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

The sensation of severing flesh took a full 0.005 seconds to reach Bai Lin's brain from her pain receptors. All four of Bai Lin's limbs were locked in the pale green sword light. Visible wounds shed profuse blood, and the healthy muscles in her arms were damaged, the most severe of which was still visible to the bone. The wound, which covered two-thirds of her limb, stopped Bai Lin in her tracks.

The last thing Bai Lin saw was the hilt of the sword in the man's hand rising up to her face and hitting her nose hard. Then, Bai Lin completely lost consciousness.

"It's really strange. After seeing him use that move, the opponent's body didn't fall into pieces?" The black-clad bodyguards around him discussed this.

"That's right. Madam Noliel asked him to hold back. That woman is so ignorant that she dared to challenge him."

As the gray-clothed man listened to the discussion, he gradually withdrew his sharp edge and sharpness, returning to the appearance of a harmless middle-aged man. He knew in his heart that he had not held back, but the result was also within his expectations.

After all, he had already come into contact with Bai Lin last night, and he had a rough idea of ​​her physical strength. But she was such a mystery. Could it be that she only knew the Flame Sword spell?

The man put aside his suspicions and breathed a sigh of relief.

-

Bai Lin opened his eyes again.

it hurts…

As soon as she woke up, she felt the intense pain from her wounds and the uneven pressure on her face. It seemed that her nose bridge had sunken into her head, so her face was wrapped in thick bandages, like a mummy. But she quickly shifted her attention elsewhere.

This time, the ceiling was different. The familiar mat was still there, but instead of a Japanese-style futon, it was simply a mat covered in a white sheet, serving as a bed. It was a very Hunan-style room, very similar to her old gaming bedroom. The difference was that to her right was a table piled high with books and unidentified materials, likely used for work.

Once her vision adjusted to the darkness, she saw the room was densely engraved with spells and magical circles, looking quite mysterious. Kong sat beside the platform, as always, lost in thought. Bai Lin didn't know what to say, so she struggled to slowly pull herself up, only to let out a cry of pain, which attracted Kong's attention.

"You finally woke up. You're seriously injured. Don't move."

Bai Lin's voice was a little hoarse, "Water..." Kong immediately took the cup of water from the table next to him and poured it into Bai Lin. Bai Lin greedily sucked the liquid in the cup, and then he calmed down a little.

The mission to save Katie failed, and because of his lack of strength, he was injured. Bai Lin had a feeling of wanting but not being able to do anything. He tried to think of a solution but could only feel the pain of his wounds.

However, there was no point in thinking about that now. Kong had helped him again, and he shouldn't just be thinking about his own affairs.

"The stewardess was so kind to me. Even though I failed, she brought me back and gave me treatment. I don't know how to thank you enough."

Kong rarely smiled at Bai Lin, but he still spoke in a relaxed tone, "If you could look at me and speak with a little more sincerity, I might not be able to tell that you are still very unwilling."

Bai Lin sighed, "Yeah, it didn't work out, and I'm a little depressed. I'm really sorry."

"Once you've finished your work, you can be decadent as long as you want. What you need now is motivation and action." Kong looked at Bai Lin with gentle eyes and his tone was very delicate, which made Bai Lin feel a little more stable.

"But I'm still a little confused. What should I do?" Bai Lin was a little distressed.

"Before you ask, why don't you tell me what happened to you in the house?" Sora suggested.

"Too."

Perhaps because of the excessive blood loss, Bai Lin's mind was a little unclear when she woke up, and she almost died. Kong didn't know what happened after she entered the mansion. Bai Lin told Kong everything in detail, and Kong pondered for a few seconds before expressing his opinion.

"Bai Lin, others deliberately didn't kill you. Doesn't that mean there's still room for negotiation?"

"Huh? But she's pretending to be confused," Bai Lin said, somewhat bewilderedly. She had, to the best of her ability, exerted pressure on the Crown Lady. She was being stubborn, and Katie had given him information. Bai Lin could only conclude that she had to take action on the spot.

"That's the problem." Kong shook his head. "Do you remember how Guan Jue spoke to you so freely before? If his wife had colluded with him beforehand, then why didn't Guan Jue make an excuse and have his wife not show up?"

