his own forehead, it was warm.


    The girl��s eyes were tightly closed, her eyelashes trembling slightly, the scent of fresh shampoo wafting over him.


    It must be from an expensive brand.


    This miser, she actually spent money on it? She always used dry shampoo before.


    And�� Lia��s lips really were soft!


    With a faint strawberry flavor.


    She probably had too much strawberry cake.


    The only pity was��


    After Lia��s face turned beet red and she let him go.


    Lin Da touched his own lips. S��ar?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Blood.


    Blood on my hand!


    Bit by Lia!


    Lin Da speechless, ��Are you a dog or something?!��


    ��Hmph, just be happy about it, getting the first kiss from the future strongest Swordsman.��


    ��From now on, I��m someone important to you.��


    Lia emphasized the last few words especially hard.


    Lin Da was gobsmacked, ��Isn��t this just wishful thinking on your part? If the genders were reversed, this would be sexual harassment!��


    ��Hah?! Don��t act coy after taking advantage of the situation!��


    ��To be honest, Lulu��s lips are softer.��


    ��What!? ��


    Lia was about to explode with anger.


    Lin Da, ��Speaking of which, you still owe me salary����


    ��Just owe.��


    ��Well, quitting the team really was the right choice, Lia. I��m finally seeing your true nature, you��re just a bad-tempered, unscrupulous team leader!��


    ��Exactly, so what, hurry up and like me!�� Lia yelled with a red face.


    It was impossible to reason with someone like her.


    Had Lia not received a low level of cultural education, she would have been washing dishes in a restaurant, given her lack of talent as an adventurer.


    ��Like you if you say so? I��m not a Beastman in heat, just any female would do.�� Lin Da sneered.


    ��Looking down on me, huh? Who was it that said I was cute when he first joined the team?!��


    ��Even pigs can grow ugly, let alone people.��


    Lin Da retorted.


    Lia was so angered by Lin Da that smoke seemed to be coming out of her head, and her hair ignited with fiery Battle Qi.


    It seemed like the two were about to start fighting.


    ��Stop arguing, if this continues someone will discover us,�� Lulu frowned.


    ��For Lulu��s sake, I won��t stoop to your level,�� Lin Da said indifferently.


    ��Hmph.�� Lia turned her head away, apparently no longer interested in speaking to Lin Da.


    ��Right.�� Lia remembered something and glared at Isa, ��Lin Da is mine, don��t even think about taking him.��


    Isa was stunned. Was Lia��s reaction time always this slow? The topic had changed several times before Lia thought to respond to her declaration of war?


    How foolish, how foolish, perhaps this is just the leader of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, Lia.


    Lin Da laughed in spite of his anger, ��Who��s your thing, huh?��


    ��You��re mine because I picked you up,�� Lia brought up the old story when she had taken in Lin Da and Lin Xi when they were wanderers.


    Lulu said coldly, ��Lin Da belongs to the Phoenix Tail Flower, Lia, stop bothering our leader.��


    ��Yes, Lord is everyone��s,�� Monica added softly. Monica, who had severe social anxiety, was very afraid of brash adventurers like Lia who spoke without any filter.


    Isa, ��Whatever, I will take Lin Da anyway.��


    Lia, ��Fine, just after we teamed up to defeat the Epic Monster I thought there was hope for us to become friends, seems I was mistaken. I will definitely defeat you thoroughly!��


    ��Sorry to say, but within a week, I��ll advance to Star Rank, and Ice Flower will soon be an Iron Level adventure team.��


    ��Grr��! Me too, I can�� in a month, it��s possible.��


    Facing the ironclad reality, Lia was so flustered she was at a loss for words.


    In the matter of adventuring, she was always a step behind Isa.


    Isa ignored the boastful Lia and bent down to look Monica in the eyes, speaking softly, ��I��m sorry, Monica. I want all of Lin Da.��


    ��Eh!?��


    Monica was shocked.


    Then, Isa apologized to Lulu.


    With her hands by her thighs and a solemn expression, Isa bowed deeply at ninety degrees like a Knight reviewing herself before the public, her voice ringing out clearly, ��I��m sorry for liking your leader and causing you trouble!��


    ��But�� I won��t give up. If I have the chance, I will do my best to take Lin Da.��


    Lulu expressionless, ��Then you��re doomed to be disappointed because Lin Da has long promised to make me the first Oath-bound.��


    Isa and the others changed their expressions.


    All of them looked at Lin Da.


    Lulu looked at him too.


    Without hesitation, Lin Da nodded, ��That��s right, Lulu and I have arranged that, after the adventure, we will form an Oath-bound contract.��


    The three had differing expressions.


    Monica was happy for Lulu, and thought further that as a member of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, she too wouldn��t be far behind.


    Just the thought of living with Lin Da in the future made Monica��s face brighten with a sweet smile.


    Only Lia was so agitated she was about to explode.


    Why are you all moving so fast?


    Wasn��t Lin Da a blockhead who focused solely on strategy, with no time for anything else?


    Ever since the establishment of Phoenix Tail Flower, why did the number of girls around him keep increasing day by day?


    Once again, Lia transformed into a frantic king.

 Chapter 331 - 331: 285, Three-way alliance, tenth floor of the Great Mystery Continent

    Chapter 331: 285, Three-way alliance, tenth floor of the Great Mystery Continent


    Isa fell silent for a while before saying, ��Even so, I won��t give up.��


    Although the Oath-bound��s position had been snatched away by Lulu��


    the bride��s position was still vacant.


    ��Right, I have a proposal,�� Isa��s mind sparked with an idea: ��Phoenix Tail Flower and Ice Flower, let��s form an alliance.��


    ��An alliance?�� Several people looked towards Isa.


    ��Yes, an alliance,�� Isa responded with a smile: ��Once Ice Flower and Phoenix Tail Flower join forces, no one will be able to look down on this power.��


    ...


    As the Ice Flower Captain, Isa was confident she could reach Star Rank within a week.


    Phoenix Tail Flower��s promotion to Iron Level was a done deal, only a matter of time.


    No one could ignore the alliance between these two teams.


    Lin Da pondered for a moment.


    ��Let��s not delay, let��s go and register now!��


    Isa: ��Great!��


    The group headed out of the amusement park.


    Lia followed behind, dejected.


    She glanced at Lin Da and Isa, opened her mouth several times wanting to say something but couldn��t bring herself to do it.


    She always felt left out.


    ��


    Fireworks bloomed one after another in the night sky, and perhaps because of her mood, Isa had ample leeway to admire these mundane magical glimmers.


    Though she felt a bit sorry for her team members, Isa still felt this year��s Winter Festival was better than the previous ones.


    Originally, Isa had planned to be rejected by Lin Da and return to Ice Flower��s villa holding back tears.


    Coming to her senses, Isa had also become one of those ��shameless women�� she used to see.


    She no longer wished to think about the future.


    At least she should live without regrets in life.


    Another firework ascended.


    This one was much larger than the previous ones.


    Symbolizing the new year��s arrival.


    The light snow that started before was now turning into a heavy downpour of goose-feather-like flakes.


    It settled on the hair and eyebrows of Lin Da��s party, forming a faint frosting of ice.


    They raised their heads, gazing at the final firework in the night sky.


    A verdant blaze of light came together to form a massive World Tree.


    At this moment, all of White Dove City��s inhabitants quietly looked up at the night sky.


    When the last trace of light vanished from the sky,


    Lin Da and the others looked at each other and said with a smile,


    ��Happy New Year.��


    ��


    In the Inner City District, Adventurer��s Guild.


    With the firework show concluded, the streets were noticeably less crowded.


    Most had gone home to eat New Year��s Eve dinner together in the warmth indoors.


    A carriage arrived at the end of the street.


    The carriage door opened, and Lin Da��s group filed out.


    They surveyed the surroundings, the streets draped in a cloak of silver.


    ��I can understand you riding with us in the carriage, thinking of it as a free ride back to the Inner City District��s Snow Goose Villa, but why are you still following us now?��


    Lin Da feigned confusion, turning his astonished gaze towards the sheepish Lia, ��So, what are you here for?��


    ��I, I��m just looking,�� Lia��s small face turned beet red with restraint.


    ��Oh.�� Lin Da looked at Lia with a meaningful glance.


    A group of people headed towards the Adventurers�� Guild.


    Lia followed behind, scratching her cheek and muttering loudly to herself, ��Geez, Snow Goose actually wouldn��t mind finding an ally. Whoever becomes Snow Goose��s ally would gain the friendship of the future strongest swordsman.��


    ��Oh, who will invite Snow Goose and seize this great opportunity?��


    As Lia spoke, her eyes drifted towards Lin Da.


    ��We��ll have my hometown��s delicacy ��dumplings�� for the New Year��s Eve dinner. What fillings do you all like?�� Lin Da pretended not to hear and chatted with his team members.


    ��Monica wants vegetable ones.��


    ��Mutton,�� Lulu said.


    ��I��ll have pork and cabbage,�� Lia said subconsciously.


    Everyone paused for a moment.


    Who asked you from another team?


    Lin Da��s feelings, however, were somewhat complicated.


    In the past, after Snow Goose��s adventures ended, he would ask the same of Lia and her team.


    After thinking for a while, Lin Da said, ��Let��s call everyone together and celebrate the New Year��s together tonight.��


    ��Yeah!�� Lia��s eyes lit up.


    A short while later, they arrived at the Adventurers�� Guild.


    The hall was carpeted in beige, warm winds blew from the magical Arrays on the ceiling, and the staff diligently offered paper cups filled with hot water.


    This was the special treatment for Rock-level Adventure Teams and above.


    Lin Da took a water cup and drained it in one gulp.


    The warmth spread from his stomach throughout his body, feeling very comfortable.


    ��That thing about forming an alliance, count me in,�� Lia knew it was too late if she didn��t speak up now.


    Lin Da: ��That��s not what you said when you kicked me out.�� S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��But I apologized, didn��t I?��


    ������


    Lin Da speechlessly said, ��I haven��t said that I forgive you.��


    Lia: ��???��


    The young girl awkwardly scratched her head. ��So there wasn��t one?��


    Lin Da said, ��You need to show the right attitude when asking for a favor; otherwise, we won��t form an alliance with you.��


    Isa also felt like teasing Lia, saying with all seriousness, ��Snow Goose has good combat strength, but there��s a big problem with the character of its members, such as the captain being quite arrogant.��


    ��I, I��m not arrogant,�� Lia said, her face burning hot.


    ��Why don��t you form an alliance with us?�� Lia bit her lip and said.


    ��Not sincere enough. Say, ��Please, Captain Lin Da.''��


    ��Gr����


    ��Please, Captain Lin Da, please form an alliance with Snow Goose.��


    Lia placed her hands on the sides of her thighs, slightly bent over, and asked in a low and humble voice.


    Seeing Lia��s neck turning red with shame, Lin Da felt quite satisfied.


    He never expected the proud and arrogant Lia to bow to him one day.


    ��Alright then, I��ll reluctantly count you in, although I was planning on it anyway.��


    ��Huh!?��


    Lia: ��You were planning to form an alliance with Snow Goose all along? Was I begging you for nothing?��


    Lin Da shook his head at her intelligence.


    In the end, the captains of the three adventure teams gathered in front of the counter.


    The sight of their assembly indeed frightened the main supervisor of the hall quite a bit.


    As the captains of the most promising adventure teams in White Dove City, President Velen had personally emphasized that they should be treated with special care whenever they visited the Adventurers�� Guild.


    =

 Chapter 332 - 332: 285, Three-way alliance, tenth floor of the Great Mystery Continent_2

    Chapter 332: 285, Three-way alliance, tenth floor of the Great Mystery Continent_2 S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Three people appeared simultaneously, and the manager, not daring to neglect them, hurried forward to greet them warmly.


    ��We are just here to conduct some business,�� Lin Da said, ��Please register our intent to form an alliance.��


    The manager, named Ricky, was a tall man with brown, short hair, wearing glasses, and had a gentle demeanor.


    Upon hearing Lin Da��s words, Ricky slightly startled, adjusted his glasses, and said, ��Do you mean, Captain Lin Da, that the Phoenix Tail Flower, Ice Flower, and Snow Goose teams are forming an alliance?��


    ��Yes,�� Lin Da replied.


    The two young women beside him nodded as well.


    ...


    As soon as this statement was made, all the staff in the hall and a few adventurers who were handling their business looked incredulously towards them.


    Once these three teams allied, they would become the largest civilian force in White Dove City over time.


    Most importantly, how did Lin Da manage to bring together Lia and Isa, two adventure team leaders who were like water and fire?


    They had fought each other for three years and couldn��t suddenly become friends.


    The reason most likely lay with Lin Da.


    And it happened to be the Winter Festival today, a favorite holiday for couples��


    Someone noticed that Lin Da��s lips were broken, seemingly bitten.


    Reporter Kami, hiding behind a garbage bin in the hall, excitedly pulled out her notebook and wrote furiously:


    On the night of the Winter Festival, a suspected gathering of the Eye of True Knowledge, serving him with two girls of ice and fire, even broke his lips!


    ��


    Five minutes later.


    Lin Da and his allies had completed the alliance.


    The Adventurers�� Guild would issue an announcement informing the people of White Dove City


    that from now on, anyone who intends to deal with one of them will face the combined retaliation of all three.


    Whether it��s shadow spirits or Bedrock, they would have to think twice before making a move on Lin Da and the others.


    Upon leaving the Adventurers�� Guild.


    ��I��m going to see if Fannis and her group have returned,�� Isa said energetically.


    Lia said, ��I��ll also inform Aiko and the others!��


    Lin Da smiled and said, ��To celebrate our trilateral alliance, once everyone gathers, I��ll make an announcement.��


    ��What is it?�� Isa asked, curious.


    ��It��s mainly for the Snow Goose side,�� Lin Da said.


    Snow Goose?


    Lia seemed to think of something, her eyes bursting with brilliance, and she stuttered, ��You wouldn��t, you couldn��t be planning�� to create a strategy for Snow Goose, could you?��


    Facing their inquisitive looks, Lin Da nodded gently, ��However, I will only provide Snow Goose with a rough strategy. You need to figure out the details yourselves. Plus, I��ll train your team cooperation. If Lia doesn��t follow orders again, Snow Goose will never get my strategies in the future.��


    ��No problem,�� Lia said excitedly, ��Then I��ll go call the others!��


    A red figure swiftly disappeared into the snowy landscape.


    Lia couldn��t wait to bring this great news back to Snow Goose.


    ��


    On the way back, Lin Da spent a good deal of effort to calm his own team members.


    He wouldn��t neglect his own side just because he had two new allies.


    Lin Da��s focus was still on Phoenix Tail Flower, helping Lia and her group, only lending a hand in his spare time.


    Boots crunched on the snow, making creaking noises.


    Lin Da thought about the future of Phoenix Tail Flower.


    In a few days, the ten floors of the Great Mystery Continent would open.


    He definitely wouldn��t miss this opportunity to get stronger.


    The challenge lay in floors 13 and 14, where one would have to defeat hidden Magical Creatures and a Light Mage was needed.


    Lin Da��s team was low on magical output, with only Monica there.


    ��If we can��t manage, we��ll just have to farm wild creatures to accumulate Mystical Points and brutally power through after reaching level 30,�� Lin Da thought reluctantly.


    Upon returning to Goldfinch District, from afar he saw the villa of Phoenix Tail Flower enshrouded in darkness, without any lights.


    A chill shot through Lin Da��s heart: had Tasya not returned yet?


    He had thought Tasya was just not wearing a yukata and didn��t come.


    But it seemed the situation was more serious than he thought.


    ��What��s wrong with Sister Tasya?�� Monica asked worriedly.


    Lulu felt somewhat guilty, and seeing the solemn expression on Lin Da��s face, dared not speak.


    Entering the villa, Lin Da turned on the magic guide lamp switch.


    The hall immediately lit up.


    There was a letter on the table.


    Lin Da��s sense of foreboding grew stronger.


    He walked briskly over and opened the envelope.


    [To the master: I had promised Dawen to participate in the subjugation of level ten Magical Creatures, and as level ten is about to open, please forgive my leaving without a word.


    Tasya left this note.]


    ��Level ten subjugation�� The creature Dawen wants to subdue, could it be that ��Magical Creature��?��


    Lin Da��s expression changed.


    If the Scarlet Adventure Group were to challenge that Magical Creature without any knowledge, they would surely be wiped out.


    ��Um, Lin Da�� I have something to tell you.�� Lulu, with her tail drooping, came over.


    ��What��s wrong with you, looking like that?��


    Lin Da asked in surprise.


    She looked nearly as limp as frostbitten eggplants, her light blue furry ears had lost their luster.


    Lulu said, ��Actually, Tasya had come looking for us, just when we were leaving in the carriage�� and she was wearing a bathrobe����


    ��What?��


    Lin Da was stunned, ��Then why didn��t you say so?��


    Lulu was at a loss for words.


    After a brief moment, Lin Da understood the reason.


    He sighed, ��Don��t blame yourself; this isn��t your fault.��


    ��There is also this thing that I found.�� Lulu carefully took out a blue scarf from her space ring.


    ��I found it in the amusement park, probably, Tasya went there too.��


    ��A scarf?��


    Lin Da took it, it was a scarf made of Fire Dragon Silk, warm and smooth to the touch, and it had a faint fragrance, very much like Tasya��s.


    In the bottom right corner of the scarf, there was a pair of cute chibi human figures embroidered, one dressed in a scholar��s robe holding a book was Lin Da, and behind him stood a man in a black coat wearing a faceless mask, holding a magic sword.


    It was Lin Da and Dark Shadow.


    To the left side of the scarf, a chibi silver-haired maid was holding a broom and cleaning, staring blankly to the right.


    ��Tasya has been busy these past few days, so this is what she was making?�� Lin Da suddenly realized.


    It seemed Tasya had intended to give him the scarf on the day of the Winter Festival.


    But for some reason, the scarf ended up in the amusement park.


    Lin Da took a deep breath, wrapped the scarf around him, grabbed his coat hanging at the door, and hurried out.


    ��Where are you going?�� Lulu asked, worried.


    Monica also followed to the door.


    ��When Lia and the others arrive, please entertain them for me, and apologize on my behalf.��


    ��I need to take a trip to Red Heart City.��


    Lin Da looked determinedly to the south.


    He must stop Dawen, he couldn��t let the Scarlet Adventure Group attempt to challenge that Magical Creature.


    Even the ordinary Sun Adventure Group would take a detour upon seeing that creature!


    Fortunately, there was about a week left before level ten opened.


    He set off overnight, and he would reach Red Heart City before dawn.


    ��I��ll come with you,�� Lulu said, not quite at ease.


    ��No, you stay here and entertain Lia and the others. Kafni needs to recuperate, and Monica isn��t able to manage everything, so it��s up to you. Can I entrust this to you?�� Lin Da asked emphatically.


    Lulu��s drooping wolf tail gently wagged as she nodded: ��Leave it to me.��


    During the night, Lin Da rented a Blackflame Horse worth one hundred thousand gold and sped towards Red Heart City.


    ��


    A few hours earlier, at Swan Amusement Park.


    Snowflakes fell on Tasya��s hair, which was coiled up, and soon a thin layer of snow covered her shoulders.


    She had been following Lin Da and the others the whole time.


    In Tasya��s head, the scene of Lin Da being surrounded by young girls replayed, leaving a void in her body, as if even the heartbeat had vanished.


    She stared blankly at the night sky, the colorful lights of fireworks falling on her face.


    The blue scarf in her handbag fell out, swept away by the wind, unnoticed.


    She had been with the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team for several days.


    But Tasya still didn��t feel a part of it.


    She always felt that there was an unseen barrier between her and people like Lin Da and Lulu.


    To Lin Da��s side, it seemed her presence was completely unnecessary.


    Passersby were attracted by Tasya��s appearance, stopping to stare.


    ��Who is that person, she looks so beautiful in a bathrobe.��


    ��Looks like a Star Rank of the Scarlet Adventure Group, but now she��s a member of Captain Lin Da��s team.��


    ��Eh, Lin Da again?��


    =

 Chapter 333 - 333: 286. Lin Da versus Dawen, Tasyas decision

    Chapter 333: 286. Lin Da versus Dawen, Tasya��s decision


    Half an hour later, Tasya returned to the Phoenix Tail Flower��s villa to pack her luggage.


    She still owed Dawen a promise.


    Dawen had helped her meet Lin Da, and in turn, she had promised to help the Scarlet Adventure Group hunt Magical Creatures one last time.


    Their destination was the Dragon Forest on the tenth floor.


    According to Dawen, the weakest of the Dragon Race, the Earth-Traversing Dragons, resided there.


    In the bedroom, Tasya carefully took down a clock shaped like a little wooden house hanging on the wall and placed it into her Space Ring.


    ...


    It was a gift from Lin Da that she always carried with her.


    Standing on the red doormat at the entrance, Tasya looked at the empty living room with mixed feelings.


    As she flicked the switch of the Magic Guide Lamp, the living room plunged into darkness with a click.


    Tasya returned to Red Heart City overnight and surprised Dawen with her sudden appearance at the Mandala Manor.


    ��Why have you come back? Didn��t Lin Da let you join his team?��


    Tasya shook her head.


    ��The tenth floor,�� she said succinctly.


    ��Ah!�� Dawen sighed, ��You didn��t have to come back. Isn��t this the period when Lin Da is assessing you? Isn��t your greatest wish to join his team?��


    Grasping the pocket of her maid��s apron, Tasya said softly, ��It feels like they don��t need another maid there.��


    If Lin Da had remained the cold and heartless Dark Shadow, Tasya wouldn��t have thought too much of it.


    But Lin Da��s gentle demeanor made Tasya unsatisfied with just being around him, especially seeing how Lulu, Monica, and Lin Da were so close, and even Isa and Lia from the external team��


    Each had taken turns kissing Lin Da.


    Tasya was deeply shaken.


    She couldn��t imagine a day when everyone except her, who was just cleaning and washing filthy sheets, would become Lin Da��s Oath-bound, while she remained a pitiful maid.


    How miserable such a life would be.


    Even as the most favored member of the Primitive Adventure Team, she was only touched on the head by Lin Da more times than the others.


    Compared with the lower-ranking members, the gap wasn��t big��it was like the difference between 2 and 1.


    But with the current Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, the gap was a colossal 200 to 1.


    This disparity totally shattered Tasya��s spirit.


    So she fled here.


    On her way back to Red Heart City, Tasya��s gaze sometimes drifted northward, turning back to look.


    That direction led to White Dove City.


    In her heart, Tasya held on to a sliver of near-fantastical hope.


    ��It��s cold outside, come in. It��s getting heavy snow. Your room has been kept clean by the staff,��


    Dawen sighed again, led Tasya to the living room, and ordered the servants to prepare hot water and food.


    Tasya sat on a chair across from him, silent and with a dim look in her eyes, appearing utterly dejected.


    It was clear that things hadn��t gone well at the Phoenix Tail Flower.


    So what exactly did Lin Da do to Tasya?


    Dawen scratched his head curiously.


    This maid had both looks and skills; why wouldn��t Lin Da accept Tasya?


    Dawen was well aware of Tasya��s loyalty to Lin Da.


    For three years, she had spent most of her time searching for him.


    Dawen couldn��t help but feel indignant towards Lin Da.


    His kindness to Tasya dated back to three years ago.


    Tasya had once saved Dawen��s life.


    As a talented Swordsman with an advantageous background, Dawen was never short of women from a young age. After experiencing what they offered, he grew uninterested, finding no enjoyment comparable to hunting Magical Creatures.


    Until he met Tasya in the wilderness, who was the first person to call him a bug and told him to roll away.


    With her tanned skin, she wore a maid��s dress even in the wild.


    Paired with her stunningly cold beauty�� she instantly piqued Dawen��s great interest.


    A battle erupted between the two, ending in a draw.


    But then a deceitful Magical Creature, a mimetic giant centipede that had been hiding under the soil, suddenly emerged.


    As Dawen struggled, his Battle Qi failing him and clinging to life, Tasya unleashed her Witch State to save him. Although it was a lack of travel funds that prompted Tasya to help Dawen, objectively she still saved his life.


    For this reason, Dawen wholeheartedly helped Tasya approach Lin Da, to fulfill the wish of the maid.


    At this moment, looking at Tasya��s crestfallen figure, Dawen��s heart ached as if cut by a knife, wishing he could grab Lin Da by the collar and demand: Why not accept her? Just do it! Do I have to give you a hand?!


    Dawen escorted Tasya upstairs, still seething with anger, and decided to go to the courtyard to practice with his sword.


    He practiced until the break of dawn.


    Just then, a man wearing a brown coat and riding a Blackflame Horse, weary from his journey, arrived at the Mandala Manor.


    ��


    Setting out through the night, and with the speed of the Blackflame Horse, Lin Da arrived in Red Heart City in just five hours.


    The way was filled with fluttering snowflakes and biting cold winds.


    Yet, the scarf woven from Fire Dragon Silk around his neck brought him comfortable warmth.


    Sometimes, when a corner of the scarf fluttered into his view due to the wind, he could see an image of a silver-haired chibi maid holding a broom handle blankly.


    Lin Da made a certain decision in his heart.


    In front of the black iron gate with its intricate designs, at Mandala Manor,


    ��I know that Tasya is here.��


    Lin Da looks at Dawen blocking his way, his eyebrows furrowed. S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He didn��t understand why this son of the Mandala family��s attitude towards him had turned so cold.


    The morning light fell on Dawen��s Golden Sword, entwined with lightning that crackled loudly.


    His red short ponytail hung behind him, and under his fringe, which looked like lobster antennae, were a pair of sharp eyes, staring intently at Lin Da.


    ��She��s not here.��

 Chapter 334 - 334: 286. Battle Against Dawen, Lin Das Decision Regarding Tasya_2

    Chapter 334: 286. Battle Against Dawen, Lin Da��s Decision Regarding Tasya_2


    Dawen said, word by word,


    Facing the indifferent attitude of Lin Da, Dawen felt a strong sense of being insulted.


    He regarded Tasya as his lifesaver, a distinguished guest of The Mandalas, and had taken great pains to send her to Lin Da to celebrate their reunion. But then�� Tasya was treated by Lin Da like she was nothing?


    It seemed that even at the fireworks festival, Tasya wasn��t included. Since Dawen was unaware of the circumstances, he could only speculate, and various terrible thoughts emerged in his mind.


    The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, and naturally, his attitude towards Lin Da couldn��t be good.


    Lin Da shook his head and said, ��There are some misunderstandings between us, but it��s not what you think. Dawen, please step aside, I have something to say to Tasya.��


    ...


    ��If you don��t believe it, you can go and check in the manor yourself. As long as you can defeat me, Thunder Swordmaster Dawen.��


    With that, the long sword in Dawen��s hand, named Thunderstrike, flashed with lightning and sparks flew, unleashing a powerful force of Star Rank 37, sweeping across.


    Truly a Star Rank on par with Abner, this oppressive force was far beyond anything the Phantom Nacho or Hulus could compare with.


    Lin Da��s gaze grew more solemn, summoning the Sword of Royalty and adding the Verdant Shield to himself.


    ��Then I��m afraid I��m about to offend.��


    ��Dark Whip, go!��


    ��


    Two minutes later.


    ��You��ve lost.��


    Dawen��s Epic Level sword, Thunderstrike, stopped in front of Lin Da��s neck.


    Some traces of the battle remained in the courtyard.


    Dawen had thought he would easily defeat Lin Da, but it turned out to require some effort.


    The thickness of the Verdant Shield was not just for show.


    The Sword of Royalty in Lin Da��s hand was also an Epic Weapon.


    Underneath the coat was drab dragon scale soft armor.


    Also Epic.


    Against a typical Level 26 adventurer, Dawen only needed one encounter to defeat the opponent.


    Meeting an odd ��supporter�� like Lin Da was a first for Dawen.


    He touched the dragons whisker bangs on his forehead, almost taking it lightly and nearly getting a strand chopped off by Lin Da.


    In due time, once Lin Da advanced to Star Rank, he would probably become exceedingly troublesome.


    Various thoughts flashed through Dawen��s head momentarily.


    The important part was the present.


    Currently, he was far more powerful than Lin Da.


    ��Leave Red Heart City,�� Dawen said coldly.


    ��I still have a few words.�� Lin Da took a deep breath and said, ��The Magical Creatures deep in the Dragon Forest are not something you can handle. If the Scarlet Adventure Group dares to go, there will be no return!��


    Dawen frowned, ��What do you mean by that?��


    Lin Da, ��If you trust me, then don��t go deep into the forest.��


    The scene fell into silence momentarily.


    Dawen looked at Lin Da with suspicion, arms crossed, deep in thought.


    The last monster tide, facing the disguised Red Armored Crab King, Thousand-Change Demon, Lin Da brought crucial information without seeking any reward. After the Thousand-Change Demon died, Lin Da had already left.


    Plus, since Tasya was in the Scarlet Adventure Group, for Lin Da to trap the Scarlet Adventure Group would be to trap Tasya as well.


    After weighing everything, Dawen nodded, ��Alright, the Scarlet Adventure Group will give up entering deeper.��


    After this battle, the coldness on Dawen��s face somewhat dissolved. It might really be as Lin Da said, just a misunderstanding, and Tasya��s sad expression had other reasons.


    If Lin Da truly didn��t care about Tasya, he wouldn��t have drawn his sword and faced him knowing he would be defeated.


    ��May I ask what happened between you two?�� Dawen sheathed his sword, puzzled.


    ��It��s probably�� we didn��t wait for her,�� said Lin Da.


    Dawen: ?


    Seeing Tasya��s devastated look when she returned, Dawen had thought that Lin Da definitely messed around with her and then dumped her!


    Just that?


    Such a minor issue could make Tasya so dejected.


    This showed how important Lin Da was in the heart of this maid.


    Thinking this, Dawen felt a pang of jealousy.


    What on earth had Lin Da done in the past to make Tasya so devoted?


    And then, there was Mingli from Dark Flame Adventure Group who came from Black Mamba City a week ago, who also had a deep connection with Lin Da.


    It made people believe Kami��s report: [The Eye of True Knowledge excels at raising fish, producing Star Rank and Moon Rank beauties!]


    ��Sigh, to think it was just this minor thing�� it feels like a sister who��s just been married complained about being slighted and ran back home,�� Dawen mused.


    Dawen frantically scratched his scalp, ��And Lia�� ah, I give up. Lin Da, I hope you don��t let them down, otherwise, the Scarlet Adventure Group will never let you go.��


    ��Speaking of which, Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose have formed an alliance.��


    Clearing up the misunderstanding, the two simply sat down on the stone chairs in the courtyard and chatted casually.


    Dawen��s smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, ��Lia must be happy now.��


    ��Didn��t see that coming, she actually bit my lip.��


    Lin Da��s unintended comment left Dawen flabbergasted, his mouth hanging open wide.


    ��Li, Lia that girl, actually���� Dawen stuttered.


    Although he knew Lia was surely involved with Lin Da, the reality still left Dawen shaken, unable to calm down for a long time.


    That girl, who in her childhood would only chop boys with a wooden sword, throw rocks through windows, play in the mud, and not learn a bit of adventurer etiquette�� now had a day of romance, even biting Lin Da��s lip.


    Dawen could hardly imagine that shy look on Lia��s face.


    Thinking about it made himself burst into a disgusted laughter.


    ��Ha, hahahaha, Lia, that Lia�� hahaha.�� Dawen slapped the stone table and laughed out loud. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the laughter, there was a sense of reassurance an old father feels seeing his daughter growing up.


    The Crimson Baron never treated Lia, the girl he picked up halfway, as family, but Dawen truly admired Lia, who devoted her heart to training.


    ��I should be going,�� Lin Da stood up, ��since Tasya has promised to help the Scarlet Adventure Group enter the tenth layer for a raid, let her stay here for now. Finally, help me pass on a message����


    Lin Da touched the light blue scarf around his neck. Tucked away on one end, it featured a chibi Dark Shadow, the outside displaying an embroidered silver-haired maid cleaning.


    He laughed, ��I really like this gift. I will cherish it.��


    Knowing that Tasya was asleep in her room, Lin Da simply peeped through the crack of the door and left.


    When Tasya returns to Phoenix Tail Flower, prepare a welcome party for her.


    Lin Da thought to himself.


    Two hours later, during breakfast time at Mandala Manor.


    At the long table covered with a neat white tablecloth, Tasya asked, ��Did someone come by? I heard fighting noises.��


    Dawen said, ��Indeed, someone did come.��


    ��Who was it?��


    Tasya��s voice tightened, her hands holding the knife and fork to cut the steak froze in mid-air.


    ��Lin Da.��


    Dawen said, ��He came to see you. But you were asleep, so he didn��t disturb you, just took a look and left.��


    ��Oh����


    ��Is that so.��


    ��Hmm.��


    Tasya��s lips curled slightly upwards, her tense brows slowly relaxed, and her eyes shone with light.


    ��Today��s salmon is very delicious.��


    ��No, it��s always tasted the same����


    Dawen sheepishly admitted.


    He didn��t dare pass on Lin Da��s words to Tasya.


    Fearing that Tasya would rush back to Phoenix Tail Flower, she might not even accompany the Scarlet Adventure Group to the monster raid on the tenth layer.


    This indirectly caused Tasya to have several sleepless nights, thinking about weaving another scarf to bring to Lin Da before the Great Mystery Continent��s tenth layer opened.


    ��


    ��


    The morning sun was warm and comforting.


    On the way back to White Dove City, Lin Da rode a Blackflame Horse, the wind whirling around him, his Level Aura at 26 intimidating the Magical Creatures of the wilderness to stay clear.


    Slimes were so scared they sprayed water in place, and Goblins hid in the bushes, trembling, fearing this powerful human might harm them.


    Lin Da had no intention of doing such things.


    He silently reflected whether he had been too harsh on Tasya.


    Seeing the seemingly strong but icy Tasya, he realized she was actually the most vulnerable among the team members.


    Perhaps he could consider being gentler in the future, trying to change this maid over time.


    ��When Tasya returns, I��ll take her to the Adventurers�� Guild to register, making her an official member of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.��


    The Scarlet Adventure Group would go to the tenth layer, and so would Phoenix Tail Flower.


    They might even meet there.


    With Phoenix Tail Team having gained some strength and not lacking luck,


    Lin Da naturally wouldn��t miss the opportunity to strike it rich in the Great Mystery Continent starting from this layer.


    From this level, rare materials would appear in the Great Mystery Continent. Some lucky dogs could ��pick up�� millions, even tens of millions of Gold Coins, and get rich overnight.


    This kind of event is eagerly reported by the empire��s major newspapers, encouraging adventurers to bravely climb to higher levels for the chance to strike it rich.


    =

 Chapter 335 - 335: 287. New Years Eve Dinner, Lias Battle Qi Evolution

    Chapter 335: 287. New Year��s Eve Dinner, Lia��s Battle Qi Evolution


    Those extremely rare materials would randomly spawn in various locations once the Great Mystery Continent opened.


    Generally speaking, the more dangerous the area, the higher the chance of encountering rare materials.


    However, it was not out of the question that such safe places could host millions of Gold Coins�� worth of rare materials like Dragon Heart Grass, Nightmare Flower, and Bone Azure.


    At the moment, not all members of the Snow Goose adventure team were level 30. However, as the saying goes, ��Amass provisions before sending troops,�� so the Gold Coins for level 30 gear had to be prepared in advance.


    Thinking about Gold Coins always gave Lin Da a headache.


    Even Lulu, a level 31 Star Realm adventurer, still wore gear from around level 20.


    ...


    The only decent piece she had was the Silver Ring dropped by the Goblin Prince.


    ��If we could get a share in the small event in Dragon Forest, Snow Goose��s financial issues would be solved, and our level could receive a substantial boost,�� Lin Da thought.


    ��But the recommended participation level for that event in the game is 30, and the strategy level is 45,�� he added.


    Lin Da��s greatest advantage was his foresight, knowing a safe route deep into Dragon Forest.


    But there was a big if.


    He had to ensure that the game��s plot had not changed. His information had to be accurate.


    Since Lin Da had arrived in White Dove City, he had already altered many of the original plot points.


    Lia��s Snow Goose adventure team, the Monster Tide, the slaying of Kam��these all varied significantly from the initial storyline.


    Lin Da was not sure if the route to Dragon Forest was still safe, or if the terrain there had changed.


    ��The event in Dragon Forest will officially start on the third day after the opening of the ten-layer Great Mystery Continent, which means I have two days to gather materials and survey the terrain,�� Lin Da thought.


    ��Lucky players in the game could explode out Dragon Series Skill Stones, which I��ve only ever seen in pictures on forum posts. I hope the World Tree Goddess blesses me during this event,�� he mused.


    Lin Da opened his personal interface and looked at one of the legendary skills: ��Goddess��s Blessing of the World Tree.��


    With some luck and Goddess��s Blessing, he might stand a chance to encounter that highly rare Skill Stone.


    ��Taking advantage of the few days before the Great Mystery Continent opens, let��s train the team a bit more and continue to strengthen our overall battle power,�� he planned.


    ��Lulu��s innate skill increases her attack power the less health she has, I can develop an attack system centered around her,�� Lin Da thought to himself.


    The game had setups with Lulu at the core��essential for budget players. It was quick to form, required few resources, and offered high returns, though its only flaw was that it wasn��t very strong in the later stages.


    But in this context, the later stage meant post-level 50.


    For Lin Da at this moment, never mind level 50, having a level 40 Moon Rank team member alone would allow him to roam around freely within hundreds of miles.


    Lin Da, riding on a Blackflame Horse, conceived a new combat model for Snow Goose as he galloped across a yellowish wasteland.


    In the afternoon, the orange glow of dusk illuminated the earth.


    Goldfinch District, Luanwei Flower Villa.


    ��I��m back!��


    Lin Da entered with a smile, pushing the door open.


    What he saw was a living room in disarray.


    The floor was strewn with small oak barrels, broken dishes, and unidentifiable vomit��a clear aftermath of a wild party.


    Lulu and Monica, dressed in white aprons and wearing masks, were cleaning up.


    ��Lord Captain,�� Monica ran up and hugged Lin Da, looking up at him: ��Did you find Sister Tasya?��


    ��Yes, everything��s fine now,�� he reassured.


    Lin Da temporarily set aside his questions about the messy living room and, with a smile, patted Big Lolita��s head and recounted his trip to Red Heart City.


    As soon as Tasya helped the Scarlet Adventure Group with their final hunt, she would leave the team in Red Heart City and officially join Snow Goose.


    ��Yay,�� Monica pumped her little fists.


    Then, looking at the grimy hall, she said with a pained expression, ��Sister Tasya is really good at cleaning. The party last night ended at dawn, and after Lulu and I rested for a bit, we started cleaning at noon and still haven��t finished.��


    Lulu nodded in agreement: ��Tasya really excels in cleaning.��


    ��I��ll help clean up in a bit as well,�� Lin Da offered.


    First, he took a seat and drank a cup of water. He set aside a brown woman��s coat someone had left on the couch, made space, and sat down, finishing the hot water in his cup.


    Only then did his fatigue from the long journey seem to dissipate.


    ��Ah, that��s better!��


    Lin Da wiped his mouth and exclaimed contentedly.


    ��


    Let��s rewind to the previous night, when Lin Da had set off on horseback for Red Heart City.


    At the villa of the Ice Flower adventure team.


    Isa had just returned when the teammates in the living room surrounded her, eager for gossip.


    ��Captain, how are things progressing with Lin Da?��


    ��Did you hold hands, kiss, or anything?�� Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Oh, Captain, are you blushing? You didn��t just do it, did you!��


    The teammates were shocked.


    Fannis curiously stared at Isa: ��Stop hemming and hawing, just spill it! Captain, you��re 25 already, if you keep this up, you��ll really turn into a dog.��


    There was a curse among adventurers that if one was still single at 30, they would turn into a dog.


    In the sparsely populated era of war, adults often used this to scare children.


    Isa, embarrassed, bowed her head and hesitated before admitting: ��We, we kissed.��


    ��Ah?!��


    ��Well done!��


    ��I thought you��d definitely come back and secretly cry!��


    Fannis was the most delighted: ��Now Lin Da will become Ice Flower��s strategist, and I can alleviate some of my command pressure.��


    ��Lin Da hasn��t agreed to join yet,�� Isa said, both shy and annoyed, pinching Fannis at her waist and causing the bespectacled green-haired girl to beg for mercy due to the pain.

 Chapter 336 - 336: 287, New Years Eve Dinner, Lias Battle Qi Evolution_2

    Chapter 336: 287, New Year��s Eve Dinner, Lia��s Battle Qi Evolution_2


    Isa said, ��Lin Da and I, we��re not in a romantic relationship.��


    ��Then you two still kissed?�� Fannis was surprised.


    ��It was me who initiated it���� Isa��s voice trailed off.


    ��What?��


    Fannis and the others exchanged confused looks.


    Isa, who had never been interested in love, actually took the initiative to kiss Lin Da?


    ...


    This was completely being head over heels!


    ��Hope the captain doesn��t get led away by Lin Da and abandon us,�� Fannis joked.


    ��No way, what are you talking about!�� Isa��s face flushed with embarrassment, unable to withstand the teasing.


    ��Alright, I��ll stop teasing you. Go get him, and defeat Lulu and Lia to win Lin Da over!�� Fannis cheered with a hehehe.


    Elsewhere.


    Lia returned to Snow Goose Villa with a triumphant expression.


    ��Good news, Lin Da is willing to create a strategy guide for Snow Goose!��


    As soon as she opened the door, Lia announced it loudly, catching the attention of everyone in the living room.


    On Winter Festival��s night, everyone was there.


    The warm lighting combined with the hot air blowing from the temperature control magic circle made it feel like summer as soon as you entered the villa.


    Inside, everyone was dressed in light clothes, with the girls either in shorts or short skirts, their fair thighs especially eye-catching.


    On a table, there was a family board game called [Snow White and the Seven Goblins].


    Aiko and Klrona sat on the long couch, one in a yellow home dress and the other in cute bunny pajamas. Klrona leaned against Aiko. While waiting for their turn to move the chess pieces, they played with a magic conductor handheld console, never idle for a moment.


    Opposite the table, on two white round stools, sat the short-haired green elf Kafni and the muscular and reliable Oru.


    Aiko and the others, playing the goblins, attempted to attack the two princesses played by the latter. If they succeeded, it would trigger the pre-set magic circle on the board, revealing an interesting Easter egg.


    It was a bordering-on-edgy board game, recommended by the official for ages 16 and up.


    The four were having a blast.


    In the corner of the long couch sat a worried-looking Phyllis, clutching paper and pencil, scribbling what faintly appeared to be data about the Snow Goose team members and magical creatures.


    On Winter Festival��s evening, this new commander was working overtime.


    As Lia returned and announced the news, everyone��s faces showed disbelief.


    Oru stood up with a slap: ��My partner is willing to come back to Snow Goose?�� S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kafni��s face lit up with joy. ��That��s great, with Lin Da��s help, we might quickly reach Iron Level.��


    ��Did Monica come?�� Klrona was more concerned about her new friend, standing eagerly on the couch and peering out, her pink pigtails swaying.


    Lia was a bit stuck, scratching the back of her head. ��Lin Da hasn��t rejoined the team, he just said he��s willing to create a strategy guide for Snow Goose����


    ��Wait a minute, captain dear.�� Aiko smirked, ��Weren��t you supposed to be at the training ground practicing swordsmanship? Did you run into the Phoenix Tail Flower Team there?��


    ��Uh����


    Lia scratched her cheek, her glance flickering. ��Yes, I happened to meet Lin Da. He invited me to the fireworks festival, then he said�� uh, he wanted to form an alliance with Snow Goose, make a strategy guide for this miss, and also asked this miss to give him a chance.��


    ��Can you look someone in the eye when you lie?��


    ��I, I didn��t lie! Lin Da really wants to create a strategy guide for Snow Goose!��


    ��Ah��I can��t be bothered with you anymore.��


    Aiko muttered to herself, this matter was also beneficial for her. If Snow Goose and the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team formed an alliance, she would have more chances to naturally get closer to Lin Da.


    ��It��s a bit of a pity that my partner couldn��t rejoin the team, but when you think about it, forming an alliance might be better? In the future, we can rely on the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team in times of difficulty,�� Oru chuckled.


    ��Did Monica not come?�� Klrona persisted.


    ��She didn��t, but Lin Da invited us over for the New Year��s Eve dinner,�� Lia said.


    In previous years, Lin Da had been there, and the Snow Goose Villa suddenly felt awkward without him.


    Now, getting an invitation from Lin Da indicated that the rift between them had completely disappeared. Even though they weren��t on the same team, they still maintained a peaceful old teammates relationship.


    ��Alright, alright, let��s go!�� Oru laughed heartily and went outside to drive himself.


    ��By the way, Lia, is your eye alright now?��


    Kafni looked at Lia with concern.


    As they climbed into the carriage, a gust of wind blew off Lia��s eyepatch.


    Kafni was surprised to find that Lia��s left eye was bright and seemed normal, not at all like it was blind.


    ��Huh?��


    Lia, reminded by this, blinked her left eye and could indeed see.


    She could even see clearer than before.


    The people of Snow Goose stared at her curiously.


    Aiko asked, ��Did the church��s priest heal you?��


    ��No, I don��t know how, it just healed by itself.��


    Confused, Lia touched her head and closed her eyes, feeling a pure force of Fire series circulating inside her body.


    She had first noticed this force at Lin Da��s promotion party.


    When she was a child, Lia had felt it too.


    Fighting over food with the slum kids, she had relied on this force to take on five at once.


    But as she grew up, she had never felt it again.


    Until she was injured while protecting her teammates.


    This power had appeared once again.


    Lia fell into deep thought.


    Could it be that the flame in her eyes, a flame of protection, only resurrected to protect others?


    Yet, when rushing the Serpent Leader on the 12th floor, what had actually crossed her mind was not to let Lin Da look down on her.


    Whether the flame was for guarding her teammates or because of Lin Da, even Lia couldn��t figure it out herself.


    ��Go ask Lin Da, he might know.��


    ��


    Late, three adventure teams gathered in the Phoenix Tail Flower Villa.


    Learning that Lin Da had headed to Red Heart City, although Lia and her group felt some regret, they ate the New Year��s Eve dinner as planned. The chefs Lulu and Monica prepared a sumptuous feast and Kafni, who was recuperating, got up from the table to bring out her newly purchased vintage wheat beer.


    The three adventure teams raised their glasses in unison.


    Not until daylight did people gradually return home.


    In the villa��s living room, after hearing Lulu��s recount, Lin Da couldn��t help but chuckle, ��Even for New Year��s, that��s too much drink.��


    After resting for a while, Lin Da joined in the cleaning.


    By the time it grew dark, they had finally cleaned the living room.


    After a simple dinner, Lin Da returned to his room and busied himself at his desk.


    He was making the 13th-floor strategy he had promised Lia for Snow Goose.


    This time, the strategy took Lin Da only two hours to complete.


    He briefly noted the weaknesses of the Magical Creatures and the rough plan of subjugation.


    As for how to implement it, he left that for Snow Goose to think over.


    Lin Da stowed the strategy diagram, placing it into his Space Ring.


    Afterward, he took out 10 Bronze Tree fruits and ate them in one go.


    Aside from the stems, Lin Da swallowed even the cores, ensuring not a bit of experience was wasted.


    The fruits he ate were perfectly digested by his body, turning into a ��gain Experience Points per second�� BUFF.


    10 Bronze Tree fruits guaranteed a baseline of 10,000 Experience Points per day.


    With enough resources, Lin Da could level up in at most a month, even at his slowest pace.


    Plus, there was his own hard work.


    A Star Rank was within reach.


    After eating the fruits, Lin Da routinely checked the system message box.


    As expected.


    No alerts for increase in Skill Points.


    ��Last time I got an increase of two Skill Points at once, I really hit the jackpot,�� Lin Da thought reluctantly.


    ��


    The next day.


    At 7:40 AM, Lin Da awoke from his sleep.


    ��Not having a maid to wake me up feels somewhat unsettling,�� he muttered as he washed up and went to the living room.


    ��Look at this.�� Lulu, who was already up, handed him a newspaper with a grim face.


    Under the [Miscellaneous] section was a picture.


    It blatantly showed Lin Da holding Isa��s hand, discovered by Lulu and others, both sides silenced.


    Lin Da: ��


    The report claimed that Isa and Lia went to the Phoenix Tail Flower Villa in the middle of the night.


    Then, behind the curtains, silhouettes flitted about in a Chaotic Dance.


    It described a ��fierce battle,�� with unidentified liquids splattered everywhere.


    Without a word about the Silver Party.


    But throughout the article, it was filled with Lin opening the Silver Party.


    Purely to attract readers, deliberately misleading the public!


    Once Lin Da saw the reporter��s byline, sure enough, it was that Kami again!


    ��Come across me, and I must teach this guy a lesson!��


    Lin Da was so angry his chest heaved up and down.


    The section below was the second article.


    About the alliance of the three Phoenix Tail Flower teams sparking widespread discussion.


    White Dove Morning News editor commented: Undoubtedly, this will be the largest new force in the next decade. What��s precious is that their bond is based on feelings, which is more solid than ordinary mutual interests.


    Kami��s comment: ��Finished, Lin Da can legally host the Silver Party now.��


    President Velen: ��Looking forward to their early step into Iron Level and heading to the 15th level on the Great Mystery Continent!��


    After reading the reports, Lin Da always felt the tone of Velen was between gritted teeth.


    Continuing to read down, he found the reason.


    A news headline, titled: [White Dove City Again Frustrated, Frequent Incursions in the 15th Level Great Mystery Continent Resource Area, When Can We Stand Up?]

 Chapter 337 - 337: 288. City Ranking, Phoenix Tail Flower Teams Resource Area Allocation

    Chapter 337: 288. City Ranking, Phoenix Tail Flower Team��s Resource Area Allocation


    Lin Da��s gaze swept across the page.


    The report detailed how not long ago, the 15th layer of the Great Mystery Continent was opened, and White Dove City��s resource area was invaded once again by an Adventurers�� Guild Sunrise Level adventure team from another city.


    Abner and the others fought valiantly to the end but still failed to prevent the tragic fact that the resource area was plundered.


    According to the unwritten rules among adventurers, if the local adventurers are unable to protect their resources area, the invaders have the right to take away seventy percent of it.


    The World Tree Goddess��s Material Bracelet has a high capacity. The higher up the floors one goes, the more Material Points it gives. Taking the 15th floor as an example, a normal adventure team can only fill one-twentieth of the Material Bracelet.


    An exaggerated figure.


    ...


    A top adventure team��s harvest on the 15th floor can fill the entire Material Bracelet.


    In other words, the resource acquisition is twenty times that of an ordinary adventure team.


    Take Black Mamba City for instance, which is notoriously known as a ��plundering city.�� The adventure teams from Black Mamba City are generally more powerful. Because of their geographical location, they were allotted a smaller resource area. To develop, they had no choice but to invade resource areas from other cities.


    Like a strong warrior grown up in bitter cold, the average combat power of the adventurers from Black Mamba City ranked in the top 30 in Cangqing Province.


    And the number of cities within the province is as high as 300!


    It��s worth mentioning that last year, according to the [Adventurers�� Report] summary, White Dove City��s overall city ranking was 204.


    The Red Heart City where Dawen is from ranked 137, and South Rock City, Aiko��s hometown, 109.


    ��The 15th layer was robbed again, how many times has it been now?.��


    Having finished reading the report, Lin Da felt no great fluctuation in mood; such incidents had long since become commonplace.


    White Dove City, without protection from a Sunrise Level adventure team, was like a sweet bun, attracting adventure teams from many cities to come from far away ��to visit.��


    The 15th layer of the Great Mystery Continent was still a considerable distance away from Phoenix Tail Flower Team, so Lin Da��s focus was on the 10th layer of the Great Mystery Continent, which was a few days ahead.


    After finishing their meal, he and his teammates went to the training field offered by the Adventurers�� Guild.


    Here, there were professional training dummies, Illusion Techniques that simulated Magical Creatures, and the buildings were made of durable stone, not easily damaged.


    The daily rent was 100 Gold Coins. Sear?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As a preferential measure from the Adventurers�� Guild, teams above the Rock-level Squad were exempt from all fees.


    Lin Da, as a newly promoted Rock-level Captain and an honorary adventurer, was not only exempted from payment but also had access to the private training field on the third floor.


    Accompanied by effort and sweat, the time for training silently passed by.


    By noon, Lin Da and his companions were just about to have a meal and rest.


    Thump thump.


    The voice of a Guild staffer came from the door:


    ��Captain Lin Da, the resource area allocation for Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team has been completed. The guildmaster invites you to handle the formalities.��


    ��Coming!��


    Lin Da perked up, forgetting all about hunger and fatigue.


    The long-awaited notification of resource allocation had finally arrived.


    Since Phoenix Tail Flower set foot on the 10th layer and started wearing the Rock-level badges, the Guild had been working on the allocation of a resource area.


    No matter how rare the materials grown in the allocated resource area were, they belonged to Phoenix Tail Flower.


    The materials in this kind of ��private land�� were not contested by local adventurers. The only threat came from invaders from other cities.


    Then there were the ��public areas.��


    Public areas made up 99.9% of the Great Mystery Continent, and the materials found within were deemed ownerless.


    First come, first served for those who find them and the strong take precedence.


    In the public areas, it was a matter of survival of the fittest!


    As long as an adventure team was strong enough, they could reap a massive amount of resources and Gold Coins within the Great Mystery Continent.


    On the seventh floor, in the guildmaster��s office.


    ��Lin Da, this area is the resource area allocated to the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team. Take a look.��


    Weylon stood from the chair behind his desk and warmly ushered Lin Da to a map.


    It was a map near the World Tree Teleportation Point in White Dove City on the 10th layer of the Great Mystery Continent.


    Each area was colored differently according to the level of danger it presented.


    Green represented safety, the deeper the yellow, the more dangerous.


    Ninety percent of the area was yellow.


    To the south, White Dove City, South Rock City, and Red Heart City formed an encirclement, and in the wide central area was a forest. Deep within the forest was a bright red, startling to the eyes.


    It signified extreme danger!


    Weylon served a cup of tea to Lulu, grabbed a handful of chocolate-cream candies for Monica, and even invited Monica to sit in the genuine leather chair behind his own desk.


    It was evident that the guildmaster treated the Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team quite courteously.


    Monica��s youthful appearance brought out a kinder side in the nearly fifty-year-old Weylon. Upon hearing Monica crisply say thank you, grandfather, Weylon��s heart warmed, and he laughed heartily, petting Monica��s head:


    ��If you ever run into trouble, come find Grandpa. I��ll take care of it for you.��


    ��Mm, mmhmm.�� Monica, a little frightened by Weylon, came down from the chair and ran to Lin Da��s side, holding her candies.


    ��What a shy girl.�� Weylun commented with a smile.


    His gaze shifted to Lin Da, but he noticed that Lin Da��s attention remained fixated on the red area of the Central Forest.


    Weylon earnestly cautioned, ��Lin Da, I know it��s your first time leading a team into the 10th layer and you��re excited, but that place is strictly off-limits.��


    ��Dragon Forest, the most dangerous place within thousands of miles of White Dove City, forbids the use of Teleportation Stones and Town Portal Scrolls in its depths, and adventurers have reported observing the presence of dragons there! For such Magical Creatures, Epic Level is just the beginning. It��s not just Rock-level Adventure Teams that should avoid the depths of the Dragon Forest, even Iron Level teams often venture there never to return!��


    Weylon��s advice came from a place of genuine concern.


    Lin Da returned from his thoughts and offered a smile: ��Guildmaster, you worry too much, I was just taking a look. I wouldn��t dare venture into such a dangerous place.��


    ��That��s good. Phoenix Tail Flower is a potential powerhouse of White Dove City, and I wouldn��t want to see anything happen to you all.�� Recalling another matter, Weylon added, ��By the way, have you and Isa formed an alliance?��

 Chapter 338 - 338: 288. City ranking, resource allocation for Phoenix Tail Flower Team_2

    Chapter 338: 288. City ranking, resource allocation for Phoenix Tail Flower Team_2


    ��`


    ��Hmm, the more the merrier, forming an alliance earlier would have prevented that Specter issue,�� Lin Da nodded.


    Three teams with the potential to advance to Iron Level, anyone facing them would have to weigh their options.


    Velen smacked his lips, saying meaningfully, ��Isa and Miss Lia, as you know, are like fire and water. Lin Da, you really have some skills, even more impressive in romance than I was in my youth.��


    Lin Da: ��?��


    Seeing Velen��s unspoken admiration in his eyes, Lin Da felt quite helpless.


    ...


    The more he tried to explain, the worse it became, so he simply chose not to explain at all.


    Someday, he would make Isa his Oath-bound as well.


    As for Lia�� he didn��t have much thought about that. Facing that red-haired girl, he just couldn��t treat her as the opposite sex. To say friends might imply a closer relationship, but lovers was definitely out of the question.


    He himself couldn��t clarify what exactly his relationship with Lia was.


    For now, he would just treat her as an ally.


    ��So, this is the resource zone of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team?��


    ��Quite large, isn��t it, President? Is this really okay?��


    Lin Da��s tone changed as he saw a red circle drawn on the map by Velen, his expression subtly shifting.


    At first glance, it was only the size of a chestnut.


    But placed within the vast Mystic Realm, it had to be 100 meters in diameter, roughly the size of dozens of basketball courts combined.


    And a regular Rock-level Squad would only gain a resource zone of 10 meters in diameter upon promotion.


    So, Phoenix Tail Flower was starting with ten times what normal teams got!


    It was hard for Lin Da not to suspect that Velen was trying to win him over, hoping to make him owe a favor.


    Unexpectedly, Velen chuckled and said:


    ��You keep it, this is the result of the guild��s comprehensive consideration, not my solo decision. The reputation of Phoenix Tail Flower, the level of its members, votes from other Rock-level Squad captains, as well as the guild��s opinion, all these factors combined determine your team��s resource zone size.��


    ��By the way, during the voting, Snow Goose Adventure Team was the first one to vote. Four types of votes: ��Excellent,�� ��Good,�� ��Mediocre,�� ��Poor,�� Snow Goose cast an ��Excellent�� vote, hoping that the guild would grant Phoenix Tail Flower a high-quality resource zone.��


    ��The first one to vote? An excellent vote?�� Lin Da spaced out for a moment, the image of Lia wielding her Greatsword and declaring him an enemy coming to mind.


    Lin Da chuckled inexplicably and looked at Velen, ��President, can you really talk about these things? The voting is supposed to be anonymous, right?��


    ��Once you leave this office, just forget all about it,��


    Velen waved his hand nonchalantly, saying: ��By the way, out of 53 Rock-level and above teams in White Dove City, your team received 37 excellent votes, 5 good votes, and 11 poor votes.��


    ��11 poor���� Lin Da��s eyes flashed coldly, ��It must be the Rock-level Squads from the Specter side.��


    ��That��s your personal grudge, the guild doesn��t interfere. But no matter what you do, don��t leave any evidence. Just like the assassins of Specter, without evidence, there��s nothing we can do on our part,�� Velen casually remarked.


    ��Understood,�� Lin Da nodded.


    Having memorized the location of the resource zone, Lin Da signed a document, pricked his finger, and pressed down a magic-contracted fingerprint.


    That piece of land then officially belonged to the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    Once Lin Da put away the documents, Velen��s expression turned serious:


    ��It��s your first time entering the 10th floor, and many adventure teams and newspapers will be watching your performance. The following words are from me as the president of White Dove City Adventurers�� Guild.��


    ��I��m all ears,�� Lin Da said, his expression becoming serious as well.


    Velen: ��You must understand, White Dove City isn��t big, and the empire hasn��t allocated many reserve resource zones to us, so I hope Phoenix Tail Flower Team enjoys the privileges but also takes on the responsibility of jointly resisting foreign enemies.��


    ��The adventurers from Red Heart City and South Rock City invade our resource zones every time. As a top force among the Rock-level Squads, you must set an example.��


    ��As the president of the White Dove City Adventurers�� Guild, I look forward to your performance,�� Velen said, patting Lin Da��s shoulder gently.


    Lin Da nodded, his voice resolute, ��President, rest assured, I am also a member of White Dove City adventurers, and if someone bullies us, I won��t just stand by and watch.��


    ��I can��t control the Iron-level adventure teams, but for the Rock-level Squads, I��ll make sure they roll back the way they came, one by one.��


    His words were unapologetic, even bordering on arrogance.


    Lin Da spoke casually, as if discussing what he had for lunch yesterday.


    Velen couldn��t help but take a sidelong glance.


    This Phoenix Tail Flower captain seemed to have more up his sleeve than he had thought.


    ��Good, you do remind me of myself back in the day!�� Velen laughed aloud.


    Lin Da��s ��arrogance�� clearly wasn��t unreasoned.


    ��`


    Even Lulu alone made their Phoenix Tail Flower Team one of the top teams at the rock level.


    If Tasya hadn��t gone to the Scarlet Adventure Group, Lin Da could have gone toe-to-toe with Iron Level.


    And as for himself, he possessed a half-step Star Rank strength.


    Ordinary rock-level squads, Lin Da didn��t even take them seriously.


    ��


    After bidding farewell to President Velen.


    By afternoon, the Snow Goose Squad arrived as scheduled.


    They came to undergo team coordination training with Lin Da.


    ��Happy New Year.��


    In the training room, people on both sides met and cordially greeted each other.


    Klyne smiled, ��Lin Da, long time no see.�� S~ea??h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Yes, let��s train together and aim to enter the Iron Level as soon as possible,�� Lin Da greeted each of his old friends in turn.


    Klrona went over to Monica��s side, and the two whispered about the latest Magic Puppet game.


    Aiko��s gaze was so resentful that it made Lin Da��s skin crawl.


    After hastily offering New Year��s greetings, he quickly looked away from Aiko��s gaze.


    As for his feelings toward Aiko, they were closer to those of a pure old teammate, with a slight fondness for Aiko��s figure. Not like Isa, whose confession under the fireworks had touched his heartstrings.


    It was like, no matter how Aiko tried to tickle him, she could never reach his real itchy spot, something was missing.


    Until he was certain he liked Aiko, Lin Da wouldn��t add any more Oath-bound to their numbers.


    ��Lin Da, train me hard. As long as I can become stronger, I can accept even the strictest training,�� said Lia as she approached.


    Lia, with one hand on her hip, was dressed in neat adventurer��s attire, her long hair tied back in a ponytail, and with a greatsword about the width of her palm on her back, her eyes shining as she stood in front of Lin Da.


    During the New Year��s Eve dinner the night before, the team members took turns persuading Lia not to throw a tantrum during Lin Da��s training, even if Lin Da did something that made her uncomfortable, it was definitely for her own good.


    Everyone was convinced that Lin Da would never harm Snow Goose.


    Lia had come to that conclusion as well.


    So far, Lin Da��s decisions seemed to always be right.


    If she was not bright, she would just listen to Lin Da more.


    ��That��s what you said.��


    Lin Da looked deeply at Lia.


    In the new year, Lia seemed to have grown taller, and her character also appeared much stronger than in previous years.


    The only pity was�� Lin Da glanced at a certain place


    She still couldn��t distinguish the difference between her front and back.


    The team training started quickly.


    Lin Da used the pre-set Illusion Magic Circle in the training ground to simulate various Magical Creatures.


    These Magical Creatures moved stiffly, far from real combat.


    But for ��armchair strategizing�� and to hone the Snow Goose��s teamwork ability, it was enough.


    ��Lia, attack the Goblin Chieftain to your front left!��


    ��Aiko, support with Cage of Light!��


    ��Time to retreat, Oru, take over!��


    ��Klrona, don��t charge too far ahead.��


    ��Phyllis, you need to practice chanting as a Healer more.��


    Lin Da sat on a bench-like stool, overseeing the battle situation, shaking his head repeatedly in his mind.


    If Ice Flower��s teamwork ability was 85 points, Snow Goose��s performance was around 50, not even passing.


    Though it was somewhat stronger than before he left the team, the improvement was not significantly noticeable.


    In each of their hearts, they still held onto the idea of fighting on their own.


    Lia rushed impulsively at the sight of Magical Creatures, Klrona loved to charge into the midst of monsters, Aiko could never seem to muster any enthusiasm, acting languid, and occasionally casting those resentful glances at himself��

 Chapter 343 - 343: 291. The ten-layer specialty, Lin Da looks for rare materials.

    Chapter 343: 291. The ten-layer specialty, Lin Da looks for rare materials.


    99% of adventurers have their strategy progress below the 10th level.


    White Dove City��s few Adventurers�� Guilds simply can��t accommodate this many people.


    So, over these past few days, the live viewing tower will be initiated.


    The tower covers nearly ten thousand square meters and is as tall as a 15-story building.


    The initial intention behind White Dove City��s construction of this tower was to attract adventurers from other cities with the outstanding real-life adventures happening here.


    But reality is cruel.


    ...


    Without a Sunrise Level adventure team, it��s difficult for White Dove City to compete with the two neighboring cities.


    The viewing tower is often left gathering dust.


    It��s only activated during the 10th and 15th levels of the Great Mystery Continent��s live viewings, when there are many adventurers watching, that the tower��s underground, the Magic Circle that consumes vast amounts of energy and is known as a gold-devouring beast, is utilized.


    Otherwise, the cost of magic power alone would be enough to break White Dove City��s bank.


    It was a little past seven in the morning, and daylight had broken.


    Finch, with his new adventure team��the Rebirth Adventure Team��s six members��arrived at the viewing tower.


    As the deputy head of the Phoenix Tail Flower Fan Club, Finch had only one purpose for being there.


    This thirty-something swordswoman, dressed in a green Swordsman Uniform with golden braids, approached the counter and confidently slapped 10 Gold Coins down:


    ��Hall 6, Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, give me the front row seats!��


    The viewing tower��s activation consumes a vast amount of resources, so all adventurers watching the live broadcast have to pay a fee.


    And the Adventurers�� Guild officially gives a share of the revenue from the live broadcast of each hall��s adventure team to the respective team captains.


    Even Lin Da couldn��t break the rules; his proposal for a free broadcast was rejected by the Guild. This would lead to no one watching the live broadcasts of other adventure teams, as everyone would flock to Phoenix Tail Flower.


    The Guild hopes to see a multitude of teams thriving, not just one dominating everything. sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Afterward, they could even sell recordings of the Phoenix Tail Flower��s strategies.


    All these would include a share for Phoenix Tail Flower.


    After understanding the details, Lin Da complied with the Guild��s decision.


    The Great Mystery Continent��s live broadcast would follow the rules of White Dove City.


    Minor Secret Realm strategies are free for everyone.


    Lin Da could help lower-ranking adventurers reduce casualties, and White Dove City could use Lin Da��s strategies to attract adventurers from other places to join.


    It��s a win-win situation.


    According to statistics from the Adventurers�� Guild, the number of adventurers from outside the city who joined White Dove City in the past two months increased by 22% compared to previous years.


    A large part of this achievement came from Lin Da.


    Today, however,


    the live broadcast of Phoenix Tail Flower Team��s strategy in Hall 6 was highly anticipated.


    Everyone wanted to see how this rock-level up-and-comer would perform on the 10th floor of the Great Mystery Continent.


    The Great Mystery Continent opens at noon, and even though it was only a little past seven, the viewing tower had already drawn quite a crowd; people were securing spots early and buying viewing tickets for their favorite adventure teams.


    Finch proudly slapped down 10 Gold Coins, but the lady at the counter, a blonde in a green vest over a white shirt and tie, apologized:


    ��I��m really sorry, but the front row tickets for the Phoenix Tail Flower live broadcast are sold out.��


    ��What? Didn��t ticket sales start at 7 am? How are they gone in just half an hour?�� Finch asked, astonished.


    ��Well�� actually, the front row tickets for Phoenix Tail Flower were booked a month in advance. If you��d like, you can book now for six months later.��


    ��Six months!?��


    Finch was stunned.


    They��re selling tickets for half a year from now?


    ��If she were the head of the Phoenix Tail Flower Fan Club, she definitely could get the tickets, but it seems she��s not a local from White Dove City, and as deputy head I��ve only met her once���� Finch mumbled to himself.


    ��Sigh, there��s nothing I can do then, give me a middle-row ticket.��


    ��The middle row is also sold out.��


    ��Back row, then.��


    ��The back row is gone too.��


    ������


    ��Sir, only standing tickets are left.��


    Finch, with a dazed expression, took the standing tickets and led his team members to Hall 6 on the third floor.


    Unlike the sparsely populated other halls,


    this area was bustling, crowded shoulder to shoulder.


    A sea of heads was visible at a glance.


    All waiting for the Phoenix Tail Flower��s live broadcast to start!


    ��Ladders for sale��one Gold Coin each,�� a staff member came over to hawk his wares.


    Finch: ����Give me one.��


    Before the live event had even started, staff were pushing carts around selling beer, sunflower seeds, and popcorn.


    The adventurers also spent a fantastic time chatting and eating.


    Before they knew it, it was 11:50 am.


    Only 10 minutes left until the start of the Phoenix Tail Flower live broadcast.


    At the same moment,


    in the Secret Realm Square, where snow had not yet fully melted, Lin Da and Lia��s teams converged at the entrance to the World Tree.


    Both sides wore simple and practical adventurer��s clothing.


    Lin Da was in a white short-sleeved shirt, with tactical shorts that had many pockets, and boots whose soles were reinforced with steel plates embedded with miniature magic Arrays to enhance agility and friction.


    A belt around his waist held numerous pouches with Magic Potions for mana and health recovery, Healing Bandages, a compass, and Demon Repellent�� Rather than keeping them in a Space Ring, it was more convenient to have them where they can be easily accessed.


    Lia wore a sleeveless white jacket with high-waisted black shorts.


    A large belt also brimming with adventure supplies hung around her waist, her long, shapely legs filled out the black over-the-knee socks, and her brown boots came up nearly to her knees.


    The girl had a Greatsword on her back, her long hair tied into a ponytail with a black ribbon, giving her a neat and efficient appearance.


    When silent, Lia could definitely be considered a beautiful girl.


    Lin Da thought to himself quietly.


    ��Don��t you drag down this Star-ranked adventurer!��


    Lia snorted dismissively, leading the Snow Goose members into the World Tree. She waved her hand:


    ��Follow the agreement, let��s meet again after we��ve harvested resources from the private area. I��ll take you to explore the public domain! Just cling to the coattails of the double Star-ranked Snow Goose Adventure Team!��

 Chapter 344 - 344: 291. The ten-layer specialty, Lin Da looks for rare materials_2

    Chapter 344: 291. The ten-layer specialty, Lin Da looks for rare materials_2


    This flaunting flavor��


    Lin Da sighed in his heart.


    ��In the future, I have to learn a silencing spell to shut Lia��s mouth. As soon as she opens it, people can��t help but dislike her,�� he thought.


    Once the people from Snow Goose disappeared in the blue transport light, he turned to look at Lulu and Monica.


    The two teammates were dressed uniformly, in white shirts paired with black skirts; inside was a fixed array that ensured no wardrobe malfunctions during intense battles.


    And on the breast of the shirt, there was a brown, circular team emblem with a background of a white dove in flight, and the main image being a blue Phoenix Tail Flower.


    ...


    Lin Da smiled and said, ��Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, depart!��


    The three of them entered the large cave beneath the World Tree and disappeared in the blue transport light.


    ��


    The tenth floor of the World Tree, ��Tawny Wilderness.��


    The enormous sun shone down from overhead, and in comparison to White Dove City in winter, it was quite the tropical savannah.


    From a bird��s eye view, the tenth-layer landscape was primarily plains, littered with what seemed to be Mondale Trees, resembling maple trees.


    This type of tree had excellent drought resistance, with sparse orange leaves growing on its branches. Under each leaf, there was a round fruit about the size of a thumb��s pad, looking remarkably like golden jujubes.


    Besides the Mondale Trees, the most common vegetation was thorny bushes and a large number of tumbleweeds. Sometimes, venomous snakes would hide within, causing adventurers great harm.


    At this time, under a Mondale Tree, a tall adventurer cast his Dark Whip, plucking a handful of Mondale fruits.


    He shared the fruits with his two teammates, and he also took one, wiped it clean, and threw it into his mouth.


    Enjoying the sweet juice splashing in his mouth, Lin Da cheerfully said:


    ��If you��re thirsty, just eat these. Mondale Tree fruits are not cheap in the outside world, costing a silver coin for a handful. Many adventure teams don��t dare explore the public areas, so they gather Mondale Tree fruits in the resource areas, put them into their Material Bracelets, and sell them in the outside world.��


    While eating the Mondale Tree fruits, he casually inculcated their value.


    ��Wow, so sweet,�� Monica bit into one, holding her cheeks in her hands, her eyes sparkling.


    Lulu also said, ��Tastes good.��


    ��Of course, they��re fresh off the tree,�� Lin Da replied.


    Lin Da grabbed a handful of Mondale Tree fruits and raised his right hand to scan them with the silver Material Bracelet on his wrist.


    In the middle of the bracelet was a tiny, pale green gem.


    The gem released light that fell upon the Mondale Tree fruits.


    A row of ancient texts appeared: [Mondale Tree Fruits: 100 pieces, consuming 1 Material Point, proceed with storage? Current Material Points: 0/1000]


    Lulu raised an eyebrow: ��Lin Da, let��s not take these fruits, shall we? They take up too much space.��


    The Material Bracelet��s points, since the Phoenix Tail Flower arrived at level 10, had increased from a limit of 100 to 1000, meaning that before midnight today, they could collect materials worth up to 1000 points at most.


    Anything beyond that, even if placed into the Space Ring, would disappear the moment they left the Great Mystery Continent.


    This was a limitation set by the World Tree Goddess to prevent some insatiable people from stripping the World Tree bare.


    However, the World Tree Goddess was also generous.


    A full 1000 Material Points, refreshed daily; only a very few adventure teams could expend all the points.


    Lin Da gently tapped Lulu��s head, ��Are all Beastmen so greedy? With our team��s strength, we can��t even fill this Material Bracelet. Things are not the same as ��before,�� where we could reap until we could hold no more, and even had to throw away some less valuable items.��


    ��These Mondale Tree fruits only cost 1 point, let��s take them back for our own use. It��s also a great side dish for a certain someone resting at home.��


    ��Oh���� Lulu nodded, ��Then let��s take them with us.��


    After collecting the Mondale Tree fruits, Lin Da unfolded the map and used the compass to confirm their direction.


    Their transmission point was near the World Tree in White Dove City.


    ��The west�� That��s the spot. We��re in luck, it won��t take more than twenty minutes to reach the Phoenix Tail Flower resource area.��


    As Lin Da spoke, he untied a small cage from his waist, which contained several sensor ladybugs fluttering around chaotically. Sear?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was 12:01, and he had to start his strategy live stream.


    Lin Da transferred his magic power to a sensor ladybug, and the insect immediately started to fly around with great enthusiasm.


    The external magic screens all lit up.


    Adventurers who had been waiting enthusiastically sent in their suggestions.


    [Finally started, yippee!]


    [Captain Lin Da, teach us how to harvest rare materials, preferably those worth over 100,000 Gold Coins.]


    [I��d actually like to see the Phoenix Tail Flower Team fight a Wilderness Guardian.]


    [I hope Monica and the others get attacked by Tentacle Flowers!]


    [Actually, I��d rather see Captain Lin Da get tied up by the Tentacle Flower, have his clothes corroded by the slime, and entangle his��]


    [Where do all these perverts come from? Continuing like this will get the World Tree Goddess to cut off the live stream!]


    [Elf spring cottages grand opening sale, 30% off for half a month before and after the Winter Festival, Beastmen enjoy an additional discount on top of that!]


    Lin Da held a ladybug in his hand and watched with an amused expression as suggestions rapidly flitted across the small crystal screen on the ladybug��s belly.


    It��s not clear if it��s because tall trees catch much wind, but the Phoenix Tail Flower had gained a lot of unconventional fans, from advertisers to those who wanted to see them assaulted by Tentacle Flowers.


    Tentacle Flowers, a high-level magical creature that doesn��t harm adventurers. They especially like to corrode the clothes of adventurers and then inject pollen into the holes.


    Being attacked by Tentacle Flowers won��t be a problem for an adventurer��s life, but it might result in the birth of a new life.


    Lin Da couldn��t help but laugh and cry, ��I suggest that girls stay away from Tentacle Flowers; being preyed upon by such magical creatures is addictive.��


    ��About today��s live stream content, I will teach you some methods of finding rare materials. I can��t guarantee that you will definitely find rare materials, but the chances are definitely greater than searching blindly. Most importantly, it still depends on everyone��s luck.��


    On the first day of entering the Mystic Realm, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team was under a lot of attention, and it was not convenient for Lin Da to investigate deep into Dragon Forest.


    That event was scheduled to start the night after next.


    Lin Da wasn��t in a hurry. His main goal for the first day was to collect rare resources and earn Gold Coins.


    His second goal was to strike at those adventurers from other regions who had invaded White Dove City.


    Walking on the stark tawny wilderness, the sensor ladybugs circled around Lin Da, and his calm voice reached the external magic screens.


    ��The three most common rare resources in the Great Mystery Continent are as follows: the Fruit of the World Tree, silver level, requires 30 Material Points, and is sold for an average of 10,000 Gold Coins in the outside world.��


    ��Haru Ore, requires 50 Material Points, can be used to forge level 30 Purple Equipment, and sells for 20,000 Gold Coins.��


    ��Storm Hawk droppings, 40 Material Points, mainly used to make Demon Repellent, and also a favorite food for Blackflame Horses that can enhance their physique, selling for about 15,500 Gold Coins.��


    Lin Da smiled, ��The Silver Tree is a matter of chance and not something you can search for intentionally. Our main target is the second type, the Haru Ore. The burial sites of this ore generally have a dark brown soil color, and the soil quality is drier����


    This knowledge was half based on Lin Da��s mining experience in the game and half from what he had learned in the library.


    A barrage of knowledge points came down, leaving many adventurers in awe but puzzled.


    It was not enough to talk; Lin Da had to demonstrate.


    ��This spot looks pretty good.��


    Lin Da stopped next to a large rock.


    He stomped his foot twice, feeling that the ground nearby was different from the surrounding area.


    ��As expected, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team��s first bucket of gold today is right here.��


    Taking an Iron Pickaxe out of his Space Ring, Lin Da handed it to Lulu��being the captain meant he had to let his teammates do the rough work, even if they were all beautiful girls.


    Lulu took it for granted. The old Lin Da had been a hundred times worse than now. She picked up the Iron Pickaxe, without a word, and started digging with her bushy tail in the air.

 Chapter 345 - 345: 292. Picking up money in a sack, adventurers from other cities

    Chapter 345: 292. Picking up money in a sack, adventurers from other cities


    [Just because he stomped his foot twice, he was sure there was Haru Ore underneath? That boast seems a bit too big, feels like the ladder was bought for nothing, might as well have saved the money and had a good meal.]


    [A piece of Haru Ore is worth about 20,000 Gold Coins, if there really is some, isn��t that just too easy to earn money?]


    [Alas, I want to learn the Phoenix Tail Flower��s mining method, but I don��t know when I��ll be able to reach the 10th floor; climbing the World Tree is too hard, brothers.]


    Many doubtful voices appeared in the suggestions.


    Lin Da did not respond.


    He could not be sure there was Haru Ore underground with 100% certainty.


    ...


    Humans stumble, horses trip.


    No matter how rich the theoretical knowledge, without luck, one might still come up empty-handed.


    He had said earlier, using his method could only increase the chances, but it didn��t guarantee a full return.


    If mining were so easy, there would be no poor people on the continent.


    But quite obviously��


    Lin Da, blessed with the legendary skill ��Blessing of the World Tree Goddess�� is unusual in the luck department.


    When Lulu dug a three-meter-deep pit, her iron pickaxe struck something hard, creating a loud bang and sending sparks flying.


    ��There��s something.��


    Lulu dropped her pickaxe, and dug a few times with her beast claws, retrieving an object.


    She jumped out of the pit and walked over to Lin Da.


    The sensor ladybug also flew over, its eyes flickering blue, akin to a camera lens, aiming at Lulu.


    In the hands of the werewolf girl, unmistakably, were three square, shiny silver, fist-sized pieces of ore.


    Knowledgeable adventurers recognized it at a glance. S��ar?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That was the specialty of the Great Mystery Continent��s 10th floor, Haru Ore!


    It could be used to forge level 30 Purple Equipment, and some Orange Equipment also required Haru Ore.


    There was an enormous demand in the market, and supplies were short.


    [This method really works, hurry up and take notes. When I get to the 10th floor, I��m going mining too!]


    [Three pieces of Haru Ore, that��s about 60,000 Gold Coins. Earned 60,000 in a few minutes?]


    [I��ve already told the Valiant Adventure Team next door Luanwei��s method. Captain Robert is trying it out.]


    When Lin Da excavated the Haru Ore, the doubtful voices in the suggestions grew quieter.


    Some still stubbornly said that Lin Da was just lucky.


    But it was all bluster.


    ��Hard work.��


    Lin Da took out a handkerchief and wiped Lulu��s dirty face.


    He helped clean Lulu��s fluffy wolf ears, breathed some warm air on them, and then wiped them with the handkerchief.


    The wolf ears looked as good as new, without a speck of dust.


    People watching outside the screen couldn��t help but feel envious.


    Having a beautiful girl team member helping with mining, who��s also handsome, intelligent �C such a guy is just too enviable!


    However, Lin Da couldn��t really appreciate the feelings of jealousy; his mind was filled with earning Gold Coins, upgrading equipment for the team.


    ��Store.��


    Muttering silently in his mind, Lin Da pointed his Material Bracelet at the three pieces of Haru Ore.


    A verdant light flashed, and the ore disappeared from Lulu��s hands, entering the bracelet.


    The limit of Material Points decreased by 50��3, leaving 850 points remaining.


    ��This Great Mystery Continent really does make money easily.��


    Lin Da appeared calm on the surface, but he was actually quite pleased inside.


    A level 30 piece of Purple Equipment averages 100,000 Gold Coins each.


    These three pieces of Haru Ore were worth nearly half a piece of Purple Equipment.


    The speed of making money was even faster than fighting magical creatures.


    On the way to his team��s resource area, Lin Da repeated his method, digging up two more pieces of Haru Ore and incidentally finding a Wind Stone.


    This made everyone quite jealous.


    If digging up Haru Ore relied on knowledge, then Lin Da finding this thumbnail-sized, rectangular stone plate with little wings was purely luck.


    The cause was Lin Da feeling uncomfortable in his boots, so he took them off and put them on again.


    As it turned out, he had a small green stone plate under his feet, hidden under dry yellow leaves.


    The material was named Wind Stone, using up 80 points.


    It could be entrusted to a blacksmith to be embedded in boots to enhance Agility.


    The market price was around 40,000 Gold Coins.


    These 40,000 Gold Coins were purely found by Lin Da.


    How could others not be jealous?


    ��Maybe my luck is just a bit better than the average person.��


    Lin Da said cheerfully as he stored the Wind Stone into the Material Bracelet.


    At this point, his Material Points remained at 770 points.


    His initial target was to enter the 10th floor of the Great Mystery and gather materials worth 500 points on the first day, considering it a full success.


    But it seemed like there was a chance to fill up the Material Bracelet.


    Maybe even�� too full to fit?


    Lin Da��s eyes shifted, thinking that Lia��s Material Bracelet definitely couldn��t be filled. If he really ended up with more materials than the bracelet could hold, he could let Lia help hold some.


    This kind of loophole exploitation was allowed by the benevolent World Tree Goddess for each adventure team a couple of times.


    But if done too frequently, there would be dire consequences, like reducing the Material Bracelet��s point limit by half.


    Lin Da continued towards the Phoenix Tail Flower��s resource area, picking resources and looking for ore along the way.


    To the relief of many, Lin Da��s luck wasn��t always good.


    Since finding the Wind Stone, the rarest material Lin Da gathered was a lump of Storm Hawk dung.


    It was from a juvenile Storm Hawk, which greatly reduced its value.


    Lin Da spent 10 points to store it into his bracelet.


    He spent an hour explaining and imparting knowledge about the Great Mystery, as well as gathering materials, before finally reaching the resource area belonging to the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.


    ��Everyone, look at the blue sky ahead.��


    ��Underneath this blue sky, within a hundred meters, basically all of it is our resource area.��


    ��You can see many Mondale Trees, Green Devil Grass, Orange Flower �C the vegetation density of the resource area is far higher than the public area. Most importantly, there��surrounded by a cluster of Mondale Trees��are ten Bronze Trees!��

 Chapter 346 - 346: 292, Money Picking from a Sack, Out-of-Town Adventurer_2

    Chapter 346: 292, Money Picking from a Sack, Out-of-Town Adventurer_2


    Talking about the latter part, Lin Da��s voice involuntarily rose.


    The biggest difference between the resource zone and the public adventure area is that the former has a rich quantity of vegetation.


    The chances of finding a Fruit of the World Tree significantly increase.


    The resource zone allocated to the Phoenix Tail Flower belongs to high-quality resources.


    Initially, Lin Da had no concrete concept.


    Not until he saw those ten Bronze Trees with his own eyes.


    ...


    The rare vegetation in the resource zone is fixed, unlike in the public areas where it refreshes randomly each time the Great Mystery Continent opens. This means that every time Phoenix Tail Flower enters the tenth floor, those ten Bronze Trees are there, guaranteeing a considerable amount of resources.


    Just ten Bronze Trees are enough for Lin Da and his team��s expenses after retirement.


    [Is this entire area Phoenix Tail Flower��s resource zone? Isn��t it too vast?]


    [The neighboring Rock-level Adventure Team is also newly promoted, so how come their resource zone is not even one-tenth of Phoenix Tail Flower��s?]


    [What third-rate stuff is the Battle Axe? Captain Lin Da��s battle record is remarkable; it��s only natural for his resource zone to be large.]


    A group of ��Phoenix Scholars�� appeared in the suggestions, explaining the rise of Phoenix Tail Flower to the bystanders.


    From the Monster Tide to defeating the Epic Monsters and getting featured in Adventurer��s Weekly, receiving invitations from Azure Sky University��


    If Phoenix Tail Flower doesn��t claim such a high-quality large resource zone, then no one else deserves to.


    While everyone was arguing, Lin Da walked over to the Bronze Fruit Trees.


    This strange fruit tree was three meters tall, with a rather slender trunk and brown leaves shaped like apple leaves.


    On average, each tree had ten bright red Fruits of the World Tree.


    Lin Da picked them all and obtained a total of 50, spending 500 Material Points.


    Lulu grinned, ��It��s time to throw away the Mondale Tree fruits, and maybe the Bronze Tree fruits, too.��


    That suddenly revealed gentle smile made Lin Da��s eyelids twitch, and he felt like giving Lulu a kiss.


    The smiling werewolf girl��s charm directly increased by 20 points.


    Gathering 50 Bronze Tree fruits, the remaining point in the Material Bracelet dropped to 260.


    But it was only noon, a long time before the 0 point refresh of the Material Points cap.


    Filling up 260 points was more than sufficient.


    Lin Da furrowed his brow, realizing he had two options in front of him.


    One was to keep searching for materials, while discarding the cheap ones to maximize profits.


    For instance, Bronze Tree fruits worth 10 points could only be sold for 1000 Gold Coins, whereas 50 points worth of Haru Ore could fetch 20,000 Gold.


    The latter��s value was much higher.


    The second choice was to use Lia��s Material Bracelet, offering her a share of the profits as compensation.


    ��If Isa were here, it would be less risky to store materials with Lia,�� Lin Da sighed inwardly.


    After searching in the Phoenix Tail Flower resource zone, Lin Da found three more pieces of Haru Ore, a piece of Storm Hawk dung, the multipurpose spice Orange Grass, Mage-used Green Devil Grass��


    Spending another 220 Material Points.


    The total value was around 85,000 Gold Coins,


    Adding to this the Wind Stones and other items in the Material Bracelet, Phoenix Tail Flower��s current total income amounted to 280,000 Gold.


    Under the blazing sun, Lin Da gasped in astonishment.


    This speed of accumulating wealth was even faster than selling Dream Herbs.


    Outside the Lumiscreen, many adventurers thought entering the tenth floor and earning Gold Coins would be that easy.


    They became highly motivated, swearing in their hearts.


    They absolutely had to enter the tenth floor of the Great Mystery Continent and bag money.


    Only a few wise ones realized that Lin Da��s luck was somewhat outrageous.


    The neighboring Valiant Adventure Team, having learned Lin Da��s mining method through adventurers communicating between halls.


    But after digging for a while, they didn��t find a single piece of Haru Ore.


    They found nothing but worthless residue.


    Lin Da��s method was effective.


    99% theoretical knowledge, paired with 1% luck.


    Only then could one find rare materials as if drinking water, like Lin Da.


    ��


    ��Over an hour has passed; it��s time to meet up with Snow Goose,�� Lin Da thought.


    Lin Da took out the palm-sized magic scroll named ��Signal Flare�� and injected magic power into it.


    The scroll turned into a green light and, with thick smoke, it shot into the sky, exploding into a giant pattern of a Phoenix Tail Flower.


    About ten miles away.


    A girl was standing under the Mondale Tree, waving her arms and shouting excitedly, ��Oru, come over and pick up this poop, it��s worth over 15,000 Gold Coins!��


    After searching the resource area for more than an hour, Lia found the most valuable material, which was the pile of white, dry bird droppings in front of her.


    It was Storm Hawk dung with a strong pungent smell, capable of driving away weaker magical creatures!


    At that moment, a green signal flare rose in the eastern sky, exploding into the pattern of a Phoenix Tail Flower.


    In a short while, Snow Goose and the Phoenix Tail Flower met.


    ��How was your harvest?�� Lin Da asked.


    ��Not bad,�� Lia said, ��And you?��


    ��Almost full.��


    ?


    Lia was taken aback for a moment, then, surprised, she pointed at his wrist material bracelet: ��How many material points are left?��


    Lin Da replied, ��260.��


    At this, everyone from the Snow Goose fell silent.


    Even though Aiko, the undercover rich girl, wasn��t short on money, she was still shocked by Lin Da��s luck.


    Since the opening of the 10th floor of the Great Mystery Continent, hardly two hours had passed, and Lin Da��s material bracelet was almost full?


    Even the White Dove Adventure Group couldn��t achieve such an inconceivable speed!


    ��I want to borrow yours for a while, a split of�� not 91, but 82.�� Lin Da noticed Lia��s gloomy face and changed the originally planned split from 91 to 82. It seemed her debt wasn��t cleared yet, so he decided to give her a bit more.


    ��Okay then.�� Lia finally nodded reluctantly.


    The two reached an agreement and together looked forward.


    They saw a scenery of a barren tropical savanna: plenty of withered weeds, bushes, orange Mondale Trees, and the blazing hot sun overhead.


    Outside the resource area, the danger of the public area increased several times.


    Magical creatures hidden in the dark, powerful Wilderness Guardians, and adventurers from outside White Dove City made it quite a challenge.


    Teams lacking in confidence, after harvesting the resources from their private lands, would leave the Great Mystery Continent.


    Only teams that had either a stroke of luck or confidence in their strength would venture into the vast public area.


    ��Let��s go, let��s see if we can find the specialty of the 10th floor of the Great Mystery Continent, the Sky Flower worth 300 material points.��


    Lin Da, accompanied by the members of Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose, boldly entered the public adventure area.


    ��


    In the blink of an eye, several hours passed.


    The time shifted from midday to dusk.


    The sun was setting, and the temperature also dropped a bit.


    On the plains, giraffes were munching on the fruits of the Mondale Trees, and a lion was lurking in the bushes, ready to pounce.


    The most spectacular sight was certainly the World Tree in White Dove City, which overshadowed everything.


    The Great Mystery Continent seemed like a disc placed on top of the mainland, connected by the World Tree as an elevator, linking both realms.


    From any layer of the Great Mystery Continent, one could see the existence of the World Tree.


    Suddenly, 30 miles south of White Dove City��s World Tree, amidst a cluster of Mondale Trees.


    ��Hehehe, Captain Minnie, I don��t like bullying women, so if you know what��s good, just hand over the resources from your bracelet. Otherwise, don��t blame my spear for being heartless and making you embarrass yourselves live.�� The man had short red hair like steel needles and wore a black leather jacket; he flicked his earwax toward Minnie.


    This man, named Dennis, was a captain of an Iron-Level Adventure Team from Red Heart City, skilled with a long spear and known as the ��Flaming Gunman.��


    Dennis had recently advanced to level 33, stepping beyond the despised designation of a ��newbie Iron-Level captain.�� S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Since there were more than ten Iron Level teams in Red Heart City alone, exploring in the local public area was highly risky, far less advantageous than ruling over White Dove City.


    As soon as the 10th floor of the Great Mystery Continent opened, Dennis rushed to White Dove City with his ��Flame Adventure Team.��


    Today, he was lucky to have found a Ginkgo tree and had also caught a Rock-Level Adventure Team from White Dove City.


    Dennis sneered, spear on shoulder, and bluntly stared at the pale-faced girl opposite him.


    He had caught Captain Minnie of the ��Slay the Evil Dragon Adventure Team.��


    The girl��s green hair was tied into two large buns, she clutched a long spear in her arms, her legs were trembling, and behind her, her team members glared angrily at her.


    To Dennis, they looked like a bunch of mice caught by a cat; even their angry faces seemed adorably foolish.

 Chapter 347 - 347: 293. Squad Descends, Joining Forces to Battle Iron Level Adventure Team

    Chapter 347: 293. Squad Descends, Joining Forces to Battle Iron Level Adventure Team


    ��If we met outside the Great Mystery Continent, I wouldn��t mind sharing a drink with your adorable captain at the tavern. But since we��re in a public Adventure Zone, if you don��t surrender, I��ll have to make your captain cry,��


    Dennis said with a sneer as he rubbed his wrist and swung his spear, ��Neither this Ginkgo tree nor your Material Bracelets are yours any longer��they��re all property of my ��Flame Adventure Team��!��


    Swoosh swoosh swoosh!


    Seven members instantly surrounded Minnie and her team.


    This Iron Level adventure team from Red Heart City might not have been the most experienced, but their members had still reached an average level of 28.


    Captain Dennis was even stronger, at level 33, exerting a ��presence�� that made it hard for Minnie and her group to breathe, their steps heavy, and their strength seemed to halve out of nowhere.


    ...


    Minnie was about to cry from frustration, with tears rolling in her eyes like little pearls.


    They had finally found a Ginkgo tree, and she had told her team they would have a feast tonight, even promising an extra 1000 Gold Coins to each of them. But just as they had approached, they were caught red-handed by the Flame Adventure Team.


    Not only was there no hope for the Ginkgo tree, but they also had to hand over the materials that they had collected with so much difficulty.


    Minnie gritted her teeth, gripping the white-speckled spear in her hand.


    This was an orange-quality spear she had bought from Lin Da for 100,000 Gold Coins at her Phoenix Tail Flower promotion party.


    Regrettably, the spear did not give Minnie the courage she needed.


    She weakly glanced at the burly members of the Flame Adventure Team.


    Compared to her, a regular Spearman at level 25, even the weakest member of the Flame Adventure Team was level 28; the power discrepancy between the two teams was too great.


    Just Dennis alone could sweep through them all; there was no chance for a fight.


    Minnie��s face turned bitter. She looked up at the sensor ladybug flying above and complained:


    ��This Dennis is so shameless. I��m the one who found the Ginkgo tree. He won��t let me have even one fruit, and now he wants to steal my Material Bracelet too! What a shrimp-head man with his brain full of crap! Everyone, curse him with me!��


    Unable to confront the reality, Minnie had to take out her frustration on the magic screen. sea??h th�� novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile, Dennis seemed unconcerned, leaning on his spear, picking his ears and his nose, apparently with as much filth in his head as Minnie had said.


    His arrogant demeanor, completely disregarding Minnie, was captured perfectly by the sensor ladybug.


    His big face appeared on the magic screen, with each nose hair clearly countable.


    As Dennis picked and prodded, a black ball was removed from his nostril, emanating a salty scent as if it reached everyone��s mouth through the screen.


    Dennis rolled it between his fingers and then flicked it lightly, hitting the sensor ladybug on the head.


    Its head served as the ��camera�� for this magical creature. In the hall, adventurers from White Dove City could only see a large black mass smeared across the screen. Some who were drinking juice turned pale and vomited on the spot.


    The actions of this Star Rank adventurer from Red Heart City immediately caused outrage.


    [I know Dennis. He often comes to steal White Dove City��s resources. Last month in the tenth level of the Mystic Realm, the Valiant Adventure Team was robbed by them, and Robert, their captain, was beaten bloody and bedridden for days!]


    [The Flame Adventure Team, a habitual offender. They don��t collect any resources themselves and just rob others.]


    [Disgusting shrimp-head man!]


    [If only the White Dove Adventure Group were here.]


    [The public area is too large. Even with the White Dove Adventure Group, can they really protect everyone? Spirits, Bedrock, and the adventurers from Red Heart City are all in cahoots. If only they didn��t help Red Heart City rob us. The only ones who can really help are White Dove.]


    [Hey, everyone, look! Isn��t there someone behind Captain Minnie? Has another adventure team arrived?]


    It seems the Ginkgo tree had attracted not only the Flame and Slay the Evil Dragon Adventure Teams.


    Seeing this suggestion, Minnie stealthily glanced behind her and indeed spotted figure approaching.


    This glimpse brought a surge of joy to Minnie. While White Dove City had many invaders from other cities, the majority were still locals.


    In the Great Mystery Continent, standing together against external enemies was an unwritten rule among adventurers.


    However, Minnie��s elation lasted only a moment.


    She immediately remembered that, apart from the White Dove Adventure Group and Ice Flower, who had just advanced to Iron Level yesterday, there seemed to be no one who could defeat the Flame Adventure Team.


    The approaching team was in danger of falling into a trap, possibly dooming themselves because of her.


    ��I need to warn them; it��s dangerous here!��


    Minnie nervously reached with her right hand toward the pocket of her jacket, where she kept a scroll capable of launching a signal flare.


    ��What are you reaching for, hands up!��


    Dennis was waiting for the approaching adventure team to walk into his trap. Seeing Minnie��s move toward the magic scroll, his face changed instantly, and he smashed the butt of his spear onto Minnie��s right hand.


    With a crack, Minnie��s wrist, caught off guard, was broken, causing her to furrow her brows with pain as tears rolled out of her eyes.


    ��How dare you! You rob us and now you hit our captain, let��s fight them!��


    ��Ouch.��


    ��It hurts, stop hitting!��


    A bald, burly teammate who admired Minnie raged, but within three seconds, was begging for mercy as he was beaten by members of the Flame Adventure Team.


    ��Playing the hero, are you? Look at what a mess you are,��


    A blond Little Beard scornfully kicked the former in the stomach.


    [This is too much. It��s one thing for the Flame Adventure Team to beat the bald guy, but how could they hit Captain Minnie!]


    [Damn it, isn��t there anyone who can discipline Dennis?]


    [Brothers, good news. I came running over from hall number 6 to inform you that the adventure team coming here is Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose!]

 Chapter 348 - 348: 293. Squad Descends, Joining Forces to Battle Iron Level Adventure Team_2

    Chapter 348: 293. Squad Descends, Joining Forces to Battle Iron Level Adventure Team_2


    As the suggestion emerged, the adventurers in the hall fell slightly silent.


    If one were to consider which team could confront the Flame Adventure Team, Phoenix Tail Flower would undoubtedly be a candidate.


    Phoenix Tail Flower had Lulu, a Star-ranked adventurer. Captain Lin Da also had a record of defeating Kam.


    It wasn��t to say they would definitely defeat the Flame Adventure Team, but forcing them to retreat seemed feasible.


    The crowd was overjoyed and quickly relayed the good news to Minnie, who was wiping away tears, begging Dennis to stop, via suggestions.


    ��Are the ones coming the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team?��


    ...


    Minnie was stunned for a moment, her mouth slightly agape in disbelief.


    She confirmed it several times, making sure the suggestions were indeed about the Phoenix Tail Flower, before a hint of joy appeared on her face.


    Dennis was no fool; noticing the change in Minnie��s expression, a chill ran down his spine.


    He squinted, gazing towards the group of figures in the distance.


    Could it be the White Dove Adventure Group coming?


    Recalling the 39th level ��Mind��s Eye�� Abner, Dennis felt a chill on his back, and all his confidence vanished.


    Even in Red Heart City, the combat strength of the White Dove Adventure Group was ranked among the top three, and was in a completely different dimension compared to his Flame Adventure Team.


    Thinking of the consequences if caught, Dennis��s facial muscles tightened, and a layer of fine sweat covered his forehead.


    ��Everyone pay attention, run immediately if something��s off!��


    Dennis whispered to his teammates. sea??h th�� n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The group of figures in the distance seemed to realize the abnormality here and sped up.


    If it were the White Dove Adventure Group, Commander Abner��s blue long ponytail would be quite conspicuous.


    Dennis focused intently but discovered the leader was a male with short black hair, with a brown-dominated badge pinned on his chest.


    ��A Rock-level Adventure Team?��


    Dennis��s expression immediately became incredibly vivid.


    After all that, it was just a false alarm!


    His tense body gradually relaxed.


    His back was drenched with sweat, soaking through his clothes.


    He nearly got tricked by Minnie.


    If Dennis had been more cowardly, he could have lost a Silver-level Fruit Tree and two ready-made Rock-level Squad prey.


    ��A daring adventurer gains the dragon��s treasure. This famous saying by Legendary Adventurer Caesar really has some truth to it.��


    Dennis breathed a sigh of relief, his face regaining its composure.


    He lazily leaned on his spear and waved his hand, telling his teammates to surround the approaching group.


    ��Captain, there are two adventure teams coming!��


    ��Two? Doesn��t matter, with me here, a 33rd level Star-ranked adventurer, no matter how many they are, it��s useless.�� Dennis was unconcerned.


    ��So, you��re planning to rob us?��


    The two adventure teams arrived from afar.


    The leader, a man with black hair, asked with an odd expression.


    ��Captain Lin Da, there��s a Silver-level Fruit Tree ahead, we found it first!�� Minnie shouted.


    When Minnie shouted the opponent��s name, Dennis��s eyelids twitched, showing a realizing look: ��So you are that Phoenix Tail Flower��s Captain, Lin Da?��


    ��Do adventurers from Red Heart City all recognize me?�� Lin Da was surprised.


    ��Haha, after all, you made it onto the Adventurer��s Weekly. It��s hard not to recognize you. I heard you��re involved with Da��s sister? Oh, she��s here too. Ah, skipping the adventurers in Red Heart City and going for those in White Dove City, Da��s sister seems to lack good judgment.��


    Dennis sarcastically mocked the two.


    Lia was dumbfounded, not understanding Dennis��s implications.


    Lin Da remained expressionless: ��Enough of the trash talk, Red Heart City��s constant unreasonable actions towards White Dove City need to be experienced by you too.��


    He took out the Sword of Royalty from his Space Ring, pointing it at Dennis��s chest: ��Hand over the Silver-level Fruit Tree, leave the resources in your Material Bracelet, and I might let you guys off.��


    Facing the encirclement of the Flame Adventure Team, Lin Da��s side didn��t panic at all, calmly setting up a battle formation to face the enemy.


    Lia even licked her lips, her eyes gleaming with an eager look.


    At that moment, Dennis still hadn��t noticed anything unusual.


    A sensor ladybug hovered beside Dennis, connecting to the live strategy feed from Red Heart City.


    When Lin Da made those comments, adventurers in Red Heart City immediately blew up, and the number of suggestions surged.


    [Has this Phoenix Tail Flower��s Lin Da become too arrogant? He just barely managed to beat the Star-ranked Kam, what makes him think he can boast against an Iron Level captain?]


    [The more famous you are, the more you risk, looks like Phoenix Tail Flower is getting carried away.]


    [Look at that Lia, it��s as if her face is saying ��watch me thrash Dennis��, isn��t she just level 28?]


    Just as the adventurers of White Dove City defend their local adventure teams, adventurers in Red Heart City also support the Flame Adventure Team.


    Lin Da��s boastful words incited the anger of adventurers in Red Heart City.


    They couldn��t wait for Dennis to strike with full force and humiliate Lin Da, so this darling of White Dove City would lose face completely.


    Dennis knew how to work the live feed effectively��only interesting live feeds could attract more viewers who would pay, and that was one of Dennis��s main secrets to making money.


    The new live feed was here��White Dove City��s celebrity adventure team, Phoenix Tail Flower, defeated by him, Dennis, with the beautiful female team member of Phoenix Tail Flower kneeling and begging him to let her go��


    Thinking of the delightful scenario, the corners of Dennis��s mouth curled into a smile that he couldn��t suppress.


    Dennis placed his long spear on his shoulder, as though carrying a burden, his posture relaxed and composed as he approached Lin Da, saying:


    ��The White Dove Morning News seems to think highly of you, but let me tell you, this is the Great Mystery Continent, Lin Da, your name might work in White Dove City, but here�� ouch!��


    A streak of red flame-shaped sword light cleaved through the air, the intense heat of over a thousand degrees instantly singed Dennis��s eyebrows and scorched his cheeks painfully.


    Even the ground was plowed into a depression!


    At that moment, Dennis��s complexion changed.


    The power contained within that sword light was undoubtedly that of a Star Rank!


    To Dennis��s knowledge, among Lin Da��s group, only the werewolf Lulu had recently advanced to Star Rank.


    The next highest level was the Holy Mage Aiko.


    Now, was Dawen��s sister also advanced to Star Rank?


    Dennis hastily defended himself; his black spear offset Lia��s sword light, but he was forced back five meters, his posture awkward, his eyebrows, and the front of his shirt all scorched.


    For an Iron Level captain, this was undoubtedly a massive disgrace!


    Fury turned Dennis��s face darker than coal!


    Meanwhile, Lin Da, under the cover of a green shield, swung the Sword of Royalty at the closest Little Beard.


    Lin Da��s sword lit up with a deep purple glow, poison-like, and within a few moves, Little Beard��s sword was so corroded it was filled with notches.


    This so-called Grek, despite being level 28, was no match for the level 26 Lin Da, who chopped his good weapon into scraps, nearly snapping it in half.


    Lin Da��s Sword of Royalty thrusted in a tricky curve, bypassing Grek��s defense, striking precisely at his right chest.


    The sword move taught to him by Isa was used for the first time in real combat, and it was a resounding success.


    ��I, I surrender!��


    Grek bit down in pain, threw away his long sword, and raised his hands in surrender.


    The Great Mystery Continent wasn��t a battle to the death, and seeing that he was in this state, Lin Da also sheathed his sword and turned to deal with others.


    Indeed, in the time Lin Da and Grek were fighting, the other members of the Flame Adventure Team had been dealt with by the rest.


    The individuals led by Lin Da all excelled in single combat, even the less powerful Phyllis, who had graduated from a prestigious adventurer academy.


    Oru and Klyne, both outstanding adventurers as well, otherwise, they wouldn��t have been recruited by Lia into the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Klrona, wielding her small axe, chased two back-row members of the Flame Adventure Team, beating them as they ran begging for mercy.


    The field was left with a trail of a young girl��s crisp taunting laughter.


    Words like ��weakling�� and ��small fry����


    The two fleeing had faces flushed with humiliation, clenched their fists in frustration, but dared not stop their feet.


    At the same time, Aiko cast Cage of Light, trapping the other members of the Flame Adventure Team in place.


    Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose closed in for the kill, swiftly taking them down in moments.


    Minnie and her team watched, dumbfounded by the speed.


    It was only a month since the promotion party, but the strength of the two adventure teams had grown immensely, almost unrecognizably so.


    Justly renowned by the White Dove Morning News as genius adventurers, their value was truly frightening!

 Chapter 349 - 349: 294. Defeat the Iron Level, turn the tables

    Chapter 349: 294. Defeat the Iron Level, turn the tables


    Lia and Aiko, both were Star Rank.


    Lin Da also crushed that Level 28 Grek, avenging Minnie��s adventure team.


    What was left of the Flame Adventure Team was just their captain, Dennis.


    ��Damn it, damn it all!��


    Dennis, his face flushed with blood, brandished his spear, his upper garment scorched by flames, nearly in a state of collapse.


    Up against Lia, who had just reached Level 30, Dennis felt an immense pressure, knowing a single misstep could result in being struck down by the great sword in her hands.


    ...


    ��Is it okay not to intervene?�� asked Lulu, feeling idle and walking over to Lin Da.


    ��With Lia��s temperament, she��d probably complain if we helped without asking,�� Lin Da shrugged his shoulders, ��Wait and see.��


    Both of them turned their attention to the fight.


    Lia was only Level 30, but her combat talent was evidently superior to Dennis��s, moving like a nimble hummingbird. No matter how fierce Dennis��s spear attack was, Lia always managed to narrowly evade it and then counterattack with a sword strike.


    Including the fallen members of the Flame Adventure Team, everyone soon realized the fact that if Lia��s level were equal to Dennis��s, the one to be defeated would certainly be him.


    But the current situation was in Dennis��s favor.


    Lia, newly at Level 30, had yet to fully adapt to this newfound strength, and all her equipment was still below Level 30, with no gold coins to exchange for better gear.


    Even if she was far more skilled in combat than Dennis, her ability points lagged behind considerably.


    ��Piercing Strike!��


    After taking a dozen hits, Dennis finally found a slim opportunity.


    His spear, swirling with spiral airflow, thudded against the Life Barrier in front of Lia��s chest.


    Lia reacted quickly, concentrating her Battle Qi to a point to resist the strike.


    If she had been completely off guard, the Battle Qi evenly scattered across the Life Barrier would have made it not hard enough; like a coat of glue, it would have allowed Dennis��s spear to penetrate into her body. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If severe, it could even lead to her being skewered through.


    Even at Star Rank, sparring carried great risks.


    However, Lia��s response was extremely clever, allowing the rest of the Life Barrier to soften while concentrating Battle Qi at the point of Dennis��s attack, turning that part of the barrier as hard as iron.


    With a loud thud, Lia was sent flying backward, adjusting her posture mid-air, and landed steadily on the ground.


    Although her face was somewhat pale, she was virtually unharmed, and Lin Da only saw a -500 appear above Lia��s head.


    As a semi-tank Great Swordsman, Lia��s health points started from a minimum of 6000. Entering Star Rank and after swapping to a full set of Level 30 equipment, it could probably approach 10000.


    ��I could have dodged it, a mistake,�� Lia stomped her foot in annoyance, still reflecting on the fight just now.


    Not far away, Dennis, spear in hand, panting heavily, saw that all the members of the Flame Adventure Team had been defeated, disbelief flooding his eyes.


    [What��s going on, those two from White Dove City, Lia and Aiko, both are Star Rank?]


    [Their strength is a bit exaggerated, it feels like Captain Dennis will lose!]


    [Are those two adventure teams really Rock-level?]


    In the Adventurers�� Guild in Red Heart City, a wave of heated discussion erupted in the hall.


    Meanwhile, on site.


    Minnie rushed over to Lin Da��s side, supporting her injured Baldy team member, the two of them bowing solemnly:


    ��Captain Lin Da, thank you. Otherwise, the resources of our adventure team would definitely have been taken by Dennis!��


    ��Uniting against a common foe is only natural.�� Lin Da helped Minnie up, then turned his cold gaze towards Dennis, leaning on his spear and gasping for breath, ��Hand over the resources, I don��t want to ask a second time.��


    ��Tch.��


    Dennis was full of reluctance, but Lulu��s icy stare stayed fixed on his throat, sending chills down his spine. The werewolf with light blue hair imposed an even greater threat to Dennis than Lia!


    Dennis glanced out of the corner of his eye and saw, besides Lia and the werewolf, there was also a grinning blonde Mage��


    Two Rock-level Squads, but with three Star Rank members, was unheard of for Dennis!


    He looked at the silver Material Bracelet on his right wrist, regretting so deeply he could spit blood.


    Losing resources was one thing, but losing face was something Dennis found even harder to accept.


    It had always been Red Heart City robbing the adventure teams of White Dove City, where had it ever been reversed? If he had run into the White Dove Adventure Group, Dennis could have accepted the defeat, as their strength was plainly apparent.


    But it was two Rock-level teams.


    Those newspapers that loved to sensationalize stories and attract the eyes of adventurers would surely make a big deal of the two teams�� levels, portraying the Flame Adventure Team as the laughingstock of the year!


    ��It seems you don��t want to hand over the resources,�� Lin Da sighed helplessly, ��Lulu, go beat him until he can��t move, then we��ll take the Material Bracelet ourselves.��


    ��Hey, wait, I��ll give it, okay?!��


    Dennis was sweating profusely in urgency as he saw Lulu don her Verdant Shield, with support from Aiko��s Light Arrow Technique coming from behind, and a gust of cold wind as she charged over.


    ��Cage of Light!��


    Aiko aimed at the continuously dodging Dennis, rapidly chanting the spell.


    A square cage made of golden bars descended from the sky, trapping Dennis upside down inside.


    It then swiftly cinched tight, immobilizing Dennis on the spot.


    ��Wait a second, I said wait!�� Dennis cried out in panic.


    He looked up, only to see Lulu blocking the sun as she leapt up, the shining claws of the beast sending a chill through him as if in the depths of winter.


    A chill crept up Dennis��s spine and slowly entered his brain, his eyes gradually widening as an increasing sense of helplessness filled his body.


    The speed of this werewolf was too fast, faster even than him, a Level 33 Spearman!

 Chapter 350 - 350: 294. Defeat the Iron Level, turn the tables_2

    Chapter 350: 294. Defeat the Iron Level, turn the tables_2


    Even though Dennis saw Lulu��s aerial attack, his body could not react in time, his limbs felt as though they were chained and sealed, incredibly heavy.


    This feeling of powerlessness eventually turned into despair, and Dennis, with a blank stare, raised his head to look up at the pale blue phantom descending from the sky.


    In the Great Mystery Continent, it was not a battle to the death, and at the critical moment, Lulu showed mercy.


    Her claw turned into a fist, which knocked on Dennis��s forehead.


    Dennis screamed in pain, his head tilted, and he lost consciousness.


    But he was not seriously injured, lying down for a few hours would allow him to wake up.


    ...


    The members of the Flame Adventure Team, seeing this, sincerely breathed a sigh of relief.


    The outcome of the battle had been decided, Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose joined forces and defeated the Iron Level adventure team from Red Heart City.


    ��Wow, so cool.�� A burst of wonder shone in Minnie��s eyes.


    She gazed eagerly at Lulu��s figure, her fluffy pale blue tail waving gently like a cape, and her beast ears added a unique charm.


    Minnie wondered who could be cool and collected enough to stroke such a beastman��s ears; she felt a burst of impulse to touch them herself.


    In just a few minutes, the captain of the Slay the Evil Dragon Adventure Team had turned into a little fan of Lulu, ��She��s so amazing, she defeated Dennis that easily!��


    ��Aiko and Lia also played a part,�� Lulu shook her head and spoke indifferently.


    Without Lia weakening Dennis��s stamina and Aiko��s support, it would have been hard for her to defeat Dennis head-on.


    Dennis, as the captain of the Flame Adventure Team, was not weak.


    It��s just that they had more people, fighting him in turns, which gave the illusion that Dennis was a small fry.


    To Lulu, Dennis was stronger than the Phantoms, Kam, and Nacho!


    With Dennis falling, suggestions surged.


    [It turns out that Snow Goose��s Lia and Aiko have entered the Star Rank, congratulations.]


    [Is the Flame Adventure Team that weak? Lulu defeated them without them being able to fight back.]


    [The predictions of the White Dove Morning News are gradually coming true. Ice Flower has entered the Iron Level, Snow Goose is almost there, Valiant has reached the 13th floor, Phoenix Tail Flower will also not take much longer.


    From the original three Iron Level teams, it has grown to seven; our White Dove City is on the rise, and invaders like Dennis will probably decrease a lot.]


    In the viewing hall, people were uplifted, raising their cups of wheat beer in celebration.


    White Dove City was often looked down upon by adventurers from other cities; at this moment, watching Dennis getting knocked out, shouting ��stop, stop,�� and seeing his pale face when Lulu made her last move, was incredibly satisfying for them.


    [The fans of both are ecstatic; Lulu��s claw also vents for Captain Minnie! Now I have to join the Phoenix Tail Flower Fan Club.]


    Lin Da fetched a sensor ladybug from his waist, looked at the swarm of suggestions flashing across its belly, and smiled knowingly:


    ��The number of adventurers invading White Dove City��s resource zones will reduce, everyone can climb confidently, hurry up to the 10th floor, the resources here are much richer compared to the 5th floor.��


    [If I happen to meet Phoenix Tail Flower, can I explore the public areas with you?]


    ��Of course, but only the first team encountered will have a chance, too many people and we can��t harvest anything,�� Lin Da replied.


    After talking for a while, Lin Da approached the unconscious Dennis.


    The members of the Flame Adventure Team had been released from the Cage of Light by Aiko, each one dejected, covering their faces with their hands to avoid the gaze of the sensor ladybug.


    There was bound to be a reporter by the screen, clicking away madly.


    There was a journalist in White Dove City named Kami, who seemed very adept at smearing others, not even sparing Phoenix Tail Flower, and certainly not sparing their adventurers from Red Heart City.


    Even if Kami released an article titled [Small Fry Flame Adventure Team was bullied by a Rock Level (sweating slime emoji)], it would not be surprising.


    Lead by Little Beard Grek, all members of the Flame Adventure Team huddled down, not letting the sensor ladybug photograph them.


    ��What are they doing?�� Lia asked, puzzled.


    ��Probably afraid of losing face, after all, they were defeated by a Rock Level Team,�� Aiko replied with a slight smirk of sarcasm.


    Meanwhile, Lin Da took Dennis��s Material Bracelet, handed it to Little Beard Grek, and instructed Grek to take out the items inside.


    The Material Bracelet could only be used by members of the adventure team it belonged to.


    Grek was reluctant in every way, but under the watchful eyes of everyone, he had no choice but to tough it out and open the bracelet.


    A green light flashed, and a dozen items appeared on the ground.


    ��So many?��


    Lin Da said, surprised.


    Before them appeared 3 pieces of Haru Ore, 2 Wind Stones, and 10 Silver Tree Fruits.


    The tree Minnie discovered also had 10 Silver Tree Fruits growing on it.


    All these resources combined were worth a total of 340,000 Gold Coins!


    Since the Flame Adventure Team were the invaders, and were defeated by Lin Da and his team, they didn��t have to abide by the rule of only taking 70% of the resources and could take everything.


    In this battle, Snow Goose also made significant contributions, and Lin Da had agreed to split the winnings evenly with Lia.


    This meant that each side would earn 170,000 Gold Coins.


    Lia, excited, her face flushed with joy, probably didn��t expect earning Gold Coins could be so easy.


    Carried away, she forgot to maintain the poise of a Star-ranked adventurer and waved her little fist, ��With this, I can finally get myself a purple Star-ranked ornament!��


    Once she upgraded her entire gear, Lia was confident she could singlehandedly defeat Dennis.


    The only thing holding Lia back in terms of combat power was Gold Coins; she didn��t have a single Level 30 piece of equipment, making her the poorest Star-ranked there.


    The materials stolen from the Flame Adventure Team consumed 810 Points, and Lin Da��s bracelet was unable to contain them, so they were temporarily stored with Lia.


    ��Don��t you dare swallow them all.�� Lin Da warned Lia.


    ��I��m not that kind of person!�� Lia stamped her foot furiously and glared at Lin Da, ��What do you take me for?��


    ��A willful brat.��


    ��Huh!?��


    After securing the materials, Lin Da handed the unconscious Dennis over to Grek, saying, ��Remember, don��t come to White Dove City again, or every time we see you, we��ll rob you.��


    ��Understood, understood,�� Grek said, his face full of humiliation.


    An Iron Level adventure team, threatened by a Rock Level one.


    This was like adults being threatened by juvenile Succubus, not only unable to resist but also having to leave in utter humiliation after being called small fry.


    The insult was extreme!


    Grek and his teammates dared not retaliate.


    By the time the next ten-layer Great Mystery Continent opened, the Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose would have grown incredibly powerful, beyond what his Flame Adventure Team could handle.


    Furthermore, rumors had it that Ice Flower had also allied with these two teams. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Reflecting on this, Grek thought it might actually be a stroke of luck to have hit this snag today. If they had managed to rob Phoenix Tail Flower, far worse consequences might have followed.


    With this in mind, Grek��s attitude suddenly became much more polite.


    ��Captain Lin Da, we assure you we won��t come to White Dove City again, and if there��s nothing else, we��ll be leaving now.��


    ��Oh, go ahead.��


    ����Captain Lin Da, why are you following me?��


    ��Ah, just happens to be on our way.��


    Lin Da chuckled, then turned to Minnie, who looked at him with admiring eyes, ��Want to join us for a big heist?��


    ��I do!��


    ��Uh, don��t you want to hear what it is first?��


    ��As long as it��s a good thing.��


    Minnie giggled.


    Together, Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose had three Star-ranked adventurers, making Minnie feel exceptionally safe with them.


    ��So where are we heading?�� Lia was also unclear about what Lin Da was planning.


    Lin Da, ��All along, it��s been Red Heart City and South Rock City invading us, right?��


    ��Yeah,�� Lia nodded.


    ��Then why can��t I go to Red Heart City?��


    Lin Da��s eyes twinkled, ��It��s always them visiting our home, how embarrassing.��


    Everyone finally caught on.


    Grek��s expression changed, ��There are over a dozen Iron Level teams in Red Heart City, not something you can handle!��


    ��That��s for the Flame Adventure Team to worry about, not us.��


    Lin Da stated flatly.


    Just because the Flame Adventure Team likes to pick on the weak, didn��t mean they couldn��t as well.


    Lin Da also wanted to train Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose, who only knew how to combat Magical Creatures and not how to handle other adventurers, which could be disadvantageous in future ventures on the Great Mystery Continent.

 Chapter 351 - 351: 295. Sweep Red Heart City, Beastmen Adventure Team

    Chapter 351: 295. Sweep Red Heart City, Beastmen Adventure Team


    Secondly, Lin Da did not believe that an average Iron Level adventure team could rival the Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose.


    With the addition of the Verdant Shield, Lia and Lulu��s combat power had soared shockingly.


    Especially Lulu.


    The Remaining Blood Flow style was truly incomparable to ordinary Star Rank levels.


    Lulu also had the ��Silver Ring��, an Epic Equipment that significantly increased defense and Agility.


    Lia was similarly a tank-like Great Swordsman.


    ...


    Donning the Verdant Shield, the two of them could both tank and hit hard.


    Avoiding those seasoned Iron-Level teams, when encountering others, if Lin Da and his team couldn��t win, they could also escape.


    ��It��s time for the adventurers of Red Heart City to feel the goodwill from White Dove City,��


    Lin Da said with a chuckle.


    Outside the Magic Screen, the adventurers from White Dove City finally understood what Lin Da was planning.


    Each of them showed an excited expression.


    An invasion of Red Heart City was unprecedented.


    Just thinking about those arrogant Rock-level squads in Red Heart City suddenly seeing White Dove City��s team appear on their turf, including three Star Rank individuals�� everyone felt a surge of excitement, unable to help but burst into laughter.


    Lia and Minnie, among others, were also very interested in Lin Da��s proposal.


    ��Alright, let��s cause a huge commotion in Red Heart City!�� Lia waved her Greatsword, her eyes full of Fighting Spirit.


    Minnie, since she had few items in her Material Bracelet, nodded, ��Hmm, I��ll go with you!��


    Oru laughed, ��Invading Red Heart City, just the thought excites me.��


    Except for Aiko, who was somewhat reluctant, everyone else agreed readily.


    It was time for Red Heart City��s adventurers to taste what it felt like to be robbed.


    Five hours later. S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Dusk, Red Heart City��s resource area.


    An adventure team called Good Fortune was busy in a thicket.


    Several members were on lookout, while the captain, Kachuji, nervously gripped a small sickle, his hands moving swiftly to harvest a type of blue flower.


    The Good Fortune adventure team, Rock-level, average member level 24.


    Kachuji, a black-skinned adventurer with dirty braids and thick lips, bowed his head, his eyes burning as he gazed at the Mana Replenishing Grass within the thicket.


    This blue flower was an essential herb for Magic Pharmacists to refine Magic Potions, each valued at 300 Gold Coins.


    And at that moment, there were about 200 of them right there, equalling about 60,000 Gold Coins.


    Kachuji regretted that he did not have the guts to rob in White Dove City, only able to carefully pick materials in the public areas.


    Hearing that White Dove City was full of easy targets who wouldn��t fight back, Kachuji dreamed every night before the opening of the Great Mystery Continent of becoming a slave master, capturing adventurers from White Dove City, and locking them up in the ��Cotton Garden�� to gather materials for him.


    Unfortunately, reality was cruel, and although White Dove City had fat sheep, they were not wolves.


    ��Lucky I��m an adventurer from Red Heart City, with Sunrise Level ��Red Heart Adventure Group�� and top Iron Level ��Crimson Adventure Group�� above me. Other city adventurers dare not invade here, and I can collect materials comfortably. Even if a fight is lost against those from the same city, the losers would only take about 70%.��


    Kachuji laughed as he wiped the sweat from his forehead, his last swing of the sickle packed all the Mana Replenishing Grass into the Material Bracelet.


    ��Brothers, work��s over, I��m treating everyone to the massage parlor tonight!��


    Just as Kachuji was smiling, imagining playing with elf ladies in black stockings, several figures quietly approached.


    ��Look at the roots left on the ground, it��s Mana Replenishing Flower, about 200 in number? This adventure team is quite lucky,��


    a tall, black-haired man walked up slowly.


    With a sensor ladybug perched on his shoulder, he seemed oblivious to Kachuji��s drastically changing expression, busily examining the ground by himself.


    ��Which adventure team are you from? I��ve never seen you before!��


    Kachuji, not recognizing Lin Da and his companions, pulled out his curved knife as if facing a great enemy.


    The other eight members of the Good Fortune adventure team also adopted defensive stances.


    Yet everyone felt their bodies heavy, their feet like stuck in mud, clenching their teeth to move even slightly.


    This abnormality made Kachuji and his men��s hearts quake.


    Star Rank!


    Three damned Star Ranks!


    Three beautiful girls following the black-haired man, distinctly stronger than him, yet still treating him as their leader.


    Each was strikingly beautiful with distinct features and hairstyles��blonde, red, and blue-haired, each possessing a different demeanor. Except for the one with red hair, the other two boasted impressive figures.


    Behind them was a brown-haired Big Lolita, her head low, trembling under their gaze, her hand held by a pink-haired Lolita with twin ponytails. On their sides stood an Elf Archer and a robust Hammer Warrior.


    This group, each one��s expression was exceedingly calm, as if leisurely strolling in a garden, utterly disregarding the Good Fortune adventure team.


    Kachuji and his team��s terrified expressions were captured by the sensor ladybug, appearing on the Magic Screen.


    ��See that black-lipped expression? Feels like he ate blue-veined cheese with extra crap!��


    ��After all, the Mana Replenishing Grass he worked so hard to gather is all Lin Da��s now.��


    ��Good good good, I just love watching beautiful girls suppress others with Star Rank might, best if they stomp on their faces with boots!��


    ��If I could get stomped by Miss Aiko��s white stockings, I��d gladly take their punishment.��


    In the viewing hall of White Dove City, everyone laughed heartily.


    Meanwhile, at the scene, Kachuji��s expression gradually turned livid


    Step back, the more he thought, the angrier he got!


    His clothes were full of grass leaves and white-fuzzed shrub seeds, which clung tightly, causing long-lasting itchy skin.

 Chapter 352 - 352: 295, Sweep Red Heart City, Beastmen Adventure Team_2

    Chapter 352: 295, Sweep Red Heart City, Beastmen Adventure Team_2


    Compared to the value of Mana Replenishing Grass, these grievances may not seem like much, but when one must hand over hard-earned gains, Kachuji feels even worse than if he had eaten shit.


    ��What are you looking at? Hand it over! Do you really want me to do it myself?��


    Lia snorted coldly and slammed her greatsword on the ground next to her foot.


    The ground where she struck instantly caved in, the massive force causing Kachuji��s eyelids to twitch uncontrollably.


    ��Captain, just give it to them,�� commanded the leader of the Good Fortune adventure team, a golden-haired male elf with glasses, clutching his fists in humiliation.


    ��I�� can��t accept this! Over 200 Mana Replenishing Grasses; in my more than twenty years as an adventurer, I��ve never had such good luck!�� Kachuji said through clenched teeth, his eyes blood red.


    ...


    60,000 gold coins were a considerable sum for a Rock-level adventure team. The fortune they were about to grasp was suddenly snatched away by this gang��


    Feeling like his freshly wedded bride had been taken away by a dark-skinned Viscount and returned only to have become ��secondhand��.


    Kachuji��s face turned from red to green, and then to pale green.


    To the uninitiated, it may even seem that his wife was taken by Lin Da.


    ����wait a minute.


    ��You are from White Dove City��s adventure team?��


    It was then that Kachuji noticed the badges on Lin Da and the others�� chests.


    Trailing behind them, the little tag-along Minnie made a face: ��What about White Dove City? Who says we can��t rob you? The Flame Adventure Team has been defeated too.��


    ��Even Dennis��?��


    Kachuji��s eyes widened in shock.


    ��Count to three. If you haven��t handed over the resources, then I won��t be polite anymore,�� said Lia, stone-faced, her greatsword slapping in her palm like a teacher��s ruler used for admonishment.


    Perhaps in the eyes of Lin Da and his team, Lia��s actions might appear somewhat cute and dumb, but to Kachuji, she was a fearsome devil!


    The red-haired girl��s rounded legs peeked out from under her high-waisted shorts, wrapped in thick over-the-knee socks, with what sounded like reinforced steel in her boots clicking on the ground, exerting immense pressure on Kachuji.


    ��Here, take it then,�� under Lia��s ferocity, Kachuji��s hands trembled as he removed his Material Bracelet and poured out its contents.


    A whole bunch of freshly picked blue Mana Replenishing Flowers, a chunk of Harl Ore, and a small mountain of Mondale Tree Fruits.


    By the rules, Lin Da and his team, as invaders, were entitled to take seventy percent.


    Claiming all of the Mana Replenishing Flowers, Lin Da left the rest for Kachuji.


    In total, there were 203 Mana Replenishing Flowers valued at around 60,000 gold coins, costing 203 Material Points.


    Lin Da had Minnie temporarily hold onto these, and they would divide the spoils using a 9:1 share after the fact.


    This was as if Minnie and his companions had made an effortless 6,000 gold, and they started laughing cheerfully.


    Lia was counting on her fingers how much gold she had earned, but soon ran out of fingers and felt dizzy with the math. S��arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Oru laughed and said, ��No wonder the adventurers from other cities come to rob White Dove City; the speed of making gold here is much faster than painstakingly gathering materials ourselves.��


    Lin Da, too, was feeling the addiction, and with a grand wave of his hand, he declared, ��Let��s go, on to the next team!��


    ��


    Watching Lin Da and his team��s fading figures, Kachuji was seething with anger deep inside. He pulled out the sensor ladybug to start a live broadcast, spreading the news of White Dove City��s incursion all around.


    Since the broadcast was sudden, not many people were watching.


    The adventurers from Red Heart City would take some time to react.


    And in this time, it was enough for Lin Da and his team to make a sweep through Red Heart City.


    Lin Da��s team had Lulu, the werewolf with excellent scouting abilities and acute senses, always able to find easy targets to crush.


    For those Rock-level Squads, Lin Da didn��t even need to lift a finger; having Lulu and the other two Star Rank members exude ��aura��, they simply applied pressure to their foes. Lin Da would then chuckle villainously a few times, enough to terrify the other team into scrambling and willingly offering up their resources.


    Haru Ore, Wind Stones, one after another Bronze and Silver Tree Fruits��


    What others saw as a perilous public adventure area, to Lin Da and his companions, seemed like a land of gold everywhere.


    With an endless stream of loot, everyone was smiling ear to ear.


    In just three hours, Lin Da, Lia, and Minnie had filled their Material Bracelets to the brim, with the materials inside valued at nearly 830,000 Gold Coins.


    Latter on, Lin Da came up with another idea, letting those they captured pay for their freedom.


    This approach was remarkably effective. In the following hour, Lin Da and Lia��s Savings Cards each swelled by an additional 200,000 Gold Coins.


    For a time, in the vast public area of Red Heart City, only the desolate wind remained, along with the lonely light of the twilight and the stripped Mondale Trees.


    Not a trace of the Rock-level Squads could be seen.


    Fearing a second capture by Lin Da and the others, they all used Teleportation Stones to flee back to the city, complaining bitterly to the local adventurers.


    It��s worth mentioning that Teleportation Stones couldn��t instantly return someone to the city; they needed to be used in a safe area, and the user couldn��t be attacked during the process.


    That afternoon, the folks over in White Dove City had a great time watching, but in Red Heart City, the reputations of the Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose adventure teams plummeted dramatically, branded as ��robbers��, ��invaders��, and ��shrimp brains��.


    All adventure teams captured by Lin Da and his group were treated the same, regardless of gender, all were required to leave their resources behind.


    Adventurers from Red Heart City, robbed senseless, never considered how the adventurers from White Dove City felt when they were robbed.


    They all directed their anger at Lin Da, denouncing him with both words and writing.


    ��


    In the screening building of Red Heart City, Hall 11 was broadcasting the live strategy session of the Giant Hammer Adventure Team.


    With over a thousand adventurers watching and not a single seat empty, it was evident that the Giant Hammer��s adventure zone was very popular.


    The screen showed a tiger-headed adventurer wearing a white tank top, his muscles bulging, with a pair of dark hammers crossed behind his back.


    The tiger-headed man, Xiu, had a scar that spanned across his left eye, wore a black eye patch, and had a menacing look about him. He was chewing on a thumb-thick ��Dream Smoke��, creating clouds of smoke.


    [Xiu, Captain, our resource area has been terribly invaded by two Rock-level teams from White Dove City, if you find them, you must take revenge for all of us!]


    [Good Fortune Adventure Team, Flame Adventure Team, Eagle Adventure Team�� they��ve all been robbed by these people!]


    [Damn it, Red Heart City has never suffered such humiliation, if we catch them, we mustn��t just rob all their resources. We have to make those female team members show their bellies and apologize sincerely to Red Heart City!]


    A group of people were making suggestions to the Giant Hammer Adventure Team.


    Some were fans of the teams that had been robbed by Lin Da and his group, while others were local adventurers from Old Red Heart City, with a strong sense of local pride.


    Stepping on Red Heart City felt like a slap in their faces, and their pride hurt fiercely.


    The live broadcast in Hall 11 was set up by the Giant Hammer Adventure Team, a team entirely composed of Beastmen, and their fans were mostly of poor quality.


    Used to bullying White Dove City, their trips there were performed with an air of entitlement. Now, these ��country bumpkins�� from White Dove City were stepping on their faces, and the situation exploded, with these people cursing the Phoenix Tail Flower the most.


    The tiger-headed Xiu glanced at the suggestions on the sensor ladybug, frowned, threw his Dream Smoke to the ground, and viciously stomped it out:


    ��Isn��t Flame an Iron Level adventure team? How could they be robbed? That Dennis might not be impressive, but he��s not someone Rock-level can handle!��


    Xiu muttered, puzzled.


    As a level 35, Xiu��s Giant Hammer Adventure Team was a mainstay among the Iron Level. Naturally, they looked down on the recently advanced Flame Adventure Team.


    But even so, Iron is Iron, and when Iron collides with Rock, only the latter would be crushed.


    The vice-captain of the Giant Hammer Adventure Team, known as Brother Bear, was a black-bearded bear-headed man with thick eyebrows and big eyes. Brother Bear, quenching his thirst with a straw in his honey lemon tea, chuckled upon hearing Xiu��s words:


    ��Captain, that��s why I say you need to read more newspapers, learn some culture. Your information is too outdated. If I��m not mistaken, those two Rock-level teams are probably Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose.��


    ��Huh? I��ve never heard of either. No matter who they are, once caught by our Giant Hammer Adventure Team, with you and me at Star Rank, couldn��t we just crush them?�� Xiu said, scratching his head, as steam snorted from his nostrils.


    The six Beastmen team members all smiled in pride when they heard this.


    Brother Bear nodded, ��If they encounter us, of course, those two teams will be soundly defeated, but the Flame Adventure Team won��t make it. Dennis is only level 33, and I��ve heard that Phoenix Tail Flower has a Werewolf who��s quite powerful, even suppressed Nacho from the Specter Adventure Group in the Arena.��

 Chapter 353 - 353: 296, Remaining Blood Flow style play, Lulu in Bloodthirst state

    Chapter 353: 296, Remaining Blood Flow style play, Lulu in Bloodthirst state


    ��`


    ��Nacho? That level 33 Berserker?��


    Xiu was taken aback, rubbing his chin, ��In that case, his strength is not bad. Werewolves and my Tiger Clan are in-laws, if we meet him, we can consider recruiting him into our Giant Hammer.��


    ��The Captain is wise.��


    Brother Bear laughed, ��Among their two adventure teams, only that werewolf girl is somewhat impressive, the others, Lin Da is just a shield caster without combat capability, and Snow Goose team leader Lia is flat-chested and mindless, not a concern.��


    ��Hahaha, true to being the Vice-captain and commander of the Giant Hammer Adventure Team, I love to hear you talk.��


    ...


    Xiu nodded in satisfaction, clapped his hands, ��Rest time��s over, let��s continue gathering materials. If we encounter that what��s-it-called flower and whatever Snow Goose adventure team, we��ll take care of them as well.��


    ��Ao ao!��


    The wolf-headed, ox-headed, and dog-headed members of the team emitted excited cries.


    One of the ox-headed men in leather armor had only walked a few steps out when he was snatched by a dark whip speeding through the grass like a venomous snake, and whooshed into the air by his ankle.


    ��Aaaah!�� the Minotaur cried out in terror, ��What is this? It can��t be the Tentacle Flower, can it?��


    Just when the Minotaur thought his ��chrysanthemum�� wasn��t safe, a Light Arrow Technique and a green Fighting Spirit Arrow struck his belly.


    Despite the Minotaur��s quick reaction, fortifying that area with a Life Barrier, the attacker��s powerful strike still caused him considerable injury.


    Especially that seemingly ordinary Light Arrow Technique, which made the Minotaur spew blood, the core of light in his spiritual world flickered violently, nearly shattering.


    ��Star Rank?��


    Xiu unsheathed the dual hammers behind his back and roared, ��Where are these despicable thieves? Come out to me!��


    ��Brothers, get ready for battle!�� Brother Bear took out a vicious broadsword with saw-toothed edges, its blade as wide as a hand, and watched the front warily.


    The Light Arrow Technique is one of the basic skills of a Light Mage, quick to chant and low in power. But as Brother Bear replayed that pure golden Light Arrow Technique in his mind, he couldn��t shake the chill creeping up his back. Compared to an ordinary Star Rank��s Light Arrow Technique, the one just now seemed too strong.


    As dusk fell, a group approached from afar. S��ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Leading them was a man with short black hair, dressed in a white shirt, with a loop of pouches tied around his waist, and a long sword on his back.


    From the angle of Brother Bear and the others, only the hilt could be seen, appearing to be made of gold, with a round, radiant ruby radiating an astonishing magical aura.


    ��So it��s Iron Level, huh�� No choice, there are no more rock levels to find, so you��ll do. Fifty thousand Gold Coins to let you leave. Or shall we beat you into submission before you pay up? By then, it won��t be just fifty thousand.��


    Lin Da appeared indifferent, walking up to about ten meters in front of the Giant Hammer Adventure Team.


