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  • They All Want to Be My Female Lead 117

    Chapter 117: Proving the Precognitive Dreams Are Real

    Yan Zhen silently summoned the system interface, reviewing the script once more. He confirmed that he and the beautiful, wealthy, and kind older sister never engaged in actual dual cultivation. Instead, similar to Yang Guo* and Xiaolongnu*, they would bathe naked in a medicinal pool, their palms pressed together, performing a modified form of dual cultivation to achieve a cure.

    This isn’t right! There’s something wrong with your dreams, Older Sister!

    He almost blurted out that he could cure her without dual cultivation, but he wasn’t supposed to know the details of her condition yet. He had to wait.

    “Head Shopkeeper, you must have a unique constitution that prevents you from easily engaging in dual cultivation, right? How can you trust me so readily? Aren’t you afraid I’m setting you up?”

    “Don’t call me ‘Head Shopkeeper’! Call me ‘Sister Ji Ya’ or ‘Sister Ya’! Or even ‘Good Sister’! Otherwise, I won’t talk to you~”

    Ugh.

    “Ji Ya… Sister Ji Ya.”

    “Good. I trust my judgment. Besides, your cultivation is far below mine, Little Brother Yan Zhen. If you had any malicious intentions, I could easily have my clan’s experts control your mind to complete the treatment. There’s nothing to worry about.”

    That’s not what you said in the script! You were incredibly suspicious, even about the modified dual cultivation method. You questioned everything, demanding reassurance before finally agreeing.

    He grumbled inwardly. He trusted the system’s script more than her so-called “precognitive dreams.”

    After all, she was only a Mystic Master, and her cultivation had been achieved through pills. Her dreams weren’t necessarily accurate.

    But judging by her demeanor, she had clearly dreamt about him multiple times and was quite familiar with him.

    No wonder she had called him “Little Brother Yan Zhen” right away, sat beside him, and even granted him Supreme VIP status at the Gold and Jade Chamber of Commerce, giving him unlimited access to everything.

    She was both repaying his kindness and trying to win his favor.

    She probably figured that since they were destined to perform dual cultivation, they might as well develop a closer relationship beforehand. Then, after the treatment, they would naturally become a couple. A win-win situation.

    He might be a mere Mystic One right now, and his status as the Young City Lord of Martial Tang City paled in comparison to hers as the Head Shopkeeper of the Gold and Jade Chamber of Commerce, but he had immense potential. With her support, he would certainly be worthy of her.

    The problem was, this wasn’t how the plot was supposed to unfold. He had a way to cure her without actual dual cultivation.

    He had to correct her, to steer the plot back on track. Otherwise, this act was doomed.

    “You don’t believe me, do you, Little Brother Yan Zhen?”

    “It’s just… so sudden. How can I possibly believe something like that?”

    “I understand. That’s why I prepared some… proof. To show you whether my dreams are real or not.”

    “Proof?”

    She placed a hand on her chest, gesturing for him to look. “Don’t you find my attire… different from ordinary clothing, Little Brother Yan Zhen?”

    He blinked. “I don’t really pay attention to women’s fashion.”

    “Liar. You know what this is, don’t you? It’s a qipao. Am I right?”

    “Mmm, you’re right.”

    “Compared to other dresses, the qipao is more form-fitting and elegant. It accentuates a woman’s curves. And it’s more convenient to wear and move around in. And this…”

    She lifted the hem of her qipao, revealing her long, slender leg clad in black silk. She took his hand and placed it on her thigh, her voice a seductive purr. “Touch it. What is this?”

    “Your thigh.”

    “These are called stockings, right?”

    “…”

    “They’re not only beautiful but also warm. They go well with high-slit qipaos and short skirts. How do they feel?”

    “Amazing. So soft and smooth.”

    “I’m glad you like them. And these are called high heels. Am I right?” She wiggled her foot playfully. “I designed all these based on your descriptions in my dreams, Little Brother Yan Zhen. Since they match perfectly, my dreams must be real, right?”

    He remembered. After they became sworn siblings, he had felt indebted to her for her generosity, so he had designed several popular women’s clothing items from Earth for her, claiming they would look stunning on her.

    She had then recreated all his designs: qipaos, stockings, high heels, bras, thongs, bikinis… She had even modeled them for him, nearly breaking his “emotionless and abstinent” facade.

    Then, she had mass-produced these items, imbuing them with Mystic Power, turning them into functional Mystic Tools. They had become a huge success, and she had even shared 30% of the profits with him, despite him having contributed nothing but ideas.

    “Um, in your dream… when did I tell you about these things, Sister… Sister Ji Ya?” He needed to confirm the timeline.

    “Well…” She hesitated, her cheeks flushing. “Mostly… during our… intimate moments~”

    Ugh. He blushed, sneaking a glance at the twin bodyguards, who remained impassive.

    They were essentially semi-puppets, loyal to the death. That’s why she felt comfortable being so intimate with him in their presence.

    However, he couldn’t use those “intimate moments” to verify the timeline. He would never do such things in the script.

    She leaned closer, her voice a whisper against his ear. “I’m wearing a ‘bra’ right now, Little Brother Yan Zhen. Do you believe me now? I can tell you more things that only you would know, to further prove the validity of my dreams.”

    “What else?”

    “For example, you’re actually a transmigrator. You were reborn into the Yan family of Martial Tang City, becoming the Yan Zhen you are today.”

    Holy shit!

    He nearly jumped out of his skin. His transmigration and the system were his biggest secrets. To have them exposed so casually was terrifying.

    However, in the later stages of the script, he did subtly reveal to those closest to him that he wasn’t from this world.

    “H-how did you know?”

    She smiled shyly. “You told me yourself in my dream, after we… you know…”

    More “intimate moments”… So people really do get chatty after s*x, huh? I let my guard down!

    “Do you need more proof, Little Brother Yan Zhen?”

    “Tell me everything.”

    “Then I’ll share some of your… preferences.” She bit her lip, leaning closer.

    “You have a dragon mark on your… little brother. It heats up when you’re aroused. And your most sensitive spot is actually your ears. A gentle nibble, and you’re done for. You like it when I sit on top of you, bouncing while… feeding you… like a child who never wants to grow up. And you… you like it from behind…”

    Stop it! I’m not a pervert! I’m not a pervert!

    He felt his entire body burning with shame.

    Because she was right about everything.

    After he obtained the Evil Spirit Dragon Breath, his “weapon” would be enhanced, and a dragon mark would appear on his “dragon,” transforming it into its final form: the Azure Dragon Crescent Blade!

    His ears were indeed his weakness. Instructor Yu Xuan had discovered that during their… treatment session.

    As for the positions… He hadn’t known much before, but recalling his experiences with his Beautiful Sect Master and his cousins, they had mostly been face-to-face, allowing for… maximum appreciation.

    He wouldn’t comment on the last part, though it did make him feel a little… curious.

    This is bad. Her dreams are accurate, while the script keeps contradicting reality. Could it be that her precognitive dreams are the real deal, and the script is wrong?

     

    ****

    Yang Guo* and Xiaolongnu* : The Return of the Condor Heroes’s characters

  • After Failing to Find Immortality 69

    Chapter 69: Swift Justice, A Sword of Fury

    Mei Hong’an screamed, his mind consumed by terror.

    He didn’t care whether the scholar was human or ghost. His only thought was…

    To escape, as far away as possible!

    This place was far more dangerous than he had imagined. Staying here would mean certain death!

    But as he took a step back, he saw the scholar smiling and pointing a finger at him.

    “Ah!”

    Mei Hong’an instinctively ducked, his heart pounding with fear.

    The gesture seemed casual, but an overwhelming pressure suddenly descended upon him, as if facing the wrath of heaven. His bones creaked, and his soul felt like it was being torn apart!

    Whoosh—

    But the pressure quickly dissipated, replaced by a gentle, warm breeze that caressed his face. Not only was the terrifying aura gone, but even the chilling coldness that had gripped his body vanished. His mind cleared.

    “I-I’m alright?”

    He realized what had happened.

    —The scholar’s finger hadn’t been aimed at him.

    Mei Hong’an turned around instinctively.

    Guo Sheng’s gruesome face, covered in blood and wounds, was just inches away!

    “Hiss—”

    He stumbled back, almost screaming in terror.

    But he quickly noticed a small hole in Guo Sheng’s forehead, smoke rising from it. His friend’s attack had frozen mid-air.

    Then, Guo Sheng’s body crumbled into dust.

    “W-what just happened?”

    Mei Hong’an murmured, his worldview shattered.

    “As you can see, it was just a part of a ghost.”

    Lin Tianlu glanced at him. “You were a bit reckless.”

    He had assumed that this middle-aged warrior had some kind of trump card, or at least a special weapon.

    But he had simply charged in with his blade, only to be scared witless.

    He was practically begging for death.

    “I-I didn’t know there were such things…” Mei Hong’an’s face was pale.

    Lin Tianlu looked at his fear and sighed softly, not saying anything more.

    This incident only confirmed his suspicions about this world. The truth about demons, ghosts, and monsters was clearly being concealed, hidden from the public.

    This warrior’s recklessness was understandable.

    “Wait!” Mei Hong’an suddenly exclaimed. “What about Guo Sheng? He was with me…”

    “With you?”

    Lin Tianlu sighed. “No, you’re the only living person here. If you’re talking about ‘Guo Sheng,’ perhaps you should take a look at the one in the courtyard.”

    A sense of foreboding washed over Mei Hong’an, and he rushed out of the room.

    Then, he saw Guo Sheng’s body slumped in a corner of the courtyard, covered in blood, his face pale and lifeless.

    “He, he…”

    “He’s been dead for a while.” Lin Tianlu said calmly. “You were alone on this mission.”

    Mei Hong’an’s face turned pale, and cold sweat dripped down his back.

    So the Guo Sheng he had been talking to all this time…

    Wasn’t alive?!

    He felt a shiver run down his spine.

    But remembering the power of that finger, he quickly regained his composure. “Scholar… Master! What should we do?!”

    “Master?” Lin Tianlu’s expression turned strange at the title.

    It sounded like something a charlatan would call himself.

    But he quickly waved his hand dismissively. “Calm down. I’ll take care of this.”

    He scanned the seemingly dark courtyard, his senses detecting a network of gray mist, a trap designed to ensnare any prey that entered.

    But this also revealed the ghost’s hiding place.

    Following the trails of mist, he reached an old well in the backyard.

    The well looked ancient, its cover long gone. Although it seemed ordinary at first glance, upon closer inspection… he could see a thick Yin energy emanating from it.

    Screech, screech, screech…

    The sound of metal scraping against the ground.

    Lin Tianlu glanced sideways and saw several figures emerging from the shadows in the corner of the courtyard, dragging their weapons behind them.

    Their faces were pale and lifeless, their eyes empty, their bodies withered and decayed.

    Judging by their attire, they were the missing martial artists and officers.

    But they were clearly dead, now just puppets controlled by a ghost.

    Mei Hong’an, who had followed him, was terrified. He grabbed his broken blade and stammered, “Master, I’ll hold them off! You go and deal with that ghost!”

    Thud!

    With a flick of his sleeve, the approaching puppets collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

    Mei Hong’an stared at him, dumbfounded.

    “There’s no need for that.”

    Lin Tianlu withdrew his hand and looked at the old well.

    As if sensing the approaching threat, a strange gurgling sound came from the well. Countless black strands of hair shot out, quickly covering the area, twisting and writhing like living creatures.

    A woman’s figure emerged from the mass of hair, her face pale and ghostly, a sinister smile on her lips.

    And then…

    Lin Tianlu stepped forward and slammed his fist down, sending her and all the hair back into the well.

    “Aaaaaaaaah!”

    A piercing scream echoed from the well, followed by a splash.

    “Coming out in the middle of the night to scare people… who do you think you are?!”

    Lin Tianlu looked at the lingering blood-red aura in the well, his expression darkening. He tossed a ball of spiritual energy into the well and quickly covered it with the lid.

    Bang!

    Silence returned to the courtyard.

    Only a few wisps of gray mist escaped from the cracks, drawn towards the jade pendant.

    Lin Tianlu dusted off his hands and turned to the stunned man with a gentle smile.

    “It’s over. You can go home now.”

    “…Huh?”

    Mei Hong’an was completely bewildered.

    It was over?

    Wait, what had just happened?

    Where was the… ghost?

    Meanwhile, Hua Shuya was diligently meditating in her room, cultivating her internal energy.

    She was keenly aware of her own weakness.

    Although the Azure Spirit realm was considered a decent level of cultivation for a martial artist, it was still far from enough to deal with those supernatural beings.

    Especially during her fight with Xiao Lanzhu, her usually reliable swordsmanship had felt weak and ineffective. The feeling of helplessness still lingered.

    Even if she had advanced from the Pure Yang realm to the Azure Spirit realm, she wouldn’t have been able to change the outcome of that battle.

    She would have just been a burden, relying on Senior to save her again and again.

    Hua Shuya didn’t dislike being protected by Senior. On the contrary, she felt a secret sense of joy and sweetness.

    But…

    She didn’t want to trouble him constantly, to make him worry about her.

    So, she was now seizing every moment to train diligently. This perseverance and dedication were ingrained in her character, and she wouldn’t give up easily. She would push herself to the limit.

    Knock, knock…

    A soft knock on the door interrupted her meditation.

    Hua Shuya opened her eyes, exhaling slowly, and asked, “Who is it?”

    “It’s me.”

    Lin Tianlu’s gentle voice came from outside.

    Hua Shuya’s face lit up, and she quickly stood up.

    But as she walked towards the door, she hesitated.

    “Shuya, open the door. I have something to tell you.”

    “What is it, Senior?”

    “Ahem… It’s about what I saw today, and… I want to see you…”

    “Just a moment, I’ll open the door.”

    Hua Shuya’s smile faded. She picked up her sword from the table and walked towards the door.

    She flung the door open.

    Lin Tianlu stood there, a smile on his face.

    Then, his expression suddenly twisted into a grotesque mask, his mouth splitting open almost to his ears!

    Thud—!

    In the next moment, his head was pierced by a sword. The blade, infused with Azure Spirit energy, burned like a branding iron, making the ‘Lin Tianlu’ scream in pain, struggling desperately.

    But the girl’s face remained impassive as she unleashed a flurry of sword strikes, her blade flashing, dismembering and shattering the body until it was reduced to a pile of mud and water.

    Hua Shuya, surrounded by a swirling aura of Azure Spirit energy, her face cold and hard, sheathed her sword.

    “To dare to impersonate Senior and deceive me, to show such a disgusting form…

    You deserve to die!”

    The girl’s heart was filled with rage.

     

  • Dear, it’s time for your medicine! 62

    Chapter 62: The Statue’s Tears

    From initial disgust and revulsion to finding him somewhat tolerable, even accepting the idea of giving her body to him…

    Perhaps it was the whirlwind of emotions she had experienced in such a short time, coupled with Qin Chu’s unexpected defense of her, that had clouded her judgment. She hadn’t even registered the shift in her feelings towards him, nor had Jie Luo’s name even crossed her mind.

    Stunning Love was working its magic.

    Shaye’s modified potion was proving to be even more potent than she had anticipated, and Ekaterina had only consumed a single dose.

    Augustus finally removed the magical restraint from Angelica’s neck.

    As the black collar fell away, a surge of elemental energy flooded Angelica’s body. Loseweisse, witnessing Angelica’s power steadily increasing, felt a surge of jealousy.

    Angelica was a talented mage. After all, she had once been Loseweisse’s most formidable rival. Their magical abilities had been comparable.

    The collar had suppressed her magic for years, preventing her from training, but her foundation remained strong.

    The influx of energy subsided after a few minutes. Angelica, unaccustomed to wielding magic after such a long time, struggled to control her power. Milky white light flickered around her erratically, like a faulty light bulb.

    Her magical reserves and control had diminished.

    Even so, she was now as strong as Candice or Qin Chu, assuming he didn’t use his Super-tier Abilities, Devourer and Rage Explosion.

    And it wouldn’t be long before she regained her full power, likely reaching level seventy, becoming a valuable asset to Qin Chu.

    Angelica, her face flushed with excitement, couldn’t believe she could use magic again. She flitted around Qin Chu like a joyful sparrow.

    She knew who to thank for her newfound freedom.

    “Alright, alright, you’re not a child anymore. Calm down,” Qin Chu chuckled, patting her head in a display of mock annoyance.

    Angelica, taking his actions as a reward, closed her eyes, enjoying the moment.

    Their public display of affection made Qin Chu blush. He turned to Augustus.

    “Lord Augustus, thank you for your assistance.”

