An Unexpected Discovery

Thank you so much for your help.

Gazing at the bodies of the paladins being buried, the saintess whispered her thanks to Li Lin.

This surprise attack was a devastating blow to the group. Fifteen paladins perished, with only five surviving. They were now quietly praying for their fallen comrades and digging a cave to bury them in the dark forest. This was, of course, a temporary measure; once they reached the Holy Autonomous Territory, they would send a team to retrieve the bodies of these poor children. For now, it was merely a stopgap measure to prevent them from being devoured by evil creatures. They planted the longswords of the fallen paladins on the graves, hung their helmets on them, and began to pray before the makeshift tombstones.

They didn't pay much attention to Li Lin's appearance. Although everyone was grateful to him, it was clear that these paladins were preoccupied with mourning their fallen comrade. Li Lin's explanation for concealing his identity didn't arouse much suspicion among the paladins. He described himself as a passing adventurer who had happened to witness the battle between the Shadow Dragon and the paladins and had helped them out of kindness. Of course, he didn't forget to mention that he was a descendant of a fallen noble family from the south, and that the bow he carried was a treasured heirloom passed down through generations—while this wasn't enough to completely convince the paladins, it served as a solid foundation of evidence.

"You're welcome. I just did what I was supposed to do."

Li Lin nodded slightly in response. After observing the Holy Princess up close, he had already discovered that she was a very interesting prey. She had long, pure gold hair, and her slender body, wrapped in a loose robe, made her appear somewhat frail. However, her proud posture suggested strength and courage. Her tightly pursed pale pink lips added a touch of melancholy charm to the girl, while her eyes, which seemed to speak volumes and displayed a sorrowful expression, made her even more pitiful. Anyone who saw this girl for the first time would feel a sense of goodwill towards her.

Moreover, and most importantly, she bore a striking resemblance to Catherine, and from a distance, she almost looked like the reincarnation of that brave female knight.

Only prey like this is worth hunting.

"I am very sorry for what happened to you all."

Li Lin bowed slightly, nodded to the saintess and the paladins, and gave a brief salute.

"Well then, it's getting late, and I should get going. I hope you all arrive at your destinations safely."

With that, Li Lin turned around, preparing to leave. A slightly amused smile appeared on his lips. Based on his understanding of Catherine, this girl, who looked and acted very much like her, might do the same thing as Catherine.

Sure enough, before Li Lin had even taken a few steps after turning around, the saintess's voice came from behind him again.

Please wait.

I knew it would be like this.

Li Lin's lips curled slightly, but he quickly regained his previous expression. He turned around with a hint of surprise, looking at the holy princess before him with a puzzled gaze, clearly waiting for her to continue.

"This..."

Just call me Li Lin.

"Mr. Li Lin, you just said that you are a wandering adventurer?"

"That's right."

Faced with the saintess's question, Li Lin shrugged, feigning nonchalance. This action displeased the paladins, but at the saintess's prompting, they did not show any disrespect to the brave man who had just saved them from the brink of death.

"So..."

The saintess silently watched Li Lin, but her seemingly piercing eyes had no effect on Li Lin whatsoever. Even so, he feigned complete absorption. Under her gaze, Li Lin shifted the position of his longbow somewhat nervously, trying to appear like a dissolute nobleman deliberately disguising himself. In the eyes of the paladins, this adventurer, whose behavior was already somewhat unruly, now seemed uncomfortable under the saintess's gaze, which pleased them greatly.

Compared to Arcane Mage, these people were still too inexperienced and lacked knowledge.

"... If you have the time, would you please accept my invitation?"

"Invite?"

Li Lin frowned, seemingly not understanding what the beautiful young lady in front of him meant.

"That's right, a young adventurer."

The saintess maintained her quiet and composed demeanor, but a resolute tone emanated from her voice.

"We are about to venture deep into the Black Forest to vanquish that terrifying dragon, so if possible, we hope you can lend us a helping hand."

"Your Highness, this is absolutely unacceptable!"

Li Lin wasn't the only one who was surprised to hear this (although he was faking it). Several paladins around him were equally alarmed and tried to dissuade her after hearing the saintess's words. The paladin who had almost become food for the Shadow Dragon while trying to save her was also the first to be alarmed.

