Chapter 304

Burnt. The man beside her, still wearing his gold-rimmed glasses, was also fiddling with the roasted meat in his hands, his Magic Staff, usually never leaving his side, now casually placed aside. "Yes," Dong Miao Demon Realm expression, like Hua Xin's, suddenly became serious and solemn, completely unlike his previous refined and easygoing demeanor. It was clear that the surrounding situation was very safe; otherwise, the two, who were usually extremely careful with their weapons, wouldn't be chatting and roasting meat so relaxedly. At this moment, their assassination squad, tasked with defeating the Demon King, was near the border of the Allied Forces. This area was permanently garrisoned by an allied Allied Forces composed of various races, prepared for a large-scale attack by the Demon King's Army. Moreover, it was a short but not too long distance from the so-called Demon Realm, making it arguably the safest place possible. Although the group of hero Hua Xin consisted of only a dozen or so people, even crossing the border directly to the Demon Realm wouldn't necessarily be discovered... but clearly, this time they needed to be quick. They needed to reach Demon Realm before anyone could react, find the Demon King's Palace, and swiftly behead the Demon King, restoring peace to the Hachimid Continent for decades, even centuries to come! This was also hero Hua Xin's greatest wish. Otherwise... wouldn't this suddenly awakened magical ability have been for nothing?! She was already close to awakening her abilities and had resolved to achieve Saintly Body and become a top powerhouse on the continent, so why did she suddenly awaken this ridiculous magical talent?! Although the accompanying Magic Power further enhanced her physical strength and combat prowess, Hua Xin still wished she had never awakened this magical talent. She'd been a perfectly normal man for almost twenty years, about to find an opportunity to marry a rich, beautiful woman, a royal princess, or a socialite, and live a life of luxury for the rest of her days. How did she end up being a woman because of this ridiculous magical talent?! She'd already found a villa, just waiting to pull off this heist and then sell all the rewards and medals bestowed upon her by the emperor to a nobleman, go to the Elf Tribe border, find a seaside place, and live a carefree life with her dozen or so wives, maybe even have a whole football team's worth of kids. How could this be such a cruel joke, like eating instant noodles without the seasoning packet?! Damn it... She couldn't find a precedent for this in the entire history of the Hachimid Continent. Wasn't this a setup deliberately created to target her?! But it seemed like there was nothing she could do about it. After all, she couldn't defeat the so-called gods and the greatest author. Since fate had chosen to awaken her magical talent and grant her the power of the Hero's Mark, defeating the Demon King became her final mission. World peace was no joke. Having grown up on the Hachimid Continent, she had witnessed countless wars, each bringing only pain and disaster, let alone the ruthless army of the Demon King's Army. As a hero, she had to vanquish the Demon King. Watching the black flames slowly emanating from the girl before him, Dong Miao subtly stepped back, moving slightly away from her and the fire beside him. He had never forgotten his "current" identity. He was merely a healer who could use buff Blessing Technique, a support mage who didn't need to fight on the front lines, only needing to cast spells and cast buffs from the rear. Faced with such a powerful hero, all he could do was be a good male best friend... no, a dutiful mage who would buff him from behind. "This is our last battle side-by-side, Brother Dong." Hua Xin snapped out of her reverie, picked up a bowl of Thirteen Spices and sprinkled it on the roasted meat. She then took a bite of the completely burnt meat with a touch of melancholy, seemingly oblivious to the strange taste. As if she were used to it, she quickly finished the Hachimi- style Thirteen Spices roasted meat without a hint of distress. Instead, she looked at Dong Miao with unusual emotion and said softly. Dong Miao silently twitched his lips, but still responded without changing his expression, a hint of nostalgia appearing on his face. Although it was somewhat feigned, it didn't show any obvious signs. That's what you call a veteran actor. "Yes, Lord Hero, it's hard to believe we've been fighting side-by-side for a whole year." His tone was still so gentle and light, like the boy next door that even the elderly would love. Dong Miao paused, then continued sincerely, "Throughout this past year, I've been so grateful for the Lord Hero's care." "Otherwise, how could I have been qualified to participate in the great undertaking of defeating that heinous, despicable demon king who disrupted the peace of the entire continent?" "Don't say that, Dong Miao..." "You're an exceptionally talented mage. If it weren't for your abilities, we might not even have survived to participate in this mission to defeat the demon king; we'd probably be lying scattered among tombstones by now." Hua Xin's movements were somewhat exaggerated; she extended her arm, clad in armor made of special metal, and gently patted Dong Miao's shoulder. Dong Miao silently took two deep breaths. The scent of flowers filled the air. "You flatter me..." "Lord Hero..." Dong Miao, deeply moved, also placed her hand on Hua Xin's shoulder, their hands overlapping perfectly. Hissing sounds echoed as Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, practicing the profound Prajnaparamita, perceived that the five aggregates are empty, thus transcending all suffering. Shariputra, form is not different from emptiness, emptiness is not different from form. Form is emptiness, emptiness is form, form is me... Smooth. Ice. Tender. Small. Refreshing. The first impression flashed through his mind upon contact, yet his face still wore a grateful and loyal smile, without a trace of flaw or pretense, as if it truly came from the heart. But an exceptionally subtle Magic Power silently lurked on the back of Hua Xin's hand. "Hey, buddies, why say so much? We're brothers who've risked our lives together. After this assassination mission, I'll introduce you to two princesses and heiresses, so you can live a life of ease." "So handsome, yet you don't have a girlfriend, what a waste..." Although she had become a woman, her bold habits from her manhood hadn't disappeared. Even though her personality had changed drastically over the past year, and she was no longer as cheerful as before, with only a few people left to talk to, her feelings for Dong Miao, this gentle fellow, remained unchanged. Hua Xin exchanged a few more jokes with Dong Miao, then extinguished the campfire and returned to her tent. Dong Miao faithfully watched Hua Xin gradually disappear into the night before his expression returned to calm. His dark pupils revealed no hint of his thoughts. This place was perfectly safe; obviously, no one needed to keep watch. The tent was fully equipped, with almost everything one could need. Back in his own tent, Dong Miao lay on his bed, turned off the light, closed his eyes, and silently began to channel his magical energy. Meanwhile, in Hua Xin's tent, even the bravest warrior, who could usually monitor every rustle of wind, felt a sense of complacency when relaxing and wanting to finally take a bath and rest. As he was removing his armor and clothes...