Bai Lin immediately raised his head, his eyes sharp, "You mean... Crown Lord Noliel didn't know that Katie was kidnapped?"

"It's very likely. But now that it's happened, he must know about it." Kong analyzed.

"There's no point in saying this now. If only I had thought about it calmly at that time..." Bai Lin sighed.

"Yes, of course it is useful."

Kong held Bai Lin's hand and looked at him seriously. "Think about it, even if Guan Jue knew the whole story, would he definitely stand on his wife's side?"

Bai Lin was very confused, "What else, stand on my side?"

Sora said that calmly, her eyes as clear as the surface of a lake. She said slowly,

"Think again."

Thinking about it again, it all came to mind. Could it be that Kong had thought of something? Bai Lin was a little confused. She began to recall all the information from the past few days. Why did that Lady Noliel target Katie? If she had to say it, she didn't know what special value Katie had, and she probably didn't show it to that lady.

Wait...! Bai Lin suddenly had an idea. This happened just a few days ago, how could he have forgotten it? Katie held a clue, a crucial clue, one that Bai Lin had always misunderstood. It was Katie's last name.

Katie Pelo Noliel, this is her full name. Bai Lin was wondering why Katie and her sister did not have the same surname. Now it seems that the answer has been solved.

Although it's a far-fetched theory, it's possible that Katie is actually the child of that family. But why? They are obviously a big family, so how could their child be in such a small village?

Chapter 187 Self-Speculation

"Could it be that Katie is their illegitimate child?" Bai Lin seemed to have come to his own conclusion.

Kong made a gesture to silence Bai Lin, interrupting his thoughts and saying, "It's not good to speculate rashly. Just understand the general direction. We can ask the rest tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Bai Lin asked doubtfully, "Why should I go back like this now?"

Sora's expression became even more puzzled. "Giving up halfway isn't your style. Katie's stuck there, and you still don't have a definitive answer. Are you willing to accept that?"

"What can I do if I'm unwilling? I can't win..." Bai Lin sighed, feeling a sense of confusion ahead. She was already somewhat powerless, and now she was seriously injured. If she committed suicide, her strength would decline even more, and she would have no chance.

"Is it pointless to ask you to think? Now that you have clues and guesses, just try to find out. Sometimes, words are the best weapon." Sora said.

It would be better for me to die than to talk... Bai Lin has been a otaku for so long that this is the only thought that comes to her mind. Yesterday's conversation was almost at her limit, and it would be too difficult for her to read other people's expressions. However,

Sora was right. She was still worried about Katie staying there. Although her body was still feeling strange, since Sora had proposed this plan, she must have come up with a solution.

"What should I do specifically? To be honest, I'm not very good at communicating with others." After thinking for a moment, Bai Lin scratched his head embarrassedly.

"How could that be? Everyone is born with the ability to speak. Even those with physical disabilities can master their own conversational skills, such as sign language and writing. After careful consideration and guidance, you should speak boldly."

"I still don't quite understand..." Bai Lin seemed to say with some emotion.

"There was once a man who could manipulate the emotions of others through his words. I once asked him what his secret was, and he simply told me to remember this: get information from the conversation, and feed that information back into the conversation."

Kong looked at Bai Lin with a hopeful expression and said, "Come on, things like this will get much better if you understand them a little bit."

If the eyes are the windows to the soul, then words are the bridge between two hearts. Small movements, micro-expressions, and even the slightest change in expression can play a significant role in the struggle of dialogue. Although Bai Lin was well aware of this, the young man, who was not very skilled to begin with, had already exhausted his talent in the dim room.

Therefore, Bai Lin would feel confused and helpless. But now, she has been forced to this point. Under the dual push of pressure and Kong's help, she has regained her confidence and determination.

Testing, huh? No, only by going for it with the mindset of winning can one achieve the goal of testing. Bai Lin didn't know where he got the strength from, but he struggled to sit up, and covered Kong's hand with his other hand, and said to him,

"Although the previous reward has not been paid, I still want the stewardess to help me. I need a healthy body to move around, and an opportunity to enter the palace again."

