Lively Camp, Mu Li Made a Fool of Himself, Trouble on the Return Journey

When the Blue Eagle carried Wang Teng and Little Fairy Doctor back to the camp, it was already brightly lit by firelight.

The two landed early and continued on foot.

At that moment, all the mercenaries in the camp had awakened and split into two factions facing each other.

One was the mercenary team hired by Ten-Thousand Medicine Hall, while the other was the Wolf Head Mercenary Group led by Mu Li.

"Mu Li, instead of sleeping in the middle of the night, what are you doing waving a torch around?" a tall mercenary demanded.

Every trip into the mountains to gather herbs lasted several days. The Magical Beast Mountain Range was already fraught with danger, and after collecting herbs all day, everyone only wanted a good night's rest.

Mu Li said grimly, "Little Fairy Doctor is missing. Haven't you noticed?"

"Little Fairy Doctor is missing?" The mercenary was stunned.

Someone quickly ran to the tent where Little Fairy Doctor rested and called out to her. After receiving no response several times, he lifted the flap and found it truly empty.

The other mercenaries instantly lost all sleepiness. They lit torches and turned the entire camp upside down.

"Alchemist Wang Teng isn't in his tent either," a mercenary reported.

Mu Li said, "Everyone, split up and search. If something happens to Little Fairy Doctor, how will you explain it to the other mercenary brothers when you return to Green Mountain Town?"

"Maybe Little Fairy Doctor went on a date with Wang Teng," someone muttered.

Mu Li abruptly turned toward the voice and said coldly, "Who said that just now?"

Everyone in Green Mountain Town knew that Mu Li liked Little Fairy Doctor. Whenever she entered the mountains to gather herbs, aside from the team hired by Ten-Thousand Medicine Hall,

Mu Li would also bring a squad from the Wolf Head Mercenary Group along.

"Enough, find them first. Visibility is poor at night, and the Magical Beast Mountain Range is even more dangerous. Alchemist Wang Teng isn't familiar with this place at all. Don't let him get Little Fairy Doctor hurt," the tall mercenary said, trying to smooth things over.

Everyone scattered with torches in hand, though faint, meaningful laughter could still be heard.

Mu Li stood where he was, his face livid.

By chance, he had once intended to pry some information about Little Fairy Doctor's preferences out of Li Fei, hoping to take his relationship with Little Fairy Doctor a step further.

Instead, he had unexpectedly learned one of Little Fairy Doctor's secrets.

That was why he followed her every time she entered the mountains to gather herbs.

After investing so much time and effort, he had ended up empty-handed.

Although he had acquired a batch of valuables worth several hundred thousand from the stone chamber, any fool could tell that the true treasure had already been taken.

"Wang Teng..." Mu Li's eyes darkened.

Before long, members of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group informed Mu Li that Little Fairy Doctor had returned with Wang Teng.

When Mu Li arrived, Little Fairy Doctor was surrounded by a group of mercenaries at the center of the crowd.

"Little Fairy Doctor, where did you go in the middle of the night? What if you ran into danger?" Mu Li asked with concern.

"What business is it of yours where I go? We're not that close, are we?" Little Fairy Doctor said coldly.

The surroundings fell silent.

Pairs of eyes carrying peculiar meanings shifted between Mu Li, Little Fairy Doctor, and Wang Teng.

In the past, Little Fairy Doctor had never been particularly warm toward Mu Li, but she had still maintained basic courtesy. She had never been this indifferent.

Something was up!

There was definitely something fishy going on here!

Maybe it had something to do with Alchemist Wang Teng.

Some mercenaries secretly examined Wang Teng. At the moment, that seemed to be the only reasonable explanation.

It was good that Wang Teng got her. What the hell was Mu Li? He was neither handsome nor particularly strong.

If his father were not the leader of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, a two-star Dou Master,

what gave him the right to hover around Little Fairy Doctor all day, fawning over her?

Wang Teng and Little Fairy Doctor, on the other hand, looked like a perfect match. Standing together, they looked like a talented man and a beautiful woman.

There was not a mercenary in Green Mountain Town who did not like Little Fairy Doctor, but everyone knew their own limits.

Now that they saw Mu Li get shut down, quite a few people felt immensely satisfied.

