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

"A middle-aged lady with blond hair and blue eyes, probably around your age. I saw her at the door of your mansion yesterday. Do you have any impression of her?"

Bai Lin merely described the man's general appearance, as requested, and also created a "chance encounter" scenario to mask a slight hint of hostility. If she had directly stated her purpose, there was a possibility of a direct confrontation, so she chose the safer option.

Guan Jue pondered for a moment, then took the cup of hot tea handed to him by the maid beside him. After taking a sip, he slowly said,

"You're probably talking about my wife. What are you looking for her for?"

Bai Lin smiled slightly, first putting on a kind face to buy time, then after a split second of thought, he found a more appropriate excuse.

"She seems to have a deep connection with my friend. When they met yesterday, they acted like they had met too late."

"Oh? Then why didn't your friend come to see her?" Guan Jue asked with some interest, and his tone became more relaxed, which showed that the magic of a beautiful woman's smile was extraordinary. Bai Lin had of course come up with a suitable reason and said,

"My friend is from the village, living in poverty. She just came to the city a few days ago. She's already struggling to make ends meet. I feel bad for her and want to help her find a solution."

Guan Jue narrowed his eyes slightly. Bai Lin's few words contained quite a lot of information. As the saying goes, a lie should be 70% true and 30% false. That's the most appropriate lie. If the lie can be exposed immediately, then the lie is a failure.

After weighing the pros and cons, the Duke said, "So, what exactly is your identity? Since you're trying to find a way out for your friend, I doubt you'll decide on my wife based on just one encounter."

Although Guan Jue wasn't entirely clear about the specific conditions of the villages outside the city, he did know that other human settlements outside of the city were dangerous and barren. Therefore, Bai Lin's story was plausible, but she needed to understand who this talkative woman was. If she was as unassuming as the friend she claimed to be, that would be suspicious.

"I am not talented, but a Holy Light Knight of the Sky Oath Knights." As he said this, Bai Lin produced a badge from his hand and waved it in front of Guan Jue. Guan Jue took the badge, looked at it carefully, and nodded with satisfaction.

"So it's you, Lord Knight. I feel relieved now. After all, ever since the incident with the renowned assassin Sifa, the Knights Templar's controls have become increasingly strict."

Xifa, the assassin, who knew he was a knight before? Bai Lin did not doubt it, but still agreed.

"Yes, that matter is not trivial. I heard about it from the seniors in the group."

"So, Miss Knight, when did you achieve such a title? I've been to the Knights of the Sky, but you're a stranger to me."

Guan Jue made some meaningful attempts, but Bai Lin replied calmly, "I just recently became a Holy Light Knight. I've never met him before. Isn't today a good opportunity to meet Mr. Guan Jue?"

Seeing Bai Lin's clever answer, Guan Jue burst into laughter, as if he was very satisfied with Bai Lin's answer. He turned to look at the servants on both sides, pointed at Bai Lin and said,

"See? He's talented even at a young age." Then, he handed the badge with a swollen hand back to Bai Lin, waved his hand, and said to the people behind him, "Call the lady down."

After receiving his promise, the gray-clad man returned to his seat, while Guan Jue engaged in a casual conversation with Bai Lin. Throughout their conversation, Guan Jue's tone shifted to a more humorous tone. Perhaps due to his experience with the ways of the world, or perhaps the composure of a superior, Guan Jue and Bai Lin enjoyed a lively conversation.

Of course, Bai Lin wasn't so happy. She knew full well that once the so-called Lady Crown arrived, she would instantly recognize her. The free time she had now couldn't really be used to rest.

A moment later, the middle-aged man in gray came downstairs again and stood aside in his familiar manner. The person who walked out from behind him was, of course, the noble lady. As the noble lady glanced over from afar, a slight look of horror appeared on her face. Bai Lin saw it all.

Bai Lin's eyes met the lady's, and he narrowed his eyes and smiled warmly. The Duke also noticed his wife's arrival and turned his head away for a moment, not paying much attention to Bai Lin. The lady walked over slowly and calmly, sitting on the sofa to the side. She had never shown much panic, but it had disappeared. As people get older, their minds always become sharper.

"Hello, Madam Noliel!" Bai Lin greeted the lady warmly.

"Well, hello. I heard you have something to talk to me about?" The Duchess replied with a kind expression.