    By his side, were the two young girls, one blue and one red; further out were Oru and Klrona.


    ��I know these two people. ��Giant Hammer�� Xiu, level 35, give him to Snow Goose. As for the one with the big blade, ��Black Bear�� Bear Thunder, level 33, you guys take care of him.�� Lia said, with fire in her eyes.


    ��We definitely have no problems, Snow Goose does need to be cautious though. That Xiu��s class seems to be a Dual Hammer Wielder, aside from lacking in agility, both his toughness and strength are extremely formidable.�� Lin Da spoke.


    He was curious to test whether the ��Remaining Blood Flow�� style was effective against this Red Heart City Iron Level adventure team.


    Glancing at Lulu, the two nodded in silent agreement.


    Under the watchful eyes of Xiu and his team, Lulu��s eyes hardened, and she scratched her own arm with her beast claw.


    ��You��re underestimating us?�� Xiu said angrily.


    ��Captain, be careful, these two teams are Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose.�� Brother Bear, whose real name was Bear Thunder, was a Thunder Warrior. He clicked his tongue and said, ��That Snow Goose has two Star Rank members, they��re tricky to handle.��


    ��Two unstable level 30 Rankers, and you call them Star Ranks? Watch me make them kneel and beg for mercy!��


    ��That Lia is Dawen��s sister, Captain, remember not to hit her too hard.��


    ��Dawen? Humph, she brought her loss upon herself in the Great Mystery Continent, even Dawen can��t complain. It doesn��t matter if it��s Dawen��s sister or even the sister of Alajie, the leader of the Red Heart Adventure Group, I��ll smack her just the same.��


    Xiu smirked and hammered his dual hammers together, bestowing upon himself a skill called [Incandescence], which increased his strength and defense, and then he stepped towards Lia.


    Bear Thunder, meanwhile, faced off against Lulu.


    The other members of the Giant Hammer Adventure Team were intercepted by Oru and Klrona.


    ��That��s about enough,�� Lin Da said, unable to watch Lulu��s self-harm any longer.


    In her frenzy, Lulu��s health points dropped below 1000.


    Lulu��s innate skill [Bloodthirst] activated; her wolf tail thickened, blood-red light radiated from her pale blue eyes, and she issued a low growl from her throat.


    In this state, Lulu��s damage increased by 50%, and her output capacity reached the standard of a Five-Star Character.


    Lin Da waved his hand and cast the Verdant Shield upon Lulu.


    His health points of 12,800 and shield thickness of 5,760 were nearly equal to Lulu��s ��full health��, yet she now had an additional 50% damage increase.


    ��Venom Magic Sphere!��


    Lin Da released a spell first, drawing Bear Thunder��s attention.


    As Bear Thunder dodged, Lulu crouched down and darted out, circling Bear Thunder, whipping up a cloud of dust.


    Lulu, already extremely agile, and now equipped with the Silver Ring providing a wealth of ability points, was directly comparable to the Assassin class.


    Her circling speed grew increasingly faster, leaving trails of afterimages.


    Bear Thunder��s eyes bulged, but he still couldn��t catch Lulu��s position!


    He could only see a pair of blood-red eyes intermittently visible in the swirling dust.


    This oppressive force made Bear Thunder break out in a cold sweat!


    Suddenly, a blue Phantom burst from the lingering dust.

 Chapter 354 - 354: 296, Remaining Blood Flow style, Bloodthirst state Lulu_2

    Chapter 354: 296, Remaining Blood Flow style, Bloodthirst state Lulu_2


    ��`


    Bear Thunder��s eyes swirled in confusion, his greatsword unsure of which direction to face.


    Lin Da coordinated with Lulu��s attack timing, unleashing the Dark Whip.


    The whip struck directly, forcing Bear Thunder to defend, while Lulu attacked from the side, her beast claws wrapped in a silvery-white Battle Qi, casting the skill [Frenzied Claw Strike]!


    Faced with their pincer attack, Bear Thunder roared angrily, his Battle Qi surged, and he easily snapped the Dark Whip with his greatsword.


    Unable to defend his side in time, Bear Thunder could only concentrate his Battle Qi, reinforcing his Life Barrier.


    ...


    Indeed an old hand adventurer, Bear Thunder��s response was like something out of a combat textbook!


    Realizing he couldn��t defend, he simply abandoned all defense, using Battle Qi to manipulate the Life Barrier, strengthening it at one point to minimize the damage taken as much as possible.


    The Life Barrier on Bear Thunder��s left side showed a thick milky white, while elsewhere it was as thin as a cicada��s wing, completely transparent.


    He thought to himself, now is the time to brace, withstand the werewolf girl��s strike, then launch a fierce attack, catching the opponent off guard!


    ��This Bearheaded man is indeed very clever, but unfortunately, he��s up against Lulu.��


    Lin Da saw through Bear Thunder��s strategy in an instant, thoughts flashing in his mind like lightning.


    At this moment, Lulu, having triggered her innate skill [Bloodthirst], had her damage increased by 50%.


    The outcome of Bear Thunder enduring Lulu��s attack could only be one.


    The Frenzied Claw Strike crossed over, and in the blink of an eye, blood sprayed, the crimson liquid splashing across Lulu��s cheek.


    Paired with the girl��s blood-red wolf eyes, she resembled a ghostly orchid blooming amongst white bones, cold and bewitchingly beautiful!


    Bear Thunder��s reinforced Life Barrier failed to stop the blow, leaving ten bloody wounds on his shoulder.


    ��What kind of damage is this?��


    Bear Thunder, clutching his left shoulder, backed out several meters, taking out a potion with his other hand to stop the bleeding.


    Before he had time to adjust his stance, Lulu attacked again.


    Her snow-white legs swept towards him like deadly weapons, aiming for his head!


    Bear Thunder��s complexion changed as he clenched his teeth and defended with his arms.


    All he heard next to his ear was a thud, his forearms instantly went numb, losing sensation.


    The Life Barrier rippled like disturbed water, each wave sending stabs of pain through his brain.


    After several deep breaths, Bear Thunder finally stabilized his physical condition.


    Looking again at the werewolf girl with pale blue short hair, his expression grew much more serious.


    ��How��s the captain doing? I��ll hold this off, and when Xiu deals with those two little girls from Snow Goose��s side, he can join me for a righteous two against one and easily claim victory!��


    Bear Thunder took out a red Life Potion, not bothering to remove the cork, instead tossing the test-tube-like glass bottle straight into his wide mouth, crunching it to pieces. The potion and glass shards were all swallowed together.


    With the Bear Tribe��s robust digestive system, these were nothing to worry about.


    But the next moment, Bear Thunder��s eyelid twitched furiously, what was happening over there?


    The 35-level captain Xiu was actually in a deadlock with two little girls?


    Lia and Aiko coordinated with precision, one engaging Xiu in close combat while the other harassed him with Light Arrow Technique, occasionally casting a Cage of Light to trap him in place.


    As a member of the Tiger Tribe, Xiu��s temperament was volatile, growing more desperate the less he could hit his target, wildly slamming his large hammers on the ground in frustration, a waste of energy.


    ��Captain, go for the Mage first, ignore the red-haired dwarf!��


    No sooner had Bear Thunder called out a reminder than Lulu��s claws suddenly loomed before him.


    The werewolf girl��s gaze was chillingly cold, reminding one of a lone wolf wandering the wilderness. Being stared down by Lulu, Bear Thunder couldn��t help but feel a chill in his heart.


    ��Thunderbolt Strike!��


    Bear Thunder channeled Magic Circuit inside his body, condensing Thunder Fighting Spirit onto his greatsword, and ferociously slashed towards Lulu.


    Facing the overhead cleave, Lulu didn��t retreat, her strong legs fiercely pushing off the ground, propelling her forward to meet Bear Thunder��s greatsword with a knee strike.


    The signature move of the Frost Wolf Warrior, [Frost Wolf��s Bite]!


    This battle was being watched by thousands of adventurers, with audiences in front of magic screens in both White Dove City and Red Heart City holding their breath.


    The battles between Star-ranked adventurers were extremely dangerous, and even friendly spars could result in death or injury.


    Lin Da��s eyes were sharp, the Healing Art ready in hand, prepared to cast at any moment.


    With a booming sound, a radial pit was blasted out from the center of where Bear Thunder and Lulu stood, and turbulent Battle Qi shot out in all directions.


    Stone chips flew about wildly, and dust filled the air.


    Lin Da and Klrona, along with the others engaged in distant brawls, all raised their arms to shield their faces from the impact.


    After catching his breath, Lin Da rushed into the fray.


    In the midst of the dust cloud, centered around the large pit, Lulu and Bear Thunder each stood more than ten steps apart. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��`


    Both of them were not in danger of losing their lives, only their appearances were extremely disheveled.


    Lulu��s knee had a deep cut that revealed the bone, from which blood was profusely flowing; her face turned pale, and her bushy wolf tail, which had been bristling, returned to its usual state, hanging limply between her legs.


    Three of the claws on her beast paw were broken off.


    In Lin Da��s field of view, red -70 blood loss numbers periodically popped up over Lulu��s head.


    On the other hand, Bear Thunder seemed to be in much better shape than Lulu. He stood propped up on his sword, with no apparent external wounds, only his hands were shaking slightly and his chest heaved violently, his eyes bulging like copper bells.


    Lin Da first cast the Healing Art on Lulu.


    A warm emerald light fell, and color immediately returned to Lulu��s face, with a +2530 appearing above her head.


    With Lin Da��s current Magic Points, three doses of healing could fully restore a same-level semi-tanky warrior.


    ��Are you okay?�� Lin Da looked at Lulu, covered in wounds, with concern.


    Lulu shook her head and pointed to the panting Bear Thunder on the opposite side, ��Give him a Healing Art. As a warrior, he didn��t shrink back, his courage is commendable.��


    Upon hearing this, Lin Da frowned slightly.


    Healing Art for that Bear Thunder, what was Lulu thinking?


    The truth was only clear in the hearts of those who fought each other.


    Bear Thunder, who appeared unharmed, was on the verge of losing his Life Barrier. That was after he dispersed the force of Lulu��s attacks with [Thunderbolt Strike]. If Bear Thunder had cowered and only defended, he would have been beaten half to death by a series of Lulu��s combos.


    In her Bloodthirst state, Lulu��s damage capability far exceeded Bear Thunder��s.


    She, too, had taken a direct hit from his Thunderbolt Strike.


    Theoretically, Lulu should have fared worse, but what Bear Thunder didn��t know was that Lulu��s Space Ring contained the Epic-level Equipment, [Silver Ring].


    The Silver Ring was level 25, Epic Two-Star, adding 100 to both Agility and Defense, and increasing Attack Speed by 30%.


    You should know that even Lin Da��s defense was only 419 points.


    The Silver Ring alone added 100 to Lulu��s defense.


    Besides level, both Lulu��s attack and defense were higher than Bear Thunder��s!


    Plus, there was Lin Da��s harassment with various Skills and Monica��s long-range support�� Even with Bear Thunder��s extensive combat experience, he was defeated by their combined efforts.


    This time, unlike their clever victory over Kam, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team won against Bear Thunder by genuinely relying on their own strength.


    Adventurers outside the screen still didn��t understand what had happened.


    [Why is that werewolf girl so arrogant? Does our brother Bear Thunder really need their Healing Art?]


    [Exactly, Bear Thunder obviously got hurt more.]


    [I think they��re just bluffing; don��t be fooled!]


    When the opening of the Great Mystery Continent��s tenth level happened, those who could spare the time to watch the live strategy broadcast were either top adventurers or weaklings.


    Clearly, the number of weaklings in Red Heart City was no less than in White Dove City.


    The same scene was unfolding on the other side. However, the roles were reversed; the people of White Dove City were puzzled as to why Lulu would say that.


    Before long, adventurers from both sides got their answer.


    Over the plains bathed in the orange glow of the setting sun, a sudden gust of wind blew past.


    Bear Thunder, propped up on his sword as if nothing was amiss, stiffly fell to the ground.


    From Bear Thunder��s mouth, a mouthful of blood that he had suppressed for too long spouted out.


    It was like a burst water pipe, spewing out to a height of one meter.


    Only then did everyone understand that Bear Thunder, who seemed unscathed, had actually sustained serious internal injuries.


    The one bluffing, trying to make the opponents fear and surrender, was none other than the 33-level Star-ranked adventurer Bear Thunder!


    With his mind made up, Lin Da took out bandages and began to dress Lulu��s wounded knee.


    He said to Lulu, ��Sorry, I can��t agree to your request; I won��t heal someone who has hurt his own teammates.��


    As the plains slowly sank into the night, a cool breeze blew gently.


    The surroundings were filled with others engaged in fierce battle, only this area, where the fight had just ended, enjoyed a moment of tranquility.


    Lin Da knelt halfway to the ground, his head lowered, seriously bandaging the girl��s injury.


    His voice was gentle and firm as he chanted the second Healing Art, still casting it on Lulu.


    The cool wind fluttered the light blue fringe on Lulu��s forehead as she looked at Lin Da with surprise. Since Lin Da was bowing his head, she couldn��t see his expression, but she guessed it carried a fair amount of resentment.


    It was directed not only at Bear Thunder but also at her for recklessly using Frost Wolf��s Bite and going head-to-head with Bear Thunder.


    ��Hmm, don��t heal him anymore,�� Lulu said, with the corners of her mouth turning up, revealing two shallow dimples on her cheeks.

 Chapter 355 - 355: 297, Lin Da is injured, three women are furious

    Chapter 355: 297, Lin Da is injured, three women are furious


    Just then, Lin Da��s ears rang with the system notification:


    [Witch Lulu Trust Level +1, Current Trust Level: 89]


    The stagnantly halted 88 points of trust silently increased by one.


    Lin Da scratched his head, and even after a long time, he couldn��t figure out how that one point of trust was added.


    ��The battle at Snow Goose��s end is still ongoing. We can��t delay any longer; we need to provide support quickly.��


    After fully restoring Lulu��s health and tying a bow with a bandage on the wound on her knee, Lin Da stood up and surveyed the battlefield with a stern gaze.


    ...


    Firstly, there was Klrona��s side.


    Klrona and Oru, together, held back four members of the Giant Hammer Adventure Team apart from the captain and vice-captain.


    Along with Klyne and Phyllis, their 4V4 battle was evenly matched. Klrona fought with enthusiasm, jumping around as if it were a game.


    Being defensively specialized, Klrona has grown up never being severely beaten; no one could make her feel pain. Oru, on the other hand, was having a harder time, his legs trembling, grinning and bearing it through clenched teeth.


    The members of the Giant Hammer Adventure Team identified Oru as the weak point, and under the leadership of a Mohican-haired Heavy Swordsman, they focused their attacks on Oru.


    Phyllis��s healing wasn��t very high, and when the opposition concentrated their fire on Oru, she was immediately stretched thin and began to falter. At Phyllis��s feet, a large pile of blue Magic Potions were scattered, her face turning purple.


    ��Group Healing!��


    Lin Da pointed forward with the Sword of Royalty, and a green Recovery Array appeared over the heads of Oru and Klrona.


    +1700


    +1720


    ��Primary Healing Spell!��


    A second wave of healing was sent to Oru.


    +2550!


    That still wasn��t all for Lin Da; a Verdant Shield with a thickness of 5760 was fitted securely around Klrona and Oru.


    Klrona was a defensively specialized frontline fighter, naturally low in health but extremely high in defense, making the addition of a shield greatly cost-effective for regaining health.


    A single Verdant Shield was akin to having an extra ��life.��


    With Lin Da��s maneuvers, both fighters were instantly brought back to their peak condition.


    ��Awesome.�� Klrona felt the surge of power reentering her life screen and couldn��t help but brighten up at the warm touch of the Verdant Shield.


    The amount of healing Phyllis could do was like a small toothpick, barely making a scratch, while in contrast, Lin Da��s effect was like a rolling pin, immediately effective.


    ����|��O��|�� Wow~~, the power is surging out!��


    Oru��s face flushed with effort as he pounded his chest, his hands gripping the giant hammer, instantly knocking the charging Mohican-haired Heavy Swordsman off his feet.


    ��Partner, thanks! Don��t worry about us here; go help Lia first!��


    Without looking back, Oru gestured ��no problem�� and together with the petite Klrona, they formed a solid barrier, firmly blocking the other members of the Giant Hammer Adventure Team.


    After a moment of contemplation, Lin Da called out to Monica, who was timidly hiding and not daring to show her face beside Klyne: ��Stay close to Klyne, don��t run around!��


    ��Yeah.�� Monica nodded repeatedly, hiding behind Klyne. This green-haired Elf Miss, naturally personable, also took good care of Monica and was among the few members of Snow Goose whom Monica liked.


    ��Don��t be afraid, even if those bad guys come at you, Big Sister will protect you!��


    Klyne fired a Wind Arrow, turning her head to gently smile at Monica.


    ��


    ��Brother Bear actually lost to that Level 31 Werewolf?��


    This fact intensified Xiu��s anger, causing him to roar skywards.


    He chased after Lia, elusive as an eel, wielding his Giant Hammer, but that damned redhead dwarf refused to face him in direct combat.


    If it were a head-on fight, Xiu was confident he would settle it within three strikes.


    As a Level 35 Senior Star Rank adventurer, not only was Xiu��s prowess formidable, but his equipment was also rather impressive.


    Mostly orange with a fair amount of purple, his deep green Inner Armor woven from vines was of one-star Epic Level.


    Had it not been for Xiu��s desire to form his own team, several major adventure teams from Red Heart City and White Dove City would have sought him out with offers.


    With his strength, even if Lia and Aiko together couldn��t put up a fight against him!


    But the problem was, Lia was too agile and wouldn��t face him head-on, slowly wearing him down while waiting for backup from the Phoenix Tail Flower.


    With Lulu joining the battlefield, Xiu��s pressure increased slightly.


    ��Verdant Shield.��


    Lin Da chanted a spell, and a rich green glow fell on Lia.


    ��You��re finally here.��


    Lia panted with exertion.


    While facing the Level 35 Xiu, she remained highly alert, her small feet wrapped in black stockings within her shoes now thoroughly soaked.


    Besides her feet, Lia��s back and forehead were also covered in sweat.


    With the Verdant Shield, she had an added margin for error, allowing her to relax significantly.


    She and Lulu charged towards Xiu, and Aiko cast a [Sacred Hammer] spell, and the three Star Tier fighters launched a joint attack.


    ��Bring it on!��


    Xiu��s face twisted into a sneer, showing no signs of retreating as he swung his iron hammer to smash at the two young girls from both sides.


    ��Flame Slash!��


    ��Frost Wolf��s Bite!��


    Red and silver-white Battle Qi bursts erupted, and with two crisp sounds, the Verdant Shield was shattered by Xiu��s hammers.


    Xiu, true to his reputation as a Dual Hammer Wielder known for his strength, shattered the Verdant Shield, which had a thickness above 5000, on the spot!


    Lia and Lulu��s Life Barriers also violently shook, and both girls turned pale, being knocked back ten meters. S��arch* The N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In contrast, Xiu remained unmoved except for the cracked ground beneath his feet.


    The Tigerman bared his teeth in a wild laugh: ��Weak, so weak, that��s all there is!��


    However, the next moment was marked by Aiko��s spell, Sacred Hammer.


    Now a Star Tier Mage, her originally three-meter-long Light Hammer expanded to five meters.

 Chapter 356 - 356: 297, Lin Da is injured, three women are furious_2

    Chapter 356: 297, Lin Da is injured, three women are furious_2


    The hammer handle was engraved with many intricate magic runes; the front of the hammer head was flat and heavy, while the back was a conical point, with a ring of angels kneeling in worship of the holy light etched around it.


    If one listened carefully, they could catch a hint of solemn music, as if the angels residing within the hammer were singing!


    Watching the Sacred Hammer flying towards him, Xiu��s eyes revealed a trace of solemnity.


    Accompanied by the music, a concentration of holy light that only the prodigies within the Holy Light Church could possess.


    Unlike the impoverished Lia, Aiko had put on a full set of level 30 orange equipment on the day she advanced to Star Rank.


    Others couldn��t tell because Aiko was low-key, keeping all her magical equipment stored in her space ring.


    ...


    On the outside, she wore a white silk dress, her body clean without any unnecessary accessories, looking like a simple girl next door at first glance.


    Aiko��s mouth curled with a sly smile��she had intentionally held back her strength, allowing Xiu to underestimate her. It wasn��t until Lulu arrived and fully caught Xiu��s attention with Lia that she brought out her full power.


    Standing in the distance, Lin Da raised his eyebrows; such a magical aura was not something an ordinary Star Tier Mage could compare with.


    The unassuming Aiko was actually the strongest among both of their teams.


    Even Lulu, without her Witch State, was likely no match for Aiko!


    At the release of the Sacred Hammer, adventurers from both Red Heart City and White Dove City who were watching the battle held their breath, their eyes glued to the screen.


    Despite their eyes becoming dry, they didn��t dare to blink, afraid of missing any detail.


    ��Damn Mage, just you wait!��


    Amidst the roar, Xiu was smashed into the ground by the massive Sacred Hammer, like a nail hammered in without a handle.


    After the muffled boom, a large crater was left in the field, and Xiu��s figure was nowhere to be found.


    ��Is it over?�� Lia cautiously approached the crater.


    ��Wait, one more time.�� Aiko, worried that the opponent was still alive, chanted the next Sacred Hammer.


    ��Stop it, it��s not good if you kill someone.��


    Lia said this but had only walked a few steps forward when suddenly, a black shadow shot out from the crater!


    The shadow passed by her, with her red hair being fiercely swept by the strong wind.


    ��Aaah!��


    Xiu, head bleeding profusely and eyes filled with rage, charged at Aiko with all his Battle Qi unleashed.


    Lulu and Lia were stunned for a moment, and by the time they reacted, Xiu was already beyond their reach.


    Aiko remained composed, finishing the chant for the Sacred Hammer and releasing it in anticipation of the attack. Sear?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If Xiu dared to attack her, he would have to endure a direct hit from the Sacred Hammer.


    ��Hahaha, you fell for it! This is my true attack path!��


    Unexpectedly, Xiu laughed out loud, and just as the Sacred Hammer took shape and could no longer be significantly redirected, he twisted his body with a union of waist and horse, turning to charge at Lin Da.


    Xiu could see that Lin Da was the core of their team, injuring Lin Da would be more effective than attacking any of the others.


    ��Three stinking little girls, just watch as this great master cripples your man! Hahaha!��


    Xiu approached Lin Da, his hammers whirling with a fierce cold wind, smashing towards Lin Da��s shoulders!


    Despite deliberately avoiding vital spots, given Lin Da��s defense as someone not yet at Star Rank, if the blow landed solidly, he would likely be crippled in both arms, needing years to recover.


    ��Venom Eruption!��


    Lin Da reacted swiftly, a small purple array emerging in his palm, spewing a stream of purple venom straight at Xiu��s face.


    The barrier corroded, emitting a piercing sizzle.


    ��Such minor poison, useless!��


    Xiu resisted with the barrier, unguarded, and unleashed a powerful hammer blow!


    Everyone��s hearts clenched, and those like Klrona and others who were farther away couldn��t help but look this way.


    Monica was so frightened that her pale face turned white, dropping her magic wand on the ground.


    Nobody dared to guarantee Lin Da would be unharmed if he took Xiu��s head-on attack.


    In that moment, Lin Da��s face was as still as water, and in his vision, Xiu �C with a ferocious smile, blood gushing down his face, seeping through his teeth �C looked less like an adventurer and more like a bloodthirsty beast yet to be tamed.


    ��Blind Strike!��


    As the hammers smashed down towards him, Lin Da��s body sensed the danger, every muscle tensed, and his mind became crystal clear.


    He quickly chanted, summoning the Dark Whip, which entangled Xiu��s Giant Hammer to lessen the impact of his attack, then used the Sword of Royalty as a shield, blocking in front of him.


    After all this, Xiu��s Giant Hammer smashed onto his Verdant Shield.


    Lin Da felt a powerful vibration; every muscle in his body lost sensation, and his ears buzzed as if he had gone deaf.


    The Verdant Shield lasted less than half a second before shattering, and Xiu��s Giant Hammer struck squarely on his Life Barrier.


    In his mental world, the core trembled, and a piercing pain transmitted to Lin Da��s brain, as if his organs were trampled by a Succubus�� black, pointy high heels.


    His eyes widened, and he couldn��t help but spit out a mouthful of blood, as he was knocked back five meters by Xiu��s hit.


    ��Primary Healing Spell.��


    As Lin Da flew backward, he immediately cast a Healing Art on himself, restoring his health points from 5000 to 7500.


    ��You��re okay after that?��


    Xiu��s face showed shifting expressions.


    Just as he was prepared to continue his pursuit, he suddenly felt three intense auras of killing intent from behind.


    It was the aura of an adventurer fighting Magical Creatures, or Magical Creatures fighting an adventurer, staking their very lives.


    Even as he attacked Lin Da, he knew to show mercy, not aiming to take Lin Da��s life.


    But the malice behind him was genuine, aiming straight for his head!


    Xiu��s heart sank with dread, and as he turned to look, he faced the oncoming crimson Greatsword.


    Lia, with teeth clenched in anger, executed an Energy Charging-enhanced Flame Slash aimed at Xiu��s face.


    Xiu, already exhausted from exerting his Battle Qi, had his defense breached by the Flame Slash, which carved deeply into his shoulder, down to the bone.


    The fierce flame-infused Battle Qi charred his flesh and blackened his bones on the spot, causing Xiu such agony he nearly passed out.


    But waiting for him were sharp beast claws.


    Xiu gathered all his spirit, barely marshaling the remnants of his Battle Qi for defense.


    With a crack, as Lulu��s claws came down, the Giant Hammers were knocked away, and numerous gashes were added onto his arms.


    Lulu��s nails were extremely long, nearly slicing Xiu��s hands into chunks of meat, with only a thin layer of bone barely holding together, preventing them from falling apart.


    Just when Xiu thought he had survived by the skin of his teeth and could breathe a sigh of relief, a light ball the size of a water jar hurtled towards him.


    Light-based Magic Spell: [Star Bullet]!


    Xiu��s pupils dilated, he had no energy left to defend.


    He could only watch as the light ball drew nearer, engulfing him.


    The tiger-headed man was propelled dozens of meters into the air, exploding like a firework mid-flight.


    Unable to even scream, Xiu��s charred figure plummeted straight down, creating a small crater upon impact with the ground.


    The chaotic battlefield suddenly fell silent.


    The remaining members of the Giant Hammer Adventure Team, Klrona, Monica, and others, unanimously ceased fire, staring blankly at the point where Xiu had fallen.


    The sudden turn of events in battle stupified everyone.


    Even in Red Heart City and White Dove City��s viewing buildings, there was silence.


    Everyone��s emotions took a while to settle down.


    First was Xiu��s surprise attack on Aiko, which turned out to be a feint, before he turned and bullied Lin Da, who was less than Star Rank.


    When everyone thought Lin Da was doomed, Lin Da appeared only lightly wounded?


    Then, Lulu and the other two exploded like ignited dynamite, unleashing their full force on Xiu.


    The final [Star Bullet] took Xiu into the sky, just as dusk fell, like a firework blooming.


    Half a minute passed before a suggestion came through on the magic screen in Red Heart City:


    [Captain Xiu, are you still alive?]


    This was the question on everyone��s mind.


    The situation had become rather complicated.


    If Xiu had perished, then would the attack by Lulu and the others be considered excessive force?


    If the answer was ��yes,�� then the Imperial Knights would undoubtedly sanction the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.


    From the expressions, just moments ago, Lulu and her companions were intent on killing Xiu. Across the magic screen, many adventurers were scared stiff, with some of the more faint-hearted even wetting their pants.

 Chapter 357 - 357: 298. Defeating Tiger Man Xi Ou, famous in both cities

    Chapter 357: 298. Defeating Tiger Man Xi Ou, famous in both cities


    Bear Thunder was woken up by the noise, rubbing his head groggily as he climbed to his feet.


    As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw Xi Ou lying not far away, his body a mangled mess.


    Not a single whisker was left on the old tiger, and his proud patterned tail was blasted off by half, lying motionless on the ground.


    ��Xi Ou lost?��


    ��Pah, no, is Xi Ou dead?��


    ��How is this possible, could it be that the White Dove Adventure Group has arrived?��


    ...


    Bear Thunder opened his mouth in shock, standing there as still as if he were made of wood.


    It was hard for him to believe that Xi Ou had been defeated by three rookies of Star Rank, and so thoroughly that it seemed his life was hanging by a thread.


    ��I��ll take the blame for this.��


    Lulu��s gaze was gloomy as she flung the fresh blood off her beast claw, intending to finish off Xi Ou.


    Even if Xi Ou had but a breath left, she wouldn��t allow such a menace to live.


    ��No, it��s not your fault, I��m also to blame,�� Lia said, not wanting to owe this favor.


    Though she didn��t understand why she was so furious just now, Lia knew that without her sword strike, Xi Ou wouldn��t have been so close to death.


    Aiko stuttered, feeling somewhat afraid afterward. S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If Xi Ou truly died, the most damage would have been dealt by her, placing the greatest responsibility upon her shoulders.


    Seeing the other two displaying such a sense of responsibility, she couldn��t help but feel a bit ashamed.


    ��Let me do it, my brother is Moon Rank, he wouldn��t just watch me get judged by the Knights Order.��


    Aiko hesitated for a moment before deciding to take initiative and shoulder the blame.


    ��Enough, if anyone is to be responsible, it should be me,�� Lin Da frowned, interrupting the three girls�� argument.


    ��You came with me, so if anything goes wrong, it��s my fault, not yours.��


    ��No,�� Lulu hurriedly said, ��It was clearly us who injured Xi Ou!��


    ��Stop arguing, that Tigerman might not even be dead yet.��


    Lin Da sighed, his large hand stroking Lulu��s small head to comfort her.


    Her wolf ears flopped down listlessly, looking not at all pretty.


    The four of them walked towards the charred figure of Xi Ou, their mood somewhat heavy.


    Not because they were worried about Xi Ou��s life or death��both Lulu and Aiko would rather he just died.


    They simply didn��t want to be held accountable by imperial laws.


    When Xi Ou sent Lin Da flying, they all thought that Lin Da was a goner and, in that moment, their urge to kill Xi Ou was unmasked.


    If they had just held back their expressions a bit, they could have pretended it was an accident.


    But now, with the battle recorded live, thousands of eyes watching, if Xi Ou died, even Weylon stepping in wouldn��t be able to protect them.


    This was both a helpless and moving situation for Lin Da.


    ��I didn��t expect Lia and Aiko to care so much about me, three years of being teammates wasn��t for nothing.��


    Lin Da was flooded with mixed emotions.


    ��Captain, captain wake up! We agreed to return to the northwest next year to find wives, you can��t just die like this!��


    ��I��ve decided to give you my treasured risqu�� sheep comic books, you must wake up!��


    ��The suggestions are all calling you an idiot, captain, please wake up and scold them, wuuwuu~��


    With Bear Thunder leading, the members of the Giant Hammer Adventure Team surrounded Xi Ou, crying their eyes out.


    It was evident that Xi Ou was well-loved.


    ��What are you doing here!?��


    Seeing Lin Da arrive with three girls, Bear Thunder became furious, protectively placing Xi Ou behind him: ��The battle is over, you won; stay away from our captain!��


    ��Try to come closer, and we��ll go all out against you!�� A Crocodile Man wielding a magic wand started chanting a Water Series spell, his massive teardrops rolling down with his roar.


    But Lin Da couldn��t tell if it was his imagination, the Crocodile Man seemed to be crying and sneaking in a laugh at the same time. It seemed the Giant Hammer Adventure Team wasn��t so united after all.


    He sheathed the Sword of Royalty to show that he meant no harm.


    ��You��ve got us wrong, if Xi Ou dies, it would complicate things for us too. It just so happens that my profession is a Healing Mage, I could lend a hand.��


    ��Healing Mage? Help us?��


    The Minotaur looked at Lin Da skeptically: ��I don��t believe you, stay away from us!��


    ��Hold on.��


    Bear Thunder said solemnly, ��You��re quite famous in White Dove City, and our team only has a 28-level Healer; the more people we have, the more help we get, come over and assist us.��


    Lin Da nodded and brought Aiko and the others to Xi Ou��s side.


    Several members of the Giant Hammer Adventure Team glared at Lin Da with hostility.


    Bear Thunder coughed, and these people reluctantly stepped aside.


    ��This looks bad.��


    Seeing the human-shaped char, Lin Da��s heart skipped a beat.


    His confidence was not high.


    Next to him, a rabbit-eared girl from an Orc subspecies��the term implies a leaning towards human in overall appearance, with beast ears and a tail.


    Pure Breed Beastmen like Bear Thunder and Xi Ou, have a full animal head and are inherently warlike in their bones.


    The White Rabbit Sister was so anxious that her large eyes brimmed with tears, her hands placed on Xi Ou��s chest, injecting Recovery Magic into him.


    But her ��healing amount�� was too small, inadequate for the task, and Xi Ou��s body was gradually growing cold.


    +300, -720


    +310, -733


    Even if Xi Ou still had a little blood left, it would not last much longer.


    Lin Da rolled up his sleeves, and his hands glowed with a lush green light, pressing them against Xi Ou��s abdomen.


    Pure Recovery Magic Power surged in, and in Lin Da��s vision, a +1000 popped up in an instant.


    In less than ten seconds, Xi Ou��s body regained its warmth.


    ��This�� is he alive?�� Bear Thunder couldn��t believe his eyes and rubbed them.


    The White Rabbit Sister exclaimed: ��Your healing amount is so huge.��


    ��I know you mean the Recovery Amount,�� Lin Da kept his expression serious: ��The injuries are too severe, Recovery Magic Power alone won��t bring him back.��


    Xi Ou��s condition was only temporarily stable, and the ongoing blood loss had not stopped.


    Even with Lin Da��s significant healing output, he could only hold on for about three minutes at most; he couldn��t keep pouring in magic power endlessly.


    ��Why won��t the captain wake up?�� the White Rabbit Sister looked tired, her magic power was nearly depleted.


    Lin Da did not speak, closed his eyes, concentrated deeply on the Recovery Magic, and scouted Xi Ou��s internal injuries.

 Chapter 358 - 358: 298. Defeating Tiger Man Xiu, famous in both cities_2

    Chapter 358: 298. Defeating Tiger Man Xiu, famous in both cities_2


    A few seconds later, he sighed softly.


    This sigh startled the White Rabbit Sister and Bear Thunder.


    ��Is there no hope?�� Bear Thunder said blankly.


    Lin Da, ��No, I��ve been outputting magic power for too long, and I feel a bit of chest tightness.��


    Bear Thunder almost cried in frustration, ��Then you should have said so earlier! Could you not randomly sigh in this kind of situation?��


    ��Is there still a chance to save the captain?�� White Rabbit Sister asked.


    ...


    Lin Da pondered for a while, feeling the chest tightness again. He was about to sigh, but seeing the anxious looks of the surrounding beastmen, he held it back with effort.


    ��There is a lot of rampant light series magic power inside Xi Ou. We helped to disperse most of it; with his level 35 Battle Qi, he should be able to withstand the rest.��


    Hearing this, everyone felt a heavy heart.


    The light magic power was ravaging through Xi Ou��s body, and dispersing it was as difficult as separating ink spilled in clear water.


    Many adventurers injured on the battlefield did not die due to the untimely Healing Art but were harmed by the violent enemy magic power and Battle Qi inside their bodies.


    The essence of Healing Art is to restore strength to adventurers�� source nuclei, unfold the Life Barrier again, and provide slight effects of stopping bleeding and healing the physical body.


    There are many types of recovery skills. For Xi Ou��s condition, what he needed most were [Purification Spell] and [Resurgence Spell].


    The problem was that there were too few people who mastered these skills; most of them had been poached by the Holy Light Church, leaving few adventurers outside.


    Given Xi Ou��s situation, it would be a miracle if he could hold on for three minutes; they didn��t have time to go to the Holy Light Church for help.


    ��By what you��re saying, is Xi Ou doomed?�� Crocodile Man wiped away tears, his tone oddly happy.


    ��Not necessarily,�� Lin Da shook his head, ��Although I don��t have the Purification Spell, if the owner of the light magic power takes action personally and guides it out, there is a chance to save Xi Ou.��


    ��Aiko, could I ask for your help?��


    Lin Da looked at the white-dressed girl beside him.


    Aiko pursed her lips, her face showing difficulty.


    To strip the light magic power from Xi Ou��s body required very proficient control over light magic power.


    It was as challenging as removing all the white pith from an orange with a steel needle without damaging the orange itself.


    Even the Spell Instructors from White Dove City Adventure Academy would be at a loss.


    All eyes were on Aiko, pressuring her immensely.


    Aiko, ��I��I��ll try, but I might not be able to do it.��


    Lin Da nodded, ��Go ahead without worries, there��s no shame in failure.��


    Bear Thunder, upon hearing this, glared with eyes wide open and nearly bit Lin Da��s neck in rage.


    But Lin Da��s words helped Aiko relax.


    She took a deep breath and drew out Light Silk Thread from her hand.


    Like tentacles, they entered Xi Ou��s body through his wounds.


    Time ticked away, second by second.


    The Light Silk Threads Aiko was controlling in her hands increased in number.


    From the initial single one to a mass as dense as strands of hair, they were too numerous to count.


    Sweat on her forehead poured like rain, and her loose white dress became drenched and clung to her back.


    The White Rabbit Sister, exhausted from magic power depletion, sat on the ground panting, leaving only Lin Da still persisting.


    ��Captain, you must survive this,�� Bear Thunder clasped his hands together and prayed to the World Tree Goddess.


    The adventurers in White Dove City watching the live broadcast were in an uproar.


    [Why save that beastman, just let him die.]


    [Although I think so too, wouldn��t Lia and her team end up in a bad situation? The intention to kill out of malice is too obvious.]


    [If that Tigerman survives, I hope the Giant Hammer adventure team knows gratitude and doesn��t forget who saved his life!] Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [I bet the adventurers in Red Heart City are cursing Phoenix Tail Flower now.]


    This suggestion was on point.


    In the Giant Hammer adventure team��s live broadcast, ninety percent of the suggestions were denouncing Lin Da and demanding that he and his team members be thrown into jail.


    At the healing scene, the sky had completely darkened.


    Bear Thunder nervously held up a lantern made of Fluorescent Stone, illuminating Lin Da and Aiko.


    Suddenly, Aiko��s body went limp, and she fell backward, her fingers�� connection to the Light Silk Threads all breaking.


    Lia reacted the fastest, catching Aiko.


    Bear Thunder cried out in pain, ��Captain, your death is such a tragedy!��


    ��He died in such a tragic way!�� the Crocodile Man also cried out aloud.


    Gradually, all the members of the Giant Hammer Adventure Team started crying.


    Despite their efforts, they couldn��t save Xi Ou��s life in the end.


    At that moment, a cough caught everyone��s attention.


    Xi Ou coughed up a mouthful of black blood and tentatively lifted his eyelids.


    On his charred face, only his eyeballs appeared white.


    Xi Ou and the weeping Bear Thunder stared at each other, eyes wide.


    The scene suddenly became still.


    Aiko took out a handkerchief, wiped the sweat from her face and said with a light laugh, ��It seems to have worked.��


    Lin Da also noticed that the red numbers above Xi Ou��s head had stopped jumping.


    The Giant Hammer Adventure Team all came to their senses, one by one throwing themselves on Xi Ou, crying with joy.


    ��He��s alive, he��s really alive!�� Bear Thunder laughed heartily, his hand as big as a fan slapping Xi Ou��s chest, nearly sending him off then and there.


    After listening to the recount of events, Xi Ou��s voice was hoarse. ��Was it them who saved me?��


    Bear Thunder said, ��Without Lin Da and that Mage, you��d probably be cold by now.��


    White Rabbit Sister said through sobs, ��There really are more good people out there.��


    Xi Ou fell silent.


    The warm feeling inside him while he was unconscious must have been Lin Da and Aiko helping him.


    Without them, he would likely have met his great-grandmother in heaven by now.


    Mixed feelings filled Xi Ou��s heart.


    ��Brother Bear, give them the materials. Giant Hammer Adventure Team has lost.��


    Having said that, Xi Ou��s head lolled to one side, and he fell back into unconsciousness.


    Bear Thunder and the others panicked until they realized that Xi Ou was merely sleeping, which finally put their minds at ease.


    Lin Da also felt much more relieved.


    ��Thank you, you saved Xi Ou��s life,�� Bear Thunder bowed his head deeply to Lin Da and Aiko.


    The other team members, White Rabbit Sister, Minotaur, Crocodile Man, all followed Bear Thunder in bowing.


    Lin Da said with indifference, ��No need, we did it for ourselves as well.��


    ��I know, but thanks are still in order,�� Bear Thunder said as he tossed over a Savings Card. ��Our Material Bracelet only had about a hundred Bronze Tree fruits, not worth much. Here, take this card. It has a million Gold Coins.��


    Lin Da grunted in acknowledgment and unceremoniously stuffed it into his Space Ring.


    With Xi Ou��s awakening, the battle had finally come to an end.


    In White Dove City��s 6th hall of the viewer��s building, bottles of expensive champagne were popped open, the liquids spraying everywhere.


    And all of this, it was said, was paid for by the leader of the Phoenix Tail Flower Fan Club!


    Nobody knew where that leader was or from where they��d watched the event live.


    Everyone only knew one thing: they could now drink for free many high-class beverages that started at 100 Gold Coins, which they normally wouldn��t splurge on.


    ��Impressive indeed, Giant Hammer Adventure Team was defeated by Lin Da and his group. The only ones stronger than them now would be those veteran Iron Level adventurers.��


    ��Aiko separated the Light Magic Power from within the Tiger Man��s body. It must have been difficult, right? She truly is a genius Mage.��


    ��The fact that Captain Lin Da only suffered minor injuries after withstanding Xi Ou��s Skills is also outrageous. I can��t even imagine how tough he��d be if he reached Star Rank, let alone Moon Rank.��


    ��Does anyone still remember that Lin Da is supposed to be a support? He couldn��t have lied about his profession, could he?��


    The crowd merrily conversed over glasses of champagne.


    The next day, and unsurprisingly, the White Dove Morning News put the story on the front page of the newspaper.


    The cover photo was a snapshot taken by the reporter, Kami, by the screen, depicting ��Fireworks Xi Ou�� �� Aiko��s Star Bullet sending Xi Ou into the night sky and spectacularly exploding.


    The headline was equally explosive: [Walking by the river, how can one not get sprayed by the Water Slime! Shocking, Red Heart City��s resource area horribly invaded, and the initiator was a good-for-nothing dropout?]


    Wondering who the ��good-for-nothing dropout�� was, people couldn��t help but buy a copy of the White Dove Morning News and felt duped upon reading it.


    The invader of Red Heart City was none other than White Dove City��s hot prospect team, the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team!


    Phoenix Tail Flower joined forces with Snow Goose, defeating two Iron Level teams in a row.


    Facing them were the influential Giant Hammer Adventure Team of Red Heart City and its leader, the well-ranked Tiger Man Xi Ou.


    Even so, they were soundly beaten by Lin Da��s team. The man ended up in the Holy Light Church undergoing Healing Art treatments, supposedly unable to leave his bed for half a year.


    Apart from the unbelievable strength of the two small teams, the affection of young girls for Lin Da also sparked lively discussions.

 Chapter 359 - 359: 299. Forest Dragons Treasure, exploring Dragon Forest

    Chapter 359: 299. Forest Dragon��s Treasure, exploring Dragon Forest


    When Xiu attacked Lin Da, Lulu from Phoenix Tail Flower, Lia from Snow Goose and Aiko all wore terrifying expressions of vengeance as if they had been wronged by a husband��s killer, striking with extreme heaviness and even breaking Xiu��s tiger tail.


    If that Beastmen head were a mere hood, it would probably have been thrashed all over the ground.


    Countless people were curious, just how did Lin Da manage to gather top-tier beauties under his banner and even willing to attend his silver parties?


    Whether it was Lia or Aiko, they both looked like pure beauties, and it was hard to imagine how Lin Da trained them successfully to be so proficient behind the scenes.


    Just thinking that in front of others, they were aloof beauties, but behind the scenes, they had to be dominated by Lin Da, one couldn��t help but feel so sour that their eyeballs turned green, not needing to add lime to their tequila, simply mentioning Lin Da��s name would do the trick.


    But in general, only a minority were jealous of Lin Da, not all adventurers were lecherous veterans.


    ...


    When the news broke out, the adventurers of White Dove City were overjoyed as if celebrating a festival.


    Having been stepped on by Red Heart City all year round, everyone had accumulated a lot of resentment in their chests.


    Seeing Red Heart City being invaded was as refreshing as relieving constipation of three days with an explosive release.


    Especially the charred head of the Tiger-man Xiu and the begging Dennis, their miserable state, had many adventurers specifically purchase recording stones to watch it repeatedly and cheerfully without getting tired.


    This indirectly resulted in Phoenix Tail Flower Team��s prestige reaching an extremely high level, becoming the most well-known team under White Dove Adventure Group.


    Some were happy, naturally, some were worried.


    Rhode of Solid Rock Adventure Group was so worried his Baldy head became balder.


    He announced at noon that day, withdrawing from the alliance with Specter Adventure Group and canceling his adventurer status in White Dove City.


    He might join Red Heart City or South Rock City.


    This incident angered Hulus in the iron prison so much he vomited three liters of blood and vowed that once he was out of prison, he would definitely punish Rhode, the traitor.


    Meanwhile, in Red Heart City located a few hundred miles to the south.


    In the top-floor private room of the chain brand Tyrannosaurus Tavern, the leaders of several veteran Iron Level adventure teams gathered.


    ��Everyone��s here, it��s time to discuss how we��ll respond to the invasion of White Dove City into our territory,�� said a male Elf with golden short hair, wearing a white suit and round silver-framed glasses, looking quite refined.


    Wind Archer Fry, Level 35, team leader of Yuefeng Adventurer Team.


    Fry held the White Dove Morning News in his hand, placing it on the glass round table.


    On it was the portrait of Lin Da, team leader of Phoenix Tail Flower.


    Fry��s eyes swept coldly around the private room, where six people were seated, most of them had as strong a presence as he did, and some were even stronger.


    Team leader of Claws of Tomorrow Adventure Team, ��Coyote�� Wol.


    Team leader of Purple-White Adventure Team, ��Flower Messenger�� Celina.


    Team leader of Thunder and Lightning Adventure Team, ��Swift Shadow�� Timo.


    Vice leader of Scarlet Adventure Group, ��Thunder Swordmaster�� Dawen.


    The other three were old acquaintances of Fry, so further introduction wasn��t needed.


    Among these people, Fry wasn��t the strongest, but he was the most seasoned.


    Over fifty years of age didn��t leave too many traces on his handsome Elf face.


    ��Red Heart City hasn��t faced an invasion in years, this is nothing short of a loud slap in the face!��


    ��If the invaders were from some of the top-ranking powerful cities within Cangqing Province, we could just grit our teeth and endure the slap, but the fact is, Red Heart City��s resource area was swept by two rock level teams? And they��re adventurers from White Dove City?��


    Behind Fry��s silver-framed glasses, flames of anger burned, no longer reflecting the Elf��s usual grace and composure:


    ��We must capture the leaders of these two teams and force them to publicly apologize to Red Heart City with their heads down!��


    ��The old folks of Red Heart surely have a temper,�� Swift Shadow Timo, a drab-colored raccoon dwarf, picked at his ear and said with a sneer, ��For those of us who joined Red Heart City halfway, it doesn��t really matter one way or the other.��


    ��Damn it, the honor of Red Heart City��s adventurers must not be tarnished!�� Fry angrily slammed the table.


    ��Alright, alright, since it involves an invasion of the resource area and our own homes might be robbed next, we��ve got to deal with this matter.��


    The Flower Messenger Celina, a tall woman with a wild brown afro, dressed in a black leather jacket with arms crossed, spoke lazily:


    ��That idiot Xiu was played like a fiddle; had it been our Purple-White Adventure Team, we would��ve already won.��


    ��Did you call the Scarlet Adventure Group here just for this?��


    Dawen who had been quiet until then finally spoke up.


    Everyone fell silent, all eyes turned towards the Thunder Swordmaster, known for his genius.


    The strength of the Scarlet Adventure Group was not on the same level as theirs. S��ar?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Aside from the Sunrise Level Red Heart Adventure Group, the strongest was Scarlet.


    Furthermore, there were rumors that the leader of Scarlet, ��Bloody Baron�� Augutuo, was on the verge of breaking through Level 39 and entering the Moon Rank list.


    Fry and the others showed due respect to Dawen, closing their mouths and waiting for him to speak.


    ��There were two teams invading Red Heart City, one of them was Snow Goose; everyone should know who the leader of Snow Goose is,�� Dawen sneered, ��Of course, I am also a member of Red Heart City, and Lia, the invader, should indeed be punished. Do whatever you want with her, but don��t drag the Scarlet Adventure Group into it; we��re not going to intervene.��


    The room lapsed into silence, no one dared to challenge Dawen��s decision to remain neutral, not even Fry, a long-time Red Heart citizen.


    Dawen huffed and disrespectfully slammed the door as he left.


    After a brief silence in the private room, the little dwarf Timo scratched his head and said:


    ��Why not ask the Red Heart Adventure Group to take action? With the ��Red Heart Thief�� Alajie there, we can strip Phoenix Tail Flower down to nothing, make them be utterly humiliated on live broadcast!��

 Chapter 360 - 360: 299. Forest Dragons Treasure, exploring Dragon Forest_2

    Chapter 360: 299. Forest Dragon��s Treasure, exploring Dragon Forest_2


    ��Stupid, a Sunrise Level against a Rock Level, do you have no shame?�� Celina said irritably.


    The Empire encouraged adventurers to spar, but it did not condone bullying the weaker.


    For them, veteran Iron Level adventurers, handling Lin Da would invite idle gossip.


    ��Fairness sake, let��s each send one person out, so if our reputation is ruined, it will be all of ours together.�� Coyote Wol suggested.


    Looking around, no one opposed.


    So, they organized a team specifically to target Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose and ambushed them in the public Adventure Zone of Red Heart City.


    ...


    But throughout the day, there was no sign of Lin Da.


    Only after inquiring did they learn that Lin Da had not even started broadcasting his adventure live.


    No one knew where Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose had gone, as if they had vanished from the face of the earth.


    Essentially, the joint team in Red Heart City had wasted a day for nothing.


    ��


    At noon, Dawen and Fry��s party parted on bad terms.


    Returning to the Mandalas Estate, Dawen found Tasya in the courtyard, drenched in sweat.


    Apart from cleaning and daydreaming, Tasya mostly engaged in combat training.


    Especially in hand-to-hand combat, the dummy made of special materials was full of dents from hits.


    ��We��re leaving tonight, switch to this weapon for the hunt; it��s more advantageous.��


    Dawen took out a Magic Cannon from the Space Ring.


    It was cyan overall, shaped like a dragon��s head with a round barrel in the middle of its open mouth.


    ��What��s this?�� Tasya wiped the sweat from her neck, looking at the weapon with a magic aura, her eyes flashing with hesitation.


    She had already planned to officially leave the Scarlet Adventure Group after completing the ten floors.


    Accepting something from Dawen at this time meant owing him a favor.


    ��The Dragon Hunting Cannon, take it, it��s for my own benefit. All the materials from the hunt will belong to the Scarlet Adventure Group,��


    Dawen said gravely, ��Recently, the production of Dragon Saliva Grass has drastically reduced, and the rarity of Dragon Blood and Dragon Bone has also increased a notch. The Dragon Forest is hot property now, probably a lot of Sunrise Level Adventure Groups will be eyeing it, our goal is the middle layer, if we encounter any Lizard Dragon, we will take it down, the gains from one trip are enough to buy a dozen weapons of this quality.��


    Tasya thought for a moment, nodded her head, and took the weapon.


    Then she looked at Dawen with confusion.


    For years, the materials related to the Dragon Race had been stable in price, how could they suddenly have increased?


    Dawen understood and explained, ��The Dragon Race primarily resides in the northwest, which is Beastmen territory, recently the Beastmen��s export trade of Dragon materials has significantly decreased, it seems the seventh prince is preparing to switch jobs to a Dragon Blood Swordsman.��


    Tasya hummed in acknowledgment, asking no further.


    Imperial matters were too far from a solo adventurer.


    The biggest impact was merely fueling the adventurers�� frenzy for dragon hunting.


    ��


    That afternoon.


    In the Great Mystery Continent, the outer reaches of the Dragon Forest.


    Patches of tall trees formed the famously known Dragon Forest among the three cities.


    The types, quantity, and density of vegetation here were higher than other areas, and the chance of encountering rare materials also significantly increased.


    In contrast, a large number of Magical Creatures also lived in the Dragon Forest.


    In the map distributed by White Dove City, the depths of Dragon Forest were marked as ��extremely dangerous�� in red.


    The periphery was relatively safe, but it still reached the ��caution�� yellow level.


    A man and a woman walked down a forest trail.


    A Gray Hawk swooped down rapidly from the sky, its sharp claws aimed at the back of the man��s head, ready to kill him in one strike.


    But the man had long anticipated the attack of the Gray Hawk and raised his hand to apply a green shield on himself.


    As the Gray Hawk pounced, the man wasn��t injured; instead, the Gray Hawk, dazed, hit the shield head-on and fell straight to the ground.


    ��A level 22 Gray Feather Hawk, can��t even break through my defense,��


    Lin Da murmured, swinging the Sword of Royalty casually and severing the Gray Feather Hawk��s neck.


    A gust of wind blew, and the hawk��s body turned into flying ashes, disappearing.


    On the ground, a small golden glow remained.


    When the light faded, it transformed into a small-forearm-long gray feather.


    [System Prompt: Killed a level 22 Gray Feather Hawk, obtained 500 Diamonds, a green fine-quality material gray feather]


    Lin Da collected the spoils into his Space Ring, then glanced at the girl playing with her hair beside him, her cheeks slightly flushed.


    He didn��t continue his invasion into Red Heart City today, instead he arranged to meet Lia to scout the safe routes leading deep into the Dragon Forest.


    When it comes to scouting, fewer people is better, as more might attract the attention of the Magical Creatures.


    In the game, the optimal team size for tackling the Dragon Forest instance is four people.


    Kafni was still recuperating, leaving only three people on Lin Da��s team, one short.


    Initially, he wanted to invite Isa.


    But after meeting Isa last night, he was gently turned down.


    It seemed Isa had just advanced to Star Rank and needed time to adapt to her power; she hadn��t even come to the top ten floors of the Great Mystery Continent.


    The second person Lin Da considered was Aiko.


    However, facing the dangers of the Magical Creatures in Dragon Forest, he wasn��t confident in protecting two Mages at the same time.


    On the other hand, Lia had more health points and was a flexible Great Swordsman.


    Her Starfire Douqi was slowly awakening, enhancing her combat abilities.


    She was more suitable for his plan.


    ��So, er, you didn��t bring me alone to this grove to do something shameless, did you?��


    ��Lin Da, I��m telling you, don��t even think about it, I��m at Star Rank and could send you flying in a second!��


    Lia��s face was flushed, and on her back was her newly purchased Level 30 orange Great Sword, the [Phoenix Feather Sword].


    The Great Sword shaped like a red feather weighed more than she did. Her boots sank slightly into the soft soil of the forest.


    This brings us to last night��s division of the spoils.


    Lin Da harvested 1.76 million Gold Coins, and Snow Goose 1.34 million.


    Which not only allowed Lia, who had been burdened with debt, to clear her debts, but also to buy new equipment for the team.


    Oru��s shield, Klrona��s long-coveted pink rabbit armor, Klyne��s new bow and arrow��


    And that sword on her back which she could have stored in her Space Ring but chose instead to flaunt, valued at 700,000 Gold Coins, the [Phoenix Feather Sword].


    Lia once again lovingly took off the Great Sword, this time pointing it at Lin Da, her eyes filled with caution: ��If you mess around, I will have to strike you!��


    UNfazed, Lin Da smiled, ��How about a big gamble?�� S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��A big one!?��


    Lia was startled: ��Not, not in the wild, right?��


    ��Yes, and we��re going deep.�� Lin Da nodded.


    ��How deep?��


    Having read some books, Lia was able to understand what Lin Da was saying, her hand holding the Phoenix Feather Sword trembling slightly.


    Lin Da��s smile grew deeper: ��Let��s not do things by halves, if we go, we go deepest, I��ll lead the way right to the very back!��


    ��The very back?��


    Lia��s head buzzed, she glanced down at Lin Da, her head boiling like a teapot, steaming up.


    ��No, no, no, absolutely not��how can we casually do such a thing!��


    Lia stammered.


    Confused, Lin Da said: ��What��s wrong with you? If you��re not feeling well, we should head back. Venturing deep into the Dragon Forest requires a lot of stamina, your current condition would only hold us back.��


    Lia paused: ��You said deep into where?��


    ��The Dragon Forest.�� Lin Da said strangely: ��Where did you think we were going?��


    ��Oh����


    Lia, like dry wood doused with a bucket of cold water, instantly calmed down.


    For some reason, Lin Da felt she seemed a bit disappointed, and his mood dipped as well.


    ��Are you okay?��


    Lin Da rubbed Lia��s head. Even with boots on, the girl barely reached 1.6 meters, not even up to his chin.


    ��Who let you touch my head?�� Lia pushed his hand away disdainfully, puffing up as she fussed.


    ��By the way, why are we going to Dragon Forest, isn��t that a dangerous area?�� Lia followed Lin Da deeper, asking out loud.


    ��I was just about to tell you.��


    Lin Da picked part of his plan to tell Lia.


    A moment later.


    Lia��s voice shot up an octave, eyes wide in disbelief:


    ��Steal the Forest Dragon��s treasure? Aren��t you a bit too arrogant! Even if I��ve upgraded my weapon and grown stronger, I��m still not a match for a Forest Dragon!��

 Chapter 361 - 361: 300, Dragons Cave

    Chapter 361: 300, Dragon��s Cave


    The Dragon Race, by nature, possessed astonishing builds and powerful Dragon Language Magic, placing them at the top of the Magical Creatures hierarchy.


    The Forest Dragon was not the strongest among the dragon species, but it was certainly not on the same level as the mixed-blood subspecies such as lizard-dragons.


    An adult Forest Dragon started at the Epic Five-star level, with level 40 as the base.


    Some could reach level 49, or even 50!


    If it were a lizard-dragon in its 30s, Lia was confident she could take it on. S��ar?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But when Lin Da mentioned the Forest Dragon, her head spun like a rattle-drum, faster than anyone��s.


    ...


    Watching Lia frantically shake her head, Lin Da said with a sense of resignation, ��Can you listen seriously to what others are saying? I��m talking about stealing, not robbing.��


    ��With just a few of us, steal treasure under the watch of a Forest Dragon?�� Lia said, laughing in disbelief, with her hands on her hips, one finger pointing at Lin Da��s nose, ��I suggest you go home and read more books. Without even this common sense, you��re still out here adventuring!��


    A vein throbbed on Lin Da��s forehead; if he weren��t lower in level than Lia, he would have bound her with the Dark Whip to teach her a lesson. He truly didn��t know how he had tolerated this red-haired dwarf for three years; he felt like awarding himself the employee of the year.


    ��I already said it��just the two of us certainly won��t be enough. We have to wait for those top adventurers to attract the Forest Dragon��s attention, then we��ll sneak in,�� he explained.


    ��The main part of the treasure will probably be taken by the Sun Adventure Group, but a dragon��s cave is vast and with the Forest Dragon closely watching, some treasure is bound to be overlooked. Just picking up the leftovers should cover our expenses for the coming year! If we��re lucky, earning the Gold Coins of two or three Epic Weapons is also possible,�� Lin Da said as he laid out the plan in detail for Lia to understand with her walnut-sized brain.


    ��Oh, I see now.�� Lia clapped her fist into her open palm, ��If you��d explained like this from the start, I��d have understood; we��re going to sneak in and steal.��


    ��That��s what I��ve been saying from the beginning.��


    ��But is it feasible? Shouldn��t the Forest Dragon be in the deepest parts of the Dragon Forest? The Magical Creatures along the way are tough to handle,�� Lia said with a worrisomely furrowed brow, ��we can��t get in!��


    In the depths of the Dragon Forest, level 30 Magical Creatures were everywhere.


    One or two were manageable; they could join forces to deal with them.


    But what about ten, twenty, or more?


    The outcome would be only one.


    Total annihilation!


    ��In theory, yes,�� Lin Da smiled, ��but coincidentally, I happen to know a safe route that leads deep into the forest. I came today just to verify whether this route still exists.��


    ��Really?�� Lia looked at him skeptically.


    Ever since Lin Da founded the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, Lia hadn��t been able to trust him entirely. She always felt as if she and the other members fell into the water, Lin Da would save Lulu first.


    After all, their relationship was just that of allies. Thinking this, Lia felt somewhat uneasy. Lin Da was right beside her, yet he had become the leader of others.


    Though their relationship had improved a lot since she expelled Lin Da, it was likely impossible for things to return to how they were before.


    As Lia dwelled in her disappointment, Lin Da said, ��That��s why we��ve come to verify today. If that route isn��t there, we��ll give up on going deeper.��


    Lin Da had farmed the Great Mystery Continent more than a thousand times. He knew all the spots where Magical Creatures were distributed, the common hangouts of the Forest Dragons, and the layout of the caves. All of it was deeply etched in his mind.


    Included in his knowledge was a hidden passage.


    It was a tunnel dug out by a level 30 Magical Creature, the Burrowing Mole, which led right near the Forest Dragon Cave.


    A subsequent earthquake caused the entrance to the tunnel to collapse, and it lay forgotten somewhere in the forest.


    In the Dragon Forest, vegetation was lush and the terrain complex. Looking up, one could only see the sky-obscuring orange canopies of the Mondale Trees, seemingly a lazily cobbled-together high-scale map.


    In such an environment, determining one��s direction was undoubtedly extremely difficult.


    Without a single landmark, inexperienced adventurers would get disoriented in minutes.


    In this place, even a compass was affected by magical interferences. Lin Da placed one in his palm only to see the red needle spin round and round.


    ��Can��t rely on this after all,�� Lin Da said as he put the compass back into his Space Ring, staring at the monotonous Mondale Trees while his brain rapidly worked to compare his surroundings to the 2D map from the game.


    ��We��re not lost, are we?�� Lia began to panic.


    If they got trapped in the Dragon Forest and missed the closure of the Great Mystery Continent, they would have to stay there for a month��use of Teleportation Stones and Town Portal Scrolls was prohibited in such dangerous areas as the Dragon Forest.


    During the closure of the Great Mystery Continent, all the Magic Power in the air would dissipate, making it impossible for adventurers to restore their Magic Power and Battle Qi. Moreover, the Magical Creatures would become more ferocious.


    In other words, if they couldn��t get out of the Dragon Forest and were locked in the Great Mystery Continent, their survival was anything but certain!


    ��What should we do?��


    The surrounding area became increasingly menacing as the light dimmed and the silhouettes of the Mondale Trees swayed in the wind like towering giants.


    The rustling of the grass stirred by the wind, the footsteps of unknown Magical Creatures, and various eerie howls�� Even the usually brave Lia started to panic, instinctively grabbing the hem of Lin Da��s clothes.


    ��I��ve got it.��


    A flash of inspiration struck Lin Da, and taking Lia��s small hand, he said, ��This way!��


    ��Ah!�� Caught off guard by Lin Da��s sudden pull, Lia nearly fell over, stumbling before catching up to him.


    Her hand was enveloped by a sturdy, reassuring grip. Her heart pounded, and a flurry of thoughts ran through her head.


    By the time Lia regained her composure, Lin Da had already brought her to their destination.


    A sunken pit, inside of which was dirty, stagnant water, leaves, and lumps of black Magical Creature excrement. White worms thrived in the dung, slowly wriggling about.

 Chapter 362 - 362: Dragons Cave_2

    Chapter 362: Dragon��s Cave_2


    Lia��s good mood was utterly ruined, and her face darkened, ��Don��t tell me the route is in this pit.��


    ��Aren��t you quite clever?��


    Lin Da took out two shovels from the Space Ring and handed them to Lia, ��Don��t just stand there, let��s confirm the route before it gets dark.��


    ��I won��t do it.�� Lia threw the shovel away, pointing naturally at the Magical Creatures�� dung in the hole, ��How am I supposed to dig through all this filth?��


    ��Really?�� Lin Da shoveled some and threw it onto Lia��s boots, ��It should be clean enough now, hurry up.��


    Lin Da jumped into the pit, unconcerned and began to work.


    ...


    Lia, standing by the pit, was dumbfounded.


    The disgusting black sticky substance slid down the edge of her boots.


    Lia trembled, her face flushed with anger.


    Keeping in mind that they were in the middle of Dragon Forest, she suppressed the urge to scream and glared fiercely at Lin Da, baring her fangs as she jumped into the pit.


    Lia stepped on the dung, her face gloomy, and she thrust the shovel into the soil, clearly telling someone just how furious she was.


    Throwing dung on a woman��s boots, what kind of shrimp-headed man is he!


    ��Stop staring and get to work. The creatures at night are much fiercer than during the day.��


    Lin Da, as if oblivious to Lia��s menacing look, dug vigorously.


    According to the description in the game, they had to dig about forty or fifty meters to find the passage.


    Seeing that Lin Da was ignoring her, Lia shut up and started to work.


    Although digging was boring and somewhat lame, the feeling of sweating it out together unexpectedly made Lia feel not too bad, reminding her of playing in the mud as a child.


    Half an hour later.


    Lia shoveled down, expecting hard ground, but found emptiness below.


    She lost her balance due to too much force, her eyes widened, and her hands flailed like a fledgling learning to fly, maintaining a 45-degree angle, unable to stand up or lean over.


    ��You��re quite playful,�� Lin Da said.


    ��Help me, I��m not playing here!��


    ��Oh����


    Lin Da lightly pushed Lia��s shoulder, and she ended up sitting on the ground.


    The ground there then collapsed with a rumble.


    A dark tunnel was revealed.


    ��Found it!��


    Lin Da��s eyes lit up as he pulled the dirt-covered Lia up.


    He took out a prepared ��glow stick,�� a magic device very similar to a flashlight.


    He lay down and squirmed into the tunnel, saying to Lia, ��Follow.��


    ��Are you sure it leads deep into Dragon Forest? It better not head straight into a den of Magical Creatures����


    Lia muttered as she followed Lin Da into the tunnel.


    Ignoring Lia��s complaints, Lin Da could only smell the musty soil. In the narrow tunnel, it was claustrophobic, and moving forward always felt frustratingly ineffective.


    Lia continued to mutter, ��Better be an exit ahead, or it��ll be troublesome to back out, all thanks to your random directions����


    ��Starting with complaints, are we?��


    Lin Da itched with irritation. With someone like Lia, unless she saw him as less capable than her, he wouldn��t ever earn her respect.


    ��Move faster, I really don��t want to bump into your backside!��


    Lia poked his thigh from behind.


    In the tunnel where the air was thin, Lin Da didn��t waste his energy arguing with Lia and kept crawling forward, ensuring the route was usable.


    About another half an hour passed.


    Lin Da mentally calculated the distance they had crawled; by now, they should have entered deep into Dragon Forest.


    No one could be sure if the scene they would step out to was safe.


    If they were unlucky, maybe they would encounter a horde of level-30 Goblin Warlords throwing a party?


    ��If only Kafni were here, as a thief and a deity, her sensing ability for Magical Creatures would be far superior to ours.��


    Lin Da steadied his heart and continued onward.


    About ten minutes later, illuminated by the glow stick, there was a pile of soil ahead.


    No way forward.


    ��Why aren��t you moving?��


    Lia asked, puzzled.


    Lin Da: ��It��s blocked.��


    ��Ah?��


    ��The soil color is different from the surroundings; it must be newly collapsed earth. Just dig a little, and we can get out.��


    Lin Da was prepared and pulled out a shovel to start digging.


    His guess was indeed correct. After digging for a while, the soil ahead became looser and easily led upward.


    The exit of the tunnel was large enough for Lin Da and Lia to stand side by side.


    They looked up at a massive boulder pressing down from above, their expressions tense.


    Once that boulder was moved, the deep parts of the Dragon Forest would be outside. S��arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The map marked it as extremely dangerous, and the Adventurers�� Guild only recommended Sun Adventure Groups to enter this area.


    To put it bluntly, the level 30 Magical Creatures in the depths of the Dragon Forest were more numerous than the excrement drawn by adventurers in the slums.


    Lia said seriously, ��I��ll go out and check if it��s safe, then I��ll call you.��


    Being a Star-ranked adventurer, Lia wouldn��t let Lin Da, who was not of Star Rank, take such risks.


    ��I appreciate your concern, but it��s unnecessary; I have a better way.��


    Lin Da affectionately patted Lia on the head. Then, under the girl��s puzzled gaze, he pulled out a cumin-coated roasted Slime.


    ��Are you hungry?�� Lia asked.


    ��No, this is for the Magical Creatures outside.��


    Lin Da released the Dark Whip and wrapped the roasted Slime with it, placing it outside through the crevice of the boulder.


    The Slime was a type of food that all Magical Creatures liked. If there were any creatures outside, this roasted Slime would not survive.


    After waiting a minute, he pulled the Dark Whip back. Besides being dustier, the roasted Slime wasn��t diminished.


    Only then did Lin Da feel somewhat relieved and carefully climbed upward. His head pushed against the boulder, creating a crack to peer through to the outside.


    Fresh air rushed into the tunnel, and Lia took a deep breath with delight.


    However, her face suddenly changed!


    Lia��s face turned as white as paper, and her legs couldn��t stop shaking. A terrifying pressure, along with the air, entered the tunnel!


    It was a pressure no ordinary level 40 Magical Creature could exert. Even experiencing just a breath of this creature��s presence made Lia��s legs go weak, her eyes widened in panic, and she frantically grabbed Lin Da��s trousers, as if to ask, ��What��s outside?��


    Lin Da, like Lia, also felt somewhat weak.


    Directly in front of him, about a hundred meters away, a green Giant Dragon was coiled up.


    It measured nearly thirty meters in length, with wings folded around its body, using its thick tail as a pillow while it snored loudly in its sleep.


    Even though the Magical Creature was asleep, the inherent pressure it exuded made it hard for Lin Da to breathe.


    He involuntarily held his breath, trying to observe only with his peripheral vision.


    Using the lightest force, he covered the boulder above him, then sat down in the tunnel, breathing heavily with his entire body relaxed.


    Lia wasn��t faring much better, holding the Phoenix Feather Sword and trembling.


    ��What��s outside?��


    Lia��s voice was very low.


    Lin Da still had the mood to smile: ��A dragon, and a Forest Dragon at that. Our target is the treasure in its lair.��


    Giant Dragons love to collect shiny, glittering items rich in Magic Power.


    Every dragon-slaying adventurer has an epic tale to tell.


    Not only does slaying a dragon showcase one��s strength, but the wealth obtained from a Dragon Slayer is significant, enough to help one quickly grow stronger.


    Every part of a Giant Dragon itself is treasure.


    Enhancing specific aspects, dragon whip, dragon��s private parts.


    Wings for crafting powerful Magic arrows.


    Dragon Scales for forging Armor.


    Dragon Blood with strong body-enhancing and magic circuit-healing properties.


    Dragon horns ground into powder, a precious material for drawing Magic Circles��


    If Lin Da could slay that Forest Dragon, the value provided just by the materials would secure at least forty million Gold Coins!


    Typically, the treasure collected by Giant Dragons is the most valuable.


    Some dragons that have lived for thousands of years, their wealth could rival dozens of adventurer cities.


    ��Can we really steal the treasure from such a creature?��


    Lia, having lost her initial confidence, was thoroughly frightened by the Forest Dragon.

 Chapter 363 - 363: 301, Mountain forest shakes, the Sun Adventure Group, squad goes deep

    Chapter 363: 301, Mountain forest shakes, the Sun Adventure Group, squad goes deep


    ��It��s not possible now, the opportunity might only come after midnight tonight,��


    Lin Da was the first to crawl into the tunnel, ��Wait for the Sun Adventure Group to take the lead into the Dragon Forest and distract the Forest Dragon, that��s our chance to move.��


    ��Wait�� you��re not scared, are you?��


    Seeing Lia��s pale face, Lin Da said gravely, ��If you want to back out, do it early.��


    Scared? How could I be, I��m destined to be the empire��s strongest Swordsman!��


    Provoked by this, Lia suddenly perked up.


    ...


    ��It seems like there��s no problem then,�� Lin Da nodded, ��The scouting of the route is complete, go and call Lulu and the others.��


    This time, Lin Da planned to deploy only four people, conforming to the optimal number for a strategy in the game, minimizing unnecessary variables.


    ��


    On the way back, with experience, the two��s crawling speed increased, arriving at the entrance in 20 minutes.


    Lin Da crawled out and eagerly breathed in the fresh air, exclaiming with pleasure.


    The sky above was starred, completely dark now.


    ��In another hour, the signs should appear����


    Lin Da muttered to himself.


    He and Lia were now in the middle layer of the Dragon Forest.


    On their way back, they heard a dragon��s roar that shook the mountains and forests.


    The ground seemed to tremble, and flocks of birds scurried overhead.


    Afterward, Lin Da saw wild boars, wolves, and goblins fleeing from the depths.


    As they encountered each other, those Magical Creatures had no intention of attacking them, running straight towards the outer forest.


    ��What��s going on?�� Lia asked curiously.


    ��The Forest Dragon��s young have hatched,��


    Lin Da explained, ��Young dragons are most vulnerable when they just hatch. Not only do adventurers covet the materials from dragon-kind, dragon blood and flesh are also great supplements for Magical Creatures. Whoever consumes them might become the top warrior in their village, and might even mutate to grow an extra pair of arms. This is the Forest Dragon warning other creatures to stay away from its child!��


    Little did they know, this dragon roar would spur many adventurers�� greed.


    The event in the game apparently started with the sound of the dragon roar.


    All players on the Great Mystery Continent��s tenth layer would receive the system announcement: Instance ��Calamity of the Forest Dragon�� officially begins!


    On their way out, Lin Da and his group spotted more fleeing Magical Creatures, including some level 30s. However, these creatures ignored them completely, terrified by the Dragon��s Might, desperate to escape.


    Finally, they approached the edge of the forest.


    Just then, several powerful presences swept over from the sky above, apparently to confirm the identities of Lin Da and his group.


    Lin Da felt a stifling sensation in his chest as if struck by an invisible shockwave.


    It was not painful, but certainly not comfortable either.


    Such behavior was quite rude among adventurers.


    However, after assessing the disparity in strength between them, Lin Da decided to swallow his pride, shutting his mouth and remaining silent.


    He looked up at the night sky, the ��rude ones�� each had wings of various colors sprouting from their backs, and each chest bore a golden, shimmering badge.


    The badge��s background featured a rock fortress, with a glowing square as the main emblem.


    Recognizing the team badge, Lin Da realized in a flash: it was the Holy Rock Adventure Team from Aiko��s hometown, South Rock City!


    The leader was a burly middle-aged man with short golden hair. He carried a Great Sword on his back, adorned with sixteen Light-based Gems, each emanating extremely remarkable Magic Power, reaching the strength of a level 40 Secret Realm Guardian.


    The middle-aged man��s face was covered with scars, and his exposed neck and arms bore various degrees of old scars, indicating he was not someone to mess with.


    ��The leader of the Holy Rock Adventure Team, does that mean, he is Aiko��s father?��


    Lin Da murmured to himself.


    Bervis was also in the team, waving at Lin Da to greet him, then with a swing of his golden Battle Qi Twin Wings, disappeared into the distance in the blink of an eye.


    ��Must be nice to be able to fly,�� Lia said enviously, watching the Holy Rock Adventure Team��s figures.


    The terrain of the Dragon Forest is intricate and filled with Magical Creatures, demanding cautious exploration.


    But flying could solve most troubles.


    Below the Moon Rank, apart from a few mages and special professions, other people could only run on the ground.


    The sky has always been regarded by adventurers as a symbol of sanctity and power.


    And undoubtedly, dragons are the kings of the sky.


    ��Moon Rank, that day will come,��


    Lin Da said, ��We need to hurry now, as the Holy Rock Adventure Team takes the lead, other Sun Adventure Groups will follow soon.��


    ��Ah? Doesn��t that mean we won��t get a chance?��


    ��It��s not that easy, dealing with the Forest Dragon requires at least four ordinary Sun Adventure Groups. And adding up White Dove City, Red Heart City, and South Rock City, I estimate there aren��t even four groups.��


    Lin Da said intensely, ��Now, is our chance to sneak into the Forest Dragon��s nest!��


    As Lin Da spoke with such certainty, Lia felt a sense of security. Unlike the anxiety when leading the team herself, being assisted by someone else�� ahem, was quite comfortable, like tucking the brain comfortably into a pocket.


    A thought flashed through Lia��s mind: if she stayed with Lin Da, couldn��t it always be like this? S��ar?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lia shook her small head, casting away distracting thoughts. Whenever she thought about this, her heart ached sourly.


    Right now, the most important thing was the Forest Dragon��s treasure.


    Snow Goose��s step into Iron Level was a done deal, her goal was to become part of the Sun Adventure Group. If she could obtain the Forest Dragon��s treasures, she could skip three years of hard work.


    Imagining a huge treasure chest filled with gems and rare equipment, Lia��s eyes lit up, and a goofy smile appeared on her face.


    Half an hour later, the pair walked out of the Dragon Forest.

 Chapter 364 - 364: 301, the forest trembles, Sun Adventure Group, squad delves deep_2

    Chapter 364: 301, the forest trembles, Sun Adventure Group, squad delves deep_2


    An endless expanse of wildlands enveloped in the night.


    Occasionally, one could see an adventure team, carrying glow stick lanterns, hurrying this way.


    Most of them were of the Iron Level.


    Among them was an old acquaintance, the White Dove Adventure Group.


    ��A powerful Magical Creature, let��s take a look,�� Abner said succinctly with his eyes closed.


    Gale saw Lin Da and Lia together and whistled with interest:


    ...


    ��Oh, I can��t control what you do in the little woods, but the Dragon Forest is quite dangerous now. I advise you to stay away from here.��


    ��Understood,�� Lin Da nodded. ��Take care yourselves too.��


    With her face flushing red, Lia wanted to retort something, but the White Dove Adventure Group had already walked far away.


    On their way to meet up with Lulu and the others, Lin Da encountered no fewer than ten Iron Level adventure teams, and overhead flew two from the Sunrise Level.


    More and more adventurers were heading toward the Dragon Forest, all hoping to share in the spoils��the Sunrise Level for the treasures of the Forest Dragon, or even the Forest Dragon itself, while the Iron Level was a bit more practical, taking the opportunity to pick Dragon Saliva Grass as the creatures from the depths were driven out by the Forest Dragon.


    Dragon Saliva Grass, mostly blue in appearance, could enhance the meditation effects of Mages and the training speed of Battle Qi for warriors.


    In simpler terms, it could enhance the talents of adventurers.


    Though one could consume a maximum of only three patches of Dragon Saliva Grass, there were millions of adventurers on the Mystic Continent, and Dragon Saliva Grass had always been a rare material in high demand.


    Speaking of which, Lin Da had struck incredibly lucky, picking a patch in the middle layer. Lia was extremely envious, repeatedly insisting he share half with her.


    However, Lin Da predictably refused her.


    When it came to Gold Coins, Lia��s skin was always quite thick, a true miser at heart.


    ��The time has come.��


    Upon reaching the rendezvous point, Lin Da looked towards Lulu and Monica with a determined gaze, ��Let��s go!��


    ��


    Under cover of night, the four of them returned to the Dragon Forest.


    Lin Da led the way, with Lulu and Lia following behind, Monica protected in the middle.


    The forest was devoid of any noise, the lack of birds chirping and insects buzzing making it even more disconcerting.


    The surrounding silence was deafening, as if they were the only ones left in the vast forest.


    About twenty minutes later, the landscape was dominated by towering Mondale Trees.


    Suddenly, fast footsteps surged from Lin Da��s rear!


    Accompanied by a ��woeya�� roar, a small Goblin dressed in a grass skirt leapt from behind a large tree, brandishing a rusty curved knife, chopping toward Monica!


    Monica hadn��t recovered from the shock yet, timidly gripping the corner of Lin Da��s clothes, her eyes staring forward.


    Fortunately, Lulu, with the Werewolf Clan��s superior olfaction, hearing, and instincts for danger, far outmatched Lin Da and the others.


    Before the Goblin was even halfway through the air, Lulu had already leaped past, a cold light flashed across her claws, and the Goblin��s head was cleanly severed, rolling on the ground.


    ��Ahh!�� Monica��s delayed scream rang out.


    Lia crouched down to check, scratching her cheek in puzzlement, ��Just level 13, a normal Goblin����


    Goblins, a typical breed of Magical Creature that preys on the weak and fears the strong.


    Theoretically, encountering their group would have frightened it into cowering.


    Not to mention attacking them, not wetting itself would already render this Goblin brave.


    Where did it get the courage to attack them?


    Lin Da examined the Goblin��s corpse and said gravely, ��Everyone, be extra careful. Something��s not right.��


    The group set out again.


    They crossed a small ridge and saw the milky white light of fluorescent stones ahead.


    Other adventure teams?


    Lin Da, not wanting to encounter others, prepared to take a different path.


    But at that moment, several screams sounded in succession, and a dark shadow shot towards them.


    Lin Da��s expression changed slightly, quickly chanting a spell, releasing the Dark Whip.


    The purple whip seemed to become an extension of his body, grabbing the object as it shot towards them.


    Using a glow stick to illuminate it, the object bound by the whip was startlingly a corpse of an adventurer!


    ��[Flaming Gunman], Dennis?��


    Lin Da and the others were shocked.


    Dennis��s head had been vertically split into two, his eyes wider apart than those of a catfish, his mouth wide open, his face frozen in an expression of terror.


    An adventurer who was fine just yesterday had now become a corpse��


    In the peril-ridden Dragon Forest, the line between life and death was gradually blurring.


    Even Dennis, with his formidable Star Rank Level 33 combat prowess, was gone in an instant.


    ��Strange, very strange!��


    Lin Da was shocked internally.


    The wounds on Dennis seemed unlikely from a weapon, most likely death by magical creatures.


    But the powerful magical beasts within Dragon Forest had been driven out by the Forest Dragon, leaving behind only harmless ones.


    This was why Lin Da dared to lead the team into the middle layer of Dragon Forest, then through the tunnels to encircle the Forest Dragon��s lair.


    But what was happening now? A level 13 Goblin, daring to attack them, Dennis killed by a magical creature�� and those screams they had heard earlier, were probably from other members of the Flame Adventure Team.


    This Iron Level adventure team was most likely wiped out.


    ��Lin Da, fall back, there are magical creatures ahead!��


    Lia��s expression tightened, her battle qi flamed to life, and her petite figure stood protectively in front of Lin Da, her great sword aimed at the dark depths.


    ��This scent, it��s a plant series magical beast.��


    Lulu joined Lia at the front, standing shoulder to shoulder. She sniffed, identifying the type of beast.


    Although Monica was scared, she still bravely chanted a spell, ready to launch Earth Bombardment at any moment.


    Lin Da was not idle either, casting Verdant Shield on several of them.


    Depending on the type of magical beast, he would make different choices.


    Fight�� or simply retreat.


    Rustle.


    Rustle rustle.


    This was the sound of the Mondale Tree leaves rubbing together.


    The leaves grew three meters up the trunk, just hearing it let them know it was something gigantic.


    The creature in the dark gradually revealed its form, it was a huge mushroom, primarily brown with red spots over it.


    Underneath the mushroom were fungal-like tiny limbs, densely packed, thousands in number, and four vine-like tendrils spread from its body, each ending in a round-shaped iron saw, whirring under the effect of magic power.


    One could imagine, Dennis��s head had been sliced open by this thing!


    Staring at the five-meter-tall purple giant mushroom, Lin Da��s brow furrowed, his palms sweating.


    Giant Magic Saw Mushroom, level 30 orange-rare magical beast, plant series.


    Weak fire, sharpness, poison resistance, striking series.


    Health points 200,000, medium attack power, distinguished by speed and durability.


    Just one Giant Magic Saw Mushroom couldn��t possibly have obliterated the Flame Adventure Team.


    This meant��


    ��Open with the ultimate move, take one down first!��


    At Lin Da��s command, despite the disadvantage in attributes, he still executed his ultimate skill ��Poison Dragon��s Roar.��


    A purple Poison Dragon, baring teeth and claws, rushed at the giant mushroom, biting off one tendril, ten tear-shaped Dragon��s Sorrow swirled around the wound, numbers popping up: -11052!


    As one Dragon��s Sorrow shattered, thick smoke billowed from the wound: -5311!


    Lin Da felt as if he had lost a million gold coins in his heart.


    The Giant Magic Saw Mushroom had 50% resistance to his poison series, and the damage from such an ultimate move was embarrassingly low.


    Fortunately, he was not fighting alone.


    Monica chanted the Falling Rock Technique, a five-meter diameter brown array appearing above the giant mushroom, a massive rock emerging slowly from the array and crashing down.


    -47901!


    ��Opening with an ultimate move? Better not misdirect us!�� Lia doubted Lin Da verbally, yet her body honestly activated the skill at the first opportunity.


    ��Energy charging!��


    ��Super Burst Flame Slash!��


    Lia dragged out the tones, a fire tornado wrapping around her sword as she dodged the giant mushroom��s chainsaw tendrils with agility, slashing her great sword down on the mushroom cap.


    ��Yiya~~~!��


    The giant mushroom let out a squeal like a little girl, its sturdy body twisting as Lia��s sword hacked it in half, emitting a burnt aroma.


    -111375! S��ar?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Following this, Lulu jumped up, landing on the giant mushroom��s face, delivering two regular attacks.


    The giant mushroom��s 200,000 health points were completely depleted, bursting into ash with a boom, leaving behind a golden orb.


    ��Ha! Ha! Ha! See how amazing I am!��


    Lia touched her nose with her index finger proudly, turning her head to wait for praise from Lin Da and the others.


    Fire-element Lia against a plant-series giant mushroom, the damage was off the charts indeed.


    50% attribute damage increase due to resistance, plus a 35% increase from energy charging, directly hitting for a terrifying figure of 111,000+.


    Lin Da hardly had a moment to chide Lia when the next to arrive at the battlefield was: Giant Magic Saw Mushroom Number 2!


    A massive dark shadow appeared behind Lia.

 Chapter 365 - 365: 302. Doomsday Sect, Lias Decision

    Chapter 365: 302. Doomsday Sect, Lia��s Decision


    Lia felt the cold wind behind her, and cold sweat poured down.


    She couldn��t feel smug now!


    With a shivering glance to the side, she saw the giant mushroom extending two chainsaw tentacles, the circular saws hissing as they spun, still stained with the blood of the Flame Adventure Team, splattering everywhere.


    The chill blended with the stench of blood, and the smile on Lia��s little face froze instantly.


    Lulu and Lin Da had anticipated this scene.


    Lulu relied on her keen sense of smell to detect other magical creatures lurking around, while Lin Da relied purely on prediction.


    ...


    ��Go, Dark Whip!��


    The whip wrapped around Lia��s waist, pulling her to safety.


    ��It��s a big taboo to open champagne midway. I��ve said it so many times before, why do you always forget?�� Lin Da scolded Lia as he absentmindedly began to chant the Spell for the Venom Magic Sphere.


    With the appearance of the second giant mushroom, a third one followed suit.


    These despicable magical creatures had been planning to attack Lin Da and his companions from the start.


    If they hadn��t killed one right at the beginning, facing 12 chainsaw tentacles simultaneously�� Just the thought made Lia break out in a sweat.


    It seems she was right to listen to Lin Da.


    This thought flickered through Lia��s mind.


    She added a second Energy Charging layer and confronted the mushroom behind her, leaving the one in front for Lulu to handle.


    Lin Da and Monica held the center, one responsible for Shield Enhancement and the other for long-distance support.


    Working in coordination, it took three minutes for the two giant mushrooms to turn into reward glimmers.


    ��Phew, won without a scratch. I��m truly amazing,�� Lia started to boast.


    Lin Da said, ��It��s everyone��s credit.��


    He emphasized the word ��everyone�� especially.


    ��I know that,�� Lia retorted, ��I was just saying I��m really amazing, don��t you think so?��


    ��Yes, yes, yes.��


    Lin Da said, ��Hurry up and collect the spoils. We need to leave this place. There��s something unusual about the Dragon Forest: these level 30 magical creatures aren��t scared off by the Dragon��s Might but have stayed in the middle layer�� The Giant Magic Saw Mushroom, being the cowardly type, should have fled the furthest. Not only have they not fled, but they also dare to ambush adventurers in here�� What exactly is happening in this forest?��


    The situation was developing in an unknown direction.


    ��Anyhow, as long as the Forest Dragon doesn��t show up, Missy here will protect you with my Great Sword, so don��t worry,�� Lia said.


    Lia picked up a palm-sized cubic material named Essence Giant Mushroom Meat, happily storing it in her Space Ring.


    Three mushrooms, and she took one; that seemed fair.


    Lin Da accepted the other two materials and noticed Lulu sniffing something on the ground.


    Her butt was lifted high, but her wolf tail was tucked between her legs.


    This was a sign of nervousness and fear in the Werewolf Clan.


    ��Did you find something?�� Lin Da approached Lulu and asked quietly.


    ��Something��s off about the smell,�� Lulu��s nose twitched as she murmured, ��The scent of plant series magical creatures shouldn��t be like this�� Woof!��


    A slender brown hunting dog leaped out of the bushes and came before them, barking softly.


    Lulu glanced at it and suppressed it with her bloodline, scaring the hunting dog into silence.


    But what followed the hunting dog was a group of people in black robes.


    They wore white ghostly masks on their faces, with tearful eye holes, and a bent, one-inch-long horn protruded from the right side of their foreheads.


    The horns of the leading few were blue.


    The rest, about a dozen, were green.


    They all bore the same emblem on their chests: a dark sun illuminating the land, with purple tentacles reaching out from the abyss, devouring all living things on earth.


    Seeing this group, Lin Da��s expression changed: ��The Doomsday Sect?��


    A horrific organization devoted to the Demons, tasked with destroying the World Tree and aiding the Demon King��s descent onto the continent, comprised of madmen who would stop at nothing to achieve their goals.


    The last time Lin Da encountered the Doomsday Sect was at the Azure Sword auction.


    After facing the Monster Tide, White Dove City had raised its guard. He had thought these people had gone into hiding, but here they were in the Dragon Forest?


    Lin Da thought quickly, pondering the purpose of the Doomsday Sect, wondering if the abnormal behavior of the monsters in the forest is related to them.


    ��Be careful, there are at least five Star Rank among them.�� Lulu moved him behind her and then bit into her arm.


    Her fair arm glanced over her arm instantly became blurred with flesh and blood, activating her Bloodthirst state.


    Lin Da, Lulu, and Lia stood back to back, protecting each other, while Monica stood tensely in the middle.


    The leader of the Doomsday Sect appeared to be an old man, exuding a sinister presence.


    ��Ha, hahaha�� Lin Da, to find you here, it seems His Majesty the Demon King is truly blessing me! Kehkehkeh!��


    The eerie laughter echoed from behind the ghostly mask, the old man spreading his arms wide, as two large leech-like dark creatures slowly emerged from his sleeves, squirming their multitude of small feet toward Lin Da.


    Those two leeches gave Lin Da an extreme sense of danger, but what was even more disconcerting was the familiar ��kehkehkeh�� laugh of the old man.


    Lia blurted out the true identity of the robed figures in shock, ��Hulus, weren��t you locked up in prison, how did you get out?��


    The one leading these sect members turned out to be the captain of the Specter Adventure Group, Hulus, who should have been confined behind bars!


    ��Hehehe, I am honored to be recognized by Captain Lia. After you die, I will turn you into a beautiful Shadow creature, so that you can make sweet love with these two ��Dark Leeches�� and breed more magical creatures, kehkehkeh��!��


    ��Ew! Who wants to become a leech? If you dare, come here and see if Missy can��t chop your head off!��


    The two taunted each other from ten meters apart.


    To buy time, Lin Da tried to delay with his words: ��Why are you here? Escaping from prison, the Knights Order will not let you off easily!��


    Meanwhile, his gaze surveyed Hulus and the others, assessing their strength;


    S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 366 - 366: 302, Doomsday Sect, Lias Decision_2

    Chapter 366: 302, Doomsday Sect, Lia��s Decision_2


    Hulus brought a total of twelve people with him, among whom five were Blue Horn Ghost Faces, at the Star Rank, while the other seven were Green Horns, with an average level aura of around 27.


    Lin Da��s mood grew increasingly heavy.


    On his side, there were only two Star Rank individuals �C even though Lia was a talented Swordsman and Lulu had her Witch State �C but the numbers were far too unequal.


    Not to mention that the opposition had Hulus, the experienced adventurer.


    Hulus��s strength was even greater than that of Tiger Man Xi Ou, whom they had defeated the day before!


    Using a Town Portal Scroll to escape was also out of the question.


    ...


    There was a magic restriction within Dragon Forest; unless they walked out, they couldn��t use the Town Portal Scroll or the Teleportation Stone.


    Their only hope rested on the Signal Flare Scroll.


    If there was any Iron Level adventure team nearby that saw the signal, regardless of which city they were from, they would unite against the Magical Creatures and the Doomsday Sect.


    Lin Da discreetly reached for a pocket behind his waist.


    Hulus, as if he hadn��t seen the subtle movement, crossed his arms and spoke with composure:


    ��Iron Cages? The Empire? What are those, in the face of His Majesty the Demon King, all rules can be broken. Lady Bai Mian has bestowed upon me new power, at this moment, Dragon Forest has become our Doomsday Sect��s hunting ground, adventurers who enter with hearts filled with greed, we shall bestow upon thee the ��justice�� of judgment!��


    The abnormal behavior of the Magical Creatures was indeed related to the Doomsday Sect. S��arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A flicker of doubt arose in Lin Da��s mind; this region��s Doomsday Sect should be under the control of the Demon General, his sister, who called herself Lin Xi. Could it be that his sister was nearby?


    Although he didn��t want to shamelessly rely on his sister, their current situation was extremely dire �C naturally, Lin Da was unaware that Lin Xi had gone to Cyan City and even met with Taige, the leader of the Dark Flame Adventure Group.


    Regardless, Lin Da activated the Signal Flare Scroll; with his right hand raised high, like shooting off fireworks, the signal flare shot up into the night sky, bursting into a pattern of a blue Slime crying.


    This was the continent��s universally recognized adventurer distress signal.


    ��Forget it, not one of you will escape today! Nacho, attack!�� Hulus sneered coldly, ordering the sect member to launch an attack.


    ��Concentrate �C break out!��


    Lin Da gave a signal to Lulu and the others with his eyes and rushed toward the east.


    ��Where do you think you��re going! Stinking Werewolf, I haven��t settled the score with you from the arena!�� A burly man in a black robe roared as he swung his axe, aiming a vertical chop at Lulu��s back.


    From the voice, it was clearly the 33-level Berserker Nacho.


    Nacho, who should have been injured, bedridden and immobile, had miraculously been healed after joining the Doomsday Sect.


    ��Awooo!��


    Lulu caught the sharp edge barehanded; her beast claws accurately trapped the axe as she countered with a stylish spin kick.


    Grunting, Nacho staggered several steps backward.


    Surprised behind his mask, Nacho felt the shock in his hands �C the last time he had fought this Werewolf, their strength was more or less equal, or perhaps his was slightly lower, so why was she now even stronger?


    ��Frost Wolf��s Edge!��


    Lulu��s beast claws shone with a silvery light; she swung left and right, sending out crescent-shaped Battle Qi bolts flying.


    One was neutralized by Nacho, while the other left a bloody wound on Nacho��s shoulder.


    ��Argh! You scoundrel, scoundrel Werewolf, I��ll flay your hide to carpet my floors!�� Nacho roared into the sky, activating the Berserker��s Ultimate Skill ��Complete Madness��!


    His head swayed wildly, as if he had lost all reason.


    In this state, his attack and defense increased, his agility decreased, and he became impervious to pain.


    Nacho charged again, his axe aimed at Lulu!


    ��Frost Wolf��s Bite!��


    Lulu delivered a simple, brutal knee to Nacho��s face, smashing his mask and sending him rolling away.


    ��Lulu is so powerful?�� Lia, who was struggling with a Star Rank level 33 opponent, found each clash between her Great Sword and the opponent��s long blade exhausting a great deal of Battle Qi. In contrast, Lulu seemed to have an easier time?


    ��Frost Wolf Warriors excel in strength and agility, perfect for dealing with those big, dumb Berserkers.��


    Lin Da threw a Venom Eruption as a distraction, deliberately saying, ��It seems the Doomsday Sect is just so-so after all!��


    ��Ah! Ah! Ah!�� Nacho, consumed by rage, glowered fiercely, completely losing his bearings.


    He couldn��t understand why the Werewolf had improved so much in just a few days; last time at the arena, he was confident he could take her on, so why now could he not land a single blow?


    Lulu kicked Nacho away once more and, looking at his confused, crumbling expression, said coldly, ��Let me tell you, last time we fought, I didn��t have a single piece of Magical Equipment of level 30.��


    Just last night, Lin Da had spent a whole million Gold Coins to equip Lulu.


    Right now, Lulu had one piece of level 28 Epic Equipment, a level 30 orange beast claw weapon, and four pieces of level 30 Purple Equipment.


    Combat strength increased by over thirty percent.


    Moreover, Lulu��s profession greatly restrained Berserkers, resulting in Nacho having no chance to fight back.


    The three focused on an assault and finally opened a route for escape.


    ��I��ll carry Monica.��


    Lulu, being the most agile, quickly grasped Monica, tucking her under her arm.


    ��Grab my hand!��


    Lia��s expression was anxious as she firmly grasped Lin Da��s wrist, nearly yanking him to the ground.


    ��We can��t let them get away! Let one go, and I kill one of you!��


    Hulus and Nacho each led a group of men and pursued them.


    Lin Da and the others fled in different directions; those not being chased by Hulus had a high chance of escaping.


    As they ran for their lives, Lin Da looked back to see Nacho, his face covered in blood, in hot pursuit.


    That meant�� Hulus was on Lulu��s side.


    ��Lulu can activate her Witch State; she can��t beat Hulus but escaping won��t be a problem.��


    ��Now I just need to focus on my own situation��can Lia and I take down these three Star Rank together?��


    Lin Da thought quickly and concluded with a negative answer.


    At level 20, he was quite an anomaly, but compared to Star Rank, the gap in basic abilities was too large.


    Lin Da had never felt such an intense desire for an increase in strength.


    In cities, the imperial laws protected adventurers, allowing them to live in peace. But out in the wilderness, especially in dangerous areas like Dragon Forest, all pretenses were stripped away; the only thing worshipped here was strength!


    With strength, Giant Dragons would bow their heads in submission and yield their treasures.


    The Goblin King would cower in fear, leaving his fate in your hands!


    All sorts of thoughts flashed chaotically through Lin Da��s mind. The Sword of Royalty pointing backwards, the Dark Whip flew out, hindering Nacho and his men.


    ��Don��t use your magic power anymore, save it.��


    Lia suddenly said something.


    ��?��


    Lin Da looked at Lia��s face, filled with determination, and felt a buzz in his head.


    What was she planning?


    ��Wait����


    Lin Da��s words came to a sudden halt, cut off by Lia.


    As expected, Lia did just that.


    With a swift exertion of force from her wrist, she threw him dozens of meters away.


    ��If we keep running, the Battle Qi consumption will only increase and, Miss, will have a harder time dealing with them.��


    Lia, with her back to him, held the Phoenix Feather Sword tightly in her hands.


    The girl was petite, but at that moment, her silhouette resembled a towering mountain as she hastily said, ��I have a way to get out, just go!��


    Agility was a notably strong attribute of Star Rank.


    Lin Da, although highly armored, seemed sluggish compared to the high Agility of the Star Rank.


    If he stayed, he would likely just slow Lia down.


    With a myriad of thoughts whirling in his head, Lin Da ultimately gritted his teeth fiercely and handed over his Double Shields;


    First, the Verdant Shield landed on Lia, followed by its unfolding golden wings, and a massive sword light slashed towards Nacho.


    The Ultimate Skill of the Recovery Series [Guardian Sword]!


    Both shields were raised, their thickness exceeding 10,000 points.


    The two layers of shields brought a warm sensation. Lia��s expression softened a bit, her lips curling into a slight smile as she thought: Now it��s Miss��s turn to protect you.


    Although she couldn��t repay Lin Da for the three years of kindness he��d shown Snow Goose, she hoped to repay Lin Da in her own way.


    And it was at that very moment that Lia��s left eye burnt fiercely, as the seed of flames residing within it blazed vigorously.


    The Fire Fighting Qi turned a faint orange-red, and a trace of starlight passed by casually.

 Chapter 367 - 367: 303. Chance Encounter in a Tunnel, Precious Dragon Blood

    Chapter 367: 303. Chance Encounter in a Tunnel, Precious Dragon Blood


    The Fire Fighting Qi turned into a faint orange-red, a touch of starlight, inadvertently flashing by.


    In the original game storyline, to protect her teammates, Lia awakened the Starfire Fighting Qi, embarking on a monstrous journey of growth.


    She led Snow Goose and became one of the top-ranking adventure teams in Cangqing Province.


    But that was years later.


    The current Lia could only rely on instinct to use the Starfire Fighting Qi and was unable to control it.


    ��Lin Da, where are you running off to!��


    ...


    Nacho��s main target was Lin Da.


    ��Take a hit from this lady��s sword!��


    With a move ��Flame Waltz��, Lia swept around, forcing Nacho back.


    Nacho was so angry his eyebrows trembled, ��Attack, take down this Snow Goose brat first!��


    The four of them tangled in battle, with the sound of Battle Qi explosions never ceasing.


    One by one, large trees were destroyed as if they were made of paper, the Fire Series Battle Qi set the trees ablaze, turning them into a raging mountain fire that burned fiercely in the night.


    ��


    ��


    Lin Da sprinted forth with all his strength, wind howling in his ears, lungs in agonizing spasms.


    It felt like a flashback to his youthful days in track meets, gasping for breath. sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The thought of Lia being the one to protect him made him feel as if he had eaten a chunk of excrement-flavored chocolate, foul yet oddly sweet.


    The painstakingly nurtured ��character�� was finally taking shape, capable of contributing on the battlefield.


    Lin Da knew this was not a game, yet felt a sense of achievement similar to playing one.


    The sounds of battle faded behind him, and turning back, he could only faintly see a glimmer of light.


    ��The best way to repay Lia is to successfully secure the forest treasure and share some with her,�� he thought.


    Lin Da took a deep breath, looking ahead.


    His current location was the middle layer of the Dragon Forest, and running back might lead him to encounter other sect members��better to move forward and stick to the original plan.


    Through the tunnel into the deeper layer, to the Forest Dragon��s Lair, to steal the treasure inside!


    This carried certain risks, without the keen-nosed Lulu, Lin Da might not be able to detect when the Forest Dragon would return to its lair.


    If he happened to face the Forest Dragon while escaping with the treasure, it wouldn��t be as simple as saying ��let me clean that treasure for you before placing it back��.


    Logically, the best choice was to sneak back with his tail between his legs.


    The mountain fire was the best signal, and the Adventurers�� Guild would soon receive news of the anomaly in Dragon Forest and dispatch an official adventure team for rescue.


    He should��ve just stayed honestly in the warm villa, waiting for good news from Lia and the others.


    That was the most sensible, safest approach.


    But Lin Da��s legs just couldn��t stop moving.


    Thinking of everyone suffering in the perilous Dragon Forest, how could he alone run back to enjoy the warmth of the fireplace and tea?


    Only by obtaining the Forest Dragon��s treasure could Lin Da quickly advance to Star Rank and arm the entire squad.


    If the entire Luanwei team were Star Ranks, those fleeing today would be Hulus and his crew.


    ��Only forward.��


    Lin Da solidified his will, resolved to clean out the Forest Dragon��s lair and share it with the girls.


    The distance to the tunnel entrance grew closer.


    ��Ahead, chase!��


    Suddenly, a fierce shout resounded from behind.


    He turned to look.


    Under the moonlight, two small black dots rapidly closed in.


    That voice�� was it Nacho?


    Had Lia been taken down?


    Lin Da��s heart constricted.


    A surge of intense anger almost drowned his rationality.


    Yet Nacho, either out of stupidity or a desire to boast, laughed loudly:


    ��That redhead dwarf has already been injured and fled, Lin Da, now no one can protect you! Just stand there and die obediently!��


    ��Typical small fry villain speech; who would just stand there waiting for you?��


    Heartened by the knowledge that Lia was safe, Lin Da relaxed enough to joke.


    Come to think of it, it made sense.


    Lia, active until the late stages of the game, couldn��t possibly be defeated so easily.


    Those who survive the most perilous scenes are often those bumbling characters.


    ��Go!��


    Lin Da unleashed the Dark Whip, pulling down a row of trees behind him.


    Kicking up a cloud of dust, he obstructed Nacho��s view.


    ��Aargh!��


    Nacho crashed into a tree, gasping and scanning the surroundings.


    Unable to find Lin Da.


    ��He must be hiding nearby, search!��


    ��


    ��


    Footsteps echoed above Lin Da��s head.


    He hid beneath the tunnel, holding his breath, imagining he was a harmless little grass, photosynthesizing under the sun.


    ��[Self-Created * Turtle Breath Spell].


    Not sure if it would work, but it was worth a try.


    After pulling down the trees, time was tight, and Lin Da managed to cover the tunnel entrance with a nearby rock.


    Nacho and another Star Rank wandered nearby.


    Like a cat chasing a mouse.


    Lin Da remained motionless until the footsteps faded away, then he breathed a sigh of relief.


    He lay on the ground, crawling into the barrel-sized tunnel.


    Taking out a glow stick, he switched it on, and the pitch-dark tunnel instantly lit up.


    The air inside was thin; his lungs, strained from the forceful running, prickled with pain.


    The Great Mystery Continent was scorching during the day and extremely cold at night; the cold air churned in his lungs like a cactus, causing Lin Da to grimace and put on the Mask of Pain.


    ��Thinking this way makes me admire Lulu more, how can she trigger the Bloodthirst state without changing her expression?�� Lin Da wondered.


    Lin Da��s willpower was firm, but it didn��t mean his head was immune to pain.


    On the contrary, due to his brain being quite useful, he felt pain more acutely.


    He took out a bottle of hot water from his ring, took a sip to warm himself, melted away the ��Mask of Pain,�� and continued to crawl forward.

 Chapter 368 - 368: 303, Accidental Encounter in the Tunnel, Precious Dragon Blood_2

    Chapter 368: 303, Accidental Encounter in the Tunnel, Precious Dragon Blood_2


    Crawling forward for a short while, he saw something strange.


    Bloodstains.


    Confusion flashed in Lin Da��s eyes.


    Under the light of the glow stick, the red, dripping fresh blood was visible.


    It spread forward, reaching deep into the tunnel.


    All sorts of thoughts crossed Lin Da��s mind��was it Lia��s ��that�� kind of blood?


    ...


    When they returned, he was leading the way; even if Lia was bleeding, he wouldn��t have seen it.


    Recalling Lia��s lively and jumping figure, he was pretty sure that today was not her physiological period.


    Meaning, it was another kind, the worst-case scenario.


    Someone else had found this tunnel and entered before him!


    Lin Da narrowed his eyes, feeling slightly more tense.


    The depth of the tunnel was engulfed in complete darkness.


    ��Adventurers shall not kill each other in the Great Mystery Continent,�� does this imperial law still apply here in the dangerous Dragon Forest, and in this kind of pitch-black tunnel where not even the hand is visible and no third person would discover?


    Rather than trusting in the other party��s goodness, Lin Da preferred to trust himself.


    Moreover, the bloodstains might not necessarily be from an adventurer.


    Lin Da turned off the glow stick, moved stealthily, and squirmed forward in the narrow tunnel.


    The flow of underground magic power was chaotic. Aside from earth system magic users and Battle Qi users, everyone else was as good as blind.


    Lin Da could only rely on the tactile sensation on his palms to navigate.


    After crawling for about forty meters.


    He reached out suddenly.


    What he caught was no longer the damp soil.


    Incredibly soft, and huge.


    The first thing that came to Lin Da��s mind was some kind of obese insect.


    Perhaps right now, it was opening its gaping maw, ready to bite the hand he��d extended.


    Just the thought of it made his spine chill!


    Before the opponent could bite him, he struck back fiercely, subduing the ��insect��!


    Lin Da used both hands at once, firmly covering the ��insect.��


    The spongy ��insect flesh�� oozed out between his fingers.


    ��Hmm����


    An unconscious moan sounded from beneath him.


    Lin Da��s eyebrows raised��was this voice that of a ��Human Face Worm��?


    It could produce the lovely voice of a woman, luring adventurers to check it out.


    When the adventurer bent down, the Human Face Worm would leap from the ground, cling to the adventurer��s face, and insert its appendages into nostrils, mouth, ears to suck blood.


    To ensure that the other party was not a Human Face Worm, Lin Da moved one hand to feel around.


    Well, well.


    There was another round and plump ��insect�� next to him.


    Beneath were the waist, belly button, thighs��


    Between the thighs��


    Lin Da fell silent.


    He released his hands and took out his glow stick again.


    Before him lay a beautiful female face.


    Silver hair was disheveled, with plenty of dirt on her forehead.


    Her lips were devoid of any color��a face as pale as paper.


    Her chest rose and fell very slightly, her breathing was barely noticeable.


    This was why Lin Da, upon reaching her, only discovered her presence after grabbing the ��big fat worm.��


    And this woman happened to be an acquaintance.


    The prospective member of the Phoenix Tail Flowers��Tasya?!


    Lin Da was utterly stunned.


    What was Tasya doing here?


    Where were the people from the Scarlet Adventure Group?


    Had Dawen and the others been attacked by the Doomsday Sect?


    Theoretically, Tasya shouldn��t have known about this tunnel.


    When he farmed the tenth layer of the instance in the Great Mystery Continent, he used a different character.


    Her being here could only be described as a coincidence.


    ��Wake up,�� Lin Da called softly, patting Tasya��s face.


    Tasya��s eyes were closed, her brows furrowed tightly, occasionally letting out a pained groan.


    Looking carefully, a purple -100 appeared above Tasya��s head, indicating she was continuously losing health points.


    Lin Da��s gaze sharpened as he placed his hand on Tasya��s forehead: it was cold, like touching a block of ice.


    ��Excessive blood loss, and poisoned as well!��


    ��Dawen is an experienced adventurer; how could he let Tasya get so seriously injured? What happened to the Scarlet Adventure Group?��


    Lin Da was full of doubts.


    He first chanted a Healing Art, restoring 2500 health points to Tasya, then took out a commonly stocked Antidote from his Space Ring.


    The Antidote was contained in a slender triangular glass bottle, filled with blue liquid.


    ��Open your mouth, it��s me!��


    Not knowing if Tasya could hear him, Lin Da pried open Tasya��s icy lips and poured in the Antidote.


    Perhaps craving hydration, Tasya instinctively swallowed, consuming all of the Antidote.


    He quietly waited one minute.


    -100.


    The unchanging purple numbers popped up.


    Lin Da scratched his head, muttering, ��Seems like it��s not an ordinary toxin.�� S~ea??h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even with Tasya��s level 34 Battle Qi, she had been poisoned into unconsciousness.


    There was excessive blood loss, accompanied by severe hypothermia.


    The situation was very grim.


    Only by identifying the source of the toxin could Lin Da find a solution.


    ��Pardon me.��


    Internally apologizing, Lin Da undid the thick layers of Tasya��s maid dress, searching for wounds.


    Persistence pays off.


    On the left side of her chest, he found a small cut.


    Pus oozed from there, and the blood was purple.


    Now wasn��t the time for hesitation.


    Lin Da bit onto the wound, sucking out the poison.


    He disinfected it and wrapped it with bandages.


    Throughout this process, Tasya remained unconscious.


    Lin Da��s heart grew heavier.


    This indicated that the toxin had spread to the brain; if not treated promptly, it could be life-threatening!


    ��The wound keeps oozing pus, with a necrotic stench, like rotten fish.�� ��The Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures,�� page 708, records these symptoms as those of a level 32 Orange-Rare Magical Beast, the Cold Poison Feathered Snake��s bite.��


    ��Though the Cold Poison Feathered Snake has weak combat abilities, its toxin is incredibly lethal. Adventurers succumb to unstoppable bleeding, unconsciousness, hypothermia, then suffer Magic Circuit damage and brain corrosion from the toxin, eventually falling into eternal sleep.��


    Identifying the type of toxin was the good news.


    However, the bad news was that the toxin of the Cold Poison Feathered Snake was extremely fierce.


    With the materials Lin Da had on hand, he could not concoct an Antidote.


    In no more than three hours, Tasya would become a cold corpse.


    ��If I had not chosen to continue forward and had instead returned to the communal area by another route, Tasya might have����


    Thinking this, Lin Da felt a chill in his heart.


    The current situation was not entirely without solutions.


    If he could gather some Dragon Blood��Dragon Blood is of the Fire Series and has a strong suppressing effect on the toxin from the Cold Poison Feathered Snake, combined with Antidote Herb, saving Tasya wouldn��t be difficult.


    However, collecting Dragon Blood was extremely difficult.


    A drop or two of Dragon Blood wouldn��t be of much use��it needed to be at least a teacupful.


    Lin Da felt overwhelmed with trouble.


    He was only a level 26 support; where could he find so much Dragon Blood?


    He couldn��t be wishing for the Forest Dragon to be female and coincidentally in her physiological period��


    Even if such Dragon Blood was available, its quality couldn��t be guaranteed.


    ��Could there be a stroke of luck?��


    Lin Da suddenly thought of the places where the Forest Dragon battled with the Sunrise Level adventure teams, where some Dragon Blood should have been left behind.


    To his knowledge, three Sunrise Level adventure teams had ventured deep into the Dragon Forest. Defeating the Forest Dragon may be out of the question, but injuring it should be sufficient.


    Cradling Tasya, Lin Da looked ahead with sparkling eyes.


    With or without Dragon Blood, they could only move forward.


    If all else failed, he would ask those Sunrise Level adventure teams for some Dragon Blood.


    He wondered if the name Phoenix Tail Flower held any sway among those at the Sunrise Level�� Right, the leader of the Holy Rock Adventure Team was Aiko��s father��it might be worth considering this relationship.


    Afterwards, he would owe a favor to Aiko and Holy Rock. Wait, Aiko had strained relations with her family; mentioning her name might backfire, mightn��t it?


    Lin Da��s head was in turmoil, his mind feeling numb.


    ��Overthinking is futile; first, I must get to the Forest Dragon Cave, and then improvise as necessary.��


    He crawled forward.


    At the same time, he held Tasya tightly, sharing his body heat with her.


    Tasya, who usually sweated easily and was always warm, now felt as cold as a block of ice.


    As the team leader, seeing his teammate injured made Lin Da��s heart ache as if she were his own daughter raised by hand, not willing to let go of any.


    Feeling Tasya��s body growing colder, a fiery urgency kindled in Lin Da��s heart.


    Half an hour later, they reached the end of the tunnel.


    Carrying Tasya on his back, he cautiously pushed open the stone slab and looked outside.


    Thanks to the moonlight, the surroundings were barely visible.


    The huge creature that had been guarding the entrance to its lair had vanished.


    The ground bore many signs of battle.


    Huge pits, shattered trees, rocks, blood��


    Lin Da��s excitement surged: might that blood be the Forest Dragon��s?

 Chapter 369 - 369: 304、Lin Da Slays the Dragon (Dont raise it anymore, come subscribe, muah!)

    Chapter 369: 304��Lin Da Slays the ��Dragon�� (Don��t raise it anymore, come subscribe, muah!)


    Lin Da used the old method to confirm that there were no Magical Creatures nearby before he climbed out carrying Tasya.


    He took a thermos from the Space Ring and collected beside the bloodstain.


    The method to determine if it was Dragon Blood was simple, jab it with a stick.


    Dragon Blood belonged to the Fire Series, fierce and intense, the giant dragon��s body could remain undecayed and not turn to ash even thousands of years after death.


    The instant the twig touched the Dragon Blood, it ignited!


    ��No, no.��


    ...


    ��No.��


    ��Still not.��


    ��It��s all the blood of adventurers!��


    Lin Da investigated several spots in succession, all in vain!


    His high spirits plummeted.


    Glancing at the pained expression on Tasya��s face on his back, Lin Da��s fists clenched involuntarily.


    Just at that moment.


    A withered leaf, driven by the wind, fell into a hollow.


    Shhh.


    The leaf ignited, a spark of fire flickered in the darkness.


    Lin Da��s eyes lit up.


    Carrying Tasya, he quickly walked to the edge of the hollow.


    At its deepest part, there was a fist-sized patch of deep red bloodstain.


    Lin Da, together with the soil, scooped it into the thermos, then filtered it using Magic Power��


    These methods were all learned in the library.


    It was Lin Da��s first time doing this, yet he was surprisingly adept.


    After filtering, the liquid remaining in the thermos was a shallow layer, estimated to be 10 milliliters.


    Creating the ��Dragon Blood Antidote�� required 100 milliliters.


    He was still far from the target.


    ��But these should help alleviate the situation a bit, at least buy us a few hours.��


    Lin Da administered the simplified version of the Dragon Blood Antidote to Tasya.


    Gulp.


    Tasya��s throat moved as she swallowed the medicine.


    Dragon Blood, being of the pure Fire Series, scorched Tasya causing her to cough as soon as it entered her stomach.


    Her icy body gained a hint of warmth.


    Previously losing 100 health points every so often, she now lost only 85.


    Lin Da applied Healing Art to Tasya.


    +2500.


    ��How is it, feeling any better?��


    He asked softly.


    Tasya still had her eyes closed, showing no signs of awakening.


    Lin Da thought for a moment and took a blue scarf from the Space Ring.


    It was the one that Tasya had dropped at the amusement park, intending to give to him.


    Made from Fire Dragon Silk, it provided excellent warmth.


    Like a ��Boomerang�� thrown out, the scarf returned to protect Tasya. A scarf made of Fire Dragon Silk, perfectly adapted to counter the poison of the Cold Poison Feathered Snake.


    Lin Da wrapped Tasya��s head securely, leaving only her eyes exposed.


    ��Recover quickly.��


    He prayed silently in his heart and grabbed Tasya��s legs, pulling her up to prevent her from falling.


    Before him lay the entrance to the Forest Dragon��s old den.


    Carved into giant rocks, the dungeon entrance stood seven meters high and more than ten meters wide.


    The residual Dragon��s majesty lingered in this place, and even without the Forest Dragon present, it exerted immense pressure as if it were the gaping maw of a giant beast.


    Lin Da, not knowing when the Forest Dragon would return, could only explore as quickly as possible.


    He turned on the glow stick and stepped boldly into the Forest Dragon��s old den.


    Walking down the spacious corridor into the interior, it appeared to be a labyrinthine palace of Magical Creatures.


    There were Treasure Caves, Resting Dens, Recreation Dens, Storage Dens, Breeding Dens��walking in it, it was as if he had entered a world of stone.


    ��Let��s check the Treasure Cave first.��


    Lin Da recalled the layout from the game and among several forks in front of him, he chose the one on the left.


    Walking about ten meters forward, the floor was covered with a red carpet.


    At the end of the carpet was a bowl-shaped depression.


    Lin Da walked over, glanced at the contents of the pit, and his face involuntarily changed.


    Though he knew he was at best sipping the broth, Lin Da still harbored a bit of luck in his heart that perhaps the Sunrise Level could not withstand the Forest Dragon and hastily grabbed some treasures before fleeing, leaving him half or even a vast majority��


    The reality was, the pit contained only a few scattered Purple Gold Coins and a lot of ordinary Gold Coins.


    Lin Da sighed, unable to dwell on his disappointment, he swept like a whirlwind, gathering everything into the Space Ring.


    There were a total of 1054 Gold Coins, and seven Purple Gold Coins each the size of a hand and one centimeter thick. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Purple Gold Coins, a common expensive currency on the continent, were made by melting gold mixed with level 40 Magic Core Powder.


    They contained a mini Array inside and in times of war, could directly activate the embedded Array to aid in meditation and restore Magic Power.


    While serving as currency, they were also a kind of magic item.


    The sale price of Purple Gold Coins was dear, one equating to ten thousand ordinary Gold Coins. At Moon Rank and above, the size of transactions often increased significantly and were usually settled using Purple Gold Coins.


    ��Seven coins, that��s seventy thousand Gold, not too bad.��


    Having collected the coins, he did not even spare the red carpet, collecting some ��Dragon Ash�� �� just as humans wash off dead skin during a bath, giant dragons sometimes rub playfully. Rich in Magic Power, the material scraped off by dragons, called ��Dragon Ash��, was a valuable material for Magic Circle crafting.


    With the mindset of an old father bringing home specialties for Lia, Lin Da, the worker who entered the Forest Dragon��s den, tried to bring back some fine items.


    The treasure room was stripped clean, enough to make a scavenger cry.


    Lin Da carried Tasya and explored other caves.


    Perhaps some adventurers had recently entered and fought with the Forest Dragon, causing it to bleed.


    From the Resting Den to the Recreation Den, everything was in ruins.


    A violent battle had clearly erupted here.


    Persistence paid off.


    Dragon Blood was indeed collected by Lin Da.


    But it really was just ��a bit.��


    All told, it was less than three milliliters.


    Lin Da scratched his head, his face clouded with worry.


    It seemed he might have to resort to plan B and seek help from the Holy Rock Adventure Team?


    ��Let��s check the Breeding Den and then figure out what to do.��


    He arrived at the last cave.


    It contained a warm Dragon Nest woven from branches and dry leaves.

 Chapter 370 - 370: 304、Lin Da Slays the Dragon (Dont raise it anymore, come subscribe, muah!)_2

    Chapter 370: 304��Lin Da Slays the ��Dragon�� (Don��t raise it anymore, come subscribe, muah!)_2


    Scattered around the Dragon Nest were piles of Gold Coins and gemstones.


    It was an air of opulence akin to that of a nouveau riche. sea??h th�� nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da jumped into the nest.


    The nest was circular, with a diameter of two meters, ample enough to comfortably accommodate a grizzly bear.


    Gathering the spilled Gold Coins and gemstones, Lin Da stuffed them all into his Space Ring and after searching around, found nothing new.


    ��The protection of the World Tree Goddess seems to have failed����


    ...


    Lin Da sighed and tightened his grip on Tasya, who was on his back, preparing to leave the den.


    ��Ao?��


    ��Hm?��


    Just as he reached the entrance of the Breeding Den, Lin Da encountered a Magical Creature.


    Both parties stared at each other, somewhat stunned.


    This creature had green skin, with tender, spiral-shaped horns about the length of a finger.


    It stood upright on its robust hind limbs while its front limbs, much smaller, hugged half-eaten Slime as it gazed at Lin Da with a dimwitted expression.


    It seemed not to understand why, after merely stepping out, its home was now occupied by this stranger.


    ��Roasted Slime�� is it the one I left outside to attract Magical Creatures?��


    ��Where did it come from? Did it sneak out of the nest while I was collecting Dragon Blood, or did it return from outside with the Forest Dragon right behind it?��


    Seeing the two-meter-tall Young Dragon in front of him, Lin Da��s face drained of color as ideas flashed through his mind at lightning speed.


    ��Toxic Enchantment!��


    ��Venom Magic Sphere, Cross Slash!��


    The standoff lasted less than three seconds before Lin Da acted first.


    Drawing the Sword of Royalty and coating it with poison, he executed Isa��s taught Basic Knight Combat Skills: Cross Slash!


    Lin Da had considered subduing the Young Dragon to make it his slave, but a newly hatched dragon had already bonded and was difficult to tame. Besides, this was a Trial Magical Creature that couldn��t be taken out of the Great Mystery Continent, essentially being the Divine Power of the World Tree Goddess.


    Even considering that, rather than having a Pet Beast he couldn��t fully trust, Lin Da preferred its flesh, bones, and Magic Core.


    A dead Young Dragon was worth more than a living one!


    ��Ying ying!��


    With a roar, the Young Dragon opened its mouth, transforming its Grass System Magic Power into vines that shot towards Lin Da.


    It was a true dragon, boasting a level 25 standard at birth, likely only needing a month to reach level 30.


    But no matter how gifted the Young Dragon was, the advantage now lay with Lin Da!


    The fully leveled Venom Magic Sphere could fire two spheres at once, one destroying the vines the Young Dragon spat out, the other entering its gaping mouth.


    The poison took effect instantly, and a -5543 appeared above the Young Dragon��s head.


    With its mouth burning and tingling uncomfortably, the Young Dragon leapt up and down, its big eyes filled with a pitiful expression, looking as though it was about to shed tears.


    Despite its dopey appearance, if it grew up, it would undoubtedly become a formidable dragon.


    Dragons and adventurers were natural enemies; their territory and their bodies coveted by adventurers who sought the title of Dragon Slayer and the loot that came with it. Therefore, each Young Dragon was taught by its parents:


    Adventurers are the Dragon Race��s biggest enemy. Letting the young escape would lead to older ones, and if the older ones escaped, even older ones would come. Unless you completely wipe them out, you are the one who will surely die!


    Endless waves of adventurers were the Dragon Race��s worst foe!


    If Lin Da had let the Young Dragon go because of its cute appearance, even a saint would have burst into tears at his mercy.


    Taking advantage of the Young Dragon��s ��recovery delay��, in pain and crying out loud, Lin Da��s Cross Slash followed promptly, landing a solid hit on the Young Dragon��s head.


    Blood splattered instantly!


    ��Wu ao, wu ao!��


    The Young Dragon, sensing a threat to its life, involuntarily unleashed its dormant potential in the form of Dragon��s Might.


    It was similar to the Star Rank��s ��Powers,�� but far stronger.


    Adult Giant Dragons, which sit at the apex of the Dragon Race, can annihilate an adventurer party of similar level with a mere roar!


    Lin Da felt a heaviness in his body as fear surged from deep within, his legs bending involuntarily, an irresistible urge to kneel taking over.


    But the Young Dragon did not continue its attack and instead, confused, scratched its head with its front limb.


    It seemed like a newcomer who enters a game with a high-level account, clumsy and unsure of what to do next.


    If the Young Dragon had been born just a few days earlier and mastered basic combat skills, Lin Da would have faced a tough battle.


    But now�� its hesitation in attacking while still in recovery was a frustrating sight for any spectator, and the severe consequences of such behavior would be a lesson Lin Da was ready to teach.


    ��Dark Whip!��


    Lin Da threw his whip, binding the Young Dragon��s mouth to prevent it from using Dragon Roar, and then swung the Sword of Royalty fiercely.


    Clang!


    Scales clashed against the sword, sending sparks flying.


    The defensive power of the Dragon Race made Lin Da envious.


    One sword, two swords, three swords�� the Sword of Royalty finally cut into the young dragon��s flesh.


    The young dragon��s eyes flickered with the color of pain, its wings and forelimbs flapped and scratched wildly, its mouth struggled to open to release a Dragon Roar but was firmly bound by Lin Da��s Dark Whip.


    It was beaten black and blue by adventurers from the moment it was born!


    ��Venom Magic Sphere!��


    Lin Da aimed at the wound he had cut, and a purple glowing Magic Sphere shot into it.


    The young dragon��s eyes widened, and its body convulsed.


    If it could talk, it probably would have cursed out fragrant sentences, inquiring about Lin Da��s entire family.


    ��Knight Swordsmanship * Sword Dance!��


    Lin Da executed a spinning sword technique, using the momentum of his body to maximize the strength of his sword moves.


    This was also a technique taught to him by Isa!


    The Sword of Royalty continuously slashed at the young dragon��s neck, and despite the dragon race��s high defensive power, it couldn��t withstand Lin Da��s sustained attack.


    -5503, -5670, -5001��


    The light in the young dragon��s eyes gradually dimmed, and its wings drooped.


    ��Aowu����


    A reluctant whine came from its throat, and the young dragon no longer had the strength to stand. It fell to the ground with a thud.


    Its body turned to ash, leaving only a clump of golden light the size of a bowl.


    ��Success.��


    Lin Da��s head was drenched in sweat, his chest heaving violently, his lungs gasping for air as though it were free.


    That round of Sword Dance had drained all of his stamina.


    It was all thanks to the sharpness of the Sword of Royalty.


    A regular longsword would have been chipped all over by now.


    He nervously looked towards the young dragon.


    The dead young dragon turned into golden light, instead of leaving a corpse behind like magical creatures in reality.


    This meant whether he could obtain Dragon Blood was a matter of luck.


    If the golden light didn��t burst out with Dragon Blood, Lin Da could only collect what had dropped on the ground while he was chopping at the young dragon.


    ��According to the game��s drop rate, there��s a 90% chance of Dragon Blood appearing, my luck can��t be that bad.��


    Lin Da clasped his hands together, briefly becoming a devotee of the World Tree Goddess, praying silently in his heart.


    Seconds later, the golden light dissipated, turning into several materials that fell to the ground.


    The first item was a bone fragment the size of a palm.


    This was [Young Dragon��s Dragon Bone].


    It could be ground into powder and mixed with sunlight goji berries from the Mystic Realm to make a drink.


    It had the effect of improving male vigor and was valued at around 100,000 Gold Coins.


    The second item was a deep green diamond-shaped crystal.


    A level 25 [Young Dragon Magic Core], with an Epic Three Stars quality.


    This was impressive.


    It could be sold on the market for 800,000 Gold Coins. With the price of dragon materials soaring, selling it for 1.5 million wouldn��t be a problem.


    But Lin Da dared not get too excited just yet, he held his breath and continued to look at the next item.


    It was a square glass bottle.


    Inside the bottle was a fiery red liquid, reminiscent of magma.


    At that moment, Lin Da��s body went limp, and he nearly sat down on the ground.


    He smiled silently.


    Glancing at Tasya on his back, he whispered, ��Dragon Blood, I��ve found it, I��ll heal you right away!��


    The third item that burst forth was the magic item [Young Dragon��s Dragon Blood]!


    With the size of that glass bottle, there were at least 500 milliliters inside, the equivalent of a can of Wheat Beer.


    More than enough to treat Tasya.


    In addition to the Dragon Blood, there were also 10 Purple Gold Coins, valued at 100,000 Gold.


    Lin Da carefully collected everything, then took a moment to survey his surroundings to confirm there were no enemies, before carrying Tasya back through the tunnel.


    At the exit, there was a hollow space big enough for two people to stand.


    After covering the stone lid overhead, his gaze serious, he took out the Dragon Blood and the detoxifying ingredients he had prepared ahead of time in his Space Ring.


    Using the light from the glow stick, Lin Da began crafting the antidote.


    ��


    (ps: Please click to recommend and give monthly votes~~~!)

 Chapter 371 - 371: 305. Healing Tasya, Fox Beastman

    Chapter 371: 305. Healing Tasya, Fox Beastman


    Four hours ago, the Scarlet Adventure Group was attacked by a group of Cold Poison Feathered Snakes.


    These Magical Creatures are frail, yet they possess a toxin that sends shivers down one��s spine.


    To make matters worse, members of the Doomsday Sect were also present.


    Everyone scattered in panic, and when they collected their senses, Tasya had already fallen confusedly into a tunnel.


    ��Survive.��


    That was the only thought in her head.


    ...


    Even though her body was losing heat under the toxin of the Cold Poison Feathered Snakes and her Magic Power was draining away like air from a deflating balloon, moving even her pinky required all her strength.


    But Tasya still didn��t entertain the slightest idea of giving up.


    While previously searching for Dark Shadow during her travels, Tasya had been disheartened numerous times.


    She thought it wouldn��t be too bad to be eaten by a Giant Dragon that leapt out on the road.


    Now it was different.


    Lin Da had chased her to Red Heart City, dueling with Dawen just for her sake, and thinking of this made Tasya��s heart feel as if it were soaked in honey.


    As long as she completed the last mission with the Scarlet Adventure Group, she could return to Lin Da��s side.


    Tasya had knit a new scarf, planning to go back and apologize to Lin Da for leaving rashly with just a letter.


    From now on, she would devotedly be the exclusive maid of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    It was as if she had walked through the first dark and rocky half of her life, and finally, the path ahead was a smooth, sunny avenue lined with flourishing flowers, welcoming a wonderful life. How could she die in such a place?


    In a pitch-black, damp tunnel that seemed to have been dug by a Burrowing Mole?


    If she died here, even her body wouldn��t be found.


    But reality always went against one��s wishes.


    Merely by willpower, it was impossible to rid her body of the snake poison.


    Tasya��s vision began to blur, her body lost warmth, and she couldn��t feel the existence of her limbs.


    The last memory in her mind was someone��s call.


    It might have been just a hallucination before death, but Tasya felt it was like Dark Shadow��s voice.


    ��Wake����


    ��Wake up����


    It was Dark Shadow calling her.


    Why would she dream such a thing?


    Considered from a different perspective, dying in this dream would also be a satisfactory end.


    Suddenly


    Something��


    Felt like scorching hot magma.


    ��Eat!��


    A stern command sounded next to Tasya.


    Was it her master��?


    Tasya��s heart shuddered, thinking: That��s something she definitely couldn��t waste.


    Everything related to Lin Da was incredibly precious.


    In the pockets of her maid��s skirt, she had some hair and tissues she collected while cleaning Lin Da��s room.


    Items carrying Lin Da��s aroma were treasures to Tasya.


    Especially��


    This could possibly be a batch of future little masters.


    Tasya dared not waste them.


    Even if the liquid scorched her lips, numbed her tongue, and seemed to make her throat smoke, she still didn��t let go of a single drop.


    ��You��re drinking so fast, be careful not to choke,�� Lin Da finally showed a hint of a smile on his strained face.


    The Fire Attribute-enhanced Dragon Blood Antidote was consumed by Tasya without leaving a drop. sea??h th�� N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She even licked her lips as if still longing for more.


    The once unconscious Tasya was now able to emit a dreamy, faint sound.


    Lin Da listened closely, she said:


    ��Master, I want more����


    ��Please give me more����


    Lin Da felt embarrassed.


    He knew the silver-haired maid wanted more Dragon Blood.


    But for some reason, he felt a sharp pain on both sides of his waist, as if sensing some impending crisis.


    He shook his head vigorously, trying to dispel the bad thoughts.


    This Dragon Blood, when consumed in moderation, was very beneficial, but too much of it was actually poisonous.


    He resolutely decided not to give her a single drop more.


    Lin Da gazed at Tasya��s forehead.


    Three minutes passed, not a single drop of blood did drop.


    When he looked at her face, it slowly grew more rosy.


    Under her maid��s skirt, the enticingly white-encased legs were slightly parted, probably due to the heat, allowing the cool air of the tunnel to flow in.


    With the boost from the Dragon Blood, Tasya��s body warmly revived.


    Previously in a near-death state, she was now close to being mostly alive!


    Lin Da did not force Tasya to wake up, as she needed to rest now.


    Moreover, if she awoke, Tasya might still not be able to regain her fighting strength and might feel guilty, troubling her master who had done so much.


    He planned to take her away from Dragon Forest and then find a way to regroup with the lost Lulu and Lia.


    Lin Da put the remaining half bottle of Dragon Blood into his Space Ring.


    Then he adjusted the slightly loose blue scarf around Tasya��s neck.


    He didn��t continue to covet the mature Forest Dragons.


    Lin Da decided to prioritize safety.


    The gains weren��t substantial, but they were still worth 2 million Gold Coins.


    Besides, killing the young Forest Dragons also brought him 100,000 Diamonds.


    His current total was about 250,000 Diamonds.


    For level 28 Monica, it was enough to upgrade her to level 29.


    His Big Lolita was also one step closer to the Star Rank.


    Lin Da directed his glow stick toward the tunnel, carrying Tasya on his back as he crawled in.


    Suddenly.


    A loud voice came from ahead: ��Who��s there!?��


    Lin Da paused.


    This voice�� was it the ever-persistent Nacho?


    The entrance of the tunnel, found by Nacho.


    They had followed him!


    Lin Da��s eyes narrowed, he quickly turned off the glow stick to avoid revealing their position.


    Listening to the sound, the parties were roughly a hundred meters apart.


    Nacho realized and shouted: ��Lin Da, it must be you! You are injured, the bloodstains in the tunnel, they are yours!��


    ��If it weren��t for this great sir��s wisdom, you would have escaped!��


    ��Orlan, chase!��


    In the narrow tunnel, even a Star Rank had to crawl.


    Lin Da, carrying Tasya on his back, dashed out of the tunnel, found a densely bushed area, and plunged in.


    ��


    ��

 Chapter 372 - 372: 315, Treating Tasya, Fox Beastman_2

    Chapter 372: 315, Treating Tasya, Fox Beastman_2


    About ten miles north of the Forest Dragon��s lair, there was a stretch of woodland.


    The trees had been blasted into thousands of pieces by the rampant flow of magic power, and the ground was covered with countless large craters.


    Inside several of them lay the mangled bodies of adventurers.


    In life, they had all been renowned adventurers of the Moon rank.


    But facing this immense being, the incarnation of power, the ruler of the skies��a mature Forest Dragon��they were as fragile as paper mach��, and a swipe of the dragon��s claw inflicted critical injuries instantly.


    The Heavy Armored Warriors fared somewhat better, but the Mages and Healers in the back could not withstand even one attack from the Forest Dragon.


    ...


    The deep green dragon spread its wings and soared a kilometer high, its dragon eyes filled with rage.


    It opened its mouth, where the Grass System magic power gathered and transformed into numerous Light Bullets, shooting towards the adventurers.


    ��Watch out and dodge! It��s at the end of its strength, victory belongs to us, Holy Rock Adventure Team!��


    The man with golden blond hair raised his Sword of Light high; a Holy Rune drifted from the sword, instantly enlarging and scattering light over his comrades.


    Rare Technique: Holy Law!


    Pray with a heart of devotion for the protection of Holy Light, enhancing the defense and agility of oneself and allies!


    The members of the Holy Rock Adventure Team surged with energy as if invigorated.


    ��He truly is my father, fearless in the face of a mighty dragon. Aiko and I still have much to learn,��


    A serious look crossed Bervis��s squinting eyes.


    Looking up at the rain of Light Bullets falling from the sky, what Bervis recalled, however, was his sister, who had completely resigned herself to her fate.


    Dragon-slaying was fraught with great risk, but his father had never considered the consequences of failure. For the man proud of his body covered in scars, risking his life for the title of Dragon Slayer was utterly worth it.


    Sometimes Bervis even wondered whether he and Aiko were really his father��s children. Their personalities were too different, as though standing at three corners of a triangle.


    ��If I survive, I should go see Aiko. Maybe I was too harsh on her in the earlier years.��


    Bervis knew why these tangled thoughts were surfacing in his mind��he was scared.


    He feared becoming another body in a crater when the dragon��s rain of Light Bullets fell.


    That was the sheer terror of a level 49, Epic Five-star mature Forest Dragon.


    There were three Sunrise Level Adventure Groups nearby: from South Rock City, Holy Rock and Bear Roar, and from Red Heart City, Red Heart, with a total of thirteen Moon rank adventurers.


    Even so, they were no match for the Forest Dragon.


