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

Chapter 179 Commercial Conclusion

Just when Bai Lin was feeling dejected, Kong slowly walked up to her and squatted down. She gently cupped Bai Lin's cheeks with both hands and said,

"Keep your head up. It's not your style to stop when you encounter difficulties."

Sora and Bai Lin had locked eyes for countless times. No matter how many times, Bai Lin felt a strange familiarity with Sora, an instinctive trust in her. "Sora is reliable," Bai Lin thought, "she won't hurt you." Furthermore, her actions were always gentle, her care for Bai Lin in every way, and Bai Lin gradually began to believe that this feeling was not an illusion.

Bai Lin smiled bitterly, "But without any clues, I really don't know what to do."

However, the physical injuries were easy to fix. There was a save point next to her, so all she had to do was go there, record it, and start over. While she'd lose some levels and attributes, it wasn't a big deal.

"You're still overthinking the problem. You guys made such a big commotion last night, there must be some witnesses. It's easy enough to ask them."

After hearing Kong's explanation, Bai Lin felt a sense of clarity about the future. Even if this method wasn't very efficient, it was the only way she could act. "That's true. Maybe it's been so long since I've spoken to strangers that I instinctively overlooked this method."

Thinking of this, Bai Lin stood up and slowly moved towards the moonlit nightshade. Kong also stood up and said, "The exit is not over there."

Bai Lin didn't turn around, but leaned down to the flower and said, "Although my strength may not be very strong, I still have a relatively unique ability in this world."

"Oh, is it related to this flower?" Kong seemed to be interested.

Bai Lin didn't reply for the moment, but after coming into contact with Yuexia Tan, she uttered a questioning "Huh?" After the contact, she only saw the scene she was currently in, and did not see the images of those so-called "sages". She only saw nothingness, endless nothingness.

The abyss that seemed to want to plunge people into it surrounded Bai Lin, gradually fading her consciousness, and even her body seemed to no longer belong to her. So she quickly loosened her hands and stood up.

Fortunately, Bai Lin's instinct told her that she had completed the save with Yuexia Tan. Bai Lin, already somewhat unsteady on her feet, fell backward uncontrollably under this sudden exertion. Fortunately, Kong appeared behind her and supported her.

Instantly, Bai Lin's body felt like it had been electrocuted. She froze for a moment, as if remembering something, but the illusion of memory slowly faded into nothingness. Then, wanting to stand up, she stretched out her legs, and Kong slowly helped her up.

"That flower contains some mysterious power. Does Bai Lin have any feelings about it?" Kong asked after slowly helping Bai Lin up and letting go of his hand.

"Yes. Did Miss Kong plant this flower?" Bai Lin turned around and looked at Kong. It was a bit rude to ask someone a question without looking at them, especially to someone who had saved him once.

Sora's expression seemed to be lost in thought. Bai Lin rarely saw her reflective. In her impression, Sora was either approachable or mysterious. But to be honest, she hadn't known Sora for very long, so this was just a fleeting dream.

"You could say yes, but you could also say no. Anyway, I don't really know the origin of this."

Bai Lin hesitated for a moment, hesitating. Finally, she stretched out a hand towards Kong. Kong was surprised to see Bai Lin's sudden move and smiled slightly. She asked,

"What's this for? It's not a handshake in this situation."

Bai Lin didn't answer, but instead looked at Kong with a sincere gaze. The already beautiful golden lake shone with the light of day, and the brilliant gems reflected the beautiful person standing beside them. She slowly said,

"Can I trust you, Miss?"

Sincerity was like fire, gradually burning away the doubts and impurities in Kong's eyes. She slowly raised her hand, firmly grasped Bai Lin's hand, and said in a tone that was neither bland nor bitter,

"of course."

-

After that, Bai Lin seemed to have recovered from his dementia, feeling somewhat bewildered. It was strange. Why had he asked someone such a vague question? And worst of all, she'd agreed! What should he do now? Should he just believe her, or should he say something selfish?

In short, after Kong smiled and asked, "Would you like to sign a magic contract?" Bai Lin recovered from her daze and quickly waved her hand to refuse, saying that she needed her own equipment. Asking her to sign a contract after saying such strange things was really strange. Besides, Kong and her were on good terms now, so this would be awkward.

"What I'm about to say can probably be considered my secret."

"It seems to be related to this incident, otherwise you wouldn't bring it up now. Then go ahead and tell us. Our firm always maintains confidentiality for its clients."

Bai Lin was stunned again, "Guest? When did I become a guest?"