    Augustus was pleased with his response.

    He had realized that this Hero wasn’t as naive as the First Hero. He was more cunning, more calculating.

    Gaining his trust would take time, but making a good first impression was a step in the right direction.

    Augustus, abandoning his papal authority, his demeanor now gentle and grandfatherly, bowed slightly. “It was my pleasure.”

    “Lady Ekaterina, Holy Maiden Loseweisse, I’m sure you have much to discuss. I won’t intrude any further. Farewell…”

    Qin Chu bid them farewell, his manners impeccable, then turned and walked away, Nikles and the other guards following behind.

    The guards were largely useless. Qin Chu could handle most assassination attempts himself. And against someone like Ekaterina, they were insignificant.

    Now that Angelica was by his side, their presence was even less necessary.

    But he didn’t dismiss them. After all, they were Wadsworth’s men. Their presence reassured the Emperor.

    The noble district, unlike the slums, was clean and orderly. The air was fresh, devoid of the stench of poverty and decay. There were no ragged beggars, no corpses littering the streets, only bustling crowds and vibrant shops.

    It lacked the chaotic energy of the slums. The people, mostly traveling in luxurious carriages, moved with a restrained elegance, their conversations hushed and polite, their every action reflecting their noble status.

    Qin Chu, the Hero, followed by his entourage of guards, was the center of attention wherever he went. He maintained a pleasant smile, greeting everyone with warmth and courtesy. Angelica’s arms were soon overflowing with invitations.

    In his previous life, he had been focused solely on eliminating the Demons, his days spent training, fighting, and honing his skills. His relationship with the nobles had been strained.

    This was one of the reasons why none had defended him in the end.

    They reached Anthea Street, a wide thoroughfare that connected the noble district to the slums.

    At a busy intersection, a life-sized statue of Anthea stood tall.

    The statue, approximately 1.7 meters tall, depicted a woman with an ideal physique. She held a spear, its shaft adorned with the Auville Empire’s flag, raised high in the air.

    The statue was incredibly lifelike, its details so intricate that it seemed as if it might come to life.

    Her lips were parted, as if she were shouting a battle cry.

    She wore armor, but her long legs were exposed.

    Her hair, sculpted as if caught in the wind, flowed behind her.

    Even in stone, her presence exuded power and defiance, a warrior facing an army without fear.

    There was a legend in the Auville Empire: touching Anthea’s statue would grant her blessing. The statue, polished smooth by countless hands, gleamed in the sunlight.

    In his previous life, Qin Chu hadn’t paid much attention to Anthea or her statue. He had simply admired her bravery.

    But this time, he stopped before the statue, his gaze lingering on its features.

    Nikles positioned the guards around the intersection. They were nearing the slums, and this busy crossroads was a potential target for an ambush.

    Angelica stayed by Qin Chu’s side. Sensing his interest in the statue, she spoke softly. “This is Lady Anthea…”

    “A thousand years ago, she saved the Empire. She was known as the strongest Valkyrie in the Empire’s history. When the enemy was at our gates, she rallied the nobles and the royal guard, leading them to victory, reclaiming our lost territories, and preserving the Empire’s strength.”

    Angelica recounted Anthea’s legend, her voice filled with admiration.

    “She wanted to conquer the surrounding kingdoms, to expand the Empire’s borders, to unite the entire Heavenly Continent under Auville’s rule. But sadly, she had sustained too many injuries during the war. She fell ill shortly after reclaiming our lost lands and eventually passed away.”

    “She was mourned by millions. This street is named after her. The Emperor even posthumously granted her the title of Princess.”

    “Her family became Dukes, one of the most powerful families in the Empire. Though their influence has waned, they still command respect.”

    “If she hadn’t died so young, her family would be even more powerful. They wouldn’t be facing… financial difficulties…” Angelica sighed, her voice tinged with sadness.

    Qin Chu didn’t respond. He reached out, his hand gently tracing the statue’s cheek, his expression unreadable.

    In his previous life, he had simply admired her courage.

    But now, he saw a reflection of himself in her story. A strange thought crossed his mind.

    “Angelica…”

    “What if Lady Anthea was… assassinated? What if her death wasn’t an accident?”

    Angelica gasped, her eyes widening.

    Anthea’s legend was well-known, a beloved tale passed down through generations. Even children knew the story, reciting it with pride.

    The idea that she had been assassinated… it was unthinkable.

    Angelica felt a shiver run down her spine, her skin prickling with goosebumps.

    It was like telling someone that the real Sun Wukong had been killed when he met the Buddha in Journey to the West, and the one who went on the pilgrimage was the Six-Eared Macaque.

    She didn’t know how to respond.

    “Sorry, I was just thinking out loud. Don’t mind me,” Qin Chu chuckled, withdrawing his hand. He looked up at the sky.

    Dark clouds had gathered overhead, their presence ominous.

    The nobles on the street quickened their pace, the ladies lifting their skirts, cursing the weather under their breath. But even in their haste, they maintained their decorum, refusing to break into a run.

    “Looks like it’s going to rain. We should head back…”

    A clap of thunder, loud and sudden, split the sky.

    The world, momentarily illuminated by a flash of lightning, plunged back into darkness.

    Rain, heavy and relentless, poured from the sky, drenching Anthea’s statue. Water streamed down her face, her cheeks, her eyes… like tears…

  • Dear, it’s time for your medicine! 61

    Chapter 61: Is There Any Justice in This World?

    “Ekaterina, you raped me!”

    The words hung in the air, silencing the entire courtyard.

    Everyone, except for Nikles, the other guards, and Angelica, stared at Qin Chu, their expressions a mixture of shock and disbelief.

    Had they heard correctly?

    Was he claiming that Ekaterina, the Crimson Valkyrie, had raped him?

    Hah! That was impossible! A woman… committing such an act… well, perhaps not entirely impossible.

    After all, this was Ekaterina, the Crimson Valkyrie. And she had been drunk. Anything was possible.

    Augustus’s expression was unreadable. Both parties were claiming to be the victim. Who was telling the truth?

    Loseweisse was stunned. This situation was full of twists and turns. She hadn’t expected another reversal at this point.

    Ekaterina, however, was speechless. Then, her body trembled with rage, her fury threatening to consume her.

    “What… what are you talking about?” she sputtered, her voice laced with disbelief.

    She had thought he was merely a shameless opportunist, but it seemed he was also a coward, unwilling to take responsibility for his actions.

    And to make matters worse, he was blaming her, claiming that she had forced herself upon him?

    That was impossible! Even she, Ekaterina, wouldn’t stoop so low.

    In her eyes, Qin Chu was lower than the maggots feasting on a rotting rat carcass in the sewers…

    Qin Chu, however, remained calm. “Am I lying?”

    He didn’t care about his pride, his reputation. He just didn’t want to be falsely accused. Besides, Nikles and the others had witnessed the events of the previous night. And they were known gossipmongers. The truth would come out eventually.

    “You said you were going to train me, but then you left, claiming you had important business to attend to.”

    “And that ‘important business’ involved drinking yourself into a stupor. I had to carry you back from the tavern. I tried to take you to your room, but you barged into mine…”

    The crowd’s gaze shifted to Ekaterina, their expressions skeptical.

    Her anger and hatred were replaced by a flicker of embarrassment… To abandon her duties as the Hero’s instructor to indulge in alcohol… it was indeed irresponsible.

    She sensed their disapproval but couldn’t help but defend herself. “Yes, I went drinking. But that’s no excuse for you to take advantage of me…”

    “Take advantage of you?” Qin Chu scoffed. “You were the one who was acting like a wild animal!”

    “Nikles and the others are right here. Ask them what happened last night.”

    All eyes turned to the guards standing behind Qin Chu.

    Nikles, uncomfortable under the scrutiny of so many important figures, blushed, clearing his throat. “Lady Valkyrie…”

    “Have you truly forgotten? Perhaps you should… reconsider your recollection of events…”

    “The Hero carried you back from the tavern…” He hadn’t witnessed that part, but if the Hero said it was true, it must be.

    “And then you barged into his room. He tried to leave, but you dragged him back inside. You surely haven’t forgotten that, have you?”

    “We all saw it with our own eyes.”

    “Yes, yes, the captain is right. We all saw it.”

    “You were the one who dragged him in. He struggled, but you were too…”

    “It was… violent. We could hear his screams from outside…”

    “The poor Hero, subjected to such brutality… I imagine he’s traumatized.”

    “Gods, it’s too painful to even think about…”

    The guards, over a hundred of them, chimed in, their voices a cacophony of embellishments and exaggerations.

    In reality, only Nikles and his five companions had witnessed the scene. But as the story spread, details were added, the narrative becoming more vivid, more dramatic. And each person, recounting the tale, insisted: “It’s true! I saw it with my own eyes!”

    Somehow, the story had morphed into this.

    “I heard the Hero screaming for help…”

    “You tormented him for seven hours…”

    “He was covered in blood when he escaped, his back covered in scars… he looked like he had been… well… you can imagine how badly he was treated…”

    “How brutal…”

    Qin Chu stared at them, speechless. Was that truly what had happened? They were making him blush.

    The crowd, except for the guards, fell silent, their gazes shifting between Qin Chu and Ekaterina. Who was telling the truth?

    Ekaterina’s face burned with anger. She was about to retort when a sharp pain, like a needle piercing her brain, made her gasp.

    Fragments of memories, disjointed and confusing, flooded her mind.

    She remembered…

    Drinking with a group of men at the tavern, mocking their weakness as they succumbed to the alcohol after only half a barrel.

    She remembered Qin Chu approaching her, her fist almost connecting with his face. He had paid for her drinks and carried her home. She had clung to him, her hands roaming his chest, groping… something…

    Her head throbbed.

    She massaged her temples, trying to ease the pain.

    More memories surfaced…

    She had been lying on the bed, her mind hazy. Qin Chu, seemingly unable to support her weight, had unceremoniously dumped her onto the mattress.

    And then… then… he had turned and walked away.

    He had just… left?

    The memory sparked a strange sense of irritation. She wasn’t unattractive. A beautiful woman, lying drunk on his bed… and he had simply walked away?

    Was she truly that unappealing?

    Her pride, her sense of feminine allure, was wounded.

    No, this wasn’t the time for such thoughts.

    If he had left, then he hadn’t touched her?

    She shook her head, trying to clear the fog in her mind. More memories emerged.

    She had been lying on the bed, watching his retreating figure. She had seen Jie Luo, her beloved, in his place. And as he walked away, a wave of panic had surged through her. She had scrambled off the bed, rushing after him…

    She had dragged him back into the room, slamming the door shut.

    And then…

    Her face burned with shame.

    Gods, what had she done?

    She had forced herself upon him? And then she had accused him of taking advantage of her? She remembered him struggling, her forcing him to… to… and then… her mind had fabricated those images of him abusing her, her subconscious protecting her from the truth.

    And she had attacked the Holy See, publicly accusing him?

    “Aaaaaaaaaaah!” She covered her face with her hands, crouching down, her cry a wail of despair.

    Everyone understood now. The Hero wasn’t a predator. He was the victim.

    They glared at Ekaterina, their gazes filled with judgment.

    How could she do such a thing?

    She had violated him, both physically and emotionally, and then she had tried to kill him?

    And didn’t she know her own strength? He had only arrived a few days ago, his power still weak. Could he withstand her brute force?

    It was a miracle he had survived.

    This reckless woman had almost destroyed the Heavenly Continent’s only hope.

    Was she worthy of being a member of the Hero Squad, a comrade, a teacher?

    Qin Chu approached Ekaterina, who was now a huddled mess, her pride and arrogance gone.

    “Ekaterina…” he said, his voice filled with sadness…

    And a hint of… resentment.

    Spending the night with her had been… unpleasant.

    “I didn’t want to reveal this, to protect your reputation. I was trying to be considerate. But you blamed me… You ruined my reputation!”

    “You violated me, and then you tried to kill me…”

    “Is there any justice in this world?”

    His voice cracked with emotion. He was almost believing his own performance. After all, a good actor had to immerse themselves in the role.

    Ekaterina flinched, looking up at him timidly before quickly averting her gaze.

    The tables had turned.

    The ferocious Valkyrie was now a trembling mess. Her voice was barely a whisper.

    “I… I’m sorry…”

    Sorry?

    One of his most hated enemies was apologizing to him?

    It felt… incredibly satisfying.

    After all, ignoring her personality, her future actions, she was undeniably attractive, her athletic figure more alluring than any delicate, fragile woman.

    And his hatred for her had fueled his… enthusiasm… the previous night.

    His Star Flame Battle Qi had even broken through to the second layer, his power increasing significantly.

    He had benefited from this situation in every way.

    And now she was apologizing to him, her voice trembling. What goes around comes around, Ekaterina.

    He savored his victory, but his expression remained neutral, his true emotions hidden.

    Ekaterina, remembering her actions, her aggression, lost her remaining defiance. Her hatred for him faded. She had no reason to hate him anymore. He hadn’t taken advantage of her. She had forced herself upon him.

    If this were to become public knowledge, he would be ridiculed.

    “Why… why didn’t you fight back?” she mumbled.

    “Are you serious? You’re levels above me, your strength far exceeds mine. How could I possibly resist?” Qin Chu said, his voice exasperated.

    She fell silent. He was right. To expect him to fight back was unreasonable.

    The judging stares of the crowd made her squirm.

    “The poor Hero…”

    “Subjected to such brutality…”

    “That woman… acting like a wild animal when she’s drunk… she’s not worthy of the Hero! He’s too good for her…”

    “She made a mistake and then blamed him, even tried to kill him! He’s the Heavenly Continent’s hope…”

    “Is she truly a woman, or is she some kind of savage ape?”

    Ekaterina, her head bowed, her teeth digging into her lower lip, endured their whispers, their condemnation.

    Augustus decided it was time to end this farce. This spectacle was damaging to everyone involved.

    He cleared his throat, silencing the crowd. “Well, it seems this was all a misunderstanding…”

    “Everyone, please disperse.”

    His gaze swept across the courtyard, a silent warning to keep their mouths shut.

    The nuns, priests, Holy Knights, and even Qin Chu’s guards, obeyed, filing out of the courtyard.

    Only Augustus, Qin Chu, Ekaterina, Loseweisse, and Angelica remained.

    “Lady Ekaterina, we’ll let this matter rest. You have no objections, do you?” Augustus said, his voice cold. After all, his Holy See had been attacked. He was still displeased.

    “I won’t punish you for attacking the Holy See…”

    Ekaterina’s face brightened.

    “But as a member of the Hero Squad, the Hero’s instructor, you abandoned your duties to indulge in alcohol. You acted recklessly, jeopardizing the Hero’s safety, even attempting to kill him…”

    “I don’t believe you’re fit to remain a member of the Hero Squad, nor are you qualified to be his instructor.”

    Ekaterina’s face fell. She had made a grave mistake. To lose her position in the Hero Squad, without any further punishment… she was fortunate.

    Augustus was trying to preserve her dignity, allowing her to resign gracefully. Otherwise, he would join forces with Wadsworth and Saint Monique, stripping her of her titles and authority.

    She accepted his judgment, but Loseweisse panicked.

    The Hero Squad had to remain united. Replacing a member would disrupt their plans.

    “Pope Augustus, that’s… unfair. Ekaterina made a mistake, but she deserves another chance…” Loseweisse pleaded, hoping to sway his decision.

    But Augustus was resolute. “One mistake almost cost the Hero his life. Can you guarantee that she won’t lose control again? Can you guarantee that the Hero will be safe next time?”

    “The Hero’s safety is paramount. We can’t allow such a threat to remain by his side.”

    Unable to change his mind, Loseweisse turned to Qin Chu, her eyes pleading.

    He considered his options. “Pope Augustus, perhaps we could give Ekaterina another chance…”

    “She’s a skilled warrior. Though her training methods are… unorthodox, she’s effective. As for her drinking… well, we just have to make sure she doesn’t overindulge. And in the current situation, we need every capable warrior we can get.”

    Augustus frowned, surprised that Qin Chu was defending her. “Hero-sama, are you concerned about the Hero Squad losing a member? There’s no need to worry. I can arrange for another warrior, someone just as skilled as Ekaterina…”

    “No, no, that’s not what I meant. The Hero Squad has been together for years. They’re accustomed to each other’s fighting styles. Replacing a member would disrupt their synergy, weakening their combat effectiveness.”

    The truth was, he wasn’t ready to let go of this… toy… just yet.

    His revenge had just begun. To lose Ekaterina now would be… disappointing.

    He wouldn’t let her go until he was finished with her.