    And this was merely one of the lower-ranked dragons in the dragon hierarchy.


    How formidable must legendary beings like the Golden Dragon and Holy Dragon be?


    Bervis smiled helplessly.


    He hoped he could survive and have the chance to witness such a spectacle.


    Unlike the battle-hungry Holy Rock Adventure Team,


    The Bear Roar Adventure Group focused solely on taking advantage of the situation.


    The group��s leader was named Bear Ji, a pure-blood brown Bear Beastman.


    The Bear Tribe had always been amongst the more intelligent within the Beastmen, producing many leaders alongside the Leopard and Wolf Tribes.


    Bear Ji thought to himself: While the three Sunrise Level groups are holding off the Forest Dragon, that old fox who went back to scavenge for treasures must have succeeded by now?


    The young dragon was nowhere to be seen, hidden somewhere.


    While fighting in the lair with the Forest Dragon blocking them, Bear Ji could not make his move.


    Now that they had lured the Forest Dragon out, the lair was unguarded.


    As long as the young dragon was still there, it had no chance against the level 43, highly experienced old fox.


    Bear Ji��s round ears twitched, and his mind clicked, calculating inwardly: The treasures he could steal from the Forest Dragon��s lair were worth at least 15 million gold, and killing the young dragon could net several million more��this trip would not be a loss.


    As for slaying the Forest Dragon and earning the title of Dragon Slayer?


    Such a thankless task was the last thing Bear Ji wanted to do.


    Two from the Holy Rock had already died, and Red Heart had lost one.


    His Bear Roar Adventure Group, aside from two injured, had largely remained unscathed.


    They might be criticized by the others afterward, but what of it?


    To an adventurer, staying alive was what mattered most. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Let the crazies take on dragons.


    In his thoughts, the rain of Light Bullets fell.


    ��


    The forest was destroyed, the booming noise deafening.


    Surge flames ignited.


    The night turned to orange-red.


    The Forest Dragon raised its neck and howled, its eyes filled with profound grief.


    It sensed something.


    Its offspring, the young dragon, had forever left this world.


    Rising in its heart was a fire of rage ready to destroy everything.


    The Forest Dragon vowed to make the assassin of its offspring pay,


    Consuming the flesh and crushing the soul of its attacker in screams of agony.


    The Forest Dragon took off.


    Amidst the mountain fire, Bervis, his face covered in blood, climbed out of the pit.


    ��Three ribs broken, and the thigh bone too.��


    ��The giant dragon was indeed tough to deal with.��


    As he sighed, Bervis looked up at the night sky, only to find that he could not locate the Forest Dragon.


    ��


    ��


    ��Chase! Lin Da must be right ahead!��


    Nacho and another robed figure emerged from the tunnel.


    After searching for Lin Da for a long time, they finally saw a glimmer of hope.


    How could they let him get away?


    Nacho did not want to face Hulus��s wrath!


    The only way to save his own life was to capture Lin Da and deliver him to Hulus.


    Although Nacho was on the chasing side, he was far more nervous than Lin Da.


    He even thought about begging Lin Da to stop running and let him catch him without dignity.


    ��Brother Nacho, what is that up there?��


    His companion, dumbfounded, pointed aimlessly at the sky.


    Nacho turned his head to look.


    And was dumbstruck too.


    An overwhelming surge of the Dragon��s Might swept over them.


    Feeling as though a boulder had hit his chest, Nacho coughed out a mouthful of fresh blood.


    In the night sky, a pair of golden dragon eyes watched them.


    The Forest Dragon that returned to its lair just happened to spot Nacho coming out of the tunnel.


    ��My luck is too good����


    Unable to move, Nacho felt like a cornered mouse helplessly looking up at a cat��a very angry cat who had just lost her offspring.


    A massive dragon tail swept toward them.


    The oppressive feeling was beyond description.


    Only two words remained in Nacho��s mind: It��s over.


    There was a splat.


    Nacho, a level 33 Berserker, and his level 31 companion, were instantly turned into a bloody pulp.


    The Forest Dragon landed on the ground, and its huge head sniffed around a bit.


    When dragons die, they leave a Revenge Mark on their killer, and relatives can track it if they are close enough.


    But the Forest Dragon did not sense the Revenge Mark on these two weak adventurers.


    The killers were not them.


    Of course, the Forest Dragon felt no remorse for Nacho.


    To it, stepping on Nacho was no different than crushing an ant; he was not even worth remembering.


    ��


    ��Looks like I escaped a disaster.��


    North of the Forest Dragon��s Lair.


    Lin Da, carrying Tasya, was running wildly when suddenly he heard a loud thud behind him.


    He knew he had a Revenge Mark on him.


    The farther from the Forest Dragon, the better.


    Without stopping, he kept moving his legs towards the outskirts.


    Whoosh!


    Suddenly, a dagger flew out from the shadows.


    Thanks to Lin Da��s vigilance, keeping an eye on his surroundings, he narrowly avoided it.


    The dagger whizzed past his cheek, leaving its bone-chilling cold breeze nagging at his heart.


    What was more troubling was that the dagger was imbued with Battle Qi, hard as iron, which lightly damaged his Life Barrier, something not even the Tiger Man Xi Ou had managed to do.


    The attacker was at least of Moon Rank.


    Who was it?


    The Doomsday Sect, or another adventurer?


    Lin Da took out the Sword of Royalty, and took a deep breath.


    He put up his Verdant Shield.


    And heightened his alertness to the utmost.


    He would do everything within his power to seize every opportunity.


    No matter what, Lin Da had to return to the Phoenix Tail Flower villa, and enjoy a meal in front of a warm fireplace with the girls!


    Clap, clap.


    Applause came from behind a tree trunk.


    ��Oh my, the captain of Luanwei Flower truly lives up to his reputation, dodging a ��casual blow�� from a Moon rank adventurer. At level 20, you��re indeed outstanding. But I hear you��re most famous for your turtle shell? Should I experience it for myself?��


    A tawny Fox Beast man stepped out from behind a large tree.

 Chapter 373 - 373: 306. Moon rank adventurer Hu Er, Tasya woke up

    Chapter 373: 306. Moon rank adventurer Hu Er, Tasya woke up


    The night forest.


    The fox beastman toyed with the shiny throwing knife, his eyes squinted into crescents, and he wore a seemingly amiable expression as his tail wagged happily.


    But those familiar with him knew this was the prelude to his torturing prey.


    Using the throwing knife to slice his prey��s flesh and listening to their wonderful screams of agony was his favorite pastime.


    Looking at the black-leather-armored fox beastman blocking his path, Lin Da recalled a name in his mind: [Tormentor] Hu Er.


    Level 43, a Moon rank adventurer from the Bear Roar Adventure Group of South Rock City.


    ...


    ��I have no grudge with you, what is this for?��


    Lin Da asked, his voice betraying none of his emotions.


    ��Because you��re the captain of the Phoenix Tail Flowers, a man with hopes of becoming the leader of a Sun Adventure Group.��


    Hu Er��s voice was as seductive and smooth as a cat toying with a mouse. He was filing his nails��now dyed pink��with the throwing knife, which seemed to imply that with a bit more grooming, even a male could pass as acceptable.


    ��The resource zones of White Dove City are ours, belonging to South Rock City and Red Heart City. If Phoenix Tail Flower advances to Sun rank, doesn��t that mean we��d have less resources to claim?��


    Hu Er sounded as if it was the most natural thing, despite being a male fox, using words reminiscent of the small mossy creatures often loathed by adventurers.


    As an aside, the name ��Little Mossy Girl�� comes from the fact they grow moss on their lower parts and are arrogant in nature, which makes them disliked by many adventurers.


    But there are a few turtle beastmen who take pleasure in groveling before these Little Mossy Girls.


    After all, moss is one of the turtle��s favorite foods.


    Lin Da said, ��You are wrong; those resources belong to White Dove City.��


    ��No, no, no��I have always slept in your house, so it��s mine, and it��s your fault for kicking me out.��


    Hu Er slowly explained like he was reasoning with a child: ��Originally, my task was to go to the Forest Dragon��s lair to kill young dragons and steal treasures but someone beat me to it. When the Forest Dragon arrived, I slipped away and, by chance, ended up on the same path as you.��


    ��Captain Lin Da, this doesn��t seem like a coincidence, does it? Who, I wonder, was the one who killed the young dragon?��


    Hu Er spoke sarcastically, even forming an elegant ��Elf Finger�� gesture, showing none of the beastman��s masculine energy.


    ��Speak plainly, what do you want?��


    Lin Da felt a prick of trouble.


    ��What I want, you should be well aware of.��


    Hu Er tossed the throwing knife in his hand as easily as if it were a ball, casually walking over.


    A sudden pressure overwhelmed him, and Lin Da��s expression changed as he covertly mobilized all the magic power in his body.


    Among adventurers, there was deceit and trickery, not just cries of friendship and bonds that could lead to a heated battle against the Demon King, a battle where they entrusted their lives to each other as confidants.


    Most adventure teams, especially those comprised of beastmen who don��t get along with humans or elves, prioritize their own interests.


    Going after the Demon King? That��s for Legendary Adventure Groups to consider, what does it have to do with me?


    Gathering more Gold Coins is the most pragmatic choice.


    And the existence of the Phoenix Tail Flowers silently threatened the interests of South Rock City.


    If Lin Da became the captain of a Sun rank adventure team, he would undoubtedly protect the resource zones of White Dove City and repel the invaders.


    So someone felt uncomfortable about it. S��arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hu Er��s smile exuded ease, a composure that made Lin Da feel insulted.


    But Lin Da also understood why Hu Er was so arrogantly confident. No matter how high the potential of Phoenix Tail Flowers, they were merely seen as a team that might become Sun rank, while Hu Er was a bona fide member of a Sun rank team.


    Even if Phoenix Tail Flowers had a significant reputation, in the eyes of the current Sun rank members, they were at most somewhat large children.


    ��Guardian Sword!��


    As Hu Er drew closer, Lin Da gritted his teeth and forcibly activated his magic circuit, using his second Ultimate Skill.


    It had been almost three hours since he last used it.


    The magic circuit had cooled off just enough to possibly succeed.


    Even so, Lin Da would have to pay a price.


    For a time following, he might not be able to activate the Guardian Sword smoothly.


    But this was all he could do right now.


    Relying only on the Verdant Shield, he had no confidence in withstanding the attacks of a Moon rank adventurer.


    A gigantic Crescent Sword Light slashed towards Hu Er.


    Facing this Guardian Sword, Hu Er smirked contemptuously. With the crystal-clear throwing knife in his hand, he casually flicked and deflected Lin Da��s sword light towards the sky.


    Lin Da hadn��t expected the Guardian Sword to injure his opponent.


    What he needed was the Guardian Sword��s accompanying Light Shield.


    Double Shields out, ten thousand in thickness!


    As Hu Er charged forward, Lin Da attacked with a Venom Magic Sphere.


    With a swoosh, Hu Er��s figure disappeared and reappeared behind Lin Da.


    His target was�� Tasya on Lin Da��s back!


    Lin Da��s face changed, and he twisted his body, ready to face the enemy head-on.


    He would rather take the hit himself than let Tasya be harmed.


    Given Tasya��s frail condition, a blow from Hu Er would likely mean instant death.


    ��A captain with a sense of loyalty, how touching. But unfortunately, what I hate most are people like you!��


    Hu Er��s gaze was cold as he lunged with his knife at Lin Da.


    Crack!


    Bang!


    The Verdant Shield and the Guardian Shield shattered consecutively, and the throwing knife slammed into Lin Da��s Life Barrier.


    His core was shocked, causing an intense pain at the base of his brain.


    It felt like a swarm of ants gnawing at the blood vessels in his head, and he couldn��t help but grunt.


    Fortunately, the Double Shields absorbed a lot of the damage, leaving Lin Da to lose only 2740 health.


    That meant a Moon rank adventurer��s attack could inflict over ten thousand damage in one blow.


    Lin Da suddenly thought back to when he was attacked by Mingli, who must have held back. Considering the possibility that he was part of Dark Shadow, Mingli only dared to attack tentatively.


    No time to think further.


    Lin Da quickly reached out and took something from his Space Ring.

 Chapter 374 - 374: 306, Moon rank adventurer Hu Er, Tasya wakes up_2

    Chapter 374: 306, Moon rank adventurer Hu Er, Tasya wakes up_2


    He pried the stopper loose and fiercely threw it at Hu Er.


    The red liquid splashed all over Hu Er.


    ��What is this?��


    Hu Er��s expression was full of suspicion and uncertainty.


    The liquid possessed an extremely strong burning ability and instantly set his pants on fire.


    Lin Da spat out a mouthful of fresh blood and smiled, ��It��s Dragon Blood.��


    ...


    ��What?��


    ��I said, it��s Dragon Blood.��


    Lin Da pointed toward the night sky above, ��The wind is quite strong tonight, pray that the smell of the Dragon Blood doesn��t drift to the Forest Dragon.��


    ��Ha ha�� If I were a parent and saw someone covered in my children��s blood, I��d probably kill them without a second thought, right? Oh, you also want to change your pants? It��s useless, the scent of Dragon Blood has already seeped into your skin.��


    Watching Hu Er��s increasingly ugly expression, Lin Da felt a surge of satisfaction:


    ��Right, even though I carry the Revenge Mark of a young dragon, it can only be sensed from a very close distance. But you, a ��murderer�� drenched in blood, will be more noticeable, won��t you?��


    Lin Da, carrying Tasya, strode forward.


    Not to the periphery of the Dragon Forest.


    He chose the direction deep into the Forest Dragon��s Lair.


    Lin Da was returning on the same path!


    If Hu Er dared to follow, he would have to face the risk of encountering the Forest Dragon.


    If he didn��t follow, he could only watch Lin Da escape helplessly.


    ��You little bastard!��


    Hu Er cursed with a spit, his expression fluctuating uncertainly.


    Despite the anger in his heart, his feet never managed to step forward.


    He didn��t leave immediately either, but instead adopted a sly expression.


    The fox clan was cunning and deceitful and wouldn��t settle for being mocked by Lin Da.


    Hu Er planned to stay here and keep an eye on Lin Da, to prevent him from doubling back to the outer layer after letting him leave.


    He wanted to watch Lin Da personally, as he re-entered the deeper parts of Dragon Forest.


    It would be best if he encountered the Forest Dragon and got eaten outright!


    Hu Er jumped onto a Mondale Tree that was over twenty meters tall and stood on one foot at the very top.


    In midair, the wind howled, but Hu Er��s posture remained immovable.


    His eyes were fixedly staring at Lin Da��s retreating back.


    ��What a trouble, if only all Beastmen were as hot-blooded and foolish as Xiu.��


    Lin Da, feeling a cold gaze constantly behind him, couldn��t help but shiver.


    Turning back, at the top of the tall tree stood a fox.


    The two were far apart, unable to see each other��s specific expressions.


    But it was easy to guess that the corners of that fox��s mouth were certainly curled up mockingly.


    Many times, Lin Da didn��t want to use his intelligence, but he had no other choice.


    Facing these Star Rank and Moon Rank adventurers, he could only rely on his wits to make up for the lack of strength.


    Going forward might lead to an encounter with the Forest Dragon, while behind was the menacing Hu Er.


    Neither side was easy to deal with.


    However, Lin Da still held one last ace in his hand.


    He couldn��t guarantee it would work against the Forest Dragon,


    but it would certainly be enough against Hu Er.


    The only issue was that it was a ��Schr?dinger�� card. Lin Da also couldn��t be sure whether it would come through at the crucial moment.


    That was the [Shadow of Darkness Experience Card].


    By unlocking Tasya��s trust bar, he would immediately receive all rewards between 0�C90 points of trust.


    Just like a mobile game��s season pass, every 10 points of trust would grant him a reward.


    The reward at the 90-point mark was precisely the Shadow of Darkness Experience Card.


    Lin Da was very confident in his own character��s strength.


    At his peak, he could lead the Primitive Adventure Team to take constant attacks on the Demon King.


    But he figured the system wouldn��t be so kind.


    The Experience Card would probably represent the early stages of Shadow of Darkness.


    How early was hard to assess.


    The only thing he could deduce was that, as a reward only given at the Witch��s 90 points of trust, it definitely wouldn��t be poor.


    Even Baolulu��s Experience Card would be fine.


    Lulu had 88 points of trust in herself at the moment, just one short of obtaining the experience card.


    But he didn��t know where Lulu was at that time.


    Of the witches left by his side, only one remained.


    Lin Da stopped in his tracks, shifting Tasya from his back to cradling her in his arms.


    He solemnly shook Tasya, whispering softly, ��Wake up.��


    From a distance, Hu Er saw Lin Da standing still and laughed out loud, ��Have you run out of tricks? Venturing deep into the Dragon Forest was just a bluff, meant to scare me.��


    ��If you had run over fearlessly, I might have thought better of you, and when I mentioned it to Bear Ji, I would have praised you as a ��brave fool.�� But now, I can only call you a coward.��


    Hu Er relished the superiority of being above it all, playing cat and mouse.


    Watching the prey hesitate, struggle, and suffer, Hu Er deeply enjoyed the beauty of being alive.


    ��Ah, bullying such a young and promising adventurer feels different indeed. If I had known, I would have brought my ��Meat Grass Cup�� to use, watching Lin Da��s painful expression from atop a tree, spending a pleasant time; just thinking about it excites me.��


    As Hu Er��s cheeks flushed, he licked the blade��s edge with his tongue, and though it cut him and blood flowed out, he was completely oblivious, instead savoring the taste as if he had drunk red wine, closing his eyes and indulging himself.


    Lin Da had no idea that a certain perverted fox wanted to watch him ��play accordion.��


    He was entirely focused on calling out to Tasya.


    He used the emergency wilderness first aid method essential for adventurers.


    With his hands over Tasya��s forehead, he stimulated her with magic power.


    Like electrified, the silver-haired woman in the thick maid skirt in his arms groaned softly, her eyelashes fluttering.


    A few seconds later, she finally opened her eyes.


    ��


    In Tasya��s green pupils, confusion filled the air.


    Who am I?


    Where am I?


    What am I doing?


    The classic Sage��s triple questions.


    For Tasya, most of her memory was fragmented.


    The only impression in her head was of being injured before stumbling into a tunnel.


    Now, as she opened her eyes, she saw a night sky fragmented by the towering Mondale Tree Crown.


    The sparse stars in the sky shed a faint light on the woods, barely illuminating a face looking at her with concern.


    ��You��re awake, that��s great!��


    ��This is urgent, there��s no time to explain. Tasya, there��s something I need you to believe��that I am truly the Shadow of Darkness, and I need your complete trust in me.��


    ��I know this might be very confusing and troubling, but it is extremely important to me, concerning whether we can survive out of the Dragon Forest.��


    With a dragon ahead and a fox behind, Lin Da, without time to explain further, spoke hastily as sweat beaded on his forehead.


    ��Wait, my mind is a bit scattered. Why are you here, and where is this?��


    ��I remember being attacked by a group of Cold Poison Feathered Snakes and the Doomsday Sect, the Crimson people scattered, and I was also poisoned by the snakes����


    As Tasya spoke, she suddenly paused as if she had realized something incredible.


    She reached out to touch just below her left chest, where there had originally been a wound from a Cold Poison Feathered Snake. The wound had been pus-filled and festering, unable to stop bleeding, and had once left her feeling helpless.


    Now, however, it had already scabbed over, healing bit by bit. The troubling magic circuit, like a layer of frost frozen over it, and the damn snake poison, had completely disappeared.


    In its place was a fiercely hot power.


    Tasya could feel the benefits of this power for her body.


    It was being subtly absorbed by her body, and if she went to the Adventurers�� Guild��s training ground to test her ��strength,�� it would probably increase by 10%.


    ����I haven��t eaten Behemoth Beast meat, but I��ve seen a Behemoth Beast running in a recording.��


    Tasya was shocked. The only thing that could resolve the Feathered Serpent poison in her body in a short time, and that was hot and could enhance muscle strength and increase strength�� was one thing.


    Dragon Blood! sea??h th�� ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yes,


    Tasya vaguely remembered, someone had placed something thick and hot


    That thing, it wasn��t Lin Da��s��


    but a cup filled with Dragon Blood!


    It was Lin Da, who had stuffed the cup into her mouth!


    At this thought, Tasya looked at Lin Da incredulously, tears of emotion welling in her eyes.


    Previously, in the Primitive Adventure Team, Lin Da would dismiss team members he didn��t need by kicking them out; why would he go through such trouble to obtain Dragon Blood to save a teammate?


    Although still weak, Tasya felt an unprecedented fiery fighting spirit in her heart.


    She had to recover quickly, serve Lin Da diligently, and repay Lin Da��s kindness with her life.


    Even if she could only become a useless maid in the future, helping Lin Da and his Oath-bound by washing their wet, dirty sheets, she would spare no effort.

 Chapter 375 - 375: 307, I, Dark Shadow!

    Chapter 375: 307, I, Dark Shadow!


    Tasya thought to herself, even if she could only become a useless maid who helps Lin Da and his Oath-bound wash wet, dirty bed sheets in the future, she would spare no effort.


    At the same time, a system notification rang in Lin Da��s mind:


    [Witch Tasya is moved to a mess, trust +3, current trust level 93 points (sealed)]


    Hearing this notification, Lin Da was both surprised and delighted.


    Trust levels can increase even under a seal?


    Pah, no, why isn��t the trust bar unlocked even after trust has been gained?


    ...


    In the night of Dragon Forest, the moonlight was cold and clear, and the wind was chilly.


    Lin Da shivered from the cold.


    He sighed, ��Tasya, you do not fully trust me.��


    ��No, I do not��sir, I haven��t!��


    Panic arose in Tasya��s heart.


    If possible, she still hoped Lin Da would revert to his Dark Shadow form.


    But she thought she had hidden it well and wondered how Lin Da had figured it out.


    Tasya carefully raised her eyes to look at Lin Da, her eyebrows knitted together in an anxious expression, like a homeless kitten, and her breathing involuntarily slowed down.


    Lin Da��s face was a mixture of emotions.


    He saw the silver-haired maid biting her lip in his arms, looking aggrieved.


    Blaming Tasya would likely backfire and make it even harder to unlock the trust bar.


    He chose to briefly explain the current situation.


    Perhaps Tasya had a strategy to resolve the crisis.


    After all, as a Level 34 Star Rank, she might have an ace up her sleeve that could turn the tide.


    After listening to the explanation, Tasya��s face showed not a trace of nervousness, her expression calm and composed.


    ��Do you have a way?�� Lin Da asked in surprise.


    ��A way?��


    Tasya tilted her head, ��Isn��t that why you��re here? Just a Forest Dragon, you need only one sword strike.��


    ��Ah, I forgot to explain, I have some difficult-to-speak-of reasons, and my strength has fallen to the current Level 26.��


    ��Encountering a Forest Dragon, there��s only one outcome: to find out how warm the inside of a giant dragon��s belly is. But since I killed its offspring, I��ll probably go through some other ordeals before that, like dragon teeth tickling, vine bondage massage, young dragons humming in my ear, and only when I��m tormented to my last breath can I ��enjoy�� the dragon��s stomach.��


    Lin Da said somewhat embarrassingly.


    Tasya was stunned.


    ��But�� but you are the invincible Dark Shadow, how can you have no way out?��


    ��No, the person standing before you is Captain Lin Da of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, Dark Shadow is just my past. I don��t plan to engage in adventurer activities under that identity anymore, do you understand?��


    Lin Da said seriously, ��I hope it is me that you trust.��


    ��Subordinate�� understands,�� Tasya said with difficulty.


    What a lying maid she was.


    Lin Da, distressed, scratched his head and opened the system, where Tasya��s trust bar was still dark.


    ��Hehehe, Captain Lin Da, is your performance over? If you don��t move forward, I might have to lend you a hand,�� from afar, Hu Er��s mocking voice drifted over.


    A throwing knife whooshed and stuck into the ground behind Lin Da, the blade completely buried in the earth.


    This fox very well could have ambushed Lin Da but chose to give a warning instead, pushing Lin Da step by step into the abyss of despair.


    Lin Da complained in his mind, it seems that pure-blooded Orcs mostly have nasty temperaments, almost like Brother Ni from his past life.


    The next moment, an immense pressure of wind came from the front.


    The Mondale trees all snapped at the midsection, and Lin Da and Tasya were blown away.


    The two, hand in hand, were lifted like kites into the air.


    The sound of wind howled in Lin Da��s ears, and within his line of sight, there was a giant green beast with a wingspan of nearly thirty meters.


    The giant dragon spread its wings, covering the moon, plunging the forest into endless darkness.


    Hu Er��s complexion instantly changed, he fell from the treetop, his form wretched.


    He was no longer concerned about Lin Da and Tasya, reverting to a Primitive Orc, he ran on all fours towards the edge of the forest.


    As he ran, Hu Er cursed inside, ��What the hell is Bear Ji, that damnable leader, doing, wasn��t he supposed to contain the Forest Dragon?��


    After sprinting for a distance, Hu Er spread his Battle Qi Twin Wings, leaped into the air, and disappeared into the night sky.


    Since the Forest Dragon was too far away, the scent of the Dragon Blood on Hu Er did not immediately drift over, but it was Lin Da who caught the Forest Dragon��s attention.


    At first, the Forest Dragon merely thought the human before it was a weak ant, to be casually crushed to death.


    But its bloodline suddenly throbbed, and the dying cries of the Young Dragon seemed to ring in its ears.


    The Revenge Mark responded.


    The Forest Dragon stared dumbfounded at the male adventurer, who was not even Level 30: he fell from the sky to the ground, even needing the help of a black whip to mitigate the impact force, and still gasped for breath upon landing. Was this feeble adventurer the killer of its offspring? S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rage flared in the Forest Dragon��s golden eyes.


    Unforgivable!


    Only by devouring the flesh and soul of the human could it quell its anger!


    The Forest Dragon initially planned to crush the human before it with one foot but now changed its mind, intending to torture him slowly.


    It looked at Lin Da with its golden dragon eyes as Dragon��s Might silently spread.


    Countless humans had been frightened to death by this presence, revealing various ugly reactions.


    ��Luck truly can��t always favor one,�� Lin Da sighed softly.


    He was barely able to withstand the Young Dragon��s Might, but facing the adult Forest Dragon, Lin Da felt as if every bone in his body was about to split apart.


    Creaking noises came from his knees, and intense pain throbbed rhythmically.


    The Magic Power inside him was like a startled mouse, futilely struggling to respond.


    The only good news was that he caught Tasya in midair. With Tasya��s current physical condition, she would likely have suffered serious injuries without his help.

 Chapter 376 - 376: 307, I, Dark Shadow! _2

    Chapter 376: 307, I, Dark Shadow! _2


    And this maid was Lin Da��s only hope for a turnaround.


    He lifted his head, his heart full of emotion as he gazed up at the deep green giant dragon.


    What an arrogant, powerful creature!


    In its eyes shone a deep disdain for humanity. Without any movement, it simply watched calmly at him and Tasya.


    More than ninety percent of adventurers crumbled mentally upon encountering a giant dragon, and even those who were lucky enough to survive lost the courage to continue wielding a sword.


    A dragon was such a terrifying magical being.


    ...


    For a small portion of adventurers, it was a stepping stone necessary to wear the crown of honor, but for most, it marked the endpoint of their adventures.


    Tasya noticed Lin Da��s trembling body��not just Lin Da, she felt the same, unable to withstand the Forest Dragon��s might, their bodies spasming and shaking.


    It was only then that Tasya was struck with a realization, deeply aware that Lin Da was no longer the Dark Shadow of the past; they were in an unprecedented life-or-death crisis.


    This realization twisted in her gut, the bitterness spreading from her stomach to her mouth, sour and fiery, making her feel nauseous.


    She clenched her fists, using the last of her strength to support her legs, and fearfully stood up, pulling out her magic cannon.


    For someone like her, abandoned by her parents and raised by the Assassin Organization, a life filled with misfortune, perhaps this was the only ending she deserved.


    Tasya had thought she was finally on the verge of a sunlit path filled with flowers, but a giant dragon had swooped onto it.


    What saddened Tasya the most was that she had indirectly harmed Lin Da. If she had never existed, Lin Da wouldn��t have sought the dragon blood and attracted the Forest Dragon��s attention.


    The catalyst for the tragedy lay within herself.


    Tasya lowered her head in insecurity, her knuckles turning white from gripping the magic cannon too tightly. She almost wished she could drown in this physical pain to forget the agonizing pain before her.


    ��Master, please let me cover our retreat.��


    Tasya said hoarsely. Now, the only thing she could do was to use the witch��s power to delay the Forest Dragon as much as possible.


    ��This is really a headache.��


    Lin Da rubbed his temple, a look of helplessness on his face.


    He placed his hand on Tasya��s head, ��To protect the maid of this team leader, let��s make an exception this time.��


    ��But only this time, from now on, remember, the leader of the Phoenix Tail Flower team is Lin Da, not the cold and ruthless Dark Shadow of the past, understand?��


    Tasya stared blankly at Lin Da, somewhat perplexed by the meaning behind his words.


    An exception this time?


    Lin Da was no longer able to use the power of the Dark Shadow, was he?


    ��The scarf, I quite like it.��


    Lin Da��s face broke into a mild smile, arranging the messy blue scarf around Tasya��s neck and tying it neatly.


    All along, the Forest Dragon was enjoying the performance of two ants.


    The bravado of adventurers in their life and death farewell was its favorite spectacle.


    ��Is this�� the scarf? The one I lost at the amusement park?��


    Tasya finally noticed the item on her neck.


    Lin Da nodded, ��Lulu picked it up.��


    ��The fireworks festival, I wasn��t planning not to go����


    ��I know.��


    Lin Da rubbed Tasya��s head.


    The soft silver hair adjusted in his palm, carrying the moisture of the night, faintly feeling Tasya��s body warmth.


    This made Lin Da sigh inwardly, the one he was touching was no longer a paper person, but a real woman.


    As the team leader, protecting his team members was his duty!


    ��So, next Winter Festival, let��s go together. With Lulu, Monica, Kafni�� and everyone. Together, to watch the fireworks festival, make a wish, without missing a single one.��


    Lin Da said.


    ��But����


    Tasya pursed her lips, her expression tense as she looked behind Lin Da.


    Like a fisherman on a boat holding a harpoon, wearing a playful smile, ready to catch small fry. The calm demeanor of the Forest Dragon was terrifying.


    Tasya found it hard to imagine how they could escape from under the dragon��s gaze.


    Lin Da put a finger to Tasya��s soft lips.


    ��Just like ��that time��, leave it to me.��


    ��To protect my team members, I will kill that Forest Dragon.��


    Lin Da slowly turned, facing the oppressive might of the dragon as he walked over.


    His demeanor was relaxed and casual, not even casting the Verdant Shield around himself, nor drawing the sword at his side.


    His entire body was open to attack.


    Not just Tasya was confused, even the Forest Dragon was as well.


    The large dragon eyes blinked, watching Lin Da with uncertainty.


    Approaching a giant dragon unarmed?


    Even the Sunrise Level leader, the burly man who wielded the Golden Greatsword, did not dare be so arrogant.


    Could it be that the other party possessed some hidden powerful force?


    Despite thinking this, no matter how many times the Forest Dragon scouted, it could find not a hint of a threat on the adventurer in front of it.


    At that moment, Lin Da made a move.


    The Forest Dragon narrowed its eyes.


    But what Lin Da did was quite nonsensical.


    He opened his Space Ring and took out a windbreaker.


    The windbreaker was as black as ink, adorned with many blood-red patterns.


    Lin Da slowly put it on.


    The Forest Dragon was even more baffled.


    Was he tidying himself up before death?


    This coat had actually been tailor-made for Lin Da after he was attacked by Mingli, in case it might be useful someday.


    Indeed, the windbreaker itself had no magic power.


    It was just an ordinary piece of clothing.


    But whether the coat was real or not didn��t matter.


    What was important was whether his teammates believed it.


    Immediately, Lin Da took out a second item.


    A pure white mask, revealing only the eyes.


    Seeing this object, Lin Da felt a wave of nostalgia.


    It embodied his most invested role, the Shadow of Darkness, which he poured the most heart, energy, and money into.


    The moment Lin Da touched the mask, his emotions surged as if he were back in the days of the Primitive Adventure Team.


    He had led a group of girls in combat against Giant Dragons and abyssal demons, and even haughty celestial beasts had been shot down to the earth.


    Lin Da had indeed walked such a long journey.


    The Shadow of Darkness was a projection of his soul.


    ��If Tasya cannot witness it with her own eyes, she won��t be able to believe me deep inside,��


    even though stacks of ironclad evidence lay before her.


    But after all,


    Lin Da had never transformed into the Shadow of Darkness in front of his teammates.


    Though Lulu and Monica trusted him, Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    because of Tasya��s excessive initial trust, it was not easy for her to believe.


    Even if her subjective consciousness, her sense of reason, concluded that he was indeed the Shadow of Darkness, her subconscious still harbored a sliver of doubt.


    Unless that hint of doubt was dispelled, Lin Da could never unlock Tasya��s trust bar.


    It was at this moment that Lin Da had an epiphany.


    To make the maid believe he was the Shadow of Darkness, he had to transform.


    The prerequisite for transformation was for Tasya to believe in him and to obtain the ��Shadow of Darkness Experience Card.��


    It seemed like an unsolvable deadlock.


    But at this moment,


    Lin Da was about to create a miracle by bluffing.


    With the pure white faceless mask on, Lin Da��s steps grew even more composed.


    No one knew that his bones had long been shattered under the intense pressure of the Dragon��s Might, held together solely by Recovery Magic Power.


    The mask was also to thank.


    No one could see Lin Da��s expression.


    Be it the wind, the night, or Tasya behind him, they could only see Lin Da��s arrogant stride.


    As if Lin Da was not facing a Giant Dragon, but a mere ant that could be crushed with a flick of his hand.


    Lin Da��s silhouette told all creatures what true arrogance was!


    He stretched out his right hand horizontally, his fingers loosely curled, as if to pull something from the space.


    This posture of power directly intimidated the Forest Dragon, eliciting a deep growl from its throat.


    Its burly hind legs slowly shifted backward, its large dragon eyes looking at Lin Da with heightened vigilance.


    ��#@%, &����#*#��!��


    An obscure and difficult language emanated from Lin Da��s mouth, reverberating through the mountains and forests.


    And this was the iconic line of the Shadow of Darkness as he drew his sword to enter battle mode.


    Its meaning was �� ��This moment is the time of judgment!��

 Chapter 377 - 377: 308, Demon Sword Loli [Philoceeld]

    Chapter 377: 308, Demon Sword Loli [Philoceeld]


    The cold night wind blew Tasya��s scarf around her neck, and her long silver hair danced like silk satin.


    Tasya stared incredulously ahead, covering her mouth, her body losing strength from excitement and sitting on the ground in a squatting position.


    In her emerald pupils, the raging mountain fire and the roaring giant dragon were reflected, but they all blended into the background, focusing on a dark silhouette ahead.


    It merged with someone from her memory into one.


    Large teardrops rolled down from her eyes, and Tasya sobbed without a sound.


    Only at this moment did she believe the reality before her.


    ...


    Shadow of Darkness, leader of the Primitive Adventure Team, was right in front of her.


    Lin Da was the Shadow of Darkness, the Shadow of Darkness was Lin Da!


    As an invisible barrier between them shattered, Lin Da heard a system prompt by his ear.


    [Witch Tasya��s Trust Bar Unlocked!]


    The ��special effects�� finally dscended.


    The moment he used the Shadow of Darkness Experience Card, a tremendous surge of magic power flowed into Lin Da��s body.


    His body flashed with twisting arcs of black electricity, cracking like the gathering of thunderbolts condensed to the size of a thumb, each arc holding power enough to destroy space.


    The pressure from Dragon��s Might vanished instantly; Lin Da felt as if his body had expanded thousands of times, making a thirty-meter wingspan Forest Dragon seem as tiny as a water flea.


    Lin Da felt, at that moment, like he was the dominator of the Dragon Forest.


    No one could resist his power, everything was within his control.


    His black coat and mask burned completely away, to be replaced by the real ��Flawless Face�� and ��Shadow Seal.��


    Both items reached ��Primordial 10 Stars��, a quality surpassing legendary, top-tier equipment!


    The Flawless Face, crafted from the shattered crystals of the sky, even the strongest on the continent couldn��t discern the true face of its wearer.


    The coat of Shadow Seal could resist 50% of physical attacks, forged from the depths of the abyss with shadow demons, boosting dark attribute attacks by 100% when worn.


    Their levels were ��Infinite��, always matching the level of their owner.


    Yet, these weren��t the strongest equipment of the Shadow of Darkness.


    In Lin Da��s loosely clenched right hand, black flames burst forth, and a fierce sword cry sounded as a dark magic sword appeared out of thin air.


    The hilt was inlaid with deep red gems, with two curved demonic horns at the very bottom, the blade was a palm-width, engraved with a string of ancient demonic runes.


    This was the magic sword forged from the void fire: Philosheld!


    A detached female voice emanated from within the sword:


    ��My Lord, I��ve finally awaited your call, please use this body to your heart��s content.��


    The magic sword Philosheld, upon reaching its limit, could awaken and possess a Tool Soul.


    At that moment, Lin Da hadn��t regained all the power of the Shadow of Darkness, Philo could only reside in the sword and converse with him. If she were to manifest, she would be a petite barefoot girl with purple hair.


    ��Philo, it��s been a while, as your master, I will make good use of you.��


    A hint of emotion flickered across Lin Da��s eyes.


    His fingers caressed the blade, formed from black flames, as if petting a beloved beast.


    He seemed to see that icy-cool lolita girl comfortably squinting her eyes in front of him.


    Among all the team members he owned, Philo was one of Lin Da��s favorites.


    Not only was she a legal lolita, but she also possessed formidable strength, mismatched with her appearance.


    He murmured to himself, ��So the level after using the Experience Card is 50, huh? The system really won��t give me the full power of the Shadow of Darkness from my prime.��


    ��But still, level 50 is enough.�� S��ar?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da spread his black magic wings and flew into the air.


    From his lofty vantage point, he pointed the magic sword towards the Forest Dragon, ��Die.��


    The third purple rune on the sword lit up, and the petite purple-haired girl��s vague form twinkled in the night sky.


    She was dressed in a black dress, her long purple hair grew all the way down to her pristine white feet, her exquisite face devoid of any emotion, looking down indifferently at the Forest Dragon below.


    The girl��s tender lips parted, heralding the arrival of the end for her foes.


    ��Rare Technique: Void Split Slash.��


    A vertical slash of pitch-black sword light, as if crossing through space, appeared instantly on the body of the Forest Dragon.


    At this moment, the Forest Dragon still couldn��t understand what had happened.


    What kind of monsters were this floating black figure and that purple-haired little girl?


    The Forest Dragon had lived for over a hundred years and had never encountered such a terrifying opponent.


    The opponent had been a mere level 26 adventurer a moment before, but then erupted with the power of a Light Rank Adventurer.


    If it were just a normal Light Rank, that would be tolerable.


    The Forest Dragon, being of draconic kin, possessed hard Dragon Scales and a robust body.


    Facing a Light Rank Adventurer, if it couldn��t win, it could still flee.


    But that is, if it were a normal Light Rank Adventurer!


    The Forest Dragon looked up in terror at the black silhouette in the sky; fighting was out of the question, its body trembled like a sieve, unable to even flap its wings to escape.


    Its instincts had already submitted, its hind limbs kneeling on the ground like livestock awaiting slaughter.


    Though the adventurer was only level 50, his aura was more terrifying than those top Light Ranks at level 59!


    As the Void Split Slash descended, pitch-black flames erupted within the Forest Dragon.


    Its massive body split into two halves, falling to either side.


    Unable to withstand even a single strike, the Forest Dragon��s life barrier, previously over a million, was wiped out in an instant.


    The Forest Dragon, which even three Sun Adventure Groups at level 49 had failed to subdue, was slain by Lin Da with a single sword slash!


    The body of the Forest Dragon crashed to the ground, toppling surrounding trees and raising a cloud of dust.

 Chapter 378 - 378: 308, Magic Sword Loli [Philo Shield]_2

    Chapter 378: 308, Magic Sword Loli [Philo Shield]_2


    Tasya stared unwaveringly ahead, her face flushed with excitement, her legs cramped. Her hands pressed firmly against her chest, as if only the pain there could convince her this was not a dream.


    The leader of the Phoenix Tail Flower, Lin Da, was indeed the Dark Shadow.


    Tasya��s last doubts completely dissipated.


    Like most members of the Primitive Adventure Team, Tasya also adored Lin Da. First, because Lin Da had helped them a lot; and second, because of Lin Da��s invincible power after transforming into the Dark Shadow.


    In his lifetime, he had never tasted defeat!


    Before the Dark Shadow disappeared, his power was even greater than it is now.


    ...


    But even so, he was no match for a Forest Dragon.


    As soon as the Dark Shadow drew his sword, Tasya and her teammates knew that the trouble had been dealt with, all enemies would perish under the magic sword.


    This was the Dark Shadow.


    He was the incarnation of ��invincibility,�� the most talented adventure team leader in the Royal Capital, supported by the Duke of Cold Moon, one of the four guardian flames, famously called ��the adventurer with the most potential to reach the top of the World Tree��.


    At that moment, what Tasya saw were black flames shooting straight into the night sky, hundreds of meters high.


    His sword light slew the giant dragon, melting trees and rocks along its path.


    A terrifying ravine, a hundred meters long and up to fifty meters wide in a fan shape, was carved into the earth.


    Any adventurer seeing this would hardly believe that a Light Rank adventurer could achieve it.


    With the magic sword ��Philo Shield�� and the cloak ��Shadow Seal,�� Lin Da��s combat power was incalculable.


    These equipments were the fruits of Lin Da��s countless nights of dungeon raids and hard work.


    By relying on the Dark Shadow, he had supported himself and his sister, even saving quite a bit of money.


    How powerful this character was could be imagined.


    ��My lord, I feel the seal strengthening, I must part from you for a while.��


    The melancholic voice of the magic sword Philo came through.


    Lin Da also felt the power of the Experience Card waning.


    According to the system description, the duration of the Experience Card��s effect was greatly related to one��s own level.


    The higher one��s own level, the higher the level of the transformed Dark Shadow.


    The longer the usage time.


    At the current level of 26, it was just one swing of the sword.


    ��Philo, rest for now, I believe we will meet again soon.��


    Lin Da nodded.


    Facing the Tool Soul girl in the magic sword, he chose to maintain the somewhat dramatic tone of the Dark Shadow.


    In the game, to subdue Philo, he had had to defeat her forcefully.


    Lin Da had to maintain the mystery and strength of the Dark Shadow to prevent the Tool Soul from rebelling.


    Before being subdued, Philo was essentially a little witch, having killed numerous Shadow creatures.


    He had barely won thanks to the abundance of potions in his backpack.


    ��My lord, I look forward to our reunion.��


    The black flames entwined around his body quietly receded.


    Lin Da felt his body go limp, so limp that he couldn��t even breathe and fell straight from mid-air.


    It seemed using the Experience Card was not without a price.


    Lin Da felt as if he��d been drained dry by a group of succubi, not a drop of water left.


    Fortunately, Tasya had recovered enough to leap up and catch him securely in her arms. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The intense motion caused her to��sway back and forth,


    Lin Da��s face suffered a painful blow, and everything went dark before his eyes, nearly causing him to pass out.


    ��Master, are you alright?�� Tasya held him tight anxiously.


    ��I can hardly breathe.��


    Lin Da��s mouth and nose were blocked, he could only smell a fragrant scent, but fresh air couldn��t enter his lungs at all.


    ��I��m sorry, I was disrespectful.��


    Tasya quickly let Lin Da out.


    Lin Da took deep breaths, and after drinking two bottles of Mana Recovery Potion, was finally able to walk normally.


    He looked at the silver-haired maid, her eyes misty, a look of guilt mixed with emotion, and he gently smiled, pulling her into a hug and stroking her trembling little head:


    ��I wouldn��t want to be mistaken as a master who bullies his maid. If you��re going to cry, save it for when we reach the top of the World Tree, turn them into tears of joy, and scatter them with everyone.��


    ��Yes.��


    Tasya, nowhere near her usual aloof demeanor, curled her lips into a slight smile, nestled against Lin Da��s chest like a well-behaved kitten, gently sniffing her master��s scent, her body completely softening.


    The heart-stopping embrace invigorated Lin Da, feeling as if energy had been injected into his body.


    Starting today, he was officially a captain with his own dedicated maid.


    Because of his encouraging hug just now, Tasya��s trust level had unexpectedly increased by two points, reaching an astonishing 95 points.


    He didn��t know what rewards reaching full trust level could bring.


    Lin Da clicked on the trust meter to check, at the end there was a black package with a red ribbon, a gift box with a big question mark on it.


    The 90-point trust level came with the Shadow of Darkness Experience Card; surely 100 points wouldn��t be worse.


    But the final five points of trust were harder to earn than reaching the heavens.


    Lin Da didn��t plan to force it.


    He wiped a small pearl from the corner of Tasya��s eye and, holding her soft hand, moved forward.


    After the Forest Dragon died, its body turned to ashes and dissipated.


    A mass of golden light, the size of a water tank, remained in its place.


    It was ten times larger than that of its offspring.


    As expected of a mature giant dragon, the rewards were plentiful.


    Aside from the rewards for slaying the Forest Dragon, there were eight other notifications in Lin Da��s system message bar.


    These were prizes unlocked after accessing Tasya��s trust meter.


    At a glance, each item was of remarkable quality.


    Some even made Lin Da��s heart skip a beat with excitement.


    Taking advantage of the golden light from the Forest Dragon, which was in ��random generation�� mode of the World Tree Goddess��s blessings, in ��loading�� state, Lin Da used this time to first check the system messages.


    [You have received trust reward: Level 34 Orange Helmet, Orange Breastplate, Orange Boots, Orange Jewelry X2, Magic Scroll Super*Charge, Level 34 Epic 1-star Magic Cannon, Legendary Oath Ring (Tasya*Min), Shadow of Darkness Experience Card (used)]


    A full set of level 34 orange equipment!


    Lin Da quickly scanned them; the attributes focused mainly on strength and attack speed, perfectly fitting for Tasya��s magic cannon profession.


    There was also the epic 1-star magic cannon weapon.


    If he equipped Tasya with all of these once her body was fully recovered, soloing Hulus would be a piece of cake.


    Although Tasya had now used dragon blood to neutralize her poisoning, she needed some time to recover and could probably only exert half her battle strength.


    In addition, there was an epic-level magic scroll, Super*Charge.


    It was an upgraded version of Lia��s energy charging skill.


    The magic scroll could only be used once, with the effect of doubling the power of the next attack.


    It was extremely practical, definitely a trump card to hold onto.


    Then there was the legendary equipment, Oath Ring (Tasya*Min).


    [Equipment Description: A ring from Tasya��s 80-point trust level, the wearer��s agility is increased by 30%]


    The ring was silver, delicately and elegantly crafted, seemingly with moonlight flowing over it, absolutely stunning.


    The attributes were also very impressive.


    Increase agility by 30%!


    Percentage increase equipment was very valuable, usable from level 1 to max level without any issues.


    Inside Lin Da��s system backpack, there lay another ring.


    From Lulu, it could increase strength by 30%.


    He thought about giving it away when he found a chance.


    Lin Da thought to himself: giving the Oath Ring too early before seemed premature, easy to be taken for a fool.


    Now, it seemed the timing wasn��t a problem anymore.


    If possible, he needed to find the right setting.


    Giving the Oath Ring could also increase the trust level.


    At this moment, the golden light formed by slaying the giant dragon had finished condensing.


    Lin Da��s train of thought was interrupted.


    The golden light shot toward him, striking his chest.


    The Divine Light indicating the rise in adventurer level fell continuously.


    Since the Forest Dragon was classified under wild BOSS magical creatures, defeating it earned rewards and experience points.


    Under the infusion of the Divine Light, Lin Da��s depleted magic power replenished rapidly; his body was teeming with a warm flow, like drinking a nourishing chicken soup, filled with inexhaustible energy in all his limbs and bones.


    Even if faced with ten lustful succubi, Lin Da could confidently say he wasn��t afraid at all.


    Strength, surging continuously!


    ��Awesome, this is just awesome.��


    Lin Da cheerfully shouted in his mind.


    It felt like relieving a three-day constipation with a long flush, squeezing out a nose pimple, and holding hands with the team members stepping onto the ladder of adulthood��


    Lin Da��s mind went blank, filled with the joy of leveling up.

 Chapter 379 - 379: 309, Stepping into Star Rank, burst out powerful Skill Books

    Chapter 379: 309, Stepping into Star Rank, burst out powerful Skill Books


    Lin Da heard a system notification by his ear:


    [Killed the Wilderness Guardian (Regional Boss) of Dragon Forest, an Epic Five-star Forest Dragon, Level 49, gained 2 million Experience Points!]


    [Your level has increased from 26 to 31. Current Experience Points: 153,000/800,000]


    The Forest Dragon was not in its prime state, having been worn down by three Sun Adventure Groups, so the Experience Points Lin Da gained were not that substantial.


    Even so.


    Two million Experience Points raised Lin Da��s level from 26 to 31.


    ...


    He ascended five levels in one go, stepping into the Star Rank!


    All along, Lin Da��s level had been on the lower end among his peers.


    As a team leader, he never mentioned it, but it somewhat bothered him internally.


    Especially since Proud Dwarf Bear��s Lia often brought up level differences, leaving him unable to retort.


    But today, Lin Da reached Level 31.


    Officially surpassing Lia.


    Knowing that guy, he would probably be green with envy.


    A slight smile appeared on Lin Da��s lips.


    [System Notification: You have mastered the skill: ��Momentum��]


    [Ultimate Skill Guardian Sword Enhanced: Receivers of the Guardian Shield��s blessing will immediately recover 50% of their maximum Hit Points]


    [Ultimate Skill Poison Dragon��s Roar Enhanced: Initial attack damage increased from ��Greatly�� to ��Extremely Greatly��]


    [You have entered the Star Rank, gaining one-time extra attribute boosts: Hit Points +2000, All Ability Values +200]


    A surge of power coursed through his body.


    Lin Da hummed comfortably.


    Having been in this world for nearly three years, he had finally entered the Star Rank.


    From here on out, he was among the top-tier adventurers of White Dove City.


    The attribute boosts from ascending five levels together, his current personal panel read:


    Name: Lin Da


    Level: 31


    Occupation: Chosen Healing Hero


    Hit Points: 17,200


    Magic Power: 3,880


    Strength: 3,880 Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Defense: 580


    Magic Defense: 697


    Agility: 501


    Extra Bonus: Skill casting speed +10%


    Resistance: Poison Resistance 30%, Earth System Resistance 20%


    Experience Points: 153,000/800,000


    Remaining Skill Points: 11


    ��


    ��With my current strength, facing Nacho and the others, I definitely stand a chance,��


    ��But probably Nacho has already perished at the hands of the Forest Dragon, what a pity, I missed the opportunity to get revenge personally!��


    Lin Da clenched his fists, feeling regret.


    Back then, he was only Level 26, and even with Lia��s help, he had no confidence in defeating three Star Rankers.


    His own agility was too low, and he feared the Star Rank��s ��Momentum,�� being a burden to Lia.


    Now, however, it was different.


    Teaming up with Lia, Lin Da felt confident about taking on Nacho and his team.


    And now�� with the sidekick Tasya at Level 34, whose hidden Witch State and rewarded magic cannonier equipment from the system.


    Undoubtedly, among the Luanwei Flower, Snow Goose, and Ice Flower adventure teams, the strongest in personal combat was this foul-mouthed, silver-haired maid.


    Even if Tasya had not fully recovered, only able to exert half of her strength,


    she could still dominate those members of the Doomsday Sect around Level 30.


    Lin Da��s combat ability was also not weak.


    Both his ultimate skills had received enhancements.


    Guardian Sword transformed into Shield Enhancement and Integrated Regeneration, divine skills of healing and saving lives.


    Poison Dragon��s Roar increased damage.


    Overall, it was inferior to the Guardian Sword.


    After all, the former came from the occupation, Chosen Healing Hero.


    Additionally, Lin Da unlocked two new skills.


    AoE, continuous damage [Toxic Purple Mist].


    Higher recovery amount [Intermediate Healing Spell].


    Lin Da��s previous Primary Healing Spell could heal 2500 in one go.


    The recovery amount of the Intermediate Healing Spell could reach over 4000!


    At the same time.


    The spoils of war in the golden light revealed their true nature.


    ��That is����


    Lin Da and Tasya exchanged glances, both utterly astonished.


    Their luck was a bit frightening.


    They hit the jackpot with one of the rarest types of magic items: a Skill Book!


    ��


    ��


    About twenty li from there, the members of the Holy Rock Adventure Team were flying with ashen faces.


    The Leader of the Holy Rock Group��s ��Holy Law�� shielded them from the Forest Dragon��s barrage of light spheres, but the team was heavily injured and morale was low.


    Several of the rear position members still couldn��t stop shaking.


    Drinking water resulted in spilled pants; using the restroom required heavy effort.


    The dread induced by the Dragon��s Might penetrated deep into their souls.


    They could not endure it simply with courage and will alone.


    They needed a Psychic Priest, kind words and healing.


    Like lying on a lap pillow, basked in the warm Holy Light, being cooed to sleep like a little baby.


    Psychic Priests are usually pretty, big-hearted elder sisters.


    Charging up to ten thousand Gold Coins for one session, it would take at least ten visits to heal the psychological scars left by Dragon��s Might.


    ��Where did the dragon go!?��


    Unlike those ��cowards�� who just wanted to snuggle in the elder sister��s arms, or even do something naughty, some adventurers inherently have stronger souls and are better at resisting Dragon��s Might.


    These individuals typically seem irritable, reckless, partial to helpless rage, and do not care about others�� feelings.


    In short, they are not very high in either IQ or EQ.


    At this moment, the Leader of the Holy Rock Group, Rocher, with his golden hair disheveled, roared upward into the sky.


    This muscular man��s eyes frantically shot around as he looked down from the sky in search of the Forest Dragon.


    ��Leader, let it go.��


    ��That kind of monster is beyond us,�� a man in a deep blue mage robe with thick eyebrows said gloomily.


    Bervis also suggested, ��Father, there are plenty more opportunities to slay dragons, it��s not urgent this time.��


    ��No, you don��t understand, that dragon has surely reached its last legs, we have a chance to kill it! Don��t you crave the rewards for subjugating the Forest Dragon, the title of Dragon Slayer?��


    Rocher��s eyes bulged like bells, the scars on his face from the barrage of light spheres reopened, and fresh blood flowed like little rivers.


    He sternly said, ��Unless we kill the Forest Dragon, no one is allowed to return!��

 Chapter 380 - 380: 309, Stepping into Star Rank, burst out powerful Skill Books_2

    Chapter 380: 309, Stepping into Star Rank, burst out powerful Skill Books_2


    ��The team leader has gone mad again���� the Elf Swordsman sighed in distress.


    Everyone was trying to find a way to console Rocher.


    At that moment.


    A loud boom came from the distance.


    The sword light condensed by Black Flame swept across the land.


    All things seemed to turn into fragile cream cakes, lightly brushed by the sword light, leaving a terrifying fan-shaped gap on the ground.


    ...


    Rocher instantly shut his mouth.


    Even though he was more than a dozen miles away from the sword light, Rocher, the veteran Moon rank adventurer, still got goosebumps all over his body.


    He didn��t feel the slightest bit cowardly when facing the breath of a Forest Dragon.


    But looking in the direction of the sword light was like looking into the depths of the abyss of death.


    Rocher��s hand, holding the great sword, shook uncontrollably, as if electrocuted.


    That was an existence absolutely invincible, impossible to compete with.


    ��Dark attribute presence, adventurer, or Magical Creature?��


    ��If it��s an adventurer, it has to be at least Light Rank! And a very top-notch one at that!��


    Rocher muttered, ��Why would a Light Rank Big Shot come here? We local adventurers only learned about the Forest Dragon not long ago, and that shouldn��t have leaked. Light Rank, where did it come from?��


    The rest of the Holy Rock Adventure Team were equally puzzled.


    To become a Light Rank Adventurer, one would be considered a strong individual within the province.


    They only saw a Light Rank instructor once a year when they went to Cyan City for training.


    At other times, the Light Ranks seemed so distant as if they didn��t exist at all.


    Such Big Shots were concentrated on the 25th level of the Great Mystery Continent.


    To guard the World Tree, they fought against the invading Demon adventurers.


    The treasures of the Forest Dragon were valuable, but the Light Rank wouldn��t come all this way to compete with them, a group of Sunrise Level adventurers.


    In the Great Mystery Continent, there were many more things valuable than the Forest Dragon.


    They didn��t need to stoop so low to come here.


    Rocher wanted to go and check it out, but he was afraid it might be a Magical Creature.


    ��Let��s just keep an eye out, maybe there��s a hidden Light Rank in one of the three nearby cities.��


    ��Dark attribute is very rare, and once it appears, it��s easy to track.��


    ��It��s not often that you get a chance to learn from a Light Rank Adventurer, I must seize it well.��


    Rocher quickly thought to himself.


    Because the noise from the Void Split Slash released by Lin Da after transforming into the Dark Shadow was too loud, all the adventurers in the Dragon Forest took notice.


    They each stopped what they were doing, looking toward the depths of the forest with uncertainty and apprehension.


    What exactly happened there?


    The roar of the Forest Dragon spread for hundreds of miles, but since that boom, everything went quiet.


    It was like a tavern being raided by the Knights Order, where the sound of poker faded away in an instant.


    ��Could it be, the Forest Dragon has been subdued?��


    This thought occurred to each and every adventurer��s mind.


    An adventurer who slays a dragon would be entitled to the honorific of Dragon Slayer.


    This was a recognition that could make an adventurer��s name be remembered for a hundred years in the land.


    They admired, envied, and with a sense of awe, respectfully looked towards the direction of the loud noise.


    ��The presence of the Forest Dragon, it��s gone?��


    Hu Er, who had unfolded his cyan Battle Qi Twin Wings and fled to the outer area, scratched his head, puzzled, stopping in midair.


    The moment the Forest Dragon appeared, Hu Er activated all his Battle Qi and fled frantically, fearing being targeted.


    That was a monster that even three Sunrise Level adventure groups couldn��t trap, he had no chance on his own.


    And now, Hu Er could no longer sense the presence of the Forest Dragon.


    Based on his experience as an adventurer for over a decade, he judged that, nine times out of ten, the Forest Dragon had been vanquished.


    ��It��s a Light Rank Adventurer!��


    ��Such a Big Shot, why would they come to the Dragon Forest of the tenth level?��


    Hu Er was full of doubts.


    He was tempted to go back and take a look to satisfy his curiosity, yet also worried about encountering unexpected danger.


    This was the depths of the Dragon Forest where the Empire��s laws couldn��t reach.


    If his actions angered a Light Rank and he was casually slain, there would be no place in hell to seek justice.


    ��Wait a second����


    Suddenly, a possibility emerged in Hu Er��s mind.


    It was an unbelievable speculation: could it be that Lin Da or the silver-haired woman had slain the Forest Dragon?


    Hu Er��s chest tightened, almost vomiting out the durian pizza he had eaten the night before.


    Fortunately, upon giving it a little thought, he came to the conclusion it was impossible.


    If Lin Da and Tasya had that kind of power, they would have chopped him into feces already, why would they let him escape?


    ��`


    ��I wonder which city that Light Rank came from. If it��s White Dove City or Red Heart City, that��s bad news. Hopefully, they��re just passing through from somewhere else����


    Hu Er muttered to himself, withdrawing his gaze as his Battle Qi Twin Wings waved, continuing his rush toward the outskirts of Dragon Forest.


    Shhh��


    A sword light flashed past Hu Er, and his fox tail lost quite a few hairs.


    ��Who!?��


    Hu Er shrieked, turning his head in shock to look.


    In flight, it was a woman in a black robe, with a curvaceous figure.


    She wore a ghostly mask with two eye sockets that seemed to weep, staring intently at Hu Er.


    ��Doomsday Sect?��


    Hu Er��s face changed color.


    The one who appeared was none other than Lady Bai Mian.


    Since Lin headed to Cyan City, Lady Bai Mian had temporarily taken charge, and she had successfully broken through to Moon Rank.


    Lady Bai Mian licked her lips, smiling radiantly as she drew her long sword, the blood still not wiped clean from it.


    ��My luck seems good tonight. It looks like I might claim the third Moon Rank head?��


    ��


    ��


    ��This is!��


    Both Lin Da and Tasya showed incredulous expressions on their faces.


    Within the golden light lingering from the corpse of the Forest Dragon, a deep purple book appeared.


    On its cover was a lifelike image of a Forest Dragon, surrounded by a ring of Magic Runes.


    Skill Book.


    One of the rarest magic items!


    ��Forest Dragon, a mixed-attribute Dragon Species with Grass System as the main element, second attribute being Recovery Series. In ancient times, they were the servants of the White Dragons.��


    In his mind, Lin Da quickly recalled the background of the Forest Dragons.


    This meant the Skill Book could only be either Grass System or Recovery Series.


    If it was the latter, he could study it directly and master a powerful skill inherited from the Forest Dragon. Sear?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da��s heart thumped, and he quickened his pace toward it.


    The Skill Book lay buried within a small mountain of loot formed by Gold Coins, topped with a thick layer of Purple Gold Coins, roughly totaling hundreds at a glance.


    Just the exploded Purple Gold Coins themselves were worth a million.


    And this was after Lin Da killed a weakened Forest Dragon, with the rewards decreased.


    If normally killing a Forest Dragon, the scale of the loot pile would be at least a size bigger.


    With Tasya keeping watch, Lin Da began to clean up the spoils.


    The first item he picked up was the Skill Book.


    With one glance, the attribute panel popped up.


    [Item: Skill Book]


    [Name: Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang]


    [Quality: Epic Four-Star]


    [Category: Rare Technique (usable times: 2)]


    [Attribute: Recovery Series]


    [Skill Description: Summon the Vine Dragon, deal ��substantial�� damage to the enemy]


    ��It��s actually a Rare Technique Skill Book, and it��s of the less common Recovery Series, yet it has attack damage!��


    Lin Da thought to himself, elated.


    Recovery Series skills lack attack damage, relying on poison for slow harm, a weak point for him.


    But Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang, belonging to Recovery Series, could deal an extra 50% damage to Shadow Life, and it was a Rare Technique.


    This was a type of attack only second to Ultimate Skills, with the advantage of being usable more times.


    When adventurers first encounter Rare Techniques, they usually had to reach level 40, becoming a Moon Rank adventurer.


    Lin Da, through this Skill Book, was enjoying some of the power belonging to Moon Rank early.


    The damage from Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang was ��substantial,�� equivalent to an unenhanced Poison Dragon��s Roar.


    But the former could be released twice!


    Not governed by the adventurers�� duel rules: blatantly releasing an Ultimate Skill is akin to murder, forbidden by the empire, but Rare Techniques are different, still within the scope of sparring.


    If Lin Da were inside the empire��s domain, and got into a fight with other adventurers, as long as they were below level 40, it would mean Lin Da had an additional powerful Rare Technique.


    The boost was significant.


    Lin Da flipped through the Skill Book, bit his finger to draw blood, and activated the internal Array.


    The text turned into a fine stream, rushing into his forehead.


    Bathed in the essence of understanding.


    The warm flow of knowledge entered Lin Da��s body.


    Like warming his head with a large dumpling, his head heated up!

 Chapter 381 - 381: 310. Mastering a Rare Technique, the Anomaly of Dragon Forest

    Chapter 381: 310. Mastering a Rare Technique, the Anomaly of Dragon Forest


    [System Prompt: You��ve mastered the Rare Technique ��Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang,�� current proficiency level 1, upgradable.]


    Like Ultimate Skills, each level up of a Rare Technique requires two Skill Points.


    Lin Da already had 11 Skill Points.


    Without another word, he silently decided to add points.


    [Consumed 6 Skill Points, the level of Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang has been upgraded from lv1 to lv4, attack distance increased to a maximum diameter of 50 meters, number of uses +1!]


    [Upgrading to lv5 requires 2 Golden Skill Points, which is currently not possible!]


    ...


    Lin Da kept adding until he could add no more, and then he stopped.


    With the high-damage Rare Technique ��Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang�� that can be used three times, his own combat power had increased significantly, and he was no longer just an iron can taking hits.


    In addition to that, reaching level 30 also unlocked two new skills: [Toxic Purple Mist] and [Intermediate Healing Spell].


    Lin Da spent 2 Skill Points to learn both.


    The remaining 3 Skill Points were saved for later.


    The spoils of the war-like bounty were also stored in the Space Ring.


    Inside, there were around 10,000 Gold Coins and 101 Purple Gold Coins.


    A square crystal bottle filled with [Dragon Blood].


    Estimated to be 1000 milliliters.


    The third item was a Forest Dragon Magic Core, Epic Five-star level 49.


    This was impressive, valued at over 8 million Gold Coins on the market.


    As long as Lin Da sold the Forest Dragon Magic Core, he could solve the equipment problems of the entire team.


    He seemed to have struck it rich overnight.


    The last item acquired came from the system.


    For slaying the Magical Creatures in the World Tree��s trial, he received 500,000 Diamonds!


    Although the journey through the Dragon Forest was dangerous, the gains were considerable.


    The combined value of the various items was nearly 20 million.


    Lin Da had also risen from level 26 to 31, becoming a Star-ranked adventurer.


    And he had won over Tasya, a level 34 Wind Attribute Magic Cannoneer, greatly enhancing the overall strength of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    ��Becoming Iron Level is just around the corner!��


    Lin Da felt extremely exhilarated.


    The 11th to 13th floors of the World Tree posed no difficulty for the current Phoenix Tail Flower Team. S��ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once they passed, they would receive considerable rewards from the World Tree Goddess.


    It��s only the 14th floor��s Emotion Secret Realm, and the 16th and 17th floors�� Light Series specialized Mystic Realms that were more troublesome.


    ��The top priority is to leave the Dragon Forest and use the Teleportation Stone to return to White Dove City,�� Lin Da looked toward the dense forest ahead.


    Since the event ��Calamity of the Forest Dragon�� began, six hours had passed.


    However, the closing time of the Great Mystery Continent was today at noon.


    Lin Da had to leave the Dragon Forest with Tasya within the remaining six hours!


    Under normal circumstances, this would not have been a problem.


    Both were Star-ranked adventurers, and their travel speed far exceeded that of level 20 adventurers.


    It would only have taken three to four hours to reach the public Adventure Zone and lift the Dragon Forest��s restriction on using ��teleportation-type�� items.


    But the problem was��


    With the Dragon Forest in turmoil due to the Doomsday Sect, it became a mess.


    Magical Creatures, stimulated by the arrays, became exceptionally ferocious.


    Goblins around level 10 dared to attack adventurers over level 20.


    Besides these Magical Creatures, there were also Doomsday Sect members hiding in the shadows.


    If it were a smooth journey, leaving the Dragon Forest would not be difficult.


    But the frenzied Magical Creatures and the Doomsday Sect added many uncertainties.


    Lin Da��s brows furrowed tighter and tighter, he used his legs to leap onto the branches, moving alongside Tasya: ��Let��s not delay; we must leave the Dragon Forest as quickly as possible!��


    They didn��t even have time to look for Lulu and the others.


    With only six hours left before the Great Mystery Continent closed,


    Searching for someone in the vast and complex terrain of the forest would only make them busier.


    They would discuss further plans after returning to the public Adventure Zone.


    He believed they all shared this understanding.


    The only thing Lin Da was worried about was a certain red-headed dwarf.


    She wouldn��t be foolish enough to keep looking for him alone in the forest��


    While Lia might appear clumsy most of the time, she was quite caring about her companions when it mattered.


    Right then, Tasya��s expression tightened, she grabbed Lin Da��s sleeve, and whispered, ��Master, adventurers are approaching, with a very distinct Dark Magic Power!��


    Lin Da blinked, trying to sense any disturbance but noticed nothing.


    Tasya, level 34, had stronger perception than Lin Da, the newly promoted level 31 Star-ranked adventurer.


    He contemplated: Dark Magic Power, it could be members of the Doomsday Sect.


    The two held their breath and hid in the dense canopy of the trees.


    Lin Da, supporting himself against the trunk, looked down, a trace of chill flickering in his eyes.


    Killing heretics of the Doomsday Sect didn��t burden his conscience one bit.


    ��


    Three minutes earlier.


    ��Lanwei, these two Shadow Leeches are yours to command. You must capture Lin Da, or you know the consequences,�� Hulus��s face behind the mask was clouded with gloom.


    Just moments ago, a pale blue figure had vanished into the distance.


    The man Hulus had ordered around was named Lanwei, a 31-level Spearman with medium build and golden short hair.


    Lanwei touched the spiked black collar around his neck with a brief flash of resentment in his eyes.


    ��Understood, Lord Hulus,�� he bowed submissively.


    ��Lanwei, you seem quite unsatisfied with me,��


    ��Not at all!��


    Lanwei tensed up inside.


    ��There��s no need to lie. I��ll give you a chance to capture Lin Da in exchange for your freedom,�� Hulus offered with a pleasant smile. ��After so many years of service to the Specter Adventure Group, it��s time you took a rest.��


    ��Are you serious?��


    Lanwei, hearing that he could regain his freedom, lit up with excitement.


    ��Yes, absolutely,��


    ��Thank you, Lord Hulus! I will do my utmost to capture Lin Da and will not let you down!��


    Revitalized, Lanwei, with the two Shadow Leeches, plunged deeper into the forest.


    Three minutes later,


    ��I confess everything; please stop hitting me!��


    ��Will you talk or not?��


    ��For the love of�� just ask already!��

 Chapter 382 - 382: 310. Mastering a Rare Technique, the Anomaly of Dragon Forest_2

    Chapter 382: 310. Mastering a Rare Technique, the Anomaly of Dragon Forest_2


    Lanwei was on the verge of a breakdown.


    Two Shadow Leeches had been killed on the spot by a Healing Art with an absurd Recovery Amount while he was rapidly wrapped by a whip of darkness and hung upside down from a tree.


    Lanwei swore to himself that he was not a weak Star Rank; he recognized that the whip was one of Phoenix Tail Flower Team leader��s signature Skills.


    According to the records, the adversary should only be at level 26.


    He, a dignified level 31 Star Rank Spearman, even if not in good form, having not eaten for a day and after being disgusted by Hulus, with all kinds of negative statuses affecting him��


    But to be ambushed by a level 26 adventurer and hung up in a tree? Impossible!


    ...


    Lanwei was furious, ready to resist and prove his true strength, when suddenly a thick, white object pressed against his head.


    It was a Magic Cannon.


    The pure white barrel ended in a helix-shaped triangle.


    At the center was an opening, revealing a black cannon mouth as thick as a fist.


    Lanwei knew what he was looking at.


    From the notable Magic Power fluctuations of the Magic Cannon, it should be an Epic Level Magic Cannon.


    This white Magic Cannon was named Shell Rush Sand.


    Lin Da had received it as a reward for his Trust Level and had immediately given it to Tasya.


    Level 34, Epic 1 Star.


    It could provide a mighty 2800 points of strength.


    In comparison, the Sword of Royalty at Lin Da��s level 25 could only provide 1200 points of strength.


    The equipment level of Shell Rush Sand was only 9 levels higher, yet its strength more than doubled that of the Sword of Royalty.


    This was the huge advantage that came from Star Rank.


    Not only did adventurers gain more Ability Points when leveling up, but equipment enhancements were also significant.


    Meanwhile, due to being hung upside down, Lanwei��s first sight was a pair of black high heels.


    Inside the shoes were muddy, dirty white stockings.


    Lanwei strained to lift his eyes higher and then saw the hem of a maid��s skirt.


    Despite being in a place as dangerous as Dragon Forest, this ��roasted chicken�� still wore high heels, yet not a bit of flesh that should have been exposed was visible, which irritated Lanwei enough to make him want to curse the streets!


    He saw Tasya holding a small black leather whip in her hands, her expression cold.


    Smack!


    Smack smack smack!


    Tasya knew this man was ogling her with filthy eyes, and she put her full force into every lash.


    Lanwei was soon covered in blood, his arrogant demeanor entirely reined in.


    ��I��ll talk, I��ll talk, please just ask your questions quickly����


    Lanwei��s voice grew weaker and weaker.


    Lin Da gestured to stop Tasya and stepped in front of Lanwei, ��Are you the Star Rank that was with Hulus? How are Lulu and the others, did Hulus catch up to them?��


    ��How could he, that werewolf runs incredibly fast�� Eh, you��re a Star Rank too? Strange����


    Lanwei paused for a moment, looking dazedly at Lin Da.


    Thinking his perception was faulty, he adjusted his mental state slightly with a wink, and probed again for auras.


    He found that�� Lin Da was still a Star Rank.


    A chill went down Lanwei��s spine.


    Just a short while ago when they had crossed paths, Lin Da had indeed been at level 26.


    How could he have advanced to Star Rank in the blink of an eye?


    Although the World Tree wasn��t lacking in opportunities, chances that could greatly elevate an adventurer��s level were few and far between.


    What had happened to Lin Da in these short few hours?


    Without reason, Lanwei recalled the abrupt disappearance of the Dragon Roar not long ago.


    Could it be that the one who had subdued the Forest Dragon was Lin Da?


    ��Is that so, Lulu and Monica are safe.��


    Lin Da murmured, relieved in his heart.


    ��Second question, where are Hulus and your boss, the Demon General Serene?��


    Lanwei��s attitude was much more respectful, and he replied diligently, ��Hulus went another way to chase you guys. I have not seen the Demon General herself; right now, our leader is a witch named Lady Bai Mian!��


    After hearing this, Lin Da seemed thoughtful.


    My little sister went to another place. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What was she plotting?


    ��I��ve told you everything I know, you should let me go now, right?�� Lanwei said, hoping for release.


    Responding to Lanwei was the blade of the Sword of Royalty.


    Lin Da simply slashed Lanwei��s neck, delivering a Fatal Strike.


    ��You��!��


    The curse Lanwei was about to utter got stuck in his throat.


    The body thudded to the ground.


    As he killed another adventurer, Lin Da��s inner discomfort lessened significantly.


    The constant battles he��d experienced had been sharpening his resolve.


    Lin Da shook off his thoughts and said to Tasya: ��Let��s not bother with Hulus; getting out of Dragon Forest is what matters!��


    After dealing with Lanwei and receiving news that Lulu and the others were safe, they did not stop for a moment and rushed towards the outskirts of the Dragon Forest.


    ��


    However, the journey was not smooth.


    From the middle level onwards, the number of magical creatures surged.


    ��


    Three hours passed.


    ��Energy Storage Storm!��


    Tasya held up the white Magic Cannon, ��Shell Rush Sand,�� channeling Wind Battle Qi into it, enhancing the next three bullets.


    Each bullet was the size of a bowl and hit the obstructing Giant Demon Saw Mushrooms accurately.


    -17000!


    -17550!


    -16890!


    The Energy Storage Explosion was a medium-consumption Common Skill, yet it dealt over 50,000 damage.


    Lin Da watched this scene and thought to himself that it was no wonder Tasya, known for sustained output with her ��Storm�� abilities, had a strong stand-still capability, averaging higher damage per second than Lulu and Lia.


    ��Toxic Purple Mist.��


    As Lin Da was contemplating, he released his new skill.


    The current situation was: he and Tasya were surrounded by two Demon Saw Mushrooms and a pack of Wind Blade Wolves.


    The former were Level 30 magical creatures, and although the latter were only Level 25, they were numerous, exceeding thirty.


    The Wind Blade Wolves excelled in magic, their wind blades smashing against Lin Da��s Verdant Shield, rapidly reducing the barrier��s thickness.


    Lin Da was not afraid of one or two, but there were so many wind blades that it was like rain.


    To counter this, Lin Da chose to use his new skill [Toxic Purple Mist].


    He thrust his right hand into the ground and centered at his feet, a thirty-meter diameter, light purple Magic Circle unfurled.


    From within the Magic Circle, smoke billowed out in an ink green color.


    The Wind Blade Wolves immediately sensed something was amiss, letting out pained whines from their throats.


    The Toxic Purple Mist lasted for five minutes, continuously reducing health every second.


    This skill could differentiate between friend and foe, as long as Lin Da had previously made a mental mark on his allies, they would not be harmed by the mist.


    Not long after, all the Wind Blade Wolves were at critical health, each one listless, their legs trembling.


    ��Venom Eruption!��


    Lin Da pointed his Sword of Royalty forward, and a round purple Array appeared in the air, spraying out like a high-pressure water pipe.


    The Level 25 Wind Blade Wolves were instantly killed by Lin Da.


    [Kill Wind Blade Wolf x7, obtain 7000 Diamonds!]


    Over at Tasya��s side, a Demon Saw Mushroom was quickly defeated.


    After another minute, all the Wind Blade Wolves and the remaining Demon Saw Mushroom were subdued by them.


    Lin Da hastily collected the spoils of war and continued forward.


    But for some reason, the closer they got to the periphery of the Dragon Forest, the more numerous and frenzied the magical creatures became.


    It was like an unending crop of leeks, one wave after another.


    Just a few miles forward, Lin Da was surrounded by a group of Treants.


    Treants were Level 28 magical creatures with 100,000 health points.


    They wielded large rusty swords, axes, and spears with their dry, wooden limbs.


    Their roots moved rapidly, forming a tall wall of wood that blotted out the sky, trapping Lin Da and Tasya in the middle.


    ��Break out!��


    Lin Da took out a Mana Potion and drank it, his spirit rejuvenated.


    He threw out his Dark Whip to entangle a Treant, lifting it before slamming it down hard.


    With a thud, the Treant broke in half at the waist, struck by Lin Da��s Fatal Strike and vanished into ash on the spot.


    As Lin Da��s level increased, so did his chances of landing a Fatal Strike, especially against lower-level magical creatures.


    The Treant might have had 100,000 health points, but many times Lin Da could deal a fatal blow with just a casual strike.


    Tasya was even more ferocious, sweeping her Magic Cannon horizontally and felling a row of Treants.


    One, ten, thirty, fifty��


    Both were Star Rank, and the Level 28 Treants stood no chance against them.


    But after the sixtieth, seventieth kill��


    Lin Da was almost numb.


    How could there still be more?


    It was as if all the magical creatures of the forest had gathered here.


    The inner parts were slightly better, but the closer to the outer layer, the more numerous the magical creatures.


    Initially, Lin Da received 1200 Diamonds for killing a Treant, but later on, it dropped to 700.


    After the eightieth kill, it was only 500 Diamonds left.


    ��If I could use Diamonds to Add Points for Tasya, it would be easy,�� Lin Da thought as he slashed through the torso of a Treant while pondering this.

 Chapter 383 - 383: 311, Lin Das Decision, the Tenth Floor of the Great Mystery Continent Closes

    Chapter 383: 311, Lin Da��s Decision, the Tenth Floor of the Great Mystery Continent Closes


    Tasya might not have formally terminated her contract and left the Scarlet Adventure Group, which is why her name didn��t show up on the squad page.


    Otherwise, with Lin Da��s hand holding hundreds of thousands of Diamonds, he could have upgraded Tasya to level 36 within minutes.


    ��Master, be careful.��


    A shout came from behind.


    Caught off guard, Lin Da had failed to notice a Treant attacking from the side when Tasya rushed to his side, delivering a beautiful spinning kick that struck the Treant in the middle of its trunk.


    There was a crackle as the Treant emitted a sharp screech from inside, split in half by Tasya��s high heel on the spot.


    ...


    ��Thanks.��


    Lin Da wiped the sweat from his forehead.


    His limbs ached.


    He leaned back against Tasya, and they both faced the seemingly endless ��sea of trees��.


    A trace of fatigue couldn��t help but cross his face


    Even though they were both Star-ranked adventurers who could crush the Treants, they couldn��t withstand the overwhelming numbers of their opponents.


    The Treant belonged to the Grass System; if only he had a Fire Series member on the team, Lin Da thought to himself. S��arch* The ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Fire Series against the Grass System, twice the result with half the effort.


    The probability of triggering a Fatal Strike would also significantly increase.


    Hitting the opponent��s Life Barrier had a chance to cause violent fluctuations in the Demon Core, resulting in its immediate death.


    In the endless battle with the horde of Treants, Lin Da��s Magic Power was quickly depleting, leaving only about thirty percent.


    Tasya, already in a frail state, was performing even worse than him.


    Resting against his back, she was gasping for air, her maid skirt soaked through with sweat, which seeped through the fabric to his side.


    The air in the forest was already damp, creating a feeling of discomfort, and their intermingling sweat made the sensation even more intense��


    Lin Da, who had a slight obsession with cleanliness, desperately wanted to go home for a shower at this moment.


    But these damned Treants clearly had no intention of letting him have his way.


    ��This doesn��t look good if we keep going like this,�� he muttered.


    Lin Da glanced at his pale blue wristwatch.


    The spade-shaped hand pointed to ten o��clock sharp in the morning.


    It was already getting light outside.


    However, due to the density of the trees within Dragon Forest, it was still dim during the day.


    According to the previous notice from the World Tree Sanctum, the closing time for this ten-layer Mystic Realm was noon at twelve o��clock.


    He still had two hours left.


    The exit from the Great Mystery Continent would close.


    Inside the Dragon Forest, it was impossible to use teleportation items or skills.


    Lin Da��s Teleportation Stone was in a dull state, unresponsive to infused Magic Power.


    If he couldn��t get out of the forest with Tasya in the next two hours, they would be trapped on the tenth floor.


    They could only leave when the Mystic Realm reopened.


    The mere thought of it gave Lin Da a headache.


    The danger level of the Great Mystery Continent would increase manifold in its closed state!


    Even the relatively safe resource areas could become high-risk.


    Magical Creatures would be greatly strengthened, making their subjugation much more difficult.


    All of these were not even the most troublesome issues.


    During the closure of the Great Mystery Continent, the supply of Magic Elements inside would be stopped, and all means of magic restoration were forbidden.


    Adventurers could not refill their Magic Power or Battle Qi from the air or items.


    It was tantamount to ensuring a ��one-life clearance��, holding out until the Great Mystery Continent reopened.


    Lin Da had done this before.


    He even liked training his team in the closed Great Mystery Continent.


    But back then, with his Dark Shadow leading them, the whole experience felt like ��outdoor training�� or a ��team outing��, with a relaxed atmosphere akin to a special episode in an anime.


    But now it was different.


    Constantly encountering Magical Creatures, both he and Tasya wouldn��t be able to bear it.


    ��Two hours, can we make it out of Dragon Forest?��


    Lin Da questioned himself, but couldn��t arrive at a definite answer.


    ��There are two choices: move deeper, where due to my battle as the Dark Shadow with the Forest Dragon, the Magical Creatures were actually cleared out, with their numbers greatly reduced compared to the outer regions, which can effectively preserve strength and provide more assurance for subsequent battles;


    Or, gamble on luck, cut down the Treants, and dash to the edge!��


    Lin Da was caught in an internal struggle.


    At that moment, he seemed to see a vision of a red-haired girl before his eyes.


    That��s right,


    Lia, that kid, she wouldn��t still be in the forest, would she?


    What about Lulu, Monica?


    They were not captured by Hulus, but did they manage to escape the Dragon Forest and return to White Dove City?


    If it were a public Adventure Zone, Lin Da could use a sensor ladybug to open a live feed and inquire with the adventurers outside.


    But the Dragon Forest had special restrictions, preventing sensor ladybugs from connecting to the magic screens outside, as if disrupted by a signal jammer.


    The thought struck Lin Da suddenly: what if he went back to the villa and found it empty, with none of them having returned��


    Then he, as the team leader, would have failed miserably.


    Secondly, he was the only one in the group with a Recovery Series profession.


    Without Healing Art, getting injured in the closed Great Mystery Continent would be no different than waiting to die.


    The Recovery Series profession was the lifeline of an adventure team, indispensable.


    After giving it some thought, Lin Da��s eyes gradually deepened.


    He raised his head and looked up at the night sky above.


    ��There are only two�� no, just over an hour left before it comes.


    ��The unique ��scenery�� in that closed Great Mystery Continent!��


    ��


    Noon, the sun blazed in the sky.


    The ten-layer Great Mystery Continent, Tawny Wilderness.


    The cold night had passed as if it were a dream.


    Adventurers went through the transition between winter and summer all within one day.


    Teams that had not entered the Dragon Forest went back in for another day, after a good night��s sleep, using the Teleportation Stone.


    They dressed lightly, picking Mondale Tree fruits in boredom.


    Despite the tedium and low earnings, it was safe.


    Picking fruits here, you��d actually rob me? Have you no heart?


    Apart from the Beastmen, Elves and humans, who generally had higher cultural literacy, would mostly show mercy to such poor adventurers.

 Chapter 384 - 384: 311, Lin Das Decision, the Tenth Floor of the Great Mystery Continent Closes_2

    Chapter 384: 311, Lin Da��s Decision, the Tenth Floor of the Great Mystery Continent Closes_2


    But encountering an adventure team of pure-blooded orcs was just bad luck. Not only would they rob them of their fruits, but they might also taunt them with phrases like ��too scared to enter the adventure zone, you scrap iron��, ��more cowardly than a slime��, ��should go home and drink mommy��s milk��.


    Despite being too afraid to leave the safe area themselves and only daring to rob others of their fruits, the orcs still shamelessly taunted other adventure teams.


    Such were the pure-blooded orcs from the harsh northwestern lands, generally uneducated and muscle-headed. Only those from major tribes who were noble orcs possessed some cultural sophistication.


    By contrast, the situation with subspecies orcs was much better, with beings like the cat-eared girls being quite beloved by human adventurers.


    Less than half an hour remained before the Great Mystery Continent would close.


    The adventurers were all busy.


    ...


    They wanted to earn some extra gold coins in these last moments.


    Digging under the turf, lifting stones.


    They hoped to get lucky and find a [Wind Stone] or [Haru Ore].


    ��


    ��Did you hear, yesterday three Sun Adventure Groups went to slay the Forest Dragon!��


    ��That explains the loud boom I heard while hunting coyotes yesterday. What happened next, which adventure team took down the dragon?��


    ��Um, I don��t know.��


    Two rock level team captains talked while using long nets to catch fruits.


    A place like Dragon Forest was only open to adventurers level 30 and above; for them, rock level, going there was like an old lady chewing Dream Herb��almost like wishing for a shorter life.


    ��Don��t know? It wasn��t in the newspaper? The dragon-slaying team didn��t announce it immediately?��


    The round-faced dwarfish team captain said in surprise.


    ��Hmm.�� The other, a handsome elven youth, puzzledly said, ��I discussed this with my teammates this morning. It��s unusual, all three Sun level teams silent. Could it mean the dragon was taken down by someone else? But that person hasn��t come forward either.��


    ��Rumors claim that a Light Rank just passing by slew the Forest Dragon. The person was worried about being criticized for using his strength against a lesser opponent, so he��s stayed hidden.��


    ��A Light Rank?��


    The round-faced dwarf paused, lost in thought a moment, then a fruit fell from his net to the ground.


    He clicked his tongue, bent down to pick it up, and mumbled, ��What��s this about bullying? If I ever get a chance, I��d really like to meet such a big shot.��


    Tracing a Moon rank adventurer was still possible, but a Light Rank was different.


    White Dove City, Red Heart City, South Rock City, the three sister cities, had not seen a Light Rank in several decades.


    At that level, one could harness the powers of both sunlight and moonlight.


    They could conjure a massive Hand of the Void with greatly enhanced destructive power.


    A Light Rank adventurer once claimed that given fifty days, he could level a city.


    Not just destruction, Light Ranks were also extremely good at construction.


    A fortress could be erected overnight at the frontline; the ��worker�� was the Light Rank.


    ��Have you seen this man, or perhaps this girl?��


    An urgent voice interrupted the two rock level captains�� idle talk.


    It was a young girl with light blue hair and fluffy wolf ears.


    She was holding a white square Recording Stone, about the size of a strawberry.


    It displayed a group photo taken during the Winter Festival.


    In the center of the photo was a man with black hair, an imposing demeanor.


    A bunch of girls in yukatas huddled around him.


    ��Oh, I recognize you, the [Frost Wolf] Lulu from the Phoenix Tail Flower Team!��


    ��Are you looking for [Eye of True Knowledge] Lin Da and [Earth Mage] Monica? Aren��t you with them?��


    The round-faced dwarf asked curiously.


    Upon hearing this, Lulu knew her plan had fallen through.


    ��Thank you.��


    After speaking, she hurried off toward her next destination, the resource area of Snow Goose.


    ��Hey, [Frost Wolf] Lulu, are you injured? Don��t push yourself. Our team has a Healer; he can treat you,�� the dwarfish captain kindly called out after her.


    Lulu halted her footsteps for a moment but simply responded with a faint thank you.


    She bit her lip, inwardly agitated, her wolf tail swiftly swishing back and forth like a sweeping broom.


    Her arm, knee, and waist injuries, all just sprinkled with some basic Hemostatic Powder, left her with neither the mind nor the time for treatment.


    In the forest, Lulu had been chased by Hulus for over six hours.


    Facing the former leader of the Specter Adventure Group, now a level 35 Hulus, Lulu was not confident she could win, especially with the frail Monica in tow. Without Lin Da, just one strike from Hulus would shatter Monica��s Life Barrier instantly.


    Lulu couldn��t take that risk.


    Just as Lia had chosen to protect Lin Da, Lulu decided to cover their retreat herself.


    She managed to hold off Hulus for a while.


    Afterward, relying on his outstanding agility, he barely managed to shake off Hulus.


    The problem was, Monica could no longer be found.


    The vegetation in the Dragon Forest was dense, and the terrain complex, greatly weakening her sense of smell.


    Seeing that the closure of the Great Mystery Continent was imminent, Lulu could only hope for the best: perhaps Monica had already met up with Lin Da and left the Dragon Forest?


    She hurriedly went to Snow Goose��s resource area to gather information.


    The person leading Snow Goose��s team was Aiko.


    Aiko, too lazy to collect materials, pulled out a lounge chair and set up an umbrella, lounging in the flowerbeds with her snow-white legs crossed, basking in the sun.


    Oru and Klyne, who had gone to pick fruits together, hadn��t returned yet.


    Klrona had gone out to catch bugs for fun.


    In Snow Goose��s resource area, only Aiko was present.


    ��Has Lin Da and the others come back?��


    Lulu, gasping for breath, ran up to her, her knees wrapped in bandages soaked red with blood.


    ��What happened to you?��


    Aiko looked at her in surprise, took out several bottles of high-grade recovery potions from her space ring, and handed them over: ��Here, take these.��


    Lulu didn��t take them but repeated, ��Have they come back?��


    ��What are you talking about? Lia hasn��t been back since last night. Wait, could it be Lin Da and the others too?��


    Aiko was alarmed and couldn��t care about sunbathing anymore. She lifted her wrist and looked at a cream-colored, finely-strapped magic guide watch, murmuring:


    ��11:45, isn��t it just 15 minutes before the Great Mystery Continent closes? What are they doing?!��


    ��As I thought���� Lulu��s body swayed, and she collapsed to the ground.


    Aiko, more composed, propped her chin with her hand and analyzed quickly:


    ��With so little time left, it��s definitely too late to search for them. Did you go back and check? Maybe Lin Da and the others have already returned to the Great Mystery Continent and just haven��t had the chance to contact us?��


    ��That��s a possibility!��


    Lulu, frazzled by concern, perked up at Aiko��s suggestion, took out the Teleportation Stone: ��I��ll go back and see.��


    ��I��m coming with you!�� Aiko said seriously, ��This also concerns our leader of Snow Goose!��


    Although Aiko had felt somewhat bitter, thinking Lin Da had chosen Lia over her, she now only hoped for their safety.


    If Lia were to die in the Dragon Forest, she would surely be devastated for a while.


    Aiko and Lulu returned together to Secret Realm Square, boarding a carriage to Luanwei Flower Villa.


    In that villa, there was only a self-rewarding Scrap God, making a mess of the place with tissues everywhere. Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A few hours earlier, Kafni had shuddered for a while.


    From nowhere, she had leveled from 26 to 31.


    As a summoned being, her level was always equal to Lin Da��s.


    This made Kafni realize that Lin Da must have come across a fortune in the Mystic Realm!


    ��Well done, I like this kind of hero that doesn��t need my worry.��


    With a 5-level jump, Kafni��s body quickly recovered, and Divine Power was regenerated.


    Having used up the last tissue nearby, Kafni, satisfied, rubbed her waist and headed toward the upstairs bathroom.


    Unexpectedly, she bumped into Lulu and Aiko, who had hurried back.


    The three stared at each other in the hallway.


    The silent, empty villa had already silently given the answer.


    ��The Doomsday Sect��!�� A cold light flashed in Lulu��s eyes, and her fist smashed heavily on the wall.


    If it weren��t for those people from the Doomsday Sect interfering, they wouldn��t have been forced to flee and scatter!


    ��How could this happen���� Aiko was stunned as well.


    The magic guide watch on her wrist showed the time: 11:59.


    One minute left until the Great Mystery Continent closed.


    It was too late.


    Suddenly, Lulu bit her lip and dashed out of the villa.


    ��Where are you going?��


    Aiko followed in her wheelchair.


    ��To the Adventurers�� Guild, Weylon might have a solution!��


    Lulu didn��t look back as she spoke.

 Chapter 385 - 385: 312, In wilderness survival, Lia realizes she is very smart.

    Chapter 385: 312, In wilderness survival, Lia realizes she is very smart.


    At the same moment.


    The tenth layer of the Great Mystery Continent, Dragon Forest.


    ��Lin Da, where are you, come out!��


    ��It��s this young lady, stop hiding, come out already!��


    A girl with disheveled red hair, dirt on her face, and leaves stuck to her clothes, carrying a crimson Great Sword, called out weakly.


    Above was the sky, obscured by dense tree canopies, with a single ray of sunlight barely making its way through the gaps and falling on her face.


    ...


    The pride and spirit in the girl��s eyes were gradually replaced by exhaustion.


    Her face was dusty, and her right arm was wrapped in bandages that were seeping blood from the wound.


    After a skirmish with Nacho and three other Star Rank adventurers, Lia sustained considerable injuries.


    With just a Primary Recovery Potion from her ring and some hemostatic bandages, she couldn��t fully heal her wounds.


    This was the first time Lia truly adventured all by herself.


    In the past, there was Lin Da, Aiko, and at worst, the excellent graduates from Adventurers�� University like Phyllis.


    She didn��t have to prepare supplies or strategies, just focus on defeating Magical Creatures.


    It wasn��t until she was without any help that Lia realized she wasn��t very clever.


    The supplies in her ring were pitifully scant, with only three bottles of Primary Recovery Potion, no food prepared at all, except for a few strawberry cakes she had hidden away and just now couldn��t help eating two.


    As for water�� not a single bottle.


    Lia had no idea how to find water in this vast forest. After the closing of the Mystic Realm, even the common fruits of the Mondale Tree had vanished. All she remembered from the books was something about collecting dew in the morning.


    But the problem was, she was so thirsty now that she felt like her throat was on fire, she couldn��t wait until morning!


    After running madly and shaking off the pursuit of Nacho and the others, Lia had completely lost her sense of direction; the compass in her ring was useless in Dragon Forest.


    As she searched for the way back to the public area, she also looked for Lin Da.


    But as time went on, Lia felt an increasing chill in her heart. No matter where she went, the familiar Mondale Trees were all the same.


    The environment around her was perpetually identical, so much so that she couldn��t help doubting if she was just running in circles.


    The adventurers seemed to have vanished into thin air, while Magical Creatures became increasingly numerous.


    Her Battle Qi was being slowly drained, and she could clearly feel her wrist protesting each time she swung the Great Sword.


    This weakness and loneliness made Lia��s mood even worse.


    And then, a thought uninvitedly barged into her mind: could it be that Lin Da had already left Dragon Forest and returned to White Dove City, leaving only her foolishly searching for him?


    Lulu, Monica, they all went back, as did Aiko and the others, now probably gathered together, drinking Wheat Beer and celebrating, having completely forgotten about her, the captain of Snow Goose��


    Such a thing, she didn��t want that!


    Lia��s complexion grew paler.


    ��No, that��s not right, they��re not that kind of people, if I didn��t go back, they would definitely be worried!��


    Lia gritted her teeth and continued on her way. Throwing those dreadful thoughts out of her mind, she huffily took out the last exquisite piece of strawberry cake from her ring and devoured it fiercely, as if it was the presumed Lin Da and Aiko who had forgotten her and were now reveling.


    She tried to stay optimistic, thinking about the best-case scenarios��that was her plan.


    But fate had other plans.


    A soft, mature voice echoed in her mind.


    It was an announcement from the World Tree Goddess.


    [Attention all adventurers, this tenth layer of the Great Mystery Continent will close in ten minutes, please use the Teleportation Stone to return in time.]


    ��Only ten minutes left?��


    Lia did not have a Magic Guide Wristwatch and did not know the exact time.


    Upon hearing the voice of the World Tree Goddess, her heart sank instantly.


    She ran forward in a frenzy.


    Gambling that her current location was just the periphery of Dragon Forest, there might be a chance to break free within ten minutes.


    ��Lin Da, Lulu, they are all very clever; they must have already left, leaving me as the only one still inside the forest!��


    Lia was not a broad-minded adventurer; the horrible thoughts that she had barely suppressed surfaced again. She hallucinated, seeing an image of Lin Da and Aiko hugging and being affectionate.


    Aiko, having taken her place as the Snow Goose captain, said with a smile, ��It��s so much quieter without that red-haired shorty.��


    Lin Da nodded in agreement, ��Yeah, I��ve been annoyed with her for a long time, it��s better if she stays in Dragon Forest and never comes back.��


    Wuu wuu wuu!


    Thinking like this, Lia felt a burning sensation at the corners of her eyes, as if pearls were about to fall.


    Only about a hundred seconds were left until the Great Mystery Continent closed.


    She looked ahead, only to see that the forest was still as dense as a swarm of ants, with no end in sight.


    Had she been running in the wrong direction all along, not towards the periphery but deeper into the depths?


    Lia stopped in her tracks, her expression one of bewilderment. Surrounded by towering trees that were like walls, even at noon, only a meager amount of sunlight could be seen, the dim light mirroring her mood.


    She felt an inexplicable urge to cry.


    No answer from heaven or earth.


    Was adventuring alone always this difficult?


    She looked around; everywhere were the Mondale Trees, dozens of meters tall with canopies dense like oversized mushroom caps. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thirty seconds left until the tenth layer closed.


    Lia exerted all her strength and took a step forward.


    Forest, forest, all she could see was still the forest.


    Like a massive labyrinth, there seemed to be no escape.


    Finally, the last second ticked by.


    Lia still had not made it out of Dragon Forest.


    She took the Phoenix Feather Sword from her back and held it in her arms.


    In the heat of midday, she felt a bone-chilling cold on her back.

 Chapter 386 - 386: 312, In wilderness survival, Lia realizes she is very smart_2

    Chapter 386: 312, In wilderness survival, Lia realizes she is very smart_2


    The scant light in the forest disappeared completely at the moment the Great Mystery Continent closed.


    A vast, blood-red sun rose in the sky.


    It was so large it seemed like a millstone within arm��s reach.


    Ominous red light shone across the land.


    Under the glow, Lia felt her skin sting as if scorched by fierce flames.


    She heard the irate roars of Magical Creatures nearby.


    ...


    They were not far, at most about five hundred meters away.


    Different from their usual howls, those sounds were like Magical Creatures stepping into bear traps, filled with hate and rage, completely losing their sanity. If an adventurer appeared before them, they would not hesitate to bite off the adventurer��s neck.


    Beneath the red light, adventurers suffered damage, and the ferociousness of the Magical Creatures greatly increased!


    To make matters worse, dark clouds gradually gathered above in the sky, and within minutes, a torrential downpour fell.


    This seemed to be a type of large-scale magic unique to the enclosed Great Mystery Continent. Unlike regular rain, this downpour had a high acidity, specifically eroding adventurers�� Life Barriers. Lia could only feel itchiness all over her body.


    She carefully checked and found that the thickness of her Life Barrier hadn��t reduced too much �C only by about -1 or -2.


    But this was little comfort as the rain showed no sign of stopping and might continue for a day, or even a month.


    Even a Heavy Armored Warrior could not survive in such a hostile environment!


    ��I must find a place to shelter from the rain.��


    Lia crouched under a large tree, supporting her face with her hands, her brows knit with worry. She resembled a frail, bespectacled beauty ridden with debt, harassed for payment by a Minotaur in a black jacket.


    For the time being, she relied on the dense canopy to shelter from the rain.


    Lia was well aware that this was not a long-term solution.


    The air moistened by rainwater caused a burning sensation when inhaled.


    She needed to find a wooden cabin or a cave to reduce the damage caused by the rainwater.


    If possible, she would also gather materials from the forest that could replenish Battle Qi.


    Lia had read an adventurer��s miscellaneous talks that mentioned how to survive in a closed Great Mystery Continent.


    During the closure, adventurers could not use Teleportation Stones, magic and Battle Qi recovery items, and there were no Magic Elements in the air.


    But!


    The World Tree Goddess wouldn��t cut off all avenues of survival for the adventurers, leaving a glimmer of hope.


    [Dark Tree Fruit].


    One type of Fruit of the World Tree, appearing only during the closure of the Great Mystery Continent.


    They cannot be taken out and would turn to ash on the day the Great Mystery Continent reopens.


    The effect: it can recover a small amount of the adventurer��s Magic Power and Battle Qi.


    With a sufficient number of [Dark Tree Fruits], continuously replenishing Battle Qi, she could survive in the closed Great Mystery Continent for a month.


    At the moment, Lia, with an empty stomach, licked the cream from the strawberry cake on her fingers.


    It was sweet and also salty from sweat.


    She wanted to vomit but fought back the urge.


    In the peril-filled closed Great Mystery Continent, every bit of food was precious.


    And so was the source of water.


    She had heard that in absence of water, one had to drink urine.


    At such times, Lia suppressed her capricious temperament and instead thought about using the juice cup in her ring to save urine.


    She would have to drink it if necessary.


    After all, no one else would know she consumed such a thing.


    Having overcome the initial unease, Lia quickly calmed down, displaying the basic qualities an adventurer should have.


    She considered: her primary goal was to find a place where she could evade the [Acid Rain] and frenzied Magical Creatures, a place where she could sleep in peace.


    Next were water sources and food.


    Only third in line was finding Dark Tree Fruits.


    ��I have about 30% of my Battle Qi left, over 4500 in my Life Barrier, enough to handle a level 30 frenzied Magical Creature. But two would be troublesome, three, I��d have to run quickly; four of them����


    Lia shook her head.


    She would likely end up as just another excretion from the Magical Creatures.


    After spending about ten minutes formulating a survival strategy and the rain slightly weakening, Lia used her Great Sword to carve a ��Wooden Shield�� from the tree to cover her head from the rain.


    She leaped onto the tree, using the wide view to look for a shelter.


    ��Caves are preferred, but they��re basically occupied by Magical Creatures.��


    ��I could also dig one in the rock face myself, but that would create too much noise and might attract Magical Creatures.��


    ��If only I had Light Series and Poison Series Magic!��


    The former could silently cut through rock walls, and the latter was good at corroding, which could easily carve out a cave in the rock face.


    But Lia��s Fire Fighting Qi was only at level 30; she could only melt rock with the help of Skills. Normal Fire Series Battle Qi was only good enough for barbecuing.


    ��No use, my head is about to break.��


    Lia thought for a while but soon felt dizzy, her stomach churning, so exhausted she wanted to vomit.


    ��`


    ��If only someone could think for me,�� she wished.


    Although Phyllis and Aiko were in the team, Lia always felt she was somewhat lacking compared to someone else.


    ��I wonder if they��ve managed to escape from Dragon Forest,�� she pondered.


    Thinking she might be the only one trapped here made the feeling so much worse.


    Thump!


    Boom!


    Suddenly, the sound of battle came from straight ahead.


    ��Could it be adventurers?��


    Lia��s spirits lifted.


    She stood atop a large tree, looking off into the distance.


    About a hundred meters away, six Giant Magic Saw Mushrooms were besieging an adventurer.


    Under the Acid Rain, the magical creatures became more ferocious, and the mushrooms�� round eyes glowed with a bloody red light, their bodies bulging with what looked like ��veins�� as if in rage.


    Calling them Muscle Mushrooms wouldn��t be an exaggeration.


    They were still Level 30, but their combat power was much stronger than those Bilya had encountered before.


    Attack speed, agility, the ability to withstand strikes, all had visibly improved.


    Upon rough estimation, they had increased by half a grade.


    They used to be orange-class magical creatures, but now they seemed to have half the strength of an Epic One Star.


    Lia asked herself if even with her Fire Series being the nemesis of Grass System, she only had the confidence to deal with two of them.


    But the adventurer beneath, who was being attacked by six Demon Saw Mushrooms, seemed to have an easy time dealing with all of them?


    That was just too strong!


    A flicker of joy arose in Lia��s heart; if she could cooperate with that person, the coming month would be much easier.


    But as the saying goes, ��one must always guard against others.��


    Lia did not rashly reveal herself, instead hiding in the tree to observe and gauge the stranger��s capabilities.


    ��Eeya!��


    A Demon Saw Mushroom with blood-red eyes charged at the adventurer, only to be cleanly sliced in half with a backhand swing.


    To the adventurer, the thick hide of the Demon Saw Mushroom was as frail as disposable silk stockings sold for five copper coins at a street stall.


    Lia had bought a pair once and, finding them a poor investment, decided against another purchase. Yet witnessing the adventurer dispatching the mushrooms with ease, she was reminded of that useless pair of five-copper-coin black stockings.


    ��Star Rank couldn��t be this strong, could it?��


    ��Too far away, magic aura perception is unclear. If I had to guess�� it must be Moon Rank!��


    Lia thought in surprise.


    Looking carefully, the besieged adventurer had a pair of big orange ears on his head, and a bushy, thick tail protruding from his back.


    Dressed in black leather armor, he wielded a dagger in each hand.


    ��A Moon Rank assassin from the Fox Tribe?��


    Lia roughly guessed in her mind.


    In just one minute, the adventurer had finished off all six Demon Saw Mushrooms.


    After collecting the loot, the fox suddenly turned and looked in Lia��s direction.


    ��Hiding in the dark and observing others is a very impolite behavior,�� said the fox, his voice crisp as he took out a handkerchief to wipe the filth of the magical creatures off his daggers. S��arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then, with a flourish of his blades, he suavely returned them to the sheaths on his belt.


    ��Oh, then I might as well come out,�� said Lia, appearing warily from the tree.


    The two approached each other.


    They sized each other up.


    Lia��s tension and the fox��s nonchalance were in stark contrast.


    Why did it have to be a pure-blooded orc��


    Lia felt bitterness swell inside her.


    If it were a human at Moon Rank, most of them would be more agreeable.


    But orcs were generally impulsive or cunning, and the phrase ��bargaining with a tiger for its skin�� typically referred to partnering with orcs. If it weren��t for the near awakening of the Demon King, which forced adventurers to unite, the territorial disputes between humans and orcs would still be ongoing.


    ��The Tormentor, Hu Er?��


    ��Miss Lia from Snow Goose?��


    Both recognized the other��s name.


    She knew of Hu Er because he was quite perverse, labeled by the White Dove Morning News as ��an adventurer more dangerous than the monsters.��


    He loved to capture his prey and torment them severely, letting them fully experience despair before killing them.


    His personality was extremely unpleasant.

 Chapter 387 - 387: 313, Lia drinks strange beverage, Lin Das adventures level up

    Chapter 387: 313, Lia drinks strange beverage, Lin Da��s adventures level up


    Lia would sometimes flip through magazines like the adventurer rankings to see what others thought of her.


    That��s how she happened to discover people like Dawen, Abner, and Hu Er at the top of the list.


    The moment she recognized Hu Er, alarm bells rang in her heart.


    Lia secretly unleashed an [Energy Charging], her Battle Qi flooding into her limbs and body, putting her directly into a state of combat readiness!


    She had no confidence in defeating a Moon rank adversary.


    But there was good news: Hu Er seemed to be severely injured.


    ...


    The thick bandage around his left waist was soaked with blood, and as he walked, his steps were heavier on the right and lighter on the left. His face was an unnatural shade of pale.


    A battle must have occurred before and he suffered serious injuries.


    Although Hu Er strived to disguise his weakness, Lia��s combat intuition was sharp; a single glance was enough to see through Hu Er��s facade.


    Maybe just casually killing six Demon Saw Mushrooms exhausted all of his Battle Qi.


    Besides, she knew he was aware of her peering and was deliberately putting on an act. S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just one sword strike could finish off this Fox Beastman��?


    Of course, everything was speculation, and Lia had no confidence to swing her sword directly.


    Even if Hu Er had only one-tenth of his Battle Qi left, it was not something she, a novice Star Rank, could overcome.


    Lia chose to negotiate first to see what Hu Er��s attitude was.


    ��Of course, I know your name, given that you��re a famous adventure team leader in White Dove City, and a beautiful young lady at that,�� said Hu Er with a gentleman��s smile, placing his right hand over his chest, bowing slightly, as graceful as an elf from high society.


    His voice was so gentle that it almost sounded feminine:


    ��My title as Tormentor might be misleading, but Miss Lia, I beg you to believe me, it��s just slander by those adventurers who dislike pure-blooded orcs; they can��t stand to see orcish success.


    We possess the strongest bodies among the three great races, and if someone like me also has a handsome appearance and an excellent brain, wouldn��t it make humans and elves look incompetent?


    That��s why they want to tarnish my reputation, affixing the baseless title of ��Tormentor�� to me.


    The truth is, I don��t take pleasure in tormenting my prey, I am not a sadist. Quite to the contrary, I am a triple-good orc in a broad sense.��


    Hu Er spoke with a smile:


    ��Miss Lia, I now extend an invitation to you. As fellow unfortunate adventurers trapped in the Great Mystery Continent, would you care to partner with me to get through the time ahead?


    As a Moon rank adventurer, I normally wouldn��t bother with regular Star Ranks, but you, Miss Lia, with your excellent reputation and beauty, I cannot ignore.


    Alright, I see the wisdom in your gaze��I admit there are other motives, such as building a good relationship with the Mandalas behind you. I heard that the Bloody Baron is likely to reach Moon Rank this year, and your brother Dawen is also called a genius Swordsman.��


    Hu Er explained on his own.


    He presented a number of sufficient reasons why someone of his Moon rank would condescend to approach Lia.


    Seeing Lia��s thoughtful expression, as though she was being persuaded, the corners of Hu Er��s mouth couldn��t help but curl up.


    Inside, he had already revealed another face, like a devil who had taken off its mask, grinning evilly while drooling, reaching out with his hands, left and right, to grab Lia�� Hu Er planned to devour this prey before him!


    Before he recovered from his injuries, he would let Lia take care of him, becoming her ��companion.��


    Once the Great Mystery Continent was opened and they could use the Teleportation Stone to return home, he would cruelly kill her, savoring the sight of the girl��s despair!


    As for praising Lia,


    Excellent reputation?


    Beauty?


    Those were all fabrications by Hu Er!


    He was biologically repulsed by all women. A true man should dominate over other males, using brutal means to hear their pleas for mercy!


    Presenting himself as a gentleman in front of Lia was merely to deceive her. He found her to be the sort who let her ��wisdom�� lead her by the nose, easy to fool.


    ��Cooperate?��


    Lia showed a hint of interest.


    In her mind, she thought: To have a Moon rank adventurer as a companion during the perilous closure period of the Great Mystery Continent would undoubtedly enhance her safety significantly.


    Hu Er had also given many convincing reasons.


    However��


    Somehow, seeing Hu Er��s extending his hand with a smiling face, Lia felt annoyed and disturbed. Was this man too forward?


    She hadn��t held hands with the opposite sex much growing up. What if Lin Da hadn��t left the Dragon Forest and saw her with Hu Er��


    She couldn��t pinpoint exactly why, but Lia instinctively resisted such a situation.


    She didn��t want Lin Da to see her being intimate with another man.


    Lia replied cautiously, ��Thank you for your kindness, but I have other companions in the forest I need to meet up with, so I��m sorry.��


    Heaven knows, Lia was speaking in a flowery tone, and all because of Hu Er��s status as a Moon rank adventurer.


    As arrogant as Lia was, she knew now was not the time for pride.


    Hu Er still wore a bright and cheerful smile: ��May I ask who Miss Lia��s companions are? Maybe I��ve seen them before.��


    Lia responded, ��Lin Da, Lulu, and Monica!��


    ��Captain Lin Da, huh�� Heh, hehe, interesting.��


    Hu Er paused and then burst into laughter, tears nearly forming in his eyes.


    He smirked with profound meaning, ��Miss Lia, I saw it with my own eyes, Lin Da and the others have already left the Dragon Forest and moved to the public Adventure Zone.��


    ��Huh?�� Lia was a bit confused.


    ��Yes, Lin Da abandoned you, taking Lulu and Monica with him. In his eyes, you��re just expendable, someone who doesn��t matter!��

 Chapter 388 - 388: 313, Lia drinks strange beverage, Lin Das adventures level up_2

    Chapter 388: 313, Lia drinks strange beverage, Lin Da��s adventures level up_2


    Watching Lia��s stunned expression, Hu Er inwardly scoffed with disdain, thinking her such a fool for believing anything she was told.


    ��Miss Lia, if you don��t believe me, how about we make a bet? If it turns out exactly as I said, with Lin Da abandoning you, then this level 40 orange-quality Fire Series Demon Core is yours,�� Hu Er proposed.


    ��And if I lose, Miss?�� Lia asked.


    ��You don��t have to pay any price,�� he replied.


    ��Why?�� she questioned.


    Lia sensed a whiff of conspiracy but couldn��t pin down anything suspicious no matter how hard she thought.


    ...


    Hu Er smiled and said, ��Perhaps because I ��desire�� Miss Lia��s love. After all, you are a beautiful and captivating young woman.��


    ��Wha�� what? Love?! My mother always said, men who frivolously throw that word around are full of lies!�� Lia exclaimed, shocked.


    Lia was taken aback.


    What kind of era was this, still having adventurers speak of love, a word so outdated it was falling apart?


    What��s the worth of your ��love�� in Epic-level Equipment? How many Gold Coins could it buy?


    According to her mother, every man who hung that word on his lips was after one��s body! That��s what Lia��s mother had told her.


    Hu Er remained calm and chuckled, ��I��m not lying or joking, Miss Lia. I am seriously pursuing you. The moment I saw the beautiful Miss Lia, I fell head over heels and wished I could kiss your boots.��


    Lia responded, ��Then I��m seriously rejecting you. A Moon Rank, you��re not worthy of me.��


    Hu Er: ��?��


    A huge question mark appeared above his head.


    Moon Rank not worthy of you?


    Hu Er thought he had heard wrong and scratched his head in confusion, ��Miss Lia, could you repeat what you just said?��


    Taking a deep breath and with a serious face, Lia said, ��A Moon Rank adventurer isn��t worthy of me. At a minimum, it has to be a Light Rank, is there something wrong with that?��


    ��But you��re just a Star Rank, and just level 30 at that,�� he pointed out.


    ��So what about it?�� she asked.


    Lia said, ��Miss here has the potential to become the Empire��s strongest Swordsman. Isn��t it simple for me to become a Light Rank? Is it wrong for me to hope my future partner to be of a Light Rank too?��


    Hu Er stroked his chin, deep in thought for a while.


    ����You��re right, but you��re only a Star Rank now. Why do you think you can become a Light Rank in the future?�� he asked.


    Lia: ��I don��t need your opinion, I trust my own. I believe I can do it.��


    Fuck!


    Hu Er felt like cursing.


    He��d assumed Lia was a fool, but it turns out she��s a Little Mossy Girl!


    Such people are overly confident, liking to disregard the facts.


    Hu Er had thought he could win her over with his smarts, but it turns out she didn��t care for such things. Working with her, in her eyes, was probably him taking advantage of her, as after all, she is the ��future Light Rank Adventurer��!


    Hu Er��s biggest mistake was assuming Lia was a Little Mossy Girl!


    ��So, I won��t work with you. Please, give it up, and another thing �� you��re lying to me. Lin Da would never abandon me and run away from Dragon Forest!��


    ��There are two reasons! First, Lin Da, a mere level 26 adventurer, wouldn��t easily find Lulu and Monica.


    Second! Lin Da, being the good guy he is, would never just abandon me. In fact, he would try his best to help any companion!��


    Lia, with piercing eyes, pointed at Hu Er who had turned an ashen color: ��So you��re lying to me, probably just lusting after my body, you lecherous fox!��


    ��Ahhh!!!��


    Hu Er roared in anger internally.


    His standards were so high, if it were Lia��s brother Da, he might have given it a thought, but looking at Lia, flat as a board in the chest and skinny as a rake, also short, she was utterly unattractive by Hu Er��s standards!


    And this person dared to say confidently that he was after her body?


    Disgusting, utterly revolting!


    Fortunately, Hu Er had great control over his facial expressions and didn��t give anything away. He managed a strained smile:


    ��These are all just your guesses, Miss Lia. I��ve truly seen Lin Da flee and leave you behind. The proof is that I know what Lin Da wears, a set of white adventurer��s clothes with a large belt full of pockets, accompanied by a brown-skinned maid����


    ��Ah! It��s Tasya!��


    ��I didn��t lie to you, did I?�� Hu Er said with a smile.


    Lia, with a sullen face, silently walked away in the opposite direction.


    ��Wait, not going to work together? Without magic power replenishment in the sealed Great Mystery Continent, a Star Rank cannot survive alone,�� Hu Er called after her, chasing her.


    ��Let me make it clear to you, I don��t like you. Stay away from me,�� Lia frowned, giving a threatening look and glancing sideways at Hu Er��s hand reaching towards her shoulder.


    There was a sudden whiff of gunpowder in the air.


    Lia showed not a trace of fear, as proud and defiant as a little rooster with a fiery red comb.


    She didn��t believe this severely injured Fox Beastman would dare make a move on her in the closed Great Mystery Continent, where replenishing magic power and Battle Qi was impossible.


    It would be a self-harming act.


    Sure enough.


    Hu Er awkwardly withdrew his hand.


    Which gave Lia some peace of mind.


    Hu Er said, ��How about this, we��ll tell each other where we��re staying. In case something happens, we can look out for each other.��


    Lia was ready to flat-out reject him.


    But the smile on Hu Er��s face disappeared, and he looked at her calmly:


    ��Miss Lia, no matter what, I am a Moon rank. A Moon rank��s goodwill can��t be refused without reason.��


    ��


    ��


    Acid Rain had been pouring for three days straight.


    Adventurers trapped in Dragon Forest and unable to leave were not only Lia.


    While searching for food, Lia found the body of a male adventurer, his chest adorned with the badge of an adventure team from South Rock City.


    It was only three days, and already an adventurer had died.


    As for a place to stay, Lia had found one for the time being.


    She dug a hole in the trunk of an exceptionally thick Mondale Tree and curled up to sleep there at night.


    Under the acid rain, food and clean water sources were extremely hard to find. In these three days, Lia had only managed to eat some wild mushrooms.


    Luckily, they were all non-toxic and sufficed to fill her stomach.


    But the problem of water still remained unsolved.


    At noon on this day, Lia squatted in the tree hollow, resting her cheek in her hand as she watched the relentless torrents of acid rain.


    She looked worried and exasperated as she took out a clear juice cup from her space ring.


    Inside the cup was some warm, slightly yellowish liquid.


    She had no choice.


    No choice at all!


    Lia instinctively looked around.


    As expected.


    There was certainly no one.


    She gritted her teeth and brought her lips close to the cup.


    There was a foul smell.


    But there was no shame in it; if Lin Da were also trapped in the Great Mystery Continent and couldn��t get out, he would definitely drink this kind of thing.


    With water so hard to find, Lin Da would certainly be unable to find any.


    Lia consoled herself, thinking at least she was quite a pretty girl. Her own�� must be more palatable than Lin Da��s, right?


    ��Ugh����


    Lia threw up on the ground.


    The water recycling plan was a huge failure!


    ��


    ��


    Meanwhile, in the outside world.


    It had been three days since the closure of the tenth layer of the Great Mystery Continent.


    President Velen was shocked to the point of dropping his teacup upon hearing from Lulu that Lin Da had not returned from the tenth layer.


    Despite his desire to help, this matter was related to the rules governing the World Tree, and what could he, a mere president of the White Dove City Adventurers�� Guild, possibly do to intervene?


    All he could do was pray.


    Velen reassured Lulu, ��An excellent adventurer like Lin Da will definitely be able to survive in the sealed Great Mystery Continent!��


    But Lulu was still worried and unable to eat every day.


    Kafni, on the other hand, was quite optimistic.


    ��This great one can feel that Lin Da is in good shape,�� Kafni thus spoke.


    As a deity soul-bonded to a brave hero, Kafni could vaguely sense Lin Da��s life force.


    Not to say very healthy, but it was comparatively in a good condition.


    And the most magical part��


    In these three days, she had leveled up again. S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From level 31, she reached level 32!


    This meant that Lin Da had encountered something extraordinary in the sealed Great Mystery Continent!


    Maybe his conditions were quite comfortable.


    Kafni��s thoughts were simple: Lin Da was chosen by the great herself, and such minor troubles were nothing for him.


    Just wait and things will be resolved.


    Perhaps in a month, Lin Da��s strength will have grown to an even more astonishing level.


    But no matter how much Kafni tried to persuade her, Lulu still looked somber, climbing to the rooftop to howl at midnight with tears in her eyes, seemingly on the brink of breaking down.


    ��This Little Werewolf must have done it many times with Lin Da. Could it be that Lin Da��s rod has some magical power that makes one never forget? The previous Little Werewolf seemed quite aloof.��


    As Kafni thought about it, the fire within her reignited.


    Now she really had to reward herself.

 Chapter 389 - 389: 314. Principal White Cat Lolita, Dark Shadow Exposed?

    Chapter 389: 314. Principal White Cat Lolita, Dark Shadow Exposed?


    At the same time,


    in Cyan City, the most famous academy within the province��Azure Sky Advanced Adventurers Academy��stood out prominently.


    A colossal white pyramid-shaped building, it was situated within the first circle of the inner city district of Cyan City.


    At the top of the pyramid structure, in front of a luxurious crystal floor-to-ceiling window, there was a row of exquisitely crafted stoves.


    Thin smoke spiraled up, wafting from the chimney.


    A petite silver-haired girl, standing on a stool with a pink apron featuring a pattern of cat paws tied around her waist, was busy at one of the stoves.


    ...


    In her hand was a soup ladle, as she cooked a dish called Fish-Flavored Shredded Pork.


    The girl probably didn��t reach 1.4 meters in height, with adorable white cat ears on her head. Her small face was like a porcelain work of art, her pale purple pupils like two jewels set in the night sky.


    She had a three-dimensional face, petite yet with a mature look to it. It was a pity that her expression was somewhat indifferent.


    When she tasted the soup on the ladle, the corner of her mouth gently lifted; her white cat tail made happy circles behind her, and her cat ears twitched.


    ��You��ve got half of the captain��s skill,��


    The silver-haired, purple-eyed petite girl laughed softly, exuding a mature charm. Yet, the way she stood with one hand on her hip while wearing a pink apron was incredibly cute, a perfect fusion of two contrasting qualities.


    Perhaps this was why cat girls were so beloved by adventurers.


    Standing in front of the stove, cooking to entertain the guests, this petite cat girl was none other than the dean of Azure Sky University, who, before her retirement, was a highly renowned adventurer in the Royal Capital: the White Cat Swordsman, Bailuo.


    This top floor of the building was the dean��s exclusive office.


    Of course, calling it an office is a bit of a stretch; it��s more like a luxurious hotel, with everything from a bathroom, kitchen, living room, entertainment room, training room, to a storeroom, covering an area of three hundred square meters.


    And the only resident in this imposing ��house�� was the reclusive tiny cat girl, not even 1.4 meters tall. S��ar?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Every student who learned about this would gaze towards the top floor with longing, hoping that one day they might meet the mysterious cat girl dean, and better if they could be called to the office for individual training.


    Leaving the kitchen and entering the living room, one would find various elegant and unique decorations, tea sets, wood carvings of Magical Creatures, and ceremonial swords hung on the walls, each embedded with various types of gems, all crafted by famous artisans.


    It was evident that the house��s owner had extremely good taste.


    Besides that, there were many framed oil paintings.


    Strangely, it seemed all paintings were of the same person.


    Wearing a pure white mask with no face, clad in a pitch-black coat.


    There was a painting of this person wielding a magic sword, standing with his back to a mass of Magical Creatures; another of him standing under a large tree in the yard, gazing up pensively at the moonlight; and even a comical one where he faced a chair but couldn��t seem to sit down��


    A vast array of oil paintings, all somehow related to this man.


    ��It��s ready to serve,��


    The cat girl standing on the stool nodded satisfactorily and picked up the pan with thick insulated gloves on her hands.


    With her power, even a thousand-degree heat could not harm her, but she was getting used to ��living a regular life after she and her teacher retired from being adventurers.��


    Bailuo laid out the dishes one by one on the table in the living room, in order to entertain her long-lost old teammate, the Tiger Man girl Taige.


    ��Wow, Fish-Flavored Shredded Pork, Braised Potatoes with Beef, Pan-Fried Dumplings, all of Captain��s best dishes. It��s been so long since I��ve had these!��


    Taige��s red hair was a mess; it was clear it hadn��t been cared for in quite some time. She was dressed in simple leather clothing: a top and shorts that highlighted her wheat-colored, full thighs.


    Despite the cold winter, Taige seemed as if she had come from the hot summers of the south.


    Her relationship with Bailuo was extraordinary, and even after their team disbanded, they stayed in touch.


    Today, Taige��s visit to Bailuo��s home was about a Recording Stone.


    The contents of the Recording Stone were sure to interest Bailuo.


    Taige was shocked when she first saw it, almost thinking her eyes were playing tricks on her.


    Their captain, who vanished three years ago, could he have reappeared on the continent?


    Unable to judge the truth for herself, she came to seek understanding from the more astute Bailuo.


    The origin of the Recording Stone was the Great Mystery Continent near White Dove City.


    Inside it was one simple thing, a shining sword enveloped in Black Flame.


    Its might was significant, at least of Light Rank.


    What intrigued Taige was that the sword��s radiance was incredibly familiar, reminiscent of their former captain.


    However, when Bailuo started serving the dishes, Taige��s attention shifted entirely to them.


    Seeing the table full of sumptuous food, she involuntarily drooled, and her stomach started to growl.


    Taige didn��t bother with chopsticks; she hastily reached out her hand, grabbed a pan-fried dumpling, and threw it into her mouth.


    Upon biting into the crispy skin, juice spurted out in her mouth.


    With a moan of ��mm,�� Taige clasped her cheeks with both hands, indulging in sheer bliss.


    ��Mmm, Bailuo, you��re amazing. So strong and skilled at cooking, why did you retire?��


    Taige moved, overcome with emotion, and lunged at the petite cat girl, causing both to topple onto the sofa. She rubbed her cheek against the other��s chest, suspiciously close to taking liberties.


    Bailuo shook her head in resignation, positioned Taige��s head on her lap, and gently kneaded the Tiger ears while helping to tidy up the tousled red hair.


    In a soft voice, like that of a tender elder sister if one closed their eyes, she said, ��Because this was my teacher��s command. I had to retire first to train to be a bride, to become a wise and virtuous wife and mother worthy of my teacher.��

 Chapter 390 - 390: 314. Principal White Cat Lolita, Dark Shadow Exposed?_2

    Chapter 390: 314. Principal White Cat Lolita, Dark Shadow Exposed?_2


    ��Eh����


    ��Eh???��


    It took Taige a good few seconds to react, suddenly jumping up from Bailuo��s embrace, eyes shaking:


    ��How could a cat girl who��s barely 1.4 meters tall possibly become a good wife and a good mother, she can��t even take care of a baby, can she? And what the hell is ��Bride Training��? If I��m not mistaken, the ��Teacher�� Bailuo mentioned refers to the team captain!��


    ��How come I didn��t know you were going to be the captain��s wife?��


    Shocked, Taige grabbed two pan-fried dumplings and threw them into his mouth to calm himself down.


    ...


    Bailuo��s cheeks flared red as she played with her smooth white cat tail, saying, ��Teacher once promised me to retire and go home together to live out our old days.��


    ��Ah! That definitely means he wants you to be his wife!��


    Taige��s eyes widened, ��How come none of us knew about this?��


    ��Because this is a secret between me and Teacher,�� Bailuo confidently declared.


    The true story behind this was known by only one person throughout the Great Mystery Continent.


    Titled ��And you, you are my true hero,�� was a scene.


    On a park bench beneath the setting sun, facing his student in swordsmanship, the true feelings of the White Cat Swordsman, Bailuo, were revealed, as someone clicked Option A:


    ��It��s not impossible to retire and grow old together with the captain��s beloved student����


    Before the scenario��s voiceover could finish, a bolt of lightning struck the night sky outside the window.


    Everything went black.


    After someone repaired the machine and logged back into the game, they found the scenario had ended.


    The original latter half of the sentence, ��but only after we reach the summit of the World Tree and defeat the Demon King,�� was lost forever.


    As a result, Bailuo only heard the agreeable first half.


    ��Could you taste the dishes for Teacher first, and see how they are?��


    Bailuo��s voice was tender as she served Taige, wiped his greasy fingers with a napkin after grabbing dumplings, and then placed chopsticks in his hands, saying:


    ��You haven��t forgotten how to use these, have you? If not, there are forks and knives.��


    ��Uuuu, I also want a wife like Lady Bailuo! No! I not only want to cuddle with Lady Bailuo but also want to enter her body!��


    Taige, never having received such care, especially from a petite, beautiful silver-haired cat girl, was moved to tears.


    But that joke turned Bailuo��s face dark as she angrily twisted Taige��s ear, ��If you dare to do that, I won��t let you off the hook! I am Teacher��s future wife, and my body belongs to him already.��


    ��Uuuu, the loyal and cute Lady Bailuo faithful to the captain is so adorable; no wonder she hasn��t been kicked out, unlike a useless tiger like me, even as a Five-star Character, I still received a dismissal contract.��


    ��That��s Teacher��s gentle side; he didn��t want you to sacrifice yourselves in the World Tree,��


    Bailuo explained seriously, somewhat angrily.


    ��Speaking of the captain, I have something I want to show you,�� S��arch* The ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    While Taige devoured the food on the table, his hands searched his pockets, pulling out a half-eaten piece of raw meat, a string of large green grasshoppers, a bunch of worms, mixed with a round, crystal clear Recording Stone.


    ��You normally eat these kinds of things?��


    ��Yes, yes, the food Lady Bailuo makes is really delicious,��


    ��I think having you taste-test is kind of pointless.��


    Bailuo stood with one hand on her hip, the other holding the Recording Stone, ��The thing you wanted to show me, it��s this, isn��t it?��


    ��Exactly, you really are Lady Bailuo!��


    ��I��ve already retired from being an adventurer; you��ll surpass my abilities in the future; no need to use that appellation anymore,��


    Bailuo shook her small head, seeming extremely resistant to the title.


    The ��Lady Bailuo�� who stubbornly imitated the teacher, scowling and being rude to everyone, preferring to persuade others with a sword, was now a thing of the past, a dark history she wished not to recall.


    ��Hurry up, let��s look.��


    Under Taige��s urging, Bailuo, with an air of resignation, activated the Recording Stone.


    With her mature adult mindset, not many things could interest her anymore.


    But she would play along with Taige, appearing slightly surprised.


    After all, Taige was one of her few friends, who still today visited as a guest; she had to give her face.


    Bailuo infused a thread of magic power into the Recording Stone, and an illusory screen instantly popped up.


    The background was a pitch-black forest, the viewpoint aimed at the night sky slightly ahead.


    ��Mondale Tree, Gugu Grass, very typical of the tenth floor of the Great Mystery Continent.��


    Although Bailuo was young, her judgment was exceedingly precise. She glanced briefly and knew the recording came from the tenth floor.


    She found nothing of interest within it.


    Should she compliment the beauty of the trees or the loveliness of the night sky?


    Taige had changed too, from that Tiger Warrior who only liked to eat and fight bravely, into a mature adult capable of appreciating the night sky and forests.


    Being a mature adult was very important to Bailuo.


    At not even 1.4 meters tall, she had to perform better and be more mature than average people to qualify as a suitable wife.


    Otherwise, adventurers would surely mock her, saying she was just a half-grown child, totally unfit for her teacher.


    ��Sigh, just look at the night sky in the recording and try to improve your mood a bit.��


    Just as Bailuo was thinking this, a sword light burning with Black Flame, hundreds of meters high, appeared out of nowhere.


    That power made one shudder even through the illusory screen, as if death was only a step away.


    The sword light devoured a large swath of the forest, as though it was about to tear apart the space itself.


    Bailuo froze, her cat tail quietly resting on the couch, her violet pupils reflecting the black flame sword light.


    Her eyes, unblinkingly staring at the illusory screen.


    Her usually unfluctuating chest now had a noticeable curve.


    Bailuo exclaimed in a lost voice, ��Taige, it��s the teacher, the teacher is definitely there, I can��t be wrong!��


    ��Which city��s World Tree is the closest to enter the tenth floor, if not close enough, let��s enter from the World Tree in Cyan City!��


    Bailuo��s words suddenly increased, she hurriedly entered her room, took out two beautifully exquisite white long swords from under the bed, and placed them crossed on her back, seemingly ready to leave immediately.


    ��Hold on, aren��t you being too hasty?��


    Taige��s mouth was all greasy, ��The tenth floor of Great Mystery Continent just closed three days ago, you can��t get in now!��


    ��Don��t worry about that, I have a way.��


    ��Ah? You��re not going to use that item, are you?��


    Bailuo��s expression remained calm, noncommittal.


    She pondered for a moment, slightly calming her mood, before she said:


    ��We need to head to the city from which this recording originated, also, whether or not the owner of the sword light is the captain, we need to keep this news under wraps.��


    ��Why?�� This time, it was Taige��s turn to be baffled.


    Bailuo��s expression turned grave:


    ��Judging by the strength of that sword light, if it��s the teacher, his power seems to be damaged, only at Light Rank.


    The mysterious assailant who framed the teacher and caused his disappearance three years ago is definitely more than Light Rank!


    In case that person learns of the teacher��s existence, they might strike again, so we must keep this news secret, not letting more people know!��


    Additionally, Bailuo had a personal motive.


    She wanted to secretly retire with her teacher and live the peaceful life they had agreed upon.


    She had saved up plenty of Gold Coins, enough for the two of them for a lifetime. As for things like climbing the World Tree to challenge the Demon King, she would leave that to the genius adventurers in the Royal Capital.


    If the teacher��s strength had really dropped to Light Rank�� A small thrill of joy emerged in Bailuo��s heart; even if the teacher disagreed, she might also be able to push a little harder.


    ��Indeed, as expected of Lady Bailuo, you think far ahead!��


    Taige wiped his mouth, ��I��m done eating, to White Dove City, let��s go!��


    ��Eh, White Dove City?��


    Bailuo murmured, ��This city feels somewhat familiar.��


    After thinking for a while, a spark of insight flashed through her mind��it was the city where the adventurer Lin Da, who made it to the Adventurer��s Weekly by leading the Rock Squad at level 20+ to conquer an Epic Monster, resided.


    She had sent an invitation there not long ago, but had yet to receive a reply.

 Chapter 391 - 391: 315, Lia accidentally eats poisonous mushrooms, Lin Da

    Chapter 391: 315, Lia accidentally eats poisonous mushrooms, Lin Da ��loots the body


    ��While you��re there, ask them why they haven��t replied. I��m the Dean, after all, and they��re showing me a serious lack of respect,��


    Although Bailuo was small in stature, she carried the pride of a top-ranked adventurer.


    That Lin Da, a mere Level 20-something adventurer, should at least give a proper reply even if he doesn��t want to join Azure Sky University.


    Instead of acting as if he hadn��t seen it, ignoring her invitation.


    When a Light Rank Adventurer gets angry, someone is bound to suffer!


    That very night, Bailuo and Taige spread their Battle Qi Twin Wings and flew to White Dove City, located at the southern end of Cangqing Province.


    ...


    ��


    ��


    World Tree��s Great Mystery, the tenth floor, Dragon Forest.


    The time was probably dusk.


    The forest was perpetually dark, seldom bright, and without a Magic Guide Watch, it was difficult to determine the exact time.


    Almost ten days had passed since the Great Mystery Continent closed.


    The good news was that the ��Acid Rain��, which could continuously corrode an adventurer��s Life Barrier, had stopped the day before.


    Lia��s heart cried out in gratitude to the Goddess as she hurried out to search for food.


    The bad news, however, was that Lia was so hungry she was seeing white.


    That detestable Hu Er had found her dwelling and brought some fruits,


    but Lia, ever vigilant, feared the fruits contained harmful toxins and refused them all.


    She planned to gather some food during the day and move out at night, distancing herself from Hu Er.


    At the moment, Lia��s stomach growled loudly, her throat parched as if on fire, and she had even drunk all her self-produced beverages dry, unable to produce more.


    Her face was as dirty as a beggar from the slums, her legs weak and powerless.


    Starvation had slowed Lia��s inner Battle Qi to a standstill; she felt that even a normal Giant Magic Saw Mushroom might beat her now, let alone a Level 30 feral Magical Creature.


    Walking through the dense, spiky underbrush, Lia staggered, using her beloved Phoenix Feather Sword as a crutch.


    She cautiously peeked her head out to ensure there were no feral Magical Creatures around then sprinted to a moss-covered rock.


    Like a starving lamb, she gnawed away wildly.


    Lia endured the strange taste in her mouth and swallowed everything.


    The moss, named ��tasty moss��, could replenish a certain amount of strength for an adventurer, but tasted worse than dung.


    In contrast, there was ��tree cotton�� which tasted like roasted pork skewers, but in truth, it couldn��t replenish strength and was essentially a bird��s droppings.


    Food tasting of dung and tasty dung.


    Lia chose the former.


    She ate with tears in her eyes, silently wiping away the little pearls with her sleeve.


    ��She longed to go home, to soak in the warm Great Water pool, to scrub the dirt off her neck that was thick enough to roll into balls.


    Lia also missed Aiko and the others, reminiscing about the days of bickering together. It was in such a lonely and dangerous environment that she realized adventure wasn��t something one could do relying solely on oneself.


    If she could make it back to White Dove City alive, she would definitely give Aiko and her friends a raise and treat them better.


    ��Alas, I can��t produce today��s drink!��


    After searching the forest for a long time, Lia couldn��t find any water source.


    After the Mystic Realm closed, all the ordinary resources that were easy to find disappeared. This was the World Tree Goddess��s punishment for adventurers who didn��t follow the rules.


    Lia didn��t dare complain in her heart; cursing Holy Light was one thing, but cursing the World Tree Goddess would bring trouble. Who knows, stepping wrong could mean landing in a nest of Cold Poison Feathered Snakes.


    Lia took out her juice cup, held it up for a while, but not a drop came out.


    Having spent ten days in the Great Mystery Continent, her once vibrant red hair had become like withered weeds, losing its luster, with split ends signaling her poor physical condition.


    Suddenly, her stomach cramped as if someone with half-year-untrimmed nails was rummaging through it.


    Lia��s face went pale, and her heart dropped: was it because of the mushrooms she ate this morning?


    Although they looked toxic with their bright colors, she remembered the book said they were edible!