Seeing Bai Lin's sudden fighting spirit, Kong smiled as if he had expected it. "Of course the reward is no problem. We can settle it together after the task is completed. As for what you want, I have already prepared it."

With a clang sound, as if accompanied by its own sound effects, Sora pulled out a mysterious cloak from behind him. It was a purplish-black cloak, with some gold-trimmed embroidery. The main embroidery was dominated by a single golden wing, and the fabric's fineness seemed far beyond its time.

"This is…"

"This cloak makes it impossible to tell who you are. It also has a host of other functions, including invisibility and teleportation... In short, its effects are perfectly suited to your actions tomorrow."

"It's so powerful, can you really let me use it?" Bai Lin could only smile bitterly with a bitter face.

Kong casually threw the cloak over Bai Lin's head, then released his hand and said in a somewhat peevish tone, "It seems you still don't trust me. I've already said I'll only help you within your means. Anyway, just put it on and use it. Don't lose it or tear it. It's up to you."

Because of the damage to her arms, Bai Lin was a bit flustered as she was covered by the cloak and fell to the side of the bed. Kong laughed for a long time before helping Bai Lin up and taking off the cloak for her.

"In this situation, I can only say thank you very much."

"Who knows?"

Just as Bai Lin was about to say something, her stomach started to protest. Kong also immediately spoke up, like a combo.

"Okay, finish the treatment quickly and go eat. It might be a little painful, so bear with it for a while--"

“Ah…Ah!!!”

-

According to Sora, the spell she used this time was "Degraded Return from Another World." Bai Lin didn't understand the incantation, but all she felt was endless pain. Afterward, exhaustion washed over her. However, she did remove the bandages.

Within three days, the body will recover to a relatively complete state. Perhaps because the effect was not good, the fee this time was the same as last time. However, Bai Lin felt like an old man, weak all over, and half of his body was buried in the soil, besides being hungry.

"We don't have to fight tomorrow anyway," Sora said.

Walking out of the dimly lit room, Bai Lin found herself with the dining table and living room. The layout looked familiar to her, but she couldn't recall where she'd seen it before. Dinner was Chinese cuisine, cooked by Kong himself. Bai Lin had wanted to help, but due to her frail state, she couldn't do anything well, so she was forced out to be a glutton.

"Why is the stewardess so nice to me?"

During dinner, Bai Lin asked Kong who was sitting across from her. Since Kong had already done this, it would be okay to ask directly. Kong blinked her mysterious and beautiful eyes, leaned forward a little, and asked Bai Lin,

"You really want to know?"

"Think about it. Sora clearly has both the strength and the brains. Helping me isn't a profitable business, so why is he doing this? I'm definitely curious."

Sora's lips moved slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but then he thought for a moment as if he remembered something, and then said,

"Good people are always rewarded. Just think of it as the gods thinking you are good and sending me to bring you blessings."

My girlfriend is a god, do you think I will believe it? Bai Lin secretly complained, but still pretended to be innocent and asked,

"really?"

"I was just kidding." Sora winked playfully.

Chapter 188 Goodbye Blonde Little Girl

"Although you may think I'm unconditionally good to you, you should understand that everything happens for a reason. So just bear with it and don't think too much about it."

"...That's why I want to know. To be honest, I'm embarrassed to owe Miss Kong so many favors."

After hearing Kong's words, Bai Lin could only honestly speak out his truest thoughts. Owing favors to others was not something Bai Lin was good at. Giving and receiving were easy to say, but in reality, they were very complicated.

Kong gave Bai Lin a meaningful look. "You said it before, you trust me. You're my employer, and while I'm providing the necessary assistance, I'm also standing by your side as one of your own. When dealing with your own people, don't dwell too much on being polite."

"If you really feel bad about it, I wouldn't mind having an extra maid to clean and handle chores in the shop."

Obviously, you dress more like a maid. Bai Lin complained silently in his heart, then laughed and said,

"Then forget it. With my level of housework, I'll just cause trouble for the flight attendant."

“I don’t think so at all.”

Although Kong's words and eyes were sincere, Bai Lin was kicked out just as she was about to help in the kitchen, so she just thought Kong was being polite. So she lowered her head, scooped up a spoonful of soup, and replied calmly,

"I'll think about it."