"One party solves the problem that needs to be solved, and the other party provides corresponding compensation. This is a commission. I pulled you back from the street injured. This is the relationship between us, that of client and client." After hearing Bai Lin's question, Kong replied skillfully with words that seemed to have been prepared long ago. Bai Lin asked in a low voice, not very tactful.

"Then ask quietly, how much do I have to pay?"

He chuckled, "Don't worry, I won't make things difficult for you. I will only provide you with corresponding assistance within your ability. So the specific investigation, combat, and other tasks will be carried out by you alone. I will only accompany you and provide advice."

Bai Lin breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you so much, then. Let me tell you my story. It's actually very simple. As long as I die, I will be resurrected next to the flower I touched most recently."

As he spoke, Bai Lin pointed at Yuexia Tan, but Kong's tone and expression remained calm.

"This is such a big secret. No wonder you kept it from me for so long."

"I'm glad you understand." Bai Lin said this a little embarrassedly, then stood up and pointed the knife at himself, "If you don't mind my blood splattering in this courtyard, I'll operate."

Chapter 180 Phantom Limb Filling

"If you're just trying to recover, then forget it." Sora held out a hand and refused. "No matter how you look at it, I wouldn't mind seeing another corpse in my yard."

As she spoke, Kong pulled out some yellow powder from behind her waist like a magic trick and stood beside Bai Lin. She rubbed her hands together while muttering,

The sky opens a thing, and the son of man receives the blessing of the earth.

Not bearing the name of God, but also on the side of light

The body is not perfect, but the mind remains natural."

As soon as he finished speaking, all the powder in Kong's hand turned into broken light, falling to the ground like snow and disappearing. Bai Lin felt a comfortable coolness on his wound, just like the feeling of ointment touching his skin when he had a bone injury before.

"After my next spell, say 'I will be burned by fire'," Kong said to Bai Lin.

Bai Lin nodded, indicating that she still remembered this sentence. So Kong spread his hands naturally and continued to recite,

"Here, light the bonfire of pain." After saying this, Kong paused for a moment, then glanced at Bai Lin, who replied in due time, "Here, be burned by the fire."

Kong narrowed her eyes slightly and pointed her finger proudly at the sky, at the infinite sunlight. Her body looked particularly dazzling in the light, which made Bai Lin feel that she had the capital to be so arrogant, which was a kind of conviction from the bottom of her heart.

"In the name of blankness, in the name of man, transform the earth into creation."

As soon as these words were spoken, Bai Lin could clearly feel the heat of the light. From the warmth of basking on her rooftop, it rose to an indescribable temperature. But beneath the slight heat, there was only a sense of comfort, a sense of rebirth, and no trace of hostility towards her. She was aware of everything, from the pulsating pulse of her heartbeat to the gentle breeze ruffling her hair. The feeling was subtle, but it could definitely be described as "pleasure."

"Let your light shine freely, man." Sora slowly moved his fingers back, then suddenly, with incredible speed, tapped Bai Lin's body with his fingers. Instantly, the burning sensation was concentrated on his two wounds, gradually spreading from the wounds to his entire limbs.

The dark substance she had seen before took root and sprouted like a seed in Bai Lin's limbs, wrapping around and covering her hands. Bai Lin no longer felt pain, but instead, surprisingly, felt even stronger. She tentatively clenched her fists and shook her limbs. While her strength wasn't significantly greater than before, she could still move freely.

"Although we magicians can't heal, I happen to have some spells that I developed myself that can deal with some special situations." Sora smiled and retracted his fingers, then spread out his hand.

"The treatment is over. Let's settle the bill. Five copper coins."

Bai Lin quickly pulled out five copper coins from his panel, handed them to Kong, and said, "Thank you very much." Although the price was announced after the product was sold, five copper coins was just the right price for a vegetarian dish at the tavern. Kong's action also solved Bai Lin's urgent need. Suicide and loss of level would indeed be a bit of a loss.

"No need to be so formal, just pay for the job." Kong replied calmly, then asked Bai Lin to change into her equipment and get ready for the trip, while he walked towards the Chinese-style altar.

Bai Lin had a one-touch wear function, so of course she was ready in an instant. She walked over to Sora, who was looking at the altar, and asked curiously, "Is this a memorial for Miss Sora's deceased friend?"

Sora nodded. "He's a very courageous man. Some call him the Redeemer, but in a world like that, where an ordinary person shoulders such a heavy burden, there are probably many, like me, who would like to call him a hero."

Bai Lin didn't know what to say for a moment. After all, he didn't know any of Kong's old friends, so he could only casually agree, "Since Miss Kong said so, he must be a good person."

"Yes, he was a good man. It's a pity that he died alone. He couldn't even smoke a cigarette before he died." As he said this, Kong took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and placed it in front of the altar.