    The truth, however, was that they indeed could be eaten, but only after being boiled in water for over 30 minutes.


    Hungry to the point of desperation this morning, Lia had simply dipped the mushrooms in like hotpot ingredients, eagerly stuffing them into her mouth.


    Now paying the price for her haste, she convulsed in pain, her vision doubled, her head spun, and she collapsed to the ground.


    ��


    One hour, two hours passed.


    Lia was lucky; during this time, no Magical Creatures passed by.


    Tap tap, tap tap.


    Footsteps approached. S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The person discovered Lia lying on the ground, paused for a while, holding his chin, a puzzled expression on his face.


    This dirty redhead, why does she look somehow familiar?


    ��


    ��


    Lia only vaguely remembered something: as she lay on the ground, poisoned by the mushrooms, it seemed a tall adventurer came by.


    They stuffed something thick and large into her mouth.


    Then a warm rush flowed from within.


    It was water.


    Precious water!


    Feeling elation from her throat, the simple-minded Lia didn��t associate it with anything else and immediately thought it was the mouth of a water bottle.


    She didn��t know how much time had passed, but when Lia regained consciousness and opened her eyes, her first sensation was a burning pain in her stomach, her body felt light, and her head was still dizzy.


    The symptoms of poisoned mushrooms hadn��t completely dissipated.


    She lay on a mat made of ��tree cotton��, atop a stone bed, under an uneven ��ceiling,�� with dark blue rocky walls around her.


    Lia sat up, staring blankly around.


    What she saw was a room carved out of stone that resembled an adventurer��s resting quarters, the entrance obscured by vines, through the gaps of which she could see the forest in the distance and the pale red sky.

 Chapter 392 - 392: 315, Lia accidentally eats poisonous mushrooms, Lin Da

    Chapter 392: 315, Lia accidentally eats poisonous mushrooms, Lin Da ��loots the body��_2


    That is to say, this cave was carved out on a cliff.


    It could effectively prevent attacks from Magical Creatures on land, greatly increasing the safety rate.


    Carving a cave on a cliff was no easy task.


    Lia��s respect for her savior grew immensely in her heart.


    The facilities inside the cave were not simple either. There was a long table made of stone, chairs, and a big water tank filled with a liquid that appeared to be ��clear water.��


    Next to it was a partition made of banana leaves, with a funnel-shaped showerhead above, which seemed to be a shower area?!


    ...


    Lia��s eyelids twitched wildly, her face a picture of disbelief.


    She treated the water in her own body as a precious resource, drinking it all back, yet the owner of this cave could actually afford to use clean water for bathing?


    It was simply too extravagant! S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lia��s awe towards this unseen benefactor rose another notch.


    At that moment, she smelled an enticing aroma and her stomach, which had been hungry for a long time, started rumbling.


    There was a stone table in the middle of the cave with two stone bowls on it, containing smoked meat stewed with wild vegetables and a bean soup.


    Like a puppet with strings pulled, Lia sat down on a stone stool, drooling.


    She blinked hard and touched the food that still had some warmth, feeling as if she were in a dreamy haze.


    The delicious food, the cave carved out on a cliff, and the strong ability to make various stone furniture��


    The owner of this cave seemed extremely powerful.


    ��Oh no, what if that person fancies my body?��


    Just as Lia was about to pick up the stone bowl and start eating, a sudden shock went through her heart.


    In the lawless land of the Dragon Forest, even if the other party wanted to do something, she wouldn��t be able to resist in her current weakened state.


    The best course of action would be to quickly finish the meal, drink enough water, and leave this place, right?


    After all, no one can be sure if the one who saved her was a good Samaritan with no ulterior motives.


    But, to just walk away like that would make her seem too ungrateful.


    Lia was caught in a dilemma.


    ��Ah! Never mind, eating comes first!��


    Her stomach growling in warning, Lia realized her saliva had long since formed threads, dripping into the ragged holes of her black thigh-high stockings on her thighs.


    She picked up the stone bowl and voraciously devoured the vegetable soup.


    ��Delicious, so delicious, wuuwuu~��


    And the smoked meat stewed with wild vegetables, the fragrance of the meat perfectly merged with the sweetness of the vegetables, each bite was like elegant elven ladies performing ballet on her taste buds, a kind of pleasure almost equivalent to the Divine Gift received upon leveling up.


    Lia hadn��t eaten proper food for ten days, surviving on mushrooms and crap grass; it took her just two minutes to polish off a bowl of bean soup and smoked meat stew, leaving not a trace behind.


    She even hugged the bowl to lick it, making sure every last drop of soup was consumed.


    ��Burp~��


    Lia patted her round belly, letting out a satisfied burp.


    Having eaten her fill, she stared unblinkingly at the makeshift shower area: since it was there, it surely wouldn��t hurt to use it, right?


    She was dirty like a beggar, her own smell insufferable, with ash coming off every part she touched. For an eighteen-year-old girl in the prime of her youth, this was a truly bothersome thing.


    ��Take a shower and then slip away, leaving some Gold Coins as compensation!��


    Lia decided to err on the side of caution. She had heard that some beautiful female adventurers were captured and used as slaves to fulfill bestial desires; she did not wish to bet her life on her savior being a completely altruistic nice guy.


    She took off one of her ragged black stockings and was about to remove the other when��


    Sssss.


    Sssssss!


    A strange noise came from behind her.


    Along with the rustling sounds of movement, the camouflaged curtain made of vines was lifted.


    A brown snake head, big as a bucket, poked its way in.


    It stared at Lia, who was in the midst of removing her stocking, eye to eye.


    [Rock Snake], a level 30 purple Rare Magical Beast.


    Average length fifteen meters, fond of searching for birds�� nests on cliffs to Devour their eggs.


    A series of information flashed through Lia��s mind at lightning speed.


    ��Hello, there are no bird eggs here.��


    Lia maintained her posture, one foot raised as she was pulling off her sock, and said dryly.


    ��Ssss.��


    The Rock Snake flicked its tongue, its red triangular eyes fixed on Lia.


    ��Hiss!��


    The battle erupted in an instant.


    The Rock Snake opened its wide mouth to bite Lia, while Lia, not bothering to continue removing her sock, gripped the Firebird Feather Sword and chopped down forcefully!


    Clang��


    A clear sound rang out, as if the Firebird Feather Sword had struck steel.


    The Rock Snake��s head was covered in hard scales, and without sufficient force, it was impossible to harm it.


    Normally, Lia could break through the Rock Snake��s defenses with one hand, but the problem was that she had gone without food for too long, and there were aftereffects from eating poisonous mushrooms; her Battle Qi had dwindled to about twenty percent.


    With multiple negative statuses afflicting her, Lia was horrified to discover that she was no match for the Rock Snake!


    She only felt a massive jolt, her hands numb, incapable of gripping the sword, which immediately fell to the ground.


    That force travelled up her arms and spread throughout her body; Lia��s head buzzed, and the scenery before her eyes shook violently.


    Thud��a blow from the Rock Snake slammed her against the wall, causing intense pain in her back.


    Lia bit her lip and staggered to her feet, her eyes on the Firebird Feather Sword lying two meters away.


    Most of the Rock Snake��s body squeezed into the cave, its ten-plus-meters-long, barrel-thick form pressing down oppressively. It pushed the Firebird Feather Sword out of the cave, sending it tumbling outside.


    The Great Sword, which Lia had bought with a hefty sum of Gold Coins, slipped away before her very eyes.


    ��Is this young miss really going to fall in such a place?��


    Lia knelt on the ground, staring blankly up at the massive serpent��s head.


    From the wide-open mouth of the Rock Snake emanated a thick stench of blood, its fangs as thick as her own forearm; if bitten, she feared she would lose her life in an instant.


    Lia had imagined many scenarios where her adventures might end in failure: falling beneath a dragon��s claws, losing a fierce battle against a demon from the abyss, or enduring a noble defeat in a duel against a Demon��s adventurer on a stage watched by thousands, earning their admiration and securing a name that would live on through the ages��


    But she had never imagined��


    that she would meet her end in the mouth of a small, Level 30, purple Rare Rock Snake.


    Just like that Legendary Adventurer who had vanquished a Giant Dragon��he died, killed by a Level 10-or-so Goblin. Having exhausted all his strength battling the dragon, he was finished off by the Goblin.


    Lia felt a similar desolation in her heart.


    Scenes flashed before her eyes: growing up in the slums, being picked up by The Mandalas family, running away from home, establishing the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    Together they adventured, enjoyed loot, shared meals, played, argued, parted ways, and then reunited as friends again, attending the Winter Festival fireworks together��


    ��This young miss, how can I fall here!��


    Lia shouted, tears of frustration in her eyes, her right hand��s fiery Battle Qi ignited, punching towards the Rock Snake that lunged at her!


    ��Hiss!��


    The Rock Snake opened its maw wide, intending to devour the adventurer before it.


    But the next moment, as though it was ��short�� on length, it stopped about ten centimeters short of Lia.


    No matter how much effort it made, it couldn��t touch the adventurer.


    Lia��s punch also missed its mark, and unable to stop the force, she toppled to the ground, forming a large bump on her forehead.


    Huh?


    Lia, clutching her aching head, looked at the Rock Snake in confusion.


    Why had this Magical Creature suddenly stopped moving?


    Was it a good Magical Creature that understood humanity, one that wouldn��t harm adventurers?


    Soon Lia noticed something was amiss.


    The Rock Snake was bound by a vine-formed Wooden Giant Dragon, completely immobilized. Thumbs-thick vines intertwined to eventually form a vivid Wooden Giant Dragon.


    The powerful restraint caused the scales of the Rock Snake to shatter, and blood oozed from its entire body��as if an adventurer��s bones had all been broken.


    Pain showed in the Rock Snake��s triangular pupils as it opened its mouth, letting out sharp hisses.


    The vine-formed Wooden Giant Dragon carried a trace of a dragon��s aura, imposing an intense suppression on the Rock Snake.


    Had there been a Druid present, they might have discerned that the Rock Snake��s hisses were words of pleading.

 Chapter 393 - 393: 316, Ali Gado Lin Yang Yang Sang

    Chapter 393: 316, Ali Gado Lin Yang Yang Sang


    ��`


    ��Energy Storage Storm!��


    ��`


    ��`


    A detached female voice rang out, and three Wind Battle Qi-formed bullets shot forth, striking the Rock Snake on the back of its head.


    ��`


    ...


    ��`


    Sensing the danger to its life, the Rock Snake shook desperately to and fro.


    ��`


    ��`


    But it was like a delicate Succubus under a Beastman��s hold; how could it contend with the power of the Epic Level Rare Technique, Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang?


    ��`


    ��`


    Struggling with all its might, the Rock Snake still couldn��t break free from the restraint, becoming an effortless target for the Wind Bullets.


    ��`


    ��`


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    ��`


    ��`


    The first bullet shattered the Rock Snake��s scales.


    ��`


    ��`


    The second one destroyed its bones.


    ��`


    ��`


    The third one took its life away.


    ��`


    ��`


    The Rock Snake was merely a level 30 purple Magical Creature, but wasn��t this defeat a bit too easy?


    ��`


    ��`


    Lia covered the large, swollen lump on her forehead, staring blankly.


    ��`


    ��`


    With her bottom pressed against the cold ground and a small stone poking into her, she remained oblivious, her eyes gleaming, gazing at the gradually fading corpse of the Rock Snake, and she couldn��t help but utter:


    ��`


    ��`


    ��Wow, so powerful!��


    ��`


    ��`


    Two moves had taken out a level 30 Rock Snake.


    ��`


    ��`


    Even in her prime, she wouldn��t have been capable of doing that.


    ��`


    ��`


    Especially that Vine Dragon technique that immobilized the Rock Snake seemed very much like a Rare Technique that only a Moon rank adventurer would be able to master.


    ��`


    ��`


    High in damage and with a binding effect, it was extremely advantageous in the difficult task of subduing Magical Creatures.


    ��`


    ��`


    The person who saved her turned out to be such a powerful adventurer��


    ��`


    ��`


    Lia was so moved by her close call with death.


    ��`


    ��`


    She firmly decided in her heart that she must properly express her gratitude to the person.


    ��`


    ��`


    Fainting from poison mushrooms, saved once, and now from the Rock Snake, yet again.


    ��`


    ��`


    This person was her great benefactor.


    ��`


    ��`


    Adventurers are always accustomed to and adapting to new environments, and they try to make some changes in these new settings. Lia did the same. Across the unfaded corpse of the Rock Snake and with what she believed to be her most sincere gaze, she cleared her throat and squeaked out a sweet sound: S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��`


    ��`


    ��This sister, thank you for saving����


    ��`


    ��`


    ��The reason Lia addressed the other as ��sister�� was simple: she had heard the words ��Energy Storage Storm,�� which was clearly a mature female voice. It was only natural for her to respectfully call the other party sister.


    ��`


    ��`


    But if those people knew Lia, they��d be completely taken aback. You see, Lia had never called Dawen ��brother,�� and in her friends�� eyes, she was an adventurer who did not know courtesy.


    ��`


    ��`


    Yet now, Lia, contrary to her normal state, like a well-behaved little girl, was calling the person opposite her ��sister.��


    ��`


    ��`


    It would be all right if she hadn��t called out.


    ��`


    ��`


    Both of the others were a bit dumbfounded.


    ��`


    ��`


    ��Master, didn��t you say that Lia is an arrogant and capricious adventurer?��


    ��`


    ��`


    ��This can��t be right�� Weird, sister? That Lia?��


    ��`


    ��`


    The other mumbled to themselves, as if seeing the sun rise from the west, their faces filled with shock.


    ��`


    ��`


    The Rock Snake��s body turned to ash and vanished, leaving behind only a fist-sized clump of golden light.


    ��`


    ��`


    With the Rock Snake gone, the people on both sides finally got a clear look at each other.


    ��`


    ��`


    Lia hadn��t finished her thanks when the appearance of the two people on the other side came into her field of vision. Her voice and the cute smile she had fabricated to garner the favor of the unfamiliar elder sister, both abruptly ceased.


    ��`


    ��`


    The girl��s ruby-like eyes lost their sparkle, and she seemed to turn ashen.


    ��`


    ��`


    A wind from outside the cave swept in, and Lia felt as if her ashen self had been blown away by it.


    ��`


    ��`


    Standing opposite her, the two who had killed the Rock Snake in two moves and saved her from the poison mushroom, who she suspected might have ill intentions and treat her as a slave to vent their desires, turned out to be��


    ��`


    ��`


    ��Lin, Lin Da!?��


    ��`


    ��`


    ��How, how is it you?��


    ��`


    ��`


    Lia stammered out.


    ��`


    ��`


    On her bare feet, her toes curled tightly, trying to conceal her inner embarrassment. Her cute smile was quickly withdrawn as she pretended to be indifferent, whistling and looking around haphazardly, never daring to meet the eyes of the two opposite her.


    ��`


    ��`


    Lia appeared composed on the surface, but inside she was like a little figure in turmoil, holding her head against the wall, accompanied by strange cries of ��Woo woo ah ah.�� After banging against the wall, she rolled back and forth on the ground, wishing she could eat another poison mushroom and fall into a stupor.


    ��`


    ��`


    Why was it him?


    ��`


    ��`


    Lia was astounded.


    ��`


    ��`


    While she was happy to find that her lifesaver was Lin Da, happy that Lin Da and the others hadn��t abandoned her, and felt much safer in the dangerous Great Mystery Continent with an acquaintance;


    ��`


    ��`


    the problem was, the pretentious expression she had on just now, the way she squeaked calling Tasya ��sister��, had all been seen by Lin Da and Tasya!


    ��`


    ��`


    Oh, poor Lia! She was just trying to tap into her survival instincts. No big sister would hate a well-behaved, petite, pretty girl, right? After all, it was deep within the unknown Dragon Forest, and Lia was ready to try out a change in her image.


    ��`


    ��`


    But who did she encounter? It just had to be Lin Da, who even knew where her cavities were!


    ��`


    ��`


    Lin Da and Tasya stared blankly at Lia. They were completely taken aback.


    ��`


    ��`


    Tasya: ��This girl seems very flustered. Is it because of the poison mushrooms?��


    ��`


    ��`


    ��No, I understand what��s happening. Let��s not bother with her for now. After a while, she just needs to calm down.��


    ��`


    ��`


    The two ignored Lia��s presence, leaving her to deal with her embarrassment on her own.


    ��`


    ��`


    Lin Da had a water tank-sized, juvenile Giant Magic Saw Mushroom slung over his shoulder, bound firmly with the Dark Whip.


    ��`


    ��`


    He also had changed into an orange adventurer��s outfit, which blended in with the Mondale Trees of the forest, orange being conducive to camouflage.


    ��`


    ��`


    After tossing the barely alive juvenile Demon Saw Mushroom in a corner, Lin Da settled down in front of a stone bench like an adventurer returning home after a day of work. He took a cask of Wheat Beer and a bag of beef jerky from his Space Ring and began to relax.


    ��`


    ��`


    Tasya took out a cup and poured Wheat Beer for Lin Da, then went off to the water pool to wash Lia��s bowls and utensils.

 Chapter 394 - 394: 316, Ali Gado Lin Yang Yang Sang

    Chapter 394: 316, Ali Gado Lin Yang Yang Sang


    This scene was extremely harmonious, resembling an old married couple who had lived together for decades.


    Lia stared, her eyes going wide.


    When had Lin Da gotten so close with this cold, silver-haired maid? Wasn��t she ostracized during the fireworks festival?


    ��It��s very clean; just rinse it with water,��


    With Tasya��s unintentional remark, Lia snapped back to reality.


    Blushing, she said, ��Wasting food isn��t good behavior.��


    ...


    ��Stop washing, sit down and rest, have a drink with me. You��ve earned it today, thanks to you tying up the Shadow Magic Panther, I had the chance to pick that thing.��


    ��Yes,��


    Tasya walked to the opposite side of the stone table, nervously holding a cup for Lin Da to pour the wheat beer. Apparently unable to handle her drink, her face quickly turned a shade of light red after downing the cup.


    ��Was there any need to down it in one gulp?�� Lin Da asked in surprise.


    ��Because it��s from the master, I��ll swallow everything!��


    Lin Da remembered something and scratched his ear sheepishly.


    Entertainment was scarce in the sealed Great Mystery Continent, and on boring nights, he could only engage in some popular activities with his maid, like giving her a head massage.


    From the original three minutes, Lin Da had progressed to being able to finish brushing Tasya��s hair and even braiding it into twin ponytails.


    By the way, when Tasya, under Lin Da��s request, put on a stoic face to scold the small fry with her twin ponytails, he couldn��t last even three minutes. Since then, he dared not ask Tasya to wear twin ponytails anymore. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The two chatted casually, seemingly completely ignoring a certain redhead girl.


    This effectively cured Lia��s ��awkwardness cancer,�� and the little person inside her heart stopped tumbling about, her curled toes gradually relaxed.


    Even now, Lia��s mind was still a mess.


    She hurried to Lin Da��s side, grabbed his shoulders, and shook him, her small face confused as she spoke incoherently:


    ��What in the world is going on, how come you didn��t leave the forest, didn��t I tell you to run?��


    ��And that technique used to bind the Rock Snake�� isn��t that a Rare Technique? Only those at Moon Rank are supposed to handle Rare Techniques! Ah, my head��s going to explode!��


    ��Don��t rush, sit down and talk.��


    Lin Da, without turning his gaze, coughed and said, ��Actually, I think you should change your little bear underwear. Being thrifty is quite nice, but it��s rare for someone to wear the same few pieces for three years, right? You are, after all, the captain of the Quasi Steel Level adventure team, it would be embarrassing if people saw.��


    Lia: ?


    She blinked, then looked down at herself.


    All that was left on her legs was a pair of torn over-knee black stockings, her skirt caught by a button at the back of her belt, exposing half a cute brown bear growing on the vibrant yellow fabric.


    Lia adjusted her skirt, her face burning hot, and sat down on a nearby stone bench a bit awkwardly.


    This was the second time Lin Da had taunted her for having outdated underwear. The type that Aiko wore felt too excessive to her; adventurers should pursue practicality, those delicate, easily torn lace trims were purely ornamental.


    She took a deep breath: ��Can we talk now, what has happened? How come you seem so comfortable? Your level has also increased a lot!��


    She glanced at the cabin, observing its various pieces of furniture, the stone table with beef jerky, wheat beer.


    Tasya went to make a fire for cooking, what was probably chicken stew in the pot, with an indefinite yet wafting aroma, stirring Lia��s hunger again after she had just filled her stomach.


    She watched Lin Da��s neat clothing and his composed expression, then compared it to her smelly self, her head drooping dejectedly.


    ��I did use a Rare Technique just now, but you should feel that I haven��t reached the Moon Rank, I am currently Level 32, a Star-ranked adventurer.��


    ��How much?��


    Lia couldn��t believe it.


    ��Level 32.��


    Lin Da smiled: ��Lucky, had an encounter.��


    By battling Magical Creatures in the sealed Great Mystery Continent, one could simultaneously gain Diamonds and Mystical Points, and the amount could be substantially increased.


    These past days looking for Dark Tree Fruit, inevitably encountering frenzied Magic Creatures.


    Lin Da and Tasya, cooperating with each other, one close-range, one long-range, being tough enough and striking hard, performed exceptionally well like fish in water.


    Excluding the Epic Level Magic Creatures, all creatures below Level 36 were within Lin Da and Tasya��s ability to defeat.


    Lin Da then used some accumulated Mystical Points to break through successfully, reaching Level 32.


    His Magic Power was greatly replenished as his level increased.


    This controllable means of leveling up was something other adventurers didn��t possess.


    All things considered, despite the dangers of the Great Mystery Continent, Lin Da and his team were doing fairly well.


    ��Level 32, you?��


    Lia asked again, unwilling to accept it.


    ��Yes, indeed, level 32.��


    ��Oh�� congratulations����


    Lia��s tone was filled with sourness.


    She had always been stronger than Lin Da, but now, Lin Da had become stronger than her.


    This made Lia feel bitter inside.


    Lin Da, holding a wheat beer, looked towards the sky behind the vine curtains and didn��t notice anything unusual about Lia.


    He slowly recounted the events of the past ten days.


    Entering the Forest Dragon��s Lair, ��picking up�� the skill tree of Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang��


    Dodging acid rain, digging caves, searching for Dark Tree Fruits��


    According to the agreement, he invited Lia, and her compensation for this trip was two-tenths of the total haul, which amounted to nearly 1.5 million gold coins.


    But contrary to Lin Da��s expectations, Lia, who had always been greedy, shook her head: ��No need.��


    ��What?�� Lin Da was quite surprised.


    ��You saved me, so I don��t want the rewards.��


    Lia said softly, ��Thanks.��


    In the cave, only the sound of Tasya chopping vegetables ��tak tak tak�� could be heard, making it seem somewhat lonely.


    Lia hung her head and did not lift it for a long time.


    Her eyes turned red, hearing that Lin Da reached level 32, earned a pile of gold coins, and even got the rare technique��s skill book; the feeling of disparity grew larger as if she could already see two adventure teams growing unfamiliar with each other, not interacting at all.


    Lia clenched her fists tighter, shouting stubbornly inside: I don��t want that kind of thing!


    If the adventure isn��t something we do together, then it��s meaningless.


    The ten days of solo adventuring in the Great Mystery Continent made Lia realize that compared to gaining strength alone, companions were indeed more important. If she didn��t even have companions, who could she show off her power to?


    Hearing Lia��s thanks, Lin Da was slightly startled and looked differently.


    He thought for a moment, then placed his big hand on Lia��s head, his voice gentle, ��I need to say the same to you; if you hadn��t stopped Nacho and the others, it would have been dangerous then. Thank you.��


    Lia pursed her lips and said, ��Lin Da, will you ever forget me one day�� no, forget the Snow Goose Adventure Team?��


    Lin Da laughed, ��How could I? I won��t forget a single name of my companions.��


    ��So, I am one of them, right?��


    ��Of course.��


    ��Oh����


    Lia let Lin Da mess up her hair, much like a usually noisy cat that suddenly quiets down.


    A strange emotion overflowed in her chest, like the sunset red haws that abundantly grow on the fifth layer; tart and delicious, a piece kept in the mouth could be savored for a long time.


    It was good Tasya spoke little. If it had been Aiko, she would��ve taunted herself a few times. Lia sneakily glanced at the silver-haired maid busy in front of the pot, who seemed not interested in commenting on the scene.


    ��If Aiko were half as quiet as her, I could have become friends with her earlier,�� Lia thought.


    ��All right, got all the lice out. If I��m not wrong, you��ve been running into the sawgrass bushes, right? That place is where wild boars and wolves like to go, and lice hide under the sawgrass leaves, jumping onto your head inadvertently.��


    Lin Da threw three or four soybean-sized lice on the ground, stepped on them, and then pinching his nose, said with a bit of disgust, ��You should take a bath; you smell awful, and it was hard carrying you back.��


    Lia��s face turned bright red.


    So, Lin Da��s friendly petting wasn��t just petting, but was picking lice off her head?


    How embarrassing!

 Chapter 397 - 397: 318, a night of pain and pleasure, White Cat Lolita visits White Dove City.

    Chapter 397: 318, a night of pain and pleasure, White Cat Lolita visits White Dove City.


    If all adventurers united as one, there would be no such thing as a resurgence of magical creatures.


    Remembering the background story of the Great Mystery Continent, Lin Da let out a self-deprecating laugh.


    ��Adventurers�� that��s right.��


    Lia recalled something, ��Apart from you, I also encountered a fox����


    ��A fox? What��s its name?��


    Lin Da��s face changed.


    ...


    Tasya, who was feigning sleep, also pricked up her ears.


    If it was the one who had attacked them, the situation was going to be troublesome.


    ��Moon rank adventurer, Hu Er.��


    Lia roughly recounted her encounter with Hu Er.


    ��Although Hu Er really likes me, praising me as a beauty and stuff��I still rejected him.��


    Lia concluded with self-satisfaction.


    However, Lin Da didn��t respond to Lia��s feelings; he frowned and thought: Hu Er must have been seriously injured, not even having the confidence to take action against Lia?


    Should he say Lia was lucky, or that Hu Er was simply unlucky�� If Hu Er had attacked Lia, he would never let him off. But the same went for not attacking her after all.


    ��Hu Er��s injury is a good opportunity. With the three of us combined, we might be able to make him stay in Dragon Forest forever.


    If this guy goes back to the Bear Roar Adventure Group at Sunrise Level, it would be very unfavorable for us. With Phoenix Tail Flower��s current combat abilities, we are not qualified to battle at Sunrise Level.��


    Lin Da analyzed the pros and cons in his mind.


    ��Lia, did you say you know where Hu Er lives?��


    ��Mhm, I remember the general direction.��


    ��That��s good.��


    A hint of murderous intent flashed across Lin Da��s eyes.


    After collecting enough Dark Tree Fruits, filling both Lia and Tasya up�� cough, restoring them to full Battle Qi,


    combined with his new Rare Technique, the binding effect of [Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang], it wouldn��t be a problem to kill an injured Moon rank.


    But if Hu Er decided to attack now�� This possibility made Lin Da feel uneasy. S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His strongest trump card at the moment was a magic scroll [Super*Charge] given by the system, which could greatly increase the damage of the next attack, a great surprise weapon.


    Overall, he still preferred not to encounter Hu Er prematurely.


    Lin Da sighed inwardly. With Tasya at half strength and Lia, a sick patient by his side�� the ideal situation was for them to be at their peak, while battling a weakened Hu Er.


    ��Not sure if Lulu and Monica have left the Mystic Realm.��


    The only good news was that Lin Da could confirm through the team panel that they were still alive.


    ��


    Two hours passed.


    In the night, the cold wave grew increasingly fierce, the howling cold wind slashing in like knives.


    Even though Lia nestled in the blankets and cuddled up to the warm, moist Tasya, with a layer of fine sweat on her back, she still felt cold.


    Her physical strength was being depleted in the cold wave. The situation was somewhat better inside the cave, but thinking back to the ten days she spent in the tree hollow nearly brought tears to her eyes.


    Her mind was a whirl of thoughts, and she couldn��t fall asleep no matter what. Lia cracked open her eyes slightly, only to be surprised to find Lin Da still sitting in front of the vine curtains.


    Wrapped in a blanket, propping his chin on his hands, Lin Da was pondering something.


    Outside, the cold wind howled like tangible ice blades, just the sight of which made one feel cold, prompting Lia to involuntarily scoot her bottom backward, leaning against the warm Tasya.


    Tasya probably had fallen asleep and didn��t react much to Lia��s movement.


    Curious about what Lin Da was doing, Lia peered through the darkness with her pale red eyes, staring intently.


    Finally, she couldn��t hold it in anymore and asked, ��Why aren��t you sleeping yet?��


    ��In a while,��


    Lin Da replied.


    ��Is it because you��re too cold to sleep? We have sleeping bags, don��t we?�� said Lia.


    Lin Da shook his head, ��When you��re awake, your body temperature is higher. In two hours, when the cold wave is at its fiercest, that will pass and it will get warmer, making it easier to fall asleep.��


    ��Oh����


    The cave once again fell silent.


    Half an hour passed.


    ��Um����


    Lia, after watching for a long time, made a certain decision.


    And if the others from Snow Goose knew about this decision, they would probably think she was crazy.


    Seeing Lin Da shivering wrapped in a blanket, a part of her actually felt uncomfortable, and she contemplated extending an invitation for Lin Da to join her for warmth!


    With her face buried in the blanket and only her eyes showing, Lia��s voice came out muffled, ��Come on in, we can squeeze together. It��s possible to get some sleep.��


    ��This����


    ��I don��t mind, but are you sure you don��t mind either?��


    Facing the warm bedding, Lin Da hesitated.


    ��If you freeze to death, there would be no one to cook,�� Lia remarked.


    ��Well, thank you for that,��


    Lin Da chuckled, stood up, and walked boldly to the edge of the bed.


    Looking at the two girls in the bedding, one silver and one red, a wonderful ripple spread through his heart. The last time he��d shared a blanket with someone of the opposite sex was a distant memory, so far back he could barely remember it.


    ��You take the middle,��


    Lia shuffled over, pulling the blanket tight, revealing her delicate shoulders and back.


    Her body was slender and delicate, seemingly lacking any strength, which made Lin Da wonder how Lia could wield the Phoenix Feather Sword.


    Could it be that while she looked skinny, she was actually the type that felt all muscular when touched? Lin Da pondered as he shed his coat and got into bed.


    A big man, his addition made the space immediately feel crowded.


    The sleeping Tasya was jostled awake and squeezed against the wall, turning from a round dumpling into a flat pancake.


    Lia complained, ��Why are you so big? If I��d known, I wouldn��t have let you in.��


    But Lin Da was in his own kind of trouble.


    On both sides were fragrant, soft bodies; he had nowhere to place his hands. Crossed over his chest, they resembled a corpse; laid obediently by his sides, they signaled an earnest student in class, both positions uncomfortable.


    Worst of all, he could clearly feel the soft smoothness of Lia��s back with the outside of his arm and their thighs were pressing closely together, transferring the graceful curves directly into his brain.

 Chapter 398 - 398: 318, a night of pain and pleasure, White Cat Lolita visits White Dove City_2

    Chapter 398: 318, a night of pain and pleasure, White Cat Lolita visits White Dove City_2


    On the pillow, Lin Da��s cheek touched their long hair, tickling him, and he could smell the distinct fragrances of the two.


    In the dark cave, there was complete silence, the only sounds being their intense heartbeats and disheveled breathing.


    Even though they were lying still, everyone felt as though they were under the blazing sun, heating up.


    A strong impulse rose in Lin Da��s heart.


    He thought, he must do something.


    Lin Da lifted his hands, which were uncomfortable no matter how he positioned them, and reached from left to right around Tasya and Lia��s waists, pulling them into his embrace.


    ...


    In that moment, an unrivaled sense of satisfaction burst in Lin Da��s chest, holding two sweet-smelling beautiful girls made his mouth curve into a smile.


    Tasya accepted Lin Da��s embrace and even reached back to gently stroke the back of his hand with both her hands.


    The teasing touch was out of this world, befitting a Professional Maid adept at serving her master, Lin Da thought, would his body endure severe challenges after he retired?


    On the other side, a little cry of surprise erupted, ��What are you doing, beast!��


    Lin Da was marveling at how petite Lia��s body was and how comfortable it was to hold her.


    Hearing this, he helplessly explained, ��The space is too small, if I don��t hold you, someone will definitely fall off in the middle of the night, and secondly, I am a healthy adventurer, being with beautiful girls like you and not doing anything would mean something��s wrong with me, right?��


    ��Fine, fine, just this one night though, if not, freezing to death wouldn��t be Miss��s preference for sleeping with you!��


    Lia, her face red, turned outwards and felt Lin Da��s robust and rugged body pressing against her back, leaving her mind in turmoil and making it even harder to fall asleep.


    It was a painfully blissful long night that commenced with them sleeping under the same heavy quilt.


    ��


    ��


    Outside, White Dove City.


    At the top floor of the Adventurers�� Guild in the Inner City District, inside the office of president Weylon.


    It was a fine morning, Weylon had finished his breakfast and was drinking coffee at his desk, dealing with official business while fretting over the Phoenix Tail Flower Team��s situation.


    Having learned from Lulu that Lin Da had not returned, she was anxious, and so was the president himself!


    The most promising captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, poised to rejuvenate White Dove City, how could he perish in the ten layers of the Great Mystery Continent!


    Weylon wrote an application letter to the Empire��s central Adventurers�� Guild, hoping to receive the Legendary magic item [Boundary-breaking Secret Sword*10 layers].


    With that, even if the Great Mystery Continent were closed, adventurers from the outside could still enter.


    To increase the chances of the application��s approval, Weylon detailed Lin Da��s various strengths, historical accomplishments, and professional advantages in the letter.


    But even so��


    Ten days passed, and the letter sank like a stone in the sea.


    Admittedly, Lin Da was a talented adventurer, expected to become the leader of the Sun Adventure Group.


    But that was the extent of it.


    The headquarters of the Adventurers�� Guild judged that it was not worth using Legendary items on Lin Da.


    The Royal Capital, after all, was never short of geniuses.


    Batch after batch of geniuses from various cities flooded into the Royal Capital, climbing the main trunk of the World Tree that reached the fortieth layer of the Great Mystery Continent, dreaming of earning a chance to enter the Holy Tree��


    In this process, the fierce competition weeded out many talented adventurers.


    Only a very few, a tiny fraction of adventurers, would ever get to meet the Holy Tree.


    These were the people the Empire was willing to invest Legendary items in.


    Based on the external potential that Lin Da showed, the Empire��s judgment was that he did not qualify.


    If Lin Da were to showcase the knowledge in his mind and his Healing Hero��s Skill Tree, getting qualified wouldn��t be difficult, but these were his biggest secrets which, once revealed, would make him a thorn in the Demons�� side, a nail in their flesh.


    In conclusion, the situation was at an impasse; Weylon did not get the [Boundary-breaking Secret Sword], and had no way to rescue Lin Da.


    Today, a pair in black robes arrived, unexpected visitors. sea??h th�� Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Putting on airs, they treated him, the president of White Dove City��s Adventurers�� Guild, like a lackey.


    ��So, where is he, where��s the person?��


    Weylon, sitting at his desk, puzzledly scratched his blond hair.


    Only one member of the Tiger Tribe, a young girl, stood before him, taking off her hood to reveal fiery red short hair.


    His breath was quite remarkable. With Weylon��s years of experience, he judged that she must be at least at Moon Rank, and a senior one at that.


    But a Moon Rank didn��t qualify to act high and mighty in front of an Adventurers�� Guild leader!


    ��Miss, where is your companion? I heard there are two of you?��


    ��I��m here.��


    An annoyed female voice came from ahead.


    ��Hmm?��


    Weylon looked around but still couldn��t find anyone.


    The short-haired Tigerman girl chuckled, ��She��s hidden behind the desk; you need to stand up to see her!��


    That made Weylon pause for a second. Upon standing, indeed, he saw a petite, silver-haired girl with cat ears in front of the desk.


    She wore a black robe, her hands crossed over her chest, eyebrows furrowed, dissatisfaction filled her violet eyes, and the corners of her mouth turned slightly downwards.


    ��Small in size, but not in temper!��


    A hint of disdain flashed in Weylon��s eyes.


    This fleeting emotion, however, was caught by the silver-haired cat-eared girl and the chill on her little face became more evident as her white cat tail flicked angrily.


    ��I have candies here, chocolate-filled ones, exactly what kids your age love to eat. Come on, say thank you to grandpa.��


    Weylon put on a friendly smile, pulled out a handful of exquisitely wrapped candies from a drawer, and stuffed them into the pocket of the White Cat Lolita.


    ��You, you, you��re done for�� Miss Bai Luo despises being treated like a child!��


    The Tigerman girl, Taige, looked on in shock at Weylon.


    Based on Miss Bai Luo��s usual temper, she would have beaten Weylon soundly with her Dual Swords, making him unrecognizable even to his own mother!


    But things were different now. Three years of retirement had greatly improved Bai Luo��s terrible temper.


    She sneered and pushed away the candies Weylon offered, ��Don��t think you can bribe me with such tricks, I don��t like sweets!��


    ��Oh my, what a mistake of mine. I have some red bean buns I bought this morning, my granddaughter really likes them.��


    ��Enough already!��


    Bai Luo, irritated, leaned forward on her tiptoes and knocked on the desk surface, speaking loudly:


    ��I hate it when people treat me like a child; I��m eighteen years old! Mr. Adventurers�� Guild Leader from White Dove City, please mind your behavior. According to imperial law, subordinates must use respectful language when addressing superiors! I can totally report you to the Constitutional Group for your accountability!��


    ��Respectful language?��


    Weylon blinked in confusion.


    He, a man in his fifties, was to use respectful language toward a girl not even 1.4 meters tall? Was there something wrong?


    Suddenly, Bai Luo proudly stuck out her chest, and Weylon finally saw the badge clearly.


    It featured an embossed Green Giant Dragon, with a sun rising from the horizon as the main design.


    [Badge Studies] was a subject every official had to master, so Weylon quickly understood the meaning of this badge.


    The Green Giant Dragon meant she came from the provincial capital, Cyan City, and the sun symbolized the Azure Sky Advanced Adventurers Academy.


    And the five golden stars surrounding the badge��hisss! Weylon sucked in a breath of cold air.


    This little one was an official five-star officer of the empire, the head of Azure Sky Academy?


    Compared to her, his own position as the White Dove City Adventurers�� Guild leader, merely a three-star officer, likely had no chance of ever reaching five stars.


    ��I remember now; you must be the one known for�� oops, who excels in Dual Swords with formidable skills, the adventurer, [White Cat Swordsman] Bai Luo!��


    Weylon grew solemnly respectful.


    Her other identity as the head of Azure Sky Academy, besides being a Light Rank, suppressed him overwhelmingly.


    ��Miss Bai Luo, please forgive my disrespect; please have a seat!��


    Weylon respectfully pulled out the big sofa in front of the desk.


    Bai Luo��s expression relaxed slightly. She swished her white cat tail as she walked to the black leather sofa and, propping herself by the armrest, sat down.


    Weylon, fearing reprimand, stood beside her like a secretary and tentatively asked, ��Miss Bai Luo, to what do we owe the honor of your visit to White Dove City, may I ask your instructions?��


    ��I want you to mobilize the Adventurers�� Guild��s resources to find someone for me. This is crucial for the future development of Azure Sky University.��


    Bai Luo stated flatly, ready to exploit her authority.

 Chapter 399 - 399: 319. White Cat against Lulu, Lin Da educates Lia

    Chapter 399: 319. White Cat against Lulu, Lin Da educates Lia


    Weylon was surprised, ��Who is this person, who can drive the development of an adventurer academy?��


    You should know that Azure Sky University, founded more than five hundred years ago, has cultivated hundreds of Light Rank swordsmen; some of its students have even become renowned legendary adventurers by now.


    This university is among the top institutions throughout the entire empire, among dozens of provinces.


    ��He is an adventurer even more powerful than me; living with him, I am in the mood to teach students,�� Bailuo said indifferently.


    At present, she serves almost like a mascot at Azure Sky University, her greatest value being to showcase her skills during the Winter Festival��s assessment each year, letting the world know that Azure Sky University has incredibly strong adventurers.


    But should Dark Shadow retire and live with her, she would be delighted and might even teach the students swordsmanship.


    ...


    This would indirectly boost the development of Azure Sky University.


    ��I see����


    Weylon dared not ask more and took the Recording Stone for a look, then said hesitantly:


    ��I also saw a similar Recording Stone yesterday, and I was wondering who this adventurer using the black flames was, and whether he might have come from White Dove City.��


    Bailuo said, ��Finding this person will merit a significant reward from the principal.��


    ��I really want to help you, but if such a big shot is determined to hide, where are we supposed to find him?�� Weylon complained, feeling a headache coming on.


    ��That��s for you to figure out,�� Bailuo jumped down from the chair and walked out with Taige.


    ����If you find him, what do you plan to do?��


    ��Hm?��


    Opening the door, the sudden appearance of the girl and the incomprehensible question caught Bailuo off guard for a moment.


    Leaning on the railing of the stairs was a werewolf girl wearing a black hoodie, hands in the pockets, with short, light blue hair.


    The girl��s deep blue eyes stared at her and she slowly said, ��[White Cat Swordsman] Bailuo, while you��ve changed a lot in the last three years, no longer that girl with twin ponytails, your scent can��t fool my nose.��


    ��Who are you?��


    Bailuo frowned slightly and cocked her head to the side.


    ��Very arrogant. But you shouldn��t know me; I was kicked out by the captain before you joined,�� Lulu said with a self-deprecating smile, ��but I��ve seen you from a distance, when the captain took your hand to enter the World Tree, and I remembered your scent.��


    With that, the expressions in Bailuo and Taige��s eyes changed.


    They exchanged glances and nodded to each other.


    They confirmed, this werewolf girl, like them, had once served in ��that�� adventure team!


    The flustered President Velen came out to see off the guests, ��Lulu, this person is from Cyan City, the principal of Azure Sky University, you mustn��t be rude!��


    ��I understand,�� Lulu said to Bailuo, ��Shall we talk someplace else?��


    ��Hmph, that��s exactly what I was thinking,�� Bailuo replied provocatively. S��arch* The N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For some reason, the moment she laid eyes on this werewolf, she felt annoyed, as if she were destined to become enemies with her one day.


    Taige, on the other hand, felt a kinship with the werewolf clan and laughed heartily, ��So we��re old teammates then? Next time, you��ll treat me to a meal.��


    Lulu did not respond. If these two could help her find Lin Da back, she wouldn��t mind treating them to meals for a lifetime.


    A moment later, in a private room of a caf��.


    ��I indeed know where the captain is,�� Lulu said as she sipped a terribly black, unsweetened coffee, speaking calmly.


    This composure set off alarm bells in Bailuo��s mind. Fifteen-layer-produced Enchanting Poison black coffee, which she could drink without adding sugar, was enough to make children burst into tears instantly; Bailuo, after three years of training, had only managed to reduce from ten cubes of sugar to five.


    And yet this werewolf girl drank it without a change of expression�� She was a terrifyingly mature adult!


    ��How can you tell me where the teacher is?�� Bailuo asked warily as she stared at Lulu.


    ��First answer me one question,�� Lulu put down her coffee cup, a look of mystery in her eyes, ��Once you find the captain, what do you intend to do? Answer me honestly.��


    Taige, too, was curious as to what Bailuo would do. She planned to have a fight once she found the captain, but what were Bailuo��s thoughts?


    During their time in the Primitive Adventure Team, Bailuo was always the most respectful of the captain.


    To this, Bailuo replied without hesitation:


    ��Of course, it��s to make the teacher keep his promise, to retire together and become his wife.��


    ��Adventuring is too dangerous. If you��ve been with Primordial, you should know of those four Grand Dukes that represent the Flames, each plotting deviously. No matter which side the captain supports, he would be framed by the other three.��


    ��The captain is clever when dealing with Magical Creatures and navigating the Great Mystery Continent, but he��s clueless in everyday life, not skilled in handling relationships, not even in sitting down, only fighting and killing.


    ��If he doesn��t retire, he��s bound to fall on the adventurer��s path.��


    ��You make some sense�� but what��s this about becoming his wife?��


    Lulu asked, surprised.


    ��What��s the rush, and how is it any of your business?��


    Bailuo sat on the bar stool, her legs not even touching the ground, yet her demeanor was one of arrogance.


    �� The captain belongs to everyone, not just you alone.


    Lulu really wanted to tell Bailuo this.


    Furthermore, Lin Da��s greatest wish was to lead his teammates to the top of the World Tree; how could Lulu allow him to retire just because of Bailuo?


    To kill someone��s dream was no different from being a murderer!


    Lulu��s heart sank; she had thought she��d find a strong ally, but could it be that Bailuo was a super villain, coming to stop Lin Da from adventuring?


    Her mind was torn. Getting Bailuo��s help could expose Lin Da��s identity, but if she didn��t and Lin Da died in the sealed Mystic Realm��


    ��Tell me where the teacher is, quickly!��


    Bailuo said discontentedly as she slapped the table, her voice resounding.

 Chapter 400 - 400: 319. White Cat against Lulu, Lin Da educates Lia_2

    Chapter 400: 319. White Cat against Lulu, Lin Da educates Lia_2


    Lulu pondered for a while before finally making a decision. S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��I can help you, but on one condition: you have to enter the sealed tenth level and bring back a few people for me.��


    Bailuo raised an eyebrow:


    &��Using [Boundary-breaking Secret Sword*10th Level] should be no problem. It was a prize from last year��s assessment conference, and it happens to come in handy. However, forcibly entering the sealed Great Mystery Continent requires precise timing. We must enter when the Great Mystery Continent is in its safest state. If there is [Frost] [Acid Rain] or similar weather, the boundary breaking might fail.


    Miss Lulu, right? I hope you haven��t deceived me and indeed have a lead on the teacher��s whereabouts.��


    Bailuo finished the last bit of his coffee with a grimace, glanced at Lulu, and said sternly, ��Those who deceive the dean do not fare well!��


    ...


    As the White Cat Swordsman, one of Bailuo��s innate abilities was to transform into a white cat, significantly increasing his agility. Even if Lulu was from the Werewolf Clan, she couldn��t dodge his attacks.


    ��Don��t worry. Once you bring back the people I specified, I��ll let you ��meet�� the captain.��


    Lulu confidently said.


    ��


    ��


    The sealed tenth level of the Great Mystery Continent, Dragon Forest.


    ��The burning power in my eyes, you must know what it is, right?��


    In the depths of the cave at night, as he was half-asleep, Lin Da heard Lia��s voice from under the blankets.


    He held Lia��s waist, feeling the slight vibrations her body produced as she spoke.


    The captain, who was immensely arrogant and always treated him like a beast of burden, now lay in his arms.


    With this thought, a strange feeling surfaced, and the drowsiness he had finally achieved quietly dissipated.


    How can one rest well like this?


    Alas, Lulu and Monica have not been found yet. I must make another stone bed. Otherwise, even if five people squeeze together tightly like a jigsaw puzzle, there won��t be enough space to sleep.


    Lin Da was plunged into a sweet dilemma.


    The extra weight was either due to Tasya or Lia; he could no longer tell.


    ��Hey, how should I use the power in my eyes?��


    In the blanket, Lia shifted a bit, facing Lin Da, her large eyes glittering with a longing for power.


    Her breath lightly misted Lin Da��s face, making it moist; the fragrance of her hair was distinctly noticeable.


    Luckily, it was pitch dark and Lia��s body was all under the covers, with only her head exposed, which eased the awkwardness between them.


    Lin Da took a deep breath, trying to stop his mind from wandering.


    Approaching Lia in such a straightforward manner, not only would she look down on him, but he would also despise himself. As a pure love team captain, Lin Da planned to spend his first time with the team members. If anything happened with Lia and others like Lulu found out, they would surely be disappointed.


    In other words, Lin Da��s head was able to control his desires, which is a quality of a top-notch adventurer.


    He pondered Lia��s words for a moment and slowly replied, ��To use that fire power, I think you should follow what your heart truly believes is the right path.��


    ��Find the most important thing in your heart, trust it, and protect it. Then, your fire will surely respond to your call.��


    Lia hesitated: ��The most important thing, is it Gold Coins?��


    ��I don��t think so.��


    Lin Da said helplessly.


    ��Uh, is it my mother? If I become a strong adventurer, Bellini would be proud of me, right?��


    ��That��s for you to decide. The most cherished and important thing in your heart. Only that can stir your fire.��


    ��It��s my fire, why do you understand it so well?��


    Lia looked at him, puzzled.


    ��A secret.��


    Lin Da closed his eyes and said, ��Let��s sleep now, the night is already half over.��


    ��Okay.��


    Lia pondered for an hour about the matter of the fire before she fell asleep.


    What is the most important thing in her heart?


    The last time she felt that fire was when she fought the Snake People Chieftain to protect Aiko and others.


    Could it be that the most important thing to her is Aiko?!


    Lia was almost startled awake.


    ��


    Before they knew it, fifteen days had passed since the tenth sealed level of the Great Mystery Continent had been closed.


    After that night, Lin Da hurriedly made a second stone bed.


    He slept cuddled up with Tasya and Lia, which was comfortable, but it became tiring after a whole night.


    His arms were sore from being pressed all night, and he was so energetic that he wanted to find a place to vent.


    After much thought, Lin Da decided to sleep in separate beds, letting Tasya and Lia sleep together while he slept on another one.


    One night, he and Tasya played some acupressure massage games secretly while Lia was asleep, which turned out to be quite thrilling.


    The next morning, Lia had no idea.


    When Lin Da and Tasya smiled knowingly after breakfast, it confused Lia, who thought they had eaten fish without her and argued with them for a while about it.


    In addition, the weather had been quite nice over those five days.


    Apart from two days of ��Acid Rain�� and one scorching day that nearly roasted them, the other two days were relatively normal.


    That afternoon, a thin red fog blanketed the forest.


    Lin Da, who was scouting for traces of Magical Creatures in the tree, was instantly delighted.


    ��It��s a foggy day!��


    In such weather, the perception abilities of both Magical Creatures and adventurers decreased several folds.


    This allowed them to make a move on that Serpent People camp.


    A Serpent People camp was stationed by the riverbank.


    Discovered by Lin Da two days ago.


    According to his observations, there were ten dark fruit trees growing near the riverbank, with the fruits roughly numbering over 200.


    With these fruits, they wouldn��t have to worry for the remaining half of the month; both their survival chances and safety level would greatly improve.


    The only challenge was the number of Magical Creatures in the Serpent People camp, with the lowest being level 28, including more than 10 at level 30.


    And one Epic-level 1-star, a level 31 Two-Headed Serpent Chieftain with formidable strength.


    Lin Da had been observing for several days and hadn��t found a good opportunity to strike, so he had to reluctantly keep it in mind.


    Now with the arrival of ��foggy day,�� the Serpent People��s perception was diminished.


    He had already been hiding up in a large tree and had memorized the terrain while bird-watching.


    Even with low visibility and poorer perception abilities, the terrain was already imprinted in Lin Da��s mind.


    If not now, when? The best opportunity had already appeared!


    Returning to the cave on the cliff, the three of them met up.


    After hearing Lin Da��s analysis, all thought it was a suitable time to strike.


    After eating, they headed toward the Serpent People camp located to the south under Lin Da��s lead.


    ��


    ��Like this, then like this�� finally like that����


    Along the way, Lin Da repeated the battle plan over and over.


    It was mainly for Lia��s benefit.


    Tasya was not only a Professional Maid but also a reassuring member of the adventure team.


    Tell her once and Tasya would mostly remember, like a top-performing child in class, which always brought a smile to Lin Da��s face.


    Compared to her, Lia was like the student who sits at the back of the class.


    He patiently explained the plan, forcing Lia to memorize it.


    Only after hearing Lia��s recital did Lin Da nod in satisfaction, ��Not bad, you can make it if you��re willing to put in the effort.��


    ��Just don��t think of this miss as an idiot!�� Lia said proudly.


    It took an hour and a half for the three to arrive near the riverbank.


    They stooped low, hiding in the bushes and approaching the Serpent People camp.


    Because it was ��foggy day,�� there was pale red fog everywhere, with visibility at most three meters.


    From Lin Da��s position, he could only dimly see the campfire in the distance and the vague outlines of tents in the Serpent People camp.


    The exact name for them was ��Aweis Serpent Soldiers,�� remnants of the ancient Aweis Dynasty.


    Their ancestors were hybrids of humans and Magical Snakes, and their impure bloodline subjected them to scorn.


    Thousands of years ago, they launched a war of aggression against adventurers and, as you can guess, it only took a month for the Aweis Dynasty to become a speck of dust in history.


    And today, they appeared in the Great Mystery Continent under the guise of trialing Magical Creatures.


    Lin Da and the others held their breath as they crawled, tiptoeing over to a Snake-man Soldier holding a torch and looking into the distance.

 Chapter 401 - 401: 320. Seizing the Dark Tree Fruit, trembling Lia?

    Chapter 401: 320. Seizing the Dark Tree Fruit, trembling Lia?


    The darker it is under the lamp, the less the snake-man soldiers expected three adventurers to be right under their feet.


    Even Lia had a single unruly tuft of hair sticking up almost touching the toes of the snake-man soldiers.


    Lin Da watched intently as the snake-man soldier, standing two meters tall with a long neck, sported simple brown leather armor, held a torch in the left hand, and a rusted great sword at his waist on the right.


    The most basic underling in the serpent camp, level 28, was not a concern.


    In the fog ahead, a massive shadow loomed over five meters tall��that was what they needed to be wary of.


    Two-Headed Serpent Chieftain.


    ...


    Level 31, Poison Series, an Epic 1-Star Monster!


    Weakness Striking System, Light Series, Dragon Series.


    Health points as high as 400,000, with both attack and defensive power being considerable.


    In the closed state of the Great Mystery Continent, it had a berserk attribute bonus, probably pushing its health points over 500,000.


    For this, Lin Da��s strategy was to outsmart.


    To obtain the Dark Tree Fruit meant success; there was no need to defeat the Two-Headed Serpent Chieftain.


    He gave Tasya a knowing look.


    Action begins!


    Tasya understood and, her entire body wrapped in Wind Battle Qi, her dress fluttering wildly, flew out of the bush with her Magic Cannon [Shell Rush Sand] aimed at the sky.


    ��Hiss hiss!��


    Her appearance immediately provoked agitation in the serpent tribe.


    The hitherto serene camp boiled like oil in a frying pan, as snake-man soldiers with torches and swords hurried towards the commotion.


    Wuuu wuuu wuuu~!


    A scout snake-man stood atop a tower of piled stones, blowing into a large brass horn.


    The towering shadow in the mist, with heavy steps, approached Tasya.


    As the distance closed, Lin Da and Lia, hiding in the bush, could clearly make out the shadow��s true form: standing over five meters tall, clad in bronze armor, with two snake heads��one blue and one red��featuring ferocious eyes and gaping maws.


    It held a curved blade in the left hand and a magic wand inlaid with sapphires in the right, with both heads targeting Tasya, issuing sharp, piercing laughs.


    According to the plan, after Tasya��s cannon had fired, she would use the agility trait of her wind-based Battle Qi to escape to the outskirts.


    The Two-Headed Serpent Chieftain let out a creepy laugh, slithering on the ground, its cold scales passing over the bush where Lin Da was hiding, sending chills down his spine.


    He also noticed a small detail, Lia, who was usually bold and liked to charge at Magical Creatures, was actually trembling slightly?


    Without time to think further, within a few seconds, more than seventy percent of the snake-man soldiers led by the chieftain went after Tasya.


    ��Act now!��


    Estimating they were a safe distance away, Lin Da and Lia leaped from the bush.


    ��Toxic Purple Mist!��


    ��Flame Slash!��


    Lin Da spread poison mist, enveloping the remaining dozen or so snake-man soldiers.


    Lia, on the other hand, swung her great sword wrapped in flames in a sweeping strike.


    Three snake-man soldiers were scorched on the spot, their Life Barriers shattered.


    This damage made Lin Da take a brief second glance.


    Working together, it took only a few seconds for them to repel the snake-man soldiers.


    Lin Da and Lia exchanged a look and nodded to each other, then headed for the Dark Tree Fruit.


    The tree was three meters tall, with both leaves and fruit appearing black. sea??h th�� ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da threw out his Dark Whip to pluck the fruit.


    As it was about to reach the Dark Tree Fruit, the space around suddenly fluctuated.


    A fist-sized Illusory Snake Head appeared, biting onto the Dark Whip and refusing to let go.


    Lin Da��s face changed, and he shouted to Lia, ��Careful, there��s a magic seal on the fruit!��


    Magic seals, a type of magic array, are usually used to protect treasures from being stolen.


    But he had not expected that the snake-people would place a seal on the Dark Tree Fruit.


    ��It seems this seal is the biggest challenge in the snake-people camp!��


    ��To get all the fruit, we need a direct confrontation. Although Tasya is leading away the Two-Headed Serpent Chieftain, we can��t hold on for much longer. Once she breaks free, those snake-men will return.��


    ��If we don��t pick the fruit quickly, Lia and I will be caught in a pincer attack!��


    In the plan, Tasya was to calculate the timing, fully unleash her Wind Battle Qi, and after three minutes, use her remaining strength to open up a distance and shake off the serpent people.


    By then, having lost sight of their target, the Two-Headed Serpent Chieftain would most likely return, akin to ��exceeding the monster��s aggro range�� in a game.


    In other words, Lin Da had three minutes to break the seal on the Dark Tree Fruit.


    ��What do we do!��


    Lia��s strike only resulted in the seal and the fruit being smashed to a pulp.


    In this state, the magic power contained within the fruit would instantly dissipate.


    Lin Da said gravely, ��Using brute force won��t work, apply Battle Qi bit by bit to break the seal!��


    ��I��ll try!��


    Lia concentrated and extended her hand forward.


    A stream of flame wrapped around the Dark Tree Fruit.


    The flames and the emerging snake-head attacked each other, the pale purple Void Snake winding around the fruit, and with the slightest provocation, it would crush the fruit, ending with a taunting gaze at Lia.


    ��Argh, this is so infuriating!��


    Lia was antsy, like an ant on a hot pan.


    Time was of the essence, and they were being blocked by this cunning seal. Continuing like this risked leaving empty-handed, without a single fruit, and they might be surrounded and killed by the returning Two-Headed Serpent Chieftain!


    ��Don��t panic, calm down. Think of your Battle Qi as your third arm,�� Lin Da instructed.


    He focused his gaze on one of the fruits, controlling his Dark Whip to grapple with the Illusory Snake.


    In no time, sweat covered his forehead.


    But simultaneously, the Illusory Snake was firmly caught by the whip, separating from the Dark Tree Fruit.


    Seizing the chance, Lin Da reached for the fruit, plucking it off at once.


    The orange-like fruit was cool to the touch and smelled enticing.

 Chapter 402 - 402: 320. Winning the Dark Tree Fruit, trembling Lia?_2

    Chapter 402: 320. Winning the Dark Tree Fruit, trembling Lia?_2


    Lin Da let out a sigh of relief and proceeded with the picking of the second Dark Tree Fruit.


    Lia also calmed down, patted her cheeks, and began her struggle against the restraints once again. sea??h th�� ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This time, she learned from her lesson and used flames to deplete the energy of the Void Snake before catching it off guard and breaking through in one fell swoop, successfully harvesting the Dark Tree Fruit.


    ��Good!��


    Lia wiped the sweat off her forehead and pressed her lips together as she looked around.


    ��It must have been over a minute by now, right? I need to speed up and try to pick more fruits!��


    ...


    With the success of this attempt, Lia gradually became more adept.


    One, two, three��


    Ten��


    Lin Da��s Magic Guide Wristwatch emitted a ding-ding sound, signaling that the preset three minutes had passed.


    ��It��s time to leave.��


    Lin Da��s expression turned serious as he and Lia made their escape.


    On the way, the two shared their haul: he had gathered twenty-seven fruits, and Lia twenty-three, making exactly fifty when combined.


    Every twenty fruits could restore the magic power or battle qi of a Star-ranked adventurer from zero to full.


    Since Lin Da had only recently leveled up, he still had about ninety percent of his magic power remaining, Lia had twenty percent, while Tasya, who had taken on the task of distracting the Two-Headed Serpent Chieftain, likely used a great deal, probably leaving at most ten percent��


    Tonight, they��d fill their magic circuits with the Dark Tree Fruits!


    ��Is it too quiet?��


    While fleeing, Lia suddenly stopped.


    Lin Da��s train of thought was interrupted, and he hesitated.


    He rubbed his chin in contemplation. Indeed, if the Snake-man soldiers returned to find the Dark Tree picked clean, they should be raging mad.


    Yet he hadn��t heard a sound, not even the footsteps of Snake-man soldiers returning to the tribe.


    ��Could it be Tasya buying us time?��


    ��With her rigid personality, three minutes is exactly three minutes, not a second more, not a second less.��


    Lin Da furrowed his brows.


    A bad feeling started to creep into his mind.


    After a moment of thought, he took off the Space Ring from his finger and handed it to Lia:


    ��I��ll go check it out. You take the supplies back to the cave first and use the Dark Tree Fruits to restore your battle qi.��


    Lia��s expression changed, and she pushed the ring back, ��No, I��ll come too!��


    ��Tasya is also Miss��s temporary companion; I can��t just leave her behind.��


    ��But your battle qi condition����


    Lin Da felt hesitant.


    ��Even if there��s not much left, I can still unleash an ultimate skill,�� Lia ran ahead, ��Don��t worry about me, saving Tasya is what��s important!��


    ��You��re right.��


    Lin Da clenched and unclenched his fist.


    They quickly retraced their steps and hid in a large tree to observe.


    In the Snake People camp, only a few scattered soldiers, about fifteen, had returned, with no sign of the leader.


    It was highly probable that something had happened to Tasya.


    Lin Da pushed off the ground to jump from one large tree to another, following the direction where Tasya had lured the Snake People.


    ��


    On the western side of the Snake People camp, amidst Chaotic Stone Ridge,


    huge bizarre rocks stood tall, with the blood-red sun overhead shedding light and warmth, dispersing the mist.


    The adventurer��s and Magical Creatures�� vision, along with their perception, were slowly returning.


    Tasya was holding the Magic Cannon in both hands, gasping for breath as she looked towards the two-headed Serpent Chieftain ten meters away, who had a sinister smile at the corner of its mouth.


    Beneath it, a green snake head as thick as a human arm had unexpectedly sprouted, unleashing a poison-laden Wind Blade that injured Tasya��s right leg.


    Nobody expected the third snake head to be hidden beneath the Armor covering its loins.


    This was the level 31, Epic Two-Star rated Three-Headed Snake People Chieftain!


    More than twenty Snake-man soldiers surrounded Tasya, closing in on her.


    The Snake People Chieftain lifted his Magic Wand, chanting an obscure, raspy spell.


    Its surroundings began to glow with numerous red specks of magical power, converging above.


    The temperature in the area quickly doubled, as if under the scorching sun.


    Tasya steeled her heart, her eyes tinging with the color of the darkest shadows.


    ��Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang!��


    Just then, an angry shout came from afar!


    The intention behind calling out the name of the move was to draw the Snake People Chieftain��s attention.


    And indeed, upon hearing this shout, a flicker of emotion crossed the Snake People Chieftain��s eyes, and its chanting of magic syllables faltered.


    It turned its head, and all six of its eyes revealed a look of terror.


    A vine-made wooden dragon, containing a trace of a dragon��s aura, assaulted it!


    The Snake People Chieftain��s body trembled slightly, its magic incantation completely disrupted.


    The vine wooden dragon bit the Snake People Chieftain��s neck, entwining its body as the horrifying sound of cracking bones echoed continuously.


    The Snake People Chieftain screamed in agony, trapped where it stood, unable to escape.


    A flicker of unusual color passed across Tasya��s face.


    Those two figures in the distance, weren��t they Lin Da and Lia?


    Seizing the moment when the Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang bound the Snake People Chieftain, Lia, who had finished energy charging, stepped forward quickly, raising her greatsword and preparing to unleash the Explosive Flame Slash.


    However, the Snake People Chieftain��s left red head opened its mouth wide and spewed out flames, burning the vines to ashes.


    Its right hand brandished a shining curved blade, while the left hand��s magic wand swayed, and one of the snake heads began chanting a spell.


    ��Retreat!��


    Lin Da sensed a hint of danger and solemnly said, ��Take Tasya and withdraw first; I��ll hold off this magical creature!��


    ��What about you?��


    Lia dodged backwards to avoid the Snake People Chieftain��s attack, noticing her voice tremble as she spoke.


    Her brow furrowed, she tilted up her head, looking up at the Snake People Chieftain, five meters tall and fearsome of visage, and for a moment, felt as if she were back on the twelfth layer of the Great Mystic Realm.


    There, Lia had come close to being beheaded by a gatekeeping Snake Person, though she was lucky in the end, losing only an eye, and had managed to heal�� but the adversary still appeared in her nightmares every night.


    The one before her was a Three-Headed Snake People Chieftain, possessing water, fire, and wind attributes, far surpassing the single-headed Snake People Chieftain.


    The nightmare had vividly come to life.


    No matter how many times Lia told herself she ��definitely could win,�� to ��not overthink it,�� to ��grip the sword and focus on the battle,�� it was futile; her body was gripped by fear, urging her feet to flee.


    When Lin Da told her to take Tasya and run, Lia felt a shameful sense of relief deep within her.


    ��You and Tasya go ahead, use the Dark Tree Fruit to recover your Battle Qi. If I��m not back by then, come find me!��


    Lin Da made a quick decision.


    Now was not the time for hesitation; the noise of battle would attract more magical creatures. Rationally, having him, with the most abundant magic power, cover the rear could not be more appropriate.


    ��Verdant Shield.��


    Lin Da enveloped himself in an Emerald Light Shield and, wielding the Sword of Royalty, charged forward.


    ��Hiss!��


    The Snake People Chieftain had long found him displeasing, hoisting its magic wand high, and an [Ice Spear Array] appeared above its head.


    A dozen spear-like sharp ice blocks shot towards Lin Da with a swish!


    Lin Da surged his chest with a breath, focusing most of the Life Barrier��s energy to the front.


    Clang, clang, clang!


    The Verdant Shield blocked a full ten ice spears, while the remaining four hit the barrier.


    The ice spears exploded in front of him, the shards cutting into Lin Da��s lightly armored calves, making the leather boots seem like paper, slicing open the boots and stockings within.


    The burning pain was fleeting; adrenaline pumped wildly amidst intense combat.


    Battling an epic demon creature alone was a situation that made Lin Da both nervous and excited, reminiscent of gaming days where he faced a boss on the edge of defeat.


    Since arriving on Mystic Continent, he had mostly been cautious, prioritizing safety, but when it came down to a life-or-death struggle, the blood of adventure in him began to boil.


    Unaware of the wound on his left leg, he pushed off the ground with all his might, using the momentum to reach the Snake People Chieftain.


    Even when looking up, he could only see the massive body, the dense scales like armor, the large, bloody, curved blade�� it made Lin Da��s heart race with thrill!


    A trace of madness unseen by others flickered across his face; the dark flames similar to those of the Dark Shadow sparked in the depths of his eyes.


    ��Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang!��


    Lin Da used the rare technique once again, and with a burst of vines transformed into a giant dragon, it bit off the head of the Snake People Chieftain between its thighs.


    Crimson blood spurted all over, narrowly missing Lin Da��s face.

 Chapter 403 - 403: 321. Flames Awaken, Starfire Airstream Slash

    Chapter 403: 321. Flames Awaken, Starfire Airstream Slash


    ��Hiss!!!��


    The only two remaining heads of the Snake People Chieftain shook violently in pain, one spitting out a Water Arrow and the other spewing Flames, burning the Vine Dragon and furiously slashing its scimitar towards Lin Da.


    Clang!


    The Sword of Royalty clashed with the scimitar, forcing Lin Da back several meters, the immense size of the Snake People Chieftain granting it a clear advantage in strength, numbing his arms and causing his blood to surge violently inside him, leading to slight dizziness.


    Theoretically, a Level 31 Two-Star Epic Monster would require a complete Iron Level adventure team to subdue. Although Lin Da was Level 32, he had not updated his Star Rank Equipment, inevitably putting him at a disadvantage in a solo fight.


    But in those few exchanges, he had figured out the basics of the Snake People Chieftain.


    ...


    Harming him was easy, but thinking about instantly depleting his Life Barrier of 12,800 was wishful dreaming.


    Given enough time, he could wear down the Snake People Chieftain.


    The only problem was that the enclosed Great Mystery Continent housed too many Magical Creatures lying in wait, potentially leading to an immediate encirclement of Treants.


    At least, he had protected Lia and Tasya. Lin Da��s lips curled into a relieved smile.


    ��Flame Slash!��


    As the Snake People Chieftain��s Ice Spear Array launched, a fiery red figure stood in front of Lin Da.


    The Great Sword swung impermeably, completely severing the ice spears.


    The Swordsmanship was rough, with a raw, violent beauty.


    Lin Da stared, astonished, at the redheaded girl in front of him, holding the Great Sword and facing away from him.


    Lia��s brown boots stamped the ground forcefully, each swing leaving a deep footprint; her black thigh-high socks outlined taut muscle contours like tightened springs.


    ��What are you doing back here, weren��t you supposed to take Tasya and leave?��


    The response came from someone else.


    Tasya slowly walked to his side, her white Magic Cannon in hand, aiming at the tall Snake People Chieftain and saying, ��Please forgive your subordinate for not being able to abandon you and run away. You said you hoped your subordinate could make choices with free will, so, I must disobey your order.�� S��ar?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da opened his mouth, as if struck by his own thrown boomerang, unable to utter a word.


    ��What about you? Why did you come back, you��re not even one of the Phoenix Tail Flower, Aiko and the others are still waiting for you, aren��t they?��


    Lin Da looked at Lia, annoyed.


    He noticed that, compared to himself and Tasya, Lia was trembling with fear.


    Then why come back?


    If Lia came back just for the sake of some pitiful pride, not wanting to be looked down upon, he would despise her bitterly, looking down on her for the rest of his life!


    ��


    Lia was indeed trembling.


    As she approached the Three-Headed Snake People Chieftain, feeling the chilling cold radiating from the monster��s blue scales, she realized that it was much stronger than she had imagined.


    The nightmare creature that had taken her left eye and nearly ended her life was one with the Three-Headed Snake People Chieftain before her now.


    Lia��s eyes throbbed slightly in pain, and her breathing became chaotic.


    She was caught off guard by Lin Da��s question.


    Looking down at her trembling hands, tasting almost bitter fear on her tongue, Lia asked herself: why did she follow Tasya back?


    Tasya had a clear reason, to protect her ��master��, but what about herself? Lin Da was not her ��master��!


    A hot flame choked in Lia��s chest, her mind in utter disarray.


    There seemed to be a ray of light amidst the chaos, but she couldn��t grasp it, always slipping through her fingers.


    ��Hiss hiss!��


    The Snake People Chieftain, seeing her inherent vulnerability, spit out a crimson tongue, blood pouring from its severed head as it approached with a ferocious demeanor.


    The large scimitar raised in its right hand, the magic wand in its left emitted a deep blue glow.


    Controlled by the two heads, a joint assault of blade and magic!


    Lia��s legs trembled even more. Noticing this, Lin Da stepped forward to grab her shoulder, intending to toss her behind him.


    This startled Lia.


    She had a strange intuition that if she retreated here, the snake-like creatures would forever loom over her. If she feared even snakes, how could she ever challenge those Giant Dragons soaring in the skies?


    An adventurer who couldn��t challenge a Giant Dragon could never be considered ��top-notch��!


    Driven by impulse and willfulness in her heart, Lia pushed away the astonished Lin Da.


    Her fiery red eyes intensely focused on the Snake People Chieftain ahead, her voice trembling but increasingly firm.


    ��You once said, to master that flame, one must follow the path one believes is right, find the most important thing to oneself, and use the sword to protect it�� ��


    ��Now, this young miss has found it.��


    Whether it was protecting Aiko and Oru during the strategy of the twelve layers of the Mystic Realm or even now, Lia had only one goal.


    To protect her friends, her companions.


    Also, to overcome her own cowardice��Lia��s trembling hands gripping the Firebird Feather Sword, she charged at the Snake People Chieftain with a piercing shout: ��Watch, this young miss��s fight!��


    Just like the protagonists in comic books, in a desperate situation, Lia charged at the enemy shouting a shameful slogan.


    What bond, friends, even ��because we are OO��s tail!��, the kinds of inexplicable sayings that burst forth potential in one��s body and completely turn the tides��


    Such classic scenes wouldn��t happen in reality!


    Lin Da felt a chill in his heart.


    Facing the Snake People Chieftain with only twenty percent of her Battle Qi left, was Lia any different from seeking death? Don��t think that shouting loudly enough would bring about a miracle; this wasn��t the world of heroes in comic books!

 Chapter 404 - 404: 321. Flames Awaken, Starfire Airstream Slash_2

    Chapter 404: 321. Flames Awaken, Starfire Airstream Slash_2


    ��Tasya, support that guy!��


    Lin Da gritted his teeth in anger, rapidly casting Verdant Shield in his mind.


    No matter the outcome of this battle, he had to give Lia a good talking to. As an adventurer, how could she harbor such unrealistic fantasies? The solid reality was to tumble and dodge attacks, then strike at the weaknesses of Magical Creatures with one��s sword.


    But the real ��reality�� was��


    Lin Da��s thoughts seemed too antiquated?


    The real Another World was filled with enough fantasy, not just a bunch of cold, hard data.


    ...


    ��Aaaaah!��


    As Lia��s shouts grew higher and higher, specks of golden light fused into her Fire Fighting Qi.


    Her long, crimson hair seemed to contain stars, airstream, flames��starlight intertwined upon her great sword, magnificent and dazzling.


    The mere showing of her might already turned the Snake People Chieftain pale with terror, putting up a defensive stance.


    The wilderness vegetable porridge Lin Da had eaten yesterday nearly caused him to vomit in fear: that was the Starfire Douqi which Lia wouldn��t even begin to grasp until level 40, so how could it appear at level 31?


    No one could answer Lin Da��s question.


    At this moment, all eyes of both people and Magical Creatures at the scene were focused on the crimson-haired girl.


    Lia only felt an unprecedented heat in her Magic Circuit, as if something was about to burst forth.


    Wave after wave of new understanding sprung from that internal flame, flowing into her mind.


    Her eyes burst with strange colors.


    It was�� a completely new way of using Explosive Flame Slash.


    She absorbed the warmth from the sun and stars, fully utilizing the surrounding environment to her advantage.


    The part of her Magic Circuit that corresponded to Explosive Flame Slash recombined, resembling two kinds of Lego bricks that could be shaped into something else.


    Its name was:


    ��Star, Fire, Airstream, Slash!��


    Lia��s sword was crowned with three meters of firelight, and the emitting airstream interwove with scorching flames, along with a hint of the mysterious power of the sun.


    The raging flame sword struck at the Snake People Chieftain.


    Bang!


    A deafening explosion roared.


    Dust and tiny shards of rocks exploded throughout Chaotic Stone Ridge.


    Lin Da shielded his face with his arm, squinting and looking uncertainly towards the front.


    ��Master, are you all right?��


    Tasya blasted away a Snake People Captain who was hiding in a corner, intending to sneak attack Lin Da.


    ��I��m fine, but what about Lia?�� Lin Da was concerned that Lia would collapse after using that move.


    He and Tasya rushed into the dust to search.


    They found a silhouette standing with a sword.


    ��The rest is up to you.�� The fiery glow on Lia��s body faded, and she looked down at her own hands, seemingly deep in contemplation.


    ��Alright, let��s hunt down the Snake People Chieftain!��


    Lin Da nodded his head.


    At this point, he had no intention of letting the enemy go. The damage caused by Lia��s Starfire Airstream Slash was significant, and he and Tasya, working together, were confident they could conquer it in a short time.


    Their goal had shifted from escaping safely to killing the Snake People Chieftain to obtain the Divine Gift from the World Tree Goddess!


    An Epic Two-Star Magical Creature of level 31 was sure to grant them a level increase.


    Lin Da found the Snake People Chieftain singing Water Series Recovery Magic, leaning against a giant rock.


    Having been hit by the Starfire Airstream Slash, the head of the Snake People Chieftain, which could spit flames, had vanished, leaving only one lonely head.


    ��Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang!��


    Using this Rare Technique for the last time, Lin Da��s right hand opened wide, summoning a green Magic Circle.


    Hundreds of vines shot out from within, entwining mid-flight to form a Wooden Giant Dragon.


    ��Roar!��


    As if a silent dragon��s roar echoed, the Snake People Chieftain shivered in fright.


    The spell it was chanting got disrupted again by Lin Da.


    The suppression of Dragon Series against Serpent Series was evident.


    The existence of Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang doubled the effectiveness of the battle, greatly reducing the difficulty.


    Tasya also went full throttle, boldly setting up her Magic Cannon on her thigh, with the barrel aimed at the Snake People Chieftain bound by Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang, now like a live target.


    The Wind Battle Qi stirred up a tempest, and Tasya��s long maid skirt fluttered noisily, revealing the white garters at her thighs now and then.


    Because of the need to brace the wild Magic Cannon, Tasya��s thigh muscles were tense as if they were powerful iron clamps.


    The Magic Cannon [Shell Rush Sand]��s mouth opened like an octopus swallowing prey, revealing an even larger dark barrel inside.


    Deep blue Battle Qi brewed within, forming a fist-sized Gale Bullet.


    ��`


    It was Tasya��s ultimate skill, ��Hurricane Shot��!


    The Magic Cannon��s following three attacks would receive an enormous boost in damage.


    ��Hiss, hiss, hiss!��


    The scales of the Snake People Chieftain all stood on end, his pupils showing terror as he exerted all his strength to chant a defensive magic known as Water Shield.


    ��Dark Whip!��


    With a snap of his whip, Lin Da managed to tie up the mouth of the Snake People Chieftain.


    Chanting?


    Chant your sister, direct physical gagging!


    Immediately after, the conical gale bullets flew one after another.


    Three dull thuds that made one��s teeth ache on hearing, and the huge body of the Snake People Chieftain was blasted away.


    Crashing into several massive boulders, he rolled away like a ball for quite a distance.


    The ground was littered with red blood and shattered scales.


    The snake-man soldiers watching from a distance had already been scared out of their wits.


    Some fled, some crouched and hugged their heads, trembling.


    The 30-level Snake People captains were somewhat better off, but those below level 30, without the protection of their leader, were immediately cowed under the might of the three Star Rank adventurers, Lin Da and his companions, and lacked the courage to fight.


    Meanwhile, Lia, who had entered a state of enlightenment, came back to life from her statuesque stance and said with excitement, ��I��ve fully mastered the Starfire Airstream Slash, it��s much stronger than the Explosive Flame Slash!��


    No sooner had she spoken, than a golden glow floated to above her head.


    Lia blinked in confusion.


    This was the Divine Gift from the World Tree Goddess.


    Lin Da and the others had taken care of the Snake People Chieftain?


    This speed was indeed not slow.


    It seemed that not only had she become stronger, but Lin Da and Tasya were by no means weaker than her.


    As she was contemplating this, the golden orb descended.


    Lia grunted, tensed her body, and did not want to let out a disgraceful moan.


    Bathed in Divine Power, Lia jumped from a magic-depleted level 30 to level 32, recovering about seventy percent of her Battle Qi!


    Even Tasya, rising from level 34 to 35, was one step closer to the Moon Rank.


    Under the golden light, Lin Da felt as if nourished by spring rain, and he couldn��t help but hum in comfort. S��ar?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The system voice echoed in his ears:


    [Together with other adventurers, you have killed a level 31 Epic Two-Star Monster, the Three-Headed Snake People Chieftain, and received the Divine Gift from the World Tree Goddess, which has been transformed into 200,000 points of personal experience!]


    [You have leveled up, 32��33!]


    [Strength +100, Magic Power +100, Defense +30, Magic Defense +40, Agility +20, Hit Points +800]


    [Current Experience 24098/300000]


    Lin Da, who already had ample Magic Power, advancing to level 33, was in a state of full Magic Power, brimming with vigor.


    The only slight regret was not managing to land the last hit on the Snake People Chieftain.


    In that urgent situation, it was not the time to vie for the last hit; his burst damage was far inferior to Tasya��s.


    Now, having ascended to level 33, with Lia at 32 and Tasya at 35, and with 50 Dark Tree Fruits in hand, he felt equipped to face the harsh climates within the sealed Great Mystery Continent.


    For the first time, Lin Da felt a sense of relaxation.


    With Tasya and Lia by his side, and still in search of Lulu and Monica, he had always been on edge.


    Only now did he feel he could catch his breath.


    Lin Da pulled his thoughts together and walked toward the mound of spoils burst forth from the Snake People Chieftain.


    Lia and Tasya followed suit.


    The three of them looked over together.


    Atop the small mountain of Gold Coins were one orange and two deep purple pieces of equipment.


    The deep purple light formed into fine beams, the dazzling magic particles floating within them.


    It was only when adventurers picked them up and connected their Magic Circuits that the glow would dim.


    ��Two, two pieces of Epic-level Equipment!�� Lia exclaimed. ��Isn��t this luck just too good?��


    Epic Monsters do not necessarily drop Epic Equipment; this is common knowledge among adventurers.


    Whether they drop and how many mostly comes down to luck.


    Yet Lin Da coolly glanced at Lia.


    Rushing out on her own to face the Snake People Chieftain.


    Although the outcome was good, if Lia hadn��t awakened the Starfire Airstream Slash, it could have been a very different ending.


    ��`

 Chapter 405 - 405: 322, 2.6 million diamonds, uninvited guest

    Chapter 405: 322, 2.6 million diamonds, uninvited guest


    Although the result was good, if Lia had not been able to awaken the Starfire Airstream Slash, the outcome would have been completely different.


    It was highly likely that his Verdant Shield wouldn��t have reached Lia in time, resulting in her being struck by the Snake People Chieftain��s curved blade.


    At that time, it would have been a blessing from the World Tree Goddess if she was only severely injured.


    ��You charged quite fast just now,�� Lin Da grabbed Lia, who was about to pounce on a small mountain of spoils, and said coldly, ��You don��t have a share, stay aside.��


    ��Ah? Why?�� Lia felt annoyed.


    ��Still don��t understand?�� Lin Da let Lia figure it out on her own.


    ...


    He went ahead to check the equipment.


    Picking up a red ornament from the top of the pile, he scanned it.


    [Item: Snake People Chieftain��s Fiery Red Bead]


    [Level: 31]


    [Quality: Orange, Rare]


    [Attributes: Strength +1000, Fire Damage +15%]


    [Rating: 2221. The dead Snake People Chieftain��s bead, turned into an ornament by some unknown force. Staring at it, one might occasionally see it rotating, but whether that��s an illusion is unclear.]


    Good grief, a rating over 2000.


    Lin Da��s eyelids twitched.


    It was even stronger than his own Epic Two-Star weapon, the Sword of Royalty.


    Although he had anticipated it, the fierce energy emanations from the fiery red ornament still made him sigh in admiration.


    It truly was Star Rank equipment.


    For adventurers, there��s a threshold at level 30, and it��s the same for equipment.


    Breaking past level 30, the increase in attributes is incomparable.


    Three pieces of equipment burst forth, and he had already decided in his heart to give them to Lia, yet Lin Da kept a poker face and indifferently stored the ornament into his Space Ring.


    He stole a glance at Lia, only to see her pouting, lost in thought, rather than shouting about why he wasn��t giving her the equipment.


    Lin Da nodded in relief.


    Turning away, he looked at the second item:


    [Item: Snake People Chieftain��s Ice Magic Wand]


    [Level: 31]


    [Quality: Epic Two-Star]


    [Attributes: Magic Power +1400, Defense +100, Ice Type Damage +10%]


    [Rating: 2664. The Snake People Chieftain��s favorite weapon, the top of the wand shaped like a snake��s head, holding a blue bead brimming with cold mist. Gazing at it, one can feel winter.]


    ��An Ice type wand�� selling it would incur a transaction fee, better to give it to Monica,�� Lin Da thought as he put away the Ice Magic Wand, silently deciding to urgently find Monica and Lulu.


    There were 50 Dark Tree Fruits, and about 150 left to pick at the Snake People camp.


    In the coming days, as long as they avoid those level 40 and above Magical Creatures, there��s no significant danger.


    From the team panel, he could confirm that all team member icons were lit, and Lin Da felt somewhat reassured.


    The last piece of equipment was a pair of blue, snake scale crafted, slender boots.


    [Item: Snake People Chieftain��s Twin Legs]


    [Level: 31]


    [Quality: Epic Two-Star]


    [Attributes: Strength +500, Agility +100]


    [Rating: 2419. These seem to be a pair of boots, but also resemble legs, perhaps only those who wear them can give a fair judgement. It��s worth mentioning that the scales carry the fluctuation of breeze, which can enhance your Agility]


    Agility, a truly valuable attribute.


    Lin Da himself was a slow-moving support, adding Agility could effectively improve his combat capabilities.


    After connecting the Magic Circuit, the deep purple light on the boots subdued, turning into a surge of energy entering his body.


    Lin Da��s previous boots only added 30 points of Agility; putting on these Epic-level boots, he instantly felt nimbler on his feet.


    ��Truly Epic-level equipment,�� he thought to himself.


    The rest of the spoils included 57 Purple Gold Coins, 10,000 regular Gold Coins, and one level 33 Epic Two-Star Fire Magic Core.


    Added to those Lin Da had acquired from slaying the Forest Dragon.


    His Space Ring now held materials worth over 10 million Gold Coins!


    Even excluding the Ice Magic Wand and the Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang Skill Book he had used.


    With these resources at his aid, awaiting the opening day of the Great Mystery Continent, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team��s breakthrough to Iron Level would be effortless.


    The corners of Lin Da��s mouth couldn��t help but curl up. S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The first small goal he set three years ago when he joined Snow Goose was for all members to safely become Iron Level.


    It was finally about to be realized.


    The only point that felt somewhat nostalgic was that the team members had changed.


    Lin Da approached the remaining few Snake People captains, threw a Venom Magic Sphere with one hand, and charged forward with his sword, slashing wildly.


    The Snake People captains were level 30, but being just blue Rare Magical Beasts, they had 50,000 health points and their defensive power was far from matching the Snake People Chieftain��s.


    The Venom Magic Sphere rapidly thinned the Life Barrier of the Snake People captains.


    Wearing the Epic-level boots, Lin Da moved like the wind, and the captains�� long swords couldn��t even touch him.


    Even though his own swordsmanship was not very exquisite, he could still overwhelm by relying on Attribute Points.


    With Tasya��s Magic Cannon providing support from behind, Lin Da swiftly killed three Snake People captains within a minute.


    Flicking the fresh blood off his sword, Lin Da glanced at the message box in the lower right corner of his vision.


    [System Notice: Kill Snake People Captain x3, gained Mystical Points 6000, Diamonds 6000 (During the closure of the Great Mystery Continent, additional resource buff in effect)]


    [Current Balance: Mystical Points 125867, Diamonds 2630700]


    Seeing that long string of diamond balance, Lin Da smiled silently.


    The kill of the Forest Dragon, along with the slaying of Magical Creatures in the past few days, had amassed his diamond count to an alarming 2.6 million plus.


    Converting these diamonds into [Experience Guidance Tickets] was enough to fill up any team member.


    Cleaning up the remaining miscellaneous Snake People, Lin Da sheathed his sword, and glanced at the maid whose silver hair fluttered in the Breeze.


    Just 5 levels to go, and Tasya would advance to becoming a Moon Rank Adventurer.


    2.6 million plus diamonds, he wondered if that would be enough.


    No matter what, they had to wait for the Great Mystery Continent to open, then venture out.

 Chapter 406 - 406: 322, 2.6 million diamonds, uninvited guest_2

    Chapter 406: 322, 2.6 million diamonds, uninvited guest_2


    In the strictest sense, Tasya was not yet a member of his team, and she had to formally terminate her adventurer��s contract with the Scarlet Adventure Group.


    ����Sorry.��


    A sudden heavy voice interrupted Lin Da��s thoughts.


    He was somewhat surprised and looked at the frowning girl in front of him, waiting for her to continue.


    Lia, not daring to meet Lin Da��s eyes, played with the hilt of the Phoenix Feather Sword and said sheepishly,


    ��That old problem of mine acted up again, always thinking I can win any battle, making you worry, so�� anyway, um, sorry.��


    ...


    Lin Da��s expression softened slightly, and he patted Lia on the shoulder. It was not easy for Lia, who could be cooked in a pot by Magical Creatures and still remain tough, to admit this frankly.


    He handed her the level 31 orange accessory, [Snake People Chieftain��s Fiery Red Bead].


    ��Although it��s only orange, this piece is very suitable for you. I��ll make up the difference in equipment cost after we leave the Great Mystery Continent.��


    How could she accept this��


    Lia wanted to decline, but thinking about the Snow Goose Adventure Team��s dire financial situation, she blushed and nodded.


    Wearing the [Snake People Chieftain��s Fiery Red Bead], Lia��s Battle Qi became even hotter, sending her spirits soaring: ��It feels even better than a regular epic!��


    The 15% increase in fire damage was significant.


    Lia couldn��t see the specific stats of the equipment, but she could approximately feel the powers within the accessory.


    ��If only I could get a Fire Series Epic Great Sword,�� Lin Da murmured to himself.


    The current version 1.3 of the game still had room for enhancement for Lia.


    Having the powerful skill [Energy Charging], Lia especially benefited from Attack enhancements.


    The most significant increase in attack came from the main weapon.


    Overall, with Tasya completely equipped with level 34 orange gear and wielding an Epic Two-Star [Shell Rush Sand], it was hard to achieve further enhancements.


    And Lin Da��s own enhancement wouldn��t cause a qualitative change.


    He would just become tougher, with higher sustained damage.


    It was a linear enhancement.


    In comparison, Lia had the greatest potential for enhancement.


    Starfire Airstream Slash + Energy Charging, combined with an Epic Sword��


    The damage would be simply beautiful.


    In Lin Da��s mind, the image of an orange fox flashed by.


    Killing a Moon rank adventurer required burst damage.


    Otherwise, the opponent would deploy the Battle Qi Twin Wings and simply fly away before defeat.


    Moon ranks could fly.


    This was a crushing advantage over most Star Ranks.


    Moon ranks could advance or retreat, fight or flee.


    They completely controlled the initiative.


    Subduing Hu Er, with Lia��s talent for burst damage, was one of Lin Da��s trump cards.


    Lia still thought Lin Da was genuinely considering her interests and showed an embarrassed expression, ��We��re not even in the same team anymore, and you��re still so good to me?��


    That coy demeanor, Lin Da saw through it; this guy thought he liked her.


    But early impressions are hard to change.


    Unless it��s dark, or their eyes are covered.


    Otherwise, Lin Da found it difficult to see Lia as a potential romantic interest.


    He said resignedly, ��Even if you get the Epic Great Sword, it will be deducted from your pay; don��t think too much about it.��


    Lia: ��Huh?��


    On the way back to the Snake-man camp, the two kept bickering.


    Tasya remained silent, cautiously on guard around them.


    From time to time, she looked at them with a hint of envy on her face.


    ��


    The river water babbled, and the shores were covered in lush grass.


    A scene filled with bird songs and the fragrance of flowers.


    The only downside was that there were about a dozen injured Snake-man Soldiers lying around.


    All of their limbs had been cut off, blood was profusely flowing from the severed parts, and they were screaming while trying to crawl away using their tails on the ground.


    An orange fox hummed a tune, its fluffy tail swaying, carrying a small bamboo basket on its left hand, and wiggling its hips.


    Like those Black-skinned Orcs picking cotton, enjoying the joy that labor brings.


    When Lin Da and his team arrived, ready to pick the Dark Tree Fruits, they ran head-on into the fox.


    At noon, the scorching sunlight dispersed the last wisp of mist, even the breeze that blew was hot enough to be bothersome.


    Both groups stopped what they were doing.


    They stood about twenty meters apart, looking at each other, their expressions frozen on their faces.


    Wasn��t this too much of a coincidence?


    Rivals meeting definitely made their eyes turn red.


    The atmosphere suddenly cooled to freezing point.


    The four people had different thoughts running through their heads.


    However, they all shared one thing in common, except for Lia, the other three had a flash of murderous intent in their eyes.


    For Tasya, Hu Er had almost gotten them eaten by the Forest Dragon, a matter of life and death, and if there was a chance to finish him off, she would not be soft-hearted.


    It was the same for Lin Da.


    Both publicly and privately, there was no reason to spare Hu Er.


    ��It��s you!��


    Lia, who did not fully understand the situation, eased the tense atmosphere.


    She pointed at Hu Er and exclaimed, ��It��s the lady��s lapdog!��


    Half a month ago, Hu Er had feigned pursuing Lia and was rejected.


    Lia often talked about this, and how the Moon rank adventurers were her lapdogs.


    Despite the rejection, she still bragged about it afterward.


    Seeing Lia standing with Lin Da, their unintentional intimate gestures made Hu Er furious.


    When he tried to touch Lia��s shoulder and hadn��t even made contact, the young girl fiercely warned him, ready to fight at a moment��s disagreement.


    She��d rather sleep in a tree hole than adventure with him.


    Self-considered handsome and skilled, Hu Er thought he was rejected because Lia was a Little Mossy Girl, naturally arrogant.


    But now, seeing her with Lin Da, it didn��t seem to be entirely the case.


    ��That Little Mossy Girl said a Moon rank isn��t qualified to pursue her, does Lin Da qualify then? In her eyes, am I worse than a level 26 weakling adventurer?!��


    Hu Er��s face grew colder.


    ��Hey, wait, Star Rank?��


    Suddenly, Hu Er��s perception made a discovery.


    He blinked in disbelief.


    The aura emanating from Lin Da, was it Star Rank?


    And not the kind of new Star Rank at level 30!


    Hu Er��s face greatly changed.


    From the last time he met Lin Da to now, only half a month had passed.


    During this half month, Lin Da had advanced from a level 26 adventurer by at least 4 levels��


    This [Eye of True Knowledge] Lin Da, must not be left alive!


    Inside Hu Er, his Battle Qi surged tumultuously.


    While their thoughts aligned, their outward demeanor was polite.


    Hu Er subtly shifted his body, opened his arms, and chuckled,


    ��Nice to meet you, nice to meet you. Didn��t expect to meet Captain Lin Da here too, seems we are quite fated, look��we even teamed up to defeat this Snake-man camp.


    Since we both contributed, the fruits of our labor should also be shared equally.


    Or perhaps, are you planning to offer the fruits to me, a Moon rank, in exchange for protection?


    Hahaha, just kidding, miss maid and Miss Lia��s looks are quite scary, almost scared me there. sea??h th�� N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I, Hu Er, am all about fairness, only taking my share of the rewards. I��ve taken what belonged to me, the rest is yours.��


    Hu Er sat on a tree branch, rested his chin on his hand, and from a higher position, smiled at Lin Da.


    Lin Da, expressionless, pulled out a Signal Flare Scroll from his waist, tore it open, and launched it into the sky.


    It depicted the image of a blood-red Slime crying, the smoke lingered in the air for up to a minute, a universally recognized adventurer��s distress signal on the continent.


    Seeing the flare rise, Hu Er��s eyelids twitched.


    Who was Lin Da calling for help?


    It should be noted, this was the enclosed Great Mystery Continent.


    In this forest, there were likely only a few adventurers.


    Yet Lin Da��s face showed a trace of relief as he steadied his breath while holding his chest.


    The only surplus action was using his body to shield a puzzled Lia, fearing she would ruin his plan.


    ��You took more than half.��


    Lin Da strode towards Hu Er.


    With each step he took, Hu Er felt increasingly hot under the collar.


    Hu Er anxiously thought, could Lin Da be calling for help from the White Dove Adventure Group? From the intel he gathered, the Phoenix Tail Flower and the White Dove Adventure Group were closely linked.


    That level 39 [Mind��s Eye] Abner��


    Thinking of the blue-haired long-tailed Swordsman who always kept his eyes closed, a shadow fell across Hu Er��s eyes.


    As Lin Da continued walking, his tone slow, deliberately languid, he said, ��You picked the tree fruit so sparsely, leaving less than 40 pieces, and you call this an equal share?��


    The Snake-man Soldiers were the ones they distracted, and the chieftain was the one they defeated.


    Hu Er merely lucked out and thought to share equally with them?


    If it were an hour ago, Lin Da might still be a bit afraid of Hu Er.


    But now, he, Lia, and Tasya, all were in full condition.

 Chapter 407 - 407: 323, Scaring away Hu Er, the ingenious use of Wind and Fire Battle Qi

    Chapter 407: 323, Scaring away Hu Er, the ingenious use of Wind and Fire Battle Qi


    After leveling up, Lin Da and his companions were all in peak condition, as though they had had a good meal and a proper warm-up.


    In contrast, Hu Er��according to Lia, the fox wasn��t lightly injured. It must be true, or it would have attacked already.


    The reason Lin Da could be certain was due to his skill, the ��Eye of Truth.��


    Above Hu Er��s head, a red -1 appeared every few seconds.


    Hu Er was indeed in an injured state.


    The only uncertainty was whether, after half a month, Hu Er��s injuries had grown worse or lessened since Lia saw it.


    ...


    If it��s the former, Lin Da and his group had the upper hand.


    If it��s the latter�� the danger was on their side now.


    Lin Da thought to himself that to kill a Moon rank adventurer, he was lacking a decisive trump card.


    The Battle Qi Twin Wings that allowed Moon rank to soar were too big an advantage.


    Once Hu Er realized it was losing and decided to flee, Lin Da could only watch it fly away.


    Determining Hu Er��s true physical condition was the top priority.


    Lin Da moved closer to Hu Er, partially to bluff and partially to scout at close range.


    Just as he was about to approach within a ten-meter radius.


    ��Ahaha, I just remembered I have rice cooking at home that I need to check on, so I won��t stay and chat with you guys. Bye-bye, let��s have hotpot together sometime. Eating hotpot in a ��Cold wave�� weather is the best.��


    Hu Er slapped its head as if remembering something urgent, waved at Lin Da with a laugh, and spread its Battle Qi Twin Wings to fly into the sky.


    Lin Da called out, ��If you want to eat hotpot, come to our side, the more the merrier.��


    ��Definitely next time!��


    Hu Er called back.


    Watching the figure disappear into the horizon, Lin Da��s eyebrows furrowed bit by bit.


    He didn��t rashly conclude that ��Hu Er must be seriously injured and we��re sure to win�� in case Hu Er was feigning weakness. Was it putting on a show? Perhaps it wasn��t just him��


    ��Moon rank, Moon rank ah����


    Lin Da glanced at Tasya.


    That fervent gaze made Tasya slightly embarrassed.


    In fact, what Lin Da was considering was how to infuse Tasya with Diamonds.


    But without a way out of the Great Mystery Continent, even a multitude of Diamonds was mere nonsense.


    Others might lack rice for cooking, but Lin Da had a belly full of rice and no pot.


    That was truly awkward.


    ��You��re just going to let that bootlicker go? That��s not okay!��


    Lia pointed angrily at the fruit tree, which was now pockmarked and incomplete like crops gnawed by pests, and said, ��Why should he take away so much without doing anything? It��s not fair!��


    Lin Da had already calmed down and shook his head, ��Life is full of unfair things. I got used to it while I was with Snow Goose.��


    ��Huh?��


    Lia was astounded.


    How did the blame end up on her?


    Afterwards, the three of them harvested fruits together and counted their gains.


    Fifty in the ring and forty-one new ones.


    Less than expected, but barely sufficient.


    Lin Da��s concern was that Hu Er might have regained full Battle Qi after consuming the Dark Tree Fruit.


    That would be very troublesome.


    As Lin Da picked fruits, he pondered how to take down Hu Er with a startling and impressive move.


    Could they rely on Lia��s newly mastered Ultimate Skill, the Starfire Airstream Slash?


    It probably wouldn��t be enough. Moon rank adventurers were not so easy to defeat, even an injured one.


    To ensure the slow-activating ��Ultimate Move�� could hit Hu Er, Lin Da also had to conceal the Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang.


    Once its binding effect was revealed, it would surely make Hu Er cautious.


    The magic scroll ��Super*Charge�� seemed destined to be used by Lia, who had the highest burst potential.


    Were these two cards enough?


    Lin Da asked himself.


    If it were a game, he felt they would suffice.


    The rest was up to execution.


    In this vivid reality, however, he believed they still needed one more decisive card!


    Lin Da circled around Tasya and Lia with a tense brow.


    Their scrutinizing look made them feel uneasy.


    ��Wind and fire could be worth a try����


    Lin Da murmured to himself.


    After picking the fruits, they took a long walk through the forest to make sure Hu Er wasn��t following them before heading back to their dwelling.


    ��


    Five days later, at noon.


    In Lin Da��s cave, lunch had just been prepared and the three of them sat down around a stone round table.


    The main dish was a pot of pork stewed with cabbage, and each had a bowl of wild vegetable soup.


    Unlike usual, Lin Da had hurriedly ground two extra stone bowls the night before, asked Tasya to serve the dishes properly, and prepared two additional seats.


    Another stone bed was made, complete with bedding and tableware.


    Apart from the common combat training the trio undertook, Lin Da spent the rest of the time on these preparations.


    ��Isn��t this a waste of food?�� Lia asked from across the table, not understanding the purpose.


    Lin Da didn��t respond but asked in return, ��How well did you and Tasya get along in the practice?��


    ��It��s, it��s okay,�� Lia stopped talking.


    Tasya wore a look of apology: ��Master, I really can��t get along with her.��


    ��Even if you don��t get along, you have to work on it. Didn��t I tell you to hold hands and sleep together at night to build rapport and break barriers? Did you do it?��


    Lin Da said, with a hint of a headache.


    Tasya remained silent.


    ��We won��t be able to develop a Fusion Finishing Skill at this rate,�� Lin Da sighed.


    The last card missing to fight Hu Er was the Fusion Finishing Skill of wind and fire.


    Fire augmented by wind would yield a force greater than the sum of its parts.


    Combined with his magic scroll ��Super*Charge,�� it would catch Hu Er off guard.


    But the rapport between Tasya and Lia was too weak.


    Forget about fusion, not causing a Battle Qi explosion that injures them internally would be good enough.


    For this reason, Lin Da needed to launch an ��ice-breaking operation�� to break down the barriers between their hearts.


    Sharing a bed, skin-to-skin contact, holding hands and falling asleep together��


    But both of them were extremely resistant to the idea.


    ��Do you understand the seriousness of the situation?��


    Lin Da put down his chopsticks and looked at Lia and Tasya with a serious face.


    Lia said, ��I really can��t do that kind of thing, but I will train hard to merge our Battle Qi with Tasya as soon as possible.��


    ��Me too,�� Tasya nodded.


    ��Sigh, let��s eat first����


    No sooner had Lin Da finished speaking than he heard a soft, ambiguous laugh.


    ��Hehehe, so you��re here. You��ve given me quite the runaround.��


    The camouflage curtain made of vines was lifted.


    An orange fox, with a bamboo basket full of fruits in the crook of its arm, dressed in a loose-fitting adventurer outfit, strolled into the cave with a beaming smile as if visiting a neighbor.


    The chatter abruptly stopped. S��arch* The N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tasya stood up.


    Lia took out the Phoenix Feather Sword from her ring.


    The casual mealtime was instantly shattered.


    The air seemed to grow heavy.


    At this moment, Lin Da held back the two and said calmly, ��If I had known Mr. Hu Er was coming, I would have prepared an extra set of tableware.��


    Hu Er squinted his eyes, took a look around, and noticed the additional sets of tableware with wild vegetable soup, his heart skipping a beat.


    Was Lin Da that day not just bluffing, did he really have backup?


    ��Captain Lin Da guessed that we��d have a guest today? The title of the Eye of True Knowledge is well-deserved.��


    ��I��m not that capable; it��s all rumors from the outside,�� Lin Da shook his head. ��Lulu and Monica went to pick fruits and haven��t come back yet.��


    ��Lucky you, to be able to find all your scattered teammates in a closed Mystic Realm,�� Hu Er said with a half-smile, half-smirk, putting down the fruit basket. ��Aren��t you going to invite me to sit, Captain Lin Da?��


    ��Who do you think you are, don��t push your luck, get lost!�� Lia glared furiously. ��You stole over a hundred Colored Tree Fruits from us and you��re returning these ordinary fruits? Take your basket and scram!��


    ��But I also put in the effort,�� Hu Er replied with an aggrieved look.


    With an expressionless face, Tasya pulled out a stone chair and served Hu Er some wild vegetable soup, her voice flat, ��Please have a seat.��


    ��Thanks.�� Hu Er casually sat down on the stone chair, rubbing his belly with emotion, ��It��s been a long time since I had food with warmth. Did Captain Lin Da make all this? If I were a girl, I��d definitely fall for you.��


    Lin Da seemed to forget his hatred for Hu Er and said with a faint smile, ��The native wild vegetables from the closed Mystic Realm would be worth dozens of Gold Coins outside. Come, give it a try.��


    ��Then I shall not stand on ceremony.��


    While pretending to be relaxed, Hu Er kept a wary eye on Tasya and Lia to his sides, took a big gulp of the wild vegetable soup, took out a handkerchief to wipe his mouth, and praised, ��Excellent cooking, I like Captain Lin Da even more now.��


    ��You��re a fraud,�� Lia said with a cold laugh, hands on her hips. ��The last time we met, you said your favorite was me, and now it��s Lin Da?��


    ��If I may be so bold,�� Hu Er smiled. ��Miss Lia��s charm, indeed, doesn��t compare to Lin Da��s.��


    ��You��!��


    Lia��s face instantly heated up in anger, and she raised her Great Sword to strike at Hu Er.


    ��Hold on, Mr. Hu Er is a guest,�� Lin Da said. ��Although we had some grievances in the past, within the enclosed Great Mystery Continent, we should fight side by side and overcome difficulties together.��


    ��Hehe, yes, I get along with Captain Lin Da,�� Hu Er replied with a light tone, but a drop of cold sweat appeared on his forehead as he couldn��t help but notice the two empty sets of utensils on the table.


    If it had been just Lin Da and the other two, even if he had been injured by Witch Bai Mian, he would still be confident of gaining the upper hand, or at the very least, he could escape using Battle Qi Twin Wings.


    But with the addition of two more Star Rank on Lin Da��s side, Hu Er felt the pressure was quite intense.


    Ordinary Star Rank was one thing, but as far as he knew, whether it was Lin Da, Tasya, or Lia, they were all exceptionally outstanding adventurers among their ranks.


    Hu Er took a few sips of the wild vegetable soup, his mind growing increasingly restless.


    ��I still need to collect water; I won��t bother you any longer. Lin Da, let��s get in touch some other day,�� Hu Er said as he stood up.


    ��Is there anything more important than this meal? Hu Er, you��re not trying to disrespect me, are you?��


    Lin Da��s face darkened, and with a smack, he slapped his chopsticks on the table.


    Hu Er was taken aback, his feigned smile cracking as his eyes glared coldly at Lin Da.


    This gave Lia quite a scare.


    Hadn��t Lin Da been quite polite and seemingly afraid of Hu Er just a moment ago? How had he turned hostile in the blink of an eye?


    If they really started fighting, it would be her side that would suffer.


    Lia, who not long ago had considered slashing Hu Er with her Great Sword, calmed down and thought so.


    She secretly activated the Skills for Energy Charging, preparing for a possible instant confrontation.


    But the scene that followed made Lia��s head spin even more.


    After a moment of standoff, a smile returned to the fox��s face.


    Hu Er rubbed his hands, his expression becoming somewhat ingratiating.


    ��Captain Lin Da, I truly don��t mean to disrespect you; the next time I visit, I��ll definitely hold a barrel of Wheat Beer as punishment! There is an injured adventurer at my home who needs my attention for treatment,�� Hu Er earnestly said.


    ��Today, I��ll leave behind five Dark Tree Fruits to make my apologies to you,�� Hu Er continued with sincerity.


    ��Is my face worth only five tree fruits?�� Lin Da said resoundingly.


    He pressed Hu Er remorselessly, as if a superior punishing a subordinate who had erred.


    ��Why has Lin Da become so arrogant?�� Lia wondered, scratching her head so hard in confusion that it hurt.


    Why would Moon Rank Hu Er be scared of Lin Da?


    Lin Da wasn��t even wearing the Verdant Shield; what if Hu Er used a Finishing Skill at close range, wouldn��t that be terrible?


    And Tasya appeared even more arrogant, subtly blocking the cave��s exit, as if intending to forcibly keep Hu Er.


    So, what��s going on with you two?


    Did you acquire some kind of Ultimate Weapon unknown to this Miss?


    That��s what Lia thought��


    The more she thought about it, the more it made sense, and her eyes began to gleam.


    That��s it!


    ��Wahaha! Hu Er, today is your day of reckoning; kneel down and apologize to this Miss already!��

 Chapter 408 - 408: 324, The Mysterious Light Rank in the Sky

    Chapter 408: 324, The Mysterious Light Rank in the Sky


    ��Hahaha! Hu Er, today is your death day, kneel down and apologize to this lady!��


    Lia laughed heartily with her hands on her hips.


    That relaxed and contemptuous expression on her face was ten times more pronounced than Lin Da��s.


    Hu Er��s pupils shrank immediately, and his heart screamed trouble. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had thought that Lin Da and Tasya were just putting on a show, bluffing to deceive him.


    But this Lia was so arrogant, giving off the impression ��we have ultimate weapons, you little fox, just resign to your fate.��


    ...


    Hissss.


    He almost fell for Lin Da��s trap.


    Hu Er sneered inwardly.


    Oh Lin Da, you should regret bringing Lia, that bumbler, as she exposed your entire plan.


    In terms of intelligence, perhaps you and I are comparable.


    But as for luck, I am a notch better!


    ��Lin Da, let��s chat another day!��


    Hu Er spread his Battle Qi Twin Wings and rushed frantically to the cave entrance, soaring into the sky!


    ��Quick, catch him!��


    Lin Da threw the Dark Whip into the air in a fury, unwilling to accept defeat.


    Tasya also attacked with the Magic Cannon.


    However, Hu Er dodged them all.


    The Battle Qi Twin Wings were as fluid as his limbs, extremely agile.


    ��Oh my, it��s infuriating, that Hu Er escaped! Lin Da, what��s wrong with you? Why didn��t you use your rare technique? That Wooden Dragon, couldn��t it have trapped Hu Er?��


    Lia said with an annoyed face.


    ��Trap Hu Er?��


    Lin Da blinked his eyes, ��Disgusted with an easy life, and want to taste some hardship?��


    ��But don��t we have an ultimate weapon?�� Lia was even more puzzled.


    Lin Da looked into the distance, waited a while, and then said, ��Ultimate weapon, where does that come from?��


    ��If you must say, it��s your two��s Fusion Finishing Skills.��


    ��What?�� Lia was dumbfounded.


    ��Then you dare����


    ��When you meet a savage dog on the road, the less afraid you are of it, the more it fears you, and vice versa.


    Dogs have keen noses and can smell the scent of fear on you. Had I shown even a hint of fear just now, we��d be in a fierce battle right now.


    Do you think Hu Er is kindly bringing us fruit?��


    Lin Da glanced at the fruit basket and said, ��This cave has been exposed, we need to move, the farther from here the better.��


    Lia was stunned for a while before she understood Lin Da��s meaning.


    Reflecting on it now, she couldn��t help but shiver.


    With the slightest mistake, the three of them would have to face Hu Er, the Moon rank adventurer.


    The Fusion Finishing Skills of Wind and Fire hadn��t been perfected.


    If it came to a fight, they would most likely suffer a great loss.


    ��Could it be, I am also part of your plan?�� Lia said with surprise.


    Looking at Tasya��s calm demeanor, she seemed to have known from the beginning what Lin Da was planning.


    Only she had been kept in the dark.


    Lin Da noncommittally said, ��Perhaps.��


    Lia: ?


    She felt somewhat underestimated, yet could find no proof.


    After all, Lin Da��s gaze at her was quite perceptive, as if he saw a great mind in her.


    ��


    One hour later.


    Hu Er hurriedly escaped, retracted his Battle Qi Twin Wings, and landed in a secluded cave.


    He clutched his head, pondering left and right, feeling that something was amiss.


    Recalling his recent arrival at Lin Da��s side, Lin Da seemed to stand up and walk towards him, but actually used his body to block Lia.


    Only Lin Da��s movement was so natural, Hu Er hadn��t thought deeply about it.


    Sitting down now, pulling out the last cup of tea from his ring and slowly sipping, he started to sense the quirks.


    ��Could it be, I��ve been played by Lin Da again����


    ��Just to be sure, I must go back and check,�� Hu Er��s face darkened.


    ��Lin Da, I admit you have what it takes to be my rival. Unfortunately, this makes me even less likely to let you live.�� Hu Er spread his deep blue Battle Qi Twin Wings and flew towards Lin Da��s cave.


    Various ideas passed through his mind, and he couldn��t help but sigh with regret.


    If he had known how troublesome Lin Da was, he would not have troubled him during the Forest Dragon incident.


    At that time, Hu Er thought eliminating Lin Da would be as simple as swatting a fly.


    Looking back now, his careless action had inadvertently created a powerful enemy.


    A faint sense of regret surfaced in his heart.


    Flying in the pale red sky, weaving through the clouds.


    Hu Er cast a glance sideways.


    The forest destroyed by that mysterious Light Rank more than half a month ago had not yet been restored by the Mystic Realm��s rules.


    From the sky, it was a distressing, fan-shaped, immense ravine stretching hundreds of meters.


    ��Even for a Light Rank, it had to be a top-tier Light Rank of level 59.


    I wonder which Big Shot from where came to the Great Mystery Continent?


    Another thing puzzles me, why could Lin Da break through to Star Rank in half a month?


    Why was he able to survive under the claws of the Forest Dragon?


    With the Revenge Mark, the Forest Dragon could definitely scout out and kill the murderer of the Young Dragon, which was Lin Da. Given the Dragon��s Grudge nature, it would not let him go.


    Unless the person who killed the Forest Dragon was Lin Da, then these quirks make sense!��


    Hu Er almost accidentally unraveled the true situation.


    However, Hu Er��s head ached as he entangled himself in his thoughts.


    One crucial logic did not match: If Lin Da could kill the Forest Dragon, why be afraid of him, a mere Moon rank?


    Compared to the Forest Dragon, he wasn��t even worth mentioning!


    Surely it wasn��t because Lin Da shouted, ��Because I am the captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, I must protect my teammates!�� and defeated the Forest Dragon, right?


    Such comic book heroics, Hu Er stopped reading them at ten.


    No matter what.


    A visit to Lin Da��s cave will clarify everything.


    Another hour passed.


    Hu Er returned near a majestic rocky cliff.


    The cave where Lin Da and his group resided was on top.

 Chapter 409 - 409: 324, The Mysterious Light Rank in the Sky_2

    Chapter 409: 324, The Mysterious Light Rank in the Sky_2


    He immediately became fully alert.


    Hu Er slowed his breathing.


    Moving stealthily.


    His eyes searched the area.


    But behind that vine curtain, there was cooking smoke curling up.


    Listening closely, there were sounds of laughter and merry voices coming from inside.


    ...


    ��Eh, not afraid that I��ll make a surprise attack?��


    ��It seems that even if Lin Da is not that mysterious Light Rank, he still has the confidence to deal with me.��


    Hu Er shook his head, preparing to leave.


    But just then, a sudden flash of insight struck him.


    Cooking smoke?


    It doesn��t seem to be mealtime yet, does it?


    Hu Er furrowed his brow, deep in thought.


    It took an hour to escape and another to return.


    He opened the magic pocket watch and saw it was just three o��clock in the afternoon.


    Do these people eat five meals a day��


    Or rather, if I had come back later, wouldn��t it have been just in time for dinner?


    Seeing the cooking smoke, I would probably have concluded directly that Lin Da was too confident to worry, and thus I would have left with my tail between my legs.


    Hu Er squinted his eyes and hid in the canopy of a large tree, observing from a few kilometers away.


    The sun set in the west.


    A cold wave descended.


    The sky gradually turned a dark red.


    The Blood Moon hung high, and the bone-chilling cold made Hu Er shiver.


    He wrapped his arms around himself, his legs trembling.


    Even though Hu Er was at Moon Rank, facing a cold wave in the Great Mystery Continent that was comparable to a large magic, he didn��t have much of a good way to resist it.


    He relied on his Battle Qi to hold on.


    Because he kept staring at the cave on the cliff, Hu Er��s eyes were incredibly dry, and each blink felt sore and painful.


    Yet he still hadn��t seen anyone enter or leave the cave.


    Aren��t Lin Da and the others going out to gather food? Aren��t they coming out for some fresh air, just ��squatting in the cave��?


    And that Lia seemed to be a very lively type; she definitely couldn��t sit still.


    Hu Er scratched his head in confusion. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It wasn��t until the dead of night.


    That he dared to approach the cave.


    ��Hehehe~��


    ��Hahaha~��


    ��So funny.��


    Laughter and merry voices arose.


    Hu Er always felt that the conversations in the cave sounded familiar.


    He calmed himself and listened intently.


    After a while.


    He finally understood.


    The laughter and merry voices were on a ten-minute loop, constantly repeating.


    ��This is�� a Recording Stone!?��


    Hu Er��s face changed dramatically.


    ��Could it be�� no, no way!��


    A terrible guess that made Hu Er��s face burn hot with shame and shook his body with rage sprang into his mind.


    Hu Er spread his wings and flew up into the air, entering the cave on the cliff.


    Upon lifting the vine curtain,


    ��Hehehe~��


    ��Hahaha~��


    ��So funny.��


    On the stone seats, there sat three scarecrows.


    In the middle was a square, blue Recording Stone.


    Aside from the large furniture that was inconvenient to carry, everything else in the cave had vanished, including Lin Da and his companions!


    ��So funny.��


    Lia��s voice came from the Recording Stone.


    Hu Er was stunned for a long while, then suddenly let out a loud ��Ah�� scream, frantically picking up the Recording Stone and smashing it to the ground.


    ��Lin Da, Lin Da!!!��


    Hu Er, furious and humiliated, jumped around the cave, causing destruction.


    He smashed the stone bed, shattered the stone chairs, and then ran to the cave entrance and yelled.


    His anger went off the charts, completely losing his reason!


    And at that moment.


    A dark shadow streaked across the sky.


    One could vaguely make out it was an adventurer in a black robe.


    The person had light golden wings on their back, and with each flap, they darted hundreds of meters.


    That speed was more than ten times faster than Hu Er��s.


    Hu Er��s shouting caught the attention of the adventurer.


    A wave of perception swept across the sky.


    It seemed like the air around them was suddenly drained, a tremendous pressure falling upon Hu Er��s shoulders.


    Hu Er��s chest felt stuffy, his heart pounding like a drum.


    This level of oppression, eight or nine out of ten, belonged to a Light Rank adventurer!


    Hu Er��s voice trembled, ��Senior, I absolutely meant no harm, the one I cursed at was someone else!��


    The black-robed adventurer in the sky glanced at him, shook his head slightly, then with a flap of his Light Wings, disappeared into the horizon.


    After the figure left, Hu Er felt drained, weakly kneeling on the ground.


    His back was soaked with cold sweat.


    This is what Light Rank is.


    They were not a Big Shot that adventurers from ��lower-ranked cities�� like them could come into contact with!


    Among the ��Trio of Misery�� in South Rock City, they were considered the strongest.


    Yet they were only ranked 109th out of the 302 cities in Cangqing Province.


    Only by squeezing into the top 100 would they be considered a mid-ranked city.


    109 and 100 seemed close, but there were several decisive factors.


    You must have a Dawn-level Adventure Group, and the World Tree strategy had to reach beyond the 25th level.


    And moreover, the team leader had to reach Light Rank!


    Looking at all the well-known adventurers in the three cities, not one dared to guarantee with certainty that they could reach Light Rank in their lifetime.


    If one were to speak of the greatest hope��


    Hu Er clicked his tongue.


    Most likely it was Abner from White Dove City, and the newly emerged Lin Da.


    The former had extraordinary talent, not advancing to the Moon Rank, but purely to break through the Nightmare Guardian on the White Dove City��s 19th floor.


    The other.


    Had risen more than four levels in half a month.


    Definitely an extraordinary encounter.


    It��s possible he could advance to Light Rank just by luck.


    And among adventurers, it��s universally acknowledged that luck is also an element of strength; all extraordinary encounters are not by chance!


    ��I absolutely can��t let that Lin Da go back�� Absolutely not!��


    Remembering how Lin Da had bluffed and acted arrogantly in the cave.


    How he himself had actually bowed and scraped with a forced smile.


    That memory alone infuriated Hu Er to the point of gnashing his teeth and stamping his feet in rage.


    If Lin Da were in front of him, he��d bite down without even using Battle Qi, just like the ancient magic foxes that hunted humans, to eat their flesh and blood to alleviate the hatred in Hu Er��s heart!


    At this moment, on the outskirts of Dragon Forest.


    In a cellar.


    Dug out in haste, two women and a man were exhausted enough.


    They used a Fluorescent Stone for lighting, enduring the smell of the earth and the damp air.


    Sitting on a pile of straw, each held a stone bowl.


    In it was noodles with scarce seasoning.


    Tasteless.


    ��Lin Da, I want to eat beef,�� said a young lady.


    ��There isn��t any, it��s all gone,�� replied Lin Da.


    ��Why! I saw quite a bit left yesterday!��


    ��Because you didn��t work hard to fuse with Tasya, I ate it all,�� Lin Da retorted.


    ��Ah?!��


    Lia pounced on Lin Da like an angry cat, ��Give me back my beef!��


    ��Wait until you develop the Fusion Finishing Skills,�� he responded.


    Lin Da used the Dark Whip to push Lia to the side, frowning, ��Stop messing around, you��re going to spill the noodles, and besides�� even if the seasoning is little, with my cooking skills, what I cooked should still taste pretty good, right?��


    Tasya sipped her soup with a blissful expression on the side, exclaiming, ��Even if it��s just boiled water noodles, as long as Master makes it, it��s delicious.��


    ��So what exactly is your relationship, Tasya? You��re like�� uh, a fan girl would be more apt, right?�� Lia grumbled as she sat back down on the straw, fluorescent lights hanging overhead making the cellar as bright as day, the worst part being that dirt particles fell from above into their noodle bowls.


    They had no choice, there was no time, Lin Da couldn��t reinforce the ceiling properly, they��d have to make do for the night.


    Tasya replied to Lia, ��I am Master��s maid, and nothing more.��


    Lin Da nodded, ��Exactly.��


    ��I always feel like you��re hiding something from me. Hey, you��re not some Big Shot, are you?�� teased Lia, clearly meaning to ridicule Lin Da a bit.


    After all, Lin Da had ��stolen�� the beef, otherwise tonight would have been beef mixed noodles.


    Lin Da ignored Lia, his gaze penetrating the ceiling covered with dry grass, looking upwards with a slight smile, ��Hu Er should have realized the truth by now. What do you think, will he be so angry he spits blood?��


    Lia quickly shifted gears, not dwelling on the pervious topic, and laughed heartily, ��That stupid fox got what he deserved, still owes us over a hundred tree fruits.��


    ��Keep it down, in case Hu Er is right outside,�� Lin Da reminded Lia.


    As they chatted, suddenly, everyone felt a tightness in their chest, unable to breathe.


    Some kind of invisible energy swept over them.


    Lin Da��s face changed, he held his forefinger to his lips signaling everyone to be silent.


    ��Is it, a Light Rank?�� Lia mouthed silently, eyes wide.


    That oppressive feeling was certainly not something a Moon Rank could achieve.


    Fortunately, it lasted only three seconds before that tremendous presence in the sky disappeared.


    Lin Da relaxed, his grip on the noodle bowl loosened, some noodles fell onto his pants, a hint of distress in his eyes.


    Lia, seemingly very hungry, glanced at his crotch and held her tongue.


    After finishing their meal, the three discussed the powerful presence they had felt in the sky just moments before.

 Chapter 412 - 413: 326, rules are meant to be broken

    Chapter 413: 326, rules are meant to be broken


    ��Thank goodness they underestimated us. My rare technique, Water Burst, took out Lin Da first. Without his Healing Art, the remaining two can be defeated one by one.��


    The only regret is that I can��t slowly torment Lin Da and enjoy his expression.


    Hu Er sighed.


    ��Venom Magic Sphere!��


    Suddenly, two deep purple Magic Orbs shot up from below.


    Hu Er, caught off guard, was hit on the Life Barrier.


    ...


    It immediately hissed, with a sensation like being pricked by needles feeding back to Hu Er��s brain.


    Hu Er��s face changed, but then he saw Lin Da emerging from the ruins of the wooden hut, holding the Sword of Royalty and sneering at him.


    Lin Da��s upper clothing was simply blown open, revealing a well-proportioned physique.


    Those faintly outlined abs seemed to silently taunt Hu Er.


    Had it been a month ago, Lin Da would certainly not have been confident in blocking a Moon Rank��s rare technique.


    Not to mention a rare technique, a simple skill from Mingli back then shattered his Verdant Shield, and he was seriously injured.


    And that was under the premise that Mingli was holding back.


    But now��


    Lin Da had ascended to Star Rank, reaching level 33, and was dressed in the Epic Two-Star armor, the Magic Dragon Soft Armor. Although it was only level 25, it was still an epic piece of armor in reality.


    His health points had almost doubled compared with when he fought against Mingli.


    That was the confidence levels had given to Lin Da.


    ��You little bastard, aren��t you a support?��


    Angered and embarrassed, Hu Er leapt down from the tree branch.


    The short blade in his hand glowed with a deep blue light, as massive Battle Qi began to converge.


    The main event was coming.


    The Moon Rank��s Ultimate Skill!


    Lin Da��s expression turned grave, he applied a new Verdant Shield to himself, took big steps forward, and shielded Lia and the others behind him.


    Only with his own 13,600 hit points was there hope of withstanding the Moon Rank��s Ultimate Skill.


    The combined health points of the two girls were hardly comparable to his own.


    ��Come on!��


    Lin Da tauntingly flicked his middle finger, using Manual Taunt.


    ��Heh heh, stepping forward to meet the Moon Rank��s Ultimate Skill? I, Tormentor Hu Er, am really being underestimated.��


    Even though Hu Er knew Lin Da was taunting him, he still walked into the trap.


    No matter how strong Lin Da showed himself to be��


    The gap between Star Rank and Moon Rank could not be bridged.


    Why do stars surround the moon?


    There is only one answer.


    ��Star Rank can never beat Moon Rank; this ironclad Law will be personally imparted to you by me, Lord Hu Er!��


    Hu Er burst out laughing and lunged with his dagger, the deep blue Battle Qi forming a swordfish.


    ��Ultimate, Swordfish Kiss!��


    With all his Battle Qi concentrated into an illusory swordfish that possessed piercing and sharpness traits, it caused massive damage!


    With this move, Hu Er could instantly kill level 40 Magical Creatures of common white rarity.


    Do you, Lin Da, a support, think you��re tougher than a level 40 Magical Creature?


    Hu Er refused to believe it.


    The deep blue swordfish burst forth as if jumping from a tidal wave, shooting towards Lin Da.


    Given its terrifying speed, even Moon Rank of the same level as Hu Er had no chance to dodge, let alone Lin Da.


    He could only take the hit of ��Swordfish Kiss�� head on!


    ��If you die without permission, I��ll never forgive you!�� Lia shouted anxiously.


    When discussing the battle plan, the most important part was how to deal with Hu Er��s Ultimate Skill.


    Lin Da gave a very simple answer.


    ��Just watch, the battle of the Captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team����


    Behind Lin Da, white wings unfolded with a ��bang,�� the Sword of Royalty was held high, sacred white light consolidating upon it.


    He swung with all his might, sending out a huge crescent-shaped golden light.


    At the same time, the wings gently flapped, three feathers each landing on himself, Tasya, and Lia.


    They quickly turned into transparent white ��Guardian Shields.��


    After ascending to level 30, Lin Da��s Ultimate Skill was enhanced, and the targets enveloped by Guardian Shield would immediately recover 50% of their maximum health points.


    The moment Guardian Shield was applied, a gentle warmth spread over the three of them, forming into pure energy that fortified their Life Barriers.


    With one strike of Guardian Sword, the three of them were nearly restored to optimal condition!


    With Double Shields deployed, Lin Da��s ��health points�� surged over 20,000.


    This is the foundation of his resilience against the Moon Rank Ultimate Skill!


    The sword light collided with the swordfish condensed from Hu Er��s vigorous Battle Qi.


    Indeed being a Moon Rank Ultimate Skill, the sword light collapsed in less than a second, devoured by the deep blue swordfish.


    The long, sharp spike aimed at Lin Da��s brow, the sound of tearing wind incessant, as if the air was filled with countless cloths being ripped, the noise making one��s teeth feel sour.


    Before the attack even arrived, Lin Da felt a faint prickling at his forehead.


    He tensed up, using the Sword of Royalty as a shield, completely on guard!


    Behind him, Tasya and Lia couldn��t help but break into a sweat.


    When they first heard Lin Da��s battle plan, both had expressed their objections, but Lin Da was adamant, insisting that they trust him.


    ��If you just die like this, missy here will definitely not attend your funeral!�� Lia thought anxiously.


    Thump��


    In the blink of an eye, the swordfish��s spike, a meter long, struck Lin Da. sea??h th�� N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Verdant Shield shattered in an instant, and the Guardian Shield only lasted for a second.


    What was over 10,000 points of shield protection was easily destroyed by Hu Er��s Ultimate Skill.


    Lin Da��s chest felt as if it had been struck by a carriage, a stream of fresh blood uncontrollably surged to his throat, his mouth filling with the iron taste of blood.


    In his personal panel, the alarming red bar representing his life points drastically shrank.


    From 13,600, it dropped to 2,445!


    Accounting for the 6,120 thickness of Verdant Shield, and the 6,800 points of Guardian Shield, the damage Hu Er��s Ultimate Skill dealt��


    Was around 24,000.


    And that��s with Lin Da��s exceptionally high physical defense.


    If it hit someone like Monica, with her fragile defense, it could probably cause over 40,000 damage.

 Chapter 413 - 414: 326, rules are meant to be broken

    Chapter 414: 326, rules are meant to be broken


    Unless a Heavy Armored Warrior with exceptional talent, a Star Rank definitely cannot withstand this blow.


    Under the strong force, Lin Da��s feet pierced the ground, and he was shoved back more than a dozen meters like a nail.


    From the waist down, he was all buried in the cold, muddy soil.


    Blood from Lin Da��s mouth could no longer be held back and was spat out in one mouthful.


    His face also turned frighteningly pale.


    The Ultimate Skill of the Moon Rank was truly ferocious in power.


    ...


    Even Lin Da felt overwhelmed.


    Tasya and Lia rushed to his side at great speed.


    ��Eat this quickly!��


    Lia took out a Dark Tree Fruit, didn��t even peel it, and forcibly stuffed it into Lin Da��s mouth.


    ��I��ll hold off Hu Er, please adjust your body��s condition as quickly as possible.��


    Tasya, carrying a Magic Cannon, glared at Hu Er with eyes full of hatred.


    A black thorn flower on her chest spread rampantly.


    It climbed out from the collar of her maid outfit, growing close to her neck.


    Lia, anxious to take care of Lin Da, had actually not noticed the change in Tasya.


    To deal with Hu Er, Tasya pushed her Witch Power to the limit.


    In terms of the strength of Battle Qi, she had now reached level 39!


    That is, the Peak of the Star Rank!


    Of course, the consequences were very serious.


    A normal witch would be attacked by the contamination.


    The following whole month would have to be spent in near-torturous pain and also significantly reduce her remaining lifespan.


    This was equivalent to converting life into Battle Qi.


    No witch would ever do this.


    But what Lin Da privately said to Tasya was: in this battle, the power of the witch can be used freely! No matter how much contamination, I will help you eliminate it!


    The legendary skill [Witch Purification] was just that domineering.


    As long as the witch didn��t turn dark on the spot, Lin Da could bring her back.


    ��Hurricane Binding!��


    Tasya pulled the trigger, and Wind Battle Qi crazily infused into the Magic Cannon.


    Taking advantage of the moment when Hu Er launched the Ultimate Skill and was in a weakened state, Tasya didn��t hesitate to activate her own Ultimate.


    At that moment, Hu Er, holding his right waist and forehead covered in sweat.


    The use of the Ultimate Skill caused the wound to split open again.


    A thick aqua-colored beam of light came facing him, and where it passed, the ground sunk into an arc.


    The brutal Wind Battle Qi transformed into a swift blade.


    This beam was completely composed of sharp air currents.


    Hu Er felt a chill in his heart and his big tail instinctively tightened.


    Faced with Tasya��s full release of Witch Power, Hu Er panicked!


    It happened in an instant.


    The speed of the beam��s advance was so fast that Hu Er, even at Moon Rank, couldn��t avoid it.


    A scream rang out.


    The figure of Hu Er was completely swallowed by the aqua-colored light.


    Tasya��s blast pierced more than three hundred meters.


    All the big trees in its path were left with bucket-sized gaps in the middle, followed by a thunderous collapse.


    ��Did I succeed?��


    Lin Da took a short rest and caught his breath.


    He cast two intermediate healing spells on himself in succession, only then did his health points fully recover.


    Supporting Lia��s shoulders, he slowly adjusted his breath, suppressing the turbulent blood and Qi within his body.


    Despite this, his complexion was still pale.


    Enduring a Moon Rank��s ultimate skill was akin to a small succubus being punched and kicked by three burly men.


    Even though there were no issues afterward, living through it was quite unpleasant, with pain all over the body.


    This only made Lin Da aspire even more for the Moon Rank.


    Stepping into this rank, one would truly become a pillar of the Mystic Continent.


    Ahead, dust filled the air, making it difficult to spot Hu Er��s figure. S��ar?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da focused his concentration to energy charge, silently casting a new Verdant Shield on himself.


    ��You okay?�� Lia asked softly.


    Lin Da nodded, ��No big problem, don��t worry about me, focus on the fight.��


    ��Okay.�� Lia nodded.


    The trio traveled together, cautiously moving forward.


    Suddenly.


    Tasya��s eyes shifted, the magic cannon aimed and swept fire towards the front left.


    Ratatat!


    Gale bullets shattered a large tree.


    The figure hidden within the canopy was forced into the open, it was the blood-covered Hu Er!


    Hu Er��s breath was much weaker than at the start; the wound on his right waist split open, fresh red blood soaking through his clothes, dripping down.


    Under Tasya��s attack, Hu Er chose to retreat, widening the distance.


    Worn down in turns, even as a Moon Rank, Hu Er could not hold on any longer.


    ��You guys, well done.��


    Falling behind, the expression on Hu Er��s face was still composed.


    He took out a handkerchief, wiped the bloodstains, frowned at the wound on his right waist, and let out a sigh of resignation:


    ��I had hoped to take you three down fair and square, seems I won��t be given the chance, huh.��


    Deep blue Battle Qi Twin Wings unfolded from his back with a whoosh.


    Hu Er looked up at the sky, a trace of relief in his eyes.


    As long as he got there��


    No matter how strong Lin Da and the others were, they couldn��t do anything to him.


    Apart from wind mages, other professions couldn��t take flight at the Star Rank.


    ��Lin Da, the next time we meet, I should be visiting you in the empire��s iron prison!��


    Hu Er glanced meaningfully at Tasya.


    But just then.


    Like an arrow released from a bow, Lin Da suddenly surged forward.


    He stared at Hu Er with icy eyes, his right hand reaching for the strap around his waist.


    Pulling out a fiery red magic scroll, he tore it open immediately.


    Ultra*Charge magic scroll.


    It could greatly enhance the damage of the next attack.


    As hot energy surged into his body, Lin Da felt as if even his hair was ablaze.


    His legs suddenly grew thicker, his veins bulging visibly.


    Immediately, the Sword of Royalty pointed forward, as he roared in his heart: ��Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang!��


    With the amplification of [Ultra*Charge], the number of vines shot out this time was double the usual, forming a Wooden Giant Dragon vividly with twenty meters in length.


    A trace of Dragon��s Might released from within it, catching Hu Er off guard and shattering his concentrated Battle Qi Twin Wings.


    Staring at the Wooden Giant Dragon lashing out with claws and fangs, Hu Er��s mouth dropped open in astonishment, wondering how a skill with a chance to be obtained only by killing a Forest Dragon ended up in Lin Da��s hands?

 Chapter 414 - 415: 326, rules are meant to be broken_3

    Chapter 415: 326, rules are meant to be broken_3


    Lost in thought, the Wooden Giant Dragon roared forth, clamping its jaws around Hu Er.


    Its tail transformed into vines, spreading out to weave a gigantic net that firmly pinned Hu Er to the ground.


    ��Ugh��!��


    Hu Er��s shoulder blades shattered instantly, and he was pressed face-first into the ground, fear flashing in his eyes for the first time.


    The Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang couldn��t kill him, but he couldn��t break free in a short time either.


    In all his previous battles, even when at a disadvantage, Hu Er had remained unbeaten.


    ...


    Like a spectator in the Arena, he felt no sense of danger, always ready to take flight with his wings.


    Until now.


    Trapped on the ground by the Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang, Hu Er truly panicked!


    ��Lia, Tasya!��


    Lin Da, with eyes reddened, roared out loud.


    ��Understood!��


    ��Yes, Master!��


    Lia��s long hair ignited with crimson Flames, speckled with condensing golden sparks.


    She crouched low and shot out like a Bullet.


    Tasya took a deep breath, and, using Witch Power, forcefully drove a second Ultimate Skill.


    As both their Battle Qi surged like a volcanic eruption, fear surfaced on Hu Er��s face, and he screamed hysterically while desperately cutting at the vine net with his dagger, trembling incessantly.


    On that redhead fool��s Great Sword, he sensed a whiff of death!


    No, as a Moon rank adventurer, a revered Big Shot, how could he die at the hands of these three brats!?


    Hu Er screamed in despair within his heart. S��ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Aah aah aah!��


    Lia leaped from the ground, lifting her Great Sword high.


    At the same time, the light beam formed by Tasya��s Fusion Finishing Skills, Hurricane Binding, fell upon it.


    Starfire Airstream Slash activated!


    The two Ultimate Skills merged, and a dazzling light burst forth from the Great Sword.


    Fire Tornado Flame: a storm of Bullets rained down!


    The fiery Bullets traced a beautiful arc, plummeting towards Hu Er.


    Hu Er ultimately couldn��t escape the Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang��s bind.


    Powerlessly, he tilted his head back, his pupils reflecting the intertwined light of wind and Fire.


    Boom!


    Like a meteor crashing down, the explosion was deafening.


    Where Hu Er stood, a ten-meter diameter crater of scorched earth formed.


    Once the dust settled, Lin Da saw Hu Er lying at the bottom of the crater, charred all over.


    His fluffy tail was directly blasted off, and his Leather Armor was reduced to Fragments.


    Motionless, with no breath left.


    ��We won, did we win?�� Lia walked over to Lin Da, panting heavily.


    Her body swayed, and she used Lin Da��s back for support to keep from falling over.


    Tasya had reverted from her Witch State, her left hand clutching her chest, lips bitten, and her forehead was full of endurance.


    Using her Ultimate Skill twice had taken a toll on her body, and she likely wouldn��t be able to fight for the next half month.


