After leaving the team, the adventurer ladies regretted it deeply

Lin Da thought to himself that with Lin Xi accompanying Lia, she might not become annoying—everyone continuously climbing upwards happily and joyfully.

There would then be no need for him to leave the team and start the Phoenix Tail Flower.

All one could say is that fate is unpredictable.

Lin Da couldn't tell which scenario was better, all he could do was to try his best to press forward.

Staring absentmindedly at the pocket watch, Lin Da silently said to the beaming black-haired girl in the photograph:

"I will definitely find the clue to my sister's disappearance on the fourth floor. Even if Lin Xi falls, I will pull her out of the abyss."

That's right,

Lin Da was worried about the worst possibility.

The power Lin Xi gained from the mid-stage onward was eerily similar to that of a Witch!

The only difference was, the stronger Lin Xi's powers became, the frailer her body seemed.

She also didn't have nocturnal contamination fits, being tormented by backlash unto death.

It was somewhat like a Witch, yet not quite so.

But if... if she really did turn into a Witch, Lin Da would cure Lin Xi, even if it required force.

Three days remained until the 1st of the next month.

For the first two days, Lin Da fought monsters in the wilderness as usual.

On the third day, in the evening,

About four hours were left until midnight.

Lin Da held a combat planning meeting in the room for two teammates, instructing them on matters to heed when entering Dark Night City.

It was a city set in a medieval western world with scarce magic, where most people were ordinary beings without any strength, and neither magic nor Battle Qi existed.

However, by contrast, some Transcendents could use magic gems to temporarily exhibit powers beyond ordinary humans.

Overall, the difference between them and adventurers was as vast as that between strong men and infants.

But Lin Da and his two teammates could still find it very troublesome if they were to be surrounded.

In Dark Night City, there were firearms; Lin Da's Life Barrier could withstand a few thousand bullets without any issue.

But Monica was a Mage, frail and delicate, able to withstand only a few hundred bullets, so being enemies with a large force in Dark Night City was not worthwhile.

Lin Da's strategy was to act covertly and start the investigation from the place where Lin Xi vanished.

In the room, Kafni sat duck-style on a cushion, raising her hand to ask, "What if some nasty ruffian covets my body? I can't stand that."

"Then take them down," Lin Da replied, but his gaze was on Monica, rubbing Big Lolita's head, saying, "When necessary, don't hold back. Use the magic whenever needed, at most we'll use the Town Portal Scroll and retry."

"Mhm, got it," Monica nodded in reassurance.

Investigating clues about his sister was critical, but Lin Da would prioritize the safety of his teammates first.

According to the World Tree rules, each floor allowed for one use of the Town Portal Scroll.

Lin Da had exactly three scrolls, enough for the entire team, and with Phoenix Tail Flower's power comparable to rock level... delving deeper into the fourth floor wasn't a problem.

The hidden mysterious forces within might even trigger rewards from the World Tree Goddess.

Lin Da was quite interested.

'With Lin Xi's restless nature, if she came into contact with the mysterious forces, she would definitely investigate deeply.'

Lin Da speculated that uncovering the mysterious forces in Dark Night City might be the first step to getting closer to his sister.

Click.

The meeting was in progress when a small pebble struck the window from outside.

Lin Da opened the window and frowned as he looked out.

In the darkness of the night, a short-haired girl's silhouette could vaguely be made out. She wore an eye mask, her small hands clasped behind her back, awkwardly prodding at a pebble with the tip of her foot.

"Lia?"

Descending the stairs, Lin Da looked at her, puzzled.

This short-haired girl was none other than the leader of Snow Goose, the same Lia who would bicker with him upon each meeting.

Yet today, Lia was very calm, cutting straight to the point, "Phoenix Tail Flower is going to the fourth layer, isn't she?"

"How did you know that?"

"I heard it from Isa," Lia said, her expression complex. Now to get news about Lin Da, she had to inquire from her rival, Isa.

"Oh, I ran into her yesterday and brought it up," Lin Da didn't deny it.

"Are you here to... wish us luck?"

"Don't, don't make it sound so weird, okay! Wishing luck or whatever, it's only natural for you to pass the fourth layer!" Lia couldn't stand such corny talk—wishes, bonds; she found it childish and unbecoming of her mature adventurer persona.

"Then what are you here for?" Lin Da was baffled.

"Lin Xi."

Suddenly, Lia said, "You're going to investigate Lin Xi's disappearance, right? Having finally succeeded in changing your profession and starting World Tree anew... you'd surely go to Dark Night City."

"Yes," Lin Da nodded, "I believe Lin Xi isn't dead; she's somewhere on this continent."

Lia shook her head: "I don't think so. Lin Xi... might really be dead."

Seeing Lin Da's expression suddenly turn awful, Lia's heart tightened, and she hurriedly explained,

"I'm not just making this up, ah. I suddenly remembered yesterday, more than two years ago, the night before we entered the fourth layer, Lin Xi came to me alone..."

"What!?" Lin Da glared at Lia in anger, "Why are you only remembering this now?"

"I, I didn't do it on purpose," Lia had never seen Lin Da genuinely angry before. Her face turned pale, and she took a step back, but she quickly realized how shameful it was to be intimidated by Lin Da, considering her status as a 26-level adventurer. She puffed out her small chest in defiance,n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"Lin Xi merely said to take good care of you for her, after all, as team leader, that's what I am supposed to do, right? I naturally wouldn't take such a matter to heart."

Lin Da thought about it and sighed reluctantly. He couldn't really blame Lia; with her careless personality, she would hardly notice Lin Xi's subtle changes.

He himself was also partly to blame. Before entering the fourth layer, Lin Xi had said things like 'adventure is meaningless' and 'it's better to give up climbing the World Tree.'

Lin Da merely took it as a worsening of Lin Xi's condition and offered a few words of soft comfort without giving it much thought.

Perhaps at that time, Lin Xi had already gone through some significant psychological change, leading to her disappearance on the fourth layer.

"Lia, thanks for specially coming to tell me this." Lin Da's large hand rested on Lia's head.

Her red hair was very smooth, feeling no worse than Monica's.

"What are you doing, I'm not a child!" Lia's face changed color, she slapped his hand away and said irritably, "Make it back alive from the fourth layer! Before you get beaten by me, you better not lose to the World Tree!"

Lia stomped off, her ponytail from the short haircut swinging. It seemed to have grown longer.

Wasn't this just her way of sending her blessings? Lin Da shook his head with a wry smile.

There were still two hours until midnight. Lin Da, Monica, and Kafni took a carriage ride to the World Tree.

When the time on the pocket watch reached zero, they entered the World Tree and took out their respective Teleportation Stones.

"Fourth layer, teleport."

Lin Da thought to himself. He and the two members of his team turned into a pale blue light and disappeared within the World Tree.