It's so painful! So hard! So difficult!

Bai Lin was calculating this, counting the days until he could return.

Bai Lin was still wearing the same black armor. While the material hadn't been significantly altered, and the shape had only become slightly sharper at the corners, a closer look would reveal numerous magical arrays carved into the inside of the armor. These were armor enhancements she had obtained at great expense from a renowned armorer. Of course, the armor's original material enhancements were entirely the work of Claire.

Bai Lin almost emptied out all his savings from the past year, mainly for these equipments, of course, with some help from Grayer.

As for the remaining three people's money... Norwen's was naturally given to the monastery, and Andel's was also kept there. As for Fei'er, I'd never heard her say which village she was from. If by some chance I could meet someone who used the same sword technique, I would give it back to her family.

In addition to the armor, Bai Lin also put on a somewhat gray and black mottled, seemingly gloomy hooded cloak. This was what Kong had given him.

"Yes, I promised you the magic tool when you first started working for me. I should have given it to you a long time ago, but I've been so busy lately. I'm really sorry that it took so long..."

These were Kong's exact words, and Bai Lin was naturally even more embarrassed. She had never worked as Kong's maid for even a single day, so at that time, she simply expressed her gratitude as usual.

Over such a long time, Kong's support for her was truly remarkable. Bai Lin trusted Kong, and now that she was adventuring alone, Kong was the only one in the entire Camelan who knew about it.

According to Kong, this cloak was reinforced with the same material as the one left behind by Manjusaka, which could obscure one's presence to a certain extent, making it difficult for others to remember one's existence. Bai Lin wasn't too fond of using things left behind by the enemy, but the purpose of this cloak... was quite appropriate.

Other functions besides this are also very practical, such as reducing the impact of landing, which is also very useful for Bai Lin. In general, it makes Bai Lin feel more and more guilty about not being a maid that week.

But now she doesn't have the leisure time.

From the cloak that concealed his identity, Bai Lin could smell the mottled blood and the smell of dust that had passed through it. Naturally, in the eyes of others, it also had the flavor of a traveler, which did not make people feel strange.

As for Bai Lin's pointed ears and slightly altered appearance, it was naturally thanks to Claire's help. The actual effect itself was for emergency use, after all, Claire said there weren't many elves in this area. Furthermore, Bai Lin's face made it easy for him to attract the wrong kind of people.

Generally speaking, Bai Lin would either use a cloak to conceal his aura and face, or simply wear a helmet without removing it, not easily exposing his face. It can be said that he had made a lot of preparations for going deep behind enemy lines.

Bai Lin was currently wandering between the cities and villages along the alien border. Aside from a few murderous alien soldiers and a large number of ferocious-looking monsters along the border, the atmosphere here was quite relaxed. She saw almost no organized combat forces stationed in these areas, and there were no clear divisions between the different alien races.

The lives of these aliens seemed far too peaceful. Even with their unusual appearances for humans, Bai Lin could still see through the underlying simplicity of many of them. These aliens even gave her a sense of overall high quality. Although she hadn't specifically inquired about them, perhaps because they had no sense of danger, they probably never imagined that humans would come and slaughter them.

Chapter 461 Sneer

They were the sovereign power on this continent. Naturally, they weren't as vulnerable as Camitlan. A single sudden incident had caused the situation within the city to deteriorate to such a degree.

Thinking of this, Bai Lin recalled the individuals who held power in Kamitran. Not long ago, because Bai Lin had resolved the Manjushage issue, Kong had brought her to a meeting of senior officials. The topic of discussion, naturally, was "security."

It was in a magnificent hall. At least, the decoration looked extremely luxurious. The light was also very warm, making people feel safe and comfortable, and naturally had a warmth that relaxed the body and mind. Although everyone had a stern face, a solemn atmosphere was still heavy in the room.

However, precisely because of this luxury and comfort, one couldn't sense even the slightest bit of concern from those in power for the city. At least, that was what Bai Lin thought.

Thirteen crowned nobles, members of the church, several powerful-looking individuals, along with Sora and Bai Lin, sat together at a long table. Although Bai Lin was only at the end of the table, under normal circumstances, she would have been astonished at Sora's high status, having reached a position of equality with these powerful figures. Unfortunately, now, she could only look downcast, her expression slightly lowered, as she listened to the speeches.