    The three of them united in battle, barely achieving a Pyrrhic victory.


    Against a prime Hu Er, it was highly probable that they would have lost.


    ��I must become stronger, as I can��t even protect a single person now,�� Lia murmured, gripping her Greatsword tightly.


    Seeing Lia��s dusty face, Lin Da tapped her forehead and said seriously,


    ��Pride is wrong, but self-deprecation is also a mistake!


    Us three Star Rank, defeating a Moon Rank together, though it was a hard-earned victory, it is still something to be proud of.


    Throughout the empire��s history, how many instances are there of Star Rank defeating Moon Rank?


    Lia, you can certainly be proud now.


    And Tasya, both of you performed very well!��


    Lin Da praised.


    Star Rank triumphing over Moon Rank was a feat that would be worthy of inclusion in the Adventurers�� University textbooks.


    An insurmountable gap, which they overcame in unison!


    ��Is, is that so?�� Lia brightened up a bit.


    Tasya smiled as well, bowing slightly, ��To serve the Master is my honor!��


    ����Do you know how the titles Light Rank, Moon Rank, Star Rank came about?��


    As the three let their guard down, a ghostly, chilling voice came from behind Lin Da.


    Meanwhile, the commotion from the fight also caught the attention of the surrounding Magical Creatures, as well as a petite figure in a little black robe, with pale golden Light Wings, searching the sky for something.


    A buzzing noise sounded in Lin Da��s head.

 Chapter 415 - 416: 327, kill Hu Er and return to White Dove City

    Chapter 416: 327, kill Hu Er and return to White Dove City


    ��`


    ��Light fills the entire space, permeating every corner. It contains the stars and the moon in the sky, which is why the Light Rank is the strongest. The name of the Dawn-level Adventure Group is also related to the Light Rank,��


    As for the moon, there��s but one in the night sky, while stars are countless. No matter how numerous the starlight, it can��t outshine the moonlight.��


    Hehehehe�� This fox means to say only one thing: Moon Rank is not something the three of you at Star Rank can overcome. This iron-clad Law is one no adventurer can bypass.��


    A charred figure, devoid of skin and fur, ghostly appeared behind Lin Da.


    At that instant, Lin Da and his two companions felt a chill rise from the bottom of their hearts, their bodies covered in goosebumps.


    ...


    Tasya was facing that person, and Lin Da could see the appearance of the speaker reflected in her pupils.


    Hu Er held a broken test tube-like vial in his left hand, his lips stained with a dark liquid. The liquid was highly corrosive, carving gaps into his lips and exposing his lower fangs.


    A power very similar to that of a witch rose from within Hu Er.


    His eyes were filled with roiling dark mist, his soles burned down to the bone, with only a layer of flesh remaining, stepping on the ground as if he felt no pain.


    He was practically a ��living dead��!


    Lia��s eyes widened as she cried out: ��Stop����


    Hu Er, clutching a dagger, aimed for Lin Da��s heart.


    At such a distance, Lin Da had no chance of dodging. He hadn��t even added a Verdant Shield for protection.


    If a vital point were hit, there would be only one consequence��!


    Lia felt as if something exploded in her head, her body stiffened, as though drenched in mud.


    Her eyes clearly saw Hu Er, but her hands couldn��t keep up. She could only watch helplessly as the skeletal Hu Er, with a fierce smile, stabbed Lin Da in the back with his dagger.


    That was an intense sense of powerlessness that made her nauseous. Lia couldn��t even make a sound, she just gaped.


    Lin Da, directly facing Lia, saw her panicked expression and a look of surprise flashed across his eyes.


    He quickly focused his attention on his Life Barrier, concentrating all his energy on his back to resist Hu Er��s attack as much as possible.


    But at the next moment.


    ����It ends here.��


    From a kilometer high in the sky, a figure descended swiftly.


    Like a diving falcon, its speed was so fast that the clouds turned into large ��smoke rings��, split apart by the descending person.


    In the nick of time, this adventurer, with pale golden Light Wings and dressed in a black robe, landed between Lin Da and Hu Er.


    She descended from the sky like a catkin, touching the ground without making a sound.


    Her voice was crisp and pleasant, obviously that of a woman.


    She appeared to be no more than one meter forty, with a pure white mask covering her face. The neckline of her black robe revealed a snow-white and delicate collarbone, with silver hair reaching her hips.


    Compared to Tasya��s slightly greyish hair, that of the Little Black-Robed Person was somewhat brighter.


    She casually extended her right hand, yawning lazily. Anyone could see how slow her motion was.


    Yet, with such a nonchalant grab, she caught Hu Er��s dagger with absolute precision��rather, the dagger that Hu Er had thrust suddenly curved as if attracted by a powerful magnet, delivering itself right into the hand of the black-robed person.


    This terrifying strength made all four people present twitch their eyelids.


    Immediately after, the little hand of the black-robed person lightly clapped, and Hu Er was hit hard. He screamed ��Ah��, flying over ten meters away, smashing through several thick trees.


    With that blow, Hu Er spewed blood all over, his already sparse flesh fell in chunks to the ground.


    Apart from his fox head, his body was essentially reduced to a skeleton, lying on the ground barely alive.


    From Hu Er��s sudden uprising to being thrown, it only took three seconds.


    As a result, Lin Da and the others�� emotions were like a roller coaster, from the tension of life and death to shock, astonishment, bewilderment��


    They all stood frozen, unable to react.


    The despondently strong Hu Er, whom the three of them combined could not defeat, was so easily thrown away. S��arch* The N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was as if swatting a fly were no different.


    ��Light Rank.��


    Lin Da, Lia, and Tasya all had the same thought in their heads.


    Who else but the Light Rank could throw Hu Er effortlessly with a casual hit?


    That overwhelming battle qi was tens of times stronger than Hu Er��s!


    If Hu Er gave Lin Da the feeling that there was hope to win, then the mysterious person before him, Lin Da guessed, would require the luck of all adventurers across the continent to stand a chance at winning.


    Lin Da didn��t know if the person was friend or foe, his gaze wary as he looked over.


    Despite being short in stature, shaped like a dwarf, wearing a black robe and hood, with a pure white mask that bore no pattern on her face, under the mask were a pair of dark purple eyes.


    As Lin Da observed her, she was also assessing him.


    No emotion could be discerned from behind those eyes.


    Lin Da had a nagging feeling that her mask looked familiar.


    It bore some resemblance to the mask of Dark Shadow.


    Surely she wasn��t cosplaying as Dark Shadow?


    Lin Da thought to himself in bemusement.


    At this time, not far away, Hu Er bit down on his teeth and struggled to rise, activating his Battle Qi Twin Wings to flee.


    Against the Light Rank, Hu Er had no desire to engage in battle.


    But the Little Black-Robed Person was already alert to the slightest movement around her. With a cold snort, a three-meter-long blue hand materialized from the void and slapped down, pinning Hu Er to the spot!


    It was the Hand of the Void, the unique ability of a Light Rank Adventurer!


    The Light Rank could solidify their battle qi or magic power into a controllable Hand of the Void. It used minimal energy while its lethality was quite impressive.


    ��`

 Chapter 416 - 417: 327, kill Hu Er and return to White Dove City_2

    Chapter 417: 327, kill Hu Er and return to White Dove City_2


    To deal with Star Ranks, a casual swipe of the Hand of the Void was all it took to annihilate them.


    In front of this little black-robed person, Hu Er felt completely despair.


    The Hand of the Void pressing down on him was like a mountain peak; despite exerting all his strength, he couldn��t budge it in the slightest.


    A surge of regret inevitably spread through Hu Er��s heart, his mouth filled with bitterness.


    If it weren��t for his pride and arrogance, wanting to defeat Lin Da and the others fairly and squarely, how would he have landed in such a predicament?


    The winner was supposed to be him!


    ...


    His arrogance had led to the defeat in this battle!


    After pinning Hu Er down, the little black-robed person put him aside, as if using a mousetrap to catch a mouse, not in a hurry to kill, for he posed no threat anyway.


    Under her pure white mask, her eyes looked at Lin Da and said calmly, ��Follow me out, the gap opened by the Boundary-breaking Secret Sword will close in six hours.��


    ��May I ask who the senior is��?��


    Lin Da asked respectfully, his head full of confusion.


    ��You don��t need to know my name; I am here on someone��s behalf.��


    The petite black-robed person looked up at Lin Da, feeling a slight resentment towards this tall adventurer.


    It was he who had ignored the invitation she sent, not even replying.


    ��On someone��s behalf����


    Lin Da murmured, ��Is it President Velen, Abner, or Kafni?��


    ��No, it��s a girl named Lulu.��


    ��So Lulu has already gone out, that��s great����


    Lin Da breathed a sigh of relief.


    But on second thought, where did Lulu get the ability to mobilize a Light Rank?


    Could it be that she paid a terribly heavy price?


    Perhaps guessing what Lin Da was thinking, the black-robed person kindly explained, ��You needn��t worry; indeed, I will ask Lulu for payment, but it��s merely inquiring about the whereabouts of someone.��


    Only then did Lin Da relax.


    ��Thank you, senior, for your assistance!��


    Furthermore�� before leaving, there are two matters I would like to trouble you with����


    Lin Da said, somewhat embarrassed.


    It was his first time encountering a Light Rank on this continent, and he couldn��t help feeling nervous.


    Perhaps this petite Light Rank senior had a fierce temper.


    If she grew tired of a couple of words, she might just abandon him.


    ��Simple things, I can help with,��


    the little black-robed person stated.


    Had it been three years earlier, she would have definitely refused this Lin Da.


    But now, Bailuo was striving to become a mature adult.


    Without even the patience to listen to someone speak, one was not fit to be an adult.


    Secondly,


    for some unknown reason, the moment she saw Lin Da, she felt a mysterious sense of kinship.


    If she had to give a reason, it might be because the way Lin Da��s eyes looked when he was thinking was very similar to her teacher��s.


    Bailuo��s love for her teacher extended to Lin Da, granting him an extra measure of tolerance.


    She stood with one hand on her waist, calmly saying, ��I can help you with things that are not troublesome; after all, I am a mature adult.��


    Upon her words, Lin Da and the others wore slightly strange expressions.


    Lia couldn��t help but criticize in her mind: Would a truly mature adult really use such a peculiar self-reference?


    Lin Da carefully eyed the dark purple eyes behind the other��s mask, tentatively saying,


    ��My first request is for you to kill that evil adventurer, Hu Er. According to Adventurer��s Law Article 11, anyone who consumes Demon Race��s Forbidden Medicine, all adventurers have a duty to kill on sight.��


    Yes, Demon Race��s Forbidden Medicine.


    Also known as a Magic Potion.


    Lin Da had seen it in the story props of the game.


    A substance contained in a glass vial, filled with a deep black liquid.


    The text described it as:


    [An alchemy product made from the blood of a Witch who has completely fallen, capable of greatly enhancing the user��s strength.


    Side effects include reduced rationality, risk of Magic Circuit breakdown after the effect ends, with the lightest consequence being a 10% reduction in rank.


    In severe cases, turning into a Catastrophe Puppet, indiscriminately attacking everything around. ]


    The crazed state displayed by Hu Er was extremely similar to the effects of consuming a Magic Potion.


    ��Magic Potion?��


    Bailuo frowned slightly, glancing sideways at Hu Er, who was seized by the Hand of the Void.


    ��As an official, I cannot turn a blind eye to a heretic who has consumed a Magic Potion.��


    She clenched her right hand in the air, and a deep blue Battle Qi hand immediately mimicked the gesture.


    Hu Er let out a ghastly scream, his bones shattered throughout his body, and his internal organs squeezed out from both the top and bottom sides of his belly, spraying blood in a scene most horrifying.


    Novice adventurers witnessing this would probably be scared into retiring on the spot.


    Lin Da felt his stomach turn and experienced slight discomfort.


    In his three years as an adventurer, the most extreme thing he had done was beheading Kam with his sword.


    Yet this petite black-robed person, who could have killed Hu Er in a more straightforward and clean manner, chose such a cruel method instead.


    Could it be that she looked easy to talk to, but was actually cold-hearted?


    He needed to show her more respect.


    Lin Da thought to himself.


    Lia also found the cruel sight a bit hard to stomach and looked away.


    On the other hand, Tasya was unfazed, not affected in the slightest.


    When a bright red -10000 popped up above Hu Er��s head, Lin Da knew that the life of this Moon rank adventurer had been completely extinguished.


    That let out a long sigh of relief.


    At last, the fox was eliminated.


    Lin Da had bluffed three times, had numerous invisible clashes, every step appearing easy but in reality, was walking on the edge of a knife.


    One wrong move would have meant irreversible consequences.


    Even after mastering Fusion Finishing Skills, he still fell short by one move.


    He hadn��t expected Hu Er to have a secret magic potion.


    But such a powerful Hu Er was easily killed by this little black-robed Light Rank person, like exerting only slightly more effort than it takes to step on an ant. S��ar?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The gap between Light Rank and Moon Rank was just too vast.


    ��One day, I will also become a strong person like the little black-robed person, and even surpass her!��


    Lin Da��s blood boiled with boundless pride swelling in his heart.


    ��Junior, what is your second request?��


    Bailuo stood with one hand on her hip, slightly tilting her small head, looking poised and composed.


    Lin Da, unaware that this little black-robed person had only just turned eighteen, respectfully said with the posture of a junior:


    ��My second request is that I hope you can help find a teammate of mine, Monica.��


    ��The Guild President knows, the Werewolf Lulu asked me to find three people, you, Lia, and that Monica.��


    Bailuo did not know Monica, who had been kicked out of the team early on; she shook her head and said:


    ��Regrettably, Monica is not in this forest. Over the past eighteen hours, I have searched the forest several rounds without any discovery. Even if she stayed in the tenth layer of the Great Mystery Continent, she could only be even further away.


    The Boundary-breaking Secret Sword can only keep the gap open for 24 hours, and only six hours remain before it closes.


    Yet the Great Mystery Continent is as vast as the Mystic Continent.


    If we continue searching, the exit will close.


    Therefore, I cannot grant your request to find Monica.��


    ��You haven��t found Monica��?��


    Lin Da was stunned for a moment.


    He quietly opened the system interface and checked Monica��s icon on the team panel.


    The icon��s background was green.


    This indicated that Monica was alive and well.


    If she wasn��t in Dragon Forest, where had she gone?


    Could it be that just like Lulu, she had already returned to White Dove City?


    If even the Light Rank little black-robed person couldn��t find Monica, there would likely be no gain for him in staying on the Great Mystery Continent.


    With that in mind, the best course of action seemed to be to return to White Dove City and use the power of the Adventurers�� Guild to issue a reward for finding Monica.


    Lin Da felt anxious inside, worried about Monica��s safety.


    In the deep quiet of the night, he wondered if Monica was suffering in the forest, gnawing at tree fruits or, like Lia, eating poisonous mushrooms.


    It was as if an old father had lost his daughter.


    But leading Lia and Tasya and as captain, Lin Da could not show his own anxiety and worry.


    Fortunately, the team panel allowed him to confirm that Monica was still alive.


    ��Now that I have an abundance of Gold Coins, I can offer a high reward; even if it means tearing up White Dove City and the tenth layer of the Great Mystery Continent, I must find Monica!��


    Having made up his mind, Lin Da bowed to the little black-robed person, ��Understood, please take us out and back to White Dove City!��


    ��Hmm.�� Bailuo nodded, her pale golden Light Wings unfurling behind her.


    They were a pair of wings over two meters in length, with feathers lifelike in gold, aesthetically beautiful.


    Lin Da and the others felt a twinge of envy.


    With those Light Wings, one could soar through the skies, avoiding most Magical Creatures on the ground.


    Moon rank adventurers were pillars of the Mystic Continent, primarily because of these convenient and fast wings, enabling quick travel between cities.

 Chapter 417 - 417: 327, kill Hu Er and return to White Dove City_2

    Chapter 417: 327, kill Hu Er and return to White Dove City_2


    To deal with Star Ranks, a casual swipe of the Hand of the Void was all it took to annihilate them.


    In front of this little black-robed person, Hu Er felt completely despair.


    The Hand of the Void pressing down on him was like a mountain peak; despite exerting all his strength, he couldn��t budge it in the slightest.


    A surge of regret inevitably spread through Hu Er��s heart, his mouth filled with bitterness.


    If it weren��t for his pride and arrogance, wanting to defeat Lin Da and the others fairly and squarely, how would he have landed in such a predicament?


    The winner was supposed to be him!


    ...


    His arrogance had led to the defeat in this battle!


    After pinning Hu Er down, the little black-robed person put him aside, as if using a mousetrap to catch a mouse, not in a hurry to kill, for he posed no threat anyway.


    Under her pure white mask, her eyes looked at Lin Da and said calmly, ��Follow me out, the gap opened by the Boundary-breaking Secret Sword will close in six hours.��


    ��May I ask who the senior is��?��


    Lin Da asked respectfully, his head full of confusion.


    ��You don��t need to know my name; I am here on someone��s behalf.��


    The petite black-robed person looked up at Lin Da, feeling a slight resentment towards this tall adventurer.


    It was he who had ignored the invitation she sent, not even replying.


    ��On someone��s behalf����


    Lin Da murmured, ��Is it President Velen, Abner, or Kafni?��


    ��No, it��s a girl named Lulu.��


    ��So Lulu has already gone out, that��s great����


    Lin Da breathed a sigh of relief.


    But on second thought, where did Lulu get the ability to mobilize a Light Rank?


    Could it be that she paid a terribly heavy price?


    Perhaps guessing what Lin Da was thinking, the black-robed person kindly explained, ��You needn��t worry; indeed, I will ask Lulu for payment, but it��s merely inquiring about the whereabouts of someone.��


    Only then did Lin Da relax.


    ��Thank you, senior, for your assistance!��


    Furthermore�� before leaving, there are two matters I would like to trouble you with����


    Lin Da said, somewhat embarrassed.


    It was his first time encountering a Light Rank on this continent, and he couldn��t help feeling nervous.


    Perhaps this petite Light Rank senior had a fierce temper.


    If she grew tired of a couple of words, she might just abandon him.


    ��Simple things, I can help with,��


    the little black-robed person stated.


    Had it been three years earlier, she would have definitely refused this Lin Da.


    But now, Bailuo was striving to become a mature adult.


    Without even the patience to listen to someone speak, one was not fit to be an adult.


    Secondly,


    for some unknown reason, the moment she saw Lin Da, she felt a mysterious sense of kinship.


    If she had to give a reason, it might be because the way Lin Da��s eyes looked when he was thinking was very similar to her teacher��s.


    Bailuo��s love for her teacher extended to Lin Da, granting him an extra measure of tolerance.


    She stood with one hand on her waist, calmly saying, ��I can help you with things that are not troublesome; after all, I am a mature adult.��


    Upon her words, Lin Da and the others wore slightly strange expressions.


    Lia couldn��t help but criticize in her mind: Would a truly mature adult really use such a peculiar self-reference?


    Lin Da carefully eyed the dark purple eyes behind the other��s mask, tentatively saying,


    ��My first request is for you to kill that evil adventurer, Hu Er. According to Adventurer��s Law Article 11, anyone who consumes Demon Race��s Forbidden Medicine, all adventurers have a duty to kill on sight.��


    Yes, Demon Race��s Forbidden Medicine.


    Also known as a Magic Potion.


    Lin Da had seen it in the story props of the game.


    A substance contained in a glass vial, filled with a deep black liquid.


    The text described it as:


    [An alchemy product made from the blood of a Witch who has completely fallen, capable of greatly enhancing the user��s strength.


    Side effects include reduced rationality, risk of Magic Circuit breakdown after the effect ends, with the lightest consequence being a 10% reduction in rank.


    In severe cases, turning into a Catastrophe Puppet, indiscriminately attacking everything around. ]


    The crazed state displayed by Hu Er was extremely similar to the effects of consuming a Magic Potion.


    ��Magic Potion?��


    Bailuo frowned slightly, glancing sideways at Hu Er, who was seized by the Hand of the Void.


    ��As an official, I cannot turn a blind eye to a heretic who has consumed a Magic Potion.��


    She clenched her right hand in the air, and a deep blue Battle Qi hand immediately mimicked the gesture.


    Hu Er let out a ghastly scream, his bones shattered throughout his body, and his internal organs squeezed out from both the top and bottom sides of his belly, spraying blood in a scene most horrifying.


    Novice adventurers witnessing this would probably be scared into retiring on the spot.


    Lin Da felt his stomach turn and experienced slight discomfort.


    In his three years as an adventurer, the most extreme thing he had done was beheading Kam with his sword.


    Yet this petite black-robed person, who could have killed Hu Er in a more straightforward and clean manner, chose such a cruel method instead.


    Could it be that she looked easy to talk to, but was actually cold-hearted?


    He needed to show her more respect.


    Lin Da thought to himself.


    Lia also found the cruel sight a bit hard to stomach and looked away.


    On the other hand, Tasya was unfazed, not affected in the slightest.


    When a bright red -10000 popped up above Hu Er��s head, Lin Da knew that the life of this Moon rank adventurer had been completely extinguished.


    That let out a long sigh of relief.


    At last, the fox was eliminated.


    Lin Da had bluffed three times, had numerous invisible clashes, every step appearing easy but in reality, was walking on the edge of a knife.


    One wrong move would have meant irreversible consequences. S~ea??h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even after mastering Fusion Finishing Skills, he still fell short by one move.


    He hadn��t expected Hu Er to have a secret magic potion.


    But such a powerful Hu Er was easily killed by this little black-robed Light Rank person, like exerting only slightly more effort than it takes to step on an ant.


    The gap between Light Rank and Moon Rank was just too vast.


    ��One day, I will also become a strong person like the little black-robed person, and even surpass her!��


    Lin Da��s blood boiled with boundless pride swelling in his heart.


    ��Junior, what is your second request?��


    Bailuo stood with one hand on her hip, slightly tilting her small head, looking poised and composed.


    Lin Da, unaware that this little black-robed person had only just turned eighteen, respectfully said with the posture of a junior:


    ��My second request is that I hope you can help find a teammate of mine, Monica.��


    ��The Guild President knows, the Werewolf Lulu asked me to find three people, you, Lia, and that Monica.��


    Bailuo did not know Monica, who had been kicked out of the team early on; she shook her head and said:


    ��Regrettably, Monica is not in this forest. Over the past eighteen hours, I have searched the forest several rounds without any discovery. Even if she stayed in the tenth layer of the Great Mystery Continent, she could only be even further away.


    The Boundary-breaking Secret Sword can only keep the gap open for 24 hours, and only six hours remain before it closes.


    Yet the Great Mystery Continent is as vast as the Mystic Continent.


    If we continue searching, the exit will close.


    Therefore, I cannot grant your request to find Monica.��


    ��You haven��t found Monica��?��


    Lin Da was stunned for a moment.


    He quietly opened the system interface and checked Monica��s icon on the team panel.


    The icon��s background was green.


    This indicated that Monica was alive and well.


    If she wasn��t in Dragon Forest, where had she gone?


    Could it be that just like Lulu, she had already returned to White Dove City?


    If even the Light Rank little black-robed person couldn��t find Monica, there would likely be no gain for him in staying on the Great Mystery Continent.


    With that in mind, the best course of action seemed to be to return to White Dove City and use the power of the Adventurers�� Guild to issue a reward for finding Monica.


    Lin Da felt anxious inside, worried about Monica��s safety.


    In the deep quiet of the night, he wondered if Monica was suffering in the forest, gnawing at tree fruits or, like Lia, eating poisonous mushrooms.


    It was as if an old father had lost his daughter.


    But leading Lia and Tasya and as captain, Lin Da could not show his own anxiety and worry.


    Fortunately, the team panel allowed him to confirm that Monica was still alive.


    ��Now that I have an abundance of Gold Coins, I can offer a high reward; even if it means tearing up White Dove City and the tenth layer of the Great Mystery Continent, I must find Monica!��


    Having made up his mind, Lin Da bowed to the little black-robed person, ��Understood, please take us out and back to White Dove City!��


    ��Hmm.�� Bailuo nodded, her pale golden Light Wings unfurling behind her.


    They were a pair of wings over two meters in length, with feathers lifelike in gold, aesthetically beautiful.


    Lin Da and the others felt a twinge of envy.


    With those Light Wings, one could soar through the skies, avoiding most Magical Creatures on the ground.


    Moon rank adventurers were pillars of the Mystic Continent, primarily because of these convenient and fast wings, enabling quick travel between cities.

 Chapter 418 - 418: 328, Cat girl and Xiaolongbao, Lin Das unintentional act

    Chapter 418: 328, Cat girl and Xiaolongbao, Lin Da��s unintentional act


    ��Are we going to ride on the wings of Lord of the Light Step? I��m a bit excited!��


    Lia shook off the fatigue from battle and excitedly approached the Little Black-Robed Person, ��How do we sit?��


    ��Spread your arms.�� Bailuo stated succinctly.


    After Lia did as she was told, Bailuo��s arms wrapped around her waist, lifting her up. Then, his gaze turned to Tasya.


    That��s right��the Light Rank could fly, but they couldn��t make Lin Da and the others fly too.


    Bailuo held Lia in one arm and Tasya in the other.


    ...


    Manual takeoff.


    ��Senior, where should I go?��


    Lin Da scratched the back of his head awkwardly.


    ��Behind.�� Bailuo said indifferently.


    ��Okay.��


    Lin Da squatted down, stretched out his hands, and encircled the fragile, boneless waist of the Little Black-Robed Person.


    Upon contact, he couldn��t help but marvel inwardly: What a petite girl, her waist isn��t much thicker than my thigh, quite delicate, similar to an adventurer��s primary school fifth or sixth-grader.


    Is this really the body of an adult?


    While he was reflecting on this, he suddenly heard a cute scream of ��Ah!��


    Then, he was kicked in the stomach by a leg extending from the hem of the black robe.


    It was a black high-heeled shoe, with heels at least five centimeters tall, paired with white thigh-high socks. Both the shoe and the foot were tiny, Lin Da could hold them in one hand.


    The more he looked, the younger he thought the person was.


    Of course, all these thoughts were overshadowed by the pain in his abdomen.


    Lin Da coughed, rubbing his stomach as he stood up, his face confused, ��Senior, didn��t you tell me to come from behind, why is this?��


    ��Who let you touch the dean��s waist, up top, up top, you idiot!��


    Bailuo stomped in frustration, her face behind the mask turning into an embarrassed pink.


    Had it been three years ago, for such unclean actions, she would have put an end to him with one sword strike.


    Lin Da sincerely apologized, and with that, the matter was dropped.


    Approaching the Little Black-Robed Person��s tiny back again, he squatted down and wrapped his hands around the other��s neck��


    He intended to hold his own right hand with his left to avoid falling during the high-altitude flight.


    But perhaps because he was too exhausted after the fight, his right hand twitched and grabbed the wrong place.


    Memories surged.


    Lin Da recalled the Xiaolongbao he ate back in his hometown.


    The kind that had just come out of the oven, steaming hot.


    His stomach rumbled with hunger, and he couldn��t help but grab a few more Xiaolongbao.


    ��So small.��


    Lin Da said subconsciously.


    The next moment, he sensed the earth trembling.


    The pebbles on the ground, the grains of sand, the fallen leaves�� all began to dance.


    The big trees also shook wildly, their leaves scattering all around.


    It was like the precursor to a Giant Dragon��s rage.


    Tasya and Lia were both puzzled, giving the Little Black-Robed Person strange looks.


    The source of the anomaly was her.


    Then the two saw where Lin Da��s right hand was.


    They were all stunned.


    Lin Da also realized what he had done.


    Oh no.


    This wasn��t the kind of Xiaolongbao you eat!


    His face changed, and forgetting his longing for the touch of home, he quickly let go.


    ��It��s a misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding, senior, let me explain!��


    ��Are you sick, death penalty, the dean sentences you to death!��


    Bailuo covered her chest in a mix of fury and embarrassment, quickly drew her thin sword from behind, and pointed it at Lin Da��s nose.


    That strange sensation, like an electric current passing through, made Bailuo��s heart crumble.


    She had long considered herself the fianc��e of her teacher, chaste and pure.


    Even students of the opposite sex at Azure Sky University don��t meet, to avoid improper contact.


    But to think that under this ��Lin Da,�� who shares the same name with a teacher, I capsized in a gutter.


    Without poking a few holes in Lin Da, it��s hard for Bailuo to let off steam!


    ��Sorry, I really didn��t do it on purpose.��


    Lin Da felt utterly guilty, ��Whatever punishment the senior wants to give, I am willing to accept.��


    Bailuo glared at him furiously.


    Even though she knew it was an accident, she still couldn��t forgive Lin Da.


    Just like those Beastmen in comic books, who carelessly ��get in�� and then are forgiven with just a light apology?


    That would be letting them off too easily.


    Every time Bailuo saw something like that, she would angrily throw the book into the trash can and, by the way, drop a complaint letter into the mayor��s mailbox.


    The hand holding the thin sword trembled slightly from extreme anger.


    I��m about to lose control!


    At that moment,


    Tasya stepped in front of Lin Da with a resolute expression, ��Senior, if anyone is to be punished, please punish me! As the maid responsible for my master, I failed to take proper care of him. It is my fault!��


    Lia also spread her arms, shielding Lin Da behind her.


    ��Or else, touch mine and forgive Lin Da, he really didn��t do it on purpose.��


    Lia, with a determined face, stuck out her plain chest.


    ��You two, do you know that I am from the Light Rank?�� Bailuo said through gritted teeth.


    ��Of course, we know.�� Lia replied, ��We are not fools; it��s easy to see.��


    ��And you still dare to protect that hooligan?��


    Bailuo frowned.


    If it were a vicious Light Rank, she would have slapped them away with one strike.


    Lia said matter-of-factly, ��Because we are comrades!��


    Tasya nodded, agreeing with Lia��s statement.


    Behind them, Lin Da was deeply touched.


    He pushed the two away, ��If someone must be responsible, then let it be me. I offended this senior and should be the one to receive punishment.��


    ��No, this is a subordinate��s responsibility, you have done nothing wrong.��


    ��That�� Little Senior, Lin Da was dizzy from being hit by a fox, which led to him accidentally touching your tablet. He really didn��t do it on purpose!�� Lia hurriedly explained. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Without that explanation, it might have been better. When Bailuo heard ��Little Senior�� and ��tablet,�� the rage that had subsided a bit flared back up.


    ��Then I shall punish you by having you personally apologize to the teacher! If he forgives you, only then will I forgive you!��


    Bailuo said with a cold laugh.


    With Dark Shadow��s cold and overbearing personality, he might just knock these three out.


    Although I��ve not found the teacher yet, I believe that day will definitely come.


    When it does, I��ll make the three of them apologize personally!


    The kind-hearted Bailuo even thought, if the teacher hits too hard, I��ll try to dissuade him, lest he kills Lin Da. After all, it looks like Lin Da really didn��t do it on purpose.


    The red-haired girl, as well as the maid, was sincerely protecting him.


    And he, in turn, protected the two of them.


    This kind of self-sacrificing character was silently affirmed by Bailuo.


    It was their behavior that made Bailuo willing to believe, the incident was an accident.


    Lin Da, hearing the words of the Little Black-Robed Person, felt a sense of relief in his heart.


    Knowing that the other party was giving him a way out.


    ��Thank you, senior, for your generosity!��


    He along with Lia and Tasya, bowed together.


    Bailuo grunted and put away the thin sword with an expressionless face.


    The self-proclaimed dean in the little black robe crossed her arms and stretched out her small, delicate feet encased in white knee-high stockings and high heels, nudging downward with her mouth at Lin Da.


    ��I fly very fast as Lord of the Light Step, and later, if you can��t hold on tightly in the thousands of meters high in the sky and fall, it��s your own death, and I certainly will not save you.��


    ��That��s only right.��


    Lin Da wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.


    Whether it��s the waist or chest, I can��t touch anywhere, how dare I let her continue to carry me��


    However, holding onto her legs is actually the best option.

 Chapter 419 - 419: 329, Lin Das confusion: Who exactly is your teacher?

    Chapter 419: 329, Lin Da��s confusion: Who exactly is your teacher?


    Bailuo grasped the hem of the black robe with both hands and slightly lifted it, immediately revealing the small calves clad in black high heels with ribbon straps.


    The straps were tied into bows, and the thigh-high stockings were snow white, spotless.


    The light of the dim red sunset fell on them, faintly revealing a hint of flesh tone. S~ea??h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They were the kind that��s very thin yet could provide warmth, made from the twentieth layer material ��Velvet Feather Silk,�� a pair of which would cost 500 Gold Coins.


    ��The Light Rank really is extravagant.��


    Lin Da silently lamented, squatting on the ground, extending his large hands, and grasping the little black-robed person��s ankles, one in each hand.


    ...


    True to the ��Velvet Feather Silk�� socks, they were smooth and warm to the touch, like holding warm jade.


    The soft touch of the skin beneath the socks brought a sense of satisfaction.


    To prevent himself from falling from a high altitude, Lin Da held tightly onto the little black-robed person��s legs, pressing his cheeks firmly against them.


    Just as the sun was setting, a cold wave was coming, and the temperature dropped.


    It was like having two small hot water bottles on his face.


    The feeling was nice.


    ��Senior, I��m ready, please take off.��


    Lin Da said respectfully.


    Meanwhile, Bailuo had no issue with Lin Da holding onto her feet. In this world, feet are generally considered dirty and unclean.


    A Star Rank like Lin Da holding onto her feet could be seen as a sign of repentance.


    He was willing to forgo his pride to express his guilt over the ��Xiaolongbao�� incident.


    Bailuo thought: This seems to be a decent fellow.


    ��Hold tight, the dean is going to take off,��


    she reminded Lin Da below.


    With Lia and Tasya in her left and right arms, Bailuo��s light golden wings flapped powerfully.


    In an instant, they shot into the sky.


    Lin Da let out a shout of ��Woo-hoo�� in his heart.


    It was his first time taking flight in the Another World, despite having been there for three years.


    The brisk airflow smacked against his face, and his eyelids were almost too heavy to keep open.


    Wind rushed into his nose and mouth, causing a faint sensation of suffocation.


    ��Awooooahhhhh����


    Lia flapped her small hands like a bird, making a strange loud cry from her mouth.


    Tasya, on the other hand, clutched at her maid skirt to avoid exposing herself.


    It took a good ten seconds before the breathless feeling eased.


    The wind suddenly stopped.


    Lin Da opened his eyes, and through a pair of delicate calves wrapped in white socks, he saw the gigantic sunset level with him.


    The sun was a fiery red, filling his entire field of view.


    The sea of clouds lay below his feet, and the surrounding expanse was wide and empty, silent except for the sound of the flowing wind, as if the whole world belonged to him.


    Lin Da took a deep breath, feeling a hot emotion stirring in his chest.


    Arriving in the sky, free from the constraints of gravity, it was as though he was omnipotent, able to reach any corner of this vast continent!


    The mere thought of someday being as powerful as the little black-robed person made Lin Da uncontrollably excited, wishing he could take out the Sword of Royalty and swing it around in a frenzy.


    ��So beautiful,�� Lia said dumbly. The setting sun shone on her face, making her large eyes glitter like fiery red jewels.


    Lin Da lifted his head to look at Lia, feeling a slight stir in his heart.


    Oh no, the little black-robed person has to be an old-fashioned bear as well��


    The scene he glimpsed unintentionally made his heart race, and he quickly averted his gaze.


    Thankfully, Bailuo hadn��t noticed, and she spoke in a calm voice, ��The gap to the Mystic Realm is near the outskirts of the Dragon Forest. With my speed, we can get there in ten minutes.��


    ��Ten minutes? That��s amazing! It took Lin Da and me three to four hours to travel this distance!�� Lia exclaimed in awe.


    Her expression of admiration was very pleasing to Bailuo, softening her tone:


    ��I��ll gradually increase the speed of flight so that a certain someone among you doesn��t lose grip and fall off.��


    ��Senior, please spare me,�� Lin Da said with a resigned smile in response to the subtle rebuke from the little black-robed person, tightening his grip on her white silk-clad small feet even more.


    It��s worth mentioning that in front of the heavy reality of the ��Light Rank,�� Lin Da��s mind was free of any distractions.


    He even wondered to himself if the little black-robed person might be under eighteen years old. Any untoward thoughts of his could risk being thrown into the dungeon.


    So he firmly focused on his head, only thinking about what to do after getting out.


    He needed to find Monica, sell off the spoils of war, plan how to spend the 2.6 million Diamonds�� Just thinking about it made Lin Da��s head spin.


    ��As long as I can find Monica, everything else will be easy to handle,�� he thought.


    In Lin Da��s heart, his teammates always came first. He wouldn��t hesitate to give up all the spoils and Diamonds if it meant getting Monica back by his side.


    With his detailed knowledge of the World Tree, resources could be obtained sooner or later, but a lost teammate could never return.


    ��Woo-hoo!��


    When Bailuo started accelerating, Lia couldn��t help but yell in exhilaration, stretching out her arms, imitating the gliding of a swallow, and she even invited Tasya to join her.


    During the days they practiced their Fusion Finishing Skills, Lia had gradually gotten to know the usually reticent Tasya and realized that she wasn��t a bad person.


    She was a maid who was dutiful and loyal to her master.


    Lia considered herself, at least tentatively, a friend of Tasya��s.


    ��I��d rather not���� Faced with Lia��s invitation, Tasya declined with a polite smile.


    Such a childish act that could cause blushing was not something she could bring herself to do.


    ��How about you?��


    Lia nudged Lin Da��s head below her with her foot.


    Lin Da: ?


    If he remembered correctly, there was poop on Lia��s boots.


    While searching for tunnels by digging, Lia stood aside, unwilling to work, and he ended up shoveling magical creature dung onto her boots.


    Now, the boomerang had mercilessly come back to hit him.


    ��If you don��t get your foot off me right now, I��m going to give you a thorough look,�� Lin Da threatened.


    Lia��s face changed.


    ��Fine, I see that you and that fox are both lusting after Miss myself!��


    The brown boot that was stepping on Lin Da��s face became even more aggressive.


    Like playing whack-a-mole, Lia angrily stepped around, and Lin Da dodged by shaking his head.


    ��Alright, you just wait!��


    Lin Da was furious.


    Now at level 33, his health points were incredibly high.


    If it came to a one-on-one fight, Lia might not necessarily win against him.


    Tired of being perpetually ridden roughshod over by Lia, Lin Da had long wished to turn the tables and bind her with the Dark Whip and beat her up.


    ��Who��s afraid!�� Lia snorted, clearly unfazed by his threat.


    ��Enough,��


    Bailuo said coldly, ��If you keep quarreling, I��ll throw you both off. You��re interfering with my flying.��


    ��Oh���� Lia responded weakly, abruptly staying put.


    Lin Da was also happy to quiet down.


    The air went from lively to silent in an instant.


    It was somewhat awkward.


    It made them want to find some topic of conversation.


    Conveniently, Lin Da was curious about something.


    ��Senior, I really want to know, who is this ��Teacher�� you speak of?��


    Why did he have to apologize to that Teacher after groping the Little Black-Robed Person��, and get their forgiveness?


    Shouldn��t it be enough for that person to forgive him?


    It sounded almost as if her body belonged to that mysterious ��Teacher.��


    Lin Da couldn��t help but let his imagination run wild.


    Could it be a case of a teacher-student relationship?


    Had the Little Black-Robed Person reached adulthood?


    Both hands and feet were small (ps: she was an adult).


    All he could say was that this world��s Light Rank players really knew how to live it up.


    Lin Da sighed to himself.

 Chapter 420 - 420: 330, Lin Da offends the cat girl teacher, Phoenix Tail Flower in great danger?!

    Chapter 420: 330, Lin Da offends the cat girl teacher, Phoenix Tail Flower in great danger?!


    People say girls like gossip, and it��s really true.


    Lia and Tasya both pricked up their ears.


    They pretended to look at the scenery, but were actually listening intently.


    ��It��s no problem telling you,��


    Bailuo puffed out her petite chest, pride in her voice, ��The teacher is my future husband.��


    Upon hearing this, Lin Da and the others were all stunned simultaneously.


    ...


    Adventurers value matching social ranks, and conquering the same levels.


    Therefore, a fianc�� from the Light Rank would likely also be from the Light Rank.


    And if Lin Da accidentally touched the chest of the little black-robed person, what if her fianc�� found out? Wouldn��t that be terrible?


    That would be like suddenly having a Light Rank enemy!


    With that thought, Lin Da broke out in a cold sweat.


    ��What��s the personality of that teacher like?��


    Maybe he��s an understanding good person.


    Lin Da, with a hint of hope, asked.


    ��The teacher����


    Bailuo��s face showed a nostalgic expression.


    In the girl��s mind appeared the image of a man always wearing a black trench coat, standing alone like he didn��t fit in with the entire continent.


    He was there, yet Bailuo felt he was far beyond reach.


    Apart from conquering the World Tree and killing opposing adventurers, the thing the teacher liked to do most was to daydream.


    In the yard, on the street, at the library, in front of the counter at Adventurers�� Guild��


    He could daydream anytime, anywhere.


    Once he started, it could last for hours.


    Like a statue forged from steel, not moving an inch.


    Lost in her memories, Bailuo��s pale gold wings fluttered slower behind her.


    She used her Battle Qi to create a barrier, isolating the sounds of the outside world, as if any slight noise could disturb her reminiscence of her teacher.


    ��I don��t really know what his true personality is, I��ve never seen through him,��


    Bailuo said: ��But what I do know is that his true heart must be����


    ��An ��Asaxi�� person,�� Lin Da couldn��t help but mentally finish her sentence.


    This development was quite familiar.


    He had seen it in many comic books.


    A stern teacher, yet with a gentle side.


    A person who had influenced this little black-robed person.


    It must be so.


    Lin Da secretly breathed a sigh of relief.


    If the other��s teacher was an ��Asaxi��, then his accidental touching of her fianc����s chest might be forgiven.


    But just then, Bailuo spoke again.


    ��But what I know is the teacher��s heart is definitely very evil, a totally selfish, utterly unforgivable big bad guy,��


    The girl said so.


    ��What?��


    Lin Da��s face was blank.


    According to this, wasn��t he completely doomed?


    Bailuo, noticing Lin Da��s fear of her teacher, had an even more amused look on her little face, her voice carrying the lightness unique to young girls.


    ��Anyone considered an enemy by the teacher has never survived.


    He acts without choosing means, disregards imperial laws without hesitation, enjoys using harsh methods to punish team members, kicks out the useless ones, and offers no rewards��


    Oh, right, even for the active team members, he distributes no rewards. The spoils from conquering the World Tree are divided by the team leader.


    It��s possible that a team member lounging in a villa doing nothing can end up with a significant share of the spoils.


    While a team member with great merits in the conquest might not get even a single gold coin.


    Tell me, isn��t the teacher very bad?��


    ��Devil.�� Lin Da sighed.


    Lia angrily said, ��A captain who doesn��t reward his team members is worse than scum!��


    Tasya lowered her head, deep in thought.


    It always felt like the person Bailuo spoke of had a bit of resemblance to someone she knew.


    Bailuo said, ��Yes, the teacher is indeed a devil!��


    ��But it was the teacher who led me out of that ��hell��.��


    He also gave me many Gold Coins and Magical Equipment, helping me become an outstanding adventurer.


    If I had to choose again, I would still leave with him.��


    ��Even if the teacher is a devil���� Bailuo��s eyes were filled with a gentle light, his tail under the robe nervously wagging as he softly said, ��he is the devil only for me alone.��


    The three of them exchanged glances.


    It was as if they had been force-fed a ton of dog food.


    The blow to the single ones was too great.


    ��By the way, you mentioned that Lulu asked for a payment to tell you someone��s whereabouts, that person wouldn��t happen to be your teacher, would it?��


    Lin Da suddenly realized.


    ��Yes.�� Bailuo smiled: ��The teacher had promised to marry me, retire together, and live an ordinary life.��


    ��Willing to retire for the other is truly a great adventurer.��


    Lin Da showed admiration.


    Not everyone has the courage to enter the World Tree. And once inside the World Tree, very few can resist the desire to climb further ahead.


    Every layer holds a vast treasure that can bring adventurers enhancements in strength and status, achieving grade leaps within a day.


    The World Tree is like a raging fire, luring countless adventurers like moths to a flame.


    ��Willing to brave the currents for your sake and leave the World Tree, filled with dreams and desires, your teacher is indeed an outstanding adventurer,�� said Lin Da in praise.


    ��Indeed.�� A happy smile emerged on the face behind Bailuo��s mask, ��He is stronger than I am, with a promising future, yet still willing to indulge my whimsical request to retire together, to live as ordinary people�� So, to repay my teacher, I need to become a mature adult,�� he said.


    Lia enviously said, ��That��s nice, I also want to have such a romance.��


    ��With your beauty, you must have no shortage of fine adventurers pursuing you,�� Bailuo politely said.


    Lia thought for a moment and said, ��Hmm, I think so too.��


    Lin Da grew even more worried.


    How was he supposed to explain to the Little Black-Robed Person��s teacher about accidentally touching the Xiaolongbao��


    While they were chatting, they unknowingly arrived at the exit of the Great Mystery Continent.


    It was a vertical, cleft-like black hole.


    Sliced open by the [Boundary-breaking Secret Sword * Level 10], it could last for 24 hours.


    Bailuo led the trio and plunged into it.


    �� S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The surrounding space plunged into endless darkness.


    Without any reference points, in this boundless darkness, even the fastest flight felt like standing still.


    ��Hold on tight.��


    Bailuo said gravely.


    The light golden Light Wings flapped vigorously!


    Lin Da and the others groaned, a strong sense of dizziness attacking their minds, making the whole world seem to spin.


    ��Ugh~!��


    Lia was the first to vomit.


    Lin Da and Tasya were in slightly better condition, yet their faces were as pale as gold paper, too dizzy to tell up from down.


    After a few seconds, at last, a speck of light appeared ahead.


    ��


    ��


    Adventurers entering the Void Space for the first time often experience some form of physical discomfort.


    Passing through the light, fresh air rushed into their lungs, their bodies refreshed by the long-missed Magic Elements.


    Unlike the arid and closed Great Mystery Continent, if the latter was a dry desert, the former was an ocean bursting with life!


    Lin Da and his companions felt like fish diving into the sea, every part of their bodies screaming in excitement, celebrating their return. Especially the Magic Circuit within them, which, from being dim and lightless, suddenly lit up like a fully charged Magic Conduit Tube, shining brightly all at once.


    The only discomfort was in their heads, still reeling from the dizziness.

 Chapter 421 - 421: 331. Return, All Members Star Rank, Bailuo Blocks the Carriage

    Chapter 421: 331. Return, All Members Star Rank, Bailuo Blocks the Carriage


    Lin Da and two others tumbled out from the bright light, unable to stand steadily, and vomited on the ground.


    The current location was the top floor of the Adventurers�� Guild, President Velen��s office.


    It was afternoon, a warm yellow glow lay on the streets and also streamed through the curtains, falling on the office desk.


    As Lin Da and the others crashed into the room, they raised a fine dust that floated in the sunlight.


    As Lin Da, his two companions, and Bailuo suddenly appeared, the two gloomy figures in the office were simultaneously stunned.


    The one dealing with documents on the leather chair was President Velen.


    ...


    On the long wooden bench for guests on one side of the wall, a girl anxiously swinging her fluffy large tail was Lulu.


    They had been waiting here for Lin Da and the others to return since last night.


    At that moment,


    a black spatial rift suddenly appeared in the office.


    Bailuo led Lin Da and his two companions, flying out from it.


    Lulu��s mouth slightly opened in shock, gazing blankly at the man who was propping himself up with both hands on the ground, his face contorted with pain as he retched.


    Tears slowly filled her eyes, blurring her vision.


    During the nearly one month that Lin Da and the others were gone, Lulu had been restless and suffering from insomnia for several nights, dark circles prominent under her eyes, and her neat and tidy light blue short hair had lost its luster like withered grass.


    ��Lin Da��!��


    Lulu cried out excitedly, then suddenly lunged into Lin Da��s arms, holding him tightly.


    Lin Da had just come out of the black rift, still a bit groggy.


    He took deep, slow breaths to adjust his physical state, finally bringing his vision into focus.


    The warm yellow sunlight and various colors gradually converged before his eyes.


    Finally, he saw clearly the girl who had thrown herself into his arms, her wolf ears trembling gently.


    A thought crossed Lin Da��s mind. Lulu seemed to have lost a lot of weight, there was less flesh on her waist, and even her figure had shrunk a bit!


    He touched Lulu��s small head, his expression soft.


    ��Sorry for worrying you.��


    In the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, Lulu acted like a vice-captain, handling various miscellaneous tasks and alleviating much of Lin Da��s stress.


    She was the first team member he had found and was willing to adventure with him when he was just below level 10.


    This significant sentiment, Lin Da kept close to his heart.


    He thought, he��d find an opportunity to give the Oath Ring to Lulu.


    It would be even better if that could boost his trust level��


    ��It��s okay, as long as you��re back,�� Lulu, hearing the friendly teasing voices around her, blushed and stepped out from Lin Da��s embrace.


    President Velen joked with a smile, ��Lin Da, your little girlfriend has been running to the Adventurers�� Guild every other day, nearly driving me crazy.��


    ��This past month has also been troubling for the President,�� Lin Da said as he got up and bowed.


    Velen was suddenly taken aback, looked him up and down in disbelief, and murmured, ��Something��s off with this aura, Lin Da, what level are you now?��


    Lulu also realized it.


    Her team captain��s level seemed to be higher than hers?


    Could it really be as Kafni, who was unconcerned at home, had said �� that Lin Da had continuous fortunes in the sealed Great Mystery Continent?


    With only their own people present, Lin Da confessed openly:


    ��President, I am now a 33-level Star-ranked adventurer, and this here is my new maid, Tasya, a 35-level wind-based Mage Cannon Master. She��ll soon change her city of residence to join us here in White Dove City. Also�� an old acquaintance, the captain of the Snow Goose, Lia, is now a 32-level Swordsman.��


    After his speech, Velen was so shocked that he sat back in his leather chair, taking a long while to recover.


    For him, as the President, the stronger the adventurers in White Dove City, the better; it was all beneficial for his political achievements and would be crucial for future promotions.


    Moreover, Velen deeply loved this city where he had been born and raised; his greatest wish was to make White Dove City flourish and, perhaps, to make it into one of the top cities of Cangqing Province.


    At this moment, the veteran adventurer, who was over fifty years old, looked at Lin Da and his companions with eyes full of excitement and relief.


    ��Excellent! It looks like our White Dove City will have two more Iron Level adventure teams! And Miss Tasya, on behalf of the White Dove City Adventurers�� Guild, I welcome you!��


    Velen walked forward with a big laugh, extending his right hand.


    Tasya hesitated slightly, as her usual nature left her uninterested in dealing with Weylon. Such retired, unambitious small fry were beneath her consideration.


    However, seeing Lin Da��s encouraging gaze, Tasya extended her right hand and shared a perfunctory handshake with the other party.


    Weylon simply took this as the typical arrogance of a Senior Star Rank and didn��t think much of it, chuckling,


    ��Now, your Phoenix Tail Flower has several Star-ranked ��generals.�� Breaking through the 14th floor to reach Iron Level must be imminent.


    You, Lulu, Miss Tasya, and Miss Kafni, who is recuperating at home, I��ve heard she��s also reached Star Rank.


    The only one left is Monica�� Eh?��


    Weylon was about to inquire about Monica��s situation when he suddenly noticed, seemed like someone was missing?


    ��Why is it just you few, where��s Monica?��


    Weylon exclaimed in surprise.


    Where was his favorite Big Lolita with brown hair?


    Monica��s crisp ��Grandpa�� had added major points in Weylon��s heart.


    Realizing Monica was absent, his expression tensed, ��It couldn��t be, Monica, she����


    was eaten by Magical Creatures.


    Such words, he truly couldn��t bring himself to say them!


    ��President, I have a favor to ask you.��


    Lin Da took this opportunity to reveal Monica��s disappearance.


    On behalf of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, he would issue a reward notice.


    The person who finds Monica will be rewarded 2 million Gold Coins!


    Anyone who provides valuable clues, 500 thousand!


    Weylon immediately agreed to this.


    When Lin Da tried to take out his Savings Card, he was stopped.


    Weylon spoke seriously,


    ��Lin Da, you might not know. On the day when the Great Mystery Continent opened, tickets for your team at the viewing building sold out. There are profits to be shared from that.


    Including the subsequent sales of your strategy replay�� 1.02 million Gold need to be paid to you.


    The reward of 2 million Gold Coins, less 980 thousand, will be paid by the Guild. This is our support for Phoenix Tail Flower.


    Secondly, I, as the president, am also very worried about Monica! Such a lovely child, if she falls into the hands of those with malicious intent�� sigh!��


    Seeing Lin Da��s expression growing worse, Weylon hurriedly stopped talking.


    ��I won��t delay your team��s reunion any longer, I��ll go issue the reward notice now.��


    ��Much appreciated, Mr. President.��


    Lin Da said gratefully.


    Then, he bowed to the Little Black-Robed Person and, alongside Lulu, made his way outside the Guild.


    He urgently needed to rest.


    The dizziness brought about by traversing the dark Void Space still hadn��t faded.


    Due to the presence of outsiders, Lin Da, considering the etiquette, forced himself not to collapse.


    As soon as he stepped into the carriage, only Lulu and his own people were inside, Lin Da could no longer hold himself up.


    He weakly leaned into Lulu��s arms, his eyelids as heavy as if weighed down by a thousand pounds, and waves of deep sleepiness overwhelmed him.


    Lulu, lips pursed and a look of concern on her face, gently stroked Lin Da��s black hair, which was filled with dirt and sand particles.


    As part of the Werewolf Clan, Lulu had a keen sense of smell. Even though Lin Da had wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, some scent still lingered.


    From this, it wasn��t difficult to deduce that Lin Da had been through a fierce battle in the closed-off Great Mystery Continent! S~ea??h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Suddenly, noticing a sharp, piercing gaze fixed on herself, Lulu turned her head to look.


    It was Bailuo, dressed in a black robe.


    ��You still haven��t told me the whereabouts of the teacher,�� Bailuo said.

 Chapter 422 - 422: 332. Tasya sees through Bailuos identity!

    Chapter 422: 332. Tasya sees through Bailuo��s identity!


    ��You have yet to tell me about the teacher��s whereabouts.��


    Bai Luo followed closely behind the carriage, her gaze fixed intently on Lulu.


    Her tone was calm, as if she were merely stating a fact.


    However, the aura of a Light Rank Adventurer had already spread, forming an invisible giant hand that could crush the carriage at any moment.


    In the carriage, Tasya and Lia felt tense, their expressions inquiring as they looked towards Lulu.


    What exactly did you two agree upon?


    ...


    Lulu appeared calm and composed.


    Other than her wolf tail puffing up, thickening slightly, there were no other changes.


    Even though Lulu had been kicked out by Dark Shadow early on, she had seen her share of turmoil and was not scared by Bai Luo.


    She thought for a moment, casting a covert glance at Lin Da, who was asleep on her lap.


    Could it be that Lin Da��s identity had not been exposed?


    Lulu pondered.


    For the Phoenix Tail Flower, this was a good thing.


    Otherwise, if Lin Da were taken away by Bai Luo and forced into marriage,


    the members of the Phoenix Tail Flower would have nowhere to cry.


    Whether it was Lulu, Monica, Tasya, or even Lia, resting her arms in the corner of the carriage, they were all brought together because of Lin Da.


    If Lin Da were to leave, everyone would scatter, just like the Primitive Adventure Team three years ago.


    Lulu cherished her current life. The team members may not be relatives, but their relationship was even closer than that of a family.


    Where the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team was, that was her home.


    She believed Tasya and Monica felt the same.


    Therefore, Lulu would never allow Bai Luo to take Lin Da away.


    ��I will tell you about the ��captain��s�� whereabouts.��


    But before that, I need to organize the information about him.


    Once everything is arranged, I��ll hand it all to you.


    It won��t take long, at most until tomorrow, I will come to you.


    The place you��re staying, is it still the Sword and Woodpecker Inn?��


    ��Alright then.��


    Bai Luo was anxious.


    But Lulu made sense��the more precise information about the teacher was worth waiting a night for.


    She also had enough confidence to ensure that Lulu wouldn��t dare deceive her.


    ��Speaking of which, Lin Da still doesn��t know my identity. Next time we meet, I��ll tell him I am the dean of Azure Sky University and see how he explains not responding to my invitation.��


    She hadn��t minded before.


    Thinking about it now, Bai Luo��s favorable impression of Lin Da decreased.


    Subordinates must respond promptly to superiors�� messages.


    It��s common sense for adults.


    Bai Luo had been in her position for over two years and had never invited any adventurer to join Azure Sky University.


    It was one thing for Lin Da to decline, but another not to write back to her.


    Such immature adventurers like Lin Da needed to be disciplined.


    Her thoughts returned to the present.


    Bai Luo said, ��Okay, see you tomorrow then.��


    ��Hmm,��


    Lulu responded.


    Watching Bai Luo disappear into the street, Lulu breathed a sigh of relief.


    In the carriage, Lin Da was asleep.


    He hadn��t heard the conversation between Lulu and Bai Luo.


    Otherwise, Lin Da could certainly have guessed the identity of the ��Little Black-Robed Person�� from their conversation.


    It was one of his favorite powerful Five-star Characters: [White Cat Swordsman]Bai Luo!


    Swimsuit Bai Luo was one of the supermodel characters in the game.


    The strategy Lin Da posted on the forum was: Swimsuit Bai Luo, recommended draw level S, consider whaling.


    Meanwhile, the original Bai Luo was also a strong Water Attribute output character, reaching the recommended draw level A.


    It is worth mentioning that the Mystic Continent game��s gacha system is a ��one pool, two roles.��


    ��This means there are two current five-star characters with a high chance of emerging. However, there��s also a possibility of drawing other five-stars, though the probability is much lower.��


    ��Usually, among the two five-star characters available in the event, one is stronger than the other.��


    ��Which one you get depends entirely on the player��s luck.��


    Lin Da was quite lucky, using the diamonds provided by the game, he did a ten-pull and managed to draw both five-stars from the same pool, the [White Cat Swordsman] Bai Luo and [Bursting Tiger] Taige.


    [Bursting Tiger] Taige is a fire attribute, explosive melee character.


    He��s hot-tempered, warlike, and quite the glutton.


    Because of his poor stamina in prolonged battles, Lin Da used him for a while and then kicked him out of the team.


    On the other hand, Bai Luo, a rare water attribute swordsman, has explosive power and decent stamina in combat.��


    Most importantly, he possesses [Hydrofusion], a very rare healing skill.


    Although it doesn��t heal much, being a self-healing swordsman, he significantly reduces the difficulty of strategizing against high-level magical creatures.


    As for why Bai Luo calls him teacher, that��s a story for later.��


    In the train compartment.


    Tasya listened quietly to the conversation between Lulu and the little black-robed person, a flash of surprise crossing her eyes.


    She looked at Lulu incredulously and said, ��Could it be��?��


    ��Yes.��


    Lulu didn��t deny, knowing she couldn��t deceive Tasya.


    ��Why not reveal the identity of the captain to her? If a Light Rank Mage joined our adventure team����


    The journey to conquer World Tree would be much easier.


    Tasya was full of confusion.


    ��I��ll talk to you more about it when we get back,�� said Lulu.


    Lulu glanced at a certain red-haired girl who, afraid of embarrassment, pretended to sleep in the corner of the compartment.


    ��There are outsiders here,�� Lulu said.


    Lia��s right hand, crossed in front of her chest, moved slightly.


    She was having a hard time keeping up the pretense.


    But she chose to ignore it and continued to sleep.


    Half an hour later.


    Everyone went their separate ways.


    The people of Snow Goose, upon learning that Lia and Lin Da were safe and sound, finally let go of their worries.


    The sentimental Elven archer, Klyne, even cried tears of joy.


    Klrona had not gone to the Magic Guide Gaming Center for several days, waiting at home for news.


    Aiko collapsed into a chair, her whole body going limp.


    ��I��m glad you��re back,�� she said.


    Aiko patted her chest, relievedly exhaling.


    The people of Snow Goose intended to visit Lin Da together.


    But seeing Lin Da sleeping exhaustedly on Lulu��s lap, they quietly dropped the idea, deciding to go another day.


    What Lin Da and Lia needed most after coming out of the dangerous Great Mystery Continent was rest.


    On the way back to Snow Goose Villa.


    In the carriage, Oru spoke up, ��Did you guys notice that Lin Da��s aura has changed?��


    ��Changed?�� Aiko blinked, tilting her head in confusion as she looked at Oru.


    As the saying goes, concern leads to chaos.


    Aiko, overjoyed that Lin Da and Lia had returned safely, hadn��t noticed any change in Lin Da��s aura.


    Oru said, ��I��m not sure, but I feel that Lin Da has become much stronger, even�� um, stronger than you.��


    ��Stronger than me?�� Aiko was shocked.


    In the past few days, she had secretly used her savings to buy a Gold Level World Tree fruit and successfully advanced to level 31.


    She had even planned to show off in front of Lin Da.


    To remind Lin Da of a super skilled Light Mage right before him. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To inquire when he would invite her to join.


    But Lin Da had become even more powerful than her?


    ��He entered the 10th floor at only level 26, and it��s been at most a month; did he rise at least 5 levels?��


    Aiko blinked in confusion, ��What kind of incredible luck would it take to level up so much? It couldn��t be that the person who vanquished the Forest Dragon was Lin Da, could it?��

 Chapter 423 - 423: 333, Lin Da: Huh?

    Chapter 423: 333, Lin Da: Huh?


    ��Hahaha.��


    Laughter filled the carriage, kind and joyful.


    However, most people thought Aiko was joking.


    But Aiko genuinely suspected that the person who had slain the Forest Dragon was Lin Da.


    Among the Snow Goose group, only Aiko knew Lin Da��s true identity.


    The night Lin Da purified Lulu and tamed the Little Werewolf, Aiko was there too��


    ...


    ��Partner��s luck has always been good, probably ate something containing the Goddess�� Blessing!�� Oru speculated.


    The others nodded silently.


    That was the most likely possibility.


    Such encounters were an adventurer��s biggest secret.


    Besides their closest comrades, they wouldn��t tell anyone else.


    Lia noticed everyone in the carriage was looking at her.


    She flushed with embarrassment.


    With a snort, she said, ��Don��t ask me, I don��t know either! If you want to know, go ask Tasya, she definitely knows!��


    Indeed.


    Lia didn��t know how Lin Da had leveled up so quickly.


    But she was aware that Tasya must know.


    During their practice of the Fusion Finishing Skills, she had gathered clues from Tasya��s tone and expressions.


    Lin Da��s rapid increase in level was absolutely linked to the Forest Dragon.


    As for how exactly, Lia couldn��t figure it out.


    ��


    The sun set, and night descended.


    After returning to the Phoenix Tail Flower villa, Lin Da slept for three hours before waking up.


    Upon opening his eyes, he saw the familiar ceiling above him.


    The bedding underneath him was soft and dry, smelling faintly of sunlight.


    Outside the window, darkness had completely fallen.


    He lay lethargically in bed, utterly unwilling to move. S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After the battle with Hu Er, he had been on high alert, not feeling pain or fatigue, as if injected with adrenaline, his mind solely focused on how to win.


    Now that he relaxed, he collapsed completely, even breathing felt laborious.


    ��You��re awake.��


    A gentle voice of a girl reached him.


    Lin Da turned to see that Lulu was sitting by the bed.


    Had she been watching over him the entire time he was unconscious?


    Lin Da, supported by Lulu��s hand on his back, propped himself against the headboard and drank a bowl of hot millet porridge.


    His body instantly felt warmer.


    And his heart, particularly comforted.


    Such a gentle Little Werewolf, every adventurer should have one.


    Lin Da mused, and couldn��t help but stretch out his arms to embrace Lulu.


    Without a word, they spent a quiet moment together.


    Afterward.


    They shared their experiences after splitting up in the Dragon Forest that day.


    ��I see�� In order to protect Monica, you stayed behind to cover our escape and got injured by Hulus and others from the Doomsday Sect,�� Lin Da murmured.


    ��That Hulus is not normal.�� Lulu frowned, ��I have a feeling that even if I had used the Witch��s power, I couldn��t have defeated Hulus. His aura is much more evil than before, having joined the Doomsday Sect has deepened his Dark attribute.��


    ��Maybe Hulus has taken a small amount of Magic Potion,�� Lin Da said with a grave expression:


    ��The Doomsday Sect here in Cangqing Province is a branch of the main headquarters located in the Royal Capital, named ��Dragon��s Rest Tomb��.


    These heretics are best at using Dragon Blood and the blood of Fallen Witches to concoct enhanced versions of Magic Potions.


    Taken directly, they significantly boost one��s strength, just like what happened to Hu Er that I mentioned earlier.


    Of course, they come with endless troubles.


    Adventurers who take these enhanced Magic Potions either become magical puppets attacking everything in sight or suffer a collapse of their Magic Circuits. Very few adventurers come to a good end.��


    ��`


    But there��s another way to take it.


    Long-term injection in small amounts!


    The advantage is that the consequences are much lighter, at most it shortens the lifespan by several decades.��


    Lin Da slowly said.


    In the world of Mystic Continent, adventurers can increase their lifespan by leveling up, but the increment is extremely limited.


    Deities have granted adventurers limitless space for progress, yet they have capped their lifespans.


    Compared to the Holy Dragon or the Deep Sea Turtle, with lifespans stretching into the thousands of years, even an adventurer who reaches Legendary Rank can only live to around one hundred and fifty years old.


    From this point of view, even taking ��Magic Potion�� in small amounts has serious consequences. Besides that, it can also make the user��s personality become increasingly darker.


    On the other hand, the advantages are exceptionally clear.


    With the strength of Hulus at level 35, combined with another Star Rank, it actually made Lulu feel like ��even if I activated Witch State, I couldn��t win.��


    Lulu is a battle-hardened Werewolf Warrior with extremely sharp combat instincts. If she says so, it��s likely that in a fight, she wouldn��t stand a chance against Hulus at all.


    ��If you were at level 35���� Lin Da stopped mid-sentence.


    ��Hulus wouldn��t be my match,�� Lulu said, with a flash of hatred in her eyes.


    Without Hulus and the Doomsday Sect, Monica wouldn��t have gone missing.


    ��Right, I have another matter I need your help with.��


    Lulu took out a Recording Stone and said, ��It��s about that Light Rank senior.��


    Lin Da blinked in confusion.


    I��ve crossed his fianc��e by touching her Xiaolongbao and made an enemy of her fianc��, what help can I offer?


    Lulu hesitated for a moment, thinking that Lin Da would find out about this sooner or later, so it might be better to tell him in advance.


    She believed Lin Da was not the kind of captain who would abandon his team members and elope with Bailuo.


    ��Actually, that Light Rank senior����


    After listening to Lulu��s account, Lin Da was dumbstruck.


    ��What?��


    The fianc�� of the Little Black-Robed Person, the teacher who was ��cuckolded����


    Turned out to be me?!


    ��


    ��


    The next day at noon.


    On a bench in the commercial street, a Beastman was sunbathing with arms spread wide, propped against the backrest, a dreamy smoke from a hand-rolled cigarette from the South Seas dangling from his mouth, carelessly ignoring the resentful gazes of other adventurers who wanted to sit down.


    ��Winter cotton clothing big sale, all famous brands from Elf��s Home, 30% off now!��


    ��New blind boxes for a hundred Gold Coins each, can contain Epic Equipment!��


    ��Official figures of various adventure teams, ��Mind��s Eye�� Abner for 30 Gold Coins each, ��Eye of True Knowledge�� Lin Da for 25 Gold, buy one get a ��Bursting Flames�� Lia for free�� All genuine, 10% of sales profit shared with the original adventurers, fans come and buy!��


    Adventurers of various races bustle up and down the main street, creating a lively atmosphere.


    Two pots of ivy placed at the entrance added a touch of vibrant green to a centrally-located caf�� on the street.


    The familiar third floor, the familiar private room.


    Lulu arrived as promised.


    ��I thought you��d run away,�� Bailuo said, still clad in her black robe, her face covered with a pure white mask, sitting upright on the round high stool.


    ��Why?�� Lulu looked at her puzzled, not understanding the getup.


    Bailuo remained silent for a while.


    Ever since Weylon had dismissed her, treating her like a child, she realized how important appearances were.


    If she couldn��t grow up in the short term, better to cover up her stature and face, so no one would look down on her.


    Bailuo didn��t answer, instead she countered, ��You��ve got news about the teacher��s whereabouts, right? Let��s make one thing clear before we go on��the Cat-People Race is known for their bad temper, and if I find you are deceiving me, I won��t let you off lightly.��


    Lulu was silent now.


    She pulled out a chair and sat down, closing her eyes for a moment to gather her thoughts before speaking.


    ��I met the captain last year.��


    Bang!


    Bailuo slapped the table excitedly and stood up.


    Her face almost touched Lulu��s nose.


    ��Really? Where is the teacher, tell me quickly!��


    ��`

 Chapter 424 - 424: 334. About the Disappearance of Dark Shadow, Snow Goose Visits

    Chapter 424: 334. About the Disappearance of Dark Shadow, Snow Goose Visits


    Three years, over a thousand days and nights.


    Bailuo was ceaselessly searching for clues to the Dark Shadow.


    Even after leveraging the power of the dean, not a single trace could be found.


    It was as if they had vanished into thin air.


    So suddenly, no one from the Primitive Adventure Team noticed a thing.


    They even went back to the villa for a night��s sleep, and it wasn��t until noon the next day that someone realized.


    ...


    Isn��t the captain missing?


    It was like being trapped in an illusory bubble, which only burst when a team member voiced the question, bringing everyone back to reality.


    Incomprehensible and unexplainable.


    Right then, Bailuo learned from Lulu that the Dark Shadow was still alive.


    Out of sheer excitement, tears the size of beans fell from her eyes.


    ��You care about the captain����


    Lulu was astounded.


    Bailuo turned around, removed her mask to wipe her eyes, then put it back on.


    She said, ��Where did you see the teacher?��


    Lulu: ��It happened half a year ago. By now, the captain has long since left that place. For you, the important thing isn��t the location, but the time.��


    ��Time, what do you mean?��


    ��You��ll understand after you listen to this.��


    Lulu handed Bailuo a round object resembling a pebble.


    It was a Recording Stone.


    ��


    After a moment.


    Bailuo��s hand holding the Recording Stone trembled slightly, and tears glistened as they fell from her chin to the ground.


    Tears of overwhelming joy dropped like little pearls.


    It was said that if the Mermaid Princess cried out of happiness, her tears would turn into Legendary materials.


    Too bad the one crying wasn��t a mermaid.


    Lulu felt a touch of faint envy.


    Even if the words in the Recording Stone were ��lies,�� they might become the truth one day.


    With Lin Da��s character, he would never let go of such a loyal cat girl.


    ��If you know the captain well enough, you should be able to tell whose voice is in the Recording Stone,�� Lulu said.


    ��Mhm.�� Bailuo nodded, took out a handkerchief to wipe her eyes and blew her nose, then put it back in her pocket.


    ��It is indeed the teacher; no one else could imitate that.��


    Only the Dark Shadow, who personally taught her swordsmanship and took her out of that hellish training camp, could have a voice that was cold yet tinged with a touch of gentleness.


    Bailuo cradled the Recording Stone in her palm as though it were her teacher.


    She said, ��Can I keep the Recording Stone?��


    Lulu felt a bit guilty and replied, ��Of course, take it.��


    ��Thank you.��


    Bailuo left, her white cat tail raised high.


    ��I didn��t expect things to be so simple.��


    Lulu sipped the coffee on the table, her mind gradually relaxing.


    ����Tell Bailuo when you meet her, that I will personally come to see her in three years.��


    Those were the contents of the Recording Stone.


    A delaying tactic concocted by Lin Da.


    Within three years, Lin Da was confident that he would become stronger than Bailuo, and then he would invite this cat-eared loli to join his team.


    Bailuo��s desire to monopolize him was something he and the entire Phoenix Tail Flower Team could not accept.


    Lin Da believed that he belonged to everyone, not just a specific team member.


    ��


    Lulu walked out of the caf�� and onto the street.


    The midday sun was warm, and her wolf ears twitched comfortably a few times; her tail also swayed gently.


    ��Wow, it��s the emerging Star-ranked adventurer, [Frost Wolf] Lulu!��


    ��Can I go up and ask for an autograph?��


    ��She seems to be in a good mood! Does that mean Captain Lin Da has emerged from the Great Mystery Continent?��


    Passersby stopped and whispered among themselves.


    But no one dared to speak too loudly.


    Commenting about a Star Rank in their presence was disrespectful.


    Even during their conversations, people kept their voices down.


    ��Ah, poor werewolf.��


    ��It��s said that Beastmen should join Beastmen��s adventure teams, but she insisted on joining a human team.�� Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Look, now the captain is stuck in the Great Mystery Continent and can��t get out, he must��ve been eaten by the Magical Creatures.��


    ��It��s so dangerous in there, with level 30 Magical Creatures roaming everywhere; how could Lin Da and the others possibly come back alive?��


    ��Ah? Does that mean the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team is done for?��


    ��I don��t think so; remember, Lin Da is from the Healing Profession, which gives them an advantage in the Great Mystery Continent.��


    As the crowd discussed, Lulu moved quickly, her frowned face appearing in front of a female pig-headed person.


    This woman was 1.6 meters tall and weighed at least 200 kilograms, as fat as a pear; she was the one rejoicing over the calamity, saying Lin Da and the others had died in the Great Mystery Continent.


    ��Are you cursing us?��


    Lulu stared at the pig woman with icy eyes.


    ��No, not at all.��


    The pig woman, named Peggy, was befuddled.


    As the pressure of a Star-ranked adventurer washed over her, Peggy��s hair stood on end and sweat dripped from her forehead.


    Being only a level 12 ordinary Healer, she couldn��t withstand Lulu��s intimidation.


    Peggy was close to crying, stammering, ��What I said is true, Beastmen shouldn��t join human adventure teams.��


    ��Not everyone looks down on Beastmen,�� Lulu said. ��The captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team is different, understand? I can��t control what you say about others, but if you speak ill of the Phoenix Tail Flower captain, I won��t let you off.��


    ��And�� they��ve returned.��


    Only a few knew about this.


    The city was abuzz with rumors that Lin Da was dead, a genius fallen, and White Dove City had lost an outstanding captain.


    Lulu deliberately ignored those rumors.


    But now, she wanted to tell those people��


    ��Lin Da is back, now a level 33 Star-ranked adventurer. That��s all I wanted to say.��


    Lulu pocketed her hands and walked away.


    The crowd on the street was in disarray.


    The words of Lulu were like a bomb.


    There was a moment of stillness on the surface of the water, followed by a thunderous uproar.


    ��What did that werewolf say�� they��re back? Lin Da is back from the Great Mystery Continent?��


    ��I heard the Great Mystery Continent is a place of no return, how could someone come back?��


    ��And to become a Star Rank?��


    Everyone was a bit confused.

 Chapter 425 - 425: 334. About the Disappearance of Dark Shadow, Snow Goose Visits_2

    Chapter 425: 334. About the Disappearance of Dark Shadow, Snow Goose Visits_2


    ��Miss, you seem to be quite happy.��


    A towering Minotaur donned in a black suit spoke respectfully.


    ��Of course, I am the leader of the Phoenix Tail Flower Fan Club.��


    The young lady smiled faintly, her gaze lingering on Lulu��s departing figure, a playful smirk outlining her lips.


    She was dressed in a Gothic black dress, her hair long, black, and neatly straight. Her complexion was a touch pale, and her right eye, seeming injured, was covered by a white eye patch. She wore black lace gloves on her hands and held a parasol, lightly resting it on her shoulder.


    ��Young Lady, the sun is about to reach its strongest. Let me take you back to your room to rest.��


    ...


    The Minotaur said.


    Ever since visiting White Dove City a few months ago, the young lady had decided to settle here for a while, even establishing the bizarre Phoenix Tail Flower Fan Club, truly baffling to observe.


    But now, he was beginning to understand a bit.


    That Lin Da actually survived the closed off Great Mystery Continent and even broke through to Star Rank��


    Such achievements, even placed amongst the top adventure teams in the Royal Capital, aren��t something every team can accomplish.


    The girl in the black dress carefully stuck her head out from under the parasol, glanced at the sunlight, and said, ��Mm, it��s indeed time to go back, thank you for the trouble.��


    The Minotaur took out a wheelchair from the Space Ring and pushed the girl in the black dress away.


    ��


    Let��s rewind to yesterday evening.


    After finishing the millet porridge, Lin Da, holding the Recording Stone passed to him by Lulu, listened to that strange request, his eyes clouded with confusion for a moment.


    ������I, the dean, am a mature adult.��


    ������The teacher is my future husband!��


    ������The teacher is cruel and evil, a big baddie!��


    Got it.


    Lin Da totally got it.


    ��Good, my careful nurturing wasn��t in vain! Bailuo is truly an outstanding child, having become the dean of Azure Sky University. The good days for Phoenix Tail Flower are coming!��


    Lin Da slapped the bed and sat up straight, his fatigue vanishing.


    A Light Rank teammate would undoubtedly be a significant boost to the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    But Lulu��s next line was like a bucket of ice water being poured over his head.


    ��Team, leader, you did promise Bailuo to retire together and live an ordinary life, didn��t you? Why don��t Monica, Tasya, and I know about this?��


    ��Is it only your so-called ��Five-star Character�� who knows about this?��


    ��Those of us with lesser talents probably don��t deserve to know, right?��


    Lulu��s face wore a gentle smile as she took a handkerchief and wiped off the grains of millet sticking to Lin Da��s mouth after he finished the porridge.


    ��Cough cough cough, I was blinded by power back then, it��s better left unmentioned,�� Lin Da said.


    Even though he was currently one level higher than Lulu, the gentle touch of the handkerchief on his lips caused Lin Da to shudder. There was no hint of smiling in Lulu��s eyes as if in the next moment, her small mouth would open wide, revealing sharp teeth ready to bite into his head.


    Flesh is flesh, but continuous attacks were hard for Lin Da to bear.


    He coughed awkwardly.


    But then he thought about it.


    Something wasn��t right about this situation!


    He indeed promised Bailuo to retire.


    The condition was, after clearing the World Tree, defeating the Demon King, and the continent was at peace.


    Considering what Bailuo had previously said about agreeing to retire immediately,


    How could that be?


    Lin Da really liked the character Bailuo,


    but he wouldn��t abandon all other team members for Bailuo.


    ��I didn��t promise her,�� Lin Da said.


    ��No?�� Lulu was taken aback.


    ��There must be some misunderstanding,�� Lin Da said.


    Lin Da propped his chin, carefully recalling his earlier gaming experiences.


    A spark of realization flashed through his mind.


    Could it be�� because of that power outage?


    The moment he clicked the option, the rented room suddenly plunged into darkness,


    and the screen went black.


    When he logged back into the game, the plot had disappeared, automatically skipped over.


    Bailuo��s favorability increased from 80 to 90.


    Perhaps this caused Bailuo to only hear the first half of the option.


    The words following ��but�� cut off due to a power outage in the rental apartment.


    ��This really is�� a huge blunder.��


    Lin Da couldn��t help but cry and laugh.


    ��What do you plan to do?�� Lulu asked worriedly.


    ��In the short term, I can��t let Bailuo discover my identity. She seems easy to talk to, but actually, she��s the type to stick to her guns. I��m worried I would be forced to go to Cyan City and get married, and that would be trouble.��


    Lin Da sighed, ��At least wait until everyone in Phoenix Tail Flower Team reaches Moon Rank, or until I have a Shadow of Darkness�� cough, anyway, tell Bailuo that I��ll look for her in three years to keep her at bay, and we can decide the rest later.��


    Without an Experience Card for Shadow of Darkness, once those veteran team members learn that his strength has greatly diminished, just thinking about the consequences makes Lin Da shiver.


    The game Mystic Continent was designed to fulfill players�� various experiences and had set up many different types of beautiful female teammates.


    Among them were yandere types, playful people, and ambitious folks who wanted to ride on the captain��s head�� If Lin Da didn��t have the strength to protect himself, going to meet those teammates with a smile would definitely be more terrifying than being eaten by Magical Creatures.


    Time returns to the present.


    After spending a night restoring his energy, the dizziness from traversing Void Space completely disappeared for Lin Da.


    After eating breakfast in the morning, he was full of energy and performed a Purification on Tasya.


    As Tasya��s trust level reached 90, the strength of the Purification was unprecedented.


    Just after resolving it, he came out of the bathroom with Tasya.


    They were greeted by the day��s first visitor.


    Dawen from the Scarlet Adventure Group.


    ��Lin Da, thank you for saving Lia and Tasya in the Great Mystic Realm!�� Dawen bowed deeply.


    ��It��s what I should do; Lia was my old captain, and Tasya has a special connection with me.��


    Lin Da invited the genius Swordsman from Red Heart City into the guest room.


    Tasya served tea to the two and stood quietly behind Lin Da with a tray in her hands.


    The morning sun shone on Tasya��s silver hair, making it glisten. Next to her, Lin Da, dressed in white home clothes and wearing a gentle smile, created a painting full of life��s essence.


    Dawen could tell that the emptiness was gone from Tasya��s eyes, and she had transformed from an emotionless Magic Puppet into a normal person.


    It was the same when he had visited Lia not long ago. The moment Lin Da��s name came up, Lia became animated, cursing Lin Da as the shrimp head who threw manure on her boots.


    Dawen didn��t know whether to cry or laugh, as the women of The Mandalas family all seemed to have been swayed by the young man in front of him.


    ��Whoa, you reached Star Rank?��


    Having a sip of the steaming tea, Dawen raised his eyebrows in surprise.


    ��By a stroke of luck.��


    Lin Da modestly smiled.


    ��Luck that took you up five or six levels? No wonder Tasya chose to follow you.�� Admiration appeared on Dawen��s face, ��Even I��m not confident about returning alive from the Great Mystic Realm.��


    Lin Da shook his head, ��It wasn��t just my doing; thanks also to Lia and Tasya.��


    ��Lia�� haha, it��s pretty good that she didn��t hold you back.�� Dawen chuckled and said, ��The second reason I��m here is to give you this.�� sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Dawen passed over a document.


    It was Tasya��s contract to leave the team.


    By noon, Lin Da bid farewell to a dejected Dawen.


    Then, he and Tasya went to the Adventurers�� Guild to process her team entry contract.


    Upon opening the team panel again, there was indeed an additional member��s avatar.


    Tasya, level 35.


    The avatar showed a silver-haired doll with arms crossed, a shadow over her face, looking down on others.


    It was identical to the game��s chibi style.


    Finally.


    Storm Tasya, officially joined the team!


    Lin Da��s Diamonds, now could be used on Tasya.


    No sooner had he finished the procedures with Tasya than the second wave of guests arrived at the villa.


    ��Buddy, we��ve come to visit you!��


    Oru, carrying a box of milk and a bag of health supplements, laughed heartily as he pressed the doorbell.


    Leading the group was Lia, in a black suspender dress, walking briskly with the vigor of a young girl.


    Aiko was sitting in a wheelchair, her white dress fluttering and her golden hair flowing like a waterfall, smiling and waving at Lin Da.


    ��Young Miss here is just paying a courtesy visit, so don��t get any wild ideas!�� Lia said, hands on her hips and puffing with anger.


    ��Lin Da, I was so worried about you. Hearing that you didn��t come out of the Great Mystic Continent, I couldn��t eat well, and I even lost weight�� I��m relieved you��re all right.�� Aiko took Lin Da��s hand, squeezing out a few tears.


    Klyne and Phyllis also greeted Lin Da politely. Only Klrona kept her head down, looking distracted.


    ��Don��t stand around, everyone come on in,�� Lin Da said with a smile.

 Chapter 426 - 426: 335. Bailuo invites again, Lin Das massive spoils of war

    Chapter 426: 335. Bailuo invites again, Lin Da��s massive spoils of war


    Lia and her team just happened not to have eaten lunch, and it had been a while since Lin Da had cooked, so he made a table full of dishes.


    Aromatic fragrances wafted from the dining table.


    During the meal, the third wave of guests arrived.


    The Ice Flower Adventure Team��s leader, Isa, and their commander, Fannis.


    ��Hello, we came to see you,�� Fannis pushed up her black round glasses and greeted with a cheerful smile.


    Isa, seeing that Lin Da was safe and sound, breathed a sigh of relief. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    ��It��s great, so great that you could come back���� Isa gave a forced smile and sat down on the sofa.


    ��Did you encounter some trouble?�� Lin Da asked with concern.


    Since Ice Flower had broken through to the 14th floor and advanced to Iron Level, they hadn��t seen much of each other.


    ��I��m fine, it��s all in the past,�� Isa dodged the topic, looking at Lin Da with anticipation, ��The new announcement is out. In twenty days, the 15th floor of the Great Mystery Continent will open. Are you planning to come?��


    ��Twenty days, the timing is a bit tight. I��ll see how it goes,�� Lin Da considered, then said, ��If possible, I��ll first find Monica and take her to conquer floors 11 through 14 together, so everyone can receive the Goddess�� Blessing.��


    As they spoke,


    Ding-ding~


    ��Hello, this is Hummingbird Express, you have a letter.��


    Outside, an adventurer dressed in yellow and riding a horse handed over a letter.


    After reading the content of the letter, Lin Da tensed up.


    ��[Junior, meet the Dean at Woodpecker Inn.]


    ��Woodpecker Inn�� Is that Bailuo?��


    Lin Da��s eyes flickered.


    Had his identity been exposed?


    He certainly didn��t want to be caught by a cat girl shorter than one meter forty and taken to a big bed to be humiliated.


    ��Everyone, I apologize, but I must excuse myself for a moment.��


    Not daring to slight this Light Rank ��Little Black-Robed Person,�� Lin Da took the carriage to the agreed-upon location.


    ��


    On the third floor of the Woodpecker Inn, a room named ��Forest and the Woodpecker.��


    Lin Da pushed open the door, as if he had entered a fairytale world.


    Lush green trees and a babbling clear stream.


    Sunlight was just right overhead, and a gentle breeze caressed his face.


    Witnessing a top-tier inn��s use of Illusion Array for the first time, Lin Da expressed his admiration in his heart.


    Passing by the side of the stream, he could feel the air becoming moist, and in the crystal-clear water where he could see the bottom, there were red little fish joyfully darting about, with smooth pebbles underneath the bank.


    Lin Da squatted down, curiously scooping up a handful of river water. Although it was cool to the touch, once it left the river, the water turned into pale blue Magic Particles in a few seconds and gently dissipated.


    ��Junior, is this your first time entering an Illusion Magic Circle? Although it looks very realistic, it��s all illusory,�� said a voice.


    Between two thick trees, there was a small bed woven of vines, and a petite girl with silver hair was sitting on it, with a round stump-like ��desk�� in front of her.


    The girl wore red-framed glasses and held a pen, reviewing documents in a serious manner.


    Lin Da was momentarily lost in thought.


    The difference was too great compared to the twin-tailed, indifferent White Cat Swordsman, Bailuo, he knew from the game.


    In a nutshell, she was a chilly girl whom Lin Da had dubbed ��Little Dark Shadow.��


    Apart from her height and chest, the transformation in other aspects was so significant that Lin Da hardly recognized her.


    Apparently, Bailuo had suffered a lot over the past three years.


    Without the protection of Dark Shadow, she might have been bullied by other team members.


    Like the Five-Star Werewolf Wolf, the Light and Dark Dual System Tina, and that little Princess from the Dragon Series��


    But that��s a story for another time.


    What Lin Da needed to do now was to hide his identity and avoid being caught by the one-meter-forty cat girl and forced into marriage in Cyan City.


    ��May I ask, Lord Dean, do you have any instructions for me?�� Lin Da bowed to his ��student�� and spoke with honorifics, suppressing the odd feeling in his heart.


    ��You know my identity?�� Bailuo asked with a slight smile, putting down the feather pen in her hand and removing the red-framed glasses that had no prescription and were worn just to look more adult-like.


    The girl��s pair of reddish-purple eyes calmly looked at Lin Da.


    The aura of a Light Rank hovered around Lin Da, and he felt like he was being watched by a tiger, as sweat rolled down his forehead.


    ��I would like to apologize to the Dean,�� Lin Da said.


    ��Hmm? Apologize, why should you apologize? You have no reason to apologize,�� Bailuo��s eyes narrowed, and her slender legs clad in snow-white stockings were crossed behind the round wooden stump, her lips curved in a playful smile as she watched Lin Da.


    The pressure around him seemed to grow even more, and a few more beads of sweat rolled down Lin Da��s forehead.


    After learning that Bailuo��s other identity was the Dean of Azure Sky University, Lin Da understood where he had offended her.


    More than a month had passed since the incident, and still, Bailuo held onto it.


    A narrow-minded cat-eared loli indeed!


    With Lin Da��s current strength, he dared only complain inwardly.


    He respectfully looked at the tiny cat girl, who was swinging on the vine-woven bed and bowed, saying:


    ��I dared to ignore the invitation of the Lord Dean, which is the height of arrogance�� I thought someone as big a shot as you wouldn��t care about my response. Now I realize it was my disrespect toward the Lord Dean.��


    Seeing Lin Da bowing respectfully at ninety degrees, Bailuo showed a pleased expression.


    ��Knowing your mistake is good, this Dean will forgive you then.��


    Bailuo walked up to Lin Da, stood on tiptoes, and touched the top of Lin Da��s head.


    This action intensified the weird feeling in Lin Da��s heart.


    He was being comforted by a ��child.��


    And yet, it felt comforting?


    He even felt like lying down on Bailuo��s thighs, clad in snow-white socks, for a nap.


    If he could do that, perhaps any kind of tiredness would disappear.


    After Bailuo had her fill of touching Lin Da, she withdrew her hand and coughed lightly, saying:

 Chapter 427 - 427: 335, Bailuo invites again, Lin Das massive spoils of war_2

    Chapter 427: 335, Bailuo invites again, Lin Da��s massive spoils of war_2


    ��It seems you��re an adventurer who knows how to show respect, so, the President extends an invitation to you once more.��


    ��Would you like to follow me to Cyan City and become a member of Azure Sky Adventurers University?��


    ��During the time the Great Mystery Continent was sealed, you and two other women fought against that Moon Rank fox. Although you lost, the fact that you forced it to consume a magic potion speaks volumes about your strength.��


    ��At Azure Sky University, you could enter the ranks of the first-line students.��


    ��I believe all three of you qualify to be students at Azure Sky University.��


    ��What do you say, wanna come?��


    ...


    Bailuo extended her hand, looking expectantly at Lin Da.


    ��Azure Sky University is indeed an excellent institution, and many adventurers dream of joining.��


    Lin Da first praised the other party.


    Then he tactfully said, ��But for an adventurer like me, who took the unconventional path, my fighting style is set in stone, and I��m really not cut out for joining an academic faction halfway through. I��m like a little tree that��s already grown crooked; rather than forcefully straightening it, it��s better to let it grow wild.��


    ��I see���� Bailuo sighed regretfully.


    She didn��t try to keep him any further.


    After all, Bailuo��s invitation was just an offhand remark.


    In her eyes, Lin Da and his companions were not quite at the level that warranted her going out of her way to invite them.


    At that moment, Lin Da had a thought and said, ��There are many fun places in White Dove City, like amusement parks, the Magic Guide Gaming Center, and the like. If the President is interested, I, a local, could act as a tour guide.��


    In the game, Bailuo was very conscientious. Even when she saw entertainment facilities, she would silently endure and spend all her time on cultivation.


    Lin Da, having heard from Lulu, felt pity for this cat-eared lolita who had been searching for herself for the past three years.


    If possible, he thought, they could go to the amusement park together before she left.


    ��No need.��


    Bailuo unequivocally refused: ��The President has a busy schedule; there are many places in White Dove City that need inspection. It��s not like you adventurers who have lots of time to waste.��


    ��I see����


    Lin Da felt a bit disappointed, thinking that maybe it was because he was a ��stranger.�� In the game, Bailuo only went out to play with Dark Shadow. His sudden invitation was indeed presumptuous.


    Not being beaten up by Bailuo already showed that her three years of self-cultivation had yielded excellent results.


    Seeing Bailuo settle back at her ��desk�� to review various documents, Lin Da quietly walked to the door.


    But he wasn��t sure if he was seeing things. Using his height to sneak a glance, he noticed that behind Bailuo��s mountainous pile of documents was a comic book, a romance type. The hit work ��What to Do When You Fall for a Wild Orc�� by the popular elf author Mickey, which Lin Da had seen in Klrona��s room.


    Except Klrona used it to prop up a table leg, saying it wasn��t worth a hair from ��Legendary Hero Slaying Evil Dragons.��


    ��I must be mistaken; three years have passed, and Bailuo has grown into a mature adult. I can��t see her through the same lens as before.��


    Leaving the Woodpecker Inn, Lin Da immediately went to the Adventurers�� Guild to see if there were any news about Monica��s bounty.


    There was news.


    But scarily abundant.


    In the VIP room, a chubby female manager chuckled:


    ��Currently, there are more than twenty adventurers who claim to have seen Monica. Some say in the Barren Plains, others spotted her in Lava Canyon����


    ��Everyone is tempted by the 500,000 Gold Coin reward for a sighting and wants to try their luck.��


    ��The president has updated the bounty notice for you. Anyone who maliciously reports false information will be thrown in prison. But with that, there hasn��t been a single new sighting.��


    Lin Da��s brow furrowed deeply.


    ��Add another million Gold Coins to the bounty, spread it to South Rock City and Red Heart City, and ask the guilds there to post the notice.��


    The female manager hesitated: ��The Gold Coins needed will probably be a lot�� Do you have enough��?��


    A flash of light in Lin Da��s hand, and a small pouch appeared.


    Placed on the table, the Gold Coins made a crisp sound as they collided.


    ��This should be enough,�� Lin Da said.


    The manager opened the bag and stared intently.


    Inside were palm-sized, shiny purple, gem-like currency.


    A rich aura of Magic Power was released.


    The manager, stuck at level 5, felt her bottleneck loosening.


    ��Purple Gold Coins?�� Her face changed as she exclaimed in shock.


    One Purple Gold Coin is equal to 10,000 regular Gold Coins.


    This kind of currency, most people wouldn��t touch in their entire lives.


    ��There are a total of 120 in there; it��s absolutely enough to post bounties in South Rock City and Red Heart City,�� Lin Da said calmly.


    Now he was wealthy and didn��t care about the cost.


    Apart from these 120 Purple Gold Coins, there were still 37 left in his ring.


    The vast amount of loot still hadn��t been sold.


    Fortunately, the Adventurers�� Guild offered a consignment service for selling loot.


    For the sake of convenience, Lin Da simply handed it over to the female manager.


    Her name was Penna, personally groomed by President Velen.


    Velen once told him that for any matter, he could go directly to Penna.


    Lin Da: ��Please, Penna, trouble you to help sell all these things for me.��


    The Adventurers�� Guild has its own commercial house; it��s just that the profit cut is far higher than private auctions.


    But taking President Velen��s special channels, it was even better than giving it to an auction.


    Penna said with a smile, ��Of course I can, consigning spoils of adventure for you will net me a certain percentage of Gold Coins as commission, it��s me who should be thanking you.��


    By consigning items for adventurers, Penna could earn around 0.1% in commission.


    For a guild supervisor whose monthly salary wasn��t very high, that was a significant extra income.


    So, when Lin Da mentioned this, the smile on Penna��s face grew even brighter.


    Penna wanted to install a new stove at home, but big-brand ones were generally not cheap, and yesterday she had her eye on one that cost 120 Gold Coins.


    They just happened to be running a promotional event recently, and it was available for 100 Gold Coins.


    With the female supervisor watching in anticipation, Lin Da took the spoils of adventure he acquired from the tenth floor, removed them from his ring, and piled them all up on the table at once.


    In an instant, the VIP room was filled with a spectrum of colorful glows.


    A huge pile of orange materials.


    There were also two pieces of deep purple Epic-level material.


    Penna��s eyes widened.


    Wasn��t this a bit too much?


    The materials piled up on the table to the brim.


    The lowest quality among them was Purple Rare.


    In her more than ten years as a supervisor, the value of the materials Penna had consigned added up was not even close to what Lin Da had brought out.


    ��Mr. Linda, please rest assured, I will definitely try my best to sell them for a high price and not let you down!�� Penna exclaimed, her face flushed with excitement.


    On the table were [Demon Saw Mushrooms�� Magic Cores], twenty-one of them.


    Many fist-sized mud balls.


    This was the Dragon Ash that Lin Da had collected in the Forest Dragon Cave.


    A beautifully woven red fur carpet.


    A large Dragon Nest.


    Gems that shone and glinted��


    Without exception, they all bore the traces of the Forest Dragon.


    No wonder Penna was excited.


    These items could earn her a commission of several thousand Gold Coins, equivalent to over two years�� worth of salary.


    Lin Da did not plan to hide the fact that he had been to the Forest Dragon��s lair. He intended to sell all the spoils he had scavenged.


    However, he would keep the Forest Dragon Magic Core and Dragon Blood obtained from slaying the dragon for himself.


    In the eyes of others, he was but a 33-level Star-ranked adventurer, with no chance of successfully combating a Forest Dragon.


    He also hoped everyone would continue thinking so. S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Keeping Dark Shadow as his trump card offered more benefits than drawbacks.


    ��The Forest Dragon Magic Core is worth a baseline of 8 million Gold Coins. It��s a hot potato that would be hard to offload in a small place like White Dove City, and selling it risks exposure. Better wait until I get to a big city to find a way to sell it.��


    ��As for the Dragon Blood, it should be used within the team.��


    Lin Da kept these two most precious items for himself.


    All the rest, like the 25-level Epic Young Dragon Three-Star Magic Core and the 31-level Fire Serpent Chieftain Epic Two-Star Magic Core, he entrusted to Penna.


    He calculated the cash he had on hand.


    Harvesting resources when the Great Mystery Continent��s tenth layer opened, plus Bear Thunder��s compensation, totaled 1.75 million Gold.


    The remainder of the Purple Gold Coins was 37, equal to 370,000 Gold Coins.


    Fighting Magical Creatures had netted about 30,000 Gold Coins.


    And in the Savings Card, there was still 1.1 million Gold.


    The grand total came to�� 3.25 million Gold Coins.


    Lin Da sighed inwardly.


    This amount of money was a lot for an ordinary adventurer, but when it came to purchasing Star Rank Equipment, it seemed rather tight.


    With Lin Da��s current perspective, Purple Rare equipment, he simply did not fancy.


    Orange was the starting point.


    Epic Level was the best.


    And indeed, the prices were very ��delightful.��


    The average price for Star Rank Equipment in orange was 500,000 per piece.


    Epic Level rose as high as 5 million.


    And for a top-notch Five-star Epic Main Weapon, you��d have to add another zero to the end.


    Above Epic, there were Legendary Level��


    Gold Coins are never too many.

 Chapter 428 - 428: 336, Version 2.0 Fire on the Azure Tree, Tasya Moon Rank

    Chapter 428: 336, Version 2.0 Fire on the Azure Tree, Tasya Moon Rank


    Lin Da had just signed the Consignment Contract and left the Adventurers�� Guild when it was already afternoon.


    He boarded the carriage and returned to the Phoenix Tail Flower��s villa.


    He just happened to meet Lulu returning.


    ��Did you notice someone following you?��


    In the living room, Lin Da, having heard Lulu��s account, fell into deep thought.


    According to Lulu, since arriving in White Dove City, she had often felt strange stares fixed on her.


    ...


    But the onlooker only observed and seemed to have no further actions.


    ��Kafni, do you have any clue?��


    Lin Da looked at the deity who was comfortably lying on a single sofa, with her legs draped over the coffee table.


    After more than a month of recovery, Kafni��s injuries had healed. She was joyfully flipping through a comic book, holding a large barrel of potato chips in her lap.


    Her fingers and mouth were greasy, and from time to time she grabbed a can of wheat beer to drink.


    ��Ah? Did you call me?��


    Kafni did not even lift her head, just kept turning pages, ��Who cares, as long as he dares to come over, I��ll slap him to death with one palm.��


    ��What if it��s a Light Rank?��


    Lin Da asked.


    Kafni��s Divine Powers were running low.


    According to her, only as much as a strand of hair.


    ��That depends on how hard you try,��


    Kafni pouted, ��If you reach the Moon Rank, I��ll feel confident to contend with a Light Rank for a bit.��


    ��Speaking of which, did you gain weight?��


    Lin Da abruptly changed the subject, causing Kafni to be taken aback.


    ��No, no, don��t talk nonsense!��


    Kafni��s face turned red, she tucked her shirt into her trousers to hide any excess flesh around her waist from Lin Da.


    Lin Da thought �� after all, this beautiful girl��s body should belong to himself. Kafni indulging in gluttony, wearing out the body, made it less useful.


    Luckily, he had many team members and had already lost interest in Kafni.


    After thinking for a while, Lin Da said, ��Starting today, enact a rule for at least two people to move together when going out.��


    About that strange gaze Lulu mentioned, he had many guesses.


    It could be the heretics from Dragon��s Rest Tomb, his former team members, or possibly the inspectors sent from the Royal Capital.


    The inspectors would roam the cities seeking potential adventure teams to send to the underground training camps in the Royal Capital, mass-producing faithfully loyal members of the Imperial Guard.


    Such activities could only be executed in secrecy, being one of the industries owned by one of the Four Great Dukes, the Bloodflame Duke.


    Although Lin Da knew the hidden truth behind it, he dared not speak out. The interests tangled behind this industrial chain were complex, involving many of the Great Nobility and top adventure teams.


    In a nutshell, regardless of who the owner of that strange gaze was, Lin Da had only one solution.


    Get stronger!


    Strong enough to instill fear into others, deterring them from targeting the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.


    In the world of adventurers, after all the circling around, one must rely on fists in the end.


    Additionally, another concern weighed on Lin Da��s mind.


    According to the current timeline, there were only five years left until the major event of the 2.0 update, ��The Fire of the Azure Tree�� commences.


    In that disaster, the heretics from Dragon��s Rest Tomb teamed up with the Demons to set a trap, burning down the World Tree located in Cyan City, the Azure Tree.


    And trapping the Coldmoon Duke, one of the Four Guardian Dukes of the Empire.


    This plunged the Mystic Continent into chaos.


    At the critical moment, a team led by players descended divinely, thwarting that conspiracy.


    They saved Coldmoon Duke, establishing preliminary trust.


    After several updates, the Coldmoon Duke inevitably joined the limited character pool, beginning a mad harvest of the players�� wallets.


    Lin Da pulled Coldmoon Duke into his team, but that was a matter for later in the update.


    The point he had transversed to was in the early stages of the update.


    In other words, in the current timeline, Coldmoon Duke was not a member of his team.


    To summarize the situation,


    If he could not lead Phoenix Tail Flower to become a Dawn-level team within five years and stop that turmoil��


    The Azure Tree would turn to ashes in the fire.


    Coldmoon Duke would also meet a tragic death.


    The death of a Grand Duke, representing one of the four guardian flames of the empire, would be a severe situation for the entire continent.


    What troubled Lin Da was, according to the information brought by Lulu, with the disappearance of Dark Shadow, Cold Moon had turned traitor, joining the Demons.


    This made the plot of the 2.0 update even more confusing and mysterious.


    To cope with the future turbulent situation, becoming a Dawn-level adventure team was the minimum requirement.


    Thinking like this, Lin Da had a specific idea regarding how to use 260 million diamonds.


    The first target was to build up the strongest team member, then lead everyone to ��become rich�� together.


    The chosen target was Tasya, the highest level maid of Phoenix Tail Flower.


    That night.


    During the quiet of the late night, Lin Da opened the system to complete the daily routine sign-in.


    He then entered the shop and exchanged all the diamonds for Experience Guidance Tickets.


    In the Dreamspace, he took the form of Dark Shadow and intensely instructed Tasya.


    Tasya, constantly infused with Magic Power, became somewhat foolish, shivering as she pleaded with Lin Da. sea??h th�� novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Master, your servant, your servant can��t take it anymore����


    Tasya��s limp arms could no longer support her, and she thudded to the ground.


    Training in the dream consisted mainly of sports activities.


    Like push-ups, sit-ups, running��


    Similar to a game.


    Assigning an exercise to a team member leads to rapidly increasing experience after a couple of hours.


    When Lin Da used 200 million Experience Guidance Tickets all on Tasya��


    A strong wave of magic power erupted from a room on the second floor of the villa.


    An invisible ripple swept across hundreds of meters.


    The sea of Magic Elements existing in the air stirred into a storm!


    All nearby adventurers felt a jolt in their hearts, waking from their sleep.


    The Goldfinch District, where Phoenix Tail Flower resided, belonged to a wealthy area, home to many high-level adventurers.

 Chapter 429 - 429: 336, Version 2.0 Fire on the Azure Tree, Tasya Moon Rank_2

    Chapter 429: 336, Version 2.0 Fire on the Azure Tree, Tasya Moon Rank_2


    The White Dove Adventure Group��s villa is also located here.


    It��s only a few hundred meters away from Lin Da��s place.


    ��


    Last night, Abner and his companions had just returned from the 19th floor of the Mystic Realm.


    Once again, they came back empty-handed.


    They hadn��t even seen the ��second phase�� of the Nightmare Guardian.


    ... sea??h th�� Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The whole team hastily used Town Portal Scrolls to escape back to White Dove City.


    Though no one died, the front-line Heavy Armored Warrior was seriously injured and couldn��t participate in the strategy for the time being.


    Because of this, even though they knew Lin Da had returned from the sealed Great Mystery Continent, they hadn��t managed to pay him a visit.


    Abner sat cross-legged on the cushion, with his deep blue katana placed beside him.


    His right arm was wrapped in bandages, his entire palm scorched by Flames, losing all sensation.


    ��Without a level 39 Heavy Armored Warrior, can we really not succeed in the subjugation���� Abner muttered to himself.


    In his mind, he envisioned the five-meter-tall Giant of Fire amid the ruins.


    Magma flowed through the fissures of its Armor, wielding a deep red giant sword.


    Epic Three Stars, level 40, Flame Giant.


    A type of Magical Creatures born in the depths of volcanoes.


    Its body was formed of rock and fire, with every move containing the explosive power of the fire element.


    The main army of the lost Serpentman Yavis Dynasty used to be these Flame Giants.


    The White Dove Adventure Group had a level 35 Heavy Armored Warrior who could withstand at most three hits from the Flame Giant.


    If the Flame Giant unleashed its Ultimate Skill, he might not even withstand a single blow.


    Abner was massively troubled.


    Could it be that he was truly unable to lead the White Dove Adventure Group past the 19th floor guarded by the Nightmare Guardian��


    They had enough damage output.


    What they lacked was a copper-walled, iron-bastioned front-liner.


    ��That twin-tailed little girl from Snow Goose has potential, but her rank is too low, currently only at Star Rank����


    Just as Abner was plagued with headaches.


    Suddenly, a faint ripple of Magic Power reached him.


    His closed eyes gradually opened, betraying a hint of surprise within.


    Turning his head toward the direction from which the Magic Power vibration came, Abner furrowed his brow, as if he couldn��t understand something.


    ��That direction is the Phoenix Tail Flower Team. Lin Da��? Unlikely.��


    ��The silver-haired maid�� Moon Rank?��


    A ripple passed through Abner��s usually still state of mind.


    He couldn��t have sensed it wrong.


    That was indeed the aura of a Moon Rank adventurer.


    Someone had leaped from Star Rank and reached the status of a Moon Rank adventurer!


    Once a Moon Rank, one could unfurl phantom wings and quickly shuttle between cities.


    Abner had heard that the basic requirement for an adventurer to settle in the Royal Capital was to be of Moon Rank.


    To the lifelong residents of the Royal Capital, anyone below Moon Rank from outside was seen as nothing more than a beggar.


    And at this moment.


    The Moon Rank aura from the Phoenix Tail Flower reverberated like a pebble into a lake, making him restless.


    Abner had never expected someone would reach Moon Rank before him.


    ��Perhaps I should consider a trip to the sealed Great Mystery Continent as well.��


    Unable to understand the reason, Abner could only attribute it to the expedition to the sealed Great Mystery Continent by Lin Da and his team.


    The more dangerous the place, the greater the opportunities.


    A wild idea sprouted in Abner��s mind: to venture into the sealed 15th floor of the Great Mystery Continent to temper himself!


    ��Captain!��


    BANG! The wooden door was pushed open.


    Dressed in cartoon pajamas, with messy blond hair, Gale rushed in.


    ��Moon Rank, it��s Moon Rank! Which adventure team produced a Moon Rank? I suspect they��re not from our White Dove City!��


    Gale was both shocked and delighted, but as he continued, his tone carried some worry.


    Compared to the level 39 Abner, Gale couldn��t distinguish the direction from which the Magic Power fluctuation emanated.


    Considering White Dove City��s adventurers, it was impossible for someone to advance to Moon Rank.


    It could only be someone from another city��


    Just as Gale was losing hope, Abner stated the answer plainly:


    ��It��s the Phoenix Tail Flower Team.


    Starting today, they are on equal footing with the White Dove Adventure Group.


    Although I had anticipated this when I saw Lin Da��s Verdant Shield, but this day�� um�� has come too soon.��


    Gale blinked.


    ��Phoenix Tail Flower?��


    ��You��re not referring to that maid, are you! She��s reached Moon Rank? You must be joking!��


    Gale��s voice rose in incredulity.


    The last time they met, she was only level 35.


    What kind of miracle had she consumed to rise 5 levels in just over a month?


    Abner nodded, ��It should be.��


    ��Well�� next time I see Lin Da, I need to consider clinging to his coattails,�� Gale said with a grave expression.


    The strength of Phoenix Tail Flower was growing beyond imagination.


    Gale had thought his investment in Phoenix Tail Flower would take three to five years to pay off.


    But in less than half a year, the Phoenix Tail Flower team now had a Moon Rank member��


    Catching up to and even surpassing the White Dove Adventure Group was just a matter of time.


    Gale couldn��t help but worry as he looked at Abner. Conquering the 19th floor��s Nightmare Guardian, which presided over White Dove City, had always been Abner��s greatest obsession. But at this rate, would it be the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team that would break through the 19th floor instead?


    Could Abner withstand the blow that such a development would bring?


    Abner seemed not to care much about the surroundings, always calm and untroubled.


    But Gale, as a leader of the group, knew very well how proud Abner was at heart.


    If it weren��t for President Velen��s timely investment years earlier, with his talent and potential, he would have never bothered with a third-tier city like White Dove City.


    ��Hopefully, after Phoenix Tail Flower gains popularity, he won��t become arrogant like Snow Goose��s captain did when he became famous,�� Gale sighed inwardly.


    Many adventurers in Goldfinch District were woken up that night.


    But not everyone could guess the truth like Abner did.


    They only knew someone had broken through, but whether it was from Star Rank to Star Rank or some other upgrade, they couldn��t be sure.

 Chapter 430 - 430: 336, Version 2.0 Fire on the Azure Tree, Tasya Moon Rank_3

    Chapter 430: 336, Version 2.0 Fire on the Azure Tree, Tasya Moon Rank_3


    ��`


    ��


    The villa of the Phoenix Tail Flower.


    The dark second floor suddenly lit up with a Magic Guide Lamp, its glaring light filling the hallway.


    Lulu and Kafni stepped outside with shocked faces.


    Lin Da feigned ignorance, scratching his head in pretend confusion, ��What��s going on? Who got promoted?��


    ...


    In the hallway, Tasya was the last to appear.


    Tasya stared at her own hands in a daze, feeling as if she were in a dream.


    She couldn��t believe the vigorous Battle Qi within her belonged to herself.


    The Dark Shadow in her dreams told her it was a reward for her hard work, a secret just between the two of them.


    It wasn��t until she returned to reality that Tasya realized the Dark Shadow hadn��t lied to her.


    This was probably also one of Lin Da��s abilities��


    Tasya��s reverence for Lin Da climbed to a new level.


    Speaking without any pretense, with her current state and the power of the Witch, she was confident she could defeat Hu Er in one move if they battled again.


    Right.


    One move!


    The jump from Star Rank to Moon Rank was first and foremost seen in the glaring difference in Ability, nearly a third higher.


    Then, the Battle Qi Twin Wings.


    Under the envious gazes of Lin Da and the others, Tasya spread out her blue Wings of Wind and wobbly took off flying in the hallway. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Ah, Master be careful.��


    Tasya lost control and plummeted straight toward Lin Da.


    Fortunately, Lin Da was quick to react, catching Tasya in a princess carry.


    ��Congratulations on reaching Moon Rank!��


    Lin Da said cheerfully.


    ��It��s all thanks to Master.��


    Thinking of the special training by the Dark Shadow in her dream, Tasya��s face flushed with embarrassment.


    ��Cough, Tasya, congratulations.��


    Lulu approached the two with an expressionless face.


    Lin Da sensed a subtle chill and let go of Tasya.


    The jealousy was getting stronger.


    As more members joined the adventure team, Lulu��s mindset began to change.


    Lin Da thought to himself that he needed to find time to give out the Oath Ring.


    He hadn��t acted recklessly because he was worried that the atmosphere wasn��t right, the trust wouldn��t increase, and he would waste the perfect opportunity to give the ring. If possible, he aimed to raise the trust to 90 in one go, so at the same time Lulu would be happy, he would also get a Shadow of Darkness Experience Card.


    It just felt a bit unfair to Lulu.


    All this, Lin Da would have to explain later.


    In the living room, the three of them watched Tasya��s Wings of Wind for a long time, each taking turns riding on them, and went back to their rooms to sleep only when they had had enough.


    From now on, the villa of the Phoenix Tail Flower also had its own ��pilot,�� so traveling speed would greatly increase.


    In the soft big bed of his bedroom, Lin Da laid with his head on his hands, gazing into the darkness of the ceiling and lost in thought.


    He was lucky, with coaching tickets worth 2 million diamonds, he had managed to boost Tasya to Moon Rank.


    Lin Da considered allocating the remaining 600,000 diamonds to Lulu and Monica.


    He decided to prioritize helping Monica break through to Star Rank.


    In his ring, he had an Epic Staff that had dropped from the Three-Headed Snake People Chieftain. He hadn��t sold it and had kept it for Monica.


    Speaking of which, Monica��s birthday was coming up.


    Lin Da wrapped the staff in a gift box and tied it with a beautiful red bow.


    He resolved to find Monica as soon as possible and deliver the gift on her birthday.


    Lin Da opened the team panel, holding onto a shred of hope, he clicked on Monica��s portrait to try the dream guidance.


    Dream guidance had three strict prerequisites.


    The team member must be asleep.


    Both parties must not be in the Mystic Realm.


    The distance between them must be close enough.


    No matter how many times Lin Da had clicked before, a system prompt saying [Unable to enter dream] would pop up.


    ��`

 Chapter 431 - 431: 337, Dragons Rest Tomb, Artificial Witch!

    Chapter 431: 337, Dragon��s Rest Tomb, Artificial Witch!


    This time, Lin Da casually pointed��


    System Prompt: [Detected that team member Monica��s mental space is sealed and unable to enter dreams!]


    Around three in the morning, Lin Da suddenly woke up.


    He sat up abruptly from the bed with a flounder.


    The system prompt had unexpectedly changed.


    It was because the mental space was sealed that he could not enter dreams.


    ...


    Conversely,


    doesn��t that mean the other two conditions had already been met?


    By reasoning backwards, one could conclude: Monica had come out from the Great Mystery Continent and her proximity to him had changed��at least within a hundred miles, to the extent that dream guidance was possible. S��arch* The N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    All night, Lin Da had not slept well.


    The next day, while it was still dim outside, he woke up his three teammates and headed to the Adventurers�� Guild.


    More people make for greater strength in a search.


    Since Monica was within a hundred miles, Lin Da would dig three feet into the ground if he had to, just to unearth his ��Big Lolita��!


    ��Bailuo should not have left yet, if anything happens, I will expose my identity as Dark Shadow to request Bailuo��s help!��


    Lin Da feared being caught by the cat girl and being branded with the stigma of Refined Legal Copper.


    But he feared even more for his teammates�� safety.


    He hurriedly dressed in a brown coat and pushed open the door.


    The morning light fell on his face, making him squint his eyes.


    At that moment,


    a carriage bearing the official flag stopped outside the villa.


    ��Lin Da, we��ve found Monica!��


    Coming out of the carriage was President Velen.


    Hearing this, Lin Da and the others all showed expressions of surprise.


    President Velen walked briskly, delivering a letter with an urgent expression, ��A letter from the Doomsday Sect!��


    ��What?��


    Lin Da��s eyelid twitched.


    The smile on his face stiffened.


    Lulu and the others also looked uneasy.


    They had become separated that day in the Dragon Forest; could it be that Monica was captured by the Doomsday Sect?


    All sorts of terrible possibilities surfaced in Lin Da��s mind.


    A murderous intent suddenly surged in Lin Da��s eyes.


    The normally gentle temperament was nowhere to be found.


    His eyes, devoid of warmth, stared at the letter, his chilling gaze resembling that which sees a dead person.


    President Velen��s back broke out in goosebumps, ��Lin, Lin Da, are you alright?��


    Tasya and the others also wore worried faces.


    At this moment, Lin Da was almost indistinguishable from Dark Shadow!


    ��I��m fine.��


    Lin Da closed his eyes and took a deep breath.


    He reminded himself internally to remain calm, lest he play right into his enemy��s hands.


    One idea remained unchanged.


    Even if Monica had not been harmed, he was determined to make those who had taken her pay a heavy price!


    Lin Da slapped his own cheeks to bring himself back to his senses.


    Taking the letter Velen handed him, he looked at it intently.


    The front of the envelope was pitch black, devoid of any pattern.


    On the back where it was sealed, there was a wax seal.


    A black giant dragon curled up, bathed in bloodstains.


    It was the symbol of the Doomsday Church��s branch, Dragon��s Rest Tomb.


    The magic potion Hu Er had used was obtained from Dragon��s Rest Tomb.


    Lin Da tore open the envelope, inside was a piece of paper and a delicate magic puppet resembling Little Red Riding Hood.


    ��What��s this?��


    Velen said in confusion, ��Isn��t that the magic puppet game a lot of kids like? What are the people from the Doomsday Church doing sending this?��


    Only Lulu and Kafni, who knew the details, nervously looked at Lin Da.


    The Little Red Riding Hood magic puppet was a gift Lin Da had given to Monica.


    Now, appearing in the envelope, it was undoubtedly a threat!


    Lin Da crunched the letter into a ball with a snap, took several deep breaths again, put the puppet into his pocket, and then looked at the paper.


    The contents on it were brief, just a few lines.


    [Tomorrow at noon, a twisted teleportation array will be initiated in the Barren Plains. Lin Da, you must enter the teleportation array alone, otherwise, be prepared to receive your teammate��s corpse��Respectfully, Hulus from Dragon��s Rest Tomb.]


    Lin Da��s fingers clutching the envelope trembled slightly with extreme anger, his breath hot as magma.


    He roared internally, ��Hulus, I won��t forgive you!��


    Lulu and the others, having read the content on the paper, also had solemn faces.


    Fearing ears behind walls, everyone entered the living room, closed the door, and convened a strategy meeting.


    ��Don��t go.��


    President Velen, with a grave look, earnestly said to Lin Da:


    ��These heretics, since they dare let you come, clearly have no intention of letting you return.


    If you go, you can��t save Monica, and you��ll be in danger yourself.


    I know this is hard for you to accept, and I know Monica is a lovely child, but as the president of the White Dove City Adventurers�� Guild, I must be responsible for adventurers like you.


    So�� Lin Da, give that child up!��


    President Velen said with heartache.


    Lulu, Tasya, and Kafni all showed distress. Velen��s words were logical; Lin Da going alone, how could those well-prepared heretics spare him? It was clear they were sending Lin Da to his death!


    They each held a selfish side in their hearts; they liked Monica, true, but what they cared more about was Lin Da, the captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower team.


    Lin Da��s expression changed unpredictably, his hands crossed on the table, his eyes flickering with thought.


    ��I��ll go!�� Lulu couldn��t sit still and said, ��You are the captain of Phoenix Tail Flower, you absolutely mustn��t be harmed, I won��t allow you to go alone, if it comes to that, I��ll go as well.��


    ��Let me handle it,�� Tasya shook her head, stopping Lulu.


    As a Moon Rank, Tasya had the best chance.


    ��No,�� Lin Da said, ��The letter specifically asked for me. When passing through the teleportation array, the fluctuations here will transmit to the other side, Hulus will notice if the person going is not me and will surely shut down the teleportation array midway!��

 Chapter 432 - 432: Dragons Rest Tomb, Artificial Witch!_2

    Chapter 432: Dragon��s Rest Tomb, Artificial Witch!_2


    ��`


    ��Ultimately, no matter who goes, it��s just a death sentence, right?�� Lulu looked at Lin Da calmly. ��If you��re insistent on going, let me go in your place.��


    Kafni also said, ��Lin Da, I think maybe����


    ��Enough.��


    Although touched in his heart, Lin Da��s face betrayed a smile born of extreme agitation:


    ��Monica is my teammate, and I will not abandon any one of them. And what makes you think that I��m heading to certain death?


    ...


    That Hulus is merely a level 35 Star Rank, do you really think that I, a level 33 Healing Mage, cannot defeat a level 35 rat?��


    ��I know, I know, but they will definitely not be alone,�� Lulu said anxiously.


    ��There��s no need to defeat them.��


    Lin Da said, ��The moment I step into the Teleportation Array, the Magic Circle will produce energy fluctuations that correspond to each other.


    As long as you use a Magic Guide to detect the fluctuations, you can roughly determine the location on the other side of the Teleportation Array.


    Just rush over quickly to rescue me and Monica.��


    ��But how can you guarantee that the location on the other side of the Teleportation Array is nearby? If it��s hundreds of miles away, even using Battle Qi Twin Wings would take several hours,�� Lulu said through clenched teeth. ��It��s too dangerous!��


    ��I can indeed guarantee that Monica is nearby,�� Lin Da said confidently.


    One of the three essential conditions for dream guidance is that the teammate is within a hundred miles.


    Since the system prompt said ��Teammate��s mental space is sealed, unable to enter dream,�� and not simply ��unable to enter dream,�� it indicates that the other two conditions are met.


    Monica is definitely not in the Great Mystery Continent.


    And she is within a hundred miles.


    With the flying speed of a Moon rank adventurer, a hundred miles takes only an hour.


    If it��s the Light Rank��s Light Wings��


    Ten minutes, at most twenty minutes.


    Lin Da was confident he could hold them off for that amount of time.


    With his health points over ten thousand, below Moon Rank, no one could confidently defeat him.


    He might not be able to beat the opponent, but the opponent couldn��t kill him either.


    An Intermediate Healing Spell��s recovery amount can heal 4000 in one go, which is almost the full health points of an average Star Rank Mage.


    Lin Da was durable, and his healing amount was substantial.


    In terms of endurance, he was stronger than a Heavy Armored Warrior.


    Secondly.


    Everyone��s impression of him was still based on what he was like before entering the closed Great Mystery Continent.


    During this one month, Lin Da hunted berserk level 30 Magical Creatures, trained in battle alongside Tasya and Lia�� and he had mastered a powerful Rare Technique unknown to outsiders, the Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang.


    No one could have imagined that in just a month, Lin Da��s combat power had undergone a massive change.


    If he were to don a set of powerful Star Rank Equipment��


    He wouldn��t concern himself with enemies below Moon Rank.


    Especially since he didn��t need to defeat Hulus and the others, just hold them off for a while until reinforcements arrived.


    However.


    This strategy had one essential precondition.


    The reinforcements needed to reach the other side of the Teleportation Array as quickly as possible.


    The faster, the better! sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da��s eyes pierced sharply into Weylon, ��President, please tell me, is Dean Bailuo still in White Dove City?��


    ��Uh, this���� Weylon hesitated, scratching his head awkwardly.


    That little Dean had warned him not to reveal to anyone the secret of her going to the amusement park��


    ��


    ��


    Meanwhile.


    Inside a dark cave.


    The lighting here was dim, with a glow lamp only every few hundred meters.


    ��`


    The air was damp, and water dripped constantly from the ceiling of the cave, the relentless dripping sounds were bound to irritate anyone after a while. Even during the heaviest of nights, those droplets never ceased.


    Within a square, black iron cage that measured one meter in length and width, a frail girl with a pale complexion was confined.


    Her brown hair had lost its shine, her once charming forehead now grimy, as she huddled in the cage hugging her knees, her large eyes void of life. Wearing a thin burlap dress, exposed arms showed numerous puncture wounds from which a black viscous liquid oozed.


    The affected skin, as if corroded by strong acid, was marred with gruesome scars.


    ����Run!��


    The last thing Monica remembered was Lulu blocking Hulus to let her escape.


    But she, clumsy and slow, was caught.


    And brought to this pitch-black place.


    From the initial panic and fear to now, Monica had become numb to it all.


    In her mind, she imagined herself back with the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, enjoying steaming hot pizza with the Lord Captain, and playing the latest magic-guided game in her room with Klrona who��d come over to visit in the afternoon.


    But�� just like that adventurer named Hulus had said, her value to Phoenix Tail Flower was limited to this.


    Staying here to undergo experiments at Dragon��s Rest Tomb actually helped the Phoenix Tail Flower Team more?


    Monica couldn��t help but think that compared to Kafni with her mysterious powers, the mature and stable Lulu, and the seasoned adventurer Tasya�� her only role was to cause trouble for Lin Da.


    Without her, Lin Da wouldn��t have to constantly worry about shielding her during the fight against Magical Creatures.


    He could devote more energy to the teammates who were better than her.


    Her magical output was only marked by high bursts; she couldn��t compare to Swordsman in terms of sustained damage.


    The more Monica thought about it, the more useless she felt, and the last bit of moisture in her dry eyes formed into tears that silently spilled down her cheeks.


    ��Hey, you��re pretty spirited, aren��t you? Looks like we can administer another injection, hehe.��


    Hulus wore a white ghost mask and was cloaked in black.


    On his chest was the emblem of a giant embroidered black dragon with a dark coffin behind it, slumbering in a pool of fresh blood on the ground.


    It was the insignia of the Doomsday Sect��s branch, Dragon��s Rest Tomb.


    A gold line adorned Hulus��s hood.


    This signified his status within the Tomb��s hierarchy as a ��Young Dragon,�� who commanded fifty cultists.


    Seeing the tear at the corner of Monica��s eye, Hulus laughed: ��What a tough kid you are, having survived twenty injections without turning into a monster. Among all the test subjects, you��re of the finest quality.��


    Hulus, not seen for a month, looked terrifying��beneath his robe was a withered torso, out of which grew two rows of black spider legs that moved gently with his breath, and between his eyebrows was a pair of spider-like compound eyes.


    It was a grotesque blend of man and creature, exuding an eerie aura.


    The Dragon��s Rest Tomb��s principal task was to develop magic potions which, when mixed with dragon blood and injected into an adventurer, could unleash immense power.


    The cost, however, was too high, and the higher-ups in the organization hoped they could develop a harmless magic potion that would allow them to mass-produce witches.


    The strength of witches was beyond question, but their only downside was their scarcity.


    Even signing a contract with them would exert a portion of His Majesty the Demon King��s power.


    The fundamental aim of Dragon��s Rest Tomb was to ease the burden on His Majesty the Demon King by creating Artificial Witches, a less powerful but mass-producible, systematic and scalable alternative to natural witches.


    Monica was an excellent specimen that Hulus had captured.


    She had a strong tolerance for the potion; in more than twenty days, any other girl would have turned into a twisted lump of monster several times over.


    But Monica remained somewhat dazed, yet kept her human form intact.


    Moreover, she had broken through from level 28 to 29, and was close to reaching Star Rank.


    This phenomenon greatly excited Hulus.


    The rows of spider legs on his ribs rustled and flitted like those of a real black spider.


    ��Jeejeejee, I will cultivate the strongest Artificial Witch and climb straight to the upper echelons of the organization!��


    If he succeeded, it would be a monumental achievement, and the higher-ups of Dragon��s Rest Tomb would surely promote him. He would have a future of advancing to Moon Rank and maybe even Light Rank.


    ��Good child, for grandpa��s sake, you must hold on.��


    Hulus chuckled as he grabbed the syringe, clutching Monica��s slender arm firmly.


    He didn��t bother finding a vein as he plunged the large needle deep into Monica��s forearm.


    Based on Lin Da��s understanding of Monica, this Big Lolita would definitely cry from the pain and develop a psychological shadow from injections.


    But the current Monica, seemingly unable to feel any pain, stared dumbly as if her arm didn��t belong to her, allowing Hulus to inject the magic potion without resistance.

 Chapter 433 - 433: 338, Cat girl helps, the mysterious leader of the Phoenix Tail Flower Fan Club

    Chapter 433: 338, Cat girl helps, the mysterious leader of the Phoenix Tail Flower Fan Club


    In the dim yellow light of the cave, Hulus leisurely moved a chair, sat down in front of the cage, and observed.


    He held a feather pen and a notebook, recording the changes in Monica��s Magic Power through a Magic Guide device with a square, miniature screen.


    On the device, the initial curve showed a startling fluctuation, indicating that the Magic Potion was fiercely active inside Monica, its activity reaching tens of times that of an ordinary girl!


    It was at such times that the subject��s body would usually undergo demonization, with a few directly turning into twisted black masses of flesh.


    After all, the key ingredient in the Magic Potion was Epic-level Material, Dragon Blood, and Fallen Blood extracted from the bodies of completely corrupted witches.


    Just a single drop of that blood could poison and kill a large crowd of ordinary people if placed in a water tank.


    ...


    ��The child��s endurance is really high, she was worth being specially brought back,�� he said.


    Hulus grew more pleased with Monica the more he watched her, as if she was a treasure gifted to him by the Goddess.


    In her, he saw an opportunity to rise rapidly to success.


    However,


    after half an hour of observation, the fluctuations on the device gradually normalized. The signs of pain on Monica��s face disappeared, and she sat in the cage hugging her knees, her gaze hollow as she stared ahead like a wooden sculpture.


    This injection of the Magic Potion had failed, just like the others.


    What Hulus wanted to see was a twisted humanoid life form, similar to the black spider growing on his ribcage. The main feature of an Artificial Witch was that they couldn��t maintain a human form like a normal witch could.


    He curiously looked in the direction Monica was staring at.


    There was nothing there, just an empty space.


    Hulus couldn��t help but ask, ��Good child, tell grandfather, what are you looking at?��


    After a while, Monica seemed to finally react, and she said blankly, ��Lord Captain, I want to see Lord Captain.��


    ��Oh�� Lin Da�� Haha, hahaha, I see, I understand completely now!��


    Hulus excitedly slapped his thigh.


    He had finally understood what was missing from the experiment, the most important element.


    The stimulation wasn��t strong enough.


    Without an intense craving for something, one could not become a witch.


    The other subjects Hulus had captured cried and screamed, turning into black masses of flesh within a week.


    Only Monica had, after recognizing that crying and shrieking made no difference, obediently begun accepting the injections of the Magic Potion.


    ��Then grandfather will reward you, letting you see Lin Da once.


    But what you will see will be his corpse!


    Little Monica, you must remember, it is you who caused the death of your Lord Captain. Your originally kind grandfather wasn��t going to hold Lin Da��s fratricidal act against him and was prepared to let him go.


    It was because of you that I decided to cruelly kill Lin Da right before your eyes!��


    Hulus stroked his chin with his right hand and laughed heartily.


    Monica, locked in the cage, suddenly changed her expression and began trembling with fear, clutching her head.


    Seeing this, Hulus��s face lit up with surprise.


    He had not expected mentioning Lin Da��s name to have such a huge effect.


    With enough stimulation and another injection of the Magic Potion�� it would definitely be successful!


    However, there was one thing: Hulus had deceived Monica. Even if she didn��t want to see Lin Da, Hulus had no intention of letting the captain of Phoenix Tail Flower go.


    It was to avenge his brother Kam that Hulus accepted the invitation from the Doomsday Sect and became one of the ��Young Dragons�� in the Dragon��s Rest Tomb.


    ��Just wait, Kam, your brother will soon send that Lin Da to hell to meet you����


    Hulus muttered to himself with a crazed expression.


    ��


    ��


    In the evening, at Swan Amusement Park in White Dove City, in front of a small cart selling crepes,


    a line of people stretched out like a dragon, filled with continuous laughter and voices.


    Compared to some caves shrouded in darkness, the amusement park, filled with colorful neon lights, felt like heaven.


    ��Here you go, kiddo,�� said the burly, white-towel-draped owner with a smile.


    In front of the cart, a short person in a black robe tiptoed to accept the crepe the uncle passed over.


    This delicacy, also known as a pancake dessert with cake added, was filled with plenty of strawberry jam. Freshly made, it steamed hot, and eating a crepe on a winter��s evening was indeed a pleasure.


    The little black-robed person simply drooled with anticipation at the sight.


    ��Thank you.��


    Her craving for the sweet treat won over any anger at being called ��kiddo,�� and she happily held her crepe to the side. When she saw no one familiar around, she confidently pulled back her hood, revealing waist-long silver hair and a pair of cute cat ears.


    The girl��s white cat ears twitched, their pink insides seeming very warm. The weather was a bit cold that night, and the cat ears that had just come out of the hood were emitting a faint steam.


    The crepe was a specialty of White Dove City, not found in Cyan City. The moment she saw crepes on the flyer, she secretly resolved that since it was rare for her to come to White Dove City, she must have fun for a few days before leaving.


    After all, no one knew she was the dean of Azure Sky University.


    ����Just then.


    ��Dean, please grant my most important request in life!��


    Caught up in the excitement of about to enjoy the sweet, Bailuo, despite being a Light Rank, didn��t notice a tall man approaching her from behind.


    Suddenly hearing the words ��Dean,�� Bailuo trembled, and with a gasp, the crepe she had waited in line so long to buy fell onto the ground.


    The cream and strawberry filling contacted the dirt, rendering it inedible.


    Such a pity!


    Amidst her distress, Bailuo feared something else even more. If a reporter captured this scene and published it in Adventurer��s Weekly, it would be terrible!


    sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 434 - 434: 338. Cat Girl Helps, Mysterious Leader of the Phoenix Tail Flower Fan Club_2

    Chapter 434: 338. Cat Girl Helps, Mysterious Leader of the Phoenix Tail Flower Fan Club_2


    [The dean of Azure Sky University is actually a kid who loves to sneak desserts, not mature at all!]


    If this news were seen by a teacher, they might be disappointed and not come looking for her in three years.


    ��The captain dislikes childish people.��


    That was one of the lines Dark Shadow had said.


    At that time, Bailuo secretly decided to become a mature adult to make the teacher like her.


    ��I��m just handling official duties, you know? It��s necessary for the dean to inspect this thing for the health of adventurers!��


    ...


    As Bailuo defended herself, she turned to look at the person who startled her.


    The individual was a male with broad shoulders, wearing a brown coat. He was bowing with his head down, at a ninety-degree angle, hands at his sides, torso parallel to the ground.


    In the etiquette of adventurers, this was considered a very serious gesture of respect.


    Bailuo bent down to look at his face, a hint of surprise appearing in her eyes:


    ��Why is it you��? Have you reconsidered, asking this dean to join Azure Sky University? That��s not possible; I have given you a chance already.��


    But Lin Da was here for another matter.


    ��The heretics at Dragon��s Rest Tomb have captured my team members. Dean, I beg you to help us, the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team will never forget your kindness!��


    Lin Da raised his head, speaking earnestly.


    ��Dragon��s Rest Tomb?��


    Bailuo frowned, saying, ��Really? You better not be deceiving me.��


    ��There are many eyes and ears here, please step aside for a private word, Dean.��


    Lin Da led Bailuo onto his own luxurious seven-person carriage.


    Purchasing this carriage cost one hundred thousand Gold Coins, it had fine horses, and was luxuriously decorated, equipped with a Temperature Control Magic Circle and red leather sofas.


    Members of Luanwei and President Velen were all waiting inside.


    Seeing Velen��s sheepish grin, Bailuo knew what was happening.


    This adventure guild president of White Dove City had leaked her whereabouts.


    Without time to lecture Velen, Bailuo sat on the principal sofa, her face growing stern: ��Dragon��s Rest Tomb? What is going on, I will not allow heretics to misbehave under my watch.��


    Seeing Bailuo��s stern expression, Lin Da felt relieved; approaching Bailuo was the right move.


    Even though Bailuo had retired from being an adventurer, Azure Sky Adventurers University was a national academy, and Bailuo was officially part of the empire. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This meant she could not ignore the heretics.


    ��


    In the carriage, Lin Da quickly recounted the situation.


    ��I see, those despicable heretics, I will not let them escape!��


    After pondering for a moment, Bailuo said, ��Leave this matter to me; the device to detect the magic power fluctuations of the teleportation array can be urgently called from Cyan City by the Adventurers�� Guild tonight.��


    Velen, surprised, asked, ��Is one night enough time to bring it from Cyan City?��


    [Wave Detection Instrument], a magic instrument bigger than a cabinet-style refrigerator.


    It contains multiple components and dense small arrays, making it impossible to fit into a Space Ring. Each insertion or removal from the Space Ring causes slight spatial fluctuations, damaging array-based instruments, therefore they must be transported manually.


    The most important point was that this device was incredibly expensive, costing at least ten million Purple Gold Coins��that is one billion Gold!


    A Wave Detection Instrument was available in White Dove City, but was eighty years old, too old a model, with large deviations in the detection of teleportation array fluctuations.


    And precision was what Lin Da��s plan needed most.


    If they couldn��t precisely locate the other side of the teleportation array for quick support,


    Lin Da, going through the teleportation array alone, would face greatly increased risks!


    Everyone looked expectantly at Bailuo.


    ��Hmm�� Cyan City is quite far, one night won��t be enough.��


    Bailuo scratched her cat ears, appearing troubled.


    The crowd showed disappointed expressions.


    ��Is it really not possible��?�� Lin Da sighed.


    Just then, Bailuo shifted her tone:


    ��Indeed, Cyan City is too far for one night, but we can request it to be sent from Proclamation Wind City instead.��


    Proclamation Wind City was ranked 57th in the Adventurer��s Weekly last year.


    ��There��s definitely a ��Wave Detection Instrument�� there.��


    ��If it��s Proclamation Wind City, we definitely have time,�� Lin Da said, overjoyed.


    Weylon also said excitedly, ��President, I will take you to the ��Magic Mirror�� right away to initiate remote communication with Proclamation Wind City!��


    The city level of Proclamation Wind City is higher than that of White Dove City.


    Weylon could only negotiate with them if he went himself.


    To bring the Wave Detection Instrument over, they needed at least one Moon rank adventurer for the escort, and even if Proclamation Wind City agreed, they might not send someone overnight.


    Each city is a separate entity, only managed by the central empire. Even if Proclamation Wind City is unwilling to help, Weylon doesn��t have many options.


    But it��s different when Bailuo, a five-star official of the empire and the president of Azure Sky University, personally intervened.


    Moreover, pleasing President Bailuo would increase the chances for adventurers from Proclamation Wind City to enter Azure Sky University in the future.


    ��What a helpful cat girl, the captain is proud!��


    Lin Da watched Bailuo step forward with her chest puffed out and her fist beating in front of her, displaying a fatherly affectionate gaze.


    Who could have imagined that Bailuo, who always looked gloomy and cold as ice three years ago, could become such a just child?


