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

Halfway through, the picture stopped at the moment when the huge clay statue smashed its hand down fiercely, and Bai Lin's consciousness returned to normal.

"Bai Lin, Bai Lin?" She came back to her senses and found that Katie was calling her name, with a tone of anxiety, obviously there was something important. So Bai Lin quickly responded,

"What's wrong?"

"There's a group of people coming. Judging from their appearance, they're definitely a group of adventurers. There are five of them in total, two men and three women. They're heading towards us. I'm not sure if they've spotted us."

Bai Lin was a little confused, "Adventurers? They're also human, so wouldn't it be a good thing to meet them? Why are you in such a hurry?"

"How can it be a good thing?" Katie immediately retorted, "We're two weak women. What if they have any bad intentions? I heard that adventurers outside the village are very dangerous. We better be careful."

"You may have some misunderstanding about your own strength... and you are so smart, they definitely can't fool you. Just treat them as villagers." Bai Lin shrugged indifferently. If all adventurers were at Katie's level, she really couldn't understand why humans had fallen to such a state.

However, what Katie said wasn't entirely wrong. Bai Lin had inadvertently assumed that adventurers were warm and reliable people to talk to, completely forgetting that it was common for experienced people to deceive novices. The two of them were both simply equipped and looked young, so a hasty encounter could indeed cause problems. If a fight broke out, and they accidentally attracted the big guy Katie mentioned, that would be a huge problem.

After some thought, Bai Lin assembled his helmet and patted Katie's shoulder. "Don't worry, tell me their location and I'll go meet them. I won't get hurt anyway."

After Bai Lin's consolation, Katie felt that she had made a big deal out of nothing. Although the other party might be stronger than her, this was in a forest full of monsters, and it would not be good for humans to fight each other.

"Shall I go with you?" asked Katie.

Bai Lin shook his head. "You look too young. This will make it more likely that they will try to deceive you. Once I'm sure it's safe, I'll make a gesture and then you can come back."

Bai Lin made an "OK" sign. While Katie didn't understand, she found it easy to remember. After Bai Lin's explanation, she nodded in agreement. Indeed, despite being 18, she looked much the same as she did when she was 16, with a lot of childishness still lingering in her features. While her sleek ponytail and bangs added a touch of heroic spirit, they couldn't hide the inherent cuteness.

And... her chest is also relatively flat, nothing compared to Bai Lin's. Thinking of this, Katie cast her gaze towards the corresponding area under Bai Lin's armor. It was hard to imagine how she managed to fit into this armor without any bulges. Didn't her chest feel stuffy when she moved?

Bai Lin had no idea what Katie was thinking. Seeing her nod, he patted her head and said, "Then I'll go."

"Well, for you, the distance will take about half a minute to meet, so you need to control the distance... maybe run for about ten seconds."

"Got it!" Bai Lin vanished like a gust of wind, leaving behind a cloud of fallen leaves. Soon, she counted to ten seconds. Although they were going to meet, she still wanted to gather some information with her own eyes, perhaps gaining an advantage during negotiations.

So, Bai Lin climbed up a tree and began to wait for the enemy team to arrive. Compared to the harsh wind of the snowy plains, the intermittent breeze in the forest had a sense of continuous vitality. It brushed against the tips of vibrant green leaves and the tips of quietly blooming wildflowers. Under the oppressive shade of the trees, it brought the fragrance of grass and flowers to Bai Lin.

Despite the many inconveniences of the pristine mountains, Bai Lin couldn't help but admire the unique charm of this pure natural environment. Although the sun wasn't visible, the occasional golden rays of sunlight added a touch of romance and poetry. If you lived here for a long time, you'd surely grow to love this kind of scenery.

It's a thought, but in reality, this area is so dangerous that Bai Lin wouldn't live there even if he were beaten to death. Frankly speaking, there are so many beautiful sights on the continent, and most of them are no longer owned by humans. It's really sad to think about this. No wonder the gods would summon humans to save humanity.

But why did they recruit a fw who only knew how to play games at home? Bai Lin was thinking when she suddenly felt a sharp breath coming towards her. When she came to her senses, she had an arrow in her hand, which made her startled.