"The funds and capabilities we've invested are clearly sufficient to protect ourselves. This incident was completely an accident! It must be due to the negligence of those at the border and within the city. What we need to do is strengthen household checks and strictly investigate any foreigners!"

The most popular response was naturally a similar statement. As soon as this statement was made, many in power immediately agreed. Admittedly, his words were partially correct. In a head-on confrontation, humans did have figures capable of competing with Manjushage, and there were quite a few. But...

A loss is a loss, no matter what excuse you make, the result is the same. I don't know how Manjushaka managed to get in, but she did. Simply saying "strengthen precautions" is too evasive no matter how you think about it.

In Bai Lin's view, the most important issue was clearly the sheer size of their forces. Even at the crucial cathedral, the guards stationed there were completely disrupted by her alone. Judging by the speed with which the official forces were deployed to support them, humanity didn't possess sufficient combat power.

Moreover, this is the city where they live, and many high-level magicians dare not show their skills.

In this situation, why do these people still say such nonsense as "we've invested a lot"? Do they think that strengthening defenses for a period of time after the incident will prevent this situation? Are the aliens always fighting against our well-trained frontline soldiers in the open battlefield?

That's unrealistic and illogical. If they can do it once, they can do it a second time. What we should discuss is how to handle it if it happens again.

At this moment, the voices of these powerful figures seemed so harsh to Bai Lin. She sneered with a hint of irony and bitterness, and followed the voice of a crowned nobleman.

What do you mean by sufficient financial and human investment? You just want to keep the money in your own pocket, do less work, and enjoy a luxurious life, right?

The sneering laughter he uttered with such a thought naturally caught everyone's attention within the small space. For a moment, the crowned lords were surprised by the hero of this incident. In their eyes, the fact that an adventurer like Bai Lin could even participate in their conversation was already something she could be proud of. How could he dare to make such a noise?

Noliel Crown Lord, who was sitting on the opposite side of Bai Lin's table, naturally said to Bai Lin calmly in this sudden strange atmosphere,

"Adventurer Bai Lin, can I assume that you are dissatisfied with the previous proposal? In that case, I hope to listen to your thoughts. Since we are here, we are all treated equally, and everyone has the right to express their opinions."

Noliel was well aware of his future son-in-law's eloquence. He knew that Bai Lin would be able to come up with some convincing arguments, so he said this to help her out. But Bai Lin just smiled and waved his hand, and replied very politely,

"Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Crown. I'm just an ordinary adventurer. I might know a little about fighting and killing, but in this regard—I won't pretend to be knowledgeable in front of you all. After all, you are the administrators and protectors of Camillan."

Although her tone wasn't too harsh, even a fool could tell that Bai Lin was trying to squeeze those in power. The atmosphere naturally became even more tense. Stirring up trouble wasn't Bai Lin's usual style.

Kong, who was sitting next to Bai Lin, squeezed Bai Lin's hand from under the table and gave Bai Lin a concerned look. Bai Lin wiped his lower body with one hand and gave Kong a comforting smile, as if to say that he was fine.

Although Kong could clearly see that Bai Lin's mental state was not stable at the moment, she did not do anything excessive. Instead, she slowly loosened her hand and said nothing more.

After this somewhat awkward episode, these people started discussing again.

"A thorough internal investigation is naturally the top priority. In recent days, I've received reports that some alien races are lurking within the city and may be causing trouble. I see that some members of the Cat Spirit Tribe had just relocated to Camitlan when this incident suddenly occurred, so we can investigate briefly."

"Yes, yes. However, weren't the cat spirits brought here by our adventurer who calls himself the Holy Son? I wonder if this little sister has any clues."

It was natural for someone to bring up the Cat Spirits. After all, as subhumans, they had just arrived in this city after a controversial political decision, so it was normal for them to face criticism. But when this question was directed at Bai Lin, it was clearly quite provocative.

The conversation was thrown back to Bai Lin. It was obvious that her actions had caused some people to be dissatisfied. This was understandable. Everyone sitting here was a prominent figure. Who would tolerate being interrupted by her?

A middle-aged man with sparse blond hair, over middle-aged and a wealthy physique, clenched his hands and asked Bai Lin this question.