    With Bailuo��s help, the issue of the Wave Detection Instrument was resolved.


    The agreed date is tomorrow at noon.


    With time pressing, Lin Da and their group split up for different tasks.


    Weylon and Bailuo went to the ��Magic Mirror�� to have Proclamation Wind City send the Wave Detection Instrument.


    Lin Da and Lulu went to the ��Imperial Credit Bank.��


    They checked how the war spoils they consigned yesterday had sold.


    All the gold coins were exchanged for equipment to arm Lin Da.


    To face the unknown risks tomorrow, the stronger Lin Da was, the better.


    Heaven knows how many heretics were waiting for him there.


    Lin Da mentally apologized to Lia. He was supposed to give her a third as a reward, but due to the urgency, he could only owe it for now.


    The group rode in a carriage to the grand entrance of the Imperial Credit Bank located on Central Street.


    This was a huge castle-like building whose radiance lit up the entire street brightly.


    Inside, the floor was covered with reflective white porcelain tiles, and the chandeliers resembled artworks, creating a magnificent and dazzling atmosphere, as if entering a small kingdom��s palace.


    Here, one could buy most of the common equipment, and the quality was highly guaranteed. If any magical equipment broke under normal use within a year, it would be replaced for free.


    The only drawback was that items in the Imperial Credit Bank were generally 10 to 20 percent more expensive than outside.


    Whether the high price was worth the quality service was a matter of opinion.


    Manager Penna from the Adventurers�� Guild accompanied Lin Da and his group.


    As soon as they met, Penna happily said, ��Captain Lin Da, congratulations! An hour ago, all your war spoils were bought out by a young lady from out of town!��


    ��Eh, all sold out?��


    As they took the elevator to the tenth floor to the ��High-end Magic Equipment Specialty Store,�� Lin Da looked at Manager Penna with surprise.


    The speed at which the war spoils were sold was unexpectedly fast.


    In a small place like White Dove City, it��s normal for epic-level materials to take a week or two to sell.


    This time, Lin Da even planned to use his ��Prestige�� and ��Honorary Adventurer Badge�� to run a tab.


    Knowing that the war spoils were sold, he was both shocked and delighted.


    Lulu pinpointed a suspicious detail, saying cautiously, ��A young lady from out of town bought out our war spoils?��


    ��Yes,�� Penna recalled. ��She was a pretty young girl in a black dress, looking about eighteen or nineteen years old, and had a Minotaur guard with her who felt very formidable. I heard from the managers here that the guard��s aura was no less than Star Rank, probably a Moon rank adventurer.��


    ��Moon rank?��


    Lin Da raised an eyebrow.


    Such a formidable person appearing in White Dove City�� Could it be that the odd gaze Lulu felt was from this person?


    ��Tell me more,�� Lin Da said, concerned that the other party might be an inspector from the Bloodflame Duke.


    If the Bloodflame Duke took an interest in the Phoenix Tail Flower, and planned to dig them out, that would be terrible.


    Although the Bloodflame Duke��s underground training camp produced strong individuals, everyone was forced to wear collars, becoming slaves, and entire teams were sold to the Great Nobility.

 Chapter 437 - 437: 340. Rescue Monica, delve into the Heretics Lair

    Chapter 437: 340. Rescue Monica, delve into the Heretic��s Lair


    ��`


    ��What is this, it��s nothing like what the newspapers said! He��s not some gentle ��Eye of True Knowledge�� at all. So rude!��


    ��Exactly, to think that such a person is a distinguished adventurer from White Dove City, I don��t think this city is worth the investment from our father at all.��


    ��I��ll tell father to cancel the investment plans for White Dove City.��


    The three young ladies were speaking very loudly, as if they intended for Lin Da to hear them.


    But Lin Da simply didn��t care. Not going back and slapping each of them was already a sign of his improved temperament.


    ...


    The Magical Elevator closed, shutting out the noisy voices.


    Finally, there was peace in Lin Da��s ears.


    Seeing the upset look on his face, Penna said with a helpless smile, ��Captain Lin Da, don��t mind them, all three are just kids, they can��t influence the decisions of adults.��


    ��I heard them mention ��investment plans,�� what��s that about?�� Lin Da asked casually.


    ��It��s like this, because the Phoenix Tail Flower Team was featured in Adventurer��s Weekly, it attracted some wealthy and influential nobles.


    They are considering investing in White Dove City to build more training grounds, entertainment facilities, high-rises��


    It��s beneficial for the urban development of White Dove City. S��arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    President Velen is so busy with this that he��s running in circles.��


    ��But it seems Captain Lin Da has encountered some troubles? Please don��t mind this, no matter what happens, both I and President Velen will firmly support you!��


    Penna said earnestly.


    As a confidant of Velen, he had confided in her that Phoenix Tail Flower had the potential to become a Sunrise Level adventure team and must be befriended.


    The investment from the nobility was important, but it couldn��t compare to a Sunrise Level adventure team.


    Lin Da nodded, indicating that he understood.


    Leaving the trading company, he took his team in a carriage to meet with Bailuo at the Adventurers�� Guild.


    ��It��s settled, Proclamation Wind City will dispatch a Moon rank adventurer to bring the Wave Detection Instrument over here overnight.��


    In the office, Bailuo was occupying President Velen��s genuine leather chair. Wearing red-framed glasses used for work, she looked like a strict female teacher as she said to Lin Da:


    ��The principal commands you to have a good rest tonight. Tomorrow at noon, the heretics�� Teleportation Array will activate on the Barren Plains. You must face it in your best condition!��


    ��Thank you for your concern, my Lord.�� Lin Da bowed solemnly to express his gratitude.


    Without Bailuo, his plan would have been difficult to execute.


    He kept this favor in his heart.


    Someday, Lin Da would go to Cyan City to repay this little cat girl.


    Afterwards, he returned to the villa to rest.


    Outside the window, the night was dense.


    Lin Da tossed and turned, with thoughts of tomorrow��s matters filling his mind, unable to sleep.


    It wasn��t fear of entering the heretics�� lair that kept him awake.


    He was mainly worried about Monica��s mental state.


    Once again opening the team panel, he engaged in dream instruction, but the prompt that popped up remained unchanged:


    [Detection: Team member��s Mental Space is sealed, unable to enter the dream!]


    There were two possibilities.


    Monica hadn��t slept at all.


    Or, her inner world was closed off, and she had become thoroughly autistic, making it impossible to communicate with her in her dreams!


    Monica was already somewhat autistic, and after being captured by Hulus, she became even more withdrawn!


    Lin Da felt a surging anger, wishing he could tear Hulus to pieces.


    After washing his face with cold water, he calmed down.


    ��I have 6 Skill Points left, use them all.�� Lin Da sat on the living room sofa, opened his panel, and started adding points furiously.


    [Expending 4 Skill Points, Guardian Sword upgraded from lv2 to lv4, dealing ��substantial�� damage, and applying a shield up to 60%��80% of the maximum Hit Points. Those under the Guardian Shield immediately recover 50% of their maximum Hit Points!]


    [Expending 2 Skill Points, Intermediate Healing Spell upgraded from lv1 to lv3, healing amount +30%!]


    To ensure he could last until reinforcements arrived, Lin Da chose to strengthen his Recovery Series Skills.


    The enhanced shield accompanying his Ultimate Skill, Guardian Sword, significantly improved his survivability.


    With his Intermediate Healing, after switching to Star Rank Equipment and applying his Skill Points, one heal could restore around 6500 health points.


    A normal level 30 warrior only has about 6500 health points.


    That means with one Intermediate Healing Spell, Lin Da could instantly refill a level 30 warrior��s health to full.


    With these two powerful guarantees, Lin Da felt much more at ease.


    The next day at noon.


    The Barren Plains.


    Even though it was midday, the sun was not visible.


    Black clouds rolled overhead, like a dark sea roaring in the sky.


    Among the shrubs of the Barren Plains, blue jelly-like Slimes emerged, jubilantly lifting their heads to watch the sky, waiting for the sweet rain to fall.


    Splat.


    Lin Da looked indifferent as he stepped on a level 3 Slime.


    He burst the Magical Creature with his foot, splattering its transparent innards on the ground and the leaves.


    The surrounding Slimes, frightened by the display, scampered away swiftly.


    Lin Da��s expression was stern, dressed in a brown coat and carrying an Epic Level Earth Dragon Longsword on his back. This sword, crafted from the scales of an Earth Dragon, was about one and a half meters long, brown in color, with a dragon twisting around the hilt.


    The strong aura of Magic Power openly radiated from Lin Da.


    All Magical Creatures of the Barren Plains, the Slimes, vampire bats, Black Armored Scorpions�� instinctively felt the presence of something terrifying and fled.


    They ran as if they were beasts in migration, rushing away from Lin Da.


    The levels of Magical Creatures on the Barren Plains ranged from 1 to 10.


    For Lin Da, a level 33 Star-ranked adventurer, being there was a total mismatch.


    Yet today, he paid no attention to the Magical Creatures, allowing them to flee.


    Leading Lulu and the others, he went straight to the Teleportation Array.


    It was a Teleportation Array shaped like a door.


    ��`

 Chapter 438 - 438: 340. Rescue Monica, delve into the Heretics Lair_2

    Chapter 438: 340. Rescue Monica, delve into the Heretic��s Lair_2


    Inside was a colorful, twisted space, much like throwing various dyes together into a vat and stirring them all around.


    No one knew where the other side of the Teleportation Array led to.


    ��We are ready on this side,��


    the speaker was a male elf, unfamiliar to them.


    His ears were pointed, and he was dressed in a scholarly blue robe, with white gloves and glasses.


    Next to the elf stood the much shorter cat girl Bailuo, and the much taller President Velen.


    ...


    Velen introduced him, ��Lin Da, this is the scholar from Proclamation Wind City responsible for escorting the Wave Detection Instrument, a Moon rank adventurer named Wenqi.��


    ��Mr. Wenqi, thank you for bringing the instrument over so late at night,�� Lin Da bowed.


    ��It��s only right, how could we at Proclamation Wind City stand by and do nothing when White Dove City is in trouble?��


    Wenqi said, expressionless, with a slight nod of his head.


    Had Bailuo not spoken up, Proclamation Wind City likely wouldn��t have been so enthusiastic to send a Moon rank overnight.


    Lin Da inwardly sighed, ��An adventurer��s background is indeed important; if I were a native-born adventurer from the Royal Capital, Wenqi��s attitude would surely take a complete turnaround.��


    Exceptional cities receive imperial support.


    Every adventurer��s dream destination is the Royal Capital.


    Only in the Royal Capital does the Holy Tree reach above the 40th layer. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In small places like White Dove City, the World Tree��s limit is only at the 20th layer, which does not attract outstanding adventure teams. To raise the level cap of the World Tree, one requires the Goddess��s blessing, the ��World Tree Dew.��


    But small places lack resources, making it difficult to cultivate high-level adventurers�� creating an unsolvable vicious cycle.


    The strong cities get stronger, and the weak get weaker.


    All human and material resources are concentrated in the upper layers.


    Though Proclamation Wind City ranks 56th in Cangqing Province, in the grand scheme of the continent, it is just so-so.


    Truly top-tier adventurer cities in Cangqing Province number only three.


    Lin Da pulled himself back from his thoughts, slapped his cheeks, and walked to the front of the teleportation portal.


    Lulu said, ��Be careful.��


    Lin Da nodded, looked at everyone, and announced, ��I��m heading out.��


    The expressions on Bailuo and the others were solemn.


    ��Junior, you must come back alive,�� Bailuo told him.


    ��Hmm.��


    Lin Da stepped into the teleportation portal.


    Instantly, the ground buzzed and vibrated.


    Everyone nearby felt a slight dizziness.


    The elf Wenqi, with a serious expression, operated the Wave Detection Instrument.


    There was a screen displaying a chaos of magical numbers that burst forth.


    Wenqi��s fingers moved over the buttons with a speed that dazzled onlookers.


    The instrument emitted ��beep beep beep�� sounds.


    A moment later, both the teleportation portal and Lin Da disappeared.


    Leaving behind a small pit.


    Lulu and the others nervously crowded behind Wenqi.


    The quicker they could detect the exact location of the other side of the teleportation portal, the safer Lin Da would be.


    Boom!


    Just then, thunder boomed in the night sky.


    Seconds later, rain poured down in torrents.


    The bushes on the Barren Plains were pelted noisily, and the dry soil quickly turned dark brown.


    More and more Water Series Slimes peeked their heads out from underground, cheerfully welcoming the downpour.


    Bailuo frowned, waved her hand slightly, and a blue Water Battle Qi formed a large umbrella, covering everyone��s heads.


    ��How is it looking?�� she asked Wenqi.


    Wenqi wiped the sweat from his forehead and slowly said, ��It��s not looking good����


    Because of the Thunderstorm, the Wave Detection Instrument was affected.


    Minutes passed, and the detection progress on it only displayed 1%.


    If it continued like this, wouldn��t it take over an hour to pinpoint the location on the other side of the teleportation portal?


    Bailuo��s face changed, ��Stupid instrument, why is it so slow!��


    She was so annoyed that she punched the device.


    All of them felt uneasy in their hearts.


    Lulu felt so weak she could barely stand.


    Tasya was the most composed, ��I believe in my master, he will definitely bring Monica back safely!��


    Velen sighed, ��All we can do now is pray.��


    ��


    ��


    Inside the teleportation portal, a swirl of multicolored light poured into Lin Da��s eyes.


    Intense dizziness ensued; his brain felt as though it was being thoroughly stirred.


    Then came suffocation, the urge to vomit.


    Lin Da bit down hard on his tongue, knowing that he was about to face danger and must not relax.


    About ten seconds passed.


    The sensation of weightlessness from entering the portal gradually faded, and his feet firmly touched the ground.


    The whirlpool of colors disappeared, replaced by flickering, dim yellow light.


    The air was moist, as if near the sea or underground.


    Was there a similar place within a hundred miles around White Dove City?


    Lin Da thought to himself.


    Looking around, he found himself on a vast, circular stone platform, surrounded by a ring of ancient columns with torches stuck on top.


    Below the platform was a group of figures in black robes, all wearing white ghost masks revealing only their eyes, which looked at him mockingly.


    A quick count revealed there were about fifty people.


    Lin Da extended his magic power to sense his surroundings, and after a quick scan, concluded that among those heretics, there were 10 Star Rank and the rest around level 20.


    ��Troublesome.��


    Lin Da shook his head inwardly. Despite the hassle, he wasn��t very afraid; his mission was to hold out until reinforcements arrived, not to wipe out the heretics singlehandedly.


    ��Clap, clap.��


    A crisp clapping sound came from ahead.


    At about twenty meters up, the stone wall was hollowed out to form a viewing platform.


    A figure in a black robe was lounging in a chair, legs crossed.


    He didn��t wear a mask and was leisurely cracking open sunflower seeds, with a cup of steaming hot tea on the stone table.


    Lin Da gazed into the distance, making out the black-robed man��s features.


    ��Hulus!�� he bellowed with eyes reddening.


    ��Didn��t expect Captain Lin Da to welcome me so warmly. Just in time, I have something to show you that you��ll definitely like,�� said Hulus as his voice trailed off. As he spoke, a hole opened in the ceiling above the circular stone platform.


    Accompanied by the ��clank clank clank�� of chain links, a dark and heavy iron cage was slowly lowered, hanging about twenty meters in the air.


    Being Star Rank, Lin Da had sharp vision, and he took in everything inside the cage.


    There was a small girl with brown hair huddled up inside, clutching her knees. Her dress was filthy, and the exposed skin of her arms was full of needle holes, her eyes hollow and lifeless.


    When their eyes met, the girl seemed stunned for a moment, then showed a frightened expression, her voice hoarse, ��Cap-, Captain, get out of here!��


    The instant Lin Da saw the girl, he felt disoriented and almost didn��t recognize her.


    It was only when she spoke that it suddenly dawned on him: the filthy-looking, barely breathing girl was his team member Monica!


    She was starkly different from the Monica he remembered��whose doe eyes often looked timorously from beneath her bowed head.


    Lin Da could hardly imagine what kind of torture his teammate had been subjected to in the past month.


    Monica��s aura felt alien, tainted with a wickedness on top of her pure earth system elements.


    What were those needle holes in her arm about? Could she have been injected with poison?


    The recovery magic power within Lin Da instinctively repelled Monica as if she were a child covered in filth, turned bad.


    ��You��ve injected Monica with a magic potion!��


    A moment later, Lin Da came to his senses and glared at Hulus in shock.


    ��As expected of Captain Lin Da, so bright. Yes, I did inject Monica with a magic potion, and did so daily, with each dose being three times that of other test subjects,�� said Hulus, stroking his Little Beard with a smile.


    ��Monica is such an obedient child, never complaining even in pain. You know, other test subjects often killed themselves against the cage because they couldn��t handle the pain. It��s kids like Monica who are inherently perfect for my experiments, hahaha,�� Hulus guffawed, his joy evident as he spoke of Monica��s exemplary performance during experiments.


    ��Lao Deng, die!��


    Enraged, Lin Da raised his hand and released the Dark Whip towards Hulus on the platform.


    Boom!


    Just then, a majestic figure leapt from the ground.


    Iron-like palms caught the Dark Whip, nullifying the attack with might.


    ��Hmm, not bad.��


    Hulus nodded in satisfaction and said nonchalantly, ��Rhode, kill that boy, and I might forgive you for betraying me.��


    The figure who blocked the Dark Whip and landed on the platform with a thunderous crash was none other than the leader of the Solid Rock Adventure Group, Rhode!

 Chapter 439 - 439: 341, not many tricks, but a lot of numbers

    Chapter 439: 341, not many tricks, but a lot of numbers


    Lin Da��s eyebrows furrowed. If he remembered correctly, Rhode had long since given up on Hulus and left White Dove City. How could he appear here?


    Dressed in a white short-sleeve shirt with arms thicker than an average person��s thighs, Rhode looked like a muscle monster. A veteran leader of a Steel Level Adventure Group, he possessed a level of 34, making his combat experience far superior to that of ordinary Star Rank fighters.


    Rhode, with his shiny bald head, was glaring at him angrily.


    But that anger seemed not to be directed at himself?


    Rhode gritted his teeth and said, ��Hulus, as long as I kill this kid, you��ll let my daughter go! Remember our ten-year alliance, I hope you won��t break your promise!��


    ��Of course, I, Hulus, am not like you, Rhode, someone who likes to betray allies,�� a taunting voice rang out.


    ...


    Hearing the conversation between the two, Lin Da roughly understood the situation.


    He said in a deep voice:


    ��Rhode, don��t listen to Hulus��s nonsense. If your daughter is in his hands, how could she possibly survive?


    No matter what, he won��t spare you or your daughter.


    Why don��t we join forces and take down Hulus to avenge your daughter.��


    Below the platform, a group of Heretics from the Dragon��s Rest Tomb were laughing and enjoying the show.


    ��This Lin Da actually wants to persuade him to defect? What an odd train of thought!��


    ��But how dare Rhode oppose Lord Hulus? If his daughter were turned into a skeleton soldier, he��d probably break down.��


    ��Any pain and sacrifice are worth it for the eternal glory of His Majesty the Demon King!��


    Enthusiastic Heretics raised their arms high, chanting.


    Under their influence, the chanting grew louder and louder, becoming a thunderous roar.


    ��Offer your pain to His Majesty the Demon King, long live His Majesty the Demon King!��


    Lin Da and Rhode on the platform, both felt an irritating pressure.


    ��Shut up, shut up!��


    Rhode bellowed.


    His body enveloped in white Battle Qi, Rhode��s muscles swelled by a notch, veins popping on his forehead.


    He roared like a beast, stomping the ground fiercely, leaving a small crater as he charged towards Lin Da with a whooshing sound slicing through the air.


    ��A Fighter, huh�� a natural counter to the Rock and Steel Systems, with slight resistance to the Poison Series.��


    Lin Da quickly assessed Rhode��s details.


    In an instant, the Earth Dragon Longsword was unsheathed, and mighty Magic Power burst forth.


    Lin Da��s level of 33 was laid bare for all to see!


    This momentarily quieted the tumultuous cheers around them.


    The Heretics looked at Lin Da with confusion.


    In their minds, Lin Da was still at level 26.


    Even if he had luckily escaped the Great Mystery Continent, he would be at most level 27.


    ��Under Rhode��s iron fist, even if you are a level 33 Star Rank, you have only a dead end,�� Hulus said with a dismissive chuckle, unbothered by this unexpected development.


    How could Lin Da, a newly promoted Star Rank, compare to Rhode, who had honed his muscles through many years?


    It was simply a matter of changing from a one-move kill to a few moves kill.


    Hulus didn��t even pay attention to the stage.


    Instead, he focused on his precious experimental subject, Monica.


    Monica, in the cage, trembled all over, as if foreseeing the dreadful scene of Lin Da��s demise, holding her head and daring not to watch.


    Such a huge emotional upheaval had never occurred in previous experiments.


    Hulus thought to himself that Lin Da must be of great importance to Monica.


    Even he, her ��grandfather,�� couldn��t help but feel affection for Lin Da.


    ��Excellent, excellent! Rhode, go torture and kill that Lin Da, and give Monica the best birthday present!�� Hulus said, stroking his beard and laughing heartily.


    Upon the platform.


    Rhode��s calloused and massive fists were getting closer and closer to Lin Da.


    The intense pressure from the wind made it somewhat difficult for Lin Da to open his eyes, causing facial pain. sea??h th�� N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But he could see the trajectory of that fist clearly.


    His mind could keep up.


    And his body could move in time!


    After equipping the full set of Star Rank Equipment, Lin Da��s ability had reached levels far beyond an ordinary Star Rank fighter.


    Even with Rhode��s fierce attack, Lin Da felt everything was under control.


    With his super-fast thinking speed, time around him seemed to slow down.


    Too slow!


    Lin Da tilted his head slightly, allowing Rhode��s punch to miss its mark.


    Immediately after, he struck with his sword toward the opponent��s neck!


    Rhode, a seasoned Star Rank fighter, raised his left arm to block, with all the energy of the Life Barrier concentrated there, solidifying his defense.


    Ripples spread across the barrier, causing only a slight wound.


    Immediately after, Rhode twisted his waist, using the momentum to throw a kick at Lin Da��s waist!


    With the Battle Qi of a level 34 Fighter, this move was deadly, capable of shattering even a rock!


    ��Bring it on, I want to test my own physical strength!��


    Lin Da did not back down, kicking out at Rhode in kind.


    With a thunderous thud, the dust from the ground was swept away by the strong wind.


    Within a ten-meter radius, the ground was as clean as a mirror.


    Both stepped back several paces.


    Rhode staggered, his face pale, swaying like a wobbly toy, performing a wide split to steady himself.


    Rhode, looking toward Lin Da with his coat fluttering lightly as he came to a halt, flashed a hint of surprise in his eyes.


    A simple exchange made the outcome clear.


    From the test, Lin Da drew an initial conclusion.


    Rhode, who once could overwhelm the entire Phoenix Tail Flower Team, causing him great trouble, was no longer a match for him.


    His strength, agility, defense, health points��except for the fighting experience that couldn��t match Rhode��s in his forties, he overshadowed Rhode in all other aspects.


    Inside the cave, the frenzied shouts of the Heretics, like a storm coming to a halt, went from a downpour to a sporadic trickle and eventually fell completely silent.


    Everyone exchanged incredulous looks, all feeling it was unbelievable.


    When it came to physical strength, the Fighter Rhode could not match Lin Da, a Healing Mage?

 Chapter 440 - 440: 341, not many tricks, but a lot of numbers_2

    Chapter 440: 341, not many tricks, but a lot of numbers_2


    ��`


    ��What��s going on, is Rhode holding back?��


    At the stands, Hulus scratched his head, straightening his body.


    Under a sea of puzzled eyes, the battle erupted once again.


    The clashing of Lin Da��s Earth Dragon Longsword against Rhode��s iron fists sent ear-splitting noises echoing through the cave.


    The heretics at the bottom of the platform were dumbfounded.


    ...


    They realized that they couldn��t see clearly the movements of Lin Da and Rhode!


    Among the cultists, there were indeed 10 Star Ranks, but the gap between Star Ranks was huge.


    They were generally around level 32, with uneven equipment, mostly a mix of purple and orange.


    Compared with Lin Da, who started with orange equipment, they were at a completely different level.


    So much so that they doubted whether they were even in the same league as Lin Da and Rhode.


    ��Once His Majesty the Demon King descends, he will surely award us Legendary Equipment!��


    ��That��s right, the lead of these two is only temporary. His Majesty the Demon King will grant us everything!��


    ��Rhode, quickly kill that arrogant brat!��


    The followers of Dragon��s Rest Tomb, their eyes red with envy.


    Most of them guessed that Lin Da must have Epic on him.


    And not just one piece.


    Merely relying on professional attributes, he couldn��t have been so far ahead of them.


    ��Double Slash!��


    Lin Da charged suddenly, attacking the panting, sweaty Rhode.


    This move was taught to him by Lia during their seclusion in the Great Mystery Continent.


    Lin��s Earth Dragon Longsword struck down and up in a swift motion, delivering maximum output in a short time.


    Rhode crossed his arms to block, and with a loud bang, was sent retreating by Lin Da once more.


    His boots scraped the ground, emitting a grating, tooth-aching sound.


    He slid back five meters, leaving a rough black line, the soles of his boots worn flat.


    ��Sss����


    Shaking his numb arms, Rhode let out a slow exhaling sound between clenched teeth.


    If he didn��t use his trump card, he was going to die at Lin Da��s hands. Rhode recognized this cruel reality.


    Just a month ago, he could have easily played Lin Da like putty, but now, he was fighting strenuously, and a slight carelessness would lead to Lin Da slashing off his head.


    If only he had known, he would have forcibly made a move during Kam��s battle with Lin Da��


    No, in the end, he should not have tried to suppress Phoenix Tail Flower just to preserve his Iron Level status.


    But now, there was no way back.


    Rhode sighed helplessly, let out a big laugh, and spread his arms, hands reaching forward as if a hungry wolf lunging for its prey.


    Lin Da��s eyes sharpened, and he snapped his fingers, with verdant light emerging around him.


    Feeling the scent of danger, he wrapped himself with the Verdant Shield.


    He concentrated, staring intently at the front.


    Rhode was breathing heavily, like a large magic machinery operating at full power.


    From the nostrils and ears of this muscular man, white smoke billowed, turning the platform into a ��foggy day�� instantly.


    The fog surged, forming a lifelike white Iron Lion.


    The Iron Lion was three meters long, with the skin around its nose wrinkled.


    Its huge eyes glared furiously at Lin Da.


    Its front paws scraped the ground, producing a deep and hefty growl from its throat.


    Making one��s back go cold and throwing the mind into slight disarray.


    ��To make Rhode resort to this move, he��s got some skills!��


    ��But it ends here! Yesterday, a level 33 Deer-headed person challenged Rhode, and was knocked unconscious by this move. His antlers shattered all over the place, and he��s still in bed recovering.��


    ��What a pity for ��Shattered Rock�� Rhode, if he had accepted the injection of Magic Potion, he could have at least been a ��Young Dragon�� level officer����


    The followers of Dragon��s Rest Tomb, pointing and commenting on the two onstage, acted like battlefield analysts, explaining the situation to the younger members around level 20.


    Upon hearing this, the crowd realized that Lin Da��s time was up.


    ��Lin Da, take my strongest move, this is all ��Shattered Rock�� Rhode has got!��


    Rhode roared, stomping his right foot heavily on the ground.


    His hands, like a fierce beast striking, merged with the white Iron Lion formed of his Battle Qi, and charged towards Lin Da!


    ��Iron Lion!��


    It was this Ultimate Skill that had brought Rhode into the ranks of the veteran Star-ranked adventurers, and even Hulus was wary of him.


    The white Iron Lion pounced on Lin Da, the fire torch��s light obscured, and suddenly darkness engulfed the surroundings.


    Lin Da stood his ground, using his sword as a shield, his eyes fiercely fixed on what lay ahead.


    ������Lin Da, I��ll teach you a useful trick for fighting. Remember, the more nervous you are, the less you can afford to be nervous!��


    Lia��s proud voice, strangely surfacing in his ears.


    Boom!


    The Iron Lion collided head-on with Lin Da.


    An intense explosion of Battle Qi ensued, and in an instant, a three-meter wide crater appeared on the platform!


    ��Awesome! That arrogant kid is dead!��


    ��`


    ��`


    The heretics�� raucous celebration erupted.


    Rhode wiped the sweat from his forehead, smiled, and relaxed, showing a ��mission accomplished�� ease.


    But the next moment.


    ��Is this all? Is this all the Shattered Rock Rhode has to offer? It��s��simply unimpressive.��


    A voice filled with disdain emanated from the bottom of the pit.


    Before the stunned onlookers, Lin Da ascended step by step, emerging from the giant crater.


    His black hair remained untouched by even a speck of dust, and his brown coat was wrinkle-free.


    Lin Da rubbed his hands together, twisted his neck, and said:


    ��That was quite relieving. My hands were a bit sore, but after that massage from the white kitty, they feel much better.


    Rhode, I��ll be straightforward with you. You��re no match for me.


    Whether I kill you or not is purely up to my whim.


    You might think this is just bragging, but it��s actually the truth.


    Now, I��ll give you one last chance.


    Submit to me, and let��s join forces against Hulus.


    Although you��d still die, you��d at least have a chance to avenge your daughter.��


    Lin Da spoke calmly and unhurriedly.


    The heretics were somewhat dumbfounded.


    They scrutinized Lin Da thoroughly, who appeared completely unharmed no matter how they looked.


    Unscathed by Rhode��s Ultimate Skill Iron Lion �C could that be possible?


    Even a Heavy Armored Warrior wouldn��t walk away from that unharmed!


    Hulus clicked his tongue, his eyes flickering with doubt.


    Nevertheless, he continued to lounge comfortably in his chair.


    At most, he simply put away the sun-dried beef-flavored sunflower seeds back into his pocket.


    ��How��are you still alive!��


    On the stage, Rhode��s expression changed, incredulously gazing towards Lin Da.


    His eyes bulged like copper bells, as though searching for evidence of Lin Da��s false bravado.


    Lin Da said, ��Your Ultimate Skill does pack a decent punch.��


    But with his own health points of 16,500 coupled with the Verdant Shield, he broke through the 20,000 mark.


    A normal Mage, even a warrior, struck by Rhode��s Iron Lion would either die or be crippled.


    But to Lin Da, it was rather regrettable.


    It was only enough to tickle him.


    Lin Da mentally recited the spell, ��Oh healing sprites, become the soothing spring breeze�� Intermediate Healing Spell!��


    A green +6551 popped up above his forehead.


    Lin Da��s Life Barrier was again fortified.


    This certainly made Rhode sweat profusely.


    His Ultimate Skill had no effect on Lin Da.


    The healing spell looked very potent in terms of the recovery amount.


    Even at a distance of over ten meters, it affected him, feeling a slight replenishment in his own Life Barrier.


    Rhode internally struggled intensely.


    He very much wanted to accept Lin Da��s proposal.


    But��


    Behind him was a gaze as chilling as the marrow in his bones.


    ��No response, then.��


    Lin Da sighed with regret, ��Then let��s finish this, I need to take my team home, there��s no time to waste with you!��


    ��Go, Venom Magic Sphere!��


    The Earth Dragon Longsword pointed forward, and a purple miniature Array took shape.


    The maxed-out Venom Magic Sphere could fire two spheres concurrently.


    Rhode couldn��t dodge it in time, and with a sizzling sound, the poison seeped along the Life Barrier, entering the core of Rhode��s spiritual world.


    In an instant, Rhode��s face turned purple from the poison. S��arch* The N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Two Venom Magic Spheres, sustaining damage for 16 seconds.


    If allowed to hit completely, they were sure to weaken at least one-third of Rhode��s Life Barrier!


    Rhode, drawing on his wealth of combat experience, immediately sensed danger and took out a green Antidote Herb, putting it in his mouth.


    ��Die!��


    Lin Da wasn��t about to stand idly by; he closed in on Rhode, both hands gripping the Earth Dragon Longsword, and unleashed a broad horizontal slash towards Rhode��s chest!


    These attacks were not skills, but given Lin Da��s extraordinarily high attributes, each of his normal attacks possessed power comparable to skills!


    Rhode, unable to chew the Antidote Herb, desperately leaned back to dodge in a panic.


    But Lin Da��s offensive was relentless, like a sudden storm.


    With the Venom Magic Sphere continuously effective, Rhode��s vulnerabilities grew increasingly evident.


    Lin Da��s eyes flashed, seizing the opportunity.


    He delivered a knee strike to the wide-open lower abdomen of Rhode.


    ��`

 Chapter 441 - 441: 342, 1 vs 50, dont come over here!

    Chapter 441: 342, 1 vs 50, don��t come over here!


    In the cave, a scream akin to that of slaughtering a pig rang out.


    The pitch was so high, it was unbearable to hear.


    Rhode��s face turned deathly pale as he clutched his groin and collapsed to the ground with a thud.


    ��Useless!��


    Hulus, furious, grabbed a teacup and smashed it violently onto the floor!


    But Lin Da frowned, unrelaxed.


    ...


    His knee didn��t feel like it had crushed an egg.


    Although Rhode was rolling on the ground clutching his groin,


    no egg white flowed out from his trousers.


    At the last moment, Rhode had used his well-trained muscles to control his groin and sway sideways,


    dodging Lin Da��s fatal groin hit!


    Otherwise, no matter how high Rhode��s defensive power, he would have passed out on the spot.


    Facing Lin Da, who was carrying a sword and pressing in close, Rhode��s gaze flickered violently.


    As if he had made some kind of decision, he suddenly burst up with a yell,


    jumping more than five meters into the air.


    Rhode��s right fist turned metallic, bringing with it a ferocious air current, and hammered down with a thunderous crash.


    ��Iron Shock!��


    Lin Da was stunned.


    Rhode��s target of attack was unexpectedly a Heretic of the Dragon��s Rest Tomb!


    The opponent��s level was around 31.


    He had been standing with arms crossed, enjoying the show.


    But he was struck by Rhode��s fist in the head, splattering red and white fluid.


    The surrounding Heretics were horrified.


    ��Have you lost your mind!?��


    Hulus, both shocked and annoyed, shouted fiercely, ��Rhode, even if your daughter has been made into a corpse puppet by me and desecrated by Goblins, don��t you care!?��


    The Heretics surrounded Rhode.


    ��Traitor, die!��


    Their eyes filled with hatred, some pulled out large knives, others long swords, while those in the back raised their Magic Wands, chanting spells.


    Without looking back, Rhode roared with bloodshot eyes, ��Lin Da, as long as you can kill this bastard Hulus, my life is yours! Go, you must avenge my daughter!��


    The person most familiar with Hulus was Rhode.


    He knew very well that even if he killed Lin Da, Hulus would not spare him or his daughter.


    From the moment Hulus captured them, they were doomed.


    But now, Rhode saw hope in Lin Da.


    It didn��t matter whether he lived or died.


    As long as he could kill Hulus!


    ��Ahhh!��


    Rhode swung left and right, his fists firing like cannonballs, sending a whooshing breeze and bursting the head of a Level 30 Star Rank Swordsman!


    When dealing with Lin Da, everyone thought Rhode was ineffectual.


    It was only when they faced Rhode themselves that they realized how terrifying this adventurer, known as Shattered Rock, truly was!


    ��I understand now.��


    Lin Da��s gaze sharpened, as he looked up at Hulus, who was holding onto the railing of the viewing platform above, his face ashen and teeth rattling with fury.


    ��Healing Elves, please soothe the patient��s pain�� Intermediate Healing Spell!��


    Before that, Lin Da raised the Earth Dragon Sword, healing Rhode.


    +6501!


    Rhode, who had been weak, suddenly bristled with energy.


    ��Aaah!��


    Rhode��s spirit surged, as if transformed into a heavily armored war chariot, charging wildly through the crowd.


    Heretics he touched were destroyed like fragile cream buns, Rhode��s hands grasping a Mage, his pectoral muscles flexed, and with a tearing sound like fabric being ripped apart, he actually tore the latter apart!


    Even the heretics, hardened by misdeeds from their past, were terrified by such violent scenes.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Several Wind Blades struck Rhode.


    Blood streamed down Rhode��s back, but he was completely unaware.


    He glared at the Wind Mage.


    And charged furiously toward him!


    The terrifying oppressive force made the latter��s legs tremble.


    ��Don��t come any closer!��


    Rhode, without a word, tore him apart with his hands again!


    The remaining forty or so heretics all turned pale with fright.


    How had Rhode, who was a complete mess just a second ago, become so powerful now?


    Only Rhode clearly understood in his heart.


    It wasn��t that he was too weak.


    It was that Lin Da��s combat power was absurdly strong!


    At that moment, having personally experienced Lin Da��s astonishing ��Recovery Amount�� from the Intermediate Healing, Rhode��s spirits lifted.


    If he had this guy��s help, maybe�� just maybe�� they could kill Hulus.


    Maybe�� just maybe��


    Maybe��


    Rhode bewilderingly discovered that he was ��flying.��


    His perspective continuously spun.


    Upside down.


    Swinging left and right.


    Then, with a smack, he hit the ground.


    He saw a familiar body lying in a pool of blood.


    Wasn��t that himself?


    Rhode looked confused.


    He opened his mouth but could not make any sound.


    The sudden turn of events stunned all the heretics.


    Lin Da��s expression also changed.


    Hulus leaped down from midair, spewing a black, threadlike substance from the palm of his hand.


    With a casual flick, it struck Rhode��s fragile neck. sea??h th�� N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rhode was unprepared and was dealt a ��Fatal Strike�� by Hulus.


    It was then that Rhode realized: the feeling of being naked in the cold wave was akin to death.


    A look of despair, yet also a hint of relief and liberation, surfaced on his face.


    During the ten years of his alliance with Hulus, Rhode had thought about abandoning him numerous times. But this carriage had long been thundering along, and jumping off midway would only lead to a terribly tragic outcome.


    Now, at least he could rest.


    Rhode glanced at Lin Da with the corner of his eye, opened his mouth, and silently said:


    ��The rest is up to you.��


    The very next moment, Rhode��s head was crushed under Hulus��s foot.


    ��What a waste!


    Rhode, I will let goblins violate your daughter in front of your corpse!


    Oh, by the way, I forgot to tell you something, the night I caught your daughter, I had already injected her with Magic Potion.


    Unfortunately, your daughter��s talents were too poor, and in just a few minutes, she turned into a twisted, stinking chunk of meat! Now, she��s probably even below goblins�� standards!��


    Hulus sneered coldly.


    In just a few seconds.


    Level 35 [Shattered Rock] Rhode, fallen!


    Even if Hulus��s attack was a sneak attack, the power he displayed was still astonishing.

 Chapter 442 - 442: 342, 1 vs 50, dont come over here!_2

    Chapter 442: 342, 1 vs 50, don��t come over here!_2


    ��Lord Hulus is mighty!��


    ��Praise to Lord Hulus!�� S��ar?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Those who defy His Majesty the Demon King��s will shall surely receive death!��


    The heretics found their backbone, flocking to Hulus��s side.


    Lin Da frowned.


    He hadn��t seen the old man in a month, and there were significant changes.


    ...


    First was his appearance.


    Hulus was skin and bones, with deep-set eyes and a row of ribs jutting out beneath his robe, each topped with a hairy spider leg.


    They trembled slightly with Hulus��s breath.


    The Level Aura emanating from his rival was also much stronger than when they had met in the Dragon Forest, at least level 37.


    Lin Da��s primary mission was to hold out until reinforcements arrived.


    He made no rash moves, instead casting a Verdant Shield on himself. Standing about ten meters away on the platform, with his hands on his sword, he watched Hulus warily.


    ��Ho ho, Lin Da, are you sweating buckets yet?


    This is the power of the Magic Potion.


    Refining the blood of the Fallen Witch, combined with carefully formulated Dragon Blood.


    In comparison, what are these minor physical transformations?��


    Hulus caressed the spider legs on his stomach affectionately, as if a beastman was stroking an elven lady��s black silk stocking.


    He raised his head to look at Monica, hanging in a cage in midair, and cackled:


    ��Little Monica, watch closely as your captain dies before your eyes! Remember, it��s all because of you!��


    Lin Da��s expression changed and he said, ��Don��t listen to his nonsense, just hold on; your captain will bring you home in a moment! Lulu and the others have prepared the meals, waiting for you to return!��


    ��But, but Monica is a useless team member,�� Monica whispered.


    During the past month, Hulus had continuously ingrained into her the notion that she was the most useless member of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, only holding Lin Da back.


    It would be better for her to stay at Dragon��s Rest Tomb and undergo the experiments.


    And now, it was she who had caused Lin Da to come to her rescue, only to be trapped by Hulus��


    ��Dammit!��


    Seeing Monica trembling more violently in the cage, Lin Da gritted his teeth, leaped into the air, and lashed out with the Dark Whip, targeting the chains that suspended the cage.


    Boom!


    The Dark Whip was shattered by a black spear, vanishing into thin air.


    Hulus sneered, lifting his magic wand: ��Dare to snatch my experimental subject, who do you think you are? Followers, attack him!��


    The forty or so heretics, albeit reluctantly, charged at Lin Da.


    Leading them were three Heavy Armored Warriors brandishing massive shields, followed by lines of Spearmen and Swordsmen, with two Mages and a Healer in the back.


    Those eight were of Star Rank; the rest of the heretics were all around level 20.


    They surrounded Lin Da, shrinking his dodging space.


    ��Form Shield Wall!��


    The three Heavy Armored Warriors roared in unison.


    Their shields were black, engraved with castle patterns.


    The bulky figures slammed their shields to the ground, and instantly, a phantom fortress appeared, barring Lin Da��s path.


    Without taking down these three Heavy Armored Warriors, Lin Da would struggle to reach the heretics�� back line.


    Hulus and other Mages seized the opportunity to chant spells.


    Wind Blades, Fireballs, along with Skeleton Soldiers summoned by Hulus, came one after another.


    To deal with Lin Da, a 33-level Healing Mage, Hulus hesitated not a moment to use overwhelming force.


    ��Hee hee!


    I will torture this Lin Da bit by bit.


    Monica, just listen carefully to Lin Da��s screams, watch how he dies!��


    Hulus waved his black gem-encrusted magic wand, creating an array inside the cage, from which a skeleton with deep blue flames in its eye sockets emerged.


    It forced Monica��s face against the bars of the cage.


    Forcing Monica to keep her eyes wide open, she had to watch Lin Da surrounded by danger.


    ��Wu wu wu, don��t, don��t���� Monica cried out.


    The sound of the girl��s crying delighted Hulus immensely; he pulled out a flat magic device he carried with him, its screen displaying a mountainous magic power fluctuation chart.


    The peak far exceeded the norm.


    Change, damn it, change!


    Hulus, frantic, looked closely at Monica��s form, which still retained a human shape, showing no signs of demonization.


    This meant the stimulus was still not intense enough!


    ��Listen, don��t kill that Lin Da in one hit, torture him for me!�� Hulus ordered.


    Thud! Thud! Thud!


    The cacophony of swords clashing against shields at the front lines was incessant.


    Lin Da��s face was icy, his magic power surging recklessly, launching one attack after another against the shield wall formed by the three Heavy Armored Warriors.


    With every attack, it was as if a gargantuan beast shook the earth, and even from behind their giant shields, the three warriors were battered by Lin Da to the point of bleeding from their mouths.


    ��What kind of monster is this! Is he really only level 33?��


    ��Hold on, hold on�� No, we can��t hold on much longer!��


    ��Damn it, where��s the Healing Art, hurry up!��


    Pauli, the black Heavy Armored Warrior with dreadlocks, led the three, all of whom were in agony.


    They were, on average, level 31, which theoretically shouldn��t have been much different from Lin Da.


    But in combat, it was like ��three infants fighting against Behemoth,�� with their hands clutching the shields going numb from Lin Da��s vibrations.


    Ssss~ Ssss!


    At that moment, an irritating corroding noise was heard.


    Pauli looked closely and was scared out of his wits! His thick shield had been corroded by Lin Da��s Poison Technique, leaving a hole the size of a fist!


    But that wasn��t all.


    ��Toxic Purple Mist.��


    With a toss of his left hand, Lin Da unleashed his new skill.


    As the purple mist covered the entire area, the poison irritated the respiratory tract, causing Pauli and the others to feel excruciating pain in their throats, as if slashed by blades.


    Their complexions turned from white to green, then from green to purple.


    In Lin Da��s view, a bunch of -800s popped up continuously, never stopping.


    ��It��s poison, this guy��s poisonous!��


    ��Run, if we don��t escape we��ll be poisoned to death!��


    ��I need Antidote Herb, Antidote Herb!��


    The Heretics around level 20 were all poisoned so severely they threw away their helmets and armor, howling like ghosts and wolves as they ran to areas without the poison mist.


    Pauli and the other Star Rankers had thicker Life Barriers and could hold out a bit longer.


    ��Healing Art!��


    The Healer from Dragon��s Rest Tomb clenched his teeth and provided Healing Art to Pauli.


    ��Triple Wind Blade!��


    ��Great Fireball Technique!��


    ��Ice Pillar Technique!��


    The Mages raised their Magic Wands, and three different-colored spells simultaneously assaulted Lin Da.


    Clang, clang, clang!


    The Wind Blades continually struck the Emerald Light Shield.


    But other than making it slightly dimmer, the Lin Da inside remained unaffected.


    With a calm face, he focused on chopping at the giant shield.


    That extremely calm demeanor, with an unfathomable gaze, made him look like a wild beast spying on everyone through a door crack, which was horrifying.


    If Lin Da breached the Shield Wall, it would be unimaginable.


    Pauli swallowed with a gulp and yelled to bolster his own courage:


    ��Don��t be afraid, everyone, this Lin Da is at the end of his rope. With three of us Heavy Armored Warriors and Mages wearing him down, how much Magic Power can he have left? Victory is waving at us!��


    The Fireballs and Ice Pillars kept smashing against Lin Da��s Verdant Shield.


    A war of attrition was indeed disadvantageous for Lin Da.


    Nearly fifty people were against him alone.


    It seemed it was time to pull out some trump cards.


    Lin Da took a deep breath, his eyes resolute, and positioned his Earth Dragon Longsword for a thrust.


    A faint Dragon��s Might emanated from him, spreading throughout the area.


    ��What��s, what��s happening?��


    ��This guy��s aura has changed!��


    ��Careful, it might be his Ultimate Skill!��


    Perspiration formed on the foreheads of Pauli and the other two, pressing their bodies behind the giant shield.


    Lin Da thought: [Green Dragon Warrior��s Cavities] is truly Epic Two-Star Equipment. The attached [Dragon Series Skills Enhancement] can increase the power of this move by 30%.


    When using Dragon Series Skills, it came with a trace of the Giant Dragon��s oppression.


    Everyone including Hulus felt a tightness in their chests, and the circulation of Magic Power and Battle Qi in their bodies slowed by half a beat.


    They felt the Dragon��s Might coming from Lin Da???


    ��Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang!��


    Lin Da silently uttered the words in his mind, and with a thrust of his sword, a green-colored Array appeared in the void.


    The roar of a dragon echoed through the cave, and a Vine Dragon, intertwined with vines and hanging with many green leaves looking vividly real, burst out from the Array.


    The Wooden Giant Dragon targeted the three Heavy Armored Warriors blocking Lin Da��s path.


    ��Ahhhh!��


    Screams erupted one after another; Pauli and the other two Heavy Armored Warriors had already been severely beaten by Lin Da, and when the Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang appeared, it demolished them, smashing them into a bloody mess and breaking their giant shields in half.


    The Vine Dragon did not cease its attack and opened its jaws wide towards the Swordsmen and Spearmen of the middle rows.


    ��Don��t come over, don��t come over here!�� The Swordsman was a skinny man, staring with terrified eyes, screaming in panic.

 Chapter 443 - 443: 343. The Demon Kings Familiar, Contract Signing

    Chapter 443: 343. The Demon King��s Familiar, Contract Signing


    Before he could defend himself, the Swordsman was bitten in half by Lin Da��s Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang.


    The remaining Spearman, pale as a sheet, stood frozen in place.


    His companion��s blood had splattered across his face.


    It was only thanks to his companion��s resistance that when the Vine Dragon reached him, it had just run out of magic power.


    The scene was dead silent, with only the sound of water dripping from the ceiling of the cave remaining.


    The Spearman, his throat dry, stared blankly ahead.


    ...


    Starting with Lin Da, the Vine Dragon had cleared a straight path through.


    Where it passed, no one was left.


    Pauli and three other Heavy Armored Warriors, including the Swordsman companion, were all brutally killed. S��ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Though of the same Star Rank, Lin Da had obliterated four people with a single move!


    ��You, don��t come any closer!��


    The Spearman was a Doghead named Doug.


    Underneath his robe, his black-and-white spotted tail was nervously tucked between his legs, his voice tinged with a whimper.


    Not all Heretics were zealously devoted to the Demon King; some viewed this job merely as a high-paying gig.


    Working for the Demon King was fine.


    Dying was not!


    ��Die!��


    Lin Da was not about to forgive Doug. He charged forward with reckless Triple Slash combined with a Venom Eruption, claiming the life of this Level 30 Doghead.


    Blood splashed across Lin Da��s chest; his expression remained emotionless as he approached the backline Heretics.


    The group was terrified out of their wits.


    If even the Heavy Armored Warriors couldn��t stop this demon, wouldn��t it be like a tiger entering a flock of sheep if he got closer?


    Except for a few fanatics who were moved to death by their own zeal, the rest scattered in all directions.


    Hulus��s face was stone-cold, and as he slammed his Black Gem Staff on the ground, he angrily exclaimed:


    ��That��s the Forest Dragon��s technique, how does a newly appointed Star Rank have the qualifications to possess it!��


    The Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang, equivalent to a Moon Rank Rare Technique, was slightly weaker than a lethal move but had the advantage of multiple uses.


    Aside from the ability to soar in the sky, the greatest advantage of a Moon Rank was its Rare Techniques.


    A Skill Book like the Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang would cost at least twenty million Gold Coins.


    And it was priceless.


    Lin Da had only recently been promoted to Star Rank, and according to the intelligence Hulus gathered, after being kicked out by Snow Goose, Lin Da was even impoverished enough to live in a slum. How could such a person afford twenty million gold coins?


    ��Could it be����


    Hulus remembered the Great Mystery Continent of ten levels from a month ago.


    Every adventurer located in the Dragon Forest had heard the thundering roar of the dragon.


    Hulus��s heart skipped a beat.


    ��Could it be that Forest Dragon was slain by you!


    Impossible, absolutely impossible!


    How could you, a Star Rank, kill a Level 49 Forest Dragon? Even a regular Light Rank would struggle to handle it!��


    Hulus was doubtful.


    Just then, Lin Da leaped into the air and with one sword strike, cut through the bars of the cage.


    ��Dark Whip!��


    The whip curled around Monica��s waist and she fell directly into Lin Da��s arms!


    Having finally rescued his teammate, Lin Da genuinely breathed a sigh of relief.


    Monica trembled in his arms.


    ��It��s okay now, I��ll take you home in a bit!��


    Seeing Monica��s gaunt figure, Lin Da couldn��t help but feel a pang of heartache.


    ��No, we can��t!��


    Monica pushed Lin Da forcefully, but due to her lack of strength, he didn��t move, and she almost fell backwards, desperate and close to tears:


    ��Lord, taking Monica is just a burden, you must escape!��


    Having been here for a month, Monica knew all too well how terrifying Hulus��s methods could be.


    Lin Da might manage on his own, but with her as a burden, defeating Hulus was out of the question, let alone escaping.


    Monica knew how important she was to Hulus, as he wouldn��t kill her before his experiment succeeded.


    She opened her arms like a frightened little hen, standing in front of Lin Da.


    Monica glared at Hulus: ��If you dare harm Lord, I won��t cooperate with you anymore! Let him leave quickly!��


    Seeing Monica��s frail body shielding him, Lin Da was both amused and touched!


    ��Just a mere Hulus, I hardly consider him a threat.��


    Knowing he had backup, Lin Da was full of confidence.


    At this moment, he looked at Monica struggling to hold back tears, feeling a raging fire burning inside him.


    If he had been any later, Monica might have been tortured to death by Hulus��s experiments.


    ��Monica, what are you doing? Get back here now!��


    Hulus, seeing Monica rescued by Lin Da, became anxious and blurted out angrily:


    ��Monica, you don��t want to see your beloved captain die before your eyes, do you?


    If you don��t come back, don��t blame me for killing Lin Da personally!


    Then, it will all be your fault, and you won��t even find a place to cry!��


    ��Lao Deng, shut up!��


    As Lin Da saw Monica��s bewildered face, his anger surged through his sword: ��Poison Dragon��s Roar!��


    A twenty-meter purple giant dragon roared out, Hulus barely had time to dodge; his eyes widened as a loud bang sent him flying like a rag doll deep into the stone wall!


    ��Oof!��


    Hulus��s mouth and nose spouted blood, his Life Barrier dimmed by half.


    ��Lin Da, how dare you hurt me? Surrounded by dozens of my followers at Dragon��s Rest Tomb, how dare you, you madman!��


    Hulus cursed aloud.


    Encircling his head were ten purple teardrop-shaped gems, the ongoing damage from the Poison Dragon��s Roar called Dragon��s Sorrow.


    With every gem shattered, Hulus��s complexion grew even paler.


    Hulus scrambled through various pots and jars, pouring them into his mouth, and shouted to his followers: ��What are you standing there for, Healing Art!��


    The followers, jolted from their stupor, began casting their spells chaotically.

 Chapter 444 - 444: 343. The Demon Kings Familiar, Contract Signing_2

    Chapter 444: 343. The Demon King��s Familiar, Contract Signing_2


    ��This is so annoying, let��s take out the back-row professions first!��


    Lin Da hugged Monica and whooshed into the crowd.


    ��Ahhh!��


    In an instant, a chorus of screams erupted throughout the cave.


    Against these heretics, generally around level twenty, Lin Da moved as if in a deserted realm.


    Soon, his Earth Dragon Longsword turned red.


    ...


    The thick liquid slid down the blade like threads of silk.


    The scent of blood around was strong, making Lin Da feel slightly uncomfortable.


    But when he thought of the countless innocent girls these heretics had captured for their magic potion experiments, his anger flared, and he showed no mercy.


    Some had their heads chopped off, others were cut in half at the waist.


    The ground was littered with severed limbs and torsos; some heretics, still not quite dead, screamed in pain.


    Wherever Lin Da went, it was like a living hell.


    ��Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang!��


    Leaping into the densest center of the heretics, Lin Da swung his longsword, unleashing the rare technique for the second time.


    Three heretic Star Tier Mages huddled together to flee but were caught by Lin Da.


    The Vine Dragon slammed their bodies brutally against the wall.


    Hulus could withstand it, but they were far from capable.


    When the Vine Dragon vanished, the three were nothing but a mixed patty of flesh.


    ��Does the captain��s appearance scare you?�� Lin Da looked down at Monica, who was cradled in his arms. His clothes were drenched in red ��tomato sauce,�� the collar of his coat turning red.


    Lin Da stepped on the corpses of heretics, his gaze calm.


    He adapted to the slaughter at a bewildering pace, which even surprised himself.


    Perhaps the Dark Shadow was his true inner self.


    As Lin Da felt bewildered, struggling to distinguish himself, Monica shook her little head and said, ��I��m not scared!��


    ��As long as it��s Lord Captain, Monica isn��t afraid!��


    The young girl��s crisp voice cleared the haze in Lin Da��s eyes.


    He cast Dark Whip again to kill a few more heretics, cleaning up the ��minor pests.��


    Lin Da ruffled Monica��s head and smiled,


    ��Wait here; once Captain kills that old thing, we��ll go home.


    Let Lulu prepare some delicious food, and let��s invite Snow Goose and the others as well.


    Oh, and Chloe is missing you. She��s saved up a bunch of games to play with you.��


    Monica: ��Okay, be careful, Captain!��


    Lin Da nodded and walked towards Hulus with his sword.


    The battle erupted in an instant.


    Lin Da turned into a melee fighter, chasing after Hulus.


    Meanwhile, Hulus continuously summoned Skeleton Soldiers to hinder Lin Da.


    A spider on his chest spit out shadowy threads, lurking in the air, waiting for a chance to strike.


    This was destined to be a prolonged battle.


    While Hulus couldn��t take down Lin Da quickly, Lin Da was surrounded by skeletons, making it hard for him to catch up to Hulus.


    After a brief thought, Lin Da decided to use the Guardian Sword to clear the minions.


    With Light Wings spread out behind him, he briefly ascended before a crescent moon-shaped sword light flew out.


    Over a hundred skeletons turned to ash within the sword light!


    But after using this move, Lin Da felt a wave of exhaustion.


    His entire body ached, and his arms trembled.


    His health points were full, but his stamina was greatly depleted.


    After killing fifty heretics named Rhode, there was still an endless army of Skeleton Soldiers ahead��


    These creatures had high poison resistance; even Lin Da��s Toxic Purple Mist had almost no effect.


    By the time he snapped back, his vision was once again filled with a vast number of Skeleton Soldiers.


    Through the gaps in their bones, he could see Hulus sneering as he raised his staff, relentlessly summoning more.


    If it were Monica, skilled in Area-of-Effect spells, just an Earthquake Technique could wipe out a legion of Skeleton Soldiers.


    But Monica had long since run out of magic power; she couldn��t even cast a minor Earth Spear Spell.


    Having long suffered from a lack of magic power, her magic circuits had dried up.


    Even if she took a Recovery Potion, it wouldn��t work quickly.


    As Lin Da pondered, more and more Skeleton Soldiers appeared, their numbers so dense he could no longer see Hulus.


    This scoundrel was hiding behind the skeletons, shaking the Black Gem Staff like a child with paralysis, crazily summoning Skeleton Soldiers.


    His fiendish movements could drive one to a stroke.


    Every time the number of skeletons reached a hundred, they would spawn a taller and more rugged skeleton general clad in ragged armor and wielding a large sword.


    Lin Da felt a sense of foreboding.


    The aura of these skeletons was at least level thirty.


    Gathering 100 skeleton generals could give birth to who knows what kind of magical creature.


    Hulus knew he couldn��t beat him in close combat, so relying on the dense number of skeletons, he hid behind and desperately ��shook people,�� trying to overwhelm him with numbers.


    Sweat on his forehead dripped down Lin Da��s chin, drop by drop.


    If this continued, he would be exhausted to death!


    Knowing there was no solution, Lin Da could only swing his sword to eliminate the skeleton soldiers.


    It had now become a gamble.


    He was betting whether his physical strength would run out first or if reinforcements would arrive before then!


    ��


    ��


    ��It��s been half an hour, isn��t it ready yet?��


    On the Barren Plains, Lulu anxiously circled around the Wave Detection Instrument.


    In the leaden sky, the downpour had yet to cease.


    The dry land turned muddy, splashing mud onto everyone��s trouser legs.


    But no one thought about dodging, each with a serious expression stared at the device��s small fluorescent screen.


    They didn��t understand those cluttered Magic Runes, but they understood one thing, the number: 29%.


    Half an hour passed, and that was the progress.


    To detect the location on the other side of the teleportation portal, at least one hour was needed.


    Even Kafni was panicking.


    She could feel that Lin Da��s life force was weakening and he was in crisis.


    The person operating the detection instrument, Wenqi, was sweating profusely, ��Don��t rush me, I��m trying my best! It��s this damn rainy weather causing interference with the teleportation array��s fluctuation!��


    ��Stupid machine!��


    Bailuo��s face darkened, and she punched the top of the Wave Detection Instrument.


    Sizzle~


    The display of the Wave Detection Instrument turned into multicolored patches.


    Bailuo: ?


    Wenqi was dumbfounded.


    The detector, worth ten thousand Purple Gold Coins, had it been broken by this director?


    ��Is there something wrong with your device?��


    Not stopping there, Bailuo punched it two more times.


    ��


    Inside the cave.


    The light from the torches flickered, the ground was littered with corpses, and blood flowed like rivers.


    Initially, Monica could still see Lin Da��s figure.


    But as more and more skeletons appeared, turning into a white ocean, she completely lost track of where Lin Da was.


    This meant that Lin Da��s speed in eliminating the skeletons could no longer keep up with the speed of Hulus��s summoning.


    Monica was on pins and needles, her small hand aimed at the skeleton soldiers, wanting to release the Earthquake Technique.


    But her empty Magic Circuit, like a towel sun-dried for three days, could not wring out a single drop of water no matter how hard she twisted.


    Instead, the severe pain in her head nearly caused Monica to faint.


    She anxiously stomped her foot, wondering if there was any way to save Captain Lin Da��


    Monica wanted to return with Lin Da to eat hot meals, to play with Chloe, to forget the painful memories of the past month, and to think of Lulu and the others.


    The girl clasped her hands together and prayed in her heart.


    Anyone, please listen to Monica��s wish.


    She was willing to pay any price to save Lin Da! Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was Lin Da who had taken her out of her enclosed cottage in Red Heart City and had saved her from robbers when she was young.


    Now, she had been captured by heretics.


    The person who appeared like a knight was still Lin Da.


    Monica thought, no matter the cost, she was willing to accept it.


    This time, she wanted to be the one to save Lin Da!


    World Tree Goddess, please hear my plea!


    The girl��s strong obsession turned into spiritual energy, dispersing into the void.


    Drip.


    The space seemed to become a lake surface, and ripples slowly spread out.


    From within the ripples, a black rabbit emerged.


    It had wings on its back and held a piece of parchment in its hand.


    The parchment was filled with twisted blood-red letters, infused with a dense dark aura.


    ��I am the Familiar Bite, following the will of His Majesty the Demon King, I ask you:


    Do you crave power?


    His Majesty the Demon King can fulfill all your wishes.


    The price is small, almost negligible.


    If you agree, just sign above.


    No need for a pen, your consent with your mind is enough to complete the signature.��


    The black rabbit, calling itself Bite, handed the parchment to Monica, its button-like eyes twinkling with an unusual light.

 Chapter 445 - 445: 344. Hulus loses his temper: My Magic Potion could never possibly go wrong.

    Chapter 445: 344. Hulus loses his temper: My Magic Potion could never possibly go wrong.


    ��Group Healing!��


    Lin Da raised his longsword, forming a verdant green magic circle.


    Under the influence of the healing art, the skeleton soldiers twisted in agony as if scorched by fierce flames.


    Their bones dropped one by one, gradually turning to ash and vanishing.


    This was already uncountably the nth time Lin Da had used ��Group Healing.��


    It was useful, indeed.


    ...


    But not extremely so.


    It was like using a spoon to remove a chunk of water from a basin.


    There was an effect, yet it was not significant.


    Skeleton soldiers filled the cave almost to bursting.


    The rustling sound of their bones grinding together merged into a continuous and relentless downpour.


    Lin Da created a gap with Group Healing, but it was filled in the blink of an eye.


    Hulus��s summoning of skeleton soldiers was like a long-overdue bowel movement��only after squatting did one realize it was going to be a torrential flow.


    The ability to summon so many skeletons indicated that Hulus had abundant supplies; he probably spent his nights digging up people��s ancestral graves when he had nothing better to do.


    These skeleton soldiers, some armed with curved blades, others wielding rusty spears, and some carrying dung forks or scythes and other such ��villager skeletons�� with agricultural tools.


    Their fighting ability wasn��t strong, hitting Lin Da��s life barrier for only -3.


    But their numbers were overwhelming.


    Suddenly, a cold wind struck from behind.


    Lin Da was momentarily stunned, shocked to realize that he had allowed an enemy to get close without noticing.


    Since entering the cave and the onset of battle, nearly an hour had passed.


    In that hour, Lin Da��s magic power and physical strength were severely depleted.


    The former was still manageable��Lin Da had brought a bunch of mana recovery potions and could force himself to drink them, dealing with the damage to the magic circuit later.


    But the physical exhaustion was hard to replenish quickly. The Earth Dragon Longsword in Lin Da��s hand felt as heavy as a massive column, lacking the ease he had when fighting Rhode.


    Lin Da didn��t have time to turn and swing his sword; he braced himself with the Verdant Shield.


    With a clang, the tall skeleton warrior fell backwards, its large sword shattered by the impact.


    But Lin Da also staggered back a few steps.


    He supported himself on his knees, his hands and legs trembling slightly.


    Right now, Lin Da had only one feeling��exhaustion!


    If there were a soft, large bed, he could immediately sleep for three days and three nights!


    His lungs expanded to their limits with each breath, yet even so, he felt like he couldn��t breathe enough. Although his health points were still full and the Verdant Shield was thick, his body was gradually losing its combat capability.


    A group of skeleton dogs surrounded Lin Da, barking furiously. Seeing Lin Da��s indifferent reaction, the soul fire behind their eyes suddenly turned blood red. They howled and lunged at Lin Da with open mouths. S��ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Verdant Shield flickered continuously, like a lake surface battered by a storm.


    Lin Da watched as the skeleton dogs attacked him, yet he did not swing his sword.


    A strange expression flickered in his eyes as he thought, ��It��s been so long; if Bailuo hasn��t arrived yet, something must have happened.��


    At this point, he had no choice but to resort to his last trump card.


    Boom, boom!


    The Verdant Shield, constantly struck by the skeleton dogs and warriors, emitted loud noises, changing from green to transparent.


    Lin Da looked up at the skeleton soldiers clustering outside the barrier, staring at him like hungry beasts.


    He pulled a deep red potion from his space ring.


    The potion was stored in a long crystal test tube, the liquid inside extremely viscous, bubbling and rolling like a miniature lava pool.


    It was an item Lin Da had chosen while purchasing equipment at a commercial firm.


    [Item: Rage Potion]


    [Quality: Epic]


    [Level: Suitable for adventurers below level 40]


    [Effect: Immediately restores 30% Magic Power, 30% Battle Qi, 30% stamina, and increases ability values by 10%, lasting for 3 minutes]


    A magic potion with impressive and potent effects.


    Equally, its side effects were also ��impressive.��


    After three minutes, the adventurer would immediately fall into a weakened state. According to those who had used it, it felt like a sensitive 11-year-old boy being assaulted by two 40-year-old Succubi.


    In other words,


    this was a wicked potion that could overdraft one��s physical strength to achieve a 30% full recovery instantly.


    But it only lasted three minutes.


    Afterward, the user would be completely devoid of fighting capacity.


    Lin Da quickly calculated in his mind: there was still one use left of the Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang, to bind Hulus, then forcefully use the second ultimate skill, the Poison Dragon��s Roar, to finish off the opponent instantly.


    This was the script if everything went smoothly.


    If he still couldn��t kill Hulus��


    The one to die would be himself!


    The Verdant Shield was being consumed continuously, and every second dragged was to his disadvantage.


    Lin Da��s gaze became fierce, and with a snap, he pulled the cork out of the Rage Potion.


    A fiery and pungent smell burst forth from the bottle.


    He frowned, held the potion to his lips, and mentally roared, ��Let��s do this!��


    ��Beep beep beep~~~!��


    Just as Lin Da was about to swallow the potion, a sharp noise from the magic guide instrument resonated about ten meters ahead of him.


    Hulus paused in his movement of shaking the magic wand, took out the magic power detector from his waist, and looked intently.


    Then, his aged face showed an ecstatic expression.


    The magic power fluctuation graph soared like a sharp sword straight to the top, breaking through a red line.


    This indicated that the magic potion was resonating with the test subject.


    Behind the dense skeleton soldiers, an exceptionally evil magic aura arose.


    It was like some kind of viscous filth, emitting a nauseating stench for ordinary adventurers, while also containing a chilling murderous intent, halving the temperature of the entire cave.


    The nearby skeleton soldiers instinctively moved aside.


    The soul fires behind their eye sockets flickered violently, expressing their terror.


    Divine Gift golden lights fell upon the petite girl.


    Hulus trembled with excitement all over.


    He had waited far too long for this day.


    To this end, he had sacrificed hundreds of young girls�� lives, the funding for Dragon��s Rest Tomb was exhausted, and the years of savings of the Specter Adventure Group were gone.


    But at this moment, it was all about to pay off!


    Hulus��s face turned flush, and he raised his arms high, tearing open his throat and shouting:


    ��Success, I have succeeded!


    From now on, I will become a Moon Rank��


    No, a Light Rank��!��


    ��No no no, I, the creator of the Artificial Witch, will become a legend whose name is passed down for a thousand generations across the continent, hahaha!��


    In just a moment, that aura broke through from level 29 to Star Rank, and then 31, 32, 33��


    With each breakthrough, Hulus grew even more exhilarated, more excited than if it were his own.


    This meant that the Magic Potion he had concocted was a tremendous success!


    There was still no sign of stopping as the surge broke through to level 34 and then stopped at 35.


    The fierce battle finally welcomed a pause.


    Both Hulus and Lin Da mutually ceased their efforts.


    They knew that the curtain had fallen on the fight with no suspense left, no point in dragging it out.


    Lin Da��s hand, holding the Rage Potion, froze at his mouth.


    His fighting spirit, like a sandcastle by the shore, was smashed to pieces by the crashing waves.


    The Artificial Witch created by the Magic Potion was transforming into a humanoid monster.


    He wasn��t sure if his Witch Purification would work on these ��inferior products.��


    Even if it could, he��d need to tie up the opponent first.


    Now, Monica had advanced to level 35, while he was completely drained of energy.


    The last thing Lin Da wanted to see had eventually happened.


    Hulus��s mad laughter was especially piercing:


    ��It��s a success, hahaha, my Artificial Witch has succeeded!��


    ��Lin Da, you are definitely going to die, the victor of this battle is me, Lord Hulus!��


    ��Little Monica, your dear grandfather now commands you, kill Lin Da!��


    The Skeleton Soldiers split to either side, kneeling on one knee as if welcoming their princess.


    Lin Da looked ahead, where a strangely unfamiliar young girl stood.


    Monica had grown to about 1.7 meters tall, with brown hair flowing down to her calves, and bat-like wings unfolded behind her, lightly floating in the air.


    Her filthy burlap dress could not hide the girl��s beauty.


    On her pale neck, there was a black thorny flower, like a sharp rose etched on her delicate skin.


    At the corner of her eye, there was also a small black heart-shaped mark, emitting a fatally alluring charm.


    Lin Da was completely stunned.


    Who was this girl standing one meter seventy tall, mature in appearance, with a heart-shaped ��tear mole�� at the corner of her eyes, and bat wings on her back?


    She was so different from the obedient and gentle Monica he knew!


    Lin Da��s Recovery Magic Power instinctively repelled Monica, feeling that she was filthy all over, wishing he could clean her thoroughly inside and out with foam.


    The level of Monica also shocked Lin Da.


    In a few seconds, she had risen from level 29 to level 35.


    Could Hulus be a genius?


    This Magic Potion developed by Lao Deng displayed power on par with that of real witches who have signed contracts with the Demon King!


    But the Demon King can only entice witches with murmurs, unable to directly control them.


    Hulus, however, could issue direct commands to Monica��


    Does that not mean he is even more formidable than the Demon King?


    Lin Da bizarrely thought if something was amiss.


    On the other side, Hulus��s eyes widened as he stared at Monica, like an artist admiring a once-in-an-era masterpiece, trembling as he spoke:


    ��A masterpiece, a perfect masterpiece! A witch with hardly any demonization, I��ve done it!��


    He ecstatically ran over, like an old father welcoming his daughter graduating from Adventurers�� University.


    But Monica just looked at him coldly.


    The next moment.


    A brown magic circle formed in Monica��s palm.


    Earth elemental magic power furiously converged, and dust floated in the air.


    It was Monica��s signature skill: Earth Bombardment!


    A thick brown beam of light shot out.


    With a thunderous crash.


    Hulus was blown back straight into a stone wall, deeply embedded within it.


    For this carefully cultivated experiment of his, Hulus had no defense whatsoever, just as a master would not believe his own dog would bite him.


    Struck directly by Earth Bombardment, his chest instantly caved in.


    Every movement of his body felt as if it was being pierced by thousands of steel needles.


    One of his right arms also turned to ash on the spot.


    Hulus coughed continuously, the blood he spat out was extremely thick, mixed with small chunks of his internal organs.


    He stared at Monica incredulously, his voice shrill,


    ��Why, why attack me?


    My command was for you to kill Lin Da!


    You useless thing, your target should have been that young man with black hair, not me!��


    Hulus shouted frantically.


    But Monica ignored him.


    Her bat-like wings fluttered as she landed on the ground and walked lightly towards Lin Da.


    This, however, gave Hulus a glimmer of hope.


    It was just a small mistake by Monica, the magic potion he had developed couldn��t possibly be flawed!


    The next Earth Bombardment would definitely hit Lin Da!


    Hulus roared ferociously, ��Quick, Monica, finish off Lin Da!��


    As soon as he finished speaking.


    On the ground directly in front of him, a massive brown array with a diameter of fifty meters lit up.


    It was one of the exclusive skills of an Earth Mage, the Earthquake Technique.


    The platform collapsed in an instant.


    The ferocious earth elemental magic ravaged everything within the array, shattering the skeleton soldiers into fragments, turning them into a pile of bones.


    Just one Earthquake Technique had destroyed thousands of skeleton soldiers.


    At this rate, a maximum of three Earthquake Techniques would annihilate all the skeleton soldiers.


    Hulus��s eyes bulged, his breathing trembled.


    What was happening?


    Why did Monica attack the skeletons he had finally summoned?


    Couldn��t she hear his commands?


    In theory, once Monica had fully absorbed the magical properties of the potion, he was supposed to be Monica��s only master, Monica��s dearest grandpa.


    Could it be the dose was insufficient��


    ��Monica, grandpa is coming to get you, just stand still and don��t move!��


    Hulus took out a syringe filled with an oil-like thick liquid. Facing her like a disobedient pet dog, he put on a kind and friendly smile and walked towards Monica cautiously, step by step.

 Chapter 446 - 446: 345, New Witch Unlocked, Monicas Trust Level

    Chapter 446: 345, New Witch Unlocked, Monica��s Trust Level


    Facing Hulus, this beloved grandfather, Monica��s face turned cold, and her palms aimed at Hulus, ��Get lost!��


    Monica, biting her lips, looked at the man who called himself ��grandfather�� with disgust, his face baring a nauseating smile.


    Even if she accidentally stepped on an ant on the road, Monica would feel guilty and silently apologize to Mr. Ant.


    But facing Hulus, the old man who had tormented her for over a month and who wanted to kill her beloved team captain��


    A thick, dark, negative emotion surged within Monica��s chest.


    A strong intent to kill erupted from the girl��s body.


    ...


    Under Hulus��s panicked expression, a brown beam of light appeared.


    ��Earth Bombardment!��


    The overly powerful magic caused explosions to ring out through the air.


    In her witch state, Monica made the already potent Earth Bombardment even more terrifying.


    The beam swept across, like a giant earth dragon swallowing Hulus.


    ��No!!!��


    In screams, Hulus was transformed into a human sandbag, flying out at a speed a hundred times faster than when he had arrived.


    Hulus turned into a blood man in the air, his skin exploding, blood spraying wildly, and the spider legs on his stomach all smashed.


    The thick stone walls were like tofu, and Hulus crashed into them.


    Stones clattered and fell, burying half of his body, leaving only his legs exposed outside.


    This arrogant and invincible ��Young Dragon Level�� officer, after taking two Earth Bombardments from Monica, was on the verge of death and lost his combat ability!


    ��


    Lin Da, protected by Monica at the back, was flabbergasted.


    The destructive power was almost comparable to an ordinary Star Tier Mage��s ultimate skill.


    His impression of the Four-star Rare Character, Earth Mage Monica, was that her strength was not this high.


    After entering the witch state, Monica displayed power that rivaled some Five-star characters. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Captain, I��m sorry,�� Monica said timidly as she turned around, tears dripping from her eyes like tiny pearls.


    Like a child who unwittingly spent all the family��s gold coins at the Magic Guide Gaming Center, fearing punishment from an adult, she sobbed, ��Monica, Monica has become a witch.��


    Initially, Lin Da was already exhausted treating Lulu and Tasya, and every time Monica saw them come out of the room, aside from the two sisters�� glowing faces, Lin Da was holding his waist, looking worn out.


    Adding herself to that would surely wear Lin Da out.


    Moreover, witches are written in the imperial laws as villains.


    All adventurers who see a witch have a duty to report her to the empire.


    When that rabbit familiar named Bite appeared, Monica, desperate to save someone, did not hesitate to sign the contract.


    Only now did she realize the fright it caused.


    Under Monica��s dress by her left chest, a throbbing pain emerged. A black thorn was growing from her heart.


    Whenever she used the witch��s power, the thorn would spread throughout her body.


    At the moment, it had grown to her neck, the tip turning into a black rose.


    Monica held her head low, feeling guilty, unsure of Lin Da��s expression.


    Her clumsiness got her captured by the heretics, putting Lin Da into a crisis, and now she had signed a contract with the Demon King, turning into a witch whom everyone wanted to strike down��


    The Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team would certainly not shelter her anymore.


    Thinking that she could only wear a black robe and join the heretics, Monica felt her life was bleak and that it might be better for Lin Da to deliver her to the Holy Light Church in exchange for a reward.


    Monica waited a long time, but did not hear Lin Da speak. There was only the sound of breathing, growing more and more rapid.


    Snap! Snap!


    The noise came.


    Monica, startled, closed her eyes, her body quivering.


    But what fell were a pair of warm, broad palms.


    ��Monica�� you did well!�� Lin Da excitedly grabbed her shoulders.


    ��Huh?��


    Monica opened her eyes in astonishment, raised her head, and cautiously looked at Lin Da.


    Had the captain just complimented her?


    But she had turned into an evil witch, her body filled with filthy magic power!


    ��Captain, are you, are you comforting me?�� Monica said with a trembling voice.


    ��No, I mean, Monica, you did very well.


    You helped the captain out of a crisis and became a witch, indirectly weakening the Demon King��s power.


    If all the girls in the world became witches, perhaps even a Moon rank adventurer could successfully defeat the Demon King,�� Lin Da said jokingly.


    Treating a witch indeed consumed physical strength.


    But as his level increased, he could treat an increasing number of witches.


    At level 20, Lin Da could only treat Star Tier witches.


    Now that he had entered Star Tier, he could even treat Moon Tier witches like Tasya.


    Since Monica was of his tier, it did not drain him too much.


    In contrast, the Demon King had invested real strength to contract with Monica.


    Lin Da��s ��Witch Purification�� could cleanse the pollution off, effectively snatching the big gift the Demon King sent to the witch for free.


    Going back a step.


    It was thanks to Monica turning into a witch that they could defeat Hulus.


    Otherwise, even if Lin Da took a Rage Potion, he would have at best a fifty percent chance of winning.


    ��Isn��t the captain going to scold me?�� Monica used the back of her hand to wipe the tears from her eyes, blinking her large eyes in disbelief.


    ��Of course, scolding is due.


    Those stupid heretics, utterly heartless.


    They dared to capture my Monica!


    And many innocent girls lost their lives at their hands.


    As a brave�� brave adventurer, I must wipe out this bunch of scum!�� Lin Da said indignantly.

 Chapter 447 - 447: 345. New Witch unlocked, trust level of Monica_2

    Chapter 447: 345. New Witch unlocked, trust level of Monica_2


    ��`


    Monica was stunned as she gazed at her tall and majestic team leader, the black fog in her eyes dissolving strand by strand until her vision cleared completely.


    She threw herself into Lin Da��s arms with a sob, choking out, ��Lord, you��re the best, boo hoo, Monica never wants to leave you again.��


    Initially, Monica had felt disheartened and considered escaping when she learned that Sister Lulu had become Lin Da��s Oath-bound.


    But after becoming a Witch, the dark power influenced her mind, causing the desires buried deep within her heart to swell uncontrollably.


    Monica decided she wanted to become one of the Oath-bound to her captain as well!


    ...


    She planned to confide her feelings to Lulu.


    If it were the cool-but-kind-hearted Sister Lulu, she would surely agree if Monica pleaded with her.


    Only�� the current scene was somewhat eerie.


    Lin Da had slain forty or fifty Heretics, his coat soaked red with blood, while Monica clung greedily to Lin Da��s waist, her small head resting against his strong chest.


    Blood stained her cheeks, and she sniffed the familiar scent on Lin Da��s body that brought her comfort, her nostrils greedily flaring.


    The black thorn flowers spreading to her collarbone appeared like tattoos on a bad girl.


    Behind Monica, a pair of wings, both bat-like and demonic, fluttered lightly.


    The blood on her face somehow made her complexion and lips appear a vivid red, giving off a strangely seductive allure.


    But even in her Witch State, Monica was only 1.7 meters tall, still too short for Lin Da and unable to see her expression. (PS: In her normal state, she is still a 1.5-meter-tall Big Lolita)


    However, Monica��s display of affection was awkwardly felt by Lin Da.


    The Slime, flattened like a pancake, was no less extreme than Tasya��


    Such proportions were just preposterous.


    Like the protagonist of a comic book, Lin Da touched his nose to alleviate the awkwardness while discreetly shifting his legs back to avoid being too close to Monica.


    Monica in her Witch State had grown taller, her baby fat vanished, and the black heart-shaped patterns at the corners of her eyes exuded a peculiar temptation.


    In this state, Lin Da couldn��t treat Monica as a child.


    He suddenly remembered something, smacking his head and saying,


    ��Oh right, Monica, take this.


    It feels out of place to say this among all these bodies and skeletons here,


    but�� happy birthday.��


    Lin Da took a long red gift box out of his Space Ring.


    ��Eh, it��s for me?��


    Monica cautiously accepted the gift.


    The tears she had been barely holding back streamed down her face once more and couldn��t be wiped clean.


    She herself had forgotten that today was her birthday.


    After getting a nod and a smile from Lin Da, Monica pursed her lips and shakily began to open the gift box.


    Inside was a light blue Magic Wand.


    It was as long as the forearm of an adult, with a fierce-looking snake head at the tip, its mouth clutching a blue gem.


    Monica could not see the specific attributes of the ��Snake People Chieftain��s Ice Magic Wand,�� but she could tell from the deep purple light emanating from it and the dominant magic aura that it was a Star Rank Epic Staff.


    And it was not a one-star�� it had to be at least Epic Two-Star!


    Such an Epic Staff would be priced around 5 million Gold Coins in a shop.


    Monica remembered her life crammed into a little house in Red Heart City half a year ago. Back then, she even skimped on water, only willing to buy Great Water for one copper coin, barely making a living by sewing dolls, with a daily wage of just a few dozen copper coins.


    And now she was able to wield an Epic Staff worth 5 million Gold��


    Lin Da smiled gently, gesturing for her to link the Magic Circuit.


    ��Okay!��


    Monica hugged the Magic Wand tightly to her chest, a blissful smile spreading across her face.


    After a few seconds, the Wand��s glow subsided, and it took on the same brown hue as the standard equipment for an Earth Mage.


    Feeling the stronger magic within her, Monica��s little wings flapped excitedly, and she crisply said, ��Lord, thank you for the gift!��


    Dimples appeared on the cheeks of the smiling girl.


    The sweet smile energized Lin Da, sweeping away the exhaustion of battling the Heretics as if by magic.


    At the same time, he heard a system notification in his ear:


    [The Adventure Team��s new Witch, Monica, has been automatically bound!]


    [Monica��s trust level +1, current trust level 88 points]


    [Trust Level Reward: Level 35 Earth Mage equipment pack (contains 5 Orange-quality and 1 Epic items)]


    [Received the Magic Scroll ��Triple Cast,�� which enables any ability to activate three times within ten seconds after use and only consumes one magic charge]


    [Received an Oath Ring (Magic)]


    After reading the notification, Lin Da��s eyes shone with excitement!


    Monica had transformed into a Witch just in time.


    The Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, having advanced to Star Rank, was in a period where they lacked trump cards and were caught between two stages of power.


    Monica��s initial trust level of 88 brought Lin Da a stack of rewards.


    ��`


    ��`


    Looking at the brown-haired girl in front of him, whose face was full of confusion, not knowing why she was smiling, Lin Da couldn��t help but pat Monica��s head again.


    Like a little kitty, Monica comfortably closed her eyes.


    Seeing her leader happy, she also started feeling cheerful.


    While rubbing his team member, Lin Da checked the trust rewards.


    Surrounded by corpses, he felt unprecedentedly elated. S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The rarest and most powerful reward among them was the magic scroll [Triple Cast].


    The quality of this item had reached Legendary One-Star!


    Its effect was nothing short of defying nature.


    After using it, any skill would be activated three times at once.


    If Lin Da used Guardian Sword, it would produce three beams of light, layering Guardian Shield three times on his designated targets.


    The thickness of the Guardian Shield was 13,200 points.


    Layered three times, that would be 39,600!


    With the threefold Guardian Shields stacked, even someone as fragile as Monica could become a tank that drives enemies to despair!


    Heavy Armored Warriors could even carry Monica as a shield and charge forward!


    Despite some exaggeration, the Triple Cast Guardian Sword was that terrifying.


    In the game, [Triple Cast] could only be obtained through a gacha draw during special events by spending money.


    And each player was limited to only one draw, and if they got it, it couldn��t be traded.


    ��Monica, you did very well, and I, as your leader, have decided to reward you generously tonight!��


    Overwhelmed with excitement, Lin Da couldn��t help but hug Monica and smacked two kisses on the girl��s soft cheek.


    Earth Elemental Magic mixed with an evil aura, just like stinky tofu.


    Smells bad, tastes delicious!


    Monica��s cheeks turned bright red.


    ��Cough cough!��


    At that moment, a cough caught their attention.


    ��Old man, I almost forgot about you.��


    Lin Da glanced over, and his expression instantly chilled.


    Some old guy was trying to sneak away while he was affectionate with his team member.


    ��


    Hulus shivered as he crawled out from the stone wall.


    His face was pale as paper, his whole body weak, and his lungs were severely injured, every breath felt like his body being sliced by a blade.


    Lacking the strength even to stand, he knelt on the ground, vomiting blood profusely.


    If it hadn��t been for him dodging the vital point at the crucial moment, Hulus would have died right then and there under Monica��s Earth Bombardment.


    Looking at the young man and woman hugging each other on the dais, his eyes bloodshot with hatred, he felt a rage he had never known, not even when he learned of his brother Kam��s death.


    Lin Da�� Lin Da!


    Ah, Hulus vowed to desecrate your ancestral grave and turn your whole family into skeleton soldiers!


    Hulus roared in his heart, furious and ashamed.


    The Monica he had carefully nurtured for a month was now blushing in Lin Da��s arms.


    Hulus had completely lost his mind!


    At this point, he finally understood the truth.


    That abominable Monica had bypassed the magic potion and signed a contract directly with the Demon King.


    A genuine Witch, not bound to obey anyone.


    The pollution within them was the perfect time bomb.


    All Witches, without exception, would turn into Catastrophe Beasts.


    Like maggots drawn to a scent, they were attracted to the World Tree��s essence.


    Destroying and killing along their way��


    Until they either destroyed all World Trees or were themselves destroyed.


    But what Hulus wanted was an Artificial Witch, one level below a true Witch, yet bound to obey his commands.


    In some sense, Monica was a complete failure.


    After being injected with a bunch of magic potions, she couldn��t even produce a fart.


    ��Ah, curse you, die��


    No, that��s not right.


    While they haven��t noticed me, I need to escape quickly, or I will be the one dying!��


    ��`

 Chapter 448 - 448: 346, Lin Da light gauze Hulus,

    Chapter 448: 346, Lin Da light gauze Hulus, ��side quest�� completed


    Hulus was about to roar in anger, baring his heart.


    But thinking of the disparity in strength between himself and Lin Da and others, it felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head, quenching his rage instantly.


    He had lost an arm, and his Life Barrier was in peril.


    In order to summon the Skeleton Army, he had also spent eighty percent of his Magic Power.


    He was no match for Monica.


    All the girls beguiled by the Demon King, when they first enter the Witch State, possess unprecedented power.


    ...


    It��s like a freshly produced soda from the Elf Forest, the gases are most abundant when the cap is first twisted open.


    It��s the same with witches.


    The first time they use the power of the witch, the bodies of the girls are pure and flawless, available for corruption and defilement.


    Although Monica was only level 35, with the power of the witch augmenting her, she had the capability to face a level 39 of the Star Rank.


    When Monica unleashed Earth Bombardment, she was barehanded without any magical equipment.


    Still, she crippled him in two moves.


    If she were equipped with a suit of Epic Equipment��


    Hulus realized the gap between them and calmed down completely.


    ��Skeleton Soldiers, shield my form, pave the way for my escape!��


    Hulus gritted his teeth, enduring intense pain as he got up.


    Even with one arm gone, he still had great prospects.


    Shortly after joining Dragon��s Rest Tomb, he was nicknamed ��the old inventor.��


    He was one of the members most likely to succeed in creating an Artificial Witch.


    As long as he found a place to hide and continue his experiments.


    The day he succeeded, he would return to Dragon��s Rest Tomb and earn the favor of the higher-ups!


    ��I am destined to reach Moon Rank, Light Rank, and even become legendary! How can I die here!��


    ��As long as I can make it to that place��!��


    Hulus��s face was ferocious as he roared silently.


    Dragging his severely injured body, he headed towards a secret passage.


    There was a small teleportation array there, his backup plan.


    He hadn��t intended to use it, but now it seemed he was indeed wise!


    Twenty meters, ten meters, eight meters��


    As he got closer to the secret passage, a look of joy appeared on Hulus��s face.


    Clever you, Lin Da, wallowing in your infatuation with women.


    He was only concerned with his sweet nothings with the witch, not noticing his own stealthy escape.


    Hulus wished he could take three steps in two, spring like a starving wolf, and dive right into the teleportation array.


    Seeing that he was getting closer to the teleportation array.


    A thunderous shout like a bolt from the blue rang out from behind: S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Lao Deng, where do you think you��re running? Monica, trap him!��


    ��Yes, Captain! Earth, Prison, Art!��


    Hulus��s mind buzzed, and he turned back in panic, only to see Monica raising her magic wand, pointing in his direction.


    The ground thundered and vibrated, making the floor beneath Hulus feel like a shaky wooden bridge, causing him to lurch forward and backward.


    Immediately after, walls of earth rose all around, blocking out the already dim light in the cave.


    Hulus��s field of vision went pitch black.


    ��No!!!��


    The teleportation array to escape was just ahead; Hulus couldn��t reconcile himself to his fate.


    His eyes bloodshot, he suddenly exerted force in his legs, his battered body like a shriveled tomato, squeezing out the remaining juice, blood spurting from his wounds.


    Ignoring the pain, Hulus leapt up, trying to jump through a gap at the top.


    But anticipating his move, Monica caused a thick wall of earth to grow from above.


    Hulus��s head hit it with a thud.


    His vision dimmed, and he felt dazed.


    It seemed he saw his brother Kam��s soul, smiling and beckoning to him.


    The Earth Prison Art turned into an upside-down bowl, trapping Hulus within.


    Monica said, ��Captain, this is a new skill I��ve mastered!��


    ��Impressive, impressive.��


    Lin Da smiled as he ruffled Big Lolita��s head.


    Monica, having advanced to level 35, not only mastered the Earth Prison Art but also evolved her Ultimate Skill [Falling Rock Technique] into [Rockfall Array], causing tremendous damage.


    At that moment, Hulus��s shrill cries came from within the earth prison:


    ��Monica, let me out, have you forgotten how good grandpa was to you?


    Such precious Magic Potion, grandpa used it all on you alone, grandpa loves you, oh!


    Without grandpa, how could you have transformed into a witch?


    You should be thanking grandpa, it was I who made you strong!


    So�� let grandpa out quickly!��


    ��You��re not my grandpa, you��re a bad man!�� Monica angrily raised her eyebrows, her magic wand aimed at the earth prison.


    At a command from Lin Da, she would release Earth Bombardment and reduce Hulus to mincemeat.


    ��Hahaha, you fell for it, those words were just to distract you!��


    In reality, Hulus summoned skeleton moles, which began burrowing within the earth prison. The moles quickly tunneled a passage, and Hulus stuck his head out, ecstatically crawling out.


    What he saw, however, was Lin Da with his arms crossed, looking down at him with a half-smiling, half-mocking expression.


    ��Waaaah!!!��


    Hulus��s face turned pale with fear, and he hurriedly dived back into the passage.


    ��Lao Deng, tell me where the ��Lord�� of Dragon��s Rest Tomb is, and the whereabouts of Demon General Si Da!��


    Lin Da grabbed Hulus��s white hair and yanked him out of the passage like pulling up a radish.


    Seeing this repulsive old man who kept summoning skeleton soldiers, struggling in terror in his hands, Lin Da felt a deep sense of satisfaction.


    Before Hulus could respond, he roared, ��Lao Deng, how dare you ignore me, you deserve a beating!��


    Thud, thud, thud!


    Lin Da��s fists, like raindrops, pounded on Hulus, making him howl in pain, blood spraying from his nose, mouth, and eyes, half of his internal organs shattered by Lin Da��s blows!


    But Lin Da was kind-hearted.


    Just as Hulus was near death, he cast a Primary Healing Spell and then continued to beat him.

 Chapter 449 - 449: 346, Lin Da thin yarn Hulus,

    Chapter 449: 346, Lin Da thin yarn Hulus, ��Branch Mission�� completed_2


    Hulus screamed in pain as his face swelled to the size of a pig��s head, his eyes barely slits, and his lips turned into engorged sausages, showing no semblance of a human face.


    ��I confess, I confess everything!��


    Desperate, Hulus clutched his head begging for mercy.


    Lin Da: ��Speak!��


    Hulus took a moment to catch his breath, spitting out the broken teeth from his mouth. Lin Da��s punches were relentless, almost making him swallow his teeth.


    Now with a chance to breathe, Hulus finally had time to spit out the teeth mixed with thick blood.


    ...


    While mourning his own battered body, Hulus hid the hatred in his eyes and with a lowered head said:


    ��The whereabouts of Demon General Xilin, Lady Bai Mian mentioned once, General Xilin is planning a splendid party in Cyan City. It will be attended by high-ranking members from Dragon��s Rest Tomb.


    As for the leader of the Dragon��s Rest Tomb, the ��Tomb Master,�� how could a ��Young Dragon Level�� officer like me qualify to know his news? I don��t even know whether the Tomb Master is male or female!��


    Hulus ��cried his eyes out�� as he crawled to Lin Da��s side and clung to his thigh:


    ��Please, let me go, I will mend my ways and start anew!


    It was only because of my brother Kam��s death that I was consumed by rage and acted against Phoenix Tail Flower!


    Lin Da, if you spare my life, I will definitely repay you well in the future!��


    If Lin Da were someone from [Asaxi] as the rumors suggested, maybe he would actually spare his life.


    In Hulus��s cold-hearted thoughts, as long as he could leave today, he would create an army of witches to take Lin Da��s dog life.


    ��Xilin is planning a party in Cyan City?��


    Lin Da��s brow furrowed. What on earth did his sister have in mind?


    Cyan City was not like White Dove City; there were many Light Rank adventurers there. If not careful, his sister could get captured.


    Not all adventurers were as upright as he was.


    Now that his sister had turned into a Succubus, the consequences of her being caught by Light Rank Beastmen were unthinkable.


    He had to capture her before she caused a big trouble.


    As for the other person, the leader of the Dragon��s Rest Tomb, the one titled ��Tomb Master,�� and a ��former adventurer,�� that was not someone Lin Da could confront at this time.


    Their combat power was the ceiling of Cangqing Province, the final boss of version 2.0.


    Players would need to buy a ton of potions and forge an elite adventure team to overthrow them.


    ��Tell me about the internal ranking levels of the Dragon��s Rest Tomb!��


    Lin Da stepped on Hulus��s face and said coldly.


    This information, he actually knew very well.


    But fearing that his time-traveling caused a butterfly effect, which could alter the plot of Mystic Continent.


    Now to what extent the plot of Mystic Continent had deviated, Lin Da had to clarify.


    He could compare the information from Hulus��s side.


    Even pinned under Lin Da��s foot, Hulus dared not show anger but forcibly squeezed out a smile, saying:


    ��The member ranking levels of Dragon��s Rest Tomb have five tiers.


    The lowest is the Dragon Egg Level, whose members are below Star Rank.


    Then comes Dragon Egg Level, usually the newly advanced Star Ranks.


    Next is my kind, Senior Star Rank, also called Young Dragon Level.


    Above the Young Dragon Level is the Moon Rank! Referred to as Dragon Transformation Level.


    Senior Moon Rank is Giant Dragon Level!


    Above that, they are called ��Senior Officers.��


    I have never seen one.


    My direct superior, Lady Bai Mian, she is at the Dragon Transformation Level.


    Lin Da, heed my advice, be very cautious of Bai Mian.


    She managed to break through from Star Rank to Moon Rank in just a few months and become a Dragon Transformation Level officer.


    It��s because she��s not far from falling into corruption!


    The power of the Catastrophe Beast is not something you can contend with.


    Your White Dove City, the lack of a Sun Adventure Group, is very dangerous!��


    Hulus wore a smile on his face as if he were seeking credit:


    ��Lin Da, I��ve told you so much valuable information, doesn��t it show my sincerity?


    My actions are no different from those of the traitors of Dragon��s Rest Tomb.


    If they find out, I��m definitely dead.


    Now, can you let me go?��


    Lin Da stroked his chin, pondering for a moment.


    ��A Sun Adventure Group, huh�� If Abner and his group don��t climb the World Tree quickly, I��ll just have to keep changing the plot.��


    In the original plot, Abner led the White Dove Adventure Group to defeat the 19th level��s Nightmare Guardian, becoming White Dove City��s first Sun Adventure Group in decades.


    This record of battle, forged Abner��s confidence like steel, supporting his fearless advancement.


    Until a later version, where he sacrificed himself in a decisive battle against the Demons.


    But Lin Da couldn��t wait any longer.


    If the White Dove Adventure Group remained stuck on the 19th floor, Lin Da wouldn��t hesitate to lead his own Phoenix Tail Flower Team to replace Abner and them in vanquishing the Nightmare Guardian.


    The Flame Giant, if killed by a certain special method, could yield Legendary weapons��


    In the original plot, the weapon belonged to Abner.


    But Lin Da really wanted it too.


    Vanquishing the Nightmare Guardian was the easiest way to obtain Legendary weapons in the early version of the game.


    His thoughts returned to the present.


    Lin Da glanced at Hulus with his hypocritical smile plastered on his old face.


    All his teeth were gone, his mouth open, bloody and raw.


    Like a laughing wild beast.


    Lin Da had a premonition that if he spared Hulus, endless trouble would come later.


    He smiled, then his gaze turned icy.


    ��Killed so many innocent girls and still begging for mercy? Beg your mom, just die already!��


    ��No, you can��t do this to me, I am a future legend, and you, an ant, what right or ability do you have to kill me!��


    Hulus panicked, using his chin to push against the ground, dragging his maimed body, crawling towards the dark passageway like a worm.


    But Lin Da would not give Hulus the chance, his Earth Dragon Longsword stabbed down, then he made a slicing motion.


    Hisss!


    A fine head, accompanied by a gush of warm tomato sauce, rolled away. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The expression of fear on Hulus��s face was frozen in place.


    His eyes, staring fixedly at Lin Da, were full of rage and hatred.


    Yet, Lin Da felt a surge of intense pleasure, and his lips involuntarily curled up.


    It was as if he discovered a side of himself unknown to others.


    Torturing these detestable Heretics brought him great satisfaction, his body burning with excitement, even his arms no longer ached!


    Lin Da walked over, picked up Hulus��s head, and forcefully slammed it on the ground.


    With a smack, under his immense strength, Hulus��s head turned into a mush of red and white.


    With this, the former leader of the Specter Adventure Group, Hulus of the Young Dragon Rank, was dead.


    ��T-team leader��?��


    Monica clutched her Magic Wand in fear, not daring to come closer.


    The leader was smiling as he killed Hulus.


    It was that sincere, thoroughly gratifying smile.


    Even more terrifying than Dark Shadow!


    Seeing the fear in Monica��s eyes, Lin Da was startled.


    He shook his head and took a deep breath to regain his composure.


    ��I��m fine now, come over!��


    Monica looked around, confirming that Lin Da was still the same Lin Da, only then did she show a sweet smile, hummed affirmatively, and ran over.


    Lin Da thought: Although Monica��s appearance had changed a lot, her nature was much the same, still a well-behaved kid. In the future, he should avoid torturing Heretics in front of Monica.


    He held Monica��s soft, small hand and led her to Hulus��s headless corpse to clean up the loot.


    First, he found a shattered Space Ring.


    Lin Da clicked his tongue, that old Lao Deng, Hulus had smashed the ring the moment he was caught, leaving nothing for Lin Da.


    Even if the ring was left intact, without the soul imprint of the original owner, it could not be opened.


    Once the original owner died, the Magical Equipment inside would bug out, unable to be unbound.


    It was also possible to forcefully unbind it using malignant methods, but the cost was quite steep.


    This meant that apart from those extremely precious Legendary equipment, in most cases, it wasn��t worth it for adventurers to take the risk of murdering for loot.


    ��But there is one item, Hulus always wore it on his person.��


    Lin Da squatted down, rummaging through the corpse.


    Blood poured continuously from the cut neck of the corpse.


    Monica turned pale and turned her back, unable to watch directly.


    ��Found it!��


    Persistence pays off.


    Lin Da found a black book in a hanging pouch behind Hulus��s buttocks.

 Chapter 450 - 450: 347, Lin Da: Lord Dean, I really can treat the Witch!

    Chapter 450: 347, Lin Da: Lord Dean, I really can treat the Witch!


    The book was an inch thick, roughly the size of a palm, and featured a feather totem on its cover.


    The feather was black, resembling eagle wings.


    When Lin Da infused magic power, the feather gently waved as if it were alive.


    A line of information appeared in his field of view:


    [Item: Black Eagle Wings]


    [Type: Skill Book/Universal]


    ...


    [Quality: Epic Two-Star]


    [Description: Generate Black Eagle Wings with magic power, allowing flight in the sky.


    Moon rank adventurers and above can learn, enhancing the Black Eagle Wings and increasing flight speed.]


    Lin Da smiled.


    This was exactly what he was looking for.


    A universal flying skill book!


    Hulus always carried it around but, hindered by insufficient understanding, had never been able to master it.


    Once the player completed the [Destruction of the Specter Adventure Group] side quest, they could acquire the skill from Hulus��s corpse.


    Lin Da opened the cover and touched a rune inside.


    A translucent system message box appeared before him:


    [Detected universal skill book ��Black Eagle Wings��, quality Epic Two-Star, do you wish to learn it?]


    [Yes!]


    Lin Da silently declared, and instantly, the magic rune turned into a visible white stream of energy that entered his body through his fingertips.


    A warm sensation roved throughout his body, finally concentrating in his brain.


    Suddenly, Lin Da envisioned himself unfurling black wings and awkwardly flying through the sky.


    At first, he often failed, frequently slamming into the ground and ending up bruised all over, but as time passed, he gradually became proficient.


    [Skill ��Black Eagle Wings�� learned, current proficiency level 1, flight speed ��slow��]


    Thus, the flying skill Hulus couldn��t comprehend over several years, Lin Da managed a preliminary grasp in three seconds.


    Without spare skill points, Lin Da thought, slow flight was acceptable; just being able to fly at Star Rank was satisfying enough.


    Once he and Monica, with her tiny bat wings, advanced to Moon Rank, their flying speed would surpass that of ordinary Moon Rank adventurers.


    ��Including Witch State Monica, Phoenix Tail Flower has three members capable of flight; in a crisis, the whole team can evacuate. Facing anything below Moon Rank, even freshly advanced ones, the Phoenix Tail Flower Team has sufficient self-preserving ability.��


    Lin Da thought secretly, determined that an incident like Monica��s capture must not happen again.


    ��But merely preserving ourselves is not enough.


    I have killed so many of Dragon��s Rest Tomb��s heretics, I might be targeted, plus there��s that strange gaze Lulu mentioned�� S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Instead of hiding, better to root them out and eliminate them once and for all.��


    Lin Da set a goal for himself: to break through to Moon Rank and become a Sun Adventure Group!


    Suddenly, a formidable, mountain-like breath came from above the cave.


    Lin Da and Monica felt an oppressive weight on their chests.


    Before they could react, with a thunderous noise, a cobalt sword light appeared above them.


    The thick rock walls, as if made of paper, were torn open, creating a gap over thirty meters long!


    Boulders larger than water tanks crashed down from the ceiling.


    Lin Da��s expression changed, and he hugged Monica at the waist, casting Dark Whip towards the pillars around the platform.


    Pulling themselves swiftly to safety, they barely evaded the falling rocks.


    The cave filled with dust and debris.


    Lin Da stared at the terrifying gap above, his expression grave.


    ��I��ll protect Lord Captain!�� Monica��s tiny bat wings fluttered, floating in the air, her snake-head magic wand aimed at a small figure outside the gap.


    Behind the figure were dazzling golden light wings, each hand holding a thin cobalt sword.


    Upon closer inspection, it was a young girl. She wore a white dress, cut at the back, revealing a short, smooth, white tail.


    Lin Da looked closely, turning his alarm to delight: ��Bailuo�� no, Lord Principal?��


    The overwhelmingly dominant figure appearing in the sky was none other than the strongest reinforcement Lin Da had planned for: [White Cat Swordsman], Bailuo!


    ��Monica, lower your wand, with the Principal here, the crisis is over!��


    Seeing Bailuo appear, Lin Da finally relaxed.


    Monica retracted her tiny bat wings and shyly hid behind Lin Da, only peeking her little head out to sneak a glance at the terrifying cat girl.


    When had the Captain met such a formidable person?


    With a flutter of Bailuo��s light wings, her dainty feet in brown boots lightly touched the ground.


    Her face carried a slight apology: ��Sorry, I��m late�� but it��s because Wenqi��s detector wasn��t working well. Anyway, leave the rest to me.��


    Perception swept out, confirming Lin Da��s safety, Bailuo held her chest and sighed in relief.


    The girl��s tense cat ears softened, and her fluffed-up white hair also calmed down.


    If Lin Da had died, she would have felt extremely guilty.


    ��So, where are the heretics, did I scare them away?��


    Bailuo scanned the hall, surprised by the scene before her.


    The floor was scattered with disassembled skeletons and many bloody, robed corpses.


    From the silver thread on their hoods, they were largely members of Dragon��s Rest Tomb around the ��Dragon Egg�� level.


    Such ��minions�� were of no concern to Bailuo.


    Yet, for Lin Da, they must have seemed a formidable bunch.


    Bailuo puzzledly asked, ��Do you have other reinforcements?��


    ��No, just you, Principal, and you came late. Luckily, your junior can take a beating,�� Lin Da said helplessly.


    Bailuo��s face turned red, embarrassedly twitching her cat ears. Then recalling something, she said, ��Wait a second, did you take down these heretics all by yourself?��

 Chapter 451 - 451: 347, Lin Da: Lord Chancellor, I can really cure the Witch!_2

    Chapter 451: 347, Lin Da: Lord Chancellor, I can really cure the Witch!_2


    A Star Rank, taking down forty or fifty heretics?


    According to Bailuo��s experience, among those dead heretics, at least seven were of Star Rank.


    This kind of achievement, placed in Azure Sky Adventurers University, would be considered top-ranking.


    Bailuo had some doubts.


    Being able to single-handedly take down a Dragon��s Rest Tomb nest at Lin Da��s level, there were probably no more than five people capable of that in Azure Sky University.


    As the headmaster of Azure Sky Adventurers University, even as a mascot, Bailuo felt a sense of belonging and pride. Deep down, she believed that the elites trained by the university could easily crush adventurers from small cities.


    ...


    Lin Da shook his head and said,


    ��Headmaster, you��re thinking too much.


    On my own, I couldn��t have taken down so many heretics.


    There was one guy named Rhode, who I turned to our side, and he helped me kill some.


    Plus, my teammates helped, and that��s how it was done.��


    ��Oh, that explains it,�� Bailuo sighed with relief, her face regaining the composure of someone from a big city.


    Only then did it make sense.


    If Lin Da had single-handedly taken down so many heretics, wouldn��t he be comparable to Dark Shadow in his youth?


    Her invitation to Lin Da would then become a joke; such a top-tier adventurer wouldn��t give a second glance to Azure Sky Adventurers University.


    ��The teammate you want to save, is it her? The headmaster recalls, her name is Monica?��


    ��Eh, your appearance����


    Bailuo��s gaze swept over, and she suddenly froze.


    Monica swiftly retreated behind Lin Da.


    ��You! Stick your head out and let the headmaster have a look!��


    Bailuo��s expression suddenly turned grave.


    Only then did Lin Da realize.


    Damn it!


    He had forgotten that Monica had become a witch!


    Bailuo was an official, and was implacable towards witches.


    And harboring a witch, within the empire, was a tremendous crime.


    In an instant,


    the two moved around Lin Da in a standoff.


    ��Stop messing around, come over here, or the headmaster will execute you on the spot!��


    Bailuo��s gaze turned icy; the aura of a Light Rank Adventurer surged out.


    Monica, as if with a thousand pounds on a small pony��s back, grunted, her face turning deathly white as she knelt on the ground.


    With frantic flapping, her small bat wings behind her tried to escape Bailuo.


    But under the overwhelming pressure of a Light Rank Adventurer, heavy as a mountain, the flapping left only afterimages and was of no use.


    In the dimly lit cave, the sword��s edge glinted with a cold sheen.


    Bailuo held a pair of exquisitely elegant, azure blue rapiers in her hands.


    Mysterious magic runes floated within the blades, like several leaves on a lake, stirred by a breeze.


    The Legendary Weapon, [Twin Swords of the Lake Behemoth].


    One of the pieces of equipment that Lin Da had given to Bailuo in the game.


    But at this moment, one of the Dual Swords, with a faint killing intent, pointed its tip at his own throat.


    ��Step aside.��


    Bailuo��s voice was cold.


    On the matter of witches, Bailuo was extremely serious. She calmly looked at Lin Da and said, ��The headmaster does not want to repeat herself, step aside.��


    ��I can��t do that,�� Lin Da shook his head.


    ��Harboring a witch is a serious crime.��


    Bailuo frowned and said in a deep voice:


    ��You are an excellent adventurer with great potential. Do you wish to throw away your future for one teammate?


    I know you are in a tough position. As the headmaster, it pains me as well, but there��s no choice.


    If we don��t take down the witch, many people will die because of witches in the future.


    My friend, just����


    As she spoke, Bailuo��s voice grew softer, nearly inaudible to anyone but herself.


    In her amethyst eyes, a hint of pain flashed. Her fingers gripping the swords unconsciously clenched tighter.


    His gaze toward Monica became even more sympathetic.


    Yet, even so, Bailuo��s sword edge remained unwavering.


    Lin Da sighed and said,


    ��I can understand the headmaster��s good intentions. Indeed, witches are a very dangerous group of people; if left unchecked, they could cause massive casualties.


    Some cities�� World Trees have even been devoured by witches turned into Catastrophe Beasts.


    As you can see, my team member is now a witch. S��ar?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But it is only ��now.''��


    Bailuo said, ��What exactly are you trying to say?��


    ��What I mean is, the contamination within a witch��s body is not irreversible. I have a way to purify their contamination!��


    Lin Da bowed deeply and said, ��I beg of you, Lord Headmaster, to keep this a secret for Monica! In no more than a year, I will have her restored to a normal adventurer!��


    Bailuo thought he was going to say something important, but upon hearing this sophistry, rage turned into laughter, the immense Battle Qi surging from her petite body.


    Causing the ground beneath Lin Da��s feet to fracture like a shattered mirror, cracks spreading in all directions!


    Lin Da felt his bones creaking and even breathing became extremely difficult.


    Beads of cold sweat broke out on his forehead in an instant.


    In the game, Bailuo was usually silent, and once enraged, only she could stop herself.


    Experiencing this little cat girl��s fury firsthand, Lin Da broke out in a cold sweat!


    ��Restore a witch to normal? Junior, do you realize what you are talking about? You don��t understand witches at all!��


    Bailuo, with her eyebrows sharply furrowed, criticized in disappointment,


    ��On this continent, no one understands witches better than this headmaster.


    And so, I am telling you clearly��contamination cannot be removed.


    This contamination originates from the Demon King, a monster of an absurd level of 100.


    Even the strongest Healer cannot resolve the contamination brought by the Demon King.


    You say you can, does that mean you are more impressive than the legendary Healers?��


    Bailuo��s cat tail flicked, creating a sonic boom as it whipped through the air!


    ��This headmaster hates liars. Now, step aside at once, or I will take both you and that witch away!��


    ��Whimper, captain, the captain didn��t lie, the captain could even cure Sister Lulu���� Monica retorted, suddenly recalling something and quickly covering her mouth.


    Luckily, Bailuo didn��t notice her last sentence.


    Bailuo��s smile became even more sarcastic, ��The captain is a liar, and so are the team members. What so-called honorable adventurers, real or fake.��


    Lin Da faced off against Bailuo��s sword edge, yet he refused to budge an inch.


    ��I am indeed no match for the legendary Healers. Compared to such a big shot, I��m like a quack outside the tavern, healing ��plum diseases�� for Elf ladies. Whether I can fully eat depends on how hard the Beastmen brothers work.��


    This crude joke did not amuse Bailuo. On the contrary, her face grew colder, and her gaze held a flicker of rage.


    Did he remember the [White Cat Swordsman]��s preference wrong��


    Lin Da rubbed his head with a headache. It seems that the one with a taste for lewd jokes was another cat girl��


    He swiftly changed the subject, ��In healing, I am not legendary, but in purifying witches, the legendary ones are not my match.��


    ��Junior, you��re too arrogant! This headmaster does not like arrogant adventurers, you��ve significantly decreased my opinion of you!��


    Bailuo��s chest heaved violently, fueled by Lin Da��s pride and arrogance.


    She spread her small hand, conjuring with the unique ability of a Light Rank Adventurer, [Hand of the Void], a three-meter-long, pale blue hand of light that slapped Lin Da aside.


    It��s worth mentioning that although Bailuo looked angry, she controlled her strength to not cause Lin Da any real harm when striking him.


    ��You, stand still.��


    Bailuo��s expression darkened as she took out a rope, ready to bind Monica.


    At that moment, Lin Da let out a low growl, veins on his forehead bulging as he broke free from the Hand of the Void.


    ��What if I could prove this to you? Please Lord Headmaster, give me one chance!��


    Bailuo said irritatedly, ��You��re so annoying, don��t think just because you��ve killed some heretics and done some meritorious deeds, that you can be so presumptuous! I��m really about to start hitting you!��


    How could the contamination spread by the Demon King possibly be cleansed?


    If there truly was a way, then wouldn��t that mean�� A painful memory flashed through Bailuo��s mind��the sight of herself wielding the Twin Swords of the Lake Behemoth and slaying a black mud dragon covered in tumors.


    She had tried all sorts of methods and, ultimately exhausted, chose to give up.


    Now Lin Da was telling her there was a way to purge the contamination of a witch.


    In her ears, an invisible voice seemed to blame Bailuo��had she tried harder back then, could she have found the method Lin Da was talking about?


    The childlike stubbornness within Bailuo��s heart refused to accept this cruel reality and adamantly denied Lin Da.


    ��


    (ps: Votes, please. Follow the read. Dear reader brothers, could you click on auto-subscribe for me, whine whine whine)

 Chapter 452 - 452: 348, Bailuos friend, Lin Da demonstrates deep Purification

    Chapter 452: 348, Bailuo��s friend, Lin Da demonstrates deep Purification


    ��`


    Despite Bailuo��s inward denial, Lin Da approached with steadfast eyes, fearlessly confronting her Light Rank Adventurer��s presence with bold strides.


    Their statuses reversed abruptly, and perhaps it was an illusion, but Bailuo thought she saw a shadow of the Dark Shadow in Lin Da.


    When she had first joined the Primitive Adventure Team, the Dark Shadow had stood just as Lin Da did now, holding a stick, and sternly lectured her.


    ��Don��t, don��t come any closer!��


    Recalling memories of being spanked by her teacher, Bailuo curled her cat ears in fear and staggered backward.


    ...


    A small stone, by some cruel twist of fate, found itself right under her heel.


    With a thud, Bailuo tripped and fell to the ground, her legs splayed like a frog flipped on its back.


    Underneath the white little skirt were pristine white stockings.


    But the ground was littered with broken stones and blood, dirtying her clean clothes.


    The torches around the arena had extinguished many after the fierce battle, making the cave��s light even more dim.


    Lin Da came to a stop in front of Bailuo, who, having fallen, was dizzy and disoriented, her legs perfectly aligned�� with Lin Da.


    The scene almost seemed as if Lin Da was bullying this authoritative head of the Adventure Academy.


    ��I will prove to you that the Witch��s contamination can be purified. If successful, I hope that Lord Bailuo will keep our secret.��


    Lin Da helped Bailuo up, squatted down, and patted the dust off the girl��s white stockings.


    Bailuo��s mind slowly steadied, and the violent rise and fall of her chest calmed down.


    She looked, with complex emotions, at Lin Da squatting on the ground, cleaning her stockings.


    Finally, she realized that this gentle-natured man, who wouldn��t give up on a team member even if she turned into a Witch, had nothing to do with her own teacher.


    If it had been her teacher, let alone having a team member turn into a Witch, he would have made them pack up and leave for far less.


    Bailuo let out a soft sigh and said, ��I��ll give you one chance, no tricks. When the Imperial Knights arrive later, they won��t be as easy to talk to as I am.��


    ��Understood.��


    Lin Da turned to look at Monica, pondering in his heart: if the purification effort was too slight, Bailuo would probably not be convinced, claiming the speed of her purification couldn��t keep up with the rate of contamination growth.


    Therefore, he had to make a grand show.


    He needed to convince Bailuo beyond any hard talk that Monica was not doomed to downfall.


    But��


    Deep purification is not suitable for others to witness.


    Lin Da frustratingly ruffled his hair, conflicted.


    About half a second later, he had resolved his conflict. Bailuo was a woman, and very likely to become one of his Oath-bound in the future; if the process of deep purification was seen, then it was seen. There would eventually come a time when it would be seen anyway.


    Lin Da, although uncomfortable with purifying one female in front of another, steeled himself to endure it.


    The remaining concern was Monica.


    Lin Da grasped Monica��s shoulders and asked with serious eyes, ��Monica, do you like the captain?��


    ��Eh�� eh?!��


    Upon hearing this, Monica blushed crimson, her eyes darting about and her hands awkwardly clasped together.


    A few seconds later, the young girl��s head nodded almost imperceptibly.


    Lin Da smiled with relief and ruffled Monica��s hair. ��That��s good because the captain likes Monica too.��


    ��Really?�� Monica looked up incredulously, blinking her wide eyes, her smooth forehead reflecting the torchlight��s gentle glow, tempting one to play five-in-a-row on it.


    Lin Da said solemnly, ��Of course it��s true. The captain never lies.��


    ��Yes, yes!��


    Monica hesitated for a moment and then hugged Lin Da giggling.


    Bailuo on the side was thoroughly confused, thinking you were meant to purify the Witch, not to feed your superior dog food!


    Moreover, surrounded by the bodies of Heretics and with the vigilant lord herself present, why would you confess your love in such a setting!!!


    Annoyed, Bailuo said, ��Get on with purifying the contamination, and stop doing needless things!��


    ��All that I am doing is for purification.��


    Lin Da explained earnestly.


    Then, holding Monica��s face, he said, ��Close your eyes, no matter what happens, the captain will take responsibility.��


    Monica, possibly anticipating what was to come, felt her heart beat so loud in the silence of the cave that it was markedly noticeable.


    All the things Lin Da was doing were for deep purification.


    The source of contamination stemmed from the heart.


    In the past, he thought deep purification had to be physically close to the source of contamination. But when Tasya served him, despite his efforts, the results of purification did not significantly increase.


    It wasn��t until he returned from the sealed Great Mystery Continent and kissed Tasya, who had just emerged from her Witch State covered in contamination, that he had an epiphany.


    It turns out, deep purification refers to the depth of the soul.


    Only when the Witch��s heart flutters violently and opens, would the effect be stronger!


    Therefore, the effects of Lin Da kissing Tasya were much better than having her serve him.


    ��Lord Bailuo, please watch closely the bond between me and my team member!�� sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da took a deep breath, held Monica��s face in his hands, and, bending down, [Purified] her unreservedly!


    ��Ah?!��


    A greenish-black glow erupted between the two of them.


    Bailuo let out a shocked cry and was dumbfounded.


    The rapier in her hand dropped to the ground with a clatter as she stared wide-eyed.


    Just as the thought, ��Is this Lin Da fooling me,�� began to form in her head, the next scene struck like a sledgehammer, shattering that notion mercilessly.

 Chapter 453 - 453: 348, Bailuos friend, Lin Da demonstrates deep Purification_2

    Chapter 453: 348, Bailuo��s friend, Lin Da demonstrates deep Purification_2


    Bailuo stared blankly as wisps of black fog drifted away from Monica��s body.


    That fog had a profoundly evil aura, such that even a clueless infant gazing upon it would immediately conjure the first impression in their mind, ��That is the ultimate bad thing.��


    To an adventurer, that kind of fog was more dangerous than a giant dragon��s claws and fangs, and anyone who saw it would understand that the aura was the embodiment of evil.


    But at that moment, Bailuo watched wide-eyed as the black fog, representing evil, dissipated into white smoke under the emerald light.


    Initially, Monica had appeared to Bailuo as a filthy, person-shaped lump of coal, but as the emerald light continuously purged her body, the coal turned gradually white, revealing her true form.


    Dozens of seconds passed, and Monica gasped for breath, wailing in Lin Da��s embrace. Her 1.7-meter witch form was purified by Lin Da back into her original shape.


    ...


    Her height reverted to 1.5 meters, her bat-like little wings disappeared, and her almost floor-length brown hair retracted to her waist.


    From her witch state, the mature and enchanting young girl reverted to her true self, a shy and socially anxious loli who dared not look up at others.


    Under the purification, Monica��s pretty face was redder than a ripe apple by several degrees.


    In front of Bailuo, there was no witch.


    Plainly, a 35-level, petite and adorable Earth Mage!


    So it was true: witches could be purified!


    Bailuo��s worldview was violently shaken; she held her buzzing little head, her face a picture of disbelief.


    Not much later,


    Monica was purified to the point her body was limp and could only lean on Lin Da, who supported her back with his hand.


    Lin Da withdrew his magic power and wiped the corner of his mouth, then took out a blue handkerchief from his space ring and handed it to Monica.


    ��You should wipe it too, if people see this, it might lead to misunderstandings,�� Lin Da instructed.


    Monica nodded, too embarrassed to meet anyone��s gaze, and hid behind Lin Da with the handkerchief.


    ��Lord Headmaster, now you can examine my teammate again,�� Lin Da confidently said, ��Although one purification can��t completely remove the corruption, what about once a day? Or even, three times a day. Removing the witch��s corruption is as simple for me as brushing teeth.��


    Bailuo looked at him with a complex expression, silently walking over to Monica, and stretched out her little hand to place it on Monica��s towering��.


    For a moment,


    The cat girl��s face turned ghostly pale.


    In terms of height, Monica was only ten centimeters taller than her, and when she wore very high boots, they were practically the same height.


    But Monica��s�� were several times larger than hers!


    While inwardly screaming that this had to be false, Bailuo scouted for the witch��s corruption.


    The Light Rank Battle Qi surged in.


    Lin Da��s eyebrows knitted, reminding her, ��Lord Headmaster, be careful.��


    ��Oh!��


    Bailuo responded dully.


    One minute passed, the scouting finished.


    ��How is it?�� Lin Da asked.


    Bailuo was silent.


    Her face remained calm.


    But that was only because, as a senior, she did not wish to lose her composure in front of Lin Da, and needed to maintain the poise and grace befitting a headmaster.


    In reality��


    A tempest raged within Bailuo��s heart. Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Over the black ocean, amidst thunder and lightning, a white cat in a tiny wooden boat jumped up and down in fright, all its fur standing on end.


    The corruption had really decreased.


    It was so noticeable that she couldn��t miss it without a careful check.


    This Lin Da had not lied to her!


    Bailuo stood on her tiptoes with wide, curious eyes, staring directly at Lin Da.


    Almost writing the word ��why�� with large letters across her face.


    ��Lord Headmaster, as you can see, this is one of my talents,�� Lin Da stated ambiguously.


    In this land filled with magical phenomena, there were countless miracles.


    Anything inexplicable could simply be attributed to miracles.


    Even the Mermaid Princess��s tears could turn into pearls, so it was somewhat normal for Lin Da to be able to purify witches.


    Hearing him say this, Bailuo naturally stopped probing further.


    Bailuo��s small hand propped up her chin, and her deep purple eyes glittered as she mumbled to herself in a low voice:


    ��If I hand you over to the Empire�� mmm, no, there are many Demons�� spies in the Empire. Once such an ability is exposed, the Demons�� Twelve Belongings and the Four Heavenly Kings would all try to assassinate you in droves.��


    Indeed, Lin Da��s talent for purifying witches could significantly weaken the Demon Lord��s Army��s power.


    But this affair could only be conducted surreptitiously.


    The fewer people know, the safer it is.


    Even the high ranks of the empire, including one of the Four Guardian Dukes, Coldmoon Duke, have betrayed us.


    A considerable part of the nobility has inexplicable ties with the Doomsday Sect.


    Perhaps the only ones truly willing to lay down their lives to protect the continent are the adventurers.


    If those at the top act as dogs for the Demons, they may not enjoy riches and honor, but at least they can preserve their dog lives.


    Therefore, Bailuo vetoed the idea of handing Lin Da over to the empire.


    Once the ability of the Purifying Witch is exposed, Lin Da will definitely be assassinated by the Demon Lord��s Army.


    ��I understand, your ability, as well as the matter with Monica, will be kept secret. However�� I have a request, and you must agree to it,��


    Bailuo said thoughtfully, her eyes shining brightly.


    Lin Da: ��As long as it is within my power, I will not refuse.��


    Bailuo��s face relaxed, and with a delicate finger raised, she said, ��I have a friend, hmm�� how should I put it����


    Seeing Bailuo hesitate and struggle to speak frankly, Lin Da laughed and said:


    ��That friend of yours, it wouldn��t happen to be yourself, would it?��


    ��No, no, you��re overthinking it.��


    Bailuo hurriedly shook her head, her face puckering as she said, ��She��s a very close friend of mine, just that�� she��s a witch.��


    ��An official of the empire with a witch for a friend?�� Lin Da frowned and said, ��That��s a capital offense.��


    Bailuo felt somewhat embarrassed, her cat ears pinched together as she scratched her face and said, ��Anyway, I hope you can help me purify her.��


    ��Since she��s a friend of the dean, I will definitely help. But first, let me ask, what level is your friend at?��


    ��The same as the dean, Light Rank.��


    ��Light Rank����


    Lin Da sighed and shook his head gently.


    ��Can��t she be saved?�� Bailuo asked anxiously, her small fists clenched.


    ��She can be saved, but only����


    ��But?��


    ��We��ll have to wait until I enhance my strength. Without trust�� cough cough, without an emotional foundation, purifying a stranger is much less effective. To completely purify that witch, I estimate that at least I need to reach Senior Moon Order, or even Light Rank.��


    Lin Da spread his hands.


    The intensity of the witch��s purification is related to two important factors.


    The first is trust. The higher this value, the better the effect. The second factor is the depth of the soul connection.


    For example, when he kissed Monica and Monica��s heart raced, his Recovery Magic Power could take advantage of the open door to her heart, swiftly entering and beating up the corruptions, kicking them out of Monica��s body.


    But with a strange witch��


    There��s no foundation of trust, nor a way to open her heart.


    The purification effect is much worse.


    Lin Da can only seek to raise his own level, to crudely purify by brute force.


    ��I see����


    Bailuo felt somewhat disappointed, her eyes dim as she fussed with her cat ears.


    That dejected look on her face was heartbreaking for Lin Da.


    Even if he set aside their prior relationship as team members, the fact that Bailuo was willing to come to Monica��s rescue meant he owed her a favor.


    Lin Da would not refuse to help Bailuo if he had the means.


    While Bailuo was disheartened, Lin Da covertly extended his Recovery Magic Power to give Bailuo a thorough check-up.


    He confirmed it.


    Bailuo wasn��t lying.


    That ��friend�� was indeed her friend.


    It wasn��t herself.


    In the game��s storyline, there was a part where he taught Bailuo not to lie.


    Maybe because of that, Bailuo was very honest.


    ��Dean, how severe is the contamination of your friend, and how long can she hold on?�� Lin Da asked.


    Bailuo: ��She��s recently been using Illusion Butterflies from the 25th level to restrain it. Optimistically, around two years.��


    ��Two years, huh����


    Lin Da muttered, ��Two years is enough time for me to reach Light Rank.��


    Bailuo glanced at him


    Although she thought his claim was rather conceited, she refrained from pressing the matter since she was the one asking for help.


    ��Can you really save my friend? Her sister��s dying wish was for me to take care of her, and I promised. I don��t want to break that promise.��


    Bailuo placed her hands on her chest, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Lin Da with anticipation.

 Chapter 454 - 454: 349. Double Covenant, Reward for Slaying Heretics

    Chapter 454: 349. Double Covenant, Reward for Slaying Heretics


    Lin Da: ��I can��t guarantee that I can definitely save your friend, at most an 80% chance.��


    Speaking too confidently makes it easy to set oneself up for a hard fall.


    Lin Da, who had initially wanted to claim a 99% chance, stepped back to 80% instead.


    ��80%? Really?��


    That was far more than Bailuo had expected, and her eyes immediately lit up.


    If her teacher had promised to find her in three years, and Lin Da could cure her friend within two years�� they could meet their teacher together.


    ...


    Two pieces of happy news overlapped, turning into an even happier event.


    The more Bailuo thought about it, the more excited she became. She turned away, secretly wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes, before turning back to face Lin Da. She bowed slightly and said, ��Please, I am asking you.��


    ��Being able to help the president is my honor,�� Lin Da quickly helped Bailuo to stand.


    Bailuo, moved, said:


    ��By the way, would you like to come to Azure Sky University? My invitation still stands.


    There, formidable adventurers will teach you combat skills and how to navigate the World Tree.


    The speed of improving your strength would be much faster than in a small place like White Dove City.��


    Seeing Lin Da��s willingness to help, Bailuo decided to give Lin Da another chance.


    Lin Da smiled and declined:


    ��I��ll visit Cyan City, but not now.


    The place I��m going won��t be Azure Sky University.


    President, like I said, someone of my humble origins isn��t suited for the Academic Faction.�� sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing this, Bailuo rolled her eyes, still finding Lin Da too arrogant. On the surface, he seemed to be a humble and polite adventurer, but in fact, he was more arrogant than the top student at Azure Sky University.


    ��If you��re not going to Azure Sky University, then where are you going? Is there another place that can attract you?�� Bailuo asked, puzzled.


    Monica also looked toward Lin Da, wanting to know why Phoenix Tail Flower would go to Cyan City in the future.


    ��Ice Abyss Training Camp,�� Lin Da said slowly, eyes squinted.


    Bailuo raised an eyebrow and said:


    ��The training camp established by Cold Moon Duke in Cyan City? I know that place, it has a very high dropout rate and is meant to train ��beasts.��


    Many participants of the Ice Abyss Training Camp can��t handle the pressure in the first year and lose their minds, going mad.


    That place is completely inhumane!


    Going there is not better than coming to Azure Sky University; I would teach you well.��


    Learning by her side was indeed much better than going to the Ice Abyss Training Camp.


    Bailuo��s words were carefully considerate of Lin Da��s situation.


    But Lin Da shook his head and said, ��This is just a thought at the moment, I haven��t decided officially.��


    He wasn��t very interested in the Ice Abyss Training Camp, just as Bailuo had said. The camp gathered the most elite adventurers from Cangqing Province.


    What he excelled in navigating was the World Tree, while the adventurers from Ice Abyss Training Camp were far more troublesome than the Magical Creatures inside the World Tree.


    However, the camp held the key to unlocking the main storyline of version 3.0 and had a direct connection to Cold Moon Duke.


    This was the storyline Lin Da was most familiar with.


    According to the original plot, players would enter one of the training camps under the Four Great Dukes.


    Among them, the Ice Abyss Training Camp was located in Cyan City. The minimum eligibility to enter was being part of the Steel Level Adventure Group.


    And it required being featured in Adventurer��s Weekly at least twice or having a recommendation from a relevant person.


    With Lin Da��s knowledge of the place, a Steel Level Adventure Group would only be situated at the bottom, subjected to bullying.


    In the training camp, only the strongest adventure groups could survive and be received by Cold Moon Duke.


    Version 3.0 would then officially begin.


    The issue was that the original plot had changed drastically.


    From a gaming timeline perspective, Dark Shadow, controlled by Lin Da, entered the Ice Abyss Training Camp six years ago, stood out within a month, and left an undefeated legend.


    He was favored by Cold Moon Duke and obtained the qualification to go to the Royal Capital to meet the Holy Tree.


    Three years ago, Lin Da traveled to Mystic Continent, and at the same moment, Dark Shadow mysteriously disappeared. Cold Moon Duke, for some reason, joined the Demon Lord��s Army��


    Whether the ��Ice Abyss Training Camp storyline�� continues as in the game is something to be considered.


    For this, the more power Lin Da had, the better.


    At least by breaking through the 20th floor of the World Tree in White Dove City and advancing to the Sunrise Level Adventure Group.


    Only after all members reach Moon Rank would they consider setting up base in Cyan City.


    Facing Lin Da��s soft-spoken attitude, Bailuo threw a punch that didn��t land, causing her to rub her forehead in frustration.


    ��Really, I can��t handle you. Anyway, when you come to Cyan City, you must visit me, President. I cook really well, and I can treat you to a meal,�� Bailuo said.


    ��Sure, I will definitely visit.��


    The two exchanged a smile and silently made a pact.


    Bailuo would keep Lin Da��s secret.


    Lin Da, in turn, had to head to Cyan City within two years to treat Bailuo��s Witch friend.


    A moment later, Velen and the others arrived.


    Two Moon Rank individuals with wings on their backs flew in through the gap Bailuo had made.


    They were Phoenix Tail Flower��s maid, Tasya, and the Moon Rank Elf scholar from Proclamation Wind City, Wenqi.


    Tasya, holding Lulu on her left and Kafni on her right, while Wenqi carried President Velen.


    ��So glad you��re all right!�� Velen exclaimed with a laugh as he landed.


    The three members of Phoenix Tail Flower gathered around Lin Da.


    Lin Da held Lulu in his arms and comforted her, ��With so many people around, try not to cry out, okay? It��s safe now, Monica and I weren��t hurt.��


    ��Sister Lulu, I��m sorry,�� Monica said, hanging her head low.


    Lulu shook her head, ��It��s okay as long as you��re safe. Welcome back, Monica.��


    Tasya and Kafni also smiled.


    Despite the ordeal, everyone was safe and it was a cause for celebration.

 Chapter 455 - 455: 349. Double Covenant, Reward for Slaying Heretics_2

    Chapter 455: 349. Double Covenant, Reward for Slaying Heretics_2


    Wenqi looked at the chaotic scene with puzzlement and said, ��With so many heretics, how did you manage to hold on for over an hour?��


    Affected by the thunderstorm weather, the detection instrument had some minor problems.


    Originally, Wenqi was so anxious that he was sweating profusely, believing that the ��Eye of True Knowledge�� from White Dove City was definitely doomed.


    Unexpectedly, Bailuo slapped the detection instrument a few times and fixed it.


    Even so.


    Their arrival to provide support was still several times later than planned.


    ...


    Facing the siege of forty to fifty heretics, Wenqi found it difficult to imagine how Lin Da, who was only of Star Rank, managed to survive.


    He couldn��t help but mentally picture a scene where Lin Da was begging for mercy in tears: the heretics cracking sunflower seeds as they watched the spectacle, using Lin Da to pass the time, until Bailuo arrived and slew them all.


    This was the most logical.


    Villains die due to too much talking, after all.


    Wenqi often read comic books and knew that villains liked to prattle pompously before being killed by the righteous adventurers.


    ��This Captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team can indeed bend and stretch. If I had to face the heretics, I would definitely choose death over bowing.��


    Wenqi sighed inwardly.


    This time, Wenqi openly praised Lin Da while secretly patting himself on the back.


    President Velen held a small black magic camera, recording the scene.


    Killing heretics would be rewarded by imperial officials.


    Who was slain would all be recorded and reported.


    ��Chancellor Bailo, there must be about fifty heretics. Judging by their hood styles, eleven are of Star Rank.


    Calculating the rewards, it should be over three million Gold Coins.


    You��re truly worthy of being the Chancellor of Azure Sky University, capable of eliminating so many heretics in one go.�� S~ea??h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Velen complimented, ��All these Gold Coins, we will transfer every single one into your Savings Card, and offer an additional one million as a hardship fee. It��s indeed a long journey from Cyan City to White Dove City, Your Excellency, the Chancellor.��


    Bailuo glanced at Velen.


    ��It wasn��t me who did it, just transfer it to his Savings Card.��


    Saying so, Bailuo��s little hand pointed towards Lin Da.


    Velen scratched his head, incredulous: ��Chancellor, you mean�� these heretics were killed by Lin Da?��


    Wenqi, who was examining the heretics�� bodies, heard this and his ears perked up, showing a look of surprise.


    ��Hmm,�� Bailuo nodded, ��By the time I arrived, the battle was already over.��


    Upon Bailuo��s confirmation, everyone was momentarily stunned.


    In Lulu��s eyes, who was in Lin Da��s arms, there was an array of colors shining, proud of her captain.


    Kafni touched her nose, as if claiming credit for these achievements; she smiled and said, ��Lin Da is the brave adventurer I trained; such a trifling matter is not worth mentioning.��


    Lin Da shook his head: ��It��s not what you think, I alone am still lacking somewhat, it was thanks to the help of my team members.��


    In theory, if Hulus hadn��t taken a magic potion to significantly increase his strength��


    Lin Da really would have been able to kill all the heretics.


    Everyone caught the implication in his words. Only lacking a little means not lacking by much, right?


    Wenqi glanced at the corpses strewn all over the cave and couldn��t help being moved.


    ��You truly are an outstanding adventurer from White Dove City; perhaps we will have the opportunity to meet in Cyan City.�� Wenqi praised.


    Within the province, only the Azure Tree of Cyan City could reach the 30th floor, truly an honor hall for adventurers.


    Wenqi��s words, while praising Lin Da, also boasted about himself on the side.


    He informed everyone, don��t look at him being just of Moon Rank, but who knows, one day he might go to Cyan City and transform into a Light Rank Adventurer.


    The Slime does not comprehend the aspirations of the Giant Dragon.


    In many cities, adventurers who reach the Moon Rank tend to become complacent, remaining stagnant, enjoying wealth and honor, lacking the courage to face the Mystic Realm beyond the 20th floor.


    Wenqi came in front of Lin Da, extended his clean, neatly-trimmed right hand: ��Let��s get acquainted. Wenqi*Rilona from Proclamation Wind City, a 46-level Moon Rank adventurer.��


    This guy is level 46?


    Lin Da was slightly astonished, stealing a glance at Bailuo, who appeared unconcerned. Indeed, the Chancellor of Azure Sky University had but to say a word to have a 46-level Moon Rank from Proclamation Wind City carry a Wave Detection Instrument and travel overnight to White Dove City��


    ��I appreciate your kind words.�� Lin Da extended both hands and politely shook Wenqi��s hand.


