Chapter 6: The Temple (9)
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There’s something that’s been nagging at Xiao Ai, but she hasn’t dared to ask.
Where did the other two gorgeous girls suddenly disappear to? They didn’t get caught up in the Crazy Dragon Guild, did they?
That must be it.
After all, they had been through thick and thin together, surviving life-and-d*ath situations as best buddies. Losing two best pals at once? Anyone would be feeling a bit down in the dumps.
But when Xiao Ai entered the castle and saw Little Musashi and Jing Feng greeting Lin Nan at the square, her big eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. You wouldn’t believe how shocked she was!
“Thanks for your hard work, Xiao Ai. If there’s a chance, we’ll share your achievements with the Guild Leader,” Lin Nan said.
Xiao Ai quickly waved her hands, “Not a big deal, really!”
She didn’t dare to ask why those two girls were totally fine and made it back to the castle ahead of schedule.
Maybe that was their little secret.
She never cared much for secrets beyond her pay grade; that only got her killed faster.
The snow was falling harder and harder, and it felt like the entire continent was getting swallowed up by a blizzard.
Back in her guest room, Lin Nan was feeling pretty grateful that she made the smartest decision right before entering the basement of Yihong Courtyard.
After the battle in Thousand Bird City, Feng Yalin brought Ru Yu back to Cold Wind City.
During interrogations, while Ru Yu didn’t know the core secrets of Ji Shen or what Fu Yetian was really up to, she spilled a lot of useful info under Feng Yalin’s professional ‘questioning.’
For instance, Ru Yu’s real-body replacement skill that once allowed her to survive like a ninja.
This skill is basically like Russian nesting dolls; Ru Yu, as the main body, could control ten identical dolls. Only when all the dolls bit the dust would she finally show up in her true form.
She had exhausted her dolls to capture the Evil Incarnation of the Monster King, and that’s how she managed to pull it off.
So, Ru Yu wanted to use this skill to bargain for a chance at her life.
Lin Nan agreed.
But since Lin Nan was a newbie and couldn’t replicate Ru Yu’s talent with the skill, she could only carry one doll, which was tragic because if the doll died, she’d lose the chance to use that skill again.
The plan was for the doll to take her place during sticky situations.
Who would have thought the doll would bite the dust so quickly in Sky Sword City?
She had encountered Fallen Species twice before entering the Crazy Dragon Guild, and neither experience was particularly pleasant.
Her acute impression was that while Fallen Species originated from humans, they were no longer the same species. The former fed on the latter, and to survive or gain power, they could do anything, without the slightest shred of guilt.
So, Lin Nan was always on high alert around Fallen Species.
Moreover, in the Crazy Dragon Guild, the enemy lurked in the shadows while they were in the light.
What if they set traps in the basement? If she fell for one, she might not have a backup plan.
She had no reason to trust someone she’d just met.
Wandering through this wretched world, she had to keep a suspicious and vigilant eye on everything.
Fortunately, she made a sound choice.
The doll believed she was the real deal, so no chance of getting caught. Unfortunately, since Lin Nan’s mastery of the doll skill was limited, the doll only inherited five percent of her power; in other words, it was just a pretty face.
But this actually meant that Firefly, who had devoured the doll, didn’t gain any benefits aside from regaining her original form.
And just when they were about to make a move on Little Musashi and Jing Feng, Lin Nan retracted them into her card pouch.
That’s how the whole thing went down.
Aside from the poor doll meeting its doom, they suffered no other losses.
Plus, they learned from Firefly all about the Exile, aka the infamous Man in Black Robes.
But that meant to meet the Exile, they’d have to join the Guild War, and only the winners would be blessed by the gods.
She really wanted to see that so-called fake Sighs Temple right away to figure out if it was her connection or the temple itself that was off.
“Honorable Miss Lin, the Guild Leader requests your presence.”
Just then, there was a gentle knock on the door.
Lin Nan opened the door and glanced at the guard, who promptly bowed, “As soon as the Guild Leader returned to the castle, he sent me to fetch you.”
“Alright, lead the way.”
This was the first time in a few days that the guards seemed to be so jittery around her, even adding “honorable” before her name. It must have something to do with the buzz about the Crazy Dragon Guild.
The news that the high-ranking folks were wiped out and the guild members scattering like ants must have spread like wildfire.
What did Li Hanbo want with her now?
According to Xiao Ai, Li Hanbo and Firefly had been at odds for ages since they were both inner circle players of the Heavenly Sword Sect. Surely, Li Hanbo wouldn’t be trying to back Firefly in some way, would he?
With a tinge of curiosity, Lin Nan followed the guard to the reception room.
As soon as Li Hanbo heard the door, he quickly jumped up to greet her, and his demeanor was far fancier compared to when they first met as a trio.
“Miss Lin, please, have a seat.”
Li Hanbo didn’t sit in the main spot but instead chose to sit across from Lin Nan over the tea table.
“Miss Lin, you’ve certainly made quite the impression.” Li Hanbo smiled. “In just two short days, you’ve individually taken down the Storm Guild and the Crazy Dragon Guild. That kind of guts deserves our utmost admiration!”
Lin Nan heard him putting the blame for Liu Fei’ang’s d*ath on her but didn’t refute it, merely replying, “Did the Guild Leader call me here for some specific reason?”
Li Hanbo said, “Miss Lin, you might not know, but regarding the Guild War…”
Lin Nan cut him off, “I’ve already heard about it from Firefly.”
Li Hanbo was taken aback, though he quickly regained his composure. “That Firefly is full of tricks; sometimes her cleverness backfires. I suppose Miss Lin can relate.”
“Indeed, she tried to k*ll me but failed, and I took out all the Fallen Species from the Crazy Dragon Guild instead.”
Lin Nan’s tone was rather flat, but to Li Hanbo’s ears, it slammed like a sledgehammer on his heart.
“Well, that’s what she gets for overestimating herself.”
Li Hanbo’s expression turned serious, “However, what I’m about to say might differ from Firefly’s version.”
“Oh?”
“I won’t hide it from you; I rushed out yesterday because of the sudden demise of the Storm Guild, which changed our original 4vs4 setup. With Liu Fei’ang gone from my side, it’s obviously unfair. As a result, the six guilds argued all night, and just now, we received news that Firefly has also perished. It’s gone from 4vs4 to 3vs3—everyone’s delighted.”
“But what I never expected was…”
Li Hanbo grimaced, “As soon as I returned to the castle, I received a message from the system. The format of the Guild War has changed; it’s no longer a team battle but a free-for-all.”