All kinds of martial arts

It seems this ability can even unconsciously acquire combat awareness. Bai Lin kicked off the branch, leaped high, and landed on the ground in front of her. She raised the arrow in her hand and threw it in the direction of the breath.

Given Bai Lin's arm strength, even though he couldn't use his full strength with a hand throw, if it hit, it would definitely be a powerful blow. Since the other party used arrows to explore the way, it was natural to respond, right?

Chapter 124 Assassinated

A hundred meters away, the archer, who had just shot an arrow, slowly straightened up, holding her bow. Her short brown hair barely obscured her piercing blue eyes. Hidden beneath her light leather armor was a figure brimming with explosive muscle. Her exposed arms were fiercely muscular, and she even had a black tattoo on her right arm.

"You're not mistaken. It's indeed a living organism." A female voice, as strong as her figure, was delivered in a calm tone.

With a leather quiver, a refined alloy bow, and a sturdy build, she looked like a professional archer. Drawing a bow requires considerable arm strength, but traveling light also ensures an archer's mobility. Her professionalism formed a stark contrast with the priest behind her.

The supposedly pure white robe with gold trim was stained with dust. She had blonde hair, blue eyes, and a pretty face. She wielded a long, cross-shaped staff heavily decorated with metal ornaments. The wear and tear on the weapon indicated she wouldn't use it in close combat. She even hid behind the knights in the group, looking completely out of place in this dangerous mountain.

"We shouldn't attack rashly, though. What if it's human?" Her soft, gentle voice questioned the team's archer. Furthermore, she also demonstrated her kindness.

The female archer frowned and was about to say something when a cheerful male voice interrupted, "A normal adventurer wouldn't come to this mountain range alone at a time like this. Either they are very powerful or they don't care about our attacks. Our preliminary judgment is that the other party is a monster. If that's not the case..."

"The assassin has already been dispatched. If the other party is injured, send him for treatment immediately."

The voice belonged, naturally, to the knight. His resolute face, dazzling blond hair, and emerald eyes perfectly suited this forest. Despite his characteristic Asian features, he possessed large eyes and broad, macho cheeks, giving him the image of a true warrior.

His armor was heavily plated with the rare metal gold, with only a small portion revealing the alloy beneath. In fact, his entire armor was inlaid with numerous magic circles to facilitate the use and enhancement of spells. The massive shoulder armor was carved with lions, and a golden crown echoed his sunny smile. The cross on his chest further highlighted his knighthood.

The golden warrior's stature, the large shield behind him, and his bulk, undoubtedly made him the team's protector. The golden light gleaming in the fragmented sunlight also hinted at his role as the team's shining core.

"That's right, you are worthy of being the Son of God." The female archer nodded with satisfaction.

"Haha, we are all part of this team, so no one should question anyone else's role." With just one sentence, the man resolved the small conflict in the team.

Behind him, another team member held a nondescript wooden staff, its top carved with a purple gem. His face, hidden beneath a black robe, gave him the appearance of a quiet and eccentric figure. While his figure was clearly male, he was shorter than the female archer.

While his teammates were exchanging commercial praise with the Cavaliers, he suddenly looked up and shouted,

"careful!"

Suddenly, the entire group was stunned. The black-robed magician gritted his teeth, raising his staff to prepare for action, when a sharp arrow, like a fleeting moment, darted through the jungle, piercing the female archer's light armor and lodging itself in her abdomen. She spat out a mouthful of blood-stained saliva and collapsed into the knight's arms.

"Everyone, alert!" Without hesitation, the knight laid the female archer flat on the ground behind him, took out his own shield and weapon, and stood in front of his teammates. He held the shield in his left hand and the sword in his right, the opposite of Bai Lin. The slender blade was engraved with black patterns, and the hilt was decorated with a sinister sculpture of an angel piercing a demon.

While it looked like a well-made Western longsword, it felt like a pity to use it as a weapon. This weapon, exquisitely crafted to the point of being a work of art, was the only piece of equipment he possessed that wasn't made of gold.

The priest behind him was frantically treating the patient. One of the melee fighters in the team was already dispatched outside, and two of the fighters were currently being dragged down. He did not dare to act rashly and could only start guarding where he was.

-

Bai Lin didn't think she'd done anything extreme. If the opponent had sensed her and was testing her, then returning the favor was simply a way to demonstrate her strength and show her opponent she wasn't a pushover. If she'd really fought back, she might have thrown her dragon spear... though that might have been difficult.