    Augustus, his brow still furrowed, studied Qin Chu, then Ekaterina and Loseweisse, his gaze sharp and calculating. After a long moment, he sighed. “Very well. If Hero-sama believes it’s not an issue, I won’t object. However, if you encounter any further problems, please don’t hesitate to contact me…”

    He would have preferred to replace the Hero’s entourage with his own people, but he couldn’t force the matter.

    Ekaterina, her despair lifting, felt a surge of gratitude.

    This man… he had initially tried to protect her reputation, even though he had been the victim.

    So many people had condemned her, even Augustus had wanted to strip her of her titles and honors. Only Loseweisse and Qin Chu had defended her. Loseweisse was her friend, so her support was expected.

    But Qin Chu… she had attacked him, almost killed him, without even understanding the situation, and yet he was willing to give her another chance.

    Perhaps… he wasn’t such a bad person after all?

    She looked at him, seeing him in a new light. He wasn’t handsome, but he had a certain… charm… the more she looked at him, the more appealing he seemed.

    It was a shame she had lost her purity, but giving it to him… well, it wasn’t the worst outcome.

  • After Failing to Find Immortality 68

    Chapter 68: A Maiden’s Blush, A Midnight Pursuit

    At the inn…

    Knock, knock…

    Hua Shuya opened the door. “Senior, did you find any information?”

    “Quite a bit.”

    Lin Tianlu smiled, holding up a wooden box. “I also brought back some food and drinks for you.”

    Hua Shuya’s eyes widened, and she said eagerly, “You’ve gone through so much trouble, Senior. You even went out of your way to…”

    “There’s no need to be so formal, Miss Shuya.”

    Hearing those words, the girl froze, her face flushing crimson.

    Miss… Shuya…?

    Her shoulders slumped as if she had lost all her strength. She took the box from him, speechless.

    She glanced at him shyly, then mumbled,

    “Senior… would you like to come inside for a while?”

    “There’s no need for that.”

    Lin Tianlu patted her shoulder gently. “Get some rest tonight, Miss Hua. We’ll be leaving early tomorrow. And if you hear any knocking at your door tonight, don’t open it. It might be dangerous.”

    “…Understood.”

    She watched him return to his room, closing the door reluctantly.

    Her heart was filled with a mixture of happiness and disappointment.

    But looking at the warm pastries and meat dishes in the box, a sweet feeling spread through her. She smiled happily.

    “Senior is always so thoughtful.”

    As midnight approached, Ganchang Village was silent.

    Lin Tianlu wasn’t asleep yet. He was lounging by the window, reading a cheap novel he had bought from a street vendor.

    “This protagonist doesn’t even spare tree spirits…”

    Lin Tianlu chuckled, his expression turning strange as he read a rather explicit passage.

    These ancient scholars might seem refined and well-mannered, but their writing… knew no bounds.

    Although the story was quite heartwarming and romantic, it was still a bit much.

    Thud—

    A faint sound came from outside the window.

    Lin Tianlu looked out and saw a figure leaping across the rooftops, clearly a skilled martial artist.

    He chuckled softly.

    “Now I understand why those martial arts heroes in novels are always running around on rooftops at night.”

    Most towns had curfews, and during strict periods, those caught breaking them could even be punished with a beating. No skilled martial artist would want to stop and apologize to the authorities while chasing an enemy.

    It would be too embarrassing.

    Of course, whether they would actually be caught was another matter.

    He closed the novel and jumped out the window.

    Since he had nothing better to do, he might as well follow and observe. If there were truly demons or ghosts lurking in the village, he could see how others dealt with them.

    After all, he had only seen Hua Shuya fighting ghosts. He didn’t know how strong other martial artists were, or if they had any special tools or techniques to deal with ghosts.

    It wouldn’t hurt to learn more.

    Under the cover of darkness…

    Two burly men with rugged faces were running across the rooftops.

    “Brother Mei, are you sure about the information you gathered this morning?”

    “Of course! Guo Sheng, would I lie to you?”

    Mei Hong’an kept his body low as he dashed across the rooftops, heading towards a remote area of Ganchang Village.

    Guo Sheng, following closely behind him, seemed a bit hesitant, but he still gripped the hilt of his sword tightly.

    As they approached a dilapidated mansion, seemingly abandoned for years, his expression turned serious.

    “Are you sure it’s a villain hiding in that mansion, and not some kind of demon or ghost?”

    “Hmph! Those rumors are just to scare people. There are no such things as demons and ghosts. Only fools believe in them!”

    Mei Hong’an sneered. “You’ve lived for over thirty years. Have you ever encountered a real ghost?”

    “This… I haven’t. And no one I know has ever mentioned anything supernatural. I only learned about what’s happening in Ganchang Village after receiving the bounty notice.”

    “There you go.”

    Mei Hong’an shook the gleaming blade in his hand, his voice deep. “Those so-called supernatural events are just tricks by someone pretending to be a ghost. That villain chose this remote village because the villagers are ignorant and easily fooled.

    With my ‘Sun-Circling Blade’ and your ‘Jade Clarity Sword,’ we’ll surely be able to expose the culprit and bring him to justice. Once we capture him, we’ll parade him through the streets tomorrow, to show the villagers the truth. They won’t be deceived by those rumors anymore.”

    “But I heard that some officers and martial artists…”

    “I investigated those cases. Their martial arts skills were mediocre. The strongest among them was just a young man with a few years of training. Their cultivation can’t be that high. As long as we’re careful, we’ll be fine.”

    Mei Hong’an touched the bamboo tube at his waist. “Besides, I’ve already informed the authorities. If we encounter a powerful enemy, we’ll signal them, and they’ll surround the place. He won’t be able to escape!”

    “You’re quite thorough, Brother Mei.”

    As they whispered to each other, they reached the wall of the dilapidated mansion. They hid behind a tree and peered into the courtyard, but they didn’t see any signs of life.

    “The mansion is empty. Could those villains have already left… Hmm?”

    But Guo Sheng’s eyes widened as he noticed something.

    A shadowy figure flashed through the dark corridor of the mansion, disappearing into a nearby room.

    “This mansion has been abandoned for years. Why would there be someone inside… There really is a villain hiding here, trying to deceive those innocent villagers!”

    “Despicable!”

    Mei Hong’an hissed, his blood boiling with anger. He gripped his blade tightly and jumped into the courtyard.

    He didn’t shout or try to alert the figure inside. Instead, he charged towards the room, his movements swift and decisive.

    His steps were heavy and steady. With a shout, he swung his blade at the shadowy figure.

    —And missed.

    Mei Hong’an froze, his momentum carrying him forward. He stumbled, his expression confused.

    He quickly scanned the room, but the shadowy figure was gone.

    “H-how is this possible?!”

    Where had it gone?

    How could it have vanished so suddenly?

    Could it be that the villain hiding here was even more skilled than him, his movements incredibly fast?

    “Hehehehehe—”

    A low, chilling laughter echoed through the room.

    Although Mei Hong’an hadn’t considered the possibility of supernatural beings before, a wave of fear washed over him, sending shivers down his spine. He felt his bones turning to ice.

    “…Come out, you coward! Show yourself!”

    He forced a brave face, swinging his blade wildly, filling the room with the sound of metal slicing through the air. He was both trying to defend himself and trying to boost his courage.

    He had practiced martial arts for almost twenty years, his internal energy potent and fiery. Although he was only half a step away from the Pure Yang realm, his powerful blade techniques still filled the room with a fierce energy.

    At the same time, he discreetly tapped the bamboo tube at his waist, trying to ignite the signal flare.

    Something was wrong here. He needed to call for reinforcements…

    But the sparks fizzled out, making his face pale.

    Was it a fake?!

    No, there was a chilling wind blowing through the room. Something was definitely amiss!

    “Brother Mei.”

    “Hmm?!”

    A familiar voice startled him, and he turned around, his heart leaping with hope. “Guo Sheng! This place is strange. Let’s retreat… Eh?”

    His voice trailed off as his eyes widened in horror.

    Because his companion, Guo Sheng, who had just entered the room…

    Was standing in the corner, his face covered in blood, his eyes staring at him with a sinister intensity.

    As their eyes met, Guo Sheng’s lips curled into a chilling smile. “Brother Mei, come here. I have something to show you.”

    “—Aaaaaaaaah!”

    Mei Hong’an’s face turned pale, and he screamed, scrambling out of the room in terror.

    He crashed into a shadowy figure standing outside the door.

    His pupils constricted, his heart pounding. He instinctively swung his blade with all his might!

    Clang!

    A sharp sound, and his blade snapped in two, the broken half flying across the room and embedding itself in the ceiling beam.

    “Do I have such a villainous face that you would attack me on sight, Sir?”

    A strange voice rang out.

    Mei Hong’an was terrified. He stumbled back, gasping for breath, staring at the… fair-skinned scholar standing before him.

    “You… you evil ghost!!”

    Seeing his fearful reaction, Lin Tianlu pointed at himself with a puzzled expression. “When did I become a ghost?”

    “No scholar can break a steel blade with their bare hands!”

    “Uh…”

    Lin Tianlu was speechless for a moment. He held up two fingers in a peace sign.

    “It’s just my hobby. I practice Diamond Finger Kung Fu in my spare time. You could call me the Golden Touch. Do you believe me?”

    “I don’t believe you!”

     

     

  • The Azure Longsword 30

    Chapter 30: The Function of Paradise Mountain

    “Question!” Nuo raised her hand obediently. “What is a semi-plane fragment?”

    “It’s a space.” Asker explained. “There are multiple dimensions of space in the universe, just like this book in my hand. The main world space we live in is like one of the pages of the book. Although different pages are close together, they are parallel to each other. As two-dimensional little people on the pages, we have no way to cross higher dimensions and go to another page.”

    “But sometimes, two parallel dimensions overlap.” He demonstratively bent two pages of the book, making the outer edges touch. “This way we can run from one page to another, that is, from one space to another. Each space is a plane, some smaller spaces are semi-planes. If they are divided by external forces, causing the semi-plane to be torn apart again, then the smaller products are semi-plane fragments. This book is the key to that semi-plane fragment, an anchor of space.”

    “Doesn’t that mean?” Nuo immediately realized something, her beautiful big eyes sparkling. “A special space that belongs only to our team?”

    “Wait a minute.” Eleanor also raised her hand. “I don’t understand.”

    “It’s very simple, Ellie.” Nuo explained to her. “Just like the hero’s team in legends, there is always a wizard, isn’t there? When the hero’s team has been adventuring all day and is exhausted, the wizard will summon a house with plenty of hot water, wine, and food, allowing the hero’s team to fully rest and recover. This semi-plane fragment is equivalent to a house that we can summon.”

    “That’s great.” Eleanor said, “I want hot water, wine, and food now, can you conjure them up, Captain?”

    “Of course not.” Asker said with a chuckle. “As you can see, the space sealed in the book is just an island, there is no food, drink, or other resources… There were originally a lot of corpses and creatures from the Dreamland Paradise sect, but I just expelled them all. They are probably at the bottom of the sea now.”

    “Then it’s useless.” Eleanor shook her head and said.

    “Although there is nothing in it now.” Peggy, who had been silent, spoke up. “But we can put things in it.”

    “That’s right!” Nuo clapped her hands. “We can put things in it, that island is big enough to be countless warehouses! We will travel all over the world in the future! We can put all kinds of supplies and survival gear in it, and take them out when we need them, without worrying about transportation and weight!”

    “About the usage of the semi-plane fragment, we can brainstorm.” Asker looked at the sky, estimated the time, and said, “The merchant ship will probably arrive in the afternoon, I’ll summon the island first… so that this small boat won’t be washed away by the waves.”

    He opened the book, mobilized his spirituality, and pushed open the door. The island instantly appeared on the ocean. They were back on the open space at the top of the mountain.

    “Think about it, everyone. If you could decide, how would you use this island?” Asker stood up, put his hands behind his back, and walked out leisurely. “You can discuss freely first, and I’ll come back later to ask for your answers.”

    So the three girls began to discuss heatedly. Asker came to the edge of the cliff, overlooking the island, and began to recall everything about the Paradise Mountain fragment.

    In the official setting novel, Paradise Mountain was not originally a fragment – it was a complete, huge, floating island in outer space, inhabited by countless wild angels. When the human colony ship first approached this planet, the angels of Paradise Mountain also noticed the steel behemoth emerging from the void.

    Subconsciously, they regarded these steel monsters as enemies, so they dispatched the high-ranking demigods in the tribe and used their Radiance ability to destroy one of the starships.

    The human colony fleet was immediately dumbfounded when they were attacked. They originally thought this was an unowned planet suitable for human habitation, but they didn’t expect that there was actually an alien civilization on it. Since a starship had been actively destroyed by the other party, the commander of the colonial army ordered the launch of the first round of tentative counterattack.

    1000 “Apocalypse” space torpedoes carrying 200-megaton hydrogen bombs.

    And then there was no more. Before its destruction, Paradise Mountain activated the emergency escape into the semi-plane magic circle, and then it was blown into 25 fragments, swept to who knows which plane by the shock wave. The human colonial army saw that it was so weak, the entire floating island was destroyed by our nuclear bombs, so they cautiously began to enter the landing orbit.

    Please ignore all the unscientific parts above, after all, this was just an official setting novel for an online game, it didn’t need to be too hardcore. Being too hardcore would make it unsellable.

    In short, Paradise Mountain was blown into 25 fragments by nuclear bombs and scattered into different semi-planes. In the late Second Epoch, the ancient Siris School of Dreams collected all the Paradise Mountain fragments from the semi-planes and sealed them in the 25 separate volumes of the mystical work “The Interpretation of Dreams,” attempting to recreate the complete Paradise Mountain.

    Then the Peloponnesian War broke out. Ten years of war, almost all the ancient Siris colonial city-states were crippled, and the Macedonian city-state in the north took advantage of the situation. The extraordinary school of the Macedonian city-state was the “Arcane School,” whose extraordinary beings were the prototype of the “War Mages” of the later Eastern Solomon Empire. Due to their extreme emphasis on the military application of extraordinary abilities, the Arcane School was not very friendly to almost all academic extraordinary schools such as the School of Dreams, so the process of reassembling Paradise Mountain was also suspended and has not been completed to this day.

    It could be seen that it was good to have lofty ideals, but they also had to consider the course of history.

    From the perspective of the game, the 25 fragments were actually equivalent to 25 special benefits for guild players – it was equivalent to having their own guild residence, and they didn’t have to pay taxes to the local lord. The usage was also very simple. One was to summon it to the real world, just like the demonstration just now, suitable for uninhabited places such as oceans, wildernesses, and deserts. After the island was summoned, it would merge with the real environment.

    The other was to teleport there themselves, and as Peggy and Nuo said, bring a lot of living supplies in, and use this semi-plane as a portable warehouse and residence.

    Asker finished thinking in his heart, and then strolled back. He heard the three girls arguing fiercely.

    “We should build a castle.” Eleanor said seriously. “The center of this island is a mountain range, which is a natural highland suitable for defense, and there is such a large open space on the top of the mountain… I roughly estimated that it should be nearly 10,000 square meters, it would be a waste not to build a military castle! Let me tell you, as long as we build a castle on the top of the mountain, and then cut down all the trees below, no matter how many enemies there are, they won’t be able to attack! And as long as we deploy enough firepower on the top of the castle, we can cover every corner of this island!”

    “Ellie, this semi-plane fragment is already under our control. As long as we don’t want to, the enemy can’t even enter this space, so what’s the point of building a military castle?” Nuo shook her head repeatedly, with a regretful expression of “you are wasting a treasure.” “We should build a manor, and not just on the top of the mountain, the forest area below the mountain is also a very good environment. I have already studied it, the top of the mountain can be used as a manor residence, the view from above is excellent. We can cut down some trees at the foot of the mountain and divide it into flower fields, racecourses, and forest areas. We can even learn from the Dreamland Paradise sect and raise extraordinary creatures below!”

    “We can hollow out the mountain, set up all kinds of traps and mechanisms, and make it look like an ancient ruin.” Peggy’s answer was very characteristic of a horror demon king. “Then we spread the word that there is treasure hidden here, attracting other extraordinary beings to come and treasure hunt. After they are killed, we search their bodies for valuables. If the church comes, we run away with the book and the entire space.”

    “We should build a castle.” Eleanor ignored Peggy’s suggestion. “Even from an aesthetic point of view, a majestic and magnificent castle is better, and it’s also strong and durable.”

    “I think no one except Ellie wants to sleep in a cold stone room.” Nuo retorted without hesitation. “And stone materials are difficult to clean! In humid weather, it’s easy to get moldy and mossy, it’s super disgusting!”