Chapter 462 It’s So Right, So Right

His expression was a naive smile, but the meaning behind his words was clear to everyone. It was obvious that he was trying to steal Bai Lin's limelight.

The focus of everyone at the table once again fell on Bai Lin. However, Bai Lin did not make any move, still clasping his hands together in front of him, remaining silent and not making any further excuses.

Perhaps silence wasn't the best option, but it was also a suitable defense. Arguing with these politicians would likely lead to them seizing upon her words and then attacking her. Especially in a situation like this, where Bai Lin's emotions were so unstable, it was hard to guarantee she would be able to find the right words.

"You won't tell me?" Another thin old man with white Mediterranean hair sneered, then took the stack of documents from the assistant behind him, slammed it heavily on the table, and said,

"Because I heard some interesting rumors, I had someone investigate the information a while ago. They showed that among Miss Bai Lin's adventurer team, there was a woman named Fei'er, who didn't seem to be an ordinary human—"

Hearing Fei'er's name, Bai Lin's throat moved. She raised her head slightly, looked directly into the other person's sharp eyes, and answered in a relatively cold tone,

"She has already sacrificed her life in this incident as an adventurer. Without her, I'm afraid I would have had difficulty in defeating that Manjushaka. She is the true hero, protecting Camelan with her young body and saving the life of an old man like you."

"She passed away not long ago, and we just held her funeral. If you have any objections to her identity, you'd better think about it. People should still adhere to basic moral principles. Don't criticize someone just because they are gone and have no say."

Bai Lin's words were obviously not polite, and they made the atmosphere on the long table tense. But the old man's arrogance only intensified. He picked up the documents in his hand and threw them in front of Bai Lin.

"You're threatening me? Don't you know what your companion did? From what I understand, many people in Cameltran have disappeared completely after coming into contact with her. Do you dare to deny that she had nothing to do with all this?"

The politician showed no intention of giving in and was even aggressive, even going so far as to throw documents. Naturally, Bai Lin didn't want to remain silent any longer. She lowered her hands and stared at the politician with a sharp gaze.

"You really have to talk to me about this? Fine, then let's talk about it. I'll tell you about my teammate, Fei'er's past."

"She was born in a village, and on her way to Camitlan, she was robbed by bandits. All her friends were slaughtered, and she came here alone. This brings us to the first question: why would there be such treacherous people like bandits in the mountains where adventurers are so active? Shouldn't the authorities send people to eliminate them?"

Although the first question raised by Bai Lin was a rather sharp one, the old man groaned again and said lightly,

"Those bandits you're talking about are a potential danger for adventurers. Leaving the village and rushing here without the necessary skills is a mistake in itself. That's their own fault."

"Their own problems" easily passed over the topic. The old man's words were quite skillful. But Bai Lin continued to attack. She replied,

"Really? Then let me ask you another question. Do you know what the so-called restricted area is? What do you think she encountered when she was driven into the restricted area by uncontrollable factors during her adventure?"

The old man did not give in, and continued to reply in a very official, evasive tone,

"A restricted area is naturally a place that is difficult for humans to approach due to its excessive mystery. If you are driven here due to uncontrollable factors, isn't it your own fault?"

"That's absolutely right. It's absolutely right. These places are so mysterious that ordinary people might find it difficult to enter, but if we send enough forces in, wouldn't it be enough to clear them out? And with these so-called mysterious places, have you never considered the potential harm to Camillan? Are you just going to leave them there without investigating?"

Bai Lin was truly furious, and with a sharp laugh, he cursed at the other person without any hesitation. The old man's face darkened even more, and he folded his hands and fiercely retorted,

"Whether or not Camitlan is endangered, we will make our own decisions based on the information you adventurers have gathered. Adventurers like you should just do your duty and there's no need to question our work!"

"You're ignoring it and asking adventurers to relay messages to you. When something goes wrong, you say the adventurers aren't strong enough? It seems you don't value the adventurers' lives. And as for making a decision? You've made no decision! Do you know that what happened in Camitlan was the work of the evil god lurking in the restricted area?"

Seeing that Bai Lin's words were about to become more and more extreme, a burly old man with formal clothes and a white beard frowned and tried to persuade him.

