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

She nodded in response to Sora, and at the same time, she felt the pressure on her body lighten a little.

"Don't be too happy just yet. Although you don't have to pay for this, I recently had a customer come in. She looked a little down and out and didn't have a penny on her. I think she's an acquaintance of yours. She came to see me under your name, so I took her in for a few days."

After solving a problem, Kong's expression quickly changed. Whether it was her slightly raised eyebrows, her slightly oily tone, or the smoothness in her words, they all exuded a kind of copper-coin smell that belonged to a businessman.

When Bai Lin heard that she had to pay, she immediately became sensitive, but she couldn't think of who would come to stay here and give her own name, so she asked tentatively,

"Uh... who's staying here?"

"Just now, while you were taking a shower, I told her to wait for you in the living room of my house. So, now you just need to go over and see her, and you'll know."

As usual, Kong smiled at Bai Lin and posed another riddle. Bai Lin, accustomed to this, wasn't offended by Kong's behavior; after all, it was one of Kong's hobbies. What concerned Bai Lin more was the identity of the person staying with him.

So, under Sora's guidance, Bai Lin followed her through a Japanese-style living room. Sora's house was as complex and intricate as ever, as if you never knew which door would lead to where. After opening a door, they unexpectedly arrived at the living room with a dining table that held so many memories for Bai Lin.

Thinking back to the last time she'd been in this living room, back when she was dealing with the Rakutenka incident, she'd brought Fei'er and a certain Sakura Prime Minister here. Now that she'd returned, Bai Lin felt a surge of emotion. She let out a breath and shifted her gaze to the sofa to the side.

The exquisitely decorated kimono, the long, beautiful hair as white as snow, and the eerie red eyes made up a figure with the appearance of a porcelain doll. This was clearly someone who could not be called an "acquaintance", but was at least someone I knew.

"You know, right? In the last incident, Sakura people dumped all the waste produced by Rakutenka into the river in the city. And the responsibility for all this was pushed onto the prime minister who ordered everything."

"Because of this, the prime minister was dismissed from office, took the lion's share of the blame, and was exiled."

Sora's explanation came at the right moment. Although her tone was serious, it also carried a hint of teasing, as if she was making a subtle joke about the "Prime Minister" she was introducing. However, Bai Lin's joking didn't seem to improve his mood at all.

Obviously, the person who came to see Bai Lin was the Sakura... oh no, should I say the "former" Sakura Prime Minister, Yamashita Kanon. For Bai Lin, Yamashita Kanon herself was a very difficult person to deal with. Even if she hadn't been "exiled", she would have instinctively resisted dealing with this guy.

Feeling Yamashita Kanon's almost lifeless, yet somewhat anxious eyes surveying her, Bai Lin felt an instinctive pressure. Furthermore, a faint chill, accompanied by a sense of "nothing good," curled up her spine. To the point that Bai Lin didn't even want to look at the former Prime Minister.

Compared to Bai Lin's nervousness, Kong seemed extremely relaxed. She looked at Yamashita Kanon and continued,

"But she was in such a poor state when she came here, without a penny on her. I didn't expect the so-called Sakura Prime Minister to be so honest—"

"I've already mortgaged my knife to you, what else do you want?"

Under Kong's constant prodding, Yamashita Kanon finally lost her composure. Her hand rose in the air, but it stopped on the coffee table in front of her, not moving forward. A flicker of hesitation crossed her eyes, and then she lowered her hand, groaning, and stopped looking at Kong.

Bai Lin, sensing that hesitation, understood exactly what it meant. It was the rationality born of poverty, a restraint on her own willfulness. How could someone with Yamashita Kanon's personality endure to such an extent? This shocked Bai Lin. She couldn't help but glance up at the sky, instinctively sensing something had transpired between the two women.

"That's the general situation. Next, you two can talk. I'll go get you some tea."

Sora smiled at the angry Yamashita Kanon before leaving the living room. Bai Lin, knowing he couldn't escape this fate, sat down on the sofa next to Yamashita Kanon. Her gaze shifted from Sora to herself.

That look of resentment made Bai Lin feel uncomfortable. However, he had already discussed a good deal with Yamashita Kanon before, and now he was talking about some serious matters. Bai Lin also overcame his psychological pressure, sorted out his thoughts, and asked,

"Did you really instigate all this—"

"How come even you think I ordered this?! I was clearly with you to solve the problem, and I wasn't even there the night it happened!"

Chapter 545: Getting Down

Yamashita Kanon's expression was very angry, probably because she had been provoked by Kong a few times before, and her tone was also quite aggressive. Bai Lin did not intend to argue. She first suppressed Yamashita Kanon's anger and replied,

"Calm down, I'm just asking. Well, since you're the one taking the blame, this is such a big deal, so you're definitely not just exiled, right? Could it be that you're still a wanted criminal?"