Chapter 183: Temptation and Conflict

"I have a companion, a girl with blond hair and dark eyes, about seventeen or eighteen years old. You stared at her for a long time yesterday. Do you have any impression of her?"

Bai Lin got straight to the point. Everything she said was true, and someone of her status wouldn't dare lie too blatantly, as that would only reveal a weakness. Bai Lin's goal wasn't to deliver a fatal blow, but to close the gap.

The lady seemed to think for a moment, then said to Bai Lin, "I do have some impression. What happened to her?"

Did he have some impression? You know, there's always a subtle difference in expression between concealed contemplation and genuine thought, and Bai Lin had accidentally caught that tiny detail.

Why lie about having an impression? They stared at each other for so long, excluding the possibility that she had no impression at all, the result was that she had a very deep impression of Katie. This made Bai Lin even more convinced that the lady had an inseparable connection with this matter.

She laughed dryly twice, which was a bit sarcastic, but it only lowered the atmosphere a degree. Guan Jue did not express it too obviously. She slowly opened her mouth and said again,

"Just last night, she and I were attacked in a hotel. The enemy was very strong and their actions were well-trained, like a group prepared in advance."

As he spoke, Bai Lin slowly stood up and slowly took off the bandage on his arm, revealing the injury that was repaired by Kong but still clearly visible from the outside.

"I was also injured due to the opponent's magical attack."

The moment Lady Crown saw the wound, she gasped. Crown and the people around her also looked a little surprised. It wasn't a big deal; it was understandable that someone would be surprised by the sudden appearance of the wound.

Of course, Bai Lin had already anticipated that this level of psychological damage would not force the other party to reveal his true intentions. So she slowly said,

"Now, I am still looking for her whereabouts."

These words brought everyone back from their shock. Although Lady Crown hadn't said anything yet, Crown had already made some unnoticed gestures. He leaned forward and said slowly,

"Ms. Bai Lin, didn't we agree to find a way out for your companions? Why are we discussing this?"

Guan Jue's eyes were almost narrowed into slits, and he also revealed a little bit of his hostility, as if he wanted to put pressure on Bai Lin. But this little bit of pressure was impossible to affect Bai Lin, so she responded easily.

"Yes, that being said, things don't always go as planned, so I hope your wife can give me a direct answer. Do you know something? This will also help me come up with an answer, so that I can find the truth. What do you think, Mrs. Noliel?"

The Lady of the Crown, as the name literally means, is the wife of the Crown Lord, and she would not simply be defeated in front of Bai Lin, so although she was biting the bullet, she also replied in a rather relaxed tone,

"I have absolutely no idea, Miss Bai Lin. I have no idea what you're talking about. If your companion disappeared, and you simply concluded it was related to me just because we met, that would be too hasty."

Bai Lin smiled slightly and replied, "I didn't say that, Madam Noliel. I just wanted to ask if you have any clues. If not, then I can't say anything."

This is terrible, this smell of gunpowder. Even if Bai Lin was slow to react, she had already sensed the tension in the air. She didn't want to start a fight, but she couldn't think of a better way to test the Duchess.

There was no method more effective than direct questioning. She had come here believing the Duchess was the culprit. As long as she could seduce the main person, Bai Lin wouldn't have to pretend to be a gentleman.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand what you're saying. Please go back," the Crown Lady said calmly, the words that were on the tip of his tongue being suppressed. It seemed that the Crown Lady's response was already quite adequate, and he didn't feel comfortable adding anything.

"If there is nothing else, please go back first, Miss Bai Lin." The Duchess directly ordered her to leave.

The cold words slapped Bai Lin's cheek directly, but would Bai Lin retreat because of this? The answer, of course, was no. Bai Lin had already stood up, her will was as firm as thousands of men standing up, she replied directly,

"Madam Crown, please give me a direct explanation of the truth. Otherwise, even if I return, I'm sure you will..."

Bai Lin glared fiercely at Lady Guan, his eyes filled with the most ferocious fury, his every word pronounced with a fierceness that seemed to have emerged from hell. His expression, as if plunging from the depths of hell, also permeated every inch of Lady Guan with an icy chill. To describe her as "falling into an icy abode" wouldn't be an exaggeration.