It was the first time that Bai Lin saw a box of cigarettes in this world. The outer shell seemed to be a brand she didn't recognize. Although she didn't smoke and didn't know many brands, she didn't ask any questions. Instead, she chose to ask the most important thing at the moment.

"When shall we set off?"

Kong seemed to be lost in thought. He took out a cigarette from his cigarette box, then shook his head slightly as if he had thought of something and put it back. Then he looked at Bai Lin and replied, "Now, there's no time to waste on this."

As he spoke, Bai Lin felt the whole world spinning, and in the blink of an eye, the two of them were standing in the center of the office again.

With complete preparation and a clear goal, the next thing we need is naturally...

Start working hard.

-

"This is the seventeenth store I've asked. Do they all sleep like dead pigs at night?"

Bai Lin walked out of a bakery in frustration, while Kong followed behind her with a kind face, listening to her complaints. After all, she was a stranger asking for information, which inevitably cost her a little money, but her efforts were in vain, which always made people dissatisfied.

"Don't be too impatient. Calm down and think about it. These people's words and expressions actually provide us with enough information. Sometimes, blindly rushing forward will do no good." Kong said this to comfort Bai Lin, who was in a bad mood.

"Didn't they all say they knew nothing? What's there to say?" Bai Lin's face darkened. She leaned against the wall with a weary look, shielding her eyes with her hands. Her mind felt like a tangled mess, and her initial enthusiasm had almost completely worn out.

After sighing, Sora shook his head helplessly, "Knowing nothing is exactly what intelligence is. Maybe it's a coincidence that one person didn't hear it, but how can it still be a coincidence that so many people didn't hear it?"

"I was able to clearly sense what was happening last night and go out to investigate, which means the opponent didn't do any sound blocking. Performing such a spell on such a large city block is quite complicated and unrealistic. But why did so many people not hear it? Calm down and think about it."

Kong's words guided Bai Lin's thinking, like a patient teacher, teaching the way of thinking instead of giving a direct answer. Bai Lin slightly put down his anxiety and put down his fingers. After thinking for a while with a calm mind, he asked,

"Could it be that they have been ordered to keep silent?"

Chapter 181 Noliel Crown Palace

Sora nodded in satisfaction. "So, some things require careful consideration before reaching a conclusion. Being silenced is the most likely reason, and facing someone like you, who's dressed in fierce gear and speaks so harshly. Although some people were panicked, in the end, they still didn't say anything."

"On the one hand, the people who silenced them are indeed powerful, but you are an imminent threat to them. So... they are basically the powerful people who can provide protection to the people, walking in the light."

"A nobleman walking in the light?" Bai Lin seemed to have a slight impression of this... a nobleman? This reminded her of the person she met yesterday when she went out with Andel and Katie.

The noble lady, the so-called noble lady from the Crown Palace, had been staring at Katie for a long time. She was surrounded by a large group of mysterious guards in black, and their intentions seemed unclear. No matter how you looked at it, she was the biggest suspect.

Bai Lin's eyes suddenly became unusually resolute, and she said, "I think I've locked onto the target."

"Then let's set off immediately." Kong Jian Bai Lin said so and answered directly.

The so-called Crown Lord's Mansion was located just two blocks away from the office. While it could be considered centrally located, enjoying such a luxurious residence was, in this world, considered extremely extravagant. The so-called Lords were important officials in this city, and under these circumstances, Bai Lin's impression of them was naturally extremely negative.

Of course, with Kong's reminder, Bai Lin's social skills finally returned to their previous normal state. She was calm now, unusually calm. At the door of the mansion, Bai Lin took a deep breath and completely calmed herself down.

Don't look at people with tinted glasses. Keeping this mindset, she took off her helmet, walked to the guard standing at the door, and asked politely,

"My friend and I have something to discuss with Lord Guanjue inside. Can you let me in?"

The guard glanced at the two of them. Bai Lin was a stranger, new to Camelan, not very well-known. Naturally, the guard thought she was a friendly, powerful woman. Perhaps because Sora wasn't usually around, she didn't recognize her as such a powerful woman.

There's a saying that goes, "When a man sees a beautiful woman, he feels particularly good." The guard, dressed rather warmly, felt particularly good upon seeing two beauties early in the morning.

"May I ask your names? If you have something important to discuss with the Duke, I can let you go."

"My name is Bai Lin, and I have something urgent to do. Her name is..." Bai Lin just turned around and wanted to introduce Kong, but Kong waved his hand.

"I don't need to go in. I'll wait for you at the door."