    “Will it be easy to clean such a large manor?” Eleanor argued, “Your plan, without a few thousand servants, how can you ensure daily maintenance? It will be covered in dust in a week, right?”

    “Then hire a few thousand servants.” Nuo said.

    “This is the exclusive space of our team!” Eleanor said in disbelief. “You want to hire a few thousand outsiders to come in? What if they leak information to the outside world? Don’t we need confidentiality anymore?”

    “I can borrow family servants from my brother.” Nuo said nonchalantly. “They are all family servants who have served our family since childhood and have signed lifelong binding contracts. Let’s transfer 1,000 of them first!”

    “Ugh!” Eleanor was defeated by the other party’s financial resources. What was the concept of 1,000 lifelong family servants… There were less than 100 servants in her father’s entire castle, and their monthly wages alone were a considerable expense.

    “No.” Asker said disapprovingly. “You can’t let your family know.”

    “Why?” Nuo said incomprehensibly.

    “Because they will borrow it.” Asker said euphemistically.

    Nuo understood as soon as she heard it. What was the concept of a portable island in business? It was equivalent to a super huge logistics transportation tool! You know, the largest cargo ships at that time had a carrying capacity of only a few hundred thousand tons.

    With this island, even tens of millions of tons of cargo could be loaded, just throw it into the island space. Then only a low-level extraordinary being needed to take the book and fly to the destination, then open the space with spirituality and release the cargo…

    The logistics cost could be almost reduced to 0… Nuo covered her face weakly. Not to mention others, just her elder sister who was in business would definitely terminate all the logistics suppliers she had on hand, and then pester her to “borrow” this book, and never return it…

    So the question was, was the treasure they had worked so hard to obtain just to add a few more zeros to her sister’s annual marketing performance?

    “You’re right.” Nuo said helplessly. “We absolutely can’t let them know. Or rather, we can’t let anyone outside our team know.”

     

  • As a villain, I just want them to behave 103

    Chapter 103: Disrupted Destiny

    “You know, watching the once-proud princess fall from grace is a very pleasing thing. But I have a rather unique taste. If you don’t even resist, I’ll find it very boring. So I’ll give you one last chance, a chance to kill me and gain everything.”

    Kailun lifted Hilna’s chin, pressing his forehead against hers.

    Under the magnificent lights of the hall, Hilna saw a cunning glint in Kailun’s eyes.

    A familiar look, she had seen it many times.

    Since meeting Kailun, she had never seen him lose.

    He had been victorious all the way, creating miracles, taking down the Kingdom of Xiya and the Kingdom of Malaga one after another, the whole process only took half a month.

    He even grew from the first rank to the epic eighth rank in this half month, so if he was given more time, would he grow to the legendary ninth rank?

    She didn’t know, nor did she dare to think. In her mind, Kailun had already opened up a huge gap with her.

    The good-for-nothing she once despised had already stood at a height she couldn’t imagine.

    Did she regret it?

    She did. She thought that if she hadn’t attacked Kailun in the first place, would she have had the chance to smoothly succeed to the throne?

    Even if Kailun’s family posed a threat to her, it wouldn’t erupt in a short period of time. If she slowly developed herself, there might be different changes.

    “Are you still trying to play with me?” Hilna gave a wry smile.

    “No, I said I would give you a chance, a chance to kill me. The rules of the game are like this, I will feed you a power pill, and let you gain the power of the eighth rank. At that time, we will have a one-on-one duel to the death in this hall. The winner will become the new king, and the loser will become a mount in every sense of the word. Of course, if you win, you can also kill me.”

    Kailun moved away from Hilna’s forehead and took out a “candy” from his arms and stuffed it into her mouth.

    The strange candy melted in her mouth, and Hilna’s expression changed when she tasted the familiar flavor: “This is a power pill at all, it’s your…”

    “Don’t slander me, this is a power pill. If you don’t believe me, sense it, hasn’t your strength increased a lot?”

    Kailun explained to Hilna while slowly increasing her attributes.

    This time, he used his new talent and temporarily gave 100% of his attribute points to Hilna.

    However, when adding points to Hilna, he cleverly added most of the attribute points to spirit and physique, and only a very small portion to magic power.

    The former gave Hilna indestructible mental power, the latter gave her an indestructible body, coupled with the tenfold perception enhancement from the candy, Kailun felt that the next battle would be a life-or-death situation.

    Of course, before that, Kailun would max out Hilna’s favorability.

    Although Hilna would only have the strength of an early seventh-rank in the future, even a mosquito leg was still meat.

    “What’s going on? Why do I feel like my strength and body are constantly getting stronger?”

    Hilna looked at her palm in astonishment, she found that her physical fitness was increasing at a terrifying speed.

    Her mind became clearer, and many problems that she didn’t understand before were easily solved.

    If she was given a magic book, she was sure that she could understand it in a very short time.

    It was this mental clarity, coupled with the crazy improvement in physical fitness, that gave her the illusion that she was becoming crazily stronger.

    Of course, the tenfold perception enhancement played a big role.

    For Hilna a few seconds ago, she felt that she had suddenly become thousands of times stronger.

    Especially the boiling magic power made her feel that she could casually throw out eighth-rank magic.

    “Is this your ability? Why can you even do such a thing?”

    There was doubt in Hilna’s eyes.

    Compared to doubt, she was more confident.

    ‘Maybe I can really kill this devil in front of me!’

    Suddenly, a crazy thought appeared in her heart.

    “I won’t tell you why, but I will increase your strength. Now I’m giving you a chance to kill me, you better cherish it.”

    Kailun turned around and faced away from Hilna, he walked in the direction away from Hilna.

    From an angle she couldn’t see, Kailun revealed a wicked smile.

    Keeping a distance of ten meters, this was the rule of the duel.

    He walked very slowly, taking small steps, as if deliberately slowing down, filled with an unspeakable sense of ritual.

    Looking at Kailun walking away from her, an evil thought emerged in Hilna’s heart.

    Sneak attack!

    If she took advantage of Kailun’s inattention and launched a sneak attack, then she would have a chance to really kill him.

    The expansion of power made Hilna gradually ignore the previous scenes, her eyes only had the final victory.

    ‘Am I really going to abandon the dignity of the royal family?’ Hilna couldn’t help but question herself in her heart.

    In this world, the royal family and nobles had their own pride. For them, a duel was a sacred and ritualistic act.

    Even the most down-and-out, the most pitiful nobles would abide by the most basic fairness when facing a duel.

    This was the pride unique to them, the pride buried deep in their bones.

    In just a few seconds, many images flashed through Hilna’s mind. She thought of Shirley, the kingdom that had fallen into Kailun’s hands, Kailun’s madness…

    When she came back to her senses, a magic circle had naturally appeared in her palm.

    This was clearly a fifth-rank magic, but in Hilna’s perception, it was extremely powerful, even comparable to the seventh or eighth rank.

    Hilna bit her red lips with her teeth, a trickle of blood flowed down from the corner of her lips and dripped onto the floor.

    “Thud!”

    The sound of the blood landing was barely audible, but it was like thunder in her heart.

    Under the temptation of the devil in her heart, she finally chose to abandon her pride and sneak attack Kailun.

    “In this world, the winner is king and the loser is bandit. If you want to blame someone, blame him for being too careless.”

    After muttering to herself to deceive herself, Hilna finally chose to launch a sneak attack.

    “Crackle!”

    An extremely fast blue lightning bolt shot towards Kailun, striking him directly in the back.

    “Bang!”

    A loud explosion echoed through the hall, the piercing echo reverberated for several rounds.

    Anyway, with the blessing of powerful mental power, Hilna’s fifth-rank magic already had the power of a sixth-rank.

    The lightning strike shattered Kailun’s clothes, causing a strange rain to fall from the sky.

    Smoke and dust, along with fragments of clothes, scattered from the air, Hilna let out a long sigh of relief.

    In her opinion, even an eighth-rank wouldn’t be able to withstand that blow without any preparation.

    She saw with her own eyes that the lightning strike landed on Kailun’s back, the other party simply didn’t have time to defend.

    Looking at the fragments of clothes scattered all over the sky, she collapsed on the ground.

    “I won? Did I really win?”

    Tears couldn’t stop streaming from her eyes, Hilna had never felt so happy.

    She abandoned her pride and dignity, and killed the greatest devil.

    She felt that she should be praised, she saved many people.

    Her heart was extremely relaxed, she immersed herself in her own world.

    “The princess really has no shame, I gave you strength, and you actually sneak attacked me.”

    At this moment, Hilna heard the devil’s whisper again.

    She looked up at the opposite side, Kailun, shirtless, walked out of the smoke and dust.

    There was a gentle smile on his face, and his eyes were full of mockery towards her.

    “Sneak attacking the enemy in a duel, this is a glorious deed that will be written on the pillar of shame. I wonder what kind of reaction there will be if everyone in the Kingdom of Xiya knows that their princess is actually such a villain? Tsk, even I can’t imagine it, but I can be sure that even if the former royal family becomes history, they will still bear the infamy. They will remember that there was a princess named Hilna who once sneak attacked someone in a duel.”

    Kailun walked up to Hilna and looked down at her condescendingly.

    “Stop talking, stop talking…”

    Hilna hugged her head and shook her head painfully. Every word Kailun said hit her in the heart, hitting the truth that she didn’t want to face the most.

    Kailun: “No, I have to say it, the princess is a hypocritical villain who only knows how to wield a knife at the weak. You only care about your own interests, you only have yourself in your eyes, you have abandoned your own dignity…”

    In order to maximize the effect of his mental pollution, Kailun secretly weakened Hilna’s mental power again.

    Sometimes words were the most hurtful weapon, and Kailun used this weapon to shatter Hilna’s remaining pride.

    [Your words hurt Hilna. At this moment, she has completely fallen into self-doubt. Favorability -1, Total favorability -100. Obtained all attributes of Hilna at a future time point.]

    Not bad, his words finally made Hilna see herself clearly.

    “I really am a good person.”

    After sighing to himself, Kailun squatted down and gently stroked Hilna’s face with his hand: “But you don’t have to be too sad, no one is perfect, abandoning some unnecessary pride is not necessarily a bad thing. And for you, there is still a chance to change. As long as you can atone for the sins you have committed, you can have a new life. Trust me, I only lie to your body, not your heart.”

    Looking at her empty eyes, Kailun thought of his former self.

    Because of her, he had become like that, and now he personally returned this despair to her.

    It was like a cycle, and also like a kind of destiny.

    “What else can I do?”

    Hilna looked at Kailun, her heart was as good as dead.

    Denied everything by Kailun, belittled to the dust, she felt that she was no different from the good-for-nothing Kailun in the past.

    No, she was not as good as Kailun.

    “Instead of asking what else you can do, you should first atone for your sins, at least reduce my disgust for you. Pleasing me and making me happy is a way for you to atone for your sins. After that, I will seriously tell you what else you can do.”

    Kailun tucked Hilna’s hair behind her ear.

    The desperate princess was still beautiful, like a broken perfect doll. Although this kind of incomplete beauty went against common sense, it was undeniable that it could attract some strange things.

    If Kailun didn’t need her as a tool for his work, he would be willing to lock the princess in this state in a cage and admire her alone.

    “Be optimistic, if you make me happy, maybe I can even make you the queen of the Kingdom of Xiya.”

    Kailun drew a new pie for Hilna, he needed to create a new reliance for Hilna.

    Grabbing Hilna’s hair again and putting it to his nose to sniff lightly, Kailun didn’t hate the smell of flowers.

    Putting his hands through Hilna’s armpits and the back of her knees, Kailun carried her back to the throne.

    Setting up a magic circle that isolated sound and images, Kailun laid Hilna down on the throne.

    A desperate person couldn’t play any role, he needed to use his ability to make Hilna a little more normal.

    A tenfold perception experience, this was also Kailun’s first attempt.

    Hilna in front of him had a perfect figure, with curves in all the right places. Her full chest rose and fell with her breathing, and her slender waist, which could be held in one hand, fell into Kailun’s hand.

    He didn’t choose to play any tricks, this time Kailun used the simplest method.

    Perhaps the only thing worth remembering was the location, this was the throne that Hilna yearned for.

    She was like a doll without consciousness, accompanying Kailun’s movements, pushing out her chest and sucking in her stomach, until all her defenses were removed.

    Dazzlingly white, alluringly pink, flawless, every part of her was a work of art from heaven.

    In terms of beauty, Hilna was no less than Saint Chrissy, she had her own charm.

    However, facing the extremely aggressive Kailun, she was destined to lose everything.

    He parted her fortress, exposing her delicate mountains and rivers.

    With gentle touches, plucks, and strokes, Kailun launched his attack, and with just one touch, he sent Hilna into a rout.

    The cannonballs of the magic cannons landed in the river, splashing waves that overflowed the banks, flowing through the canals, and flooding the grasslands.

    The cavalry charged bravely, crashing against the tough and soft magic shield again and again, trying to pierce her defenses with swords.

    In the fierce battle, the blood gathered into a small river, flowing down along the ditches, merging into the white river, and flooding the grasslands together.

    “Ugh!”

    The tenfold pain made Hilna cry bitterly, she seemed to have come back to life and kept stopping the soldiers from resisting Kailun’s tyranny.

    But her strength was still too weak, Kailun only gave her spirit and physique, not the power to resist.

    At this moment, she completely became a fish on a chopping board, a tool for Kailun’s training.

    Every impact and bombardment of artillery fire would make the last city wall crumble, as if her body had been pierced.

    After all the knights, all the warriors, and finally even all the mages were defeated, Hilna had to go into battle herself, find Kailun, and scratch his back hard with her nails, leaving shallow marks on it.

    Cries of pain continued, only then did she realize how evil Kailun really was.

    Although she wanted to pretend to be a corpse and ignore everything, the reactions from her body made it impossible for her to stay out of it.

    The intensity of the war continued to increase, the water in the moat overflowed more and more, and finally gathered into a stream, flowing down along the royal city, wetting a large area of land.

    If one observed carefully, one could find that the white river water contained traces of red, that was the blood shed by the warriors.

    However, such a great victory was not without its price. After an hour, Kailun lost hundreds of millions of elite soldiers at once, a heavy loss indeed.

    [Mental pollution, under the interaction of pain and pleasure, had a profound impact. Hilna’s favorability increased greatly. Favorability +20, Total favorability -80]

    The entire war only lasted for an hour before it ended.

    It wasn’t that Kailun didn’t want to continue fighting, but Hilna had already fallen asleep, she was completely defeated by Kailun.

    In terms of combat power, she was considered ten times Afra, after all, even if the latter didn’t eat the candy, she could only last for an hour.

    He had underestimated Hilna, he didn’t expect that she also had similar qualifications to the Saint, she could be focused on training.

    Taking Hilna’s jade legs down from his shoulders, Kailun slowly dressed her.

    After cleaning the throne, he carried the sleeping Hilna back to the mobile palace.

    After a simple cleaning, he sent Hilna back to the next room.

    Shirley, who was already asleep, would never have imagined what happened to the princess next to her.

    If he wasn’t worried about being infected by Shirley’s IQ, he would have called Shirley to join him tonight.

    Closing the door and returning to his room, Afra and the other two were sleeping in bed, occupying all the space.

    Helplessly, Kailun could only sleep on the floor. Thanks to Afra’s thoughtfulness, she had even made the bed for him in advance.

    After indulging himself, he quickly fell asleep. The only regret was that he lost his soft and bouncy pillow.

    Perhaps because he had done too many bad things, Kailun was caught up in a nightmare tonight.

    ……

    “Humph humph, little fool, I’m here to see you again.”

    “Why aren’t you talking? Are you unhappy?”

    “This time I brought your favorite steak. Oh right, and red wine, I got it secretly behind my sister’s back. That bad woman is up to no good again, she seems to be plotting against your family’s resources, how hateful.”

    “Are you worried about your family? Then be my dog, okay? I’ve already thought of a way to get you out, as long as you give me time, I can take you away and fly away, I don’t care about that bad woman.”

    “Say something, are you mute?”

    In the dim prison cell, a petite figure carrying a food box was busy.

    She was wearing a black princess dress and cute white silk stockings, her whole body exuded a noble temperament, forming a sharp contrast with the person who was tied up and sitting against the wall.

    “Clank!”

    The ragged figure in the shadows moved, and there was a clanking sound, the sound of chains.

    “If you don’t want to answer, then don’t answer. I’m not forcing you. But if you continue to stay here, nothing will change. That bad woman won’t let you go.”