Just as she was debating whether to draw her weapon and confront him, a sharp murderous aura silently emanated from the blind spot behind Bai Lin's left side, causing her nerves to tense. Her intense desire to survive instantly sent Bai Lin into combat mode. If she didn't have time to draw her sword, she would immediately turn around and block the blow with her fist!

When Bai Lin turned around, she saw a pitch-black blade coming towards her quickly. She was very sure that her armor might be torn apart by this attack, so she changed her path from blocking to guiding direction, and at the same time activated the circle.

As Bai Lin watched, a human figure slowly emerged from the forest, evidently using a technique similar to optical camouflage. The figure had long lavender hair, and her clothing was so revealing that her entire midriff was exposed. A small amount of unknown objects, seemingly potions, hung from her slender waist. Though her face was hidden by a veil, she could still vaguely sense she was a beauty.

But Bai Lin's actions would not become slow just because the opponent was a woman. Under the effect of the circle, her hand first reached the opponent's forearm. When the opponent was panicked by the disappearance of her opponent, she immediately bent her waist, exerted force with her legs, and a fierce side kick was instantly launched, kicking the opponent in the abdomen.

The assassin instantly flew outwards, as if falling, swiftly and powerlessly, crashing into a tree with a loud bang. She instantly lost consciousness, her eyes darkening as she fell to the ground.

"Ah, I think I used too much force!" Bai Lin scratched his head sheepishly and quickly ran forward to check on the other person. The assassin's veil had fallen from the impact, and when his full facial features and oval face were revealed, Bai Lin was sure she was indeed a beauty... No, there was bleeding at the corner of her mouth. She had internal injuries! She needed emergency treatment!

Thinking of this, Bai Lin didn't care about anything else. He picked her up and ran towards the enemy camp. She didn't believe that someone would go out on an adventure without a nanny.

Chapter 125 The fight started

Although Bai Lin knew she was very powerful, she didn't expect the assassin to take her kick without even dodging. (Of course, who knows where to dodge when you're already in the circle?)

In the jungle, Bai Lin, carrying someone, stopped his reckless rush and ran more steadily, avoiding overgrown areas whenever possible. Excessive vibrations could cause secondary damage to his internal organs. The assassin in his arms kept his eyes tightly closed in agony, showing no sign of waking. It seemed he was seriously injured.

Not long after running, Bai Lin stood still. Although she didn't see a figure in front of her, her intuition told her that she had reached the destination. So she lowered her voice and shouted as loudly as possible, "Come out!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the leaves above his head began to fall in large numbers as the branches swayed. Bai Lin subconsciously looked up and saw a muscular woman, gritting her teeth, falling from the air with a short knife in her hand. Bai Lin, who was holding the person, could not move his hands and quickly dodged in the opposite direction.

Bai Lin dodged twice, blocking a kick with her leg, and was about to strike back when a sense of foreboding suddenly washed over her. The ground rumbled, and numerous branches quickly wrapped around Bai Lin's hands. The immense force forced her to loosen her grip on the assassin, who fell carelessly to the ground.

The mud beneath her feet also entangled Bai Lin's feet. At this moment of being trapped, Bai Lin felt a serious sense of crisis from behind. She ignored the archer's dagger attack and forcibly tore through the branches and twisted her body backward. The knight, holding a gleaming longsword high, attacked Bai Lin. Although she knew nothing about magic, she could still recognize that it was holy magic.

Although she was not an undead, it would definitely be uncomfortable to be hit by the explosion of that magic sword or to be blinded by it. She still remembered the feeling of being blinded by Katie's flash, and she didn't want to experience it again.

Bai Lin lowered his body slightly and spread his hands. The other party was a tall guy, and although he was wearing a helmet at this time, but...

Can a helmet really provide shock absorption? Bai Lin exerted force from his waist, freeing his feet from the rock. He had used all his strength to break free, and at this short distance, it was difficult to generate a second burst of force to counter the blow. The knight beneath the helmet sneered secretly and brought his sword down fiercely.