Bai Lin was slightly surprised, but then remembered that Kong had only offered her limited assistance, so it made sense. After all, Kong was a well-known figure. Even if the guard didn't know him, the other bigwigs inside might not know him. If Kong was backing her up, the situation would be quite different.

So the guard let Bai Lin pass after recording his name.

After entering the door, Bai Lin saw a grand fountain, flanked by flower beds. The simple courtyard, neatly planned, gave Bai Lin the feeling of a Western-style building. In front of Bai Lin was a circular road, and she quickly walked through the courtyard and arrived at the entrance of the inner building.

Inside the building, a middle-aged man in a simple gray coat stood by the entrance. As Bai Lin approached, the yawning man squinted his eyes and smiled, blocking Bai Lin's path with one hand, "Please remove your weapons first."

"Hmm? Fine then, but I'm a girl, you can't make me change clothes here."

It was understandable that important officials would need to remove their armor when they lived there, but Bai Lin was of course very understanding. Although he had to remove his armor, he still had to take as much other things as possible with him.

"Of course not. There's a dressing room over here. Please follow me." The gray-clothed uncle, still smiling, greeted Bai Lin as he walked into the cloakroom beside the door and closed the door for her. Bai Lin sat down easily and changed into the black tight-fitting suit issued by the Knights' Corps, but she didn't tie her hair up.

She looked in the mirror, adjusted her hair, and couldn't help but sigh once again at how beautiful she looked. Because Bai Lin was a lazy dog, and because she also wanted to cover up the limbs that Sora had transformed with magic, she didn't take off the bandage gauntlets in her suit, but walked out directly.

Seeing the armor left inside, the squinting uncle said nothing, but walked towards Bai Lin and headed into the mansion. The mansion was a multi-story structure. The main hall on the first floor, outside the cloakroom, was obviously a reception hall. The spacious space was furnished with sofas and chairs, as well as a coffee table.

"Please wait here. I will go and inform Duke Noliel."

After taking Bai Lin to the sofa, the middle-aged man said this. Bai Lin frowned and said, "Can't we just go see him directly?"

Bai Lin was a little worried. If his appearance was reported to the higher-ups, there might not even be any room for negotiation, and a fight would break out. After all, the other party had attacked him with weapons yesterday.

"Guan Jue is very busy. Please be patient and wait for a moment." The middle-aged man left this message and walked towards the stairs leading to the second floor. Soon, a good-looking maid came out from the side compartment on the first floor. She brought Bai Lin a cup of hot tea, bowed, and left.

It was really nice. The stench of bureaucracy was everywhere. The maids and servants were a far cry from those in Dragon Blood Village. Bai Lin sat on the plush sofa, tea in hand, and stared at the overhead light.

There's a saying that goes, "Poor mountains and bad waters breed unruly people," and in Bai Lin's eyes, that's true. Although there are good people like Ryan in the village, the village chief, who is a reasonable and fair person, can't do anything about those unruly people. It shows that there are no benefits to being poor.

But the extravagance here was another matter. Although I hadn't yet understood the true nature of the powerful figures within, once wealth and splendor formed a class contrast, it was no longer just ordinary wealth and splendor.

The air was filled with the sour smell of corruption. The sudden contrast could only make Bai Lin feel this way. If he had to save the world in such an environment, these bigwigs would definitely play an important role. Then he wouldn't have to "kneel" to fight.

Chapter 182 The Protagonist Appears

But thinking too much was pointless. The main goal now was to get Katie back. Bai Lin had no idea why the other party had kidnapped Katie. Judging from their various actions, it seemed that they were not trying to threaten him or anything. They were probably targeting Katie.

The tentative attack, followed by a spell to stop her movement, showed no intention of killing her. This also meant that they didn't intend to cause too much commotion, so it seemed likely that Katie was still safe.

Just proceed step by step and don't consider taking action until you reach an agreement.

Just as Bai Lin was thinking about these random things, he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Then, the middle-aged man appeared from the stairs. He walked over to Bai Lin and then stood aside. Following him was a man wearing a formal outfit, probably a suit with some fancy accessories.

The man's face was a little fatter than before, but the outline of his once resolute face could still be seen, and his eyes were not very corrupt. Judging from his appearance, he looked like a normal person.

No, if one considers the slight hint of majesty in this harmony, he can probably be considered a qualified person in power.

"I heard you have something to ask me, Madam." The man used the honorific for Bai Lin. Bai Lin couldn't figure out his thoughts, so he just replied normally.

"Yes, Mr. Crown. Strictly speaking, I have something to ask a lady in your house."

Guan Jue raised his eyebrows, "Oh? Can you be more specific? There are quite a few women in my house."