    Little Princess Vivian walked up to Kailun with the plate containing small pieces of steak. She took out a piece and brought it to Kailun’s mouth:

    “Eat, I made this myself. It’s absolutely delicious except for a little extra sugar.”

    Kailun: “…”

    He remained silent for a while before turning his head and biting into the steak in Vivian’s hand.

    As she said, there was indeed too much sugar, it was so sweet that it made his heart panic.

    Looking at the scene in his memory, Kailun realized that this was a dream.

    However, even though he realized that this was a dream, he didn’t want to force himself to wake up.

    A strange feeling surged in his chest, his messy hair covered his eyes, and in his perception, it all felt real.

    Kailun suddenly noticed someone’s gaze and turned his head to the right, but there was no one there.

    “Hey, are you blind? I’m clearly standing on your left.”

    Vivian angrily poked Kailun’s mouth with the steak, she only nodded in satisfaction after Kailun ate the steak.

    “Even if you’re angry, you still have to eat. If you starve to death, how can you take revenge on that bad woman? I’m telling you, there is a special pill in the palace, as long as you eat it, you can increase your body’s perception tenfold. If you want to take revenge on her, feed her this pill, and then bully her hard, make her bleed and cry, humph humph~”

    Vivian hummed excitedly, she was fantasizing about the day her sister would be punished.

    Listening to Vivian’s fantasy, Kailun smiled, he had already done such a thing tonight.

    He made Hilna bleed a lot, and cry a lot, he watched her cry for a whole hour.

    “Ah, you finally smiled. I know that you have a dirty mind all day long and will definitely be interested in this pill. Let’s eat first, and then we’ll talk slowly.”

    Vivian continued to feed Kailun as if she was coaxing a child, she was satisfied to see Kailun eat the food she made herself and enjoy it.

    She was like a beautiful and petite elf, bringing the only vitality to this desperate prison cell.

    She was the person Kailun had the most contact with in the prison cell.

    While eating the not-so-delicious food made by Vivian, he listened to her talk about the information he already knew.

    Kailun found that he didn’t hate the current atmosphere.

    After eating and drinking his fill, Vivian washed her hands, brought a blanket, spread it out in front of Kailun, and sat down.

    She rested her chin on her hand, looked up at Kailun’s face and commented: “You used to be quite handsome, now you’re almost a beggar.”

    After looking carefully for a while, Vivian brought a small bucket of clean water and carefully wiped Kailun’s face.

    After spending three minutes cleaning Kailun’s face, she sat back down in front of him with satisfaction.

    “Why are you looking at me like that? Are you thinking about dirty things again?”

    Vivian kicked Kailun’s chest with her little feet wrapped in white silk: “Stop thinking about it, I haven’t settled the score with you for what you did to my face yesterday.”

    Kailun: “…”

    After carefully recalling, it seemed that such a thing did happen. Compared to Vivian’s strange behavior in the early stage, she was much more normal now.

    Thinking of the small whip she used on him, Kailun still felt a little resentment, so he raised his head and glared at Vivian fiercely.

    Vivian: “Don’t be angry, really, you just finished eating and you’re already thinking about dirty things, you deserve to be caught.”

    She obviously misunderstood what Kailun wanted to express, so she very skillfully put her little feet on Kailun’s lap and stepped on them.

    As if worried that one foot wasn’t enough, she used the other foot as well.

    She firmly grasped Kailun’s heart with both her strength and touch. This was clearly the result of long-term practice with Kailun.

    Although Kailun was already a veteran of many battles, he still reacted under Vivian’s teasing.

    Feeling Kailun’s state, Vivian hummed proudly.

    When it came to familiarity with Kailun’s body, she dared to say that she was no less than anyone else.

    Seeing that his state was almost adjusted, she tied her red hair into a ponytail and tossed it behind her.

    Before Kailun could refuse, Vivian threw herself into his arms and did strange things.

    “Hiss~”

    The feeling of being scraped by her small canine teeth was still as clear and stimulating as ever. Fortunately, he could freely increase and decrease his physique, so most of the feeling was a kind of hearty pleasure.

    She was too good at it, she was even better at it than Chrissy.

    Kailun raised his head, a special sense of guilt arose in his heart.

    He actually… in a dream, it was too strange, really too strange.

    Half an hour later, Vivian made a gurgling sound. With her swallowing, today’s daily task was considered complete.

    “I’m leaving, I’ll come see you tomorrow. The border has been very restless these days, it seems that something big is about to happen, I have to prepare first. Oh right, don’t forget to be my little dog~”

    She wiped the residue from the corner of her mouth and smiled at Kailun triumphantly. It wasn’t until her figure completely disappeared from his sight that Kailun returned to reality.

    “!!!”

    Kailun sat up abruptly, he touched his pants and found that he was still clean, he couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.

    “It really was a dream…” For some reason, he suddenly felt a little regretful.

    Turning his head to look at Afra, who didn’t know when she had fallen asleep next to him, he lay down again and covered himself with the quilt.

    Burying his head in Afra’s soft breasts, Kailun reached into the skirt of her pajamas and carefully felt the mature fullness for a while, then he threw the strange thoughts behind him.

    Rubbing his face against Afra’s breasts, he fell asleep again.

    However, he didn’t know that Afra also woke up. She blushed and looked at Kailun on her chest, looking a little at a loss.

    “Why did I have such a strange dream? Why did I have to watch Kailun and the little princess in my dream… ugh, no way, Kailun wouldn’t have any bad thoughts about a petite girl like Vivian, right?”

    Recalling the prison cell in her dream, she now felt that the scene at that time was extremely clear.

    In her dream, she was standing to Kailun’s right, but she couldn’t change anything, she could only watch helplessly as the little princess violated her Kailun.

    Because it was too real, she even suspected that this was a scene that had happened before.

    But this didn’t match her memory. In her memory, Kailun had been winning all the way, there was no possibility of him falling behind.

    Remembering that Kailun seemed to enjoy it very much, should she reward him tomorrow morning?

    Afra touched Kailun’s head and fell into deep thought.

    ……

    “Wah!”

    Vivian next door woke up from her dream with a start.

    She covered her flushed cheeks with a panicked look, her beautiful eyes were so shy that they were almost dripping with water.

    Why did she have such a shameful dream!

    Why was it with Kailun, that devil, doing such bad things?

    She licked her lips, the strange taste still lingered in her memory and was extremely clear.

    It was as if… she had just drunk it.

    Not only that, she also clearly remembered the feeling of the changes in her mouth and the expansion of her throat.

    The most outrageous thing was that her intuition told her that she had acquired some strange skills.

    “What are you yelling about in the middle of the night?”

    Isabella, who was next to her, rubbed her sleepy eyes and looked at Vivian.

    With just one glance, she was suddenly awakened. In her vision, Vivian’s fate line became extremely chaotic, as if it had traveled through time and space, making it impossible to figure out.

    After staring blankly for two seconds, she rubbed her eyes again and looked at Vivian. This time, all the fate lines returned to normal.

    Although it was still dazzling, it was far less chaotic than before.

    “Maybe she’s just sleepy?” With doubts, Isabella lay back on the pillow.

    “Sob sob sob, I have no face to see anyone, I’m not clean anymore, that big devil actually came to my dream to bully me. But why do I feel so good? I should be the one bullying him in the dream, right?”

    Vivian didn’t care about Isabella, who was woken up by her, she covered her face and her heart beat rapidly, a strange emotion took root and sprouted in her heart.

    What to do?

    She couldn’t seem to forget that devil, her mind was full of him, full of his downcast face.

    The emotions in her heart were extremely real, as if they were her true thoughts.

    How could this be a dream? How could there be such a real dream?!

    Vivian’s brain crashed because she had too many thoughts: “Ugh…”

    Carol, who was also woken up, got up from the bed. Recalling the knowledge she had just dreamed of, she sat down at her desk.

    After lighting a magic lamp, she recorded the knowledge she had learned from her dream on paper and verified it one by one.

    At this time, she had already realized the uniqueness of her dreams. She felt that it was necessary to tell Master Kailun about this matter. She wondered if her knowledgeable master could tell her the answer.

    ……

    At four o’clock in the morning, Paul and the others found a temporary resting place.

    This was a church that hadn’t been inhabited for a long time. In order to escape Kailun’s pursuit, they had already run for hundreds of miles.

    Before setting off, Holy Son Joseph never thought that they would lose. In his opinion, an eighth-rank could completely crush Kailun, but to his surprise, Kailun not only possessed the strength of an eighth-rank, but also defeated Kailson.

    “Kailson was just all talk, he turned out to be a good-for-nothing, it’s really infuriating.” Joseph covered his stomach and sat against the wall.

    Thinking of how someone had boasted that Kailson was the most promising existence to reach the ninth-rank within a hundred years, it now seemed like a joke.

    After entering the church, Justin first observed carefully for a while, fearing an ambush. After confirming that it was safe, he sat down by the door and said, “These recent changes have completely exceeded our expectations. Every time, Kailun is one step ahead of us. I still say that there might be a traitor among us, and the Saint is the most likely suspect.”

    At this point, he no longer cared about the Holy Son’s status. In his opinion, it was best for the Holy Son to kick him out of the Temple of the Heavenly God.

    “Chrissy is not a traitor, she’s just cold to people. His Holiness the Pope is so good to her, she will never betray the Temple.”

    Joseph shook his head and took out an antidote pill from his arms and swallowed it.

    Although he couldn’t detoxify himself with his own holy water, his special nature gave him extremely high resistance to poison.

    Recalling Chrissy’s cold eyes, he felt that she had changed, but he couldn’t tell exactly what had changed.

    When they were running away, he decisively ran away and didn’t take Chrissy with him.

    There was only one teleportation scroll left with the anchor point set. If he gave the teleportation scroll to Chrissy, he wouldn’t be able to escape. After weighing the pros and cons, Joseph still chose to follow his heart.

    Paul, who was walking at the end, gently placed Harry, who was on his back, on the ground. His pale face had improved, but the effect of the poison made Harry’s body convulse constantly.

    “Master Justin, do you still have any holy water? I beg you for some holy water, I will definitely pay you back when I have money in the future.”

    Paul went up to Justin, he wanted to get some holy water for Harry.

    “No more, it’s all gone, the previous stock was all used up by you guys.”

    Justin waved his hand at Paul impatiently: “If you want holy water, go to the Holy Son, that’s what he produces.”

    Helplessly, Paul could only go up to Joseph and pleaded: “Holy Son, can you give me some holy water? I won’t take it for free, I’ll pay for it.”

    Although he was the Holy Son, Joseph was always short of money. He was reluctant to spend money even when he visited brothels, he often escaped by jumping out of the window, inheriting the fine tradition of the Temple of the Heavenly God.

    As for where the money he squeezed out of others went?

    Naturally, it was used to buy gifts and resources for Chrissy.

    As a senior simp, he was always thinking about how to please Chrissy.

    In his opinion, his position as the Holy Son was something he picked up, Chrissy was the Pope’s real daughter, only by getting Chrissy would his position be stable.

    Moreover, Chrissy was extremely beautiful and his type, so he was willing to keep paying for her.

    But after all these years, he hadn’t seen any results.

    With the persistence of dripping water wearing through a stone, he believed that Chrissy would eventually change her mind and recognize his goodness.

    “How much are you willing to pay?” Joseph raised his head and looked at Paul.

    Paul: “One thousand gold coins.”

    Joseph nodded in satisfaction and said: “Okay, I know you don’t have money, so let’s sign a contract first. If you can’t pay it back, be my slave.”

    He took a fancy to Paul’s talent, in his opinion, Paul had the qualifications to become a Holy Son candidate.

    If he could train Paul to become the next Holy Son, then as his master, he would definitely make a huge profit.

    As for Paul being able to pay back the gold coins one day?

    That was absolutely impossible, he wouldn’t let Paul pay back the money so easily.

    “Wait for me for a while, I’ll cry some holy water for you.”

    Five minutes later, Joseph, who had accepted the contract, walked out of the dilapidated church, clutching his aching abdomen.

    Out of curiosity, Paul secretly followed him and stayed at the corner to eavesdrop.

    He thought that since he already owed money, it was reasonable to listen to the Holy Son cry, right?

    But to his surprise, not only did he not hear the Holy Son crying, but he heard the Holy Son whistling,

    “Splash!”

    Along with a strange sound of water, some container was quickly filled.

    Paul: “Ugh!”

    He covered his mouth and almost vomited.

    Only then did he realize what the Holy Son’s holy water really was.

    Thinking that he and Harry had drunk the Holy Son’s holy water, he couldn’t help but want to vomit.

    Fortunately, Paul’s heart was strong and he didn’t really vomit, after all, what he had drunk was more than just holy water.

    Returning to Harry’s side with a blank look in his eyes and sitting down, he waited for the Holy Son’s return.

    Ten minutes later, the Holy Son threw a transparent small bottle to Paul with a disgusted look and said: “Here you go, this is the amount I cried out after crying for a long time. You better cherish it, after all, it’s one thousand gold coins.”

    Paul: “…”

    Looking at the orange-yellow liquid with blood streaks in the glass bottle, he felt nauseous.

    Nodding, Paul finally endured the nausea and poured the holy water into Harry’s mouth.

    His favorability towards the Temple of the Heavenly God had already fallen to the bottom. If there was a day in the future when he could cheat the people of the Temple of the Heavenly God, he would never be soft-hearted.

    In his opinion, the Temple of the Heavenly God was only slightly better than Kailun, only Harry was someone he could treat sincerely.

    The few of them looked at each other in silence and returned to their respective positions. They had to replenish their energy and prepare for the next round of escape.

    The relevant events had already been reported back to the headquarters of the Temple of the Heavenly God, but the news they received was to first withdraw from the Kingdom of Malaga. Someone would negotiate with Kailun later to try to redeem the Saint.

    Because most of the Temple of the Heavenly God’s forces were invested in the abyss, they simply didn’t have the energy to care about the Kingdom of Xiya.

    In the eyes of the upper echelons, the existence of the abyss had shaken their foundation, while Kailun was just a slightly stronger rabbit. Once they solved the problem of the abyss, they could crush Kailun at any time.

    Only the problem of the Saint had to be solved as soon as possible. This was not only related to the face of the Temple of the Heavenly God, but also related to the Pope’s mood.

    If the Pope came out of seclusion and received the news that his Saint had been kidnapped, many people would probably be in trouble.

    ……

    [For some reason, Vivian’s heart is stirred, Favorability +20, Total favorability 60]

    [Chrissy thought of you modifying Kailson’s communication device last night and became suspicious of you. Favorability -10, Total favorability 70]

    Early the next morning, Kailun received two favorability reminders.

    Feeling the gentle and tight embrace, he lowered his head and saw that Afra was lying on his lower abdomen, doing bad things.

    Touching her silver hair, he enjoyed Afra’s gentleness.

    Turning his head to the side, he found Chrissy looking at him with a thoughtful look, so he said to her in a deep voice: “You come down and help too.”

    “Okay~”

    Because of Kailun’s words, Chrissy stopped thinking, she jumped down wearing her pajamas, threw herself into Kailun’s arms, and enthusiastically competed with Afra for breakfast.

    [Mental pollution increased, Chrissy’s favorability +10, Total favorability 80]

    In just one hour, Chrissy’s favorability returned to normal.

    After a simple wash, Kailun put on his clothes and walked out of the mobile palace. He still had a lot of things to do today.

    Perhaps because there was no disturbance from Kailun, Winnie slept soundly in the big bed.

    ……

    “Princess, what’s wrong? Why do you look so bad? Do you need me to call Kailun over to take a look?”

    In the next room, Shirley leaned close to Hilna’s face and observed the princess’s complexion.

    “It’s nothing, just a stomachache, you go out first, I’ll be fine after a while.” Feeling the tearing pain, Hilna frowned.

    Fortunately, her pain threshold had increased a lot, otherwise she would have cried out in pain. It was no exaggeration to say that after experiencing this kind of pain, she already had the courage to run into a wall.

    “No, you are clearly sick, I have to call someone to take a look.” Shirley shook her head and ran out directly.

    “Come back here quickly, I’m not sick, I’m just…”

    Looking at Shirley’s receding figure, Hilna clutched her lower abdomen, wanting to cry but having no tears.

    If Shirley really called Kailun over, she would really have no face to see anyone, it would be better to bang her head against the wall now.

  • As a villain, I just want them to behave 102

    Chapter 102: Crushing Hilna’s Pride

    “Seventh-rank, Holy Shield!”

    Sensing that something was wrong, Kailson immediately cast a seventh-rank magic for defense.

    For someone of his level, chanting a seventh-rank magic was only an instant matter.