Bai Lin, naturally, also laughed at his opponent's foolishness. At this distance, the longsword and mandarin shield should prioritize shield protection. A forward thrust takes advantage of the opponent's range, as they are charging forward, making it difficult to dodge. Even if they retreat, they will be flanked by their allies. A downward strike not only provides more reaction time, but also leaves the lower body wide open, creating a real opportunity.

Furthermore, the opponent, wielding a longsword, had come so close. Before the sword could even touch his body, Bai Lin's hands had already grasped the opponent's waist. A second burst of force? That wasn't necessary. The powerful impact knocked the opponent's knight to the ground, and the violent concussion was transmitted to the knight's brain.

Close combat is all about racing against time. While the opponent was still momentarily dazed, Bai Lin had already completed his riding stance. Using joint techniques on the opponent, who was fully armored, was clearly irrational. Therefore, using a punch to the face was the most reasonable option in this situation.

Bai Lin took a deep breath and launched into a relentless barrage of blows, raining down a torrential barrage on his opponent's helmet. Blunt weapons were always the best option against heavy armor, but each of Bai Lin's powerful punches was more than a warhammer could muster.

After a few more blows, the knight, who had been tightly gripping his weapon, finally let go of his grip, hands limply spread out. Bai Lin didn't hesitate to fight. She immediately pushed her hands together and flipped forward, dodging the dagger from behind. As she rolled back to her feet, she exerted force from her waist, grasping the knight's head with both hands and lifting him up, throwing him whole. Numerous branches were shattered by the knight's flying body, and eventually landed somewhere unknown in the forest.

Despite not feeling the ache of her lumbar strain so vividly for a long time, Bai Lin turned around without hesitation. Activating her circle, she once again moved to the side and, from a blind spot, unleashed a side hook, striking the opponent's jaw hard and sending them flying. The female archer instantly lost consciousness and flew into the brush to the side.

At this moment, a series of magic circles appeared on the ground, and a large amount of rock and soil turned into mud and flowed towards a center. Bai Lin easily jumped and climbed onto a tree nearby, and said casually,

"You are so cruel to your companions."

There are two people lying on the ground right here. They can even use AoE spells. Just as she was thinking this, the tree she was clinging to began to rise madly from the ground. Simultaneously, a similar tree on the other side arched up. The two trees gradually twisted and merged together. The two treetops collided, forming a fairly spacious natural arena.

Is this a one-on-one duel? Seeing the other man's short stature, Bai Lin didn't dare to underestimate him. After all, she had been badly beaten by the shorter guy. Seeing that the other man was holding a staff, she immediately launched an offensive.

Perhaps the mage will set a trap for you, but if you don't step on it, it won't just disappear. Only by dispelling it as swiftly as possible can you prevent the opponent from chanting for a while longer. Seeing Bai Lin attacking like a hungry tiger, the opponent thrust the magic circle into the ground, revealing his hands hidden beneath his black robe. They were a pair of fairly strong arms, wrapped in bandages and gauntlets, giving the impression of a martial artist.

Bai Lin attacked first, stabbing with his left hand followed by a probing swing. The opponent dodged and immediately reached for his joints with both hands. Bai Lin was surprised by the viciousness of the opponent's tactics and retreated while lowering his body. The opponent's hands followed closely, but he accidentally fell into Bai Lin's trap.

I lowered my body and gathered strength in my legs. How can you resist me when you can't even press? Bai Lin thrust his arms sideways in a feint, simultaneously unleashing a powerful kick from his legs. The opponent, clearly realizing his mistake, distanced himself before also delivering a powerful kick. Though a latecomer, he wasn't much slower than Bai Lin.

A purple magic shield appeared on his legs, but it shattered in an instant, and the sound of bones breaking was also heard. It was obvious that Bai Lin's strength was still superior.

Chapter 126 Embarrassment

The black-robed mage's leg injury had thrown him slightly off balance. Luckily, he had some experience in close combat, so he pulled his injured leg back as best he could and held his hands in a blocking position, preempting Bai Lin's pursuit. Simultaneously, his eyes, hidden beneath his cloak, glowed purple, and the purple shield covering his entire body radiated outward like sunlight, slightly blocking Bai Lin's punch before condensing into five flaming, unstable purple energy masses behind the mage.

Energy blocks swirled around him from all directions, rushing towards Bai Lin's limbs, trying to limit her attacks. The energy blocks seemed to have strong adhesion, leaving a large amount of purple light on the tree trunks under his feet, and even a faint trace of it in the air.