    At that moment, the sound of densely packed horse hooves came from above the cave.


    One after another, knights clad in Silver Armor and draped in blue capes leapt into the cave.


    The one leading them was a middle-aged man, well-proportioned, with a square face and a head of silver buzz-cut hair, his expression resolute.


    To Lin Da, the first impression was that of a very rigid, very strict official.


    Velen approached, patted the square-faced knight on the shoulder, and chuckled, ��Captain Yao, thank you for making the trip. The heretics here have all been killed, please handle the aftermath.��


    ��All killed?�� Captain Yao frowned, and while listening to Velen��s account, he glanced at Lin Da now and then.


    After a brief line of questioning.


    The aloof Captain Yao gestured that he could leave.


    ��Did I ever offend Captain Yao?�� Lin Da wondered to himself.


    He always felt that Yao��s gaze was hostile, almost as if he wanted to chop him��


    But upon reflection, Lin Da remembered that in his three years of diligent work, he had never done anything illegal.


    And the rumors of hosting secret silver parties were actually only a breach of morals. On Mystic Continent, as long as it was consensual, at most, it would be considered a scandal, not illegal.


    ��


    Having flown out of the cave, the sky was covered with dark clouds, showing no signs of the rainstorm abating.


    It wasn��t long before Lin Da and the others were drenched.


    Tasya spread her Battle Qi Twin Wings and opened her arms to Lin Da, ��Master, please come into your servant��s embrace. With my speed, we can get back to Goldfinch District in half an hour.��


    ��No need,�� Lin Da said. ��You just take Lulu and Kafni.��


    ��Then what about you?��


    ��I��ll test my new skill.��


    Lin Da closed his eyes and activated a new magic circuit inside his body.


    Gradually, he felt an itching sensation on his back as magic power gathered at the location of his shoulder blades, and then, with a pop.


    A pair of one-meter-long, lifelike black wings burst through the clothing on Lin Da��s back, unveiling themselves!


    ��Wings, wings?��


    The uninformed Tasya and the others were stunned.


    Lulu was the first to react: ��It��s a flying skill!��


    Such skill books were of the lowest Epic One Star quality.


    Due to their rarity, they could sell for tens of millions of gold coins.


    ��Lin Da, do you want a lift����


    Wenqi had just emerged from underground and was mid-sentence when he saw Lin Da��s black wings and couldn��t help but pause.


    Wenqi clicked his tongue and said, ��Nice stuff, I��ve also been thinking of buying a flying skill book to increase my airspeed.��


    Bailuo, who came up last, naturally also saw Lin Da��s black wings.


    After a moment��s thought, Bailuo realized this was a skill Lin Da had just mastered. He hadn��t used flying skill both inside the Great Mystery Continent and when he rushed to the Barren Plains.


    Guessing the truth, Bailuo��s pupils dilated slightly��


    This was a spoil of war from killing the heretic?


    This meant that, within just an hour, or even a few minutes, Lin Da had mastered the flying skill.


    ��The teacher could grasp it even faster, in just one second. No matter how formidable he is, he still can��t compare to the teacher,�� she thought.


    Bailuo subconsciously compared Lin Da to Dark Shadow.


    Coming to the conclusion that Dark Shadow was even more formidable, Bailuo smiled with satisfaction.


    Lin Da suggested, ��Since everyone has wings, how about a little competition? Let��s see who can get back to White Dove City first.��


    Wenqi laughed and said, ��Sure, but don��t blame me for bullying you guys.��


    ��I, the dean, would not engage in such childish games with you.��


    Bailuo helplessly waved her hand as if dealing with a group of mischievous children. Her Light Wings unfolded behind her, shining brightly.


    In every aspect��size, shape, or brightness��they were far superior to Lin Da��s nondescript little wings.


    Instantly, Bailuo flapped her Light Wings, soared into the sky, and quickly turned into a small black dot that disappeared from everyone��s sight.


    Wenqi: ��I��ve always wanted to say this, but is our dean underage? It feels like both her height and her temper are like those of a child.��


    Lin Da shrugged: ��You better not say that in front of her, or no one will be able to save you.��


    ��


    (PS: Tomorrow, the protagonist will bid farewell to his title as a single old mage. If there��s no update, I��ve probably been devoured, and I��ll fix it as soon as possible. I��m just letting you know in advance!)

 Chapter 456 - 456: 350. Night, willpower is broken through

    Chapter 456: 350. Night, willpower is broken through


    An hour later.


    In the competition, Lin Da was defeated as expected.


    Using his flying skills for the first time, he wobbled terribly, nearly bringing Monica to tears with fright.


    It took him a while to adapt and be able to fly smoothly.


    By the time Lin Da spotted the towering walls of White Dove City, Wenqi had already packed up the Wave Detection Instrument and was waiting for him at the city gate.


    ��If fate allows, see you in Cyan City!�� Wenqi put two fingers to his forehead in a dashing gesture of farewell, hoisted the fridge-sized Wave Detection Instrument on his back, and soared into the sky.


    ...


    ��Good!��


    Lin Da and his teammates stood beneath the city walls, watching Wenqi depart.


    ��


    That evening, Lin Da went through a particularly tough time.


    Monica had become especially afraid of the dark, likely a result of the psychological impact from her abduction by the heretics.


    Just after 11 p.m., someone knocked on Lin Da��s door.


    When he opened it, there stood Monica.


    Monica wore a loose white nightgown with ruffled edges, clutching a large brown teddy bear in her arms. Her small hands tightly wrapped around the bear��s waist, her eyes flickering with unease.


    ��What��s����


    Before Lin Da could finish, Monica dropped the teddy bear and threw herself into his arms.


    ��Monica, Monica wants to sleep with Captain!��


    ��Ah?��


    Lin Da hesitated, feeling it wasn��t quite appropriate.


    But seeing Monica��s trembling body, his heart softened, ��Alright, just for tonight.��


    ��Mm-hmm!�� Monica nodded her little head, picked up the teddy bear that had fallen to the ground, and walked into the room.


    There was a large, soft bed covered with blue velvety sheets, more than enough to sleep two people.


    Monica crawled under the covers, only her little head peeking out, stealthily watching Lin Da��s busy silhouette.


    Lin Da sat at his desk, furiously writing, preparing the strategy for the World Tree.


    The quill pen scratched forcefully against the paper, and the warm yellow light of the desk lamp made Monica feel especially secure in her cocoon.


    Her big eyes stared unblinkingly at Lin Da��s profile, slowly dispelling the fear in her heart.


    Even with the light on in her own room, Monica always feared that shadows in the corners might conceal a heretic ready to capture her.


    But being in Lin Da��s room, that unease immediately vanished. Monica, resting her head on Lin Da��s pillow and enveloped by his scent, couldn��t help but reveal a naive smile, feeling as if no heretic could harm her here.


    Half an hour passed, and Lin Da stretched languidly.


    He placed the quill back in the holder and stashed the pages in a drawer.


    It was nearing midnight, time to sleep.


    Considering he had a teammate in his bed, he felt an unusual emotion stirring within him.


    If it were Tasya or Lulu, things might naturally progress to something else, but for Monica, who had suffered severe emotional trauma at the hands of the heretics and was even afraid to sleep alone��


    Lin Da thought if he couldn��t control his desires, even being captured by the Knights Order would be well deserved.


    Taking a deep breath, Lin Da turned to look at the large bed. Monica quickly hid her little head back under the covers, but he still saw it.


    ��Haven��t you fallen asleep yet?��


    ��Mm�� waiting for Captain,�� Monica said softly, facing the wall.


    Lin Da sighed helplessly and fetched a new pillow from the cupboard for himself.


    He habitually wore only boxer shorts to bed and slid under the covers.


    To avoid any improper contact, Lin Da stayed as close to the edge of the bed as possible, leaving most of the space to Monica.


    The faint sounds of her breathing behind him felt like a soft brush teasing in the air, and he found it hard to calm his mind.


    Though Lin Da had shared a bed with other women before, like Tasya, the maid of the Phoenix Tail Flower, Tasya was an adult both in appearance and age.


    Lia, on the other hand, gave Lin Da an ambiguous feeling between a girl and a blockhead.


    In contrast, even though Monica was an adult in age, her appearance and personality seemed childlike to Lin Da.


    ��A concentrated will can penetrate the hardest rock!��


    Lin Da remembered what a certain Sword Saint had once said.


    He shook his head, casting aside distracting thoughts, and began to meditate with undivided attention, focusing his will.


    A howling wind arose outside, clouds covered the moon, and the bedroom became pitch black.


    A rustling sound emerged.


    Moist breath swept across the back of Lin Da��s neck, ticklish, leaving behind a layer of mist.


    ��Lord Captain���� A sweet and delicate voice called out, floating to his ears.


    Lin Da��s sleepiness instantly vanished.


    What was Monica suddenly doing here?


    Cracks began to appear in the ��hard rock�� of his heart.


    ��It��s a bit hot, Captain, I��ll go get some cool water to drink.�� sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da��s mouth felt dry, and just as he was about to get out of bed to get water, but


    ��


    ��


    ��Lord Captain, Monica is scared, can you hold Monica while we sleep?��


    The voice came from inside the bed.


    Muffled, as if through a wall, making it a bit unclear.


    Pale, trembling fingers clutched each other, their blanched nails revealing a streak of defiance��


    Lin Da abruptly realized, this was not a moment of impulse from Monica.


    This was a well-considered decision from his team member!


    An intuition arose within him that if he pushed Monica away and went to drink cold water, he might never be able to gain her trust for the rest of his life.


    The situation being what it was, Lin Da could not escape.


    ��You must understand, the Captain is an adult.��


    Lin Da was silent for a while, communicating the worst possible consequences to Monica.


    ��Mmh, Monica understands.��


    ��


    Lin Da fully realized Monica��s determination.


    He slowly turned around, looking at Monica who was so close.


    Her face flushed with bashfulness, her timid eyes mustered courage to look at him.


    Their heads gradually moved onto the same pillow.


    Monica��s breath tickled his nose tip, as if caressed by her long eyelashes, creating an indescribable itch. Her brown hair sprawled to one side, thanks to a recent shower, the scent of shampoo was clearly noticeable.


    Lin Da��s mindset became somewhat disordered.


    Soft, warm hands emerged from the blanket and cupped his face.


    Lin Da could never have imagined that as a robust man, he would have his face held by a five-foot tall Big Lolita, especially a socially awkward Lolita like Monica!


    Monica forcefully closed her eyes, her eyebrows trembling, her lips jelly-like, pink, and delectable


    That sweet flavor activated a certain switch inside Lin Da.


    24 years.


    Counting his past life, nearly 50 years.


    It was time for him to leave his youth behind.


    Lin Da had thought it would be Lulu, or at least Tasya.


    Or even Miss Omei from the merchant house, who had been sending him amorous glances��


    He never imagined, it would be Monica.


    Monica clumsily moved closer, and Lin Da was bewildered by the sudden attack.


    But then, like a deer foolishly using its antlers to attack a tiger, the tiger swiped a paw, gesturing how big today��s meal was, then held the deer down and began to feast.

 Chapter 457 - 457: 351. Making an Oath (This book breaks through a million words!)

    Chapter 457: 351. Making an Oath (This book breaks through a million words!)


    ��


    ��


    The room was very quiet.


    The curtains were drawn, clouds driven by the wind parted, moonlight filtering through the curtain like a transparent veil over the girl��s body.


    Lin Da held his breath,


    he had never felt time move so slowly.


    ...


    It was only at this moment that he realized how clumsy he was.


    He was trembling over something trivial, one of the cute, black cat-shaped buttons��


    Finally, the ��treasure�� appeared before Lin Da.


    ��Captain����


    Monica��s lips quivered,


    ��


    ��


    ��


    Growth often happens in an instant.


    Maybe it was when surrounded by evil Goblins, hands no longer trembling, holding the sword bravely and cutting through.


    Or calmly placing a white chrysanthemum on a teammate��s grave in remembrance.


    Or perhaps��


    In the moment the sacred Blood Flower is etched onto the soul.


    [Witch Monica��s trust level +1, current trust level: 89 points!]


    ��Are you okay?��


    Lin Da tenderly stroked Monica��s cheek, wiping away a tear beneath her eyelid with his finger.


    While speaking, his other hand cast the Healing Art. S~ea??h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Under the emerald light, the bleeding quickly stopped.


    ��Monica, it��s all right!�� Monica showed a blissful smile, hugged Lin Da tightly, and said earnestly, ��Monica, Monica also wants to be your Oath-bound, Captain.��


    Lin Da smiled, ��Of course, I��ve already told Sister Lulu about you and Tasya. We are teammates in the same adventure team, friends, and even family! Naturally, we should bond with each other and live together.��


    Seeing tears welling up again in Monica��s eyes, Lin Da couldn��t help but lower his head, peck them away, and held his petite and adorable teammate in his arms.


    ��


    Half an hour later.


    [Witch Monica��s trust level +1, current trust level: 90 points!]


    [Acquired trust level reward: Shadow of Darkness Experience Card!]


    Monica had fallen asleep, lying in Lin Da��s arms with dried tear stains on her face and a sweet smile on her lips.


    Under the ��Ultimate Purification,�� the contamination in Monica��s body was significantly cleared.


    The remnants, even if a Light Rank Adventurer were to inspect closely, would be hard to detect.


    Lin Da lay on his back, with Monica curled up like a kitten in his arms.


    He stared blankly at the ceiling, various chaotic images flashing before his eyes.


    In the last moment, Monica��s door to her heart flung open, directly adding +1 trust level.


    A Shadow of Darkness Experience Card was the drop.


    The two strongest cards Lin Da held now, the [Triple Cast] magic scroll and the Shadow of Darkness Experience Card, were both brought by Monica.


    Yet he had been so rough with Monica��


    ��I��ll need to be more careful next time.��


    Lin Da reflected deeply.


    At this moment, holding Monica and possessing the powerful trump card that was the Shadow of Darkness Experience Card, he felt an unprecedented sense of security.


    Transforming into the Dark Shadow, he could exert the peak power of the Light Rank for a short time, enough to deal with most troubles.


    The downside was that he couldn��t use it carelessly.


    If exposed, and those quirky teammates above the Light Rank found out, he would be in danger.


    Not everyone is as agreeable as Sister Lulu.


    Convinced by a few words to agree to live together.


    Those dreadful�� Just the thought made Lin Da shudder!


    Glancing sideways at Monica, who lay peacefully asleep in his arms, Lin Da felt both happiness and the heavy weight of responsibility on his shoulders.


    ��Become stronger and take my team to the top of the World Tree!��


    Lin Da��s determination solidified.


    He touched his lips to Monica��s soft ones.


    Perhaps Monica dreamed a joyful scene, for two shallow dimples appeared on her cheeks, and she burrowed deeper into the crook of Lin Da��s arm with her little head.


    Lin Da smiled, too.


    The night passed with their breathing rising and falling in turn.


    But the other three in the villa were nearly sleepless that night.


    In Lulu��s room.


    On a little blue bed, the werewolf girl buried her head under the covers and covered her fluffy ears with her hands, squeezing her eyes shut tightly.


    The Q-version gray wolf plushie, a gift from Monica that she usually hugged, was pushed to the outside of the covers.


    Whenever the faint moans from next door reached her ears, Lulu��s chest felt tight, and an image unbiddenly surfaced in her mind: Lin Da standing��


    Remember, there were three other people in the villa!


    She believed Tasya and Kafni couldn��t sleep tonight either.


    Lulu felt as if her pale blue hair was turning greener by the moment.


    ��Stupid captain���� Lulu mumbled and buried her head completely under the covers.


    The next day, at dawn.


    The breaking daylight and warm morning light streamed through the curtains and fell upon Lin Da��s face.


    Waking slowly from a sweet slumber, his eyes fluttered open to Monica lying beside him in his arms, her face alight with a blissful smile.


    Lin Da, for the first time in three years, felt the urge to laze in bed a little longer.


    If he could just hold his teammate and sleep in, it would be like reaching the pinnacle of life��


    But Lin Da was also acutely aware of the tempest that awaited him today.


    The current bliss was merely the last calm before the storm arrived.


    ��Mmm�� Captain, Sir?�� Monica, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, burrowed into Lin Da��s embrace. Her soft, creamy arms wrapped around his waist.


    A buzz went through Lin Da��s head.


    No wonder some Legendary Adventurers drowned in the comfort of their hearths. His conviction to reach the top of the World Tree almost wavered!


    In a flash, Lin Da harbored the shameful thought of retiring with his entire team, buying a country estate, and throwing parties every day!


    ��Watch out, the captain��s dangerous in the morning!�� Lin Da pushed Monica away with difficulty and put on a fierce expression.


    Monica quickly grasped what was happening.


    Her pretty face immediately turned blood red and she let out a flustered hum.


    Only a moment later did Monica bolt awake: ��Right, Sister Lulu and the others����


    There were no soundproofing charms in the bedroom, and the thought that last night��s noises had been overheard by Lulu and the others made Monica so embarrassed that her head almost drooped to the ground, unable to lift it.


    This was too awkward; she couldn��t face Lulu and the others!


    Most importantly, Monica shyly realized�� she was the sneaky little cat! She had gotten ahead of Sister Lulu!


    It was Lulu who helped her find a small house in Red Heart City when she was desperate.


    Without Lulu, she would likely have been sleeping in the streets with the beggars.


    But now, she had ��cuckolded�� Lulu!


    ��Don��t worry, there��s still the captain. This has nothing to do with you; the captain likes Monica on his own accord,�� Lin Da said, kissing the girl��s smooth, broad forehead and taking full responsibility.


    ��But, but���� With the time for the team��s breakfast gathering fast approaching, Monica fretted, her face full of guilt and her big eyes close to tearing.


    ��Get dressed first; at least we can��t be late,�� Lin Da said, wiping Monica��s face, then swiftly dressed. He looked left and right to see if the hallway was empty, then dashed into Monica��s room, grabbed her clothes, and returned to the bedroom.


    ��


    ��


    (PS: The book has reached 1 million words! If someone would gift an Alliance Leader title to celebrate this milestone for Panda, that would be great. I��ve never experienced what it��s like to have an Alliance Leader. If there really is one, I��d form a group and share the full version.)

 Chapter 458 - 458: 352, Asura field and duty roster

    Chapter 458: 352, Asura field and duty roster


    ��I just grabbed anything, this dress is okay, right?�� Lin Da handed over the yellow dress.


    Monica nodded, covering herself with the blanket, ��Lord, please don��t stare at me����


    The daylight was bright, and Monica was a little uncomfortable.


    Lin Da showed understanding and went to the bathroom to wash up first.


    Soon, he saw Monica clinging to the wall, limping over.


    The Healing Art could only slightly stop the bleeding and restore the thickness of the Life Barrier; it couldn��t fully heal injuries.


    ...


    A wave of guilt washed over Lin Da as he helped Monica finish washing up. Holding Monica��s small hand, he led her downstairs to the living room.


    Both of their expressions were awkward.


    Not to mention Monica, who hid beside Lin Da like a little schoolgirl who had made a mistake. As Lin Da descended the smooth black wooden staircase, the closer he got to the bottom, the more he could feel the oppressive atmosphere like a storm brewing.


    The air in the living room was as if frozen. When Lin Da��s feet landed on the red carpet of the living room, he felt a clear difficulty in breathing.


    ��Everyone��s up so early? Breakfast is also ready, Lulu, Tasya, thank you for cooking every day, it��s hard work.��


    Lin Da said with an awkward smile.


    When he descended the stairs, he saw four large, high wooden stools with backs arranged around the living room��s glass round table.


    Lulu, Tasya, and Kafni, each sat on one.


    With the thoughtfulness of Lulu and Tasya, it was impossible for them to forget to prepare a stool.


    Cold sweat broke out on Lin Da��s forehead.


    Facing 50 heretics alone did not give him as much pressure.


    In response to his idle chatter, Lulu acted as if she hadn��t heard, her right hand holding mushroom soup, her left a copy of the White Dove Morning News, focusing on the news without responding.


    Kafni chuckled with schadenfreude.


    Lin Da looked at Tasya for help.


    Tasya was his most loyal maid; surely, she would defend him a bit, right?


    But when Tasya met his gaze, she silently lowered her head.


    It was then Lin Da realized: he was completely on his own!


    Mushroom soup simmered in the kitchen, its bubbling audible in the living room.


    Lin Da glanced at it; it was about to boil over. Yet Lulu remained unfazed, still reading the newspaper.


    He sighed, went into the kitchen to take the pot out, and then moved a chair for himself to the table.


    He served the soup, sat down, and had Monica sit next to him.


    An oppressive atmosphere enveloped the dining table, everyone eating their meals in silence, accompanied only by the sounds of cutlery clinking and soup being slurped.


    The usually lively breakfast was as quiet as if strangers were sharing a table.


    Minutes passed when someone finally spoke up to break the silence.


    Lin Da looked over gratefully, as if he had found a savior.


    The person who spoke was Kafni.


    Kafni tsked with a smile, waving her glass of Wheat Beer in a teasing manner, ��Quite the commotion last night, eh? I thought it was an earthquake; the whole building was shaking. Ah, youth must be served, right? Even if you mess up, no one will laugh, hehehe.��


    She hit the nail on the head.


    The words crept into Lin Da��s ears as unpleasantly as a centipede. No matter how he listened, it was uncomfortable.


    Typical of the Scrap God to provoke so subtly.


    It angered him to near cerebral hemorrhage.


    Lin Da glared ferociously at Kafni. Monica beside him, embarrassed to the point of nearly stuffing her head into her soup bowl, was shedding tiny pearls of shame.


    Trying to keep her voice down, Monica dabbed at them with her sleeve.


    Lin Da took a deep breath, knowing he couldn��t wait any longer. Monica was too shy; she could be shattered by this incident.


    Lately, many young adventurers unable to bear the pressure had taken their own lives��


    He cleared his throat, about to speak, but collided with Lulu starting at the same moment.


    The two exchanged glances, and Lin Da fell silent, pretending to sip his soup, allowing Lulu to speak first.


    ��Monica, did the captain force you?��


    There was a trace of compassion in Lulu��s eyes as she reached across the table, taking a handkerchief from her pocket and passing it to Monica.


    Trembling slightly, Monica took it and hung her head, shaking it gently.


    ��Really, he didn��t force you?��


    Lulu glanced at Lin Da, who looked embarrassed, and frowned.


    This was what she feared the most.


    Since Monica had joined their team, Lulu had treated her like a little sister in their large family.


    Compared to her relationships with Tasya and Kafni, Lulu was much closer to Monica. Sear?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She knew Monica��s character was weak; if Lin Da gave an order, Monica would likely comply, whether she wanted to or not.


    As Lulu spoke, Tasya and Kafni turned their attention to the conversation.


    Under the scrutiny of so many people, Monica��s voice was barely audible:


    ��It��s not like that, Sister Lulu, it was me, I went to Lord myself����


    Monica was so shamed her head almost touched her chest, resembling a schoolchild caught stealing money, both frightened and guilt-stricken.


    As tears streamed down, Monica wiped them with the back of her hand, sobbing,


    ��I��m sorry, Sister Lulu, I�� I like the captain, not in the way a teammate or a family member does����


    No one had expected the normally timid Monica to be so forthright in such a setting.


    Everyone was surprised.


    But it was Monica��s honesty that ultimately removed the thorn from Lulu��s heart. If Monica had made excuses or spun lies, it would have only thickened the barrier between them.


    ��I don��t blame you,�� Lulu sighed, a helpless smile appearing on her face. She walked over to Monica, helping to wipe away the tears on her face, and said, ��I had foreseen this day, I just didn��t expect it to come so soon.��


    Mainly, the fact that it was Monica who was the first, was beyond everyone��s expectations.

 Chapter 459 - 459: 352, Asura Field and Duty Roster_2

    Chapter 459: 352, Asura Field and Duty Roster_2


    Snow Goose believed that if it weren��t herself, it would have been Lia or Aiko from Snow Goose, and Monica was the one she felt most reassured about.


    It was like her younger sister, who only knew how to study and was outstanding in both character and learning, suddenly brought home a blonde�� Snow Goose��s surprise was far greater than her anger.


    ��Sister Lulu, aren��t you mad at Monica?��


    ��How could I not be, I��ll punish you by banning you from entering the captain��s room for a year.��


    ��What?��


    ��Just kidding, even if I don��t let you, our Lord Captain will probably take initiative to visit. After all, there was an ��earthquake�� last night.��


    ...


    Under Snow Goose��s teasing, Monica��s face turned as red as a ripe apple, tantalizingly beautiful, as if one could squeeze water out of it.


    ��Stop teasing her. It��s not her fault���� Lin Da regained his composure as the leader of the team.


    Snow Goose gave him a look and said nothing.


    Then, she gently hugged Monica, signaling that their relationship was restored.


    However, for Lin Da, Snow Goose did not seem to plan on forgiving him easily.


    Facing the gaze of the four, Lin Da stood up.


    He needed to make a statement.


    This plan was something he had come up with last night after deep thought.


    Lin Da cleared his throat and said with a serious face:


    ��Let��s set up a duty roster.


    Starting tonight, the duty will follow the order of Snow Goose, Tasya, then Monica.


    On your duty day, I will cleanse you of the Witch��s Corruption.


    Though the corruption is minor and a Light Rank Adventurer can��t detect it, what if we encounter a Legendary Adventurer?


    We at least have to make sure even a Legendary Adventurer can��t detect your corruption!


    Tonight, Snow Goose is on duty, receiving Witch Purification.


    After all, Snow Goose is my first team member and my number one Oath-bound.��


    At the dining table, everyone exchanged glances.


    Everyone wasn��t silly, they knew what Lin Da��s implication was.


    One pretty face after another blushed.


    Although Snow Goose felt quite embarrassed, she didn��t object and nodded, her fluffy blue wolf tail gently swaying behind her.


    Thinking of something, the tail suddenly began to wag faster.


    Tasya said to Snow Goose: ��If you need contraception, there are gel sleeves in the cabinet in the upstairs public bathroom.��


    Snow Goose��s face turned even redder.


    She forced herself to calm down and sat back on her chair, saying in a business-like tone: ��Contraception is indeed very important. We can��t have all the team members pregnant, leaving the captain to adventure alone.��


    A group of pregnant team members at the entrance of the World Tree seeing off the captain.


    Just thinking about that scene made everyone find it particularly funny.


    Given Lin Da��s strong physique, if left unchecked, it could very likely turn that scene into reality.


    ��Don��t treat me like a bull���� Lin Da could only laugh and cry.


    He seemed to have instantly transformed from a tragically single Old Mage into the enviable male protagonist of comic books.


    ��What about me?��


    An untimely voice joined Lin Da and their discussion on duty.


    Feeling sheepish, Kafni scratched her face and said:


    ��At this age, I also want to try and see what it feels like.


    Of course, I mean no other intentions, just to experience it.


    Since we have a man in the team, why not make use of it, right?��


    ��I refuse.��


    Before Lin Da could express his stance, Snow Goose set down her chopsticks. Under Lin Da��s influence, all members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team used chopsticks.


    She glanced at Kafni, who had a stunned expression, and said: ��This is a matter between us old team members, and it has nothing to do with you.��


    On the other hand, Snow Goose also felt sorry for Lin Da. Just the three of them, plus Bailuo who would definitely join in the future, that was four already.


    And then there were the three cheating cats on Snow Goose��s side�� despite Snow Goose feeling it was unlikely, some things had to be guarded against. Sear?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    4+3=7


    A week=7 days.


    Add Kafni to that��


    It would be complete chaos!


    Kafni felt somewhat insulted and, her face turning red, she said: ��Lin Da, what do you think? You��ve desired my body, haven��t you?��


    This was Kafni��s final defiance as a blonde beauty.


    As expected, Lin Da nodded, saving Kafni��s face.


    ��But now����


    Lin Da looked towards Monica and the others, smiled, and said: ��Now, I��m not craving it anymore����


    Kafni covered her chest, feeling hurt.


    ��Well you brave�� brave adventurer, I despise you, turning down a free beauty!��


    ��I��m picky����


    Tasya suddenly said, ��Monica, can you share your experiences of being favored by the master? I want to prepare in advance.��


    ��Huh? Ah����


    Monica��s face turned red again.


    But Tasya wasn��t actually teasing Monica, she was sincerely asking for advice.


    Lin Da feigned anger, ��Enough, everyone eat. If outsiders see us, won��t they think our Phoenix Tail Flower Team is some chaotic bunch?��


    ��They already think so. It has been like that for a while.��


    Kafni said grumpily:


    ��Last time I was at the tavern, a drunk Beastman said all members of Phoenix Tail Flower are chaotic women, so I beat him up.��


    Once an adventure team gets famous, even if there��s no scandal, people will make up a bunch of them.


    In their eyes, you are not the ��Eye of True Knowledge��, but always the ��Ultimate Pervert��!


    Damn it, what��s most annoying is that my title ��Great Bear Thief�� was bad enough, but those haters have the nerve to secretly call me ��Great Bear Pig��.


    If it weren��t for the Knights Order in town, I��d have beaten them so bad they wouldn��t leave their beds for three months����


    Breakfast passed amid Kafni��s grumbling.


    The lively atmosphere of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team returned.


    At the table, Monica kept serving Lin Da food, much to his delight.


    ��


    In the afternoon, someone from the Knights Order visited.


    It was still Captain Yao, the middle-aged man with a square face and silver short hair.


    Yao was cold as he entered, placing down a small bag of Purple Gold Coins and then took his leave.


    That bag of Purple Gold Coins was the empire��s reward for Lin Da��s extermination of the Heretics.


    Counting them, there were a total of 310, equating to 3.1 million Gold Coins.


    There were two ways to spend these coins; the first was to pay Lia for the Dragon Forest��


    But Lin Da thought about it��


    ��Let��s owe it.��


    Let Lia taste what it��s like to have delayed pay.


    That afternoon, he spent all those Gold Coins to equip Lulu.


    He upgraded Lulu to a full set of orange Star Rank Equipment.


    The Elementalist Gift Package that the system rewarded Lin Da was given to Monica.


    Now, Monica, with five oranges and one epic, had explosive output!


    Apart from Moon Rank Tasya, she was undoubtedly the main damage core of the team.


    As dusk approached, the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, after a long while, arrived at the Secret Realm Square.


    Except for Tasya, whose strategy record was 14th floor and couldn��t participate, everyone else was ready for adventure.


    The strategy was already prepared; Lin Da wanted to speed through floors 11-13 to boost the team��s combat power.


    At night, the World Tree was still lush green.


    The canopy, dense enough to block the sun, twinkled with magical lights, as if it housed countless fireflies.


    The soft light fell on the Secret Realm Square, illuminating the path forward for the adventurers.


    This scene was astoundingly beautiful, like a dream.


    Under the World Tree, at any time, adventurers, each with their own desires and dreams, gathered.


    What appeared before Lin Da and the others was a thriving scene.


    The square was bustling, noisy, and clamorous.


    There were scamps in tattered Leather Armor wandering around, and solo adventurers carrying signs, hoping to be recruited by an adventure team.


    There were also arguments sparked by accidental bumps, with people cursing and drawing their swords.


    The patrolling enforcement Knights stood aside, their faces breaking into smiles as if saying, ��Here comes a case.��


    But the most numerous were the stalls.


    The vendors sold a variety of goods, from rare Magical Creature materials and equipment to everyday clothes and snacks�� everything was available.


    The Secret Realm Square was not only for adventurers and the World Tree; it was also a vast night market, busier than a shopping street.


    ��Ha ha, I heard that Wayne got kicked out by the ��Stone Sculpture Adventurers�� because his swordsmanship was so poor. His captain said all his sword skills were in his lower body, hoping all female team leaders would stay alert and not recruit him!��


    ��The Valiant Adventure Team broke through the 12th floor, and Captain Robert might reach Star Rank!��


    ��The Snow Goose Team went in about an hour ago, right? If they can make it back, they��ll be qualified as Iron Level adventurers.��


    ��Huh! That��s�� the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team!


    Star-ranked adventurer ��Eye of True Knowledge�� Lin Da!


    ��Frost Wolf�� Lulu!


    ��Great Bear Thief�� Kafni!


    ��Storm�� Tasya!


    Yikes�� that Big Lolita, isn��t that ��Earth Mage�� Monica? Did Lin Da manage to bring her back? Wait, this aura�� such strong oppression, also Star Rank?!��

 Chapter 460 - 460: 353, Breaking through 3 layers, has Lin Da been targeted by the green crossbow?

    Chapter 460: 353, Breaking through 3 layers, has Lin Da been targeted by the green crossbow?


    The square, enveloped in a faint, lime-green glow, buzzed with adventurers gathered around benches chatting away, each eagerly sharing the latest hot gossip.


    A short, freckled boy couldn��t help but exclaim out loud when he saw Lin Da leading a team of beautiful girls towards the World Tree in the distance.


    Ever since the news of Lin Da��s advancement to Star Rank sprea, the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team��s popularity had soared.


    In this city with a population of well over a million, there were only about 20 Star-ranked adventurers, each commanding immense respect.


    When the all-Star-rank Phoenix Tail Flower team appeared in the square, it immediately caused a stir.


    ��It��s really the Phoenix Tail Flower! Are they heading into the World Tree?��


    ...


    ��We might witness two big pieces of news tonight! Will Snow Goose break through the 14th floor and become an Iron Level adventure team? And how many floors will Phoenix Tail Flower reach?��


    ��Guys, I��m heading out to grab a good spot in the guild��s broadcasting hall to wait for the live strategy feed from the Phoenix Tail Flower team!��


    Word spread from one to ten, ten to a hundred.


    The arrival of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team sparked a surge in the crowd at Secret Realm Square, all rushing towards the Adventurers�� Guild on Central Street.


    In no time, the bustling square had thinned out considerably as everyone moved with their stools to watch Lin Da��s live strategy.


    ��Captain Lin Da, could I get your autograph, please? I��m a huge fan!��


    A young girl with golden twin ponytails timidly handed over a pair of figurines.


    ��Of course you can.��


    Lin Da replied with a smile.


    He��d never had a concrete sense of his own renown in White Dove City until he experienced it firsthand in Secret Realm Square tonight.


    Even well-known divas might not enjoy as much limelight as he was getting now.


    His live strategy content and Star Rank prowess had won him a great deal of admiration from fellow adventurers.


    The crowd in the square parted ways on their own, creating a clear path leading straight to the World Tree.


    Lin Da took the marker from the girl with twin ponytails and was about to sign when he suddenly frowned, noticing something off about the figurines.


    Why were they of himself and a red-haired dwarf, back-to-back in battle, wielding a longsword?


    Lin Da glanced from the corner of his eye.


    Sure enough, Lulu��s expression was far from pleased.


    ��Ahem, what��s with this figurine?��


    ��Oh, you didn��t know? A single ��Eye of True Knowledge�� figurine is priced at 10 gold, but if you buy it along with ��Bursting Flames��, you get both for just 15 gold.��


    What sort of bundle marketing scheme was this��


    Apparently, Lia��s figurines were simply not selling.


    Lin Da internally chuckled at the thought.


    He took the figurines and the marker glided across the base.


    ��Thank you, Captain Lin Da, this is the luckiest day of my life!�� The girl with twin ponytails bowed gratefully and left happily with her figurines.


    Eager to avoid getting mobbed by fans for autographs, Lin Da and his team members quickly stepped into the World Tree.


    As they watched their figures vanish into the blue light, the crowd burst into a flurry of comments:


    ��Captain Lin Da really is such a kind man; even when fans block his path to adventure, he doesn��t get angry.��


    ��If I ever turned villain and crossed Lin Da, maybe just asking for mercy would get me forgiven!��


    ��Speaking of which, the Great Mystery Continent��s 15th level is about to open. We could have at least two new Iron Level adventure teams in White Dove City, which is exciting to think about.��


    Ice Flower had already advanced to Iron Level.


    Whether Snow Goose makes it or not depends on tonight.


    The Phoenix Tail Flower team might have a chance if they push hard enough.


    The fourth team with potential is the Valiant Adventure Team led by Robert.


    If all four teams make it to Iron Level��


    The adventurers of White Dove City could really hold their heads high for once.


    Meeting adventurers from Red Heart City or South Rock City in the field, they could lift their heads a little higher.


    Central Street.


    A swarm of adventurers from Secret Realm Square flooded the place, bringing the street to a standstill.


    The knight in charge of maintaining order cursed, ��A bunch of unruly pigs, I should lock you all up!�� S��ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But the crowd didn��t care a bit about the knight��


    ��Charge, brothers! The Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team��s live stream is about to start, an all-star lineup��I want to see Captain Lin Da crushing the 11th floor magical creatures!��


    ��What, the Phoenix Tail Flower��s strategy? Can��t miss the chance to cut in line!��


    ��Charge, charge, charge!��


    Upon hearing it was about the Phoenix Tail Flower adventure team, the knight scratched his head and decided to get on with his business.


    Mayor Adel had already instructed that disturbances caused by the Phoenix Tail Flower team could be overlooked.


    By showcasing the meticulous strategy detail of Phoenix Tail Flower, the city aimed to attract foreign adventurers to settle in White Dove City, all part of Adel��s urban development strategy.


    Rumor had it that there was even a policy in the works: adventurers over level 20 who took up citizenship in White Dove City would receive a limited edition Phoenix Tail Flower Team figurine.


    All in all.


    With the rising profile of Phoenix Tail Flower, Snow Goose, and Ice Flower adventure teams, White Dove City had been flourishing, moving in a very positive direction.


    The knight had even overheard from his superiors that several nobles from afar, equipped with substantial funds, had come to White Dove City to invest��


    Among these nobles was a mysterious lady in a black dress, an influential figure seemingly connected to the Royal Capital.


    It set the knight itching, having spent his life in White Dove City without ever encountering the exalted denizens of the Royal Capital.


    Considering she was a noble lady from the Royal Capital, she had to be unimaginably beautiful.


    ��If only she would take a fancy to me and promote me to the Royal Capital.��


    The knight chuckled to himself, daydreaming about his life taking a dramatic turn for the better.


    ��


    ��


    Three days later.


    Top floor of the inn ��Sword and Woodpecker��.


    The light of dusk streamed through the large crystal windows, resting upon the knees of a girl in a black dress.


    Her complexion was pale, giving off a somewhat sickly vibe, her breathing softer than that of a sleeping baby. She sat wheelchair-bound, still and quiet, with eyes that reflected the calm luminescence of a lake in the afternoon.

 Chapter 461 - 461: 353, Breaking through 3 layers, has Lin Da been targeted by the green crossbow?_2

    Chapter 461: 353, Breaking through 3 layers, has Lin Da been targeted by the green crossbow?_2


    Her black hair was straight and smooth, like satin, and she was currently holding a steaming cup of red tea in both hands.


    Her tender, moist lips lightly sipped, and as she drank a little red tea, she left a blurred lipstick mark.


    This young lady naturally possessed the dignified and noble air of a young lady.


    If Milis, who once mocked Lin Da in the trading company, saw this girl, she would absolutely feel humiliated, so ashamed she might want to bury her head in her lap.


    Such aristocratic air could not be brought by dress or adornment alone.


    The girl��s every move carried the elegance of a high-class figure, her grip on the tea cup handle was impeccable, each finger positioned just right, so much so that even a royal etiquette tutor would sigh in admiration, feeling unworthy.


    ...


    She looked down with interest. Through the one-way crystal floor-to-ceiling window, she spotted a small girl in a white dress with cat ears?


    Bailuo noticed her gaze, furrowed his brow, and turned his head to look over.


    But the young lady was not flustered and calmly met Bailuo��s gaze.


    Of course, the window was designed to be one-way so theoretically, it shouldn��t have been possible to see her from the outside.


    But Bailuo was a Light Rank.


    His piercing gaze penetrated the barrier, sensing the presence of the girl in the black dress.


    After a momentary standoff.


    It seemed that Bailuo had not noticed anything unusual.


    She spread her Light Wings and flew in the direction of Cyan City.


    ��Three years have passed, and Bailuo has grown into a reliable big shot����


    The young lady put down her red tea, sighing softly.


    ��Miss Anna, the White Dove Weekly has been bought, shall I read it to you now?��


    The door to the room opened.


    A bull-headed man in a suit, with a towering stature, walked in reverently, bowing his head and speaking.


    The Minotaur was named Ferdy, a Moon rank adventurer.


    With his status, he wouldn��t need to bow even to a Viscount, let alone a frail young lady with no training ability, who couldn��t even defeat a Slime.


    But considering her identity from the Royal Capital, Ferdy swallowed his saliva, his tense heart not daring to relax for a moment.


    Such a big shot herself had no strength, but at her command, she could muster the service of several Senior Moon Order adventurers.


    Ferdy, however was just an ordinary Moon rank.


    ��Even in private, I prefer not to hear you call me by my name.��


    Anna��s face still wore the same gentle smile, friendly and approachable. Only her eyes were icy cold, as if she were speaking not to a Moon rank adventurer, but to a lowly, disposable ant.


    Anna even had a strong urge to drive the point of her high heel into the eyeball of Ferdy, that fool, and listen to the screams of pain and pleas for mercy.


    But even a problem girl like Bailuo had matured into an adult, and after three years, she needed to change as well. S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Amidst Ferdy��s anxious apologies, Anna suppressed her destructive urges.


    ��What��s the news this week? Read it.��


    She took out a red blanket from her Space Ring and, with an intoxicated look, placed it near her nose.


    The scent contained a part belonging to the Forest Dragon, and another part, to adventurers.


    That thick, robust masculine smell belonged to the captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, Lin Da.


    The other two feminine scents�� must be Tasya and Lia.


    Anna, imagining whatever scene, blushed even more, and let out a low ��hehehe�� laugh, feeling simultaneously angry and happy, both furious and excited.


    As an honest Minotaur, Ferdy could not fathom the young lady��s thoughts at all.


    Having established the Phoenix Tail Flower Fan Club, she obviously liked that ��Eye of True Knowledge��, yet bizarrely never met with him, instead focusing on collecting his personal belongings��


    The blanket was recently acquired by Anna, who spent a fortune on it from the Imperial Credit Bank.


    A material worth only around 6 million Gold Coins, Anna used her Savings Card and spent 10 million without even blinking an eye.


    Ferdy, from a poor family background, was so shocked he couldn��t sleep for several nights.


    ��Royal Capital��s People are really rich. I��ve heard that the nobles there have wealth that could buy up several branches of the World Tree����


    While sighing, Ferdy took out the freshly bought newspaper from his chest, its magic ink still warm.


    He read:


    ��The first piece of news is about the Snow Goose Adventure Team. Under the leadership of Lia, Snow Goose conquered the 14th floor of the World Tree, officially advancing to the Iron Level adventure team.��


    Anna��s face was expressionless, probably because she wasn��t interested in the news.


    Ferdy continued reading, ��Ice Flower broke through the 16th level, bursting out with Epic Level jewelry, which has sparked hot debate among adventurers. Under the Divine Gift of the World Tree Goddess, the number of Star Rank members in the Ice Flower Adventure Team has increased to seven, with the team leader Isa advancing to level 33.��


    ��Then the next item����


    ��The leader of Valiant, Robert, expressed his gratitude for Lin Da��s strategy guide.��


    The Valiant Adventure Team copied homework all the way and conquered the 13th level.


    With just a little more effort, breaking through the 14th level and its Mystic Realm storyline, they too will become Iron Level.��


    Robert publicly expressed his admiration and gratitude for Lin Da.��


    Anna��s expression changed, ��So that means��?��


    ��Yes, the next piece of news is related to Phoenix Tail Flower��Lin Da led Phoenix Tail Flower to break through three levels in three days!��


    The strategy guide of Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team is extremely detailed. Compared with famous adventure teams, it is highly sought after by many adventurers.��


    Lin Da himself has advanced from level 33 to level 35.


    He has become the fastest advancing adventurer in the history of White Dove City.


    According to a public opinion poll by White Dove Press, the most popular adventurer currently is Abner with 73,000 votes.


    Lin Da closely follows with 71,000 votes.


    There is a mere difference of 2,000 votes!��


    Ferdy said quickly.


    ��Buy me 10,000 votes. In the next most popular adventurer contest, I want to see Lin Da��s name,�� Anna said, annoyed, and with a slap, she put her teacup down on the table.


    The jarring sound made Ferdy shudder and he bowed his head, saying, ��I will take care of it right away.��


    After Ferdy left the room, Anna glanced out of the corner of her eye and saw a red luxury carriage driving past the hotel building below.


    The carriage was drawn by black-blooded horses, known for their high endurance and quick speed, with a single one valued at a thousand Gold Coins. Of course, these details weren��t important; what Anna lacked least was Gold Coins��what she cared about was the flag on the carriage.


    The pale blue of the Phoenix Tail Flower.


    Wasn��t that Lin Da��s team��s exclusive carriage?


    Anna hurriedly maneuvered her Magic Wheelchair, pressing her cheek against the crystal window.


    With her regular human eyesight, she could only vaguely see a bunch of girls inside the carriage.


    Redhead, blondes x2, pink hair, blue hair, brown hair.


    It was already dusk outside, night was falling, almost time for bed.


    The direction the carriage headed was toward the Goldfinch District��


    Lin Da was surely taking them to host that kind of vulgar party, right?


    The thought made Anna��s face flush even redder, her body heating up as if she had just sprinted a hundred meters.


    She took out a cotton green cap from her ring to put on her head, then took out tissue paper and a strange pink round stone one by one, and locked the door.


    All the spellcasting materials were ready; Anna closed her eyes, imagining the scene of Lin Da being surrounded by numerous beautiful girls.


    A sense of powerlessness wandered through Anna��s body; despite immense anger, her heart felt as though it was being playfully flicked by an impudent finger over and over, too enticing to resist.


    ��Hehe�� hehehehe��


    Strange sounds started to echo in the room.


    ��


    Lin Da��s eyelids twitched for no apparent reason.


    He was unaware that he was being watched and used as ��spellcasting materials.��


    He was riding in a carriage driven by a temporarily hired coachman.


    Inside the carriage were girls of every variety, from blonde mature big sisters to flat-chested lolitas.


    Lin Da, rubbing his aching back, looked at the peaceful scene before him with satisfaction.


    Monica and Chloe sat together, each engrossed in a fierce battle on their Magic Conductor Handheld Consoles.


    Aiko was earnestly asking Tasya for cooking advice. Lulu, with her arms crossed, leaned against the carriage and rested.


    Kafni was sound asleep, and despite the constant noise in the carriage, she was undisturbed in her slumber.


    If he and Lulu were only experiencing sore backs, Kafni appeared to be more drained than they were��


    Probably because of overexertion in her training, he guessed.

 Chapter 464 - 464: 355. Bath Party, Dragon Blood Enhances Everyone

    Chapter 464: 355. Bath Party, Dragon Blood Enhances Everyone


    The huge black archway stood before her, flanked by two level-20 guards standing sentinel.


    Those poor adventurers would be scolded and chased away just for getting close.


    But as a renowned Adventure Team Leader, Isa needed only to show her face to be let through.


    Carrying pastries and fruit, she arrived at the base of the Luanwei Flower Villa.


    Isa first took out a small mirror from her ring to tidy up her appearance.


    She was dressed in a relaxed casual outfit, with a white fluffy turtleneck sweater on top and a pair of Elf��s Home jeans below.


    ...


    The knees were worn through, revealing her snow-white skin, seemingly the latest fashion of the season��


    These jeans were extremely form-fitting, accentuating Isa��s pair of straight, long legs.


    Her silver hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall, reaching her hips, and as she walked, her long hair flowed��many passersby who saw her by the villa were stunned. Realizing that the beautiful silver-haired girl stood outside the Luanwei Flower Villa, a flash of recognition and envy crossed the eyes of the onlookers as they clicked their tongues in admiration.


    It��s no surprise, considering Captain Lin Da, how different girls partake in his parties every day��


    To some, Lin Da��s ��lustful�� side was an advantage instead.


    Many Elves who had gone under sought to join Lin Da��s parties, hoping to skyrocket to success.


    In front of the villa��s gate, Isa nodded, put away the small mirror, and pressed the doorbell with her pale finger.


    Ding-dong~


    The clear sound rang out.


    Like igniting a beacon on the battlefield, Isa inexplicably felt a twinge of nervousness. She held her chest and tried to regulate her breathing��


    She thought to herself that upon meeting, she should first inquire about the recent situation of the Phoenix Tail Flower to show concern, then segue into the topic of the performance competition, not to give off the impression that she was opportunistic. It would seem wrong to only remember to visit when in need of something��


    Amidst her jumbled thoughts, a full minute passed, yet the door in front of her remained closed.


    Isa��s heart tightened��could it be that Lin Da and the others had already gone to sleep?


    Wouldn��t her unsolicited interruption be somewhat improper? Or maybe they hadn��t slept, possibly creating ��little team members����


    Lin Da had clearly stated that Lulu was his Oath-bound. If nothing happened, Isa would even doubt Lin Da��s capability.


    Perhaps at this moment, they were halfway through, and upon hearing her ring the doorbell, they hid under the covers, feigning ignorance�� or perhaps they truly hadn��t heard? Maybe it was better to press the doorbell a few more times��


    Isa was poised and thoughtful, which was both a strength and a flaw. She was indecisive, overthinking everything, always hoping to do things perfectly.


    In the world of adventure, such a trait was a great advantage, but transferred to real life, it could lead to unnecessary anxiety.


    Now, Isa was overthinking, her heart in turmoil as she anxiously paced in front of the door.


    She stepped back a few paces and looked up. She concluded that if all the lights in the villa were off, then the people of Luanwei Flower must be asleep, and she would leave without further disturbance and head home.


    Upon closer inspection, indeed, it was pitch dark on the side of the second-floor bedroom.


    But another side was lit.


    Isa was not sure about the specific layout of the villa; she only roughly recalled that it seemed to be a communal bathroom��


    The goose yellow curtains obscured the view, and Isa widened her eyes, trying to see what was happening behind them.


    Suddenly, two blurry silhouettes appeared on top of the curtain.


    One was tall and likely male, ��grabbing�� the neck of a smaller female and pushing her to the ground?


    Then��


    Up, then down!


    ��Burglars!? Could that woman be Monica?��


    Isa��s eyes turned cold.


    She detested those criminals who violated the Empire��s laws, always tied them up and sent them to the Knights Order whenever she encountered them.


    Without hesitation, Isa took out a slender silver sword from her ring and thrust it toward the position of the lock.


    Click.


    Under her level-33 Battle Qi, the simple Magic Door Lock was no different from paper mache.


    With a murderous intent towards the burglars in her heart, Isa tiptoed, careful not to make any noise that might alert the perpetrators, and groped her way in the dark to the second floor.


    As she drew closer to the communal bathroom, the sounds became increasingly apparent. Sear?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There were splashing ��struggle sounds,�� painful ��screams,�� and pitiful ��pleadings����


    Mixed together, they entered Isa��s ears.


    She immediately conjured in her mind the scene of the burglars assaulting Lin Da��s team members.


    ��Despicable scum!��


    With rage uncontainable, Isa��s form flashed like a silver streak, appearing instantly at the entrance of the communal bathroom.


    ��Burglar, meet your end!��


    She kicked open the wooden door, with fury on her face, her slender sword aimed at the tall figure wrapped in a bath towel!


    ��Isa, Isa?��


    ��Lin Da?��


    Isa, standing at the door, locked eyes with the man and was taken aback.


    The burglar who was pushing Monica into the bath turned out to be Lin Da?


    Isa said dumbfoundedly, ��What are you two doing?��


    In front of her was a large bath full of hot water.


    The girls, wrapped in bath towels, lay in pain in the bath, all making humming noises, as if there was a pile of crabs pinching their toes below.


    The water was a pale red, and Isa sniffed, detecting�� the scent of blood?


    Spilling the blood of some creature into the bath?


    This blood was infused with violent energy, causing bubbling in the bath, similar to a lava pool.


    Being Ice Douqi, as soon as she opened the door, the fiery energy inside hit her in the face, causing her Magic Circuit to sting, and her eyebrows involuntarily furrowed.


    Staying in such a place was torture for an Ice type adventurer.


    But the others seemed to be enjoying this torture?


    All Isa saw was Lin Da standing beside the pool, his hands pressing on Lia��s snow-white shoulders, preventing her from getting out.


    Lia��s skin was scalded red by the water, her feet splashed around, causing water to spill everywhere;

 Chapter 465 - 465: 355, Bath Party, Dragon Blood Enhances Everyone_2

    Chapter 465: 355, Bath Party, Dragon Blood Enhances Everyone_2


    On the walls of the bathhouse ahead, a row of girls leaning against the white bath towels, their fair long legs seemingly endless��


    All the members of the Phoenix Tail Flower were there, Snow Goose��s Aiko, and Klrona as well.


    It��s worth mentioning that although Lulu��s title was ��Frost Wolf,�� her Battle Qi was of the Steel System, so the red pool water was beneficial to her.


    Among the group, Lulu and Tasya were the more experienced witches, with a far greater tolerance for pain than ordinary people. They leaned calmly against the edge of the pool, enjoying the power enhancement the waters provided.


    As for a newcomer witch like Monica, she could only sit for a while before she had to jump up as if her butt was on fire��


    Klrona��s twin pigtails were undone, her wet pink hair clinging to her back, holding Aiko with a reluctant face. Since Aiko was ��physically challenged�� and couldn��t withstand the aggressive energy in the pool water, Klrona had to hold her to cool down.


    ...


    ��Why are there so many people����


    Isa was dumbfounded.


    She thought Lin Da had fallen asleep.


    Yet here was a whole bunch of people in the public bathhouse?


    Beverages and wheat beer cans were piled up on the nearby table, alongside leftover fruits and pizza.


    It was clearly a scene of a joyful party!


    Outside, rumors were flying everywhere, saying that Lin Da and Lia were about to have a life-or-death showdown.


    And what Isa saw was, these two having a bath and partying��?


    Lia��s bath towel was a bit open, glaring at Lin Da with shame and anger, her feet kicking Lin Da��s stomach: ��Get lost, I don��t need your massage, I can soak on my own!��


    ��Eh, Isa��s here?�� Lia paused slightly, waving her hand: ��This has nothing to do with you, go back.��


    Isa staggered as though struck by a heavy blow, nearly falling.


    ��You see, we are tempering our bodies with dragon blood����


    Lin Da took his hands off of Lia��s shoulders, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.


    ��Oh, I see, that��s how it is�� I really shouldn��t be here, sorry for interrupting you guys.��


    Isa felt a sourness in her heart, like a guest who encounters a family happily eating precious food just as they arrive unannounced, a feeling of awkwardness clear to see.


    Who��s closer and who��s farther away was now distinctly clear.


    ��Wait a second.��


    Lin Da grabbed Isa��s wrist.


    ��It��s not what you think! You know that Ice type users are incompatible with bathing in dragon blood. The volatile energy inside could actually harm your magic circuits.��


    Lin Da said helplessly, ��I invited Lia and the others over for a reason. For the adventure in the Dragon Forest, I promised Lia a reward and haven��t given it yet. I��m also short on gold coins, so I decided to invite them to bathe in the dragon blood to settle that matter����


    Isa wasn��t the only one not invited; Oru and Klyne, the couple, were also not called.


    Lin Da planned to save a bit of dragon blood to pack separately for these two old teammates. Oru was male, and it wasn��t appropriate for him to see his female teammates in their bath towels.


    Within the large bath, red mist curled up, the teammates groaned in pain, and under the cover of bath towels, smooth shoulders and fair legs were revealed in glimpses of springtime.


    When Isa heard his explanation, her expression softened a bit, murmuring, ��So that��s how it is����


    Dragon blood was extremely precious; if he had invited the Ice Flower girls as well, there wouldn��t have been enough to go around. The only reason he invited Snow Goose��s people was because he owed Lia a reward.


    Thinking this way, Isa felt much better.


    ��Since you��re here, stay and chat. We plan to discuss the exhibition match with you once we��re done bathing,�� Lin Da moved a small stool for Isa.


    ��By the way, where did you get the dragon blood? Can I maybe���� Isa trailed off, hesitant.


    Lin Da caught the hint, saying, ��We got lucky in the Great Mystery Continent, there��s still some left. I��ll package some for you to use with your teammates.��


    The blood from the Forest Dragon, there was a whole bottle.


    This group bathing only used half of it.


    ��That��s too kind of you����


    Isa demurred verbally, but her face showed eagerness as she produced a Savings Card from her ring, ��Calculate how much it��s worth in gold coins, I��ll transfer it to you.��


    ��That��s too formal, we adventurers are supposed to help each other out, and those are your own words,�� Lin Da chuckled, filling a thumb-sized crystal tube with dragon blood and handing it to Isa, ��Mention gold coins again, and I��ll be upset.��


    Isa bit her lip, accepted the crystal bottle, and bowed solemnly, ��Thank you.��


    Every winter, her father Yao would cough continuously, vomiting deep purple blood, a chronic ailment from being injured by the Cold Poison Feathered Serpent in his youth.


    Diluted with Warm Sun Flower-infused water, dragon blood could effectively alleviate Yao��s condition.


    ��The power of this dragon blood is indeed terrifying����


    Lin Da jumped back into the pool, feeling a fiery pain all over, and soon his skin swelled and reddened.


    ��Not as good as this young lady, hehe,�� Lia��s face was flushed with red, still not forgetting to taunt him.


    Lin Da ignored her and quietly looked at the transparent message box in the bottom right corner:


    [Soaking in dragon blood, Defense +1]


    [Magic Defense +1]


    [Strength +3]


    [Agility +1]


    [��]


    Dragon blood could function as body tempering, and anywhere on the Mystic Continent, it was in high demand.


    ��Miss feels the strength welling up!��


    Lia showed off her fair arms, flexing her muscles.


    The one who benefitted the most among the crowd was Lia, with her Fire Fighting Qi.


    The violent energy contained within was most compatible with the Fire Series.


    Isa said, ��I haven��t congratulated Snow Goose on becoming an Iron Level Adventure Team yet. Lin Da, your Phoenix Tail Flower should be close too, right? Can you catch up with the 15th floor of the Great Mystery Continent?��


    As the three teams made rapid progress in the World Tree, their strengths had greatly increased.


    The current member levels of Phoenix Tail Flower are:


    Team Leader Lin Da, Level 35.


    Kafni, Level 35.


    Lulu, under the Diamond infusion between floors 11-13, also advanced to Level 35.


    Monica, Level 36.


    Tasya, Level 40.


    And with Snow Goose breaking through the 14th floor, advancing to an Iron Level adventure team, the member levels also saw significant improvement.


    Team Leader Lia, Level 34.


    Aiko, Level 33.


    Klrona, Level 30.


    Oru, Klyne, Phyllis, Level 30.


    On Isa��s side, Ice Flower Adventure Team breaking through the 16th floor, reached an individual strength of Level 33.


    The former rock level team leaders had all advanced to Star Rank, standing at the apex of White Dove City.


    The three looked at each other, filled with a multitude of feelings.


    After some thought, Lin Da replied to Isa:


    ��The randomness of the Emotion Secret Realm on the 14th floor is too great; I��ve decided to prepare a bit more before going.


    Our main goal now is the performance competition.


    As reputable adventure teams in White Dove City, we can��t mess it up.��


    Isa nodded, ��That��s what I was thinking too�� but the three of us, we aren��t a match for Abner, are we?��


    [Mind��s Eye] Abner, long renowned.


    For nearly ten years, he has been the ceiling for adventurers in White Dove City, with some calling him ��invincible below Moon Rank.��


    His Shadowless Sword Technique, swift to the extreme, slays opponents in the blink of an eye.


    Spectators often don��t even get a clear view of the fight before it��s already over.


    It��s also because of the presence of Abner that many Iron Level adventurers from Red Heart City and South Rock City dare not act too arrogantly.


    ��Solo killing an Epic One-Star Monster, a Level 35 Earth-Traversing Dragon.


    Fighting alone against an entire Iron Level team from Red Heart City and coming out unscathed.


    Making it onto the Adventurer��s Weekly, yet declining an invitation from Azure Sky University��s admissions department��


    These accomplishments are indeed frightening,�� Lin Da remarked.


    The adventurer Abner, who poses a huge offensive threat with incredible speed at the same time, was virtually unsolvable in earlier stages.


    Unless Klrona could be developed��


    Lin Da glanced at the girl with pink hair and a flat profile. S~ea??h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This kind of ultra-hard tank is Abner��s nemesis.


    But the current Klrona can only be considered among the stronger frontliners.


    Against Abner, she would be cut down in a combination of moves.


    ��Even so����


    Lin Da turned towards the two girls, one silver and the other red, and said solemnly, ��Even so, we only have one path to victory!��


    It wasn��t that Lin Da was obsessed with fame.


    The performance match itself was meant to be a friendly spar, aimed at showing off muscles, attracting merchants and nobles to invest.


    But Weylon told him that on the day of the performance match, reporters from Cangqing Province would come.


    And it��s the largest newspaper in the province, reporters from Adventurer��s Weekly!


    The key to unlocking version 3.0 lay in the Ice Abyss Training Camp in Cyan City.


    The way to get a ticket for the training camp was to ��appear in the Adventurer��s Weekly at least twice.��


    There are no small number of people who have made it onto the Adventurer��s Weekly once; many of these involved an element of luck, such as defeating a powerful Magical Creature that was secretly sick or injured without others knowing, or they just performed beyond their limits��


    The requirement for entry to the Ice Abyss Training Camp, to appear in Adventurer��s Weekly at least twice, significantly reduces the factor of luck. What remains are the truly genuine adventurers with real skills.

 Chapter 466 - 466: 356, Aiko was not content, and Lia attacked Lin Da but ended up being tied up.

    Chapter 466: 356, Aiko was not content, and Lia attacked Lin Da but ended up being tied up.


    Gathering over two hundred cities within the province, hundreds of millions of people, a small number of the most outstanding adventurers are selected to enter the Ice Abyss Training Camp.


    To meet one of the Four Great Dukes of the Empire, Coldmoon Duke, and to settle in the Royal Capital.


    This is the most convenient and orthodox method to meet the Holy Tree in the regular routes of the game.


    In Lin Da��s mind, a grand CG image emerges, with the vast Floating Island high above the firmament, verdant trees piercing the clouds, reaching the ends of the sky��


    Every city��s ��tree�� can be called a World Tree, but there is only one Holy Tree, the main trunk of the World Tree, and only it leads to the 50th layer.


    The Holy Tree is located in the Royal Capital, and it opens every few years, with only a limited number of adventurers being able to enter each time.


    ...


    Only those teams that have reached the pinnacle of both strength and prestige through layers of selection have the right to meet the Holy Tree and challenge the Nightmare Class Mystic Realm within.


    After a moment of thought, Lin Da felt himself ignite, his spirit of adventure blazing passionately.


    He looked at everyone in the bathroom and said with a serious expression,


    ��The evaluations by Adventurer��s Weekly will largely determine whether we can get into the top training camp in Cyan City, the Ice Abyss Training Camp.


    Teams that graduate from there are at least at Sunrise Level, and there have even been Legendary teams, providing the Royal Capital with a large influx of new blood!


    Looking back on the history of White Dove City, only one team has ever entered the Ice Abyss Training Camp and got eliminated, with the leader unable to bear the pressure and going mad.


    This incident has caused adventurers from White Dove City to be unable to hold their heads high when outside to this day, becoming the butt of jokes for others.


    If any of us graduate from there, I believe the adventurers of White Dove City, President Velen, Mayor Adel, they would all be relieved.


    I will just say it outright.


    The outcome of this exhibition match has only two possibilities.


    Abner gets the entry ticket.


    Or we three get it.


    The chances of all four of us getting the entry tickets are very slim.


    Cyan City, as the capital of the province, does not welcome losers. Only the winners will be favored!��


    Aiko��s expression wasn��t very optimistic as he said, ��Even if it��s three against one, the level difference is too big. Abner is level 39, the title ��Strongest Adventurer of White Dove City�� has been his for years now.��


    Lin Da nodded, ��I understand, so everyone needs to be prepared to overcome the mountain that is Abner.��


    Lia said excitedly, ��Since the day I came to White Dove City, I��ve been ready!�� S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Isa��s gaze was resolute, ��Even if the opponent is Abner, I will not back down.��


    Everyone was full of fighting spirit.


    If there had to be someone with little interest, indifferent to the whole thing, it would be Aiko, smiling gently while secretly rolling her eyes.


    Aiko isn��t like the ��overachievers�� here; she just wants to lie flat and live a peaceful life.


    Adventuring with Snow Goose was more about having fun for her.


    Even though she was a bit more serious than before�� Revenge against Lin Da was still Aiko��s ultimate goal.


    At first, Aiko resented Lin Da for ignoring her when she first joined the team, for pushing her aside.


    But now it had turned into a strange possessiveness. Seeing the once overlooked member of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, who could be trifled with at will, now surrounded by a bunch of beauties no less attractive than herself, improving day by day��


    Aiko was filled with deep jealousy.


    Lin Da was supposed to be hers.


    During the three years with Snow Goose, Lia was focused on adventuring and paid no mind to Lin Da; Klrona was just a little kid who didn��t even understand innuendos. Klyne joined the team with her boyfriend Oru.


    For Aiko, opportunities to get Lin Da were everywhere!


    She just needed to pretend to have a stomachache one night and enter Lin Da��s room; by now the child would already be born.


    But at that time, Aiko thought that Lin Da was definitely not wanted by anyone else, so she took her time toying with Lin Da, putting on a weak and helpless act, feeling delighted as she saw Lin Da run around for her.


    Planning to have Lin Da work for her forever, to turn this little Healer into her eternal slave!


    But the result was��


    Lin Da silently left the team, established Phoenix Tail Flower, and in just a few months, became even stronger than Snow Goose.


    He even became the second most popular adventurer in a public opinion poll by the White Dove Morning News, with tens of thousands of fans. The figurines modeled after him were extremely popular, and he earned a fortune from the royalties alone.


    Aiko was eaten up with regret.


    After much thought, she initiated her ��Chicken Soup Plan.��


    And then�� she met with great failure.


    Lin Da clearly rejected her, treating her as a friend.


    Reflecting on it, Aiko herself was puzzled, how she could have played such a good hand so terribly.


    It was as if she had smeared her cards with waste for the dog to lick off, and even then the cards played out were stronger than hers.


    Seeing Lin Da discussing strategies for tomorrow with Lia and Isa, laughing and talking with bright eyes full of youthful vigor, Aiko felt nothing but jealousy and resentment. She felt like she didn��t fit in with them at all.


    The ��dog�� she hadn��t seized had already broken the leash and wouldn��t come back no matter how much she begged.


    ��Aiko, is your leg hurting again?�� Klrona noticed her odd behavior and blinked curiously.


    Aiko said with a light smile, ��No, it��s just that the water in the bath is too hot.��


    Klrona, who was outspoken and didn��t consider messy relationships, turned to Lin Da and said, ��Aiko��s leg is hurting again, you should give it a press.��


    Lin Da, who was discussing attack strategies with Isa, was taken aback upon hearing this.


    ��Cough cough.��


    Lulu seemed to have some discomfort in her chest and coughed a few times.


    ��Klrona, you child, don��t talk nonsense.�� Aiko glared at the wronged-looking pink-haired lolita.

 Chapter 467 - 467: 356, Aiko was not content, and Lia attacked Lin Da but ended up being tied up_2

    Chapter 467: 356, Aiko was not content, and Lia attacked Lin Da but ended up being tied up_2


    Klrona cocked her head to the side, wondering where she had gone wrong.


    Lin Da thought for a moment, neither agreeing nor rejecting the idea.


    ��On the 15th floor, there��s a material called Itchy Vine. When you go there, pick some fresh ones and use them for foot baths; it��s effective for the recovery of your legs,�� Lin Da said.


    ��Um, I understand,�� Aiko replied with a smile, ��Lin Da, thank you for your concern, I��m really happy.��


    All present could detect a hint of sourness in the air.


    Lulu frowned but remained silent.


    ...


    Lin Da scratched his head, feeling that Aiko��s tone was similar to that of an ex-girlfriend after a breakup�� Tonight was Lulu��s turn to be on duty, and if she took revenge out of jealousy because of Aiko, that would be bad.


    ��With Lulu and the others, along with teammates I haven��t yet met, I have enough Oath-bound. The people of Snow Goose are truly untouchable!��


    Lin Da couldn��t imagine a scenario where Aiko, or even Lia and Klrona, became his wives.


    Especially the latter, who pestered him so much during his three-year stay at Snow Goose that Lin Da began to doubt his life choices. Marrying her would mean never having a moment��s peace!


    Under the watchful eyes of Lulu and the others, Lin Da smiled at Aiko and said ��No problem,�� then rejoined the Strategy discussion against Abner.


    Aiko��s gaze lingered thoughtfully on Lin Da��s profile.


    When she returned to Snow Goose Villa, she could only transform her grief and anger into motivation, practicing ��No Chant Water Magic�� like mad!


    ��Very well, Lin Da, you��ve provoked me. I must imagine you as a dog wearing a collar, having your teammates watch as I use you fiercely!��


    Aiko regained her composure, showing the smile of a victor.


    As long as she didn��t accept defeat, she would never be a loser!


    ��


    ��


    ��President, there��s no way they can win,�� a male with a long blue ponytail remarked soothingly as he polished his bamboo sword, eyes closed, inside the training hall with floors as smooth as mirrors.


    His voice was as mild as water, but the content of his words was more domineering than those nobles infamous for maliciously withholding wages.


    ��Sigh, why won��t you listen to advice���� President Velen massaged his temples, looking at Abner with a headache.


    For three days, Velen had pleaded, but Abner still refused to throw the match. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [After a fierce battle, both sides displaying all their Skills, leaving the audience utterly exhilarated, ultimately Lin Da and his two companions triumphed over the monstrously strong Abner through the power of bonds and friendship.


    All four are outstanding adventurers, winning the high praise of Cyan City journalists and the nobility!]


    This was the script Velen had designed.


    Yet, not even the first step of his script could progress, and the exhibition match was tomorrow��


    Velen wore a worried frown, as his hair quickly grayed within just a few days.


    Abner put down his bamboo sword and sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, calmly stating:


    ��President, I am aware that Lin Da is the one who destroyed the lair at Dragon��s Rest Tomb, and that he��s the adventurer who ascended to Star Rank in the shortest time in White Dove City.


    The Verdant Shield is an equally impressive Skill, and I have high hopes for the future of the Phoenix Tail Flower.


    But, that��s not enough.


    Standing opposite me, no matter who it is, I, Abner, will go all out.


    President, I owe you a debt of gratitude. But I��m sorry, I won��t lose to them.


    In terms of profession, I am a Raging Stream Warrior; regarding equipment, my Azure Core is an Epic Five-star; concerning skills, I have practiced swordsmanship since I was five, for twenty-five years now, without missing a single day.


    After defeating the Nightmare Guardian on the 19th floor, Ice Abyss Training Camp is our next destination.


    Therefore, in this exhibition match, I will not lose, nor can I afford to lose.��


    Abner spoke more than he usually did.


    Velen was astonished, ��I see, that��s why you turned down Azure Sky University��s invitation��the Ice Abyss Training Camp is your real goal����


    With the conversation having reached this point, Velen had no way to persuade Abner to throw the match.


    To Velen, all four teams from White Dove City were valuable.


    No matter which one went to the Royal Capital, Velen felt his life would be fulfilled.


    But then�� Velen sighed. There was a mysterious lady in black claiming that if Lin Da won, she would invest three hundred million Gold Coins in White Dove City.


    Three hundred million!


    It could be used to rebuild the slums, construct new apartments, or serve as bounties to attract outstanding adventurers from outside�� White Dove City��s financial situation was dire, and these three hundred million Gold could provide substantial relief.


    Velen walked outside dejectedly, clenching his worries about the exhibition match as he returned to the Adventurers�� Guild.


    ��


    The communal bathhouse of Luanwei Flower Villa.


    ��United as one, victory will eventually be ours!��


    Lin Da rose from the bath, fists placed in front of him, delivering a passionate speech.


    But he got too excited, and the towel wrapped around his waist fluttered like a paper butterfly, falling onto the water��s surface.


    Lia stood with her hands on her hips, laughing heartily, imagining the glorious scene of her showing off her skills tomorrow.


    As the scene before her unfolded bit by bit, Lia��s smile froze.


    Her complexion turned pale in an instant, as though grasped by a level 90 Holy Dragon.


    Lia happened to use her head as a screen, acting as a sort of ��mosaic�� for the not-yet-of-age Klrona behind her.


    ��What��s going on?��


    Klrona, being short, only saw Lia petrified. Aiko, standing beside her, covered her red lips, a look of amusement on her face, while Monica looked down shyly.


    Isa coughed softly, turning to one side. But she couldn��t help glancing at Lin Da with the corner of her eye, her cheeks turning red at a rapid pace.


    ��Uh�� uh-ah�� What, what is that, what are you showing me!!!��


    Lia��s young heart seemed as if it had been struck by a rhino, and she stood dumbfounded.


    She took out the Phoenix Feather Sword from her ring, shouting in panic, ��You vile Magical Creature, watch me chop you off!��


    Lin Da had not expected this to happen. Just as he bent down to pick up his towel, suddenly, a cold breeze struck from the front.


    Glancing upwards, he saw a fiery red great sword getting closer and closer to him.


    ��Holy crap, have you lost your mind!?��


    Lin Da was scared out of his wits; if the sword made contact, his happiness for the second half of his life would be ruined.


    He leaped backward, and then the great sword crashed down, causing water to splash in all directions.


    A strand of black hair, cut off by the sharp blade of the sword, floated on the water��s surface.


    ��It wasn��t on purpose, but you definitely did that intentionally!��


    Lin Da was inflamed with anger.


    The towel accidentally falling off was indeed his fault, but was there really any need for Lia to strike him with a great sword?


    ��You��re definitely a pervert, lusting after me! You��ve been peeping at my chest, huh, disgusting!��


    ��What? What on earth are you talking about?��


    Lin Da was furious. Who the hell would want to look at a flat chest, when he had three teammates with good figures to admire? It was an outright slander!


    Seeing Lia rushing towards him furiously, Lin Da narrowed his eyes, not intending to hold back at all.


    The bathhouse water, mixed with Dragon Blood, splashed up as he flung it, scalding hot water entering Lia��s eyes.


    ��Ow!��


    The effect was comparable to quicklime, halting Lia��s assault instantly.


    Immediately after, Lin Da shot out a Venom Magic Sphere, sizzling as it dissolved half of Lia��s towel, exposing large patches of fair skin.


    ��What are you doing!?�� Lia��s voice changed as she rubbed her burning eyes, while trying to cover up with the towel.


    In the ensuing chaos, she had no composure to fight.


    Lin Da had long wanted to punish Lia, to correct her arrogant attitude, and now was the perfect opportunity.


    Everyone else found the spectacle quite amusing and watched from the sidelines.


    Aiko was the most entertained, gazing without blinking. She hugged Chloe, covering Chloe��s eyes with her hands, and giggled, ��You��re still young, you can see this kind of thing later.��


    ��Then why can Monica watch?�� Chloe pouted, unwilling to accept this.


    Monica weakly replied, ��I��m older than you, I��m your big sister����


    All they saw was Lin Da throwing out the Dark Whip, binding Lia up.


    ��Let, let me go!�� Lia was frantic, screaming loudly.


    But this time, Lin Da had no intention of indulging her.


    The Dark Whip bound Lia like a human-shaped rice dumpling, and with a plop, she was thrown into the bathhouse pool, face down, floating on the surface, with only her buttocks poking out.


    Her skin, white and pressed into folds by the tight whip, jiggled with Lia��s angry struggles, bouncing like a large jelly.

 Chapter 468 - 468: 357, Beating Lia to tears, the competition begins

    Chapter 468: 357, Beating Lia to tears, the competition begins


    Seeing Lia struggling and creeping in the bath like a caterpillar, her little face flushed with exertion, Lin Da couldn��t help but feel an odd sensation in his heart.


    Scenes where Lia bossed him around these past three years kept flashing before his eyes.


    Her complaints about the strategy not being produced on time,


    Using him as a trash can to dump her frustrations whenever she was in a bad mood,


    Using the excuse of being tired from training, demanding all three meals a day catered to her tastes,


    When unable to hand out the rewards, she��d elegantly claim they would be deferred to the next month, and up until the day he left the adventure team, he was still owed three months�� pay��


    ...


    The sliver of sympathy in Lin Da��s heart vanished as if it were a steamed bun snatched away by a dog.


    Faced with Lia, who was bound into a rice dumpling by the Dark Whip, only her skin trembling, his hands seemed to become birds soaring in the sky. As they caught sight of the ��drumskin,�� this huge, plump worm, each finger twitched with eagerness��


    Lin Da wrapped himself in a bath towel and sat by the edge of the bath. Then, with a snap of the Dark Whip, he dragged Lia over and placed her onto his knee.


    A flash of light in his hand, and a black pointer appeared!


    This was the pointer Lin Da used when pointing at the small blackboard during strategy meetings.


    It was cylindrical in shape and smooth to the touch, like a miniature pool cue.


    ��Woo woo!��


    Seeing Lin Da take out the pointer, Lia��s eyes filled with terror, and she frantically shook her head.


    ��Let you go?�� Lin Da taunted, ��Is that what you mean?��


    The Dark Whip loosened slightly, allowing Lia to speak.


    Lia first gasped for air in a fluster, then glared fiercely at him, her eyebrows upside-down and her small canines revealed with intense hatred:


    ��Fine, if you��ve got the guts, never let go, or just you wait for me!��


    ��It seems you don��t learn your lesson without a little punishment.��


    Lin Da controlled the Dark Whip, once again silencing Lia��s mouth.


    A muffled cold laugh came from Lia��s throat; she didn��t believe Lin Da dared to lay a finger on her.


    In the three years with Snow Goose, she��d seen right through Lin Da; she could bully him, but he wouldn��t dare to bully her!


    It must be just to scare her now, perfect, she would make sure Lin Da couldn��t get off the stage, and embarrass him badly in front of the Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose team members!


    Lia��s mouth curled up in self-satisfied triumph, pondering how she would taunt Lin Da in a moment.


    Just then, a slap sound echoed near her ear.


    The next moment,


    Lia��s behind was in severe pain, as if a row of ants had each taken a bite, fiery and raw!


    The pointer in Lin Da��s hand cut through the air, like a drawn slingshot��s band, and struck down.


    The crisp sound resonated through the bathhouse.


    Everyone��s heart skipped a beat.


    On Lia��s backside, there was a bright red whip mark.


    No one expected the usually amiable Lin Da to strike so fiercely!


    With one strike of the pointer, Lia was completely stunned.


    Lin Da really dared to hit her?!


    She had never suffered such humiliation from childhood.


    And in front of the Snow Goose team members, to spank her like a bug on his knee��


    Lia was bound too tightly by the Dark Whip, lying across Lin Da��s legs like an inverted V, with the point of the V being her buttocks. She could feel that everyone in the bathhouse was looking at that spot.


    The fiery pain on her buttocks couldn��t even begin to compare to the scorching sensation in Lia��s heart!


    Lia��s pride was like a little princess captured by goblins, brutally battered and bruised.


    ��Lin Da, enough already!��


    Lia��s voice was muffled and unclear, her eyes filled with anger.


    ��Still refusing to admit your mistake?�� Lin Da said with a stern face, ��It seems you still need a lesson!��


    ��You dare!?��


    Smack! Smack!


    Smack! Smack! Smack!


    The stick swung down again and again.


    Red marks were whipped onto the fair buttocks, as if they had been scratched by a cat.


    Lia��s face turned the color of liver as she stubbornly stuck out her buttocks for Lin Da to hit harder, thinking it might as well be over with her dead.


    But to her surprise, Lin Da really did start hitting harder and harder, like an ancient adventurer washing clothes on the riverbank with a wooden stick, the faster the beating, the cleaner the clothes.


    Before long, Lia��s buttocks were sticking up as if they could support a large can of wheat beer.


    Lia��s attitude shifted from ��Lin Da, you wouldn��t dare hit me�� to ��So, Lin Da really dares to hit me,�� making her start to doubt her life.


    And on top of that, there was a crowd watching her disgrace.


    Lia lifted her head tremblingly to see Aiko��s mocking gaze, the sympathy on Isa��s face, and the taunt at the corner of Lulu��s mouth��


    Being beaten by Lin Da in private was one thing, Lia could have endured it, but not in front of a whole crowd!


    Lia wanted to maintain the image of a mature and excellent team leader in the eyes of her team members and had always worked hard to maintain it.


    She would read and exercise in front of her team members, and even when the strawberry cake was stolen by Klrona, she would suppress her anger and generously forgive Klrona.


    All of this was to be an excellent adventure team leader.


    However, the paddle that Lin Da continued to bring down tore through all her pretenses, revealing her as a frantic, helpless little girl, nakedly exposed to everyone��s eyes. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was then that everyone discovered that she was actually underdeveloped, posturing as nothing but flat��


    Lia felt as if she had plunged into an unseen abyss of darkness, and her mentality immediately collapsed.


    Sob, sob sob!


    ��Lin Da, please stop.�� Isa couldn��t bear to watch and grabbed Lin Da��s hand that was swinging the paddle, pleading on behalf of Lia.


    ��No, this one has yet to admit her wrongdoing���� Halfway through speaking, Lin Da suddenly noticed that Lia was no longer struggling, lying down resignedly, letting herself be hit without moving an inch.


    What��s happening?


    A sudden sense of alarm went through Lin Da��s mind.


    Looking intently, he saw Lia biting her lip, quietly shedding pearl-like tears that rolled down her chin, drop by drop falling into the bathwater.

 Chapter 469 - 469: 357, Beating Lia to tears, the competition begins_2

    Chapter 469: 357, Beating Lia to tears, the competition begins_2


    Ah?


    Crying from her own beating?


    Lin Da was greatly surprised; he only intended to teach Lia a lesson and correct her arrogant nature, never did he expect to make her cry.


    The moment Dark Whip loosened, Lia kicked him in the stomach.


    Lin Da plunged into the bath with a splash, swallowing several mouthfuls of water.


    Emerging from the pool, he saw Lia, her eyes red, wiping her tears and clutching her clothes as she headed out.


    ...


    Seeing Lia��s strong reaction, everyone felt a hint of awkwardness as if the joke had gone too far.


    They thought they were in for some entertainment but ended up making someone cry instead.


    Aiko felt the most guilty; she had been unable to close her mouth from laughter at Lia��s embarrassed state, having mentally applauded at least a hundred times.


    ��Where are you going?�� Lin Da called after her, ��The Dragon Blood in the pool hasn��t been fully absorbed yet.��


    ��I��m going home.�� Lia, now dressed in her adventurer��s garb, was pulling on her socks.


    Lin Da watched Lia��s expressionless face and murmured to himself that she was truly angry.


    The greatest beneficiary of the Dragon Blood was Lia; it was hard to imagine she would give up this chance to become stronger.


    With a bang, the door to the bathroom closed.


    Lin Da stood by the window and watched Lia hurry down the stairs, heading towards Snow Goose Villa.


    A drink bottle rolled to Lia��s feet in the breeze, only to be kicked fiercely by her, flying far away.


    He couldn��t shake the feeling that she was imagining the bottle as himself.


    Lin Da massaged his temples with a headache. Having not disciplined her well in her early years, it was difficult to manage now.


    Even though he had no children, he could already glimpse the troubles that come with raising them through Lia.


    Aiko: ��I��ll go back too, to check on Lia��s condition.��


    ��And what about me, me?�� Klrona pointed to her nose.


    ��You stay here for the night, since we have to meet with Phoenix Tail Flower tomorrow anyway,�� Aiko said.


    ��Yay!�� Klrona looked at Monica excitedly, ��All-nighter?��


    ��No�� Lord Captain disagrees.��


    ��Eh�� okay then.��


    Aiko, considering Klrona��s profession was well-suited for Dragon Blood, left her behind separately.


    ��Then I��ll leave it to you, keep an eye on that one, don��t let her do anything rash,�� Lin Da said helplessly.


    ��


    Lia returned to Snow Goose Villa, channelling her anger into energy, furiously gobbling down three pieces of strawberry cake.


    After washing her face, she entered the top floor training room, wielding a Great Sword, her slashes leaving a trail of afterimages.


    The more her backside hurt, the harder Lia swung the weapon, as if Lin Da��s face was everywhere in the air, fueling her gritted teeth.


    ��He actually hit me in front of so many people, he doesn��t take me seriously at all!��


    Lia��s eyes turned a bright red, and a few more tears fell. This incident caused her triple harm: physically, to her ego, and the feeling that Lin Da treated her differently from others, as if she didn��t matter to him.


    If Lin Da hadn��t revealed what he did, she definitely wouldn��t have gone after him.


    But everyone sided with Lin Da; the only one who supported her was her old rival, Isa.


    Humiliation!


    Immense humiliation!


    ��Lin Da, just you wait!��


    Lia��s sword swept out, her fiery Battle Qi glinting with specks of starlight, creating a stunning ��galaxy�� in the air.


    After the Dragon Blood bath, Lia��s Fire Series Battle Qi had purified from 10% Starfire Douqi to 20%.


    Her combat power had increased by no less than thirty percent.


    She also often studied Lin Da��s battle recordings since he changed his class to Healing Mage.


    Aside from his thick shield and healing ability,


    everything else was very average!


    As long as she kept up the incessant attack, not giving Lin Da a chance to recover and cast spells,


    even if Lin Da was two levels above her at Level 35 Star Rank, he would still not be able to beat her.


    If one profession had an advantage over another, then the [Blazing Swordsman], adept at bursting attacks and with commendable sustained combat ability, would just happen to counter the [Healing Mage].


    Lia wiped away her tears and focused intently on practicing her swordsmanship.


    ��


    The night grew deep.


    An evening passed in the blink of an eye.


    Dawn had not yet broken, and the sky was still dimly lit.


    White Dove City, the ��beast,�� had already awoken from its slumber.


    In the Secret Realm Square, imperial knights and Adventurers�� Guild staff donning emerald green vests were bustling about energetically.


    Centering on the square, a temporary arena with a thirty-meter diameter and twenty centimeters in height was set up.


    The material used was Slime concrete, highly resilient, paired with a specially crafted array that could withstand battles below Moon Rank.


    Rows of chairs were arranged in a circle around the arena.


    To accommodate viewers at the back, a group of hovering, oversized magic screens was set up above the arena, ensuring that the audience could see the action from all angles.


    There were 16 sales channels, with long queues forming at each.


    The morning temperature in winter was low, but the single-digit-ranked Adventurers�� Guild misses were all sweating profusely from their frenetic activity.


    ��Front row tickets 10,000 Gold Coin, middle row 1,000, back row 100, limit 1 per person, please pay in an orderly fashion����


    ��Attention, visitors from out of town! Premium adventure figurines from White Dove City are on sale! A full set of Phoenix Tail Flower Team figurines for just 100 Gold Coin, Snow Goose complete team for 70, Ice Flower Adventure Team for 90, last 100 sets, don��t miss this opportunity!��


    ��Tyrannosaurus Tavern��s meticulously brewed 30-day chili Wheat Beer, 1 silver coin per glass!��


    On the outskirts of the square, vendors were warmly welcoming customers.


    The spectators coming to watch today��s exhibition match weren��t just locals from White Dove City; tourists accounted for at least half of them, with the largest groups hailing from Red Heart City and South Rock City.


    Even people from Proclamation Wind City had come from afar.


    To organize this exhibition match aimed at attracting investors, White Dove City had spent a whopping ten million Gold Coin on initial promotions alone.


    The spectator stands were divided into three main zones: front, middle, and back rows, with a special inner field area for VIPs.


    A circle of luxurious red sofas surrounded the edge of the arena.


    In front of them was a transparent barrier capable of deflecting the remnants of battle.


    To ensure the safety of the exhibition match, White Dove City had spent a fortune to hire the leaders of the Sunrise Level adventure teams from South Rock City and Holy Rock: ��War Maniac�� Rochelle!


    Rochelle sat sprawled in his chair, his muscular physique making the chair seem too small, squeezing his whole body into it.


    The arms he rested on the armrests were thicker than the average person��s thighs, his broad shoulders were bear-like, his face covered with ferocious scars, his golden short hair stood upright, and his tiger-like eyes, filled with fighting spirit, swept around, seemingly searching for an opponent to relieve his boredom in the arena.


    Mayor Adel, sitting beside him, forced a smile, ��Captain Rochelle, please restrain yourself. Your task during this exhibition match is to prevent any accidents from happening.��


    ��I know, but save your breath!��


    Rochelle glared at Adel, letting a little of his Moon rank adventurer��s Battle Qi leak out, instantly silencing Adel and causing cold sweat to bead on his forehead.


    ��War Maniac�� Rochelle, level 46, a Senior Moon Order adventurer.


    Theoretically, as a ��commoner,�� his status was lower than that of Adel.


    But since White Dove City didn��t have a single Sunrise Level adventure team and Adel had no soldiers under his command, this leader was looked down upon and could only sit next to Rochelle with a forced smile. S��ar?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Standing behind Rochelle was a man with soft golden hair, squinty eyes, and a relaxed smile on his face.


    The Moon rank adventurer, ��Smiling Swordsman�� Bervis.


    The deputy leader of Holy Rock, he was also Aiko��s biological elder brother.


    However, Bervis had not come to White Dove City for money; he had come of his own accord to accompany his father.


    ��Aiko hasn��t returned home once in three years. If dad finds out, he��s likely to tear him to shreds, right? I hope Aiko got my warning and stays hidden today.��


    Bervis was there to save Aiko��s life. Given his father Rochelle��s explosive temper and how hard it was for him to hold back once enraged, Aiko��s fake disability could very well become real.


    He also came to see for himself if Lin Da, the one with the ��Eye of True Knowledge,�� really had the potential to become a Legendary Adventurer as Aiko had said.


    Lin Da��s current reputation was primarily within the World Tree; his personal record did not include victories over top adventurers.


    To judge a person��s strength, one must look at two aspects.


    The strategy for the World Tree and battles between adventurers!


    Because the latter involved combat with Demon Adventurers beyond the 20th floor.


    These two aspects complement each other; lacking the ability in either makes it impossible to become a legend.

 Chapter 470 - 470: 358, The grand finale, Lin Das low blood pressure was cured

    Chapter 470: 358, The grand finale, Lin Da��s low blood pressure was cured


    Bervis glanced over and saw that people had also arrived from Red Heart City.


    Leading them was the deputy head of the Scarlet Adventure Group, ��Thunder Swordmaster�� Dawen.


    With Bervis��s perspective, he wouldn��t bother with a common Star Rank. However, Dawen was highly talented and had the backing of The Mandalas, making his advancement to Moon Rank a certainty in the future.


    Moreover, Dawen��s sister was a ��dear friend�� of his own sister, and Bervis acknowledged Dawen for that reason.


    As their gazes met, Dawen placed his right fist over his heart, performing a gesture common among adventurers.


    Bervis nodded slightly.


    ...


    Observing the team from Red Heart City, he thought: The Bloody Baron isn��t here��


    It seems that the rumors are true; that Lia really is estranged from her family. Bervis had investigated the Snow Goose Adventure Team and knew some lesser-known details.


    For instance, Lia and the Bloody Baron Augutuo had no blood relation.


    All of Augutuo��s attention was devoted to his biological son Dawen, leaving Lia in a state of neglect.


    ��Look, disgusting, hahaha!��


    Rocher in front of Bervis suddenly pointed at the opposite VIP seats, showing a broad grin.


    Bervis took a closer look and laughed as well: ��Father is right; us pure adventurer families despise those pure nobility.��


    On one hand, there were the upstarts who climbed up by strength, with lives licked by the blade.


    On the other, there were nobles who relied on ancestral shade, controlled a vast amount of gold, and reaped without sowing.


    The two sides despised each other.


    On the other side, at a delicate black tea table, treats from White Dove City��s most famous pastry shop ��Miss Mary��s Handcrafted Workshop�� were on display.


    Chocolate mousse cakes, colorful macarons, animal-shaped cookies��


    Paired with tea a hundred times more precious than gold, sourced from the 15th floor.


    White Dove City, in order not to be looked down upon by the nobility, brought out their very best.


    Several noble young ladies gathered to chat, occasionally nibbling on the treats from the table. From their nonchalant expressions, it was clear that these delicacies, hard for ordinary adventurers to come by, were nothing special to them.


    ��Isn��t it starting yet? So boring.��


    ��Feels like there are quite a few handsome men among the competitors.��


    ��If they perform well, why not hire them as guards? Abner seems nice with those long legs.��


    Leading the three young ladies, Milis chatted and laughed merrily.


    President Velen sat to the side, his face turning red with anger.


    Abner was one of White Dove City��s finest adventurers, not someone you just hire on a whim! From the sounds of it, hiring him didn��t mean for combat but to dress Abner in a tailcoat, collar him, and lead him around with a leash to introduce to their friends��


    In short, they treated adventurers as playthings!


    But considering that these ladies�� fathers were merchants with the title of Viscount, Velen suppressed his anger and forced a smile.


    He passed the document in his hand to a middle-aged man beside him, dressed in a suit and with golden hair slicked back.


    ��Viscount Miwen, this is the list of distinguished adventurers from White Dove City.


    The Ice Flower Adventure Team, led by Isa, comes from a knight��s family, well-established, and has steadily progressed to the 16th floor.


    Lia, with her signature skill ��Flame Burst,�� can use her Ultimate Skill twice in succession in a short period, showing endless potential.


    Lin Da, with his extraordinarily high Recovery Amount and shield, excels in the Strategy of the World Tree, and has a bright future at the Sunrise Level.


    Abner, our strongest adventurer in White Dove City, has been featured in the Adventurer��s Weekly.��


    Velen displayed a proud smile, standing straighter as he spoke of these names. S��ar?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Hmm.��


    Viscount Miwen responded indifferently, casually placing Velen��s carefully organized documents on the table.


    ��Viscount Sir, have you seen the documents already?�� Velen asked, his expression souring.


    ��No need to read, I only trust my own eyes.��


    Viscount Miwen crossed his legs, an attendant lit a thick South Seas cigar for him, and he took it in his hand. He inhaled deeply and exhaled a bluish smoke.


    The viscount glanced at the sapphire watch on his wrist, seemingly verifying his schedule for the day, and said indifferently: ��President Velen, I understand that the adventurers you speak of are geniuses, top-notch, but�� I��ve seen too many ��geniuses.��


    Some of them have defeated the Behemoth Beast, others have subdued the Giant Dragon.


    But they might carelessly step on a rock in the World Tree, underneath which lies a lethal snake�� and they die a nonsensical, unclear death.��


    ��I don��t believe in geniuses, only in my own eyes.��


    Viscount Miwen glanced at Velen: ��Also, my daughter mentioned she encountered that Lin Da at the commercial house. Milis kindly invited him to join her on a visit in the city, why should he refuse? He even uttered some vulgar words towards my daughter.��


    Hearing this subject, Milis stood up with her eyebrows raised, huffing: ��That Lin Da is even more barbaric than the Beastmen, said I was in his way, threatened to kill me, what a person, really! That��s your outstanding adventurer? People from small places really lack manners.��


    Her two friends nodded in agreement, their eyes revealing disgust.


    Velen��s face changed: ��Viscount Miwen, you are not aware, but at that time Lin Da��s team member was captured by heretics, and he was in a desperate hurry, which is why����


    ��I understand he was in a hurry, but it is precisely in such times that reverence for nobility is revealed.��


    Viscount Miwen shook his head and stated:


    ��If he were a good adventurer, he should have first accepted Milis��s request and then explained his difficult situation.


    With my daughter��s upbringing, she would definitely understand and let him go.��

 Chapter 471 - 471: 358, The grand finale, Lin Das low blood pressure was cured_2

    Chapter 471: 358, The grand finale, Lin Da��s low blood pressure was cured_2


    ��But his approach is to have my daughter killed?��


    ��Viscount, sir, I think you��re going a bit too far,�� fury flickered in Velen��s eyes.


    It seems that these nobles are not looking for excellent adventurers but for dogs loyal to them.


    Moreover, based on what Velen knew about Lin Da, he would never say something like ��beating Milis to death.�� Most likely, it was Milis who exaggerated the story to blacken Lin Da��s name deliberately.


    ��Miwen, we��re here to invest, no need to get upset with these low-class people,�� said a fat man dressed in a tailcoat, his face piled with fat, chuckling:


    ��Children say the darndest things. I��ve heard my daughter say that Lin Da only pushed them aside and did not talk about killing anyone.��


    ...


    ��These adventurers from small cities haven��t received high-class education; it��s understandable that they have low quality. At most, we don��t invest a single Gold Coin and just leave,�� he said.


    ��Viscount Ponke makes a good point. President Velen, you might as well keep quiet. We��ll see for ourselves the quality of White Dove City��s adventurers,�� said a slim, hooked-nose, golden-haired middle-aged man.


    These three were viscounts from Gold Pool City.


    Gold Pool City is known as the Cornucopia of Cangqing Province, home to the largest auction, businesses, and pleasure quarters in the province.


    In the annual summary of Adventurer��s Weekly, the city ranked third. Although there weren��t many impressive local adventure teams, under the power of Gold Coins, many other geniuses from other cities defected to Gold Pool City to serve its nobility.


    In front of Miwen, Ponke, and Rus, the viscounts, Velen felt like an old horse overloaded with bags, utterly unable to raise his head.


    If it had been the younger days of Velen, he would have already flipped the table and ordered these three to leave. But once an adventurer retires and ages, their temper tends to mellow. Or rather, under the weight of harsh reality, they are forced to develop a ��good temper.��


    For the sake of this exhibition match, White Dove City had already spent millions of Gold Coins in marketing, and Velen could not let this investment go up in smoke.


    Some of it came from imperial grants, but most of it came from local adventurers.


    Registration fees, property tax, transaction tax, business proceeds, booth taxes from Secret Realm Square�� These Gold Coins were the blood and sweat of the adventurers of White Dove City.


    Velen took a deep breath and, when he raised his head again, he had put on a smile: ��The three viscounts are right; we really should improve the quality of our adventurers from White Dove City.��


    Viscount Miwen hummed in satisfaction: ��That��s more like it. A mere adventure team from a small city dares to confront my daughter, absolutely preposterous.��


    ��Exactly, exactly,�� Velen laughed dryly.


    After a while, the sun rose from the east, and morning light spilled across the land.


    The adventurers were ushered to their seats in sequence, under the guidance of the staff.


    The entire Secret Realm Square was packed, teeming with people.


    At a rough estimate, there were more than ten thousand.


    The spectator area was divided into three zones; those in the back rows had to stand on their toes to see the large screen floating above the Arena, while those in the front were much more comfortable. Not only were the seats beige single-person sofas, but there was also a bucket of popcorn and two cans of the day��s fresh Wheat Beer.


    Accordingly, the ticket price was a staggering ten thousand Gold Coins.


    Essentially, only merchants or seasoned Rock-level and Iron-level squads could afford to buy them.


    ��Moon rank adventurers, [Red Heart Thief] Alajie, Rocher from South Rock City, Bear Ji�� Quite a number of people have come,�� said a male Elf with short golden hair, pushing up his silver-framed glasses, a hint of surprise in his eyes.


    His name was Fry, captain of the [Yuefeng Adventure Team] from Red Heart City.


    It was Fry who organized the Iron-level teams to prepare for the siege against Lin Da when he invaded the resources area of Red Heart City.


    Hearing that Lin Da had come back alive from the sealed Great Mystery Continent, Fry was scared out of his wits, even dreaming at night of his resource area being stripped bare.


    As soon as the news of the exhibition match was released, Fry, along with a few familiar captains, came to scout out the enemy.


    ��With tickets worth ten thousand Gold Coins, I could��ve had so many great hairdos,�� said a Black woman with brown explosive hair, known by the title [Flower Messenger] Celina, her face showing reluctance.


    The other two Iron-level team captains were [Coyote] Wol and [Swift Shadow] Timo.


    ��Although White Dove City��s phantoms and the Solid Rock Adventure Group have left, the newly prominent teams like Phoenix Tail Flower should not be underestimated!��


    Wol��s wolf eyes flashed with a cold gleam, ��The resource area of Red Heart City must not be invaded a second time.�� S��ar?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Timo, a short raccoon, rested his head on his arm and said lazily, ��As long as they don��t invade our ��Thunder and Lightning Adventure Team,�� it��s all good.��


    During their conversation, a sudden uproar erupted from behind them.


    The enthusiastic shouts were so loud that they hurt their ears.


    ��What is going on����


    Fry covered his ears, looking annoyed.


    But on the arena, a young girl appeared with a brown ponytail and freckles on her face. Holding a magic conduction tube, her lively voice emerged, drowning out all the noise in the venue:


    ��Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to White Dove City! Today��s host is none other than the editor-in-chief of the White Dove Press, the famous Miss Kami!


    Without further ado, please welcome the following four adventure team captains with your applause.


    They are bound to kick off the competition with a battle that is nothing short of spectacular!


    First to enter is��the elf of ice and snow, the elegantly precise swordsman, the captain of the Ice Flower Adventure Team, level 33 Star-ranked adventurer, [Frost Swordsman] Isa!��


    In the pathway behind the red curtains, a silver light twinkled.


    Most people could hardly see what was happening; in the blink of an eye, a silver-haired girl with a slender sword at her waist and a graceful posture appeared on the arena.


    The Ice Fighting Spirit emitted a white fog, setting the girl apart like an elf in the snow.


    Isa��s face held an impeccably polite smile, her right hand resting over her chest as she bowed slightly, greeting the crowd.


    Isa��s entrance immediately set off a wave of screaming in the square.


    The fans of the Ice Flower Adventure Team were numerous, and some fervent fans even wrapped white cloth around their heads with the words ��Ice Flower�� written on it, frantically waving their glow sticks to cheer.


    In the pathway for the contestants, however, there was a different scene.


    Lin Da paced anxiously like an ant on a hot pan. Seeing Oru run in sweating profusely, he quickly asked, ��Did you find that girl Lia?��


    ��I went to all the usual cake shops and pubs, but no,�� Oru said puzzledly. ��I haven��t seen Captain Lia since this morning.��


    Damn it.


    She wouldn��t be holding a grudge, would she? Because I hit her a couple of times?


    If Lin Da had low blood pressure, Lia could have cured him on the spot.


    Over there, the host Kami was already calling out:


    ��The second player, the warrior who steps out of the flames, with fiery red long hair and fierce attacks, aspiring to be the strongest Fire Swordmaster�� the captain of the Snow Goose Adventure Team, Lia!��


    Whoosh!


    Just as Lin Da was holding his forehead, thinking everything was about to go downhill, a red shadow shot out from the audience��s side.


    The figure turned three somersaults in the air and landed gracefully on the platform.


    This person, about one meter and fifty centimeters tall, was dressed in a tight adventurer��s battle suit, with black pants paired with brown tactical boots, and carried a Phoenix Feather Sword nearly as tall as herself on her back.


    The girl crossed her arms, her fiery red hair fluttering in the wind, and her face was beaming with excitement.


    It was indeed Lia herself!


    Seeing this, Lin Da tilted his head back, nearly fainting from a brain hemorrhage out of anger.


    He was certain, ten out of ten, even eleven out of ten, that Lia had intentionally hidden in the crowd and only appeared at the last second.


    It was to get back at him!


    ��The third contestant�� the embodiment of wisdom and courage, acclaimed adventurer who, aside from often throwing wild silver parties with the ladies, has almost no flaws, the captain of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, the ��Eye of True Knowledge,�� Lin Da!��


    Under Kami��s messy introduction, Lin Da emerged with a sullen face, leaping from the contestant pathway onto the arena.


    He stood between the two women, looked straight ahead, smiled and waved to the enthusiastic crowd below. Meanwhile, he whispered to Lia beside him, ��On such an important day, can you stop being capricious?��

 Chapter 472 - 472: 359. Couples quarrel? Black Eagle Wings unfold

    Chapter 472: 359. Couple��s quarrel? Black Eagle Wings unfold


    ��I didn��t,�� Lia said. ��I just got hooked on sword training and forgot the time.��


    Lin Da sighed.


    He just hoped this fellow wouldn��t act impulsively in battle.


    Isa was also giving Lia comforting looks, considering Lin Da had hit her yesterday��purely because she asked for it. But Lia brushed it off indifferently, ignoring anyone who spoke to her.


    The infuriating look on her face almost gave Lin Da a brain hemorrhage, making him want to hit Abner less and give Lia a thrashing instead.


    No wonder he felt no desire for her when they shared a bed in the Great Mystery Continent��it��s because the empire��s law 179 states that it is a crime to sleep with a fool!


    ...


    Perhaps the original character of Lia wasn��t meant to be smart, but distance creates beauty, and players only saw the cool side of Lia, assuming she was a mature character.


    Actually, a day with her would reveal �� why on earth did I end up breaking the law? Oh, it turns out I slept with a fool.


    ��I don��t care about the rest, just do well in the competition,�� Lin Da glared fiercely at Lia.


    Lia: ��Hmph.��


    The trio��s subtle interactions were all observed by the audience in the front row, each showing a puzzled expression.


    Fry, puzzled, thought: Could they be having internal conflicts?


    Especially since they��re about to face the top competitor from White Dove City, Abner?


    ��Celina, you��re a master of psychology, analyze what��s going on,�� Fry said.


    Fry pushed up his silver-framed glasses, a sly look flickering in his eyes.


    It seemed the relationship among these three wasn��t as good as the rumors suggested. If possible, he wanted to see them fall out and even switch sides to Red Heart City!


    Wol and Timo also became interested, both turning to look at Celina.


    ��I think, perhaps����


    Celina held her chin with her hand, observed Lia for a while, and finally decided, saying:


    ��It��s probably�� that Lin Da treats other girls too well, making her feel neglected, which she finds unfair. Those eyebrow-raising and pouting gestures completely confirm my guess.��


    ��So, you mean, we have a chance to provoke discord, turning the team leader of Snow Goose and Lin Da against each other?��


    Fry��s eyes gleamed.


    ��That��s highly unlikely,�� Celina shrugged.


    ��Huh? Were all those gestures just to confuse us?��


    ��Fry, what I actually mean is����


    Celina gave him a look as if he were an idiot. This middle-aged elf��s EQ was so low it could barely last a minute compared to his endurance, and other than wasting a bottle of Slime oil, it was completely useless.


    Celina sighed and pointed at the three on the stage: ��I think, they��re just having a couple��s quarrel.��


    Fry: ?


    A look of astonishment appeared in the eyes of the middle-aged elf.


    ��You, what did you say, aren��t they having internal conflicts?��


    ��Well, I think couple��s quarrels are a type of internal conflict. Look, she just rolled her eyes again and stepped on Lin Da��s toes with her boot.��


    Celina��s explanation, like a hand parting the clouds, made Fry suddenly see clearly.


    As Lin Da whispered to Lia, the red-haired girl looked sulky yet haughty, and the jealousy in Ice Flower Captain Isa��s eyes��


    Wasn��t this exactly a couple��s quarrel?


    And it was a three-person couple��s quarrel!


    And here he was, thinking it was a great opportunity to instigate trouble�� much like when Fry as a child, hearing his dad ��beating�� his mom and righteously going to break it up, only to be beaten himself by his mom, telling him to go far away.


    Fry��s face burned with embarrassment, thinking to himself how he had mistaken the Phoenix Tail Flower Team��s love spat as a good chance for instigation?


    Looking at the mocking in Celina��s eyes, Fry felt his composure breaking.


    ��But�� I didn��t expect that, the Young Lady of The Mandalas and a person from White Dove City getting together.��


    Celina crossed her long legs, pondering: ��I wonder what the Scarlet Adventure Group thinks.��


    This event was akin to resources going out of circulation, a melon grown in one��s own field being picked by someone from White Dove City.


    Previously, when Lia wasn��t well-known, no one cared, but now, Lia had become an Iron Level adventure team��s captain.


    Such a level of team, Red Heart City only has six in total.


    Lia��s performance was indeed a slap in the face of the Bloody Baron.


    ��


    On the Arena, Lin Da was the only one worried that Lia would mess things up.


    He was purely over-worried, seeing Lia as a giant baby. In reality, for an adventurer who cares greatly about her reputation like Lia, how could she possibly give up such an important competition?


    Journalists from Adventurer��s Weekly were hiding in the audience, and Lia would love for them to see her martial prowess, making headlines to boast.


    If Lin Da asked her not to, she would be even more eager to do it.


    It was Lin Da��s frantic behavior that made Lia smile, finding it quite amusing, so she continued to act aloof, ignoring Lin Da.


    ��Next up is the fourth contestant, ��Mind��s Eye,�� Abner!��


    In Kami��s excited voice, a blue figure quietly appeared on the stage.


    Like a leaf stirred by a breeze, silently settling down.


    A tangible sense of oppression spread silently.


    Lin Da and the others instinctively activated the magic circuits within their bodies.


    ��You are all excellent adventurers, but�� I will win,�� Abner said, opening his eyes calmly.


    Those were a pair of azure, crystal-clear eyes, like gems. Abner had two strands of long hair hanging over his forehead, a long ponytail reaching his buttocks, and a katana, its hilt wrapped in black cloth, inserted at his waist. S��ar?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unsheathed, but the strong magical aura was undeniable, causing Lin Da��s skin to feel a slight sting.

 Chapter 473 - 473: 359. Couples quarrel? Black Eagle Wings unfold_2

    Chapter 473: 359. Couple��s quarrel? Black Eagle Wings unfold_2


    So strong.


    Lin Da and two others thought in unison.


    None of them was confident they could defeat Abner on their own.


    Lin Da mused, truly a Nearly Five Stars character among the NPCs. If it had been Abner who went to suppress the Heretics that day, even if Hulus drank three Magic Potions, he would probably have been beheaded with a single strike.


    Abner, level 39, the limit of Star Rank.


    The katana at his waist, named [Azure Core], a level 30, Epic Five-star Main Weapon.


    ...


    By comparison, Lin Da��s gear was still alright, Isa��s wasn��t bad either, even if they were at a disadvantage, it wouldn��t be by much. The problem lay with Lia.


    A casual sparring session, forbidding adventurers from using Ultimate Skills, meant that Lia��s innate skill [Flame Burst] had nowhere to be applied.


    Secondly, Lia��s equipment was truly lackluster.


    Snow Goose was too poor; they had never looted high-quality gear from monsters and couldn��t save up a fortune.


    Lia only had her level 30 orange Main Weapon, the rest was basically Purple Gear.


    As he was pondering, the host Kami jumped onto the Magic-guided Hot Air Balloon, leaving the Arena clear.


    Lin Da and the other two were on the left side of the Arena.


    Abner was on the right side, with his eyes closed, his right hand on the handle of his blade, assuming the stance for an Iaido Slash.


    In the audience stands that could accommodate ten thousand people, there was complete silence, pairs of eyes fixated on the stage.


    Would White Dove City��s three new stars become the new ceiling, or would they be left battered and bloodied, securing Abner��s title as ��Invincible under the Moon Rank���� The reveal was imminent.


    In the crowd, a middle-aged man with a scruffy beard, wearing a detective��s hat, burped drunkenly.


    In his arms, he cuddled a fat pig-headed woman in only a black bikini with a stunning figure. The middle-aged man had an interested smile on his face, and he pulled out a notebook from his chest, ready to compose his own review of the match.


    ��That brat Bailuo the headmaster is totally off the mark with his people, calling them genius adventurers. Just watch me, Luden, expose their underwear!��


    Luden, one of the external reporters from Adventurer��s Weekly.


    Having seen countless geniuses in his life, he loved pig women the most and loathed self-righteous brats.


    The more Bailuo praised them, the less Luden thought of them. These small-time citizens of White Dove City shouldn��t even dream of appearing in Adventurer��s Weekly!


    Of course, Luden had a certain level of professional ethics.


    If the four on stage reached the level of ��could be posted or not��, or even ��barely postable��, he would naturally choose not to.


    He had professional ethics, just not much of it.


    The host Kami tore open a magic scroll, launching a red flare into the sky.


    The match officially began!


    In an instant, everyone heard a ��whoosh��.


    The temporarily constructed Arena, with the ground beneath Abner as the center, cracked densely.


    The Arena, made with Slime glue from the earth system and a special Array, was tough enough to withstand destruction by Moon rank adventurers.


    While strictly speaking the Arena only had a few more cracks, weren��t there too many of them?


    Luden��s drunken demeanor vanished.


    His eyes revealed a sharp glint.


    It seemed he had underestimated this Abner.


    Compared to the last suppression of the Earth Dragon that made it into Adventurer��s Weekly, the Abner before Luden��s eyes was a completely new monster!


    ��


    Lin Da only felt a buzzing under his feet, and a blast of air rushed towards his face.


    Abner��s figure turned into a streak of blue lightning, passing between Isalia.


    They didn��t even have time to react; their red and silver hair was blown up by the storm conjured from Abner��s run.


    A chilling blade light aimed at Lin Da��s throat��Abner��s attack target was actually Lin Da, who had the thickest Life Barrier!


    This was a slight deviation from the battle plan; Lin Da had thought Isa would be the priority target.


    Under the oncoming pressure, Lin Da��s heart pounded like a drum, his hands gripping the Earth Dragon Longsword, blocking in front of him.


    Clang!


    Abner��s katana chopped down on the blade of his sword, transmitting an enormous force throughout the Earth Dragon Longsword and into his body.


    Lin Da��s chest tightened, his legs involuntarily moved backward as if hit by a dragon carriage.


    The thick-soled brown tactical boots skidded along the ground, leaving behind a dark streak of rubber.


    Lin Da��s body tingled, and the wariness in his eyes grew stronger.


    Truly a figure hailed as ��Invincible under the Moon Rank��.


    With that speed and strength, in a one-on-one battle he wouldn��t have time to chant the spell for Verdant Shield. Abner was definitely not an opponent he could defeat alone!


    The audience erupted with amazement.


    They couldn��t make out what had happened, only that Abner had struck with one slash, forcing Lin Da back seven or eight meters, his face extremely solemn.


    Fry, seated in the front row, took out his handkerchief to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead: ��Lucky I didn��t trouble White Dove Adventure Group on the 15th floor of the Great Mystery Continent last month����


    Fry and others like Celina were Iron Level team leaders, yet there were distinctions within the same level. Clearly, they were far from Abner��s level.


    With that explosive power and speed, even [War Maniac] Rocher showed an interested expression.


    Rocher laughed heartily and said, ��Give this Abner ten years, and he could become a new toy for me!��


    At this moment, the formation composed of female adventurers stood up in the arena, waving their flags and shouting:


    ��Lord Abner is the best~


    White Dove Adventure Group is invincible~


    Let them feel the might of Lord Abner��s katana~ (heart)~��


    ��Ssst, our Phoenix Tail Flower Fan Club can��t fall behind!��


    Fry, with her golden braids, stood up unwillingly.


    As the vice president of the Phoenix Tail Flower Fan Club, Fry had organized her supporters well in advance.


    Waving a flag with the words ��Eye of True Knowledge�� on it, she led a mixed group of about three hundred people, shouting:


    ��The embodiment of wisdom and courage~


    The undefeated iron fortress~


    The all-seeing Eye of Wisdom~


    Cheer up!��


    The fan groups on both sides glared at each other, almost shouting until their throats were sore.


    On the arena, Abner looked down at the blue katana in his hand and thought, ��Gale��s information was wrong����


    According to Gale, Lin Da��s Life Barrier was estimated to be around 10,000.


    That was the strategy: ��Take down Lin Da first, get rid of the healing core, and then slowly deal with Isalia.��


    Not only was Lin Da studying Abner, but Abner��s command was also studying them.


    Gale had overestimated Lin Da��s heartiness as much as possible.


    But Gale could never have imagined that Lin Da��s current health points had reached an astonishing 17,500.


    This number exceeded that of many level 39 Heavy Armored Warriors!


    After being repelled, Lin Da immediately began chanting ��Continuous Healing.��


    Isalia also recovered, and went to support him.


    ��Frost Star!��


    ��Flame Slash!��


    The silver rapier shone with a cold light, while the greatsword was enveloped in raging flames.


    The two of them, one to the left and one to the right, attacked Abner!


    Abner, lost in thought, did not seem to notice the girls�� attack.


    But when Lia and her associates came within a meter of Abner, he suddenly flicked his wrist, and his katana traced a beautiful arc.


    These arcs, made of real water streams, instantly extinguished the flames on Lia��s greatsword and deflected the tip of Isalia��s rapier.


    Bam!


    Both were sent flying simultaneously, spitting out a mouthful of blood!


    ��How is this possible���� Lia wiped the blood from her mouth with the back of her hand, her face filled with disbelief.


    Her eyes couldn��t even follow Abner��s movements!


    ��Take this!��


    Isalia stabilized her stance as a mist-like Ice Douqi gathered on the tip of her rapier.


    With one thrust, she summoned three small ice walls around Abner, trapping him in a confined space.


    ��So that��s it, now he can��t dodge!��


    Lia was about to charge forward, when suddenly, with a loud bang, the ice walls were split in two by Abner.


    Abner��s terrifying power made Lia��s eyelids twitch uncontrollably, and she involuntarily took a half-step back. Fortunately, a green light descended on her head, spreading a warm feeling all over her body.


    Under the cover of the green light shield, Lia��s tense spirits gradually relaxed.


    It was Lin Da��s Verdant Shield!


    Thinking that Lin Da was right behind her providing support brought a strange sense of familiarity to Lia��s heart.


    During their three years in Snow Goose, they had fought side by side like this hundreds of times.


    Suddenly, Lia��s confidence surged, and facing the arrow-like Abner, she did not flinch or dodge but raised her greatsword and slashed down!


    ��But Abner��s target was not her.


    Abner moved as quickly as lightning, avoiding Lia and heading straight for Lin Da.


    Abner had no intention of changing the plan; he was focused on taking out Lin Da, the healing core, first!


    ��Heart Flow, High-speed Slash.��


    The katana slashed out a ��well�� character.


    Torrential water erupted from the sword��s glow, looking as if space itself was shattered, with a waterfall pouring out from within.


    A sense of danger attacked Lin Da from all directions, with every escape route around him sealed off by Abner��s sword glow. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��I wanted to save this for later in the midfield, but no choice, I��ll use it now.��


    Lin Da��s eyes hardened, he took a deep breath and pulled out his first trump card.


    ��Black Eagle Wings�� spread out!��

 Chapter 474 - 474: 360, Turning the Tide, Power of Bonds!

    Chapter 474: 360, Turning the Tide, Power of Bonds!


    Seeing Lin Da enveloped by the blade light, several Moon rank adventurers sighed with regret in their hearts.


    The agility of a Level 35 support class occupation, compared to that of a Level 39 warrior, was significantly inferior.


    With Abner��s speed, even if Lin Da had Healing Art, it would be difficult to use it.


    At that moment, an unusual fluctuation of magic power attracted everyone��s attention.


    ��This is����


    Bervis squinted his eyes, looking behind Lin Da.


    ...


    With a bang.


    Lin Da��s shirt burst open, and from his shoulder blades surged two streams of chaotic energy, forming a pair of black, immense wings over a meter long!


    Feathers appeared out of nowhere in the arena, as if a shower of feathers had begun.


    In this ��Black Rain,�� Lin Da flapped his wings vigorously, stirring up fierce wind currents.


    The spectators close to the arena, who also had lower levels, were blown back, their hair streaming and breath difficult to catch.


    The black wings, like those of a large goose unfurled, carried Lin Da as he soared into the air!


    Abner��s blade light had only sealed off the ground, and he lifted his head in shock, staring at the now tiny dot that was Lin Da, dumbstruck for a moment.


    Except for Moon rank and wind-based mages, adventurers below those ranks couldn��t fly.


    ��Isn��t this cheating? The duel of Star-ranked adventurers should be on the ground, what counts if you fly?��


    ��Have the guts to come down and have a one-on-one with our brother Abner!��


    ��Unfair!��


    Voices of dissent rose from the square.


    Most of these objectors were fans of the White Dove Adventure Group or ordinary adventurers.


    On the contrary, Star rank and Moon rank adventurers felt it was nothing reprehensible.


    Not using one��s skills would be foolish.


    Furthermore, they were well aware of how difficult it was to master flying skills.


    Fry had a book on it, but despite studying it for five to six years, he still had no clue.


    Although everyone could fly once they reached the Moon rank, theoretically there was no rush, but the problem was that according to the Adventurers�� Guild��s statistics, only one-tenth of Star rank could upgrade to Moon rank.


    Most adventurers ended up stuck at the Star rank for life, retiring in frustration.


    At that point, mastering a flying skill became crucial, allowing one to remain invincible within the Star rank even if they couldn��t attain the Moon rank.


    On the arena, Lin Da, with his Black Eagle Wings spread, took on an existence like a bug in the system.


    He could hit Abner, but Abner couldn��t reach him.


    The stupefied expression on Abner��s face gave Lin Da a pang of guilt.


    However, in the face of victory, such guilt was insignificant.


    Lin Da chanted [Continuous Healing] and [Verdant Shield], applying them to Lia and Isa.


    This made their bodies as tough as a normal Heavy Armored Warrior.


    ��Venom Magic Sphere!��


    Lin Da harassed from a distance, creating opportunities for the two women.


    His attack ability wasn��t top-notch, but his sustained damage output was significant, and Abner dared not let his spells touch him, spending a great deal of energy dodging.


    The battleground finally shifted from a one-sided affair to an intense fight of tit-for-tat.


    Isa, like a serpent waiting to strike, lingered around Abner, launching cunning and deadly attacks whenever the opportunity arose.


    Lia��s attacks were like a fierce storm, violent and relentless.


    Abner, while fending off both women, also had to beware of the Venom Magic Sphere shot from the air, multitasking between awareness and physical exertion.


    �� S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��This Abner has some potential.��


    Luden watched Abner on the arena, outnumbered but holding his own, and nodded in approval.


    The swordsmanship skills of the other two young women were also quite decent, matching Abner��s Level 39 Battle Qi with their Level 33.


    Lin Da, however, mastered flying skills and powerful shield techniques.


    Both his perception and talent were quite good.


    Still�� their performance was too routine.


    Such adventurers were too common in Cangqing Province, lining up to be mentioned in the Adventurers�� Weekly.


    Moreover, Lin Da��s use of flying skills was a negative point in Luden��s eyes.


    Lacking the courage to beat an opponent face-to-face, how could one become a powerful adventurer?


    Luden was about to cross out the names of Lin Da and the other two women from the recommended list in his notebook when��


    A flapping sound reverberated through the Secret Realm Square.


    In the sky, Lin Da suddenly dove downward like an eagle swooping on its prey!


    ��Here it comes!��


    Lia and Isa exchanged glances, nodding swiftly.


    This was the crucial part of their battle plan.


    When Abner was drained and vulnerable, the signal for a counterattack would sound.


    Lin Da��s dive was that signal for them!


    ��Flame Dragon Slash!��


    ��Frost Crack Strike!��


    Lia��s great sword blazed with intense flames, morphing into the semblance of a fire dragon, the air around it noticeably distorting with the heat.


    Isa��s thin sword gathered a layer of frost crystals, turning into a cold light that stabbed towards Abner��s chest!


    One side was engulfed in flames, while the other was piercingly cold.


    Abner��s expression remained calm, seemingly confident in dodging their attacks.


    At the same moment, Lin Da dove down, his Earth Dragon Longsword gleaming with green light, with vines growing upon it.


    Roar��


    Dragon��s Might swept out.


    Aside from a few Moon rank adventurers, everyone else��s faces changed color, their minds seemingly struck by a thunderclap, dazed for that instant.


    It was Lin Da��s Rare Technique, Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang!


    Lin Da not only had his Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang at Level 4, but his gear, the [Green Dragon Warrior��s Decayed Tooth], allowed a 30% increase in Dragon Series Skills�� power.


    Together, the power of Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang nearly matched that of an Ultimate Skill.


    The mental attack that came with Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang startled Abner briefly, and by the time he recovered, the heavy Vine Dragon had already roared forth, morphing into a large net in midair, obstructing his entire field of vision.


    Lia and Isa��s attacks followed closely behind!


    With a loud boom, flames swept around, and frost wreaked havoc.

 Chapter 475 - 475: 360, Turning the Tide, Power of Bonds!_2

    Chapter 475: 360, Turning the Tide, Power of Bonds!_2


    The bustling square fell silent. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Dozens of eyes stared intently at the arena.


    ��A rare technique of the Dragon Series.��


    Several Moon Rank individuals in the VIP area recognized the true face of Lin Da��s move.


    Rocher furrowed his brow, involuntarily recalling the ten-layer Great Mystery Continent from a month ago.


    But the difference between a level 49 Forest Dragon and the level 35 youth before him was too vast; Rocher didn��t ponder it deeply.


    ...


    He simply thought that Lin Da had a lucky streak, having killed a forest lizard at the World Tree, which dropped the [Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang].


    ��


    On the arena, flames and frost dispersed, leaving a large pit in their place.


    In the center, there was a fragment of clothing and some bloodstains.


    Lia��s attacks had indeed hit Abner, but Abner��s figure had vanished.


    ��Where is he?��


    Lin Da had not located Abner and felt an ominous premonition growing within him.


    At that moment, he felt a chill breeze above his head.


    Looking up, he saw Abner descending from above, positioned in a katana stance, concentrating terrifying water-based fighting spirit, and slashing directly at him!


    Due to the rampant flames and frost earlier, no one saw how Abner reached the height of a hundred meters.


    An incredible hypothesis flashed through Lin Da��s mind.


    He had no time to think further as the bright blade light descended rapidly.


    It was one of Abner��s famous techniques, Heart Flow* Strike!


    Like a bird in the sky hit by a cannonball, Lin Da thudded into the arena.


    His bones felt as if they were coming apart, and the water-based fighting spirit inside him slashed wildly like numerous water knives.


    The Verdant Shield was shattered by Abner��s strike, decreasing his health points by a third.


    Isalia reacted and both started rushing his way.


    But propelled by his downward momentum from the sky, Abner��s speed was terrifying.


    He prepared for a second katana strike, aimed right at Lin Da in the pit!


    The interval between the two attacks was extremely short; Lin Da had no time to chant a new Verdant Shield.


    There was only one consequence of receiving this strike: he would be eliminated on the spot, and Lia and Isa would be broken one by one!


    Rocher, the War Maniac brought in to control the situation, sat up straight, his battle qi turning into twisting electric arcs, unfurling wings, and preparing to rescue at any moment.


    After this move, the outcome would likely be decided.


    Whether Lin Da and his team would be defeated one by one, or Abner would collapse exhausted��


    Milis and the other two Young Ladies watched Abner��s heroic form on the large screen with infatuated faces, holding their cheeks.


    The blue ponytail, straight as a sword in the brisk wind, when the camera focused on Lin Da, he lay in the pit, face smeared with dirt.


    It was clear who was stronger and who was weaker.


    But Lin Da made an unexpected move.


    He took a bottle of red powder from his waist, uncorked it, and flung it into the air.


    The powder drifted in the breeze towards the VIP seats.


    Milis and the other two Young Ladies choked, coughing repeatedly, with tears streaming down their faces.


    The powder was actually the specialty from the tenth floor, capable of making a black bear roll its eyes in spiciness, the [Warm Warm Chili]!


    Since chili powder wasn��t considered a magic item, it was not restricted in the exhibition match.


    The red smoke filled the arena, forcing Abner to divert some fighting spirit to disperse it.


    ��But it��s merely buying time.��


    Abner thought calmly, even if Lin Da took the opportunity to dodge, it would only allow him more attacks.


    ��In front of everyone��s stunned gaze, a pair of nearly two-meter-long Azure Wings unfurled behind Abner.


    The wings, like those made of crystal, radiated unparalleled beauty under the sunlight.


    Abner, like Lin Da, had mastered the Flying Skill!


    As for why he didn��t use it immediately�� clearly, Abner sought not just a victory but a dominant win that could conquer everyone present.


    But the performance of Lin Da��s team exceeded Abner��s expectations; any further hesitation, and he would be the one to lose.


    When the Azure Wings were unfurled, it meant Lin Da had no escape, only to be relentlessly pursued by him!


    Abner deliberately chose to unfurl the wings just before hitting the ground to make Lin Da misjudge: just avoid his strike, and Lin Da could ascend to the sky and stand once again unbeaten.


    Actually, this was a trap Abner had deliberately set for Lin Da.


    Once Lin Da chose to fly up into the sky, he would lose the support of Lia and Isa. The moment he spread his wings and soared, he needed to gather a substantial amount of magic power to his wings, greatly weakening his defense.


    Abner��s next strike, even without using any skills, could eliminate Lin Da.


    The balance of victory had already tipped, completely falling into Abner��s arms!


    When Abner��s Azure Wings unfolded, everyone in the square showed a look of surprise.


    Luden nodded secretly, ��Mind��s Eye�� Abner, undoubtedly was the greatest gain of this trip.


    Even placed in the Azure Sky Adventurers University of Cyan City, he would rank among the top.


    It was surprising that such talent could emerge from the small White Dove City��


    ��What, what!��


    Luden was about to continue praising Abner in his mind, but the next scene left him so shocked that his feather pen dropped to the ground.


    As the dust of chili powder cleared, the golden light of the morning sun fell on the arena.


    In that big pit, the young man with black hair propelled himself off the ground and charged head-on toward Abner!


    Roar!


    Dragon��s Might appeared for the second time.


    Facing the fierce strike from Abner falling from the sky, Lin Da did not choose to dodge but went straight for an attack!


    ��


    When Lin Da saw those Azure Wings, instead of panicking, he felt a great relief washing over him.


    The appearance of the Azure Wings seemed accidental, but in the game, hints had already been given.


    In a certain side quest, players entered Abner��s room to look for a missing cat. As a streak of azure light twinkled in the air, Abner immediately jumped through the window to stop players from rummaging through the room.


    Of course, Lin Da couldn��t confirm based purely on this that Abner had mastered flying skills.


    To be safe, he included this possibility in his strategy for the battle.


    Abner appearing in the sky a hundred meters high justified Lin Da��s guess.


    His full effort to fly up and avoid Abner might have a 99% chance of keeping him unbeaten, but the other 1%, meant elimination.


    By relying on his remaining health points of slightly over ten thousand to stall Abner and create opportunities for Lia and the others, the chance of victory was 100%!


    Lin Da was fully confident, once the top swordswomen Lia and Isa��s outputs struck Abner, they could instantly determine the winner.


    Using the moment Abner was dazed by the Dragon Roar, Lin Da twisted his body to avoid his critical areas from being directly attacked.


    Then he stretched out both hands and, in a bear hug, bound Abner!


    Suddenly, blood splattered all over the arena.


    Lin Da��s critical areas avoided the katana, but that moment��s gap was not enough for him to completely dodge.


    The cold blade pierced into his side and was stuck between his ribs.


    Abner tried to pull out the sword, but Lin Da smiled calmly, the blood spurting from his wound as if it was on someone else��s body.


    The desire for victory overwhelmed the pain in his body.


    Lin Da cast the Dark Whip, binding the two of them together.


    ��Lia, Isa, now, attack with all your might!��


    Abner knew it was bad, gritted his teeth, and tried to pull the sword out again.


    But Lin Da stretched out his big hand and grasped his wrist.


    The two men grappled, and for a moment, it was hard to make out who had the upper hand.


    A few meters away, Isa and Lia exchanged glances, hesitation in their eyes.


    High-damage moves were hard to control in terms of attack range and would inevitably affect Lin Da.


    And Lin Da��s injury looked extremely severe, the blood spurting out in the struggle with Abner like a small fountain, staining the nearby ground bright red.


    Lia even thought that Lin Da was barely holding on to his last breath.


    Just as they hesitated, the Dark Whip emitted cracking sounds of breaking.


    Lin Da��s arms weakened, his fingers slowly slipping from Abner��s sword handle.


    He was about to lose his grip.


    He shouted angrily, ��What are you waiting for, attack!��


    ��This is your own saying!��


    Lia, snapping out of it, gritted her teeth, her great sword wrapped in Fire-Based Fighting Spirit, forming a Fire Tornado.


    She glared at Abner furiously, stepped forward quickly, and with the great sword aimed at Abner��s head, she brought it down fiercely.


    ��Flame! Dragon! Slash!��

 Chapter 476 - 476: 361, adventurer Lin Da, potential: Eight Stars!

    Chapter 476: 361, adventurer Lin Da, potential: Eight Stars!


    Lin Da��s eyes revealed a hint of relief.


    With this strike, if Abner did not die, he would be severely injured, and his health points would be reduced to about one quarter.


    The only regret was that he most likely would not be able to participate in the subsequent matches.


    Boom��


    The great sword wrapped in flames fell, Battle Qi turning into a sea of flames, swallowing both Lin Da and Abner.


    Lia��s great sword drooped to the ground, her expression somewhat dim.


    ...


    A gust of wind blew, and the flames gradually dispersed.


    What appeared in front of Lia was not two charred figures.


    Instead, it was a burly man with golden short hair and a face full of scars.


    The burly man was nearly two meters tall, like an insurmountable wall. With a single right palm, he easily dispelled Lia��s Flame Dragon Slash.


    If this strike had hit a Star-ranked adventurer squarely, aside from front-line professions, it would have crippled or seriously injured most of them.


    But facing this burly man with the Wings of Thunder and Lightning unfolded, Lia��s Flame Dragon Slash was like a child swinging a twig, causing no pain but only blackening the man��s palm and barely peeling off a layer of skin.


    Most people in White Dove City had never seen a Moon rank adventurer make a move. The golden-haired, mountain-like stalwart standing in the arena caused a stir of exclamations throughout the square.


    They only knew that Moon rank was stronger than Star rank, but they had no concept of how much stronger.


    The golden-haired stalwart was also a Senior Moon Order.


    The disparity in strength displayed was so vast that it was suffocating.


    No wonder there was an ��adventurer��s code�� in the Great Mystery Continent that forbids the strong from bullying the weak. If Moon rank adventurers went to lower levels and competed with Star rank or even adventurers below level 20 for resources, no one would be able to live.


    The gap between a Senior Moon Order and a Star Rank was like comparing the moon to fireflies; they simply weren��t on the same level.


    The one who appeared in the Arena and blocked Lia��s Flame Dragon Slash was none other than the Adventure Team Leader of the Holy Rock Adventure Team, [War Maniac] Rocher.


    Rocher clenched his fist, feeling the heat in his palm, and clicked his tongue, ��The daughter of Augutuo is not as useless as the rumors claim.��


    In earlier years, both were at Star rank and had cooperated in the Great Mystery Continent. However, after Rocher advanced to Moon rank, he paid little attention to Augutuo who was merely at the peak of Star rank, only knowing that he had a daughter named Lia.


    It seemed that she was keeping company with his own daughter, forming a useless duo.


    The host Kami snapped out of his daze after a while and exclaimed excitedly with the Magic Conduction Tube, ��The victor, the victor has been decided! The winners, Lin Da��s trio!��


    The silence in the square shattered with a roar.


    ��Abner lost? How is that possible, what I saw must be an illusion!��


    ��What kind of tactic is that; they��re risking their lives for an exhibition match!��


    ��White Dove City��s new ceiling has been born!��


    A group of Abner��s fans, their hearts collectively shattered, some overcome with sadness, began to cry.


    But no matter what, the ironclad reality would not change; the match was indeed a victory for Lin Da and his team.


    Applause roared like an intensifying storm, echoing throughout Secret Realm Square.


    Amidst the applause, Fry and several other Adventure Team Leaders from Red Heart City had faces as black as coal.


    They had finally made it to almost level 40 with Abner about to leave White Dove City, but in a few years, White Dove City might have three new ��Abners.��


    Isalia��s swordsmanship had reached Master Level, and their growth would not fall short of Abner��s.


    And Lin Da, with his Flying Skills and Rare Techniques, had an incredible aptitude and was adept at creating strategies for the World Tree��s adventures.


    Given time, Red Heart City��s resource areas could very well become White Dove City��s backyard! S��arch* The ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Fortunately, they won��t be able to leave the Sunrise Adventure Group for a short time! White Dove City��s 19th layer is blocked by the Nightmare Guardian, and unless these three teams change their origin of adventure, it will take them at least decades to reach the Sunrise level,�� Fry comforted himself internally.


    It was no secret among neighboring cities that the 19th layer of White Dove City was home to an Epic Five-Star Magical Creature, the Flame Giant.


    The White Dove Adventure Group had failed many times in their challenges, and the waste of Town Portal Scrolls alone amounted to several million Gold Coins.


    The difficulty with the Nightmare Guardian was the high challenge level, but the World Tree Goddess had provided adventurers with a loophole��unlike regular Minor Secret Realms, the floor where the Nightmare Guardian resided could be attempted multiple times with the use of Town Portal Scrolls.


    [Red Heart Thief] Alajie��s layer evaluation: Without at least three Moon rank adventurers, it is impossible to defeat the Flame Giant.


    But trying to breakthrough to Moon rank without relying on the power of the World Tree takes much longer, usually counting in years.


    All things considered, adventurers from Red Heart City were still relatively safe, at least for the next few years, without worrying about being surpassed by White Dove City.


    Coyote Wol snorted coldly, ��The score from the last time Red Heart City was invaded has yet to be settled with them! Previously, this Phoenix Tail Flower was only at rock level, and it wouldn��t have been right for us to act. But now we��re all at Iron Level, there��s no rule against the strong bullying the weak.��


    Hearing this, Fry, Celina, and Timo all showed troubled expressions.


    The past was the past, and now is now! White Dove City now had four Iron Level adventure teams, whereas previously, Specter and Bedrock did not get along with Abner; White Dove City was a mess.


    Now, the Phoenix Tail Flower and the other four teams had significant relations. The two female team leaders were also members of Lin Da��s party, and the White Dove Adventure Group had publicly expressed friendship towards the Phoenix Tail Flower��


    It could be said that White Dove City was now united as a solid plate, and even though Red Heart City had six Iron Level teams, except for the Scarlet Adventure Group, the others�� well, their combat prowess was somewhat average.


    Without the Scarlet Adventure Group leading the charge, a fight of five against four wouldn��t necessarily end in victory.


    Celina laughed and said, ��I have no objection to your [Claws of Tomorrow] Adventure Team taking on the White Dove Adventure Group.��

 Chapter 477 - 477: 361, adventurer Lin Da, potential: Eight Stars!_2

    Chapter 477: 361, adventurer Lin Da, potential: Eight Stars!_2


    Fry and Timo said, ��If that��s the case, we have no objections.��


    Wol thought about the terrifying combat power that Abner had displayed, his face darkened, and he closed his eyes without saying a word.


    ��


    In the VIP seats, Miwen and two other Viscounts had serious expressions as they huddled together, whispering. From time to time, they glanced at the arena, discussing investment matters.


    Weylon pricked up his ears and heard the number of fifty million Gold Coins.


    If each of the three Viscounts invested fifty million, that would be one and a half billion Gold Coins!


    ...


    Weylon��s mood immediately lifted.


    What was more important was that the mysterious lady from the Royal Capital had promised to put forward three billion Gold Coins for White Dove City, should the winner be Lin Da.


    Looking at the four people on stage, Weylon couldn��t help but puff out his chest with pride.


    White Dove City would be revitalized because of the adventure team they led.


    In contrast to Weylon��s great mood, Luden, a reporter for the Adventurer��s Weekly hiding in the audience, had a troubled face, his feather pen unable to make a mark.


    He hoped to publish Abner��s name in the next issue of the weekly.


    Abner��s combat power was evident to all, he was considered a genius even in Cyan City.


    But�� Abner had lost.


    Lin Da��s decisive counterattack was the key to turning the tide of the battle. In that instant, most people would have chosen to spread Black Eagle Wings and dodge Abner��s attack; Luden would have done the same.