Because it was already late today, they decided to go to Guanjue Mansion for the so-called negotiations tomorrow. Bai Lin went to bed early at Kong's urging, as she didn't have anything else to do anyway.

What a mysterious woman! Ever since their first meeting, Bai Lin had been seeing Sora in various places. What power was behind her? Did she possess all these unique residences? Even if she did, why would she have to go through every scene so quickly after only meeting her for so long?

Forget it. His trust in Sora wasn't just words, so there was no need to be so suspicious of her. The worst that could happen was that he'd just do as she'd said and serve her in return. Given Sora's personality, he wouldn't deliberately make things difficult for him, and the two of them would probably get along very well.

It’s not too late to think about rewards after you have finished your current task with peace of mind.

So, Bai Lin thought about the entry point for tomorrow's conversation in advance, and fell asleep early in a drowsy state.

The next morning, Kong prepared breakfast again. Bai Lin was still very weak and couldn't get up on his own, so he happily woke up.

After dinner, the two of them headed straight to their destination. During this time, Bai Lin raised several doubts.

"They have so many powerful guards. Won't they be discovered using their invisibility and teleportation abilities?"

Kong also answered Bai Lin's doubts, "The working principle of this cloak has little to do with magic, so it will not be detected. Secondly, it has the ability to control gravity. Use it properly."

If it's so powerful, why didn't you let me use it yesterday? I might have won the fight yesterday. Bai Lin wanted to say this, but then he thought about how precious this cloak was. If she borrowed it to fight, she might have damaged it. After all, there were still many people in the mansion who hadn't used it yet.

In the morning, the two arrived near the mansion. They chose this time to ensure that the Crown Lady and the others were already awake. If they attacked them while they were asleep, the nature of the attack would be somewhat different.

"Go ahead. I'll be waiting for you near the gate as usual. I wish you success."

With a "hmm," she vanished. The cloak was convenient; as soon as she put it on, instructions for using it flashed through her mind, imprinted directly on Bai Lin's brain. This made Bai Lin curious about what kind of free magic item she would receive from Kong.

However, we still need to focus on important matters now.

With a light leap, Bai Lin flew, and after adjusting to gravity, she landed gently. Bai Lin lightened her body, making it impossible for others to see her. Now even her footsteps disappeared completely.

A familiar middle-aged man in gray sat at the door behind the courtyard. Although Bai Lin was a little nervous as he approached, the man simply leaned back in his chair and didn't react. Seeing that even a master like him couldn't detect him, Bai Lin felt much more at ease and strode up the stairs.

The second floor, besides a few rooms, had a dining room, so it seemed the rooms here were probably guest rooms. Passing by a few guards and maids, she headed straight for the third floor.

Although it was daytime, the third floor was already ablaze with a dim light, perhaps always on. Using his teleportation ability to pass through a door, Bai Lin could see everything clearly. The decor here was far more elaborate than the two floors below. Compared to the grandeur of the lower floors, this one leaned towards understated luxury. There were elegantly appointed furniture, a warm glow, and a faint fragrance, perhaps from the material of the furniture.

Beside a large bed, a figure instantly caught Bai Lin's attention. She was curled up in a small corner beside the bed, head lowered, not knowing what she was thinking about, but her eyes were a little dim.

On the bedside table, unfinished food lay. The girl looked haggard, perhaps with no appetite. She was still wearing her original clothes, but also her gray hood. However, that couldn't hide the slightly exposed tips of her golden hair. Without a doubt, the girl was Katie.

Although Bai Lin was a little excited, he thought carefully and realized that Katie hadn't cast a spell to help him yesterday. Perhaps there was something hidden in this room. So Bai Lin didn't dare to show his true form. He just stood still and coughed lightly.

The girl's face suddenly lifted up, and she opened her eyes wide in disbelief, but she didn't see anything.

"Bai Lin, is that you?" Although Katie's voice was a little hoarse, it was probably not caused by dryness, and it quickly returned to normal.

"It seems that there is no problem talking here. It's me who has made you suffer these past few days."