When Bai Lin saw this spell, she finally realized she'd been a bit too complacent. While it would cost her the best time to attack, she should have used some of that time to switch weapons. Without the ability to cast her shield, Bai Lin could only do her utmost to dodge, but the bullets seemed to be tracking her.

Helplessly, Bai Lin raised her hands to block the attack aimed at her head. The concussive force of the first missile shattered her double armor, and a severe stinging pain, as if deep in her bones, seized her hands, rendering her unable to defend herself immediately. The second energy bullet hit the top of her helmet firmly.

When the softball-sized energy bomb hit her helmet, Bai Lin felt the whole world become hazy, her mind went blank, and her body fell backward with the forward impact, falling off the tree trunk. Fortunately, the remaining energy bombs also flew far away due to the abrupt turn and exploded in the air.

A moment after falling off the tree trunk, Bai Lin finally reacted. She endured the slowly fading stinging pain, gripped the dent in the bark with her fingers, and with a sudden push, jumped back onto the stage. As she stood back on the stage, she saw this scene:

A vast amount of violet-black light, as fine as grains, spiraled around and converged on the amethyst-studded staff. The staff was planted on the ground in front of the black-robed wizard. He opened his palms, palms facing inward. The wizard's black robes fluttered with the oscillations of energy, revealing his short reddish-brown hair and azure eyes. He looked young, but a low, ancient incantation emanated from his lips.

Purple-black particles mercilessly distorted the atmosphere, devouring everything like the maw of an abyss. The life force roaming through nature gradually vanished, bit by bit becoming food for the magic circle behind the young man. The circular magic circle, as big as a millstone, suddenly glowed brightly with purple light, causing the vortex formed by the particles to dissipate like a shattered mirror, and it seemed that the spell was about to be unleashed.

Of course Bai Lin would not just stand there. After considering the distance and the other party's behavior, she chose to take out her weapon first.

As everyone knows, adventurers generally fight monsters, so Bai Lin judged that their understanding of human combat techniques was incomplete, which led to their aggressive attack. Her ground and throwing techniques proved highly effective, a benefit she had gained from her time traveling through time as a modern person. However, magic was a different matter for her.

She had no idea how long the opponent's chant would last, or whether she had time to stop it, so Bai Lin could only adopt the most conservative approach, which was to increase her own defense. However, the kick she had previously sent the female assassin flying had saved her some energy... and because of this, Bai Lin had the strength to fight the opponent's spell.

Seeing the vast purple magic circle's light gradually transform into five incredibly thick purple rays bursting towards him, Bai Lin hid his sword blade against his shield and rushed towards the vast light without fear. He lowered his body, lowered his shoulders, twisted his waist, and then slashed out with a single hand, merging with the light. The two destructive energies collided, naturally generating waves of heat, and the magnificent flames also enveloped the brave man.

Although he had lost his target, the mage didn't think Bai Lin would die, so he immediately began to prepare his next spell. But to his surprise, Bai Lin, with a resolute look in his eyes, directly emerged from the heat with his shield raised, like a fearless warrior.

Even though her armor was cracked and shattered as she advanced, and even parts of her skin bore horrific burn marks, Bai Lin remained steadfast in his grip on the blade. The flaming blade and Bai Lin's somewhat terrifying appearance caused him to lose consciousness for a moment, until Bai Lin's fierce slash reached him, and then he remembered to defend himself.

The mage raised his staff and hurriedly gathered his magic power, but was ruthlessly shattered by Bai Lin. The remaining force, which the shield couldn't withstand, naturally acted on the mage. His staff broke horizontally in two, and after a muffled groan, it fell freely down the tree trunk and crashed straight into the ground.

After finishing, Bai Lin took a few deep breaths and slid down the tree trunk, just in time to catch the priest who was treating his teammates. Obviously, after she saw the mage fall heavily, her face was full of shock, and she even trembled with fear.

Noticing Bai Lin had fallen to the ground, she trembled and slowly turned back to find Bai Lin with scorched hair, his armor slowly repairing, and his body covered in wounds. Bai Lin raised her sword against the priest, who was so frightened that he immediately let go of the cross staff and raised his hands in surrender.