Of course, this atmosphere wasn't just felt by Lady Crown; the people around her also felt it deeply. Seeing Lady Crown's dazed expression, the servants, led by the middle-aged man in gray, all stepped forward, seeming to warn Bai Lin.

Although she was already on guard, Bai Lin had no intention of relenting. Although she had identified Lady Guan Jue, she still lacked conclusive evidence, so she would not take action for the time being. Just as Lady Guan Jue was about to say something, the smell of food suddenly wafted into the first-floor hall.

Then, the middle-aged man in gray whispered a few words into Guan Jue's ear before disappearing from view, and the fragrance abruptly ceased. The only person in the room who fully realized what the fragrance was about was, of course—

Our protagonist, Bai Lin.

Bai Lin clenched her fists, her body trembling uncontrollably. This was the smell she was most familiar with, and it was also the root cause of her trembling. She had no idea why this smell was wafting out, but she knew without thinking that it meant she could take action.

Because, that is the smell of roasted buns.

Bai Lin, with a gloomy face, walked straight around the coffee table and headed towards the stairs, while Guan Jue turned around and shouted, "Wait!" Then the middle-aged man in gray also blocked Bai Lin's way.

The man with narrowed eyes had the cunning aura of an old fox. The smell of roasted yellow buns also stopped abruptly with his appearance. Bai Lin also tightened his muscles and asked softly,

"Why are you blocking me, sir?"

Chapter 184 The Battle of the Gray-Cloaked Men

The middle-aged man didn't answer, but his arm remained across Bai Lin's face. He stood there calmly, like a mountain blocking her way. Her subconscious told her that if Bai Lin took another step forward, the other man would instantly leap up.

Of course, Bai Lin didn't choose to go straight ahead. She had already obtained the most crucial information, the final piece of the puzzle that all the information constituted, which pried open all of Bai Lin's suspicions. She relaxed her shoulders slightly and walked back behind the coffee table, staring at the man in gray at the same time, her lips moving slightly.

"I ask again, Lady Crown, do you have any idea about my companion? If you give me a negative answer, I will be very distressed."

Bai Lin's meaning was simple: since I've already identified you, there's no point in saying anything more. The only solution for both parties to resolve the situation properly is to admit the facts and explain the specific reasons for their actions. Otherwise, there's no room for negotiation; it's time for a fight.

The lady still kept her panicked expression gloomy and said in the calmest possible tone,

"I'm sorry, I have no idea what you're talking about..."

Before he could finish the last sentence, Bai Lin was already moving. As everyone knows, a straight line is the shortest distance between two points. So, instead of using the wall behind him for leverage, Bai Lin placed his foot on the wooden coffee table. The seemingly sturdy table shattered instantly. Bai Lin's goal was simple: before the other party could react, he could go upstairs and investigate the situation.

However, even though many people were unable to see Bai Lin's whereabouts, the middle-aged man in gray still blocked Bai Lin's way before he landed. His eyes, which had been narrowed, opened wide, and a sharp light flashed out from them.

The sword thrust forward, intending to use its sharp edge to block Bai Lin's path. Bai Lin immediately stomped the ground, halting his charge, leaving a deep dent in the earth. The man raised his fist, and the terrifying sound of a fist breaking through the air resounded through the air. Of course, Bai Lin felt this blow even more deeply, as an overwhelming pressure emanated from the wind of the fist. The power of this punch was in no way inferior to that of the assassin known as Xifa, meaning that Bai Lin was once again surpassed in speed and strength.

However, Bai Lin also learned a lot from that battle where he was much weaker than his opponent. Since he was not as strong as his opponent, he could only take advantage of the moment when his opponent was careless in battle and counterattack with all his strength to completely overwhelm him.

But how could a qualified fighter so easily reveal his flaws? The answer was obvious: this so-called oversight required the weaker party to create it through their own experience. Bai Lin took a step forward, suddenly slipping around the man's side as if nothing had happened. Her ribs brushed against the man's fist, still causing intense pain. It's easy to imagine what would have happened to Bai Lin if she had been hit by that punch.

But if you can't hit, no matter how powerful the attack is, it's meaningless. Bai Lin's hand tightened, but the man's gaze still didn't move to her. All of this stemmed from a technique she learned from another powerful person: the secret technique of circle.