Although Bai Lin's tone was in line with Yamashita Kanon's meaning, the question he asked was very sharp. Yamashita Kanon suddenly choked, then turned his eyes away and replied,

"Indeed, but..."

"If that's the case, then get out of here right away, former Prime Minister. We're not even close. How can you, a wanted criminal, stay here with me and throw a tantrum at me?"

Before Yamashita Kanon could finish her words, Bai Lin started to perform Sichuan Opera face-changing. Just as she said, she and Yamashita Kanon had no friendship at all. This guy had fallen into such a situation, and he still spoke to her like this?

Compared to helping this somewhat beautiful girl, Bai Lin was afraid of getting into trouble. What's more, Bai Lin didn't like dealing with this person in the first place.

Bai Lin's roar seemed to surprise Yamashita Kanon, but she didn't show any excitement. With a gloomy expression, she slowly walked to a place beside Bai Lin, carrying a strong sense of darkness.

Bai Lin's eyes were fixed on Yamashita Kanon, not daring to look away. She had no idea what Yamashita Kanon would do, and she was afraid that this willful person would do something reckless. Therefore, she was ready to fight back at any time.

Then, Yamashita Kanon moved, or to be more precise, her legs moved. However, that was not the "attack" Bai Lin had expected, but a scene that made her look stunned.

The sound of two knees hitting the ground resounded heavily. Just like that, in front of Bai Lin, the young Prime Minister knocked her head against the floor in front of her.

"I know I made my own mistakes in this matter! But my life shouldn't end here. I'm not afraid of death, but I absolutely don't want to die in this infamy, in obscurity."

"So, please, please, help me!"

Her voice was trembling. Although her facial expression could not be seen, one could still imagine what her face looked like at the moment, filled with grief and anger.

Bai Lin obviously hadn't expected Yamashita Kanon to do this. Even though Bai Lin was a very sensible person, she definitely wouldn't do something that wouldn't benefit her and would only cause her trouble. But seeing such a beautiful girl suddenly kneel before her, it was impossible for her to not be shaken at all. However, it was mostly due to the sheer shock that caused her mind to go blank.

At this moment, the orange-haired lady who was serving tea happened to come over here. Seeing this, Sora was horrified. She put down the tray beside her and came to Yamashita Kanon with a somewhat exaggerated look of surprise.

"Oh, how could someone who is considered one of the most powerful humans suddenly kneel down in my humble shop? Bai Lin, what did you do to her?"

Sora's tone was exaggerated to the point of being comical. With the tone and gaze of someone within the palace, she glanced at Yamashita Kanon, then at Bai Lin. Bai Lin's mind had been shaken by the other's kneeling, and after hearing Sora's words, she felt even more confused.

"What...I didn't do anything!"

Bai Lin's heart was filled with mixed emotions at this moment. She glanced at Yamashita Kanon at her feet, carefully thinking about the meaning of Kong's words, and soon came up with an answer.

She didn't know who had ordered the so-called dumping of sewage, but since Yamashita Kanon had gone with her to kill the vampire, she must have understood the seriousness of the matter after the negotiation and would not do such a thing. And when Sora said she was "one of the most powerful humans in combat," this made Bai Lin, who was rushing to save the world, feel very sensitive. She glanced at Sora and asked,

"Are you serious?"

"I promise, Miss Bai Lin."

Seeing Bai Lin's eyes turned to her, Kong immediately showed a foxy smile, but Bai Lin couldn't get angry at Kong at all. After thinking for a few minutes, she took a breath and said to Yamashita Kanon,

"Alright, I'm not buying this, get up now. I don't know what customs you Sakura people have, but here, being below the knees represents a person's dignity. If you can't even protect your own dignity, what's the point of having a clean and clear life?"

After hearing Bai Lin's words, Yamashita Kanon showed no sign of wavering and replied in a strong voice,

"I can't get up! When asking someone to do something, integrity has nothing to do with etiquette! Please—"

"Alright, alright, I get it. First of all, I promise I won't report you, okay? We can talk about the rest later. You don't think you can get me to do something like this just by bowing, do you? Sit up first and then we'll talk."

Although Bai Lin's thoughts were a bit chaotic, after weighing the pros and cons, her goal was clear. If this guy was truly powerful, as Kong said, then given humanity's current predicament, if Yamashita Kanon were truly executed for the stigma, it would be extremely disadvantageous for both humanity and Bai Lin herself.

Therefore, if Yamashita Kanon was truly innocent, Bai Lin would be happy to make a deal with her. His previous attitude was so hard mainly because Yamashita Kanon's attitude had changed so much, from commanding to kneeling. She really had a very strong character...