"Really... Have you had enough fighting?" Bai Lin attached the shield on his right hand to the wrist of his armor and vowed to remember to put on the shield before going out in the future.

I came here to ask them to save their teammates, but accidentally... it seems that I almost seriously injured their entire team.

Damn it, they were the ones who started it. Bai Lin rolled his eyes, raised his sword, and spat out three words in a cold voice, "Heal me."

"Huh?" The somewhat confused female priest was stunned for a moment after hearing Bai Lin's words, as if she hadn't heard clearly. Just as Bai Lin was about to repeat herself impatiently, she suddenly felt a sound behind her, and a strong wind hit her right and rear. Bai Lin quickly turned and used her shield to block the opponent, discovering that it was a knight in their team.

The long sword radiated a divine light, rubbing against Bai Lin's shield and producing intense sparks. Bai Lin felt a bit tired, so he used his other hand to support the shield.

This guy is really strong!

Chapter 127 Old Friend

Using both hands, Bai Lin easily deflected the opponent's attack, and while he was swaying backward, she delivered a shield counter, slamming hard into his sword. However, the opponent's mandarin duck shield also hit her head. Obviously, the larger shield looked much more intimidating than the small round shield in Bai Lin's hand, so she had to change her attack route, using the shield collision to jump back and create distance.

Obviously, the knight did not have much combat experience. When the long sword was competing with his shield, he had enough time to hit his body with the shield. Even if the impact of the shield was not strong enough to knock Bai Lin's center of gravity off track, it could still make her body numb.

Then there's the matter of attack direction. If the opponent's shield hits his torso, Bai Lin might not even have enough time to react and change the trajectory of the attack. Aiming for the head would instead land right where Bai Lin intended to strike.

Although I don't know much about holy magic, at least I still have an advantage in weapon combat!

Bai Lin held a shield in her right hand and a sword in her left. For her, protecting her teammates was more important than her own damage output, which is why she developed this habit. The opponent's sword and shield wielding method was the opposite of hers. Excluding the fact that his dominant hand was left-handed, it was clear that he was still very young and energetic.

After making his judgment, Bai Lin felt a little awkward, but he still put the sword in his left hand back to his right waist, tightly pressing it against the shield. Against such a person, words alone would definitely not be enough to end the battle.

The knight, upon seeing Bai Lin's strange stance, remained in his original charging stance, shield raised and sword across. A knight should have two attack options: thrust and shield strike, but the experienced white-haired knight quietly shifted his body, positioning himself to the side of the opponent. This way, if he thrust, Bai Lin would have enough time to detect the raised hand and counterattack.

In the blink of an eye, the knight was in front of Bai Lin, his right hand showing no sign of rising. Bai Lin immediately determined he was about to strike first with his shield. She twisted her wrist, facing the back of her blade. Blazing flames streamed from the shield like liquid. The sudden rise in temperature brought with it a fiery, elusive, yet fierce attack.

看破

Bai Lin successfully saw through the move and dodged the shield attack while the opponent was distracted. The back of Bai Lin's sword fiercely locked the opponent's throat from the gap on the side. Before the knight could fight back with his sword, he directly knocked the knight to the ground, then turned the blade and stopped it on his neck.

"That's enough." Bai Lin said this, she was too lazy to cover up her voice.

"Hmm? So you're human, not a monster?"

"I... forget it. I know I don't look like a human being now." Bai Lin spread her hands helplessly. The armor on her body that was healing naturally looked as if it was connected to her injured skin.

"But doesn't the half of my face that's exposed look like a human?" Bai Lin pointed at her own face with some persistence. She is obviously a beautiful girl, shouldn't she have the privilege of being easily recognizable?

The other party said in an awkward tone, "Looking at your armor, I thought it was some kind of cannibal armor. What's more, you attacked my companions indiscriminately..."

"Weren't you the first to strike? You shot me with an arrow, then sent someone to stab me in the back. Luckily, I was more skilled than you."

"Uh... let's not talk about that for now. Since we're all human, just let me up. Angelo, treat her."

The priest, already somewhat stunned, was suddenly called out. He sat there dazed for a moment before reacting and starting to cast a healing spell on Bai Lin. Only then did Bai Lin choose to raise his weapon, swung a sword flower to show off, and released the tempered long blade mode.