"Adventurer, please don't get too excited. The adventurer community is extremely diverse, and we can't guarantee your safety completely. As for the high-risk exploration missions, you took them completely voluntarily, didn't you?"

"That's right. You guys couldn't handle the mission, and the backlash caused a loss of manpower in the city. Now you're blaming us? You adventurers are so arrogant!"

Hearing someone backing him up, the previously sarcastic old man added another sentence. The burly old man couldn't help but frowned when he heard this, but he didn't say much. Bai Lin didn't retreat in momentum at all, but he didn't press the issue either. He fought back in the same tone as before,

"You're the one blaming me for the backlash. Even basic information about the surrounding area relies on adventurers to gather, and you're even blaming the adventurers for the problems. Next time, when no adventurers are willing to take the risk, and those threatening creatures thrive in the restricted area and become a threat to the city, I wonder what you'll do!"

Shifting the blame? Everyone can shift the blame. Originally, they were in the mood for a good discussion. Others even prepared the information to push the problem onto Fei'er. How could Bai Lin agree to that?

Chapter 463 Unpleasant Departure

The old man glared and shouted back,

"Originally, it would have been fine if it had only grown outside the city. With all the defenses of Camitlan and our active frontline troops, we could easily have dealt with such a creature. If it weren't for the capabilities of our opponent this time..."

"No, in your entire life, is this the first time you've encountered an opponent with special abilities? The fact that something like Le Tianxiang can be introduced here really has nothing to do with you guys? You turned a blind eye first, then cleaned yourself up after the deed was done. It's really easy for you to do this."

Bai Lin slammed the table, though it didn't take much effort for her. She then stood up and looked down at the old man, who was talking nonsense. She couldn't believe that in this strange world where anything could happen, this kind of ruler would dare not consider special circumstances.

One accident had already severely damaged Camitran's vitality. What if it happened again? We humans are already a relatively fragile species. If we don't take precautions and weigh countermeasures, why wouldn't we be slaughtered like dogs?

Taking a deep breath, Bai Lin ignored the old man's almost murmurous counterattack and replied in a sonorous and powerful voice.

"This time, the Rakutenxiang incident provided a lot of support to Manjushage. Especially Sakura! Fearing exposure, they even dumped a large amount of toxic wastewater into the main river. You dare say you've never handled such a major incident? Is this how you betray the people's trust?"

Bai Lin's words were clearly directed at the majority of officials. Regions like Sakura and India, where the products were sold extensively but no one was truly crowned, must have some influence behind the scenes.

After hearing Bai Lin's words, on the surface, they all seemed calm, but there was a little uncertainty in their eyes. However, among these rulers, there are always some who have lived a comfortable life for so many years and will lose their temper when being attacked by someone of Bai Lin's status. One of them also slammed the table and stood up, pointing at Bai Lin and shouting,

"You are just an adventurer, what right do you have to question our decisions?"

Bai Lin seemed to have anticipated this happening. She gave a strange dry laugh, then shook her head and said in a low voice, looking at her palm,

"As for me, I am the Son of God, who has truly come to save this world according to the oracle. Personally, my current strength is definitely more than enough to protect myself. I don't need to rely on these protective measures of Camillan to survive. I originally planned to listen to what you can come up with and cooperate with the strategies of you great figures. But now it seems that there is really no need. I'd better go it alone."

"I suggest you carefully consider what I'm saying. You should know that after the authorities intervene in the danger investigation of the surrounding area, we adventurers will actually have a smaller income. I'm not doing myself any favors by saying this. Once you've figured it out, let's continue the discussion. Don't let yourself get sucked in by the same amount and end up turning into a rotting corpse—"

Amidst the controversy, Bai Lin acted as if she didn't care, waved her hand, and sat down calmly. She leaned her head on the table with one hand, looking distracted and nonchalant, and facing the controversy with a sour face.

"Alright, stop arguing and be quiet. This is a discussion meeting, not a place for you to argue and fight!"

The burly old man had a frown on his face, and finally couldn't stand the verbal attacks from some people anymore, so he interrupted them. As soon as he said this, the rest of the people quieted down a lot, and it seemed that his words were quite effective. Then, the old man turned sideways and asked Bai Lin,

"Adventurer, since you're dissatisfied with us in power, and some areas of our city are indeed not doing well, I can assure you that we will definitely clean up those pests. However, since you also have the will to carry on the heavens and save the world, I think it would be better for us to be less aggressive. How about that? I want to hear your true opinion on the current situation."