The circle technique is a technique with a lower success rate when used against those stronger than oneself. This so-called strength doesn't refer to pure physical strength, but rather to martial arts, particularly close combat proficiency. Therefore, she was able to use it easily against Chronostia, but seemed somewhat overwhelmed against Xifa.

But how could Bai Lin dare to use this spell so boldly when she had just met the man? She had just stared at the middle-aged man for a long time. It couldn't be that she was looking at a handsome guy. Bai Lin naturally observed some important information.

"What beautiful hands! As clean as a woman's." Bai Lin thought to himself. Although he borrowed someone else's words, it was still true. It was impossible for a martial artist's hands to be so clean that they were not even a callus or a scar.

Although Bai Lin has no hands because he can be resurrected)

In short, her bold judgment was very successful, and the little tricks she performed in the locker room at this time were also going to shine. The man just reacted and turned to attack Bai Lin, but Bai Lin had already produced a cold and gleaming steel knife in his hand and chopped it down at the man's head. The man had no choice but to switch from offense to defense and raised his hand to protect him.

The steel knife landed heavily on the old man's raised arm, making a buzzing sound like a bell, and the sharp edge could not advance even an inch.

Bai Lin didn't dwell on the steel blade's inability to penetrate flesh. Combat was about the outcome, not the process. Failure to penetrate? Failure to penetrate the defense? That wasn't something she needed to worry about. She lowered herself slightly, swinging her shield in her right hand, striking the man in the stomach. The man fell into Bai Lin's rhythm.

Shields have never been solely for defense. Their broad, iron shields are perfectly suited for limiting the range of attack.

While the man's strength was superior to Bai Lin's, it was only slightly greater, so his hand was completely blocked by Bai Lin's shield. It was like arm wrestling; it appeared to be a game of endurance and strength, but in reality, it was primarily based on a moment's explosive power. There was power during acceleration, but there was no reason why it would be less than zero-distance power.

Therefore, under Bai Lin's pressure, the man had no way to directly break through Bai Lin's shield, and could only attack with the sword. But as soon as he tried to break through, Bai Lin's blade swung and pierced the man's face. The man had no time to swing his fist again, and could only step back, completely out of Bai Lin's attack range.

"Retreat, that's what I meant!" Bai Lin couldn't help but let out a sinister smile. Shield strike, weaponry—Bai Lin had already mastered the elements of victory. Like flowing water, Bai Lin sheathed both blade and shield to his waist, his eyes fixed fiercely on the man's lower body, which was still slightly exposed due to his movements.

Even Katie could triumph over the stronger with the weak, so I couldn't afford to make a mistake at this crucial moment. A stream of crimson light instantly ignited the heat of the hall, bringing the atmosphere to a new climax. Bai Lin tensed his muscles, exerting all his strength to release the flame in his hand.

Just before the flames were about to engulf her sight, the man suddenly made a gesture that she could not understand, but this did not affect the attack that Bai Lin was about to launch.

Chapter 185: Hundred Blades in Chaos

The flaming blade brought about by the energy release outlined a heat wave that was enough to devour the opponent, but under Bai Lin's precise control, it did not affect other people, leaving only a gorgeous flame curtain in front of his eyes.

Seeing this, Bai Lin slightly sheathed her knife with satisfaction. Her goal wasn't to kill the other party, but to find Katie. She just wanted to hold her back, leaving her no energy to pursue her. She was about to continue in her intended direction when she saw a strange scene.

The incredible thing just happened.

Just like the special effects of splitting the waves in various science fiction works, the already formed flame curtain was instantly cut into a smooth incision, and the flames, having lost their fulcrum and strength, drifted freely to both sides.

The man who had caused the incision stood proudly, his long-dormant edge finally blossoming at this moment. He stepped out of the sea of ​​fire, not using his own strength to break through the ground like Bai Lin, but instead remained calm.

The man placed one hand on his leg, and a Western longsword emitting a light green light appeared in his hand. Unlike the light of Cres's resurgence, this sharpness was more like the severing wind of the dragon Askatif, but while it was sharper, it also seemed more stable.

This also means that his control and understanding of this power has even surpassed that of dragons. Bai Lin frowned slightly. She was able to defeat those dragons purely because of the dragon spear, which allowed her to fight them freely. Although she was more familiar with fighting humans, but -

The man standing in front of her had a ferocious beast sleeping in his body, and her attack had already lured the beast out.

