Book 7: Chapter 27: Worries |
“What? Orion?” Landon froze for a moment, utterly unable to understand why the Wang family’s Third Elder would suddenly launch an unprovoked sneak attack on someone from the Ye family.
And not only that, he had merely knocked him unconscious instead of finishing him off and destroying the evidence.
“Are you certain?”
“Absolutely certain! I saw it with my own eyes. He ambushed me with a thick, long iron rod, and not just once!” Old Huang gritted his teeth, seething with rage. Under such overwhelming anger, even the slight stutter he usually had seemed to vanish without a trace.
“An iron rod?” Landon grew even more perplexed. Since when had Orion, a dignified martial artist, resorted to the methods of a street thug, sneaking around with an iron rod to attack others?
‘No… now’s not the time to dwell on that.’ Snapping back to his senses, Landon grabbed Old Huang by the shoulders and asked urgently, “Where’s Liana? The Liana I told you to bring back?”
“The Third Miss…” Old Huang frowned in confusion, forcing himself to recall what had happened. “I remember I had already stopped the Third Miss and that reckless little girl who didn’t know her place.”
“You stopped them… and then?”
“And then… and then Orion smashed the iron rod against the back of my head…” Old Huang slapped his thigh with a loud smack, realization dawning all at once. “That’s right! It was him! Orion was the one who took the Third Miss and that little girl away!”
“What’s there to be unsure about? If it weren’t for the Third Miss, where would Orion get the nerve to ambush me? I’d wager the entire Wang family is behind this, pulling the strings.”
Old Huang clenched his fists. After roaming the martial world for so many years, when had he ever suffered such humiliation? From this moment on, he bore an irreconcilable hatred toward Orion and the entire Wang family.
“That makes sense.” Landon lowered his head in contemplation. That bold, mysterious little girl of unknown origin, and Orion’s sudden ambush on Old Huang… If all of this had been a carefully laid scheme by the Wang family, then everything fell into place.
“Could it be… they’ve discovered what happened five years ago?” A terrifying killing intent flickered in Landon’s eyes. “But even if they have, it’s already too late. I am no longer who I was five years ago, and the Ye family is no longer what it once was either. If they want to play, then I will play along. Old Huang.”
Landon suddenly called out.
“Your subordinate is here.”
“Go back and recover first. While you’re at it, head to the Alchemy Tower and claim a Boneweave Pill. It looks like the back of your skull has already been damaged.”
“Many thanks, Master.” Old Huang lowered his head in gratitude, then his figure blurred into a fleeting afterimage and vanished.
Landon’s gaze, however, lingered on the bloodstains scattered across the ground. The splattered blood had burst outward in layers, fanning across the earth like a brilliantly blooming crimson rose.
Old Huang had not lied. He had indeed been struck by Orion more than once. But given Old Huang’s strength, why had he failed to counterattack after the first strike failed to finish him off?
“Could it be that the Wang family has acquired some method over the years that I’m unaware of?” Landon narrowed his eyes as he looked toward the direction of the Wang family. “But no matter how many tricks you’ve prepared, it will be useless. The Three Moons Festival is approaching. When that time comes, I will show you who the true master of Maplefall Town really is.”
***
“Wow, Mountain Ghost, you’re amazing!” The moment they left the previous area, Liana eagerly rushed forward, practically throwing herself at Lilith, her eyes sparkling brightly as though tiny stars were flickering within them.
“What was that move just now? How did those monsters vanish with a puff like that? Was it a martial technique, an artifact, or some legendary immortal art?”
“That’s a secret.” Lilith playfully flicked Liana’s smooth forehead with her finger, leaving the girl blinking in surprise.
“Eeeh? That’s so unfair.” Liana clutched her forehead, pouting as she complained, “I was even thinking I’d protect you later, but I didn’t expect you to be this strong.”
“Heh, you’re just a girl without a shred of spirit power. What are you planning to use to protect me, a submachine gun?” Lilith laughed as she pinched Liana’s slightly chubby cheeks, her gaze briefly sweeping across a certain overly well-developed part of her figure. “Or are you relying on all this… useless fat?”
“Hmph, it’s not useless at all!” Liana broke free from Lilith’s grasp and puffed her cheeks in protest. But the moment she finished speaking, a strange sound suddenly came from her stomach.
**Grrr~**
Her cheeks flushed instantly as she scratched her head awkwardly. “I didn’t eat lunch, so I’m a bit hungry… hehe…”
“Hah…” Lilith let out a soft sigh. To be honest, this feeling of getting hungry so easily… she found herself a little envious. She had barely eaten anything that morning, yet even now, she didn’t feel the slightest hint of hunger. “Come on, I’ll take you to get something to eat.”
“Huh? But… do you have money, Mountain Ghost?”
“Heh, money? Do you have any idea what I have the most of…” Lilith instinctively reached toward her finger. But her hand closed on empty air. ‘Ah… right. My spatial storage ring had long since been lost.’ Which meant that the dragon princess who once spent money like water was now nothing more than a penniless pauper.
Lilith lowered her gaze, lips pressed together, a trace of displeasure surfacing in her expression.
“Hey, no need for you to treat me. I’ll treat you instead. After all, you’re my guest, right?” Sensing something was off, Liana patted Lilith’s shoulder as she spoke. But when she casually reached for her bag… she, too, came up empty.
“Ah… oh no, everything happened so suddenly that I didn’t bring my bag.” She stuck out her tongue awkwardly. “All my money’s in there, so…”
“…Forget it, I’ve got this.” Lilith took out the black card Landon had given her earlier. This seemed to be the currency of this world. “So… how do you use this?” She turned the black card over and over in her hands, yet still couldn’t figure out how it had anything to do with money.
“Hm? Let me see.” Liana leaned closer to take a look. “This is a crystal card. You can’t use it directly.”
“A crystal card? What’s that?”
“Well… simply put, it’s a kind of deposit certificate. You need to take it to a bank to withdraw the money.”
“Oh, I see.”
In other words, it was basically like a bank card.
“Then let’s go find an bank.”
“But…” Liana suddenly grabbed Lilith’s sleeve. “If you use that to withdraw money, my father will know where we are.”
“If he knows, then he knows. If he dares to come at you, I’ll deal with him for you.” Lilith didn’t take Landon seriously at all.
“I know you’re strong, Mountain Ghost, but…” Liana hesitated.
Lilith turned and looked straight into her eyes. Though she had been acting cheerful all along, deep within her gaze, Lilith could see a swirl of unease and lingering fear.
That’s right… even if Lilith had brought her out, a girl who trembled at the mere sound of her father’s voice… would she really still have the courage to leave with her again if she saw him? Not to mention, Liana was surely worried about her “mother” who was still back at the Ye household.
“…Forget it. We won’t go.”
“Huh? But if we don’t have money, then lunch…”
“If we don’t have money, we’ll just find another way.” Lilith smiled faintly. “This world is so vast. There’s no way two girls as stunning as us would end up unable to afford a meal.”