Bai Lin casually glanced at the burly old man. While there was some sincerity in his words, the problem was that there were too many people at the table who had opinions about her. After thinking about it for a while, she grinned, straightened up, and said,

"Raise an army. It's best to have everyone well-equipped with weapons to protect themselves. Then, launch a counterattack. Only in this way can we reduce accidents and minimize the sacrifices of our people."

After delivering such an extremely radical and hawkish speech, Bai Lin stood up and walked out the door, leaving behind a stunned crowd. Soon, they began to refute Bai Lin's claims with increasingly fierce words, and then moved on to her. Amidst this, Kong also stood up with a stern expression.

"Stewardess, are you leaving too?"

Another calm voice came out, politely asking Sora. Sora shrugged indifferently and replied,

"You know I don't want to have any meaningless discussions, so please continue chatting."

After slamming the door and exiting with a flourish, two powerful figures who weren't in power also stood up and took their leave, leaving the rest of the group to continue their verbal battle. They all had their own ideas and were quite articulate, but could such a heated discussion truly produce a sharp conclusion?

-

Bai Lin stood by the window of a corridor, looking at the eerie night scene outside the window, letting the cold wind blow on his cheeks, and looking into the distance.

Her feet tread on intricately patterned marble, and behind her were rooms that looked enormous. Even without the lights on, it was clear she was in a mansion. However, this sense of emptiness, despite the luxurious atmosphere, could not dispel the sense of loneliness.

Bai Lin wore a thin coat, as if she couldn't feel the cold. In fact, the biting cold wind didn't really make her feel anything special. After all, when she first came to this world, she landed in a frozen tundra. What was this little bit of cold wind?

But she felt a chill emanating from every pore of her body. When a person is pessimistic, even slightly less negative things can make them even more negative.

Chapter 464: Humility

It was obvious that Bai Lin was currently in a relatively negative state. She tried to concentrate on thinking about her own path to saving the world, but her chaotic thoughts interrupted her. This also made her gradually feel a little irritable, but her rationality reminded her that anger caused by incompetence was meaningless.

She is a brave woman. She can feel sad and angry because of the fall of her teammates, but she must never be depressed because of it. She must continue to move forward... But which direction is "forward"?

"Kill them all..."

This was the clearest and most understandable instruction. Admittedly, it was an effective method, and it was also the final words Fei'er left behind, carrying some last wishes. But, was it really necessary to do this? Or, in other words, did I have the ability to do so?

Realizing that his breathing had become a little rapid just because of thinking, Bai Lin broke free from his tangled thoughts and stared blankly into the distance.

In short, let's leave the aliens in Camitlan first. Camitlan is now severely damaged and certainly has no energy left to explore outside. Most adventurers will probably be assigned to reconstruction work.

But Bai Lin was different. She couldn't waste her time on these things. As long as she extended her horizons, even if she was alone, she could achieve certain results.

Just like that, Bai Lin gradually turned into a mode of daydreaming and enjoying the night breeze. No matter how much he thought about it, some things could not be figured out in a short time.

"What are you thinking about?"

A gentle and familiar voice rang out, but Bai Lin didn't know how to respond to her question. Of course, the other party would not do nothing just because of Bai Lin's indifference. A figure flashed by, and just like Bai Lin, he placed his hands on the windowsill and looked into the distance.

Obviously, this one is Sora. If it was Katie Pello, she would definitely have taken action directly.

Her presence here wasn't surprising; this was Sora's mansion. Because Camillan might still be a bit messy, Bai Lin and Katie had temporarily taken up residence there. Sora hadn't let them stay in the small bungalow he and Fei'er had originally planned to stay in, but instead had chosen the beachfront villa they had glimpsed when they first met.

"Are you still thinking about what just happened? Don't be like those old politicians who are still gloomy when they get home, and then use promiscuity and lust to balance their stress... You can't become like that."

Kong's words were full of joking meaning, and finally Bai Lin couldn't help but feel a little moved, and replied with a sentence,