Yamashita Kanon's face darkened as she slowly stood up. She swayed a bit, as if she had lost her strength, and then strolled to sit on the other side. Sora pushed the tea in front of the two of them and said with a smile,

"Well, I'll be leaving now. The two little girls have to get along well with each other."

At this moment, Bai Lin felt that she had never deserved such a beating. But Bai Lin couldn't tell right from wrong, so she said nothing and turned her attention back to Yamashita Kanon. She asked,

"First, I need to confirm whether you truly did not follow that order. I hope you can answer honestly. I've clashed with you at the negotiation table before, and you should understand that lying to me when we're alone is pointless."

Chapter 546 I Don’t Need You

In reality, Bai Lin wasn't a lie detector; how could she easily tell if someone was lying? She was merely exerting pressure on the emotionally unstable Yamashita Kanon. Even if her own strength wasn't as great as hers, given her position, she was still likely to intimidate this person.

Yamashita Kanon's eyes were almost motionless. She replied very seriously, gritting her teeth.

"Of course it wasn't my order. I did intend to destroy those things, but definitely not to release them into the water. When I was out on the operation, I already knew that the nature of those things was not as simple as it seemed, so I absolutely, absolutely would not release them into the river!"

Judging from the other party's expression, tone and attitude, she was indeed not lying. Bai Lin believed it a little at first, nodded slightly, and replied,

"So, how do you want me to help you? I'm just an adventurer. Clearing a name isn't my forte. According to what you said, you've been corrupted by the entire Sakura region and a number of forces, right? That's not something I can handle alone."

Yamashita Kanon took a breath, then replied in a calmer tone,

"I don't expect you to help me solve this problem in a short time. If I just want to clear my name and survive, then I can just run into the wilderness alone. Even if there are a lot of monsters and dangers, with my strength, the possibility of survival is still relatively high."

"I was groomed to be Prime Minister from a young age, and I took this position at the age of 15. For me, Prime Minister Sakura is both a responsibility and a pressure, and it is the entire meaning of my existence. Now I am being stabbed in the back by those who once surrounded me and led by me. I don't know what to do anymore. But I know that no matter what, I can't just die like this."

"You're a brave savior, right? Sooner or later, you'll have a say in Camitran. When that happens, you can clear my name and overturn my case. Right now, I just want to live in Camitran. My intuition tells me that if I leave this place, I'll never have a chance to make a comeback."

Bai Lin was a little shocked by the number 15. You know, at her age, she was still acting in passionate campus movies, how could she be filming a political blockbuster like Yamashita Kanon? She took a sip from her teacup. Although she didn't quite understand what Yamashita Kanon meant, Bai Lin roughly understood her request, so she replied,

"I understand what you mean, but to be honest, I don't know when I'll have a say in this city, so I can't guarantee that this will be fruitful. And..."

"I have to get some compensation for doing things for you, right? I can't keep you living here with Sora forever, right? You have to show us some tangible benefits, right?"

How could Bai Lin do something that has no benefits at all? Obviously, the question she raised to this impoverished Prime Minister was very realistic. Yamashita Kanon bit her lower lip and replied,

"I am alone, and all I can do in return is what this body can do. Whether it's killing enemies or generals, or anything else, as long as it's what you want..."

The tone of the second half of Yamashita Kanon's sentence was somewhat strange, but what made it even stranger was that such a girl didn't even blush. Bai Lin quickly stretched out a hand and stopped her.

"Stop, I'm a decent man and I won't accept an indenture. Even if I'm short of military force, I can't take a former Prime Minister like you out on a risky adventure. That would be a huge hassle—"

"Don't worry about that, Bai Lin. As long as they are your friends, I will definitely find a way to settle them down."

Sora's voice, though reassuring and considerate, came from nowhere, yet it inexplicably irritated Bai Lin. She suppressed her complex emotions, closed her eyes, and after a moment's thought, replied,

"Okay, then you can assign her a mission, okay? She'll pay for her food and lodging herself, and I won't charge her any extra money. You can just charge the corresponding risk fee. We've agreed on this, and it will be counted towards her housing issue. We'll discuss the next item later."

"Since all you can offer right now is your physical labor, and I don't need your physical labor to go on adventures with me right now, and I probably won't need it in the future. So, I think..."

Bai Lin turned his gaze towards Yamashita Kanon, and after thinking for a while, he said seriously,

"I hope you can pass on your swordsmanship to me. Is that okay?"

Such a profound skill must be a valuable item in this other world. After all, even magicians need to learn close combat, so it's unlikely that such a skill would be passed down to anyone in a large sect.

Bai Lin, who was worried about where to learn, thought of this. She didn't have much time to learn these things anyway, and it just so happened that she would be helping Yamashita Kanon in the future, so this was a relatively reasonable reward.