"Your Highness, although we don't know where that Shadow Dragon came from, it certainly possesses immense power. The Black Forest has never seen such a terrifying monster in all these years. And we are currently outnumbered and outmatched; this is simply not a suitable situation. Furthermore, Knight Commander Herbert is already injured—moreover, although your Holy Light Pendant can fight the Shadow Dragon, the recent events have proven that you cannot simultaneously deal with that evil monster and the ghosts it summons! This is a very dangerous idea; you shouldn't do it..."

"I already have a solution for this."

As she spoke, the saintess turned her gaze to Li Lin, revealing a rather alluring smile.

"Our adventurer friend possesses the power to defeat the evil dragon. If he is willing to travel with us, our chances of victory will be much higher."

"But Your Highness, this is still too risky. We absolutely do not approve of you taking this risk yourself. What if something happens to you...?"

The paladins were clearly not persuaded by this; they remained frowning, trying to stop the saintess they were supposed to protect from making such a decision.

"Furthermore, our current numbers are far too few to deal with that evil monster. I suggest we head to the Holy Autonomous Territory first, and then send a larger force..."

"That would be too slow."

However, despite the paladin's explanation, the holy princess clearly did not change her mind or her opinion.

"By the time we regroup and return, that evil dragon may have already gone to a place beyond our reach, bringing evil and disaster to the people of other places. As believers of the God of Justice, do you expect me to turn my back on evil and flee? To watch helplessly as evil disappears before our eyes to harm other innocent lives?"

The girl's expression was serious, and her tone was solemn. Even the paladins couldn't help but close their mouths and listen helplessly to what the saintess was saying.

"Furthermore, I don't think we need to worry too much. After all, that dragon already had one eye shot out by this gentleman, and its fighting power is far weaker than before. If we catch up with it now and find its location, then there's still a way to completely eliminate this evil and terrifying being. But if we waste time and wait for that evil to recover, then it will be too late."

As she spoke, the saintess turned to Li Lin, then bowed deeply, performing an exceptionally solemn salute. Next, she raised her head and spoke to Li Lin with great seriousness and earnestness.

"Mr. Li Lin, I know this is a very risky and dangerous undertaking. But I still want to ask for your assistance. We alone cannot eliminate this terrible evil. However, with you, we will have a chance to win. Of course, I won't let you leave empty-handed. If you are willing to join us in hunting down this evil being, I will reward you handsomely for your courage."

Faced with the Holy Maiden's invitation, Li Lin, unusually, pondered for a moment before slowly giving his reply. After all, this was not a matter of consent, so being cautious was only natural.

"I have to admit, this is indeed a very tempting proposal."

Li Lin naturally noticed the unfriendly gazes of the paladins. Clearly, if it weren't for his presence, the saintess might not have risked her life. And now, out of respect for the saintess, they couldn't say anything to his face. Seeing the paladins' hesitation, Li Lin chuckled inwardly. He understood their thoughts, but unfortunately—he was going to disappoint them.

"In fact, since I have chosen to roam the continent, I am already prepared to face death at any moment. I think that fighting dragons is obviously a more honorable thing than being swallowed by swamps."

As he spoke, he brandished his gleaming longbow with a showy flourish, as if afraid that others wouldn't notice its extraordinary nature.

"I accept your invitation, beautiful lady."

"This is Her Highness, the Holy Maiden of our Temple, adventurer."

Only then did one of the paladins speak, his tone calm yet displeased.

"I hope you can show her some respect."

"I'm so sorry..."

After hearing this, Li Lin shrugged helplessly and apologized to the girl in front of him for his rudeness.

"It's nothing."

Clearly, the saint herself did not react to such remarks.

"I am merely an advocate for our merciful deities on earth. I don't think this identity is particularly worthy of respect. We are here to promote kindness and justice."

And so, the matter was decided. After burying their companions, the paladins rested for a while, then replenished their supplies and weapons, and decided on their route. They planned to head in the direction the Shadow Dragon had left, where there happened to be a mountain range. If all went well, the paladins reasoned that the Shadow Dragon should be hiding there.

During the rest period, no one approached Li Lin to speak. The Holy Maiden only asked Li Lin a few questions in a low voice before busying herself with taking care of the wounded so that they could recover more quickly and effectively.

She really looks like Catherine.

Gazing at the saintess's retreating figure, Li Lin couldn't help but think of the only woman among the Five Heroes. She was a brave and unyielding knight, and the one who fought to the very end. Li Lin had once admired her; after all, such women were rare in the world. However, now that they were on opposing sides, he had to adjust his perspective. Just because Arcane Mage had killed her father, Catherine had slaughtered an entire district of the Magic Empire citizens like an enraged tiger—she had completely forgotten how, in the previous war, she had used the river to flood the empire's border cities, causing so many innocent casualties.