    But to chant an eighth-rank magic, even the simplest one, would take a few seconds, which was too long for a battle that changed in an instant.

    Even now, he couldn’t understand why Kailun could burst out with such terrifying power within his Great Silence Spell. Judging from the speed at which the other party dodged the first wave of eighth-rank blue flames, Kailun clearly had the strength of an eighth-rank.

    ‘How is this possible?’

    ‘Was I mistaken? He clearly only felt like a first-rank before?’

    ‘Could it be that this isn’t Kailun?’

    “Bang!”

    While he was thinking, the Holy Son’s face had already slammed hard against his shield, and along with the Holy Son’s big face came the blood from his nose.

    “Crack!”

    The immense force caused fine cracks to appear on the seventh-rank Holy Shield.

    Kailson didn’t have time to think too much and immediately added a new magic shield.

    “It seems that the Holy Son’s head is quite hard, it didn’t even break after being smashed like this.”

    As Kailun spoke, the unconscious Holy Son was casually thrown to the ground.

    He didn’t kill the Holy Son, after all, the other party was one of his sources of power.

    “Who are you?” Kailson looked at Kailun outside the magic shield with a stern old face.

    While asking the question, he didn’t forget to add magic shields to himself.

    In less than three seconds, he could cast a simple eighth-rank shield to protect himself.

    “You don’t even recognize me, then I have to introduce myself.”

    Kailun played with the dagger and twirled it: “The person standing in front of you now is the son of Duke Kuhl of the Kingdom of Xiya, the king of the Kingdom of Xiya, Kailun.”

    As he spoke, Kailun, who had finished charging up, stabbed Kailson’s magic shield with the dagger and pierced his abdomen.

    Kailson: “???”

    The eighth-rank magic was broken just like that?

    Looking down at the dagger in his abdomen, he was plunged into great terror.

    Although he didn’t understand why Kailun didn’t directly stab his heart or head, the power to directly destroy the eighth-rank shield showed that Kailun had the strength to defeat an eighth-rank head-on.

    The huge contrast brought by reality made Kailson not dare to stay any longer, he immediately mobilized his magic power to cast short-distance teleportation magic.

    “Tele…”

    “Pfft!”

    As soon as Kailson finished saying the word “tele”, Kailun twisted the dagger in his hand half a circle and interrupted his spellcasting: “Did I allow you to teleport? As a mage, you don’t throw magic at me from a distance, but instead, you come within ten meters of me to act arrogantly, do you think you’re invincible?”

    Pulling out the dagger, Kailun used the Holy Son’s magic-suppressing chain to tie Kailson up. The whole process was completed by the time he finished speaking.

    Just as Kailun said, if Kailson had stood a little further away, even he would have found it troublesome.

    After properly adding points, his attributes could be comparable to an eighth-rank, but his actual strength was not necessarily the same.

    It was like having magic power but not being able to cast high-level magic. Kailun lacked the relevant knowledge reserves of the seventh and eighth ranks.

    In fact, his current total attribute points couldn’t surpass Kailson’s. The reason why he was able to achieve such a huge suppression was entirely due to the extreme point allocation.

    During the fight just now, Kailun had allocated most of his attributes to agility and strength, with a small portion allocated to the necessary physique.

    In this way, he was able to approach Kailson at an extremely fast speed and shatter his shield with immense strength.

    It was a bit risky, but fortunately, it succeeded.

    Thanks to the attribute points given by the Holy Son, the Holy Son had contributed greatly to capturing Kailson.

    After this battle, Kailun also gained something. When in doubt, add all the points to strength. What he wanted was the effect of overwhelming all methods with sheer force.

    At the same time, he had to thank Kailson for the Great Silence Spell. Because of the existence of the Great Silence Spell, the Holy Son, who was close to the peak of the seventh rank, became useless, saving him a lot of trouble.

    Because Kailson and the Holy Son surrendered too quickly, he didn’t even have time to use many of his other methods.

    “Run, run now!”

    Sensing the dissipation of the Great Silence Spell, Harry immediately took out the teleportation scroll and wanted to take Paul and run away.

    Previously, because of the existence of the Great Silence Spell, no one other than Kailson could use teleportation.

    If Kailson had the upper hand, then they naturally didn’t need to teleport, but if Kailson lost, the Great Silence Spell would naturally disappear, and they would be able to find an opportunity to teleport and run away.

    The guess in his heart was confirmed, Harry’s mind was clear and refreshed.

    He knew it, if Kailun was defeated so easily, then he wouldn’t be called Kailun.

    And he didn’t lose anything. If one Kailson was defeated, there would be another Kailson, but the defeated Kailson had fulfilled him and Paul.

    Anyway, this blame could be perfectly shifted, and he could also unlock new positions. All things considered, he had made a profit.

    However, just as Harry was happy about this, he saw Kailun’s figure turn into a black shadow and rush towards Paul.

    Without thinking too much, Harry directly stood in front of Paul and continued to activate the teleportation scroll.

    Harry didn’t know if it was an illusion, but after he stood in front of Paul, Kailun’s speed actually slowed down.

    It was precisely because of Kailun’s slowed speed that Paul reacted. He quickly pushed Harry’s body and said, “What are you doing? Get out of the way!”

    Harry looked at Paul’s face with a relieved smile: “Maybe I can’t accompany you any longer, you are really talented. I hope you can still remember me in the future, at least…”

    “Pfft!”

    Before Harry could finish his words, there was the sound of a dagger piercing flesh. A sharp pain came from behind him, Kailun’s dagger had already pierced his body.

    Was it his heart or his lungs that were stabbed?

    It didn’t matter anymore, he probably wouldn’t have a chance to live.

    He endured the pain and hugged Paul, a white light took them away from this place.

    “No!”

    Before teleporting, Kailun heard Paul’s painful cry.

    [Paul thinks that you killed his lover. Favorability dropped below the threshold. Favorability -2, Total favorability -101. Obtained 101% feedback of Paul’s attribute points at the corresponding time point.]

    [Achievement unlocked: Destiny’s Doll. Effect: Greatly increased resistance to destiny magic.]

    [Obtained talent: Attribute Carnival.]

    [Attribute Carnival: You can give your attribute points to others in proportion. This giving will not reduce your attribute points. Current remaining quota: 100%

    PS: The recipient cannot be yourself. If the recipient has a favorability relationship with the host, it will still be calculated according to the original power feedback.]

    “Tsk, what a pity.”

    Looking at the last note, Kailun clicked his tongue and felt extremely regretful.

    This time’s talent was very different from the last time’s talent. Last time, it was temporarily storing his attribute points in other people’s bodies, this time it was purely giving.

    The more he understood this world, the more Kailun found that the word “destiny” appeared more and more frequently.

    The people related to destiny were the Fox Spirit, Isabella, and Paul, who was called the protagonist of destiny.

    Combined with the talents and achievements related to destiny, it was hard not to suspect that the word “destiny” was related to some important major events.

    As for Paul’s feedback, it was a bit unsatisfactory, barely reaching the late seventh-rank, a little weaker than the Holy Son.

    When he died in his previous life, Carol had already reached the ninth-rank and become the World-Ending Witch, while Paul, who was at the seventh-rank, was still acting arrogantly in the Kingdom of Xiya.

    He couldn’t understand what qualifications Paul had to be the protagonist of destiny besides luck.

    Wait!

    Suddenly, Kailun’s gaze drifted to the Holy Son, who had woken up and was activating the teleportation scroll.

    A flash of inspiration, Kailun noticed some key information.

    If he remembered correctly, it was time for the Holy Son to be replaced shortly after his death. Was it possible that Paul had reached the eighth or ninth rank with the resources of the Temple of the Heavenly God…

    To verify his guess, Kailun didn’t choose to interrupt the Holy Son’s teleportation.

    Resources like leeks would grow on their own, it didn’t matter whether he kept them or not.

    If Paul could really reach the eighth or ninth rank, he would have to thank the Holy Son, after all, he could now get a 101% bonus from Paul.

    Walking unhurriedly to Kailson’s side, Kailun heard him questioning Chrissy: “Why didn’t you help me untie the magic-suppressing chain? Are you really a traitor to the Temple of the Heavenly God?”

    Facing this question, Chrissy didn’t choose to answer. She looked at Kailun waving at her and ran over quickly, even happily nuzzling into Kailun’s arms.

    Kailson: “…….”

    Chrissy was indeed a traitor, Harry and the others didn’t lie to him.

    In the end, the Holy Son and Paul had all run away, leaving him alone to be captured. Kailson felt like he was a big fool.

    “Isn’t this the eighth-rank Kailson? Why are you tied up?”

    Kailun put his arm around Chrissy’s waist and walked up to Kailson.

    Compared to killing him, Kailun was more willing to keep him as a laborer. It would be a pity if such a useful eighth-rank died so easily.

    “You will pay a heavy price for being an enemy of the Temple of the Heavenly God.” Kailson looked at Kailun fiercely.

    Kailun: “Are these the only words you people from the Temple of the Heavenly God know? Forget it, why am I talking so much to you? Let me think about how to threaten you. Right, I remember you value your descendants very much, then I have to start with them.”

    Hearing this, Kailson’s eyes widened, he ignored the pain in his abdomen and took a step forward: “What do you want to do to them?”

    “Don’t misunderstand, I just want to invite them over as guests, but in your name.” Kailun put his arm around Chrissy and took a step back.

    It wasn’t because he was worried that Kailson would jump over the wall in desperation, but because he had to leave space for someone to search Kailson.

    “What do you mean? What are you trying to do?” Just as Kailson wanted to ask, a group of male knights suddenly pounced on him and pinned him to the ground.

    “What are you doing? Don’t poke my wound, ah!”

    “Bastard, I told you not to poke, but you still poke with your fingers, you are demons!”

    “Don’t pull my pants down, are you devils?”

    “Don’t pinch that thing, I was wrong, I was wrong, okay?”

    “…”

    Looking at the male knights who were pouncing on Kailson and searching him, Kailun took Chrissy and retreated several steps.

    Could it be that these knights were the former subordinates of the Second Prince?

    It was too strange, he really had to replace all the guards with people from the Silver Moon Knights.

    Half a minute later, a knight handed Kailun a simple communication device.

    Waving away the knights who wanted to “overthrow” and bully the eighth-rank boss, Kailun modified Kailson’s communication device while saying:

    “I wonder how many days it will take for me to use your communication device to inform your family to move to the Kingdom of Xiya?”

    Kailson, whose clothes were tattered: “Impossible, even I can’t do such a thing, how could you possibly modify the communication device? Once this thing is bound, no one else can use it.”

    As he was speaking, Kailson saw that Kailun was already writing a magic letter.

    Continuing to look down, Kailun not only successfully activated the communication device, but also successfully sent the magic letter.

    Kailson: “Can you pretend that I didn’t say anything just now? I mean we can talk.”

    Kailun put away the communication device: “It doesn’t matter, let’s talk after your family arrives. If there’s anything we can’t agree on, I’ll just chop off a few heads to vent my anger. Don’t worry, I’m a very kind person, I won’t kill easily unless there’s an accident. Someone, drag Kailson down and keep a good eye on him. Oh, and remember to find a mage to heal him.”

    After having someone drag Kailson away and lock him up, Kailun turned his gaze to the frontal battlefield, where the battle was nearing its end.

    He didn’t know if it was because the Temple of the Heavenly God was too weak, but Kailun always felt that something was missing.

    “Come out, everyone. The matter has been resolved, the Kingdom of Malaga has been incorporated into the territory of the Kingdom of Xiya, the whole process took less than seven days.”

    When the camp lit up the magic lamps again, Afra and the others walked out of the mobile palace.

    Most of them looked at Kailun with strange eyes.

    An eighth-rank at the age of fifteen, this was something unheard of in history, Kailun had once again created a new miracle.

    “Although you won, you still have to sleep on the floor tonight.”

    These were the first words Afra said when she saw Kailun.

    “I know, I’ll listen to you.” Facing Afra’s rare dominance, Kailun chose to obey.

    Afra nodded in satisfaction. Under Kailun’s puzzled gaze, she pushed Princess Hilna into his arms: “Good job, this is the horse I’m giving you.”

    Kailun: “What do you mean?”

    Afra: “The princess made a bet with me that you couldn’t defeat Kailson. She lost, and the price is to be your horse.”

    “Can I ride her however I want?” Kailun asked again.

    Afra: “… It’s a horse for travel.”

    Kailun: “What a pity.”

    Listening to their conversation, Hilna, who was lying in Kailun’s arms, wanted to bang her head against Kailun’s chest.

    She didn’t understand why Kailun had won.

    Even in the face of the invincible eighth-rank, he had won. Because of the bet, she had even lost her last shred of dignity.

    She had a premonition that she would lose something important tonight.

    ……

    “Cough!”

    In a valley far away from the capital, Harry coughed up another mouthful of blood.

    “Harry, I’m sorry, it’s all because I’m too weak, it’s all my fault…”

    Paul placed Harry on a large rock to lean on, he looked at the pale Harry with a sad face and cried.

    “Actually, I… I still have…”

    Feeling that his heart hadn’t been pierced, Harry felt that he could still be saved.

    If it weren’t for the poison on the dagger affecting his magic power circulation, he would be able to cast healing magic to treat himself.

    “Stop talking, I know you’re unwilling, I will definitely avenge you.”

    Paul covered Harry’s mouth with his hand, preventing him from saying anything more.

    He was so anxious that he didn’t even think too much. Looking at Harry who was about to die, his brain was completely short-circuited.

    In his opinion, Harry was already at the end of his rope and would die soon. In order to let him live a little longer, Paul had to try his best to make him talk less.

    Paul tried his best to activate the third-rank healing magic, but facing Harry’s serious injury, the third-rank magic simply couldn’t work.

    “Sob…”

    Harry pointed at Paul with one finger and grabbed Paul’s hand with the other.

    He was about to be pissed off by Paul, he really could still be saved, as long as he bandaged the wound and stopped the bleeding, he could live a little longer.

    Under the dual effects of anger and excessive blood loss, Harry tilted his head and fainted.

    “No!”

    A cry of pain echoed through the valley, Paul was heartbroken.

    Five minutes later, Paul wiped away his tears and took out the scroll that Harry had given him from his arms.

    This was a special scroll, engraved with a very unique magic circle. It had no rank, but the conditions for activation were extremely harsh.

    Harry told him two paths, one was to gain the trust of the Holy Son, obtain the identity of a Holy Son candidate, and wait for three years to become the next Holy Son.

    The other was to use special methods to kill the Holy Son, seize his body, and inject his soul into the Holy Son’s body to obtain a new identity.

    There was a lot of dense and complex knowledge in it that Paul couldn’t understand now. In his opinion, this was a very rare taboo scroll.

    “Who?!”

    After an unknown amount of time, a rustling sound came from the bushes in the distance.

    Paul quickly hid the scroll in his arms and looked towards the bushes vigilantly.

    In the night, he saw a person in a blue robe carrying a fat man running over from afar.

    “Eh? Why did you run faster than us? Where are Master Kailson and His Holiness the Holy Son?”

    After approaching, Justin looked at Paul with a strange expression.

    Paul: “Master Kailson was captured by Kailun, the Holy Son’s life or death is unknown.”

    “No, Kailson, an eighth-rank, can still be captured by Kailun, are you sure you’re not lying to me?” Justin had imagined many possibilities, but he never thought that Kailson would be captured by Kailun.

    Could it be that Kailson was also a traitor?

    The more he thought about it, the more wrong it felt. Could it be that the Temple of the Heavenly God really had so many traitors?

    “Why would I lie to you? Harry was killed by Kailun, why would I lie to you!”

    Paul looked at Harry on the rock with a painful expression.

    “What do you mean dead? Isn’t he still alive?”

    Justin threw the obese king to the ground, squatted down next to Harry, and seeing that the other party was seriously injured, he immediately cast healing magic.

    Three minutes later, Harry’s wound stopped bleeding, but the poison he was poisoned with couldn’t be removed for the time being, this had to rely on the Holy Son’s holy water.

    It wasn’t until Harry’s breathing stabilized that Justin turned his head and looked at Paul with suspicion: “Tell me honestly, are you a traitor? Harry is not dead, but you said he was dead, did you want to secretly kill him? I always felt that something was wrong along the way. It seems that after meeting you, Kailun has been winning all the way. If it’s a coincidence, it’s a bit too much of a coincidence.”

    Justin’s gaze at Paul became more and more dangerous. He had become paranoid and would always suspect that his teammates were traitors.

    “I’m not a traitor, I’m wholeheartedly devoted to Harry, how could I harm him?” Paul took a step back and shook his head repeatedly.

