Resentment

Bai Xiaowen took a deep breath and opened Lord Glandis's Writ.

Only a simple line was written on it:

"The bearer holds a secret order personally issued by me. All activities undertaken by the bearer concern the Empire's highest interests in the Northern Frontier. Therefore, the bearer is granted permission to act freely in any situation. No one may interfere, and all must do their utmost to provide assistance."

Signed: Grand Lord of the Northern Frontier Glandis Olisifer, December 11, 1153.

"Looks like I got one thing wrong. The little widow Glandis and that hedgehog man Elliott are family. They even share the same surname."

"Judging from this secret order, Lyra Redleaf was more than just a guard Glandis sent to protect Elliott. She must have had another mission as well! Glandis gave her this writ because she was worried that Lyra's High Elves identity would inconvenience her while carrying out her task."

Bai Xiaowen frowned. "This lord's writ is worth quite a lot. If I hand it to Usok's Resistance Army, I should be able to dig up some pretty good follow-up quests. The problem is, I don't have much time left in Aaron World."

His class advancement quest had already been completed. Bai Xiaowen had received a prompt and could leave Aaron World at any time. Even if he chose not to leave voluntarily, he only had a few hours left to stay.

Skeleton No. 1 and No. 2 came to Bai Xiaowen's side and retrieved the equipment he had discarded earlier.

However, a warning came from the Shadow Assassin's direction. Bai Xiaowen's heart tightened, and he immediately chose to share vision with his summon. The view shifted to the Shadow Assassin's perspective.

Whoosh!

A thrusting sword shot out like a venomous snake, viciously piercing through the Shadow Assassin's chest. The Shadow Assassin's full 80 Life Value was instantly depleted by that single strike!

The last image transmitted by the Shadow Assassin was the hand holding the thrusting sword.

That hand was long and slender, gripping the sword tightly. It was covered by a dark blue studded gauntlet and steady as a rock.

"Royal Knight Golia!" Bai Xiaowen shuddered. "Didn't Kevin summon reinforcements from Spiked Helm City? How did Golia manage to break in? Could he have been taken out?"

Bai Xiaowen did not run immediately.

Footsteps echoed through the passage. The next second, Golia turned around the corner of the tomb corridor and faced Bai Xiaowen.

"Hi, Golia." Bai Xiaowen smiled. "Let me introduce myself. My name is Bai—"

"No need. Dio Skellboom of the Vikings, Fallen One. I already knew your name back in Spiked Helm City," Golia said coldly. "You have already absorbed the power of the Evil Soulstone. Sooner or later, you will descend into madness. In the name of justice, I will now punish you and reclaim the Evil Soulstone!"

"Wait!" Bai Xiaowen was actually using his upgraded talent, Insight, to probe Golia's strength. He stalled for time as he said, "Golia, do you remember Elliott? I have one of his relics here. I'm sure you'll be interested."

Golia frowned slightly and stopped moving.

Prompt:

"Activating Insight will consume 100 Psionic Points. You currently possess 349 Psionic Points."

"Activate Insight?"

Bai Xiaowen froze for a moment, then immediately thought, Yes!

Golia's attribute information appeared before Bai Xiaowen for the first time.

[Golia (Boss Tier) / Challenge Level 18]

[Race: Human Species / Human Race]

[Class: Divine Grace Champion Knight, Level 7]

[Attributes: Strength 52, Agility 42, Constitution 67, Spirit 22]

[Skills: ???]

"Damn... Her attributes alone are already absurd, and I still can't detect her skills! As expected of a Boss Tier with a Challenge Level as high as 18. The Shadow Assassin getting one-shot by her wasn't unfair at all."

Golia was Leader Tier. In terms of growth potential, she was on the same level as Bai Xiaowen's Hero Class.

Awakened had Standard Classes, Elite Classes, and Hero Classes, while Spirit Realm creatures had Standard Templates, Elite Templates, and Boss Templates. Their growth potential corresponded one-to-one.

All he needed to remember was this: Hero Class equaled Boss Template.

Although they had the same template, Golia was already level 7, a full six levels higher than Bai Xiaowen. On top of that, she wore an extravagant set of high-end equipment, which was why her attributes were so dazzling.

"Are you stalling for time?" Seeing that Bai Xiaowen had fallen silent, Golia frowned. "If these are your last words..."

"Hold on. Who said I was stalling for time?"

Bai Xiaowen abruptly pulled out the "Inscribed Panties." After spreading them flat, he said, "Look. Are these yours?"

Golia had excellent eyesight and easily made out the words written on them: "My Heart Will Go On, Golia."

She frowned, seemingly thinking something over. Then she suddenly came to her senses, fury flashing in her eyes.

"Elliott, that damned womanizer!" Golia's face went pale with rage. "Give my... give it back to me!"

Bai Xiaowen was slightly stunned. "Looks like it wasn't what I thought. Elliott and Golia weren't having an affair. Could it be that Elliott, that lecherous little bastard who looked respectable but was rotten inside, had the nerve to steal Golia's panties and use them to jerk off?"

Bai Xiaowen shivered and tossed the panties, balled up, to Golia. They might be covered in Elliott's billions of little inheritances. He had no desire to touch them.

A ball of Blazing Heat flared in Golia's left hand, directly burning the underwear to ashes.

Golia raised her head to look at Bai Xiaowen, a trace of complexity in her eyes. She slowly said, "Leave your last words. I am taking your life. There is no escape for you."

Bai Xiaowen smiled.

"Golia, you are indeed very strong. I'm no match for you for now. But the next time we meet, I'll have strength equal to yours, and I'll stand before you openly and honorably."

After completing his class advancement quest, Bai Xiaowen could leave Aaron World at any time during the remaining few hours. With that guarantee of safety, he had deliberately stayed a few extra minutes to observe Golia's strength.

Now, it was time to leave.

A bad feeling lingered in Golia's heart. This scene felt strangely familiar. She suddenly hurled the thrusting sword in her hand.

The sword became a streak of light and shot toward Bai Xiaowen.

A faint smile remained on Bai Xiaowen's face as his body glowed and dissolved into particles of light. The thrusting sword pierced through his chest, but it had only passed through an afterimage.

At the instant before Bai Xiaowen left Aaron World, the Psionic Particles' disguise effect that had altered his appearance completely vanished as well.

"It was you! It really was you! Damn it, I should have realized it long ago!"

Golia clenched her fists and gritted her teeth in hatred. This Dio Skellboom was the Earth human who had toyed with her before! What was even more hateful was that he had used the same method to toy with her once again!

"I will catch you! I swear!"