Mu Li's cheek muscles twitched twice. He swept his gaze over the mercenaries around Little Fairy Doctor and forcibly suppressed his anger.

"I'm sorry. I was overly concerned." The moment Mu Li turned around, his face darkened, and the look in his eyes was frighteningly vicious.

You bitch! You forced my hand!

You think you're safe just because those mercenaries are protecting you? You think latching onto an alchemist means you can shake me off?!

After Little Fairy Doctor returned to camp, she thanked the mercenaries and went back to her tent to rest.

The night passed without incident.

The next day, everyone ate, drank, and gathered herbs as usual.

Only the team protecting Little Fairy Doctor had been switched from the Wolf Head Mercenary Group to another mercenary group.

"He won't let this go," Wang Teng said quietly as he looked at Little Fairy Doctor, who had deliberately moved close to him.

From the corner of her eye, Little Fairy Doctor could see Mu Li leaning against a large tree in the distance, his gaze occasionally sweeping their way.

"Who's afraid of whom? Would he dare touch me? Would he dare touch you?" Little Fairy Doctor did not take it to heart.

The Wolf Head Mercenary Group's name sounded intimidating, but that depended on the place and the target.

In Green Mountain Town, they would not dare act recklessly against her. As for provoking an alchemist, they had even less courage for that.

Little Fairy Doctor plucked a medicinal herb and tossed it at Wang Teng, sarcastically saying, "If you're scared, I can have the mercenaries escort you back to Green Mountain Town first."

"Are you itching for a beating?" Wang Teng made a grabbing gesture with his hand.

Little Fairy Doctor's pretty face flushed red. Angry, she said, "Don't mention it again! I order you to forget it happened!"

Wang Teng turned away from her and said blandly, "The bite marks on my shoulder haven't even faded yet."

The herb gathering continued until dusk.

After checking the results, Little Fairy Doctor announced that they could set out for Green Mountain Town tomorrow.

After dinner, Wang Teng and Little Fairy Doctor returned to their respective tents to rest.

Early the next morning.

Wang Teng woke up, walked out of his tent, and saw that the mercenaries had already begun packing up.

Obviously, this was not a place to settle down. No one wanted to spend the night inside the Magical Beast Mountain Range.

The flap of the tent beside his was lifted, and Little Fairy Doctor walked out with a yawn.

"Were you out stealing again last night?" Wang Teng asked with a smile when he noticed the heavy dark circles beneath her eyes.

Little Fairy Doctor merely glanced at him, then turned and walked away without saying a word.

What was going on?

Wang Teng was surprised. How had her personality suddenly changed overnight?

On the way back, Little Fairy Doctor deliberately avoided Wang Teng, whether intentionally or not.

This amused the mercenaries greatly. They whispered among themselves, speculating whether something had happened between the two.

These people who lived with their lives on the line had no restraint when they spoke.

Only after Little Fairy Doctor expressed her displeasure did the situation die down.

When they rested at noon, Wang Teng took the initiative to approach Little Fairy Doctor and asked with concern, "Are you all right? Did something happen to Xiao Lan?"

Otherwise, how could she have suddenly become a different person after one night?

"Don't be a jinx. Even if something happened to you, nothing could happen to Xiao Lan," Little Fairy Doctor said.

Wang Teng asked curiously, "Then why are you acting like a different person today?"

"This is my true personality. Is there a problem with that?" Little Fairy Doctor wore an expression that said, mind your own business.

Why was she suddenly so prickly? Could it be that time of the month?

Wang Teng did not press further. Showing some concern was enough; asking too many questions would make him seem like a desperate simp.

After lunch, he got up and walked to the edge of the group to relieve himself.

As he passed a tree, Wang Teng suddenly halted. His nostrils twitched as he caught a peculiar smell.

"Medicinal powder?" His gaze shifted and stopped on a pile of dead leaves and soil beneath the tree, where a trace of fine yellow powder lay scattered.

If I weren't an alchemist and exceptionally sensitive to the scents of medicinal herbs, I might not have noticed it.

Wang Teng calmly returned to the group.

The medicinal powder smelled like green mint. This herb was commonly used to lure magical beasts and could easily stir their violent emotions.