    “Evidence? Quickly show me the evidence that you’re not a traitor, otherwise I will have to use some unnecessary means.”

    Justin pressed forward step by step, a small magic circle had already appeared in his palm.

    “Stop!”

    A weak shout came from the forest.

    Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw the Holy Son, covered in blood, walking out of the shadows: “This is not Paul’s fault, it’s all Kailun’s problem. This devil actually has the strength of an eighth-rank, even Kailson is no match for him. We were tricked, this matter must be immediately reported back to the Temple. In order to rescue the Saint, we have to send someone more powerful.” Joseph covered his leaky mouth and said.

    That damned Kailun not only violated his Saint, but also smashed his front teeth.

    He remembered this grudge, he would tell the Pope everything Kailun did to Chrissy later.

    Hearing the Holy Son’s words, everyone looked at each other in dismay.

    After a long time, Justin let out a long sigh of relief and asked, “Is it too late for me to quit the Temple of the Heavenly God now?”

    Holy Son: “???”

    ……

    Time came to eleven o’clock at night. At this time, the battle was completely over, even the battlefield had been cleaned up.

    Nearly 50,000 people were captured in this battle, further strengthening the mining army.

    After briefly arranging the subsequent matters, only Kailun and Hilna were left in the main hall of the Kingdom of Malaga.

    Afra and the others had already returned to the mobile palace, and the steward and the captain of the First Knights had also gone down to rest.

    “Princess, sit next to me, standing so far away seems too distant.”

    Kailun, who was sitting on the throne, patted the seat next to him, signaling Hilna to come over.

    The latter bit her lip, lowered her head, and walked over step by step, sitting next to Kailun.

    “Smells good, it seems that you have taken a good bath today.”

    Kailun lifted Hilna’s hair and sniffed lightly, the fragrance of roses was very alluring.

    “Princess, do you still remember the bet we made in the main hall of the Kingdom of Xiya? I said that I would take down the Kingdom of Malaga within a week. Now there is less than an hour left before the week is up, do you think I have already won?”

    Kailun lifted Hilna’s smooth chin and made her look up at him.

    All the preparations were complete, now was the best time to crush her arrogance.

    “You won, you won everything from me.”

    Hilna’s eyes were filled with sadness.

    Even she didn’t know what she was sad about.

     

  • As a villain, I just want them to behave 101

    Chapter 101: Simps Don’t End Well

    The surrounding knights, sensing something was wrong, moved to surround them, but Kailun raised his hand, signaling them to retreat.

    These knights, who were only at the fourth rank on average, were no match for the Holy Son.

    “State your demands, as long as you let Chrissy go, everything is negotiable.”

    Holy Son Joseph took several deep breaths. Seeing Chrissy being violated by Kailun like this, his heart was bleeding.

    Especially the signal stick stuffed into Chrissy’s mouth gave him bad associations.

    However, the good news was that Chrissy’s eyes were still normal, she shouldn’t have suffered any further abuse, so he felt relieved.

    As long as Chrissy’s purity was still there, he could deceive himself.

    It was just being hugged and kissed a few times, it was fine, as long as he didn’t go in, it wasn’t considered a violation…

    “Bang!”

    “Damn it!”

    The Holy Son kicked the ground and created a big pit.

    He still couldn’t pretend that nothing had happened. Watching the Chrissy he worshipped being bullied by Kailun was like cutting his flesh with a knife.

    “Don’t be impatient, Holy Son. Since we’re talking about conditions, let’s talk properly. It’s not good to trample on the flowers and plants with such a big temper.”

    Kailun stroked Chrissy’s smooth neck with one hand, while casting provocative eyes at the Holy Son.

    “Do you know what you’re doing? You’re going against the most powerful Temple of the Heavenly God. Facing a behemoth with a ninth-rank powerhouse, you still have time to stop.”

    Joseph glared at Kailun fiercely, he wanted to use the name of the ninth-rank to put pressure on Kailun.

    “Don’t threaten me. The more you threaten me, the harder it is for me to control my hands. The harder it is for me to control my hands, the easier it is for them to land on the Saint. You don’t want the person you like to be played with by me, do you?”

    Kailun flicked his finger on Chrissy’s cheek.

    “Besides, let alone a ninth-rank, how many eighth-ranks do you have that you can use? The matters of the abyss are enough for you to have a headache. It’s not a wise decision to focus on the Kingdom of Xiya at this time. So, where’s Kailson? Call him out quickly, I don’t want him to hide and secretly cast magic. As a mage, he still uses sneak attacks, how shameless.”

    Kailun sensed the strange magic fluctuations around him and took the signal stick out of Chrissy’s mouth.

    The red cloth wrapped around the signal stick was covered in holy water, and it felt sticky in his hand.

    Kailun didn’t like it, but the Holy Son looked at the signal stick in Kailun’s hand with envy, making Kailun wonder if the Holy Son would jump up to catch it if he threw it out.

    “Don’t mind me, you just need to kill Kailun and avenge me. Before that, it doesn’t matter how much torture I suffer or how much humiliation I endure. For the sake of the power of the Temple of the Heavenly God, I am willing to dedicate myself. Ugh…”

    After the signal stick was removed from her mouth, Chrissy began her performance.

    But Kailun felt that the more she said, the weirder it became, so he quickly covered her mouth with his hand to stop her from continuing.

    Joseph looked at Kailun’s palm enviously and continued to stall for time: “State your demands, as long as we can do it, the Temple of the Heavenly God will definitely agree to them.”

    “That’s easy to say. Do you see Paul and Harry standing behind you?”

    Kailun pointed at Paul and Harry standing behind Joseph with the signal stick and said, “The two of them, you can kill either one. As long as you can meet my demands, I will let Chrissy go.”

    Sensing Kailun’s gaze, Harry shivered, he felt that Kailun must be up to something again.

    After hearing Kailun’s request, he jumped up.

    He was afraid, he was really afraid, if the Saint’s simp, the Holy Son, really listened to Kailun’s words, wouldn’t he and Paul be finished?

    Harry quickly shielded Paul behind him and shouted: “No! Holy Son, don’t listen to this devil, he is clearly trying to sow discord.”

    Paul poked his head out and said, “Kailun, this devil, will never let the Saint go so easily. He is greedy and lustful, he will definitely make a move on the Saint.”

    Hearing this, Kailun nodded: “As expected, Paul still understands me. He is indeed my friend. If you have someone you like, you must tell me.”

    The road to brushing Paul’s favorability was long and arduous, and Harry was his target today.

    He wondered if stabbing Harry to death would make Paul’s favorability drop below -100.

    Feeling Kailun’s malicious gaze, Paul wanted to talk back, but Harry directly covered Paul’s mouth to prevent him from speaking.

    Harry turned his back to the crowd and secretly stuffed a scroll into Paul’s arms, saying, “There is a plan I wrote in it. If something unexpected really happens, you immediately teleport away without hesitation.”

    It was too similar, this scene was too similar.

    Kailun was still as arrogant, still as confident.

    He seemed to have no weaknesses.

    Harry was scared, he didn’t want to gamble anymore.

    “His Holiness the Pope said that the Temple of the Heavenly God will not abandon anyone, so I cannot agree to your request, but I can let you agree to another request, let you see Kailson.”

    Ignoring Harry and Paul’s abnormality, Holy Son Joseph’s eyes were fixed on Saint Chrissy.

    In his eyes, Chrissy had already closed her eyes in “pain”, her body was trembling constantly, as if she was extremely angry.

    However, he didn’t know that Chrissy closed her eyes to enjoy licking Kailun’s palm more.

    The reason for her body trembling was even simpler, it was because Kailun, who was standing behind her, was pressing tightly against her.

    Although Kailun bent down slightly, she could still feel the changes in his body.

    Kailun, this bad guy, was clearly “moved” by her licking.

    It was precisely because of this that she licked Kailun’s palm more devotedly.

    In order to further stimulate Kailun’s senses, she didn’t forget to shake her perky buttocks to give him more stimulation.

    This was the body trembling that the Holy Son saw as extreme anger.

    “Let go of the Saint, I have arrived.”

    With a spatial fluctuation, Kailson arrived at a position five meters in front of Kailun.

    Along with his arrival, there was also a strange magic fluctuation. Kailun felt that the magic power circulation in his body was suppressed.

    However, after he added points, this suppression dissipated, which was the same as the result he had verified before.

    “Great Silence Spell?” Kailun looked at the elderly Kailson and asked.

    The other party was an old monster who had lived for hundreds of years, it was natural for him to know such a rare epic magic.

    The latter looked at Kailun in surprise: “I didn’t expect that people from your remote small country would also recognize the Great Silence Spell. Since you know, why don’t you quickly let go of the Saint? She is someone that even His Holiness the Pope has paid special attention to. Don’t have any bad thoughts. Within the range of this Great Silence Spell, your speed is far less than an eighth-rank.”

    As he spoke, a blue flame shot up from Kailson’s hand, and a terrifying temperature emanated from his fingertips. Perhaps with just a thought, he could pierce Kailun’s head.

    The Great Silence Spell was out of his caution. Once he successfully cast it, even an eighth-rank existence wouldn’t be able to do anything to him.

    “Forget it, I admit defeat, you win.”

    Seeing this, Kailun decisively let go of Chrissy’s neck and took a step back.

    Chrissy, who was rescued, looked back at Kailun with longing. In order to continue acting, she ran to an open space behind Kailson.

    Seeing this, the Holy Son ran over excitedly. He wanted to express his concern for Chrissy and gain her favor.

    “Don’t come over, let me be alone for a while.”

    However, as soon as he took a few steps, he heard Chrissy’s voice. The other party was looking at him with emotionless eyes.

    “It’s okay, everything will pass, I will deal with Kailun, this villain, first.”

    Joseph waved at Chrissy with a pitying look.

    Although he was a little sad, this was Chrissy’s true face, and he had gotten used to it over the years.

    In his opinion, this was just a natural expression of Chrissy’s bad mood.

    Because of the Pope’s special care for Chrissy, he always kept a proper distance and never dared to cross the line.

    In his opinion, Chrissy was like the Pope’s own daughter, and he was just a money-losing good-for-nothing picked up from the roadside. The difference between the two was huge.

    “Whoosh!”

    At this moment, the signal flare in Kailun’s hand was launched, sending a dazzling red light into the darkness.

    “What are you doing? Asking for help? But who can save you? Even if three eighth-rank powerhouses come, they won’t be able to break through my Great Silence Spell in a short time. Now you are already doomed. Obediently let your people stop attacking and hand over their military power, this will save you a lot of pain.”

    Kailson pointed at Kailun with his finger, the blue flame pointing at Kailun’s forehead.

    Just like what Harry and the others said, he couldn’t figure out Kailun’s thoughts at all.

    “Sorry, my hand slipped, just pretend you didn’t see it.”

    Kailun threw away the rest of the signal stick and raised his hands again.

    To be on the safe side, Kailson turned his head and shouted to the Holy Son: “Go and tie him up, be careful.”

    “Hmph, let you be arrogant, I will make you wish you were dead when you fall into my hands.”

    Joseph looked at Kailun with a cruel smile, he walked towards Kailun step by step with the magic-suppressing chain.

    Before sending Kailun to the Temple to be punished, he would definitely make Kailun suffer.

    “Kailun lost just like that?” Paul moved Harry’s hand away from his mouth, he couldn’t believe it for a while.

    He always felt that something was wrong. According to Kailun’s personality, even if he lost, he would fight to the death.

    Harry shook his head: “Don’t worry, let’s see, Kailun won’t be defeated so easily, this person is very strange. And did you notice that the soldiers attacking the city are becoming more and more ferocious? This seems to be a change that happened after Kailun fired the signal flare. Do you think it’s possible that Kailun can deal with an eighth-rank by himself?”

    Paul looked at Harry with strange eyes: “Impossible, Kailun is the same age as me, and I, who am gifted, am only at the third rank, how could he possibly touch the threshold of the eighth-rank? Harry, stop joking, if Kailun can turn the tables, I will agree to your previous request.”

    Harry looked at Paul seriously: “It’s settled, I want that position.”

    Paul: “…”

    He suddenly felt a little uncomfortable. He always felt that Harry was more optimistic about Kailun.

    …….

    At the same time, the capital of Malaga suddenly became chaotic.

    Several explosions that occurred in the city directly destroyed the magic shield of the capital, exposing the city wall to the terrifying destructive power of the magic cannons.

    “Damn it, what’s going on? Why is the magic shield suddenly not working!”

    The obese king lay on the ground trembling. With his strength, he would definitely die if he was affected.

    He regretted it very much. He knew he shouldn’t have come to the city wall to supervise the battle himself.

    “These explosions all came from key locations in the city, it’s clearly a planned attack, we might have been tricked by Kailun again.”

    Justin quickly released a small shield to protect him and the king.

    He couldn’t care less about the lives of others. After just a few rounds of salvos, a large section of the capital’s city wall had collapsed. If this continued, it would only be a matter of time before it was completely flattened.

    “Bang!”

    Just when the two thought it was a little calmer, a huge explosion sounded from the east gate.

    Justin looked in the direction of the sound and saw a team of nearly a thousand people frantically slaughtering the soldiers of the Kingdom of Malaga. Their speed was simply breathtaking.

    He conservatively estimated that there were at least two seventh-rank existences.

    “No, why are there so many people at the east gate? When did they get in?”

    Watching the other party capture the city wall while opening the city gate, Justin was dumbfounded: “Where’s Kailson? Kailson, help! Does it take so long to catch a first-rank Kailun? How do they do things? If I were an eighth-rank, I would directly…”

    Because of the presence of the king, Justin still didn’t finish the rest of his words.

    “Justin, think of something quickly. The soldiers and knights below the city have already started charging, and those mages are releasing magic like crazy. If you don’t think of something, we will die here.”

    The king got up from the ground, glanced at the situation below the city, and then squatted down again.

    According to his estimation, the entire capital would be completely defeated in less than ten minutes.

    Not to mention the bombardment of the magic cannons and the “traitors” opening the city gates, there was also a huge gap in quantity and quality between the two sides.

    All their hopes were originally pinned on Kailson, but the other party had been out for a while, but the base camp in the distance was still very peaceful.

    “What can I think of? I’m only at the seventh rank. Even if I can fight, I’m still doomed if I’m surrounded.”

    Justin suddenly pressed the king’s shoulder and said, “Why don’t we run away?”

    He already had the idea of running away. The reason why he brought the king along was not because he was kind, but because he was afraid that if something went wrong, there would be someone to share the blame.

    “This… isn’t that good?” The king was stunned.

    Justin continued to analyze for the king: “Don’t you understand yet? The signal flare just now was clearly fired from their base camp. And after the red signal flare, the army began to attack frantically. At the same time, there were explosions in the city, the magic shield failed, the traitors opened the city gates… all these things happened in just a few minutes. Do you still think it’s a coincidence? The most important thing is that since the other party can still fire signal flares, it means that the other party is confident of winning.”

    The king: “But isn’t Kailson an eighth-rank? Shouldn’t an eighth-rank fail to catch a first-rank who is unguarded?”

    Justin: “Coincidentally, I thought the same way three days ago. Forget it, I don’t care if you run or not, I’ll hide outside the city first. If we win, I’ll come back to claim credit, if we lose, I’ll run away. Don’t forget, Harry and the others have already set up the teleportation anchor point outside the city. If there’s an accident, they will definitely run faster than us.”

    After finishing his last sentence, Justin removed the magic shield and ran away without looking back.

    This was the consensus he reached with Harry. In order to survive, he was willing to trust the other party’s plan.

    The king behind him hesitated for a long time, and finally, he ran away with Justin.

    Because the person supervising the battle was gone, the command of the Kingdom of Malaga became more and more chaotic. As time went on, many commanders also secretly ran away.

    The Temple of the Heavenly God didn’t fight losing battles, this was an old tradition.

    ……

    When there was a huge change on the frontal battlefield, Carol and the others were watching the changes outside through the window of the mobile palace.

    Seeing that Kailun was at a disadvantage, Isabella couldn’t help but ask, “Are you really not going to help him? He’s about to be tied up by Joseph.”

    Afra looked at the outside coldly and said, “I’m willing to trust him. If his plan really goes wrong and he gets caught, I will definitely go and save him.”

    “Although I can’t help much now, I also believe in Master. He is an existence that can create miracles, he has always been creating miracles. If anyone hurts Master, I will give them the ultimate despair.”

    Carol, who was dressed as a maid, showed a cold look that didn’t belong to her for the first time.

    There was indifference to all living beings in her eyes, and the memory fragments that had not been completely read in her mind gave her a different kind of emotion.