    Luden scratched his head, wondering if Lin Da had already known that Abner possessed a Flying Skill?


    But if so, it didn��t make sense that Lin Da was successfully attacked from the air by Abner.


    Clearly, Lin Da hadn��t anticipated that Abner would spread his wings and fly a hundred meters up.


    From the burst of Abner��s attack to the fall, it seemed slow but was actually less than a second. S��arch* The N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That meant, in the blink of an eye, Lin Da had to figure out that Abner possessed a Flying Skill and that his own Life Barrier was thick enough to take Abner��s attack and hold out until his teammates arrived.


    No, that��s not right! Luden suddenly remembered something and felt a chill run through his body.


    The noisy voices of the crowd in the square seemed to vanish beside his ear, and Luden��s mind became exceptionally clear��Lin Da couldn��t withstand Abner��s Fatal Strike.


    It was only by relying on Forest Dragon��s Might from Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang that he avoided a vital hit.


    But in that short time of less than a second, Lin Da would not have had enough time to activate that move!


    The truth was, before Abner��s attack even arrived, Lin Da had already foreseen the crisis and started running the Magic Circuit of Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang in advance.


    Whether it was deliberate or just a coincidence, probably only Lin Da himself knew.


    If it was a prediction, the risk was indeed too great. If Abner hadn��t launched an attack at him, a precious chance to use a Rare Technique would be wasted, along with a significant amount of Magic Power.


    Rare Techniques differed from Common Skills; starting up a Magic Circuit and then holding back would cause great harm to the body.


    If Abner hadn��t chosen Lin Da as his target but instead someone more fragile like Isa or Lia, Lin Da would have to waste a use of Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang, which could be a fatal mistake.


    But if he succeeded�� it would be an awe-inspiringly clever move!


    It seemed like Lin Da had hit Abner with Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang, but in reality, it was Abner who had flown straight into Lin Da��s Rare Technique.


    Combined with Lin Da��s ��Human Flesh Chains�� and Dark Whip, this truly secured Abner firmly, giving Lia the chance to land Flame Dragon Slash with accuracy.


    But the fight happened too fast, too suddenly, most people didn��t realize just how much psychological gaming was in that brief second.


    After analyzing the battle thoroughly, Luden��s skepticism completely vanished.


    As a reporter for the biggest newspaper in Cangqing Province, although his professionalism wasn��t much to speak of, it implied he had some at least.


    The feather pen landed on the notebook, writing the elegant words completely opposite to Luden��s disheveled appearance.


    Adventurer Lia, potential: Five stars.


    Adventurer Isa, potential: Six stars.


    Adventurer Abner, potential: Seven stars, recommended to be issued an invitation to the Ice Abyss Training Camp!


    Adventurer Lin Da, potential: Eight stars, ditto!


    ��


    ��Captain!��


    ��Lin Da!��


    The match ended, and members from both sides rushed onto the stage.


    The Adventurers�� Guild had already prepared priests from the Holy Light Church to bandage the injured.


    Lin Da��s injuries seemed terrifying, but they had not affected his internal organs.


    After simple hemostasis and a few Healing Arts, he was basically fine.


    Lulu and the others surrounded Lin Da with worried faces.


    Through the gaps, Lin Da saw Lia standing at the edge, unable to approach, looking helpless. He wanted to say something so many times but never had the opportunity.


    He always felt that the Flame Dragon Slash Lia used against Abner carried some personal emotions.


    But Abner had a good reputation, and there shouldn��t be any grudges between him and Lia.


    Lin Da thought she would take the opportunity to take revenge for yesterday��s incident and send him flying too.


    But that move, Flame Dragon Slash, was clearly only aimed at Abner.


    Lin Da had never seen Lia with such an angry expression before.


    Now that the fight was over, she stood on the outside of the crowd, her eyes reddening as if she was about to cry.


    He was surrounded by Lulu and the others and had no chance to speak with Lia. Several times, Lia tried to squeeze her way in, but she would lift her hand halfway and then lower it.


    Lia��s strange behavior left Lin Da confused.


    This guy couldn��t be thinking of taking advantage of the situation to ambush him, could she?


    Lin Da snorted internally, thinking he had gone too easy on Lia yesterday.


    ��Kid, not bad.��


    Rocher came over, his eyes showing faint admiration.


    He had previously heard from Bervis that there was an adventurer in White Dove City with the title ��Eye of True Knowledge�� who was quite good.


    At that time, he was somewhat skeptical, thinking that apart from that Abner with a bit of fame, the others from White Dove City had no hope of becoming a Sunrise Level adventure team!


    To someone like Rocher, ordinary Iron Level adventurers simply didn��t matter, and the same went for the century-old families like The Mandalas.


    Now, there were at least two people from White Dove City that he acknowledged.


    Lin Da, facing the captain of a Sunrise Level adventure team, didn��t dare to be negligent. Bearing the pain from his injuries, he stood up and performed a simple adventurer��s courtesy, humbly saying:


    ��It was just luck, if it were a real battle, the winner might not have been so clear.��


    Rocher frowned: ��A win is a win, there��s no need for all that nonsense.��


    Abner nodded as well: ��Captain Rochelle is right, this match was a complete victory for you. I was planning not to use my Flying Skills�� It seems I still have a long way to go in my training. Lin Da, congratulations, you should be able to get a ticket to the Ice Abyss Training Camp.��


    Many people knew that Lin Da had turned down an invitation from the dean of Azure Sky University.


    Abner immediately realized that Lin Da��s goal was the same as his, the gathering place of talents from Cangqing Province, directly under Duke of the Cold Moon, Ice Abyss Training Camp.


    Upon hearing their conversation, Rochelle was surprised: ��You both want to go there?��


    ��Yes.��


    Lin Da and Abner, both nodded in unison.


    ��Ambitious, but I advise you to give up,�� Rochelle blurted out nonchalantly: ��I stayed there less than a month when I was young before I was eliminated! That kind of place, you either eat others, or you get eaten, and the two of you look like herbivores to me. It would be purely a waste of time to go there, only to find discomfort.��


    ��That��s not necessarily the case.�� Lin Da shook his head, ��You won��t know until you try.��


    Abner hummed in agreement: ��That��s what I think too.��


    The two exchanged a look, and mutual appreciation flickered in their eyes. It was rare for the leading adventure teams of White Dove City to have the same ambitions. Once they arrived in Cyan City, the camaraderie of being from the same hometown would be invaluable in that strange place.


    Unlike the ��fellow townspeople pit against each other�� from Lin Da��s previous life, adventurers on the Mystic Continent have deep feelings for their place of birth, and it was common for people from the same city to form small interest groups abroad.


    So, even though Lin Da was injured and Abner defeated, there was no resentment in their hearts. Instead, they were glad to have a strong companion.


    ��If we have a chance to go to the tavern����


    Lin Da was about to extend an invitation, when suddenly, a fiery red figure barged in.


    The person, head lowered, unexpectedly landed a punch on his chest.


    A pain like an electric shock flashed through his brain.


    The wound on his side, only recently bandaged, split open from the punch, the bandage turning red.


    A surge of anger rose in Lin Da��s heart, and he frowned as he looked up, only to find that the person who punched him had an even angrier expression.


    Lia, with a thin layer of mist in her eyes, glared at him and yelled, ��You idiot, do you have a death wish!��

 Chapter 478 - 478: 362. The Truth About Snow Goose: Lin Da is Actually Lias Father?!

    Chapter 478: 362. The Truth About Snow Goose: Lin Da is Actually Lia��s ��Father��?!


    Lia��s fist came at him again, but this time, Lin Da was prepared, and with a snap, he grabbed Lia��s wrist.


    Seeing the nearly overflowing pearls in Lia��s eyes, Lin Da scratched his head in confusion.


    He couldn��t help but think, could it be that Lia��s actions were not about ambushing him, but out of concern?


    No, that couldn��t be possible!


    The sun hadn��t risen from the west, had it?


    Lin Da was greatly shocked.


    ...


    In his mind, Lia was a selfish spirit, always preoccupied with herself.


    That she hadn��t taken advantage of his injuries to kick him while he was down was a relief.


    And now, Lia was actually worried about him?


    Lin Da was so shocked that his mouth hung open wide, unable to close.


    He wanted to question Lia, but looking at her comical little face as she snuffled and held back tears, he felt somehow that she was sincere.


    On the arena, Abner and the others wisely exited, leaving only Lin Da and his group.


    Lin Da slowly released Lia��s wrist, pondered for a moment, and answered seriously,


    ��This competition did indeed involve some risks, but it was totally worth it.


    Think about it, I��ve been featured in Adventurer��s Weekly once, but Snow Goose and Ice Flower haven��t even once.


    There��s only a little over half a year left until the Ice Abyss Training Camp starts recruiting.


    If you guys want to go, you can��t miss this chance.


    Lia, the place you want to go to isn��t Azure Sky Adventurers University, but there, right?��


    With Lin Da��s understanding of Lia, she would surely aim for the best.


    If this competition failed to make it onto the ��Gathering of Heroes�� section of Adventurer��s Weekly, it would be quite challenging for Snow Goose and Ice Flower to make it twice in the coming half-year.


    If going to Cyan City, the more companions, the better, and Lin Da naturally wouldn��t leave Goose and Ice Flower behind.


    He himself also needed to win this competition to secure the entrance ticket for the training camp.


    All these reasons formed the basis for Lin Da��s rationale that even though there was risk, he couldn��t afford to lose.


    Besides, it only looked like his injuries were severe; Lia didn��t know the actual thickness of his Life Barrier, which had made her think he had narrowly escaped death several times.


    Hearing this explanation, Lia was suddenly stunned and said incredulously, ��So, you did this for me���� sea??h th�� N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da meant it for himself, as well as for Ice Flower and Snow Goose��s adventure teams.


    But to Lia��s ears, it somehow became Lin Da fighting desperately against Abner to secure a training camp entrance ticket for her.


    Seeing Lia��s moved expression, Lin Da simply didn��t correct her but smiled and reached to pet her head as if he was stroking a pet dog:


    ��Yes, exactly. That��s why I didn��t mind getting hurt to secure the victory!��


    Lia��s eyes widened bit by bit: ��Really?��


    ��Mhm,�� Lin Da nodded.


    ��Oh, oh����


    Lia��s inner flame of anger suddenly extinguished, and she thought blissfully that Lin Da had fought so hard just for her.


    Everyone around them cast strange glances, Lulu looked resigned, and Isa��s eyes held a hint of sympathy�� Although she didn��t know what was going on, those two were probably envious of her.


    Lin Da had indeed fought desperately against Abner for her!


    In contrast to Lin Da, who was mature in both his past and present life, the just-adult Lia was still full of fantastical, passionate dreams.


    The biggest difference was that Lin Da planned to retire with his team members after defeating the Demon King and live a relaxed and happy life without shame or want for Gold Coins.


    Whereas Lia dreamed of leading her team to slay Giant Dragons and demons, meeting a White Horse Knight during her adventures, and ultimately becoming a legend in the war to protect the continent��


    Her head was stuffed with romantic fantasies like those from comic books.


    This represented the fundamental difference between Lia and Lin Da; Lin Da was long past his adolescence.


    Ever since Lin Da had left the team, Lia had gradually realized the significant differences in their personalities and ambitions, causing their rift to widen.


    But it was only after separating from their inseparable team life of three years and becoming somewhat strangers that Lia truly felt she knew Lin Da.


    He wasn��t just the annoying uncle who nagged in her ear like an old mother, he could also show his mettle to protect others. From subduing the Goblin Prince to closing the Three-Headed Snake People Chieftain in the Great Mystery Continent, and battling the Lunar Tier Voxel, whenever Lia saw Lin Da��s towering figure stand before her, she momentarily visualized Lin Da riding a tall horse, backlit with a radiant glow.


    By now, Lia could no longer see Lin Da as just the annoying uncle who nagged at her.


    Under the teasing gaze of others, Lia��s face grew redder and she stuttered trying to say something.


    Meeting Lin Da��s probing dark eyes, Lia panicked without reason, her cheeks burning, hands against her will crossed in front of her chest showing an arrogant posture, she huffed:


    ��Idiot! Don��t think this makes me forgive you, apologize, apologize!��


    She was referring to yesterday��s incident.


    Lin Da perplexedly said, ��Why should I apologize? If anyone, you should be the one apologizing. I still have to deal with my Oath-bound in the future, what right do you have to challenge me? If someone has to be challenged, it should be my team members, not you.��


    After all, Lin Da was building a future for the super ��Magi-machines�� with his children, none of which could afford even the slightest mishap.


    But Lia��s one sword stroke had chopped off several of his ��hairs,�� and had it gone a bit further, Lin Da��s ��Magi-machine�� would have been reduced to just about 1.3 times the size of a normal person��s.

 Chapter 479 - 479: 362. The Truth About Snow Goose: Lin Da Turns Out to Be Lias

    Chapter 479: 362. The Truth About Snow Goose: Lin Da Turns Out to Be Lia��s ��Father��?!_2


    Not tying Lia up and throwing her into a dungeon for a harsh lesson already made him quite kind-hearted.


    Lia was originally quite happy, with her heart blooming with flowers, but Lin Da��s unapologetic words instantly unleashed a torrential downpour in her heart, drowning all the freshly bloomed flowers.


    A certain unsavory image abruptly appeared in Lia��s mind, like a nail driven deep into a plank of wood, impossible to pull out.


    It even flickered in her dreams last night, making it hard for her to breathe.


    Remembering that terrible dream, Lia��s head steamed with white vapor from the fever, and she spat out a curse, gritting her teeth:


    ��What trash, who wants to challenge that, I only lost to you last time because you were lucky, in this afternoon��s competition, I will beat you in front of everyone!��


    ...


    ��Ahem, ahem, if you two want to argue, could you please do it off the stage? The Valiant Adventure Team and the Gao Ge Adventure Team have already taken the stage.��


    Kami, sitting in a hot-air balloon, transmitted her embarrassed voice through the microphone.


    Only then did Lin Da notice that adventurers from two teams were awkwardly watching him from a distance.


    Over ten thousand spectators in the square had also witnessed the argument between him and Lia.


    For a moment, Lin Da felt so embarrassed his toes curled up into a tight knot, arguing with a fool made him look like a fool too��


    With Lulu��s support, he returned to the competitors�� passage, an area enclosed by red fabric.


    Inside were tables, chairs, water, and food.


    Lin Da grabbed a bottle of water and sat down to rest, overhearing Lia��s dissatisfied muttering from the adjacent area, words like ��rogue,�� ��disgusting,�� and ��shameless,�� among other derogatory terms.


    If these words reached the ears of the reporters, his title of ��Ultimate Pervert�� was likely to stick with him for life.


    ��Lin Da, congratulations!��


    A hearty laugh came over as Weylon pushed aside the curtain and walked in spiritedly.


    Weylon��s blonde hair was combed to a sheen, his aged face bore dimples in a smile, and his stride was vigorous, making him seem a decade younger.


    ��Guild leader.��


    Lin Da, injured, nodded his head while sitting.


    Weylon didn��t mind such minor details, pulled up a chair to sit down, and praised with a beaming smile:


    ��Congratulations on winning the competition, you played brilliantly. Even in my youth, I wasn��t as good as you! Speaking of which, do you know how much investment this competition has brought into White Dove City?��


    Weylon chuckled without uttering a word, standing tall and straight.


    After thinking for a moment, Lin Da said, ��I��m not really sure about this stuff, maybe fifty million?��


    Weylon laughed heartily, ��Then you��re really underestimating the nobles from Gold Pool City. Out of over 300 cities in Cangqing Province, the wealth of Gold Pool City alone accounts for at least 5%. That city started out with trade and transportation, and its nobles are all flush with cash!��


    Of course, the truly wealthy were the Great Nobility from the Royal Capital, with 30% of the wealth of the Mystic Continent concentrated in that top-tier city.


    And the largest single investment in White Dove City also came from the Royal Capital.


    Weylon extended his right hand with a hearty laugh, opening his five fingers one by one: ��The total investment received by White Dove City is five hundred million Gold Coins!��


    ��Five hundred million?!��


    Everyone present changed their expressions, unable to contain their surprise.


    Such a large sum was something Lin Da had only seen in games.


    Weylon curved his mouth proudly: ��Most of the investment came from a Young Lady from the Royal Capital, she alone invested three hundred million Gold Coins in White Dove City!


    In addition, Viscount Miwen and two other Viscounts, along with a number of merchants, both great and small, contributed a cumulative investment of two hundred million.


    Our plan here is to rebuild the slums, construct more high-rise buildings, training grounds, and introduce new policies to recruit quality adventurers to join����


    Talking about the use of Gold Coins made Weylon passionate, as if he were a freshly graduated adventure apprentice eager to prove himself.


    Lin Da was also infected by Weylon��s enthusiasm and smiled.


    White Dove City becoming stronger was good news for all local adventurers.


    For example, a large-scale fantasy simulation training hall could effectively enhance the combat skills of adventurers.


    However, such a construction was too expensive, only present in the top ten cities of Cangqing Province.


    ��Oh, right.�� Weylon suddenly slapped his forehead, remembering the matter at hand.


    He took out a white magic scroll from his ring and handed it to Lin Da: ��It was delivered by that Young Lady��s guard, and he asked me to pass it on to you.��


    ��What��s this?��


    Lin Da took it curiously and glanced:


    [Item: Fast Recovery]


    [Category: Magic Items]


    [Quality: Epic Five-star]


    [Effect: Effective for adventurers below level 50, accelerates wound healing]


    An Epic Five-star scroll?


    Lin Da��s eyelids twitched. Such an item would be worth at least a million gold coins on the market.


    Why would someone give him something so valuable?


    Weylon, seeing his bewildered expression, laughed and said, ��Just accept it. I heard from the guard of the Powerful People Clan that the young lady from the Royal Capital seems to admire you. Knowing that you were injured in the competition, she specially sent this scroll.��


    The young lady from the Royal Capital?


    Lin Da put away the scroll, not daring to use it, and pondered secretly. With such a generous hand, could it be the same person who bought his spoils at the Imperial Credit Bank last time?


    He had some guesses in his mind.


    But there were too few clues right now to be sure.


    If the person was indeed who he thought, his body would be in great danger.


    If he fell into that person��s hands, he might be squeezed dry!


    Weylon stood up and said, ��I��ve delivered the item to you. I still have to go back and accompany those viscounts�� Oh, one more thing, the daughters of the viscount want to meet you����


    ��No need.�� Lin Da��s expression turned cold, and he refused on the spot.


    Weylon nodded. He had guessed Lin Da would react like this, but Viscount Miwen had asked on behalf of his daughters, so it was only proper to come and ask to show sincerity.


    Ever since Lin Da, covered in blood, subdued Abner, Milis��s attitude towards him had suddenly changed.


    From ��the rude and unsophisticated Lin Da�� to ��the brave and fearless adventurer,�� they now thought Lin Da had a lot of guts.


    ��There��s one more thing. There was a match scheduled for this afternoon between you and Lia����


    ��Cancel it.��


    Lin Da waved his hand. ��Healing comes first.��


    ��Are you afraid?�� Lia��s voice came from next door.


    The aisle for the competitors was made of red drapes, and the Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose were close to each other. The soundproofing wasn��t very good; if you put your ear to it, you could basically hear everything clearly if the voices on the other side were loud enough.


    ��President, I take back what I said. The match will go on as usual.��


    Lin Da pointed emotionlessly at the next room, ��Some people are like toads, always hopping around until they��re taught a lesson.��


    Despite his injuries, with the Black Eagle Wings, he could wear Lia down slowly.


    Since Lia insisted on sticking her face out for a beating, he would oblige, albeit reluctantly.


    Lin Da had to teach Lia a lesson, to make her put away her arrogant and capricious temper!


    In the blink of an eye, the afternoon arrived.


    The sun was slanting westward, and the exhibition match drew to a close.


    Compared to the exciting, eye-catching matches of the first half, the closing match was more for entertainment.


    The competitors adopted the roles of the captain of the Snow Goose Adventure Team and the former support and commander of the Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    The planners put a lot of effort into this match, studying the history of the two��s acquaintance and subsequent parting extensively, compiling research materials thick as the ��Encyclopedia of Wild Grasses,�� and investigating scenes witnessed by passersby, various rumors, interviews obtained through bribing a minor member of Snow Goose, combined with newspapers from previous generations�� to reveal the truth behind Lin Da��s departure from the team.


    The person responsible for this was the new editor-in-chief of White Dove Press, Kami, a strong supporter of Lin Da��s ��Ultimate Pervert�� title. sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Through studying these materials, Kami arrived at a shocking conclusion:


    Lin Da was actually Lia��s real father!


    Yes! Not a team member, or the secret lover from the rumors, but her father!


    Compared to the Bloody Baron from Red Heart City, who neglected Lia, when Snow Goose faced poverty, Lin Da took care of Lia��s meals, mended her torn clothes, and worked part-time in the library to earn copper coins for food��


    Neighbors repeatedly witnessed Lin Da, on payday, buying a box of strawberry cake from the bakery on that street and taking it home!


    Initially, they thought Lin Da liked sweets, but it wasn��t until after Lin Da left the team that the neighbors saw Lia buying the strawberry cakes, and they realized whose stomach the cakes had been going into.

 Chapter 480 - 480: 363. Lin Da vs Lia

    Chapter 480: 363. Lin Da vs Lia


    Kami, through these materials, seriously studied and came to the conclusion:


    Lin Da��s initial kindness to Lia was unconditional and selfless, doing laundry, cooking, bringing snacks, making strategies for adventures, assisting the team leader in battle��


    What else could it be but a father��s treatment toward his daughter?


    Some of the black fans of the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team believe that the early Lin Da was pure bootlicker, the most despised kind.


    But Kami thought that was wrong!


    What does a bootlicker lust for?


    ...


    A bootlicker lusts for one��s body!


    For O!


    And Kami, with a discerning eye, could tell from the way Lia walked with her legs apart that she was still a virgin.


    Where is there a bootlicker who has lived with a beautiful girl for three years, licked his way into her room coming and going as he pleases, and still hasn��t rounded the bases?


    This proves that Lin Da was not coveting Lia��s body.


    But simply treated Lia as a child who needed care!


    Moreover, Lin Da��s true age is also a mystery!


    Kami privately interviewed Klrona and learned that Lin Da has a past of amnesia.


    The 24 years of age he claims to be is just his own guess.


    In other words, when he first met Lia, Lin Da��s real age might have already been in his twenties or thirties, compared to the mere fifteen years of Lia.


    Except for a pervert, who would be inclined toward a fifteen-year-old girl?


    Therefore, Kami came to the conclusion.


    Lin Da is Lia��s ��father,�� taking care of her as if she were his daughter!


    Later, this daughter greatly disappointed the ��father,�� leading to the incident of leaving the team!


    The red banner hung on the magic-guided hot air balloon, with golden lettering shimmering in the magical glow, more dazzling than the orange-red sunset.


    Kami personally took up the pen and wrote four big characters:


    ��Father! Daughter! Battle!��


    Under the bewildered gaze of over ten thousand spectators, Kami, microphone in hand, stood in the basket of the magic-guided hot air balloon and said passionately:


    ��Today��s battle can indeed be called a father-daughter battle!


    A father, driven from home by his daughter��s behavior, beats her severely, hoping to bring her to her senses;


    Or will the daughter triumph over her father, taking her moment to shine.


    The answer is about to be revealed!��


    Rustle, rustle��


    Leaflets fell from the sky, like a shower of scattered raindrops.


    They contained the summary about Lin Da and Lia��s past collected by Kami, along with her sharp commentary.


    After reading the leaflets, the audience was swayed by Kami��s reasoning, showing looks of ��sudden realization.��


    ��So that��s it, Lin Da treated Lia as his daughter?


    When he was still with Snow Goose, I met them on the fifth level of the Great Mystery Continent once, joining forces to fight against the Magical Creatures.


    At that time, I felt that Lin Da was maybe too protective of the team leader of Snow Goose, and I even looked down on him a little, but the truth turned out to be this�� Lin Da took on the role of a father!��


    ��I understand now, I also lose my temper at my parents when I��m upset.��


    ��Eh, aren��t they secretly lovers? Aren��t they? If she is his daughter, that��s no longer an option, right? At Lin Da��s parties, everyone else is getting it on, is Lia just watching? Poor thing!��


    Kami��s report instantly salvaged Lia��s reputation��At the parties, while others showed a side of themselves completely different from their usual proper image, whatever ��Holy Mage�� Aiko, ��Frost Swordsman�� Isa,


    The caring big sister figure and the high-quality icy beauty in everyone��s heart, they partook in chaotic parties private, no telling how wildly they played�� This huge contrast halved the number of their fans at least.


    Only Lia remained true to herself, calmly cultivating on the sidelines even at the party. After all, if Lin Da saw her as his daughter, he would certainly not lay a hand on her!


    On the Arena, Lin Da and Lia were both a bit bewildered, looking at the crowd on the square with confusion.


    Sympathetic gazes fell on both of them, and some people were moved to tears, saying something like ��Lin Da, who can control OO and not act against his daughter, is truly great.��


    Lin Da was completely puzzled; he didn��t remember having a daughter, and he always made sure to wear his equipment properly when purifying his team members.


    At this moment, he was utterly unaware that a certain ��eldest daughter�� was standing opposite him, looking at him with a dark expression on her face.


    The cause of this situation seemed to be those flyers.


    ��What��s written on them?��


    Lin Da felt an itch of curiosity.


    However, Kami craftily avoided the Arena when distributing the flyers, leading to everyone knowing what was happening except for the two on stage, who were kept in the dark.


    Lin Da glanced at the banner on the Magic-guided Hot Air Balloon, ��Father-Daughter Battle.��


    Were there any father-daughter pairs among the adventurers in the previous competition?


    He had taken a good sleep to recover from his injuries and wasn��t very clear about the origin of the banner.


    But Lia, who had been awake the whole time, roughly guessed the meaning of the words ��father and daughter,�� her little face turning grim.


    ��Lin Da, prepare to die!��


    The competition entered the phase of hurling fierce words.


    Lia glared at Lin Da, her left hand on her hip, her right hand holding the Great Sword horizontally with the tip pointed right at Lin Da��s nose.


    ��You turned out this way, it��s my fault,�� Lin Da sighed, pulled out the Earth Dragon Longsword, his gaze gradually turning serious: ��But the main trunk of this young tree hasn��t grown crooked yet, so today I��ll prune it for you.��


    ��But speaking of which, isn��t this match unfair? Lin Da��s bandages are still stained with blood.��


    ��Indeed! Even if Lia wins, it wouldn��t be a fair victory!��


    ��Looking at the flyer, Lin Da is a 35-level Star Rank, and Lia is only 33-level; it seems�� somewhat fair?��


    A series of comments erupted from the spectator stands.


    ��It��s unfair, it��s unfair to Lin Da!��


    A blonde noble young lady, annoyed, shook her father��s arm, ��You must help Lin Da.��


    Viscount Miwen was bothered by his daughter��s commotion, his face looking incredibly displeased.


    Not long ago, Milis had claimed that she was almost ��killed�� by Lin Da at the firm. Yet after the morning competition, Milis thought the Lin Da who was ��willing to fight to the death for Lia�� was incredibly cool.


    Milis��s train of thought was perfectly led astray by Lia. S��arch* The N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For a 15 or 16-year-old girl in her adolescence, filled with fantasies, the image of Lin Da fighting bloodily was like a heavy punch, striking Milis��s heart firmly.


    Milis reminisced about the indifferent way Lin Da told her to get lost, and oddly felt a girlish thrill of victory, thinking that Lin Da was exceptionally domineering.


    Seeing the unfair battle, Milis immediately felt indignant on Lin Da��s behalf.


    ��This is a performance match for the closing ceremony; there must be a script. Child, can��t you think more?��


    ��A script?�� Milis blinked, puzzled, and from her spot, she could see some blood seeping through Lia��s clothes.


    Could this also be part of the script?


    ��


    ��You all are wrong, this is a fair fight, and I will defeat Lin Da squarely,�� Lia said coldly on the Arena.


    ��What��s wrong with your body?


    Lin Da noticed something off about Lia��s stance, and a red -1 appeared above her head, jumping steadily every few seconds.


    This guy��s ��fair,�� could it be��


    Lin Da��s expression changed slightly.


    ��You�� is it that time of the month?��

 Chapter 481 - 481: 364, Lin Da is furious, Starfire Battle Qi!

    Chapter 481: 364, Lin Da is furious, Starfire Battle Qi!


    ��You just got here!��


    Lia��s embarrassment and anger were mixed as she stamped her foot and lifted the hem of her garment, revealing the side of her waist wrapped with a bandage.


    ��A wound just like yours, and definitely not lighter. Now you��ve got nothing to say.


    This miss wants to make you so utterly defeated that even if you hide away, you��ll never be able to beat your once captain!��


    The crowd in the square, watching Lia��s injury on the big screen, all gasped in shock.


    This Bursting Flames girl is kind of ruthless, huh? Those injuries are obviously self-inflicted. Is it worth it just for a show match?


    ...


    ��Wait, what��s happening now!��


    Cries of surprise came from the audience,


    A buzzing tremor came from beneath their feet, and as people looked around, they couldn��t find the source of the shaking.


    It wasn��t until the small pebbles on the arena began to dance and jump that the crowd realized, in astonishment, that the shaking was coming from the entire arena!


    ��You, you, what do you think you��re doing!�� Lia��s triumphant expression disappeared as she gulped down a swallow of saliva.


    With both hands clutching her sword, she nervously retreated.


    Go to ????????????????????.co


    They only saw Lin Da��s Level 35 Poison Magic Power and Recovery Magic Power intertwined, transforming into the terrifying might of Star Rank. Despite the furious scene, Lin Da��s face was expressionless as he carried his sword, walking slowly towards her.


    That oppressive feeling made Lia feel as if the Lin Da before her now was even scarier than Abner!


    This guy must have been holding back during his fight with Abner!


    Other than Snow Goose��s early days, during that defeat in the third layer of the Mystic Realm, where she almost got killed by Serpent People, Lia had never seen Lin Da with such a frightening look on his face.


    Lia��s legs squeezed together as she trembled involuntarily.


    In the competitors�� rest area, Aiko saw the scene on the stage and couldn��t help but snicker. Lin Da was angry.


    When Lin Da was part of Snow Goose, the thing he hated the most was to see his teammates get hurt, and Lia��s wound was one she had inflicted on herself. For a match whose outcome didn��t even matter, a performance for the investors��


    Lia��s stupidity had touched Lin Da��s bottom line.


    Aiko was sitting next to Klrona, snatching some chips from Klrona��s bag and munching them contentedly as she prepared to enjoy the spectacle of Lia being thrashed in front of thousands.


    At that moment, however, a violent gaze suddenly swept over them.


    This gaze was all too familiar to Aiko; as a child, being caught in it meant she was in for a beating.


    Rocher��s quality was as low as his level of education, teaching his children with fists the size of a pot.


    Aiko��s leg had indeed been broken once, beat by Rocher for failing to maintain the top spot in the class at South Rock City��s Magic Academy.


    The fear of Rocher was almost embedded in Aiko��s bones. She trembled slightly and rolled behind the couch to hide.


    Aiko wasn��t sure if Rocher had noticed her. Although Bervis had warned her not to come to the exhibition match, she was too curious about Lin Da��s battle with Abner.


    ��He didn��t see, he didn��t see����


    Aiko��s face turned pale and cold sweat dripped down her forehead.


    Klrona, with a mouth full of chips, looked at her curiously, ��Aiko, what��s wrong with you?��


    ��Don��t call me by my name for now, just watch the match,�� Aiko said with a forced dry laugh.


    ��Oh.��


    After a while, when the feeling of being watched faded, Aiko finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    With Rocher��s temper, he would have stormed over immediately if he had spotted her; there would have been no silence.


    It was better to hide. She would watch the replay later.


    Aiko hugged her knees, crouching behind the couch with a look of grievance.


    Not only was her family a complete mess, but Lin Da was also deliberately avoiding her. She could only adventure with that idiot Bilya and the brat Klrona every day, and she was truly fed up with this kind of life.


    She had to take action.


    Even if she couldn��t make Lin Da change his mind, she had to join Phoenix Tail Flower and leave the rubbish team Snow Goose.


    ��


    ��Truly worthy of the captain of Phoenix Tail Flower, the battle hasn��t even begun, and she has already tilted the scales of victory with her astonishing presence!��


    Kami grabbed the microphone, saliva spraying as she shouted. Her excited voice, amplified by the magic array within the microphone, echoed throughout Secret Realm Square:


    ��Contestant Lia, you must give it your all, ah! If you don��t defeat him, you��ll never get to join an adult��s party!��


    Even though they weren��t really father and daughter.


    The thought of the girl he had cared for many years and treated like his own kin, now appearing shy on a large bed��


    Kami salivated at the thought, wishing he could slam his face against theirs and snap away with his camera.


    These two were like his Gold Coin printing machine; as soon as Lin Da threw a party, the sales of White Dove Morning News would increase by thirty percent,


    If one day he could capture a photo of the two sharing a bed, tripling the sales wouldn��t be a problem!


    Lia��s reputation in White Dove City was quite bad, and many people didn��t say it out loud, but deep down, they all hoped Lin Da would teach Lia a lesson and make that stubborn little mouth beg pitifully for mercy��


    Kami was so thrilled at the mere thought of that scene, she was almost gnawing on the microphone:


    ��Now I announce, the match, officially begins!!!��


    Boom!


    In an instant, Lin Da��s upper clothing shattered under the onslaught of ferocious magic power, and black wings, accompanied by the rustling of feathers, burst forth from his shoulder blades.


    With a flap of his wings, Lin Da shot forward like a swordfish darting through the ocean, heading straight for Lia.


    Not holding back in the slightest, his sword aimed directly for Lia��s neck!


    With Rocher, the Moon rank adventurer there, Lin Da could pull out all the stops, and let Lia taste the brink of death.


    Only those who have faced death can truly revere adventuring!


    Originally, Lin Da planned to make it a casual fight, just to entertain the audience, but now he had changed his mind.


    Lia was just a bratty little girl who had shown no growth and only knew how to be petulant and capricious. He decided to harshly teach Lia a lesson in front of more than ten thousand people.


    Even if Lia were to break down on the spot, it would be better than her dying cluelessly in the World Tree later.


    ��Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang!��


    Lin Da gazed at Lia��s frantic little face and sneered. The Earth Dragon Longsword released a verdant glow, vines converging upon the blade.


    Roar!


    With one slash, the Wooden Giant Dragon, baring its fangs and claws, lunged at Lia, and the Dragon Roar momentarily stunned her.


    Just as the Wood Dragon��s Eye, over ten meters long, was about to strike, at this critical moment, Lia bit the tip of her tongue, her eyes quickly regained clarity, and a tangerine flame with starlight lit up in her pupils. She burst out with a red stream of Battle Qi, astonishingly resisting Lin Da��s Dragon��s Might by relying on the characteristic of Starfire Douqi.


    Everyone was caught off guard by how quickly Lia recovered, especially with Abner��s former example.


    Even the 39-level Abner couldn��t withstand the Dragon��s Might, but 33-level Lia could?


    Seeing the girl��s fire Battle Qi dotted with some starlight, Rocher and a few other Moon rank adventurers changed their expressions to serious ones.


    Although Lia��s level was not high, they could feel the incredible explosive force from Lia��s flames, its quality far exceeding that of ordinary Fire Fighting Qi.


    Luden frowned as he stared at the flames on Lia��s body, a trace of confusion in his eyes. Even he, as a well-traveled reporter of Adventurer��s Weekly, could not recognize what it was. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 482 - 482: 365, friendship breaks, exposing each others secrets

    Chapter 482: 365, friendship breaks, exposing each other��s secrets


    This Fire Fighting Qi was unlike anything Luden had ever seen; it was scorching, mysterious, and carried a trace of high-level attributes.


    Normally, Fire Series would get a 50% power boost against Grass System or Wood Series, but a higher-tier Fire Series could reach 70%, or even 100%.


    It could indeed be called the killer of Grass and Wood Series Magical Creatures.


    If Lia could transform all her ordinary Battle Qi into that kind, her potential rating might even surpass Lin Da��s, potentially reaching the very rare Nine Stars.


    And the higher the potential rating, the more benefits they would receive after joining the Ice Abyss Training Camp in the future.


    Luden rubbed his chin, his gaze fixed intently on the Arena.


    ...


    ��


    The sun was setting in the west, and the square was quiet.


    But as the signal flare shot into the sky, this silence was shattered with a bang.


    ��Flame Dragon Slash!��


    Lia shouted explosively, the Phoenix Feather Sword in her hand one and a half meters long and as wide as a palm, now wrapped in a spiral airflow, turning into towering flames.


    The shape of the flames vaguely resembled a giant dragon.


    Go to ????????????????????.co


    As the Great Sword slashed upward, the flame dragon collided with Lin Da��s Wooden Giant Dragon.


    In an instant, the wooden dragon��s branches and leaves turned to ash, swallowed whole by the flame dragon.


    Lin Da felt an intense heat in front of him, his eyebrows singeing and curling up.


    ��Energy Charging combined with Flame Dragon Slash, the power is indeed remarkable,�� Lin Da thought to himself.


    Lin Da, injured and not intending to take the hit head-on, fluttered his Black Eagle Wings slightly and flew dozens of meters up into the sky.


    The Flame Dragon Slash struck the ground with a bang, turning into a spreading sea of flames.


    ��Always running away, aren��t you? It��s the same every time!��


    Lia said angrily with her eyebrows inverted:


    ��The Snow Goose team never shows up for group activities; if you��re not cooped up in the library, you��re making strategies�� We��re not so stupid that we need you to command every step we take. Why can��t you trust us more? Aside from running away, what else can you do?��


    Lia��s Phoenix Feather Sword slammed heavily into the ground, and using the recoil force along with the erupting Battle Qi, she shot up into the air like a rocket.


    Clenching her teeth in resentment, she swung her sword fiercely at the surprised Lin Da: ��Trust us a bit more! You never have, how do you know we can��t do it?��


    Lia truly believed that as long as the Snow Goose team worked together, they could overcome any danger that came their way.


    This sword carried some personal grudges; although Lia didn��t use Dragon��s Might, she did use ��Mouth Cannon,�� causing Lin Da to be momentarily distracted. By the time he reacted, he saw Lia��s Great Sword slashing horizontally toward him.


    Wherever the Great Sword passed, it formed a circular arc like a fiery wheel.


    That was the ��Flame Waltz��!


    Lin Da��s pale green Life Barrier vibrated violently, and in the realm of his spirit, the core��the adventurer��s second heart��felt as if it was a passenger shaken around in a carriage going over a big pothole.


    After drawing several S-shapes in the sky with his Black Eagle Wings, Lin Da finally stabilized his form.


    He stood there in mid-air, pensive; Lia��s question had indeed stumped him. sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just like Lia had said, he had never truly trusted the Snow Goose team members, always feeling that something would go wrong.


    Especially after the debacle on the third layer, when Lia was nearly killed by the Snake-man Soldiers, weeping and begging him to lead the entire Snow Goose team safely to the top.


    Following that incident, Lin Da insisted on creating strategies that could perfectly handle all situations.


    In each Minor Secret Realm, there were at least three ��maps,�� and each ��map�� required different strategies. Lin Da��s strategy-making process during the Snow Goose Era was slow��first, because he aimed for comprehensive coverage, and second, because he had to work on three strategies at a time.


    After establishing the Luanwei, he had teammates like Monica whom he had relied on in games, and the trust was already high. Plus, with Kafni��the Scrap Deity��as an external aid, Lin Da found strategy-making much easier.


    Looking back now, I realize Lia was right all along.


    He had never truly trusted the members of Snow Goose.


    ��Go to the commercial street for cake together?��


    ��How come you haven��t bought your yukata for the fireworks festival?��


    ��The conquest is over, take a day off?��


    Those fleeting moments, once brushed off as trivial as filler scenes in comic books, flashed abruptly before Lin Da��s eyes.


    A jolt of surprise struck his heart as it seemed all of Lia��s invitations were rejected by him. His mind had been entirely occupied with strategy making and learning the knowledge of this world.


    After suffering repeated rejections, Lia stopped inviting him. As the levels in the strategy became higher and the strength of the Magical Creatures increased, the carefree days were gone. Lia spent most of her time practicing with the sword, and the communication among team members grew scarce, limited to meal times and during adventures.


    If someone had compromised back then, Lin Da might have stayed with Snow Goose, and the Phoenix Tail Flower and Snow Goose would have merged into one.


    By then, with Lia��s Fire Series, Aiko��s Light Series, and Klrona��s outstanding potential as a tough frontliner�� this combined team would have undoubtedly become the strongest in White Dove City.


    ��So are you saying it was my fault for not trusting you all during the Snow Goose era?��


    Lin Da looked down expressionlessly at Lia on the Arena, clutching her side wound.


    The bandage was slowly turning red, clearly from exerting herself too much with that jump, causing her wound to reopen.


    ��Isn��t it, though? That day, during the ninth layer��s conquest of the World Tree, we could have made it through without the strategy if only you had been willing to trust us, but you just wouldn��t!��


    Lia��s face was pale as she bit down on her teeth, tightening the bandage, using her great sword as a cane to steady herself upright.


    Lin Da almost laughed at the absurdity, pointing with disdain at Lia:


    ��Why should I trust you all? A leader who just charges forward with a war cry, a capricious brat who forgets the strategy in the midst of play, and a lazy Mage who yawns all the time, using at best sixty percent of their strength when they have a hundred percent��


    The only ones I could trust were Oru and Klyne.


    What did you three have that could make me trust you?


    Was it like that time on the third level when we were nearly decapitated by the Serpent People, and you went back to the rental crying with a Defense Break?��


    Lin Da��s sharp words struck like a sword into the hearts of Lia and the other two back in the players�� resting area.


    Klrona licked the chip grease from her fingers and turned to look at Aiko behind the sofa, ��The brat Lin Da is talking about isn��t me, is it?��


    You seem pretty self-aware, aren��t you?


    Aiko sarcastically thought to herself.


    But at this moment, she was not in the mood to respond to Klrona��so Lin Da knew that she wasn��t putting in the effort on their adventures!


    Could it be that her deliberate teasing of Lin Da had also come to light?


    And those shorts under the bed�� Did Lin Da know about them too?


    Was it because of these things that he had rejected her so mercilessly?


    Aiko��s mind was a mess, and she felt completely numb.


    On the stage, the match had reached a fever pitch.


    The host Kami, her face flushed with excitement, furiously scribbled notes in her little book��Lin Da and Lia were tearing into each other, revealing their grievances in public. This was the kind of news that would sell like hotcakes!


    Lia accused Lin Da of being a coward, afraid to enter the World Tree without a strategy, and of never trusting his teammates, of the occasionally found off-smelling tissues in the room, of peeping at Aiko��s teddy bear;


    Lin Da furiously berated Lia��s trio as utterly useless, leaving him on tenterhooks, feeling like someone could die if he didn��t work on the strategy more, also of being frequently underpaid, of them using the hot water first, and of parading around the living room wrapped in a towel with no sense of danger, as there was no difference in decency whether they wore a towel or not��


    For such a leader, it would be a disrespect to the role of a ��commander�� if he had shown even a hint of trust.

 Chapter 483 - 483: 366. Lia doesnt want to admit defeat

    Chapter 483: 366. Lia doesn��t want to admit defeat


    ��Yes, Lia, I distrust you all, especially you, you arrogant lunatic!��


    Lin Da flew low, sneering as he shot out one Venom Magic Sphere after another.


    The two sides exchanged blows, with the sound of Battle Qi explosions endless.


    After each attack, Lin Da quickly ascended, while Lia, a pure melee Swordsman with an injury on her side waist, could only jump a few times before her strength gradually waned, and her dodging speed continuously decreased.


    One minute, two minutes�� five minutes passed.


    Lin Da, holding the Dark Whip, seized the moment Lia was panting heavily and dived down, lashing out with his whip!


    ...


    Crack!


    The Dark Whip struck accurately on Lia��s shoulder where her clothes were whipped to shreds, revealing a bloody mark.


    Lia, like a provoked tigress, her eyes fierce, bared her little tiger teeth, and fiercely pushed off the ground,


    The bandage, originally stained with blood, was now thoroughly soaked, dripping drops of blood. With this burst of power, Lia brought down her sword in a vertical slash towards Lin Da!


    Clang����


    The Earth Dragon Longsword clashed with the Phoenix Feather Sword, sparks flying.


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    Although Lin Da wielded an Epic Weapon, his own strength growth was lower than Lia��s Awakening Starfire Fighting Spirit. Lia��s flat slash also involved an ��accumulate power��, enhancing the damage by 50%.


    He only felt his hands tingle, his figure uncontrollably moving backward as wind swept past both sides of his face.


    ��This guy��s intelligence points are indeed all invested in brute force!��


    Lin Da frantically flapped his Black Eagle Wings and flew backward about ten meters before he finally stopped.


    In contrast, Lia��s condition was much worse than his. Even if her strike did more damage, she couldn��t withstand his health points, which were more than double hers.


    By percentage, Lia was at a much greater disadvantage.


    Lia thudded onto the ground, causing slight cracks on the surrounding surface, her trousers worn through, her knees scraped red.


    At this moment, the noise in the square gradually quieted down.


    Many spectators�� eyes contained pity; these two, seemed to really be fighting in earnest, didn��t they?


    What everyone wanted to see was a father-daughter brawl, then a happy reconciliation as an entertainment match.


    But what was unfolding before them seemed more like a life-or-death struggle?


    From the front-row seats, Dawen clenched his teeth in secret, worrying for Lia.


    As her older brother, he was the person who understood Lia best, after Lin Da.


    This kid had been stubborn since childhood, not even backing down from the Bloody Baron Augutuo.


    After dropping the line ��I will make a name for myself someday,�� she packed her little bag and left The Mandalas to head to the neighboring White Dove City.


    Before that, Dawen often taught Lia swordsmanship, but she was never willing to admit defeat, more stubborn than a donkey, her words as hard as the Knight Tree��s golden shield.


    Now, in front of more than ten thousand people, with Lia��s fragile pride, she would likely let Lin Da beat her to death rather than concede.


    Although Dawen knew that Lin Da��s intention was for Lia��s own good, this lesson was too much. Seeing Lia covered in blood at her shoulder and waist, a flame of anger ignited in Dawen��s heart.


    Even though Lia, his sister, was picked up by Lady Bellini and shared no blood relation to The Mandalas.


    Lady Bellini��s own daughter had died young, and Lia was the child she found in a trash bin. Also for this reason, Augutuo��s treatment of him and Lia was completely different.


    Dawen would become the leader of the Scarlet Adventure Group and inherit the family, while Lia wouldn��t get a single copper coin; going to White Dove City, Augutuo didn��t care about her life or death.


    The reason was Lia��s lowly birth. An infant discarded in a trash bin could be the child of some promiscuous Elf with a Beastman, born in a lavatory and then carelessly thrown away. S��arch* The n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Despite all this, Dawen still treated Lia as his real sister.


    Seeing Lia covered in blood, his heart ached.


    ��Still not admitting defeat, huh? I refuse to believe your neck has been petrified, unable to bow.��


    Lin Da��s eyes flashed with a cold light as he threw the Dark Whip, lashing out at Lia from a distance of over ten meters.


    Lia was bent over, her hands on her knees, panting heavily.


    Facing the lightning-fast strike of the Dark Whip, Lia raised her arms to block,


    There was a sharp smack as if struck by a willow branch, and two bright red welts immediately appeared on her forearms.


    By the time Lia wanted to counterattack, Lin Da had already vibrated his wings and flown into the sky.


    Below the rank of the Moon, those who mastered the Flying Skills were almost invincible.


    From his superior position, Lin Da looked down upon the top of Lia��s head, where numbers indicating purple-black poisoning jumped out, toxins combined with physical exhaustion, blood loss�� Lia��s situation was extremely bad, at any moment she could be injured and fall unconscious.


    But Lin Da would not let Lia go that easily; if Lia fell unconscious without giving in, it would be a complete loss for him!


    It was like using a willow branch to discipline an unruly child at home. If the child lost consciousness without admitting their fault, it was akin to a great failure for the parent!


    Under the stunned gaze of everyone, Lin Da raised his longsword high, with emerald light gathering at its tip.


    He waved it toward Lia and chanted, ��Recovery Spirit, heal the one before me, Intermediate Healing!��


    A Healing Art descended, forcibly raising Lia��s health points to over 6000!


    Lia, having barely managed to stay standing and about to collapse, was rejuvenated by Lin Da��s action, and the Life Barrier enveloping her body became ��vigorous,��


    For a moment, Lia stood there stunned, her eyes wide with astonishment.


    Although her Life Barrier had been restored, the Healing Art could not recover an adventurer��s physical strength or energy.


    It meant her defenses were maxed out by Lin Da, but her mobility and offensive ability were still very low, leaving her no choice but to stand on the platform and passively take hits.


    This was Lin Da��s way of showing he did not even consider her a threat, deliberately humiliating her in front of everyone!


    Lia, an adventurer, a warrior, felt deeply humiliated, her face turning red with embarrassment!


    ��Lin Da, you are despicable!��


    Lia, gasping for breath, gripped her great sword and once again struggled to stand up.


    The winter��s afternoon was extremely cold, but she was drenched in sweat, her adventurer��s battle gear clinging to her skin.


    Inside her non-breathable brown boots was a pool of ��hot spring,�� her toes swollen with wrinkly skin from the sweat.


    For Lia, even if she could not win, she absolutely could not bow to Lin Da.


    This was her non-negotiable bottom line as the captain of the Snow Goose.


    And now, feeling Lin Da��s eyes filled with contempt, the warm yet insulting Healing Art��


    Lia changed her mind.


    Her goal shifted from ��not surrendering�� to taking down the man before her!


    Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!


    The Venom Magic Spheres shot at her again.


    Lia��s fighting spirit was high, but her drained energy made her combat state very poor, like someone scantily clad facing the harsh winter cold.


    Lin Da, seeing her lack of strength, lowered his flight altitude, using the Dark Whip to lash out at will.


    This scene didn��t look like a fight between adventurers at all, but rather a one-sided abuse.


    Lia was lashed all over by Lin Da, like a servant from a noble family who had made a mistake and was ruthlessly punished by the master.


    Even the Phoenix Feather Sword fell to the ground.


    Lia took advantage of the moment she fell face down to wipe away a tear from the corner of her eye with the back of her hand.


    She clenched her fists and charged at Lin Da, who was on the ground, looking calm and composed, not showing a shred of respect for her.

 Chapter 484 - 484: 367, Lia Defense Break, transforms into Joker on the spot!

    Chapter 484: 367, Lia Defense Break, transforms into Joker on the spot!


    Lin Da humphed, sheathed his Earth Dragon Longsword, and replaced it with a big, crude wooden club.


    A level 30 blue rare weapon, the ��Goblin Club��.


    It was rubbish dropped when the Phoenix Tail Flower was cleared at the 13th floor.


    ��So you want to be beaten, huh? Alright, I��ll indulge you!��


    Lin Da swung the club at Lia��s shoulder, sending her flying like a broken sack, rolling far away on the ground.


    She should admit defeat now�� As Lin Da thought this, he saw Lia stand up again, her face full of defiance.


    ...


    A strong anger of frustration rose in Lin Da��s heart; he took three steps in two and rushed forward, striking Lia��s back with the club, sending her flying once more.


    Lin Da frowned at Lia on the ground: ��An adventurer who can��t even face defeat will sooner or later die stubbornly in the World Tree. With that said, it��d be better if you just quit being an adventurer, disband Snow Goose, and go back home to farm.��


    ��Who do you think you��re looking down on!��


    Lia shouted as she charged at him, aiming a punch at Lin Da��s face.


    Bang!


    Fist met club, and Lia was predictably sent flying again.


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    She knelt on the arena like a shrimp, unable to stand for quite a while.


    The host, Kami, was directly scared silly; how could this entertaining match become the bloodiest, most dangerous match of the day? He shakily held up the microphone to start the countdown: ��Ten, nine, eight, seven����


    The audience below was also dumbfounded, with many of the softer-hearted female adventurers even beginning to feel sympathy for Lia, thinking Lin Da had gone too far.


    The captains from Red Heart City, like Fry, exchanged glances.


    They couldn��t help but think, if Lia��s real father, the Bloody Baron Augutuo, found out that his daughter was being beaten up by Lin Da in front of more than ten thousand people��


    You��d have to consider the owner even when beating a dog; in public, Lin Da��s merciless pounding and malicious humiliation of Lia with Healing Art was, in a way, an indirect slap to Augutuo��s face, even to the Scarlet Adventure Group��s face.


    Fry looked off into the distance and saw Dawen��s face, utterly grim��


    It would have been one thing for Lin Da to win normally, but this Healing Art was damn humiliating.


    On the big screen, another wave of life-giving green magic light coalesced.


    Lia, nearly breathless, was forcibly pulled up by Lin Da to continue taking a beating!


    In the player resting area, Klrona was so scared that she scattered chips all over the ground, ��Lin Da, that��s terrifying!��


    ��Why won��t that idiot Lia admit defeat?��


    Aiko was also a bit anxious. S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da punching Lia a couple of times was funny, but punching her two hundred times? Wouldn��t that completely shatter her morale and drive her to suicide?


    ��


    The setting sun��s afterglow fell upon the arena, like a layer of blood-colored gauze.


    The vast Secret Realm Square was silent.


    A pair of sympathetic eyes looked towards the red-haired girl who, tremblingly, used her hands to push off the ground and stood up once again.


    Lin Da��s wrist was numb, and he was tired of hitting.


    According to his estimation, Lia was running out of strength.


    His tone softened slightly, with an internal concern of really injuring Lia: ��If you admit defeat now, you won��t have to take any more beating and embarrass yourself in front of so many people.��


    ��No need.��


    Lia said coldly. Her bangs were messy, covering her eyes as she picked up the Phoenix Feather Sword, and staggered toward Lin Da.


    Lin Da was a bit puzzled about what Lia was thinking and continued to advise, ��How can you call yourself an exceptional adventurer if you can��t accept even this level of defeat?


    Being able to let go when necessary is what allows one to make rational decisions amidst adventures.


    This is a quality essential for an Adventure Team Leader!


    Blindly pursuing victory will only impede your vision, making you unaware of various dangers lurking around you.


    Listen well, thirty percent of Legendary Adventurers don��t die in battles with legendary Magical Creatures.


    They end up betrayed by women and die in despair of suicide. They��re bitten on the toe by a venomous snake and die of poisoning even before they see the Giant Dragon��s nest.


    Being too focused on fighting the Demon Boss, they ignore its underlings.


    It starts with one injury, and then a losing streak spirals out of control��


    The first step to becoming powerful is to recognize your own weakness.


    Only by knowing your weaknesses can you improve on them and gradually become a top adventurer.


    To concede defeat is not shameful.


    On the contrary, I think it��s a mark of a strong person.��


    Lin Da raised the club in his hand, ��If you still refuse to admit defeat, I��ll beat you until you do. One time, ten times with Healing Art�� Even if you pass out, I��ll wake you back up until you��re willing to say the words ��I admit defeat�� yourself.��


    Lia wiped the blood from her mouth, laughed angrily with her face, and pointed the great sword at Lin Da��s nose:


    ��The thing I hate about you the most is treating me like a child, always talking to me in this lecturing tone!


    I��m already eighteen, an adult, and I don��t need your finger-pointing!


    Even if I��m killed by Magical Creatures, that��s the choice I made, and I have no regrets!��


    Since she first met Lin Da, he had never treated her as an adult!


    Lia��s fists clenched tightly, causing her knuckles to hurt. She slightly bowed her head, her voice rising from calm to thunderous: ��If you hadn��t taken care of all Snow Goose��s miscellaneous affairs and meals, I would probably be capable of anything by now.


    If you hadn��t bought strawberry cake, I wouldn��t have developed a sweet tooth.


    If you had made a slightly poorer strategy, I wouldn��t be so dependent on you!


    Without you, I would definitely be much stronger!��


    Lia sniffled, wiped away the tears in her eyes, and loudly accused Lin Da of his misdeeds.


    She was born in the slums of Red Heart City, where she first learned to be strong and independent. Only she and her wooden sword could protect Bellini from the harassment of those inferior Beastmen.


    Even after they went to The Mandalas, they were not valued by Augutuo, just a toy picked up by the family, so lowly that even a servant could look down on them in secret.

 Chapter 485 - 485: 367, Lia Defense Break, transforms into a Joker on the spot!_2

    Chapter 485: 367, Lia Defense Break, transforms into a Joker on the spot!_2 S��arch* The N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If she didn��t become strong, no one could be strong for her, a fact Lia had recognized from a young age.


    But when she arrived in White Dove City, everything changed.


    With only a handful of Gold Coins left, Lia found an amnesiac adventurer wandering the streets.


    His sister became her best friend, and aside from being unfamiliar with the customs of Cangqing Province, he was adept at everything else, from trivial daily chores to devising strategies for the World Tree, handling hostile adventurers or Magical Creatures with ease.


    Lia only had to focus on training, improving her Swordsmanship; she could leave everything else to him.


    The adventurer, like a tall wall, protected Lia, then only fifteen, giving her the first taste of reassurance in her life.


    ...


    Also in White Dove City, Lia received her first birthday gift from someone other than her mother and the first person to bring her strawberry cake every month.


    Lia couldn��t help but indulge in it, developing a habitual dependence and unilaterally believing that this relationship would last until the end of her adventurous journey.


    Gradually, however, Lia noticed something was off. The adventurer��s kindness was not the caring of a teammate, but purely treating her as an immature child. Even though she was supposed to be the leader, he often spoke to her in a paternal tone, and despite her calls for the team to gather and set off, he would forcefully stop her. In his eyes, she could never find trust in her own abilities.


    ��That night when the Great Mystery Continent was sealed,�� Lia paused, and said, ��You admitting you still see me as a comrade made me very happy.��


    It was the happiest evening Lia had had in over a year, it felt like returning to the initial days of forming the team with Snow Goose. There were no endless arguments, everyone worked together towards a common goal.


    But as time stretched on, the relationship soured.


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    To him, her image was always that of an immature child, not a grown woman.


    Whether during the fireworks festival or sharing a bed when the Great Mystery Continent was closed�� Lia waited all night, only to hear the strange, rustling noises of Lin Da and Tasya!


    Fearful that she would hear, Lin Da even covered Tasya with a quilt!


    Through these incidents, Lia finally understood she was thoroughly an outsider now.


    Lia swung her sword at Lin Da, her loud voice covering the sourness of her words:


    ��Why treat me differently, aren��t we the companions who have been together the longest? If anyone should be treated the best, it should indeed be me!��


    It seemed that shouting loud enough would spare her some embarrassment, as everyone in the square heard Lia��s outrageous statement.


    Lin Da blocked Lia��s attack and sent her flying five meters away.


    His pupils dilated slightly.


    What exactly is this person talking about?


    The over ten thousand spectators present, all fell silent. The words Lia spat out were so embarrassing, truly like a Joker breaking down, revealing the deeply hidden words inside her heart.


    People couldn��t imagine just how thick Lia��s skin must be to think Lin Da had to treat her the best.


    But a part of the more emotional adventurers had tears in their eyes.


    Kami sat in a hot air balloon, sniffling, and said with a choked voice, ��It��s so touching, this is like a daughter seeing her father surrounded by increasing numbers of women, completely uncaring about her, making her feel unappreciated, tipping over the vinegar jug!��


    So that was it?


    Lin Da gave Kami a surprised look and then turned to Lia, whose face was flushed with shame.


    Was all of Lia��s behavior because of jealousy?


    ��But that��s not right!��


    Lin Da looked confused: ��Indeed, I have many Oath-bound, and they are beautiful girls, which people envy. I admit that, but����


    This statement had a group of male adventurers rolling their eyes; why did these facts feel so annoying when they came from Lin Da��s mouth?


    ��But what does this have to do with Lia?��


    Lin Da wondered, ��She herself has openly called me an enemy, at the very least a rival; I am affectionate with my teammates, why would she be jealous?��


    For some reason, after saying these words, Lin Da noticed that the spectators looked at him with sympathy.


    President Velen was also sighing while holding his forehead.


    In the player��s tunnel area, Aiko heard Lin Da��s voice from the big screen speakers, and his heart skipped a beat, sensing trouble brewing.


    The red chihuahua is about to overtake the limping retriever in a three-year marathon!


    This definitely should not happen!


    Aiko really wanted to jump onto the stage and bombard these two with a ��Rain of Light�� to send them away; he could not allow them to continue speaking��but! Rocher was just outside!


    Aiko couldn��t dare to show her face, she could only desperately perk up her ears, hoping that Kami, that jerk, would not ��translate�� anymore.


    Lia angrily said, ��Hmph, who, who is jealous? You��re just a lust demon who throws weird parties all the time, don��t be so full of yourself!��


    ��What she means is, you never invite her to your silver parties.�� Kami excitedly said.


    ��Is that so???��


    Lin Da was dumbstruck.


    Lia: ��Ahh! I��m going to kill you!��


    Kami, teary-eyed, wiped the corners of his eyes with a handkerchief: ��If you don��t invite her to your next silver party, she��s going to kill you.��


    ��Enough! Enough!��


    A blush spread from the young girl��s fair cheeks to her earlobes, Lia��s eyes turned into confused circles, and her mouth emitted a hysterical scream.


    Lin Da easily entangled the Phoenix Feather Sword with the Dark Whip, preventing Lia from advancing an inch.


    He was inwardly amazed that Lia wanted to attend the party to prove she was an adult��


    But this approach was utterly immature; what if he really was a perverted lust demon and Lia ended up with her eyes losing their sparkle, becoming fallen?


    Wanting to join without considering the consequences, indeed still just a little brat!


    ��If I win this duel, I��ll agree to your request. Otherwise, you have to agree to one of my conditions.�� Lin Da said.


    ��It��s a promise!��


    Even though defeat was clear, Lia responded without a second thought.


    Looking at the fiery, bright eyes of the red-haired girl, Lin Da felt a slight stir in his heart.


    Ordinary stubbornness could be called whimsical, but to the extent of Lia��s stubbornness, it was rather astonishing.


    If their situations were reversed, Lin Da would have surrendered in the third minute of the competition, conserving his strength and trump cards.


    As an adventurer, Lin Da truly didn��t have much of an adventurous spirit.


    The things he undertook, he was always 100% certain of.


    He pondered in his heart, if placed in a predictable gaming world, his approach was indeed nothing bad, as he could steadily progress through levels.


    But in the real Another World, there were too many variables.


    Facing some sort of unpredictable major decision, he would most likely choose the conservative side, first retreating to analyze further.


    On the other hand, between him and Lia, they were at two extremes of conservative and adventurous.


    Realizing this fact, Lin Da proposed a ��duel�� to Lia.


    ��Next, I��m going to defeat you with all my might.�� Lin Da stated.


    This farce, it was time to bring it to an end.


    Seeing his serious expression, Lia��s eyebrows raised: ��That��s my line!��


    [Energy Charging]!


    The remaining fiery red Battle Qi formed a layer of sheer around Lia.


    She held the Great Sword with both hands, leaned forward, twisting her waist, and with a loud explosion, she shot towards Lin Da.


    Splendid starlight twinkled in the Fire Battle Qi, and a righteous fire transformed into a Fire Dragon, enlarging continuously in Lin Da��s pupils.


    Flame Dragon Slash!


    ��Impressive momentum, but unfortunately, you��re facing a Healing Hero with health points up to 17500!��


    With Lin Da��s health points, a Star Rank strike couldn��t possibly bring him down.


    On the other hand, Lia was extremely weakened, with hardly any strength left.


    Now Lin Da was about to tell Lia this harsh truth: impulsive adventure is bound to fail against rationality.


    Being able to gain strength and achieve a miraculous turnaround just by shouting slogans�� only exists in juvenile comic books!

 Chapter 486 - 486: 368. Lia seizes the

    Chapter 486: 368. Lia seizes the ��future


    Watching the fiery red figure advancing relentlessly, Lin Da drew breath to gather energy, his body��s Magic Circuit running wildly.


    The Earth Dragon Longsword, as if transformed into an emerald blade, emitted a firefly-like green glow.


    At that moment, even a baby being held by its mother and nursing could sense that victory or defeat was about to be decided. The baby stopped smacking its lips and stared dumbly at the Arena.


    ��Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang!��


    Lin Da slashed out with his sword, and the green light condensed into a Vine Dragon, rushing forward with the momentum to engulf everything in its path.


    With a boom,


    ...


    it collided with Lia��s Fire Dragon.


    Green and red energies clashed, setting off turbulent air currents.


    An invisible ripple swept across the surroundings, dust on the Arena whirled into the air, Lin Da��s hair was blown back, and his eyes were almost forced shut.


    The stalemate lasted only a moment before the Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang quickly took the upper hand, consuming the Fire Dragon.


    Lin Da had far more remaining Magic Power than Lia, and even though this move contained a certain Grass Attribute, it was still able to overcome and devour Lia��s Fire Dragon.


    ��Bind Lia with the Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang, then kick her off the stage!�� Lin Da thought.


    Go to ????????????????????.co


    Just as Lin Da had this in mind, a fiery red figure leaped up, attacking from above.


    The setting sun, coating the girl��s red hair in a pale gold glow,


    filled Lia��s eyes with a volcanic passion, her Great Sword chopping down directly at Lin Da.


    ��Flaming! Slash!��


    Not enough, nowhere near enough.


    Lin Da thought calmly, even the Flame Dragon Slash couldn��t bring him down, let alone this less powerful Flaming Slash.


    If this were a real fight, Lia would undoubtedly have met her death.


    Lin Da sucked in a deep breath, his Recovery Magic Power congealed into substance, forming pulsating green dots on his skin.


    The green dots gathered towards the Earth Dragon Longsword, and an imposing aura rose around him.


    Even Rocher��s expression changed subtly. Using a Rare Technique three times in a row put a great burden on the Magic Circuit, something not even a Moon rank adventurer entering the rank for the first time could accomplish.


    To what level of proficiency had Lin Da trained this move to use it three times consecutively at Star Rank?


    Most importantly, Lin Da had just used it in the morning��s competition, and he had already recovered by the afternoon. This rate of recuperation was alarmingly fast.


    When the verdant Magic Power gathered at Lin Da��s Swordsman, Rocher and several other Moon Rank adventurers concluded in their hearts: Lin Da was undoubtedly going to win.


    The incredible power of his Rare Technique was simply too much for the exhausted Lia to withstand.


    Rocher spread his Wings of Thunder and Lightning, his Battle Qi circulating throughout his body, focusing intently on the pair as he prepared to intervene at any moment.


    Suddenly,


    the direction of the wind in the Arena changed.


    This was a minor change, insignificant on its own.


    But amidst the suffocating tension of the battle, this anomaly gave everyone present an ominous premonition.


    Wind fuels the fire��s might, fire borrows the wind��s force, the flames on Lia��s Great Sword doubled in intensity in an instant.


    A golden pillar of light, like a divine sword descending from the sky, pierced through the clouds above the Arena and fell upon Lia.


    Lia��s side wound, the bloodstains on her shoulder, the scarce Fire Fighting Qi inside her�� all rapidly healed in the golden light!


    As the golden light shone forth, incredulous exclamations rose from the crowd!


    ��A breakthrough during combat?!��


    ��Isn��t that supposed to be legend? Can someone actually do that?��


    ��No! Indeed, it has happened, the last time was when Lin Da faced the Murderous Crab Emperor during the Monster Tide!��


    Lin Da hadn��t expected Lia to break through at such a moment, and a look of surprise flashed through his eyes.


    But, it was still useless!


    The Divine Light of advancement only restored some Battle Qi, it couldn��t bring Lia back to her peak condition instantly.


    Even if Lia leveled up to 34, she was still one level below him.


    With Lia��s minor skill [Flaming Slash], it was impossible to cut through his [Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang].


    Even though the latter was suppressed by the former��s attribute, the rarity and level of the skills meant Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang was set to triumph overwhelmingly.


    All of these factors doomed Lia to failure.


    ��Blind adventuring and impulsiveness can��t beat reason, now let me show you that���� Lin Da was about to deliver a villainous victory speech when the next scene he saw was Lia��s Flaming Slash transforming, bursting with orange flames and a touch of stardust.


    This was the Rare Technique, Flaming Slash, which could only be mastered after reaching level 40 and becoming a Moon Rank Adventurer! sea??h th�� n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da��s face was a picture of disbelief; the skill that Lia was supposed to comprehend at Moon Rank, had she mastered it ahead of time? Then, what would she learn at Moon Rank?


    The course that Lia��s narrative would take from now on was completely inconceivable to Lin Da.


    ��Eureka!��


    Lia shouted nonsensically as she unleashed her Flaming Slash.


    The quality of the Flaming Slash had been elevated to a Rare Technique, putting it on the same level as Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang, and Lia��s Starfire Douqi had a noticeable suppressive effect on the Vine Dragon with a partial Grass Attribute!


    The Phoenix Feather Sword was unstoppable, slicing the Vine Dragon in half.


    Having broken through all obstacles, Lia could finally see Lin Da��s shocked face.


    A powerful sense of accomplishment welled up in Lia��s heart; all the humiliations Lin Da had inflicted, were all transformed into satisfaction, prompting an uncontrollable laugh.


    Shocking the ten thousand on the square was one thing, but to shock Lin Da was even more exhilarating for her����Take that for looking down on people and thinking me a fool!��


    Lin Da, however, reacted swiftly, retreating to dodge Lia��s attack, his Earth Dragon Longsword endowed with Toxic Enchantment, his legs bent in ready stance, as he assumed a basic sword posture.

 Chapter 487 - 487: 368. Lia seizes the

    Chapter 487: 368. Lia seizes the ��future��_2


    ��`


    ��Your half-baked swordsmanship is useless!��


    Lia snorted.


    Ultimately, the swordsmanship Lin Da was using had been taught to him by her and Isa��it was unheard of for an apprentice to defeat their master. Swordsmanship was a skill that required long-term practice and couldn��t be grasped instantaneously. The more one practiced, the stronger they became.


    Lia acknowledged that her mind wasn��t as sharp as Lin Da��s, but when it came to swordsmanship, even with three more years of practice, Lin Da still wouldn��t be a match for her.


    Moreover, she knew that Lin Da excelled at mid-range combat, with skills like Venom Magic Sphere, Dark Whip, and Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang being mid-range abilities. As long as she engaged in close-quarters combat and gave Lin Da no chance to cast spells, the scales of victory would steadily tip in her favor.


    ...


    Put simply, Lia��s strategy was relentless attack��even meaningless strikes were preferable to affording Lin Da any breathing room!


    Due to Lin Da��s undue underestimation of her, he had already descended from the sky and landed on the ground. If he were to unfurl his Black Eagle Wings now, he would face the same dilemma he had against Abner. The moment he extended his wings would consume a great deal of magical power, leaving his defense weak.


    Lia intended to seize this opportunity and force Lin Da to admit defeat in one go!


    ��ORA ORA ORA ORA!��


    With a mighty battle cry, Lia swept her great sword in an upward strike followed by a vertical slash, then spun into a fiery whirlwind.


    A warrior��s skills could evolve from the technique of swordplay, with activation times much faster than a Mage��s chanting, which inherently made Mages unsuited for close combat.


    Go to ????????????????????.co


    Lin Da was forced by Lia to retreat repeatedly, drawing ever closer to the edge of the Arena.


    Even if he had plenty of health points, falling off the stage would mean defeat all the same!


    ��Flaming Slash!��


    Lia��s sword chopped down, and the tremendous force sent Lin Da flying.


    Lin Da flew more than ten meters sideways, almost brushing the heads of the spectators.


    The crowd screamed!


    ��But, it��s useless!��


    This was the evasion route Lin Da had carefully planned!


    Once outside the Arena, Lia wouldn��t be able to pursue, and he would have plenty of time to cast spells at leisure.


    Lin Da looked calm, unfurling the Black Eagle Wings on his back and lightly flapping them to arrest his backward momentum.


    When he had accepted this match, he had already arrived at the conclusion that he would certainly win after meticulous thought. If he weren��t confident, why would he accept Lia��s challenge while injured?


    With the Black Eagle Wings, Lin Da completely disregarded the need for solid ground.


    Ultimately, this was a victory for ��rationality.�� He could use this match as an opportunity to give Lia a lesson and have her correct her impulsive tendencies.


    ��Hm?��


    Suddenly, Lin Da paused his thoughts.


    A fiery red dot hurtled toward him. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the reflection in Lin Da��s pupils, a point of flame burned vigorously, as if half the sky had been dyed orange-red.


    Lia had taken a desperate leap, jumping off the Arena!


    But without wings, Lia couldn��t change direction in mid-air. She couldn��t predict where unfurling her wings would take her. If she wasn��t positioned correctly, all Lin Da had to do was watch from the air as Lia would plummet below, automatically losing the match.


    It was an extremely risky move!


    Yet Lia��s all-or-nothing gamble was like a hammer striking the already tilting scales of victory.


    A faint glimmer of hope appeared in a match that was supposed to be lost.


    ��This girl��!��


    The scene was beyond Lin Da��s expectations. Lia had leveled up during the fight, grasped a Rare Technique, abandoned the Arena, and charged out��these unpredictable factors combined into the image now flying towards him: a red-haired girl wielding a great sword.


    ��Dark Whip,��


    Just as Lin Da was about to activate his skills, a great sword flew straight towards him, distracting him enough to block.


    In the next instant, a fist engulfed in explosive flames suddenly closed in.


    Lin Da took a punch to the stomach and felt a surge of acid rush up his throat.


    However.


    The victor of the match was still him!


    Lia��s punch hadn��t knocked him out. He spread his wings and soared into the sky, causing Lia, with nowhere to push off from, to fall downwards.


    But, in another twist of fate,


    Lia, with an indignant look on her face, grabbed onto his trousers and used him as a springboard to frantically climb upward.


    Lin Da shouted angrily, ��Get off!��


    He prepared to unleash Venom Eruption at Lia, intent on knocking her down.


    But Lia, with vicious determination, opened her mouth wide, her sharp little canines gleaming coldly as she bit into the soft flesh on the inside of his thigh!


    Ssss��


    Lin Da sucked in a breath of cold air.


    Thankfully, he could withstand the pain. His right palm formed a tiny purple Array aimed at Lia��s head��


    It seemed Lia realized this was useless as her expression hesitated for a moment.


    Under Lin Da��s terrifying glare as if he wished to murder her, she reached out for what she saw as a ��handle�� on the ��plank�� that was Lin Da.


    A little squeeze, it should be fine.


    ��`


    Lia estimated she used about fifty percent of her strength.


    In that instant,


    numerous men in the audience saw Lin Da��s ghastly pale face.


    How much pain must a 34-level Fire Swordmaster endure when his ��doorknob�� is seized?


    The extent of Lin Da��s agony was clear as he plummeted straight from the sky, powerless to resist.


    Sympathy stirred within everyone��s hearts.


    ��


    ��Wah!��


    ��Everyone, get out of the way!��


    ��Someone��s going to die!��


    In the back rows of the spectator seats, people panicked and ran, leaving behind a mess of chairs.


    Boom!


    Lin Da and his company hit the ground, raising a cloud of dust.


    The adventurers encircling them wore faces filled with shock and uncertainty.


    They fell out of the arena?


    So�� who won?


    From the VIP seats, Rocher and others of the Moon Rank unfurled their wings and flew in the sky to observe the situation.


    The host Kami frantically urged the hot air balloon, wailing, ��What, what is going on? A reversal, a massive reversal! Will Lin Da be unable to have children after this? Even if he wins the contest, has he lost in life???��


    The recent scene was vividly displayed on the big screen. Everyone could see how Lia had grabbed the ��doorknob.��


    ��This Lia�� bastard!��


    ��Kill her.��


    ��Wuu, Lord Captain����


    In the players�� resting area, Lulu, Tasya, and Monica, their eyes filled with anger towards Lia.


    The contest is the contest, but why did you grab Lin Da��s that thing?


    If anything happened to Lin Da, his teammates certainly wouldn��t let Lia off the hook!


    Also filled with indignant anger were Lin Da��s fan members.


    Ninety percent were female, and the remaining ten percent were male adventurers with ulterior motives.


    Heartbroken, they squeezed through the crowd to confirm Lin Da��s safety.


    ��


    Lin Da was ashen-faced, feeling nothing but intermittent stabbing pain below his waist as he lay on the ground, questioning his existence.


    And Lia clung to him like an octopus, her small face still racked with terror, not yet recovered from the battle.


    ��Get off me, you��re causing me pain,�� Lin Da said coldly.


    Only then did Lia come back to her senses, propped herself on Lin Da��s chest, and struggled to her feet.


    The sour pain in her limbs made every movement of Lia��s exceedingly difficult, her face puzzled as she looked around at the bustling crowd.


    Realizing that she was on top of Lin Da, Lia��s face changed with embarrassment as she awkwardly jumped to the side.


    Lin Da stood up, receiving treatment from two priestesses brought in by the Adventurers�� Guild.


    The priestesses�� hands released a milky white Holy Light, targeting Lin Da��s injured area, as the warm Healing Spell flowed in.


    The biggest difference between [Healing Spell] and [Healing Art] is that the former barely restores health points but can aid in healing wounds.


    Soon enough, Lin Da felt the pain notably diminish.


    The area pushed down like a dented pipe was ��thumped and patted�� and mended by the magic power of the priestesses.


    During the healing, Lia wore a face full of guilt, wanting to apologize but too embarrassed to do so. Lulu and the others stared at her with eyes like one would look at an enemy.


    ��I believe there should be no major issues now. If you feel discomfort during your future use, please contact us at the address on this card,�� said the priestess with golden ponytail, kindly smiling as she handed Lin Da a business card between her fingers.


    Lin Da, not taking any chances, quickly accepted it.


    The crowd also breathed a sigh of relief.


    But coming back to it��


    How should the outcome of this match be judged?


    Both Lin Da and Lia had fallen out of the Arena, forfeiting their eligibility to continue the match.


    According to their wager, the victor could make a request of the loser.


    Even though there was no prize money for this exhibition match, a ��request�� from a Star-ranked adventurer was still a valuable spoil of war.


    A cascade of inquiring glances fell upon the pair.

 Chapter 488 - 488: 369, Requirements, Growth, and Agreements

    Chapter 488: 369, Requirements, Growth, and Agreements


    ��How do we decide who wins or loses? Are they going to fight it out on the stage again?��


    ��Isn��t it quite obvious who won or lost? Lin Da still has the ability to fight, but Lia can��t even stand up without struggling.��


    ��What does the host say?��


    Everyone looked toward Kami in the hot air balloon.


    After pondering for a moment, Kami gave an answer:


    By using the big screen��s recording function to play the footage back, judging the victory based on the order in which both fell to the ground.


    ...


    Whoever hit the ground first would be the first to lose eligibility to compete.


    The last one standing would be deemed the winner automatically.


    If that��s the case��


    It would be clear at a glance who won and who lost.


    Everyone saw Lia pinning Lin Da underneath her.


    ��Wait, Lin Da didn��t do that on purpose, did he?��


    Go to ????????????????????.co


    ��After all, Lia is in bad shape; she��s likely to be severely injured since she��s the one underneath!��


    ��No, I think Lin Da is in so much pain that he can��t even move, the water pipe��s all bent����


    In the square, there were various opinions.


    In the orange glow of the setting sun, Lin Da looked up at the big screen, his tense body gradually relaxing.


    Frozen on the screen was the image of him hitting the ground first. S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He lost.


    And it happened when he had every advantage, yet Lia managed to turn the tables on him.


    Lin Da closed his eyes and silently reviewed the battle.


    It was Lia��s repeated risky moves that introduced many variables to the fight, ultimately changing the outcome. Even upon reflection, Lin Da still thought Lia��s actions were foolish; a single misstep could have cost her the victory.


    But it was precisely Lia��s rash actions that wrested the fruits of victory from his hands.


    ��Perhaps I��ve relied too much on strategy, losing the spirit of adventure that��s essential for an adventurer.


    At any time, all I believed in were my strategies and myself.


    My teammates were just [game data] to manipulate, and my failure was the team��s failure.��


    But in reality, an adventure is never a one-person affair. I can trust them more,�� Lin Da thought to himself.


    He couldn��t bring himself to be as blindly optimistic as Lia quite yet, charging toward the World Tree without any preparation.


    But he realized that strategy wasn��t everything; his teammates weren��t just puppets to control. He could trust them more.


    ��The 14th floor of the Mystic Realm�� let��s not wait; we��ll set out tomorrow.��


    Lin Da said to Lulu and the others with a smile on his face.


    ��Didn��t we agree to wait until everyone reached level 36���� Lulu said in surprise.


    ��I��ve been overly cautious. Adapting to the adventure as it unfolds, or even deliberately putting ourselves in danger to unlock our potential, is important.


    I believe everyone can handle the 14th floor,�� he said.


    In games, even if you��re just 0.01% short of Experience Points, you can��t level up, and players definitely can��t grasp a Moon Rank Rare Technique while at the Star Rank.


    No matter how loudly you shout, it won��t increase your critical hit rate, and you��ll just be seen as a fool.


    But reality is different.


    Adventurers need to grow continuously through adventures.


    If they were to reach the top without any challenges, could this adventure team, untested by fire and iron, really bear the responsibility of defeating the Demon King?


    The future had already changed, and Lin Da realized that it wasn��t just his own strength he needed; he hoped to lead the entire team and, indeed, all the adventurers of the continent to become stronger.


    Seeing Lin Da��s fiery gaze, Lulu and the others exchanged glances, feeling that their captain had changed.


    In the past, Lin Da would never risk entering the World Tree without reaching the levels he had set.


    Lulu and the others had so much faith in Lin Da that they never questioned whether his decisions were right; if it was Lin Da, his decisions must be correct.


    They couldn��t tell if Lin Da��s subtle change was good or bad, but he certainly seemed more like an adventurer now.


    Lulu felt a bit uncomfortable with this highly motivated Lin Da, twirling her blue bangs casually and saying, ��If it��s us, of course, there won��t be any problems����


    Kafni pouted and said, ��This divine�� cough, this noble adventurer has always thought so! The World Tree is nothing; I could get through it with my eyes closed, right.��


    Monica said, ��Whatever Lord Da decides must be right.��


    Tasya, with her hands clasped in front of her maid��s apron, looked at Lin Da with trust-filled eyes.


    No matter the changes in Lin Da, he was their one and only captain.


    That was true three years ago, and it remains true now.


    This enviable team atmosphere made the other adventurers feel uneasy.


    Each adventure team was filled with petty troubles and trivial household matters, like Snow Goose was the normal state.


    Where could you find a team like the Phoenix Tail Flower Team, with all beautiful girls with high talent, unconditionally trusting their captain?


    This is why comic books are so popular; who doesn��t want to daydream once in a while?


    And right before their eyes, Lin Da was living their daydream.


    ��What an annoying guy!��


    ��I think Lin Da deserves it; his strategy helped our Watermelon Adventure Team break through the tenth floor, becoming a Rock-level Adventure Team!��


    ��Don��t even start; my girlfriend not only likes to collect Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team merchandise, she even calls out Lin Da��s name in her dreams��! Thank goodness I��m from the Turtle Tribe, I find it quite enjoyable.��


    The adventurers discussed.


    In among these conversations, there were some outrageous remarks that were unanimously despised by everyone.


    But when they saw that it was Coward Man who said it, they understood.


    ��Um�� it��s my turn to set the conditions now, right?��


    The harmonious atmosphere of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team was interrupted by a short, red-haired girl who walked up, scratching her cheek awkwardly.


    Lin Da was taken aback for a moment.


    Indeed, there was such a bet.

 Chapter 489 - 489: 369, requirements, growth, and agreement_2

    Chapter 489: 369, requirements, growth, and agreement_2


    The loser must agree to one condition from the winner.


    ��What do you want? Gold Coins or equipment? Since I promised, I won��t go back on my word.��


    Lin Da said calmly.


    A sensor ladybug flew in the sky, aimed its head at the two of them, and transmitted the scene to the large screen above the Arena.


    People in the square perked up, curious about what condition Lia, despite being all bruised, was keen on securing to win.


    Lin Da saw Lia with her hands behind her back in an awkward pose and was shocked, adding quickly, ��It must be a reasonable condition, asking me to dissolve Phoenix Tail Flower and return to Snow Goose is absolutely impossible!��


    ...


    ��I know that, I wouldn��t make such an unreasonable demand!��


    Forcing someone to dissolve an adventure team was akin to a vendetta. Lia wasn��t dumb enough to go that far. Lin Da��s words infuriated her so much that her eyebrows twitched uncontrollably; it was hard for her to imagine what image she had in Lin Da��s mind.


    ��Then I��ll say it.��


    ��Hurry up, I��m so hungry I could flatten, I just want to go home now.��


    ��Well��then����


    ��Then?��


    Go to ????????????????????.co


    ��Then����


    ��Come on, do you want to kill me with suspense?��


    Lin Da, half amused and half frustrated, thought Lia might be scheming to take all his gold coins��


    The crowd watched Lia intently, captivated by how hard it was for her to even voice her request, which must be incredibly greedy to make her feel embarrassed about it.


    Torn for a moment, Lia, her face flushing, blurted out loudly, ��My condition is that from now on, you treat me better, and don��t treat me like a child anymore!�� Sear?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��I��m an adult now, a Star-ranked adventurer who��s eighteen years old.�� Lia��s ears reddened, and people around shot her surprised looks as she embarrassingly wished she could bury her head in the cracks of the floor tiles.


    Lulu shuddered, eyeing Lia warily as if she were a cat that got the cream.


    Aiko, hiding in the competitors�� resting area, clutched his chest in agony, his eyes rolling at Lia��s words.


    This was practically no different from a public confession! Was she really using this opportunity, which could have easily made her millions, perhaps tens of millions of Gold Coins, for such a thing?


    Weren��t you supposed to be a gold-digger? Aiko��s mindset collapsed three times in just half an hour!


    In the crowd, Klyne, moved, pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the tears at the corner of her eyes, murmuring, ��It��s great the Captain finally said it.��


    Oru chuckled, ��I knew this day would come.��


    Now, in the Snow Goose Adventure Team, apart from Lia and the clueless Klrona, everyone else clearly understood Lia��s feelings.


    It was just that she was too stubborn to admit it.


    Anyone who suggested she had certain feelings for Lin Da would face her fierce denial.


    The square buzzed with excitement, some onlookers whistling and shouting cheers, which made Lia blush even deeper, unable to even raise her head.


    Lin Da watched the red-haired girl who almost shrank into a crack on the ground with an astonished expression, a question mark slowly floating in his mind,


    Was this precious opportunity merely for Lia to tell him that she had grown up?


    Lin Da was utterly baffled by what Lia was thinking!


    But indeed, after being reminded by Lia, Lin Da finally realized,


    It turns out that the girl in front of him, only five feet tall and still quite immature in her actions, was legally an adult. At least physiologically, she had reached the state of womanhood.


    To continue treating her as if she were a child not bothered by whether she wore a scarf or not was indeed disrespectful.


    Under the gaze of many speculative eyes, Lin Da approached Lia.


    ��I understand now, from now on, I��ll regard you as an adult.��


    ��But I also hope you could demonstrate the maturity and responsibility of an adult,


    and fulfill the duty that not only an adventurer but also an Adventure Team Leader should have!��


    Lia coughed dryly, fidgeting as she spoke, ��Anything else?��


    ��What?�� Lin Da was puzzled.


    ��My original words weren��t just that, were they?��


    ��Eh?��


    Lin Da thought hard.


    The earlier phrase seemed to be��


    He finally understood; the mocking expressions from the surrounding adventurers were anticipating something.


    Couldn��t be.


    Did they think he and Lia were romantically involved?


    From the fact that all the members of Phoenix Tail Flower were adults, it was clear where Lin Da��s personal preferences lay.


    In his heart, Lia was just a friend, nothing more.


    He found it hard to find the feminine charm that a woman should have in Lia.


    Nevertheless, he had promised Lia during the competition that he would fulfill her request.


    Lin Da sighed.


    His large hand rested on Lia��s head, caressing her smooth, red hair.


    ��From now on, I��ll consider being nicer to you.��


    ��Mm.��


    Lia nodded.


    Amid bursts of cheering, the two stood awkwardly, toes curling on the ground.


    Lin Da muttered internally: What kind of comic book scene is this!


    In the hot air balloon, Kami wiped away tears, moved, ��This is great, now I��ll have the chance to snap photos of Lia at the silver chaos parties.��


    Lia: ��Who wants to go to that kind of party???��


    ��You might not believe this, but I��ll explain anyway. I��ve never done that sort of thing, so don��t spread rumors.��


    Lin Da said helplessly.


    Kami: ��Really? I can understand. After all, although it��s not illegal, it��s bad for one��s reputation. Many nobles, even if caught on camera, would claim they were merely helping a maid treat an illness. Captain Lin Da, I totally understand your predicament.��


    The crowd nodded in agreement.


    Just caught on camera at the fireworks festival night, bringing a bunch of beauties to his mansion, were they just eating and drinking wine?


    Even Coward Man wouldn��t be fooled by such a lie!


    Lin Da smiled awkwardly, too lazy to explain further.


    Time will prove everything.


    Someday, he would clear his title of ��Ultimate Pervert�� and show them all.


    ��


    The exhibition match, despite its twists and turns, ended with everyone happy.


    White Dove City attracted huge investments, and the spectators had a feast for their eyes.


    Merchants selling ��Eye of True Knowledge�� and ��Mind��s Eye�� figurines sold out, and even the ��Bursting Flames�� that had been overstocked in the warehouse, were going fast, their golden teeth gleaming in the sunset.


    Lin Da realized that his way of conducting himself had been too conservative all along. He could afford to trust his teammates more.


    Lia��s gains were the greatest among everyone.


    In the heat of battle, she broke through to level 34, mastered the Rare Technique ��Flaming Slash,�� and also made Lin Da promise to be nicer to her.


    Lia thought that in the future, she should also be nicer to Lin Da since she seemed to have received quite a bit of care from him during the three years with Snow Goose.


    If Lin Da had always stayed with Snow Goose, she might never have realized this.


    Lia quietly resolved to make a delicious meal for Lin Da to give him a treat.


    When leaving the Secret Realm Square, Lin Da and his group were blocked by a disheveled middle-aged man holding a bottle of liquor.


    This person had dangerously thinning golden hair, a hooked nose, and a flushed face burping alcohol fumes.


    He had an offensive odor that made the girls behind Lin Da avoid him, showing disgusted expressions.


    ��What kind of Battle Qi was that you used during the match? Can you tell me?��


    The middle-aged man was Luden, a journalist from the Adventurer��s Weekly.


    He squinted his eyes, curiously pointing at Lia.


    ��Who are you, and why should I tell you?�� Lia said warily.


    ��Here��s my business card.�� Luden handed it out.


    ��Adventurer��s Weekly?��


    After reading the card, surprise appeared on everyone��s faces.


    Lia was undecided; Starfire Douqi was her trump card, and she didn��t want to reveal it recklessly.


    ��Tell him.�� Lin Da pondered for a moment and nodded to Lia.


    The Starfire Douqi could significantly improve the Adventurer��s Weekly rating for Lia, a higher initial rating meant more points at the Ice Abyss Training Camp.


    According to the game��s mechanics, points could be exchanged for many rare resources, equipment, and even skill books that couldn��t be bought externally.


    Lin Da��s main target was the ��Key�� of the Ice Abyss Training Camp.


    An accessory piece of equipment that would play a critical role in future high-level raids.


    Though it might not sound very noble�� exchanging that key required a lot of points, if he couldn��t gather them himself, he might consider borrowing some from Lia��s.


    The higher Adventurer��s Weekly rated Lia and the others, the better it was for them, and Lin Da also benefited indirectly.

 Chapter 492 - 492: 371, fourteenth floor, Labyrinth of Desire of the Succubus King

    Chapter 492: 371, fourteenth floor, Labyrinth of Desire of the Succubus King


    The setting sun passed through the glass, tiny dust particles dancing in the light.


    This female secretary was efficient and decisive, her high heels seeming to bring a breeze that slightly shook the office plants.


    The good news Nora brought made Weylon��s smile even richer.


    After all, he was only an adventure team leader and couldn��t single-handedly arrange five hundred million Gold Coins.


    Specific allocations had to be discussed by the city committee.


    Weylon, not good with words, sent his trusted secretary Nora to handle it. Seeing the faint smile on Nora��s red lips, he knew the matter was settled.


    ...


    Nora pushed her glasses up again, her speech was rapid and clear, giving off an air of efficiency:


    ��Based on the discussions by the city committee, the first batch of the Sunrise Fund is set at one hundred million Gold Coins. Initially, fifty million will be specifically invested in the following teams.


    They are��


    White Dove Adventure Group ten million.


    Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team ten million.


    Ice Flower and Snow Goose Adventure Team five million each.


    Go to ????????????????????.co


    Valiant Adventure Team three million.


    The rest of the Gold Coins will be invested in Rock-level Adventure Teams.��


    One hundred million.


    It was not a small amount, and Weylon couldn��t help but be secretly amazed that those stingy city committee members were willing to invest such a large sum in adventurers��


    The city committee members were all extremely conservative, counting Gold Coins to pass their days, old folks, and Weylon thought they would be generous to put forward fifty million.


    It must be because of the Adventurer��s Weekly��s evaluation.


    Weylon had watched the newspaper at the earliest opportunity.


    White Dove City, four adventurers made it onto Adventurer��s Weekly.


    And one person even reached a potential rating of Nine Stars!


    This amounted to an official certification, as long as this person continued their training normally, they would definitely step into the Moon Rank!


    Just one hour after the release of Adventurer��s Weekly, the adventure team leaders of Red Heart City and South Rock City started their Magic Mirrors and sent their congratulations.


    It wouldn��t take many years for White Dove City to be on equal footing with them.


    For the first time, Weylon experienced the feeling of being respected. Those city leaders finally stopped looking down on him.


    Perhaps it was seeing the potential of adventurers from White Dove City that the old folks at the city committee were willing to put a hundred million into the Sunrise Fund.


    Weylon reflected, ��I hope this Gold Coin can help them advance to the Sunrise Level faster.��


    Nowadays, White Dove City was thriving.


    The potential seeds of the White Dove Adventure Group and three other teams began to sprout, bringing a new sunrise to this old city.


    A faint smile appeared on Nora��s usually cool face: ��Lord, one day, we too can become a major city like Cyan City.��


    ��A major city�� I hope so.�� Weylon smiled helplessly.


    On this continent, only a World Tree of 25 tiers could qualify as a major city.


    And watering the World Tree, increasing its tiers, required an extremely precious resource produced only by the Royal Capital �� Dew of the World Tree.


    Every year, on the first morning, the leaves of the Holy Tree produced golden dewdrops.


    Collecting them and refining them with the Fruit of the World Tree would yield Dew of the World Tree.


    Its function was to increase the upper limit of tiers of the World Tree��s branches.


    The size of official ranks, the scale of the city, the prosperity�� all were closely related to the upper limit of the World Tree��s tiers.


    Weylon knew what Nora implied. If someday all four adventure teams advanced to the Sunrise Level, White Dove City could obtain a droplet of Dew of the World Tree.


    Even if Abner, Lin Da, and others one day left White Dove City, as their place of origin, White Dove City would receive a substantial reward for any new achievements they made in the future.


    Every city was an independent investor, investing in a multitude of adventurers.


    This time, Weylon placed his bets on Lin Da and the other three.


    Weylon, in his fifties, felt his once withered heart beat vigorously again.


    If he could see White Dove City enter the top hundred cities in the province, even if he were devoured by a Giant Dragon the next day, he would die without regrets.


    If there was anything that could surpass the love of women and wine, it was unquestionably wealth, power, prestige. S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��I hope I live to see that day.��


    Looking out at the bustling construction scene outside the window, Weylon��s tall frame unconsciously slumped. His early years as an adventurer had damaged his Magic Circuit and left his body with lingering injuries.


    Regarding this, Weylon didn��t feel regretful, as after all, the average life expectancy of an adventurer was only fifty years, and he had already surpassed that.


    He was just reflective, possibly not going to see the day when White Dove City would be renowned throughout Cangqing Province.


    ��


    ��


    Meanwhile, hundreds of kilometers away to the south in Red Heart City, in the mansion of The Mandalas.


    The study was filled with various weapons and heads of Magical Creatures as trophies, the Temperature Control Magic Circle above buzzed, making the entire room as cold as an ice vault.


    The one-eyed red-haired man sat on the sofa, holding a fresh copy of Adventurer��s Weekly.


    His eyes scanned over the ��Collection of Heroes�� section, noting the name Lia, his gaze subtly changed.


    The man, nearly two meters tall with red hair tied back in a ponytail, wearing a black trench coat, his rugged hands adorned with multicolored gemstone rings.


    On his desk, there was a cup of blood-red hot tea.


    To be exact, it was blood, freshly drawn from a slaughtered sheep.


    ��Father, I think, you should acknowledge her as a member of our family now��


    Her Snow Goose Adventure Team, not only advanced to Iron Level, but also received Adventurer��s Weekly��s recognition and an exceptional issuance of [Ice Abyss Training Camp Admission Ticket].


    I have a feeling, Lia will become the pride of the Mandala family.��


    Dawen stood by the side, bowing his body, and spoke respectfully.

 Chapter 493 - 493: 371, fourteenth floor, Labyrinth of Desire of the Succubus King_2

    Chapter 493: 371, fourteenth floor, Labyrinth of Desire of the Succubus King_2


    ��Hehehe����


    A deep laugh echoed from the throat of the red-haired middle-aged man.


    He closed the newspaper, grabbed the sheep��s blood on the table, and downed it in one gulp.


    The bright red smeared across his thick lips, making his smile appear especially sinister:


    ��That wild seed brought back by Bellini? Iron Level? Hehe, hehehe, not bad, I must have misjudged. Not only did she not die outside, but she also became Star Rank�� Hahahaha!��


    The grating laughter made Dawen��s scalp tingle.


    ...


    The man before him, with an ambiguous attitude and exuding an air of terror, was none other than the one known as the Bloody Baron, Augutuo.


    Over a decade ago, he had reached Level 39, but due to his limited talent, even with the Divine Light, he struggled to take the final step.


    Since then, Augutuo��s personality had grown increasingly odd, preferring to hide in a cold study, drinking the fresh blood of various animals.


    Even his flames carried a subtle, almost imperceptible chill.


    Dawen felt that his father was becoming stranger and stranger.


    Augutuo set the newspaper aside and grinned, ��Prepare a gift for me, in a few days, I wish to personally visit my daughter.��


    Go to ????????????????????.co


    ��Yes, my lord father!�� Hearing that Augutuo was finally willing to see Lia, a flash of joy crossed Dawen��s eyes.


    Despite Lia��s seeming indifference towards family, if she could gain her father��s recognition, or even praise, she would surely be giggling under her blankets.


    ��


    News that four teams from White Dove City had made it onto the Adventurer��s Weekly spread from one to ten, ten to a hundred, sweeping through a thousand miles at the speed of thunder.


    The adventurers from White Dove City, when encountering adventurers from other cities in the wild, distinctly felt the contempt in their eyes fade away, the sense of superiority was gone.


    ��Ah? You��re an adventurer from Aoxia City? Isn��t that the crappy city at the bottom of Cangqing Province?


    Nowhere near our White Dove City, where four teams have the potential to ascend to Sunrise Level, all featured in the Adventurer��s Weekly.


    I��m only Level 10, and I still get a monthly adventure stipend of one Gold Coin.


    Hey, I reckon your Aoxia City isn��t up to scratch, probably getting just a few silver coins a month, right?


    Ah? Not even one silver coin? Tsk, tsk, brother, you have it tough.��


    Some of the adventurers from White Dove City who were accustomed to being looked down upon had changed their meek attitudes, puffing out their chests with pride when outside.


    They vigorously unleashed the scorn they once suffered upon those cities even worse off than White Dove City.


    The people from Aoxia City were angry but dared not speak out, for White Dove City had four people featured in the Adventurer��s Weekly. This was a sign that they were taking off!


    If White Dove City had even one team that made it into the Sunrise Level, the city��s ranking could soar, breaking into the top one hundred and fifty of Cangqing Province!


    White Dove City had the clout to look down on them!


    Being left behind meant being insulted; it had become a traditional skill among adventurers.


    If you don��t want to be insulted, then go climb the World Tree and become stronger.


    Creating a cycle of ��Dragon Slayers eventually becoming dragons.��


    That afternoon.


    White Dove City, 14th floor of the World Tree.


    The Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team, after resting for a night, entered the World Tree ten minutes ago.


    They arrived in this pitch-dark world that seemed to lack up, down, left, and right, like a black box.


    ��Eeya!��


    Monica thought she had fallen into the abyss, letting out a cute scream.


    Here, you couldn��t see anything like a floor under your feet; it was pitch black underfoot and overhead, and for a moment, the brain couldn��t distinguish up from down, making Monica feel dizzy and lean on Lin Da.


    ��Take deep breaths, relax your body slowly!��


    As Lin Da spoke, he took out a bag of flour from his Space Ring and scattered it on the ground.


    With that, there was a ��floor�� to prevent any visual illusions.


    ��The team leader is so amazing,�� Monica said with an admiring expression.


    Lin Da felt somewhat embarrassed.


    Being constantly bathed in his teammates�� admiration could easily go to one��s head.


    He looked around at his teammates: Monica, Lulu, Kafni, all in uniform adventurer��s battle clothing, brown dungarees, white shirts, and a tactical belt laden with a bunch of magic scrolls and potions. S��ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Everyone was vigorous.


    Once the Phoenix Tail Flower Team cleared the 14th floor, Tasya could join them for subsequent levels, greatly enhancing their combined combat capabilities.


    Lin Da, with a stern face, said, ��The Mystic Realm of the 14th floor, recommended strategy level is 28, and our average level is just over 35.


    But let��s not get complacent.


    Even the simplest Mystic Realm has the potential for mistakes!


    Until we leave upon completing it, we must not let our guard down!��


    ��Yes!��


    The three nodded in unison.


    Then, Lin Da looked ahead.


    In this dark and empty space, only there lay a huge ancient building.


    Shaped like a cube, its walls soared into the dark void, with no end in sight.


    Primitive totems were carved all over its surface.


    People wearing grass skirts and carrying bows and arrows knelt before the woman on the throne, their faces full of awe.


    Curved ram��s horns, a black peach heart tail�� Lin Da observed the woman��s image, his expression subtly changing.


    Succubus?


    In the ancient history of adventurers, succubi were seen as symbols of desire.


    It appeared that this layer was related to desire.


    ��The leaf has appeared!�� Kafni said.


    In narrative Mystic Realms, each person would receive a maple-leaf-shaped leaf from the World Tree to receive the narrative.


    Kafni had participated in the ��Dark Night City�� and recognized it quickly.


    Lin Da caught the leaf from the void and looked at it closely.


    [14th layer Mystic Realm: Labyrinth of Desire]


    [��Human hearts are composed of desires; he who can control human hearts can make adventurers his beasts of burden.����The Queen of Succubi, Lilith.]


    This Labyrinth of Desire is a projection of a building left by Lilith in some place.


    Historical records state that adventurers lost in the Labyrinth will be beheaded by the Executioner, while men of handsome appearance will become the beasts of burden for Lilith.


    However, this Labyrinth of Desire is a projection of history.


    No matter the gender or appearance, anyone who gets lost in the Labyrinth of Desire will be attacked by the Executioner.


    The Executioner brooks no defiance.


    Please follow the rules of the Labyrinth of Desire, break through the trials one by one, and make your way to the center of the Labyrinth.]


    [Optional Objective 1: Succeed in all trials]


    [Optional Objective 2: Fail in all trials]


    [Optional Objective 3: Kill ???]


    Above was all the content on the leaf of the World Tree.


    After reading through it carefully, Lin Da put away the leaf and looked again at the ancient cubic building ahead.


    In his mind, he mused: So the name of this building is Labyrinth of Desire, and the method to pass it is to make it to the center of the maze.


    This narrative Mystic Realm had three optional objectives. The first two were clear at a glance: either succeed in everything or fail in everything.


    Given Lin Da��s style, he would naturally choose the former.


    As for the third one, it required the adventurer to kill something.


    Specifically what they were meant to kill remained a mystery.


    The biggest feature of narrative Mystic Realms was the unknown. In games, they were called ��meat pigeon�� levels, generated by algorithms at random.


    In Another World, it became similar to an original narrative instance with infinite loops.


    And after every adventurer cleared it, they would lose their memories of it, which meant that later adventurers could not refer to the experiences of their predecessors.


    Lin Da, as a visitor from Another World, was an exception and would not be affected by the memory erasure. His teammates, too, were similarly unaffected.


    ��The rules are clear now, let��s move out!��


    Lin Da led the members of the Phoenix Tail Flower Team to the entrance of the labyrinth.


    It was a stone door ten meters high and more than twenty meters wide, big enough for giants to pass through.


    Thick white mist billowed within the stone door. The moment Lin Da and others stepped through, a mischievous girl��s laugh echoed around their ears:


    ��New toys, reveal your vulgarity before desire to entertain me, your Lord Lilith~ By the way, the Labyrinth of Desire does not welcome children who come too early; the Executioner will take direct care of them!��


    ��Is this the voice of the Succubus Queen Lilith? Isn��t she a monster above level 90?��


    Lin Da was startled.


    But then he remembered that the leaf from the World Tree stated that this labyrinth was a historical projection.


    Therefore, ��Lilith�� was also part of the projection, simulated by the Mystic Realm, and possessed only a fraction of Lilith��s power.


    If they were to face the actual Succubus Queen now, the only fate for Lin Da��s team would be to be drained dry.


    The surrounding mist surged and turned into a dense white that blinded their eyes.


    ��Team, Team Lord!��


    ��Lin Da?��


    ��Ugh, I feel like my brain��s going to malfunction!��


    The exclamations of team members resounded from all directions.

 Chapter 494 - 494: 372, In the depths of the labyrinth, Lulu and Kafni Defense Break.

    Chapter 494: 372, In the depths of the labyrinth, Lulu and Kafni Defense Break.


    ��Where are you all?��


    Lin Da called out loudly.


    But the voices of his teammates grew more and more distant, the white fog surrounding them howling and surging like ocean waves, each ��slap�� widening the gap between Lin Da and the others.


    Within seconds, Lin Da could no longer hear his teammates�� voices.


    ��Is it some kind of teleportation magic? Have I and the teammates been transported to different places in this labyrinth?��


    Lin Da pondered internally.


    ...


    The white fog not only had the effect of teleportation but also penetrated his body, probing his various conditions.


    It was just as Lilith had said, adventurers who were too fearful faced immediate execution by the executioner.


    Succubi despised such people the most; they feasted not only on the essence but also on the joyful emotions of adventurers.


    Adventurers who were too fearful were of exceedingly poor quality as prey, usually scorned and mocked by the succubi before being sold off to goblins.


    The white fog conducted its examination within Lin Da��s body and, as if it had encountered some monster, zipped away in terror.


    ��It seems I have gained the recognition of the succubi.��


    Go to ????????????????????.co


    Lin Da��s chest involuntarily puffed up with pride.


    The fog dissipated, and his vision gradually cleared.


    What appeared before him was a straight stone corridor.


    The stones on the walls, time-worn and mottled, bore the traces of the passage of years.


    Within the corridor, at regular intervals, lay dust-covered fluorescent stones, emitting a faint emerald glow.


    At the end stood a towering stone door adorned with carvings of primitive people from various races, bowing before a succubus.


    Lin Da also noticed a small detail: the primitive people��s loincloths were conspicuously bulging.


    How detestable, the Succubus King, treating adventurers as animals to be manipulated at will!


    Lin Da angrily thought to himself, swearing that once he drew the sword of the hero, he would surely vanquish this Succubus King and show her the strength of adventurers!


    Lin Da took a deep breath, focused his mind, stood still, and tried calling out the names of Lulu and the others.


    His voice echoed in the labyrinth, lingering for a long time.


    It seemed the fog had scattered them to far-off places, each person having to face their trial alone.


    ��Lulu should be fine, a battle-hardened Frost Wolf Warrior is reliable. Kafni�� probably doesn��t need to worry either.


    But Monica, since coming back from the heretics, has been afraid of the dark, she must be feeling uneasy in this kind of labyrinth.


    No, that��s not right, I have to trust Monica. If she always relies on the team leader for protection, she can never become an outstanding adventurer.


    Besides, each of us has a Town Portal Scroll; we can make an emergency escape if we encounter danger.��


    Lin Da silently thought to himself that he should trust his teammates more; overprotection would only create new ��Lias.��


    ��First, let��s focus on the present��I, as the team leader, should aim to reach the Labyrinth Center first.��


    Standing before the stone door, Lin Da grasped the handle, bent his knees, and with both hands, exerted force.


    ��Open!��


    Creak, creak, creak!


    The stone door, weighing several thousand pounds, slowly parted to the sides.


    Lilith��s mocking laughter echoed in Lin Da��s ears:


    ��Oh, human, the content of the trial is quite simple. You will face various desires, and you need to answer me if these desires truly come from your heart.


    Answer correctly, and you may proceed to the next room.


    If you answer incorrectly�� hehehe, my executioner will punish you severely~��


    As Lilith��s voice faded, a black fog rose from the ground, coalescing into a Headless Knight standing three meters tall, composed of Dark Armor.


    The Knight held a thick One-Handed Sword, covered in rust and wrapped in Dark Magic Power like a coiling silk ribbon.


    The length of the One-Handed Sword was a staggering two meters, fitting to be called a greatsword in the eyes of human adventurers. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Da��s eyelids twitched as the Dark Magic Power, like an exploding methane pool, gave off a strong sense of discomfort, quickly raising goosebumps on his skin.


    He reached out with his Magic Power to sense, but it was like sinking into a sea of mud, with no response whatsoever.


    A warding spell, perhaps��


    Unable to determine the level of the Headless Knight, Lin Da��s guard was even more heightened.


    If he answered incorrectly during the trial, he would be attacked by this creature, so he would have to avoid that at all costs.


    Pu����


    Pink mist sprayed out from the cracks in the cobblestones.


    Lilith��s playful laughter rang out from all directions, merging together like a bewitching song, ��The trial begins~��


    ��


    ��


    Meanwhile, in a room on the southeast side of the labyrinth.


    ��This is not my true desire!��


    Lulu��s cheeks flushed red, her large tail awkwardly tucked between her legs.


    She would never admit that the image of ��Werewolf Riding Lin Da,�� conjured up by the illusion, was a desire hidden within her heart!


    That detestable Succubus King had shown her a simulated recording, with her and Lin Da as the main characters.


    Only in the recording, Lin Da was treated as a rocking horse, being shaken violently, while the werewolf even had an excited expression.


    Lulu, both embarrassed and angry, blurted out, ��That obscene werewolf definitely isn��t me!��


    ��Heeheehee, wrong answer~ Here comes the punishment!��


    ��Wrong answer? Impossible! There��s something wrong with your trial!��


    Under Lulu��s astonished expression, the Headless Knight, clad in black armor, took heavy steps forward, raised the one-handed sword, and brought it down with a slash!


    ��Ugh������


    The white Life Barrier trembled fiercely, and Lulu bit her lip, letting out a pained grunt.


    Taking that hit had cost her nearly half of her barrier��s thickness.


    And that was with her being level 35 and clad in Orange Equipment.


    The recommended strategy level for the 14th floor of the Emotion Secret Realm was level 28.


    If Lulu had been only level 28, that blow from the Headless Knight would have severely injured her on the spot.


    Lilith said in surprise, ��Huh, she actually withstood that? But if she fails again, the Executioner��s attacks will become even more terrifying.��


    The stone door in front rolled open with a rumble, revealing the stone corridor that led to the second room in front of Lulu.


    ��


    ��No~ Don��t, I really don��t want to eat Lin Da��s big black mushroom!��


    ��Fake, this desire is false!��


    ��Argh!!!��


    In the northwest side of the labyrinth, Kafni was cornered against a wall by ��Lin Da,�� who held a mushroom smeared in chocolate sauce, with a wicked smile on his face:


    ��Eat my mushroom, Kafni. I know you want to be a real girl. Let me fulfill your dream!��


    ��Fake, it��s fake!��


    Lilith��s semi-transparent soul floated above, looking at the scene in the room with furrowed brows, ��Hmph! So disgusting, execute her!��


    ��Wuwuwu������


    Kafni��s eyes rolled back as she suffered a heavy blow from the Headless Knight.


    ��


    On the southwest side of the labyrinth.


    Monica��s face was adorned with a doting smile, holding a one-meter-eight baby in her arms.


    She held a soup spoon, blew on the steaming hot mushroom soup, and brought it to the baby��s lips, her voice tender and sweet, ��Lord Capitan, open wide, ah~��


    ��Ah~��


    Seeing the majestic and dignified Lord Captain laugh goofily like an obedient baby in her arms, Monica felt her maternal instincts awaken.


    ��Monica must raise Lord Captain to be a kind and strong child!��


    When the pink mist dissipated, Monica even felt a slight sense of loss.

 Chapter 495 - 495: 373, Monica clears the level, Lin Da challenges his own weak points!

    Chapter 495: 373, Monica clears the level, Lin Da challenges his own weak points!


    Lilith asked, ��Is this your true desire?��


    Unlike the two stubborn individuals before her, Monica nodded honestly, ��Yes, Monica loves the captain the most!��


    Lilith: ������ sea??h th�� N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ��Get lost, this king hates honest children!��


    A fragrant breeze wafted by.


    When Monica opened her eyes, she found herself in a beautiful court-style garden featuring a statue of a beautiful pink-haired lady, in front of which was a teleportation array flickering blue light.


    ...


    Leaves of the World Tree, appearing in the void: [You have passed the 14th level of the Mystic Realm, waiting for teammates to gather.]


    Monica looked bewildered.


    The captain had clearly said that plot-related mystic realms are very dangerous, hadn��t he?


    But she seemed to have cleared it without doing anything��


    The difficulty wasn��t even comparable to the time she went to buy a bucket of Great Water alone at the convenience store in Red Heart City.


    In any case,


    Go to ????????????????????.co


    Monica unwittingly became the first one to clear the stage.


    After a while,


    Lulu and Kafni arrived as well.


    Although disheveled and flushed, their state didn��t look good��


    They had indeed walked out of the trial room, having cleared it.


    Lin Da, trusted by his teammates, waited a long time, yet was nowhere to be seen.


    Lulu and the others realized the seriousness of the situation.


    What kind of test was Lin Da undergoing?


    Theoretically, as the most rational one, he should have been the quickest to clear it.


    Could it be that despicable Succubus King targeted Lin Da?


    Actually, there��s a crucial point that Lulu and the others misunderstood.


    In this trial, the purer a person, the more they could honestly face their own desires.


    The more calm and rational ones, however, found it difficult to discern which desires were real and which were false.


    This stage was a difficulty of 0 for Monica.


    For Kafni it was 60, and for Lulu, 70.


    But for Lin Da, this was the hardest 100 he had faced so far!


    ��


    In a sealed room on the east side of the labyrinth,


    The pink mist spread, transforming into a new scene.


    Lin Da, dressed in elegant black noble attire and clutching a whip, stood before a petite red-haired maid.


    ��


    ��


    (This represents some content you know I mean)


    It was as if a gurgling stream of spring water poured into his mind, waking Lin Da.


    Upon closer inspection, he realized something was off with the petite maid.


    The timid red-haired maid before him, who was fearful of being punished by him��wasn��t that Lia!


    That Lia, tougher than a dead duck, would never show such a cowardly expression.


    And dressed as a maid, calling him master!


    Lin Da laughed out of anger, ��Succubus, this is all you are capable of? Even the illusions you create are so fake; how could such a trial possibly stump me? Using Lia to tempt me, I��m truly disappointed!��


    It was like charging to battle with a great sword, only to find the enemy was an ant!


    The screen freezes here.


    Lilith��s laughter echoed in Lin Da��s ears, sounding as if a plushy Great Succubus was whispering and teasing right against his body, tickling his heart:


    ��Human, tell me the answer, is this your true desire?��


    Lin Da instantly snapped awake, ��As a mature adventurer, how could I have such an evil desire to spank Lia��s buttocks? Even if my maid really bought a withered mandarin, deceived by the merchant, I would only remind her to be more careful next time��what!!!��


    The Executioner, composed of Dark Armor, raised his One-Handed Sword and struck at Lin Da.


    Lin Da��s Life Barrier vibrated intensely, his health points dropped by 3000.


    For a moment, both Lin Da and Lilith were startled.


    Lin Da thought, did he actually answer wrong?


    And Lilith felt a bit puzzled.


    Being hit by the Executioner��s attack, theoretically, he should be severely injured, but looking at this adventurer, why wasn��t he even slightly wounded?


    The truth was, since the Labyrinth of Desire was only a historical projection, the Executioner��s strength hadn��t reached its peak.


    Lilith, incredulous, waved her hand, and the scene changed; this time Lin Da arrived in a hotel room with a luxurious large bed.


    On the bed lay a beautiful young girl dressed in white Oath-bound��s attire, covered with a white veil.


    From Phoenix Tail Flower��s teammates to Snow Goose��s trio, including Klrona, Ice Flower��s Isa, and the commander Fannis��


    All available beautiful young girls were there, not a single one missing, all appeared before Lin Da.


    ��Captain~��


    ��Master, please demonstrate your power.��


    ��Don��t come near me, you demon!��


    The enticing voices, like soul-sucking tentacles, drilled into Lin Da��s head.


    ��I am the Eye of True Knowledge, a Hero of Restoration! Lilith, you will not destroy my will!��


    Lin Da roared in his mind.


    But he overlooked one thing, although heroes have always represented justice, no law dictates that heroes can��t throw parties.


    I am a hero �� I don��t throw parties.


    ��Teacher, please examine the results of my three years of practice.��


    Bailuo also appeared in the illusion.


    White cat ears draped in a transparent white veil looked sacred and beautiful.


    The young girl wore a gentle expression and a light white nightgown; her cat tail nimbly wrapped around Lin Da��s arm.

 Chapter 496 - 496: 374, Lin Da uncovers the truth, humiliating the Succubus King

    Chapter 496: 374, Lin Da uncovers the truth, humiliating the Succubus King


    The fluffy cat tail burrowed into his palm, teasingly scratching back and forth, sending a strange, tingling sensation surging through Lin Da��s heart.


    His eyes slowly widened.


    His mouth seemed to be controlled by some force, uttering insincere words, ��Hahaha! One by one, I��ll satisfy you all!��


    Under the infusion of the pink mist, Lin Da��s deep-seated desires were unearthed, and his pupils unconsciously took on the shape of pink peach hearts.


    I must grab that cat girl��s slender waist and give her a bite!


    And that damn Lia, Monica who is too afraid to even go shopping for water on the commercial street, Lulu who is clearly reserved but won��t admit it, they all must��


    ...


    Just as Lin Da was about to sink into depravity, his reason pried off the lid of his coffin and let out an unyielding cry: Wake up, Healing Hero, if you go on like this, how will you be any different from a Lust Demon!


    The scene froze again, and Lilith asked, ��Is this your true desire?��


    Lin Da��s gaze was vacant, his expression oscillating between pain and frenzy.


    He hated his own weakness, that at some moment, he found the scene enchantingly beautiful, thinking it wouldn��t be so bad if it truly happened��


    But his goal was to reach the summit of the World Tree with his teammates, how could he indulge in such ludicrous affairs!


    ����True desire�� my ass!��


    Go to ????????????????????.co


    Lin Da roared.


    As soon as the words fell, the Headless Knight��s One-Handed Sword swung towards him.


    The Labyrinth of Desire judged Lin Da��s answer�� as wrong!


    ��Damn it, I��ve had enough!��


    A flash of light in Lin Da��s hand, the Earth Dragon Longsword appeared, and his magic circuits ran wildly as a purple light condensed into an array as big as a water tank.


    He had figured it out, the true nature of this Labyrinth of Desire, was a ��Deceptive Labyrinth.��


    No matter how the adventurer answered, it would result in an attack by the Headless Knight.


    He had answered correctly every time, yet the labyrinth judged his answers to be wrong.


    Completely disgusting!


    That��s why on the leaves of the World Tree appeared the task ��[Kill ???]��.


    This was a hint.


    Telling players that the Headless Knight can be killed.


    No need to be played by the rules of the labyrinth; just take down the Headless Knight.


    The truth of the fourteenth floor Mystic Realm, was now fully grasped by Lin Da!


    Poison Dragon��s Roar!


    Lin Da unleashed a slash, and the purple Poison Dragon formed, opened its huge mouth, and bit into the Headless Knight, slamming it a dozen meters away.


    Boom!


    The Headless Knight hit the wall, creating a large dent, with only hands and legs sticking out.


    -48821!


    Under Lin Da��s more than 4800 points of magic power, the Poison Dragon��s Roar easily dealt massive damage.


    10 purple teardrops circled around the Headless Knight, shattering one every second, causing approximately 10,000 points of continuous damage.


    The black mist inside the Headless Knight fluctuated violently, as if struggling in agony.


    It emerged arduously from the pit, swinging its bronze One-Handed Sword, firing a black crescent sword light.


    ��I was thinking, when it chopped at me just now, that the Headless Knight��s attack, is very weak.��


    Facing the black Crescent Sword Light, Lin Da neither retreated nor dodged, and parried with his Earth Dragon Longsword.


    Clang!


    Lin Da retreated step by step, a ��-3000�� appearing above his head.


    He moved his wrist, feeling no discomfort.


    With his 17500 health points, a loss of 3000 points was barely noticeable.


    This Mystic Realm was extremely friendly to adventurers with high defensive power.


    Lin Da cast an [Intermediate Healing Spell], instantly restoring his lost health to full.


    The Headless Knight, watching his manipulation, stood still in shock, somewhat doubting its existence.


    Its One-Handed Sword, usually effective in defeating one adventurer after another, why did it lose its power against the adventurer before it?


    After a brief exchange, Lin Da roughly judged the strength of the Headless Knight.


    About level 32, an Epic One-Star Monster.


    For adventurers recommended to be level 28 for the fourteenth floor, this level 32 Epic One-Star Monster was strong.


    But Lin Da��s level was 35, and even among level 35s, he was at the top.


    This resulted in, the Headless Knight hitting him for 3000, while he hit the Headless Knight for over 40,000.


    Thinking back to the task on the leaves of the World Tree [Kill ???]��


    What are we waiting for?


    Without a second word, Lin Da donned the Verdant Shield and shot out like an arrow toward the Headless Knight.


    ��Intermediate Healing Spell!��


    Lin Da waved his left hand, and a green glow fell on the headless space atop the Headless Knight.


    The Headless Knight belonged to the Undead Faction of the Dark Series, and Lin Da��s Recovery Magic Power was precisely the bane of the undead.


    The warm healing art landed on the Headless Knight, but the monster, much like a human thrown into a pool of magma, let out a sharp, agonized scream.


    Dark smoke from inside the armor hissed and turned into white vapor, billowing out.


    -25000!


    Lin Da charged forward, executing a Cross Slash.


    -2700!


    -2940!


    Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang!


    Venom Magic Sphere!


    This Level 32 Magical Creature had no power to retaliate against Lin Da.


    Lin Da had been fooled by the [Block] type magic it possessed.


    It looked intimidating when not engaged in combat.


    In a fight, it was but a paper tiger.


    Of course, Lin Da being Level 35 had something to do with it as well.


    A Level 28 adventurer definitely couldn��t defeat the Headless Knight.


    His high level gave Lin Da the privilege to do as he pleased.


    ��You despicable human! If it weren��t for only a wisp of my consciousness remaining here, I��d capture you and throw you into a pigsty, chain you with a collar, and torture you thoroughly!��


    Lilith��s frustrated voice echoed in the void.


    ��Although I know you are just a false historical projection�� your words still enrage me. Just watch how I destroy your precious executioner.��


    Lin Da snorted coldly and pulled out a thick, large [Goblin Club] from his Space Ring.


    He intended to humiliate Lilith��s beloved subordinate right in front of her eyes.


    Like a black-skinned orc with yellow fur, he was going to trample on Lilith��s beloved bicycle she couldn��t bear to use, causing sparks to fly!


    Thump, thump, thump!


    Lin Da swung his big club, and the Headless Knight was beaten so badly it couldn��t fight back, crazily scrabbling on the ground. The armor emitted a whistling sound like the wind, sharp and piercing, somewhat resembling a wailing cry.


    ��Armor can cry? Interesting, let me hit it a few more times!��


    Lin Da aimed directly at the gap where the Headless Knight��s head should be and smashed the club into it, stirring forcefully.


    Squish, squish.


    The Goblin Club kept pulsating.


    ��Wuu wuu~��


    The whining wind sounded almost like a lament, with black mist fleeing from every crevice of the armor.


    ��Ahh ahh! Stop it!�� S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A pink mist gathered overhead, condensing into a palm-sized female figure.


    With wings like those of a bat behind her, Lilith furiously charged at Lin Da, gritting her teeth, ��You bastard, what are you doing to my treasure? Stop it now!��


    Lin Da was well-prepared and a segment of the green Magic Circuit lit up within him; he looked up at Lilith with a sneer, ��Good timing, Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang!��


    ��Yiiyah~~~��


    A massive Vine Dragon snapped down, swallowing the palm-sized miniature Succubus.


    Lilith let out a piercing scream of agony as her form dissolved into pink smoke and dissipated into the air.


    Lin Da frowned, with a question mark materializing above his head.


    Even killing a chicken would be harder than killing this Lilith.


    The Succubus King appeared to be ridiculously weak��


    In the moment of Lilith��s death, a leaf from the World Tree materialized in the void.


    Two lines of golden text appeared on it:


    [Optional Target 2: Fail all trials (Completed)]


    [Optional Target 3: Kill ???��The shadow of Succubus King Lilith (Completed)]


    Seeing these words, Lin Da was momentarily stunned. The intended target was not the Headless Knight?


    If he hadn��t thought to shame Lilith, this quest would have seemed impossible to complete��


    Lin Da internally criticized, ��What kind of shoddy quest is this? A normal adventurer couldn��t possibly think to kill the shadow of Lilith, right?��

 Chapter 497 - 497: 375, Level Fourteen, Perfect Clear!

    Chapter 497: 375, Level Fourteen, Perfect Clear!


    In the eyes of a normal adventurer, the Headless Knight was already an unbeatable existence, a part of the rules, whereas Lilith was even the maker of the rules.


    How arrogant must an adventurer be to think that ��?�� symbol represented Lilith?


    Even Lin Da, by a fluke, became so flustered by Lilith��s fraudulent trial that he became furious, which led him to mistreat the Headless Knight in order to humiliate Lilith.


    He almost missed this hidden mission by just a step.


    ��Only when all optional targets are completed, it counts as a Perfect Clear. Missing one is an Ultimate Clear, missing two, at most a normal clear.


    Lucky, I almost wasted a ��Bye Right������


    ...


    Watching the gradually dissipating pink mist in the air, Lin Da��s mood slowly relaxed.


    In the game settings, players must achieve Ultimate Clear or Perfect Clear in 90% of the levels to pull out the Sword of the Brave.


    Lin Da planned to use the 10% ��Bye Right�� on the floors after the 40th, those levels which were abnormally tough.


    The hidden conditions of those levels were incredibly tricky, purely designed by the game planners to force spending, like using Water Series Skills to deliver a critical last hit to the BOSS, clearing using only Fire Series, or killing the BOSS without wearing any equipment��


    Every level seemed designed by a madman.


    The more ��Bye Rights�� remaining, the easier the strategy for later stages.


    Go to ????????????????????.co


    Lin Da almost wasted a ��Bye Right�� on the 14th floor and couldn��t help feeling the thrill of walking over a wooden bridge, only to realize that the bridge��s cables were barely holding on.


    With a final swing of his sword, he ended the remaining ��health bar�� of the Headless Knight.


    [Kill level 32 Epic One-Star Monster, the Executioner, obtained 100,000 Diamonds!]


    [Kill the historical projection of Succubus King Lilith, obtained 100 Diamonds!]


    Huh?


    The second system message made Lin Da��s eyelids twitch.


    So, that projection of Lilith was a total weakling, only using her voice to frighten adventurers?


    No wonder it vanished with just a touch of my Forest Dragon��s Rage Fang.


    The stone door in front of him rumbled open.


    Lin Da shook his head and walked forward.


    First to the center of the labyrinth to wait for team members to gather.


    Being this quick to clear, I must be the first, right?


    It showed the strength fitting of a leader.


    Lin Da walked out of the room with a smile, striding confidently.


    ��


    In the center of the labyrinth, a small plaza surrounded by greenery.


    In the middle was a fountain, from which water flowed out of a Succubus statue.


    It seemed to be modeled after the Succubus King Lilith, with cut-out black armor that highlighted her proud figure, and a pair of large bat wings spread wide; she bore a lazy, seductive smile with her right hand supporting her chin.


    ��This water tastes weird!��


    Kafni scooped up a handful of water, gulped it down, and grimaced.


    Lulu glanced at the statue, ��Can��t believe you could stomach that.��


    ��But I was thirsty, couldn��t help it.�� Kafni smacked her lips, seemingly tasting a hint of sweetness, and called out to Monica, ��Try some.��


    ��Mo, Monica doesn��t want to drink.��


    ��Come on, try it. It��s good.��


    Kafni warmly held the water and circled around the fountain with Monica.


    Lulu looked anxiously at a certain stone door.


    After clearing the trial, everyone would emerge from the stone doors to the center of the labyrinth.


    But so much time had passed, why hadn��t they seen Lin Da?


    Could it be that Lin Da failed the trial and used a Town Portal Scroll to return to White Dove City?


    Kafni said she could sense Lin Da��s presence, and he seemed healthy.


    Just then, the heavy stone door made a crackling sound as it opened to both sides.


    The frolicking pair, Kafni and Monica, immediately stopped.


    ��Told you Lin Da was fine. You guys worry too much!�� Kafni retorted.


    Monica scampered over, ��Lord Da!��


    ��How did you all get here?��


    Lin Da was astonished.


    He instinctively opened his arms and embraced his Big Lolita.


    The soft and fragrant body was extremely comfortable, Lin Da��s lips involuntarily curled up, as the vexing moment of being deceived by Lilith disappeared.


    Monica seems to have a talent for healing hearts!


    Lulu asked worriedly, ��Why were you so slow in coming? That trial shouldn��t have been difficult, right?��


    ��Hey! It��s a long story. That damned Lilith kept deceiving me, so I had no choice but to kill her and the Headless Knight.��


    Lin Da sighed, ��You guys have such high damage output, killing so quickly.��


    Lulu: ?


    Kafni: ?


    Monica, puzzled, tilted her little head and said, ��Killed, killed her? Team Leader, did you kill Lilith?��


    ��That was just a clone of her real body, very weak. Wait, didn��t you guys�� see through Lilith��s lies? How did you clear the trial then?��


    Lin Da sensed something was off.


    ��You said you killed the Headless Knight? Isn��t that thing like a rule-entity that scared me half to death!�� Kafni stared wide-eyed and pointed at a slash on the back of her adventurer��s clothing: ��It even slashed through my clothes!��


    ��Cough cough.�� Lulu subtly turned to the side. Her waistline clothing was also slashed by the Headless Knight.


    ��You all cleared it without fighting? How is that possible!�� Lin Da exclaimed in disbelief.


    Could there be something in this labyrinth that he had overlooked?


    Lin Da felt like a cat was scratching at his heart, he looked at everyone seriously and said, ��Let��s review. Perhaps there��s a hidden quest in this labyrinth we missed. I hope you can tell me what kind of desires you encountered and how you responded to them.��


    At this, both Kafni and Lulu froze.


    ��No~nothing much? Just tried to tempt me with Gold Coins, which of course, I righteously refused.�� Kafni whistled, her gaze drifting towards the sky: ��I definitely don��t like your chocolate big mushrooms, wow!��


    Lin Da: ?


    What in the world is chocolate mushroom?


    ��What about you, Lulu?��


    ��I don��t want to say.��


    Lulu��s face turned red, and her wolf ears were tightly clamped.


    ��Monica is the best, tell the team leader. How did you solve the trial?�� Lin Da looked towards Monica, saying with a gentle smile.


    Monica: ��I saw you turned into a baby, Team Leader, and I even took care of you.��


    Lin Da and others showed a look of surprise.


    Could it be that Monica could become a wonderful mother in the future?


    Monica is skilful with her hands, able to sew dolls, and can cook, aside from being a bit socially anxious, she really is cut out to be a virtuous wife and good mother. S��ar?h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lulu couldn��t help but regard Monica with newfound respect.


    Lin Da curiously asked, ��So, you admit, that was your true desire?��


    Monica: ��Mhm!��


    Lin Da furrowed his brow.


    It sounded like Lilith wasn��t being deceptive?


    Taking care of a baby was Monica��s true desire. Monica admitted it, so she cleared the trial.


    In other words�� everything he experienced amid the mist, the chaotic scenes��


    Lin Da collapsed straight to the ground.


    ��Hey, Team Leader!?��


    Monica and the others gathered around anxiously.


    Lin Da: ��Heh, hehe, I��m fine, just remembered something unpleasant.��


    Kafni with sympathy: ��I understand. So, let��s not ask anymore.��


    ��Very well.�� Lin Da deeply agreed.


    The four regrouped and stood together in front of the statue.


    This was the designated Labyrinth Center in the rules.


    The World Tree leaves in their pockets simultaneously lit up and drifted into the air.


    [Mystic Realm, Fourteenth Floor, Labyrinth of Desire, passage, concluding��]


    [Optional Objective 1: Succeed in all trials (Completed)]


    [Optional Objective 2: Fail in all trials (Completed)]


    [Optional Objective 3: Kill Lilith (Completed)]


    [Completion Evaluation: Perfect Clear!]

 Chapter 498 - 498: 376, Two Epic Items, Seeking a Light Mage

    Chapter 498: 376, Two Epic Items, Seeking a Light Mage


    How is it a Perfect Clear?


    Lin Da scratched his head, feeling a bit puzzled.


    Optional objectives 2 and 3 were completed by himself.


    Was number 1 thanks to Monica?


    During the trial, Monica honestly confronted her desires, being the first to reach the center of the Labyrinth.


    Lin Da silently marveled, truly having a loli in the family is like having a treasure, he recommended every adventure team to recruit a loli member.


    ...


    The words on the World Tree leaf transformed into radiance and converged towards the sky.


    They evolved into a light orb the size of a bucket, like a miniature sun suspended in the void.


    Under the illumination of this ��sun,�� Lin Da and the others all felt invigorated, with the flow of magic power inside their bodies speeding up.


    Facing this [Blessing of the World Tree Goddess], even the usually composed Lin Da showed a look of anticipation.


    With a bang,


    The golden orb fell from the sky.


    Go to ????????????????????.co


    It split into four and traced beautiful parabolas as they entered their bodies. Sear?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The remaining orbs transformed into a treasure chest with red and gold trim.


    It was filled to the brim with Gold Coins.


    On the very top layer were Purple Gold Coins, radiating purple light and dense magic power.


    And five magic items.


    Among them, two released a profound purple light column, piercing the sky like sharp swords.


    Epic Level quality!


    Lin Da was blinded by the colorfully radiant light inside the treasure chest.


    Before he could get excited, a golden column of Level-Up Radiance smashed onto him.


    It felt as if he had jumped naked into a warm sea of milk, with beautiful mermaids massaging his body��


    A look of utmost satisfaction appeared on Lin Da��s face.


    [System Alert:


    Clearing the 14th level of the Mystic Realm, Labyrinth of Desire, you��ve gained 100,000 Experience Points!


    Completing Optional Objective 1, you��ve gained 50,000 Experience Points!


    Completing Optional Objective 2, you��ve gained 60,000 Experience Points!


    Completing Optional Objective 3, you��ve gained 100,000 Experience Points!


    For a Perfect Clear, an additional 100,000 Experience Points!


    You have leveled up: 35��36!


    Strength +100, Magic Power +100, Defense +20, Magic Defense +30, Agility +15, Hit Points +1000.


    Skill Points +1.


    Current Experience Points: 130,980/400,000]


    The massive amount of experience from the Perfect Clear directly pushed Lin Da to level 36.


    The corners of Lin Da��s mouth rose, and he felt a faint excitement in his heart; he was one step closer to becoming a Moon rank adventurer��


    This was the initial minor goal set when he and Lia established Snow Goose Adventure Team.


    To become Moon rank meant standing at the pinnacle of White Dove City, as the strongest adventure team in White Dove City.


    Given the current situation, Abner was still some time away from reaching Moon rank and couldn��t deal with the 19th level��s Nightmare Guardian.


    In the game, a small version update would pass, and Abner��s team would reach Moon rank, which seemed to take less than half a month. But in the real Another World, a small version update could potentially represent a casually mentioned ��one year later����


    Lin Da didn��t have so much time to wait for Abner to reach Moon rank.


    Defeating the Nightmare Guardian was an adventurer��s glory.


    It was also the best trial for the Phoenix Tail Flower Adventure Team.


    Moreover, Lin Da knew of an ��easter egg�� left by the game developers: using a special method to kill the Flame Giant could yield a Legendary Weapon��


    The difference between Legendary and Epic Quality was vast, with one prominent feature being that Legendary meant unique.


    Once Lin Da obtained a Legendary Weapon from the Flame Giant, even if more Flame Giants were refreshed, it would be impossible for another adventurer to obtain a Legendary Weapon from them.


    Unless the adventurer connected to that weapon through a Magic Circuit were to die, and after another decade or even a century, would the drop rate for Legendary Weapons reset.


    This was fundamentally different from Epic Weapons that could potentially be mass-produced based on luck.


    Also, the difference in Attribute Points they provided was enormous, with Legendary Weapons usually having some powerful features.


    The strongest Epic Five-star was still far inferior to a Legendary One-star.


    Any equipment reaching Legendary quality would fetch a monstrously high price in the market. Due to the Legendary Weapons�� drop and must immediately undergo a Magic Circuit connection, which is colloquially known as ��binding,�� the number of tradeable Legendary Weapons was extremely scarce, often the heirlooms of major families and powers.


    Some Legendary Weapons were even seen as symbols of leaders, and their value was immense.


    If Lin Da missed out on this Flame Giant, finding another Legendary Weapon somewhere else would be tremendously difficult.


    But the pressing problem currently facing the Phoenix Tail Flower Team was actually on the 16th and 17th levels.


    [Clear using Light Series magic for 90% of the output].


    This was a hidden setting introduced by brain-dead planners to force players into drawing for Five-star Light Mages.


    Without achieving this, forget about a Perfect Clear, even an Ultimate Clear would be unattainable.


    Lin Da thought, fortunately, he was now well-off and should be able to hire a suitable Light Mage.


    He took a deep breath and brought his thoughts back to the present.


    The team members recovered from the Level-Up Radiance and were eagerly looking at the treasure chest in front of them.


    It seemed there were quite a few good items inside��


    ��Let��s go have a look!��


    Lin Da said with a smile as he took Monica��s little hand and led everyone to the treasure chest.


    The treasure chest was about half a meter in length and width, entirely red with a layer of gold trim and golden rivets along the edges.


    The design of the chest alone was worth 100,000 Gold Coins, very suitable for an adventurer��s collection.


    Lin Da opened the chest lid, and the dazzling golden light hit him, causing him to squint slightly and his breathing to become hurried.


    The very top layer was padded with Purple Gold Coins pulsing with magic, about twenty in total, and beneath them were around 50,000 ordinary Gold Coins.


    With the Gold Coins and the chest combined, the estimated price reached 350,000, which equated to the income of a typical Iron Level adventure team for several months.