Of course, war is not about right or wrong, but about positions. Only the victors can stand tall, while the losers have no voice and no power to refuse anything.

However, the identity of the loser remains undecided. Li Lin eagerly anticipates seeing how this girl, so similar to Catherine, will ultimately fare. He will not spare her simply because she is a girl. To Li Lin, everyone connected to the Five-Nation Alliance and the Five Heroes must die, regardless of gender or age. As for the methods, that will depend on his mood. They have no right to forgiveness, no response, and no time for apologies... These things are meaningless; only victory matters.

Although Li Lin decided to play a little longer before starting his plan, the paladin wasn't the only one dissatisfied with this decision.

For Li Lin, dealing with a little guy who was looking forward to receiving a gift but found that his Santa Claus was late was even more difficult.

"Master, what are you thinking?!"

In Li Lin's mind, Angela's message via telepathy was equally excited. After all, according to their original plan, Li Lin was supposed to cooperate with the Shadow Dragon to capture the Saintess. But now, he had suddenly changed his plan, which surprised and puzzled the others.

"Why not bring this woman back? I can't wait to train her into a loyal bitch!"

For Angela, losing what was almost within her grasp was clearly not something to be happy about.

"Calm down, little one."

Kalin inserted Mind Link between the two—after being reverted to her original form, she was even deprived of her only pleasure, drinking, and thus could only pass the time by arguing with Angela.

"You're not a fool, so trusting him is the right thing to do. Besides, even if you don't trust him, you don't have any other choice, do you?"

"I'm not talking to a blockhead like you. Shut up, you idiotic stick."

"What do you mean...? My strings aren't made of wood, after all. Besides, it's not right for you to slander your master's weapon like that."

"... So you want to die ten or more times?"

"If you dare to make a move now, I'm ready to fight you anytime."

"Very well, you damn skinny bamboo pole, wash your neck clean and wait..."

Finally, Nia's voice rang out, interrupting the two's pointless argument.

"This isn't the time to argue, Li Lin. Are you really sure this is a good choice?"

"Certainly."

Li Lin replied, currently following behind the paladins deeper into the Black Forest. His gaze lingered on the leading paladin captain, who, despite having been struck by the Shadow Dragon's claw, seemed unharmed. The captain was now cautiously surveying his surroundings, simultaneously wielding his longsword and clearing a path into the depths of the Black Forest. It was indeed a risky move, but having decided to do it, he wanted to do it to the best of his ability.

"Besides that saintly lady, I've discovered an even more interesting toy. His bloodline is clearly not just human—perhaps he himself isn't aware of it yet, but I believe this will be a very fun experiment."

"Non-human bloodline?"

Nia was clearly also intrigued, and the two of them were basically in the same boat when it came to the unknown and interesting things.

"I think this is indeed worth investigating."

Clearly, since Nia has already made her decision, there is no need to discuss this matter further.

"Of course, Angela, I won't let you have any free time."

Li Lin knew what the little guy was thinking, and he did indeed have some things for Angela to do right now.

"If I remember correctly, there used to be several fortresses deep within this Black Forest used for military defense. You and the sisters should look for places that seem suitable for the Demon King to live in. Since we're putting on an act, we need to go all the way and not let the audience see any flaws. If you find any, clean them up while you're at it; they'll make a great testing ground. As for Nia, I hope you can provide these brave knights with a suitable place for their dragon battle. Of course, don't forget to give them some warning signals from time to time, lest they become discouraged and turn back."

"Understood, Master!"

"Okay, Li Lin."

After Angela and Nia responded to Li Lin's commands, the mental connection subsided once more. Li Lin, however, gazed at the paladin leading the way and the girl he protected behind him, a rather amused smile playing on his lips. Of course, Li Lin didn't miss the deep helplessness on the paladin's face or the tender gaze the girl gave him. She would even occasionally take out a handkerchief and gently wipe the sweat from the paladin's face. The other paladins, however, would pretend not to see anything and turn their heads away. Clearly, the relationship between these two was not simple. This excited Li Lin greatly. The more this happened, the more he enjoyed the amusement. At this moment, he had already sketched out the detailed plan in his mind; all that remained was to carry it out.

"This will be a very interesting trip."