Yamashita Kanon frowned and replied,

"Is that all you ask? You don't even want my body, you just want this—"

Yamashita Kanon's words were beyond Bai Lin's expectations. But Bai Lin quickly reacted and replied,

"I've already said I'm a gentleman. This isn't something you can measure your worth with. I absolutely don't need or want a little girl like you. Do you understand? As for you thinking the reward is too little, then, while I'm in Camitlan, you'll be my bodyguard. Is that okay?"

With Bai Lin's strength, does he still need guards in a human city-state like Kamitlan? Although Yamashita Kanon's heart was full of doubts, she nodded and replied,

"If you help me clear my name, we will naturally become partners, and I can be your bodyguard. If you need any guidance from political leaders, I can also..."

"Alright, alright, I've been betrayed by my own people. I don't want to learn from your experience. That's enough."

Bai Lin waved his hands repeatedly, and his contemptuous look naturally made Yamashita Kanon's temper rise again. She clenched her fists and said loudly,

"No matter what you say, it's better than you, an amateur!"

"Okay, now I'll add one more reward: you can't lose your temper with me."

"you……"

Watching Bai Lin fold his arms and speak so coherently, Yamashita Kanon was truly furious. But there was nothing she could do. After all, she was now living under someone else's roof, needing help from others. No matter how unhappy she was, she could only endure it.

Chapter 547 It’s a Dream

Bai Lin looked very pleased with herself, looking at Yamashita Kanon biting her lower lip and staring at her intently, and she looked very happy. She immediately waved her hand and said,

"Alright, that's it. I'm going out tomorrow, so you should get some rest. When I'm back from my work, I'll come and learn swordplay from you. Is that okay?"

"Okay, that's great!"

Yamashita Kanon's tone was quite offensive, and she felt very uncomfortable with the feeling of being unable to vent her anger. Bai Lin, of course, ignored the sulking little girl. She stood up and walked towards the inner room, where she saw Kong again. The hostess of this room also smiled and led her out.

Lying in a room that was familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar, Bai Lin looked at the dim ceiling and couldn't help but fall into a myriad of thoughts.

What she had seen and heard today was truly shocking, and the amount of information she had received was immense. However, what troubled her most were some "doubts."

First, why would Yamashita Kanon come to him for help? Sora was clearly far more powerful than him, holding the final say in such meetings. He was incredibly powerful in every way. But considering what had happened previously, her coming to him for help was probably orchestrated by Sora.

Her acting skills showed no attempt at concealment... What a strange woman. However, helping Yamashita Kanon would definitely benefit Bai Lin. It could only be said that the mysterious woman, Kong, had increased her mystery and trust in Bai Lin.

Secondly, there was that Saint Qili. Where did she come from, and why did she want to kill him? Bai Lin couldn't make up his mind, and dwelling on it was pointless. Although Kong had promised to help him deal with Saint Qili's surprise attack tomorrow and tomorrow, allowing him to take risks without worry, he still had to think of a way to completely kill her.

So, I definitely won't change my already planned trip to the cathedral. I'll definitely have to find my girlfriend tomorrow and ask her about it.

Besides that, Bai Lin was even more troubled by her own strength. She had lost to He in some aspects today, and was completely crushed by Sheng Qili, which made her feel a little confused.

For someone like He who is devoted to martial arts and intoxicated by it both physically and mentally, seeking the truth and making herself stronger is everything to her. It is because of this pure belief that she is so powerful.

For Bai Lin, martial arts were merely tools. This was perhaps why, during duels, she always felt her opponent possessed qualities she lacked. Even if one mastered a single immortal technique for all their skills, someone like He could always grasp something akin to the realm of emptiness and clarity. If He hadn't deliberately helped Bai Lin understand, she would have been beheaded long ago in that sword-and-shield duel.

If I were to encounter an enemy in a real battle, someone like me who only viewed martial arts as an external object would sooner or later be outmatched. They had their own enlightenment and unique characteristics, but I did not.

"Since I can't learn magic, should I become a martial arts fanatic to improve my strength?"

But can I really do that kind of thing?

-

"Hello." A voice calling out rang out.

Although her consciousness was still hazy and her eyesight was dim due to drooping eyelids, Bai Lin still felt that the voice was calling her. She opened her fluffy sleepy eyes, but closed them again and again because of the bright sunlight that was too dazzling.

It was as if she suddenly felt inexplicable pain in her body.

"Hey, how long are you going to lie there? You're not even breathing, and your body's still so stiff, you really look like a real corpse. With a body as frail as yours, maybe the corpses being driven by the corpse-carriers in western Hunan are more energetic than you."

The harsh mocking voice, with a somewhat vicissitudes of life voice and an unusually happy tone, reached Bai Lin's ears. Even though Bai Lin's mind was not clear when she got up, she immediately became angry and opened her eyes.