Elegant, indifferent, and with an air of arrogance that didn't take Bai Lin seriously. The man tugged at his collar with his free hand, a mysterious smile on his lips, as relaxed as the situation he faced. Bai Lin didn't take advantage of his gaze to continue running, because she had already realized that if she didn't kill this man, she wouldn't have any chance of moving.

Bai Lin's retreat had already been blocked by a large number of other black-clad guards, but they showed no sign of attacking him, appearing completely relaxed. This only served to demonstrate the man's strength. As soon as he struck, the others had already secured his victory.

This looks tricky. Bai Lin flicked her knife slightly, glancing at the other guards around her. Yes, even though it was dark last night, she could still recognize the distinctive pattern of those black clothes. It was these people who had abducted Katie. But at this point, the question was no longer simply right or wrong, but winning.

Next, of course, I have to fight with the premise of killing the opponent, otherwise, I will be the only one who loses.

"What's wrong? Don't you want to continue, Miss Bai Lin? By the way, according to the rules of our family, if you bring weapons into the house without permission, you will pay with your life."

"Wait, don't kill him." The Lady of the Crown suddenly said, and the man frowned and gave a brief affirmative answer.

The gray-clothed man's calm tone revealed a threat. Bai Lin sneered, "Tsk!"

"My life? Then you try it. It was probably you who attacked me last night. Don't think that just because you're hiding something, I won't be hiding anything."

The risk of attempting to awaken the Dragon Lance now was too great. Given the disappearance of the scent and Katie's lack of spell support, she was likely unable to protect herself. If Bai Lin blew up the mansion, it would only have a negative effect, and activating the Dragon Lance wouldn't necessarily succeed.

So the answer, of course, is to use the sword in your hand to gain the chance of victory.

Bai Lin wasn't sure what the other party's spell consisted of, but he could discern a slight complexity. It was definitely more than a simple magic sword. When did he finish the incantation? Could it be that the humming noise he created while fighting him gave him an opening to cast the spell? What a formidable opponent.

Not only was her speed and strength suppressed, but even her magic was completely controlled. To be honest, Bai Lin's fighting spirit was a little frustrated, but this was a fight for Katie, how could she back down?

The explosive stride naturally caused the earth to crack. The ground shattered, and the rumble of shattering rocks echoed immediately. Bai Lin moved. As everyone knows, magicians are good at ranged attacks, so it was natural for her to close the distance. Even if the opponent was strong in close combat, she still had to close the distance.

The opponent pointed his rapier forward, and suddenly many swords and shadows appeared behind him, spinning like a fan, and then dissipated like a stream of light. Bai Lin's countermeasure was naturally the invincible circle.

No matter what spell you cast, if you don't have a target, you can't unleash it. With this thought in mind, Bai Lin swept her sword across the shield as she advanced. She desperately needed the long sword's ability to see through things, as it could greatly increase her tolerance for errors in combat.

The effect of the circle lasts only a fleeting moment, but on the battlefield, a single moment often brings about a multitude of changes. In the blink of an eye, Bai Lin had already raised her long blade horizontally. Elbow pointed outward, her entire body poised to strike, like a fully drawn bow. From the way her foot shattered the floor, it was hard not to imagine her opponent's flesh and blood splattering under the blow.

However, the man not only stood there calmly, but even put his knife at his waist, pretending to be a master without any hesitation. Although Bai Lin was very surprised by all this, he wondered if the opponent had released a spell that would rebound, so that he dared to act like this, just like Katie's counterattack spell that reacted to magic.

Someone once said that traps don't disappear just because you don't step on them; the best way to deal with them is to confront them head-on. Bai Lin couldn't avoid close combat, so her fighting instincts drove her arms forward. Her mind clearly told her that even a master like the gray-clothed man wouldn't be unharmed if hit by this blow.

I want to see how long your smile can last!

As the knife was swung out, a chill ran down Bai Lin's spine, and her vision blurred and lost focus. If this feeling were to be described in words, it would probably be:

My body...can't move.

The sound of flesh bursting open rang out in Bai Lin's ears. Where she lived, there was a story about the butcher who butchered an ox. The most advanced butchers would not let the animals feel any pain when they killed them.

And now Bai Lin is exactly that cow.

Chapter 186: Split