    It was like her heart was gradually becoming empty, as if she had lost a lot of emotions.

    As Carol’s heart became more and more empty, Kailun’s position in her heart became deeper and deeper, until it gradually occupied her entire heart.

    “I don’t know how he can win, he should definitely lose.” Princess Hilna whispered.

    As soon as she finished speaking, several cold gazes fell on her.

    Even so, Hilna still bit the bullet and said, “No matter how much you believe in Kailun, you can’t change the fact that he is only in his teens. Even with all kinds of means, he can’t obtain the power of an eighth-rank. Looking at the whole world, the youngest eighth-ranks are the emperor and the Pope of the Temple of the Heavenly God. They were able to reach the ninth-rank in their twenties. But only they can do it in the whole world.”

    For some reason, Hilna actually breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Kailun was about to fail.

    Indeed, she was jealous.

    She was jealous that the good-for-nothing who couldn’t do anything had reached a height that even she had to look up to.

    Unwillingness, sadness, jealousy… these hidden emotions supported her last bit of hypocrisy and pride.

    She had clearly lost everything, but she was still unwilling to admit reality.

    “Hilna, former princess, why don’t we make a bet?” Afra looked at Hilna and asked.

    Hilna: “What do you want to bet? I am your prisoner now and have nothing left to lose.”

    Afra: “If my brother can turn the tables this time, you have to be his horse.”

    “I won’t resist if he wants to take my body.” Hilna laughed self-deprecatingly.

    Afra shook her head: “I’m not talking about the kind of horse that reproduces offspring, but the kind of horse that can be ridden for travel.”

    This was an act of completely destroying all of Hilna’s dignity. Afra wanted Hilna to be responsible for her words and deeds.

    “I can agree to that.” Hilna looked directly into Afra’s golden pupils.

    She didn’t ask what would happen if she lost, because before everything started, Kailun had given each of them a teleportation scroll.

    That was the worst outcome for Kailun, but it wasn’t considered bad for her.

    Winnie, who was squatting in the corner, didn’t join in the fun. She looked at the scroll in her hand thoughtfully.

    Of all the people present, only Shirley had the least psychological pressure. After finishing dinner, she lay down on the table and fell asleep, the teleportation scroll given to her was placed under her head, stained with some saliva.

    “Do you think Kailun will win?” Taking advantage of everyone’s inattention, Little Princess Vivian secretly pulled Isabella aside and asked.

    She didn’t know why, but the thought of losing Kailun made her heart ache, as if it was about to break.

    She clearly didn’t like Kailun very much, but what was this strange feeling?

    Pressing her hand on her pounding chest, she felt a familiar heartache.

    She seemed to have experienced this once before…

    Isabella: “I don’t know, how would I know.”

    Vivian: “Don’t you know how to divine? Try it quickly.”

    Isabella: “Have you forgotten? All my divinations were used by Kailun to guess Kailson’s location.”

    Vivian: “…….”

    “But don’t worry too much. Although I can’t divine again today, Kailun’s fate line is as amazing as ever. He doesn’t seem to have the possibility of falling.”

    Isabella stood on tiptoe and touched Vivian’s head.

    Because she was preoccupied, Vivian didn’t care about Isabella’s little actions.

    “Look, the Holy Son seems to have been stabbed by Kailun!”

    Little Knight Eve’s exclamation attracted everyone’s attention.

    ……

    Outside the mobile palace, Kailun stabbed the poisoned dagger into Holy Son Joseph’s abdomen with a smile and said:

    “You just walked straight towards me like this, isn’t that a bit too presumptuous? Don’t you know that in the Great Silence Spell, the strength of everyone except the caster will be reduced by ten times?”

    As he spoke, Kailun stabbed the dagger a little deeper.

    This idiot Holy Son actually thought that he would surrender honestly, what was he thinking?

    In this Great Silence Spell, not only did his speed not decrease, but he could also maintain an extremely high level.

    The one who was weakened was not him, but the Holy Son.

    Taking advantage of the moment when the Holy Son blocked everyone’s view just now, Kailun added agility points and stabbed the Holy Son.

    He could tell that this bad guy, the Holy Son, wanted to slap him in the face.

    Could he endure this?

    No, he couldn’t, so he immediately drew his sword and stabbed him.

    However, this dagger belonged to Chrissy. He thought that even if the Holy Son was stabbed, he would still smile.

    Originally, Kailun wanted to lure Kailson out, but since Kailson didn’t want to come closer, he didn’t have to go far.

    He admitted that the Great Silence Spell, an eighth-rank epic magic, was indeed very terrifying. Except for those whose strength far exceeded Kailson’s, once others were covered by it, they would definitely die.

    However, this powerful magic naturally also had its flaws. First, the casting time was long, and second, it was easy to be discovered in advance by mages who were also at the eighth-rank.

    The most important thing was that it was useless against him.

    “You…”

    The Holy Son, who was holding the magic-suppressing chain in one hand, stared blankly at the dagger in his abdomen, his other hand frozen in mid-air.

    He wanted to slap Kailun hard, but why was it him who got stabbed?

    Was Kailun really not afraid of Kailson, the eighth-rank?

    “What about me? You’re the hostage now.” Kailun directly pulled out the bloody dagger and held it to the Holy Son’s neck.

    To prevent Kailson from sneak attacking, this time Kailun completely hid his body behind the Holy Son.

    “Joseph, are you really not a traitor?”

    Looking at the Holy Son being so easy to capture, Kailson, who was burning with anger, couldn’t help but ask.

    Joseph: “I…”

    [The foolish and careless Holy Son is ashamed and indignant, he hates your broken promise. Favorability -5, Total favorability -85]

    Joseph really didn’t know why, he had clearly been careful enough.

    But when he approached, Kailun’s figure suddenly flickered, and a familiar dagger had already pierced his abdomen.

    If he wasn’t mistaken, Kailun’s speed just now had already exceeded the seventh-rank, right?

    No, how could that be? How could Kailun, a person from a remote small country, reach the eighth-rank at such a young age? Kailun didn’t have the full support of the Temple of the Heavenly God.

    Joseph was completely confused. Feeling the cold dagger on his neck, he felt so close to death for the first time.

    “Kill him, the Temple of the Heavenly God will remember Joseph’s contribution, his name will be engraved on the Temple’s honor roll. Even if he dies, he will die a worthy death.”

    Chrissy, who was watching the show from the side, spoke up after a long time, but as soon as she spoke, she wanted Joseph to die.

    “Why are you doing this to me? Am I not good to you?” Joseph ignored the dagger on his neck and turned his head to look at Chrissy.

    Chrissy said coldly: “You are not dying for me, but for the Temple of the Heavenly God. We will remember your contribution.”

    “…”

    Kailson couldn’t stand it anymore, he roared in frustration: “Enough! What are you doing? If you want to die, I will fulfill your wish.”

    As soon as he finished speaking, Kailson released the blue flame in his hand.

    “Whoosh!”

    In an instant, the flame crossed a distance of ten meters and appeared in front of Joseph’s chest. In another instant, it would pierce through both of them.

    As long as it wasn’t an instant death, as an eighth-rank mage, he could revive Joseph, so Kailson didn’t have much psychological pressure.

    “Bang!”

    The small flame passed through the two of them and landed on the ground, blasting a large area of soil. For a moment, smoke and dust billowed.

    It was in this smoke and dust that Kailun, using Joseph’s neck as a shield, ran towards him with a crazy smile on his lips.

    “Afterimage?!”

    Kailson suddenly realized that his attack just now had missed.

     

  • After Failing to Find Immortality 67

    Chapter 67: Secrets of the Village

    Seeing the waiter’s sudden change in demeanor, Lin Tianlu, as if he had expected this, discreetly placed a few copper coins on the corner of the table.

    The waiter’s eyes lit up, and he quickly pocketed the money with a nervous chuckle. “Thank you, Sir! Thank you, Sir!”

    He glanced around, then leaned in and whispered,

    “Sir, where did you hear about this?”

    Lin Tianlu stroked his chin. “I just arrived in Ganchang Village today. I overheard some merchants talking about it on the street. But judging by your reaction, it seems like it’s a taboo subject, not to be discussed openly?”

    “It’s not exactly forbidden, it’s just… very strange.”

    The waiter’s face was troubled. “After all, it involves several deaths. People in the village don’t want to talk about it. They just warn outsiders to be careful and not wander around at night.”

    He said seriously, “Sir, since you paid me, I have to warn you.

    It’s not safe here lately. After you finish your meal, go back to your inn and don’t go anywhere deserted. And even if someone knocks on your door at the inn, don’t open it.”

    “What will happen if I do?”

    “I’m not sure. But I heard from some neighbors… that people who opened the door went mad, their faces turning pale, their bodies wasting away. They died a few days later, raving and delirious.”

    He shuddered. “And they say their deaths were gruesome, their bodies surrounded by filth.”

    “I heard that some officers and martial artists came to help?”

    “They all disappeared.” The waiter shook his head, his face pale.

    But he quickly added, “But I heard that someone saw one of the missing martial artists on the street last night. He was carrying a large cleaver, stumbling around aimlessly. Someone noticed him because of the sound of the blade dragging on the ground.”

    Lin Tianlu’s eyes widened. “So those martial artists might still be alive?”

    “I don’t know. It could just be a rumor.”

    The waiter shook his head repeatedly. “Just be careful, Sir. Stay at the inn and don’t wander around at night. You should be safe.”

    “Alright—”

    Bang!

    A sudden thud from outside caught their attention.

    They looked out the window and saw a scholar being thrown out of the brothel, landing on the ground with a groan.

    “Get out of here!”

    Two burly men, dressed as guards, shouted at him menacingly, striking him with their staffs before returning to the brothel.

    “What was that about…”

    “Just a poor soul without any money.”

    The waiter said softly. “Ever since that brothel opened, they’ve been throwing people out like that. They’re mostly men who have spent all their money but still refuse to leave.”

    He chuckled. “But some men have fallen in love and tried to buy the girls out. Although their intentions are good, they usually don’t have enough money. They get rejected repeatedly, and like that poor scholar, they end up beaten and thrown out.”

    “How pitiful.”

    Lin Tianlu asked curiously, “Are the women in that brothel really so charming that they can captivate men’s hearts?”

    Since arriving in this world, he hadn’t had any experience with brothels, so he didn’t know what to expect.

    “The Spring Surge Workshop is quite famous.”

    The waiter’s eyes lit up with admiration. “A poor servant like me can’t afford to visit such a place, but I’ve glimpsed them while serving tea and snacks. The women playing music on the stage, their skin is as smooth and white as tofu…

    Although they’re not exceptionally beautiful, there’s something alluring about that brothel, something that keeps people coming back for more.”

    His eyes suddenly widened, his voice filled with excitement.

    “But I heard there’s a legendary beauty inside, incredibly seductive and charming. Even the county magistrate is smitten with her and visits her often. But she’s never appeared in public. No one has ever seen her.”

    Lin Tianlu’s expression turned strange.

    “The county magistrate, visiting a brothel?”

    “It’s just a rumor, hahaha… just a rumor.” The waiter quickly backtracked, chuckling awkwardly.

    “That’s quite a marketing strategy.”

    Lin Tianlu chuckled softly.

    But at that moment, a commotion erupted in the back of the restaurant.

    “We’re going out tonight! What’s there to be afraid of!”

    “A true man doesn’t fear rumors! We won’t be intimidated by these stories!”

    Lin Tianlu turned his head and saw a group of men, dressed as martial artists, arguing amongst themselves. They were discussing the recent deaths in Ganchang Village.

    The waiter’s face paled, and he quickly bowed. “Please excuse me, Sir. I’ll go and calm them down.”

    “Go ahead.”

    Lin Tianlu didn’t stop him. He had already gathered enough information.

    He glanced out the window and saw the dejected scholar who had been thrown out of the brothel earlier, limping towards the restaurant. He collapsed on the steps, staring blankly at the Spring Surge Workshop.

    “Xiao Xin…”

    “Brother, don’t be so heartbroken over a woman. You need to be practical.”

    Lin Tianlu offered some words of advice.

    The scholar glanced at him, his voice filled with sadness. “You don’t understand.”

    “If I don’t understand, why don’t you enlighten me?” Lin Tianlu chuckled, taking a bite of his food. “What’s so special about this brothel that you’re so smitten?”

    “The Spring Surge Workshop is different from ordinary brothels.”

    But the scholar quickly shook his head. “They don’t engage in those kinds of activities. The women there mostly play music, recite poetry, and sing. They’re always separated from the guests by screens and stages, never crossing any boundaries. It’s more like a place for listening to music.”

    “Oh?”

    Lin Tianlu was intrigued.

    That did sound quite respectable.

    Perhaps it was like a modern-day music hall or theater?

    “I met Xiao Xin there a few months ago and was captivated by her grace and intelligence. But my advances have been rejected.”

    “Is the brothel preventing her from leaving?”

    “No… I can’t afford her redemption fee.”

    “…”

    Lin Tianlu was speechless. “Then you should focus on working and earning money.”

    The scholar’s expression darkened. “But I can’t bear to be apart from Xiao Xin. The thought of her being bought out by someone else while I’m away… it makes me anxious.”

    “If you truly love each other, don’t you believe she’ll wait for you? Or is the brothel intentionally trying to separate you?”

    “This, this…”

    Seeing the man’s conflicted and embarrassed expression, Lin Tianlu shook his head.

    He had initially thought that this handsome scholar, dressed in simple clothes, was the protagonist of a tragic love story. But it turned out he was just a delusional freeloader.

    He expected rewards without any effort. Did he really think the brothel would just give the girl away for free just because he was persistent?

    This was a business, not a charity.

    Lin Tianlu lost interest in the conversation.

    “—Hmm?”

    But he suddenly sensed something unusual about the scholar.

    Was that… Yin energy?

    It was very faint, almost undetectable.

    Lin Tianlu pondered for a moment, then flicked his finger, dispersing the trace of Yin energy within the scholar’s body.

    Bang!

    At the same time, a muffled explosion came from the top floor of the Spring Surge Workshop, as if something had shattered.

    Inside a room veiled with azure silk curtains, steam filled the air.

    A naked woman with long, slender legs stepped out of a bathtub, her movements alluring. As a gust of Yin wind blew past, the water droplets on her body instantly evaporated, revealing her smooth, jade-like skin.

    She brushed her long, black hair back languidly and stretched her arms. A young girl quickly draped a silk robe over her shoulders, covering her body and accentuating her curves.

    “Sister Ren, that scholar, Liang Wei, came to see Sister Xiao Xin again.” The girl pouted. “He’s so persistent. Can’t we just get rid of him?”

    “Xiao Xin is also hesitant.”

    The beautiful woman spoke softly, twisting her hair into a bun. “I gave them one last chance. Could he resist the influence of the Yin technique and earn money honestly?… It seems he can’t.

    A scholar like him, with nothing but empty words and a pretty face, unable to earn money, take care of a family, or take responsibility… Xiao Xin will eventually see through him, realize that he’s not someone she can rely on.”

    “Hee hee~ Sister Xiao Xin should see the true faces of these scholars! They’re only after her body, pretending to be all refined and cultured. How hypocritical!”

    “It’s not fair to generalize—”

    The beautiful woman suddenly froze, her eyes widening as she noticed cracks appearing on the incense burner on the table.

    Bang!

    The burner exploded, shattering into countless fragments, making the girl beside her scream in terror.

    “H-how could the Yin-Gathering Burner—”

    The beautiful woman’s face was filled with shock. She quickly walked over to the window and looked down at the restaurant below.

    At that moment, a handsome, fair-skinned scholar looked up at her, a apologetic smile on his face, raising his wine cup in a gesture of respect.

    Her heart skipped a beat, and she gripped the window frame tightly.

    “Sister Ren, what happened?! Could it be that letter we received this afternoon—”

    “Quickly prepare my clothes and the jade guqin! Tonight… we might have a distinguished guest!”

    The beautiful woman smiled seductively at the man below, bowing gracefully. But her heart turned cold.

    “Since he’s determined to eliminate us, then I’ll gladly accept his challenge!”

    Lin Tianlu drained his cup and raised it towards the woman upstairs, a silent toast.

    Seeing her smile and retreat into the room, he put down his cup, his expression curious. “Could that be the legendary beauty?”

    She was indeed quite beautiful.

    But why wasn’t she wearing any clothes in this chilly autumn weather?

    However…

    “This small brothel seems to be hiding something.” Lin Tianlu glanced at the dejected scholar stumbling away and chuckled. “It seems I have something to do tonight.”